Effects of low-carbohydrate and low-fat diets: a randomized trial.

Background: Low-carbohydrate diets are popular for weight loss, but their cardiovascular effects have not been well-studied, particularly in diverse populations.

Objective: To examine the effects of a low-carbohydrate diet compared with a low-fat diet on body weight and cardiovascular risk factors.

Design: A randomized, parallel-group trial.

Modification of a smoking motivation questionnaire for Chinese medical students.

Introduction: Smoking prevalence among the medical students is high in China. Therefore, understanding the smoking motivations of medical students is crucial for smoking control, but currently there are no scales questionnaires customized for probing the smoking motivations of medical students. This aim of study was to test and modify a questionnaire for investigating smoking motivations among medical students.

Effects of anticipation on perception of facial expressions.

Human beings do not passively perceive the facial expressions of other people, but predict observed facial expressions by employing past experiences. The aim of the current study was to investigate whether and how anticipation affected the perception of facial expressions. A 3-way repeated-measures ANOVA on anticipation, orientation, and facial expression was performed on RTs and recognition accuracy in Experiments 1 and 2.

[Determination of soluble solids content in Nanfeng Mandarin by Vis/NIR spectroscopy and UVE-ICA-LS-SVM].

The objective of the present research was to assess soluble solids content (SSC) of Nanfeng mandarin by visible/near infrared (Vis/NIR) spectroscopy combined with new variable selection method, simplify prediction model and improve the performance of prediction model for SSC of Nanfeng mandarin. A total of 300 Nanfeng mandarin samples were used, the numbers of Nanfeng mandarin samples in calibration, validation and prediction sets were 150, 75 and 75, respectively. Vis/NIR spectra of Nanfeng mandarin samples were acquired by a QualitySpec spectrometer in the wavelength range of 350-1000 nm.

Support for physical activity policies and perceptions of work and neighborhood environments: variance by BMI and activity status at the county and individual levels.

Purpose: To examine support for local policies encouraging physical activity and perceived neighborhood environment characteristics by physical activity and weight status of respondents across U.S. counties.

Effects of thiamine on cardiac function in patients with systolic heart failure: systematic review and metaanalysis of randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trials.

Background: Thiamine is an important micronutrient, and thiamine deficiency is prevalent in patients with congestive heart failure.

Methods: Using Ovid MEDLINE, PubMed, and Excepta Medica (Embase), we conducted a systematic review and metaanalysis of randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trials of thiamine supplementation in patients with congestive heart failure.

Results: Compared with placebo (2 trials, n=38), thiamine supplementation resulted in a significantly improved net change in left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) (3.

Study on optimisation of extraction process of tanshinone IIA and its mechanism of induction of gastric cancer SGC7901 cell apoptosis.

The objective of this paper was to investigate the extraction process of tanshinone IIA and its mechanism of induction of gastric cancer SGC7901 cell apoptosis. Extraction process of tanshinone IIA was optimised by orthogonal experimental method, and its effect on gastric cancer SGC7901 cell apoptosis was observed using MTT assay and electron microscopy. The optimum extraction process of tanshinone IIA was as follows: addition of a 10-fold amount of 80% ethanol, one-time extraction, and extraction time of 45 minutes.

Porous TiO₂ nanowire microsphere constructed by spray drying and its electrochemical lithium storage properties.

Porous TiO2 nanowire microspheres with greatly decreasing agglomeration were successfully prepared by spray drying of hydrothermal reaction suspension, followed by calcination at 350°C. The as-obtained nanowire microspheres with TiO2-B structure reach an initial discharge capacity 210 mAh g(-1) with an irreversible capacity 25 mAh g(-1) at a current density of 20 mA g(-1). For the 450°C-calcined one with anatase TiO2 crystal structure, the initial discharge capacity is 245 mAh g(-1) but with a much higher irreversible capacity of 80 mAh g(-1).

Multistage genome-wide association meta-analyses identified two new loci for bone mineral density.

Aiming to identify novel genetic variants and to confirm previously identified genetic variants associated with bone mineral density (BMD), we conducted a three-stage genome-wide association (GWA) meta-analysis in 27 061 study subjects. Stage 1 meta-analyzed seven GWA samples and 11 140 subjects for BMDs at the lumbar spine, hip and femoral neck, followed by a Stage 2 in silico replication of 33 SNPs in 9258 subjects, and by a Stage 3 de novo validation of three SNPs in 6663 subjects. Combining evidence from all the stages, we have identified two novel loci that have not been reported previously at the genome-wide significance (GWS; 5.

Predictors of condom use behaviors based on the Health Belief Model (HBM) among female sex workers: a cross-sectional study in Hubei Province, China.

Background: HIV infection related to commercial sexual contact is a serious public health issue in China. The objectives of the present study are to explore the predictors of condom use among female sex workers (FSWs) in China and examine the relationship between Health Belief Model (HBM) constructs.

Methodology/principal Findings: A cross-sectional study was conducted in two cities (Wuhan and Suizhou) in Hubei Province, China, between July 2009 and June 2010.

Effects of low-carbohydrate diets versus low-fat diets on metabolic risk factors: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled clinical trials.

The effects of low-carbohydrate diets (≤45% of energy from carbohydrates) versus low-fat diets (≤30% of energy from fat) on metabolic risk factors were compared in a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Twenty-three trials from multiple countries with a total of 2,788 participants met the predetermined eligibility criteria (from January 1, 1966 to June 20, 2011) and were included in the analyses. Data abstraction was conducted in duplicate by independent investigators.

Protective effect of glucose-insulin-potassium (GIK) on intestinal tissues after severe burn in experimental rats.

Intestinal barrier damage after scald and burns, other trauma or major operations result in severe intestinal infections that cause serious consequences. Therefore, it is important to develop methods to protect intestinal barrier after severe burns. This study used rats that had full-thickness burn of approximately 30% of the total body surface area to investigate the effect and mechanism of glucose-insulin-potassium (GIK) and provide experimental evidence for application of GIK in protecting the intestine after burns or other trauma and major surgeries.

Neural control of arterial pressure variability in the neuromuscularly blocked rat.

The baroreflexes stabilize moment-to-moment arterial pressure. Sinoaortic denervation (SAD) of the baroreflexes results in a large increase in arterial pressure variability (APV) across various species. Due to an incomplete understanding of the nonlinear interactions between central and peripheral systems, the major source of APV remains controversial.

[Characterization of surface properties of polybutadiene rubber by inverse gas chromatography].

Inverse gas chromatography was applied to the characterization of the surface properties of polybutadiene rubber (PBR). Four n-alkanes (C6, C7, C8 and C9-alkanes) were chosen as the apolar probes to characterize the dispersive component of surface free energy. Dichloromethane, trichloromethane, acetone, ethyl acetate, diethylether and tetrahydrofuran were chosen as the polar probes to detect the Lewis acid-base parameters.

Antihypertensive treatment and secondary prevention of cardiovascular disease events among persons without hypertension: a meta-analysis.

Context: Cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk increases beginning at systolic blood pressure levels of 115 mm Hg. Use of antihypertensive medications among patients with a history of CVD or diabetes and without hypertension has been debated.

Objective: To evaluate the effect of antihypertensive treatment on secondary prevention of CVD events and all-cause mortality among persons without clinically defined hypertension.

Analyzing core-shell structured zinc doped MgO Wrapped Ba(1-x)Sr(x)TiO3 nanoparticles.

BST nanoparticles were directly synthesized from solution at 70 degrees C and then wrapped with zinc doped MgO in solution. This core-shell structure was analyzed by a conjunction of XRD, HRTEM, and FE-SEM. The lattice cell parameter of BST core was found to have shrinkage.

XAFS studies and computational simulation of calixcrowns-caesium complexes in solution.

Caesium L(3)-edge XANES (X-ray absorption near-edge structure) and EXAFS (extended X-ray absorption fine structure) have been evaluated as means of probing the local structure and the interaction of caesium ions with BPC6 {1,3-alternate bis(2-propyloxy)calix[4]arenecrown-6}, BOC6 {1,3-alternate bis(octyloxy)calix[4]arenecrown-6} and BisC6 (1,3-alternate calix[4]arene bis-crown-6) in NPME (o-nitrophenyl methyl ether) or OA (n-octyl alcohol). The XANES results indicate that the molecular symmetry is enhanced as the caesium ions are embedded. The EXAFS spectra demonstrate that the coordination numbers (N) and average distances (R) from the central caesium ion to the O atoms are: for BPC6, N = 7.

A reconstructed digit by transplantation of a second toe for control of an electromechanical prosthetic hand.

The treatment options for the loss of an entire human hand and part of the forearm are currently limited to the transplantation of toe(s) to the amputation stump or a Krukenberg's bifurcation hand, and using a cosmetic or functional prosthesis. The functional prosthetic hand, such as the prevailing myoelectrically controlled prosthetic hand, has an action accuracy that is affected by many factors. The acceptance rate of the three planes freedom myoelectronic hand by the patients was 46-90% because of poor function caused by the weakness of signal and strong external interference.