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Anthropometric measurements including body mass index (BMI), mid-upper arm circumference (MUAC), and calf circumference (CC) are simple and convenient indicators of nutritional status and muscle mass. However, most of their reference values come from studies based on healthy Western populations. The optimal reference values of these anthropometric factors in Asian patients with cancer are unclear. The aim of this study was to develop reference values of severely and moderately low BMI, MUAC, and CC by analyzing a large sample of patients with cancer from a nationwide population.We conducted a retrospective analysis of 16 104 patients who were diagnosed with malignant diseases from June 2012 to January 2019. The median age of the patients was 58 y, and 52.5% were men. Optimal stratification was used to calculate reference values using X-tile software. Kaplan-Meier and multivariate Cox analysis were performed to analyze survival data. A receiver operating characteristic analysis was conducted to test the performance of new reference values in diagnosing malnutrition.The optimal reference values were calculated for BMI (moderately low: 19.7 [women] and 19 [men]; severely low: 16.7 [women] and 16.7 [men]), MUAC (moderately low: 24.5 [women] and 23.2 [men] severely low: 20.6 [women] and 19.4 [mnen]), and CC (moderately low: 29.1 [women] and 29.3 [men]; severely low: 26.7 [women] and 26.9 [men]). New reference values had more significant affects on mortality risk and better performance in predicting malnutrition than existing ones.The present study defined reference values of moderately and severely low BMI, MUAC, and CC, which showed strong associations with quality of life, malnutrition, and mortality risk. New reference values from the present study are classification references specifically for the Asian population, which is a new step to promote the application of Global Leadership Initiative on Malnutrition criteria and its severity grading system in Asia.

In this paper, we investigate the problem of testing nonparametric function in partial linear errors-in-variables models with response missing at random. In order to overcome the bias produced by measurement errors, two bias-corrected test statistics based on the quadratic conditional moment method are proposed. The limiting null distributions of the test statistics are established respectively and p values can be easily determined which show that the proposed test statistics have similar theoretical properties. Moreover, our tests can detect the alternatives distinct from the null hypothesis at the optimal nonparametric rate for local smoothing-based methods in this area. Simulation studies are conducted to demonstrate the performance of the proposed test methods and the proposed two tests give similar performances. A real data set from the ACTG 175 study is used for illustrating the proposed test methods.

We make an evaluation of the lepton flavor violating (LFV) decays τ → l ( V 0 , P 0 ) , where l = e or μ and V 0 ( P 0 ) is a neutral vector (pseudo-scalar) meson, in the context of unparticle physics. The constraints are investigated systematically on the related coupling parameters from all the available experimental data, and the parameter values are specified appropriately. The results show that whereas over the whole parameter space allowed by experiments all the τ → l P 0 modes have a branching ratio too small to be measurable experimentally, in a large subspace as observed all of the τ → l V 0 modes get simultaneously a branching ratio as high as O ( 10 − 10 – 10 − 8 ) , which is reachable at the LHC and super B factory. The important implications are drawn.

Objective To detect the expression of glial fibrillary acid protein (GFAP) and taurine transporter (TauT) in the retinal Muller cells in high glucose culture with taurine and to explore the influence of glucose on the taurine transporting, and the possible protective effects of taurine on Muller cells in early diabetic retinopathy. Methods The Muller cells from the rat retina were cultured in high glucose, and GFAP and TauT expressions were detected in the cells treated with different doses of taurine by immuocy-tochemical fluorescein staining and Western blotting. Results High glucose enhanced the expression of GFAP and decreased the expression of TauT in Muller cells. Taurine decreased the up-regulation of GFAP in the cells which was induced by high glucose; 0. 1–10 mmol/L taurine increased the expression of TauT in Muller cells. Conclusion Taurine can inhibit the changes in Muller cell resulted from high glucose.

A new method for the synthesis of calcium carbonate nanoparticles using two types of foam which are separately stabilized by surfactants with opposite change has been described here. In detail, one type of foam is formed by the aqueous solution of CaCl2 which contains the anionic surfactant alkyl polyoxyethylene alcohol sulfate sodium (AES) and the other is formed by the aqueous solution of Na2CO3 and the cationic surfactant alkyl polyoxyethylene quaternary ammonium chloride (AEAC). Two types of foam contact each other in a specially designed apparatus after draining completely, then Ca2+ and CO32− entrapped by the surfactant layers at the thin borders between the foam bubbles react and result in the generation of CaCO3 nanoparticles. TEM determination showed that perfect mono-dispersed spherical nanoparticles were obtained and the size of particles can be conveniently controlled by changing the concentration of CaCl2 and Na2CO3. Also, the mechanism leading to the synthesis of CaCO3 nanoparticles was discussed in detail.