ObjectiveFecal calprotectin (FC) is an established biomarker of gut inflammation. The aim of this study was to evaluate FC concentrations in healthy children between 1 and 18 months of age.MethodsHealthy children aged 1-18 months were enrolled in this study at the Department of Children's Health Care in Shanghai, China. Children’s stool samples were collected and analyzed, and FC concentration was determined using a commercially available enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The children's weights and lengths were measured. Parents were asked to complete a brief questionnaire regarding several clinical and sociodemographic factors.ResultsThe FC concentrations were unevenly distributed; the median FC concentration was 174.3 μg/g (range: 6.0-1097.7 μg/g) or 2.241 log10 μg/g (range: 0.775-3.041 log10 μg/g) for all 288 children. The children were divided into several age groups: 1-3 months, 3-6 months, 6-9 months, 9-12 months and 12-18 months. The median FC concentrations for these age groups were 375.2 μg/g (2.574 log10 μg/g), 217.9 μg/g (2.338 log10 μg/g), 127.7 μg/g (2.106 log10 μg/g), 96.1 μg/g (1.983 log10 μg/g) and 104.2 μg/g (2.016 log10 μg/g), respectively. A significant correlation between age and FC concentration was found (r=-0.490, p<0.001). A simple correlation analysis of weight-for-length Z-scores or weight-for-age Z-scores vs. FC concentrations showed that these variables were negatively correlated (Spearman’s rho=-0.287, p<0.001; Spearman’s rho=-0.243, p<0.001, respectively).ConclusionsThe FC levels of children aged 1-18 months exhibit a downward trend with increasing age and are greater than the normal levels observed in healthy adults. In healthy children aged <6 months, FC levels are high. In children aged 6-18 months, FC concentrations are relatively low but are still higher than those of children aged >4 years.
A classical force field capable for accurately predicting surface tensions, surface concentration, and other interfacial properties is reported for sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS). This force field is proposed by combining parameters from well established force fields for components of the air/SDS/water interface and optimized by adjusting the van der Waals diameter of sulfate oxygen to fit experimental data of surface tension. The force field parameters are transferable; as good agreement with experimental data is achieved from independent calculations on activity derivatives of aqueous solution of sodium methyl sulfate using the Kirkwood-Buff theory. The adjusted parameter effectively modulates the electrostatic interactions of solvated ions in solutions. This modification has a strong impact to surface tension and location and mobility of sodium cations but minimal impact to properties such as density profiles of bulk phase and conformations and orientations of surfactant chain, for which consistent results compared with previous studies are obtained.
converting electrical energy into chemical energy. However, both reactions require large thermodynamic overpotential to overcome the kinetic barriers. [3] The cathodic reaction of HER has received extensive attentions for hydrogen production. To improve the efficiency of electrical energy to hydrogen production, the cathodic overpotentials have to be reduced, especially at high current densities for practical application. This can be achieved via catalysts, which include transition metals and their sulfides, nitrides, phosphides, selenides, and carbides. [4] Direct solar-driven water splitting is a more sustainable and renewable strategy compared to water electrolysis. As a highly desirable approach to solve the energy crisis, it collects and stores solar energy in chemical bonds. [5] In the solar-driven water splitting reaction, a semiconductor is required to absorb radiant energies, generate electron-hole pairs, and finally drive the decomposition of water. [5] Therefore, quantum efficiency of this process is determined by the semiconductors. P-type semiconductors, for example, p-InP and Cu 2 O, with high position of conduction band, can reduce protons into hydrogen as a photocathode. However, solar to hydrogen (STH) efficiency is largely dependent on the surface reaction kinetics to some extent. [6] Solar water splitting has attracted intensive attention of researchers since the first report in 1972. [7] Its practical implementation encounters many challenges, one of which is to develop highly active sites on the bare semiconductor surface to lower HER barrier. [8] One approach to introduce catalytic active center is to coat isolated metallic nanoparticles as catalysts on the surface. [9] For instance, p-InP coated with Rh particles could yield 13.3% conversion efficiency to hydrogen. [10] The improvement is ascribed to the change of Schottky barrier height of the material system through addition of metal particles. [11] With higher density of majority carriers than the semiconductors, the metals on the surface enable facile transport of minority carriers and facilitate reduction reaction. [5] Another effective approach to overcome the kinetic limitation of solar-assisted water splitting is to provide an extra bias which helps the photogenerated electron-hole pairs separate and migrate to the electrode surface. [12] Besides, the additional bias can lead bending of the semiconductor's band and hence compensate the insufficient electronic energy and overcome the
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