This paper describes the detection of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) through analyses of two output signals from integrated microcantilever sensor arrays coated with organic‐inorganic hybrid sensing layers. The surface of TiO2 porous films was modified by amphiphilic terthiophene monomers and the adsorbed monomers were polymerized at the surface of TiO2 nanoparticles. The TiO2 porous films covered with polythiophene layers worked as highly sensitive sensing interfaces to provide two output signals for weight and resistance changes during exposure to VOC vapor. When the TiO2 porous films onto the sensor arrays were dyed with various kinds of amphiphilic monomers with different substituents, the resulting films provide exact information on VOC concentration from the mass changes as well as VOC classification from the analyses of response patterns.

We have previously reported that the creatinine (Cre) to cystatin C (CysC) ratio is associated with height-adjusted skeletal muscle mass index (SMI). However, weight-adjusted SMI is reported to be a more useful marker of insulin sensitivity than height-adjusted SMI. Thus, we hypothesized that the creatinine to (cystatin C × body weight [BW]) relationship (Cre/ [CysC × BW]) might be associated with weight-adjusted SMI. In this cross-sectional study of 169 males and 132 females, a body composition analyzer was used and the weight-adjusted SMI was calculated as (absolute muscle mass [kg]/BW [kg]) × 100. The cut-off of low muscle mass was defined as weight-adjusted SMI <37.0% for males and <28.0% for females. The Cre/(CysC × BW) was correlated with weight-adjusted SMI in both males (r = 0.484, p < 0.001) and females (r = 0.538, p < 0.001). In addition, Cre/(CysC × BW) was associated with weight-adjusted SMI in both males (standardized β = 0.493, p < 0.001) and females (standardized β = 0.570, p < 0.001) after adjusting for covariates. According to the receiver operator characteristic (ROC) curve analysis, the optimal cut-off point of Cre/(CysC × BW) for low muscle mass was 0.0145 (area under the ROC curve [AUC] 0.756 [95% confidence interval {95% CI} 0.644-0.842], sensitivity = 0.96, specificity = 0.47, p < 0.001) in males and 0.0090 (AUC 0.976 [95% CI 0.894-0.995], sensitivity = 1.00, specificity = 0.93, p < 0.001) in females. There is a correlation between Cre/(CysC × BW) and weight-adjusted SMI. The Cre/(CysC × BW) could be a practical screening marker for low muscle mass.

1. The in vitro biological activities and the effect of protein binding on the relaxant effects in vivo of N-3-alkylxanthine and N-3-alkyl-N-1-methylxanthine derivative were investigated in guinea-pigs. 2. A significantly positive correlation was observed among the in vitro muscle relaxant activity, the cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) phosphodiesterase (PDE) inhibitory activity and the protein-binding potency of xanthine derivatives. However, there was a weak relationship between these activities and affinity for adenosine receptors. 3. When theophylline, enprofylline and 1-methyl-3-propylxanthine (MPX) were injected intravenously in guinea-pigs, their ED50 values were 6.1, 3.3 and 1.0 mg/kg, respectively. Plasma concentrations of these drugs obtained following the intravenous injection of the ED50 approximated the theoretically effective concentration (EC50) predicted from both the relaxant effects in vitro and the protein binding parameters. A good linear correlation was observed between bodyweight in four species (rats, guinea-pigs, rabbits and humans) and certain pharmacokinetic parameters of enprofylline and theophylline. 4. The present study indicates that differences in the relaxant effects of these drugs in vitro and in vivo can be explained in part by protein binding, and that the protein binding of these xanthine bronchodilators is an important determinant for their pharmacological activity. Guinea-pigs provide a useful model for studying pharmacodynamic-pharmacokinetic relationships of new bronchodilators.

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