Search

A wide-bandgap two-dimensional polymer PBDT-BDT based on alternating benzo[1,2-b:4,5-b′]dithiophene (BDT) units with triphenylamine (TPA) conjugated side chains is designed and synthesized.

The photovoltaic performance of three chlorinated NFAs based on a selenium heterocyclic core (namely BTSeIC-2Cl-γ, BTSeIC-2Cl-mix and BTSeIC-4Cl) were researched by precisely regulating the number and position of end-group chlorine atoms.

Background Neurogenic cervical spondylosis(NCS) is the most common type of cervical spondylosis, accounting for approximately 60 percent. Our research team has accumulated rich clinical experience in the treatment of cervical spondylosis and has carried out research related to manipulation and acupuncture therapies. This project further develops scientific research on neurogenic cervical spondylosis based on previous studies. A randomized controlled study was conducted on spinal tuina, microneedle knife, and spinal tuina combined with microneedle knife. We will observe the changes in clinical symptoms and imaging findings in patients with neurogenic cervical spondylosis by the three treatments, and evaluate the clinical efficacy and adverse reactions of the three treatments. There is great significance in guiding the clinical treatment of neurogenic cervical spondylosis. Methods This is a single-site, single-blind, randomized, controlled trial. A total of 90 participants will be randomly allocated to the Spinal Tuina group (Group A), Microneedle knife group (Group B) or Spinal Tuina combined with Microneedle knife group (Group C) in a 1:1:1 ratio. Patients will receive three acupuncture treatment sessions per week for 2 consecutive weeks. All patients will then receive a 4-week follow-up. Primary outcome is the effective rate. The secondary outcomes are the amount of improvement in trapezius muscle tone, the Neck Disability Index score, the Visual Analogue Score(VAS), and the cervical curvature values. Adverse events will be monitored in the treatment period and follow-up period. Discussion This trial may provide high-quality evidence for the efficacy and safety of Spinal Tuinan combined with Microneedle knife for NCS. The results of this study will be published in peer-reviewed journals. Trial registration Chinese Clinical Trial Registry ChiCTR2200061381. Registered on 7 June 2022.

The occurrence of renal amyloidosis and fibrillary glomerulonephritis in the same biopsy specimen is exceptional and poses a diagnostic challenge. We describe the case of a non-Hispanic White patient with end-stage kidney disease due to fibrillary glomerulonephritis who received a second living donor kidney from a Hispanic individual. A 40-month–posttransplantation biopsy performed for an elevated serum creatinine level revealed interstitial congophilic deposits and glomerular noncongophilic fibrillary deposits, in addition to rejection. Separate laser microdissections of the glomerular and interstitial deposits followed by liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (LC MS/MS) revealed DNAJB9 peptide spectra in glomeruli and a peptide profile consistent with leukocyte chemotactic factor 2 (ALECT2) amyloidosis in the interstitium. Based on these findings, a 2-week–posttransplantation biopsy was re-reviewed and analyzed using LC MS/MS, which revealed a peptide profile consistent with ALECT2 amyloidosis in the interstitium, without peptide spectra for ALECT2 or DNAJB9 in glomeruli. The findings were consistent with donor-derived ALECT2 amyloidosis and recurrent fibrillary glomerulonephritis. At 49 months posttransplantation, allograft function was stable with minimal proteinuria. Thus, LC MS/MS was crucial to establish the accurate diagnosis of these 2 nephropathies characterized by fibrillary deposits. The indolent posttransplantation course suggests that donated kidneys with focal interstitial ALECT2 deposits may be suitable for transplantation but the deposits persist for many years.

Renal ischemia-reperfusion injury is an important contributor to the development of delayed graft function after transplantation, which is associated with higher rejection rates and poorer long-term outcomes. One of the earliest impairments during ischemia is Na + /K + -ATPase (Na/K pump) dysfunction due to insufficient ATP supply, resulting in subsequent cellular damage. Therefore, strategies that preserve ATP or maintain Na/K pump function may limit the extent of renal injury during ischemia-reperfusion. Here, we applied a synchronization modulation electric field to activate Na/K pumps, thereby maintaining cellular functions under ATP-insufficient conditions. We tested the effectiveness of this technique in two models of ischemic renal injury: an in situ renal ischemia-reperfusion injury model (predominantly warm ischemia) and a kidney transplantation model (predominantly cold ischemia). Application of the synchronization modulation electric field to a renal ischemia-reperfusion injury mouse model preserved Na/K pump activity, thereby reducing kidney injury, as reflected by 40% lower plasma creatinine (1.17 ± 0.03 mg/dl) in the electric field–treated group as compared to the untreated control group (1.89 ± 0.06 mg/dl). In a mouse kidney transplantation model, renal graft function was improved by more than 50% with the application of the synchronization modulation electric field according to glomerular filtration rate measurements (85.40 ± 12.18 μl/min in the untreated group versus 142.80 ± 11.65 μl/min in the electric field–treated group). This technique for preserving Na/K pump function may have therapeutic potential not only for ischemic kidney injury but also for other diseases associated with Na/K pump dysfunction due to inadequate ATP supply.

Selenium-heterocyclic and side-chain strategies for developing near-infrared (NIR) small fused-ring acceptors (FRAs) to further obtain short-circuit current density (

Although the mechanisms underlying how malnutrition in early life affects the susceptibility to diseases later in life remain unclear, there is considerable interest in the potential role of DNA methylation in the intrauterine programming of diseases. In this study, digital gene expression profiles were used to analyze changes in gene expression of protein-restricted rats early in life, while intergenerational rat models were used to explore differences in whole blood genomic DNA methylation in an environment stimulated by maternal protein intervention. Nine rats were randomly divided into early-life low-protein group (LPE), fetal low-protein group (LPF), and normal control group (CON). The LPE group was fed a low-protein diet on the 1st day of pregnancy until the end of lactation. The LPF group was given low-protein diet during pregnancy. The CON group was given a 20% protein diet from the 1st day of pregnancy. Total mRNA was extracted from the sacrificed rats at the 48th week. The number of differentially expressed genes for LPE versus CON, LPF versus CON, and LPF versus LPE was 178, 223, and 302, respectively. Comparing LPE versus CON and LPF versus CON, the upregulated genes common to the two groups were Gimap-9, Serinc-4, Dnah-2, Sf3b-5, and Sat-2, and the downregulated genes were Ppp1r-3. Comparing LPF versus CON and LPF versus LPE, the upregulated genes were Mgat2 and Cars, and the downregulated genes were Ddx28 and Slc12a9. The differentially expressed genes were mainly related to cell metabolism, immune response, signaling pathway, endocrine metabolism, stress response, ATP binding, and other functions. Early-life protein malnutrition affects gene expression of rat offspring and involves multiple aspects of growth and development, with different stages of early-life malnutrition leading to altered DNA methylation expression of corresponding genes, mainly in mitochondrial genes.

Acute kidney injury (AKI) significantly increases the risk of development of chronic kidney disease (CKD), which is closely associated with the severity of AKI. However, the underlying mechanisms for the AKI to CKD transition remain unclear. Several animal models with AKI to CKD transition have been generated and widely used in research; however, none of them exhibit the typical changes in glomerular filtration rate or plasma creatinine, the hallmarks of CKD. In the present study, we developed a novel model with a typical phenotype of AKI to CKD transition in C57BL/6 mice. In this model, life-threatening ischemia-reperfusion injury was performed in one kidney, whereas the contralateral kidney was kept intact to maintain animal survival; then, after 2 wk of recovery, when the renal function of the injured kidney restored above the survival threshold, the contralateral intact kidney was removed. Animals of this two-stage unilateral ischemia-reperfusion injury model with pedicle clamping of 21 and 24 min exhibited an incomplete recovery from AKI and subsequent progression of CKD with characteristics of a progressive decline in glomerular filtration rate, increase in plasma creatinine, worsening of proteinuria, and deleterious histopathological changes, including interstitial fibrosis and glomerulosclerosis. In conclusion, a new model of the AKI to CKD transition was generated in C57BL/6 mice.

Introduction Current management of ischemic priapism revolves around 3 principles: resolving the acute event, preserving erectile function, and reducing the risk of future recurrences. Although more conservative management options, such as aspiration, irrigation, and surgical shunts, are effective in many patients, those who are refractory to these interventions or have prolonged priapism may benefit from placement of a penile prosthesis (PP). Aim To provide a comprehensive overview of priapism management, highlight the current literature on the utility of penile implants for refractory priapism, and provide insight from a high-volume center on surgical decision making and technique. Methods A complete review of the current guidelines and associated literature was performed. Associated algorithms were evaluated, and our experience was overlaid on the data present in the literature. Main Outcome Measures The current management algorithm for priapism was evaluated. Subsequently, the data on acute and delayed PP placement were assessed. Rates of postoperative infection, erectile dysfunction, and patient satisfaction were also examined. Results Overall, both delayed and early PP implants are associated with higher rates of failure than routine PP implants. In patients with refractory or prolonged priapism, early implantation may be technically easier, with decreased loss of penile length and associated complications. Conclusion Patients should be evaluated on an individual basis and counseled on the risks and benefits of PP implantation in early and delayed time frames. Although there is no definitive evidence at this time regarding the ideal device or timing of implantation, there are well-established pros and cons of malleable vs inflatable prostheses and of acute vs delayed implantation.

Objectives This study reviewed the institutional experience of performing calcitonin immunostain on an additional ThinPrep slide in fine-needle aspiration (FNA) diagnosis of medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC). Methods Thyroid FNA cases with MTC suspected or included in the differential diagnosis during cytologic evaluation and calcitonin immunostain performed were retrieved and reviewed. Results Calcitonin immunostain was performed in 132 cases with 41 positive, 81 negative, and 10 indeterminate results. All calcitonin-positive cases had a cytologic diagnosis of MTC while all calcitonin-negative cases were cytologically classified as non-MTCs except for two cases suspicious for MTC. In 10 cases with an indeterminate calcitonin result, diagnoses of non-MTC and suspicious for MTC were rendered in 6 and 4 cases, respectively. Histopathologic follow-up was available in 85 (64%) cases. All cytologically diagnosed MTC cases were confirmed on histopathology. In 3 MTC cases with an indeterminate calcitonin result, 1 case was misclassified cytologically as follicular neoplasm. The calculated sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value of calcitonin immunostain were all 100% for diagnosing MTC. Conclusions Our study demonstrates the feasibility of performing calcitonin immunostain on an additional ThinPrep slide. Calcitonin immunocytochemistry is a valuable adjunct test for FNA diagnosis and differential diagnosis of MTC.

Inspired by the structural advantages of spiro-OMeTAD, which is the most commonly used hole-transporting material (HTM), two rationally designed HTMs with butterfly-shaped triarylamine groups based on dibenzofulvene-bridged indacenodithiophene (IDT) core (attaching hexyl and octyl chains) have been synthesized, namely, IT-C6 and IT-C8, respectively. Shorter alkyl-chain-based IT-C6 exhibits a marked increase in glass-transition temperature (Tg) of 105 °C, whereas IT-C8 shows a Tg of 95 °C. Moreover, it is demonstrated that IT-C6 exhibits a higher hole-transporting mobility, more suitable band energy alignment, better interfacial contact, and passivation effect. The inverted devices of employed HTM based on IT-C6 obtained a champion PCE of 18.34% with a remarkable fill factor (FF) of 82.32%, whereas the IT-C8-based device delivered an inferior PCE of 16.94% with an FF up to 81.20%. Both HTMs embodied inverted devices present high FF values greater than 81%, which are among the highest reported values of small molecular HTM-based PSCs. This work reveals that cutting off the symmetrical spiro-core and subsequently combining IDT (attaching tailored alkyl chains) with the spiro-linkage fluorine to construct the orthogonal molecular conformation is a significant principle for the design of promising dopant-free HTMs.

Acute kidney injury (AKI) significantly increases the risk of development of chronic kidney disease (CKD). Recently, our laboratory generated a mouse model with the typical phenotypes of AKI to CKD transition in the unilateral kidney. However, AKI, CKD, and even the transition from AKI to CKD usually occur bilaterally rather than unilaterally in patients. Therefore, in the present study, we further modified the strategy and developed a new model of CKD transitioned from bilateral ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI) in C57BL/6 mice. In this new model, unilateral severe IRI was performed in one kidney while the contralateral kidney was kept intact to maintain animal survival; then, following 14 days of recovery, when the renal function of the injured kidney restored above the survival threshold, the contralateral intact kidney was subjected to a similar IRI. Animals of these two-stage bilateral IRI models with pedicle clamping of 21 and 24 min at a body temperature of 37°C exhibited incomplete recovery from AKI and subsequent development of CKD with characteristics of progressive decline in glomerular filtration rate, increases in plasma creatinine, worsening of proteinuria, and deleterious histopathological changes, including interstitial fibrosis and glomerulosclerosis, in both kidneys. In conclusion, a new bilateral AKI to CKD transition animal model with a typical phenotype of CKD was generated in C57BL/6 mice.

The significance of kidneys in regulation of sodium and water balance and hemodynamics has been demonstrated both in patients and animal models. In the present study, we tested our hypothesis that kidneys play an essential role in control of sex differences in angiotensin II (Ang II)–dependent hypertension. Kidney transplantations (KTXs) were performed between male (M) and female (F) C57BL/6 mice (donor→recipient: F→F, M→M, F→M, and M→F). Radiotelemetry transmitters were implanted for measurement of mean arterial pressure during the infusion of Ang II (600 ng·kg −1 ·min −1 ). Gene expressions and inflammatory responses in the transplanted grafts were assessed. We found that same-sex–KTX mice still exhibited sex differences in Ang II–dependent hypertension (31.3±0.8 mm Hg in M→M versus 12.2±0.6 mm Hg in F→F), which were reduced between males and females when they received kidneys of the opposite sex (32.9±1 mm Hg in M→F versus 22.3±0.7 mm Hg in F→M). The sex differences in gene expressions, including AT 1 R (angiotensin II receptor, type 1), AT 1 R/AT 2 R, ET-1 (endothelin-1), ETA (endothelin receptor type A), NHE3 (sodium–hydrogen exchanger 3), α-ENaC (α-epithelial sodium channel), and γ-ENaC, were unaltered in same-sex KTXs and much lessened in cross-sex KTXs. In addition, the cross-sex KTXs exhibited more robust inflammatory responses reflected by higher expression of IL-6 (interleukin 6), TNFα (tumor necrosis factor α), and KC (keratinocyte-derived chemokine) than same-sex KTX. Our results indicate that kidneys play an essential role in sex differences of Ang II–dependent hypertension. KTX of male kidneys to females augmented the blood pressure response, whereas KTX of female kidneys to males attenuated the blood pressure response. The host’s extrarenal systems modulate expressions of many genes and inflammatory response, which may also contribute to the sex differences in blood pressure regulation.

Gleason grade is one of the most powerful prognostic indicators for adenocarcinoma of the prostate. A higher proliferation index of prostatic adenocarcinoma has been demonstrated in numerous studies to be significantly associated with more aggressive behavior. To date, the proliferation index of the different Gleason pattern 4 histomorphologies, including cribriform, fused glands, and poorly formed glands, has not been determined. The aim of this investigation was to quantitate and compare the proliferation index, as assessed by Ki67 labeling index, of different Gleason pattern 4 histomorphologies. We also analyzed the Ki67 labeling index of Gleason pattern 3 adenocarcinoma associated with and without cribriform adenocarcinoma. Among Gleason pattern 4 morphologies, cribriform adenocarcinoma exhibited a higher mean proliferation index at 5.3% compared to fused gland adenocarcinoma at 3.9% (P = .03) and poorly formed glands at 3.6% (P < .01). The mean Ki67 labeling index for Gleason pattern 3 associated with cribriform adenocarcinoma was higher at 4.1% compared to pure Gleason pattern 3 at 2.2% (P < .01) and Gleason pattern 3 associated with non-cribriform pattern 4 adenocarcinoma at 2.9% (P = .02). This higher proliferation index of Gleason pattern 3 adenocarcinoma associated with cribriform pattern 4 adenocarcinoma indicates that not all Gleason pattern 3 cells are identical and that cribriform adenocarcinoma may influence or be related to associated Gleason pattern 3. Gleason pattern 4 adenocarcinoma of the prostate with cribriform growth has a higher proliferation index than other grade 4 histomorphologies, consistent with the more clinically aggressive nature of cribriform adenocarcinoma of the prostate.

Transplanted kidneys usually experience several episodes of ischemia, including cold ischemia during allograft storage in preservation solution. However, previous studies focusing on cold renal ischemia were only carried out in vitro or ex vivo. In the present study, we developed and characterized an in vivo mouse model of renal ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI) induced exclusively by cold ischemia. C57BL/6 mice underwent right kidney nephrectomy, and the left kidney was kept cool with circulating cold saline in a kidney cup, while body temperature was maintained at 37°C. We clamped the renal pedicle and flushed out the blood inside the kidney with cold saline via an opening on the renal vein. The severity of renal IRI was examined with different ischemic durations. We found that the mice with

Animal models of kidney transplantation (KTX) are widely used in studying immune response of hosts to implanted grafts. Additionally, KTX can be used in generating kidney-specific knockout animal models by transplantation of kidneys from donors with global knockout of a gene to wild-type recipients or vice versa. Dual-kidney transplantation (DKT) provides a more physiological environment for recipients than single-kidney transplantation (SKT). However, DKT in mice is rare due to technical challenges. In this study, we successfully performed DKT in mice and compared the hemodynamic response and graft function with SKT. The surgical time, complications, and survival rate of DKT were not significantly different from SKT, where survival rates were above 85%. Mice with DKT showed less injury and quicker recovery with lower plasma creatinine (Pcr) and higher glomerular filtration rate (GFR) than SKT mice (Pcr = 0.34 and 0.17 mg/dl in DKT vs. 0.50 and 0.36 mg/dl in SKT at 1 and 3 days, respectively; GFR = 215 and 131 µl/min for DKT and SKT, respectively). In addition, the DKT exhibited better renal functional reserve and long-term outcome of renal graft function than SKT based on the response to acute volume expansion. In conclusion, we have successfully generated a mouse DKT model. The hemodynamic responses of DKT better mimic physiological situations with less kidney injury and better recovery than SKT because of reduced confounding factors such as single nephron hyperfiltration. We anticipate DKT in mice will provide an additional tool for evaluation of renal significance in physiology and disease.

Researchers have learned that nearly all conditions and diseases have a genetic component. With the benefit of technological advances, many single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) have been found to be associated with the risk of complex disorders by using genome wide association studies (GWASs). Disease-associated SNPs are sometimes shared by healthy controls and cannot clearly distinguish affected individuals from unaffected ones. The combined effects of multiple independent SNPs contribute to the disease process, but revealing the relationship between genotype and phenotype based on the combinations remains a great challenge. In this study, by considering the disease prevalence rate, we conducted an exhaustive process to identify whether a genotype combination pattern would have a decisive effect on complex disorders. Based on genotype data for 68 reported SNPs in 8,372 psoriasis patients and 8,510 healthy controls, we found that putative causal genotype combination patterns (CGCPs) were only present in psoriasis patients, not in healthy subjects. These results suggested that psoriasis might be contributed by combined genotypes, complementing the traditional modest susceptibility of a single variant in a single gene for a complex disease. This work is the first systematic study to analyze genotype combinations based on the reported susceptibility genes, considering each individual among the cases and controls from the Chinese population, and could potentially advance disease-gene mapping and precision medicine due to the causality relationship between the candidate CGCPs and complex diseases.

A strategy of sacrificial template was put forward to prepare porous Pt nanowires core with carbon shell (Pt PNW@C) using Te nanowires as template. These Pt PNW@C hybrids show a highly sensitive response to H2O2 oxidation recorded by chronoamperometry at 0.2 V vs. the saturated calomel electrode (SCE). Under optimal conditions, this H2O2 transducer displays a linear range of 0.01–1.2 μM with a sensitive of 6.28 μA μM−1 cm−2 (r = 0.9997), and a detection limit of 0.002 μM (signal/noise = 3). Moreover, the carbon layer on Pt PNW@C hybrids can greatly enhance the selectivity in H2O2 detection in the presence of the common interfering species, such as lactic acid (LA), uric acid (UA), creatinine and glucose, at a positive potential by compared with porous Pt nanowires (Pt PNWs). A glucose biosensor was constructed using this sensitive and selective H2O2 transducer combined with glucose oxidase. A calibration curve of glucose concentration can be obtained by measureing enzymatically generated H2O2, which shows a linear range from 0.5 to 20 μM with a sensitivity of 0.35 μA μM−1 cm−2 and a detection limit of 0.1 μM.

Hybrid gels were synthesized from modified silicon alkoxides (R-Si(OEt)3, RH, Me, Vi) and triiso-butylborate (B(OR′)3, R′ = isoBu). The obtained gels were characterized by Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR), nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), elemental analyses, X-ray diffraction (XRD), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Boron atoms in the precursors were homogeneously dispersed in the siloxane network via SiOB bonds. The effect of the boron load on oxidation resistance of the gels, and the pyrolysis behavior of the borosiloxane gels with different substituents on silicon, were investigated using various techniques. The experimental results suggest that the addition of a proper fraction of boron alkoxide to the precursors can improve the oxidation stability of the gels, and decrease the weight loss of the samples to 6.9 wt % at 1000°C under air. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 99: 719–724, 2006

Publisher Summary This chapter investigates the conic support in the radiant cooler by using finite element method. With the development of the cryogenic technology, the radiant cooler should provide lower temperature and more refrigerating output, which certainly will lead to the size of the radiant cooler become larger. Additionally, the stability of the support can be determined by several factors, like its size and shape etc. To better develop the radiant cooler along with the infrared remote sensing technology, a detailed consideration for the support is required. A domain of interest is repented as an assembly of finite elements. Approximating functions in finite elements are determined in terms of nodal values of physical field, which is sought. A continuous physical problem is transformed into a discretized finite element problem with certain nodal values. By optimizing the coning angle and the length of the support, one can amend the trade-off between its mechanical and thermal performance, which presents a possible pass to better develop the radiant cooler. Results show that the stiffness of the support increases with an increasing of the coning angle in case of launched state, while the situation is reversed in the orbited state. On the other hand, it is also found that the heat loss of the support caused by the thermal conduction decreases with the reduction of the coning angle.