Highly Biocompatible Antibacterial Hydrogel for Wearable Sensing of Macro and Microscale Human Body Motions.

Flexible electronics, like electronic skin (e-skin), rely on stretchable conductive materials that integrate diverse components to enhance mechanical, electrical, and interfacial properties. However, poor biocompatibility, bacterial infections, and limited compatibility of functional additives within polymer matrices hinder healthcare sensors' performance. This study addresses these challenges by developing an antibacterial hydrogel using polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), konjac glucomannan (KGM), borax (B), and flower-shaped silver nanoparticles (F-AgNPs), referred as PKB/F-AgNPs hydrogel. The developed hydrogel forms a hierarchical network structure, with a tensile strength of 96 kPa, 83% self-healing efficiency within 60 minutes, and 128% cell viability in Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8) assays, indicating excellent biocompatibility. It also shows strong antibacterial efficacy against Gram-negative Escherichia coli (E. coli) and Gram-positive Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus). Blue light irradiation enhances its antibacterial activity by 1.3-fold for E. coli and 2.2-fold for S. aureus. The hydrogel's antibacterial effectiveness is assessed by monitoring changes in electrical conductivity, providing a cost-effective alternative to traditional microbial culture assays. The PKB/F-AgNPs hydrogel's flexibility and electrical conductivity enable it to function as strain sensors for detecting body movements and facial expressions. This antibacterial hydrogel underscores its potential for future human-machine interfaces and wearable electronics.

PNU-74654 Induces Cell Cycle Arrest and Inhibits EMT Progression in Pancreatic Cancer.

Background and Objectives: PNU-74654, a Wnt/ß-catenin pathway inhibitor, has an antiproliferative effect on many cancer types; however, its therapeutic role in pancreatic cancer (PC) has not yet been demonstrated. Here, the effects of PNU-74654 on proliferation and cell cycle phase distribution were studied in PC cell lines. Materials and Methods: The cancer-related molecular pathways regulated by PNU-74654 were determined by a proteome profiling oncology array and confirmed by western blotting. Results: The cell viability and proliferative ability of PC cells were decreased by PNU-74654 treatment. G1 arrest was observed, as indicated by the downregulation of cyclin E and cyclin-dependent kinase 2 (CDK2) and the upregulation of p27. PNU-74654 inhibited the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), as determined by an increase in E-cadherin and decreases in N-cadherin, ZEB1, and hypoxia-inducible factor-1 alpha (HIF-1α). PNU-74654 also suppressed cytoplasmic and nuclear ß-catenin and impaired the NF-κB pathway. Conclusions: These results demonstrate that PNU-74654 modulates G1/S regulatory proteins and inhibits the EMT, thereby suppressing PC cell proliferation, migration, and invasion. The synergistic effect of PNU-74654 and chemotherapy or the exclusive use of PNU-74654 may be therapeutic options for PC and require further investigation.

Risk of colonoscopy-related complications in a fecal immunochemical test-based population colorectal cancer screening program.

BACKGROUND: The likelihood of advanced or synchronous neoplasms is significantly higher in fecal immunochemical test (FIT)-positive individuals than in the general population. The magnitude of the colonoscopy-related complication rate in FIT-positive individuals remains unknown. This study aimed to elucidate the colonoscopy-related complication rate after a positive FIT result and compare it with the rate when colonoscopy was performed for other purposes. METHODS: Information regarding colonoscopy-related severe complications after a positive FIT result (FIT-colonoscopy) and ordinary colonoscopy during 2010-2014 was collected from the Taiwanese Colorectal Cancer Screening Program Database and National Health Insurance Research Database. Severe complications included significant bleeding, perforation, and cardiopulmonary events ≤ 14 days after colonoscopy. The number of events per 1000 procedures was used to quantify complication rates. Multivariate analysis was conducted to assess the association of various factors with severe complications associated with FIT-colonoscopy compared with ordinary colonoscopy. RESULTS: 319 114 FIT-colonoscopies (214 955 patients) were identified, 51 242 (16.1 %) of which included biopsy and 94 172 (29.5 %) included polypectomy. Overall, 2125 significant bleedings (6.7 ‰) and 277 perforations (0.9 ‰) occurred ≤ 14 days after FIT-colonoscopy. Polypectomy, antiplatelet use, and anticoagulant use were associated with higher risk of complications (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 4.41, 95 % confidence interval [CI] 4.05-4.81); aOR 1.35, 95 %CI 1.12-1.53; aOR 1.88, 95 %CI 0.61-5.84, respectively). Compared with ordinary colonoscopy, FIT-colonoscopy involved significantly higher risk of significant bleeding (aOR 3.10, 95 %CI 2.90-3.32). CONCLUSIONS: FIT-colonoscopy was associated with a more than two-fold risk of significant bleeding, especially when polypectomy was performed.

Cr3+-Sphere Effect on the Whitlockite-Type NIR Phosphor Sr9Sc(PO4)7 with High Heat Dissipation for Digital Medical Applications.

The analysis of human body composition and food composition requires high-efficiency broadband near-infrared (NIR) lighting sources to achieve a portable, appropriately sized equipment. Herein, we develop a whitlockite-type NIR phosphor Sr9Sc(PO4)7:Cr3+ with an emission centered at 860 nm and full width at half-maximum of 147 nm. Due to the structural characteristics of the matrix, the 60 mol % Cr3+ substitution at the Sc3+ sites gives an internal quantum efficiency up to 56.5%. By replacing Sr with Ba and Ca, we observe a nontypical spectral shift phenomenon and discuss the influence of the second-sphere effect on octahedral Cr3+ ions. To evaluate the diagnostic application, we design a NIR ceramic device with a high optical power of 27.38 mW and high heat dissipation, which can decrease surface working temperature by nearly 50 °C for digital intraoral application. This study provides the research of the second-sphere coordination effect for selective octahedral sites such as Ca, Sr, and Ba coordinated by O atoms on a whitlockite-type crystal. Furthermore, the device promotes a nonionizing solution for detecting dental caries, tooth calcification, and diagnostic application.

Risk factors related to age at diagnosis of pancreatic cancer: a retrospective cohort pilot study.

BACKGROUND: Increased pancreatic cancer incidence has been observed among younger than in older adults. This pilot study aimed to determine the feasibility of a large study that would compare the age at diagnosis of pancreatic cancer among patients with different risk factors. METHODS: We compared the age at diagnosis of pancreatic cancer between groups of pancreatic cancer patients exposed and not exposed to the identified risk factors. We estimated the age at which exposure started, average exposure quantity, and total years of exposure and investigated their relationships with age at diagnosis of pancreatic cancer. RESULTS: Sixteen out of 24 (67%) subjects carried known genetic factors and/or had smoking and/or drinking habits; however, an earlier age of pancreatic cancer diagnosis was not observed. Conversely, we found a significant correlation between the age at which alcohol consumption was started and the age at diagnosis of pancreatic cancer (r = 0.8124, P = 0.0043). CONCLUSIONS: Our pilot study suggested that a large study following this study design is feasible and that the following should be conducted in a large study: mediation analysis for disease-related factors, advanced genomic analysis for new candidate genes, and the correlation between age of first exposure to risk factors and pancreatic cancer onset.

The effect of coffee/caffeine on postoperative ileus following elective colorectal surgery: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

PURPOSE: Postoperative ileus (POI) is the most common complication of elective colon resection. Coffee or caffeine has been reported to be useful in improving gastrointestinal function after abdominal surgery. This study aimed to investigate the effect of coffee/caffeine on POI in patients undergoing elective colorectal surgery. METHODS: We searched Cochrane library, Embase, PubMed, and ClinicalTrials.gov (until July 2021) to identify randomized controlled trials (RCTs) evaluating the effect of coffee or caffeine on bowel movements and POI in patients undergoing elective colorectal surgery. The mean difference (MD) for continuous outcomes and risk ratio (RR) for dichotomous outcomes were calculated and are presented with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). A random effects model was used in all meta-analyses. RESULTS: A total of four RCTs including 312 subjects met the inclusion criteria and were included in the meta-analysis. Postoperative coffee or caffeine consumption decreased the time to first bowel movement (MD, - 10.36 h; 95% CI, - 14.61 to - 6.11), shortened the length of hospital stay (MD, - 0.95 days; 95% CI, - 1.57 to - 0.34), and was associated with a decreased risk of the use of any laxatives after the procedure (RR, 0.64; 95% CI, 0.44 to 0.92). The time to first flatus, time to tolerance of solid food, risk of any postoperative complication, postoperative reinsertion of a nasogastric (NG) tube, and anastomotic leakage showed no statistical differences between groups. CONCLUSION: Postoperative coffee or caffeine consumption improved bowel movement and decreased the duration of hospital stay in patients undergoing elective colorectal surgery. This method is safe and can prevent or treat POI.

Intragastric injection of botulinum toxin A for weight loss: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Intragastric botulinum toxin A (BTA) injection is a potential treatment for weight reduction in obese patients. Current studies yielded conflicting results. We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) to assess the efficacy of intragastric BTA injection for weight management. METHODS: We searched several databases to identify RCTs evaluating intragastric BTA injections for obesity. We applied random-effects models for all meta-analyses due to heterogeneity in the included studies. The mean difference (MD) and 95% confidence interval (CI) were calculated for continuous outcomes. RESULTS: A total of 6 RCTs including 192 subjects met the inclusion criteria and were included for the meta-analysis. Although the pooled data from six studies showed no difference in the absolute weight loss between intragastric BTA injection and control, subgroup analysis showed a significantly decreased absolute weight after a BTA injection dose ≥ 200 U (MD, -2.04 kg; 95% CI, -3.96 to -0.12) and after multiple injection regions in the stomach combined with diet control (MD, -4.44 kg; 95% CI, -6.54 to -2.33 kg) compared with the control. Regarding absolute weight loss, the impact of endoscopic ultrasound-guided injection and follow-up duration showed no difference. Intragastric BTA injection had a significant change in body mass index (MD, -1.25 kg/m2 ; 95% CI, -2.18 to -0.32 kg/m2 ) and prolonged gastric half-emptying time (MD, 11.37 min; 95% CI, -3.69 to 19.06 min). CONCLUSION: Intragastric BTA injection is effective for obesity treatment, and adequate doses (≥ 200 U), multiple gastric injection regions, and combined diet control are crucial. However, given the small sample size and limited power, caution should be exercised.

Symptomatic cholelithiasis patients have an increased risk of pancreatic cancer: A population-based study.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Pancreatic cancer is a fatal disease; currently, the risk factor survey is not suitable for sporadic pancreatic cancer, which has neither family history nor the genetic analysis data. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the roles of cholelithiasis and cholelithiasis treatments on pancreatic cancer risk. METHODS: Symptomatic adult patients with an index admission of cholelithiasis were selected from one million random samples obtained between January 2005 and December 2009. The control group was matched with a 1:1 ratio for sex, age, chronic pancreatitis, and pancreatic cystic disease. Subsequent pancreatic cancer, which we defined as pancreatic cancer that occurred ≥ 6 months later, and total pancreatic cancer events were calculated in the cholelithiasis and control groups. The cholelithiasis group was further divided into endoscopic sphincterotomy/endoscopic papillary balloon dilatation, cholecystectomy, endoscopic sphincterotomy/endoscopic papillary balloon dilatation and cholecystectomy, and no-intervention groups for evaluation. RESULTS: The cholelithiasis group and the matched control group included 8265 adults. The cholelithiasis group contained 86 cases of diagnosed pancreatic cancer, and the control group contained 8 cases (P < 0.001). The incidence rate ratio (IRR) of subsequent pancreatic cancer was significantly higher in the cholelithiasis group than in the control group (IRR: 5.28, P < 0.001). The IRR of subsequent pancreatic cancer was higher in the no-intervention group comparing with cholecystectomy group (IRR = 3.21, P = 0.039) but was similar in other management subgroups. CONCLUSION: Symptomatic cholelithiasis is a risk factor for pancreatic cancer; the risk is similar regardless of the intervention chosen for cholelithiasis.

Simultaneous Broadening and Enhancement of Cr3+ Photoluminescence in LiIn2 SbO6 by Chemical Unit Cosubstitution: Night-Vision and Near-Infrared Spectroscopy Detection Applications.

Near-infrared (NIR)-emitting phosphor materials have been extensively developed for optoelectronic and biomedical applications. Although Cr3+ -activated phosphors have been widely reported, it is challenging to achieve ultra-broad and tunable NIR emission. Here, a new ultra-broadband NIR-emitting LiIn2 SbO6 :Cr3+ phosphor with emission peak at 965 nm and a full-width at half maximum of 217 nm is reported. Controllable emission tuning from 965 to 892 nm is achieved by chemical unit cosubstitution of [Zn2+ -Zn2+ ] for [Li+ -In3+ ], which can be ascribed to the upshift of 4 T2g energy level due to the strengthened crystal field. Moreover, the emission is greatly enhanced, and the FWHM reaches 235 nm. The as-prepared luminescent tunable NIR-emitting phosphors have demonstrated the potential in night-vision and NIR spectroscopy techniques. This work proves the feasibility of chemical unit cosubstitution strategy in emission tuning of Cr3+ -doped phosphors, which can stimulate further studies on the emission-tunable NIR-emitting phosphor materials.

Controllable Eu2+-Doped Orthophosphate Blue-/Red-Emitting Phosphors: Charge Compensation and Lattice-Strain Control.

Cation-substitution-induced controllable luminescence tuning could efficiently optimize and improve the luminescence performances of novel phosphor materials for realizing high-quality lighting. As important members of the orthophosphate family, ABPO4 (A = alkali metal Li, Na, K, Rb, Cs; B = alkali earth metal Mg, Ca, Sr, Ba) offers an abundant cation lattice environment for rare earth ions. Herein, we successfully prepared a broad-band red-emitting CsMgPO4:Eu2+ phosphor with an emission peak at 628 nm (fwhm = 118 nm). A series of cation-substitution strategies are designed to adjust and enhance its luminescence performances. The corresponding mechanisms are also investigated and proposed reasonably. A charge-compensation strategy of [Eu2+-Si4+] → [Cs+-P5+] could dramatically enhance the quenching concentration from 0.04 to 0.30, which is attributed to the decrease of Eu3+. Two cation-substitution strategies of larger Ba2+ (Sr2+) ions for Mg2+ ions could achieve superior emission adjustment of Eu2+ ions from the red to blue (yellow) region due to local lattice distortion. Interestingly, a consecutive emission adjustment from the red to blue region by simply changing the annealed temperature is reported for the first time, and the possible emission tuning mechanism is revealed based on a local lattice-strain control. This study could serve as a guide in developing Eu2+-activated ABPO4 phosphors with improving luminescence performance and controllable luminescence adjustment based on charge compensation and lattice-strain control through various cation substitutions.

Favorable gallbladder cancer mortality-to-incidence ratios of countries with good ranking of world's health system and high expenditures on health.

BACKGROUND: The mortality-to-incidence ratio (MIR) is a marker that reflects the clinical outcome of cancer treatment. MIR as a prognostic marker is more accessible when compared with long-term follow-up survival surveys. Theoretically, countries with good health care systems would have favorable outcomes for cancer; however, no report has yet demonstrated an association between gallbladder cancer MIR and the World's Health System ranking. METHODS: We used linear regression to analyze the correlation of MIRs with the World Health Organization (WHO) rankings and total expenditures on health/gross domestic product (e/GDP) in 57 countries selected according to the data quality. RESULTS: The results showed high crude rates of incidence/mortality but low MIR in more developed regions. Among continents, Europe had the highest crude rates of incidence/mortality, whereas the highest age-standardized rates (ASR) of incidence/mortality were in Asia. The MIR was lowest in North America and highest in Africa (0.40 and 1.00, respectively). Furthermore, favorable MIRs were correlated with good WHO rankings and high e/GDP (p = 0.01 and p = 0.030, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: The MIR variation for gallbladder cancer is therefore associated with the ranking of the health system and the expenditure on health.

Enhanced Photoluminescence Emission and Thermal Stability from Introduced Cation Disorder in Phosphors.

Optimizing properties of phosphors for use in white-light-emitting diodes (WLEDs) is an important materials challenge. Most phosphors have a low level of lattice disorder due to mismatch between the host and activator cations. Here we show that deliberate introduction of high levels of cation disorder leads to significant improvements in quantum efficiency, stability to thermal quenching, and emission lifetime in Sr1.98-x(Ca0.55Ba0.45)xSi5N8:Eu0.02 (x = 0-1.5) phosphors. Replacing Sr by a (Ca0.55Ba0.45) mixture with the same average radius increases cation size variance, resulting in photoluminescence emission increases of 20-26% for the x = 1.5 sample relative to the x = 0 parent across the 25-200 °C range that spans WLED working temperatures. Cation disorder suppresses nonradiative processes through disruption of lattice vibrations and creates deep traps that release electrons to compensate for thermal quenching. Introduction of high levels of cation disorder may thus be a very useful general approach for improving the efficiency of luminescent materials.

Energy transfer induced improvement of luminescent efficiency and thermal stability in phosphate phosphor.

Ce3+ and Eu2+/Tb3+/Mn2+ ions codoped Ca6BaP4O17 (CBPO) phosphors have been prepared via a high-temperature solid state reaction. The structural refinement indicates that the as-prepared phosphors crystallize in monoclinic phase (C2/m) and there are two Ca sites and one Ba site in host lattice. The doping ions are determined to occupy Ca sites and the emission of Ce3+ and Eu2+ ions at different Ca sites were identified and discussed. Since bright blue and yellow emissions were observed from Ce3+and Eu2+ ions monodoped CBPO under n-UV excitation, respectively. They were codoped into the CBPO for designing energy transfer from Ce3+ to Eu2+ to improve the luminescence efficiency of Eu2+. In addition, Tb3+ ions were added into the CBPO:Ce3+ system for realizing highly efficient green emission. The energy transfer mechanisms from Ce3+ to Eu2+/Tb3+ ions were discussed. Interestingly, the incorporation of Mn2+ ions into the CBPO:Ce3+ system enhanced the blue emission of Ce3+ ions due to the modification of crystal lattice. Finally, the thermal stability of CBPO:Ce3+, Eu2+/Tb3+/Mn2+ phosphors were investigated systematically and corresponding mechanisms were proposed. Based on these results, the as-prepared CBPO:Ce3+, Eu2+/Tb3+/Mn2+ phosphors can act as potential blue, yellow, green, and emission-tunable phosphors for n-UV based white LEDs.

High post-treatment absolute monocyte count predicted hepatocellular carcinoma risk in HCV patients who failed peginterferon/ribavirin therapy.

Salient studies have investigated the association between host inflammatory response and cancer. This study was conducted to test the hypothesis that peripheral absolute monocyte counts (AMC) could impart an increased risk of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) development in hepatitis C virus (HCV)-infected patients after a failed peginterferon/ribavirin (PR) combination therapy. A total of 723 chronic HCV-infected patients were treated with PR, of which 183 (25.3 %) patients did not achieve a sustained virological response (non-SVR). Post-treatment AMC values were measured at 6 months after end of PR treatment. Fifteen (2.8 %) of 540 patients with an SVR developed HCC during a median follow-up period of 41.4 months, and 14 (7.7 %) of 183 non-SVR patients developed HCC during a median follow-up of 36.8 months (log rank test for SVR vs. non-SVR, P = 0.002). Cox regression analysis revealed that post-treatment AFP level (HR 1.070; 95 % CI = 1.024-1.119, P = 0.003) and post-treatment aspartate aminotransferase (AST)-to-platelet ratio index (APRI) ≥0.5 (HR 4.401; 95 % CI = 1.463-13.233, P = 0.008) were independent variables associated with HCC development for SVR patients. For non-SVR patients, diabetes (HR 5.750; 95 % CI = 1.387-23.841, P = 0.016), post treatment AMC ≥370 mm(-3) (HR 5.805; 95 % CI = 1.268-26.573, P = 0.023), and post-treatment APRI ≥1.5 (HR 10.905; 95 % CI = 2.493-47.697, P = 0.002) were independent risks associated with HCC. In conclusion, post-treatment AMC has a role in prognostication of HCC development in HCV-infected patients who failed to achieve an SVR after PR combination therapy.

Four-year entecavir therapy reduces hepatocellular carcinoma, cirrhotic events and mortality in chronic hepatitis B patients.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Oral antiviral therapy may reduce the disease progression of chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients. We aimed to further investigate the efficacy of long-term entecavir therapy in reduction of the risk of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), cirrhotic events and mortality in a large group of CHB-related cirrhosis patients. METHODS: The C-TEAM (Cirrhosis-Taiwanese EntecAvir Multicenter) study was a nationwide, multicenter, retrospective-prospective cohort study in Taiwan. We enrolled treatment-naïve patients with CHB-related cirrhosis and baseline HBV-DNA≥2000 IU/mL receiving long-term entecavir therapy and compared the development of HCC, cirrhotic events and mortality with that of a historical untreated cohort. RESULTS: In total, 1315 entecavir-treated and 503 untreated patients with cirrhosis were enrolled, with median treatment and follow-up durations of 4 and 6 years respectively. Compared with the untreated cohort, entecavir therapy was associated with a 60% HCC risk reduction [hazard ratio (HR): 0.40, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.28-0.57]. Additionally, an older age, the male gender, HBeAg positivity, alpha-fetoprotein (AFP)≥7 ng/mL before therapy were independent predictors of HCC development. Further analysis showed that entecavir therapy significantly reduced risks of variceal bleeding, spontaneous bacterial peritonitis, and liver-related and all-cause mortality. These findings were confirmed by propensity score-matched cohorts in sensitivity analysis. In patients under entecavir therapy, an older age, the male gender, HBeAg positivity, AFP level ≥7 ng/mL before therapy, and 1-year virological response were predictive of HCC development. CONCLUSIONS: Four-year entecavir therapy significantly reduces the risk of HCC, cirrhotic events and mortality in patients with CHB-related cirrhosis.

Pressure effect on the zero-phonon line emission of Mn(4+) in K2SiF6.

In this work, effects of pressure and temperature on the luminescent properties of the K2SiF6:Mn(4+) system have been presented. At ambient pressure, the luminescent spectrum of Mn(4+) consists of several lines at 610-650 nm attributed to phonon repetitions of the (2)Eg → (4)A2g transition and does not contain the zero phonon line (ZPL). At pressure above 9 kbar, an additional line at about 624 nm occurs, which can be attributed to the ZPL of the (2)Eg → (4)A2g transition in the Mn(4+) ions. This change in the emission spectra is accompanied by shortening of the luminescence decay time. Further increasing pressure up to 220 kbar causes the red shift of all emission lines. Upon releasing pressure, all observed lines are going back to their previous positions. The ZPL remains visible even at ambient pressure. Taking into account XRD and Raman spectra at ambient pressure before and after compression-decompression, we have attributed these changes to pressure-induced local structure change of MnF6 (2-) octahedron.

Waterproof Alkyl Phosphate Coated Fluoride Phosphors for Optoelectronic Materials.

A facile approach for coating red fluoride phosphors with a moisture-resistant alkyl phosphate layer with a thickness of 50-100 nm is reported. K2 SiF6 :Mn(4+) particles were prepared by co-precipitation and then coated by esterification of P2 O5 with alcohols (methanol, ethanol, and isopropanol). This route was adopted to encapsulate the prepared phosphors using transition-metal ions as cross-linkers between the alkyl phosphate moieties. The coated phosphor particles exhibited a high water tolerance and retained approximately 87 % of their initial external quantum efficiency after aging under high-humidity (85 %) and high-temperature (85 °C) conditions for one month. Warm white-light-emitting diodes that consisted of blue InGaN chips, the prepared K2 SiF6 :Mn(4+) phosphors, and either yellow Y3 Al5 O12 :Ce(3+) phosphors or green ß-SiAlON: Eu(2+) phosphors showed excellent color rendition.

Heterostructure of Si and CoSe2: A Promising Photocathode Based on a Non-noble Metal Catalyst for Photoelectrochemical Hydrogen Evolution.

Development of a solar water splitting device requires design of a low-cost, efficient, and non-noble metal compound as alternative to noble metals. For the first time, we showed that CoSe2 can function as co-catalyst in phototoelectrochemical hydrogen production. We designed a heterostructure of p-Si and marcasite-type CoSe2 for solar-driven hydrogen production. CoSe2 successively coupled with p-Si can act as a superior photocathode in the solar-driven water splitting reaction. Photocurrents up to 9 mA cm(-2) were achieved at 0 V vs. reversible hydrogen electrode. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy showed that the high photocurrents can be attributed to low charge transfer resistance between the Si and CoSe2 interfaces and that between the CoSe2 and electrolyte interfaces. Our results suggest that this CoSe2 is a promising alternative co-catalyst for hydrogen evolution.

Assessment of health-related quality of life in antiviral-treated Taiwanese chronic hepatitis C patients using SF-36 and CLDQ.

BACKGROUND: Interferon (IFN) therapy can cause significant side effects in chronic hepatitis C (CHC) patients; however, the health-related quality of life (HRQOL) of antiviral-treated CHC patients has not been established in Taiwan. This study evaluated domains and the degree to which antiviral treatment affects the HRQOL in CHC patients and identifies factors associated with variations between patients. METHODS: Health-related quality of life (HRQOL) was assessed using the Short Form-36 (SF-36) and the Chronic Liver Disease Questionnaire (CLDQ) in 108 antiviral-treated CHC patients. Eight scales and two summary scales of the SF-36 were compared with 256 age- and gender-matched population norms and 64 age- and gender-matched CHC patients without antiviral therapy. Descriptive statistic measures, one-way ANOVA, and regression analysis were used for data analysis. RESULTS: (1) CHC patients receiving antiviral treatment displayed significantly lower scores in six scales, the Physical Component Summary (PCS), and the Mental Component Summary (MCS) of the SF-36, when compared to the population norms and patients without antiviral therapy (p < 0.05). (2) The mean CLDQ score of antiviral-treated patients was lower than that of patients without antiviral therapy, including subscales of 'fatigue', 'systemic symptoms', and 'role emotion'. (3) All SF-36 subscales significantly correlated with all CLDQ subscales, with the greatest correlation coefficients shown between fatigue and vitality and mental health of SF-36. (4) Antiviral therapy had a greater negative impact on females in the CLDQ, on all patients during treatment weeks 9-16 in the PCS and on patients with a monthly income of less than NT$10,000 in the CLDQ, PCS, and MCS. CONCLUSIONS: This study highlighted impairments in the quality of life of chronic hepatitis C patients treated with IFN-based therapy. The significant factors associated with HRQOL include gender, income, and treatment duration. The results of this study might provide nurses with a comprehensive understanding of HRQOL and its determining factors in antiviral-treated CHC patients. The findings can serve as a useful reference for nursing personnel in developing instructions for upgrading the care of CHC patients.

Higher adherence with 3-year entecavir treatment than lamivudine or telbivudine in treatment-naïve Taiwanese patients with chronic hepatitis B.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Oral nucleos(t)ide analogs (NAs) are effective in suppressing hepatitis B virus (HBV) replication in treatment naïve chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients. However, little is known about the treatment modification and adherence on such patients with prolonged NA treatment. METHODS: In this multicenter observational study, a total of 600 NA-naïve Taiwanese CHB patients aged 16 years and older were enrolled. The 600 patients were retrospectively identified by their NA treatment history from August 2008 to July 2009; this cohort was prospectively followed up over 3 years. During the 3-year period, incidence of treatment modifications, reasons for modification, and rate of adherence were evaluated. RESULTS: Among the 583 evaluable patients, the initial NA treatment included entecavir (ETV) in 468 patients, telbivudine (LdT) in 67, and lamivudine (LVD) in 48. During the 3-year treatment, 9.0% of ETV-treated patients, 38.8% of LdT-treated patients, and 54.2% of LVD-treated patients had treatment modification. The main reasons for treatment modification were fulfilling stopping criteria in the ETV group (40.5%) and virological breakthrough in both the LdT (61.5%) and LVD (46.2%) groups. The proportion of patients with adherence rate (> 90%) at year 3 was 90.8% in the ETV group, 83.9% in the LdT group, and 83.9% in the LVD group. CONCLUSIONS: Treatment-naïve CHB patients with a 3-year ETV treatment in Taiwan have the lower likelihood of treatment modification and better rate of adherence compared with those with LdT or LVD treatment.