Glucocorticoids Drive Diurnal Oscillations in T Cell Distribution and Responses by Inducing Interleukin-7 Receptor and CXCR4.

Glucocorticoids are steroid hormones with strong anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressive effects that are produced in a diurnal fashion. Although glucocorticoids have the potential to induce interleukin-7 receptor (IL-7R) expression in T cells, whether they control T cell homeostasis and responses at physiological concentrations remains unclear. We found that glucocorticoid receptor signaling induces IL-7R expression in mouse T cells by binding to an enhancer of the IL-7Rα locus, with a peak at midnight and a trough at midday. This diurnal induction of IL-7R supported the survival of T cells and their redistribution between lymph nodes, spleen, and blood by controlling expression of the chemokine receptor CXCR4. In mice, T cell accumulation in the spleen at night enhanced immune responses against soluble antigens and systemic bacterial infection. Our results reveal the immunoenhancing role of glucocorticoids in adaptive immunity and provide insight into how immune function is regulated by the diurnal rhythm.

Swelling-Induced Chromotropism of Bionanocomposite Hydrogel Beads.

Monodispersed gelatin hydrogel beads containing smectite with adsorbed cyanine dye exhibit chromotropic responses to compression and swelling/deswelling by solvent. Photoluminescence color of the beads changes by swelling in water (blue) and deswelling in ethanol (purple) reversibly. The forces generated by swelling/deswelling are thought to induce the transition between the J-aggregate and the monomer of cyanine dye adsorbed on smectite, giving the photoluminescent color changes.

NiFe Layered Double Hydroxides with Controlled Composition and Morphology for the Efficient Removal of Cr(VI) from Water.

A layered double hydroxide (LDH) composed of Ni2+ and Fe3+ with a Fe3+/(Ni2+ + Fe3+) ratio of 0.05, which is not commonly available, was successfully prepared by coprecipitation from an aqueous solution of glycerol containing nickel nitrate and iron nitrate. Precipitation using NaOH as a precipitating agent at room temperature or 120 °C under hydrothermal conditions gave products with micrometer-sized aggregates of nanometer-sized unshaped particles, while that using urea yielded LDHs with a foam-like porous architecture composed of platy particles with a size of 100-300 nm. The products were examined to remove Cr(VI) from an acidic (pH = 3) aqueous solution of K2Cr2O7 by adsorption and photocatalytic reduction. The foam-like porous NiFe-LDH exhibited the highest adsorbed amount (122 mg g-1) and rate (0.017 g mg-1 min-1) in the dark and the highest rate (0.012 min-1) of photocatalytic Cr(VI) reduction among the NiFe-LDHs prepared in the present study, which can be explained as a positive effect of the foam-like porous architecture. These performances were superior to those of other reported LDHs, showing the importance of the composition and the particle morphology to boost the removal of Cr(VI).

Designed Nanoarchitectures of a BiOBr/BiOI Nanosheet Heterojunction Anchored on Dendritic Fibrous Nanosilica as Visible-Light Responsive Photocatalysts.

Heterojunctions, particularly those involving BiOBr/BiOI, have attracted significant attention in the field of photocatalysis due to their remarkable properties. In this study, a unique architecture of BiOBr/BiOI was designed to facilitate the rapid transfer of electrons and holes, effectively mitigating the recombination of electron-hole pairs. Accordingly, the BiOBr/BiOI nanosheet heterojunction was anchored on dendritic fibrous nanosilica (DFNS) by the immobilization of Bi2O3 nanodots in DFNS and the subsequent reaction with HBr and then HI vapors at room temperature. The 4 nm-Bi2O3 nanodots acted as a sacrificial template to form BiOX nanosheets by reaction with HX vapors (X = Br, I). The BiOBr/BiOI nanosheet heterojunction with the lateral size remained in the range of 90 to 110 nm and a thickness of 15 nm formed on DFNS, where the BiOBr:BiOI ratio in the product was controlled by the exposure time to HX vapors. The reaction sequence (HBr → HI vapors) was a key for the formation of BiOBr/BiOI nanosheet heterojunction with controlled composition. When the reaction of Bi2O3 nanodots with HI vapor was performed in the reverse sequence (HI→ HBr), the substitution of I- with Br- occurred to form BiOBr sheets on DFNS. The BiOBr/BiOI nanosheet heterojunction anchored on DFNS was used as a visible-light-driven photocatalyst for the decomposition of benzene in water under solar light, and its activity was superior to that of single BiOX nanosheets on DFNS.

Nanoarchitectonics of a Smectite with 4,4'-Diammonium-α-truxillic Acid and Its Methyl Ester for the Removal of o-Phenylphenol and Biphenyl from Water.

Adsorbents with hydrophilic and hydrophobic natures were designed by intercalating a bioderived molecule; 4,4'-diammonium-α-truxillic acid (4ATA) and 4,4'-diammonium-α-truxillic acid dimethyl ester (E4ATA), which both are bioderived molecules, into a smectite (purified bentonite) to concentrate o-phenylphenol and biphenyl, respectively, from water. The adsorption isotherm showed high affinity between the 4ATA-smectite hybrid and o-phenylphenol with a high Langmuir constant (0.98 L mg-1). Meanwhile, the E4ATA-smectite hybrid adsorbed biphenyl with a high Langmuir constant (3.61 L mg-1). The adsorption properties of 4ATA- and E4ATA-smectite hybrid were contributed by the chemical characteristics of 4ATA and E4ATA in the interlayer space of the smectite.

Soap-Free Emulsion Composed of Polymer Solutions and an Aqueous Clay Suspension.

Novel emulsification was found in the system of aqueous suspension of a clay mineral (a synthetic hectorite) and a solution of polyvinyl butyral in 1-butanol without using surface-active agents. Droplets of the oil phase exhibited different sizes depending on the concentration of polyvinyl butyral solution and aqueous clay suspension. Shearing force produced from the high viscosity of the clay suspension was a factor to lead oil droplets to size smaller. The clay mineral was confirmed to be in the water phase, not at the oil and water interface. The emulsion showed useful thermal stability up to 80 °C. The present emulsion was successfully applied as a platform of the photochromic reaction of spiropyran.

Controlled Phase Transformation and Crystal Growth of Titanium Dioxide from Anatase/Silica Core/Shell Particles.

Anatase/silica core/shell particles were prepared by the hydrolysis and condensation of tetraethyl orthosilicate on anatase particles with the sizes of 9, 22, and 111 nm, respectively. The thickness of the silica layer was designed from ca. 3 to 14 nm by repeating the coating procedure on anatase with a particle size of 22 nm. By the heat treatment at 1000 °C, though the pristine anatase particles transformed to rutile, anatase remained for the silica-coated particles. Anatase particles (111 nm) transformed to rutile upon heating at 1100 °C, while the transformation was not observed for the smaller particles (9 and 22 nm). With the increase of the silica thickness to 14 nm, anatase did not transform to rutile even after heating at 1150 °C, while resulting in varied compositions of anatase and rutile after heating at 1200 °C. The crystal growth of anatase and rutile was also suppressed for the silica-coated particles compared with that seen for pristine anatase. Thus, the thermal transformation and crystal growth of titania were controlled by the coating with silica, and the effects were shown to affect the coating.

Rehospitalisation rates after long-term follow-up of patients with severe mental illness admitted for more than one year: a systematic review.

AIMS: This study aimed to conduct a systematic review of studies on the outcomes of long-term hospitalisation of individuals with severe mental illness, considering readmission rates as the primary outcome. METHODS: Studies considered were those in which participants were aged between 18 and 64 years with severe mental illness; exposure to psychiatric hospitals or wards was long-term (more than one year); primary outcomes were readmission rates; secondary outcomes were duration of readmission, employment, schooling, and social participation; and the study design was either observational or interventional with a randomised controlled trial (RCT) design. Relevant studies were searched using MEDLINE, PsycINFO, Web of Science, CINAHL, and the Japan Medical Abstract Society. The final search was conducted on 1 February 2022. The risk of bias in non-randomised studies of interventions was used to assess the methodological quality. A descriptive literature review is also conducted. RESULTS: Of the 11,999 studies initially searched, three cohort studies (2,293 participants) met the eligibility criteria. The risk of bias in these studies was rated as critical or serious. The 1-10 years readmission rate for patients with schizophrenia who had been hospitalised for more than one year ranged from 33 to 55%. The average of readmission durations described in the two studies was 70.5 ± 95.6 days per year (in the case of a 7.5-year follow-up) and 306 ± 399 days (in the case of a 3-8-year follow-up). None of the studies reported other outcomes defined in this study. CONCLUSIONS: The readmission rates in the included studies varied. Differences in the follow-up period or the intensity of community services may have contributed to this variability. In countries preparing to implement de-institutionalisation, highly individualised community support should be designed to avoid relocation to residential services under supervision. The length of stay for readmissions was shorter than that for index admissions. The results also imply that discharge to the community contributes to improved clinical outcomes such as improved social functioning. The validity of retaining patients admitted because of the risk of rehospitalisation was considered low. Future research directions have also been discussed.

Organophilic Clay with Useful Whiteness.

An organophilic clay was obtained by the intercalation of dioctadecyldimethylammonium ions into the interlayer space of a purified bentonite. The organophilic clay was characterized by its excellent whiteness, which originated from the used purified bentonite with a low content of colored impurities, suitable for its practical application in paints, cosmetics, polymer additives, etc. The dioctadecyldimethylammonium-bentonite clay was applied as a support to accommodate polyaromatic molecules to afford luminescent hybrids with high luminescence efficiency, showing its usefulness as a component of photofunctional hybrid materials.

Efficient p-n Heterojunction Photocatalyst Composed of Bismuth Oxyiodide and Layered Titanate.

Bismuth oxyhalides and layered alkali titanates are promising components to design high-performance hybrid photocatalysts. In this work, a hybrid photocatalyst composed of lepidocrocite-type layered cesium titanate (Cs0.7Ti1.77Li0.23O4, CsTLO) and bismuth oxyiodide (BiOI) was designed rationally based on lattice matching. BiOI formed on the layered titanate by ion exchange of CsTLO with Bi cations and subsequent growth of BiOI nanodisks (6 nm in the thickness and 125 nm in the lateral size) in an aqueous solution of cesium iodide, resulting in the hybrid where BiOI nanodisks were lying flat on the layered titanate and exposed the (001) facet predominantly. The present hybrid exhibited efficient photodegradation of methylene blue (4, 10, and 14 times higher than that of CsTLO, Bi-TLO, and BiOI, respectively), which was ascribed to the efficient charge transfer in the bulk and at the interface assisted by the built-in internal electric fields and the high activity of (001) BiOI for direct oxidation of the pollutant.

Multiple stakeholders' perspectives on patient and public involvement in community mental health services research: A qualitative analysis.

BACKGROUND: Patient and public involvement (PPI) has become essential in health research. However, little is known about multiple stakeholders' perspectives on the implementation of PPI in community mental health research settings. The present study aimed to qualitatively analyse multiple stakeholders' views on PPI, including potential concerns, barriers and approaches. METHODS: This study involved conducting focus group interviews and collecting qualitative data from 37 participants in multiple stakeholder groups (patients = 6, caregivers = 5, service providers = 7, government staff = 5 and researchers = 14) in the community mental health field. The data were qualitatively analysed using a data-driven approach that derived domains, themes and subthemes related to perspectives on PPI and to specific challenges and approaches for implementing PPI. RESULTS: The qualitative analysis identified four domains. The 'Positive views and expectations regarding PPI' domain consisted of themes related to supportive views of PPI in a mental health service research setting and improvements in the quality of research and service. The 'General concerns about PPI' domain included themes concerning the need for non-PPI research and tokenism, excessive expectations concerning social changes and use of evidence from PPI research, and heavy burdens resulting from PPI. The 'Specific issues regarding the implementation of PPI' domain consisted of four themes, including academic systems, selection methods (e.g., representativeness and conflict of interest issues), relationship building, and ambiguous PPI criteria. In particular, all stakeholder groups expressed concerns about relational equality during PPI implementation in Japan. The 'Approaches to PPI implementation' domain included themes such as facilitating mutual understanding, creating a tolerant atmosphere, establishing PPI support systems (e.g., training, ethics and human resource matching) and empowering patient organizations. CONCLUSION: The study replicated most of the barriers and approaches to PPI reported by qualitative research in Western counties. However, utilization of evidence produced by PPI research and partnership in the PPI process may be particularly serious issues in Japan. Future PPI studies should carefully address solutions that fit each culture. PATIENT OR PUBLIC CONTRIBUTION: A patient-researcher was involved in all stages of this project, from development of the research topic and the protocol to manuscript preparation.

Photoinduced movement: how photoirradiation induced the movements of matter.

Pioneered by the success on active transport of ions across membranes in 1980 using the regulation of the binding properties of crown ethers with covalently linked photoisomerizable units, extensive studies on the movements by using varied interactions between moving objects and environments have been reported. Photoinduced movements of various objects ranging from molecules, polymers to microscopic particles were discussed from the aspects of the driving for the movements, materials design to achieve the movements and systems design to see and to utilize the movements are summarized in this review.

Multicenter survey clarifying phrases in emergency radiology reports.

PURPOSE: Interactions between radiologists and emergency physicians are often diminished as imaging volume increases and more radiologists read off site. We explore how several commonly used phrasings are perceived by radiologists and emergency physicians to decrease ambiguity in reporting. METHODS: An anonymous survey was distributed to attendings and residents at seven academic radiology and emergency departments across the USA via a digital platform as well as to an email group consisting of radiologists across the country with an interest in quality assurance. Physicians were asked to assign a percent score to probabilistic phrases such as, "suspicious of," or "concerned for." Additional questions including, "how often the report findings are reviewed," "what makes a good radiology report," and "when is it useful to use the phrase 'clinical correlation are recommended.'" Median scores and confidence intervals were compared using an independent Student's T-test. RESULTS: Generally, there was agreement between radiologists and emergency room physicians in how they interpret probabilistic phrases except for the phrases, "compatible with," and "subcentimeter liver lesions too small to characterize." Radiologists consider a useful report to answer the clinical question, be concise, and well organized. Emergency physicians consider a useful report to be concise, definitive or include a differential diagnosis, answer the clinical question, and recommend a next step. Radiologists and emergency physicians did not agree on the usefulness of the phrase, "clinical correlation recommended," in which radiologists found the phrase more helpful under particular circumstances. CONCLUSION: The survey demonstrated a wide range of answers for probabilistic phrases for both radiologists and emergency physicians. While the medians and means of the two groups were often different by statistical significance, the actual percent difference was minor. These wide range of answers suggest that use of probabilistic phrases may sometimes lead to misinterpretation between radiologist and emergency room physician and should be avoided or defined if possible.

Composition-Dependent Thermal Stability and Water-Induced Self-Healing Behavior of Smectite/Waterborne Polymer Hybrid Film.

By casting an aqueous suspension containing a water-soluble polymer, polyvinylpyrrolidone, and a layered silicate, synthetic hectorite, on the solid substrate, films with varied interlayer expansion were obtained depending on the composition. The thermal stability, water resistance, water-induced self-healing behavior, and adhesion were examined to find their composition dependence, which is thought to be originated from the nanostructure variation. Polyvinylpyrrolidone was thermally stable up to 300 °C for the hybrid with the polymer/clay weight ratio of 0.36 and 260 °C for the weight ratios of 1.08 and 1.80 as shown by the changes in the appearance and structure after heat treatment. The hybrid film with the polymer/clay ratio of 0.36 maintained the film shape when it was soaked in water for 24 h. The hybrids with the polymer/clay ratios of 1.08 and 1.80 were re-dispersed/dissolved into water after the immersion, while the water resistance of the films was enhanced by the thermal treatment at 200 °C for 2 h and showed very fast water-induced self-healing.

Efficient Negative Photochromism by the Photoinduced Migration of Photochromic Merocyanine/Spiropyran in the Solid State.

Efficient negative photochromism was achieved by the photoinduced migration of merocyanine in mesoporous silica to an organophilic clay as spiropyran. Depending on the nature of the organophilic clays (dioctadecyldimethylammonium and dioleyldimethylammonium clays), important differences in the negative photochromisms and the thermal coloration were observed; the dioleyldimethylammonium clay gave a higher yield (98%) and faster reaction (half-life t1/2 = 2.8 h) than the dioctadecyldimethylammonium clay (94% and t1/2 = 3.2 h) of the negative photochromism, indicating the important role of the surfactant assembly to control the molecular diffusion.

Important Roles of Water Clusters Confined in a Nanospace as Revealed by a Synchrotron X-ray Diffraction Study.

States of water molecules confined in a nanospace designed by montmorillonite (negatively charged silicate layer) and charge compensating benzylammonium were investigated. Caffeine was used as a probe because of its compatibility for the fine structure of the interlayer water. Powder synchrotron radiation X-ray diffraction (SXRD) and adsorption isotherms of the water vapor revealed a metastable structure of bimolecular water layers (2WLs) in the interlayer space. Water molecules readily penetrated to expand the interlayer space to 0.56 nm. The interlayer space did not increase further even in the presence of excess water. According to the isosteric heat of water, the expansion was limited because of moderate hydration as forming 2WLs. Caffeine molecules replaced a part of the water molecules in the 2WLs to expand the interlayer space to 0.65 nm. Time-resolved SXRD with an accumulation time of 500 ms revealed that the interlayer expansion reached a steady state within a few minutes. The caffeine intercalation proceeded, involving a change in the molecular orientation that increased the contact area of the caffeine molecules. The interlayer expansion was limited in all the solvents examined (mixtures of water with methanol, ethanol, acetone, and tetrahydrofuran), while the packing density of the incorporated caffeine was maximized in the absence of an organic solvent. The water molecules confined in the interlayer space acted as an actuator to accommodate a large quantity of amphiphilic molecules by adapting the nanostructure, which was achieved by releasing the confined water molecules.

Suppressing the Photocatalytic Activity of Titania by Precisely Controlled Silica Coating.

A homogeneous thin silica layer with the thickness of a few nanometers was successfully deposited on an anatase particle by the hydrolysis and condensation of tetraethyl orthosilicate. The heat treatment of the titania/silica hybrid at 1000 °C led to the densification of the silica layer on the anatase particles. The anatase particle after the silica coating did not transform to rutile, and no change in the crystallite size was seen by the heat treatment at 1000 °C. The coating and subsequent heating were repeated to vary the thickness of the silica layer to obtain each coating with similar thickness by each coating procedure (ca. 3 and 2 nm, before and after the heat treatment). The samples were evaluated for the photocatalytic decomposition of methylene blue by the UV irradiation to find that the decomposition became slower after the coating and subsequent heat treatment, and the repeated procedures led to further suppression of the photocatalytic decomposition of methylene blue. The quite small decomposition rate constant (0.01 h-1) was successfully achieved by the coating and subsequent heating for three times (the thickness of the dense silica layer was ca. 7 nm).

Highly Luminescent Inorganic-Organic Hybrids with Molecularly Dispersed Perylene.

A highly photoluminescent material was obtained by the incorporation of perylene into an inorganic-organic hybrid film. Octosilicate, a layered alkali silicate, was modified with a cationic surfactant, dioleyldimethylammonium ion, to accommodate perylene molecularly and uniformly. The perylene-doped dioleyldimethylammonium octosilicate films were fabricated by simply casting the toluene solution of perylene with dispersed dioleyldimethylammonium octosilicate on substrates. Near-unity photoluminescence quantum efficiency was achieved for hybrids containing a high concentration of perylene.

Clarification of the aspects of tongue-palate contacts during mastication with/without stage II transport.

BACKGROUND: During mastication, the tongue presses the bolus into the pharynx by a "squeeze-back" motion, known as stage II transport (St2Tr). However, the pressure of St2Tr tongue-palate contact has not been examined. OBJECTIVES: We aimed to clarify aspects of St2Tr occurrence and tongue-palate contact during mastication by measuring tongue pressure. METHODS: Ten healthy adults (eight men, two women, aged 26.8 ± 2.2 years) were enrolled. Tongue pressure was measured (Swallow Scan) during mastication. Sensors were placed on the palate near the incisive papilla (Ch.1), in the middle (Ch.2), at the posterior (Ch.3), and near the first molars on the habitual (Ch.H) and non-habitual (Ch.Nh) masticatory sides. Nasopharyngeal endoscopy confirmed St2Tr and swallowing. Tongue pressures were measured repeatedly, from mastication onset through the first swallow, until eight sets of data were obtained. Tongue-palate contact frequencies, integrated values of tongue pressure, and mastication times were recorded for St2Tr(+) and St2Tr(-) mastication conditions. RESULTS: St2Tr occurred in 43 of 80 trials (53.8%). St2Tr(+) exhibited the highest tongue-palate contact frequency at Ch.H; it exhibited higher contact frequencies at Ch.2, Ch.3 and Ch.H than St2Tr(-). St2Tr(+) exhibited higher tongue pressures at Ch.1, Ch.2 and Ch.H than at Ch.3; it exhibited higher tongue pressures at Ch.1 and Ch.2 than St2Tr(-). CONCLUSION: The study suggested that during St2Tr, the tongue frequently touched the palate at the central and posterior regions, as well as at its habitual masticatory side. It applies the strongest pressure at the anterior and central palate to transport the bolus to the pharynx.

Organically Modified Bentonite as an Efficient and Reusable Adsorbent for Triclosan Removal from Water.

Triclosan, an antibacterial agent, in the environment is of great concern; thus, an efficient method for its removal from an aqueous system is required. Removal of triclosan from water was achieved by an organically modified bentonite, dioctadecyldimethylammonium bentonite. The highest adsorbed amount achieved under the optimized conditions was 1750 mg·g-1, which is higher than that reported using such adsorbents as activated carbons, carbon nanotubes, zeolites, and other nanoporous materials. Complete removal of triclosan was achieved from the aqueous triclosan solution at a concentration 10 mg·L-1 using 3 mg/60 mL of 2C18-BT. The adsorbent was reusable, as examined by washing and reuse of the adsorbent for 5 cycles.