Development and validation a prognostic model based on natural killer T cells marker genes for predicting prognosis and characterizing immune status in glioblastoma through integrated analysis of single-cell and bulk RNA sequencing.

BACKGROUND: Glioblastoma (GBM) is an aggressive and unstoppable malignancy. Natural killer T (NKT) cells, characterized by specific markers, play pivotal roles in many tumor-associated pathophysiological processes. Therefore, investigating the functions and complex interactions of NKT cells is great interest for exploring GBM. METHODS: We acquired a single-cell RNA-sequencing (scRNA-seq) dataset of GBM from Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database. The weighted correlation network analysis (WGCNA) was employed to further screen genes subpopulations. Subsequently, we integrated the GBM cohorts from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and Chinese Glioma Genome Atlas (CGGA) databases to describe different subtypes by consensus clustering and developed a prognostic model by least absolute selection and shrinkage operator (LASSO) and multivariate Cox regression analysis. We further investigated differences in survival rates and clinical characteristics among different risk groups. Furthermore, a nomogram was developed by combining riskscore with the clinical characteristics. We investigated the abundance of immune cells in the tumor microenvironment (TME) by CIBERSORT and single sample gene set enrichment analysis (ssGSEA) algorithms. Immunotherapy efficacy assessment was done with the assistance of Tumor Immune Dysfunction and Exclusion (TIDE) and The Cancer Immunome Atlas (TCIA) databases. Real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) experiments and immunohistochemical profiles of tissues were utilized to validate model genes. RESULTS: We identified 945 NKT cells marker genes from scRNA-seq data. Through further screening, 107 genes were accurately identified, of which 15 were significantly correlated with prognosis. We distinguished GBM samples into two distinct subtypes and successfully developed a robust prognostic prediction model. Survival analysis indicated that high expression of NKT cell marker genes was significantly associated with poor prognosis in GBM patients. Riskscore can be used as an independent prognostic factor. The nomogram was demonstrated remarkable utility in aiding clinical decision making. Tumor immune microenvironment analysis revealed significant differences of immune infiltration characteristics between different risk groups. In addition, the expression levels of immune checkpoint-associated genes were consistently elevated in the high-risk group, suggesting more prominent immune escape but also a stronger response to immune checkpoint inhibitors. CONCLUSIONS: By integrating scRNA-seq and bulk RNA-seq data analysis, we successfully developed a prognostic prediction model that incorporates two pivotal NKT cells marker genes, namely, CD44 and TNFSF14. This model has exhibited outstanding performance in assessing the prognosis of GBM patients. Furthermore, we conducted a preliminary investigation into the immune microenvironment across various risk groups that contributes to uncover promising immunotherapeutic targets specific to GBM.

Comprehensive analysis identifies cuproptosis-related gene DLAT as a potential prognostic and immunological biomarker in pancreatic adenocarcinoma.

BACKGROUND: Cuproptosis is a regulated cell death form associated with tumor progression, clinical outcomes, and immune response. However, the role of cuproptosis in pancreatic adenocarcinoma (PAAD) remains unclear. This study aims to investigate the implications of cuproptosis-related genes (CRGs) in PAAD by integrated bioinformatic methods and clinical validation. METHODS: Gene expression data and clinical information were downloaded from UCSC Xena platform. We analyzed the expression, mutation, methylation, and correlations of CRGs in PAAD. Then, based on the expression profiles of CRGs, patients were divided into 3 groups by consensus clustering algorithm. Dihydrolipoamide acetyltransferase (DLAT) was chosen for further exploration, including prognostic analysis, co-expression analysis, functional enrichment analysis, and immune landscape analysis. The DLAT-based risk model was established by Cox and LASSO regression analysis in the training cohort, and then verified in the validation cohort. Quantitative reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) and immunohistochemistry (IHC) assays were performed to examine the expression levels of DLAT in vitro and in vivo, respectively. RESULTS: Most CRGs were highly expressed in PAAD. Among these genes, increased DLAT could serve as an independent risk factor for survival. Co-expression network and functional enrichment analysis indicated that DLAT was engaged in multiple tumor-related pathways. Moreover, DLAT expression was positively correlated with diverse immunological characteristics, such as immune cell infiltration, cancer-immunity cycle, immunotherapy-predicted pathways, and inhibitory immune checkpoints. Submap analysis demonstrated that DLAT-high patients were more responsive to immunotherapeutic agents. Notably, the DLAT-based risk score model possessed high accuracy in predicting prognosis. Finally, the upregulated expression of DLAT was verified by RT-qPCR and IHC assays. CONCLUSIONS: We developed a DLAT-based model to predict patients' clinical outcomes and demonstrated that DLAT was a promising prognostic and immunological biomarker in PAAD, thereby providing a new possibility for tumor therapy.

High-Density NiCu Bimetallic Phosphide Nanosheet Clusters Constructed by Cu-Induced Effect Boost Total Urea Hydrolysis for Hydrogen Production.

The development of urea electrolysis technologies toward energy-saving hydrogen production can alleviate the environmental issues caused by urea-rich wastewater. In the current practices, the development of high-performance electrocatalysts in urea electrolysis remains critical. In this work, the NiCu-P/NF catalyst is prepared by anchoring Ni/Cu bimetallic phosphide nanosheets onto Ni foam (NF). In the experiments, the micron-sized elemental Cu polyhedron is first anchored on the surface of the NF substrate to provide more space for the growth of bimetallic nanosheets. Meanwhile, the Cu element adjusted the electron distribution within the composite and formed Ni/P orbital vacancies, which in turn accelerated the kinetic process. As a result, the optimal NiCu-P/NF sample exhibits excellent catalytic activity and cycling stability in a hybrid electrolysis system for the urea oxidation reaction (UOR) and hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). Further, the alkaline urea-containing electrolyzer is assembled with NiCu-P/NF as two electrodes reached a current density of 50 mA cm-2 with a low driving potential of 1.422 V, which outperforms the typical commercial noble metal electrolyzer (RuO2||Pt/C). Those findings suggest the feasibility of the substrate regulation strategy to increase the growth density of active species in preparation of an efficient bifunctional electrocatalyst for cracking the urea-containing wastewater.

Identifying the coupling coordination relationship between urbanization and forest ecological security and its impact mechanism: Case study of the Yangtze River Economic Belt, China.

Boosting the coordination and symbiosis of urbanization and forest ecological security is notably critical for promoting regional green and sustainable development and achieving emission peak and carbon neutrality goals. However, there was still a lack of in-depth analysis of the coupling coordination relationship between urbanization and forest ecological security and its impact mechanism. On the basis of the data from 844 counties in the Yangtze River Economic Belt, this paper explored the spatial differences and influencing factors of the coupling coordination degree of urbanization and forest ecological security. The results manifested that: i) There were apparent spatial disparities in the urbanization index, forest ecological security index, comprehensive index, coupling degree and coupling coordination degree of the Yangtze River Economic Belt. Among them, the spatial pattern of coupling coordination degree had a strong consistency with urbanization index, that is, areas with higher urbanization index also had higher coupling coordination degree. ii) Based on coupling feature identification, it was found that 249 'problem areas' were mainly located in Yunnan Province, southeastern Guizhou Province, central Anhui Province, and central and eastern Jiangsu Province. The main factor for the formation was due to the lag of urbanization in coordinated development. iii) Among the socioeconomic indicators, population structure (0.136), per capita year-end financial institutions loan balance (0.409) and per capita fixed asset investment (0.202) all had a positive impact on coupling coordination degree, while location conditions (-0.126) had a negative impact. Among the natural indicators, soil organic matter (-0.212) and temperature (-0.094) had a negative impact on coupling coordination degree. iv) During the process of coordinated development, it was necessary to increase financial investment and financial support, actively formulate policies to attract talents, enhance the education and publicity of ecological civilization, and develop a green circular economy. The above measures can promote the harmonious development of urbanization and forest ecological security in the Yangtze River Economic Belt.

Selectivity of Oxygen Evolution Reaction on Carbon Cloth-Supported δ-MnO2 Nanosheets in Electrolysis of Real Seawater.

Electrolysis of seawater using solar and wind energy is a promising technology for hydrogen production which is not affected by the shortage of freshwater resources. However, the competition of chlorine evolution reactions and oxygen evolution reactions on the anode is a major obstacle in the upscaling of seawater electrolyzers for hydrogen production and energy storage, which require chlorine-inhibited oxygen evolution electrodes to become commercially viable. In this study, such an electrode was prepared by growing δ-MnO2 nanosheet arrays on the carbon cloth surface. The selectivity of the newly prepared anode towards the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) was 66.3% after 30 min of electrolyzer operation. The insertion of Fe, Co and Ni ions into MnO2 nanosheets resulted in an increased number of trivalent Mn atoms, which had a negative effect on the OER selectivity. Good tolerance of MnO2/CC electrodes to chlorine evolution in seawater electrolysis indicates its suitability for upscaling this important energy conversion and storage technology.

Foamed Carbon-Supported Nickel-Iron Oxides Interspersed with Bamboo-Like Carbon Nanotubes for High-Performance Rechargeable Zinc-Air Batteries.

The development of multi-component bi-functional electrocatalysts is necessary for commercialization of high-performance zinc-air batteries. Herein, foamed carbon-supported nickel-iron oxides interspersed with bamboo-like carbon nanotubes are prepared as bi-functional electrocatalysts for this battery type. During high temperature synthesis, edges of carbon sheets comprising the foamed carbon structure become involuted to form short carbon nanotubes. The composite of carbon nanotubes and network carbon confer high specific surface area and high electrical conductivity on the newly prepared materials. The supported NiFe2 O4 phase improves the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) activity by fixing more N atoms, and high-valent Ni oxide (Ni2 O3 ) promotes the formation of OO bonds, which is conducive to the oxygen evolution reaction (OER). The optimized material exhibits excellent bi-functional electrocatalytic activity toward both ORR and OER, and its use in the assembled zinc-air battery cell results in a high power density of 150 mW cm-2 with long discharge stability.

Catalytically Active CoSe2 Supported on Nitrogen-Doped Three Dimensional Porous Carbon as a Cathode for Highly Stable Lithium-Sulfur Battery.

Lithium-sulfur batteries are promising secondary energy storage devices that are mainly limited by its unsatisfactory cyclability owing to inefficient reversible conversion of sulfur and lithium sulfide on the cathode during the discharge/charging process. In this study, nitrogen-doped three-dimensional porous carbon material loaded with CoSe2 nanoparticles (CoSe2 -PNC) is developed as a cathode for lithium-sulfur battery. A combination of CoSe2 and nitrogen-doped porous carbon can efficiently improve the cathode activity and its conductivity, resulting in enhanced redox kinetics of the charge/discharge process. The obtained electrode exhibits a high discharge specific capacity of 1139.6 mAh g-1 at a current density of 0.2 C. After 100 cycles, its capacity remained at 865.7 mAh g-1 thus corresponding to a capacity retention of 75.97 %. In a long-term cycling test, discharge specific capacity of 546.7 mAh g-1 was observed after 300 cycles performed at a current density of 1 C.

Exploring the influence mechanism of dissolved organic matter on the bioavailability and thyroid hormone disrupting effect of zinc: A case study of effluents from galvanizing plants.

The effect of dissolved organic matter (DOM) on metal bioavailability and toxicity is a complex process. Effluents from galvanizing plants containing large amounts of DOM and Zn were selected to investigate the potential influence and mechanism of DOM on Zn bioavailability and its role in inducing thyroid hormone disrupting effects. Thyroid hormone disrupting effects were evaluated using a recombinant thyroid hormone receptor ß gene yeast assay. The results suggest that Zn could be the main metal contributor to the toxic effects. Then, Zn-binding characteristics with different fluorescent components of DOM were analyzed using three-dimensional excitation emission matrix fluorescence spectroscopy (3DEEM) and revealed that Zn was more susceptible to interactions with fulvic-like materials. Furthermore, DOM altered the cellular biouptake and compartmentalization processes of Zn by downregulating Zn transmembrane transport-related genes (ZRT1, ZRT2 and ZAP1) and upregulating detoxification-related genes (COT1 and ZRC1), thus altering thyroid toxicity. These results provide comprehensive insights into the influence and mechanism of DOM on bioavailability and thyroid toxicity of Zn and suggest that the influence is associated with complex physical, chemical and biological processes, indicating that more refined medium constraints along with subtle biological reactions should be considered when predicting the bioavailability and toxicity of Zn in environmental water samples.

A High Faraday Efficiency NiMoO4 Nanosheet Array Catalyst by Adjusting the Hydrophilicity for Overall Water Splitting.

To obtain a highly active, stable, and binder-free electrode based on transition-metal compounds for water splitting, nickel foam-supported 3D NiMoO4 nanosheet arrays modified with 0D Fe-doped carbon quantum dots (Fe-CQDs/NiMoO4 /NF) are synthesized. The structure characterizations indicated that 0D Fe-CQDs are evenly dispersed onto the NiMoO4 sheets of the arrays. The contact angle analysis confirmed that the surface hydrophilia of the arrays is improved after the 0D Fe-CQDs are deposited 3D on the NiMoO4 sheets. Here, both the activity and durability in electrochemical water splitting are significantly enhanced with the Fe-CQDs/NiMoO4 /NF catalysts. At a current density of 10 mA cm-2 , the resultant Fe-CQDs/NiMoO4 /NF revealed an overpotential of only 117 mV for the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER), a relatively low overpotential of 336 mV toward the oxygen evolution reaction (OER), and a Faraday efficiency of up to 99 %. This performance can be attributed to the unique 3D nanosheet array structure, the synergistic effect, and the optimal hydrophilia for gas evolution evolved from the electrode surface.

Molten-Salt Media Synthesis of N-Doped Carbon Tubes Containing Encapsulated Co Nanoparticles as a Bifunctional Air Cathode for Zinc-Air Batteries.

Cost efficient bifunctional air cathodes possessing high electrocatalytic activity are of great importance for the development of secondary Zn-air batteries. In this work, cobalt nanoparticles are encapsulated within a 3D N-doped open network of carbon tubes (Co@N-CNTs) by a molten-salt synthesis procedure conducted at a high temperature. Physical characterization demonstrates that Co@N-CNTs are comprised of Co particle inserted carbon tubes with mesoporous tube walls, providing significant active surface area for electrochemical reactions. High electrocatalytic activity of Co@N-CNTs towards both oxygen evolution and oxygen reduction reactions is due to its well-developed active surface and a synergistic effect between N-doped carbon and Co nanoparticles. Both primary and secondary Zn-air battery cells assembled using Co@N-CNTs as an air cathode show higher electrochemical performance than similar cells containing commercial Pt/C and Pt/C +RuO2 , making the newly developed material a promising alternative to existing metal-based air cathodes.

Tailoring hollow structure within NiCoP nanowire arrays via nanoscale Kirkendall diffusion to enhance hydrogen evolution reaction.

Hollow structured nanomaterials with void space available inside the shells can effectively enhance electrocatalytic activity due to their high specific surface area, volume buffer and shell permeability properties. In this study, low-cost and hollow structured bimetal phosphide nanowires are synthesized directly on Ni foam via the Kirkendall effect by using NaH2PO2 as a phosphorizing agent at 350 °C. Both the crystal and hollow structures of the obtained phosphide can be efficiently tuned by controlling the amount of phosphorizing agent and the phosphorizing time. The morphology and microstructure of the obtained phosphides are characterised using various techniques, which indicate that the formation mechanism of the hollow structure is consistent with the Kirkendall effect. The optimized bimetal phosphide sample demonstrates a low onset potential (59 mV) at a current density of 10 mA cm-2, low charge transfer resistance (0.83 Ω) and superior durability in the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) for water electrolysis. The electrochemical results clearly demonstrate that the hollow structure can efficiently improve the HER properties and the obtained phosphide is a promising HER catalysts for water splitting in KOH or seawater electrolytes.

Ni(OH)2 Nanoflakes Supported on 3D Ni3 Se2 Nanowire Array as Highly Efficient Electrodes for Asymmetric Supercapacitor and Ni/MH Battery.

Porous Ni(OH)2 nanoflakes are directly grown on the surface of nickel foam supported Ni3 Se2 nanowire arrays using an in situ growth procedure to form 3D Ni3 Se2 @Ni(OH)2 hybrid material. Owing to good conductivity of Ni3 Se2 , high specific capacitance of Ni(OH)2 and its unique architecture, the obtained Ni3 Se2 @Ni(OH)2 exhibits a high specific capacitance of 1689 µAh cm-2 (281.5 mAh g-1 ) at a discharge current of 3 mA cm-2 and a superior rate capability. Both the high energy density of 59.47 Wh kg-1 at a power density of 100.54 W kg-1 and remarkable cycling stability with only a 16.4% capacity loss after 10 000 cycles are demonstrated in an asymmetric supercapacitor cell comprising Ni3 Se2 @Ni(OH)2 as a positive electrode and activated carbon as a negative electrode. Furthermore, the cell achieved a high energy density of 50.9 Wh L-1 at a power density of 83.62 W L-1 in combination with an extraordinary coulombic efficiency of 97% and an energy efficiency of 88.36% at 5 mA cm-2 when activated carbon is replaced by metal hydride from a commercial NiMH battery. Excellent electrochemical performance indicates that Ni3 Se2 @Ni(OH)2 composite can become a promising electrode material for energy storage applications.

MnO/N-Doped Mesoporous Carbon as Advanced Oxygen Reduction Reaction Electrocatalyst for Zinc-Air Batteries.

The development of alternative electrocatalysts exhibiting high activity in the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) is vital for the deployment of large-scale clean energy devices, such as fuel cells and zinc-air batteries. N-doped carbon materials offer a promising platform for the design and synthesis of electrocatalysts due to their high ORR activity, high surface area, and tunable porosity. In this study, materials in which MnO nanoparticles are entrapped in N-doped mesoporous carbon (MnO/NC) were developed as electrocatalysts for the ORR, and their performances were evaluated in zinc-air batteries. The obtained carbon materials had large surface area and high electrocatalytic activity toward the ORR. The carbon compounds were fabricated by using NaCl as template in a one-pot process, which significantly simplifies the procedure for preparing mesoporous carbon materials and in turn reduces the total cost. A primary zinc-air battery based on this material exhibits an open-circuit voltage of 1.49 V, which is higher than that of conventional zinc-air batteries with Pt/C (Pt/C cell) as ORR catalyst (1.41 V). The assembled zinc-air battery delivered a peak power density of 168 mW cm-2 at a current density of about 200 mA cm-2 , which is higher than that of an equivalent Pt/C cell (151 mW cm-2 at a current density of ca. 200 mA cm-2 ). The electrocatalytic data revealed that MnO/NC is a promising nonprecious-metal ORR catalyst for practical applications in metal-air batteries.

Hierarchical core-shell structured Ni3S2/NiMoO4 nanowires: a high-performance and reusable electrochemical sensor for glucose detection.

Designing highly active electrode is important for the fabrication of electrochemical sensing platforms, and core-shell nanostructures with large specific surface areas and ease of accessibility are effective probes for the detection of biomolecules. In this work, we report the development of hierarchical core-shell Ni3S2/NiMoO4 nanowires on a nickel foam substrate (Ni-Ni3S2/NiMoO4) as a non-noble metal catalyst electrode for the electrochemical oxidation of glucose in alkaline electrolyte. As an electrochemical sensor for glucose detection, the fabricated hierarchical Ni-Ni3S2/NiMoO4 core-shell nanowires display an enhanced catalytic response, a fast response time of 1 s with a limit of detection (LOD) of 0.055 µM (S/N = 3), and a higher sensitivity of 10.49 µA µM-1 cm-2. Unlike Ni3S2 or NiMoO4 electrodes, the observed superior catalytic activity towards glucose is mainly due to the promotional effect of NiMoO4 nanosheets on the Ni3S2 nanowires, which can increase the large active surface area and generate numerous active sites within and on the surface walls of the nanowire structures. The developed Ni-Ni3S2/NiMoO4 nanowire electrode can selectively detect glucose in the presence of other carbohydrates, such as fructose, sucrose, lactose, maltose, galactose, mannose, and xylose, indicating potential anti-interference properties. The Ni-Ni3S2/NiMoO4 nanowire electrode is highly stable for reuse and its practical application is demonstrated using real blood serum samples. These results demonstrate that hierarchical core-shell Ni3S2/NiMoO4 nanowires show potential for application in the development of low-cost applied glucose sensors.

Effects of extracellular ATP on local and systemic responses of bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L) leaves to wounding.

Wounding increased the extracellular Adenosine 5'-triphosphate (eATP) level of kidney bean leaves. Treatment with wounding or exogenous ATP increased the hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) content, activities of catalase and polyphenol oxidase, and malondialdehyde content in both the treated and systemic leaves. Pre-treatment with ATP-degrading enzyme, apyrase, to the wounded leaves reduced the wound-induced local and systemic increases in H2O2 content, activities of catalase and polyphenol oxidase, and malondialdehyde content. Application of dimethylthiourea (DMTU) and diphenylene iodonium (DPI) to the wounded and ATP-treated leaves, respectively, reduced the wound- and ATP-induced local and systemic increases in H2O2 content, activities of catalase and polyphenol oxidase, and malondialdehyde content. Moreover, the wound- and ATP-induced systemic increases of these physiological parameters were suppressed when DMTU or DPI applied to leaf petiole of the wounded and ATP-treated leaves. These results suggest that eATP at wounded sites could mediate the wound-induced local and systemic responses by H2O2-dependent signal transduction.

Rational Design of Hierarchically Core-Shell Structured Ni3 S2 @NiMoO4 Nanowires for Electrochemical Energy Storage.

Rational design and controllable synthesis of nanostructured materials with unique microstructure and excellent electrochemical performance for energy storage are crucially desired. In this paper, a facile method is reported for general synthesis of hierarchically core-shell structured Ni3 S2 @NiMoO4 nanowires (NWs) as a binder-free electrode for asymmetric supercapacitors. Due to the intimate contact between Ni3 S2 and NiMoO4 , the hierarchical structured electrodes provide a promising unique structure for asymmetric supercapacitors. The as-prepared binder-free Ni3 S2 @NiMoO4 electrode can significantly improve the electrical conductivity between Ni3 S2 and NiMoO4 , and effectively avoid the aggregation of NiMoO4 nanosheets, which provide more active space for storing charge. The Ni3 S2 @NiMoO4 electrode presents a high areal capacity of 1327.3 µAh cm-2 and 67.8% retention of its initial capacity when current density increases from 2 to 40 mA cm-2 . In a two-electrode Ni3 S2 @NiMoO4 //active carbon cell, the active materials deliver a high energy density of 121.5 Wh kg-1 at a power density of 2.285 kW kg-1 with excellent cycling stability.

Latanoprost-Eluting Contact Lenses in Glaucomatous Monkeys.

PURPOSE: To assess the ability of latanoprost-eluting contact lenses to lower the intraocular pressure (IOP) of glaucomatous eyes of cynomolgus monkeys. DESIGN: Preclinical efficacy study of 3 treatment arms in a crossover design. PARTICIPANTS: Female cynomolgus monkeys with glaucoma induced in 1 eye by repeated argon laser trabeculoplasty. METHODS: Latanoprost-eluting low-dose contact lenses (CLLO) and high-dose contact lenses (CLHI) were produced by encapsulating a thin latanoprost-polymer film within the periphery of a methafilcon hydrogel, which was lathed into a contact lens. We assessed the IOP-lowering effect of CLLO, CLHI, or daily latanoprost ophthalmic solution in the same monkeys. Each monkey consecutively received 1 week of continuous-wear CLLO, 3 weeks without treatment, 5 days of latanoprost drops, 3 weeks without treatment, and 1 week of continuous-wear CLHI. On 2 consecutive days before initiation of each study arm, the IOP was measured hourly over 7 consecutive hours to establish the baseline IOP. Two-tailed Student t tests and repeated-measures analysis of variance were used for statistical analysis. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Intraocular pressure. RESULTS: Latanoprost ophthalmic solution resulted in IOP reduction of 5.4±1.0 mmHg on day 3 and peak IOP reduction of 6.6±1.3 mmHg on day 5. The CLLO reduced IOP by 6.3±1.0, 6.7±0.3, and 6.7±0.3 mmHg on days 3, 5, and 8, respectively. The CLHI lowered IOP by 10.5±1.4, 11.1±4.0, and 10.0±2.5 mmHg on days 3, 5, and 8, respectively. For the CLLO and CLHI, the IOP was statistically significantly reduced compared with the untreated baseline at most time points measured. The CLHI demonstrated greater IOP reduction than latanoprost ophthalmic solution on day 3 (P = 0.001) and day 5 (P = 0.015), and at several time points on day 8 (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Sustained delivery of latanoprost by contact lenses is at least as effective as delivery with daily latanoprost ophthalmic solution. More research is needed to determine the optimal continuous-release dose that would be well tolerated and maximally effective. Contact lens drug delivery may become an option for the treatment of glaucoma and a platform for ocular drug delivery.

Evolution of nanoscale amorphous, crystalline and phase-segregated PtNiP nanoparticles and their electrocatalytic effect on methanol oxidation reaction.

The design of amorphous noble metallic nanoparticle electrocatalysts is an important fundamental and applied research challenge because their surface is rich in low-coordination sites and defects which could act as the active sites in various catalytic processes. Here we describe new findings on the amorphous platinum-nickel-phosphorous nanoparticles supported on carbon black (PtNiP(a)/C) and the comparison between their catalytic activity and that of the nanoscale crystalline and phase-segregated PtNiP nanoparticles. The nanoscale amorphous, crystalline and phase-segregated catalysts were probed as a function of surface composition, particle size, and thermal treatment conditions using X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy, selected area electron diffraction and electrochemical characterization. The results provide the experimental evidence in support of nanoscale amorphous, crystalline, and phase-segregated PtNiP nanoparticles evolution dependence on the catalyst synthesis temperature. More importantly, the results of the electrochemical performance investigation showed that the amorphous structure has not only better catalytic activity for methanol oxidation but also stronger tolerance to carbon monoxide poisoning compared to the crystalline and phase-segregated structure. Besides, the thermal control of the formation of nanoscale amorphous, crystalline and phase-segregated structured catalysts provided the opportunity for establishing the correlation between the nanoscale phase structures of the catalysts and their electrocatalytic activity in methanol oxidation reaction, which plays an important role in developing highly active electrocatalysts for direct methanol fuel cells.

Diabetic foot disease: grading inflammation by apolipoprotein A-I, C-reactive protein and serum amyloid A.

BACKGROUND: The different grading systems for diabetic foot disease pose a challenge in clinical decision making because each system fails to accurately reflect the individual course of disease progression. This study attempts to identify laboratory measurements for classifying diabetic foot disease to guide clinical treatment. METHODS: The sera of 111 clinically graded diabetic foot patients were measured for several laboratory parameters including serum amyloid A (SAA), C-reactive protein (CRP), and apo A-I. By using the molar sum of CRP and SAA and then dividing by the molarity of apo A-I, an acute phase index was introduced to assess the inflammatory status of the patients. RESULTS: Based on a newly defined acute phase index (API), diabetic foot patients were classified into 3 distinct groups that provide a diagnostic tool complementing the established Texas grading system for clinical decision making. CONCLUSIONS: The integration of the serum concentrations of SAA, CRP and apo A-I into an acute phase index (API) offers an opportunity to triage diabetic foot patients who may benefit from personalized medicine.

CdTe quantum dots and YAG hybrid phosphors for white light-emitting diodes.

CdTe quantum dots, 3.28 nm in size, were synthesized using a one-step method in an aqueous medium. The CdTe quantum dots were successfully employed as hybrid phosphors for white light-emitting diode (LED) devices by combining them with yellow-emitting YAG:Ce phosphor. The color-rendering index value and International Commission on illumination coordinates for hybrid phosphor white LEDs were 75 and (x = 0.30, y = 0.29), respectively. Compared with conventional phosphors, semiconductor quantum dots have larger band gap energy and broader absorption features, and can be excited more efficiently by optical pumping sources. The results confirmed that the high color-rendering index value of the white LED was due to the CdTe quantum dots introduced in the hybrid phosphor system.