Regulating Second Coordination Shell of Ce Atom Site and Reshaping of Carrier Enable Single-Atom Nanozyme to Efficiently Express Oxidase-like Activity.

Single-atom nanozymes (SANs) are considered to be ideal substitutes for natural enzymes due to their high atom utilization. This work reported a strategy to manipulate the second coordination shell of the Ce atom and reshape the carbon carrier to improve the oxidase-like activity of SANs. Internally, S atoms were symmetrically embedded into the second coordination layer to form a Ce-N4S2-C structure, which reduced the energy barrier for O2 reduction, promoted the electron transfer from the Ce atom to O atoms, and enhanced the interaction between the d orbital of the Ce atom and p orbital of O atoms. Externally, in situ polymerization of mussel-inspired polydopamine on the precursor helps capture metal sources and protects the 3D structure of the carrier during pyrolysis. On the other hand, polyethylene glycol (PEG) modulated the interface of the material to enhance water dispersion and mass transfer efficiency. As a proof of concept, the constructed PEG@P@Ce-N/S-C was applied to the multimodal assay of butyrylcholinesterase activity.

Hidradenitis suppurativa as a potential risk factor of periodontitis: a multi-center, propensity-score-matched cohort study.

Background: Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) is a chronic inflammatory skin disease associated with systemic symptoms. Periodontitis, a prevalent dental disease, shares immune-mediated inflammatory characteristics with HS. This cohort study aims to evaluate the association between HS and periodontitis. Methods: Using the TriNetX research network, a global-federated database of electronic health records, we conducted a retrospective cohort study. People being diagnosed of HS were identified and propensity score matching was performed to identify proper control group, via balancing critical covariates Within the follow-up time of 1 year, 3 year and 5 years, hazard ratios were calculated to assess the risk of periodontitis in HS patients compared to controls. Results: Within the 53,968 HS patients and the same number of matched controls, the HS patients exhibited a significantly increased risk of developing periodontitis compared to controls after 3 years of follow-up (HR: 1.64, 95% CI: 1.11, 2.44) and 5 years of follow-up (HR: 1.64, 95% CI: 1.21, 2.24) of follow-up. Sensitivity analyses supported these findings under various matching models and washout periods. While comparing with patients with psoriasis, the association between HS and periodontitis remained significant (HR: 1.73, 95% CI: 1.23, 2.44). Conclusion: The observed increased risk suggests the need for heightened awareness and potential interdisciplinary care for individuals with HS to address periodontal health.

Understanding metabolic alterations after SARS-CoV-2 infection: insights from the patients' oral microenvironmental metabolites.

BACKGROUND: Coronavirus disease 2019 is a type of acute infectious pneumonia and frequently confused with influenza since the initial symptoms. When the virus colonized the patient's mouth, it will cause changes of the oral microenvironment. However, few studies on the alterations of metabolism of the oral microenvironment affected by SARS-CoV-2 infection have been reported. In this study, we explored metabolic alterations of oral microenvironment after SARS-CoV-2 infection. METHODS: Untargeted metabolomics (UPLC-MS) was used to investigate the metabolic changes between oral secretion samples of 25 COVID-19 and 30 control participants. To obtain the specific metabolic changes of COVID-19, we selected 25 influenza patients to exclude the metabolic changes caused by the stress response of the immune system to the virus. Multivariate analysis (PCA and PLS-DA plots) and univariate analysis (students' t-test) were used to compare the differences between COVID-19 patients and the controls. Online hiplot tool was used to perform heatmap analysis. Metabolic pathway analysis was conducted by using the MetaboAnalyst 5.0 web application. RESULTS: PLS-DA plots showed significant separation of COVID-19 patients and the controls. A total of 45 differential metabolites between COVID-19 and control group were identified. Among them, 35 metabolites were defined as SARS-CoV-2 specific differential metabolites. Especially, the levels of cis-5,8,11,14,17-eicosapentaenoic acid and hexanoic acid changed dramatically based on the FC values. Pathway enrichment found the most significant pathways were tyrosine-related metabolism. Further, we found 10 differential metabolites caused by the virus indicating the body's metabolism changes after viral stimulation. Moreover, adenine and adenosine were defined as influenza virus-specific differential metabolites. CONCLUSIONS: This study revealed that 35 metabolites and tyrosine-related metabolism pathways were significantly changed after SARS-CoV-2 infection. The metabolic alterations of oral microenvironment in COVID-19 provided new insights into its molecular mechanisms for research and prognostic treatment.

Biomaterials and advanced technologies for the evaluation and treatment of ovarian aging.

Ovarian aging is characterized by a progressive decline in ovarian function. With the increase in life expectancy worldwide, ovarian aging has gradually become a key health problem among women. Over the years, various strategies have been developed to preserve fertility in women, while there are currently no clinical treatments to delay ovarian aging. Recently, advances in biomaterials and technologies, such as three-dimensional (3D) printing and microfluidics for the encapsulation of follicles and nanoparticles as delivery systems for drugs, have shown potential to be translational strategies for ovarian aging. This review introduces the research progress on the mechanisms underlying ovarian aging, and summarizes the current state of biomaterials in the evaluation and treatment of ovarian aging, including safety, potential applications, future directions and difficulties in translation.

Identification of transcriptomic characteristics during nasal capsular contracture progression using RNA deep sequencing.

Nasal capsular contracture is a prevalent complication commonly observed after rhinoplasty. However, the mechanism underlying the pathogenesis of nasal capsular contracture is largely unclear compared to that of breast capsular contracture. This study aimed to identify the key genes implicated in nasal capsular contracture progression using RNA deep sequencing (RNA-seq). Biopsy samples were taken from Grade II to Grade IV nasal fibrous capsular tissues. The former is regarded as the relatively normal tissues and thus was set as control group, while the latter was treated as pathological group. Results from RNA-seq underwent GO enrichment and KEGG pathway analysis and subsequent verification by quantitative reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction and western blot assays. RNA-seq analysis showed that 3149 genes were up-regulated and 3131 genes in pathological groups compared with controls. The top 30 up-regulated genes included many chemokines (e.g., CCL18, CCL13, CCL17 and CCL8), matrix metallopeptidases (e.g., MMP9 and MMP12) and integrin proteins (e.g., ITGAM and ITGB2). GO enrichment analysis demonstrated that the up-regulated genes affected various immune functions, including immune system process, cell activation, leukocyte activation, defence response and positive regulation of immune. The down-regulated gene primary influenced muscle development and functions as well as metabolic processes. In summary, this study reveal that abnormal changes of immune functions, muscle develop and metabolic processes are probably implicated in the pathogenesis of nasal capsular contracture.

Additive-manufactured Ti-6Al-4 V/Polyetheretherketone composite porous cage for Interbody fusion: bone growth and biocompatibility evaluation in a porcine model.

BACKGROUND: We developed a porous Ti alloy/PEEK composite interbody cage by utilizing the advantages of polyetheretherketone (PEEK) and titanium alloy (Ti alloy) in combination with additive manufacturing technology. METHODS: Porous Ti alloy/PEEK composite cages were manufactured using various controlled porosities. Anterior intervertebral lumbar fusion and posterior augmentation were performed at three vertebral levels on 20 female pigs. Each level was randomly implanted with one of the five cages that were tested: a commercialized pure PEEK cage, a Ti alloy/PEEK composite cage with nonporous Ti alloy endplates, and three composite cages with porosities of 40, 60, and 80%, respectively. Micro-computed tomography (CT), backscattered-electron SEM (BSE-SEM), and histological analyses were performed. RESULTS: Micro-CT and histological analyses revealed improved bone growth in high-porosity groups. Micro-CT and BSE-SEM demonstrated that structures with high porosities, especially 60 and 80%, facilitated more bone formation inside the implant but not outside the implant. Histological analysis also showed that bone formation was higher in Ti alloy groups than in the PEEK group. CONCLUSION: The composite cage presents the biological advantages of Ti alloy porous endplates and the mechanical and radiographic advantages of the PEEK central core, which makes it suitable for use as a single implant for intervertebral fusion.

Hyperactivation of RAP1 and JAK/STAT Signaling Pathways Contributes to Fibrosis during the Formation of Nasal Capsular Contraction.

Silicone implant-based augmentation rhinoplasty or mammoplasty induces capsular contracture, which has been acknowledged as a process that develops an abnormal fibrotic capsule associated with the immune response to allogeneic materials. However, the signaling pathways leading to the nasal fibrosis remain poorly investigated. We aimed to explore the molecular mechanism underlying the pathogenesis of nasal capsular contracture, with a specific research interest in the signaling pathways involved in fibrotic development at the advanced stage of contracture. By examining our recently obtained RNA sequencing data and global gene expression profiling between grade II and grade IV nasal capsular tissues, we found that both the RAP1 and JAK/STAT signaling pathways were hyperactive in the contracted capsules. This was verified on quantitative real-time PCR which demonstrated upregulation of most of the representative component signatures in these pathways. Loss-of-function assays through siRNA-mediated Rap1 silencing and/or small molecule-directed inhibition of JAK/STAT pathway in ex vivo primary nasal fibroblasts caused a series of dramatic behavioral and functional changes, including decreased cell viability, increased apoptosis, reduced secretion of proinflammatory cytokines, and synthesis of type I collagen, compared to control cells, and indicating the essential role of the RAP1 and JAK/STAT signaling pathways in nasal capsular fibrosis. Our results sheds light on targeting downstream signaling pathways for the prevention and therapy of silicone implant-induced nasal capsular contracture.

Injectable and Self-Healing Nanocomposite Hydrogels with Ultrasensitive pH-Responsiveness and Tunable Mechanical Properties: Implications for Controlled Drug Delivery.

Injectable, self-healing, and pH-responsive hydrogels are great intelligent drug delivery systems for controlled and localized therapeutic release. Hydrogels that show pH-sensitive behaviors in the mildly acidic range are ideal to be used for the treatment of regions showing local acidosis like tumors, wounds and infections. In this work, we present a facile preparation of an injectable, self-healing, and supersensitive pH-responsive nanocomposite hydrogel based on Schiff base reactions between aldehyde-functionalized polymers and amine-modified silica nanoparticles. The hydrogel shows fast gelation within 10 s, injectability, and rapid self-healing capability. Moreover, the hydrogel demonstrates excellent stability under neutral physiological conditions, while a sharp gel-sol transition is observed, induced by a faintly acidic environment, which is desirable for controlled drug delivery. The pH-responsiveness of the hydrogel is ultrasensitive, where the mechanical properties, hydrolytic degradation, and drug release behaviors can alter significantly when subjected to a slight pH change of 0.2. Additionally, the hydrogel's mechanical and pH-responsive properties can be readily tuned by its composition. Its excellent biocompatibility is confirmed by cytotoxicity tests toward human dermal fibroblast cells (HDFa). The novel injectable, self-healing, and sensitive pH-responsive hydrogel serves as a promising candidate as a localized drug carrier with controlled delivery capability, triggered by acidosis, holding great promise for cancer therapy, wound healing, and infection treatment.

Solution NMR Analysis of Ligand Environment in Quaternary Ammonium-Terminated Self-Assembled Monolayers on Gold Nanoparticles: The Effect of Surface Curvature and Ligand Structure.

We report a solution NMR-based analysis of (16-mercaptohexadecyl)trimethylammonium bromide (MTAB) self-assembled monolayers on colloidal gold nanospheres (AuNSs) with diameters from 1.2 to 25 nm and gold nanorods (AuNRs) with aspect ratios from 1.4 to 3.9. The chemical shift analysis of the proton signals from the solvent-exposed headgroups of bound ligands suggests that the headgroups are saturated on the ligand shell as the sizes of the nanoparticles increase beyond ∼10 nm. Quantitative NMR shows that the ligand density of MTAB-AuNSs is size-dependent. Ligand density ranges from ∼3 molecules per nm2 for 25 nm particles to up to 5-6 molecules per nm2 in ∼10 nm and smaller particles for in situ measurements of bound ligands; after I2/I- treatment to etch away the gold cores, ligand density ranges from ∼2 molecules per nm2 for 25 nm particles to up to 4-5 molecules per nm2 in ∼10 nm and smaller particles. T2 relaxation analysis shows greater hydrocarbon chain ordering and less headgroup motion as the diameter of the particles increases from 1.2 nm to ∼13 nm. Molecular dynamics simulations of 4, 6, and 8 nm (11-mercaptoundecyl)trimethylammonium bromide-capped AuNSs confirm greater hydrophobic chain packing order and saturation of charged headgroups within the same spherical ligand shell at larger nanoparticle sizes and higher ligand densities. Combining the NMR studies and MD simulations, we suggest that the headgroup packing limits the ligand density, rather than the sulfur packing on the nanoparticle surface, for ∼10 nm and larger particles. For MTAB-AuNRs, no chemical shift data nor ligand density data suggest that two populations of ligands that might correspond to side-ligands and end-ligands exist; yet T2 relaxation dynamics data suggest that headgroup mobility depends on aspect ratio and absolute nanoparticle dimensions.

Impact of Hyperbaric Oxygen on Tissue Healing around Dental Implants in Beagles.

BACKGROUND The impact of hyperbaric oxygen (HBO) on the healing of soft tissues around dental implants was studied in a beagle model. MATERIAL AND METHODS Beagle dogs were randomized to receive implants, followed by postoperative HBO therapy or not (n=10 per group). On postoperative days 3, 7, and 14, tissue specimens were paraffin-embedded and analyzed by hematoxylin-eosin and Masson staining, as well as immunohistochemistry against CD31. RESULTS Scores for inflammation pathology based on hematoxylin-eosin staining and mean optical density of collagen fibers were significantly different between the HBO and control groups on postoperative days 3 and 7 (P<0.05), but not on day 14. Mean optical density due to anti-CD31 staining was significantly higher in the HBO group on postoperative days 3, 7, and 14 (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS These results suggest that HBO may promote early osteogenesis and soft tissue healing after implantation.

Multifunctional Carbon Fiber Ionization Mass Spectrometry.

A carbon fiber ionization (CFI) technique was developed for the mass spectrometric analysis of various organic compounds with different polarities. The design of the CFI technique was based on the good compatibility and dispersion of samples and solutions in different solvents on carbon fiber. As a fast, convenient, and versatile ionization method, CFI-MS is especially efficient for analyzing many low/nonpolar organic compounds, such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, long-chain aliphatic aldehydes, sensitive steroids, terpenoids, and organometallic compounds. Some of these compounds may not be well-analyzed by electrospray ionization or electron ionization mass spectrometry. On the basis of our experimental results, the major ion formation mechanism of CFI-MS was suggested to involve desorption in a steam-distillation-like process, and then, ionization occurred mainly via corona discharge under high voltage. CFI-MS could not only work alone but also be coupled with separation techniques. It works well when coupled with supercritical fluid chromatography (SFC) as well as in the analysis of exhaled human air. The high flexibility and versatility of CFI-MS has extended its applications in many areas, such as fast chemical screening, clinical testing, and forensic analysis.

Miniaturization of gene transfection assays in 384- and 1536-well microplates.

The miniaturization of gene transfer assays to either 384- or 1536-well plates greatly economizes the expense and allows much higher throughput when transfecting immortalized and primary cells compared with more conventional 96-well assays. To validate the approach, luciferase and green fluorescent protein (GFP) reporter gene transfer assays were developed to determine the influence of cell seeding number, transfection reagent to DNA ratios, transfection time, DNA dose, and luciferin dose on linearity and sensitivity. HepG2, CHO, and NIH 3T3 cells were transfected with polyethylenimine (PEI)-DNA in both 384- and 1536-well plates. The results established optimal transfection parameters in 384-well plates in a total assay volume of 35µl and in 1536-well plates in a total assay volume of 8µl. A luciferase assay performed in 384-well plates produced a Z' score of 0.53, making it acceptable for high-throughput screening. Primary hepatocytes were harvested from mouse liver and transfected with PEI DNA and calcium phosphate DNA nanoparticles in 384-well plates. Optimal transfection of primary hepatocytes was achieved on as few as 250cellsperwell in 384-well plates, with CaPO4 proving to be 10-fold more potent than PEI.

Ligand-directed stearic acid grafted chitosan micelles to increase therapeutic efficacy in hepatic cancer.

Targeted delivery system would be an interesting platform to enhance the therapeutic effect and to reduce the side effects of anticancer drugs. In this study, we have developed lactobionic acid (LA)-modified chitosan-stearic acid (CS-SA) (CSS-LA) to deliver doxorubicin (DOX) to hepatic cancer cells. The average particle size of CSS-LA/DOX was ∼100 nm with a high entrapment efficiency of >95%. Drug release studies showed that DOX release from pH-sensitive micelles is significantly faster at pH 5.0 than at pH 7.4. The LA conjugated micelles showed enhanced cellular uptake in HepG2 and BEL-7402 liver cancer cells than free drug and unconjugated micelles. Consistently, CSS-LA/DOX showed enhanced cell cytotoxicity in these two cell lines. Annexin-V/FITC and PI based apoptosis assay showed that the number of living cells greatly reduced in this group with marked presence of necrotic and apoptotic cells. LA-conjugated carrier induced typical chromatic condensation of cells; membrane blebbing and apoptotic bodies began to appear. In vivo, CSS-LA/DOX showed an excellent tumor regression profile with no toxic side effects. The active targeting moiety, long circulation profile, and EPR effect contributed to its superior anticancer effect in HepG2 based tumor. Our results showed that polymeric micelles conjugated with LA increased the therapeutic availability of DOX in the liver cancer cell based solid tumor without any toxic side effects. The active targeting ligand conjugated nanoparticulate system could be a promising therapeutic strategy in the treatment of hepatic cancers.

Novel self-setting cements based on tricalcium silicate/(ß-tricalcium phosphate/monocalcium phosphate anhydrous)/hydroxypropyl methylcellulose: From hydration mechanism to biological evaluations.

Despite the clinical success of tricalcium silicate (TCS)-based materials in endodontics, the inferior handling characteristic, poor anti-washout property and slow setting kinetics hindered their wider applications. To solve these problems, an injectable fast-setting TCS/ß-tricalcium phosphate/monocalcium phosphate anhydrous (ß-TCP/MCPA) cement was developed for the first time by incorporation of hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC) and ß-TCP/MCPA. The physical-chemical characterization (setting time, anti-washout property, injectability, compressive strength, apatite mineralization and sealing property) of TCS/(ß-TCP/MCPA) were conducted. Its hydration mechanism was also investigated. Furthermore, the cytocompatibility and osteogenic/odontogenic differentiation of stem cells isolated from human exfoliated deciduous teeth (SHED) treated with TCS/ß-TCP/MCPA were studied. The results showed that HPMC could provide TCS with good anti-washout ability and injectability but slow hydration process. However, ß-TCP/MCPA effectively enhanced anti-washout characteristics and reduced setting time due to faster hydration kinetics. TCS/(ß-TCP/MCPA) obtained around 90 % of injection rate and high compressive strength whereas excessive additions of ß-TCP/MCPA compromised its injectability and compressive strength. TCS/(ß-TCP/MCPA) can induce apatite deposition and form a tight marginal sealing at the dentin-cement interface. Additionally, TCS/(ß-TCP/MCPA) showed good biocompatibility and promoted osteo/odontogenic differentiation of SHED. In general, our results indicated that TCS/(ß-TCP/MCPA) may be particularly promising as an injectable bioactive cements for endodontic treatment.

Rational Biomimetic Construction of Lignin-based Carbon Nanozyme for Identification of Uric Acid in Human Urine.

Nanozymes have made remarkable progress in the field of sensing assays by replacing native enzyme functions. However, it is still a challenge to rationally design active centers from molecular structure to enhance the catalytic performance and develop low-cost nanozymes. In this work, guided by the catalytic site of horseradish peroxidase (HRP), iron source and histidine were coupled to the main chain of aminated sodium lignosulfonate (SL) through the self-assembly biomimetic strategy to construct His-SL-Fe with peroxidase activity. The inherent functional groups and basic framework of aminated SL provide a robust environment and promote the formation of active sites. His-SL-Fe shows excellent robustness over multiple test cycles and has a strong affinity for the substrate compared to HRP. His-SL-Fe had been effectively integrated in the sensing system for catalytic detection of uric acid (UA) to achieve accurate recognition of UA in the range of 0.5-100 µM with the limit of detection as low as 0.18 µM. The recovery of human urine samples is in the range of 96.8%-106.1 % and the error is within 4 %. This work not only provides a new approach for the directed design of high-performance nanozymes, but also demonstrates promising ideas for the refined application of biomass resources.

Tumor-targeted AIE polymeric micelles mediated immunogenic sonodynamic therapy inhibits cancer growth and metastasis.

Aggregation-induced emission luminogens (AIEgens) exhibit potent sonosensitivity in nanocarriers compared with conventional organic sonosensitizers owing to the strong fluorescence emission in the aggregated state. However, the premature drug leakage and ineffective tumor targeting of current AIE nanosonosensitizers critically restrict their clinical applications. Here, an AIEgen-based sonosensitizer (AIE/Biotin-M) with excellent sonosensitivity was developed by assembling salicylaldazine-based amphiphilic polymers (AIE-1) and 4T1 tumor-targeting amphiphilic polymers (DSPE-PEG-Biotin) for the effective delivery of salicylaldazine to 4T1 tumor tissues, aiming to mediate immunogenic SDT. In vitro, AIE/Biotin-M were highly stable and generated plentiful singlet oxygen (1O2) under ultrasound (US) irradiation. After AIE/Biotin-M targeted accumulation in the tumor, upon US irradiation, the generation of 1O2 not only led to cancer cell death, but also elicited a systemically immune response by causing the immunogenic cell death (ICD) of cancer cells. In addition to mediating SDT, AIE/Biotin-M could chelate and reduce Fe3+, Cu2+ and Zn2+ by salicylaldazine for inhibiting neovascularization in tumor tissues. Ultimately, AIE/Biotin-M systemically inhibited tumor growth and metastasis upon US irradiation. This study presents a facile approach to the development of AIE nanosonosensitizers for cancer SDT.

Glucose-decorated engineering platelets for active and precise tumor-targeted drug delivery.

Precise targeted delivery of therapeutic agents is crucial for tumor therapy. As an emerging fashion, cell-based delivery provides better biocompatibility and lower immunogenicity and enables a more precise accumulation of drugs in tumor cells. In this study, a novel engineering platelet was constructed through cell membrane fusion with a synthesized glycolipid molecule, DSPE-PEG-Glucose (DPG). The obtained glucose-decorated platelets (DPG-PLs) maintained their resting state with structural and functional integrities, while they would be activated and triggered to release their payloads once they arrive at the tumor microenvironment. Glucose decoration was verified to impart the DPG-PLs with stronger binding effects toward tumor cells that overexpress GLUT1 on their surfaces. Together with the natural homing property toward tumor sites and bleeding injury, doxorubicin (DOX)-loaded platelets (DPG-PL@DOX) exhibited the strongest antitumor effects on a mouse melanoma model, and the antitumor effect was significantly enhanced in the tumor bleeding model. DPG-PL@DOX provides an active and precise solution for tumor-targeted drug delivery, especially for postoperative treatments.

A pH and Temperature Dual-Responsive Microgel-Embedded, Adhesive, and Tough Hydrogel for Drug Delivery and Wound Healing.

Stimuli-responsive hydrogels have attracted much attention over the past decade for potential bioengineering applications such as wound dressing and drug delivery. In this work, a pH and temperature dual-responsive microgel-embedded hydrogel has been fabricated by incorporating poly(N-isopropylacrylamide-co-acrylic acid) (PNIPAAm-co-AAc) based microgel particles into polyacrylamide (PAAm)/chitosan (CS) semi-interpenetrating polymer network (semi-IPN), denoted as microgel@PAM/CS. The resultant hydrogel possesses excellent mechanical properties including stretchability, compressibility, and elasticity. In addition, the microgel@PAM/CS hydrogels can tightly adhere to the surfaces of a variety of tissues such as porcine skin, kidney, intestine, liver, and heart. Moreover, it shows controlled dual-drug release profile of both bovine serum albumin (BSA) (as a model protein) and sulfamethoxazole (SMZ), an antibiotic. Excellent antimicrobial properties are obtained for SMZ-loaded microgel@PAM/CS hydrogels. Compared with traditional drug administration methods such as by mouth, injection, and inhalation, the microgel@PAM/CS hydrogels possess advantages such as higher drug loading efficiency (by more than 80%) and controllable and sustained (over 48 h) release. The microgel@PAM/CS hydrogels can significantly enhance the wound healing process. This work provides a facile approach for the fabrication of multifunctional stimuli-responsive microparticle-embedded hydrogels with semi-IPN structures, and the as-prepared microgel@PAM/CS hydrogels have great potential for applications as smart wound dressing materials in biomedical engineering.

Generalized flare of pustular psoriasis induced by PEGylated interferon-α2b therapy for chronic hepatitis C.

New onset or exacerbation of psoriasis vulgaris has been reported in a small number of patients after interferon (IFN)-α therapy. Herein, we report a case of generalized flare of pustular psoriasis induced by PEGylated IFN-α2b (PEG-IFN-α2b) in a 59-year-old woman with a 15-year history of pustular psoriasis and chronic hepatitis C. Interferon-α therapy was discontinued and the rash resolved after treatment with cyclosporin and systemic methylprednisolone. The potential side effect of PEG-IFN-α2b in inducing or exacerbating psoriasis should be kept in mind when treating patients with a history of psoriasis or pustular psoriasis.

Efficiently harvesting excitons from electronic type-controlled semiconducting carbon nanotube films.

We have employed thin films of highly purified semiconducting carbon nanotubes as near-infrared optical absorbers in heterojunction photovoltaic and photodetector devices with the electron acceptor C(60). In comparison with previous implementations of more electrically heterogeneous carbon nanotube/C(60) devices, we have realized a 10× gain in zero-bias quantum efficiency (QE) and even more substantial gains in power conversion efficiency (η(p)). The semiconducting nanotube/C(60) heterojunctions are highly rectifying with a peak external QE, internal QE, and η(p) of 12.9 ± 1.3, 91 ± 22, and 0.6%, respectively, in the near-infrared. We show that the device efficiency is determined by the effective length scale for exciton migration in the nanotube films, confirm the high internal QE via photoluminescence quenching, and demonstrate that the driving force for exciton dissociation at the fullerene-fullerene heterointerface is optimized for diameters <1.0 nm. These results will guide the development of next-generation high-performance carbon nanotube-based solar cells and photosensitive devices.