All-Aqueous Bicontinuous Structured Liquid Crystal Emulsion through Intraphase Trapping of Cellulose Nanoparticles.

Here, we describe the all-aqueous bicontinuous emulsions with cholesteric liquid crystal domains through hierarchical colloidal self-assembly of nanoparticles. This is achieved by homogenization of a rod-like cellulose nanocrystal (CNC) with two immiscible, phase separating polyethylene glycol (PEG) and dextran polymer solutions. The dispersed CNCs exhibit unequal affinity for the binary polymer mixtures that depends on the balance of osmotic and chemical potential between the two phases. Once at the critical concentration, CNC particles are constrained within one component of the polymer phases and self-assemble into a cholesteric organization. The obtained liquid crystal emulsion demonstrates a confined three-dimensional percolating bicontinuous network with cholesteric self-assembly of CNC within the PEG phase; meanwhile, the nanoparticles in the dextran phase remain isotropic instead. Our results provide an alternative way to arrest bicontinuous structures through intraphase trapping and assembling of nanoparticles, which is a viable and flexible route to extend for a wide range of colloidal systems.

Association between continuous glucose monitoring-derived glycemic control indices and urinary biomarkers of diabetic kidney disease: Hyogo Diabetes Hypoglycemia Cognition Complications study.

AIMS: Glomerular damage and proximal tubular damage play an important role in the pathogenesis of diabetic kidney disease. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between the urinary markers of proximal tubular injury, including urinary liver-type fatty acid-binding protein-to-creatinine ratio (uL-FABP/Cr) and urinary N-acetyl-ß-D-glucosaminidase-to-creatinine ratio (uNAG/Cr), and glycemic control status. METHODS: This cross-sectional study included 245 and 39 patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and non-T2DM (NDM), respectively. The participants of this study were fitted with retrospective CGM, and glycemic control indices, such as time in range (TIR) and glycemia risk index (GRI), were calculated. RESULTS: The results were presented as medians (interquartile ranges). The uL-FABP/Cr was significantly higher in the microalbuminuria than in the normo-albuminuria group [4.2 (2.7-7.1) and 2.2 (1.4-3.4) µg/gCr, respectively, P < 0.001], while the uNAG/Cr in the normo-albuminuria group [6.3 (4.5-10.1) U/gCr] was significantly higher than that in the NDM group [5.3 (3.8-6.3) U/gCr, P = 0.048] but significantly lower than that in the microalbuminuria group [9.2 (6.4-11.1) U/gCr, P = 0.004]. The multivariate logistic regression analysis indicated that CGM-derived TIR was significantly associated with the urinary albumin-to-creatinine ratio [uAlb/Cr, odds ratio (OR) 0.985, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.971-0.998, P = 0.029] and uNAG/Cr (OR 0.973, 95% CI 0.957-0.989, P = 0.001) independent of renal function. GRI was similarly associated with uAlb/Cr and uNAG/Cr. CONCLUSION: The findings of this study indicated that uNAG/Cr was elevated before albuminuria development and was associated with CGM-derived TIR and GRI.

Association between brain imaging biomarkers and continuous glucose monitoring-derived glycemic control indices in Japanese patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

INTRODUCTION: Although type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is associated with alterations in brain structure, the relationship between glycemic control indices and brain imaging markers remains unclear. This study aimed to investigate the association between continuous glucose monitoring (CGM)-derived glycemic control indices and brain imaging biomarkers assessed by MRI. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: This cross-sectional study included 150 patients with T2DM. The severity of cerebral white matter lesions (WMLs) was assessed using MRI for deep and subcortical white matter and periventricular hyperintensities. The degree of medial temporal lobe atrophy (MTA) was assessed using voxel-based morphometry. Each participant wore a retrospective CGM for 14 consecutive days, and glycemic control indices, such as time in range (TIR) and glycemia risk index (GRI), were calculated. RESULTS: The proportion of patients with severe WMLs showed a decreasing trend with increasing TIR (P for trend=0.006). The proportion of patients with severe WMLs showed an increasing trend with worsening GRI (P for trend=0.011). In contrast, no significant association was observed between the degree of MTA and CGM-derived glycemic control indices, including TIR (P for trend=0.325) and GRI (P for trend=0.447). CONCLUSIONS: The findings of this study indicate that the severity of WMLs is associated with TIR and GRI, which are indices of the quality of glycemic control. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: UMIN000032143.

Primary takotsubo syndrome with recurrent prolactinoma.

Both peripartum cardiomyopathy (PPCM) and takotsubo syndrome (TTS) are diagnoses of exclusion and are thus considered a heterogeneous disease group. TTS is generally triggered by psychogenic or physical stress. Recently, the anti-angiogenic factor cleaved prolactin has been noted as a cause of PPCM, but the precise mechanisms of these diseases remain unexplained. An 87-year-old female with a past surgical history, including transsphenoidal endoscopic surgery to remove a pituitary prolactinoma, recently underwent surgery to repair a left-sided femoral neck fracture and developed dyspnea followed by back pain; shortly after, she became embarrassed by fecal incontinence. Her initial electrocardiogram showed T wave inversions with QT prolongation leading to sustained ventricular tachycardia. No obstructive coronary artery disease was found on emergent coronary angiography, and the left ventriculography findings were consistent with TTS. After acute-phase treatment, she was diagnosed with recurrent prolactinoma based on her head magnetic resonance imaging findings. This patient's high levels of prolactin may have played a role in the pathogenesis of TTS. Learning objective: Peripartum cardiomyopathy and takotsubo syndrome (TTS) are diagnosed by exclusion, and their precise mechanisms remain unknown. We present a case of TTS associated with a prolactinoma.

Association between low-carbohydrate diets and continuous glucose monitoring-derived time in ranges.

AIMS: Low-carbohydrate diets have become popular in the general community. The mutual relationship between the percentage of total energy intake from carbohydrates (CHO/E), glycemic control indices, and diabetes complications remains unclear. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This cross-sectional study included 177 patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus who regularly visited outpatient clinics. In this study, dietary questionnaires were used to assess the intake ratio of the three macronutrients, and the low-carbohydrate-diet score was calculated. We investigated the association between the low-carbohydrate-diet score, continuous glucose monitoring (CGM)-derived short-term glycemic control indices, and diabetes complications in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. RESULTS: The results are presented as medians (interquartile ranges) unless otherwise stated. Hemoglobin A1c was 7.1% (6.6-7.7%), CGM-derived time in range (TIR) was 75.3% (62.8-87.0%), body mass index (BMI) was 24.0 (22.1-26.3) kg/m2, and CHO/E was 49.8% (44.8-55.6%). BMI, triglycerides, and CGM-derived time above range decreased significantly with increasing low-carbohydrate-diet scores. However, no significant association was found between the low-carbohydrate-diet score and glycemic control indices, including TIR, mean amplitude of glycemic excursions, and vascular complications of type 2 diabetes mellitus. CONCLUSION: Moderate-carbohydrate diets positively impact weight control and lipid metabolism but may have a limited effect on short-term glycemic variability in Japanese patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Signatures of Γ1-Γ5 mixed-mode polaritons in polarized reflectance spectra of ZnO.

Theoretical and experimental studies were carried out on exciton-polaritons excited in ZnO. Polaritons in which both Γ(1) and Γ(5) excitons couple to electromagnetic waves simultaneously are shown to exist, and their signatures are observed in polarized reflectance spectra measured under k is perpendicular to a and E is parallel to c configurations for an m-plane sample. Theoretical calculations reveal that the mixed-mode polaritons consist of one Γ(1) transverse mode and two Γ(5) longitudinal modes. It is also shown that the signatures are sensitive to the valence band ordering.