A singleton pregnancy with placental chorioangioma and hydrops fetalis complicated with mirror syndrome and ritodrine-induced side effects: a case report.

BACKGROUND: Ritodrine hydrochloride is a widely used beta-adrenergic agonist used to stop preterm labor in Taiwan. Many side effects causing maternal morbidity and mortality have been reported. We report a case complicated with ritodrine-induced side effects and mirror syndrome that was associated with placental chorioangioma. CASE PRESENTATION: A 36-year-old singleton pregnant woman at 25 6/7 weeks of gestation, with an undiagnosed placental chorioangioma, underwent tocolysis due to preterm uterine contractions. Her clinical condition deteriorated, attributed to mirror syndrome and adverse events induced by ritodrine. An emergency cesarean section was performed at 27 1/7 weeks of gestation, delivering an infant with generalized subcutaneous edema. A placental tumor measuring 8.5 cm was discovered during the operation, and pathology confirmed chorioangioma. Gradual improvement in her symptoms and laboratory data was observed during the postpartum period. Identifying mirror syndrome and ritodrine-induced side effects poses challenges. Therefore, this case is educational and warrants discussion. CONCLUSION: Our case demonstrates mirror syndrome induced by chorioangioma, which is rare, and ritodrine-induced side effects. The cessation of intravenous ritodrine and delivery are the best methods to treat maternal critical status due to fluid overload.

Pragmatic approach to mobilizing individuals with critical illness due to COVID-19: clinical perspective.

PURPOSE: To provide pragmatic guidance for acute rehabilitation management and implementation of early mobility for individuals with critical illness due to COVID-19. METHODS: Clinical perspective developed through reflective clinical practice and narrative review of best available evidence. RESULTS: Current clinical practice guidelines do not provide guidance for implementation of early mobility interventions for individuals with critical illness due to COVID-19 who require enhanced ventilatory support or support of inhaled pulmonary artery vasodilators. Many individuals who may benefit from implementation of early mobility interventions are excluded by strict interpretation of current guidelines. CONCLUSIONS: Risk vs benefit of implementing early mobility interventions in individuals with critical illness due to COVID-19 can be mitigated through coordinated efforts of interdisciplinary teams to promote shared decision-making through therapeutic alliances with patients and their families. Clinicians must clearly define the goals of care, understand the limitations of monitoring equipment in the intensive care unit, prepare to titrate levels of oxygen based on an individual's physiologic response to mobility interventions, and help individuals maintain external goal-directed focus of attention to optimize outcomes of early mobility interventions.

Current clinical practice guidelines do not provide guidance for implementation of early mobility interventions for individuals with critical illness due to COVID-19 who require enhanced ventilatory support or support of inhaled pulmonary artery vasodilators.Risk vs benefit of implementing early mobility interventions in individuals with critical illness due to COVID-19 can be mitigated through coordinated efforts of interdisciplinary teams to promote shared decision-making through therapeutic alliances with patients and their families.Clinicians must clearly define the goals of care, understand the limitations of monitoring equipment in the intensive care unit, prepare to titrate levels of oxygen based on an individual's physiologic response to mobility interventions, and help individuals maintain external goal-directed focus of attention to optimize outcomes of early mobility interventions.

[Enhancing Understanding Among Intensive Care Unit Nurses of Lower Back Musculoskeletal Disorders and Associated Risks].

BACKGROUND & PROBLEMS: Work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs) have received the most attention worldwide of the various diseases addressed by the field of occupational medicine. In intensive care units (ICUs), patients with critical illness typically rely heavily on assistance provided by nurses to engage in daily life and rehabilitation activities. This dependence increases the risk of nurses experiencing WMSDs. An injury screening revealed that 56.4% of the nurses working in the ICU of the case hospital faced a mild risk of lower back musculoskeletal disorders and that the main contributor to this risk was lack of understanding among these nurses of lower-back-related WMSDs. PURPOSE: This project was designed to enhance understanding of lower back WMSDs among the ICU nurses and to reduce the percentage of nurses facing a mild risk of contracting WMSDs. RESOLUTIONS: 1. Organize integrated courses to introduce human-induced hazards and enhance nurses' understanding and prevention of WMSDs. 2. Design slogans, posters, and teaching videos to promote awareness of patient turning tips and procedures to prevent nurses from experiencing WMSDs due to incorrect force application. 3. Design illustrations highlighting risky postures commonly performed by nurses in ICUs that may cause lower back WMSDs to prevent the occurrence of human-induced injuries. RESULTS: The rate of correct understanding of lower back WMSDs in the target nurse population improved from 73.8% to 96.2%. In addition, the percentage of those assessed with a mild risk of contracting lower back musculoskeletal injuries decreased from 56.4% to 25.5%. CONCLUSIONS: This project promoted multifaceted improvement measures based on the WMSD screening and risk classification and management processes stipulated by Taiwan's Ministry of Labor to increase understanding of lower back WMSDs among ICU nurses and reduce the percentage of those facing a mild risk of contracting WMSDs.

Single-Gate In-Transistor Readout of Current Superposition and Collapse Utilizing Quantum Tunneling and Ferroelectric Switching.

In nanostructure assemblies, the superposition of current paths forms microscopic electric circuits, and different circuit networks produce varying results, particularly when utilized as transistor channels for computing applications. However, the intricate nature of assembly networks and the winding paths of commensurate currents hinder standard circuit modeling. Inspired by the quantum collapse of superposition states for information decoding in quantum circuits, the implementation of analogous current path collapse to facilitate the detection of microscopic circuits by modifying their network topology is explored. Here, the superposition and collapse of current paths in gate-all-around polysilicon nanosheet arrays are demonstrated to enrich the computational resources within transistors by engineering the channel length and quantity. Switching the ferroelectric polarization of Hf0.5 Zr0.5 O2 gate dielectric, which drives these transistors out-of-equilibrium, decodes the output polymorphism through circuit topological modifications. Furthermore, a protocol for the single-electron readout of ferroelectric polarization is presented with tailoring the channel coherence. The introduction of lateral path superposition results into intriguing metal-to-insulator transitions due to transient behavior of ferroelectric switching. This ability to adjust the current networks within transistors and their interaction with ferroelectric polarization in polycrystalline nanostructures lays the groundwork for generating diverse current characteristics as potential physical databases for optimization-based computing.

The Nephroprotective Effects of Hibiscus sabdariffa Leaf and Ellagic Acid in Vitro and in Vivo Models of Hyperuricemic Nephropathy.

Hyperuricemic nephropathy (HN) is caused by urate crystals that get deposited in the kidney and contribute to renal fibrosis. Uric acid (UA) has been proven to directly cause renal mesangial cell oxidative stress and fibrosis in the pathogenesis of HN. Some antioxidants can be used as chemopreventive agents of HN. Hibiscus sabdariffa leaf extracts (HLE), rich in polyphenol, have been shown to possess hypoglycemic, antioxidant, hypolipidemic, antiatherosclerotic, and anticancer effects. The aim of the study is to examine the inhibitory effect of HLE and its main component ellagic acid (EA) on renal fibrosis. In vitro, mouse renal glomerular mesangial SV40MES13 cells pretreated with UA were demonstrated to trigger obvious morphological changes and viability loss, as well as affect matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) activities. Noncytotoxic doses of HLE and EA abolished the UA-induced cell injury and MMP-2/9 secretion. In addition, HLE and EA exhibited antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects on the UA-treated cells with a reduction in transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-ß) production. Next, the UA-activated pro-fibrotic factors, extracellular matrix (ECM) deposition, and epithelial-mesenchymal-transition (EMT) were inhibited by HLE or EA. Mechanistic assays indicated that antifibrotic effects of HLE might be mediated via TGF-ß/Smad signaling, as confirmed by the transfection of Smad7 siRNA. In vivo, HLE and EA supplementations significantly alleviated HN development, which may result from inhibiting adenine-induced TGF-ß production accompanying oxidative stress and inflammation, as well as fibrogenesis. Our data imply that EA-enriched HLE regulates the TGF-ß/Smad signaling, which in turn led to reduced renal mesangial cell injury and fibrosis in HN and provided a new mechanism for its nephroprotective activity.

The Psychophysiological Profile and Cardiac Autonomic Reactivity in Long-Term Female Yoga Practitioners: A Comparison with Runners and Sedentary Individuals.

Yoga practice, a means of stress management, has been reported to optimize psychophysiological health; however, its underlying mechanisms remain unclear. The purpose of the present study was to examine the psychophysiological profile and cardiac autonomic reactivity in long-term yoga practitioners and compare them to runners and sedentary individuals. Psychological health and aerobic fitness level were evaluated using self-reported questionnaires and a 3-min step test. Blood pressure (BP), heart rate (HR), respiration rate (RR), and heart rate variability (HRV) parameters were recorded at rest, as well as during and following psychological stress, which was elicited by the Stroop color and word test and the mental arithmetic task. The yoga group demonstrated a lower RR (10.35 ± 2.13 bpm) as compared to the other two groups, and a lower HR (66.60 ± 7.55 bpm) and diastolic BP (67.75 ± 8.38 mmHg) at rest when compared to the sedentary group (all p < 0.05). HRV parameters following mental stress returned to the baseline in yoga and running groups, but not in the sedentary group. The anxiety level in the running group was significantly lower than that in the sedentary group (p < 0.05). These findings suggested that yoga practitioners may have a greater homeostatic capacity and autonomic resilience than do sedentary individuals.

The Associations between Self-Determined Motivation, Multidimensional Self-Efficacy, and Device-Measured Physical Activity.

Self-determined motivation (SDT) and self-efficacy theory have been widely used for understanding individuals' physical activity motivation and self-efficacy. However, there is a gap of evidence on the relations between SDT and multidimensional self-efficacy with device-measured physical activity in healthy adults. Questionnaires including the behavior regulation in exercise questionnaire version 2 (BREQ-2) and the multidimensional self-efficacy for exercise scale (MSES) were completed by the participants at baseline. All participants wore an accelerometer for seven days to record their physical activities at baseline and eight-week follow up. In total, thirty healthy adults completed the study (12 men, 18 women). The results showed that intrinsic motivation and scheduling self-efficacy had significantly positive associations with moderate-to-vigorous physical activity energy expenditure and duration. Multiple regression analysis showed that the relative autonomy index, task and scheduling efficacy could predict physical activity at baseline, but no SDT or self-efficacy variable could predict physical activity behavior after eight weeks. These results showed that the associations between motivation and self-efficacy with physical activity might change within a short period of time, which suggests that the regular assessment of motivation and self-efficacy might be needed in interventional programs to promote continued physical activity participation in healthy adults.

Affective Responses during High-Intensity Interval Exercise Compared with Moderate-Intensity Continuous Exercise in Inactive Women.

This study aimed to investigate the effects of an acute bout of high-intensity interval exercise (HIIE) and moderate-intensity continuous exercise (MICE) on affective responses in inactive women. Thirty women with normal body mass index (BMI) and 30 women with BMI ≥ 24 kg/m2 participated in the study. All participants completed a graded exercise test and performed two exercise sessions (HIIE and MICE) in random order. Affective responses were assessed during and after each exercise session, using the rating of perceived exertion (RPE), Self-Assessment-Manikin (SAM), and Subjective Exercise Experience Scale (SEES). The results showed that the RPE scores were significantly higher in HIIE than in MICE. HIIE resulted in significantly lower pleasure scores using the SAM while arousal and dominance scores were significantly higher with HIIE compared to MICE. Positive well-being scores using the SEES were significantly lower with HIIE and both psychological distress and fatigue scores were significantly higher with HIIE. The results showed that affective responses with MICE were more positive than with HIIE, but no differences were found between normal and overweight/obese women. Based on these results, MICE may be a more acceptable exercise program for inactive women regardless of their weight status.

Effects of Exergames on Physical Fitness in Middle-Aged and Older Adults in Taiwan.

Using exergaming for exercise training was found to improve physical fitness. Yet, few studies have used the "Xbox Kinect" to examine its effects on physical fitness in healthy middle-aged and older adults. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of 10-weeks of Xbox Kinect training on physical fitness in healthy middle-aged and older adults. Forty participants (average 64.00 ± 4.44 years old, eight males and 32 females) were randomized to either intervention (n = 20) or control group (n = 20). The intervention group played Xbox Kinect three times per week, for an average of 50 min per session for 10 weeks. The control group was instructed to maintain their levels of physical activity. All the participants completed assessments of body composition, muscle strength, flexibility, balance and cardiopulmonary endurance at baseline and after 10-week intervention. After 10 weeks of training, the intervention group showed significant improvements in cardiopulmonary endurance and leg muscle strength. Moreover, there were significant differences between the intervention and control group in changes in aerobic fitness and leg muscle strength. The exergame program effectively improved cardiopulmonary endurance and leg muscle strength in healthy middle-aged and older adults. It could be an alternative to conventional exercise.

Results from the randomized controlled IHOPE trial suggest no effects of oral protein supplementation and exercise training on physical function in hemodialysis patients.

Few long-term studies have assessed whether changes in both diet and exercise can improve the health and quality of life (QOL) of hemodialysis (HD) patients. Here we examined whether 12 months of intradialytic protein supplementation and endurance exercise improves physical function, risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD), and QOL in HD patients in a randomized controlled trial (RCT). A total of 138 HD patients (average age 58 years) were assigned for 12 months to control, intradialytic protein, or protein plus exercise groups. The protein and protein plus exercise groups consumed an oral protein supplement (30 grams of whey) three days/week during dialysis. The protein plus exercise group cycled for 30-45 minutes during dialysis treatment. The primary outcome was change in physical function at 12 months, assessed by a shuttle walk test. Secondary outcomes included arterial stiffness, blood pressure, body composition, muscle strength, markers of nutritional status, and QOL. Assessments were conducted at baseline, 6 and 12 months. In total, 101 patients completed the intervention. There were no significant differences between groups in shuttle walk test performance from baseline to 12 months. There were trends for improvements in some secondary measures of physical function and strength in the protein and protein plus exercise groups at six or 12 months, but these did not reach statistical significance. Thus, our trial did not demonstrate significant improvements in markers of physical function, risk of CVD or QOL after one year of intradialytic oral OPS and aerobic exercise training. More comprehensive lifestyle management may be needed to uncover robust improvements in the health and QOL of HD patients.

Natural history of myocardial deformation in children, adolescents, and young adults exposed to anthracyclines: Systematic review and meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE: Anthracyclines are widely used to treat solid and hematologic malignancies, but are known to cause cardiotoxicity. As more childhood cancer survivors reach adulthood due to improvements in oncologic treatments, they become susceptible to late and progressive anthracycline-induced cardiotoxicity. Nonetheless, diagnostic criteria for early detection of cardiac dysfunction are not well defined in children, adolescent, and young adults (CAYA, ages 1-40 years). We present a natural history of the changes in myocardial deformation in CAYA patients after anthracycline therapy. METHODS: We performed a literature review search between 2001 and 2016 using PubMed with the following search terms: strain (or deformation), torsion (or twist), children (or adolescent or young adult), cardiotoxicity (or dysfunction), and anthracyclines (or doxorubicin). A total of 23 articles were reviewed. Fourteen articles were incorporated in the meta-analysis. RESULTS: Strain abnormalities are observed at both short-term and long-term follow-up. Global longitudinal strain (GLS) abnormalities are common during or early after chemotherapy, whereas changes in global circumferential strain (GCS) are more significant and consistent on long-term follow-up. Although global radial strain and torsional parameters are also often abnormal late after chemotherapy, there are few studies evaluating these parameters. CONCLUSION: There are significant abnormalities in GLS and GCS following anthracycline therapy acutely and late after treatment. The prognostic value of these strain abnormalities warrants further investigation.

Aerobic exercise in anthracycline-induced cardiotoxicity: a systematic review of current evidence and future directions.

Cancer and cardiovascular disease are major causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Older cancer patients often wrestle with underlying heart disease during cancer therapy, whereas childhood cancer survivors are living long enough to face long-term unintended cardiac consequences of cancer therapies, including anthracyclines. Although effective and widely used, particularly in the pediatric population, anthracycline-related side effects including dose-dependent association with cardiac dysfunction limit their usage. Currently, there is only one United States Food and Drug Administration-approved drug, dexrazoxane, available for the prevention and mitigation of cardiotoxicity related to anthracycline therapy. While aerobic exercise has been shown to reduce cardiovascular complications in multiple diseases, its role as a therapeutic approach to mitigate cardiovascular consequences of cancer therapy is in its infancy. This systematic review aims to summarize how aerobic exercise can help to alleviate unintended cardiotoxic side effects and identify gaps in need of further research. While published work supports the benefits of aerobic exercise, additional clinical investigations are warranted to determine the effects of different exercise modalities, timing, and duration to identify optimal aerobic training regimens for reducing cardiovascular complications, particularly late cardiac effects, in cancer survivors exposed to anthracyclines.

Energy Expenditure and Intensity in Healthy Young Adults during Exergaming.

OBJECTIVES: To examine and compare the energy expenditure (EE) and intensity of Xbox 360 Kinect exergames in healthy young adults. METHODS: Seventeen young adults (22.0 ± 2.9 years; 7 men) were enrolled and asked to complete 6 exergames using Xbox 360 Kinect. Oxygen consumption (VO2) and heart rate (HR) were measured throughout each exergame, and metabolic equivalents (METs) and EE were calculated from VO2. RESULTS: Boxing (6.8 ± 1.9 METs) and soccer (6.2 ± 1.7 METs) provided vigorous intensity of physical activity, which was significantly greater than track and field, ping-pong, and bowling (5.0 ± 1.5, 4.0 ± 1.6, and 2.6 ± 0.8 METs, respectively; all p < .01). Beach volleyball (5.7 ± 1.8 METs) was greater than ping-pong and bowling (both p < .01). EE exhibited a similar pattern. These results remained after adjusting for participants' previous exergaming experience and resting HR. CONCLUSIONS: Kinect Sports from Xbox 360 Kinect is capable of providing a moderate-to-vigorous level of physical activity in young healthy adults. These exergames may be used as an alternative mode of exercise to promote physical activity participation in this population. Future research that evaluates the feasibility of using exergames as an alternative mode of exercise in other populations is warranted.

Effects of Pomegranate Extract Supplementation on Cardiovascular Risk Factors and Physical Function in Hemodialysis Patients.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of oral supplementation with pomegranate extract on cardiovascular risk, physical function, oxidative stress, and inflammation in hemodialysis (HD) patients. Thirty-three HD subjects were randomized to the pomegranate (POM) or placebo (CON) group. Patients in POM ingested a 1000 mg capsule of a purified pomegranate polyphenol extract 7 days/week for 6 months. Individuals in CON ingested a noncaloric placebo capsule using the same protocol. Measurements were conducted at baseline and repeated 6 months following the start of the intervention. Brachial blood pressure (BP) was obtained using an automatic digital BP monitor. Cardiovascular risk was assessed using ultrasound and arterial tonometry. Blood samples were collected for the measurements of circulating markers of inflammation, oxidative stress, and antioxidant capacity. Muscle strength and physical function were assessed by isokinetic dynamometry, a validated shuttle walk test, and a battery of tests to assess functional fitness. Systolic blood pressure and diastolic blood pressure were reduced by 24 ± 13.7 and 10 ± 5.3 mmHg, respectively, in POM (P < .05). However, the BP differences in POM were no longer significant after controlling for baseline BP. The paraoxonase-1 activity increased by 26.6% (P < .05) in POM, compared to no significant change in CON. However, pomegranate supplementation had no effect on other markers of cardiovascular disease risk, inflammation and oxidative stress, or measures of physical function and muscle strength. While pomegranate extract supplementation may reduce BP and increase the antioxidant activity in HD patients, it does not improve other markers of cardiovascular risk, physical function, or muscle strength.

The presence and impact of diastolic dysfunction on physical function and body composition in hemodialysis patients.

BACKGROUND: Cardiovascular (CV) diseases are the main cause of death in maintenance hemodialysis (MHD) patients. Muscle wasting and physical function decline are common in MHD patients, and significantly impair their quality of life. These can result from abnormalities in cardiac function, which can be further worsened by physical deconditioning. Left ventricular diastolic function parameters were recently shown to be a better predictor of exercise capacity than systolic measures in patients with CV complications. But little is known about the relationship between cardiac function and physical function in MHD patients. METHODS: In 82 MHD patients, left ventricular systolic dysfunction (LVSD) was assessed by ejection fraction and fractional shortening with echocardiography, and left ventricular diastolic dysfunction (LVDD) was assessed by pulse wave and tissue Doppler indices. Physical function was assessed by gait speed, performance on a shuttle walk test, and leg muscle strength. Dual-emission X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) was used to measure whole body lean mass (WBLM). RESULTS: The prevalence of LVDD and LVSD was 48.8 and 12.2%, respectively. Gait speed, shuttle walk time, leg strength, and WBLM% were significantly higher in the group without LVDD than with LVDD (p < 0.05 for all). However, there was no significant difference in any measure of physical function or body composition between patients with and without LVSD. CONCLUSION: These data suggest that LVDD is more closely related to physical function and body composition than LVSD in MHD patients, and hence that LVDD may be an important therapeutic target.

Hemodynamic and arterial stiffness differences between African-Americans and Caucasians after maximal exercise.

African-American (AA) men have higher arterial stiffness and augmentation index (AIx) than Caucasian-American (CA) men. Women have greater age-associated increases in arterial stiffness and AIx than men. This study examined racial and sex differences in arterial stiffness and central hemodynamics at rest and after an acute bout of maximal exercise in young healthy individuals. One hundred young, healthy individuals (28 AA men, 24 AA women, 25 CA men, and 23 CA women) underwent measurements of aortic blood pressure (BP) and arterial stiffness at rest and 15 and 30 min after an acute bout of graded maximal aerobic exercise. Aortic BP and AIx were derived from radial artery applanation tonometry. Aortic stiffness (carotid-femoral) was measured via pulse wave velocity. Aortic stiffness was increased in AA subjects but not in CA subjects (P < 0.05) after an acute bout of maximal cycling exercise, after controlling for body mass index. Aortic BP decreased after exercise in CA subjects but not in AA subjects (P < 0.05). Women exhibited greater reductions in AIx after maximal aerobic exercise compared with men (P < 0.05). In conclusion, race and sex impact vascular and central hemodynamic responses to exercise. Young AA and CA subjects exhibited differential responses in central stiffness and central BP after acute maximal exercise. Premenopausal women had greater augmented pressure at rest and after maximal aerobic exercise than men. Future research is needed to examine the potential mechanisms.

Arterial stiffness and walk time in patients with end-stage renal disease.

BACKGROUND: End-stage renal disease patients experience increased prevalence of cardiovascular disease. Heart-artery interaction may be shifted, impacting blood pressure lability, and exercise tolerance. The coupling ratio consists of the ratio of indexed arterial elastance (EaI, arterial load) to ElvI, a measure of cardiac contractility or stiffness. Our purpose was to explore the relationship between elastances and functional capacity. We hypothesized that arterial stiffness (central pulse wave velocity, PWV) and elastances would be correlated to shuttle walk time. METHODS: We used applanation tonometry, ultrasonography, and a shuttle walk test to evaluate our hypothesis. Spearman's correlations were used to assess relationships between variables. Block regression was also performed. RESULTS: Forty-two subjects on maintenance hemodialysis participated. Average age=44±5 years, body surface area=2.01 kg/m(2). Mean EaI=4.45 and mean ElvI=6.89; the coupling ratio=0.82. Mean aortic pulse pressure=51 mmHg and PWV=9.6 m/s. PWV(r=-0.385) and EaI (r=-0.424) were significantly and inversely related to walking time while stroke volume index (SVI) was positively correlated to shuttle walk time (r=0.337), p<0.05 for all. CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that, like other clinical populations, both arterial and heart function predict walking ability and represent potential targets for intervention; arterial stiffness and SVI are strongly related to shuttle walk time in patients with ESRD.

Solar cells based on block copolymer semiconductor nanowires: effects of nanowire aspect ratio.

The solution-phase self-assembly of nanowires (NWs) from diblock copolymer semiconductors, poly(3-butylthiophene)-block-poly(3-octylthiophene), of different block compositions gave crystalline NWs of similar width (13-16 nm) but a tunable average aspect ratio (length/width) of 50-260. The power conversion efficiency of bulk heterojunction solar cells comprising the diblock copolythiophene NWs and PC(71)BM was found to increase with increasing aspect ratio, reaching 3.4% at the highest average aspect ratio of 260. The space charge limited current mobility of holes in neat films of the copolymer NWs and in copolymer NWs/PC(71)BM films (∼1.0 × 10(-4) cm(2)/(V s)) was invariant with aspect ratio, reflecting the parallel orientation of the NWs to the substrate. The enhancement of photovoltaic efficiency with increasing aspect ratio of NWs was explained in terms of increased exciton and charge photogeneration and collection in the bulk heterojunction solar cells.

Broadband absorbing bulk heterojunction photovoltaics using low-bandgap solution-processed quantum dots.

We describe bulk heterojunction (BHJ) solar cells containing blends of colloidal PbS nanocrystal quantum dots with several new donor-acceptor conjugated polymers. Using photoinduced absorption spectroscopy we found that blends of PbS quantum dots with one polymer, poly(2,3-didecyl-quinoxaline-5,8-diyl-alt-N-octyldithieno[3,2-b:2',3'-d]pyrrole) (PDTPQx), produce significantly more photoinduced charge than blends of PbS with the other donor-acceptor polymers or with traditionally studied polymers like [2-methoxy-5-(3',7'-dimethyloctyloxy)-para-phenylene vinylene] (MDMO-PPV) and poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT). Photovoltaic devices made with PDTPQx/PbS blends exhibit power conversion efficiencies 10-100 times larger than previously reported BHJ blends made with IR-absorbing quantum dots.

Intradialytic exercise training reduces oxidative stress and epicardial fat: a pilot study.

BACKGROUND: Cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality rates are greatly elevated in chronic kidney disease patients receiving maintenance haemodialysis therapy. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of intradialytic endurance exercise training on novel risk factors that may contribute to this excessive CVD risk. METHODS: Seventeen haemodialysis patients were randomized to either an intradialytic exercise training (cycling) group (EX; n = 8) or a non-exercising control group (CON; n = 9) for 4 months. At baseline and following the intervention, we measured serum parameters related to CVD risk and renal function, used echocardiography to measure variables related to cardiac structure and function and assessed physical performance by a validated shuttle walk test. RESULTS: Performance on the shuttle walk test increased by 17% in EX (P < 0.05), but did not change in CON. There was no change in serum lipids or inflammatory markers (C-reactive protein, interleukin-6) in either group. Serum thiobarbituric acid reactive substances, a marker of oxidative stress, were reduced by 38% in EX (P < 0.05), but did not change in CON. In addition, serum alkaline phosphatase (ALP), a putative risk factor for vascular calcification, was reduced by 27% in EX (P < 0.05), but did not change in CON. There was no change in left atrial volume, left ventricular mass or myocardial performance index in either group. However, the thickness of the epicardial fat layer was reduced by 11% in EX (P < 0.05), but did not change in CON. Furthermore, the change in physical performance was inversely correlated to the change in epicardial fat (r = -0.63; P = 0.03). CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that endurance exercise training may improve CVD risk in haemodialysis patients by decreasing novel risk factors including serum oxidative stress, ALP and epicardial fat.