Suppressed Concentration Quenching Brightens Short-Wave Infrared Emitters.

The brightness of doped luminescent materials is usually limited by the ubiquitous concentration quenching phenomenon resulting in an intractable tradeoff between internal quantum efficiency and excitation efficiency. Here, an intrinsic suppression of concentration quenching in sensitized luminescent systems, by exploiting the competitive relationship between light emitters and quenchers in trapping excitation energies from sensitizers, is reported. Although Cr3+ sensitizers and trivalent lanthanide (Ln3+ , Ln = Yb, Nd, and Er) emitters themselves are highly susceptible to concentration quenching, the unprecedentedly high-brightness luminescence of Cr3+ -Ln3+ systems is demonstrated in the short-wave infrared (SWIR) range employing high concentrations of Cr3+ , whereby a record photoelectric efficiency of 23% is achieved for SWIR phosphor-converted light-emitting diodes, which is about twice as high as those previously reported. The results underscore the beneficial role of emitters in terminating excitation energies, opening up a new dimension for developing efficient sensitized luminescent materials.

Interleukin-33 Ameliorates Murine Systemic Lupus Erythematosus and Is Associated with Induction of M2 Macrophage Polarisation and Regulatory T Cells.

The innate cytokine IL-33 is increasingly recognised to possess biological effects on various immune cells. We have previously demonstrated elevated serum level of soluble ST2 in patients with active systemic lupus erythematosus suggesting involvement of IL-33 and its receptor in the lupus pathogenesis. This study sought to examine the effect of exogenous IL-33 on disease activity of pre-disease lupus-prone mice and the underlying cellular mechanisms. Recombinant IL-33 was administered to MRL/lpr mice for 6 weeks, whereas control group received phosphate-buffered saline. IL-33-treated mice displayed less proteinuria, renal histological inflammatory changes, and had lower serum levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines including IL-6 and TNF-α. Renal tissue and splenic CD11b+ extracts showed features of M2 polarisation with elevated mRNA expression of Arg1, FIZZI, and reduced iNOS. These mice also had increased IL-13, ST2, Gata3, and Foxp3 mRNA expression in renal and splenic tissues. Kidneys of these mice displayed less CD11b+ infiltration, had downregulated MCP-1, and increased infiltration of Foxp3-expressing cells. Splenic CD4+ T cells showed increased ST2-expressing CD4+Foxp3+ population and reduced IFN-γ+ population. There were no differences in serum anti-dsDNA antibodies and renal C3 and IgG2a deposit in these mice. Exogenous IL-33 was found to ameliorate disease activity in lupus-prone mice with induction of M2 polarisation, Th2 response, and expansion of regulatory T cells. IL-33 likely orchestrated autoregulation of these cells through upregulation of ST2 expression.

Lessons from a theory of change-driven evaluation of a global mental health funding portfolio.

BACKGROUND: Given the underinvestment in global mental health to-date, it is important to consider how best to maximize the impact of existing investments. Theory of Change (ToC) is increasingly attracting the interest of funders seeking to evaluate their own impact. This is one of four papers investigating Grand Challenges Canada's (GCC's) first global mental health research funding portfolio (2012-2016) using a ToC-driven approach. METHODS: A portfolio-level ToC map was developed through a collaborative process involving GCC grantees and other key stakeholders. Proposed ToC indicators were harmonised with GCC's pre-existing Results-based Management and Accountability Framework to produce a "Core Metrics Framework" of 23 indicators linked to 17 outcomes of the ToC map. For each indicator relevant to their project, the grantee was asked to set a target prior to the start of implementation, then report results at six-month intervals. We used the latest available dataset from all 56 projects in GCC's global mental health funding portfolio to produce a descriptive analysis of projects' characteristics and outcomes related to delivery. RESULTS: 12,999 people were trained to provide services, the majority of whom were lay or other non-specialist health workers. Most projects exceeded their training targets for capacity-building, except for those training lay health workers. Of the 321,933 people screened by GCC-funded projects, 162,915 received treatment. Most projects focused on more than one disorder and exceeded all their targets for screening, diagnosis and treatment. Fewer people than intended were screened for common mental disorders and epilepsy (60% and 54%, respectively), but many more were diagnosed and treated than originally proposed (148% and 174%, respectively). In contrast, the three projects that focused on perinatal depression exceeded screening and diagnosis targets, but only treated 43% of their intended target. CONCLUSIONS: Under- or over-achievement of targets may reflect operational challenges such as high staff turnover, or challenges in setting appropriate targets, for example due to insufficient epidemiological evidence. Differences in delivery outcomes when disaggregated by disorder suggest that these challenges are not universal. We caution implementers, funders and evaluators from taking a one-size-fits all approach and make several recommendations for how to facilitate more in-depth, multi-method evaluation of impact using portfolio-level ToC.

Predominance of a single restriction endonuclease analysis group with intrahospital subgroup diversity among Clostridium difficile isolates at two Chicago hospitals.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the epidemiology and relatedness of Clostridium difficile isolates in two geographically separated hospitals in a large metropolitan area, each with unique patients and personneL DESIGN: Observational descriptive molecular epidemiology of clinical C. difficile isolates. SETTING: Two tertiary-care hospitals in Chicago. METHODS: Consecutive C. difficile isolates from the clinical laboratory of a Veterans Affairs hospital during a 13-month period were typed by restriction endonuclease analysis (REA). During an overlapping 3-month period, stool specimens that tested positive for C. difficile toxin from patients at a nearby county hospital were cultured and the recovered isolates typed by the same method. RESULTS: Nineteen (68%) of 28 nosocomial isolates at the smaller, Veterans Affairs hospital belonged to REA group K. Within this group of closely related strains, 9 distinct REA types were recognized. Twenty-one (72%) of 29 nosocomial isolates at the larger, county hospital also belonged to group K. However, the predominant REA types within group K differed markedly at each institution. CONCLUSIONS: These findings demonstrate a high degree of similarity among nosocomial C. difficile strains from different hospitals in the same city and suggest the possibility of an extended outbreak of a prototype group K strain with subsequent genetic drift at the two different institutions.