Magnetically Responsive Assemblies of Polymer-Brush-Decorated Nanoparticle Clusters That Exhibit Structural Color.

The development of new magnetic materials for applications such as magnetic-driven drug delivery, next-generation display materials, and magnetic resonance imaging is an important objective. To that end, we synthesized monodispersed, magnetically responsive particles grafted with well-defined polymer brushes and investigated the formation of their ordered arrays in organic solvents in response to a magnetic field. To achieve this, we prepared monodispersed magnetic nanoparticle clusters (MNCs) composed of large numbers of superparamagnetic ferrite ZnFe2O4 nanoparticles. The MNCs were subsequently coated with thin silica layers through the hydrolysis of tetraethoxysilane. The colloidal particles were surface-modified with initiating groups for atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) using a triethoxysilane derivative with an ATRP initiation site. To demonstrate the ability of the synthesized particles to produce well-defined polymer brushes on their surfaces, the ATRP-initiator-functionalized silica-coated MNCs were subjected to surface-initiated ATRP with methyl methacrylate. This polymerization proceeded in a living fashion to produce graft polymers with targeted molar masses and narrow molar mass distributions. The average graft density was determined to be 0.65 chains/nm2, which confirms the formation of concentrated polymer brushes on the MNCs. The hybrid particles were analyzed by dynamic light scattering and transmission electron microscopy techniques, which revealed excellent uniformity and solvent dispersibility. A suspension of the polymer-brush-decorated MNCs in acetone quickly developed intense structural color in response to approaching a magnet that depended on the strength of the magnetic field.

Mixed HCV Infection of Genotype 1B and Other Genotypes Influences Non-response during Daclatasvir + Asunaprevir Combination Therapy.

Daclatasvir (DCV) + asunaprevir (ASV) combination therapy has become available for patients with hepatitis C virus (HCV) serogroup 1 infection. We studied the efficacy of this therapy by focusing on the factors associated with sustained virological responses (SVR) including resistance-associated variants (RAVs) and mixed infection of different HCV genotypes. We enrolled 951 HCV serogroup 1-positive patients who received this combination therapy at our hospital or affiliated hospitals. The presence of RAVs in non-structural (NS) regions 3 and 5A was analyzed by direct sequencing. HCV genotypes were determined by PCR with genotype-specific primers targeting HCV core and NS5B regions. SVR was achieved in 91.1% of patients. Female sex, age > 70 years, and RAVs were significantly associated with non-SVR (p<0.01 for all). Propensity score-matching results among the patients without RAVs regarding sex, age, and fibrosis revealed that mixed HCV infection determined by HCV NS5B genotyping showed significantly lower SVR rates than 1B-mono infection (p=0.02). Female sex and RAVs were significant factors associated with treatment failure of this combination therapy for patients with HCV serogroup 1 infection. Mixed HCV infection other than 1B-mono infection would be useful for predicting treatment failure.

Fabrication of contrast agents for magnetic resonance imaging from polymer-brush-afforded iron oxide magnetic nanoparticles prepared by surface-initiated living radical polymerization.

The aim of this study is to fabricate a contrast agent for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) by using hybrid particles composed of a core of iron oxide magnetite (Fe3O4) nanoparticles and a shell of hydrophilic polymer brush synthesized by surface-initiated (SI) living radical polymerization. To achieve this, Fe3O4 nanoparticles were surface-modified with initiating groups for atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) via a ligand-exchange reaction in the presence of a triethoxysilane derivative having an ATRP initiation site. The ATRP-initiator-functionalized Fe3O4 nanoparticles were used for performing the SI-ATRP of methyl methacrylate to demonstrate the ability of the synthesized nanoparticles to produce well-defined polymer brushes on their surfaces. The polymerization proceeded in a living fashion so as to produce graft polymers with targeted molecular weights and narrow molecular weight distribution. The average graft density was estimated to be as high as 0.7 chains/nm(2), which indicates the formation of so-called concentrated polymer brushes on the Fe3O4 nanoparticles. Dynamic light scattering and transmission electron microscope observations of the hybrid nanoparticles revealed their uniformity and dispersibility in solvents to be excellent. A similar polymerization process was conducted using a hydrophilic monomer, poly(ethylene glycol) methyl ether methacrylate (PEGMA), to prepare Fe3O4 nanoparticles grafted with poly(PEGMA) brushes. The resultant hybrid nanoparticles showed excellent dispersibility in aqueous media including physiological conditions without causing any aggregations. The blood clearance and biodistribution of the hybrid particles were investigated by intravenously injecting particles labeled with a radio isotope, (125)I, into mice. It was found that some hybrid particles exhibited an excellently prolonged circulation lifetime in the blood with a half-life of about 24 h. When such hybrid particles were injected intravenously into a tumor-bearing mouse, they preferentially accumulated in the tumor tissues owing to the so-called enhanced permeability and retention effect. The tumor-targeted delivery was visualized by a T2-enhaced MRI measurement.

Factors influencing the processing of visual information from non-verbal communications.

AIMS: This paper examines the relationship between observational behavior and the observers' result assumptions, using a contained diagram that includes significant non-verbal information, such as gestures. The ability of care workers to assess a patient's mental status on the basis of non-verbal information would be considered an important skill necessary to understanding patient condition. METHODS: One hundred and eleven subjects were asked to take a test exploring two types of psychological status, and their eye movements were monitored during testing. Path analysis was used to examine the relationships among eye movements, individual personalities, and test results. RESULTS: In stimulus 1, the neuroticism of the personality was determined. In stimulus 2, openness was determined in the range of eye movement. There is a relationship between the total length of eye fixation time and the answer time at the eye fixation point. Although there was no significant influence found in stimulus 1, the openness still tended to influence the eye fixation point. CONCLUSIONS: The eye fixation point increased among those people with high openness scores. It was theorized that they attempted to obtain information from the stimulus being provided.

Intervention Program to Improve Executive Functions and Enhance Planning Abilities of Patients With Mild Neurocognitive Disorder.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to examine the effects of an intervention program to improve executive functions and enhance the planning abilities of patients with mild neurocognitive disorder. DESIGN: A pilot intervention study. METHODS: Ten inpatients performed an intervention program based on Lezak's conceptual model that teaches task-specific routines. The program consisted of six training sessions presented over a 2-week period. Neuropsychological assessments were performed pre- and postintervention. FINDINGS: The postintervention scores of the Behavioral Assessment of Dysexecutive Syndrome Total Profile and two subtests were significantly higher than the preintervention scores. The instrumental Activities of Daily Living Scale and the Visual Analog Scale were significantly improved. CONCLUSION: This intervention program leads to improvement in the executive function of planning ability and promotes independence and self-confidence in patients with mild neurocognitive disorder. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Clinicians should consider the program in terms of improving the executive dysfunction, and the process of planning and the process of actual practice are important.

The self-concept of person with chronic schizophrenia in Japan.

AIMS: People with schizophrenia have some problems in terms of function of consciousness of the self. Therefore, what they are conscious of themselves remains unclear. The aim of this study was to elucidate the self-concept of Japanese with schizophrenia. METHODS: We interviewed Japanese with a diagnosis of schizophrenia and analyzed the interview transcription by means of qualitative content analysis. RESULTS: Qualitative content analysis yielded 2001 meaning units and 53 codes from the transcription. The codes were classified into 6 categories: Present Cognition and Definition of the Self, Feeling Towards and Evaluation of the Self, The Self That Is Seen by Others, The Past Self-Image, The Self-Image About Possibility and the Future, and How I Should Be and the Ideal Self. CONCLUSION: One of the categories, Feeling Towards and Evaluation of the Self, means self-confidence, pride, and self-acceptance. In this category, some participants could not accept themselves because they felt "this is not the true self." Considering our finding and the background in Japan, psychiatric hospitalization is long, while hospitalized people with schizophrenia might be aware of the negative stereotypes about them. Therefore, staff should more focus on what people with schizophrenia want to be in their new life and develop new approaches to enhance rebuilding new goal in life and reduce the self-stigma.

Low frequency of drug-resistant virus did not affect the therapeutic efficacy in daclatasvir plus asunaprevir therapy in patients with chronic HCV genotype-1 infection.

BACKGROUND: The efficacy of a direct-acting antiviral agent (DAA) is compromised by the development of drug resistance. The associations between resistance-associated virus (RAV) and therapeutic outcomes have not been well-understood. METHODS: A total of 30 patients with HCV genotype-1b were enrolled and treated for 24 weeks with asunaprevir (ASV) and daclatasvir (DCV). Viral sequences in non-structural (NS) regions 3 and 5A in serum and liver tissue before treatment were examined with direct sequencing, next-generation sequencing (NGS) and the PCR-invader method to evaluate the importance of drug-resistance in the prediction of the outcomes of ASV plus DCV therapy. RESULTS: Of 30 patients (22 treatment-naive patients, 2 interferon-intolerant patients and 6 non-responders), 25 patients (83.3%) achieved sustained virological response (SVR) 24 weeks after the treatment. Viral breakthrough occurred in three treatment-naive patients and one non-responder. One treatment-naive patient experienced viral relapse. Among 25 patients without RAV, 24 obtained SVR, whereas 5 patients had RAV with a 1.3 to 88% frequency, resulting in various therapeutic outcomes. As for HCV compartments, similar RAVs were detected in serum and liver tissue for a patient obtaining SVR despite HCV NS5A Y93H and another developed viral breakthrough although no RAV was detected. Direct sequencing could not detect RAVs in low frequency (1.3 to 12%) for three of four patients. CONCLUSIONS: Low frequency of RAVs might not affect the outcomes of ASV plus DCV therapy. Deep sequencing and PCR-invader methods can detect clinically significant RAVs for ASV plus DCV therapy.

Self-stigma in schizophrenia: a concept analysis.

PURPOSE: This study aimed to clarify the phenomenon and definition of self-stigma in schizophrenia. CONCLUSION: Self-stigma in schizophrenia affects patients' well-being and attitudes to treatment. Although stigma and self-stigma have interactive and different characteristics, theses definitions are not clearly distinguished. Mental illnesses may have different stereotypes but are treated equally in some studies. Lack of awareness of illness is a common feature in schizophrenia but has not been focused in self-stigma studies. PRACTICE IMPLICATION: Further studies are needed to clarify the phenomenon of self-stigma in people with schizophrenia and to develop interventions targeted at reducing self-stigma.