Mild-to-moderate irregular increased 18F-FDG uptake along a neurovascular bundle was observed (figure, video). Since the initial clinical manifestation in patient 1 was not typical of Guillain-Barré ...syndrome, high-dose methylprednisolone therapy was initiated under the suspicion of inflammatory peripheral polyneuropathy or a lymphoma relapse. Patient 1 fulfilled level 2 of the Brighton criteria for diagnostic certainty and patient 2 fulfilled level 1 of these criteria.6 The calculated Naranjo adverse reaction scale score was 7, suggesting a probable association between the vaccination and Guillain-Barré syndrome.7 However, we cannot confirm the causal relation between Guillain-Barré syndrome and the BNT162b2 COVID-19 vaccine, since the two cases of Guillain-Barré syndrome reported could be coincidental, and our report presents the temporal relation (within 4 weeks) only. ...an extensive vaccination drive that is underway, including all age groups (from young people to older adults), is an unprecedented event in the COVID-19 era. ...we might now observe the development of Guillain-Barré syndrome among patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UILJ, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZAGLJ, ZRSKP
The fruit of Citrus unshiu MARKOVICH used for various purposes in traditional medicine has various pharmacological properties including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antibacterial effects. ...Recently, the possibility of anti-cancer activity of the extracts or components of this fruit has been reported; however, the exact mechanism has not yet been fully understood. In this study, we evaluated the anti-proliferative effect of water extract of C. unshiu peel (WECU) on human breast cancer MCF-7 cells and investigated the underlying mechanism. Our results showed that reduction of MCF-7 cell survival by WECU was associated with the induction of apoptosis. WECU-induced apoptotic cell death was related to the activation of caspase-8 and -9, representative initiate caspases of extrinsic and intrinsic apoptosis pathways, respectively, and increase in the Bax : Bcl-2 ratio accompanied by cleavage of poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP). WECU also increased the mitochondrial dysfunction and cytosolic release of cytochrome c. In addition, AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) and its downstream target molecule, acetyl-CoA carboxylase, were activated in a concentration-dependent manner in WECU-treated cells. In contrast, compound C, an AMPK inhibitor, significantly inhibited WECU-induced apoptosis, while inhibiting increased expression of Bax and decreased expression of Bcl-2 by WECU and inhibition of WECU-induced PARP degradation. Furthermore, WECU provoked the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS); however, the activation of AMKP and apoptosis by WECU were prevented, when the ROS production was blocked by antioxidant N-acetyl cysteine. Therefore, our data indicate that WECU suppresses MCF-7 cell proliferation by activating the intrinsic and extrinsic apoptosis pathways through ROS-dependent AMPK pathway activation.
Peptides exhibit lower affinity and a shorter half-life in the body than antibodies. Conversely, peptides demonstrate higher efficiency in tissue penetration and cell internalization than antibodies. ...Regardless of the pros and cons of peptides, they have been used as tumor-homing ligands for delivering carriers (such as nanoparticles, extracellular vesicles, and cells) and cargoes (such as cytotoxic peptides and radioisotopes) to tumors. Additionally, tumor-homing peptides have been conjugated with cargoes such as small-molecule or chemotherapeutic drugs via linkers to synthesize peptide-drug conjugates. In addition, peptides selectively bind to cell surface receptors and proteins, such as immune checkpoints, receptor kinases, and hormone receptors, subsequently blocking their biological activity or serving as hormone analogs. Furthermore, peptides internalized into cells bind to intracellular proteins and interfere with protein-protein interactions. Thus, peptides demonstrate great application potential as multifunctional players in cancer therapy.
We fabricated highly transparent and flexible poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):poly(styrenesulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS)/Ag nanowire (NW)/PEDOT:PSS (PAP) multilayer electrodes by continuous brush-painting ...for used as flexible anode in highly flexible organic solar cells (FOSCs). By combining the flexibility of PEDOT:PSS and low resistivity of Ag NWs, we fabricated highly flexible PAP multilayer electrodes with a low sheet resistance of 13.96Ω/square and a high diffusive transmittance of 80.48%. Effective embedment of the Ag NW network into the conductive PEDOT:PSS layer led to metallic conductivity and a high diffusive transmittance, which are desirable in transparent anodes for FOSCs. In addition, the PAP electrode showed an invariable resistance (ΔR/R0) during outer and inner bending testing, due to the high strain failure of both PEDOT:PSS and Ag NW network. The identical current density–voltage behavior of the FOSCs with the brush-painted PAP electrode as the FOSC with a conventional ITO electrode demonstrates that the brush-painted PAP multilayer is a promising alternative to high-cost ITO electrodes to produce cost-efficient FOSCs. Furthermore, we suggest that high-performance, transparent, and flexible electrodes can be fabricated by low-cost brush-painting for paintable FOSCs.
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► PEDOT/Ag nanowire/PEDOT multilayer was investigated as a transparent anode. ► Embedment of Ag nanowire led to a decrease in sheet resistance of the PEDOT:PSS. ► PEDOT and Ag nanowire hybrid electrode is a promising flexible anode for FOSCs.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK
Aim
The purpose of this retrospective study was to determine clinical benefits of ridge preservation in terms of surgical invasiveness of implant placement compared to natural healing in the maxilla.
...Materials & Methods
This study included 178 patients with 206 implants placed at ridge‐preserved sites and 493 patients with 656 implants placed at naturally healed sites in maxillary anterior and posterior regions. Patient‐ and implant‐related data were collected from electronic dental records including additional augmentation procedures performed before or during implant placement and surgical complications. Cumulative survival rate was assessed using Kaplan–Meier method. The annual peri‐implant marginal bone loss between the two groups was compared using the Mann–Whitney U test.
Results
The follow‐up period was 24.4 ± 18.1 months (mean ± standard deviation) for ridge‐preserved sites and 45.7 ± 29.6 months for naturally healed sites. Sinus augmentation was performed at similar frequencies in the two groups, but lateral approach was applied significantly more at naturally healed sites (37.2%) than ridge‐preserved sites (8.3%, p ≤ .001). There was no intergroup difference in the cumulative survival rate or annual peri‐implant marginal bone loss.
Conclusion
Ridge preservation can be clinically beneficial for minimizing the invasiveness of implant surgery by simplifying the procedure when sinus augmentation is expected in the maxilla.
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BFBNIB, CMK, FZAB, GIS, IJS, KILJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, SBCE, SBMB, UL, UM, UPUK
With the rapid emergence of artificial intelligence (AI) technology and the exponential growth in data generation, there is an increasing demand for high-performance and highly integratable optical ...modulators. In this work, we present an ultra-compact exciton-polariton Mach-Zehnder (MZ) modulator based on WS
multilayers. The guided exciton-polariton modes arise in an ultrathin WS
waveguide due to the strong excitonic resonance. By locally exciting excitons using a modulation laser in one arm of the MZ modulator, we induce changes in the effective refractive index of the polariton mode, resulting in modulation of transmitted intensity. Remarkably, we achieve a maximum modulation of -6.20 dB with an ultra-short modulation length of 2 μm. Our MZ modulator boasts an ultra-compact footprint area of ~30 μm² and a thin thickness of 18 nm. Our findings present new opportunities for the advancement of highly integrated and efficient photonic devices utilizing van der Waals materials.
Background
The prevalence of sarcopenia is increased with declining renal function. Elevated serum indoxyl sulfate levels are associated with poor skeletal muscle conditions. We aimed to determine ...the effects of AST‐120, the oral adsorbent of indoxyl sulfate, on sarcopenia and sarcopenia‐associated factors in chronic kidney disease patients.
Methods
This was a 48 week, randomized controlled, parallel group, open‐label, multicentre trial (n = 150). The participants were randomly assigned in a 1:1 ratio to the control (CON) and AST‐120 (Renamezin®, REN) groups. Outcome measurements were performed at baseline and every 24 weeks for 48 weeks. The primary outcome was gait speed difference ≥0.1 m/s between the two groups, and secondary outcomes included hand grip strength, muscle mass, and health‐related quality of life.
Results
A difference of gait speed ≥0.1 m/s was not observed during the study period. The mean dynamic‐start gait speed in the REN group increased from baseline to 48 weeks (1.04 ± 0.31 to 1.08 ± 0.32 m/s, P = 0.019). The static‐start gait speed changed by −0.024 and 0.04 m/s (P = 0.049) in the CON and REN groups over 48 weeks, respectively. Hand grip strength decreased during the first 24 weeks and did not significantly change over the next 24 weeks in either group. The proportion of low muscle mass or sarcopenia at baseline was larger in the REN group than in the CON group, but the difference attenuated over the study period low muscle mass and sarcopenia in the CON and REN groups at baseline, 4.0% vs. 18.9% (P = 0.004) and 2.7% vs. 13.5% (P = 0.017); at 24 weeks, 2.9% vs. 13.6% (P = 0.021) and 1.4% vs. 10.5% (P = 0.029); and at 48 weeks, 7.6% vs. 12.9% (P = 0.319) and 4.5% vs. 8.1% (P = 0.482), respectively. Bodily pain, vitality, symptoms/problems, and cognitive function in the REN group improved, while the quality of social interactions and the kidney disease effects in the CON group aggravated from baseline to 48 weeks. Interaction between time and group was evident only in symptoms/problems, cognitive function, and kidney disease effects.
Conclusions
The addition of AST‐120 to standard treatment in chronic kidney disease patients did not make a significant difference in gait speed, although AST‐120 modestly had beneficial effects on gait speed change and quality of life and showed the potential to improve sarcopenia. (clinicaltrials.gov: NCT03788252).
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FZAB, GIS, IJS, KILJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, SBCE, SBMB, UL, UM, UPUK
Though emerging evidence indicates that the pathogenesis of Parkinson's disease is strongly correlated to the accumulation
and transmission
of α-synuclein (α-syn) aggregates in the midbrain, no ...anti-aggregation agents have been successful at treating the disease in the clinic. Here, we show that graphene quantum dots (GQDs) inhibit fibrillization of α-syn and interact directly with mature fibrils, triggering their disaggregation. Moreover, GQDs can rescue neuronal death and synaptic loss, reduce Lewy body and Lewy neurite formation, ameliorate mitochondrial dysfunctions, and prevent neuron-to-neuron transmission of α-syn pathology provoked by α-syn preformed fibrils
. We observe, in vivo, that GQDs penetrate the blood-brain barrier and protect against dopamine neuron loss induced by α-syn preformed fibrils, Lewy body/Lewy neurite pathology and behavioural deficits.
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IJS, NUK, SBMB, UL, UM, UPUK
The aims of this study were to improve in vitro dissolution property of poorly water-soluble everolimus (EVR) for enhanced bioavailability without using organic solvents and characterize the effects ...of microfluidization and freeze-drying on physicochemical properties of EVR nanosuspension and nanoparticle, respectively. EVR nanosuspension was prepared using microfluidization with various types and concentrations of stabilizers. After that, it was solidified into nanoparticle using freeze-drying with various concentrations of xylitol, a cryoprotectant. The particle size, zeta potential, physical stability, and chemical stability of EVR nanosuspension and nanoparticle were measured. In vitro release of EVR nanoparticle was also measured and compared with that of physical mixture. Zero point five percent (w/w) poloxamer 407 (P407) was chosen as the stabilizer considering particle size, zeta potential, and yield of EVR nanosuspension. Freeze-drying with 1% (w/w) xylitol improved both physical and chemical stability of EVR nanoparticle. In vitro release test showed improved dissolution property compared to that of physical mixture, implying enhanced bioavailability.
Light confinement to sub‐wavelength scales is actively studied for nanophotonic applications because it gives rise to intriguing optical properties with enhanced light‐matter interaction. Herein, an ...ultrathin exciton–polariton waveguide based on a WS2 multilayer is proposed for sub‐wavelength light guiding. A WS2 waveguide supports guided exciton–polariton modes even with a few tens of nanometers of thickness. It is theoretically confirmed that the WS2 waveguide has significantly lower propagation loss than a plasmonic mode, although its thickness may be similar to that of a plasmonic waveguide. By injecting white light into a fabricated WS2 waveguide, light guiding is experimentally demonstrated through a 20 nm thick WS2 waveguide. Notably, this study integrated the WS2 waveguide with a WSe2 monolayer to demonstrate the coupling of monolayer emission to the polariton waveguide. The results suggest that WS2 multilayers provide a novel material platform with potential for nanophotonic applications, including ultrathin optical integrated circuits.
An exciton–polariton waveguide based on the WS2 ultrathin film (20 nm) is demonstrated. Theoretically and experimentally, the optical properties of the WS2 waveguide are verified, and the advantages of the WS2 waveguide are confirmed through comparison with other waveguides. Finally, the possibility of application is also shown by coupling of WSe2 exciton emission to the WS2 waveguide.
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BFBNIB, FZAB, GIS, IJS, KILJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, SBCE, SBMB, UL, UM, UPUK
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