Semiconductors are the basis of many vital technologies such as electronics, computing, communications, optoelectronics, and sensing. Modern semiconductor technology can trace its origins to the ...invention of the point contact transistor in 1947. This demonstration paved the way for the development of discrete and integrated semiconductor devices and circuits that has helped to build a modern society where semiconductors are ubiquitous components of everyday life. A key property that determines the semiconductor electrical and optical properties is the bandgap. Beyond graphene, recently discovered two-dimensional (2D) materials possess semiconducting bandgaps ranging from the terahertz and mid-infrared in bilayer graphene and black phosphorus, visible in transition metal dichalcogenides, to the ultraviolet in hexagonal boron nitride. In particular, these 2D materials were demonstrated to exhibit highly tunable bandgaps, achieved via the control of layers number, heterostructuring, strain engineering, chemical doping, alloying, intercalation, substrate engineering, as well as an external electric field. We provide a review of the basic physical principles of these various techniques on the engineering of quasi-particle and optical bandgaps, their bandgap tunability, potentials and limitations in practical realization in future 2D device technologies.
Cytomegalovirus (CMV) colitis is a common manifestation of CMV end-organ disease, which has typically been described in immunocompromised hosts. Recently, it has been noted that this also occurs in ...immunocompetent patients. To gather relevant data about clinical presentation, prognosis, and risk factors for development of CMV colitis in immunocompetent hosts, we analyzed all cases that occurred during a 19-year period at our institution.
A case-control study was performed to identify risk factors for CMV colitis in immunocompetent hosts. Electronic medical records of individuals who were admitted and diagnosed with CMV colitis between January 1995 and February 2014 at a tertiary care university hospital were reviewed. Two non-CMV colitis patients who were age- and sex-matched were selected as controls for each case.
A total of 51 patients with CMV colitis were included in this study along with 102 control patients. Certain conditions including renal disease on hemodialysis, neurologic disease, rheumatologic disease, intensive care unit admission, and exposure to antibiotics, antacids, steroids, or red blood cell (RBC) transfusions within 1 month of diagnosis of colitis were associated with CMV colitis on univariate analysis. Among these, steroid use and RBC transfusion within 1 month were identified as independent risk factors for developing CMV colitis on multivariate analysis. The 30-day mortality rate was 7.8% without any attributable mortality.
Steroid use and RBC transfusion within 1 month of the diagnosis of colitis were independent risk factors for development of CMV colitis in immunocompetent hosts.
IL-32 is a recently discovered cytokine that induces TNFα, IL-1β, IL-6, and chemokines. We investigated whether IL-32 is expressed in the synovia of patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and ...studied associations with disease severity and the presence of other cytokines. Immunohistochemistry revealed that IL-32 is highly expressed in RA synovial tissue biopsies, whereas IL-32 was not observed in synovial tissues from patients with osteoarthritis. Moreover, in synovial biopsies from 29 RA patients with active disease, the level of IL-32 staining correlated with erythrocyte sedimentation rate, a marker of systemic inflammation (R = 0.63 and P < 0.0003). Synovial staining of IL-32 also correlated with indices of synovial inflammation (R = 0.80 and P < 0.0001) as well as synovial presence of TNFα (R = 0.68 and P < 0.004), IL-1β (R = 0.79 and P < 0.0001), and IL-18 (R = 0.82 and P < 0.001). IL-32 was a potent inducer of prostaglandin E₂ release in mouse macrophages and human blood monocytes, an important property for inflammation. After the injection of human IL-32γ into the knee joints of naïve mice, joint swelling, with pronounced influx of inflammatory cells and cartilage damage, was observed. In TNFαdeficient mice, IL-32-driven joint swelling was absent and cell influx was markedly reduced, but loss of proteoglycan was unaffected, suggesting that IL-32 activity is, in part, TNFα-dependent. IL-32, strongly associated with TNFα, IL-1β, and IL-18, appears to play a role in human RA and may be a novel target in autoimmune diseases.
ABSTRACT
We present the results from a dense multwavelength optical/UV, near-infrared (IR), and X-ray follow-up campaign of the nuclear transient AT 2017gge, covering a total of 1698 d from the ...transient’s discovery. The bolometric light curve, the blackbody temperature and radius, the broad H and He i λ5876 emission lines and their evolution with time, are all consistent with a tidal disruption event (TDE) nature. A soft X-ray flare is detected with a delay of ∼200 d with respect to the optical/UV peak and it is rapidly followed by the emergence of a broad He ii λ4686 and by a number of long-lasting high ionization coronal emission lines. This indicate a clear connection between a TDE flare and the appearance of extreme coronal line emission (ECLEs). An IR echo, resulting from dust re-radiation of the optical/UV TDE light is observed after the X-ray flare and the associated near-IR spectra show a transient broad feature in correspondence of the He i λ10830 and, for the first time in a TDE, a transient high-ionization coronal NIR line (the Fe xiii λ10798) is also detected. The data are well explained by a scenario in which a TDE occurs in a gas-and-dust rich environment and its optical/UV, soft X-ray, and IR emission have different origins and locations. The optical emission may be produced by stellar debris stream collisions prior to the accretion disc formation, which is instead responsible for the soft X-ray flare, emitted after the end of the circularization process.
Objective
To investigate the effect of preoperative prostate volume (PV) on the perioperative, continence and early oncological outcomes among patients treated with Retzius‐sparing robot‐assisted ...laparoscopic radical prostatectomy (RS‐RALP).
Patients and Methods
This is a retrospective analysis of 294 patients with organ‐confined prostate cancer treated with RS‐RALP in a high‐volume centre from November 2012 to February 2015. Patients were divided into three groups based on their transrectal ultrasonography estimated PV as follows: group 1, <40 mL (231 patients); group 2, 40–60 mL (47); group 3, >60 mL (16). Perioperative, oncological, and continence outcomes were compared between the three groups.
Results
The median interquartile range (IQR) PV for each group was; 26.1 (22–31) mL, 45.9 (41–50) mL, and 70 (68–85) mL. Blood loss was higher in group 3 compared to groups 2 and 1; at a median (IQR) of 475 (312–575) mL, 200 (150–400) mL, and 250 (150–400) mL, respectively (P = 0.001). The intraoperative transfusion rate was higher in group 3 patients (P = 0.004), while the complication rate did not differ (P = 0.05). The console time was slightly higher but was not statistically significant in group 3 compared to groups 2 and 1; at a mean (sd) of 100 (35) min, 92 (34.4) min, and 93 (24.8) min, respectively (P = 0.70). Biochemical recurrence and the continence rate did not differ between the three groups (P = 0.89 and P = 0.25, respectively).
Conclusion
RS‐RALP is oncologically and functionally equivalent for all prostate sizes but technically demanding for larger prostates. We therefore recommend that surgeons initiate their RS‐RALP technique with smaller prostates.
Inhibition of neocortical β-amyloid (Aβ) accumulation may be essential in an effective therapeutic intervention for Alzheimer's disease (AD). Cu and Zn are enriched in Aβ deposits in AD, which are ...solubilized by Cu/Zn-selective chelators in vitro. Here we report a 49% decrease in brain Aβ deposition (−375 μg/g wet weight, p = 0.0001) in a blinded study of APP2576 transgenic mice treated orally for 9 weeks with clioquinol, an antibiotic and bioavailable Cu/Zn chelator. This was accompanied by a modest increase in soluble Aβ (1.45% of total cerebral Aβ); APP, synaptophysin, and GFAP levels were unaffected. General health and body weight parameters were significantly more stable in the treated animals. These results support targeting the interactions of Cu and Zn with Aβ as a novel therapy for the prevention and treatment of AD.
An earlier analysis in this phase 3 trial showed that durvalumab significantly prolonged progression-free survival, as compared with placebo, among patients with stage III, unresectable ...non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) who did not have disease progression after concurrent chemoradiotherapy. Here we report the results for the second primary end point of overall survival.
We randomly assigned patients, in a 2:1 ratio, to receive durvalumab intravenously, at a dose of 10 mg per kilogram of body weight, or matching placebo every 2 weeks for up to 12 months. Randomization occurred 1 to 42 days after the patients had received chemoradiotherapy and was stratified according to age, sex, and smoking history. The primary end points were progression-free survival (as assessed by blinded independent central review) and overall survival. Secondary end points included the time to death or distant metastasis, the time to second progression, and safety.
Of the 713 patients who underwent randomization, 709 received the assigned intervention (473 patients received durvalumab and 236 received placebo). As of March 22, 2018, the median follow-up was 25.2 months. The 24-month overall survival rate was 66.3% (95% confidence interval CI, 61.7 to 70.4) in the durvalumab group, as compared with 55.6% (95% CI, 48.9 to 61.8) in the placebo group (two-sided P=0.005). Durvalumab significantly prolonged overall survival, as compared with placebo (stratified hazard ratio for death, 0.68; 99.73% CI, 0.47 to 0.997; P=0.0025). Updated analyses regarding progression-free survival were similar to those previously reported, with a median duration of 17.2 months in the durvalumab group and 5.6 months in the placebo group (stratified hazard ratio for disease progression or death, 0.51; 95% CI, 0.41 to 0.63). The median time to death or distant metastasis was 28.3 months in the durvalumab group and 16.2 months in the placebo group (stratified hazard ratio, 0.53; 95% CI, 0.41 to 0.68). A total of 30.5% of the patients in the durvalumab group and 26.1% of those in the placebo group had grade 3 or 4 adverse events of any cause; 15.4% and 9.8% of the patients, respectively, discontinued the trial regimen because of adverse events.
Durvalumab therapy resulted in significantly longer overall survival than placebo. No new safety signals were identified. (Funded by AstraZeneca; PACIFIC ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT02125461 .).
Understanding human physiological responses to high‐fat energy excess (HFEE) may help combat the development of metabolic disease. We aimed to investigate the impact of manipulating the n‐3PUFA ...content of HFEE diets on whole‐body and skeletal muscle markers of insulin sensitivity. Twenty healthy males were overfed (150% energy, 60% fat, 25% carbohydrate, 15% protein) for 6 d. One group (n = 10) received 10% of fat intake as n‐3PUFA rich fish oil (HF‐FO), and the other group consumed a mix of fats (HF‐C). Oral glucose tolerance tests with stable isotope tracer infusions were conducted before, and following, HFEE, with muscle biopsies obtained in basal and insulin‐stimulated states for measurement of membrane phospholipids, ceramides, mitochondrial enzyme activities, and PKB and AMPKα2 activity. Insulin sensitivity and glucose disposal did not change following HFEE, irrespective of group. Skeletal muscle ceramide content increased following HFEE (8.5 ± 1.2 to 12.1 ± 1.7 nmol/mg, p = .03), irrespective of group. No change in mitochondrial enzyme activity was observed following HFEE, but citrate synthase activity was inversely associated with the increase in the ceramide content (r=−0.52, p = .048). A time by group interaction was observed for PKB activity (p = .003), with increased activity following HFEE in HF‐C (4.5 ± 13.0mU/mg) and decreased activity in HF‐FO (−10.1 ± 20.7 mU/mg) following HFEE. Basal AMPKα2 activity increased in HF‐FO (4.1 ± 0.6 to 5.3 ± 0.7mU/mg, p = .049), but did not change in HF‐C (4.6 ± 0.7 to 3.8 ± 0.9mU/mg) following HFEE. We conclude that early skeletal muscle signaling responses to HFEE appear to be modified by dietary n‐3PUFA content, but the potential impact on future development of metabolic disease needs exploring.
High‐fat high‐energy diets contribute to development of insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes, and n‐3PUFA have been proposed to improve insulin sensitivity. We examined the potential for dietary n‐3PUFA to mitigate negative metabolic consequences of short‐term high‐fat overfeeding in healthy adult males. We report that short‐term high‐fat energy excess over 6 d did not lead to whole body changes in glucose handling, but changes at the cellular level did occur, including an increase in muscle ceramide species. We show that substituting 10% of total fats for n‐3PUFA during a short term high‐fat high‐energy diet appears to lead to early differential modifications in cellular signalling responses linked to metabolic health outcomes, but these findings require replication and further study.
Background Beginning in 2009, the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) revised its food packages and provided more whole grains, fruits, and vegetables and ...fewer foods with high saturated fat content. However, knowledge of the impact of this policy shift on the diets of WIC participants remains limited. Purpose To examine the longer-term impact of the 2009 WIC food package change on nutrient and food group intake and overall diet quality among African American and Hispanic WIC child participants and their mothers/caregivers. Methods In this natural experiment, 24-hour dietary recalls were collected in the summer of 2009, immediately before WIC food package revisions occurred in Chicago IL and at 18 months following the food package change (winter/spring 2011). Generalized estimating equation models were used to compare dietary intake at these two time points. Data were analyzed in July 2013. Results Eighteen months following the WIC food package revisions, significant decreases in total fat ( p =0.002) and saturated fat ( p =0.0004) and increases in dietary fiber ( p =0.03) and overall diet quality ( p =0.02) were observed among Hispanic children only. No significant changes in nutrient intake or diet quality were observed for any other group. The prevalence of reduced-fat milk intake significantly increased for African American and Hispanic children, whereas the prevalence of whole milk intake significantly decreased for all groups. Conclusions Positive dietary changes were observed at 18 months post policy implementation, with the effects most pronounced among Hispanic children.
Abstract Background Dietary patterns that are considered healthy (eg, the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension diet and Mediterranean diet) may be more successful in reducing typical ...cardiovascular disease risks compared to dietary patterns considered unhealthy (eg, energy-dense diets such as the typical American diet). Objective This study assessed the effects of a Korean diet, the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA), and a typical American diet on cardiometabolic risk factors, including lipid levels and blood pressure, in overweight, non-Asian individuals in the United States with elevated low-density lipoprotein cholesterol. Design/intervention The study was a three-period crossover, controlled-feeding study from January 2012 to May 2012. Thirty-one subjects were randomly allocated to one of six possible sequential orders for consuming the three diets for 4 weeks, each separated by a 10-day break. Data analysis included 27 subjects on the Korean diet periods and 29 in the DGA and typical American diet periods. Subjects remained weight stable. Main outcome measures Lipid profile, blood pressure, insulin, glucose, and 24-hour urinary sodium were determined at baseline and at the end of each diet period. Statistical analyses performed The additive main effects multiplicative interactions model was used to test for a subject by diet interaction. Differences among diets were determined using a mixed-models procedure (PROC MIXED) with random intercept for each subject. Results Total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol significantly decreased on Korean ( P <0.0001 and P <0.01, respectively) and DGA ( P <0.01 and P <0.05, respectively) diets, but not on the typical American diet. Although an unfavorable outcome, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol significantly decreased on all three diets (Korean: P <0.0001; DGA: P <0.0001; typical American: P <0.05). No diet had a significant effect on serum triglycerides, but a slight increase in triglycerides in the Korean and decrease in the DGA resulted in a significant difference between these two diets ( P <0.01). All three diets caused modest decreases in systolic and diastolic blood pressure, which reached statistical significance for DGA only ( P <0.05 and P <0.01, respectively). No diet had significant effect on fasting insulin, whereas fasting glucose decreased significantly on the Korean ( P <0.01) and typical American ( P <0.05) diets only. Urinary sodium output decreased significantly on DGA ( P <0.0001). Conclusions After a 4-week feeding period, Korean and DGA diet patterns resulted in positive changes in cardiovascular disease risk factors.
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