In the quest to increase the critical temperature Tc of cuprate superconductors, it is essential to identify the factors that limit the strength of superconductivity. The upper critical field Hc2 is ...a fundamental measure of that strength, yet there is no agreement on its magnitude and doping dependence in cuprate superconductors. Here we show that the thermal conductivity can be used to directly detect Hc2 in the cuprates YBa2Cu3Oy, YBa2Cu4O8 and Tl2Ba2CuO6+δ, allowing us to map out Hc2 across the doping phase diagram. It exhibits two peaks, each located at a critical point where the Fermi surface of YBa2Cu3Oy is known to undergo a transformation. Below the higher critical point, the condensation energy, obtained directly from Hc2, suffers a sudden 20-fold collapse. This reveals that phase competition-associated with Fermi-surface reconstruction and charge-density-wave order-is a key limiting factor in the superconductivity of cuprates.
Cuprous halides, characterized by a direct wide band-gap and a good lattice matching with Si, is an intrinsic p-type I-VII compound semiconductor. It shows remarkable optoelectronic properties, ...including a large exciton binding energy at room temperature and a very small piezoelectric coefficient. The major obstacle to its application is the difficulty in growing a single-crystal epitaxial film of cuprous halides. We first demonstrate the single crystal epitaxy of high quality cuprous iodide (CuI) film grown on Si and sapphire substrates by molecular beam epitaxy. Enhanced photoluminescence on the order of magnitude larger than that of GaN and continuous-wave optically pumped lasing were found in MBE grown CuI film. The intrinsic p-type characteristics of CuI were confirmed using an n-AlGaN/p-CuI junction that emits blue light. The discovery will provide an alternative way towards highly efficient optoelectronic devices compatible with both Si and III-nitride technologies.
Background Previous reports have indicated that statins could prevent bone loss in ovariectomized (OVX) rats and increase the expressions of osteogenic genes in cultured osteoblasts. In this study, ...we hypothesized that simvastatin might increase osteoblast number and protein expressions of osteogenic markers localized in bones in concomitance with the prevention of bone loss in OVX rats.
Materials and methods Fifty‐four 3‐month‐old OVX and sham‐operated (SHAM) female Sprague–Dawley rats were used. Simvastatin (10–20 mg kg−1 day−1) was administrated orally for 6 weeks. Trabecular volume, osteoblast number and osteogenic proteins including BMP2, collagen type I and osteocalcin on bone sections obtained from lumbar vertebral body, distal femur and proximal tibia were measured.
Results The results showed that SHAM rats had significantly less trabecular bone volume and osteoblast number than that of OVX rats 6 weeks after operation. Oral simvastatin treatment (10–20 mg kg−1 day−1) increased bone volume and osteoblast number in the distal femurs, proximal tibiae and vertebrae of OVX rats. Furthermore, the osteoblastic cells with immuno‐stained BMP2, collagen type I and osteocalcin in vertebral bones were significantly increased by simvastatin treatment (20 mg kg−1 day−1) in OVX rats.
Conclusions This study demonstrates that simvastatin enhances the production of osteogenic proteins in bone and this effect may contribute to the prevention of bone loss in OVX rats.
Summary
Background
Oltipraz is a synthetic dithiolethione with an antisteatotic effect by inhibiting the activity of liver X receptor alpha (LXR‐α). Recent studies demonstrated the disruptive role of ...oltipraz on LXR‐α‐dependent lipogenesis in hepatocytes and a high‐fat diet mouse model.
Aim
To evaluate the efficacy and safety of oltipraz for reducing liver fat in subjects with non‐alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD).
Methods
We performed a multicentre, double‐blind, placebo‐controlled, phase II study. Subjects with a liver fat >20% and hypertransaminasemia were randomised to the three groups: placebo (n = 22), 30 mg of oltipraz (n = 22) or 60 mg of oltipraz (n = 24) twice daily for 24 weeks. Changes in the liver fat from baseline to 24 weeks quantified using magnetic resonance spectroscopy were the primary outcome.
Results
Compared with the placebo group (−3.2 ± 11.1%), absolute changes in the liver fat content increased in a dose‐dependent manner: −7.7 ± 7.0% and −13.9 ± 10.7% for the low‐dose and high‐dose groups (P = 0.13 and P < 0.01). Per cent reduction in the liver fat content was also significantly greater in the high‐dose group than in the placebo group (−34.6 ± 29.4% vs. −0.6 ± 62.9%, P = 0.046). Body mass indices (−1.0 ± 0.9% vs. −0.5 ± 1.4%, P = 0.04) significantly decreased in the high‐dose group compared to the placebo group. However, absolute changes in insulin resistance, liver enzymes, lipids and cytokines were not significantly different among groups. The incidence of adverse events was comparable among groups.
Conclusions
Twenty‐four‐week oltipraz treatment significantly reduced the liver fat content in patients with NAFLD. Clinicaltrials.gov (NCT01373554).
Linked ContentThis article is linked to Ajmera and Loomba, Wang and Lin, and Kim and Kim papers. To view this article visit https://doi.org/10.1111/apt.14081, https://doi.org/10.1111/apt.14122 and https://doi.org/10.1111/apt.14146.
Abstract Inertial motion capture (IMC) systems have become increasingly popular for ambulatory movement analysis. However, few studies have attempted to use these measurement techniques to estimate ...kinetic variables, such as joint moments and ground reaction forces (GRFs). Therefore, we investigated the performance of a full-body ambulatory IMC system in estimating 3D L5/S1 moments and GRFs during symmetric, asymmetric and fast trunk bending, performed by nine male participants. Using an ambulatory IMC system (Xsens/MVN), L5/S1 moments were estimated based on the upper-body segment kinematics using a top-down inverse dynamics analysis, and GRFs were estimated based on full-body segment accelerations. As a reference, a laboratory measurement system was utilized: GRFs were measured with Kistler force plates (FPs), and L5/S1 moments were calculated using a bottom-up inverse dynamics model based on FP data and lower-body kinematics measured with an optical motion capture system (OMC). Correspondence between the OMC+FP and IMC systems was quantified by calculating root-mean-square errors (RMSerrors) of moment/force time series and the interclass correlation (ICC) of the absolute peak moments/forces. Averaged over subjects, L5/S1 moment RMSerrors remained below 10 Nm (about 5% of the peak extension moment) and 3D GRF RMSerrors remained below 20 N (about 2% of the peak vertical force). ICCs were high for the peak L5/S1 extension moment (0.971) and vertical GRF (0.998). Due to lower amplitudes, smaller ICCs were found for the peak asymmetric L5/S1 moments (0.690–0.781) and horizontal GRFs (0.559–0.948). In conclusion, close correspondence was found between the ambulatory IMC-based and laboratory-based estimates of back load.
Although capsule endoscopy has become a central diagnostic tool for small-bowel evaluation, retention of a capsule remains a major concern. This study attempted to investigate the incidence and ...clinical outcomes of capsule retention, and to determine the factors predictive of spontaneous capsule passage after retention.
Through a nationwide multicenter survey, we retrospectively reviewed the records of 1291 patients who had a capsule endoscopy between February 2002 and July 2006 in Korea. Clinical and procedural characteristics and postprocedural outcomes were analyzed for the cases with capsule retention.
Capsule retention occurred in 2.5 % of total cases (32/1291). The major diseases accompanying capsule retention were Crohn's disease, malignant tumors, and tuberculous enterocolitis, in decreasing order. In 11 of the 32 patients (34.4 %), early surgical or endoscopic interventions were instituted for diagnosis or treatment of diseases before retention symptoms developed. The remaining 21 (65.6 %) patients initially received medical treatments. Of these, 10 (31.3 %) ultimately underwent surgical intervention due to the development of symptoms of intestinal obstruction or medical treatment failure. The other 11 (34.4 %) eventually passed the capsule. The presence of a larger lumen diameter (greater than two-thirds of the capsule diameter) at the stricture site was associated with spontaneous passage.
Our large-scale study suggests that retention occurs infrequently during capsule endoscopy. Moreover, a retained capsule might indicate the best intervention for the offending pathology, or it may spontaneously pass in the long run, particularly in patients with less small bowel stricture.
The PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway has a central role in cancer metastasis and radiotherapy. To develop effective therapeutics to improve radiosensitivity, understanding the possible pathways of ...radioresistance involved and the effects of a combination of the PI3K/Akt/mTOR inhibitors with radiotherapy on prostate cancer (CaP) radioresistant cells is needed. We found that compared with parent CaP cells, CaP-radioresistant cells demonstrated G0/G1 and S phase arrest, activation of cell cycle check point, autophagy and DNA repair pathway proteins, and inactivation of apoptotic proteins. We also demonstrated that compared with combination of single PI3K or mTOR inhibitors (BKM120 or Rapamycin) and radiation, low-dose of dual PI3K/mTOR inhibitors (BEZ235 or PI103) combined with radiation greatly improved treatment efficacy by repressing colony formation, inducing more apoptosis, leading to the arrest of the G2/M phase, increased double-strand break levels and less inactivation of cell cycle check point, autophagy and non-homologous end joining (NHEJ)/homologous recombination (HR) repair pathway proteins in CaP-radioresistant cells. This study describes the possible pathways associated with CaP radioresistance and demonstrates the putative mechanisms of the radiosensitization effect in CaP-resistant cells in the combination treatment. The findings from this study suggest that the combination of dual PI3K/Akt/mTOR inhibitors (BEZ235 or PI103) with radiotherapy is a promising modality for the treatment of CaP to overcome radioresistance.
Summary
Background
The nonselective 5‐HT4 receptor agonists, cisapride and tegaserod have been associated with cardiovascular adverse events (AEs).
Aim
To perform a systematic review of the safety ...profile, particularly cardiovascular, of 5‐HT4 agonists developed for gastrointestinal disorders, and a nonsystematic summary of their pharmacology and clinical efficacy.
Methods
Articles reporting data on cisapride, clebopride, prucalopride, mosapride, renzapride, tegaserod, TD‐5108 (velusetrag) and ATI‐7505 (naronapride) were identified through a systematic search of the Cochrane Library, Medline, Embase and Toxfile. s from UEGW 2006–2008 and DDW 2008–2010 were searched for these drug names, and pharmaceutical companies approached to provide unpublished data.
Results
Retrieved articles on pharmacokinetics, human pharmacodynamics and clinical data with these 5‐HT4 agonists, are reviewed and summarised nonsystematically. Articles relating to cardiac safety and tolerability of these agents, including any relevant case reports, are reported systematically.
Two nonselective 5‐HT4 agonists had reports of cardiovascular AEs: cisapride (QT prolongation) and tegaserod (ischaemia). Interactions with, respectively, the hERG cardiac potassium channel and 5‐HT1 receptor subtypes have been suggested to account for these effects. No cardiovascular safety concerns were reported for the newer, selective 5‐HT4 agonists prucalopride, velusetrag, naronapride, or for nonselective 5‐HT4 agonists with no hERG or 5‐HT1 affinity (renzapride, clebopride, mosapride).
Conclusions
5‐HT4 agonists for GI disorders differ in chemical structure and selectivity for 5‐HT4 receptors. Selectivity for 5‐HT4 over non‐5‐HT4 receptors may influence the agent's safety and overall risk–benefit profile. Based on available evidence, highly selective 5‐HT4 agonists may offer improved safety to treat patients with impaired GI motility.
A scheme to utilize atomlike emitters coupled to nanophotonic waveguides is proposed for the generation of many-body entangled states and for the reversible mapping of these states of matter to ...photonic states of an optical pulse in the waveguide. Our protocol makes use of decoherence-free subspaces (DFSs) for the atomic emitters with coherent evolution within the DFSs enforced by strong dissipative coupling to the waveguide. By switching from subradiant to superradiant states, entangled atomic states are mapped to photonic states with high fidelity. An implementation using ultracold atoms coupled to a photonic crystal waveguide is discussed.
Summary
Nucleot(s)ide analogues (NAs) reduce the risk of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients. However, the risk of HCC is reportedly higher for NA‐treated patients ...than for patients in the inactive CHB phase. This study aimed to compare the long‐term outcomes of CHB patients with NA‐induced viral suppression and those of patients with inactive CHB. This retrospective study involved 1118 consecutive CHB patients whose HBV DNA level was continuously <2000 IU/mL during follow‐up with/without antiviral agents. The patients were classified into inactive CHB (n = 373) or NA groups (n = 745). The primary endpoint was overall survival. Secondary endpoints included development of HCC and other liver‐related events. The median duration of follow‐up was 41.0 (interquartile range = 26.5‐55.0) months. The difference in overall survival between the NA group vs. the inactive CHB group was not significant (hazard ratio HR = 0.78; 95% confidence interval CI = 0.33‐1.85; P = .57). The NA group showed a significantly higher risk of HCC (HR = 3.44; 95% CI = 1.82‐6.52; P < .01), but comparable risk for non‐HCC liver‐related events (HR = 1.02; 95% CI = 0.66‐1.59; P = .93), compared with the inactive CHB group. Among patients with cirrhosis, the NA group showed a significantly lower risk of death (HR = 0.31; 95% CI = 0.097‐0.998; P = .05) and non‐HCC liver‐related events (HR = 0.51; 95% CI = 0.31‐0.83; P < .01), but a slightly higher risk of HCC (HR = 2.39; 95% CI = 0.85‐6.75; P = .09), compared to the inactive CHB group. The overall survival of untreated patients with inactive CHB and of CHB patients achieving viral suppression with NA was comparable. However, NA treatment of cirrhotic patients was significantly associated with longer overall survival and lower risk of liver‐related events.
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