We report the first self-assembled porous monolayer and free-standing multilayer films composed of metal–organic framework (MOF) nanoparticles. Self-assembled MOF monolayers (SAMMs) were assembled at ...a liquid–air interface to produce films that are 87 wt % (89 vol %) MOF. Monolayer self-assembly was aided by growing a layer of poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) on the particle surface using a histamine anchor. SAMMs could be stacked to obtain MOF multilayers, including alternating MOF/polymer heterostructures. SAMMs were coated on silicon microparticles, and a MOF film constructed of only five stacked layers could be manipulated as a free-standing, opalescent film. These monolayers are a significant advancement for obtaining highly functional porous membranes and coatings.
Purpose
To investigate the prevalence of myopia and high myopia and the risk factors for high myopia in infants at 3 years of age with retinopathy of prematurity (ROP).
Study design
Retrospective, ...observational.
Methods
We retrospectively analyzed all 89 preterm infants (178 eyes) with medical records of ROP between October 2008 and March 2018 at Toho University Medical Center Omori Hospital; these infants had a birth weight of less than 1,500 g and were followed up at least until 3 years of age. Cycloplegic autorefraction was performed to measure refractive outcomes. Multivariate analysis was performed to determine the risk factors for early-onset high myopia at 3 years of age.
Results
The prevalence of myopia and high myopia was significantly higher in the treated group (59.7% and 17.9%, respectively) than in the untreated group (19.7% and 0%, respectively) (
p
<0.001). Spherical equivalent (SE) at age 3 was more myopic in the treatment group (−1.72 ± 3.53 D) than in the untreated group (0.54 ± 1.08 D) (
p
<0.001). In the sub-analysis of the treatment group, there was a significant correlation between SE at age 3 and the number of laser shots (R
2
= 0.36,
p
<0.001). Multivariate logistic analysis showed that the number of laser shots was an independent risk factor for early onset high myopia (
p
<0.05).
Conclusion
The number of laser shots is an independent risk factor for early onset high myopia, and preterm infants who have undergone laser treatment for severe ROP should be considered for early optical correction with cycloplegic refractive examination.
The excellent long-term patency of no-touch (NT) saphenous vein grafts (SVGs) makes the grafts very attractive for coronary artery bypass grafting; however, NT-SVG harvesting has a greater incidence ...of wound complications than conventional methods. Since 2009, we have performed endoscopic vein harvesting (EVH) in our department with very few major wound complications. Because NT-SVG harvesting is expected to provide long-term patency, if performed with EVH, the incidence of wound complications will be reduced. Thus, we began performing endoscopic pedicle SVG harvesting (Pedicle-EVH) in March 2019. Herein, we report the early results obtained using our current Pedicle-EVH procedure. No major wound complications were reported, and the early results, including patency, were satisfactory. To harvest the pedicle SVG, however, we used a different method than the NT-SVG procedure, so careful monitoring will be needed to assess long-term outcomes.
1. If fungivorous insect diversity is maintained by host specialisation on particular fungi, it should be higher in the tropics than in temperate or boreal regions owing to high macrofungus species ...diversity. 2. To reveal the community and food web structure of fungivorous insects on bracket fungi, fungivorous insects were collected from 427 fruiting bodies belonging to 22 genera throughout the development and deterioration process in a 3‐ha plot of lowland dipterocarp tropical rain forest on Borneo Island. 3. Eight hundred and twenty‐nine individuals of 82 coleopteran species in 13 families from 111 fruiting bodies of 15 fungal genera were collected. Tenebrionidae and Staphylinidae were most common. Fifty‐three and 19 insect species were observed on Ganoderma and Phellinus , respectively. The numbers of insect species and individuals on a particular fungal genus were positively correlated with the abundance of that fungal genus. 4. Quantitative food web analysis revealed a high degree of specialisation at the whole‐community level. At least 65% of insect individuals were observed on Ganoderma at every stage of development and deterioration. Diverse insects coexist on one dominant fungal genus, Ganoderma , in contrast to our hypothesis. 5. The high abundance of Ganoderma fruiting bodies, which lack obvious defences against insect feeding, probably influences the bracket fungus–insect food web in this tropical rainforest.
Measuring the ocular blood flow in neonates may clarify the relationships between eye diseases and ocular circulation abnormalities. However, no method for noninvasively measuring ocular circulation ...in neonates is established. We used laser speckle flowgraphy (LSFG) modified for neonates to measure their ocular circulation and investigated whether this method is reproducible. During their normal sleep, we studied 16 subjects (adjusted age of 34–48 weeks) whose blood flow could be measured three consecutive times. While the subjects slept in the supine position, three mean blur rate (MBR) values of the optic nerve head (ONH) were obtained: the MBR-A (mean of all values), MBR-V (vessel mean), and MBR-T (tissue mean), and nine blood flow pulse waveform parameters in the ONH were examined. We analyzed the coefficient of variation (COV) and the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) for each parameter. The COVs of the MBR values were all ≤10%. The ICCs of the MBR values were all >0.8. Good COVs were observed for the blowout score, blowout time, rising rate, falling rate, and acceleration time index. Although the measurement of ocular circulation in the neonates was difficult, our results exhibited reproducibility, suggesting that this method could be used in clinical research.
Metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) are inherently crystalline, brittle porous solids. Conversely, polymers are flexible, malleable, and processable solids that are used for a broad range of commonly ...used technologies. The stark differences between the nature of MOFs and polymers has motivated efforts to hybridize crystalline MOFs and flexible polymers to produce composites that retain the desired properties of these disparate materials. Importantly, studies have shown that MOFs can be used to influence polymer structure, and polymers can be used to modulate MOF growth and characteristics. In this Review, we highlight the development and recent advances in the synthesis of MOF-polymer mixed-matrix membranes (MMMs) and applications of these MMMs in gas and liquid separations and purifications, including aqueous applications such as dye removal, toxic heavy metal sequestration, and desalination. Other elegant ways of synthesizing MOF-polymer hybrid materials, such as grafting polymers to and from MOFs, polymerization of polymers within MOFs, using polymers to template MOFs, and the bottom-up synthesis of polyMOFs and polyMOPs are also discussed. This review highlights recent papers in the advancement of MOF-polymer hybrid materials, as well as seminal reports that significantly advanced the field.
Functionalized UiO-66 metal–organic frameworks (MOF) particles were covalently grafted with hydride-terminated poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) via postsynthetic modification. These PDMS-coated MOF ...particles (termed here “corona-MOF”) were used in the preparation of mixed-matrix membranes (MMMs). Defect-free MMMs with weight loadings of 50% were achieved with corona-MOF particles, attributed to the improved dispersibility of the corona-MOF particles and covalent linkages between the corona-MOF particles and the polymer matrix. The PDMS MMMs showed distinct separation features in single gas permeation tests, displaying much higher CO2 gas permeation with no decrease in selectivity when compared to MMMs prepared with unmodified UiO-66 particles. Single gas separation tests with CO2, N2, and propane were performed to probe the separation mechanism of the corona-MOF MMMs, demonstrating that these MMMs avoid nonideal “sieve-in-a-cage” and “plugged sieves” scenarios. Additionally, due to covalent bond formation between both the MOF and the polymer matrix in corona-MOF MMMs, particle aggregation is negligible during film curing, allowing for the formation of flexible, self-standing MMMs of <1 μm in thickness. Low quantities of polymer covalently attached to the MOF surface (<5 wt %) are sufficient to fabricate thin, defect-free, high MOF-loading MMMs.
Primary myxofibrosarcoma of the heart is quite rare. We herein present the case of a 56-year-old man who presented with large obstructive myxofibrosarcoma of the right ventricle (RV), as assessed on ...multi-diagnostic imaging techniques (multidetector row computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging and positron emission tomography). Most previous cases of cardiac myxofibrosarcoma have been reported in the left atrium and ventricle. In this report, we describe a very rare case of large obstructive myxofibrosarcoma of the RV.
The efficacy and safety of surgical intervention for atrial myxoma are established, but the operative approach to tumor resection and atrial reconstruction are controversial. A biatrial approach is ...generally used for excision of atrial myxoma and has many advantages. In contrast, there are a few reports about the method of double-patch reconstruction, and the right and left atrium are individually reconstructed with the two patches. We found it to be effective in the case reported here. We suggest that this method can be applied to atrial myxoma in which extensive resection is necessary.
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