Regioregular poly(3‐hexyl thiophene) (RR P3HT) is drop‐cast to fabricate field‐effect transistor (FET) devices from different solvents with different boiling points and solubilities for RR P3HT, such ...as methylene chloride, toluene, tetrahydrofuran, and chloroform. A Petri dish is used to cover the solution, and it takes less than 30 min for the solvents to evaporate at room temperature. The mesoscale crystalline morphology of RR P3HT thin films can be manipulated from well‐dispersed nanofibrils to well‐developed spherulites by changing solution processing conditions. The morphological correlation with the charge‐carrier mobility in RR P3HT thin‐film transistor (TFT) devices is investigated. The TFT devices show charge‐carrier mobilities in the range of 10–4 ∼ 10–2 cm2 V–1 s–1 depending on the solvent used, although grazing‐incidence X‐ray diffraction (GIXD) reveals that all films develop the same π–π‐stacking orientation, where the ‐axis is normal to the polymer films. By combining results from atomic force microscopy (AFM) and GIXD, it is found that the morphological connectivity of crystalline nanofibrils and the ‐axis orientation distribution of the π–π‐stacking plane with respect to the film normal play important roles on the charge‐carrier mobility of RR P3HT for TFT applications.
The connectivity of regioregular poly(3‐hexylthiophene) nanofibrils are significantly affected by the solvent used for processing and leads to different thin‐film transistor performance. Well‐interconnected branched nanofibrils formed in CHCl3 (e.g., Figure, bottom) display greater field‐effect mobility than the short rods formed in CH2Cl2 (e.g., Figure, top).
Aims
Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a chronic inflammatory skin disease, with a steadily increasing prevalence. Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) have been widely used in the food industry and are an attractive ...option for preventing and treating allergic skin diseases. We previously isolated new LABs including Lactococcus lactis KR‐050L from Gajuknamu kimchi, and showed the anti‐inflammatory effects of extract of L. lactis KR‐050L culture broth (LLK). In this study, we investigated the effects of LLK on AD.
Methods and Results
For the in vitro study, we used human keratinocytes (HaCaT) and mast cells (RBL‐2H3). In vivo study, we investigated the effects of LLK on Dermatophagoides farinae extract (DFE) and 2,4‐dinitrochlorobenzene (DNCB)‐induced atopic skin inflammation in mice. LLK suppressed expression of pro‐inflammatory cytokines and chemokines by down‐regulation of p38 MAPK, STAT1 and nuclear translocation of NF‐κB in keratinocytes. Topical application of LLK suppressed AD symptoms based on reduction in ear thickness, serum IgE levels and immune cell infiltration. Furthermore, LLK inhibited serum histamine levels and mast cells infiltration in vivo, and reduced mast cells activation in vitro.
Conclusions
These results suggest that LLK inhibits AD symptoms through inhibition of keratinocytes and mast cells activation.
Significance and Impact of the Study
LLK is a potential therapeutic candidate for AD treatment.
We detected 52 seismic events associated with landslides and submarine slumps on 8 August 2009 when Typhoon Morakot hit Taiwan. These events were neither felt nor reported because their seismic ...energy was primarily in the long period band (20–50 s). Most of these events were located in mountain areas where the accumulated rainfall was extremely high, though some were found offshore southern Taiwan. Among all events, the fatal landslide earthquake was located at Hsiaolin Village, where 474 people were buried. Inversion modelling of the seismic waveforms generated by the Hsiaolin landslide shows that the seismic source was represented by single force, consistent with downhill sliding. Some offshore seismic events indicate that submarine slumps probably occurred along submarine canyons and steep slopes. Our study shows that broadband seismic monitoring can be used to issue early warnings for mitigating disasters generated by inland and offshore landslides.
Arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy (ARVC) is a genetically heterogeneous heart-muscle disorder characterized by progressive fibrofatty replacement of right ventricular myocardium and an ...increased risk of sudden cardiac death. Mutations in desmosomal proteins that cause ARVC have been previously described; therefore, we investigated 88 unrelated patients with the disorder for mutations in human desmosomal cadherin desmocollin-2 (DSC2). We identified a heterozygous splice-acceptor–site mutation in intron 5 (c.631-2A→G) of the DSC2 gene, which led to the use of a cryptic splice-acceptor site and the creation of a downstream premature termination codon. Quantitative analysis of cardiac DSC2 expression in patient specimens revealed a marked reduction in the abundance of the mutant transcript. Morpholino knockdown in zebrafish embryos revealed a requirement for dsc2 in the establishment of the normal myocardial structure and function, with reduced desmosomal plaque area, loss of the desmosome extracellular electron-dense midlines, and associated myocardial contractility defects. These data identify DSC2 mutations as a cause of ARVC in humans and demonstrate that physiologic levels of DSC2 are crucial for normal cardiac desmosome formation, early cardiac morphogenesis, and cardiac function.
Abstract
An extensive network of storm water conveyance systems in urban areas, often referred to as the “underground storm drain system” (USDS), serves as significant production habitats for ...mosquitoes. Knowledge of whether USDS habitats are suitable for newly introduced dengue vectors
Aedes aegypti
and
Ae. albopictus
will help guide surveillance and control efforts. To determine whether the USDS functions as a suitable larval habitat for
Culex
,
Ae. aegypti
and
Ae. albopictus
in southern California, we examined mosquito habitat utilization and larval survivorship using laboratory microcosm studies. The data showed that USDS constituted 4.1% of sampled larval habitats for
Ae. aegypti
and
Ae. albopictus,
and 22.0% for
Cx. quinquefasciatus
. Furthermore, USDS water collected in the summer completely inhibited
Aedes
larval development, but yielded a 15.0% pupation rate for
Cx. quinquefasciatus.
Food supplementation in the microcosms suggests that nutrient deficiency, toxins and other factors in the USDS water led to low success or complete failure of larval development. These results suggest that USDS habitats are currently not major productive larval habitats for
Aedes
mosquitoe
s
in southern California. Our findings prompt inclusion of assessments of pupal productivity in USDS habitats and adult mosquito resting sites in the mosquito surveillance program.
This article presents an overview of diaper dermatitis for the pediatric community. The pathogenesis, differential diagnosis, and management of this common condition in infancy are reviewed. This ...information will assist in making the appropriate diagnosis and managing this irritant contact dermatitis of the diaper area. With conservative management, most cases of irritant diaper dermatitis are self-limited. When the condition persists, one must consider other diagnoses.
This report describes a case involving the diagnosis and treatment of squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the duodenum, which was found to be a metastatic lesion originating from recurrent head and neck ...cancer (HNC) in a 74-year-old female patient. The patient had a past medical history of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), tonsillar SCC, and recurrent HNC. She presented with symptoms of burning, tingling, and numbness of the throat and left side of the tongue. Upon examination with an esophagogastroduodenoscopy, an ulcerated hard area mass was detected in the third portion of the duodenum. Biopsy results confirmed the mass to be a metastatic poorly differentiated SCC. The incidence of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) metastasis to the duodenum is rare, likely due to the unique anatomic location and the lack of lymphatic drainage in the area. The patient was treated with a combination of paclitaxel, carboplatin, and pembrolizumab. This case underscores the significance of considering unusual sites of metastasis in HNSCC patients and utilizing advanced imaging modalities and immunotherapy to detect and treat these locations effectively.
A cervicogenic headache (CH) originates from a cervical source. Multiple diagnostic criteria and treatment strategies for CH are present. Rimegepant is a calcitonin gene-related peptide receptor ...(CGRP) antagonist. We present a case series of three patients with CH who reported varying degrees of decreased headache intensity after using rimegepant.
The extent of dental tissue destruction during the treatment of white spot lesions (WSLs) increases with the severity of the lesion. If the depth and shape of WSLs can be predicted with a noninvasive ...diagnostic method before dental caries treatment, more conservative interventions can be planned. Given the superiority of high-frequency ultrasound (HFUS) imaging in observing the internal structures of the body, the present study aimed to verify the possibility of HFUS imaging to examine the depth and shape of WSLs. We prepared tooth samples and developed a biomicroscopic system with a HFUS transducer to obtain images of normal and WSL regions. HFUS images were compared with conventional ultrasound images and micro–computed tomography images. HFUS distinctly differentiated demineralization within WSL and normal regions. WSL depth calculated in the micro–computed tomography image was similar to that in HFUS. This study revealed that HFUS imaging has the potential to detect early dental caries and offer information on the invasion depth of early dental caries quantitatively.
A 5-year-old, 7.9 kg castrated male Miniature Dachsund presented with heart enlargement on radiography. The dog was asymptomatic. Echocardiography revealed a tubular structure running along the ...posterior wall of the left atrium and connecting to the right atrium on the caudal side of the left atrium and annulus, which was presumed to be a dilated coronary sinus. After confirming a shunt between the left atrium and coronary sinus by cardiovascular catheterization, an unroofed coronary sinus was diagnosed. Open-heart surgery using cardiopulmonary bypass was performed through left atriotomy. The defect between the left atrium and the coronary sinus was closed by suturing. The cardiac enlargement improved after surgery. The dog was still alive 1227 days after surgery without clinical signs.
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