Background and Aims
Type 2 diabetes is an important risk factor for nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and advanced fibrosis. Current international guidelines recommend the use of noninvasive ...tests as initial assessments for NAFLD, but the role of noninvasive tests as monitoring tools has not been established. We aimed to study the role of transient elastography as a monitoring tool in patients with type 2 diabetes.
Approach and Results
We recruited patients with type 2 diabetes without viral hepatitis or excessive alcohol intake from a complication screening facility in Hong Kong in 2013‐2014 and repeated the assessments in 2016‐2018. The primary endpoint was an increase of liver stiffness measurement (LSM) to ≥10 kPa. The secondary endpoint was the change in the controlled attenuation parameter (CAP). A total of 611 patients with type 2 diabetes and a valid LSM (mean age, 57.7 ± 10.9 years; 342 men 56.0%) were included in this study (568 also had a valid CAP). Overall, there was moderate correlation between the baseline and follow‐up LSM (r = 0.689, P < 0.001). Among 487 patients with a baseline LSM <10 kPa, 21 (4.3%) had a follow‐up LSM ≥10 kPa. Baseline body mass index, alanine aminotransferase (ALT), and ∆ALT were independent factors associated with LSM increase. Among 124 patients with a baseline LSM ≥10 kPa, 70 (56.5%) had a follow‐up LSM <10 kPa. Among 198 patients with a CAP <248 dB/m at baseline, 103 (52.0%) had a CAP increased to ≥248 dB/m.
Conclusions
The prevalence and incidence of NAFLD in patients with type 2 diabetes are high. Although advanced fibrosis is common in this population, few patients progress to advanced fibrosis in 3 years. Future studies should define the optimal surveillance interval in patients with diabetes.
Recently, a group of hepatologists proposed to rename non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) as metabolic associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) with modified diagnostic criteria. We aimed to ...study the impact of the new definition on the epidemiology of fatty liver disease.
We randomly selected 1013 adults from the Hong Kong census database for clinical assessment, proton-magnetic resonance spectroscopy, and transient elastography. Five hundred sixty-five subjects without fatty liver at baseline underwent follow-up assessment. MAFLD was diagnosed as intrahepatic triglyceride content (IHTG) ≥5% and the presence of overweight/obesity, diabetes, or two other metabolic risk factors, with and without concomitant liver diseases. The diagnosis of NAFLD required the exclusion of concomitant liver diseases; metabolic factors were not considered.
The population prevalence of MAFLD and NAFLD was 25.9% (95% CI 23.2-28.7%) and 25.7% (95% CI 23.1-28.5%), respectively. Among 277 subjects with IHTG ≥5%, 247 (89.2%) fulfilled both the definitions of MAFLD and NAFLD. Fourteen subjects (5.1%) had IHTG ≥5% but did not meet the metabolic criteria of MAFLD. The incidence of MAFLD was 2.8 per 100 person-years at a median interval of 47 months (range 34-60 months). Among 78 subjects with incident NAFLD, 59 (75.6%) met the criteria of MAFLD; only one of the latter, a regular drinker, had liver stiffness ≥10 kPa.
The new definition of MAFLD does not significantly change the prevalence compared with NAFLD, but it may reduce the incidence by 25%. People with hepatic steatosis but not fulfilling the definition of MAFLD unlikely have significant liver disease.
•18 compositionally-complex (medium- and high-entropy) pyrochlore oxides fabricated.•Mixing of cations at A- and/or B-sites leads to reduced thermal conductivity.•Thermal conductivity correlates well ...with a modified size disorder parameter.•A new descriptor proposed for designing low-k medium- and high-entropy ceramics.•Medium-entropy ceramics can outperform their high-entropy counterparts.
High-entropy ceramics generally exhibit reduced thermal conductivity, but little is known about what controls this suppression and which descriptor can predict it. Herein, 22 single-phase pyrochlores were examined. Up to 35% reductions in thermal conductivity were achieved in medium- and high-entropy compositions with retained moduli, thereby attaining insulative yet stiff properties for thermal barrier coating applications. Notably, the measured thermal conductivity correlates well with a modified size disorder parameter δSize*, thereby suggesting the importance of severe lattice distortion. Thus, this δSize* is suggested as a useful descriptor for designing thermally-insulative compositionally-complex ceramics, where medium-entropy ceramics can outperform their high-entropy counterparts.
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A novel isoquinoline‐containing C^N^C ligand and its phosphorescent triphenylamine‐based alkynylgold(III) dendrimers have been synthesized. These alkynylgold(III) dendrimers serve as phosphorescent ...dopants in the fabrication of efficient solution‐processable organic light‐emitting devices (OLEDs). The photophysical, electrochemical, and electroluminescence properties were studied. A saturated red emission with CIE coordinates of (0.64, 0.36) and a high EQE value of 3.62 % were achieved. Unlike other red‐light‐emitting iridium(III) dendrimers, a low turn‐on voltage of less than 3 V and a reduced efficiency roll‐off at high current densities were observed; this can be accounted for by the enhanced carrier transporting ability and the relatively short lifetimes in the high‐generation dendrimers. This class of alkynylgold(III) dendrimers are promising candidates as phosphorescent dopants in the fabrication of solution‐processable OLEDs.
A new class of alkynylgold(III) dendrimers has been successfully synthesized and applied as phosphorescent dopants in the fabrication of red‐light‐emitting solution‐processable organic light‐emitting devices (OLEDs; see figure). OLEDs with saturated red emission and CIE coordinates of (0.64, 0.36) as well as a very low turn‐on voltage have been demonstrated.
Tris (dibenzylideneacetone) dipalladium (Tris DBA), a small‐molecule palladium complex, can inhibit cell growth and proliferation in pancreatic cancer, lymphocytic leukaemia and multiple myeloma. ...Given that this compound is particularly active against B‐cell malignancies, we have been suggested that it can alleviate immune complexes (ICs)–mediated conditions, especially IgA nephropathy (IgAN). The therapeutic effects of Tris DBA on glomerular cell proliferation and renal inflammation and mechanism of action were examined in a mouse model of IgAN. Treatment of IgAN mice with Tris DBA resulted in markedly improved renal function, albuminuria and renal pathology, including glomerular cell proliferation, neutrophil infiltration, sclerosis and periglomerular inflammation in the renal interstitium, together with (Clin J Am Soc Nephrol. 2011, 6, 1301‐1307) reduced mitochondrial ROS generation; (Am J Physiol‐Renal Physiol. 2011. 301, F1218‐F1230) differentially regulated autophagy and NLRP3 inflammasome; (Clin J Am Soc Nephrol. 2012, 7, 427‐436) inhibited phosphorylation of JNK, ERK and p38 MAPK signalling pathways, and priming signal of the NLRP3 inflammasome; and (Free Radic Biol Med. 2013, 61, 285‐297) blunted NLRP3 inflammasome activation through SIRT1‐ and SIRT3‐mediated autophagy induction, in renal tissues or cultured macrophages. In conclusion, Tris DBA effectively ameliorated the mouse IgAN model and targeted signalling pathways downstream of ICs‐mediated interaction, which is a novel immunomodulatory strategy. Further development of Tris DBA as a therapeutic candidate for IgAN is warranted.
A new phosphorescent material of cyclometalated alkynylgold(III) complex, Au(2,5-F2C6H3−C∧N∧C)(CC−C6H4N(C6H5)2-p) (1) (2,5-F2C6H3−HC∧N∧CH = 2,6-diphenyl-4-(2,5-difluorophenyl)pyridine), has been ...synthesized, characterized, and its device performance investigated. This luminescent gold(III) complex was found to exhibit rich PL and EL properties and has been utilized as phosphorescent dopants of OLEDs. At an optimized dopant concentration of 4%, a device with a maximum external quantum efficiency (EQE) of 11.5%, corresponding to a current efficiency of 37.4 cd/A and a power efficiency of 26.2 lm/W, has been obtained. Such a high EQE is comparable to that of Ir(ppy)3-based devices. The present work suggests that the alkynylgold(III) complex is a promising phosphorescent material in terms of both efficiency and thermal stability, with the additional advantages of its relatively inexpensive cost and low toxicity.
CD26, dipeptidyl peptidase IV, was discovered firstly as a membrane-associated peptidase on the surface of leukocyte. We previously demonstrated that a subpopulation of CD26+ cells were associated ...with the development of distant metastasis, enhanced invasiveness and chemoresistance in colorectal cancer (CRC). In order to understand the clinical impact of CD26, the expression was investigated in CRC patient's specimens. This study investigated the prognostic significance of tumour CD26 expression in patients with CRC. Examination of CD26+ cells has significant clinical impact for the prediction of distant metastasis development in colorectal cancer, and could be used as a selection criterion for further therapy.
Tumour CD26 expression levels were studied by immunohistochemistry using Formalin-fixed paraffin embedded (FFPE) tissues in 143 patients with CRC. Tumour CD26 expression levels were correlated with clinicopathological features of the CRC patients. The prognostic significance of tumour tissue CD26 expression levels was assessed by univariate and multivariate analyses.
CD26 expression levels in CRC patients with distant metastasis were significantly higher than those in non-metastatic. High expression levels of CD26 were significantly associated with advanced tumour staging. Patients with a high CD26 expression level had significantly worse overall survival than those with a lower level (p<0.001).
The expression of CD26 was positively associated with clinicopathological correlation such as TNM staging, degree of differentiation and development of metastasis. A high CD26 expression level is a predictor of poor outcome after resection of CRC. CD26 may be a useful prognostic marker in patients with CRC.
A series of discrete decanuclear gold(l) μ₃-sulfido complexes with alkyl chains of various lengths on the aminodiphosphine ligands, AU₁₀{Ph₂PN(CnH₂n₊₁)PPh₂}₄(μ₃-S)₄(ClO₄)₂, has been synthesized and ...characterized. These complexes have been shown to form supramolecular nanoaggregate assemblies upon solvent modulation. The photoluminescence (PL) colors of the nanoaggregates can be switched from green to yellow to red by varying the solvent systems from which they are formed. The PL color variation was investigated and correlated with the nanostructured morphological transformation from the spherical shape to the cube as observed by transmission electron microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. Such variations in PL colors have not been observed in their analogous complexes with short alkyl chains, suggesting that the long alkyl chains would play a key role in governing the supramolecular nanoaggregate assembly and the emission properties of the decanuclear gold(l) sulfido complexes. The long hydrophobic alkyl chains are believed to induce the formation of supramolecular nanoaggregate assemblies with different morphologies and packing densities under different solvent systems, leading to a change in the extent of Au(l)-Au(l) interactions, rigidity, and emission properties.
Objectives
According to the mental health service recommendations from WHO, self-care is the basis for tackling psychological concerns. Although self-esteem has been a symbolic self-driven ...psychological factor that could generate significant positive well-being and associated with physical activity (PA), self-esteem’s negative effects have been criticized by the advocation of self-compassion (SC). Therefore, with both PA and SC have been found to be effective in achieving positive psychological health, they are expected to show a relationship to cope with people’s mental health problems.
Methods
To fully study the relationship, a concrete systematic review and meta-analysis were conducted to review the relationship between PA and SC. The meta-analysis outcome was obtained by the pooled correlation coefficient using the random effects model, and meta-regression with mixed-effect models were used to determine the moderate effects.
Results
A total of 25 studies, with
n
= 5622 samples, were included. Ten studies examined the association between PA and SC; five studies examined the association between PA regulation and SC; and six RCT studies and four single group repeated measure studies examined the effect of PA on SC. The random effects model demonstrated a significant effect size on the overall relationship between PA and SC (
r
= 0.26), with significant heterogeneity. Subgroup analysis showed the significant effect sizes on four types of relationship, with
r
= 0.19,
r
= 0.273 and
r
= 0.34,
r
= 0.273, respectively. All potential sources of heterogeneity, including age, gender, study design and risk of bias, showed no moderating effect on the relationship.
Conclusion
The relationship between PA and SC was significant while investigating the effect of non-mind-and-body interventions and constructing a mechanism of PA and SC can be done as future implications.
The overall prognosis of colorectal cancer (CRC) patients is unsatisfactory due to cancer metastasis after operation. This study aims to investigate the clinical significance of plasma osteopontin ...(OPN) levels as minimally invasive, predictive, and surrogate biomarkers for prognosis of CRC patients.
This randomized study design consists of pre-operative and post-operative plasma samples from a total of 79 patients. We determined plasma levels of OPN by ELISA and examined their correlation with the clinicopathological parameters of CRC patients. The effects of endogenous and exogenous OPN on CRC metastasis were investigated by examination of the effect on regulators of epithelial to messenchymal transition and migration assay.
Our findings demonstrated for the first time the clinical correlation of plasma OPN with metastasis of CRC patients. High post-operative plasma OPN level (>153.02 ng/ml) associated with development of metastasis after curative resection (p<0.001). Moreover, post-operative plasma OPN level correlated with disease-free survival of CRC patients (p=0.009) and was an independent factor for predicting development of metastasis in CRC patients after curative resection (p=0.036). Our in vitro model showed that OPN ectopic expression induced DLD1 cell migration through Snail and Twist1 overexpression and E-cadherin repression, and secretory OPN level enhanced cell migration.
The results of the current study suggest that post-operative plasma OPN correlated with post-operative metastasis, suggesting that it is a potential non-invasive biomarker for the development of future metastasis in CRC patients. In addition, OPN was shown to be involved in the metastatic process and thus inhibition of OPN is a potential therapeutic approach to treat CRC patients.
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