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Abstract: In this work, highly active and stable platinum–palladium core–shell nanoflowers supported on sulfur‐doped graphene (PtPd‐NF/SG) with a polyol reduction method are synthesized. Platinum is decorated on palladium seeds to form core–shell structured floral petals to improve surface activity and give high electrochemically active surface area and stability. The catalyst is deposited on sulfur‐doped graphene to induce highly favorable catalyst‐support interactions to ensure long‐term electrochemical stability. The specific activity and mass activity of the synthesized core–shell nanocatalysts are 3.2 and 4.7 times higher than commercial Pt/C toward oxygen reduction reaction, respectively. After 10 000 testing cycles, the mass and specific activity of the catalyst is ≈25 and ≈18 times higher than the Pt/C benchmark catalyst, respectively. The enhanced electrochemical activity and excellent stability of PtPd‐NF/SG can be attributed to the 2D core–shell nanoflower structure, weak binding of hydroxyl groups to the platinum metal deposited on palladium, and robust sulfur‐doped graphene support. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aims of this study were to measure and describe the oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) and to identify the complications caused by partial removable dental prosthesis (RDPs) in patients 1-5 years after treatment. Complications were identified in 65 patients who were treated with 83 RDPs (48 upper, 35 lower). OHRQoL was measured using the OHIP-49 before treatment and at the baseline (1-2 months after treatment) and follow-up (1-5 years after treatment) examinations. The types and numbers of oral problems that were experienced were described based on OHIP items with a score of 3 and 4. A significant improvement (P < 0·05) in the total OHIP-49 was registered from pre-treatment (mean 42, SD ± 37) to baseline (mean 29, SD ± 27) and from pre-treatment to 1-5 years after treatment (mean 32, SD ± 30). There was no significant difference between the baseline and 1- to 5-year follow-up examinations. Problems with eating and appearance registered at pre-treatment were improved at baseline and after 1-5 years. Problems with dentures that had been registered pre-treatment were improved at baseline but reoccurred after 1-5 years. The two most frequent complications were ill-fitting RDPs and inflammation of the oral mucosa, followed less frequently by fractures of the clasps. Treatment with RDPs improved OHRQoL, but denture-related problems partly remained, and new problems related to RDPs occurred 1-5 years after treatment. The two most frequent complications were ill-fitting RDPs and inflammation of the oral mucosa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT The ease of use and versatility of the Baculovirus Expression Vector System (BEVS) has made it one of the most widely used systems for recombinant protein production However, co-expression systems currently in use mainly make use of the very strong very late p10 and polyhedron (polh) promoters to drive expression of foreign genes, which does not provide much scope for tailoring expression ratios within the cell. This work demonstrates the use of different Autographa californica multicapsid nucleopolyhedrovirus (AcMNPV) promoters to control the timing and expression of two easily traceable fluorescent proteins, the enhanced green fluorescent protein (eGFP), and a red fluorescent protein (DsRed2) in a BEVS co-expression system. Our results show that gene expression levels can easily be controlled using this strategy, and also that modulating the expression level of one protein can influence the level of expression of the other protein within the system, thus confirming the concept of genes 'competing' for limited cellular resources. Plots of 'expression ratios' of the two model genes over time were obtained, and may be used in future work to tightly control timing and levels of foreign gene expression in an insect cell co-expression system. Biotechnol. Bioeng. 2015;112: 1822-1831. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim was to validate self-perceived oral health with salivary IgG as an inflammatory parameter in children with type 1 diabetes. Unstimulated whole saliva samples were collected from 36 children with well controlled and 12 with poorly controlled type 1 diabetes and 40 non-diabetic children (Controls). Salivary flow rate, random blood glucose level, salivary protein concentration and immunoglobulin A and G levels were recorded using standard techniques. Data concerning oral health and diabetes status were collected. Self-perceived gingival bleeding (bleeding gums), bad breath and dry mouth were higher in diabetic children when compared with those in controls ( P < 0·05). Gingival bleeding was frequently perceived by children with poorly controlled compared to well-controlled type 1 diabetes ( P < 0·05) and controls ( P < 0·001). Bad breath was common perceived by children with poorly controlled compared to well-controlled type 1 diabetes ( P < 0·05) and controls ( P < 0·0001). Salivary flow rate was lower in the diabetic children compared to controls ( P < 0·01) with no difference between children with poorly controlled and well-controlled type 1 diabetes. Salivary IgG per mg protein concentration was higher in the diabetics when compared with the control group ( P < 0·0001). IgG per mg protein levels were also higher in children with poorly controlled when compared with well-controlled type 1 diabetes ( P < 0·05). There was no difference in IgA per mg protein and total protein concentrations between children with poorly controlled and well-controlled type 1 diabetes. Self-perceived gingival bleeding and salivary IgG per mg protein concentration were increased in children with type 1 diabetes compared with controls. These variables were also increased in children with poorly controlled compared with well-controlled type 1 diabetes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The lack of efficient strategies to address the intrinsic activity, site accessibility, and structural stability issues of metal‐carbon hybrid catalysts is restricting their real‐world implementation on the basis of rechargeable zinc–air batteries. Herein, a dual metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) pyrolysis strategy is developed to regulate the intrinsic activity and porous structure of the derived catalysts, where a Fe2Ni_MIL‐88@ZnCo_zeolitic imidazolate framework (ZIF), with a hierarchically porous structure, multifunctional components, and an integrated architecture, acts as an ideal precursor to obtain multimetal based porous nanorod (FeNiCo@NC‐P). Benefitting from the synergetic effect of the multimetal components, facilitated reactant accessibility, and the well‐retained integrated structure, the resultant FeNiCo@NC‐P catalyst exhibits an oxygen reduction reaction half‐wave potential of 0.84 V as well as an oxygen evolution reaction potential of 1.54 V at 10 mA cm–2. Furthermore, the practical application of FeNiCo@NC‐P in the zinc–air battery displays a low voltage gap and long‐term durability (over 130 h at a current density of 10 mA cm–2), which outperforms the commercial noble metal benchmarks. This work not only affords a competitive bifunctional oxygen electrocatalyst for zinc–air batteries but also paves a new way to design and fabricate MOF‐derived materials with tunable catalytic properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]