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Background/aims Direct‐acting antivirals (DAAs) are highly effective in treating chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV)‐infected patients. The real‐world treatment outcome in Taiwanese patients on a nationwide basis is elusive. Methods The Taiwan HCV Registry (TACR) programme is a nationwide registry platform including 48 study sites, which is organized and supervised by the Taiwan Association for the Study of the Liver. The primary endpoint was sustained virological response (SVR12, undetectable HCV RNA 12 weeks after end‐of‐treatment). Results A total of 13 951 registered patients with SVR12 data available were analysed (mean age, 63.0 years; female, 55.9%; HCV genotype‐1 [GT1], 57.9%; cirrhosis, 38.4%; preexisting hepatocellular carcinoma [HCC], 10.6%; and hepatitis B virus coinfection, 7.7%). The overall SVR12 rate was 98.3%, with 98.7%, 98.0%, 98.4% and 97.4% in treatment‐naïve noncirrhotic, treatment‐naïve cirrhotic, treatment‐experienced noncirrhotic and treatment‐experienced cirrhotic patients, respectively. The SVR12 rate was > 95% across all subgroups except treatment‐experienced cirrhotic patients who received sofosbuvir/ribavirin (88.7%), treatment‐naïve noncirrhotic patients (94.8%) and treatment‐experienced cirrhotic (94.8%) patients who received daclatasvir/asunaprevir. The most important factor associated with treatment failure was DAA adherence

This study aimed to evaluate the impact of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection on metabolic parameters in a longitudinal follow-up manner. From August 2013 to August 2019, a community-based prospective study of H. pylori and metabolic syndrome (MetS) was performed in the northeastern region of Taiwan. A total of 1865 subjects were divided into four groups according to the serial results of urea breath test (UBT): new H. pylori infection (group 1, n = 41), null H. pylori infection (group 2, n = 897), loss of H. pylori infection (group 3, n = 369), and persistent H. pylori infection (group 4, n = 558). When comparing the subjects between groups 1 and 2, HBA1c was associated with a new H. pylori infection. Body mass index (BMI) was associated with a loss of H. pylori when comparing subjects between groups 3 and 4. Elevated HBA1c and high-density lipoprotein (HDL) levels but lower values of cholesterol and white blood cells (WBCs) were found during serial analyses within group 3. Conclusively, HBA1c was associated with a new H. pylori infection. BMI was associated with H. pylori loss. Increased HBA1c and HDL values but decreased values of cholesterol and WBC were associated with a loss of H. pylori infection.

Although the distribution of progestagens in aquatic environments has been widely reported, details on their uptake, elimination, and biotransformation in fish have received little attention. This study investigated the uptake, elimination, and biotransformation potential of a progestagen, cyproterone acetate (CPTA), in Nile tilapia ( Oreochromis niloticus) exposed to an environmentally relevant concentration under semistatic regimes. CPTA in tilapia tissues followed a similar pattern, reaching a concentration plateau within 4 days of exposure, and dropping to below limits of quantitation within 4 days of elimination. The calculated steady-state bioconcentration factors suggest a low bioconcentration potential of CPTA in juvenile tilapia. Results of enzymatic hydrolysis treatments revealed that no conjugates of CPTA were present in tissues, but conjugated biotransformation products of CPTA were found in bile, liver, and muscle. Most CPTA entered tissues and then was biotransformed into seven different products by phase I and phase II metabolism. The concentrations of endogenous cortisol were significantly influenced by CPTA in plasma and liver during the uptake period. These findings suggest that biotransformation products of CPTA should be considered for the assessment of the bioconcentration potential and ecological effects of progestagens.

A new Keggin-type heteropolyoxometalates compound, {[Cd(DMA)4]2(bibp)(SiW12O40)}n (1), (DMA = N, N-dimethylacetamide, bibp = 4,4′-bis(1-imidazolyl) biphenyl) has been synthesized and characterized by single-crystal X-ray diffraction, IR spectrum, elemental analysis, powder X-ray diffraction, thermogravimetric (TG) analysis and electrochemical analysis. Compound 1 is crystallized in orthorhombic with Pbca space group. The [SiW12O40]4− anions and bibp ligands are linked by coordinated Cd2+ ions alternately into a zigzag-like chain, and the chains are extended into a three-dimensional (3D) framework by the C–H···O hydrogen bonds. The cyclic voltammetry analyses show that compound 1 presences of W-centered reversible redox processes and that 1 has electrocatalytic activities towards the reduction of nitrite.

The diblock copolymer polystyrene-block-poly(N-methyl 4-vinylpyridine iodide) (PS-b-P4VPQ) with the molecular weight of PS 3.5 × 103 g/mol and P4VPQ 11.6 × 103 g/mol forms core-shell polymer micelles in aqueous solution. The cationic brush shell of the polymer micelle can be used to accommodate hydrophilic drugs and biomolecules, such as DNA, for biomedical applications. It is essential to understand how biomolecules are adsorbed within the brush layer. Here we investigated the interaction of the cationic brush of the polymer micelle with DNA by small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). It is found when adding only relatively small amounts of on average 30 base pairs (bp) DNA, at 19.6 and 39.2 μM for 0.1 mM PS-b-P4VPQ, most of the polymer micelle/DNA complexes remain well dispersed. The brush layer of the polymer micelles are slightly swelled due to the adsorption of DNA within the brush layer. When the DNA concentration is increased to 58.8 μM or higher, the polymer micelle/DNA complexes form closely packed agglomerates. At high DNA concentrations, some adsorbed DNA will start to build up at the edge or surface of the brush layer which could induce aggregation of the polymer micelle/DNA complexes. This means that it is possible to prepare mostly dispersed polymer/DNA complexes by keeping the DNA concentration below the aggregation concentration. The well dispersed polymer micelle/DNA complexes are advantageous for many DNA related biomedical applications.

Background Although men carry a higher risk of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) than women, it is still controversial whether men also have a poorer postoperative prognosis. A retrospective study was conducted to evaluate the postoperative prognostic predictors of HCC focusing on sex differences. Methods We enrolled 516 consecutive adult patients with HCC (118 women, 398 men), who received surgical resection between January 2000 and December 2007, and were followed-up for >10 years. Clinical and laboratory data together with postoperative outcomes were reviewed. Results At baseline, female patients had a higher anti-hepatitis C virus antibody prevalence (P = 0.002); lower hepatitis B virus surface antigen prevalence (P = 0.006); less microvascular invasion (P = 0.019); and lower alpha-fetoprotein (P = 0.023), bilirubin (P = 0.002), and alanine transaminase (P = 0.001) levels. Overall, there were no significant sex differences in terms of intrahepatic recurrence-free survival (RFS), distant metastasis-free survival (MFS), and overall survival (OS). However, subgroup analysis showed that women had favorable RFS (P = 0.019) and MFS (P = 0.034) in patients with alpha-fetoprotein ≤ 35 ng/mL, independent of other clinical variables (adjusted P = 0.008 and 0.043, respectively). Additionally, men had favorable OS in patients with prothrombin time (international normalized ratio [INR])

BACKGROUND Our preliminary data showed a slight decrease of estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) after direct-acting antivirals (DAAs) treatment in chronic hepatitis C (CHC). However, long-term outcome of renal evolution after DAAs has not been well documented. AIM To assess the renal function under DAAs treatment in CHC patients of an Asian population at 6 months and 1 year after complete treatment. METHODS A cohort of 1536 CHC patients who received therapies with DAAs were analyzed. Serial eGFR levels at 24 weeks after treatment (SVR24) and 48 weeks after treatment (SVR48) were evaluated. We compared eGFR at baseline, SVR12, SVR24 and SVR48, and defined renal function deterioration as decrease of eGFR >25% from baseline to SVR24 and SVR48. RESULTS Overall, there was decline of eGFR from SVR12 to SVR48 in all patients (84.30 ± 27.00 -> 73.20 ± 28.67 mL/min/1.73m2, p

Antiviral therapy for chronic hepatitis C (CHC) infection using pegylated interferon and ribavirin (PR) therapy can reduce the risk of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Our study developed a new scoring method for predicting HCC risk after PR therapy. Between 2002 and 2016, 743 PR-treated patients with CHC were enrolled. Significant predictors for HCC were identified using multiple Cox regression analysis in study cohort: treatment age ≥60 years (hazard ratio [HR]: 2.04, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.3-3.7), pretreatment bilirubin ≥1.1 mg/dL (HR: 1.99, 95% CI = 1.08-3.67), α-fetoprotein ≥7.9 ng/mL (HR: 2.44, 95% CI = 1.16-5.32), no sustained virological response (SVR; HR: 1.91, 95% CI = 1.05-3.45), and baseline cirrhosis (HR: 4.45, 95% CI = 2.07-9.73). These predictors form the new HCC prediction scoring method with an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.884, sensitivity of 86.2%, and specificity of 74%. In patients with CHC and SVR, the cumulative incidence of HCC at 5 and 10 years was 16.7% and 30.4%, respectively, in patients with high risk scores and 1.2% and 4.2%, respectively, in patients with low risk scores (

Hanatoxin (HaTx) from spider venom works as an inhibitor of Kv2.1 channels, most likely by interacting with the voltage sensor (VS). However, the way in which this water-soluble peptide modifies the gating remains poorly understood as the VS is deeply embedded within the bilayer, although it would change its position depending on the membrane potential. To determine whether HaTx can indeed bind to the VS, the depth at which HaTx penetrates into the POPC membranes was measured with neutron reflectivity. Our results successfully demonstrate that HaTx penetrates into the membrane hydrocarbon core (∼9 Å from the membrane surface), not lying on the membrane-water interface as reported for another voltage sensor toxin (VSTx). This difference in penetration depth suggests that the two toxins fix the voltage sensors at different positions with respect to the membrane normal, thereby explaining their different inhibitory effects on the channels. In particular, results from MD simulations constrained by our penetration data clearly demonstrate an appropriate orientation for HaTx to interact with the membranes, which is in line with the biochemical information derived from stopped-flow analysis through delineation of the toxin-VS binding interface.

Ching-Chih Hu,1,2 Cheng-Hao Weng,2,3 Liang-Che Chang,4 Chih-Lang Lin,1,2 Yen-Ting Chen,1 Ching-Fang Hu,5 Man-Chin Hua,2,6 Li-Wei Chen,1 Rong-Nan Chien2,7 1Department of Hepatogastroenterology, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Keelung, Taiwan; 2College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Linkou, Taiwan; 3Department of Nephrology and Poison Center, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Linkou, Taiwan; 4Department of Pathology, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Keelung, Taiwan; 5Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Keelung, Taiwan; 6Department of Pediatrics, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Keelung, Taiwan; 7Department of Hepatogastroenterology, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Linkou, Taiwan Purpose: Eradication of chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) after interferon-based therapy and its association with the reduction of risk of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in HCV-infected patients with advanced fibrosis is controversial. The study is aimed to develop a simple scoring model for HCC prediction among advanced fibrotic chronic hepatitis C (CHC) patients after pegylated interferon (pegIFN) and ribavirin (RBV) therapy. Patients and methods: We enrolled 271 biopsy-proven CHC patients with advanced fibrosis between 2003 and 2016, and divided them into non-HCC (n=211) and HCC (n=60) groups. The median observation duration was 6.0 years (range: 0.9–12.6 years). Results: The HCC prevalence after pegIFN and RBV therapy in CHC patients with sustained virologic response (SVR) and without SVR was 14.7% and 32.2%, respectively. Multivariate Cox regression showed age ≥59.5 years old at initiation of therapy (HR: 2.542, 95% CI: 1.390–4.650, P=0.002), pretreatment total bilirubin ≥1.1 mg/dL (HR: 2.630, 95% CI: 1.420–4.871, P=0.002), pretreatment platelet counts

Background Di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) is commonly used as a plasticizer in many medical devices. We previously showed that maternal DEHP exposure led to restricted growth and delayed lung maturation in newborn rats. As oxygen toxicity continues to be a major risk factor for bronchopulmonary dysplasia, the aim of this study was to examine the effect of hyperoxia, DEHP or DEHP combined with hyperoxia on the growth and lung maturation of newborn rats. Methods Newborn rats received DEHP injection, hyperoxia exposure or DEHP injection combined with hyperoxia exposure for one week or two weeks. A control group received an equal volume of vehicle and was maintained in room air. Results Hyperoxia and hyperoxia + DEHP exposure for one week led to growth failure in newborn rats. Pups in the hyperoxia group showed catch-up growth after being maintained in room air for an additional 7 days but this was not the case with the latter group, which continued to receive DEHP. Hyperoxia and DEHP both delayed lung development, as evidenced by decreased radial alveolar count. Quantitative RT-PCR showed that hyperoxia decreased the transcripts of VEGF, VEGFR-2 and eNOS on days 7 and 14, and DEHP exposure alone also led to decreased expression of VEGF gene in 14-day-old rat pups. Conclusion Postnatal hyperoxia and/or DEHP exposure lead to growth restriction and delayed lung alveolar development. The VEGF gene expression was altered and may be involved as one of the possible molecular mechanisms.

Microplastic fibers originating from fishing ropes and nets are persistent and ubiquitous marine environmental pollutants that pose potentially threat to the health of aquatic species. Therefore, assessing their potential effects on marine biota has become an urgent research topic. In this study, the fate of fibers ingested by L. calcarifer and its consequence on intestine health were analyzed. A total of 150 fish was fed with polyethylene (PE) fibers at 1% concentration for 56 days. Retention of fibers, oxidative stress indicator malondialdehyde (MDA), intestinal permeability indicator diamine oxidase (DAO), intestine microbiome modulation and histological damage were evaluated. The results indicated that the consumption of fibers-contained food did not influence the growth of the fish. Low retention of fibers was observed, indicating effective elimination of fibers from the body of the fish and no significant accumulation after successive exposure. However, intestine oxidative stress was observed, indicated by an up regulation of MDA level. Whereases, DAO level was not influenced by the treatment. Fiber exposure induced intestine microbiome dysbiosis by decreasing alpha diversity especially community richness and inhibiting the growth of Lactobacillus and short-chain fatty acid producing bacteria. Lactobacillus reuteri and L. intestinalis were inhibited significantly, we suggested they can be sensitive indicators for fibers toxicity evaluation in future studies. Slight intestinal damage was observed after the feeding period. We concluded that dietary exposure to PE fibers did not induce acute harm to L. calcarifer. However, chronic effects were observed after the feeding period, including oxidative stress, intestine microbiome alterations, and intestinal damage. These findings provide valuable data for ecological risks assessment of fishing rope fiber in the marine environment.

A layer compound, [Cd2(bibp)2.5(DMA)3(DMF) 2 (SiW12O40)]n (1), which was synthesized via a self-assembly procedure by the reaction of silicotungstic acid, cadmium ion and bichelate-bridging ligand (4,4′-bis(imidazolyl)biphenyl, bibp) in the solution of DMF and DMA, has been characterized by IR, elemental analysis, TGA, X-ray single crystal diffractometer and electrochemistry. Single crystal structure analysis shows that the structure for 1 represents hoop-club chains by the cadmium ions and the bibp ligands, extends to layers by the [SiW12O40]4− polyanions and further spreads to 3D by hydrogen bond via the bridge oxygen atoms in [SiW12O40]4− units. The electrochemical investigation shows that compound 1 exhibits POM-based electro-catalytic behavior for the reduction of nitrite.

Langmuir-Blodgett monolayers of thiolated gold nanoparticles mixed with dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine/sodium dodecyl sulfate (DPPC/SDS) were investigated by combining the X-ray reflectivity, grazing-incident scattering, and TEM analyses to reveal the in-depth and in-plane organization and the 2D morphology of such mixed monolayers. It was found that the addition of a charged single-tail surfactant to the thiolated Au nanoparticle monolayer helps to stabilize the Au nanoparticle monolayer and to strengthen the mechanical property of the mixed monolayer film. For mixing with lipids, it was found that the thiolated gold nanoparticles could be pushed on top of the lipid monolayer when the mixed monolayer is compressed. At a typical comparable total surface area ratio of gold nanoparticle to lipid, the thiolated gold nanoparticles could form a uniform domain on top of the DPPC monolayer. When there are more thiolated gold nanoparticles than that could be supported by the lipid monolayer, domain overlapping could occur to form bilayer gold nanoparticle domains at some regions. At low total surface area ratio of thiolated gold nanoparticle to lipid, the thiolated gold nanoparticles tend to form a connected threadlike aggregation structure. Evidently, the morphology of the thiolated gold nanoparticle monolayer is highly depending on the total surface area ratio of the thiolated gold nanoparticle to lipid. SDS is found to have a dispersion power capable of dispersing the originally uniform Au-8C nanoparticle domain of the mixed Au-8C/DPPC monolayer into a foamlike structure for the mixed Au-8C/SDS/DPPC monolayer. It is evident that not only the concentration ratio but also the size and shape of the template formed by the amphiphilic molecules and their interaction with the thiolated gold nanoparticles can all have great effects on the organizational structure as well as morphology of the thiolated gold nanoparticle monolayer.

In this research, transesterification of waste cooking oil has been studied. The cucurbit[7]uril-protected Cs 2.5 H 0.5 PW 12 O 40 (CsPW-CB[7]) is prepared as a highly efficient catalyst for the direct biodiesel production via the transesterification of waste cooking oil. The CsPW-CB[7] is characterized by X-ray diffraction, FT-IR. Besides, response surface methodology (RSM) was used to optimize the operating parameters on the conversion rate of waste cooking oil. In addition, the maximum conversion rate could reach 95.1% under the optimum experimental conditions that are catalyst of 2 wt%, methanol/oil molar ratio of 11: 1, reaction time of 150 min and temperature of 70 °C. According to the assumption of pseudo-first order reaction, the activation energy of the reaction was calculated as 36.0 kJ mol −1 , indicating the reaction is easy to react. The physicochemical properties of biodiesel product could reach the ASTM D6751 standard. The results indicated that the CsPW-CB[7] catalyst showed good catalytic performance and its excellent potential application in biodiesel production. Also, based on the coded parameters, the quadratic regression model with determined coefficients was presented. In addition, the model is significant according to the ANOVA analysis and residual plots.

Magnetic β-cyclodextrin inclusion complex with phosphonobutanetricarboxylic acid (MNP-CD-PBTCA) was synthesized via step-by-step method to applied in removal of Hg2+ for the first time. TEM, SEM, XRD, TGA, FTIR, and BET proved the successful synthesis of core–shell structure of MNP-CD-PBTCA whose particle size ranged from 20 to 200 nm. In the single-factor experiments for adsorption of Hg2+, the maximum uptake capacity of MNP-CD-PBTCA attained was 77.59 mg·g–1 after 150 min of adsorption while the pH was 4 and the temperature was kept at 55 °C. Langmuir isotherm study indicated the adsorption of MNP-CD-PBTCA for Hg2+ was in agreement with monolayer theory and was rate controlled by chemisorption; chelation interaction between phosphoric acid group and Hg2+ was suggested to be the main bonding effect in adsorption. Calculated thermodynamic results demonstrated that the adsorption process was a spontaneous and endothermic reaction with entropy-production; reusability study suggested that application of MNP-...

How dipeptide repeats cause pathology A repeat expansion in the chromosome 9 open reading frame 72 ( C9orf72 ) gene is the most common known cause of two neurodegenerative diseases: frontotemporal dementia and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. This expansion leads to the abnormal production of proteins of repeating dipeptides, but their contribution to disease pathogenesis remains unclear. Zhang et al. engineered a mouse model to study the consequences of one of these dipeptides—prolinearginine dipeptide repeat protein, poly(PR)—in the brain. They found that poly(PR) caused neuron loss as well as motor and memory impairments. These detrimental effects resulted from poly(PR)-induced perturbation of heterochromatin function, a tightly packed form of DNA that represses gene expression. Science , this issue p. eaav2606

DNA machines are smart artificial devices that perform well-organized DNA hybridization reactions or nanoscale mechanical movements. Herein, a nanoscale assembly line composing of dual DNA machines is meticulously designed by coupling a catalytic hairpin assembly (CHA)-based machine with a 3D DNA walker machine. Equipped with upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs) as signal tags, the dual DNA machines-based assembly line (DDMAL) can efficiently amplify the fluorescent signal of target recognition event, enabling sensitive detection of microRNA (miRNA). In detail, once activated by target miRNA-21, the CHA machine is initiated to constantly produce a single-stranded DNA (named binding DNA) via the strand displacement reaction. The binding DNA as a trigger factor can initiate the DNA walker machine by linking a walking strand DNA with an anchor strand DNA immobilized on the surface of magnetic beads (MBs). The movement of walking strand on the surface of MBs is then driven by Mn2+-dependent DNAzyme formed through the hybridization of walking strand with a UCNPs-linked substrate strand. The DNAzyme-catalyzed cleavage of substrate strand is accompanied by the release of numerous UCNPs from MBs. By measuring the fluorescent signal of released UCNPs after the magnetic separation, target miRNA-21 can be detected by the DDMAL system in a linear range from 1.0 fM to 10 nM, with a limit of detection (LOD) of 0.62 fM (3σ). Moreover, the practicability of DDMAL system was demonstrated by using it to evaluate the expression levels of miRNA-21 in cell lines and assay miRNA-21 in human serum.

We investigated the structural evolution, atomic distribution, and alloying extent of mesostructured PtRu nanoparticles electrochemically reduced on microemulsion lyotropic liquid-crystalline (MLLC) templates on addition of heptane at varied concentrations using in situ small-angle X-ray scattering and in situ X-ray diffraction, complemented with X-ray absorption spectra and a transmission electron microscope. The structural stability of the MLLC template with heptane added is much improved compared to that of the corresponding LLC without alkane. For the duration of electrochemical reduction, a structural transition occurred from hexagonal to lamellar phase of MLLC templates when the heptane concentration was more than 8 wt %. With increasing heptane concentration, atomic distribution, and alloying extent, the CO tolerance factor of PtRu nanoparticles were considerably improved. The mesostructured PtRu nanoparticles produced on MLLC-directed templates with heptane at a concentration of 8 wt % show a stru...

Reducing the formation of inorganic scales in reuse of shale gas extraction produced-water presents a challenge for desalination systems. The effects of polyethylene glycol modified natural β-cyclodextrin as an economical and environmentally friendly inhibitor have been investigated by the static experiments, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The experimental results revealed that β-CD–PEG (polyethylene glycol modified β-cyclodextrin) achieved the maximum scaling inhibition efficiency of 89.1%, at the 180 mg/L inhibitor, 200 mg/L Ca 2 + in the thermostat water bath at 40 °C for 6 h. The results of SEM and XRD studies revealed that both the morphology and aggregation of calcium carbonate crystals had been changed, when the inhibitor was added. Moreover, the TGA further confirmed the scaling mechanism of the copolymer. When the treated water and formation water were mixed together, during the compatibility tests, the mixture was clear. Therefore, the green inhibitor could be applied to prevent the buildup of calcium carbonate for the oilfield flow back water.

The atomic structure relocation of a NiOcore–Ptshell nanocatalyst (NC) in direct methanol fuel cells for a long-term work cycle is quantitatively investigated by performing both X-ray absorption spectroscopy and electrochemical potential sweeping analyses. We found that Pt atoms in this metal-to-metal oxide junction NC tend to dissolute on reducing the domain size in a long-term DMFC work cycle in the condition of Pt > 30 at%. On the other hand, with Pt < 30%, Pt atoms are rearranged into a thin homoatomic shell at the NiO surface. Such an atomic reconfiguration is controlled by competition between dissolution and relocation of Pt/Ni atoms at varying facets. For the optimum case (Pt < 30%), the current density and the output power density of DMFC are doubled by using NiO–Ptshell NC at the anode as compared to that using a PtRu alloy.

Using Keggin heteropolyoxometalate H3PW12O40 as the template, a new host–guest POM–MOF hybrid material formulated as (CH3NH2CH3)[Cu2(TPB)2 (PW12O40)]·4DMF·6H2O (1) has been successfully synthesized under solvothermal conditions. Complex 1 is characteristic of a 3D host framework constructed from Cu+ ions and TPB ligands and containing different types of one-dimensional channels. The larger channels along the c axis are occupied by Keggin polyoxoanions as guests, while the narrower ones along the [110] direction are available to accommodate solvent molecules and counter dimethylamine cations. Complex 1 shows ultrahigh thermal stability and permanent porosity. In addition, dye adsorption and photocatalytic properties of 1 have been investigated. The results indicated that complex 1 is not only a good heterogeneous photocatalyst for the degradation of MO−, but also selectively captures MB+ from binary mixtures of MB+/MO−, MB+/R6G+ or MB+/RhB+.

Patients with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection are at a greater risk of developing insulin resistance (IR). However, little is known about when insulin sensitivity may improve during or after treatment for hepatitis C. In this study, we examined the effect of combination therapy with pegylated interferon-α and ribavirin on IR in patients with chronic HCV infection. We also analyzed factors associated with changes in insulin sensitivity. IR was estimated by homeostasis model assessment (HOMA-IR). HOMA-IR was measured before therapy, during therapy (12 and 24 weeks), and at the end of therapy (EOT; 24 or 48 weeks). We analyzed 78 HCV patients receiving combination therapy. Twenty-two patients (28.2%) exhibited pretreatment IR (HOMA-IR >2.5). In all patients, HOMA-IR was not significantly different from baseline values at 12 weeks (P = 0.823), 24 weeks (P = 0.417), or at EOT (P = 0.158). In patients with pretreatment IR, a significant decrease in HOMA-IR was observed at 12 weeks (P = 0.023), 24 weeks (P = 0.008), and at EOT (P = 0.002). Multivariate analysis using a logistic regression model showed that baseline HOMA-IR is the only factor associated with the decline in HOMA-IR during and after therapy. The eradication of HCV infection was associated with improved insulin sensitivity among patients with pretreatment IR. This significant improvement in insulin sensitivity may occur as early as 12 weeks after the initiation of antiviral therapy.

Solvothermal reaction of CdCl2·2.5H2O and 1-tetrazole-4-imidazole-benzene (Htzib) yielded a new cadmium(II) coordination polymer [Cd2Cl2(tzib)2]n·nH2O (1), which has been characterized by single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis. In 1, metal center Cd(II) ions are linked by μ2-Cl and tzib– with μ3-κ3N1:N2:N6 and μ4-κ4N1:N3:N4:N6 coordination modes into a novel 3D structure. Due to the lattice water molecules filled in the closed cages of 1, they cannot easily escape from the 3D framework. Because of this structural feature, polymer 1 displays relative high thermal stability up to ~400 °C. Moreover, luminescent properties and theoretical calculations of 1 are also discussed. Interestingly, tunable ultraviolet-to-visible emissions for 1 are observed.

Background/Purpose: Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is now a global liver disease. The fatty liver index (FLI), which is calculated by the equation comprising waist circumference, body mass index (BMI), triglyceride, and gamma glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT), is frequently used for hepatic steatosis evaluation. This study aimed to evaluate the optimal cut-off point of FLI to select subjects for abdominal ultrasonography (US) screening for NAFLD in the community. Methods: From August 2013 to August 2016, a community-based study was performed in the northeastern region of Taiwan. All subjects participated in a demographic survey, blood testing, and abdominal US. The formula for FLI is: FLI = [e 0.953×loge (TG)+0.139×BMI+0.718×loge (GGT) +0.053×waist circumference−15.745]/[1 + e 0.953×loge (TG)+0.139×BMI+0.718×loge (GGT)+0.053×waist circumference−15.745] × 100. Results: A total of 1371 subjects were included (746 in NAFLD group and 625 in the control group). The mean ages were 57.1 years in the control group and 56.3 years in the NAFLD group. The optimal cut-off points of FLI to discriminate fatty liver by abdominal US were 20 in male and 10 in female (sensitivity 80.3% and 76.1%; specificity 66.9% and 65.5%, respectively). FLI was correlated with the severity of fatty liver by abdominal US, predict fat component percent and NAFLD fibrosis score, especially in the female subjects. Conclusion: FLI could be a tool to select subjects for abdominal US in a large community survey. The cut-off point of FLI might be set to 10 for female and 20 for male subjects, to increase the sensitivity for selecting subjects to receive abdominal US. Keywords: Fatty liver, Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, Ultrasonography

Paritaprevir/ritonavir, ombitasvir, and dasabuvir (PrOD) with or without ribavirin shows favorable results in hepatitis C virus genotype 1 (HCV-1) patients in terms of safety and efficacy, but real-world data remain limited for those with advanced hepatic fibrosis (fibrosis 3, F3) or compensated cirrhosis (F4). A total of 941 patients treated in four hospitals (the Keelung, the Linkuo, the Chiayi and the Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital) through a nationwide government-funded program in Taiwan were enrolled. Patients with HCV and advanced hepatic fibrosis or compensated cirrhosis received 12 weeks of PrOD in HCV-1b and 12 or 24 weeks of PrOD plus ribavirin therapy in HCV-1a without or with cirrhosis. Advanced hepatic fibrosis or compensated cirrhosis was confirmed by either ultrasonography, fibrosis index based on 4 factors (FIB-4) test, or transient elastography/acoustic radiation force impulse (ARFI). The safety and efficacy (sustained virologic response 12 weeks off therapy, SVR12) were evaluated. An SVR12 was achieved in 887 of 898 (98.8%) patients based on the per-protocol analysis (subjects receiving ≥1 dose of any study medication and HCV RNA data available at post-treatment week 12). Child-Pugh A6 (odds ratio: 0.168; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.043–0.659, p = 0.011) was the only significant factor of poor SVR12. Fifty-four (5.7%) patients were withdrawn early from the treatment because of hepatic decompensation (n = 18, 1.9%) and other adverse reactions. Multivariate analyses identified old age (odds ratio: 1.062; 95% CI: 1.008–1.119, p = 0.024) and Child-Pugh A6 (odds ratio: 4.957; 95% CI: 1.691–14.528, p = 0.004) were significantly associated with hepatic decompensation. In conclusion, this large real-world cohort proved PrOD with or without ribavirin to be highly effective in chronic hepatitis C patients with advanced hepatic fibrosis or compensated cirrhosis. However, Child-Pugh A6 should be an exclusion criterion for first-line treatment in these patients.

Aims This study aimed to assess clinicopathologic features of transactive response DNA-binding protein of 43 kDa (TDP-43) pathology and its risk factors in multiple system atrophy (MSA). Methods Paraffin-embedded sections of the amygdala and basal forebrain from 186 autopsy-confirmed MSA cases were screened with immunohistochemistry for phospho-TDP-43. In cases having TDP-43 pathology, additional brain regions were assessed. Immunohistochemical and immunofluorescence double-staining and immunogold electron microscopy (IEM) were performed to evaluate colocalization of TDP-43 and α-synuclein. Genetic risk factors for TDP-43 pathology were also analysed. Results Immunohistochemistry showed various morphologies of TDP-43 pathology in 13 cases (7%), such as subpial astrocytic inclusions, neuronal inclusions, dystrophic neurites, perivascular inclusions and glial cytoplasmic inclusions (GCIs). Multivariable logistic regression models revealed that only advanced age, but not concurrent Alzheimer's disease, argyrophilic grain disease or hippocampal sclerosis, was an independent risk factor for TDP-43 pathology in MSA (OR: 1.11, 95% CI: 1.04-1.19, P = 0.002). TDP-43 pathology was restricted to the amygdala in eight cases and extended to the hippocampus in two cases. The remaining three cases had widespread TDP-43 pathology. Immunohistochemical and immunofluorescence double-staining and IEM revealed colocalization of α-synuclein and TDP-43 in GCIs with granule-coated filaments. Pilot genetic studies failed to show associations between risk variants of TMEM106B or GRN and TDP-43 pathology. Conclusions TDP-43 pathology is rare in MSA and occurs mainly in the medial temporal lobe. Advanced age is a risk factor for TDP-43 pathology in MSA. Colocalization of TDP-43 and α-synuclein in GCIs suggests possible direct interaction between the two molecules.

Pick disease (PiD) is a frontotemporal lobar degeneration with distinctive neuronal inclusions (Pick bodies) that are enriched in 3-repeat (3R) tau. Although mostly sporadic, mutations in the tau gene (MAPT) have been reported. We screened 24 cases of neuropathologically confirmed PiD for MAPT mutations and found a novel mutation (c.1008G>C, p.Q336H) in 1 patient. Pathogenicity was confirmed on microtubule assembly and tau filament formation assays. The patient was compared with sporadic PiD and PiD associated with MAPT mutations from a review of the literature. The patient had behavioral changes at 55 years of age, followed by reduced verbal fluency, parkinsonism, and death at 63 years of age. His mother and maternal uncle had similar symptoms. Recombinant tau with p.Q336H mutation formed filaments faster than wild-type tau, especially with 3R tau. It also promoted more microtubule assembly than wild-type tau. We conclude that mutations in MAPT, including p.Q336H, can be associated with clinical, pathologic, and biochemical features that are similar to those in sporadic PiD. The pathomechanism of p.Q336H, and another previously reported variant at the same codon (p.Q336R), seems to be unique to MAPT mutations in that they not only predispose to abnormal tau filament formation but also facilitate microtubule assembly in a 3R tau-dependent manner.

This research demonstrated that the methanol oxidation reaction triggers the protonation corrosion on the multi-walled carbon nanotube supported bimetallic nanocatalysts (NCs) in different geometrical configurations. Such corrosion pathways are confined by the geometrical configuration of the heterogeneous interfaces at the bimetallic oxide nanoparticles. In bimetallic alloyed NCs, the platinum (Pt) and ruthenium (Ru) domains were exposed simultaneously to the redox environment, therefore, the geometrical confinement on the atomic restructure is weak. This leads to substantial dissolution followed by the regrowth of hydrophilic components in redox conditions. For core–shell NCs, the shell crystal would prevent the core from direct contact with the redox environments. The heteroatomic junction forms ordered Pt atomic stacking at the ruthenium oxide crystallite. Such conformation confinement enhanced the Pt to Ru charge donation, thus the CO tolerance factor was also enhanced by more than two orders of magnitude when compared to the module durability of the direct methanol fuel cell compared to that of PtRu alloy.

Time-resolved small-angle X-ray scattering was applied to study charged lipid exchange between oppositely charged disc-shaped bicelles. The exchange of charged lipids gradually reduces the surface charge density and weakens the electrostatic attraction between the oppositely charged bicelles which form alternately stacked aggregates upon mixing. Initially, at a high surface charge density with almost no free water layer between the stacked bicelles, fast exchange kinetics dominate the exchange process. At a later stage with a lower surface charge density and a larger water gap between the stacked bicelles, slow exchange kinetics take over. The fast exchange kinetics are correlated with the close contact of the bicelles when there is almost no free water layer between the tightly bound bicelles with a charged lipid exchange time constant as short as 20-40 min. When the water gap becomes large enough to have a free water layer between the stacked bicelles, the fast lipid exchange kinetics are taken over by slow lipid exchange kinetics with time constants around 200-300 min, which are comparable to the typical time constant of lipid exchange between vesicles in aqueous solution. These two kinds of exchange mode fit well with the lipid exchange models of transient hemifusion for the fast mode and monomer exchange for the slow mode.

Thermally stable and porous RuO 2 · x H 2 O with superior rate-retention capability is prepared by the H 2 O 2 -oxidative precipitation method modified with the cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) template. The specific capacitance and rate-retention of RuO 2 · x H 2 O are considerably enhanced by the CTAB modification and annealing at 200 °C because of extremely localized crystallization and pore opening of slightly sintered RuO 2 · x H 2 O nanoparticles trapped with CTAB. This unique structure, confirmed by the X-ray absorption spectroscopic (XAS), Raman spectroscopic, and transmission electron microscopic (TEM) analyses, favors the utilization of RuO 2 · x H 2 O nanocrystals and increases the electrolyte accessibility in comparing with RuO 2 · x H 2 O without CTAB modification. The preferential orientation growth along the {101} facet of RuO 2 nanocrystals in some local regions is acquired by the CTAB modification and annealing in air at temperatures ≥350 °C. Such preferential orientation growth of RuO 2 crystallites is attributable to the oxidation of trapped surfactants during the thermal annealing process, which adsorb on the high surface energy planes of RuO 2 .

The occurrence of repeat-associated non-ATG (RAN) translation, an atypical form of translation of expanded repeats that results in the synthesis of homopolymeric expansion proteins, is becoming more widely appreciated among microsatellite expansion disorders. Such disorders include amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and frontotemporal dementia caused by a hexanucleotide repeat expansion in the C9ORF72 gene (c9FTD/ALS). We and others have recently shown that this bidirectionally transcribed repeat is RAN translated, and the “c9RAN proteins” thusly produced form neuronal inclusions throughout the central nervous system of c9FTD/ALS patients. Nonetheless, the potential contribution of c9RAN proteins to disease pathogenesis remains poorly understood. In the present study, we demonstrate that poly(GA) c9RAN proteins are neurotoxic and may be implicated in the neurodegenerative processes of c9FTD/ALS. Specifically, we show that expression of poly(GA) proteins in cultured cells and primary neurons leads to the formation of soluble and insoluble high molecular weight species, as well as inclusions composed of filaments similar to those observed in c9FTD/ALS brain tissues. The expression of poly(GA) proteins is accompanied by caspase-3 activation, impaired neurite outgrowth, inhibition of proteasome activity, and evidence of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress. Of importance, ER stress inhibitors, salubrinal and TUDCA, provide protection against poly(GA)-induced toxicity. Taken together, our data provide compelling evidence towards establishing RAN translation as a pathogenic mechanism of c9FTD/ALS, and suggest that targeting the ER using small molecules may be a promising therapeutic approach for these devastating diseases. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1007/s00401-014-1336-5) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

We demonstrate the significance of ions with an ordered arrangement for enhancing the electron injection in polymer light-emitting diodes (PLEDs) and the electron extraction in polymer solar cells (PSCs) by using tetraoctylammonium bromide (TOAB) as a model compound. The spin-coated films of TOAB are prepared on the active layers of both PLEDs and PSCs without any annealing (TOAB-No) as well as with annealing at 60 °C (TOAB-60) and 100 °C (TOAB-100). Subsequently, they are investigated by atomic force microscopy (AFM) and synchrotron X-ray diffraction (XRD) as well as simultaneously employed as the interfacial layers in PLEDs and PSCs. The AFM results show that the active layers are well covered with TOAB-No and TOAB-100, but poorly covered with TOAB-60 due to the formation of large islands. The XRD results show that TOAB-No and TOAB-60 are polycrystalline with the (002) lattice planes parallel to the surface of the active layers while TOAB-100 is amorphous. Of note, the electron injection in PLEDs and the electron extraction in PSCs are significantly enhanced using TOAB-No and TOAB-60, but both are worsened using TOAB-100. Evidently the enhanced electron injection/extraction is mainly attributed to the ordered arrangement of ions in the TOAB crystals. This study indicates that with an ordered arrangement of ions, all ionic compounds should be excellent for enhancing the electron injection/extraction in polymer optoelectronic devices.

A serviceable bioprobe is one of the important components for the development of microfluidic and lab-on-a-chip systems. In this paper, we report a novel bioprobe, fabricated by laser-induced cross-linking technology, for simple and direct screening of Gram-positive bacteria on a biochip. The AcmA′ protein is known to bind specifically to peptidoglycan (PG), which forms the thick outside layer of Gram-positive bacteria. Moreover, the AcmA′ protein has a much broader spectrum of bacterium types than do antibodies that are more specific to only one bacterium type, because the AcmA′ protein is a generic characteristic of Gram-positive bacteria. Green fluorescent protein (GFP) is generally used as a molecular marker. In this study, GFP was fused with the AcmA′ protein to act as an indicator to trace the AcmA′ binding activity on PG by green fluorescence. The GFP-AcmA′ protein was three-dimensionally structured by laser-induced cross-linking photochemistry technology to fabricate a bioprobe for capturing Gram-positive bacteria. Positive and negative tests on Gram-negative Escherichia coli and Gram-positive Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus agalactiae were demonstrated, respectively. Screening is readily performed using optical microscopy observation. The experiments show that only Gram-positive bacteria were bound on the GFP-AcmA′ probes after minutes of incubation and phosphate buffered saline (PBS) rinsing. No binding was observed with the Gram-negative bacteria or with reference probes composed of neutral bovine serum albumin (BSA). Repeated experiments indicate that our bioprobes are reusable. Finally, a 3D wedge-shaped GFP-AcmA′ probe was demonstrated in a microfluidic channel. This study provides a novel platform for convenient Gram-positive bacteria screening that could potentially be used in lab-on-a-chip applications.

This study investigates biogeochemical reductive release of arsenate from beudantite into solution in a crater area in northern Taiwan, using a combination of X-ray absorption near-edge structure (XANES) and atomic absorption spectrometry. Total arsenic (As) concentrations in the soil were more than 200 mg/kg. Over four months of laboratory experiments, less than 0.8% As was released into solution after reduction experiments. The 71% to 83% As was chemically reduced into arsenite (As(III)) and partially weathering into the soluble phase. The kinetic dissolution and re-precipitation of As, Fe, Pb and sulfate in this area of paddy soils merits further study.

The activity of core–shell nanoparticles (NCs) in electrooxidation of methanol (MOR) was found to be dependent on the crystalline structure of the core and the lattice strain at the core–shell interface. Ru-core and Pt-shell NCs delivered 6.1-fold peak MOR current density at −135 mV than Pt NCs, while the Co-core and Pt-shell NCs showed a 1.4-fold peak MOR current density at 280 mV. The current density is improved by the compressive lattice strain of the surface that is caused by the lattice mismatch between the Pt shell and the Ru core. For Co-core NCs, the enhancement results from the ligand effect at surface Pt sites. In addition, the Ru-core NCs maintained a steady current density of 0.11 mA cm–2 at 500 mV in a half-cell system for 2 h, which is 100-fold higher than that of Pt NCs and Co-core NCs. These results provide mechanistic information for the development of fuel cell catalysts along with reduced Pt utilization and programmable electrochemical performance.

A novel inorganic–organic hybrid compound [Cu(Mo2O7)(H2MDP)] (1) has been hydrothermally synthesized from the self-assembly of CuI, H2MoO4 and H2MDP ([Methylenebis(3,5-dimethylpyrazole)]). Compound 1 is constructed from one-dimensional {Cu(Mo2O7)}n bimetallic oxide chains bridged by H2MDP ligands into a novel two-dimensional hybrid compound. There exist left- and right-handed Cu O Mo helical chains in the bimetallic oxide chains.

This study develops a simple surface modification process for modifying the MWCNT surface by thiolation reaction after the conventional nitric acid treatment for strong interface attachment of Pt NPs and improved dispersion onto MWCNTs. The thiolated MWCNTs (Pt/MWCNTs) showed significant improvement of methanol electro-oxidation activity compared with that treated only by nitric acid solution. The prepared electrode with thiolated MWCNTs was used as the cathode for assembling MEA for DMFC single-cell applications. Testing results indicate that the thiolated MWCNT cathode can improve the power density of MEA by more than 300% (from 4.6 to 20.6 m W cm -2 ) compared with that treated only by conventional nitric acid reactions. The dual-step modification process for MWCNT surface treatment showed significant improvement over the convention nitric acid treatment and can be successfully used in DMFC applications.

Filamentous alpha-synuclein (alpha-syn) aggregates form Lewy bodies (LBs), the neuropathologic hallmarks of Parkinson disease and related alpha-synucleinopathies. To model Lewy body-associated neurodegeneration, we generated transfectant 3D5 of human neuronal-type in which expression of human wild-type alpha-syn is regulated by the tetracycline off (TetOff)-inducible mechanism. Retinoic acid-elicited differentiation promoted assembly of alpha-syn aggregates after TetOff induction in 3D5 cells. The aggregates accumulated 14 days after TetOff induction were primarily soluble and showed augmented thioflavin affinity with concomitant phosphorylation and nitration of alpha-syn. Extension of the induction led to the formation of sarkosyl-insoluble aggregates that appeared concurrently with thioflavin-positive inclusions. Immunoelectron microscopy revealed that the inclusions consist of dense bundles of 8- to 12-nm alpha-syn fibrils that congregate in the perikarya and resemble Lewy bodies. Most importantly, accumulation of soluble and insoluble aggregates after TetOff induction for 14 and 28 days was reversible and did not compromise the viability of the cells or their subsequent survival. Thus, this chemically defined culture paradigm provides a useful means to elucidate how oxidative injuries and other insults that are associated with aging promote alpha-syn to self-assemble or interact with other molecules leading to neuronal degeneration in alpha-synucleinopathies.

We recently reported that Alzheimer's disease (AD) with amygdala Lewy bodies (ALB) is a distinct form of alpha-synucleinopathy that occurs in advanced AD. In AD/ALB the alpha-synuclein pathology correlated with tau pathology, but not amyloid plaques, and there was often co-localization of tau and alpha-synuclein in the same neuron. Given the anatomical connectivity of the anterior olfactory nucleus and the amygdala, which receives axonal projections from the olfactory bulb, we hypothesized that there might be a relationship between tau and alpha-synuclein pathology in the olfactory bulb and the amygdala in AD. We screened for alpha-synuclein pathology in the olfactory bulb in AD with and without ALB, and investigated its relationship with tau pathology. In 38 of 41 (93%) AD/ALB cases and 4 of 21 (19%) AD cases without ALB (AD/non-ALB), alpha-synuclein pathology was detected in the olfactory bulb. Double immunolabeling at the light and electron microscopic levels revealed co-localization of tau and alpha-synuclein in the olfactory bulb neurons and neurites. The severity of tau pathology correlated with alpha-synuclein pathology in the olfactory bulb. In addition, alpha-synuclein pathology in the olfactory bulb correlated with alpha-synuclein pathology in amygdala. Tau pathology was greater in both the olfactory bulb and amygdala in AD/ALB than in AD/non-ALB, but there was no difference in tau pathology between the two groups in other brain regions assessed. The present study shows that in AD/ALB, the olfactory bulb is nearly equally vulnerable to tau and alpha-synuclein pathology as the amygdala and suggests that neurodegeneration in these two anatomical regions is linked.

Brain edema secondary to increased blood-brain barrier (BBB) permeability is a lethal complication in fulminant hepatic failure (FHF). Intact tight junctions (TJ) between brain capillary endothelial cells are critical for normal BBB function. However, the role of TJ in FHF has not been explored. We hypothesized that alterations in the composition of TJ proteins would result in increased BBB permeability in FHF. In this study, FHF was induced in C57BL/6J mice by using azoxymethane. BBB permeability was assessed with sodium fluorescein. Expression of TJ proteins was determined by Western blot, and their cellular distribution was examined using immunofluorescent microscopy. Comatose FHF mice had significant cerebral sodium fluorescein extravasation compared with control and precoma FHF mice, indicating increased BBB permeability. Western blot analysis showed a significant decrease in zonula occludens (ZO)-2 expression starting in the precoma stage. Immunofluorescent microscopy showed a significantly altered distribution pattern of ZO-2 in isolated microvessels from precoma FHF mice. These changes were more prominent in comatose FHF animals. Significant alterations in ZO-2 expression and distribution in the tight junctions preceded the increased BBB permeability in FHF mice. These results suggest that ZO-2 may play an important role in the pathogenesis of brain edema in FHF.

Using neutron reflectivity with contrast variation, X-ray reflectivity, and grazing incident small-angle X-ray scattering (GISAXS), we have characterized the in-depth and in-plane structural characteristics of the Langmuir and Langmuir-Blodgett (LB) films formed by a novel lecithin C60-derivative, FPTL, of three phospholipids jointly bonded on one single olefinic moiety of a C60 cage. Based on the neutron reflectivity measured, we have proposed a monolayer structure, with the C60 cages of FPTL lifted into the air and hydrophilic phospholipid heads immersed in water, for the FPTL Langmuir layer formed on water. On the other hand, the LB film of FPTL prepared on mica exhibits clear Kiessig fringes in the X-ray reflectivity profile, indicating a 27 angstroms monolayer film with less molecular orientation. With GISAXS, we have extracted an in-plane correlation length of about 210 A for a possible in-plane aggregation of C60 of FPTL in the LB monolayer. We have also demonstrated the highly ordered monolayer structures of a lecithin lipid, in elucidating the positive effect of the attached functional group-phospholipids on the monolayer formation of the lecithin C60-derivative.

Small-angle X-ray scattering was used to characterize the size and aggregation behavior of the Pt nanoparticles synthesized by the polyol process and the unusual poly(N-vinyl-2-pyrrolidone) (PVP) reduction. With formaldehyde (HCHO) as the reduction agent, the Pt nanoparticles synthesized in aqueous solutions with a high PVP/PtCl4 weight ratio were characterized by short rods with a 70% polydispersity in rod length. The size and size distribution of the rod-like Pt nanoparticles (3 nm in rod length and 2 nm in rod diameter) are consistent with the corresponding transmission electron microscopy image. With a comparable PVP/PtCl4 weight ratio in the aqueous solution containing HCHO, the high number density of reduced Pt nanoparticles led to a fractal-like aggregation with a fractal dimension of 2.1 and a correlation length of ~30 nm. We also demonstrated that Pt nanoparticles can be synthesized by PVP reduction at 323 K without HCHO. The particle size and the clustering behavior of the Pt nanoparticles reduced by PVP are closely related to the PVP concentration in the solution. Both the Pt nanoparticles synthesized in the commonly used polyol process and the unusual PVP reduction form fractal-like clusters via the PVP–metal nanoparticle association when the number density of the Pt nanoparticles in the solutions is high.

The effect of adding divalent ions on the deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) adsorption by a cationic lipid monolayer at the air–water interface was investigated by X-ray reflectivity on Langmuir–Blodgett films supported on silicon wafers. The films were prepared from a DC-Chol {3-β-[N-(N′,N′-dimethylaminoethane)carbamoyl]cholesterol} monolayer with 1 µM DNA in the subphase with different amounts of calcium ions added. It is found in this study that adding divalent ions, such as calcium ions, can enhance the DNA adsorption to interfaces. The adsorbed DNA layer thickness as determined by X-ray reflectivity is found to vary linearly with the square root of the ion concentration. This indicates that charge-screening effects and ion-mediated condensation play an important role in the DNA–cationic lipid monolayer interaction.

Atomic-scale gold clusters were intercalated at the inter-facet corner sites of Pt-shell Ru-core nanocatalysts with near-monolayer shell thickness. We demonstrated that these unique clusters could serve as a drain of valence electrons in the kink region of the core–shell heterojunction. As jointly revealed by density functional theory calculations and valence band spectra, these Au clusters extract core-level electrons to the valence band. They prevent corrosion due to protonation and enhance the tolerance of CO by increasing the electronegativity at the outermost surface of the NCs during the methanol oxidation reaction (MOR). In these circumstances, the retained current density of Pt-shell Ru-core NCs is doubled in a long-term (2 hours) MOR at a fixed voltage (0.5 V vs. SCE) by intercalating these sub-nanometer gold clusters. Such novel structural confinement provides a possible strategy for developing direct-methanol fuel cell (DMFC) modules with high power and stability.

Background The role of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of interleukin (IL)-28B in predicting therapeutic response of pegylated interferon (peg-IFN) plus ribavirin (PR) for genotype 1 infected chronic hepatitis C patients with advanced fibrosis (AF) is limited. The aim of this study is to assess its role in predicting sustained virologic responses (SVR) to treatment. Methods Forty-two patients with biopsy proven hepatitis C virus (HCV) related AF (group A; Ishak fibrosis score, ≥4) and 126 sex- and HCV genotype-matched patients without AF (group B; Ishak fibrosis score, ≤3) were recruited into study. All patients received PR therapy for 24 weeks. Baseline and on-treatment clinical, virological and host factors were evaluated for treatment efficacy. Results The SVR rate was significantly lower in group A than group B patients with genotype 1 infection (24% vs. 53.3%; p = 0.011). However, it was similar in those with genotype non-1 infection (76.5% vs. 76.5%; p = 1.0). IL-28B rs8099917 genotype TT is the strongest predictor for SVR in genotype 1 infection. Patients who had TT genotype and achieved RVR in group A had similar SVR rates with those in group B (44.4% vs. 53.3%; p = 0.614). One third of patients in group A developed hematological adverse effects and had required modified doses during antiviral therapy. Conclusions In HCV genotype 1 infected AF receiving 24 weeks of PR treatment, patients with IL28B rs8099917 genotype TT, achieving RVR had similar SVR rate with those without AF. In contrast, patients with IL-28B rs8099917 non-TT genotype without achieving RVR are suggested to stop therapy.

Nonisothermal crystallizations of polycaprolactone (PCL) in the presence of poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC) at a cooling rate of 0.5 °C/min from 90 to 30 °C under supercritical CO2 at a constant pressure 304 atm were investigated. DSC and SAXS data found that the nonisothermal crystallizations of the PCL/PVC blends under supercritical CO2 resulted in decrease in thickness of the crystalline layers in the lamellar stacks. These nonisothermal supercritical CO2 treatments also generated a morphological heterogeneity with size (13.8 nm for pure PCL) larger than the long period (12.1 nm) of the lamellar stacks. The size of this heterogeneity was slightly enhanced from 13.8 nm for pure PCL to 15.2 and 16.3 nm for the blends containing 10 and 25 wt % PVC, respectively.

Using a viral vector for mutant (P301L) tau, we studied the effects of gene transfer to the rat substantia nigra in terms of structural and functional properties of dopaminergic neurons. The mutant tau vector caused progressive loss of pars compacta dopaminergic neurons over time, reduced striatal dopamine content, and amphetamine-stimulated rotational behavior consistent with a specific lesion effect. In addition, structural studies demonstrated neurofibrillary tangles and neuritic pathology. Wild-type tau had similar effects on neuronal loss and rotational behavior. In contrast, mutant alpha-synuclein vectors did not induce rotational behavior, although alpha-synuclein filaments formed in nigrostriatal axons. Dopamine neuron function is affected by tau gene transfer and appears to be more susceptible to tau- rather than alpha-synuclein-related damage in this model. Both tau and alpha-synuclein are important for substantia nigra neurodegeneration models in rats, further indicating their potential as therapeutic targets for human diseases involving loss of dopamine neurons.

The micromechanism accounting for wetting weakening of tertiary sandstones was studied. It was found that intragranular fracture prevails for all dry sandstones. However, when the sandstone is wet, intergranular fracture occurs for Type B sandstones. Therefore, one sandstone from Type A sandstones, MS1, and another from Type B, TK, were selected to further investigate the nature of the matrix. It was found that (1) for both sandstones, the major mineral components of the matrix are illite and kaolinite except that the MS1 sandstone has more chlorite; (2) leaching of matrix induced an increase of porosity and consequently results in leaching softening; and (3) among the mineral composition, chlorite is easiest to be dissolved and leached out and induces a more significant increase of porosity, which, in turn, results in a more significant leaching softening.