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Abstract Although organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) are considered a mature technology, further enhancements in their efficiency are of paramount importance for advancing their incorporation in high-quality displays and flexible, wearable, electronic devices. In this regard, we propose an innovative approach, focusing on strategic modifications to the hole transport layer (HTL) through the integration of core-shell nanoparticles. Silver nanoparticles (Ag-NPs) encapsulated in a tungsten polyoxometalate compound (POM) are embedded within the prototype poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene)-poly(styrenesulphonate) (PEDOT:PSS) to form the modified HTL. Our work reveals the pivotal plasmonic role of Ag-NPs in enhancing OLED device performance based on commercially available conjugated polymers. Comprehensive analyses, including UV–Vis absorption spectroscopy, atomic force microscopy, photoluminescence spectroscopy, and electrical measurements, confirm the influence of the POM encapsulated Ag-NPs on improving the device efficiency. This is attributed to the synergistic influence of enhanced hole injection and conductivity and beneficial optical effects (i.e. the Localized Surface Plasmon Resonance (LSPR) and, likely, light scattering of the POM-Ag NPs in the core-shell configuration, depending on their diameter), contributing to enhanced carrier balance and exciton recombination rate. Comparison with POM gold NPs (POM-Au NPs) highlights the distinct advantages of POM-Ag NPs. Our work reveals the potential of this innovative approach to contribute to the evolution of high-performance OLEDs, ensuring a visually compelling and efficient future.

The land-detached Gollum Channel System (GCS) is one of very few large-scale canyon-channel systems on the Northwest European margin and thought to be of high importance in both along-slope and downslope sediment transport processes in the Porcupine Seabight basin. It is, however, unknown when this system was formed and how active it has been throughout its evolution, making it difficult to assess its regional impact. Here, using well data integrated with airgun seismic reflection data, a seismic stratigraphy (Cretaceous to present) is built for the GCS for the first time. We find that, contrary to what was thought before, the GCS was formed before Quaternary glaciations occupied the continental shelf and its origin is tentatively associated to a phase of Northeast Atlantic margin tilting in the early Pliocene. Each of the channels that make up the GCS was initiated by incision from erosive downslope gravity flows originating on the Celtic Sea Shelf. Gravity flows from Quaternary glacial processes reused the channels and mostly bypassed the upper slope or contributed to the channel fill, though some flows were capable of erosion of existing channel flanks and incision of several smaller channels. Additionally, we show that this margin was incised by erosive gravity flows on several occasions through time and that these incisions seem to follow preferential pathways. Interaction with along-slope bottom currents from the start of the Quaternary onwards was crucial to distribute sediments and nutrients to sediment drifts and cold-water coral mounds further north (downstream) along the Irish margin.

Two gallium porphyrins, a tetraphenyl GaCl porphyrin, termed as (TPP)GaCl, and an octaethylporphyrin GaCl porphyrin, termed as (OEP)GaCl, were synthesized to use as an electron cascade in ternary organic bulk heterojunction films. A perfect matching of both gallium porphyrins’ energy levels with that of poly(3-hexylthiophene-2,5-diyl) (P3HT) or poly[N-9′-heptadecanyl-2,7-carbazole-alt-5,5-(4′,7′-di-2-thienyl-2′,1′,3′-benzothiadiazole)] (PCDTBT) polymer donor and the 6,6-phenyl C71 butyric acid methyl ester (PCBM) fullerene acceptor, forming an efficient cascade system that could facilitate electron transfer between donor and acceptor, was demonstrated. Therefore, ternary organic solar cells (OSCs) using the two porphyrins in various concentrations were fabricated where a performance enhancement was obtained. In particular, (TPP)GaCl-based ternary OSCs of low concentration (1:0.05 vv%) exhibited a ~17% increase in the power conversion efficiency (PCE) compared with the binary device due to improved exciton dissociation, electron transport and reduced recombination. On the other hand, ternary OSCs with a high concentration of (TPP)GaCl (1:0.1 vv%) and (OEP)GaCl (1:0.05 and 1:0.1 vv%) showed the poorest efficiencies due to very rough nanomorphology and suppressed crystallinity of ternary films when the GaCl porphyrin was introduced to the blend, as revealed from X-ray diffraction (XRD) and atomic force microscopy (AFM). The best performing devices also exhibited improved photostability when exposed to sunlight illumination for a period of 8 h than the binary OSCs, attributed to the suppressed photodegradation of the ternary (TPP)GaCl 1:0.05-based photoactive film.

Abstract Background Data on the safety and efficacy profile of tocilizumab in patients with severe COVID-19 needs to be enriched. Methods In this open label, prospective study, we evaluated clinical outcomes in consecutive patients with COVID-19 and PaO2/FiO2

IntroductionData on the association between exercise capacity and risk for heart failure (HF) in older adults are limited.MethodsThis study examined the association of exercise capacity, and its change over time, with 10-year mortality and incident HF in 2,935 participants of the Health, Aging, and Body Composition Study without HF at baseline (age, 73.6 [SD=2.9] years; 52.1% women; 41.4% black; 58.6% white). This cohort was initiated in 1997-1998 and exercise capacity was evaluated with a long-distance corridor walk test (LDCW) at baseline and Year 4. Outcomes were collected in 2007-2008 and initial analysis performed in 2014.ResultsTen-year incident HF for completers (n=2,245); non-completers (n=331); and those excluded from LDCW for safety reasons (n=359) was 11.4%, 19.2%, and 23.0%, respectively. The corresponding 10-year mortality was 27.9%, 41.1%, and 42.4%. In models accounting for competing mortality, the adjusted subhazard ratio for HF was 1.37 (95% CI=1.00, 1.88; p=0.049) in non-completers and 1.41 (95% CI=1.06, 1.89; p=0.020) in those excluded versus completers. Non-completers (adjusted hazard ratio, 1.49; 95% CI=1.21, 1.84; p

The recovery of bioactive products with green processes is a critical topic for the research and industry fields. In this work, the application of solid–liquid (SLE), microwave-assisted extraction (MAE) with aq. ethanol 90% v/v and supercritical fluid extraction (SFE) with CO2 for the recovery of biocomponents from Scenedesmus obliquus is studied. The effects examined were temperature (30–60 °C), time (6–24 h), and solvent-to-biomass ratio (20–90 mLsolv/gbiom) for SLE, temperature (40–60 °C), time (5–25 min), solvent-to-biomass ratio (20–90 mLsolv/gbiom), and microwave power (300–800 W) for MAE, and temperature (40–60 °C), pressure (110–250 bar), solvent flow rate (20–40 gsolv/min), and cosolvent presence (0, 10% w/w ethanol) for SFE in relation to the extract’s yield, phenolic, chlorophyll, carotenoid content, and antioxidant activity. The optimum extraction conditions determined were 30 °C, 24 h, and 90 mLsolv/gbiom for SLE, 60 °C, 5 min, 90 mLsolv/gbiom, and 300 W for MAE, and 60 °C, 250 bar, and 40 gsolv/min for SFE. Additionally, a kinetic SFE study was conducted and the obtained results were satisfactorily correlated using Sovová’s model. The comparison between the methods proved MAE’s efficiency in all terms compared to SLE. Moreover, SFE was accompanied with the lowest yield and chlorophyll content, yet led to an increased carotenoid content and improved antioxidant activity. Finally, the cosolvent addition significantly improved SFE’s yield and led to the most superior extract.

The production of bioactive products from microalgae biomass with efficient and environmentally friendly technologies is a field of great research interest. The present work focuses on the recovery of high-added value bioactive components from Chlorella vulgaris through microwave-assisted extraction (MAE) with aq. ethanol 90% v/v. The effect of extraction temperature (40–60 °C), duration (5–25 min), solvent-to-biomass ratio (20–90 mLsolv/gbiom), and microwave power (300–800 watts) was investigated regarding the extraction yield, extract’s chlorophyll, carotenoid and phenolic content, and antioxidant activity. MAE optimization at 60 °C, 300 watts, 14 min, and 22 mLsolv/gbiom led to 11.14% w/w yield, 63.36 mg/gextr total chlorophylls, 7.06 mg/gextr selected carotenoids of astaxanthin, lutein and β-carotene, 24.88 mg/gextr total carotenoids, 9.34 mgGA/gextr total phenolics, and 40.49 mgextr/mgDPPH IC50 (antioxidant activity indicator). Moreover, the conventional solid-liquid extraction (SLE) with aq. ethanol 90% v/v, the supercritical fluid extraction (SFE) with CO2, as well as SFE with cosolvent addition (10% w/w ethanol), were also performed for comparison purposes. The results revealed that SLE presented the highest yield. However, the non-conventional methods of MAE and SFE led to extracts of competitive or even better quality under significantly shorter extraction duration.

Supercritical CO2 extraction is a green method that combines economic and environmental benefits. Microalgae, on the other hand, is a biomass in abundance, capable of providing a vast variety of valuable compounds, finding applications in the food industry, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals and biofuels. An extensive study on the existing literature concerning supercritical fluid extraction (SFE) of microalgae has been carried out focusing on carotenoids, chlorophylls, lipids and fatty acids recovery, as well as the bioactivity of the extracts. Moreover, kinetic models used to describe SFE process and experimental design are included. Finally, biomass pretreatment processes applied prior to SFE are mentioned, and other extraction methods used as benchmarks are also presented.

Microalgae as unicellular eukaryotic organisms demonstrate several advantages for biotechnological and biological applications. Natural derived microalgae products demand has increased in food, cosmetic and nutraceutical applications lately. The natural antioxidants have been used for attenuation of mitochondrial cell damage caused by oxidative stress. This study evaluates the in vitro protective effect of Chlorella vulgaris bioactive extracts against oxidative stress in human mesenchymal stromal/stem cells (MSCs). The classical solid-liquid and the supercritical extraction, using biomass of commercially available and laboratory cultivated C. vulgaris, are employed. Oxidative stress induced by 300 μM H2O2 reduces cell viability of MSCs. The addition of C. vulgaris extracts, with increased protein content compared to carbohydrates, to H2O2 treated MSCs counteracted the oxidative stress, reducing reactive oxygen species levels without affecting MSC proliferation. The supercritical extraction was the most efficient extraction method for carotenoids resulting in enhanced antioxidant activity. Pre-treatment of MSCs with C. vulgaris extracts mitigates the oxidative damage ensued by H2O2. Initial proteomic analysis of secretome from licensed (TNFα-activated) MSCs treated with algal extracts reveals a signature of differentially regulated proteins that fall into clinically relevant pathways such as inflammatory signaling. The enhanced antioxidative and possibly anti-inflammatory capacity could be explored in the context of future cell therapies.

ImportanceAdditional information is needed about the role of dietary sodium on health outcomes in older adults.ObjectiveTo examine the association between dietary sodium intake and mortality, incident cardiovascular disease (CVD), and incident heart failure (HF) in older adults.Design, setting, and participantsWe analyzed 10-year follow-up data from 2642 older adults (age range, 71-80 years) participating in a community-based, prospective cohort study (inception between April 1, 1997, and July 31, 1998).ExposuresDietary sodium intake at baseline was assessed by a food frequency questionnaire. We examined sodium intake as a continuous variable and as a categorical variable at the following levels: less than 1500 mg/d (291 participants [11.0%]), 1500 to 2300 mg/d (779 participants [29.5%]), and greater than 2300 mg/d (1572 participants [59.5%]).Main outcomes and measuresAdjudicated death, incident CVD, and incident HF during 10 follow-up years. Analysis of incident CVD was restricted to 1981 participants without prevalent CVD at baseline.ResultsThe mean (SD) age of participants was 73.6 (2.9) years, 51.2% were female, 61.7% were of white race, and 38.3% were black. After 10 years, 881 participants had died, 572 had developed CVD, and 398 had developed HF. In adjusted Cox proportional hazards regression models, sodium intake was not associated with mortality (hazard ratio [HR] per 1 g, 1.03; 95% CI, 0.98-1.09; P = .27). Ten-year mortality was nonsignificantly lower in the group receiving 1500 to 2300 mg/d (30.7%) than in the group receiving less than 1500 mg/d (33.8%) and the group receiving greater than 2300 mg/d (35.2%) (P = .07). Sodium intake of greater than 2300 mg/d was associated with nonsignificantly higher mortality in adjusted models (HR vs 1500-2300 mg/d, 1.15; 95% CI, 0.99-1.35; P = .07). Indexing sodium intake for caloric intake and body mass index did not materially affect the results. Adjusted HRs for mortality were 1.20 (95% CI, 0.93-1.54; P = .16) per milligram per kilocalorie and 1.11 (95% CI, 0.96-1.28; P = .17) per 100 mg/kg/m2 of daily sodium intake. In adjusted models accounting for the competing risk for death, sodium intake was not associated with risk for CVD (subHR per 1 g, 1.03; 95% CI, 0.95-1.11; P = .47) or HF (subHR per 1 g, 1.00; 95% CI, 0.92-1.08; P = .92). No consistent interactions with sex, race, or hypertensive status were observed for any outcome.Conclusions and relevanceIn older adults, food frequency questionnaire-assessed sodium intake was not associated with 10-year mortality, incident CVD, or incident HF, and consuming greater than 2300 mg/d of sodium was associated with nonsignificantly higher mortality in adjusted models.

Charge injection and transport interlayers play a crucial role in many classes of optoelectronics, including organic and perovskite ones. Here, we demonstrate the beneficial role of carbon nanodots, both pristine and nitrogen-functionalized, as electron transport materials in organic light emitting diodes (OLEDs) and organic solar cells (OSCs). Pristine (referred to as C-dots) and nitrogen-functionalized (referred to as NC-dots) carbon dots are systematically studied regarding their properties by using cyclic voltammetry, Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) and UV–Vis absorption spectroscopy in order to reveal their energetic alignment and possible interaction with the organic semiconductor’s emissive layer. Atomic force microscopy unravels the ultra-thin nature of the interlayers. They are next applied as interlayers between an Al metal cathode and a conventional green-yellow copolymer—in particular, (poly[(9,9-dioctylfluorenyl-2,7-diyl)-alt-co-(1,4-benzo-{2,1′,3}-thiadiazole)], F8BT)—used as an emissive layer in fluorescent OLEDs. Electrical measurements indicate that both the C-dot- and NC-dot-based OLED devices present significant improvements in their current and luminescent characteristics, mainly due to a decrease in electron injection barrier. Both C-dots and NC-dots are also used as cathode interfacial layers in OSCs with an inverted architecture. An increase of nearly 10% in power conversion efficiency (PCE) for the devices using the C-dots and NC-dots compared to the reference one is achieved. The application of low-cost solution-processed materials in OLEDs and OSCs may contribute to their wide implementation in large-area applications.

AimsThe contribution of heart failure (HF) unrelated to vascular disease to the overall HF burden in older adults is not well characterized. This was investigated in this study.Methods and resultsWe assessed HF incidence and outcomes in 2895 participants of the Health ABC Study (age 74 ± 3 years, 48.4% men, 41.4% black) in relation to vascular disease (coronary, peripheral, or cerebrovascular disease) either present at baseline or developed prior to HF. During 11.4 years follow-up, 493 participants developed HF; 134 (27.2%) in participants without any prior vascular disease and 177 (36.8%) without coronary disease. Both baseline [hazard ratio (HR) 2.4, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.9-2.8] and incident vascular disease (HR 4.3, 95% CI 3.6-5.2) were associated with HF. During a median follow-up of 2.1 years after HF onset, 67.5% participants died. Annual mortality after HF development was 21.3% in those with compared with 24.6% in those without vascular disease (HR 1.11, 95% CI 0.87-1.43; P = 0.399). There were 658 all-cause (436.3/1000 person-years) and 523 HF-related (346.4/1000 person-years) hospitalizations after HF development. There was no significant difference in hospitalizations between those with and without vascular disease [rate ratio (RR) 1.04, 95% CI 0.86-1.24 for all-cause, and RR 0.84 95% CI 0.69-1.02 for HF hospitalization]. HF with preserved EF was more common in participants without vascular disease (67.0% vs. 55.0%, P = 0.040).ConclusionA significant proportion of HF in older adults develops without prior vascular disease. Outcomes for these patients are poor compared with those with preceding vascular disease. These data suggest the need for more targeted HF prediction and prevention efforts.

The burden of heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) is considerable and is projected to worsen. To date, there are no approved therapies available for reducing mortality or hospitalizations for these patients. The pathophysiology of HFpEF is complex and includes alterations in cardiac structure and function, systemic and pulmonary vascular abnormalities, end-organ involvement, and comorbidities. There remain major gaps in our understanding of HFpEF pathophysiology. To facilitate a discussion of how to proceed effectively in future with development of therapies for HFpEF, a meeting was facilitated by the Food and Drug Administration and included representatives from academia, industry, and regulatory agencies. This document summarizes the proceedings from this meeting.

BackgroundTumor necrosis factor (TNF) levels are associated with risk for heart failure (HF). The soluble TNF type 1 (sTNF-R1) and type 2 (sTNF-R2) receptors are elevated in patients with manifest HF, but whether they are associated with risk for incident HF is unclear.Methods and resultsUsing Cox proportional hazard models, we examined the association between baseline levels of sTNF-R1 and sTNF-R2 with incident HF risk among 1285 participants of the Health, Aging, and Body Composition Study (age, 74.0±2.9 years; 51.4% women; 41.1% black). At baseline, median (interquartile range) of TNF, sTNF-R1, and sTNF-R2 levels was 3.14 (2.42-4.06), 1.46 (1.25-1.76), and 3.43 (2.95-4.02) ng/mL, respectively. During a median follow-up of 11.4 (6.9-11.7) years, 233 (18.1%) participants developed HF. In models controlling for other HF risk factors, TNF (hazard ratio [HR], 1.28; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.02-1.61 per log2 increase) and sTNF-R1 (HR, 1.68; 95% CI, 1.15-2.46 per log2 increase), but not sTNF-R2 (HR, 1.15; 95% CI, 0.80-1.63 per log2 increase), were associated with a higher risk for HF. These associations were consistent across whites and blacks (TNF, sTNF-R1, sTNF-R2; interaction P=0.531, 0.091, and 0.795, respectively) and in both sexes (TNF, sTNF-R1, sTNF-R2; interaction P=0.491, 0.672, and 0.999, respectively). TNF-R1 was associated with a higher risk for HF with preserved versus reduced ejection fraction (HR, 1.81; 95% CI, 1.03-3.18; P=0.038 for preserved versus HR, 0.90; 95% CI, 0.56-1.44; P=0.667 for reduced ejection fraction; interaction P=0.05).ConclusionsIn older adults, elevated levels of sTNF-R1 are associated with increased risk for incident HF. However, addition of TNF-R1 to the previously validated Health ABC HF risk model did not demonstrate material improvement in net discrimination or reclassification.

OBJECTIVE: Monocyte count and red cell distribution width (RDW) have shown prognostic potential in patients with fibrotic lung diseases. Their kinetics and prognostic usefulness of peripheral blood indices in patients with interstitial lung diseases (ILDs) undergoing surgical lung biopsy for diagnostic reasons have not been studied. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We retrospectively included consecutive patients with ILD who underwent surgical lung biopsy for diagnostic purposes Between 07/11/2019 and 11/10/2022. RESULTS: Fifty-five (n=55) patients were included in the study. Median age was 65.0 years (95% CI: 63.0 to 66.0). Postoperative peripheral blood monocyte count on Day 1 was significantly higher compared to preoperative, perioperative, and postoperative values on Day 90 (repeated measures ANOVA, p<0.0001). Patients in the high postoperative monocyte count group had significantly increased length of postoperative hospital stay [Mann-Whitney test, p=0.007] and significantly lower Forced Vital Capacity (FVC)% predicted 3 months after surgery [Mann-Whitney test, p=0.029] compared to patients in the low postoperative monocyte count group. Postoperative RDW on Day 90 was significantly higher compared to preoperative, perioperative and postoperative-Day 1 RDW (repeated measures ANOVA, p=0.008, p=0.006, p<0.0001, respectively). Patients in the high postoperative RDW group did not have increased hospital stay (Mann-Whitney test, p=0.49) or decreased FVC% predicted at 3 months compared to patients in the low postoperative RDW group (Mann-Whitney test, p=0.91). CONCLUSIONS: Peripheral blood monocyte count could be a prognostic biomarker for patients with ILDs undergoing diagnostic surgical lung biopsies. RDW does not seem to represent an acute phase biomarker but seems to increase over time following disease progression. Larger studies are urgently required. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microalgae are well-known for their high-added value compounds and their recovery is currently of great interest. The aim of this work is the recovery of such components from Chlorella vulgaris through supercritical fluid extraction (SFE) with CO2. The effect of the extraction temperature (40–60 °C), pressure (110–250 bar), and solvent flow rate (20–40 g/min) was tested on yield, the extract’s antioxidant activity, and the phenolic, chlorophyll and carotenoid content. Thus, data analysis indicated that the yield was mainly affected by temperature, carotenoids by pressure, while the extract’s phenolics and antioxidant activity were affected by the synergy of temperature and pressure. Moreover, SFE’s kinetic study was performed and experimental data were correlated using Sovová’s mass transfer-based model. SFE optimization (60 °C, 250 bar, 40 g/min) led to 3.37% w/w yield, 44.35 mgextr/mgDPPH antioxidant activity (IC50), 18.29 mgGA/gextr total phenolic content, 35.55, 21.14 and 10.00 mg/gextr total chlorophyll, carotenoid and selected carotenoid content (astaxanthin, lutein and β-carotene), respectively. A comparison of SFE with conventional aq. ethanol (90% v/v) extraction proved SFE’s superiority regarding extraction duration, carotenoids, antioxidant activity and organoleptic characteristics of color and odor despite the lower yield. Finally, cosolvent addition (ethanol 10% w/w) at optimum SFE conditions improved the extract’s antioxidant activity (19.46%) as well as yield (101.81%).