Real-Time Monitoring of the Evaporation and Fission of Electrospray-Ionized Polystyrene Beads and Bacterial Pellets at Elevated Temperatures

This study uses real-time monitoring, at microsecond time scales, with a charge-sensing particle detector to investigate the evaporation and fission processes of methanol/micrometer-sized polystyrene beads (PS beads) droplets and bacterial particles droplets generated via electrospray ionization (ESI) under elevated temperatures. By incrementally raising capillary temperatures, the solvent, such as methanol on 0.75 μm PS beads, experiences partial evaporation. Further temperature increase induces fission, and methanol molecules continue to evaporate until PS ions are detected after this range. Similar partial evaporation is observed on 3 μm PS beads. However, the shorter period of the fission temperature range is necessary compared to 0.75 μm PS beads. For the spherical-shaped bacterium, Staphylococcus aureus, the desolvation process shows a similar fission period as compared to 0.75 μm PS beads. Comparably, the rod-shaped bacteria, Escherichia coli EC11303, and E. coli strain W have shorter fission periods than S. aureus. This research provides insights into the evaporation and fission mechanisms of ESI droplets containing different sizes and shapes of micrometer-sized particles, contributing to a better understanding of gaseous macroion formation.

Fluorescent nanodiamond immunosensors for clinical diagnostics of tuberculosis

Fluorescent nanodiamonds (FNDs) are carbon nanoparticles containing a dense ensemble of nitrogen-vacancy defects as color centers. These centers have exceptional photostability and unique quantum properties, making them useful for ultrasensitive biosensing applications. This work employed FNDs conjugated with antibodies as magneto-optical immunosensors for tuberculosis (TB) diagnostics using competitive spin-enhanced lateral flow immunoassay (SELFIA). ESAT6 (6-kDa early secretory antigenic target) of Mycobacterium tuberculosis is a clinical marker of TB. We evaluated the assay's performance using the recombinant ESAT6 antigen and its antibodies noncovalently coated on FNDs. A detection limit of ∼0.02 ng mL-1 was achieved with the lateral flow membrane strip pre-structured with a narrow channel of 1 mm width. Adopting a cut-off value of 24.0 ng mm-1 for 100-nm FNDs on the strips, the method detected 49 out of 50 clinical samples with Mycobacterium tuberculosis complexes. In contrast, none of the assays for 10 clinical samples with non-tuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) isolates exhibited the presence of ESAT6. These results suggest that the SELFIA platform is applicable for TB detection and can differentiate TB from NTM infections, which also affect the human respiratory system. The FND-enabled immunosensing techniques are versatile and promising for early detection of TB and other diseases, opening a new avenue for biomedical applications of carbon-based nanomaterials.

Nanomaterial-based biosensors for avian influenza virus: A new way forward

Avian influenza virus (AIV) is a zoonotic virus that can be transmitted from animals to humans. Although human infections are rare, the virus has a high mortality rate when contracted. Appropriate detection methods are thus crucial for combatting this pathogen. There is a growing demand for rapid, selective, and accurate methods of identifying the virus. Numerous biosensors have been designed and commercialized to detect AIV. However, they all have considerable shortcomings. Nanotechnology offers a new way forward. Nanomaterials produce more eco-friendly, rapid, and portable diagnostic systems. They also exhibit high sensitivity and selectivity while achieving a low detection limit (LOD). This paper reviews state-of-the-art nanomaterial-based biosensors for AIV detection, such as those composed of quantum dots, gold, silver, carbon, silica, nanodiamond, and other nanoparticles. It also offers insight into potential trial protocols for creating more effective methods of identifying AIV and discusses key issues associated with developing nanomaterial-based biosensors.

Imaging Extreme Ultraviolet Radiation Using Nanodiamonds with Nitrogen-Vacancy Centers

Extreme ultraviolet (EUV) radiation with wavelengths of 10-121 nm has drawn considerable attention recently for its use in photolithography to fabricate nanoelectronic chips. This study demonstrates, for the first time, fluorescent nanodiamonds (FNDs) with nitrogen-vacancy (NV) centers as scintillators to image and characterize EUV radiations. The FNDs employed are ∼100 nm in size; they form a uniform and stable thin film on an indium-tin-oxide-coated slide by electrospray deposition. The film is nonhygroscopic and photostable and can emit bright red fluorescence from NV0 centers when excited by EUV light. An FND-based imaging device has been developed and applied for beam diagnostics of 50 nm and 13.5 nm synchrotron radiations, achieving a spatial resolution of 30 μm using a film of ∼1 μm thickness. The noise equivalent power density is 29 μW/(cm2 Hz1/2) for the 13.5 nm radiation. The method is generally applicable to imaging EUV radiation from different sources.

Exploring the Benefits of 3D-Printed Bolus in Cone Beam CT for Modified Radical Mastectomy Breast Cancer

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVE(S)

To improve the accuracy of superficial dose coverage for patients undergoing modified radical mastectomy (MRM), boluses are frequently applied to the skin surface of targeted region during radiotherapy. The irregular curvature of MRM breast cases results in discrepancies of dosimetry and poor contact. Additionally, the presence of an air gap causes unnecessary high-dose escalation and uncertainty in dose calculation, making the use of commercial flat bolus problematic. This study evaluated the effectiveness of 3D-printed bolus by comparing it to commercial bolus in setup variations and dosimetric compliance through daily cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) scans.

MATERIALS/METHODS

Ten patients underwent MRM were divided into 2 groups. 5 patients treated with 0.5 cm commercial bolus as group A while the other 5 patients covered by 3D Bolus as group B. 3D bolus was made of polylactic acid filament (PLA) and contoured in advance with thickness of 0.5 cm on the surface of target. Positional errors were recorded through daily image guidance and compared with the images. Both groups had right-sided breast with neck lymph nodes involved and received 50 Gy in 25 fractions using 4 partial arcs of the volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT) technique. The CBCTs were recalculated through treatment planning system (TPS) to assess superficial dose coverage. A two-tailed student's t-test was applied.

RESULTS

Groups A and B pitch angles were -0.203 ± 0.837° and 0.334 ± 0.909° (p = 0.0003). Roll angle were 0.313 ± 0.728° and -0.633 ± 1.286° (p = 0.0000013). Yaw angle were -0.034 ± 0.872° and 0.018 ± 0.883° (p = 0.721). There was a trend of differences in the Z-axis and significant statistical differences in the pitch and roll angles due to aligning gel layers directly with group A's body surface, while 3D bolus rigidly adherence to group B's delineated curve. In the planned target volume (PTV), the CI and HI of group A were 0.9448±0.0208 and 1.2061±0.0448, respectively, while 0.9776±0.0144 and 1.1472±0.0206 (p<0.005) were for group B. As for the superficial region, which is defined from body surface to 0.5cm inside PTV, CI and HI of A were 0.8290±0.0599 and 1.4675±0.2434, while for B, they were 0.9753±0.0214 and 1.1330±0.0126, respectively (p<0.005).

CONCLUSION

The study analyzed the results through image comparison and investigated the CI and HI between two types of boluses. The 3D bolus reduces setup errors and improves dose coverage especially when superficial region is concerned. Better consistency of patient repositioning and dosimetry can be achieved and proved by daily assessment of CBCT scan. The customization of 3D bolus with integration of TPS and CT scans provides a solution to the inadequacies of commercial bolus. The results suggest that the use of 3D bolus is a promising development in radiation therapy for MRM breast cancer patients.

Correlative Fluorescence and Transmission Electron Microscopy Assisted by 3D Machine Learning Reveals Thin Nanodiamonds Fluoresce Brighter

Nitrogen vacancy (NV) centers in fluorescent nanodiamonds (FNDs) draw widespread attention as quantum sensors due to their room-temperature luminescence, exceptional photo- and chemical stability, and biocompatibility. For bioscience applications, NV centers in FNDs offer high-spatial-resolution capabilities that are unparalleled by other solid-state nanoparticle emitters. On the other hand, pursuits to further improve the optical properties of FNDs have reached a bottleneck, with intense debate in the literature over which of the many factors are most pertinent. Here, we describe how substantial progress can be achieved using a correlative transmission electron microscopy and photoluminescence (TEMPL) method that we have developed. TEMPL enables a precise correlative analysis of the fluorescence brightness, size, and shape of individual FND particles. Augmented with machine learning, TEMPL can be used to analyze a large, statistically meaningful number of particles. Our results reveal that FND fluorescence is strongly dependent on particle shape, specifically, that thin, flake-shaped particles are up to several times brighter and that fluorescence increases with decreasing particle sphericity. Our theoretical analysis shows that these observations are attributable to the constructive interference of light waves within the FNDs. Our findings have significant implications for state-of-the-art sensing applications, and they offer potential avenues for improving the sensitivity and resolution of quantum sensing devices.

Antibody-Conjugated Nanodiamonds as Dual-Functional Immunosensors for In Vitro Diagnostics

Nanodiamonds (NDs) are carbon nanoparticles with a large refractive index, a high density, and exceptional chemical stability. When excited by green light, they can emit bright red fluorescence from implanted nitrogen-vacancy (NV) centers. Taking advantage of these properties, we have developed antibody-conjugated NDs as in vitro diagnostic sensors for two complementary assays: particle-enhanced turbidimetric immunoassay (PETIA) and spin-enhanced lateral flow immunoassay (SELFIA). To achieve this goal, monocrystalline diamond powders (∼100 nm in diameter) with or without NV implantation were first treated in molten KNO3 to reduce their size and shape inhomogeneity, followed by surface carboxylation in strong oxidative acids and non-covalent conjugation with antibodies in water. PETIA and SELFIA were carried out separately with a microplate reader and a magnetically modulated fluorescence analyzer. Using C-reactive protein (CRP) as the target antigen, we found that anti-CRP-conjugated NDs exhibited high colloidal stability over 1 month at 4 °C in buffer solution. The limits of detection for 3 μL of CRP sample solution were 0.06 μg/mL and 1 ng/mL with variation coefficients of less than 10 and 15% for PETIA and SELFIA, respectively. These two methods together provide a detection range of 1 ng/mL-10 μg/mL, potentially useful for clinical applications. This work represents the first practical use of rounded monocrystalline NDs as in vitro diagnostic reagents.

Nanodiamonds-in-oil emulsions elicit potent immune responses for effective vaccination and therapeutics

Background: The use of nanodiamonds (NDs) and fluorescent nanodiamonds (FNDs) as nonallergenic biocompatible additives in incomplete Freund's adjuvant (IFA) to elicit immune responses in vivo was investigated. Methods: C57BL/6 mice were immunized with chicken egg ovalbumin (OVA) in IFA and also OVA-conjugated NDs (or OVA-conjugated FNDs) in IFA to produce antibodies. OVA-expressing E.G7 lymphoma cells and OVA-negative EL4 cells were inoculated in mice to induce tumor formation. Results: The new formulation significantly enhanced immune responses and thus disease resistance. It exhibited specific therapeutic activities, effectively inhibiting the growth of E.G7 tumor cells in mice over 35 days. Conclusion: The high biocompatibility and multiple functionalities of NDs/FNDs render them applicable as active and trackable vaccine adjuvants and antitumor agents.

Variations in high density cholesterol levels based on apolipoprotein E variant and exercise type

In various cross-sectional and longitudinal studies, exercise has been associated with cardiometabolic outcomes, including high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol. Exercise-induced changes in HDL cholesterol seem to be affected by genetic polymorphisms. In this study, we examined whether variant APOE rs7412 is involved in the association between HDL cholesterol and exercise. From adults assessed in Taiwan Biobank (TWB) between 2008 and 2019, we analyzed data from 57,638 normolipidemic subjects. To examine the association between exercise, APOE rs7412, and HDL cholesterol, a multiple linear regression model was used. A higher HDL was associated with both aerobic exercise (regression coefficient [mg/dL] beta- (β), 1.112; 95% confidence interval (CI); 0.903-1.322) and resistance exercise (β, 2.530; 95% CI, 2.093-2.966). In comparison with the APOE rs7412-CC genotype, the β was 2.589 (95% CI, 2.329-2.848) among those with the CT + TT genotype. Compared to adults who had the CC genotype and did not exercise (the CC/no exercise group), the β-coefficient determined for the different genotype and exercise groups was 1.135 (95% CI, 0.911-1.359) for the CC genotype and aerobic exercise group, 2.753 (95% CI, 2.283-3.322) for the CC genotype and resistance exercise group, 2.705 (95% CI, 2.390-3.020) for the CT + TT genotype and no exercise group, 3.682 (95% CI, 3.218-4.146) for the CT + TT genotype and aerobic exercise group, and 3.855 (95% CI, 2.727-4.982) for the CT + TT genotype and resistance exercise group, respectively. This study demonstrates that self-reported aerobic and resistance exercise both raised HDL levels, yet resistance exercise was associated with a greater increase, particularly among Taiwanese subjects carrying the APOE rs7412-CT+TT genotype.

A Novel Endodontic Approach in Removing Smear Layer Using Nano and Submicron Diamonds with Intracanal Oscillation Irrigation

Sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl) and ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) are commonly recommended for effectively removing organic and inorganic components in the smear layer. This layer is found on root canal walls after root canal instrumentation. However, high-concentration EDTA reduces the strength of dentin and the dissolution efficacy of organic substances in NaOCl solution. The objective of this study was to investigate the efficacy of applying nano and submicron diamonds in irrigation solutions with sonic and ultrasonic oscillation for removing the smear layer during endodontic treatment. Extracted single-rooted human teeth were instrumented with ProTaper^® Gold (Dentsply Sirona) nickel-titanium rotary instruments. Subsequently, each canal was irrigated with 3% NaOCl, 17% EDTA, distilled water, and 10-1000 nm-sized nano and submicron diamond irrigation solutions, respectively. Sonic and ultrasonic instruments were compared for oscillating the irrigation solutions. The teeth were processed for scanning electron microscopy to observe the efficiency of smear layer removal on the canal walls. Our results indicated that diamond sizes of 50 nm and above irrigation solutions showed significant effectiveness in removing the smear layer following the oscillation of sonic instruments for 10 s. Ultrasonic assisted 500 nm and 1000 nm diamond solutions significantly differed from the other diamond-sized solution in their ability to remove the smear layer. These results suggest that sonic and ultrasonic oscillation with specific sizes of nano and submicron diamond irrigation solution can be used as an alternative approach to removing the smear layer during endodontic treatment. The potential clinical application of root canal treatments can be expected.

Spin-Enhanced Lateral Flow Immunoassay for High-Sensitivity Detection of Nonstructural Protein NS1 Serotypes of the Dengue Virus

Dengue fever is a global mosquito-borne viral infectious disease that has, in recent years, rapidly spread to almost all regions of the world. Lack of vaccination and directed treatment makes detection at the infection's early stages extremely important for disease prevention and clinical care. In this paper, we developed a rapid and highly sensitive dengue detection tool using a novel platform of diagnosis, called spin-enhanced lateral flow immunoassay (SELFIA) with a fluorescent nanodiamond (FND) as a reporter. Taking advantage of the unique magneto-optical properties of negatively charged nitrogen-vacancy centers in the FND, the SELFIA platform utilizes alternating electromagnetic fields to modulate signals from FND's fluorescence to provide sensitive and specific results. With sandwich SELFIA, we could efficiently detect all four dengue non-structural protein (NS1) serotypes (DV1, DV2, DV3, and DV4). The lowest detection concentration of the dengue NS1 antigens varied from 0.1 to 1.3 ng/mL, which is among the lowest limits of detection to date. The FND-based SELFIA technique is up to 500 and 5000 times more sensitive than carbon black and conventional gold nanoparticles, respectively. By using different anti-NS1 antibodies, we could differentiate the NS1 antigen serotypes contained in the tested samples via three simultaneous assays. Proposed SELFIA allows for both qualitative and quantitative differentiation between different NS1 protein serotypes, which will assist in the development of a highly sensitive and specific detection platform for dengue screening that has the potential to detect the disease at its early stages, especially in high-risk and limited-resource areas.

Photoluminescence of Nitrogen-Vacancy Centers by Ultraviolet One- and Two-Photon Excitation of Fluorescent Nanodiamonds

Fluorescent nanodiamonds contain nitrogen-vacancy (NV) centers as quantum defects. When exposed to a continuous-wave 325 nm laser or a femtosecond 344 nm laser, the particles emit red fluorescence from NV⁰ centers at ∼620 nm. Power dependence measurements of the emission strength revealed a predominantly linear behavior at the laser peak intensity lower than 1 GW·cm^-2, contributed mainly by photoexcitation of electrons from the valence band of diamond to the NV⁰ centers, followed by relaxation via electron-hole recombination. In the higher power regions, however, nonresonant two-photon interband excitation of the diamond matrix dominates the photoluminescence processes. Best fits of the experimental data to semiempirical models revealed an ionization coefficient of ∼1 cm^-1 for the one-photon valence-to-defect excitation and a saturation intensity of 180 ± 60 GW·cm^-2 for the two-photon interband excitation. The study provides new insight into the photoionization of NV⁰ centers and the interband excitation properties of diamond in the UV region.

Retention in Community Health Screening among Taiwanese Adults: A 9-Year Prospective Cohort Study

Largely conducted in Western developed nations, research on community health screening has mainly been of limited duration. This study aims to ascertain the predictors of retention in a community health screening program, involving multiple admission cohorts over a 9-year period in Taiwan. Retention is defined as the participation in subsequent waves of health screening after being recruited for an initial screening. Data came from a prospective cohort study, named "Landseed Integrated Outreaching Neighborhood Screening (LIONS)", in Taiwan. This research retrieved 5901 community-dwelling Taiwanese adults aged 30 and over from LIONS and examined their retention in three follow-ups during 2006-2014. Generalized estimating equations were employed to evaluate retention over time as a function of social determinants, health behaviors, and health conditions. Being middle-aged, higher education, and regular exercise were positively associated with retention. Conversely, smoking, betel-nut chewing, psychiatric disorder, hypertension, type 2 diabetes mellitus, stroke, and a longer time interval since enrollment were negatively associated with retention. Furthermore, retention rates varied substantially across admission cohorts with more recent cohorts having a lower rate of retention (aOR = 0.33-0.83). Greater attention needs to be directed to retention over time and variations across admission cohorts. Additionally, those who are in either younger or older age groups and have chronic diseases or unhealthy behaviors should be targeted with greater efforts.

Thermometric lateral flow immunoassay with colored latex beads as reporters for COVID-19 testing

Temperature sensing is a promising method of enhancing the detection sensitivity of lateral flow immunoassay (LFIA) for point-of-care testing. A temperature increase of more than 100 °C can be readily achieved by photoexcitation of reporters like gold nanoparticles (GNPs) or colored latex beads (CLBs) on LFIA strips with a laser power below 100 mW. Despite its promise, processes involved in the photothermal detection have not yet been well-characterized. Here, we provide a fundamental understanding of this thermometric assay using non-fluorescent CLBs as the reporters deposited on nitrocellulose membrane. From a measurement for the dependence of temperature rises on the number density of membrane-bound CLBs, we found a 1.3-fold (and 3.2-fold) enhancement of the light absorption by red (and black) latex beads at 520 nm. The enhancement was attributed to the multiple scattering of light in this highly porous medium, a mechanism that could make a significant impact on the sensitivity improvement of LFIA. The limit of detection was measured to be 1 × 10⁵ particles/mm². In line with previous studies using GNPs as the reporters, the CLB-based thermometric assay provides a 10× higher sensitivity than color visualization. We demonstrated a practical use of this thermometric immunoassay with rapid antigen tests for COVID-19.

Left ventricular apical aneurysm in Fabry disease: implications for clinical significance and risk stratification

Funding Acknowledgements

Type of funding sources: None.

Background

More than 50% of patients with Fabry disease (FD) present with cardiac phenotype, and left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) is the most frequent manifestation. Among FD patients with LVH, a rare and novel presentation of left ventricular apical aneurysm (LVAA) has been reported.

Purpose

This study aimed to investigate the clinical incidence of LVAA and its impacts on prognosis among FD patients.

Methods

We retrospectively analyzed 268 FD patients at a tertiary medical center between January 2003 to September 2020. Two patients with ischemic LVAA were excluded. LVH and LVAA were confirmed either by echocardiography (Figure 1A) or cardiovascular magnetic resonance imaging (Figure 1B). The primary endpoints were a composite of heart failure (HF) hospitalization, sustained ventricular tachycardia (VT), stroke, and death. 

Results

Of 266 FD patients, there were 105 (39.5%) patients had LVH, and 11 (10.3%) of them had LVAAs (age 67.5 ± 9.5 years, 8 males [72.7%]). After a mean follow-up of 49.3 ± 34.8 months, 8 patients experienced primary endpoints, including 5 (45.5%) HF hospitalizations, 3 (27.3%) VT, 1 (9.1%) stroke, and 4 (36.4%) deaths. The risk for composite adverse events was significantly higher in patients with LVAA compared with those without (8 [72.7%] vs 17 [18.1%]), leading to significantly lower event-free survival in patients with LVAA (Log-Rank P &lt; 0.001, Figure 2). The presence of LVAA was independently associated with an increased risk of composite adverse events (hazard ratio: 3.59; confidence interval: 1.30-9.91, P = 0.01) after adjusting for age, gender, advanced HF, renal function, dyslipidemia, atrial fibrillation, left ventricular ejection fraction of &lt;40%, average E/e’, and LV mass index.

Conclusions

LVAA presents in around 10% of patients with Fabry cardiomyopathy and is strongly associated with an increased risk of adverse events. The identification of this phenotype would be useful to identify high-risk patients with Fabry cardiomyopathy, among whom more aggressive treatments may be considered. Abstract Figure. Apical aneurysm in Fabry cardiomyopathy  Abstract Figure. KM curve of composite adverse events

Recent Advances in Novel Lateral Flow Technologies for Detection of COVID-19

The development of reliable and robust diagnostic tests is one of the most efficient methods to limit the spread of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), which is caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2). However, most laboratory diagnostics for COVID-19, such as enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), are expensive, time-consuming, and require highly trained professional operators. On the other hand, the lateral flow immunoassay (LFIA) is a simpler, cheaper device that can be operated by unskilled personnel easily. Unfortunately, the current technique has some limitations, mainly inaccuracy in detection. This review article aims to highlight recent advances in novel lateral flow technologies for detecting SARS-CoV-2 as well as innovative approaches to achieve highly sensitive and specific point-of-care testing. Lastly, we discuss future perspectives on how smartphones and Artificial Intelligence (AI) can be integrated to revolutionize disease detection as well as disease control and surveillance.

Relaxation of a dense ensemble of spins in diamond under a continuous microwave driving field

Decoherence of Rabi oscillation in a two-level quantum system consists of two components, a simple exponential decay and a damped oscillation. In dense-ensemble spin systems like negatively charged nitrogen-vacancy (NV⁻) centers in diamond, fast quantum state decoherence often obscures clear observation of the Rabi nutation. On the other hand, the simple exponential decay (or baseline decay) of the oscillation in such spin systems can be readily detected but has not been thoroughly explored in the past. This study investigates in depth the baseline decay of dense spin ensembles in diamond under continuously driving microwave (MW). It is found that the baseline decay times of NV⁻ spins decrease with the increasing MW field strength and the MW detuning dependence of the decay times shows a Lorentzian-like spectrum. The experimental findings are in good agreement with simulations based on the Bloch formalism for a simple two-level system in the low MW power region after taking into account the effect of inhomogeneous broadening. This combined investigation provides new insight into fundamental spin relaxation processes under continuous driving electromagnetic fields and paves ways to better understanding of this underexplored phenomena using single NV⁻ centers, which have shown promising applications in quantum computing and quantum metrology.

Effects of Size and Surface Properties of Nanodiamonds on the Immunogenicity of Plant-Based H5 Protein of A/H5N1 Virus in Mice

Nanodiamond (ND) has recently emerged as a potential nanomaterial for nanovaccine development. Here, a plant-based haemagglutinin protein (H5.c2) of A/H5N1 virus was conjugated with detonation NDs (DND) of 3.7 nm in diameter (ND4), and high-pressure and high-temperature (HPHT) oxidative NDs of ~40-70 nm (ND40) and ~100-250 nm (ND100) in diameter. Our results revealed that the surface charge, but not the size of NDs, is crucial to the protein conjugation, as well as the in vitro and in vivo behaviors of H5.c2:ND conjugates. Positively charged ND4 does not effectively form stable conjugates with H5.c2, and has no impact on the immunogenicity of the protein both in vitro and in vivo. In contrast, the negatively oxidized NDs (ND40 and ND100) are excellent protein antigen carriers. When compared to free H5.c2, H5.c2:ND40, and H5.c2:ND100 conjugates are highly immunogenic with hemagglutination titers that are both 16 times higher than that of the free H5.c2 protein. Notably, H5.c2:ND40 and H5.c2:ND100 conjugates induce over 3-folds stronger production of both H5.c2-specific-IgG and neutralizing antibodies against A/H5N1 than free H5.c2 in mice. These findings support the innovative strategy of using negatively oxidized ND particles as novel antigen carriers for vaccine development, while also highlighting the importance of particle characterization before use.

Magnetically Modulated Fluorescence of Nitrogen-Vacancy Centers in Nanodiamonds for Ultrasensitive Biomedical Analysis

The negatively charged nitrogen-vacancy center in fluorescent nanodiamonds (FNDs) is a point defect with unique magneto-optical properties. It emits far-red fluorescence at ∼700 nm, and its intensity can be magnetically modulated with a depth of more than 10% at a field strength of 30 mT. We have closely examined this property and illustrated its practical use in biomedicine by applying a periodic, time-varying magnetic field to FNDs deposited on a surface or dispersed in a solution with a lock-in detection method. We achieved selective and sensitive detection of 100 nm FNDs on a nitrocellulose membrane at a particle density of 0.04 ng/mm² (or ∼2 × 10⁴ particles/mm²) and in an aqueous solution with a particle concentration of 1 ng/mL (or ∼1 fM) in 10 s as the detection limits. The utility and versatility of the technique were demonstrated with an application to background-free detection of FNDs as reporters for FND-based lateral flow immunoassays as well as selective quantification of FNDs in tissue digests for in vivo studies.

Mesenchymal stem/stromal cell-based therapy: mechanism, systemic safety and biodistribution for precision clinical applications

Mesenchymal stem/stromal cells (MSCs) are a promising resource for cell-based therapy because of their high immunomodulation ability, tropism towards inflamed and injured tissues, and their easy access and isolation. Currently, there are more than 1200 registered MSC clinical trials globally. However, a lack of standardized methods to characterize cell safety, efficacy, and biodistribution dramatically hinders the progress of MSC utility in clinical practice. In this review, we summarize the current state of MSC-based cell therapy, focusing on the systemic safety and biodistribution of MSCs. MSC-associated risks of tumor initiation and promotion and the underlying mechanisms of these risks are discussed. In addition, MSC biodistribution methodology and the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of cell therapies are addressed. Better understanding of the systemic safety and biodistribution of MSCs will facilitate future clinical applications of precision medicine using stem cells.

Pulmonary pressure-to-longitudinal strain ratio by echocardiography: a rapid surrogate to magnetic resonance for right ventricular failure assessment

Funding Acknowledgements

Type of funding sources: Public hospital(s). Main funding source(s): United Christian Hospital Ruttonjee and Tang Siu Kin Hospitals

Background

Better risk stratification in pulmonary hypertension (PH) by echocardiography (echo) to detect ventricular vascular uncoupling may act as gate-keeper for downstream management, such as MRI and expensive therapies. Studies showed modest correlation found between RV peak global longitudinal strain (RVGLS), which is afterload dependent, and right ventricular ejection fraction (RVEF)

Purpose

To test the accuracy and optimal cut-off of echo derived mean PA pressure-to-RVGLS ratio against MRI detected severe RV dysfunction (defined as RVEF&lt; 35%), RV dilatation (defined as RVEDVi &gt;87ml), and correlate native T1-values (nT1)

Method

Strain analyses by echo and volumetric assessment by 1.5 tesla MRI were performed in all patients. Contoured MRI short axis images provided RVEF. In a subgroup of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), right heart catheterization and MRI non-contrast native T1 mapping were performed (Figure 1). Using previous study data, to identify a difference of 1.8 pressure-to-strain ratio between mild and severe PH with a variance  of 2.2 , power of 80% and a significance level of 0.05, a total of 11 participants per group were needed

Result

Thirty-one PH patients (13 female, age 60 ± 14y, 13 had PAH) were recruited prospectively. Strong correlation was demonstrated between the mean PA pressure-to-RVGLS ratio to MRI derived RVEF (r = 0.80, p &lt; 0.01), and to catheterization derived pulmonary vascular resistance and indexed cardiac output (r = -0.80, p= 0.001; r= -0.75, p = 0.003 respectively). The cut-off value of -2.5 had best accuracy in ROC analyses (Table 1)

In PAH patients, this ratio correlated with global nT1 at basal short-axis level (r= -0.91, p = 0.004), but not at the mid short-axis level. Their basal posterior interventricular insertion regions had significantly higher nT1 than those of age-matched normal controls at the same region on the same scanner (1256 ± 217 ms vs. 932 ± 25 ms, p = 0.04)

Conclusion

In terms of detection of severe right ventricular dysfunction by echocardiography, mean PA pressure-to-RVGLS ratio performed better than RVGLS alone, and a ratio cutoff of -2.5 predicts MRI determined ventricular vascular uncoupling in pulmonary hypertension

Table 1 Echo detect MRI AUC standard error 95% CI sens (%) spec (%) p Mean PA pressure -to-RVGLS ratio RVEF &lt; 35% 0.86 0.073 0.71-1.00 72 83 0.007 RVEDVi &gt; 87ml 0.81 0.081 0.65-0.97 83 70 0.004 RVGLS RVEF &lt; 35% 0.76 0.100 0.57-0.96 60 83 0.048 RVEDVi &gt; 87ml 0.73 0.090 0.55-0.91 67 70 0.032 PA pulmonary artery; RVGLS: RV global longitudinal strain; RVEDVi: indexed RV end-diastolic volume Abstract Figure 1

Cell Volume (3D) Correlative Microscopy Facilitated by Intracellular Fluorescent Nanodiamonds as Multi-Modal Probes

Three-dimensional correlative light and electron microscopy (3D CLEM) is attaining popularity as a potential technique to explore the functional aspects of a cell together with high-resolution ultrastructural details across the cell volume. To perform such a 3D CLEM experiment, there is an imperative requirement for multi-modal probes that are both fluorescent and electron-dense. These multi-modal probes will serve as landmarks in matching up the large full cell volume datasets acquired by different imaging modalities. Fluorescent nanodiamonds (FNDs) are a unique nanosized, fluorescent, and electron-dense material from the nanocarbon family. We hereby propose a novel and straightforward method for executing 3D CLEM using FNDs as multi-modal landmarks. We demonstrate that FND is biocompatible and is easily identified both in living cell fluorescence imaging and in serial block-face scanning electron microscopy (SB-EM). We illustrate the method by registering multi-modal datasets.

Changes in High-Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol Levels in Relation to Coffee Consumption Among Taiwanese Adults

Purpose

High-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) is essential for cardiometabolic health. Coffee consumption influences the body’s ability to regulate serum lipid profile. Although there is extensive information on coffee and cholesterol, not much is known whether changes in HDL-C concentrations are affected by coffee with or without flavoring substances.

Materials and Methods

Using historical data collected from 1272 participants in Li-Shin (Landseed) International Hospital in Northern Taiwan, we examined the relationship between HDL-C and consumption of plain black coffee with and without additives. Data on coffee consumption between 2006 and 2019 were collected based on self-reported questionnaires while HDL-C measurements were obtained from the electronic medical records of the hospital. t-test, chi-square test and multivariate linear regression analysis were used for analysis.

Results

In our primary analysis, we found that coffee consumption of ≥5 cups per week was positively associated with HDL-C (β = 1.9586, p=0.0442) compared with the lowest level (<1 cup/week) of consumption. We found in a separate model that higher (≥5 cups/week) or lower (1–4 cups/week) consumption of plain black coffee without additives was associated with higher HDL-C. The corresponding β values were 4.0674 (p = 0.0007) and 4.1253 (p = 0.0008), respectively. However, HDL-C levels were not affected by coffee with additives.

Conclusion

We found that consumption of black coffee without additives was associated with higher concentrations of HDL-C among Taiwanese adults over the age of 30. However, HDL-C levels did not change significantly among individuals who consumed black coffee with additives.

Nanodiamond-enabled biomedical imaging

Biomedical imaging allows in vivo studies of organisms, providing valuable information of biological processes at both cellular and tissue levels. Nanodiamonds have recently emerged as a new type of probe for fluorescence imaging and contrast agent for magnetic resonance and photoacoustic imaging. Composed of sp3-carbon atoms, diamond is chemically inert and inherently biocompatible. Uniquely, its matrix can host a variety of optically and magnetically active defects suited for bioimaging applications. Since the first production of fluorescent nanodiamonds in 2005, a large number of experiments have demonstrated that fluorescent nanodiamonds are useful as photostable markers and nanoscale sensors in living cells and organisms. In this review, we focus our discussion on the recent advancements of nanodiamond-enabled biomedical imaging for preclinical applications.

Nitrogen-Vacancy Centers in Diamond for High-Performance Detection of Vacuum Ultraviolet, Extreme Ultraviolet, and X-rays

Fluorescent nanodiamonds (FNDs) containing nitrogen-vacancy (NV) centers as built-in fluorophores exhibit a nearly constant emission profile over 550-750 nm upon excitation by vacuum-ultraviolet (VUV), extreme ultraviolet (EUV), and X-radiations from a synchrotron source over the energy (wavelength) range of 6.2-1450 eV (0.86-200 nm). The photoluminescence (PL) quantum yield of FNDs increases steadily with the increasing excitation energy, attaining a value as great as 1700% at 700 eV (1.77 nm). Notably, the yield curve is continuous, having no gap in the VUV to X-ray region. In addition, no significant PL intensity decreases were observed for hours. Applying the FND sensor to measure the absorption cross-sections of gaseous O₂ over 110-200 nm and comparing the measurements with the sodium-salicylate scintillator, we obtained results in agreement with each other within 5%. The superb photostability and broad applicability of FNDs offer a promising solution for the long-standing problem of lacking a robust and reliable detector for VUV, EUV, and X-radiations.

Regular exercise and the trajectory of health-related quality of life among Taiwanese adults: a cohort study analysis 2006-2014

Background

Physical activity is related to health-related quality of life, but little evidence from multiple waves of panel data in Asian countries area available. This study aims to explore the impacts of different degree of regular exercise on the trajectories of physical and mental dimensions of health-related quality of life (HRQOL) for community-dwelling Taiwanese adults during 2006–2014.

Methods

Data were derived from the “Landseed Integrated Outreaching Neighborhood Screening (LIONS)” study, with 6182 adults enrolled at the baseline and subsequently followed up to three times till 2014. Linear mixed-effects modeling approach was employed to evaluate the growth curve models of HRQOL (with 16,281 observations) by linear & quadratic time effects, regular exercise (5-level moderate-intensity physical activity), and major influential factors of HRQOL.

Results

Regular exercise showed significantly positive dose-response effects on physical HRQOL (β =1.27~2.54), and regular exercise of 150 min or more showed positive effects on mental HRQOL (β = 1.55~2.03). Besides, irregular exercise could also improve both physical and mental HRQOL (β = 1.27 & β = 0.87). However, such effects were not significant over time (at time slope) on HRQOL. In addition, physical and mental HRQOL improved across time (β = 1.01 and 1.49, respectively), but the time quadratic effect would significantly offset a little bit on physical dimension (β = − 0.22). Moreover, being female, increasing age, living alone, or poorer health status were related to lower physical HRQOL; and being younger, living alone, or poorer health status were associated with lower mental HRQOL.

Conclusions

The positive dose-response relationship between regular exercise and HRQOL or its domains was demonstrated for community-dwelling Taiwanese adults. Thus, a regular exercise habit (better ≧150 min per week) is advised for community-based healthcare professionals and the government to incorporate into health promotion strategies and plans.

P923Feasibility of the transcatheter mitral valve repair as the rescue therapy for patients with severe mitral regurgitation and endangered heart failure

Background

For those who carry high or prohibitive surgical risk, the transcatheter edge-to edge mitral valve repair using MitraClip has been a safe and effective treatment for severe mitral regurgitation (MR). In patients with severe MR and cardiogenic shock under hemodynamic supporting devices, emergent surgical mitral valve interventions carry extremely high risk for peri-operative morbidities and mortalities. The feasibility and efficacy of emergent MitraClip to rescue patients in critical conditions remains elucidate.

Methods

Patients with severe MR were evaluated by the heart team and those with high or prohibitive surgical risks were referred to receive MitraClip procedures. Emergent MitraClip were conducted in patients with unstable hemodynamics and under mechanical or inotropic support. The hemodynamic measures, transthoracic echocardiography, transesophageal echocardiography, and blood tests were performed before MitraClip procedures. Procedural success was defined as having mild mitral regurgitation immediately after MitraClip, and patients were free from in-hospital mortality. Clinical and echocardiographic outcomes were followed by telephones and clinics.

Results

Among 50 consecutive patients (74.7±11.2 years, 74% male), 8 emergent MitraClip procedures were conducted to rescue patients with cardiogenic shock. Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation were used in 2 patients and intra-aortic balloon pump were applied in 4 patients (50%). The rest of 4 patients received continuous inotropic agent administration. Compare to those who underwent elective procedures, patients underwent emergent MitraClip had higher surgical risk profile (Euroscore II 34.8% vs 5.1% and STS score 19.7% vs 5.1%), poorer renal function and higher right atrial pressure. There was no peri-procedural death, myocardial infarction, stroke or any adverse events requiring emergent cardiac surgery in both groups. Mild mitral regurgitation was achieved in 87.5% patients from the emergent group and 95.2% patients in the elective group (P=0.514). In follow up, there were 5 deaths (three in the emergent group), including 2 non-cardiovascular deaths. The Kaplan-Meier analysis showed patients who underwent emergent procedures have poorer long-term survival rate as compare to those who received elective procedures. (P value = 0.008).

Conclusions

When open-heart surgery is not feasible and deferred due to excessive risk, trans-catheter mitral valve repair is an alternative way to rescue patients in cardiogenic shock status. The emergent MitraClip procedure may provide comparable safety and efficacy in treating patients with severe MR and unstable hemodynamics.

Mapping Dynamical Magnetic Responses of Ultrathin Micron-Size Superconducting Films Using Nitrogen-Vacancy Centers in Diamond

Two-dimensional superconductors have attracted growing interest because of their scientific novelty, structural tunability, and useful properties. Studies of their magnetic responses, however, are often hampered by difficulties to grow large-size samples of high quality and uniformity. We report here an imaging method that employed NV^- centers in diamond as a sensor capable of mapping out the microwave magnetic field distribution on an ultrathin superconducting film of micron size. Measurements on a 33 nm thick film and a 125 nm thick bulklike film of Bi₂Sr₂CaCu₂O_8+δ revealed that the alternating current (ac) Meissner effect (or repulsion of ac magnetic field) set in at 78 and 91 K, respectively; the latter was the superconducting transition temperature of both films. The unusual ac magnetic response of the thin film presumably was due to thermally excited vortex-antivortex diffusive motion in the film. Spatial resolution of our ac magnetometer was limited by optical diffraction and the noise level was at 14 μT/Hz^1/2. The technique could be extended with better detection sensitivity to extract local ac conductivity/susceptibility of ultrathin or monolayer superconducting samples as well as ac magnetic responses of other two-dimensional exotic thin films of limited lateral size.

IL-6/p-BTK/p-ERK signaling mediates calcium phosphate-induced pruritus

Uremic pruritus with elevated levels of calcium phosphate (CaP) in skin is a common symptom in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). In this study, we demonstrate that intradermal injection of CaP into mice triggered scratching by up-regulating the IL-6 in skin and phosphorylation of ERKs in dorsal root ganglion (DRG) in a dose-dependent manner. IL-6 is essential because the CaP-induced up-regulation of phosphorylated (p)-ERK in DRG was considerably reduced in the IL-6 knockout mice. Microarray analysis in conjunction with real-time PCR revealed a higher mRNA expression of Bruton's tyrosine kinase (BTK) gene in DRG after CaP injection. The inhibition of BTK by ibrutinib noticeably diminish the CaP-induced up-regulation of IL-6 and p-ERK in mice. A high amount of IL-6 was detected in itchy skin and blood of patients with CKD. The expressions of p-BTK and p-ERK in DRG primary cells reached maximum levels at 1 and 10 min, respectively, after treatment of recombinant IL-6 and were significantly reduced by treatment of IL-6 along with ibrutinib. The mechanism by which the CaP-induced pruritus mediated by the IL-6/p-BTK/p-ERK signaling was revealed.-Keshari, S., Sipayung, A. D., Hsieh, C.-C., Su, L.-J., Chiang, Y.-R., Chang, H.-C., Yang, W.-C., Chuang, T.-H., Chen, C.-L., Huang, C.-M. IL-6/p-BTK/p-ERK signaling mediates calcium phosphate-induced pruritus.

Intracellular Delivery of Luciferase with Fluorescent Nanodiamonds for Dual-Modality Imaging of Human Stem Cells

Delivering functional proteins (such as enzymes) into cells is important in various biological studies and is often accomplished indirectly by transfection with DNA or mRNA encoding recombinant proteins. However, the transfection efficiency of conventional plasmid methods is low for primary cells, which are crucial sources of cell therapy. Here, we present a new platform based on the use of fluorescent nanodiamond (FND) as a biocompatible nanocarrier to enable rapid, effective, and homogeneous labeling of human mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) with luciferase for multiplex assays and ultrasensitive detection. More than 100 pg of FND and 100 million copies of firefly luciferase can be delivered into each MSC through endocytosis. Moreover, these endocytic luciferase molecules are catalytically active for hours, allowing the cells to be imaged and tracked in vitro as well as in vivo by both fluorescence and bioluminescence imaging. Our results demonstrate that luciferase-conjugated FNDs are useful as multifunctional labels of human stem cells for diverse theranostic applications.

Bioorthogonal Fluorescent Nanodiamonds for Continuous Long-Term Imaging and Tracking of Membrane Proteins

Real-time tracking of membrane proteins is essential to gain an in-depth understanding of their dynamics on the cell surface. However, conventional fluorescence imaging with molecular probes like organic dyes and fluorescent proteins often suffers from photobleaching of the fluorophores, thus hindering their use for continuous long-term observations. With the availability of fluorescent nanodiamonds (FNDs), which have superb biocompatibility and excellent photostability, it is now possible to conduct the imaging in both short and long terms with high temporal and spatial resolution. To realize the concept, we have developed a facile method (e.g., one-pot preparation) to produce alkyne-functionalized hyperbranched-polyglycerol-coated FNDs for bioorthogonal labeling of azide-modified membrane proteins and azide-modified antibodies of membrane proteins. The high specificity of this labeling method has allowed us to continuously monitor the movements of the proteins of interest (such as integrin α5) on/in living cells over 2 h. The results open a new horizon for live cell imaging with functional nanoparticles and fluorescence microscopy.

Quantification and Imaging of Antigens on Cell Surface with Lipid-Encapsulated Fluorescent Nanodiamonds

Quantifying the density and locating the position of antigens on cell surface has been a challenge in molecular biology research. The challenge lies in the need for a chemically and photophysically stable fluorophore to achieve the required sensitivity and accuracy. Here, we present a method suitable for the purpose by using lipid-encapsulated fluorescent nanodiamonds (FNDs) of 35 nm in diameter as biolabels. The encapsulation of FNDs in biotinylated phospholipids not only facilitates good dispersion of the particles in biological buffers, but also endows them with high specific targeting ability. We demonstrated a viable application of the technique for biotin-mediated immunostaining of antigens on fixed human cells, identifying their positions by two-color confocal fluorescence imaging, and determining their densities by magnetically modulated fluorescence detection. A binding capacity of 6 ± 1 × 10⁴ antigens/cell was measured specifically for CD44 on HeLa cell surface. The result agreed well with the assay of R-phycoerythrin-conjugated antibodies by flow cytometry, supporting the reliability of this new nanoparticle-based method.

Plasma miRNA profile is a biomarker associated with urothelial carcinoma in chronic hemodialysis patients

The incidence of urothelial carcinoma (UC) is higher in patients undergoing chronic dialysis than in the general population. This study investigated plasma miRNA profiling as the ancillary diagnosis biomarker associated with UC in patients undergoing chronic hemodialysis. We successfully screened out and detected miRNA expression from plasma in eight patients undergoing dialysis through quantitative real-time PCR array analysis and identified eight candidate miRNAs. The candidate miRNAs were then validated using single quantitative RT-PCR assays from 52 plasma samples. The miRNA classifier for ancillary UC detection was developed by multiple logistic regression analyses. Moreover, we validated the classifier by testing another nine samples. Expression levels of miR-150-5p, miR-150-5p/miR-155-5p, miR-378a-3p/miR-150-5p, miR-636/miR-150-5p, miR-150-5p/miR-210-3p, and miR-19b-1-5p/miR-378a-3p were shown to be significantly different between UC and non-UC samples (P = 0.035, 0.0048, 0.016, 0.024, 0.038, and 0.048). Kaplan-Meier curve analysis also showed that low miR-19b-1-5p expression was associated with a worse prognosis (P = 0.0382). We also developed a miRNA classifier based on five miRNA expression levels to predict UC and found that the area under curve was 0.882. The classifier had a sensitivity of 80% (95% confidence interval: 0.5191% to 0.9567%) and a specificity of 83.7% (95% confidence interval: 0.6799% to 0.9381%). This classifier was tested by nine samples with 100% accuracy. The miRNA classifier offers higher sensitivity and specificity than the existing makers. Thus, this approach will improve the prospective diagnosis of UC in patients undergoing chronic hemodialysis.

Including selective metabolic components in current diagnostic criteria does not improve discriminative validity for metabolic syndrome: a risk score approach

Objective

To examine whether including additional metabolic components to the current five-marker system can improve the discriminative validity for diagnosing metabolic syndrome (MetS).

Methods

This longitudinal cohort study included data from subjects that had completed at least three health examinations during a 5-year period. The study outcome was the onset of MetS. Sociodemographic and biochemical variables were recorded for all subjects so that the adjusted relative risks (ARRs) could be calculated for 11 metabolic components. Risk scores for the development of MetS based on the ARR values were determined. The sums of the risk scores of different component combinations were used to conduct a receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis of MetS diagnosis.

Results

A total of 3368 individuals with complete data was analysed. The ARRs of the 11 metabolic components were all statistically significant. According to ROC analysis, although good discriminative validity (area under the curve [AUC] range, 0.954–0.976) could be achieved for MetS diagnosis by using either all 11 or combinations of six metabolic components (the five current components plus one extra component), the current five metabolic components used for diagnosis had the best discriminative validity (AUC = 0.977).

Conclusion

The current five metabolic components used for the diagnosis of MetS still represent the best combination with the highest discriminative validity.

Does coffee drinking have beneficial effects on bone health of Taiwanese adults? A longitudinal study

Background

Results from studies investigating the association between coffee consumption and osteoporosis or bone mineral density (BMD) have been inconsistent. This longitudinal study was performed to assess the effect of coffee drinking on bone health of Taiwanese adults.

Methods

Data were retrieved from the Li-Shin (Landseed) Hospital in Taoyuan City. In 2006, 6152 participants completed a questionnaire on coffee drinking and other lifestyle factors. In 2014, 5077 of them were followed up. Nonetheless, a total of 2395 participants with incomplete data were excluded. The final analyses included 2682 participants comprising 1195 men and 1487 women (706 premenopausal and 781 postmenopausal). T-scores were derived from the osteo-sono assessment index (OSI) which is a surrogate of BMD. Coffee drinking was categorized as “no, medium, and high” based on the number of cups that were consumed per week in both 2006 and 2014.

Results

In general, medium and high coffee drinking were associated with higher T-scores. However, significant results were observed only among high drinkers (β = 0.158; P = 0.0038). Nonetheless, the test for linear trend was significant (P = 0.0046). After stratification by sex, medium and high coffee drinking were associated with higher T-scores. However, significant results were prominent only among high male drinkers (β = 0.237; P = 0.0067) and the test for trend was significant (P = 0.0161). Based on menopausal status, coffee drinking was associated with higher T-scores. Nevertheless, significant results were found only among premenopausal women (β = 0.233; P = 0.0355 and β = 0.234; P = 0.0152 for medium and high coffee drinking, respectively. The test for linear trend was significant (P = 0.0108).

Conclusion

Coffee drinking was significantly associated with higher T-scores hence, a lower risk of osteoporosis in men and premenopausal women.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (10.1186/s12889-018-6168-0) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

The Impact of the Hazard Correlation between Risk Factors and Diabetes

This study examined the occurrence of diabetes and sustainable risk factors in residents aged 30 and above of a community in Taoyuan County, Taiwan. The main purpose of this research was to explore the correlations between related variables and the occurrence of diabetes. The demographic variables, health exam variables, healthy behavior variables, and environmental variables had obvious impacts on the risk of diabetes. As age increased, the risk of developing the disease also increased; higher educational levels lowered risk, while unemployment raised it. Also, analysis of the health exam variables showed that abnormal BMIs, waist-hip ratios, and body fat percentages had significant impacts on individuals' risk of diabetes. Moreover, it was found that smoking affected the risk of having diabetes: smokers, particularly male smokers, had a relatively higher risk of developing the disease. Lastly, the results showed that exposure to second-hand smoke did not have a significant effect on the diabetes proportion in the male population. However, a significantly higher proportion of females who had been exposed to second-hand smoke had diabetes.

Manipulating the distribution of electric field intensity to effectively enhance the spatial and spectral fluorescence intensity of fluorescent nanodiamonds

Fluorescent nanodiamonds (FNDs) having nitrogen-vacancy (NV) centers have drawn much attention for their biocompatibility and stable optical properties. Nevertheless, the NV centers are located in the interior of the FNDs, and it has not been possible to increase the fluorescence intensity of FNDs efficiently using previously developed enhancement methods. In this paper, we present a simple nanocavity structure that enhances the fluorescence intensity of FNDs. The designed Al/SiO2 nanocavities are stable and inexpensive, and provide a large region for efficient enhancement of fluorescence that can cover most 100 nm FNDs. By tuning the thickness of the capping SiO2 layer of the Al/SiO2 nanocavities, the distributions of both the spatial and spectral electric field intensities of the FNDs could be controlled and manipulated. In general, the FNDs were excited using a green-yellow laser; the broadband fluorescence of the FNDs comprised the emissions from neutral (NV0) and negatively charged (NV-) NV centers. To enhance the fluorescence intensity from the NV- centers of the FNDs, we designed an Al/70 nm SiO2 nanocavity to function at excitation and emission wavelengths of 633 and 710 nm, respectively, allowing the NV- centers to be excited efficiently; as a result, we achieved an enhancement in fluorescence intensity of 11.2-fold. Moreover, even when we covered 100 nm FNDs with polyglycerol (forming p-FND), the fluorescence intensities of the p-FND particles placed on the nanocavities remained greatly enhanced.

Single-Step Metal-Free Grafting of Cationic Polymer Brushes on Fluorescent Nanodiamonds

Cationic polymers are often employed in conjugation with nanomaterials, and the resultant hybrids are useful for various bioapplications. Here, a single-step metal-free method for the synthesis of fluorescent nanodiamonds (FNDs) conjugated with cationic polymer brushes is reported. Distinct from the common methods such as atom transfer radical polymerization and reversible addition fragmentation chain transfer, our ring-opening-polymerization-based method is simple and less time consuming and hazardous. Infrared spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, zeta potential, and dynamic light scattering confirmed the synthesis. The produced FND-polymer brushes showed markedly higher cell labeling and internalization efficiency without noticeable cytotoxicity. Our method is general and applicable to other nanoparticles as well for uses in diverse research areas.

Relationship Between Metabolic Syndrome Severity and Kidney Function as Related to Gender: A Population-Based Longitudinal Study

The purpose of this study was to explore the relationship between the metabolic syndrome severity Z-score and kidney function by gender. We also examined the estimated glomerular filtration rate in relation to other known risk factors. The study used was a population-based prospective longitudinal research design. A total of 4,838 participants (2,683 females and 2,155 males) included individuals aged >30 years who were undergoing a health examination from 2006 to 2014 in Pingzhen City, Taiwan. In the initial generalized estimated equation model analysis, which included the covariates of age of first visit, period between the first and current visit, and metabolic syndrome severity Z-score, the results indicated that the interaction between age and metabolic syndrome severity Z-score is significantly related to the estimated glomerular filtration rate for males (p = .040). For females, the interaction between age and metabolic syndrome severity Z-score was not significant, but a higher metabolic syndrome severity Z-score was significantly associated with lower estimated glomerular filtration rate (p = .001). After controlling for the confounders, unhealthy behaviors, and comorbidities, the metabolic syndrome severity Z-score was still a negative predictor of estimated glomerular filtration rate in both the male (p = .005) and female (p = .023) models.

HDL and associated factors stratified by sex and menopausal status: results from a community-based survey in Taiwan

Aim

To investigate factors, especially modifiable factors associated with high-density lipoprotein (HDL) in Taiwanese based on sex and menopausal status.

Materials and Methods

Participants comprised 2022 men and 2392 women (1267 menopausal and 1125 non-menopausal) aged ≥30 years who resided in Pingzhen district, Taoyuan from 2006-2011. Their data, obtained through questionnaires and measurements were retrieved from the Li-Shin Hospital.

Results

Higher HDL was associated with total cholesterol, underweight, and alcohol drinking in both men and women. It was also associated with education, blood group B, and marital status in men as well as with age in women. Moreover, it was associated with total cholesterol, underweight, and age in both menopausal and non-menopausal women. Furthermore, it was associated with marital status in non-menopausal women and alcohol drinking in menopausal women. Lower HDL was associated with triglycerides, low-density lipoprotein (LDL), overweight, obesity, waist-hip ratio (WHR), uric acid, and smoking in both men and women and with coffee drinking in only women. It was also associated with uric acid, triglycerides, LDL, overweight, obesity, WHR, and body fat in both menopausal and non-menopausal women. Moreover, it was associated with coffee drinking in menopausal women.

Conclusion

Modifiable factors associated with HDL differ according to sex and menopausal status. Sex and menopausal status should be considered when implementing lifestyle changes to raise HDL. For example, both men and women should maintain a normal weight as well as quit smoking.

STED-TEM Correlative Microscopy Leveraging Nanodiamonds as Intracellular Dual-Contrast Markers

Development of fluorescent and electron dense markers is essential for the implementation of correlative light and electron microscopy, as dual-contrast landmarks are required to match the details in the multimodal images. Here, a novel method for correlative microscopy that utilizes fluorescent nanodiamonds (FNDs) as dual-contrast probes is reported. It is demonstrated how the FNDs can be used as dual-contrast labels-and together with automatic image registration tool SuperTomo, for precise image correlation-in high-resolution stimulated emission depletion (STED)/confocal and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) correlative microscopy experiments. It is shown how FNDs can be employed in experiments with both live and fixed cells as well as simple test samples. The fluorescence imaging can be performed either before TEM imaging or after, as the robust FNDs survive the TEM sample preparation and can be imaged with STED and other fluorescence microscopes directly on the TEM grids.

Correlative Light-Electron Microscopy of Lipid-Encapsulated Fluorescent Nanodiamonds for Nanometric Localization of Cell Surface Antigens

Containing an ensemble of nitrogen-vacancy centers in crystal matrices, fluorescent nanodiamonds (FNDs) are a new type of photostable markers that have found wide applications in light microscopy. The nanomaterial also has a dense carbon core, making it visible to electron microscopy. Here, we show that FNDs encapsulated in biotinylated lipids (bLs) are useful for subdiffraction imaging of antigens on cell surface with correlative light-electron microscopy (CLEM). The lipid encapsulation enables not only good dispersion of the particles in biological buffers but also high specific labeling of live cells. By employing the bL-encapsulated FNDs to target CD44 on HeLa cell surface through biotin-mediated immunostaining, we obtained the spatial distribution of these antigens by CLEM with a localization accuracy of ∼50 nm in routine operations. A comparative study with dual-color imaging, in which CD44 was labeled with FND and MICA/MICB was labeled with Alexa Fluor 488, demonstrated the superior performance of FNDs as fluorescent fiducial markers for CLEM of cell surface antigens.

Highly stable lipid-encapsulation of fluorescent nanodiamonds for bioimaging applications

Highly stable lipid-encapsulated fluorescent nanodiamonds (FNDs) are produced by photo-crosslinking of diacetylene-containing lipids physically attached to the FND surface for use as bioimaging agents.

Fluid Restriction for Treatment of “Fluid Creep” after Acute Burn Resuscitation

Objective

Fluid creep in patients recovering from acute burns still exists, despite the use of a more treatment conservative approach. Most of our severe burn patients develop fluid overload and body weight increase after acute fluid resuscitation. How to quickly return patients to their pre-injury body weight is an important issue.

Methods

Right after acute fluid resuscitation, we applied a “total fluid requirement” volume (usually 1/2 to 2/3 of initial 24 hour volume) and strictly monitored patients' hourly urine (between 0.5-1 ml/kg/hr). Patients' responses (body weight, enteric feeding amount, pulmonary condition, etc.) were also closely monitored and frequent adjustments of fluid volume administration were performed simultaneously.

Results

Most patients regained their pre-injury body weight within 2-3 weeks. Enteric feeding also improved markedly. No patients had severe oedema-related complications.

Conclusions

Stricter fluid administration after acute burn fluid resuscitation is advised for allowing patients to reduce body weight to their pre-injury weight or at least close to it. We use pre-injury body weight, enteric feeding and urine output as our guides. (Hong Kong j.emerg.med. 2014;21:222-229)

Paddle Position and Contact Force: An Important Step to Check When Troubleshooting for Refractory Ventricular Fibrillation

Ventricular fibrillation (VF) is a lethal medical emergency that requires immediate defibrillation. VF is resistant when it persists after three or more defibrillator shocks. Successful defibrillation requires depolarisation of a critical mass of myocardium. Several variables, such as the length of time in VF, body type, total energy used, and energy waveform have been reported to be associated with the success rate of defibrillation. Correct paddle position and good contact force to create an adequate current flow through the heart is essential for defibrillation. We report a patient who developed VF because of acute myocardial infarction that was resistant to a total of 13 shocks. The cause of shock-resistant VF was diagnosed by noticing the skin marks caused by the defibrillator paddle that indicated incorrect paddle position and inadequate paddle force. By checking the skin marks, an emergency physician could make a correct diagnosis within a few seconds and save a patient.