AlveoMPU: Bridging the Gap in Lung Model Interactions Using a Novel Alveolar Bilayer Film.

The alveoli, critical sites for gas exchange in the lungs, comprise alveolar epithelial cells and pulmonary capillary endothelial cells. Traditional experimental models rely on porous polyethylene terephthalate or polycarbonate membranes, which restrict direct cell-to-cell contact. To address this limitation, we developed AlveoMPU, a new foam-based mortar-like polyurethane-formed alveolar model that facilitates direct cell-cell interactions.

Self-Assembled Molecular Fibers Aligned by Compression in Water.

Molecular self-assembly has attracted much attention as a potential approach for fabricating nanostructured functional materials. To date, energy-efficient fabrication of nano-objects such as nanofibers, nanorings, and nanotubes is achieved using well-designed self-assembling molecules. However, the application of molecular self-assembly to industrial manufacturing processes remains challenging because regulating the positions and directions of self-assembled products is difficult.

Perfluoroalkyl Group-Covered Organosilica Films for the Sensitive Detection of Sulfonylurea Herbicides in Laser Desorption/Ionization Mass Spectrometry.

Simple and rapid screening of agrochemicals greatly contributes to food and environmental safety. Matrix-free laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry (LDI-MS) is an effective tool for high-throughput analysis of low-molecular-weight compounds. In this study, we report a UV-laser-absorbing organosilica film for the sensitive detection of various sulfonylurea herbicides using LDI-MS.

Self-assembled single-crystal bimodal porous GaN exhibiting a petal effect: application as a sensing platform and substrate for optical devices.

This paper investigates the petal effect (hydrophobicity and strong adhesion) observed on single-crystal bimodal porous GaN (porous GaN), which has almost the same electrical properties as bulk GaN. The water contact angles of porous GaN were 100°-135° despite the intrinsic hydrophilic nature of GaN. Moreover, it was demonstrated that the petal effect of porous GaN leads to the uniform attachment of water solutions, enabling highly uniform and aggregation-free attachment of chemicals and quantum dots.

Nanoporous Substrates with Molecular-Level Perfluoroalkyl/Alkylamide Surface for Laser Desorption/Ionization Mass Spectrometry of Small Proteins.

The rapid detection of biomolecules greatly contributes to health management, clinical diagnosis, and prevention of diseases. Mass spectrometry (MS) is effective for detecting and analyzing various molecules at high throughput. However, there are problems with the MS analysis of biological samples, including complicated separation operations and essential pretreatments.

TiN nanopillar-enhanced laser desorption and ionization of various analytes.

The present paper reports on the use of TiN nanopillars as a robust analytical substrate for laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry (LDI-MS). TiN nanopillars were fabricated on silicon wafers through the dynamic oblique deposition of titanium, followed by thermal treatment in an ammonia atmosphere. The TiN nanopillars were readily applicable to a simple "dried-droplet" method in the LDI-MS without surface modification or pre-treatment.

Hybrid Surface Design of Organosilica Films for Laser Desorption/Ionization Mass Spectrometry: Low Free Energy Surface with Interactive Sites.

Laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry (LDI-MS) assisted by solid substrates is useful for the facile and rapid analysis of low-molecular-weight compounds. The LDI performance of solid substrates depends on not only a surface morphology but also the surface functionalities dominating the surface-analyte interactions. In this study, we propose a hybrid surface design for LDI substrates, realizing both weak surface-analyte interaction and homogeneous distribution of analytes.

Direct nanoimprinting of nanoporous organosilica films consisting of covalently crosslinked photofunctional frameworks.

Nanoimprinting methods have been used widely to prepare various patterned or nanostructured thin films from inorganic or organic components. However, the accumulation of large functional aromatic groups in covalently crosslinked nanoimprints is challenging, due to the difficulty in controlling the fluidity and reactivity of the precursor films. In this work, nanoimprinting of naphthalimide-silica sol-gel films results in vertically oriented nanoporous structures consisting of covalently crosslinked UV-absorbing frameworks.

Acute Liver Failure Due to Severe Hepatic Metastasis of Small-cell Lung Cancer Producing Adrenocorticotropic Hormone Complicating Ectopic Cushing Syndrome.

A 72-year-old man was admitted to a general hospital with progressive liver dysfunction, hypokalemia, hyperglycemia, and nodules in the lung and liver and then transferred to our institution on the seventh hospital day. Plasma levels of adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), cortisol, and neuron-specific enolase concentrations were extremely high. He developed acute liver failure, his consciousness and general condition deteriorated rapidly, and he died on Day 11.

High-aspect-ratio mushroom-like silica nanopillars immersed in air: epsilon-near-zero metamaterials mediated by a phonon-polaritonic anisotropy.

Epsilon-near-zero metamaterials offer opportunities for intriguing electromagnetic-wave phenomena. Here we experimentally demonstrate that silica perpendicular nanopillars immersed in air exhibit a uniaxial epsilon-near-zero response mediated by phonon polaritons in the mid-infrared range. Unique mushroom-shaped heads on nanopillars play a crucial role to realize SiO metamaterials over a large area in our self-assembled fabrication process with block copolymers, polystyrene--poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PS--PDMS).

Efficacy and safety of sofosbuvir and ledipasvir in Japanese patients aged 75 years or over with hepatitis C genotype 1.

Aim: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of a regimen containing sofosbuvir (SOF) and ledipasvir (LDV) in Japanese patients aged ≥ 75 years with hepatitis C genotype 1.

Methods: This multicenter, retrospective study consisted of 246 Japanese patients with HCV genotype 1 at nine centers in Miyazaki prefecture in Japan. Demographic, clinical, virological, and adverse effects (AE)-related data obtained during and after SOF/LDV therapy were collected from medical records.

Re(bpy)(CO) Cl Immobilized on Bipyridine-Periodic Mesoporous Organosilica for Photocatalytic CO Reduction.

This paper describes the physicochemical properties of a rhenium (Re) complex [Re(bpy)(CO) Cl] immobilized on a bipyridine-periodic mesoporous organosilica (BPy-PMO) acting as a solid support. The immobilized Re complex generated a metal-to-ligand charge transfer absorption band at 400 nm. This wavelength is longer than that exhibited by Re(bpy)(CO) Cl in the polar solvent acetonitrile (371 nm) and is almost equal to that in nonpolar toluene (403 nm).

Simple and scalable preparation of master mold for nanoimprint lithography.

Nanoimprint lithography (NIL) is one of the most prominent bottom-up techniques for duplicating nanostructures with a high throughput. However, fabrication of starting master mold commonly requires expensive equipment of top-down techniques, or additional steps to transfer the fabricated patterns from bottom-up methods. Here we demonstrate that a SiO nanostructure manufactured from a self-assembled block copolymer, polystyrene-b-polydimethylsiloxane (PS-b-PDMS), directly serves as a master mold for NIL without further modification.

In situ green synthesis of fluorescent monodispersed mesoporous silica spheres/poly(p-phenylenevinylene) composites.

A facile one-pot synthesis for the composite materials fabricated from conjugated polymer, poly(p-phenylenevinylene) (PPV), and monodispersed mesoporous silica spheres (MMSS) is demonstrated. Composite materials having superior photoluminescence properties are easily obtained using ethylene glycol as a reaction solvent in which PPV monomers are effectively exchanged with cationic surfactants in MMSS and subsequently polymerized in the solution. The method can prevent serious reduction of photoluminescence properties which occurs inevitably during thermal treatment (200°C) to polymerize PPV.

Evaluation of Renal Artery Anomalies Associated with Horseshoe Kidney Using CT Angiography.

Purpose: To evaluate the incidence of supernumerary renal arteries in horseshoe kidney (HSK) patients, focusing on number and diameters using computed tomographic angiography (CTA).

Material And Methods: Thirty-nine patients with HSK and 103 patients with normal kidney (NK) underwent 64 or 128 multidetector CT. Based on 2-dimensional CT, including multiplanar reconstruction, maximum intensity projection, and volume-rendered images with a 0.

Congenital pericardial defect: a case of right pericardial partial absence with normal parietal pleura [corrected].

Congenital pericardial defect (CPD) is a rare cardiovascular anomaly. A right-sided CPD is much rarer than left-sided defects. Usually both the pericardium and parietal pleura are absent.

A solid chelating ligand: periodic mesoporous organosilica containing 2,2'-bipyridine within the pore walls.

Synthesis of a solid chelating ligand for the formation of efficient heterogeneous catalysts is highly desired in the fields of organic transformation and solar energy conversion. Here, we report the surfactant-directed self-assembly of a novel periodic mesoporous organosilica (PMO) containing 2,2'-bipyridine (bpy) ligands within the framework (BPy-PMO) from a newly synthesized organosilane precursor [(i-PrO)3Si-C10H6N2-Si(Oi-Pr)3] without addition of any other silane precursors. BPy-PMO had a unique pore-wall structure in which bipyridine groups were densely and regularly packed and exposed on the surface.

Study of the association between an anomalous superior vena cava and horseshoe kidney.

Background: The incidence of inferior vena cava anomalies in patients with horseshoe kidney is higher than that reported in the general population. As far as we know, no studies have reported the incidence and variations of superior vena cava (SVC) anomalies using multidetector-row computed tomography (MDCT) in patients with horseshoe kidney.

Methods And Results: Using MDCT, 71 patients with a horseshoe kidney (group A: 45 males, 26 females; mean age, 60.

Photoinduced electron transfer between the anionic porphyrins and viologens in titania nanosheets and monodisperse mesoporous silica hybrid films.

Photoinduced electron transfer between an anionic porphyrin derivative (tetrakis(p-carboxyphenyl)porphyrin; H(2)TCPP(4-)) and an electron accepting methyl viologen (MV(2+)) was investigated in two different nanoscale configurations, i.e., layered titania nanosheet (TNS) photocatalysts and ammonium-functionalized monodisperse mesoporous silica (AMMSS) particles.

Directional study of the optical properties of Tb3+- and Eu3+-doped nanoparticles embedded in silica photonic crystals.

The effects of the stop band (SB) in colloidal photonic crystals composed of silica spheres containing Eu(3+)- and Tb(3+)-doped yttria nanoparticles are analysed. Reflection and transmission spectra indicate movement of the stop band, due to the 111 series of planes, towards shorter wavelengths with increasing angle of observation. The profile of the emission spectra is modified by the presence of the SB depending on the angle of measurement.

Artificial black opal fabricated from nanoporous carbon spheres.

A nanocasting method via chemical vapor deposition of acetonitrile was successfully employed to fabricate porous carbon colloidal crystal using colloidal crystal from monodispersed mesoporous silica spheres (MMSS) as a sacrificial scaffold. The mesostructure as well as periodic arrays within (111) plane of MMSS were replicated for the carbon colloidal crystal (black opal) with the length scale in the centimeter range. Brilliant iridescent colors were clearly observed for the first time on the black carbon colloidal crystal fabricated from porous carbon spheres, and they changed dramatically in accordance with the observation angle, like natural black opals.

New strategy using glycol-modified silane to synthesize monodispersed mesoporous silica spheres applicable to colloidal photonic crystals.

A new approach focusing on the reactivity of a silica source was developed for the particle size control of monodispersed mesoporous silica spheres (MMSSs). A glycol-modified silanes, tetrakis(2-hydroxyethyl) orthosilicate was chosen as the silica source and successfully applied in the surfactant-templated synthesis of MMSSs in a very dilute alkaline alcohol-water mixture. Due to its higher hydrolysis rate compared with tetraalkyl orthosilicates, it took less time for the primary particles to come out, resulting in the formation of small particles with diameters falling in the low submicrometer range.