Increased homocysteine levsls in patients with ischaemic heart disease and hypertension

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Medication safety research by observational study design

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Fabrication of bulk heterojunction photovoltaic devices using sublimable rhenium diimine complexes as photosensitizers

A series of chlorotricarbonyl rhenium (I) bis(phenylimino)acenaphthene (Re-DIAN-X) complexes were used as the photosensitizers for photovoltaic cells. Unlike other transition-metal-based photovoltaic sensitizers that can only be prepared by solution method, these complexes are sublimable. Compared to other rhenium diimine complexes based on bipyridine or 1,4-diaza-1,3-butadiene ligands, these complexes have lower band gaps, which can be modified easily by changing the structure of the ligand. It allows the preparation of blend of metal complexes in order to broaden the sensitization region in UV-vis absorption spectrum. One of the complexes also shows bipolar charge transport character with relatively high charge carrier mobilities in the order of 10 -3 cm2V-1s-1. Multilayer heterojunction and bulk heterojunction devices with fullerene as the electron accepting molecule were prepared. For the bulk heterojunction devices, the fill factor and power conversion efficiency under AM 1.5 simulated solar light illumination were 0.51 and 1.29 %, respectively. The effects of changing the Re-DIAN/C60 film thickness, Re-DIAN/C60 ratio and variation of ligand structures in the bulk heterojunction devices were studied. The amount of photosensitizer and electron transport molecules may strongly affect the balance between the photon absorption, exciton formation, dissociation, and charge transport processes. Atomic force microscopic images showed that the complex dispersed evenly with fullerene molecules in solid state.published_or_final_versio

Databases in the Asia-Pacific Region: The Potential for a Distributed Network Approach

Background: This study describes the availability and characteristics of databases in Asian-Pacific countries and assesses the feasibility of a distributed network approach in the region. Methods: A web-based survey was conducted among investigators using healthcare databases in the Asia-Pacific countries. Potential survey participants were identified through the Asian Pharmacoepidemiology Network. Results: Investigators from a total of 11 databases participated in the survey. Database sources included four nationwide claims databases from Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan; two nationwide electronic health records from Hong Kong and Singapore; a regional electronic health record from western China; two electronic health records from Thailand; and cancer and stroke registries from Taiwan. Conclusions: We identified 11 databases with capabilities for distributed network approaches. Many country-specific coding systems and terminologies have been already converted to international coding systems. The harmonization of health expenditure data is a major obstacle for future investigations attempting to evaluate issues related to medical costs.postprin

Fabrication of Photovoltaic Cell from Ruthenium Containing Polymer Using Layer by Layer Polyelectrolytes Adsorption Technique

Multilayer photovoltaic devices were fabricated by the sequence adsorption of different polyelectrolytes. A ruthenium terpyridine complex containing poly(p-phenylenevinylene) was used as the polycation layer. This polymer has been shown to exhibit large photo-sensitivity due to the presence of the ruthenium complex, which has relatively long-lived excited state. This polymer absorbs strongly in the visible region at ca. 480-550 nm and it can act as the electron transporter. Sulfonated polyaniline was used as the hole-transporting polyanion layer. The ITO/(polyanion/polycation) n/A1 devices were found to exhibit photovoltaic properties under the illumination of AM1 solar radiation. The short-circuit current I sc, open-circuit voltage V oc, and the fill factor FF were measured to be 14 μA/cm 2, 0.84 V and 0.16 respectively. It was found that the power conversion efficiencies of the devices were dependent on the device thickness. This simple layer-by-layer self-assembly method allowed us to control the devices thickness accurately.published_or_final_versio

Low-band-gap, sublimable rhenium(I) diimine complex for efficient bulk heterojunction photovoltaic devices

The fabrication of efficient bulk heterojunction photovoltaic cells using the chlorotricarbonyl rhenium(I) diimine complex as photosensitizer was discussed. The complex has a lower band gap, which can be adjusted easily by changing the structure of the ligand. The electric properties of the complex were studied using time-of-flight analysis. It was observed that the rhenium complex showed bipolar charge transport character with relatively high electron and hole mobilities.published_or_final_versio

Dosage Effects of Histamine-2 Receptor Antagonist on the Primary Prophylaxis of Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drug (NSAID)-Associated Peptic Ulcers: A Retrospective Cohort Study

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Effectiveness of Facebook Groups and Pages on Participant Recruitment Into a Randomized Controlled Trial During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Descriptive Study

BACKGROUND: In response to the unprecedented challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, conventional recruitment approaches were halted, causing the suspension of numerous clinical trials. Previously, Facebook (Meta Platforms, Inc) has emerged as a promising tool for augmenting participant recruitment. While previous research has explored the use of Facebook for surveys and qualitative studies, its potential for recruiting participants into randomized controlled trials (RCTs) remains underexplored. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to comprehensively examine the effectiveness of using Facebook groups and pages to facilitate participant recruitment during the COVID-19 pandemic for an RCT on the effectiveness of a remote parenting program, 1-2-3 Magic, in families who have children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in the United Kingdom. METHODS: We disseminated 5 Facebook posts with an attached digital flyer across 4 prominent ADHD UK support groups and pages run by the National Attention Deficit Disorder Information and Support Services, reaching an audience of around 16,000 individuals over 2 months (January 7 to March 4, 2022). Eligibility criteria mandated participants to be parents or caregivers of a child with diagnosed ADHD aged 12 years or younger, be residing in the United Kingdom, have access to stable internet, and have a device with the Zoom (Zoom Video Communications) app. Participants were required to have never attended 1-2-3 Magic training previously. Prospective participants expressed their interest through Microsoft Forms (Microsoft Corporation). The trial aimed to recruit 84 parents. It is important to note that the term "parent" or "caregiver" in the RCT and in this study within a trial refers to anybody who has legal responsibility for the child. RESULTS: Overall, 478 individuals registered their interest through Microsoft Forms within the stipulated 2-month window. After the eligibility check, 135 participants were contacted for a baseline meeting through Zoom. The first 84 participants who attended a baseline meeting and returned a completed consent form were enrolled. Subsequently, another 16 participants were added, resulting in a final sample of 100 participants. This recruitment strategy incurred negligible expenses and demanded minimal human resources. The approach yielded favorable outcomes by efficiently attracting eligible participants in a condensed time frame, transcending geographical barriers throughout the United Kingdom, which would have been tedious to achieve through traditional recruitment methods. CONCLUSIONS: Our experience demonstrated that digital flyers posted in the targeted Facebook groups were a cost-effective and quick method for recruiting for an RCT, which opened during the COVID-19 pandemic when lockdown restrictions were in place in the United Kingdom. Trialists should consider this low-cost recruitment intervention for trials going forward, and in the case of a global pandemic, this novel recruitment method enabled the trial to continue where many have failed. TRIAL REGISTRATION: International Standard Randomized Controlled Trial Number (ISRCTN) 15281572; https://www.isrctn.com/ISRCTN15281572

Association between Androgen Deprivation Therapy and Risk of Dementia in Men with Prostate Cancer

The risk of dementia after androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) in patients with advanced prostate cancer (PCa) remains controversial. This study aimed to evaluate the association between ADT and the incidence of dementia in patients with PCa. We identified patients newly diagnosed with PCa in the National Health Insurance Database of Taiwan from 1 January 2002 to 30 June 2016 and in The Health Improvement Network of the United Kingdom (UK) from 1 January 1998 to 31 March 2018. We classified patients with PCa into ADT and ADT-naïve groups. Propensity score (PS) methods were used to minimize the differences in characteristics between the groups. We performed a Cox proportional hazard model to obtain the adjusted hazard ratio (HR) to compare the incidence of dementia between the groups. Our ADT group comprised 8743 and 73,816 patients in Taiwan and the UK, respectively, which were matched 1:1 to ADT-naïve patients by PS. The incidence rates of dementia in the ADT group were 2.74 versus 3.03 per 1000 person-years in the ADT naïve groups in Taiwan, and 2.81 versus 2.79 per 1000 person-years in the UK. There was no statistical difference between ADT and ADT-naïve groups (adjusted HR: 1.12; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.87–1.43 in Taiwan and adjusted HR: 1.02; 95% CI: 0.85–1.23 in the UK). We found no association between the incidence of dementia and ADT in patients with advanced PCa in either database. Further studies are warranted to evaluate other possible triggers of incident dementia in patients receiving ADT for advanced PCa

Effects of Phosphodiesterase-5 Inhibitors in Patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a major burden of healthcare worldwide. We aimed to determine the effects of PDE-5 inhibitors on clinical outcomes and haemodynamic parameters in patients with COPD. A PROSPERO-registered systematic review and meta-analysis (identification number CRD42021227578) were performed to analyse the effects of PDE-5 inhibitors in patients with COPD. Data were sourced from MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cochrane Register of Controlled Trials and "ClinicalTrials.gov." Randomised controlled trials (RCTs) comparing PDE-5 inhibitors with control in patients with COPD were included. Quality assessment was carried out using the Cochrane Collaboration's tool for assessing the risk of bias in randomised trials. The pooled mean difference of 6-minute walk distance (6MWD) and mean pulmonary arterial pressure based on inverse variance estimation were analysed with a fixed-effect model or random-effects model meta-analysis. Nine RCTs involving 414 patients were included in the review. There was no significant difference in 6MWD (mean difference = 22.06 metres, 95% confidence interval (CI), -5.80 to 49.91). However, there was a statistically significant difference between PDE-5 inhibitor and control groups in mean pulmonary artery pressure (mean difference = -3.83 mmHg, 95% CI, -5.93 to -1.74). Headaches were the most common adverse event, occurring significantly in the PDE-5 inhibitor intervention group (odds ratio 3.83, 95% CI, 1.49 to 9.86). This systematic review indicates that PDE-5 inhibitors do not improve exercise capacity despite some possible improvements in haemodynamic parameters in COPD patients