Bottom-up engineering of InAs at the nanoscale: From V-shaped nanomembranes to nanowires

The ability to rationally tune the morphology of nanostructures is a fundamental milestone in nanoscale engineering. In particular, the possibility to switch between different shapes within the same material system represents a further step in the development of complex nanoscale devices and it increases the potential of nanostructures in practical applications. We recently reported a new form of InAs nanostructures growing epitaxially on Si substrates as vertical V-shaped membranes. Here we demonstrate the possibility of modifying the shape of these nanomembranes and turning them into nanowires by modulating the surface roughness of the substrate by varying the surface treatment. We show that the growth of nanomembranes is favored on smooth surfaces. Conversely rough surfaces enhance the growth of nanowires. We also shove that the V/III ratio plays a key role in determining the absolute yield, i.e. how many nanostructures form during growth. These results envisage a new degree of freedom in the engineering of bottom up nanostructures and contribute to the achievement of nanostructure networks. (C) 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved

Prevalence and correlates of inadequate glycaemic control: results from a nationwide survey in 6,671 adults with diabetes in Brazil

Diabetes is a significant public health burden on the basis of its increased incidence, morbidity, and mortality. This study aimed to estimate the prevalence of inadequate glycaemic control and its correlates in a large multicentre survey of Brazilian patients with diabetes. A cross-sectional study was conducted in a consecutive sample of patients aged 18 years or older with either type 1 or type 2 diabetes, attending health centres located in ten large cities in Brazil (response rate = 84%). Information about diabetes, current medications, complications, diet, and satisfaction with treatment were obtained by trained interviewers, using a standardized questionnaire. Glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c) was measured by high-performance liquid chromatography in a central laboratory. Patients with HbA1c ≥ 7 were considered to have inadequate glycaemic control. Overall 6,701 patients were surveyed, 979 (15%) with type 1 and 5,692 (85%) with type 2 diabetes. The prevalence of inadequate glycaemic control was 76%. Poor glycaemic control was more common in patients with type 1 diabetes (90%) than in those with type 2 (73%), P < 0.001. Characteristics significantly associated with improved glycaemic control included: fewer years of diabetes duration, multi professional care, participation in a diabetes health education program, and satisfaction with current diabetes treatment. Despite increased awareness of the benefits of tight glycaemic control, we found that few diabetic patients in Brazil met recommended glycaemic control targets. This may contribute to increased rates of diabetic complications, which may impact health care costs. Our data support the public health message of implementation of early, aggressive management of diabetes

A SARS-CoV-2 protein interaction map reveals targets for drug repurposing

The novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, the causative agent of COVID-19 respiratory disease, has infected over 2.3 million people, killed over 160,000, and caused worldwide social and economic disruption1,2. There are currently no antiviral drugs with proven clinical efficacy, nor are there vaccines for its prevention, and these efforts are hampered by limited knowledge of the molecular details of SARS-CoV-2 infection. To address this, we cloned, tagged and expressed 26 of the 29 SARS-CoV-2 proteins in human cells and identified the human proteins physically associated with each using affinity-purification mass spectrometry (AP-MS), identifying 332 high-confidence SARS-CoV-2-human protein-protein interactions (PPIs). Among these, we identify 66 druggable human proteins or host factors targeted by 69 compounds (29 FDA-approved drugs, 12 drugs in clinical trials, and 28 preclinical compounds). Screening a subset of these in multiple viral assays identified two sets of pharmacological agents that displayed antiviral activity: inhibitors of mRNA translation and predicted regulators of the Sigma1 and Sigma2 receptors. Further studies of these host factor targeting agents, including their combination with drugs that directly target viral enzymes, could lead to a therapeutic regimen to treat COVID-19

Progressive encephalopathy with edema, hypsarrhythmia, and optic atrophy (PEHO Syndrome) in a Turkish child

WOS: 000165288000015PubMed ID: 11105628We report a Turkish boy with PEHO syndrome (progressive encephalopathy with edema, hypsarrhythmia, and optic atrophy). He had generalized hypotonia and abnormal eye movements during early infancy, Infantile spasms were seen in the second year of life. Arrest of psychomotor development and blindness were noticed early in childhood. Serial magnetic resonance imaging revealed progressive infratentorial atrophy with association of cortical atrophy and corpus callosum hypoplasia. This is an additional case of PEHO syndrome, to our knowledge the first such case from Turkey

Outcome of axonal and demyelinating forms of Guillain-Barre syndrome in children

WOS: 000184143600008PubMed ID: 12849884Previous reports have suggested that outcome is worse in the axonal compared with the demyelinating form of Guillain-Barre syndrome (GBS). We performed a retrospective study of 23 children with electrophysiologically confirmed cases of predominant subtypes of GBS to investigate this issue. The patients were classified based on the electrodiagnostic features: Ten (44%) had acute inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy, eight (35%) had acute motor axonal neuropathy, and five (21%) had acute motor-sensory axonal neuropathy. All patients received a standard intravenous immunoglobulin therapy (0.4 g /kg /day for 5 consecutive days). In the acute phase of the disease, patients with the axonal forms of GBS were more disabled than were those with the demyelinating GBS, as measured by GBS scores. Mechanical ventilation was required in five (38%) patients in the axonal group compared with one (10%) patient in the demyelinating group. There was no significant difference at 6 months in GBS scores between demyelinating and axonal forms of GBS. All 20 survivors recovered completely by 12 months. After standard intravenous immunoglobulin therapy, children with axonal forms of GBS recover more slowly than those with the demyelinating form, but outcome at 12 months appears to be equally favorable in two groups. (C) 2003 by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved

Effects of telmisartan and valsartan on insulin resistance, visfatin and adiponectin levels in hypertensive patients with metabolic syndrome

WOS: 000254637500003Objective. The aims of this study were to compare the effect of telmisartan and valsartan on the blood and insulin sensitivity and adiponectin levels in hypertensive patients with metabolic syndrome. Patients and Methods. One hundred twenty male patients who met the criteria for metabolic syndrome defined as in ATP III enrolled in the sudy. All patients were randomized to receive treatment with telmisartan 80 mg (n=70) or valsartan 160 mg (n=50) once daily for 6 months. Serum insulin concentration was measured by chemiluminescence, plasma levels of adiponectin and visfatin by Enzyme linked immunosorbent assay kit (ELISA). Insulin resistance (IR) was estimated using the homeostasis model assessment (HOMA). Results: Mean HOMA-IR and adiponectin and visfatin levels were measured 3.00 +/- 0.9 and 5.93 +/- 0.3 mgr/ml and 23.45 +/- 6.1 mgr/ml in patients before starting treatment of telmisartan, respectively. They were changed to 2.4 +/- 0.5 and 6.71 +/- 0.5 mg/ml and 21.40 +/- 5.0 mg/ml at a 6 months period. In valsartan group, mean HOMA-IR and adiponectin and visfatin levels were measured 2.9 +/- 0.5 and 5.50 +/- 0.9 mg/ml 19.05 +/- 3.9 mg/ml before treatment, respectively. After a 6 months period, mean HOMA-IR and adiponectin and visfatin levels were found 3.00 +/- 0.9 and 6.24 +/- 0.7 mg/ml and 20.76 +/- 4.5 mg/ml, respectively. Conclusion: Telmisartan produced significant reductions from baseline in HOMA-IR and insulin levels, whereas valsartan did not. Both telmisartan and valsartan did no changed serum visfatin levels but they increased serum adiponectin concentrations by RAS blockade