Secondary hyperparathyroidism, one of the most frequently encountered disorders of the calcium homeostasis, is characterized by an increase in parathyroid epithelial (PT) cell number, which is crucial from a functional viewpoint. However, it is still unknown what factors are involved in PT cell proliferation. Endothelin-1 (ET-1), a vasoconstrictive peptide, has been shown to act as a mitogen in...

The stabilities of Pt/Ti bilayer metallizations in an oxidizing atmosphere have been investigated with several thicknesses of interfacial Ti-bonding layers. Reactions in the Pt/Ti/SiO2/Si interface were examined as a function of various annealing conditions in the temperature range 200-800°C by using Rutherford backscattering spectrometry, Auger electron spectroscopy, x-ray diffraction, and tra...

Stable, porous, nanostructured composite electrodes were successfully fabricated via the inexpensive and scalable method of electrospray deposition, in which a dissolved solute is deposited onto a substrate using an electric field to drive droplet migration. The desirable characteristics of high porosity and high surface area were obtained under conditions that favored complete solvent evaporat...

Proficiency testing (PT) is pivotal in assessing laboratory qualifications for certification and licensure. PT is expected to typify routine assay performance and determine whether the laboratory is producing clinically useful test results. Conventional schemes use mail-distributed test specimens and are often criticized as measuring the best possible laboratory performance, principally because...

The growth of nanocrystalline metal-organic frameworks (nMOFs) around metal nanocrystals (NCs) is useful in controlling the chemistry and metric of metal NCs. In this Letter, we show rare examples of nMOFs grown in monocrystalline form around metal NCs. Specifically, Pt NCs were subjected to reactions yielding Zr(IV) nMOFs [Zr6O4(OH)4(fumarate)6, MOF-801; Zr6O4(OH)4(BDC)6 (BDC = 1,4-benzenedica...

BACKGROUND The tumor microenvironment plays a major role in multiple myelomas (MM). MM-BMSCs (bone marrow mesenchymal stromal cells) can support tumor growth and immune surveillance escape. On the other hand, fibroblast activation protein α, expressed by cancer stroma cells including BMSCs, has been shown to potentiate epithelial cancers growth and immune suppression. RESULTS MM-BMSC inhibite...

AIMS To investigate the rates and risk of hospitalisations in patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D) mellitus in England. METHODS This retrospective population-based cohort study used computerised records from the General Practice Research Database linked to Hospital Episode Statistics data in England. Patients with T2D from January 2006 to December 2010 were selected. Primary outcome measures w...

A novel multifunctional Pt nanoparticle@PPy nanofiber intercalated structure (Pt NP@PPy NF) has been synthesized facilely in one-pot. Pt NPs, with size and facet control, were nicely assembled and embedded into the polymer nanofiber network. Polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) was used during the synthesis process which would assist the self-assembly of the metal nanoparticles and polymer backbones into...

In this study, poly(3,3-dibenzyl-3,4-dihydro-2H-thieno[3,4-b][1,4]dioxepine)/platinum composite films (PProDOT-Bz2/Pt) were used as counter electrodes (CEs) in dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). The composite films were prepared on fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO) glass by radio frequency (RF) sputtering to deposit platinum (Pt) for 30 s. Afterwards, PProDOT-Bz2 was deposited on the Pt–FTO glass...

Using density-functional theory, we predict stable alloy configurations (ground states) for a 1 nm Pt-Pd cuboctahedral nanoparticle across the entire composition range and demonstrate their use as tunable alloy catalysts via hydrogen-adsorption studies. Unlike previous works, we use simulated annealing with a cluster expansion Hamiltonian to perform a rapid and comprehensive search that encompa...