Solvothermal Synthesis, Structure and Optical Property of Nanosized CoSb3 Skutterudite

Binary skutterudite CoSb3 nanoparticles were synthesized by solvothermal method. The nanostructuring of CoSb3 material was achieved by the inclusion of various kinds of additives. X-ray diffraction examination indicated the formation of the cubic phase of CoSb3. Structural analysis by transmission electron microscopy analysis further confirmed the formation of crystalline CoSb3 nanoparticles with high purity. With the assistance of additives, CoSb3nanoparticles with size as small as 10 nm were obtained. The effect of the nanostructure of CoSb3on the UV–visible absorption and luminescence was studied. The nanosized CoSb3 skutterudite may find application in developing thermoelectric devices with better efficiency. K

Hydrogel formulation for enhanced regeneration in cell transplantation

Myocardial cell transplantation can compensate for the loss of necrotic cardiomyocytes. The objective of this research study was to reformulate the hydrogel with concentrations of growth factors, such as Leukemia Inhibitory Factor (LIF), Hepatocyte Growth Factor (HGF), and Interleukin-6 (IL-6). A controlled delivery system of PEO-PPO-PEO was formulated for release of a single growth factor and of multiple growth factors. Cytotoxicity and proliferation assay for single growth factors starting with 4000 skeletal myoblasts yielded their highest proliferation at 4 days with HGF (25,500 cells) and LIF (42,000 cells), while IL-6 (115,000 cells) generated its highest proliferation at 5 days. Combination of LIF and IL-6 resulted in highest proliferation at day 2 (220,000 cells), HGF and LIF (108,000 cells), and HGF and IL-6 (80,000 cells) both at 5 days. Viability at 37°C was maintained during the five days at 98-99%. The formulation was successful in myotube formation while maintaining a high purity of myoblasts in culture. The new formulation induced controlled release of growth factors and skeletal myoblasts delivery under favorable conditions while increasing the proliferation of myoblasts.

Obesity and Serum High Sensitivity C-Reactive Protein Levels Among Elderly Turkish Immigrants in the Netherlands with Type 2 Diabetes

The study examined the associations of anthropometric measures of obesity with high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) levels in Turkish immigrants with type 2 diabetes (T2D) living in the Netherlands. A total of 110 participants, physician-diagnosed with T2D, aged 30 years and older were recruited from multiple sources from The Hague, Netherlands. Serum hs-CRP levels were measured with immunoturbidimetric assay. Glycated hemoglobin (A1C) was determined by high-pressure liquid chromatography. Measures of obesity: body weight, body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC), hip circumference (HC), waist-to-hip ratio (WHR), and waist-to-height ratio (WHtR) were determined. Statistical analysis included descriptive statistics, Pearson’s correlations and multiple linear regressions (MLR) stratified by gender. Hs-CRP was log transformed to achieve normality. Subjects with hs-CRP levels >10 mg/L (n = 17) were excluded from the analysis. Females had a higher BMI (p = 0.007), HC (p < 0.001), and WHtR (p = 0.011) as compared to males. Conversely, males had a higher weight (p = 0.007), and WHR (p < 0.001) than females. MLR showed that after controlling for covariates, log hs-CRP was positively associated with BMI (B = 0.039, SE = 0.019, β = 0.287, p < 0.05), WC (B = 0.025, SE = 0.011, β = 0.332, p < 0.05) and WHtR (B = 4.015, SE = 1.464, β = 0.376, p < 0.01) in females only. Gender-specific associations between obesity measures and hs-CRP level need to be further investigated in the Turkish immigrant population. Hs-CRP assessment may be added as a standard of care for T2D treatment within this population.