Nanocellulose, which can be derived from any cellulosic biomass, has emerged as an appealing nanoscale scaffold to develop inorganic-organic nanocomposites for a wide range of applications. In this study, titanium dioxide (TiO2) nanocrystals were synthesized in the cellulose nanocrystal (CNC) scaffold using a simple approach, i.e., hydrolysis of a titanium oxysulfate precursor in a CNC suspension at low temperature. The resulting TiO2 nanoparticles exhibited a narrow size range between 3 and 5 nm, uniformly distributed on and strongly adhered to the CNC surface. The structure of the resulting nanocomposite was evaluated by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) methods. The growth mechanism of TiO2 nanocrystals in the CNC scaffold was also investigated by solution small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS), where the results suggested the mineralization process could be described by the Lifshitz-Slyozov-Wagner theory for Ostwald ripening. The demonstrated TiO2/CNC nanocomposite system exhibited excellent performance in dye degradation and antibacterial activity, suitable for a wide range of environmental remediation applications. This journal is © The Royal Society of Chemistry 2019.The most common cause of pulmonary artery filling defects on computed tomography pulmonary angiography or magnetic resonance imaging is pulmonary thromboembolism, but not infrequently, the presentation of this finding lacks specificity. Given that the morbidity and mortality associated with pulmonary thromboembolism is high, proper diagnosis of the condition is essential. Unusual or more rarely encountered etiologies must be considered when clinical manifestations and imaging findings are inconsistent. With this review, our purpose is to describe possible causes of pulmonary arterial filling defects. We aim to provide clinicians with a comprehensive list of differential diagnoses to facilitate a measured approach to the assessment of pulmonary arterial filling defects on computed tomography pulmonary angiography or magnetic resonance imaging. © The Author(s) 2020.Atrial arrhythmias are common during episodes of acute respiratory failure in patients with chronic lung disease-associated pulmonary hypertension. Expert opinion suggests that management of atrial arrhythmias in patients with pulmonary hypertension should aim to restore sinus rhythm. This is clinically challenging in pulmonary hypertension patients with coexisting chronic lung disease, as there is controversy on the use of rhythm control agents; generally, in regard to either their pulmonary toxicity profile or the lack of evidence supporting their use. Rate control methods are largely focused on the use of beta blockers and calcium channel blockers. Concerns regarding their use involve their negative inotropic properties in cor pulmonale, the risk of bronchospasm associated with beta blockers, and the potential for ventilation/perfusion mismatching associated with calcium channel blockers. While digoxin has been associated with promising outcomes during acute right ventricular failure, there is limited evidence to suggest its routine use. Electrical cardioversion is associated with a high failure rate and it frequently requires multiple attempts. Radiofrequency catheter ablation is a more definitive approach, but concerns surrounding mechanical ventilation and sedation limit its applicability in decompensated pulmonary hypertension. Individual approaches are needed to address atrial arrhythmia management during acute episodes of respiratory failure. © The Author(s) 2020.Bronchopulmonary dysplasia-associated pulmonary hypertension (BPD-PH) may either be concordant or discordant between multiple gestation births. Abnormal placental development, particularly maternal vascular malperfusion, may account for discordance in BPD-PH through fetal programming mechanisms. Maternal vascular malperfusion is a placental histologic lesion associated with intrauterine growth restriction and BPD-PH. We conducted a retrospective longitudinal cohort study of infants born less then 29 weeks gestation with available placental histology at Prentice Women’s Hospital in Chicago from 2005-2012. The primary outcome was discordant BPD-PH associated with placental maternal vascular malperfusion. We secondarily assessed whether the risk of BPD-PH and placental lesions was different among infants of multiple (compared to singleton) gestations. The cohort consisted of 135 multiple gestation infants and 355 singletons. In a separate cohort of 39 singletons and 35 multiples, associations between 12 cytokin 29 weeks gestation compared to multiples may be related to increased frequency of these histologic lesions. Placental pathology in singleton and multiple gestation pregnancies may serve as an early biomarker to predict BPD-PH. © The Author(s) 2020.Research into the practice of medication review is developing across the world in response to the ever-increasing burden of inappropriate polypharmacy. Education, training and support of undergraduates and novice practitioners to equip them to participate in the medication review process could lead to long-term shifts in practice. The purpose of this study was to explore the awareness of pharmacy and medical undergraduates about medication review, deprescribing and polypharmacy, in order to inform improvement strategies. In November 2016, all final-year medical and pharmacy students at a London (UK) university were invited to complete a short questionnaire survey. Qualitative analysis inductively themed free-text comments and quantitative analysis used descriptive statistics to summarize responses, with chi-square tests used to indicate differences between the groups. The overall response rate was 34% (171/500). The terms 'medication review’ and 'polypharmacy’ were known to the students, whilst the term 'deprhout senior support, highlighting the need for alignment between education and professional development syllabi in a way that combines the variety of professional perspectives. Prompts by juniors could lead to more medication reviews within existing practice, and may give them invaluable experience in reviewing medicines in their future careers as seniors. © The Author(s), 2020.Diagnosis and monitoring of psychiatric disorders rely heavily on subjective self-reports of clinical symptoms, which are complicated by the varying consistency of accounts reported by patients with an impaired mental state. Hence, more objective and quantifiable measures have been sought to provide clinicians with more robust methods to evaluate symptomology and track progression of disease in response to treatments. Owing to the shared origins of the retina and the brain, it has been suggested that changes in the retina may correlate with structural and functional changes in the brain. Vast improvements in retinal imaging, namely optical coherence tomography (OCT) and electrodiagnostic technology, have made it possible to investigate the eye at a microscopic level, allowing for the investigation of potential biomarkers in vivo. This review provides a summary of retinal biomarkers associated with schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and major depression, demonstrating how retinal biomarkers may be used to complement existing methods and provide structural markers of pathophysiological mechanisms that underpin brain dysfunction in psychiatric disorders. © The Author(s), 2020.Background This was a meta-analysis of continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) compliance. We compared telemonitor (TM) care with usual care and supervised PAP titration (SPT) in the sleep unit with home auto-adjusting pressure titration (HAPT) in patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). Methods We searched PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, and Medline for appropriate randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that compared TM care with usual care for patients with OSA. Review Manager 5.3 was used for all comparisons and analyses. Results Our meta-analysis included 19 studies involving a total of 2464 patients with OSA; CPAP compliance was significantly higher in the TM care group [mean difference (MD) 0.68 h, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.48-0.89 h, I 2 = 49%] compared with the usual care group. When we compared SPT and HAPT, two groups did not exhibit significantly different levels of CPAP compliance (MD -0.34 h, 95% CI -0.72-0.05 h, I 2 = 91%). Subgroup analysis comparing the SPT with HAPT in CPAP compliance was grouped by follow-up time (⩾3 months or less then 3 months). Once again, there were no between-group differences in either long-term (MD = 0.56 h, 95% CI = 1.39-0.26 h, I 2 = 91%), or short-term (MD = 0.34 h, 95% CI = 0.26-0.27 h, I 2 = 14%) follow up. Conclusions TM care was associated with significantly greater CPAP compliance compared with usual care. Also, HAPT was not inferior to SPT for CPAP compliance. © The Author(s), 2020.Treatment options for elderly patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) remain limited. In this age group, AML is frequently associated with poor-risk features, while patients’ present comorbidities and reduced functional reserves. As such, intensive chemotherapy (ICT) is frequently too toxic or ineffective in elderly patients and is restricted to a select minority, though it is standard therapy for the youngest and fittest patients or for those belonging to either the favorable or intermediate-risk groups. The use of hypomethylating agents represent an effective alternative for patients who are unfit for ICT, yet the results remain unsatisfactory. In recent years, prognostic scores were developed that include geriatric assessment tools and improved risk-stratification. In addition, several effective new drugs have emerged. The combination of these drugs with hypomethylating agents or low-dose cytarabine has produced encouraging preliminary results that may change standard practices and offer an alternative to the dilemma of ICT versus low-intensity therapies. © The Author(s), 2020.With standard chemotherapy regimens for adults with acute lymphoblastic leukemia, approximately 90% of patients achieve complete remission. However, up to half of patients have persistent minimal/measurable residual disease (MRD) not recognized by routine microscopy, which constitutes the leading determinant of relapse. Many studies in pediatric and adult populations have demonstrated that achievement of MRD negativity after induction chemotherapy or during consolidation is associated with significantly better long-term outcomes, and MRD status constitutes an independently prognostic marker, often superseding other conventional risk factors. Persistence of MRD after intensive chemotherapy is indicative of treatment refractoriness and warrants alternative therapeutic approaches including allogeneic stem cell transplantation, blinatumomab, or investigational therapies such as inotuzumab ozogamicin or chimeric antigen receptor T cells. Furthermore, the incorporation of novel monoclonal antibodies or potent BCR-ABL1 tyrosine kinase inhibitors, such as ponatinib into frontline treatment may have the advantage of achieving higher rates of MRD negativity while minimizing chemotherapy-related toxicities. Many studies are therefore ongoing to determine whether this strategy can improve cure rates without the need for allogeneic stem cell transplantation. © The Author(s), 2020.