We have developed an efficient, cyan-colored, and novel squaraine-dye-sensitized ZnO solar cell, producing a maximum incident photon-to-electron conversion efficiency (IPCE) of 59% at 630 nm. The solar cell sensitized by Sq 3 having bulky groups to prevent aggregation of dyes has achieved a 1.5% solar-to-electricity conversion efficiency (η) with a short-circuit current density of 4.04 mA cm−2, an open-circuit photovoltage of 0.61 V, and a fill factor of 0.61 under standard AM 1.5 irradiation (100 mW cm−2).

Aims/Introduction Continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) metrics, such as times in range (TIR) and time below range, have been shown to be useful as clinical targets that complement glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) for patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. We investigated the relationships between TIR, glycemic variability and patient characteristics in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Materials and Methods We carried out continuous glucose monitoring in 281 outpatients with type 2 diabetes mellitus who participated in a multicenter cohort (Hyogo Diabetes Hypoglycemia Cognition Complications) study. Results The results are shown as the median (interquartile range). The age, disease duration and HbA1c were 68 years (62–71 years), 13 years (7–23 years) and 6.9% (6.5–7.5%), respectively. TIR and standard deviation obtained by continuous glucose monitoring worsened significantly with increasing disease duration. Multiple regression analyses showed that disease duration (standard partial regression coefficient, β = −0.160, P = 0.003), diabetic peripheral neuropathy (β = −0.106, P = 0.033) and urinary albumin excretion (β = −0.100, P = 0.043) were useful explanatory factors for TIR. In contrast, HbA1c (β = −0.398, P < 0.001) and the use of antidiabetic drugs potentially associated with severe hypoglycemia (β = 0.180, P = 0.028), such as sulfonylureas, glinides and insulin, were useful explanatory factors for time below range in the elderly patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Conclusions The results of this study suggest that disease duration and diabetic complications are associated with TIR deterioration. In addition, low HbA1c levels and the use of antidiabetic drugs potentially associated with severe hypoglycemia might worsen the time below range in the elderly.

BackgroundAlthough obesity-related type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and sarcopenia in the elderly have been increasing worldwide, the associations among visceral fat accumulation, skeletal muscle indices (mass, strength, and quality) and cardiovascular diseases in T2DM remain poorly investigated.MethodsWe enrolled 183 Japanese T2DM inpatients (126 men, 57 women; mean age 64.7 ± 12.6 years, ± SD). The estimated-visceral fat area (eVFA) and skeletal muscle mass were measured by each device using bioelectrical impedance analysis method. We also measured grip strength by dynamometer and motor nerve conduction velocity (MCV). We analyzed the difference in skeletal muscle indices between T2DM patients with and without visceral fat accumulation, and examined the impact of skeletal muscle indices on cardiovascular diseases in patients with visceral fat accumulation.ResultsThe prevalence of sarcopenia defined by the Consensus of Asian Working Group for Sarcopenia and low skeletal muscle mass were both lower in the visceral fat accumulation (+) group than in (−) group. However, the prevalence of weak hand grip strength was similar in the visceral fat accumulation (−) and (+) groups, indicating that considerable patients with visceral fat accumulation had weak grip strength in spite of fair skeletal muscle mass. Muscle quality [grip strength (kg)/arm muscle mass (kg)] was significantly lower in patients with visceral fat accumulation. Multiple regression analysis identified eVFA, MCV and sex as significant and independent determinants of muscle quality. In visceral fat accumulation (+) group, the patients with low muscle quality had longer duration of diabetes, lower eGFR, higher serum adiponectin, lower MCV and higher prevalence of cardiovascular diseases, compared to the patients with high muscle quality. Finally, sex- and age-adjusted models showed significant association between low muscle quality and cardiovascular diseases in all subjects (odds ratio 2.28, p = 0.012), especially in patients with visceral fat accumulation (odds ratio 2.72, p = 0.018).ConclusionsT2DM patients with visceral fat accumulation had low muscle quality, and patients with low muscle quality were more affected with cardiovascular diseases.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (10.1186/s12933-018-0755-3) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

We attempted to examine the immunopathological change of the pancreatic islets of newly diagnosed Type 1 (insulin-dependent) diabetic patients and thereby to obtain useful information for the therapy of the patients. For this purpose, pancreas biopsy under laparoscopy was performed 2-4 months after the onset of Type 1 diabetes in seven newly diagnosed patients. All biopsies were performed safely without any complications. Immunohistochemical examination of the biopsy specimens revealed a marked decrease of insulin-containing cells, preservation of glucagon-containing cells, and various degrees of expression of MHC class I and class II antigens in islet cells and in endothelial cells within and around the islets. Signs of active autoimmune phenomena, e.g. lymphocytic infiltration or immunoglobulin deposition in islets, were not detected in any of these patients by light microscopical evaluation. We conclude that pancreas biopsy under laparoscopy has shown various immunological changes in the islets of newly diagnosed Type 1 diabetic patients. Pancreas biopsy, however, may not be suitable under the present protocol for the selection of patients for immunotherapy because of problems including sampling errors.

These results suggest that in patients treated with nitrates, additional administration of nicorandil is more useful, in terms of increasing CBF, than additional administration of nitrates. Adjunctive use of nicorandil with nitrates may provide the further benefit of myocardial protection and may improve the prognosis of patients with IHD.