Graphene-based thermoelectric materials: toward sustainable energy-harvesting systems.

Among sustainable energy-harvesting systems, thermoelectric technology has attracted considerable attention because of its ability to directly convert heat into electricity and diverse applications. Graphene, with its exceptional electrical conductivity and mechanical properties, is a promising candidate for thermoelectric materials. However, efficient thermoelectric applications require materials with a high Seebeck coefficient and low thermal conductivity-criteria that graphene does not inherently satisfy, owing to its gapless energy band structure and ballistic thermal conduction.

Performance Evaluation of the Automated Cell Image Analyzer DI-60 for Leukocyte Differential Count.

Background: The Sysmex DI-60 system (Sysmex, Kobe, Japan) is an automated cell image analyzer that captures and analyzes cell images. The aim of this study was to evaluate the performance of DI-60 for leukocyte differential count in comparison with manual differential count and XN-20.

Methods: A total of 205 samples were analyzed and the agreement between DI-60 pre-classification and post-verification by medical technicians was determined.

Clinical, Immunologic, and Genetic Characteristics of T-lymphoblastic Leukemia with STIL-TAL1 Fusion.

Background: T-lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL) is an aggressive hematologic malignancy with a less favorable prognosis. The genetic background of T-ALL is widely heterogeneous, with the co-occurrence of multiple genetic abnormalities. The STIL-TAL1 rearrangement results from a submicroscopic deletion on chromosome 1p33 and is present in 15 - 25% of T-ALL cases.

Tracking In Vivo Lipolysis of Lipid Nanocarriers Using NIR-II Polarity-Sensitive Fluorescent Probes.

Elucidating in vivo lipolysis is crucial for clarifying the underlying mechanisms and in vivo fates of lipid-based nanocarriers, which are essential oral drug delivery carriers. Current mainstream methodologies use various in vitro digestion models to predict the in vivo performance of lipid formulations; however, their accuracy is often impeded by the complicated environment of the gastrointestinal tract. Although fluorescence labeling with conventional probes partly reveals the in vivo translocation of lipid nanocarriers, it fails to elucidate the lipolysis process because of poor signal discrimination among nanocarriers, free probes, and mixed micelles (lipolysis end-products).

Falls in a single brain rehabilitation center: a 3-year retrospective chart review.

Objective: Falls in brain rehabilitation centers can negatively impact patient recovery, increase injury risk, and adversely affect rehabilitation outcomes. This study aimed to analyze the incidence of falls and identify associated risk factors among patients with brain lesions in a tertiary hospital's brain rehabilitation center from June 2021 to May 2024.

Methods: A retrospective chart review was conducted to examine patient characteristics, fall-related risk factors, functional assessments, and circumstances surrounding falls.

Diagnostic Accuracy of Indocyanine Green-stained Sentinel Lymph Nodes in Prostate Cancer Patients: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

Background And Objective: Indocyanine green-guided sentinel lymph node dissection (ICG-SLND) has demonstrated good diagnostic accuracy for lymph node metastasis in prostate cancer. This study aims to perform a meta-analysis of the diagnostic accuracy of ICG-SLND at both the per-patient and the per-node level.

Methods: We conducted a literature search on PubMed and Embase for relevant studies published up to June 2024.

Broad repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) of the precuneus in Alzheimer's disease: A rationale and study design.

Introduction: Brain network dysfunction, particularly within the default mode network (DMN), is an increasingly apparent contributor to the clinical progression of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) can target key DMN hubs, maintain signaling function, and delay or improve clinical outcomes in AD. Here, we present the rationale and design of a study using off-the-shelf equipment and the latest clinical evidence to expand on prior rTMS work and reduce participant burden in the process.

Multiple Myeloma Complicated With Bronchiolitis Obliterans Syndrome After Allogeneic Haematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation and Subsequently Underwent Lung Transplantation Successfully: A Case Report.

Allogeneic haematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) is an effective treatment for multiple myeloma; however, the development of chronic graft-versus-host disease remains a significant challenge. Bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome (BOS) is one of the complications. Even with available medications for treatment, the prognosis of BOS remains poor.

Nanofibrous Chitin Clusters Constructed via Controllable Crystalline Structure Transition for 3D Functional Materials.

Intensively studied polymeric particle production technologies often rely on the combination of polymer self-assembly and particle processing techniques. Herein, an elegant crystallization transition-mediated strategy is proposed to confine molecular self-assembly within a limited range, avoiding the need for extra particle processing steps. This approach enables the production of the regenerated nanofibrous chitin clusters woven with the helical nanofibers.

Synergistic Catalysts with Fe Single Atoms and Fe3C Clusters for Accelerated Oxygen Adsorption Kinetics in Oxygen Reduction Reaction.

The design of cost-effective and efficient catalysts based on transition metal-based electrocatalysts for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) is crucial yet challenging for energy-conversion devices like metal-air batteries. In this work, we present a cost-effective strategy for preparing catalysts consisting of single-atomic Fe sites and Fe3C clusters encapsulated in nitrogen-doped carbon layers (FeSA-Fe3C/NC). The FeSA-Fe3C/NC electrocatalyst demonstrates outstanding ORR performance in alkaline electrolytes, achieving a high half-wave potential (E1/2 = 0.

Strictly G-Specific Alginate Lyase Aly7Sa for Efficient Preparation of Unsaturated Guluronate Oligosaccharides.

Alginate is a commercially valuable polysaccharide consisting of β-d-mannuronate (M) and its C5 epimer, α-l-guluronate (G). Alginate lyases are efficient tools for the degradation of alginate and the preparation of oligosaccharides. In this research, an endolytic alginate lyase Aly7Sa with strict G specificity was expressed and characterized with the optimum reaction conditions at 30 °C and pH 6.

CT-based vertebral three-dimensional Hounsfield unit can predict the new vertebral fracture after percutaneous vertebral augmentation in postmenopausal women: a retrospective study.

Background: Vertebral Hounsfield unit (HU) were regarded as a new way to predict fragility fracture. However, HU values were measured in a single plane, which is not accurate for the entire vertebral body. This study aimed to create a new CT-based metric for assessing bone mineral density, three-dimensional Hounsfield unit value (3D-HU), and to evaluate its effect in independently predicting new vertebral fracture (NVF) after percutaneous vertebral augmentation (PVA) in postmenopausal women.

Epidemiology of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis in central and Western Pennsylvania.

Background/rationale: Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis (IPF) is a chronic, progressive disease of unknown origin. Establishing the epidemiology of IPF has been challenging due to diagnostic complexity, poor survival, low prevalence, and heterogeneity of ascertainment methodologies.

Objectives: This research aimed to estimate the rates of IPF in central and western Pennsylvania and to pilot the use of capture recapture (CR) methods to estimate the disease incidence.

The mediating role of the TyG index in the relationship between circadian syndrome and cancer among middle-aged and elderly Chinese.

Background: Circadian Syndrome (CircS) is a significant marker of metabolic imbalance and has been linked to various chronic diseases. However, its relationship with cancer risk remains underexplored. This research aims to explore the relationship between CircS and cancer, while also assessing the possible mediating role of the triglyceride glucose (TyG) index.

Assessing social support's mediating effects on rational antimicrobial prescribing: a structural equation modeling study of healthcare professionals' behavior.

Antimicrobial resistance is a critical global health challenge, requiring effective strategies to promote rational antimicrobial prescribing among healthcare professionals. This study investigates how social support mediates prescribing behavior through psychosocial factors, providing insights into healthcare decision-making. A cross-sectional survey of 720 healthcare professionals was conducted, and Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) was used to evaluate the mediating roles of self-efficacy, knowledge and skills, and health beliefs.

Adaptive calibration of Gafchromic EBT3 film using generalized additive neural networks.

In radiation therapy, precise dose distribution is essential for minimizing damage to normal tissues. Gafchromic EBT3 film is widely used to assure the quality of two-dimensional dosimetry but requires frequent recalibrations due to changes in sensitivity over time. This study presents a new calibration method using a Keras-based generalized additive neural network (GANN) to address film aging.

Electrochemical cobalt-catalyzed semi-deuteration of alkynes to access deuterated Z-alkenes.

Deuterium labeling has found extensive applications across various research fields, including organic synthesis, drug design, and molecular imaging. Electrocatalytic semi-hydrogenation of alkynes offers a viable route for the synthesis of Z-alkenes, yet it falls short in achieving the semi-deuteration of these compounds. In this study, we report an electrochemical cobalt-catalyzed transfer deuteration reaction that proficiently accomplishes the semi-deuteration of alkynes, yielding Z-configuration deuterated alkene products.

Does swallow rehabilitation improve recovery of swallow function after treatment for advanced head and neck cancer.

This study aimed to assess the prevalence, severity, and progression of swallowing impairments in head and neck cancer (HNC) patients before and after treatment, using videofluoroscopy with the Modified Barium Swallow Impairment Profile (MBSImP) protocol. We retrospect survey 90 HNC patients was divided into rehabilitation (receiving swallowing rehabilitation) and non-rehabilitation groups. All participants underwent a videofluoroscopic swallowing study with MBSImP, the Penetration-Aspiration Scale (PAS), and the Swallowing Performance Status (SPS) scale, along with assessments using the EAT-10 and Functional Oral Intake Scale (FOIS) at baseline, and at 1 and 3 months post-treatment.

Activation of endogenous full-length utrophin by MyoAAV-UA as a therapeutic approach for Duchenne muscular dystrophy.

Activation of endogenous full-length utrophin, a dystrophin homolog, presents an attractive therapeutic strategy for Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD), regardless of mutation types and loci. However, current dCas9-based activators are too large for efficient adeno-associated virus delivery, and the feasibility and durability of such treatments remain unclear. Here, we develop a muscle-targeted utrophin activation system using the compact dCasMINI-VPR system, termed MyoAAV-UA.

Tunable superconductivity coexisting with the anomalous Hall effect in a transition metal dichalcogenide.

Transition metal dichalcogenides display a high technological potential due to their wide range of electronic ground states. Here, we unveil that by tuning hydrostatic pressure P, a cascade of electronic phase transitions can be induced in the few-layer transition metal dichalcogenide 1T'-WS. As P increases, we observe the suppression of superconductivity with the concomitant emergence of an anomalous Hall effect (AHE) at GPa.

Effectiveness and safety of ceftazidime-avibactam in Chinese patients with hospital-acquired pneumonia, including ventilator-associated pneumonia: a Phase 4, multi-centre, open-label study.

Background: Ceftazidime-avibactam was approved in patients with hospital-acquired pneumonia (HAP), including ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP), based on the multinational Phase 3 REPROVE study. This study assessed efficacy and safety of ceftazidime-avibactam in Chinese adults with HAP/VAP.

Methods: This was a Phase 4, prospective, multi-centre, open-label study, conducted at 42 sites in China.

Surgical retreatment after native-tissue apical prolapse surgery with hysterectomy versus hysteropexy.

Background: Interest in uterine-sparing procedures has increased due to the potential for lower blood loss and shorter operative time. Surgical efficacy of hysteropexy relative to traditional hysterectomy-based prolapse procedure remains uncertain over the long-term.

Objectives: The objective of our study was to determine if there is a difference in the rate of surgical retreatment for prolapse after native-tissue apical prolapse surgery with hysterectomy versus uterine-preservation.

Neural signatures of acute stress on the intention and outcome in third-party punishment: evidence from univariate and multivariate analysis.

Third-party punishment, a crucial element of prosocial behavior, involves individuals penalizing wrongdoers who harm the interests of others, even when their own interests are unaffected. Considering that third-party punishment behavior frequently arises in acute stress situations, understanding how stress influences such behavior is important. By using a modified economic game paradigm, this study investigates the impact of acute stress (induced through the Trier Social Stress Test) on the intention and outcome factors in third-party punishment, encompassing both behavioral and neural responses.