Biomechanical insights into anterolateral vertebral screw fixation in osteoporotic spines: a comparative study of fixation methods and positions using porcine vertebrae.

Objective: Combining oblique lumbar interbody fusion (OLIF) with posterior pedicle screw fixation (PPSF) has been proposed to reduce cage subsidence, especially in osteoporotic spines. Recently, anterolateral screw-rod fixation has gained interest as it allows direct pathology observation and avoids a posterior approach. However, controversies exist between anterolateral screw fixation systems and traditional PPSF due to variations in osteoporotic vertebral mineral density, screw fixation positions, and fixation methods (bicortical vs.

Multi-spectral autofluorescence variability of the individual retinal pigmented epithelial cells in healthy aging eyes.

The retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) is vital for the healthy function of the retina. Cellular level changes in the RPE are not visualized with current clinical techniques due to a lack of spatial resolution. Fluorescence adaptive optics scanning light ophthalmoscopy (AOSLO) can image RPE cells by utilizing their intrinsic autofluorescence (AF).

MnO Nanowires with Sub-10 nm Thick Conjugated Microporous Polymers as Synergistic Triboelectric Materials.

MnO nanowires coated with conjugated microporous polymers (CMP) are applied as triboelectric energy harvesting materials. The tribopositive performance of the CMP shells is enhanced with the assistance of MnO nanowires (MnO NW), likely due to cationic charge transfer from the tribopositive CMP layers to the surface Mn and Mn species of MnO NW. This is supported by model studies.

Soil Microbial Communities and Wine Terroir: Research Gaps and Data Needs.

Microbes found in soil can have a significant impact on the taste and quality of wine, also referred to as wine terroir. To date, wine terroir has been thought to be associated with the physical and chemical characteristics of the soil. However, there is a fragmented understanding of the contribution of vineyard soil microbes to wine terroir.

Are the Hypo-Reflective Clumps Associated With Age-Related Macular Degeneration in Adaptive Optics Ophthalmoscopy Autofluorescent?

Purpose: Hypo-reflective clumps (HRCs) are structures associated with age-related macular degeneration (AMD) that were identified using flood-illumination adaptive optics ophthalmoscopy (FIAO) and hypothesized to be either macrophages that have accumulated melanin through the phagocytosis of retinal pigmented epithelial (RPE) cell organelles or transdifferentiated RPE cells. HRCs may be autofluorescent (AF) in the near infrared (NIR) but clinical NIR autofluorescence imaging lacks the resolution to answer this question definitively. Here, we used near infrared autofluorescence (NIRAF) imaging in fluorescence adaptive optics scanning laser ophthalmoscopy (AOSLO) to determine whether HRCs are AF.

Polyurethanes synthesized using biomass-derived furan diols as sustainable triboelectric materials.

This work shows that various polyurethanes (FPUs) prepared using biomass-derived furan diols can be applied as promising tribopositive materials. The elastic FPUs having appropriate glass transition temperature () could be incorporated into polyethylene terephthalate (PET) fabrics to form FPU/PET films. The optimal FPU-4/PET film showed promising triboelectric performance with output voltages () up to 405 V and a maximum power density () of 32 mW cm.

Tibial-sided Anterolateral Ligament Injuries Are Associated With Poor Healing and Residual Pivot Shift Testing After Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction.

Purpose: To investigate whether tibial-sided anterolateral ligament (ALL) injuries are associated with poor healing and residual pivot shift.

Methods: Patients who underwent anterior cruciate ligament reconstructions within postinjury 6 weeks from January 2008 to March 2021 were included. They had concomitant ALL injury confirmed by preoperative magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and were followed for a minimum of 20 months.

Combinatorial characterization of bacterial taxa-driven differences in the microbiome of oyster reefs.

Oyster reefs are invaluable ecosystems that provide a wide array of critical ecosystem services, including water filtration, coastal protection, and habitat provision for various marine species. However, these essential habitats face escalating threats from climate change and anthropogenic stressors. To combat these challenges, numerous oyster restoration initiatives have been undertaken, representing a global effort to preserve and restore these vital ecosystems.

Retrospective analysis on prognosis of oral cancer patients according to surgical approaches for effective cancer ablation: swing approach versus visor approach.

Background: For the surgical treatment of oral cancer, it is sometimes necessary to expand intraoral access within the oral cavity. The "swing approach" that involves lip splitting of the mandible and temporary mandibular osteotomy and the "visor approach" that does not split the lower lip and mandible are mainly used. This study analyzed postoperative outcomes such as complications, recurrence rate, and survival rate by these two approaches.

Comparison between Two Adaptive Optics Methods for Imaging of Individual Retinal Pigmented Epithelial Cells.

The Retinal Pigment Epithelium (RPE) plays a prominent role in diseases such as age-related macular degeneration, but imaging individual RPE cells is challenging due to their high absorption and low autofluorescence emission. The RPE lies beneath the highly reflective photoreceptor layer (PR) and contains absorptive pigments, preventing direct backscattered light detection when the PR layer is intact. Here, we used near-infrared autofluorescence adaptive optics scanning laser ophthalmoscopy (NIRAF AOSLO) and transscleral flood imaging (TFI) in the same healthy eyes to cross-validate these approaches.

Radio frequency hyperthermia system for skin tightening effect by filled waveguide aperture antenna with compact metamaterials.

Radio frequency (RF) hyperthermia focuses on raising the target area temperature to a value exceeding 45°C. Collagen is stimulated when the temperature rises to 45°C at the dermal layer, resulting in skin tightening. However, most studies on RF hyperthermia have focused on tumor ablation or using electrodes to radiate an electromagnetic field, which is highly inefficient.

Projective light-sheet microscopy with flexible parameter selection.

Projection imaging accelerates volumetric interrogation in fluorescence microscopy, but for multi-cellular samples, the resulting images may lack contrast, as many structures and haze are summed up. Here, we demonstrate rapid projective light-sheet imaging with parameter selection (props) of imaging depth, position and viewing angle. This allows us to selectively image different sub-volumes of a sample, rapidly switch between them and exclude background fluorescence.

Forcefully engaging rods into tulips with gap discrepancy leading to pedicle screw loosening-a biomechanical analysis using long porcine spine segments.

Background Context: Long-segment pedicle screw instrumentation is widely used to treat complex spinal disorders. Rods are routinely precontoured to maximize assistance on the correcting side of the deformity, but there often exists a residual gap discrepancy between the precontoured rods and screw tulips. No previous research has investigated the diminished pullout strength of the most proximal or distal pedicle screw resulting from a mismatched rod in long-segment pedicle screw instrumentation.

Influence of various pilot hole profiles on pedicle screw fixation strength in minimally invasive and traditional spinal surgery: a comparative biomechanical study.

Despite advancements in pedicle screw design and surgical techniques, the standard steps for inserting pedicle screws still need to follow a set of fixed procedures. The first step, known as establishing a pilot hole, also referred to as a pre-drilled hole, is crucial for ensuring screw insertion accuracy. In different surgical approaches, such as minimally invasive or traditional surgery, the method of creating pilot holes varies, resulting in different pilot hole profiles, including variations in size and shape.

Tubulointerstitial nephritis antigen-like 1 from cancer-associated fibroblasts contribute to the progression of diffuse-type gastric cancers through the interaction with integrin β1.

Background: Tumor cells of diffuse-type gastric cancer (DGC) are discohesive and infiltrate into the stroma as single cells or small subgroups, so the stroma significantly impacts DGC progression. Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) are major components of the tumor stroma. Here, we identified CAF-specific secreted molecules and investigated the mechanism underlying CAF-induced DGC progression.

Federated machine learning in healthcare: A systematic review on clinical applications and technical architecture.

Federated learning (FL) is a distributed machine learning framework that is gaining traction in view of increasing health data privacy protection needs. By conducting a systematic review of FL applications in healthcare, we identify relevant articles in scientific, engineering, and medical journals in English up to August 31st, 2023. Out of a total of 22,693 articles under review, 612 articles are included in the final analysis.

The influence of the environment and lifestyle on myopia.

Background: Myopia, commonly known as near-sightedness, has emerged as a global epidemic, impacting almost one in three individuals across the world. The increasing prevalence of myopia during early childhood has heightened the risk of developing high myopia and related sight-threatening eye conditions in adulthood. This surge in myopia rates, occurring within a relatively stable genetic framework, underscores the profound influence of environmental and lifestyle factors on this condition.

Akt enhances the vulnerability of cancer cells to VCP/p97 inhibition-mediated paraptosis.

Valosin-containing protein (VCP)/p97, an AAA+ ATPase critical for maintaining proteostasis, emerges as a promising target for cancer therapy. This study reveals that targeting VCP selectively eliminates breast cancer cells while sparing non-transformed cells by inducing paraptosis, a non-apoptotic cell death mechanism characterized by endoplasmic reticulum and mitochondria dilation. Intriguingly, oncogenic HRas sensitizes non-transformed cells to VCP inhibition-mediated paraptosis.