Crystallography of honeycomb formation under geometric frustration.

As honeybees build their nests in preexisting tree cavities, they must deal with the presence of geometric constraints, resulting in nonregular hexagons and topological defects in the comb. In this work, we study how bees adapt to their environment in order to regulate the comb structure. Specifically, we identify the irregularities in honeycomb structure in the presence of various geometric frustrations.

Effectiveness of a mindfulness intervention for older adults to improve emotional well-being and cognitive function in a Chinese population: A randomized waitlist-controlled trial.

Background: To investigate the effect of a modified mindfulness-based stress reduction (mMBSR) program on mental well-being and cognitive function of older adults.

Method: Two hundred and fourty-six participants were randomly assigned to mMBSR (n = 120) group or waitlist control group which received mMBSR at 2-month (n = 123). Data collected at baseline, 2 and 4 months after recruitment.

Exercise Intervention to Normalize Blood Pressure and Nocturnal Dipping in HyperTensive Patients (END-HT): Protocol of a Randomized Controlled Trial.

Background: Lack of decrease (≤10%) in systolic blood pressure (BP) during sleep, referred to as non-dipping (ND), independently predicts cardiovascular events and mortality. There has been no prospective and adequately powered randomized controlled trial (RCT) to determine whether exercise, when compared with standard treatment, can normalize ND in patients with hypertension (HT). Further, most patients do not sustain an exercise program by 12 months.

Intra-articular and extra-articular platelet-rich plasma injections for knee osteoarthritis: A 26-week, single-arm, pilot feasibility study.

Aim: Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) is an emerging therapy for knee osteoarthritis (KOA). Studies have evaluated the effectiveness of intra-articular PRP, which ignores extra-articular tissue dysfunction and may provide incomplete treatment of KOA. The study aimed to pilot test a leukocyte-rich (mononuclear cells) PRP injection protocol for primary KOA, which consisted of single intra-articular injection and extra-articular injections on the medial coronary and medial collateral ligaments.

Clinic-Based Patellar Mobilization Therapy for Knee Osteoarthritis: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

Purpose: We performed a phase 2 randomized clinical trial to evaluate the preliminary effectiveness of a clinic-based patellar mobilization therapy (PMT) in patients with knee osteoarthritis.

Methods: We recruited 208 patients with knee osteoarthritis at primary care clinics in Hong Kong. Patients were randomly assigned (1:1) to the intervention group or the control group.

Clinical effectiveness of patella mobilisation therapy versus a waiting list control for knee osteoarthritis: a protocol for a pragmatic randomised clinical trial.

Introduction: Knee osteoarthritis (KOA) is a common, disabling and costly medical condition. The patellofemoral joint is a critical source of pain in individuals with KOA, and coexistence of patellofemoral osteoarthritis (PFOA) and tibiofemoral osteoarthritis (TFOA) is sometimes observed. The identification of subgroups with PFOA and customised interventions to correct underlying pathomechanics is beneficial for individuals with KOA.

Exposure to air pollutants and mortality in hypertensive patients according to demography: a 10 year case-crossover study.

This study evaluated whether short term exposures to NO2, O3, particulate matter <10 mm in diameter (PM10) were associated with higher risk of mortality. A total of 223,287 hypertensive patients attended public health-care services and newly prescribed at least 1 antihypertensive agent were followed-up for up to 5 years. A time-stratified, bi-directional case-crossover design was adopted.

Comparative effectiveness of dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-4) inhibitors and human glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) analogue as add-on therapies to sulphonylurea among diabetes patients in the Asia-Pacific region: a systematic review.

The prevalence of diabetes mellitus is rising globally, and it induces a substantial public health burden to the healthcare systems. Its optimal control is one of the most significant challenges faced by physicians and policy-makers. Whereas some of the established oral hypoglycaemic drug classes like biguanide, sulphonylureas, thiazolidinediones have been extensively used, the newer agents like dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-4) inhibitors and the human glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) analogues have recently emerged as suitable options due to their similar efficacy and favorable side effect profiles.

Between geometry, stability, and polarizability: density functional theory studies of silicon clusters Sin (n = 3-10).

The relationship between the polarizability, stability, and the geometry of small-size silicon clusters has been investigated by the density functional theory methods. Results obtained at local density approximation/Vosko-Wilk-Nusair and general gradient approximation/BLYP levels with polarized even-tempered basis set of quadruple zeta quality are presented and compared with those obtained by the B3LYP method, as well as with the ab initio results in recent literature. We have found that the polarizability is directly related to the size of the energy gap between symmetry-compatible bonding and antibonding molecular orbitals, but not necessarily to the size of the HOMO-LUMO (highest occupied molecular orbital-lowest unoccupied molecular orbital) gap.

DFT calculations on the effects of para substituents on the energy differences between singlet and triplet states of 2,2-difluoro-1,3-diphenylcyclopentane-1,3-diyls.

UB3LYP/6-31g* calculations have been performed on a series of para-substituted 2,2-difluoro-1,3-diphenylcyclopentane-1,3-diyls (4). The singlet is computed to be the ground state for each of the diradicals, regardless of the nature of the para substituents, which range from strongly pi-electron-donating (amino) to strongly pi-electron-withdrawing (nitro). In the symmetrically para-disubstituted diradicals, the size of the singlet-triplet energy gap (Delta E(ST)) increases with the pi-electron-donating ability of the substituents, but in the unsymmetrically substituted diradicals, large values of Delta E(ST) are calculated even when one of the substituents is a pi electron acceptor.

Do deviations from bond enthalpy additivity define the thermodynamic stabilities of diradicals?

Deviations from bond enthalpy additivity (DeltaBEA) are frequently used to assess the thermodyamic stabilities of diradicals. (U)B3LYP/6-31G calculations have been performed in order to determine how well DeltaBEA values actually do reflect the thermodynamic stabilities of the triplet states of diradicals in which one or both nonbonding electrons occupy a delocalized pi orbital. The calculations find that different pathways for forming sigma,pi-diradicals, such as alpha,2- and alpha,4-dehydrotoluene (4 and 6), give DeltaBEA values that differ by ca.