Dual-Seed Strategy for High-Performance Anode-Less All-Solid-State Batteries.

Interest in all-solid-state batteries (ASSBs), particularly the anode-less type, has grown alongside the expansion of the electric vehicle (EV) market, because they offer advantages in terms of their energy density and manufacturing cost. However, in most anode-less ASSBs, the anode is covered by a protective layer to ensure stable lithium (Li) deposition, thus requiring high temperatures to ensure adequate Li ion diffusion kinetics through the protective layer. This study proposes a dual-seed protective layer consisting of silver (Ag) and zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles for sulfide-based anode-less ASSBs.

Long-Term Enhancement of Botulinum Toxin Injections for Post-Stroke Spasticity by Use of Stretching Exercises-A Randomized Controlled Trial.

Botulinum toxin A (BONT/A) injections play a central role in the treatment of upper limb spasticity in stroke patients. We proposed structured stretching exercises to enhance the effect of post-stroke spasticity relief of the upper limbs following BONT/A injections. A total of 43 patients who had a stroke with grade 2 spasticity or higher on the Modified Ashworth Scale (MAS) in their upper-limb muscles were randomly assigned to the intervention ( = 21) or control group ( = 22).

Use of Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis to Explore the Effectiveness of Stellate Ganglion Block in Patients with Post-Stroke Complex Regional Pain Syndrome: A Retrospective Pilot Study.

Post-stroke complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) poses challenges in pain assessment for survivors. Stellate ganglion block (SGB) is a treatment, but evaluating its effectiveness is difficult for patients with communication limitations. Edema, a prominent symptom, can serve as an evaluation marker.

Toe Grip Strength Is Associated with Improving Gait Function in Patients with Subacute Stroke.

Toe grip strength has recently been suggested to play an essential role in maintaining balance and postural stability for ambulatory function in older populations. This study aimed to investigate its association with improving gait function three months after onset in patients with subacute stroke. This longitudinal cohort study included 98 first-ever stroke patients (67 ± 9 years, 56% female) within one month from the onset who could not ambulate independently.

Three-Dimensional Magnetic Rehabilitation, Robot-Enhanced Hand-Motor Recovery after Subacute Stroke: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

We developed an end-effector-type rehabilitation robot that can uses electro- and permanent magnets to generate a three-way magnetic field to assist hand movements and perform rehabilitation therapy. This study aimed to investigate the therapeutic effect of a rehabilitation program using a three-dimensional (3D) magnetic force-based hand rehabilitation robot on the motor function recovery of the paralyzed hands of patients with stroke. This was a double-blind randomized controlled trial in which 36 patients with subacute stroke were assigned to intervention and control groups of 18 patients each.

Toward Practical Multivalent Ion Batteries with Quinone-Based Organic Cathodes.

Multivalent ion batteries have emerged as promising solutions to meet the future demands of energy storage applications, offering not only high energy density but also diverse socio-economic advantages. Among the various options for cathodes, quinone-based organic compounds have gained attention as suitable active materials for multivalent ion batteries due to their well-aligned ion channels, flexible structures, and competitive electrochemical performance. However, the charge carriers associated with anions that are often exploited in multivalent ion battery systems operate by way of a "non-rocking-chair" mechanism, which requires the use of an excess amount of electrolyte and results in a significant decrease in the energy density.

Carrageenan as a Sacrificial Binder for 5 V LiNi Mn O Cathodes in Lithium-Ion Batteries.

5 V-class LiNi Mn O (LNMO) with its spinel symmetry is a promising cathode material for lithium-ion batteries. However, the high-voltage operation of LNMO renders it vulnerable to interfacial degradation involving electrolyte decomposition, which hinders long-term and high-rate cycling. Herein, this longstanding challenge presented by LNMO is overcome by incorporating a sacrificial binder, namely, λ-carrageenan (CRN), a sulfated polysaccharide.

Rationally Designed Solution-Processible Conductive Carbon Additive Coating for Sulfide-based All-Solid-State Batteries.

Sulfide-based all-solid-state batteries (ASSBs) have emerged as promising candidates for next-generation energy storage systems owing to their superior safety and energy density. A conductive agent is necessarily added in the cathode composite of ASSBs to facilitate electron transport therein, but it causes the decomposition of the solid electrolyte and ultimately the shortening of lifetime. To resolve this dilemmatic situation, herein, we report a rationally designed solution-processible coating of zinc oxide (ZnO) onto vapor-grown carbon fiber as a conductive agent to reduce the contact between the carbon additive and the solid electrolyte and still maintain electron pathways to the active material.

Loss of Neutralizing Activity of Tixagevimab/Cilgavimab (Evusheld™) Against Omicron BN.1, a Dominant Circulating Strain Following BA.5 During the Seventh Domestic Outbreak in Korea in Early 2023.

Tixagevimab/cilgavimab is a monoclonal antibody used to prevent coronavirus disease 2019 among immunocompromised hosts and maintained neutralizing activity against early omicron variants. Omicron BN.1 became a dominant circulating strain in Korea early 2023, but its susceptibility to tixagevimab/cilgavimab is unclear.

Radiologic changes of long term foot insole use in symptomatic pediatric flatfoot.

Clinically, flatfoot, known as pes planus, is quite prevalent. It is classified into 2 types: flexible and rigid, both of which may or may not have symptoms. If a flexible flatfoot is symptomatic, it must be treated to prevent subsequent complications.

Utility of ultrasound as a promising diagnostic tool for stroke-related sarcopenia: A retrospective pilot study.

Stroke patients undergo extensive changes in muscle mass which lead to stroke-related sarcopenia. Stroke-related sarcopenia has a significant impact on the functional outcome of stroke survivors. So, it is important to measure muscle mass in stroke patients.

Computational design of a neutralizing antibody with picomolar binding affinity for all concerning SARS-CoV-2 variants.

Coronavirus disease 2019, caused by SARS-CoV-2, remains an on-going pandemic, partly due to the emergence of variant viruses that can "break-through" the protection of the current vaccines and neutralizing antibodies (nAbs), highlighting the needs for broadly nAbs and next-generation vaccines. We report an antibody that exhibits breadth and potency in binding the receptor-binding domain (RBD) of the virus spike glycoprotein across SARS coronaviruses. Initially, a lead antibody was computationally discovered and crystallographically validated that binds to a highly conserved surface of the RBD of wild-type SARS-CoV-2.

Lithium-Conducting Self-Assembled Organic Nanotubes.

Supramolecular polymers are compelling platforms for the design of stimuli-responsive materials with emergent functions. Here, we report the assembly of an amphiphilic nanotube for Li-ion conduction that exhibits high ionic conductivity, mechanical integrity, electrochemical stability, and solution processability. Imine condensation of a pyridine-containing diamine with a triethylene glycol functionalized isophthalaldehyde yields pore-functionalized macrocycles.

Computational Design of Potent D-Peptide Inhibitors of SARS-CoV-2.

Blocking the association between the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) spike protein receptor-binding domain (RBD) and the human angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) is an attractive therapeutic approach to prevent the virus from entering human cells. While antibodies and other modalities have been developed to this end, d-amino acid peptides offer unique advantages, including serum stability, low immunogenicity, and low cost of production. Here, we designed potent novel D-peptide inhibitors that mimic the ACE2 α1-binding helix by searching a mirror-image version of the PDB.

Progress and Challenges in the Development of COVID-19 Vaccines and Current Understanding of SARS-CoV-2- Specific Immune Responses.

The outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is spreading globally, and the WHO has declared this outbreak a pandemic. Vaccines are an effective way to prevent the rapid spread of COVID-19. Furthermore, the immune response against SARS-CoV-2 infection needs to be understood for the development of an efficient and safe vaccine.

Collectin Kidney 1 Plays an Important Role in Innate Immunity against Streptococcus pneumoniae Infection.

Collectins are C-type lectins that are involved in innate immunity as pattern recognition molecules. Recently, collectin kidney 1 (CL-K1) has been discovered, and in vitro studies have shown that CL-K1 binds to microbes and activates the lectin complement pathway. However, in vivo functions of CL-K1 against microbes have not been elucidated.

Collectin CL-P1 utilizes C-reactive protein for complement activation.

Background: C-reactive protein (CRP) is a plasma pentraxin family protein that is massively induced as part of the innate immune response to infection and tissue injury. CRP and other pentraxin proteins can activate a complement pathway through C1q, collectins, or on microbe surfaces. It has been found that a lectin-like oxidized LDL receptor 1 (LOX-1), which is an endothelial scavenger receptor (SR) having a C-type lectin-like domain, interacts with CRP to activate the complement pathway using C1q.

Scavenger receptor CL-P1 mainly utilizes a collagen-like domain to uptake microbes and modified LDL.

Background: Collectins are considered to play a role in host defense via complement activation and opsonization, and are composed of a collagen-like domain and a carbohydrate recognition domain (CRD). Collectin placenta 1 (CL-P1) showed scavenger receptor activity as functions in vitro, and has three candidate domains: a coiled-coil domain, a collagen-like domain and CRD.

Methods: We constructed seven types of CL-P1 deletion mutants to determine the site of each ligand binding domain, and observed whether the specific binding to sugar ligand, microbes, or oxidized LDL decreases or not in cells with CL-P1 deletion mutants and CL-P1 containing mutations of amino acid, respectively.