Development of a 3D active movement extent discrimination apparatus for testing proprioception at the ankle joint with inversion movements made in plantarflexion.

Proprioception plays an important role in joint stability, and ankle sprains usually happen involving plantarflexion, internal rotation, and inversion. However, ankle 3D movement proprioception has never been measured in weight-bearing. Accordingly, the active 3-dimensional movement extent discrimination apparatus (AMEDA-3D) was developed and its reliability and validity were investigated.

The Effects of Remimazolam versus Propofol on Endovascular Thrombectomy for Acute Ischemic Stroke: Study Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial.

Background: While general anesthesia has been widely used in endovascular thrombectomy for acute ischemic stroke (AIS), the optimal anesthesia medication for hemodynamic management remains unclear.

Purpose: To compare the effects of remimazolam and propofol on endovascular thrombectomy for AIS.

Methods: This study is a single-center, double-blind and randomized controlled trial.

Ankle proprioception and functional performance in patients with Achilles tendinopathy.

The purpose of this study was to investigate differences in ankle plantar flexion proprioception and lower extremity function between Achilles tendinopathy (AT) patients and healthy controls. 17 patients with midportion AT (age 22.0 ± 3.

Small-Molecule Benzo-Phenoselenazine Derivatives for Multi-Subcellular Biomolecule Profiling.

Elucidating the subcellular localization of RNAs and proteins is fundamental to understanding their biological functions. Genetically encoded proteins/enzymes provide an attractive approach to target many proteins of interest, but are limited to specific cell lines. Although small-molecule-based methods have been explored, a comprehensive system for profiling multiple locations in living cells, comparable to fusion-protein techniques, is yet to be established.

Mechanistic insights into CO reduction to CO by group 5 transition metal monoxide cations.

The reduction of carbon dioxide (CO) by transition-metal oxides in the gas phase serves as a unique model system for understanding transition metal-based catalytic systems in CO utilization. In this work, thermochemistry and reaction mechanisms attributed to the two-state reactivity scenario of CO reduction by group 5 transition metal monoxide cations are extensively investigated using quantum chemical calculations. The interaction between the VO cation with CO exhibits an endothermic feature, whereas the reaction involving the TaO cation showcases a more pronounced exothermic behavior than the NbO cation, in accordance with previously reported reaction rates.

Adaptive wireless-powered network based on CNN near-field positioning by a dual-band metasurface.

With the improvement of industry, the connectivity of electronic devices gradually shift from wired to wireless. As a solution for power delivery, the non-contact power transfer holds promising ways to charge for moving terminals, enabling battery-free sensing, processing, and communication. Based on a dual-band metasurface, this study proposes an adaptive wireless-powered network (AWPN) to realize the simultaneous wireless localization and non-contact power supply.

Molecular Insights into the Concentration Dependent Promotion Effect of Tetrabutylammonium Bromide on Hydrate Growth: A Molecular Dynamics Simulation Study.

Tetrabutylammonium bromide (TBAB) has been proven to improve the growth of hydrate via experimental methods, which may be attributed to its different concentrations. In this study, the molecular dynamics (MD) simulation is employed to investigate the concentration dependent promotion effect of TBAB on the growth of CO hydrate. The tetrahedral order parameter, number of cages, hydrate crystal growth trajectories, significant microconfigurations, and distribution of CO and TBAB are analyzed in detail.

Gluteus Medius for Individuals with Chronic Ankle Instability: Assessing Muscle Activity.

Emerging evidence has suggested that gluteus medius (GM) muscle activity may be critical for functional performance in individuals with chronic ankle instability (CAI). This study aimed to systematically review the literature to determine whether there are differences in GM muscle activity between individuals with and without CAI. A comprehensive search in PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, EBSCO, and PEDro databases was undertaken from the year of inception to 10 June 2024.

Are cervical curvature and axioscapular muscle activity associated with disability in patients with chronic nonspecific neck pain? - a cross sectional exploratory study.

Purpose: To ascertain the relationship between cervical curvature, neck muscle activity and neck disability in patients with chronic nonspecific neck pain (CNNP).

Methods: Ninety participants (mean age = 27.2, female/male ratio = 7/2) with CNNP volunteered.

Smartphone Proprioception for Ankle Navigation (SPAN): Reliability and Effect of Position Exposure Time.

This study investigated ankle discriminative acuity and performance and measurement consistency for tests undertaken with different joint position exposure times (PETs). Twenty-four participants were tested using a novel Smartphone Proprioception for Ankle Navigation (SPAN) under four PETs, i.e.

Soil Microorganism Interactions under Biological Fumigations Compared with Chemical Fumigation.

Background: Biological fumigation, a potential alternative to chemical fumigation, shows a wide range of prospective applications. In this study, we carried out biological fumigation experiments to evaluate its effect on alleviating consecutive cropping problems (CRPs) when compared with chemical fumigation.

Methods: We designed five treatments, namely, CR (no treatment), LN (chemical fumigation with lime nitrogen), Ta (fumigation with marigold), Ra (fumigation with radish), and Br (fumigation with mustard), for soils for replanting eggplant and measured the crop's growth status, soil bacterial and fungal communities, and soil physicochemical properties.

Wheat bran oil ameliorates high-fat diet-induced obesity in rats with alterations in gut microbiota and liver metabolite profile.

Background: Obesity is one of the public health issues that seriously threatens human health. This study aimed to investigate the effects of wheat bran oil (WBO) on body weight and fat/lipid accumulation in high-fat diet (HFD)-induced obese rats and further explore the possible mechanisms by microbiome and metabolome analyses.

Methods: Fifty Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were fed either a normal chow diet (B group, n = 10) or HFD (n = 40) for 14 weeks to establish an obesity model.

Enhancing nutritional composition and aroma characteristics of kiwifruit wines through indigenous non-Saccharomyces yeast extracellular extract treatment.

To unlock the potential of strains for further enhancing the aromatic complexity of kiwifruit wines while avoiding undesirable flavors, indigenous non-Saccharomyces yeast extracellular extract treatment for fermentation was established. The extracellular extract from Zygosaccharomyces rouxii, Pichia kudriavzevii, and Meyerozyma guilliermondii were prepared and supplemented individually or in pairs to the kiwifruit wine fermentation system. Subsequently, the changes in physicochemical properties, antioxidants, and volatile characteristics of kiwifruit wines produced by different protocols were comprehensively evaluated, and the major aroma descriptors affecting sensory acceptability were analyzed by sensory evaluation and partial least squares regression.

Composition of gut microbiota in obese and normal-weight Uygur adults and its association with adipocyte-related factors.

Obesity is a serious global health issue. Emerging evidence indicates that the gut microbiota may contribute to the development of obesity, possibly by instigating inflammatory processes. The objective of this research is to conduct a comparative analysis of the gut microbiota composition in obese and normal-weight Uygur adults, while examining the associations with adipocyte-related factors and dietary variables.

Manganese Complex-Gold Nanoparticle Hybrid for Biofilm Inhibition and Eradication.

Biofilms, which are resistant to conventional antimicrobial treatments, pose significant challenges in medical and industrial environments. This study introduces manganese complex-gold nanoparticles (Mn-DPA-AuNPs) as a hybrid strategy for biofilm inhibition and eradication. Upon exposure to green light, these nanoparticles significantly enhance the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), including hydrogen peroxide and superoxide.

Observation of a -Shape Superconductivity Evolution on Tungsten-Intercalated 2H-Type Niobium Diselenide.

van der Waals-layered niobium diselenide (NbSe) intercalated by -electron transition metals is an ideal test bed for the exploration of their diversiform evolution of ground states. These intercalations are mostly viewed as ordered structures aligned with periodicities of their host materials that enable control of the electronic phases via gradually changing of intercalation ratios. Here, we present the structure and superconductivity in tungsten (W)-intercalated 2H-NbSe crystals, which reveals an order to disorder distribution of W atoms with increasing confined intercalating amounts, leading to an approximate -shape suppression of superconductivity.

Effect of Internal Fixation of Tibial Fracture with Suprapatellar Approach and Subpatellar Approach on Fracture Union and Knee Function Recovery.

Background: The tibia is one of the most vulnerable bones in the human body, accounting for 13.7% of the total fractures. Most tibial fractures (distal articular surface) are caused by high-violence trauma.

Interfacial Rheological Investigation of Modified Silica Nanoparticles with Different Alkyl Chain Lengths at the n-Octane/Water Interface.

The interfacial dilational rheology of silica nanoparticles (NPs) directly reflects the relationship between surface structure and interfacial behaviors in NPs, which has attracted significant attention in various industrial fields. In this work, modified silica nanoparticles (MNPs) with various alkyl chain lengths were synthesized and systematically characterized using Fourier transform infrared spectra, Zeta potential, and water contact angle measurements. It was found that the MNPs were successfully fabricated with similar degrees of modification.

Evaluating plantar biomechanics while descending a single step with different heights.

Objective: This study aims to investigate the plantar biomechanics of healthy young males as they descend a single transition step from varying heights.

Methods: Thirty healthy young males participated the experiment using the F-scan insole plantar pressure system in which participants made single transition steps descent from four step heights (5, 15, 25, and 35 cm), leading with their dominant or non-dominant foot. Plantar pressure data were collected for 5 s during the period between landing touchdown and standing on the ground.

Structural Study of [ScO(CO)] ( = 2, 3) Complexes by Infrared Photodissociation Spectroscopy and Density Functional Calculations.

The catalytic transformation of CO into valuable products has garnered wide interest owing to both economic and environmental benefits, in which the chemical fixation of CO into carbonate structures represents a crucial step that occurs on the adsorbed catalyst surfaces. Transition metal oxides with acidic and basic active sites have exhibited potential in promoting the carbonation of weakly bound CO molecules. Here, the interactions between CO molecules and the ScO cation in the gas phase are investigated by using infrared photodissociation spectroscopy in conjunction with quantum chemical calculations.

Computational insights into the underlying mechanism of zinc ion-specificity of the fluorescent probe, BDA-1.

Ion specificity is crucial for developing fluorescence probes. Using a recently reported optical sensor (BDA-1) of Zn as a representative, we carried out extensive quantum chemical calculations on its photophysical properties using density function theory. According to the calculated optimized geometries, excitation energies and transition oscillator strengths, the weak fluorescence of BDA-1 observed in experiments is attributed to the suppression of fluorescence emission by efficient internal conversion, rather than the previously proposed photoinduced electron transfer (PET) mechanism.