Examining the influence of body fat distribution on standing balance and functional performance in overweight female patients with degenerative lumbar disease.

Degenerative lumbar disease (DLD) is a prevalent disorder that predominantly affects the elderly population, especially female. Extensive research has demonstrated that overweight individuals (categorized by body fat distribution) have a higher susceptibility to developing DLD and an increased risk of falling. However, there is limited research available on the standing balance and functional performance of overweight females with DLD.

Opportunistic screening for coronary artery calcium deposition using chest radiographs - a multi-objective models with multi-modal data fusion.

Background: To create an opportunistic screening strategy by multitask deep learning methods to stratify prediction for coronary artery calcium (CAC) and associated cardiovascular risk with frontal chest x-rays (CXR) and minimal data from electronic health records (EHR).

Methods: In this retrospective study, 2,121 patients with available computed tomography (CT) scans and corresponding CXR images were collected internally (Mayo Enterprise) with calculated CAC scores binned into 3 categories (0, 1-99, and 100+) as ground truths for model training. Results from the internal training were tested on multiple external datasets (domestic (EUH) and foreign (VGHTPE)) with significant racial and ethnic differences and classification performance was compared.

Percutaneous transluminal angioplasty and stenting of post-irradiated stenosis of subclavian artery: A matched case-control study.

Background: Although radiotherapy is common for head/neck and chest cancers (HNCC), it can result in post-irradiation stenosis of the subclavian artery (PISSA). The efficacy of percutaneous transluminal angioplasty and stenting (PTAS) to treat severe PISSA is not well-clarified.

Aims: To compare the technical safety and outcomes of PTAS between patients with severe PISSA (RT group) and radiation-naïve counterparts (non-RT group).

Rapid and sensitive dilute-and-shoot analysis using LC-MS-MS for identification of multi-class psychoactive substances in human urine.

The emergence of new psychoactive substances currently exceeding a thousand is rapidly changing substance prevalence patterns and straining the methods used for detection, most of which are suitable only for a single class of substances. This study presents a rapid and facile dilute-and-shoot system operated in conjunction with an optimized liquid chromatographic separation system for the high-sensitivity detection of substances across a range of substance classes with 3 isotopes used only. The proposed method based on liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) is able to identify 68 substance and their metabolites in urine samples as small as 50 μL.

Percutaneous transluminal angioplasty and stenting of post-irradiation stenosis of the vertebral artery.

Background: The outcomes of percutaneous transluminal angioplasty and stenting (PTAS) in patients with medically refractory post-irradiation stenosis of the vertebral artery (PISVA) have not been clarified.

Aim: This retrospective study evaluated the safety and outcomes of PTAS in patients with severe PISVA compared with their radiation-naïve counterparts (non-RT group).

Methods: Patients with medically refractory severe symptomatic vertebral artery stenosis and undergoing PTAS between 2000 and 2021 were classified as the PISVA group or the non-RT group.

Metrology of convex-shaped nanoparticles soft classification machine learning of TEM images.

The shape of nanoparticles is a key performance parameter for many applications, ranging from nanophotonics to nanomedicines. However, the unavoidable shape variations, which occur even in precision-controlled laboratory synthesis, can significantly impact on the interpretation and reproducibility of nanoparticle performance. Here we have developed an unsupervised, soft classification machine learning method to perform metrology of convex-shaped nanoparticles from transmission electron microscopy images.

A proposed approach to confirm heroin administration - Regional differences in heroin purity is a major factor.

In forensic toxicology, a marker of street heroin use is urgent especially in the absence of urinary 6-monoacetylmorphine. ATM4G, the Glucuronide of Acetylated product of Thebaine compound 4 Metabolite (ATM4), arising from byproducts of street heroin synthesis has been considered as a useful marker in some European studies. However, whether ATM4G is a universal marker particularly in Southeast Asia due to 'street' heroin with high purity, it's still unclear.

Percutaneous transluminal angioplasty and stenting of post-irradiated stenosis of subclavian artery.

Background/purpose: The therapeutic efficacy of percutaneous transluminal angioplasty and stenting (PTAS) of post-irradiated stenosis of subclavian artery (PISSA) was not well clarified. This retrospective study was designed to evaluate the technical safety and outcome of the patients of severe symptomatic PISSA accepted PTAS.

Methods: Between 2000 and 2019, 16 cases with 17 lesions of symptomatic and medically refractory PISSA accepted PTAS were included.

Diagnosis of extracranial carotid stenosis by MRA of the brain.

Severe extracranial carotid stenosis (SECS) patients may present with nonspecific neurological symptoms that require intracranial magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and time-of-flight (TOF)-MR angiography (MRA) to exclude intracranial pathology. Recognition of SECS on intracranial TOF-MRA findings is beneficial to provide a prompt carotid imaging study and aggressive stroke prevention. Patients with SECS (January 2016 to May 2019) undergoing percutaneous transluminal angioplasty and stenting (PTAS) were included.

Angioplasty and stenting for symptomatic stenosis of the left subclavian artery complicated with aortic dissection.

Background: Aortic dissection is a rare but severe complication of percutaneous transluminal angioplasty and stenting (PTAS) for stenosis of the subclavian artery (SA). This retrospective study was designed to evaluate the risk factors and outcomes of patients with severe stenosis of the SA who underwent PTAS complicated by aortic dissection.

Methods: Between 1999 and 2018, 169 cases of severe symptomatic stenosis of the SA underwent PTAS at our institute.

Long-term imaging follow-up to evaluate restenosis in patients with carotid stenosis after angioplasty and stenting.

Background: Stent patency after carotid angioplasty and stenting (CAS) correlates not only with stroke prevention but also with improvements in cognition and quality of life by positively influencing cerebral perfusion. The long-term outcomes of CAS after more than 5 years have still not been well described. This retrospective study was designed to evaluate the stent patency and significant restenosis (SR) after CAS with more than 5 years of follow-up.

Fabrication and Characteristics of SnAgCu Alloy Nanowires for Electrical Connection Application.

As electronic products become more functional, the devices are required to provide better performances and meet ever smaller form factor requirements. To achieve a higher I/O density within the smallest form factor package, applying nanotechniques to electronic packaging can be regarded as a possible approach in microelectronic technology. Sn-3.

Dilute-and-shoot enhances sensitivity of phthalate urinary concentrations for assessing the exposure in children.

Phthalates are not covalently bound to plastics. They can leach from experimental plastic devices. Due to the development of sensitive techniques, exogenous sources that interfere with the accuracy of phthalate monoester analysis can be easily detected.

Fabrication of a P3HT-ZnO Nanowires Gas Sensor Detecting Ammonia Gas.

In this study, an organic-inorganic semiconductor gas sensor was fabricated to detect ammonia gas. An inorganic semiconductor was a zinc oxide (ZnO) nanowire array produced by atomic layer deposition (ALD) while an organic material was a p-type semiconductor, poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT). P3HT was suitable for the gas sensing application due to its high hole mobility, good stability, and good electrical conductivity.

Internet of Things (IoT) Based Design of a Secure and Lightweight Body Area Network (BAN) Healthcare System.

As sensor networks and cloud computation technologies have rapidly developed over recent years, many services and applications integrating these technologies into daily life have come together as an Internet of Things (IoT). At the same time, aging populations have increased the need for expanded and more efficient elderly care services. Fortunately, elderly people can now wear sensing devices which relay data to a personal wireless device, forming a body area network (BAN).

Wear Behavior and Microstructure of Mg-Sn Alloy Processed by Equal Channel Angular Extrusion.

Mg-5wt.% Sn alloy is often used in portable electronic devices and automobiles. In this study, mechanical properties of Mg-5wt.

Flexural Properties and Fracture Behavior of Nanoporous Alumina film by Three-Point Bending Test.

This study investigated the influence of porosity on the flexural property of a nanoporous alumina film. When the porosity of the alumina film increased, both bending strength and modulus declined. The results from the bending test revealed that the setting of the film during the bending test had significant influence on the flexural property.

Modifier-assisted differential mobility-tandem mass spectrometry method for detection and quantification of amphetamine-type stimulants in urine.

An advantage of differential mobility spectrometry (DMS) is it provides an orthogonal mechanism to mass spectrometry (MS). The DMS-MS/MS detects analytes in the gas phase on the basis of differences in ion mobility in low and high electric fields, which makes DMS-MS/MS an alternative to chromatographic separation-MS. One drawback of DMS is its limited resolution and sensitivity, especially for detecting small molecules when using a nonpolar inert gas as the carrier gas.

Rapid label-free determination of ketamine in whole blood using secondary ion mass spectrometry.

A fast and accurate drug screening to identify the possible presence of a wide variety of pharmaceutical and illicit drugs is increasingly requested in forensic and clinical toxicology. The current first-line screening relies on immunoassays. They determine only certain common drugs of which antibodies are commercially available.

Up-and-down-shaker-assisted dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction coupled with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry for the determination of fungicides in wine.

An up-and-down-shaker-assisted dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction (UDSA-DLLME) method coupled with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry was developed for the determination of fungicides (cyprodinil, procymidone, fludioxonil, flusilazole, benalaxyl, and tebuconazole) in wine. The developed method requires 11 μL of 1-octanol without the need for dispersive solvents. The total extraction time was approximately 3 min.

Water with low concentration of surfactant in dispersed solvent-assisted emulsion dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction for the determination of fungicides in wine.

A sample preparation method, dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction assisted by an emulsion with low concentration of a surfactant in water and dispersed solvent coupled with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, was developed for the analysis of the fungicides cyprodinil, procymidone, fludioxonil, flusilazole, benalaxyl, and tebuconazole in wine. A microsyringe was used to withdraw and discharge a mixture of extraction solvent and 240 μL of an aqueous solution of Triton X-100 (the dispersed agent) four times within 10 s to form a cloudy emulsion in the syringe. This emulsion was then injected into a 5 mL wine sample spiked with all of the above fungicides.

Day-night cycles and the sleep-promoting factor, Sleepless, affect stem cell activity in the Drosophila testis.

Adult stem cells maintain tissue integrity and function by renewing cellular content of the organism through regulated mitotic divisions. Previous studies showed that stem cell activity is affected by local, systemic, and environmental cues. Here, we explore a role of environmental day-night cycles in modulating cell cycle progression in populations of adult stem cells.

Total syntheses of (±)-securinine and (±)- allosecurinine.

Total syntheses of (±)-securinine and (±)-allosecurinine that employ a tandem rhodium carbenoid-initiated Claisen/α-ketol rearrangement sequence as a key step are described.