Preparing water-resistant films using partially debranched potato starch and oleic acid.

Improvement in film-forming properties of starch is critical for the wide application of environmentally friendly starch film. To enhance moisture barrier and mechanical properties of starch films, the formation of starch-lipid inclusion complex was promoted by partial debranching of starch and reaction at various temperature. The partially debranched potato starch was initially prepared with pullulanase, and the starch-lipid inclusion complex was subsequently produced with oleic acid at various reaction temperatures of 30, 50, and 70 °C.

Thermoelectric Transport Driven by the Hilbert-Schmidt Distance.

The geometric characteristics of Bloch wavefunctions play crucial roles in the properties of electronic transport. Within the Boltzmann equation framework, we demonstrate that the thermoelectric performance of materials is significantly influenced by the Hilbert-Schmidt distance of Bloch wavefunctions. The connection between the distribution of quantum distance on the Fermi surface and the electronic transport scattering rate is established in the presence of magnetic and nonmagnetic impurities.

Feasibility of Home-Based Pulmonary Rehabilitation of Pediatric Patients with Chronic Respiratory Diseases.

Background And Objective: Chronic respiratory diseases in children deteriorate their daily life due to dyspnea and reduced lung function. We aimed to evaluate the feasibility of home-based pulmonary rehabilitation in pediatric chronic respiratory diseases.

Methods: This prospective, single-arm, cohort study included children with chronic lung disease.

3D-Printed Auxetic Skin Scaffold for Decreasing Burn Wound Contractures at Joints.

For patients with severe burns that consist of contractures induced by fibrous scar tissue formation, a graft must adhere completely to the wound bed to enable wound healing and neovascularization. However, currently available grafts are insufficient for scar suppression owing to their nonuniform pressure distribution in the wound area. Therefore, considering the characteristics of human skin, which is omnidirectionally stretched via uniaxial stretching, we proposed an auxetic skin scaffold with a negative Poisson's ratio (NPR) for tight adherence to the skin scaffold on the wound bed site.

Cost-effectiveness of physical activity interventions for prevention and management of cognitive decline and dementia-a systematic review.

Background: Although increasing physical activity (PA) has been suggested to prevent and manage cognitive decline and dementia, its economic impact on healthcare systems and society is largely unknown. This study aimed to summarize evidence on the cost-effectiveness of PA interventions to prevent and manage cognitive decline and dementia.

Methods: Electronic databases, including PubMed/MEDLINE, Embase, and ScienceDirect, were searched from January 2000 to July 2023.

Novel Strategy To Inhibit Transthyretin Amyloidosis via the Synergetic Effect of Chemoselective Acylation and Noncovalent Inhibitor Release.

Strategies for developing targeted covalent inhibitors (TCIs), which have the advantages of a prolonged duration of action and selectivity toward a drug target, have attracted great interest in drug discovery. Herein, we report chemoselective covalent inhibitors that specifically target lysine ε-amine groups that conjugate with an endogenous protein to prevent disease-causing protein misfolding and aggregation. These TCIs are unique because the benzoyl group is preferentially conjugated to Lys15 at the top of the T binding site within transthyretin (TTR) while simultaneously releasing a potent noncovalent TTR kinetic stabilizer.

Absolute Bed Rest Duration of 3 Days for Osteoporotic Vertebral Fractures: A Retrospective Study.

Study Design: Retrospective case-control study.

Purpose: To reduce unnecessary absolute bed rest (ABR), this study sought to determine the optimal aimed length of ABR in older patients getting conservative treatment for osteoporotic vertebral fractures (OVFs).

Overview Of Literature: OVFs are quite common in elderly patients.

Hydrophilic guidewire usage under ultrasound guidance in facilitating catheter advancement during endovenous treatment of incompetent great saphenous veins.

Purpose: This study was performed To investigate the use of hydrophilic guidewires for facilitating catheter advancement during varicose vein treatment using radiofrequency ablation (RFA) or cyanoacrylate closure (CAC).

Methods: From March 2016 to April 2019, 463 limbs of 285 with incompetent great saphenous veins were subjected to RFA (321 limbs of 197 patients) or CAC (142 limbs of 88 patients). Procedure records were reviewed for the use of a hydrophilic guidewire, reason for the guidewire usage, and diameter of the guidewire.

A Study on the Mechanical Properties of an Automobile Part Additively Printed through Periodic Layer Rotation Strategies.

In metal product manufacturing, additive manufacturing (AM) is a method that has the advantage of fabricating complex shapes and customized production, unlike existing machining methods. However, owing to the characteristics of the AM process, anisotropy of macrostructure occurs because of various causes such as the scan direction, melting, fusion, and cooling of the powdered material. The macrostructure anisotropy is realized from the scan direction, and when a single layer is stacked in one direction, it is expressed as orthogonal anisotropy.

Synthesis and biological evaluation of quinolone derivatives as transthyretin amyloidogenesis inhibitors and fluorescence sensors.

Under certain conditions, numerous soluble proteins possess an inherent tendency to convert into insoluble amyloid aggregates, which are associated with several sporadic and genetic human diseases. Transthyretin (TTR) is one of the more than 30 human amyloidogenic proteins involved in conditions such as senile systemic amyloidosis, familial amyloid polyneuropathy, and familial amyloid cardiomyopathy. Considerable effort has been focused on identifying the native tetrameric TTR stabilizers to inhibit rate-limiting tetramer dissociation and, consequently, ameliorate TTR amyloidogenesis.

The impact of fine particulate matter (PM) on various beneficial functions of human endometrial stem cells through its key regulator SERPINB2.

Fine particulate matter (PM) has a small diameter but a large surface area; thus, it may have broad toxic effects that subsequently damage many tissues of the human body. Interestingly, many studies have suggested that the recent decline in female fertility could be associated with increased PM exposure. However, the precise mechanisms underlying the negative effects of PM exposure on female fertility are still a matter of debate.

Tumour-infiltrating bystander CD8 T cells activated by IL-15 contribute to tumour control in non-small cell lung cancer.

Background: Tumour-unrelated, virus-specific bystander CD8 T cells were recently shown to be abundant among tumour-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs). However, their roles in tumour immunity have not been elucidated yet.

Methods: We studied the characteristics of bystander CD8 TILs from non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) tissues (N=66) and their activation by interleukin (IL)-15 to repurpose them for tumour immunotherapy.

Detection of Lateral Hinge Fractures After Medial Closing Wedge Distal Femoral Osteotomy: Computed Tomography Versus Plain Radiography.

Background: Limited evidence exists in the literature regarding the detection rates of lateral hinge fracture (LHF) on computed tomography (CT) after medial closing wedge distal femoral osteotomy (MCDFO). Moreover, the effect of LHF on bone healing after MCDFO remains unclear.

Hypothesis: The detection rates of LHF after MCDFO would be higher on CT than on plain radiography.

Noncanonical functions of glucocorticoids: A novel role for glucocorticoids in performing multiple beneficial functions in endometrial stem cells.

Chronic stress has a negative impact on many fertility-related functions; thus, the recent decline in female fertility seems to be at least partially associated with increased stress. The secretion of glucocorticoids is a typical endocrine response to chronic stress and indirectly reduces uterine receptivity through the hypothalamus-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) axis. However, in addition to its well-known canonical role, the direct effects of chronic stress-induced glucocorticoids on various uterine functions and their underlying molecular mechanisms are complex and have not yet been revealed.

Deterioration of mitochondrial function in the human intercostal muscles differs among individuals with sarcopenia, obesity, and sarcopenic obesity.

Background & Aims: Sarcopenic obesity (SO) increases the risk of mortality more than sarcopenia or obesity alone. Sarcopenia weakens the peripheral and respiratory muscles, leading to respiratory complications. It also induces mitochondrial dysfunction in the peripheral muscle; however, whether mitochondrial dysfunction in respiratory muscles differs among individuals with obesity, sarcopenia, and SO remains unknown.

Prognostic significance of radiodensity-based skeletal muscle quantification using preoperative CT in resected non-small cell lung cancer.

Background: Sarcopenia is associated with poor prognosis in lung cancer. Skeletal muscle area can be quantified based on radiodensity of CT scan. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the prognostic significance of radiodensity-based detailed skeletal muscle quantification on outcomes after surgery of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

Synthesis and Structure of Multinuclear Pd(II) Complexes Bridged by Phosphide or Azide Ligands.

The synthesis and structure of phosphide- and azide-bridged multinuclear Pd(II) complexes bearing phosphine ligands [PdX(μ-X')(PR)] (X = Cl and N; X' = PR and N; = 2 and 4) are reported. The oxidative addition of R PCl to Pd(PMe) furnished the phosphide-bridged dinuclear Pd(II) complexes [PdCl(μ-PR )(PMe)] [R' = Pr () and Cy ()]. However, the oxidative addition of (-tolyl)PCl to Pd(PMe) produced a nonbridged mononuclear Pd(II) complex with the bis(-tolyl)phosphinic ligand, -[Pd(PMe){P(O)(-tolyl)}] (), via oxidation of the phosphinyl ligand.

Low Tibial Valgization Osteotomy for More Severe Varus Ankle Arthritis.

Background: Low tibial valgization osteotomy with medial opening wedge (LTO) is generally indicated for ankle arthritis with a small talar tilt (TT). We addressed the following research questions: the efficacy of LTO for more significant varus ankle arthritis, the effect of additional inframalleolar correction followed by LTO, and the preoperative or operation-related factors influencing postoperative TT decrease.

Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the radiographic and clinical findings of 31 patients with more significant varus ankle arthritis (≥8 degrees) who underwent LTO or LTO plus inframalleolar correction.

Comparative Analyses of mTOR/Akt and Muscle Atrophy-Related Signaling in Aged Respiratory and Gastrocnemius Muscles.

Sarcopenia is the degenerative loss of skeletal muscle mass and function associated with aging and occurs in the absence of any underlying disease or condition. A comparison of the age-related molecular signaling signatures of different muscles has not previously been reported. In this study, we compared the age-related molecular signaling signatures of the intercostal muscles, the diaphragm, and the gastrocnemii using 6-month and 20-month-old rats.

Optical spin-orbit torque in heavy metal-ferromagnet heterostructures.

Spin current generation through the spin-orbit interaction in non-magnetic materials lies at the heart of spintronics. When the generated spin current is injected to a ferromagnet, it produces spin-orbit torque and manipulates magnetization efficiently. Optically generated spin currents are expected to be superior to their electrical counterparts in terms of the manipulation speed.

Fate of spontaneous pneumothorax from middle to old age: how to overcome an irritating recurrence?

Background: The causes and treatment of pneumothorax in older patients are different from those in younger patients. However, studies on this topic are limited thus; pneumothorax in older patients is often inadequately managed. The purpose of this research was to investigate the characteristics of pneumothorax in patients over 45 years old, understand patterns of management and factors of recurrence, and propose reasonable guidelines for the treatment of older patients.

Analysis of the Molecular Signaling Signatures of Muscle Protein Wasting Between the Intercostal Muscles and the Gastrocnemius Muscles in Mice.

Type 2 diabetes (T2D) patients suffer from dyspnea, which contributes to disease-related morbidity. Although T2D has been reported to induce a catabolic state in skeletal muscle, whether T2D induces muscle wasting in respiratory muscles has not yet been investigated. In this study, we examine the difference in the molecular signaling signature of muscle wasting between the intercostal and gastrocnemius muscles using mice, a well-known diabetic mouse model.

Nanomechanical characterization of quantum interference in a topological insulator nanowire.

Aharonov-Bohm conductance oscillations emerge as a result of gapless surface states in topological insulator nanowires. This quantum interference accompanies a change in the number of transverse one-dimensional modes in transport, and the density of states of such nanowires is also expected to show Aharonov-Bohm oscillations. Here, we demonstrate a novel characterization of topological phase in BiSe nanowire via nanomechanical resonance measurements.

Experimental realization of on-chip topological nanoelectromechanical metamaterials.

Guiding waves through a stable physical channel is essential for reliable information transport. However, energy transport in high-frequency mechanical systems, such as in signal-processing applications, is particularly sensitive to defects and sharp turns because of back-scattering and losses. Topological phenomena in condensed matter systems have shown immunity to defects and unidirectional energy propagation.