Three-Dimensional Printing of Bioinspired Hierarchical Structures for Enhanced Fog Collection Efficiency in 3D Space via Vat Photopolymerization.

Collecting fog water is crucial for dry areas since natural moisture and fog are significant sources of freshwater. Sustainable and energy-efficient water collection systems can take a page out of the cactus's playbook by mimicking its native fog gathering process. Inspired by the unique geometric structure of the cactus spine, we fabricated a bioinspired artificial fog collector consisting of cactus spines featuring barbs of different sizes and angles on the surfaces for water collection and a series of microcavities within microchannels inspired by Nepenthes Alata on the bottom to facilitate water flowing to the reservoir.

Modulation of Spontaneous Action Potential Rate by Inositol Trisphosphate in Myocytes from the Rabbit Atrioventricular Node.

The atrioventricular node (AVN) is a key component of the cardiac conduction system and takes over pacemaking of the ventricles if the sinoatrial node fails. IP (inositol 1,4,5 phosphate) can modulate excitability of myocytes from other regions of the heart, but it is not known whether IP receptor (IP-R) activation modulates AVN cell pacemaking. Consequently, this study investigated effects of IP on spontaneous action potentials (APs) from AVN cells isolated from rabbit hearts.

Decomposing and simplifying the Fracture Risk Assessment Tool-a module from the Taiwan-specific calculator.

The Fracture Risk Assessment Tool (FRAX®) is a widely utilized country-specific calculator for identifying individuals with high fracture risk; its score is calculated from 12 variables, but its formulation is not publicly disclosed. We aimed to decompose and simplify the FRAX® by utilizing a nationwide community survey database as a reference module for creating a local assessment tool for osteoporotic fracture community screening in any country. Participants ( = 16384; predominantly women (75%); mean age = 64.

Immunosensor for Rapid and Sensitive Detection of Digoxin.

Digoxin is a cardiac glycosylated steroid-like drug with a positive inotropic effect and has been widely used in treating congestive heart failure, atrial fibrillation, atrial flutter, and other heart diseases. Digoxin is also a dangerous drug, which can cause drug poisoning at a low blood drug concentration (2.73-3.

Pathological and Prognostic Characterization of Craniopharyngioma Based on the Expression of TrkA, β-Catenin, Cell Cycle Markers, and BRAF V600E Mutation.

We collected 61 craniopharyngioma (CP) specimens to investigate the expression of TrkA, β-catenin, BRAF gene mutation, and NTRK1 fusion in CP. There were 37 male and 24 female individuals with a median age of 34 years (range, 4-75 years). Histologically, there were 46 cases of adamantinomatous craniopharyngioma (ACP), 14 cases of papillary craniopharyngioma (PCP), and 1 case with a mixed adamantinomatous and papillary pattern.

Revisiting the covalent nature of halogen bonding: a polarized three-center four-electron bond.

As an important intermolecular interaction, halogen bonding has been studied extensively, but its nature still suffers from controversy without one uniform essence. Electrostatics, charge transfer, polarization and dispersion are emphasized, but the covalent nature is usually overlooked except for the strong halogen bonding species I , which is widely accepted as a result of a three-center four-electron (3c-4e) interaction. In our study, the potential energy surface of I has been evaluated to explore the dissociation from I to I⋯I.

Anthracene-Walled Acyclic CB[n] Receptors: in vitro and in vivo Binding Properties toward Drugs of Abuse.

We report studies of the interaction of six acyclic CB[n]-type receptors toward a panel of drugs of abuse by a combination of isothermal titration calorimetry and H NMR spectroscopy. Anthracene walled acyclic CB[n] host (M3) displays highest binding affinity toward methamphetamine (K =15 nM) and fentanyl (K =4 nM). Host M3 is well tolerated by Hep G2 and HEK 293 cells up to 100 μM according to MTS metabolic and adenylate kinase release assays.

Axicabtagene Ciloleucel as Second-Line Therapy for Large B-Cell Lymphoma.

Background: The prognosis of patients with early relapsed or refractory large B-cell lymphoma after the receipt of first-line chemoimmunotherapy is poor.

Methods: In this international, phase 3 trial, we randomly assigned, in a 1:1 ratio, patients with large B-cell lymphoma that was refractory to or had relapsed no more than 12 months after first-line chemoimmunotherapy to receive axicabtagene ciloleucel (axi-cel, an autologous anti-CD19 chimeric antigen receptor T-cell therapy) or standard care (two or three cycles of investigator-selected, protocol-defined chemoimmunotherapy, followed by high-dose chemotherapy with autologous stem-cell transplantation in patients with a response to the chemoimmunotherapy). The primary end point was event-free survival according to blinded central review.

In Vitro and In Vivo Sequestration of Methamphetamine by a Sulfated Acyclic CB[n]-Type Receptor.

We report the synthesis of two new acyclic sulfated acyclic CB[n]-type receptors (TriM0 and Me TetM0) and investigations of their binding properties toward a panel of drugs of abuse (1-13) by a combination of H NMR spectroscopy and isothermal titration calorimetry. TetM0 is the most potent receptor with K ≥10  M toward methamphetamine, fentanyl, MDMA and mephedrone. TetM0 is not cytotoxic toward HepG2 and HEK 293 cells below 100 μM according to MTS metabolic and adenylate kinase release assays and is well tolerated in vivo when dosed at 46 mg kg .

Preliminary hemocompatibility assessment of an innovative material for blood contacting surfaces.

Over the years, several devices have been created (and the development of many others is currently in progress) to be in permanent contact with blood: mechanical circulatory supports represent an example thereof. The hemocompatibility of these devices largely depends on the chemical composition of blood-contacting components. In the present work, an innovative material (hybrid membrane) is proposed to fabricate the inner surfaces of a pulsatile ventricular chamber: it has been obtained by coupling a synthetic polymer (e.

Debriefing for Simulation-Based Medical Education: A Survey From the International Network of Simulation-Based Pediatric Innovation, Research and Education.

Context: Current debriefing approaches and faculty development strategies for simulation educators differ around the world. We aim to describe the status of current debriefing practice and faculty development for simulation educators in this study.

Methods: We distributed a paper-based survey during 2 international conferences to obtain data from active International Network for Simulation-based Pediatric Innovation, Research and Education members.

Interaction between central obesity and frailty on the clinical outcome of peritoneal dialysis patients.

Background: Frailty and obesity contribute to the adverse clinical outcome of peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients, but the interaction between frailty and obesity remains uncertain.

Objective: To examine the interaction between frailty and obesity on the clinical outcome of PD patients.

Design: Single centre prospective observational cohort study.

Prevalence of NS5B resistance-associated variants in treatment-naïve Asian patients with chronic hepatitis C.

There is little information on the association between baseline non-structural protein (NS) 5b resistance-associated variants (RAVs) and treatment failure in hepatitis C patients. This study examined the frequencies of natural hepatitis C virus (HCV) NS5B resistance-associated variants (RAVs) in an Asian cohort. Samples from Asian HCV patients enrolled between October 2009 and September 2014 were analyzed for NS5B RAVs within the region from amino acid 230 to 371.

Optimal Silicon Doping Layers of Quantum Barriers in the Growth Sequence Forming Soft Confinement Potential of Eight-Period InGaN/GaN Quantum Wells of Blue LEDs.

The features of eight-period InGaN/GaN quantum wells (QWs) with silicon (Si) doping in the first two to five quantum barriers (QBs) in the growth sequence of blue light-emitting diodes (LEDs) are explored. Epilayers of QWs' structures are grown on 20 pairs of InGaN/GaN superlattice acting as strain relief layers (SRLs) on patterned sapphire substrates (PSSs) by a low-pressure metal-organic chemical vapor deposition (LP-MOCVD) system. Temperature-dependent photoluminescence (PL) spectra, current versus voltage (I-V) curves, light output power versus injection current (L-I) curves, and images of high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) of epilayers are measured.

An engineered bispecific DNA-encoded IgG antibody protects against Pseudomonas aeruginosa in a pneumonia challenge model.

The impact of broad-spectrum antibiotics on antimicrobial resistance and disruption of the beneficial microbiome compels the urgent investigation of bacteria-specific approaches such as antibody-based strategies. Among these, DNA-delivered monoclonal antibodies (DMAbs), produced by muscle cells in vivo, potentially allow the prevention or treatment of bacterial infections circumventing some of the hurdles of protein IgG delivery. Here, we optimize DNA-delivered monoclonal antibodies consisting of two potent human IgG clones, including a non-natural bispecific IgG1 candidate, targeting Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

Mouse model of hematogenous implant-related biofilm infection reveals therapeutic targets.

Infection is a major complication of implantable medical devices, which provide a scaffold for biofilm formation, thereby reducing susceptibility to antibiotics and complicating treatment. Hematogenous implant-related infections following bacteremia are particularly problematic because they can occur at any time in a previously stable implant. Herein, we developed a model of hematogenous infection in which an orthopedic titanium implant was surgically placed in the legs of mice followed 3 wk later by an i.

Effect of paricalcitol on circulating parathyroid hormone in X-linked hypophosphatemia: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study.

Context: Hyperparathyroidism occurs frequently in X-linked hypophosphatemia (XLH) and may exacerbate phosphaturia, potentially affecting skeletal abnormalities.

Objective: The objective of the study was to suppress elevated PTH levels in XLH patients.

Design: This was a prospective, randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind, 1-year trial of paricalcitol, with outcomes measured at entry and 1 year later.

Dynamics of low-intermediate-high-confinement transitions in toroidal plasmas.

The dynamic features of the low-intermediate-high-(L-I-H) confinement transitions on HL-2A tokamak are presented. Here we report the discovery of two types of limit cycles (dubbed type-Y and type-J), which show opposite temporal ordering between the radial electric field and turbulence intensity. In type-Y, which appears first after an L-I transition, the turbulence grows first, followed by the localized electric field.

Molecular characterization and expression analysis of four isotypes of immunoglobulin light chain genes in orange-spotted grouper, Epinephelus coioides.

To date, many immunoglobulin (Ig) genes have been identified in diverse teleost species, but the contributions of different types of light chain (IgL) to the immune response remain unclear. Screening of a stimulated kidney cDNA library from orange-spotted grouper (Osg, Epinephelus coioides) resulted in the identification of 26 full Ig light chain (OsgIgL) coding sequences. These 26 OsgIgLs encoded peptides from 235 to 248 amino acid residues and could be grouped into five variable (V(L)) and four constant (C(L)) isotypes.

Construction and analysis of a plant non-specific lipid transfer protein database (nsLTPDB).

Background: Plant non-specific lipid transfer proteins (nsLTPs) are small and basic proteins. Recently, nsLTPs have been reported involved in many physiological functions such as mediating phospholipid transfer, participating in plant defence activity against bacterial and fungal pathogens, and enhancing cell wall extension in tobacco. However, the lipid transfer mechanism of nsLTPs is still unclear, and comprehensive information of nsLTPs is difficult to obtain.

Enhancement of the protective efficacy of a Chlamydia trachomatis recombinant vaccine by combining systemic and mucosal routes for immunization.

Chlamydia trachomatis causes respiratory and sexually transmitted infections. Here, we tested a vaccine formulated with the recombinant major outer membrane protein from C. trachomatis mouse pneumonitis (CT-MoPn) for its ability to protect mice against an intranasal (i.

[The acute electrophysiological effects of amiodarone on normal and hypertrophied rat myocytes].

Objective: The aim of the present study was to investigate the acute action of amiodarone (AM) on the inward currents I(Na), I(Ca-L) and outward currents I(k), I(k1), I(to) in hypertrophied and normal rat ventricular myocytes.

Methods: The pressure overload hypertrophy rat model was established by partial ligation of ascending aorta for 4 weeks. Ventricular myocytes were exposed to 0.

[Cloning of potato invertase inhibitor St-inh cDNA and its expression in E. coli and functional analysis].

A full length cDNA clone encoding invertase inhibitor was isolated by RT-PCR combined with 5' RACE from potato (S. tuberosum) tubers of cv. JH and designated as St-inh.