Effects of time-restricted feeding and weight-loaded swimming test on androgen levels and androgen receptor expression in orchiectomized male Wistar rats.

Background & Aims: Testosterone, vital for reproductive health and muscle development, declines with age, increasing susceptibility to conditions like diabetes, obesity and sarcopenia. Conventional hormone therapy carries risks, including elevated prostate-specific antigens and prostate cancer risk, prompting exploration of safer options like intermittent fasting (IF) and physical training (PT) which potentially boost androgen in certain cases. However, their combined impacts on testosterone remain underexplored.

Correlates, motivating factors, and barriers of engaging in regular self-reflection among public health students in higher education-A mixed methods approach.

Despite the wide implementation of self-reflection in higher education, the body of literature has predominantly focused on students from the clinical health sciences rather than public health. The objective of this study was to evaluate the correlates as well as to explore the motivating factors and barriers of engaging in regular self-reflection among public health students in higher education. We used a mixed methods approach (explanatory sequential design), comprising a cross-sectional survey (quantitative phase) followed by in-depth interviews (qualitative phase).

Studies on the storage stability of betacyanins from fermented red dragon fruit (Hylocereus polyrhizus) drink imparted by xanthan gum and carboxymethyl cellulose.

Red dragon fruit is rich in health-benefited betacyanins that are susceptible to degradation. The present study was to improve the fermented red dragon fruit drink (FRDFD) betacyanins stability by incorporating hydrocolloids solution of xanthan gum (XG, 0.15-0.

Reducing Time to Discovery: Materials and Molecular Modeling, Imaging, Informatics, and Integration.

Multiscale and multimodal imaging of material structures and properties provides solid ground on which materials theory and design can flourish. Recently, KAIST announced 10 flagship research fields, which include KAIST Materials Revolution: Materials and Molecular Modeling, Imaging, Informatics and Integration (M3I3). The M3I3 initiative aims to reduce the time for the discovery, design and development of materials based on elucidating multiscale processing-structure-property relationship and materials hierarchy, which are to be quantified and understood through a combination of machine learning and scientific insights.

Optically Governed Dynamic Surface Charge Redistribution of Hybrid Plasmo-Pyroelectric Nanosystems.

Though plasmonic effect is making some headway in the energy harvesting realm, its fundamental charge transfer mechanism to a large extent is attributed to the hot-carrier generation at the contact interface. Herein this work attempts to elucidate the physical origin of light induced plasmo-pyroelectric enhancement based on charge density manipulation on surface state in the vicinity of the metal-ferroelectric contact interface. More importantly, by tuning the band bending, it is shown that the charge density on the surface state of a hybrid plasmo-pyroelectric (BaTiO -Ag) nanosystem can be manipulated and largely increased under the resonant blue light illumination (363 nm).

Inverse Stellation of CuAu-ZnO Multimetallic-Semiconductor Nanostartube for Plasmon-Enhanced Photocatalysis.

One-dimensional (1D) metallic nanocrystals constitute an important class of plasmonic materials for localization of light into subwavelength dimensions. Coupled with their intrinsic conductive properties and extended optical paths for light absorption, metallic nanowires are prevalent in light-harnessing applications. However, the transverse surface plasmon resonance (SPR) mode of traditional multiply twinned nanowires often suffers from weaker electric field enhancement due to its low degree of morphological curvature in comparison to other complex anisotropic nanocrystals.

Spatially Probed Plasmonic Photothermic Nanoheater Enhanced Hybrid Polymeric-Metallic PVDF-Ag Nanogenerator.

Surface plasmon-based photonics offers exciting opportunities to enable fine control of the site, span, and extent of mechanical harvesting. However, the interaction between plasmonic photothermic and piezoresponse still remains underexplored. Here, spatially localized and controllable piezoresponse of a hybrid self-polarized polymeric-metallic system that correlates to plasmonic light-to-heat modulation of the local strain is demonstrated.

The influence of dehydration on the prognosis of acute ischemic stroke for patients treated with tissue plasminogen activator.

Background: Many studies have determined that dehydration is an independent predictor of outcome after ischemic stroke (IS); however, none have determined if the use of thrombolytic therapy modifies the negative impact of poor hydration. To inform the stroke registry established at our institution, we conducted a retrospective study to determine if dehydration remains a negative prognostic factor after IS patients treated with tissue plasminogen activator (tPA).

Methods: Between 2007 and 2012, we recruited 382 subjects; 346 had data available and were divided into 2 groups on the basis of their blood urea nitrogen/creatinine (BUN/Cr) ratio.

Derivation and Validation of a Scoring System for Intravenous Tissue Plasminogen Activator Use in Asian Patients.

Background And Purpose: As Chinese Asian populations have an increased risk of intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) after intravenous tissue plasminogen activator (IV tPA), we aimed to design a rapid, clinically applicable risk scoring system to predict ICH and functional outcomes after IV tPA treatment in Asian ischemic stroke patients.

Methods: From January 2009 to December 2012, consecutive acute ischemic stroke patients treated with IV tPA recruited from the Stroke Registry in Chang Gung Healthcare System (SRICHS) in Taiwan and the National University Hospital of Singapore (NUHS) acute stroke database were used to create and validate a scoring system. Nomogram was created for ICH and 3-month mortality.

Large-Area Sub-Wavelength Optical Patterning via Long-Range Ordered Polymer Lens Array.

Fabrication of large-area, highly orderly, and high-resolution nanostructures in a cost-effective fashion prompts advances in nanotechnology. Herein, for the first time, we demonstrate a unique strategy to prepare a long-range highly regular polymer lens from photoresist nanotrenches based templates, which are obtained from underexposure. The relationship between exposure dose and the cross-sectional morphology of produced photoresist nanostructures is revealed for the first time.

Highly Sensitive Electro-Plasmonic Switches Based on Fivefold Stellate Polyhedral Gold Nanoparticles.

Electron-photon coupling in metal nanostructures has raised a new trend for active plasmonic switch devices in both fundamental understanding and technological applications. However, low sensitivity switches with an on/off ratio less than 5 have restricted applications. In this work, an electrically modulated plasmonic switch based on a surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) system with a single fivefold stellate polyhedral gold nanoparticle (FSPAuNP) is reported.

Engineering interfacial photo-induced charge transfer based on nanobamboo array architecture for efficient solar-to-chemical energy conversion.

Engineering interfacial photo-induced charge transfer for highly synergistic photocatalysis is successfully realized based on nanobamboo array architecture. Programmable assemblies of various components and heterogeneous interfaces, and, in turn, engineering of the energy band structure along the charge transport pathways, play a critical role in generating excellent synergistic effects of multiple components for promoting photocatalytic efficiency.

A regressional analysis of maladaptive rumination, illness perception and negative emotional outcomes in Asian patients suffering from depressive disorder.

Although illness perception has been shown to be associated with illness outcomes in various chronic physical diseases, the association of illness perception and rumination are not well elucidated in mental disorders. This study aims to investigate the mediational effects of adaptive and maladaptive rumination in the relationship between illness perception and negative emotions (depression, anxiety and stress) in male and female patients (N=110) suffering from depressive disorders. The results showed that maladaptive rumination mediated the relationship between illness perception and negative emotions in both male and female depressive patients.

Surface plasmon resonance enhanced light absorption and photothermal therapy in the second near-infrared window.

Enhanced near-field at noble metal nanoparticle surfaces due to localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) has been researched in fields ranging from biomedical to photoelectrical applications. However, it is rarely explored on nonmetallic nanomaterials discovered in recent years, which can also support LSPR by doping-induced free charge carriers, let alone the investigation of an intricate system involving both. Here we construct a dual plasmonic hybrid nanosystem Au-Cu9S5 with well controlled interfaces to study the coupling effect of LSPR originating from the collective electron and hole oscillations.

An early examination of access to select orphan drugs treating rare diseases in health insurance exchange plans.

Background: Patients with rare diseases often face significant health care access challenges, particularly since the number of available treatment options for rare diseases is limited. The implementation of health insurance exchanges promises improved access to health care. However, when purchasing a plan, patients with rare diseases need to consider multiple factors, such as insurance premium, access to providers, coverage of a specific medication or treatment, tier placement of drug, and out-of-pocket costs.

Tailoring alphabetical metamaterials in optical frequency: plasmonic coupling, dispersion, and sensing.

Tailoring optical properties of artificial metamaterials, whose optical properties go beyond the limitations of conventional and naturally occurring materials, is of importance in fundamental research and has led to many important applications such as security imaging, invisible cloak, negative refraction, ultrasensitive sensing, and transformable and switchable optics. Herein, by precisely controlling the size, symmetry, and topology of alphabetical metamaterials with U, S, Y, H, U-bar, and V shapes, we have obtained highly tunable optical response covering visible-to-infrared (vis-NIR) optical frequency. In addition, we show a detailed study on the physical origin of resonance modes, plasmonic coupling, the dispersion of resonance modes, and the possibility of negative refraction.

Programmable photo-electrochemical hydrogen evolution based on multi-segmented CdS-Au nanorod arrays.

Programmable photocatalysts for hydrogen evolution have been fabricated based on multi-segmented CdS-Au nanorod arrays, which exhibited high-efficiency and programmability in hydrogen evolution as the photoanodes in the photoelectrochemical cell. Multiple different components each possess unique physical and chemical properties that provide these cascade nanostructures with multiformity, programmability, and adaptability. These advantages allow these nanostructures as promising candidates for high efficient harvesting and conversion of solar energy.

Synthesis of fivefold stellate polyhedral gold nanoparticles with {110}-facets via a seed-mediated growth method.

New Type of Gold Nanoparticle: A new class of fivefold stellate polyhedral gold nanoparticles (FSPAuNPs) with {110} facets have been synthesized by a seed-mediated growth method without adding surfactant. The size of FSPAuNPs can be simply adjusted from nanoscale to microscale by varying the amount of seeds, which results in a shift of the surface plasmon resonance peak from the visible to the NIR range.

Derivation of a prognostic score for identifying critically ill patients in an emergency department resuscitation room.

Introduction: Several prognostic scores exist for critically ill patients, including APACHE II, Revised Trauma Score (RTS), Rapid Emergency Medicine Score (REMS) and Modified Early Warning Score (MEWS). However, there is no widely used score specifically designed to predict the likelihood of early intensive care unit (ICU) admission or death in undifferentiated emergency department (ED) resuscitation room patients. We aimed to derive such a score and compare it with other similar scores.