Long-term gait improvement following a CSF tap test in idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus patients: an analysis of clinical outcomes.

Objectives: To evaluate the sustained effects of the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) tap test (TT) on gait parameters over one month in patients with idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus (iNPH).

Methods: A retrospective study was conducted on 150 patients with iNPH from two university hospitals who underwent CSF TT and quantitative gait analysis. Gait parameters, including walking speed (WS) and stride length (SL), were measured before, within 24 h after, and one month after the CSF TT.

Designing multiple charge carrier separation pathways in core-type near infrared colloidal nanocrystal for broadband photodetector.

Near-infrared colloidal nanocrystals (NIR-CNCs) have been widely utilized in optoelectronic applications due to their exceptional optical properties and suitability for mass production. However, their practical application is often hindered by poor chemical stability and suboptimal electronic properties. In this work, four different surface ligand systems-insulating ligands, organic molecular linkers, inorganic molecular linkers, and matrix-type ligands-were systematically investigated to evaluate their effects on the transport and recombination behavior of NIR-CNCs photoinduced carriers.

Diagnosing Complete Response to Preoperative Chemoradiation in Esophageal Cancer Using Dynamic Contrast-Enhanced MRI Response Criteria.

Objective: To assess the performance of novel qualitative diagnostic criteria using dynamic contrast-enhanced (DCE) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to identify the pathologic complete response (pCR) of primary tumors in esophageal cancer after neoadjuvant chemoradiation (nCRT).

Materials And Methods: Patients who underwent nCRT, subsequent MRI, positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT), endoscopy, or esophagectomy for esophageal cancer between October 2021 and October 2023 were retrospectively analyzed. The DCE-MRI response of primary tumors was interpreted using five grades by thoracic radiologists as follows: G1 (compatible with CR), G2 (probable CR), G3 (probable partial response [PR]), G4 (compatible with PR), and G5 (stable or progressive disease).

Retinal degeneration increases inter-trial variabilities of light-evoked spiking activities in ganglion cells.

Retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) transmit visual information to the brain in the form of spike trains, which form visual perception. The reliabilities of spike timing and count are thought to play a crucial role in generating stable percepts. However, the effect of retinal degeneration on spike reproducibility remains underexplored.

Impact of environmental enrichment on growth, behavior, and welfare of weanling piglets from pre-weaning to 6 weeks of age.

The experiment was carried out to study the effect of environmental enrichment before and after weaning on the growth, behaviours, and welfare of weaning pigs. A total of 360 weaning pigs (average initial body weight 6.32 ± 0.

Bollard-Anchored Binder System for High-Loading Cathodes Fabricated via Dry Electrode Process for Li-Ion Batteries.

The dry battery electrode (DBE) process offers significant advantages over conventional wet-coating methods for electrode fabrication. Unlike traditional processes that rely on toxic solvents such as N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone (NMP), the DBE technique uses solvent-free methods, reducing environmental impact and production costs while enhancing compatibility and performance. However, polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), the only binder currently used for large-scale DBE fabrication (binder fibrillation), faces potential regulatory restrictions under Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) guidelines and limits Li-ion conductivity, elastomeric properties, and particle adhesion.

Current and Future Cornea Chip Models for Advancing Ophthalmic Research and Therapeutics.

Corneal blindness remains a significant global health challenge, with limited treatment options due to donor tissue scarcity outside of the United States and inadequate in vitro models. This review analyzes the current state of cornea chip technology, addressing fundamental challenges and exploring future directions. Recent advancements in biomaterials and fabrication techniques are discussed that aim to recapitulate the complex structure and function of the human cornea, including the multilayered epithelium, organized stroma, and functional endothelium.

CT-based detection of clinically significant portal hypertension predicts post-hepatectomy outcomes in hepatocellular carcinoma.

Background: While the CT-based method of detecting clinically significant portal hypertension (CSPH) emerged as a noninvasive alternative for evaluating CSPH, its predictive ability for post-hepatectomy outcomes is unknown. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the impact of CT-based CSPH on outcomes following hepatectomy for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

Methods: This retrospective single-center study included patients with advanced chronic liver disease (ACLD) who underwent hepatectomy for very early or early-stage HCC between January 2017 and December 2018.

Effects of deep ocean-derived magnesium-enhanced water on metabolic diseases with microbiome changes.

Aims: To investigate the effects of magnesium (Mg) from deep ocean sources, we conducted a randomized clinical trial involving adults with hypertension, diabetes, or hyperlipidemia.

Methods: Subjects consumed either Mg-enriched water (MEW) or a placebo (80 or 6 mg of Mg per 2 L/day, respectively) for 4 weeks. We examined the detoxifying effects of MEW on environmental toxicants, including polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and oxidative stress, and its impact on gut microbiome composition (N = 30; 49.

Enhanced Wire-Shaped Micro-Supercapacitor Treated with a Continuous Surface Atmospheric Pressure Plasma Jet Approach.

Microscale, wire-shaped flexible supercapacitors are gaining significant attention due to the growing demand for wearable electronics and microrobotic technologies. Among various materials, copper sulfide stands out as an ideal candidate because of its superior electrochemical properties, which can be attributed to its nanostructured composition. This structure enhances the surface area, reduces ion transport distances, and improves charge-discharge kinetics.

Sustained Release of HIF-2α Inhibitors Using Biodegradable Porous Silicon Carriers for Enhanced Immunogenic Cell Death of Malignant Merkel Cell Carcinoma.

Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) is a rare but aggressive neuroendocrine skin cancer with limited treatment options, often associated with Merkel cell polyomavirus (MCPyV) and marked by hypoxic tumor microenvironments that promote resistance to therapies. Belzutifan, an FDA-approved hypoxia-inducible factor-2α (HIF-2α) inhibitor, has shown promise in inhibiting tumor growth; however, its clinical efficacy is hindered by its low solubility, rapid clearance, and limited bioavailability. In this study, we present a strategy using porous silicon (pSi) microparticles and nanoparticles as carriers for the sustained delivery of benzoate to MCC cells.

Protection induced by recombinant vaccinia virus targeting the ROP4 of Toxoplasma gondii in mice.

Toxoplasmosis is a parasitic disease affecting a significant portion of the global population, whose etiology can be attributed to the protozoan organism Toxoplasma gondii. Despite its public health importance, an efficacious vaccine to prevent human toxoplasmosis remains unavailable. To this end, we designed an experimental toxoplasmosis vaccine using recombinant vaccinia virus vectors (rVacv) expressing the T.

Strain-limited biofilm regulation through the Brg1-Rme1 circuit in .

Unlabelled: Prominent virulence traits of include its ability to produce filamentous hyphal cells and grow as a biofilm. These traits are under control of numerous transcription factors (TFs), including Brg1 and Rme1. In the reference strain SC5314, a Δ/Δ mutant has reduced levels of biofilm/filament production; a Δ/Δ Δ/Δ double mutant has wild-type levels of biofilm/filament production.

Therapeutic effect of novel drug candidate, PRG-N-01, on NF2 syndrome-related tumor.

Background: NF2-related schwannomatosis (NF2-SWN) is associated with multiple benign tumors in the nervous system. NF2-SWN, caused by mutations in the NF2 gene, has developed into intracranial and spinal schwannomas. Because of the high surgical risk and frequent recurrence of multiple tumors, targeted therapy is necessary.

DNA-free base editing in lettuce via in vitro transcribed base editors.

A newly developed RNA-based adenine and cytosine base editing system achieves targeted and efficient A-to-G and C-to-T conversions in lettuce. This DNA-free base editing method has potential uses in crop breeding and biotechnology.

Response to environmental enrichment of weanling pigs on growth, behaviour and welfare after weaning.

The experiment was carried out to examine the growth, behaviour, and welfare response of weaning pigs to environmental enrichment from d 1 to d 28 after weaning. A total of 240 weaning pigs with average initial body weight (BW) 6.56 ± 0.

Gain Saturation of Encapsulated CdTe-Ag Quantum Dot Composite in SiO.

Amplified spontaneous emission of CdTe and CdTe-Ag quantum dot composites were compared for increasing the optical stripe length, whereby optical gain coefficients for various emission wavelengths were obtained. In the case of CdTe-Ag nanoparticle composites, we observed that plasmonic coupling causes both optical enhancement and quenching at different wavelengths, where the amplified spontaneous emission intensity becomes enhanced at short wavelengths but suppressed at long wavelengths (>600 nm). To analyze the logistic stripe length dependence of amplified spontaneous emission intensity, we used a differential method to obtain the gain coefficient beyond the amplification range.

Long-term impacts of complete revascularization on clinical outcomes in patients with coronary chronic total occlusion.

The impact of complete revascularization (CR), achieved through the recanalization of coronary chronic total occlusions (CTOs), on long-term patient outcomes remains uncertain. To evaluate this in patients who achieved CR after CTO-PCI with those who did not due to deferred CTO-PCI, the Asan Medical Center Registry was reviewed to identify coronary artery disease (CAD) patients with CTOs treated between January 2003 and December 2018. Patients were included with single-vessel disease with CTO and with multivessel disease who had undergone revascularization for non-CTO lesions.

Normative Parameters of Olfactory Bulbs Based on Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Olfactory Function.

Background: Olfactory dysfunction is a frequently encountered sensory disorder that increases with aging, assessed magnetic resonance imaging (MRI); however, reference quantitative values for associated anatomical structures have rarely been suggested. The aim of this study was to assess the parameters of the olfactory bulbs (OBs) and olfactory sulcus (OS) in Korean adults according to age, along with their olfactory function.

Methods: We retrospectively evaluated 217 consecutive patients (104 men, 113 women; mean age, 52.

Integrative transcriptomic analysis identifies emetine as a promising candidate for overcoming acquired resistance to ALK inhibitors in lung cancer.

Anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK; also known as ALK tyrosine kinase receptor) inhibitors (ALKi) are effective in treating lung cancer patients with chromosomal rearrangement of ALK. However, continuous treatment with ALKis invariably leads to acquired resistance in cancer cells. In this study, we propose an efficient strategy to suppress ALKi resistance through a meta-analysis of transcriptome data from various cell models of acquired resistance to ALKis.

No Difference in Postoperative Recovery Outcomes Between Opioid-Free and Opioid-Sparing Anesthesia Under Multimodal Analgesic Protocol for Video-Assisted Thoracoscopic Surgery: A Propensity Score Matching Cohort Study.

With growing concerns about opioid-related risks, efforts to reduce opioid use throughout the perioperative period have increased. This study aimed to compare postoperative recovery outcomes between opioid-free anesthesia (OFA) and opioid-sparing anesthesia (OSA) under a multimodal analgesic protocol in video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS). A retrospective cohort study was conducted on 196 patients undergoing VATS from August 2019 to December 2021.

Evaluation of Oropharyngeal Structure and DISE Findings for Successful Soft Palatal Webbing Flap Pharyngoplasty.

Purpose: Lateral pharyngeal wall collapse, linked to weak pharyngeal wall stability, is characteristic of severe obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) patients. Soft palate webbing flap palatopharyngoplasty (SPWFPP) has been introduced to enhance the stability of the lateral pharyngeal wall with minimal postoperative complications by eliminating the need for tonsillectomy. This study analyzed the anatomic findings of oropharynx for determination of outcome in OSA patients requiring SPWFPP.