Dynamically reconfigurable shape-morphing and tactile display via hydraulically coupled mergeable and splittable PVC gel actuator.

Shape-morphing displays alter their surface geometry to convey information through three-dimensional shapes. However, rapid transformation into seamless shapes with multimodal tactile sensations poses challenges. Here, we introduce a versatile soft shape-morphing and tactile display, using a novel actuator that combines a PVC gel composite, dielectric liquid, and an electrode array.

Intraoperative Brainstem Auditory Evoked Potentials and Postoperative Nausea and Vomiting After Microvascular Decompression.

Background: We performed this study to investigate the effect of intraoperative brainstem auditory evoked potential (IBAEP) changes on the development of postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) after microvascular decompression (MVD) for neurovascular cross compression.

Methods: A total of 373 consecutive cases were treated with MVD. The use of rescue antiemetics after surgery was used as an objective indicator of PONV.

Attention-based speech feature transfer between speakers.

In this study, we propose a simple yet effective method for incorporating the source speaker's characteristics in the target speaker's speech. This allows our model to generate the speech of the target speaker with the style of the source speaker. To achieve this, we focus on the attention model within the speech synthesis model, which learns various speaker features such as spectrogram, pitch, intensity, formant, pulse, and voice breaks.

Soft Artificial Muscle Based on Pre-Detwinned Shape Memory Alloy Spring Actuator Achieving High Passive Assistive Torque for Wearable Robot.

For designing the assistive wearable rehabilitation robots, it is challenging to design the robot as energy efficient because the actuators have to be capable of overcoming human loads such as gravity of the body and spastic torque continuously during the assistance. To address these challenges, we propose a novel design of soft artificial muscle that utilizes shape memory alloy (SMA) spring actuators with pre-detwinning process. The SMA spring was fabricated through a process called pre-detwinning, which enhances the linearity of the SMA spring in martensite phase and unpowered restoring force, which is called passive force.

Control of fibrosis with enhanced safety via asymmetric inhibition of prolyl-tRNA synthetase 1.

Prolyl-tRNA synthetase 1 (PARS1) has attracted much interest in controlling pathologic accumulation of collagen containing high amounts of proline in fibrotic diseases. However, there are concerns about its catalytic inhibition for potential adverse effects on global protein synthesis. We developed a novel compound, DWN12088, whose safety was validated by clinical phase 1 studies, and therapeutic efficacy was shown in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis model.

Short-term and long-term predictors of balance function in stroke patients: a 6-month follow-up study.

We aimed to determine early predictors of balance function (Berg Balance Scale, BBS) at 3 and 6 months after stroke using clinical, neurophysiological, and neuroimaging variables. Seventy-nine patients with hemiparesis after a stroke were included. Demographics, stroke characteristics, and clinical variables [Mini-Mental State Examination, BBS, strength in the hemiparetic hip, knee, and ankle muscles, and Fugl-Meyer Assessment Lower Extremity (FMA-LE)] were evaluated 2 weeks post-stroke, on average.

Structural Changes in the Arcuate Fasciculus and Recovery of Post-stroke Aphasia: A 6-Month Follow-up Study using Diffusion Tensor Imaging.

Background: Temporal changes in the structural connectivity of major language tracts after stroke and their contribution to aphasia recovery are unclear.

Objective: To investigate longitudinal arcuate fasciculus (AF) integrity changes and their relationship with post-stroke aphasia recovery using diffusion tensor imaging (DTI).

Methods: Thirty-five patients with aphasia due to first-ever left hemispheric stroke underwent the Korean version of the Western Aphasia Battery and DTI at 1- and 6-month post stroke onset.

The novel prognostic value of postoperative follow-up lateral spread response after microvascular decompression for hemifacial spasm.

Objective: The lateral spread response (LSR) is an aberrant electrophysiological response in which a stimulus on one branch of the facial nerve spills over to other branches of the nerve, which can be captured by electrodes near each branch. The authors performed this study to evaluate the prognostic value of the follow-up LSR with a sufficient time interval from intraoperative LSR (IO-LSR) after microvascular decompression (MVD) for hemifacial spasm (HFS), excluding the interference of various intraoperative situations.

Methods: A total of 247 patients treated with MVD for HFS between June 2011 and March 2019 were enrolled in this study.

Second-Line Bismuth-Containing Quadruple Therapy for Infection: A 12-Year Study of Annual Eradication Rates.

Background: Bismuth-containing quadruple therapy (BQT) consisting of a proton-pump inhibitor (PPI), bismuth, metronidazole and tetracycline is recommended as a second-line treatment for () infection when PPI-based standard triple therapy (STT) consisting of a PPI, amoxicillin and clarithromycin is unsuccessful. The purpose of this study was to analyze the long-term results of BQT as a second-line therapy to determine its effectiveness.

Methods: This study included 643 subjects who failed first-line STT and received 7 or 10-14 days of BQT as a second-line therapy.

Clinical Factors Associated With Balance Function in the Early Subacute Phase After Stroke.

Objective: The aim of the study was to investigate the key factors of balance function in the early subacute phase after stroke.

Design: Ninety-four stroke patients were included. Multiple variables were evaluated, including demographic factors, clinical variables (stroke type; lesion site; Mini-Mental State Examination; motor strength of the hip, knee, and ankle joints; Fugl-Meyer Assessment of lower extremity), neurophysiological variables (amplitude ratio of somatosensory evoked potential of the tibial nerves), and laterality index of fractional anisotropy of the corticospinal tract using diffusion tensor imaging.

The Influence of Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease on Daytime Sleepiness and Depressive Symptom in Patients With Obstructive Sleep Apnea.

Background/aims: As there is insufficient evidence for a relationship between gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), we investigated whether OSA diagnosed by polysomnography (PSG) is related to GERD.

Methods: A total of 402 subjects was evaluated. Overnight PSG was performed and a few questionnaires on GERD, anxiety, depression, and daytime sleepiness were administered.

The Role of Adjuvant Treatment in Patients with High-Grade Meningioma.

Objective: To investigate the efficacy of adjuvant treatment in patients with high-grade meningioma.

Methods: A retrospective analysis was performed for patients with high-grade meningioma, World Health Organization grade 2 or 3, in a single center between 2003 and 2014. The patients were reviewed according to age at diagnosis, sex, the location of meningioma, degree of tumor resection, histological features, and type of adjuvant treatment.

Hypothalamic Extraventricular Neurocytoma (EVN) in a Pediatric Patient: A Case of EVN Treated with Subtotal Removal Followed by Adjuvant Radiotherapy.

Extra ventricular neurocytoma (EVN) is a rare brain tumor with histologic features similar with a central neurocytoma, but located outside of the ventricular system. In this study, we present an unusual case of hypothalamic EVN in a 14-year-old patient. The patient underwent subtotal removal and had tumor relapse.

Enhanced switching behavior of iron oxide nanoparticle-doped liquid-crystal display.

It is well known that doping nanoparticles (NPs) in liquid crystals (LCs) can easily change the physical and electro-optical properties of LC mixture. In this paper, we demonstrate homogeneous, aligned nematic LC (N-LC) system dispersed in iron oxide (Fe2O3) NPs. The prepared Fe2O3 NPs have an average particle size of 50 nm.

Design and Evaluation of ω-Hydroxy Fatty Acids Containing α-GalCer Analogues for CD1d-Mediated NKT Cell Activation.

CD1d molecules recognize glycolipid antigens with straight chain fatty acid moieties. Although most of the residues in the CD1d binding groove are hydrophobic, some of the amino acids can form hydrogen bonds. Consequently, we have designed ω-hydroxy fatty acid-containing glycolipid derivatives of the prototypical CD1d ligand α-GalCer.

CIS-ZnS quantum dots for self-aligned liquid crystal molecules with superior electro-optic properties.

We demonstrate self-aligned and high-performance liquid crystal (LC) systems doped with 1-dimensional (1D) chain-like clusters of CuInS(2) (CIS)-ZnS core-shell quantum dots (QDs). By changing the cell fabrication method of the LC-QD composites, we can selectively control the orientation of the LC molecules between the homogeneous and homeotropic states without conventional LC alignment layers. The homeotropic alignment of LCs was achieved by random dropcasting and the homogeneous alignment was performed using a capillary injection of LC-QDs due to the random or linear diffusion of QD clusters into ITO defects.

Design, synthesis, and preliminary biological evaluation of a novel triazole analogue of ceramide.

The amide bond of ceramide was replaced by the non-hydrolyzable 1,2,3-triazole functionality. Click chemistry was employed for synthesis of the designed analogues. Our preliminary biological evaluation indicated that the amide moiety of ceramide is amenable to bioisosteric substitution with the triazole moiety.