Water-Dynamics Monitoring Using a Flexible Resistive Sensor and Reservoir Computing.

Water droplets exhibit different dynamics upon contact with an object, depending on several factors, including the impact angle and droplet volume. Insights gained from monitoring the dynamics might be valuable in rain-sensing applications for analyzing precipitation and wind velocity. Notably, a resistive-type flexible rain sensor exists, which monitors the changes in resistance with time when a water droplet contacts an object.

A comparative psychological evaluation of a robotic avatar in Dubai and Japan.

Introduction: This study focused on the psychological evaluation of an avatar robot in two distinct regions, Dubai in the Middle East and Japan in the Far East. Dubai has experienced remarkable development in advanced technology, while Japan boasts a culture that embraces robotics. These regions are distinctively characterized by their respective relationships with robotics.

The underappreciated roles of aboveground vertebrates on belowground communities.

In recent decades, evidence of interactions between aboveground and belowground (i.e., soil) subsystems has accumulated.

Knee joint extension limitation in female patients with knee osteoarthritis affects the infrapatellar fat pad hardness and hemoglobin concentration by isometric quadriceps exercise.

Objective: To investigate whether there is a difference in hardness and hemoglobin concentration changes in the infrapatellar fat pad (IFP) during isometric quadriceps exercise (IQE) in patients with knee osteoarthritis (KOA) between those with and without knee extension limitation.

Design: In this cross-sectional study, data were collected at an orthopedic clinic from March 2022 to April 2023. Among patients diagnosed with KOA, those with knee joint extension range of motion <0° and >0° were defined as the limited group (n ​= ​16) and non-limited group (n ​= ​13), respectively.

Lung immune incompetency after mild peritoneal sepsis and its partial restoration by type 1 interferon: a mouse model study.

Background: Sepsis is commonly associated with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). Although the exaggerated inflammation may damage intact lung tissues, a percentage of patients with ARDS are reportedly immunocompromised, with worse outcomes. Herein, using a murine sepsis model, time-course immune reprogramming after sepsis was evaluated to explore whether the host is immunocompromised.

Trunk Muscle Cross-Sectional Areas at Hip Fractures and Their Association With Recovery of Postoperative Gait Ability: A Multicenter, Retrospective Cohort Study.

Purpose: To determine the relationship between trunk muscle cross-sectional area (CSA) measured using trunk computed tomography at the time of injury and gait ability at discharge.

Methods: This multicenter retrospective cohort study was performed in comprehensive rehabilitation units of four hospitals in Japan. The study included 442 patients with hip fractures who underwent surgery (bipolar hip arthroplasty or open reduction and internal fixation) and were hospitalized for treatment between January 2020 and January 2023.

Two-year scale-up dissemination study of a multi-strategic community-wide intervention promoting physical activity: a single-arm pre-post hybrid effectiveness-implementation trial.

Background: Intervention trials that have demonstrated significant effects may not always replicate those effects when scaled up. This study aimed to test whether scaling-up a successful cluster randomized trial (the COMMUNICATE study, 9 intervention communities), which promoted population-level physical activity (PA), could promote PA in a broader citywide setting (29 communities) after two years, as a mid-term evaluation of the six-year scaled-up trial.

Methods: This is a single-arm, pre-post comparison of a multi-strategic community-wide intervention covering the entire Unnan City, Japan.

Ultrasensitive and Stretchable Strain Sensors Based on Laser-Induced Graphene With ZnO Nanoparticles.

Laser-induced graphene (LIG) has attracted considerable attention for its use in flexible and stretchable sensors, owing to its electrical/mechanical properties and scalable fabrication processes. Although laser scanning facilitates the formation of LIG and its strain sensor, the strain-sensing sensitivity enhancement of LIG remains limited by the material's properties and structural design. In this study, we demonstrate a substantial improvement in sensitivity that was achieved by fabricating a LIG using ZnO nanoparticle (NP)-assisted photothermal enhancement.

An Indirect Pathway from the Rat Interstitial Nucleus of Cajal to the Vestibulocerebellum Involved in Vertical Gaze Holding.

The neural network, including the interstitial nucleus of Cajal (INC), functions as an oculomotor neural integrator involved in the control of vertical gaze holding. Impairment of the vestibulocerebellum (VC), including the flocculus (FL), has been shown to affect vertical gaze holding, indicating that the INC cooperates with the VC in controlling this function. However, a network between the INC and VC has not been identified.

Oligoyne bridges enable strong through-bond coupling and efficient triplet transfer from CdSe QD trap excitons for photon upconversion.

Polyyne bridges have attracted extensive interest as molecular wires due to their shallow distance dependence during charge transfer. Here, we investigate whether triplet energy transfer from cadmium selenide (CdSe) quantum dots (QDs) to anthracene acceptors benefits from the high conductance associated with polyyne bridges, especially from the potential cumulene character in their excited states. Introducing π-electron rich oligoyne bridges between the surface-bound anthracene-based transmitter ligands, we explore the triplet energy transfer rate between the CdSe QDs and anthracene core.

Effects of Walking-Only Intervention on Physical Function, Fall-Related Outcomes, and Health-Related Quality of Life in Community-Dwelling Older Adults: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

This study aimed to determine the effects of walking-only intervention (walking was the only exercise in which people participated) on physical function, fall-related outcomes, and health-related quality of life in community-dwelling older adults. We conducted a systematic search across five electronic databases, assessing risk of bias using Minds Manual for Guideline Development. Meta-analyses were performed, and pooled standardized mean differences were calculated.

Role of Acute Physiotherapy in Bilateral Medial Medullary Infarction: A Case Report.

Bilateral medial medullary infarction (BMMI) is a rare stroke syndrome, which frequently has poor clinical outcomes. Reports on physical therapy for BMMI are few because of its poor prognosis. Therefore, this report aims to present a patient who developed BMMI and underwent well-considered rehabilitation.

Dataset of Post-Event Survey of the 2024 Noto Peninsula Earthquake Tsunami in Japan.

An earthquake with a moment magnitude of 7.5 (Mw) struck the northern Noto Peninsula, Ishikawa Prefecture, Japan, at 16:10 local time on January 1, 2024. This earthquake triggered a tsunami that propagated along the coastline of Ishikawa, Toyama, and Niigata Prefectures facing the Sea of Japan and significantly damaged coastal communities and infrastructure.

Spatiotemporal smoothing of water quality in a complex riverine system with physical barriers.

Freshwater ecosystems offer a variety of ecosystem services, and water quality is essential information for understanding their environment, biodiversity, and functioning. Interpolation by smoothing methods is a widely used approach to obtain temporal and/or spatial patterns of water quality from sampled data. However, when these methods are applied to freshwater systems, ignoring terrestrial areas that act as physical barriers may affect the structure of spatial autocorrelation and introduce bias into the estimates.

Double-filtration plasmapheresis reduces type I interferon bioavailability and inducing activity in systemic lupus erythematosus.

Type I interferons (IFN-Is) play a significant role in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) pathogenesis. Double-filtration plasmapheresis (DFPP) is a treatment option for SLE; however, its effect on IFN-Is remains unclear. Therefore, we investigated the effects of DFPP on IFN-Is.

Effect of isometric quadriceps exercise on local microcirculation of the infrapatellar fat pad in female patients with knee osteoarthritis.

Objective: To elucidate the local microcirculation of the infrapatellar fat pad (IFP) in patients with knee osteoarthritis (KOA) by determining the changes in IFP hardness and hemoglobin concentration during isometric quadriceps exercise (IQE).

Design: In this observational cross-sectional study, patients diagnosed with bilateral KOA were included in the KOA group (30 knees), healthy older adults in the control group (20 knees), and younger adults in the young group (20 knees). Ultrasonography was performed at rest and during IQE to measure IFP hardness based on shear wave velocity.

P(III)-Mediated Formal Reductive N-H Bond Insertion Reaction of Hydrazones to α-Keto Esters.

A diazo-, metal-, and base-free multi-substituted hydrazone synthesis via a formal reductive N-H bond insertion reactions of hydrazones to α-keto esters has been developed. The protocol features a broad substrate scope and good functional group tolerance, providing N-H bond insertion products in moderate to excellent yields. Moreover, P(III)-mediated N-H functionalization of pharmaceutical containing hydrazone moiety was also successfully achieved.

Systemically Administered D-allose Inhibits the Tumor Energy Pathway and Exerts Synergistic Effects With Radiation.

Background/aim: The present study investigated the anticancer effects of intraperitoneally administered D-allose in in vivo models of head and neck cancer cell lines.

Materials And Methods: To assess the direct effects of D-allose, its dynamics in blood and tumor tissues were examined.

Results: D-allose was detected in blood and tumor tissues 10 min after its intraperitoneal administration and then gradually decreased.

Evaluation of the Craniovertebral Angle in Standing versus Sitting Positions in Young Adults with and without Severe Forward Head Posture.

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of standing versus sitting body position on the craniovertebral angle (CVA) in young adults without pathology; and to investigate whether mean differences between positional CVA measures in subjects with severe forward head posture (FHP) are distinct from age-matched controls with normal head posture. Ninety-eight young adults (68 women, 30 men) without pathology (OVERALL; = 98) volunteered for the study; those with CVA > 53° were also included in a normal posture group (NORM; = 14); those with CVA < 45° were also included in a severe FHP group (SEV; = 15). CVA assessments were conducted in standing and sitting.

A case of coronary artery compression syndrome resulting from peri-valvular regurgitation and long-standing atrial fibrillation.

Unlabelled: A man in his 70s with a history of mitral valve replacement (MVR) and long-standing persistent atrial fibrillation (AF) presented with effort angina. Coronary angiography revealed severe stenosis of the left main coronary artery (LMCA). As it was an emergent case, PCI (percutaneous coronary intervention) was selected for treatment.

Prognostic factors in T4b gastric cancer after surgery: A more balanced and sequential therapy for patients?

Introduction: This study aimed to evaluate the prognostic factors in T4b gastric cancer (GC) in order to improve future therapeutic strategies.

Methods: We retrospectively analyzed the medical records of 43 patients with advanced GC who underwent surgery and were surgically or pathologically diagnosed with T4b GC. The overall survival (OS) rate of patients with T4b GC was analyzed, and univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to identify clinicopathological factors that were independently associated with OS.

Comparison of facet fusion rates and clinical outcomes between cortical bone trajectory screw and percutaneous pedicle screw fixation for degenerative lumbar spondylolisthesis.

Background Context: Cortical bone trajectory (CBT) screws have been introduced as an alternative technique for pedicle screw (PS) insertion because they have greater contact with the cortex and a greater uniaxial pullout load than traditional PS. CBT screwing can also minimize muscle dissection. However, CBT screws and traditional PSs have not yet been compared in terms of fusion rates and clinical outcomes for particular operative procedures.

Photon Upconversion at Organic-Inorganic Interfaces.

Photon upconversion is a process that combines low-energy photons to form useful high-energy photons. There are potential applications in photovoltaics, photocatalysis, biological imaging, etc. Semiconductor quantum dots (QDs) are promising for the absorption of these low-energy photons due to the high extinction coefficient of QDs, especially in the near infrared (NIR).