Novel Design on Knee Exoskeleton with Compliant Actuator for Post-Stroke Rehabilitation.

Knee joint disorders pose a significant and growing challenge to global healthcare systems. Recent advancements in robotics, sensing technologies, and artificial intelligence have driven the development of robot-assisted therapies, reducing the physical burden on therapists and improving rehabilitation outcomes. This study presents a novel knee exoskeleton designed for safe and adaptive rehabilitation, specifically targeting bed-bound stroke patients to enable early intervention.

LIFs-Based Fluorescent Analysis of Silver Ions in Water Using AIEgen-Embedded PVA Hydrogel.

The detection and quantification analysis of silver ions is important to protect human health and improve the level of wastewater treatment. In this work, a polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) hydrogel-based sensing material based on an aggregation-induced emission strategy was developed and combined with a portable laser-induced fluorescence spectroscopy (LIFs) device for the direct detection and quantification of silver ions in water. Considering the requirements of environmental water analysis regarding portability, reliability, and convenience, this fluorescence turn-on strategy was optimized accordingly to ensure the accuracy and stability of the analysis in complex natural water environmental.

The influence of gut microbiota on membranous nephropathy: A two-sample Mendelian randomization study.

Background: Therapeutic approaches that target the gut microbiota may be helpful in the potential prevention and treatment of membranous nephropathy (MN). Several studies demonstrated a correlation between gut microbiota and MN. However, the confounding evidence cannot prove a causal relationship between gut microbiota and MN.

Synthesis and Structural Elucidation of Bisdibenzocorannulene in Multiple Redox States.

We report an anti-folded bowl-shaped bisdibenzocorannulene (BDBC) featuring a new chair-cyclohexane-like hexagon as a bridge of two dibenzocorannulene moieties. The neutral compound showed multiple redox-active properties and could be converted to the corresponding redox states through chemical reduction or oxidation. Chemical reduction of BDBC by stoichiometric addition of metallic potassium in the presence of [18]crown-6 ether, provided a radical anion BDBC and a dianion BDBC , respectively; while chemical oxidation by silver hexafluoroantimonate(V), converted the neutral compound to an open-shell singlet diradical dication (BDBC ) .

The morphological characteristics of hippocampus and thalamus in mesial temporal lobe epilepsy.

Background: Mesial temporal lobe epilepsy (MTLE) is the most common form of focal epilepsy, which is frequently characterized by hippocampal sclerosis (HS). Accumulating studies have suggested widespread cortico-cortical connections related to MTLE. The role of subcortical structures involved in general epilepsy has been extensively investigated, but it is still limited in MTLE.

Synthesis and Characterization of Oxygen-Embedded Quinoidal Pentacene and Nonacene.

Extension of oxygen-embedded polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), in particular with a defined topology, is synthetically challenging primarily because of limited regio-specific methods and poor solubility of PAHs. We reported herein an efficient way to construct quinoidal pentacenes and nonacenes with regular zigzag O-inserted edges. These O-embedded backbones composed of benzene, pyranyl, and cyclohexa-1,4-diene moieties provided access to a new class of longitudinally conjugated acenes with superior stability.

Design and synthesis of theranostic antibiotic nanodrugs that display enhanced antibacterial activity and luminescence.

We report the modular formulation of ciprofloxacin-based pure theranostic nanodrugs that display enhanced antibacterial activities, as well as aggregation-induced emission (AIE) enhancement that was successfully used to image bacteria. The drug derivatives, consisting of ciprofloxacin, a perfluoroaryl ring, and a phenyl ring linked by an amidine bond, were efficiently synthesized by a straightforward protocol from a perfluoroaryl azide, ciprofloxacin, and an aldehyde in acetone at room temperature. These compounds are propeller-shaped, and upon precipitation into water, readily assembled into stable nanoaggregates that transformed ciprofloxacin derivatives into AIE-active luminogens.

NOTCH3 mutations and clinical features in 33 mainland Chinese families with CADASIL.

Background: Cerebral autosomal dominant arteriopathy with subcortical infarcts and leucoencephalopathy (CADASIL) is an inherited small-vessel disease caused by mutations in NOTCH3. Although CADASIL cases have been identified worldwide, the data from mainland China are still limited.

Objective: To identify NOTCH3 mutations and analyse the clinical and MRI findings in a large series of CADASIL patients from mainland China.

Retinal arterial abnormalities correlate with brain white matter lesions in cerebral autosomal dominant arteriopathy with subcortical infarcts and leucoencephalopathy.

Purpose: The aim of this study is to determine the relationship between retinal abnormalities and brain white matter hyper-intensities (WMH) in symptomatic patients with cerebral autosomal dominant arteriopathy with subcortical infarcts and leucoencephalopathy (CADASIL).

Methods: Fifteen patients with CADASIL and fifteen age-matched healthy control individuals were enrolled in this study. Ophthalmological examinations were performed on all subjects and all patients with CADASIL underwent cerebral MRI scanning.

Evaluation of bilateral cingulum with tractography in patients with Alzheimer's disease.

A fiber-tracking algorithm was used to extract fractional anisotropy of bilateral cingulum bundles in patients with probable Alzheimer's disease and normal aging controls. In addition, their hippocampal volumes were measured manually. Relative to normal controls, Alzheimer's disease patients showed a significant reduction of fractional anisotropy and hippocampal volumes.