Deep-Ultraviolet AlN Metalens with Imaging and Ultrafast Laser Microfabrication Applications.

Deep-ultraviolet (DUV) light is essential for applications including fabrication, molecular research, and biomedical imaging. Compact metalenses have the potential to drive further innovation in these fields, provided they utilize a material platform that is cost-effective, durable, and scalable. In this work, we present aluminum nitride (AlN) metalenses as an efficient solution for DUV applications.

Blind-label subwavelength ultrasound imaging.

There is a long-existing trade-off between the imaging resolution and penetration depth in acoustic imaging caused by the diffraction limit. Most existing approaches addressing this trade-off require controlled "labels," i.e.

Incidence and Risk Factors for Orthopedic Device-Related Pressure Injuries: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Background: As orthopedic trauma increases, the resultant use of orthopedic devices and associated pressure injuries has increased.

Objective: This study aims to systematically evaluate the incidence and risk factors for orthopedic device-related pressure injuries.

Methods: A systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted by searching PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, ClNAHL, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Wanfang Database, and Chinese BioMedical Literature Database from their inception until November 30, 2023.

Calcination-Induced Tight Nano-Heterointerface for Highly Effective Eradication of Rib Fracture-Related Infection by Near-Infrared Irradiation.

Rib fracture-related infection is a challenging complication of thoracic trauma due to the difficulty of treating it with antibiotics alone and the need for a second operation to remove the infected fixator and sterilize the surrounding infected tissue. In this study, inspired by the photocatalytic performance of and ion release from silver-based materials, including AgPO and AgS, a hybrid AgPO-AgS heterojunction was prepared based on anion exchange and a one-step calcination process to design a nonantibiotic coating aimed at preventing and treating rib fracture-related infection with short-term 808 nm near-infrared irradiation. Calcination at 250 °C enhanced the inductive effect of the phosphate radical and led to the formation of a tight nanoheterogeneous interface between AgPO and AgS, thereby promoting interfacial electron transfer and reducing the recombination of photogenerated carriers.

The multifaceted role of the inferior colliculus in sensory prediction, reward processing, and decision-making.

The inferior colliculus (IC) has traditionally been regarded as an important relay in the auditory pathway, primarily involved in relaying auditory information from the brainstem to the thalamus. However, this study uncovers the multifaceted role of the IC in bridging auditory processing, sensory prediction, and reward prediction. Through extracellular recordings in monkeys engaged in a sound duration-based deviation detection task, we observed a 'climbing effect' in neuronal firing rates, indicative of an enhanced response over sound sequences linked to sensory prediction rather than reward anticipation.

Scrub typhus association with autoimmune biomarkers and clinical implications.

Background: Scrub typhus, a disease caused by Orientia tsutsugamushi, triggers systemic vasculitis and is prevalent in Eastern and Southern Asia. This study aimed to uncover the relationship between scrub typhus and autoimmune responses, focusing on antinuclear antibodies (ANAs) and the implications of elevated ANA titers during infection.

Method: Data from a total of 139 patients diagnosed with scrub typhus and 30 healthy controls were retrospectively analyzed through serum samples to assess the levels of ANAs and related autoantibodies.

Gait Speed Modifies Efficacy of Home-Based Exercise for Falls in Older Adults with a Previous Fall: Secondary Analysis of a Randomized Controlled Trial.

Objective: Exercise is an evidence-based strategy for preventing falls. However, its efficacy may vary based on individual characteristics, like gait speed. The study examined whether baseline gait speed modified the effects of home-based exercise on subsequent falls among older adults.

European ILD registry algorithm for self-assessment in interstitial lung diseases (eurILDreg ASA-ILD).

Background And Aims: Predicting progression and prognosis in Interstitial Lung Diseases (ILD), especially Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis (IPF) and Progressive Pulmonary Fibrosis (PPF), remains a challenge. Integrating patient-centered measurements is essential for earlier and safer detection of disease progression. Home monitoring through e-health technologies, such as spirometry and oximetry connected to smartphone applications, holds promise for early detection of ILD progression or acute exacerbations, enabling timely therapeutic interventions.

morphoHeart: A quantitative tool for integrated 3D morphometric analyses of heart and ECM during embryonic development.

Heart development involves the complex structural remodelling of a linear heart tube into an asymmetrically looped and ballooned organ. Previous studies have associated regional expansion of extracellular matrix (ECM) space with tissue morphogenesis during development. We have developed morphoHeart, a 3D tissue segmentation and morphometry software with a user-friendly graphical interface (GUI) that delivers the first integrated 3D visualisation and multiparametric analysis of both heart and ECM morphology in live embryos.

REACH assessment of humans exposed to chemicals indirectly via the environment: screening modeling in EUSES versus state of the science.

The assessment of humans indirectly exposed to chemicals via the environment (HvE) is an assessment element of the Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation, and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH) regulation. The European Union System for the Evaluation of Substances (EUSES) is the default screening tool, aimed at prioritizing chemicals for further refinement/higher tier assessment. This review summarizes the approach used in EUSES, evaluates the state of the science in human exposure modeling via the environment, and identifies areas for further research to strengthen the confidence and applicability of EUSES for assessing HvE.

Integrating ex situ biomimetic extraction analyses into contaminated sediment assessment and management decisions.

This study evaluated a novel ex situ passive sampling biomimetic extraction (BE) method to estimate toxic potency in sediments. Gas chromatography with flame ionization detection (GC-FID) analysis of polydimethylsiloxane fibers equilibrated with field sediments was used to quantify bioavailable polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and other unresolved, site-specific contaminant mixtures. This method is biomimetic because contaminants partition to the fiber based on hydrophobicity and abundance, and GC-FID quantification accounts for all constituents absorbed to the fiber that may contribute to toxicity.

Characterization of language abilities and semantic networks in very preterm children at school-age.

It has been widely assessed that very preterm children (<32 weeks gestational age) present language and memory impairments compared with full-term children. However, differences in their underlying semantic memory structure have not been studied yet. Nevertheless, the way concepts are learned and organized across development relates to children's capacities in retrieving and using information later.

HIV-1 resistance mutations and genetic diversity among children failing antiretroviral treatment in five healthcare facilities in Benin, West Africa.

Background: Antiretroviral treatment increases the risk of accumulation of resistance mutations that negatively impact the possibilities of future treatment. This study aimed to present the frequency of HIV-1 antiretroviral resistance mutations and the genetic diversity among children with virological failure in five pediatric care facilities in Benin.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out from November 20, 2020, to November 30, 2022, in children under 15 years of age who failed ongoing antiretroviral treatment at five facilities care in Benin (VL > 3log10 on two consecutive realizations three months apart).

Decreased SynMuv B gene activity in response to viral infection leads to activation of the antiviral RNAi pathway in C. elegans.

RNA interference (RNAi) mediates antiviral defense in many eukaryotes. Caenorhabditis elegans mutants that disable RNAi are more sensitive to viral infection. Many mutants that enhance RNAi have also been identified; these mutations may reveal genes that are normally down-regulated in antiviral defense.

Low levels of Plasmodium falciparum parasitaemia among patients receiving antiretroviral therapy at the treatment centre of the Regional Hospital Bamenda, Northwest Cameroon.

Background: Malaria and HIV are leading causes of death in Africa, including Cameroon. Antiretroviral therapy (ART) is expected to boost immunity and reduce vulnerability to opportunistic infections. Reports on comorbidities including malaria are common in Cameroon.

Low cluster of differentiation 4+ T-cell count associated with thrombocytopenia among people living with human immunodeficiency virus-1 receiving antiretroviral in West Papua.

Anaemia and thrombocytopenia are blood-related irregularities linked to an increased likelihood of disease progression, leading to death in people living with human immunodeficiency virus 1 (PLHIV). Severe clinical conditions associated with human immunodeficiency 1 (HIV-1) infection may be related to blood irregularities among PLHIV. The study aimed to examine the factors correlated with blood irregularities among PLHIV receiving antiretroviral treatment in West Papua.

Persisting Toward a Career in Biomedical Research: A Black, Male Scientists' Becoming-Scientist-With Multiple Spatial Configurations.

This study explores the process of becoming-scientist-with, a dynamic and relational concept that redefines science identity development as a nonlinear, evolving journey. Focused on a Black male student, Travis, the study examines how his science identity was shaped through entanglements with various material and discursive forces across multiple science, technology, engineering, math, and medicine (STEMM) learning spaces. Becoming-scientist-with is conceptualized as a continual negotiation of identity within these environments, emphasizing the roles of power, systemic racism, and institutional practices in shaping students' experiences.

Standardised lung function metrics in healthy athletes.

The objective of the current review was to identify whether clinically established lung function metrics of ventilatory and diffusion capacity obtained by standardised methodology are consistent with superior lung function in athletes, and whether this is related to maximal oxygen uptake (V̇O). Three independent reviewers performed a literature search in PubMed, Scopus, and reference screening. Data was extracted and analysed according to a predefined strategy.

Technological Adjuncts to Streamline Patient Recruitment, Informed Consent, and Data Management Processes in Clinical Research: Observational Study.

Background: Patient recruitment and data management are laborious, resource-intensive aspects of clinical research that often dictate whether the successful completion of studies is possible. Technological advances present opportunities for streamlining these processes, thus improving completion rates for clinical research studies.

Objective: This paper aims to demonstrate how technological adjuncts can enhance clinical research processes via automation and digital integration.

Exploring Virtual Reality and Exercise Simulator Interventions in Patients With Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder: Comprehensive Literature Review.

Background: This review explores virtual reality (VR) and exercise simulator-based interventions for individuals with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Past research indicates that both VR and simulator-based interventions enhance cognitive functions, such as executive function and memory, though their impacts on attention vary.

Objective: This study aimed to contribute to the ongoing scientific discourse on integrating technology-driven interventions into the management and evaluation of ADHD.

Design strategies and biomedical applications of organic NIR-IIb fluorophores.

The introduction of fluorescence imaging (FLI) in near-infrared II sub-channels (NIR-IIb, 1500-1700 nm) has revolutionized the ability to explore complex patho-physiological settings . Despite the transformative potentials, the development of organic NIR IIb dyes encounters considerable difficulties, and only a limited number of such fluorophores have been developed so far. This review systematically introduces design strategies of organic NIR-IIb fluorophores classified by molecular scaffolds, mainly including cyanine dyes and D-A-D small molecule dyes.

Targeted insertion of heterogenous DNA using Cas9-gRNA ribonucleoprotein-mediated gene editing in .

Gene editing is emerging as a powerful tool for introducing novel functionalities in mushrooms. While CRISPR/Cas9-induced double-strand breaks (DSBs) typically rely on non-homologous end joining (NHEJ) for gene disruption, precise insertion of heterologous DNA in mushrooms is less explored. Here, we evaluated the efficacy of inserting donor DNAs (8-1008 bp) with or without homologous arms at Cas9-gRNA RNP-induced DSBs.

Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Pediatric Counseling on Nutrition, Lifestyle, and Weight: A Secondary Analysis of the BP-CATCH Randomized Clinical Trial.

Importance: Pediatric obesity and hypertension are highly correlated. To mitigate both conditions, provision of counseling on nutrition, lifestyle, and weight to children with high blood pressure (BP) measurements is recommended.

Objective: To examine racial and ethnic disparities in receipt of nutrition, lifestyle, and weight counseling among patients with high BP at pediatric primary care visits stratified by patients' weight status.

Cervical Cancer Screening in Women With Physical Disabilities.

Importance: Cervical cancer screening is a crucial public health intervention, but screening disparities exist for women with physical disabilities (WWPD).

Objective: To explore the experiences of WWPD with both traditional speculum examination-based screening and at-home self-sampling for cervical cancer screening.

Design, Setting, And Participants: This qualitative study enrolled 56 WWPD to test self-sampling kits, provide feedback via a survey, and participate in a qualitative interview.