Exploring Dance as a Therapeutic Approach for Parkinson Disease Through the Social Robotics for Active and Healthy Ageing (SI-Robotics): Results From a Technical Feasibility Study.

Background: Parkinson disease (PD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder characterized by motor symptoms. Recently, dance has started to be considered an effective intervention for people with PD. Several findings in the literature emphasize the necessity for deeper exploration into the synergistic impacts of dance therapy and exergaming for PD management.

Movement Disorders and Smart Wrist Devices: A Comprehensive Study.

In the medical field, there are several very different movement disorders, such as tremors, Parkinson's disease, or Huntington's disease. A wide range of motor and non-motor symptoms characterizes them. It is evident that in the modern era, the use of smart wrist devices, such as smartwatches, wristbands, and smart bracelets is spreading among all categories of people.

Towards Green Dentistry: Evaluating the Potential of 4D Printing for Sustainable Orthodontic Aligners with a Reduced Carbon Footprint.

Clear aligners have transformed orthodontic care by providing an aesthetic, removable alternative to traditional braces. However, their significant environmental footprint, contributing to approximately 15,000 tons of plastic waste annually, poses a critical challenge. To address this issue, advancements in 4D printing have introduced "smart" aligners with shape memory properties, enabling reshaping and reducing the number of aligners required per treatment.

Uncovering Astrocyte Morphological Dynamics Using Optical Diffraction Tomography and Shape-Based Trajectory Inference.

Astrocytes, integral components of the central nervous system, are increasingly recognized for their multifaceted roles beyond support cells. Despite their acknowledged importance, understanding the intricacies of astrocyte morphological dynamics remains limited. Our study marks the first exploration of astrocytes using optical diffraction tomography (ODT), establishing a label-free, quantitative method to observe morphological changes in astrocytes over a 7-day in-vitro period.

The Hot Phonon Bottleneck Effect in Metal Halide Perovskites.

The hot phonon bottleneck (HPB) effect has been proposed as one of the main phenomena behind the slow cooling in metal halide perovskites. Even though consensus has been reached regarding its existence, open questions remain concerning the HPB's specific applicability and potential regarding hot carrier solar cell (HCSC) applications. We present a full investigation using ensemble Monte Carlo simulations of the HPB effect in metal halide perovskites (MHP).

Sea urchin immune cells and associated microbiota co-exposed to iron oxide nanoparticles activate cellular and molecular reprogramming that promotes physiological adaptation.

The innate immune system is the first player involved in the recognition/interaction with nanomaterials. Still, it is not the only system involved. The co-evolution of the microbiota with the innate immune system built an interdependence regulating immune homeostasis that is poorly studied.

Tuning antibacterial efficacy against Pseudomonas aeruginosa by using green AgNPs in chitosan thin films as a plastic alternative.

Nanotechnology advancements have facilitated the development of eco-friendly strategies to combat bacterial infections caused by antibiotic-resistant pathogens. This study promotes a green method for the synthesis of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) utilizing Eucalyptus globulus leaf extracts as an alternative to traditional colloidal AgNPs obtained through chemical synthesis, investigating their antibacterial efficacy against Pseudomonas aeruginosa and their impact on the expression of bacterial virulence factors (pyocyanin, pyoverdine, rhamnolipids). This work demonstrates that: i.

A compact and mobile stray-field NMR sensor.

In this paper, we introduce a compact, single-sided stray field sensor for NMR relaxometry applications. The sensor consists of four main components: the magnet, the RF coil, the spectrometer, and the translation stage. Our proposed magnet, an improved design of the Profile NMR-MOUSE, is designed for low weight, compactness, and magnetic field homogeneity, achieved through various shim strategies using a mixed genetic algorithm.

Non-invasive real-time investigation of colorectal cells tight junctions by Raman microspectroscopy analysis combined with machine learning algorithms for organ-on-chip applications.

Introduction: Colorectal cancer is the third most common malignancy in developed countries. Diagnosis strongly depends on the pathologist's expertise and laboratory equipment, and patient survival is influenced by the cancer's stage at detection. Non-invasive spectroscopic techniques can aid early diagnosis, monitor disease progression, and assess changes in physiological parameters in both heterogeneous samples and advanced platforms like Organ-on-Chip (OoC).

miR-23b-3p, miR-126-3p and GAS5 delivered by extracellular vesicles inhibit breast cancer xenografts in zebrafish.

Background: Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are a group of nanoscale cell-derived membranous structures secreted by all cell types, containing molecular cargoes involved in intercellular communication. EVs can be used to mimic "nature's delivery system" to transport nucleic acids, peptides, lipids, and metabolites to target recipient cells. EVs offer a range of advantages over traditional synthetic carriers, thus paving the way for innovative drug delivery approaches that can be used in different diseases, including cancer.

Automated image acquisition and analysis of graphene and hexagonal boron nitride from pristine to highly defective and amorphous structures.

Defect-engineered and even amorphous two-dimensional (2D) materials have recently gained interest due to properties that differ from their pristine counterparts. Since these properties are highly sensitive to the exact atomic structure, it is crucial to be able to characterize them at atomic resolution over large areas. This is only possible when the imaging process is automated to reduce the time spent on manual imaging, which at the same time reduces the observer bias in selecting the imaged areas.

A refined plan-view specimen preparation technique for high-quality electron microscopy studies of epitaxially grown atomically thin 2D layers.

The structural studies of two-dimensional (2D) van der Waals heterostructures and understanding of their relationship with the orientation of crystalline substrates using transmission electron microscopy (TEM) presents a challenge in developing an easy-to-use plan-view specimen preparation technique. In this report, we introduce a simple approach for high-quality plan-view specimen preparation utilizing a dual beam system comprising focused ion beam and scanning electron microscopy. To protect the atomically thin 2D heterostructure during the preparation process, we employ an epoxy layer.

A high-volume resonator for L-band DNP-NMR.

DNP-NMR and EPR experiments that operate at or greater than L-band (i.e., ν(e) = 1-2 GHz) are typically limited to maximum sample volumes of several hundred µL.

Acoustoelectric Effect due to an In-Depth Inhomogeneous Conductivity Change in ZnO/Fused Silica Substrates.

The acoustoelectric (AE) effect induced by the absorption of ultraviolet (UV) light at 365 nm in piezoelectric ZnO films was theoretically and experimentally studied. c-ZnO films 4.0 µm thick were grown by the RF reactive magnetron sputtering technique onto fused silica substrates at 200 °C.

Machine learning force field for thermal oxidation of silicon.

Looking back at seven decades of highly extensive application in the semiconductor industry, silicon and its native oxide SiO2 are still at the heart of several technological developments. Recently, the fabrication of ultra-thin oxide layers has become essential for keeping up with trends in the down-scaling of nanoelectronic devices and for the realization of novel device technologies. With this comes a need for better understanding of the atomic configuration at the Si/SiO2 interface.

Increasing the Resolution of Transmission Electron Microscopy by Computational Ghost Imaging.

By means of numerical simulations, we demonstrate the innovative use of computational ghost imaging in transmission electron microscopy to retrieve images with a resolution that overcomes the limitations imposed by coherent aberrations. The method requires measuring the intensity on a single pixel detector with a series of structured illuminations. The success of the technique is improved if the probes are made to resemble the sample and the patterns cover the area of interest evenly.

Biosensing Technologies for Detecting in Environmental Samples: A Systematic Review.

The detection of in environmental samples, such as water, is crucial for public health monitoring and outbreak prevention. Although effective, traditional detection methods, including culture-based techniques and polymerase chain reaction, have limitations such as long processing times, trained operators, and the need for specialized laboratory equipment. Biosensing technologies offer a promising alternative due to their rapid, sensitive, cost-effectiveness, and on-site detection capabilities.

Silicon Carbide: Material Growth, Device Processing, and Applications.

The continuous demand for electronic devices operating at increasing current and power levels, as well as at high temperatures and in harsh environments, has driven research into wide-band gap (WBG) semiconductors over the last three decades [...

Innovative Approach for Human Semen Quality Assessment Based on Volatilomics.

The volatilome profile of some biofluids (blood, urine, and human semen) identified by Solid-Phase Microextraction-Gas Chromatography/Mass Spectrometry (SPME-GC/MS) and collected from young men living in two high-pollution areas in Italy, i.e., Land of Fires and Valley of Sacco River, have been coupled to sperm parameters obtained by spermiogram analysis to build general multiple regression models.

In Vitro Biocompatibility Assessment of Bioengineered PLA-Hydrogel Core-Shell Scaffolds with Mesenchymal Stromal Cells for Bone Regeneration.

Human mesenchymal stromal cells (hMSCs), whether used alone or together with three-dimensional scaffolds, are the best-studied postnatal stem cells in regenerative medicine. In this study, innovative composite scaffolds consisting of a core-shell architecture were seeded with bone-marrow-derived hMSCs (BM-hMSCs) and tested for their biocompatibility and remarkable capacity to promote and support bone regeneration and mineralization. The scaffolds were prepared by grafting three different amounts of gelatin-chitosan (CH) hydrogel into a 3D-printed polylactic acid (PLA) core (PLA-CH), and the mechanical and degradation properties were analyzed.