CNT encapsulated nickel-doped hollow porous manganese oxide scaffold as a sulfur cathode host for Li-S battery applications.

Recently, lithium-sulfur batteries have captivated those in the energy storage industry due to the low cost and high theoretical capacity of the sulfur cathode (1675 mA h g). However, to enhance the practical usability of Li-S batteries, it is crucial to address issues such as the insulating nature of sulfur cathodes and the high solubility of lithium polysulfides (LiPS, LiS , 4 ≤ ≤ 8) that cause poor active sulfur utilization. Designing innovative sulfur hosts can effectively overcome sulfur bottlenecks and achieve stable Li-sulfur batteries.

Tailoring of Selective Chemo-Responsiveness in Liquid Crystals via Organic Ionic Plastic Crystals.

Liquid crystals (LCs) are widely used as promising stimuli-responsive materials due to their unique combination of liquid and crystalline properties, providing the capability to sense even molecular-scale events and amplify them into macroscopic optical outputs. However, encoding a high level of selectivity to a specific intermolecular event remains a key challenge, leading to prior studies regarding chemically functionalized LC interfaces. Herein, we propose an integrative strategy to significantly advance the design of chemo-responsive LCs through a deep fundamental understanding on the orientational coupling of LCs with new functional molecules, organic ionic plastic crystals (OIs), presented at LC interfaces.

High-Density CuBiO Photocathodes Using Well-Textured Buffer Layers and Their Unassisted Solar Hydrogen Production Performances.

Solar hydrogen production using photoelectrochemical (PEC) cells requires the selection of cost-effective materials with high photoactivity and durability. CuBiO photocathodes possess an appropriate bandgap for efficient hydrogen production. However, their performance is limited by poor charge transport and interface voids formed due to the porous structure during annealing, which complicates the deposition of passivation overlayers.

Impact of Spatial Presence on Charitable Behavior in the Metaverse: A Moderated Mediation Model of Norm Message and Involvement with Charity.

With the rapid development of virtual technology, the metaverse has become an influential communication tool driving engagement in prosocial behavior. This study examined whether spatial presence in a metaverse affects charitable involvement and prosocial behavior. Additionally, it explored the impact of descriptive norms in the metaverse, validated as effective in the physical world.

Risk of Variceal Bleeding in Patients Receiving Atezolizumab-Bevacizumab Treatment for Hepatocellular Carcinoma.

Background And Aims: Real-world data on the variceal bleeding (VB) risk in patients receiving atezolizumab-bevacizumab (Atezo-Bev) treatment remain limited. This study aimed to assess the risk of VB and identify risk factors in patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) receiving Atezo-Bev treatment.

Methods: This retrospective study included 640 patients with HCC who underwent endoscopy before Atezo-Bev treatment at two hospitals in Korea.

Effect of Hydration States on the Anti-Icing/Frosting Performance of Zwitterionic Hydrogel-Coated Surfaces.

Zwitterionic polymers have gained considerable research attention because of their unique properties and have been widely used in many biomedical and electrochemical applications. Recently, zwitterionic polymers have been investigated for use as anti-icing/frosting surfaces; however, key factors influencing their anti-icing/frosting performance and effectiveness under real operational conditions remain underexplored. Therefore, in this study, we quantitatively analyze the hydration states of zwitterionic hydrogels synthesized from polymerizable zwitterions, such as carboxybetaine methacrylate (CBMA), 2-methacryloyloxyethyl phosphorylcholine (MPC), and sulfobetaine methacrylate (SBMA).

Unlocking the Potential of miRNAs in Sepsis Diagnosis and Prognosis: From Pathophysiology to Precision Medicine.

The clinical syndrome appears as a dysregulated host response to infection that results in life-threatening organ dysfunction known as Sepsis. Sepsis is a serious public health concern where for every five deaths in ICU there is one patient who dies with sepsis worldwide. Sepsis is featured as unbalanced inflammation and immunosuppression which is sustained and profound, increasing patient susceptibility to secondary infections and mortality.

A descriptive analysis of nurses' self-reported mental health symptoms during the COVID-19 pandemic: An international study.

Aim: To describe the self-reported mental health of nurses from 35 countries who worked during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Background: There is little occupationally specific data about nurses' mental health worldwide. Studies have documented the impact on nurses' mental health of the COVID-19 pandemic, but few have baseline referents.

Cellular Behaviors of Human Dermal Fibroblasts on Pyrolytically Stripped Carbon Nanofiber's Surface.

There has been limited exploration of carbon nanofiber as a scaffold for cellular attachment and proliferation. In this work, commercially available, pyrolytically stripped carbon nanofiber (cCNF) is deposited over electrospun nanofiber mats, polycaprolactone (PCL) and poly(D-lactide) (PDLA), to immobilize them and investigate whether the 3D cCNF layer's surface augments cell proliferation of human dermal fibroblasts (nHDF). Spectral characterizations, such as XRD and Raman, show that cCNF exhibited crystalline structure with a high graphitization degree.

Stereoelectroencephalographic exploration and surgical outcome in Lennox-Gastaut syndrome.

Objective: Lennox-Gastaut syndrome (LGS) is typically characterized by drug-resistant epilepsy and subsequent cognitive deterioration. Surgery is a rare but viable option for the control of seizures in a subset of patients with LGS. This study aimed to describe the organization of the epileptogenic zone network (EZN) in patients with LGS using stereoelectroencephalography (SEEG) and to report the outcome of post-SEEG treatment.

Integrating E-cadherin expression levels with TNM staging for enhanced prognostic prediction in colorectal cancer patients.

Purpose: This study aimed to investigate the clinical significance of E-cadherin expression levels in colorectal cancer tissues and explore the relationship between E-cadherin expression and tumor node metastasis (TNM) stage. The goal was to establish a more accurate prognostic prediction for colorectal cancer patients by analyzing E-cadherin expression levels alongside TNM staging.

Methods: The study examined colorectal cancer patients by dividing them into groups based on E-cadherin expression levels.

Developing a clinical prediction model to modify empirical antibiotics for non-typhoidal Salmonella bloodstream infection in children under-five in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Background: Non-typhoidal Salmonella (NTS) frequently cause bloodstream infection in children under-five in sub-Saharan Africa, particularly in malaria-endemic areas. Due to increasing drug resistance, NTS are often not covered by standard-of-care empirical antibiotics for severe febrile illness. We developed a clinical prediction model to orient the choice of empirical antibiotics (standard-of-care versus alternative antibiotics) for children admitted to hospital in settings with high proportions of drug-resistant NTS.

Exploring the Chemical Complexity and Sources of Airborne Fine Particulate Matter in East Asia by Nontarget Analysis and Multivariate Modeling.

The complex and dynamic nature of airborne fine particulate matter (PM) has hindered understanding of its chemical composition, sources, and toxic effects. In the first steps of a larger study, here, we aimed to elucidate relationships between source regions, ambient conditions, and the chemical composition in water extracts of PM samples ( = 85) collected over 16 months at an observatory in the Yellow Sea. In each extract, we quantified elements and major ions and profiled the complex mixtures of organic compounds by nontarget mass spectrometry.

Where does the tether break in vertebral body tethering cases? Clinical insights from revision cases after tether breakage.

Purpose: To evaluate the sites where the tether breaks in vertebral body tethering (VBT) cases.

Methods: Intraoperative evaluation of broken tethers in patients who had anterior revision.

Inclusion Criteria: anterior revision of VBT cases with explantation of the full implant and photo documentation.

Preserved brain youthfulness: longitudinal evidence of slower brain aging in superagers.

Background: Superagers, older adults with exceptional cognitive abilities, show preserved brain structure compared to typical older adults. We investigated whether superagers have biologically younger brains based on their structural integrity.

Methods: A cohort of 153 older adults (aged 61-93) was recruited, with 63 classified as superagers based on superior episodic memory and 90 as typical older adults, of whom 64 were followed up after two years.

Class-Wise Combination of Mixture-Based Data Augmentation for Class Imbalance Learning of Focal Liver Lesions in Abdominal CT Images.

In this paper, we propose a method to address the class imbalance learning in the classification of focal liver lesions (FLLs) from abdominal CT images. Class imbalance is a significant challenge in medical image analysis, making it difficult for machine learning models to learn to classify them accurately. To overcome this, we propose a class-wise combination of mixture-based data augmentation (CCDA) method that uses two mixture-based data augmentation techniques, MixUp and AugMix.

Acute Concurrent Exercise Improves Inhibitory Control Without Mediating the Role of Lactate: An Event-Related Potential Study.

Background: Concurrent exercise (CE), an emerging exercise modality characterized by sequential bouts of aerobic (AE) and resistance exercise (RE), has demonstrated acute benefits on executive functions (EFs) and neuroelectric P3 amplitude. However, the effect of acute CE on inhibitory control, a sub-component of EFs, and P3 amplitude remains inconclusive. Moreover, exploring the mechanisms underlying the effects of acute exercise on EFs contributes to scientific comprehension, with lactate recognized as a crucial candidate positively correlated with EFs.

Climatically Specialized Lineages of Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis, and its Likely Asian Origins.

Chytridiomycosis is a wildlife disease that has caused significant declines in amphibian populations and species extinctions worldwide. Asia, where the causal pathogens Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd) and B. salamndrivorans (Bsal) originated, has not witnessed mass die-offs.

Prognosis of Implant-Based Breast Reconstruction After Mastectomy Flap Necrosis: Predictors of Failure and Salvage.

Background: In the realm of implant-based breast reconstruction, mastectomy flap necrosis (MFN) is a prevalent yet grave complication that poses a threat to the stability of the inserted prosthesis. Although numerous investigations have scrutinized the risk factors for MFN development, few have delved into the aftermath, specifically implant failure or salvage. This study seeks to appraise the prognosis of the implanted prosthesis following MFN occurrence, as well as identify predictors of such outcomes.

Determinants of future anxiety across individual, household, and regional levels in South Korea using a social ecological model.

This study is the first to examine the determinants of future anxiety in South Korea using the Social Ecological Model (SEM). It aimed to show that, beyond individual factors, mezzo- and macro-level aspects, particularly those related to housing, may influence anxiety. Utilizing 2018 data from the Korean Health Panel Survey, we employed a three-level multilevel analysis to investigate how these factors contribute to the perception of future anxiety among Koreans.

Factors associated with post-traumatic stress symptoms in healthcare providers after performance of cardiopulmonary resuscitation: a mixed-methods study.

The experience of performing cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) can cause post-traumatic stress symptoms that negatively impact healthcare providers and reduced their clinical competency. This two-phase mixed-methods was conducted to investigate the factors that cause post-traumatic disorder (PTSD) in healthcare providers who perform CPR. Phase 1 included a survey with a trauma screening questionnaire (TSQ).

Epigenetic modulation of social cognition: exploring the impact of methylation in brain-derived neurotrophic factor and oxytocin receptor genes across sex.

Social cognition, which ranges from recognizing social cues to intricate inferential reasoning, is influenced by environmental factors and epigenetic mechanisms. Notably, methylation variations in stress-related genes like brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and the oxytocin receptor (OXTR) are linked to distinct social cognitive functions and exhibit sex-specific differences. This study investigates how these methylation differences affect social cognition across sexes, focusing on both perceptual and inferential cognitive levels.

Multi scale multi attention network for blood vessel segmentation in fundus images.

Precise segmentation of retinal vasculature is crucial for the early detection, diagnosis, and treatment of vision-threatening ailments. However, this task is challenging due to limited contextual information, variations in vessel thicknesses, the complexity of vessel structures, and the potential for confusion with lesions. In this paper, we introduce a novel approach, the MSMA Net model, which overcomes these challenges by replacing traditional convolution blocks and skip connections with an improved multi-scale squeeze and excitation block (MSSE Block) and Bottleneck residual paths (B-Res paths) with spatial attention blocks (SAB).