Role of Posterior Carbon Fiber Implants in Spine Tumor Surgery.

Study Design: Narrative Review.

Objective: The management of spinal tumors requires a multi-disciplinary approach including surgery, radiation, and systemic therapy. Surgical approaches typically require posterior segmental instrumentation to maintain long-term spinal stability.

Low-Temperature Growth of Centimeter-Sized 2D PdSe by Self-Limiting Liquid-Phase Edge Epitaxy.

Two-dimensional (2D) PdSe atomic crystals hold great potential for optoelectronic applications due to their bipolar electrical characteristics, tunable bandgap, high electron mobility, and exceptional air stability. Nevertheless, the scalable synthesis of large-area, high-quality 2D PdSe crystals using chemical vapor deposition (CVD) remains a significant challenge. Here, we present a self-limiting liquid-phase edge-epitaxy (SLE) low-temperature growth method to achieve high-quality, centimeter-sized PdSe films with single-crystal domain areas exceeding 30 μm.

Identifying the Bifunctional Mechanism in Alkaline Water Electrolysis by Lewis Pairs at the Single-Atom Scale.

The bifunctional mechanism, involving multiactive compositions to simultaneously dissociate water molecules and optimize intermediate adsorption, has been widely used in the design of catalysts to boost water electrolysis for sustainable hydrogen energy production but remains debatable due to difficulties in accurately identifying the reaction process. Here, we proposed the concept of well-defined Lewis pairs in single-atom catalysts, with a unique acid-base nature, to comprehensively understand the exact role of multiactive compositions in an alkaline hydrogen evolution reaction. By facilely adjusting active moieties, the induced synergistic effect between Lewis pairs (M-P/S/Cr pairs, M = Ru, Ir, Pt) can significantly facilitate the cleavage of the H-OH bond and accelerate the removal of intermediates, thereby switching the rate-determining step from the Volmer step to the Heyrovsky step.

Sentience and Beyond-A Representative Interview With Peter Singer AI.

This interview with Peter Singer AI serves a dual purpose. It is an exploration of certain-utilitarian and related-views on sentience and its ethical implications. It is also an exercise in the emerging interaction between natural and artificial intelligence, presented not as just ethics of AI but perhaps more importantly, as ethics with AI.

Unraveling Crystal Phase-Driven Activity and Selectivity of WO for Photoelectrochemical Biomass Valorization.

Modulating the crystal phase of a photocatalyst significantly impacts its surface and photochemical properties, allowing for the adjustment of catalytic activity and selectivity, particularly in the electrooxidation reactions of biomass-derived chemicals. Herein, monoclinic and hexagonal phases of WO are employed as photoanodes for the photoelectrochemical conversion of 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) to 2,5-diformylfuran (DFF). The monoclinic phase demonstrated exceptional performance in photoelectrocatalytic HMF oxidation, achieving remarkable photocurrent densities (1.

Patients' Experienced Usability and Satisfaction With Digital Health Solutions in a Home Setting: Instrument Validation Study.

Background: The field of digital health solutions (DHS) has grown tremendously over the past years. DHS include tools for self-management, which support individuals to take charge of their own health. The usability of DHS, as experienced by patients, is pivotal to adoption.

Life stage impact on the human skin ecosystem: lipids and the microbial community.

Sebaceous free fatty acids are metabolized by multiple skin microbes into bioactive lipid mediators termed oxylipins. This study investigated correlations between skin oxylipins and microbes on the superficial skin of pre-pubescent children (N = 36) and adults (N = 100), including pre- (N = 25) and post-menopausal females (N = 25). Lipidomics and metagenomics revealed that Malassezia restricta positively correlated with the oxylipin 9,10-DiHOME on adult skin and negatively correlated with its precursor, 9,10-EpOME, on pre-pubescent skin.

Impact of age-related changes in buccal epithelial cells on pediatric epigenetic biomarker research.

Cheek swabs, heterogeneous samples consisting primarily of buccal epithelial cells, are widely used in pediatric DNA methylation studies and biomarker creation. However, the decrease in buccal proportion with age in adults remains unexamined in childhood. We analyzed cheek swabs from 4626 typically developing children 2-months to 20-years-old.

Combinatorial functionomics identifies HDAC6-dependent molecular vulnerability of radioresistant head and neck cancer.

Background: Radiotherapy is the primary treatment modality for most head and neck cancers (HNCs). Despite the addition of chemotherapy to radiotherapy to enhance its tumoricidal effects, almost a third of HNC patients suffer from locoregional relapses. Salvage therapy options for such recurrences are limited and often suboptimal, partly owing to divergent tumor and microenvironmental factors underpinning radioresistance.

A Small-Molecule Drug for the Self-Checking of Mitophagy.

Mitophagy that disrupt mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP), represents a critical focus in pharmacology. However, the discovery and evaluation of MMP-disrupting drugs are often hampered using commercially available marker molecules that target similar or identical zones. These markers can significantly interfere with, obscure, or amplify the functional effects of MMP-targeting drugs, frequently leading to clinical failures.

Deferred cytoreductive nephrectomy in patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma: A systematic review and patient-level meta-analysis.

There has been much controversy regarding the order in which cytoreductive nephrectomy (CN) and systemic therapy (ST) are applied for patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC). We aimed to investigate the role of deferred CN (dCN) in mRCC, particularly in the current era of immunotherapy. A systematic literature search was conducted on PubMed, Embase, and Scopus for studies comparing dCN versus any non-dCN strategy, in any temporal sequence, with the provision of Kaplan-Meier curves for overall survival (OS).

Advocacy in Action: International Patient Group Improves Hereditary Angioedema Diagnosis and Care Across the Asia-Pacific.

This study demonstrates that patient advocacy groups significantly enhance medication availability and improve diagnosis of hereditary angioedema (HAE), particularly in emerging economies within the Asia-Pacific region. This study supports integrating patient advocacy group involvement into management guidelines, emphasising their role in improving access to diagnostics and treatment for HAE.

FAP-targeted radioligand therapy with Ga/Lu-DOTA-2P(FAPI) enhance immunogenicity and synergize with PD-L1 inhibitors for improved antitumor efficacy.

Background: Fibroblast activation protein (FAP)-targeted radioligand therapy, with immunomodulatory effects, has shown efficacy in both preclinical and clinical studies. We recently reported on a novel dimeric FAP-targeting radiopharmaceutical, Ga/Lu-DOTA-2P(FAPI), which demonstrated increased tumor uptake and prolonged retention in various cancers. However, further exploration is required to understand the therapeutic efficacy and underlying mechanisms of combining Ga/Lu-DOTA-2P(FAPI) radioligand therapy with PD-1/PD-L1 immunotherapy.

Early experience on injectable micronized putty type human-derived acellular dermal matrix (ADM) in management of diabetic foot wounds in Singapore.

Diabetic foot wounds (DFW) are notoriously difficult to treat owing to poor vascularity, delayed healing and higher rates of infection. Human-derived acellular dermal matrices (ADM) have been used in DFW treatment, utilizing a matrix scaffold for new tissue generation. We investigate the efficacy of a micronized injectable human-derived ADM in the treatment of DFW.

Reducing radiation-induced hypothyroidism by modified delineation of cervical lymphatic drainage area for nasopharyngeal carcinoma treated by intensity-modulated radiation Therapy: 3 years' experience.

Background And Purpose: Radiation-induced hypothyroidism (RIHT) is a late complication of intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) for nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). We evaluated thyroid protection in NPC patients receiving IMRT using modified delineation (MD) of cervical lymphatic drainage areas, sparing the common carotid artery within the clinical target volume (CTV), to assess its impact on thyroid function and survival outcomes.

Materials And Methods: This retrospective cohort study included patients without metastatic lymph nodes at levels III and IV who received neck irradiation.

Asian Thoracic Oncology Research Group expert consensus statement on the peri-operative management of non-small cell lung cancer.

The peri-operative management of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) in earlier stage disease has seen significant advances in recent years with the incorporation of immune checkpoint inhibitors and targeted therapy. However, many unanswered questions and challenges remain, including the application of clinical trial data to routine clinical practice. Recognising the unique demographic profile of Asian patients with NSCLC and heterogeneous healthcare systems, the Asian Thoracic Oncology Research Group (ATORG) convened a consensus meeting in Singapore on 26 April 2024 to discuss relevant issues spanning diagnostic testing to post-neoadjuvant treatment considerations and future directions.

Time-varying 3D optical torque via a single beam.

The spin angular momentum (SAM) plays a significant role in light-matter interactions. It is well known that light carrying SAM can exert optical torques on micro-objects and drive rotations, but 3D rotation around an arbitrary axis remains challenging. Here, we demonstrate full control of the 3D optical torque acting on a trapped microparticle by tailoring the vectorial SAM transfer.

From 2D kaolinite to 3D amorphous cement.

Kaolinite is a single 2D layer of kaolin or metakaolin (MK), common clays that can be characterized as layered 3D materials. We show that because of its chemical composition, kaolinite can be converted into an amorphous 3D material by chemical means. This dimensional transformation is possible due to the large surface to volume ratio and chemical reactivity of kaolinite.

Maternal obesity alters histone modifications mediated by the interaction between Ezh2 and Ampk, impairing neural differentiation in the developing embryonic brain cortex.

Neurodevelopmental disorders have complex origins that manifest early during embryonic growth and are associated with intricate gene regulation dynamics. A perturbed metabolic environment such as hyperglycemia or dyslipidemia, particularly due to maternal obesity, poses a threat to the optimal development of the embryonic central nervous system. Accumulating evidence suggests that these metabolic irregularities during pregnancy may alter neurogenesis pathways, thereby predisposing the developing fetus to neurodevelopmental disorders.

One-Pot lignin bioconversion to polyhydroxyalkanoates based on hierarchical utilization of heterogeneous compounds.

Pseudomonas putida degraded 35 % of compounds in alkali-pretreated lignin liquor under nitrogen-replete conditions but with low polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA) production, while limiting nitrogen supplement improved PHA content (PHA/dry cell weight) to 43 % at the expense of decreased lignin degradation of 22 %. Increase of initial cell biomass (0.1-1.

Single-cell RNA-seq identifies protracted mouse germline X chromosome reactivation dynamics directed by a PRC2-dependent mechanism.

Female primordial germ cells (PGCs) undergo X chromosome reactivation (XCR) during genome-wide reprogramming. XCR kinetics and dynamics are poorly understood at a molecular level. Here, we apply single-cell RNA sequencing and chromatin profiling on germ cells from F mouse embryos, performing a precise appraisal of XCR spanning from migratory-stage PGCs to gonadal germ cells.

Targeted Cx43 therapeutics reduce NLRP3 inflammasome activation in rat burn injury.

Burns are dynamic injuries characterized by an initial zone of necrosis that progresses to compromise surrounding tissue. Acute inflammation and cell death are two main factors contributing to burn progression. These processes are modulated by Connexin43 (Cx43) hemichannels and gap junctions in burns and chronic wounds.