Prediction of 1-year change in knee extension strength by neuromuscular properties in older adults.

Improving muscle strength and preventing muscle weakness are important for older adults. The change in strength can be effectively explained by skeletal muscle mass and neural factors. Neural factors are important for older adults because the variation of neural components is greater in older than in young adults, and any decline in strength cannot solely be explained by a decrease in skeletal muscle mass.

Understanding the reaction mechanism and kinetics of photocatalytic oxygen evolution on CoOx-loaded bismuth vanadate.

Photocatalytic water splitting for green hydrogen production is hindered by the sluggish kinetics of oxygen evolution reaction (OER). Loading a co-catalyst is essential for accelerating the kinetics, but the detailed reaction mechanism and role of the co-catalyst are still obscure. Here, we focus on cobalt oxide (CoOx) loaded on bismuth vanadate (BiVO4) to investigate the impact of CoOx on the OER mechanism.

Europium-doped cerium oxide nanoparticles: investigating oxygen vacancies and their role in enhanced photocatalytic and magnetic properties.

In this study, pure and europium-doped (2%, 4%, 6%, and 8%) cerium oxide (CeO) nanoparticles (NPs) were employed for efficient dye removal through photocatalytic approach. XRD and TEM confirmed the formation of pure CeO nanoparticles, while XPS and Raman spectroscopy were used to analyze the electronic properties and lattice defects, such as oxygen vacancies. The presence of lattice defects, which increased with the concentration of Eu, was found to be responsible for the enhanced degradation of Rose Bengal dye (82.

Association of resting energy expenditure with phase angle in hospitalized older patients: a cross-sectional analysis.

Background/objectives: Resting energy expenditure (REE) constitutes the largest component of total energy expenditure and undergoes an age-related decline that is unexplained by decreased fat-free mass. Phase angle (PhA) is a cellular health indicator that is possibly associated with REE. We investigated the association of REE and PhA in hospitalized older adults.

Atomic Layer Deposition of Cu Electrocatalysts on Gas Diffusion Electrodes for CO Reduction.

Electrochemical reduction of CO using Cu catalysts enables the synthesis of C products including CH and CHOH. In this study, Cu catalysts were fabricated using plasma-enhanced atomic layer deposition (PEALD), achieving conformal deposition of catalysts throughout 3-D gas diffusion electrode (GDE) substrates while maintaining tunable control of Cu nanoparticle size and areal loading. The electrochemical CO reduction at the Cu surface yielded a total Faradaic efficiency (FE) > 75% for C products.

Efficiency and energy balance for substitution of CH4 in clathrate hydrates with CO2 under multiple-phase coexisting conditions.

Many experimental and theoretical studies on CH4-CO2 hydrates have been performed aiming at the extraction of CH4 as a relatively clean energy resource and concurrent sequestration of CO2. However, vague or insufficient characterization of the environmental conditions prevents us from a comprehensive understanding of even equilibrium properties of CH4-CO2 hydrates for this substitution. We propose possible reaction schemes for the substitution, paying special attention to the coexisting phases, the aqueous and/or the fluid, where CO2 is supplied from and CH4 is transferred to.

Evaluation of Austenite-Ferrite Phase Transformation in Carbon Steel Using Bayesian Optimized Cellular Automaton Simulation.

Austenite-ferrite phase transformation is a crucial metallurgical tool to tailor the properties of steels required for particular applications. Extensive simulation and modeling studies have been conducted to evaluate the phase transformation behaviors; however, some fundamental physical parameters still need to be optimized for better understanding. In this study, the austenite-ferrite phase transformation was evaluated in carbon steels with three carbon concentrations during isothermal annealing at various temperatures using a developed cellular automaton simulation model combined with Bayesian optimization.

Individuals with chronic ankle instability show altered regional activation of the peroneus longus muscle during ankle eversion.

Individuals with chronic ankle instability (CAI) present muscular weakness and potential changes in the activation of the peroneus longus muscle, which likely explains the high recurrence of ankle sprains in this population. However, there is conflicting evidence regarding the role of the peroneus longus activity in CAI, possibly due to the limited spatial resolution of the surface electromyography (sEMG) methods (i.e.

Impact of subtetanic neuromuscular electrical stimulation on cardiac autonomic nervous system in young individuals.

Background: Although subtetanic neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) has been proposed as an exercise training and/or rehabilitation tool, the impact of NMES on the autonomic nervous system (ANS) is unclear. Thus, we hypothesized that NMES would alter ANS, i.e.

Does in-vehicle automation help individuals with Parkinson's disease? A preliminary analysis.

Introduction: PD is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder that affects, according to the ICF, body systems (cognitive, visual, and motor), and functions (e.g., decreased executive functions, decreased visual acuity, impaired contrast sensitivity, decreased coordination)-all which impact driving performance, an instrumental activity of daily living in the domain of "Activity" and "Participation" according to the ICF.

SCAPS study on the effect of various hole transport layer on highly efficient 31.86% eco-friendly CZTS based solar cell.

Copper Zinc Tin Sulphide (CZTS) is a propitious semiconductor for active absorber material in thin-film solar cells (SCs). Here, SC architecture comprising FTO/ZnS/CZTS/variable HTLs/Au is discussed. Fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO) and gold (Au) are used as front and back contacts, respectively.

Comprehensive validation of early diagnostic algorithms for myocardial infarction in the emergency department.

Objective: To comprehensively evaluate diagnostic algorithms for myocardial infarction using a high-sensitivity cardiac troponin I (hs-cTnI) assay.

Patients And Methods: We prospectively enrolled patients with suspected myocardial infarction without ST-segment elevation from nine emergency departments in Japan. The diagnostic algorithms evaluated: (i) based on hs-cTnI alone, such as the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) 0/1-h or 0/2-h and High-STEACS pathways; or (ii) used medical history and physical findings, such as the ADAPT, EDACS, HEART, and GRACE pathways.

"If you weren't connected to the Internet, you were not alive": experience of using social technology during COVID-19 in adults 50.

Introduction: Loneliness and social isolation reduce physical and mental wellbeing. Older adults are particularly prone to social isolation due to decreased connection with previous social networks such as at workplaces. Social technology can decrease loneliness and improve wellbeing.

Characterization of Information-Transmitting Materials Produced in Ionic Liquid-based Neuromorphic Electrochemical Devices for Physical Reservoir Computing.

Device implementation of reservoir computing, which is expected to enable high-performance data processing in simple neural networks at a low computational cost, is an important technology to accelerate the use of artificial intelligence in the real-world edge computing domain. Here, we propose an ionic liquid-based physical reservoir device (IL-PRD), in which copper cations dissolved in an IL induce diverse electrochemical current responses. The origin of the electrochemical current from the IL-PRD was investigated spectroscopically in detail.

Understanding the Connection Among Ikigai, Well-Being, and Home Robot Acceptance in Japanese Older Adults: Mixed Methods Study.

Background: Ikigai (meaning or purpose in life) is a concept understood by most older adults in Japan. The term has also garnered international attention, with recent academic attempts to map it to concepts in the Western well-being literature. In addition, efforts to use social and home robots to increase well-being have grown; however, they have mostly focused on hedonic well-being (eg, increasing happiness and decreasing loneliness) rather than eudaimonic well-being (eg, fostering meaning or purpose in life).

Relationship between Nutritional Status Evaluated by Mini Nutritional Assessment Short-Form and Activities of Daily Living after 1 Year in Community-Dwelling Older Adults Using Outpatient Rehabilitation.

Objective: This study aimed to investigate the association between nutritional status assessed by the Mini Nutritional Assessment Short-Form (MNA-SF) and activities of daily living (ADL) after 1 year and changes in ADL among community-dwelling older adults.

Methods: This study included 95 community-dwelling older adults using outpatient rehabilitation (74.7% female).

Effects of Low-Intensity Torque-Matched Isometric Training at Long and Short Muscle Lengths of the Hamstrings on Muscle Strength and Hypertrophy: A Randomized Controlled Study.

Nakao, S, Ikezoe, T, Taniguchi, M, Motomura, Y, Hirono, T, Nojiri, S, Hayashi, R, Tanaka, H, and Ichihashi, N. Effects of low-intensity torque-matched isometric training at long and short muscle lengths of the hamstrings on muscle strength and hypertrophy: A randomized controlled study. J Strength Cond Res 37(10): 1978-1984, 2023-This study investigated the effects of low-intensity torque-matched isometric training on muscle hypertrophy and strengthening at long (LL) and short muscle lengths (SL).

Effects of sex and menstrual cycle phase on celiac artery blood flow during dynamic moderate-intensity leg exercise in young individuals.

The purpose of this study was to clarify the effect of sex and menstrual cycle phase on celiac artery blood flow during dynamic exercise in healthy young humans. Eleven healthy young females (21 ± 2 yr, means ± SD) and 10 males (23 ± 3 yr) performed dynamic knee-extension and -flexion exercises at 30% of heart rate reserve for 4 min. The percent changes from baseline (Δ) for mean arterial blood pressure (MAP), mean blood flow (celMBF) in the celiac artery, and celiac vascular conductance (celVC) during exercise were calculated.

Age- and sex-related differences in sympathetic vascular transduction and neurohemodynamic balance in humans.

Bursts of muscle sympathetic nerve activity (MSNA) and the ensuing vasoconstriction are pivotal determinants of beat-by-beat blood pressure regulation. Although age and sex impact blood pressure regulation, how these factors affect the central and peripheral arcs of the baroreflex remains unclear. In 27 young [25 (SD 3) yr] males (YM; = 14) and females (YF; = 13) and 23 older [71 (SD 5) yr] males (OM; = 11) and females (OF; = 12), femoral artery blood flow, blood pressure, and MSNA were recorded for 10 min of supine rest.

Diagnosis and prevalence of sarcopenic obesity in patients with colorectal cancer: A scoping review.

Background & Aims: Sarcopenic obesity (SO) is associated with worse outcomes in patients with colorectal cancer (CRC); however, the diagnostic methods and prevalence of SO vary among studies. Therefore, we conducted this scoping review to investigate the diagnosis of SO in CRC, identify the associated problems, and determine its prevalence.

Methods: A systematic review was conducted according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses Extension for Scoping Reviews reporting guidelines.

A Cationic Metal Glue Strategy for Expanding Paramagnetic Hetero-Multinuclear Metal-Oxo Clusters within Polyoxometalate Ligands.

Precise structural design of large hetero-multinuclear metal-oxo clusters is crucial for controlling their large spin ground states and multielectron redox properties for application as a single-molecule magnet (SMM), molecular magnetic refrigeration, and efficient redox catalyst. However, it is difficult to synthesize large hetero-multinuclear metal oxo clusters as designed because the final structures are unpredictable when employing conventional one-step condensation reaction of metal cations and ligands. Herein, we report a "cationic metal glue strategy" for increasing the size and nuclearity of hetero-multinuclear metal-oxo clusters by using lacunary-type anionic molecular metal oxides (polyoxometalates, POMs) as rigid multidentate ligands.

Oxidation of 5,15-Dioxaporphyrin: Its Generality and Novelty as an Oxaporphyrin Analogue.

5,15-Dioxaporphyrin (DOP) is a novel meso-oxaporphyrin analogue and exhibits unique 20π-antiaromaticity, unlike its mother congener of 18π-aromatic 5-oxaporphyrin, commonly known as its cationic iron complex called verdohem, which is a key intermediate of heme catabolism. To reveal its reactivities and properties as an oxaporphyrin analogue, the oxidation of tetra-β-arylated DOP (DOP-Ar ) was explored in this study. Stepwise oxidation from the 20π-electron neutral state was achieved, and the corresponding 19π-electron radical cation and 18π-electron dication were characterized.

Molecular Dynamics-Based Design and Biophysical Evaluation of Thermostable Single-Chain Fv Antibody Mutants Derived from Pharmaceutical Antibodies.

Antibody drugs are denatured under physical stress, e.g., friction, heat, and freezing, which triggers formation of aggregates and resultant allergic reactions.

Making Meaning Together: Co-designing a Social Robot for Older Adults with Ikigai Experts.

A sense of meaning and purpose in life-known in Japan as one's ikigai-can lead to better health outcomes, an improved sense of well-being, and longer life as people age. The design of socially assistive robots, however, has so far focused largely on the more hedonic aims of supporting positive affect and happiness through interactions with robots. To explore how social robots might be able to support people's ikigai, we performed (1) in-depth interviews with 12 'ikigai experts' who formally support and/or study older adults (OAs)' ikigai and (2) 5 co-design workshop sessions with 10 such experts.