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Accurate postoperative assessment of varying mechanical properties is crucial for customizing patient-specific treatments and optimizing rehabilitation strategies following Achilles tendon (AT) rupture and reconstruction surgery. This study introduces a wireless, chip-less, and immune-tolerant in vivo strain-sensing suture designed to continuously monitor mechanical stiffness variations in the reconstructed AT throughout the healing process. This innovative sensing suture integrates a standard medical suturing thread with a wireless fiber strain-sensing system, which incorporates a fiber strain sensor and a double-layered inductive coil for wireless readout. The winding design of Au nanoparticle-based fiber electrodes and a hollow core contribute to the fiber strain sensor’s high sensitivity (factor of 6.2 and 15.1 pF for revised sensitivity), negligible hysteresis, and durability over 10,000 stretching cycles. To ensure biocompatibility and immune tolerance during extended in vivo periods, an antibiofouling lubricant layer was applied to the sensing suture. Using this sensing system, we successfully monitored the strain responses of the reconstructed AT in an in vivo porcine model. This facilitated the postoperative assessment of mechanical stiffness variations through a well-established analytical model during the healing period.

Citronellol-derived methacrylate polymers with four side chain interconnecting groups of different polarities (PCHM-Xs) are synthesized to prepare bio-based bactericidal polymers. The PCHM-X bactericidal activities are significantly affected by the different functional groups determining the interaction between the polymer chain and bacterial membrane that disrupts the membrane integrity causing cytoplasmic leakage, the main contributor to the polymer antibacterial properties. PCHM-SO, with a large dipole moment and strong hydrogen bonding ability, shows the best bactericidal activity among PCHM-Xs due to the strongest interactions with the bacterial membrane components. A sulfoxide-group-containing polymer with excellent bactericidal activity (99.99%) and the systematic study of the effect of different functional groups on the bactericidal activity are first reported herein.

Computationally predicting reverse intersystem crossing (RISC) rates is important for designing new thermally activated delayed fluorescence (TADF) materials. We report a method that can quantitatively predict RISC rates by explicitly considering the spin–vibronic coupling mechanism. The coupling element of the spin–vibronic Hamiltonian is obtained by expanding the spin–orbit and the non-Born–Oppenheimer terms to second order and is then brought into the Golden Rule rate under the Condon approximation. The rate equation is solved directly in the time domain using a correlation function approach. The contributions of the first-order direct spin–orbit coupling and the second-order spin–vibronic coupling to an RISC rate can be quantitatively analyzed in a separate manner. We demonstrate the utility of the method by applying it to a representative TADF system, where we observe that the spin–vibronic portion is substantial but not dominant especially with a relatively small triplet–singlet energy gap. Likewise, our method may elucidate the physical background of efficient nonradiative transitions from the lowest triplet to a higher lying singlet in other purely organic TADF systems, and it will be of great utility toward designing new such molecules.

The bioavailable iron is essential for all living organisms, and the dissolution of iron oxide contained in dust and soil is one of the major sources of bioavailable iron in nature. Iodine in the polar atmosphere is related to ozone depletion, mercury oxidation, and cloud condensation nuclei formation. Here we show that the chemical reaction between iron oxides and iodide (I–) is markedly accelerated to produce bioavailable iron (Fe(II)aq) and tri-iodide (I3–: evaporable in the form of I2) in frozen solution (both with and without light irradiation), while it is negligible in aqueous phase. The freeze-enhanced production of Fe(II)aqand tri-iodide is ascribed to the freeze concentration of iron oxides, iodides, and protons in the ice grain boundaries. The outdoor experiments carried out in midlatitude during a winter day (Pohang, Korea: 36°0′ N, 129°19′ E) and in an Antarctic environment (King George Island: 62°13′ S 58°47′ W) also showed the enhanced generation of Fe(II)aqand tri-iodide in ice. This study proposes a previously unknown abiotic mechanism and source of bioavailable iron and active iodine species in the polar environment. The pulse input of bioavailable iron and reactive iodine when ice melts may influence the oceanic primary production and CCN formation.

AimsTo evaluate the relationship between macular vessel density (mVD) and central visual field sensitivity (cVFS) at different stages of glaucoma and to compare this relationship with that between the thickness of the macular ganglion cell-inner plexiform layer (mGCIPLT) and cVFS.MethodsThe mVD and mGCIPLT were measured by optical coherence tomography angiography in 139 patients with glaucoma. The cVFS was defined as the average of 12 central points on 24-2 visual field (VF) testing. Vasculature–function and structure–function relationships were analysed by comparing mVD and mGCIPLT with cVFS in eyes with early and moderate-to-advanced glaucoma.ResultsGlobal and regional mVD–cVFS associations were statistically significant in eyes with moderate-to-advanced (all p<0.05), but not early stage (all p>0.05) glaucoma. The global association between average mVD and cVFS was significantly stronger than that between average mGCIPLT and cVFS in eyes with moderate-to-advanced glaucoma (p=0.049). Reduced mVD was independently associated with cVFS loss after adjusting for age and mGCIPLT in eyes with moderate-to-advanced glaucoma.ConclusionsThe macular vasculature–function relationship using mVD was stronger than the structure–function relationship using mGCIPLT in eyes with moderate-to-advanced glaucoma. The mVD may be useful in monitoring cVFS in advanced glaucoma.

SecDF is an important component of the Sec protein translocation machinery embedded in the bacterial membrane, which is associated with many functions, such as stabilizing other Sec translocon components within the membrane, maintaining the transmembrane (TM) potential, and facilitating the ATP-independent stage of the translocation mechanism. Related studies suggest that SecDF undergoes functionally important conformational changes that involve mainly its P1-head domain and that these changes are coupled with the proton motive force (Δp). However, there still is not a clear understanding of how SecDF functions, its exact role in the translocation machinery, and how its function is related to Δp. Here, using all-atom molecular dynamics simulations combined with umbrella sampling, we study the P1-head conformational change and how it is coupled to the proton motive force. We report potentials of mean force along a root-mean-square-distance-based reaction coordinate obtained in the presence and absence of the TM electrical potential. Our results show that the interaction of the P1 domain dipole moment with the TM electrical field considerably lowers the free-energy barrier in the direction of F-form to I-form transition.

Extracorporeal shockwave therapy (ESWT) can induce wound healing by increasing tissue microcirculation. However, studies on the effect of ESWT on enhancing tissue microcirculation in diabetic foot ulcer (DFU), particularly on when the microcirculation increases after ESWT application, are still lacking. Therefore, we aimed to examine the effectiveness of ESWT in promoting microcirculation in DFU patients in a time-dependent manner. We included 50 feet of 25 patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus and Wagner grade I to II DFU in this study. The affected feet were used as the ESWT group and the unaffected contralateral feet were used as the control group. ESWT was performed in 3 sessions per week for a total of 3 weeks. Transcutaneous partial oxygen pressure (TcPO2) was used to evaluate the tissue microcirculation. The TcPO2level (>43 mm Hg) in the ESWT group was recovered by the 2nd week of treatment, and statistical significance (P < .05) was demonstrated at the same time. From the 2nd week of ESWT, a significant increase in TcPO2was observed in Wagner grade I and II DFU. These findings imply that the ESWT may improve microcirculation in patients with Wagner grades I to II DFU. However, this impact requires at least 2 weeks or more than 6 sessions. For better comparison, further studies with larger clinical groups and extended period are needed.

A versatile analytical method was developed for simple detection of minocycline residues in porcine muscle and milk using liquid chromatography-triple quadrupole tandem mass spectrometry (LC/MS/MS) with electrospray ionization. Samples were extracted with a mixture of acetonitrile and ethyl acetate (2:1, v/v), and then defatted using n-hexane. No cleanup procedure was deemed necessary. Minocycline was separated on a reversed-phase analytical column using a combination of 0.1 % formic acid in water (A) and 0.1 % formic acid in acetonitrile (B) as the mobile phase. Matrix-matched calibration showed good linearity over a concentration range of 10–60 μg/kg with a determination coefficient (R2) of 0.9727. Fortified porcine and milk samples having concentrations equivalent to and double the limit of quantification (LOQ = 10 ng/g), respectively, yielded recovery ranges between 83.02 and 8.03 % and relative standard deviations <18 %. Samples collected from a large market located in Seoul, Korea, tested negative for minocycline residue. These results show that a combination of acetonitrile and ethyl acetate can effectively extract minocycline from porcine muscle and milk without solid-phase extraction, a step usually required for cleanup before analysis. The developed method is simple, sensitive, and can be extrapolated to other food animal products that are rich in protein and fats.

The four members of the LRRTM family (LRRTM1-4) are postsynaptic adhesion molecules essential for excitatory synapse development. They have also been implicated in neuropsychiatric diseases. Here, we focus on LRRTM3, showing that two distinct LRRTM3 variants generated by alternative splicing regulate LRRTM3 interaction with PSD-95, but not its excitatory synapse-promoting activity. Overexpression of either LRRTM3 variant increased excitatory synapse density in dentate gyrus (DG) granule neurons, whereas LRRTM3 knockdown decreased it. LRRTM3 also controlled activity-regulated AMPA receptor surface expression in an alternative splicing-dependent manner. Furthermore, Lrrtm3-knockout mice displayed specific alterations in excitatory synapse density, excitatory synaptic transmission and excitability in DG granule neurons but not in CA1 pyramidal neurons. Lastly, LRRTM3 required only specific splice variants of presynaptic neurexins for their synaptogenic activity. Collectively, our data highlight alternative splicing and differential presynaptic ligand utilization in the regulation of LRRTMs, revealing key regulatory mechanisms for excitatory synapse development.

Although the morphology of the active layer in bulk heterojunction organic photovoltaic (BHJ-OPV) cells is critical for determining the quantum efficiency (QE), predicting the real QE for a 3-dimensional (3D) morphology has long been difficult because structural information on the composition complexity of donor (D): acceptor (A) blends with small domain size is limited to 2D observations via various image-processing techniques. To overcome this, we reconstruct the 3D morphology by using an isotropic statistical approach based on 2D energy-filtered transmission electron microscopy (EF-TEM) images. This new reconstruction method is validated to obtain the internal QE by using a dynamic Monte Carlo simulation in the BHJ-OPV system with different additives such as 4 vol% 1-chloronaphthalene (CN) and 4 vol% 1,8-diiodooctane (DIO) (compared to the case of no additive); the resulting trend is compared with the experimental QE. Therefore, our developed method can be used to predict the real charge transport performance in the OPV system accurately.

We present OH observations made in Amazonas, Brazil during the Green Ocean Amazon campaign (GoAmazon2014/5) from February to March of 2014. The average diurnal variation of OH peaked with a midday (10:00–15:00) average of 1.0 × 106(±0.6 × 106) molecules cm−3. This was substantially lower than previously reported in other tropical forest photochemical environments (2–5 × 106molecules cm−3) while the simulated OH reactivity was lower. The observational data set was used to constrain a box model to examine how well current photochemical reaction mechanisms can simulate observed OH. We used one near‐explicit mechanism (MCM v3.3.1) and four condensed mechanisms (i.e., RACM2, MOZART‐T1, CB05, CB6r2) to simulate OH. A total of 14 days of analysis shows that all five chemical mechanisms were able to explain the measured OH within instrumental uncertainty of 40% during the campaign in the Amazonian rainforest environment. Future studies are required using more reliable NOxand VOC measurements to further investigate discrepancies in our understanding of the radical chemistry in the tropical rainforest. OH observations with a chemical ionization mass spectrometer during the GoAmazon2014/5 study were lower than some previous studiesBox model simulations of OH were carried out with five different chemical mechanismsObserved and model‐predicted OH concentrations agree to within measurement uncertainty of 40% OH observations with a chemical ionization mass spectrometer during the GoAmazon2014/5 study were lower than some previous studies Box model simulations of OH were carried out with five different chemical mechanisms Observed and model‐predicted OH concentrations agree to within measurement uncertainty of 40%

Sodium metal batteries have been emerging as promising candidates for post-Li battery systems owing to the natural abundance, low costs, and high energy density of Na metal. However, exploiting an Na metal anode is accompanied by uncontrolled Na electrodeposition, particularly concerning dendrite growth, hampering practical Na metal battery applications. Herein, we propose sodiophilic gel polymer electrolytes with a porosity-gradient Janus structure to alleviate Na dendrite growth. Tethering only 1.1 mol % sodiophilic poly(ethylene glycol) to poly(vinylidene fluoride–co–hexafluoropropylene) suppresses Na dendrites by regulating homogeneous Na+distribution, which relies on molecular-level coordination between Na+and the sodiophilic functional groups. By exploiting the porosity-gradient Janus structure, we have demonstrated that regular porosity and well-defined morphology of polymer electrolytes, particularly at the Na/electrolyte interface, significantly impact dendrite growth. This study provides new insights into the rational design of Na dendrite-suppressing polymer electrolytes, primarily focusing on the ion-regulating ability achieved by surface engineering.

Introduction:This study investigated whether use of pre-hospital advanced airway management (AAM) is associated with improved survival of adults with out-of hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) compared to conventional bag-valve-mask ventilation (BVM).Method:The study subjects were derived from Korean Cardiac Arrest Research Consortium (KoCARC), a multi-center OHCA registry of Korea. Patients who underwent AAM or BVM using supraglottic airway, oropharyngeal airway, or endotracheal intubation were compared. The differences in baseline clinical characteristics were adjusted using propensity scoring matching (PSM) or inverse probability of treatment weighting (IPTW). The primary outcome was 30-day survival with neurologically favorable status of cerebral performance category ≤2. The outcome was also compared according to the duration of low-flow time.Results:Of 9,616 patients enrolled, (median age = 71, male sex = 65%) there were 7,583 AAM and 2,033 BVM patients. The unadjusted survival to with neurologically favorable status was lower in AAM compared to BVM (HR = 1.27, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.20 - 1.34, p<0.001). However, there was no significant difference of survival to with neurologically favorable status between AAM and BVM after PSM or ITPW-adjusted comparisons (p>0.05, all). This finding was consistent irrespective of duration of low-flow time.Conclusion:In this nationwide real-world data of out-of hospital cardiac arrest study, prehospital advanced airway management compared to bag-and-mask ventilation did not result in an improved clinical outcome at 30 days.

Introduction:Despite promising survival and favorable neurological results in IHCA, the outcomes of ECLS for OHCA are more heterogeneous. The clinical setting for the survival and favorable neurological outcomes of ECLS in OHCA may differ from that in IHCA.Hypothesis:This study aimed to determine whether ECLS is associated with improved survival to hospital discharge with favorable neurological outcome compared to conventional cardiopulmonary resuscitation and identify in which OHCA patients the implementation of ECLS would be beneficial.Methods:The clinical outcome of OHCA treated by ECLS or CCPR between 2015 and 2020 was retrospectively investigated using KoCARC, a nationwide multicenter OHCA registry of Korea. Differences in baseline clinical characteristics were adjusted by matching propensity for ECLS. Primary outcome was 30-day survival with neurologically favorable status of cerebral performance category of 1 or 2. Restricted mean survival time (RMST) was used to compare outcome between groups.Result:Of 12,006 patients (mean age=71, male gender=65%) included, ECLS was performed in 272 patients (2.2%). In unadjusted analysis, the frequency of survival with favorable neurological status was higher in ECLS compared to CCPR (15% versus 7%, RMST 9.4 versus 3.8 days, p<0.001). Subgroup analysis revealed that the benefit of ECLS was evident in high-risk groups including initial non-shockable rhythm or CPR duration≥20 min (p<0.05, all). In analysis of propensity score-matched 271 pairs, there was no difference in the clinical outcome between ECLS and CCPR (15% versus 16%, RMST 9.4 versus 9.0 days, p=0.33), but ECLS was still better than CCPR in initial non-shockable rhythm or CPR duration≥20 min (p<0.05, all).Conclusions:In this real-world data analysis, ECLS compared to CCPR did not result in better clinical outcome of OHCA in overall. However, ECLS might be beneficial for high-risk patients such as initial non-shockable rhythm or CPR duration≥20 min.

Recent breakthroughs in neuroanatomical tracing methods have helped unravel complicated neural connectivity in whole-brain tissue at single-cell resolution. However, in most cases, analysis of brain images remains dependent on highly subjective and sample-specific manual processing, preventing precise comparison across sample animals. In the present study, we introduce AMaSiNe, software for automated mapping of single neurons in the standard mouse brain atlas with annotated regions. AMaSiNe automatically calibrates misaligned and deformed slice samples to locate labeled neuronal positions from multiple brain samples into the standardized 3D Allen Mouse Brain Reference Atlas. We exploit the high fidelity and reliability of AMaSiNe to investigate the topographic structures of feedforward projections from the lateral geniculate nucleus to the primary visual area by reconstructing rabies-virus-injected brain slices in 3D space. Our results demonstrate that distinct organization of neural projections can be precisely mapped using AMaSiNe.

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