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Expanding on previous research on murine fat grafts' metabolic shift, this study delved deeper into the metabolic profiles of human adipose tissues, specifically the superficial subcutaneous adipose tissue (SSAT) and deep subcutaneous adipose tissue (DSAT). Utilizing RNA sequencing, metabolomics, and metabolic flux analyses, SSAT and DSAT samples obtained during deep inferior epigastric perforator flap breast reconstructions were examined. Transcript data underwent unsupervised hierarchical clustering and Gene Set Enrichment Analysis. Metabolomics involved analyzing samples for cationic and anionic metabolites via capillary electrophoresis time-of-flight mass spectrometry, followed by principal component analysis (PCA) and heat map generation. Primary adipocytes from SSAT and DSAT were assessed using the Seahorse® extracellular flux analyzer. PCA and heat map analyses highlighted distinct transcriptomic and metabolomic differences between SSAT and DSAT. SSAT predominantly upregulated genes linked to adipogenesis [false discovery rate (FDR) q < 0.0001], oxidative phosphorylation (FDR q < 0.0001), fatty acid metabolism (FDR q < 0.0001), and glycolysis (FDR q = 0.001). In contrast, DSAT showed a significant upregulation in inflammatory response genes (FDR q < 0.05). Metabolite analysis revealed an abundance of glycolytic metabolites in SSAT, whereas DSAT was rich in metabolites associated with fatty acid metabolism and oxidative phosphorylation. Cellular flux analysis further confirmed SSAT's elevated glycolysis and spare oxidative phosphorylation capacities. Results highlighted the metabolic uniqueness of SSAT and DSAT in humans, with SSAT exhibiting superior metabolic flexibility. The implications of these metabolic differences, especially in fat grafting procedures, necessitate further research and exploration in future studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fat grafts are widely used as natural fillers in reconstructive and cosmetic surgery. However, the mechanisms underlying fat graft survival are poorly understood. Here, we performed an unbiased transcriptomic analysis in a mouse fat graft model to determine the molecular mechanism underlying free fat graft survival. We conducted RNA-sequencing (RNA-seq) analysis in a mouse free subcutaneous fat graft model on days 3 and 7 following grafting (n = 5). High-throughput sequencing was performed on paired-end reads using NovaSeq6000. The calculated transcripts per million (TPM) values were processed for principal component analysis (PCA), unsupervised hierarchically clustered heatmap generation, and gene set enrichment analysis. PCA and heatmap data revealed global differences in the transcriptomes of the fat graft model and the non-grafted control. The top meaningful upregulated gene sets in the fat graft model were related to the epithelial-mesenchymal transition, hypoxia on day 3, and angiogenesis on day 7. Mechanistically, the glycolytic pathway was upregulated in the fat graft model at days 3 (FDR q = 0.012) and 7 (FDR q = 0.084). In subsequent experiments, pharmacological inhibition of the glycolytic pathway in mouse fat grafts with 2-deoxy- D -glucose (2-DG) significantly suppressed fat graft retention rates, both grossly and microscopically (n = 5). Free adipose tissue grafts undergo metabolic reprogramming toward the glycolytic pathway. Future studies should examine whether targeting this pathway can enhance the graft survival rate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The authors hypothesize that a fascicular turnover flap will achieve better nerve regeneration in nerve gap repair than a conventional nerve graft in a rat sciatic nerve defect model. Seven-millimeter-long sciatic nerve defects were repaired with an autologous nerve graft, a proximal fascicular turnover flap, or a distal fascicular turnover flap. Following walking footprint analysis 8 weeks after the surgery, the gastrocnemius-soleus muscles of the hind limbs, nerve graft, and flaps were harvested for wet muscle weight assessment, immunohistochemistry, and transmission electron microscopy. The distal fascicular turnover flap exhibited improvement in the sciatic function index similar as that observed for the autologous nerve graft. Histologically, cross sections showed a higher staining intensity for S-100 in the distal fascicular turnover flap group than for S-100 in the nerve graft group (p = 0.01). In the longitudinal sections, the staining intensity for NF-200 was higher in the distal fascicular turnover flap group than in the nerve graft (p = 0.009) and proximal fascicular turnover flap (p = 0.004) groups. More mature capillaries were observed in the proximal (p < 0.001) and distal (p = 0.029) fascicular turnover flap groups than in the nerve graft group. Transmission electron microscopy results showed a compact, regular myelin sheath around the myelinated nerve fibers in the distal fascicular turnover flap group, unlike observations in the nerve graft and proximal fascicular turnover flap groups. This study demonstrates better nerve regeneration in nerve gap repair with the distal fascicular turnover flap than with the conventional nerve graft. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The functional properties of molybdenum disulfide (MoS 2) are highly dependent on its structure. Here, we present a one-pot hydrothermal synthesis approach allowing to simultaneous control MoS 2 structure over several length scales. Lowering the pH of the hydrothermal precursor solution leads to smaller crystallite sizes of the pristine MoS 2 formed. Moreover, the addition of alkyldiamines to the same precursor solution leads to their physical confinement between the forming MoS 2 layers without the formation of covalent bonds, yielding interlayer-expanded MoS 2. Controlling alkyldiamine precursor concentration can vary the number of confined structural pillars in interlayer-expanded MoS 2. Electrochemical lithium intercalation is tested as a function of MoS 2 structural properties. It is revealed that both smaller crystallite sizes and expanded interlayer-spacing lead to an increasingly pseudocapacitive lithium intercalation signature. The number of lithium that is reversibly stored in interlayer-expanded MoS 2 is increased to almost 1.5 per formula unit. The results provide a facile synthesis approach to simultaneously control MoS 2 crystallite size and d-spacing, which may be of interest for applications beyond lithium intercalation, such as multivalent ion intercalation or electrocatalytic hydrogen evolution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Sound energy harvesting is one of the promising technologies due to the abundant and clean sound sources. It can be the semi-permanent alternative power supplies for wireless sensor networks (WSNs), which is significant in the Internet of Things (IoT). However, sound waves have the low energy density, so there are many kinds of research in recent years to overcome this problem. This paper provides a comprehensive review of sound energy harvesting, focusing on presenting principles, examples and enhancement methods of sound energy harvesters. In this paper, various approaches are introduced which are classified as sound pressure amplification and transduction mechanism. For sound pressure amplification, two typical types of energy harvesters are presented that one is using a resonator, another one is using an acoustic metamaterial, and these are based on piezoelectric, electromagnetic, and triboelectric mechanisms to convert sound energy to electrical energy. Graphical abstract fx1 Highlights • This paper summarizes the basic principles of sound energy harvesters and its state-of-the-art researches. • It mainly classifed sound energy harvesters as pressure amplification method and transduction mechanism. • Comparison of the reported sound energy harvesters are provided according to device size, and generated power etc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ulceration is a serious consequence of diabetes that can lead to disability in patients with diabetes. One of the risk factors for ulceration is high foot pressure. The thickness of the pedal soft tissue is important because it has a cushioning effect. Soft tissue atrophy causes elevation in the plantar pressure, which, in turn, causes ischemia. Therefore, we investigated the severity of pedal soft tissue atrophy caused by diabetes and aging. From February 2009 to February 2016, we examined the feet of 261 patients treated in our hospital using magnetic resonance imaging. We divided the patients enrolled in the study into 2 groups. The first group included 52 patients with diabetes but without peripheral arterial disease and the second group included 47 patients without diabetes. We measured the vertical distances under all patients' metatarsal heads using T1-weighted magnetic resonance imaging and measured the pedal soft tissue thickness using the PACS workstation (m-view). We compared the soft tissue thicknesses of the 2 groups and performed statistical analyses of the relationships between these data and other parameters using 2-way analysis of variance. The soft tissue under the first to fourth metatarsal heads was thinner in the diabetic patients than in the nondiabetic patients (first metatarsal, 6.4 versus 8.69; second metatarsal, 8.85 versus 10.64; third metatarsal, 8.15 versus 9.21; fourth metatarsal, 7.38 versus 8.54; p  < .05). Aging had no effect on pedal soft tissue atrophy in either group. In conclusion, our study confirmed that diabetic patients experience more severe plantar soft tissue atrophy than nondiabetic patients. We have developed a standard procedure to enable the prediction of pedal soft tissue atrophy severity in diabetic patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary We assessed whether nicorandil, an adenosine triphosphate–sensitive K + channel opener, reduces burn wound progression in a rat comb burn model. A total of 24 rats were used. Following thermal injury, one dose of nicorandil (10 or 30 mg/kg) was administered intragastrically twice daily for 3 days. At days 1 and 3 after injury, skin was harvested for histopathological examination and protein isolation. Rats treated with the 10-mg/kg and 30-mg/kg doses of nicorandil exhibited significantly increased tissue survival in the zone of stasis at days 1 and 3 after injury. The 10-mg/kg and 30-mg/kg nicorandil doses also significantly increased skin perfusion in the zone of stasis at days 1 and 3 after injury. At 30 mg/kg, nicorandil significantly reduced hypoxia-inducible factor-1α expression in the zone of stasis at day 1 after injury and reduced inflammatory responses in the zone of stasis. The latter effect included decreased polymorphonuclear neutrophil leukocyte infiltration and interleukin-1β release at day 1 after injury. At 30 mg/kg, nicorandil also significantly reduced expression of nuclear factor-κB p65, akey transcriptional factor in the regulation of inflammatory mediators, in the zone of stasis at day 1 after injury. Our study demonstrates that a 30 mg/kg dosing schedule of nicorandil increases tissue survival in the zone of stasis by attenuating ischemia–reperfusion injury. This effect is mediated by the enhancement of skin blood flow and reduction in the inflammatory response. Therefore, our findings suggest that nicorandil has potential clinical applications for patients with burns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary We evaluated the relationship between infraorbital fat herniation and age-related changes in the bony orbit and orbital fat density using computed tomography. Two hundred and sixty-five patients were enrolled (60 patients were evaluated for changes in the bony orbit and 205 for changes in orbital fat density). Five measurements using parasagittal sections and one measurement using three-dimensional images were obtained. Intraorbital fat herniation length was positively correlated with orbital rim inclination. Lowering of the inferior orbital rim, which is connected to the orbicularis retaining ligament, tear trough ligament and orbital septum, can cause mechanical stretching of the lower eyelid and may contribute to infraorbital fat herniation. A strong and significant negative correlation was observed between orbital fat density and age, indicating that existing orbital fat can accommodate an enlargement in bony orbit volume without orbital fat hyperplasia/hypertrophy. In other words, an increased orbital fat volume may be a by-product of the adaptation of orbital fat to changes in bony orbit volume. Mechanical stretching of the lower eyelid due to ageing of the bony orbit and weakening of the lower eyelid due to age-related factors such as dermal/fat/muscle atrophy and loss of muscle tone can together result in anterior drooping of the lower eyelid. Therefore, age-related changes in the bony orbit contribute to intraorbital fat herniation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary In this study, details of the infraorbital nerve's (ION's) anatomical course variants were compared using computed tomography (CT), and relationships between the variants and fracture patterns in the orbital floor were investigated. Fifty-two normal individuals and 50 patients with unilateral isolated orbital floor fractures were enrolled in this study. Four measurements in normal individuals and five measurements in fracture patients were obtained in parasagittal sections. The anatomical variations of the ION were categorized into three types according to the classification by Ferences et al. Among the normal individuals, 42 orbits were classified as type 1 ION, 48 orbits as type 2, and 14 orbits as type 3. The distance from the inferior orbital rim to the upper border of the inferior orbital foramen and the length of descension portion of the ION in type 1 ION were significantly shorter than in type 2 and type 3 IONs. In patients with orbital floor fractures, the distance from the inferior orbital rim to the upper border of the inferior orbital foramen was positively correlated with herniation level of bone and soft tissue. The ION had three anatomical variants according to the degree of descension in the anterior portion of the orbit. When fracture of the orbital floor occurs in patients with type 1 ION, inferior displacement of the fractured orbital bone and orbital soft tissue may be less severe than in patients with other ION types. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

From an industrial/engineering point of view, the greatest demerit of solely isosorbide (ISB)-based polycarbonate is its fragility; this is considerably overcome in this study by using a dual-diol strategy with 1,4-cyclohexanedimethanol (CHDM). A series of copolycarbonates of ISB, a bio-derived diol with a rigid heterocyclic structure, and ductile CHDM monomers with diphenyl carbonate were prepared by transesterification polymerization. The weight-average molecular weight of the polycarbonates gradually decreases as the ratio of ISB increases; however, their T g and storage modulus increase. The ultimate elongation of the copolycarbonates is enhanced from 4.6 to 20% as the content of CHDM is increased from 30 to 80 mol%. ISB content greater than 50 mol% makes the copolycarbonates strong but brittle, and ISB content less than 50 mol% makes the copolycarbonates ductile but soft. The polycarbonate with 70/30 mol% of ISB/CHDM shows a 1.25-fold higher Young's modulus, 1.05-fold higher ultimate tensile strength, and one-grade higher pencil hardness than the bisphenol-A (BPA)-based polycarbonate. Interestingly, the hydrophilic ISB content does not affect the degree of hydrophilicity of the copolycarbonate samples. Water droplet contact angles are in the range of 81–87°, comparable to that of the BPA-based polycarbonate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary Background We introduce a method to extract the maximum amount of cancellous bone from the calvarium and analyze the outcomes using plain radiography and computed tomography. Methods We retrospectively analyzed the medical records of patients who underwent secondary alveolar bone grafts using a maximal harvesting technique for calvarial cancellous bone. Bone survival was determined based on Enemark's grading system using plain radiographs. Alveolar thickness and height were analyzed by computed tomography and compared with radiographic measurements. Results Our study enrolled 27 patients, 22 unilateral and 5 bilateral, for a total of 32 alveolar clefts. The mean age at surgery was 9.04 ± 0.41 years (range: 6–12 years). Donor sites were successfully recovered without complications, such as hematomas, seromas, infections, or tears in the dura mater. The mean follow-up duration for obtaining plain radiographs was 6.90 ± 0.61 years (range: 2.0–18.50 years). The mean follow-up duration for computed tomography was 6.51 ± 0.99 years (range: 2.0–14.83 years). A canine tooth erupted in 30 cases. Success (Enemark's grades I or II) was achieved in 26 cases. Alveolar height was strongly correlated with the Enemark scale results (γ = 0.878, p < 0.001), but alveolar thickness was not correlated (γ = 0.4575, p = 0.08). Conclusion Our cancellous bone harvesting technique resulted in successful graft survival without serious complications, including dural or brain injuries. Although the ilium is widely accepted as the optimal donor site for secondary alveolar bone grafting, the calvarium could be an alternative donor site that results in equivalent outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] Acoustic energy harvesting (AEH) has emerged as a promising powering process for the sustainable self-powered operation of wireless sensors in wearable, biomedical, and industrial applications. However, despite the abundance of sound sources in the environment, intrinsically low acoustic energy density still poses a critical challenge; therefore, the development of various sound amplification structures, such as Helmholtz resonators (HRs), phononic crystals, and acoustic metamaterials is required. In this study, we combined two distinct sound amplification mechanisms, Helmholtz resonance and omnidirectional acoustic wave focusing, to generate a sufficiently high power output within an ambient sound environment at practically low frequencies (< 1 kHz). A two-degree-of-freedom model was developed to systematically design a HR integrated with a piezoelectric device (HR-PEH). Subsequently, the HR-PEH was incorporated with a circularly symmetric gradient index phononic crystal (GRIN PnC) structure that enabled omnidirectional sound focusing. Finally, we constructed a coupled acoustic system GRIN-HR-PEH. Analytical modeling and experimental characterization revealed the existence of two distinct dual operating frequencies for power maximization: mechanical and acoustic resonances, which offers design flexibility in coupled AEH systems. As a result, the coupled GRIN-HR-PEH system yielded an output power of up to 4.1 mW under an ambient incident sound pressure of 47 dB, satisfying the power requirements of practical applications. • A gradient-index phononic crystal and Helmholtz coupled structure is proposed as a synergistic sound amplification mechanism. • The hybrid system exhibits omnidirectional acoustic energy focusing and harvesting capabilities. • The proposed system yields a remarkable output power generation of 4.1 mW at a low frequency of 471 Hz. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the efficacy of glucose transporter protein 1 (GLUT1) antibody-conjugated iron oxide nanoparticles (Fe 3 O 4 NPs) as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) molecular imaging agents for differentiating infantile hemangioma from vascular malformation in the hemangioma animal model. The conjugation of Fe 3 O 4 NPs with anti-GLUT1 antibodies leads to a significantly increased uptake of NPs by human umbilical vein endothelial cells. MRI imaging following the intravenous injection of GLUT1 antibody-Fe 3 O 4 NPs yielded a significantly lower signal intensity than did unconjugated Fe 3 O 4 NPs. Upon histological examination of the GLUT1 antibody-Fe 3 O 4 NPs, Prussian blue-stained NPs were identified in CD31-positive endothelial cells of hemangioma. In contrast, when treated with unconjugated Fe 3 O 4 NPs, Prussian blue-stained NPs were found in macrophages rather than in endothelial cells. GLUT1 antibody conjugation can effectively target the injected Fe 3 O 4 NPs to GLUT1-positive tumor cells in infantile hemangioma. From the Clinical Editor This study evaluates the efficacy of glucose transporter protein 1 antibody-conjugated iron oxide nanoparticles as MRI molecular imaging agents for differentiating infantile hemangioma from vascular malformation. Results demonstrate that CD-31 positive endothelial cells are targeted by this complex, which largely accumulates in macrophages resulting in significant MRI signal changes compared to using iron oxide alone. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary Facial muscles are of major importance in human craniofacial growth and development. The purpose of our study was to investigate whether congenital facial nerve palsy influences craniofacial growth in craniofacial microsomia. Fifty-one patients with unilateral craniofacial microsomia and no history of craniofacial skeletal surgery whose radiographs were taken after craniofacial growth was complete were included in this study. These patients were divided into groups in which the facial nerve was involved or uninvolved. The authors evaluated a total of seven measurement items to analyze the midface and mandibular asymmetry. Twenty patients had facial nerve involvement, and 31 had no involvement. None of the measurement items revealed any significant differences between the facial nerve-involved group and the uninvolved group within the same modified Pruzansky grade. There was no correlation between the type of facial nerve involvement and the measurement items. In relationships among the measurement items within each group, maxillary asymmetry was indirectly correlated with mandibular asymmetry or midline deviation through the occlusal plane angle in the uninvolved groups. However, in the facial nerve-involved group, the relationships disappeared. When the correlations in the facial nerve-involved group were compared with those of the uninvolved group, the relationships in the uninvolved group appeared more significant than in the facial nerve-involved group. The loss of relationships between the upper and lower jaw in the facial nerve-involved group might have been caused by subtle changes, which occur in midfacial bones and in the mandible due to facial nerve palsy. The main limitation of our study is that aside from facial nerve palsy, craniofacial microsomia has many factors that can influence craniofacial growth, such as hypoplasia of the mandibular condyle and soft tissue deficiencies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background The nasal septum plays an important role in nasal growth, but there have been few reports on the relationship between the septum and nasal growth. The authors investigated the relationship between septa and external noses using computed tomography during the growth period. Methods One hundred and ninety-eight patients under the age of 21 were enrolled in this study between 2008 and 2012. The authors evaluated a total of 9 measurement items (five for nasal bones and septa, and four for external noses). Results In the final age group, most measurement items were significantly larger in males than in females. However, there was no remarkable difference between male and female growth processes. Nasal bridge length and nasal height were significantly correlated with the nasal bone or septum in almost all age groups. The relative proportion of the cartilaginous septum decreased significantly with age, and was negatively correlated with the perpendicular plate in all age groups. Conclusions Nasal septa and external noses were both larger in males than in females at the beginning of the study period, although not significantly. The differences became significant throughout the study due to differential increases between the sexes during the monitored growth spurts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: There have been few long-term studies regarding the change of bony cleft defects in cleft lip and palate after palatoplasty. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the regenerated bone formed in bony cleft defects and the change in bony cleft width after palatoplasty using computed tomography (CT). Thirty non-syndromic unilateral complete cleft lip and palate patients were retrospectively reviewed. The patients underwent palatoplasty at an average age of 14.32 months. CT was performed at an average age of 9.8 years. The authors evaluated the regenerated bone volume ratio, remnant bony cleft area ratio and change in bony cleft width at the posterior nasal spine. The relative locations of the regenerated bone lesion and the bony cleft to the hard palate were measured. Regenerated bone was observed in all patients. The average regenerated bone volume ratio was 61.1%, and the largest regenerated bone was usually located in the anterior half of the hard palate. The average remnant bony cleft area ratio was 7.6%, and the widest bony cleft was usually located in the anterior 1/3 and the posterior 1/3. The remnant bony cleft and non-regenerated bone lesion were rarely located in the middle 1/3. The bony cleft width at the posterior nasal spine decreased significantly after palatoplasty. Hard palatal bony cleft defects after palatoplasty were decreased by regenerated bone, and possibly by the contracting force of the scar at the midline of the hard palate, and the continuous pressure of the surrounding tissues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Piezoelectric energy harvesters typically exhibit sharp peak in output power around resonance frequency (small bandwidth), which presents complexity in harvesting ambient vibrations that normally comprise of multiple frequencies. Prior attempts in designing energy harvesters with broadband response have met with practical challenges in terms of low output power, large mass and weight, and small improvements in bandwidth. Here, we report a breakthrough in demonstrating ultra-wide bandwidth piezoelectric energy harvesters through the automatic resonance tuning (ART) phenomenon. ART provides energy harvester ability to adjust its natural frequency in conjunction with ambient vibration without human intervention or additional tuning energy. The ART energy harvester utilizes the motion of the mobile proof mass in a doubly clamped oscillating beam structure to modulate the natural frequency of the beam. Detailed investigations are conducted in providing a fundamental understanding of the operation mechanism of the ART harvester by invoking beam dynamics over a wide range of vibration conditions. It is shown that bandwidth of the ART harvester (36 Hz) is 1400% larger compared to the fixed resonance energy harvester. The practical feasibility of the ART mechanism is demonstrated by evaluating the performance of the harvester mounted on a rotary pump. The results demonstrate that ART mechanism can provide the much-needed breakthrough in the deployment of mechanical energy harvesters for naturally occurring vibrations. Image 1 • Ultra-wide bandwidth piezoelectric energy harvester is demonstrated through the automatic resonance tuning (ART) phenomenon. • A fundamental understanding of the operation mechanism of the ART harvester is provided by invoking beam dynamics over a wide range of vibration conditions. • The bandwidth of the ART harvester (36 Hz) is 1400% larger compared to the fixed resonance energy harvester. • The practical feasibility is demonstrated by evaluating the performance of the ART energy harvester mounted on a rotary pump. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite the many studies reporting mW-level power output from various hybridized energy harvesters, few succeeded in demonstrating real-life applications such as the commercial Internet of Things (IoT) sensor modules. This owes in large part to the limited time-averaged power output, especially under the requirement for the power-consuming circuitry such as rectifiers and AC to DC converters. At the heart of the limited power lies the lack of detailed analyses and optimization strategies to hybridizing two or more distinct energy harvesters. Here, we first develop design guidelines and optimization strategies based on a parametric model for hybridized energy harvesters coupling two or more distinct mechanisms. The model treats electric current-generating energy harvesters as electric dampers in the spring-mass-damper system and seeks to minimize the total damping consisting of electrical and mechanical damping. We then demonstrate the design guidelines to an oval-shaped hybrid energy harvester consisting of piezoelectric and electromagnetic generators, achieving the time-averaged power output of 25.45 mW at 60 Hz and 0.5 G input vibration. Also, the detailed analyses reveal that the two coupled generators operate in a complementary manner, maintaining a reasonable power output even when one generator suddenly degrades or fails. We finally demonstrate powering a commercial IoT sensor module with the hybrid energy harvester, receiving the sensed information to a smartphone via Bluetooth connectivity. Design principles for effective hybridization of two distinct energy harvesters are developed and demonstrated, powering an IoT sensor module. Image 1 • We establish the design principles for hybridizing two distinct energy harvesters. • Reducing mechanical damping while increasing electrical damping is critical. • We demonstrate piezo- and electromagnetic hybrid generator with 25 mW average power. • We demonstrate powering commercial IoT sensors with the hybrid energy harvester. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary Introduction The purpose of this study was to compare the strength of the relationships between predictors and late-onset enophthalmos in medial and inferior orbital wall fractures and to determine the most significant predictive factor of enophthalmos in medial or inferior orbital wall fracture. Methods Sixty-three adult patients with unilateral medial or inferior orbital wall fracture who had been left untreated for more than two months were enrolled in this study. Patients who had accompanying multiple orbital wall fractures and those with orbital-zygomatic fractures were excluded. Orbital defect area and herniated muscle and fat volumes were evaluated using computed tomography. The degree of enophthalmos was measured using a Hertel exophthalmometer. Results Herniated muscle and fat volumes were positively correlated with defect area in the medial orbital wall fracture but showed no positive correlation with inferior orbital wall fracture. In the medial orbital wall fracture group, enophthalmos was positively correlated with defect area and herniated muscle and fat volumes. Defect area was more highly related to enophthalmos than other analyzed metrics. The defect area predictive of enophthalmos was 1.98 cm 2 . However, enophthalmos was positively correlated only with herniated fat volume in inferior orbital wall fracture. The herniated fat volume predictive of enophthalmos was 343.50 mm 3 . Conclusion Orbital defect area in medial orbital wall fracture and herniated fat volume in inferior orbital wall fracture were the most significant predictors of late-onset enophthalmos. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary Few studies have examined the long-term outcomes of gingivoperiosteoplasty at the age of permanent canine eruption. The success rates of gingivoperiosteoplasty vary significantly depending on the surgeon because of the difficulty of the surgical technique. Therefore, the authors utilized a simplified gingivoperiosteoplasty technique by inserting one or two large, triangular-shaped mucoperiosteal flaps on the opposite side in a tongue-in-groove or interdigitation fashion. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the long-term outcomes of this simplified gingivoperiosteoplasty technique at the age of permanent canine eruption. Forty nonsyndromic cleft lip and palate patients who had undergone simplified gingivoperiosteoplasty were retrospectively reviewed. Canine eruption and the bone formation rate of the interalveolar septum using the Bergland method and a modified Long et al. method were evaluated. A total of 55 alveolar cleft sites were treated. Simplified gingivoperiosteoplasty was performed at a mean age of 13.4 months, and the mean age at the time of follow-up was 14.3 years. The overall success rate of simplified gingivoperiosteoplasty was 50.90%. With regard to cleft types, clefts of the primary palate and unilateral alveolar clefts showed a significantly higher success rate than clefts of the primary and secondary palates and bilateral alveolar clefts, respectively. Our gingivoperiosteoplasty technique is a simple surgical procedure and is performed at 12 months of age, at which time the cleft alveolus has grown sufficiently, to ensure the success of the delicate surgical technique. Therefore, we could obtain favorable outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: A composite graft for reattachment of an amputated fingertip is a very controversial and challenging procedure. An osteocutaneous composite graft is rarely conducted and has a low success rate following fingertip amputation. A 21-year-old male patient was referred to our emergency clinic with dorsal oblique amputation of the middle, ring and small fingers of the left hand through the distal interphalangeal joint and middle phalanx. The amputated parts of the middle and ring fingers were reattached with osteocutaneous composite grafts. The amputated part of the small finger was revascularised to the ulnar palmar digital artery of the small finger. The composite grafts of the middle and ring fingers and the revascularised small finger survived completely. We suggest that careful patient selection will allow an osteocutaneous composite graft to become an acceptable method for the treatment of fingertip amputation. A large-scale study of osteocutaneous graft of amputated fingertips is required to improve the survival rate. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Dry semicontinuous anaerobic digestion (AD) of South Korean food waste (FW) under four solid loading rates (SLRs) (2.30–9.21 kg total solids (TS)/m 3 day) and at a fixed TS content was compared between two digesters, one each under mesophilic and thermophilic conditions. Biogas production and organic matter reduction in both digesters followed similar trends, increasing with rising SLR. Inhibitor (intermediate products of the anaerobic fermentation process) effects on the digesters’ performance were not observed under the studied conditions. In all cases tested, the digesters’ best performance was achieved at the SLR of 9.21 kg TS/m 3 day, with 74.02% and 80.98% reduction of volatile solids (VS), 0.87 and 0.90 m 3 biogas/kg VS removed , and 0.65 (65% CH 4 ) and 0.73 (60.02% CH 4 ) m 3 biogas/kg VS fed , under mesophilic and thermophilic conditions, respectively. Thermophilic dry AD is recommended for FW treatment in South Korea because it is more efficient and has higher energy recovery potential when compared to mesophilic dry AD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• An efficient reanalysis-based multi-fidelity (RBMF) surrogate framework is developed. • The proposed method utilizes the prior knowledge when building the surrogate model. • Each fidelity sample is divided into two types: (i) exact sample, (ii) reanalysis sample. • Sample classification and infilling methods are combined with the proposed framework. • Local convergence criteria for the efficient reanalysis method are proposed. In recent years, research on multi-fidelity (MF) surrogate modeling, which integrates high-fidelity (HF) and low-fidelity (LF) models, has been conducted to improve efficiency in structural optimization. However, even the latest well-developed MF surrogate models inevitably require a certain number of samples to maintain the fidelity of the surrogate models. To overcome this issue, in this paper, a reanalysis-based multi-fidelity (RBMF) surrogate framework, which combines the MF surrogate modeling and a structural reanalysis method, is developed to reduce the computational cost for each sample, not the number of samples. The core idea of the developed framework is to approximately obtain a large number of samples based on a small number of exactly calculated data as prior knowledge. Each sub-strategy for RBMF surrogate framework is developed to maximize the performances of the reanalysis method. Specifically, a reanalysis sample classification method, reanalysis sample infilling method, and local convergence criteria are proposed to effectively reflect the characteristics of the reanalysis method. Therefore, the coupling between MF surrogate modeling and reanalysis method is strengthened. Finally, two numerical examples show that the developed framework outperforms the conventional one. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electrically conducting graphitic carbon materials are ubiquitous constituents of electrocatalysts and electrochemical energy storage materials. During electrolysis and electrochemical charge-discharge cycles, the carbon matrix is subjected to chemical stress due to drastic changes in the redox environment, the formation of reactive intermediate species and to steric strain caused by intercalation of counter ions. These factors trigger the formation of defects in the graphitic lattice, leading to scattering the charge carriers, thereby reducing the carrier mobility. It is of utmost importance to reliably monitor the graphitic lattice to maintain the integrity of the material and recognize the nature of defects. We have applied statistical Raman measurement technique in conjunction with Raman phase map and Raman ellipse to monitor and quantify the formation of point and line defects in functionalized carbon nanotubes. We also demonstrate how the Raman ellipse in combination with I D / I D ′ is a new and powerful analytical tool which can serve to deduce the correct defect generation process in a graphitic lattice exposed to stress during electrochemical cycling. Thus, a deep mechanical insight by "simple" optical spectroscopy can be captured through our proposed Raman phase map analysis. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydrochemical and isotopic characteristics of crystalline bedrock aquifers were investigated down to 500 m below ground level at two geological disposal research sites. Groundwater samples were collected every 50 m during drilling including water from several fracture zones (n = 24) and at water-conducting fracture zones after the drilling was completed (n = 27) to understand the impact of sampling times, i.e., during versus after drilling, on the characterization result. Both aquifers were highly weathered and showed transport in fractured rocks, which made it difficult to determine the effect of sampling times. Despite the similar ranges of hydraulic conductivities, the BH (gneiss) groundwater showed higher total dissolved solids including Na, F, and HCO 3 and carbon-13 isotopes of dissolved inorganic carbon, older carbon-14 ages, but lower dissolved oxygen, oxygen and hydrogen isotopes of water, and sulfur isotopes of sulfate than the AH (granite) groundwater, indicating the extensive water rock interaction through long pathways in BH. Sulfate reduction was also observed in deep anoxic environment in BH, whereas the AH groundwater seemed to be affected by recent recharge through permeable fractures regardless of depth. Redox potential (Eh) increased in samples collected after drilling, in particular in AH, and Fe and negative Eh were not detected in groundwater collected after drilling in both areas, which implied oxidization after drilling in particular in aquifers with recent recharge. The study result suggests isotopic investigations combined with hydrochemical characterization to assess anoxic conditions for geological disposal, if possible, during drilling before grouting to accurately assess the redox condition in crystalline bedrock aquifers. • Hydrochemical and isotopic properties assessed in two (AH and BH) crystalline bedrock aquifers. • Investigations at equal intervals during drilling and at water-conducting fracture zones after drilling. • Long-term water-rock interactions in BH while the impact of recent recharge in AH. • The effect of sampling times not clear due to fracture-dependent variations. • Isotopic investigation combined with hydrogeochemisty suggested for geological disposal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of personal aerial vehicles (PAVs) using electric power distributed propulsion methods is rapidly growing. As the aerodynamic performance and flight stability characteristics can be significantly affected by multiple-propeller operation, aerodynamic analysis reflecting the power-on effect is required for design/development. Simulating all propellers using the general computational fluid dynamics is inefficient in terms of computational time and cost. Therefore, this study evaluates the practicality of actuator methods in the aerodynamic analysis of two aircrafts with multiple propellers: a quad tilt propeller (QTP) unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) and an optionally piloted personal air vehicle (OPPAV) of the Korea Aerospace Research Institute (KARI). The normal and side forces generated by the propellers under various angle of attack and sideslip angle conditions are found to be the most contributing factors to the deterioration in the aircraft longitudinal and directional static stabilities, respectively. The forces and moments generated by the propellers are found to make both longitudinal and directional stabilities of the QTP UAV unstable. However, the OPPAV appears to remain stable state even with the operating propellers. We conclude that actuator methods, being computationally efficient in terms of cost, time, and accuracy, possess great potential for aerodynamic analysis in various related industries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]