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We demonstrate high-definition, direct-printing of micron-scale metallic dots, comprised of close-packed gold nanoparticles, by utilizing the optical vortex laser-induced forward transfer technique. We observe that the spin angular momentum of the optical vortex, associated with circular polarization, assists in the close-packing of the gold nanoparticles within the printed dots. The printed dots exhibit excellent electrical conductivity without any additional sintering processes. This technique of applying optical vortex laser-induced forward transfer to metallic dots is an innovative approach to metal printing, which does not require additional sintering. It also serves to highlight new insights into light–matter interactions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The reassigned spectrogram (RS) has emerged as the most accurate way to infer vocal tract resonances from the acoustic signal [Shadle, Nam, and Whalen (2016). "Comparing measurement errors for formants in synthetic and natural vowels," J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 139(2), 713–727]. To date, validating its accuracy has depended on formant synthesis for ground truth values of these resonances. Synthesis is easily controlled, but it has many intrinsic assumptions that do not necessarily accurately realize the acoustics in the way that physical resonances would. Here, we show that physical models of the vocal tract with derivable resonance values allow a separate approach to the ground truth, with a different range of limitations. Our three-dimensional printed vocal tract models were excited by white noise, allowing an accurate determination of the resonance frequencies. Then, sources with a range of fundamental frequencies were implemented, allowing a direct assessment of whether RS avoided the systematic bias towards the nearest strong harmonic to which other analysis techniques are prone. RS was indeed accurate at fundamental frequencies up to 300 Hz; above that, accuracy was somewhat reduced. Future directions include testing mechanical models with the dimensions of children's vocal tracts and making RS more broadly useful by automating the detection of resonances. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the outcome and risk factors for chairside CAD/CAM full cusp coverage restorations on endodontically treated posterior teeth after 3 years of follow-up. Methods: A total of 245 endodontically treated posterior teeth of 224 patients were included and restored with CAD/CAM full cusp coverage all-ceramic restorations according to a standardized protocol. Patients were recalled after treatments 1 to 3 years and underwent clinical and radiological examinations. At recall, modified FDI criteria were used to determine treatment outcomes by 2 evaluators. Success was determined when FDI scores were 1–2, and failure was indicated when FDI scores were 5. Logistic regression analysis was performed to evaluate potential risk factors. Results: A total of 183 patients presented at recall, and the clinical outcomes of 201 teeth were analyzed with a recall rate of 82.0% for teeth and 81.7% for patients after 1–3 years of follow-up.185 of 201 teeth were found to have FDI scores of 1–2, and the success rate was 92%. No teeth were extracted during the follow-up period. Fourteen failed cases with an FDI score of 5 presented restoration dislocation, fracture of restoration or/and tooth. Logistic regression analysis revealed that oral parafunction (OR 2.281, 95% CI 2.2 ~ 47.5, P value 0.01) was a risk factor for success rate. Conclusion: Chairside CAD/CAM all-ceramic full cusp coverage restoration was (could be) a promising alternative for restoring endodontically treated posterior teeth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to assess the impact of bisphenol A (BPA) and its substitute, bisphenol F (BPF), on the colonic fecal community structure and function of mice. We exposed 6–8-week-old male C57BL/6 mice to 5 mg/(kg·day) and 50 μg/(kg·day) of BPA or BPF for 14 days. Fecal samples from the colon were analyzed using 16S rRNA sequencing. Gut microbiome community richness and diversity, species composition, and function were significantly altered in mice exposed to BPA or BPF. This change was characterized by elevated levels of Ruminococcaceae UCG-010 and Oscillibacter and decreased levels of Prevotella 9 and Streptococcus. Additionally, pathways related to carbohydrate and amino acid metabolism showed substantial enrichment. Mice exposed to different BP analogs exhibited distinct gut bacterial community richness, composition, and related metabolic pathways. Considering the essential role of gut bacteria in maintaining intestinal homeostasis, our study highlights the intestinal toxicity of BPs in vertebrates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The properties of two-dimensional covalent organic frameworks (2D COFs), including porosity, catalytic activity as well as electronic and optical properties, are greatly affected by their interlayer stacking structures. However, the precise control of their interlayer stacking mode, especially in a reversible fashion, is a long-standing and challenging pursuit. Herein, we prepare three 2D copper-organic frameworks, namely JNM-n (n = 7, 8, and 9). Interestingly, the reversible interlayer sliding between eclipsed AA stacking (i.e., JNM-7-AA and JNM-8-AA) and staggered ABC stacking (i.e., JNM-7-ABC and JNM-8-ABC) can be achieved through environmental stimulation, which endows reversible encapsulation and release of lipase. Importantly, JNM-7-AA and JNM-8-AA exhibit a broader light absorption range, higher charge-separation efficiency, and higher photocatalytic activity for sensitizing O2 to 1O2 and O2•− than their ABC stacking isostructures. Consequently, JNM-8-AA deliver significantly enhanced photocatalytic activities for oxidative cross-coupling reactions compared to JNM-8-ABC and other reported homogeneous and heterogeneous catalysts. The precise control of interlayer stacking mode of 2D materials is a long-standing pursuit. Here, the authors report two 2D copper-organic frameworks that can undergo the reversible interlayer sliding through environmental stimulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AIM: To investigate the behavioral and psychological disorders and the prevalence of parent ratings of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms among children with bilateral congenital cataracts (CCs). METHODS: This cross-sectional study investigated children with bilateral CC aged 3-8y (CC group) using Conners’ Parent Rating Scale-48 (CPRS-48) from July to December 2016. The abnormal rates of psychological symptoms in CC children and normal vision (NV) children were compared using the Chi-square test. The scores of CC children were compared with those of NV children and the Chinese urban norm using the independent samples t-test and one-sample t-test, respectively. RESULTS: A total of 262 valid questionnaires were collected. The ratio of CC children to NV children was 119:143. The overall rate of psychological symptoms in CC children was 2.28 times higher than that in NV children (46.22% vs 20.28%, Pearson’s χ2=20.062; P

AIM: To evaluate the effect of different lens constant optimization methods on the accuracy of intraocular lens (IOL) power calculation formulas for highly myopic eyes. METHODS: This study comprised 108 eyes of 94 consecutive patients with axial length (AL) over 26 mm undergoing phacoemulsification and implantation of a Rayner (Hove, UK) 920H IOL. Formulas were evaluated using the following lens constants: manufacturer’s lens constant, User Group for Laser Interference Biometry (ULIB) constant, and optimized constant for long eyes. Results were compared with Barrett Universal II formula, original Wang-Koch AL adjustment method, and modified Wang-Koch AL adjustment method. The outcomes assessed were mean absolute error (MAE) and percentage of eyes with IOL prediction errors within ±0.25, ±0.50, and ±1.0 diopter (D). The nonparametric method, Friedman test, was used to compare MAE performance among constants. RESULTS: Optimized constants could significantly reduce the MAE of SRK/T, Hoffer Q, and Holladay 1 formulas compared with manufacturer’s lens constant, whereas the percentage of eyes with IOL prediction errors within ±0.25, ±0.50, and ±1.0 D had no statistically significant differences. Optimized lens constant for long eyes alone showed non-significant refractive advantages over the ULIB constant. Barrett Universal II formula and formulas with AL adjustment showed significantly higher accuracy in highly myopic eyes (P