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Extrusion-based polymer three-dimensional (3D) printing, specifically fused deposition modeling (FDM), has been garnering increasing interest from industry, as well as from the research and academic communities, due to its low cost, high speed, and process simplicity. However, bed adhesion failure remains an obstacle to diversifying the materials and expanding the industrial applications of the FDM 3D-printing process. Therefore, this study focused on an investigation of the surface treatment methods for aluminum (Al) foil and their applications to 3D printer beds to enhance the bed adhesion of a 3D-printed polymer filament. Two methods of etching with sodium hydroxide and anodization with phosphoric acid were individually used for the surface treatment of the Al foil beds and then compared with an untreated foil. The etching process removed the oxide layer from the Al foil and increased its surface roughness, while the anodizing process enhanced the amount of hydroxide functional groups and contributed to the formation of nano-holes. As a result, the surface-anodized aluminum foil exhibited a higher affinity and bonding strength with the 3D-printed polymers compared with the etched and pristine foils. Through the increase in the success rate in 3D printing with various polymers, it became evident that utilizing surface-treated Al foil as a 3D printer bed presents an economical solution to addressing bed adhesion failure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For high-efficiency and high-stability lithium ion batteries, a silicon oxide-based carbon composite has been developed as an anode material. To minimize structural defects (cracking and pulverization) due to volumetric contraction/expansion during charge/discharge, silicon oxide (SiOx) is adopted. A pitch—a carbon precursor—is introduced to the surface of SiOx using the mechanofusion method. The introduced pitch precursor can be readily transformed into a carbon layer through stabilization and carbonization processes, resulting in SiOx@C. This carbon layer plays a crucial role in buffering the volume expansion of SiOx during lithiation/delithiation processes, enhancing electrical conductivity, and preventing direct contact with the electrolyte. In order to improve the capacity and cycle stability of SiOx, the electrochemical performances of SiOx@C composites are comparatively analyzed according to the mixing ratio of SiOx and pitch, as well as the loading amount in the anode material. Compared to pristine SiOx, the SiOx@C composite prepared through the optimization of the experimental conditions exhibits approximately 1.6 and 1.8 times higher discharge capacity and initial coulombic efficiency, respectively. In addition, it shows excellent capacity retention and cycle stability, even after more than 300 charge and discharge tests. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: A combination of plasma phospho‐tau (p‐tau), amyloid beta (Aβ)‐positron emission tomography (PET), brain magnetic resonance imaging, cognitive function tests, and other biomarkers might predict future cognitive decline. This study aimed to investigate the efficacy of combining these biomarkers in predicting future cognitive stage transitions within 3 years. METHODS: Among the participants in the Korean Brain Aging Study for the Early Diagnosis and Prediction of Alzheimer's Disease (KBASE‐V) study, 49 mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and 113 cognitively unimpaired (CU) participants with Aβ‐PET and brain imaging data were analyzed. RESULTS: Older age, increased plasma p‐tau181, Aβ‐PET positivity, and decreased semantic fluency were independently associated with cognitive stage transitions. Combining age, p‐tau181, the Centiloid scale, semantic fluency, and hippocampal volume produced high predictive value in predicting future cognitive stage transition (area under the curve = 0.879). CONCLUSIONS: Plasma p‐tau181 and Centiloid scale alone or in combination with other biomarkers, might predict future cognitive stage transition in non‐dementia patients. Highlights: ‐Plasma p‐tau181 and Centiloid scale might predict future cognitive stage transition.‐Combining them or adding other biomarkers increased the predictive value.‐Factors that independently associated with cognitive stage transition were demonstrated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The pathogenesis of isolated rapid eye movement sleep behavior disorders (iRBD) is poorly understood. The severity of RBD may reflect its pathogenesis. We compared motor function and non-motor symptoms (NMSs) between iRBD patients and healthy volunteers. We correlated motor function, NMSs, and striatal dopaminergic activity with RBD severity using video-polysomnography. Twenty-one iRBD patients and 17 controls participated. The Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale part III scores were higher in patients compared to controls (p < 0.001). There was no difference in upper extremity function between patients and controls (right, p = 0.220; left, p = 0.209), but gait was slower in iRBD patients (walking time, p < 0.001; number of steps, p < 0.001). The mean value of the Korean version of the Mini-Mental State Exam and Clinical Dementia Rating were lower in patients (p = 0.006, p = 0.003, respectively). Patients with were also more depressed (p = 0.002), had decreased olfactory function (p < 0.001), reported more frequent sleep/fatigue episodes (p < 0.001), worse attention/memory capacity (p < 0.001), gastrointestinal problems (p = 0.009), urinary problems (p = 0.007), and pain (p = 0.083). Further, iRBD patients reported more frequent sleep-related disturbances (p = 0.004), but no difference in daytime sleepiness (p = 0.663). Disease severity was correlated with pain (r = 0.686, p = 0.002) and visuospatial function (r= −0.507, p = 0.038). There were no correlations between RBD severity and striatal dopaminergic activities (p > 0.09). iRBD is a multisystem neurodegenerative disorder, and gait abnormalities may be a disease characteristic, possibly related to the akinetic-rigid phenotype of Parkinson's disease. The correlation between pain/visuospatial dysfunction and RBD severity may be related to its pathogenesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]