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INTRODUCTION: Fragility fractures are common in the elderly. It is associated with increased mortality, reduced mobility, and poorer quality of life. In addition, post-operative functional outcomes are limited locally. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A cross-sectional phone interview was conducted with elderly patients who underwent hip surgery or their caregivers between March 2019 and Feb 2020, at least six months after the operation. RESULTS: A total of 137 cases were approached, and 77 subjects completed the interview (58.4%), among which 54/77 (70.1%) were female, and 66/77 (85.7%) were caregivers. The proportion of subjects who could ambulate independently dropped from 66/77, prior to fracture, to 17/77 post-surgery. We noted a significant deterioration in the modified Barthel Index from the median of 100 (IQR = 0) to 91 (IQR 25.5; p

Rationale: Difficulties in achieving long-term survival of patients with lung cancer treated with conventional therapies suggest that novel approaches are required. Recent advances in aerosol-mediated gene delivery have provided the possibility of an alternative for the safe and effective treatment of lung cancer.Objectives: To investigate the repeated effect of carboxyl-terminal modulator protein (CTMP) on multistage lung tumorigenesis. In this study, we addressed this question by studying the effects of lentivirus-based CTMP in the lungs of 9- and 13-week-old K-ras(LA1) mice, a model of lung cancer.Methods: An aerosol of lentivirus-based CTMP was delivered into 9- and 13-week-old K-ras(LA1) mice, a model of lung cancer, through a nose-only inhalation system twice a week for 4 weeks. The effects of CTMP on lung cancer progression and Akt-related signals were evaluated.Measurements and Main Results: Long-term repeated delivery of CTMP effectively reduced tumor progression in the lungs at different stages of development. Lentiviral-CTMP inhibited protein synthesis and cell cycle and altered Akt signaling pathway in the lungs of 9-week-old K-ras(LA1) mice, and increased apoptosis was observed in the lungs of 13-week-old K-ras(LA1) mice.Conclusions: Long-term repeated viral delivery of CTMP may provide a useful tool for designing lung tumor treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rationale: Phosphate (Pi) is an essential nutrient to living organisms. Recent surveys indicate that the intake of Pi has increased steadily. Our previous studies have indicated that elevated Pi activates the Akt signaling pathway. An increased knowledge of the response of lung cancer tissue to high dietary Pi may provide an important link between diet and lung tumorigenesis.Objectives: The current study was performed to elucidate the potential effects of high dietary Pi on lung cancer development.Methods: Experiments were performed on 5-week-old male K-ras(LA1) lung cancer model mice and 6-week-old male urethane-induced lung cancer model mice. Mice were fed a diet containing 0.5% Pi (normal Pi) and 1.0% Pi (high Pi) for 4 weeks. At the end of the experiment, all mice were killed. Lung cancer development was evaluated by diverse methods.Measurement and Main Results: A diet high in Pi increased lung tumor progression and growth compared with normal diet. High dietary Pi increased the sodium-dependent inorganic phosphate transporter-2b protein levels in the lungs. High dietary consumption of Pi stimulated pulmonary Akt activity while suppressing the protein levels of tumor suppressor phosphatase and tensin homolog deleted on chromosome 10 as well as Akt binding partner carboxyl-terminal modulator protein, resulting in facilitated cap-dependent protein translation. In addition, high dietary Pi significantly stimulated cell proliferation in the lungs of K-ras(LA1) mice.Conclusions: Our results showed that high dietary Pi promoted tumorigenesis and altered Akt signaling, thus suggesting that careful regulation of dietary Pi may be critical for lung cancer prevention as well as treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Despite evidence that breast cancer screening reduces morbidity and mortality, until recently most women have not undergone regular mammogram examinations in Korea. We aimed to identify factors associated with use of breast cancer screening services.Methods: The Health Promotion Knowledge, Attitude and Practice survey (HP-KAP survey) is part of the Third Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2005 (KNHANES III), a nationwide health survey in Korea. Of 7,802 individuals who participated in the HP-KAP survey, 4,292 were female. Of these, 2,583 were women aged at least 40 years and without a history of breast cancer; these women were included in this study. Information about breast cancer screening participation was obtained from the responses to questionnaires. The overall rate of regular breast cancer screening was measured. Factors that affect participation in a breast cancer screening program were identified using multiple logistic regression analysis.Results: Among women aged at least 40 years, 30.4% complied with breast screening recommendations. Age of at least 65 years (adjusted odds ratio, aOR 0.61, 95% CI: 0.42-0.88), education level (no [ref], elementary school [aOR 1.51, 95% CI: 1.06-1.47], middle/high school [aOR 1.99, 95% CI: 1.36-2.92], university/higher [aOR 2.73, 95% CI: 1.71-4.35]), private health insurance (aOR 1.42, 95% CI: 1.71-4.35), attitude towards screening tests (aOR 0.18, 95% CI: 0.14-0.23), self-reported health status of 'fair' (aOR 1.26 95% CI: 1.00-1.58), and smoking (aOR 0.52, 95% CI: 0.35-0.79) were associated with the rate of regular breast cancer screeningConclusions: To increase the nationwide breast cancer screening rate, more attention should be given to underrepresented groups, particularly the elderly, those with a low education level, smokers, and those with a negative attitude towards screening tests. These issues highlight the need for a new emphasis in health education, promotional campaigns and public health policy aimed at these underrepresented groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The MEK inhibitor, selumetinib, reduces plexiform neurofibroma (PN) in pediatric patients with neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1). Its safety and efficacy in adults with PN and effectiveness in other NF1 manifestations (eg, neurocognitive function, growth reduction, and café-au-lait spots) are unknown., Methods: This open-label, phase II trial enrolled 90 pediatric or adult NF1 patients with inoperable, symptomatic, or potentially morbid, measurable PN (≥3 cm). Selumetinib was administered at doses of 20 or 25 mg/m2 or 50 mg q 12 hours for 2 years. Pharmacokinetics, PN volume, growth parameters, neurocognitive function, café-au-lait spots, and quality of life (QoL) were evaluated., Results: Fifty-nine children and 30 adults (median age, 16 years; range, 3-47) received an average of 22 ± 5 (4-26) cycles of selumetinib. Eighty-eight (98.9%) out of 89 per-protocol patients showed volume reduction in the target PN (median, 40.8%; 4.2%-92.2%), and 81 (91%) patients showed partial response (≥20% volume reduction). The response lasted until cycle 26. Scores of neurocognitive functions (verbal comprehension, perceptual reasoning, processing speed, and full-scale IQ) significantly improved in both pediatric and adult patients (P < .05). Prepubertal patients showed increases in height score and growth velocity (P < .05). Café-au-lait spot intensity decreased significantly (P < .05). Improvements in QoL and pain scores were observed in both children and adults. All adverse events were CTCAE grade 1 or 2 and were successfully managed without drug discontinuation., Conclusions: Selumetinib decreases PN volume in the majority of pediatric and adult NF1 patients while also showing efficacy in nonmalignant diverse NF1 manifestations., Trial Registration: Cris.nih.go.kr Identifier (KCT0003700)., (© The Author(s) 2024. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Neuro-Oncology.)

Utilizing rare earth doped ceria in solid oxide cells (SOCs) engineering is indeed a strategy aimed at enhancing the electrochemical devices' durability and activity. Particularly, Gd-doped ceria (GDC) is actively used for barrier layer and catalytic additives in solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs). In this study, experiments are conducted with La-doped CeO 2 (LDC), in which the Ce sites are predominantly occupied by La, to prevent the formation of the Ce-Zr solid solution. This LDC is comparably used as a functional interlayer between the electrolyte and cathode if sintered at lower temperatures to avoid La 2 Zr 2 O 7 impurity. In addition, the high substitution of La 3+ into the ceria lattice improves the oxygen non-stoichiometry of LDC, leading to accelerated electrochemical high performance by the additional role of LDC for oxygen supplier capacitance at high current operation. Thus, it is confirmed that the improved SOFC high performance is achieved at the maximum power density (MPD) of ≈2.15 W cm -2 at 800 °C when the optimized LDC buffer layer is hired at the anode-supported typed-Samsung's SOFC by lowering the sintering temperature to prevent LDC's impurity reaction., (© 2024 The Author(s). Advanced Science published by Wiley‐VCH GmbH.)

Objective: The improvement of carcass traits is essential for the Hanwoo industry because of the Hanwoo grade determination system, and genome-wide association study (GWAS) analysis is an instrumental tool for identifying the genetic factors that impact these traits. While GWAS analysis utilizing family data offers advantages in minimizing genetic bias, research on family-based GWAS in Hanwoo is currently lacking., Methods: This study classified Group A using both parental and offspring genetic information, and Group B based solely on offspring genetic information, to compare GWAS analysis results of Hanwoo carcass traits., Results: A total of 16 significant single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers were identified in Group A, comprising 7 for carcass weight (CWT), 3 for back fat thickness (BFT), and 6 for marbling score (MS). In Group B, 7 significant SNP markers were identified, including 3 for CWT, 1 for eye muscle area, 1 for BFT, and 2 for MS. Functional annotation analysis revealed only one common function related to carcass traits between the groups, while protein-protein interaction analysis indicated more gene interactions in Group A. The reliability of estimated values for common SNP markers identified between the groups was higher in Group A., Conclusion: GWAS analysis utilizing parental genetic information holds greater potential for application, owing to its higher reliability of estimated values and the ability to explore numerous candidate genes.

Recently, remote-controlled quantum information processing has been proposed for its applications in secure quantum processing protocols and distributed quantum networks. For remote-controlled quantum gates, the experimental realization of controlled unitary (CU) gates between any quantum gates is an essential task. Here, we propose and experimentally demonstrate a scheme for implementing CU gates between any pair of unitary gates using the polarization and time-bin degrees of freedom of single photons. Then, we experimentally implement remote-controlled single-qubit unitary gates by controlling either the state preparation or measurement of the control qubit with high process fidelities. We believe the proposed remote-controlled quantum gate model can pave the way for secure and efficient quantum information processing.

Purpose: To comparatively analyze the clinical characteristics of patients with ocular myasthenia gravis (OMG) referred to an ophthalmology clinic, according to anti-acetylcholine receptor antibody (AchR Ab)-seropositivity., Study Design: Retrospective Cohort Study., Methods: Medical records of patients with OMG who presented to a tertiary eye care center between 2003 and 2020 were retrospectively reviewed. Demographics, ophthalmologic characteristics, response to medical treatment, presence of autoimmune thyroid disease and thyroid autoantibody were compared between the AchR Ab seropositive and seronegative groups., Results: A total of 130 patients with OMG were identified; among them, 46 patients (35.4%) had autoantibody against acetylcholine receptors. The mean age at symptom onset was 42.4 ± 18.9 years. There were no differences in mean age at symptom onset, gender ratio, and mean follow-up period between patients with seropositive and seronegative OMG. Graves ophthalmopathy was significantly more frequent in seronegative patients (p = 0.04), while thymic disease (p < 0.01) was more frequent in seropositive patients (p < 0.01). Among patients with seropositive OMG, 52.3% showed a good response to medical treatment, while only 31.4% of the seronegative patients were classified as good responders (p = 0.01). Thyroid dysfunction was found in 27.4% patients with OMG and the proportion of thyroid dysfunction was not different according to anti-acetylcholine receptor antibody-seropositivity., Conclusion: Seropositivity to acetylcholine receptor antibody is associated with a better response to medical treatment and lower risk of concomitant autoimmune thyroid disease in patients with OMG., Competing Interests: Declarations. Conflict of interest: B. J. Lee, None; J. Park, None; H. Ahn, None; H. T. Lim, None., (© 2024. Japanese Ophthalmological Society.)

The reproductive characteristics of Hanwoo play a significant role in farm profitability by decreasing the generation interval. This study analyzed 1015 primiparous and 916 multiparous cows using a genome-wide association study with both single-locus (GEMMA, GCTA) and multi-locus models (FarmCPU, BLINK). A significant marker for age at first service was identified across all methods. For age at first conception, GEMMA identified two markers, while FarmCPU and BLINK identified 14 and two markers, respectively. Regarding age at first calving, GEMMA identified two markers, and FarmCPU and BLINK found 15 and two markers, respectively. In multiparous cows, except for days open, one marker for gestation length and two markers for calving interval were identified in the multi-locus models (FarmCPU and BLINK). Additionally, one marker for the number of services per conception was identified using GEMMA. Key candidate genes included PLCB1 (maintaining pregnancy), MUC1 (fetal development), and ADCY5 (associated with fetal birth), while TXNL1 regulates embryo implantation timing. Gene ontology functions associated with embryo implantation and placental regulation were also confirmed (GO:0046875). Although the multi-locus models identified a greater number of markers and candidate genes, there was no overlap with the results from the single-locus models. The multi-locus models showed enhanced detection power, but slight inflation in test statistics (λ values) necessitates cautious interpretation to avoid false positives. Thus, a combination of both models is recommended to improve reproductive efficiency in cows, providing valuable insights into the genetic aspects of reproductive traits., (© 2024 Stichting International Foundation for Animal Genetics.)

Solving the electronic structure problem is a notorious challenge in quantum chemistry and material science. Variational quantum eigensolver (VQE) is a promising hybrid classical-quantum algorithm for finding the lowest-energy configuration of a molecular system. However, it typically requires many qubits and quantum gates with substantial quantum circuit depth to accurately represent the electronic wave function of complex structures. Here, we propose an alternative approach to solve the electronic structure problem using VQE with a single qudit. Our approach exploits a high-dimensional orbital angular momentum state of a heralded single photon and notably reduces the required quantum resources compared to conventional multi-qubit-based VQE. We experimentally demonstrate that our single-qudit-based VQE can efficiently estimate the ground state energy of hydrogen (H 2 ) and lithium hydride (LiH) molecular systems corresponding to two- and four-qubit systems, respectively. We believe that our scheme opens a pathway to perform a large-scale quantum simulation for solving more complex problems in quantum chemistry and material science.

Lithium-sulfur (Li-S) batteries are considered promising energy-storage systems because of their high theoretical energy density, low cost, and eco-friendliness. However, problems such as the shuttle effect can result in the loss of active materials, poor cyclability, and rapid capacity degradation. The utilization of a structural configuration that enhances electrochemical performance via dual adsorption-catalysis strategies can overcome the limitations of Li-S batteries. In this study, an integrated interlayer structure, in which hollow carbon fibers (HCFs) were modified with in-situ-generated Ni nanoparticles, was prepared by scalable one-step carbonization. Highly hierarchically porous HCFs act as the carbon skeleton and provide a continuous three-dimensional conductive network that enhances ion/electron diffusion. Ni nanoparticles with superior anchoring and catalytic abilities can prevent the shuttle effect and increase the conversion rate, thereby promoting the electrochemical performance. This synergistic effect resulted in a high capacity retention of 582 mAh g -1 at 1 C after 100 cycles, providing an excellent rate capability of up to 3 C. The novel structure, wherein Ni nanoparticles are embedded in cotton-tissue-derived HCFs, provides a new avenue for enhancing electrochemical performance at high C rates. This results in a low-cost, sustainable, and high-performance hybrid material for the development of practical Li-S batteries., (© 2024 Wiley-VCH GmbH.)

Structural vaccinology is pivotal in expediting vaccine design through high-throughput screening of immunogenic antigens. Leveraging the structural and functional characteristics of antigens and immune cell receptors, this approach employs protein structural comparison to identify conserved patterns in key pathogenic components. Molecular modeling techniques, including homology modeling and molecular docking, analyze specific three-dimensional (3D) structures and protein interactions and offer valuable insights into the 3D interactions and binding affinity between vaccine candidates and target proteins. In this review, we delve into the utilization of various immunoinformatics and molecular modeling tools to streamline the development of broad-protective vaccines against coronavirus disease 2019 variants. Structural vaccinology significantly enhances our understanding of molecular interactions between hosts and pathogens. By accelerating the pace of developing effective and targeted vaccines, particularly against the rapidly mutating severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 and other prevalent infectious diseases, this approach stands at the forefront of advancing immunization strategies. The combination of computational techniques and structural insights not only facilitates the identification of potential vaccine candidates but also contributes to the rational design of vaccines, fostering a more efficient and targeted approach to combatting infectious diseases., Competing Interests: No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported., (© Korean Vaccine Society.)

Importance: Despite advances in next-generation sequencing (NGS), a significant proportion of patients with inherited retinal disease (IRD) remain undiagnosed after initial genetic testing. Exome sequencing (ES) reanalysis in the clinical setting has been suggested as one method for improving diagnosis of IRD., Objective: To investigate the association of clinician-led reanalysis of ES data, which incorporates updated clinical information and comprehensive bioinformatic analysis, with the diagnostic yield in a cohort of patients with IRDs in Korea., Design, Setting, and Participants: This was a multicenter prospective cohort study involving 264 unrelated patients with IRDs, conducted in Korea between March 2018 and February 2020. Comprehensive ophthalmologic examinations and ES analyses were performed, and ES data were reanalyzed by an IRD specialist for single nucleotide variants, copy number variants, mobile element insertions, and mitochondrial variants. Data were analyzed from March to July 2023., Main Outcomes and Measures: Diagnostic rate of conventional bioinformatic analysis and clinician-driven ES reanalysis., Results: A total of 264 participants (151 [57.2%] male; mean [SD] age at genetic testing, 33.6 [18.9] years) were enrolled, including 129 patients (48.9%) with retinitis pigmentosa and 26 patients (9.8%) with Stargardt disease or macular dystrophy. Initial bioinformatic analysis diagnosed 166 patients (62.9%). Clinician-driven reanalysis identified the molecular cause of diseases in an additional 22 patients, corresponding to an 8.3-percentage point increase in diagnostic rate. Key factors associated with new molecular diagnoses included clinical phenotype updates (4 patients) and detection of previously overlooked variation, such as structural variants (9 patients), mitochondrial variants (3 patients), filtered or not captured variants (4 patients), and noncanonical splicing variants (2 patients). Among the 22 patients, variants in 7 patients (31.8%) were observed in the initial analysis but not reported to patients, while those in the remaining 15 patients (68.2%) were newly detected by the ES reanalysis., Conclusions and Relevance: In this cohort study, clinician-centered reanalysis of ES data was associated with improved molecular diagnostic yields in patients with IRD. This approach is important for uncovering missed genetic causes of retinal disease.

Introduction: Visual field defects (VFDs) represent a debilitating poststroke complication, characterized by unseen parts of the visual field. Visual perceptual learning (VPL), involving repetitive visual training in blind visual fields, may effectively restore visual field sensitivity in cortical blindness. This current multicenter, double-blind, randomized, controlled clinical trial investigated the efficacy and safety of VPL-based digital therapeutics (Nunap Vision [NV]) for treating poststroke VFDs., Methods: Stroke outpatients with VFDs (>6 months after stroke onset) were randomized into NV (defective field training) or Nunap Vision-Control (NV-C, central field training) groups. Both interventions provided visual perceptual training, consisting of orientation, rotation, and depth discrimination, through a virtual reality head-mounted display device 5 days a week for 12 weeks. The two groups received VFD assessments using Humphrey visual field (HVF) tests at baseline and 12-week follow-up. The final analysis included those completed the study (NV, n = 40; NV-C, n = 35). Efficacy measures included improved visual area (sensitivity ≥6 dB) and changes in the HVF scores during the 12-week period., Results: With a high compliance rate, NV and NV-C training improved the visual areas in the defective hemifield (>72 degrees 2 ) and the whole field (>108 degrees 2 ), which are clinically meaningful improvements despite no significant between-group differences. According to within-group analyses, mean total deviation scores in the defective hemifield improved after NV training (p = .03) but not after NV-C training (p = .12)., Conclusions: The current trial suggests that VPL-based digital therapeutics may induce clinically meaningful visual improvements in patients with poststroke VFDs. Yet, between-group differences in therapeutic efficacy were not found as NV-C training exhibited unexpected improvement comparable to NV training, possibly due to learning transfer effects., (© 2024 The Authors. Brain and Behavior published by Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

Distributed quantum metrology has drawn intense interest as it outperforms the optimal classical counterparts in estimating multiple distributed parameters. However, most schemes so far have required entangled resources consisting of photon numbers equal to or more than the parameter numbers, which is a fairly demanding requirement as the number of nodes increases. Here, we present a distributed quantum sensing scenario in which quantum-enhanced sensitivity can be achieved with fewer photons than the number of parameters. As an experimental demonstration, using a two-photon entangled state, we estimate four phases distributed 3 km away from the central node, resulting in a 2.2 dB sensitivity enhancement from the standard quantum limit. Our results show that the Heisenberg scaling can be achieved even when using fewer photons than the number of parameters. We believe our scheme will open a pathway to perform large-scale distributed quantum sensing with currently available entangled sources., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

With rapid advances in meat science in recent decades, changes in meat quality during the pre-slaughter phase of muscle growth and the post-slaughter process from muscle to meat have been investigated. Commonly used techniques have evolved from early physicochemical indicators such as meat color, tenderness, water holding capacity, flavor, and pH to various omic tools such as genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, and metabolomics to explore fundamental molecular mechanisms and screen biomarkers related to meat quality and taste characteristics. This review highlights the application of omics and integrated multi-omics in meat quality and taste characteristics studies. It also discusses challenges and future perspectives of multi-omics technology to improve meat quality and taste. Consequently, multi-omics techniques can elucidate the molecular mechanisms responsible for changes of meat quality at transcriptome, proteome, and metabolome levels. In addition, the application of multi-omics technology has great potential for exploring and identifying biomarkers for meat quality and quality control that can make it easier to optimize production processes in the meat industry., Competing Interests: The authors declare no potential conflicts of interest., (© Korean Society for Food Science of Animal Resources.)

Objective: When evaluating individuals with the same parent and no phenotype by pedigree best linear unbiased prediction (BLUP), it is difficult to explain carcass grade difference and select individuals because they have the same value in pedigree BLUP (PBLUP). However, single step GBLUP (ssGBLUP), which can estimate the breeding value suitable for the individual by adding genotype, is more accurate than the existing method., Methods: The breeding value and accuracy were estimated with pedigree BLUP and ssGBLUP using pedigree and genotype of 408 Hanwoo cattle from 16 families with the same parent among siblings produced by fertilized egg transplantation. A total of 14,225 Hanwoo cattle with pedigree, genotype and phenotype were used as the reference population. PBLUP obtained estimated breeding value (EBV) using the pedigree of the test and reference populations, and ssGBLUP obtained genomic EBV (GEBV) after constructing and H-matrix by integrating the pedigree and genotype of the test and reference populations., Results: For all traits, the accuracy of GEBV using ssGBLUP is 0.18 to 0.20 higher than the accuracy of EBV obtained with PBLUP. Comparison of EBV and GEBV of individuals without phenotype, since the value of EBV is estimated based on expected values of alleles passed down from common ancestors. It does not take Mendelian sampling into consideration, so the EBV of all individuals within the same family is estimated to be the same value. However, GEBV makes estimating true kinship coefficient based on different genotypes of individuals possible, so GEBV that corresponds to each individual is estimated rather than a uniform GEBV for each individual., Conclusion: Since Hanwoo cows bred through embryo transfer have a high possibility of having the same parent, if ssGBLUP after adding genotype is used, estimating true kinship coefficient corresponding to each individual becomes possible, allowing for more accurate estimation of breeding value.

Antibody with high affinity and specificity to antigen has widely used as a tool to combat various diseases. The variable domain of immunoglobulin new antigen receptor (VNAR) naturally found in shark contains autonomous function as single-domain antibody. Due to its excellent characteristics, the small, non-complex, and highly stable have made shark VNAR can acquires the antigen-binding capability that might not be reached by conventional antibody. Phage display technology enables shark VNAR to be presented on the surface of phage, allowing the exploration of shark VNAR as an alternative antibody format to target antigens from various infectious diseases. The application of phage-displayed shark VNAR in antibody library and biopanning eventually leads to the discovery and isolation of antigen-specific VNARs with diagnostic and therapeutic potential towards infectious diseases. This review provides an overview of the shark VNAR antibody, the types of phage display technology with comparison to the other types of display system, as well as the application and case studies of phage-displayed shark VNAR antibodies against infectious diseases., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

Composite anodes of Li 3 PS 4  glass+Li-Si alloy (Type 1) and Li 3 N+LiF+Li-Si alloy (Type 2) are prepared for all-solid-state batteries with Li 3 PS 4 (LPS) glass electrolyte and sulfur/LPS glass/carbon composite cathode. Using a three-electrode system, the anode and cathode potentials are separated, and their polarization resistances are individually traced. Even under high-cutoff-voltage conditions (3.7 V), Type 1 and 2 cells are stably cycled without voltage noise for >200 cycles. Although cathode polarization resistance drastically increases after 3.7 V charge owing to LPS oxidation, LPS redox behavior is fairly reversible upon discharge-charge unlike the non-composite alloy anode cell. Time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry analysis reveals that the enhanced cyclability is attributed to uniform Li-Si alloying throughout the composite anode, providing more pathways for lithium ions even when these ions are over-supplied via LPS oxidation. These results imply that LPS-based cells can be reversibly cycled with LPS redox even under high-cutoff voltages, as long as non-uniform alloying (lithium dendrite growth) is prevented. Type 1 and 2 cells exhibit similar performance and stability although reduction product is formed in Type 1. This work highlights the importance of alloy anode design to prevent chemo-mechanical failure when cycling the cell outside the electrochemical stability window., (© 2023 The Authors. Advanced Science published by Wiley-VCH GmbH.)

Despite extensive development, oxygen evolution reaction (OER) catalysts still require significant overpotentials to function. In this study, we show that the overpotential of a nickel (Ni) electrode for the OER can decrease by about 100 mV with fluorine (F) incorporation, particularly by a facile electrochemical approach at room temperature.

It is unclear whether serum proteins can serve as biomarkers to reflect pathological changes and predict recovery in inflammation of optic nerve. We evaluated whether serum proteins could monitor and prognosticate optic neuritis (ON). We prospectively recruited consecutive patients with recent ON, classified as ON with anti-aquaporin-4 antibody (AQP4-ON), ON with anti-myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein antibody (MOG-ON), and double-seronegative ON (DSN-ON). Using ultrasensitive single-molecule array assays, we measured serum neurofilament light chain and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF). We analyzed the markers according to disease group, state, severity, and prognosis. We enrolled 60 patients with recent ON (15 AQP4-ON; 14 MOG-ON; 31 DSN-ON). At baseline, AQP4-ON group had significantly higher serum GFAP levels than did other groups. In AQP4-ON group, serum GFAP levels were significantly higher in the attack state than in the remission state and correlated with poor visual acuity. As a prognostic indicator, serum BDNF levels were positively correlated with follow-up visual function in the AQP4-ON group (r = 0.726, p = 0.027). Serum GFAP reflected disease status and severity, while serum BDNF was identified as a prognostic biomarker in AQP4-ON. Serum biomarkers are potentially helpful for patients with ON, particularly those with AQP4-ON., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

The ongoing pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has globally devastated public health, the economies of many countries and quality of life universally. The recent emergence of immune-escaped variants and scenario of vaccinated individuals being infected has raised the global concerns about the effectiveness of the current available vaccines in transmission control and disease prevention. Given the high rate mutation of SARS-CoV-2, an efficacious vaccine targeting against multiple variants that contains virus-specific epitopes is desperately needed. An immunoinformatics approach is gaining traction in vaccine design and development due to the significant reduction in time and cost of immunogenicity studies and increasing reliability of the generated results. It can underpin the development of novel therapeutic methods and accelerate the design and production of peptide vaccines for infectious diseases. Structural proteins, particularly spike protein (S), along with other proteins have been studied intensively as promising coronavirus vaccine targets. Numbers of promising online immunological databases, tools and web servers have widely been employed for the design and development of next generation COVID-19 vaccines. This review highlights the role of immunoinformatics in identifying immunogenic peptides as potential vaccine targets, involving databases, and prediction and characterization of epitopes which can be harnessed for designing future coronavirus vaccines.

This multicenter study aimed to characterize Korean patients with achromatopsia. The patients' genotypes and phenotypes were retrospectively evaluated. Twenty-one patients (with a mean age at the baseline of 10.9 years) were enrolled and followed up for a mean of 7.3 years. A targeted gene panel or exome sequencing was performed. The pathogenic variants of the four genes and their frequencies were identified. CNGA3 and PDE6C were equally the most prevalent genes: CNGA3 (N = 8, 38.1%), PDE6C (N = 8, 38.1%), CNGB3 (N = 3, 14.3%), and GNAT2 (N = 2, 9.5%). The degree of functional and structural defects varied among the patients. The patients' age exhibited no significant correlation with structural defects. During the follow-up, the visual acuity and retinal thickness did not change significantly. In CNGA3 -achromatopsia patients, a proportion of patients with a normal foveal ellipsoid zone on the OCT was significantly higher than that of patients with other causative genes (62.5% vs. 16.7%; p = 0.023). In PDE6C -achromatopsia patients, the same proportion was significantly lower than that of patients with other causative genes (0% vs. 58.3%; p = 0.003). Korean patients with achromatopsia showed similar clinical features but a higher prevalence of PDE6C variants than those of other ethnic groups. The retinal phenotypes of the PDE6C variants were more likely to be worse than those of other genes.

Thermoelectric inorganic films are flexible when sufficiently thin. By removing the substrate, that is, making them free-standing, the flexibility of thermoelectric films can be enhanced to the utmost extent. However, studies on the flexibility of free-standing thermoelectric inorganic films have not yet been reported. Herein, the high thermoelectric performance and flexibility of free-standing thermoelectric Ag 2 Se films are reported. Free-standing Ag 2 Se films with a thickness of 25.0 ± 3.9 μm exhibited an in-plane zT of 0.514 ± 0.060 at room temperature. These films exhibited superior flexibility compared to Ag 2 Se films constrained on a substrate. The flexibility of the Ag 2 Se films was systematically investigated in terms of bending strain, bending radius, thickness, and elastic modulus. Using free-standing Ag 2 Se films, a substrate-free, flexible thermoelectric generator was fabricated. The energy-harvesting capacity of the thermoelectric generator was also demonstrated.

The transmission of dengue virus (DENV) from an infected Aedes mosquito to a human, causes illness ranging from mild dengue fever to fatal dengue shock syndrome. The similar conserved structure and sequence among distinct DENV serotypes or different flaviviruses has resulted in the occurrence of cross reaction followed by antibody-dependent enhancement (ADE). Thus far, the vaccine which can provide effective protection against infection by different DENV serotypes remains the biggest hurdle to overcome. Therefore, deep investigation is crucial for the potent and effective therapeutic drugs development. In addition, the cross-reactivity of flaviviruses that leads to false diagnosis in clinical settings could result to delay proper intervention management. Thus, the accurate diagnostic with high specificity and sensitivity is highly required to provide prompt diagnosis in respect to render early treatment for DENV infected individuals. In this review, the recent development of neutralizing antibodies, antiviral agents, and vaccine candidates in therapeutic platform for DENV infection will be discussed. Moreover, the discovery of antigenic cryptic epitopes, principle of molecular mimicry, and application of single-chain or single-domain antibodies towards DENV will also be presented., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2022. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

With severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) as an emergent human virus since December 2019, the world population is susceptible to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). SARS-CoV-2 has higher transmissibility than the previous coronaviruses, associated by the ribonucleic acid (RNA) virus nature with high mutation rate, caused SARS-CoV-2 variants to arise while circulating worldwide. Neutralizing antibodies are identified as immediate and direct-acting therapeutic against COVID-19. Single-domain antibodies (sdAbs), as small biomolecules with non-complex structure and intrinsic stability, can acquire antigen-binding capabilities comparable to conventional antibodies, which serve as an attractive neutralizing solution. SARS-CoV-2 spike protein attaches to human angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) receptor on lung epithelial cells to initiate viral infection, serves as potential therapeutic target. sdAbs have shown broad neutralization towards SARS-CoV-2 with various mutations, effectively stop and prevent infection while efficiently block mutational escape. In addition, sdAbs can be developed into multivalent antibodies or inhaled biotherapeutics against COVID-19., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (© 2022 The Author(s).)

Aims: To evaluate the clinical characteristics and causative genetic variants in autosomal optic atrophy diagnosed using next-generation sequencing (NGS)., Methods: A cohort of 57 unrelated families affected with bilateral optic atrophy were recruited from two university-based tertiary referral hospitals from May 2016 to April 2022. Genetic variants were detected using a target enrichment panel consisting of 429 or 595 genes and known deep intronic variants associated with inherited eye diseases, exome sequencing, or genome sequencing. The results of detailed clinical examinations, disease-causing variants, and clinical diagnoses were analyzed., Results: Among the 57 probands, 33 (57.9%) were men, and the median age at genetic testing was 19.1 years (interquartile range, 7.6-42.5 years). We identified 22 likely causative variants in 18 families and corresponding diagnostic yields of 31.6% (95% confidence interval, 21.0-44.5%). The diagnostic rate of NGS was higher in patients with infantile or early childhood onset optic atrophy than in those with late-onset or unknown optic atrophy (18/39, 46.2% vs. 0/18, 0%, P < 0.001). Among the 22 variants, 15 were novel in our cohort. The OPA1 variants ( n = 7) were found to be the major genetic causes, followed by the NR2F1 variant ( n = 4). The causative variants in PTPN23, TMEM126A, NBAS , and WFS1 genes were identified in 4 probands with a recessive form of optic atrophy., Conclusions: Based on the results of diagnostic NGS for optic atrophy, the causative variant could be detected in 31.6% of patients. Our study also demonstrated that NGS is unlikely to help identify molecular causes in late-onset unexplained optic atrophy., Competing Interests: JC and S-TL were employed by Dxome Co., Ltd. The remaining authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2022 Seo, Kim, Won, Shin, Choi, Lee, Lee, Lim, Han and Han.)

Quantum correlations between identical particles are at the heart of quantum technologies. Several studies with two identical particles have shown that the spatial overlap and indistinguishability between the particles are necessary for generating bipartite entanglement. On the other hand, researches on the extension to more than two-particle systems are limited by the practical difficulty to control multiple identical particles in laboratories. In this work, we propose schemes to generate two fundamental classes of genuine tripartite entanglement, i.e., GHZ and W classes, which are experimentally demonstrated using linear optics with three identical photons. We also show that the tripartite entanglement class decays from the genuine entanglement to the full separability as the particles become more distinguishable from each other. Our results support the prediction that particle indistinguishability is a fundamental element for entangling identical particles.

The genetic improvement of Hanwoo is dependent on the estimated breeding value (EBV) of pedigree-based Korean proven bull's number, and the genetic evaluation for cows is difficult due to insufficient pedigree and test records. Genomic selection involves utilizing the individual's genotype to estimate the breeding value (BV) and is determined to be an appropriate evaluation method for cows who lack test information. This study used pedigree and genotype to estimate and analyse BV and accuracy of Hanwoo cows in the Gyeongnam area using pedigree best linear unbiased prediction (PBLUP) and genomic best linear unbiased prediction (GBLUP). The test group acquired pedigree and genotype of 919 Hanwoo cows in the Gyeongnam area. The traits used for analysis were carcass weight (CWT), eye muscle areas (EMA), backfat thickness (BFT) and marbling score (MS). PBLUP used Reference group 1 containing the pedigree and phenotype of 919 Hanwoo cows and 545,483 heads to construct the numeric relationship matrix and estimated the EBV and accuracy. GBLUP used Reference group 2 containing the genotype and phenotype of 919 Hanwoo cows and 17,226 heads to construct the genomic relationship matrix and estimated the genomic EBV (GEBV) and accuracy. In the order of CWT, EMA, BFT and MS, the accuracy of PBLUP was 0.488, 0.480, 0.482 and 0.486 while the accuracy of GBLUP was higher with 0.779, 0.758, 0.766 and 0.791. And for 104 cows without relationship coefficient on pedigree to the reference group, the accuracy as PBLUP was estimated to be 0, but for GBLUP, it was possible to estimate the accuracy for all individuals. If GBLUP is applied to cows raised in general farms, the genetic evaluation can be performed even on animals without pedigree and high-accuracy estimation, enabling selection of excellent cows. Accordingly, by securing the genetic diversity of cows, it is expected to increase the profitability of farms by decreasing the inbreeding rate and increasing efficiency of elite calf production., (© 2021 Wiley-VCH GmbH.)

Purpose: To compare the anti-inflammatory activity of preoperatively applied eyedrops, as determined by cytokine concentrations in aqueous humor collected during surgery in patients undergoing femtosecond laser-assisted cataract surgery., Methods: A total of 120 patients undergoing femtosecond laser-assisted cataract surgery were randomly assigned to four groups of 30 patients each. Groups were administered 0.1% fluorometholone eyedrops, 0.45% ketorolac tromethamine eyedrops, both 0.1% fluorometholone and 0.45% ketorolac tromethamine eyedrops, or no eyedrops. Eyedrops were instilled 1 h, 20 min, and just before surgery. After anterior capsulotomy and nuclear fragmentation using a femtosecond laser, 0.1 cc aqueous humor was obtained using a needle and syringe. Cytokine and prostaglandin E 2 (PGE 2 ) concentrations were quantitatively determined., Results: The 120 patients included 59 men and 61 women, of mean age 65.02 years. The mean interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) concentrations after treatment did not differ significantly in the four groups. The average interleukin-8 (IL-8) concentrations were significantly lower in the fluorometholone (4.80 pg/mL), ketorolac tromethamine (4.84 pg/mL), and fluorometholone + ketorolac tromethamine (4.68 pg/mL) groups than in the control group (6.83 pg/mL). Furthermore, the average PGE 2 concentrations were significantly lower in the ketorolac tromethamine (270.04 pg/mL) and fluorometholone + ketorolac tromethamine (239.00 pg/mL) groups, but not in the fluorometholone (393.16 pg/mL) group, than in the control group (472.36 pg/mL)., Conclusion: Preoperative fluorometholone instillation reduced IL-8, and ketorolac tromethamine instillation reduced IL-8 and PGE 2 , in aqueous humor of patients undergoing femtosecond laser surgery, with the combination of both eyedrops being more effective than either alone., Trial Registration: KCT0005717., (© 2021. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Objective: To examine the effectiveness and safety of non-pharmacological interventions to reduce bone loss among post-stroke adult patients., Data Sources: Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), Cochrane Database for Systematic Reviews, MEDLINE, CINAHL, ScienceDirect, Scopus, PubMed and PeDRO databases were searched from inception up to 31st August 2021., Methods: A systematic review of randomized controlled trials, experimental studies without randomization and prospective cohort studies with concurrent control of non-pharmacological interventions for adult stroke patients compared with placebo or other stroke care. The review outcomes were bone loss, fall and fracture. The Cochrane Risk of Bias Tools were used to assess methodological quality, and Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluations Framework to assess outcome quality. Synthesis Without Meta-Analysis (SWiM) was used for result synthesis., Results: Seven studies (n = 453) were included. The methodological and outcome qualities varied from low to moderate. There were statistically significant changes between the intervention and parallel/placebo group in bone mineral density, bone mineral content, cortical thickness and bone turnover markers with specific physical and vibration therapies (p<0.05). Falls were higher in the intervention group, but no fracture was reported., Conclusion: There was low to moderate evidence that physical and vibration therapies significantly reduced bone loss in post-stroke patients at the expense of a higher falls rate. The sample size was small, and the interventions were highly heterogeneous with different duration, intensities and frequencies. Despite osteoporosis occurring with ageing and accelerated by stroke, there were no studies on vitamin D or protein supplementation to curb the ongoing loss. Effective, high-quality non-pharmacological intervention to improve post-stroke bone health is required., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Engineering a strongly interacting uniform qubit cluster would be a major step toward realizing a scalable quantum system for quantum sensing and a node-based qubit register. For a solid-state system that uses a defect as a qubit, various methods to precisely position defects have been developed, yet the large-scale fabrication of qubits within the strong coupling regime at room temperature continues to be a challenge. In this work, we generate nitrogen vacancy (NV) color centers in diamond with sub-10 nm scale precision using a combination of nanoscale aperture arrays (NAAs) with a high aspect ratio of 10 and a secondary E-beam hole pattern used as an ion-blocking mask. We perform optical and spin measurements on a cluster of NV spins and statistically investigate the effect of the NAAs during an ion-implantation process. We discuss how this technique is effective for constructing a scalable system.

While an information-disturbance trade-off in quantum measurement has been at the core of foundational quantum physics and constitutes a basis of secure quantum information processing, recently verified reversibility of a quantum measurement requires to refine it toward a complete version of information trade-off in quantum measurement. Here we experimentally demonstrate a trade-off relation among all information contents, i.e., information gain, disturbance, and reversibility in quantum measurement. By exploring quantum measurements applied on a photonic qutrit, we observe that the information of a quantum state is split into three distinct parts accounting for the extracted, disturbed, and reversible information. We verify that such different parts of information are in trade-off relations not only pairwise but also triplewise all at once, and find that the triplewise relation is tighter than any of the pairwise relations. Finally, we realize optimal quantum measurements that inherently preserve quantum information without loss of information, which offer wider applications in measurement-based quantum information processing.

Background: To investigate the correlation between optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) characteristics and visual outcomes in patients with acute and chronic nonarteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (NAION)., Methods: We retrospectively reviewed clinical data and OCTA images of 26 eyes of 26 patients who had been diagnosed with unilateral NAION. OCTA images were acquired from 17 eyes at the acute stage and from 21 eyes at the chronic stage of NAION. We analyzed the peripapillary vessel density (VD) and macular VD in various layers of the retina and choroid for all images. Possible correlations between the OCTA parameters and visual outcomes were investigated., Results: Among the OCTA parameters for the acute stage of NAION, the temporal peripapillary VD was found to be positively correlated with final visual acuity and visual field with statistical significance (P = 0.039 and 0.009, respectively). In the chronic stage of NAION, both peripapillary and superficial macular VDs were positively correlated with visual outcomes. The nasal perifoveal VD in the superficial capillary plexus (SCP) also had a significant correlation with final visual acuity for both acute and chronic stages (the Spearman correlation coefficient = 0.565 and 0.685, respectively)., Conclusions: In patients with NAION, significant correlations were found between OCTA parameters and visual outcomes. The temporal peripapillary VD measured during the acute stage was a significant predictor of final visual outcomes. The decreased nasal perifoveal VD in the SCP was strongly associated with poor visual prognosis., Competing Interests: The authors report no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2020 by North American Neuro-Ophthalmology Society.)

The present study investigated the characteristics of choroidal microvasculature dropout (CMvD) in eyes with nonarteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (NAION) versus those in eyes with normal-tension glaucoma (NTG). This study included 27 NAION, 27 NTG, and 27 healthy control subjects. CMvD was observed in 15 eyes (55.6%) of the NAION group and 20 (74.1%) of the NTG group. The area and angular width of CMvD were significantly greater in eyes with NAION (0.278 ± 0.172 mm 2 and 86.5 ± 42.3°) than in those with NTG (0.138 ± 0.068 mm 2 and 35.1 ± 16.2°, p = 0.002 and p < 0.001, respectively). CMvD in eyes with NAION were distributed in 120-250° and most frequently located at the temporal region, while CMvD in eyes with NTG showed double peaks at 220-280° and 110-140° and most frequently located at the inferotemporal region. The factors associated with the discrimination of NAION from NTG were greater area of CMvD (OR, 1.181; 95% CI, 1.021-1.366; p = 0.025) and location closer to the temporal region of the CMvD (OR, 0.904; 95% CI, 0.838-0.975; p = 0.009). The clinical characteristics of CMvD differed between eyes with NAION and those with NTG. Optical coherence tomography angiography may provide an additional approach to differentiating glaucoma from NAION., (© 2021. The Author(s).)

A critical issue to tackle before successful commercialization of solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) can be achieved is the long-term thermal stability required for SOFCs to operate reliably without significant performance degradation despite enduring thermal cycling. In this work, the impact of thermal cycling on the durability of NiO-yttria-stabilized zirconia-based anode-supported cells is studied using three different heating/cooling rates (1, 2, and 5 °C min -1 ) as the temperature fluctuated between 400 and 700 °C. Our experiments simulate time periods when power from SOFCs is not required (e.g., as might occur at night or during an emergency shutdown). The decay ratios of the cell voltages are 8.8% (82 μV h -1 ) and 19.1% (187 μV h -1 ) after thermal cycling testing at heating/cooling rates of 1 and 5 °C min -1 , respectively, over a period of 1000 h. The results indicate SOFCs that undergo rapid thermal cycling experience much greater performance degradation than cells that experience slow heating/cooling rates. The changes in total resistance for thermally cycled cells are determined by measuring the R pol of the electrodes (whereas the ohmic resistances of the cells remain unchanged from their initial value), signifying that electrode deterioration is the main degradation mechanism for SOFCs under thermal cycling. In particular, fast thermal cycling leads to severe degradation in the anode part of SOFCs with substantial agglomeration and depletion of Ni particles seen in our characterizations with field emission-scanning electron microscopy and electron probe microanalysis. In addition, the mean particle size in the cathode after thermal cycling testing increases from 0.104 to 0.201 μm for the 5 °C min -1 cell. Further, the presence of Sr-enriched regions is more significant in the La 0.6 Sr 0.4 Co 0.2 Fe 0.8 O 3-δ cathode after fast thermally cycled SOFCs.

Stickler syndrome is an inherited connective tissue disorder of collagen. There are relatively few reports of East Asian patients, and no large-scale studies have been conducted in Korean patients yet. In this study, we retrospectively analyzed the genetic characteristics and clinical features of Korean Stickler syndrome patients. Among 37 genetically confirmed Stickler syndrome patients, 21 types of gene variants were identified, of which 12 were novel variants. A total of 30 people had variants in the COL2A1 gene and 7 had variants in the COL11A1 gene. Among the types of pathogenic variants, missense variants were found in 11, nonsense variants in 8, and splice site variants in 7. Splicing variants were frequently associated with retinal detachment (71%) followed by missense variants. This is the first large-scale study of Koreans with Stickler syndrome, which will expand the spectrum of genetic variations of Stickler syndrome.

The Korean Intermittent Exotropia Multicenter Study (KIEMS), which was initiated by the Korean Association of Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus, is a collaborative multicenter study on intermittent exotropia in Korea. The KIEMS was designed to provide comprehensive information, including subjective and objective findings of intermittent exotropia in a large study population. A total of 65 strabismus specialists in 53 institutions contributed to this study, which, to date, is one of the largest clinical studies on intermittent exotropia. In this article, we provide a detailed methodology of the KIEMS to help future investigations that may use the KIEMS data.

There is a wide variation on the efficacy of three-factor Prothrombin Complex Concentrate (3F-PCC) in warfarin reversal. We aimed to determine the efficacy and safety of 3F-PCC in warfarin reversal. This multicentre prospective study analysed data from adult patients on warfarin who received 3F-PCC (Prothrombinex-VF®) for anticoagulation reversal between June 2019 to October 2020. Purposive sampling was used in this study. Study endpoints included target INR achievement, adverse drug reactions (ADRs), and in-hospital all-cause mortality. Logistic regression analyses were used to assess independent predictors of study endpoints. One-hundred thirty-seven patients with a median age of 68 (59-76) years were recruited, who were predominantly male (59.9%, n = 82). A total of 102 patients required 3F-PCC for life-threatening (40.9%, n = 56) and clinically significant bleeding (33.6%, n = 46). Initial INRs ranged from 1.55 to undetectable high (> 26). All patients had INR reduction, of which 62% (n = 85) achieved target INR, whereas 12.4% (n = 17) achieved INR below the target range. Median INR was reduced from 4.76 (3.14-8.32) to 1.54 (1.27-1.88) post-3F-PCC (p < 0.001). The use of adjunctive reversal agents and initial INR < 3.6 were the significant predictors for target INR achievement. Six (4.4%) ADRs were observed. Two (1.5%) cases with the suspected acute coronary syndrome were associated with mortality. Ischemic stroke occurred in one (0.7%) patient. The incidence of in-hospital all-cause mortality was 21.2% (n = 29). The rate of INR achievement was 62% in our study without apparent increased risk of thromboembolic events and in-hospital all-cause mortality., (© 2021. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

Quantum metrology can achieve enhanced sensitivity for estimating unknown parameters beyond the standard quantum limit. Recently, multiple-phase estimation exploiting quantum resources has attracted intensive interest for its applications in quantum imaging and sensor networks. For multiple-phase estimation, the amount of enhanced sensitivity is dependent on quantum probe states, and multi-mode N00N states are known to be a key resource for this. However, its experimental demonstration has been missing so far since generating such states is highly challenging. Here, we report generation of multi-mode N00N states and experimental demonstration of quantum enhanced multiple-phase estimation using the multi-mode N00N states. In particular, we show that the quantum Cramer-Rao bound can be saturated using our two-photon four-mode N00N state and measurement scheme using a 4 × 4 multi-mode beam splitter. Our multiple-phase estimation strategy provides a faithful platform to investigate multiple parameter estimation scenarios., (© 2021. The Author(s).)

Linear optical multiports are widely used in photonic quantum information processing. Naturally, these devices are directionally-biased since photons always propagate from the input ports toward the output ports. Recently, the concept of directionally-unbiased linear optical multiports was proposed. These directionally-unbiased multiports allow photons to propagate along a reverse direction, which can greatly reduce the number of required linear optical elements for complicated linear optical quantum networks. Here, we report an experimental demonstration of a 3 × 3 directionally-unbiased linear optical fiber multiport using an optical tritter and mirrors. Compared to the previous demonstration using bulk optical elements which works only with light sources with a long coherence length, our experimental directionally-unbiased 3 × 3 optical multiport does not require a long coherence length since it provides negligible optical path length differences among all possible optical trajectories. It can be a useful building block for implementing large-scale quantum walks on complex graph networks.

Pediatric myopia is increasing globally and has become a major public health issue. However, the mechanism of pediatric myopia is still poorly understood, and there is no effective treatment to prevent its progression. Based on results from animal and clinical studies, certain neuronal-humoral factors (NHFs), such as IGF-1, dopamine, and cortisol may be involved in the progression of pediatric myopia. Digital therapeutics uses evidence-based software as therapeutic interventions and it has the potential to offer innovative treatment strategies for pediatric myopia beyond conventional treatment methods. In this perspective article, we introduce digital therapeutics SAT-001, a software algorithm that modulates the level of NHFs to reduce the progression of pediatric myopia. The proposed mechanism is based on a theoretical hypothesis derived from scientific research and clinical studies and will be further confirmed by evidence generated from clinical studies involving pediatric myopia., Competing Interests: YL, SC, and MK are stockholders of S-Alpha Therapeutics. YL, SC, and JH are employed by S-Alpha Therapeutics. HB is employed by Black Kactus, LLC. HB received consulting fees from S-Alpha Therapeutics. The remaining authors declare that there is no commercial or financial relationship in the research conducted that could be constructed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2021 Lee, Choi, Hahm, Kim, Bae, Yi, Lim and Hyon.)