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The term Solar Cell is commonly used for Photovoltaics that convert light into electrical energy. However, light can be harvested from various sources not limited to the Sun. This work considers the possibility of harvesting photons from different star types, including our closest neighbor star Proxima Centauri. The theoretical efficiency limits of single junction photovoltaic devices are calculated for different star types at a normalized light intensity corresponding to the AM0 spectrum intensity with AM0 = 1361 W/m2. An optimal bandgap of > 12 eV for the hottest O5V star type leads to 47% Shockley-Queisser photoconversion efficiency (SQ PCE), whereas a narrower optimal bandgap of 0.7 eV leads to 23% SQ PCE for the coldest red dwarf M0, M5.5Ve, and M8V type stars. Organic Photovoltaics (OPVs) are the most lightweight solar technology and have the potential to be employed in weight-restricted space applications, including foreseeable interstellar missions. With that in mind, the Suns G2V spectrum and Proxima Centauris M5.5Ve spectrum are considered in further detail in combination with two extreme bandgap OPV systems: one narrow bandgap system (PM2:COTIC-4F, Eg = 1.14 eV) and one wide bandgap system (PM6:o-IDTBR, Eg = 1.62 eV). Semi-empirically modeled JV-curves reveal that the absorption characteristics of the PM2:COTIC-4F blend match well with both the G2V and the M5.5Ve spectrum, yielding theoretical PCEs of 22.6% and 12.6%, respectively. In contrast, the PM6:o-IDTBR device shows a theoretical PCE of 18.2% under G2V illumination that drops sharply to 0.9% under M5.5Ve illumination.

Introduction: Vietnamese nail salon technicians are continuously exposed to neurotoxins linked to cognitive impairments and Alzheimer’s disease. This study examined the association of occupational exposure with cognitive function and depressive symptoms among Vietnamese nail salon technicians. Methods: The sample included 155 current or former Vietnamese female nail technicians and 145 control group participants. Measures included the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) and the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D). Results: Average cognitive functioning was significantly higher for the control compared to the nail technician group (mean difference = 1.2, p < 0.05). No differences were observed for depression. Multivariate findings revealed that exposure was negatively associated with cognitive functioning (β = −0.29, 95% CI: −0.53, −0.05, p < 0.05). Discussion: Nail salon work and the extent of occupational exposure were associated with lower cognitive functioning among Vietnamese nail technicians. Longitudinal research can further examine the risk for cognitive decline and dementia for this vulnerable population.

Single-cell transcriptomics can provide quantitative molecular signatures for large, unbiased samples of the diverse cell types in the brain1-3. With the proliferation of multi-omics datasets, a major challenge is to validate and integrate results into a biological understanding of cell-type organization. Here we generated transcriptomes and epigenomes from more than 500,000 individual cells in the mouse primary motor cortex, a structure that has an evolutionarily conserved role in locomotion. We developed computational and statistical methods to integrate multimodal data and quantitatively validate cell-type reproducibility. The resulting reference atlas-containing over 56 neuronal cell types that are highly replicable across analysis methods, sequencing technologies and modalities-is a comprehensive molecular and genomic account of the diverse neuronal and non-neuronal cell types in the mouse primary motor cortex. The atlas includes a population of excitatory neurons that resemble pyramidal cells in layer 4 in other cortical regions4. We further discovered thousands of concordant marker genes and gene regulatory elements for these cell types. Our results highlight the complex molecular regulation of cell types in the brain and will directly enable the design of reagents to target specific cell types in the mouse primary motor cortex for functional analysis.

Here we report the generation of a multimodal cell census and atlas of the mammalian primary motor cortex as the initial product of the BRAIN Initiative Cell Census Network (BICCN). This was achieved by coordinated large-scale analyses of single-cell transcriptomes, chromatin accessibility, DNA methylomes, spatially resolved single-cell transcriptomes, morphological and electrophysiological properties and cellular resolution input-output mapping, integrated through cross-modal computational analysis. Our results advance the collective knowledge and understanding of brain cell-type organization1-5. First, our study reveals a unified molecular genetic landscape of cortical cell types that integrates their transcriptome, open chromatin and DNA methylation maps. Second, cross-species analysis achieves a consensus taxonomy of transcriptomic types and their hierarchical organization that is conserved from mouse to marmoset and human. Third, in situ single-cell transcriptomics provides a spatially resolved cell-type atlas of the motor cortex. Fourth, cross-modal analysis provides compelling evidence for the transcriptomic, epigenomic and gene regulatory basis of neuronal phenotypes such as their physiological and anatomical properties, demonstrating the biological validity and genomic underpinning of neuron types. We further present an extensive genetic toolset for targeting glutamatergic neuron types towards linking their molecular and developmental identity to their circuit function. Together, our results establish a unifying and mechanistic framework of neuronal cell-type organization that integrates multi-layered molecular genetic and spatial information with multi-faceted phenotypic properties.

This investigation focused on assessing and enhancing ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE) using natural deep eutectic solvents (NADES) to extract phenolics and terpenoids from sweet basil leaves. The initial stage involved evaluating the extraction performance of twelve NADES and ethanol. A NADES comprising lactic acid and glucose with a 2 : 1 molar ratio and 20% water content (WC) obtained the highest total phenolic content (TPC) and total terpenoid content (TTC). Single-factor experiments systematically examined the impact of liquid-to-solid ratio (LSR), water content in NADES (WC), ultrasound power, temperature, and exposure time on the extraction yield. Optimization using Box–Behnken Design (BBD) models for the lactic acid and glucose-based UAE revealed the optimal conditions to be 80 ml/g LSR, 30% water, 300 W, 50°C temperature, and a 15-minute exposure time. Under these optimized parameters, the extraction achieved the highest TPC and TTC at 69.88 mg GAE/g and 110.71 mg UA/g, respectively. This study presents an environmentally friendly and sustainable extraction protocol for the extraction of phenolic compounds and terpenoids from sweet basil leaves.

IntroductionDespite increasing numbers of persons living with Alzheimer's disease and Alzheimer's-related dementias (AD/ADRD) in Asia, particularly in low-income countries (LIC) and middle-income countries (MIC), surprisingly little is known about the current state of the evidence for family caregiver interventions. The objectives of this scoping review were to: (1) describe the evidence for efficacy of family dementia-caregiver psychosocial interventions in Asian countries, (2) compare evidence across LIC, MIC, and high-income countries (HIC), and (3) characterise cultural adaptions to interventions developed outside Asia.MethodsThe inclusion criteria included: (1) conducted in Asia (2) included an intervention delivered to a family caregiver of a person living with AD/ADRD, (3) reported quantitative outcomes for the family caregiver and (4) published in a peer-reviewed journal with full text available in English.ResultsThirty intervention trials were identified meeting inclusion criteria and all reported statistically significant (p

BackgroundSmartphone and tablet apps that deliver health care education have been identified as effective in improving patient knowledge and treatment adherence in asthma populations. Despite asthma being the most common chronic disease in pediatrics, there are few apps that are targeted specifically for children. Only half of children with asthma have acceptable control of their symptoms, and 40%-98% do not use their inhalers correctly. With children being increasingly connected to technology, there is an opportunity to improve asthma inhaler technique education by delivery via smartphone or tablet apps. Augmented reality (AR) technology was used in this study to capitalize on growing technological innovations. Digital health interventions that use a co-design process for development have the highest likelihood of successful uptake and effectiveness on their intended outcomes. Perceived usability also has been shown to improve the effectiveness of education as well as the acceptance of the intervention. ObjectiveThe aims of this study were to describe the co-design process, development, and design outcomes of a smartphone or tablet app that incorporates AR technology to deliver asthma inhaler technique education to children with asthma. This study also aimed to provide a usability evaluation, using the System Usability Scale to inform our work and future research, and recommendations for others performing similar work. MethodsThe development of the AR asthma inhaler technique education app was based on an iterative co-design process with likely end users (children with asthma, their caregivers, and health care professionals). This involved multiple stages: recruitment of end users for qualitative interviews and usability testing with a previously designed educational intervention, which used an AR-embedded smartphone or tablet app; ideation of content for a specific asthma inhaler technique education intervention with end users; development of the specific asthma inhaler intervention; and 2 further rounds of interviews and usability testing with the redesign of the initial prototype. ResultsWe included 16 participants aged 9-45 years. Using the co-design process, the AR asthma inhaler technique education app was designed, incorporating the preferences of end users. After iteration 1, animation was included based on the feedback provided. Iteration 2 feedback resulted in increased AR experiences and the removal of the requirement of a paper-based resource to trigger AR in the third iteration. Throughout all rounds, the ease of use of the app and the novel nature of the intervention were frequently described. The usability of the intervention overall was perceived to be excellent, and the mean System Usability Scale score of the intervention was found to be highest in the final round of evaluation (90.14). ConclusionsThe results from this co-design process and usability evaluation will be used to develop a final AR asthma inhaler technique educational intervention, which will be evaluated in the clinical setting. International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID)RR2-10.1177/16094069211042229

Elucidating the cellular architecture of the human cerebral cortex is central to understanding our cognitive abilities and susceptibility to disease. Here we used single-nucleus RNA-sequencing analysis to perform a comprehensive study of cell types in the middle temporal gyrus of human cortex. We identified a highly diverse set of excitatory and inhibitory neuron types that are mostly sparse, with excitatory types being less layer-restricted than expected. Comparison to similar mouse cortex single-cell RNA-sequencing datasets revealed a surprisingly well-conserved cellular architecture that enables matching of homologous types and predictions of properties of human cell types. Despite this general conservation, we also found extensive differences between homologous human and mouse cell types, including marked alterations in proportions, laminar distributions, gene expression and morphology. These species-specific features emphasize the importance of directly studying human brain.

The performance of organic solar cells (OSCs) depends crucially on the morphology in bulk heterojunctions (BHJs), including the degree of crystallinity of the polymer and the amount of each material phase: aggregated donor, aggregated acceptor, and molecular mixed donor : acceptor phase. In this paper, we report the BHJ morphology of as-cast blend films incorporating the polymer PIPCP as the donor and [6,6]-phenyl-C61-butyric acid methyl ester (PC61BM) as the acceptor. Tracking the scattering intensity of PC61BM as a function of PC61BM concentration shows that PC61BM aggregates into donor-rich domains and there is little to no phase where the PC61BM and PIPCP are intimately mixed. We further find that on blending the scattering peak due to PIPCP ordering along the backbone increases with decreasing PIPCP fraction, which is attributed to improved ordering of PIPCP due to the presence of PC61BM. Our results suggest that the improved ordering of PIPCP along the backbone (consistent with an increased conjugation length) with blending contributes to the observed low open-circuit voltage energy loss.

Background and Objectives: Cardiovascular implantable electronic devices can detect atrial high‐rate episodes (AHREs). However, the predictors of clinically relevant AHREs have not been well identified. Methods: This prospective study included 145 patients (median age 64.5 ± 16.4 years, 53.1% females) without atrial fibrillation (AF) from December 2020 to January 2022. AHREs were defined as a programmed atrial detection rate >190 beats per minute. Cox regression analysis was used to identify the risk factors of AHREs. Results: During 6 months of follow‐up, AHREs occurred in 30.3% of patients. Multivariable Cox regression analysis showed factors related to development of AHREs including using anti‐arrhythmic drugs (AAD) before implantation (Hazard ratio (HR) 7.71; 95% confidence interval [95% CI], 2.58–23.02, p <.001), history of paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia (PSVT; HR 2.45; [95% CI], 1.18–5.09, p =.016), the percentage of premature atrial contraction (PAC) on 24‐h Holter electrocardiogram (ECG) monitoring (HR 1.008; [95% CI], 1.003–1.014, p =.003), and left ventricular global longitudinal strain (GLS‐LV; HR 0.92;[95% CI], 0.84–0.99, p =.049). Conclusions: This study showed that a history of PSVT and using AAD, the percentage of PAC on 24‐h Holter ECG monitoring, and GLS‐LV were the independent predictors of new‐onset AHREs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Field surveys on large centipedes of Nui Chua National Park, south-central part of Vietnam, were conducted in September 2023 and February 2024. As a result, a total of 12 species/subspecies belonging to five genera and two families of the order Scolopendromorpha were recorded. Of two families, Scolopendridae has nine species in four genera, while Cryptopidae has only two species in one genus. In addition, the distribution pattern of the large centipedes is discussed based on the season (rainy versus dry), altitudes, and different habitats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BackgroundInhaled medications or inhalers provide first-line pharmacotherapeutic treatment for patients with asthma for both acute symptomatic relief and long-term management to keep symptoms under control. A good technique requires only basic instruction and training; however, a recent study identified that 92% of children do not follow all correct steps when using inhalers. There is a growing interest in technology-enhanced asthma education, with evidence demonstrating improvements in knowledge and treatment adherence. Subsequently, there are calls to explore the role of technology-based solutions in improving asthma management and disease outcomes from public health experts, health professionals, and patients with asthma. Augmented reality (AR) technology is an information delivery mechanism with proven efficacy in educational settings. AR displays digital content in a real-world environment using the camera on a smartphone or tablet device to create an immersive learning experience. ObjectiveThe study aimed to evaluate the acceptability of AR as a mechanism for delivering asthma inhaler technique education from the perspective of children with asthma and their parents and health professionals, examined through the theoretical framework of acceptability (TFA). MethodsAn asthma education resource enhanced with AR technology was created to provide inhaler technique education to children. An iterative co-design process was undertaken with target end users for a qualitative evaluation. The participants were 8 to 12 years old with asthma, their caregivers, and health professionals who had experience in managing asthma. Qualitative data were obtained through semistructured one-on-one interviews. Deductive thematic analysis using TFA was undertaken using NVivo software 2020 to assess the acceptability of AR as a delivery modality for asthma inhaler technique education. ResultsOverall, 6 health care professionals, 5 asthmatic children, and 5 caregivers of children with asthma totaled a sample of 16. The use of AR in the asthma inhaler resource was found to be acceptable when responses were examined in accordance with TFA. Each of the 7 component constructs of TFA was coded throughout the 16 interviews, with perceived effectiveness (157 times) and affective attitude (63 times) coded most frequently. Positive responses included the intervention being accessible, easy to use, interesting, and fitting within the users’ value systems. Negative responses included the need to maintain an interest in children and concerns about the loss of face-to-face interaction with health professionals. ConclusionsAR appears to be an acceptable modality for delivering asthma education to children when explored using TFA constructs. Although some challenges were identified with the use of AR, the results were predominantly positive. Future designs of asthma education interventions involving AR should consider the results of this study, and further research should focus on the feasibility, usability, and barriers and facilitators of behavior change to ensure the successful implementation and uptake of AR into clinical settings. International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID)RR2-10.1177/16094069211042229

This study examined factors associated with psychological distress for culturally diverse family caregivers using a population-based sample. Data were analyzed from the 6634 caregivers of adults (i.e. elderly as well as non-elderly) who self-reported as non-Hispanic White, Mexican, Chinese, or Vietnamese in the 2009 California Health Interview Survey. Simple and multiple regression analyses were conducted to assess the potential influence of race/ethnicity, caregiving context, and social contextual variables on psychological distress. Analyses that included moderators showed that while more education was associated with less distress for White caregivers, it was associated with more distress for Vietnamese and Chinese caregivers. Identifying the caregiving and contextual variables associated with psychological distress is critical for tailoring interventions towards those who need the most help-in this case, possibly less educated White caregivers and more educated Asian American caregivers.

Organic semiconductor materials composed of π⁻π stacking aromatic compounds have been under intense investigation for their potential uses in flexible electronics and other advanced technologies. Herein we report a new family of seven π⁻π stacking compounds of silver(I) bis-N-(4-pyridyl) benzamide with varying counterions, namely [Ag(NPBA)2]X, where NPBA is N-(4-pyridyl) benzamine, X = NO₃- (1), ClO₄- (2), CF₃SO₃- (3), PF₆- (4), BF₄- (5), CH₃PhSO₃- (6), and PhSO₃- (7), which form extended π-π stacking networks in one-dimensional (1D), 2D and 3D directions in the crystalline solid-state via the phenyl moiety, with average inter-ring distances of 3.823 Å. Interestingly, the counterions that contain π⁻π stacking-capable groups, such as in 6 and 7, can induce the formation of mesomorphic phases at 130 °C in dimethylformamide (DMF), and can generate highly branched networks at the mesoscale. Atomic force microscopy studies showed that 2D interconnected fibers form right after nucleation, and they extend from ~30 nm in diameter grow to reach the micron scale, which suggests that it may be possible to stop the process in order to obtain nanofibers. Differential scanning calorimetry studies showed no remarkable thermal behavior in the complexes in the solid state, which suggests that the mesomorphic phases originate from the mechanisms that occur in the DMF solution at high temperatures. An all-electron level simulation of the band gaps using NRLMOL (Naval Research Laboratory Molecular Research Library) on the crystals gave 3.25 eV for (1), 3.68 eV for (2), 1.48 eV for (3), 5.08 eV for (4), 1.53 eV for (5), and 3.55 eV for (6). Mesomorphic behavior in materials containing π⁻π stacking aromatic interactions that also exhibit low-band gap properties may pave the way to a new generation of highly branched organic semiconductors.