Phase patterning of liquid crystal elastomers by laser-induced dynamic crosslinking.

Liquid crystal elastomers hold promise in various fields due to their reversible transition of mechanical and optical properties across distinct phases. However, the lack of local phase patterning techniques and irreversible phase programming has hindered their broad implementation. Here we introduce laser-induced dynamic crosslinking, which leverages the precision and control offered by laser technology to achieve high-resolution multilevel patterning and transmittance modulation. Incorporation of allyl sulfide groups enables adaptive liquid crystal elastomers that can be reconfigured into desired phases or complex patterns. Laser-induced dynamic crosslinking is compatible with existing processing methods and allows the generation of thermo- and strain-responsive patterns that include isotropic, polydomain and monodomain phases within a single liquid crystal elastomer film. We show temporary information encryption at body temperature, expanding the functionality of liquid crystal elastomer devices in wearable applications.

The Modernization of Oriental Music Therapy: Five-Element Music Therapy Combined with Artificial Intelligence.

In recent years, music has been regarded as a promising non-pharmacological intervention for a number of physical and mental conditions. Five-elements music therapy-based on the five-element theory-is a unique non-pharmacological therapy of East Asian traditional medicine. It has the potential to effectively provide individualized music therapy to individuals with illness. However, one limitation of this music therapy is that the classification of the five elements and its application is mainly based on subjective judgment. The development of artificial intelligence (AI) has enabled the acoustic analysis of multi-factor sound sources. This can develop five-element music therapy. Here, we discussed the challenges proposed by the future combination of five-element music therapy and AI. Further, we hypothesized that AI may promote its use in the medical field.

Marine plastisphere selectively enriches microbial assemblages and antibiotic resistance genes during long-term cultivation periods.

Several studies have focused on identifying and quantifying suspended plastics in surface and subsurface seawater. Microplastics (MPs) have attracted attention as carriers of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in the marine environment. Plastispheres, specific biofilms on MP, can provide an ideal niche to spread more widely through horizontal gene transfer (HGT), thereby increasing risks to ecosystems and human health. However, the microbial communities formed on different plastic types and ARG abundances during exposure time in natural marine environments remain unclear. Four types of commonly used MPs (polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), polystyrene (PS), and polyvinyl chloride (PVC)) were periodically cultured (46, 63, and 102 d) in a field-based marine environment to study the co-selection of ARGs and microbial communities in marine plastispheres. After the first 63 d of incubation (p < 0.05), the initial 16S rRNA gene abundance of microorganisms in the plastisphere increased significantly, and the biomass subsequently decreased. These results suggest that MPs can serve as vehicles for various microorganisms to travel to different environments and eventually provide a niche for a variety of microorganisms. Additionally, the qPCR results showed that MPs selectively enriched ARGs. In particular, tetA, tetQ, sul1, and qnrS were selectively enriched in the PVC-MPs. The abundances of intl1, a mobile genetic element, was measured in all MP types for 46 d (5.22 × 10-5 ± 8.21 × 10-6 copies/16s rRNA gene copies), 63 d (5.90 × 10-5 ± 2.49 × 10-6 copies/16s rRNA gene copies), and 102 d (4.00 × 10-5 ± 5.11 × 10-6 copies/16s rRNA gene copies). Network analysis indicated that ARG profiles co-occurred with key biofilm-forming bacteria. This study suggests that the selection of ARGs and their co-occurring bacteria in MPs could potentially accelerate their transmission through HGT in natural marine plastics.

Recovery of spatial frequencies in coherent diffraction imaging in the presence of a central obscuration.

Coherent diffraction imaging (CDI) and its scanning version, ptychography, are lensless imaging approaches used to iteratively retrieve a sample's complex scattering amplitude from its measured diffraction patterns. These imaging methods are most useful in extreme ultraviolet (EUV) and X-ray regions of the electromagnetic spectrum, where efficient imaging optics are difficult to manufacture. CDI relies on high signal-to-noise ratio diffraction data to recover the phase, but increasing the flux can cause saturation effects on the detector. A conventional solution to this problem is to place a beam stop in front of the detector. The pixel masking method is a common solution to the problem of missing frequencies due to a beam stop. This paper describes the information redundancy in the recorded data set and expands on how the reconstruction algorithm can exploit this redundancy to estimate the missing frequencies. Thereafter, we modify the size of the beam stop in experimental and simulation data to assess the impact of the missing frequencies, investigate the extent to which the lost portion of the diffraction spectrum can be recovered, and quantify the effect of the beam stop on the image quality. The experimental findings and simulations conducted for EUV imaging demonstrate that when using a beam stop, the numerical aperture of the condenser is a crucial factor in the recovery of lost frequencies. Our thorough investigation of the reconstructed images provides information on the overall quality of reconstruction and highlights the vulnerable frequencies if the beam stop size is larger than the extent of the illumination NA. The outcome of this study can be applied to other sources of frequency loss, and it will contribute to the improvement of experiments and reconstruction algorithms in CDI.

Optimizing electrochemically active microorganisms as a key player in the bioelectrochemical system: Identification methods and pathways to large-scale implementation.

The rapid global economic growth driven by industrialization and population expansion has resulted in significant issues, including reliance on fossil fuels, energy scarcity, water crises, and environmental emissions. To address these issues, bioelectrochemical systems (BES) have emerged as a dual-purpose solution, harnessing electrochemical processes and the capabilities of electrochemically active microorganisms (EAM) to simultaneously recover energy and treat wastewater. This review examines critical performance factors in BES, including inoculum selection, pretreatment methods, electrodes, and operational conditions. Further, authors explore innovative approaches to suppress methanogens and simultaneously enhance the EAM in mixed cultures. Additionally, advanced techniques for detecting EAM are discussed. The rapid detection of EAM facilitates the selection of suitable inoculum sources and optimization of enrichment strategies in BESs. This optimization is essential for facilitating the successful scaling up of BES applications, contributing substantially to the realization of clean energy and sustainable wastewater treatment. This analysis introduces a novel viewpoint by amalgamating contemporary research on the selective enrichment of EAM in mixed cultures. It encompasses identification and detection techniques, along with methodologies tailored for the selective enrichment of EAM, geared explicitly toward upscaling applications in BES.

Factors Used by Mobile Applications to Predict Female Fertility Status and Their Reported Effectiveness: A Scoping Review.

Family planning, whether for pregnancy prevention or conception, is of pivotal importance to women of reproductive age. As hormonally driven methods, such as oral contraceptive pills, are widely used but have numerous side effects, women often seek alternative non-hormonal, non-invasive options, including fertility-tracking mobile applications (apps). However, the effectiveness of these apps as a method of contraception and conception planning has not been extensively vetted. The goal of this scoping review is to identify the various factors used by apps marketed as a method of contraception and/or family planning to predict a woman's fertility status, as well as their documented effectiveness. Following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses Extension for Scoping Reviews guidelines, a literature search was performed in CINAHL, MEDLINE, and Alt HealthWatch databases for articles published between October 1, 2017, and October 4, 2022. Quality assessment of eligible full-text articles was conducted using the Joanna Briggs Institute critical appraisal tools. A total of 629 articles were screened. Overall, 596 articles were excluded and the remaining 33 articles underwent full-text review. Seven articles were included in the final analysis, yielding data on the following five apps: Natural Cycles, Ava Fertility, Clearblue Connected, Ovia Fertility, and Dynamic Optimal Timing (DOT). Data supporting the effectiveness of these apps is limited. All apps provided predictions on fertility status throughout a woman's menstrual cycle using proprietary algorithms, biometric data, and self-reported menstrual cycle data. Further research, particularly independent research following a randomized controlled design, on the efficacy of these apps is needed to produce more robust results.

Harnessing a paper-folding mechanism for reconfigurable DNA origami.

The paper-folding mechanism has been widely adopted in building of reconfigurable macroscale systems because of its unique capabilities and advantages in programming variable shapes and stiffness into a structure1-5. However, it has barely been exploited in the construction of molecular-level systems owing to the lack of a suitable design principle, even though various dynamic structures based on DNA self-assembly6-9 have been developed10-23. Here we propose a method to harness the paper-folding mechanism to create reconfigurable DNA origami structures. The main idea is to build a reference, planar wireframe structure24 whose edges follow a crease pattern in paper folding so that it can be folded into various target shapes. We realized several paper-like folding and unfolding patterns using DNA strand displacement25 with high yield. Orthogonal folding, repeatable folding and unfolding, folding-based microRNA detection and fluorescence signal control were demonstrated. Stimuli-responsive folding and unfolding triggered by pH or light-source change were also possible. Moreover, by employing hierarchical assembly26 we could expand the design space and complexity of the paper-folding mechanism in a highly programmable manner. Because of its high programmability and scalability, we expect that the proposed paper-folding-based reconfiguration method will advance the development of complex molecular systems.

Too much may be a bad thing: the difference between challenge and hindrance job demands.

Job demands and employee motivations are studied through a challenging-disruptive needs framework. However, studies on challenging demands show mixed results due to the difference in the level of demand and effect of moderating variables. In this study, based on the Yerkes-Dodson law and conservation of resources theory, the non-linear relationship between challenging demand and work engagement, linear relationship between hindrance demand and work engagement, and moderating effect of stress were verified. A total of 3914 people were surveyed. The results showed that hindrance demand had a negative linear relationship with work engagement. Moreover, challenging demand had a positive effect on work engagement till a certain level, but had an inverted-U relationship with a negative influence thereafter. Stress mindset moderated these relationships and the negative effects of challenging and hindrance demands weakened for a stress-enhancing-mindset. Based on these results, theoretical and practical implications and future research directions were proposed.

Risk of Stroke and Cardiovascular Disease According to Diabetes Mellitus Status.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the importance of prevention and management of diabetes by analyzing stroke and cardiovascular disease (CVD) incidence among people with diabetes. This secondary analysis of the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey Ⅶ (2016-2018) data included 15,039 adults. Diabetes status was significantly associated with sex, age, marital status, household size, education level, employment status, household income, hypertension, dyslipidemia, stroke, CVD, osteoarthritis, osteoporosis, kidney failure, depression, level of stress, smoking, drinking, body mass index, weight control, and the number of days of walking per week; however, it was not associated with rheumatoid arthritis. Stroke and CVD risk significantly increased in the presence of diabetes (by 4.123 times and 3.223 times, respectively). The incidences of stroke and CVD were significantly higher among participants with diabetes than among those without diabetes. Thus, preventing and systematically managing diabetes is crucial to reducing related complications and mortality.

Insight into the marine microplastic abundance and distribution in ship cooling systems.

Microplastics (MPs) are becoming widely recognized as one of many global environmental issues. Although recently, it has been suggested that marine plastics may affect a ship's operation, the presence of MPs in a ship's cooling system has not received significant attention. In this study, samples of 40 L each were taken from each of the five main pipes (sea chest (SC), ejector pump (EP), main engine jacket freshwater pump (MJFP), main engine jacket freshwater cooler (MJFC), and expansion tank (ET)) in each season (February, May, July, October 2021) to identify and characterize MPs in the five main pipes of the ship cooling system from the training ship Hanbada, Korea Maritime and Ocean University. As a result of FTIR analysis, the total MP abundance was 24,100 particles/m3 in the cooling system of the ship. MP concentrations were observed to be higher (p < 0.05) in winter and spring (dry season: 1578 ± 604 particles/m3) than in summer and autumn (wet season: 990 ± 390 particles/m3). In addition, the MP concentration in the seawater cooling system (SCS) (1509 ± 553 particle/m3) was slightly higher (p > 0.05) than that in the freshwater cooling system (FCS) (1093 ± 546 particles/m3). Compared to previous studies, it was confirmed that the quantitative amount of MPs on board was similar to or slightly less than the concentration of MPs investigated along the coast of Korea (1736 particles/m3). To identify the chemical composition of MPs, an optical microscope and FTIR analysis was carried out, and PE (polyethylene), PP (polypropylene), and PET (polyethylene terephthalate) were identified as major chemicals in all samples. MPs in the form of fibers and fragments accounted for approximately 95% of the total. This study provided evidence of MP contamination in the main pipe in the cooling system of the ship. These findings confirm that marine MPs existing in seawater may have flowed into the ship's cooling system, and it is necessary to understand the effect of marine MPs on the ship's engine and cooling system through continuous monitoring.

Corrigendum: Elevated IFNA1 and suppressed IL12p40 associated with persistent hyperinflammation in COVID-19 pneumonia.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1101808.].

Enhancing Consumer Confidence and Response Efficacy in Tourism: Typology and Effectiveness of the Hotel Industry's Responses to COVID-19.

Although the tourism industry, including hotels, has been ravaged by the COVID-19 pandemic, few empirical studies have systematically examined the typology and effectiveness of their responses. To capture common response strategies within the hotel industry and assess their effectiveness, two studies were conducted. Study 1 adopted a hybrid approach involving deductive and inductive thematic analyses to evaluate 4,211 news articles. Five broad themes emerged: (1) revenue management, (2) crisis communication, (3) alternative approaches to service delivery, (4) human resource management, and (5) corporate social responsibility. Drawing upon protection motivation theory, Study 2 included a pre-test, pilot study, and main experimental study to examine the effectiveness of several common response strategies. Results showed that reassuring crisis communication and contactless services can foster consumer confidence and response efficacy, leading to positive consumers' attitudes and booking intentions. Crisis communication and price discount were found to influence consumers' attitudes and booking intentions directly.

Elevated IFNA1 and suppressed IL12p40 associated with persistent hyperinflammation in COVID-19 pneumonia.

Introduction: Despite of massive endeavors to characterize inflammation in COVID-19 patients, the core network of inflammatory mediators responsible for severe pneumonia stillremain remains elusive. Methods: Here, we performed quantitative and kinetic analysis of 191 inflammatory factors in 955 plasma samples from 80 normal controls (sample n = 80) and 347 confirmed COVID-19 pneumonia patients (sample n = 875), including 8 deceased patients. Results: Differential expression analysis showed that 76% of plasmaproteins (145 factors) were upregulated in severe COVID-19 patients comparedwith moderate patients, confirming overt inflammatory responses in severe COVID-19 pneumonia patients. Global correlation analysis of the plasma factorsrevealed two core inflammatory modules, core I and II, comprising mainly myeloid cell and lymphoid cell compartments, respectively, with enhanced impact in a severity-dependent manner. We observed elevated IFNA1 and suppressed IL12p40, presenting a robust inverse correlation in severe patients, which was strongly associated with persistent hyperinflammation in 8.3% of moderate pneumonia patients and 59.4% of severe patients. Discussion: Aberrant persistence of pulmonary and systemic inflammation might be associated with long COVID-19 sequelae. Our comprehensive analysis of inflammatory mediators in plasmarevealed the complexity of pneumonic inflammation in COVID-19 patients anddefined critical modules responsible for severe pneumonic progression.

Clonal expansion of resident memory T cells in peripheral blood of patients with non-small cell lung cancer during immune checkpoint inhibitor treatment.

BACKGROUND: Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) are an essential treatment for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Currently, the tumor-related intrinsic factors in response to ICIs have mostly been elucidated in tissue samples. However, tissue immune status and changes in the immune microenvironment can also be reflected and monitored through peripheral blood. METHODS: Single-cell RNA and T cell receptor (scTCR) sequencing were conducted using peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from 60 patients with stage IV NSCLC. Those samples were prospectively acquired from patients treated with anti-PD(L)-1 therapy for advanced lung cancer. Based on the clinical outcomes, samples were classified as durable clinical benefit (DCB) and non-durable clinical benefit (NCB). The samples constituted paired longitudinal samples, consisting of pre-treatment and on-treatment. Additionally, PBMC samples from 60 healthy donors from the Asian Immune Diversity Atlas project were used as a control. RESULTS: The dynamic changes in major cell types between pre-treatment and on-treatment PBMCs were associated with an increase in proliferating T cells and NK cells in both DCB and NCB groups. Among T cell subtypes, effector memory CD8+ T cells (CD8+ TEM_GZMK_PDCD1) were increased after ICI treatment in both DCB and NCB. From the lineage trajectory analysis, effector memory CD8+ T cells resided at the bifurcation point, which has the potential to differentiate into lineages with precursor exhausted CD8+ T cells (CD8+ TCM cells) assumed to be related to the ICI response. From the scTCR-seq, effector memory CD8+ T cells along with T cells recognizing unknown antigen expanded and composed of novel clones skewed toward dysfunctional status, especially in on-treatment samples of the DCB group. The extent of immunophenotype conversion capabilities of the TCR with effector memory CD8+ T cells showed remarkable variation in the on-treatment sample in the DCB group. CONCLUSION: A transitioning T cell subtype identified in PBMCs might be related to the prolonged ICI response. From our study, expansion of effector memory CD8+ T cells with novel TCRs in PBMCs after ICI treatment could contribute to a better clinical outcome in patients with NSCLC. This proof-of-concept research strengthens the use of non-invasive PBMCs in studying systemic changes of immune reactions related to the ICI treatment.

Effects of Empagliflozin on Diuretics Reduction in Outpatient Heart Failure Patients.

Background and Objectives: Inhibitors of sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2i) reduce the risk of hospitalization for heart failure (HF). We aimed to examine the effect of empagliflozin on change of diuretics dose in outpatient HF patients. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 612 patients who were treated using both empagliflozin and diuretics. We excluded patients who did not meet the criteria for HF. Dose and duration of empagliflozin and diuretics were measured. Results: Of 612 patients, a total of 251 was analyzed and followed for a mean 430.0±175.4 days. The mean age was 69.3, 51.8% were female, and 93.2% had type 2 diabetes. The distribution of initial diuretics type when starting empagliflozin showed that furosemide comprised 24.7%, spironolactone 20.7%, thiazide 36.9%, and others. Total 23.1% of patients reduced diuretic dose, 13.1% increased diuretic dose, 41.4% continued at the same diuretic dose, and 22.3% switched to different diuretics. Among patients who were using furosemide, 36.0% reduced diuretics dose. There was a diuretic reduction in 22.6% of HF preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF, left ventricular ejection fraction [LVEF] ≥50%) and in 26.5% of HF reduced EF (HFrEF, LVEF <50%). The average doses furosemide at the start of empagliflozin decreased from 16.3mg/day to 8.5mg/day at the time of follow-up. Conclusions: Among outpatient clinic HF patients treated with both diuretics and empagliflozin, 23.1% of patients had their diuretics reduced, and the mean dose of furosemide was reduced by about half. This suggests that empagliflozin has clinical advantages in managing outpatient HF patients.

Increased Right Ventricular Pressure as a Predictor of Acute Decompensated Heart Failure in End-Stage Renal Disease Patients on Maintenance Hemodialysis.

Background and Objectives: Many patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) on hemodialysis (HD) have reduced vascular compliance and are likely to develop heart failure (HF). This study aimed to determine the factors associated with acute decompensation events among ESRD patients undergoing HD. Methods: We retrospectively investigated ESRD patients on HD using a medical record review. We divided the patients into those admitted to hospital due to acute decompensated heart failure (ADHF) and those who were not. We compared the medical histories, electrocardiograms, and echocardiographic and laboratory data between the two groups. Results: Of the 188 ESRD patients on HD, 87 were excluded, and 101 were enrolled (mean age: 63.7 years; 52.1% male). Thirty patients (29.7%) were admitted due to ADHF. These patients exhibited similar left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), left ventricular (LV) mass index, and E/E' values compared to the non-ADHF group. However, the ADHF group exhibited significantly higher tricuspid regurgitation (TR) jet velocity (2.9±0.6 vs. 2.5±0.4 m/s; p=0.004) and right ventricular systolic pressure (RVSP) (43.5±17.2 vs. 34.2±9.9 mmHg; p=0.009) than the non-ADHF group, respectively. A multivariate logistic regression analysis demonstrated that the TR jet velocity (odds ratio, 8.356; 95% confidence interval, 1.806-38.658; p=0.007) was an independent predictor of ADHF after adjusting for age and sex, while the LVEF and E/E' were not. Conclusions: Our data showed that an increased TR jet velocity was an independent predictor of ADHF events in ESRD patients on HD, but the LVEF and E/E' were not.

Photo-Programmed Deformations in Rigid Liquid Crystalline Polymers Triggered by Body Temperature.

Deformations triggered by body heat are desirable in the context of shape-morphing applications because, under the majority of circumstances, the human body maintains a higher temperature than that of its surroundings. However, at present, this bioenergy-triggered action is primarily limited to soft polymeric networks. Thus, herein, the programming of body temperature-triggered deformations into rigid azobenzene-containing liquid crystalline polymers (azo-LCPs) with a glass-transition temperature of 100 °C is demonstrated. To achieve this, a mechano-assisted photo-programming strategy is used to create a metastable state with room-temperature stable residual stress, which is induced by the isomerization of azobenzene. The programmed rigid azo-LCP can undergo large-amplitude body temperature-triggered shape changes within minutes and can be regenerated without any performance degradation. By changing the programming photomasks and irradiation conditions employed, various 2D to 3D shape-morphing architectures, including folded clips, inch-worm structures, spiral structures, and snap-through motions are achieved. When programmed with polarized light, the proposed strategy results in domain-selective activation, generating designed characteristics in multi-domain azo-LCPs. The reported strategy is therefore expected to broaden the applications of azo-LCPs in the fields of biomedical and flexible microelectronic devices.

Development and Characterization of MYB-NFIB Fusion Expression in Adenoid Cystic Carcinoma.

Adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC) is the second most common cancer type arising from the salivary gland. The frequent occurrence of chromosome t(6;9) translocation leading to the fusion of MYB and NFIB transcription factor genes is considered a genetic hallmark of ACC. This inter-chromosomal rearrangement may encode multiple variants of functional MYB-NFIB fusion in ACC. However, the lack of an ACC model that harbors the t(6;9) translocation has limited studies on defining the potential function and implication of chimeric MYB-NFIB protein in ACC. This report aims to establish a MYB-NFIB fusion protein expressing system in ACC cells for in vitro and in vivo studies. RNA-seq data from MYB-NFIB translocation positive ACC patients' tumors and MYB-NFIB fusion transcript in ACC patient-derived xenografts (ACCX) was analyzed to identify MYB breakpoints and their frequency of occurrence. Based on the MYB breakpoint identified, variants of MYB-NFIB fusion expression system were developed in a MYB-NFIB deficient ACC cell lines. Analysis confirmed MYB-NFIB fusion protein expression in ACC cells and ACCXs. Furthermore, recombinant MYB-NFIB fusion displayed sustained protein stability and impacted transcriptional activities of interferon-associated genes set as compared to a wild type MYB. In vivo tumor formation analysis indicated the capacity of MYB-NFIB fusion cells to grow as implanted tumors, although there were no fusion-mediated growth advantages. This expression system may be useful not only in studies to determine the functional aspects of MYB-NFIB fusion but also in evaluating effective drug response in vitro and in vivo settings.

Facile Gram-Scale Synthesis of Co3O4 Nanocrystal from Spent Lithium Ion Batteries and Its Electrocatalytic Application toward Oxygen Evolution Reaction.

In this study, we demonstrate a new approach to easily prepare spinel Co3O4 nanoparticles (s-Co3O4 NPs) in the gram-scale from the cathode of spent lithium ion batteries (SLIBs) by the alkali leaching of hexaamminecobalt(III) complex ions. As-obtained intermediate and final products were characterized with powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD), Ultraviolet-Visible (UV-Vis), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), and Transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Additionally, the synthesized s-Co3O4 NPs showed better electrocatalytic properties toward the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) in comparison to previously reported Co3O4 NPs and nanowires, which could be due to the more exposed electrocatalytic active sites on the s-Co3O4 NPs. Moreover, the electrocatalytic activity of the s-Co3O4 NPs was comparable to the previously reported RuO2 catalysts. By taking advantage of the proposed recycling route, we would expect that various valuable transition metal oxide NPs could be prepared from SLIBs.