Plasmonic Annular Nanotrenches with 1 nm Nanogaps for Detection of SARS-CoV-2 Using SERS-Based Immunoassay.

This study represents the synthesis of a novel class of nanoparticles denoted as annular Au nanotrenches (AANTs). AANTs are engineered to possess embedded, narrow circular nanogaps with dimensions of approximately 1 nm, facilitating near-field focusing for detection of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) via a surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS)-based immunoassay. Notably, AANTs exhibited an exceedingly low limit of detection (LOD) of 1 fg/mL for SARS-CoV-2 spike glycoproteins, surpassing the commercially available enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) by 6 orders of magnitude (1 ng/mL from ELISA). To assess the real-world applicability, a study was conducted on 50 clinical samples using an SERS-based immunoassay with AANTs. The results revealed a sensitivity of 96% and a selectivity of 100%, demonstrating the significantly enhanced sensing capabilities of the proposed approach in comparison to ELISA and commercial lateral flow assay kits.

Evaluating the Safety and Effectiveness of Quick-Soluble Gelatin Sponge Particles for Genicular Artery Embolization for Chronic Knee Pain Associated with Osteoarthritis.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the effectiveness and safety of genicular artery embolization (GAE) using quick-soluble gelatin sponge particles (QS-GSPs) to alleviate chronic knee pain associated with osteoarthritis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This retrospective study included 71 patients (97 procedures, including 26 patients for both knees) who underwent GAE to treat osteoarthritic knee pain between August 2019 and January 2022. QS-GSPs were used for all the procedures. Technical success was defined as the embolization of at least 1 feeding artery. Clinical outcomes were evaluated using a 10-point visual analog scale (VAS). Clinical success was defined as a decrease in the VAS score of >50%. RESULTS: The technical success rate was 100% (97 of 97). The mean VAS scores at baseline, immediately after TAE, and at 1 day, 1 week, 1 month, 3 months, and 6 months after TAE were 6.3, 4.3, 5.0, 3.0, 2.9, 2.9, and 2.8, respectively. The clinical success rate was 72% (70 of 97 patients) at 6 months. No major adverse events were reported, and temporary skin color change (50.5%, 49 of 97) and hematoma at the puncture site (10.3%, 10 of 97) were observed. CONCLUSIONS: GAE using QS-GSPs had a high technical success rate and was considered safe. Clinical outcomes using QS-GSPs were comparable with those of existing materials.

Flexible Lithium-Ion Batteries with High Areal Capacity Enabled by Smart Conductive Textiles.

Increasing demand for flexible devices in various applications, such as smart watches, healthcare, and military applications, requires the development of flexible energy-storage devices, such as lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) with high flexibility and capacity. However, it is difficult to ensure high capacity and high flexibility simultaneously through conventional electrode preparation processes. Herein, smart conductive textiles are employed as current collectors for flexible LIBs owing to their inherent flexibility, fibrous network, rough surface for better adhesion, and electrical conductivity. Conductivity and flexibility are further enhanced by nanosizing lithium titanate oxide (LTO) and lithium iron phosphate (LFP) active materials, and hybridizing them with a flexible 2D graphene template. The resulting LTO/LFP full cells demonstrate high areal capacity and flexibility with tolerance to mechanical fatigue. The battery achieves a capacity of 1.2 mA h cm-2 while showing excellent flexibility. The cells demonstrate stable open circuit voltage retention under repeated flexing for 1000 times at a bending radius of 10 mm. The discharge capacity of the unflexed battery is retained in cells subjected to bending for 100 times at bending radii of 30, 20, and 10 mm, respectively, confirming that the suggested electrode configuration successfully prevents structural damage (delamination or cracking) upon repeated deformation.

Comparison of three rapid influenza diagnostic tests with digital readout systems and one conventional rapid influenza diagnostic test.

BACKGROUND: Rapid influenza diagnostic tests (RIDTs) show variable sensitivities in clinical settings. We aimed to compare three digital RIDTs and one conventional RIDT. METHODS: We assessed 218 nasopharyngeal swabs from patients between neonates and 90 years old in 2016. Three digital RIDTs were BUDDI, Sofia Influenza A+B Fluorescence Immunoassay, Veritor System Flu A+B assay. One conventional test was the SD Bioline Influenza Ag A/B/A(H1N1/2009). All test results were compared with those from the Anyplex Flu A/B Typing Real-time Detection real-time PCR. The four RIDTs were tested with diluted solutions from the National Institute for Biological Standards and Control (NIBSC) to compare lower detection limit. Cross-reactivity of four RIDTs within other respiratory viruses was identified. RESULTS: For influenza A, BUDDI, Sofia, Veritor, and Bioline showed 87.7%, 94.5%, 87.7%, and 72.6% sensitivity, and 100%, 97.7%, 96.5%, and 100% specificity. For influenza B, BUDDI, Sofia, Veritor, and Bioline showed 81.7%, 91.7%, 81.7%, and 78.3% sensitivity, and 100%, 95.3%, 100%, and 100% specificity, respectively. Each RIDT could detect diluted NIBSC solution, according to the level of dilution and specific influenza subtypes. Cross-reactivity of four RIDTs with other respiratory viruses was not noted. CONCLUSIONS: Sofia showed the highest sensitivity for influenza A and B detection. BUDDI and Veritor showed higher detection sensitivity than a conventional RIDT for influenza A detection, but similar results for influenza B detection. Further study is needed to compare the test performance of RIDTs according to specific, prevalent influenza subtypes.

Effects of circular gait training on balance, balance confidence in patients with stroke: a pilot study.

[Purpose] This study aimed to investigate the effects of circular gait training on balance and balance confidence in patients with stroke. [Subjects and Methods] Fifteen patients with stroke were randomly divided into either the circular gait training (CGT) group (n=8) or the straight gait training (SGT) group (n=7). Both groups had conventional therapy that adhered to the neurodevelopmental treatment (NDT) approach, for 30 min. In addition, the CGT group performed circular gait training, and the SGT group practiced straight gait training for 30 min. Each intervention was applied for 1 h, 5 days a week, for 2 weeks. Berg Balance Scale (BBS), Timed Up and Go (TUG) test, and Activities-specific Balance Confidence (ABC) scale were used to test balance and balance confidence. [Results] After the intervention, both groups showed significant increases in balance and balance confidence. Significant improvements in the balance of the CGT group compared with the SGT group were observed at post-assessment. [Conclusion] This study showed that circular gait training significantly improves balance in patients with stroke.

Application of Surface Protective Coating to Enhance Environment-Withstanding Property of the MEMS 2D Wind Direction and Wind Speed Sensor.

In this study, a microelectromechanical system (MEMS) two-dimensional (2D) wind direction and wind speed sensor consisting of a square heating source and four thermopiles was manufactured using the heat detection method. The heating source and thermopiles of the manufactured sensor must be exposed to air to detect wind speed and wind direction. Therefore, there are concerns that the sensor could be contaminated by deposition or adhesion of dust, sandy dust, snow, rain, and so forth, in the air, and that the membrane may be damaged by physical shock. Hence, there was a need to protect the heating source, thermopiles, and the membrane from environmental and physical shock. The upper protective coating to protect both the heating source and thermopiles and the lower protective coating to protect the membrane were formed by using high-molecular substances such as SU-8, Teflon and polyimide (PI). The sensor characteristics with the applied protective coatings were evaluated.

Endophytic fungi from Lycium chinense Mill and characterization of two new Korean records of Colletotrichum.

Chinese boxthorn or matrimony vine (Lycium chinense Mill) is found primarily in southeastern Europe and Asia, including Korea. The dried ripe fruits are commonly used as oriental medicinal purposes. Endophytic fungi were isolated from surface sterilized tissues and fruits of the medicinal plant in 2013 to identify the new or unreported species in Korea. Among 14 isolates, 10 morphospecies were selected for molecular identification with the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) gene. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that all isolates belonged to Ascomycota including the genera Acremonium, Colletotrichum, Cochliobolus, Fusarium, Hypocrea and Nemania. Two Colletotrichum species were identified at the species level, using three genes including internal transcribed spacer (ITS), glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) and Actin (ACT) for PCR and molecular data analysis along with morphological observations. The fungal isolates, CNU122031 and CNU122032 were identified as Colletotrichum fructicola and C. brevisporum, respectively. Morphological observations also well supported the molecular identification. C. brevisporum is represented unrecorded species in Korea and C. fructicola is the first record from the host plant.

Trends in the detection of viruses causing gastroenteritis over a 10-year period and impact of nonpharmaceutical interventions.

BACKGROUND: Viral gastroenteritis continues to be a leading cause of death in low-income countries. The impact of nonpharmaceutical interventions (NPIs) on the transmission of gastroenteritis-causing viruses during the COVID-19 pandemic is understudied. OBJECTIVES: To investigate the 10-year trends of enteric viruses and estimate the impact of implementing and mitigating NPIs. STUDY DESIGN: Data regarding norovirus, rotavirus, adenovirus, astrovirus, and sapovirus detection were collected from five Korean hospitals between January 2013 and April 2023. We compared positivity between the pre-pandemic, pandemic, and post-pandemic periods. The causal effects of implementing and mitigating NPIs were quantified using the Bayesian Structural Time Series (BSTS) model. RESULTS: Norovirus was most frequently detected (9.9 %), followed by rotavirus (6.7 %), adenovirus (3.3 %), astrovirus (1.4 %), and sapovirus (0.6 %). During the pandemic, the positivity of all five viruses decreased, ranging from -1.0 % to -8.1 %, with rotavirus showing the greatest decrease. In the post-pandemic period, positivity rebounded for all viruses except for rotavirus. The BSTS model revealed that NPI implementation negatively affected the detection of all five viruses, resulting in reductions ranging from -73.0 % to -91.0 % compared to the prediction, with rotavirus being the least affected. Conversely, NPI mitigation positively affected the detection of all viruses, ranging from 79.0 % to 200.0 %, except for rotavirus. CONCLUSIONS: Trends observed over 10 years show that NPIs have had a major impact on changes in enteric virus detection. The effect of vaccines, in addition to NPIs, on rotavirus detection requires further investigation. Our findings emphasize the importance of NPIs in infection control and prevention.

Multi-source remote sensing-based landslide investigation: the case of the August 7, 2020, Gokseong landslide in South Korea.

Landslides pose a growing concern worldwide, emphasizing the need for accurate prediction and assessment to mitigate their impact. Recent advancements in remote sensing technology offer unprecedented datasets at various scales, yet practical applications demand further case studies to fully integrate these technologies into landslide analysis. This study presents a case study approach to fully leverage variety of multi-source remote sensing technologies for analyzing the characteristics of a landslide. The selected case is a landslide with a long runout debris flow that occurred in Gokseong County, South Korea, on August 7, 2020. The chosen multi-source technologies encompass digital photogrammetry using RGB and multi-spectral imageries, 3D point clouds acquired by light detection and ranging (LiDAR) mounted on an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), and satellite interferometric synthetic aperture radar (InSAR). The satellite InSAR analysis identifies the initial displacement, triggered by rainfall and later transforming into a debris flow. The utilization of digital photogrammetry, employing UAV-RGB and multi-spectral image data, precisely delineates the extent affected by the landslide. The landslide encompassed a runout distance of 678 m, featuring an initiation zone characterized by an average slope of 35°. Notably, the eroded and deposited areas measured 2.55 × 104 m2 and 1.72 × 104 m2, respectively. The acquired UAV-LiDAR data further reveal the eroded and deposited landslide volumes approximately measuring 5.60 × 104 m3 and 1.58 × 104 m3, respectively. This study contributes a valuable dataset on a rainfall-induced landslide with a long runout debris flow, underscoring the effectiveness of multi-source remote sensing technology in monitoring and comprehending complex landslide events.

Early Postoperative Benefits in Receptive and Expressive Language Development After Cochlear Implantation Under 9 Months of Age in Comparison to Implantation at Later Ages.

OBJECTIVES: The recent expansion of eligibility for cochlear implantation (CI) by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to include infants as young as 9 months has reignited debates concerning the clinically appropriate cut-off age for pediatric CI. Our study compared the early postoperative trajectories of receptive and expressive language development in children who received CI before 9 months of age with those who received it between 9 and 12 months. This study involved a unique pediatric cohort with documented etiology, where the timing of CI was based on objective criteria and efforts were made to minimize the influence of parental socioeconomic status. METHODS: A retrospective review of 98 pediatric implantees recruited at a tertiary referral center was conducted. The timing of CI was based on auditory and language criteria focused on the extent of delay corresponding to the bottom 1st percentile of language development among age-matched controls, with patients categorized into very early (CI at <9 months), early (CI at 9-12 months) and delayed (CI at 12-18 months) CI groups. Postoperative receptive/expressive language development was assessed using the Sequenced Language Scale for Infants receptive and expressive standardized scores and percentiles. RESULTS: Only the very early CI group showed significant improvements in receptive language starting at 3 months post-CI, aligning with normal-hearing peers by 9 months and maintaining this level until age 2 years. During this period (<2 years), all improvements were more pronounced in receptive language than in expressive language. CONCLUSION: CI before 9 months of age significantly improved receptive language development compared to later CI, with improvements sustained at least up to the age of 2. This study supports the consideration of earlier CI, beyond pediatric Food and Drug Administration labeling criteria (>9 months), in children with profound deafness who have a clear deafness etiology and language development delays (<1st percentile).

Smallpox Prevention and Public Healthcare in China in the 1920s and 1930s: Focusing on the Cases of Shanghai and Beijing.

Beijing and Shanghai, representative modern cities in China, witnessed the development of various urban infrastructures and quarantine systems in the 1920s and 1930s. Both cities established Health Demonstration Stations in the 1930s, as part of their implementation of modern health administration. This foundation played a pivotal role for making health administration more practical. Huang Zi-fang (1899-1940) and Hu Hung-ji (1894-1932), the inaugural directors of the health bureau in the respective cities, were both graduates of the Johns Hopkins University School of Public Health in the United States. They shared a similar view of public health. Active exchanges occurred between the heads of the health administration in the two cities who were the leading forces in the health reform, encompassing various health experiments including the Health Demonstration Station. During the 1930s in China, state medicine gained prominence as the most ideal medical model for constructing a modern state. As such, the quarantine activities they promoted were also considered the most ideal model. The public health care centered on Health Demonstration Stations in the 1920s and 1930s that developed in large Chinese cities such as Beijing and Shanghai pursued similar goals by strengthening quarantine administration through free medical treatment and modern spatial control. Nonetheless, each city exhibited differences in terms of the subjects and targets of quarantine, as well as the primary bases of quarantine, which were either Health Demonstration Stations or hospitals. Both municipal governments and the civilian sector led the sanitary infrastructure development. While Shanghai showed stronger development in terms of the number of vaccinations, Shanghai's dualized quarantine system did not necessarily create a better health environment than Beijing in terms of spatial control. In the 1940s, the Japanese occupation government implemented measures to inherit and further develop existing health administrations in Beijing and Shanghai. Existing international settlements were incorporated into the Japanese occupation government, and the occupation government pursued homogenization of urban space and tried to maintain the existing urban policy as much as possible to preserve the status quo. However, the intensification of the Anti-Japanese War and the Chinese Civil War brought an end to the health experiment centered around the Health Demonstration Station in China in the first half of the twentieth century.

Variation in leisure sport conflicts and coping strategies depending on participation type and proximity during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Introduction: New conflict types have arisen in leisure sports activities due to social regulations designed to address COVID-19. We analyze the differences in conflict-inducing factors and coping strategies across various types of leisure sports and levels of spatial proximity. Methods: Korean adults aged between 20 and 60 years, who had participated in leisure sports activities since the COVID-19 outbreak in January 2020, were surveyed, and 508 responses were collected for analysis. The differences in leisure sports conflicts and coping strategies across the types of leisure sports participation and spatial proximity were tested. Results: The results show that conflict due to prejudice was higher in typical indoor sports activities, such as Pilates, yoga, and gym workouts, whereas conflict due to competition or not observing etiquette was higher in indoor golf. Second, conflict due to prior expectations and prejudice was high in outdoor sports activities, such as jogging and hiking. Finally, all participants showed avoidance behavior, but it was observed more frequently in outdoor sports than indoor sports. Discussion: The study reveals how much leisure conflict is induced by various types of leisure sports participation, particularly during outdoor activities, which usually feature a relatively low density of participants. It underscores the necessity of developing structural approaches to resolving leisure conflicts in dangerous spaces or requiring intensive management and creating new leisure sports activities.

Risk assessment of heavy metals in tuna from Japanese restaurants in the Republic of Korea.

Background: Studies on the risk of mercury (Hg) in Korean fishery products focus primarily on total Hg levels as opposed to methylmercury (MeHg) levels. None of the few studies on MeHg in tuna investigated tuna from Japanese restaurants. Few have evaluated lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd) and arsenic (As) in tuna. Thus, this study aimed to conduct a risk assessment by evaluating heavy metal concentrations in tuna from Japanese restaurants. Methods: Thirty-one tuna samples were collected from Japanese restaurants in the Republic of Korea. They were classified according to region and species. The concentration of heavy metals in the samples was analyzed using the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety Food Code method. The rate of exceedance of maximum residue levels (MRLs) and the risk compared to the provisional tolerable weekly intake (PTWI) set by the Joint Food and Agriculture Organization/World Health Organization Expert Committee on Food Additives (%PTWI) were evaluated for risk assessment. Results: The mean of MeHg, Pb, Cd and As concentrations were 0.56 ± 1.47 mg/kg, 33.95 ± 3.74 µg/kg, 14.25 ± 2.19 µg/kg and 1.46 ± 1.89 mg/kg, respectively. No sample exceeded the MRLs of Pb and Cd, but 9.7% of the samples exceeded the MRL of MeHg. The %PTWIs of MeHg, Pb, Cd and As were 4.2037, 0.0162, 0.0244 and 1.1627, respectively. The %PTWI of MeHg by age group and sex was highest among men aged 19-29 years (10.6494), followed by men aged 30-49 years (7.2458) and women aged 19-29 years (4.8307). Conclusions: We found that 3 out of 31 samples exceeded the MRL of MeHg. The %PTWI of MeHg showed significant differences based on age and sex, and the value was likely to exceed a safe level depending on individuals' eating behaviors. Therefore, improved risk management for MeHg is required.

Development of an Implantable Capacitive Pressure Sensor for Biomedical Applications.

In this study, a subminiature implantable capacitive pressure sensor is proposed for biomedical applications. The proposed pressure sensor comprises an array of elastic silicon nitride (SiN) diaphragms formed by the application of a polysilicon (p-Si) sacrificial layer. In addition, using the p-Si layer, a resistive temperature sensor is also integrated into one device without additional fabrication steps or extra cost, thus enabling the device to measure pressure and temperature simultaneously. The sensor with a size of 0.5 × 1.2 mm was fabricated using microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) technology and was packaged in needle-shaped metal housing that is both insertable and biocompatible. The packaged pressure sensor immersed in a physiological saline solution exhibited excellent performance without leakage. The sensor achieved a sensitivity of approximately 1.73 pF/bar and a hysteresis of about 1.7%, respectively. Furthermore, it was confirmed that the pressure sensor operated normally for 48 h without experiencing insulation breakdown or degradation of the capacitance. The integrated resistive temperature sensor also worked properly. The response of the temperature sensor varied linearly with temperature variation. It had an acceptable temperature coefficient of resistance (TCR) of approximately 0.25%/°C.

Acquisition of high-resolution topographic information in forest environments using integrated UAV-LiDAR system: System development and field demonstration.

High-resolution topographic information of landslide-prone areas plays an important role in accurate prediction and characterization of potential landslides and mitigation of landslides-associated hazards. This study presents an advanced geomorphological surveying system that integrates the light detection and ranging (LiDAR) with an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), a multi-rotor aerial vehicle in specific, for prediction, monitoring and forensic analysis of landslides, and for maintenance of debris-flow barriers. The test-flight over a vegetated area demonstrates that the integrated UAV-LiDAR system can provide high-resolution, three-dimensional (3D) LiDAR point clouds below canopy and vegetation in forest environments, overcoming the limitation of aerial photogrammetry and terrestrial LiDAR platforms. An algorithm is suggested to delineate the topographic information from the acquired 3D LiDAR point clouds, and the accuracy and performance of the developed UAV-LiDAR system are examined through field demonstration. Finally, two field demonstrations are presented: the forensic analysis of the recent Gokseong landslide event, and the sediment deposition monitoring for debris-flow barrier maintenance in South Korea. The developed surveying system is expected to contribute to geomorphological field surveys in vegetated, forest environments, particularly in a site that is not easily accessible.

Calprotectin in chronic rhinosinusitis eosinophil extracellular traps.

BACKGROUND: Calprotectin is an antimicrobial peptide primarily secreted by neutrophils. Furthermore, calprotectin secretion increases in patients with chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) with polyps (CRSwNP) and positively correlates with neutrophil markers. However, CRSwNP is known to be associated with type 2 inflammation related to tissue eosinophilia. Therefore, the authors investigated calprotectin expression in eosinophils and eosinophil extracellular traps (EETs) and explored the associations between tissue calprotectin and the clinical findings of patients with CRS. METHODS: A total of 63 patients participated, and patients diagnosed with CRS were classified based on the Japanese Epidemiological Survey of Refractory Eosinophilic Chronic Rhinosinusitis (JESREC) score. The authors performed hematoxylin and eosin staining, immunohistochemistry, immunofluorescence with calprotectin, myeloperoxidase (MPO), major basic protein (MBP), and citrullinated histone H3 with the participant's tissues. Finally, correlations between calprotectin and the clinical data were examined. RESULTS: Calprotectin-positive cells are co-localized not only in MPO-positive cells but also in MBP-positive cells in human tissues. Calprotectin was also involved in EETs and neutrophil extracellular traps. The number of calprotectin-positive cells in the tissue was positively correlated with the number of tissue and blood eosinophils. In addition, calprotectin in the tissue is associated with the olfactory function, Lund-Mackay computed tomography score, and JESREC score. CONCLUSIONS: Calprotectin, known to be secreted by neutrophils, in CRS was also expressed in eosinophils. In addition, calprotectin, which functions as an antimicrobial peptide, may play an important role in the innate immune response based on its EET involvement. Therefore, calprotectin expression could reflect as a disease severity biomarker for CRS.

Effects of Angelica acutiloba on mast cell-mediated allergic reactions in vitro and in vivo.

The root of Angelica acutiloba is a widely used herbal medicine which has been used as a typical therapeutic for allergic diseases in traditional medicine. This study was aimed to investigate the effects of A. acutiloba on allergic reactions in in vitro and in vivo models and its mechanism of action. A. acutiloba was extracted by maceration with 80% ethanol (AAE) and standardized by high-performance liquid chromatography. We investigated the effect of AAE on phorbol-12-myristate-13-acetate plus calcium ionophore A23187 (PMACI)-induced cytokine release; phosphorylation of JNK, ERK, and p38 in human mast cell-1 (HMC-1); and compound 48/80-induced release of histamine in rat peritoneal mast cells (RPMCs). We also investigated the effects on Evans blue (EB) extravasation induced by anti-DNP IgE in rats. Treatment with 1, 10 and 100 µg/ml AAE concentration-dependently inhibited the release of cytokines (tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin (IL) -6, and IL-8) and phosphorylation of ERK and JNK induced by PMACI in HMC-1 cells, but it did not inhibit the phosphorylation of p38. It also inhibited compound 48/80-induced histamine release in RPMCs. Oral administration of 271 mg/kg AAE inhibited EB extravasation in a passive cutaneous anaphylaxis rat model. In conclusion, AAE inhibited mast cell-derived allergic reactions by inhibiting the release of histamine, the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines, and the phosphorylation of ERK and JNK.

Ultrahigh Sensitive Au-Doped Silicon Nanomembrane Based Wearable Sensor Arrays for Continuous Skin Temperature Monitoring with High Precision.

Monitoring the body temperature with high accuracy provides a fast, facile, yet powerful route about the human body in a wide range of health information standards. Here, the first ever ultrasensitive and stretchable gold-doped silicon nanomembrane (Au-doped SiNM) epidermal temperature sensor array is introduced. The ultrasensitivity is achieved by shifting freeze-out region to intrinsic region in carrier density and modulation of fermi energy level of p-type SiNM through the development of a novel gold-doping strategy. The Au-doped SiNM is readily transferred onto an ultrathin polymer layer with a well-designed serpentine mesh structure, capable of being utilized as an epidermal temperature sensor array. Measurements in vivo and in vitro show temperature coefficient of resistance as high as -37270.72 ppm °C-1 , 22 times higher than existing metal-based temperature sensors with similar structures, and one of the highest thermal sensitivity among the inorganic material based temperature sensors. Applications in the continuous monitoring of body temperature and respiration rate during exercising are demonstrated with a successful capture of information. This work lays a foundation for monitoring body temperature, potentially useful for precision diagnosis (e.g., continuous monitoring body temperature in coronavirus disease 2019 cases) and management of disease relevance to body temperature in healthcare.

miRNA-Based Early Healing Mechanism of Extraction Sockets: miR-190a-5p, a Potential Enhancer of Bone Healing.

Objective: Tooth extraction causes a wound with hard and soft tissue defects in the alveolar ridge. Few studies have reported the function of microRNAs (miRNAs) in the healing of extraction sockets. This study used bioinformatics analysis to reveal the possible relevance and role of miRNAs during the early stages following tooth extraction. Materials and Methods: Socket tissues from beagle dogs (Canis familiaris; two males and two females) were collected 1 and 12 hours after extraction of premolars on both sides of the mandible. miRNA expression was profiled through miRNA sequencing, and hub miRNAs showing characteristic expression patterns were selected and subjected to target enrichment analysis. Alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity analysis and reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) were performed to verify the effect of hub miRNA on osteoblast differentiation and bone regeneration in vivo. Results: Five miRNAs were identified to have consistently high expression levels, with cfa-miR-451 showing the highest expression. Additionally, 20 hub miRNAs were selected as candidates expected to play an important role in the healing process. Pathways, such as the MAPK, axon guidance, TGF-ß, and Wnt signaling, were significantly enriched. Among hub miRNAs, miR-190a-5p increased ALP activity and mRNA expression of osteogenic markers and increased new bone formation in vivo. Conclusions: Our findings suggest that miRNAs may be involved in the earliest stages of socket healing after tooth extraction and can play an important role in moderating the entire socket healing mechanism in the extraction socket.