Dual-Seed Strategy for High-Performance Anode-Less All-Solid-State Batteries.

Interest in all-solid-state batteries (ASSBs), particularly the anode-less type, has grown alongside the expansion of the electric vehicle (EV) market, because they offer advantages in terms of their energy density and manufacturing cost. However, in most anode-less ASSBs, the anode is covered by a protective layer to ensure stable lithium (Li) deposition, thus requiring high temperatures to ensure adequate Li ion diffusion kinetics through the protective layer. This study proposes a dual-seed protective layer consisting of silver (Ag) and zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles for sulfide-based anode-less ASSBs. This dual-seed-based protective layer not only facilitates Li diffusion via multiple lithiation pathways over a wide range of potentials, but also enhances the mechanical stability of the anode interface through the in situ formation of a Ag-Zn alloy with high ductility. The capacity retention during full-cell evaluation is 80.8% for 100 cycles when cycled at 1 mA cm-2 with 3 mAh cm-2 at room temperature. The dual-seed approach provides useful insights into the design of multi-seed concepts in which, from a mechanochemical perspective, various lithiophilic materials synergistically impact upon the anode-less interface.

Radiographic Evaluation of the Association between Foot Deformities and Ankle Medial Osteoarthritis.

Background: Foot deformities can cause abnormal biomechanics of the ankle joint and the development of osteoarthritis. It was hypothesized that foot deformities would be related to medial ankle osteoarthritis, and this study investigated this relationship using radiographic measurements. Methods: Seventy-six ankles of 76 patients (32 men and 44 women; mean age, 69.0 years) with medial ankle osteoarthritis were included. Eleven radiographic measurements evaluated ankle joint orientation (tibial plafond inclination [TPI], medial distal tibial angle [MDTA], and anterior distal tibial angle [ADTA]), ankle joint incongruency (tibiotalar tilt [TT]), foot deformities (lateral talo-first metatarsal angle [Lat talo-1MT], anteroposterior talo-first metatarsal angle [AP talo-1MT], and talonavicular coverage), talar body migration (medial talar center migration [MTCM] and anterior talar center migration [ATCM]), internal rotation (IR) of the talus, and mechanical tibiofemoral angle. All were statistically analyzed using Pearson's correlation coefficients and regression analyses. Results: Ankle joint orientation to the ground (TPI, p = 0.002), increased foot arch (Lat talo-1MT, p < 0.001), and IR of the talus (p = 0.001) were significantly associated with ankle joint incongruency (TT) in linear regression analysis. Ankle joint incongruency (TT, p = 0.003), medial talar body migration (MTCM, p = 0.042), and increased foot arch (Lat talo-1MT, p = 0.022) were significantly associated with IR of the talus in the binary logistic regression analysis. MTCM was significantly correlated with TPI (r = 0.251, p = 0.029), TT (r = 0.269, p = 0.019), MDTA (r = 0.359, p = 0.001), ATCM (r = -0.522, p < 0.001), and AP talo-1MT (r = 0.296, p = 0.015). ATCM was significantly correlated with TPI (r = -0.253, p = 0.027), ADTA (r = 0.349, p = 0.002), and Lat talo-1MT (r = -0.344, p = 0.002). Conclusions: Ankle joint orientation, foot deformities, and talar rotation were associated with ankle joint incongruency in medial ankle osteoarthritis when evaluated radiographically. These findings need to be considered during surgical treatment for medial ankle osteoarthritis. However, the biomechanical significance of these radiographic measurements requires further investigation.

Prediction of effectiveness of universal rotavirus vaccination in Southwestern Vietnam based on a dynamic mathematical model.

Vaccinating young children against rotavirus (RV) is a promising preventive strategy against rotavirus gastroenteritis (RVGE). We evaluated the relative risk reduction of RVGE induced by universal vaccination in Vietnam through dynamic model analysis. We developed an age-stratified dynamic Vaccinated-Susceptible-Infectious-Recovered-Susceptible model to analyze RV transmission and assess vaccine effectiveness (VE). We assumed 3 different vaccine efficacies: 55%, 70%, and 85%. For model calibration, we used a database of patients under 5 years of age admitted to Ho Chi Minh No.1 Hospital with RVGE between January 2013 and December 2018. Assuming a vaccination rate of 95%, the number of RVGE hospitalizations after 5 years from universal RV vaccination decreased from 92,502 cases to 45,626 with 85% efficacy, to 54,576 cases with 70% efficacy, and to 63,209 cases with 55% efficacy. Additionally, RVGE hospitalizations after 10 years decreased from 177,950 to 89,517 with 85% efficacy and to 121,832 cases with 55% efficacy. The relative risk reductions of RVGE after 10 years were 49.7% with 85% efficacy, 40.6% with 70% efficacy, and 31.5% with 55% efficacy. The VE was 1.10 times (95% CI, 1.01-1.22) higher in the 4-months to 1-year-old age group than in the other age groups (P = 0.038), when applying 85% efficacy with 95% coverage. In conclusion, despite its relatively lower efficacy compared to high-income countries, RV vaccination remains an effective intervention in Southwestern Vietnam. In particular, implementing universal RV vaccination with higher coverage would result in a decrease in RVGE hospitalizations among Vietnamese children under 5 years of age.

Combination of phytochemicals, including ginsenoside and curcumin, shows a synergistic effect on the recovery of radiation-induced toxicity.

Radiotherapy is commonly used to treat solid cancers located in the pelvis. A considerable number of patients experience proctitis of varying severity, even for a considerable period after radiotherapy. These side effects are often long-lasting or progressively worsen despite multiple therapeutic efforts and are a primary cause of an unexpectedly low quality of life, even after successful cancer treatment. Therefore, this study evaluated the individual and combined efficacy of ginsenoside, curcumin, butyric acid, and sucralfate compounds in treating radiation-induced proctitis. While the candidate compounds did not affect the proliferation and migration of cancer cells, they promoted the recovery of cell activity, including motility. They exhibited anti-inflammatory effects on human dermal fibroblasts or human umbilical vein endothelial cells within in vitro disease models. When each compound was tested, curcumin and ginsenoside were the most effective in cell recovery and promoted the migration of human dermal fibroblasts and cell restoration of human umbilical vein endothelial cells. The combination of ginsenoside and curcumin resulted in cell migration recovery of approximately 54%. In addition, there was a significant improvement in the length of the endothelial tube, with an increase of approximately 25%, suggesting that the ginsenoside-curcumin-containing combination was the most effective against radiation-induced damage. Furthermore, studies evaluating the effects of combined treatments on activated macrophages indicated that the compounds effectively reduced the secretion of inflammatory cytokines, including chemokines, and alleviated radiation-induced inflammation. In conclusion, our study provides valuable insights into using curcumin and ginsenoside as potential compounds for the effective treatment of radiation-induced injuries and highlights the promising therapeutic benefits of combining these two compounds.

Manufacturing Process, Tensile-Compressive, and Impact Properties of Tungsten (W)-Particle-Reinforced SLA Methacrylate.

The interest in research and development for additive manufacturing (AM) processes has grown significantly over the last years and attracts both industry and academia alike. Among the available AM technologies, stereolithography (SLA) is one of the most discussed, researched, and employed. On the other hand, being based on thermoset resins, all the limitations of this typology of materials still apply, limiting the range of applications of this highly versatile process. To overcome these limitations, especially brittleness, this research analyzes the effects of Tungsten (W) micro-size (average size 1 µm) particles reinforcement on a methacrylate base material. First, the manufacturing process for creating the W-reinforced methacrylate material is presented and investigated to define the effect of pre- and post-processing operations on the quality of the pre-cured solution considering 4% and 10% wt. W particles concentrations. Afterward, tensile, compressive, and impact specimens were manufactured with both concentrations and compared with the experimental results from clear (unfilled) resin-based specimens used as the benchmark. The addition of tungsten particles showed a strong improvement in the impact strength of the methacrylate base material, quantified in 28% for the 4% and 55% for the 10% wt., respectively, although at the expense of a slight reduction in elastic and yield properties on average -12%. Furthermore, using Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) analyses, the particle-matrix interaction was investigated, showing the interaction between the polymer matrix and the reinforcement and the mechanism by which the impact resistance is enhanced.

Single and Multiple Gate Design Optimization Algorithm for Improving the Effectiveness of Fiber Reinforcement in the Thermoplastic Injection Molding Process.

Fiber reinforcement orientation in thermoplastic injection-molded components is both a strength as well as a weak point of this largely employed manufacturing process. Optimizing the fiber orientation distribution (FOD) considering the shape of the part and the applied loading conditions allows for enhancing the mechanical performances of the produced parts. Henceforth, this research proposes an algorithm to identify the best injection gate (IG) location/s starting from a 3D model and a user-defined load case. The procedure is composed of a first Visual Basic Architecture (VBA) code that automatically sets and runs Finite Volume Method (FVM) simulations to find the correlation between the fiber orientation tensor (FOT) and the IG locations considering single and multiple gates combinations up to three points. A second VBA code elaborates the results and builds a dataset considering the user-defined loading and constraint conditions, allowing the assignment of a score to each IG solution. Three geometrical components of increasing complexity were considered for a total of 1080 FVM simulations and a total computational time of ~390 h. The search for the best IG location has been further expanded by training a Machine Learning (ML) model based on the Gradient Boosting (GB) algorithm. The training database (DB) is based on FVM simulations and was expanded until a satisfactory prediction accuracy higher than 90% was achieved. The enhancement of the local FOD on the critical regions of three components was verified and showed an average improvement of 26.9% in the stiffness granted by a high directionality of the fibers along the load path. Finite element method (FEM) simulations and laboratory experiments on an industrial pump housing, injection-molded with a polyamide-66 reinforced with 30% of short glass fibers (PA66-30GF) material were also carried out to validate the FVM-FEM simulation frame and showed a 16.4% local stiffness improvement in comparison to the currently employed IG solution.

Influence of mechanical and TGF-ß3 stimulation on the tenogenic differentiation of tonsil-derived mesenchymal stem cells.

BACKGROUND: Organogenesis from tonsil-derived mesenchymal cells (TMSCs) has been reported, wherein tenogenic markers are expressed depending on the chemical stimulation during tenogenesis. However, there are insufficient studies on the mechanical strain stimulation for tenogenic cell differentiation of TMSCs, although these cells possess advantages as a cell source for generating tendinous tissue. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of mechanical strain and transforming growth factor-beta 3 (TGF-ß3) on the tenogenic differentiation of TMSCs and evaluate the expression of tendon-related genes and extracellular matrix (ECM) components, such as collagen. RESULTS: mRNA expression of tenogenic genes was significantly higher when the mechanical strain was applied than under static conditions. Moreover, mRNA expression of tenogenic genes was significantly higher with TGF-ß3 treatment than without. mRNA expression of osteogenic and chondrogenic genes was not significantly different among different mechanical strain intensities. In cells without TGF-ß3 treatment, double-stranded DNA concentration decreased, while the amount of normalized collagen increased as the intensity of mechanical strain increased. CONCLUSIONS: Mechanical strain and TGF-ß3 have significant effects on TMSC differentiation into tenocytes. Mechanical strain stimulates the differentiation of TMSCs, particularly into tenocytes, and cell differentiation, rather than proliferation. However, a combination of these two did not have a synergistic effect on differentiation. In other words, mechanical loading did not stimulate the differentiation of TMSCs with TGF-ß3 supplementation. The effect of mechanical loading with TGF-ß3 treatment on TMSC differentiation can be manipulated according to the differentiation stage of TMSCs. Moreover, TMSCs have the potential to be used for cell banking, and compared to other mesenchymal stem cells, they can be procured from patients via less invasive procedures.

Cycling kinematics in healthy adults for musculoskeletal rehabilitation guidance.

BACKGROUND: Stationary cycling is commonly used for postoperative rehabilitation of physical disabilities; however, few studies have focused on the three-dimensional (3D) kinematics of rehabilitation. This study aimed to elucidate the three-dimensional lower limb kinematics of people with healthy musculoskeletal function and the effect of sex and age on kinematics using a controlled bicycle configuration. METHODS: Thirty-one healthy adults participated in the study. The position of the stationary cycle was standardized using the LeMond method by setting the saddle height to 85.5% of the participant's inseam. The participants maintained a pedaling rate of 10-12 km/h, and the average value of three successive cycles of the right leg was used for analysis. The pelvis, hip, knee, and ankle joint motions during cycling were evaluated in the sagittal, coronal, and transverse planes. Kinematic data were normalized to 0-100% of the cycling cycle. The Kolmogorov-Smirnov test, Mann-Whitney U test, Kruskal-Wallis test, and k-fold cross-validation were used to analyze the data. RESULTS: In the sagittal plane, the cycling ranges of motion (ROMs) were 1.6° (pelvis), 43.9° (hip), 75.2° (knee), and 26.9° (ankle). The coronal plane movement was observed in all joints, and the specific ROMs were 6.6° (knee) and 5.8° (ankle). There was significant internal and external rotation of the hip (ROM: 11.6°), knee (ROM: 6.6°), and ankle (ROM: 10.3°) during cycling. There was no difference in kinematic data of the pelvis, hip, knee, and ankle between the sexes (p = 0.12 to 0.95) and between different age groups (p = 0.11 to 0.96) in all anatomical planes. CONCLUSIONS: The kinematic results support the view that cycling is highly beneficial for comprehensive musculoskeletal rehabilitation. These results might help clinicians set a target of recovery ROM based on healthy and non-elite individuals and issue suitable guidelines to patients.

Correction: A mathematical model of COVID-19 transmission in a tertiary hospital and assessment of the effects of different intervention strategies.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0241169.].

Relationship between ankle varus moment during gait and radiographic measurements in patients with medial ankle osteoarthritis.

BACKGROUND: Kinetic data obtained during gait can be used to clarify the biomechanical pathogenesis of osteoarthritis of the lower extremity. This study aimed to investigate the difference in ankle varus moment between the varus angulation and medial translation types of medial ankle osteoarthritis, and to identify the radiographic measurements associated with ankle varus moment. METHODS: Twenty-four consecutive patients [mean age 65.8 (SD) 8.0 years; 9 men and 15 women] with medial ankle osteoarthritis were included. Fourteen and 10 patients had the varus angulation (tibiotalar tilt angle≥3 degrees) and medial translation (tibiotalar tilt angle<3 degrees) types, respectively. All patients underwent three-dimensional gait analysis, and the maximum varus moment of the ankle was recorded. Radiographic measurement included tibial plafond inclination, tibiotalar tilt angle, talar dome inclination, and lateral talo-first metatarsal angle. Comparison between the two types of medial ankle osteoarthritis and the relationship between the maximum ankle varus moment and radiographic measurements were analyzed. RESULTS: The mean tibial plafond inclination, tibiotalar tilt angle, talar dome inclination, lateral talo-first metatarsal angle, and maximum ankle varus moment were 6.4 degrees (SD 3.3 degrees), 5.0 degrees (SD 4.6 degrees), 11.4 degrees (SD 5.2 degrees), -6.5 degrees (SD 11.7 degrees), and 0.185 (SD 0.082) Nm/kg, respectively. The varus angulation type showed a greater maximum ankle varus moment than the medial translation type (p = .005). The lateral talo-first metatarsal angle was significantly associated with the maximum ankle varus moment (p = .041) in the multiple regression analysis. CONCLUSION: The varus angulation type of medial ankle osteoarthritis is considered to be more imbalanced biomechanically than the medial displacement type. The lateral talo-first metatarsal angle, being significantly associated with the ankle varus moment, should be considered for correction during motion-preserving surgeries for medial ankle osteoarthritis to restore the biomechanical balance of the ankle.

Estimating the basic reproductive number of varicella in South Korea incorporating social contact patterns and seroprevalence.

Varicella, which is caused by the varicella zoster virus (VZV), is a common infectious disease affecting children. Varicella vaccines have been used for decades; however, vaccination policies vary across countries because of differences in VZV epidemiology. The basic reproductive number R0a transmissibility measure parameter, also differs from country to country. In this study R0 for varicella was estimated in South Korea using the contact rate matrix derived from averaged POLYMOD contact data, the Korean population, and proportionality factor fitted to the Korean VZV seroprevalence R0 for varicella in South Korea was estimated to be 5.67 (95% CI: 5.33, 6.33). Therefore, to reach the herd immunity threshold, the critical vaccine coverage should be greater than 82.4% with a perfect vaccine, or the primary vaccine failure proportion should be less than 17.6% with 100% coverage. Because of the relatively low seroconversion rate and rapidly waning immunity after one-dose vaccination in South Korea, the herd immunity threshold is difficult to attain with only a one-dose vaccine. Two doses of vaccination may be necessary to effectively interrupt varicella transmission and maintain herd immunity in South Korea. The study results can help guide the decision-making on an effective varicella vaccination policy in South Korea.

The impact of two-dose varicella vaccination on varicella and herpes zoster incidence in South Korea using a mathematical model with changing population demographics.

BACKGROUND: In South Korea, one-dose varicella vaccination was introduced to the National Immunization Program in 2005, but varicella outbreaks have continued to occur. Therefore, a two-dose vaccination strategy is considered. METHODS: We developed an age-structured deterministic compartment model using Korean population projection data. The impact of adding a second dose of varicella vaccine on varicella and herpes zoster (HZ) epidemiology was assessed under four different vaccine effectiveness (VE) scenarios (base, moderate, lowest, highest) and the optimal timing of the second vaccine dose (18 months, 4, 5, or 6 years of age) was examined over the period 2020-2065. RESULTS: A two-dose vaccination schedule reduced the cumulative varicella incidence by > 90% compared to no vaccination, regardless of the VE. The additional reduction attributable to a second dose compared to a single dose was greatest (82%) with the lowest VE scenario. A second dose at 6 years of age reduced the varicella incidence at a population level, whereas a second dose at 18 months of age reduced the varicella incidence primarily in the target birth cohorts. Routine vaccination at the age of 18 months with a catch-up vaccination of 6-year-olds was the optimal strategy for birth cohort and population-level control. HZ incidence continued to increase under no vaccination scenario, which represents the effect of aging population. Under a two-dose scenario, the additional increase in HZ incidence attributable to the reduced exogenous boosting was small relative to a one-dose scenario and a further reduction in HZ cases was observed. CONCLUSION: A two-dose varicella vaccination schedule would significantly reduce varicella and HZ incidence in the long term. A second dose at the age of 18 months with a catch-up vaccination of 6-year-olds would be optimal for controlling varicella in South Korea.

The effect of control measures on COVID-19 transmission in South Korea.

Countries around the world have taken control measures to mitigate the spread of COVID-19, including Korea. Social distancing is considered an essential strategy to reduce transmission in the absence of vaccination or treatment. While interventions have been successful in controlling COVID-19 in Korea, maintaining the current restrictions incurs great social costs. Thus, it is important to analyze the impact of different polices on the spread of the epidemic. To model the COVID-19 outbreak, we use an extended age-structured SEIR model with quarantine and isolation compartments. The model is calibrated to age-specific cumulative confirmed cases provided by the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA). Four control measures-school closure, social distancing, quarantine, and isolation-are investigated. Because the infectiousness of the exposed has been controversial, we study two major scenarios, considering contributions to infection of the exposed, the quarantined, and the isolated. Assuming the transmission rate would increase more than 1.7 times after the end of social distancing, a second outbreak is expected in the first scenario. The epidemic threshold for increase of contacts between teenagers after school reopening is 3.3 times, which brings the net reproduction number to 1. The threshold values are higher in the second scenario. If the average time taken until isolation and quarantine reduces from three days to two, cumulative cases are reduced by 60% and 47% in the first scenario, respectively. Meanwhile, the reduction is 33% and 41%, respectively, for rapid isolation and quarantine in the second scenario. Without social distancing, a second wave is possible, irrespective of whether we assume risk of infection by the exposed. In the non-infectivity of the exposed scenario, early detection and isolation are significantly more effective than quarantine. Furthermore, quarantining the exposed is as important as isolating the infectious when we assume that the exposed also contribute to infection.

A mathematical model of COVID-19 transmission in a tertiary hospital and assessment of the effects of different intervention strategies.

Novel coronavirus (named SARS-CoV-2) can spread widely in confined settings including hospitals, cruise ships, prisons, and places of worship. In particular, a healthcare-associated outbreak could become the epicenter of coronavirus disease (COVID-19). This study aimed to evaluate the effects of different intervention strategies on the hospital outbreak within a tertiary hospital. A mathematical model was developed for the COVID-19 transmission within a 2500-bed tertiary hospital of South Korea. The SEIR (susceptible-exposed-infectious-recovered) model with a compartment of doctor, nurse, patient, and caregiver was constructed. The effects of different intervention strategies such as front door screening, quarantine unit for newly admitted patients, early testing of suspected infected people, and personal protective equipment for both medical staff and visitors were evaluated. The model suggested that the early testing (within eight hours) of infected cases and monitoring the quarantine ward for newly hospitalized patients are effective measures for decreasing the incidence of COVID-19 within a hospital (81.3% and 70% decrease of number of incident cases, respectively, during 60 days). Front door screening for detecting suspected cases had only 42% effectiveness. Screening for prohibiting the admission of COVID-19 patients was more effective than the measures for patients before emergency room or outpatient clinic. This model suggests that under the assumed conditions, some effective measures have a great influence on the incidence of COVID-19 within a hospital. The implementation of the preventive measures could reduce the size of a hospital outbreak.

Scalable Synthesis of Hollow ß-SiC/Si Anodes via Selective Thermal Oxidation for Lithium-Ion Batteries.

Silicon for anodes in lithium-ion batteries has received much attention owing to its superior specific capacity. There has been a rapid increase of research related to void engineering to address the silicon failure mechanism stemming from the massive volume change during (dis)charging in the past decade. Nevertheless, conventional synthetic methods require complex synthetic procedures and toxic reagents to form a void space, so they have an obvious limitation to reach practical application. Here, we introduce SiCx consisting of nanocrystallite Si embedded in the inactive matrix of ß-SiC to fabricate various types of void structures using thermal etching with a scalable one-pot CVD method. The structural features of SiCx make the carbonaceous template possible to be etched selectively without Si oxidation at high temperature with an air atmosphere. Furthermore, bottom-up gas phase synthesis of SiCx ensures atomically identical structural features (e.g., homogeneously distributed Si and ß-SiC) regardless of different types of sacrificial templates. For these reasons, various types of SiCx hollow structures having shells, tubes, and sheets can be synthesized by simply employing different morphologies of the carbon template. As a result, the morphological effect of different hollow structures can be deeply investigated as well as the free volume effect originating from void engineering from both a electrochemical and computational point of view. In terms of selective thermal oxidation, the SiCx hollow shell achieves a much higher initial Coulombic efficiency (>89%) than that of the Si hollow shell (65%) because of its nonoxidative property originating from structural characteristics of SiCx during thermal etching. Moreover, the findings based on the clearly observed different electrochemical features between half-cell and full-cell configuration give insight into further Si anode research.

Calendering-Compatible Macroporous Architecture for Silicon-Graphite Composite toward High-Energy Lithium-Ion Batteries.

Porous strategies based on nanoengineering successfully mitigate several problems related to volume expansion of alloying anodes. However, practical application of porous alloying anodes is challenging because of limitations such as calendering incompatibility, low mass loading, and excessive usage of nonactive materials, all of which cause a lower volumetric energy density in comparison with conventional graphite anodes. In particular, during calendering, porous structures in alloying-based composites easily collapse under high pressure, attenuating the porous characteristics. Herein, this work proposes a calendering-compatible macroporous architecture for a Si-graphite anode to maximize the volumetric energy density. The anode is composed of an elastic outermost carbon covering, a nonfilling porous structure, and a graphite core. Owing to the lubricative properties of the elastic carbon covering, the macroporous structure coated by the brittle Si nanolayer can withstand high pressure and maintain its porous architecture during electrode calendering. Scalable methods using mechanical agitation and chemical vapor deposition are adopted. The as-prepared composite exhibits excellent electrochemical stability of >3.6 mAh cm-2 , with mitigated electrode expansion. Furthermore, full-cell evaluation shows that the composite achieves higher energy density (932 Wh L-1 ) and higher specific energy (333 Wh kg-1 ) with stable cycling than has been reported in previous studies.

Application of control theory in a delayed-infection and immune-evading oncolytic virotherapy.

Oncolytic virotherapy is a promising cancer treatment that harnesses the power of viruses. Through genetic engineering, these viruses are cultivated to infect and destroy cancer cells. While this therapy has shown success in a range of clinical trials, an open problem in the field is to determine more effective perturbations of these viruses. In this work, we use a controlled therapy approach to determine the optimal treatment protocol for a delayed infection from an immune-evading, coated virus. We derive a system of partial differential equations to model the interaction between a growing tumour and this coated oncolytic virus. Using this system, we show that viruses with inhibited viral clearance and infectivity are more effective than uncoated viruses. We then consider a hierarchical level of coating that degrades over time and determine a nontrivial initial distribution of coating levels needed to produce the lowest tumour volume. Interestingly, we find that a bimodal mixture of thickly coated and thinly coated virus is necessary to achieve a minimum tumour size. Throughout this article we also consider the effects of immune clearance of the virus. We show how different immune responses instigate significantly different treatment outcomes.

Identification of potential plantar ulceration among diabetes patients using plantar soft tissue stiffness.

This study investigates the relationship between plantar tissue stiffness and selected parameters, including age, diabetes mellitus (DM) duration, body mass index (BMI), and HbA1c level. 70 diabetes patients with no foot problems were recruited. The plantar soft tissue at the 2nd sub-metatarsal head (MTH) pad was examined using the novel indentation system developed. The stiffness constant, K, was used to describe the tissue stiffness. The four factors (age, DM duration, BMI, and HbA1c level) were plotted against the plantar tissue stiffness. The scatter plots revealed that a higher plantar tissue stiffness was usually associated with (1) BMI>25  kgm-2, (2) HbA1c score >10% (86 mmol/mol), and (3) DM duration >10 years. The three risk criteria were further evaluated using the binary classification test. The predictions were reported to be fairly accurate and reliable in detecting stiffened tissues. The study has successfully identified the strong association of BMI, HbA1c, and DM duration with the plantar tissue properties. Special attention should be given to the high risk group with BMI>25 kgm-2, HbA1c score >10% (86 mmol/mol), and DM duration >10 years. The high diagnostic odds ratio attained suggests its potential usefulness in helping clinicians to diagnose diabetic foot more efficiently.

Strain-rate dependence of viscous properties of the plantar soft tissue identified by a spherical indentation test.

The mechanical properties of the plantar soft tissue are known to vary in diabetic patients, indicating that parameter identification of the mechanical properties of the foot tissue using an indentation test is clinically important for possible early diagnosis and interventions of diabetic foot. However, accurate mechanical characterization of the viscous properties of the plantar soft tissue has been difficult, as measured force-relaxation curves of the same soft tissue differ depending on how the material is loaded. In the present study, we attempted to clarify how the indentation rate of the plantar soft tissue affects the measured force-relaxation curves, which is necessary in order to identify the viscoelastic properties. The force-relaxation curves of the heel pads were obtained from the indentation experiment in vivo at indentation rates of 15, 25, 50, 75, and 100 mm/s. The curves were fit to an analytical contact model of spherical indentation incorporating a five-element Maxwell model. The results of the present study demonstrated that, although experimentally obtained force-relaxation curves were actually variable depending on the indentation rate, similar viscous parameters could be identified for the same heel if the effects of (1) the underestimation of the peak force due to the energy dissipation occurring during indentation and (2) the deceleration of the indenter at the target position were incorporated in the parameter identification process. The indentation-rate-independent viscous properties could therefore be estimated using the proposed method.