Improvement in functional motor scores in patients with non-ambulatory spinal muscle atrophy during Nusinersen treatment in South Korea: a single center study.

We analyzed the changes in various motor function scores over a four-year period in patients with non-ambulatory spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) during Nusinersen treatment. Patients underwent Hammersmith Infant Neurological Examination (HINE) or Hammersmith Functional Motor Scale Expanded (HFMSE) before treatment, and approximately every 4 months thereafter. Children's Hospital of Philadelphia Infant Test of Neuromuscular Disorders (CHOP INTEND) or Children's Hospital of Philadelphia - Adult Test of Neuromuscular Disorders (CHOP ATEND), Revised Upper Limb Module (RULM), and Motor Function Measure (MFM) were performed based on baseline functional status. Narrative interviews were conducted to explore post-treatment physical improvement regarding activities of daily living (ADLs) and fatigue after ADLs. Based on HFMSE results, 9 patients achieved minimum clinically important differences. Average rates of change (slopes) with corresponding 95% confidence intervals for all assessment tools were in a positive direction. CHOP-INTEND showed the most prominent improvement in children and adolescents followed by HFMSE. Improvements in CHOP-ATEND were most noticeable in adults. Improvements were accompanied by changes in ADLs as observed in the narrative interviews. It is necessary to consider various functional aspects to determine the effectiveness of Nusinersen therapy. The objective assessment of the therapeutic effect of Nusinersen in non-ambulatory SMA requires consideration of functional aspects and the related ADLs.

Effects of exercise during active surveillance for prostate cancer: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

PURPOSE: The efficacy of exercise in men with prostate cancer (PCa) on active surveillance (AS) remains unclear. In this meta-analysis, we aimed to examine the effects of exercise in PCa patients on AS. METHODS: A literature search was conducted in PubMed, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Library using search terms, including exercise, PCa, AS, and randomized controlled trials (RCTs). The means and standard deviations for peak oxygen consumption (VO2peak), prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels, and quality of life (QoL) were extracted for the intervention and control groups. A random-effects model was used to summarize the effects of exercise. RESULTS: Of the 158 identified studies, six RCTs with 332 patients were included. The interventions included lifestyle modifications (aerobic exercise + diet) in three studies and different exercise modalities in three studies. The intervention duration was 2-12 months; three interventions were supervised and three were self-directed. The pooled weighted mean difference between exercise and usual care for VO2peak was 1.42 mL/kg/min (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.30 to 2.54, P ≤ 0.001). A non-significant effect was observed for QoL (pooled standardized mean difference [SMD]: 0.24, 95% CI: - 0.03 to 0.51, P = 0.08) which became statistically significant and stronger after excluding one outlier study (P < 0.001). Exercise also had a positive effect on PSA levels (pooled SMD: - 0.43, 95% CI: - 0.87 to 0.01, P = 0.05). CONCLUSION: Exercise improves cardiorespiratory fitness and may improve QoL and PSA levels in men with PCa on AS. Further studies with larger sample sizes are warranted to obtain more reliable results.

Selection of Catechin Biosynthesis-Related Genes and Functional Analysis from Chromosome-Level Genome Assembly in C. sinensis L. Variety 'Sangmok'.

Camellia is an important plant genus that includes well-known species such as C. sinensis, C. oleifera, and C. japonica. The C. sinensis cultivar 'Sangmok', one of Korea's standard types of tea landraces, is a small evergreen tree or shrub. Genome annotation has shown that Korean tea plants have special and unique benefits and superior components, such as catechin. The genome of Camellia sinensis cultivar 'Sangmok' was assembled on the chromosome level, with a length of 2678.62 Mbp and GC content of 38.16%. Further, 15 chromosome-scale scaffolds comprising 82.43% of the assembly (BUSCO completeness, 94.3%) were identified. Analysis of 68,151 protein-coding genes showed an average of 5.003 exons per gene. Among 82,481 coding sequences, the majority (99.06%) were annotated by Uniprot/Swiss-Prot. Further analysis revealed that 'Sangmok' is closely related to C. sinensis, with a divergence time of 60 million years ago. A total of 3336 exclusive gene families in 'Sangmok' were revealed by gene ontology analysis to play roles in auxin transport and cellular response mechanisms. By comparing these exclusive genes with 551 similar catechin genes, 17 'Sangmok'-specific catechin genes were identified by qRT-PCR, including those involved in phytoalexin biosynthesis and related to cytochrome P450. The 'Sangmok' genome exhibited distinctive genes compared to those of related species. This comprehensive genomic investigation enhances our understanding of the genetic architecture of 'Sangmok' and its specialized functions. The findings contribute valuable insights into the evolutionary and functional aspects of this plant species.

The Health Status and Management of Migrant Workers in Cheonan: A Comparison Study With Korean Citizens.

Migrant workers face challenging working conditions, resulting in physical and mental vulnerability. The objective is to identify their health vulnerabilities and ensure their right to health. Health records of 163 migrant workers (113 males and 50 females) (Group A) and 163 Korean citizens (Group B) visiting our institution were analyzed from August 2021 to July 2022. Both groups underwent urine analysis, chest radiography, and various blood tests. Statistical analysis using independent t-tests and χ² tests was performed. Group A had a significantly higher rate of hepatitis B virus surface antigen-positive patients, lower vaccination rates for hepatitis B, and poorer nutritional status compared to Group B. Group B generally exhibited higher levels of albumin, glucose, total cholesterol, and thyroid-stimulating hormone. There were significant quantitative differences in multiple blood cell and hemoglobin measurements between the two groups. These findings emphasize the need for policy support and public awareness to protect the health rights of migrant workers.

Chromosome-Scale Genome Assembly and Triterpenoid Saponin Biosynthesis in Korean Bellflower (Platycodon grandiflorum).

Platycodon grandiflorum belongs to the Campanulaceae family and is an important medicinal and food plant in East Asia. However, on the whole, the genome evolution of P. grandiflorum and the molecular basis of its major biochemical pathways are poorly understood. We reported a chromosome-scale genome assembly of P. grandiflorum based on a hybrid method using Oxford Nanopore Technologies, Illumina sequences, and high-throughput chromosome conformation capture (Hi-C) analysis. The assembled genome was finalized as 574 Mb, containing 41,355 protein-coding genes, and the genome completeness was assessed as 97.6% using a Benchmarking Universal Single-Copy Orthologs analysis. The P. grandiflorum genome comprises nine pseudo-chromosomes with 56.9% repeat sequences, and the transcriptome analysis revealed an expansion of the 14 beta-amylin genes related to triterpenoid saponin biosynthesis. Our findings provide an understanding of P. grandiflorum genome evolution and enable genomic-assisted breeding for the mass production of important components such as triterpenoid saponins.

Enhancing Temperature Sensitivity of the Fabry-Perot Interferometer Sensor with Optimization of the Coating Thickness of Polystyrene.

The exploration of novel polymers for temperature sensing with high sensitivity has attracted tremendous research interest. Hence, we report a polystyrene-coated optical fiber temperature sensor with high sensitivity. To enhance the temperature sensitivity, flat, thin, smooth, and air bubble-free polystyrene was coated on the edge surface of a single-mode optical fiber, where the coating thickness was varied based on the solution concentration. Three thicknesses of the polystyrene layer were obtained as 2.0, 4.1, and 8.0 µm. The temperature sensor with 2.0 µm thick polystyrene exhibited the highest temperature sensitivity of 439.89 pm °C-1 in the temperature range of 25-100 °C. This could be attributed to the very uniform and thin coating of polystyrene, along with the reasonable coefficient of thermal expansion and thermo-optic coefficient of polystyrene. Overall, the experimental results proved the effectiveness of the proposed polystyrene-coated temperature sensor for accurate temperature measurement.

Ratiometric Detection of γ-Glutamyltransferase in Human Colon Cancer Tissues Using a Two-Photon Probe.

γ-Glutamyltransferase (GGT) plays a role in cleaving the γ-glutamyl bond of glutathione. The GGT is known to be overexpressed in some tumors and has been recognized as a potential biomarker for malignant tumors. Colon cancer is one of the most common cancers worldwide; however, there is no quantitative method for detecting cancer cells in human colon tissues. In this study, we report a ratiometric two-photon probe for GGT that can be applied in human colon tissues. The probe (Probe 2) showed high fluorescence efficiency, marked fluorescence changes, excellent kinetics, and selectivity for the GGT in live colon cells. Additionally, we obtained ratiometric two-photon microscopy images of GGT activity in human colon tissue. We used this method to compare normal and cancer tissues based on their ratio values; the ratio value was higher in cancer tissue than in normal tissue. This study provides a method for quantitative analysis of GGT, particularly in human colon cancer, which will be useful for studying GGT-related diseases and diagnosing colon cancer.

Junction-Free Electrospun Ag Fiber Electrodes for Flexible Organic Light-Emitting Diodes.

Fabrication of junction-free Ag fiber electrodes for flexible organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) is demonstrated. The junction-free Ag fiber electrodes are fabricated by electrospun polymer fibers used as an etch mask and wet etching of Ag thin film. This process facilitates surface roughness control, which is important in transparent electrodes based on metal wires to prevent electrical instability of the OLEDs. The transmittance and resistance of Ag fiber electrodes can be independently adjusted by controlling spinning time and Ag deposition thickness. The Ag fiber electrode shows a transmittance of 91.8% (at 550 nm) at a sheet resistance of 22.3 Ω â–¡-1 , leading to the highest OLED efficiency. In addition, Ag fiber electrodes exhibit excellent mechanical durability, as shown by measuring the change in resistance under repeatable mechanical bending and various bending radii. The OLEDs with Ag fiber electrodes on a flexible substrate are successfully fabricated, and the OLEDs show an enhancement of EQE (≈19%) compared to commercial indium tin oxide electrodes.

Magnetically-focusing biochip structures for high-speed active biosensing with improved selectivity.

We report a magnetically-focusing biochip structure enabling a single layered magnetic trap-and-release cycle for biosensors with an improved detection speed and selectivity. Here, magnetic beads functionalized with specific receptor molecules were utilized to trap target molecules in a solution and transport actively to and away from the sensor surfaces to enhance the detection speed and reduce the non-specific bindings, respectively. Using our method, we demonstrated the high speed detection of IL-13 antigens with the improved detection speed by more than an order of magnitude. Furthermore, the release step in our method was found to reduce the non-specific bindings and improve the selectivity and sensitivity of biosensors. This method is a simple but powerful strategy and should open up various applications such as ultra-fast biosensors for point-of-care services.

Injury-Mediated Vascular Regeneration Requires Endothelial ER71/ETV2.

OBJECTIVE: Comprehensive understanding of the mechanisms regulating angiogenesis might provide new strategies for angiogenic therapies for treating diverse physiological and pathological ischemic conditions. The E-twenty six (ETS) factor Ets variant 2 (ETV2; aka Ets-related protein 71) is essential for the formation of hematopoietic and vascular systems. Despite its indispensable function in vessel development, ETV2 role in adult angiogenesis has not yet been addressed. We have therefore investigated the role of ETV2 in vascular regeneration. APPROACH AND RESULTS: We used endothelial Etv2 conditional knockout mice and ischemic injury models to assess the role of ETV2 in vascular regeneration. Although Etv2 expression was not detectable under steady-state conditions, its expression was readily observed in endothelial cells after injury. Mice lacking endothelial Etv2 displayed impaired neovascularization in response to eye injury, wounding, or hindlimb ischemic injury. Lentiviral Etv2 expression in ischemic hindlimbs led to improved recovery of blood perfusion with enhanced vessel formation. After injury, fetal liver kinase 1 (Flk1), aka VEGFR2, expression and neovascularization were significantly upregulated by Etv2, whereas Flk1 expression and vascular endothelial growth factor response were significantly blunted in Etv2-deficient endothelial cells. Conversely, enforced Etv2 expression enhanced vascular endothelial growth factor-mediated endothelial sprouting from embryoid bodies. Lentiviral Flk1 expression rescued angiogenesis defects in endothelial Etv2 conditional knockout mice after hindlimb ischemic injury. Furthermore, Etv2(+/-); Flk1(+/-) double heterozygous mice displayed a more severe hindlimb ischemic injury response compared with Etv2(+/-) or Flk1(+/-) heterozygous mice, revealing an epistatic interaction between ETV2 and FLK1 in vascular regeneration. CONCLUSIONS: Our study demonstrates a novel obligatory role for the ETV2 in postnatal vascular repair and regeneration.

Conversion Reaction-Based Oxide Nanomaterials for Lithium Ion Battery Anodes.

Developing high-energy-density electrodes for lithium ion batteries (LIBs) is of primary importance to meet the challenges in electronics and automobile industries in the near future. Conversion reaction-based transition metal oxides are attractive candidates for LIB anodes because of their high theoretical capacities. This review summarizes recent advances on the development of nanostructured transition metal oxides for use in lithium ion battery anodes based on conversion reactions. The oxide materials covered in this review include oxides of iron, manganese, cobalt, copper, nickel, molybdenum, zinc, ruthenium, chromium, and tungsten, and mixed metal oxides. Various kinds of nanostructured materials including nanowires, nanosheets, hollow structures, porous structures, and oxide/carbon nanocomposites are discussed in terms of their LIB anode applications.

Magnetically-refreshable receptor platform structures for reusable nano-biosensor chips.

We developed a magnetically-refreshable receptor platform structure which can be integrated with quite versatile nano-biosensor structures to build reusable nano-biosensor chips. This structure allows one to easily remove used receptor molecules from a biosensor surface and reuse the biosensor for repeated sensing operations. Using this structure, we demonstrated reusable immunofluorescence biosensors. Significantly, since our method allows one to place receptor molecules very close to a nano-biosensor surface, it can be utilized to build reusable carbon nanotube transistor-based biosensors which require receptor molecules within a Debye length from the sensor surface. Furthermore, we also show that a single sensor chip can be utilized to detect two different target molecules simply by replacing receptor molecules using our method. Since this method does not rely on any chemical reaction to refresh sensor chips, it can be utilized for versatile biosensor structures and virtually-general receptor molecular species.

Hemodynamic, Hematological, and Hormonal Responses to Submaximal Exercise in Normobaric Hypoxia in Pubescent Girls.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to investigate hemodynamic, hematological, and immunological responses to prolonged submaximal cycle ergometer exercise at a simulated altitude of 3000 m in pubescent girls. METHODS: Ten girls, 12.8 ± 1.0 years old, exercised on a cycle ergometer for 60 min at a work rate corresponding to 50% maximal oxygen consumption measured at sea level, under two environmental conditions; sea level (normoxia) and a simulated 3000 m altitude (normobaric hypoxia). RESULTS: There were no significant differences in tidal volume, ventilation, oxygen consumption, cardiac output, stroke volume, and heart rate between the two exercise conditions. However, reticulocyte, adrenocorticotropic hormone, and cortisol concentrations increased significantly from pre- to postexercise in the hypoxic environment. Leukocyte and T-cell count increased and B-cell count decreased after exercise under both conditions. There were no significant changes in natural killer cell count. CONCLUSION: Our simulated hypoxic environment provided a mild environmental stressor that did not impose a heavy burden on the cardiovascular, hematological, or immunological functions during submaximal exercise in pubescent girls.

Hybrid Cellular Nanosheets for High-Performance Lithium-Ion Battery Anodes.

We report a simple synthetic method of carbon-based hybrid cellular nanosheets that exhibit outstanding electrochemical performance for many key aspects of lithium-ion battery electrodes. The nanosheets consist of close-packed cubic cavity cells partitioned by carbon walls, resembling plant leaf tissue. We loaded carbon cellular nanosheets with SnO2 nanoparticles by vapor deposition method and tested the performance of the resulting SnO2-carbon nanosheets as anode materials. The specific capacity is 914 mAh g(-1) on average with a retention of 97.0% during 300 cycles, and the reversible capacity is decreased by only 20% as the current density is increased from 200 to 3000 mA g(-1). In order to explain the excellent electrochemical performance, the hybrid cellular nanosheets were analyzed with cyclic voltammetry, in situ X-ray absorption spectroscopy, and transmission electron microscopy. We found that the high packing density, large interior surface area, and rigid carbon wall network are responsible for the high specific capacity, lithiation/delithiation reversibility, and cycling stability. Furthermore, the nanosheet structure leads to the high rate capability due to fast Li-ion diffusion in the thickness direction.

A case of intussusception of the appendix secondary to endometriosis: US and CT findings.

Intussusception of the appendix is an uncommon condition that is difficult to diagnose with radiology. Endometriosis causing appendiceal intussusception is a rare condition that has only been reported a few times in the literature. Here, we report a case of appendiceal intussusception caused by endometriosis in a 33-year-old woman who presented with intermittent right lower abdominal pain. Sonography revealed a hypoechoic mass invaginating into the cecum, which was covered by echogenic cecal wall with central dimpling indicating the appendiceal orifice. On CT, the mass was identified as an enhancing mass invaginating into the cecum at the level the appendiceal orifice.

Self-assembled Fe3O4 nanoparticle clusters as high-performance anodes for lithium ion batteries via geometric confinement.

Although different kinds of metal oxide nanoparticles continue to be proposed as anode materials for lithium ion batteries (LIBs), their cycle life and power density are still not suitable for commercial applications. Metal oxide nanoparticles have a large storage capacity, but they suffer from the excessive generation of solid-electrolyte interphase (SEI) on the surface, low electrical conductivity, and mechanical degradation and pulverization resulted from severe volume expansion during cycling. Herein we present the preparation of mesoporous iron oxide nanoparticle clusters (MIONCs) by a bottom-up self-assembly approach and demonstrate that they exhibit excellent cyclic stability and rate capability derived from their three-dimensional mesoporous nanostructure. By controlling the geometric configuration, we can achieve stable interfaces between the electrolyte and active materials, resulting in SEI formation confined on the outer surface of the MIONCs.

Amplifying Photochromic Response in Tungsten Oxide Films with Titanium Oxide and Polyvinylpyrrolidone.

Tungsten oxide (WO3) is known for its photochromic properties, making it useful for smart windows, displays, and sensors. However, its small bandgap leads to rapid recombination of electron-hole pairs, resulting in poor photochromic performance. This study aims to enhance the photochromic properties of WO3 by synthesizing hexagonal tungsten oxide via hydrothermal synthesis, which increases surface area and internal hydrates. Titanium oxide (TiO2) was adsorbed onto the tungsten oxide to inject additional charges and reduce electron-hole recombination. Additionally, polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) was used to improve dispersion in organic solvents, allowing for the fabrication of high-quality films using the doctor blade method. Characterization confirmed the enhanced surface area, crystal structure, and dispersion stability. Reflectance and transmittance measurements demonstrated significant improvements in photochromic properties due to the composite structure. These findings suggest that the introduction of TiO2 and PVP to tungsten oxide effectively enhances its photochromic performance, broadening its applicability in various advanced photochromic applications.

Electrical control of kinesin-microtubule motility using a transparent functionalized-graphene substrate.

We report a new strategy to selectively localize and control microtubule translocation via electrical control of microtubules using a microfabricated channel on a functionalized-graphene electrode with high transparency and conductivity. A patterned SU-8 film acts as an insulation layer which shields the electrical field generated by the graphene underneath while the localized electric field on the exposed graphene surface guides the negatively charged microtubules. This is the first report showing that functionalized graphene can support and control microtubule motility.

A Small-Scale Hopper Design Using a Power Spring-Based Linear Actuator.

Hopping locomotion has the potential to enable small-scale robots to maneuver lands quickly while overcoming obstacles bigger than themselves. To make this possible, in this paper, we propose a novel design of a high-power linear actuator for a small-scale hopper. The key design principle of the linear actuator is to use a power spring and an active clutch. The power spring provides a near constant torque along the wide range of output displacement. The active clutch controls the moving direction and operation timing of the linear actuator, which enables the hopper to take off at the right timing. As a result, the hopper has a size of 143 mm, a mass of 45.9 g, and hops up to 0.58 m.

Dipo: a miniaturized hopping robot via lightweight and compact actuator design for power amplification.

Kangaroo rats are well known as representative hoppers in small-scale animals. Especially kangaroo rats show rapid movement when a predator approaches. If this amazing motion can be applied to small-scale robots, they will be able to traverse lands at high speed while overcoming size limitations. To take advantage of hopping locomotion, in this paper, we present a lightweight and small-scale clutch-based hopping robot called Dipo. To make this possible, a compact power amplifying actuation system has been developed using a power spring and an active clutch. The power spring is possible to take out and use the accumulated energy little by little whenever the robot starts to hop. Moreover, the power spring needs low torque to charge the elastic energy, and a only tiny space is required to install. The active clutch controls the motion of hopping legs by adjusting the timing of energy release and storage. Thanks to these design strategies, the robot weighs 45.07 g, has the height of 5 cm in the stance phase, and achieves the maximum hopping height of 54.9 cm.