Comprehensive Investigation of the Temperature-Dependent Electromechanical Behaviors of Carbon Nanotube/Polymer Composites.

The performances of flexible piezoresistive sensors based on polymer nanocomposites are significantly affected by the environmental temperature; therefore, comprehensively investigating the temperature-dependent electromechanical response behaviors of conductive polymer nanocomposites is crucial for developing high-precision flexible piezoresistive sensors in a wide-temperature range. Herein, carbon nanotube (CNT)/polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) composites widely used for flexible piezoresistive sensors were prepared, and then the temperature-dependent electrical, mechanical, and electromechanical properties of the optimized CNT/PDMS composite in the temperature range from -150 to 150 °C were systematically investigated. At a low temperature of -150 °C, the CNT/PDMS composite becomes brittle with a compressive modulus of ∼1.2 MPa and loses its elasticity and reversible sensing capability. At a high temperature (above 90 °C), the CNT/PDMS composite softens, shows a fluid-like mechanical property, and loses its reversible sensing capability. In the temperature range from -60 to 90 °C, the CNT/PDMS composite exhibits good elasticity and reversible sensing behaviors and its modulus, resistivity, and sensing sensitivity decrease with an increasing temperature. At room temperature (30 °C), the CNT/PDMS composite exhibits better mechanical and piezoresistive stability than those at low and high temperatures. Given that environmental temperature changes have significant effects on the sensing performances of conductive polymer composites, the effect of ambient temperature changes must be considered when flexible piezoresistive sensors are designed and fabricated.

Urinary concerns among older adults: a qualitative analysis in the context of healthy aging.

BACKGROUND: Urinary concerns increase with age impacting health and quality of life. The aims of this study were to describe: (1) urinary concerns as an age-related change (ARC); (2) the challenges of urinary concerns; (3) adaptation strategies used to manage urinary concerns; and (4) the value of engaging with aging (EWA) as a framework to promote self-management of urinary concerns. METHODS: Data was used from semi-structured interviews with 29 older adults (mean age 77 years). An iterative coding process was used. A codebook was developed based on a-priori themes derived from the EWA framework, our previous publication, and a line-by-line coding of one of the transcripts. As the analysis progressed, additional codes emerged, enriching the codebook. RESULTS: Six themes emerged: (1) the participants' experiences; (2) responses to urinary concerns, (3) adaptation and management strategies; (4) knowledge and understanding of urinary concerns; (5) available capacities and resources; and (6) the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on urinary concerns. Participants tended to address their urinary concerns by adjusting routines, medication schedules, or diet patterns. They tried to secure restroom locations or use tools or reminders to resolve their urinary concerns. COVID-19 led to increased inconvenience for older adults to engage in outdoor activities due to the closure of public restrooms. CONCLUSIONS: Our in-depth qualitative analysis found that participants developed personalized adjustments to address their needs and abilities to their urinary concerns. These findings offer insights into the individual aging experience, which will further enhance our understanding and advancement of person-centered care.

Teaching diagnostic radiology to radiology majors: Implementation and evaluation of a flipped classroom model.

PURPOSE: Radiology instruction focuses on cultivating medical students' diagnostic thinking skills and practical competence, and lecture-based learning (LBL) is the most commonly used teaching approach. While fact-based, this type of traditional instruction is often non-engaging, leading to a shift toward student-centered models, one of which is the flipped classroom (FC). However, studies involving a comprehensive evaluation of students' experiences using the FC approach and its effects on their learning are lacking. Therefore, this study analyzed the teaching efficacy of the FC approach based on data of large groups of radiology students, accumulated over time. METHODS: Data from 636 medical radiology students taught using the FC and LBL models from 2012 to 2021 were retrospectively collected and analyzed. RESULTS: The test scores of the FC group were significantly higher than those of the LBL group, and improvements in learning initiative and learning ability were notably higher in the FC than in the LBL group. The two groups showed no significant difference in the critical thinking disposition indicator, and the proportion of students with positive critical thinking tendencies was higher in the FC than in the LBL group. The academic and social self-perception scores of the FC group were significantly higher than those of the LBL group, and there was a significant difference in Kolb's learning style. CONCLUSIONS: Based on evidence of completing pre-, in-, and after-class work, the FC approach improved students' academic performance, learning initiative, diagnostic ability, and satisfaction with learning and the teaching institution. Our findings suggest that FC instruction promotes students' assimilation and convergence of learning styles, and cultivates positive critical thinking.

Engaging adolescents in research: Home self-collection of biological samples and health questionnaires.

Adolescent health research with biomarker data collection is limited due to difficulties in recruiting and engaging this age group. Thus, successful recruitment, engagement, and retention of adolescents in translational research are necessary to elucidate factors influencing mental and physical health conditions, uncover novel biomarkers, and expand prevention and treatment options. This paper describes strategies for effective recruitment and retention of adolescents in a research study, using a project examining depressive symptoms and the microbiome to illustrate these approaches. This cross-sectional study collected electronic self-reported survey data and self-collected biospecimens (stool and salivary samples) from adolescents 13-19 years old. All but two participants completed the questionnaires, with few missing responses. 94% provided at least one salivary sample and 89% supplied a stool sample. Participants were able to adhere to the study instructions. Using a participant-centered approach, our study successfully recruited and engaged the targeted 90 participants in self-collection of electronic survey data and biospecimens. Successful strategies of recruitment and retention included: 1) on-site clinic recruitment by research team, 2) active involvement of parents as appropriate, 3) use of electronic surveys and self-collection of biospecimens to foster control and ease of participation while addressing privacy concerns, 4) noninvasive collection of data on biospecimen, 5) frequent texting to communicate with participants, 6) flexibility in the pickup and transferring of biospecimens to accommodate adolescent schedules, 7) developmentally appropriate research, 8) participant reimbursement, and 9) sensitivity toward discussing stool sample materials. As a result of these strategies, adolescent participation in the research proved feasible.

Technology Usability for People Living With Dementia: Concept Analysis.

BACKGROUND: Usability is a key indicator of the quality of technology products. In tandem with technological advancements, potential use by individuals with dementia is increasing. However, defining the usability of technology for individuals with dementia remains an ongoing challenge. The diverse and progressive nature of dementia adds complexity to the creation of universal usability criteria, highlighting the need for focused deliberations. Technological interventions offer potential benefits for people living with dementia and caregivers. Amid COVID-19, technology's role in health care access is growing, especially among older adults. Enabling the diverse population of people living with dementia to enjoy the benefits of technologies requires particular attention to their needs, desires, capabilities, and vulnerabilities to potential harm from technologies. Successful technological interventions for dementia require meticulous consideration of technology usability. OBJECTIVE: This concept analysis aims to examine the usability of technology in the context of individuals living with dementia to establish a clear definition for usability within this specific demographic. METHODS: The framework by Walker and Avant was used to guide this concept analysis. We conducted a literature review spanning 1984 to 2024, exploring technology usability for people with dementia through the PubMed, Web of Science, and Google Scholar databases using the keywords "technology usability" and "dementia." We also incorporated clinical definitions and integrated interview data from 29 dyads comprising individuals with mild Alzheimer dementia and their respective care partners, resulting in a total of 58 older adults. This approach aimed to offer a more comprehensive portrayal of the usability needs of individuals living with dementia, emphasizing practical application. RESULTS: The evidence from the literature review unveiled that usability encompasses attributes such as acceptable learnability, efficiency, and satisfaction. The clinical perspective on dementia stages, subtypes, and symptoms underscores the importance of tailored technology usability assessment. Feedback from 29 dyads also emphasized the value of simplicity, clear navigation, age-sensitive design, personalized features, and audio support. Thus, design should prioritize personalized assistance for individuals living with dementia, moving away from standardized technological approaches. Synthesized from various sources, the defined usability attributes for individuals living with dementia not only encompass the general usability properties of effectiveness, efficiency, and satisfaction but also include other key factors: adaptability, personalization, intuitiveness, and simplicity, to ensure that technology is supportive and yields tangible benefits for this demographic. CONCLUSIONS: Usability is crucial for people living with dementia when designing technological interventions. It necessitates an understanding of user characteristics, dementia stages, symptoms, needs, and tasks, as well as consideration of varied physical requirements, potential sensory loss, and age-related changes. Disease progression requires adapting to evolving symptoms. Recommendations include versatile, multifunctional technology designs; accommodating diverse needs; and adjusting software functionalities for personalization. Product feature classification can be flexible based on user conditions.

Harnessing the Power of Radiotherapy for Lung Cancer: A Narrative Review of the Evolving Role of Magnetic Resonance Imaging Guidance.

Compared with computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) traditionally plays a very limited role in lung cancer management, although there is plenty of room for improvement in the current CT-based workflow, for example, in structures such as the brachial plexus and chest wall invasion, which are difficult to visualize with CT alone. Furthermore, in the treatment of high-risk tumors such as ultracentral lung cancer, treatment-associated toxicity currently still outweighs its benefits. The advent of MR-Linac, an MRI-guided radiotherapy (RT) that combines MRI with a linear accelerator, could potentially address these limitations. Compared with CT-based technologies, MR-Linac could offer superior soft tissue visualization, daily adaptive capability, real-time target tracking, and an early assessment of treatment response. Clinically, it could be especially advantageous in the treatment of central/ultracentral lung cancer, early-stage lung cancer, and locally advanced lung cancer. Increasing demands for stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) for lung cancer have led to MR-Linac adoption in some cancer centers. In this review, a broad overview of the latest research on imaging-guided radiotherapy (IGRT) with MR-Linac for lung cancer management is provided, and development pertaining to artificial intelligence is also highlighted. New avenues of research are also discussed.

Gentianamopanshanensis (Gentianaceae), a new species from Yunnan, southwest China.

Gentianamopanshanensis, a new species of the family Gentianaceae is here described and illustrated. This species is presently known only from the Mopanshan Mountain, Yunnan Province, southwest China. Phylogenetic analysis based on ITS sequence data has shown that this new species is a member of the series Fimbriatae of the section Chondrophyllae. Morphologically, it mostly resembles G.mairei and G.panthaica, but differs clearly from the latter two species in the shape and size of the leaves, and the characters of the corolla throat and plicae.

Isodonxiaoluzhiensis (Lamiaceae, Nepetoideae), a new species from Yunnan, southwest China.

Isodonxiaoluzhiensis, a new species of the tribe Ocimeae in family Lamiaceae, is described and illustrated. The new species is known only from the type locality, Xiaoluzhi village in Luzhijang dry-hot valley of Yimen County, central Yunnan, southwest China. It is characterized by having a procumbent habit, gracile stems and branches, relatively small leaves and flowers, and the phenology of flowering in winter. The morphological comparisons with its putative closest relatives (I.adenanthus and I.hsiwenii) are also presented.

A simple and efficient gene functional analysis method for studying the growth and development of peach seedlings.

Stable genetic transformation of peach [Prunus persica (L.) Batsch] still faces many technical challenges, and existing transient expression methods are limited by tissue type or developmental stage, making it difficult to conduct functional analysis of genes regulating shoot growth. To overcome this dilemma, we developed a three-step method for efficient analysis of gene functions during peach seedling growth and development. This method resulted in transformation frequencies ranging from 48 to 87%, depending on the gene. From transformation of germinating seeds to phenotyping of young saplings took just 1.5 months and can be carried out any time of year. To test the applicability of this method, the function of three tree architecture-related genes, namely PpPDS, PpMAX4, and PpWEEP, and two lateral root-related genes, PpIAA14-1 and -2, were confirmed. Since functional redundancy can challenge gene functional analyses, tests were undertaken with the growth-repressor DELLA, which has three homologous genes, PpDGYLA (DG), PpDELLA1 (D1), and -2 (D2), in peach that are functionally redundant. Silencing using a triple-target vector (TRV2-DG-D1-D2) resulted in transgenic plants taller than those carrying just TRV2-DG or TRV2. Simultaneously silencing the three DELLA genes also attenuated the stature of two dwarf genotypes, 'FHSXT' and 'HSX', which normally accumulate DELLA proteins. Our study provides a method for the functional analysis of genes in peach and can be used for the study of root, stem, and leaf development. We believe this method can be replicated in other woody plants.

SFN promotes renal fibrosis via binding with MYH9 in chronic kidney disease.

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a clinical syndrome characterized by persistent renal function decline. Renal fibrosis is the main pathological process in CKD, but an effective treatment does not exist. Stratifin (SFN) is a highly-conserved, multi-function soluble acidic protein. Therefore, this study explored the effects of SFN on renal fibrosis. First, we found that SFN was highly expressed in patients with CKD, as well as in renal fibrosis animal and cell models. Next, transforming growth factor-beta 1 (TGF-ß1) induced injury and fibrosis in human renal tubule epithelial cells, and SFN knockdown reversed these effects. Furthermore, SFN knockdown mitigated unilateral ureteral obstruction (UUO)-induced renal tubular dilatation and renal interstitial fibrosis in mice. Liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry/mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS), co-immunoprecipitation (Co-IP), and immunofluorescence co-localization assays demonstrated that SFN bound the non-muscle myosin-encoding gene, myosin heavy chain 9 (MYH9), in the cytoplasm of renal tubular epithelial cells. MYH9 knockdown also reduced Col-1 and α-SMA expression, which are fibrosis markers. Finally, silencing SFN decreased MYH9 expression, alleviating renal fibrosis. These results suggest that SFN promotes renal fibrosis in CKD by interacting with MYH9. This study may provide potential strategies for the treatment of CKD.

Associations of early retirement and mortality risk: a population-based study in Taiwan.

BACKGROUND: Early retirement is highly prevalent in Taiwan. This study assesses the association between early retirement and all-cause and cause-specific mortality risks while exploring the modifying effect of sociodemographic factors. METHODS: Using Taiwan's National Health Insurance Research Database between 2009 and 2019, 1 762 621 early retirees aged 45-64 and an equal number of employed comparators were included. The date and cause of death were identified using the National Death Registry. Cox regression models were used to estimate HRs of early retirement for all-cause mortality and cause-specific mortality. To explore modifying effects, we conducted subgroup analyses based on age groups, sexes, occupation types and general health status (Charlson Comorbid Index score). RESULTS: The analysis revealed that early retirees, compared with their concurrently employed counterparts, had a higher mortality risk (adjusted HR (aHR) 1.69, 95% CI (1.67 to 1.71)). Specifically, younger individuals (aged 45-54) (aHR 2.74 (95% CI 2.68 to 2.80)), males (aHR 1.78 (95% CI 1.76 to 1.81)), those in farming or fishing occupations (aHR 2.13 (95% CI 2.06 to 2.21)) or the private sector (aHR 1.92 (95% CI 1.89 to 1.96)), and those with the poorest health conditions (aHR 1.79 (95% CI 1.76 to 1.83)) had higher mortality risks of early retirement. Regarding specific causes of death, the top three highest risks were associated with gastrointestinal disorders, followed by suicide and neurological disorders. CONCLUSIONS: This study underscores the substantial mortality risk increase linked to early retirement, emphasising the importance of policy considerations, particularly regarding vulnerable populations and specific causes of death potentially linked to unhealthy lifestyles.