Biodistribution of synthesized polyethylene terephthalate fibers in adult zebrafish, their sex hormone disruption effect, and mitigation using natural organic matter.

Although polyethylene terephthalate (PET) fibers are a representative form of plastic pollutants, studies on their toxicity are currently limited compared to other plastic types. Moreover, the effect of natural organic matter (NOM) on their toxicity has not been investigated. In this study, female and male adult zebrafish were exposed to synthesized PET fibers at concentrations of 0.1, 1, 10, and 100 mg/L in the presence and absence of 10 mg/L of NOM for 10 d. Bioaccumulation of PET fibers in zebrafish intestine, liver, and gills was identified and expression levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation, sex hormones, and oxidative stress and sex hormone-related genes were measured. In addition, the developmental stages of gonadal cells were examined through histological analysis. We found that PET fibers bioaccumulated in the intestine and liver of zebrafish. ROS generation significantly increased at 100 mg/L of PET fibers, the expression of oxidative stress-related genes decreased in female and increased in male zebrafish. Exposure to 100 mg/L of PET fibers did not affect 17-beta estradiol, but significantly decreased the testosterone levels in male zebrafish. Sex hormone-related genes significantly decreased in both female and male zebrafish, except for androgen receptor in female zebrafish. However, these changes were exacerbated by the removal of NOM, suggesting a protective effect of NOM against PET fibers toxicity. We demonstrated that the accumulated PET fibers may lead to oxidative stress and sex hormone alteration, and disrupt the development of gonadal cells. Additionally, the NOM coating did not alter bioaccumulation considerably, but mitigated the adverse effects at the hormone level in PET fiber-exposed zebrafish. Thus, this study provides a basis for further research on the toxicity assessment of PET fibers and interactions between NOM and PET fiber-related toxicity.

Incidence, Time Course, and Outcomes of Worsening Tricuspid Regurgitation Following Transvenous Cardiac Implantable Electronic Device Implantation.

Data regarding the incidence, time course, and outcomes of worsening tricuspid regurgitation (TR) after transvenous cardiac implantable electronic device (CIED) implantation are limited. We screened 834 consecutive patients who underwent first-time transvenous CIED implantation. After excluding patients without preoperative or follow-up echocardiography (n = 361) and patients with severe TR before implantation (n = 15), the present study population consisted of 458 patients. Worsening TR was defined as moderate or more TR that was newly developed or increased by at least 1 grade compared with baseline. During the median follow-up period of 2.1 years, worsening TR occurred in 93 patients (20%). The cumulative incidence of worsening TR was 10.2% at 1 year and 18.6% at 3 years. Of the 67 patients with worsening TR who underwent follow-up echocardiography, excluding those who underwent tricuspid valve surgery, 76% showed improvement in TR severity, with 70% having none or mild TR. On the landmark analysis, the 5-year cumulative incidence of all-cause death and heart failure hospitalization was significantly higher in patients with worsening TR at 1 year than those without worsening TR at 1 year (24.8% vs 11.4%, p = 0.002 and 35.2% vs 17.9%, p = 0.012, respectively). When considering worsening TR as a time-dependent covariate, worsening TR was significantly associated with an increased risk of all-cause death and heart failure hospitalization after adjustment for the differences in baseline patient characteristics (hazard ratio 1.99, 95% confidence interval 1.21 to 3.27, p = 0.006 and hazard ratio 2.64, 95% confidence interval 1.59 to 4.37, p <0.001, respectively). In conclusion, worsening TR after transvenous CIED implantation was not uncommon and had a dynamic nature with an improvement in the majority of patients, suggesting the functional etiology. Nonetheless, worsening TR was independently associated with an increased risk for mortality and heart failure hospitalization.

A structure-based mechanism of adenosylcobinamide kinase/adenosylcobinamide phosphate guanylyltransferase (MpaCobU) from Methylocapsa palsarum.

Adenosylcobinamide kinase/adenosylcobinamide phosphate guanylyltransferase (CobU) is one of the key enzymes that participate in the biosynthesis of cobalamin, specifically lining the lower ligand 5,6-dimethylbenzimidazole in the α-position of cyclic tetrapyrrolidine. During this process, CobU exhibits two distinct activities: kinase and nucleotidyl transferase, using two nucleoside triphosphates. A structural study of CobU from Salmonella typhimurium showed that guanosine triphosphate binding induces a conformational rearrangement of helix 2. This rearrangement decreases the distance between the phosphate binding loop (P-loop) and helix 2, which is important for the subsequent guanylylation step of the reaction. However, these findings provide only partial insights into the mechanism of CobU at the structural level, and the precise molecular details of this mechanism have not yet been studied. As a first step towards elucidating the molecular mechanisms and sequence of events involved in the phosphorylation and guanylylation steps, we report the high-resolution crystal structures of phosphorylated -MpaCobU (1.8 Å), the C91S mutant (1.5 Å), the guanosine diphosphate complex (1.9 Å), and the adenosylcobinamide-phosphate complex (2.6 Å) from Methylocapsa palsarum for the first time. High-resolution structures revealed the crucial elements governing the catalytic steps of MpaCobU, thereby contributing to understanding the catalytic mechanism of CobU at the molecular level.

Engineering large-scale hiPSC-derived vessel-integrated muscle-like lattices for enhanced volumetric muscle regeneration.

Engineering biomimetic tissue implants with human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) holds promise for repairing volumetric tissue loss. However, these implants face challenges in regenerative capability, survival, and geometric scalability at large-scale injury sites. Here, we present scalable vessel-integrated muscle-like lattices (VMLs), containing dense and aligned hiPSC-derived myofibers alongside passively perfusable vessel-like microchannels inside an endomysium-like supporting matrix using an embedded multimaterial bioprinting technology. The contractile and millimeter-long myofibers are created in mechanically tailored and nanofibrous extracellular matrix-based hydrogels. Incorporating vessel-like lattice enhances myofiber maturation in vitro and guides host vessel invasion in vivo, improving implant integration. Consequently, we demonstrate successful de novo muscle formation and muscle function restoration through a combinatorial effect between improved graft-host integration and its increased release of paracrine factors within volumetric muscle loss injury models. The proposed modular bioprinting technology enables scaling up to centimeter-sized prevascularized hiPSC-derived muscle tissues with custom geometries for next-generation muscle regenerative therapies.

Selection of Home Treatment and Identification of Low-Risk Patients With Pulmonary Embolism Based on Simplified Pulmonary Embolism Severity Index Score in the Era of Direct Oral Anticoagulants.

BACKGROUND: The simplified Pulmonary Embolism Severity Index (sPESI) score could help identify low-risk patients with pulmonary embolism for home treatment. However, the application of the sPESI score and selection for home treatment have not been fully evaluated in the direct oral anticoagulants era. METHODS AND RESULTS: The COMMAND VTE (Contemporary Management and Outcomes in Patients With Venous Thromboembolism) Registry-2 is a multicenter registry enrolling consecutive patients with acute symptomatic venous thromboembolism. The current study population consists of 2496 patients with hemodynamically stable pulmonary embolism (2100 patients [84%] treated with direct oral anticoagulants), who were divided into 2 groups: sPESI scores of 0 and ≥1. We investigated the 30-day mortality, home treatment prevalence, and factors predisposing to home treatment using the Kaplan-Meier method and logistic regression model. Patients with an sPESI score of 0 accounted for 612 (25%) patients, and only 17% among 532 patients with out-of-hospital pulmonary embolism were treated at home. The cumulative 30-day mortality was lower in patients with an sPESI score of 0 than the score of ≥1 (0% and 4.8%, log-rank P<0.001). There was no patient with 30-day mortality with an sPESI score of 0. Independent factors for home treatment among out-of-hospital pulmonary embolism patients with an sPESI score of 0 were no transient risk factors for venous thromboembolism, no cardiac biomarker elevation, and direct oral anticoagulants use in the acute phase. CONCLUSIONS: The 30-day mortality rate was notably low in an sPESI score of 0. Nevertheless, only a minority of patients with an sPESI score of 0 were treated at home between 2015 and 2020 after the introduction of direct oral anticoagulants for venous thromboembolismin Japan.

Scalable Photo-Responsive Physical Unclonable Functions via Particle Kinetics.

The increasing menace of counterfeiting and information theft underscores the urgent need for security platforms compatible with both micro- and nanoelectronics. Existing methods for anticounterfeiting labeling and cryptographic systems rely on unclonable patterns derived from the unpredictable variability of physical phenomena. However, these approaches impose limitations on the scalability of security components. Here we present a scalable platform for photoresponsive physically unclonable functions based on oxide particle kinetics in polymer solutions. The stochastic agglomeration process occurring during the formation of polymer films with dispersed oxide particles yields random patterns, with pixel sizes scalable from micro to nanoscales. We produce mechanically flexible and self-destructible optical unclonable function patterns utilizing oxide aggregates on a polymer film. Moreover, we establish a strategy for generating electrical unclonable patterns on a conducting polymer film. This involves covering the polymer film with an aggregate pattern mask, which serves as an ultraviolet-blocking layer for randomly exposing the film to ultraviolet ozone treatment. These unclonable patterns constitute robust and compact security systems, exhibiting effective resilience against machine-learning attacks (∼50% prediction error for training data sets of 1000). The developed scalable platforms for physically unclonable functions provide a hardware solution for robust cryptographic applications.

Utility of the modified Ottawa score for identification of more preferable candidates of extended anticoagulation therapy in cancer-associated isolated distal deep vein thrombosis: insight from the ONCO DVT Study.

BACKGROUND: The ONCO DVT study (Edoxaban for 12 Months Versus 3 Months in Patients With Cancer With Isolated Distal Deep Vein Thrombosis) revealed superiority of 12-month relative to 3-month edoxaban treatment for the thrombotic risk in cancer-associated isolated distal deep vein thrombosis. However, it is unknown whether the superiority could be common in different modified Ottawa score subgroups. OBJECTIVES: To identify more preferable candidates for extended anticoagulation in patients with cancer-associated isolated distal deep vein thrombosis using the modified Ottawa score. METHODS: In this post-hoc subgroup analysis of the ONCO DVT study, we stratified 601 patients into the low (≤-1, N = 126), intermediate (0, N = 323), and high (≥1, N = 152) modified Ottawa score subgroups and compared clinical outcomes between the 12-month and 3-month edoxaban treatment groups. RESULTS: The cumulative incidence of symptomatic recurrent venous thromboembolism or venous thromboembolism-related death was not different between the 12-month and 3-month edoxaban treatment groups in the low score subgroup (0.0% vs 2.2%), whereas it was lower in the 12-month than in the 3-month edoxaban treatment group in the intermediate (0.8% vs 7.6%) and high (3.1% vs 15.6%) score subgroups. There were no significant differences in the cumulative incidences of the major bleeding between the 12-month and 3-month edoxaban treatment groups in the low (10.1% vs 7.6%), intermediate (8.8% vs 5.0%), and high (13.9% vs 12.6%) score subgroups. CONCLUSION: A 12-month compared with 3-month edoxaban treatment showed a lower risk of thrombotic events in patients with cancer-associated isolated distal deep vein thrombosis in the intermediate and high modified Ottawa score subgroups but not in the low score subgroup, suggesting a limited benefit of extended anticoagulation therapy beyond 3 months in patients with low modified Ottawa score.

Impact of Anemia on Clinical Outcomes of Patients With Cancer-Associated Isolated Distal Deep Vein Thrombosis Receiving Edoxaban　- Insights From the ONCO DVT Study.

BACKGROUND: The ONCO DVT study demonstrated potential benefits of extended edoxaban treatment in patients with isolated distal deep vein thrombosis in terms of thrombotic risk. However, the risk-benefit balance in patients with anemia remains unclear. METHODS AND RESULTS: This prespecified subgroup analysis included 601 patients, divided into anemia (n=402) and no-anemia (n=199) groups. The primary endpoint was symptomatic recurrent venous thromboembolism (VTE) or VTE-related death. Anemia was defined as hemoglobin <12 g/dL for women and <13 g/dL for men. In the anemia subgroup, the primary endpoint occurred in 3 (1.5%) and 17 (8.4%) patients in the 12- and 3-month edoxaban treatment groups, respectively (odds ratio [OR] 0.17; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.05-0.58), compared with 0 and 5 (4.9%) patients, respectively, in the no-anemia subgroup (P interaction=0.997). Major bleeding occurred in 26 (13.1%) and 17 (8.4%) patients with anemia in the 12- and 3-month edoxaban treatment groups, respectively (OR 1.64; 95% CI 0.86-3.14), compared with 2 (2.1%) and 5 (4.9%) patients without anemia (OR 0.67; 95% CI 0.26-1.73; P interaction=0.13). CONCLUSIONS: Regardless of the presence of anemia, edoxaban treatment for 12 months was superior to treatment for 3 months in reducing thrombotic events, whereas the risk of major bleeding did not differ significantly between the 2 treatment groups.

Long-term outcomes of minimally invasive concomitant mitral and tricuspid valve surgery with surgical ablation.

OBJECTIVES: We compared the outcomes of a right mini-thoracotomy (RMT) versus those of a sternotomy for concomitant mitral and tricuspid valve surgery and surgical ablation. METHODS: We analysed patients who underwent concomitant mitral and tricuspid valve surgery and surgical ablation at a single institution (mean follow-up: 7 years) after propensity score matching. The primary and secondary outcomes were all-cause death, composite major adverse events (including stroke, reoperation, readmission, permanent pacemaker insertion) and recurrence of atrial fibrillation (A-fib). A subgroup analysis was performed. RESULTS: A total of 797 procedures (mean age: 61.6 years; RMT: 45.2%; female: 66.5%; mitral valve repair: 33.6%) were done; 267 pairs were matched. The 5- and 10-year overall survival in the matched cohort was 92.7% and 86.9% for the RMT group and 92.1% and 83.1% for the sternotomy group (P = 0.879). Significant differences were not observed in major adverse events (P = 0.273; hazard ratio: 0.76) and A-fib recurrence (P = 0.080; hazard ratio: 0.72). The RMT group had lower rates of postoperative low cardiac output syndrome (P = 0.019) and acute renal failure (P = 0.003). Atrial fibrillation high-risk factors (including long-standing A-fib, enlarged left atrium, old age) exhibited significant interactions (P for interaction = 0.002) with the approach regarding A-fib recurrence. CONCLUSIONS: In this study, an RMT exhibited no significant differences in long-term outcomes compared to a sternotomy, but it could remain a clinically reasonable option. Patients with a high risk of A-fib may have favourable ablation outcomes with a sternotomy.

Phospho-code of a conserved transcriptional factor underpins fungal virulence.

BACKGROUND: Cell wall integrity (CWI) is crucial for fungal growth, pathogenesis, and adaptation to extracellular environments. Calcofluor white (CFW) is a cell wall perturbant that inhibits fungal growth, yet little is known about how phytopathogenic fungi respond to the CFW-induced stress. RESULTS: In this study, we unveiled a significant discovery that CFW triggered the translocation of the transcription factor CgCrzA from the cytoplasm to the nucleus in Colletotrichum gloeosporioides. This translocation was regulated by an interacting protein, CgMkk1, a mitogen-activated protein kinase involved in the CWI pathway. Further analysis revealed that CgMkk1 facilitated nuclear translocation by phosphorylating CgCrzA at the Ser280 residue. Using chromatin immunoprecipitation sequencing, we identified two downstream targets of CgCrzA, namely CgCHS5 and CgCHS6, which are critical for growth, cell wall integrity, and pathogenicity as chitin synthase genes. CONCLUSIONS: These findings provide a novel insight into the regulatory mechanism of CgMkk1-CgCrzA-CgChs5/6, which enables response of the cell wall inhibitor CFW and facilitates infectious growth for C. gloeosporioides.

Seasonal dynamics of airborne biomolecules influence the size distribution of Arctic aerosols.

Organic matter is crucial in aerosol-climate interactions, yet the physicochemical properties and origins of organic aerosols remain poorly understood. Here we show the seasonal characteristics of submicron organic aerosols in Arctic Svalbard during spring and summer, emphasizing their connection to transport patterns and particle size distribution. Microbial-derived organic matter (MOM) and terrestrial-derived organic matter (TOM) accounted for over 90% of the total organic mass in Arctic aerosols during these seasons, comprising carbohydrate/protein-like and lignin/tannin-like compounds, respectively. In spring, aerosols showed high TOM and low MOM intensities due to biomass-burning influx in the central Arctic. In contrast, summer exhibited elevated MOM intensity, attributed to the shift in predominant atmospheric transport from the central Arctic to the biologically active Greenland Sea. MOM and TOM were associated with Aitken mode particles (<100 nm diameter) and accumulation mode particles (>100 nm diameter), respectively. This association is linked to the molecular size of biomolecules, impacting the number concentrations of corresponding aerosol classes. These findings highlight the importance of considering seasonal atmospheric transport patterns and organic source-dependent particle size distributions in assessing aerosol properties in the changing Arctic.

Preparation of Photocurable Organic-Inorganic Hybrid Composites for Continuous Manufacturing of 3D-Patterned Abrasive.

Photocurable hybrid organic-inorganic composites were prepared via surface modification and 3D-patterned structures were fabricated by utilizing a continuous roll-to-roll manufacturing strategy. The surfaces of nanocrystals were engineered with a bifunctional ligand that is a 2-carboxyethyl acrylate, which possesses a carboxylic acid moiety at one end and an acrylate functionality moiety at the other end, yielding acrylate-functionalized nanocrystals. Micro-scale 3D patterns (protruding pyramidal shapes with each side measuring 147 µm) were continuously manufactured at a speed of 2.5 m/min via UV curing with a soft engraved mold. The surface properties of the functionalized nanocrystals and their UV curing condition were explored with Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The morphology of the 3D film was measured using scanning electron microscopy. A pin-on-disk tribometer measurement revealed an improved interaction between the functionalized particles and resins.

Initial hemodynamic status and Acute Mortality in Cancer patients with Acute Pulmonary Embolism: from the COMMAND VTE Registry.

BACKGROUND: Initial hemodynamic status in patients with acute pulmonary embolism (PE) concerns their acute clinical outcomes. Nevertheless, the characteristics of initial hemodynamic dysfunction and acute mortality in PE patients with active cancer is still controversial. METHODS: We analyzed the data of 1715 PE patients in the COMMAND VTE Registry to compare initial hemodynamic dysfunction, management strategies, and mortality outcomes at 30 days after PE diagnosis between patients with and without active cancer (N = 393 and N = 1322). RESULTS: The patients with active cancer showed lower prevalence of right ventricular dysfunction (35.4% vs. 49.5%, P < 0.001), shock (6.4% vs. 11.6%, P = 0.003), and cardiac arrest (1.8% vs. 5.5%, P = 0.002) at PE diagnosis, compared with those without. The patients with active cancer less frequently received systemic thrombolysis (4.1% vs. 12.6%, P < 0.001) than those without. There was no significant difference in the cumulative 30-day incidence of PE-related death between patients with and without active cancer (4.1% vs. 4.2%, P = 0.89). The cumulative 30-day incidence of all-cause death was significantly higher in patients with active cancer than in those without (11.5% vs. 4.9%, P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: PE patients with active cancer less frequently present with initial hemodynamic dysfunction at PE diagnosis, compared with those without. Nevertheless, PE patients with active cancer still show a similar risk of PE-related death and a higher risk of all-cause death at 30 days after PE diagnosis, suggesting the importance of prudent management for this patient population even if their initial hemodynamic status are not compromised.

Visible light-induced photocatalytic degradation of tetrabromobisphenol A on platinized tungsten oxide.

In this study, we investigated the degradation of the flame retardant tetrabromobisphenol A (TBBPA) using platinized tungsten oxide (Pt/WO3), synthesized via a simple photodeposition method, under visible light. The results of degradation experiments show a significant enhancement in TBBPA degradation upon surface platinization of WO3, with the degradation rate increasing by 13.4 times compared to bare WO3. The presence of Pt on the WO3 surface stores conduction band electrons, which facilitates the two-electron reduction of oxygen and enhances the production of valence band holes (hVB+) and hydroxyl radicals (●OH). Both hVB+ and ●OH are significantly involved in the degradation of TBBPA in the visible light-irradiated Pt/WO3 system. This was verified through fluorescence spectroscopy employing coumarin as a chemical probe and oxidizing species-quenching experiments. The analysis of degradation products and their toxicity assessment demonstrate that the toxicity of TBBPA-contaminated water is significantly reduced after Pt/WO3 photocatalysis. The degradation rate of TBBPA increased with increasing Pt/WO3 dosage, reached an optimum at a Pt content of 0.5 wt%, but decreased with increasing TBBPA concentration. The decrease in degradation efficiency of Pt/WO3 was minor, both in the presence of various anions and after repeated use. This study proposes that Pt/WO3 is a viable photocatalyst for the degradation of TBBPA in water under visible light.

Temporal Changes in Long-Term Outcomes of Venous Thromboembolism From the Warfarin Era to the Direct Oral Anticoagulant Era.

BACKGROUND: There have been limited data on the changes in clinical outcomes after the introduction of direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) for venous thromboembolism (VTE) in real clinical practice. We evaluated the changes in management strategies and long-term outcomes from the warfarin era to the DOAC era. METHODS AND RESULTS: We compared the 2 series of multicenter COMMAND VTE (Contemporary Management and Outcomes in Patients With Venous Thromboembolism) registries in Japan enrolling consecutive patients with acute symptomatic VTE: Registry 1: 3027 patients in the warfarin era (2010-2014) and Registry 2: 5197 patients in the DOAC era (2015-2020). The prevalence of DOAC use increased more in Registry 2 than in the Registry 1 (Registry 1: 2.6% versus Registry 2: 79%, P<0.001). The cumulative 5-year incidence of recurrent VTE was significantly lower in Registry 2 than in Registry 1 (10.5% versus 9.5%, P=0.02), and the risk reduction of recurrent VTE in Registry 2 remained significant even after adjusting the confounders (hazard ratio [HR], 0.78 [95% CI, 0.65-0.93]; P=0.005). The cumulative 5-year incidence of major bleeding was not significantly different between the 2 registries (12.1% versus 13.7%, P=0.26), and the risk of major bleeding between the 2 registries was not significantly different even after adjusting the confounders (HR, 1.04 [95% CI, 0.89-1.21]; P=0.63). CONCLUSIONS: Along with the shift from warfarin to DOACs, there was a lower risk of recurrent VTE in the DOAC era than in the warfarin era, whereas there was no apparent change in the risk of major bleeding, which might still be an unmet need even in the DOAC era.

External validation of the Pulmonary Embolism-Syncope, Anemia, and Renal Dysfunction bleeding score for early major bleeding in patients with acute pulmonary embolism: from the COMMAND VTE Registry-2.

BACKGROUND: There is no established risk score for anticoagulant-related bleeding during the acute phase in patients with pulmonary embolism (PE). The PE-Syncope, Anemia, and Renal Dysfunction (PE-SARD) bleeding score was developed to predict early major bleeding but has not yet been fully externally validated. OBJECTIVES: To externally validate the PE-SARD bleeding score. METHODS: Using the COntemporary ManageMent AND outcomes in patients with Venous ThromboEmbolism (COMMAND VTE) Registry-2 database, which enrolled 5197 consecutive acute symptomatic venous thromboembolism patients among 31 centers in Japan between January 2015 and August 2020, we identified acute PE patients. We divided them into 3 groups by the score: high-risk (>2.5 points), intermediate-risk (1-2.5 points), and low-risk (0 points). The discriminating and calibration performances of the score for 30-day major bleeding were assessed. Subgroup analyses based on active cancer were also performed. RESULTS: Of 2781 eligible patients, the high-risk group accounted for 557 patients (20%), intermediate-risk group for 1412 (51%), and low-risk group for 812 (29%). Major bleeding occurred in 121 patients within 30 days. The cumulative 30-day incidence of major bleeding substantially increased in the higher risk categories by the score (high-risk group, 8.2% [95% CI, 5.9%-10.5%]; intermediate-risk group, 4.6% [95% CI, 3.5%-5.7%]; and low-risk group, 1.8% [95% CI, 0.8%-2.7%]). The discriminating power of the score was modest with a C statistic of 0.65 (95% CI, 0.61-0.70), with a good calibration performance with a score of <4 points, except for that in active cancer patients. CONCLUSION: The PE-SARD bleeding score had a modest discriminating performance with a limited calibration performance in acute PE patients without active cancer.

Hierarchical Organization and Adjustment of Force Coordination in Response to Self-Triggered and External-Triggered Cues in Simulated Archery Performance.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the hierarchical organization of digit force production and its effect on stability and performance during the simulated archery task. The simulated archery shooting task required the production of a prescribed level of force in virtual space with the left hand and an equivalent force with all 4 fingers of right hand. A single trial had 2 phases, including static force production as aiming in archery and quick force release to shoot the virtual arrow. The timing of the force release was determined by the participant's choice or response to the external cue. The coordination indices, that is, the synergy index, of force stabilization were quantified in 2 hierarchies by decomposing the variance components. The accuracy and precision of the hit position of the virtual arrow were calculated as performance-related indices. The results confirmed that the precision, that is, reproducibility, of the performance was greater when the force release time was determined by the self-selected time, suggesting the beneficial effect of the anticipatory mechanism. There was a distinct synergistic organization of digit forces for the stabilization of net forces in both bimanual and multifinger levels, which was especially correlated with the precision of performance.

Wide process temperature of atomic layer deposition for In2O3thin-film transistors using novel indium precursor (N,N'-di-tert butylacetimidamido)dimethyllindium.

This study introduces a novel heteroleptic indium complex, which incorporates an amidinate ligand, serving as a high-temperature atomic layer deposition (ALD) precursor. The most stable structure was determined using density functional theory and synthesized, demonstrating thermal stability up to 375 °C. We fabricated indium oxide thin-film transistors (In2O3TFTs) prepared with DBADMI precursor using ALD in wide range of window processing temperature of 200 °C, 300 °C, and 350 °C with an ozone (O3) as the source. The growth per cycle of ALD ranged from 0.06 to 0.1 nm cycle-1at different deposition temperatures. X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy were employed to analyze the crystalline structure as it relates to the deposition temperature. At a relatively low deposition temperature of 200 °C, an amorphous morphology was observed, while at 300 °C and 350 °C, crystalline structures were evident. Additionally, x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analysis was conducted to identify the In-O and OH-related products in the film. The OH-related product was found to be as low as 1% with an increase the deposition temperature. Furthermore, we evaluated In2O3TFTs and observed an increase in field-effect mobility, with minimal change in the threshold voltage (Vth), at 200 °C, 300 °C, and 350 °C. Consequently, the DBADMI precursor, given its stability at highdeposition temperatures, is ideal for producing high-quality films and stable crystalline phases, with wide processing temperature range makeing it suitable for various applications.

Bone-targeted lipoplex-loaded three-dimensional bioprinting bilayer scaffold enhanced bone regeneration.

Clinical bone-morphogenetic protein 2 (BMP2) treatment for bone regeneration, often resulting in complications like soft tissue inflammation and ectopic ossification due to high dosages and non-specific delivery systems, necessitates research into improved biomaterials for better BMP2 stability and retention. To tackle this challenge, we introduced a groundbreaking bone-targeted, lipoplex-loaded, three-dimensional bioprinted bilayer scaffold, termed the polycaprolactone-bioink-nanoparticle (PBN) scaffold, aimed at boosting bone regeneration. We encapsulated BMP2 within the fibroin nanoparticle based lipoplex (Fibroplex) and functionalized it with DSS6 for bone tissue-specific targeting. 3D printing technology enables customized, porous PCL scaffolds for bone healing and soft tissue growth, with a two-step bioprinting process creating a cellular lattice structure and a bioink grid using gelatin-alginate hydrogel and DSS6-Fibroplex, shown to support effective nutrient exchange and cell growth at specific pore sizes. The PBN scaffold is predicted through in silico analysis to exhibit biased BMP2 release between bone and soft tissue, a finding validated by in vitro osteogenic differentiation assays. The PBN scaffold was evaluated for critical calvarial defects, focusing on sustained BMP2 delivery, prevention of soft tissue cell infiltration and controlled fiber membrane pore size in vivo. The PBN scaffold demonstrated a more than eight times longer BMP2 release time than that of the collagen sponge, promoting osteogenic differentiation and bone regeneration in a calvarial defect animal. Our findings suggest that the PBN scaffold enhanced the local concentration of BMP2 in bone defects through sustained release and improved the spatial arrangement of bone formation, thereby reducing the risk of heterotopic ossification.

Case report: Magnetic resonance imaging features with postoperative improvement of atypical cervical glioma characterized by predominant extramedullary distribution in a dog.

Introduction: Intramedullary cord tumors present diagnostic and therapeutic challenges. Furthermore, spinal cord tumors can move across compartments, making antemortem diagnosis difficult, even with advanced imaging. This report presents a rare case of a cranial cervical spinal glioma, confirmed by surgical histopathology, with postoperative improvement in a dog. Case description: A 9-year-old female Maltese dog presented with kyphotic posture, progressive left hemiparesis, and decreased appetite. Neurological examination revealed neck pain and decreased proprioception in the left limbs along with intact deep pain perception. Two days later, the patient developed non-ambulatory tetraparesis. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed an ovoid, well-defined mass with homogeneously marked contrast enhancement in the second cervical spinal cord that severely compressed the spinal cord. This mass was heterogeneously hyperintense on T2-weighted images and iso-to-hypointense on T1-weighted images, showing an appearance resembling the "golf-tee" and "dural tail" signs. The MRI findings suggested an intradural extramedullary tumor. Intraoperatively, a well-demarcated mass which was locally adherent to the spinal meninges was removed. Both histopathological and genomic tumor tests were indicative of a glioma. Approximately 2 weeks postoperatively, the patient's neurological signs returned to normal. Conclusion: This case report describes an atypical cervical glioma with complicated MR characteristics in a dog, where MRI helped guide surgical intervention.