The "Chemsex" Phenomenon and Its Relationship with Psychological Variables in Men Who Have Sex with Men.

Chemsex is described as the use of psychoactive substances during sexual activity to sustain, enhance, disinhibit, or facilitate the sexual experience. It preferentially concerns men who have sex with men. The main objective of this study was to examine the relationship between participation in chemsex and the psychological variables impulsivity, sexual assertiveness, and hypersexuality. The sample was composed of 137 Spanish men. A total of 104 participants reported that they had engaged in chemsex, with ages ranging from 19 to 42 years (M = 31.41, SD = 4.83). A total of 33 participants reported that they had never participated in chemsex sessions. The participants were contacted and recruited at social centers, LGBT associations, and key informants. Results showed that men who participated in chemsex reported higher impulsivity, higher hypersexuality, and lower sexual assertiveness than those who have never participated in it. The frequency of participation in chemsex, as well as the number of substances consumed, was positively and significantly correlated with dimensions of impulsivity and hypersexuality. This frequency and this consumption were negatively and significantly correlated with sexual assertiveness. Findings showed significant differences in the psychological variables based on the number of consumed substances (polydrug use/consumption of one substance) and the time of consumption (before, during or before and during sex). In conclusion, the study demonstrates the existence of a clear relationship between the experience of chemsex and psychological factors such as being an impulsive person, presenting hypersexual behavior, and/or having low sexual assertiveness.

Comparison of Six Sensor Fusion Algorithms with Electrogoniometer Estimation of Wrist Angle in Simulated Work Tasks.

Hand-intensive work is strongly associated with work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs) of the hand/wrist and other upper body regions across diverse occupations, including office work, manufacturing, services, and healthcare. Addressing the prevalence of WMSDs requires reliable and practical exposure measurements. Traditional methods like electrogoniometry and optical motion capture, while reliable, are expensive and impractical for field use. In contrast, small inertial measurement units (IMUs) may provide a cost-effective, time-efficient, and user-friendly alternative for measuring hand/wrist posture during real work. This study compared six orientation algorithms for estimating wrist angles with an electrogoniometer, the current gold standard in field settings. Six participants performed five simulated hand-intensive work tasks (involving considerable wrist velocity and/or hand force) and one standardised hand movement. Three multiplicative Kalman filter algorithms with different smoothers and constraints showed the highest agreement with the goniometer. These algorithms exhibited median correlation coefficients of 0.75-0.78 for flexion/extension and 0.64 for radial/ulnar deviation across the six subjects and five tasks. They also ranked in the top three for the lowest mean absolute differences from the goniometer at the 10th, 50th, and 90th percentiles of wrist flexion/extension (9.3°, 2.9°, and 7.4°, respectively). Although the results of this study are not fully acceptable for practical field use, especially for some work tasks, they indicate that IMU-based wrist angle estimation may be useful in occupational risk assessments after further improvements.

The Concealment of Health Information at the Intersection of Sexual Orientation and Race.

Purpose: Sexually and racially minoritized people often have mistrust toward the healthcare system due to both perceived and actual experiences of discrimination. This may result in increased privacy concerns and a reluctance to share health-related information with health care providers. Drawing upon minority stress and an intersectionality framework, this study examines how rates of concealing health information differ between non-Hispanic White heterosexual people, non-Hispanic White lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) people, racially minoritized heterosexual people, and those who are both sexually and racially minoritized. Methods: Using nationally representative cross-sectional data from the Health Information National Trends Survey from 2017 and 2018 (n = 4575), we fit logistic regression models to examine (1) whether sexually and racially minoritized people conceal health information from their providers more than their counterparts and (2) whether this tendency increases for those with multiple marginalized identities. Furthermore, we fit linear regression models to examine whether and how concealing health information from providers are linked to health outcomes. Results: Sexually and racially minoritized people had higher odds of concealing health information from providers than their counterparts. Those with multiple marginalized identities had even higher odds of withholding health information than other groups. Finally, we found a significant negative association between concealing health information and mental health. Conclusion: Our findings underscore the need to consider how the intersection of multiple marginalized identities shape health experiences and concerns over privacy in health care matters. We call for further research to better understand the complex dynamics of patient-provider relationships for marginalized populations.

Emergence of bacterial glass.

Densely packed, motile bacteria can adopt collective states not seen in conventional, passive materials. These states remain in many ways mysterious, and their physical characterization can aid our understanding of natural bacterial colonies and biofilms as well as materials in general. Here, we overcome challenges associated with generating uniformly growing, large, quasi-two-dimensional bacterial assemblies by a membrane-based microfluidic device and report the emergence of glassy states in two-dimensional suspension of Escherichia coli. As the number density increases by cell growth, populations of motile bacteria transition to a glassy state, where cells are packed and unable to move. This takes place in two steps, the first one suppressing only the orientational modes and the second one vitrifying the motion completely. Characterizing each phase through statistical analyses and investigations of individual motion of bacteria, we find not only characteristic features of glass such as rapid slowdown, dynamic heterogeneity, and cage effects, but also a few properties distinguished from those of thermal glass. These distinctive properties include the spontaneous formation of micro-domains of aligned cells with collective motion, the appearance of an unusual signal in the dynamic susceptibility, and the dynamic slowdown with a density dependence generally forbidden for thermal systems. Our results are expected to capture general characteristics of such active rod glass, which may serve as a physical mechanism underlying dense bacterial aggregates.

Interfacial Stereoelectronic Effect Induced by Anchoring Orientation.

Heterogeneous interfaces in most devices play a key role in the material performance. Exploring the atomic structure and electronic properties of metal-molecule interfaces is critical for various potential applications, such as surface sensing, molecular recognition, and molecular electronic devices. This study unveils a ubiquitous interfacial stereoelectronic effect in conjugated molecular junctions by combining first-principles simulation and scanning tunneling microscopy break junction technology. Single-molecule junctions with same-side interfacial anchoring (cis configuration) exhibit higher conductance than those with opposite-side interfacial anchoring (trans configuration). The cis and trans configurations can undergo reversible conversions, resulting in a conductance switching. The stability of these configurations can be adjusted by an electric field, achieving precise regulation of conductance states. Our findings provide important insights for designing high-quality materials and enhancing the device performance.

['The knowledge I acquired at Ifsi and the support provided during the course helped me to develop my career plan']. / « Les connaissances acquises à l'Ifsi et le suivi proposé lors du stage ont participé à l'élaboration de mon projet professionnel ¼.

This interview explains how internships and nursing training institute training form part of a professional project. The nurse, who is committed to the development of her profession, talks about her first job in a clinical and research department at the Toulouse Oncopole. She stresses the importance of providing students and young graduates with sympathetic support. It's all about mobilizing resources for building skills, for nursing sciences and, ultimately, encouraging them to develop professionally.

Early relational origins of Theory of Mind: A two-study replication.

BACKGROUND: Research implies early relational factors - parental appropriate mind-mindedness (MM) and mutually responsive orientation (MRO) - as antecedents of children's Theory of Mind (ToM), yet the longitudinal path is unclear. Furthermore, little is known about the process in father-child relationships. In two studies of community families in a Midwestern state in United States, we tested a path from parental appropriate MM in infancy to parent-child MRO in toddlerhood to children's ToM at preschool age in mother- and father-child relationships, using comparable observational measures at parallel ages. METHODS: In Children and Parents Study (CAPS) of children born in 2017 and 2018, we collected data at 8 months (N = 200, 96 girls), 38 months, age 3 (N = 175, 86 girls), and 52 months, age 4.5 (N = 177, 86 girls). In Family Study (FS) of children born mostly in 2001, we collected data at 7 months (N = 102, 51 girls), 38 months, age 3 (N = 100, 50 girls), and 52 months, age 4.5 (N = 99, 49 girls). Parental MM (verbal comments aligned with the infant's psychological state) was observed in infancy, MRO (parent and child responsiveness to each other and shared positive affect) at age 3, and ToM (false belief tasks) at age 4.5. RESULTS: The findings supported the proposed indirect effects of parents' MM on children's ToM, mediated by MRO, for fathers and children in both studies, and for mothers and children, in CAPS. In FS, mothers' MM predicted MRO and ToM, but there was no mediation. CONCLUSIONS: This investigation, testing a path from MM to MRO to ToM in both mother- and father-child relationships in two longitudinal studies, adds to the literature that has described relations among those constructs but rarely integrated those in one model.

Optimizing Crystal Orientation and Defect Mitigation in Antimony Selenide Thin-Film Solar Cells through Buffer Layer Energy Band Adjustment.

Antimony selenide (Sb2Se3) has sparked significant interest in high-efficiency photovoltaic applications due to its advantageous material and optoelectronic properties. In recent years, there has been considerable development in this area. Nonetheless, defects and suboptimal [hk0] crystal orientation expressively limit further device efficiency enhancement. This study used Zinc (Zn) to adjust the interfacial energy band and strengthen carrier transport. For the first time, it is discovered that the diffusion of Zn in the cadmium sulfide (CdS) buffer layer can affect the crystalline orientation of the Sb2Se3 thin films in the superstrate structure. The effect of Zn diffusion on the morphology of Sb2Se3 thin films with CdxZn1-xS buffer layer has been investigated in detail. Additionally, Zn doping promotes forming Sb2Se3 thin films with the desired [hk1] orientation, resulting in denser and larger grain sizes which will eventually regulate the defect density. Finally, based on the energy band structure and high-quality Sb2Se3 thin films, this study achieves a champion power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 8.76%, with a VOC of 458 mV, a JSC of 28.13 mA cm-2, and an FF of 67.85%. Overall, this study explores the growth mechanism of Sb2Se3 thin films, which can lead to further improvements in the efficiency of Sb2Se3 solar cells.

Expanding through the Emerald Isle: exploration and spatial orientation of non-native bank voles in Ireland.

Whether introduced into a completely novel habitat or slowly expanding their current range, the degree to which animals can efficiently explore and navigate new environments can be key to survival, ultimately determining population establishment and colonization success. We tested whether spatial orientation and exploratory behavior are associated with non-native spread in free-living bank voles (Myodes glareolus, N = 43) from a population accidentally introduced to Ireland a century ago. We measured spatial orientation and navigation in a radial arm maze, and behaviors associated to exploratory tendencies and risk-taking in repeated open-field tests, at the expansion edge and in the source population. Bank voles at the expansion edge re-visited unrewarded arms of the maze more, waited longer before leaving it, took longer to start exploring both the radial arm maze and the open field, and were more risk-averse compared to conspecifics in the source population. Taken together, results suggest that for this small mammal under heavy predation pressure, a careful and thorough exploration strategy might be favored when expanding into novel environments.

Faculty Onboarding for Workforce Readiness and Belonging.

INTRODUCTION: An academic anesthesiology department benefits from recruiting faculty from various centers, from new graduates to experienced clinicians. Two critical objectives for a department are getting the faculty members up-to-speed thoroughly and efficiently and retaining the faculty members to benefit from their contributions over time. Onboarding plays a pivotal role in meeting both objectives. A successful onboarding process is critical to the enculturation of new employees into an existing work environment. Organizations focusing on improving onboarding practices increase overall success, decrease attrition, and enhance member performance and satisfaction. In this study, we examine our onboarding practices and then create structured tools to improve our processes. METHODS: A survey gauging the effectiveness and satisfaction of our existing onboarding practices was administered to 11 faculty members hired between 2016 and 2018. Using feedback from the survey, our team identified critical components for improvement and quality measures for onboarding from before faculty arrival until after starting clinical duties. We also measured faculty satisfaction with the onboarding process at different time points. Updated onboarding practices targeting identified areas were implemented in one hiring cycle. Thirteen new faculty members hired over the course of the course of six months assessed the new system's effectiveness. The experience of the previous cohort was compared to the new cohort, highlighting the impact of their feedback on the onboarding process. RESULTS: Our new best practices model, implemented to address primary gaps in our system, has shown promising results. The post-intervention cohort reported more favorable responses to the process, suggesting a positive shift in the onboarding experience. Further free-text feedback included recommendations for additional updates, offering a proactive approach to continuous improvement. CONCLUSION: A structured, feedback-responsive onboarding process improved the overall experience for new hires. While the response was overwhelmingly positive, further refinement with subsequent iterations is needed to continually improve this process.

Canadian Health Research Funding Patterns for Sexual and Gender Minority Populations Reflect Exclusion of Women.

Purpose: We explored the funding areas of Two-Spirit, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender (trans), queer or questioning, and intersex individuals (2S/LGBTQI)-specific health research funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) mentioned in the grant abstracts. Methods: We analyzed the publicly available database of grant abstracts funded by CIHR from 2009-2020 to examine what types of 2S/LGBTQI-specific health outcomes would be studied and in what populations. Results: We found that 58% of awarded grant abstracts mentioned studying sexually transmitted diseases, the majority of which was on human immunodeficiency virus. Of the funded 2S/LGBTQI grant abstracts that specified the gender of the population to be studied (n=23), less then 9% mentioned studying cisgender women. Almost 40% mentioned including trans women/girls, and 30% mentioned including trans men/boys. None of the studies examined mentioned work with the Two-Spirit community. Conclusion: These results reflect larger social and health inequities that require structural level changes in research to support the 2S/LGBTQI community.

Hydrophobic Ion Barrier-Enabled Ultradurable Zn (002) Plane Orientation towards Long-Life Anode-Less Zn Batteries.

Gradual disability of Zn anode and high negative/positive electrode (N/P) ratio usually depreciate calendar life and energy density of aqueous Zn batteries (AZBs). Herein, within original Zn2+-free hydrated electrolytes, a steric hindrance/electric field shielding-driven "hydrophobic ion barrier" is engineered towards ultradurable (002) plane-exposed Zn stripping/plating to solve this issue. Guided by theoretical simulations, hydrophobic adiponitrile (ADN) is employed as a steric hindrance agent to ally with inert electric field shielding additive (Mn2+) for plane adsorption priority manipulation, thereby constructing the "hydrophobic ion barrier". This design robustly suppresses the (002) plane/dendrite growth, enabling ultradurable (002) plane-exposed dendrite-free Zn stripping/plating. Even being cycled in Zn‖Zn symmetric cell over 2150 h at 0.5 mA cm-2, the efficacy remains well-kept. Additionally, Zn‖Zn symmetric cells can be also stably cycled over 918 h at 1 mA cm-2, verifying uncompromised Zn stripping/plating kinetics. As-assembled anode-less Zn‖VOPO4·2H2O full cells with a low N/P ratio (2:1) show a high energy density of 75.2 Wh kg-1full electrode after 842 cycles at 1 A g-1, far surpassing counterparts with thick Zn anode and low cathode loading mass, featuring excellent practicality. This study opens a new avenue by robust "hydrophobic ion barrier" design to develop long-life anode-less Zn batteries.

Barriers and Facilitators to Accessing PrEP and Other Sexual Health Services Among Immigrant Latino Men Who Have Sex with Men in Los Angeles County.

In the United States, immigrant Latino men who have sex with men (ILMSM) are, compared to white MSM, disproportionately burdened by HIV and lack access to highly effective HIV prevention strategies, such as pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP). Qualitative research centered on exploring barriers that ILMSM experience in accessing PrEP and other sexual services is extremely limited, despite a high prevalence of HIV in this population. In this study, a purposive sample of ILMSM (n = 25) was recruited to participate in a semi-structured in-depth interview to identify the distinct barriers and facilitators ILMSM experience in accessing sexual health services given their complex intersectional identities of being an immigrant, Latino, and a sexual minority man. Using a thematic analysis approach, nine themes were generated from the data representing barriers and facilitators. Barriers included: (1) cost and a lack of health insurance, (2) complexity of PrEP assistance programs; (3) challenges related to the immigrant experience; (4) impact of gay stigma; and (5) communication challenges. Facilitators included: (1) improving affordability and accessibility of PrEP services; (2) receiving services from LGBT- or Latine LGBT-centered clinics; (3) receiving services from medical providers who are gay and/or Latino; and (4) providing targeted community outreach, education, and promotion of PrEP to ILMSM. While many of the barriers illuminated in the study were structural (e.g., cost and lack of health insurance), and not easy to overcome, the findings highlight a range of facilitators that can support access to PrEP and other sexual health services for ILMSM. Considering these findings, we suggest strategies that may enhance access to needed sexual health services among ILMSM.

"Just for pregnant women, not for you": a qualitative evaluation of the sexual and reproductive healthcare experiences of transgender and gender diverse cancer survivors.

PURPOSE: To identify opportunities to improve sexual and reproductive health (SRH) care for transgender and gender diverse (TGD) cancer survivors by describing (1) challenges experienced when navigating SRH care and (2) strategies to help overcome these challenges. METHODS: We enrolled a purposive sample of 17 adult TGD cancer survivors and 5 co-survivors. We aimed for a diverse sample across cancer experience, age, racial/ethnic background, sexual orientation, and gender identity. We conducted 90-min individual interviews via videoconference and used reflexive thematic analysis, guided by a focus on three social determinants of health. RESULTS: Themes describing challenges were as follows: (1) Cancer treatment's impact on sexual health was insufficiently addressed by cancer care providers; (2) fertility-related information and conversations were complicated by gendered expectations and ultimately did not meet survivors' needs; (3) feeling excluded and uncared-for in healthcare settings due to gendered language and lack of supportive services that met their needs; and (4) TGD survivors commonly reported high financial burden, negatively impacting their access to care. Strategies to overcome these challenges were (1) a solid social support network that can be integrated into the care team to meet the unique SRH needs of TGD survivors and (2) gender-affirming healthcare providers and environments to address SRH care needs and concerns. CONCLUSIONS: TGD survivors and co-survivors desire improved access to gender-affirming SRH care in cancer survivorship. IMPLICATIONS FOR CANCER SURVIVORS: Key opportunities to improve gender-affirming SRH care in cancer survivorship include fostering and engaging TGD survivors' support networks and implementing system-level changes in cancer care settings.

Deontological Guilt Mediates the Effects of Personality on the Symptoms of Romantic Relationship Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (ROCD).

Objective: Relationship obsessive-compulsive disorder (ROCD), a clinical variant of OCD, is associated with personality traits and guilt sensitivity. Previous studies have not investigated whether the guilt associated with ROCD stems from deontological or altruistic morality. The main aim of the present study was to explore the differentiated impact of deontological and altruistic guilt on ROCD symptoms in romantic relationships. The study also aimed to test the mediating role of guilt in the relationships between personality traits and ROCD symptoms. Method: Through linear regressions and path analysis, we examined the results of an online survey administered to 659 emerging adults, assessing the Big-5 personality traits, ROCD symptoms, and the moral orientation of guilt feelings (deontological/altruistic). Results: Results revealed the negative influence of agreeableness and emotionality on ROCD symptoms. Moral dirtiness, as a facet of deontological moral orientation, was found to mediate the effects of personality predictors on relationship-centred but not on partner-focused ROCD symptoms, providing support for differential diagnosis. Conclusions: These findings provide a clearer understanding of the cognitive determinants that sustain ROCD symptoms and offer evidence on associated personality traits. These results may represent a valuable source of knowledge for researchers as well as clinical therapists dealing with ROCD symptoms, couple disorders, and sexual dysfunction.

Sexual Orientation-Specific Policies Are Associated With Prenatal Care Use in the First Trimester Among Sexual Minority Women: Results From a Prospective Cohort Study.

BACKGROUND: Previous research has shown sexual minority women (SMW) are more likely to report multiple maternal and infant health outcomes compared to heterosexual women and that these outcomes are moderated by the policy environment. Little is known, however, about prenatal care use disparities or the social determinants of prenatal care use for SMW. PURPOSE: To examine the relationship between sexual orientation-specific policies that confer legal protections (e.g., hate crime protections, housing discrimination, same-sex marriage) and prenatal care use among women using a prospective, population-based data set. METHODS: Using the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health and logistic regression, we link measures of state policies to the use of prenatal care in the first trimester among women who had live births. The use of prospective data allows us to adjust for covariates associated with preconception care use prior to pregnancy (n = 586 singleton births to SMW; n = 4,539 singleton births to heterosexual women). RESULTS: Sexual orientation-specific policies that conferred protections were associated with increased use of prenatal care among pregnancies reported by SMW (OR = 1.86, 95% CI 1.16, 2.96). In fact, in states with zero protections, we found no differences in prenatal care use by sexual minority status; however, in states with two or more protective policies, SMW were more likely to access prenatal care in the first trimester than heterosexual women. There was no relationship between sexual orientation-specific policy environments and prenatal care use among pregnancies reported by heterosexual women. CONCLUSIONS: Recent research has documented that SMW are more likely to have adverse perinatal and obstetrical outcomes than their heterosexual peers. These findings suggest that Lesbian/Gay/Bisexual-specific policy protections may facilitate the use of prenatal care among SMW, a potentially important pathway to improve reproductive health among this population.

Previous studies have found that sexual minority women (SMW) are more likely to report adverse infant outcomes, particularly for women who do not live in states with anti-discrimination policies against lesiban, gay, bisexual, transgnder, or queer (LGBTQ) populations. This is the first to examine sexual orientation disparities in prenatal care use using a nationally representative, prospective data set. Additionally, we examined whether prenatal care use varied by the number of state-level policies that protect against discrimination based on sexual orientation. Our results show high rates of prenatal care use in the first trimester across all sexual orientations, however, in states with states with two or more policies that prevent discrimination by sexual orientation, sexual minority women were more likely to access prenatal care in the first trimester than heterosexual women. These findings suggest that more inclusive state-level environments promote healthcare-seeking behaviors during pregnancy for sexual minority women.

Sexual orientation disparities in gestational diabetes and hypertensive disorders of pregnancy.

BACKGROUND: Sexual minority (SM) individuals (e.g., those with same-sex attractions/partners or who identify as lesbian/gay/bisexual) experience a host of physical and mental health disparities. However, little is known about sexual orientation-related disparities in gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) and hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDP; gestational hypertension [gHTN] and preeclampsia). OBJECTIVE: To estimate disparities in GDM, gHTN and preeclampsia by sexual orientation. METHODS: We used data from the Nurses' Health Study II-a cohort of nurses across the US enrolled in 1989 at 25-42 years of age-restricted to those with pregnancies ≥20 weeks gestation and non-missing sexual orientation data (63,518 participants; 146,079 pregnancies). Our primary outcomes were GDM, gHTN and preeclampsia, which participants reported for each of their pregnancies. Participants also reported their sexual orientation identity and same-sex attractions/partners. We compared the risk of each outcome in pregnancies among heterosexual participants with no same-sex experience (reference) to those among SM participants overall and within subgroups: (1) heterosexual with same-sex experience, (2) mostly heterosexual, (3) bisexual and (4) lesbian/gay participants. We used modified Poisson models to estimate risk ratios (RR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI), fit via weighted generalised estimating equations, to account for multiple pregnancies per person over time and informative cluster sizes. RESULTS: The overall prevalence of each outcome was ≤5%. Mostly heterosexual participants had a 31% higher risk of gHTN (RR 1.31, 95% CI 1.03, 1.66), and heterosexual participants with same-sex experience had a 31% higher risk of GDM (RR 1.31, 95% CI 1.13, 1.50), compared to heterosexual participants with no same-sex experience. The magnitudes of the risk ratios were high among bisexual participants for gHTN and preeclampsia and among lesbian/gay participants for gHTN. CONCLUSIONS: Some SM groups may be disparately burdened by GDM and HDP. Elucidating modifiable mechanisms (e.g., structural barriers, discrimination) for reducing adverse pregnancy outcomes among SM populations is critical.

Changes in Left Ventricular-Aortic Angulation Are Associated with the Development of Obstruction in Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy.

OBJECTIVE: To characterize changes in ventricular morphology in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy(HCM) who develop left ventricular outflow tract(LVOT) obstruction. METHODS: We reviewed HCM patients with LVOT obstruction who underwent septal myectomy from May 2012 to June 2023. Among 68 patients initially without obstruction, documented up to 7.6 years (IQR,6.3-9.4) before the operation, a comparison was made with 78 nonobstructive HCM patients over a similar period. Patients who did not develop obstruction were matched with those who did on sex, age, and maximum septal wall thickness during the initial echocardiography, identifying 41 matched pairs. Echocardiographic data, including 5 measures of angulation, were compared between the groups. RESULTS: The median interval between echocardiographic assessments was 7.5 years (IQR,6.3-8.1) among obstructive versus 7.3 years (IQR,6.2-9.0) in nonobstructive patients. Obstructive patients were more likely to have hypertension at both times. The maximum septal wall thickness increased within both groups (both p<0.001), but the magnitude of increase was not different between groups (p=0.130). Obstructive patients exhibited a greater increase in left ventricular (LV) mass (p<0.001) compared to nonobstructive patients (p=0.004). Aortic angulation significantly increased in 4 of the 5 measurements(all p<0.001) in obstructive patients, while nonobstructive patients showed no change. Anterior and posterior mitral valve(MV) leaflet lengths and coaptation lengths remained similar in both groups over time. CONCLUSIONS: The development of LVOT obstruction in patients with HCM was associated with progressive LVOT angulation and increased LV hypertrophy, as reflected by LV mass. Progression to obstruction was not related to changes in the MV leaflet morphology.

Achieving Ultrasound-Excited Emission with Organic Mechanoluminescent Materials.

Unlike traditional photoluminescence (PL), mechanoluminescence (ML) achieved under mechanical excitation demonstrates unique characteristics such as high penetrability, spatial resolution, and signal-to-background ratio (SBR) for bioimaging applications. However, bioimaging with organic mechanoluminescent materials remains challenging because of the shallow penetration depth of ML with short emission wavelengths and the absence of a suitable mechanical force to generate ML in vivo. To resolve these issues, the present paper reports the achievement of ultrasound (US)-excited fluorescence and phosphorescence from purely organic luminogens for the first time with emission wavelengths extending to the red/NIR region, with the penetrability of the US-excited emission being considerably higher than that of PL. Consequently, US-excited subcutaneous phosphorescence imaging can be achieved using a mechanoluminescent-luminogen-based capsule device with a quantified intensity of 9.15 ± 1.32 × 104 p s-1 cm-2 sr-1 and an SBR of 24. Moreover, the US-excited emission can be adequately tuned using the packing modes of the conjugated skeletons, dipole orientation of mechanoluminescent luminogens, and strength and direction of intermolecular interactions. Overall, this study innovatively expands the kind of excitation sources and the emission wavelengths of organic mechanoluminescent materials, paving the way for practical biological applications based on US-excited emission.