Evaluation of mechanical properties of triple-junction-free polycrystalline graphene.

Although chemical vapor deposition (CVD) has emerged as an important method for producing large-scale and relatively high-quality graphene, CVD-grown graphene inherently contains grain boundaries (GBs), which degrade its mechanical properties. To compensate for these characteristics, various studies have been conducted to maintain the mechanically superior properties by controlling the density of defects and GBs. In this study, the mechanical properties of triple junction (TJ)-free polycrystalline graphene, which is expected to exhibit excellent properties, were investigated through molecular dynamics simulations because TJ is well-known as a crack nucleation site due to stress concentration. We adopted the phase-field crystal method to model CVD-grown graphene-containing TJ-free polycrystalline materials. From a series of numerical simulations, we found that the fracture strength increases as the density of the GB increases. This trend is consistent with that presented in a previous experimental study measured by nanoindentation. It was determined that the variation in the fracture strength is related to the discontinuous density of 5-7 pairs, which act as stress-concentration sites. Additionally, we observed that the fracture strength was higher than that of polycrystalline graphene with TJ. We believe that these results have a higher mechanical advantage compared to the low strength of TJs shown in previous studies and will be important for future structural reliability-based graphene applications.

A Study on the O2 Plasma Etching Method of Spray-Formed SWCNT Films and Their Utilization as Electrodes for Electrochemical Sensors.

In this study, we analyzed the morphological changes and molecular structure changes on the surface of single-walled carbon nanotube (SWCNT) films during oxygen plasma (O2) etching of SWCNT surfaces formed by the spray method and analyzed their potential use as electrochemical electrodes. For this purpose, a SWCNT film was formed on the surface of a glass substrate using a self-made spray device using SWCNT powder prepared with DCB as a solvent, and SEM, AFM, and XPS analyses were performed as the SWCNT film was O2 plasma etched. SEM images and AFM measurements showed that the SWCNT film started etching after about 30 s under 50 W of O2 plasma irradiation and was completely etched after about 300 s. XPS analysis showed that as the O2 plasma etching of the SWCNT film progressed, the sp2 bonds representing the basic components of graphite decreased, the sp3 bonds representing defects increased, and the C-O, C=O, and COO peaks increased simultaneously. This result indicates that the SWCNT film was etched by the O2 plasma along with the oxygen species. In addition, electrochemical methods were used to verify the damage potential of the remaining SWCNTs after O2 plasma etching, including cyclic voltammetry, Randles plots, and EIS measurements. This resulted in a reversible response based on perfect diffusion control in the cyclic voltammetry, and an ideal linear curve in the Randles plot of the peak current versus square root scan rate curve. EIS measurements also confirmed that the charge transfer resistance of the remaining SWCNTs after O2 plasma etching is almost the same as before etching. These results indicate that the remaining SWCNTs after O2 plasma etching do not lose their unique electrochemical properties and can be utilized as electrodes for biosensors and electrochemical sensors. Our experimental results also indicate that the ionic conductivity enhancement by O2 plasma can be achieved additionally.

Reciprocating Arc Silicon Strain Gauges.

Currently, silicon-strain-gauge-based diaphragm pressure sensors use four single-gauge chips for high-output sensitivity. However, the four-single-gauge configuration increases the number of glass frit bonds and the number of aluminum wire bonds, reducing the long-term stability, reliability, and yield of the diaphragm pressure sensor. In this study, a new design of general-purpose silicon strain gauges was developed to improve the sensor output voltage while reducing the number of bonds. The new gauges consist grid patterns with a reciprocating arc of silicon piezoresistors on a thin glass backing. The gauges make handling easier in the bonding process due to the use of thin glass for the gauge backing. The pressure sensors were tested under pressure ranging from 0 to 50 bar at five different temperatures, with a linear output with a typical sensitivity of approximately 16 mV/V/bar and an offset shift of -6 mV to 2 mV. The new approach also opens the possibility to extend arc strain gauges to half-bridge and full-bridge configurations to further reduce the number of glass frit and Al wire bonds in the diaphragm pressure sensor.

Half-Bridge Silicon Strain Gauges with Arc-Shaped Piezoresistors.

Half-bridge silicon strain gauges are widely used in the fabrication of diaphragm-type high-pressure sensors, but in some applications, they suffer from low output sensitivity because of mounting position constraints. Through a special design and fabrication approach, a new half-bridge silicon strain gauge comprising one arc gauge responding to tangential strain and another linear gauge measuring radial strain was developed using Silicon-on-Glass (SiOG) substrate technology. The tangential gauge consists of grid patterns, such as the reciprocating arc of silicon piezoresistors on a thin glass substrate. When two half-bridges are connected to form a full bridge with arc-shaped gauges that respond to tangential strain, they have the advantage of providing much higher output sensitivity than a conventional half-bridge. Pressure sensors tested under pressure ranging from 0 to 50 bar at five different temperatures indicate a linear output with a typical sensitivity of approximately 16 mV/V/bar, a maximum zero shift of 0.05% FS, and a span shift of 0.03% FS. The higher output level of pressure sensing gauges will provide greater signal strength, thus maintaining a better signal-to-noise ratio than conventional pressure sensors. The offset and span shift curves are quite linear across the operating temperature range, giving the end user the advantage of using very simple algorithms for temperature compensation of offset and span shift.

NRF2/ARE pathway negatively regulates BACE1 expression and ameliorates cognitive deficits in mouse Alzheimer's models.

BACE1 is the rate-limiting enzyme for amyloid-ß peptides (Aß) generation, a key event in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease (AD). By an unknown mechanism, levels of BACE1 and a BACE1 mRNA-stabilizing antisense RNA (BACE1-AS) are elevated in the brains of AD patients, implicating that dysregulation of BACE1 expression plays an important role in AD pathogenesis. We found that nuclear factor erythroid-derived 2-related factor 2 (NRF2/NFE2L2) represses the expression of BACE1 and BACE1-AS through binding to antioxidant response elements (AREs) in their promoters of mouse and human. NRF2-mediated inhibition of BACE1 and BACE1-AS expression is independent of redox regulation. NRF2 activation decreases production of BACE1 and BACE1-AS transcripts and Aß production and ameliorates cognitive deficits in animal models of AD. Depletion of NRF2 increases BACE1 and BACE1-AS expression and Aß production and worsens cognitive deficits. Our findings suggest that activation of NRF2 can prevent a key early pathogenic process in AD.

Rho-Kinase as a Target for Cancer Therapy and Its Immunotherapeutic Potential.

Cancer immunotherapy is fast rising as a prominent new pillar of cancer treatment, harnessing the immune system to fight against numerous types of cancer. Rho-kinase (ROCK) pathway is involved in diverse cellular activities, and is therefore the target of interest in various diseases at the cellular level including cancer. Indeed, ROCK is well-known for its involvement in the tumor cell and tumor microenvironment, especially in its ability to enhance tumor cell progression, migration, metastasis, and extracellular matrix remodeling. Importantly, ROCK is also considered to be a novel and effective modulator of immune cells, although further studies are needed. In this review article, we describe the various activities of ROCK and its potential to be utilized in cancer treatment, particularly in cancer immunotherapy, by shining a light on its activities in the immune system.

Enhancement of Withstand Voltage in Silicon Strain Gauges Using a Thin Alkali-Free Glass.

We present a cost-effective approach to produce silicon strain gauges that can withstand very high voltage without using any complex package design and without sacrificing any sensor performance. This is achieved by a special silicon strain gauge structure created on an alkali-free glass substrate that has a high breakdown voltage. A half-bridge silicon strain gauge is designed, fabricated, and then tested to measure its output characteristics. The device has a glass layer that is only 25-55 µm thick; it shows it is able to withstand a voltage of over 2000 V while maintaining a high degree of linearity with correlation coefficients higher than 0.9990 and an average sensitivity of 104.13. Due to their unique electrical properties, silicon strain gauges-on-glass chips hold much promise for use in advanced force and pressure sensors.

Reversine promotes browning of white adipocytes by suppressing miR-133a.

Brown adipocytes are characterized by a high number of uncoupling protein 1 (UCP1)-positive mitochondrial content and increased thermogenic capacity. As UCP1-enriched cells can consume lipids by generating heat, browning of white adipocytes is now highlighted as a promising approach for the prevention of obesity and obesity-associated metabolic diseases. Upon cold exposure or ß-adrenergic stimuli, downregulation of microRNA-133 (miR-133) elevates the expression levels of PR domain containing 16 (Prdm16), which has been shown to be a brown adipose determination factor, in brown adipose tissue and subcutaneous white adipose tissues (WAT). Here, we show that treatment of reversine to white adipocytes induces browning via suppression of miR-133a. Reversine treatment promoted the expression of brown adipocyte marker genes, such as Prdm16 and UCP1, increasing the mitochondrial content, while decreasing the levels of miR-133a and white adipocyte marker genes. Ectopic expression of miR-133a mimic reversed the browning effects of the reversine treatment. Moreover, intraperitoneal administration of reversine in mice upregulated thermogenesis and resulted in resistance to high-fat diet-mediated weight gain as well as browning of subcutaneous and epididymal WAT. Taken together, we found a novel way to promote browning of white adipocytes through downregulation of miR-133a followed by activation of Prdm16, with a synthetic chemical, reversine.

False-positive neuroimaging: Undisclosed flexibility in testing spatial hypotheses allows presenting anything as a replicated finding.

Hypothesis testing in neuroimaging studies relies heavily on treating named anatomical regions (e.g., "the amygdala") as unitary entities. Though data collection and analyses are conducted at the voxel level, inferences are often based on anatomical regions. The discrepancy between the unit of analysis and the unit of inference leads to ambiguity and flexibility in analyses that can create a false sense of reproducibility. For example, hypothesizing effects on "amygdala activity" does not provide a falsifiable and reproducible definition of precisely which voxels or which patterns of activation should be observed. Rather, it comprises a large number of unspecified sub-hypotheses, leaving room for flexible interpretation of findings, which we refer to as "model degrees of freedom." From a survey of 135 functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging studies in which researchers claimed replications of previous findings, we found that 42.2% of the studies did not report any quantitative evidence for replication such as activation peaks. Only 14.1% of the papers used exact coordinate-based or a priori pattern-based models. Of the studies that reported peak information, 42.9% of the 'replicated' findings had peak coordinates more than 15 mm away from the 'original' findings, suggesting that different brain locations were activated, even when studies claimed to replicate prior results. To reduce the flexible and qualitative region-level tests in neuroimaging studies, we recommend adopting quantitative spatial models and tests to assess the spatial reproducibility of findings. Techniques reviewed here include permutation tests on peak distance, Bayesian MANOVA, and a priori multivariate pattern-based models. These practices will help researchers to establish precise and falsifiable spatial hypotheses, promoting a cumulative science of neuroimaging.

Inhibition of Drp1 Ameliorates Synaptic Depression, Aß Deposition, and Cognitive Impairment in an Alzheimer's Disease Model.

Excessive mitochondrial fission is a prominent early event and contributes to mitochondrial dysfunction, synaptic failure, and neuronal cell death in the progression of Alzheimer's disease (AD). However, it remains to be determined whether inhibition of excessive mitochondrial fission is beneficial in mammal models of AD. To determine whether dynamin-related protein 1 (Drp1), a key regulator of mitochondrial fragmentation, can be a disease-modifying therapeutic target for AD, we examined the effects of Drp1 inhibitor on mitochondrial and synaptic dysfunctions induced by oligomeric amyloid-ß (Aß) in neurons and neuropathology and cognitive functions in Aß precursor protein/presenilin 1 double-transgenic AD mice. Inhibition of Drp1 alleviates mitochondrial fragmentation, loss of mitochondrial membrane potential, reactive oxygen species production, ATP reduction, and synaptic depression in Aß-treated neurons. Furthermore, Drp1 inhibition significantly improves learning and memory and prevents mitochondrial fragmentation, lipid peroxidation, BACE1 expression, and Aß deposition in the brain in the AD model. These results provide evidence that Drp1 plays an important role in Aß-mediated and AD-related neuropathology and in cognitive decline in an AD animal model. Therefore, inhibiting excessive Drp1-mediated mitochondrial fission may be an efficient therapeutic avenue for AD.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Mitochondrial fission relies on the evolutionary conserved dynamin-related protein 1 (Drp1). Drp1 activity and mitochondria fragmentation are significantly elevated in the brains of sporadic Alzheimer's disease (AD) cases. In the present study, we first demonstrated that the inhibition of Drp1 restored amyloid-ß (Aß)-mediated mitochondrial dysfunctions and synaptic depression in neurons and significantly reduced lipid peroxidation, BACE1 expression, and Aß deposition in the brain of AD mice. As a result, memory deficits in AD mice were rescued by Drp1 inhibition. These results suggest that neuropathology and combined cognitive decline can be attributed to hyperactivation of Drp1 in the pathogenesis of AD. Therefore, inhibitors of excessive mitochondrial fission, such as Drp1 inhibitors, may be a new strategy for AD.

S6K1 controls epigenetic plasticity for the expression of pancreatic α/ß cell marker genes.

The failure of insulin production by pancreatic ß cells is a common hallmark of type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM). Because administration of exogenous insulin is associated with diabetes-derived complications, endogenous α to ß cell transition can be an attractive alternative. Although decreased ß cell size and hypoinsulinaemia have been observed in S6K1-deficient mice, the molecular mechanism underlying the involvement of S6K1 in the transcriptional regulation of insulin remains elusive. Here, we show that the hypoinsulinaemic phenotype of S6K1-deficient mice stems from the dysregulated transcription of a set of genes required for insulin and glucagon production. First, we observed that increased expression of α cell marker genes and decreased expression of ß cell marker genes in pancreas tissues from S6K1-deficient mice. Furthermore, S6K1 was highly activated in murine ß cell line, ßTC6, compared to murine α cell line αTC1. In both α and ß cells, active S6K1 promoted the transcription of ß cell marker genes, including insulin, whereas S6K1 inhibition increased the transcription of α cell marker genes. Moreover, S6K1 mediated pancreatic gene regulation by modifying two histone marks (activating H3K4me3 and repressing H3K27me3) on gene promoters. These results suggest that S6K1 drives the α to ß transition through the epigenetic regulation of cell-specific genes, including insulin and glucagon. This novel role of S6K1 in islet cells provides basic clues to establish therapeutic strategies against T1DM.

Calcium modulates membrane association, positional specificity, and product distribution in dual positional specific maize lipoxygenase-1.

This study investigates how calcium modulates the properties of dual positional specific maize lipoxygenase-1, including its interaction with substrate, association with subcellular membrane and alteration of product distribution. Bioinformatic analyses identified Asp(38), Glu(127) and Glu(201) as putative calcium binding residues and Leu(37) as a flanking hydrophobic residue also potentially involved in calcium-mediated binding of the enzyme to subcellular membranes. Asp(38) and Leu(37) were shown to be important but not essential for calcium-mediated association of maize lipoxygenase-1 to subcellular membranes in vitro. Kinetic studies demonstrate that catalytic efficiency (Vmax/Km) shows a bell-shaped dependence on log of the molar ratio of substrate to unbound calcium. Calcium also modulates product distribution of the maize lipoxygenase-1 reaction, favoring 13-positional specificity and increasing the relative amount of (E,Z)-isomeric products. The results suggest that calcium regulates the maize lipoxygenase-1 reaction by binding to substrate, and by promoting binding of substrate to enzyme and association of maize lipoxygenase-1 to subcellular membranes.

Clinical outcomes according to the timing of the first tracheostomy tube change.

Purpose: The first tracheostomy tube replacement is a critical procedure that can cause various complications, but there are few studies on the optimal timing of tracheostomy tube replacement in adult patients. This study aimed to evaluate the appropriate timing to replace the first tracheostomy tube to improve outcomes in adult patients. Materials and methods: This study was a retrospective cohort study that included 3957 patients aged ≥18 years who underwent the first tracheostomy tube change from January 2010 to February 2021. The primary outcome was all-cause mortality after the first tracheostomy tube change. Results: The all-cause mortality was statistically significantly lower in group changing the first tracheostomy tube between 7 and 9 days than in other groups (42.1%, P = 0.001). After adjustments in the multivariable analyses, early first tracheostomy tube change within 6 days was independently associated with increased all-cause mortality. The hospital stay, ICU stay, and post-procedural pulmonary complications seemed to increase as the replacement time was delayed. Conclusions: The timing of the first tracheostomy tube change between 7 and 9 days after tracheostomy was associated with improved clinical outcomes, including all-cause mortality. Further prospective investigations are needed to determine whether the optimal timing of the first tracheostomy tube change can reduce mortality.

Borohydride and halide dual-substituted lithium argyrodites.

Solid electrolyte is a crucial component of all-solid-state batteries, with sulphide solid electrolytes such as lithium argyrodite being closest to commercialization due to their high ionic conductivity and formability. In this study, borohydride/halide dual-substituted argyrodite-type electrolytes, Li7-α-ßPS6-α-ß(BH4)αXß (X = Cl, Br, I; α + ß ≤ 1.8), have been synthesized using a two-step ball-milling method without post-annealing. Among the various compositions, Li5.35PS4.35(BH4)1.15Cl0.5 exhibits the highest ionic conductivity of 16.4 mS cm-1 at 25 °C when cold-pressed, which further improves to 26.1 mS cm-1 after low temperature sintering. The enhanced conductivity can be attributed to the increased number of Li vacancies resulting from increased BH4 and halide occupancy and site disorder. Li symmetric cells with Li5.35PS4.35(BH4)1.15Cl0.5 demonstrate stable Li plating and stripping cycling for over 2,000 hours at 1 mA cm-2, along with a high critical current density of 2.1 mA cm-2. An all-solid-state battery prepared using Li5.35PS4.35(BH4)1.15Cl0.5 as the electrolyte and pure Li as the anode exhibits an initial coulombic efficiency of 86.4%. Although these electrolytes have limited thermal stability, it shows a wide compositional range while maintaining high ionic conductivity.

Extracellular Vesicles Derived from Adipose Stem Cells Alleviate Systemic Sclerosis by Inhibiting TGF-ß Pathway.

Systemic sclerosis is an autoimmune disease characterized by inflammatory reactions and fibrosis. Myofibroblasts are considered therapeutic targets for preventing and reversing the pathogenesis of fibrosis in systemic sclerosis. Although the mechanisms that differentiate into myofibroblasts are diverse, transforming growth factor ß (TGF-ß) is known to be a key mediator of fibrosis in systemic sclerosis. This study investigated the effects of extracellular vesicles derived from human adipose stem cells (ASC-EVs) in an in vivo systemic sclerosis model and in vitro TGF-ß1-induced dermal fibroblasts. The therapeutic effects of ASC-EVs on the in vivo systemic sclerosis model were evaluated based on dermal thickness and the number of α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA)-expressing cells using hematoxylin and eosin staining and immunohistochemistry. Administration of ASC-EVs decreased both the dermal thickness and α-SMA expressing cell number as well as the mRNA levels of fibrotic genes, such as Acta2, Ccn2, Col1a1 and Comp. Additionally, we discovered that ASC-EVs can decrease the expression of α-SMA and CTGF and suppress the TGF-ß pathway by inhibiting the activation of SMAD2 in dermal fibroblasts induced by TGF-ß1. Finally, TGF-ß1-induced dermal fibroblasts underwent selective death through ASC-EVs treatment. These results indicate that ASC-EVs could provide a therapeutic approach for preventing and reversing systemic sclerosis.

Novel Personalized Cancer Vaccine Using Tumor Extracellular Vesicles with Attenuated Tumorigenicity and Enhanced Immunogenicity.

Cancer vaccines offer a promising avenue in cancer immunotherapy by inducing systemic, tumor-specific immune responses. Tumor extracellular vesicles (TEVs) are nanoparticles naturally laden with tumor antigens, making them appealing for vaccine development. However, their inherent malignant properties from the original tumor cells limit their direct therapeutic use. This study introduces a novel approach to repurpose TEVs as potent personalized cancer vaccines. The study shows that inhibition of both YAP and autophagy not only diminishes the malignancy-associated traits of TEVs but also enhances their immunogenic attributes by enriching their load of tumor antigens and adjuvants. These revamped TEVs, termed attenuated yet immunogenically potentiated TEVs (AI-TEVs), showcase potential in inhibiting tumor growth, both as a preventive measure and a possible treatment for recurrent cancers. They prompt a tumor-specific and enduring immune memory. In addition, by showing that AI-TEVs can counteract cancer growth in a personalized vaccine approach, a potential strategy is presented for developing postoperative cancer immunotherapy that's enduring and tailored to individual patients.

Hemodynamic changes in the prone position according to fluid loading after anaesthesia induction in patients undergoing lumbar spine surgery: a randomized, assessor-blind, prospective study.

INTRODUCTION: A change from the supine to prone position causes hemodynamic alterations. We aimed to evaluate the effect of fluid preloading in the supine position, the subsequent hemodynamic changes in the prone position and postoperative outcomes. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This prospective, assessor-blind, randomized controlled trial was conducted between March and June 2023. Adults scheduled for elective orthopaedic lumbar surgery under general anaesthesia were enrolled. In total, 80 participants were randomly assigned to fluid maintenance (M) or loading (L) groups. Both groups were administered intravenous fluid at a rate of 2 ml/kg/h until surgical incision; Group L was loaded with an additional 5 ml/kg intravenous fluid for 10 min after anaesthesia induction. The primary outcome was incidence of hypotension before surgical incision. Secondary outcomes included differences in the mean blood pressure (mBP), heart rate, pleth variability index (PVi), stroke volume variation (SVV), pulse pressure variation (PPV), stroke volume index and cardiac index before surgical incision between the two groups. Additionally, postoperative complications until postoperative day 2 and postoperative hospital length of stay were investigated. RESULTS: Hypotension was prevalent in Group M before surgical incision and could be predicted by a baseline PVi >16. The mBP was significantly higher in Group L immediately after fluid loading. The PVi, SVV and PPV were lower in Group L after fluid loading, with continued differences at 2-3 time points for SVV and PPV. Other outcomes did not differ between the two groups. CONCLUSION: Fluid loading after inducing general anaesthesia could reduce the occurrence of hypotension until surgical incision in patients scheduled for surgery in the prone position. Additionally, hypotension could be predicted in patients with a baseline PVi >16. Therefore, intravenous fluid loading is strongly recommended in patients with high baseline PVi to prevent hypotension after anaesthesia induction and in the prone position. TRIAL NUMBER: KCT0008294 (date of registration: 16 March 2023).

Fluid preloading could reduce the occurrence of hypotension in the prone position. Hypotension could be predicted in patients with a baseline PVi >16. Intravenous fluid preloading is strongly recommended in patients with high baseline PVi to prevent hypotension after anaesthesia induction and in the prone position.

A performance improvement of enzyme-based electrochemical lactate sensor fabricated by electroplating novel PdCu mediator on a laser induced graphene electrode.

A lactate sensor for lactate sensing using porous laser-induced graphene (LIG) electrodes with an electrodeposited PdCu catalyst was developed in this study. CO2 laser was used to convert the polyimide film surface to multilayered LIG. The morphology and composition of LIG were analyzed through field-emission scanning electron microscopy and Raman spectroscopy, respectively, to confirm that the fabricated LIG electrode was composed of porous and stacked graphene layers. PdCu was electrodeposited on the LIG electrode and lactate oxidase (LOx) was immobilized on the LIG surface to create a LOx/PdCu/LIG structure. According to the Randles-Sevcík equation, the calculated active surface area of the fabricated PdCu/LIG electrode was ∼12.8 mm2, which was larger than the apparent area of PdCu/LIG (1.766 mm2) by a factor of 7.25. The measured sensitivities of the fabricated lactate sensors with the LOx/PdCu/LIG electrode were -51.91 µA/mM·cm2 (0.1-5 mM) and -17.18 µA/mM·cm2 (5-30 mM). The calculated limit of detection was 0.28 µM. The selectivity of the fabricated lactate sensor is excellent toward various potentially interfering materials such as ascorbic acid, uric acid, lactose, sucrose, K+ and Na+.

When self comes to a wandering mind: Brain representations and dynamics of self-generated concepts in spontaneous thought.

Self-relevant concepts are major building blocks of spontaneous thought, and their dynamics in a natural stream of thought are likely to reveal one's internal states that are important for mental health. Here, we conducted a functional magnetic resonance imaging experiment (n = 62) to examine brain representations and dynamics of self-generated concepts in the context of spontaneous thought using a newly developed free association-based thought sampling task. The dynamics of conceptual associations were predictive of individual differences in general negative affectivity, replicating across multiple datasets (n = 196). Reflecting on self-generated concepts strongly engaged brain regions linked to autobiographical memory, conceptual processes, emotion, and autonomic regulation, including the medial prefrontal and medial temporal subcortical structures. Multivariate pattern-based predictive modeling revealed that the neural representations of valence became more person-specific as the level of perceived self-relevance increased. Overall, this study sheds light on how self-generated concepts in spontaneous thought construct inner affective states and idiosyncrasies.

Mucus-inspired organogel as an efficient absorbent and retention agent for volatile organic compounds.

Nasal mucus plays a key role in the sense of smell by absorbing and transporting chemicals to olfactory receptors. Inspired by the physical properties of mucus that enable it to transport molecules despite its high viscosity, we developed a polymeric organogel with similar viscosity and analyzed its general performance. Through qualitative and quantitative analysis, we confirmed that the matrix viscosity mainly affects the absorption and retention of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and not their diffusion inside the matrix. Additionally, the vapor pressure of VOCs influences the absorption and retention efficiencies of the matrix. Finally, a detailed understanding of the properties of mucus along with the use of sol-gel transition enabled us to create an efficient VOC absorbent and retention agent.