Valve morphology and timing of surgery in bicuspid aortic valve disease.

Background: The anatomy of bicuspid aortic valves (BAV) varies considerably and is broadly classified into two main types: two-sinus and fused BAV. Possible prognostic implications of these two main types remain unclear. This study aimed to assess potential associations between BAV morphology and the timing of surgery of the aortic valve or ascending aorta.

Impact of Lidocaine Concentration on Analgesic Efficacy and Adverse Events in Dermatologic Infiltrative Anesthesia.

Introduction: Infiltrative anesthesia with lidocaine plays a vital role in pain management during dermatological procedures, ensuring patient comfort throughout the process.

Objective: We aimed to investigate the correlation between three different concentrations of lidocaine (2% lidocaine with 1:100,000 epinephrine diluted at ratios of 1:2, 1:4, and 1:6) used in infiltrative anesthesia and their analgesic efficacy and adverse effects in dermatological procedures.

Methods: This study employed a randomized design, with 240 patients assigned to receive varying concentrations of lidocaine with epinephrine (2% lidocaine with 1:100,000 epinephrine diluted at ratios of 1:2, 1:4, or 1:6) during seven common dermatological procedures: punch biopsy, excisional biopsy, CO2 laser biopsy, surgical excision, CO2 laser excision, fractional CO2 laser treatment, and filler injection.

STING-adjuvanted outer membrane vesicle nanoparticle vaccine against Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

Multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacterial pneumonia poses a critical threat to global public health. The opportunistic Gram-negative pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a leading cause of nosocomial-associated pneumonia, and an effective vaccine could protect vulnerable populations, including the elderly, immunocompromised, and those with chronic respiratory diseases. Highly heterogeneous outer membrane vesicles (OMVs), shed from Gram-negative bacteria, are studded with immunogenic lipids, proteins, and virulence factors.

On-the-Fly Synthesis of Freestanding Spin-Crossover Architectures With Tunable Magnetic Properties.

Spin-crossover (SCO) molecular-based switches have shown promise across a range of applications since their discovery, including sensing, information storage, actuators, and displays. Yet limited processability remains a barrier to their real-world implementation, as traditional methods for integrating SCO materials into polymer matrices are often complex, expensive, and prone to producing uneven material distributions. Herein, we demonstrate how 3D flow-focusing chemistry enables unprecedented control for the direct fabrication of SCO composite materials, addressing key challenges in processability, scalability, and cost.

Persistence of Backdoor-Based Watermarks for Neural Networks: A Comprehensive Evaluation.

Deep neural networks (DNNs) have gained considerable traction in recent years due to the unparalleled results they gathered. However, the cost behind training such sophisticated models is resource-intensive, resulting in many to consider DNNs to be intellectual property (IP) to model owners. In this era of cloud computing, high-performance DNNs are often deployed all over the Internet so that people can access them publicly.

Gating Single Molecules with Counterions.

We report atomic-scale gating and visualization of local charge distribution within individual rare-earth-based molecular complexes on a metallic surface. The complexes are formed by a positively charged lanthanum ion coordinated to a (pcam) molecule and a negatively charged counterion trapped underneath via electrostatic interactions on a Au(111) surface. Local gating is performed by adding an additional negatively charged counterion to one side of the complex, which results in the redistribution of charges within the complex and a positive shift of the frontier orbitals.

Overcoming the conversion reaction limitation at three-phase interfaces using mixed conductors towards energy-dense solid-state Li-S batteries.

Lithium-sulfur (Li-S) all-solid-state batteries (ASSBs) hold great promise for next-generation safe, durable and energy-dense battery technology. However, solid-state sulfur conversion reactions are kinetically sluggish and primarily constrained to the restricted three-phase boundary area of sulfur, carbon and solid electrolytes, making it challenging to achieve high sulfur utilization. Here we develop and implement mixed ionic-electronic conductors (MIECs) in sulfur cathodes to replace conventional solid electrolytes and invoke conversion reactions at sulfur-MIEC interfaces in addition to traditional three-phase boundaries.

Serum interleukin-6 concentration in patients with pemphigus.

Pemphigus is a rare blistering autoimmune disease that damages the integumentary system and lowers the quality of life of patients. Interleukin-6 (IL-6) has been linked to the immunopathogenesis of pemphigus, according to recent research. Thus, the investigation purpose was to assess the function of IL-6 in the development and intensity of pemphigus disease.

Interfacial solvation-structure regulation for stable Li metal anode by a desolvation coating technique.

Rechargeable lithium (Li) metal batteries face challenges in achieving stable cycling due to the instability of the solid electrolyte interphase (SEI). The Li-ion solvation structure and its desolvation process are crucial for the formation of a stable SEI on Li metal anodes and improving Li plating/stripping kinetics. This research introduces an interfacial desolvation coating technique to actively modulate the Li-ion solvation structure at the Li metal interface and regulate the participation of the electrolyte solvent in SEI formation.

Revealing the Anion-Solvent Interaction for Ultralow Temperature Lithium Metal Batteries.

Anion solvation in electrolytes can largely change the electrochemical performance of the electrolytes, yet has been rarely investigated. Herein, three anions of bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide (TFSI), bis(fluorosulfonyl)imide (FSI), and derived asymmetric (fluorosulfonyl)(trifluoro-methanesulfonyl)imide (FTFSI) are systematically examined in a weakly Li cation solvating solvent of bis(3-fluoropropyl)ether (BFPE). In-situ liquid secondary ion mass spectrometry demonstrates that FTFSI and FSI anions are associated with BFPE solvent, while weak TFSI /BFPE cluster signals are detected.

Platelet factor 4 limits neutrophil extracellular trap- and cell-free DNA-induced thrombogenicity and endothelial injury.

Plasma cell-free DNA (cfDNA), a marker of disease severity in sepsis, is a recognized driver of thromboinflammation and a potential therapeutic target. In sepsis, plasma cfDNA is mostly derived from neutrophil extracellular trap (NET) degradation. Proposed NET-directed therapeutic strategies include preventing NET formation or accelerating NET degradation.

A solid-state Li-air battery: computational studies of interfaces and relevance to discharge mechanism.

There is much interest in developing new energy storage systems to replace currently available ones that mainly work based on Li-ion intercalations. One attractive area is the Li-air battery for which most of the research has involved liquid electrolytes. There have been few studies on the use of a solid electrolyte in a Li-air battery.

Factors correlated with neuropathic pain among industrial workers in Vietnam: a multi-site cross-sectional study.

Introduction: Neuropathic pain is a debilitating condition resulting from various etiologies such as diabetes, multiple sclerosis, and infection, and is associated with decreased quality of life, poor health outcomes, and increased economic burden. However, epidemiological studies on neuropathic pain have been largely limited in Vietnam.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted on adult Vietnamese industrial workers across three manufacturing plants.

Light- and Chemical-Doping-Induced Magnetic Behavior of Eu Molecular Systems.

Variable temperature electron paramagnetic resonance (VT-EPR) was used to investigate the role of the environment and oxidation states of several coordinated Eu compounds. We find that while Eu(III) chelating complexes are diamagnetic, simple chemical reduction results in the formation of paramagnetic species. In agreement with the distorted symmetry of Eu molecular complexes investigated in this study, the EPR spectrum of reduced complexes showed axially symmetric signals ( = 2.

Microkinetic insights into the role of catalyst and water activity on the nucleation, growth, and dissolution during COF-5 synthesis.

The chemical pathway for synthesizing covalent organic frameworks (COFs) involves a complex medley of reaction sequences over a rippling energy landscape that cannot be adequately described using existing theories. Even with the development of state-of-the-art experimental and computational tools, identifying primary mechanisms of nucleation and growth of COFs remains elusive. Other than empirically, little is known about how the catalyst composition and water activity affect the kinetics of the reaction pathway.

Energetic preference and topological constraint effects on the formation of DNA twisted toroidal bundles.

DNA toroids are compact torus-shaped bundles formed by one or multiple DNA molecules being condensed from the solution due to various condensing agents. It has been shown that the DNA toroidal bundles are twisted. However, the global conformations of DNA inside these bundles are still not well understood.

A room temperature rechargeable LiO-based lithium-air battery enabled by a solid electrolyte.

A lithium-air battery based on lithium oxide (LiO) formation can theoretically deliver an energy density that is comparable to that of gasoline. Lithium oxide formation involves a four-electron reaction that is more difficult to achieve than the one- and two-electron reaction processes that result in lithium superoxide (LiO) and lithium peroxide (LiO), respectively. By using a composite polymer electrolyte based on LiGePS nanoparticles embedded in a modified polyethylene oxide polymer matrix, we found that LiO is the main product in a room temperature solid-state lithium-air battery.

A KMnO-Generated Colloidal Electrolyte for Redox Mediation and Anode Protection in a Li-Air Battery.

The rechargeable lithium-oxygen (Li-O) battery has the highest theoretical specific energy density of any rechargeable batteries and could transform energy storage systems if a practical device could be attained. However, among numerous challenges, which are all interconnected, are polarization due to sluggish kinetics, low cycle life, small capacity, and slow rates. In this study, we report on use of KMnO to generate a colloidal electrolyte made up of MnO nanoparticles.

Atomically precise control of rotational dynamics in charged rare-earth complexes on a metal surface.

Complexes containing rare-earth ions attract great attention for their technological applications ranging from spintronic devices to quantum information science. While charged rare-earth coordination complexes are ubiquitous in solution, they are challenging to form on materials surfaces that would allow investigations for potential solid-state applications. Here we report formation and atomically precise manipulation of rare-earth complexes on a gold surface.

Left ventricular size and function in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus associate with lupus anticoagulant: An echocardiographic follow-up study.

Background: Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a chronic autoimmune disease with increased risk of cardiac dysfunction. The pathophysiological mechanisms are poorly understood, and prognostic markers are warranted.

Purpose: We aimed to identify SLE-characteristics associated with measures of cardiac size and function during a five-year follow-up.

Synthesis of Fluorine-Doped Lithium Argyrodite Solid Electrolytes for Solid-State Lithium Metal Batteries.

Solid-state lithium metal batteries (SSLMBs) that utilize novel solid electrolytes (SEs) have garnered much attention because of their potential to yield safe and high-energy-density batteries. Sulfide-based argyrodite-class SEs are an attractive option because of their impressive ionic conductivity. Recent studies have shown that LiF at the interface between Li and SE enhances electrochemical stability.