A Case Report of Refractory Knee Infection in a Metabolic Syndrome Patient: mNGS Diagnosis and Pharmacist-Guided Therapy.

(), which is a rare rapidly growing mycobacterium (RGM), and the infections it causes are predominantly linked to surgery or invasive procedures. We detailed a case of refractory surgical site infection (SSI) caused by . The causative pathogen was identified by metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS) analysis, 16S rRNA and  gene sequencing.

Balancing Efficacy and Safety for Non-ambulatory Thoracic OPLL: Superior Mobility with Circumferential Decompression but Higher Risks - A Retrospective Analysis.

Study DesignRetrospective cohort study.ObjectiveTo describe the clinical characteristics and surgical outcomes of non-ambulatory patients with thoracic ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament (T-OPLL), and to identify predictors of independent walking recovery.MethodsThis retrospective study analyzed 70 non-ambulatory T-OPLL patients treated with either circumferential decompression (CD) or posterior decompression with fusion (PDF) surgery at a single center over 10 years (2012-2022).

Preservation of short-term cervical posterior muscle volume and cervical alignment: a comparison between three types of modified muscle-sparing laminoplasty and conventional open-door laminoplasty for multilevel degenerative cervical myelopathy.

Backgrounds: Several modified muscle-sparing laminoplasty (LP) techniques have been developed to prevent axial symptoms in the treatment of multilevel degenerative cervical myelopathy (MDCM). However, the postoperative changes in posterior muscle volume (PMV) and cervical alignment following these procedures remain controversial. This study aimed to compare the short-term postoperative changes in PMV and cervical alignment between conventional LP and three types of muscle-sparing LPs: unilateral muscle-preservation laminoplasty (UL), double-door laminoplasty (DL), and intermuscular "raising roof" laminoplasty (RL).

Highly efficient removal of radioactive iodine from solution using in situ prepared Cu@ACF adsorbent.

Rapid and efficient removal of radioactive iodine from nuclear accidents and effluent waste was significantly essential to protect the living environment and maintain human health. The nano-zero-valent copper modified activated carbon fiber (Cu@ACF) composite was successfully synthesized via an in situ self-reduction method. The structural and chemical compositions of both pristine and iodine-adsorbed samples (ACF and Cu@ACF) were systematically analyzed by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS).

Interpersonal brain synchronization during sensorimotor synchronization in people with different aerobic fitness levels: A fNIRS-based hyperscanning study.

Sensorimotor synchronization (SMS) refers to the temporal coordination of individual actions with perceptible external events and rhythms. Previous research has revealed a potential relationship between SMS abilities and physical activity, with proposed links to underlying inner-brain cognitive processes. However, it needs to be explored that whether good aerobic fitness will have a strong SMS ability, its internal mechanism, and the inter-brain mechanism.

Machine-Learning-Enhanced Intelligent Recognition of Integrated Neuromorphic Vision Sensors Based on Copolyurethane.

Artificial photoreceptors utilizing piezoelectric polymers and semiconductors can convert external mechanical deformations, forces, or changes in light into electrical signals, making them essential for advanced optoelectronic sensors and smart wearable devices. However, this approach faces several challenges, including slow response time, weak signal, and high power consumption. This study synthesizes a series of polyurethanes containing azobenzene-based photoisomer units and ionic-liquid-based dipole units (comprising loose cation-anion pairs) based on the nanophotoelectric effect, wherein ultraviolet light induces isomerization of photoisomer segments and generates dynamic dipoles, creating equal amounts of charges with opposite signs at the electrodes.

Efficacy of combined rigid and flexible ureteroscopy for complex ureteral stones in type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Background: Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM) patients with complex ureteral stones face significant challenges in terms of treatment outcomes, including higher risk for complications such as sepsis and prolonged recovery times. The efficacy of combined rigid and flexible ureteroscopy in managing these stones in T2DM patients remains underexplored.

Methods: A retrospective cohort study was conducted at our hospital from January 2021 to August 2024.

Dark Spin-Cat States as Biased Qubits.

We present a biased atomic qubit, universally implementable across all atomic platforms, encoded as a "spin cat" within ground state Zeeman levels. The key characteristic of our configuration is the coupling of the ground state spin manifold of size F_{g}≫1 to an excited Zeeman spin manifold of size F_{e}=F_{g}-1 using light. This coupling results in eigenstates of the driven atom that include exactly two dark states in the ground state manifold, which are decoupled from light and immune to spontaneous emission from the excited states.

A long-term localization and mapping system for autonomous inspection robots in large-scale environments using 3D LiDAR sensors.

Inspection mobile robots equipped with 3D LiDAR sensors are now widely used in substations and other critical circumstances. However, the application of traditional LiDAR sensors is restricted in large-scale environments. Prolonged operation poses the risk of sensor degradation, while the presence of dynamic objects disrupts the stability of the constructed map, consequently impacting the accuracy of robot localization.

Hybrid-J shape needle in ultrasound-guided looped thread carpal tunnel release: a cadaveric study on safety and efficacy.

Background: Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) is the most prevalent peripheral nerve entrapment disorder, often requiring surgical intervention. While Ultrasound-guided Looped Thread Carpal Tunnel Release (LTCTR) offers a minimally invasive alternative to carpal tunnel release, its implementation faces limitations due to insufficient specialized instruments. This cadaveric study assesses the Hybrid-J Shape Needle (HJSN), a blunt-tip, J-shaped device designed to improve safety in LTCTR procedures.

Multiple mediating roles of physical and mental health in the effects of physical exercise on prosocial behavior in junior high school students.

Objective: To examine the associations between physical exercise and prosocial behavior among junior high school students, and to explore the potential mediating roles of physical and mental health in these associations, providing insights for interventions targeting prosocial behavior.

Methods: Using data from the China Education Panel Survey 2014-2015, we analyzed 7,605 junior high school students' self-reported measures of prosocial behavior, physical exercise, and physical and mental health. An OLS regression model was employed to assess associations, and a multiple mediation model (PROCESS Model 4 with 5,000 bootstraps) was used to test indirect effects.

Value of single-center fecal calprotectin in the early diagnosis and assessment of necrotizing enterocolitis in premature infants.

Objective: To explore the value of fecal calprotectin (FC) in the early diagnosis of necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) in premature infants.

Methods: From September 2021 to June 2024, 84 premature infants with NEC were selected as the NEC group, and 84 premature infants with feeding intolerance (feeding intolerance group) and 168 healthy premature infants (healthy group) were selected at the same time. ROC curves were used to analyze the value of FC in the early diagnosis and condition evaluation of NEC in premature infants, and Spearman correlations were used to analyze the relationships between FC and the occurrence and severity of NEC in premature infants.

Effects of Process Parameters on Defect Formation in Laser Additive Manufacturing of a Novel Ni-Based Superalloy.

Laser additive manufacturing offers significant advantages for fabricating and repairing complex components. However, the complex solidification and remelting processes in nickel-based superalloys for additive manufacturing can introduce defects such as voids and cracks. Therefore, process parameters are crucial, as they significantly impact solidification and remelting, thereby affecting defect formation.

Embedding Fe/FeO Heterojunctions in Nitrogen-Doped Carbon Nanotubes for Efficient Removal of Organic Pollutants via Heterogeneous Electro-Fenton Catalysis.

The electro-Fenton process is considered one of the most reliable techniques for eliminating organic pollutants from water. However, its performance is still not up to par with its potential due to the lack of cathodic catalysts with the essential cycling catalytic functionality required for sustained Fenton reactions. Herein, Fe and FeO heterojunctions embedded in N-doped carbon nanotubes stitched on porous nitrogen-doped carbon (denoted Fe/FeO@PNC) are fabricated and employed as a bifunctional cathode catalyst for the highly efficient degradation of organic pollutants.

Neoadjuvant treatment in locally advanced thyroid cancer: a single institution experience.

Background: Locally advanced thyroid cancer is a kind of aggressive malignancy with poor overall survival (OS). Neoadjuvant therapy has shown a certain efficacy in locally advanced thyroid cancer. The objective of this study was to assess the efficacy and feasibility of surgery following neoadjuvant therapy in patients.

Direct Ambient Mass Spectrometry for Food, Beverage, and Agricultural Sample Analysis and Research.

Ambient and direct mass spectrometry (MS) methods are becoming increasingly used for the rapid analysis of food, beverage and agricultural samples. Novel ionization approaches combined with targeted, or untargeted workflows provide analytical outcomes within a greatly reduced time period compared to traditional separation science coupled with MS detection. This review will provide an overview of atmospheric pressure ionization MS based techniques for analysis of food, beverage and agricultural samples, with an emphasis on direct and rapid analysis including ambient ionization.

Preparation and Characterization of PVA/PVP/CS Bionic Hydrogels.

Poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) hydrogels are water-rich biomimetics with soft properties. However, the mechanical properties and surface properties of PVA hydrogels are quite different from natural oral soft tissues when applied to a simulated oral environment. To select suitable enhancement to modify PVA hydrogel for simulating oral soft tissue, an ingenious strategy is developed for enhancing PVA hydrogel in this study.

Corrosion of Calcium Metal in Ca(TFSI)/DMAc Electrolyte and its Solution via Alloy Interface and Competitive Solvation.

Calcium metal batteries (CMBs) are promising for large-scale energy storage due to calcium's abundance and high theoretical capacity, but hindered by poor compatibility between electrolyte and calcium metal. Here, we unveil two corrosion types of calcium in calcium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonimide)/dimethylacetamide [Ca(TFSI)/DMAc] electrolytes: native passivation from solvent reduction during aging and electrochemical corrosion from anion decomposition. The native passivation layer aggravates the electrochemical corrosion by the decomposition of TFSI to the large grain Ca-insulator CaF, leading to the calcium metal failure.

Quantum Random Access Memory with Transmon-Controlled Phonon Routing.

Quantum random access memory (QRAM) promises simultaneous data queries at multiple memory locations, with data retrieved in coherent superpositions, essential for achieving quantum speedup in many quantum algorithms. We introduce a transmon-controlled phonon router and propose a QRAM implementation by connecting these routers in a treelike architecture. The router controls the motion of itinerant surface acoustic wave phonons based on the state of the control transmon, implementing the core functionality of conditional routing for QRAM.

Optimality Condition for the Petz Map.

In quantum error correction, the Petz map serves as a perfect recovery map when the Knill-Laflamme conditions are satisfied. Notably, while perfect recovery is generally infeasible for most quantum channels of finite dimension, the Petz map remains a versatile tool with near-optimal performance in recovering quantum states. This work introduces and proves, for the first time, the necessary and sufficient conditions for the optimality of the Petz map in terms of entanglement fidelity.

Generalized Quantum Repeater Graph States.

All-photonic quantum repeaters are essential for establishing long-range quantum entanglement. Within repeater nodes, reliably performing entanglement swapping is a key component of scalable quantum communication. To tackle the challenge of probabilistic Bell state measurement in linear optics, which often leads to information loss, various approaches have been proposed to ensure the loss tolerance of distributing a single ebit.

LI-YOLOv8: Lightweight small target detection algorithm for remote sensing images that combines GSConv and PConv.

In the domain of remote sensing image small target detection, challenges such as difficulties in extracting features of small targets, complex backgrounds that easily lead to confusion with targets, and high computational complexity with significant resource consumption are prevalent. We propose a lightweight small target detection algorithm for remote sensing images that combines GSConv and PConv, named LI-YOLOv8. Using YOLOv8n as the baseline algorithm, the activation function SiLU in the CBS at the backbone network's SPPF is replaced with ReLU, which reduces interdependencies among parameters.

Risk of ossification of posterior longitudinal ligament (OPLL) volume progression following laminoplasty.

Background Context: Progression of ossification of posterior longitudinal ligament (OPLL) after laminoplasty (LP) can lead to recurrent compression of the spinal cord, neurological progression, and possibly revision surgery. Continuity of OPLL across segments, termed true continuous segments (TCS), has been previously found to help maintaining lordosis after LP. However, the impact of TCS on post-LP OPLL volume progression remains unknown.

High Latent Heat and Recyclable Phase-Change Materials for Photothermoelectric Conversion.

Realizing organic phase-change material networks with excellent recyclability while maintaining high latent heat still faces great challenges due to the difficult trade-off between network composition. Herein, the high latent heat and recyclable phase-change materials (RPCMs) were developed by integrating linear poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) multimers as phase-change components and the dynamic covalent cross-linking polyurethane network components in a semi-interpenetrating polymer network structure. The latent heat (54.