A pilot study on an infrared jaw-tracking method for mandibular motion based on modified bite-fork registration: Accuracy and feasibility.

Objectives: This study developed a novel method for repeated tracking without requiring secondary cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) exposure or additional registration operations.

Methods: An infrared jaw-tracking method based on the registration of a modified bite-fork was developed. The accuracy of the method was evaluated by comparing head-simulator linear distance measurements obtained using the jaw-tracking and CBCT imaging methods and calculating the root mean square (RMS) errors associated with linear distance deviations.

Choline Derivative as a Multifunctional Interfacial Bridge through Synergistic Effects for Improving the Efficiency and Stability of Perovskite Solar Cells.

The interfacial carrier non-radiative recombination caused by buried defects in electron transport layer (ETL) material and the energy barrier severely hinders further improvement in efficiency and stability of perovskite solar cells (PSCs). In this study, the effect of the SnO ETL doped with choline chloride (CC), acetylcholine chloride (AC), and phosphocholine chloride sodium salt (PCSS) are investigated. These dopants modify the interface between SnO ETL and perovskite layer, acting as a bridge through synergistic effects to form uniform ETL films, enhance the interface contact, and passivate defects.

Heterologous expression and characterization of an M4 family extracellular metalloprotease for detergent application.

Proteolytic enzymes stand out as the most widely employed category utilized in manufacturing industry. A new protease was separated from Planococcus sp.11815 strain and named as nprS-15615 in this research.

Synergistic Surface Defect Passivation of Ionic Liquids for Efficient and Stable MAPbI-Based Inverted Perovskite Solar Cells.

Organic-inorganic hybrid perovskite solar cells are fabricated using polycrystalline perovskite thin films, which possess high densities of point and surface defects. The surface defects of perovskite thin films are the key factors that affect the device performance. Therefore, the reduction of harmful defects is the primary task for improving device performance.

The effect of perceived stress on social isolation in young and middle-aged maintenance haemodialysis patients: A polynomial regression and response surface analysis.

Patients on maintenance haemodialysis (MHD) face social isolation due to the far-reaching effects of their disease and treatment. Based on the Transactional Model of Stress and Coping, we analysed the relationship between perceived stress and social isolation in patients, and the mediating role of internal health-related locus of control (IHLC) from the perspective of co-existence of perceived helplessness (HEL) and perceived self-efficacy (SEL). We used structured questionnaires to investigate 332 cases of young and middle-aged MHD patients in four tertiary hospitals in Guangdong, China.

Electrochemical degradation of acrylic acid using Ti/TaO-IrO electrode.

Acrylic acid (AA) is widely used as a raw material in the industrial production of various chemicals. Its extensive use has produced environmental problems that need to be solved. The Ti/TaO-IrO electrode, a type of dimensionally stable anode, was used to investigate the electrochemical deterioration of AA.

Multifunctional Molecule Assists Passivate Method to Simultaneously Improve the Efficiency and Stability of Perovskite Solar Cells.

The power conversion efficiency (PCE) of perovskite solar cells (PSCs) has been greatly improved recently. However, in organic-inorganic polycrystalline perovskite films many defects inevitably exist, which limits the PCE and stability of PSCs. Herein, a small organic molecule 2-chlorothiazole-4-carboxylic acid (SN) is spin coated on a perovskite film to enhance the performance of PSCs.

Potential for selective oxidation of aniline in soil washing effluent by active chlorine and testing its practicality.

Recovery of surfactants in the soil washing effluent (SWE) can significantly reduce the cost of the soil washing (SW) technology. This paper consists of two parts experiments. The first part constructed a selective oxidation system of active chlorine by electrochemical technology to treat SWE.

Auricular Acupressure for Hemodialysis Patients with Insomnia: A Multicenter Double-Blind Randomized Sham-Controlled Trial.

The effect of auricular acupressure (AA) for maintenance hemodialysis (MHD) patients with insomnia has been controversial. This study assessed the efficacy and safety of AA for MHD patients with chronic insomnia. This was a multicenter, double-blind (participant and assessor), randomized sham-controlled trial.

Multi-cation hybrid stannic oxide electron transport layer for high-efficiency perovskite solar cells.

The performance of perovskite solar cells (PSCs) can be improved by optimizing the perovskite film quality and electron transfer layers (ETLs). In this study, high-efficient PSCs with multi-cation hybrid electron transport layer (SnO@Na:Cs ETL) were fabricated using continuous spin-coating. Compared to the pristine SnO, the power conversion efficiency (PCE) of device based on SnO@Na:Cs ETL have reached 22.

Interface Regulation by an Ultrathin Wide-Bandgap Halide for Stable and Efficient Inverted Perovskite Solar Cells.

The nonradiative recombination between hole transport layers (HTLs) and perovskites generally leads to obvious energy losses. The trap states at the HTL/perovskite interface directly influence the improvement of the power conversion efficiency (PCE) and stability. Interface regulation is a simple and commonly used method to decrease nonradiative recombination in inverted perovskite solar cells (PSCs).

High-efficiency planar heterojunction perovskite solar cell produced by using 4-morpholine ethane sulfonic acid sodium salt doped SnO.

Perovskite solar cells (PSCs) have become a promising photovoltaic (PV) technology. Meanwhile, developing an electron transport layer (ETL) has been an effective way to promote the power conversion efficiency (PCE) of PSCs. Here, a 4-morpholine ethane sulfonic acid sodium salt (MES Na) doped SnO ETL is utilized in planar heterojunction PSCs.

Late-onset Hearing Loss From Congenital Cytomegalovirus Infection After Newborn Period in a Highly Immune Population in China.

After following 141 children with likely asymptomatic congenital cytomegalovirus infection in a highly immune population in China, four children (2.8%) were found to have late-onset hearing loss. No maternal or childhood factors, except higher saliva cytomegalovirus viral load at birth (P = 0.

Dielectrophoresis Separation of Platelets Using a Novel Zigzag Microchannel.

Platelet separation and purification are required in many applications including in the detection and treatment of hemorrhagic and thrombotic diseases, in addition to transfusions and in medical research. In this study, platelet separation was evaluated using a novel zigzag microchannel fluidic device while leveraging a dielectrophoresis (DEP) electric field using the COMSOL multiphysics software package and additional experimentation. The zigzag-shaped microchannel was superior to straight channel devices for cell separation because the sharp corners reduced the required horizontal distance needed for separation and also contributed to an asymmetric DEP electric field.

Single network double cross-linker (SNDCL) hydrogels with excellent stretchability, self-recovery, adhesion strength, and conductivity for human motion monitoring.

Hydrogels, as a kind of soft materials, are good candidates for smart skin-like materials. A double network is usually fabricated to improve the mechanical properties of hydrogels, and involves two different kinds of networks. In this work, a novel strategy for preparing single network double cross-linker (SNDCL) hydrogels was proposed and the prepared hydrogels exhibited excellent mechanical properties, including stretchability, compressibility, self-recovery, adhesion, shape memory and mechanical strength.

A hybrid electrically-and-piezoelectrically driven micromixer built on paper for microfluids mixing.

This study aims to explore the channel patterns and the characteristic parameters of the zigzag microchannel based on microfluidic paper-based analytical devices (μPADs), in which the mixing efficiency and speed can be greatly enhanced. Better mixing of the solutions was obtained by adding a simple directing electric field to the optimized structure of the zigzag microchannel on paper-based chips instead of the traditional complex devices. A higher mixing efficiency was reached when the direct-current (DC) power supply reached 20 V.

An integrated platform for fibrinogen quantification on a microfluidic paper-based analytical device.

Fibrinogen (FIB) plays a key role in blood coagulation and thrombosis and its concentration in blood can directly reflect health conditions, thus efficient detection of FIB would benefit the treatments of certain diseases such as liver and heart diseases. However, there is a lack of sensitive, simple, rapid and cheap FIB detection device currently, in lieu of expensive and sophisticated approaches in laboratories. Here, we propose a novel plasma separation and FIB detection platform based on a microfluidic paper-based analytical device (μPAD).

Auricular acupressure for insomnia in hemodialysis patients: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial.

Background: Patients on maintenance hemodialysis (MHD) frequently complain of insomnia. Poor sleep quality impairs their quality of life and adversely affects long-term outcome. Previously we applied auricular acupressure therapy (AAT) for MHD patients with insomnia and yielded favorable results.

Let-7 inhibits self-renewal of hepatocellular cancer stem-like cells through regulating the epithelial-mesenchymal transition and the Wnt signaling pathway.

Background: Tumor suppressive let-7 miRNAs are universally down-regulated in human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) versus normal tissues; however, the roles and related molecular mechanisms of let-7 in HCC stem cells are poorly understood.

Methods: We examined the inhibitory effect of let-7 miRNAs on the proliferation of MHCC97-H and HCCLM3 hepatic cancer cells by using MTT (3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide) assay, which was further confirmed by apoptosis and cell cycle studies. The sphere-forming assay was used to study the effects of let-7a on stem like cells.

Synthesis and immobilization of micro-scale drug particles in presence of β-cyclodextrins.

The anti-solvent synthesis in presence of cyclodextrins (CDs) of the drug Griseofulvin (GF) is presented. This was followed by immobilization into cellulosic polymer films suitable for drug delivery. The results show that 72% of the GF precipitated in presence of CD, while the rest led to the formation of a water soluble GF/CD complex.

Synthesis and immobilization of micro-scale drug particles in cellulosic films.

The anti-solvent synthesis of micron-scale particles, their stabilization, and subsequent self-assembly into polymer films suitable for drug delivery is presented. The colloidal particles were stabilized using low molecular weight hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC), while drug encapsulation was carried out with high molecular weight HPMC and polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP). Griseofulvin (GF) was used as the model drug compound, and the polymer films were evaluated in terms of their surface morphology, mechanical properties and in vitro drug release.

Atomistic simulation study of surfactant and polymer interactions on the surface of a fenofibrate crystal.

It is currently of great interest to the pharmaceutical industry to control the size and agglomeration of nano- and micro-particles for the enhancement of drug delivery. Typically, surfactants and polymers are used as additives to interact with and stabilize the growing crystal surface, thus controlling size and agglomeration; however, selection is traditionally done empirically or using heuristics. The objective of this study was to use molecular dynamic simulations to investigate and predict additive interactions, and thus, evaluate the stabilization potential of individual and multiple additives on the surface of the model drug fenofibrate.

Stabilizing dispersions of hydrophobic drug molecules using cellulose ethers during anti-solvent synthesis of micro-particulates.

Anti-solvent synthesis of micro-scale drug particles with simultaneous suspension stabilization using different cellulose ethers and a surfactant (SDS) is reported. The process was very effective under low power ultrasonic agitation. The mean diameter of the small particles grew with time, while the overall particle size distribution showed a decrease in average particle size due to sedimentation.