A flexible linear circular bipolarization conversion metasurface based on graphene.

A flexible bipolarization conversion metasurface based on graphene is proposed in this paper, which can achieve single-band linear-to-linear (LTL) and dual-band linear-to-circular (LTC) polarization conversion. The polarization conversion ratio (PCR) and axial ratio (AR) are dynamically regulated by varying the sheet resistance () of graphene. When = 1400 Ω Sq, the designed metasurface achieves a single-band LTL polarization conversion of 7.

Long-Lived Charge-Transfer State and Interfacial Lock in Double-Cable Conjugated Polymers Enable Efficient and Stable Organic Solar Cells.

The donor/acceptor (D/A) interfaces in bulk heterojunction (BHJ) organic solar cells (OSCs) critically govern exciton dissociation and molecular diffusion, determining both efficiency and stability. Herein, we design a double-cable conjugated polymer, SC-1F, to insert into a physically-blended D/A system to optimize the interface. We have found that SC-1F spontaneously segregates to the interface through favorable miscibility and heterogeneous nucleation with the acceptor.

User experience study to evaluate a clinical decision support system prototype supporting continuous kidney replacement therapy in a simulated ICU environment.

Background: The increasing amount of data routinely collected on ICUs poses a challenge for clinicians which is aggravated with data-heavy therapies like Continuous Kidney Replacement Therapy (CKRT). We developed the CKRT Supporting Software Prototype (CKRT-SSP), a clinical decision support system for use before, during and after CKRT. The aim of this user experience (UX) study was to prospectively evaluate CKRT-SSP in terms of usability, user experience, and workload in a simulated ICU setting.

Phenotypic age acceleration as a novel predictor of benign prostatic hyperplasia: a prospective cohort study.

This study aims to investigate the predictive value of combined phenotypic age and phenotypic age acceleration (PhenoAgeAccel) for benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) and develop a machine learning-based risk prediction model to inform precision prevention and clinical management strategies. The study analyzed data from 784 male participants in the US National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES, 2001-2008). Phenotypic age was derived from chronological age and nine serum biomarkers.

Integrated single-cell atlas of human atherosclerotic plaques.

Atherosclerosis, a major cause of cardiovascular diseases, is characterized by the buildup of lipids and chronic inflammation in the arteries, leading to plaque formation and potential rupture. Despite recent advances in single-cell transcriptomics (scRNA-seq), the underlying immune mechanisms and transformations in structural cells driving plaque progression remain incompletely defined. Existing datasets often lack comprehensive coverage and consistent annotations, limiting the utility of downstream analyses.

Excitatory cortical neurons from CDKL5 deficiency disorder patient-derived organoids show early hyperexcitability not identified in neurogenin2 induced neurons.

CDKL5 deficiency disorder (CDD) is a rare developmental and epileptic encephalopathy resulting from variants in cyclin-dependent kinase-like 5 (CDKL5) that lead to impaired kinase activity or loss of function. CDD is one of the most common genetic etiologies identified in epilepsy cohorts. To study how CDKL5 variants impact human neuronal activity, gene expression and morphology, CDD patient-derived induced pluripotent stem cells and their isogenic controls were differentiated into excitatory neurons using either an NGN2 induction protocol or a guided cortical organoid differentiation.

Real-time diagnosis of cholangiocarcinoma by combining digestive endoscopy and optic fiber biosensors based on bile clusterin.

Background: Early diagnosis of cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) remains challenging, but liquid biopsy is emerging as a promising detection strategy. Here, we identified a novel bile biomarker for CCA and developed an optic fiber biosensor integrated with digestive endoscopy for real-time diagnosis in vivo.

Methods: A total of 583 subjects and two proteomic analyses were used to screen and validate biomarkers for CCA, and then the corresponding antibodies were generated to construct a surface plasmon resonance (SPR)-based optic fiber biosensor.

Using microplastic-carbon to reassess pollution level of microplastics in urban rivers.

Environmental microplastics (MPs) are challenging to compare due to non-harmonized sampling and quantification methods. As MPs are predominantly composed of recalcitrant organic carbon (OC), they contribute to the total organic carbon (TOC) pool in environments. The concentration of recalcitrant carbon in microplastics (MPC) can theoretically serve as a complementary, standardized mass-based index to characterize MPs pollution levels.

The accuracy of surface imaging in detecting secondary patient motion caused by pitch and roll corrections in pelvic radiotherapy.

Background And Objective: Correction of rotational setup errors by tilting the treatment couch improves target dose accuracy and prevents healthy tissue overdosage in external beam radiotherapy. However, couch tilts may cause secondary patient motion. This study aimed to quantify the secondary motion caused by pitch and roll corrections and to evaluate the feasibility of surface imaging for detecting the secondary motion in pelvic radiotherapy.

A compact cassette tape for DNA-based data storage.

DNA with high storage density can serve as an alternative storage medium to respond to the global explosion of data growth and become a powerful personal storage memory if an integrated compact device can store and handle large-scale data. Here, we incorporate a DNA cassette tape with 5.5 × 10 addressable data partitions (addressing rate up to 1570 partitions per second), a DNA loading capacity of 28.

Doping and Polar Interface-Induced High-Position Sensing in the PEDOT:PSS/Si Heterojunction and Its Multifunctional Optical Imaging.

A highly sensitive, self-powered position-sensitive detector (PSD) based on a PEDOT:PSS/Si heterojunction is prepared. Band structure optimization via FS-300 additive doping significantly enhances the built-in electric field, achieving a maximum open-circuit voltage of 0.45 V (0.

Biodegradable Silicon-Based Electromagnetic Energy Harvester toward Wireless Power Supply.

Transient electronics that can degrade after fulfilling their designed functionalities offer transformative potentials in biomedical implants (eliminating secondary surgeries), ecofriendly consumer electronics (reducing e-waste), and secure systems. However, the development of reliable transient energy supplies remains a critical challenge, thus limiting their widespread implementation. Among various solutions, wireless power supplies via near-field inductive coupling stand out as particularly promising candidates.

Optically Controlled Memristor Enabling Synergistic Sensing-Memory-Computing for Neuromorphic Vision Systems.

Neuromorphic Visual Devices hold considerable promise for integration into neuromorphic vision systems that combine sensing, memory, and computing. This potential arises from their synergistic benefits in optical signal detection and neuro-inspired computational processes. However, current devices face challenges such as insufficient light/dark resistance ratios, mismatched transient photo-response, and volatile retention characteristics, limiting their adaptability to complex artificial vision systems.

Effect of Ni-Doped Induced Stacking Faults on the NTC Properties and Aging Stability of LaNdAlNiO Ceramics.

Owing to its wide bandgap, LaAlO has garnered extensive attention in the field of high-temperature negative temperature coefficient (NTC) thermistors. However, its poor thermal stability and excessively high B value limit the working temperature range. In this work, introducing O 2p and Ni 3d hybrid energy levels into the bandgap is proposed via Ni doping and inducing stacking faults in the crystal structure to narrow the bandgap and enhance aging performance.

Composite endpoints in health technology assessment: part 2 - expanding the evidence base with a framework for best modeling practice.

The first paper of this two-part series critically examined the role of composite endpoints in health technology assessments (HTAs) and outlined strategies for determining whether to employ the composite estimate of treatment effect or disaggregate into the component endpoints of the composite and apply separate treatment effects within a modeling framework. In this second paper, we expand the discussion beyond a pivotal trial and consider the way in which additional evidence from the same indication for different drugs in the same class, or the same drug for different indications, could be employed within HTAs. We offer a continuation of the case study of dapagliflozin for the treatment of heart failure with preserved or mildly reduced ejection fraction, where the evidence base was expanded to consider empagliflozin for the same indication, as well as both dapagliflozin and empagliflozin for heart failure with reduced ejection fraction.

High-entropy spinel (FeCoNiMnCr)O nanoparticles supported on carbon nanotubes for enhanced electrochemical seawater oxidation.

High-performance, low-cost electrocatalysts are essential for freshwater-independent seawater electrolysis. We design a SWCNT-supported (FeCoNiMnCr)O high-entropy spinel oxide by a hydrothermal method and air-firing, where the conductive network enhances charge transfer and active site exposure. The catalyst achieves 282 mV@10 mA cm with 100 h stability in alkaline seawater.

On the improved estimation of the normal mixture components for longitudinal data.

When analyzing real data sets, statisticians often face the question that the data are heterogeneous and it may not necessarily be possible to model this heterogeneity directly. One natural option in this case is to use the methods based on finite mixtures. The key question in these techniques often is what is the best number of mixtures or, depending on the focus of the analysis, the best number of sub-populations when the model is otherwise fixed.

Psychology's Questionable Research Fundamentals (QRFs): Key problems in quantitative psychology and psychological measurement beyond Questionable Research Practices (QRPs).

Psychology's crises (e.g., replicability, generalisability) are currently believed to derive from Questionable Research Practices (QRPs), thus scientific misconduct.

Research status of small molecule inhibitors, probes, and degraders of NSDs: a comprehensive review.

The nuclear receptor binding SET domain (NSD) family of histone methyltransferases, which comprised NSD1, NSD2, and NSD3. They play a pivotal role in catalyzing mono- and dimethylation of histone H3 at lysine 36 (H3K36me1/2), a modification critical for maintaining chromatin structure and transcriptional fidelity. Dysregulation of NSD enzymes, often through overexpression, mutation, or chromosomal translocation, has been implicated in a broad spectrum of malignancies and various diseases.

Lightweight hybrid Mamba2 for unsupervised medical image registration.

Background: Deformable medical image registration is a critical task in medical imaging-assisted diagnosis and treatment. In recent years, medical image registration methods based on deep learning have made significant success by leveraging prior knowledge, and the registration accuracy and computational efficiency have been greatly improved. Models based on Transformers have achieved better performance than convolutional neural network methods (ConvNet) in image registration.

Comprehensive Analysis of Gene Expression and Biomarkers in Sepsis Using Bioinformatics, Network Pharmacology and Molecular Modeling Approaches.

Background: Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) have been known to provide important information on disease mechanisms and potential therapeutic targets. The traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) offers a large reservoir of bioactive compounds that could modulate at these targets. This study is an attempt to investigate the biomarkers in Sepsis and COVID-19 using gene expression analysis and molecular modeling validation of TCM-derived candidate compounds targeting key DEGs associated with sepsis.

Avenanthramides and avenacosides as biomarkers of oat intake: a pharmacokinetic study of solid and liquid oat consumption under single and repeated dose conditions.

Background: Avenanthramides (AVAs) and Avenacosides (AVEs) are unique to oats (Avena Sativa) and may serve as biomarkers of oat intake. However, information regarding their validity as food intake biomarkers is missing. We aimed to investigate critical validation parameters such as half-lives, dose-response, matrix effects, relative bioavailability under single dose, and in relation to the abundance of Feacalibacterium prausnitzii, and under repeated dosing, to understand the potential applications of AVAs and AVEs as biomarkers of oat intake.

Bacillus drives functional states in synthetic plant root bacterial communities.

Background: Plant roots release root exudates to attract microbes that form root communities, which in turn promote plant health and growth. Root community assembly arises from millions of interactions between microbes and the plant, leading to robust and stable microbial networks. To manage the complexity of natural root microbiomes for research purposes, scientists have developed reductionist approaches using synthetic microbial inocula (SynComs).

Analyzing Reddit Social Media Content in the United States Related to H5N1: Sentiment and Topic Modeling Study.

Background: The H5N1 avian influenza A virus represents a serious threat to both animal and human health, with the potential to escalate into a global pandemic. Effective monitoring of social media during H5N1 avian influenza outbreaks could potentially offer critical insights to guide public health strategies. Social media platforms like Reddit, with their diverse and region-specific communities, provide a rich source of data that can reveal collective attitudes, concerns, and behavioral trends in real time.