Recent advances in presodiation strategies for hard carbon anodes in sodium-ion batteries.

Hard carbon (HC) has emerged as a promising anode material for sodium-ion batteries (SIBs) owing to its low cost, abundant renewable resources, and high specific capacity. However, its practical application is significantly hindered by the severe initial irreversible capacity loss resulting from sodium consumption during the first cycle. To address this issue, a variety of presodiation strategies have been developed to compensate for the sodium loss and improve the initial coulombic efficiency.

Solid-state polycyclotrimerization of diynes to porous organic polymers.

Herein, we report a solid-state polycyclotrimerization of 1,4-diethynylbenzene using mechanochemical activation in a ball mill, yielding a highly porous and hydrophobic hyperbranched polymer (HBP) with a specific surface area of up to 570 m g. The reaction, catalyzed by Fe(hmds) and conducted under solvent-free conditions, was optimized by varying milling time and frequency. This method enables the efficient synthesis of insoluble, porous organic polymers with high yields (up to 95%) and offers an environmentally friendly alternative to traditional solution-based polymerizations.

Systematic analyses uncover plasma proteins linked to incident cardiovascular diseases.

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) research is hindered by limited comprehensive analyses of plasma proteome across disease subtypes. Here, we systematically investigated the associations between plasma proteins and cardiovascular outcomes in 53,026 UK Biobank participants over a 14-year follow-up. Association analyses identified 3,089 significant associations involving 892 unique protein analytes across 13 CVD outcomes.

The dire wolf (Aenocyon dirus) resurrection that wasn't.

Canids originally evolved in North America, presenting a compelling story of shifting climates, paleogeographies, and both successes and failures in adapting to these changes. Species evolve-new ones arrive on the scene and established ones become extinct. The dire wolf (Aenocyon dirus) is one of the most legendary of the extinct canids and is the most basal member of the crown group of large dogs (Canina) that includes the extant gray wolf (Canis lupus).

Vibrational signature of 1B+u and hot 2A-g excited states of carotenoids revisited by femtosecond stimulated Raman spectroscopy.

The significance of carotenoids in biological systems cannot be overstated. Their functionality largely arises from unique excited-state dynamics, where photon absorption promotes the molecule to the optically allowed 1B+u state (conventionally S), which rapidly decays to the optically forbidden 2A-g state (S). While the vibrational signature of the S state is well established, that of the initial S state has remained elusive.

Measuring alignment between the ADRC UDS data elements, FDA, and EHR data standards.

Introduction: We compared and measured alignment between the Health Level Seven (HL7) Fast Healthcare Interoperability Resources (FHIR) standard used by electronic health records (EHRs), the Clinical Data Interchange Standards Consortium (CDISC) standards used by industry, and the Uniform Data Set (UDS) used by the Alzheimer's Disease Research Centers (ADRCs).

Methods: The ADRC UDS, consisting of 5959 data elements across eleven packets, was mapped to FHIR and CDISC standards by two independent mappers, with discrepancies adjudicated by experts.

Results: Forty-five percent of the 5959 UDS data elements mapped to the FHIR standard, indicating possible electronic obtainment from EHRs.

Environmental Stresses Constrain Soil Microbial Community Functions by Regulating Deterministic Assembly and Niche Width.

Increasing evidence indicates that the loss of soil microbial α-diversity triggered by environmental stress negatively impacts microbial functions; however, the effects of microbial α-diversity on community functions under environmental stress are poorly understood. Here, we investigated the changes in bacterial and fungal α- diversity along gradients of five natural stressors (temperature, precipitation, plant diversity, soil organic C and pH) across 45 grasslands in China and evaluated their connection with microbial functional traits. By quantifying the five environmental stresses into an integrated stress index, we found that the bacterial and fungal α-diversity declined under high environmental stress across three soil layers (0-20 cm, 20-40 cm and 40-60 cm).

Development and validation of a measure of sensory sensitivity - the Sensory Sensitivity Profile: a Rasch analysis.

Objective: Pain hypersensitivity and hypersensitivity to other sensory modalities (visual, auditory, olfactory, and tactile) are considered defining features in nociplastic pain states. A self-report measure of sensory sensitivity may help to characterize sensory profiles across pain populations. This study aimed to evaluate the psychometric properties of a newly developed Danish nine-item Sensory Sensitivity Profile (SSP) questionnaire in patients with fibromyalgia.

Toward Health Equity: A Workshop Report on the State of the Science of Obesity Interventions for Adults.

Objective: From October 18-20, 2022, the National Institutes of Health held a workshop to examine the state of the science concerning obesity interventions in adults to promote health equity. The workshop had three objectives: (1) Convene experts from key institutions and the community to identify gaps in knowledge and opportunities to address obesity, (2) generate recommendations for obesity prevention and treatment to achieve health equity, and (3) identify challenges and needs to address obesity prevalence and disparities, and develop a diverse workforce.

Methods: A three-day virtual convening.

Effect of preparation method on the structure and properties of kaempferol-loaded zein-gum arabic nanoparticles.

Background: Kaempferol (KAE), a bioactive flavonoid, has limited solubility and stability in water. Zein-gum arabic (GA) nanoparticles (NPs) are promising carriers for KAE, but the influence of preparation methods on their structure and properties remains unclear. This study investigated the effect of preparation method on the structure and properties of KAE-loaded zein-GA NPs.

Neuroimaging Data Informed Mood and Psychosis Diagnosis Using an Ensemble Deep Multimodal Framework.

Investigating neuroimaging data to identify brain-based markers of mental illnesses has gained significant attention. Nevertheless, these endeavors encounter challenges arising from a reliance on symptoms and self-report assessments in making an initial diagnosis. The absence of biological data to delineate nosological categories hinders the provision of additional neurobiological insights into these disorders.

The association between day-to-day impact of vaginal aging and female sexual function.

Objective: This study aimed to investigate the association between the day-to-day impact of vaginal aging and female sexual function among postmenopausal Turkish women.

Method: The McCoy Female Sexuality Questionnaire (MFSQ) and the Day-to-Day Impact of Vaginal Aging (DIVA) questionnaire were distributed to 195 postmenopausal women. The most bothersome vulvovaginal symptoms were recorded.

P3IPs activate autophagy by disrupting the GAPC2-ATG3 interaction and target TuMV 6K2 for degradation.

Our previous work identified p3-interacting protein (P3IP) as a novel plant factor that interacts with rice stripe virus p3 protein and activates autophagy to mediate its degradation, thereby restricting infection. However, the mechanism of P3IP-mediated autophagy and the evolutionary conservation of its antiviral function remain unknown. This study demonstrates that two Arabidopsis thaliana homologs, AtP3IP and AtP3IPH (Arabidopsis P3IP homologs, AtP3IPs), similarly activate autophagy and confer resistance to turnip mosaic virus (TuMV).

Oxidized high-density lipoprotein associates with cardiometabolic dysfunction in coronary artery disease and acute coronary syndrome.

Background: High-density lipoprotein (HDL) function, rather than its concentration, plays a crucial role in the development of coronary artery disease (CAD). Diminished HDL antioxidant properties, indicated by elevated oxidized HDL (nHDL) and diminished paraoxonase-1 (PON-1) activity, may contribute to vascular dysfunction and inflammation. Data on these associations in CAD patients, including acute coronary syndrome (ACS), remain limited.

TMVR for the Treatment of Mitral Regurgitation: A State-of-the-Art Review.

Mitral regurgitation is the most common valve disease worldwide. Despite its wide success in inoperable or high-risk surgical patients, transcatheter edge-to-edge repair remains limited by some anatomic features and the not negligible rate of significant residual regurgitation. Transcatheter mitral valve replacement has emerged as a viable alternative that promises to overcome these issues, but its development has been progressing slowly.

The Burden of Motor Neuron Diseases in the United States, 1990-2021: A Systematic Analysis of the Global Burden of Disease Study 2021.

Introduction/aims: There is a lack of up-to-date information on the burden of motor neuron diseases (MNDs) in the United States (US). This study aimed to estimate trends in the prevalence, incidence, mortality, and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) for MNDs in the US from 1990 to 2021.

Methods: We performed a secondary analysis of MNDs in the US using estimates of prevalence, incidence, and mortality obtained from analyses of the Global Burden of Disease 2021 dataset.

Recalcitrant Peripapillary Pachychoroid Syndrome Responds to High-Dose Aflibercept Therapy.

Purpose: To describe a case of recalcitrant bilateral peripapillary pachychoroid syndrome (PPS) treated with high-dose (HD) intravitreal aflibercept injections.

Methods: Medical and imaging records were retrospectively evaluated. Multimodal imaging included ultra-widefield indocyanine green and fluorescein angiography and fundus autofluorescence.

Decoding Enzymatic Dechlorination with Multiscale Modeling: Mechanistic Insights into Native Haloalkane Dehalogenase from and Its Designed Variants.

Chlorinated hydrocarbons are widely used as solvents and synthetic intermediates, but their chemical persistence can cause hazardous environmental accumulation. Haloalkane dehalogenase from (DhlA) is a bacterial enzyme that naturally converts toxic chloroalkanes into less harmful alcohols. Using a multiscale approach based on the empirical valence bond method, we investigate the catalytic mechanism of 1,2-dichloroethane dehalogenation within DhlA and its mutants.

Performance of vision language models for optic disc swelling identification on fundus photographs.

Introduction: Vision language models (VLMs) combine image analysis capabilities with large language models (LLMs). Because of their multimodal capabilities, VLMs offer a clinical advantage over image classification models for the diagnosis of optic disc swelling by allowing a consideration of clinical context. In this study, we compare the performance of non-specialty-trained VLMs with different prompts in the classification of optic disc swelling on fundus photographs.

Chaos theory and its applications in forensic anthropology.

Chaos theory, initially developed by Edward Lorenz, a mathematician and meteorologist at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, has evolved from a theory of the natural and physical sciences to a theory that has broad, interdisciplinary applications. Fundamentally, chaos theory connects various scientific disciplines by explaining how seemingly random behaviors that happen in non-linear or "chaotic" systems, no matter how minor, can lead to major consequences. While forensic anthropology is often considered an a-theoretical subfield of anthropology, the discipline has witnessed a proliferation of theoretical publications in recent years.

Work-related stress among sworn and non-sworn law enforcement personnel.

Sworn law enforcement personnel in the United States face high rates of work-related stress. Yet, the well-being of more than 300,000 non-sworn personnel, particularly regarding work-related trauma and stress, remains underexplored. This study aims to test the hypothesis that non-sworn personnel experience lower levels of stress, comparing stress and probable post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) between sworn and non-sworn personnel.

Diagnostic and Therapeutic Paradoxes in PCR-Positive, Histopathology-Negative CNS Aspergillosis in A Patient with HIV and Hodgkin Lymphoma.

Background: Invasive central nervous system (CNS) aspergillosis is rare among human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-positive patients due to preserved neutrophil function, despite significant CD4+ T-cell depletion. Diagnosis typically requires histopathologic confirmation, but polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing has introduced new challenges due to its high sensitivity but limited specificity.

Case Presentation: We describe a newly diagnosed 43-year-old HIV-positive male with concurrent Hodgkin lymphoma who presented with progressive neurological decline and a ring-enhancing brain lesion.

Coupling of Event-Related Potential and Pupil Dilation as a Compensatory Marker of Executive Attention in Traumatic Brain Injury.

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) impairs attention and executive function, often through disrupted coordination between cognitive and autonomic systems. While electroencephalography (EEG) and pupillometry are widely used to assess neural and autonomic responses independently, little is known about how these systems interact in TBI. Understanding their coordination is essential to identify compensatory mechanisms that may support attention under conditions of neural inefficiency.