Dose-response Association between Hand Dexterity and Functional Disability: A Longitudinal Study from the Kasama Study.

Background: Poor hand dexterity may increase the risk of functional disability; however, few studies have examined the relationship between hand dexterity and incident functional disability. The aim of this study was to prospectively investigate the dose-response association of hand dexterity with incident functional disability in community-dwelling older adults.

Methods: This study included 1,069 older adults aged ≥65 years in Kasama City, Japan.

The Viscoelastic Haemostatic Assay Landscape in Queensland, Australia: An Analysis of Use, Indications and Integration.

Background: Viscoelastic haemostatic assays (VHAs) guide transfusion decisions in bleeding patients. We assessed testing volumes, clinical indications and patient characteristics in a statewide population in Australia.

Methods: This retrospective study included all patients who underwent rotational thromboelastometry (ROTEM) or thromboelastography (TEG) across Queensland Health hospitals (1 January 2019 to 15 April 2025), using data from AUSLAB, the statewide laboratory information system and surveyed all hospitals for VHA device availability.

Adhesion-based cell sorting platform using on-chip centrifugation.

Cell sorting is an important fundamental process for the selection and purification of target cell types for cell analysis in the life sciences and medical fields. In particular, demand is increasing for high-throughput cell sorting technology for the analysis of rare cells. Toward this end, we developed a centrifugal force-based cell sorting technique that relies on the adhesion force of cells as a marker.

Evaluating Telepsychiatric Assessment Satisfaction in Children and Adolescents With Autism Spectrum Disorder and Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder and Their Caregivers: Randomized Controlled Trial.

Background: Children and adolescents with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and autism spectrum disorder (ASD) often face structural and psychological barriers in accessing medical care, including economic costs, long wait times, and stress of attending new medical environments. The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the adoption of telehealth services to overcome these challenges. However, few studies have assessed the satisfaction levels of children and adolescents diagnosed with neurodevelopmental disorders and their caregivers when they use telepsychiatry, particularly in Japan.

Emphasizing a-parameter Expansion in Lattice Distortions of Disordered Rock Salt LiVO: From Crystallographic Design to Feasible Large-Scale Chemical Lithiation.

Disordered rock-salt LiVO (DRX-LVO) anode exhibits distinctive 3D Li percolation transport networks, which offers the unique advantage for ultra-charging. However, the existing chemical lithiation preparation routes not only pose safety risks due to the use of highly reactive reagents but also inevitably result in products with poor crystallinity. Investigating the origin, impact, and strategies for crystallinity degradation is pivotal for advancing the industrialization of chemical lithiation.

KGG: Knowledge-Guided Graph Self-Supervised Learning to Enhance Molecular Property Predictions.

Molecular property prediction has become essential in accelerating advancements in drug discovery and materials science. Graph Neural Networks have recently demonstrated remarkable success in molecular representation learning; however, their broader adoption is impeded by two significant challenges: (1) data scarcity and constrained model generalization due to the expensive and time-consuming task of acquiring labeled data and (2) inadequate initial node and edge features that fail to incorporate comprehensive chemical domain knowledge, notably orbital information. To address these limitations, we introduce a Knowledge-Guided Graph (KGG) framework employing self-supervised learning to pretrain models using orbital-level features in order to mitigate reliance on extensive labeled data sets.

Unilateral cystic and bullous lung changes in a patient treated with brigatinib: a case report.

Approximately 3% to 5% of individuals with oncogenic rearrangements in the anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) gene develop non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Brigatinib, a potent next-generation ALK tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI), has demonstrated significant systemic and intracranial responses, as well as improved progression-free survival, with an acceptable safety profile. According to European Society for Medical Oncology guidelines patients with ALK translocation and performance status 0-3 can be offered 1st line treatment with TKI (brigatinib, alectinib, or lorlatinib).

Augmenting water quality resilience in water distribution systems: A stress-driven model for ice slurry pigging optimisation strategy.

Pipeline cleaning is essential for maintaining water quality and safeguarding public health within water distribution networks. Although ice slurry pigging is widely adopted due to its effectiveness and environmental advantages, challenges remain in accurately quantifying cleaning efficacy and optimising maintenance intervals. This study develops a stress-driven wall material removal model calibrated using field-measured turbidity data, allowing for a comprehensive assessment of cleaning effectiveness based on post-cleaning shear resistance.

Predictive validity of senior volunteer-led frailty check-up results for disability and mortality among community-dwelling older adults: a cohort study.

A frailty checkup program (FC), a community-based frailty prevention initiative led by trained senior volunteers (FC supporters), has been implemented in over 100 municipalities in Japan. Participants create individual result sheets by marking blue signals for positive responses and red signals for negative responses. This cohort study aimed to examine the association between FC results and the risk of incident disability and mortality among community-dwelling older adults.

Neuroavailable peptides from hempseed protein hydrolysates reduce hippocampal inflammation and glial activation in a scopolamine-induced Alzheimer's disease.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder characterized by cognitive impairment, synaptic dysfunction, and neuronal loss. Neuroinflammation, driven by the activation of microglia and astrocytes, is a key contributor to AD pathology, amplifying oxidative stress and amyloid-β toxicity. Modulation of neuroinflammatory pathways thus represents a promising therapeutic strategy.

Clinical and molecular characteristics of 42 Danish patients with metastatic ALK fusion-positive lung cancer treated with first-line alectinib: A nationwide study.

Purpose: We investigated whether EML4-ALK fusions and mutations in pre-treatment plasma ctDNA predicted time to treatment discontinuation (TTD) in ALK-positive non-small cell lung cancer (ALK+ NSCLC) patients initiating first-line alectinib and evaluated clinical characteristics influencing TTD.

Materials & Methods: 42 patients from five Danish public oncology departments with previously untreated, metastatic ALK+ NSCLC were included in the study. All patients received alectinib, a second-generation ALK inhibitor, as their first-line treatment.

The helical elongation of π-extended diazahelicenes with amplified circularly polarized luminescence.

Helicenes are circularly polarized luminescence (CPL)-active but suffer from a fundamental tradeoff between fluorescence quantum yield (Φ) and luminescence dissymmetry factor (||). Herein, we present a strategy combining lateral π-extension and helical elongation in carbazole-embedded helicenes to address this challenge. Specifically, π-extended diaza[7]helicene () and diaza[9]helicene () were synthesized and characterized, revealing nearly a 2-fold increase in Φ and a 6-fold enhancement in || from to .

Chronic pain and decline in activities of daily living among community-dwelling older adults: a systematic review of longitudinal studies.

Purpose: To investigate the longitudinal association between chronic pain and decline in activity of daily living (ADL) among community-dwelling older adults aged ≥ 60 years.

Methods: In this systematic review of prospective longitudinal studies with narrative synthesis, a comprehensive literature search was conducted using PubMed and Embase using free-text words and MeSH terms on February 3, 2025. Longitudinal studies that quantitatively assessed ADL at two or more time points and pain at least once were included.

Right ventricular myocardial blood flow estimated by 13N-ammonia positron emission tomography in patients with coronary artery disease.

Background: Because the myocardium thickness and blood flow of the right ventricular (RV) are lower than those of the left ventricle, it is challenging to perceive the RV myocardium in normal individuals. This study aimed to measure the myocardial perfusion in the RV (myocardial blood flow [MBF], myocardial flow reserve [MFR]) from 13N-ammonia PET images and investigate the associations between the MBF and MFR in patients with and without coronary artery disease (CAD) in the right coronary artery (RCA) region. A total 121 MBF and MFR were retrospectively measured from PET images by referring to the radioactivity and clinical blood flow values of the left ventricle.

Natal dispersal patterns in a social wild mammal: What does family tell us?

Natal dispersal is a key process in ecology and evolution. Similarities of dispersal patterns between relatives can lead to small-scale kin structure within populations with consequences for population dynamics and genetics. Most studies have focused on birds, lizards, and small mammals.

Genetic Code Expansion-Driven in Situ Click Labeling Enables Rapid Imaging-Based Selection of Functional Nanobody-Dye Conjugates.

Antigen-binding proteins, such as nanobodies, modified with functional small molecules hold great potential for applications including imaging probes, drug conjugates, and localized catalysts. However, traditional chemical labeling methods that randomly target lysine or cysteine residues often produce heterogeneous conjugates with limited reproducibility. Conventional site-specific conjugation approaches, which typically modify only the N- or C-terminus, may also be insufficient to achieve the desired functionalities.

Characteristics of Calcined Sugarcane Bagasse and Its Ability to Adsorb Cadmium from Aqueous Solutions.

This study evaluated the cadmium (Cd) adsorption characteristics of sugarcane bagasse (BG) calcined at different temperatures (200-1000°C). The point of zero charge (pH) of the BGs ranged from 4.3 to 6.

A systemically applied nanoparticle-based dsRNA biopesticide reduces Tuta absoluta survival.

RNA interference (RNAi) is an endogenous eukaryote viral defence mechanism representing a unique form of post-transcriptional gene silencing that can be induced via the exongenous application of dsRNA. Due to its high specificity, dsRNA-based biopesticides are being developed to control pest insects. Whilst many lepidopteran species are recalcitrant to RNAi, Tuta absoluta, a polyphagous insect responsible for extensive crop damage, is sensitive.

A strain of mycovirus AaVV1 mediates hypovirulence of Alternaria species.

The genus Alternaria comprises a wide range of ubiquitous plant pathogens that affect various host plants. Certain mycoviruses can induce changes in the biological characteristics and virulence of host fungi, offering potential for biocontrol in managing fungal plant diseases. Here, we identified a mycovirus with a high degree of homology to Alternaria arborescens victorivirus 1 (AaVV1), which was previously reported from Alternaria arborescens, in the QRH strain of the heterologous host Alternaria gomphrenae.

CYP72A15 confers resistance against penoxsulam to Echinochloa phyllopogon.

As the weed Echinochloa phyllopogon has rapidly developed multi- and cross-resistance to several herbicides, we aimed to determine the mechanism underlying penoxsulam resistance in weeds. There was no target mutation in the tested population, and P450 enzyme activity was significantly higher in the penoxsulam-treated resistant population, confirming that non-target-site resistance was dominant. The antioxidant enzyme activity of the resistant population was higher than that of the sensitive population following the application of the penoxsulam and cleared HO faster.

Workforce development: An academic-practice partnership journey.

The nursing workforce shortage demands comprehensive, innovative solutions across academic and clinical settings. Beginning in 2019, a strategic partnership was created between a large Midwestern university school of nursing and its associated academic health center to address workforce challenges and implement targeted initiatives. Key initiatives included student apprenticeships to support new graduate nurses, the development of functional teams to ease critical workforce shortages during Covid-19, and the implementation of 'red carpet clinicals' to facilitate student experiences in the clinical arena.

Dual-emission center ratiometric fluorescence probes based on biomass carbon dots for metal ions detection in water and three-level anti-counterfeiting.

Background: In the contemporary era of rapid digital advancement, information security is closely associated with our daily life. From personal information to state secrets, all domains are intricately linked with information. Consequently, the significance of information security has garnered growing attention from an ever-increasing number of individuals.

Design and characterisation of high-affinity aptamers for detecting HIV integrase.

Background: Currently, 39.9 million people are infected with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), and 1.3 million new infections occur annually, with over 170 circulating variants.

Carbonate esters as green alternatives in chromatographic separations.

Background: Carbonate esters are polar aprotic solvents that can be used to replace polar solvents: methanol, acetonitrile, or even apolar solvents in the mobile phases for liquid chromatography. Dimethyl, diethyl, and propylene carbonates (DMC, DEC, and PC) are not fully soluble in water.

Results: Twelve volume phase diagrams of water, the three carbonates, and methanol, ethanol, propanol, and acetonitrile were determined.

Upconverting nano-paste in 3D-printed phone camera setup for soil phyto-iron sensing.

Background: Iron (Fe) is an essential micronutrient for plant growth, but the conventional DTPA soil analysis method for detecting available iron has notable limitations, requiring advanced instruments and lengthy preparation time. Developing a more affordable, user-friendly, and efficient method for iron detection in soil could greatly improve crop nutrition management. Here, a facile nanoscopic method was developed to quantify available Fe ions in the soil by forming a luminescence quenching complex in chelation with bathophenanthroline disulphonic acid disodium salt (Fe/BPDS complex).