Silicon Nanowire Field-Effect Transistor as Label-Free Detection of Hepatitis B Virus Proteins with Opposite Net Charges.

The prevalence of hepatitis B virus (HBV) is a global healthcare threat, particularly chronic hepatitis B (CHB) that might lead to hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) should not be neglected. Although many types of HBV diagnosis detection methods are available, some technical challenges, such as the high cost or lack of practical feasibility, need to be overcome. In this study, the polycrystalline silicon nanowire field-effect transistors (pSiNWFETs) were fabricated through commercial process technology and then chemically functionalized for sensing hepatitis B virus surface antigen (HBsAg) and hepatitis B virus X protein (HBx) at the femto-molar level. These two proteins have been suggested to be related to the HCC development, while the former is also the hallmark for HBV diagnosis, and the latter is an RNA-binding protein. Interestingly, these two proteins carried opposite net charges, which could serve as complementary candidates for evaluating the charge-based sensing mechanism in the pSiNWFET. The measurements on the threshold voltage shifts of pSiNWFETs showed a consistent correspondence to the polarity of the charges on the proteins studied. We believe that this report can pave the way towards developing an approachable tool for biomedical applications.

Effect of Comprehensive Postural Instructions and Range of Motion Exercises Via Educational Videos on Motor Function and Shoulder Injury in Stroke Patients With Hemiplegia: A Preliminary Study.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of comprehensive postural instructions and range of motion (ROM) exercises via educational videos for shoulder injury prevention and functional improvement of the hemiplegic shoulder after acute stroke. METHODS: In this prospective cohort study, 48 subacute stroke patients with hemiplegia were enrolled and divided into 2 groups (23 in experimental group and 25 in control group). In the control group (n = 25), the patients performed conventional rehabilitation for 5 days per week. In the experimental group (n = 23), the patients received not only conventional rehabilitation but also additional postural instructions and regular ROM exercises via educational videos for hemiplegic shoulders for 15 minutes twice per day for 5 days per week during their hospital stay. Main outcome measures, including the presence and severity of pain, motor function, and sonography on hemiplegic shoulder, were assessed. RESULTS: More motor recovery improvement was found in the experimental group (P < .05). In the supraspinatus tendon, a significantly increased frequency in tendinopathy or tear was observed between admission (12%) and before discharge (40%) in the control group (P < .05), but no difference was observed in the experimental group. In the subdeltoid bursa, effusion or bursitis was significantly reduced between admission (30.4%) and before discharge (8.7%) in the experimental group (P < .05). CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that comprehensive postural instructions and ROM exercises via educational videos during inpatient rehabilitation for subacute stroke patients could improve motor recovery and limit shoulder injury in stroke patients with hemiplegia.

Effectiveness of ultrasound-guided vs direct approach corticosteroid injections for carpal tunnel syndrome: A double-blind randomized controlled trial.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the outcomes of ultrasound-guided vs direct approach corticosteroid injection in patients with idiopathic carpal tunnel syndrome. METHODS: A double-blind randomized controlled study. Wrists affected by carpal tunnel syndrome were randomized to the ultrasound-guided (n = 22 wrists) or direct approach injection group (n = 17 wrists) before receiving 1 ml Betamethasone. Outcome measures were physical findings and electrodiagnostic parameters assessed at 1, 3 and 6 months after injection. Complications were also recorded. RESULTS: Both groups showed improvement through-out the follow-up period after injections, in physical findings and in most electrodiagnostic parameters (all p<0.05). The ultrasound-guided injection group showed greater improvements in the Semmes-Weinstein Monofilament test result (p = 0.004), sensory nerve conduction velocity (p = 0.038), and digit-4 comparison study result (p = 0.046). Three wrists with weakness were found in the direct approach injection group, yet none were noted in the ultrasound-guided injection group (p=0.040). CONCLUSION: Both ultrasound-guided and direct approach corticosteroid injection protocols improved clinical symptoms and signs, physical function, and most electrodiagnostic parameters of patients with carpal tunnel syndrome throughout the follow-up period. However, the ultrasound-guided injection group showed greater improvements in the Semmes-Weinstein Monofilament test, sensory nerve conduction velocity, and digit-4 comparison study.

Dual displacement resolution encoder by integrating single holographic grating sensor and heterodyne interferometry.

A novel encoder with dual displacement resolution is developed by integrating a multiple-grating-scale holographic displacement sensor and a heterodyne interferometer. With suitable arrangement of the measurement system, two effective grating pitches (0.41 µm and 10.62 µm) can be obtained and the theoretical sensitivities of them are 0.9 °/nm and 0.036 °/nm. Meanwhile, the best resolution of the proposed method can be estimated of 0.3 pm and 7.4 pm, respectively. Furthermore, displacement errors of the proposed method can be better than 0.2% for 1 mm displacement measurement. The experimental results showed that the proposed encoder provided high sensitivity, high resolution, and well against environmental disturbance.

The effect of home-based program and outpatient physical therapy in patients with head and neck cancer: A randomized, controlled trial.

OBJECTIVES: Physical therapy improves outcomes for patients with head and neck cancer (HNC) but home-based program (HBP) has not yet been investigated thoroughly. This study compared a HBP with outpatient physical therapy (OPT). METHODS: This trial categorized patients with primary HNC into OPT and HBP groups. The patients in the HBP group received home-based therapy once a day for 5 days per week. By contrast, the OPT group received various physical therapies, including aerobic, anaerobic, and stretching therapies, twice per week, plus a thrice-weekly home-based therapy that similarly consisted of aerobic, anaerobic, and stretching exercises. The major outcome was the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Head and Neck (FACT H&N), and secondary outcomes were the visual analog scale (VAS) of shoulder pain, 6-min walking test (6MWT), and shoulder range of motion (ROM), all of which were evaluated before, during, and after interventions. RESULTS: Significant improvements were found after 12 weeks of the HBP or OPT. The HBP was not inferior to OPT regarding FACT H&N (p=.074), VAS of shoulder pain (p=.677), 6MWT (p = .677), and shoulder ROM (p=.145 for flexion; p=.383 for abduction). CONCLUSIONS: Both the HBP and OPT can improve shoulder abduction, shoulder flexion and functional capacity.

Tunneling-injection in vertical quasi-2D heterojunctions enabled efficient and adjustable optoelectronic conversion.

The advent of 2D materials integration has enabled novel heterojunctions where carrier transport proceeds thrsough different ultrathin layers. We here demonstrate the potential of such heterojunctions on a graphene/dielectric/semiconductor vertical stack that combines several enabling features for optoelectronic devices. Efficient and stable light emission was achieved through carrier tunneling from the graphene injector into prominent states of a luminescent material. Graphene's unique properties enable fine control of the band alignment in the heterojunction. This advantage was used to produce vertical tunneling-injection light-emitting transistors (VtiLET) where gating allows adjustment of the light emission intensity independent of applied bias. This device was shown to simultaneously act as a light detecting transistor with a linear and gate tunable sensitivity. The presented development of an electronically controllable multifunctional light emitter, light detector and transistor open up a new route for future optoelectronics.

Highly Stretchable and Sensitive Photodetectors Based on Hybrid Graphene and Graphene Quantum Dots.

Stretchable devices possess great potential in a wide range of applications, such as biomedical and wearable gadgets and smart skin, which can be integrated with the human body. Because of their excellent flexibility, two-dimensional (2D) materials are expected to play an important role in the fabrication of stretchable devices. However, only a limited number of reports have been devoted to investigating stretchable devices based on 2D materials, and the stretchabilities were restricted in a very small strain. Moreover, there is no report related to the stretchable photodetectors derived from 2D materials. Herein, we demonstrate a highly stretchable and sensitive photodetector based on hybrid graphene and graphene quantum dots (GQDs). A unique rippled structure of poly(dimethylsiloxane) is used to support the graphene layer, which can be stretched under an external strain far beyond published reports. The ripple of the device can overcome the native stretchability limit of graphene and enhance the carrier generation in GQDs due to multiple reflections of photons between the ripples. Our strategy presented here can be extended to many other material systems, including other 2D materials. It therefore paves a key step for the development of stretchable electronics and optical devices.

Stretchable Random Lasers with Tunable Coherent Loops.

Stretchability represents a key feature for the emerging world of realistic applications in areas, including wearable gadgets, health monitors, and robotic skins. Many optical and electronic technologies that can respond to large strain deformations have been developed. Laser plays a very important role in our daily life since it was discovered, which is highly desirable for the development of stretchable devices. Herein, stretchable random lasers with tunable coherent loops are designed, fabricated, and demonstrated. To illustrate our working principle, the stretchable random laser is made possible by transferring unique ZnO nanobrushes on top of polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) elastomer substrate. Apart from the traditional gain material of ZnO nanorods, ZnO nanobrushes were used as optical gain materials so they can serve as scattering centers and provide the Fabry-Perot cavity to enhance laser action. The stretchable PDMS substrate gives the degree of freedom to mechanically tune the coherent loops of the random laser action by changing the density of ZnO nanobrushes. It is found that the number of laser modes increases with increasing external strain applied on the PDMS substrate due to the enhanced possibility for the formation of coherent loops. The device can be stretched by up to 30% strain and subjected to more than 100 cycles without loss in laser action. The result shows a major advance for the further development of man-made smart stretchable devices.