Ultrathin All-Solid-State MoS2-Based Electrolyte Gated Synaptic Transistor with Tunable Organic-Inorganic Hybrid Film.

Electrolyte-gated synaptic transistors (EGSTs) have attracted considerable attention as synaptic devices owing to their adjustable conductance, low power consumption, and multi-state storage capabilities. To demonstrate high-density EGST arrays, 2D materials are recommended owing to their excellent electrical properties and ultrathin profile. However, widespread implementation of 2D-based EGSTs has challenges in achieving large-area channel growth and finding compatible nanoscale solid electrolytes. This study demonstrates large-scale process-compatible, all-solid-state EGSTs utilizing molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) channels grown through chemical vapor deposition (CVD) and sub-30 nm organic-inorganic hybrid electrolyte polymers synthesized via initiated chemical vapor deposition (iCVD). The iCVD technique enables precise modulation of the hydroxyl group density in the hybrid matrix, allowing the modulation of proton conduction, resulting in adjustable synaptic performance. By leveraging the tunable iCVD-based hybrid electrolyte, the fabricated EGSTs achieve remarkable attributes: a wide on/off ratio of 109, state retention exceeding 103, and linear conductance updates. Additionally, the device exhibits endurance surpassing 5 × 104 cycles, while maintaining a low energy consumption of 200 fJ/spike. To evaluate the practicality of these EGSTs, a subset of devices is employed in system-level simulations of MNIST handwritten digit recognition, yielding a recognition rate of 93.2%.

Flash-Thermal Shock Synthesis of Single Atoms in Ambient Air.

Single-atom catalysts feature interesting catalytic activity toward applications that rely on surface reactions such as electrochemical energy storage, catalysis, and gas sensors. However, conventional synthetic approaches for such catalysts require extended periods of high-temperature annealing in vacuum systems, limiting their throughput and increasing their production cost. Herein, we report an ultrafast flash-thermal shock (FTS)-induced annealing technique (temperature > 2850 °C, <10 ms duration, and ramping/cooling rates of ∼105 K/s) that operates in an ambient-air environment to prepare single-atom-stabilized N-doped graphene. Melamine is utilized as an N-doping source to provide thermodynamically favorable metal-nitrogen bonding sites, resulting in a uniform and high-density atomic distribution of single metal atoms. To demonstrate the practical utility of the single-atom-stabilized N-doped graphene produced by the FTS method, we showcased their chemiresistive gas sensing capabilities and electrocatalytic activities. Overall, the air-ambient, ultrafast, and versatile (e.g., Co, Ni, Pt, and Co-Ni dual metal) FTS method provides a general route for high-throughput, large area, and vacuum-free manufacturing of single-atom catalysts.

Flash-Thermal Shock Synthesis of High-Entropy Alloys Toward High-Performance Water Splitting.

High-entropy alloys (HEAs) provide unprecedented physicochemical properties over unary nanoparticles (NPs). According to the conventional alloying guideline (Hume-Rothery rule), however, only size-and-structure similar elements can be mixed, limiting the possible combinations of alloying elements. Recently, it has been reported that based on carbon thermal shocks (CTS) in a vacuum atmosphere at high temperature, ultrafast heating/cooling rates and high-entropy environment play a critical role in the synthesis of HEAs, ruling out the possibility of phase separation. Since the CTS requires conducting supports, the Joule-heating efficiencies rely on the carbon qualities, featuring difficulties in uniform heating along the large area. This work proposes a photo-thermal approach as an alternative and innovative synthetic method that is compatible with ambient air, large-area, remote process, and free of materials selection. Single flash irradiation on carbon nanofibers induced momentary high-temperature annealing (>1800 °C within 20 ms duration, and ramping/cooling rates >104 K s-1 ) to successfully decorate HEA NPs up to nine elements with excellent compatibility for large-scale synthesis (6.0 × 6.0 cm2 of carbon nanofiber paper). To demonstrate their feasibility toward applications, senary HEA NPs (PtIrFeNiCoCe) are designed and screened, showing high activity (ηoverall = 777 mV) and excellent stability (>5000 cycles) at the water splitting, including hydrogen evolution reactions and oxygen evolution reactions.

PEEP titration by EIT strategies for patients with ARDS: A systematic review and meta-analysis / Evaluación sistemática y metaanálisis de la estrategia eit para la titulación Peep en pacientes con sdra

Objective To determine which method of Positive End-expiratory Pressure (PEEP) titration is more useful, and to establish an evidence base for the clinical impact of Electrical Impedance Tomography (EIT) based individual PEEP setting which appears to be a promising method to optimize PEEP in Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS) patients. Design A systematic review and meta-analysis. Setting 4 databases (PUBMED, EMBASE, Web Of Science, and the Cochrane Library) from 1980 to December 2020 were performed. Participants Randomized clinical trials patients with ARDS. Main variables PaO2/FiO2-ratio and respiratory system compliance. Intervension The quality of the studies was assessed with the Cochrane risk and bias tool. Results 8 trials, including a total of 222 participants, were eligible for analysis. Meta-analysis demonstrates a significantly EIT-based individual PEEP setting for patients receiving higher PaO2/FiO2 ratio as compared to other PEEP titration strategies [5 trials, 202 patients, SMD 0.636, (95% CI 0.364−0.908)]. EIT-drived PEEP titration strategy did not significantly increase respiratory system compliance when compared to other peep titration strategies, [7 trials, 202 patients, SMD −0.085, (95% CI −0.342 to 0.172)]. Conclusions The benefits of PEEP titration with EIT on clinical outcomes of ARDS in placebo-controlled trials probably result from the visible regional ventilation of EIT. These findings offer clinicians and stakeholders a comprehensive assessment and high-quality evidence for the safety and efficacy of the EIT-based individual PEEP setting as a superior option for patients who undergo ARDS (AU)

Objetivo Para determinar qué método de valoración de la presión espirfinal positiva (PEEP) es más útil, y para establecer una base de evidencia para el impacto clínico de la tomode impedeléctrica (EIT) basada en el ajuste individual de PEEP que parece ser un método prometedor para optimizar la PEEP en pacientes con síndrome de dificultad respiraguda (ARDS). Diseño Una revisión sistemática y metanálisis. Ámbito Se realizaron 4 bases de datos (PUBMED, EMBASE, Web Of Science y Cochrane Library) de 1980 a diciembre de 2020. Participantes Ensayos clínicos aleatorizados de pacientes con SDRA. Variables principals PaO2/FiO2 ratio y compatibilidad respiratoria. Intervención La calidad de los estudios se evaluó con la Cochrane risk and bias tool. Resultados Ocho ensayos, incluyendo un total de 222 participantes, fueron elegibles para el análisis. El análisis de ≥ eta demuestra una configuración individual significativamente basada en MEITPpara pacientes que reciben una mayor proporción EE2/P PiO2en comparación con otras estrategias de titulación FOPEEP SMD CI. La estrategia de titulación de PEEP derivada del tie no aumentó significativamente el cumplimiento del sistema respiren comparación con otras estrategias de titulación de PEEP, [7 ensayos, 202 pacientes, DME -0,085, (IC del 95%: −0,342−0,172)]. Conclusiones Los beneficios de la valoración de la PEEP con EIT en los resultados clínicos de SDRA en ensayos controlados con placebo probablemente sean el resultado de la ventilación regional visible del EIT. Estos hallazgos ofrecen a los médicos y a las partes interesadas una evaluación integral y evidencia de alta calidad para la seguridad y eficacia de la configuración individual de PEEP basada en EIT como una opción superior para los pacientes que se someten a SDRA (AU)

A Highly Reliable Molybdenum Disulfide-Based Synaptic Memristor Using a Copper Migration-Controlled Structure.

Memristors are drawing attention as neuromorphic hardware components because of their non-volatility and analog programmability. In particular, electrochemical metallization (ECM) memristors are extensively researched because of their linear conductance controllability. Two-dimensional materials as switching medium of ECM memristors give advantages of fast speed, low power consumption, and high switching uniformity. However, the multistate retention in the switching conductance range for the long-term reliable neuromorphic system has not been achieved using two-dimensional materials-based ECM memristors. In this study, the copper migration-controlled ECM memristor showing excellent multistate retention characteristics in the switching conductance range using molybdenum disulfide (MoS2 ) and aluminum oxide (Al2 O3 ) is proposed. The fabricated device exhibits gradual resistive switching with low switching voltage (<0.5 V), uniform switching (σ/µ âˆ¼ 0.07), and a wide switching range (>12). Importantly, excellent reliabilities with robustness to cycling stress and retention over 104 s for more than 5-bit states in the switching conductance range are achieved. Moreover, the contribution of the Al2 O3 layer to the retention characteristic is investigated through filament morphology observation using transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and copper migration component analysis. This study provides a practical approach to developing highly reliable memristors with exceptional switching performance.

Imidazole-based artificial synapses for neuromorphic computing: a cluster-type conductive filament via controllable nanocluster nucleation.

Memristive synapses based on conductive bridging RAMs (CBRAMs) utilize a switching layer having low binding energy with active metals for excellent analog conductance modulation, but the resulting unstable conductive filaments cause fluctuation and drift of the conductance. This tunability-stability dilemma makes it difficult to implement practical neuromorphic computing. A novel method is proposed to enhance the stability and controllability of conductive filaments by introducing imidazole groups that boost the nucleation of Cu nanoclusters in the ultrathin polymer switching layer through the initiated chemical vapor deposition (iCVD) process. It is confirmed that conductive filaments based on nanoclusters with specific gaps are generated in the copolymer medium using this method. Furthermore, by modulating the tunneling gaps, an ultra-wide conductance range of analog tunable conductive filaments is achieved from several hundreds of nS to a few mS with a sub-1 V driving voltage. Through this, both reliable and stable analog switching are achieved with low cycle-to-cycle and device-to-device weight update variations and separable state retention with 32 states. This approach paves the way for the extension of state availability in synaptic devices to overcome the tunability-stability dilemma, which is essential for the synaptic elements in neuromorphic systems.

Preventing Vanishing Gradient Problem of Hardware Neuromorphic System by Implementing Imidazole-Based Memristive ReLU Activation Neuron.

With advances in artificial intelligent services, brain-inspired neuromorphic systems with synaptic devices are recently attracting significant interest to circumvent the von Neumann bottleneck. However, the increasing trend of deep neural network parameters causes huge power consumption and large area overhead of a nonlinear neuron electronic circuit, and it incurs a vanishing gradient problem. Here, a memristor-based compact and energy-efficient neuron device is presented to implement a rectifying linear unit (ReLU) activation function. To emulate the volatile and gradual switching of the ReLU function, a copolymer memristor with a hybrid structure is proposed using a copolymer/inorganic bilayer. The functional copolymer film developed by introducing imidazole functional groups enables the formation of nanocluster-type pseudo-conductive filaments by boosting the nucleation of Cu nanoclusters, causing gradual switching. The ReLU neuron device is successfully demonstrated by integrating the memristor with amorphous InGaZnO thin-film transistors, and achieves 0.5 pJ of energy consumption based on sub-10 µA operation current and high-speed switching of 650 ns. Furthermore, device-to-system-level simulation using neuron devices on the MNIST dataset demonstrates that the vanishing gradient problem is effectively resolved by five-layer deep neural networks. The proposed neuron device will enable the implementation of high-density and energy-efficient hardware neuromorphic systems.

PEEP titration by EIT strategies for patients with ARDS: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE: To determine which method of Positive End-expiratory Pressure (PEEP) titration is more useful, and to establish an evidence base for the clinical impact of Electrical Impedance Tomography (EIT) based individual PEEP setting which appears to be a promising method to optimize PEEP in Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS) patients. DESIGN: A systematic review and meta-analysis. SETTING: 4 databases (PUBMED, EMBASE, Web Of Science, and the Cochrane Library) from 1980 to December 2020 were performed. PARTICIPANTS: Randomized clinical trials patients with ARDS. MAIN VARIABLES: PaO2/FiO2-ratio and respiratory system compliance. INTERVENSION: The quality of the studies was assessed with the Cochrane risk and bias tool. RESULTS: 8 trials, including a total of 222 participants, were eligible for analysis. Meta-analysis demonstrates a significantly EIT-based individual PEEP setting for patients receiving higher PaO2/FiO2 ratio as compared to other PEEP titration strategies [5 trials, 202 patients, SMD 0.636, (95% CI 0.364-0.908)]. EIT-drived PEEP titration strategy did not significantly increase respiratory system compliance when compared to other peep titration strategies, [7 trials, 202 patients, SMD -0.085, (95% CI -0.342 to 0.172)]. CONCLUSIONS: The benefits of PEEP titration with EIT on clinical outcomes of ARDS in placebo-controlled trials probably result from the visible regional ventilation of EIT. These findings offer clinicians and stakeholders a comprehensive assessment and high-quality evidence for the safety and efficacy of the EIT-based individual PEEP setting as a superior option for patients who undergo ARDS.

Ultrafast Ambient-Air Exsolution on Metal Oxide via Momentary Photothermal Effect.

The process of exsolution for the synthesis of strongly anchored metal nanoparticles (NPs) on host oxide lattices has been proposed as a promising strategy for designing robust catalyst-support composite systems. However, because conventional exsolution processes occur in harsh reducing environments at high temperatures for long periods of time, the choice of support materials and dopant metals are limited to those with inherently high thermal and chemical stability. Herein, we report the exsolution of a series of noble metal catalysts (Pt, Rh, and Ir) from metal oxide nanofibers (WO3 NFs) supports in an entirely ambient environment induced by intense pulsed light (IPL)-derived momentary photothermal treatment (>1000 °C). Since the exsolution process spans an extremely short period of time (<20 ms), unwanted structural artifacts such as decreased surface area and phase transition of the support materials are effectively suppressed. At the same time, exsolved NPs (<5 nm) with uniform size distributions could successfully be formed. To prove the practical utility of exsolved catalytic NPs functionalized on WO3 NFs, the chemiresistive gas sensing characteristics of exsolved Pt-decorated WO3 NFs were analyzed, exhibiting high durability (>200 cyclic exposures), enhanced response (Rair/Rgas > 800 @ 1 ppm/350 °C), and selectivity toward H2S target gas. Altogether, we successfully demonstrated that ultrafast exsolution within a few milliseconds could be induced in ambient conditions using the IPL-derived momentary photothermal treatment and contributed to expanding the practical viability of the exsolution-based synthetic approaches for the production of highly stable catalyst systems.

Full-endoscopy with intraoperative O-arm navigation for cervicothoracic gas-containing hemorrhagic synovial cyst: A case report.

Background: Synovial cysts are benign fluid-filled sacs commonly found in the degenerative lumbar spine. Few studies have reported the detailed epidemiology and standardized therapy for this disease. Conservative treatment is recommended if synovial cysts are asymptomatic or show mild clinical symptoms. If percutaneous facet joint steroid injections are ineffective or neurologic symptoms are aggravated, the open decompression with additional fusion is the reasonable surgical strategy to remove the pain generator. Furthermore, the synovial cysts that occur at the cervicothoracic spine are infrequently, especially accompanied by hemorrhagic radiographic evidence. Therefore, we describe the efficacy and safety of the full-endoscopy surgical procedure assisted by intraoperative O-arm navigation guidance to manage C7/T1 spinal synovial cysts. Case description: We describe a 71-year-old male patient diagnosed with cervicothoracic hemorrhagic synovial cysts. The pathologic site is located at the posterior side of the C7 vertebral body to the medial side of the C7-T1 left facet joint. Herein is described a step-by-step protocol for the full-endoscopic procedure via the posterior approach to remove the lesions under intraoperative O-arm navigation guidance. Outcome: The patient was successfully treated via full-endoscopic removal of the synovial cysts guided by intraoperative O-arm navigation. Intraoperative bleeding of 30 mL occurred, and the operative time was 150 minutes. The patient's sensory strength improved, and no opioid medicine was required with no complications postoperatively. One-year follow-up magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and computed tomography (CT) scans showed no synovial cyst recurrence. Conclusions: Full-endoscopy assisted with intraoperative O-arm navigation guidance improves precision and safety in treating patients with synovial cysts of the cervicothoracic spine. The O-arm navigation system improves the efficiency and safety of intraoperative positioning at the cervicothoracic lesion and reduces radiation exposure to the surgeons. Meanwhile, this technique preserves the range of cervicothoracic motion and facilitates the patient return to normal life.

Effect of Early Nutritional Support on Clinical Outcomes of Critically Ill Patients with Sepsis and Septic Shock: A Single-Center Retrospective Study.

The initial nutritional delivery policy for patients with sepsis admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) has not been fully elucidated. We aimed to determine whether an initial adequate nutrition supply and route of nutrition delivery during the first week of sepsis onset improve clinical outcomes of critically ill patients with sepsis. We reviewed adult patients with sepsis and septic shock in the ICU in a single tertiary teaching hospital between 31 November 2013 and 20 May 2017. Poisson log-linear and Cox regressions were performed to assess the relationships between clinical outcomes and sex, modified nutrition risk in the critically ill score, sequential organ failure assessment score, route of nutrition delivery, acute physiology and chronic health evaluation score, and daily energy and protein delivery during the first week of sepsis onset. In total, 834 patients were included. Patients who had a higher protein intake during the first week of sepsis onset had a lower in-hospital mortality (adjusted hazard ratio (HR), 0.55; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.39−0.78; p = 0.001). A higher energy intake was associated with a lower 30-day mortality (adjusted HR, 0.94; 95% CI, 0.90−0.98; p = 0.003). The route of nutrition delivery was not associated with 1-year mortality in the group which was underfed; however, in patients who met > 70% of their nutritional requirement, enteral feeding (EN) with supplemental parenteral nutrition (PN) was superior to only EN (p = 0.016) or PN (p = 0.042). In patients with sepsis and septic shock, a high daily average protein intake may lower in-hospital mortality, and a high energy intake may lower the 30-day mortality, especially in those with a high modified nutrition risk in the critically ill scores. In patients who receive adequate energy, EN with supplemental PN may be better than only EN or PN, but not in underfed patients.

Spatially isolated neutral excitons via clusters on trilayer MoS2.

In spite of having a large exciton binding energy, two-dimensional (2D) transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) are limited as light-emitting materials because the spectral weight of neutral excitons decreases exponentially with increasing the excitation density. That is, neutral excitons easily transfer to trions, and exciton-exciton annihilation (EEA) occurs due to the strengthening of exciton kinetic energy in the layered structure. In here, we come up with an isolated neutral exciton system, maintaining its high spectral weight when the carrier density increased, which is achieved via MoS2 clusters on a MoS2 trilayer directly synthesized by metal-organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD). While increasing the excitation density, trions are decomposed by spatial confinement at the saturation level of its full width at half maximum (FWHM), and simultaneously the spectral weight of neutral excitons restarts to increase. Furthermore, we reveal the causality relationship between trions and B excitons, providing a keen insight into organic interactions among radiative recombination processes in 2D TMDs.

Effects of Knee Injury Length on Jump Inside Kick Performances of Wushu Player.

Background and Objectives: When performing the jump inside kick in Wushu, it is important to understand the rotation technique while in mid-air. This is because the score varies according to the mid-air rotation, and when landing after the mid-air rotation, it causes considerable injury to the knee. This study aimed to compare the differences in kinematic and kinetic variables between experienced and less experienced knee injuries in the Wushu players who perform 360°, 540°, and 720° jump inside kicks in self-taolu. Materials and Methods: The participants' mean (SD) age was 26.12 (2.84) years old. All of them had suffered knee injuries and were all recovering and returning to training. The group was classified into a group with less than 20 months of injury experience (LESS IG, n = 6) and a group with more than 20 months of injury experience (MORE IG, n = 6). For kinematic measurements, jump inside kicks at three rotations were assessed by using high-speed cameras. For kinetic measurements, the contraction time and maximal displacement of tensiomyography were assessed in the vastus lateralis, vastus medialis, rectus femoris, biceps femoris, gastrocnemius lateralis, gastrocnemius medialis, and tibialis anterior. The peak torque, work per repetition, fatigue index, and total work of isokinetic moments were assessed using knee extension/flexion, ankle inversion/eversion, and ankle plantarflexion/dorsiflexion tests. Results: Although there was no difference at the low difficulty level (360°), there were significant differences at the higher difficulty levels (540° and 720°) between the LESS IG and the MORE IG. For distance and time, the LESS IG had a shorter jump distance, but a faster rotation time compared to those in the MORE IG. Due to the characteristics of the jump inside kick's rotation to the left, the static and dynamic muscle contractility properties were mainly found to be higher in the left lower extremity than in the right lower extremity, and higher in the LESS IG than in the MORE IG. In addition, this study observed that the ankle plantarflexor in the LESS IG was significantly higher than that in the MORE IG. Conclusion: To become a world-class self-taolu athlete while avoiding knee injuries, it is necessary to develop the static and dynamic myofunctions of the lower extremities required for jumping. Moreover, it is considered desirable to train by focusing on the vertical height and the amount of rotation during jumping.

Panoptic Segmentation on Panoramic Radiographs: Deep Learning-Based Segmentation of Various Structures Including Maxillary Sinus and Mandibular Canal.

Panoramic radiographs, also known as orthopantomograms, are routinely used in most dental clinics. However, it has been difficult to develop an automated method that detects the various structures present in these radiographs. One of the main reasons for this is that structures of various sizes and shapes are collectively shown in the image. In order to solve this problem, the recently proposed concept of panoptic segmentation, which integrates instance segmentation and semantic segmentation, was applied to panoramic radiographs. A state-of-the-art deep neural network model designed for panoptic segmentation was trained to segment the maxillary sinus, maxilla, mandible, mandibular canal, normal teeth, treated teeth, and dental implants on panoramic radiographs. Unlike conventional semantic segmentation, each object in the tooth and implant classes was individually classified. For evaluation, the panoptic quality, segmentation quality, recognition quality, intersection over union (IoU), and instance-level IoU were calculated. The evaluation and visualization results showed that the deep learning-based artificial intelligence model can perform panoptic segmentation of images, including those of the maxillary sinus and mandibular canal, on panoramic radiographs. This automatic machine learning method might assist dental practitioners to set up treatment plans and diagnose oral and maxillofacial diseases.

Peri-Implant Bone Loss Measurement Using a Region-Based Convolutional Neural Network on Dental Periapical Radiographs.

Determining the peri-implant marginal bone level on radiographs is challenging because the boundaries of the bones around implants are often unclear or the heights of the buccal and lingual bone levels are different. Therefore, a deep convolutional neural network (CNN) was evaluated for detecting the marginal bone level, top, and apex of implants on dental periapical radiographs. An automated assistant system was proposed for calculating the bone loss percentage and classifying the bone resorption severity. A modified region-based CNN (R-CNN) was trained using transfer learning based on Microsoft Common Objects in Context dataset. Overall, 708 periapical radiographic images were divided into training (n = 508), validation (n = 100), and test (n = 100) datasets. The training dataset was randomly enriched by data augmentation. For evaluation, average precision, average recall, and mean object keypoint similarity (OKS) were calculated, and the mean OKS values of the model and a dental clinician were compared. Using detected keypoints, radiographic bone loss was measured and classified. No statistically significant difference was found between the modified R-CNN model and dental clinician for detecting landmarks around dental implants. The modified R-CNN model can be utilized to measure the radiographic peri-implant bone loss ratio to assess the severity of peri-implantitis.

Impact of Body Mass Index on Survival Outcome in Patients with Newly Diagnosed Glioblastoma: A Retrospective Single-Center Study.

INTRODUCTION: The impact of obesity on survival outcomes in patients with glioblastoma (GBM) has not been well reported and the results for patients are currently unclear. We investigated the effect of obesity on survival outcomes in patients with newly diagnosed GBM. METHODS: Using electronic medical records, all GBM patients that visited the Seoul St. Mary's Hospital between 2008 and 2018 were reviewed. A total of 177 patients met our eligibility criteria. The cut-off point for BMI was 23.0 kg/m2 based on previous studies which focused on Asian populations. RESULTS: A total of 177 patients met our eligibility criteria. The overall median BMI of patients was 24.5 kg/m2 (range 15.82-39.26). About 62 patients who had a BMI less than the cut-off value were assigned to the "lower BMI" group, while 115 patients who had a BMI greater than the cut-off value were assigned to the "higher BMI" group. In Kaplan-Meier survival analysis, the median OS of the higher BMI group was longer than that of the lower BMI group (21.3 months vs 15.3 months, P = .002). In multivariate Cox regression analysis for OS, lower BMI was associated with inferior OS (HR 1.48 CI 1.06-2.08, P = .002). CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that elevated BMI may be associated with better survival in patients with newly diagnosed GBM. Additional larger prospective studies could help validate our findings to confirm the effect of body composition and survival outcomes in GBM patients.

Colorimetric Dye-Loaded Nanofiber Yarn: Eye-Readable and Weavable Gas Sensing Platform.

The colorimetric gas sensor offers an opportunity for the simple and rapid detection of toxic gaseous substances based on visually discernible changes in the color of the sensing material. In particular, the accurate detection of trace amounts of certain biomarkers in a patient's breath provides substantial clues regarding specific diseases, for example, hydrogen sulfide (H2S) for halitosis and ammonia (NH3) for kidney disorder. However, conventional colorimetric sensors often lack the sensitivity, selectivity, detection limit, and mass-productivity, impeding their commercialization. Herein, we report an inexpensive route for the meter-scale synthesis of a colorimetric sensor based on a composite nanofiber yarn that is chemically functionalized with an ionic liquid as an effective H2S adsorbent and lead acetate as a colorimetric dye. As an eye-readable and weavable sensing platform, the single-strand yarn exhibits enhanced sensitivity supported by its high surface area and well-developed porosity to detect the breath biomarker (1 ppm of H2S). Alternatively, the yarn loaded with lead iodide dyes could reversibly detect NH3 gas molecules in the ppm-level, demonstrating the facile extensibility. Finally, we demonstrated that the freestanding yarns could be sewn into patterned textiles for the fabrication of a wearable toxic gas alarm system with a visual output.

Characteristics of asbestos fibers in lung tissue from occupational and environmental asbestos exposure of lung cancer patients in Busan, Korea.

The Asbestos Injury Relief Act in Korea requires that asbestos exposure be assessed through clinical examination and chest computed tomography (CT). However, a more specific measurement of asbestos characteristics in the lung tissue may be appropriate. We aimed to investigate the asbestos burden and characterize asbestos fibers in patients with lung cancer and ultimately assess the relationship between occupational and environmental asbestos exposure and lung cancer in Korea. We evaluated 37 lung cancer patients (LCPs) from Busan. The factors affecting asbestos burden in LCPs were analyzed using a multiple regression analysis. History of asbestos exposure (environmental/occupational), male sex, and old age were the main factors affecting asbestos burden in lung tissues of LCPs. These factors had an approximate 37% adjusted coefficient of determination. There was a significant difference in the length of asbestos fibers (4.06-37.6 µm vs. 4.26-91.7 µm) and aspect ratio (4.5-151.9 vs. 5.6-735.6) between those who were occupationally exposed to asbestos and those who were environmentally exposed (P < 0.01). Therefore, both environmental/occupational exposure to asbestos should be strongly managed to reduce the risk of lung cancer, and exposure should be assessed according to the characteristics of asbestos fibers in the lung tissue.

Gross motor function and health fitness in adults with autistic spectrum disorder and intellectual disability: single-blind retrospective trial.

This study aimed at providing an exercise program for each type of disability after analyzing the exercise program performed by adults with intellectual disability (ID) or autistic spectrum disorder (ASD). Twenty-nine male adults voluntarily took part in this study, whose age ranged from 19 to 28 years and with an average body mass index of 23.98± 4.02 kg/m2. The sample was divided into two groups as follows: ASD group (ASDG; n=15) and ID group (IDG, n=14). The selected tests used to measure gross motor function (GMF, locomotion and object control skills) and health fitness (body composition, flexibility, strength, muscle endurance, and cardiopulmonary endurance) were also used in previous studies. The GMF and health fitness between ASDG and IDG showed no significant differences. This study indicates that exercise programs could provide similar effects, even with other disorder types having similar symptoms.

Post-operative alarm signs in the rapid response system and hospital mortality after non-cardiac surgery.

BACKGROUND: A variety of rapid response systems (RRSs) based on the systematic assessment of vital signs and laboratory tests have been developed to reduce hospital mortality through the early detection of alarm signs, while deterioration may still be reversible. This study aimed to determine the association between alarm signs and post-operative hospital mortality during post-operative days (POD) 0-3 in patients undergoing non-cardiac surgery. METHODS: This retrospective observational study used data from the registry of a single tertiary academic hospital. The study population included patients who were ≥18 years old, admitted between 1 January 2013 and 30 June 2018 for non-cardiac surgery, and subsequently transferred to the general ward. RESULTS: A total of 116 329 patients were included in the analysis. Among them, 10 099 patients (8.7%) showed positive alarm criteria and triggered the RRS in the post-operative ward during POD 0-3. In the multivariate logistic regression model, PaO2 <55 mm Hg, SpO2 <90%, and total CO2 <15 mmol/L were associated with a 3.57-, 3.46-, and 12.53-fold increase in post-operative hospital mortality, respectively. Moreover, when compared to the no alarm signs group, patients with 1, 2, 3, and ≥4 alarm signs showed a 2.79-, 2.76-, 6.54-, and 20.02-fold increase in hospital mortality, respectively. CONCLUSION: Increased post-operative hospital mortality was found to be associated with alarm signs detected by the RRS during POD 0-3. The post-operative alarm signs detected by the RRS may therefore be useful in determining high-risk patients who require medical interventions in the surgical ward.