Regional brain activity and neural network changes in cognitive-motor dual-task interference: A functional near-infrared spectroscopy study.

Previous neuroimaging studies have reported dual-task interference (DTi) and deterioration of task performance in a cognitive-motor dual task (DT) compared to that in a single task (ST). Greater frontoparietal activity is a neural signature of DTi; nonetheless, the underlying mechanism of cortical network in DTi still remains unclear. This study aimed to investigate the regional brain activity and neural network changes during DTi induced by highly demanding cognitive-motor DT. Thirty-four right-handed healthy young adults performed the spiral-drawing task. They underwent a paced auditory serial addition test (PASAT) simultaneously or independently while their cortical activity was measured using functional near-infrared spectroscopy. Motor performance was determined using the balanced integration score (BIS), a balanced index of drawing speed and precision. The cognitive task of the PASAT was administered with two difficulty levels defined by 1 s (PASAT-1 s) and 2 s (PASAT-2 s) intervals, allowing for the serial addition of numbers. Cognitive performance was determined using the percentage of correct responses. These motor and cognitive performances were significantly reduced during DT, which combined a drawing and a cognitive task at either difficulty level, compared to those in the corresponding ST conditions. The DT conditions were also characterized by significantly increased activity in the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) compared to that in the ST conditions. Multivariate Granger causality (GC) analysis of cortical activity in the selected frontoparietal regions of interest further revealed selective top-down causal connectivity from the right DLPFC to the right inferior parietal cortex during DTs. Furthermore, changes in the frontoparietal GC connectivity strength between the PASAT-2 s DT and ST conditions significantly correlated negatively with changes in the percentage of correct responses. Therefore, DTi can occur even in cognitively proficient young adults, and the right DLPFC and frontoparietal network being crucial neural mechanisms underlying DTi. These findings provide new insights into DTi and its underlying neural mechanisms and have implications for the clinical utility of cognitive-motor DTs applied to clinical populations with cognitive decline, such as those with psychiatric and brain disorders.

Effects of Heart Rate Variability Biofeedback Training on Anxiety Reduction and Brain Activity: a Randomized Active-Controlled Study Using EEG.

Heart rate variability biofeedback (HRVBF) is a promising anxiety-reducing intervention that increases vagally-mediated heart rate variability (vmHRV) through slow-paced breathing and feedback of heart rhythm. Several studies have reported the anxiety-reducing effects of HRVBF; however, some studies have reported such training as ineffective. Furthermore, the effects of training and underlying brain activity changes remain unclear. This study examined the anxiety-reducing effects of HRVBF training and related brain activity changes by randomly assigning participants, employing an active control group, and measuring anxiety-related attentional bias using the emotional Stroop task and electroencephalography (EEG). Fifty-five healthy students with anxiety were randomly assigned to the HRVBF or control groups, and 21 in the HRVBF group and 19 in the control group were included in the analysis. Both groups performed 10 training sessions of 20 min each within 3 weeks. They were assessed using resting vmHRV, event-related potential (ERP), time-frequency EEG, attentional bias, and the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory-JYZ (STAI-JYZ) before and after training. The results demonstrated increased resting vmHRV in the HRVBF group compared to the control group after training. However, no differences were observed in ERP, time-frequency EEG, attentional bias, and STAI-JYZ. Participants with higher pre-training resting vmHRV achieved higher heart rhythm coherence in HRVBF training and had reduced attentional bias. This study suggests that individuals with higher resting vmHRV are more likely to be proficient in HRVBF training and benefit from its anxiety-reducing effects. The findings contribute to participant selection to benefit from HRVBF training and modification of the training protocols for non-responders.Clinical trial registrationOrganization: University Hospital Medical Information Network Clinical Trials Registry (UMIN-CTR), JapanRegistration number: UMIN000047096Registration date: March 6, 2022.

New-onset schizophrenia in an adolescent after COVID-19.

Schizophrenia develops during adolescence. Maternal infections during the fetal period increase the incidence of schizophrenia in children, which suggests that the pathogenesis involves neuroinflammation. Here, we report a case of new-onset schizophrenia in a 16-year-old boy after COVID-19. After developing COVID-19, he entered a catatonic state 4 days later and was hospitalized. Benzodiazepines alleviated his catatonia, but hallucinations and delusions persisted. Encephalitis and epilepsy were excluded by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), encephalography, and cerebrospinal fluid examination. Psychosis persisted after the virus titer declined and the inflammatory response subsided. Moreover, the patient exhibited delusions of control-a Schneider's first-rank symptom. Schizophrenia was diagnosed, and olanzapine improved his symptoms. He had a brief history of insomnia before COVID-19 but his symptoms did not satisfy the ultra-high-risk criteria. However, COVID-19 may have facilitated development of schizophrenia through neuroinflammation and volume reduction in the gray matter of the right medial temporal lobe. This case demonstrates that infectious diseases in adolescents should be carefully managed, to prevent schizophrenia.

A higher CD34 + cell dose correlates with better event-free survival after KIR-ligand mismatched cord blood transplantation for childhood acute myeloid leukemia.

Although killer Ig-like receptor ligands (KIR-L) mismatch has been associated with alloreactive natural killer cell activity and potent graft-versus-leukemia (GVL) effect among adults with acute myeloid leukemia (AML), its role among children with AML receiving cord blood transplantation (CBT) has not been determined. We conducted a retrospective study using a nationwide registry of the Japanese Society for Transplantation and Cellular Therapy. Patients who were diagnosed with de novo non-M3 AML and who underwent their first CBT in remission between 2000 and 2021 at under 16 years old were included. A total of 299 patients were included; 238 patients were in the KIR-L match group, and 61 patients were in the KIR-L mismatch group. The cumulative incidence rates of neutrophil recovery, platelet engraftment, and acute/chronic graft-versus-host disease did not differ significantly between the groups. The 5-year event-free survival (EFS) rate was 69.8% in the KIR-L match group and 74.0% in the KIR-L mismatch group (p = 0.490). Stratification by CD34 + cell dose into four groups revealed a significant correlation between CD34 + cell dose and EFS in the KIR-L mismatch group (p = 0.006) but not in the KIR-L match group (p = 0.325). According to our multivariate analysis, KIR-L mismatch with a high CD34 + cell dose (≥ median dose) was identified as an independent favorable prognostic factor for EFS (hazard ratio = 0.19, p = 0.029) and for the cumulative incidence of relapse (hazard ratio = 0.09, p = 0.021). Our results suggested that higher CD34 + cell doses are crucial for achieving a potent GVL effect in the context of KIR-L-mismatched CBT.

Varicella-Zoster Meningitis and Myelitis After Herpes Zoster Dermatitis Treatment With Amenamevir: A Case Series and Literature Review.

Varicella-zoster virus (VZV), known for causing chickenpox, establishes latent infections in neural tissues. Reactivation of VZV can lead to herpes zoster (HZ) and various neurological complications. In this report, we present four cases of VZV meningitis and myelitis following amenamevir treatment for HZ dermatitis with positive VZV DNA in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) revealed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Three of them were considered immunocompromised hosts given the fact that two of these patients were taking immunosuppressive drugs for rheumatoid arthritis, and one patient had a history of sigmoid colon cancer (four months after resection). After HZ onset, amenamevir, which has poor CSF transfer, was prescribed for all the patients, and all of them developed central nervous complications by VZV (meningitis in three cases and myelitis in one case) confirmed by PCR. All the patients were treated with acyclovir, which has a higher CSF transfer, and fully recovered. We speculate that amenamevir might have failed to prevent VZV infection in the central nervous system (CNS) and think that consideration should be given to administering acyclovir in preference to amenamevir for ΗΖ patients at high risk of CNS VZV infection, such as immunocompromised hosts.

Exploring the Potential of CarbonCool® in Rapid Prehospital Cooling for Severe Heat Stroke.

OBJECTIVE: Heat stroke is a life-threatening condition that is characterized by body temperatures above 40 °C and central nervous system dysfunction. Immediate cooling is imperative to prevent irreversible cellular damage and improve patient outcomes. Here, we report two cases of heat stroke that highlight the use of a novel cooling suit (CarbonCool®) as a rapid cooling intervention administered in the prehospital setting, primarily focusing on patients with classic heat stroke. METHODS: This study was a retrospective review of two cases involving older patients with severe classic heat stroke, wherein CarbonCool® was used. The device was deployed at the scene of the incidents, throughout transport, and into the emergency department setting, allowing for continuous cooling and medical intervention as needed. The effectiveness of the cooling device was assessed based on the rate of temperature reduction and overall clinical outcomes of the patients. RESULTS: In both cases, CarbonCool® facilitated a rapid reduction in body temperature, aligning with the crucial requirement of immediate cooling for the management of heat stroke. The first case involved a comatose 90-year-old woman whose body temperature decreased from 42.0 to 35.8 °C within 60 min. The second case involved a comatose 70-year-old man who experienced a decrease in body temperature from 41.2 to 36.6 °C over 196 min. CarbonCool® allowed for the execution of concurrent resuscitative procedures and was compatible with various imaging modalities (including computed tomographic scan), allowing for continuous application from the scene to the intensive care unit. Moreover, both patients showed marked improvements in consciousness and were stabilized without the need for more invasive cooling procedures that are typically employed in hospital settings for such cases. Both patients were discharged without any disabilities. CONCLUSION: We present an innovative approach to prehospital care for patients with heat stroke through the use of CarbonCool®, highlighting its efficacy for rapid cooling and its potential impact on patient outcomes. However, further studies are warranted to fully confirm the efficacy of the system.

Estimation of genetic parameters for visceral diseases of fattening Japanese Black cattle in Shimane Prefecture, Japan.

In this study, the genetic parameters of major visceral diseases were estimated using the postmortem inspection records of 9057 fattening Japanese Black cattle in Shimane Prefecture, Japan, and the genetic correlation between visceral diseases and carcass traits was analyzed. There were six visceral diseases with a prevalence of 5% or higher, namely, pleurisy, pneumonia, bovine abdominal fat necrosis (BFN), rumenitis, hemorrhagic hepatitis, and perihepatitis. Variance components were estimated using the Gibbs sampling method, and the heritability of the visceral disease ranged from 0.07 to 0.49 for perihepatitis and BFN, respectively. Significant negative genetic correlations were identified between pleurisy and rib thickness (-0.32), BFN and carcass weight (-0.29), and BFN and rib eye area (-0.22). No significant genetic correlation was observed among the visceral diseases. The least squares analysis of variance suggested that some visceral diseases decrease the value of carcass traits. In particular, carcass weight and rib eye area in individuals with BFN were 11.7 kg and 1.87 cm2 lower than those of healthy cattle, respectively. Thus, it was inferred that genetic factors were involved in the visceral diseases of fattening Japanese Black cattle in Shimane Prefecture.

Application of linear and machine learning models to genomic prediction of fatty acid composition in Japanese Black cattle.

We collected 3180 records of oleic acid (C18:1) and monounsaturated fatty acid (MUFA) measured using gas chromatography (GC) and 6960 records of C18:1 and MUFA measured using near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) in intermuscular fat samples of Japanese Black cattle. We compared genomic prediction performance for four linear models (genomic best linear unbiased prediction [GBLUP], kinship-adjusted multiple loci [KAML], BayesC, and BayesLASSO) and five machine learning models (Gaussian kernel [GK], deep kernel [DK], random forest [RF], extreme gradient boost [XGB], and convolutional neural network [CNN]). For GC-based C18:1 and MUFA, KAML showed the highest accuracies, followed by BayesC, XGB, DK, GK, and BayesLASSO, with more than 6% gain of accuracy by KAML over GBLUP. Meanwhile, DK had the highest prediction accuracy for NIRS-based C18:1 and MUFA, but the difference in accuracies between DK and KAML was slight. For all traits, accuracies of RF and CNN were lower than those of GBLUP. The KAML extends GBLUP methods, of which marker effects are weighted, and involves only additive genetic effects; whereas machine learning methods capture non-additive genetic effects. Thus, KAML is the most suitable method for breeding of fatty acid composition in Japanese Black cattle.

Transcranial direct current stimulation to the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex enhances early dexterity skills with the left non-dominant hand: a randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: The left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) is involved in early-phase manual dexterity skill acquisition when cognitive control processes, such as integration and complexity demands, are required. However, the effectiveness of left DLPFC transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) on early-phase motor learning and whether its effectiveness depends on the cognitive demand of the target task are unclear. This study aimed to investigate whether tDCS over the left DLPFC improves non-dominant hand dexterity performance and determine if its efficacy depends on the cognitive demand of the target task. METHODS: In this randomized, double-blind, sham-controlled trial, 70 healthy, right-handed, young adult participants were recruited. They were randomly allocated to the active tDCS (2 mA for 20 min) or sham groups and repeatedly performed the Purdue Pegboard Test (PPT) left-handed peg task and left-handed assembly task three times: pre-tDCS, during tDCS, and post tDCS. RESULTS: The final sample comprised 66 healthy young adults (mean age, 22.73 ± 1.57 years). There were significant interactions between group and time in both PPT tasks, indicating significantly higher performance of those in the active tDCS group than those in the sham group post tDCS (p < 0.001). Moreover, a greater benefit was observed in the left-handed assembly task performance than in the peg task performance (p < 0.001). No significant correlation between baseline performance and benefits from tDCS was observed in either task. CONCLUSIONS: These results demonstrated that prefrontal tDCS significantly improved early-phase manual dexterity skill acquisition, and its benefits were greater for the task with high cognitive demands. These findings contribute to a deeper understanding of the underlying neurophysiological mechanisms of the left DLPFC in the modulation of early-phase dexterity skill acquisition. TRIAL REGISTRATION: This study was registered in the University Hospital Medical Information Network Clinical Trial Registry in Japan (UMIN000046868), Registered February 8, 2022 https://center6.umin.ac.jp/cgi-open-bin/ctr_e/ctr_view.cgi?recptno=R000053467.

Molecular Analysis of MgO Nanoparticle-Induced Immunity against Fusarium Wilt in Tomato.

Fusarium wilt, caused by Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici (FOL), is a devastating soilborne disease in tomatoes. Magnesium oxide nanoparticles (MgO NPs) induce strong immunity against Fusarium wilt in tomatoes. However, the mechanisms underlying this immunity remain poorly understood. Comparative transcriptome analysis and microscopy of tomato roots were performed to determine the mechanism of MgO NP-induced immunity against FOL. Eight transcriptomes were prepared from tomato roots treated under eight different conditions. Differentially expressed genes were compared among the transcriptomes. The Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes enrichment analysis revealed that in tomato roots pretreated with MgO NPs, Rcr3 encoding apoplastic protease and RbohD encoding NADPH oxidase were upregulated when challenge-inoculated with FOL. The gene encoding glycine-rich protein 4 (SlGRP4) was chosen for further analysis. SlGRP4 was rapidly transcribed in roots pretreated with MgO NPs and inoculated with FOL. Immunomicroscopy analysis showed that SlGRP4 accumulated in the cell walls of epidermal and vascular vessel cells of roots pretreated with MgO NPs, but upon FOL inoculation, SlGRP4 further accumulated in the cell walls of cortical tissues within 48 h. The results provide new insights into the probable mechanisms of MgO NP-induced tomato immunity against Fusarium wilt.

Heterogeneity of Stroke in Patients with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus.

Objective The underlying pathophysiology varies according to stroke subtype. However, stroke heterogeneity among patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) remains unstudied. We hypothesized that the contribution of SLE to stroke might vary according to its subtype and investigated the associations of SLE and various stroke subtypes. Methods Diagnostic codes and electronic medical records were used to identify 70 patients with SLE who developed acute cerebral infarction or intracerebral hemorrhaging at four tertiary referral hospitals between 2008 and 2018. Intracerebral hemorrhaging was classified as lobar or deep, while cerebral infarction was classified according to the SSS-TOAST criteria. Physician notes were used to identify SLE activity, and their prevalences were compared among stroke subtypes. Outcomes were collected from the patients' medical records. Results The most common stroke subtype in patients with SLE was that of undetermined causes (31%), followed by small artery occlusion (16%), cardioaortic embolism (13%), other causes (11%), lobar hemorrhaging (10%), deep hemorrhaging (10%), and large artery atherosclerosis (9%). Stroke onset occurred during a period of high SLE activity in 21 patients (30%). The proportion of patients with high SLE activity varied according to stroke subtype (p=0.039) and was highest for cerebral infarction with undetermined causes. Stroke recurrence or death was observed in 40% of patients within 5 years after the initial stroke onset. Conclusion The contributions of SLE to stroke varied significantly according to the stroke subtype. Given the unfavorable prognosis, close stroke subtype-specific observation by rheumatologists and stroke specialists is recommended after stroke events.

Chronological Changes in the Expression Pattern of Hippocampal Prion Proteins During Disease Progression in Sporadic Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease MM1 Subtype.

The differential effects of sporadic Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (sCJD) on the hippocampus and other neocortical areas are poorly understood. We aimed to reveal the histological patterns of cellular prion protein (PrPC) and abnormal prion protein (PrPSc) in hippocampi of sCJD patients and normal controls (NCs). Our study examined 18 postmortem sCJD patients (MM1, 14 cases; MM1 + 2c, 3 cases; MM1 + 2t, 1 case) and 12 NCs. Immunohistochemistry was conducted using 4 primary antibodies, of which 3 targeted the N-terminus of the prion protein (PrP), and 1 (EP1802Y) targeted the C-terminal domain. PrPC expression was abundant in the hippocampus of NCs, and the distribution of PrPC at CA3/4 was reminiscent of synaptic complexes. In sCJD cases with a disease history of <2 years, antibodies against the N-terminus could not detect synapse-like PrP expression at CA4; however, EP1802Y could characterize the synapse-like expression. PrPSc accumulation and spongiform changes became evident after 2 years of illness, when PrPSc deposits were more noticeably detected by N-terminal-specific antibodies. Our findings highlighted the chronology of histopathological alterations in the CA4 region in sCJD patients.

The impact of visual cross-modal conflict with semantic and nonsemantic distractors on working memory task: A functional near-infrared spectroscopy study.

Cross-modal conflicts arise when information from multisensory modalities is incongruent. Most previous studies investigating audiovisual cross-modal conflicts have focused on visual targets with auditory distractors, and only a few studies have focused on auditory targets with visual distractors. Moreover, no study has investigated the differences in the impact of visual cross-modal conflict with semantic and nonsemantic competition and its neural basis. This cross-sectional study aimed to characterize the impact of 2 types of visual cross-modal conflicts with semantic and nonsemantic distractors through a working memory task and associated brain activities. The participants were 33 healthy, right-handed, young male adults. The paced auditory serial addition test was performed under 3 conditions: no-distractor and 2 types of visual distractor conditions (nonsemantic and semantic distractor conditions). Symbols and numbers were used as nonsemantic and semantic distractors, respectively. The oxygenated hemoglobin (Oxy-Hb) concentration in the frontoparietal regions, bilateral ventrolateral prefrontal cortex (VLPFC), dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, and inferior parietal cortex (IPC) were measured during the task under each condition. The results showed significantly lower paced auditory serial addition test performances in both distractor conditions than in the no-distractor condition, but no significant difference between the 2 distractor conditions. For brain activity, a significantly increased Oxy-Hb concentration in the right VLPFC was only observed in the nonsemantic distractor condition (corrected P = .015; Cohen d = .46). The changes in Oxy-Hb in the bilateral IPC were positively correlated with changes in task performance for both types of visual cross-modal distractor conditions. Visual cross-modal conflict significantly impairs auditory working memory task performance, regardless of the presence of semantic or nonsemantic distractors. The right VLPFC may be a crucial region to inhibit visual nonsemantic information in cross-modal conflict situations, and bilateral IPC may be closely linked with the inhibition of visual cross-modal distractor, regardless of the presence of semantic or nonsemantic distractors.

Discontinuation of tyrosine kinase inhibitors in pediatric chronic myeloid leukemia.

BACKGROUND: The feasibility of tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) discontinuation in pediatric chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) remains to be fully elucidated. PROCEDURES: TKI was prospectively discontinued in patients who were diagnosed with CML at <20 years of age, treated with TKI for ≥3 years, and sustained molecular response 4.0 (MR4.0) for ≥2 years. Molecular relapse was defined as a single loss of major molecular response (MMR) (BCR-ABL1IS >0.1%). Relapsed patients resumed the same TKI therapy administered before discontinuation. RESULTS: Twenty-two patients with chronic-phase CML were enrolled, and the median ages at diagnosis and at TKI discontinuation were 9 (range: 1-14) years and 16 (5-26) years, respectively. The median follow-up time after TKI discontinuation was 37 months (range: 24-41 months). The median duration of TKI treatment before discontinuation was 100 (42-178) months, and that of MR4.0 was 53.5 (25-148) months. The treatment-free remission (TFR) rate at 12 months was 50.0% (90% confidence interval: 31.7%-65.8%). Eleven patients experienced loss of MMR within 4 months after TKI discontinuation and resumed TKI as originally prescribed. No progression was observed, and all 11 patients regained MR4.0 after TKI resumption. No patient had a withdrawal syndrome. The quality-of-life analysis suggested that successful TFR may improve academic performance in some patients. In patients who discontinued TKI therapy before puberty, the possibility of improvement in growth velocity upon TKI discontinuation was observed. CONCLUSIONS: TKI could be discontinued safely in patients with pediatric CML showing a sustained deep MR.

Effect of Audiovisual Cross-Modal Conflict during Working Memory Tasks: A Near-Infrared Spectroscopy Study.

Cognitive conflict effects are well characterized within unimodality. However, little is known about cross-modal conflicts and their neural bases. This study characterizes the two types of visual and auditory cross-modal conflicts through working memory tasks and brain activities. The participants consisted of 31 healthy, right-handed, young male adults. The Paced Auditory Serial Addition Test (PASAT) and the Paced Visual Serial Addition Test (PVSAT) were performed under distractor and no distractor conditions. Distractor conditions comprised two conditions in which either the PASAT or PVSAT was the target task, and the other was used as a distractor stimulus. Additionally, oxygenated hemoglobin (Oxy-Hb) concentration changes in the frontoparietal regions were measured during tasks. The results showed significantly lower PASAT performance under distractor conditions than under no distractor conditions, but not in the PVSAT. Oxy-Hb changes in the bilateral ventrolateral prefrontal cortex (VLPFC) and inferior parietal cortex (IPC) significantly increased in the PASAT with distractor compared with no distractor conditions, but not in the PVSAT. Furthermore, there were significant positive correlations between Δtask performance accuracy and ΔOxy-Hb in the bilateral IPC only in the PASAT. Visual cross-modal conflict significantly impairs auditory task performance, and bilateral VLPFC and IPC are key regions in inhibiting visual cross-modal distractors.

Actual Sarcopenia Reflects Poor Prognosis in Patients with Esophageal Cancer.

BACKGROUND: Minimally invasive esophagectomy (MIE) for esophageal cancer patients with sarcopenia is associated with a high risk of perioperative complications; however, the relationship between sarcopenia and the survival of esophageal cancer patients remains controversial. In this study, we aimed to develop a stratifying marker for sarcopenia to precisely predict patients' prognosis. METHODS: We retrospectively studied 135 patients who underwent thoracoscopic esophagectomy at Kobe University Hospital from 2011 to 2015 and who were preoperatively diagnosed with or without sarcopenia based on the Asian Working Group for Sarcopenia index. Creatinine levels and albumin as measures of skeletal muscle volume and nutritional status, respectively, were used to develop a marker to be used for stratifying sarcopenic patients based on prognosis. RESULTS: Of the 135 patients, 35 were diagnosed with sarcopenia and 100 were not. We combined the creatinine and albumin levels (Cr × Alb) as a stratifying marker for sarcopenia, and extracted sarcopenic patients with values below the Cr × Alb cut-off as the actual sarcopenic group. The 5-year overall survival (OS) rates of the actual and non-actual sarcopenic groups were 28.9% and 58.9%, respectively (p = 0.0005), and the 5-year disease-free survival rate of the actual sarcopenic group was 34.1%, and 62.8% (p = 0.0106) for the non-actual sarcopenic group. This stratified sarcopenia model was an independent prognostic factor and was superior to sarcopenia alone for OS. CONCLUSIONS: In patients undergoing MIE, preoperative measurement of Cr × Alb may be a prognostic stratification marker for patients with sarcopenia.

Hydride-ion-conducting K2NiF4-type Ba-Li oxyhydride solid electrolyte.

Hydrogen transport in solids, applied in electrochemical devices such as fuel cells and electrolysis cells, is key to sustainable energy societies. Although using proton (H+) conductors is an attractive choice, practical conductivity at intermediate temperatures (200-400 °C), which would be ideal for most energy and chemical conversion applications, remains a challenge. Alternatively, hydride ions (H-), that is, monovalent anions with high polarizability, can be considered a promising charge carrier that facilitates fast ionic conduction in solids. Here, we report a K2NiF4-type Ba-Li oxyhydride with an appreciable amount of hydrogen vacancies that presents long-range order at room temperature. Increasing the temperature results in the disappearance of the vacancy ordering, triggering a high and essentially temperature-independent H- conductivity of more than 0.01 S cm-1 above 315 °C. Such a remarkable H- conducting nature at intermediate temperatures is anticipated to be important for energy and chemical conversion devices.

Elective Endovascular Stent-Graft Implantation for External Iliac Artery Injury after Blunt Pelvic Trauma.

External iliac artery (EIA) injuries caused by blunt trauma are rare. Here, we describe a blunt EIA injury after a motorbike accident suffered by a 16-year-old male. Despite conservative treatment, intermittent claudication persisted. He was successfully treated by elective endovascular stent-graft implantation on day 59 after the injury. Ankle-brachial index (ABI) improved, as did his symptoms. A contrast-enhanced computed tomography scan on postoperative day 90 showed no residual stenosis and favorable peripheral blood flow. This report suggests that elective endovascular stent-graft implantation might be a viable treatment option for blunt EIA injuries.