CVD-grown monolayer MoS2 in bioabsorbable electronics and biosensors

Transient electronics entails the capability of electronic components to dissolve or reabsorb in a controlled manner when used in biomedical implants. Here, the authors perform a systematic study of the processes of hydrolysis, bioabsorption, cytotoxicity and immunological biocompatibility of monolayer MoS2

Enhanced Raman Scattering from Nanoparticle-Decorated Nanocone Substrates: A Practical Approach to Harness In-Plane Excitation

We investigate surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) from gold-coated silicon-germanium nanocone substrates that are decorated with 30-nm spherical gold nanoparticles (AuNPs). Finite-element simulations suggest that individual nanocones generate stronger electromagnetic enhancement with axial polarization (i.e., polarization parallel to the vertical axis of the nanocones) than with transverse polarization (i.e., polarization in the plane of the nanocone substrate), whereas the excitation in a typical Raman microscope is mainly polarized in the transverse plane. We introduce a practical approach to improve the SERS performance of the substrate by filling the valleys between nanocones with AuNPs. Simulations reveal an enhanced electric field at the nanoscale junctions formed between AuNPs and nanocones, and we explain this lateral coupling with a hybridization model for a particle-film system. We further experimentally verify the added enhancement by measuring SERS from trans-1,2-bi-(4-pyridyl) ethylene molecules absorbed onto the substrates. We report over one order-of-magnitude increase in SERS activities with the AuNP decoration (compared to the nanocone substrate without AuNPs) and achieve a spatially averaged enhancement factor of 1.78 x 10^8 at 785-nm excitation. Understanding and implementing the enhancing mechanism of structured metallic surfaces decorated with plasmonic nanoparticles open possibilities to substantially improve the SERS performance of the existing processengineered substrates

Defective Localization With Impaired Tumor Cytotoxicity Contributes to the Immune Escape of NK Cells in Pancreatic Cancer Patients

Tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs), found in patients with advanced pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), are shown to correlate with overall survival (OS) rate. Although majority of TILs consist of CD8+/CD4+ T cells, the presence of NK cells and their role in the pathogenesis of PDAC remains elusive. We performed comprehensive analyses of TIL, PBMC, and autologous tumor cells from 80 enrolled resectable PDAC patients to comprehend the NK cell defects within PDAC. Extremely low frequencies of NK cells (<0.5%) were found within PDAC tumors, which was attributable not to the low expression of tumor chemokines, but to the lack of chemokine receptor, CXCR2. Forced expression of CXCR2 in patients' NK cells rendered them capable of trafficking into PDAC. Furthermore, NK cells exhibited impaired cell-mediated killing of autologous PDAC cells, primarily due to insufficient ligation of NKG2D and DNAM-1, and failed to proliferate within the hypoxic tumor microenvironment. Importantly, these defects could be overcome by ex-vivo stimulation of NK cells from such patients. Importantly, when the proliferative capacity of NK cells in vitro was used to stratify patients on the basis of cell expansion, patients whose NK cells proliferated <250-fold experienced significantly lower DFS and OS than those with ≥250-fold. Ex-vivo activation of NK cells restored tumor trafficking and reactivity, hence provided a therapeutic modality while their fold expansion could be a potentially significant prognostic indicator of OS and DFS in such patients

The effect of leg length asymmetry on leg stiffness and dynamic postural stability in vertical landing

Background: Assessment of asymmetries in dynamic postural stability and lower extremities kinetics during landing technique are considered factors for injury prevention and achieve optimal athletic performance. Nevertheless, the relationship between these factors has not been established. This study aimed to investigate the effects of leg length asymmetry on dynamic stability and leg stiffness upon initial contact with the ground after vertical landing. Methods: Twenty healthy adult men landed on the ground from a height of 30 cm; we measured leg length, leg stiffness, lateral pelvic tilt angle, peak vertical force (PVF), the loading rate, dynamic postural stability index (DPSI), and the correlations among these variables. Results: At initial contact, the right leg was significantly longer and showed greater lateral pelvic tilt than the left leg. These characteristics increased the loading rate at the time of PVF on the right leg, which in turn affected leg stiffness and pelvic tilt. The DPSI was also decreased for the right leg compared with the left leg. In the correlation analysis, we observed strong, positive correlations and high explanatory power for PVF, the loading rate, vertical stability index, and DPSI, with r ≥0.822 and R2 ≥57%. Conclusions: The identified associations support the validity of the result, showing that the right leg failed in its rapid stabilization strategy. The leg length asymmetry is suspected to affect asymmetrical impact patterns, DPSI, and leg stiffness. Given the number of individuals with leg-length inequalities who play sports relying on jumping and landing patterns, reducing the rate of injury possibly incurred

Subjective Perceptions of South Korean Parents Regarding the Effectiveness of Taekwondo Education for Adolescents and Its Characteristics: The Q Methodology Application

This study aims to determine why Korean parents provide adolescent children with continuous physical education through Taekwondo. The Q methodology was applied. The final 25 Q-samples were selected by composing the Q-population. Twenty parents who provided their children with Taekwondo education for more than 10 years were designated as the P-sample. Q-sorting was performed on the P-sample. Centroid factor analysis and varimax rotation were performed using version 2.35 of PQ method program. The study observed four factors with a total explanatory variance of 69%. Types 1 to 4 (N = 5, 7, 5, and 3) pertained to a powerful means of enhancing mental health, the driving force behind stable school life and social development, improvement in psychological and social areas for a successful transition to adulthood, and increased awareness of the values of Taekwondo and importance of physical activity, with eigenvalues of 4.59, 6.42, 3.16, and 1.18 and explanatory variances of 0.16, 0.32, 0.12, and 0.09, respectively. Furthermore, consensus statements for each type were investigated as Q18 and Q17. These findings supported the academic foundation of proper Taekwondo education in adolescence and confirmed it as a powerful means of exerting a positive impact on adulthood