Somatosensory Research Articles

Simultaneously Strengthening and Toughening All-Natural Structural Materials via 3D Nanofiber Network Interfacial Design.

Constructing structural materials from sustainable raw materials is considered an efficient way to reduce the potential threat posed by plastics. Nevertheless, challenges remain regarding combining excellent mechanical and thermal properties, especially the balance of strength and toughness. Here, we report a 3D nanofiber network interfacial design strategy to strengthen and toughen all-natural structural materials simultaneously. The introduced protonated chitosan at the interface between the surface oxidized 3D nanonetwork of bacterial cellulose forms the interfacial interlocking structure of nanonetworks, achieving a robust physical connection and providing enough physical contact sites for chemical crosslinking. The obtained sustainable structural material successfully integrates excellent mechanical and thermal properties on the nanoscale of cellulose nanofibers, such as light weight, high strength, and superior thermal expansion coefficient. The relationship between structural design and comprehensive mechanical property improvement is analyzed in detail, providing a universal perspective to design sustainable high-performance structural materials from nanoscale building blocks.

Capsaicin in Pain Management A Spicy Solution to Chronic and Neuropathic Pain

Introduction and purpose: Chronic pain, defined as pain persisting for three months or longer and neuropathic pain which is a type that arises as a result of damage or disease to the somatosensory system, including peripheral fibers (Aβ, Aδ, and C fibers) and central neurons, are serious conditions pose significant challenges for modern medicine. Addressing these challenges often necessitates a multimodal approach to analgesia, involving the use of multiple analgesic agents with different mechanisms of action. Among these agents is capsaicin, a naturally occurring compound found in hot peppers. This study will collect and analyze information about the applications of capsaicin in pain management, its mechanisms of action, efficacy, and safety Brief description of the state of knowledge: Capsaicin is a natural compound found in chili peppers. This alkaloid is a highly selective agonist of the TRPV1 vanilloid receptor. Upon activation of these receptors, skin nociceptors become less sensitive to stimuli. Incorporating capsaicin into standard chronic and neuropathic pain management may enhance, expedite, and streamline the complex process of treatment, ultimately contributing to improved quality of life for patients and communities. It also offers certain benefits in the treatment of obesity, cardiovascular and gastrointestinal pathologies, various types of cancers, neurogenic bladder, and some dermatological conditions. Materials and Methods: Review and summary of research studies available in databases on Google Scholar and PubMed. Summary: Topically applied capsaicin, especially in the form of an 8% patch is a valuable option for treating peripheral chronic and neuropathic pain, including bone and joint pain. The highest quality evidence has been presented in postherpetic neuralgia and HIV-related pain, where treatment efficacy is comparable to standard treatment.

LLZTO crosslinks form a highly stretchable self-healing network for fast healable all-solid lithium metal batteries

Flexible composite solid electrolytes (CSEs) show great potentials in high-energy all-solid-state lithium metal batteries owing to their easy fabrication, good electrochemical properties, and high safety. However, it remains challenging to achieve good interfacial compatibility between the inorganic fillers and polymer matrix, which affects the lithium-ion transport efficiency and electrochemical performances of CSEs. Herein, a dynamic crosslinked network with Li6.4La3Zr1.4Ta0.6O12 (LLZTO) nanoparticles as the cross-linking point is proposed for fabrication of a rapidly self-healing flexible CSE, which is signed as SHENE. The amino groups in the 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane modified LLZTO behave as the bridge sites to react with the copolymer of 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate-g-4-formylbenzoic acid and poly (ethylene glycol) methoxy acrylate to form imine bonds, which effectively connect the organic/inorganic interface. Compared to the traditional physical contact, the covalent imine bonds can not only enhance the interaction between the two phases, but also improve the dispersion of the ceramic LLZTO nanoparticles. Additionally, the dynamic reversibility of imine bonds allows for enhanced mechanical strength and self-repairing capabilities of SHENE. Therefore, a Li||Li symmetrical cell assembled with SHENE can stably cycle for 5000 h at 0.05 mA cm−2 and 25 °C. The corresponding Li/SHENE/LiFePO4 full battery also exhibits good rate performance under various C-rates. Additionally, the Li/SHENE/LFP pouch cell exhibits superior safety under various abuse conditions. Therefore, this work provides new ideas for the uniform dispersion of ceramic nanoparticles in CSEs by the facile design of forming dynamic crosslinked networks.

Advances in electrolyte–anode interface engineering of solid‐state lithium metal batteries

AbstractSolid‐state lithium metal batteries are considered to be the next generation of energy storage systems due to the high energy density brought by the use of metal lithium anode and the safety features brought by the use of solid electrolytes (SEs). Unfortunately, besides the safety features, using SEs brings issues of interfacial contact of lithium anode and electrolytes. Recently, to realize the application of solid‐state lithium metal batteries, significant achievements have been made in the interface engineering of solid‐state batteries, and various new strategies have been proposed. In this review, from the interface failure perspective of solid‐state lithium metal batteries, we summarize failure mechanisms in terms of poor physical contact, weak chemical/electrochemical stability, continuing contact degradation, and uncontrollable lithium deposition. We then focused on the latest strategies for solving interface issues, including advancing in improving the physical solid–solid contact, increasing the electrochemical/chemical stability, restraining continuing contact degradation, and controlling homogeneous lithium deposition. The ultimate and paramount future developing directions of solid‐state lithium metal battery interface engineering are proposed.

Carbon Nanotube Immunotoxicity in Alveolar Epithelial Type II Cells Is Mediated by Physical Contact-Independent Cell-Cell Interaction with Macrophages as Demonstrated in an Optimized Air-Liquid Interface (ALI) Coculture Model.

There is a need for the assessment of respiratory hazard potential and mode of action of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) before their approval for technological or medical applications. In CNT-exposed lungs, both alveolar macrophages (MФs), which phagocytose CNTs, and alveolar epithelial type II cells (AECII cells), which show tissue injury, are impacted but cell-cell interactions between them and the impacted mechanisms are unclear. To investigate this, we first optimized an air-liquid interface (ALI) transwell coculture of human AECII cell line A549 (upper chamber) and human monocyte cell line THP-1 derived macrophages (lower chamber) in a 12-well culture by exposing macrophages to CNTs at varying doses (5-60 ng/well) for 12-48 h and measuring the epithelial response markers for cell differentiation/maturation (proSP-C), proliferation (Ki-67), and inflammation (IL-1β). In optimal ALI epithelial-macrophage coculture (3:1 ratio), expression of Ki-67 in AECII cells showed dose dependence, peaking at 15 ng/well CNT dose; the Ki-67 and IL-1β responses were detectable within 12 h, peaking at 24-36 h in a time-course. Using the optimized ALI transwell coculture set up with and without macrophages, we demonstrated that direct interaction between CNTs and MФs, but not a physical cell-cell contact between MФ and AECII cells, was essential for inducing immunotoxicity (proliferative and inflammatory responses) in the AECII cells.

Pubertal maternal presence reduces anxiety and increases adult neurogenesis in Kunming mice offspring

Puberty is a critical period of emotional development and neuroplasticity. However, most studies have focused on early development, with limited research on puberty, particularly the parental presence. In this study, four groups were established, and pubertal maternal presence (PMP) was assessed until postnatal days 21 (PD21), 28 (PD28), 35 (PD35), and 42 (PD42), respectively. The social interaction and anxiety behaviors, as well as the expression of oxytocin (OT) in the paraventricular nucleus (PVN) and supraoptic nucleus (SON), and the number of new generated neurons and the expression of estrogen receptor alpha (ERα) in the dentate gyrus (DG) were assessed. The results suggest that there is a lot of physical contact between the mother and offspring from 21 to 42 days of age, which reduces anxiety in both female and male offspring in adulthood; for example, the PMP increased the amount of time mice spent in the center area in the open field experiment and in the bright area in the light-dark box experiment. PMP increased OT expression in the PVN and SON and the number of newly generated neurons in the DG. However, there was a sexual difference in ERα, with ERα increasing in females but decreasing in males. In conclusion, PMP reduces the anxiety of offspring in adulthood, increases OT in the PVN and SON, and adult neurogenesis; ERα in the DG may be involved in this process.

Adapting and optimizing GCaMP8f for use in Caenorhabditis elegans.

Improved genetically encoded calcium indicators (GECIs) are essential for capturing intracellular dynamics of both muscle and neurons. A novel set of GECIs with ultrafast kinetics and high sensitivity was recently reported by Zhang et al. (2023). While these indicators, called jGCaMP8, were demonstrated to work in Drosophila and mice, data for Caenorhabditis elegans were not reported. Here, we present an optimized construct for C. elegans and use this to generate several strains expressing GCaMP8f (fast variant of the indicator). Utilizing the myo-2 promoter, we compare pharyngeal muscle activity measured with GCaMP7f and GCaMP8f and find that GCaMP8f is brighter upon binding to calcium, shows faster kinetics, and is not disruptive to the intrinsic contraction dynamics of the pharynx. Additionally, we validate its application for detecting neuronal activity in touch receptor neurons which reveals robust calcium transients even at small stimulus amplitudes. As such, we establish GCaMP8f as a potent tool for C. elegans research which is capable of extracting fast calcium dynamics at very low magnifications across multiple cell types.

Alignment in motion: Fall risk in spine patients and the effect of vision, support surface, and adaptation on the cone of economy

BackgroundSeveral assessment tools have been developed to estimate a patient's likelihood risk of falling. None of these measures estimate the contributions of the visual, vestibular, and somatosensory systems to fall risk, especially in patients with degenerative lumbar spine disease. MethodsDegenerative lumbar spine patients with radiculopathy (LD) and healthy subjects who were 35-70 years old without spine complaints were recruited. Patient reported outcome measures (PROMs) were collected prior to testing. Fall risk assessment was completed using Computer Dynamic Posturography (CDP), a computer-controlled balance machine that allows cone of economy (CoE) and cone of pressure (CoP) measurements. All patients completed Sensory Organization Tests (SOT) which include normal and perturbed stability, both with and without visual cues. ResultsIn total, 43 spine patients and 12 healthy controls were included, with mean age 57.8 years, 39.5% females, and mean BMI of 29.3 kg/m2. Nearly all CoE and most CoP dimensions were found to be larger in LD patients compared to controls across nearly all subtests (p<.05), with the largest dimensions generally observed in the surrounding and support sway testing condition. In LD patients, ODI and PROMIS Pain Interference were negatively correlated with CoE and CoP measurements (p<.05). ConclusionsIn this prospective study, body sway was assessed as a function of CoE and CoP using the CDP system and was found to be elevated in spine patients, especially when they experienced increasing levels of visual and vestibular stimulation. The ability to identify the primary drivers of balance disorders is essential in spine patients and may be helpful in the development of a patient-specific treatment plan, which may in the future aid with fall-prevention initiatives.

Mechanical Compression‐Enabled Carbon‐Based Perovskite Solar Cells with Enhanced Efficiency and Stability

Carbon electrode‐based perovskite solar cells (C‐PSCs) without hole transport layer (HTL) have been emerging as a promising low‐cost photovoltaic technology with excellent stability for commercialization. However, the loose physical contact between the carbon electrode and perovskite layer, as well as the relatively poor conductivity of the carbon film, contributes mainly to the large gap in the power conversion efficiency (PCE) between C‐PSCs and the metal (Ag, Au, etc.,) electrode‐based counterparts. To this end, a simple but effective mechanical compression strategy for efficient C‐PSCs is developed. The mechanical compression densifies the porous carbon electrode for high film conductivity and also provides intimate contact between carbon and perovskite layers for fast charge extraction. Consequently, the resulting HTL‐free C‐PSCs using MAPbI3 (MA = methylammonium) absorber yield a PCE of 15.29%, corresponding to a 27.6% improvement compared to the counterpart without mechanical pressing treatment. Moreover, the compacted carbon film also serves as an enhanced barrier against the intrusion of water and oxygen, and the unencapsulated device retains 88.9% of its initial PCE after 1000 h of aging in ambient conditions with 35 ± 2% humidity. This work paves a simple and effective way toward efficient and stable C‐PSC.

Effect of Spatial and Temporal Prediction on Tactile Sensitivity.

The purpose of the present study was to examine whether spatial or temporal prediction of the tactile stimulus contributes to tactile sensitivity. To investigate the effect of spatial prediction on tactile sensitivity, electrical stimuli were provided for the digit nerve in one of five fingers, and advanced notice of the stimulating finger was provided before the stimulus in some trials but not in others. There was no significant effect of spatial prediction on the intensity at the perceptual threshold of the digit nerve stimulus. This indicates that spatial prediction of the tactile stimulus does not influence tactile sensitivity. To examine the effect of temporal prediction, an auditory warning cue was provided 0, 1, or 10 s before the electrical stimulus to the digit nerve. The stimulus intensity at the perceptual threshold in the trials with the 1 s warning cue was lower than those with the 0 s warning cue. This indicates that temporal prediction enhances tactile sensitivity. The stimulus intensity at the perceptual threshold in the trials with the 1 s warning cue was lower than those with the 10 s warning cue. This means that the contribution of temporal prediction to the tactile sensitivity is greater as the warning cue is closer to the time of the stimulus. This finding may be explained by a defense mechanism activated when humans predict that a tactile stimulus is coming soon.

Upper-Extremity Nerve Transfers for Sensation: A Systematic Review

Sensory nerve transfers may be performed to restore protective sensation and tactile perception after peripheral nerve injury in the upper extremity. There is a paucity of literature on the available donor-recipient configurations for sensory nerve transfers. This article presents a systematic review of reported sensory nerve transfers in the upper extremity. Original articles published between 1982 and 2022 were searched in MEDLINE and EMBASE. Articles describing a sensory nerve transfer were included if patient sensory outcomes were reported. Outcomes were categorized according to the modified British Medical Research Council scale, with an outcome of S3 or better defined as satisfactory. Of 1,049 articles, 39 met inclusion and quality criteria. Twenty-seven articles were primary research studies reporting on 197 patients who underwent 11 unique nondigital sensory donor nerve transfers and 24 unique digital donor nerve transfer procedures. The most reliable recipient nerve for restoring sensation to the ulnar border of the small finger was proper ulnar digital nerve of the small finger (38 patients, 89% satisfactory sensory outcome). The best available donors for transfer into the proper ulnar digital nerve of the small finger were proper ulnar digital nerve of the long finger (16 patients, 87.5% good sensory outcome) and palmar cutaneous branch of the median nerve (15 patients, 100% good sensory outcome). To restore sensation along the ulnar border of the thumb and radial aspect of the index finger, the best available donor was the superficial branch of the radial nerve, regardless of transfer into common digital nerve 1 (38 patients, success rate 63%) or directly to proper ulnar digital nerve of the thumb or proper radial digital nerve of the index finger (nine patients, success rates 67%). Outcomes after sensory nerve transfers are generally good. Surgeons should transfer into a digital nerve recipient when attempting to reconstruct sensation. Therapeutic IV.

Regional variation in the interpretation of contact precautions for multi-drug-resistant Gram-negative bacteria: a cross-sectional survey

Contact precautions are recommended when caring for patients with carbapenemase-producing Enterobacterales (CPE), carbapenemase-producing Pseudomonas aeruginosa (CPPA), and extended-spectrum β-lactamase-producing Enterobacterales (ESBL-E). Our aim was to determine the interpretation of contact precautions and associatedinfection prevention and control (IPC) measures in the non-ICU hospital settingfor patients with CPE, CPPA or ESBL-E in 11 hospitals in the Southwest of the Netherlands. A cross-sectional survey was developed to collect information on all implemented IPC measures, including use of personal protective equipment, IPC measures for visitors, cleaning and disinfection, precautions during outpatient care and follow-up strategies. All 11 hospitals were invited to participate between November 2020 and April 2021. The survey was filled together with each hospital. All hospitals installed isolation precautions for patients with CPE and CPPA during inpatient care and day admissions, whereas 10 hospitals (90.9%) applied isolation precautions for patients with ESBL-E. Gloves and gowns were always used during physical contact with the patient in isolation. Large variations were identified in IPC measures for visitors, cleaning and disinfection products used, and precautions during outpatient care. Four hospitals (36.4%) actively followed up on CPE or CPPA patients with the aim of declaring them CPE- or CPPA-negative as timely as possible, and two hospitals (20.0%) actively followed up on ESBL-E patients. Contact precautions are interpreted differently between hospitals, leading to regional differences in IPC measures applied in clinical settings. Harmonizing infection-control policies between the hospitals could facilitate patient transfers and benefit collective efforts of preventing transmission of multi-drug-resistant Gram-negative bacteria.

Solvent-free in-situ polymerized plastic crystal electrolytes for long-cycling lithium metal batteries

Solid polymer electrolytes (SPEs) are regarded as the pivotal materials for next-generation battery technology on account of their improved safety and potentially enabling higher energy density chemistry compared to conventional liquid electrolytes. However, the practical application of SPEs still hindered by the limited room temperature ionic conductivity, insufficient physical contact and unstable solid electrolyte interface (SEI) with electrodes. Here we report a class of in-situ polymerized plastic crystal electrolytes (PPCEs) which break the trade-offs between degree of polymerization and ionic conductivity of in-situ polymerized SPEs. The complete polymerized electrolytes combined both the advantages of in-situ polymer electrolytes and plastic crystal electrolytes, exhibiting thin thickness, good ionic conductivity, outstanding electrochemical stability and low interfacial impedance. As a result, symmetric Li cells with PPCE showed a superior long lifespan over 2500 h under 0.5 mA cm−2 and Li/PPCE/LiFePO4 (LiNi0.8Co0.1Mn0.1O2) cells displayed excellent long-cycling performance under 1.0 C at room temperature. The in-situ polymerized electrolyte system provides an effective strategy for developing safe and high-energy solid-state lithium batteries.

Usefulness of Hand-assisted Laparoscopic Restorative Proctocolectomy for Ulcerative Colitis in the Era of Laparoscopic Surgery - A Single-center Observational Study.

Hand-assisted laparoscopic surgery (HALS) combines the benefits of laparoscopic surgery with the tactile feedback from open surgery. In the current era of laparoscopic surgery, the significance of HALS as a technical transition has diminished. This study clarified the usefulness of HALS in restorative proctocolectomy (RPC) for ulcerative colitis (UC) in the era of laparoscopic surgery. The 212 patients who underwent RPC with ileal pouch-anal anastomosis between 2007 and 2023 were included in this study. The patients were divided into three groups, open surgery (OS), HALS, and conventional laparoscopic surgery (LAP), and their characteristics, surgical outcomes, surgical complications, and functional outcomes were compared. The number of surgical techniques was OS in 21 cases, HALS in 184 cases, and LAP in 7 cases. The number of surgeons was two for OS and HALS, and four for LAP, with OS and HALS having fewer surgeons than LAP. The length of the skin incision was 13, 7, and 3 cm for OS, HALS, and LAP, respectively, and the operation times was 250, 286, and 576 minutes for OS, HALS, and LAP, respectively, with LAP having the longest operation time. The postoperative complications and function did not differ markedly among the three groups. In RPC for UC, HALS involved fewer surgeons and a shorter operative time than LAP. Even in the era of laparoscopic surgery, HALS remains a useful option, especially when a shorter operation time is required or when the number of available surgeons is insufficient.

The multi-modal sensory effect on sour taste perception during oral processing of starch-thickened fluids

Sour taste is one of the fundamental taste attributes and considered as a saliva secretion stimulant facilitating consumers with xerostomia and swallowing difficulties. The dynamic sour taste perception during oral processing of starch-thickened fluid was therefore investigated in this study. Recruited healthy subjects were divided into those with high (H_AMS) and low (L_AMS) salivary α-amylase activity groups and their temporal dominant sensory evaluation were analyzed while oral processing starch-thickened fluid samples with different concentration of citric acid. By simultaneously evaluating the physical and chemical properties of subjects' expectorated fluid/saliva mixtures, the complex and multi-modal interplay between fluid viscosity (tactile perception), citric acid concentration (taste perception), salivary α-amylase activity (binary taste interaction) was successfully demonstrated. The sour taste perception was found to be greatly affected by the continuous starch-thickened fluid hydrolysis by salivary α-amylase, resulting in a gradual production of sweet-tasting oligosaccharides and simultaneous decrease in fluid viscosity, and group variations (H_AMS vs. L_AMS) were pronouncedly observed in the hydrolyzed oligosaccharide concentrations (glucose, maltose, and maltotriose) which suitably corresponded to the selected dominant sensory attributes including perceived taste differences and taste dominant duration. These findings suggest that salivary biochemical properties and the thickened fluid type greatly influence consumers’ sensory perception. This could provide valuable insights for designing and optimizing thickened foods and beverages that are palatable in sensory properties and meet the needs of special consumers.

Prioritizing Protecting Oneself Over the COVID-19 Virus Versus Other Health and Social Needs Among Older Adults Living Alone: A Qualitative Study.

People aged 65 and older, deemed most "vulnerable" by public health, were targeted by the coronavirus disease 2019 protection measures, which sought to minimize physical contact and social activities. Older adults living alone were particularly affected by these measures. However, such measures meant to protect the older population may not have necessarily reflected older adults' individual prioritization choices. This study therefore aimed to understand how protecting oneself over the virus was considered in the prioritization of other health and social needs of older adults living alone during the pandemic. This study adopted a qualitative design. A total of 17 semistructured interviews were conducted between May 2021 and June 2022 with older adults living alone. All interviews were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim. A reflexive thematic analysis as defined by Braun and Clarke was performed. Our analysis showed 2 forms of prioritization across 2 themes. This first theme focused on participants who reported prioritizing protecting themselves over the virus by limiting in-person contact and activities. The second theme showed that although several participants reported that protecting themselves over the virus was important to them, the prioritization of this need was not shared by all and, in some cases, evolved over the course of the pandemic. Our study demonstrated heterogeneity in the prioritization of older adults needs. Future public health recommendations should consider these variations in the needs and priorities of older adults when determining public health measures.

Monitoring the Sleep Respiratory Rate with Low-Cost Microcontroller Wi-Fi in a Controlled Environment

Sleep apnea, characterized by breathing interruptions or slow breathing at night, can cause various health issues. Detecting respiratory rate (RR) using Wireless Fidelity (Wi-Fi) can identify sleep disorders without physical contact avoiding sleep disruption. However, traditional methods using Network Interface Cards (NICs) like the Intel Wi-Fi Link 5300 NIC are often costly and limited in channel state information (CSI) resolution. Our study introduces an effective strategy using the affordable ESP32 single-board computer for tracking RR through detailed analysis of Wi-Fi signal CSI. We developed a technique correlating Wi-Fi signal fluctuations with RR, employing signal processing methods—Hampel Filtering, Gaussian Filtering, Linear Interpolation, and Butterworth Low Pass Filtering—to accurately extract relevant signals. Additionally, noise from external movements is mitigated using a Z-Score for anomaly detection approach. We also implemented a local peak function to count peaks within an interval, scaling it to bpm for RR identification. RR measurements were conducted at different rates—Normal (12–16 bpm), Fast (&gt;16 bpm), and Slow (&lt;12 bpm)—to assess the effectiveness in both normal and sleep apnea conditions. Tested on data from 8 participants with distinct body types and genders, our approach demonstrated accuracy by comparing modeled sleep RR against actual RR measurements from the Vernier Respiration Monitor Belt. Optimal parameter settings yielded an overall average mean absolute deviation (MAD) of 2.60 bpm, providing the best result for normal breathing (MAD = 1.38). Different optimal settings were required for fast (MAD = 1.81) and slow breathing (MAD = 2.98). The results indicate that our method effectively detects RR using a low-cost approach under different parameter settings.

Dismissing the idea that basketball is a "contactless" sport: quantifying contacts during professional gameplay.

Basketball, introduced by Naismith as a contactless and indoor alternative to sports such as American football, now frequently involves physical contact among players, challenging the traditional notion. Up to date, a thorough understanding of these contacts and their implications remains limited. This study aims to analyze player contacts, embedding it within overall load monitoring to optimize performance and reduce injury risk. Using a mixed-method design, video-based observations and quantitative analysis were employed to study contact characteristics during ten professional male basketball matches. Fisher exact tests and chi-squared tests (p < .05) were conducted to examine positional variations across different contact variables. A total of 2,069 player contacts were examined, showing centers had the most contacts at 40.5%, followed by power forwards (19.6%), point guards (17.7%), shooting guards (12.9%), and small forwards (9.3%). Notably, half-court defense (46.1%) and set offense (48.9%) emerged as the primary game phases associated with the majority of contacts across all playing positions. Key play actions leading to physical contact included screening/picking (25.7%), box outs (22.9%), and fights for position (FFP) (18%). Post hoc analyses identified significant associations between centers (32.6%, 5.93) and point guards (21.5%, -1.98) during screening/picking maneuvers. Moreover, the torso/upper body (48.1%) and upper extremities (38.2%) were identified as the most affected contact points, while lower extremities and the head/neck exhibited minimal impact. Additionally, 81.4% (n = 1,684) of contacts resulted in kinematic displacement, whereas 18.6% (n = 385) exhibited no change. Post hoc analyses indicated significant associations of physical contacts against opposing counterparts for each playing position. Basketball entails frequent physical contacts across all playing positions, with distinct patterns observed for each playing position. Integrating contact monitoring alongside traditional load metrics offers a more comprehensive understanding of physical demands in professional basketball. Practical implications include the developing of tailored training strategies based on playing position-specific contact profiles and recognizing the physiological and biomechanical impacts of contacts. Future research should consider whether the number of contacts between players has increased over the years, and it should acknowledge the impact of player contacts on performance in basketball in order to refine training strategies and enhance player well-being.

Altered connectivity of central autonomic network: effects of dysautonomia in hereditary transthyretin amyloidosis with polyneuropathy

Background Hereditary transthyretin amyloidosis with polyneuropathy (ATTRv-PN) is a progressive fatal disorder caused by deposition of mutant transthyretin (TTR) amyloids mainly in the nerves and heart. Autonomic dysfunction is a major disabling manifestation, affecting 90% of patients with late-onset ATTRv-PN. The current study aimed to investigate brain functional alterations associated with dysautonomia due to peripheral autonomic nerve degeneration in ATTRv-PN. Methods Resting-state functional MRI data were acquired from 43 ATTRv-PN patients predominantly of A97S (p.A117S) genotype, and the functional connectivity of central autonomic regions was assessed. Results Compared with age-matched healthy controls, the ATTRv-PN patients exhibited (1) reduced functional connectivity of the central autonomic regions such as hypothalamus, amygdala, anterior insula, and middle cingulate cortex with brain areas of the limbic, frontal, and somatosensory systems, and (2) correlations of reduced functional autonomic connectivity with the severity of autonomic dysfunction especially orthostatic intolerance, decreased heart rate variability, and greater clinical disability. Conclusions Our findings provide evidence linking peripheral autonomic dysfunction with altered connectivity in the central autonomic network in ATTRv-PN.

Review on IoT-Driven Infusion Monitoring &amp; Management System

Effective intravenous (IV) infusion management and monitoring are essential in today's healthcare environment to guarantee patient safety and improve the standard of care. In order to overcome the drawbacks of conventional IV drip monitoring techniques, this study describes the creation of a contactless, Internet of Things-driven infusion monitoring and management system. With the use of cutting-edge sensor technology and Internet of Things connection, the suggested system combines real-time IV drip liquid level monitoring and control, delivering precise and ongoing updates. Healthcare practitioners may now monitor and analyse patient data remotely thanks to the gathered data's constant updating and transmission to the Think Speak cloud platform. With its combination of real- time data collecting, cloud-based analytics, and emergency alert features, the proposed contactless IoT-driven infusion monitoring and management system represents a substantial improvement in healthcare technology. Using the power of IoT and cloud computing, this invention seeks to enhance overall patient outcomes, optimize IV treatment administration, and decrease human monitoring efforts. To increase patient safety, the system has an emergency alarm mechanism based on GSM modules. This feature ensures that caregivers are notified promptly of any irregularities or critical IV drip levels, allowing for prompt treatment. By providing real-time signals, the device lessens the risks related to delayed reactions to IV fluid failure or depletion. Formulating a real-time model for IV drip liquid level monitoring is the main goal of the system. By employing non-invasive sensors to identify and record the drip rate and fluid levels, this gadget assures precise tracking without having physical contact with the IV apparatus. Keywords: Internet of Things, ESP32 microcontroller, Biomedical, GSM, Relay, LCD Display.