Background: Blood vessels have the Windkessel effect and are involved in blood circulation. The breakdown of this mechanism is also involved in the pathogenesis of heart failure (HF); however, the relationship between vascular dysfunction and HF prognosis is not fully understood. Methods: We evaluated 214 patients hospitalized for HF at our institution who underwent a cardio–ankle vascular index (CAVI), which evaluates vascular function, between January 2012 and July 2018. To investigate factors (including CAVI) associated with major adverse cardiac events (MACE) during 1 year after patients with HF were discharged, we evaluated clinical profiles, blood tests, chest X-P, 12-lead electrocardiography, and transthoracic echocardiographic findings. MACE was defined as cardiovascular death or readmission for HF. Results: The severity of HF between the MACE and non-MACE was not significantly different. Previous HF and chronic kidney disease were significantly more common in the MACE group. CAVI and % mean atrial pressure in the MACE group were statistically higher than those in the non-MACE group. The cardiac shadow as shown by chest X-P and left ventricular size in the MACE group were significantly bigger, and HF preserved ejection fraction (EF) (EF > 50%) was significantly more common in the MACE group. In multivariate analysis, CAVI was an independent predictive factor for the occurrence of MACE (model 1; hazard ratio (HR): 1.33, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.05–1.68, p = 0.018; model 2; HR: 1.31, 95% CI: 1.07–1.60, p = 0.009). Conclusions: Because high CAVI is associated with poor prognosis of HF, these patients require more careful treatment. Full article

Feminist reflections on the sexual division of labour have given rise to a body of knowledge on the ethics of care from different disciplines, including philosophy, in which outstanding contributions to the topic have been formulated. This approach is applicable to the analysis of any phenomenon and particularly that of disasters. As various investigations have highlighted, the consequences on the population throughout all of a disaster’s phases (prevention, emergency, and reconstruction) require an analysis of differentiated vulnerabilities based on gender and other identity categories, such as social class, ethnicity, age, disability, sexual identity, etc. The interrelation between all these variables gives rise to differentiated impacts that cannot be ignored in catastrophic contexts, where survival and sustaining life are at stake, so care becomes a central issue. Research on the topic has also identified that, along with the analysis of social vulnerability, we must consider the capacity for agency, both individual and collective, where care is once again of vital importance. Considering the gender approach and its multiple intersections is thus a fundamental theoretical-practical proposal for the study of disasters from philosophy, as it implies an unavoidable epistemic, ontological, and ethical reflection in the face of risk reduction. Full article

This study investigates the effects of the gulf stream (GS) on sea-level oscillations across various time scales and assesses the performance of a coastal and estuarine model nested within a global model in simulating these variations. It aims to improve boundary conditions to simulate sea-level oscillations more accurately by considering the influence of GS flow. An inverse correlation is observed between observed sea-level oscillation and GS flow, which becomes more pronounced over longer time scales. Using Delft3D, a high-resolution coastal and estuarine model is developed to simulate circulation dynamics in the central Indian River Lagoon (IRL), FL, and adjacent coastal areas on the Florida east coast. The model is nested into the HYCOM (Hybrid Coordinate Ocean Model), and meteorological forcings are derived from the NARR (North American Regional Reanalysis) model. The model demonstrates satisfactory performance across key parameters, including tide, salinity, water temperature, and currents. However, there remains a noticeable difference between the modeled and observed data. To address this, the model is executed with modified flow boundary conditions at eastern boundary nodes, integrating HYCOM tide, and observing low-frequency sea-level variations. The implementation of the new boundary conditions results in an improved simulation of sea-level oscillations. This study presents the conceptual framework and detailed methodologies employed in the creation of a high-resolution model tailored for estuarine and coastal areas nested into global models capable of satisfactorily simulating sea-level oscillations even when the global model does not represent GS effects. Full article

Sprayers’ exposure to glyphosate was analyzed through detection of its biomarker in spot urine biological monitoring, and the health risk was assessed using the biomatrix model. Urine samples were collected from 15 sprayers after spraying, and the glyphosate concentration was determined by using the DLLME-HPLC method with a UV detector. The calibration curve for glyphosate was linear in the range of 0.4–100 µg/L, while the limits of detection and quantification were 0.1 µg/L and 0.4 µg/L, respectively. The human health risk was estimated using the hazard quotient (HQ) and the biomatrix of risk assessment. The internal dose ranged from 0.0001 to 0.0021 mg/kg b.w./day. The non-cancer HQ showed no potential health risk concerns (HQ < 1). The biomatrix of health risk assessment, based on urinary glyphosate concentration, exhibited a strong correlation with the health risk matrix model. This correlation was determined by considering the likelihood of exposure, calculated from the quantity of glyphosate used and the usage of personal protective equipment (r = 0.854, p < 0.001). Although low risk was observed in sprayers, proper PPE use and the application of more knowledge are required. The simplified health risk assessment can be used for easy self-assessment of risk in preventive action regarding health risk awareness among sprayers. Full article

Carbon geological storage (CGS) is one of the key processes in carbon capture and storage (CCS) technologies, which are used to reduce CO₂ emissions and achieve carbon-neutrality and net-zero emissions in developing countries. In Thailand, the Mae Moh basin is a potential site for implementing CGS due to the presence of a structural trap that can seal the CO₂ storage formation. However, the cost of CGS projects needs to be subsidized by selling carbon credits in order to reach the project breakeven. Therefore, this paper estimates the economic components of a CGS project in the Mae Moh basin by designing the well completion and operating parameters for CO₂ injection. The capital costs and operating costs of the process components were calculated, and the minimum carbon credit cost required to cover the total costs of the CGS project was determined. The results indicate that the designed system proposes an operating gas injection rate of 1.454 MMscf/day, which is equivalent to 29,530 tCO₂e per year per well. Additionally, the minimum carbon credit cost was estimated to be USD 70.77 per tCO₂e in order to achieve breakeven for the best case CGS project, which was found to be much higher than the current market price of carbon credit in Thailand, at around USD 3.5 per tCO₂e. To enhance the economic prospects of this area, it is imperative to promote a policy of improving the cost of carbon credit for CGS projects in Thailand. Full article

Influenza viruses cause highly contagious respiratory diseases that cause millions of deaths worldwide. Rapid detection of influenza viruses is essential for accurate diagnosis and the initiation of appropriate treatment. We developed a loop-mediated isothermal amplification and lateral flow assay (LAMP-LFA) capable of simultaneously detecting influenza A and influenza B. Primer sets for influenza A and influenza B were designed to target conserved regions of segment 7 and the nucleoprotein gene, respectively. Optimized through various primer set ratios, the assay operated at 62 °C for 30 min. For a total of 243 (85 influenza A positive, 58 influenza B positive and 100 negative) nasopharyngeal swab samples, the performance of the influenza A/B multiplex LAMP-LFA was compared with that of the commercial Allplex^TM Respiratory Panel 1 assay (Seegene, Seoul, Korea). The influenza A/B multiplex LAMP-LFA demonstrated a specificity of 98% for the non-infected clinical samples, along with sensitivities of 94.1% for the influenza A clinical samples and 96.6% for the influenza B clinical samples, respectively. The influenza A/B multiplex LAMP-LFA showed high sensitivity and specificity, indicating that it is reliable for use in a low-resource environment. Full article

Sperm capacitation involves biochemical and physiological changes that enable sperm to fertilize the oocyte. It can be induced in vitro under controlled conditions that simulate the environment of the oviduct. While extensively studied in mammals, its approach in lizards remains absent. Understanding the mechanisms that ensure reproduction is essential for advancing the implementation of assisted reproductive technologies in this group. We aimed to perform a sperm analysis to determine if capacitation-related changes were induced after incubation with capacitating media. Fifteen males of Sceloporus torquatus were collected during the early stage of the reproductive season. The sperm were isolated from the seminal plasma and then diluted up to a volume of 150 μL using BWW medium to incubate with 5% CO₂ at 30 °C for a maximum duration of 3 h. A fraction was retrieved hourly for ongoing sperm assessment. The sperm analysis included assessments of its motility, viability, the capacitation status using the chlortetracycline (CTC) assay, and the acrosome integrity with the lectin binding assay to detect changes during incubation. We found that total motility was maintained up to 2 h post incubation, after which it decreased. However, sperm viability remained constant. From that moment on, we observed a transition to a deeper and less symmetrical flagellar bending in many spermatozoa. The CTC assay indicated a reduction in the percentage of sperm showing the full (F) pattern and an increase in those exhibiting the capacitated (B) and reactive (RA) patterns, accompanied by an elevation in the percentage of damaged acrosomes as revealed by the lectin binding assay. In mammals, these changes are often associated with sperm capacitation. Our observations support the notion that this process may also occur in saurian. While sperm analysis is a valuable method for assessing certain functional changes, additional approaches are required to validate this process. Full article

The intricate process of planning production, involving product life cycle management and the synthesis of manufacturing information, is crucial for coherence in manufacturing. Manufacturing companies, operating in a high-mix, low-volume production environment, integrate production planning with management to focus on production processes, emphasizing high-quality, rapid product delivery. This includes material item planning to anticipate future demands and ensure sufficient raw material and finished product quantities, considering purchasing, production, and sales capacities. This study explores the electro technical sector, specifically a manufacturing entity specializing in low-voltage plastic cable distribution boxes. It scrutinizes the vital role of seasonal data cleaning in optimizing production planning, with a targeted focus on three products. The implementation of a chase demand strategy is related to capacity planning, taking into account the change in production capacity linked to demand over time. The problem in implementing this strategy is related to the fluctuating level of quality due to changes in demand for specified products. Full article

Darwin’s theory of evolution by natural selection was revolutionary because it provided a mechanism by which variation could be selected. This mechanism can only operate on living systems and thus cannot be applied to the origin of life. Here, we propose a viable alternative mechanism for prebiotic systems: autocatalytic selection, in which molecules catalyze reactions and processes that lead to increases in their concentration. Crucially, this provides a driver for increases in concentrations of molecules to a level that permits prebiotic metabolism. We show how this can produce high levels of amino acids, sugar phosphates, nucleotides and lipids and then lead on to polymers. Our outline is supported by a set of guidelines to support the identification of the most likely prebiotic routes. Most of the steps in this pathway are already supported by experimental results. These proposals generate a coherent and viable set of pathways that run from established Hadean geochemistry to the beginning of life. Full article

This study proposes an optimization method for temperature modulation in chemiresistor-type gas sensors based on Bayesian optimization (BO), and its applicability was investigated. As voltage for a sensor heater, our previously proposed waveform was employed, and the parameters determining the voltage range were optimized. Employing the Bouldin–Davies index (DBI) as an objective function (OBJ), BO was utilized to minimize the DBI calculated from a feature matrix built from the collected data followed by pre-processing. The sensor responses were measured using five test gases with five concentrations, amounting to 2500 data points per parameter set. After seven trials with four initial parameter sets (ten parameter sets were tested in total), the DBI was successfully reduced from 2.1 to 1.5. The classification accuracy for the test gases based on the support vector machine tends to increase with decreasing the DBI, indicating that the DBI acts as a good OBJ. Additionally, the accuracy itself increased from 85.4% to 93.2% through optimization. The deviation from the tendency that the accuracy increases with decreasing the DBI for some parameter sets was also discussed. Consequently, it was demonstrated that the proposed optimization method based on BO is promising for temperature modulation. Full article

Introduction: Urine free cortisol measurements are routinely performed to evaluate hypercortisolism. Despite their analytical inaccuracy, immunoassay-based methods are frequently used. Advances in liquid chromatography–high-resolution mass spectrometry (LC-HRMS) facilitate the incorporation of powerful diagnostic tools into clinical laboratories. In addition to its high analytical specificity and simultaneous analysis of different metabolites, accurate mass measurement allows for untargeted compound identification, which may help to identify clinically relevant metabolites or drugs. Methods: The present study aimed to validate a simple routine LC–HRMS method to quantify cortisol, cortisone, 6β-hydroxycortisol, and 18-hydroxycortisol simultaneously in human urine. Additionally, the study also validated a GC-MS method for the same steroids, evaluated their cross-reactivity with commercial cortisol immunoassays, and quantified the 24 h urine excretion in patients under clinical suspicion or follow-up for hypercortisolism. Results: The LC-HRMS method involved liquid–liquid extraction using dichloromethane, micro-LC for chromatographic separation and detection using the accurate masses of the steroids, and simultaneous high-resolution full scan acquisition. The method presented acceptable linearity, precision, and accuracy. Significant interference from 6β-hydroxycortisol and cortisone was demonstrated in the cortisol immunoassays, which impacted their reliability in the follow-up of patients with hypercortisolism and significant changes in these cortisol metabolites (i.e., due to drug-induced changes in CYP3A4 activity). Conclusion: A rapid and accurate routine LC-HRMS method was validated, which is useful for the evaluation of hypercortisolism and other disorders of glucocorticoid and mineralocorticoid metabolism. Full article

(1) Background: Precise diagnosis and early intervention are crucial for toddlers with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) to achieve a better prognosis. This study investigated the efficacy of the Clancy Behavior Scale (CBS) and Modified Checklist for Autism in Toddlers (M-CHAT) in detecting ASD among toddlers under 30 months of age. (2) Methods: A total of 215 toddlers (117 with ASD and 98 with development delays) aged between 18 and 29 months participated in this study. All the primary caregivers of these toddlers were recruited to complete the CBS and M-CHAT. (3) Results: The findings indicated that the accuracy of the CBS and M-CHAT was promising, and the short forms of these two instruments performed better than their full versions. The CBS:9 critical items presented a sensitivity of 0.75 and a specificity of 0.74, while the M-CHAT:14 brief items showed a sensitivity of 0.72 and a specificity of 0.85. (4) Conclusions: The diagnostic accuracy of high-risk ASD toddlers improved via the combination of CBS and M-CHAT, particularly when the information gathered from these two instruments were consistent. The findings may provide implications for enhancing the early detection of ASD. Full article

Norbormide (NRB) is a Rattus-selective toxicant, which was serendipitously discovered in 1964 and formerly marketed as an eco-friendly rodenticide that was deemed harmless to non-Rattus species. However, due to inconsistent efficacy and the emergence of second-generation anticoagulants, its usage declined, with registration lapsing in 2003. NRBs’ lethal action in rats entails irreversible vasoconstriction of peripheral arteries, likely inducing cardiac damage: however, the precise chain of events leading to fatality and the target organs involved remain elusive. This unique contractile effect is exclusive to rat arteries and is induced solely by the endo isomers of NRB, hinting at a specific receptor involvement. Understanding NRB’s mechanism of action is crucial for developing species-selective toxicants as alternatives to the broad-spectrum ones currently in use. Recent research efforts have focused on elucidating its cellular mechanisms and sites of action using novel NRB derivatives. The key findings are as follows: NRB selectively opens the rat mitochondrial permeability transition pore, which may be a factor that contributes to its lethal effect; it inhibits rat vascular K_ATP channels, which potentially controls its Rattus-selective vasoconstricting activity; and it possesses intracellular binding sites in both sensitive and insensitive cells, as revealed by fluorescent derivatives. These studies have led to the development of a prodrug with enhanced pharmacokinetic and toxicological profiles, which is currently undergoing registration as a novel efficacious eco-sustainable Rattus-selective toxicant. The NRB-fluorescent derivatives also show promise as non-toxic probes for intracellular organelle labelling. This review documents in more detail these developments and their implications. Full article

Dysfunctional breathing (DB) describes a respiratory condition that is mainly characterized by abnormal breathing patterns, affecting both children and adults, often leading to intermittent or chronic complaints and influencing physiological, psychological, and social aspects. Some symptoms include breathlessness; dizziness; palpitations; and anxiety, while its classification lies in breathing pattern disorders and upper airway involvement. Its prevalence among the pediatric population varies with a female overrepresentation, while the existence of comorbidities in DB, such as asthma, gastro-esophageal reflux, nasal diseases, and anxiety/depression, frequently leads to misdiagnosis or underdiagnosis and complicates therapeutic approaches. The basic diagnostic tools involve a detailed history, physical examination, and procedures such as structured light plethysmography, cardiopulmonary exercise testing, and laryngoscopy when a laryngeal obstruction is present. The management of DB presumes a multidimensional approach encompassing breathing retraining, disease-specific advice through speech and language therapy in the presence of laryngeal obstruction, psychotherapy for fostering self-efficacy, and surgical therapy in a structural abnormality. The current review was developed to provide a summary of classifications of DB and epidemiological data concerning the pediatric population, comorbidities, diagnostic tools, and therapeutic approaches to enhance the comprehension and management of DB in children. Full article

Obesity represents a growing public health concern, affecting more than 15% of the global adult population and involving a multi-billion market that comprises nutritional, surgical, psychological, and multidisciplinary interventions. The objective of this retrospective study was to evaluate the short-term efficacy and body weight measurements associated with differing levels of physical activity following the use of Allurion’s ingestible gastric balloon that was designed to increase feelings of fullness and decrease food consumption, being naturally eliminated after approximately 16 weeks. This study involved 571 individuals who qualified for the intervention for being older than 20 years with a body mass index (BMI) of 27 kg/m² or more. Utilizing the Scale App Health Tracker and Allurion’s smartwatch, this study was able to track vital signs and physical activity in real time. The participants had an average initial BMI of 34.1 kg/m² and a median age of 41 years. Notable outcomes were observed in both study groups, “Less Active” and “More Active”, which were classified by achieving less or more than a median number of 8000 daily steps. Specifically, body fat percentage saw a reduction from 33.1 ± 9.4 to 28.3 ± 10.2 in the less active group and from 32.2 to 27.5 in the more active group, with both groups achieving statistical significance (p < 0.001). Additionally, there was a significant reduction in average weight, dropping from 98.2 ± 22.8 kg to 84.6 ± 19.3 kg in the less active group and from 97.7 ± 21.0 kg to 82.1 ± 22.9 kg in the more active group (both p < 0.001). Interestingly, those in the more active group also experienced a significant increase in lean mass compared to their less active counterparts (p = 0.045), although no substantial differences in weight loss, BMI reduction, and total body fat decrease were observed between the two groups. This investigation confirms the hypothesis that Allurion’s ingestible gastric balloon significantly reduces weight in the short term and enhances several physical health metrics, demonstrating effectiveness as an autonomous method for challenging weight management, regardless of the level of daily physical activity. Full article

LiDAR-based 3D object detection and localization are crucial components of autonomous navigation systems, including autonomous vehicles and mobile robots. Most existing LiDAR-based 3D object detection and localization approaches primarily use geometric or structural feature abstractions from LiDAR point clouds. However, these approaches can be susceptible to environmental noise due to adverse weather conditions or the presence of highly scattering media. In this work, we propose an intensity-aware voxel encoder for robust 3D object detection. The proposed voxel encoder generates an intensity histogram that describes the distribution of point intensities within a voxel and is used to enhance the voxel feature set. We integrate this intensity-aware encoder into an efficient single-stage voxel-based detector for 3D object detection. Experimental results obtained using the KITTI dataset show that our method achieves comparable results with respect to the state-of-the-art method for car objects in 3D detection and from a bird’s-eye view and superior results for pedestrian and cyclic objects. Furthermore, our model can achieve a detection rate of 40.7 FPS during inference time, which is higher than that of the state-of-the-art methods and incurs a lower computational cost. Full article

Limited research on working memory has centered on ethnically/racially minoritized children, thereby limiting researchers’ abilities to draw conclusions about working memory or to provide additional supports in cultivating working memory for these children. Using the Integrative Theory as a lens, the current study explored the predictive benefit of parent academic socialization strategies on the working memory and subsequent mathematics skills of a nationally representative sample of ethnically/racially minoritized children. Using structural equation modeling techniques, a path model including social position; family structure; leisure activities; parent academic socialization strategies; and their association with kindergarten Asian/Asian-American (N = 1211), Black (N = 1927), and Latine (N = 3671) children’s working memory and first-grade mathematics skills were examined. Furthermore, multigroup moderation was used to test for differences between ethnic/racial groups. Connections to social capital theory, community cultural wealth, and culturally relevant interpretations of the study findings are discussed. Full article

Circadian rhythms integrate a finely tuned network of biological processes recurring every 24 h, intricately coordinating the machinery of all cells. This self-regulating system plays a pivotal role in synchronizing physiological and behavioral responses, ensuring an adaptive metabolism within the environmental milieu, including dietary and physical activity habits. The systemic integration of circadian homeostasis involves a balance of biological rhythms, each synchronically linked to the central circadian clock. Central to this orchestration is the temporal dimension of nutrient and food intake, an aspect closely interwoven with the neuroendocrine circuit, gut physiology, and resident microbiota. Indeed, the timing of meals exerts a profound influence on cell cycle regulation through genomic and epigenetic processes, particularly those involving gene expression, DNA methylation and repair, and non-coding RNA activity. These (epi)genomic interactions involve a dynamic interface between circadian rhythms, nutrition, and the gut microbiota, shaping the metabolic and immune landscape of the host. This research endeavors to illustrate the intricate (epi)genetic interplay that modulates the synchronization of circadian rhythms, nutritional signaling, and the gut microbiota, unravelling the repercussions on metabolic health while suggesting the potential benefits of feed circadian realignment as a non-invasive therapeutic strategy for systemic metabolic modulation via gut microbiota. This exploration delves into the interconnections that underscore the significance of temporal eating patterns, offering insights regarding circadian rhythms, gut microbiota, and chrono-nutrition interactions with (epi)genomic phenomena, thereby influencing diverse aspects of metabolic, well-being, and quality of life outcomes. Full article

Adaptive characteristics of plants, such as those associated with photosynthesis and resource use efficiency, are usually affected by synthesis costs and resource availability. The impact of extreme climate events such as long-term drought on plant physiological functions needs to be examined, particularly as it concerns the internal management of water and nitrogen (N) resources. In this study, we evaluated the resource management strategies for water and N by xerophytic shrubs, Artemisia ordosica and Salix psammophila, under extreme summer drought. This was carried out by comparing the plants’ physiological status during periods of wet and dry summer conditions in 2019 and 2021. Compared with the wet period, A. ordosica and S. psammophila both decreased their light-saturated net carbon (C) assimilation rate (A_sat), stomatal conductance (g_s), transpiration rate (E), leaf N content per leaf area (N_area), and photosynthetic N use efficiency (PNUE) during the summer drought. Whether in wet or dry summers, the gas-exchange parameters and PNUE of A. ordosica were generally greater than those associated with S. psammophila. The instantaneous water use efficiency (IWUE) response to drought varied with species. As a drought-tolerant species, the A. ordosica shrubs increased their IWUE during drought, whereas the S. psammophila shrubs (less drought-tolerant) decreased theirs. The divergent responses to drought by the two species were largely related to differences in the sensitivity of g_s, and as a result, E. Compared with A. ordosica, S. psammophila’s inferior plasticity regarding g_s response affected its ability to conserve water during drought. Our research illustrates the need for assessing plasticity in g_s when addressing plant adaptation to long-term drought. A high dry-season IWUE in xerophytic shrubs can benefit the plants by augmenting their C gain. Full article

A novel pretreatment strategy utilizing a combination of NaOH and 1-Butyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride ([Bmim]Cl) was proposed to enhance the enzymatic hydrolysis of abandoned Medium-density fiberboard (MDF). The synergistic effect of NaOH and [Bmim]Cl pretreatment significantly improved the glucose yield, reaching 445.8 mg/g within 72 h, which was 5.04 times higher than that of the untreated samples. The working mechanism was elucidated according to chemical composition, as well as FTIR, ¹³C NMR, XRD, and SEM analyses. The combined effects of NaOH and [Bmim]Cl led to lignin degradation, hemicellulose removal, the destruction and erosion of crystalline regions, pores, and an irregular microscopic morphology. In addition, by comparing the enzymatic hydrolysis sugar yield and elemental nitrogen content of untreated MDF samples, eucalyptus, and hot mill fibers (HMF), it was demonstrated that the presence of adhesives and additives in waste MDF significantly influences its hydrolysis process. The sugar yield of untreated MDF samples (88.5 mg/g) was compared with those subjected to hydrothermal pretreatment (183.2 mg/g), Ionic liquid (IL) pretreatment (406.1 mg/g), and microwave-assisted ionic liquid pretreatment (MWI) (281.3 mg/g). A long water bath pretreatment can reduce the effect of adhesives and additives on the enzymatic hydrolysis of waste MDF. The sugar yield produced by the combined pretreatment proposed in this study and the removal ability of adhesives and additives highlight the great potential of our pretreatment technology in the recycling of waste fiberboard. Full article

Coarse-grained molecular dynamics simulations are employed to investigate the spatiotemporal evolution of vesicles (polymersomes) through the self-assembly of randomly distributed amphiphilic BAB triblock copolymers with hydrophilic A and hydrophobic B blocks in an aqueous solution. The vesiculation pathway consists of several intermediate structures, such as an interconnected network of copolymer aggregates, a cage of cylindrical micelles, and a lamellar cage. The cage-to-vesicle transition occurs at a constant aggregation number and practically eliminates the hydrophobic interfacial area between the B block and solvent. Molecular reorganization underlying the sequence of morphology transitions from a cage-like aggregate to a vesicle is nearly isentropic. The end-to-end distances of isolated copolymer chains in solution and those within a vesicular assembly follow lognormal probability distributions. This can be attributed to the preponderance of folded chain configurations in which the two hydrophobic end groups of a given chain stay close to each other. However, the probability distribution of end-to-end distances is broader for chains within the vesicle as compared with that of a single chain. This is due to the swelling of the folded configurations within the hydrophobic bilayer. Increasing the hydrophobicity of the B block reduces the vesiculation time without qualitatively altering the self-assembly pathway. Full article

We report the case of a 61-year-old woman who was referred to the Oral Surgery and Implantology Unit of the University Hospitals of Geneva to take care of edentulous sites after the dental avulsions of teeth 11 and 21 following traumatic shock due to endotracheal intubation under general anesthesia. The dental history revealed that the patient had a history of generalized chronic periodontitis that had been treated several years earlier. The treatment consisted, for the first time to our knowledge, of the immediate insertion of implants at sites 11 and 21 with simultaneous bone augmentation in a single surgical procedure and immediate restorations. Full article