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Temporomandibular disorders among adult patients: Relationship with personality traits and other factors

Introduction Temporomandibular disorders (TMDs) refer to the pain and dysfunction of the temporomandibular joints and associated masticatory muscles. There is a lack of evidence about the relationship between TMDs and personality traits. The aim of the study was to evaluate temporo-mandibular disorders and their relationship with personality traits and other study variables among adult patients in Dammam, Saudi Arabia. Methods This cross-sectional study was conducted at the Dental Hospital of the College of Dentistry, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University (IAU), Dammam, Saudi Arabia. Adult male and female patients attending dental hospital who provided written consent were included in the study. A self-administered questionnaire was administered among participants, which included demographic information, Big-Five Inventory-2 Short form (BFI-2 S) for personality traits, and Fonseca’s questionnaire for temporo-mandibular disorders (TMDs). A t-test, one-way ANOVA test, and multiple linear regression analysis were performed in the study. Results The study included 500 participants, with 66.4% males and 33.6% females. Most participants (59.2%) had TMDs, with 40% mild TMDs, 14.6% moderate TMDs, and 4.6% severe TMDs. Females demonstrated a significantly higher mean score of Fonseca’s questionnaire (31.79 ± 21.96) compared to males (22.32 ± 18.75) (P < 0.001). The participants with no education had the highest mean score of Fonseca’s questionnaire (52.50 ± 33.06) compared to those with school education (27.09 ± 18.96) and college/university education (23.49 ± 19.78) (P < 0.001). The participants with arthritis and sleep disorders demonstrated significantly greater severity of TMDs than those without these conditions (P < 0.001). There was a significant negative correlation between TMDs and agreeableness (r = −0.26, P < 0.001) and conscientiousness (r = −0.23, P < 0.001). However, a significant positive correlation (r = 0.33, P < 0.001) can be observed between TMDs and neuroticism. According to multiple linear regression analysis models, agreeableness (B = −1.17, P < 0.001), conscientiousness (B = −1.04, P < 0.001), and neuroticism (B = 1.45, P < 0.001) remained statistically significant predictors of TMDs after controlling for age, gender, nationality, education, and monthly income. Conclusion The study found that TMDs were highly prevalent among adult patients. TMDs were significantly related to female gender and low education level. The participants with arthritis and sleep disorders demonstrated significantly increased severity of TMDs. Neuroticism was significantly correlated with the severity of TMDs. On the other hand, agreeableness and conscientiousness were negatively correlated with TMDs and emerged as protective predictors against TMDs. Adult patients should be screened for TMDs and personality traits, and multidisciplinary treatment plans involving treatments for TMDs and psychological support should be tailored for them.

Achieving ultralow critical micelle concentration of surfactant with an unlocked aggregation-induced emission probe under pressure

The ultralow critical micelle concentration (CMC) for micellar stability is crucial in photovoltaic devices, optoelectronic technologies, and biosensors. While aggregation-induced emission (AIE) probes function as sensitive fluorescence switches for millimolar-level CMC detection, their application in the micromolar regime has been limited by the inherent high fluorescence background. Here, a robust strategy is developed to achieve the ultralow CMC of surfactants by the detection of AIE-active 2-(benzo[d]thiazol-2-yl)-5-(diphenylamino)-phenol (BDTP) system. Under 0.82 GPa, the CMC of typical cetyl trimethyl ammonium bromide probed by BDTP is significantly reduced to 15.0 μM compared to 780.0 μM at 0 GPa. The detection of ultralow CMC is attributed to pronounced fluorescence quenching under pressure. Femtosecond transient absorption spectra reveal a clear picture that pressure-induced fluorescence quenching is associated with the triggered excited-state intramolecular proton transfer process. These results establish a direct structure–property–function relationship and provide a robust approach to leveraging this system for achieving and sensing ultralow CMC.

Multi-layered marble for hydrogel encapsulation

Internal gene segments from a mouse-adapted influenza B virus confer increased pathogenicity to mice

Influenza B viruses (IBVs) contribute significantly to the annual influenza epidemics in human. Most IBV strains are non- or poorly pathogenic in mice, which are frequently used for vaccine studies. We describe the generation of a mouse-adapted IBV strain that retains pathogenicity in mice when carrying hemagglutinin (HA) and neuraminidase (NA) gene segments from a heterologous IBV strain. Serial passage of an influenza B reassortant virus, containing the HA and NA segments from B/Washington/02/2019 on a mouse-adapted B/Memphis/12/1997 backbone, resulted in the selection of an IBV that was highly pathogenic for mice. This mouse-adapted IBV strain had acquired non-synonymous mutations in 5 gene segments. Sequence analysis of the intermediate passages indicated that mutations in the matrix (M), polymerase acidic (PA), and polymerase basic 1 (PB1) gene segments appeared at passages 9 and 13, suggesting that these mutations contributed to the pathogenicity in mice. Mouse challenge studies with rescued reassortant viruses with one or multiple mutated gene segments, confirmed the importance of substitutions in the M and PA segments for pathogenicity. Using the novel mouse-adapted IBV backbone, we rescued reassortant viruses containing the HA and NA segments of B/Austria/1359417/2021 and demonstrated its increased pathogenicity in BALB/c mice compared to IBV rescued on the parental strain. This mouse-adapted IBV backbone provides a valuable tool for the study of IBV in mice.

A high-current hydrovoltaic generator enabled by MXene/Al2O3 hybrid interfaces

The growing demand for distributed energy systems and wearable electronics has spurred strong interest in hydrovoltaic technologies. However, the vast majority of metal oxide-based hydrovoltaic devices, with Al2O3 being a prime example, are typically limited by low current output due to inefficient internal charge extraction and transport. In this work, we report a high-performance hydrovoltaic generator (HEG) fabricated by sequentially depositing zero-dimensional Al2O3 nanoparticles and two-dimensional MXene nanosheets onto a porous cotton fabric (CF) substrate. This hybrid architecture harnesses the electrokinetic charge generation of Al2O3 while utilizing the metallic conductivity of MXene as an efficient charge-collection and transport network, thereby significantly reducing internal resistance. The resulting MXene/Al2O3@CF hydrovoltaic generator (MAHEG) exhibits a three-order-of-magnitude enhancement in short-circuit current compared with a pure Al2O3 device. Under ambient conditions, the MAHEG delivers a maximum power density output of 47.72 μW cm−2 (∼0.39 V, ∼611.8 μA) and maintains excellent stability over repeated wet–dry cycles. Moreover, multiple units can be integrated with nearly linear scalability in voltage and current through series and parallel configurations, enabling direct powering of low-power electronic devices.

Pentose phosphate pathway fuels cGAS-STING signalling to boost function of intratumoral conventional dendritic cells

Reliability and validity of the Sinhala version of the physical activity questionnaire for older children (PAQ-C)

Introduction In Sri Lanka, as non-communicable diseases rise, the significance of physical activity is increasingly recognised, particularly in children. The Physical Activity Questionnaire for Older Children (PAQ-C) is widely used and can be considered as one of the best available tools for assessing physical activity in children. However, a validated tool for Sinhala-speaking children in Sri Lanka has been lacking. This study aims to culturally adapt and validate the PAQ-C for Sinhala-speaking children and evaluate its psychometric properties. Methodology This cross-sectional study involved 301 schoolchildren (197 males and 104 females) aged 8–11 years, during which the PAQ-C was translated into Sinhala, and a pre-final version was developed. In terms of validity, content validity, that is, the degree to which the content of an instrument is an adequate reflection of the construct to be measured, was assessed using the content validity index. In terms of reliability, test-retest reliability was measured with the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC). Results The Sinhala version of the PAQ-C demonstrated CVI at both item and scale levels is as one. The ICC was acceptable at 0.83. Conclusion The Sinhala version of the PAQ-C demonstrates good content validity and acceptable test–retest reliability, affirming its suitability as a cost-effective tool for assessing physical activity levels among Sinhala-speaking children in Sri Lanka and supporting informed interventions and public health strategies in the country.

Investigation of the RF performance degradation in GaN HEMTs associated with the kink effect

This work comprehensively investigates the RF performance degradation in GaN high-electron-mobility transistors associated with the kink effect. A pulsed kink amplitude modulated method is proposed to quantitatively correlate kink amplitude with RF S-parameter degradation. Experimental results show that a 25% increase in kink amplitude corresponds to an 18.6% drop in intrinsic transconductance (gm) and a 10.9% decrease in cutoff frequency (fT) at VGS = −2 V and VDS = 10 V. Long-term large-signal measurements after 60 h RF stress reveal an 8.99% increase in kink amplitude, accompanied by 1.7 dB gain degradation and an 8% reduction in power-added efficiency. Furthermore, a pulse-aware trap occupancy large-signal model is developed, embedding a pulse-conditioned trap occupancy variable (N) to simultaneously govern kink amplitude and inflection voltage (VDSkink). The proposed model achieves good agreement with the measured data, including I–V, S-parameters, and large-signal characteristics, and successfully predicts RF metric degradation associated with kink amplitude variation.

Major human schistosome species express different glycans with immunological and diagnostic implications

Retraction: 2, 3, 7, 8-Tetrachlorodibenzo-P-Dioxin (TCDD) Induces Premature Senescence in Human and Rodent Neuronal Cells via ROS-Dependent Mechanisms

<i>In situ</i> frequency tuning of superconducting resonators via nonlinear kinetic inductance

Superconducting microresonators have diverse applications, including microwave kinetic inductance detectors, microwave superconducting quantum interference device multiplexers, and superconducting qubits. Arrays of such devices are typically addressed using microwave frequency combs with probe tones matched to individual device resonances. However, resonator frequency collisions caused by wafer non-uniformity and fabrication variations significantly limit usable device yields. In this Letter, we present a technique that mitigates these frequency collisions without the need for ex post facto processing. By leveraging nonlinear kinetic inductance and persistent current in a superconducting loop, we achieve in situ tuning of individual resonator frequencies within an array during device cooldown, effectively resolving frequency collisions in a way that is both highly flexible and reversible. We successfully demonstrate this technique by tuning a small array of four resonators to both identical frequencies and a uniformly spaced frequency comb. This in situ resonator tuning approach provides a universal solution for improving yield and multiplexing density in large resonator arrays, addressing a critical need for scaling up superconducting detector and qubit systems.

Octahedral tilting and B-site off-centering in halide perovskites are not coupled

Exploring anatomical and geographical drivers of the microbiota in wild capybaras (Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris): Baseline Data for zoonotic risk assessment

Capybaras ( Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris ) play important ecological, cultural, and economic roles in Colombia, particularly in the Orinoco region. Their adaptability to human-modified environments increases contact with humans and animals, raising concerns about their role in zoonotic pathogen transmission. However, their microbiota remains largely unexplored, limiting the understanding of potential health risks relevant to conservation and management. Bacterial communities were characterized in saliva, blood, and feces from 28 wild capybaras in Casanare, Colombia, through 16S-rRNA amplicon sequencing on the Oxford Nanopore platform. Taxonomic profiling was performed with Kraken using the SILVA database. Microbial diversity was assessed in R ( phyloseq , vegan ), and differential abundance across sample types and sites was determined with ANCOM-BC2. After quality control, 196,281 reads were classified into 51 bacterial phyla and 1,779 genera. Proteobacteria, Firmicutes, and Bacteroidetes dominated the phylum-level profiles. At the genus level, composition varied by sample type and location. Fecal samples exhibited the highest bacterial richness and diversity, whereas blood samples displayed the lowest. Beta diversity analysis using Bray–Curtis dissimilarity and PCoA revealed distinct clustering by sample type, supported by PERMANOVA. Site-specific microbial signatures were identified: Blautia and Prevotellaceae UCG-003 were enriched in Paz de Ariporo, while Trinidad showed higher genus-level diversity. Saliva samples displayed the strongest contrasts, with Acinetobacter and Thiobacillus enriched in Trinidad, and Tyzzerella , Arthrobacter , and Histophilus more abundant in Paz de Ariporo. Core microbiota analysis revealed the fewest core genera in blood (one genus), a moderate overlap in saliva (nine genera), and the highest number in feces (13 genera). Distinct patterns in bacterial composition and diversity across sample types and locations were demonstrated in wild capybaras. Both anatomical site and geographic origin influenced the microbiota. These findings provide baseline data to support future research on wildlife microbiota and its potential role in ecosystem health, conservation, and zoonotic transmission.

Low-temperature plasma-enhanced ALD of c-axis textured GaN on sapphire

This paper demonstrates the deposition of GaN on c-plane sapphire by plasma-enhanced atomic layer deposition (PE-ALD) at 250 °C using triethylgallium and forming gas (95% N2, 5% H2) plasma. The films exhibit a wurtzite crystal structure with a full-width at half maximum of 0.31° for the (0002) peak via x-ray diffraction and an abrupt GaN–sapphire interface confirmed by scanning transmission electron microscopy. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and secondary-ion mass spectrometry reveal carbon and oxygen concentrations of 1 at. % and less than 3 at. %, respectively. Transfer length method analysis demonstrates a sheet resistance of 1.37 × 108Ω/□. These results provide an understanding for the low-temperature PE-ALD growth of GaN with high crystalline fidelity and minimized impurity incorporation.

Partitioning of Rubisco activase into the pyrenoidal Rubisco condensate is mediated by a functional protein-protein interaction

Nonmyeloablative pentostatin-cyclophosphamide preconditioning improves rates of engraftment in adults undergoing haploidentical HCT for sickle cell disease

The morbidity and mortality of sickle cell disease (SCD) remain high. Novel nonmyeloablative haploidentical hematopoietic cell transplant (HCT) regimens are being proposed. Methods This report compared the effect of adding an IV pentostatin and oral cyclophosphamide (PC) preconditioning to the nonmyeloablative NIH HCT platform of alemtuzumab and total body irradiation (TBI) in adults with severe SCD. Transplant outcomes were compared to a historical HCT cohort that did not receive the PC preconditioning. Results Thirty-nine adult SCD patients were included. The median age was 33 years, 61% were male, and 92% were HbSS genotype. The median follow-up was 6.5 years. Many patients had severe end-organ damage, including dialysis-dependent end-stage kidney disease (8%) and cirrhosis (10%). One-year overall survival was 95%. The PC regimen was associated with a reduction in acute rejection one-year post-HCT (5% vs. 44%; p = 0.004) and lower graft failure rates throughout the follow-up period. After a median follow-up of 5.2 years, the disease-free survival was 71% for the PC regimen. The PC preconditioning was associated with higher rates of full donor chimerism at 2-years post-HCT (0% vs. 43%; p = 0.02). Grade II-IV acute graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) rates were low; no patients developed moderate to severe chronic GVHD. There remain no cases of myeloid malignancy after PC. With the increased immunosuppression of PC, 23% of patients developed post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorder, 19% developed immune cytopenias, and 62% had viral reactivation. Summary Further study to determine an optimal nonmyeloablative haploidentical regimen for SCD patients with compromised organ function is imperative. Clinical trial registry ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT00977691, NCT03077542).

Localized overheating-induced microbubble in optically trapped materials

Microbubbles are found in many physical phenomena, and their generation mechanisms are diverse. In this Letter, we observed the microbubble generation effect in the interaction between highly focused laser light and low-bandgap materials. The mechanism was explained by photon absorption and localized heating, while the bandgap energy of the material was found to play a significant role in the generation of microbubbles. Theoretical calculations and experiments were implemented to verify the proposed mechanism. The mechanism can be used to control or avoid the generation of microbubbles in semiconductor devices and fluidic applications.

Microporous MOF for simultaneous high thermodynamic and kinetic synergistic separation of propylene and propane

Reconfigurable intelligent surface and UAV coordination for reliable THz wireless networks

Terahertz (THz) communication is a promising enabler for next-generation wireless networks because it can support ultra-high data rates. However, severe path loss, molecular absorption, and high sensitivity to blockage significantly limit coverage and reliability. To address these challenges, this work proposes a RIS-assisted UAV positioning (RAVP) framework that integrates reconfigurable intelligent surfaces (RIS) with unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and jointly optimizes RIS configuration and UAV deployment to enhance THz communications. RISs provide controllable reflections to improve propagation conditions, while UAVs enable flexible placement of RISs at advantageous locations. A reinforcement learning (RL)-based strategy that combines modified K-means clustering with gradient-based optimization coordinates user grouping, RIS phase-shift adaptation, and UAV positioning within a unified framework. Simulation results show consistent gains in link robustness, achievable data rate, and user connectivity across different network configurations compared with conventional THz systems without RISs or UAV-assisted optimization. These findings highlight the potential of coordinated RIS-UAV optimization for future 6G-enabled wireless networks, including smart-city and Internet of Things (IoT) applications.

Gravity-driven gradient engineering of room-temperature perovskite thin films for spectral and photodetection applications

Integration and miniaturization of optoelectronic devices are pivotal for advancing their transition from specialized instruments to consumer electronics. Laterally graded thin films enable multiple device arrays to be realized on a single chip without stacking or assembling multiple discrete films, thereby reducing space occupation. Among them, gradient-thickness thin films replace chemical dimension control (composition) with physical dimension control (thickness), avoiding impurities or lattice mismatches associated with compositional variations. In this work, gradient-thickness perovskite thin films were realized by combining the rapid crystallization of room-temperature processed perovskites with gravity-driven deposition on inclined substrates, which provides a low-cost, room-temperature pathway to wide-range, high-resolution gradient-thickness perovskite thin films. Subsequently, p–i–n structured photodetector arrays were implemented into distinct thickness regions of a single film. The adopted configuration was utilized to construct a miniaturized spectrometer capable of detecting light in the visible wavelength range with a spectral error below 5 nm. Moreover, the proposed design emphasizes the ability to analyze the red, green, and blue components of multicolor light, highlighting its potential for composite light sensing and color imaging applications.