A differential-targeting core-shell microneedle patch with coordinated and prolonged release of mangiferin and MSC-derived exosomes for scarless skin regeneration

Microneedles for skin regeneration are conventionally restricted by uncontrollable multi-drug release, limited types of drugs, and poor wound adhesion. Here, a novel core-shell microneedle patch is developed for scarless skin repair, where the shell is composed of hydrophilic gelatin methacryloyl (GelMA) loaded with mangiferin, an anti-inflammatory small molecule, and the core is composed of hydrophobic poly (lactide-co-propylene glycol-co-lactide) dimethacrylates (PGLADMA) loaded with bioactive macromolecule and human mesenchymal stromal cell (hMSC)-derived exosomes. This material choice provides several benefits: the GelMA shell provides a swelling interface for tissue interlocking and rapid release of mangiferin at an early wound healing stage for anti-inflammation, whereas the PGLADMA core offers long-term encapsulation and release of exosomes (30% release in 3 weeks), promoting sustained angiogenesis and anti-inflammation. Our results demonstrate that the core-shell microneedle possesses anti-inflammatory properties and can induce angiogenesis both in vitro in terms of macrophage polarization and tube formation of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs), and in vivo in terms of anti-inflammation, re-epithelization, and vessel formation. Importantly, we also observe reduced scar formation in vivo. Altogether, the degradation dynamics of our hydrophilic/hydrophobic materials enable the design of a core-shell microneedle for differential and prolonged release, promoting scarless skin regeneration, with potential for other therapies of long-term exosome release.

LSTM-MSA: A Novel Deep Learning Model With Dual-Stage Attention Mechanisms Forearm EMG-Based Hand Gesture Recognition

This paper introduces the Long Short-Term Memory with Dual-Stage Attention (LSTM-MSA) model, an approach for analyzing electromyography (EMG) signals. EMG signals are crucial in applications like prosthetic control, rehabilitation, and human-computer interaction, but they come with inherent challenges such as non-stationarity and noise. The LSTM-MSA model addresses these challenges by combining LSTM layers with attention mechanisms to effectively capture relevant signal features and accurately predict intended actions. Notable features of this model include dual-stage attention, end-to-end feature extraction and classification integration, and personalized training. Extensive evaluations across diverse datasets consistently demonstrate the LSTM-MSA's superiority in terms of F1 score, accuracy, recall, and precision. This research provides a model for real-world EMG signal applications, offering improved accuracy, robustness, and adaptability.

NIR-Cleavable and pH-Responsive Polymeric Yolk-Shell Nanoparticles for Controlled Drug Release

Responsive drug release and low toxicity of drug carriers are important for designing controlled release systems. Here, a double functional diffractive o-nitrobenzyl, containing multiple electron-donating groups as a crosslinker and methacrylic acid (MAA) as a monomer, was used to decorate upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs) to produce robust poly o-nitrobenzyl@UCNP nanocapsules using the distillation-precipitation polymerization and templating method. Poly o-nitrobenzyl@UCNP nanocapsules with a robust yolk-shell structure exhibited near-infrared (NIR) light-/pH-responsive properties. When the nanocapsules were exposed to 980 nm NIR irradiation, the loaded drug was efficiently released by altering the shell of the nanocapsules. The photodegradation kinetics of the poly o-nitrobenzyl@UCNP nanocapsules were studied. The anticancer drug, doxorubicin hydrochloride (DOX), was loaded at pH 8.0 with a loading efficiency of 13.2 wt %. The Baker-Lonsdale model was used to determine the diffusion coefficients under different release conditions to facilitate the design of dual-responsive drug release devices or systems. Additionally, cytotoxicity studies showed that the drug release of DOX could be efficiently triggered by NIR to kill cancer cells in a controlled manner.

Exciton Luminescence and Optical Properties of Nanocrystalline Cubic Y2O3 Films Prepared by Reactive Magnetron Sputtering

This paper presents a comprehensive study of the energy structure, optical characteristics, and spectral-kinetic parameters of elementary excitations in a high-purity nanocrystalline cubic Y₂O₃ film synthesized by reactive magnetron sputtering. The optical transparency gaps for direct and indirect interband transitions were determined and discussed. The dispersion of the refractive index was established based on the analysis of interference effects. It was found that the refractive index of the Y₂O₃ film synthesized in this study is higher in order of magnitude than that of the films obtained with the help of other technologies. The intrinsic emission of Y₂O₃ film has been discussed and associated with the triplet-singlet radiative relaxation of self-trapped and bound excitons. We also studied the temperature behavior of the exciton luminescence of Y₂O₃ for the first time and determined thermal activation barriers. The optical energy and kinetic parameters of cubic Y₂O₃ films were analyzed in comparison with those of the monoclinic films of yttrium oxide. The main difference between the optical properties of cubic and monoclinic Y₂O₃ films was established, which allowed for a supposition of their application prospects.

Antibacterial nanosystems for cancer therapy

Bacteria and cancer cells share a unique symbiotic relationship in the process of cancer development and treatment. It has been shown that certain bacteria can mediate cancer and thrive inside cancerous tissues. Moreover, during cancer treatment, microbial infections have been shown to impair the therapeutic efficacy and lead to serious complications. In the past decades, the application of antibiotics has achieved great success in fighting numerous bacteria but the administration route, low localization effects and related drug resistance limit the further utilization of antibiotics. Recently, advances in nanotechnology have made a significant impact in the medical field, which enhance the drug solubility and can target lesion sites, and some nanomaterials can even be applied as the therapeutic agent itself. In this review, we introduce anti-bacterial nanosystems for cancer therapy in the aspects of spontaneous and triggered anti-bacterial action, and our notions, as well as proposed research directions for the further development of this field, are discussed.

Seawater Desalination by Interfacial Solar Vapor Generation Method Using Plasmonic Heating Nanocomposites

With the ever-growing demand in fresh water supply, great efforts have been devoted to developing sustainable systems which could generate fresh water continuously. Solar vapor generation is one of the promising strategies which comprise an unlimited energy source and efficient solar-to-heat generators for overcoming fresh water scarcity. However, current solar vapor generation systems suffer either from inefficient utilization of solar energy or an expensive fabrication process. In this paper, we introduced a nano-plasmonic approach, i.e., a floatable nanocompoiste where copper sulfide nanorods (Cu_2-xS NRs) are embedded in a polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) matrix, for solar-to-vapor generation. A high solar vapor generation efficiency of ~87% and water evaporation rate of 1.270 kg m⁻² h⁻¹ were achieved under simulated solar irradiation of 1 sun. With the illumination of natural daylight, seawater was purified using Cu_2-xS NRs-PVA gel, with high purity, as distilled drinking water. The plasmonic nanocomposites demonstrated here are easy to fabricate and highly efficient for solar vapor generation, illustrating a potential solution for future seawater desalination.

Specification tests for covariance structures in high-dimensional statistical models

We consider testing the covariance structure in statistical models. We focus on developing such tests when the random vectors of interest are not directly observable and have to be derived via estimated models. Additionally, the covariance specification may involve extra nuisance parameters which also need to be estimated. In a generic additive model setting, we develop and investigate test statistics based on the maximum discrepancy measure calculated from the residuals. To approximate the distributions of the test statistics under the null hypothesis, new multiplier bootstrap procedures with dedicated adjustments that incorporate the model and nuisance parameter estimation errors are proposed. Our theoretical development elucidates the impact due to the estimation errors with high-dimensional data and demonstrates the validity of our tests. Simulations and real data examples confirm our theory and demonstrate the performance of the proposed tests.

Aqueous Phase Synthesis of Cu2-x S Nanostructures and Their Photothermal Generation Study

Size- and shape-dependent features of plasmonic nanocrystals govern the development of their applications. In the past decades, gold nanostructures, such as gold nanorods and nanoshells, have been well studied and applied for sensing, bioimaging, and photothermal generation. However, knowledge of copper chalcogenide, a new generation of plasmonic nanomaterials, is limited, especially about their preparation and size- and shape-dependent photothermal properties. In this work, controllable size and shape Cu_2-x S nanocrystals (NCs) are synthesized by a facile aqueous route. Using low-molecular-weight polyethylenimine (PEI) as the reducing and capping agents, the size and shape of Cu_2-x S NCs can be controlled with lengths from 6.5 to 46.5 nm and the aspect ratio from 2.2 to 7.5 by adjusting the concentration of PEI. The plasmonic peak of Cu_2-x S experiences a redshift (from 1145 to 1369 nm) when the length increases from 6.5 to 44.5 nm. Under the irradiation of 1064 nm laser with 1.33 W/cm², an excellent photothermal conversion rate (from 34.9 to 49.0%) is obtained. The characterization of Cu_2-x S NCs is conducted with a UV-vis spectrometer, transmission electron microscopy, powder X-ray diffraction measurements, and 1064 nm laser.

Development of Direct-Laser-Printable Light-Powered Nanocomposites

Four-dimensional (4D) printable light-powered materials have emerged as a new generation of materials for the development of functional devices. The design of these types of materials is mostly based on the trans-cis transformation of azobenzene moieties in a liquid crystalline elastomer (LCE) matrix, in which the motion is triggered by ultraviolet (UV) irradiation. In this paper, we first report on a direct laser printable photoresist for producing light-powered 4D structures with enhanced mechanical properties and near-infrared (NIR) responsive mechanical deformation. The reported nanocomposite design is based on the photothermal effects of gold nanorods (AuNRs), which can induce the nematic-to-isotropic transition of LCE upon exposure to NIR irradiation. The miscibility between AuNRs and LCE is enhanced by thiol functionalization. Appropriate printing parameters are determined, and nanocomposites containing 0-3 wt % of AuNR loading are fabricated via femtosecond two-photon direct laser writing. The effects of the AuNR loading fraction and laser power on the light-powered actuating performance are evaluated. It is found that the nanocomposite with AuNR loading of 3 wt % demonstrates the maximum percentage (20%) of elongation under an NIR laser power of 2 W. An increase in laser power can lead to faster deformation but slower restoration. The nanocomposites demonstrate relatively good stability. Even after 300 actuation cycles, 80% of the elongation magnitude can be retained. In addition, an improvement of 80% in the complex modulus of the nanocomposites, due to the inclusion of AuNRs, is observed.

Water transport properties of boron nitride nanosheets mixed matrix membranes for humic acid removal

Ultrafiltration grade polysulfone-based mixed matrix membranes (MMMs) incorporated with two-dimensional boron nitride nanosheet (BNNS) was prepared via phase inversion method. The amount of BN incorporated was varied and the influence on membrane morphology, contact angle, surface charge, as well as water permeability and humic acid rejection were investigated. Results revealed that the addition of BN to the membrane matrix resulted in profound increase in water permeability (almost tripled to that of neat PSf) and humic acid rejection due to the increase in pore size and surface negative charge. Beyond the morphological changes imparted by the inclusion of BNNS, we postulated that the presence of BNNS within the membrane matrix also contribute to the enhancement in flux and rejection based on surface-slip and selective interlayer transport. Despite the favourable augmentation of water transport and filtration performance, the MMMs suffered with fouling problem due to the entrapment of foulant within the enlarged pores and the membrane valleys. Its inherent adsorptive character could be a disadvantage when utilized as membrane filler.

Routine germline BRCA1 and BRCA2 testing in patients with ovarian carcinoma: analysis of the Scottish real-life experience

OBJECTIVE

To determine the rates of germline BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutations in Scottish patients with ovarian cancer, before and after a change in testing policy.

DESIGN

Retrospective cohort study.

SETTING

Four cancer/genetics centres in Scotland.

POPULATION

Patients with ovarian cancer undergoing germline BRCA1 and BRCA2 (gBRCA1/2) sequencing before 2013 (under the 'old criteria', with selection based solely on family history), after 2013 (under the 'new criteria', with sequencing offered to newly presenting patients with non-mucinous ovarian cancer), and in the 'prevalent population' (who presented before 2013, but were not eligible for sequencing under the old criteria but were sequenced under the new criteria).

METHODS

Clinicopathological and sequence data were collected before and for 18 months after this change in selection criteria.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Frequency of germline BRCA1, BRCA2, RAD51C, and RAD51D mutations.

RESULTS

Of 599 patients sequenced, 205, 236, and 158 were in the 'old criteria', 'new criteria', and 'prevalent' populations, respectively. The frequency of gBRCA1/2 mutations was 30.7, 13.1, and 12.7%, respectively. The annual rate of gBRCA1/2 mutation detection was 4.2 before and 20.7 after the policy change. A total of 48% (15/31) 'new criteria' patients with gBRCA1/2 mutations had a Manchester score of <15 and would not have been offered sequencing based on family history criteria. In addition, 20 patients with gBRCA1/2 were identified in the prevalent population. The prevalence of gBRCA1/2 mutations in patients aged >70 years was 8.2%.

CONCLUSIONS

Sequencing all patients with non-mucinous ovarian cancer gives a much higher annual gBRCA1/2 mutation detection rate, with the frequency of positive tests still exceeding the 10% threshold upon which many family history-based models operate.

TWEETABLE ABSTRACT

BRCA sequencing all non-mucinous cancer patients increases mutation detection five fold.

NLRP3 inflammasome pathway has a critical role in the host immunity against clinically relevant Acinetobacter baumannii pulmonary infection

The opportunistic Gram-negative bacterium Acinetobacter baumannii (AB) is a leading cause of life-threatening nosocomial pneumonia. Outbreaks of multidrug resistant (MDR)-AB belonging to international clones (ICs) I and II with limited treatment options are major global health threats. However, the pathogenesis mechanisms of various AB clonal groups are understudied. Although inflammation-associated interleukin-1β (IL-1β) levels and IL-1 receptor antagonist polymorphisms were previously implicated in MDR-AB-related pneumonia in patients, whether inflammasomes has any role in the host defense and/or pathogenesis of clinically relevant A. baumannii infection is unknown. Using a sublethal mouse pneumonia model, we demonstrate that an extensively drug-resistant clinical isolate (ICII) of A. baumannii exhibits reduced/delayed early pulmonary neutrophil recruitment, higher lung persistence, and, most importantly, elicits enhanced IL-1β/IL-18 production and lung damage through NLRP3 inflammasome, in comparison with A. baumannii-type strain. A. baumannii infection-induced IL-1β/IL-18 production is entirely dependent on NLRP3-ASC-caspase-1/caspase-11 pathway. Using Nlrp3^-/- mice infection models, we further show that while NLRP3 inflammasome pathway contributes to host defense against A. baumannii clinical isolate, it is dispensable for protection against A. baumannii-type strain. Our study reveals a novel differential role for NLRP3 inflammasome pathway in the immunity against clinically relevant A. baumannii infections, and highlights inflammasome pathway as a potential immunomodulatory target.

Transmissibility and waveform purity of whole-body vibrations in older adults

BACKGROUND

This study examined the transmission power and waveform purity of vertical (synchronous) whole-body vibrations upon its propagation in the human body among older adults.

METHODS

Forty community-dwelling older adults participated in the study (33 women; mean age: 60.3 (SD 5.7) years). Four vibration frequencies (25, 30, 35, 40Hz), two amplitudes (0.6 and 0.9mm), and six different postures were tested. Skin-mounted tri-axial accelerometers were placed at the medial malleolus, tibial tuberosity, greater trochanter, third lumbar vertebra, and forehead. The transmissibility of vibration was computed as the ratio of the root-mean-square-acceleration at different body sites to that of the platform. Signal purity was expressed by the percentage of total transmitted power within 1Hz of the nominal frequency delivered by the platform.

FINDINGS

Vibration frequency and amplitude were inversely associated with transmissibility in all anatomical landmarks except the medial malleolus. Amplification of signals was noted at the medial malleolus in most testing conditions. The effect of posture on whole-body vibration transmission depends on its frequency and amplitude. In general, toe-standing led to the lowest transmissibility. Single-leg standing had the highest vibration transmission to the hip, while erect standing had the highest transmissibility to the head. The purity of waveform of the vibration signals was well conserved as the vibrations were transmitted from the feet to the upper body.

INTERPRETATION

Whole-body vibration transmissibility was highly influenced by signal frequency, amplitude and posture. These parameters should be carefully considered when prescribing whole-body vibration to older adults.

Cerebral [18 F]T807/AV1451 retention pattern in clinically probable CTE resembles pathognomonic distribution of CTE tauopathy

Chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) is a neurodegenerative disorder most commonly associated with repetitive traumatic brain injury (TBI) and characterized by the presence of neurofibrillary tangles of tau protein, known as a tauopathy. Currently, the diagnosis of CTE can only be definitively established postmortem. However, a new positron emission tomography (PET) ligand, [¹⁸F]T807/AV1451, may provide the antemortem detection of tau aggregates, and thus various tauopathies, including CTE. Our goal was to examine [¹⁸F]T807/AV1451 retention in athletes with neuropsychiatric symptoms associated with a history of multiple concussions. Here we report a 39-year-old retired National Football League player who suffered 22 concussions and manifested progressive neuropsychiatric symptoms. Emotional lability and irritability were the chief complaints. Serial neuropsychological exams revealed a decline in executive functioning, processing speed and fine motor skills. Naming was below average but other cognitive functions were preserved. Structural analysis of longitudinally acquired magenetic resonance imaging scans revealed cortical thinning in the left frontal and lateral temporal areas, as well as volume loss in the basal ganglia. PET with [¹⁸F]florbetapir was negative for amyloidosis. The [¹⁸F]T807/AV1451 PET showed multifocal areas of retention at the cortical gray matter-white matter junction, a distribution considered pathognomonic for CTE. [¹⁸F]T807/AV1451 standard uptake value (SUV) analysis showed increased uptake (SUVr⩾1.1) in bilateral cingulate, occipital, and orbitofrontal cortices, and several temporal areas. Although definitive identification of the neuropathological underpinnings basis for [¹⁸F]T807/AV1451 retention requires postmortem correlation, our data suggest that [¹⁸F]T807/AV1451 tauopathy imaging may be a promising tool to detect and diagnose CTE-related tauopathy in living subjects.

[Safety and efficacy of Cox-maze Ⅲ procedure for patients with atrial fibrillation associated with rheumatic mitral valve disease]

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the safety and efficacy of cut-and-sew Cox-Maze (CM) Ⅲ procedure for patients with atrial fibrillation associated with rheumatic mitral valve disease.

METHODS

Patients received mitral valve replacement and CM procedure between January 2007 and July 2015, were 1∶1 matched and assigned to CM Ⅳ group (undergoing surgical ablation) and CM Ⅲ group (undergoing cut-and-sew CM Ⅲ). Safety indices, mortality rate, complications and recovery rate of sinus rhythm were compared between the two groups.

RESULTS

Mean extracorporeal circulation time was (154±22) min in the CM Ⅲ group and (136±21) min in the CM Ⅳ group (P<0.001), and aortic clamp time was (85±9) min in the CM Ⅲ group and (74±12) min in the CM Ⅳ group (P<0.001). One patient (1.18%) in the CM Ⅲ group died of multi-organ failure 4 day after left ventricular rupture being sucessfully repaired, and 2 patients died (2.35%) in the CM Ⅳ group ( 1 due to left ventricular rupture and 1 due to low cardiac output syndrome). There was no significant difference in mortality between the two groups. Temporary pacemaker were applied for 76 cases (89.41%) in the CM Ⅲ and 70 cases (82.35%) in the CM Ⅳ group, without a statistical difference (P=0.186). There were also no statistical difference between the two groups in intraoperative urinary volume, postoperative drainage of fluid volume, hemoglobinuria, ventilator time, ICU time, hospital stay and the incidence of the complications (all P>0.05). Sinus rhythm recovery rate was 62.35 % in the CM Ⅲ group and 57.65 % in the CM Ⅳ group, without a statistical difference (P=0.531) at the operation day, but at discharge a statistical difference was found (97.62% in the CM Ⅲ group vs 81.93% in the CM Ⅳ group, P<0.001). All patients were followed up for three months, and no deaths occurred. Sinus rhythm recovery rate was 96.43 % in the CM Ⅲ group and 86.75% in the CM Ⅳ group, with a statistical difference (P=0.024).

CONCLUSION

The cut-and-sew Cox-Maze Ⅲ procedure is a safe and effective method for patients with atrial fibrillation associated with rheumatic mitral valve disease.

Clinical and immunochemical profiles of food challenge proven or anaphylactic shrimp allergy in tropical Singapore

BACKGROUND

Shellfish allergy in Singapore is highly prevalent, and shrimp allergy is the most common.

OBJECTIVE

This study aims to evaluate the clinical characteristics and immunological phenotype of shellfish allergy in this population.

METHODS

Patients with self-reported shellfish allergy were recruited from outpatient clinics of three large hospitals and from a population survey. Open oral food challenges (OFC) to glass prawn (Litopenaeus vannamei) and tiger prawn (Penaeus monodon) were carried out on all patients except for those who had a history of severe anaphylaxis. Skin prick tests (SPT) and specific IgE to crude and recombinant allergens were carried out to evaluate shrimp and dust mite sensitization. Immunoblots were used to assess IgE-binding proteins.

RESULTS

The 104 patients recruited were categorized into shellfish allergic (SA) when OFC was positive or had a history of severe anaphylaxis (n = 39), shellfish tolerant (ST) when OFC was negative (n = 27), and house dust mite positive controls (HDM(+) ) who were ST (n = 38). Oral symptoms (87.1%) were the predominant clinical manifestation. Positive challenge doses ranged from 2 to 80 g of cooked shrimp, with 25/52 patients reacting to either one or both shrimps challenged. The presence of specific IgE to shrimp either by SPT and/or ImmunoCAP(®) assay provided diagnostic test sensitivity of 82% and specificity of 22.2%. The inclusion of specific IgE to shrimp tropomyosin and IgE immunoblots with shrimp extracts did not improve the diagnostic proficiency substantially.

CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE

This study highlights the predominance of oral symptoms in shrimp allergy in tropical Asia and that a high provocation dose may be necessary to reveal shrimp allergy. Furthermore, specific IgE diagnostic tests and immunoblots were of limited use in this population.

Enhancing the Heat Transfer Efficiency in Graphene-Epoxy Nanocomposites Using a Magnesium Oxide-Graphene Hybrid Structure

Composite materials, such as organic matrices doped with inorganic fillers, can generate new properties that exhibit multiple functionalities. In this paper, an epoxy-based nanocomposite that has a high thermal conductivity and a low electrical conductivity, which are required for the use of a material as electronic packaging and insulation, was prepared. The performance of the epoxy was improved by incorporating a magnesium oxide-coated graphene (MgO@GR) nanomaterial into the epoxy matrix. We found that the addition of a MgO coating not only improved the dispersion of the graphene in the matrix and the interfacial bonding between the graphene and epoxy but also enhanced the thermal conductivity of the epoxy while preserving the electrical insulation. By adding 7 wt % MgO@GR, the thermal conductivity of the epoxy nanocomposites was enhanced by 76% compared with that of the neat epoxy, and the electrical resistivity was maintained at 8.66 × 10(14) Ω m.

An energy adjustable linearly polarized passively Q-switched bulk laser with a wedged diffusion-bonded Nd:YAG/Cr⁴⁺:YAG crystal

An energy adjustable passively Q-switched laser is demonstrated with a composite Nd:YAG/Cr⁴⁺:YAG crystal by applying a wedged interface inside the crystal. The theoretical model of the monolithic laser resonator is explored to show the energy adjustable feature with different initial transmissions of the saturable absorber at the horizontal axis. By adjusting the pump beam location across the Nd:YAG crystal, the output pulse energy can be flexibly changed from 10.9 μJ to 17.6 μJ while maintaining the same output efficiency. The polarization state of the laser output is found to be along with the polarization of the C-mount pump diode. Finally, the behavior of the multi-transverse-mode oscillation is also discussed for eliminating the instability of the pulse train.

Regulation of neural responses to emotion perception by ketamine in individuals with treatment-resistant major depressive disorder

The glutamate N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor antagonist ketamine has demonstrated antidepressant effects in individuals with treatment-resistant major depressive disorder (TRD) within 24 h of a single dose. The current study utilized functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and two separate emotion perception tasks to examine the neural effects of ketamine in patients with TRD. One task used happy and neutral facial expressions; the other used sad and neutral facial expressions. Twenty patients with TRD free of concomitant antidepressant medication underwent fMRI at baseline and 24 h following administration of a single intravenous dose of ketamine (0.5 mg kg(-1)). Adequate data were available for 18 patients for each task. Twenty age- and sex-matched healthy volunteers were scanned at one time point for baseline comparison. Whole-brain, voxel-wise analyses were conducted controlling for a family-wise error rate (FWE) of P<0.05. Compared with healthy volunteers, TRD patients showed reduced neural responses to positive faces within the right caudate. Following ketamine, neural responses to positive faces were selectively increased within a similar region of right caudate. Connectivity analyses showed that greater connectivity of the right caudate during positive emotion perception was associated with improvement in depression severity following ketamine. No main effect of group was observed for the sad faces task. Our results indicate that ketamine specifically enhances neural responses to positive emotion within the right caudate in depressed individuals in a pattern that appears to reverse baseline deficits and that connectivity of this region may be important for the antidepressant effects of ketamine.

First Report of Acrostalagmus luteo-albus Causing Red Rust of Needle Mushroom (Flammulina velutipes) in China

Needle mushroom (Flammulina velutipes) is an edible and medicinal mushroom with annual production yields for China exceeding 2 million metric tons. Hebei province is one of the biggest producers of needle mushrooms in China. From 2009 to 2010, red rust-colored sporulation (fungal mycelia and conidia) was found on the substrate surface of white needle mushroom bags in more than 10 mushroom cultivation operations in Hebei. The rust-colored sporulation covered the substrate surface, where the development of the fruiting bodies was inhibited; the stipes were sparse and became light brown when the substrate was slightly affected. The fruiting bodies on severely affected substrate were unable to complete development or shriveled and died off on the substrate. More than 30 to 40% substrate bags were contaminated with the red rust mold, with approximately a 40% yield reduction in each production house. Single conidia were isolated from the red rust mold and cultured on potato dextrose agar at 25°C in the dark. The colony was round, compact, reddish-brown, and slow-growing (2 to 3 mm/d). Main conidiophore axes were erect, often branched in five to seven layers, tapered from the base to the upper part, pale reddish brown at the base, and almost hyaline at the apex. Two to five phialides usually verticillated at each level along the main stipe and its branches. Phialides were narrowly flask-shaped and only very slightly swollen at the base. Conidia were oval, measured 3.5 to 5.4 (4.5) × 2.3 to 3.6 (3.0) μm, L/W = 1.2 to 2.0 (1.5), and formed pale reddish brown, slimy heads. The isolate was tentatively identified as Acrostalagmus luteo-albus based on its morphological characteristics (2). For molecular analysis, the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) regions of ribosomal DNA from the isolate were PCR-amplified using universal primers ITS1 and ITS4. The resulting sequence (Accession No. KC127681) submitted to GenBank had a 99% identity to that of A. luteo-albus (JN545827) isolated from vineyard soil and Accession No. JQ387575 isolated from twig of declining persimmon tree. To confirm the pathogenicity of the isolate to needle mushroom, five bags of needle mushroom with stipes of 1 to 2 cm long were inoculated with a conidia suspension (10⁵ conidia/ml) of the isolate and incubated at 13 to 15°C in the dark, while five non-inoculated bags (sprayed with sterile water only) were used as a control. Five days after inoculation, the development of the fruiting body was obviously inhibited, and a few growing fruiting bodies became light brown, compared with the non-inoculated fruiting bodies, which were growing healthily and fast and were white with no symptoms. The pathogen was re-isolated from the inoculated fruiting bodies. A. luteo-albus is primarily saprophytic but is sometimes pathogenic. Indeed, it has been associated with post-harvest rot of ginger rhizomes in Brazil (1). To our knowledge, this is the first report of A. luteo-albus causing damage to needle mushroom in China. References: (1) S. I. Moreira et al. Trop. Plant Pathol. 38:218, 2013. (2) R. Zare et al. Mycol. Res. 108:576, 2004.

Novel bioactive antimicrobial lignin containing coatings on titanium obtained by electrophoretic deposition

Hydroxyapatite (HAP) is the most suitable biocompatible material for bone implant coatings; its brittleness, however, is a major obstacle, and the reason why research focuses on creating composites with biopolymers. Organosolv lignin (Lig) is used for the production of composite coatings, and these composites were examined in this study. Titanium substrate is a key biomedical material due to its well-known properties, but infections of the implantation site still impose a serious threat. One approach to prevent infection is to improve antimicrobial properties of the coating material. Silver doped hydroxyapatite (Ag/HAP) and HAP coatings on titanium were obtained by an electrophoretic deposition method in order to control deposited coating mass and morphology by varying applied voltage and deposition time. The effect of lignin on microstructure, morphology and thermal behavior of biocomposite coatings was investigated. The results showed that higher lignin concentrations protect the HAP lattice during sintering, improving coating stability. The corrosion stability was evaluated in simulated body fluid (SBF) at 37 °C. Newly formed plate-shaped carbonate-HAP was detected, indicating enhanced bioactive performance. The antimicrobial efficiency of Ag/HAP/Lig was confirmed by its higher reduction of bacteria Staphylococcus aureus TL (S. aureus TL) than of HAP/Lig coating. Cytotoxicity assay revealed that both coatings can be classified as non-toxic against healthy immunocompetent peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC).

Voxel-based approach to generate entire human metacarpal bone with microscopic architecture for finite element analysis

With the development of micro-computed tomography (micro-CT) technology, it is possible to construct three-dimensional (3D) models of human bone without destruction of samples and predict mechanical behavior of bone using finite element analysis (FEA). However, due to large number of elements required for constructing the FE models of entire bone, this demands a substantial computational effort and the analysis usually needs a high level of computer. In this article, a voxel-based approach for generation of FE models of entire bone with microscopic architecture from micro-CT image data is proposed. To enable the FE analyses of entire bone to be run even on a general personal computer, grayscale intensity thresholds were adopted to reduce the amount of elements. Human metacarpal bone (MCP) bone was used as an example for demonstrating the applicability of the proposed method. The micro-CT images of the MCP bone were combined and converted into 3D array of pixels. Dual grayscale intensity threshold parameters were used to distinguish the pixels of bone tissues from those of surrounding soft tissues and improve predictive accuracy for the FE analyses with different sizes of elements. The method of selecting an appropriate value of the second grayscale intensity threshold was also suggested to minimize the area error for the reconstructed cross-sections of a FE structure. Experimental results showed that the entire FE MCP bone with microscopic architecture could be modeled and analyzed on a personal computer with reasonable accuracy.

Efficient high-power terahertz beating in a dual-wavelength synchronously mode-locked laser with dual gain media

We originally present a novel tactic to accomplish a compact efficient dual-wavelength synchronously mode-locked laser by physically combining the Nd:YVO4 crystal to the Nd:GdVO4 crystal as a composite gain medium. With the developed method, the total output power at 1.06 μm could be effectually produced to reach 1.3 W under the optimally balanced two-color intensities. The corresponding mode-locked pulse width and repetition rate are measured to be 47 ps and 2.86 GHz, respectively. Through the optical beating between two carrier frequencies of dual-color synchronous pulses, a train of 0.32 THz ultrashort pulses is further generated with the effective duration of down to 1.6 ps.

Tensile properties of polycaprolactone/nano-CaCO3 composites

The effects of nanometer calcium carbonate content and tensile rate on the tensile properties of the filled polycaprolactone (PCL) composites were investigated. There was a certain reinforcing effect of the filler on the PCL resin. The tensile modulus increased nonlinearly, and the tensile strength also increased with increase of the filler weight fraction. When the filler weight fraction was kept constant, the tensile modulus and tensile strength increased slightly with increasing tensile rates. By comparing the experimental results with those determined from the tensile yield strength theory, the interfacial adhesion between the filler and matrix was found to be relatively strong; it should be one of the reasons for the good reinforcing effect.

High-power tunable single- and multi-wavelength diode-pumped Nd:YAP laser in the (4)F3/2 → (4)I11/2 transition

We experimentally explore the fluorescent spectrum of the Nd:YAP crystal to manifest the feasibility of tunable single- and multi-wavelength operations in the (4)F3/2 → (4)I11/2 transition. An intracavity etalon is subsequently exploited to effectively select spectral lines at 1073, 1080, and 1084 nm with the tunabilities of 0.56, 1.13, and 0.1 nm, respectively. We also experimentally obtain multi-wavelength oscillations among various intermanifold lines in the Nd:YAP crystal with the output powers on the order of several watts for each group. Employing the Cr(4+):YAG crystal to realize the passively Q-switched operation, the maximum average output powers as high as 2.3 and 3.5 W for 1073 and 1080 nm are obtained. The corresponding pulse energies at 1073 and 1080 nm are up to 177 and 159 μJ, respectively.

Efficient high-energy passively Q-switched Nd:YLF/Cr4+:YAG UV laser at 351 nm with pulsed pumping in a nearly hemispherical cavity

We originally utilize a nearly hemispherical cavity to accomplish the energy scale-up for a high-repetition-rate nanosecond pulsed pumped Nd:YLF laser passively Q-switched by the Cr(4+):YAG saturable absorber. This compact laser is able to efficiently generate pulse energy as large as 1.38 mJ and pulse width as short as 5 ns under a pulse repetition rate of 100 Hz. Further employing the developed Nd:YLF laser to perform extracavity harmonic generations, the maximum pulse energies of 490 μJ at 527 nm and 360 μJ at 351 nm are achieved with the shortest pulse duration of 4 ns.

Water-soluble graphene grafted by poly(sodium 4-styrenesulfonate) for enhancement of electric capacitance

Water-soluble poly(sodium 4-styrenesulfonate) modified graphene (PSSS-GR) was successfully synthesized via covalently grafting poly(sodium 4-styrenesulfonate) (PSSS) on the surfaces of graphene (GR) nanosheets. The structure of PSSS-GR was investigated with Fourier transform infrared, x-ray photoelectron and Raman spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, transmission and scanning electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy. The PSSS chains made the GR nanosheets fully exfoliate into a single-layer structure, and the PSSS layer on GR reached 90 wt%. PSSS chains displayed mutually repulsive effects on promoting GR sheets that were more stable in water. The performances of supercapacitors made of PSSS-GR and unmodified GR electrodes were compared using cyclic voltammetry and galvanostatic charge/discharge techniques. The results showed that PSSS is an effective binder for graphene sheets and can increase the specific capacitance of PSSS-GR based supercapacitors and improve their rate capability. The maximum specific capacitance of the PSSS-GR based supercapacitor was 210 F g(-1) at 5 A g(-1), which was 166% higher than for one made of unmodified graphene electrodes. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy demonstrated fast ion diffusion in the PSSS-GR electrode structure. PSSS-GR based supercapacitors can fulfil one of the essential requirements for potential electric energy storage applications.

Tunable GHz pulse repetition rate operation in high-power TEM(00)-mode Nd:YLF lasers at 1047 nm and 1053 nm with self mode locking

We report on a high-power diode-pumped self-mode-locked Nd:YLF laser with the pulse repetition rate up to several GHz. A novel tactic is developed to efficiently select the output polarization state for achieving the stable TEM(00)-mode self-mode-locked operations at 1053 nm and 1047 nm, respectively. At an incident pump power of 6.93 W and a pulse repetition rate of 2.717 GHz, output powers as high as 2.15 W and 1.35 W are generated for the σ- and π-polarization, respectively. We experimentally find that decreasing the separation between the gain medium and the input mirror not only brings in the pulse shortening thanks to the enhanced effect of the spatial hole burning, but also effectively introduces the effect of the spectral filtering to lead the Nd:YLF laser to be in a second harmonic mode-locked status. Consequently, pulse durations as short as 8 ps and 8.5 ps are obtained at 1053 nm and 1047 nm with a pulse repetition rate of 5.434 GHz.

Parameter optimization for the visco-hyperelastic constitutive model of tendon using FEM

Numerous constitutive models describing the mechanical properties of tendons have been proposed during the past few decades. However, few were widely used owing to the lack of implementation in the general finite element (FE) software, and very few systematic studies have been done on selecting the most appropriate parameters for these constitutive laws. In this work, the visco-hyperelastic constitutive model of the tendon implemented through the use of three-parameter Mooney-Rivlin form and sixty-four-parameter Prony series were firstly analyzed using ANSYS FE software. Afterwards, an integrated optimization scheme was developed by coupling two optimization toolboxes (OPTs) of ANSYS and MATLAB for estimating these unknown constitutive parameters of the tendon. Finally, a group of Sprague-Dawley rat tendons was used to execute experimental and numerical simulation investigation. The simulated results showed good agreement with the experimental data. An important finding revealed that too many Maxwell elements was not necessary for assuring accuracy of the model, which is often neglected in most open literatures. Thus, all these proved that the constitutive parameter optimization scheme was reliable and highly efficient. Furthermore, the approach can be extended to study other tendons or ligaments, as well as any visco-hyperelastic solid materials.

Alterations of white matter tracts following neurotoxic hippocampal lesions in macaque monkeys: a diffusion tensor imaging study

Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) is a valuable tool for assessing presumptive white matter alterations in human disease and animal models. The current study used DTI to examine the effects of selective neurotoxic lesions of the hippocampus on major white matter tracts and anatomically related brain regions in macaque monkeys. Two years postlesion, structural MRI, and DTI sequences were acquired for each subject. Volumetric assessment revealed a substantial reduction in the size of the hippocampus in experimental subjects, averaging 72% relative to controls, without apparent damage to adjacent regions. DTI images were processed to yield measures of fractional anisotropy (FA), apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC), parallel diffusivity (lADC), and perpendicular diffusivity (tADC), as well as directional color maps. To evaluate potential changes in major projection systems, a region of interest (ROI) analysis was conducted including the corpus callosum, fornix, temporal stem, cingulum bundle, ventromedial prefrontal white matter, and optic radiations. Lesion-related abnormalities in the integrity of the fiber tracts examined were limited to known hippocampal circuitry, including the fornix and ventromedial prefrontal white matter. These findings are consistent with the notion that hippocampal damage results in altered interactions with multiple memory-related brain regions, including portions of the prefrontal cortex.

Determination of Lycopene in Dietary Supplements and Raw Materials by High-Performance Liquid Chromatography: Collaborative Study

A collaborative study was conducted to evaluate the interlaboratory performance of an LC method for lycopene in dietary supplements and the raw materials commonly used in their manufacture. Twelve laboratories from six countries agreed to participate in the study. Results from 10 laboratories were received and are reported. Five dietary supplements, including both tablets and a softgel capsule with a lycopene content ranging from 25 g to 25 mg per unit, and three raw materials, including gelatin-based beadlets, vegetarian beadlets, and a suspension in oil ranging from 5 to 20 lycopene, were analyzed as blind duplicates. In addition to the commercial products, two positive controls and a negative control were included in the study. For the raw materials studied, the repeatability relative standard deviations (RSDr) ranged from 1.49 to 5.13 for total lycopene, and the reproducibility relative standard deviations (RSDR) ranged from 3.84 to 9.21 with HorRat values from 1.23 to 3.24. For finished products, the RSDr ranged from 1.31 to 4.62, RSDR from 4.28 to 10.5, and HorRat values from 0.79 to 2.07. Corresponding values for all-trans-lycopene were significantly higher. It is recommended that the method be considered for Official First Action for all-trans- and total lycopene in finished products and raw materials.

Comments on "Viscoelastic studies of human subscapularis tendon: relaxation test and a Wiechert model" by C. Machiraju, A.V. Phan, A.W. Pearsall, S. Madanagopal, Computer Methods and Programs in Biomedicine (2006)

Referring to the approach for determining the material parameters for a Wiechert model of the human subscapularis tendon proposed by Machiraju et al. [C. Machiraju, A.V. Phan, A.W. Pearsall, S. Madanagopal, Viscoelastic studies of a human subscapularis tendon: relaxation test and a Wiechert model, Computer Methods and Programs in Biomedicine (2006), doi:10.1016/j.cmpb.2006.05.004], some comments are made on the basis of the result of an alternative method that is capable of giving more reasonable values for the Wiechart model with the fitting discrepancies minimized by a multi-variable optimization strategy.

Microsatellite DNA markers for population-genetic studies of blue mackerel (Scomber australasicus) and cross-specific amplification in S. japonicus

Blue mackerel (Scomber australasicus) is targeted by large-scale purse-seiners in the western North Pacific, and its stock structure is still contentious. Herein, we described 10 polymorphic microsatellite loci for blue mackerel. The number of alleles among 32 individuals surveyed ranged from five to 27 (average of 16.2 alleles per locus). Departures from Hardy-Weinberg expectation were observed at two loci. Cross-specific amplification in the congener, S. japonicus, was successful, except for one locus, revealed to be diagnostic for these congeners. These microsatellite loci will be useful tools to address queries in population genetic structure, fishery management unit and taxonomic species status in the genus Scomber.

A feasibility study on laser rapid forming of a complete titanium denture base plate

This work attempted to integrate the technologies of computer-aided design and computer-aided manufacture (CAD/CAM) and laser rapid forming (LRF) for the fabrication of the titanium plate of a complete denture. By the combination of laser scan and reverse engineering software, the standard triangulation language (STL)-formatted denture base plate was finally designed and sliced into a sequence of numerical controlled codes. The titanium (Ti) complete denture plate was finally built, layer-by-layer, on the LRF system. To evaluate the quality of fit, a virtual adaptation test that measured and compared the profiles of the laser free formed denture plate and those of the edentulous plaster cast had been conducted, and the mean deviation was found to be 0.34 mm. After traditional dental finishing techniques, a complete denture with a Ti base plate was then made and judged to be acceptable. The CAD/CAM/LRF system is a potential candidate and a new platform for the design and manufacture of custom-made Ti denture plates and restorations.

Immediate food hypersensitivity among adults attending a clinical immunology/allergy centre in Singapore

INTRODUCTION

The patient characteristics, clinical features and causative foods in 74 consecutive adult patients with immediate food hypersensitivity were studied.

METHODS

A retrospective review of 74 consecutive adults who presented during the study period from July 1, 1994 to April 30, 2002 was performed.

RESULTS

There were 35 male and 39 female patients, with a mean age of 36.3 +/- 10.9 (range, 19-66) years. The most common causative foods were seafood crustaceans, molluscs and bird's nest. Prawn and crab were the most commonly implicated crustacean, and limpet the commonest culprit mollusc. The main symptoms were periorbital angioedema (64.9 percent), dyspnoea/wheezing (44.6 percent) and urticaria (44.6 percent). 66 percent of the patients developed anaphylaxis. 34 (45.9 percent) had concomitant allergic rhinoconjunctivitis, asthma, eczema or combinations of these atopic diseases. Only six (8.1 percent) patients had a family history of food allergy. Skin prick tests (SPT) to commercially-prepared food allergens were positive in 22 of 36 patients (61.1 percent) tested. SPT to the fresh, cooked or canned food products were positive in 11 of 20 (55 percent) cases where the food allergen was not commercially available. Open food challenges were required for diagnosis in two patients who had negative SPT.

CONCLUSION

The most common food allergens in our patients were seafood crustaceans, molluscs and bird's nest. More than half of the patients had concomitant allergic rhinitis, asthma and/or eczema. The pattern of food allergy in Singapore differs from Caucasian populations, likely to be because of different regional dietary patterns and methods of food preparation.

Image deconvolution in spherical aberration-corrected high-resolution transmission electron microscopy

The method of image deconvolution developed previously for FEG high-resolution transmission electron microscope (HRTEM) without a spherical aberration (C(s)) corrector was for the first time applied to FEG HRTEM with a C(s)-corrector. The principle and the procedure of image deconvolution are briefly described. Four qualified [1 1 0] images of Si were selected from a through-focus series to perform image deconvolution. The projected potential is successfully derived from all the images, and the obtained "dumbbell" structure maps of Si [1 1 0] are in good agreement with the calculated potential map. The criterion of selecting qualified images for performing image deconvolution is indicated. The possibility of applying image deconvolution to defect study and to ab initio crystal structure determination is discussed.

Anaphylaxis in adults referred to a clinical immunology/allergy centre in Singapore

INTRODUCTION

To study the clinical features and causes of anaphylaxis in consecutive adult patients referred to a clinical immunology/allergy centre in Singapore.

METHODS

A retrospective review of 67 consecutive adults with anaphylaxis who presented from July 1, 1998 to February 28, 2002 was performed. Anaphylaxis was defined as a severe life-threatening systemic IgE-mediated hypersensitivity reaction. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug-induced idiosyncratic reactions and other non-IgE mediated reactions were excluded. Hypotension and bronchospasm were not required to make a diagnosis. The aetiology was determined from clinical history followed by measurement of allergen-specific IgE levels, skin prick test with commercially-available allergen extracts or prick-prick test with the fresh/cooked/canned food products.

RESULTS

The mean age of patients was 32.9 +/- 10.9 (range 19-57) years. There were 44 (65.7 percent) males and 23 (34.3 percent) females. The main causes were food (44.8 percent), insect stings (32.8 percent) and idiopathic (22.4 percent). There were no cases due to drugs or natural rubber latex. Seafood (crustaceans and molluscs) comprised 66.7 percent of food-induced anaphylaxis. Honeybee and wasp stings together comprised 45 percent of insect venom anaphylaxis. The most common manifestations were dyspnoea (59.7 percent), urticaria (58.2 percent), angioedema (44.8 percent), and syncope (43.3 percent). Hypotension was documented in only 28.4 percent of cases.

CONCLUSION

Food (crustaceans and molluscs) was the most common cause followed by insect stings or bites. The inability to identify the causative insect in 50 percent of cases with insect venom anaphylaxis limited the role of specific immunotherapy. Compared to other reported series, there were no cases of drug or latex anaphylaxis.

Why generic and disease-specific quality-of-life instruments should be used together for the evaluation of patients with persistent allergic rhinitis

BACKGROUND

The importance of assessing health-related quality of life (HRQL) of patients with allergic rhinitis (AR) has been well established, but the specific roles of rhinitis-specific or general health instruments have not been delineated.

OBJECTIVE

We analysed the psychometric properties of a disease-specific instrument, the Rhinoconjunctivitis Quality-of-Life Questionnaire (RQLQ) and the general health instrument, the Medical Outcome Short-Form 36 (SF-36) as they are employed in combination in patients with persistent AR in clinical practice.

METHOD

We analysed the data collected from a prospective study of 43 newly diagnosed patients with persistent AR and 44 controls. We interviewed the patients four times, at baseline, weeks 4, 8 and 10.

RESULTS

The RQLQ and SF-36 have good discriminative property, internal consistency, and test-retest reliability. The RQLQ is superior to the SF-36 as an evaluative instrument because more of its domains respond to change, the magnitude of change was greater, and the response was faster. The SF-36 is more susceptible to floor and ceiling effects. Both instruments are unsuitable for mildly symptomatic patients based on Rasch model analysis. Each questionnaire assesses a distinct and significant portion of the total HRQL of persistent AR.

CONCLUSION

The SF-36 and RQLQ are good for discriminating rhinitis patients from controls, but the former is poor for detecting changes in QOL. Both are inappropriate for mildly symptomatic patients. Each instrument measures non-overlapping halves of the measurable HRQL. For an assessment of the HRQL in persistent AR that is complete and responsive both instruments should be employed together.