Two-Phase Electrosynthesis of Dihydroxycoumestans: Discovery of a New Scaffold for Topoisomerase I poison

Coumestan represents a biologically relevant structural motif distributed in a number of natural products, and the rapid construction of related derivatives as well as the characterization of targets would accelerate lead compound discovery in medicinal chemistry. In this work, a general and scalable approach to 8,9-dihydroxycoumestans via two-electrode constant current electrolysis was developed. The application of a two-phase (aqueous/organic) system plays a crucial role for success, protecting the sensitive o-benzoquinone intermediates from over-oxidation. Based on the structurally diverse products, a primary SAR study on coumestan scaffold was completed, and compound 3r exhibited potent antiproliferative activities and a robust topoisomerase I (Top1) inhibitory activity. Further mechanism studies demonstrates that compound 3r was a novel Top1 poison, which might open an avenue for the development of Top1-targeted antitumor agent.

Silk Fibroin-Laponite Porous Microspheres as Cell Microcarriers for Osteogenic Differentiation

Silk fibroin (SF) has garnered significant attention as a natural polymer for fabricating porous scaffolds in various engineering applications. However, the limited osteoinductive property of SF has hindered its efficacy in bone repair applications. In this study, we constructed an SF-based injectable porous microcarrier that is doped with laponite (LAP), containing magnesium ions (Mg2+). The influence of freezing temperatures and concentrations of SF and LAP on the structural parameters of SF-LAP microcarriers was investigated. The SF-LAP microcarrier exhibited a porosity of 76.7 ± 1.2% and a controlled pore size of 24.6 ± 4.0 μm. At the 6 weeks of in vitro degradation test, a mild alkaline level in culture medium containing SF-LAP microcarriers was detected. The release of Mg2+ from the SF-LAP microcarrier was maintained at a concentration within the range of 1.2-2.3 mM during the 6 weeks. The seeded human adipose-derived stem cells in the SF-LAP microcarrier demonstrated a significant enhancement in osteogenic differentiation compared with cells seeded in the pure SF microcarrier, as evidenced by quantitative alkaline phosphatase activity and the expression of osteogenic marker genes. These findings underscore the potential of the SF-LAP microcarrier as an ideal cell carrier in the treatment of bone defects.

Mechanical behaviors of a new elliptical valve stent in bicuspid aortic valve

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE

The conventional valve stents that are cylindrical in shape will become elliptical when implanted in bicuspid aortic valve, thereby reducing the durability of the artificial valve. In this study, a new design of valve stent is presented where valve stents have elliptical cross-section at the annulus and it is expected to have better expandability and circle shape during the interaction between the stent and bicuspid aortic valve, thereby extending the durability of artificial valve.

METHODS

Finite element method (FEM) is used to study the mechanical behavior of the novel valve stent in the bicuspid aortic valve. The effects of three matching relationship between the ellipticity of the stents and the ellipticity of the annulus (i.e., the ellipticity of the stent is greater than, equal to and less than the annulus ellipticity, respectively) on the mechanical behavior of stent expansion are studied. In addition, the expansion mechanical behavior of the novel valve stent at different implantation depths is also compared.

RESULTS

Results indicate that novel valve stent implantation with elliptical features is superior to conventional circular valve stent. When the novel valve stent ellipticity is less than the annulus ellipticity, the ellipticity of the novel valve stent after implantation is smaller than that of the conventional circular valve stent. This indicated that the novel valve stent has better expandability and post-expansion shape, making artificial valve to have better durability. The risk of paravalvular leak after implantation is lowest when the novel valve stent ellipticity is less than annulus ellipticity. When the novel valve stent ellipticity coincides with annulus ellipticity, the aortic wall is subjected to greatest stress. With the increase of implantation depth, the stress on the novel valve stent decrease.

CONCLUSIONS

This study might provide insights for improving stent design for bicuspid aortic valve.

Iron metabolism and ferroptosis in Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease: what is our next step?

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the most common chronic liver disease with increasing prevalence worldwide. NAFLD could develop from simple hepatic steatosis to non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) causing fibrosis, cirrhosis and even hepatocellular carcinoma. However, the mechanism of NAFLD development was still not be fully defined. Recently, there are emerging evidence showing the dysregulated iron metabolism with elevated serum ferritin and ferroptosis are involved in the NAFLD. The iron metabolism and ferroptosis would shed some light on the mechanisms of NAFLD development. Here, we summarized the studies concerning iron metabolism and ferroptosis process involving in NAFLD development to highlight the potential medicament and therapies in treating NAFLD.

Corrigendum: Exosomes as a delivery tool of exercise-induced beneficial factors for the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular disease: a systematic review and meta-analysis

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2023.1190095.].

The effect of 8-week combined balance and plyometric on the dynamic balance and agility of female adolescent taekwondo athletes

OBJECTIVES

To investigate the effect of combined balance and plyometric training (PT) on the agility and dynamic balance of adolescent taekwondo athletes.

METHODS

Thirty female adolescent taekwondo players volunteered to participate and were randomly assigned to the combined balance training and PT (CT; n = 15) and PT (n = 15) groups. The CT group performed balance training combined with PT 3 times a week for 6 weeks (40 minutes of plyometrics and 20 minutes of balance training) while the PT group performed only PT for the same period (3 sets × 8-12 reps for each exercise). Both groups received the same routine technical taekwondo training.

RESULTS

Post-intervention assessments revealed that both groups significantly improved their dynamic posture stability index scores (DPSI; forward jump [F-DPSI] and lateral jump [L-DPSI]). However, participants in the CT group achieved notably superior outcomes in the F-DPSI and L-DPSI scores compared with those achieved by their PT counterparts. The center of pressure metrics exhibited improvements post-intervention, with scores of specific measures in the PT group surpassing those in the CT group. Additionally, the 5-0-5 test scores exhibited improvements post-intervention, with scores of specific measures in the PT group surpassing those in the CT group, and the TAST (Taekwondo Specific Agility Test) of the CT group and the PT changed significantly after the intervention.

CONCLUSION

An 8-week regimen that integrates balance and plyometric training effectively augments knee function and proprioception in adolescent Taekwondo athletes. This study underscores the potential benefits of a combined training approach, providing coaches and athletes with valuable insights into Taekwondo training.

Multi-omics analysis reveals the biosynthesis of flavonoids during the browning process of Malus sieversii explants

Malus sieversii is a precious apple germplasm resource. Browning of explants is one of the most important factors limiting the survival rate of plant tissue culture. In order to explore the molecular mechanism of the browning degree of different strains of Malus sieversii, we compared the dynamic changes of Malus sieversii and Malus robusta Rehd. during the whole browning process using a multi-group method. A total of 44 048 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified by transcriptome analysis on the DNBSEQ-T7 sequencing platform. KEGG enrichment analysis showed that the DEGs were significantly enriched in the flavonoid biosynthesis pathway. In addition, metabonomic analysis showed that (-)-epicatechin, astragalin, chrysin, irigenin, isoquercitrin, naringenin, neobavaisoflavone and prunin exhibited different degrees of free radical scavenging ability in the tissue culture browning process, and their accumulation in different varieties led to differences in the browning degree among varieties. Comprehensive transcriptome and metabonomics analysis of the data related to flavonoid biosynthesis showed that PAL, 4CL, F3H, CYP73A, CHS, CHI, ANS, DFR and PGT1 were the key genes for flavonoid accumulation during browning. In addition, WGCNA analysis revealed a strong correlation between the known flavonoid structure genes and the selected transcriptional genes. Protein interaction predictions demonstrated that 19 transcription factors (7 MYBs and 12 bHLHs) and 8 flavonoid structural genes had targeted relationships. The results show that the interspecific differential expression of flavonoid genes is the key influencing factor of the difference in browning degree between Malus sieversii and Malus robusta Rehd., providing a theoretical basis for further study on the regulation of flavonoid biosynthesis.

Flexible Organic Photovoltaic-Powered Hydrogel Bioelectronic Dressing With Biomimetic Electrical Stimulation for Healing Infected Diabetic Wounds

Electrical stimulation (ES) is proposed as a therapeutic solution for managing chronic wounds. However, its widespread clinical adoption is limited by the requirement of additional extracorporeal devices to power ES-based wound dressings. In this study, a novel sandwich-structured photovoltaic microcurrent hydrogel dressing (PMH dressing) is designed for treating diabetic wounds. This innovative dressing comprises flexible organic photovoltaic (OPV) cells, a flexible micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) electrode, and a multifunctional hydrogel serving as an electrode-tissue interface. The PMH dressing is engineered to administer ES, mimicking the physiological injury current occurring naturally in wounds when exposed to light; thus, facilitating wound healing. In vitro experiments are performed to validate the PMH dressing's exceptional biocompatibility and robust antibacterial properties. In vivo experiments and proteomic analysis reveal that the proposed PMH dressing significantly accelerates the healing of infected diabetic wounds by enhancing extracellular matrix regeneration, eliminating bacteria, regulating inflammatory responses, and modulating vascular functions. Therefore, the PMH dressing is a potent, versatile, and effective solution for diabetic wound care, paving the way for advancements in wireless ES wound dressings.

High energy electron diffraction instrument with tunable camera length

Ultrafast electron diffraction (UED) stands as a powerful technique for real-time observation of structural dynamics at the atomic level. In recent years, the use of MeV electrons from radio frequency guns has been widely adopted to take advantage of the relativistic suppression of the space charge effects that otherwise limit the temporal resolution of the technique. Nevertheless, there is not a clear choice for the optimal energy for a UED instrument. Scaling to beam energies higher than a few MeV does pose significant technical challenges, mainly related to the inherent increase in diffraction camera length associated with the smaller Bragg angles. In this study, we report a solution by using a compact post-sample magnetic optical system to magnify the diffraction pattern from a crystal Au sample illuminated by an 8.2 MeV electron beam. Our method employs, as one of the lenses of the optical system, a triplet of compact, high field gradients (>500 T/m), small-gap (3.5 mm) Halbach permanent magnet quadrupoles. Shifting the relative position of the quadrupoles, we demonstrate tuning the magnification by more than a factor of two, a 6× improvement in camera length, and reciprocal space resolution better than 0.1 Å-1 in agreement with beam transport simulations.

Analysis of flavonoid metabolism of compounds in succulent fruits and leaves of three different colors of Rosaceae

Red flesh apple (Malus pumila var. medzwetzkyana Dieck), purple leaf plum (Prunus cerasifera Ehrhar f), and purple leaf peach (Prunus persica 'Atropurpurea') are significant ornamental plants within the Rosaceae family. The coloration of their fruits and leaves is crucial in their appearance and nutritional quality. However, qualitative and quantitative studies on flavonoids in the succulent fruits and leaves of multicolored Rosaceae plants are lacking. To unveil the diversity and variety-specificity of flavonoids in these three varieties, we conducted a comparative analysis of flavonoid metabolic components using ultra-high-performance liquid phase mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS). The results revealed the detection of 311 metabolites, including 47 flavonoids, 105 flavonols, 16 chalcones, 37 dihydroflavonoids, 8 dihydroflavonols, 30 anthocyanins, 14 flavonoid carbon glycosides, 23 flavanols, 8 isoflavones, 11 tannins, and 12 proanthocyanidins. Notably, although the purple plum and peach leaves exhibited distinct anthocyanin compounds, paeoniflorin and corythrin glycosides were common but displayed varying glycosylation levels. While the green purple leaf peach fruit (PEF) and red flesh apple leaf (AL) possessed the lowest anthocyanin content, they exhibited the highest total flavonoid content. Conversely, the red flesh apple fruit (AF) displayed the highest anthocyanin content and a diverse range of anthocyanin glycosylation modifications, indicating that anthocyanins predominantly influenced the fruit's color. Purple PLF, PLL, and PEL showcased varying concentrations of anthocyanins, suggesting that their colors result from the co-color interaction between specific types of anthocyanins and secondary metabolites, such as flavonols, flavonoids, and dihydroflavonoids. This study provides novel insights into the variations in tissue metabolites among Rosaceae plants with distinct fruit and leaf colors.

Boosting Thermoelectric Performance of Bi2 Te3 Material by Microstructure Engineering

Due to the intrinsic contradiction of electrical conductivity and Seebeck coefficient in thermoelectric materials, the enhancement for the power factor (PF) is limited. Since the PF decides the output power, strategies to the enhancement of PF are of paramount importance. In this work, Bi2 Te3 /Sb and Bi2 Te3 /W multilayer films are proposed to enhance the thermoelectric properties. Both systems possess extremely high conductivity of ≈5.6 × 105 S m-1 . Moreover, the electrical conductivity and Seebeck coefficient simultaneously increase as temperature rising, showing the overcome of the intrinsic contradiction. This results in ultrahigh PFs of 1785 µWm-1  K-2 for Bi2 Te3 /W and of 1566 µWm-1  K-2 for Bi2 Te3 /Sb at 600 K. Thermal heating of the Bi2 Te3 /Sb multilayer system shows compositional changes with subsequent formation of Bi-Te-Sb phases, Sb-rich Bi-Te precipitates, and cavities. Contrary, the multilayer structure of the Bi2 Te3 /W films is maintained, while Bi2 Te3 grains of high-crystalline quality are confined between the W layers. In addition, bilayer defects in Bi2 Te3 and smaller cavities at the interface to W layers are also observed. Thus, compositional and confinement effects as well as structural defects result in the ultrahigh PF. Overall, this work demonstrates the strategies on how to obtain ultrahigh PFs of commercial Bi2 Te3 material by microstructure engineering using multilayer structures.

Complete chloroplast genome of the Malus baccata var. gracilis provides insights into the evolution and phylogeny of Malus species

Malus baccata (L.) var. gracilis (Rehd.) has high ornamental value and breeding significance, and comparative chloroplast genome analysis was applied to facilitate genetic breeding for desired traits and resistance and provide insight into the phylogeny of this genus. Using data from whole-genome sequencing, a tetrameric chloroplast genome with a length of 159,992 bp and a total GC content of 36.56% was constructed. The M. baccata var. gracilis chloroplast genome consists of a large single-copy sequence (88,100 bp), a short single-copy region (19,186 bp), and two inverted repeat regions, IRa (26,353 bp) and IRb (26,353 bp). This chloroplast genome contains 112 annotated genes, including 79 protein-coding genes (nine multicopy), 29 tRNA genes (eight multicopy), and four rRNA genes (all multicopy). Calculating the relative synonymous codon usage revealed a total of 32 high-frequency codons, and the codons exhibited a biased usage pattern towards A/U as the ending nucleotide. Interspecific sequence comparison and boundary analysis revealed significant sequence variation in the vast single-copy region, as well as generally similar expansion and contraction of the SSC and IR regions for 10 analyzed Malus species. M. baccata var. gracilis and Malus hupehensis were grouped together into one branch based on phylogenetic analysis of chloroplast genome sequences. The chloroplast genome of Malus species provides an important foundation for species identification, genetic diversity analysis, and Malus chloroplast genetic engineering. Additionally, the results can facilitate the use of pendant traits to improve apple tree shape.

Nonlinear photonic crystals for completely independent asymmetric holographic imaging

Nonlinear photonic crystals (NPCs) are microstructures characterized by a spatially modulated second-order nonlinear coefficient that have been extensively used for the generation and beam-shaping of coherent light at new frequencies. NPCs for asymmetric optical transmission have a significant impact on novel and multifunction photonic devices. However, nonreciprocal NPCs capable of completely independent asymmetric holographic imaging for the opposite propagation directions have not been reported. Here, we propose a holographic combiner for a different independent image generation at the second-harmonic (SH) wavelength when illuminated from opposite sides of NPCs. The design of the holographic combiner is based on a 3D nonlinear detour phase holography and an orbital angular momentum (OAM) multiplexing nonlinear holography. This work achieves completely independent asymmetric holographic imaging at the SH frequency by using NPCs, which may have potential applications in classical and quantum optical devices.

Online Estimating Pairwise Neuronal Functional Connectivity in Brain-Machine Interface

Neurons respond to external stimuli and form functional networks through pairwise interactions. A neural encoding model can describe a single neuron's behavior, and brain-machine interfaces (BMIs) provide a platform to investigate how neurons adapt, functionally connect, and encode movement. Movement modulation and pairwise functional connectivity are modeled as high-dimensional tuning states, estimated from neural spike train observations. However, accurate estimation of this neural state vector can be challenging as pairwise neural interactions are highly dimensional, change in different temporal scales from movement, and could be non-stationary. We propose an Adam-based gradient descent method to online estimate high-dimensional pairwise neuronal functional connectivity and single neuronal tuning adaptation simultaneously. By minimizing negative log-likelihood based on point process observation, the proposed method adaptively adjusts the learning rate for each dimension of the neural state vectors by employing momentum and regularizer. We test the method on real recordings of two rats performing the brain control mode of a two-lever discrimination task. Our results show that our method outperforms existing methods, especially when the state is sparse. Our method is more stable and faster for an online scenario regardless of the parameter initializations. Our method provides a promising tool to track and build the time-variant functional neural connectivity, which dynamically forms the functional network and results in better brain control.

[Mutation characteristics of angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma: an analysis of 75 cases]

Objective: To investigate the characteristics of gene mutations in angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma (AITL). Methods: Seventy-five AITL cases diagnosed at the Department of Pathology, Ruijin Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China from June 2021 to June 2023 were included. Their formalin-fixed and paraffin-embedded or fresh tissues were subject to targeted next generation sequencing (NGS). The sequencing data was collected, and the distribution and type of gene mutations were analyzed. Results: 492 potential driver mutations were identified in 74 out of the 84 genes. Targeted sequencing data for the 75 AITL patients showed that the genes with mutation frequencies of ≥10% were TET2 (89.3%), RHOA (57.3%), IDH2 (37.3%), DNMT3A (36.0%), KMT2C (21.3%), PLCG1 (12.0%), and KDM6B (10.7%). There were significant co-occurrence relationships between TET2 and RHOA, TET2 and IDH2, and RHOA and IDH2 gene mutations (P<0.05), respectively, while TET2 and KDM6B gene mutations were mutually exclusive (P<0.05). Conclusions: The study reveals the mutational characteristics of AITL patients using NGS technology, which would provide insights for molecular diagnosis and targeted therapy of AITL.

Design and fabrication of large-mode-area multicore chalcogenide fiber with low bending loss

Multicore fiber (MCF) has a larger mode-area (LMA) compared to traditional single-core fiber, making it easy to get a mode area of more than 3000 µm2 with an optimized MCF structure. Here, a fine-structured 19-core fiber based on chalcogenide glass was fabricated using a combined method involving extrusion, drilling, and rod-in-tube for the first time. The fiber has a minimum transmission loss of 1.8 dB/m at 6.7 µm. When the bending radius exceeds 6 cm, a low bending loss of about 0.6 dB appears, and the experimental data are in good agreement with the simulation results. In addition, the supermode characteristics of the 19-core fiber are analyzed from both perspectives of simulation and experiment, and these results are perfectly in good agreement. We believe it opens a new way to develop high-power and bend-resisting fiber with such kind of multicore structure.

Enhancing interface stability and ionic conductivity in the designed Na3SbP0.4xS4-xOx sulfide solid electrolyte through bridging oxygen

The all-solid-state sodium battery has emerged as a promising candidate for energy storage. However, the limited electrochemical stability of the solid electrolyte, particularly in the presence of Na metal at the anode, along with low ionic conductivity, hinders its widespread application. In this work, the design of P and O elements in Na3SbS4 solid electrolyte was investigated through a series of structural tests and characterizations. The electrochemical stability was remarkably improved in the Na/Na3SbP0.16S3.6O0.4/Na battery, exhibiting a stability of 260 h under a current of 0.1 mA cm-2. Additionally, the room temperature conductivity of Na3SbP0.16S3.6O0.4 was enhanced to 3.82 mS cm-1, maintaining a value comparable to commercial standards. The proposed design strategy provides an approach for developing sodium ion solid-state batteries with high energy density and long lifespan. The stability of the solid electrolyte interface at the Na | solid electrolyte interface proves critical for the successful assembly of all-solid-state sodium ion batteries.

Effects of gonadotropin-inhibitory hormone on testicular development and reproduction-related gene expression in roosters

Gonadotropin-inhibitory hormone (GnIH) plays a crucial role in regulating reproduction in the hypothalamus of poultry and has been intensely investigated since its discovery. This study aimed to assess the effects of GnIH on testicular development, as well as on reproduction-related hormone release and gene expression levels in roosters. The administration of exogenous GnIH resulted in a significant reduction in testis weight, testis volume and semen quality (p < 0.05). Additionally, exogenous GnIH significantly up-regulates the expression of GnIH, and down-regulates the expression of PRL (p < 0.05). GnIH application also decreased the GnRH, vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) and luteinizing hormone β subunit(LHβ)gene expression levels. Meanwhile, by neutralizing the effects of endogenous GnIH through immunization, testicular development on day 150 in roosters was significantly promoted. Compared to the control condition, GnIH immunization significantly down-regulated the expression of the VIP and PRL genes (p < 0.05). In conclusion, we found that exogenous GnIH treatment inhibited testicular development, reduces PRL gene expression, and suppressed reproductive performance in roosters. Conversely, GnIH immunization down-regulated VIP and PRL genes, activates the reproductive system, and promotes the reproductive activity and testicular development of roosters.

Engineered muscle from micro-channeled PEG scaffold with magnetic Fe3O4 fixation towards accelerating esophageal muscle repair

Engineered scaffolds are used for repairing damaged esophagus to allow the precise alignment and movement of smooth muscle for peristalsis. However, most of these scaffolds focus solely on inducing cell alignment through directional apparatus, often overlooking the promotion of muscle tissue formation and causing reduced esophageal muscle repair effectiveness. To address this issue, we first introduced aligned nano-ferroferric oxide (Fe3O4) assemblies on a micropatterned poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) hydrogel to form micro-/nano-stripes. Further modification using a gold coating was found to enhance cellular adhesion, orientation and organization within these micro-/nano-stripes, which consequently prevented excessive adhesion of smooth muscle cells (SMCs) to the thin PEG ridges, thereby effectively confining the cells to the Fe3O4-laid channels. This architectural design promotes the alignment of the cytoskeleton and elongation of actin filaments, leading to the organized formation of muscle bundles and a tendency for SMCs to adopt synthetic phenotypes. Muscle patches are harvested from the micro-/nano-stripes and transplanted into a rat esophageal defect model. In vivo experiments demonstrate the exceptional viability of these muscle patches and their ability to accelerate the regeneration of esophageal tissue. Overall, this study presents an efficient strategy for constructing muscle patches with directional alignment and muscle bundle formation of SMCs, holding significant promise for muscle tissue regeneration.

Unlocking the Key to Accelerating Convergence in the Discrete Velocity Method for Flows in the Near Continuous/Continuous Flow Regimes

How to improve the computational efficiency of flow field simulations around irregular objects in near-continuum and continuum flow regimes has always been a challenge in the aerospace re-entry process. The discrete velocity method (DVM) is a commonly used algorithm for the discretized solutions of the Boltzmann-BGK model equation. However, the discretization of both physical and molecular velocity spaces in DVM can result in significant computational costs. This paper focuses on unlocking the key to accelerate the convergence in DVM calculations, thereby reducing the computational burden. Three versions of DVM are investigated: the semi-implicit DVM (DVM-I), fully implicit DVM (DVM-II), and fully implicit DVM with an inner iteration of the macroscopic governing equation (DVM-III). In order to achieve full implicit discretization of the collision term in the Boltzmann-BGK equation, it is necessary to solve the corresponding macroscopic governing equation in DVM-II and DVM-III. In DVM-III, an inner iterative process of the macroscopic governing equation is employed between two adjacent DVM steps, enabling a more accurate prediction of the equilibrium state for the full implicit discretization of the collision term. Fortunately, the computational cost of solving the macroscopic governing equation is significantly lower than that of the Boltzmann-BGK equation. This is primarily due to the smaller number of conservative variables in the macroscopic governing equation compared to the discrete velocity distribution functions in the Boltzmann-BGK equation. Our findings demonstrate that the fully implicit discretization of the collision term in the Boltzmann-BGK equation can accelerate DVM calculations by one order of magnitude in continuum and near-continuum flow regimes. Furthermore, the introduction of the inner iteration of the macroscopic governing equation provides an additional 1-2 orders of magnitude acceleration. Such advancements hold promise in providing a computational approach for simulating flows around irregular objects in near-space environments.

Chalcogenide GRIN glasses with high refractive index and large refractive index difference for LWIR imaging

Gradient refractive index (GRIN) materials utilize an internally tailored refractive index in combination with the designed curvature of the optical element surface, providing the optical designer with additional freedom for correcting chromatic and spherical aberrations. In this paper, new GRIN materials suitable for the second (3-5 µm) and third (8-12 µm) atmospheric windows were successfully developed by the thermal diffusion method based on Ge20As20Se60-xTex series high refractive index glasses, where the maximum refractive index difference (Δn) at 4 µm and 10.6 µm were 0.281 and 0.277, respectively. The diffusion characteristics and refractive index distribution of the GRIN glass were analyzed by Raman characterization. Furthermore, the performance of GRIN singlet and homogeneous singlet in the LWIR band (8 µm, 10.6 µm (primary wavelength), 12 µm) was compared, and the results showed that the GRIN singlet had better chromatic aberration correction and unique dispersion characteristics.

Exosomes as a delivery tool of exercise-induced beneficial factors for the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular disease: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Exercise-derived exosomes have been identified as novel players in mediating cell-to-cell communication in the beneficial effects of improving cardiovascular disease (CVD). This review aimed to systematically investigate exosomes as delivery tools for the benefits of exercise in the prevention and treatment of CVD and summarize these outcomes with an overview of their therapeutic implications. Among the 1417 articles obtained in nine database searches (PubMed, EBSCO, Embase, Web of Science, CENTRAL, Ovid, Science Direct, Scopus, and Wiley), 12 articles were included based on eligibility criteria. The results indicate that exercise increases the release of exosomes, increasing exosomal markers (TSG101, CD63, and CD81) and exosome-carried miRNAs (miR-125b-5p, miR-122-5p, miR-342-5p, miR-126, miR-130a, miR-138-5p, and miR-455). These miRNAs mainly regulate the expression of MAPK, NF-kB, VEGF, and Caspase to protect the cardiovascular system. Moreover, the outcome indicators of myocardial apoptosis and myocardial infarction volume are significantly reduced following exercise-induced exosome release, and angiogenesis, microvessel density and left ventricular ejection fraction are significantly increased, as well as alleviating myocardial fibrosis following exercise-induced exosome release. Collectively, these results further confirm that exercise-derived exosomes have a beneficial role in potentially preventing and treating CVD and support the use of exercise-derived exosomes in clinical settings.

Compact reconfigurable on-chip polarization beam splitters enabled by phase change material

In this paper, we present the design of a compact reconfigurable polarization beam splitter (PBS) enabled by ultralow-loss phase-changing Sb2Se3. By harnessing the phase-change-mediated mode coupling in a directional coupler (DC), guided light with different polarizations could be routed into different paths and this routing could be dynamically switched upon the phase change of Sb2Se3. With an optimized DC region, the proposed PBS demonstrates efficient polarization splitting with crosstalk less than -21.3 dB and insertion loss less than 0.16 dB at 1550 nm for both phase states of Sb2Se3, and features energy efficient property benefitting from the nonvolatile phase change of Sb2Se3, which holds great potentials for on-chip applications involving polarization control, including polarization-division multiplexing system, quantum photonics, microwave photonics, etc.

Low-loss chalcogenide microstructured optical fibers prepared by eliminating interfaces defects

The loss of chalcogenide microstructured optical fibers (ChG-MOFs) is generally higher than that of step fibers, mainly due to the immature fiber preform preparation method and strong waveguide defect scattering. Chemical polishing is used to polish mechanically drilled preforms to prepare ChG-MOFs with low defect scattering. Firstly, the scattering loss caused by the defective layer of ChG-MOFs is studied theoretically and experimentally. Then, a single-mode photonic crystal fiber (PCF) was prepared to verify the effect of chemical polishing on reducing fiber loss. The experimental results show that the PCF average loss is reduced from more than 8 dB/m to less than 2 dB/m, and the minimum loss reaches 0.8 dB/m @ 2.7 µm. At the same time, the bending strength of the PCF after chemical polishing is also significantly improved.

Insights into the Semiconductor SERS Activity: The Impact of the Defect-Induced Energy Band Offset and Electron Lifetime Change

The significant boost in surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) by the chemical enhancement of semiconducting oxides is a pivotal finding. It offers a prospective path toward high uniformity and low-cost SERS substrates. However, a detailed understanding of factors that influence the charge transfer process is still insufficient. Herein, we reveal the important role of defect-induced band offset and electron lifetime change in SERS evolution observed in a MoO3 oxide semiconductor. By modulating the density of oxygen vacancy defects using ultraviolet (UV) light irradiation, SERS is found to be improved with irradiation time in the first place, but such improvement later deteriorates for prolonged irradiation even if more defects are generated. Insights into the observed SERS evolution are provided by ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy and femtosecond time-resolved transient absorption spectroscopy measurements. Results reveal that (1) a suitable offset between the energy band of the substrate and the orbitals of molecules is facilitated by a certain defect density and (2) defect states with relatively long electron lifetime are essential to achieve optimal SERS performance.

A simplified mid-infrared anti-resonant chalcogenide fiber with fewest resonant peaks

High-power laser delivery in the mid-infrared via hollow-core fibers is attractive, but it is too difficult to be fabricated using chalcogenide glasses. Here, we designed a mid-infrared hollow-core anti-resonant chalcogenide fiber (HC-ARCF) with a simplified Kagome cladding micro-structure for the first time. Then, the fiber was firstly fabricated through a precision mechanical drilling and pressured fiber drawing method. Ultra-thin walls of 2μm in the fiber lead to the fewest resonance peaks in the 2-5μm among all reported HC-ARCFs. All the fundamental mode, the second-order mode, tube mode and node mode in the fiber were excited and observed at 1550 nm. The power and spectral properties of the core and cladding of HC-ARCF are studied for the first time. The fiber can deliver high-power of 4.84 W without damage with core-coupling, while the threshold of the node in the cladding is only 3.5 W. A broadening of the output spectrum from 1.96 to 2.41μm due to the high nonlinearity at the node was successfully observed under short-pulse laser pumping at 2μm. The potentials of the fiber used for mid-infrared high-power laser delivery via core, or nonlinear laser generation via node, were thus demonstrated.

[Spatial-temporal characteristics and influencing factors of pulmonary tuberculosis cases in Shanghai from 2013 to 2020]

Objective: To use the spatiotemporal distribution model and INLA algorithm to study the spatiotemporal characteristics and influencing factors of tuberculosis in Shanghai and to provide a theoretical basis for formulating regional tuberculosis epidemic prevention and control measures. Methods: Based on the data of registered pulmonary tuberculosis cases in Shanghai during 2013-2020 derived from the tuberculosis management information system of China Disease Control and Prevention Information System, the hierarchical Bayesian model was adopted to fit the tuberculosis case data, identify the spatiotemporal variation characteristics of tuberculosis, and explore the potential socioeconomic characteristics and other factors related to health services and spatiotemporal characteristics. Results: From 2013 to 2020, 29 281 registered tuberculosis cases were reported in Shanghai, with an average annual incidence of 25.224/100 000. From 2013 to 2020, the incidence trend increased first and then decreased, the highest incidence was reported in 2014 (27.991/100 000). The incidence of tuberculosis in Shanghai is characterized by spatial clustering. Through the spatial characteristics and risk analysis of the reported incidence of tuberculosis, it is found that the high-risk area of tuberculosis in Shanghai is the suburban communities, whereas downtown communities are the low-risk areas. The incidence risk of pulmonary tuberculosis is associated with the gross domestic product per capita (RR=0.48), the number of beds per 10 000 persons (RR=0.56), the normalized vegetation index (RR=0.50), and the night light index (RR=0.80). Conclusions: With the steady progress of tuberculosis prevention and control in the central urban area of Shanghai, special attention should be paid to the prevention and control in the suburbs further to improve the social and economic level in the suburbs and increase the coverage rate of urban green space, to reduce the incidence of tuberculosis and reduce the disease burden of tuberculosis in Shanghai.

Prevalence, drivers and surveillance of antibiotic resistance and antibiotic use in rural China: Interdisciplinary study

This study aimed to characterise antibiotic prescribing and dispensing patterns in rural health facilities in China and determine the community prevalence of antibiotic resistance. We investigated patterns and drivers of antibiotic use for common respiratory and urinary tract infections (RTI/UTI) in community settings, examined relationships between presenting symptoms, clinical diagnosis and microbiological results in rural outpatient clinics, and assessed potential for using patient records to monitor antibiotic use. This interdisciplinary mixed methods study included: (i) Observations and exit interviews in eight village clinics and township health centres and 15 retail pharmacies; (ii) Urine, throat swab and sputum samples from patients to identify potential pathogens and test susceptibility; (iii) 103 semi-structured interviews with doctors, patients, pharmacy workers and antibiotic-purchasing customers; (iv) Assessment of completeness and accuracy of electronic patient records through comparison with observational data. 87.9% of 1123 recruited clinic patients were prescribed antibiotics (of which 35.5% contained antibiotic combinations and >40% were for intravenous administration), most of whom had RTIs. Antibiotic prescribing for RTIs was not associated with presence of bacterial pathogens but was correlated with longer duration of infection (OR = 3.33) and presence of sore throat (OR = 1.64). Fever strongly predicted prescription of intravenous antibiotics (OR = 2.87). Resistance rates in bacterial pathogens isolated were low compared with national data. 25.8% of patients reported antibiotics use prior to their clinic visit, but only 56.2% of clinic patients and 53% of pharmacy customers could confirm their prescription or purchase included antibiotics. Diagnostic uncertainty, financial incentives, understanding of antibiotics as anti-inflammatory and limited doctor-patient communication were identified as key drivers of antibiotic use. Completion and accuracy of electronic patient records were highly variable. Prevalence of antibiotic resistance in this rural population is relatively low despite high levels of antibiotic prescribing and self-medication. More systematic use of e-records and in-service training could improve antibiotic surveillance and stewardship in rural facilities. Combining qualitative and observational anthropological methods and concepts with microbiological and epidemiological investigation of antibiotic resistance at both research design and analytic synthesis stages substantially increases the validity of research findings and their utility in informing future intervention development.

Analysis of the factors influencing male infertility of reproductive age in Jinan

OBJECTIVE

The World Health Organization (WHO) defines infertility as a person failing to achieve a pregnancy after 12 months or more of regular unprotected sexual intercourse. Infertility includes female infertility and male infertility. The aim of this paper is to study the etiology of infertility and related influencing factors in men of reproductive age in Jinan.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

In this study, 172 male infertile patients who attended the Department of Assisted Reproduction of Shandong Provincial Maternal and Child Health Hospital in Shandong, China and the Infertility Clinic of Jinan Central Hospital in Shandong, China from August 2021 to April 2022 are selected as the study population (infertility group). A convenience sampling method is used to select 257 men from couples attending the Obstetrics Department of Qilu Hospital in Shandong, China, the Obstetrics Department of the Second Hospital of Shandong University in Shandong, China, and the Obstetrics Department of Maternal and Child Health Hospital in Shandong, China from October 2021 to February 2022 as the study subjects (control group). A self-designed questionnaire is used to conduct the survey, which includes basic personal information, lifestyle information, marital and family-related information, and one-way and multi-way logistic regression analyses are performed.

RESULTS

The average age of the case group and the control group are 34.03±5.13 years old and 33.61±8.18 years old; the average height is 175.80±5.91 cm and 176.78±5.25 cm; the average weight is 80.28±14.70 kg and 83.09±45.36 kg. The differences in age, height, and weight between the case group and the control group are not statistically significant by t-test. Moderate oligospermia is the predominant cause of infertility in men of reproductive age in Jinan. A multifactorial logistic regression analysis yields that academic qualifications (OR=2.518, 95% CI: 1.023 to 6.196), coffee consumption (OR=7.692, 95% CI: 1.623 to 36.460), living in a room that had been renovated within a period of time (OR=2.769, 95% CI: 1.104 to 6.949), stress level (OR=47.280, 95% CI: 23.656-94.494), quality of sexual life (OR=3.352, 95% CI: 1.331-8.442), and duration of couple separation (OR=3.851, 95% CI: 1.094-13.557) are the main risk factors for infertility in men of reproductive age in Jinan.

CONCLUSIONS

In this study, a total of 6 risk factors are screened for male infertility in Jinan in the reproductive age, including high academic qualifications, coffee consumption, living in a room that has finished renovation within 3 months, high stress, poor quality of sexual life, and long spousal separation. Three factors can be controlled, avoided, or reduced through personal actions; the factors are coffee consumption, living in a room that has finished renovation within 3 months, and high stress, all of which may reduce the level of male reproductive health.

A Blockchain-Based Trustworthy Model Evaluation Framework for Deep Learning and Its Application in Moving Object Segmentation

Model evaluation is critical in deep learning. However, the traditional model evaluation approach is susceptible to issues of untrustworthiness, including insecure data and model sharing, insecure model training, incorrect model evaluation, centralized model evaluation, and evaluation results that can be tampered easily. To minimize these untrustworthiness issues, this paper proposes a blockchain-based model evaluation framework. The framework consists of an access control layer, a storage layer, a model training layer, and a model evaluation layer. The access control layer facilitates secure resource sharing. To achieve fine-grained and flexible access control, an attribute-based access control model combining the idea of a role-based access control model is adopted. A smart contract is designed to manage the access control policies stored in the blockchain ledger. The storage layer ensures efficient and secure storage of resources. Resource files are stored in the IPFS, with the encrypted results of their index addresses recorded in the blockchain ledger. Another smart contract is designed to achieve decentralized and efficient management of resource records. The model training layer performs training on users' servers, and, to ensure security, the training data must have records in the blockchain. The model evaluation layer utilizes the recorded data to evaluate the recorded models. A method in the smart contract of the storage layer is designed to enable evaluation, with scores automatically uploaded as a resource attribute. The proposed framework is applied to deep learning-based motion object segmentation, demonstrating its key functionalities. Furthermore, we validated the storage strategy adopted by the framework, and the trustworthiness of the framework is also analyzed.

Asymmetric wavefront shaping with nonreciprocal 3D nonlinear detour phase hologram

Asymmetric control of light with nonlinear material is of great significance in the design of novel micro-photonic components, such as asymmetric imaging devices and nonreciprocal directional optical filters. However, the use of nonlinear photonic crystals for asymmetric optical transmission, to the best of our knowledge, is still an untouched area of research. Herein we propose the 3D nonlinear detour phase holography for realizing asymmetric SH wavefront shaping by taking advantage of the dependence of the SH phase on the propagation direction of the excitation beam. With the proposed method, the designed nonreciprocal 3D nonlinear detour phase hologram yields SH phases with opposite signs for the forward and backward transmission situations. Moreover, the quasi-phase-matching scheme and orbital angular momentum conservation in the asymmetric SH wavefront shaping process are also discussed. This study conceptually extends the 2D nonlinear detour phase holography into 3D space to build the nonreciprocal 3D nonlinear detour phase hologram for achieving SH twin-image elimination and asymmetric SH wavefront shaping, offering new possibilities for the design of nonreciprocal optical devices.

Energetic Electron Precipitation Driven by Electromagnetic Ion Cyclotron Waves from ELFIN's Low Altitude Perspective

We review comprehensive observations of electromagnetic ion cyclotron (EMIC) wave-driven energetic electron precipitation using data collected by the energetic electron detector on the Electron Losses and Fields InvestigatioN (ELFIN) mission, two polar-orbiting low-altitude spinning CubeSats, measuring 50-5000 keV electrons with good pitch-angle and energy resolution. EMIC wave-driven precipitation exhibits a distinct signature in energy-spectrograms of the precipitating-to-trapped flux ratio: peaks at >0.5 MeV which are abrupt (bursty) (lasting ∼17 s, or Δ L ∼ 0.56 ) with significant substructure (occasionally down to sub-second timescale). We attribute the bursty nature of the precipitation to the spatial extent and structuredness of the wave field at the equator. Multiple ELFIN passes over the same MLT sector allow us to study the spatial and temporal evolution of the EMIC wave - electron interaction region. Case studies employing conjugate ground-based or equatorial observations of the EMIC waves reveal that the energy of moderate and strong precipitation at ELFIN approximately agrees with theoretical expectations for cyclotron resonant interactions in a cold plasma. Using multiple years of ELFIN data uniformly distributed in local time, we assemble a statistical database of ∼50 events of strong EMIC wave-driven precipitation. Most reside at L ∼ 5 - 7 at dusk, while a smaller subset exists at L ∼ 8 - 12 at post-midnight. The energies of the peak-precipitation ratio and of the half-peak precipitation ratio (our proxy for the minimum resonance energy) exhibit an L -shell dependence in good agreement with theoretical estimates based on prior statistical observations of EMIC wave power spectra. The precipitation ratio's spectral shape for the most intense events has an exponential falloff away from the peak (i.e., on either side of ∼ 1.45 MeV). It too agrees well with quasi-linear diffusion theory based on prior statistics of wave spectra. It should be noted though that this diffusive treatment likely includes effects from nonlinear resonant interactions (especially at high energies) and nonresonant effects from sharp wave packet edges (at low energies). Sub-MeV electron precipitation observed concurrently with strong EMIC wave-driven >1 MeV precipitation has a spectral shape that is consistent with efficient pitch-angle scattering down to ∼ 200-300 keV by much less intense higher frequency EMIC waves at dusk (where such waves are most frequent). At ∼100 keV, whistler-mode chorus may be implicated in concurrent precipitation. These results confirm the critical role of EMIC waves in driving relativistic electron losses. Nonlinear effects may abound and require further investigation.

The deubiquitinase USP28 maintains the expression of the transcription factor MYCN and is essential in neuroblastoma cells

Neuroblastoma (NB) is one of the most common extracranial solid tumors in children. MYCN gene amplification is highly associated with poor prognosis in high-risk NB patients. In non-MYCN-amplified high-risk NB patients, the expression of c-MYC (MYCC) and its target genes is highly elevated. USP28 as a deubiquitinase is known to regulate the stability of MYCC. We show here USP28 also regulates the stability of MYCN. Genetic depletion or pharmacologic inhibition of the deubiquitinase strongly destabilizes MYCN and stops the growth of NB cells that overexpress MYCN. In addition, MYCC could be similarly destabilized in non-MYCN NB cells by compromising USP28 function. Our results strongly suggest USP28 as a therapeutic target for NB with or without MYCN amplification/overexpression.

Multi-modal adaptive gated mechanism for visual question answering

Visual Question Answering (VQA) is a multimodal task that uses natural language to ask and answer questions based on image content. For multimodal tasks, obtaining accurate modality feature information is crucial. The existing researches on the visual question answering model mainly start from the perspective of attention mechanism and multimodal fusion, which will tend to ignore the impact of modal interaction learning and the introduction of noise information in the process of modal fusion on the overall performance of the model. This paper proposes a novel and efficient multimodal adaptive gated mechanism model, MAGM. The model adds an adaptive gate mechanism to the intra- and inter-modality learning and the modal fusion process. This model can effectively filter irrelevant noise information, obtain fine-grained modal features, and improve the ability of the model to adaptively control the contribution of the two modal features to the predicted answer. In intra- and inter-modality learning modules, the self-attention gated and self-guided-attention gated units are designed to filter text and image features' noise information effectively. In modal fusion module, the adaptive gated modal feature fusion structure is designed to obtain fine-grained modal features and improve the accuracy of the model in answering questions. Quantitative and qualitative experiments on the two VQA task benchmark datasets, VQA 2.0 and GQA, proved that the method in this paper is superior to the existing methods. The MAGM model has an overall accuracy of 71.30% on the VQA 2.0 dataset and an overall accuracy of 57.57% on the GQA dataset.

Halogen Doping Mechanism and Interface Strengthening in the Na3SbS4 Electrolyte via Solid-State Synthesis

Good-performing sodium solid electrolytes (SSEs) are essential for constructing all-solid-state sodium-ion batteries operating at ambient temperature. Sulfide solid electrolyte, Na₃SbS₄ (NBS), an excellent SSE with good chemical stability in humid air, can be synthesized with low-cost processing. However, Na₃SbS₄-based electrolytes with liquid-phase synthesis exhibit conductivities below milli-Siemens per centimeter. Thus, a series of halogen-doped samples formulated as Na_3-xSbS_4-xM_x (0 ≤ x ≤ 0.3, M = Cl, Br, and I) were experimentally prepared in this study using the solid-state method to improve the battery performance. X-ray diffraction with refinement analysis and Raman spectroscopy were employed to understand deeply the connection between the crystal structure and conductivity of Na⁺ ions. In addition, symmetric sodium batteries with Na_2.85SbS_3.85Br_0.15 were tested at room temperature, and pristine Na₃SbS₄ was used as the control group. The result showed that the symmetric sodium battery assembled with the Na_2.85SbS_3.85Br_0.15 electrolyte can stably cycle for longer than 100 h at a current density of 0.1 mA/cm². This research provides a method to manufacture novel SSEs by elaborating the effect of halogen doping in NBS.

USP25 regulates KEAP1-NRF2 anti-oxidation axis and its inactivation protects acetaminophen-induced liver injury in male mice

Nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (NRF2) is a transcription factor responsible for mounting an anti-oxidation gene expression program to counter oxidative stress. Under unstressed conditions, Kelch-like ECH-associated protein 1 (KEAP1), an adaptor protein for CUL3 E3 ubiquitin ligase, mediates NRF2 ubiquitination and degradation. We show here that the deubiquitinase USP25 directly binds to KEAP1 and prevents KEAP1's own ubiquitination and degradation. In the absence of Usp25 or if the DUB is inhibited, KEAP1 is downregulated and NRF2 is stabilized, allowing the cells to respond to oxidative stress more readily. In acetaminophen (APAP) overdose-induced oxidative liver damage in male mice, the inactivation of Usp25, either genetically or pharmacologically, greatly attenuates liver injury and reduces the mortality rates resulted from lethal doses of APAP.

Molecular Structure and Variation Characteristics of the Plastomes from Six Malus baccata (L.) Borkh. Individuals and Comparative Genomic Analysis with Other Malus Species

Malus baccata (L.) Borkh. is an important wild species of Malus. Its rich variation types and population history are not well understood. Chloroplast genome mining plays an active role in germplasm identification and genetic evolution. In this study, by assembly and annotation, six complete cp genome sequences, ranging in size from 160,083 to 160,295 bp, were obtained. The GC content of stable IR regions (42.7%) was significantly higher than that of full length (36.5%) and SC regions (LSC-34.2%, SSC-30.4%). Compared with other Malus species, it was found that there were more sites of polymorphisms and hotspots of variation in LSC and SSC regions, with high variation sites including trnR/UCU-atpA, trnT/UGU-trnL/UAA, ndhF-rpl32 and ccsA-ndhD. The intraspecific and interspecific collinearity was good, and no structural rearrangement was observed. A large number of repeating elements and different boundary expansions may be involved in shaping the cp genome size. Up to 77 or 78 coding genes were annotated in the cp genomes of M. baccata, and high frequency codons such as UUA (Leu), GCU (Ala) and AGA (Arg) were identified by relative synonymous codon usage analysis. Phylogeographic analysis showed that 12 individuals of M. baccata clustered into three different groups with complex structure, whereas variant xiaojinensis (M.H. Cheng & N.G. Jiang) was not closely related to M. baccata evolutionarily. The phylogenetic analysis suggested that two main clades of different M. baccata in the genus Malus were formed and that I and II diverged about 9.7 MYA. In conclusion, through cp genome assembly and comparison, the interspecific relationships and molecular variations of M. baccata were further elucidated, and the results of this study provide valuable information for the phylogenetic evolution and germplasm conservation of M. baccata and Malus.

Designed anion and cation co-doped Na3Sb(WM)xS4 (M = Cl, Br, I) sulfide electrolytes with an improved conductivity and stable interfacial qualities

The fabrication of all electrolytes from noncombustible ceramic materials offers a superior option for providing safer and higher-capacity batteries to fulfill future energy needs. To achieve a competitive performance with combustible liquid electrolytes used in commercial Li-ion batteries, the creation of ceramic material compositions with a high electrical conductivity is necessary. Here, we report that co-doping with W and halogens results in a superconductivity of 13.78 mS cm^-1 in a cubic-phase Na₃SbS₄ glass ceramic electrolyte. After undergoing high-temperature heat treatments, the W ions in the electrolyte can facilitate the replacement of S atoms with halogens, introducing many Na vacancies. The samples also had a high degree of cycling stability. An excellent glass ceramic electrolyte for Na ion batteries will be constructed for Na₃SbW_0.25Cl_0.25S₄.

The effect of decellularization protocols on characterizations of thermoresponsive and light-curable corneal extracellular matrix hydrogels

To compare the effects of two decellularization protocols on the characteristics of fabricated COrnea Matrix (COMatrix) hydrogels. Porcine corneas were decellularized with Detergent (De) or Freeze-Thaw (FT)-based protocols. DNA remnant, tissue composition and α-Gal epitope content were measured. The effect of α-galactosidase on α-Gal epitope residue was assessed. Thermoresponsive and light-curable (LC) hydrogels were fabricated from decellularized corneas and characterized with turbidimetric, light-transmission and rheological experiments. The cytocompatibility and cell-mediated contraction of the fabricated COMatrices were assessed. Both protocols reduced the DNA content to < 0.1 µg/mg (native, > 0.5 µg/mg), and preserved the collagens and glycosaminoglycans. The α-Gal epitope remnant decreased by > 50% following both decellularization methods. We observed more than 90% attenuation in α-Gal epitope after treatment with α-galactosidase. The thermogelation half-time of thermoresponsive COMatrices derived from De-Based protocol (De-COMatrix) was 18 min, similar to that of FT-COMatrix (21 min). The rheological characterizations revealed significantly higher shear moduli of thermoresponsive FT-COMatrix (300.8 ± 22.5 Pa) versus De-COMatrix 178.7 ± 31.3 Pa, p < 0.01); while, this significant difference in shear moduli was preserved after fabrication of FT-LC-COMatrix and De-LC-COMatrix (18.3 ± 1.7 vs 2.8 ± 2.6 kPa, respectively, p < 0.0001). All thermoresponsive and light-curable hydrogels have similar light-transmission to human corneas. Lastly, the obtained products from both decellularization methods showed excellent in vitro cytocompatibility. We found that FT-LC-COMatrix was the only fabricated hydrogel with no significant cell-mediated contraction while seeded with corneal mesenchymal stem cells (p < 0.0001). The significant effect of decellularization protocols on biomechanical properties of hydrogels derived from porcine corneal ECM should be considered for further applications.

Rehybridization dynamics into the pericyclic minimum of an electrocyclic reaction imaged in real-time

Electrocyclic reactions are characterized by the concerted formation and cleavage of both σ and π bonds through a cyclic structure. This structure is known as a pericyclic transition state for thermal reactions and a pericyclic minimum in the excited state for photochemical reactions. However, the structure of the pericyclic geometry has yet to be observed experimentally. We use a combination of ultrafast electron diffraction and excited state wavepacket simulations to image structural dynamics through the pericyclic minimum of a photochemical electrocyclic ring-opening reaction in the molecule α-terpinene. The structural motion into the pericyclic minimum is dominated by rehybridization of two carbon atoms, which is required for the transformation from two to three conjugated π bonds. The σ bond dissociation largely happens after internal conversion from the pericyclic minimum to the electronic ground state. These findings may be transferrable to electrocyclic reactions in general.

The identification and characterization of genome-wide long terminal repeat retrotransposon provide an insight into elucidating the trait evolution of five Rhododendron species

Rhododendron is well-known for its beauty and colorful corolla. Although some high-quality whole-genome sequencing of Rhododendron has been completed, there is lack of studies on long terminal repeat (LTR) retrotransposons in Rhododendron, which limits our ability to elucidate the causes of genetic variations in Rhododendron species. The properties of the intact Rhododendron LTR retrotransposon were investigated at the genome-wide level. Based on the available data, the high-quality genomes from five species, i.e., R. griersonianum, R. simsii, R. henanense subsp. lingbaoense, R. mucronatum var. ripense and R. ovatum were selected as the identification targets with good assembly continuity. A total of 17,936 intact LTR retrotransposons were identified; they belong to the superfamilies Copia and Gypsy with 17 clades. The insertion time of these transposons was later than 120 million years ago, and the outbreak period was concentrated more recently than 30 million years ago. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that many LTR retrotransposons might originate from intraspecific duplication. The current evidences also suggests that most of the LTR retrotransposons were inserted in the interstitial part of the genes in R. griersonianum, R. simsii, R. henanense, and R. ovatum, and the functions of the inserted genes are mainly involved in starch metabolism and proteolysis etc. The effect of LTR retrotransposon on gene expression depends on its insertion site and activation. Highly expressed LTR retrotransposons tended to be younger. The activity of LTR retrotransposons may affect some stage-specific expression genes of flower development, such as leucine-rich repeat receptor-like kinase. The available results herein improve our knowledge of LTR retrotransposons in Rhododendron genomes and facilitate the further study of genetic variation and trait evolution in Rhododendron.

Modifiable predictors of type 2 diabetes mellitus and roles of insulin resistance and β-cell function over a 6-year study and 30-year follow-up

PURPOSE

This study aimed to examine the modifiable predictors of T2DM and the roles of insulin resistance (IR) and β-cell function over a 6-year study and 30-year follow-up.

METHODS

A total of 462 non-diabetic participants, 282 with impaired glucose tolerance (IGT), and 180 with normal glucose tolerance (NGT) were enrolled in this analysis. The Matsuda IR index and area under the curve of insulin-to-glucose ratio (AUCI/G-R) were used as IR and β-cell function indices in the analysis.

RESULTS

In all participants, multivariable analysis showed that BMI, glucose status, Matsuda IR index and systolic blood pressure (SBP) at baseline were independently associated with an increased risk of T2DM over 30 years, whereas lifestyle intervention and AUCI/G-R were inversely associated with this risk. The predictive effect of the Matsuda IR index and AUCI/G-R in participants with IGT was consistent with the results of all participants, whereas in those with NGT, only the Matsuda IR index, not the AUCI/G-R, predicted the development of T2DM (HR = 1.42, 95% CI 1.07-1.89 vs HR = 1.09, 95% CI 0.76-1.56). The predictive effect of the Matsuda IR index on T2DM existed even in participants with BMI < 25 (p = 0.049).

CONCLUSION

The modifiable predictors of T2DM in Chinese adults were high BMI, hypertension, mild hyperglycaemia, IR, and β-cell dysfunction. Both IR and β-cell function contributed to the development of T2DM in the long term; however, IR remains the initial and long-standing key risk factor for T2DM.

Octahedral Distortion and Displacement-Type Ferroelectricity with Switchable Photovoltaic Effect in a 3d^{3}-Electron Perovskite System

Because of the half-filled t_{2g}-electron configuration, the BO_{6} octahedral distortion in a 3d^{3} perovskite system is usually very limited. In this Letter, a perovskitelike oxide Hg_{0.75}Pb_{0.25}MnO_{3} (HPMO) with a 3d^{3} Mn^{4+} state was synthesized by using high pressure and high temperature methods. This compound exhibits an unusually large octahedral distortion enhanced by approximately 2 orders of magnitude compared with that observed in other 3d^{3} perovskite systems like RCr^{3+}O_{3} (R=rare earth). Essentially different from centrosymmetric HgMnO_{3} and PbMnO_{3}, the A-site doped HPMO presents a polar crystal structure with the space group Ama2 and a substantial spontaneous electric polarization (26.5  μC/cm^{2} in theory) arising from the off-center displacements of A- and B-site ions. More interestingly, a prominent net photocurrent and switchable photovoltaic effect with a sustainable photoresponse were observed in the current polycrystalline HPMO. This Letter provides an exceptional d^{3} material system which shows unusually large octahedral distortion and displacement-type ferroelectricity violating the "d^{0}-ness" rule.

White matter, cognition and psychotic-like experiences in UK Biobank

BACKGROUND

Psychotic-like experiences (PLEs) are risk factors for the development of psychiatric conditions like schizophrenia, particularly if associated with distress. As PLEs have been related to alterations in both white matter and cognition, we investigated whether cognition (g-factor and processing speed) mediates the relationship between white matter and PLEs.

METHODS

We investigated two independent samples (6170 and 19 891) from the UK Biobank, through path analysis. For both samples, measures of whole-brain fractional anisotropy (gFA) and mean diffusivity (gMD), as indications of white matter microstructure, were derived from probabilistic tractography. For the smaller sample, variables whole-brain white matter network efficiency and microstructure were also derived from structural connectome data.

RESULTS

The mediation of cognition on the relationships between white matter properties and PLEs was non-significant. However, lower gFA was associated with having PLEs in combination with distress in the full available sample (standardized β = -0.053, p = 0.011). Additionally, lower gFA/higher gMD was associated with lower g-factor (standardized β = 0.049, p < 0.001; standardized β = -0.027, p = 0.003), and partially mediated by processing speed with a proportion mediated of 7% (p = < 0.001) for gFA and 11% (p < 0.001) for gMD.

CONCLUSIONS

We show that lower global white matter microstructure is associated with having PLEs in combination with distress, which suggests a direction of future research that could help clarify how and why individuals progress from subclinical to clinical psychotic symptoms. Furthermore, we replicated that processing speed mediates the relationship between white matter microstructure and g-factor.

Silencing of IRF7 ameliorates osteoarthritis by inhibiting chondrocyte pyroptosis via targeting FGF21

Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common joint disease which can lead to serious disability. Interferon regulatory factor 7 (IRF7) is a member of the interferon regulatory factor family. This study aimed to explore the function and potential mechanism of IRF7 in OA. Our results found that IRF7 was increased in LPS-stimulated C28/I2 chondrocytes and in OA mice established with medial menisco-tibial ligament (MMTL) transection. IRF7 silencing enhanced cell viability, reduced IL-18 and IL-1β levels and suppressed cell apoptosis. IRF7 knockdown decreased ROS and LDH levels, and inhibited pyroptosis in LPS-treated chondrocytes. IRF7 negatively regulated FGF21 expression. FGF21 overexpression alleviated pyroptosis in LPS-stimulated chondrocytes. Knockdown of IRF7 improved OA injury in mice. In conclusion, our study demonstrates that silencing of IRF7 alleviates OA by inhibiting chondrocyte pyroptosis via upregulation of FGF21.

Genome Sequence Resource of Fusarium proliferatum f. sp. malus domestica MR5, the Causative Agent of Apple Replant Disease

Apple replant disease (ARD) caused by the fungal pathogen Fusarium proliferatum f. sp. malus domestica (Fpmd) MR5 brings annual losses to apple production within China. However, the genomic information of the pathogen is not yet available. Here, we obtained the whole-genome sequence of the highly virulent Fpmd MR5 using the Illumina PE150 platform. The genome size was 42.76 Mb and consisted of 9,047 genes. The GC content was 48.80%, and several genes potentially associated with pathogenicity were identified, such as carbohydrate-active enzymes, secreted proteins, and secondary metabolite gene clusters. There were 260 specific virulence factor genes, mainly related to fungal vegetative growth and the production of cell wall-degrading enzymes. These data will aid future studies investigating host-pathogen interactions and help us develop suitable disease management strategies.

Large mode-area all-solid anti-resonant fiber based on chalcogenide glass for mid-infrared transmission

A large mode-area chalcogenide all-solid anti-resonant fiber has been designed and successfully prepared for the first time. The numerical results show that the high-order mode extinction ratio of the designed fiber can reach 6000, and the maximum mode-area is 1500 um². The fiber possesses a calculated low bending loss of less than 10^-2dB/m as the bending radius is larger than 15 cm. In addition, there is a low normal dispersion of -3 ps/nm/km at 5 μm, which is beneficial for the transmission of high power mid-infrared laser. Finally, a completely structured all-solid fiber was prepared by the precision drilling and two-stage rod-in-tube methods. The fabricated fibers transmit in the mid-infrared spectral range from 4.5 to 7.5 μm with the lowest loss of 7 dB/m @ 4.8 μm. Modeling suggests that the theoretical loss of the optimized structure is consistent with that of the prepared structure in the long wavelength band.

Effect of Hydrogen Peroxide on the Soil Microbial Community Structure and Growth of Malus hupehensis Rehd. Seedlings under Replant Conditions

Apple replant disease (ARD) is common in apple production, which seriously affects the growth and development of apples. In this study, hydrogen peroxide with a bactericidal effect was used to treat the replanted soil, and the effects of different concentrations of hydrogen peroxide on replanted seedlings and soil microbiology were investigated in order to seek a green, clean way to control ARD. Five treatments were set up in this study: replanted soil (CK1), replanted soil with methyl bromide fumigation (CK2), replanted soil + 1.5% hydrogen peroxide (H1), replanted soil + 3.0% hydrogen peroxide (H2), and replanted soil + 4.5% hydrogen peroxide (H3). The results showed that hydrogen peroxide treatment improved replanted seedling growth and also inactivated a certain number of Fusarium, while the Bacillus, Mortierella, and Guehomyces also became more abundant in relative terms. The best results were obtained with replanted soil + 4.5% hydrogen peroxide (H3). Consequently, hydrogen peroxide applied to the soil can effectively prevent and control ARD.

Comparative transcriptomic analysis reveals candidate genes for seasonal breeding in the male Lion-Head goose

1. Due to seasonal breeding, geese breeds from Southern China have low egg yield. The genetic makeup underlying performance of local breeds is largely unknown, and few studies have investigated this problem. This study integrated 21 newly generated and 50 publicly existing RNA-seq libraries, representing the hypothalamus, pituitary and testis, to identify candidate genes and importantly related pathways associated with seasonal breeding in male Lion-Head geese.2. In total, 19, 119 and 302 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were detected in the hypothalamus, pituitary and testis, respectively, of male Lion-Head geese between non-breeding and breeding periods. These genes were significantly involved in the neuropeptide signalling pathway, gland development, neuroactive ligand-receptor interaction, JAK-STAT signalling pathway, cAMP signalling pathway, PI3K-Akt signalling pathway and Foxo signalling pathway.3. By integrating another 50 RNA-seq samples 4, 18 and 40 promising DEGs were confirmed in hypothalamus, pituitary and testis, respectively.4. HOX genes were identified as having important roles in the development of testis between non-breeding and breeding periods of male Lion-Head geese.