Deciphering heart failure: an integrated proteomic and transcriptomic approach with experimental validation.

This study analyzed transcriptomic and proteomic data to identify molecular changes during heart failure (HF). Additionally,we embarked on an exploration of the prospect of therapeutic intervention through the manipulation of proteins implicated in ferroptosis. Three publicly available microarray datasets (GSE135055, GSE147236, GSE161472) profiling left ventricular samples from HF patients and healthy controls were obtained. Differentially expressed genes were identified in each dataset and cross-analyzed to determine shared gene signatures. Enrichment analysis of Gene Ontology (GO) terms, Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathways, and gene set enrichment analysis were performed. Differentially expressed proteins were obtained from published proteomic studies and integrated with the transcriptomic results. To validate findings, a HF mouse model was generated and ferroptosis-related proteins were evaluated. Additionally, the effect of suppression of ferroptosis on hypoxia-induced ischemia model in HL-1 cardiomyocytes was assessed by knocking down Acyl-CoA synthetase long-chain family member 4 (ACSL4) using small interfering RNA (siRNA).Cross-analysis of differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in the GSE135055, GSE147236 and GSE161472 datasets revealed 224 up-regulated and 187 down-regulated potential genes which showed high enrichment in immune, inflammatory and metabolic pathways. Notably, four proteins, among them ACSL4, displayed consistent alterations at both the transcriptional and protein levels. In the HF mouse model, ACSL4 exhibited an elevation, whereas negative regulators of ferroptosis witnessed a decrement. Subsequently, knockdown of ACSL4 in a hypoxia-induced ischemic HL-1 cardiomyocyte cell model upregulated the expression of ferroptosis inhibitory protein and decreased the levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS), malondialdehyde (MDA)., and free iron and increased cell viability. Comprehensive multi-omics analysis revealed that the expression of the molecular target ACSL4 was increased in HF. Targeting ACSL4 to inhibit ferroptosis may represent a novel therapeutic strategy for HF treatment.

Diethylhexyl phthalate induces immune dysregulation and is an environmental immune disruptor.

Diethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP) is the most abundant phthalate compound in the environment, and has been linked with multiple human diseases. The immune system is closely associated with the occurrence and progression of various diseases. However, minimal research has addressed the impact of DEHP on the immune system. In this study, single-cell RNA sequencing was performed using spleen tissue of mice to comprehensively determine alterations of the immune system in response to DEHP. The results showed that DEHP exposure reduced the absolute number of peripheral white blood cells (WBCs), including lymphocytes, monocytes, eosinophils, basophils, and neutrophils in mice. In addition, scRNA-seq analyses showed that inflammatory signaling and the expression of heat shock proteins (HSPs) were reduced in all peripheral immune cell populations. Furthermore, we established a mice cecal ligation and puncture (CLP) model, and showed that DEHP exacerbated sepsis-induced immunosuppression and organ damage. These results suggest that DEHP is an environmental immune disruptor that undermines the immune system, exacerbating acute infections and organ damage. Our findings offer a novel perspective on the hazards of DEHP to human health.

A combined analysis of bulk RNA-seq and scRNA-seq was performed to investigate the molecular mechanisms associated with the occurrence of myocardial infarction.

BACKGROUND: Myocardial infarction (MI) induces complex transcriptional changes across diverse cardiac cell types. Single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) provides an unparalleled ability to discern cellular diversity during infarction, yet the veracity of these discoveries necessitates confirmation. This investigation sought to elucidate MI mechanisms by integrating scRNA-seq and bulk RNA-seq data. METHODS: Publicly available scRNA-seq (GSE136088) and bulk RNA-seq (GSE153485) data from mice MI models were analyzed. Cell types were annotated, and differential expression analysis conducted. Bulk RNA-seq underwent quality control, principal component analysis, and differential expression analysis. RESULTS: In scRNA-seq data, the comparison between MI and sham groups unveiled a reduction in endothelial cell populations, but macrophages and monocytes increased. Within fibroblast subgroups, three distinct categories were discerned, with two exhibiting upregulation in MI. Notably, endothelial cells exhibited an elevated expression of genes associated with apoptosis and ferroptosis. In bulk RNA-seq analysis, distinct patterns emerged when comparing MI and sham groups. Specifically, six genes linked to endothelial ferroptosis exhibited heightened expression in MI group, thereby corroborating the scRNA-seq findings. Moreover, the examination of isolated cardiac macrophages from mice MI model revealed increased expression of Spp1, Col1a2, Col3a1, Ctsd, and Lgals3 compared to sham group, thus substantiating the dysregulation of macrophage apoptosis-related proteins following MI. CONCLUSION: MI altered the transcriptomic landscapes of cardiac cells with increased expression of apoptotic genes. Moreover, the upregulation of macrophage apoptosis marker was confirmed within MI models. The presence of endothelial cell depletion and ferroptosis in MI has been demonstrated.

Inhibiting endoplasmic reticulum stress alleviates perioperative neurocognitive disorders by reducing neuroinflammation mediated by NLRP3 inflammasome activation.

AIM: The aim of this study is to explore the key mechanisms of perioperative neurocognitive dysfunction (PND) after anesthesia/surgery (A/S) by screening hub genes. METHODS: Transcriptome sequencing was conducted on hippocampal samples obtained from 18-month-old C57BL/6 mice assigned to control (Ctrl) and A/S groups. The functionality of differentially expressed genes (DEGs) was investigated using Metascape. Hub genes associated with changes between the two groups were screened by combining weighted gene coexpression network analysis within CytoHubba. Reverse transcription PCR and western blotting were used to validate changes in mRNA and protein expression, respectively. NLRP3 inflammasome activation was detected by western blotting and ELISA. Tauroursodeoxycholic acid (TUDCA), an inhibitor of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress, was administrated preoperatively to explore its effects on the occurrence of PND. Immunofluorescence analysis was performed to evaluate the activation of astrocytes and microglia in the hippocampus, and hippocampus-dependent learning and memory were assessed using behavioral experiments. RESULTS: In total, 521 DEGs were detected between the control and A/S groups. These DEGs were significantly enriched in biological processes related to metabolic processes and their regulation. Four hub genes (Hspa5, Igf1r, Sfpq, and Xbp1) were identified. Animal experiments have shown that mice in the A/S group exhibited cognitive impairments accompanied by increased Hspa5 and Xbp1 expression, ER stress, and activation of NLRP3 inflammasome. CONCLUSIONS: Inhibiting ER stress alleviated cognitive impairment in A/S mice; particularly, ER stress induced by A/S results in NLRP3 inflammasome activation and neuroinflammation. Moreover, the preoperative administration of TUDCA inhibited ER stress, NLRP3 inflammasome activation, and neuroinflammation.

Platinum(II) bis(arylacetylide) complexes bearing diarylamino-substituted bipyridine ligands for solution-processable phosphorescent OLED applications.

A comprehensive investigation has been carried out on a series of complexes of the type (N^N)Pt(-CC-Ar)2, where N^N represents diarylamino-substituted 2,2'-bipyridine (bpy) ligands and -CC-Ar refers to the substituted arylacetylide ligands. The introduction of trifluoromethyl and methoxy substituents to the phenylacetylide unit results in color tuning of the phosphorescence energy in these complexes. The bulky diarylamino substituents on the bipyridine ligand showed distinctive electronic properties, resulting in improved hole-transporting characteristics. Solution-processed phosphorescent organic light-emitting devices (PHOLEDs) were fabricated using these PtII emissive dopants with poly(9-vinylcarbazole) (PVK) as the host. All the devices exhibit promising performances with the best luminance efficiency being up to 20 cd A-1 and the external quantum efficiency reaching 7%.

Endoplasmic reticulum stress in abdominal aortic aneurysm.

Abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAAs) are characterized by permanent dilatation of the abdominal aorta, which is accompanied by inflammation, degradation of the extracellular matrix (ECM) and disruption of vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) homeostasis. Endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress is involved in the regulation of inflammation, oxidative stress and VSMC apoptosis, all of which are critical factors in AAA development. Although several studies have revealed the occurrence of ER stress in AAA development, the specific biological functions of ER stress in AAA development remain largely unknown. Given that targeting ER stress is a promising strategy for treating AAAs, further investigation of the physiological and pathological roles of ER stress in AAA development is warranted.

Clinical effect of free chimeric anterolateral thigh flap and chimeric thoracodorsal artery perforator flap in chronic osteomyelitis.

BACKGROUND: Chronic osteomyelitis poses a formidable challenge for orthopedic practitioners in clinical practice. Chimeric perforator flap is a commonly used repair method for chronic osteomyelitis. The purpose of this study was to compare the clinical efficacy of chimeric anterolateral thigh flap (C-ALTP) and chimeric thoracodorsal artery perforator flap (C-TDAP) for the treatment of chronic osteomyelitis. METHODS: A retrospective analysis was performed on patients with chronic osteomyelitis of the lower extremity who underwent two kinds of treatment with chimeric perforator flaps from January 2014 to March 2022. The preoperative basic data and the operative and postoperative basic information of the two groups were collected and statistically analyzed. RESULTS: Sixty-six patients were included in this study, and both groups achieved satisfactory aesthetic and functional results. Intraoperative results showed that the intraoperative blood loss and flap acquisition time in the C-TDAP group were less than those in the C-ALTP group. The incidence of postoperative complications in the donor and recipient sites in the C-TDAP group was significantly lower than that in the C-ALTP group, which led to a high reoperation rate in the C-ALTP group. Long-term follow-up showed that the wound healing time and weight-bearing walking time in the C-TDAP group were less than those in the C-ALTP group. CONCLUSIONS: Chimeric perforator flaps can effectively be used to treat osteomyelitis with composite tissue defects, eliminate inflammation of the affected limbs, and promote wound healing. However, C-TDAP flaps have more reliable healing effects on wounds and donor sites, and have fewer complications. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: III, Case-control study.

lncRNA H19 facilitates vascular neointima formation by targeting miR-125a-3p/FLT1 axis.

The aberrant proliferation and migration of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) contribute to the development of neointima formation in vascular restenosis. This study aims to explore the function of the long noncoding RNA H19 in neointima formation. A mouse carotid ligation model was established, and human vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) were used as a cell model. lncRNA H19 overexpression promoted VSMC proliferation and migration. Moreover, miR-125a-3p potentially bound to lncRNA H19, and Fms-like tyrosine kinase-1 (FLT1) might be a direct target of miR-125a-3p in VSMCs. Upregulation of miR-125a-3p alleviated lncRNA H19-enhanced VSMC proliferation and migration. Furthermore, rescue experiments showed that enhanced expression of miR-125a-3p attenuated lncRNA H19-induced FLT1 expression in VSMCs. In addition, the overexpression of lncRNA H19 significantly exacerbated neointima formation in a mouse carotid ligation model. In summary, lncRNA H19 stimulates VSMC proliferation and migration by acting as a competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) of miR-125a-3p. lncRNA H19 may be a therapeutic target for restenosis.

Electronic structure of the strongly correlated electron system plutonium hexaboride: A study from single-particle approximations and many-body calculations.

The electronic structure of the strongly correlated electron system plutonium hexaboride is studied by using single-particle approximations and a many-body approach. Imaginary components of impurity Green's functions show that 5fj=5/2 and 5fj=7/2 manifolds are in conducting and insulating regimes, respectively. Quasi-particle weights and their ratio suggest that the intermediate coupling mechanism is applicable for Pu 5f electrons, and PuB6 might be in the orbital-selective localized state. The weighted summation of occupation probabilities yields the interconfiguration fluctuation and average occupation number of 5f electrons n5f ~ 5.101. The interplay of 5f-5f correlation, spin-orbit coupling, Hund's exchange interaction, many-body transition of 5f configurations, and final state effects might be responsible for the quasiparticle multiplets in electronic spectrum functions. Prominent characters in the density of state, such as the coexistence of atomic multiplet peaks in the vicinity of the Fermi level and broad Hubbard bands in the high-lying regime, suggest that PuB6 could be identified as a Racah material. Finally, the quasiparticle band structure is also presented.

Causality-Enhanced Multiple Instance Learning With Graph Convolutional Networks for Parkinsonian Freezing-of-Gait Assessment.

Freezing of gait (FoG) is a common disabling symptom of Parkinson's disease (PD). It is clinically characterized by sudden and transient walking interruptions for specific human body parts, and it presents the localization in time and space. Due to the difficulty in extracting global fine-grained features from lengthy videos, developing an automated five-point FoG scoring system is quite challenging. Therefore, we propose a novel video-based automated five-classification FoG assessment method with a causality-enhanced multiple-instance-learning graph convolutional network (GCN). This method involves developing a temporal segmentation GCN to segment each video into three motion stages for stage-level feature modeling, followed by a multiple-instance-learning framework to divide each stage into short clips for instance-level feature extraction. Subsequently, an uncertainty-driven multiple-instance-learning GCN is developed to capture spatial and temporal fine-grained features through GCN scheme and uncertainty learning, respectively, for acquiring global representations. Finally, a causality-enhanced graph generation strategy is proposed to exploit causal inference for mining and enhancing human structures causally related to clinical assessment, thereby extracting spatial causal features. Extensive experimental results demonstrate the excellent performance of the proposed method on five-classification FoG assessment with an accuracy of 62.72% and an acceptable accuracy of 91.32%, which is confirmed by independent testing. Additionally, it enables temporal and spatial localization of FoG events to a certain extent, facilitating reasonable clinical interpretations. In conclusion, our method provides a valuable tool for automated FoG assessment in PD, and the proposed causality-related component exhibits promising potential for extension to other general and medical fine-grained action recognition tasks.

Elimination of Intragrain Defect to Enhance the Performance of FAPbI3 Perovskite Solar Cells by Ionic Liquid.

Ionic liquids have been widely used to improve the efficiency and stability of perovskite solar cells (PSCs), and are generally believed to passivate defects on the grain boundaries of perovskites. However, few studies have focused on the relevant effects of ionic liquids on intragrain defects in perovskites which have been shown to be critical for the performance of PSCs. In this work, the effect of ionic liquid 1-hexyl-3-methylimidazolium iodide (HMII) on intragrain defects of formamidinium lead iodide (FAPbI3) perovskite is investigated. Abundant {111}c intragrain planar defects in pure FAPbI3 grains are found to be significantly reduced by the addition of the ionic liquid HMII, shown by using ultra-low-dose selected area electron diffraction. As a result, longer charge carrier lifetimes, higher photoluminescence quantum yield, better charge carrier transport properties, lower Urbach energy, and current-voltage hysteresis are achieved, and the champion power conversion efficiency of 24.09% is demonstrated. These observations suggest that ionic liquids significantly improve device performance resulting from the elimination of {111}c intragrain planar defects.

[Constructing a predictive model for the death risk of patients with septic shock based on supervised machine learning algorithms].

OBJECTIVE: To construct and validate the best predictive model for 28-day death risk in patients with septic shock based on different supervised machine learning algorithms. METHODS: The patients with septic shock meeting the Sepsis-3 criteria were selected from Medical Information Mart for Intensive Care-IV v2.0 (MIMIC-IV v2.0). According to the principle of random allocation, 70% of these patients were used as the training set, and 30% as the validation set. Relevant predictive variables were extracted from three aspects: demographic characteristics and basic vital signs, serum indicators within 24 hours of intensive care unit (ICU) admission and complications possibly affecting indicators, functional scoring and advanced life support. The predictive efficacy of models constructed using five mainstream machine learning algorithms including decision tree classification and regression tree (CART), random forest (RF), support vector machine (SVM), linear regression (LR), and super learner [SL; combined CART, RF and extreme gradient boosting (XGBoost)] for 28-day death in patients with septic shock was compared, and the best algorithm model was selected. The optimal predictive variables were determined by intersecting the results from LASSO regression, RF, and XGBoost algorithms, and a predictive model was constructed. The predictive efficacy of the model was validated by drawing receiver operator characteristic curve (ROC curve), the accuracy of the model was assessed using calibration curves, and the practicality of the model was verified through decision curve analysis (DCA). RESULTS: A total of 3 295 patients with septic shock were included, with 2 164 surviving and 1 131 dying within 28 days, resulting in a mortality of 34.32%. Of these, 2 307 were in the training set (with 792 deaths within 28 days, a mortality of 34.33%), and 988 in the validation set (with 339 deaths within 28 days, a mortality of 34.31%). Five machine learning models were established based on the training set data. After including variables at three aspects, the area under the ROC curve (AUC) of RF, SVM, and LR machine learning algorithm models for predicting 28-day death in septic shock patients in the validation set was 0.823 [95% confidence interval (95%CI) was 0.795-0.849], 0.823 (95%CI was 0.796-0.849), and 0.810 (95%CI was 0.782-0.838), respectively, which were higher than that of the CART algorithm model (AUC = 0.750, 95%CI was 0.717-0.782) and SL algorithm model (AUC = 0.756, 95%CI was 0.724-0.789). Thus above three algorithm models were determined to be the best algorithm models. After integrating variables from three aspects, 16 optimal predictive variables were identified through intersection by LASSO regression, RF, and XGBoost algorithms, including the highest pH value, the highest albumin (Alb), the highest body temperature, the lowest lactic acid (Lac), the highest Lac, the highest serum creatinine (SCr), the highest Ca2+, the lowest hemoglobin (Hb), the lowest white blood cell count (WBC), age, simplified acute physiology score III (SAPS III), the highest WBC, acute physiology score III (APS III), the lowest Na+, body mass index (BMI), and the shortest activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT) within 24 hours of ICU admission. ROC curve analysis showed that the Logistic regression model constructed with above 16 optimal predictive variables was the best predictive model, with an AUC of 0.806 (95%CI was 0.778-0.835) in the validation set. The calibration curve and DCA curve showed that this model had high accuracy and the highest net benefit could reach 0.3, which was significantly outperforming traditional models based on single functional score [APS III score, SAPS III score, and sequential organ failure assessment (SOFA) score] with AUC (95%CI) of 0.746 (0.715-0.778), 0.765 (0.734-0.796), and 0.625 (0.589-0.661), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The Logistic regression model, constructed using 16 optimal predictive variables including pH value, Alb, body temperature, Lac, SCr, Ca2+, Hb, WBC, SAPS III score, APS III score, Na+, BMI, and APTT, is identified as the best predictive model for the 28-day death risk in patients with septic shock. Its performance is stable, with high discriminative ability and accuracy.

A Fluorination Strategy and Low-Acidity Anchoring Group in Self-Assembled Molecules for Efficient and Stable Inverted Perovskite Solar Cells.

Herein, we synthesized two donor-acceptor (D-A) type small organic molecules with self-assembly properties, namely MPA-BT-BA and MPA-2FBT-BA, both containing a low acidity anchoring group, benzoic acid. After systematically investigation, it is found that, with the fluorination, the MPA-2FBT-BA demonstrates a lower highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO) energy level, higher hole mobility, higher hydrophobicity and stronger interaction with the perovskite layer than that of MPA-BT-BA. As a result, the device based-on MPA-2FBT-BA displays a better crystallization and morphology of perovskite layer with larger grain size and less non-radiative recombination. Consequently, the device using MPA-2FBT-BA as hole transport material achieved the power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 20.32 % and remarkable stability. After being kept in an N2 glove box for 116 days, the unsealed PSCs' device retained 93 % of its initial PCE. Even exposed to air with a relative humidity range of 30±5 % for 43 days, its PCE remained above 91 % of its initial condition. This study highlights the vital importance of the fluorination strategy combined with a low acidity anchoring group in SAMs, offering a pathway to achieve efficient and stable PSCs.

One-stone, two birds: One step regeneration of discarded copper foil in zinc battery for dendrite-free lithium deposition current collector.

The ever-growing requirement for electrochemical energy storage has exacerbated the production of spent batteries, and the recycling of valuable battery components has recently received a remarkable attention. Among all battery components, copper foil is widely utilized as a current collector for stable zinc platting and stripping in zinc metal batteries (ZMBs) due to the perfect lattice matching of between metal copper and zinc, which is accompanied by the formation of multiple copper-zinc alloy components during the cycling process. Herein, a novel "two birds with one-stone" strategy through a one simple heat treatment step to revive the discarded copper foil in zinc metal battery is reported to further obtain a lithiophilic current collector (CuxZny-Cu) with multiple copper-zinc alloy components on the surface of the discarded copper foil. Such revived CuxZny-Cu current collector greatly reduces the lithium nucleation overpotential and realizes uniform lithium deposition and further inhibits lithium dendrites growth. The formed multiple CuxZny alloy phases on the surface of discarded copper foil exhibit a low Li nucleation overpotential of only 15 mV at 0.5 mA cm-2 for the first cycle. Moreover, such a CuxZny-Cu current collector could achieve stable cycle for 220 cycles at 0.5 mA cm-2 and 110 cycles at 1 mA cm-2 with a Li plating capacity of 1 mAh cm-2. Theoretical calculations indicate that, compared with pure Cu foil, the formed multiple alloy components of CuZn5, CuZn8, Cu0.61Zn0.39 and CuZn have low adsorption energy of -2.17, -2.55, -2.16 and -2.35 eV with lithium atoms, respectively, which result in reduced lithium nucleation overpotential. The full cell composed of CuxZny alloy current collector with deposition of 5 mAh cm-2 metal Li anode coupled with LiFePO4 (LFP) cathode exhibits a reversible capacity of 125.6 mAh/g after 110 cycles at a current of 0.5 C with capacity retention of 85.1 %. This work proposed a promising strategy to regenerate the discarded copper foil in rechargeable batteries.

Structural Effects of 3D Inkjet-Printed Ni(O)-YSZ Pillared Electrodes on Performances of Solid Oxide Electrochemical Reactors.

Increasing densities of reaction sites for gaseous reactants in solid oxide electrochemical reactors (SOERs), is a key strategy for achieving enhanced performance in either fuel cell or electrolysis modes. Fabrication of 3D structured components in SOERs can enhance those densities of reaction sites, which is achieved by 3D inkjet printing with high reproducibility, having developed inks with appropriate properties. First, the effects of pillar geometries on SOER performances are predicted through numerical simulations, enabling subsequent 3D printing to focus on the more effective geometries. Herein, the study reports the results of experimental validation of those predictions by evaluating the electrochemical performances of cells with various heights of 3D inkjet-printed Ni(O)- yttria stabilized zirconia (YSZ) pillars and YSZ pillars. Those measurements prove that increasing pillar heights generally increases SOER peak power densities in fuel cell mode and increased current densities at the thermoneutral potential (1.285 V) in steam electrolysis mode, as predicted by simulations. With increasing pillar heights, more limitations in performance enhancement are found with YSZ electrolyte pillars than with Ni-YSZ pillars, again as predicted by simulations. The subsequent microstructural analysis of Ni-YSZ pillars proves the suitability of the Ni(O)-YSZ composite particle ink formulation and the reliability of 3D printing.

CircAKT3 alleviates postoperative cognitive dysfunction by stabilizing the feedback cycle of miR-106a-5p/HDAC4/MEF2C axis in hippocampi of aged mice.

Circular RNAs (circRNAs) have garnered significant attention in the field of neurodegenerative diseases including Alzheimer's diseases due to their covalently closed loop structure. However, the involvement of circRNAs in postoperative cognitive dysfunction (POCD) is still largely unexplored. To identify the genes differentially expressed between non-POCD (NPOCD) and POCD mice, we conducted the whole transcriptome sequencing initially in this study. According to the expression profiles, we observed that circAKT3 was associated with hippocampal neuronal apoptosis in POCD mice. Moreover, we found that circAKT3 overexpression reduced apoptosis of hippocampal neurons and alleviated POCD. Subsequently, through bioinformatics analysis, our data showed that circAKT3 overexpression in vitro and in vivo elevated the abundance of miR-106a-5p significantly, resulting in a decrease of HDAC4 protein and an increase of MEF2C protein. Additionally, this effect of circAKT3 was blocked by miR-106a-5p inhibitor. Interestingly, MEF2C could activate the transcription of miR-106a-5p promoter and form a positive feedback loop. Therefore, our findings revealed more potential modulation ways between circRNA-miRNA and miRNA-mRNA, providing different directions and targets for preclinical studies of POCD.

Enhancement of Broadband Reverse Saturable Absorption of Red/Black Phosphorus Heterojunction.

Although laser technology brings convenience to production and daily life, it also causes high-energy damage. Therefore, there is an urgent need to develop optical limiting materials for laser protection. In this study, a novel nonlinear optical material, red/black phosphorus lateral heterojunction, is successfully prepared through solvothermal and ultrasonic treatment. Using the Z-scan method, the nonlinear optical properties of the red/black phosphorus heterojunction are determined at wavelengths of 532 and 1064 nm. These results indicate that the red/black phosphorus heterojunction exhibits reverse saturable absorption properties in 1.2.3-glycerol. Interestingly, the red/black phosphorus heterojunction shows an enhanced performance over red phosphorus by introducing the black phosphorus phase. Moreover, the red/black phosphorus heterojunction is doped into organically modified silicate gel glass with excellent broadband optical limiting performance. This study highlights the promising prospect of the red/black phosphorus heterojunction in the nonlinear optical and optical limiting fields.

Association of the MMP-3, MMP-9 and MMP-12 gene polymorphisms with COPD risk: a meta-analysis.

Introduction: Given the evidence that the matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) play an important role in the pathogenesis of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), a number of case-control studies have attempted to assess the relationship between genetic polymorphisms in MMP genes and COPD risk. However, reliable measures of these results are lacking. Material and methods: We assessed the published evidence for association of the MMP-3, MMP-9 and MMP-12 polymorphisms with COPD risk using meta-analytic techniques. The odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) were calculated for each study using fixed or random effect models. Results: A total of 23 case-control studies were included in the meta-analysis. No significant association was observed between the MMP-9 rs3918242 polymorphism and COPD risk in the overall populations under the dominant (T/T + C/T vs. C/C: OR = 1.30, 95% CI: 1.00-1.69, p = 0.054) and allele contrast (T allele vs. C allele: OR = 1.22, 95% CI: 0.97-1.53, p = 0.088) models. However, in sub-group analysis the polymorphism rs3918242 was significant in Asians under the dominant model (T/T + C/T vs. C/C: OR = 1.66, 95% CI: 1.02-2.72, p = 0.043). The results for MMP-12 rs2276109 showed an association with COPD only in mixed populations (G/G + A/G vs. A/A: OR = 1.57, 95% CI: 1.10-2.24, p = 0.013; G allele vs. A allele: OR = 1.52, 95% CI: 1.09-2.14, p = 0.015). We did not find any significant association of the MMP-12 rs652438 and MMP-3 rs35068180 polymorphisms with COPD. Conclusions: The findings of this meta-analysis suggest that there is a risk of COPD associated with the MMP-9 rs3918242 and MMP-12 rs2276109 polymorphisms in certain ethnic groups.

Weakly Supervised AUC Optimization: A Unified Partial AUC Approach.

Since acquiring perfect supervision is usually difficult, real-world machine learning tasks often confront inaccurate, incomplete, or inexact supervision, collectively referred to as weak supervision. In this work, we present WSAUC, a unified framework for weakly supervised AUC optimization problems, which covers noisy label learning, positive-unlabeled learning, multi-instance learning, and semi-supervised learning scenarios. Within the WSAUC framework, we first frame the AUC optimization problems in various weakly supervised scenarios as a common formulation of minimizing the AUC risk on contaminated sets, and demonstrate that the empirical risk minimization problems are consistent with the true AUC. Then, we introduce a new type of partial AUC, specifically, the reversed partial AUC (rpAUC), which serves as a robust training objective for AUC maximization in the presence of contaminated labels. WSAUC offers a universal solution for AUC optimization in various weakly supervised scenarios by maximizing the empirical rpAUC. Theoretical and experimental results under multiple settings support the effectiveness of WSAUC on a range of weakly supervised AUC optimization tasks.