Genetic-algorithm-assisted coherent enhancement absorption in scattering media by exploiting transmission and reflection matrices.

The investigations on coherent enhancement absorption (CEA) inside scattering media are critically important in biophotonics. CEA can deliver light to the targeted position, thus enabling deep-tissue optical imaging by improving signal strength and imaging resolution. In this work, we develop a numerical framework that employs the method of finite-difference time-domain. Both the transmission and reflection matrices of scattering media with open boundaries are constructed, allowing the studies on the eigenvalues and eigenchannels. To realize CEA for scattering media with local absorption, we develop a genetic-algorithm-assisted numerical model. By minimizing the total transmittance and reflectance simultaneously, different realizations of CEA are observed and, without setting internal monitors, can be differentiated with cases of light leaked from sides. By modulating the incident wavefront at only one side of the scattering medium, it is shown that for a 5-µm-diameter absorber buried inside a scattering medium of 15 µm × 12 µm, more than half of the incident light can be delivered and absorbed at the target position. The enhancement in absorption is more than four times higher than that with random input. This value can be even higher for smaller absorption regions. We also quantify the effectiveness of the method and show that it is inversely proportional to the openness of the scattering medium. This result is potentially useful for targeted light delivery inside scattering media with local absorption.

Anapole enhanced on-chip routing of spin-valley photons in 2D materials for silicon integrated optical communication.

Controlling the propagation direction of polarized light is crucial for optical communications and functional optical components. However, all-dielectric on-chip technology exploiting valley photon emission in transition metal dichalcogenides with enhanced emission has yet to be fully explored. Here, we report a design for enhancing valley emission and manipulating valley photon propagation based on degenerate non-radiating anapole states. By placing circularly polarized dipoles on top of a C4 symmetric cross-slotted silicon disk, the rotating anapole state is excited with a Purcell factor up to two orders. In addition, the photon coupled to the preferred direction of the waveguide are about 2 times larger than that to the opposite direction. Our design could pave the way for realizing on-chip valley-dependent optical communication.

Role of angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) in COVID-19.

An outbreak of pneumonia caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) that started in Wuhan, China, at the end of 2019 has become a global pandemic. Both SARS-CoV-2 and SARS-CoV enter host cells via the angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) receptor, which is expressed in various human organs. We have reviewed previously published studies on SARS and recent studies on SARS-CoV-2 infection, named coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) by the World Health Organization (WHO), confirming that many other organs besides the lungs are vulnerable to the virus. ACE2 catalyzes angiotensin II conversion to angiotensin-(1-7), and the ACE2/angiotensin-(1-7)/MAS axis counteracts the negative effects of the renin-angiotensin system (RAS), which plays important roles in maintaining the physiological and pathophysiological balance of the body. In addition to the direct viral effects and inflammatory and immune factors associated with COVID-19 pathogenesis, ACE2 downregulation and the imbalance between the RAS and ACE2/angiotensin-(1-7)/MAS after infection may also contribute to multiple organ injury in COVID-19. The SARS-CoV-2 spike glycoprotein, which binds to ACE2, is a potential target for developing specific drugs, antibodies, and vaccines. Restoring the balance between the RAS and ACE2/angiotensin-(1-7)/MAS may help attenuate organ injuries. SARS-CoV-2 enters lung cells via the ACE2 receptor. The cell-free and macrophage-phagocytosed virus can spread to other organs and infect ACE2-expressing cells at local sites, causing multi-organ injury.

Characterizing the epidemiology, virology, and clinical features of influenza in China's first severe acute respiratory infection sentinel surveillance system, February 2011-October 2013.

BACKGROUND: After the 2009 influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 pandemic, China established its first severe acute respiratory infections (SARI) sentinel surveillance system. METHODS: We analyzed data from SARI cases in 10 hospitals in 10 provinces in China from February 2011 to October 2013. RESULTS: Among 5,644 SARI cases, 330 (6%) were influenza-positive. Among these, 62% were influenza A and 38% were influenza B. Compared with influenza-negative cases, influenza-positive SARI cases had a higher median age (20.0 years vs.11.0, p=0.003) and were more likely to have at least one underlying chronic medical condition (age adjusted percent: 28% vs. 25%, p<0.001). The types/subtypes of dominant strains identified by SARI surveillance was almost always among dominant strains identified by the influenza like illness (ILI) surveillance system and influenza activity in both systems peaked at the same time. CONCLUSIONS: Data from China's first SARI sentinel surveillance system suggest that types/subtypes of circulating influenza strains and epidemic trends among SARI cases were similar to those among ILI cases.

[The clinical-radiologic-pathologic features of imported pulmonary histoplasmosis].

OBJECTIVE: To describe the clinical features and treatment of imported pulmonary histoplasmosis and therefore to improve the recognition and differential diagnosis of this disease. METHODS: The clinical data of 3 patients with imported pulmonary histoplasmosis in our hospital were collected and analyzed. Literatures published since 1989 were retrieved with 'pulmonary histoplasmosis' from PubMed, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Wanfang Data and VIP data, of which all the literatures about imported pulmonary histoplasmosis were reviewed. The clinical manifestations, diagnostic methods and treatment were summarized. RESULTS: All the 3 cases of imported pulmonary histoplasmosis were immunocompetent hosts, all were males, age were from 44-67 years, and had a history of exploring the cave or tunnel inhabited by bats in the epidemic areas. All of them developed influenza-like symptoms varying in severity after the onset of the disease. Pulmonary multiple nodules and mediastinal lymphadenopathy were found on chest images. One patient underwent percutaneous lung biopsy and the other two received video-assisted thoracoscopic lung biopsy. All the 3 patients showed consistent histopathological findings, such as granulomatous inflammation with necrosis. Pathogen culture with lung biopsy in the first case was identified as histoplasma. All the 3 cases were treated with itraconazole, and recovered with good prognosis. Thirteen literatures in English were obtained, which reported 60 cases with imported pulmonary histoplasmosis. Forty-two of them were males, 16 were females and 2 undefined. The range of their age was from 17-64 years. No imported pulmonary histoplasmosis was reported so far in Chinese literature. Common features of imported pulmonary histoplasmosis were consistent with our patients, including epidemiology, influenza-like symptoms and bilateral pulmonary nodules, recovery with or without antifungal therapy. CONCLUSION: The epidemiologic history, influenza-like symptoms and bilateral pulmonary nodules provide valuable diagnostic clues for imported histoplasmosis. Clinical features with pathologic findings and good response to antifungal therapy could make the diagnosis even without pathogen detection if other etiology is unlikely.

Interplay between absorption and radiative decay rates of surface plasmon polaritons for field enhancement in periodic arrays.

We studied the effects of absorption and radiative decay rates of surface plasmon polaritons on the field enhancement in periodic metallic arrays by temporal coupled mode theory and finite-difference time-domain simulation. When two rates are equal, the field enhancement is the strongest and the peak height of the orthogonal reflectivity reaches 0.25. To demonstrate this fact, we fabricated two series of two-dimensional Au and Ag nanohole arrays with different geometries and measured their corresponding reflectivity and decay rates. The experimental results agree well with the analytical and numerical results.

Stretchable, Transparent, and Ultra-Broadband Terahertz Shielding Thin Films Based on Wrinkled MXene Architectures.

With the increasing demand for terahertz (THz) technology in security inspection, medical imaging, and flexible electronics, there is a significant need for stretchable and transparent THz electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding materials. Existing EMI shielding materials, like opaque metals and carbon-based films, face challenges in achieving both high transparency and high shielding efficiency (SE). Here, a wrinkled structure strategy was proposed to construct ultra-thin, stretchable, and transparent terahertz shielding MXene films, which possesses both isotropous wrinkles (height about 50 nm) and periodic wrinkles (height about 500 nm). Compared to flat film, the wrinkled MXene film (8 nm) demonstrates a remarkable 36.5% increase in SE within the THz band. The wrinkled MXene film exhibits an EMI SE of 21.1 dB at the thickness of 100 nm, and an average EMI SE/t of 700 dB µm-1 over the 0.1-10 THz. Theoretical calculations suggest that the wrinkled structure enhances the film's conductivity and surface plasmon resonances, resulting in an improved THz wave absorption. Additionally, the wrinkled structure enhances the MXene films' stretchability and stability. After bending and stretching (at 30% strain) cycles, the average THz transmittance of the wrinkled film is only 0.5% and 2.4%, respectively. The outstanding performances of the wrinkled MXene film make it a promising THz electromagnetic shielding materials for future smart windows and wearable electronics.

A multicentre, randomised, double-blind, double-dummy, parallel-controlled, phase 3 clinical trial assessing the efficacy and safety of intravenous nemonoxacin malate versus levofloxacin for community-acquired pneumonia in adult patients.

BACKGROUND: Nemonoxacin malate is a novel non-fluorinated quinolone for oral and intravenous (IV) administration. This phase 3 multicentre, randomised, double-blind, double-dummy, parallel-controlled clinical trial (NCT02205112) evaluated the efficacy and safety of IV nemonoxacin versus levofloxacin for treatment of community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) in adult patients. METHODS: The eligible patients were randomised to receive 500 mg nemonoxacin or levofloxacin via IV infusion, once daily for 7-14 days. The primary endpoint was the clinical cure rate at test of cure (TOC) visit in the modified intent-to-treat (mITT) population. The efficacy and safety were also compared between nemonoxacin and levofloxacin in terms of secondary efficacy and safety endpoints. RESULTS: Overall, 525 patients were randomised and treated with nemonoxacin (n=349) or levofloxacin (n=176). The clinical cure rate was 91.8% (279/304) for nemonoxacin and 85.7% (138/161) for levofloxacin in the mITT population (P> 0.05). The clinical efficacy of nemonoxacin was noninferior to levofloxacin in treatment of CAP. Nemonoxacin achieved microbiological success rate of 88.8% (95/107), while levofloxacin achieved 87.8% (43/49) (P > 0.05) at TOC visit in the bacteriological mITT population. The incidence of drug-related adverse events (AEs) was 37.1% in nemonoxacin group and 22.2% in levofloxacin group, mostly local reactions at the infusion site, nausea, elevated ALT/AST, and QT interval prolongation. The nemonoxacin-related AEs were mostly mild and resolved after discontinuation of nemonoxacin. CONCLUSIONS: Nemonoxacin 500 mg IV once daily for 7-14 days is effective and safe and noninferior to levofloxacin for treating CAP in adult patients.

[Dieulafoy disease of the bronchus: 3 cases report with literature review].

OBJECTIVES: To improve the understanding of bronchial Dieulafoy disease by summarizing the clinical and literature reported cases. METHODS: The clinical data of 3 patients with bronchial Dieulafoy disease diagnosed by pathology from January 1, 2007 to May 31, 2012 in our hospital was collected and summarized. The data of 19 cases from literature case report regarding bronchial Dieulafoy disease both in Chinese and English were also reviewed through databases including Wanfang Data, National Knowledge Infrastructure, National Center for Biotechnology Information and Ovid Technologics from January 1, 2005 to May 31, 2012. The clinical characteristics, diagnosis and treatment of all the 22 cases were summarized and analyzed. RESULTS: The average age of the 22 cases with bronchial Dieulafoy disease was (47 ± 15) years, and the preponderance was in male adults (16/22). Right lung (16/22) was more commonly involved than the left lung (4/22), and rarely in both lungs (2/22). Eight cases had smoking history, and 10 cases had underlying diseases such as tuberculosis.Sudden onset of massive hemoptysis was a common manifestation. Massive or lethal hemorrhage was often caused by biopsy injury. The abnormality of bronchial Dieulafoy disease was usually demonstrated as nodular lesions within the lumen of the bronchus.However, It was unable to determine their originating of the anomalous arteries in half of the cases(11/22). Most anomalous arteries confirmed by pathology were branched from bronchial artery (9/22), and rarely from pulmonary artery (2/22). The definitive diagnosis was made by pathological examination.Selective bronchial artery embolization and pulmonary lobectomy were the major therapeutic strategies, but bleeding may relapse after bronchial artery embolization, and lobectomy of the lung was a cure approach. CONCLUSIONS: Bronchial Dieulafoy disease should be differentiated in patients with massive and unexplained hemoptysis.It takes a very high risk for biopsy, which rarely needs to be implemented. Bronchial arteriography and selective bronchial artery embolization should be promptly carried out to avoid life-threatening hemoptysis.Lobectomy could be an alternative choice for a cure.

[A study on the differential diagnosis of ciliated epithelial cells from Lophomonas blattarum in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid].

OBJECTIVE: To validate the authenticity of the cases diagnosed as pulmonary Lophomonas blattarum infection in literatures and Lophomonas blattarum as a kind of pathogen resulting in pulmonary infection. METHODS: From June 2012 to May 2013, mobile cells with cilia at the anterior end of the cells were observed in BALF from 6 patients with pulmonary disease in our hospital. Morphological feature and ultrastructure of the cells were further investigated by optical microscope and electron microscope to determine the type of the cells referring to literature-published photos of Lophomonas blattarum. Literatures about Lophomonas blattarum infection were searched with keyword Lophomonas blattarum from Wanfang Data, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) and PubMed. Diagnostic methods and figures provided by the literature were carefully reviewed, and the accuracy of diagnosis of pulmonary Lophomonas blattarum was identified. RESULTS: Mobile cells found in BALF from the 6 patients in our hospital had the morphological features of bronchial ciliate epithelial cells. A nucleus far from the cilia was observed in the middle or at the bottom of the cytoplasm, and these cells did not display the characteristic cytological structures of Lophomonas blattarum: calyx, perinuclear tubules and axial filament. Diagnosis of pulmonary Lophomonas blattarum reported in literatures so far were all based on the morphological features of mobile cells with a cluster of flagellate at anterior end of the cell by optical microscopy. None of the authors did further exploration on the ultrastructure of such a kind of cells and compared with features of Lophomonas blattarum described in the literature. All the active cells reported in literatures had the identical morphological features to those found in our investigation. CONCLUSION: In the past 20 years, all the diagnosed cases as pulmonary Lophomonas blattarum infection reported in our country were misdiagnosed. Currently, there is no evidence to show Lophomonas blattarum as a pathogen resulting in pulmonary infection.

Intrinsic 1[Formula: see text] phase induced in atomically thin 2H-MoTe2 by a single terahertz pulse.

The polymorphic transition from 2H to 1[Formula: see text]-MoTe2, which was thought to be induced by high-energy photon irradiation among many other means, has been intensely studied for its technological relevance in nanoscale transistors due to the remarkable improvement in electrical performance. However, it remains controversial whether a crystalline 1[Formula: see text] phase is produced because optical signatures of this putative transition are found to be associated with the formation of tellurium clusters instead. Here we demonstrate the creation of an intrinsic 1[Formula: see text] lattice after irradiating a mono- or few-layer 2H-MoTe2 with a single field-enhanced terahertz pulse. Unlike optical pulses, the low terahertz photon energy limits possible structural damages. We further develop a single-shot terahertz-pump-second-harmonic-probe technique and reveal a transition out of the 2H-phase within 10 ns after photoexcitation. Our results not only provide important insights to resolve the long-standing debate over the light-induced polymorphic transition in MoTe2 but also highlight the unique capability of strong-field terahertz pulses in manipulating quantum materials.

Determination of absorption and radiative decay rates of surface plasmon polaritons from nanohole array.

We have devised a simple method to determine the absorption and radiative decay rates of surface plasmon polaritons in an Au nanohole array by combining polarization-resolved reflectivity spectroscopy and temporal coupled-mode theory. The dependence of two rates on wavelength has been measured and they are found to agree with finite-difference time-domain simulations. As both absorption and radiative decay rates play a key role in several plasmonic applications, our approach offers a simple and effective means in determining them.

A physical interpretation of coupling chiral metaatoms.

The physical origins of chiroptical responses from artificial optically active media are significant for developing high-performance circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopic techniques. Here, we present a biorthogonal approach based on temporal coupled-mode theory to unravel the underlying physics of chiral metasurfaces. Equipped with physically meaningful parameters, this approach inherits the intrinsic properties of open optical cavities, including time-reversal symmetry and non-Hermitian Hamiltonians, which are found to be in excellent agreement with numerical results. Remarkably, it identifies that the intrinsic chirality of coupled chiral nanocavities arises from (i) the asymmetric coupling between interlayer cross-polarized resonant modes and (ii) a coherent interference between doubly degenerate states. Based on this formalism, a critical coupling condition capable of achieving zero transmission for circularly polarized light is proposed.

Chirality Transfer from Sub-Nanometer Biochemical Molecules to Sub-Micrometer Plasmonic Metastructures: Physiochemical Mechanisms, Biosensing, and Bioimaging Opportunities.

Determining the structural chirality of biomolecules is of vital importance in bioscience and biomedicine. Conventional methods for characterizing molecular chirality, e.g., circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopy, require high-concentration specimens due to the weak electronic CD signals of biomolecules such as amino acids. Artificially designed chiral plasmonic metastructures exhibit strong intrinsic chirality. However, the significant size mismatch between metastructures and biomolecules makes the former unsuitable for chirality-recognition-based molecular discrimination. Fortunately, constructing metallic architectures through molecular self-assembly allows chirality transfer from sub-nanometer biomolecules to sub-micrometer, intrinsically achiral plasmonic metastructures by means of either near-field interaction or chirality inheritance, resulting in hybrid systems with CD signals orders of magnitude larger than that of pristine biomolecules. This exotic property provides a new means to determine molecular chirality at extremely low concentrations (ideally at the single-molecule level). Herein, three strategies of chirality transfer from sub-nanometer biomolecules to sub-micrometer metallic metastructures are analyzed. The physiochemical mechanisms responsible for chirality transfer are elaborated and new fascinating opportunities for employing plasmonic metastructures in chirality-based biosensing and bioimaging are outlined.

Safety and efficacy of oral nemonoxacin versus levofloxacin in treatment of community-acquired pneumonia: A phase 3, multicenter, randomized, double-blind, double-dummy, active-controlled, non-inferiority trial.

BACKGROUND/PURPOSE: Nemonoxacin is a novel nonfluorinated quinolone with excellent in vitro activity against most pathogens in community-acquired pneumonia (CAP), especially Gram-positive isolates. The purpose of this study was to assess the efficacy and safety of nemonoxacin compared with levofloxacin in patients with CAP. METHODS: A phase 3, multicenter, randomized (2:1) controlled trial was conducted in adult CAP patients receiving nemonoxacin 500 mg or levofloxacin 500 mg orally once daily for 7-10 days. Clinical, microbiological response and adverse events were assessed. Non-inferiority was determined in terms of clinical cure rate of nemonoxacin compared with that of levofloxacin in a modified intention-to-treat (mITT) population. NCT registration number: NCT01529476. RESULTS: A total of 527 patients were randomized and treated with nemonoxacin (n = 356) or levofloxacin (n = 171). The clinical cure rate at test-of-cure visit was 94.3% (300/318) for nemonoxacin and 93.5% (143/153) for levofloxacin in the mITT population [difference (95% CI), 0.9% (-3.8%, 5.5%)]. The microbiological success rate was 92.1% (105/114) for nemonoxacin and 91.7% (55/60) for levofloxacin in the bacteriological mITT population [difference (95% CI), 0.4% (-8.1%, 9.0%)]. The incidence of adverse events (AEs) was comparable between nemonoxacin (33.1%, 118/356) and levofloxacin (33.3%, 57/171) (P > 0.05). CONCLUSION: Nemonoxacin 500 mg once daily for 7-10 days is as effective and safe as levofloxacin for treating adult CAP patients in terms of clinical cure rates, microbiological success rates, and safety profile. ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT01529476.

Determination of the Excitation and Coupling Rates Between Light Emitters and Surface Plasmon Polaritons.

We have developed a unique method to measure the excitation and coupling rates between the light emitters and surface plasmon polaritons (SPPs) arising from metallic periodic arrays without involving time-resolved techniques. We have formulated the rates by quantities that can be measured by simple optical measurements. The instrumentation based on angle- and polarization-resolved reflectivity and photoluminescence spectroscopy will be described in detail here. Our approach is intriguing due to its simplicity, which requires routine optics and several mechanical stages, and thus is highly affordable to most of the research laboratories.

Epidemiology, microbiology, and treatment patterns of pediatric patients hospitalized with pneumonia at two hospitals in China: a patient chart review study.

BACKGROUND: The etiology, epidemiology, treatment patterns, and clinical outcomes of neonatal and pediatric pneumonia patients in China are not well reported. This retrospective chart review study aimed to describe such information among neonatal (0 to 27 days) and pediatric (28 days to <18 years) pneumonia patients in two regions of China. METHODS: Electronic medical records of pneumonia hospitalizations (aged <18 years) admitted between 2008 and 2013 from four hospitals under Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Chinese Medicine (Southern China) and between 2010 and 2014 at Peking University People's Hospital (Beijing, Northern China) were reviewed. RESULTS: The average age of neonatal hospitalizations in Beijing (n=92) was 3.5 days. The mean length of hospital stay was 11.2 days, and no deaths occurred. Staphylococcus epidermidis was the most common bacteria found in Beijing patients, whereas Mycoplasma pneumoniae was the most common bacteria found in Guangdong patients. The average age of pediatric hospitalizations was 3.3 (±3.1) and 6.5 (±5.6) years in Guangdong (n=3,046) and Beijing (n=222), respectively. The mean length of hospital stay was 17.4 and 5.8 days, and overall mortality rates were 0.2% and 0.5%. CONCLUSION: The findings revealed a low level of bacterial isolation and hence microbiological diagnoses. There was a low level of in-hospital mortality due to pneumonia, and the majority of hospitalizations were discharged from hospital, suggesting that current practice was generally effective. Neonatal hospitalizations were greater than pediatric hospitalizations in Beijing along with disparity in bacterial profile when compared with Guangdong, intending a need to improve neonatal pneumonia prophylaxis and selection of appropriate treatment.

Common Variable Immunodeficiency with Genetic Defects Identified by Whole Exome Sequencing.

Common variable immunodeficiency (CVID) belongs to the primary immunodeficiency disorders (PIDs), presenting a profound heterogeneity in phenotype and genotype, with monogenic or complex causes. Recurrent respiratory infections are the most common clinical manifestations. CVID patients can also develop various autoimmune and lymphoproliferative complications. Genetic testing such as whole exome sequencing (WES) can be utilized to investigate likely genetic defects, helping for better clinical management. We described the clinical phenotypes of three sporadic cases of CVID, who developed recurrent respiratory infections with different autoimmune and lymphoproliferative complications. WES was applied to screen disease-causing or disease-associated mutations. Two patients were identified to have monogenic disorders, with compound heterozygous mutations in LRBA for one patient and a frameshift insertion in NFKB1 for another. The third patient was identified to be a complex form of CVID. Two novel mutations were identified, respectively, in LRBA and NFKB1. A combination of clinical and genetic diagnosis can be more extensively utilized in the clinical practice due to the complexity and heterogeneity of CVID.

[The efficacy and safety of tulobuterol tape in mild and moderate persistent asthma patients].

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of tulobuterol tape in mild and moderate persistent asthma patients. METHODS: A multicenter, randomized, controlled, open label study was performed. A total of 233 adult patients with mild and moderate persistent asthma were enrolled, and 115 patients were treated with tulobuterol tape and 118 with tulobuterol tablet. RESULT: After 4 weeks of treatment, the morning peak expiratory flow (PEF) and evening PEF and the percent change in the tulobuterol tape group were increased significantly as compared to the tulobuterol tablet group (P < 0.05). The rate of improvement in morning PEF with the tape group and the tablet group were 9.1 (0.38 approximately 19.4)% and 4.2 (-6.4 approximately 18.3)%, respectively. The pulmonary function, variation rate of PEF, asthma score and usage of short-acting beta(2) agonist were improved after 4 weeks of treatment, but the differences were not significant between the two groups. The incidence of adverse reactions including palpitations and tremor in the tulobuterol tape group was significantly lower than that in the tablet group (chi(2) = 7.0919, P = 0.0077), and the incidence of local skin adverse reactions in tape group was 2.6%. CONCLUSION: Tulobuterol tape is a newly formulated, effective and safe medication for the treatment of asthma.