Jamming of Miscible Liquids via Electrostatic Repulsion Between Polystyrene-Modified Gold Nanorods and Toluene.

Structured liquids in miscible fluids, due to ineffective resistance to withstand particle self-diffusion, differ from that in immiscible liquids because of interfacial interactions. Here, a kind of structured liquid, jammed by thiol-terminated polystyrene-modified gold nanorods (GNRs) within tetrahydrofuran and toluene (TOL), is developed by introducing electrostatic repulsion to counterbalance the self-diffusion of GNRs. First-principle calculations reveal charge transfer between the GNRs and TOL, resulting in the electrostatic repulsion. The structured liquids can be regarded as mimic "loading vehicles" to controllably carry and transport matter under electric or magnetic fields, where release rate can be adjusted by changing the concentration of the soluble matter for slow release and using the photothermal effect of the assembled GNRs for fast release. This work has developed a new assembly mechanism to form structured liquids, allowing the construction of a flexible and robust droplet platform with possible applications in microreactors, biomimetic permeable membranes, and functional liquid robots.

Low loss side-polished pumping coupler for high order OAM modes amplification.

An all-fiber fiber coupler was demonstrated for pumping orbital angular momentum (OAM) modes amplification, which was fabricated by side-polishing and bonding a ring-core erbium-doped fiber (RC-EDF) and a pre-tapered side-polished single-mode fiber (SMF). With the selected phase-matching condition at 976 nm, the pumping laser was coupled into the RC-EDF from the SMF with optimized high efficiency, whereas the 1st to 3rd-order OAM mode signals were transmitted with the low insertion loss in the RC-EDF over a broadband wavelength range from 1530 to 1565 nm. This all-fiber wavelength division multiplexing coupler was optimized by the polished length and depth of the two coupled fibers. The insertion loss for the OAM signal modes was obtained lower than 0.58 dB with the pump power coupling ratio of above 90%. The proposed side-polished pumping coupler technique can ensure high-order OAM modes amplification, paving the way for the all-fiber optical amplifier in high-capacity modal-division multiplexing fiber communication systems.

Precise Self-Assembly of Molecular Four- and Six-Pointed Stars.

A novel metal-organic ligand (MOL 2) has been prepared by linking two V-shaped bis-terpyridines with one X-shaped tetrakis-terpyridine through the stable connectivity. The complexation between MOL 2, X-shaped tetrakis-terpyridine, and Zn2+ gave rise to a supramolecular C6-symmetrical six-pointed star quantitatively. In addition, a mixture of MOL 2, K-shaped tetrakis-terpyridine, and Zn2+ afforded a C2-symmetrical four-pointed star. These metallo-supramolecular architectures were adequately characterized by NMR, ESI-MS, TWIM-MS, and TEM analyses.

Geometrically Complementary Self-Assembly of a Hexarhomboid Architecture from Two Ruthenium(II)-Organic Building Blocks.

A shape-persistent metallosupramolecular multirhomboid that inlays a hexarhomboid polygon in a three-lobed flat structure was prepared by means of coordination-driven self-assembly. The key ligands were synthesized by a "reaction on complex" strategy that becomes accessible to troublesome metalloorganic ligand L3. The formation here consists of four different starting components and two metal ions. Complementarity of the shape and size drives molecular puzzling and results in the multicomponent, quantitative self-assembled construct.

Metallo-Organic Ligand Designing Road for Constructing the First-Generation Dendritic Metallotriangle.

Three approaches have been carefully examined in order to develop a terpyridine-based dendritic metallotriangle: (1) direct self-assembly of two types of organic polyterpyridines with metal ions; (2) assembly of flexible metallo-organic ligands containing two uncomplexed free terpyridines with a possible 60°-V-shaped orientation; (3) assembly of functionalized metallotriangles possessing a fixed 60°-bent uncoordinated bisterpyridine. Only the third approach has successfully given rise to the desired first-generation dendritic metallotriangle. Structural characterization was accomplished by NMR, ESI-TWIM-MS, and AFM.

Low-frequency shift Raman spectroscopy using atomic filters.

A Faraday anomalous dispersion optical filter (FADOF) and an atomic resonant absorption filter are used in tandem to demonstrate a low-frequency shift Raman measurement down to few cm-1. The FADOF, with an ultralow bandwidth of 0.08 cm-1 at 780 nm, serves as a bandpass filter, while the rubidium atomic cell acts as a notch filter which has a bandwidth of 0.3 cm-1. A proof-of-concept study to measure a Raman signal generated from a silica optical fiber is performed, demonstrating a low-frequency measurement of both the Stokes and the anti-Stokes shift down to 3 cm-1 at an equivalent signal level. These results indicate the prospect for gigahertz-terahertz low-energy Raman spectroscopy based on atomic filters.

Hanle detection for optical clocks.

Considering the strong inhomogeneous spatial polarization and intensity distribution of spontaneous decay fluorescence due to the Hanle effect, we propose and demonstrate a universe Hanle detection configuration of electron-shelving method for optical clocks. Experimental results from Ca atomic beam optical frequency standard with electron-shelving method show that a designed Hanle detection geometry with optimized magnetic field direction, detection laser beam propagation and polarization direction, and detector position can improve the fluorescence collection rate by more than one order of magnitude comparing with that of inefficient geometry. With the fixed 423 nm fluorescence, the improved 657 nm optical frequency standard signal intensity is presented. The potential application of the Hanle detection geometry designed for facilitating the fluorescence collection for optical lattice clock with a limited solid angle of the fluorescence collection has been discussed. The Hanle detection geometry is also effective for ion detection in ion optical clock and quantum information experiments. Besides, a cylinder fluorescence collection structure is designed to increase the solid angle of the fluorescence collection in Ca atomic beam optical frequency standard.

Cost-effectiveness of nitrogen mitigation by alternative household wastewater management technologies.

Household wastewater, especially from conventional septic systems, is a major contributor to nitrogen pollution. Alternative household wastewater management technologies provide similar sewerage management services but their life cycle costs and nitrogen flow implications remain uncertain. This paper addresses two key questions: (1) what are the total costs, nitrogen mitigation potential, and cost-effectiveness of a range of conventional and alternative municipal wastewater treatment technologies, and (2) what uncertainties influence these outcomes and how can we improve our understanding of these technologies? We estimate a household nitrogen mass balance for various household wastewater treatment systems and combine this mass balance with life cycle cost assessment to calculate the cost-effectiveness of nitrogen mitigation, which we define as nitrogen removed from the local watershed. We apply our methods to Falmouth, MA, where failing septic systems have caused heightened eutrophication in local receiving water bodies. We find that flushing and dry (composting) urine-diversion toilets paired with conventional septic systems for greywater management demonstrate the lowest life cycle cost and highest cost-effectiveness (dollars per kilogram of nitrogen removed from the watershed). Composting toilets are also attractive options in some cases, particularly best-case nitrogen mitigation. Innovative/advanced septic systems designed for high-level nitrogen removal are cost-competitive options for newly constructed homes, except at their most expensive. A centralized wastewater treatment plant is the most expensive and least cost-effective option in all cases. Using a greywater recycling system with any treatment technology increases the cost without adding any nitrogen removal benefits. Sensitivity analysis shows that these results are robust considering a range of cases and uncertainties.

HrcT is a key component of the type III secretion system in Xanthomonas spp. and also regulates the expression of the key hrp transcriptional activator HrpX.

The type III secretion system (T3SS), encoded by hrp (hypersensitive response and pathogenicity) genes in Gram-negative phytopathogenic bacteria, delivers repertoires of T3SS effectors (T3SEs) into plant cells to trigger the hypersensitive response (HR) in nonhost or resistant-host plants and promote pathogenicity in susceptible plants. The expression of hrp genes in Xanthomonas is regulated by two key regulatory proteins, HrpG and HrpX. However, the interactions between hrp gene products in directing T3SE secretion are largely unknown. Here we demonstrated that HrcT of X. oryzae pv. oryzicola functions as a T3SS component and positively regulates the expression of hrpX. Transcription of hrcT occurs via two distinct promoters; one (T1) is with the hrpB operon and the second (T3) within hrpB7 Via either promoter T1 or T3, the defect in Hrp phenotype by hrcT deletion was corrected in the presence of hrcT only from Xanthomonas species but not from other phytopathogenic bacteria. An N-terminally truncated HrcT was able to bind the hrpX promoter and activate the expression of hrpX, supporting that HrcT is a positive regulator of hrpX. A revised model showing the regulatory interactions between HrcT, HrpX, and HrpG is proposed.

Comparative human health risk analysis of coastal community water and waste service options.

As a pilot approach to describe adverse human health effects from alternative decentralized community water systems compared to conventional centralized services (business-as-usual [BAU]), selected chemical and microbial hazards were assessed using disability adjusted life years (DALYs) as the common metric. The alternatives included: (1) composting toilets with septic system, (2) urine-diverting toilets with septic system, (3) low flush toilets with blackwater pressure sewer and on-site greywater collection and treatment for nonpotable reuse, and (4) alternative 3 with on-site rainwater treatment and use. Various pathogens (viral, bacterial, and protozoan) and chemicals (disinfection byproducts [DBPs]) were used as reference hazards. The exposure pathways for BAU included accidental ingestion of contaminated recreational water, ingestion of cross-connected sewage to drinking water, and shower exposures to DBPs. The alternative systems included ingestion of treated greywater from garden irrigation, toilet flushing, and crop consumption; and ingestion of treated rainwater while showering. The pathways with the highest health impact included the ingestion of cross-connected drinking water and ingestion of recreational water contaminated by septic seepage. These were also among the most uncertain when characterizing input parameters, particularly the scale of the cross-connection event, and the removal of pathogens during groundwater transport of septic seepage. A comparison of the health burdens indicated potential health benefits by switching from BAU to decentralized water and wastewater systems.

Caspase-1 deletion reveals pyroptosis participates in neural damage induced by cerebral ischemia/reperfusion in tMCAO model mice.

Pyroptosis, a form of programmed cell death, drives inflammation in the context of cerebral ischemia/reperfusion. The molecular mechanism of pyroptosis underlying ischemia/reperfusion, however, is not fully understood. The transient middle cerebral artery occlusion was applied to wild-type and caspase-1 knockout mice. 2,3,5-Triphenyltetrazolium chloride-staining and immunohistochemistry were used to identify the ischemic region, and western blot and immunofluorescence for the examination of neuronal pyroptosis. The expression of inflammatory factors and the behavioral function assessments were further conducted to examine the effects of caspase-1 knockout on protection against ischemia/reperfusion injury. Ischemia/reperfusion injury increased pyroptosis-related signals represented by the overexpression of pyroptosis-related proteins including caspase-1 and gasdermin D (GSDMD). Meanwhile, the number of GSDMD positive neurons increased in penumbra by immunofluorescence staining. Compared with wild-type mice, those with caspase-1 knockout exhibited decreased levels of pyroptosis-related proteins following ischemia/reperfusion. Furthermore, ischemia/reperfusion attack-induced brain infarction, cerebral edema, inflammatory factors, and neurological outcomes were partially improved in caspase-1 knockout mice. The data indicate that pyroptosis participates in ischemia/reperfusion induced-damage, and the caspase-1 might be involved, it provides some new insights into the molecular mechanism of ischemia.

Tracking temporal variations of fatality and symptomology correlated with COVID-19 dominant variants and vaccine effectiveness in the United States.

Introduction: We described how COVID-19 fatality and symptoms varied by dominant variant and vaccination in the US. Methods: Using the Restricted Access Dataset from the US CDC (1/1/2020-10/20/2022), we conducted a cross-sectional study assessing differences in COVID-19 deaths, severity indicators (hospitalization, ICU, pneumonia, abnormal X-ray, acute respiratory distress syndrome, mechanical ventilation) and 12 mild symptoms by dominant variant/vaccination periods using logistic regression after controlling for confounders. Results: We found the highest fatality during the dominant periods of Wild (4.6%) and Delta (3.4%). Most severe symptoms appeared when Delta was dominant (Rate range: 2.0-9.4%). Omicron was associated with higher mild symptoms than other variants. Vaccination showed consistent protection against death and severe symptoms for most variants (Risk Ratio range: 0.41-0.93). Boosters, especially the second, provided additional protection, reducing severe symptoms by over 50%. Discussion: This dataset may serve as a useful tool to monitor temporospatial changes of fatality and symptom for case management and surveillance.

Bisecting GlcNAc modification reverses the chemoresistance via attenuating the function of P-gp.

Rationale: Chemoresistance is a key factor contributing to the failure of anti-breast cancer chemotherapy. Although abnormal glycosylation is closely correlated with breast cancer progression, the function of glycoconjugates in chemoresistance remains poorly understood. Methods: Levels and regulatory roles of bisecting N-acetylglucosamine (GlcNAc) in chemoresistant breast cancer cells were determined in vitro and in vivo. Glycoproteomics guided identification of site-specific bisecting GlcNAc on P-glycoprotein (P-gp). Co-immunoprecipitation coupled mass spectrometry (Co-IP-MS) and proximity labelling MS identified the interactome of P-gp, and the biological function of site-specific bisecting GlcNAc was investigated by site/truncation mutation and structural simulations. Results: Bisecting GlcNAc levels were reduced in chemoresistant breast cancer cells, accompanied by an enhanced expression of P-gp. Enhanced bisecting GlcNAc effectively reversed chemoresistance. Mechanical study revealed that bisecting GlcNAc impaired the association between Ezrin and P-gp, leading to a decreased expression of membrane P-gp. Bisecting GlcNAc suppressed VPS4A-mediated P-gp recruitment into microvesicles, and chemoresistance transmission. Structural dynamics analysis suggested that bisecting GlcNAc at Asn494 introduced structural constraints that rigidified the conformation and suppressed the activity of P-gp. Conclusion: Our findings highlight the crucial role of bisecting GlcNAc in chemoresistance and suggest the possibility of reversing chemoresistance by modulating the specific glycosylation in breast cancer therapy.

The relationship between anxiety symptoms and disturbances in biological rhythms in patients with depression.

BACKGROUND: Biological rhythms denote the cyclical patterns of life activities anchored to a 24-hour cycle. Research shows that depression exhibits disturbances in biological rhythms. Yet, the relationship between these biological rhythms and concomitant anxiety symptoms is insufficiently investigated in structured clinical assessments. METHODS: This multicenter study, carried out in four Chinese hospitals, comprehensively examined the relationship between anxiety and disruptions in biological rhythms among patients with depression. The study encompassed 218 patients diagnosed with depression and 205 matched healthy controls. The Chinese version of the Biological Rhythms Interview of Assessment in Neuropsychiatry was utilized to evaluate the participants' biological rhythms, focusing on four dimensions: sleep, activity, social, and diet. RESULTS: In patients with depression, there is a significant positive correlation between the severity of anxiety symptoms and the disturbances in biological rhythms. The severity of anxiety and depression, along with the quality of life, are independently associated with disruptions in biological rhythms. The mediation model reveals that anxiety symptoms mediate the relationship between depressive symptoms and biological rhythms. CONCLUSION: This research highlights the role of anxiety within the spectrum of depressive disorders and the associated disturbances in biological rhythms. Our findings shed light on potential pathways towards more targeted preventive strategies and therapeutic interventions for individuals battling depression and anxiety.

Faraday anomalous dispersion optical filter with a single transmission peak using a buffer-gas-filled rubidium cell.

A Faraday anomalous dispersion optical filter (FADOF) with a single transmission peak is achieved by using a buffer-gas (argon, 2 Torr)-filled rubidium cell. At room temperature, the transmission is 0.2% and the bandwidth of the transmission peak is 0.65 GHz. At a temperature of 63° C, the transmission rises to a maximum of 30.6%, with a bandwidth of 1.41 GHz. This FADOF may replace the use of interference filters or virtually imaged phased arrays in imaging modalities.

Eutrophication potential of food consumption patterns.

Although the environmental impacts and carbon footprints of foods are gaining more public attention and scientific debate, few studies have systematically evaluated the life cycle nitrogen and phosphorus flows among different food types. Disruption of natural nitrogen and phosphorus cycles already result in serious environmental quality degradation and economic losses, such as loss of fisheries due to hypoxia in the Gulf of Mexico. This study characterizes the nutrient flows during food production, processing, packaging, and distribution stages for eight food types; compares carbon footprints and nitrogen equivalent footprints of food groups; evaluates solutions to reduce excessive nitrogen outputs; and estimates effectiveness and efficiency of possible solutions. Different food groups exhibit a highly variable nitrogen-intensity; on average, red meat and dairy products require much more nitrogen than cereals/carbohydrates. The ranking of foods' nitrogen footprints is not consistent with their carbon footprints. For example, dairy products and chicken/eggs have relatively high nitrogen footprint and low carbon footprints. Finally, the study evaluates shifting food consumption patterns. Dietary shifts from dairy products and red meat to cereals can be an effective approach for lowering the personal nitrogen footprint.

Prognostic value of serum calprotectin level in elderly diabetic patients with acute coronary syndrome undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention: A Cohort study.

Patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) have an increased serum level of calprotectin. The purpose of present study was to analyze the prognostic significance of serum calprotectin levels in elderly diabetic patients underwent percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) due to ACS.A total of 273 consecutive elderly diabetic patients underwent PCI for primary ACS were enrolled. Serum calprotectin levels were measured before PCI, and baseline clinical characteristics of all patients were collected. All patients were followed up at regular interval for major adverse cardiovascular events (MACEs) during 1 year after PCI. MACEs include cardiovascular death, nonfatal myocardial infarction, and target vessel revascularization (TVR). The predicting value of serum calprotectin for MACEs was analyzed by using univariate and multivariate analysis and receiver-operating characteristic curve (ROC).At the endpoint of this study, 47 patients of all 273 patients had MACEs. According to optimal cutoff value of calprotectin for predicting MACEs by ROC analysis, all patients were stratified into a high calprotectin group and a low calprotectin group. The incidence rate of MACEs and TVR in high calprotectin group was prominently higher than that in low calprotectin group (21.9% vs 11.5%, P = .02). In multivariable COX regression analysis adjusting for potential confounders, serum calprotectin level remains as an independent risk predictor of MACE (hazard ratio, 1.56; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.08-4.62; P = .01).In diabetic patients with a comorbidity of ACS, a high serum level of calprotectin is associated to a higher MACE rate after PCI.

Holistic Analysis of Urban Water Systems in the Greater Cincinnati Region: (1) Life Cycle Assessment and Cost Implications.

Urban water and wastewater utilities are striving to improve their environmental and economic performances due to multiple challenges such as increasingly stringent quality criterion, aging infrastructure, constraining financial burden, growing urban population, climate challenges and dwindling resources. Growing needs of holistic assessments of urban water systems are required to identify systems-level cross-domain solutions. This study evaluated the life cycle environmental and economic impacts of urban water and wastewater systems with two utilities in Greater Cincinnati region as a case study. The scope of this study includes the entire urban water and wastewater systems starting from raw water acquisition for drinking water to wastewater treatment and discharge. The detailed process-based life cycle models were developed based on the datasets provided by local water and wastewater utilities. The life cycle assessment indicated that the operation and maintenance of drinking water distribution was a dominating contributor for energy consumption (43%) and global warming potential (41%). Wastewater discharge from the wastewater treatment plant contributed to more than 80% of the total eutrophication potential. The cost analysis determined that labor and maintenance cost (19%) for wastewater collection, and electricity cost (13%) for drinking water distribution were major contributors. Electricity purchased by the utility was the driver for the majority of impact categories assessed with the exception of eutrophication, blue water use, and metal depletion. Infrastructure requirements had a negligible influence on impact results, contributing less than 3% to most categories, with the exception of metal depletion where it led to 68% of total burdens. Sensitivity analysis showed that the life cycle environmental results were more sensitive to the choice of the electricity mixes and electricity consumption than the rest of input parameters such as chemical dosages, and infrastructure life time. This is one of the first comprehensive studies of the whole urban water system using real case data. It elucidates a bigger picture of energy, resource and cost distributions in a typical urban centralized water system. Inherent to a modern city as large population centers, a significant expenditure has to be invested to provide water services function (moving water, treating water/wastewater) in order to avoid human and environmental health problems. This study provides insights for optimization potentials of overall treatment efficiency and can serve as a benchmark for communities considering adoption of alternative water systems.

Comprehensive Environmental Assessment of Potato as Staple Food Policy in China.

The Chinese government projected 30% of total consumed potatoes as a staple food (PSF) by 2020. We comprehensively assessed the potential impacts of PSF on rice and flour consumption, rice and wheat planting, energy and nutrient supply, irrigation-water, chemical nitrogen (N), phosphorus pentoxide (P2O5) and potassium oxide (K2O) fertilizer inputs and total greenhouse gases (GHG) emission for potatoes, rice and wheat, by assuming different proportions of potato substitutes for rice and flour. The results showed that per capita, 2.9 ± 0.3 and 4.7 ± 0.5 kg more potatoes per year would enter the Chinese staple-food diet, under the government's target. PSF consumed are expected to reach 5.2 ± 0.7 Tg yr-1, equivalent to substituting potatoes for 4.2 ± 0.8-8.5 ± 0.8 Tg yr-1 wheat and 5.1 ± 0.9-10.1 ± 1.8 Tg yr-1 rice under different scenarios. While this substitution can increase the nutrient supply index by 63% towards nutrient reference values, it may induce no significant effect on staple-food energy supply with lower chemical fertilizer (except for K2O) and irrigation-water inputs and GHG emissions in different substitution scenarios than the business as usual scenario. The reduction in rice and wheat demands lead to wheat in the North China Plain and early rice decrease by 6.1-11.4% and 12.1-24.1%, respectively. The total GHG reduction is equal to 1.1-9.0% of CO2 equivalent associated with CH4 and N2O emitted from the Chinese agroecosystem in 2005. The saved irrigation water for three crops compared to 2012 reaches the total water use of 17.9 ± 4.9-21.8 ± 5.9 million people in 2015. More N fertilizer, irrigation-water, and GHG can be reduced, if the PSF ratio is increased to 50% together with potato yield improves to the optimal level. Our results implied that the PSF policy is worth doing not only because of the healthier diets, but also to mitigate resource inputs and GHG emissions and it also supports agricultural structure adjustments in the areas of irrigated wheat on the North China Plain and early rice across China, designed to increase the adaptability to climate change.

Energy and greenhouse gas life cycle assessment and cost analysis of aerobic and anaerobic membrane bioreactor systems: Influence of scale, population density, climate, and methane recovery.

This study calculated the energy and greenhouse gas life cycle and cost profiles of transitional aerobic membrane bioreactors (AeMBR) and anaerobic membrane bioreactors (AnMBR). Membrane bioreactors (MBR) represent a promising technology for decentralized wastewater treatment and can produce recycled water to displace potable water. Energy recovery is possible with methane generated from AnMBRs. Scenarios for these technologies were investigated for different scale systems serving various population densities under a number of climate conditions with multiple methane recovery options. When incorporating the displacement of drinking water, AeMBRs started to realize net energy benefits at the 1 million gallons per day (MGD) scale and mesophilic AnMBRs at the 5 MGD scale. For all scales, the psychrophilic AnMBR resulted in net energy benefits. This study provides insights into key performance characteristics needed before an informed decision can be made for a community to transition towards the adoption of MBR technologies.