Diffusion and functional MRI reveal microstructural and network connectivity impairment in adult-onset neuronal intranuclear inclusion disease.

Objectives: Neuronal intranuclear inclusion disease (NIID) is a rare neurodegenerative disorder lacking reliable neuroimaging biomarkers. This study aimed to evaluate microstructural and functional connectivity alterations using diffusion kurtosis imaging (DKI) and resting-state fMRI (rs-fMRI), and to investigate their diagnostic potential as biomarkers. Methods: Twenty-three patients with NIID and 40 matched healthy controls (HCs) were recruited. Firstly, gray matter (GM) and white matter (WM) changes were assessed by voxel-based analysis (VBA) and tract-based spatial statistics (TBSS). Then we explored modifications in brain functional networks connectivity by independent component analysis. And the relationship between the altered DKI parameters and neuropsychological evaluation was analyzed. Finally, a receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was used to evaluate the diagnostic performance of different gray matter and white matter parameters. Results: Compared with the HCs, NIID patients showed reduced mean kurtosis (MK), radial kurtosis (RK), axial kurtosis (AK), and kurtosis fractional anisotropy (KFA) values in deep gray matter regions. Significantly decreased MK, RK, AK, KFA and fractional anisotropy (FA), and increased mean diffusivity (MD) values were observed in extensive white matter fiber tracts. Notable alterations in functional connectivity were also detected. Among all DKI parameters, the diagnostic efficiency of AK in GM and FA in WM regions was the highest. Conclusion: Adult-onset NIID patients exhibited altered microstructure and functional network connectivity. Our findings suggest that DKI parameters may serve as potential imaging biomarkers for diagnosing adult-onset NIID.

Abnormal structural‒functional coupling patterning in progressive supranuclear palsy is associated with diverse gradients and histological features.

The anatomy of the brain supports inherent processes, fostering mental abilities and eventually facilitating adaptive behavior. Recent studies have shown that progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP) is accompanied by alterations in functional and structural networks. However, how the structure and function of PSP coordinates change is not clear, and the relationships between structural‒functional coupling (SFC) and the gradient of hierarchical structure and cellular histology remain largely unknown. Here, we use neuroimaging data from two independent cohorts and a public histological dataset to investigate the relationships among the cellular histology, hierarchical structure, and SFC of PSP patients. We find that the SFC of the entire cortex in PSP is severely disrupted, with higher coupling in the visual network (VN). Moreover, coupling differences in PSP follow a macroscopic organizational principle from unimodal to transmodal gradients. Finally, we elucidate greater laminar differentiation in VN regions sensitive to SFC changes in PSP, which is related mainly to the higher cellular density and smaller size of the internal-granular layer. In conclusion, our findings provide an interpretable framework for understanding SFC changes in PSP and provide new insights into the consistency of structural and functional changes in PSP regarding hierarchical structure and cellular histology.

Abnormal Structural-Functional Coupling and MRI Alterations of Brain Network Topology in Progressive Supranuclear Palsy.

BACKGROUND: Progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP) can cause structural and functional brain reconstruction. There is a lack of knowledge about the consistency between structural-functional (S-F) connection networks in PSP, despite growing evidence of anomalies in various single brain network parameters. PURPOSE: To study the changes in the structural and functional networks of PSP, network's topological properties including degree, and the consistency of S-F coupling. The relationship with clinical scales was examined including the assessment of PSP severity, and so on. STUDY TYPE: Retrospective. SUBJECTS: A total of 51 PSP patients (70.04 ± 7.46, 25 females) and 101 healthy controls (64.58 ± 8.84, 58 females). FIELD STRENGTH/SEQUENCE: 3-T, resting-state functional MRI, diffusion tensor imaging, and T1-weighted images. ASSESSMENT: A graph-theoretic approach was used to evaluate structural and functional network topology metrics. We used the S-F coupling changes to explore the consistency of structural and functional networks. STATISTICAL TESTS: Independent samples t tests were employed for continuous variables, χ2 tests were used for categorical variables. For network analysis, two-sample t tests was used and implied an false discovery rate (FDR) correction. Pearson correlation analysis was used to explore the correlations. A P-value <0.05 was considered statistically significant. RESULTS: PSP showed variations within and between modules. Specifically, PSP had decreased network properties changes (t = -2.0136; t = 2.5409; t = -2.5338; t = -2.4296; t = -2.5338; t = 2.8079). PSP showed a lower coupling in the thalamus and left putamen and a higher coupling in the visual, somatomotor, dorsal attention, and ventral attention network. S-F coupling was related to the number of network connections (r = 0.32, r = 0.22) and information transmission efficiency (r = 0.55, r = 0.28). S-F coupling was related to basic academic ability (r = 0.39) and disinhibition (r = 0.49). DATA CONCLUSION: PSP may show abnormal S-F coupling and intramodular and intermodular connectome in the structural and functional networks. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 3 TECHNICAL EFFICACY: Stage 3.

Transcriptional expression patterns of the cortical morphometric similarity network in progressive supranuclear palsy.

BACKGROUND: It has been demonstrated that progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP) correlates with structural abnormalities in several distinct regions of the brain. However, whether there are changes in the morphological similarity network (MSN) and the relationship between changes in brain structure and gene expression remain largely unknown. METHODS: We used two independent cohorts (discovery dataset: PSP: 51, healthy controls (HC): 82; replication dataset: PSP: 53, HC: 55) for MSN analysis and comparing the longitudinal changes in the MSN of PSP. Then, we applied partial least squares regression to determine the relationships between changes in MSN and spatial transcriptional features and identified specific genes associated with MSN differences in PSP. We further investigated the biological processes enriched in PSP-associated genes and the cellular characteristics of these genes, and finally, we performed an exploratory analysis of the relationship between MSN changes and neurotransmitter receptors. RESULTS: We found that the MSN in PSP patients was mainly decreased in the frontal and temporal cortex but increased in the occipital cortical region. This difference is replicable. In longitudinal studies, MSN differences are mainly manifested in the frontal and parietal regions. Furthermore, the expression pattern associated with MSN changes in PSP involves genes implicated in astrocytes and excitatory and inhibitory neurons and is functionally enriched in neuron-specific biological processes related to synaptic signaling. Finally, we found that the changes in MSN were mainly negatively correlated with the levels of serotonin, norepinephrine, and opioid receptors. CONCLUSIONS: These results have enhanced our understanding of the microscale genetic and cellular mechanisms responsible for large-scale morphological abnormalities in PSP patients, suggesting potential targets for future therapeutic trials.

Clinical and multimodal imaging features of adult-onset neuronal intranuclear inclusion disease.

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to analyze the clinical and multimodal imaging manifestations of adult-onset neuronal intranuclear inclusion disease (NIID) patients and to investigate NIID-specific neuroimaging biomarkers. METHODS: Forty patients were retrospectively enrolled from the Qilu Hospital of Shandong University. We analyzed the clinical and imaging characteristics of 40 adult-onset NIID patients and investigated the correlation between these characteristics and genetic markers and neuropsychological scores. We further explored NIID-specific alterations using multimodal imaging indices, including diffusion tensor imaging (DTI), magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS), and brain age estimation. In addition, we summarized the dynamic evolution pattern of NIID by examining the changes in diffusion weighted imaging (DWI) signals over time. RESULTS: The NIID patients' ages ranged from 31 to 77 years. Cognitive impairment was the most common symptom (30/40, 75.0%), while some patients (18/40, 45.0%) initially presented with episodic symptoms such as headache (10/40, 25.0%). Patients with cognitive impairment symptoms had more cerebral white matter damage (χ2 = 11.475, P = 0.009). The most prevalent imaging manifestation was a high signal on DWI in the corticomedullary junction area, which was observed in 80.0% (32/40) of patients. In addition, the DWI dynamic evolution patterns could be classified into four main patterns. Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) revealed extensive thinning of cerebral white matter fibers. The estimated brain age surpassed the patient's chronological age, signifying advanced brain aging in NIID patients. CONCLUSIONS: The clinical manifestations of NIID exhibit significant variability, usually leading to misdiagnosis. Our results provided new imaging perspectives for accurately diagnosing and exploring this disease's neuropathological mechanisms.

Continuous-Wave Pumped Monolayer WS2 Lasing for Photonic Barcoding.

Micro/nano photonic barcoding has emerged as a promising technology for information security and anti-counterfeiting applications owing to its high security and robust tamper resistance. However, the practical application of conventional micro/nano photonic barcodes is constrained by limitations in encoding capacity and identification verification (e.g., broad emission bandwidth and the expense of pulsed lasers). Herein, we propose high-capacity photonic barcode labels by leveraging continuous-wave (CW) pumped monolayer tungsten disulfide (WS2) lasing. Large-area, high-quality monolayer WS2 films were grown via a vapor deposition method and coupled with external cavities to construct optically pumped microlasers, thus achieving an excellent CW-pumped lasing with a narrow linewidth (~0.39 nm) and a low threshold (~400 W cm-2) at room temperature. Each pixel within the photonic barcode labels consists of closely packed WS2 microlasers of varying sizes, demonstrating high-density and nonuniform multiple-mode lasing signals that facilitate barcode encoding. Notably, CW operation and narrow-linewidth lasing emission could significantly simplify detection. As proof of concept, a 20-pixel label exhibits a high encoding capacity (2.35 × 10108). This work may promote the advancement of two-dimensional materials micro/nanolasers and offer a promising platform for information encoding and security applications.

Aberrant dynamic functional network connectivity in progressive supranuclear palsy.

BACKGROUND: The clinical symptoms of progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP) may be mediated by aberrant dynamic functional network connectivity (dFNC). While earlier research has found altered functional network connections in PSP patients, the majority of those studies have concentrated on static functional connectivity. Nevertheless, in this study, we sought to evaluate the modifications in dynamic characteristics and establish the correlation between these disease-related changes and clinical variables. METHODS: In our study, we conducted a study on 53 PSP patients and 65 normal controls. Initially, we employed a group independent component analysis (ICA) to derive resting-state networks (RSNs), while employing a sliding window correlation approach to produce dFNC matrices. The K-means algorithm was used to cluster these matrices into distinct dynamic states, and then state analysis was subsequently employed to analyze the dFNC and temporal metrics between the two groups. Finally, we made a correlation analysis. RESULTS: PSP patients showed increased connectivity strength between medulla oblongata (MO) and visual network (VN) /cerebellum network (CBN) and decreased connections were found between default mode network (DMN) and VN/CBN, subcortical cortex network (SCN) and CBN. In addition, PSP patients spend less fraction time and shorter dwell time in a diffused state, especially the MO and SCN. Finally, the fraction time and mean dwell time in the distributed connectivity state (state 2) is negatively correlated with duration, bulbar and oculomotor symptoms. DISCUSSION: Our findings were that the altered connectivity was mostly concentrated in the CBN and MO. In addition, PSP patients had different temporal dynamics, which were associated with bulbar and oculomotor symptoms in PSPRS. It suggest that variations in dynamic functional network connectivity properties may represent an essential neurological mechanism in PSP.

Space-Confined Growth of Ultrathin P-Type GeTe Nanosheets for Broadband Photodetectors.

As p-type phase-change degenerate semiconductors, crystalline and amorphous germanium telluride (GeTe) exhibit metallic and semiconducting properties, respectively. However, the massive structural defects and strong interface scattering in amorphous GeTe films significantly reduce their performance. In this work, two-dimensional (2D) p-type GeTe nanosheets are synthesized via a specially designed space-confined chemical vapor deposition (CVD) method, with the thickness of the GeTe nanosheets reduced to 1.9 nm. The space-confined CVD method improves the crystallinity of ultrathin GeTe by lowering the partial pressure of the reactant gas, resulting in GeTe nanosheets with excellent p-type semiconductor properties, such as a satisfactory on/off ratio of 105. Temperature-dependent electrical measurements demonstrate that variable-range hopping and optical-phonon-assisted hopping mechanisms dominate transport behavior at low and high temperatures, respectively. GeTe devices exhibit significantly high responsivity (6589 and 2.2 A W-1 at 633 and 980 nm, respectively) and detectivity (1.67 × 1011 and 1.3 × 108 Jones at 633 and 980 nm, respectively), making them feasible for broadband photodetectors in the visible to near-infrared range. Furthermore, the fabricated GeTe/WS2 diode exhibits a rectification ratio of 103 at zero gate voltage. These satisfactory p-type semiconductor properties demonstrate that ultrathin GeTe exhibits enormous potential for applications in optoelectronic interconnection circuits.

A universal growth method for high-quality phase-engineered germanium chalcogenide nanosheets.

Low-dimensional group IV-VI metal chalcogenide-based semiconductors hold great promise for opto-electronic device applications owing to their diverse crystalline phases and intriguing properties related to thermoelectric and ferroelectric effects. Herein, we demonstrate a universal chemical vapor deposition (CVD) growth method to synthesize stable germanium chalcogenide-based (GeS, GeS2, GeSe, GeSe2) nanosheets, which increases the library of the p-type semiconductor. The phase transition between different crystalline polytypes can be deterministically controlled by hydrogen concentration in the reaction chamber. Structural characterization and synthesis experiments identify the behavior, where the higher hydrogen concentration promotes the transiton from germanium dichalcogenides to germanium monochalcogenides. The angle-polarized and temperature-dependent Raman spectra demonstrate the strong interlayer coupling and lattice orientation. Based on the optimized growth scheme and systematic comparison of electrical properties, GeSe nanosheet photodetectors were demonstrated, which exhibit superior device performance on SiO2/Si and HfO2/Si substrate with a high photoresponsivity up to 104 A W-1, fast response time less than 15 ms, and high mobility of 3.2 cm2 V-1 s-1, which is comparable to the mechanically exfoliated crystals. Our results manifest the hydrogen-mediated deposition strategy as a facile control knob to engineer crystalline phases of germanium chalcogenides for high performance optoelectronic devices.

A Waveguide-Integrated Two-Dimensional Light-Emitting Diode Based on p-Type WSe2/n-Type CdS Nanoribbon Heterojunction.

Transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) have emerged as two-dimensional (2D) building blocks to construct nanoscale light sources. To date, a wide array of TMD-based light-emitting devices (LEDs) have been successfully demonstrated. Yet, their atomically thin and planar nature entails an additional waveguide/microcavity for effective optical routing/confinement. In this sense, integration of TMDs with electronically active photonic nanostructures to form a functional heterojunction is of crucial importance for 2D optoelectronic chips with reduced footprint and higher integration capacity. Here, we report a room-temperature waveguide-integrated light-emitting device based on a p-type monolayer (ML) tungsten diselenide (WSe2) and n-type cadmium sulfide (CdS) nanoribbon (NR) heterojunction diode. The hybrid LED exhibited clear rectification under forward biasing, giving pronounced electroluminescence (EL) at 1.65 eV from exciton resonances in ML WSe2. The integrated EL intensity against the driving current shows a superlinear profile at a high current level, implying a facilitated carrier injection via intervalley scattering. By leveraging CdS NR waveguides, the WSe2 EL can be efficiently coupled and further routed for potential optical interconnect functionalities. Our results manifest the waveguided LEDs as a dual-role module for TMD-based optoelectronic circuitries.

Photoluminescence Lightening: Extraordinary Oxygen Modulated Dynamics in WS2 Monolayers.

Transition metal dichalcogenide monolayers exhibit ultrahigh surface sensitivity since they expose all atoms to the surface and thereby influence their optoelectronic properties. Here, we report an intriguing lightening of the photoluminescence (PL) from the edge to the interior over time in the WS2 monolayers grown by physical vapor deposition method, with the whole monolayer brightened eventually. Comprehensive optical studies reveal that the PL enhancement arises from the p doping induced by oxygen adsorption. First-principles calculations unveil that the dissociation of chemisorbed oxygen molecule plays a significant role; i.e., the dissociation at one site can largely promote the dissociation at a nearby site, facilitating the photoluminescence lightening. In addition, we further manipulate such PL brightening rate by controlling the oxygen concentration and the temperature. The presented results uncover the extraordinary surface chemistry and related mechanism in WS2 monolayers, which deepens our insight into their unique PL evolution behavior.

Van der Waals epitaxial growth and optoelectronics of a vertical MoS2/WSe2 p-n junction.

Two-dimensional (2D) transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) have attracted extensive attention due to their unique electronic and optical properties. In particular, TMDs can be flexibly combined to form diverse vertical van der Waals (vdWs) heterostructures without the limitation of lattice matching, which creates vast opportunities for fundamental investigation of novel optoelectronic applications. Here, we report an atomically thin vertical p-n junction WSe2/MoS2 produced by a chemical vapor deposition method. Transmission electron microscopy and steady-state photoluminescence experiments reveal its high quality and excellent optical properties. Back gate field effect transistor (FET) constructed using this p-n junction exhibits bipolar behaviors and a mobility of 9 cm2/(V·s). In addition, the photodetector based on MoS2/WSe2 heterostructures displays outstanding optoelectronic properties (R = 8 A/W, D* = 2.93 × 1011 Jones, on/off ratio of 104), which benefited from the built-in electric field across the interface. The direct growth of TMDs p-n vertical heterostructures may offer a novel platform for future optoelectronic applications.

An Efficient Deep-Subwavelength Second Harmonic Nanoantenna Based on Surface Plasmon-Coupled Dilute Nitride GaNP Nanowires.

High-index semiconductor nanoantennae represent a powerful platform for nonlinear photon generation. Devices with reduced footprints are pivotal for higher integration capacity and energy efficiency in photonic integrated circuitry (PIC). Here, we report on a deep subwavelength nonlinear antenna based on dilute nitride GaNP nanowires (NWs), whose second harmonic generation (SHG) shows a 5-fold increase by incorporating ∼0.45% of nitrogen (N), in comparison with GaP counterpart. Further integrating with a gold (Au) thin film-based hybrid cavity achieves a significantly boosted SHG output by a factor of ∼380, with a nonlinear conversion efficiency up to 9.4 × 10-6 W-1. In addition, high-density zinc blende (ZB) twin phases were found to tailor the nonlinear radiation profile via dipolar interference, resulting in a highly symmetric polarimetric pattern well-suited for coupling with polarization nano-optics. Our results manifest dilute nitride nanoantenna as promising building blocks for future chip-based nonlinear photonic technology.

Near-Unity Polarization of Valley-Dependent Second-Harmonic Generation in Stacked TMDC Layers and Heterostructures at Room Temperature.

With unique valley-dependent optical and optoelectronic properties, 2D transition metal dichalcogenides (2D TMDCs) are promising materials for valleytronics. Second-harmonic generation (SHG) in 2D TMDCs monolayers has shown valley-dependent optical selection rules. However, SHG in monolayer TMDCs is generally weak; it is important to obtain materials with both strong SHG signals and a large degree of polarization. In the work, a variety of inversion-symmetry-breaking (3R-like phase) TMDCs (WSe2 , WS2 , MoS2 ) atomic layers, spiral structures, and heterostructures are prepared, and their SHG polarization is studied. Through circular-polarization-resolved SHG experiments, it is demonstrated that the SHG intensity is enhanced in thicker samples by breaking inversion symmetry while maintaining the degree of polarization close to unity at room temperature. By studying TMDCs with different twist angles and the spiral structures, it is found that there is no significant effect of multilayer interlayer interaction on valley-dependent SHG. The realization of strong SHG with high degree of polarization may pave the way toward a new platform for nonlinear optical valleytronics devices based on 2D semiconductors.

An Electrically Controlled Wavelength-Tunable Nanoribbon Laser.

Nanoscale laser sources with downscaled device footprint, high energy efficiency, and high operation speed are pivotal for a wide array of optoelectronic and nanophotonic applications ranging from on-chip interconnects, nanospectroscopy, and sensing to optical communication. The capability of on-demand lasing output with reversible and continuous wavelength tunability over a broad spectral range enables key functionalities in wavelength-division multiplexing and finely controlled light-matter interaction, which remains an important subject under intense research. In this study, we demonstrate an electrically controlled wavelength-tunable laser based on a CdS nanoribbon (NR) structure. Typical "S"-shaped characteristics of pump power dependence were observed for dominant lasing lines, with concomitant line width narrowing. By applying an increased bias voltage across the NR device, the lasing resonance exhibits a continuous tuning from 510 to 520 nm for a bias field in the range 0-15.4 kV/cm. Systematic bias-dependent absorption and time-resolved photoluminescence (PL) measurements were performed, revealing a red-shifted band edge of gain medium and prolonged PL lifetime with increased electric field over the device. Both current-induced thermal reduction of the band gap and the Franz-Keldysh effect were identified to account for the modification of the lasing profile, with the former factor playing the leading role. Furthermore, dynamical switching of NR lasing was successfully demonstrated, yielding a modulation ratio up to ∼21 dB. The electrically tuned wavelength-reversible CdS NR laser in this work, therefore, presents an important step toward color-selective coherent emitters for future chip-based nanophotonic and optoelectronic circuitry.

Rational Kinetics Control toward Universal Growth of 2D Vertically Stacked Heterostructures.

The rational control of the nucleation and growth kinetics to enable the growth of 2D vertical heterostructure remains a great challenge. Here, an in-depth study is provided toward understanding the growth mechanism of transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDCs) vertical heterostructures in terms of the nucleation and kinetics, where active clusters with a high diffusion barrier will induce the nucleation on top of the TMDC templates to realize vertical heterostructures. Based on this mechanism, in the experiment, through rational control of the metal/chalcogenide ratio in the vapor precursors, effective manipulation of the diffusion barrier of the active clusters and precise control of the heteroepitaxy direction are realized. In this way, a family of vertical TMDCs heterostructures is successfully designed. Optical studies and scanning transmission electron microscopy investigations exhibit that the resulting heterostructures possess atomic sharp interfaces without apparent alloying and defects. This study provides a deep understanding regarding the growth mechanism in terms of the nucleation and kinetics and the robust growth of 2D vertical heterostructures, defining a versatile material platform for fundamental studies and potential device applications.