Scalable and Versatile Metal Ion Solidificated Alginate Hydrogel for Skin Wound Infection Therapy.

Bacterial infections in wounds continue to be a major challenge in clinical settings worldwide and represent a significant threat to human health. This work proposes novel expandable and versatile methods for solidifying sodium alginate (SA) with metal ions (such as Fe3+ , Co2+ , Ni2+ , Cu2+ , and Zn2+ ) to create Metal-Alginate (M-Alg) hydrogel with adjustable morphology, composition, and microstructure. It conforms to the wound site, protects against second infection, reduces inflammation, and promotes the healing of infected wounds. Among these hydrogels, Cu-Alginate (Cu-Alg) shows excellent sterilization effect and good efficacy against both gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria, including multidrug-resistant (MDR) strains such as Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and Carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae (CRKP) due to its dual antibacterial mechanisms: contact-killing and reactive oxygen species (ROS) burst. Importantly, it exhibits low cytotoxicity and biodegradability. This simple and cost-effective gel-based system has the potential to introduce an innovative approach to the management of wound infection and offers promising new perspectives for the advancement of wound care practice.

Hyphae Carbon Coupled with Gel Composite Assembly for Construction of Advanced Carbon/Sulfur Cathodes for Lithium-Sulfur Batteries.

The design and fabrication of novel carbon hosts with high conductivity, accelerated electrochemical catalytic activities, and superior physical/chemical confinement on sulfur and its reaction intermediates polysulfides are essential for the construction of high-performance C/S cathodes for lithium-sulfur batteries (LSBs). In this work, a novel biofermentation coupled gel composite assembly technology is developed to prepare cross-linked carbon composite hosts consisting of conductive Rhizopus hyphae carbon fiber (RHCF) skeleton and lamellar sodium alginate carbon (SAC) uniformly implanted with polarized nanoparticles (V2O3, Ag, Co, etc.) with diameters of several nanometers. Impressively, the RHCF/SAC/V2O3 composites exhibit enhanced physical/chemical adsorption of polysulfides due to the synergistic effect between hierarchical pore structures, heteroatoms (N, P) doping, and polar V2O3 generation. Additionally, the catalytic conversion kinetics of cathodes are effectively improved by regulating the 3D carbon structure and optimizing the V2O3 catalyst. Consequently, the LSBs assembled with RHCF/SAC/V2O3-S cathode show exceptional cycle stability (capacity retention rate of 94.0% after 200 cycles at 0.1 C) and excellent rate performance (specific capacity of 578 mA h g-1 at 5 C). This work opens a new door for the fabrication of hyphae carbon composites via fermentation for electrochemical energy storage.

SETDB2 interacts with BUBR1 to induce accurate chromosome segregation independently of its histone methyltransferase activity.

SETDB2 is a H3K9 histone methyltransferase required for accurate chromosome segregation. Its H3K9 histone methyltransferase activity was reported to be associated with chromosomes during metaphase. Here, we confirm that SETDB2 is required for mitosis and accurate chromosome segregation. However, these functions are independent of its histone methyltransferase activity. Further analysis showed that SETDB2 can interact with BUBR1, and is required for CDC20 binding to BUBR1 and APC/C complex and CYCLIN B1 degradation. The ability of SETDB2 to regulate the binding of CDC20 to BUBR1 or APC/C complex, and stabilization of CYCLIN B1 are also independent of its histone methyltransferase activity. These results suggest that SETDB2 interacts with BUBR1 to promote binding of CDC20 to BUBR1 and APC3, then degrades CYCLIN B1 to ensure accurate chromosome segregation and mitosis, independently of its histone methyltransferase activity.

Assessment of Chinese rehabilitation assistance system for disabled children.

Using the social support theory for reference, a subject-object influencing mechanism model of China's rehabilitation assistance system for disabled children is built based on the survey data on 1,698 disabled children in 243 designated rehabilitation institutions in Hu'nan Province as well as the topic of the assessment and optimization of the rehabilitation assistance system for disabled children. The analysis using the structural equation modeling reveals that the inclusive welfare effect of the rehabilitation assistance system for disabled children has emerged, and disabled children receiving free rehabilitation in the designated institutions have achieved good rehabilitation results as a whole, however, disabled children of different age groups have generational differences in the rehabilitation effects, and the preferential aspect of the system needs to be strengthened. Government support, institutional support, and social support have positive non-equilibrium effects in enhancing the rehabilitation effects of disabled children. Institutional support plays a partial mediating role between government support, family support, and disabled children's rehabilitation effects, showing that the current social support system for the rehabilitation assistance of disabled children is experiencing structural, social and kernel changes, to evolve from the traditional closed and disconnected one-way resource support to open, coordinated, and interactive multi-support, and gradually become a comprehensive and efficient interactive support system with families as the foundation, institutions as the main body, and the government as the core.

Combined helical tomotherapy and Gamma Knife stereotactic radiosurgery for high-grade recurrent orbital meningioma: a case report.

Orbital meningioma is a rare type of orbital tumor with high invasiveness and recurrence rates, making it extremely challenging to treat. Due to the special location of the disease, surgery often cannot completely remove the tumor, requiring postoperative radiation therapy. Here, we report a case of an elderly male patient with right-sided proptosis, visual impairment, and diplopia. Imaging diagnosis revealed a space-occupying lesion in the extraconal space of the right orbit. Pathological and immunohistochemical examination of the resected tumor confirmed it as a grade 3 anaplastic meningioma. Two months after surgery, the patient complained of right eye swelling and a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan showed a recurrence of the tumor. The patient received helical tomotherapy (TOMO) in the postoperative tumor bed and high-risk areas within the orbit with a total dose of 48Gy. However, there was no significant improvement in the patient's right eye swelling, and the size of the recurrent lesion showed no significant change on imaging. Gamma knife multifractionated stereotactic radiosurgery (MF-SRS) was then given to the recurrent lesion with 50% prescription dose 13.5Gy/3f, once every other day. An imaging diagnosis performed 45 days later showed that the tumor had disappeared completely. The patient's vision remained unchanged, but diplopia was significantly relieved after MF-SRS. We propose a new hybrid treatment model for recurrent orbital meningioma, where conventional radiation therapy ensures local control of high-risk areas around the postoperative cavity, and MF-SRS maximizes the radiation dose to recurrent lesion areas while protecting surrounding tissues and organs.

Prenatal diagnosis of 46,XX testicular disorder of sex development with SRY-positive: A case report and review of the literature.

We report a case of a fetus with 46,XX testicular disorder of sex development detected prenatally. This fetus was found abnormally due to non-invasive prenatal testing. Amniocentesis revealed SRY gene on the X chromosome of the fetus. The related literature was reviewed, and the advantages and limitations of various prenatal diagnostic techniques were discussed. The combination of non-invasive prenatal testing and various prenatal diagnostic techniques has enabled more fetuses with sex reversal to be detected.

Histone demethylase KDM2A suppresses EGF-TSPAN8 pathway to inhibit breast cancer cell migration and invasion in vitro.

Metastasis is a major cause of breast cancer mortality and the current study found histone demethylase, KDM2A, expression to be negatively correlated with breast cancer metastasis. KDM2A knockdown greatly promoted migration and invasion of breast cancer cells. The histone demethylase activity of KDM2A downregulated EGF transcription and suppressed the EGF-TSPAN8 pathway. Inhibition of breast cancer cell migration was also dependent on the histone demethylase activity of KDM2A. A novel mechanism of KDM2A-suppression of the EGF-TSPAN8 pathway which inhibited breast cancer cell migration and invasion is reported.

First description of the larva of Archineura incarnata (Karsch, 1891) with notes on the biology (Odonata: Calopterygidae).

The final instar larva of the genus Archineura Kirby, 1894 is described for the first time, based on a specimen of the Chinese endemic species Archineura incarnata (Karsch, 1892) collected from Mt. Nankunshan, Guangdong Province, China. The larva is distinguished by several characters, including its moderately slender build combined with the distinctive extremely long legs, long, narrow, uniquely spined outer caudal appendages, a mask strongly expanded anteriorly with a relatively small median cleft, and robust spines at the apex of the labial palp. The mask is most similar to larvae of Echo Selys, 1853, Mnais Selys, 1853 and Psolodesmus MacLachlan, 1870 which are considered its nearest relatives based on molecular analysis, but from which it differs in other characters. The biology of Archineura larvae is discussed briefly.

Descriptions of the larvae of Huosoma Guan, Dumont, Yu, Han amp; Vierstraete, 2013 from China (Odonata: Coenagrionidae).

The final stadium larvae of Huosoma latiloba (Yu, Yang Bu, 2008) and Huosoma tinctipenne (McLachlan, 1894) from Yunnan Province, China are described and illustrated for the first time, with diagnostic differences between the two species identified. While no morphological characters separating the adults of this genus, and the closely related western Palaearctic Pyrrhosoma Charpentier, 1840 have been found, the larvae of these two genera do show differences which are discussed here.

The potential pathogenic roles of S100A8/A9 and S100A12 in patients with MPO-ANCA-positive vasculitis.

BACKGROUND: The significance of S100A8/A9 and S100A12 in anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA)-associated vasculitis (AAV) has not been clarified. This study was dedicated to exploring the potential pathogenic roles of S100A8/A9 and S100A12 in patients with myeloperoxidase (MPO)-ANCA-positive vasculitis. METHODS: Serum and urine concentrations of S100A8/A9 and S100A12 of forty-two AAV patients were evaluated. The influence of S100A8/A9 and S100A12 on the chemotaxis, the apoptosis, the release of IL-1ß, the complement activation, the respiratory burst, as well as the neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) formation of MPO-ANCA-activated neutrophils was investigated. RESULTS: The serum and urine S100A8/A9 and S100A12 of active MPO-AAV significantly increased (compared with inactive AAV and healthy controls, p < 0.001) and were correlated with the severity of the disease. In vitro study showed that S100A8/A9 and S100A12 activated the p38 MAPK/NF-κB p65 pathway, increased the chemotaxis index (CI) and the release of IL-1ß, extended the life span, and enhanced the complement activation ability of MPO-ANCA-activated neutrophils. The Blockade of TLR4 and RAGE inhibited the effects of S100A8/A9 and S100A12. All above-mentioned effects of S100A8/A9 and S100A12 were ROS-independent because neither S100A8/A9 nor S100A12 enhanced the ROS formation and NETs formation of MPO-ANCA-activated neutrophils. CONCLUSION: S100A8/A9 and S100A12 serve as markers for assessing the disease severity, and they may also play a role in MPO-AAV pathogenesis.

Design and Fabrication of Silicon-Blazed Gratings for Near-Infrared Scanning Grating Micromirror.

Blazed gratings are the critical dispersion elements in spectral analysis instruments, whose performance depends on structural parameters and topography of the grating groove. In this paper, high diffraction efficiency silicon-blazed grating working at 800-2500 nm has been designed and fabricated. By diffraction theory analysis and simulation optimization based on the accurate boundary integral equation method, the blaze angle and grating constant are determined to be 8.8° and 4 µm, respectively. The diffraction efficiency is greater than 33.23% in the spectral range of 800-2500 nm and reach the maximum value of 85.62% at the blaze wavelength of 1180 nm. The effect of platform and fillet on diffraction efficiency is analyzed, and the formation rule and elimination method of the platform are studied. The blazed gratings are fabricated by anisotropic wet etching process using tilted (111) silicon substrate. The platform is minished by controlling etching time and oxidation sharpening process. The fillet radius of the fabricated grating is 50 nm, the blaze angle is 7.4°, and the surface roughness is 0.477 nm. Finally, the blazed grating is integrated in scanning micromirror to form scanning grating micromirror by MEMS fabrication technology, which can realize both optical splitting and scanning. The testing results show that the scanning grating micromirror has high diffraction efficiency in the spectral range of 810-2500 nm for the potential near-infrared spectrometer application.

Asymmetric Cell Division and Tumor Heterogeneity.

Asymmetric cell division (ACD) gives rise to two daughter cells with different fates after mitosis and is a fundamental process for generating cell diversity and for the maintenance of the stem cell population. The cancer stem cell (CSC) theory suggests that CSCs with dysregulated self-renewal and asymmetric cell division serve as a source of intra-tumoral heterogeneity. This heterogeneity complicates the diagnosis and treatment of cancer patients, because CSCs can give rise to aggressive clones that are metastatic and insensitive to multiple drugs, or to dormant tumor cells that are difficult to detect. Here, we review the regulatory mechanisms and biological significance of asymmetric division in tumor cells, with a focus on ACD-induced tumor heterogeneity in early tumorigenesis and cancer progression. We will also discuss how dissecting the relationship between ACD and cancer may help us find new approaches for combatting this heterogeneity.

Modeling and Prediction of the Species' Range of Neurobasis chinensis (Linnaeus, 1758) under Climate Change.

Neurobasis chinensis is widely distributed in eastern tropical Asia. Its only congener in China, the N. anderssoni, has not been observed for decades. To protect N. chinensis, it is necessary to understand the ecological properties of its habitats and specie's range shift under climate change. In the present study, we modeled its potential distribution under one historical, current, and four future scenarios. We evaluated the importance of the factors that shape its distribution and habitats and predicted the historical and current core spatial distributions and their shifting in the future. Two historical core distribution areas were identified: the inland region of the Bay of Bengal and south-central Vietnam. The current potential distribution includes south China, Vietnam, Laos, Thailand, Myanmar, Luzon of Philippines, Malaysia, southwest and northeast India, Sri Lanka, Indonesia (Java, Sumatera), Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan, and foothills of the Himalayas, in total, ca. 3.59 × 106 km2. Only one core distribution remained, concentrated in south-central Vietnam. In a warming future, the core distribution, high suitable habitats, and even the whole range of N. chinensis will expand and shift northwards. Currently, N. chinensis mainly resides in forest ecosystems below 1200 m above sea level (preferred 500 m to 1200 m a.s.l.). Annual precipitation, mean temperature of driest quarter, and seasonality of precipitation are important factors shaping the species distribution. Our study provides systematic information on habitats and geographical distribution, which is useful for the conservation of N. chinensis.

Dynamic Model of the Short-Term Synaptic Behaviors of PEDOT-based Organic Electrochemical Transistors with Modified Shockley Equations.

Neuromorphic computing is an emerging area with prospects to break the energy efficiency bottleneck of artificial intelligence (AI). A crucial challenge for neuromorphic computing is understanding the working principles of artificial synaptic devices. As an emerging class of synaptic devices, organic electrochemical transistors (OECTs) have attracted significant interest due to ultralow voltage operation, analog conductance tuning, mechanical flexibility, and biocompatibility. However, little work has been focused on the first-principal modeling of the synaptic behaviors of OECTs. The simulation of OECT synaptic behaviors is of great importance to understanding the OECT working principles as neuromorphic devices and optimizing ultralow power consumption neuromorphic computing devices. Here, we develop a two-dimensional transient drift-diffusion model based on modified Shockley equations for poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT)-based OECTs. We reproduced the typical transistor characteristics of these OECTs including the unique non-monotonic transconductance-gate bias curve and frequency dependency of transconductance. Furthermore, typical synaptic phenomena, such as excitatory/inhibitory postsynaptic current (EPSC/IPSC), paired-pulse facilitation/depression (PPF/PPD), and short-term plasticity (STP), are also demonstrated. This work is crucial in guiding the experimental exploration of neuromorphic computing devices and has the potential to serve as a platform for future OECT device simulation based on a wide range of semiconducting materials.

Ischnura praematura sp. nov. (Odonata: Zygoptera: Coenagrionidae): a species from Yunnan (China) whose females mate in the teneral state.

Ischnura praematura sp. nov. (Holotype , China, Yunnan, Lijiang, 263103.54N, 1001338.89E, 2396 m, 04 xii 2015, I. Sanmartn-Villar H. Zhang leg.) is morphologically described, illustrated and compared with close species of the genus. Ischnura praematura can be mainly distinguished from its congeners I. aurora, I. rubilio and I. asiatica by its abdominal and thoracic morphology and colouration. The posterior lobe of the prothorax is elevated in I. praematura and the mesostigmal plates possess dorsal triangular protuberances. Ischnura praematura shows pointed paraprocts, internalised wide cerci and lacks a dorsal tuberculum in the tenth abdominal segment. The blue abdominal colouration is present in the last three segments (incomplete for segment eight and ten in some individuals). No female polychromatism was detected and all females observed possessed different colouration than male (gynochrome). Morphological distinctiveness of the species is supported by genetic analyses, which show that I. praematura forms a well-supported, monophyletic clade, with I. asiatica, I. ezoin and I. pumilio as the most closely related species. In the field, mature females show strong reluctance to mate, and males were observed mating with newly emerged females.

First description of the female of Coeliccia furcata Hämäläinen, 1986, with descriptive notes on males from Yunnan, China (Odonata: Zygoptera: Platycnemididae).

Coeliccia furcata Hämäläinen, 1986, an atypical species of Coeliccia Kirby, 1890 with bifurcated male cerci, had been known solely from the holotype male collected in Myanmar in 1938. In recent years the species has been rediscovered in Yunnan, China. The first description of the female is given, along with descriptive notes on the male and illustrations of both sexes, including fresh images of the holotype. Another of the unusual features of C. furcata is the extremely simple form of its penile organ, this is discussed and compared with other species from mainland Asia and Japan currently placed in Coeliccia and with a simple penile organ.

Descriptions of larvae of Caliphaea angka Hämäläinen, 2003 and Mnais gregoryi Fraser, 1924 (Odonata: Calopterygidae).

The larvae of Caliphaea angka Hämäläinen, 2003 and Mnais gregoryi Fraser, 1924 are described and illustrated for the first time from Erhai lake Basin, Yunnan Province, China. Notes on their habitat are provided. This paper represents the first verified description of the larva of Caliphaea Hagen in Selys, 1859.

Investigating the folding mechanism of the N-terminal domain of ribosomal protein L9.

Protein folding is a popular topic in the life science. However, due to the limited sampling ability of experiments and simulations, the general folding mechanism is not yet clear to us. In this work, we study the folding of the N-terminal domain of ribosomal protein L9 (NTL9) in detail by a mixing replica exchange molecular dynamics method. The simulation results are close to previous experimental observations. According to the Markov state model, the folding of the protein follows a nucleation-condensation path. Moreover, after the comparison to its 39-residue ß-α-ß motif, we find that the helix at the C-terminal has a great influence on the folding process of the intact protein, including the nucleation of the key residues in the transition state ensemble and the packing of the hydrophobic residues in the native state.

Description of a new Caliphaea species from Yunnan, China (Odonata: Calopterygidae).

A new calopterygid species Caliphaea hermannkunzi sp. nov. (holotype ♂ China, Yunnan Province, Lufeng County, Chuxiong City, Gaofeng village, 10 June 2019) is described and illustrated for both sexes and compared with its named congeners, from which it differs in the colour pattern of synthorax and the structure of the male anal appendages.

Two new species of Coeliccia Kirby from Yunnan, China (Odonata: Zygoptera: Platycnemididae).

Two new species of Coeliccia Kirby are described from Yunnan, China: Coeliccia tongbiguan sp. nov. and Coeliccia yunnanensis sp. nov. (holotype ♂ for both from Tongbiguan National Nature Reserve, Yingjiang County, Yunnan). Coeliccia tongbiguan is allied to Coeliccia hoanglienensis Do, known only from Vietnam. Coeliccia yunnanensis appears to be closely allied to the Coeliccia hayashii-group, also from Vietnam. The fifteen named species of Coeliccia now known to occur in China are listed, twelve of them occur in Yunnan, the presence of Coeliccia didyma (Selys) in the country is confirmed.