A programmable topological photonic chip.

Controlling topological phases of light allows the observation of abundant topological phenomena and the development of robust photonic devices. The prospect of more sophisticated control with topological photonic devices for practical implementations requires high-level programmability. Here we demonstrate a fully programmable topological photonic chip with large-scale integration of silicon photonic nanocircuits and microresonators. Photonic artificial atoms and their interactions in our compound system can be individually addressed and controlled, allowing the arbitrary adjustment of structural parameters and geometrical configurations for the observation of dynamic topological phase transitions and diverse photonic topological insulators. Individual programming of artificial atoms on the generic chip enables the comprehensive statistical characterization of topological robustness against relatively weak disorders, and counterintuitive topological Anderson phase transitions induced by strong disorders. This generic topological photonic chip can be rapidly reprogrammed to implement multifunctionalities, providing a flexible and versatile platform for applications across fundamental science and topological technologies.

Morinda officinalis oligosaccharides mitigate depression-like behaviors in hypertension rats by regulating Mfn2-mediated mitophagy.

OBJECTIVE: Patients with hypertension have a risk of depression. Morinda officinalis oligosaccharides (MOOs) have anti-depressant properties. In this study, we aimed to determine whether MOOs can improve the symptoms of depression in individuals with hypertension. METHODS: Dahl salt-sensitive rats fed with a high-salt diet were stimulated by chronic unpredictable mild stress to mimic hypertension with depression. Primary astrocytes and neurons were isolated from these rats. Astrocytes underwent LPS stimulation to simulate the inflammatory astrocytes during depression. MOOs were administrated at 0.1 mg/g/day in vivo and 1.25, 2.5, and 5 mg/mL in vitro. Mitophagy was inhibited using 5 mM 3-methyladenine (3-MA). Astrocyte-mediated neurotoxicity was detected by co-culturing astrocytes and neurons. RESULTS: MOOs decreased systolic pressure, diastolic pressure, and mean arterial pressure, thereby improving depression-like behavior, including behavioral despair, lack of enthusiasm, and loss of pleasure during hypertension with depression. Furthermore, MOOs inhibited inflammation, astrocytic dysfunction, and mitochondrial damage in the brain. Then, MOOs promoted autophagosome and lysosome enriched in mitochondria in LPS-stimulated astrocytes. MOOs suppressed mitochondrial damage and the release of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin (IL)-6, and IL-1ß in astrocytes undergoing LPS stimulation. Importantly, MOOs rescued the impaired neurons co-cultured with astrocytes. The effects of MOOs on LPS-stimulated astrocytes were reversed by 3-MA. Finally, MOOs upregulated LPS-downregulated Mfn2 expression in astrocytes. Mfn2 inhibition partly reversed the effects of MOOs on hypertension with depression. Intriguingly, Mfn2 suppression activated PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway during MOOs treatment. CONCLUSIONS: Astrocytes develop neuroinflammation in response to mitochondrial damage during hypertension with depression. MOOs upregulated Mfn2 expression to activate the PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway-mediated mitophagy, thereby removing impaired mitochondria in astrocytes. HIGHLIGHTS: 1. MOOs have anti-hypertensive and anti-depressive properties. 2. MOOs inhibit inflammation and injury in astrocytes during hypertension with depression. 3. MOOs induce mitophagy activation in inflammatory astrocytes with mitochondrial damage. 4. MOOs upregulate Mfn2 expression in astrocytes. 5. Mfn2 activates mitophagy to resist mitochondrial damage in astrocytes.

Antidepressants and Risk of Liver Cancer: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

BACKGROUND: Previous results regarding the association between the antidepressants use and risk of liver cancer are controversial. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to assess whether antidepressants use increases liver cancer risk. METHODS: We systematically searched several English and Chinese databases, including the Cochrane Library, MEDLINE, Embase, PsycINFO, Web of Science, CNKI, CQVIP database, Wanfang database, and SinoMed, and 3 clinical trial registration platforms through May 2022. Observational studies evaluating liver cancer risk in patients on antidepressants use were included, and the quality of studies was assessed using the Newcastle-Ottawa scale. A random-effects model was used to calculate the pooled effect estimates and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). RESULTS: We included 11 studies with a total of 132 396 liver cancer cases. The meta-relative risk (RR) for liver cancer associated with antidepressants use was 0.72 (95% CI 0.59-0.86). In subgroup analyses, only selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors were negatively correlated with risk of liver cancer (RR 0.64, 95% CI 0.51-0.79); both dose subgroups ≤365cDDD (RR 0.77, 95% CI 0.69-0.85) and >365cDDD (RR 0.57, 95% CI 0.40-0.81) were associated with lower liver cancer risk; only in patients with chronic viral hepatitis, the use of antidepressants reduced liver cancer risk (RR 0.70, 95% CI 0.54-0.90). CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: The result of the current meta-analysis shows antidepressants use is not associated with increased risk of liver cancer and appears to be correlated with decreased risk. However, the observed association needs to be verified by more powerful evidence from prospective, methodologically rigorous studies.

Effective Hamiltonian for Photonic Topological Insulator with Non-Hermitian Domain Walls.

The gain and loss in photonic lattices provide possibilities for many functional phenomena. In this Letter, we consider photonic topological insulators with different types of gain-loss domain walls, which will break the translational symmetry of the lattices. A method is proposed to construct effective Hamiltonians, which accurately describe states and the corresponding energies at the domain walls for different types of photonic topological insulators and domain walls with arbitrary shapes. We also consider domain-induced higher-order topological states in two-dimensional non-Hermitian Aubry-André-Harper lattices and use our method to explain such phenomena successfully. Our results reveal the physics in photonic topological insulators with gain-loss domain walls, which provides advanced pathways for manipulation of non-Hermitian topological states in photonic systems.

Near-Field Imaging and Time-Domain Dynamics of Photonic Topological Edge States in Plasmonic Nanochains.

Time-domain dynamic evolution properties of topological states play an important role in both fundamental physics study and practical applications of topological photonics. However, owing to the absence of available ultrafast time-domain dynamic characterization methods, studies have mostly focused on the frequency-domain-based properties, and there are few reports demonstrating the time-domain-based properties. Here, we measured the dynamic near-field responses of plasmonic topological structures of gold nanochains with the configuration of the Su-Schrieffer-Heeger model by using ultrahigh spatial-temporal resolution photoemission electron microscopy. The dephasing time of plasmonic topological edge states increases with increasing the bulk lattice number that has a threshold requirement and finally reaches saturation. We directly revealed through simulation that there is a transient bulk state in the evolution of topological edge states, that is, the energy undergoes relaxation from oscillation between the bulk lattice and the edge. This work shows a new perspective of time-domain dynamic topological photonics.

Topological Phase Transition in the Non-Hermitian Coupled Resonator Array.

In a two-dimensional non-Hermitian topological photonic system, the physics of topological states is complicated, which brings great challenges for clarifying the topological phase transitions and achieving precise active control. Here, we prove the topological phase transition exists in a two-dimensional parity-time-symmetric coupled-resonator optical waveguide system. We reveal the inherent condition of the appearance of topological phase transition, which is described by the analytical algebraic relation of coupling strength and the quantity of gain-loss. In this framework, the system can be switched between the topological and trivial states by pumping the site rings. This work provides a new degree of freedom to control topological states and offers a scheme for studying non-Hermitian topological photonics.