Suppressing a ß-1,3-glucanase gene expression increases the seed and fibre yield in cotton.

Seeds are initiated from the carpel margin meristem (CMM) and high seed yield is top one of breeding objectives for many crops. ß-1,3-glucanases play various roles in plant growth and developmental processes; however, whether it participates in CMM development and seed formation remains largely unknown. Here, we identified a ß-1,3-glucanase gene (GLU19) as a determinant of CMM callose deposition and seed yield in cotton. GLU19 was differentially expressed in carpel tissues between Gossypium barbadense (Gb) and Gossypium hirsutum (Gh). Based on resequencing data, one interspecies-specific InDel in the promoter of GLU19 was further detected. The InDel was involved in the binding site of the CRABS CLAW (CRC) transcription factor, a regulator of carpel development. We found that the CRC binding affinity to the GLU19 promoter of G. barbadense was higher than that of G. hirsutum. Since G. barbadense yields fewer seeds than G. hirsutum, we speculated that stronger CRC binding to the GLU19 promoter activated higher expression of GLU19 which in turn suppressed seed production. Consistent with this hypothesis was that the overexpression of GhGLU19 caused reduced seed number, boll weight and less callose formation in CMM. Conversely, GhGLU19-knockdown (GhGLU19-KD) cotton led to the opposite phenotypes. By crossing GhGLU19-KD lines with several G. hirsutum and G. barbadense cotton accessions, all F1 and F2 plants carrying GhGLU19-KD transgenic loci exhibited higher seed yield than control plants without the locus. The increased seed effect was also found in the down-regulation of Arabidopsis orthologs lines, indicating that this engineering strategy may improve the seed yield in other crops.

Paternal USP26 mutations raise Klinefelter syndrome risk in the offspring of mice and humans.

Current understanding holds that Klinefelter syndrome (KS) is not inherited, but arises randomly during meiosis. Whether there is any genetic basis for the origin of KS is unknown. Here, guided by our identification of some USP26 variations apparently associated with KS, we found that knockout of Usp26 in male mice resulted in the production of 41, XXY offspring. USP26 protein is localized at the XY body, and the disruption of Usp26 causes incomplete sex chromosome pairing by destabilizing TEX11. The unpaired sex chromosomes then result in XY aneuploid spermatozoa. Consistent with our mouse results, a clinical study shows that some USP26 variations increase the proportion of XY aneuploid spermatozoa in fertile men, and we identified two families with KS offspring wherein the father of the KS patient harbored a USP26-mutated haplotype, further supporting that paternal USP26 mutation can cause KS offspring production. Thus, some KS should originate from XY spermatozoa, and paternal USP26 mutations increase the risk of producing KS offspring.

Combined genome and transcriptome analysis of elite fiber quality in Gossypium barbadense.

Gossypium barbadense, which is one of several species of cotton, is well known for its superior fiber quality. However, the genetic basis of its high-quality fiber remains largely unexplored. Here, we resequenced 269 G. barbadense accessions. Phylogenetic structure analysis showed that the set of accessions was clustered into 3 groups: G1 and G2 mainly included modern cultivars from Xinjiang, China, and G3 was related to widely introduced accessions in different regions worldwide. A genome-wide association study of 5 fiber quality traits across multiple field environments identified a total of 512 qtls (main-effect QTLs) and 94 qtlEs (QTL-by-environment interactions) related to fiber quality, of which 292 qtls and 57 qtlEs colocated with previous studies. We extracted the genes located in these loci and performed expression comparison, local association analysis, and introgression segment identification. The results showed that high expression of hormone-related genes during fiber development, introgressions from Gossypium hirsutum, and the recombination of domesticated elite allelic variation were 3 major contributors to improve the fiber quality of G. barbadense. In total, 839 candidate genes with encoding region variations associated with elite fiber quality were mined. We confirmed that haplotype GB_D03G0092H traced to G. hirsutum introgression, with a 1-bp deletion leading to a frameshift mutation compared with GB_D03G0092B, significantly improved fiber quality. GB_D03G0092H is localized in the plasma membrane, while GB_D03G0092B is in both the nucleus and plasma membrane. Overexpression of GB_D03G0092H in Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) significantly improved the elongation of longitudinal cells. Our study systematically reveals the genetic basis of the superior fiber quality of G. barbadense and provides elite segments and gene resources for breeding high-quality cotton cultivars.

Helical van der Waals crystals with discretized Eshelby twist.

The ability to manipulate the twisting topology of van der Waals structures offers a new degree of freedom through which to tailor their electrical and optical properties. The twist angle strongly affects the electronic states, excitons and phonons of the twisted structures through interlayer coupling, giving rise to exotic optical, electric and spintronic behaviours1-5. In twisted bilayer graphene, at certain twist angles, long-range periodicity associated with moiré patterns introduces flat electronic bands and highly localized electronic states, resulting in Mott insulating behaviour and superconductivity3,4. Theoretical studies suggest that these twist-induced phenomena are common to layered materials such as transition-metal dichalcogenides and black phosphorus6,7. Twisted van der Waals structures are usually created using a transfer-stacking method, but this method cannot be used for materials with relatively strong interlayer binding. Facile bottom-up growth methods could provide an alternative means to create twisted van der Waals structures. Here we demonstrate that the Eshelby twist, which is associated with a screw dislocation (a chiral topological defect), can drive the formation of such structures on scales ranging from the nanoscale to the mesoscale. In the synthesis, axial screw dislocations are first introduced into nanowires growing along the stacking direction, yielding van der Waals nanostructures with continuous twisting in which the total twist rates are defined by the radii of the nanowires. Further radial growth of those twisted nanowires that are attached to the substrate leads to an increase in elastic energy, as the total twist rate is fixed by the substrate. The stored elastic energy can be reduced by accommodating the fixed twist rate in a series of discrete jumps. This yields mesoscale twisting structures consisting of a helical assembly of nanoplates demarcated by atomically sharp interfaces with a range of twist angles. We further show that the twisting topology can be tailored by controlling the radial size of the structure.

Logic Computing Field-Effect Transistors Based on a Monolayer WSe2 Homojunction for the Semi-adder and Decoder.

Two-dimensional reconfigurable field-effect transistors (FETs) are promising candidates for next-generation computing hardware. However, exploring the cascade design of FETs for logic computing remains challenging. Here, by using density functional theory combined with the nonequilibrium Green's function method, we design a 5 nm split-gate FET based on a monolayer WSe2 homojunction, which can implement dynamic polarity control in different gate configurations. The series array of two FETs shows a functional family of logic gates (NOR, AND, XOR, A̅B, and AB̅), and the semi-adder designed by the logic functions AND and XOR reduces the number of transistors by 66.7%. The parallel array of two FETs demonstrates reconfigurable logic gates with NAND/OR/A̅+B/A+B̅ quadruple functions, which can realize the decoding function of 00-11 in the decoder. The cascade design of the electrically tunable FETs helps to tackle the logic device downscaling and integration dilemmas.

A cell wall-localized ß-1,3-glucanase promotes fiber cell elongation and secondary cell wall deposition.

ß-1,3-glucanase functions in plant physiological and developmental processes. However, how ß-1,3-glucanase participates in cell wall development remains largely unknown. Here, we answered this question by examining the role of GhGLU18, a ß-1,3-glucanase, in cotton (Gossypium hirsutum) fibers, in which the content of ß-1,3-glucan changes dynamically from 10% of the cell wall mass at the onset of secondary wall deposition to <1% at maturation. GhGLU18 was specifically expressed in cotton fiber with higher expression in late fiber elongation and secondary cell wall (SCW) synthesis stages. GhGLU18 largely localized to the cell wall and was able to hydrolyze ß-1,3-glucan in vitro. Overexpression of GhGLU18 promoted polysaccharide accumulation, cell wall reconstruction, and cellulose synthesis, which led to increased fiber length and strength with thicker cell walls and shorter pitch of the fiber helix. However, GhGLU18-suppressed cotton resulted in opposite phenotypes. Additionally, GhGLU18 was directly activated by GhFSN1 (fiber SCW-related NAC1), a NAC transcription factor reported previously as the master regulator in SCW formation during fiber development. Our results demonstrate that cell wall-localized GhGLU18 promotes fiber elongation and SCW thickening by degrading callose and enhancing polysaccharide metabolism and cell wall synthesis.

LIPID TRANSFER PROTEIN4 regulates cotton ceramide content and activates fiber cell elongation.

Cell elongation is a fundamental process for plant growth and development. Studies have shown lipid metabolism plays important role in cell elongation; however, the related functional mechanisms remain largely unknown. Here, we report that cotton (Gossypium hirsutum) LIPID TRANSFER PROTEIN4 (GhLTP4) promotes fiber cell elongation via elevating ceramides (Cers) content and activating auxin-responsive pathways. GhLTP4 was preferentially expressed in elongating fibers. Over-expression and down-regulation of GhLTP4 led to longer and shorter fiber cells, respectively. Cers were greatly enriched in GhLTP4-overexpressing lines and decreased dramatically in GhLTP4 down-regulating lines. Moreover, auxin content and transcript levels of indole-3-acetic acid (IAA)-responsive genes were significantly increased in GhLTP4-overexpressing cotton fibers. Exogenous application of Cers promoted fiber elongation, while NPA (N-1-naphthalic acid, a polar auxin transport inhibitor) counteracted the promoting effect, suggesting that IAA functions downstream of Cers in regulating fiber elongation. Furthermore, we identified a basic helix-loop-helix transcription factor, GhbHLH105, that binds to the E-box element in the GhLTP4 promoter region and promotes the expression of GhLTP4. Suppression of GhbHLH105 in cotton reduced the transcripts level of GhLTP4, resulting in smaller cotton bolls and decreased fiber length. These results provide insights into the complex interactions between lipids and auxin-signaling pathways to promote plant cell elongation.

Fourteen-Day Tegoprazan-Amoxicillin Dual Therapy as the First-Line Treatment of Helicobacter pylori Infection (SHARE2301): A Multicenter, Noninferiority, Randomized Clinical Trial.

BACKGROUND: Potassium-competitive acid blockers have demonstrated enormous potential in the eradication treatment of Helicobacter pylori infection, with tegoprazan being one of the representatives. The available data on the safety and efficacy of tegoprazan in dual therapy are limited. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The multicenter, noninferiority, randomized-controlled trial was conducted from May 2023 to March 2024. Treatment-naive subjects were randomly assigned (1:1) to enter either the tegoprazan-amoxicillin (TA) group (tegoprazan 50 mg twice daily and amoxicillin 750 mg four times daily) or the esomeprazole-amoxicillin (EA) group (esomeprazole 20 mg and amoxicillin 750 mg all four times daily), with a duration for 14 days. The primary outcome was eradication rate as determined by 13C-urea breath test, including per-protocol (PP) analysis and intention-to-treat (ITT) analysis. Secondary outcomes were adverse events and compliance. RESULTS: A total of 368 individuals were included in the randomization. The eradication rates in the EA group and the TA group were 84.2% and 85.8%, respectively, according to an ITT analysis (p = 0.77), and 88.5% and 88.2%, respectively, according to PP analysis (p = 1.00). The eradication rates for the TA group were not inferior to those of the EA group in both PP (p = 0.0023) and ITT analyses (p = 0.0009). There were no significant statistical differences in the incidence of adverse events and compliance between the two groups. The multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that poor compliance increased the risk of eradication failure (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Dual therapy containing tegoprazan is safe and effective to be considered as a clinical first-line treatment option, but further optimization involving antimicrobial susceptibility testing and adjustments in dosage and frequency is warranted. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov ID: NCT05870683.

Bismuth-Containing Quadruple Therapy for Helicobacter pylori Eradication: A Randomized Clinical Trial of 10 and 14 Days.

BACKGROUND: Bismuth-containing quadruple therapy is the first-line treatment for eradicating Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori). The optimal duration for H. pylori eradication using bismuth-containing quadruple therapy remains controversial. Therefore, we aimed to compare the clinical effects of the 10- and 14-day bismuth-containing quadruple treatment regimen to eradicate H. pylori. METHODS: Treatment-naïve patients with H. pylori infection (n = 1300) were enrolled in this multicenter randomized controlled study across five hospitals in China. They were randomized into 10- or 14-day treatment groups to receive bismuth-containing quadruple therapy as follows: vonoprazan 20 mg twice daily; bismuth 220 mg twice daily; amoxicillin 1000 mg twice daily; and either clarithromycin 500 mg twice daily or tetracycline 500 mg four times daily. At least 6 weeks after treatment, we performed a 13C-urea breath test to evaluate H. pylori eradication. RESULTS: The per-protocol eradication rates were 93.22% (564/605) and 93.74% (569/607) (p < 0.001) and the intention-to-treat eradication rates were 88.62% (576/650) and 89.38% (581/650) (p = 0.007) for the 10- and 14-day regimens, respectively. Incidence of adverse effects was lower in patients who received 10- vs. 14 days of treatment (22.59% vs. 28.50%, p = 0.016). We observed no significant differences in the compliance to treatment or the discontinuation of therapy because of severe adverse effects between the groups. CONCLUSION: Compared with the 14-day bismuth-containing quadruple regimens, the 10-day regimen demonstrated a non-inferior efficacy and lower incidence of adverse effects. Therefore, the 10-day regimen is safe and tolerated and could be recommended for H. pylori eradication (NCT05049902).

Pain perception, aqueous humour cytokines, and miosis response following first and second eye femtosecond laser-assisted cataract surgery: A randomised, prospective, intraindividual study.

BACKGROUND: To compare pain perception, pupil behaviours, and cytokine levels during first-eye and second-eye femtosecond laser-assisted cataract surgery (FLACS) and determine which is better regarding a short or long interval for bilateral FLACS. METHODS: Notably, 96 eyes of 48 patients with bilateral cataracts underwent the first surgeries in the left or right eye, according to a random sequence. They were further randomised into 2- and 6-week subgroups based on surgery intervals. Pupil size was measured from captured images, and pain perception was assessed using a visual analog scale (VAS). Aqueous humour prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1), interleukin (IL)-6, and IL-8 levels were also quantitatively analysed. All patients were followed for 1 week to evaluate changes in endothelial cell density (ECD), central corneal thickness (CCT), and macular central subfield thickness (CST). RESULTS: Ocular pain was significantly higher in patients who underwent second-eye FLACS. First tear break-up time was negatively correlated with VAS score. MCP-1 levels were significantly higher in patients who underwent second-eye FLACS, and VAS scores were positively correlated with MCP-1 levels across all patients. There were no differences between sequential FLACS in miosis, PGE2, IL-6, IL-8 levels and changes in postoperative ECD, CCT, and CST. Patients who underwent second-eye FLACS after 6 weeks showed more CCT, CST, and MCP-1 changes than baseline. CONCLUSION: Second-eye FLACS causes more pain and upregulated MCP-1. There was no difference between sequential FLACS in PGE2 levels, miosis, and postoperative inflammation. Furthermore, first-eye FLACS triggered a sympathetic irritation, particularly after a 6-week interval.

Facile Synthesis of Self-Targeted Zn2+ -Gallic acid Nanoflowers for Specific Adhesion and Elimination of Gram-Positive Bacteria.

Transition metal ions are served as disinfectant thousand years ago. However, the in vivo antibacterial application of metal ions is strongly restricted due to its high affinity with proteins and lack of appropriate bacterial targeting method. Herein, for the first time, Zn2+ -gallic acid nanoflowers (ZGNFs) are synthesized by a facile one-pot method without additional stabilizing agents. ZGNFs are stable in aqueous solution while can be easily decomposed in acidic environments. Besides, ZGNFs can specifically adhere onto Gram-positive bacteria, which is mediated by the interaction of quinone from ZGNFs and amino groups from teichoic acid of Gram-positive bacteria. ZGNFs exhibit high bactericidal effect toward various Gram-positive bacteria in multiple environments, which can be ascribed to the in situ Zn2+ release on bacterial surface. Transcriptome studies reveal that ZGNFs can disorder basic metabolic processes of Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). Moreover, in a MRSA-induced keratitis model, ZGNFs exhibit long-term retention in the infected corneal site and prominent MRSA elimination efficacy due to the self-targeting ability. This research not only reports an innovative method to prepare metal-polyphenol nanoparticles, but also provides a novel nanoplatform for targeted delivery of Zn2+ in combating Gram-positive bacterial infections.

Strong interlayer coupling in p-Te/n-CdSe van der Waals heterojunction for self-powered photodetectors with fast speed and high responsivity.

Self-driven photodetectors, which can detect optical signals without external voltage bias, are highly attractive in the field of low-power wearable electronics and internet of things. However, currently reported self-driven photodetectors based on van der Waals heterojunctions (vdWHs) are generally limited by low responsivity due to poor light absorption and insufficient photogain. Here, we report p-Te/n-CdSe vdWHs utilizing non-layered CdSe nanobelts as efficient light absorption layer and high mobility Te as ultrafast hole transporting layer. Benefiting from strong interlayer coupling, the Te/CdSe vdWHs exhibit stable and excellent self-powered characteristics, including ultrahigh responsivity of 0.94 A W-1, remarkable detectivity of 8.36 × 1012 Jones at optical power density of 1.18 mW cm-2 under illumination of 405 nm laser, fast response speed of 24 µs, large light on/off ratio exceeding 105, as well as broadband photoresponse (405-1064 nm), which surpass most of the reported vdWHs photodetectors. In addition, the devices display superior photovoltaic characteristics under 532 nm illumination, such as large Voc of 0.55 V, and ultrahigh Isc of 2.73 µA. These results demonstrate the construction of 2D/non-layered semiconductor vdWHs with strong interlayer coupling is a promising strategy for high-performance and low-power consumption devices.

Quantum Simulation of Topological Zero Modes on a 41-Qubit Superconducting Processor.

Quantum simulation of different exotic topological phases of quantum matter on a noisy intermediate-scale quantum (NISQ) processor is attracting growing interest. Here, we develop a one-dimensional 43-qubit superconducting quantum processor, named Chuang-tzu, to simulate and characterize emergent topological states. By engineering diagonal Aubry-André-Harper (AAH) models, we experimentally demonstrate the Hofstadter butterfly energy spectrum. Using Floquet engineering, we verify the existence of the topological zero modes in the commensurate off-diagonal AAH models, which have never been experimentally realized before. Remarkably, the qubit number over 40 in our quantum processor is large enough to capture the substantial topological features of a quantum system from its complex band structure, including Dirac points, the energy gap's closing, the difference between even and odd number of sites, and the distinction between edge and bulk states. Our results establish a versatile hybrid quantum simulation approach to exploring quantum topological systems in the NISQ era.

Biomass Separators as a "Lifesaver" for Safe and Long-Life Lithium Metal Batteries.

The growth of lithium dendrites and the shuttle of polysulfides in lithium metal batteries (LMBs) have hindered their development. In LMBs, the cathode and anode are separated by a separator, although this does not solve the battery's issues. The use of biomass materials is widespread for modifying the separator due to their porous structure and abundant functional groups. LMBs perform more electrochemically when lithium ions are deposited uniformly and polysulfide shuttling is reduced using biomass separators. In this review, we analyze the growth of lithium dendrite and the shuttle of polysulfide in LMBs, summarize the types of biomass separator materials and the mechanisms of action (providing mechanical barriers, promoting uniform deposition of metal ions, capturing polysulfides, shielding polysulfide). The prospect of developing new separator materials from the perspective of regulating ion transport and physical sieving efficiency as well as the application of advanced technologies such as synchrotron radiation to characterize the mechanism of action of biomass separators is also proposed.

Space exposure enhanced pectin-degrading enzymes expression and activity in Aspergillus costaricaensis.

Aspergillus is a well-studied fungal genus that is widely used in the processing of plant biomass in industries. This study investigated the effects of space exposure on the ability of Aspergillus costaricaensis, a filamentous fungus isolated from rotten orange peel, to degrade pectin. These fungal spores were carried into space by the Long March 5B carrier rocket and exposed to cosmic radiation for 79 h. After the flight, these spores were resuscitated, and then the growing strains were screened with pectin as the sole carbon source, and the pectinase activity was evaluated. A mutant with increased biomass accumulation ability and pectin-degrading activity compared to the ground control strain was obtained. Comparative transcriptome analysis revealed that several CAZymes genes were significantly upregulated in the mutant, especially those related to pectin degradation. Among the 44 pectinases identified from the annotated genome, 42 were up-regulated. The activities of these pectinases are able to synergistically break down the structure of pectin. In addition, the expression of some genes involved in metabolism, sugar transport, and stress response was altered. These results imply that space exposure might serve as a potential mutagenesis breeding technique, offering the opportunity to acquire biomass-degrading microbial strains with potential for industrial application.

Heliothis virescens ascovirus 3h blocks the cell cycle of Spodoptera exigua fat body cells at G2 /M phase by downregulating cyclin B1 and cyclin-dependent kinase 1.

Ascoviruses are double-stranded DNA viruses that are pathogenic to noctuid larvae. In vitro infection causes the cells to fail to replicate and proliferate normally. However, the molecular mechanisms are unclear. In this study, the transmission electron microscopy data of infected-Spodoptera exigua (Hübner) fat body cells (SeFB, IOZCAS-SpexII-A cells) showed that virions were internalized in phagocytic vesicles, but not in the nucleus. FACS of cell-cycle progression was performed in SeFB cells infected with Heliothis virescens ascovirus 3h (HvAV-3h). The cell cycle phase distributions of the SeFB cells were G1 = 29.52 ± 1.10%, S = 30.33 ± 1.19%, and G2 /M = 40.06 ± 0.75%. The cell culture doubling time was approximately 24 h. The G1 , S, and G2 /M phases were each approximately 8 h. The unsynchronized or synchronized cells were arrested at G2 /M phase after infection with HvAV-3h. Our data also showed that cells with more than 4N DNA content appeared in the HvAV-3h-treated group. While the mRNA levels of cyclin B1 , cyclin H, and cyclin-dependent kinase 1 (CDK1) were downregulated after HvAV-3h infection, the mRNA expression levels of cyclin A, cyclin D, and cyclin B2 were not significantly changed. Western blotting results showed that the expression of cyclin B1 and CDK1 in infected SeFB cells within 24 h postinfection (hpi), and HvAV-3h infection inhibited the expression of cyclin B1 and CDK1 at 12-24 hpi. Overall, these data implied that HvAV-3h infection leads to an accumulation of cells in the G2 /M phases by downregulating the expression of cyclin B1 and CDK1.

High-Resolution Electron Tomography of Ultrathin Boerdijk-Coxeter-Bernal Nanowire Enabled by Superthin Metal Surface Coating.

The rapid advancement of transmission electron microscopy has resulted in revolutions in a variety of fields, including physics, chemistry, and materials science. With single-atom resolution, 3D information of each atom in nanoparticles is revealed, while 4D electron tomography is shown to capture the atomic structural kinetics in metal nanoparticles after phase transformation. Quantitative measurements of physical and chemical properties such as chemical coordination, defects, dislocation, and local strain have been made. However, due to the incompatibility of high dose rate with other ultrathin morphologies, such as nanowires, atomic electron tomography has been primarily limited to quasi-spherical nanoparticles. Herein, the 3D atomic structure of a complex core-shell nanowire composed of an ultrathin Boerdijk-Coxeter-Bernal (BCB) core nanowire and a noble metal thin layer shell deposited on the BCB nanowire surface is discovered. Furthermore, it is demonstrated that a new superthin noble metal layer deposition on an ultrathin BCB nanowire could mitigate electron beam damage using an in situ transmission electron microscope and atomic resolution electron tomography. The colloidal coating method developed for electron tomography can be broadly applied to protect the ultrathin nanomaterials from electron beam damage, benefiting both the advanced material characterizations and enabling fundamental in situ mechanistic studies.

Distributions and trends of the global burden of COPD attributable to risk factors by SDI, age, and sex from 1990 to 2019: a systematic analysis of GBD 2019 data.

BACKGROUND: Global distributions and trends of the risk-attributable burdens of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) have rarely been systematically explored. To guide the formulation of targeted and accurate strategies for the management of COPD, we analyzed COPD burdens attributable to known risk factors. METHODS: Using detailed COPD data from the Global Burden of Disease study 2019, we analyzed disability-adjusted life years (DALYs), years lived with disability (YLDs), years of life lost (YLLs), and deaths attributable to each risk factor from 1990 to 2019. Additionally, we calculated estimated annual percentage changes (EAPCs) during the study period. The population attributable fraction (PAF) and summary exposure value (SEV) of each risk factor are also presented. RESULTS: From 1990 to 2019, the age-standardized DALY and death rates of COPD attributable to smoking and household air pollution, occupational particles, secondhand smoke, and low temperature presented consistently declining trends in almost all socio-demographic index (SDI) regions. However, the decline in YLD was not as dramatic as that of the death rate. In contrast, the COPD burden attributable to ambient particulate matter, ozone, and high temperature exposure showed undesirable increasing trends in the low- and low-middle-SDI regions. In addition, the age-standardized DALY and death rates attributable to each risk factor except household air pollution and low temperature were the highest in the low-middle-SDI region. In 2019, the COPD burden attributable to smoking ambient particulate matter, ozone, occupational particles, low and high temperature was obviously greater in males than in females. Meanwhile, the most important risk factors for female varied across regions (low- and low-middle-SDI regions: household air pollution; middle-SDI region: ambient particles; high-middle- and high-SDI region: smoking). CONCLUSIONS: Increasing trends of COPD burden attributable to ambient particulate matter, ozone, and high temperature exposure in the low-middle- and low-SDI regions call for an urgent need to implement specific and effective measures. Moreover, considering the gender differences in COPD burdens attributable to some risk factors such as ambient particulate matter and ozone with similar SEV, further research on biological differences between sexes in COPD and relevant policy-making of disease prevention are required.

Metrological Characterization of Non-Gaussian Entangled States of Superconducting Qubits.

Multipartite entangled states are significant resources for both quantum information processing and quantum metrology. In particular, non-Gaussian entangled states are predicted to achieve a higher sensitivity of precision measurements than Gaussian states. On the basis of metrological sensitivity, the conventional linear Ramsey squeezing parameter (RSP) efficiently characterizes the Gaussian entangled atomic states but fails for much wider classes of highly sensitive non-Gaussian states. These complex non-Gaussian entangled states can be classified by the nonlinear squeezing parameter (NLSP), as a generalization of the RSP with respect to nonlinear observables and identified via the Fisher information. However, the NLSP has never been measured experimentally. Using a 19-qubit programmable superconducting processor, we report the characterization of multiparticle entangled states generated during its nonlinear dynamics. First, selecting ten qubits, we measure the RSP and the NLSP by single-shot readouts of collective spin operators in several different directions. Then, by extracting the Fisher information of the time-evolved state of all 19 qubits, we observe a large metrological gain of 9.89_{-0.29}^{+0.28} dB over the standard quantum limit, indicating a high level of multiparticle entanglement for quantum-enhanced phase sensitivity. Benefiting from high-fidelity full controls and addressable single-shot readouts, the superconducting processor with interconnected qubits provides an ideal platform for engineering and benchmarking non-Gaussian entangled states that are useful for quantum-enhanced metrology.

The global disease burden attributable to a diet low in fibre in 204 countries and territories from 1990 to 2019.

OBJECTIVE: The relationship of a diet low in fibre with mortality has not been evaluated. This study aims to assess the burden of non-communicable chronic diseases (NCD) attributable to a diet low in fibre globally from 1990 to 2019. DESIGN: All data were from the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) Study 2019, in which the mortality, disability-adjusted life-years (DALY) and years lived with disability (YLD) were estimated with Bayesian geospatial regression using data at global, regional and country level acquired from an extensively systematic review. SETTING: All data sourced from the GBD Study 2019. PARTICIPANTS: All age groups for both sexes. RESULTS: The age-standardised mortality rates (ASMR) declined in most GBD regions; however, in Southern sub-Saharan Africa, the ASMR increased from 4·07 (95 % uncertainty interval (UI) (2·08, 6·34)) to 4·60 (95 % UI (2·59, 6·90)), and in Central sub-Saharan Africa, the ASMR increased from 7·46 (95 % UI (3·64, 11·90)) to 9·34 (95 % UI (4·69, 15·25)). Uptrends were observed in the age-standardised YLD rates attributable to a diet low in fibre in a number of GBD regions. The burden caused by diabetes mellitus increased in Central Asia, Southern sub-Saharan Africa and Eastern Europe. CONCLUSIONS: The burdens of disease attributable to a diet low in fibre in Southern sub-Saharan Africa and Central sub-Saharan Africa and the age-standardised YLD rates in a number of GBD regions increased from 1990 to 2019. Therefore, greater efforts are needed to reduce the disease burden caused by a diet low in fibre.