3D Printed MXene-Based Wire Strain Sensors with Enhanced Sensitivity and Anisotropy.

Stretchable strain sensors play a crucial role in intelligent wearable systems, serving as the interface between humans and environment by translating mechanical strains into electrical signals. Traditional fiber strain sensors with intrinsic uniform axial strain distribution face challenges in achieving high sensitivity and anisotropy. Moreover, existing micro/nano-structure designs often compromise stretchability and durability. To address these challenges, a novel approach of using 3D printing to fabricate MXene-based flexible sensors with tunable micro and macrostructures.  Poly(tetrafluoroethylene) (PTFE) as a pore-inducing agent is added into 3D printable inks to achieve controllable microstructural modifications. In addition to microstructure tuning, 3D printing is employed for macrostructural design modifications, guided by finite element modeling (FEM) simulations. As a result, the 3D printed sensors exhibit heightened sensitivity and anisotropy, making them suitable for tracking static and dynamic displacement changes. The proposed approach presents an efficient and economically viable solution for standardized large-scale production of advanced wire strain sensors.

An Efficient Pulse Circuit Design for Magnetic Stimulation with Diversified Waveforms and Adjustable Parameters.

As a noninvasive neuromodulation technique, transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) has important applications both in the exploration of mental disorder causes and the treatment of mental disorders. During the stimulation, the TMS system generates the intracranial time-varying induced E-field (E-field), which alters the membrane potential of neurons and subsequently exerts neural regulatory effects. The temporal waveform of the induced E-fields is directly related to the stimulation effect. To meet the needs of scientific research on diversified stimulation waveforms and flexible adjustable stimulation parameters, a novel efficient pulse magnetic stimulation circuit (the EPMS circuit) design based on asymmetric cascaded multilevel technology is proposed in this paper. Based on the transient analysis of the discharge circuit, this circuit makes it possible to convert the physical quantity (the intracranial induced E-field) that needs to be measured after magnetic stimulation into easily analyzable electrical signals (the discharge voltage at both ends of the stimulation coil in the TMS circuit). This EPMS circuit can not only realize monophasic and biphasic cosine-shaped intracranial induced E-fields, which are widely used in the market, but also realize three types of new intracranial induced E-field stimulation waveform with optional amplitude and adjustable pulse width, including monophasic near-rectangular, biphasic near-rectangular and monophasic/biphasic ladder-shaped stimulation waveform, which breaks through the limitation of the stimulation waveform of traditional TMS systems. Among the new waveforms produced by the EPMS circuit, further research was conducted on the dynamic response characteristics of neurons under the stimulation of the biphasic four-level waveform (the BFL waveform) with controllable parameters. The relationship between TMS circuit parameters (discharge voltage level and duration) and corresponding neural response characteristics (neuron membrane potential change and neuronal polarizability ratio) was explained from a microscopic perspective. Accordingly, the biological physical quantities (neuronal membrane potential) that are difficult to measure can be transformed into easily analyzable electrical signals (the discharge voltage level and duration). Results showed that compared with monophasic and biphasic cosine induced E-fields with the same energy loss, the neuron polarization ratio is decreased by 54.5% and 87.5%, respectively, under the stimulation of BFL waveform, which could effectively enhance the neuromodulation effect and improve the stimulation selectivity.

Acute and subchronic toxicity studies of seabuckthorn (Hippophae rhamnoides L.) oil in rodents.

Seabuckthorn (Hippophae rhamnoides L.) has been traditionally used as medicine and nutritional supplement for a long period of time. However, information on the systemic toxicity and safety evaluation of seabuckthorn and its extracts is still scarce. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the potential toxicity of seabuckthorn oil by an acute oral toxicity study in mice and a 90-day repeated oral toxicity study in rats. No mortality or signs of toxicity was observed in mice treated with 20 mL/kg body weight seabuckthorn oil in the acute toxicity study. In the subchronic toxicity study, 80 Sprague-Dawley rats (10 animals per sex per treatment group) were administrated with 10, 5, 2.5 and 0 (control) mL/kg body weight of seabuckthorn oil daily for 90 days by gavage. There were no signs of toxicity and treatment-related changes in rats treated with seabuckthorn oil on mortality, body and organ weights, food consumption, blood biochemistry and hematology, gross necropsy and histopathological examinations. Based on the finding of this study, the maximum tolerated dose of seabuckthorn oil was >20 mL/kg for mice for acute toxicity study, and the no-observed-adverse-effect level was 10 mL/kg body weight for both male and female rats for 90-day toxicity study.

Sensing Based on Plasmon-Induced Transparency in H-Shaped Graphene-Based Metamaterials.

Graphene can support surface plasmon polaritons (SPPs) in the terahertz band, and graphene SPP sensors are widely used in the field of terahertz micro- and nano-optical devices. In this paper, we propose an H-shaped graphene metasurface and investigate the plasmon-induced transparency (PIT) phenomenon in the proposed structure using the finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) method. Our results show that the Fermi energy levels, as well as certain shape parameters, can effectively modulate the PIT phenomenon in the proposed structure. Interestingly, changing some of these shape parameters can excite two dips into three. In terms of sensing performance, the maximum values of sensitivity and figure of merit (FOM) are 1.4028 THz/RIU and 17.97, respectively. These results offer valuable guidance for the use of terahertz optical graphene SPP sensors.

Effects of Crude Extract of Glycyrrhiza Radix and Atractylodes macrocephala on Immune and Antioxidant Capacity of SPF White Leghorn Chickens in an Oxidative Stress Model.

The natural edible characteristics of Chinese herbs have led more and more people to study them as an alternative product to antibiotics. In this study, crude extracts of Glycyrrhiza radix and Atractylodes macrocephala (abbreviated as GRAM) with glycyrrhizic acid content not less than 0.2 mg/g were selected to evaluate the effects of GRAM on the immune and antioxidant capacity of model animals. Thirty 21-day-old male Leghorn chickens were weighed and randomly assigned to one of three groups of ten animals each. The treatments comprised a control group (CON), in which saline was injected at day 31, day 33, and day 35, an LPS-treated group (LPS), in which LPS (0.5 mg/kg of BW) was injected at day 31, day 33, and day 35, and finally a GRAM and LPS-treated group, (G-L) in which a GRAM-treated diet (at GRAM 2 g/kg) was fed from day 21 to day 35 with LPS injection (0.5 mg/kg of BW) at day 31, day 33, and day 35. The results of diarrhea grade and serum antioxidant measurement showed that the LPS group had obvious diarrhea symptoms, serum ROS and MDA were significantly increased, and T-AOC was significantly decreased. The oxidative stress model of LPS was successfully established. The results of immune and antioxidant indexes showed that feeding GRAM significantly decreased levels of the pro-inflammatory factors TNF-α, IL-1ß, and IL-6 (p < 0.05) and significantly increased levels of the anti-inflammatory factors IL-4 and IL-10 and levels of the antioxidant enzymes GSH-Px and CAT (p < 0.05). GRAM resisted the influence of LPS on ileum morphology, liver, and immune organs and maintained normal index values for ileum morphology, liver, and immune organs. In summary, this study confirmed the antidiarrheal effect of GRAM, which improved the immune and antioxidant capacity of model animals by regulating inflammatory cytokine levels and antioxidant enzyme activity in poultry.

Effects of Sihuang Zhili Granules on the Diarrhea Symptoms, Immunity, and Antioxidant Capacity of Poultry Challenged with Lipopolysaccharide (LPS).

A growing interest has been focused on Chinese herbs as alternatives to antimicrobial growth promoters, which are characterized by non-toxic side effects and drug resistance. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of the Sihuang Zhili granule (abbreviated as Sihuang) on diarrhea, immunity, and antioxidation in poultry. Thirty male Leghorn chickens, aged 21 days, were randomly assigned to one of three groups with ten animals each. The control group (CON) received intraperitoneal saline injections, while the LPS-challenged group (LPS) and Sihuang intervention group (SH) received intraperitoneal injections of LPS (0.5 mg/kg of BW) and Sihuang (5 g/kg) at d 31, d 33, d 35, respectively. The control and LPS groups were fed a basal diet, while the SH group was fed a diet supplemented with Sihuang from d 21 to d 35. Analysis of the diarrhea index showed that the addition of Sihuang inhibited the increase in the diarrhea grade and the fecal water content caused by LPS, effectively alleviating poultry diarrhea symptoms. The results of the immune and antioxidant indexes showed that Sihuang significantly reduced the contents of the pro-inflammatory factors TNF- α and IL-1 ß, as well as the oxidative stress markers ROS and MDA. Conversely, it increased the contents of the anti-inflammatory factors IL-4 and IL-10, along with the activities of antioxidant enzymes GSH-Px and CAT, thereby enhancing the immune and antioxidant abilities of chickens. Furthermore, Sihuang protected the chicken's ileum, liver, and immune organs from LPS invasion and maintained their normal development. In conclusion, this study confirmed the antidiarrheal effect of Sihuang in poultry farming and demonstrated its ability to improve poultry immunity and antioxidant capacity by modulating antioxidant enzyme activity and inflammatory cytokine levels.

Screening and Characterization of Pediococcus acidilactici LC-9-1 toward Selection as a Potential Probiotic for Poultry with Antibacterial and Antioxidative Properties.

Growing interest has been focused on lactic acid bacteria as alternatives to antimicrobial growth promoters, which are characterized by the production of various functional metabolites, such as antimicrobial and antioxidants compounds. The present study was undertaken to evaluate a potential probiotic from the antioxidant perspective. LC-9-1, screened from the intestines of healthy animals, was revealed to be Pediococcus acidilactici on the basis of its morphological, biochemical, and molecular characteristics. The strain has excellent properties, including acid-production efficiency, antibacterial performance and antioxidant activity. The safety of the strain was also evaluated. Furthermore, the experiments in broiler chickens suggested that dietary LC-9-1 supplementation improved the growth performance and decreased the abdominal fat, and enhanced the antioxidant capability and intestinal innate immunity of broilers. Analysis of intestinal microbiota showed that a higher community diversity (Shannon index) was achieved. In addition to the significantly increased relative abundances of Pediococcus spp., beneficial genera such as Rothia spp. and Ruminococcus spp. were abundant, while opportunistic pathogens such as Escherichia-Shigella spp. were significantly reduced in LC-9-1-supplemented broilers. Collectively, such in-depth characterization and the available data will guide future efforts to develop next-generation probiotics, and LC-9-1 could be considered a potential strain for further utilization in direct-fed microbial or starter culture for fermentation.

Monolayer Iron Oxychloride with a Resonant Band Structure for Ultrasensitive Molecular Sensing.

Two-dimensional layered materials (2DLMs) are expected to be next-generation commercial sensors for surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) sensing owing to their unique structural features and physicochemical properties. The low sensitivity and poor universality of 2DLMs are the dominant barriers toward their practical applications. Herein, we report that monolayer iron oxychloride (FeOCl) with a naturally suitable band structure is a promising candidate for ultrasensitive SERS sensing. The generally boosted Raman scattering cross section of different analyte-FeOCl systems benefits from the resonant photoinduced charge transfer processes and strong ground-state interactions. In addition, the strong adsorption ability of monolayer FeOCl is crucial for rapid detection in practical applications, which is proven to be much better than those of conventional SERS sensors. Consequently, monolayer FeOCl enables diverse SERS applications, including multicomponent analysis, chemical reaction monitoring, and indirect ion sensing.

DLP printed hDPSC-loaded GelMA microsphere regenerates dental pulp and repairs spinal cord.

Dental pulp regeneration is ideal for irreversible pulp or periapical lesions, and in situ stem cell therapy is one of the most effective therapies for pulp regeneration. In this study, we provided an atlas of the non-cultured and monolayer cultured dental pulp cells with single-cell RNA sequencing and analysis. Monolayer cultured dental pulp cells cluster more closely together than non-cultured dental pulp cells, suggesting a lower heterogeneous population with relatively consistent clusters and similar cellular composition. We successfully fabricated hDPSC-loaded microspheres by layer-by-layer photocuring with a digital light processing (DLP) printer. These hDPSC-loaded microspheres have improved stemness and higher multi-directional differentiation potential, including angiogenic, neurogenic, and odontogenic differentiation. The hDPSC-loaded microspheres could promote spinal cord regeneration in rat spinal cord injury models. Moreover, in heterotopic implantation tests on nude mice, CD31, MAP2, and DSPP immunofluorescence signals were observed, implying the formation of vascular, neural, and odontogenetic tissues. In situ experiments in minipigs demonstrated highly vascularized dental pulp and uniformly arranged odontoblast-like cells in root canals of incisors. In short, hDPSC-loaded microspheres can promote full-length dental pulp regeneration at the root canals' coronal, middle, and apical sections, particularly for blood vessels and nerve formation, which is a promising therapeutic strategy for necrotic pulp.

Identification and functional characterization of bactericidal permeability/increasing protein (BPI) from frog Nanorana yunnanensis (Paa yunnanensis).

Bactericidal permeability/increasing protein (BPI) and lipopolysaccharide-binding protein (LBP) have been most extensively studied in mammals, but little information is available regarding BPI and LBP in Amphibia. In this study we showed that the cDNA of BPI in the frog N. yunnanensis (P. yunnanensis) encoded a 490-amino-acid-long protein, the predicted tertiary structure appears closely similar to mammalian BPIs in terms of sequence and structure. Like mammalian BPI gene, the frog gene nybpi was widely expressed in various tissues and was inducible by challenge with LPS or Gram-negative bacterium. We also showed that recombinant NyBPI, resembling mammalian BPIs, specifically binds with LPS. In addition, the recombinant NyBPI displayed antibacterial activity against Gram-negative bacteria Vibrio anguillarum in a dose-dependent manner. These results indicate that NyBPI may play an important role in an immune response against bacteria in amphibians.

Double-layer Composite Gel Polymer Electrolyte for Organic Sodium-Metal Batteries.

Organic cathode materials have the advantages of abundant raw materials, high theoretical specific capacity, controllable structure and easy recycling. Pyrene-4,5,9,10-tetraone (PTO), as one of the typical organic cathode materials, achieves efficient storage and release of Na+ . However, its good solubility in traditional organic liquid electrolytes is detrimental to the cyclic stability of batteries. To address this issue, the double-layer composite gel polymer electrolyte (DLCGPE) consisting of poly (ionic liquid) gel polymer electrolyte and plastic crystal electrolyte was developed and applied to organic sodium-metal batteries. This as-prepared DLCGPE displays an ionic conductivity of 2.17×10-4  S cm-1 and an electrochemical window of 4.8 V. The as-fabricated sodium-symmetric batteries maintain interfacial stability after 500 h of cycling. Furthermore, the PTO/Na batteries could also retain a specific capacity of 201 mAh g-1 after 300 cycles, confirming that DLCGPE achieves the purpose of inhibiting PTO dissolution and maintaining batteries stability. This work broadens the application of asymmetric electrolytes in organic secondary battery.

Effects of 5-aminolevulinic acid on the inflammatory responses and antioxidative capacity in broiler chickens challenged with lipopolysaccharide.

5-Aminolevulinic acid (5-ALA) is an intermediate in haem biosynthesis and has anti-apoptotic, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and other pharmacological effects. This study aimed to investigate the effect of dietary supplementation with 5-ALA on growth performance, antioxidant capacity, and inflammatory response of the lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-challenged broiler chickens. The experiment was designed as a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement with dietary 5-ALA (0 or 60 mg/kg) and LPS (injection of saline or 0.5 mg/kg BW) levels as treatments. A total of 240 one-day-old Arbor Acres broilers were distributed into four treatments consisting of six replicates of 10 birds. All the experimental broilers were intraperitoneally injected with LPS or sterile saline at 16, 18, and 20 days of age. Our results showed that dietary 5-ALA supplementation reduced (P < 0.05) the feed to gain before broilers were stimulated with LPS (days 1-15). LPS challenge decreased (P < 0.05) the catalase (CAT), total superoxide dismutase activities and increased the content of malondialdehyde (MDA) in the serum of broiler chickens. However, 5-ALA supplementation had a tendency to increase (P = 0.08) the activity of CAT and decreased (P < 0.05) the content of MDA. LPS challenge showed higher (P < 0.05) interleukin (IL)-1ß, IL-6, and IL-10 concentrations in the serum, whereas dietary 5-ALA supplementation decreased (P < 0.05) the levels of IL-1ß and IL-6. Additionally, dietary 5-ALA supplementation significantly attenuated (P < 0.05) the upregulation of mRNA expression levels of hepatic toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4), IL-1ß, and IL-2 induced by LPS challenge. Moreover, dietary 5-ALA supplementation also enhanced the mRNA expression of 5-aminolevulinate dehydratase, ferrochelatase, and haem oxygenase-1 (HO-1) as compared to the unsupplemented groups. In conclusion, our results suggested that supplementation of 60 mg/kg 5-ALA exhibited LPS-induced anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties by enhancing the HO-1 expression and inhibiting the TLR4/NF-κB signalling pathway.

A hierarchical vascularized engineered bone inspired by intramembranous ossification for mandibular regeneration.

Mandibular defects caused by injuries, tumors, and infections are common and can severely affect mandibular function and the patient's appearance. However, mandible reconstruction with a mandibular bionic structure remains challenging. Inspired by the process of intramembranous ossification in mandibular development, a hierarchical vascularized engineered bone consisting of angiogenesis and osteogenesis modules has been produced. Moreover, the hierarchical vascular network and bone structure generated by these hierarchical vascularized engineered bone modules match the particular anatomical structure of the mandible. The ultra-tough polyion complex has been used as the basic scaffold for hierarchical vascularized engineered bone for ensuring better reconstruction of mandible function. According to the results of in vivo experiments, the bone regenerated using hierarchical vascularized engineered bone is similar to the natural mandibular bone in terms of morphology and genomics. The sonic hedgehog signaling pathway is specifically activated in hierarchical vascularized engineered bone, indicating that the new bone in hierarchical vascularized engineered bone underwent a process of intramembranous ossification identical to that of mandible development. Thus, hierarchical vascularized engineered bone has a high potential for clinical application in mandibular defect reconstruction. Moreover, the concept based on developmental processes and bionic structures provides an effective strategy for tissue regeneration.

A Diamond Temperature Sensor Based on the Energy Level Shift of Nitrogen-Vacancy Color Centers.

The nitrogen-vacancy (NV) color center in chemical vapor deposition (CVD) diamond has been widely investigated in quantum information and quantum biosensors due to its excellent photon emission stability and long spin coherence time. However, the temperature dependence of the energy level of NV color centers in diamond is different from other semiconductors with the same diamond cubic structure for the high Debye temperature and very small thermal expansion coefficient of diamond. In this work, a diamond sensor for temperature measurement with high precision was fabricated based on the investigation of the energy level shifts of NV centers by Raman and photoluminescence (PL) spectra. The results show that the intensity and linewidth of the zero-phonon line of NV centers highly depend on the environmental temperature, and the energy level shifts of NV centers in diamond follow the modified Varshni model very well, a model which is better than the traditional version. Accordingly, the NV color center shows the ability in temperature measurement with a high accuracy of up to 98%. The high dependence of NV centers on environmental temperature shows the possibility of temperature monitoring of NV center-based quantum sensors in biosystems.

Surface Modification by Divalent Main-Group-Elemental Ions for Improved Bone Remodeling To Instruct Implant Biofabrication.

Divalent main-group-elemental ions are widely used to improve osteogenic capacity of implants biofabricated from Ti and its alloys. However, the conclusions regarding their osseointegration and immunogenicity are always inconsistent because of the multiple bone remodeling processes as well as the distinct material surface features arising from processing. Here we successfully manufactured the porous micro/nanostructured surface topography with divalent main-group-elemental ions (Mg2+, Ca2+, Sr2+, Ba2+) on substrates through hydrothermal treatment and comprehensively evaluated the complex bone remodeling processes, including osseointegration, immunogenicity, and fibrosis of substrates and implants. We found that Sr-modified implants not only upregulated the adhesion and proliferation of mesenchymal stem cells but also the differentiation of osteogenic markers compared with those modified by other divalent main-group-elemental ions (Mg2+, Ca2+, Ba2+). More importantly, the osteoclastogenesis, immunogenicity, and fibrosis of Sr-modified implants were also significantly downregulated. In vivo, evaluations of new bone formation and histological morphology at the interface of implant and host as well as the removal torque similarly indicated the improved osseointegration of Sr-modified implants as well as the absence of immunogenicity, fibrosis, or necrosis. Our results suggested that among various divalent main-group-elemental ions, Sr2+ might be a promising one for enhancing bone remodeling, which can be used to instruct functionalization of the surfaces of biofabricated Ti-based orthopedic and dental implants in the future.

The CXCL12 rs1801157 polymorphism and risk of colorectal cancer: a meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: The CXCL12 rs1801157 polymorphism is putatively associated with the risk of malignancy. However, research results are inconsistent regarding particular cancers, especially colorectal cancer (CRC). METHODS: We conducted a meta-analysis via a comprehensive literature search of the databases PubMed and Embase. Odds ratios and their corresponding 95% confidence intervals were extracted to assess comprehensively the association between the CXCL12 rs1801157 polymorphism and the risk of CRC. RESULTS: According to the following models, the correlation between the presence of the CXCL12 rs1801157 polymorphism and the risk of CRC was not statistically significant: allelic (G cf. A), heterozygous (GG cf. GA), homozygous (GG cf. AA), dominant (GG cf. GA+AA), or recessive (AA cf. GA+GG) for pooled calculating. However, in subgroup analysis, elevated risk of CRC was found in the non-Caucasian group in four genetic models, while no connection was found in the Caucasian group. The sensitivity analysis confirmed that the result of the Caucasian group was stable and analyzed the heterogeneity of the non-Caucasian group. CONCLUSION: This meta-analysis suggested that the CXCL12 rs1801157 polymorphism did not significantly confer a risk of CRC among Caucasians but may among non-Caucasians. These results warrant confirmation and further studies of different ethnic populations.

Association between leukocyte telomere length and glioma risk: a case-control study.

BACKGROUND: Compelling epidemiological evidence indicates that alterations of telomere length are associated with risks of many malignancies in a tumor-specific manner, such as lung cancer, breast cancer, and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. However, the association between leukocyte telomere length and glioma risk has not been investigated. METHODS: Relative telomere length (RTL) of peripheral blood leukocytes from 467 glioma patients and 467 healthy controls, matched by age and sex, was measured using the real-time PCR-based method in a case-control study. An unconditional multivariate logistic regression model was applied to estimate the association between RTL and glioma risk. RESULTS: Glioma patients showed notably longer RTL than controls (median, 0.555 vs 0.444; P > .04). RTL was negatively correlated with age in both cases (ρ = -0.430; P < .001) and controls (ρ = -0.388; P < .001). After adjusting for age, sex, smoking status and family history of cancer, multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that there was a U-shaped association between RTL and glioma risk (P for nonlinearity <.001). Compared with individuals in the second tertile of RTL, the odds ratios (95% CI) for participants in the first and third tertiles were 2.16 (range, 1.52-3.09) and 3.51 (range, 2.45-5.00), respectively. Stratified analysis showed that the association between RTL and glioma risk was not modulated by major host characteristics. CONCLUSIONS: Our study demonstrates for the first time that either shorter or longer RTL in peripheral blood leukocytes is associated with increased glioma risk, which warrants further investigation in the future.

[Comparative study on the enteral and parenteral nutrition during early postburn stage in burn patients].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the influence of early enteral nutrition on the nutritional indices of the burn patients. METHODS: Thirty-seven burn patients were enrolled in the study and were randomly divided into early enteral nutrition (EN) and parenteral nutrition (PN) groups. The body weight, serum levels of prealbumin and transferrin, the incidence of burn sepsis, and the hospital stay days were surveyed respectively and compared between these two groups. RESULTS: The percentage of body weight loss in EN group was obviously lower than that in PN group on the 7th and 14th post burn day (PBD) (P < 0.05). The serum contents of prealbumin and transferrin in EN group were significantly higher than that in PN group on the 4th, 8th and 14th PBD (P < 0.05 or 0.01). The incidence of burn sepsis in EN group was lower than that in PN group (5.56% vs 31.58%, P < 0.05). The hospital stay days in EN group were less than that in PN group (40.39 +/- 10.81 d vs 54.89 +/- 11.26 d, P < 0.01). CONCLUSION: Early enteral nutrition is beneficial to the improving of nutrition state of the burn patients, and to the reduction of the incidence of burn sepsis and the hospitalization time.