High-efficiency and flexible generation of vector vortex optical fields by a reflective phase-only spatial light modulator.

The scheme for generating vector optical fields should have not only high efficiency but also flexibility for satisfying the requirements of various applications. However, in general, high efficiency and flexibility are not compatible. Here we present and experimentally demonstrate a solution to directly, flexibly, and efficiently generate vector vortex optical fields (VVOFs) with a reflective phase-only liquid crystal spatial light modulator (LC-SLM) based on optical birefringence of liquid crystal molecules. To generate the VVOFs, this approach needs in principle only a half-wave plate, an LC-SLM, and a quarter-wave plate. This approach has some advantages, including a simple experimental setup, good flexibility, and high efficiency, making the approach very promising in some applications when higher power is need. This approach has a generation efficiency of 44.0%, which is much higher than the 1.1% of the common path interferometric approach.

[Preparation and release mechanism of gestodene reservoir-type intravaginal rings].

This study taking gestodene (GEST) as a model, investigated the factors affecting reservoir-type intravaginal ring (IVR)'s drug release. This paper reported a gestodene intravaginal ring of reservoir design, comprising a gestodene silicone elastomer core encased in a non-medicated silicone sheath, separately manufactured by reaction injection moulding at 80 degrees C and heating vulcanization at 130 degrees C is reported. The test investigated the factors affecting drug release through a single variable method, taking the drug release rates of 21 days as standards. When changing the thickness of the controlling sheath outside, the ratio of the first day of drug release and mean daily release (MDR), named the relatively burst effect, is closing to 1 with the thickness of controlling sheath increasing, while the 1.25 mm sheath corresponding to 1.04 controlled the burst release effectively; a positive correlation (r = 0.992 2) existed between the average drug release (Q/t) and drug loading (A) within a certain range. The C6-165 controlling sheath with high solubility of GEST is easier to achieve controlled release of the drug; GEST crystalline power is more effective to implement controlled release of drugs among difficent states of the drug. A 1/4 fractional segment core gives a relatively burst effect of 1.76, while the 1/1 and 1/2 are 1.93 and 1.87 separately, at the same drug loading, concluding that use of a fractional segment core would allow development of a suitable GEST reservoir IVR. In summary, GEST reservoir-type IVR could be adjusted by the thickness of controlling sheath, the loading of drug, the material properties of controlling sheath, the dispersion state of drug, the additive composition and structure of intravaginal ring, to control the drug release behavior and achieve the desired drug release rate.

Th17 cells are increased with severity of liver inflammation in patients with chronic hepatitis C.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: As a newly identified subset of T helper cells, T-helper 17 cells (Th17) are major mediators of inflammation-associated disease. Some reports have revealed significantly increased Th17 cells in hepatitis B virus-infected patients, and a recent study has demonstrated that hepatitis C virus (HCV)-specific Th17 cells can be induced in vitro and regulated by transforming growth factor-ß. This study attempted to characterize the role of Th17 cells in the disease progression of chronic hepatitis C (CHC). METHODS: The current study enrolled 53 patients with CHC and 23 healthy controls, in which the circulating and liver-infiltrating Th17 cells were monitored. RESULTS: We found that CHC patients had increased proportions of both circulating and liver-infiltrating Th17 cells compared to healthy individuals, and both measures of Th17 cells were correlated with severity of liver inflammation. We further demonstrated that the HCV-specific Th17 cells were correlated with liver damage but not HCV viral replication. CONCLUSIONS: Such a correlation between the severity of liver damage of CHC and Th17 cells illustrated in this study sheds some light on the understanding of the pathogenesis of CHC.

How Could Agronomic Biofortification of Rice Be an Alternative Strategy with Higher Cost-Effectiveness for Human Iron and Zinc Deficiency in China?

BACKGROUND: Iron and zinc deficiencies affect human health globally, especially in developing countries. Agronomic biofortification, as a strategy for alleviating these issues, has been focused on small-scale field studies, and not widely applied while lacking of cost-effectiveness analysis (CEA). OBJECTIVE: We conducted the CEA of agronomic biofortification, expressed as USD per disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) saved, to recommend a cost-effectiveness strategy that can be widely applied. METHODS: The DALYs were applied to quantify the health burden due to Fe and/or Zn deficiency and health cost of agronomic biofortification via a single, dual, or triple foliar spray of Fe, Zn, and/or pesticide in 4 (northeast, central China, southeast, and southwest) major Chinese rice-based regions. RESULTS: The current health burden by Fe or Zn malnutrition was 0.45 to 1.45 or 0.14 to 0.84 million DALYs for these 4 regions. Compared to traditional rice diets, the daily Fe and/or Zn intake from Fe and/or Zn-biofortified rice increased, and the health burden of Fe and/or Zn deficiency decreased by 28% and 48%, respectively. The cost of saving 1 DALYs ranged from US$376 to US$4989, US$194 to US$2730, and US$37.6 to US$530.1 for the single, dual, and triple foliar Fe, Zn, and/or pesticide application, respectively, due to a substantial decrease in labor costs by the latter 2 applications. CONCLUSIONS: Agronomic biofortification of rice with the triple foliar spray of Fe, Zn, and pesticide is a rapidly effective and cost-effectiveness pathway to alleviate Fe and Zn deficiency for rice-based dietary populations.

Comparative profiling of microRNAs and their association with sexual dimorphism in the fig wasp Ceratosolen solmsi.

microRNAs (miRNAs) are small noncoding RNAs that regulate various biological processes, including insect metamorphosis and sexual dimorphism. The fig-pollinating wasp, Ceratosolen solmsi, is a member of the super family Chalcidoidea, which have mutualistic relationships with their fig tree hosts. C. solmsi exhibits extreme sexual dimorphism, which corresponds to the distinct lifestyles of both sexes. Our previous studies showed that these dimorphic characteristics are associated with a dimorphic gene expression pattern. In this study, we constructed six small RNA libraries from female and male wasps in three different developmental stages, i.e., larvae, early pupae, and late pupae. We detected known miRNAs and predicted novel miRNAs, and compared their expression patterns in both sexes and among different developmental stages. We focused mainly on the miRNAs with significantly different expression patterns between sexes and among different life stages, as well as their putative associations with metamorphosis and the formation of sexual dimorphism.

Experimental infection of Z:ZCLA Mongolian gerbils with human hepatitis E virus.

AIM: To investigate whether Z:ZCLA Mongolian gerbils are readily susceptible to infection by human hepatitis E virus (HEV). METHODS: Z:ZCLA Mongolian gerbils were infected with a clinical HEV strain isolated from an acute hepatitis E patient, and virus pathogenesis was assessed in this host. Non-infected gerbils served as the control group. Feces samples from gerbils were collected weekly for reverse transcription-nested polymerase chain reaction. Serum anti-HEV IgG and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) were detected by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay. At sacrifice, each animal's liver, spleen and kidney were collected for histopathologic examination. RESULTS: HEV-infected gerbils showed fatigue, with histopathological changes observed in the liver, spleen and kidney. HEV RNA was detected in fecal samples taken at day 7 after inoculation and the detectable levels lasted out to day 42 after inoculation. Interestingly, ALT levels were only moderately increased in the HEV-infected animals compared with the non-infected control group. CONCLUSION: Z:ZCLA Mongolian gerbils are susceptible to human HEV.

A novel approach to eliminate Wolbachia infections in Nasonia vitripennis revealed different antibiotic resistance between two bacterial strains.

Wolbachia are widespread in insects and can manipulate host reproduction. Nasonia vitripennis is a widely studied organism with a very high prevalence of Wolbachia infection. To study the effect of Wolbachia infection in Nasonia spp., it is important to obtain noninfected individuals by artificial methods. Current methods that employ sugar water-containing antibiotics can successfully eliminate Wolbachia from the parasitic wasps; however, treatment of at least three generations is required. Here, we describe a novel, feasible, and effective approach to eliminate Wolbachia from N. vitripennis by feeding fly pupae continuously offering antibiotics to Nasonia populations, which shortened the time to eliminate the pathogens to two generations. Additionally, the Wolbachia Uni and CauB strains have obviously different rifampicin-resistance abilities, which is a previously unknown phenomenon.