Highly Conductive Topologically Chiral Molecular Knots as Efficient Spin Filters.

Knot-like structures were found to have interesting magnetic properties in condensed matter physics. Herein, we report on topologically chiral molecular knots as efficient spintronic chiral material. The discovery of the chiral-induced spin selectivity (CISS) effect opens the possibility of manipulating the spin orientation with soft materials at room temperature and eliminating the need for a ferromagnetic electrode. In the chiral molecular trefoil knot, there are no stereogenic carbon atoms, and chirality results from the spatial arrangements of crossings in the trefoil knot structures. The molecules show a very high spin polarization of nearly 90%, a conductivity that is higher by about 2 orders of magnitude compared with that of other chiral small molecules, and enhanced thermal stability. A plausible explanation for these special properties is provided, combined with model calculations, that supports the role of electron-electron interaction in these systems.

Multi-omics analysis identifies potential mechanisms by which high glucose accelerates macrophage foaming.

Atherosclerotic morbidity is significantly higher in the diabetic population. Hyperglycemia, a typical feature of diabetes, has been proven to accelerate foam cell formation. However, the molecular mechanisms behind this process remain unclear. In this study, LPS and IFN-γ were used to convert THP-1-derived macrophages into M1 macrophages, which were then activated with ox-LDL in either high glucose or normal condition. We identified lipids within macrophages by Oil red O staining and total cholesterol detection. The genes involved in lipid absorption, efflux, inflammation, and metabolism were analyzed using qRT-PCR. The mechanisms of high glucose-induced foam cell formation were further investigated through metabolomics and transcriptomics analysis. We discovered that high glucose speed up lipid accumulation in macrophages (both lipid droplets and total cholesterol increased), diminished lipid efflux (ABCG1 down-regulation), and aggravated inflammation (IL1B and TNF up-regulation). Following multi-omics analysis, it was determined that glucose altered the metabolic and transcriptional profiles of macrophages, identifying 392 differently expressed metabolites and 293 differentially expressed genes, respectively. Joint pathway analysis suggested that glucose predominantly disrupted the glycerolipid, glycerophospholipid, and arachidonic acid metabolic pathways in macrophages. High glucose in the glyceride metabolic pathway, for instance, suppressed the transcription of triglyceride hydrolase (LIPG and LPL), causing cells to deposit excess triglycerides into lipid droplets and encouraging foam cell formation. More importantly, high glucose triggered the accumulation of pro-atherosclerotic lipids (7-ketocholesterol, lysophosphatidylcholine, and glycerophosphatidylcholine). In conclusion, this work elucidated mechanisms of glucose-induced foam cell formation via a multi-omics approach.

A Bayesian network perspective on neonatal pneumonia in pregnant women with diabetes mellitus.

OBJECTIVE: To predict the influencing factors of neonatal pneumonia in pregnant women with diabetes mellitus using a Bayesian network model. By examining the intricate network connections between the numerous variables given by Bayesian networks (BN), this study aims to compare the prediction effect of the Bayesian network model and to analyze the influencing factors directly associated to neonatal pneumonia. METHOD: Through the structure learning algorithms of BN, Naive Bayesian (NB), Tree Augmented Naive Bayes (TAN), and k-Dependence Bayesian Classifier (KDB), complex networks connecting variables were presented and their predictive abilities were tested. The BN model and three machine learning models computed using the R bnlean package were also compared in the data set. RESULTS: In constraint-based algorithms, three algorithms had different presentation DAGs. KDB had a better prediction effect than NB and TAN, and it achieved higher AUC compared with TAN. Among three machine learning modes, Support Vector Machine showed a accuracy rate of 91.04% and 67.88% of precision, which was lower than TAN (92.70%; 72.10%). CONCLUSION: KDB was applicable, and it can detect the dependencies between variables, identify more potential associations and track changes between variables and outcome.

ZNF205 positively regulates RLR antiviral signaling by targeting RIG-I.

Retinoic acid-inducible gene I (RIG-I) is a cytosolic viral RNA receptor. Upon viral infection, the protein recognizes and then recruits adapter protein mitochondrial antiviral signaling (MAVS) protein, initiating the production of interferons and proinflammatory cytokines to establish an antiviral state. In the present study, we identify zinc finger protein 205 (ZNF205) which associates with RIG-I and promotes the Sendai virus (SeV)-induced antiviral innate immune response. Overexpression of ZNF205 facilitates interferon-beta (IFN-ß) introduction, whereas ZNF205 deficiency restricts its introduction. Mechanistically, the C-terminal zinc finger domain of ZNF205 interacts with the N-terminal tandem caspase recruitment domains (CARDs) of RIG-I; this interaction markedly promotes K63 ubiquitin-linked polyubiquitination of RIG-I, which is crucial for RIG-I activation. Thus, our results demonstrate that ZNF205 is a positive regulator of the RIG-I-mediated innate antiviral immune signaling pathway.

Mechanical Polarization Switching in Hf0.5Zr0.5O2 Thin Film.

HfO2-based films with high compatibility with Si and complementary metal-oxide semiconductors (CMOS) have been widely explored in recent years. In addition to ferroelectricity and antiferroelectricity, flexoelectricity, the coupling between polarization and a strain gradient, is rarely reported in HfO2-based films. Here, we demonstrate that the mechanically written out-of-plane domains are obtained in 10 nm Hf0.5Zr0.5O2 (HZO) ferroelectric film at room temperature by generating the stress gradient via the tip of an atomic force microscope. The results of scanning Kelvin force microscopy (SKPM) exclude the possibility of flexoelectric-like mechanisms and prove that charge injection could be avoided by mechanical writing and thus reveal the true polarization state, promoting wider flexoelectric applications and ultrahigh-density storage of HZO thin films.

[Meta-analysis and trial sequential analysis of Chaihuang Granules in treatment of upper respiratory tract infection in children].

This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of Chaihuang Granules in the treatment of upper respiratory tract infection in children. The databases such as CNKI, Wanfang, VIP, SinoMed, Cochrane Library, PubMed, EMbase, Web of Science, Chinese Clinical Trial Registry, and ClinicalTrials.gov were searched for randomized controlled trial(RCT) of Chaihuang Granules for the treatment of upper respiratory tract infection in children, and supplemented by manual searching of gray literature. Two investigators independently screened the literature, extracted data, and assessed the methodological quality. Meta-analysis was performed using RevMan 5.4 software, trial sequential analysis was conducted using TSA 0.9.5.10 Beta software, and evidence quality evaluation was carried out using GRADE profiler 3.6.1 software. Eighteen RCTs involving 2 459 patients(1 262 in the treatment group and 1 197 in the control group) were included. Meta-analysis showed that compared with conventional therapy alone, Chaihuang Granules significantly improved the total effective rate(RR=1.18, 95%CI[1.15, 1.22], P<0.000 01), reduced the disappearance time of symptoms/signs(MD=-1.39, 95%CI[-1.66,-1.12], P<0.000 01), improved cytokine levels(MD=-2.40, 95%CI[-3.80,-1.00], P=0.000 8), improved humoral immune levels(MD=0.75, 95%CI[0.60, 0.90], P<0.000 01), and reduced the recurrence rate(MD=-2.11, 95%CI[-2.98,-1.25], P<0.000 01). However, the incidence of adverse reactions was not increased(RR=0.94, 95%CI[0.59, 1.49], P=0.78). Subgroup analysis showed that:(1) both Chaihuang Granules used alone(RR=1.19, 95%CI[1.11, 1.27], P<0.000 01) and in combination with other therapies(RR=1.18, 95%CI[1.14, 1.22], P<0.000 01) effectively improved the total effective rate.(2) In terms of symptoms/signs disappearance time, Chaihuang Granules effectively reduced the duration of fever(MD=-1.18, 95%CI[-1.78,-0.58], P=0.000 1), cough with sputum(MD=-1.82, 95%CI[-2.38,-1.25], P<0.000 01), cough(MD=-1.31, 95%CI[-1.89,-0.74], P<0.000 01), sore throat(MD=-1.57, 95%CI[-2.25,-0.89], P<0.000 01), and lung rales(MD=-1.49, 95%CI[-2.06,-0.92], P<0.000 01).(3) Regarding cytokine levels, Chaihuang Gra-nules effectively improved the levels of interleukin(IL)-2(MD=-0.94, 95%CI[-1.16,-0.72], P<0.000 01), IL-6(MD=-4.71, 95%CI[-6.39,-3.03], P<0.000 01), and tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α)(MD=-2.07, 95%CI[-2.43,-1.71], P<0.000 01).(4) In terms of cellular immune levels, Chaihuang Granules effectively improved the levels of CD3~+(MD=4.11, 95%CI[1.53, 6.69], P=0.002), CD4~+(MD=4.21, 95%CI[1.69, 6.73], P=0.001), CD8~+(MD=-2.65, 95%CI[-3.93,-1.37], P<0.000 1), and CD4~+/CD8~+(MD=0.25, 95%CI[0.14, 0.37], P<0.000 1).(5) In terms of humoral immune levels, Chaihuang Granules effectively improved the levels of IgA(MD=0.44, 95%CI[0.23, 0.64], P<0.000 1), IgM(MD=0.31, 95%CI[0.15, 0.46], P=0.000 1), and IgG(MD=2.02, 95%CI[1.60, 2.43], P<0.000 01). Trial sequential analysis showed that the cumulative Z-curve of the total effective rate crossed the boundary value, further confirming its clinical efficacy. The GRADE evidence quality evaluation showed that the evidence quality of the above outcome indicators was low or very low, and the recommendation strength was weak. Compared to conventional therapy alone, Chaihuang Granules can effectively improve the total effective rate of treatment, alle-viate symptoms and signs of upper respiratory tract infection in children, improve inflammatory conditions, enhance immune function, and reduce the recurrence rate. Due to the limited quality of the included studies, high-quality RCT is still needed to provide evidence support for the above conclusions.

[Meta-analysis and trial sequential analysis of Compound Qinlan Oral Liquid in treatment of acute upper respiratory tract infection].

This study aims to evaluate the efficacy and safety of Compound Qinlan Oral Liquid in the treatment of acute upper respiratory tract infection. Computer-based online searching of CNKI, VIP, SinoMed, Wanfang, ChiCTR, ClinicalTrials.gov, Cochrane Library, PubMed, EMbase, and Web of Science was performed to retrieve the randomized controlled trial(RCT) regarding Compound Qinlan Oral Liquid in the treatment of acute upper respiratory tract infection. In addition, manual searching of gray literature was conducted. After two evaluators independently selected articles, extracted data, and evaluated the quality of methodology included in the studies, Meta-analysis was carried out in RevMan 5.4 and trial sequential analysis(TSA) in TSA 0.9.5.10 Beta. GRADE profiler 3.6.1 was employed to evaluate the evidence quality. A total of 21 RCTs were included in this study, involving 2 651 patients(1 330 patients in the observation group and 1 321 patients in the control group). Meta-analysis showed that compared with conventional western medicine alone, Compound Qinlan Oral liquid improved the total response rate(RR=1.15, 95%CI[1.12, 1.19], P<0.000 01) without increasing the incidence of adverse reactions(RR=0.77, 95%CI[0.47, 1.25], P=0.16). The results of subgroup analysis are described as follows:(1) Compared with conventional western medicine alone, Compound Qinlan Oral Liquid improved the total response rate(RR=1.10, 95%CI[1.05, 1.14], P<0.000 01) and shortened the time to symptom relief(SMD=-0.76, 95%CI[-1.02,-0.51], P<0.000 01). There was no significant difference in the incidence of adverse reactions between the two groups(RR=1.16, 95%CI[0.54, 2.47], P=0.71).(2) Compared with conventional western medicine alone, Compound Qinlan Oral Liquid + conventional western medicine improved the total response rate(RR=1.20, 95%CI[1.15, 1.25], P<0.000 01), decreased traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) syndrome scores(MD=-0.58, 95%CI[-0.75,-0.41], P<0.000 01), shortened the time to symptom relief(SMD=-2.44, 95%CI[-3.09,-1.80], P<0.000 01) and physical sign improvement(MD=-2.57, 95%CI[-4.11,-1.04], P=0.001), lowered the serum levels of inflammatory cytokines(SMD=-2.16, 95%CI[-2.61,-1.70], P<0.000 01), improved respiratory function indicators(SMD=1.48, 95%CI[1.00, 1.96], P<0.000 01), and enhanced the humoral immunity(MD=0.94, 95%CI[0.69, 1.18], P<0.000 01). There was no significant difference in the incidence of adverse reactions between the two groups(RR=0.57, 95%CI[0.29, 1.09], P=0.09). TSA showed that the cumulative Z curve of total response rate crossed the traditional threshold and TSA threshold, further confirming the clinical efficacy of Compound Qinlan Oral Liquid. The GRADE graded the evidence of the above outcome indicators as low or extremely low, and yielded weak recommendation. Compared with conventional western medicine alone, Compound Qinlan Oral Liquid can improve the total effective rate and reduce the time to symptom relief. The combination of Compound Qinlan Oral Liquid and conventional western medicine can improve the total response rate, mitigate the symptoms and improve the physical signs, reduce inflammation, and improve respiratory function and immunity of the patients with acute upper respiratory tract infection. In view of the limited number and quality of the included studies, the above conclusions still require high-quality RCT to provide evidence support.

Discovery and therapeutic implications of bioactive dihydroxylated phenolic acids in patients with severe heart disease and conditions associated with inflammation and hypoxia.

Our initial studies detected elevated levels of 3,4-dihydroxyphenyllactic acid (DHPLA) in urine samples of patients with severe heart disease when compared with healthy subjects. Given the reported anti-inflammatory properties of DHPLA and related dihydroxylated phenolic acids (DPAs), we embarked on an exploratory multi-centre investigation in patients with no urinary tract infections to establish the possible pathophysiological significance and therapeutic implications of these findings. Chinese and Caucasian patients being treated for severe heart disease or those conditions associated with inflammation (WBC ≥ 10 ×109/L or hsCRP ≥ 3.0 mg/L) and/or hypoxia (PaO2 ≤ 75 mmHg) were enrolled; their urine samples were analyzed by HPLC, HPLC-MS, GC-MS and biotransformation assays. DHPLA was detected in urine samples of patients, but undetectable in healthy volunteers. Dynamic monitoring of inpatients undergoing treatment showed their DHPLA levels declined in proportion to their clinical improvement. In DHPLA-positive patients' fecal samples, Proteus vulgaris and P. mirabilis were more abundant than healthy volunteers. In culture, these gut bacteria were capable of reversible interconversion between DOPA and DHPLA. Furthermore, porcine and rodent organs were able to metabolize DOPA to DHPLA and related phenolic acids. The elevated levels of DHPLA in these patients suggest bioactive DPAs are generated de novo as part of a human's defense mechanism against disease. Because DHPLA isolated from Radix Salvia miltiorrhizae has a multitude of pharmacological activities, these data underpin the scientific basis of this medicinal plant's ethnopharmacological applications as well as highlighting the therapeutic potential of endogenous, natural or synthetic DPAs and their derivatives in humans.

Strain-engineering on GeSe: Raman spectroscopy study.

Among the IV-VI compounds, GeSe has wide applications in nanoelectronics due to its unique photoelectric properties and adjustable band gap. Even though modulation of its physical characteristics, including the band gap, by an external field will be useful for designing novel devices, experimental work is still rare. Here, we report a detailed anisotropic Raman response of GeSe flakes under uniaxial tension strain. Based on theoretical analysis, the anisotropy of the phonon response is attributed to a change in anisotropic bond length and bond angle under in-plane uniaxial strain. An enhancement in anisotropy and band gap is found due to strain along the ZZ or AC directions. This study shows that strain-engineering is an effective method for controlling the GeSe lattice, and paves the way for modulating the anisotropic electric and optical properties of GeSe.

Highly linear polarized photoluminescence from a rippled WSe2 monolayer.

Shaping the topography of an atomically thin film is a novel way to engineer the optoelectronic performances of an ideal surface. In this letter, we study the photoluminescence characters of a WSe2 monolayer of spiky nanostructures and rippled morphology, which are induced during the transfer process of monolayer to a Bi2Se3 flake. Photo-excited excitons are trapped by these nanostructures, resulting in energy redshifts up to 150 meV at low temperature. We study the polarization degrees of the corresponding radiation signals and the polarization directions. Interestingly, the appearance features of monolayer correlates with the optical polarization property of the photoluminescence. Our work attracts insight to the relevance between surface topography and the dipole polarization on an ideal surface.

Ultra-wide temperature electronic synapses based on self-rectifying ferroelectric memristors.

Memristors have been intensively studied in recent years as promising building blocks for next-generation nonvolatile memory, artificial neural networks and brain-inspired computing systems. However, most memristors cannot simultaneously function in extremely low and high temperatures, limiting their use for many harsh environment applications. Here, we demonstrate that the memristors based on high-Curie temperature ferroelectrics can resolve these issues. Excellent synaptic learning and memory functions can be achieved in BiFeO3 (BFO)-based ferroelectric memristors in an ultra-wide temperature range. Correlation between electronic transport and ferroelectric properties is established by the coincidence of resistance and ferroelectricity switch and the direct visualization of local current and domain distributions. The interfacial barrier modification by the reversal of ferroelectric polarization leads to a robust resistance switching behavior. Various synaptic functions including long-term potentiation/depression, consecutive potentiation/depression and spike-timing dependent plasticity have been realized in the BFO ferroelectric memristors over an extremely wide temperature range of -170 °C âˆ¼ 300 °C, which even can be extended to 500 °C due to the robust ferroelectricity of BFO at high temperatures. Our findings illustrate that the BFO ferroelectric memristors are promising candidates for ultra-wide temperature electronic synapse in extreme or harsh environments.

Factors Influencing Stent Restenosis After Percutaneous Coronary Intervention in Patients with Coronary Heart Disease: A Clinical Trial Based on 1-Year Follow-Up.

BACKGROUND This study observed the incidence of in-stent restenosis (ISR) after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) and discusses the risk factors of ISR based on clinical data, coronary angiography, and stent features, to provide a theoretical basis for the prevention and treatment of ISR. MATERIAL AND METHODS We selected 1132 cases who received stent implantation at the Shaanxi People's Hospital from June 2014 to June 2016 and were followed up by coronary angiography within 1 year. Based on coronary angiography, the cases were divided into ISR and non-ISR groups. ISR was defined as a reduction in lumen diameter by over 50% after PCI. The ISR group consisted of 93 cases and the non-ISR group consisted of 1039 cases. Medical history, biochemical indicators, features of coronary artery lesions, and stent status were analyzed retrospectively. Risk factors of ISR were identified by univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses. RESULTS Among 1132 cases, 93 cases had ISR, with the overall incidence of 8.21%. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses indicated that postoperative hypersensitive C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) levels (OR=2.309, 1.579-3.375 mg/L), postoperative homocysteine (HCY) levels (OR=2.202, 1.268-3.826 µmol/L), history of diabetes (OR=1.955,1.272-3.003), coronary bifurcation lesions (OR=3.785, 2.246-6.377), and stent length (OR=1.269, 1.179-1.365 mm) were independent risk factors of ISR after PCI (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS Elevated hs-CRP and HCY levels after PCI, history of diabetes, coronary bifurcation lesions, and greater stent length were associated with a higher risk of ISR. Patients with a higher risk of ISR should receive routine follow-up and intense medication management after PCI to control the risk factors and to reduce ISR.

Draft genome of the peanut A-genome progenitor (Arachis duranensis) provides insights into geocarpy, oil biosynthesis, and allergens.

Peanut or groundnut (Arachis hypogaea L.), a legume of South American origin, has high seed oil content (45-56%) and is a staple crop in semiarid tropical and subtropical regions, partially because of drought tolerance conferred by its geocarpic reproductive strategy. We present a draft genome of the peanut A-genome progenitor, Arachis duranensis, and 50,324 protein-coding gene models. Patterns of gene duplication suggest the peanut lineage has been affected by at least three polyploidizations since the origin of eudicots. Resequencing of synthetic Arachis tetraploids reveals extensive gene conversion in only three seed-to-seed generations since their formation by human hands, indicating that this process begins virtually immediately following polyploid formation. Expansion of some specific gene families suggests roles in the unusual subterranean fructification of Arachis For example, the S1Fa-like transcription factor family has 126 Arachis members, in contrast to no more than five members in other examined plant species, and is more highly expressed in roots and etiolated seedlings than green leaves. The A. duranensis genome provides a major source of candidate genes for fructification, oil biosynthesis, and allergens, expanding knowledge of understudied areas of plant biology and human health impacts of plants, informing peanut genetic improvement and aiding deeper sequencing of Arachis diversity.

Positive association between serum uric acid and bone mineral density in Chinese type 2 diabetes mellitus stratified by gender and BMI.

Accumulating evidence has demonstrated that serum uric acid (UA), a natural powerful antioxidant, plays a beneficial role in bone health in the general population. However, few reports are available on the association between serum UA and bone in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). We therefore investigated whether the benefit of serum UA for bone health was still present in those patients. 626 males and 609 postmenopausal females with T2DM were enrolled in this cross-sectional study. Serum UA concentrations and bone mineral density (BMD) measured at lumbar spine, femoral neck and total hip by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry were obtained from all subjects. Meanwhile, data on osteoporosis prevalence, glucose metabolism, bone turnover markers and other serum biochemical indexes were collected. After adjustment for potential confounders, the results suggested that serum UA was positively associated with BMD in patients with normal weight, but this positive association varied by gender and skeletal sites in overweight T2DM patients [body mass index (BMI) ≥ 25 kg/m2]. Moreover, significantly lower odds ratios (ORs) for osteoporosis were found in postmenopausal patients with the highest UA tertile and male patients with medium UA tertile [adjusted OR 0.315, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.170-0.581 for postmenopausal patients; adjusted OR 0.464, 95% CI 0.225-0.955 for male patients]. The positive association between serum UA and BMD found in Chinese T2DM patients may imply that relatively high UA is a protective factor for bone in these patients. Large intervention studies are needed to further confirm the outcomes and provide possible explanations.

Transcriptome-wide sequencing provides insights into geocarpy in peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.).

A characteristic feature of peanut is the subterranean fructification, geocarpy, in which the gynophore ('peg'), a specialized organ that transitions from upward growth habit to downward outgrowth upon fertilization, drives the developing pod into the soil for subsequent development underground. As a step towards understanding this phenomenon, we explore the developmental dynamics of the peanut pod transcriptome at 11 successive stages. We identified 110 217 transcripts across developmental stages and quantified their abundance along a pod developmental gradient in pod wall. We found that the majority of transcripts were differentially expressed along the developmental gradient as well as identified temporal programs of gene expression, including hundreds of transcription factors. Thought to be an adaptation to particularly harsh subterranean environments, both up- and down-regulated gene sets in pod wall were enriched for response to a broad array of stimuli, like gravity, light and subterranean environmental factors. We also identified hundreds of transcripts associated with gravitropism and photomorphogenesis, which may be involved in the geocarpy. Collectively, this study forms a transcriptional baseline for geocarpy in peanut as well as provides a considerable body of evidence that transcriptional regulation in peanut aerial and subterranean fruits is complex.

Low-k nano-dielectrics facilitate electric-field induced phase transition in high-k ferroelectric polymers for sustainable electrocaloric refrigeration.

Ferroelectric polymer-based electrocaloric effect may lead to sustainable heat pumps and refrigeration owing to the large electrocaloric-induced entropy changes, flexible, lightweight and zero-global warming potential. Herein, low-k nanodiamonds are served as extrinsic dielectric fillers to fabricate polymeric nanocomposites for electrocaloric refrigeration. As low-k nanofillers are naturally polar-inactive, hence they have been widely applied for consolidate electrical stability in dielectrics. Interestingly, we observe that the nanodiamonds markedly enhances the electrocaloric effect in relaxor ferroelectrics. Compared with their high-k counterparts that have been extensively studied in the field of electrocaloric nanocomposites, the nanodiamonds introduces the highest volumetric electrocaloric enhancement (~23%/vol%). The resulting polymeric nanocomposite exhibits concurrently improved electrocaloric effect (160%), thermal conductivity (175%) and electrical stability (125%), which allow a fluid-solid coupling-based electrocaloric refrigerator to exhibit an improved coefficient of performance from 0.8 to 5.3 (660%) while maintaining high cooling power (over 240 W) at a temperature span of 10 K.

Causal association between plasma metabolites and neurodegenerative diseases.

BACKGROUND: Establishing causal relationships between metabolic biomarkers and neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease (AD) and Parkinson's disease (PD) is a challenge faced by observational studies. In this study, our aim was to investigate the causal associations between plasma metabolites and neurodegenerative diseases using Mendelian Randomization (MR) methods. METHODS: We utilized genetic associations with 1400 plasma metabolic traits as exposures. We used large-scale genome-wide association study (GWAS) summary statistics for AD and PD as our discovery datasets. For validation, we performed repeated analyses using different GWAS datasets. The main statistical method employed was inverse variance-weighted (IVW). We also conducted enrichment pathway analysis for IVW-identified metabolites. RESULTS: In the discovered dataset, there are a total of 69 metabolites (36 negatively, 33 positively) potentially associated with AD, and 47 metabolites (24 negatively， 23 positively) potentially associated with PD. Among these, 4 significant metabolites overlap with significant metabolites (PIVW < 0.05)in the validation dataset for AD, and 1 metabolite overlaps with significant metabolites in the validation dataset for PD. Three metabolites serve as common potential metabolic markers for both AD and PD, including Tryptophan betaine, Palmitoleoylcarnitine (C16:1), and X-23655 levels. Further pathway enrichment analysis suggests that the SLC-mediated transmembrane transport pathway, involving tryptophan betaine and carnitine metabolites, may represent potential intervention targets for treating AD and PD. CONCLUSION: This study offers novel insights into the causal effects of plasma metabolites on degenerative diseases through the integration of genomics and metabolomics. The identification of metabolites and metabolic pathways linked to AD and PD enhances our comprehension of the underlying biological mechanisms and presents promising targets for future therapeutic interventions in AD and PD.

Ultrahigh Energy Storage Performance of BiFeO3-BaTiO3 Flexible Film Capacitor with High-Temperature Stability via Defect Design.

Nanoengineering polar oxide films have attracted great attention in energy storage due to their high energy density. However, most of them are deposited on thick and rigid substrates, which is not conducive to the integration of capacitors and applications in flexible electronics. Here, an alternative strategy using van der Waals epitaxial oxide dielectrics on ultra-thin flexible mica substrates is developed and increased the disorder within the system through high laser flux. The introduction of defects can efficiently weaken or destroy the long-range ferroelectric ordering, ultimately leading to the emergence of a large numbers of weak-coupling regions. Such polarization configuration ensures fast polarization response and significantly improves energy storage characteristics. A flexible BiFeO3-BaTiO3 (BF-BT) capacitor exhibits a total energy density of 43.5 J cm-3 and an efficiency of 66.7% and maintains good energy storage performance over a wide temperature range (20-200 °C) and under large bending deformation (bending radii ≈ 2 mm). This study provides a feasible approach to improve the energy storage characteristics of dielectric oxide films and paves the way for their practical application in high-energy density capacitors.

2D Janus Polarization Functioned by Mechanical Force.

2D polarization materials have emerged as promising candidates for meeting the demands of device miniaturization, attributed to their unique electronic configurations and transport characteristics. Although the existing inherent and sliding mechanisms are increasingly investigated in recent years, strategies for inducing 2D polarization with innovative mechanisms remain rare. This study introduces a novel 2D Janus state by modulating the puckered structure. Combining scanning probe microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and density functional theory calculations, this work realizes force-triggered out-of-plane and in-plane dipoles with distorted smaller warping in GeSe. The Janus state is preserved after removing the external mechanical perturbation, which could be switched by modulating the sliding direction. This work offers a versatile method to break the space inversion symmetry in a 2D system to trigger polarization in the atomic scale, which may open an innovative insight into configuring novel 2D polarization materials.

Spatial evolution of the proton-coupled Mott transition in correlated oxides for neuromorphic computing.

The proton-electron coupling effect induces rich spectrums of electronic states in correlated oxides, opening tempting opportunities for exploring novel devices with multifunctions. Here, via modest Pt-aided hydrogen spillover at room temperature, amounts of protons are introduced into SmNiO3-based devices. In situ structural characterizations together with first-principles calculation reveal that the local Mott transition is reversibly driven by migration and redistribution of the predoped protons. The accompanying giant resistance change results in excellent memristive behaviors under ultralow electric fields. Hierarchical tree-like memory states, an instinct displayed in bio-synapses, are further realized in the devices by spatially varying the proton concentration with electric pulses, showing great promise in artificial neural networks for solving intricate problems. Our research demonstrates the direct and effective control of proton evolution using extremely low electric field, offering an alternative pathway for modifying the functionalities of correlated oxides and constructing low-power consumption intelligent devices and neural network circuits.