Low-loss and compact, dual-mode, 3-dB power splitter combining a directional coupler, a multimode interferometer, and a Y-junction.

Multimode power splitters are the fundamental building blocks in mode division multiplexing systems. In this paper, we propose a low-loss and compact, dual-mode, 3-dB power splitter for the two lowest TE modes combining three different structures, including a directional coupler, a multimode interferometer, and a Y-junction. The coupling length of the proposed device is only 7.2 µm. For both T E 0 and T E 1 modes, the numerical simulation shows that the insertion loss is only less than 0.1 dB and crosstalk is less than -20d B at the wavelength range of 1520-1580 nm. The working bandwidth can cover the entire C-band. It offers a potential solution for a 3-dB power splitter of the two lowest TE modes.

A statistical investigation of parameters associated with low cell-free fetal DNA fraction in maternal plasma for noninvasive prenatal testing.

BACKGROUND: Noninvasive prenatal testing (NIPT) is the most common method for prenatal aneuploidy screening. Low fetal fraction (LFF) is the primary reason for NIPT failure. Consequently, factors associated with LFF should be elucidated for optimal clinical implementation of NIPT. METHODS: In this study, NIPT data from January 2019 to December 2022 from the laboratory records and obstetrical and neonatal data from the electronic medical records were collected and analyzed. Subjects with FF >3.50% were assigned to the control group, subjects with FF <3.50% once were assigned to the LFF group, and subjects with FF <3.50% twice were assigned to the repetitive low fetal fraction (RLFF) group. Factors, including body mass index (BMI), gestational age, maternal age, twin pregnancy, and in vitro fertilization (IVF) known to be associated with LFF were assessed by Kruskal-Wallis H test and logistic regression. Clinical data on first trimester pregnancy-associated plasma protein-A (PAPP-A), beta-human chorionic gonadotropin (ß-hCG), gestational age at delivery, birth weight at delivery, and maternal diseases were obtained from the hospital's prenatal and neonatal screening systems (twin pregnancy was not included in the data on gestational age at delivery and the control group did not include data on maternal diseases.), and were analyzed using Kruskal-Wallis H test and Chi-square test. RESULTS: Among the total of 63,883 subjects, 63,605 subjects were assigned to the control group, 197 subjects were assigned to the LFF group, and 81 subjects were assigned to the RLFF group. The median of BMI in the three groups was 22.43 kg/m2 (control), 25.71 kg/m2 (LFF), and 24.54 kg/m2 (RLFF). The median gestational age in the three groups was 130 days (control), 126 days (LFF), and 122/133 days (RLFF). The median maternal age in the three groups was 29 (control), 29 (LFF), and 33-years-old (RLFF). The proportion of twin pregnancies in the three groups was 3.3% (control), 10.7% (LFF), and 11.7% (RLFF). The proportion of IVF in the three groups was 4.7% (control), 11.7% (LFF), and 21.3% (RLFF). The factors significantly associated with LFF included BMI [2.18, (1.94, 2.45), p < 0.0001], gestational age [0.76, (0.67, 0.87), p < 0.0001], twin pregnancy [1.62, (1.02, 2.52), p = 0.0353], and IVF [2.68, (1.82, 3.86), p < 0.0001]. The factors associated with RLFF included maternal age [1.54, (1.17, 2.05), p = 0.0023] and IVF [2.55, (1.19, 5.54), p = 0.016]. Multiples of the median (MOM) value of ß-hCG and pregnant persons' gestational age at delivery were significantly decreased in the LFF and RLFF groups compared to the control group. CONCLUSION: According to our findings based on the OR value, factors associated strongly with LFF include a high BMI and the use of IVF. Factors associated less strongly with LFF include early gestational age and twin pregnancy, while advanced maternal age and IVF were independent risk factors for a second LFF result.

Body mass index, gestational age, maternal age, twin pregnancy, and in vitro fertilization are associated with fetal fraction. We added the repetitive low fetal fraction population and used a large normal population as a control to identify the main factors associated with low fetal fraction.

The significance of machine learning in neonatal screening for inherited metabolic diseases.

Background: Neonatal screening for inherited metabolic diseases (IMDs) has been revolutionized by tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS). This study aimed to enhance neonatal screening for IMDs using machine learning (ML) techniques. Methods: The study involved the analysis of a comprehensive dataset comprising 309,102 neonatal screening records collected in the Ningbo region, China. An advanced ML system model, encompassing nine distinct algorithms, was employed for the purpose of predicting the presence of 31 different IMDs. The model was compared with traditional cutoff schemes to assess its diagnostic efficacy. Additionally, 180 suspected positive cases underwent further evaluation. Results: The ML system exhibited a significantly reduced positive rate, from 1.17% to 0.33%, compared to cutoff schemes in the initial screening, minimizing unnecessary recalls and associated stress. In suspected positive cases, the ML system identified 142 true positives with high sensitivity (93.42%) and improved specificity (78.57%) compared to the cutoff scheme. While false negatives emerged, particularly in heterozygous carriers, our study revealed the potential of the ML system to detect asymptomatic cases. Conclusion: This research provides valuable insights into the potential of ML in pediatric medicine for IMD diagnosis through neonatal screening, emphasizing the need for accurate carrier detection and further research in this domain.

Prospective Investigation of Optical Genome Mapping for Prenatal Genetic Diagnosis.

BACKGROUND: Optical genome mapping (OGM) is a novel assay for detecting structural variants (SVs) and has been retrospectively evaluated for its performance. However, its prospective evaluation in prenatal diagnosis remains unreported. This study aimed to prospectively assess the technical concordance of OGM with standard of care (SOC) testing in prenatal diagnosis. METHODS: A prospective cohort of 204 pregnant women was enrolled in this study. Amniotic fluid samples from these women were subjected to OGM and SOC testing, which included chromosomal microarray analysis (CMA) and karyotyping (KT) in parallel. The diagnostic yield of OGM was evaluated, and the technical concordance between OGM and SOC testing was assessed. RESULTS: OGM successfully analyzed 204 cultured amniocyte samples, even with a cell count as low as 0.24 million. In total, 60 reportable SVs were identified through combined OGM and SOC testing, with 22 SVs detected by all 3 techniques. The diagnostic yield for OGM, CMA, and KT was 25% (51/204), 22.06% (45/204), and 18.14% (37/204), respectively. The highest diagnostic yield (29.41%, 60/204) was achieved when OGM and KT were used together. OGM demonstrated a concordance of 95.56% with CMA and 75.68% with KT in this cohort study. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that OGM can be effectively applied in prenatal diagnosis using cultured amniocytes and exhibits high concordance with SOC testing. The combined use of OGM and KT appears to yield the most promising diagnostic outcomes.

Generation of terahertz waves based on nonlinear frequency conversion with stimulated Raman adiabatic passage.

In recent years, high-power, tunable terahertz (THZ) radiation sources have become the key areas of research in the world. The method of THZ waves by nonlinear optical difference frequency generation (DFG) has the advantages of wide tuning, high power, room temperature operation, and compact structure. However, the conversion efficiency of the current difference frequency method is low, which needs a trade-off between conversion efficiency and tuning range. We apply the nonlinear optical cascade difference frequency conversion theory based on stimulated Raman adiabatic passage (STIRAP) and propose a theoretical scheme to generate THZ waves. Numerical simulation investigates the cascaded difference frequency process of generating THZ waves with the help of the nonlinear medium lithium niobate (LN) crystal. The theoretical analysis shows that the maximum quantum conversion efficiency from signal laser to THZ waves is 43.2 % when the wavelength of the tuned signal laser varies between 1.044 - 1.065 µm with the fixed two pump laser wavelengths constant. The tunable THZ waves of 0.48 - 5.0 THz can be obtained and the maximum output intensity of THZ waves is 2.17 MW/cm2, and the method is robust to temperature variations. It also provides a novel idea for the cascaded difference frequency generation of THZ waves.

[Birth weights of singleton neonates of 14 Chinese ethnic groups in 11 cities of China]. / 中国11市14ä¸ªæ°‘æ—å•èƒŽå„¿å‡ºç”Ÿä½“é‡ç ”ç©¶.

OBJECTIVES: To develop the birth weight curves of the Chinese Han (26-41 weeks of gestation) and Zhuang (28-41 weeks of gestation) singleton neonates in 11 cities of China, as well as the birth weight means of full-term neonates of 14 Chinese ethnic groups. METHODS: The live singleton neonates who were born in 11 maternal and child health care hospitals from 11 cities of China between January 2017 and December 2020 were classified according to the mother's ethnic group. Birth weight means were calculated for the full-term neonates of each ethnic group. For the Han and Zhuang singleton neonates with a large sample size, the Lambda-Mu-Sigma (LMS) method was used to establish the birth weight percentile curves of the Han and Zhuang singleton neonates with different gestational ages. RESULTS: A total of 105 365 live singleton neonates were included, among whom the Han neonates had the highest number of 84 851 (26-41 weeks of gestation), followed by the Zhuang neonates (12 803 neonates with a gestational age of 28-41 weeks). The neonates of the other Chinese ethnic groups enrolled were live full-term singleton neonates, with a sample size of more than 100 neonates for each ethnic group. The 3rd-97th percentile curves of birth weight were established for the Han singleton neonates with a gestational age of 26-41 weeks and the Zhuang singleton neonates with a gestational age of 28-41 weeks. The birth weight curves of the Han singleton neonates at each gestational age were higher than those of the Zhuang singleton neonates. Birth weight means (3 199-3 499 g) and standard deviations were determined for 14 Chinese ethnic groups, i.e., Li, Mulao, Zhuang, Yao, Dong, Miao, Han, Buyi, Mongolian, Tujia, Yi, Hui, Man, and Korean ethnic groups. The Li ethnic group had the lowest birth weight, followed by the Mulao, Zhuang, Yao, Dong, Miao, Han, Buyi, Mongolian, Tujia, Yi, Hui, Man, and Korean ethnic groups. CONCLUSIONS: The 3rd-97th percentile curves of birth weight are developed for the Han (26-41 weeks of gestation) and Zhuang (28-41 weeks of gestation) singleton neonates in 11 cities of China, and birth weight means are determined for the full-term neonates of 14 Chinese ethnic groups in 11 cities of China, which provides a reference for evaluating the intrauterine growth of neonates in these ethnic groups.

Controllable focusing behavior of chirped Pearcey-Gaussian pulses under time-dependent potentials.

We investigate the propagation dynamics of the Pearcey-Gaussian (PG) pulses in the presence of time-dependent potentials in a linear medium both theoretically and numerically. We demonstrate that the combination of the linear potential and the initial chirp of PG pulses can flexibly control the propagation trajectory and inherent focusing properties of the PG pulses. When the parabolic potential is taken into account, the chirped PG pulses are periodically focused and reversed. By adjusting the parabolic potential and the pulse chirp, the characteristics of the focal points, such as position, intensity, and spacing between focal points, can be manipulated effectively. The interaction of two temporally separated PG pulses still shows a periodic evolution with controllable focusing characteristics. These results can broaden the application range of PG pulses and provide some inspiration for the control of PG pulses under nonlinear conditions.

Terahertz spectroscopy detection of zinc citrate in flour and milk powder mixtures.

Zinc citrate (ZC) has been widely used in food as an important nutritional supplement. Accurate detection of ZC in food is important for health and safety. In this study, THz time-domain spectroscopy (THz-TDS) is used to quantitatively detect ZC in flour and milk powder mixtures. In our research, 15 different contents of ZC in flour and milk powder mixtures were prepared and measured by THz-TDS. A partial least squares (PLS) model was established based on the quantitative analysis of the absorption coefficient data of these two mixtures at 0.5-3.0 THz. The R2 and rms error (RMSE) given by the PLS model prediction were, respectively, 0.999 and 0.14% ZC in flour and 0.999 and 0.20% ZC in milk mixtures, indicating the predictions of the PLS model are in excellent agreement with the experimental measurements. The results show that combining THz-TDS with the PLS model can be used for accurate, quantitative analyses of ZC in food mixtures.

Birth weight curves of twin neonates with a gestational age of 25-40 weeks and their regional differences in 11 cities of China: an analysis of 17 256 cases. / 中国11市17 256例胎龄25~40周双胎儿出生体重曲线及地区差异特征.

OBJECTIVES: To develop the birth weight curve of twin neonates with a gestational age of 25-40 weeks, and to investigate the regional differences of the birth weight curve. METHODS: A total of 11 maternal and child health care hospitals with more than 7 000 neonates delivered annually were selected in 11 cities of China (Haikou, Guangzhou, Liuzhou, Guilin, Quanzhou, Shenzhen, Chongqing, Chengdu, Changsha, Ningbo, and Lianyungang), and all live twin neonates delivered in the 11 hospitals from January 1, 2017 to December 31, 2020 were enrolled for the development of birth weight curves. RESULTS: A total of 17 256 twin neonates with a gestational age of 25-40 weeks from the 11 cities were included in the study. The reference values of the 3rd-97th percentiles of birth weight of twin neonates for the total of the 11 cities and for each of the 11 cities in China were established, and the birth weight percentile curves were drawn. The birth weight curve level of twin neonates in Liuzhou was lower than the average level of the 11 cities; the birth weight curve level of twin neonates in Ningbo was higher than the average level of the 11 cities; the birth weight curve level of twin neonates in Lianyungang was obviously higher than the average level of the 11 cities; the birth weight curve level of twin neonates in other 8 cities was almost the same as the average level of the 11 cities. CONCLUSIONS: The reference values of the 3rd-97th percentiles of birth weight of twin neonates for the total of the 11 cities and for each of the 11 cities are developed, which can be used as a reference for evaluating the intrauterine growth of twin neonates in the region. The level of intrauterine growth of twin neonates in some cities is different from the average level of the 11 cities of China.

Nonvolatile, Reconfigurable and Narrowband Mid-Infrared Filter Based on Surface Lattice Resonance in Phase-Change Ge2Sb2Te5.

We propose a nonvolatile, reconfigurable, and narrowband mid-infrared bandpass filter based on surface lattice resonance in phase-change material Ge2Sb2Te5. The proposed filter is composed of a two-dimensional gold nanorod array embedded in a thick Ge2Sb2Te5 film. Results show that when Ge2Sb2Te5 transits from the amorphous state to the crystalline state, the narrowband reflection spectrum of the proposed filter is tuned from 3.197 µm to 4.795 µm, covering the majority of the mid-infrared regime, the peak reflectance decreases from 72.6% to 25.8%, and the corresponding quality factor decreases from 19.6 to 10.3. We show that the spectral tuning range can be adjusted by varying the incidence angle or the lattice period. By properly designing the gold nanorod sizes, we also show that the quality factor can be greatly increased to 70 at the cost of relatively smaller peak reflection efficiencies, and that the peak reflection efficiency can be further increased to 80% at the cost of relatively smaller quality factors. We expect that this work will advance the engineering of Ge2Sb2Te5-based nonvalatile tunable surface lattice resonances and will promote their applications especially in reconfigurable narrowband filters.

Resting-state functional connectivity in prefrontal cortex investigated by functional near-infrared spectroscopy: A longitudinal and cross-sectional study.

Functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) was used to investigate the stability of resting state functional connectivity (RSFC) in the prefrontal cortex. In a longitudinal study for investigating the stability of RSFC with time, we recruited 6 healthy adult subjects to undergo a 10-min resting state fNIRS scan once per day for 7 consecutive days. In a cross-sectional study, 62 healthy subjects underwent a single 10-min RSFC measurement. Three regions-of-interest (ROIs) were studied, the superior frontal gyrus (SFG), the middle frontal gyrus (MFG), and the inferior frontal gyrus (IFG). Homologous RSFC between the left and right hemisphere was computed for each ROI. The longitudinal RSFC study showed no significant variation with time in each ROI, implying that a one-time scan was sufficient for evaluating RSFC for an individual. The cross-sectional study showed significant difference in RSFC between SFG and MFG/IFG. Based on these observations, a lower bound of RSFC with an 85% confidence level for healthy adults was given for each gender: in IFG, 0.6894 (male) and 0.5392 (female), in MFG, 0.6487 (male) and 0.5713 (female), and in SFG: 0.8042(male) and 0.7436(female). To test ability of the lower bound to differentiate between healthy adults and adults with neurological disorders (showing weaker RSFC), 15 patients with affective disorders or sleep disorder were recruited for the resting state scan. The results showed that IFG was the most predictive ROI. This study may help to establish a quantitative range of RSFC for healthy adults and serve as a reference for screening patients with neurological disorders.

Suppressing Systemic Interference in fNIRS Monitoring of the Hemodynamic Cortical Response to Motor Execution and Imagery.

Hemodynamic response to motor execution (ME) and motor imagery (MI) was investigated using functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS). We used a 31 channel fNIRS system which allows non-invasive monitoring of cerebral oxygenation changes induced by cortical activation. Sixteen healthy subjects (mean-age 24.5 yeas) were recruited and the changes in concentration of hemoglobin were examined during right and left hand finger tapping tasks and kinesthetic MI. To suppress the systemic physiological interference, we developed a preprocessing procedure which prevents over-activated reporting in NIRS-SPM. In the condition of ME, more activation was observed in the anterior part of the motor cortex including the pre-motor and supplementary motor area (pre-motor and SMA), primary motor cortex (M1) and somatosensory motor cortex (SMC; t(15) > 2.27), however, in the condition of MI, more activation was found in the posterior part of motor cortex including SMC (t(15) > 1.81), which is in line with previous observations with functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI).

Design, synthesis and biological evaluation of novel N-nitrophenyl derivatives based on the structure of acetohydroxyacid synthase.

Acetohydroxyacid synthase (AHAS, EC: 2.2.1.6) is a target for the development of novel herbicides. Two series of N-nitrophenyl derivatives, type-A and type-B, were designed and synthesized based on the active site of the AHAS structure. All the structures of newly prepared compounds were thorough characterized by IR, and 1H NMR spectrums. The IC50 values of all synthesized target compounds against AHAS enzyme and EC50 values for herbicidal activity against Brassica campestris L., Amaranthus mangostanus L. and Sorghum sudanense were determined. The bioactive assay results showed that the type-B compounds exhibited highly improved inhibitory activity against the AHAS enzyme and the tested plants comparing to type-A compounds. The IC50 values of most type-B compounds against the AHAS enzyme were between 25-177µM. The EC50 values of several type-B compounds against Sorghum sudanense reached 5.0mg/L. The differences in the biological activity between type-A and type-B compounds were attributed to two structural features - the orthogonal bend at the N-nitro amides group and the common plane structure of another phenyl with chain bridge. With the structure of the target compounds and the IC50 values for AHAS enzyme, a statistically significant CoMFA model with high predict abilities (q2=0.606, r2=0.982, N=4, SEE=0.058, F=280.255) was obtained, and its reliability was verified. The model will provide a theoretical basis for the further structural optimization.

Peptidomimetics Based On Dehydroepiandrosterone Scaffold: Synthesis, Antiproliferation Activity, Structure-Activity Relationship, and Mechanisms.

A series of novel peptidomimetics bearing dehydroepiandrosterone moiety were designed, synthesized, and evaluated for their inhibition activities against cell proliferation. According to the preliminary studies on inhibitory activities, some of the newly prepared compounds indicated significantly inhibition activities against human hepatoma cancer (HepG2), human lung cancer (A549), human melanoma (A875) cell lines compared with the control 5-fluorouracil. Especially, compounds Ii (IC50 < 14 µM) and Ik (IC50 < 13 µM) exhibited obvious inhibition activities against all tested cell lines. The highly potential compound Ik induced apoptosis in HepG2 cells were analyzed by flow cytometry, and the apoptotic effects of compound Ik were further evaluated using Annexin V-FITC/propidium iodide dual staining assay, which revealed these highly potential compounds induced cell death in HepG2 cells at least partly by apoptosis.

Novel lead compound optimization and synthesized based on the target structure of Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae GlmU.

Bacterial leaf blight, caused by Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae, is one of the most destructive diseases of rice worldwide. N-acetylglucosamine-1-phosphate uridyltransferase (GlmU) was an attractive target for the development of antimicrobial agents. To develop novel, more potent and even more selective inhibitors of the uridyltransferase activity of Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae GlmU (Xo-GlmU), three types of novel target compounds were optimized and synthesized based on the Xo-GlmU structure in this study. The biological testing results showed that all of the target compounds displayed the higher inhibition than the lead compound with the IC50 values in the 10.82-23.31 µM range, and the inhibition rates were increased by 30%-67%. The binding mode and the possible inhibitory mechanism of the target compounds in the active site were also analyzed by the molecular docking based on the uridyltransferase active site of Xo-GlmU.

Analysis and calculation of electronic properties and light absorption of defective sulfur-doped silicon and theoretical photoelectric conversion efficiency.

Most material properties can be traced to electronic structures. Black silicon produced from SF6 or sulfur powder via irradiation with femtosecond laser pulses displays decreased infrared absorption after annealing, with almost no corresponding change in visible light absorption. The high-intensity laser pulses destroy the original crystal structure, and the doping element changes the material performance. In this work, the structural and electronic properties of several sulfur-doped silicon systems are investigated using first principle calculations. Depending on the sulfur concentration (level of doping) and the behavior of the sulfur atoms in the silicon lattice, different states or an absence of states are exhibited, compared with the undoped system. Moreover, the visible-infrared light absorption intensities are structure specific. The results of our theoretical calculations show that the conversion efficiency of sulfur-doped silicon solar cells depends on the sulfur concentrations. Additionally, two types of defect configurations exhibit light absorption characteristics that differ from the other configurations. These two structures produce a rapid increase in the theoretical photoelectric conversion efficiency in the range of the specific chemical potential studied. By controlling the positions of the atomic sulfur and the sulfur concentration in the preparation process, an efficient photovoltaic (PV) material may be obtainable.

Drop coating deposition Raman spectroscopy of blood plasma for the detection of colorectal cancer.

We have recently applied the technique of drop coating deposition Raman (DCDR) spectroscopy for colorectal cancer (CRC) detection using blood plasma. The aim of this study was to develop a more convenient and stable method based on blood plasma for noninvasive CRC detection. Significant differences are observed in DCDR spectra between healthy (n = 105) and cancer (n = 75) plasma from 15 CRC patients and 21 volunteers, particularly in the spectra that are related to proteins, nucleic acids, and ß-carotene. The multivariate analysis principal components analysis and the linear discriminate analysis, together with leave-one-out, cross validation were used on DCDR spectra and yielded a sensitivity of 100% (75/75) and specificity of 98.1% (103/105) for detection of CRC. This study demonstrates that DCDR spectroscopy of blood plasma associated with multivariate statistical algorithms has the potential for the noninvasive detection of CRC.

Light propagation along the pericardium meridian at human wrist as evidenced by the optical experiment and Monte Carlo method.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the characteristics of light propagation along the Pericardium Meridian and its surrounding areas at human wrist by using optical experiment and Monte Carlo method. METHODS: An experiment was carried out to obtain the distribution of diffuse light on Pericardium Meridian line and its surrounding areas at the wrist, and then a simplified model based on the anatomical structure was proposed to simulate the light transportation within the same area by using Monte Carlo method. RESULTS: The experimental results showed strong accordance with the Monte Carlo simulation that the light propagation along the Pericardium Meridian had an advantage over its surrounding areas at the wrist. CONCLUSION: The advantage of light transport along Pericardium Merdian line was related to components and structure of tissue, also the anatomical structure of the area that the Pericardium Meridian line runs.

Effect of Ren meridian acupoints moxibustion on light propagation along the pericardium meridian at human wrist.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the relationship between acupoints and meridians. METHODS: Researches were performed on 45 healthy people under the same conditions. The diffuse light intensity of the Pericardium meridian and its surrounding areas were measured before and after warming moxibustion on three acupoints [Shimen (RN5), Qihai (RN6), and Yinjiao (RN7)] of Ren meridian below umbilicus in the same way. Then two sets of data of each sample were used for statistics and analysis, as well as the three-dimensional distribution figures. Statistical definition of probability value was used to evaluate the effect made by moxibustion. RESULTS: After moxibustion, the diffuse light intensity presented significant changes in 25 samples (P<0.05), enhanced in 15 people (P<0.05) and decreased in 10 (P<0.05). It was consistent with the classification by questionnaire interviews of somatotypes. In addition, diffuse light changed more obviously on Pericardium than non-meridian areas. It was distinct in the three-dimensional distribution figures. CONCLUSIONS: Diffuse light changes happened in entire measure sites demonstrated that acupoints of Ren meridian moxibustion could affect the light propagation of wrist, especially on the Pericardium meridian. It gave an expression to meridians interconnection as said in the Chinese medicine theory. The two classifications made by light propagation changes were experimental corroboration of that personal physical differences affected the manipulation of Chinese acupuncture and moxibustion treatment. These above provided some implications or new directions to future meridian researches.

Asymmetric syntheses and bio-evaluation of novel chiral esters derived from substituted tetrafluorobenzyl alcohol.

A series of novel chiral esters derived from tetrafluorobenzyl alcohol were designed and prepared via asymmetric synthesis. The target molecules have been identified on the basis of analytical spectra data. All newly synthesized compounds have been screened their potential insecticidal activity against Plutella xylostella compared with those of fenvalerate and d-trans-phenothrin by standard method, and the respective pairs of enantiomers (3-B1-R/S, 3-C1-R/S, 3-D1-R/S) indicated significantly different activities.