Three-dimensional modeling of electric-field enhancement in multilayer dielectric gratings arising from inadvertent flaws.

Pulse-compression gratings for high-power, short-pulse laser systems are exposed to high electric fields that are further enhanced locally due to their 2D nanostructured surface. This makes them vulnerable to laser-induced damage. The present work considers the effect on electric-field modulation caused by an array of commonly found inadvertent flaws in gratings including fabrication defects, contamination particles, and laser-induced-damage initiation. These defects affect the laser-damage performance characteristics of the grating. To understand the local field-enhancement distribution due these imperfections, 3D modeling of the electric-field distribution is performed with a sufficiently high resolution of 1/74 of the laser wavelength (λ) while considering a volume of ≈489 λ3. The results provide estimates for the ensuing electric-field intensification and projected reduction of the laser-damage thresholds, as well as the anticipated pattern of damage growth initiation.

Patient Safety Indicators During the Initial COVID-19 Pandemic Surge in the United States.

OBJECTIVE: The COVID-19 pandemic presented a challenge to inpatient safety. It is unknown whether there were spillover effects due to COVID-19 into non-COVID-19 care and safety. We sought to evaluate the changes in inpatient Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality patient safety indicators (PSIs) in the United States before and during the first surge of the pandemic among patients admitted without COVID-19. METHODS: We analyzed trends in PSIs from January 2019 to June 2020 in patients without COVID-19 using data from IBM MarketScan Commercial Database. We included members of employer-sponsored or Medicare supplemental health plans with inpatient, non-COVID-19 admissions. The primary outcomes were risk-adjusted composite and individual PSIs. RESULTS: We analyzed 1,869,430 patients admitted without COVID-19. Among patients without COVID-19, the composite PSI score was not significantly different when comparing the first surge (Q2 2020) to the prepandemic period (e.g., Q2 2020 score of 2.46 [95% confidence interval {CI}, 2.34-2.58] versus Q1 2020 score of 2.37 [95% CI, 2.27-2.46]; P = 0.22). Individual PSIs for these patients during Q2 2020 were also not significantly different, except in-hospital fall with hip fracture (e.g., Q2 2020 was 3.42 [95% CI, 3.34-3.49] versus Q4 2019 was 2.45 [95% CI, 2.40-2.50]; P = 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: The first surge of COVID-19 was not associated with worse inpatient safety for patients without COVID-19, highlighting the ability of the healthcare system to respond to the initial surge of the pandemic.

Acoustic Cell Patterning for Structured Cell-Laden Hydrogel Fibers/Tubules.

Cell-laden hydrogel fibers/tubules are one of the fundamentals of tissue engineering. They have been proven as a promising method for constructing biomimetic tissues, such as muscle fibers, nerve conduits, tendon and vessels, etc. However, current hydrogel fiber/tubule production methods have limitations in ordered cell arrangements, thus impeding the biomimetic configurations. Acoustic cell patterning is a cell manipulation method that has good biocompatibility, wide tunability, and is contact-free. However, there are few studies on acoustic cell patterning for fiber production, especially on the radial figure cell arrangements, which mimic many native tissue-like cell arrangements. Here, an acoustic cell patterning system that can be used to produce hydrogel fibers/tubules with tunable cell patterns is shown. Cells can be pre-patterned in the liquid hydrogel before being extruded as cross-linked hydrogel fibers/tubules. The radial patterns can be tuned with different complexities based on the acoustic resonances. Cell viability assays after 72 h confirm good cell viability and proliferation. Considering the biocompatibility and reliability, the present method can be further used for a variety of biomimetic fabrications.

Cation-π interactions enabled water-stable perovskite X-ray flat mini-panel imager.

Sensitive and stable perovskite X-ray detectors are attractive in low-dosage medical examinations. The high sensitivity, tunable chemical compositions, electronic dimensions, and low-cost raw materials make perovskites promising next-generation semiconductors. However, their ionic nature brings serious concerns about their chemical and water stability, limiting their applications in well-established technologies like crystal polishing, micro-processing, photolithography, etc. Herein we report a one-dimensional tryptamine lead iodide perovskite, which is stable in water for several months as the strong cation-π interactions between organic cations. The one-dimensional and two-dimensional tryptamine lead iodide perovskite tablets are switchable through thermal-annealing or water-soaking treatments to relax microstrains. The water-stable and microstrain-free one-dimensional perovskite tablets yield a large sensitivity of 2.5 × 106 µC Gyair-1 cm-2 with the lowest detectable dose rate of 5 nGyair s-1. Microelectrode arrays are realized by surface photolithography to construct high-performance X-ray flat mini-panels with good X-ray imaging capability, and a record spatial resolution of 17.2 lp mm-1 is demonstrated.

Small RNA profiling reveals that an ovule-specific microRNA, cja-miR5179, targets a B-class MADS-box gene in Camellia japonica.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: The functional specialization of microRNA and its target genes is often an important factor in the establishment of spatiotemporal patterns of gene expression that are essential to plant development and growth. In different plant lineages, understanding the functional conservation and divergence of microRNAs remains to be explored. METHODS: To identify small regulatory RNAs underlying floral patterning, we performed a tissue-specific profiling of small RNAs in various floral organs from single and double flower varieties (flowers characterized by multiple layers of petals) in Camellia japonica. We identified cja-miR5179, which belongs to a deeply conserved microRNA family that is conserved between angiosperms and basal plants but frequently lost in eudicots. We characterized the molecular function of cja-miR5179 and its target - a B-function MADS-box gene - through gene expression analysis and transient expression assays. KEY RESULTS: We showed that cja-miR5179 is exclusively expressed in ovule tissues at the early stage of floral development. We found that cja-miR5179 targets the coding sequences of a DEFICIENS-like B-class gene (CjDEF) mRNA, which is located in the K motif of the MADS-box domain; and the target sites of miR5179/MADS-box were consistent in Camellia and orchids. Furthermore, through a petal transient-expression assay, we showed that the BASIC PENTACYSTEINE proteins bind to the GA-rich motifs in the cja-miR5179 promoter region and suppresses its expression. CONCLUSIONS: We propose that the regulation between miR5179 and a B-class MADS-box gene in C. japonica has a deep evolutionary origin before the separation of monocots and dicots. During floral development of C. japonica, cja-miR5179 is specifically expressed in the ovule, which may be required for the inhibition of CjDEF function. This work highlights the evolutionary conservation as well as functional divergence of small RNAs in floral development.

Comparison of Diagnostic Values of ACR TI-RADS versus C-TIRADS Scoring and Classification Systems for the Elderly Thyroid Cancers.

Purpose: To compare the diagnostic value of the Thyroid Imaging Reporting and Data System (TI-RADS) of the American College of Radiology (ACR) versus the Chinese Thyroid Imaging Reporting and Data System (C-TIRADS) scoring and classification system for elderly thyroid cancers. Patients and Methods: A total of 512 nodules from 465 patients aged ≥60 with surgical pathology-proven thyroid nodules were enrolled in our study. The ultrasound features of thyroid nodules were independently evaluated by the ACR TI-RADS and C-TIRADS classification systems, and the receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) was plotted. The optimal cut-off values of the ACR TI-RADS and C-TIRADS scoring and classification systems for diagnosing elderly thyroid nodules were estimated, and the diagnostic efficacy was analyzed. Results: The ACR TI-RADS and C-TIRADS scores and classifications of thyroid cancers were both higher than benign nodules (both P < 0.05). The area under the curve (AUC) of ACR TI-RADS and C-TIRADS scoring and classification systems were 0.861, 0.897, 0.879, and 0.900, respectively, and the AUC of the scoring system was greater than the classification system for both criteria. When the Youden index was the highest, the sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), and negative predictive value (NPV) of the ACR TI-RADS scoring and classification systems were consistent, ie, they were 89.66%, 41.70%, 89.93%, and 59.00%, respectively; the sensitivity, specificity, PPV, and NPV of the C-TIRADS scoring and classification systems were also consistent, ie, they were 88.71%, 44.26%, 90.23%, 59.69%, respectively. The diagnostic efficacy between the two systems was not statistically significant. Conclusion: ACR TI-RADS and C-TIRADS systems had relatively high diagnostic efficacy for elderly thyroid cancer. The diagnostic efficiency of the scoring systems of ACR TI-RADS and C-TIRADS were higher than the classification systems. In addition, the two systems had high clinical practical values, while there is still a significant risk of missed diagnosis.

Disfunction of communication among immune cells in minimal-deviation adenocarcinoma of the cervix as an immunotherapeutic opportunity.

Minimal deviation adenocarcinoma (MDA) of the uterine cervix, also referred to as malignant adenoma, is a rare subtype of cervical adenocarcinoma that exhibits histological characteristics resembling those of benign tumors, resulting in a low diagnostic rate and a lack of effective treatment options. The transcriptomic features of MDA at the single-cell resolution and within the tumor microenvironment (TME) remain unclear. In this study, we conducted single-cell transcriptomic analyses of MDA samples (Ca) and adjacent normal tissues (PCa). The present study reveals the prevalence of dendritic cells (DCs) and T cells in the carcinoma (Ca) of mammary ductal adenocarcinoma (MDA), with DCs undergoing significant metabolic reprogramming and immune stress. Additionally, our findings demonstrate the crucial involvement of DCs and T cells in the pathogenesis and metastatic progression of MDA, as evidenced by single-cell transcriptomic profiling of MDA and HPV samples. This resource provides a more profound understanding of the indolent nature of MDA and may prove useful in the development of MDA immunotherapy.

Genome-wide characterization and gene expression analyses of ALDH gene family in response to drought stress in moso bamboo (Phyllostachys edulis).

Aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH) superfamily, comprising enzymes dependent on NAD+ or NADP+, plays an important role in controlling plant growth and development, as well as in responsing to phytohormone and environmental stress. These enzymes possess the ability to prevent toxic effects of aldehydes by converting them into their corresponding carboxylic acids. However, the potential function of ALDH genes in moso bamboo (Phyllostachys edulis) remains largely unknown. In this study, the ALDH gene superfamily in moso bamboo was analyzed through genome-wide screening, the evolutionary relationship of expansion genes was conducted. Tissue-specific expression patterns of ALDH genes were observed in 26 different tissues. Plant hormone and environmental stress responsive cis-elements were identified in the promoter of ALDH genes, which were supported by public databases data on the expression patterns under various abiotic stresses and hormone treatments. ALDH activity was increased in moso bamboo seedlings exposed to drought, compared to control condition. Furthermore, PeALDH2B2 was found to physically interact with PeGPB1 in response to drought. Overall, the study provides a comprehensive analysis of the ALDH family in moso bamboo and contributes to our understanding of the function of ALDH genes in growth, development, and adaptation to drought stresses.

Spatiotemporal distributions of poorly-bound heavy metals in surface sediments of a typical subtropical eutrophic estuary and adjacent bay.

The toxicity of heavy metals is dependent on their bioavailability. This study explored the relationship existing among sedimentary nutrients such as bulk nitrogen (TN) and phosphorus (TP), organic carbon (OC), water column chlorophyll-a (Chl-a) and the poorly-bound fraction of sedimentary heavy metals (Cd, Ni, Zn, Cu, Pb and Cr) in the Dafengjiang River Estuary and adjacent Sanniang bay in 2017 and 2018. Results showed that the texture of the surface sediments was dominated by coarse sand, while sedimentary organic matter was dominated by marine phytoplankton and mariculture biodeposits. Surprisingly, concentrations of poorly-bound heavy metals in sediments were relatively high. The average contents of Cd and Ni did not vary both spatially and temporally, Cu and Pb only varied spatially, Cr varied both spatially and temporally, while Zn only varied temporally. Significant positive correlations occurred between sedimentary TN, TP, and OC, including water column Chl-a and poorly-bound heavy metals in sediments. As sediments are important sources of nutrients for primary productivity, the results of this study suggest that the remobilization of sequestered poorly-bound heavy metals in surface sediments deposited in shallow eutrophic estuaries and coastal waters enriched by labile organic matter can enhance by nutrients. The relationship between the poorly-bound heavy metals and nutrients in surface sediments and water column Chl-a is concerning and requires further in-depth investigation. This is because estuaries are economically important ecosystems rich in bioresources, characterized by dynamic biogeochemical conditions.

Nanosecond Laser "Pulling" Patterning of Micro-Nano Structures on Zr-Based Metallic Glass.

Flexible and controllable fabrication of micro-nano structures on metallic glasses (MGs) endow them with more functional applications, but it is still challenging due to the unique mechanical, physical, and chemical properties of MGs. In this study, inspired by a new physical phenomenon observed in the nanosecond laser-MG interaction (i.e., the surface structure is transformed from the normally observed microgroove into the micro-nano bulge at a critical peak laser power intensity), a nanosecond laser "pulling" method is proposed to pattern the MG surface. The formation mechanism and evolution of the micro-nano bulge are investigated in detail, and accordingly, various micro-nano structures including the unidirectional stripe, pillar, cross-hatch patterns, "JLU", circle, triangle, and square, are derived and created on the MG surface, which affects the surface optical diffraction. Overall, this study provides a highly flexible and controllable method to fabricate micro-nano structures on MGs.

Association of Placental Growth Factor and Angiopoietin in Human Retinal Endothelial Cell-Pericyte co-Cultures and iPSC-Derived Vascular Organoids.

PURPOSE: Placental growth factor (PlGF) and Angiopoietin (Ang)-1 are two proteins that are involved in the regulation of endothelial cell (EC) growth and vasculature formation. In the retina and endothelial cells, pericytes are the major source of both molecules. The purpose of this study is to examine the association of PlGF and Ang-1 with human EC/pericyte co-cultures and iPSC-derived vascular organoids. METHODS: In this study, we used co-cultures of human primary retinal endothelial cells (HREC) and primary human retinal pericytes (HRP), western blotting, immunofluorescent analysis, TUNEL staining, LDH-assays, and RNA seq analysis, as well as human-induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC), derived organoids (VO) to study the association between PlGF and Ang-1. RESULTS: Inhibition of PlGF by PlGF neutralizing antibody in HREC-HRP co-cultures resulted in the increased expression of Ang-1 and Tie-2 in a dose-dependent manner. This upregulation was not observed in HREC and HRP monocultures but only in co-cultures suggesting the association of pericytes and endothelial cells. Furthermore, Vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 1 (VEGFR1) inhibition abolished the Ang-1 and Tie-2 upregulation by PlGF inhibition. The pericyte viability in high-glucose conditions was also reduced by VEGFR1 neutralization. Immunofluorescent analysis showed that Ang-1 and Ang-2 were expressed mainly by perivascular cells in the VO. RNA seq analysis of the RNA isolated from VO in high glucose conditions indicated increased PlGF and Ang-2 expressions in the VO. PlGF inhibition increased the expression of Ang-1 and Tie-2 in VO, increasing the pericyte coverage of the VO microvascular network. CONCLUSION: Combined, these results suggest PlGF's role in the regulation of Ang-1 and Tie-2 expression through VEGFR1. These findings provide new insights into the neovascularization process in diabetic retinopathy and new targets for potential therapeutic intervention.

Characterization of C-X-C chemokine receptor type 5 in the cornea and role in the inflammatory response after corneal injury.

C-X-C chemokine receptor type 5 (CXCR5) regulates inflammatory responses in ocular and non-ocular tissues. However, its expression and role in the cornea are still unknown. Here, we report the expression of CXCR5 in human cornea in vitro and mouse corneas in vivo, and its functional role in corneal inflammation using C57BL/6J wild-type (CXCR5+/+) and CXCR5-deficient (CXCR5-/-) mice, topical alkali injury, clinical eye imaging, histology, immunofluorescence, PCR, qRT-PCR, and western blotting. Human corneal epithelial cells, stromal fibroblasts, and endothelial cells demonstrated CXCR5 mRNA and protein expression in PCR, and Western blot analyses, respectively. To study the functional role of CXCR5 in vivo, mice were divided into four groups: Group-1 (CXCR5+/+ alkali injured cornea; n = 30), Group-2 (CXCR5-/- alkali injured cornea; n = 30), Group-3 (CXCR5+/+ naïve cornea; n = 30), and Group-4 (CXCR5-/- naïve cornea; n = 30). Only one eye was wounded with alkali. Clinical corneal evaluation and imaging were performed before and after injury. Mice were euthanized 4 h, 3 days, or 7 days after injury, eyes were excised and used for histology, immunofluorescence, and qRT-PCR. In clinical eye examinations, CXCR5-/- mouse corneas showed ocular health akin to the naïve corneas. Alkali injured CXCR5+/+ mouse corneas showed significantly increased mRNA (p < 0.001) and protein (p < 0.01 or p < 0.0001) levels of the CXCR5 compared to the naïve corneas. Likewise, alkali injured CXCR5-/- mouse corneas showed remarkably amplified inflammation in clinical eye exams in live animals. The histological and molecular analyses of these corneas post euthanasia exhibited markedly augmented inflammatory cells in H&E staining and significant CD11b + cells in immunofluorescence (p < 0.01 or < 0.05); and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNFα; p < 0.05), cyclooxygenase 2 (COX-2; p < 0.0001), interleukin (IL)-1ß (p < 0.0001), and IL-6 (p < 0.0001 or < 0.01) mRNA expression compared to the CXCR5+/+ mouse corneas. Interestingly, CXCR5-/- alkali injured corneas also showed altered mRNA expression of fibrotic alpha smooth muscle actin (α-SMA; p > 0.05) and angiogenic vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF; p < 0.01) compared to the CXCR5+/+ alkali injured corneas. In summary, the CXCR5 gene is expressed in all three major layers of the cornea and appears to influence corneal inflammatory and repair events post-injury in vivo. More studies are warranted to tease the mechanistic role of CXCR5 in corneal inflammation and wound healing.

The Role of Interferon Regulatory Factor 1 in Regulating Microglial Activation and Retinal Inflammation.

Microglia are resident immune cells in the central nervous system (CNS). Microglial activation plays a prominent role in neuroinflammation and CNS diseases. However, the underlying mechanisms of microglial activation are not well understood. Here, we report that the transcription factor interferon regulatory factor 1 (IRF1) plays critical roles in microglial activation and retinal inflammation by regulating pro- and anti-inflammatory gene expression. IRF1 expression was upregulated in activated retinal microglia compared to those at the steady state. IRF1 knockout (KO) in BV2 microglia cells (BV2ΔIRF1) created by CRISPR/Cas9 genome-editing technique causes decreased microglia proliferation, migration, and phagocytosis. IRF1-KO decreased pro-inflammatory M1 marker gene expression induced by lipopolysaccharides (LPS), such as IL-6, COX-2, and CCL5, but increased anti-inflammatory M2 marker gene expression by IL-4/13, such as Arg-1, CD206, and TGF-ß. Compared to the wild-type cells, microglial-conditioned media (MCM) of activated BV2ΔIRF1 cell cultures reduced toxicity or death to several retinal cells, including mouse cone photoreceptor-like 661 W cells, rat retinal neuron precursor R28 cells, and human ARPE-19 cells. IRF1 knockdown by siRNA alleviated microglial activation and retinal inflammation induced by LPS in mice. Together, the findings suggest that IRF1 plays a vital role in regulating microglial activation and retinal inflammation and, therefore, may be targeted for treating inflammatory and degenerative retinal diseases.

A novel two-degrees of freedom (2-DOF) piezo-driven positioning platform with the working stroke being over 20 cm.

Multi-degrees of freedom piezo-driven precision positioning platforms with large working strokes are demanded in many research fields. Although many multi-degrees of freedom piezo-driven positioning platforms have been proposed, few of them can achieve both large working stroke and high speed, which hinders their applications. In this study, a two-degrees of freedom piezo-driven positioning platform was proposed by stacking two identical stick-slip piezoelectric actuators. To simplify the practical implementation of a large working stroke, the actuator employed a special structure, in which the compliant mechanism and the slider were connected together as a mover and the guide rail was fixed as a stator. The working stroke of the actuator can be increased easily by increasing only the length of the guide rail without changing the output performances. By designing a lever-type compliant mechanism (LCM) on the side surface of the slider, a large loading space was obtained. Theoretical calculation and finite element analysis of the LCM were performed in detail. As the structures of these two stick-slip piezoelectric actuators are the same, only the output performances of the upper actuator (x direction) were tested as an example. Experimental results indicated that the upper actuator had a stable bi-direction motion with a working stroke being over 20 cm. The maximum speeds along the positive x and negative x directions reached 17.864 and 18.73 mm/s, and the resolutions were 100 and 230 nm, respectively. Furthermore, the vertical loading capacity was larger than 60 N.

Identification of a Risk Predictive Signature Based on Genes Associated with Tumor Size and Lymph Node Involvement in Breast Cancer.

Background: Breast cancer is a heterogeneous disease. Small tumors with extensive lymph node involvement (STEL) in breast cancer often reflect a biologically aggressive phenotype and poor prognosis. The aim of this study was to identify key genes associated with STEL and investigate their prognostic values in breast cancer. Methods: RNA sequence data from breast cancer specimens were acquired from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database for differential analysis. Weighted gene correlation network analyses (WGCNA) were performed to identify coexpressed gene modules associated with tumor size and lymph node metastases. Gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) was employed to investigate the biological functions of the identified genes. A combination of LASSO and Cox regression analyses was conducted to establish a risk predictive signature, and time-dependent receiver operating characteristic (tdROC) and Kaplan-Meier analyses were used to evaluate its prediction precision. Quantitative RT-PCR was employed to validate the expression levels of the key genes from the signature set. Results: A total of 2777 genes from three coexpressed gene modules were identified by WGCNA, and 880 differentially expressed genes were identified by transcriptome analyses. The 63 overlapping genes identified by both methods were considered STEL-associated genes, and a 9-gene risk-predictive signature was established based on them, with AUCs at 3, 5, and 7 years reaching 0.810, 0.811, and 0.753, respectively. Conclusion: This study demonstrated the transcriptomic profile of STEL breast cancer and successfully established a risk predictive signature with satisfactory accuracy. These findings may provide insights in to the genetic etiology of breast cancer.

Intrinsic adaptations in OXPHOS power output and reduced tumorigenicity characterize doxorubicin resistant ovarian cancer cells.

Although the development of chemoresistance is multifactorial, active chemotherapeutic efflux driven by upregulations in ATP binding cassette (ABC) transporters are commonplace. Chemotherapeutic efflux pumps, like ABCB1, couple drug efflux to ATP hydrolysis and thus potentially elevate cellular demand for ATP resynthesis. Elevations in both mitochondrial content and cellular respiration are common phenotypes accompanying many models of cancer cell chemoresistance, including those dependent on ABCB1. The present study set out to characterize potential mitochondrial remodeling commensurate with ABCB1-dependent chemoresistance, as well as investigate the impact of ABCB1 activity on mitochondrial respiratory kinetics. To do this, comprehensive bioenergetic phenotyping was performed across ABCB1-dependent chemoresistant cell models and compared to chemosensitive controls. In doxorubicin (DOX) resistant ovarian cancer cells, the combination of both increased mitochondrial content and enhanced respiratory complex I (CI) boosted intrinsic oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) power output. With respect to ABCB1, acute ABCB1 inhibition partially normalized intact basal mitochondrial respiration between chemosensitive and chemoresistant cells, suggesting that active ABCB1 contributes to mitochondrial remodeling in favor of enhanced OXPHOS. Interestingly, while enhanced OXPHOS power output supported ABCB1 drug efflux when DOX was present, in the absence of chemotherapeutic stress, enhanced OXPHOS power output was associated with reduced tumorigenicity.

Application of Transperineal Pelvic Floor Ultrasound in Changes of Pelvic Floor Structure and Function Between Pregnant and Non-Pregnant Women.

Objective: To evaluate the changes of pelvic floor tissue structure and function between pregnant and non-pregnant women from the view of transperineal pelvic floor ultrasound. Methods: Thirty-eight cases of women with a second singleton pregnancy and thirty-two cases of women with a first singleton pregnancy underwent transperineal pelvic floor ultrasound, and their results were compared with forty-two cases of healthy non-pregnant women. Results: The differences of bladder neck descent (BND), rectal ampulla distance and levator hiatus area (LHA) among the three groups were statistically significant (P<0.05), and the differences of BND, rectal ampulla distance, LHA between the women with a second singleton pregnancy group and non-pragnent group were statistically significant (P<0.05). The BND, retrovesical angle at rest (RVA-R) and retrovesical angle underwent Valsalva maneuver (RVA-V) in the group of stress urinary incontinence (SUI) during pregnancy were larger than those in non-SUI group, with significant difference (P<0.05), especially BND and RVA-V (P = 0.00). Conclusion: Transperineal pelvic floor ultrasound has a high resolution of pelvic floor structure and function changes during pregnancy, and can dynamically evaluate pelvic floor function, providing a theoretical basis for early diagnosis and prevention of female pelvic floor dysfunction (FPFD) in subsequent pregnancies.

Characterizations of a Class-I BASIC PENTACYSTEINE Gene Reveal Conserved Roles in the Transcriptional Repression of Genes Involved in Seed Development.

The developmental regulation of flower organs involves the spatio-temporal regulation of floral homeotic genes. BASIC PENTACYSTEINE genes are plant-specific transcription factors that is involved in many aspects of plant development through gene transcriptional regulation. Although studies have shown that the BPC genes are involved in the developmental regulation of flower organs, little is known about their role in the formation of double-flower due. Here we characterized a Class I BPC gene (CjBPC1) from an ornamental flower-Camellia japonica. We showed that CjBPC1 is highly expressed in the central whorls of flowers in both single and doubled varieties. Overexpression of CjBPC1 in Arabidopsis thaliana caused severe defects in siliques and seeds. We found that genes involved in ovule and seed development, including SEEDSTICK, LEAFY COTYLEDON2, ABSCISIC ACID INSENSITIVE 3 and FUSCA3, were significantly down-regulated in transgenic lines. We showed that the histone 3 lysine 27 methylation levels of these downstream genes were enhanced in the transgenic plants, indicating conserved roles of CjBPC1 in recruiting the Polycomb Repression Complex for gene suppression.

Achieving Superhydrophobicity of Zr-Based Metallic Glass Surfaces with Tunable Adhesion by Nanosecond Laser Ablation and Annealing.

Tuning the surface wettability and adhesion of metallic glasses (MGs) is a promising approach to enrich their engineering applications. In this study, using nanosecond laser ablation in air, hierarchical micro/nanostructures were directly fabricated on a Zr-based MG surface. Following subsequent annealing, the surface exhibited superhydrophobicity (maximum contact angle: 166°, minimum sliding angle: 2°). Furthermore, the superhydrophobic surface could be tuned from low to high surface adhesion force by controlling the laser-ablated spot interval. By analyzing the laser-ablated structures and surface chemical compositions, the superhydrophobicity was related to the formation of hierarchical micro/nanostructures and the absorption of organic compounds with low surface free energy in air, and the change in surface adhesion force was attributed to the difference in surface roughness. The experimental results showed that the superhydrophobic surface with low adhesion force could be used in self-cleaning applications, while the superhydrophobic surfaces with different adhesion forces could be used in no-loss liquid transportation. This study provides an efficient and low-cost way to fabricate superhydrophobic MG surfaces with tunable adhesion, which will broaden the functional applications of MGs.

Achieving high speed of the stick-slip piezoelectric actuator at low frequency by using a two-stage amplification mechanism (TSAM).

The stick-slip piezoelectric actuator is a promising type for precision positioning with large stroke and high resolution; however, it is still challenging to achieve high motion speed at a relatively low driving frequency. To solve this problem, a novel two-stage amplification mechanism (TSAM) was designed, and correspondingly, a stick-slip piezoelectric actuator was developed. The structure, two-stage amplification principle, and motion processes of the designed actuator were addressed in detail, followed by analyzing the displacement amplification ratio and stress of TSAM via the elastic beam method and finite element method, respectively. Then, the actuator prototype was fabricated, and its output performances were tested under various experimental parameters. By comparative analysis with the actuator that only used the first-stage amplification hinge, the significant improvement in stepping displacement was verified when employing the TSAM. The resultant maximum motion speed was 20.05 mm/s, achieved under the locking force of 2 N, the input voltage of 100 V, and the driving frequency of 700 Hz. In addition, the developed actuator still maintained competitive motion resolution and loading capacity. The comparative analysis with some previous studies further indicated that the developed actuator with the TSAM had successfully achieved a relatively high motion speed at a relatively low driving frequency, which would be beneficial to the practical application.