The tuning of tuning: How adaptation influences single cell information transfer.

Sensory neurons reconstruct the world from action potentials (spikes) impinging on them. To effectively transfer information about the stimulus to the next processing level, a neuron needs to be able to adapt its working range to the properties of the stimulus. Here, we focus on the intrinsic neural properties that influence information transfer in cortical neurons and how tightly their properties need to be tuned to the stimulus statistics for them to be effective. We start by measuring the intrinsic information encoding properties of putative excitatory and inhibitory neurons in L2/3 of the mouse barrel cortex. Excitatory neurons show high thresholds and strong adaptation, making them fire sparsely and resulting in a strong compression of information, whereas inhibitory neurons that favour fast spiking transfer more information. Next, we turn to computational modelling and ask how two properties influence information transfer: 1) spike-frequency adaptation and 2) the shape of the IV-curve. We find that a subthreshold (but not threshold) adaptation, the 'h-current', and a properly tuned leak conductance can increase the information transfer of a neuron, whereas threshold adaptation can increase its working range. Finally, we verify the effect of the IV-curve slope in our experimental recordings and show that excitatory neurons form a more heterogeneous population than inhibitory neurons. These relationships between intrinsic neural features and neural coding that had not been quantified before will aid computational, theoretical and systems neuroscientists in understanding how neuronal populations can alter their coding properties, such as through the impact of neuromodulators. Why the variability of intrinsic properties of excitatory neurons is larger than that of inhibitory ones is an exciting question, for which future research is needed.

Experimental Study of the Implantation Process for Array Electrodes into Highly Transparent Agarose Gel.

Brain-computer interface (BCI) technology is currently a cutting-edge exploratory problem in the field of human-computer interaction. However, in experiments involving the implantation of electrodes into brain tissue, particularly high-speed or array implants, existing technologies find it challenging to observe the damage in real time. Considering the difficulties in obtaining biological brain tissue and the challenges associated with real-time observation of damage during the implantation process, we have prepared a transparent agarose gel that closely mimics the mechanical properties of biological brain tissue for use in electrode implantation experiments. Subsequently, we developed an experimental setup for synchronized observation of the electrode implantation process, utilizing the Digital Gradient Sensing (DGS) method. In the single electrode implantation experiments, with the increase in implantation speed, the implantation load increases progressively, and the tissue damage region around the electrode tip gradually diminishes. In the array electrode implantation experiments, compared to a single electrode, the degree of tissue indentation is more severe due to the coupling effect between adjacent electrodes. As the array spacing increases, the coupling effect gradually diminishes. The experimental results indicate that appropriately increasing the velocity and array spacing of the electrodes can enhance the likelihood of successful implantation. The research findings of this article provide valuable guidance for the damage assessment and selection of implantation parameters during the process of electrode implantation into real brain tissue.

Influences of Heat Stress on Glutamate Transmission-Dependent Expression Levels of IL-1ß and IL-18 in BV-2 Microglial Cells.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to explore the impact of heat stress (HS) on glutamate transmission-dependent expression levels of interleukin-1ß (IL-1ß) and IL-18 in BV-2 microglial cells. METHODS: BV-2 microglial cells were cultured in vitro , with cells maintained at 37 °C serving as the control. The HS group experienced incubation at 40 °C for 1 h, followed by further culturing at 37 °C for 6 or 12 h. The experimental group was pre-incubated with glutamate, the glutamate antagonist riluzole, or the mGluR5 agonist, 2-Chloro-5-hydroxyphenylglycine (CHPG), before HS. Glutamate content in BV-2 culture supernatant was assessed using colorimetric assay. Moreover, mRNA expression levels of EAAT3 and/or mGluR5 in BV-2 cells were determined via quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Interleukins (IL-1ß and IL-18) in cell culture supernatant were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Western blot analysis was employed to assess protein levels of IL-1ß and IL-18 in BV-2 cells. RESULTS: HS induced a significant release of glutamate and increased the expression levels of mGluR5 and EAAT3 in BV-2 cells. It also triggered the expression levels and release of pro-inflammatory factors, such as IL-1ß and IL-18, synergizing with the effects of glutamate treatment. Preincubation with both riluzole and CHPG significantly reduced HS-induced glutamate release and mitigated the increased expression levels and release of IL-1ß and IL-18 induced by HS. CONCLUSION: The findings confirmed that microglia could be involved in HS primarily through glutamate metabolisms, influencing the expression levels and release of IL-1ß and IL-18.

Cleaning Oil-Based Drilling Cuttings with Synthetic Gemini Surfactants.

The chemical cleaning method is the simplest approach for degreasing oil-based drilling cuttings (ODCs), with the effectiveness of the treatment relying mainly on the selection of the surfactant and the cleaning conditions. However, achieving the standard treatment of ODCs directly using conventional surfactants proves challenging. In light of this, this study introduces a synthesized and purified Gemini surfactant named DCY-1. The structure of DCY-1 was confirmed through Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) analyses. The characterization in this article encompasses the use of an interface tension meter, nanoparticle size analysis, scanning electron microscopy, and infrared oil measurement. The critical micelle concentration (CMC) of DCY-1 was determined to be 3.37 × 10-3 mol/L, with a corresponding γcmc value of 37.97 mN/m. In comparison to conventional surfactants, DCY-1 exhibited a larger micelle size of 4.52 nm, approximately 24.52% larger than that of SDS. Moreover, the residual oil rate of 3.96% achieved by DCY-1 was the lowest among the chemical cleaning experimental results. Through a single-factor experiment, the optimal cleaning ability of DCY-1 for ODCs was determined as follows: a surfactant concentration of 3 mmol/L, a temperature of 60 °C, an ODC/liquid mass ratio of 1:4, a cleaning duration of 40 min, and a stirring speed of 1000 rad/min. Under these optimal conditions and after merely two cleaning procedures, the residual oil content of ODCs was reduced to 1.64%, accompanied by a smooth and loose surface structure.

Correlation of ultrasound features with Bcl-2 protein expression in basal cell carcinomas (BCCs).

BACKGROUND: The expression of the Bcl-2 protein is frequently observed in basal cell carcinomas (BCCs), making it a significant biological marker and potential therapeutic target. Skin ultrasonography offers a noninvasive means of obtaining anatomical information about cutaneous tumors. OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to investigate the correlation between ultrasound features and Bcl-2 expression in BCCs, to provide a reference for developing pharmacological treatment plans. METHODS: According to the Bcl-2 protein expression, 74 BCCs confirmed by surgical pathology were divided into high Bcl-2 expression BCCs (HB-BCCs) and low Bcl-2 expression BCCs (LB-BCCs). Preoperative lesion ultrasound features were analyzed retrospectively based on Liang's criteria, which included the following features: shape, surface, keratinization, base, infiltration level, internal echogenicity, distribution of hyperechoic spots, posterior echogenic changes, internal Doppler signal, and lesion size (maximum diameter and infiltration depth). The differences of two groups were compared using a chi-square test or a paired t-test. RESULTS: Based on ultrasound features, cystic areas were more frequent in LB-BCCs (χ2 = 7.015, P = .008). Furthermore, LB-BCCs exhibited greater infiltration depth than HB-BCCs (4.86 ± 2.12 mm vs. 2.72 ± 1.40 mm, P = .000), had a higher propensity to infiltrate the subcutaneous tissue (χ2 = 12.422, P = .002), and displayed a more abundant internal Doppler signal within the lesions (χ2 = 24.696, P = .000). Conversely, maximum diameter of the lesions, shape, surface, keratinization, base, hyperechoic spots distribution, and posterior echogenic changes of the lesions did not differ significantly between the two groups. CONCLUSIONS: Ultrasound features are correlated with Bcl-2 protein expression level in BCCs. LB-BCCs show greater infiltration depth, subcutaneous infiltration, more cystic changes and more abundant internal Doppler signal than HB-BCCs, which may suggest a potential basis for drug selection in BCC chemotherapy.

Radiomics model based on contrast-enhanced computed tomography to predict early recurrence in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma after radical resection.

BACKGROUND: Radical resection remains an effective strategy for patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Unfortunately, the postoperative early recurrence (recurrence within 2 years) rate is still high. AIM: To develop a radiomics model based on preoperative contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CECT) to evaluate early recurrence in HCC patients with a single tumour. METHODS: We enrolled a total of 402 HCC patients from two centres who were diagnosed with a single tumour and underwent radical resection. First, the features from the portal venous and arterial phases of CECT were extracted based on the region of interest, and the early recurrence-related radiomics features were selected via the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator proportional hazards model (LASSO Cox) to determine radiomics scores for each patient. Then, the clinicopathologic data were combined to develop a model to predict early recurrence by Cox regression. Finally, we evaluated the prediction performance of this model by multiple methods. RESULTS: A total of 1915 radiomics features were extracted from CECT images, and 31 of them were used to determine the radiomics scores, which showed a significant difference between the early recurrence and nonearly recurrence groups. Univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses showed that radiomics scores and serum alpha-fetoprotein were independent indicators, and they were used to develop a combined model to predict early recurrence. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve values for the training and validation cohorts were 0.77 and 0.74, respectively, while the C-indices were 0.712 and 0.674, respectively. The calibration curves and decision curve analysis showed satisfactory accuracy and clinical utilities. Kaplan-Meier curves based on recurrence-free survival and overall survival showed significant differences. CONCLUSION: The preoperative radiomics model was shown to be effective for predicting early recurrence among HCC patients with a single tumour.

Single-shot resolution-enhancement quantitative phase imaging based on Kramers-Kronig relations.

A single-shot quantitative phase imaging (QPI) method with improved resolution based on Kramers-Kronig relations is proposed. Two pairs of in-line holograms containing the high-frequency information in the x and y directions are recorded by a polarization camera in a single exposure, which makes the recording setup compact. The deduced Kramers-Kronig relations based on multiplexing polarization can successfully separate recorded amplitude and phase information. The experimental results demonstrate that the resolution can be doubled by using the proposed method. This technique is expected to be used in the fields of biomedicine and surface inspection.

Study on Dynamic Mechanical Properties of Carbon Fiber-Reinforced Polymer Laminates at Ultra-Low Temperatures.

This study uses experimental methods, theoretical research, and numerical prediction to study the dynamic mechanical properties and damage evolution of CFRP laminates at ultra-low temperatures. Based on the Split Hopkinson Pressure Bar (SHPB) device, we set up an ultra-low temperature dynamic experimental platform with a synchronous observation function; the dynamic mechanical properties of laminates were tested, and the damage evolution process was observed. The experimental results are as follows: The compression strength and modulus increase linearly with the increase in strain rate and show a quadratic function trend of increasing and then decreasing with the decrease in temperature. The damage degree of the dynamic bending sample increases obviously with the impact velocity and decreases first and then increases with the decrease in temperature. Based on the low-temperature dynamic damage constitutive, failure criterion, and interlayer interface damage constitutive of the laminates, a numerical model was established to predict the dynamic mechanical properties and damage evolution process of CFRP laminates at ultra-low temperatures, and the finite element analysis (FEA) results are consistent with the experimental results. The results of this paper strongly support the application and safety evaluation of CFRP composites in extreme environments, such as deep space exploration.

Cardio-cerebrovascular Outcomes in MODY, Type 1 Diabetes, and Type 2 Diabetes: A Prospective Cohort Study.

CONTEXT: Cardio-cerebrovascular events are severe complications of diabetes. OBJECTIVE: We aim to compare the incident risk of cardio-cerebrovascular events in maturity onset diabetes of the young (MODY), type 1 diabetes, and type 2 diabetes. METHODS: Type 1 diabetes, type 2 diabetes, and MODY were diagnosed by whole exome sequencing. The primary endpoint was the occurrence of the first major adverse cardiovascular event (MACE), including acute myocardial infarction, heart failure, stroke, unstable angina pectoris, and cardio-cerebrovascular-related mortality. Cox proportional hazards models were applied and adjusted to calculate hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% CIs for the incident risk of MACE in type 1 diabetes, type 2 diabetes, MODY, and MODY subgroups compared with people without diabetes (control group). RESULTS: Type 1 diabetes, type 2 diabetes, and MODY accounted for 2.7%, 68.1%, and 11.4% of 26 198 participants with diabetes from UK Biobank. During a median follow-up of 13 years, 1028 MACEs occurred in the control group, contrasting with 70 events in patients with type 1 diabetes (HR 2.15, 95% CI 1.69-2.74, P < .05), 5020 events in patients with type 2 diabetes (HR 7.02, 95% CI 6.56-7.51, P < .05), and 717 events in MODY (HR 5.79, 95% CI 5.26-6.37, P < .05). The hazard of MACE in HNF1B-MODY was highest among MODY subgroups (HR 11.00, 95% CI 5.47-22.00, P = 1.5 × 10-11). CONCLUSION: MODY diagnosed by genetic analysis represents higher prevalence than the clinical diagnosis in UK Biobank. The risk of incident cardio-cerebrovascular events in MODY ranks between type 1 diabetes and type 2 diabetes.

Current status and future of anti-angiogenic drugs in lung cancer.

Lung cancer, as a malignant tumor with both high incidence and mortality in China, is one of the major causes of death in our population and one of the major public health problems in China. Effective treatment of lung cancer is a major public health task for all human beings. Angiogenesis plays an important role in the development of tumor, not only as a basic condition for tumor growth, but also as a significant factor to promote tumor metastasis. Therefore, anti-angiogenesis has become a vital means to inhibit tumor development, and anti-angiogenic drugs can rebalance pro- and anti-angiogenic factors to inhibit tumor cells. This article reviews the mechanism of blood vessel formation in tumor tissues and the mechanism of action of different anti-angiogenic drugs, the combination therapy of anti-angiogenic drugs and other anti-tumor drugs, and the mechanism of anti-angiogenic drug resistance.

Gold Nanoparticle-Incorporated Chitosan Nanogels as a Theranostic Nanoplatform for CT Imaging and Tumour Chemotherapy.

Purpose: The translation of nanocarrier-based theranostics into cancer treatment is limited by their poor cellular uptake, low drug-loading capacity, uncontrolled drug release, and insufficient imaging ability. Methods: In this study, novel hybrid nanogels were fabricated as theranostic nanocarriers by modifying chitosan (CTS)/tripolyphosphate (TPP) nanoparticles (NPs) with polyacrylic acid (PAA) and further conjugating cysteine-functionalized gold nanoparticles (AuNPs). Results: The resultant nanogels, referred to as CTS/TPP/PAA@AuNPs (CTPA), exhibited excellent colloidal stability and a high encapsulation rate of 87% for the cationic drug doxorubicin (DOX). In the tumour microenvironment, the acidic pH and overexpression of lysozyme triggered CTPA@DOX to degrade and emit smaller nanoblocks (30-40 nm), which sequentially released the drug in a tumour-responsive manner. Cellular uptake experiments demonstrated that CTPA facilitates the entry of DOX into the cytoplasm. Furthermore, as visualised through AuNP-mediated computed tomography (CT) imaging, CTPA@DOX enabled favourable accumulation in the tumour. Our in vitro and in vivo data demonstrated that CTPA enabled advanced tumour cell-targeting delivery of DOX, which showed greater anti-tumour activity and biosafety than free DOX. Conclusion: The natural polymer CTS was developed for degradable nanogels, which can precisely track drugs with high antitumour activity. Additionally, the surface adjustment strategy can be assembled to achieve cationic drug loading and high drug-loading capacity, controlled drug release, and sufficient imaging ability. Therefore, multifunctional CTPA enables efficient drug delivery and CT imaging, which is expected to provide a valuable strategy for designing advanced theranostic systems.

Effects of goal-oriented nursing intervention on postpartum depression.

This retrospective study aimed to explore the effects of goal-oriented nursing intervention (GONI) on postpartum depression (PPD). We retrospectively analyzed the medical records of 72 women with PPD. They were allocated to a treatment group (n = 36, exercise plus GONI) or a control group (n = 36, exercise). Patients in both groups received a total of 3 months of treatment. Outcomes included the 17-item Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HAMD-17) total score, HAMD-17 response rate (≥50% score reduction), HAMD-17 remission rate (score ≤ 7), and adverse events. Outcomes were analyzed before and after 3-month of treatment. After treatment, patients in the treatment group achieved more effective outcomes in the HADM-17 total score (P < .01), HADM-17 response rate (P < .01), HADM-17 remission rate (P < .01) than those in the control group. Regarding safety, the medical records of both the groups did not report any adverse events. The results of this study showed that GONI and exercise had more effects in patients with PPD. Further prospective studies are required to validate our findings.

Transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt with radioactive seed strand for main portal vein tumor thrombosis with cirrhotic portal hypertension.

BACKGROUND: Patients with hepatocellular carcinoma complicated with main portal vein tumor thrombosis (mPVTT) and cirrhotic portal hypertension (CPH) have an extremely poor prognosis, and there is a lack of a clinically effective treatment paradigm. AIM: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS) combined with radioactive seed strand for the treatment of mPVTT patients with CPH. METHODS: The clinical data of 83 consecutive patients who underwent TIPS combined with 125I seed strand placement for mPVTT and CPH from January 2015 to December 2018 were retrospectively reviewed. Procedure-related data (success rate, relief of portal vein pressure and CPH symptoms, and adverse events), PVTT response, and patient survival were assessed through a 2-year follow-up. RESULTS: The success rate was 100.0% without perioperative death or procedure-related severe adverse events. The mean portal vein pressure was significantly decreased after the procedure (22.25 ± 7.33 mmHg vs 35.12 ± 7.94 mmHg, t = 20.61, P < 0.001). The symptoms of CPH were all effectively relieved within 1 mo. The objective response rate of PVTT was 67.5%. During a mean follow-up of 14.5 ± 9.4 mo (range 1-37 mo), the cumulative survival rates at 6, 12 and 24 mo were 83.1%, 49.7%, and 21.8%, respectively. The median survival time was 12.0 ± 1.3 mo (95% confidence interval: 9.5-14.5). In multivariate Cox regression analysis, body mass index, Child-Pugh grade, cTNM stage, and PVTT response were independent prognostic factors (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: TIPS combined with radioactive seed strand might be effective and safe in treating mPVTT patients with CPH.

A super large Stokes shift ratiometric fluorescent probe for highly selective sensing of ClO- in bio-imaging and real water samples.

Based on the fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET), a ratiometric fluorescent probe (NQ) was successfully designed and synthesized, in which quinolinone moiety was selected as the energy donor and naphthalimide block as the energy acceptor. NQ has a super large Stokes shift (231 nm) and a big quantum yield (0.463). Compared with previously reported probes with similar recognition sites, NQ can high sensitively and selectively recognize ClO- with a much low limit of detection (LOD = 21 nM) and extremely rapid response time (20 s). NQ has a strong anti-interference effect and a color change in the solution which can be seen by the "naked eye". Moreover, NQ can be applied to detect ClO- in real water samples and living cells imaging.

N-doped pinecone-based carbon with a hierarchical porous pie-like structure: a long-cycle-life anode material for potassium-ion batteries.

Pinecone-based biomass carbon (PC) is a potential anode material for potassium-ion batteries because it is abundant, cheap, renewable, and easy to obtain. However, because of inferior kinetics and the effects of volume expansion due to the large radius of the K+ ion, it does not meet commercial performance requirements. In this study, nitrogen-doped PC (NPC) was prepared by carbonization in molten ZnCl2 with urea as a nitrogen source. A strategy based on synergistic effects between N doping and ZnCl2 molten salt was used to produce a hierarchically porous pie-like NPC with abundant defects and active sites and an enlarged interlayer distance-properties that enhance K+ adsorption, promote K+ intercalation/diffusion, and reduce the effects of volume expansion. This NPC exhibited a high reversible capacity (283 mA h g-1 at 50 mA g-1) and superior rate performance and cyclic stability (110 mA h g-1 after 1000 cycles at 5 A g-1), demonstrating its potential for use in potassium-ion batteries.

Boron-Doped Pine-Cone Carbon With 3D Interconnected Porosity for Use as an Anode for Potassium-Ion Batteries With Long Life Cycle.

Potassium-ion batteries (KIBs) have received widespread attention as an alternative to lithium-ion batteries because of their low cost and abundance of potassium. However, the poor kinetic performance and severe volume changes during charging/discharging due to the large radius of potassium leading to low capacity and rapid decay. Therefore, development of anode materials with sufficient space and active sites for potassium ion deintercalation and desorption is necessary to ensure structural stability and good electrochemical activity. This study prepared boron-doped pine-cone carbon (BZPC) with 3D interconnected hierarchical porous in ZnCl2 molten-salt by calcination under high temperature. The hierarchical porous structure promoted the penetration of the electrolyte, improved charge-carrier diffusion, alleviated volume changes during cycling, and increased the number of micropores available for adsorbing potassium ions. In addition, due to B doping, the BZPC material possessed abundant defects and active centers, and a wide interlayer distance, which enhanced the adsorption of K ions and promoted their intercalation and diffusion. When used as the anode of a KIB, BZPC provided a high reversible capacity (223.8 mAh g-1 at 50 mA g-1), excellent rate performance, and cycling stability (115.9 mAh g-1 after 2000 cycles at 1 A g-1).

Functionalization of Electrospun Nanofiber for Bone Tissue Engineering.

Bone-tissue engineering is an alternative treatment for bone defects with great potential in which scaffold is a critical factor to determine the effect of bone regeneration. Electrospun nanofibers are widely used as scaffolds in the biomedical field for their similarity with the structure of the extracellular matrix (ECM). Their unique characteristics are: larger surface areas, porosity and processability; these make them ideal candidates for bone-tissue engineering. This review briefly introduces bone-tissue engineering and summarizes the materials and methods for electrospining. More importantly, how to functionalize electrospun nanofibers to make them more conducive for bone regeneration is highlighted. Finally, the existing deficiencies of functionalized electrospun nanofibers for promoting osteogenesis are proposed. Such a summary can lay the foundation for the clinical practice of functionalized electrospun nanofibers.

Effect of process parameters on microstructures and properties of Al-42Si alloy fabricated by selective laser melting.

In this paper, high-silicon Al-42Si alloy was prepared by selective laser melting (SLM) with different process parameters. Microstructures evolution and defects formation were studied and process parameters were optimized. The results shown that the density of SLM-fabricated Al-42Si alloy increases as input energy density increases. The highest and lowest density of SLM-fabricated Al-42Si alloy are obtained, when input energy density is 42.9J/mm3 and 33.8J/mm3 respectively. The microstructures of Al-42Si alloy fabricated by selective laser melting is mainly composed of primary silicon phase and eutectic silicon phase, which is distinct from casting alloy because of diffient grains size and shapes of the primary silicon. With higher energy density, larger size of the primary silicon observed during process due to higher heat released by powder. The size of primary silicon phase particles is in the range of 2.9-9.4µm, and the size of molten pool during SLM process is in the range of 125 ± 10µm-140 ± 10µm in this study. Also the hardness of SLM-fabricated Al-42Si alloy increases as input energy density increases between 40.0J/mm3 and 42.9J/mm3. After heat treatment, the residual stress is eliminated, microstructure stability and homogeneous of SLM-fabricated Al-42Si alloy are improved. The silicon distribution is more uniform and sizes increases about 1∼2µm, and the hardness decreases after heat treatment. The optimal SLM parameters for Al-42Si alloy are laser power of 320W, scanning speed of 1355 mm/s, layer thickness of 50µm and scanning space of 110µm.

Cross-linked ß-CD-CMC as an effective aqueous binder for silicon-based anodes in rechargeable lithium-ion batteries.

As a non-active material component, the binder can effectively maintain the integrity of battery electrodes. In this work, based on the inspired structure of fishing nets, a three-dimensional mesh adhesive using widely sourced raw materials CMC and ß-CD was designed. These cross-linked cyclodextrins have the advantage of dispersing the stress at the anchor point and moderating the significant volume changes of the Si anode. The Si/ß-CD-CMC electrode maintains a reversible capacity of 1702 mA h g-1 even after 200 cycles at a high current of 0.5C. This work represents a significant step forward in Si anode binders and enables the cross-linked cyclodextrins to have potential applications in energy storage systems.