Machine learning-coupled tactile recognition with high spatiotemporal resolution based on cross-striped nanocarbon piezoresistive sensor array.

Flexible pressure sensor arrays have been playing important roles in various applications of human-machine interface, including robotic tactile sensing, electronic skin, prosthetics, and human-machine interaction. However, it remains challenging to simultaneously achieve high spatial and temporal resolution in developing pressure sensor arrays for tactile sensing with robust function to achieve precise signal recognition. This work presents the development of a flexible high spatiotemporal piezoresistive sensor array (PRSA) by coupling with machine learning algorithms to enhance tactile recognition. The sensor employs cross-striped nanocarbon-polymer composite as an active layer, though screen printing manufacture processes. A miniaturized signal readout circuit and transmission board is developed to achieve high-speed acquisition of distributed pressure signals from the PRSA. Test results indicate that the developed PRSA platform simultaneously possesses the characteristics of high spatial resolution up to 1.5 mm, fast temporal resolution of about 5 ms, and long-term durability with a variation of less than 2%. The PRSA platform also exhibits excellent performance in real-time visualization of multi-point touch, mapping embossed shapes, and tracking motion trajectory. To test the performance of PRSA in recognizing different shapes, we acquired pressure images by pressing the finger-type device coated with PRSA film on different embossed shapes and implementing the T-distributed Stochastic Neighbor Embedding model to visualize the distinction between images of different shapes. Then we adopted a one-layer neural network to quantify the discernibility between images of different shapes. The analysis results show that the PRSA could capture the embossed shapes clearly by one contact with high discernibility up to 98.9%. Collectively, the PRSA as a promising platform demonstrates its promising potential for robotic tactile sensing.

High-Mobility and Bias-Stable Field-Effect Transistors Based on Lead-Free Formamidinium Tin Iodide Perovskites.

Electronic devices based on tin halide perovskites often exhibit a poor operational stability. Here, we report an additive engineering strategy to realize high-performance and stable field-effect transistors (FETs) based on 3D formamidinium tin iodide (FASnI3) films. By comparatively studying the modification effects of two additives, i.e., phenethylammonium iodide and 4-fluorophenylethylammonium iodide via combined experimental and theoretical investigations, we unambiguously point out the general effects of phenethylammonium (PEA) and its fluorinated derivative (FPEA) in enhancing crystallization of FASnI3 films and the unique role of fluorination in reducing structural defects, suppressing oxidation of Sn2+ and blocking oxygen and water involved defect reactions. The optimized FPEA-modified FASnI3 FETs reach a record high field-effect mobility of 15.1 cm2/(V·s) while showing negligible hysteresis. The devices exhibit less than 10% and 3% current variation during over 2 h continuous bias stressing and 4200-cycle switching test, respectively, representing the best stability achieved so far for all Sn-based FETs.

Additive Manufacturing of Thermoelectric Microdevices for 4D Thermometry.

Thermometry, the process of measuring temperature, is one of the most fundamental tasks not only for understanding the thermodynamics of basic physical, chemical, and biological processes but also for thermal management of microelectronics. However, it is a challenge to acquire microscale temperature fields in both space and time. Here, a 3D printed micro-thermoelectric device that enables direct 4D (3D Space + Time) thermometry at the microscale is reported. The device is composed of freestanding thermocouple probe networks, fabricated by bi-metal 3D printing with an outstanding spatial resolution of a few µm. It shows that the developed 4D thermometry can explore dynamics of Joule heating or evaporative cooling on microscale subjects of interest such as a microelectrode or a water meniscus. The utilization of 3D printing further opens up the possibility to freely realize a wide range of on-chip, freestanding microsensors or microelectronic devices without the design restrictions by manufacturing processes.

OsWRKY28 positively regulates salinity tolerance by directly activating OsDREB1B expression in rice.

KEY MESSAGE: OsWRKY28 confers salinity tolerance by directly binding to OsDREB1B promoter and increasing its transcriptional activity, and negatively regulates abscisic acid mediated seedling establishment in rice. WRKY transcription factors have been reported to play a vital role in plants growth, development, abiotic and biotic stress responses. In this study, we explored the functions of a transcription factor OsWRKY28 in rice. The transcript level of OsWRKY28 was strikingly increased under drought, chilling, salt and abscisic acid treatments. The OsWRKY28 overexpression lines showed enhanced salinity stress tolerance, whereas the oswrky28 mutants displayed salt sensitivity compared to wild-type plants. Under salt stress treatment, the expression levels of OsbZIP05, OsHKT1;1 and OsDREB1B were significantly lower yet the level of OsHKT2;1 was significantly higher in oswrky28 mutants than those in wide type plants. Our data of yeast one-hybrid assay and dual-luciferase assay supported that OsWRKY28 could directly bind to the promoter of OsDREB1B to enhance salinity tolerance in rice. In addition, OsWRKY28 overexpression lines displayed hyposensitivity and the oswrky28 mutants showed hypersensitivity compared to wild-type plants under exogenous abscisic acid treatment. Based on the results of yeast two-hybrid assay and GAL4-dependent chimeric transactivation assay, OsWRKY28 physically interacts with OsMPK11 and its transcriptional activity could be regulated by OsMPK11. Together, OsWRKY28 confers salinity tolerance through directly targeting OsDREB1B promoter and further activating its transcription in rice.

Three-Dimensional Printing of Dipeptides with Spatioselective Programming of Crystallinity for Multilevel Anticounterfeiting.

The functionalities of peptide microstructures and nanostructures can be enhanced by controlling their crystallinity. Gaining control over the crystallinity within the desired structure, however, remains a challenge. We have developed a three-dimensional (3D) printing method that enables spatioselective programming of the crystallinity of diphenylalanine (FF) dipeptide microarchitectures. A femtoliter ink meniscus is used to spatially control reprecipitation self-assembly, enabling the printing of a freestanding FF microstructure with programmed shape and crystallinity. The self-assembly crystallization of FF can be switched on and off at will by controlling the evaporation of the binary solvent. The evaporation-dependent crystallization was theoretically studied by the numerical simulation of supersaturation fields in the meniscus. We found that a 3D-printed FF microarchitecture with spatially programmed crystallinity can carry a 3D digital optical anisotropy pattern, applicable to generating polarization-encoded anticounterfeiting labels. This crystallinity-controlled additive manufacturing will pave the new way for facilitating the creation of peptide-based devices.

A Case Report of Herpes Zoster-Associated Bickerstaff Brainstem Encephalitis.

Background: Bickerstaff brainstem encephalitis (BBE) is a rare demyelinating disease of the central nervous system (CNS) that is caused by a direct viral infection or secondary autoimmune responses. BBE secondary to Herpes zoster has rarely been reported. Case Presentation: A 68-year-old man developed a painful vesicular rash and drooping eyelid on the left side of his face for 20 days. Physical examination revealed left-sided blepharoptosis and crusted erythema on the left front side of his face, left upper eyelid, and left nasal tip. Neurological examination showed impaired sensation over the left side of his face and cheek. His left pupil was dilated (4mm compared to 2mm on the right side), and the Pupillary light reflection (PLR) was absent, with an ocular movement disorder (limited adduction) and diplopia. Brain imaging did not reveal abnormalities. Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) examination showed leukocytosis and increased protein levels. He was treated with intravenous acyclovir for 7 days, but developed disturbance of consciousness and right limb weakness. Neurological examination revealed right lower limb hypoesthesia. The Heel-Knee-Shin test was positive on the left side, and Babinski's sign was present on the right side. He was diagnosed with Bickerstaff brainstem encephalitis caused by herpes zoster. After 2 days of intravenous acyclovir combined with intravenous immune globulin (IVIG), the patient developed acute kidney injury (AKI). Then, his treatment was changed to systemic steroids. At the 3-month follow-up, his pupils were bilaterally equal and reactive to light, and there was a significant improvement in ocular motility and ptosis. At the 6-month follow-up, his diplopia had completely resolved. Conclusion: BBE associated with herpes zoster is very rare and can be overlooked. Dermatologists should be aware of the expanding spectrum of neurological complications caused by varicella zoster virus (VZV) infections to aid early diagnosis and treatment.

Additive Engineering in Antisolvent for Widening the Processing Window and Promoting Perovskite Seed Formation in Perovskite Solar Cells.

The chlorobenzene (CB) antisolvent is widely used to fabricate high-efficiency perovskite solar cells (PSCs). However, the narrow processing window and the strict volume ratio of a binary mixed solvent limit the fabrication of large-area and high-quality perovskite films. In this work, by systematic investigation of additives with the CB antisolvent, a universal guideline is achieved wherein a small amount of additive with a donor number between 9.0 and 27.0 kcal/mol can significantly widen the antisolvent treating time slot from 2 to 40 s while simultaneously enlarging the processor binary mixed solvent (dimethylformamide/dimethyl sulfoxide) from 7:3 to 0:10. Moreover, this process facilitates the formation of perovskite seeds as templates for perovskite crystal growth, effectively reducing the bulk defects in perovskite films. Finally, the obtained PSCs show remarkable power conversion efficiencies (PCEs) of 22.22 and 19.74% for rigid and flexible devices, respectively.

Association of CTLA-4 gene polymorphisms and alopecia areata: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE: To provide evidence of the association between CLTA-4 gene polymorphisms and alopecia areata (AA). METHODS: PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, Cochrane, Wanfang, and CNKI databases were searched until 30 April 2021. The selection was completed according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria. The study quality assessment was based on Newcastle-Ottawa Scale. The assessment of the association was measured by ORs and 95%CIs. RESULTS: Nine studies, containing 2858 AA cases and 5444 disease-free control subjects were included. For rs231775 polymorphism, no significant association with AA was found, which was A vs. a, OR = 1.02 [0.81, 1.30], p = 0.85; AA vs. aa, OR = 1.26 [0.81, 1.97], p = 0.31; Aa vs. aa, OR = 1.04 [0.54, 2.01], p = 0.91; AA + Aa vs. aa, OR = 1.04 [0.71, 1.53], p = 0.82; AA vs. Aa + aa, OR = 1.31 [0.97, 1.78], p = 0.08. For rs3087243 polymorphism, also no significant association was found, which was A vs. a, OR = 0.93 [0.78, 1.11]; p = 0.40, AA vs. aa, OR = 0.68 [0.44, 1.06]; p = 0.09; Aa vs. aa, OR = 0.87 [0.45, 1.68], p = 0.68; AA + Aa vs. aa, OR = 0.93 [0.68, 1.28], p = 0.66; AA vs. Aa + aa, OR = 0.78 [0.34, 1.81], p = 0.57. For rs231726 polymorphism, a significant correlation was found, which was A vs. a, OR = 0.76 [0.70, 0.82], p < 0.05. CONCLUSIONS: A significant correlation between CTLA-4 rs231726 polymorphism and AA susceptibility was found, but no significant association of CTLA-4 gene rs231775 and rs3087243 polymorphisms and AA susceptibility was found.

Meniscus-Guided 3D Microprinting of Pure Metal-Organic Frameworks with High Gas-Uptake Performance.

Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) are a promising nanoporous functional material system; however, the practicality of shaping freeform MOF monoliths, while retaining their porosity, remains a challenge. Here, we demonstrate that meniscus-guided three-dimensional (3D) printing can produce pure MOF monoliths with high gas-uptake performance. The method exploits a femtoliter precursor ink meniscus to highly confine and guide supersaturation-driven crystallization in a layer-by-layer manner to print a pure HKUST-1 micro-monolith with a high spatial resolution of <3 µm. The proposed 3D printing technique does not involve rheological additives, binders, or mechanical forces. Thus, the resulting HKUST-1 monolith displays a prominently high Brunauer-Emmett-Teller surface area of 1192 m2/g, which is superior to monoliths produced using other 3D printing approaches. This technique enables both structural design freedom and high material performance in the manufacturing of MOFs for practical use.

Clinical joints manifestations in patients with psoriatic arthritis on musculoskeletal ultrasound.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the clinical joints manifestations under musculoskeletal ultrasound (MSUS) and hematological findings in patients with psoriatic arthritis (PsA), which may provide a basis for improving the early diagnosis of PsA. METHODS: From September 2016 to February 2021, 328 patients with psoriasis visited the dermatological and rheumatic outpatient of the Beijing Friendship Hospital were enrolled in this retrospective study. Patients were enrolled according to a paired-design method. The PsA group included 164 patients diagnosed with PsA, and the control group included 164 patients diagnosed with psoriasis without PsA. Both groups of patients were evaluated by a rheumatoid immunologist, a dermatologist, and a sonographer. Demographic data, course of disease, severity of skin lesions, combined diseases, and previous treatment were all collected. All patients received MSUS and blood examinations. Lower extremity enthsis diseases were evaluated by Glasgow ultrasound enthesitis scoring system (GUESS). RESULTS: In the comparison of baseline clinical characteristics, the PsA group has longer course of psoriasis (P = 0.005), longer course of joints pain (P = 0.035), higher incidence of peripheral joints pain (P = 0.001), higher GUESS score (P < 0.001), and higher incidence of involved nails or toenails (P = 0.036) The most common joints involved were proximal interphalangeal joint (33.5%), knee (27.4%), and metacarpophalangeal joint (25.0%). Differences in clinical manifestations at different lower limb enthesitis on MSUS have also been proved. The positive incidences of rheumatoid factor (RF) (P = 0.002) and anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide (CCP) antibody (P < 0.001) in the PsA group were significantly higher than those in the control group. Binary Logistic regression showed that patients with anti-CCP antibody positive had a higher risk of active PsA compared to patients with negative antibodies in PsA group (OR: 0.626, 95%CI: 0.361-0.792, P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: In conclusion, the most common joints involved were proximal interphalangeal joint, knee, and metacarpophalangeal joint in patients with PsA, and the common types of diseased joints manifestations on MSUS were synovial thickening, fluid accumulation, bone destruction, increased blood flow signals, and attachment site inflammation. GUESS scoring systems can be used to identify PsA in patients with psoriasis. Psoriasis patients with RF and anti-CCP antibody positive were more likely to develop PsA, and anti-CCP antibody positive was a risk factor for active PsA. KEY POINTS: • GUESS scoring systems can be used to identify PsA in patients with psoriasis. • Psoriasis patients with RF and anti-CCP antibody positive were more likely to develop PsA, and anti-CCP antibody positive was a risk factor for active PsA.

On-Demand, Direct Printing of Nanodiamonds at the Quantum Level.

The quantum defects in nanodiamonds, such as nitrogen-vacancy (NV) centers, are emerging as a promising candidate for nanoscale sensing and imaging, and the controlled placement with respect to target locations is vital to their practical applications. Unfortunately, this prerequisite continues to suffer from coarse positioning accuracy, low throughput, and process complexity. Here, it is reported on direct, on-demand electrohydrodynamic printing of nanodiamonds containing NV centers with high precision control over quantity and position. After thorough characterizations of the printing conditions, it is shown that the number of printed nanodiamonds can be controlled at will, attaining the single-particle level precision. This printing approach, therefore, enables positioning NV center arrays with a controlled number directly on the universal substrate without any lithographic process. The approach is expected to pave the way toward new horizons not only for experimental quantum physics but also for the practical implementation of such quantum systems.

One-Step, Continuous Three-Dimensional Printing of Multi-Stimuli-Responsive Bilayer Microactuators via a Double-Barreled Theta Pipette.

Although there has been extensive development and exploration of small-scale robots, the technological challenges associated with their complicated and high-cost fabrication processes remain unresolved. Here, we report a one-step, bi-material, high-resolution three-dimensional (3D) printing method for the fabrication of multi-stimuli-responsive microactuators. This method exploits a two-phase femtoliter ink meniscus formed on a double-barreled theta micropipette to continuously print a freestanding bilayer microstructure, which undergoes an asymmetric volume change upon the adsorption or desorption of water. We show that the 3D-printed bilayer microstructures exhibit reversible, reproducible actuation in ambient humidity or under illumination with infrared light. Our 3D printing approach can assemble bilayer segments for programming microscale actuation, as demonstrated by proof-of-concept experiments. We expect that this method will serve as the basis for flexible, programmable, one-step routes for the assembly of small-scale intelligent actuators.

Three-Dimensional Perovskite Nanopixels for Ultrahigh-Resolution Color Displays and Multilevel Anticounterfeiting.

Hybrid perovskites are emerging as a promising, high-performance luminescent material; however, the technological challenges associated with generating high-resolution, free-form perovskite structures remain unresolved, limiting innovation in optoelectronic devices. Here, we report nanoscale three-dimensional (3D) printing of colored perovskite pixels with programmed dimensions, placements, and emission characteristics. Notably, a meniscus comprising femtoliters of ink is used to guide a highly confined, out-of-plane crystallization process, which generates 3D red, green, and blue (RGB) perovskite nanopixels with ultrahigh integration density. We show that the 3D form of these nanopixels enhances their emission brightness without sacrificing their lateral resolution, thereby enabling the fabrication of high-resolution displays with improved brightness. Furthermore, 3D pixels can store and encode additional information into their vertical heights, providing multilevel security against counterfeiting. The proof-of-concept experiments demonstrate the potential of 3D printing to become a platform for the manufacture of smart, high-performance photonic devices without design restrictions.

Dissecting the meteorological and genetic factors affecting rice grain quality in Northeast China.

BACKGROUND: The Northeast Plain of China, which is an important region for the production of high grain quality rice in China. However, the grain quality of the rice produced varies across this region, even for the same cultivar. OBJECTIVE: In order to explore the meteorological factors that have the greatest influence on quality and the transcriptional level differences between different cultivars and different locations at grain filling stage. METHODS: We grew eight rice cultivars in three locations in Northeast China during two growing seasons (2017 and 2018). We recorded meteorological conditions, including air temperature, air temperature range, and photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) during the grain-filling stage of each cultivar, and analyzed the grain quality of those eight cultivars. RESULTS: Across all eight cultivars, meteorological factors had a stronger effect on eating quality than genotype, while genotype had a stronger effect on milling quality. Of the three environmental factors assessed, PAR was significantly correlated with the most grain quality traits. Using RNA-sequencing analysis, we identified 573 environment-specific DEGs (Differentially Expressed Genes), and 119 genotype-specific DEGs; 11 DEGs were responsive to genotype × environment interactions. These DEGs were involved in many key metabolic processes. CONCLUSION: Our results indicated that interactions among environmental factors, especially PAR, affected rice quality in Northeast China. Further analyses of the DEGs identified herein may provide useful information for future breeding programs aiming to develop high grain quality rice varieties suitable for cultivation across Northeast China.

Three-Dimensional Printing of Self-Assembled Dipeptides.

Peptide-based materials are emerging as smart building blocks for nanobiodevices due to the programmability of their properties via the molecular constituents or arrangements. Many clever molecular self-assembly approaches have been devised to produce peptide crystalline structures. However, their freeform shaping remains a challenge due to the intrinsic self-assembly nature. Here, we report the fabrication of freeform, crystalline diphenylalanine (FF) peptide structures by combining meniscus-guided 3D printing with molecular self-assembly. Self-assembly in 3D-printed FF arises from mild thermal activation under precise temperature control of the build platform. After thorough characterizations, we demonstrate layer-by-layer, crystalline 3D printing with a high spatial resolution of 2 µm laterally and 200 nm vertically. The 3D-printed FF exhibits piezoelectricity originating from its crystalline character, showing the potential to become a key constituent for bioelectronic devices. We expect this technique to open up the possibility to create functional devices based on self-assembled organic materials without design restrictions.

On-Demand 3D Printing of Nanowire Probes for High-Aspect-Ratio Atomic Force Microscopy Imaging.

With the growing importance of three-dimensional (3D) nanomaterials and devices, there has been a great demand for high-fidelity, full profile topographic characterizations in a nondestructive manner. A promising route is to employ a high-aspect-ratio (HAR) probe in atomic force microscopy (AFM) imaging. However, the fabrication of HAR-AFM probes continues to suffer from extravagant cost, limited material choice, and complicated manufacturing steps. Here, we report one-step, on-demand electrohydrodynamic 3D printing of metallic HAR-AFM probes with tailored dimensions. Our additive fabrication approach yields a freestanding metallic nanowire with an aspect ratio over 30 directly on a cantilever within tens of seconds, producing a HAR-AFM probe. Furthermore, the benefits associated with unprecedented simplicity in the probe's dimension control, material selection, and regeneration are provided. The 3D-printed HAR-AFM probe exhibits a better fidelity in deep trench AFM imaging than a standard pyramidal probe. We expect this approach to find facile, material-saving manufacturing routes in particular for customizing functional nanoprobes.

A Novel AP2/ERF Transcription Factor, OsRPH1, Negatively Regulates Plant Height in Rice.

The APETALA 2/ethylene response factors (AP2/ERF) are widespread in the plant kingdom and play essential roles in regulating plant growth and development as well as defense responses. In this study, a novel rice AP2/ERF transcription factor gene, OsRPH1, was isolated and functionally characterized. OsRPH1 falls into group-IVa of the AP2/ERF family. OsRPH1 protein was found to be localized in the nucleus and possessed transcriptional activity. Overexpression of OsRPH1 resulted in a decrease in plant height and length of internode and leaf sheath as well as other abnormal characters in rice. The length of the second leaf sheath of OsRPH1-overexpressing (OE) plants recovered to that of Kitaake (non-transgenic recipient) in response to exogenous gibberellin A3 (GA3) application. The expression of GA biosynthesis genes (OsGA20ox1-OsGA20ox4, OsGA3ox1, and OsGA3ox2) was significantly downregulated, whereas that of GA inactivation genes (OsGA2ox7, OsGA2ox9, and OsGA2ox10) was significantly upregulated in OsRPH1-OE plants. Endogenous bioactive GA contents significantly decreased in OsRPH1-OE plants. OsRPH1 interacted with a blue light receptor, OsCRY1b, in a blue light-dependent manner. Taken together, our results demonstrate that OsRPH1 negatively regulates plant height and bioactive GA content by controlling the expression of GA metabolism genes in rice. OsRPH1 is involved in blue light inhibition of leaf sheath elongation by interacting with OsCRY1b.

Parallel, Multi-Material Electrohydrodynamic 3D Nanoprinting.

Direct mass-transfer via liquid nanodroplets is one of the most powerful approaches for additive micro/nanofabrication. Electrohydrodynamic (EHD) dispensing has made the delivery of nanosized droplets containing diverse materials a practical reality; however, in its serial form it has insufficient throughput for large-area processing. Here, a parallel, nanoscale EHD method is developed that offers both improved productivity and material diversity in 3D nanoprinting. The method exploits a double-barreled glass nanopipette filled with material inks to parallelize nanodripping ejections, enabling a dual 3D nanoprinting process. It is discovered that an unusual electric field distribution created by cross talk of neighboring pipette apertures can be used to steer the microscopic ejection paths of the ink at will, enabling on-demand control over shape, placement, and material mixing in 3D printed nanostructures. After thorough characterizations of the printing conditions, the parallel fabrication of nanomeshes and nanowalls of silver, CdSe/ZnS quantum dots, and their composites, with programmed designs is demonstrated. This method is expected to advance productivity in the heterogeneous integration of functional 3D nanodevices in a facile manner.

3D Nanoprinting of Perovskites.

As competing with the established silicon technology, organic-inorganic metal halide perovskites are continually gaining ground in optoelectronics due to their excellent material properties and low-cost production. The ability to have control over their shape, as well as composition and crystallinity, is indispensable for practical materialization. Many sophisticated nanofabrication methods have been devised to shape perovskites; however, they are still limited to in-plane, low-aspect-ratio, and simple forms. This is in stark contrast with the demands of modern optoelectronics with freeform circuitry and high integration density. Here, a nanoprecision 3D printing is developed for organic-inorganic metal halide perovskites. The method is based on guiding evaporation-induced perovskite crystallization in mid-air using a femtoliter ink meniscus formed on a nanopipette, resulting in freestanding 3D perovskite nanostructures with a preferred crystal orientation. Stretching the ink meniscus with a pulling process enables on-demand control of the nanostructure's diameter and hollowness, leading to an unprecedented tubular-solid transition. With varying the pulling direction, a layer-by-layer stacking of perovskite nanostructures is successfully demonstrated with programmed shapes and positions, a primary step for additive manufacturing. It is expected that the method has the potential to create freeform perovskite nanostructures for customized optoelectronics.