Channel reflection: Knowledge-driven data augmentation for EEG-based brain-computer interfaces.

A brain-computer interface (BCI) enables direct communication between the human brain and external devices. Electroencephalography (EEG) based BCIs are currently the most popular for able-bodied users. To increase user-friendliness, usually a small amount of user-specific EEG data are used for calibration, which may not be enough to develop a pure data-driven decoding model. To cope with this typical calibration data shortage challenge in EEG-based BCIs, this paper proposes a parameter-free channel reflection (CR) data augmentation approach that incorporates prior knowledge on the channel distributions of different BCI paradigms in data augmentation. Experiments on eight public EEG datasets across four different BCI paradigms (motor imagery, steady-state visual evoked potential, P300, and seizure classifications) using different decoding algorithms demonstrated that: (1) CR is effective, i.e., it can noticeably improve the classification accuracy; (2) CR is robust, i.e., it consistently outperforms existing data augmentation approaches in the literature; and, (3) CR is flexible, i.e., it can be combined with other data augmentation approaches to further improve the performance. We suggest that data augmentation approaches like CR should be an essential step in EEG-based BCIs. Our code is available online.

Stabilizing Zn/electrolyte Interphasial Chemistry by a Sustained-release Drug Inspired Indium-chelated Resin Protective Layer for High-areal-capacity Zn//V2O5 Batteries.

For zinc-metal batteries, the instable chemistry at Zn/electrolyte interphasial region results in severe hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) and dendrite growth, significantly impairing Zn anode reversibility. Moreover, an often-overlooked aspect is this instability can be further exacerbated by the interaction with dissolved cathode species in full batteries. Here, inspired by sustained-release drug technology, an indium-chelated resin protective layer (Chelex-In), incorporating a sustained-release mechanism for indium, is developed on Zn surface, stabilizing the anode/electrolyte interphase to ensure reversible Zn plating/stripping performance throughout the entire lifespan of Zn//V2O5 batteries. The sustained-release indium onto Zn electrode promotes a persistent anticatalytic effect against HER and fosters uniform heterogeneous Zn nucleation. Meanwhile, on the electrolyte side, the residual resin matrix with immobilized iminodiacetates anions can also repel H2O and detrimental anions (SO42- and polyoxovanadate ions dissolved from V2O5 cathode) outside the electric double layer. This dual synergetic regulation on both electrode and electrolyte sides culminates a more stable interphasial environment, effectively enhancing Zn anode reversibility in practical high-areal-capacity full battery systems. Consequently, the bio-inspired Chelex-In protective layer enables an ultralong lifespan of Zn anode over 2800 h, which is also successfully demonstrated in ultrahigh areal capacity Zn//V2O5 full batteries (4.89 mAh cm-2).

Best Practices for Experiments and Reports in Photocatalytic Methane Conversion.

Efficiently converting methane into valuable chemicals via photocatalysis under mild condition represents a sustainable route to energy storage and value-added manufacture. Despite continued interest in this area, the achievements have been overshadowed by the absence of standardized protocols for conducting photocatalytic methane oxidation experiments as well as evaluating the corresponding performance. In this review, we present a structured solution aimed at addressing these challenges. Firstly, we introduce the norms underlying reactor design and outline various configurations in the gas-solid and gas-solid-liquid reaction systems. This discussion helps choosing the suitable reactors for methane conversion experiments. Subsequently, we offer a comprehensive step-by-step protocol applicable to diverse methane-conversion reactions. Emphasizing meticulous verification and accurate quantification of the products, this protocol highlights the significance of mitigating contamination sources and selecting appropriate detection methods. Lastly, we propose the standardized performance metrics crucial for evaluating photocatalytic methane conversion. By defining these metrics, the community could obtain the consensus of assessing the performance across different studies. Moving forward, the future of photocatalytic methane conversion necessitates further refinement of stringent experimental standards and evaluation criteria. Moreover, development of scalable reactor is essential to facilitate the transition from laboratory proof-of-concept to potentially industrial production.

Multiplexed manipulation of orbital angular momentum and wavelength in metasurfaces based on arbitrary complex-amplitude control.

Due to its unbounded and orthogonal modes, the orbital angular momentum (OAM) is regarded as a key optical degree of freedom (DoF) for future information processing with ultra-high capacity and speed. Although the manipulation of OAM based on metasurfaces has brought about great achievements in various fields, such manipulation currently remains at single-DoF level, which means the multiplexed manipulation of OAM with other optical DoFs is still lacking, greatly hampering the application of OAM beams and advancement of metasurfaces. In order to overcome this challenge, we propose the idea of multiplexed coherent pixel (MCP) for metasurfaces. This approach enables the manipulation of arbitrary complex-amplitude under incident lights of both plane and OAM waves, on the basis of which we have realized the multiplexed DoF control of OAM and wavelength. As a result, the MCP method expands the types of incident lights which can be simultaneously responded by metasurfaces, enriches the information processing capability of metasurfaces, and creates applications of information encryption and OAM demultiplexer. Our findings not only provide means for the design of high-security and high-capacity metasurfaces, but also raise the control and application level of OAM, offering great potential for multifunctional nanophotonic devices in the future.

Hyaluronidase impacts exposures of long-acting injectable paliperidone palmitate in rodent models.

A significant challenge in the development of long-acting injectable drug formulations, especially for anti-infective agents, is delivering an efficacious dose within a tolerable injection volume. Co-administration of the extracellular matrix-degrading enzyme hyaluronidase can increase maximum tolerable injection volumes but is untested for this benefit with long-acting injectable formulations. One concern is that hyaluronidase could potentially alter the tissue response surrounding an injection depot, a response known to be important for drug release kinetics of long-acting injectable formulations. The objective of this pilot study was to evaluate the impact of co-administration of hyaluronidase on the drug release kinetics, pharmacokinetic profiles, and injection site histopathology of the long-acting injectable paliperidone palmitate for up to four weeks following intramuscular injection in mouse and rat models. In both species, co-administration of hyaluronidase increased paliperidone plasma exposures the first week after injection but did not negate the overall long-acting release nature of the formulation. Hyaluronidase-associated modification of the injection site depot was observed in mice but not in rats. These findings suggest that further investigation of hyaluronidase with long-acting injectable agents is warranted.

Trilobolide-6-O-isobutyrate exerts anti-tumor effects on cholangiocarcinoma cells through inhibiting JAK/STAT3 signaling pathway.

Trilobolide-6-O-isobutyrate exhibits significant antitumor effects on cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) cells by effectively inhibiting the JAK/STAT3 signaling pathway. This study aims to investigate the mechanisms underlying the antitumor properties of trilobolide-6-O-isobutyrate, and to explore its potential as a therapeutic agent for CCA. This study illustrates that trilobolide-6-O-isobutyrate efficiently suppresses CCA cell proliferation in a dose- and time-dependent manner. Furthermore, trilobolide-6-O-isobutyrate stimulates the production of reactive oxygen species, leading to oxidative stress and initiation of apoptosis via the activation of the mitochondrial pathway. Data from xenograft tumor assays in nude mice confirms that TBB inhibits tumor growth, and that there are no obvious toxic effects or side effects in vivo. Mechanistically, trilobolide-6-O-isobutyrate exerts antitumor effects by inhibiting STAT3 transcriptional activation, reducing PCNA and Bcl-2 expression, and increasing P21 expression. These findings emphasizes the potential of trilobolide-6-O-isobutyrate as a promising therapeutic candidate for the treatment of CCA.

Downregulation of dermatopontin in cholangiocarcinoma cells suppresses CCL19 secretion of macrophages and immune infiltration.

OBJECTIVE: The tumor microenvironment (TME) in cholangiocarcinoma (CHOL) is typically characterized by a low level of immune infiltration, which accounts for the dismal prognosis of this patient population. This study sought to investigate the mechanisms underlying the reduced infiltration of immune cells into the CHOL TME. METHODS: We constructed a Least Absolute Shrinkage and Selection Operator (LASSO) regression model to identify prognosis-related differentially expressed genes (DEGs). The 'Corrplot' package was employed to analyze the correlation between dermatopontin (DPT) and immune infiltration in CHOL. The Tumor and Immune System Interaction Database (TISIDB) was used to evaluate the association between DPT and immunology. Single-cell analysis was conducted to localize CCL19 secretions. Western blot and qPCR were utilized to detect DPT expression, while immunofluorescence was performed to investigate the cellular localization of DPT. Additionally, ELISA analysis was employed to assess the alteration in CCL19 secretion in cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) and macrophages. RESULTS: Our findings revealed that CHOL patients with low DPT expression had a poorer prognosis. Enrichment analysis demonstrated a positive correlation between DPT levels and the infiltration of immunomodulators and immune cells. Moreover, high DPT levels were associated with enhanced anti-PD-1/PD-L1 immunotherapeutic responses. Furthermore, DPT expression impacted the landscape of gene mutations, showing a negative association with tumor grade, stage, and lymph node metastasis. Based on the results of protein peptides analysis and cell experiments, it was inferred that the downregulation of DPT in CHOL cells effectively suppressed the secretion of CCL19 in macrophages. CONCLUSIONS: DPT is a novel prognosis-related biomarker for CHOL patients, and this study provides preliminary insights into the mechanism by which DPT promotes the infiltration of immune cells into the CHOL TME.

Bactericidal and sterilizing activity of novel regimens combining bedaquiline or TBAJ-587 with GSK2556286 and TBA-7371 in a mouse model of tuberculosis.

The combination of bedaquiline, pretomanid, and linezolid (BPaL) has become a preferred regimen for treating multidrug- and extensively drug-resistant tuberculosis (TB). However, treatment-limiting toxicities of linezolid and reports of emerging bedaquiline and pretomanid resistance necessitate efforts to develop new short-course oral regimens. We recently found that the addition of GSK2556286 increases the bactericidal and sterilizing activity of BPa-containing regimens in a well-established BALB/c mouse model of tuberculosis. Here, we used this model to evaluate the potential of new regimens combining bedaquiline or the more potent diarylquinoline TBAJ-587 with GSK2556286 and the DprE1 inhibitor TBA-7371, all of which are currently in early-phase clinical trials. We found the combination of bedaquiline, GSK2556286, and TBA-7371 to be more active than the first-line regimen and nearly as effective as BPaL in terms of bactericidal and sterilizing activity. In addition, we found that GSK2556286 and TBA-7371 were as effective as pretomanid and the novel oxazolidinone TBI-223 when either drug pair was combined with TBAJ-587 and that the addition of GSK2556286 increased the bactericidal activity of the TBAJ-587, pretomanid, and TBI-223 combination. We conclude that GSK2556286 and TBA-7371 have the potential to replace pretomanid, an oxazolidinone, or both components, in combination with bedaquiline or TBAJ-587.

Neuroimaging research progress of acupuncture treatment for patients with functional dyspepsia. / é’ˆåˆºæ²»ç–—åŠŸèƒ½æ€§æ¶ˆåŒ–ä¸è‰¯çš„ç¥žç»å½±åƒå­¦ç ”ç©¶è¿›å±•.

Neuroimaging technology provides objective and visualized research tool to study the mechanisms of acupuncture effects. Building on a systematic review of previous clinical studies on acupuncture treatment for functional dyspepsia using neuroimaging technology, this paper summarizes and synthesizes past researches from 4 aspects： acupoint-specific effects, factors influencing the effects, different physiological responses, and predictive factors for acupuncture efficacy. It suggests that acupuncture treatment for FD involves central integration with disease-targeted (acupuncture treatment can target and regulate abnormal brain functional activity patterns in patients with FD), meridian-specific (stimulation of specific acupuncture points along the stomach meridian can significantly regulate abnormal brain functional activity patterns in FD patients), and dynamic conditional features(the effects of acupuncture treatment for FD are influenced by multiple factors). Lastly, considering the current research status, this paper outlines prospects in terms of research subjects, influencing factors, and result validation, aiming to provide references for future in-depth research.

Enhanced saccharide enrichment in sea spray aerosols by coupling surface-active fatty acids.

The chemical composition of aerosols plays a significant role in aerosol-cloud interactions and, although saccharides make up their largest organic mass fraction, the current process model for understanding sea spray aerosol (SSA) composition struggles to replicate the enrichment of saccharides that has been observed. Here, we simulated the generation of SSA and quantified the enrichment of two soluble saccharides (glucose and trehalose) in SSA with a homemade sea spray aerosol generator. The results of the generation experiments demonstrated that both saccharides, especially trehalose, can promote the generation of SSA, whereas surface-active fatty acids primarily inhibit SSA production due to fewer bubble bursts caused by a large amount of foam accumulation. A significant decrease in surface tension of seawater with the addition of fatty acids was observed, while only a minor decrease was observed for seawater with the addition of only saccharide. Enrichment factors (EFs) of saccharides measured using high performance anion-exchange chromatography (HPAEC) with pulsed amperometric detection (PAD) revealed no enrichment of glucose in submicron SSA, while trehalose showed a slight enrichment. In the presence of surface-active fatty acids on the seawater surface, a significant increase in the enrichment of saccharides in SSA was observed, with glucose and trehalose showing EF of approximately 27-fold and 58-fold, respectively. Besides, this enrichment was accompanied by the accumulation of calcium and magnesium ions. The results presented here suggest that the coupling interaction mechanism of soluble saccharides and surface-active fatty acids on the ocean surface contributes to the enrichment of soluble saccharides in SSA.

Predictable navigation through spontaneous brain states with cognitive-map-like representations.

Just as navigating a physical environment, navigating through the landscapes of spontaneous brain states may also require an internal cognitive map. Contemporary computation theories propose modeling a cognitive map from a reinforcement learning perspective and argue that the map would be predictive in nature, representing each state as its upcoming states. Here, we used resting-state fMRI to test the hypothesis that the spaces of spontaneously reoccurring brain states are cognitive map-like, and may exhibit future-oriented predictivity. We identified two discrete brain states of the navigation-related brain networks during rest. By combining pattern similarity and dimensional reduction analysis, we embedded the occurrences of each brain state in a two-dimensional space. Successor representation modeling analysis recognized that these brain state occurrences exhibit place cell-like representations, akin to those observed in a physical space. Moreover, we observed predictive transitions of reoccurring brain states, which strongly covaried with individual cognitive and emotional assessments. Our findings offer a novel perspective on the cognitive significance of spontaneous brain activity and support the theory of cognitive map as a unifying framework for mental navigation.

Motor Imagery Classification for Asynchronous EEG-Based Brain-Computer Interfaces.

Motor imagery (MI) based brain-computer interfaces (BCIs) enable the direct control of external devices through the imagined movements of various body parts. Unlike previous systems that used fixed-length EEG trials for MI decoding, asynchronous BCIs aim to detect the user's MI without explicit triggers. They are challenging to implement, because the algorithm needs to first distinguish between resting-states and MI trials, and then classify the MI trials into the correct task, all without any triggers. This paper proposes a sliding window prescreening and classification (SWPC) approach for MI-based asynchronous BCIs, which consists of two modules: a prescreening module to screen MI trials out of the resting-state, and a classification module for MI classification. Both modules are trained with supervised learning followed by self-supervised learning, which refines the feature extractors. Within-subject and cross-subject asynchronous MI classifications on four different EEG datasets validated the effectiveness of SWPC, i.e., it always achieved the highest average classification accuracy, and outperformed the best state-of-the-art baseline on each dataset by about 2%.

T-TIME: Test-Time Information Maximization Ensemble for Plug-and-Play BCIs.

OBJECTIVE: An electroencephalogram (EEG)-based brain-computer interface (BCI) enables direct communication between the human brain and a computer. Due to individual differences and non-stationarity of EEG signals, such BCIs usually require a subject-specific calibration session before each use, which is time-consuming and user-unfriendly. Transfer learning (TL) has been proposed to shorten or eliminate this calibration, but existing TL approaches mainly consider offline settings, where all unlabeled EEG trials from the new user are available. METHODS: This article proposes Test-Time Information Maximization Ensemble (T-TIME) to accommodate the most challenging online TL scenario, where unlabeled EEG data from the new user arrive in a stream, and immediate classification is performed. T-TIME initializes multiple classifiers from the aligned source data. When an unlabeled test EEG trial arrives, T-TIME first predicts its labels using ensemble learning, and then updates each classifier by conditional entropy minimization and adaptive marginal distribution regularization. Our code is publicized. RESULTS: Extensive experiments on three public motor imagery based BCI datasets demonstrated that T-TIME outperformed about 20 classical and state-of-the-art TL approaches. SIGNIFICANCE: To our knowledge, this is the first work on test time adaptation for calibration-free EEG-based BCIs, making plug-and-play BCIs possible.

Contezolid can replace linezolid in a novel combination with bedaquiline and pretomanid in a murine model of tuberculosis.

Contezolid is a new oxazolidinone with in vitro and in vivo activity against Mycobacterium tuberculosis comparable to that of linezolid. Pre-clinical and clinical safety studies suggest it may be less toxic than linezolid, making contezolid a potential candidate to replace linezolid in the treatment of drug-resistant tuberculosis. We evaluated the dose-ranging activity of contezolid, alone and in combination with bedaquiline and pretomanid, and compared it with linezolid at similar doses, in an established BALB/c mouse model of tuberculosis. Contezolid had an MIC of 1 µg/mL, similar to linezolid, and exhibited similar bactericidal activity in mice. Contezolid-resistant mutants selected in vitro had 32- to 64-fold increases in contezolid MIC and harbored mutations in the mce3R gene. These mutants did not display cross-resistance to linezolid. Our results indicate that contezolid has the potential to replace linezolid in regimens containing bedaquiline and pretomanid and likely other regimens.

Unsupervised domain adaptation for cross-patient seizure classification.

Objective. Epileptic seizure is a chronic neurological disease affecting millions of patients. Electroencephalogram (EEG) is the gold standard in epileptic seizure classification. However, its low signal-to-noise ratio, strong non-stationarity, and large individual difference nature make it difficult to directly extend the seizure classification model from one patient to another. This paper considers multi-source unsupervised domain adaptation for cross-patient EEG-based seizure classification, i.e. there are multiple source patients with labeled EEG data, which are used to label the EEG trials of a new patient.Approach. We propose an source domain selection (SDS)-global domain adaptation (GDA)-target agent subdomain adaptation (TASA) approach, which includes SDS to filter out dissimilar source domains, GDA to align the overall distributions of the selected source domains and the target domain, and TASA to identify the most similar source domain to the target domain so that its labels can be utilized.Main results. Experiments on two public seizure datasets demonstrated that SDS-GDA-TASA outperformed 13 existing approaches in unsupervised cross-patient seizure classification.Significance. Our approach could save clinicians plenty of time in labeling EEG data for epilepsy patients, greatly increasing the efficiency of seizure diagnostics.

Front-End Replication Dynamic Window (FRDW) for Online Motor Imagery Classification.

Motor imagery (MI) is a classical paradigm in electroencephalogram (EEG) based brain-computer interfaces (BCIs). Online accurate and fast decoding is very important to its successful applications. This paper proposes a simple yet effective front-end replication dynamic window (FRDW) algorithm for this purpose. Dynamic windows enable the classification based on a test EEG trial shorter than those used in training, improving the decision speed; front-end replication fills a short test EEG trial to the length used in training, improving the classification accuracy. Within-subject and cross-subject online MI classification experiments on three public datasets, with three different classifiers and three different data augmentation approaches, demonstrated that FRDW can significantly increase the information transfer rate in MI decoding. Additionally, FR can also be used in training data augmentation. FRDW helped win national champion of the China BCI Competition in 2022.

Alterations in rat brain modular organization during unconsciousness are dependent on communication efficiency and metabolic cost.

Spontaneous brain activity exhibits a highly structured modular organization that varies across individuals and reconfigures over time. Although it has been proposed that brain organization is shaped by an economic trade-off between minimizing costs and facilitating efficient information transfer, it remains untested whether modular variability and its changes during unconscious conditions might be constrained by the economy of brain organization. We acquired functional MRI and FDG-PET in rats under three different levels of consciousness induced by propofol administration. We examined alterations in brain modular variability during loss of consciousness from mild sedation to deep anesthesia. We also investigated the relationships between modular variability with glucose metabolism and functional connectivity strength as well as their alterations during unconsciousness. We observed that modular variability increased during loss of consciousness. Critically, across-individual modular variability is oppositely associated with functional connectivity strength and cerebral metabolism, and with deepening dosage of anesthesia, becoming increasingly dependent on basal metabolism over functional connectivity. These results suggested that, propofol-induced unconsciousness may lead to brain modular reorganization, which are putatively shaped by re-negotiations between energetic resources and communication efficiency.

Efficient CO2 Electroreduction to Multicarbon Products at CuSiO3 /CuO Derived Interfaces in Ordered Pores.

Electrochemical CO2 conversion to value-added multicarbon (C2+ ) chemicals holds promise for reducing CO2 emissions and advancing carbon neutrality. However, achieving both high conversion rate and selectivity remains challenging due to the limited active sites on catalysts for carbon-carbon (C─C) coupling. Herein, porous CuO is coated with amorphous CuSiO3 (p-CuSiO3 /CuO) to maximize the active interface sites, enabling efficient CO2 reduction to C2+ products. Significantly, the p-CuSiO3 /CuO catalyst exhibits impressive C2+ Faradaic efficiency (FE) of 77.8% in an H-cell at -1.2 V versus reversible hydrogen electrode in 0.1 M KHCO3 and remarkable C2 H4 and C2+ FEs of 82% and 91.7% in a flow cell at a current density of 400 mA cm-2 in 1 M KOH. In situ characterizations and theoretical calculations reveal that the active interfaces facilitate CO2 activation and lower the formation energy of the key intermediate *OCCOH, thus promoting CO2 conversion to C2+ . This work provides a rational design for steering the active sites toward C2+ products.

Inhibition of Heterogeneous Nucleation in Water by Hydrogel Coating.

Heterogeneous nucleation plays a critical role in the phase transition of water, which can cause damage in various systems. Here, we report that heterogeneous nucleation can be inhibited by utilizing hydrogel coatings to isolate solid surfaces and water. Hydrogels, which contain over 90% water when fully swelled, exhibit a high degree of similarity to water. Due to this similarity, there is a great energy barrier for heterogeneous nucleation along the water-hydrogel interface. Additionally, hydrogel coatings, which possess polymer networks, exhibit higher fracture energy and more robust adhesion to solid surfaces compared to water. This high fracture and adhesion energy acts as a deterrent for fracture nucleation within the hydrogel or along the hydrogel-solid interface. With a hydrogel layer approximately 100 µm thick, the boiling temperature of water under atmospheric pressure can be raised from 100 to 108 °C. Notably, hydrogel coatings also result in remarkable reductions in cavitation pressure on multiple solid surfaces. We have demonstrated the efficacy of hydrogel coatings in preventing damages resulting from acceleration-induced cavitation. Hydrogel coatings have the potential to alter the energy landscape of heterogeneous nucleation on the water-solid interface, making them an exciting avenue for innovation in heat transfer and fluidic systems.

Mechano-biomimetic hydrogel 3D cell cultivation as a strategy to improve mammalian cell protein expression.

Eukaryotic expression systems are frequently employed for the production of recombinant proteins as therapeutics as well as research tools. Among which mammalian cell protein expression approach is the most powerful one, which can express complex proteins or genetic engineered biological drugs, such as PD-1. However, the high expense, which partially derives from its low protein yielding efficiency, limited the further application of such approach in large scale production of target proteins. To address this issue, we proposed a novel technique to promote the protein production efficiency of mammal cells without using conventional genetic engineered approaches. By placing 293T cells in a hydrogel 3D cell culture platform and adjusting the stress relaxation of the matrix hydrogel, cells formed multicellular spheroids by self-organization. In particular, the multicellular spheroids have a significantly enhanced ability to transiently express multiple proteins (SHH-N, PD-1 and PDL-1). We also examined in detail the mechanism underlying this phenomenon, and found that the reorganization of cytoskeleton during spheroids formation enhances the translation process of protein by recruiting ribosomes. Overall, this finding provides a novel approach for subsequent improvement of large-scale mammalian protein expression cell systems.