Multiple intra-articular injections of autologous stromal vascular fractions for the treatment of multicompartmental osteoarthritis in both the tibiofemoral and patellofemoral joint: a single-blind randomized controlled study.

BACKGROUND: Multicompartmental osteoarthritis (MOA) in both tibiofemoral and patellofemoral joints is a more commonly occurring, but neglected, clinical condition, and we examined the short-term safety and efficacy of autologous stromal vascular fractions (SVFs) for MOA using a single-blind, prospective, randomized, placebo-controlled trial. METHODS: Seventy MOA patients were recruited and randomly assigned to the SVF group and hyaluronic acid (HA) group (control group). The scores of visual analog scale, the Western Ontario and McMaster University Osteoarthritis Index, and the Samsung Medical Center patellofemoral scoring system were assessed and compared between the two groups 3, 6 and 12 months after treatment. RESULTS: The SVF group had significantly better visual analog scale scores than the HA group at 6 and 12 months after treatment and had better Western Ontario and McMaster University Osteoarthritis Index scores than the HA group only at 6 months after treatment. For Samsung Medical Center patellofemoral scoring system of the patellofemoral joint, the SVF group had significantly better scores than the control group at all postoperative time points. The proportion of patients whose visual analog scale and Western Ontario and McMaster University Osteoarthritis Index scores were above the minimal clinically important improvement was higher in the SVF group than in the HA group in the majority of assessments. The improvement of bone marrow by SVF treatment was significantly better than that of the HA group as observed by pre- and postoperative Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). CONCLUSIONS: Multiple intra-articular injection of autologous SVF reduces pain and improves function in the short term in patients with early or midstage MOA. However, there was heterogeneity in the improvement of overall knee and isolated patellofemoral joint after treatment.

Four-channel joint-polarization-frequency-multiplexing encryption meta-hologram based on dual-band polarization multiplexing meta-atoms.

Holography is an advanced imaging technology where image information can be reconstructed without a lens. Recently, multiplexing techniques have been widely adapted to realize multiple holographic images or functionalities in a meta-hologram. In this work, a reflective four-channel meta-hologram is proposed to further increase the channel capacity by simultaneously implementing frequency and polarization multiplexing. Compared to the single multiplexing technique, the number of channels achieves a multiplicative growth of the two multiplexing techniques, as well as allowing meta-devices to possess cryptographic characteristics. Specifically, spin-selective functionalities for circular polarizations can be achieved at lower frequency, while different functionalities can be obtained at higher frequency under different linearly polarized incidences. As an illustrative example, a four-channel joint-polarization-frequency-multiplexing meta-hologram is designed, fabricated, and characterized. The measured results agree well with the numerically calculated and full-wave simulated ones, which provides the proposed method with great potential in numerous opportunities such as multi-channel imaging and information encryption technology.

Dual-channel geometric meta-holograms with complex-amplitude modulation based on bi-spectral single-substrate-layer meta-atoms.

Metasurfaces with complex-amplitude modulation are superior in power regulation and hologram imaging resolution compared with those with phase-only modulation. Nevertheless, a single-cell metasurface with multi-band independent phase and amplitude controls is still a great challenge for the circularly polarized incidences. In this work, we propose and design a single-substrate-layer single-cell metasurface with independent complex-amplitude modulations at two discrete frequencies. Based on this emerging technique, a bi-spectral meta-hologram is designed and verified by both full-wave simulations and experiments, which could reconstruct two Chinese characters at the imaging plane at two frequencies. The proposed method shows great potential in multifunctional meta-devices with enhanced performance.

Broadband high-efficiency polarization-encoded meta-holograms based on 3-bit spin-decoupled reflective meta-atoms.

Metasurfaces are engineered planar surfaces consisting of arrays of resonators for tailoring the electromagnetic wavefronts in a desirable way. However, the spin-locked issue of the geometric metasurfaces hinders simultaneous manipulation of both spins. In this work, a spin-decoupled information metasurface composed of simple C-shaped resonators is proposed to realize two different information channels under the orthogonal circularly polarized (CP) incidences. Based on the encoded digit '0' or '1', the diffusion scattering or a holographic image could be realized under the CP excitation in a broadband frequency range from 9 to 12 GHz. As an illustrative example, a 3-bit polarization-encoded meta-hologram is designed, fabricated, and characterized. The measured results agree very well with the numerical results, which gives the proposed method great potential in numerous applications such as holographic displays and information processing.

Design of broadband and wide-field-of-view metalenses.

In this Letter, we adapt the direct search method to metasurface optimization. We show that the direct search algorithm, when coupled with deep learning techniques for free-form meta-atom generation, offers a computationally efficient optimization approach for metasurface optics. As an example, we apply the approach to optimization of achromatic metalenses. Taking advantage of the diverse dispersion responses of free-form meta-atoms, metalenses designed using this approach exhibit superior broadband performances compared to their multilevel diffractive counterparts. We further demonstrate an achromatic and wide-field-of-view metalens design.

Rapid and unconditional parametric reset protocol for tunable superconducting qubits.

Qubit initialization is a critical task in quantum computation and communication. Extensive efforts have been made to achieve this with high speed, efficiency and scalability. However, previous approaches have either been measurement-based and required fast feedback, suffered from crosstalk or required sophisticated calibration. Here, we report a fast and high-fidelity reset scheme, avoiding the issues above without any additional chip architecture. By modulating the flux through a transmon qubit, we realize a swap between the qubit and its readout resonator that suppresses the excited state population to 0.08% ± 0.08% within 34 ns (284 ns if photon depletion of the resonator is required). Furthermore, our approach (i) can achieve effective second excited state depletion, (ii) has negligible effects on neighboring qubits, and (iii) offers a way to entangle the qubit with an itinerant single photon, useful in quantum communication applications.

Large-area optical metasurface fabrication using nanostencil lithography.

We demonstrate a large-area fabrication process for optical metasurfaces utilizing reusable SiN on Si nanostencils. To improve the yield of the nanostencil fabrication, we partially etch the front-side SiN layer to transfer the metasurface pattern from the resist to the nanostencil membrane, preserving the integrity of the membrane during the subsequent potassium hydroxide etch. To enhance the reliability and resolution of metasurface fabrication using the nanostencil, we spin coat a sacrificial layer of resist to precisely determine the gap between the nanostencil and the metasurface substrate for the subsequent liftoff. 1.5 mm diameter PbTe meta-lenses on ${\rm{Ca}}{{\rm{F}}_2}$ fabricated using nanostencils show diffraction-limited focusing and focusing efficiencies of 42% for a 2 mm focal length lens and 53% for a 4 mm focal length lens. The nanostencils can also be cleaned using chemical cleaning methods for reuse.

Electrically reconfigurable non-volatile metasurface using low-loss optical phase-change material.

Active metasurfaces promise reconfigurable optics with drastically improved compactness, ruggedness, manufacturability and functionality compared to their traditional bulk counterparts. Optical phase-change materials (PCMs) offer an appealing material solution for active metasurface devices with their large index contrast and non-volatile switching characteristics. Here we report a large-scale, electrically reconfigurable non-volatile metasurface platform based on optical PCMs. The optical PCM alloy used in the devices, Ge2Sb2Se4Te (GSST), uniquely combines giant non-volatile index modulation capability, broadband low optical loss and a large reversible switching volume, enabling notably enhanced light-matter interactions within the active optical PCM medium. Capitalizing on these favourable attributes, we demonstrated quasi-continuously tuneable active metasurfaces with record half-octave spectral tuning range and large optical contrast of over 400%. We further prototyped a polarization-insensitive phase-gradient metasurface to realize dynamic optical beam steering.

Analysis of the effect of infection prevention nursing on drainage of malignant pleural effusion with indwelling central venous catheter.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to explore the effect of infection prevention care on the drainage of malignant pleural effusion (MPE) by indwelling Central venous catheterization (CVC). METHODS: From January 2016 to January 2018, 128 patients at our hospital who needed indwelling CVC for drainage of MPE were randomly divided into an infection prevention group and a conventional group. The corresponding nursing plan was given to compare the 2 groups in several measures, including nursing effect and complications. RESULTS: After intervention, the total effective rate of the infection prevention group was 96.88%, while the total effective rate of the conventional group was 87.50%, which was a statistically significant difference (P<0.05). The disappearance time of pleural effusion, catheter indwelling time, and length of stay in the infection prevention group were significantly lower than those in the conventional group (P<0.05). The incidence of infection and the total incidence of all complications in the infection prevention group were significantly lower than those in the conventional group (P<0.05). The proportion of the number of cases with Karnofsky Performance Scale (KPS) ≤10 in the infection prevention group was significantly lower than that in the conventional group (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: As infection prevention care significantly improves clinical efficacy and reduces the occurrence of complications, it uses in clinic is warranted.

Value of Growth/Differentiation Factor 15 in Diagnosis and the Evaluation of Chemotherapeutic Response in Lung Cancer.

PURPOSE: There is a need for efficient, convenient, and inexpensive methods to accurately diagnose the clinical stage of lung cancer and evaluate the efficacy of chemotherapy in patients with lung cancer. Although growth/differentiation factor 15 (GDF)-15 has great potential as a tumor marker, supporting clinical evidence is still lacking. In this study, we aimed to analyze the relationship between serum GDF15 concentration and the clinical characteristics of patients with lung cancer, and to assess the value of GDF15 in the diagnosis and curative effect of chemotherapy. METHODS: The study comprised 160 participants in total, of whom 88 had lung cancer, 31 had pneumonia, and 41 were control subjects. Among the 88 patients with lung cancer, 64 were willing to participate in follow-up chemotherapy-related studies and meet the inclusion criteria. The serum GDF15 concentration in 288 samples (31 cases, pneumonia group samples; 41 cases, control samples; 88 cases, lung cancer group samples; 64 cases, after 1 chemotherapy cycle; and 64 cases, after 2 chemotherapy cycles) with advanced lung cancer were detected by ELISA. The possible correlations between serum GDF15 level and sex, age, height, weight, body mass index, smoking history, diabetes status, and laboratory findings (hemoglobin, prealbumin, and lactate dehydrogenase) were analyzed using parametric and nonparametric tests. Thereafter, the sensitivity of GDF15 in diagnosing lung cancer was calculated. The serum levels of GDF15, carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), neuron-specific enolase (NSE), and cytokeratin 19 fragment (CYFRA) 21-1 were determined in 64 patients with lung cancer, before and after chemotherapy reception. For the evaluation of the efficacy of chemotherapy, receiver operating characteristic curves were plotted. FINDINGS: Serum GDF15 concentration at baseline was significantly higher in the lung cancer group than were those in the pneumonia and control groups (both, P < 0.001). An increased expression of serum GDF15 was significantly correlated with diabetes, anemia, and clinical stage (tumor size, nodal involvement, and presence/absence of metastasis). After 2 cycles of chemotherapy among the 64 patients who received it, serum GDF15 concentrations were significantly different from baseline in those who had progressive disease (P = 0.003), stable disease (P < 0.001), or partial response (P = 0.039). The AUC of GDF15 was greater than those of CEA, NSE, and CYFRA 21-1 (0.851 vs 0.630, 0.720, and 0.654, respectively). IMPLICATIONS: GDF15 is complementary to CEA, NSE, and CYFRA 21-1 in diagnosing lung cancer and, when used in combination, it could be of great diagnostic value and may facilitate correct predictions of the efficacy of chemotherapy. Therefore, serum GDF15 concentration is valuable in lung cancer diagnosis and in the evaluation of the efficacy of chemotherapy.

Reconfigurable all-dielectric metalens with diffraction-limited performance.

Active metasurfaces, whose optical properties can be modulated post-fabrication, have emerged as an intensively explored field in recent years. The efforts to date, however, still face major performance limitations in tuning range, optical quality, and efficiency, especially for non-mechanical actuation mechanisms. In this paper, we introduce an active metasurface platform combining phase tuning in the full 2π range and diffraction-limited performance using an all-dielectric, low-loss architecture based on optical phase change materials (O-PCMs). We present a generic design principle enabling binary switching of metasurfaces between arbitrary phase profiles and propose a new figure-of-merit (FOM) tailored for reconfigurable meta-optics. We implement the approach to realize a high-performance varifocal metalens operating at 5.2 µm wavelength. The reconfigurable metalens features a record large switching contrast ratio of 29.5 dB. We further validate aberration-free and multi-depth imaging using the metalens, which represents a key experimental demonstration of a non-mechanical tunable metalens with diffraction-limited performance.

Ceramide synthases: insights into the expression and prognosis of lung cancer.

CerSs (ceramide synthases), a group of enzymes that catalyze the formation of ceramides from sphingoid base and acyl-CoA substrates. As far, six types of CerSs (CerS1-CerS6) have been found in mammals. Each of these enzymes have unique characteristics, but maybe more noteworthy is the ability of individual CerS isoform to produce a ceramide with a characteristic acyl chain distribution. As key regulators of sphingolipid metabolism, CerSs highlight their unique characteristics and have emerging roles in regulating programmed cell death, cancer and many other aspects of biology. However, the role of CerSs in lung cancer has not been fully elucidated. In this study, there was no significant change in the sequence or copy number of CerSs gene, which could explain the stability of malignant tumor development through COSMIC database. In addition, gene expression in lung cancer was examined using the OncomineTM database, and the prognostic value of each gene in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) was analyzed by Kaplan-Meier analysis. The results showed that high mRNA expression levels of CerS2, CerS3, CerS4 and CerS5 in all NSCLC patients were associated with improved prognosis. Among them, CerS2 and CerS5 are also highly expressed in adenocarcinoma (Ade), but not in squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). In contrast, high or low expression of CerS1 and CerS6 no difference was observed in patients with NSCLC, Ade and SCC. Integrated the data of this study suggested that these CerSs may be a potential tumor markers or drug target of new research direction.

Deep learning modeling approach for metasurfaces with high degrees of freedom.

Metasurfaces have shown promising potentials in shaping optical wavefronts while remaining compact compared to bulky geometric optics devices. The design of meta-atoms, the fundamental building blocks of metasurfaces, typically relies on trial and error to achieve target electromagnetic responses. This process includes the characterization of an enormous amount of meta-atom designs with varying physical and geometric parameters, which demands huge computational resources. In this paper, a deep learning-based metasurface/meta-atom modeling approach is introduced to significantly reduce the characterization time while maintaining accuracy. Based on a convolutional neural network (CNN) structure, the proposed deep learning network is able to model meta-atoms with nearly freeform 2D patterns and different lattice sizes, material refractive indices and thicknesses. Moreover, the presented approach features the capability of predicting a meta-atom's wide spectrum response in the timescale of milliseconds, attractive for applications necessitating fast on-demand design and optimization of a meta-atom/metasurface.

Single-Element Diffraction-Limited Fisheye Metalens.

Wide field-of-view (FOV) optical functionality is crucial for implementation of advanced imaging and image projection devices. Conventionally, wide FOV operation is attained with complicated assembly of multiple optical elements known as "fisheye lenses". Here we present a novel metalens design capable of performing diffraction-limited focusing and imaging over an unprecedented near 180° angular FOV. The lens is monolithically integrated on a one-piece flat substrate and involves only a single layer of metasurface that corrects third-order Seidel aberrations including coma, astigmatism, and field curvature. The metalens further features a planar focal surface, which enables considerably simplified system architectures for applications in imaging and projection. We fabricated the metalens using Huygens meta-atoms operating at 5.2 µm wavelength and experimentally demonstrated aberration-free focusing and imaging over the entire FOV. The design concept is generic and can be readily adapted to different meta-atom geometries and wavelength ranges to meet diverse application demands.

Full control of dual-band vortex beams using a high-efficiency single-layer bi-spectral 2-bit coding metasurface.

Vortex beams (VBs) carrying orbital angular moment (OAM) modes have been proven to be promising resources for increasing communication capacity. Although considerable attention has been paid on metasurface-based VB generators due to the unprecedented advantages of metasurface, most applications are usually limited at a single band with a fixed OAM mode. In this work, an emerging dual-band reflection-type coding metasurface is proposed to mitigate these issues by newly engineered meta-atoms, which could achieve independent 2-bit phase modulations at two frequency bands. The proposed coding metasurface could efficiently realize and fully control dual-band VBs carrying frequency selective OAM modes under the linearly polarized incidence. As the first illustrative example, a dual-band VB generator with normal beam direction is fabricated and characterized at two widely used communication bands (Ku and Ka bands). Moreover, by encoding proper coding sequences, versatile beams carrying frequency selective OAM modes can be achieved. Therefore, by adding a gradient phase sequence to the first VB generator, the second one is designed to steer the generated beams to a preset direction, which could enable diverse scenarios. The measurement results of both VB generators agree very well with the numerical ones, validating the full control capability of the proposed approach.

Holographic fabrication of octagon graded photonic supercrystal and potential applications in topological photonics.

Novel optical properties in graded photonic super-crystals can be further explored if new types of graded photonic super-crystals are fabricated. In this paper, we report holographic fabrication of graded photonic super-crystal with eight graded lattice clusters surrounding the central non-gradient lattices through pixel-by-pixel phase engineering in a spatial light modulator. The prospect of applications of octagon graded photonic super-crystal in topological photonics is discussed through photonic band gap engineering and coupled ring resonators.

A Novel LncRNA, MuLnc1, Associated With Environmental Stress in Mulberry (Morus multicaulis).

Environmental stresses are major constraints that limit the leaf productivity and quality of mulberry. LncRNAs have emerged as important regulators in response to biotic and abiotic stresses in plants. However, the functions and mechanisms of most lncRNAs remain largely unknown. A novel lncRNA designated as MuLnc1 was found to be cleaved by mul-miR3954 and produce secondary siRNAs in a 21 nt phase in mulberry. It was demonstrated that one of the siRNAs produced, si161579, can silence the expression of the calmodulin-like protein gene CML27 of mulberry (MuCML27). When MuCML27 was heterologously expressed in Arabidopsis, the transgenic plants exhibited enhanced resistance to Botrytis cinerea and Pseudomonas syringae pv tomato DC3000. In addition, the transgenic MuCML27-overexpressing Arabidopsis plants are more tolerant to salt and drought stresses. Furthermore, the network of mul-miR3954-MuLnc1-siRNAs-mRNAs was modeled to elucidate the interaction between lncRNAs and sRNAs with mRNAs. All of these, taken together, suggest that MuLnc1 was associated with environmental stress in mulberry and may be considered as a potential genetic improvement target gene of mulberry. The information provided may shed light on the complicated gene expression regulatory mechanisms in mulberry stress responses.

Author Correction: Ultra-thin high-efficiency mid-infraredtransmissive Huygens meta-optics.

The original version of this Article omitted the following from the Acknowledgements:'J.D. and H. Zhang acknowledge initial funding for design of the meta-atoms provided by the National Science Foundation under award CMMI-1266251. Z.L. and H. Zheng contributed to the Device Fabrication section and were independently funded as visiting scholars by the National Natural Science Foundation of China under award 51772042 and the "111" project (No. B13042) led by Professor Huaiwu Zhang. Later work contained within the Device Modeling and Device Characterization sections and some revisions to the manuscript were funded under Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency Defense Sciences Office (DSO) Program: EXTREME Optics and Imaging (EXTREME) under Agreement No. HR00111720029. The authors also acknowledge fabrication facility support by the Harvard University Center for Nanoscale Systems funded by the National Science Foundation under award 0335765. The views, opinions and/or findings expressed are those of the authors and should not be interpreted as representing the official views or policies of the Department of Defense or the U.S. Government.' This has been corrected in both the PDF and HTML versions of the Article.

A Fast, Open EEG Classification Framework Based on Feature Compression and Channel Ranking.

Superior feature extraction, channel selection and classification methods are essential for designing electroencephalography (EEG) classification frameworks. However, the performance of most frameworks is limited by their improper channel selection methods and too specifical design, leading to high computational complexity, non-convergent procedure and narrow expansibility. In this paper, to remedy these drawbacks, we propose a fast, open EEG classification framework centralized by EEG feature compression, low-dimensional representation, and convergent iterative channel ranking. First, to reduce the complexity, we use data clustering to compress the EEG features channel-wise, packing the high-dimensional EEG signal, and endowing them with numerical signatures. Second, to provide easy access to alternative superior methods, we structurally represent each EEG trial in a feature vector with its corresponding numerical signature. Thus, the recorded signals of many trials shrink to a low-dimensional structural matrix compatible with most pattern recognition methods. Third, a series of effective iterative feature selection approaches with theoretical convergence is introduced to rank the EEG channels and remove redundant ones, further accelerating the EEG classification process and ensuring its stability. Finally, a classical linear discriminant analysis (LDA) model is employed to classify a single EEG trial with selected channels. Experimental results on two real world brain-computer interface (BCI) competition datasets demonstrate the promising performance of the proposed framework over state-of-the-art methods.

Ultra-thin high-efficiency mid-infrared transmissive Huygens meta-optics.

The mid-infrared (mid-IR) is a strategically important band for numerous applications ranging from night vision to biochemical sensing. Here we theoretically analyzed and experimentally realized a Huygens metasurface platform capable of fulfilling a diverse cross-section of optical functions in the mid-IR. The meta-optical elements were constructed using high-index chalcogenide films deposited on fluoride substrates: the choices of wide-band transparent materials allow the design to be scaled across a broad infrared spectrum. Capitalizing on a two-component Huygens' meta-atom design, the meta-optical devices feature an ultra-thin profile (λ0/8 in thickness) and measured optical efficiencies up to 75% in transmissive mode for linearly polarized light, representing major improvements over state-of-the-art. We have also demonstrated mid-IR transmissive meta-lenses with diffraction-limited focusing and imaging performance. The projected size, weight and power advantages, coupled with the manufacturing scalability leveraging standard microfabrication technologies, make the Huygens meta-optical devices promising for next-generation mid-IR system applications.