Visual outcomes and patient satisfaction after implantations of three types of presbyopia-correcting intraocular lenses that have undergone corneal refractive surgery.

This prospective, non-randomized, comparative study aimed to compare the visual outcomes and patient satisfaction after implantations of three presbyopia-correcting intraocular lenses (IOLs) after myopic refractive surgery. It was conducted from January 2020 to December 2021 in Shanghai Heping Eye Hospital. Patients were divided into three groups based on the type of IOL implanted. The visual acuity, refractive stability, high-order aberrations, objective visual quality, spectacle independence, and visual function index 14 questionnaire scores of the three groups were compared. This study included 78 eyes of 39 patients: 26 eyes with 839MP, 26 eyes with MF30, and 26 eyes with ZXR00. Uncorrected distance visual acuity improved significantly for all three groups. For a pupil diameter of 4.0 mm, the spherical aberrations of the three groups were 0.33 ± 0.16 µ, 0.50 ± 0.08 µ, and 0.39 ± 0.10 µ, respectively. The spectacle independence for distance vision was over 90% in each group; for near vision, it was only 25% for the ZXR00 group. All three types of presbyopia-correcting IOLs improved visual quality in post-LASIK or PRK patients. However, the high incidence of photic phenomena after presbyopia-correcting IOL implantation in patients who have undergone myopic LASIK should not be neglected.

Role of Bridging Groups in Regulating the Luminescence and Charge Transfer Properties of Thermally Activated Delayed Fluorescence Molecules: A Theoretical Perspective.

Organic emitters with a simultaneous combination of aggregation-induced emission (AIE) and thermally activated delayed fluorescence (TADF) characteristics are in great demand due to their excellent comprehensive performances toward efficient organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs), biomedical imaging, and the telecommunications field. However, the development of efficient AIE-TADF materials remains a substantial challenge. In this work, light-emitting properties of two AIE-TADF molecules with different bridging groups ICz-BP and ICz-DPS are theoretically investigated in the solid state with the combined quantum mechanics/molecular mechanics (QM/MM) method and the thermal vibration correlation function (TVCF) theory. The research indicates that the C═O bridging bond in ICz-BP is more favorable than the S═O bridging bond in ICz-DPS for enhancing the planarity of the acceptor, increasing conjugation, and thereby elevating the transition dipole moment density. Simultaneously, the stacking pattern of ICz-BP in the solid facilitates a reduction in energy gap between S1 and T1 (ΔEST), achieving rapid reverse intersystem crossing rate (kRISC). Furthermore, compared to toluene, the stacking patterns of ICz-BP and ICz-DPS in the solid effectively suppress the out-of-plane wagging vibration of the acceptor, thereby inhibiting the loss of nonradiative energy in the excited state and realizing aggregation-induced emission. Moreover, the charge transport properties of both electrons and holes in ICz-BP are found to be higher than the corresponding rates in ICz-DPS, attributed to the smaller internal reorganization energy of ICz-BP in the solid state. Additionally, the calculations reveal a more balanced charge transport characteristic in ICz-BP, contributing to efficient exciton recombination and emission and ultimately mitigating efficiency roll-off. Based on these computational results, we aim to unveil the relationship between molecular structure and light-emitting properties, aiding in the design and development of efficient AIE-TADF devices.

Transcriptome data analysis provides insights into the conservation of Michelia lacei, a plant species with extremely small populations distributed in Yunnan province, China.

BACKGROUND: Michelia lacei W.W.Smith (Magnoliaceae), was classified as a Plant Species with Extremely Small Populations (PSESP) by the Yunnan Provincial Government in both action plans of 2012 and 2021. This evergreen tree is known for its high ornamental and scientific value, but it faces significant threats due to its extremely small population size and narrow geographical distribution. The study aims to understand the genetic structure, diversity, and demographic history of this species to inform its conservation strategies. RESULTS: The analysis of transcriptome data from 64 individuals across seven populations of M. lacei identified three distinct genetic clusters and generated 104,616 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). The KM ex-situ population, originating from Longling County, exhibited unique genetic features, suggesting limited gene flow. The genetic diversity was substantial, with significant differences between populations, particularly between the KM lineage and the OTHER lineage. Demographic history inferred from the data indicated population experienced three significant population declines during glaciations, followed by periods of recovery. We estimated the effective population size (Ne) of the KM and OTHER lineages 1,000 years ago were 85,851 and 416,622, respectively. Gene flow analysis suggested past gene flow between populations, but the KM ex-situ population showed no recent gene flow. A total of 805 outlier SNPs, associated with four environmental factors, suggest potential local adaptation and showcase the species' adaptive potential. Particularly, the BZ displayed 515 adaptive loci, highlighting its strong potential for adaptation within this group. CONCLUSIONS: The comprehensive genomic analysis of M. lacei provides valuable insights into its genetic background and highlights the urgent need for conservation efforts. The study underscores the importance of ex-situ conservation methods, such as seed collection and vegetative propagation, to safeguard genetic diversity and promote population restoration. The preservation of populations like MC and BZ is crucial for maintaining the species' genetic diversity. In-situ conservation measures, including the establishment of in-situ conservation sites and community engagement, are essential to enhance protection awareness and ensure the long-term survival of this threatened plant species.

Conformational Isomerization Effect on Singlet/Triplet Energy Consumption Process of Thermally Activated Delayed Fluorescence Molecules with Aggregation Induced Emission: A QM/MM Study.

Thermally activated delayed fluorescence (TADF) molecules with aggregation-induced emission (AIE) properties hold tremendous potential in biomedical sensing/imaging and telecommunications. In this study, a multiscale method combined with thermal vibration correlation function (TVCF) theory is used to investigate the photophysical properties of the novel TADF molecule CNPy-SPAC in toluene and crystal and amorphous states. In the crystal state, an increase in radiative rates and a decrease in nonradiative rates lead to AIE. Additionally, conformational isomerization effects result in significantly different luminescent efficiencies between the two crystal structures. Furthermore, the isomerization effect allows for the coexistence of three configurations in the amorphous state. Among them, the non-TADF quasi-axial (Qa) configuration may facilitate energy transfer to the TADF-characteristic quasi-equal/quasi-equal-H (Qe/Qe-H) configurations, enhancing AIE. Moreover, the Qa configuration enables rapid electron transport, offering the potential for self-doped devices. Our work elucidates a new mechanism for the isomerization effect in AIE-TADF molecules.

Fungal communities as dual indicators of river biodiversity and water quality assessment.

Given their ecological importance, bioindicators are used for the assessment of the health of river ecosystems. This study explored the fungal compositions and the potential of fungal taxa as bioindicators for indicating the water quality of the Mekong River, as the use of fungal indicators of the Mekong River was not previously well characterized. The Mekong River exhibited dynamic variations in both physicochemical/hydrochemical properties and fungal communities according to seasons and locations. The results revealed the dominance of alkaline earth metal ions and weak acids in the water. The magnesium-bicarbonate water type was found in the dry season, but the water became the chloride-calcium type or mixed type of magnesium-bicarbonate and chloride-calcium in the rainy season at downstream sites. Fungal composition analysis revealed the dominance of Chytridiomycota in the dry season and intermediate periods, and Ascomycota and Basidiomycota in the rainy season. The fungal communities were influenced by stochastic and deterministic assembly processes, mainly homogeneous selection, heterogeneous selection, and dispersal limitation. The extent of environmental filtering implied that some fungal taxa were affected by environmental conditions, suggesting the possibility of identifying certain fungal taxa suitable for being bioindicators of water quality. Subsequently, machine learning with recursive feature elimination identified specific fungal bins mostly consisting of Agaricomycetes (mainly Polyporales, Agaricales, and Auriculariales), Dothideomycetes (mainly Pleosporales), Saccharomycetes (mainly Saccharomycetales), Chytridiomycota, and Rozellomycota as bioindicators that could predict ambient and irrigation water quality with high selectivity and sensitivity. These results thus promote the use of fungal indicators to assess the health of the river.

Mathematical modeling of optimal coagulant dosage for tofu preparation using MgCl2.

To explore the association between the optimal coagulant for tofu and the components of soybeans,30 different kinds of soybeans were selected, and tested for their optimal coagulant MgCl2 content. The optimal amount of coagulant was taken as the dependent variable, and the soybean Composition were taken as independent variables for the correlation analysis. The results showed that there was a positive correlation between the optimal coagulant content and the content of histidine, 7S ß-conglycinin, B1aB1bB2B3B4 of 11 s glycincin, and α'-subunit of 7S ß-conglycinin, negative correlation with lysine. The regression formula is y = -1.186 + 3.457*B1aB1bB2B3B4 + 2.304*7S + 0.351*histidine - 0.084*lysine + 4.696*α', and the model is validated to be within 10 % of the error value and has a high degree of confidence. This study provides theoretical support for realizing the green production of traditional soybean products.

Transcriptome data reveals the conservation genetics of Cypripedium forrestii, a plant species with extremely small populations endemic to Yunnan, China.

The Cypripedium forrestii is an orchid species with extremely small populations (PSESP) in Yunnan, China. C. forrestii is range-restricted and less-studied than many orchid species, and it is exposed to various threats to its survival. We investigated its potential habitats and collected 52 samples from eight locations, as well as two outgroup species for reference. We developed genetic markers (SNPs) for C. forrestii based on transcriptome sequencing (RNA-seq) data, and analyzed the genetic diversity, population structure, gene flow and demographic history of C. forrestii in detail. C. forrestii is a taxonomically independent species to protect. We found that the genetic diversity of C. forrestii was very low (1.7e-4) compared with other endangered species. We identified three genetic clusters, and several populations with distinct genetic backgrounds. Most genetic diversity was found within sampling sites (87.87%) and genetic clusters (91.39%). Gene flow has been greatly limited over the most recent generations, probably due to geographical distance, historical climate change and habitat fragmentation. We also detected a severe bottleneck event brought about by the recent population constraints. These factors, together with its reproductive characteristics, contribute to the population fragmentation and low genetic diversity of C. forrestii. Based on our findings, we suggest an integrative conservation strategy to protect and recover the genetic diversity of C. forrestii and a further comprehensive study of its ecological traits in the future.

Interplay between B7-H3 and HLA class I in the clinical course of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma.

Human leukocyte antigen (HLA) class I defects are associated with cancer progression. However, their prognostic significance is controversial and may be modulated by immune checkpoints. Here, we investigated whether the checkpoint B7-H3 modulates the relationship between HLA class I and pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) prognosis. PDAC tumors were analyzed for the expression of B7-H3, HLA class I, HLA class II molecules, and for the presence of tumor-infiltrating immune cells. We observed defective HLA class I and HLA class II expressions in 75% and 59% of PDAC samples, respectively. HLA class I and B7-H3 expression were positively related at mRNA and protein level, potentially because of shared regulation by RELA, a sub-unit of NF-kB. High B7-H3 expression and low CD8+ T cell density were indicators of poor survival, while HLA class I was not. Defective HLA class I expression was associated with unfavorable survival only in patients with low B7-H3 expression. Favorable survival was observed only when HLA class I expression was high and B7-H3 expression low. Our results provide the rationale for targeting B7-H3 in patients with PDAC tumors displaying high HLA class I levels.

Whole-Genome Sequencing of an Escherichia coli ST69 Strain Harboring blaCTX-M-27 on a Hybrid Plasmid.

Objective: Escherichia coli is a common Gram-negative human pathogen. The emergence of E. coli with multiple-antibiotic-resistant phenotypes has become a serious health concern. This study reports the whole-genome sequences of third-generation cephalosporin-resistant (3GC-R) and multidrug-resistant (MDR) E. coli EC6868 and explores the acquired antibiotic-resistance genes (ARGs) as well as their genetic contexts. Methods: E. coli EC6868 was isolated from a vaginal secretion sample of a pregnant patient in China. The antimicrobial susceptibility was assessed, and whole-genome sequencing was conducted. The acquired ARGs, insertion sequence (IS) elements, and integrons within the genome of E. coli EC6868 were identified, and the genetic contexts associated with the ARGs were analyzed systematically. Results: E. coli EC6868 was determined to belong to ST69 and harbored a 144.9-kb IncF plasmid (pEC6868-1) with three replicons (Col156, IncFIBAP001918, and IncFII). The ESBL gene blaCTX-M-27 was located on the structure "∆ISEcp1-blaCTX-M-27-IS903B", which was widely present in the species of Enterobacteriales. Other ARGs carried by plasmid pEC6868-1 were mainly located on the 18.9-kb IS26-composite transposon (five copies of intact IS26 and one copy of truncated IS26) composing of IS26-mphA-mrx(A)-mphR(A)-IS6100, ∆TnAs3-eamA-tet(A)-tetR(A)-aph(6)-Id-aph(3")-Ib-sul2-IS26, and a class 1 integron, which was widely present on IncF plasmids of E. coli, mainly distributed in ST131, ST38, and ST405. Notably, pEC6868 in our study was the first report on a plasmid harboring the 18.9-kb structure in E. coli ST69 in China. Conclusion: The 3GC-R E. coli ST69 strain with an MDR IncF plasmid carrying blaCTX-M-27 and other ARGs, conferring resistance to aminoglycosides, macrolides, sulfonamides, tetracycline, and trimethoprim, was identified in a hospital in China. Mobile genetic elements including ISEcp1, IS903B, IS26, Tn3, IS6100 and class 1 integron were found within the MDR region, which could play important roles in the global dissemination of these resistance genes.

Adaptive Clustering for Point Cloud.

The point cloud segmentation method plays an important role in practical applications, such as remote sensing, mobile robots, and 3D modeling. However, there are still some limitations to the current point cloud data segmentation method when applied to large-scale scenes. Therefore, this paper proposes an adaptive clustering segmentation method. In this method, the threshold for clustering points within the point cloud is calculated using the characteristic parameters of adjacent points. After completing the preliminary segmentation of the point cloud, the segmentation results are further refined according to the standard deviation of the cluster points. Then, the cluster points whose number does not meet the conditions are further segmented, and, finally, scene point cloud data segmentation is realized. To test the superiority of this method, this study was based on point cloud data from a park in Guilin, Guangxi, China. The experimental results showed that this method is more practical and efficient than other methods, and it can effectively segment all ground objects and ground point cloud data in a scene. Compared with other segmentation methods that are easily affected by parameters, this method has strong robustness. In order to verify the universality of the method proposed in this paper, we test a public data set provided by ISPRS. The method achieves good segmentation results for multiple sample data, and it can distinguish noise points in a scene.

VO2 memristor-based frequency converter with in-situ synthesize and mix for wireless internet-of-things.

Wireless internet-of-things (WIoT) with data acquisition sensors are evolving rapidly and the demand for transmission efficiency is growing rapidly. Frequency converter that synthesizes signals at different frequencies and mixes them with sensor datastreams is a key component for efficient wireless transmission. However, existing frequency converters employ separate synthesize and mix circuits with complex digital and analog circuits using complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS) devices, naturally incurring excessive latency and energy consumption. Here we report a highly uniform and calibratable VO2 memristor oscillator, based on which we build memristor-based frequency converter using 8[Formula: see text]8 VO2 array that can realize in-situ frequency synthesize and mix with help of compact periphery circuits. We investigate the self-oscillation based on negative differential resistance of VO2 memristors and the programmability with different driving currents and calibration resistances, demonstrating capabilities of such frequency converter for in-situ frequency synthesize and mix for 2 ~ 8 channels with frequencies up to 48 kHz for low frequency transmission link. When transmitting classical sensor data (acoustic, vision and spatial) in an end-to-end WIoT experimental setup, our VO2-based memristive frequency converter presents up to 1.45× ~ 1.94× power enhancement with only 0.02 ~ 0.21 dB performance degradations compared with conventional CMOS-based frequency converter. This work highlights the potential in solving frequency converter's speed and energy efficiency problems in WIoT using high crystalline quality epitaxially grown VO2 and calibratable VO2-based oscillator array, revealing a promising direction for next-generation WIoT system design.

Rotational stability of monofocal and diffractive multifocal toric intraocular lens with identical design and material: a propensity score based prospective comparative study.

PURPOSE: To compare the rotational stability of a monofocal and a diffractive multifocal toric intraocular lens(IOLs) with identical design and material. METHODS: This prospective study enrolled patients who underwent plate-haptic toric IOL (AT TORBI 709 M and AT LISA 909 M) implantation. Propensity score matching (PSM) was performed to balance baseline factors. Follow-up examinations were conducted at 1 h, 1 day, 3 days, 1 week, 2 weeks, 1 month, and 3 months postoperatively. A linear mixed model of repeated measures was used to investigate the changes in IOL rotation over time. A 2-week timeframe was utilized to assess differences in IOL rotation between the two groups. RESULT: After PSM, a total of 126 eyes were selected from each group for further analysis. Postoperatively, the time course of IOL rotation change in the two groups remained consistent, with the greatest rotation occurring between 1 h and 1 day postoperatively. At the 2-week postoperative mark, the monofocal toric IOL exhibited a higher degree of rotation compared to the multifocal toric IOL (5.40 ± 7.77° vs. 3.53 ± 3.54°, P = 0.015). In lens thickness(LT) ≥ 4.5 mm and white-to-white distance(WTW) ≥ 11.6 mm subgroups, the monofocal toric IOL rotated greater than the multifocal toric IOL (P = 0.026 and P = 0.011, respectively). CONCLUSION: The diffractive multifocal toric IOL exhibits superior rotational stability compared to the monofocal toric IOL, especially in subgroups LT ≥ 4.5 mm and WTW ≥ 11.6 mm. Moreover, the time course of IOL rotation change is consistent for both, with the maximum rotation occurring between 1 h and 1 day postoperatively.

Reduction of ETV1 is Identified as a Prominent Feature of Age-Related Cataract.

PURPOSE: To identify the inactive genes in cataract lenses and explore their function in lens epithelial cells (LECs). METHODS: Lens epithelium samples obtained from both age-related cataract (ARC) patients and normal donors were subjected to two forms of histone H3 immunoprecipitation: H3K9ac and H3K27me3 chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP), followed by ChIP-seq. The intersection set of "active genes in normal controls" and "repressed genes in cataract lenses" was identified. To validate the role of a specific gene, ETV1, within this set, quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR), western blot, and immunofluorescence were performed using clinical lens epithelium samples. Small interference RNA (siRNA) was utilized to reduce the mRNA level of ETV1 in cultured LECs. Following this, transwell assay and western blot was performed to examine the migration ability of the cells. Furthermore, RNA-seq analysis was conducted on both cell samples with ETV1 knockdown and control cells. Additionally, the expression level of ETV1 in LECs was examined using qPCR under H2O2 treatment. RESULTS: Six genes were identified in the intersection set of "active genes in normal controls" and "repressed genes in ARC lenses". Among these genes, ETV1 showed the most significant fold-change decrease in the cataract samples compared to the control samples. After ETV1 knockdown by siRNA in cultured LECs, reduced cell migration was observed, along with a decrease in the expression of ß-Catenin and Vimentin, two specific genes associated with cell migration. In addition, under the oxidative stress induced by H2O2 treatment, the expression level of ETV1 in LECs significantly decreased. CONCLUSIONS: Based on the findings of this study, it can be concluded that ETV1 is significantly reduced in human ARC lenses. The repression of ETV1 in ARC lenses appears to contribute to the disrupted differentiation of lens epithelium, which is likely caused by the inhibition of both cell differentiation and migration processes.

The chromosome-scale genome of Magnolia sinica (Magnoliaceae) provides insights into the conservation of plant species with extremely small populations (PSESP).

Magnolia sinica (Magnoliaceae) is a highly threatened tree endemic to southeast Yunnan, China. In this study, we generated for the first time a high-quality chromosome-scale genome sequence from M. sinica, by combining Illumina and ONT data with Hi-C scaffolding methods. The final assembled genome size of M. sinica was 1.84 Gb, with a contig N50 of ca. 45 Mb and scaffold N50 of 92 Mb. Identified repeats constituted approximately 57% of the genome, and 43,473 protein-coding genes were predicted. Phylogenetic analysis shows that the magnolias form a sister clade with the eudicots and the order Ceratophyllales, while the monocots are sister to the other core angiosperms. In our study, a total of 21 individuals from the 5 remnant populations of M. sinica, as well as 22 specimens belonging to 8 related Magnoliaceae species, were resequenced. The results showed that M. sinica had higher genetic diversity (θw = 0.01126 and θπ = 0.01158) than other related species in the Magnoliaceae. However, population structure analysis suggested that the genetic differentiation among the 5 M. sinica populations was very low. Analyses of the demographic history of the species using different models consistently revealed that 2 bottleneck events occurred. The contemporary effective population size of M. sinica was estimated to be 10.9. The different patterns of genetic loads (inbreeding and numbers of deleterious mutations) suggested constructive strategies for the conservation of these 5 different populations of M. sinica. Overall, this high-quality genome will be a valuable genomic resource for conservation of M. sinica.

The efficacy and safety of ultrasonic bone scalpel for removing retrovertebral osteophytes in anterior cervical discectomy and fusion: A retrospective study.

In this study, we present a novel surgical method that utilizes the ultrasonic bone scalpel (UBS) for the removal of large retrovertebral osteophytes in anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF) and evaluate its safety and efficacy in comparison to the traditional approach of using high-speed drill (HSD). A total of 56 patients who underwent ACDF for retrovertebral osteophytes were selected. We recorded patients' baseline information, operation time, intraoperative blood loss, complications, JOA and VAS scores, and other relevant data. The mean operation time and the mean intraoperative blood loss in the UBS group were less than those in the HSD group (P < 0.05). Although both groups exhibited considerable improvements in JOA and VAS scores following surgery, there was no statistically significant difference between the two groups (P > 0.05). Additionally, no significant disparities were found in bone graft fusion between the two groups at 6- and 12-months postsurgery. Notably, neither group exhibited complications such as dura tear or spinal cord injury. Our study found that the use of UBS reduced operative time, minimized surgical bleeding, and led to clinical outcomes comparable to HSD in ACDF. This technique offers an effective and safe method of removing large retrovertebral osteophytes.

Sweet taste receptors play roles in artificial sweetener-induced enhanced urine output in mice.

Sweet taste receptors found in oral and extra oral tissues play important roles in the regulation of many physiological functions. Studies have shown that urine volume increases during the lifetime exposure to artificial sweeteners. However, the detailed molecular mechanism and the general effects of different artificial sweeteners exposure on urine volume remain unclear. In this study, we investigated the relationship between urinary excretion and the sweet taste receptor expression in mice after three artificial sweeteners exposure in a higher or lower concentration via animal behavioral studies, western blotting, and real-time quantitative PCR experiment in rodent model. Our results showed that high dose of acesulfame potassium and saccharin can significantly enhance the urine output and there was a positive correlation between K+ and urination volume. The acesulfame potassium administration assay of T1R3 knockout mice showed that artificial sweeteners may affect the urine output directly through the sweet taste signaling pathway. The expression of T1R3 encoding gene can be up-regulated specifically in bladder but not in kidney or other organs we tested. Through our study, the sweet taste receptors, distributing in many tissues as bladder, were indicated to function in the enhanced urine output. Different effects of long-term exposure to the three artificial sweeteners were shown and acesulfame potassium increased urine output even at a very low concentration.

Microascaceae from the Marine Environment, with Descriptions of Six New Species.

Most reported members of Microascaceae that have been reported originate from the terrestrial environment, where they act as saprobes or plant pathogens. However, our understanding of their species diversity and distribution in the marine environment remains vastly limited, with only 22 species in nine genera having been reported so far. A survey of the fungal diversity in intertidal areas of China's mainland has revealed the discovery of several Microascaceae strains from 14 marine algae and 15 sediment samples. Based on morphological characteristics and LSU-ITS-tef1-tub2 multilocus phylogeny using Bayesian inference and maximum likelihood methods, 48 strains were identified as 18 species belonging to six genera. Among these, six new species were discovered: Gamsia sedimenticola, Microascus algicola, M. gennadii, Scedosporium ellipsosporium, S. shenzhenensis, and S. sphaerospermum. Additionally, the worldwide distribution of the species within this family across various marine habitats was briefly reviewed and discussed. Our study expands the knowledge of species diversity and distribution of Microascaceae in the marine environment.

Distinct patterns of cytokines, chemokines, and growth factors in synovial fluid after ACL injury in comparison to osteoarthritis.

This study analyzed knee synovial fluid after anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tear and in osteoarthritis (OA) to test the hypotheses that concentrations of cytokines, chemokines, and growth factors differ (a) by diagnosis and (b) after ACL tear by time from injury and presence/absence of concomitant meniscus tear. Synovial fluid samples were collected from two groups, ACL tears (with or without meniscus tear) (N = 13) and Kellgren-Lawrence grade 3 and 4 OA (N = 16), undergoing clinically indicated aspiration of the knee joint. Multiple cytokines, chemokines, and growth factors were assessed using a multiplexed 45-protein panel. Comparisons were made for the concentrations of all molecules between ACL tear and OA patients, isolated versus combined ACL and meniscus tears, and categorized by time from injury: acute or early subacute (<15 days, N = 8) versus late subacute or chronic (>15 days and <3 months, N = 5). ACL tear patients have higher levels of six molecules (IL-4, IL-5, IL-13, PlGF-1, bNGF, TNF-α) in knee synovial fluid compared to OA patients. Isolated ACL tears express higher levels of IL-4, IL-13 and IFN-γ and lower levels of IL-7 than ACL tears with a concomitant meniscus tear. SDF-1α, PlGF-1, IL-1RA, HGF, bNGF, and BDNF levels are elevated immediately after injury and drop off significantly in the late subacute phase (after 15 days). Synovial fluid from knees with ACL tears have elevated metabolic activity compared to knees with OA. The cytokine profiles after ACL tears are influenced by the time from injury and the presence of meniscus tears. These findings offer valuable insights into the levels of cytokines, chemokines, and growth factors in the knee after ACL injury, information which may have important implications for the diagnosis, prognosis and treatment of this common pathology.

Modulating excited state properties of thermally activated delayed fluorescence molecules by hybrid long-range and short-range charge transfer strategy.

Balancing the rapid radiative decay process and the fast reverse intersystem crossing (RISC) process of thermally activated delayed fluorescence (TADF) molecule remains a great challenge and efficient molecular design strategies are highly desired. Herein, from a theoretical perspective, excited state properties of three reported TADF molecules (1TICz, 1BOICz and 2BOICz) are investigated based on density functional theory (DFT) and time-dependent density functional theory (TD-DFT) calculations coupled with the thermal vibration correlation function (TVCF) method. Results indicate that, by introducing the multi-resonance (MR) acceptor, 1BOICz possesses hybrid long-range and short-range charge transfer features, balanced small energy gap (ΔEST) and large oscillator strength (f) is obtained. Furthermore, by incorporating double equivalent MR acceptors in 2BOICz, largely enhanced f with slightly changed ΔEST is achieved, inner mechanism for remarkable photophysical property is illustrated. Keep this strategy, seven new TADF molecules (2pDBA-bICz-1, 2pDBA-bICz-2, 2OSBA-bICz, 2DQAO-bICz, 2QAO-bICz, 2SQAO-bICz and 2OQAO-bICz) are theoretically designed, detailed physical parameters are analyzed and excited state energy consumption process is studied. Strong electrophilicity on acceptor is determined and the strength of nucleophilic sites on the bridge-phenyl of 2DQAO-bICz, 2QAO-bICz, 2SQAO-bICz and 2OQAO-bICz is increased, this promotes the short-range charge transfer property. In addition, the excitation processes for all studied molecules are dominated by long-range charge transfer from donor to acceptors, and supplemented by the short-range charge transfer on the bridge-phenyl with MR effect. Compromise energy gap and oscillator strength as well as large spin orbit coupling (SOC) constant are obtained for designed molecules. Thus, by regulating the long-range and short-range charge transfer ratios, excited state properties are successfully modulated and new efficient TADF molecules are proposed. Our research aims to provide deeper insight into long-range and short-range charge transfer features in balancing small ΔEST and large f, which could facilitate the development of novel efficient TADF molecules.

Protective effect of N-(E)-p-coumaroyltyrosine on LPS-induced acute inflammatory injury and signaling pathway analysis.

N-trans-p-coumaroyltyrosine (N-(E)-p-coumaroyltyrosine, NPCT), extracted and purified from Abri Mollis Herba, is an amino acid amide. The defense mechanism of NPCT against inflammatory response is still unknown. In this study, lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced zebrafish acute inflammatory injury model was established to observe the inhibitory effect of NPCT on the aggregation of inflammatory cells in the yolk sac of zebrafish, as well as the inhibitory effect of NPCT on inflammatory and gas signaling factors. Results show that NPCT could inhibit inflammatory cell infiltration in zebrafish yolk sac, the migration and aggregation of macrophages and neutrophils to the site of inflammation, and the release of Nitric Oxide (NO) and Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) in zebrafish, indicating that NPCT could substantially significantly prevent the development of LPS-induced acute systemic inflammation. In addition, the analysis results of RNA-seq showed that in the model group versus the administered group, the differentially expressed genes were mainly enriched to inflammatory signaling pathways, such as the NOD-like receptor signaling pathway and Toll-like receptor signaling pathway, which were down-regulated in the administered group. The TLR4, MyD88, IRAK4, NF-κB, IκB, NLRP3, Caspase-1, ASC, IL-1ß, and IL-6 genes were significantly different in the transcripts, and the overall trend of the qPCR results was consistent with the transcriptome sequencing results. Therefore, NPCT had a significant inhibitory effect on LPS-induced acute inflammatory injury in zebrafish, and its anti-inflammatory mechanism may be through the regulation of key genes on the NOD-like receptor signaling pathway and Toll-like receptor signaling pathway, thereby affecting the release of relevant inflammatory cytokines.