Ultra-High Frequency Surface Acoustic Wave Sensors for Temperature Detection.

Highly sensitive surface acoustic wave (SAW) sensors have recently been recognized as a promising tool for various industrial and medical applications. However, existing SAW sensors generally suffer from a complex design, large size, and poor robustness. In this paper, we develop a simple and stable delay line ultra-high frequency (UHF) SAW sensor for highly sensitive detection of temperature. A Z-shaped delay line is specially designed on the piezoelectric substrate to improve the sensitivity and reduce the substrate size. Herein, the optimum design parameters of extremely short-pitch interdigital transducers (IDTs) are given by numerical simulations. The extremely short pitch gives the SAW sensor ultra-high operating frequency and consequently ultra-high sensitivity. Several experiments are conducted to demonstrate that the sensitivity of the Z-shaped SAW delay line sensor can reach up to 116.685°/°C for temperature detection. The results show that the sensor is an attractive alternative to current SAW sensing platforms in many applications.

Integrated Rayleigh wave streaming-enhanced sensitivity of shear horizontal surface acoustic wave biosensors.

Shear horizontal surface acoustic wave (SH-SAW) sensors are regarded as a promising alternative for label-free, sensitive, real time and low-cost detection. Nevertheless, achieving high sensitivity with SH-SAW has approached its limit imposed by the mass transport and probe-target affinity. We present here an SH-SAW biosensor accompanied by a unique Rayleigh wave-based actuator. The platform assembled on an ST-quartz substrate consists of dual-channel SH-SAW delay lines fabricated along a 90°-rotated direction, whilst another interdigital electrode (IDT) is orthogonally placed to generate Rayleigh waves so as to induce favourable streaming in the bio-chamber, enhancing the binding efficiency of the bio-target. Theoretical foundation and simulation have shown that Rayleigh acoustic streaming generates a level of agitation that accelerates the mass transport of the biomolecules to the surface. A fourfold improvement in sensitivity is achieved compared with conventional SH-SAW biosensors by means of complementary DNA hybridization with the aid of the Rayleigh wave device, giving a sensitivity level up to 6.15 Hz/(ng/mL) and a limit of detection of 0.617 ng/mL. This suggests that the proposed scheme could improve the sensitivity of SAW biosensors in real-time detection.

Scutellarin alleviates liver injury in type 2 diabetic mellitus by suppressing hepatocyte apoptosis in vitro and in vivo.

Objective: Scutellarin is a primary active composition come from Erigeron breviscapus. It is well known that scutellarin has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant physiological functions. In this study, we detected the effects of scutellarin on hepatocyte cell apoptosis in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) rats. Methods: Sprague Dawley (SD) (6-8 weeks, 160-180 g) rats were randomly divided into six groups: control, model, scutellarin low-dose, medium-dose, high-dose treatment, and rosiglitazone positive groups; with 10 SD rats in each group (n = 10). The changes of biochemical factors in serum were detected by automatic biochemical instrument, the pathological changes of liver tissue were detected by hematoxylin and eosin (HE) staining, the apoptosis of liver tissue and cells was detected by tissue staining and flow analyzer, and the expression of apoptosis-related factors were determined by qPCR, Western blot and immunohistochemistry in liver tissues or cells. Results: The results showed that scutellarin decreased the levels of fasting blood glucose, total cholesterol, triglyceride, and low-density lipoprotein and increased the levels of high-density lipoprotein. Meanwhile, scutellarin decreased the levels of alanine transaminase (ALT) and aspartate transaminase (AST) and improved liver function. In addition, scutellarin suppressed the secretion of interleukin-1 (IL-1), interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and reduced hepatocyte apoptosis. Furthermore, scutellarin inhibited the expression of cleaved Caspase-3, Bax, and cytochrome C (Cyt-C) and promoted the expression of Bcl-2. Conclusion: Scutellarin can inhibit the apoptotic pathway, thereby relieving T2DM.

Ribosomal dysregulation: A conserved pathophysiological mechanism in human depression and mouse chronic stress.

The underlying biological mechanisms that contribute to the heterogeneity of major depressive disorder (MDD) presentation remain poorly understood, highlighting the need for a conceptual framework that can explain this variability and bridge the gap between animal models and clinical endpoints. Here, we hypothesize that comparative analysis of molecular data from different experimental systems of chronic stress, and MDD has the potential to provide insight into these mechanisms and address this gap. Thus, we compared transcriptomic profiles of brain tissue from postmortem MDD subjects and from mice exposed to chronic variable stress (CVS) to identify orthologous genes. Ribosomal protein genes (RPGs) were down-regulated, and associated ribosomal protein (RP) pseudogenes were up-regulated in both conditions. A seeded gene co-expression analysis using altered RPGs common between the MDD and CVS groups revealed that down-regulated RPGs homeostatically regulated the synaptic changes in both groups through a RP-pseudogene-driven mechanism. In vitro analysis demonstrated that the RPG dysregulation was a glucocorticoid-driven endocrine response to stress. In silico analysis further demonstrated that the dysregulation was reversed during remission from MDD and selectively responded to ketamine but not to imipramine. This study provides the first evidence that ribosomal dysregulation during stress is a conserved phenotype in human MDD and chronic stress-exposed mouse. Our results establish a foundation for the hypothesis that stress-induced alterations in RPGs and, consequently, ribosomes contribute to the synaptic dysregulation underlying MDD and chronic stress-related mood disorders. We discuss the role of ribosomal heterogeneity in the variable presentations of depression and other mood disorders.

Dynamic cytological and transcriptomic analyses provide novel insights into the mechanisms of sex determination in Castanea henryi.

Castanea henryi is a monoecious woody food tree species whose yield and industrialization potential are limited by its low female-to-male flower ratio. Here, the male flowers on the male inflorescence of C. henryi were converted to female flowers by triple applications of exogenous cytokinin (CK) (N-(2-chloro-4-pyridyl)-N'-phenylurea, CPPU). To study the role of exogenous CK in flower sex determination, cytological and transcriptomic analyses were performed on samples from the five stages after CK treatment. Cytological analysis showed that stage 3 (nine days after the last CK treatment) was the critical stage in the differential development of the pistil primordium and stamen primordium. On this basis, one key module and two modules with significant positive correlations with stage 3 were identified by weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA), combined with transcriptome data. The CK and GA biosynthesis- and signaling-related genes, three transcription factor (TF) families, and 11 floral organ identity genes were identified in the related modules. In particular, the TFs WRKY47, ERF021, and MYB4, and floral organ identity genes AGL11/15, DEF, and SEP1 with large differences are considered to be critical regulators of sex determination in C. henryi. Based on these results, a genetic regulatory network for exogenous CK in the sex determination of flowers in C. henryi is proposed. This study contributes to the understanding of the role of CK in the sex regulation of flowers and provides new insights into the regulatory network of sex determination in C. henryi.

sTRBC1 and cyTRBC1 Expression Distinguishes Indolent T-Lymphoblastic Proliferations From T-Lymphoblastic Leukemia/Lymphoma.

Indolent T-lymphoblastic proliferation (iT-LBP) consists of a proliferation of non-neoplastic TdT + T cells in extrathymic tissues, requiring no treatment. However, due to overlapping clinical and histologic features, distinguishing iT-LBP from T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia/lymphoblastic lymphoma (T-ALL/LBL) can be challenging. Recently, flow cytometry-based evaluation of TRBC1 has been used to detect of T-cell clonality in TCRαß + mature T-cell lymphomas and aid in the differential diagnosis between T-ALL and normal thymocytes. We present a case of iT-LBP with high-grade serous ovarian carcinoma (HGSOC). To investigate the potential utility of TRBC1 expression in distinguishing iT-LBP from T-ALL/LBL, we assessed both surface (s) and cytoplasmic (cy) TRBC1 expression patterns on blast cells from the patient with iT-LBP and HGSOC as well as 11 patients diagnosed with T-ALL/LBL. The results revealed that sTRBC1 and cyTRBC1 exhibited polytypic expression patterns in patient with iT-LBP and HGSOC, while cyTRBC1 showed monotypic expression in those with T-ALL/LBL. This suggests that evaluation of sTRBC1 and cyTRBC1 expression can serve as a simple, rapid, and effective approach to differentiate between iT-LBP and T-ALL/LBL.

Relationship between multi-slice computed tomography features and pathological risk stratification assessment in gastric gastrointestinal stromal tumors.

BACKGROUND: Computed tomography (CT) imaging features are associated with risk stratification of gastric gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs). AIM: To determine the multi-slice CT imaging features for predicting risk stratification in patients with primary gastric GISTs. METHODS: The clinicopathological and CT imaging data for 147 patients with histologically confirmed primary gastric GISTs were retrospectively analyzed. All patients had received dynamic contrast-enhanced CT (CECT) followed by surgical resection. According to the modified National Institutes of Health criteria, 147 lesions were classified into the low malignant potential group (very low and low risk; 101 lesions) and high malignant potential group (medium and high-risk; 46 lesions). The association between malignant potential and CT characteristic features (including tumor location, size, growth pattern, contour, ulceration, cystic degeneration or necrosis, calcification within the tumor, lymphadenopathy, enhancement patterns, unenhanced CT and CECT attenuation value, and enhancement degree) was analyzed using univariate analysis. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed to identify significant predictors of high malignant potential. The receiver operating curve (ROC) was used to evaluate the predictive value of tumor size and the multinomial logistic regression model for risk classification. RESULTS: There were 46 patients with high malignant potential and 101 with low-malignant potential gastric GISTs. Univariate analysis showed no significant differences in age, gender, tumor location, calcification, unenhanced CT and CECT attenuation values, and enhancement degree between the two groups (P > 0.05). However, a significant difference was observed in tumor size (3.14 ± 0.94 vs 6.63 ± 3.26 cm, P < 0.001) between the low-grade and high-grade groups. The univariate analysis further revealed that CT imaging features, including tumor contours, lesion growth patterns, ulceration, cystic degeneration or necrosis, lymphadenopathy, and contrast enhancement patterns, were associated with risk stratification (P < 0.05). According to binary logistic regression analysis, tumor size [P < 0.001; odds ratio (OR) = 26.448; 95% confidence interval (CI): 4.854-144.099)], contours (P = 0.028; OR = 7.750; 95%CI: 1.253-47.955), and mixed growth pattern (P = 0.046; OR = 4.740; 95%CI: 1.029-21.828) were independent predictors for risk stratification of gastric GISTs. ROC curve analysis for the multinomial logistic regression model and tumor size to differentiate high-malignant potential from low-malignant potential GISTs achieved a maximum area under the curve of 0.919 (95%CI: 0.863-0.975) and 0.940 (95%CI: 0.893-0.986), respectively. The tumor size cutoff value between the low and high malignant potential groups was 4.05 cm, and the sensitivity and specificity were 93.5% and 84.2%, respectively. CONCLUSION: CT features, including tumor size, growth patterns, and lesion contours, were predictors of malignant potential for primary gastric GISTs.

A crystalline-amorphous interface engineering in Fe-doped NixP electrocatalyst for highly efficient oxygen evolution reaction.

OER (oxygen evolution reaction) is a critical reaction in several storage and conversion systems for renewable and clean electrochemical energies, including solar fuel devices, metal-air batteries, as well as regenerative fuel and water splitting cells. Regarding the shortcomings of OER, apart from the sluggish kinetics and high reaction overpotential, the reaction rate and overpotential are difficult to be optimized simultaneously. Herein, a novel hierarchical particle-sheet-structured Fe-doped NixP electrocatalyst is developed, which presents abundant interfaces between crystalline particle and amorphous sheet. The OER overpotential is reduced to 204 mV at 20 mA cm-2 current density, while it is reduced to 225 and 231 mV at 100 and 300 mA cm-2, respectively. The Fe-doped NixP electrocatalyst also shows fast reaction kinetics, whose Tafel slope is a remarkable 25 mV dec-1. For an electrolytic cell whose cathode and anode are Pt/C/NF and Fe-NixP/NF, respectively, a mere 1.446 V voltage is necessary to drive a 10 mA cm-2 current density for achieving overall water-splitting property. Notably, it also works stably at considerably high current densities of 500 and 1000 mA cm-2, representing high potential for commercial applications.

Carbon Nanotube-Reinforced Dual Carbon Stress-Buffering for Highly Stable Silicon Anode Material in Lithium-Ion Battery.

Silicon (Si) anode suffers from huge volume expansion which causes poor structural stability in terms of electrode material, solid electrolyte interface, and electrode, limiting its practical application in high-energy-density lithium-ion batteries. Rationally designing architectures to optimize the stress distribution of Si/carbon (Si/C) composites has been proven to be effective in enhancing their structural stability and cycling stability, but this remains a big challenge. Here, metal-organic frameworks (ZIF-67)-derived carbon nanotube-reinforced carbon framework is employed as an outer protective layer to encapsulate the inner carbon-coated Si nanoparticles (Si@C@CNTs), which features dual carbon stress-buffering to enhance the structural stability of Si/C composite and prolong their cycling lifetime. Finite element simulation proves the structural advantage of dual carbon stress-buffering through significantly relieving stress concentration when Si lithiation. The outer carbon framework also accelerates the charge transfer efficiency during charging/discharging by the improvement of lithium-ion diffusion and electron transport. As a result, the Si@C@CNTs electrode exhibits excellent long-term lifetime and good rate capability, showing a specific capacity of 680 mAh g-1 even at a high rate of 1 A g-1 after 1000 cycles. This work provides insight into the design of robust architectures for Si/C composites by stress optimization.

Eutherian-Specific Functions of BetaM Acquired through Atp1b4 Gene Co-Option in the Regulation of MyoD Expression.

Vertebrate ATP1B4 genes represent a rare instance of orthologous gene co-option, resulting in radically different functions of the encoded BetaM proteins. In lower vertebrates, BetaM is a Na, K-ATPase ß-subunit that is a component of ion pumps in the plasma membrane. In placental mammals, BetaM lost its ancestral role and, through structural alterations of the N-terminal domain, became a skeletal and cardiac muscle-specific protein of the inner nuclear membrane, highly expressed during late fetal and early postnatal development. We previously determined that BetaM directly interacts with the transcriptional co-regulator SKI-interacting protein (SKIP) and is implicated in the regulation of gene expression. This prompted us to investigate a potential role for BetaM in the regulation of muscle-specific gene expression in neonatal skeletal muscle and cultured C2C12 myoblasts. We found that BetaM can stimulate expression of the muscle regulatory factor (MRF), MyoD, independently of SKIP. BetaM binds to the distal regulatory region (DRR) of MyoD, promotes epigenetic changes associated with activation of transcription, and recruits the SWI/SNF chromatin remodeling subunit, BRG1. These results indicate that eutherian BetaM regulates muscle gene expression by promoting changes in chromatin structure. These evolutionarily acquired new functions of BetaM might be very essential and provide evolutionary advantages to placental mammals.

Comparative analysis of the transcriptome during single-seed formation of Castanea henryi: regulation of starch metabolism and endogenous hormones.

BACKGROUND: In seed plants, the ovule is the precursor to the seed. The process of ovule development and differentiation is regulated by multiple factors, including starch metabolism and endogenous hormones. Castanea henryi produces nuts with high nutritional value. However, the high proportion of empty buds restricts the commercial use of the tree. Previous studies have shown that the empty bud phenotype is closely related to ovule abortion. If none of the ovules in the ovary expand rapidly and develop in 7-8 weeks after pollination, an empty bud will form. Therefore, we studied the development and molecular mechanisms underlying single seed formation in C. henryi. RESULTS: We found that 49 days after pollination (DAP) is a critical period for the formation of fertile and abortive ovules. The morphology and starch distribution of the fertile and abortive ovules differed significantly at 49 DAP. The fertile ovules were smooth and round in appearance, with a large amount of starch. In contrast, abortive ovules were smaller with only a small amount of starch. The embryo sac of the abortive ovule proceeded to develop abnormally, and the entire ovule lacked starch. We identified 37 candidate genes involved in metabolism with potential roles in the regulation of starch levels. Three ADP-glucose pyrophosphorylase (AGPase) genes, one granule-bound starch synthase (GBSS) gene, and two beta-amylase genes could affect starch accumulation. The levels of auxin, cytokinins, gibberellins, and jasmonic acid in fertile ovules were higher than those in abortive ovules. In addition, the levels of endogenous abscisic acid and salicylic acid in abortive ovules were higher than those in fertile ovules of the same age, consistent with the expression patterns of genes related to the synthesis of abscisic and salicylic acid and signal transduction. We identified and mapped the differentially expressed genes associated with hormone synthesis and signal transduction. CONCLUSIONS: These results improve our general understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying single seed development in C. henryi and the phenomenon of empty buds, providing directions for future research.

Pseudopollen in Camellia oleifera and its implications for pollination ecology and taxonomy.

Background and aims: In 1997, Tsou described the special differentiation of the connective tissues of some species of Theaceae to produce single-celled powders with unique patterns called pseudopollen. The purpose of this study was to investigate the morphological structure of the pseudopollen of Camellia oleifera (Theaceae) and to study the morphology of pseudopollen in seven other Camellia species. Methods: Scanning electron microscopy, paraffin section, light microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, histochemistry. Key result: C. oleifera pseudopollen was similar to normal pollen in macroscopic morphology but different microscopically. The normal pollen was starch-rich and yellow, with mostly reticulate exine ornamentation. In contrast, the pseudopollen was a white powder, single-celled and rich in protein, with parallel unbranched ridge lines on the outer wall, and originated from the parenchyma of the connective tissues. There are also differences in the micro-characteristics of normal and pseudopollen among different species in Camellia. Conclusion: There are great differences in morphological structure between C. oleifera and other species in Camellia normal pollen and pseudopollen; these results may indicate that the pseudopollen can be used as a taxonomic basis for Camellia, and the macroscopic similarity between pseudopollen and pollen and histochemical characteristics of pseudopollen can be a pollination strategy.

Application of Microfluidics in Drug Development from Traditional Medicine.

While there are many clinical drugs for prophylaxis and treatment, the search for those with low or no risk of side effects for the control of infectious and non-infectious diseases is a dilemma that cannot be solved by today's traditional drug development strategies. The need for new drug development strategies is becoming increasingly important, and the development of new drugs from traditional medicines is the most promising strategy. Many valuable clinical drugs have been developed based on traditional medicine, including drugs with single active ingredients similar to modern drugs and those developed from improved formulations of traditional drugs. However, the problems of traditional isolation and purification and drug screening methods should be addressed for successful drug development from traditional medicine. Advances in microfluidics have not only contributed significantly to classical drug development but have also solved many of the thorny problems of new strategies for developing new drugs from traditional drugs. In this review, we provide an overview of advanced microfluidics and its applications in drug development (drug compound synthesis, drug screening, drug delivery, and drug carrier fabrication) with a focus on its applications in conventional medicine, including the separation and purification of target components in complex samples and screening of active ingredients of conventional drugs. We hope that our review gives better insight into the potential of traditional medicine and the critical role of microfluidics in the drug development process. In addition, the emergence of new ideas and applications will bring about further advances in the field of drug development.

Ultrasound Responsive Smart Implantable Hydrogels for Targeted Delivery of Drugs: Reviewing Current Practices.

Over the last two decades, the process of delivering therapeutic drugs to a patient with a controlled release profile has been a significant focus of drug delivery research. Scientists have given tremendous attention to ultrasound-responsive hydrogels for several decades. These smart nanosystems are more applicable than other stimuli-responsive drug delivery vehicles (ie UV-, pH- and thermal-, responsive materials) because they enable more efficient targeted treatment via relatively non-invasive means. Ultrasound (US) is capable of safely transporting energy through opaque and complex media with minimal loss of energy. It is capable of being localized to smaller regions and coupled to systems operating at various time scales. However, the properties enabling the US to propagate effectively in materials also make it very difficult to transform acoustic energy into other forms that may be used. Recent research from a variety of domains has attempted to deal with this issue, proving that ultrasonic effects can be used to control chemical and physical systems with remarkable specificity. By obviating the need for multiple intravenous injections, implantable US responsive hydrogel systems can enhance the quality of life for patients who undergo treatment with a varied dosage regimen. Ideally, the ease of self-dosing in these systems would lead to increased patient compliance with a particular therapy as well. However, excessive literature has been reported based on implanted US responsive hydrogel in various fields, but there is no comprehensive review article showing the strategies to control drug delivery profile. So, this review was aimed at discussing the current strategies for controlling and targeting drug delivery profiles using implantable hydrogel systems.

JAM-A facilitates hair follicle regeneration in alopecia areata through functioning as ceRNA to protect VCAN expression in dermal papilla cells.

The dermal papilla cells in hair follicles function as critical regulators of hair growth. In particular, alopecia areata (AA) is closely related to the malfunctioning of the human dermal papilla cells (hDPCs). Thus, identifying the regulatory mechanism of hDPCs is important in inducing hair follicle (HF) regeneration in AA patients. Recently, growing evidence has indicated that 3' untranslated regions (3' UTR) of key genes may participate in the regulatory circuitry underlying cell differentiation and diseases through a so-called competing endogenous mechanism, but none have been reported in HF regeneration. Here, we demonstrate that the 3' UTR of junctional adhesion molecule A (JAM-A) could act as an essential competing endogenous RNA to maintain hDPCs function and promote HF regeneration in AA. We showed that the 3' UTR of JAM-A shares many microRNA (miRNA) response elements, especially miR-221-3p, with versican (VCAN) mRNA, and JAM-A 3' UTR could directly modulate the miRNA-mediated suppression of VCAN in self-renewing hDPCs. Furthermore, upregulated VCAN can in turn promote the expression level of JAM-A. Overall, we propose that JAM-A 3' UTR forms a feedback loop with VCAN and miR-221-3p to regulate hDPC maintenance, proliferation, and differentiation, which may lead to developing new therapies for hair loss.