Linewidth compression of a single longitudinal mode ytterbium-doped fiber laser based on femtosecond laser fabricated fiber Bragg gratings.

We demonstrate a single longitudinal mode distributed Bragg reflection (DBR) fiber laser by directly fabricating fiber Bragg gratings (FBGs) on an ytterbium-doped fiber (YDF) using a femtosecond laser. A simple optical self-injection feedback method was used to effectively compress the linewidth and reduce relative intensity noise (RIN) of a single longitudinal mode DBR fiber laser. Further, we investigated the effect of self-injection feedback cavity length and reflectivity on linewidth compression and determined that the linewidth tends to decrease with the increase of the external cavity photon lifetime. By a self-injection feedback, the laser linewidth was compressed from 31.8 kHz to 1.4 kHz. Meanwhile, the relaxation oscillation peak from -103.2d B/H z at 1.51 MHz was suppressed to -122.3d B/H z at 0.16 MHz. This low-noise narrow linewidth single longitudinal mode fiber laser is expected to be a promising candidate for applications such as active detection of neutral atmosphere and distributed fiber sensing.

Exceptional Stability against Water, UV Light, and Heat for CsPbBr3@Pb-MOF Composites.

All-inorganic lead halide perovskite nanocrystals (NCs) have been widely applied in optoelectronic devices owing to their excellent photoluminescence (PL) properties. However, poor stability upon exposure to water, UV light or heat strongly limits their practical application. Herein, CsPbBr3@Pb-MOF composites with exceptional stability against water, UV light, and heat are synthesized by ultrasonic processing the precursors of lead-based MOF (Pb-MOF), oleylammonium bromide (OAmBr) and cesium oleate (Cs-OA) solutions at room temperature. Pb-MOF can not only provide the lead source for the in situ growth of CsPbBr3 NCs, but also the protective layer of perovskites NCs. The formed CsPbBr3@Pb-MOF composites show a considerable PL quantum yield (PLQY) of 67.8%, and can maintain 90% of the initial PL intensity when immersed in water for 2 months. In addition, the outstanding PL stability against UV light and heat is demonstrated with CsPbBr3 NCs synthesized by the conventional method as a comparison. Finally, a green (light-emitting diode) LED is fabricated using green-emitting CsPbBr3@Pb-MOF composites and exhibits excellent stability without packaging when immersed in water for 30 days. This study provides a practical approach to improve the stability in aqueous phase, which may pave the way for future applications for various optoelectronic devices.

Characterizing amyloid protein conformation with a multi-resonant metasurface based biosensor in the infrared window.

Misfolding of amyloid protein will cause neurodegeneration and trigger conformational disease. The lack of an effective detection approach is a brake on unveiling the mechanism of protein misfolding. We theoretically proposed a novel metasurface-based biosensor for characterizing the protein's conformation. The coupling complementary split ring resonator (cSRR) was engineered to manipulate incident waves in the near-infrared (NIR) and mid-infrared (MIR) windows at the same sensing surface. The cSRRs had the advantages of intensifying the electric field and sharpening the resonance profile, resulting in a highly qualified biosensing performance. In the NIR window, the biolayer's refractive index and thickness change were detected by the dual-wavelength, which resolved into an optogeometrical parameter of the amyloid biolayer. In the MIR window, the resonant wave specifically triggered the rotation-vibration transition of amyloid protein molecules with different conformations, which was shown as the unique Amide I and II bands in the fingerprint spectrum. Thus, our proposed biosensor presented sensitive detection of biolayer and specific identification of constituent molecules. It is helpful to interpret the protein's misfolding behavior on the molecular level by associating the biolayer's structure and the constituent molecule's conformational change.

Underwater dynamic polarization imaging without dependence on the background region.

Active-polarization imaging holds significant promise for achieving clear underwater vision. However, only static targets were considered in previous studies, and a background region was required for image restoration. To address these issues, this study proposes an underwater dynamic polarization imaging method based on image pyramid decomposition and reconstruction. During the decomposition process, the polarized image is downsampled to generate an image pyramid. Subsequently, the spatial distribution of the polarization characteristics of the backscattered light is reconstructed by upsampling, which recovered the clear scene. The proposed method avoids dependence on the background region and is suitable for moving targets with varying polarization properties. The experimental results demonstrate effective elimination of backscattered light while sufficiently preserving the target details. In particular, for dynamic targets, processing times that fulfill practical requirements and yield superior recovery effects are simultaneously obtained.

Sub-diffraction limited nanogroove fabrication of 30 nm features on diamond films using 800 nm femtosecond laser irradiation.

By controlling the 800 nm fs laser energy and applying an isopropyl alcohol environment, controlled sub-diffraction limited lithography with a characteristic structure of approximately 30 nm was achieved on the surface of diamond films, and diamond gratings with a period of 200 nm were fabricated. The fabrication of single grooves with a feature size of 30 nm demonstrates the potential for patterning periodic or nonperiodic structures, and the fabrication of 200 nm periodic grating structures demonstrates the ability of the technique to withstand laser proximity effects. This enhances the technology of diamond film nanofabrication and broadens its potential applications in areas such as optoelectronics and biology.

Energy transfer enhanced photoluminescence of 2D/3D CsPbBr3 hybrid assemblies.

Energy transfer has been proven to be an effective method to optimize optoelectronic conversion efficiency by improving light absorption and mitigating nonradiative losses. We prepared 2D/3D CsPbBr3 hybrid assemblies at different reaction temperatures using the hot injection method and found that the photoluminescence quantum yields (PLQYs) of these hybrids were greatly enhanced from 53.4% to 72.57% compared with 3D nanocrystals (NCs). Femtosecond transient absorption measurements were used to study the PLQY enhancement mechanisms, and it was found that the hot carrier lifetime improved from 0.36 to 1.88 ps for 2D/3D CsPbBr3 hybrid assemblies owing to the energy transfer from 2D nanoplates to 3D NCs. The energy transfer benefits the excited carrier accumulation and prolonged hot carrier lifetime in 3D NCs in hybrid assemblies, as well as PLQY enhancement in materials.

A novel twin-grasper assisted mucosal inverted closure technique for closing large artificial gastric mucosal defects.

BACKGROUND: Large artificial gastric mucosal defects are always left unclosed for natural healing due to technique difficulties in closure. This study aims to evaluate the feasibility and safety of a new Twin-grasper Assisted Mucosal Inverted Closure (TAMIC) technique in closing large artificial gastric mucosal defects. METHODS: Endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) was performed in fifteen pigs to create large gastric mucosal defects. The mucosal defects were then either left unclosed or closed with metallic clips using TAMIC technique. Successful closure rate and the wound outcomes were assessed. RESULTS: Two mucosal defects with size of about 4.0 cm were left unclosed and healed two months after surgery. Thirteen large gastric mucosal defects were created by ESD with a medium size of 5.9 cm and were successfully closed with the TAMIC technique (100%), even in a mucosal defect with a width up to 8.5 cm. The mean closure time was 59.0 min. Wounds in eight stomachs remained completely closed 1 week after surgery (61.5%), while closure in the other five stomachs had partial wound dehiscence (38.5%). Four weeks later, all the closed defects healed well and 61.5% of the wounds still remained completely closed during healing. There was no delayed perforation or bleeding after surgery. In addition, there was less granulation in the submucosal layer of the closed wound sites than those under natural healing. CONCLUSIONS: The present study suggests that TAMIC is feasible and safe in closing large artificial gastric mucosal defects and could improve mucosal recovery compared to natural healing process.

Development and Validation of Serum Markers as Noninvasive Diagnostic Methods for Achalasia.

INTRODUCTION: Currently, the diagnosis of achalasia mainly relies on invasive or radioactive examinations. This study aimed to develop a noninvasive diagnostic method for achalasia based on specific serum markers. METHODS: Serum levels of profilin-1, galectin-10, immunoglobulin heavy variable 3-9, vasodilator-stimulated phosphoprotein, and transgelin-2 were measured in patients with achalasia and controls by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The diagnostic values and thresholds were determined by the receiver operating characteristic curve analysis. Then, patients with dysphagia were prospectively enrolled to validate the ability of these molecules for achalasia diagnosing. RESULTS: A total of 142 patients with achalasia and 50 nonachalasia controls (healthy volunteers and patients with reflux esophagitis) were retrospectively included. The serum levels of profilin-1, galectin-10, and transgelin-2 in patients with achalasia were significantly higher than those in healthy volunteers and patients with reflux esophagitis ( P all < 0.001). Profilin-1, galectin-10, and transgelin-2 were of good performance in diagnosing achalasia, with optimal thresholds of 2,171.2, 33.9, and 1,630.6 pg/mL, respectively. Second, 40 patients with dysphagia were prospectively enrolled to the validation of achalasia. For profilin-1, the positive predictive value, negative predictive value, sensitivity, and specificity were 100.0%, 64.5%, 45.0%, and 100.0%, respectively. The figures for transgelin-2 were 65.5%, 90.9%, 95.0%, and 50.0%. When both increased, the positive predictive value reached to 100.0%. When both indexes were normal, the negative predictive value was 100.0%. DISCUSSION: Profilin-1 and transgelin-2 were promising biomarkers for achalasia diagnosis and performed better in combination. Further multicenter studies are necessary to verify their application as preliminary screening tools for achalasia.

Determination of the refractive-index change in the excited state based on transient absorption microscopy.

Photoinduced excited-state carriers can affect both the absorption coefficient and refractive index of materials and influence the performance of photoelectric devices. Femtosecond time-resolved pump-probe transient absorption (TA) spectroscopy is usually used to detect carrier dynamics and excited-state absorption coefficients; however, measurements of transient refractive-index change are still difficult. We propose a method for determining the excited-state refractive-index change using TA microscopy. In TA measurements, a Fabry-Pérot cavity formed by the front and back surfaces of the sample could lead to interference of the probe light. As the wavelength of standing waves in the Fabry-Pérot cavity is closely related to the refractive index, the carrier-induced excited-state refractive-index change was obtained by comparing the transmission probe spectra between the ground and excited states. The proposed method was used to study the dynamics of excited-state refractive-index change in a perovskite film.

Fabrication of a flexible stretchable hydrogel-based antenna using a femtosecond laser for miniaturization.

We demonstrated a new method of fabricating a stretchable antenna by injecting liquid metal (LM) into a femtosecond-laser-ablated embedded hydrogel microchannel, and realized miniaturization of a stretchable dipole antenna based on hydrogel substrate. Firstly, symmetrical microchannels with two equal and linear branches were formed by a femtosecond laser in the middle of a hydrogel substrate, and then were filled with LM by use of a syringe needle. Using this method, a stretchable LM-dipole antenna with each dimension of 24 mm × 0.6 mm × 0.2 mm separated by a 2-mm gap, was formed in the middle of a 70 mm × 12 mm × 7 mm hydrogel slab. Since the polyacrylamide (PAAm) hydrogel contained ∼ 95 wt % deionized water with a high permittivity of 79 in the 0.5 GHz - 1.5 GHz range, the hydrogel used to prepare the flexible antenna can be considered as distilled water boxes. Experiments and simulations showed that a 5-cm-long LM-dipole embedded in hydrogel resonated at approximately 927.5 MHz with an S11 value of about - 12.6 dB and omnidirectional radiation direction. Benefiting from the high permittivity of the hydrogel, the dipole length was downsized by about half compared with conventional polymer substrates at the same resonant frequency. By varying the applied strain from 0 to 48%, the resonant frequency of the hydrogel/LM dipole antenna can be tuned from 770.3 MHz to 927.0 MHz. This method provides a simple and scalable technique for the design and preparation of LM-pattern microstructures in hydrogels, and has potential applications in hydrogel-based soft electronic device.

Visualization of Hot Carrier Dynamics in a Single CsPbBr3 Perovskite Microplate Using Femtosecond Kerr-Gated Wide-Field Fluorescence Spectroscopy.

Lead halide perovskites (LHPs) have excellent semiconductor properties. They have been used in many applications such as solar cells. Recently, the hot carrier dynamics in this type of material have received much attention as they are useful for enhancing the performance of optoelectrical devices fabricated from it. Here, we study the ultrafast hot carrier dynamics of a single CsPbBr3 microplate using femtosecond Kerr-gated wide-field fluorescence spectroscopy. The transient photoluminescence spectra have been measured under a variety of excitation fluences. The temporal evolution of bandgap renormalization and the competition between hot carrier cooling and the recovery of the renormalized bandgap are clearly revealed.

High-efficiency dual-layer grating coupler for vertical fiber-chip coupling in two polarizations.

Efficient coupling between optical fibers and high-index-contrast silicon waveguides is essential for the development of integrated nanophotonics. Herein, a high-efficiency dual-layer grating coupler is demonstrated for vertical polarization-diversity fiber-chip coupling. The two waveguide layers are orthogonally distributed and designed for y- and x-polarized L P 01 fiber modes, respectively. Each layer consists of two 1D stacked gratings, allowing for both perfectly vertical coupling and high coupling directionality. The gratings are optimized using the particle swarm algorithm with a preset varying trend of parameters to thin out the optimization variables. The interlayer thickness is determined to ensure efficient coupling of both polarizations. The optimized results exhibit record highs of 92% (-0.38d B) and 85% (-0.72d B) 3D finite-difference time-domain simulation efficiencies for y and x polarizations, respectively. The polarization-dependent loss (PDL) is below 2 dB in a 160 nm spectral bandwidth with cross talk between the two polarizations less than -24d B. Fabrication imperfections are also investigated. Dimensional offsets of ±10n m in etching width and ±8 nm in lateral shift are tolerated for a 1 dB loss penalty. The proposed structure offers an ultimate solution for polarization diversity coupling schemes in silicon photonics with high directionality, low PDL, and a possibility to vertically couple.

Application of a fiber Bragg grating temperature sensing method based on support vector regression optimized by a genetic algorithm for the decreasing external ambient temperature case.

We studied the application of the fiber Bragg grating (FBG) temperature sensing method based on support vector regression optimized by a genetic algorithm (GA-SVR) for constant and decreasing external ambient temperature cases by simulation. The external ambient temperature could be retrieved from both the transient FBG wavelength and its corresponding change rate using GA-SVR, before the FBG temperature sensor reached the thermal equilibrium state with the external ambient temperature. FBG wavelengths and their corresponding change rates in the cases of FBG sensor temperatures higher and lower than the external ambient temperature were studied and used to construct the training data set. We found that there exist singularity points in the curves of the wavelength change rate when the FBG sensor temperature is higher than the external ambient temperature in some cases, which is different from the case where the FBG sensor temperature is lower than the external ambient temperature. Its application for sensing the constant and decreasing external ambient temperature in real time was demonstrated with an accuracy of 0.32°C in those two cases. It also indicates that for real applications of this temperature sensing method where the external ambient temperature varies randomly, the FBG sensor temperature changes rather than the external ambient temperature changes play the dominant role. What is more, the demodulation time was decreased to 0.002 s, which is approximately 0.05‱ of the time constant of the FBG temperature sensor. In other words, this method makes it possible to realize the external ambient temperature determination using a time smaller than the time constant of the FBG sensor. The high sensing accuracy and fast demodulation speed are crucial for future high-performance real-time FBG temperature sensing.

Two-component polymer sorting to obtain high-purity s-SWCNTs for all-carbon photodetectors.

The advancement of carbon-based electronics is reliant on the development of semiconducting carbon nanotubes with high purity and yield. We developed a new extraction strategy to efficiently sort SWCNTs with superior yields and purity. The approach uses two polymers, poly[N-(1-octylnonyl)-9H-carbazol-2,7-diyl](PCz) and poly(9,9-n-dihexyl-2,7-fluorene-alt-9-phenyl-3,6-carbazole)(PDFP), and two sonication processes to eliminate surface polymer contamination. PCz selectively wraps large-diameter s-SWCNTs, with PDFP added as an enhancing molecule to increase sorting efficiency at 4-fold compared to the efficiency of only PCz alone sorting. The purity of the sorted s-SWCNTs was confirmed to be above 99 % using absorption and Raman spectra. Field-effect transistors and photodetectors made from the sorted s-SWCNTs exhibited excellent semiconductor properties and broad-spectrum detection, with good long-term stability. Furthermore, a photodetector using large-tube diameter s-SWCNTs achieved broad-spectrum detection, which the photoresponsivity is 0.35 mA/W and the detectivity is 4.7×106 Jones. The s-SWCNTs/graphene heterojunction photodetector achieved a photoresponsivity of 3 mA/W and a detectivity of 6.3×106 Jones. This new strategy provides a promising approach to obtain high-purity and high-yield s-SWCNTs for carbon-based photodetectors.

Ultrafast Dynamics of Extraordinary Optical Transmission through Two-Slit Plasmonic Antenna.

We have theoretically investigated the spatial-temporal dynamics of extraordinary optical transmission (EOT) through a two-slit plasmonic antenna under femtosecond laser dual-beam irradiation. The dynamic interference of the crossed femtosecond laser dual-beam with the transiently excited surface plasmon polariton waves are proposed to characterize the particular spatial-temporal evolutions of EOT. It is revealed that the dynamic EOT can be flexibly switched with tunable symmetry through the respective slit of a two-slit plasmonic antenna by manipulating the phase correlation of the crossed femtosecond laser dual-beam. This is explained as tunable interference dynamics by phase control of surface plasmon polariton waves, allowing the dynamic modulation of EOT at optimized oblique incidences of dual-beams. Furthermore, we have obtained the unobserved traits of symmetry-broken transient spectra of EOT from the respective up- and down-slit of the antenna under crossed femtosecond laser dual-beam irradiation. This study can provide fundamental insights into the ultrafast dynamics of EOT in two-slit plasmonic antennas, which can be helpful to advance a wide range of applications, such as ultrafast plasmonic switch, ultrahigh resolution imaging, the transient amplification of non-linear effects, etc.

[Effects of catgut embedding and PGLA embedding at "Zusanli" (ST 36) on skin mast cells, substance P and histamine in healthy rats].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the effects of catgut embedding and polyglycolic acid/poly-lactic acid (PGLA) embedding at "Zusanli" (ST 36) on the activation of local skin mast cells (MC), and expression of substance P (SP) and histamine (HA), and to explore the mechanism of the temporal stimulation effect of acupoint catgut embedding and provide a foundation for further research on the initiation mechanism of acupoint catgut embedding. METHODS: One hundred and sixty male SPF-grade SD rats were randomly divided into a blank group (10 rats), a sham-embedding group (50 rats), a catgut group (50 rats), and a PGLA group (50 rats). Each intervention group was further randomly divided into five subgroups according to the time points after intervention: 8 hours, 3 days, 7 days, 14 days, and 21 days, with 10 rats in each subgroup. One-time sham-embedding, catgut embedding and PGLA embedding was given at left "Zusanli" (ST 36) in each intervention group, respectively. The skin and subcutaneous connective tissue of the left "Zusanli" (ST 36) were collected at the corresponding time points after intervention, except for the blank group (only one day before intervention). Toluidine blue staining was used to detect MC count and degranulation, and immunohistochemical staining was used to detect the expression of SP and HA positive cells. RESULTS: There was no significant difference in MC count between the subgroups of each intervention group and the blank group (P>0.05). There was no significant difference in MC count between the subgroups of the catgut group and the PGLA group (P>0.05). The MC count in the 8-hour subgroup of PGLA group was higher than that in the 8-hour subgroup of catgut group (P<0.05), while the MC count in the 21-day subgroup of PGLA group was lower than that in the 21-day subgroup of catgut group (P<0.05). Compared with the blank group, the degranulation rates of MC were increased in the 8-hour and 3-day subgroups of sham-embedding group, 8-hour, 3-day, and 7-day subgroups of catgut group, and 8-hour, 3-day, 7-day, and 14-day subgroups of PGLA group (P<0.01, P<0.05, P<0.001). There was no significant difference in the degranulation rate of MC between the subgroups of the catgut group and the PGLA group (P>0.05), and no significant difference in the degranulation rate of MC between the two embedding groups at the same time point (P>0.05). Compared with the blank group, the expression of SP positive cells was increased in the 8-hour subgroup of sham-embedding group, 8-hour, 3-day, 7-day, and 14-day subgroups of catgut group, and 3-day, 7-day, and 14-day subgroups of PGLA group (P<0.001, P<0.05). The expression of SP positive cells in the 7-day subgroup of catgut group was higher than that in the 8-hour subgroup of catgut group (P<0.05), while the expression of SP positive cells in the 14-day subgroup of catgut group was lower than that in the 7-day subgroup of catgut group (P<0.001). The expression of SP positive cells in the 7-day subgroup of PGLA group was higher than that in the 3-day subgroup of PGLA group (P<0.05), while the expression of SP positive cells in the 14-day subgroup of PGLA group was lower than that in the 7-day subgroup of PGLA group (P<0.01). There was no significant difference in the expression of SP positive cells between the subgroups of the two embedding groups at the same time point (P>0.05). Compared with the blank group, the expression of HA positive cells was increased in the 8-hour, 3-day subgroups of sham-embedding group, 8-hour, 3-day, 7-day, and 14-day subgroups of catgut group, and 8-hour, 3-day, 7-day, 14-day, and 21-day subgroups of PGLA group (P<0.001, P<0.01, P<0.05). The expression of HA positive cells in the 14-day subgroup of catgut group was lower than that in the 7-day subgroup of catgut group (P<0.05), while the expression of HA positive cells in the 3-day subgroup of PGLA group was higher than that in the 8-hour subgroup of PGLA group (P<0.05), and the expression of HA positive cells in the 14-day subgroup of PGLA group was lower than that in the 7-day subgroup of PGLA group (P<0.05). The expression of HA positive cells in the 3-day subgroup of PGLA group was higher than that in the 3-day subgroup of catgut group (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: Catgut and PGLA embedding at "Zusanli" (ST 36) in healthy rats could induce changes in local skin MC, SP, and HA, which may be one of the mechanisms of the temporal stimulation effect after acupoint embedding. There are certain differences between different suture materials. A moderate inflammatory response in the acupoint area, mediated by MC and involving SP and HA, may be one of the initiating factors for the effect of acupoint catgut embedding.

Ligand Engineering in Tin-Based Perovskite Solar Cells.

Perovskite solar cells (PSCs) have attracted aggressive attention in the photovoltaic field in light of the rapid increasing power conversion efficiency. However, their large-scale application and commercialization are limited by the toxicity issue of lead (Pb). Among all the lead-free perovskites, tin (Sn)-based perovskites have shown potential due to their low toxicity, ideal bandgap structure, high carrier mobility, and long hot carrier lifetime. Great progress of Sn-based PSCs has been realized in recent years, and the certified efficiency has now reached over 14%. Nevertheless, this record still falls far behind the theoretical calculations. This is likely due to the uncontrolled nucleation states and pronounced Sn (IV) vacancies. With insights into the methodologies resolving both issues, ligand engineering-assisted perovskite film fabrication dictates the state-of-the-art Sn-based PSCs. Herein, we summarize the role of ligand engineering during each state of film fabrication, ranging from the starting precursors to the ending fabricated bulks. The incorporation of ligands to suppress Sn2+ oxidation, passivate bulk defects, optimize crystal orientation, and improve stability is discussed, respectively. Finally, the remained challenges and perspectives toward advancing the performance of Sn-based PSCs are presented. We expect this review can draw a clear roadmap to facilitate Sn-based PSCs via ligand engineering.

[Effect of catgut implantation on macrophage CD68, tumor necrosis factor-α and interleukin-1ß in "Zusanli" (ST 36) region of rats].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the expression of local macrophages and related cytokines tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and interleukin-1ß (IL-1ß) after catgut implantation in "Zusanli"(ST 36) in rats, so as to explore its underlying mechanisms in inducing therapeutic effect. METHODS: A total of 110 male SD rats were randomly divided into blank control group (n=10), catgut embedding (CE) group (n=50), and sham CE group (n=50). The CE and sham CE groups were randomly divided into 8 h, 3 d, 7 d, 14 d and 21 d subgroups after the intervention (n=10 in each time point group). Rats of the CE group were uniformly subjected into catgut embedding at ST36 once, and those of the sham CE group received embedding needle puncture at ST36 without catgut retention, and the blank control group was only grasped and fixed without other treatments. Tissues from the ST36 area in each group were collected at the corresponding time points, and the expression of CD68 in macrophages in the acupoint area was detected by immunofluorescence, the contents of TNF-α and IL-1ß in the acupoint area were detected by ELISA. RESULTS: Following catgut embedment at ST36, the contents of TNF-α and IL-1ß, and macrophage CD68 expression level began to increase at 8 h, peaked at 3 d, and then gradually decreased at 7, 14, and 21 d, being still higher in the CE group than in the blank control group at 21 d (P<0.05). Compared with the blank control group, the contents of TNF-α and IL-1ß, and macrophage CD68 expression were significantly increased at 8 h, and 3, 7, 14 and 21 d in the CE group (P<0.05). Following sham CE at ST36, the content of TNF-α at 8 h and 3 d, IL-1ß at 8 h and 3, 7 and 14 d, and expression of CD68 at 8 h were significantly increased in comparison with the blank control group (P<0.05). Comparison between the CE and sham CE groups showed that the contents of IL-1ß at 3, 7, 14 and 21 d, and contents of TNF-α，CD68 expression at 8 h, and 3, 7, 14 and 21 d were significantly higher in the CE group than in the sham CE group (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: Catgut embedding at ST36 can induce an increase levels of inflammatory cytokines TNF-α, IL-1ß and macrophage CD68 in the local microenvironment in rats, which may contribute to its functions in initiating therapeutic effect.

The molecular pathogenesis of achalasia: a paired lower esophageal sphincter muscle and serum 4D label-free proteomic study.

Background: Achalasia is a primary esophageal motility disorder with potential molecular pathogenesis remaining uncertain. This study aimed to identify the differentially expressed proteins and potential pathways among achalasia subtypes and controls to further reveal the molecular pathogenesis of achalasia. Methods: Paired lower esophageal sphincter (LES) muscle and serum samples from 24 achalasia patients were collected. We also collected 10 normal serum samples from healthy controls and 10 normal LES muscle samples from esophageal cancer patients. The 4D label-free proteomic analysis was performed to identify the potential proteins and pathways involved in achalasia. Results: Analysis of Similarities showed distinct proteomic patterns of serum and muscle samples between achalasia patients and controls (both P < 0.05). Functional enrichment analysis suggested that these differentially expressed proteins were immunity-, infection-, inflammation-, and neurodegeneration-associated. The mfuzz analysis in LES specimens showed that proteins involved in the extracellular matrix-receptor interaction increased sequentially between the control group, type III, type II, and type I achalasia. Only 26 proteins altered in the same directions in serum and muscle samples. Conclusions: This first 4D label-free proteomic study of achalasia indicated that there were specific protein alterations in both the serum and muscle of achalasia, involving immunity, inflammation, infection, and neurodegeneration pathways. Distinct protein clusters between types I, II, and III revealed the potential molecular pathways associated with different disease stages. Analysis of proteins changed in both muscle and serum samples highlighted the importance of further studies on LES muscle and revealed potential autoantibodies.