Comprehensive identification and systematical characterization of BRX gene family and the functional of GhBRXL5A in response to salt stress.

BACKGROUND: BRVIS RADIX (BRX) family is a small gene family with the highly conserved plant-specific BRX domains, which plays important roles in plant development and response to abiotic stress. Although BRX protein has been studied in other plants, the biological function of cotton BRX-like (BRXL) gene family is still elusive. RESULT: In this study, a total of 36 BRXL genes were identified in four cotton species. Whole genome or segmental duplications played the main role in the expansion of GhBRXL gene family during evolutionary process in cotton. These BRXL genes were clustered into 2 groups, α and ß, in which structural and functional conservation within same groups but divergence among different groups were found. Promoter analysis indicated that cis-elements were associated with the phytohormone regulatory networks and the response to abiotic stress. Transcriptomic analysis indicated that GhBRXL2A/2D and GhBRXL5A/5D were up/down-regulated in response to the different stress. Silencing of GhBRXL5A gene via virus-induced gene silencing (VIGS) improved salt tolerance in cotton plants. Furthermore, yeast two hybrid analysis suggested homotypic and heterotypic interactions between GhBRXL1A and GhBRXL5D. CONCLUSIONS: Overall, these results provide useful and valuable information for understanding the evolution of cotton GhBRXL genes and their functions in salt stress.

Facile Synthesis of Organic-Inorganic Hybrid Heterojunctions of Glycolated Conjugated Polymer-TiO2-X for Efficient Photocatalytic Hydrogen Evolution.

The utilization of the organic-inorganic hybrid photocatalysts for water splitting has gained significant attention due to their ability to combine the advantages of both materials and generate synergistic effects. However, they are still far from practical application due to the limited understanding of the interactions between these two components and the complexity of their preparation process. Herein, a facial approach by combining a glycolated conjugated polymer with a TiO2-X mesoporous sphere to prepare high-efficiency hybrid photocatalysts is presented. The functionalization of conjugated polymers with hydrophilic oligo (ethylene glycol) side chains can not only facilitate the dispersion of conjugated polymers in water but also promote the interaction with TiO2-X forming stable heterojunction nanoparticles. An apparent quantum yield of 53.3% at 365 nm and a hydrogen evolution rate of 35.7 mmol h-1 g-1 is achieved by the photocatalyst in the presence of Pt co-catalyst. Advanced photophysical studies based on femtosecond transient absorption spectroscopy and in situ, XPS analyses reveal the charge transfer mechanism at type II heterojunction interfaces. This work shows the promising prospect of glycolated polymers in the construction of hybrid heterojunctions for photocatalytic hydrogen production and offers a deep understanding of high photocatalytic performance by such heterojunction photocatalysts.

GhSBI1, a CUP-SHAPED COTYLEDON 2 homologue, modulates branch internode elongation in cotton.

Branch length is an important plant architecture trait in cotton (Gossypium) breeding. Development of cultivars with short branch has been proposed as a main object to enhance cotton yield potential, because they are suitable for high planting density. Here, we report the molecular cloning and characterization of a semi-dominant quantitative trait locus, Short Branch Internode 1(GhSBI1), which encodes a NAC transcription factor homologous to CUP-SHAPED COTYLEDON 2 (CUC2) and is regulated by microRNA ghr-miR164. We demonstrate that a point mutation found in sbi1 mutants perturbs ghr-miR164-directed regulation of GhSBI1, resulting in an increased expression level of GhSBI1. The sbi1 mutant was sensitive to exogenous gibberellic acid (GA) treatments. Overexpression of GhSBI1 inhibited branch internode elongation and led to the decreased levels of bioactive GAs. In addition, gene knockout analysis showed that GhSBI1 is required for the maintenance of the boundaries of multiple tissues in cotton. Transcriptome analysis revealed that overexpression of GhSBI1 affects the expression of plant hormone signalling-, axillary meristems initiation-, and abiotic stress response-related genes. GhSBI1 interacted with GAIs, the DELLA repressors of GA signalling. GhSBI1 represses expression of GA signalling- and cell elongation-related genes by directly targeting their promoters. Our work thus provides new insights into the molecular mechanisms for branch length and paves the way for the development of elite cultivars with suitable plant architecture in cotton.

A Genome-Wide Analysis of the CEP Gene Family in Cotton and a Functional Study of GhCEP46-D05 in Plant Development.

C-TERMINALLY ENCODED PEPTIDEs (CEPs) are a class of peptide hormones that have been shown in previous studies to play an important role in regulating the development and response to abiotic stress in model plants. However, their role in cotton is not well understood. In this study, we identified 54, 59, 34, and 35 CEP genes from Gossypium hirsutum (2n = 4x = 52, AD1), G. barbadense (AD2), G. arboreum (2n = 2X = 26, A2), and G. raimondii (2n = 2X = 26, D5), respectively. Sequence alignment and phylogenetic analyses indicate that cotton CEP proteins can be categorized into two subgroups based on the differentiation of their CEP domain. Chromosomal distribution and collinearity analyses show that most of the cotton CEP genes are situated in gene clusters, suggesting that segmental duplication may be a critical factor in CEP gene expansion. Expression pattern analyses showed that cotton CEP genes are widely expressed throughout the plant, with some genes exhibiting specific expression patterns. Ectopic expression of GhCEP46-D05 in Arabidopsis led to a significant reduction in both root length and seed size, resulting in a dwarf phenotype. Similarly, overexpression of GhCEP46-D05 in cotton resulted in reduced internode length and plant height. These findings provide a foundation for further investigation into the function of cotton CEP genes and their potential role in cotton breeding.

Genome-Wide Identification of Calmodulin-Binding Protein 60 Gene Family and the Function of GhCBP60B in Cotton Growth and Development and Abiotic Stress Response.

The calmodulin-binding protein 60 (CBP60) family is a gene family unique to plants, and its members play a crucial role in plant defense responses to pathogens and growth and development. Considering that cotton is the primary source of natural cotton textile fiber, the functional study of its CBP60 gene family members is critical. In this research, we successfully identified 162 CBP60 members from the genomes of 21 species. Of these, 72 members were found in four cotton species, divided into four clades. To understand the function of GhCBP60B in cotton in depth, we conducted a detailed analysis of its sequence, structure, cis-acting elements, and expression patterns. Research results show that GhCBP60B is located in the nucleus and plays a crucial role in cotton growth and development and response to salt and drought stress. After using VIGS (virus-induced gene silencing) technology to conduct gene silencing experiments, we found that the plants silenced by GhCBP60B showed dwarf plants and shortened stem nodes, and the expression of related immune genes also changed. In further abiotic stress treatment experiments, we found that GhCBP60B-silenced plants were more sensitive to drought and salt stress, and their POD (peroxidase) activity was also significantly reduced. These results imply the vital role of GhCBP60B in cotton, especially in regulating plant responses to drought and salt stress. This study systematically analyzed CBP60 gene family members through bioinformatics methods and explored in depth the biological function of GhCBP60B in cotton. These research results lay a solid foundation for the future use of the GhCBP60B gene to improve cotton plant type and its drought and salt resistance.

GhCKX14 responding to drought stress by modulating antioxi-dative enzyme activity in Gossypium hirsutum compared to CKX family genes.

BACKGROUND: Cytokinin oxidase/dehydrogenase (CKX) plays a vital role in response to abiotic stress through modulating the antioxidant enzyme activities. Nevertheless, the biological function of the CKX gene family has yet to be reported in cotton. RESULT: In this study, a total of 27 GhCKXs were identified by the genome-wide investigation and distributed across 18 chromosomes. Phylogenetic tree analysis revealed that CKX genes were clustered into four clades, and most gene expansions originated from segmental duplications. The CKXs gene structure and motif analysis displayed remarkably well conserved among the four groups. Moreover, the cis-acting elements related to the abiotic stress, hormones, and light response were identified within the promoter regions of GhCKXs. Transcriptome data and RT-qPCR showed that GhCKX genes demonstrated higher expression levels in various tissues and were involved in cotton's abiotic stress and phytohormone response. The protein-protein interaction network indicates that the CKX family probably participated in redox regulation, including oxidoreduction or ATP levels, to mediate plant growth and development. Functionally identified via virus-induced gene silencing (VIGS) found that the GhCKX14 gene improved drought resistance by modulating the antioxidant-related activitie. CONCLUSIONS: In this study, the CKX gene family members were analyzed by bioinformatics, and validates the response of GhCKX gene to various phytohormone treatment and abiotic stresses. Our findings established the foundation of GhCKXs in responding to abiotic stress and GhCKX14 in regulating drought resistance in cotton.

Comprehensive identification and functional characterization of GhpPLA gene family in reproductive organ development.

BACKGROUND: Phospholipases As (PLAs) are acyl hydrolases that catalyze the release of free fatty acids in phospholipids and play multiple functions in plant growth and development. The three families of PLAs are: PLA1, PLA2 (sPLA), and patatin-related PLA (pPLA). The diverse functions that pPLAs play in the growth and development of a broad range of plants have been demonstrated by prior studies. METHODS: Genome-wide analysis of the pPLA gene family and screening of genes for expression verification and gene silencing verification were conducted. Additionally, pollen vitality testing, analysis of the pollen expression pattern, and the detection of POD, SOD, CAT, MDA, and H2O2 were performed. RESULT: In this study, 294 pPLAs were identified from 13 plant species, including 46 GhpPLAs that were divided into three subfamilies (I-III). Expression patterns showed that the majority of GhpPLAs were preferentially expressed in the petal, pistil, anther, and ovule, among other reproductive organs. Particularly, GhpPLA23 and GhpPLA44, were found to be potentially important for the reproductive development of G. hirsutum. Functional validation was demonstrated by VIGS which showed that reduced expression levels of GhpPLA23 and GhpPLA44 in the silenced plants were associated with a decrease in pollen activity. Moreover, a substantial shift in ROS and ROS scavengers and a considerable increase in POD, CAT, SOD, and other physiological parameters was found out in these silenced plants. Our results provide plausibility to the hypothesis that GhpPLA23 and GhpPLA44 had a major developmental impact on cotton reproductive systems. These results also suggest that pPLAs are important for G. hirsutum's reproductive development and suggest that they could be employed as potential genes for haploid induction. CONCLUSIONS: The findings of the present research indicate that pPLA genes are essential for the development of floral organs and sperm cells in cotton. Consequently, this family might be important for the reproductive development of cotton and possibly for inducing the plant develop haploid progeny.

Improving Image Quality by Deconvolution Recovery Filter in Ultrasound Imaging.

Due to the advantages of non-radiation and real-time performance, ultrasound imaging is essential in medical imaging. Image quality is affected by the performance of the transducer in an ultrasound imaging system. For example, the bandwidth controls the pulse length, resulting in different axial resolutions. Therefore, a transducer with a large bandwidth helps to improve imaging quality. However, large bandwidths lead to increased system cost and sometimes a loss of sensitivity and lateral resolution in attenuating media. In this paper, a deconvolution recovery method combined with a frequency-domain filtering technique (DRF) is proposed to improve the imaging quality, especially for the axial resolution. In this method, the received low-bandwidth echo signals are converted into high-bandwidth signals, which is similar to the echo signals produced by a high-bandwidth transducer, and the imaging quality is improved. Simulation and experiment results show that, compared with Delay-and-sum (DAS) method, the DRF method improved axial resolution from 0.60 to 0.41 mm in simulation and from 0.62 to 0.47 mm in the tissue-mimicking phantom experiment. The contrast ratio performance is improved to some extent compared with the DAS in experimental and in-vivo images. Besides, the proposed method has the potential to further improve image quality by combining it with adaptive weightings, such as the minimum variance method.

Inter-Unit Consistency and Validity of 10-Hz GNSS Units in Straight-Line Sprint Running.

The present study aimed to investigate the inter-unit consistency and validity of multiple 10-Hz Catapult Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) units in measuring straight-line sprint distances and speeds. A total of 13 participants performed one 45.72-m linear sprint at maximum effort while wearing all eight GNSS units at once. Total run distance and peak speed recorded using GNSS units during the sprint duration were extracted for analysis. Sprint time and peak speed were also obtained from video recordings as reference values. Inter-unit consistency was assessed using intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC) and standard errors of measurements (SEM). For a validity test, one-sample t-tests were performed to compare each GNSS unit's distance with the known distance. Additionally, Wilcoxon signed-rank tests were performed to compare each unit's peak speed with the reference peak speed measured using video analysis. Results showed poor inter-unit consistency for both distance (ICC = 0.131; SEM = 8.8 m) and speed (ICC = 0.323; SEM 1.3 m/s) measurements. For validity, most units recorded a total distance (44.50 m to 52.69 m) greater than the known distance of 45.72 m and a lower peak speed (7.25 (0.51) m/s) than the video-based reference values (7.78 (0.90) m/s). The present findings demonstrate that there exist variations in distance and speed measurements among different units of the same GNSS system during straight-line sprint running. Practitioners should be aware of the window of errors associated with GNSS measurements and interpret the results with caution. When making comparisons over a season, players should wear the same unit every time if logistically possible.

Measuring Upper Limb Kinematics of Forehand and Backhand Topspin Drives with IMU Sensors in Wheelchair and Able-Bodied Table Tennis Players.

To better understand the biomechanics of para-table tennis players, this study compared the shoulder, elbow, and wrist joint kinematics among able-bodied (AB) and wheelchair players in different classifications. Nineteen participants (AB, n = 9; classification 1 (C1), n = 3; C2, n = 3; C3, n = 4) executed 10 forehand and backhand topspin drives. Shoulder abduction/adduction, elbow flexion/extension, wrist extension/flexion, respective range of motion (ROM), and joint patterns were obtained using inertial measurement unit (IMU) sensors. The results showed clear differences in upper limb kinematics between the able-bodied and wheelchair players, especially in the elbow and wrist. For the para-players, noticeable variations in techniques were also observed among the different disability classes. In conclusion, wheelchair players likely adopted distinct movement strategies compared to AB to compensate for their physical impairments and functional limitations. Hence, traditional table tennis programs targeting skills and techniques for able-bodied players are unsuitable for para-players. Future work can investigate how best to customize training programs and to optimize movement strategies for para-players with varied types and degrees of impairment.

Genome-wide identification and analyses of the AHL gene family in cotton (Gossypium).

BACKGROUND: Members of the AT-HOOK MOTIF CONTAINING NUCLEAR LOCALIZED (AHL) family are involved in various plant biological processes via protein-DNA and protein-protein interaction. However, no the systematic identification and analysis of AHL gene family have been reported in cotton. RESULTS: To investigate the potential functions of AHLs in cotton, genome-wide identification, expressions and structure analysis of the AHL gene family were performed in this study. 48, 51 and 99 AHL genes were identified from the G.raimondii, G.arboreum and G.hirsutum genome, respectively. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that the AHLs in cotton evolved into 2 clades, Clade-A with 4-5 introns and Clade-B with intronless (excluding AHL20-2). Based on the composition of the AT-hook motif(s) and PPC/DUF 296 domain, AHL proteins were classified into three types (Type-I/-II/-III), with Type-I AHLs forming Clade-B, and the other two types together diversifying in Clade-A. The detection of synteny and collinearity showed that the AHLs expanded with the specific WGD in cotton, and the sequence structure of AHL20-2 showed the tendency of increasing intron in three different Gossypium spp. The ratios of non-synonymous (Ka) and synonymous (Ks) substitution rates of orthologous gene pairs revealed that the AHL genes of G.hirsutum had undergone through various selection pressures, purifying selection mainly in A-subgenome and positive selection mainly in D-subgenome. Examination of their expression patterns showed most of AHLs of Clade-B expressed predominantly in stem, while those of Clade-A in ovules, suggesting that the AHLs within each clade shared similar expression patterns with each other. qRT-PCR analysis further confirmed that some GhAHLs higher expression in stems and ovules. CONCLUSION: In this study, 48, 51 and 99 AHL genes were identified from three cotton genomes respectively. AHLs in cotton were classified into two clades by phylogenetic relationship and three types based on the composition of motif and domain. The AHLs expanded with segmental duplication, not tandem duplication. The expression profiles of GhAHLs revealed abundant differences in expression levels in various tissues and at different stages of ovules development. Our study provided significant insights into the potential functions of AHLs in regulating the growth and development in cotton.

Reference Tree and Environmental Sequence Diversity of Labyrinthulomycetes.

Labyrinthulomycetes are heterotrophic stramenopiles that are ubiquitous in a wide range of both marine and freshwater habitats and play important roles in decomposition of organic matter. The diversity and taxonomy of Labyrinthulomycetes has been studied for many years, but we nevertheless lack both a comprehensive reference database and up-to-date phylogeny including all known diversity, which hinders many global insights into their ecological distribution and the relative importance of various subgroups in different environments. Here, we present a curated reference database and a phylogenetic tree of Labyrinthulomycetes small subunit ribosomal RNA (SSU or 18S rRNA) data. Based on this created reference database, we analyzed high-throughput environmental sequencing data, revealing many previously unknown environmental clades and exploring the ecological distribution of various subgroups. Particularly, a number of newly identified environmental clades that are widespread in the open ocean. Comparing the manually curated reference database to existing tools for identification of environmental sequences (e.g. PR2 or SILVA databases) suggests that the curated database provides a higher degree of specificity and a lower frequency of misidentification. The phylogenetic framework and database will be a useful tool for future ecological and evolutionary studies.

The phylogenetic position of Kofoidia loriculata (Parabasalia) and its implications for the evolution of the Cristamonadea.

Kofoidia loriculata is a parabasalid symbiont inhabiting the hindgut of the lower termite Paraneotermes simplicicornis. It was initially described as a lophomonad due to its apical tuft of multiple flagella that disintegrate during cell division, but its phylogenetic relationships have not been investigated using molecular evidence. From single cell isolations, we sequenced the small subunit rRNA gene and determined that K. loriculata falls within the Cristamonadea, but is unrelated to other lophomonads. This analysis further demonstrates the polyphyly of the lophomonads and the necessity to re-assess the morphological and cellular evolution of the Cristamonadea.

Fe doping enhanced Cr(VI) adsorption efficiency of cerium-based adsorbents: Adsorption behaviors and inner removal mechanisms.

Cerium-based adsorbents possessed unique advantages of valence variability and abundant oxygen vacancies in hexavalent chromium (Cr(VI)) adsorption, but high cost and unstable properties restricted their application in Cr(VI) contained wastewater treatment. Herein, a series of bimetallic adsorbents with different cerium/iron ratios (CeFe@C) were prepared by adding inexpensive Fe into Ce-based adsorbents (Ce@C), and the effect of Fe doping on adsorption properties of Ce@C for Cr(VI) was investigated thoroughly. Compared with pristine Ce@C, CeFe@C exhibited excellent removal performance for Cr(VI), and the improved maximum adsorption capacity reached 75.11 mg/g at 25℃. Benefiting from Fe doping, CeFe@C had good regeneration property, with only 25 % decrease after five adsorption-desorption cycles. Contents of trivalent cerium (Ce(III)) and oxygen vacancies (Ov) in bimetallic adsorbents were positively correlated with divalent iron (Fe(II)) doping, indicating that the formation of Ce(III) and surface defects on Ce@C could be effectively regulated by Fe doping. Density functional theory (DFT) calculation results further proved that the doped Fe enhanced the electron transfer effectively and lowered the energy barriers of Cr(VI) adsorption onto Ce@C surface, strengthening the reduction and complexation to Cr(VI). This study provides new insights for improving the Cr(VI) removal performance by modified Ce-based adsorbents, and further promotes the utilization potentiality of low-cost and low-toxicity Ce-based adsorbents in Cr(VI)-containing wastewater treatment.

Self-Assembled BiGaSeAs Composite Superlattice-Structured Nanowire for Broad-Band Photodetection.

Photodetectors with a broad-band response range are widely used in many fields and are regarded as pivotal components of the modern miniaturized electronics industry. However, commercial broad-band photodetectors composed of traditional bulk semiconductor materials are still limited by complex preparation techniques, high costs, and a lack of mechanical strength and flexibility, which are difficult to satisfy the increasing demand for flexible and wearable optoelectronics. Therefore, researchers have been devoted to finding new strategies to obtain flexible, stable, and high-performance broad-band photodetectors. In this work, a novel self-assembled BiGaSeAs composite superlattice-structured nanowire was developed with a simple chemical vapor deposition method for easy fabrication. After the device assembling, the photodetector showed outstanding performance in terms of obvious Ion/Ioff (13.9), broad-band photoresponse (365-940 nm), excellent responsivity (1007.67 A/W), high detectivity (9.38 × 109 Jones), and rapid response (21 and 23 ms). The formation of microheterojunctions among various materials inside the nanowires also contributed to their extended broad-spectrum response and outstanding detection ability. These results indicate that the BiGaSeAs nanowires have potential applications in the field of flexible and wearable electronics.

Immunoglobulin Superfamily Containing Leucine-Rich Repeat (ISLR) Serves as a Redox Sensor That Modulates Antioxidant Capacity by Suppressing Pyruvate Kinase Isozyme M2 Activity.

Cells defend against oxidative stress by enhancing antioxidant capacity, including stress-activated metabolic alterations, but the underlying intracellular signaling mechanisms remain unclear. This paper reports that immunoglobulin superfamily containing leucine-rich repeat (ISLR) functions as a redox sensor that responds to reactive oxygen species (ROS) stimulation and modulates the antioxidant capacity by suppressing pyruvate kinase isozyme M2 (PKM2) activity. Following oxidative stress, ISLR perceives ROS stimulation through its cysteine residue 19, and rapidly degrades in the autophagy-lysosome pathway. The downregulated ISLR enhances the antioxidant capacity by promoting the tetramerization of PKM2, and then enhancing the pyruvate kinase activity, PKM2-mediated glycolysis is crucial to the ISLR-mediated antioxidant capacity. In addition, our results demonstrated that, in triple-negative breast cancer, cisplatin treatment reduced the level of ISLR, and PKM2 inhibition sensitizes tumors to cisplatin by enhancing ROS production; and argued that PKM2 inhibition can synergize with cisplatin to limit tumor growth. Our results demonstrate a molecular mechanism by which cells respond to oxidative stress and modulate the redox balance.

Vertical Barrier Heterostructures for Reliable and High-Performance Self-Powered Infrared Detection.

With their fascinating properties, emerging two-dimensional (2D) materials offer innovative ways to prepare high-performance infrared (IR) detectors. However, the current performance of 2D IR photodetectors is still below the requirements for practical application owing to the severe interfacial recombination, sharply raised contact resistance, and deteriorated metal conductivity at nanoscale. Here, we introduce a vertical barrier heterojunction with a structure of PtSe2/GaAs that combines the excellent optoelectronic properties of transition metal sulfides with topological semi-metals, which allows for an adjustable bandgap and high carrier mobility. The heterojunction was fabricated using the wet transfer method. The heterostructures show significant rectification behaviors and photovoltaic effects, which allow it to operate as a self-driven photodetector at zero bias. The photoresponse parameters at 850 nm with zero bias voltage are 67.2 mA W-1, 6.7 × 1012 Jones, 9.8%, 3.8 × 105, 164 µs, and 198 µs for the responsivity, specific detectivity, external quantum efficiency, Ilight/Idark ratio, rise time, and fall time, respectively. Moreover, the heterojunction is highly sensitive to a wide spectral band from ultraviolet to near-infrared (360-1550 nm). At the same time, this heterostructure demonstrates significant potential for applications in IR polarized light detection and room-temperature high-resolution IR imaging. The excellent properties of the heterojunction make it well-suited for high-performance, self-powered IR detection.

Rational Design of Three Dimensional Hollow Heterojunctions for Efficient Photocatalytic Hydrogen Evolution Applications.

The efficiency of photocatalytic hydrogen evolution is currently limited by poor light adsorption, rapid recombination of photogenerated carriers, and ineffective surface reaction rate. Although heterojunctions with innovative morphologies and structures can strengthen built-in electric fields and maximize the separation of photogenerated charges. However, how to rational design of novel multidimensional structures to simultaneously improve the above three bottleneck problems is still a research imperative. Herein, a unique Cu2O─S@graphene oxide (GO)@Zn0.67Cd0.33S Three dimensional (3D) hollow heterostructure is designed and synthesized, which greatly extends the carrier lifetime and effectively promotes the separation of photogenerated charges. The H2 production rate reached 48.5 mmol g-1 h-1 under visible light after loading Ni2+ on the heterojunction surface, which is 97 times higher than that of pure Zn0.67Cd0.33S nanospheres. Furthermore, the H2 production rate can reach 77.3 mmol g-1 h-1 without cooling, verifying the effectiveness of the photothermal effect. Meanwhile, in situ characterization and density flooding theory calculations reveal the efficient charge transfer at the p-n 3D hollow heterojunction interface. This study not only reveals the detailed mechanism of photocatalytic hydrogen evolution in depth but also rationalizes the construction of superior 3D hollow heterojunctions, thus providing a universal strategy for the materials-by-design of high-performance heterojunctions.

Improving axial resolution based on the deconvolution recovery method combined with adaptive weighting techniques for ultrasound imaging.

BACKGROUND: A fundamental challenge in medical ultrasound imaging is to improve the resolution accurately. Adaptive beamforming is often used to improve lateral resolution, such as minimum variance (MV) and phase coherence factor (PCF). However, it is difficult to improve the axial resolution due to the limitation of the spatial pulse length (SPL) of the transmitted signal. OBJECTIVE: A deconvolution recovery method combines two adaptive weighting techniques to improve axial resolution. METHODS: A deconvolution recovery (DR) technique is used to improve axial resolution with a shorter SPL. Then, the DR is combined with MV and PCF (DR-MVPCF) to suppress the sidelobe. The influence of different transmission modes, regularization parameters, and the estimation of point spread function are discussed on the proposed algorithm. RESULTS: In simulation, DR-MVPCF improved axial resolution from 0.41 mm (0.98 λ) to 0.09 mm (0.21 λ) compared with MV-PCF. In the water bath experiment, DR-MVPCF provided improvement of axial resolution from 0.39 mm (0.93 λ) to 0.07 mm (0.17 λ) compared with MV-PCF. In-vivo data experiment, the DR-MVPCF method increased the speckle signal-to-noise ratio and visibility of the structure while the contrast ratio and contrast-noise ratio decreased. CONCLUSIONS: The proposed method can improve the axial resolution significantly.

Effects of Ankle Orthoses, Taping, and Insoles on Postural Stability of Individuals with Chronic Ankle Instability: A Systematic Review.

Chronic ankle instability (CAI) is a prevalent condition characterized by recurring instances of the ankle giving way and persistent symptoms, including pain and diminished function. Foot and ankle external supports are commonly used in clinical practice and research for treating CAI. This systematic review aimed to assess the effects of foot and ankle external supports on the postural stability of individuals with CAI to guide clinical practice and inform future research. A comprehensive search was conducted in PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, and Google Scholar databases from 1 January 2012 to 1 November 2022. Eighteen studies involving individuals with CAI were chosen in this systematic review. The quality of the included studies and risk of bias were assessed using Cochrane Collaboration's tool for randomized controlled trials, the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale for case-control studies, and the DELPHl-list for crossover trial studies. The external supports included in this review were ankle orthoses (elastic, semi-rigid, and active orthoses), taping (kinesiotaping and fibular reposition taping), and insoles (textured and supportive insoles). The outcome measures included static and dynamic postural stability tests, such as the single-leg stance test, star excursion balance test, Y-balance test, single-leg landing test, lateral jump test, walking test, and running test. The results showed that elastic orthoses, Kinesiotaping, and textured insoles demonstrated potential benefits in improving postural stability in individuals with CAI. Elastic orthoses decreased ankle joint motion variability, kinesiotaping facilitated cutaneous receptors and proprioceptive feedback, while textured insoles increased tactile stimulation and foot position awareness. However, the effects of semi-rigid orthoses, fibular reposition taping, and arch support insoles were inconsistent across studies. Future research should explore the long-term effects of these external supports, analyze the effects of different characteristics and combinations of supports, and employ standardized outcome measures and testing protocols for assessing postural stability.