Instantaneous frequency measurement system based on quantum dash mode-locked laser.

We present the theory and experimental results of a microwave photonic (MWP) filter based instantaneous frequency measurement system. A quantum dash mode-locked laser is used as an optical frequency comb source. With up to 41 flat comb lines and a real-time feedback loop for comb shaping, a set of MWP filters with linear frequency responses for either linear unit or dB unit are experimentally demonstrated. The maximum measurement frequency can be up to 20 GHz limited by the available test-and-measurement instruments. By using one MWP filter, the root-mean-square error is 51∼66 MHz, which can be improved to 42.2 MHz for linear unit, and 30.7 MHz for dB unit by using two MWP filters together.

Performance of quantum-dash mode-locked lasers (QD-MLLDs) for high-capacity coherent optical communications.

We investigate the capabilities and limitations of quantum-dash mode-locked lasers (QD-MLLDs) as optical frequency comb sources in coherent optical communication systems. We demonstrate that QD-MLLDs are on par with conventional single-wavelength narrow linewidth laser sources and can support high symbol rates and modulation formats. We manage to transmit 64 quadrature amplitude modulation (QAM) signals up to 80 GBd over 80 km of standard single-mode fiber (SSMF), which highlights the distinctive phase noise performance of the QD-MLLD. Using a 38.5 GHz (6 dB bandwidth) silicon photonic (SiP) modulator, we achieve a maximum symbol rate of 104 GBd with 16QAM signaling and a maximum net rate of 416 Gb/s per carrier in a single polarization setup and after 80 km-SSMF transmission. We also compare QD-MLLD performance with commercial narrow-linewidth integrable tunable laser assemblies (ITLAs) and explore their potential for use as local oscillators (LOs) and signal carriers. The QD-MLLD has 45 comb lines usable for transmission at a frequency spacing of 25 GHz, and an RF linewidth of 35 kHz.

Epigenetic phenotype of plasma cell-free DNA in the prediction of early-onset preeclampsia.

BACKGROUND: In the current study, we sought to characterise the methylation haplotypes and nucleosome positioning patterns of placental DNA and plasma cell-free DNA of pregnant women with early-onset preeclampsia using whole genome bisulphite sequencing (WGBS) and methylation capture bisulphite sequencing (MCBS) and further develop and examine the diagnostic performance of a generalised linear model (GLM) by incorporating the epigenetic features for early-onset preeclampsia. METHODS: This case-control study recruited pregnant women aged at least 18 years who delivered their babies at our Hospital. In addition, non-pregnant women with no previous history of diseases were included. Placental samples of the villous parenchyma were taken at the time of delivery and venous blood was drawn from pregnant women during non-invasive prenatal testing at 12-15 weeks of pregnancy and nonpregnant women during the physical check-up. WGBS and MCBS were carried out of extracted genomic DNA. Then, we established the GLM by incorporating preeclampsia-specific methylation haplotypes and nucleosome positioning patterns and examined the diagnostic performance of the model by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis. RESULTS: The study included 135 pregnant women and 50 non-pregnant women. Our high-depth MCBS revealed notably different DNA methylation and nucleosome positioning patterns between women with and without preeclampsia. Preeclampsia-specific hypermethylated sites were found predominantly in the promoter regions and particularly enriched in CTCF on the X chromosome. Totally, 2379 preeclampsia-specific methylation haplotypes were found across the entire genome. ROC analysis showed that the area under the ROC curve (AUC) was 0.938 (95%CI 0.877, 1.000). At a GLM cut-off of 0.341, the AUC was the maximum, with a sensitivity of 95.6% and a specificity of 89.7%. CONCLUSION: Pregnant women with early-onset preeclampsia exhibit DNA methylation and nucleosome positioning patterns in placental and plasma DNA.

Early-onset preeclampsia is a potentially dangerous condition that can have a profound impact on the health of both the expectant mother and her unborn child. This condition is particularly concerning because it's challenging to predict who may be affected using conventional methods such as monitoring blood pressure. In our research, we've developed an innovative, non-invasive approach to predict the onset of early preeclampsia. We do this by analysing the genetic material of the developing baby, which can be found in the mother's blood. Our method has shown remarkable accuracy in our testing populations, and its implications are substantial. By providing an early warning system, this breakthrough can benefit pregnant women immensely. It means that early-onset preeclampsia can be identified and addressed well before it becomes a serious health threat. This allows for timely medical interventions and treatments, significantly improving the well-being of both mothers and their precious little ones.

InAs/InP quantum dot mode-locked laser with an aggregate 12.544 Tbit/s transmission capacity.

Chip-scale optical frequency comb sources are ideal compact solutions to generate high speed optical pulses for applications in wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) and high-speed optical signal processing. Our previous studies have concentrated on the use of quantum dash based lasers, but here we present results from an InAs/InP quantum dot (QDot) C-band passively mode-locked laser (MLL) for frequency comb generation. By using this single-section QDot-MLL we demonstrate an aggregate line rate of 12.544 Tbit/s 16QAM data transmission capacity for both back-to-back (B2B) and over 100-km of standard single mode fiber (SSMF). This finding highlights the viability for InAs/InP QDot lasers to be used as a low-cost optical source for large-scale networks.

Stable Zinc(II) Coordination Polymer as a Rapid and Highly Sensitive Fluorescence Sensor for the Discriminative Sensing of Biomarker 2-(2-Methoxyethoxy) Acetic Acid.

A novel two-dimensional bilayer Zn-based luminescent coordination polymer (LCP) [Zn2(µ2-OH)(4-dptp)(3,4',5-bpt)] (LCP 1) [4-dptp = N3,N4-bis(pyridin-4-ylmethyl)thiophene-3,4-dicarboxamide and 3,4',5-H3bpt = biphenyl-3,4',5-tricarboxylic acid] was successfully prepared under hydrothermal conditions and characterized by single-crystal X-ray diffraction, IR spectroscopy, powder X-ray diffraction, and luminescence spectroscopy. LCP 1 displayed excellent fluorescence-quenching efficiency toward a biomarker 2-(2-methoxyethoxy) acetic acid (MEAA) with a high Ksv (5.153 × 104 M-1), a low limit of detection (0.244 µM), and a rapid response time (28 s). Additionally, LCP 1 can repeatedly detect MEAA at least eight times with excellent stability. The sensing mechanism was also carefully investigated through UV-vis absorption spectroscopy, density functional theory calculations, and fluorescence lifetime analysis.

PM2.5 exposure increases the risk of preterm birth in pre-pregnancy impaired fasting glucose women: A cohort study in a Southern province of China.

Previous studies have indicated maternal exposure to particles with aerodynamic diameter <2.5 µm (PM2.5) is associated with preterm birth (PTB). However, no study has investigated this effect in pre-pregnancy impaired fasting glucose (IFG) women. This study aimed to differentiate the effects of maternal PM2.5 exposure on PTB between pre-pregnancy IFG and normoglycemia women, and to further identify the susceptible window. This cohort study was conducted between January 2014 and December 2017 in 21 Chinese cities. All the recruited women received pre-pregnancy fasting serum glucose (FSG) tests and were followed up for their delivery outcomes. The PM2.5 exposures were estimated by the daily air pollution concentrations of the nearby monitors. Women with FSG below 7.0 mmol/L were included in the analysis. We employed the Cox proportional hazards models to examine whether PM2.5 exposure was associated with PTB. 237957 women were included and 7055 (3.0%) of them were pre-pregnancy IFG. During the entire pregnancy, we found 24.1% (HR = 1.241; 95% CI: 1.069, 1.439), 61.8% (HR = 1.618; 95% CI: 1.311, 1.997) and 18.6% (HR = 1.186; 95% CI: 1.004, 1.402) of increases in risk for all PTB, early PTB (20-33 gestational weeks) and late PTB (34-36 gestational weeks) among the pre-pregnancy IFG women, and 15.9% (HR = 1.159; 95% CI: 1.127, 1.192), 33.9% (HR = 1.339; 95% CI: 1.255, 1.430) and 13.2% (HR = 1.132; 95% CI: 1.098, 1.168) of increases in risk for all PTB, early PTB and late PTB among the normoglycemia women, with each 10 µg/m3 increment of PM2.5 exposure, respectively. Furthermore, PM2.5 exposure had the strongest effect on all PTB during trimester 1 (0-12 gestational weeks) among the pre-pregnancy IFG women, compared with the less strong effect during trimester 1 among the normoglycemia women. In conclusion, pre-pregnancy IFG increases the risk of PTB attributed to PM2.5, especially during trimester 1. Moreover, the effects of PM2.5 are greater on early PTB than late PTB for both pre-pregnancy IFG and normoglycemia women.

In-situ electrodeposition synthesis of Z-scheme rGO/g-C3N4/TNAs photoelectrodes and its degradation mechanism for oxytetracycline in dual-chamber photoelectrocatalytic system.

The dual-chamber photoelectrocatalytic (PEC) system possess advantages in the degradation efficiency and processing cost of organic contaminants. In this study, TiO2 nanotube arrays modified by rGO and g-C3N4 (rGO/g-C3N4/TNAs) photoelectrodes were successfully prepared. The surface micromorphology, chemical structure, crystal structure, and basic element composition of rGO/g-C3N4/TNAs photoelectrodes were studied by SEM, FTIR, XRD, Raman, and XPS. UV-vis absorption, photoluminescence (PL) spectra, and photoelectrochemical (PECH) tests were used to explore the photoelectrochemical characteristics of rGO/g-C3N4/TNAs photoelectrodes. Under simulated sunlight illumination, the dual-chamber PEC system with external bias voltage was used to investigate the degradation of oxytetracycline (OTC) on rGO/g-C3N4/TNAs photoelectrodes. The results showed that rGO and g-C3N4 were successfully loaded on TNAs, and the separation efficiency of electrons and holes at rGO/g-C3N4/TNAs photoelectrodes was improved. The light absorption range of rGO/g-C3N4/TNAs photoelectrodes extends to the visible light region and has better light absorption performance. Compared with the photocatalytic process, when 1.2 V bias voltage was applied, the degradation efficiency of OTC in anode and cathode chambers in PEC were increased by 3.28% and 44.01% within 60 min, respectively. In addition, the anode and cathode chambers have different degradation effects on OTC. Both the external bias voltage and initial pH have significant effects in cathode chamber, but have little effect in photoanode chamber. The fluorescence excitation-emission matrix spectra and liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry showed that there were different intermediates in the degradation process of OTC. This study indicated that for the dual-chamber PEC system, rGO/g-C3N4/TNAs photoelectrodes exhibited excellent photocatalytic performance and have potential application prospects in water environmental remediation.

InAs/InP quantum dash buried heterostructure mode-locked laser for high capacity fiber-wireless integrated 5G new radio fronthaul systems.

We have developed and experimentally demonstrated a highly coherent and low noise InP-based InAs quantum dash (QDash) buried heterostructure (BH) C-band passively mode-locked laser (MLL) with a pulse repetition rate of 25 GHz for fiber-wireless integrated fronthaul 5G new radio (NR) systems. The device features a broadband spectrum providing over 46 equally spaced highly coherent and low noise optical channels with an optical phase noise and integrated relative intensity noise (RIN) over a frequency range of 10 MHz to 20 GHz for each individual channel typically less than 466.5 kHz and -130 dB/Hz, respectively, and an average total output power of ∼50 mW per facet. Moreover, the device exhibits low RF phase noise with measured RF beat-note linewidth down to 3 kHz and estimated timing jitter between any two adjacent channels of 5.5 fs. By using this QDash BH MLL device, we have successfully demonstrated broadband optical heterodyne based radio-over-fiber (RoF) fronthaul wireless links at 5G NR in the underutilized spectrum of around 25 GHz with a total bit rate of 16-Gb/s. The device performance is experimentally evaluated in an end-to-end fiber-wireless system in real-time in terms of error vector magnitude (EVM) and bit error rate (BER) by generating, transmitting and detecting 4-Gbaud 16-QAM RF signals over 0.5-m to 2-m free-space indoor wireless channel through a total length of 25.22 km standard single mode fiber (SSMF) with EVM and BER under 8.4% and 2.9 × 10-5, respectively. The intrinsic characteristics of the device in conjunction with its system transmission performance indicate that QDash BH MLLs can be readily used in fiber-wireless integrated systems of 5G and beyond wireless communication networks.

Enhanced heterogeneous photo-Fenton-like degradation of tetracycline over CuFeO2/biochar catalyst through accelerating electron transfer under visible light.

The visible-light induced heterogeneous photo-Fenton-like (HPF-like) process is regarded as a promising technique for organic pollutants degradation due to its efficient utilization of solar energy and high H2O2 activation activity. This study prepared the CuFeO2/biochar catalysts via hydrothermal technique at no extra reductant and systematically investigated their band structure and photoelectric properties. The dispersed distribution of CuFeO2 particles in CuFeO2/biochar composites narrowed bandgap of CuFeO2 and promoted electron transport of CuFeO2. Compared with CuFeO2, the CuFeO2/biochar containing 1.0 g biochar in the preparation (CuFeO2/biochar-1.0) possessed higher carrier density and longer photoelectron lifetime, which is beneficial to higher catalytic performance. The apparent rate constant for tetracycline as target pollutant degradation by CuFeO2/biochar-1.0 was 2.0 times higher than that by CuFeO2. The acquired optimum conditions for tetracycline degradation were 220 mg L-1 CuFeO2/BC-1.0, 22 mM H2O2 and pH 6.4 using response surface methodology. The quenching experiments and ESR analysis revealed that OH was the predominant active species, and photoelectron and O2- were auxiliary species. The photoelectron could promote in-situ recycling of Cu2+ to Cu+ and Fe3+ to Fe2+, which significantly improved H2O2 activation by CuFeO2. The possible pathway of tetracycline was proposed according to intermediates identified by HPLC/MS. The toxicity analysis demonstrated that the overall toxicity of the identified intermediates was reduced in HPF-like system.

Passively mode-locked quantum dash laser with an aggregate 5.376 Tbit/s PAM-4 transmission capacity.

This paper presents an InAs/InP quantum dash (QD) C-band passively mode-locked laser (MLL) with a channel spacing of 34.224 GHz. By using this QD-MLL we demonstrate an aggregate 5.376 Tbit/s PAM-4 data transmission capacity both for back-to-back (B2B) and over 25-km of standard single mode fiber (SSMF). This represents the first demonstration of QD-MLL acting as error-free operation at an aggregate data transmission capacity of 5.376 Tbit/s for some filtered individual channels. This finding highlights the viability for InAs/InP QD lasers to be used as a low-cost optical source for data center networks.

A Stable 3D Zn-Coordination Polymer Sensor Based on Dual Luminescent Ligands for Efficient Detection of Multiple Analytes under Acid or Alkaline Environment.

A novel 3D luminescent coordination polymer (LCP) [Zn4(3-dpyb)2(odpa)2(H2O)3]·4H2O (1) (3-dpyb = N,N'-bis (3-pyridinecarboxamide)-1,4-butane, H4 odpa = 4, 4'-oxidiphthalic acid) was successfully synthesized under solvothermal conditions. LCP 1 displays remarkable fluorescent behavior and stability in a wide range of pH values and different pure organic solvents. More importantly, LCP 1 can become an outstanding candidate in the selective sensing of Fe3+, Bi3+, Cr2O72-, MnO4-, nitrobenzene (NB), acetaldehyde (AH), and acetylacetone (Hacac) under a lower detection limit. The change process of fluorescent intensity of these seven analytes in a diverse pH range indicates that LCP 1 can be an excellent luminescent sensor in multiple acid/base solutions. As far as we know, it is an infrequent example of a CP-based multiresponsive fluorescent sensor for metal cations, oxyanions, and toxic organic solvents under an acid or alkaline environment.

Silencing of PTGS2 exerts promoting effects on angiogenesis endothelial progenitor cells in mice with ischemic stroke via repression of the NF-κB signaling pathway.

The objective of the current study is to investigate the effect of PTGS2 on proliferation, migration, angiogenesis and apoptosis of endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) in mice with ischemic stroke through the NF-κB signaling pathway. Middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) model was established in mice. EPCs were identified, in which ectopic expression and depletion experiments were conducted. The mRNA and protein expression of related factors in tissues and cells were measured. Besides, proliferation, migration, angiogenesis, and apoptosis, as well as cell cycle distribution, of cells were determined. MCAO mice showed overexpression of interleukin-6 (IL-6), IL-17, and IL-23, and increased positive protein expression of PTGS2, as well as expression of PTGS2, nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB), tumor suppressor region 1 (TSP-1) and Bcl-2-associated X protein (Bax), but underexpression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), S-phase kinase associated protein 2 (Skp2), and B-cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl-2). Moreover, ectopic expression of tumor necrosis factor-α significantly elevated the expression of PTGS2, NF-κB, TSP-1, and Bax, as well as cell apoptosis and cell cycle arrest, but decreased the expression of VEGF, Skp2, and Bcl-2, as well as proliferation, migration and angiogenesis of EPCs, and the PTGS2-siRNA group showed an opposite trend. Taken together, we conclude that the specific knockdown of PTGS2 expression could repress the NF-κB signaling pathway, thereby inhibits apoptosis and promotes proliferation, migration and angiogenesis of EPCs, providing protective effect on mice with ischemic stroke.

Formation and Physicochemical Characteristics of Nano Biochar: Insight into Chemical and Colloidal Stability.

Nano biochar (N-BC) attracts increasing interest due to its unique environmental behavior. However, understanding of its formation, physicochemical characteristics, and stability of N-BC is limited. We therefore examined N-BC formation from bulk biochars (B-BCs) produced from peanut shell, cotton straw, Chinese medicine residues, and furfural residues at 300-600 °C. Carbon stability and colloidal processes of nano peanut shell biochars (N-PBCs) were further investigated. N-BCs formed from pore collapse and skeleton fracture during biomass charring, breakup due to grinding, and sonication. Amorphous fraction in B-BCs was more readily degraded into N-BCs than graphitic component. The sonication-formed N-PBCs contained 19.2-31.8% higher oxygen and fewer aromatic structures than the bulk ones, leading to lower carbon stability, but better dispersibility in water. Heteroaggregation of N-PBCs with goethite/hematite destabilized initially and then restabilized with increasing concentrations of N-PBCs. Compared with stacked complexes of N-PBCs-hematite, the association of goethite with N-PBCs could form interlaced heterostructures, thus shielding positive charges on goethite and causing greater heteroaggregation. These findings are useful for better understanding the formation of N-BCs and their environmental fate and behavior in soil and water.

Enhanced Stability of DNA Nanostructures by Incorporation of Unnatural Base Pairs.

Self-assembled DNA nanostructures hold great promise in the fields of nanofabrication, biosensing and nanomedicine. However, the inherent low stability of the DNA double helices, formed by weak interactions, largely hinders the assembly and functions of DNA nanostructures. In this study, we redesigned and constructed a six-arm DNA junction by incorporation of the unnatural base pairs 5-Me-isoC/isoG and A/2-thioT into the double helices. They not only retained the structural integrity of the DNA nanostructure, but also showed enhanced thermal stability and resistance to T7 Exonuclease digestion. This research may expand the applications of DNA nanostructures in nanofabrication and biomedical fields, and furthermore, the genetic alphabet expansion with unnatural base pairs may enable us to construct more complicated and diversified self-assembled DNA nanostructures.

An Effective Strategy To Construct Novel Polyoxometalate-Based Hybrids by Deliberately Controlling Organic Ligand Transformation In Situ.

Deliberately controlling organic ligand transformation in situ has remained a challenge for the construction of polyoxometalate (POM)-based inorganic-organic hybrids. In this work, four POM-based hybrids assembled from an in situ bifurcating organic ligand-[Cu2(DIBA)4](H3PMo12O40)·6H2O (1), [Cu2(DIBA)4](H4SiW12O40)·6H2O (2), [Ag(HDIBA)2](H2PMo12O40)·2H2O (3), [Ag3(HDIBA)2(H2O)][(P2W18O62)1/2]·4H2O (4) (DIBAH = 3,5-di(1H-imidazol-1-yl) benzoic acid)-have been designed and obtained under hydrothermal conditions. Compounds 1 and 2 are isostructural, displaying a three-dimensional (3D) 2-fold interpenetrating framework with two types of channels, and the bigger channels are occupied by Keggin polyoxoanions and crystallization water molecules, but only crystallization water molecules in the smaller ones. Compound 3 displays a 3D supramolecular structure constructed from {Ag(HDIBA)2} segments and PMo12O40(3-) polyoxoanions through hydrogen bonding interactions. Compound 4 shows a 3D 2-fold interpenetrating framework based on (3, 3, 4)-connected network, which is constructed from {Ag3(HDIBA)2}n chains and P2W18O62(6-) polyoxoanions as linkers. The DIBAH ligand was generated in situ from 3,5-di(1H-imidazol-1-yl)benzonitrile by deliberate design, which illustrates that the strategy to construct novel POM-based hybrids by controlling ligand transformation in situ is rational and feasible. In addition, the effects of the central metal and POMs on the structures of the target compounds were discussed. Finally, the electrochemical and photocatalytic properties of compounds 1-4 have been investigated in this paper.

Transcriptome analysis of leaves, roots and flowers of Panax notoginseng identifies genes involved in ginsenoside and alkaloid biosynthesis.

BACKGROUND: Panax notoginseng (Burk.) F.H. Chen is one of the most highly valued medicinal plants in the world. The major bioactive molecules are triterpene saponins, which are also known as ginsenosides. However, its large genome size has hindered the assembly of a draft genome by whole genome sequencing. Hence, genomic and transcriptomic details about P. notoginseng, especially its biosynthetic pathways and gene expression in different parts of the plant, have remained largely unknown until now. RESULTS: In this study, RNA sequencing of three different P. notoginseng tissues was performed using next generation DNA sequencing. After assembling the high quality sequencing reads into 107,340 unigenes, biochemical pathways were predicted and 9,908 unigenes were assigned to 135 KEGG pathways. Among them, 270 unigenes were identified to be involved in triterpene saponin biosynthesis. In addition, 350 and 342 unigenes were predicted to encode cytochrome P450s and glycosyltransferases, respectively, based on the annotation results, some of which encode enzymes responsible for the conversion of the triterpene saponin backbone into different ginsenosides. In particular, one unigene predominantly expressed in the root was annotated as CYP716A53v2, which probably participates in the formation of protopanaxatriol from protopanaxadiol in P. notoginseng. The differential expression of this gene was further confirmed by real-time PCR. CONCLUSIONS: We have established a global transcriptome dataset for P. notoginseng and provided additional genetic information for further genome-wide research and analyses. Candidate genes involved in ginsenoside biosynthesis, including putative cytochrome P450s and glycosyltransferases were obtained. The transcriptomes in different plant tissues also provide invaluable resources for future study of the differences in physiological processes and secondary metabolites in different parts of P. notoginseng.

Systematic Investigation of Reaction-Time Dependence of Three Series of Copper-Lanthanide/Lanthanide Coordination Polymers: Syntheses, Structures, Photoluminescence, and Magnetism.

Three series of copper-lanthanide/lanthanide coordination polymers (CPs) Ln(III) Cu(II) Cu(I) (bct)3 (H2 O)2 [Ln=La (1), Ce (2), Pr (3), Nd (4), Sm (5), Eu (6), Gd (7), Tb (8), Dy (9), Er (10), Yb (11), and Lu (12), H2 bct=2,5-bis(carboxymethylmercapto)-1,3,4-thiadiazole acid], Ln(III) Cu(I) (bct)2 [Ln=Ce (2 a), Pr (3 a), Nd (4 a), Sm (5 a), Eu (6 a), Gd (7 a), Tb (8 a), Dy (9 a), Er (10 a), Yb (11 a), and Lu (12 a)], and Ln(III) 2 (bct)3 (H2 O)5 [Ln=La (1 b), Ce (2 b), Pr (3 b), Nd (4 b), Sm (5 b), Eu (6 b), Gd (7 b), Tb (8 b), and Dy (9 b)] have been successfully constructed under hydrothermal conditions by modulating the reaction time. Structural characterization has revealed that CPs 1-12 possess a unique one-dimensional (1D) strip-shaped structure containing two types of double-helical chains and a double-helical channel. CPs 2 a-12 a show a three-dimensional (3D) framework formed by Cu(I) linking two types of homochiral layers with double-helical channels. CPs 1 b-9 b exhibit a 3D framework with single-helical channels. CPs 6 b and 8 b display visible red and green luminescence of the Eu(III) and Tb(III) ions, respectively, sensitized by the bct ligand, and microsecond-level lifetimes. CP 8 b shows a rare magnetic transition between short-range ferromagnetic ordering at 110 K and long-range ferromagnetic ordering below 10 K. CPs 9 a and 9 b display field-induced single-chain magnet (SCM) and/or single-molecule magnet (SMM) behaviors, with Ueff values of 51.7 and 36.5 K, respectively.

Poliumoside inhibits apoptosis, oxidative stress and neuro-inflammation to prevent intracerebroventricular Streptozotocin-induced cognitive dysfunction in Sprague-Dawley Rats: in in-vivo, in-vitro and in-silico study.

BACKGROUND: Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a severe neurological illness causes cognitive decline and mortality if not treated early. However, the current therapeutic modalities are inefficient to manage the cognitive dysfunction of AD. Therefore, in the present manuscript, we have enumerated the pharmacological benefit of Poliumoside in the Streptozotocin-induced cognitive dysfunction in Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Initially, the cognitive dysfunction in rats was induced by the intracerebroventricular administration of Streptozotocin, then rats received PMD (5 mg and 10 mg/kg body weight) was given. Various behavioural analysis, such as Morris water maze (MWM), and object recognition tests (ORT), and locomotor analysis was conducted in PMD treated group. Various biochemical analysis was conducted to analyze the effect of PMD on hippocampus oxidative-nitrosative stress and pro-inflammatory cytokines. MTT assay and annexin V/PI staining was performed to analyse the effect of PMD on the cell viability and neuronal toxicity of PC12 cells, respectively. Molecular docking analysis was also conducted with crystal structure of human AChE. RESULTS: PMD treatment improved cognitive capacity in rats in MWM and ORT. Compared to STZ rats, PMD-treated rats had significantly higher locomotor activity and lower AChE activity. PMD also restores dopamine, 5-HT, and NE levels and reduces metabolic their deactivation as evidenced by increased levels of DOPAC, HVA, 5-HIAA. Nitrite, MDA, SOD, CAT, and GSH levels were restored near normal in PMD-treated rats, reducing hippocampus oxidative-nitrosative stress. Pro-inflammatory cytokines were similarly lowered in PMD-treated rats. In in-vitro studies, PMD did not affect PC12 cell survival at the maximal dose of 10 µM. In addition, PMD concentration-dependently prevents H2O2-induced neuronal death in PC12 cells. The in-silico docking analysis showed that the PMD fit snugly into the active site of human AChE by engaging with the anionic domain and the catalytic triad of Trp86, Tyr337, Phe338, and Gly121 residues. CONCLUSIONS: In conclusion, our study demonstrated that PMD have significant impact on AD by inhibiting ACheE and restoring neurotransmitter levels, which enhances Ach levels in rats and improves cognitive impairment in STZ rats.

Comparison of prenatal and postnatal exposure to neonicotinoids and their temporal trends in breast milk.

Although the potential effects of neonicotinoids (NEOs) in early life have received considerable attention, data on the exposure of mothers and infants to NEOs are scarce. In this study, four parent NEOs and one metabolite were widely detected in paired maternal serum (MS), umbilical cord serum (UCS) and breast milk (BM) samples, with median total NEO concentrations (ΣNEOs) of 113, 160 and 69 ng/L, respectively. Decreasing trends were observed for N-desmethyl-acetamiprid (30 %/year), acetamiprid (22 %/year) and ΣNEOs (15 %/year) in breast milk between 2014 and 2022, whereas increasing trends were seen for clothianidin (17 %/year) and thiamethoxam (30 %/year). N-desmethyl-acetamiprid was the predominant compound in all matrices. However, the contributions of N-desmethyl-acetamiprid (35 %) and thiamethoxam (36 %) in breast milk were similar in 2022. Moreover, thiamethoxam has become the predominant contributor to the estimated daily intake of ΣNEOs since 2018, with the highest contribution of 71 % in 2022, suggesting the effects of NEOs continue to evolve and more attention should be paid to the new NEOs. Notably, the correlations and ratios of NEOs between paired UCS and MS were more significant and higher than those between paired BM and MS, respectively, indicating that NEO exposure was largely affected by the prenatal period.

Analysis of Breast Cancer Screening Results and Influencing Factors of Breast Cancer in Guangdong Province from 2017 to 2021.

BACKGROUNDS: Breast cancer screening plays an important role in the early detection, diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer. The aim of this study was to evaluate the screening results and explore the influencing factors of breast cancer detection rate in Guangdong. METHODS: This cross-sectional study was conducted among 2,024,960 women aged 35-64 in Guangdong Province during 2017-2021. The data about breast cancer screening information were collected from the Guangdong maternal and child health information system. Descriptive statistical analysis was used to explain demographic characteristics and results of breast cancer screening. The generalized linear regression model was applied to analyze the related influencing factors of breast cancer detection rate. RESULTS: The estimated detection rate of breast cancer in Guangdong Province is 70.32/105, with an early diagnosis rate of 82.06%. After adjusting covariates, those women with older age (45-55 [OR (95% CI) 2.174 (1.872, 2.526)], 55-65 [OR (95% CI) 2.162 (1.760, 2.657)]), education for high school ([OR (95% CI) 1.491 (1.254, 1.773)]) and older age at first birth ([OR (95% CI) 1.632 (1.445, 1.844)]) were more likely to have higher detection rate of breast cancer. No history of surgery or biopsy ([OR (95% CI) 0.527 (0.387, 0.718)]), no history of breast cancer check ([OR (95% CI) 0.873 (0.774, 0.985)]) and no family history of breast cancer ([OR (95% CI) 0.255 (0.151, 0.432)]) women were more likely to screen negative for breast cancer (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: The detection rate of breast cancer in screening showed an increasing trend year by year in Guangdong Province. Older age, education for high school and older age at first birth were risk factors for breast cancer detection rate, while no surgery or biopsy history, no family history of breast cancer and no history of breast cancer check were protective factors.