Neurological complications caused by SARS-CoV-2.

SUMMARYSARS-CoV-2 can not only cause respiratory symptoms but also lead to neurological complications. Research has shown that more than 30% of SARS-CoV-2 patients present neurologic symptoms during COVID-19 (A. Pezzini and A. Padovani, Nat Rev Neurol 16:636-644, 2020, https://doi.org/10.1038/s41582-020-0398-3). Increasing evidence suggests that SARS-CoV-2 can invade both the central nervous system (CNS) (M.S. Xydakis, M.W. Albers, E.H. Holbrook, et al. Lancet Neurol 20: 753-761, 2021 https://doi.org/10.1016/S1474-4422(21)00182-4 ) and the peripheral nervous system (PNS) (M.N. Soares, M. Eggelbusch, E. Naddaf, et al. J Cachexia Sarcopenia Muscle 13:11-22, 2022, https://doi.org/10.1002/jcsm.12896), resulting in a variety of neurological disorders. This review summarized the CNS complications caused by SARS-CoV-2 infection, including encephalopathy, neurodegenerative diseases, and delirium. Additionally, some PNS disorders such as skeletal muscle damage and inflammation, anosmia, smell or taste impairment, myasthenia gravis, Guillain-Barré syndrome, ICU-acquired weakness, and post-acute sequelae of COVID-19 were described. Furthermore, the mechanisms underlying SARS-CoV-2-induced neurological disorders were also discussed, including entering the brain through retrograde neuronal or hematogenous routes, disrupting the normal function of the CNS through cytokine storms, inducing cerebral ischemia or hypoxia, thus leading to neurological complications. Moreover, an overview of long-COVID-19 symptoms is provided, along with some recommendations for care and therapeutic approaches of COVID-19 patients experiencing neurological complications.

A Universal Additive Design Strategy to Modulate Solvation Structure and Hydrogen Bond Network toward Highly Reversible Fe Anode for Low-Temperature All-Iron Flow Batteries.

Aqueous all-iron redox flow batteries (RFBs) are promising competitors for next-generation grid-scale energy storage applications. However, the high-performance operation of all-iron RFBs in a wider temperature range is greatly hindered by inferior iron plating/stripping reaction and low solid-liquid transition temperature at Fe anode. Herein, a universal electrolyte additive design strategy for all-iron RFBs is reported, which realizes a highly reversible and dendrite-free Fe anode at low temperatures. Quantum chemistry calculations first screen several organic molecules with oxygen-containing functional groups and identify N,N-Dimethylacetmide (DMAc) as a potential candidate with low cost, high solubility, and strong interactions with Fe2+ and H2 O. Combined experimental characterizations and theoretical calculations subsequently demonstrate that adding DMAc into the FeCl2 solution effectively reshapes the primary solvation shell of Fe2+ via the Fe2+ -O (DMAc) bond and breaks hydrogen-bonding network of water through intensified H-bond interaction between DMAc and H2 O, thereby affording the Fe anode with enhanced Fe/Fe2+ reversibility and lower freezing point. Consequently, the assembled all-iron RFB achieves an excellent combination of high power density (25 mW cm-2 ), long charge-discharge cycling stability (95.59% capacity retention in 103 h), and preeminent battery efficiency at -20 °C (95% coulombic efficiency), which promise a future for wider temperature range operation of all-iron RFBs.

Integrated physiological, intestinal microbiota, and metabolomic responses of adult zebrafish (Danio rerio) to subacute exposure to antimony at environmentally relevant concentrations.

The available information regarding the impact of antimony (Sb), a novel environmental pollutant, on the intestinal microbiota and host health is limited. In this study, we conducted physiological characterizations to investigate the response of adult zebrafish to different environmental concentrations (0, 30, 300, and 3000 µg/L) of Sb over a period of 14 days. Biochemical and pathological changes demonstrated that Sb effectively compromised the integrity of the intestinal physical barrier and induced inflammatory responses as well as oxidative stress. Analysis of both intestinal microbial community and metabolome revealed that exposure to 0 and 30 µg/L of Sb resulted in similar microbiota structures; however, exposure to 300 µg/L altered microbial communities' composition (e.g., a decline in genus Cetobacterium and an increase in Vibrio). Furthermore, exposure to 300 µg/L significantly decreased levels of bile acids and glycerophospholipids while triggering intestinal inflammation but activating self-protective mechanisms such as antibiotic presence. Notably, even exposure to 30 µg/L of Sb can trigger dysbiosis of intestinal microbiota and metabolites, potentially impacting fish health through the "microbiota-intestine-brain axis" and contributing to disease initiation. This study provides valuable insights into toxicity-related information concerning environmental impacts of Sb on aquatic organisms with significant implications for developing management strategies.

Pulsed light treatment enhances starch hydrolysis and improves starch physicochemical properties of germinated brown rice.

BACKGROUND: Recently, germinated brown rice (GBR) has gained substantial attention as a functional food because of its nutritional attributes. Notably, pulsed light technology (PLT) has emerged as a promising tool for enhancing rice germination and, consequently, has improved the nutritional and functional qualities of GBR-derived products. However, further research is required to comprehensively understand the impact of PLT on GBR physicochemical properties. The present study aimed to investigate the stimulating effects of PLT on starch hydrolysis, starch structure and functional properties of GBR. RESULTS: The PLT substantially boosted α-amylase activity during brown rice germination, leading to a 10.9% reduction in total starch content and a 17.3% increase in reducing sugar content, accompanied by elevated free water levels. Structural analysis indicated no changes in starch crystalline types, whereas gelatinization temperature slightly increased. Pasting properties exhibited a significant drop in peak viscosity. Scanning electron microscopy showed surface erosion of starch granules with microstructural changes. Furthermore, correlation analysis established positive links between α-amylase activity, reducing sugar accumulation, starch structure and functional properties in GBR. CONCLUSION: The present study demonstrates that PLT enhanced the physicochemical properties of GBR starch, significantly improving the stability of GBR products, thereby contributing to expanded applicability of rice starch in the food industry. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry.

High-stable all-iron redox flow battery with innovative anolyte based on steric hindrance regulation.

All-soluble all-iron redox flow batteries (AIRFBs) are an innovative energy storage technology that offer significant financial benefits. Stable and affordable redox-active materials are essential for the commercialization of AIRFBs, yet the battery stability must be significantly improved to achieve practical value. Herein, ferrous complexes combined with the triisopropanolamine (TIPA) ligand are identified as promising anolytes to extend battery life by reducing cross-contamination due to a pronounced steric hindrance effect. The coordination structure and failure mechanism of our Fe-TIPA complexes were determined by molecular dynamics simulation and spectroscopic experiments. By coupling with [Fe(CN)6]4 -/3- , Fe-TIPA/Fe-CN AIRFBs retained excellent stability exceeding 1831 cycles at 80 mA·cm -2 , yielding an energy efficiency of ~80% and maintaining a steady discharge capacity. Moreover, the all-soluble electrolyte was tested in an industrial-scale Fe-TIPA/Fe-CN AIRFB prototype energy storage system, where an energy efficiency of 81.3% was attained. Given the abundance of iron resources, we model the TIPA AIRFB electrolyte cost to be as low as 32.37 $/kWh, which is significantly cheaper than the current commercial level. This work demonstrates that steric hindrance is an effective measure to extended battery life, facilitating the commercial development of affordable flow batteries.

Adaptive optics pre-compensation for orbital angular momentum beams transmitting through simulated atmospheric turbulence.

We propose an adaptive optics (AO) pre-compensation scheme to improve the transmission quality of orbital angular momentum (OAM) beams in atmospheric turbulence. The distortion wavefront caused by atmospheric turbulence is obtained with the Gaussian beacon from the receiver. The AO system imposes the conjugate distortion wavefront onto the outgoing OAM beams at the transmitter, tto achieve the pre-compensation. Using the scheme, we conducted transmission experiments with different OAM beams in the simulated atmospheric turbulence. The experimental results indicated that the AO pre-compensation scheme can improve the transmission quality of the OAM beams in the atmospheric turbulence in real-time. It is found that the turbulence-induced crosstalk effects on neighboring modes are reduced by an average of 6 dB, and the system power penalty is improved by an average of 12.6 dB after pre-compensation.

Optical vortex convolution generator and quasi-Talbot effect.

In this Letter, a simple optical vortex convolution generator is proposed where a microlens array (MLA) is utilized as an optical convolution device, and a focusing lens (FL) is employed to obtain the far field, which can convert a single optical vortex into a vortex array. Further, the optical field distribution on the focal plane of the FL is theoretically analyzed and experimentally verified using three MLAs of different sizes. Moreover, in the experiments, behind the FL, the self-imaging Talbot effect of the vortex array is also observed. Meanwhile, the generation of the high-order vortex array is also investigated. This method, with a simple structure and high optical power efficiency, can generate high spatial frequency vortex arrays using devices with low spatial frequency and has excellent application prospects in the field of optical tweezers, optical communication, optical processing, etc.

Simultaneous Regulation of Solvation Shell and Oriented Deposition toward a Highly Reversible Fe Anode for All-Iron Flow Batteries.

Developing low-cost all-iron hybrid redox flow batteries (RFBs) presents a practical alternative to the high-cost all-vanadium RFBs and is deemed vital for grid-scale energy storage applications. However, the intrinsically poor Fe anode reversibility associated with the deposition and dissolution of metallic iron greatly limits the cycling performance and long-term stability of all-iron hybrid RFBs. Herein, a highly reversible and dendrite-free Fe anode is reported for all-iron RFBs through regulation of polar solvent dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) on FeCl2 anolyte, which simultaneously reshapes Fe2+ solvation structure and induces controllable oriented Fe deposition. Combining both experimental and theoretical analyses, the polar DMSO additives prove effective in replacing H2 O molecule from the primary solvation shell of Fe2+ cation via the Fe2+ -O (DMSO) bond and meanwhile induces a fine-grained Fe nucleation on the preferred Fe (110) plane, which are responsible for the minimized hydrogen evolution and dendrite-free Fe deposition that significantly enhance Fe anode reversibility. The all-iron RFB based on the proposed FeCl2 -DMSO anolyte demonstrates an excellent combination of peak power density of 134 mW cm-2 , high energy efficiency of 75% at 30 mA cm-2 , and high capacity retention of 98.6% over 200 cycles, which presents the best performance of all-iron RFBs among previously reported research.

Completely revealing the amplitude properties of Laguerre-Gaussian vortex beams.

In this paper, the amplitude properties of the Laguerre-Gaussian (LG) vortex beams are analyzed theoretically and demonstrated experimentally. Firstly, the ring width of the LG vortex beam is almost a constant, which can be considered to be independent of the topological charge (l) and only determined by the waist radius ω(z), and its general expression is derived via investigating Lambert W function. On this basis, concise expressions for inner and outer ring radii, ratio of inner and outer ring radius, ring area and beam divergence are also given out. Moreover, modification functions are added to obtain more accurate expressions. In the experiment, a spatial light modulator is employed to generate the LG vortex beams with l = 1∼20 at ω0 = 0.3mm and ω0=0.4mm, and the LG vortex beams with l=10 at different propagation distances. The experimental results are in good agreement with the theoretical values. This work may help researchers to better understand the LG vortex beam and provide a useful guideline for its further applications.

Distorted wavefront detection of orbital angular momentum beams based on a Shack-Hartmann wavefront sensor.

The vortex beams carried Orbital Angular Momentum (OAM) have recently generated considerable interest due to their potential used in communication systems to increase transmission capacity and spectral efficiency. In this paper, the distorted wavefront detection based on Shack-Hartmann wavefront sensor (HWS) for the vortex beams is investigated. The detection slope of the helical phase sub-spot pattern is used as the calibrated slope zero point, and then the distortion phase of the vortex beam is detected by the HWS. Simulation and experimental results demonstrate that this method can detect the distortion phase of vortex beam with high precision and high frame rate, which is expected to accelerate the application of optical communication systems with vortex beams.

Experimental research on a multi-aperture phase modulation technique based on a corner-cube reflector array.

In this paper, a novel phase modulation technique based on a corner-cube reflector (CCR) array is proposed and demonstrated experimentally. The piezoceramics are linked behind each CCR. When the beams irradiate on the CCR array, the phase modulation can be realized by applying a voltage to piezoceramics to control the spatial location of each CCR. The piston phase errors of the device itself are compensated by employing the stochastic parallel gradient descent (SPGD) algorithm. Then, the piezoceramics are loaded with preset voltages to obtain the expected phase, and the anticipative optical field is generated. In the experiment, the piston phase errors of the 7-way and 19-way CCR array are corrected well. In order to further verify the phase control capability of the device, a vortex beam carrying orbital angular momentum (OAM) of 1 is generated by utilizing the 6-way CCR array. The experimental results confirm the feasibility of the concept.

Lognormal Distribution of Local Strain: A Universal Law of Plastic Deformation in Material.

Given the infinite diversity of microstructural inhomogeneity, the variation in spatial distribution of local strain could be infinite. However, this study finds that the statistical distribution of local strain universally follows a lognormal distribution irrespective of phase content and deformation mechanism. Moreover, this universal law is proved conditional upon the macroscopic homogeneity of deformation on the statistical window scale, equivalent to the equality between the macrostrain calculated from the displacements at the window corners and the average of the local strain. The discovery of a lognormal distribution law suggests the existence of a minimum statistical representative window (MSRW) size that is characteristic for each material. Explorations on the dependence of MSRW size on the microstructure, deformation mechanism, and strain magnitude are expected to add new dimensions to understanding of the relationship between microstructure and mechanical properties.

Water regime-nitrogen fertilizer incorporation interaction: Field study on methane and nitrous oxide emissions from a rice agroecosystem in Harbin, China.

Water regime and nitrogen (N) fertilizer are two important factors impacting greenhouse gases (GHG) emission from paddy field, whereas their effects have not been well studied in cold region. In this study, we conducted a two-year field experiment to study the impacts of water regime and N fertilizer on rice yields and GHG emissions in Harbin, China, a cold region located in high latitudes. Our results showed that intermittent irrigation significantly decreased methane (CH4) emission compared with continuous flooding, however, the decrement was far lower than the global average level. The N2O emissions were very small when flooded but peaked at the beginning of the disappearance of floodwater. The N fertilizer treatments increased CH4 emissions at low level (75kgN/ha). But both CH4 and N2O emissions were uninfluenced at the levels of 150kgN/ha and 225kgN/ha. Rice yields increased under intermittent irrigation and were highest at the level of 150kgN/ha. From our results, we recommended that the intermittent irrigation and 150kgN/ha as the ideal water regime-nitrogen fertilizer incorporation for this area to achieve low GHG emissions without impacting rice yields.

Effect of DNA methylation on the osteogenic differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells: concise review.

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have promising potential for bone tissue engineering in bone healing and regeneration. They are regarded as such due to their capacity for self-renewal, multiple differentiation, and their ability to modulate the immune response. However, changes in the molecular pathways and transcription factors of MSCs in osteogenesis can lead to bone defects and metabolic bone diseases. DNA methylation is an epigenetic process that plays an important role in the osteogenic differentiation of MSCs by regulating gene expression. An increasing number of studies have demonstrated the significance of DNA methyltransferases (DNMTs), Ten-eleven translocation family proteins (TETs), and MSCs signaling pathways about osteogenic differentiation in MSCs. This review focuses on the progress of research in these areas.

Integrating bulk RNA-seq and scRNA-seq analyses revealed the function and clinical value of thrombospondins in colon cancer.

Background: Acting as mediators in cell-matrix and cell-cell communication, matricellular proteins play a crucial role in cancer progression. Thrombospondins (TSPs), a type of matricellular glycoproteins, are key regulators in cancer biology with multifaceted roles. Although TSPs have been implicated in anti-tumor immunity and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in several malignancies, their specific roles to colon cancer remain elusive. Addressing this knowledge gap is essential, as understanding the function of TSPs in colon cancer could identify new therapeutic targets and prognostic markers. Methods: Analyzing 1981 samples from 10 high-throughput datasets, including six bulk RNA-seq, three scRNA-seq, and one spatial transcriptome dataset, our study investigated the prognostic relevance, risk stratification value, immune heterogeneity, and cellular origin of TSPs, as well as their influence on cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs). Utilizing survival analysis, unsupervised clustering, and functional enrichment, along with multiple correlation analyses of the tumor-microenvironment (TME) via Gene Set Variation Analysis (GSVA), spatial localization, Monocle2, and CellPhoneDB, we provided insights into the clinical and cellular implications of TSPs. Results: First, we observed significant upregulation of THBS2 and COMP in colon cancer, both of which displayed significant prognostic value. Additionally, we detected a significant positive correlation between TSPs and immune cells, as well as marker genes of EMT. Second, based on TSPs expression, patients were divided into two clusters with distinct prognoses: the high TSPs expression group (TSPs-H) was characterized by pronounced immune and stromal cell infiltration, and notably elevated T-cell exhaustion scores. Subsequently, we found that THBS2 and COMP may be associated with the differentiation of CAFs into pan-iCAFs and pan-dCAFs, which are known for their heightened matrix remodeling activities. Moreover, THBS2 enhanced CAFs communication with vascular endothelial cells and monocyte-macrophages. CAFs expressing THBS2 (THBS2+ CAFs) demonstrated higher scores across multiple signaling pathways, including angiogenic, EMT, Hedgehog, Notch, Wnt, and TGF-ß, when compared to THBS2- CAFs. These observations suggest that THBS2 may be associated with stronger pro-carcinogenic activity in CAFs. Conclusions: This study revealed the crucial role of TSPs and the significant correlation between THBS2 and CAFs interactions in colon cancer progression, providing valuable insights for targeting TSPs to mitigate cancer progression.

Hydrogen Sulfide in Musculoskeletal Diseases: Molecular Mechanisms and Therapeutic Opportunities.

SIGNIFICANCE: Musculoskeletal diseases seriously affect global health, but their importance is greatly underestimated. These diseases often afflict the elderly, leading to disability, paralysis, and other complications. Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) plays an important role in the occurrence and development of musculoskeletal diseases, which may have potential ther-apeutic significance for these diseases. RECENT ADVANCES: Recently, it has been found that many musculoskeletal diseases, such as osteoporosis, periodontitis, muscle atrophy, muscle ischemia-reperfusion injury, mus-cle contraction under high fever, arthritis, and disc herniation, can be alleviated by sup-plementing H2S. H2S may be conducive to the development of multiple myeloma. The mechanism of H2S effect on the musculoskeletal system has been elucidated. A variety of H2S donors and nano-delivery systems provide prospects for H2S-based therapies. CRITICAL ISSUES: Related research remains at the level of cell or animal experiments, and clinical research is lacking. The role of H2S in more musculoskeletal disorders remains largely unknown. The importance of musculoskeletal diseases has not been widely con-cerned. Targeted delivery of H2S remains a challenging task. FUTURE DIRECTION: Develop therapeutic drugs for musculoskeletal diseases based on H2S and test their safety, efficacy, and tolerance. Explore the combination of current musculo-skeletal disease drugs with H2S releasing components to improve efficacy and avoid side effects. Carry out relevant clinical trials to verify the possibility of its widespread use.

Combined physicochemical and transcriptomic analyses reveal the effect of the OsGA20ox1 gene on the starch properties of germinated brown rice.

Genes play a pivotal role in regulating the germination of cereal grains; however, there is limited research on the impact of germination genes on the physicochemical properties of germinated cereal starch. We investigated the effects of the OsGA20ox1 gene on the multiscale structural features and adhesion behavior of germinated brown rice starch. Compared to the knockout lines group, the wild type exhibited a decrease in double-helix content (62.74 %), relative crystallinity (47.39 %), and short-range molecular ordering (2.47 %), accompanied by enhanced erosion on the surface of starch granules. The damage to glycosidic bonds at the double-helix level and the heightened structural amorphization (90.95 %) led to reduced entanglement and interaction among starch molecules, ultimately resulting in reduced characteristic viscosity. Further transcriptomic analysis revealed that OsGA20ox1 could regulate the expression of starch-related enzyme genes in the starch metabolism pathway during germination of brown rice. This study contributes to understanding the role of germination genes in promoting the physicochemical properties of starch in germinated grains, thereby opening up new avenues for the improvement of plant-based starch, and paving the way for further research in this field.

Circadian disruption during fetal development promotes pathological cardiac remodeling in male mice.

Disruption of circadian rhythms during fetal development may predispose mice to developing heart disease later in life. Here, we report that male, but not female, mice that had experienced chronic circadian disturbance (CCD) in utero were more susceptible to pathological cardiac remodeling compared with mice that had developed under normal intrauterine conditions. CCD-treated males showed ventricular chamber dilatation, enhanced myocardial fibrosis, decreased contractility, higher rates of induced tachyarrhythmia, and elevated expression of biomarkers for heart failure and myocardial remodeling. In utero CCD exposure also triggered sex-dependent changes in cardiac gene expression, including upregulation of the secretoglobin gene, Scgb1a1, in males. Importantly, cardiac overexpression of Scgb1a1 was sufficient to induce myocardial hypertrophy in otherwise naive male mice. Our findings reveal that in utero CCD exposure predisposes male mice to pathological remodeling of the heart later in life, likely as a consequence of SCGB1A1 upregulation.

The Emerging Roles of Hydrogen Sulfide in Ferroptosis.

Significance: Ferroptosis, a form of regulated cell death characterized by a large amount of lipid peroxidation-mediated membrane damage, joins the evolution of multisystem diseases, for instance, neurodegenerative diseases, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, acute respiratory distress syndrome, osteoporosis, osteoarthritis, and so forth. Since being identified as the third gasotransmitter in living organisms, the intricate role of hydrogen sulfide (H2S) in ferroptosis has emerged at the forefront of research. Recent Advances: Novel targets in the relevant metabolic pathways have been found, including transferrin receptor 1, cystine/glutamate antiporter, and others, coupled with the exploration of new signaling pathways, particularly the p53 signaling pathway, the nitric oxide/nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 signaling pathway, and so on. Many diseases such as emphysema and airway inflammation, myocardial diseases, endothelial dysfunction in aging arteries, and traumatic brain injury have recently been found to be alleviated directly by H2S inhibition of ferroptosis. Safe, effective, and tolerable novel H2S donors have been developed and have shown promising results in phase I clinical trials. Critical Issues: Complicated cross talk between the ferroptosis signaling pathway and oncogenic factors results in the risk of cancer when inhibiting ferroptosis. Notably, targeted delivery of H2S is still a challenging task. Future Directions: Discovering more reliable and stable novel H2S donors and achieving their targeted delivery will enable further clinical trials for diseases associated with ferroptosis inhibition by H2S, determining their safety, efficacy, and tolerance.

Advances in the development of antivirals for rotavirus infection.

Rotavirus (RV) causes 200,000 deaths per year and imposes a serious burden to public health and livestock farming worldwide. Currently, rehydration (oral and intravenous) remains the main strategy for the treatment of rotavirus gastroenteritis (RVGE), and no specific drugs are available. This review discusses the viral replication cycle in detail and outlines possible therapeutic approaches including immunotherapy, probiotic-assisted therapy, anti-enteric secretory drugs, Chinese medicine, and natural compounds. We present the latest advances in the field of rotavirus antivirals and highlights the potential use of Chinese medicine and natural compounds as therapeutic agents. This review provides an important reference for rotavirus prevention and treatment.