Quadriwave lateral shearing interferometry based on double birefringent crystals of beam displacer.

A quadriwave lateral shearing interferometry (QWLSI) is proposed based on double birefringent crystals of a beam displacer (DBCs-BD). The DBCs-BD is formed by adopting two birefringent crystals of a polarization beam displacer (PBD), which can generate the lateral shearing interference waves of four beams of overlapped replicas in the DBCs-BD orthogonal directions. When the replica waves are overlapped incident to the analyzer, and the direction of the transmission axis is set as 45° or 135°, the QWLSI's polarization interferogram can be obtained. The high-precision phase can be obtained by simple spectrum denoising and performing the Fourier transform of the resulting interferogram. We deduce the principle of QWLSI in detail, and the wavefront distribution can be achieved by the phase calculation. The experiment shows that the DBCs-BD-QWLSI exhibits feasibility and high precision.

Modeling and Prediction of Thermal Deformation Errors in Fiber Optic Gyroscopes Based on the TD-Model.

For a fiber optic gyroscope, thermal deformation of the fiber coil can introduce additional thermal-induced phase errors, commonly referred to as thermal errors. Implementing effective thermal error compensation techniques is crucial to addressing this issue. These techniques operate based on the real-time sensing of thermal errors and subsequent correction within the output signal. Given the challenge of directly isolating thermal errors from the gyroscope's output signal, predicting thermal errors based on temperature becomes necessary. To establish a mathematical model correlating the temperature and thermal errors, this study measured synchronized data of phase errors and angular velocity for the fiber coil under various temperature conditions, aiming to model it using data-driven methods. However, due to the difficulty of conducting tests and the limited number of data samples, direct engagement in data-driven modeling poses a risk of severe overfitting. To overcome this challenge, we propose a modeling algorithm that effectively integrates theoretical models with data, referred to as the TD-model in this paper. Initially, a theoretical analysis of the phase errors caused by thermal deformation of the fiber coil is performed. Subsequently, critical parameters, such as the thermal expansion coefficient, are determined, leading to the establishment of a theoretical model. Finally, the theoretical analysis model is incorporated as a regularization term and combined with the test data to jointly participate in the regression of model coefficients. Through experimental comparative analysis, it is shown that, relative to ordinary regression models, the TD-model effectively mitigates overfitting caused by the limited number of samples, resulting in a substantial 58% improvement in predictive accuracy.

Improving the phase reconstruction accuracy of simultaneous phase-shifted lateral shearing interferometry using a polarization redundant sub-region interpolation method.

In a simultaneous phase-shifted lateral shearing interferometry, a division of focal plane polarization camera is generally used as the phase-shifting device. However, acquiring simultaneous phase-shift interferograms in a single frame suffers from a lack of spatial resolution, significantly affecting the phase reconstruction accuracy. A polarization redundant sub-region interpolation (PRSI) method is proposed to solve this problem. This interpolation method distinguishes smooth regions from stripe fringe regions by calculating the polarization redundancy error of the synchronous phase shift interferogram. After sub-regional processing, resolution reconstruction is performed in the smoothed area using a fast convolutional bilinear interpolation method. In the streak detail region, the resolution reconstruction is performed based on the strength of the correlation between the orthogonal and non-orthogonal polarization channels crossing the streak region. The PRSI method can quickly reconstruct the lost pixels and accurately recover the stripe detail information. Experiment results show that the proposed interpolation method outperforms the existing dominant methods in terms of visual reconstruction effect and quantitative index of phase reconstruction.

Protection studies of an excretory-secretory protein HcABHD against Haemonchus contortus infection.

Unlike the successful immunization of native H. contortus antigens that contributed to the realization of the first commercial vaccine Barbervax, not many studies revealed the encouraging protective efficacies of recombinant H. contortus antigens in laboratory trials or under field conditions. In our preliminary study, H. contortus α/ß-hydrolase domain protein (HcABHD) was demonstrated to be an immunomodulatory excretory-secretory (ES) protein that interacts with goat T cells. We herein evaluated the protective capacities of two HcABHD preparations, recombinant HcABHD (rHcABHD) antigen and anti-rHcABHD IgG, against H. contortus challenge via active and passive immunization trials, respectively. Parasitological parameter, antibody responses, hematological pathology and cytokine profiling in unchallenged and challenged goats were monitored and determined throughout both trials. Subcutaneous administration of rHcABHD with Freund adjuvants elicited protective immune responses in challenged goats, diminishing cumulative fecal egg counts (FEC) and total worm burden by 54.0% and 74.2%, respectively, whereas passive immunization with anti-rHcABHD IgG conferred substantial protection to challenged goats by generating a 51.5% reduction of cumulative FEC and a 73.8% reduction of total worm burden. Additionally, comparable changes of mucosal IgA levels, circulating IgG levels, hemoglobin levels, and serum interleukin (IL)-4 and IL-17A levels were observed in rHcABHD protein/anti-rHcABHD IgG immunized goats in both trials. Taken together, the recombinant version of HcABHD might have further application under field conditions in protecting goats against H. contortus infection, and the integrated immunological pipeline of ES antigen identification, screening and characterization may provide new clues for further development of recombinant subunit vaccines to control H. contortus.

The excretory-secretory antigen HcADRM1 to generate protective immunity against Haemonchus contortus.

The prevention, treatment and control of Haemonchus contortus have been increasingly problematic due to its widespread occurrence and anthelmintic resistance. There are very few descriptions of recombinant antigens being protective for H. contortus, despite the success of various native antigen preparations, including Barbervax. We recently identified an H. contortus excretory­secretory antigen, H. contortus adhesion-regulating molecule 1 (HcADRM1), that served as an immunomodulator to impair host T-cell functions. Given the prophylactic potential of HcADRM1 protein as a vaccine candidate, we hereby assessed the efficacies of HcADRM1 preparations against H. contortus infection. Parasitological and immunological parameters were evaluated throughout all time points of the trials, including fecal egg counts (FEC), abomasal worm burdens, complete blood counts, cytokine production profiles and antibody responses. Active vaccination with recombinant HcADRM1 (rHcADRM1) protein induced protective immunity in inoculated goats, resulting in reductions of 48.9 and 58.6% in cumulative FEC and worm burdens. Simultaneously, passive administration of anti-HcADRM1 antibodies generated encouraging levels of protection with 46.7 and 56.2% reductions in cumulative FEC and worm burdens in challenged goats. In addition, HcADRM1 preparations-immunized goats showed significant differences in mucosal and serum antigen-specific immunoglobulin G (IgG) levels, total mucosal IgA levels, haemoglobin values and circulating interferon-γ, interleukin (IL)-4 and IL-17A production compared to control goats in both trials. The preliminary data of these laboratory trials validated the immunoprophylactic effects of rHcADRM1 protein. It can be pursued as a potential vaccine antigen to develop an effective recombinant subunit vaccine against H. contortus under field conditions.

Peroxo Species Formed in the Bulk of Silicate Cathodes.

Oxygen redox in Li-rich oxides may boost the energy density of lithium-ion batteries by incorporating oxygen chemistry in solid cathodes. However, oxygen redox in the bulk usually entangles with voltage hysteresis and oxygen release, resulting in a prolonged controversy in literature on oxygen transformation. Here, we report spectroscopic evidence of peroxo species formed and confined in silicate cathodes amid oxygen redox at high voltage, accompanied by Co2+ /Co3+ redox dominant at low voltage. First-principles calculations reveal that localized electrons on dangling oxygen drive the O-O dimerization. The covalence between the binding cation and the O-O dimer determines the degree of electron transfer in oxygen transformation. Dimerization induces irreversible structural distortion and slow kinetics. But peroxo formation can minimize the voltage drop and volume expansion in cumulative cationic and anionic redox. These findings offer insights into oxygen redox in the bulk for the rational design of high-energy-density cathodes.

Proteomic analysis revealed T cell hyporesponsiveness induced by Haemonchus contortus excretory and secretory proteins.

Haemonchus contortus has evolved highly integrated and sophisticated mechanisms to promote coexistence with hosts. The excretory-secretory (ES) products generated by this parasite contribute to the regulation of the host immune response to facilitate immune evasion and induce chronicity, but the proteins responsible for this process and the exact cellular mechanisms have yet to be defined. In this study, we identified 114 H. contortus ES proteins (HcESPs) interacting with host T cells and 15 T cell binding receptors via co-immunoprecipitation and shotgun liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry analysis. Based on bioinformatics analysis, we demonstrated that HcESPs could inhibit T cell viability, induce cell apoptosis, suppress T cell proliferation and cause cell cycle arrest. Furthermore, the stimulation of HcESPs exerted critical control effects on T cell cytokine production profiles, predominantly promoting the secretion of interleukin (IL)-10, IL-17A and transforming growth factor-ß1 and inhibiting IL-2, IL-4 and interferon-γ production. Collectively, these findings may provide insights into the interaction between ES proteins and key host effector cells, enhancing our understanding of the molecular mechanism underlying parasite immune evasion and providing new clues for novel vaccine development.

Nanostructure and its effect on electrochemical properties of polyanionic Li2CoSiO4 for lithium ion batteries.

This work reports a facile strategy to synthesize carbon-coated Li2CoSiO4/C particles with rich nanostructures by a two-step scheme starting with a low-temperature hydrothermal method. The size and morphology of particle aggregates can be regulated by the (OH-) concentration and viscosity of the precursor solution, a mixture of ethylene glycol and deionized water, for the hydrothermal synthesis. In addition to the good electrical conductivity from the carbon coating, the size of the primary nanoparticles and the mesopore associated with the aggregations play an important role in improving the electrochemical properties of polyanionic Li2CoSiO4. The low-dimensional belt-like and sheet-like Li2CoSiO4/C nanomaterials present a higher reversible capacity 136.6 mAh g-1 and 147 mAh g-1, respectively, in the first charging-discharging cycle between 2 V and 4.6 V. XRD, SEM/TEM, and EDS are used to characterize the crystalline structure and aggregation patterns. TGA and Raman spectra are employed to analyze the carbon coating on different morphologies. The analysis of electrochemical impedance spectroscopy highlights the critical role of the interface between the electrolyte and particles. This study provides insights into the rational design and synthesis of high-performance polyanionic cathodes including silicates.

Single-shot phase-shifting image-plane digital holography with tri-focal Fibonacci-Billet split lens.

Phase-shifting holography has been widely applied in the field of non-destructive testing and interference imaging. Compared to the previous single-shot phase-shifting holography, here tri-focal Fibonacci-Billet split lens was introduced into Mach-Zehnder interferometer, in which the upper half of the Fibonacci-Billet split lens can realize three phase-locking copies of the planar reference wave and the lower half is used to generate three identical copies of object. The interference pattern is recorded by a detector in one single exposure. The test object can be reconstructed by three-step phase-shifting interferometry. The corresponding experiment is carried out to verify the effectiveness of this method. With advantages of real-time reconstruction and amplitude-only diffraction lens, it is very useful for fast imaging and optical element detection.

First report of bovine viral diarrhea virus and Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis infection in Tibetan sheep (Ovis aries) in Tibetan Plateau, China.

Bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV) and Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis (MAP) are important pathogens, which cause serious disease in animals. However, information about BVDV and MAP infection in Tibetan sheep in China is limited. Two thousand one hundred and eighty-seven blood samples were collected from Tibetan sheep between April 2013 and March 2014 from the Tibetan Plateau and tested for BVDV and MAP antibodies using commercial ELISA kits. The overall seroprevalence of BVDV and MAP in Tibetan sheep was 36.7 and 11.29%, respectively. Furthermore, risk factor analysis indicated that the age of sheep was statistically significant associated with BVDV infection and the region was considered as the risk factor of MAP infection in sheep (P < 0.05), gender and season were not considered as risk factors. This is the first report of seroprevalence and risk factors associated with BVDV and MAP infection in Tibetan Sheep in China, which will provide baseline information for controlling BVDV and MAP infection in ruminants in the Tibetan Plateau, western China.

Measurement investigation of an off-axis aspheric surface via a hybrid compensation method.

To measure the profile of an off-axis aspheric surface with large asphericity or lateral displacement, a hybrid compensation method is employed to realize a null test. First, the hybrid compensation method is simulated in MATLAB by using a fold sphere mirror and a computer-generated hologram (CGH) to compensate for the primary aberration and residual high-order aberration, respectively. For contrast, the hybrid compensation method is also simulated in Zemax by using dummy glass. Through comparing the simulation results from MATLAB and Zemax, the test CGH fringe positions from the two results are well matched. Then, the fold sphere mirror and CGH optical elements are designed and fabricated for an actual hybrid compensation measurement system, and the auto-collimation method is also used to detect the same off-axis aspheric surface. To ensure the correctness of the experiment, the result of actual hybrid compensation testing is contrasted with that of the auto-collimation method. Experiments show that the results obtained by the two methods are consistent, which indicates that this kind of hybrid compensation is an effective and accurate method for measurement of off-axis aspheric surfaces.

Linear programming phase unwrapping for dual-wavelength digital holography.

A linear programming phase unwrapping method in dual-wavelength digital holography is proposed and verified experimentally. The proposed method uses the square of height difference as a convergence standard and theoretically gives the boundary condition in a searching process. A simulation was performed by unwrapping step structures at different levels of Gaussian noise. As a result, our method is capable of recovering the discontinuities accurately. It is robust and straightforward. In the experiment, a microelectromechanical systems sample and a cylindrical lens were measured separately. The testing results were in good agreement with true values. Moreover, the proposed method is applicable not only in digital holography but also in other dual-wavelength interferometric techniques.

Silencing Bag-1 gene via magnetic gold nanoparticle-delivered siRNA plasmid for colorectal cancer therapy in vivo and in vitro.

Apoptosis disorder is generally regarded as an important mechanism of carcinogenesis. Inducement of tumor cell apoptosis can be an effectual way to treat cancer. Bcl-2-associated athanogene 1 (Bag-1) is a positive regulator of Bcl-2 which is an anti-apoptotic gene. Bag-1 is highly expressed in colorectal cancer, which plays a critical role in promoting metastasis, poor prognosis, especially in anti-apoptotic function, and is perhaps a valuable gene target for colorectal cancer therapy. Recently, we applied a novel non-viral gene carrier, magnetic gold nanoparticle, and mediated plasmid pGPH1/GFP/Neo-Bag-1-homo-825 silencing Bag-1 gene for treating colorectal cancer in vivo and in vitro. By mediating with magnetic gold nanoparticle, siRNA plasmid was successfully transfected into cell. In 3-[4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl]-2,5 diphenyl tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay, magnetic gold nanoparticle had no significant cytotoxicity and by which delivered RNA plasmid inhibited cell viability significantly (P < 0.05). Downregulation of Bag-1 promoted cell apoptosis (∼47.0 %) in vitro and significantly decreased tumor growth when the cells were injected into nude mice. Based on the studies in vivo, the relative expression of Bag-1 was 0.165 ± 0.072 at mRNA level and ∼60 % at protein level. In further study, C-myc and ß-catenin, mainly molecules of Wnt/ß-catenin pathway, were decreased notably when Bag-1 were silenced in nanoparticle plasmid complex-transfected Balb c/nude tumor xenograft. In conclusion, Bag-1 is confirmed an anti-apoptosis gene that functioned in colorectal cancer, and the mechanism of Bag-1 gene causing colorectal cancer may be related to Wnt/ß-catenin signaling pathway abnormality and suggested that magnetic gold nanoparticle-delivered siRNA plasmid silencing Bag-1 is an effective gene therapy method for colorectal cancer.

Antiapoptotic gene BAG-1 vector structure of RNA interference and endogenous targeted screening in colon cancer cell lines.

The purposes of the present work were to construct the shRNA plasmids for BAG-1 gene of human and test the expression of mRNA and protein of BAG-1. Recombinant plasmids containing green fluorescent protein reporter genes are constructed using gene cloning methods. The shRNA plasmids for the BAG-1 gene are constructed by RNA interference technology. We applied fluorescent plasmid-transfected target cells in the cell transfection experiments and monitored the transfection rate of plasmids by observing the fluorescence amount. We transfected three synthesized shRNA in target screening cell and adopted RT-PCR and Western test to identify the difference of target gene transfection and translation level in cells. The specific shRNA plasmid for the BAG-1 gene was successfully recombined, and stably transfected colon cancer Lo Vo cell lines were obtained. The results present that the constructed shRNA plasmids significantly inhibited the expression of mRNA and protein of Lo Vo cell BAG-1, and can maintain the effect for a long term. pGPH1/GFP/Neo-BAG-1-homo-825 was screened as the optimum sequence of interference so as to lay a solid foundation to explore into the research on the BAG-1 gene and the biological behavior of colon cancer cells. It showed the remarkable advantage of RNAi in the generation of posttranscriptional gene silencing.

Effect of cooking methods on volatile compounds and texture properties in millet porridge.

To instruct the production of millet porridge, the effect of cooking methods on flavor and texture of millet porridge was investigated. A total of 91 volatiles were detected and most volatile compounds decreased with cooking time, e.g. alcohols. The esters as major volatiles had a high content in electric rice cooker (IC). Multiple chemometric results indicated that volatiles from different cooking methods were distinguished respectively. Texture analysis indicated that the hardness of millet porridge prepared in IC had a more dominant decrease trend than electromagnetic oven and the electric pressure cooker before 40 min. In conclusion, different cooking methods had a more significant influence on the volatiles than cooking time, while the texture is opposite. The comprehensive sensory score reached its peak in IC-30 min. The comprehensive sensory scores of IC and EC decreased with the prolongation of cooking time. This study helps to improve the sensory attributes of millet porridge.

Effect of cooking methods on volatile compounds and texture properties in maize porridge.

To investigate the optimal processing of maize porridge, the volatile compounds and texture under different cooking methods and time have been studied. A total of 51 volatile compounds were identified in maize porridge. Notably, the major volatiles, aldehydes and esters exhibited a relatively high content in electric pressure cooker (EPC), and esters tend to significantly increase after cooking. Among aldehydes, nonanal and hexanal played a great role in flavor due to their relatively high content. Volatile compounds of maize porridge in different cooking methods could be clearly distinguished by multiple chemometrics. Furthermore, texture analysis revealed that almost all the indicators in the EPC can reach the lowest value at 60 min. To summarize, different cooking methods had a more significant influence on the volatile compounds and texture compared to time. This study helps to improve the sensory attributes of maize porridge, and thus contributes to healthier and more sustainable production.

Coexpression of recombinant adenovirus carrying GDNF and EDNRB genes in neural stem cells in vitro.

Gene therapy and nerve stem cells isolated from the developing human enteric nervous system (ENS) are significant. They may open the route for the cell therapy of Hirschsprung's disease (HD). We have constructed the recombinant adenovirus-carrying glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) and endothelin receptor B (EDNRB) gene, and investigated the exosomatic coexpression in neural stem cells. The recombinant adenovirus Ad-GE coexpressing GDNF and EDNRB gene was constructed by the AdEasy system and confirmed by the reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) method. Expression of exogenous genes in neural stem cells after transfection was confirmed by the flow cytometry and real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR. Fragments of pAd Track-CMV-GE were consistent with GDNF and EDNRB. The green fluorescence of the positive cells was followed by fluorescence microscopy at 24 h after NSCs had been transfected, reaching a peak at 72 h after transfection. Flow cytometry showed that the efficiency of transfection was 15.0, 23.6, and 25.4% at 24, 48 and 72 h respectively. Real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR showed the expression levels of mRNA of GDNF and EDNRB in 48 and 72 h groups were obviously higher than that in 24 and 96 h groups. Recombinant adenovirus carrying GDNF and EDNRB genes are coexpressed in neural stem cells, which may offer the possibility of a novel approach to local combination gene therapy for Hirschsprung's disease.

The interventional therapy for diabetic peripheral artery disease.

BACKGROUND: Diabetic peripheral arterial disease is the main cause of lower limb amputation in patients with diabetes. To summarize the technique and experiences and evaluate the clinical effects of blood vessel intervention operation on diabetic peripheral artery disease. METHODS: 81 patients with diabetic peripheral artery disease from October 2007 to September 2011, 81 cases of the observation group were treated by balloon PTA. By adopting the Seldinger puncture technology, intubation was placed into a cobra catheter or a pig tail artery catheter and directed to the ipsilateral lower extremity artery. A guidewire was used to reach the lesion part of patients and a long balloon with a diameter of 4-6 mm was used to expand the artery with a pressure of 6-10 atm. RESULTS: 81 patients in the observation group received the PTA surgery. The technical succesful rate was 100%, no complication happened. The skin temperature increased after treatment. The blood supply improved significantly. The pulsation of the foot dorsal artery was strengthened. The numbness and pain symptoms were moderated significantly. We observed better results in the observation group in lower limb vessel diameter and foot ulceration healing. None of the patients received amputation surgery. Its short-term effects were satisfactory. CONCLUSION: PTA is a feasible technique for diabetic peripheral artery disease. It has great clinical significance in treating diabetic peripheral arterial disease. Although its short-term effects is satisfactory, the long-term effects is necessary for follow up.

Bile acids regulate MAdCAM-1 expression to link the gut microbiota to cancer immunosurveillance.

In a recent paper in Science, Fidelle et al. unravel a gut immune checkpoint that is subverted by antibiotic treatment. Post-antibiotic dysbiosis of the ileum causes an increase in bile acids that downregulate MAdCAM-1, thereby triggering the exodus of immunosuppressive T cells from gut-associated lymphoid tissues toward tumors.

Comparative study on quality characteristics of Bischofia polycarpa seed oil by different solvents: Lipid composition, phytochemicals, and antioxidant activity.

Bischofia polycarpa seed oil is rich in nutrition and positively affects on human health. We analyzed and compared the chemical compositions, antioxidant activities, and quality characteristics of Bischofia polycarpa seed oils using different solvents and cold-pressing. Hx: Iso (n-hexane/isopropanol, 3:2 v/v) had the highest lipid yield (35.13 %), while Folch (chloroform/methanol, 2:1 v/v) had the highest linolenic acid (50.79 %), LnLnLn (43.42 %), and LnLnL (23.43 %). Tocopherols (2108.99 mg/kg) were extracted most efficiently with Folch, whereas phytosterols (3852.97 mg/kg) and squalene (55.21 mg/kg) were extracted most efficiently with petroleum ether. Although the lower phytosterol was obtained using isopropanol, the polyphenol content (271.34 mg GAE/kg) was significantly higher than other solvents, showing the best antioxidant ability. Additionally, polyphenols were observed to be the most significant factor predicting antioxidant activity from the correlation analysis. The above information can provide a useful reference for manufacturers to obtain satisfactory Bischofia polycarpa seed oil.