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Abstract Hydrogel-based delivery systems have now emerged as a pivotal platform for addressing chronic tissue defects, leveraging their innate capacity to suppress pathogenic infections and facilitate expedited tissue regeneration. In this work, an injectable hydrogel dressing, termed AgNPs-dermal matrix hydrogel (Ag@ADMH), has been designed to expedite the healing process of wounds afflicted with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), featuring sustained antibacterial efficacy. The synthesis of the hydrogel dressing entailed a self-assembly process of collagen fibers within an acellular dermal matrix to construct a three-dimensional scaffold, encapsulated with plant polyphenol-functionalized silver nanoparticles (AgNPs). The Ag@ADMH demonstrated exceptional biocompatibility, and enables a sustained release of AgNPs, ensuring prolonged antimicrobial activity. Moreover, the in vitro RT-qPCR analysis revealed that compared with ADMH, Ag@ADMH diminish the expression of iNOS while augmenting CD206 expression, thereby mitigating the inflammatory response and fostering wound healing. Especially, the Ag@ADMH facilitated a reduction in M1 macrophage polarization, as evidenced by a significant decrement in the M1 polarization trend and an enhanced M2/M1 ratio in dermal matrix hydrogels laden with AgNPs, corroborated by confocal microscopy and flow cytometry analyses of macrophage phenotypes. The in vivo assessments indicated that Ag@ADMH minimized fibrous capsule formation. In a full-thickness skin defect model of MRSA infection, the formulation significantly attenuated the inflammatory response by reducing MPO and CD68 expression levels, concurrently promoting collagen synthesis and CD34 expression, pivotal for vasculogenesis, thereby accelerating the resolution of MRSA-infected wounds. These attributes underscore the injectable extracellular matrix hydrogel as a formidable strategy for the remediation and regeneration of infected wounds. Graphical Abstract

Abstract On-chip metasurface for guided wave radiation works as an upgrade of conventional grating couplers, enriching the interconnection between guided wave and free-space optical field. However, the number of controllable parameters in equivalent Jones matrix of on-chip metasurface is limited that restricts the channels for multiplexing. Here, a supercell design based on detour phase and geometric phase has been proposed to reach full-parametric modulation of Jones matrix. As proof of concept, four independent sets of amplitude-phase channels have been experimentally demonstrated through a single on-chip metasurface. Moreover, through joint modulation of three phase mechanisms including detour phase, geometric phase and propagation phase, the Jones matrix could be decoupled from forward- and backward-propagating guided waves for direction multiplexing. This work paves the way for guided wave radiation towards high-capacity multiplexing and may further extend its application in optical communications, optical displays and augmented/virtual reality.

Coral reef limestone at different depositional depths and facies differ remarkably on the textural and mineralogical characteristics, owing to the complex sedimentary diagenesis. To explore the effects of pore structure and mineral composition associated with diagenetic variation on the mechanical behavior of reef limestone, a series of quasi-static and dynamic compression tests along with microscopic examinations were performed on the reef limestone at shallow and deep burial depths. It is revealed that the shallow reef limestone (SRL) is classified as a porous aragonite-type carbonate rock with high porosity (55.3±3.2)% and pore connectivity. In comparison, the deep reef limestone (DRL) is mainly composed of dense calcite-type calcium carbonate with low porosity (4.9±1.6)% and pore connectivity. The DRL strengthened and stiffened by the tight grain framework consistently displays much higher values of the dynamic compressive strength, elastic modulus, brittleness index, and specific energy absorption than those of the SRL. The gap between two types of limestone further increases with an increase in strain rate. It appears that the failure pattern of SRL is dominated by the inherent defects like weak bonding interfaces and growth lines, revealed by the intricate fracturing network and mixed failure. Likewise, although the preexisting megapores in DRL may affect the crack propagation on pore tips to a certain distance, it hardly alters the axial splitting failure of DRL under impacts. The stress wave propagation and attenuation in SRL is primarily controlled by the reflection and diffusion caused by plenty mesopores, as well as an energy dissipation in layer-wise pore collapse and adjacent grain crushing, while the stress wave in DRL is highly hinged on the insulation and diffraction induced by the isolated megapores. This process is accompanied by the energy dissipation behavior of inelastic deformation resulted from the pore-emanated microcracking.

Abstract Mutations that decrease or increase the activity of the tyrosine phosphatase, SHP2 (encoded by PTPN11), promotes developmental disorders and several malignancies by varying phosphatase activity. We uncovered that SHP2 is a distinct class of an epigenetic enzyme; upon phosphorylation by the kinase ACK1/TNK2, pSHP2 was escorted by androgen receptor (AR) to chromatin, erasing hitherto unidentified pY54-H3 (phosphorylation of histones H3 at Tyr54) epigenetic marks to trigger a transcriptional program of AR. Noonan Syndrome with Multiple Lentigines (NSML) patients, SHP2 knock-in mice, and ACK1 knockout mice presented dramatic increase in pY54-H3, leading to loss of AR transcriptome. In contrast, prostate tumors with high pSHP2 and pACK1 activity exhibited progressive downregulation of pY54-H3 levels and higher AR expression that correlated with disease severity. Overall, pSHP2/pY54-H3 signaling acts as a sentinel of AR homeostasis, explaining not only growth retardation, genital abnormalities and infertility among NSML patients, but also significant AR upregulation in prostate cancer patients.

Abstract Magnetic skyrmions are topological spin textures that are regarded as promising information carriers for next-generation spintronic memory and computing devices. For practical applications, their deterministic generation, manipulation, and efficient detection are the most critical aspects. Although the generation and manipulation of skyrmions have been extensively studied, efficient electrical detection of mobile skyrmions by using techniques that are compatible with modern magnetic memory technology, remains to be adequately addressed. Here, through integrating magnetic multilayers that host nanoscale skyrmions, together with the magnetic tunnel junctions (MTJ), we demonstrate the electrical detection of skyrmions by using the tunneling magnetoresistance (TMR) effect with a TMR ratio that reaches over 100% at room temperature. By building prototype three-terminal racetrack-like devices, we further show the electrical detection of mobile skyrmions by recording the time-dependent TMR ratios. Along with many recent developments, our results could advance the development of skyrmionic memory and logic devices.

Abstract The electrical outputs of single-layer antiferromagnetic memory devices relying on the anisotropic magnetoresistance effect are typically rather small at room temperature. Here we report a new type of antiferromagnetic memory based on the spin phase change in a Mn-Ir binary intermetallic thin film at a composition within the phase boundary between its collinear and noncollinear phases. Via a small piezoelectric strain, the spin structure of this composition-boundary metal is reversibly interconverted, leading to a large nonvolatile room-temperature resistance modulation that is two orders of magnitude greater than the anisotropic magnetoresistance effect for a metal, mimicking the well-established phase change memory from a quantum spin degree of freedom. In addition, this antiferromagnetic spin phase change memory exhibits remarkable time and temperature stabilities, and is robust in a magnetic field high up to 60 T.

BackgroundChronic alcoholic liver disease (CALD) is a global health problem which includes multiple pathological processes such as immune inflammation and oxidative stress. 4-hydroxy-2(3H)-benzoxazolone (HBOA), an alkaloid isolated from Acanthus ilicifolius L, has been shown to exert hepatoprotective and immunomodulatory effects. However, its effects on CALD remain unclear. This study aimed to investigate the effects and underlying mechanisms of HBOA on CALD.MethodsRats were administered alcohol by gavage continuously for 12 weeks to establish the CALD model, and then treated with HBOA by gavage for 4 weeks. Transcriptomics and metabolomics were used to predict the potential mechanisms of the effects of HBOA on CALD. Liver histology and function, oxidative stress, inflammatory cytokines, and the TLR4/NF-κB pathway components were evaluated.ResultsHBOA significantly improved alcohol-induced liver injury and steatosis. It decreased the expression levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines (tumour necrosis factor-α [TNF-α], interleukin (IL)-1β, and IL-6), and increased the activities of antioxidant enzymes (superoxide dismutase [SOD], glutathione [GSH], and glutathione peroxidase [GSH-Px]). Western blotting confirmed that HBOA treatment largely diminished NF-κBp65 nuclear translocation. Comprehensive transcriptomics and metabolomics analyses indicated that HBOA regulated the glycerophospholipid metabolism pathway to achieve therapeutic effects in rats with CALD.ConclusionHBOA has a therapeutic effect on rats with CALD. Its mechanism of action mainly affects the glycerophospholipid metabolic pathway to promote lipid metabolism homeostasis by regulating the expression of Etnppl, Gpcpd1, and Pla2g4c. In addition, it may also inhibit the TLR4/NF-κB signaling pathway, thereby reducing the immune-inflammatory response.

Abstract Coherent spin waves possess immense potential in wave-based information computation, storage, and transmission with high fidelity and ultra-low energy consumption. However, despite their seminal importance for magnonic devices, there is a paucity of both structural prototypes and theoretical frameworks that regulate the spin current transmission and magnon hybridization mediated by coherent spin waves. Here, we demonstrate reconfigurable coherent spin current transmission, as well as magnon–magnon coupling, in a hybrid ferrimagnetic heterostructure comprising epitaxial Gd3Fe5O12 and Y3Fe5O12 insulators. By adjusting the compensated moment in Gd3Fe5O12, magnon–magnon coupling was achieved and engineered with pronounced anticrossings between two Kittel modes, accompanied by divergent dissipative coupling approaching the magnetic compensation temperature of Gd3Fe5O12 (T M,GdIG), which were modeled by coherent spin pumping. Remarkably, we further identified, both experimentally and theoretically, a drastic variation in the coherent spin wave-mediated spin current across T M,GdIG, which manifested as a strong dependence on the relative alignment of magnetic moments. Our findings provide significant fundamental insight into the reconfiguration of coherent spin waves and offer a new route towards constructing artificial magnonic architectures.

In‐sensor computing architecture has a great advantage especially in massive data sampling, transfer, and processing compared with the separated intelligent sensor systems. However, most of the in‐sensor computing device is proposed based on the traditional neural network model, where the synapse performs linear multiplication of input and weight. This approach fails to make the most use of the nonlinearity of in‐sensor computing devices. Therefore, in this article, first a modified feedforward neural network model with the nonlinear in‐sensor computing synapse (NSCS) located at the input layer is presented, and the backpropagation (BP) algorithm is modified to train the network. Then, the nonlinear characteristics of the NSCS composed of the spin‐transfer‐torque magnetic tunnel junction (STT–MTJ) devices and simple complementary metal‐oxide‐semiconductor (CMOS) circuit are analyzed. Based on the nonlinear response of STT–MTJ NSCS, the small‐scale network with NSCS synapse is experimented on the Modified National Institute of Standards and Technology dataset and compared with the traditional network of the same network size. In the simulation result, it is shown that better performance can be achieved with the STT–MTJ NSCS, including a 2–15 times improvement in convergence speed and a 2.5%–5.1% increase in accuracy.

Abstract As one of the major causes of antimicrobial resistance, β‐lactamase develops rapidly among bacteria. Detection of β‐lactamase in an efficient and low‐cost point‐of‐care testing (POCT) way is urgently needed. However, due to the volatile environmental factors, the quantitative measurement of current POCT is often inaccurate. Herein, we demonstrate an artificial intelligence (AI)‐assisted mobile health system that consists of a paper‐based β‐lactamase fluorogenic probe analytical device and a smartphone‐based AI cloud. An ultrafast broad‐spectrum fluorogenic probe (B1) that could respond to β‐lactamase within 20 s was first synthesized, and the detection limit was determined to be 0.13 nmol/L. Meanwhile, a three‐dimensional microfluidic paper‐based analytical device was fabricated for integration of B1. Also, a smartphone‐based AI cloud was developed to correct errors automatically and output results intelligently. This smart system could calibrate the temperature and pH in the β‐lactamase level detection in complex samples and mice infected with various bacteria, which shows the problem‐solving ability in interdisciplinary research, and demonstrates potential clinical benefits.

Due to the superior physical properties and high-level alignment of the nanoscale building blocks, assembly of high-quality two-dimensional (2D) nanosheets into macroscopic engineering structure materials can achieve many unexpected performance. Natural mica nanosheets (MNSs) are abundant and with superlative properties, showing huge prospect for engineering structural materials. However, the difficulty of the mass production with large size and high aspect ratio are the current factors that limit this. Inspired by the well-known scotch-tape exfoliation, herein we develop a gummy-tape exfoliation (GTE) method by using liquid oligomers as mediums in ball-milling process to massively produce large-size and ultrathin MNSs. As a confirmation, the obtained MNSs show a record high aspect ratio of ≈1320 and a large actual yield of ∼ 80 %. A transparent biobased aromatic polyester nanocomposite film made of such MNSs and polyethylene furandicarboxylate (PEF) matrix possesses remarkably improved mechanical, barrier properties, and UV-shielding performances at an extremely low filler loading (≤0.5 vol%), making it a novel potential engineering material for packing fields in foods, drugs, and electronic products, etc.

Abstract Melanoma incidence and mortality rates are historically higher for men than women. Although emerging studies have highlighted tumorigenic roles for the male sex hormone androgen and its receptor (AR) in melanoma, cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying these sex-associated discrepancies are poorly defined. Here, we delineate a previously undisclosed mechanism by which androgen-activated AR transcriptionally upregulates fucosyltransferase 4 (FUT4) expression, which drives melanoma invasiveness by interfering with adherens junctions (AJs). Global phosphoproteomic and fucoproteomic profiling, coupled with in vitro and in vivo functional validation, further reveal that AR-induced FUT4 fucosylates L1 cell adhesion molecule (L1CAM), which is required for FUT4-increased metastatic capacity. Tumor microarray and gene expression analyses demonstrate that AR-FUT4-L1CAM-AJs signaling correlates with pathological staging in melanoma patients. By delineating key androgen-triggered signaling that enhances metastatic aggressiveness, our findings help explain sex-associated clinical outcome disparities and highlight AR/FUT4 and its effectors as potential prognostic biomarkers and therapeutic targets in melanoma.

Abstract The advancement of biomaterials with antimicrobial and wound healing properties continues to present challenges. Macrophages are recognized for their significant role in the repair of infection-related wounds. However, the interaction between biomaterials and macrophages remains complex and requires further investigation. In this research, we propose a new sequential immunomodulation method to enhance and expedite wound healing by leveraging the immune properties of bacteria-related wounds, utilizing a novel mixed hydrogel dressing. The hydrogel matrix is derived from porcine acellular dermal matrix (PADM) and is loaded with a new type of bioactive glass nanoparticles (MBG) doped with magnesium (Mg-MBG) and loaded with Curcumin (Cur). This hybrid hydrogel demonstrates controlled release of Cur, effectively eradicating bacterial infection in the early stage of wound infection, and the subsequent release of Mg ions (Mg2+) synergistically inhibits the activation of inflammation-related pathways (such as MAPK pathway, NF-κB pathway, TNF-α pathway, etc.), suppressing the inflammatory response caused by infection. Therefore, this innovative hydrogel can safely and effectively expedite wound healing during infection. Our design strategy explores novel immunomodulatory biomaterials, offering a fresh approach to tackle current clinical challenges associated with wound infection treatment.

Although satellite-based soil moisture products are useful at regional and global scales, they do not meet the needs of users who require high-resolution information for applications such as precision agriculture or catchment hydrologic modeling. The advent of uncrewed aerial systems (UASs) has opened new opportunities for bridging this need. We offer one of the very first validation studies on a dry-down event captured by a novel L-band radiometer onboard a Black Swift Technologies fixed-wing S2 UAS. A fallow cornfield at the Beltsville Agricultural Research Center was selected as a study area to validate volumetric soil moisture estimates in mid-April. By leveraging a comparable radiative transfer model to that of soil moisture active passive and soil moisture ocean salinity derived products, brightness temperature retrievals from this sensor are shown to successfully capture a week of dry-down poststorm event, as validated by HydraGO probe estimates (calibrated with gravimetric samples) and a nearby soil climate analysis network station. However, with a reported spatially averaged bias of −0.107 m3/m3 (compared to calibrated moisture values) and an ubRMSE of 0.028 m3/m3 potential concerns remain regarding the sensor calibration, vegetation and surface roughness corrections, and georeferencing. Nevertheless, given the potential of UAS for on-demand, high-resolution soil moisture retrievals, this collaborative effort provides critical feedback for informing future applications and improvements in the field of passive microwave remote sensing.

The Feather River Watershed is home to the 2018 Camp Fire (California's deadliest wildfire), the 2020 North Complex Fire, and the 2021 Dixie Fire (California's largest single wildfire by area). Overall, these three fires combined to burn over 1.4 million acres of land—more than 60% of the Feather River Watershed's 2.3-million-acre area. Such exceptional wildfire activity is a reason for further studies. Our research proposes analyzing satellite data from the Feather River Watershed to measure the hydrological effects of such widespread wildfires over a period of four years. This study aims to study these wildfires using monthly observations of the major hydrological conditions [i.e., precipitation, soil moisture, vegetation index, and evapotranspiration (ET)] between 2015 and 2022. A 1-km remotely sensed dataset was used to study the spatial and temporal variability in soil moisture. Additionally, visible and infrared imagery were used to outline and analyze wildfire burn scars. Results of the study show that surface soil moisture maxima increase after wildfires due to a decrease in vegetation index and ET.

Abstract Background Neuropathic pain is chronic pain and has few effective control strategies. Studies have demonstrated that microRNAs have functions in neuropathic pain. However, no study has been conducted to demonstrate the role and mechanism of microRNA (miR)-31-5p in neuropathic pain. Accordingly, this study sought to determine the pathological role of miR-31-5p in chronic constriction injury (CCI) -induced neuropathic pain mouse models. Methods We used CCI surgery to establish mouse neuropathic pain model. Behavioral tests were performed to evaluate pain sensitivity of mice. Expressions of miR-31-5p and inflammatory cytokines in dorsal root ganglion (DRG) were examined by polymerase chain reaction. Animals or cells were received with/without miR-31-5p mimic or inhibitor to investigate its role in neuropathic pain. The mechanism of miR-31-5p was assayed using western blotting, immunofluorescence staining and dual-luciferase reporter assay. Results We found that CCI led to a significant decrease in miR-31-5p levels. Knockout of miR-31-5p and administration of miPEP31 exacerbated pain in C57BL/6 mice. Meanwhile, miR-31-5p overexpression increased the paw withdrawal threshold and latency. TRAF6 is one of the target gene of miR-31-5p, which can trigger a complex inflammatory response. TRAF6 was associated with pain and that reducing the DRG expression of TRAF6 could alleviate pain. In addition, miR-31-5p overexpression inhibited the TRAF6 expression and reduced the neuroinflammatory response. Conclusions All the results reveal that miR-31-5p could potentially alleviate pain in CCI mouse models by inhibiting the TRAF6 mediated neuroinflammatory response. MiR-31-5p upregulation is highlighted here as new target for CCI treatment.

Abstract Skin fibrosis is characterized by the excessive accumulation of extracellular matrix (ECM) caused by fibrotic disorders of the skin. In recent years, ECM stiffness has emerged as a prominent mechanical cue that precedes skin fibrosis and drives its progression by promoting fibroblasts activation. However, how stiffness influences fibroblasts activation for skin fibrosis progression remains unknown. Here, we report a positive feedback loop mediated by the mechanosensitive ion channel Piezo1 and aberrant tissue mechanics in driving skin fibrosis. Piezo1 is upregulated in fibrotic skin in both humans and mice. Piezo1 knockdown dermal fibroblasts lose their fibroproliferative phenotypes despite being grown on a stiffer substrate. We show that Piezo1 acts through the Wnt2/Wnt11 pathway to mechanically induce secretion of C-C motif chemokine ligand 24 (CCL24, also known as eotaxin-2), a potent cytokine associated with fibrotic disorders. Importantly, adeno-associated virus (AAV)-mediated Piezo1 knockdown ameliorated the progression of skin fibrosis and skin stiffness in mice. Overall, increased matrix stiffness promotes skin fibrosis through the inflammatory Piezo1-Wnt2/Wnt11-CCL24 pathway. In turn, a stiffer skin microenvironment increases Piezo1 expression to exacerbate skin fibrosis aggression. Therefore, targeting Piezo1 represents a strategy to break the positive feedback loop between fibroblasts mechanotransduction and aberrant tissue mechanics in skin fibrosis.

Abstract Soil moisture (SM) is an important component for many applications in agriculture, hydrology, meteorology, and ecology. In past decades, passive/active microwave sensors onboard Earth observation satellites are utilized to obtain SM estimates from radiometer or radar observations. In this study, the Soil Moisture and Ocean Salinity (SMOS) Level 3 daily SM retrievals at 25‐km spatial resolution between 2010 and 2021 were downscaled through an apparent thermal inertia principle‐based algorithm. The 1‐km downscaled SMOS SM retrievals were validated by in situ measurements from 635 sites of 19 SM networks in the world, which were acquired from the International Soil Moisture Network and Texas Soil Observation Network. Additionally, the validation results of the SMOS SM products were compared with those of the Soil Moisture Active Passive (SMAP) global Level 2 enhanced SM products at 1‐km downscaled and original 9‐km resolution in 2015–2021. It shows that the downscaled SMOS SM data have an overall improved accuracy and outperform the coarse‐resolution 25‐km data, with a lower unbiased Root Mean Squared Error of 0.114 m3/m3 on average.

Abstract Melanomas can adopt multiple transcriptional states. Little is known about the epigenetic drivers of these cell states, limiting our ability to regulate melanoma heterogeneity. Here, we identify stress-induced HDAC8 activity as driving melanoma brain metastasis development. Exposure of melanocytes and melanoma cells to multiple stresses increases HDAC8 activation leading to a neural crest-stem cell transcriptional state and an amoeboid, invasive phenotype that increases seeding to the brain. Using ATAC-Seq and ChIP-Seq we show that increased HDAC8 activity alters chromatin structure by increasing H3K27ac and enhancing accessibility at c-Jun binding sites. Functionally, HDAC8 deacetylates the histone acetyltransferase EP300, causing its enzymatic inactivation. This, in turn, increases binding of EP300 to Jun-transcriptional sites and decreases binding to MITF-transcriptional sites. Inhibition of EP300 increases melanoma cell invasion, resistance to stress and increases melanoma brain metastasis development. HDAC8 is identified as a mediator of transcriptional co-factor inactivation and chromatin accessibility that drives brain metastasis.

Abstract Background To investigate the clinical efficacy of a percutaneous “tripod” combined with radiofrequency ablation and bone cement filling surgery in treating acetabular bone metastases. Methods We retrospectively analyzed 11 patients who underwent percutaneous “tripod” combined with radiofrequency ablation and bone cement filling for acetabular bone metastases at a tertiary care hospital from February 2021 to December 2022. Results 11 cases with 13 hips underwent this procedure, including two female patients who underwent both sides, and the rest were unilateral. All cases were followed up for 3–24 months, with a mean of 12 months and a median follow-up time of 11 months. Two of the 11 patients died by the final follow-up, and nine survived. One died 7 months after surgery, and one died 8 months after surgery; the survival of the deceased patients was 7.5 months (range: 7–8 months), with a median survival time of 7.5 months. All 11 patients completed the surgery successfully, and the average unilateral operation time was 167.4 min (148–193). The amelioration of postoperative pain, concomitant with improved quality of life, was observed significantly, ultimately resulting in a prolonged and sustained effect. Conclusions The combination of percutaneous “tripod”, radiofrequency ablation, and bone cement filling can effectively relieve pain without delaying the patient's systemic anti-tumor therapy and is a minimally invasive, safe, and effective procedure for the treatment of periacetabular metastases.

AIM: To analyze ultrasound biomicroscopy (UBM) images using random forest network to find new features to make predictions about vault after implantable collamer lens (ICL) implantation. METHODS: A total of 450 UBM images were collected from the Lixiang Eye Hospital to provide the patient's preoperative parameters as well as the vault of the ICL after implantation. The vault was set as the prediction target, and the input elements were mainly ciliary sulcus shape parameters, which included 6 angular parameters, 2 area parameters, and 2 parameters, distance between ciliary sulci, and anterior chamber height. A random forest regression model was applied to predict the vault, with the number of base estimators (n_estimators) of 2000, the maximum tree depth (max_depth) of 17, the number of tree features (max_features) of Auto, and the random state (random_state) of 40.0. RESULTS: Among the parameters selected in this study, the distance between ciliary sulci had a greater importance proportion, reaching 52% before parameter optimization is performed, and other features had less influence, with an importance proportion of about 5%. The importance of the distance between the ciliary sulci increased to 53% after parameter optimization, and the importance of angle 3 and area 1 increased to 5% and 8% respectively, while the importance of the other parameters remained unchanged, and the distance between the ciliary sulci was considered the most important feature. Other features, although they accounted for a relatively small proportion, also had an impact on the vault prediction. After parameter optimization, the best prediction results were obtained, with a predicted mean value of 763.688 μm and an actual mean value of 776.9304 μm. The R² was 0.4456 and the root mean square error was 201.5166. CONCLUSION: A study based on UBM images using random forest network can be performed for prediction of the vault after ICL implantation and can provide some reference for ICL size selection.

Abstract The increased mechanics of fibrotic skin tissue continuously regulate fibroblast functions such as survival and differentiation. Although all these processes consume metabolites, it is unclear whether and how cells adapt their metabolic activity to increased matrix stiffness. Here, we show that transferring mouse dermal fibroblasts from soft to stiff substrates causes an up-regulation of arginine and proline metabolism. Increased matrix stiffness stimulates the expression and activity of key metabolic enzymes, leading to the synthesis of L-proline, a major source of collagen. In addition, the novel mechanosensitive channel Piezo1 was identified as a key regulator of arginine and proline metabolism in fibroblasts under increased stiffness. Consistently, targeting Piezo1 to dermal fibroblasts in vivo effectively reduces fibrosis and arginine-proline metabolism in mouse skin. Therefore, mechanical stiffness is a critical environmental cue for fibroblast metabolism and skin fibrosis progression.

Abstract Background The reconstruction of tendons with large defects requires grafts with high mechanical strength and is often hindered by complications such as infection and adhesion. Hence, grafts combining the advantages of mechanical resilience and antibacterial/antiadhesion activity are highly sought after. Methods The silver nanoparticles (GA-Ag NPs) synthesized from gallic acid and silver nitrate were attached to a decellularized extracellular matrix (Decellularized Tendon crosslinking GA-AgNPs, DT-Ag). We examined the histological structure, mechanical property, morphology, Zeta potential, cytotoxicity, antibacterial properties, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, and ability of the DT-Ag to treat tendon defects in animals. Results Approximately 108.57 ± 0.94 μg GA-Ag NPs loaded per 50 mg DT, the cross-linked part of GA-Ag NPs was 65.47 ± 0.57%, which provided DT-Ag with long-lasting antibacterial activity. Meanwhile, GA endowed DT-Ag with good antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities. Additionally, The DT-Ag facilitated M2 macrophage polarization, and suppressed fibrin deposition by hindering fibroblast adhesion. Mormore, the main advantages of DT-Ag, namely its long-lasting antibacterial activity (tested using Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus as models) and the ability to prevent tissue adhesion were confirmed in vivo. Conclusion The fabricated multifunctional tendon graft was highly hydrophilic, biocompatible, and mechanically resilient, and concluded to be well suited for dealing with the main complications of surgical tendon reconstruction and has bright application prospects. Graphical Abstract

(1) Background: Cyperaceae weeds have become a major type of weed in local paddy fields in China. (2) Methods: We assessed the impact of environmental factors, including temperature, light, salinity, water stress and soil depth, on the germination and emergence of three dominant Cyperaceae weeds: Cyperus difformis L., C. iria L. and Fimbristylis littoralis Gaudich. Using the dish dipping method, the performances of the pre- and post-emergence herbicides commonly used in paddy fields on three Cyperaceae weeds were evaluated using the pot method. (3) Results: The seeds optimally germinated at 35 °C in constant conditions and 25 °C/40 °C in alternating conditions. The seeds of the three Cyperaceae weeds were sensitive to light and could not germinate under dark conditions. The germination rate of the three weeds decreased with the increase in the NaCl concentration and water potential; the three weeds could not germinate at a 320 mmol·L−1 NaCl concentration and −0.1 MPa water potential. When the pH levels were 4 to 9, the germination rates of the three weeds were all greater than 80%. The burial depths to inhibit 50% of the emergence of C. difformis, C. iria and F. littoralis were 0.27, 1.06 and 0.42 cm, respectively. The control efficacy of the pre-emergence herbicides of pretilachlor, butachlor and oxyfluorfen on the three weeds were all above 90% at the recommended dose in the field. Halosulfuron-methyl, florpyrauxifen-benzyl and bentazone could effectively control the three Cyperaceae weeds; their performances on the three weeds at the 3- to 4-leaf stage were all above 82%. (4) Conclusions: The three Cyperaceae weed seeds have a strong adaptability to temperature, water potential, salinity and soil depth, and these weeds are sensitive to most pre- and post-emergence herbicides. Therefore, taking Cyperaceae weed seeds into the deep soil layer by tillage or selecting appropriate herbicides according to their growth stages can effectively control Cyperaceae weeds in rice fields.

Abstract The testicular androgen biosynthesis is well understood, however, how cancer cells gauge dwindling androgen to dexterously initiate its de novo synthesis remained elusive. We uncover dual-phosphorylated form of sterol regulatory element-binding protein 1 (SREBF1), pY673/951-SREBF1 that acts as an androgen sensor, and dissociates from androgen receptor (AR) in androgen deficient environment, followed by nuclear translocation. SREBF1 recruits KAT2A/GCN5 to deposit epigenetic marks, histone H2A Lys130-acetylation (H2A-K130ac) in SREBF1, reigniting de novo lipogenesis & steroidogenesis. Androgen prevents SREBF1 nuclear translocation, promoting T cell exhaustion. Nuclear SREBF1 and H2A-K130ac levels are significantly increased and directly correlated with late-stage prostate cancer, reversal of which sensitizes castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) to androgen synthesis inhibitor, Abiraterone. Further, we identify a distinct CRPC lipid signature resembling lipid profile of prostate cancer in African American (AA) men. Overall, pY-SREBF1/H2A-K130ac signaling explains cancer sex bias and reveal synchronous inhibition of KAT2A and Tyr-kinases as an effective therapeutic strategy.

BackgroundDiarrhea remains a leading cause of childhood illness throughout the world that is increasing due to climate change and is caused by various species of ecologically sensitive pathogens. The emerging Planetary Health movement emphasizes the interdependence of human health with natural systems, and much of its focus has been on infectious diseases and their interactions with environmental and human processes. Meanwhile, the era of big data has engendered a public appetite for interactive web-based dashboards for infectious diseases. However, enteric infectious diseases have been largely overlooked by these developments.MethodsThe Planetary Child Health & Enterics Observatory (Plan-EO) is a new initiative that builds on existing partnerships between epidemiologists, climatologists, bioinformaticians, and hydrologists as well as investigators in numerous low- and middle-income countries. Its objective is to provide the research and stakeholder community with an evidence base for the geographical targeting of enteropathogen-specific child health interventions such as novel vaccines. The initiative will produce, curate, and disseminate spatial data products relating to the distribution of enteric pathogens and their environmental and sociodemographic determinants.DiscussionAs climate change accelerates there is an urgent need for etiology-specific estimates of diarrheal disease burden at high spatiotemporal resolution. Plan-EO aims to address key challenges and knowledge gaps by making and disseminating rigorously obtained, generalizable disease burden estimates. Pre-processed environmental and EO-derived spatial data products will be housed, continually updated, and made publicly available for download to the research and stakeholder communities. These can then be used as inputs to identify and target priority populations living in transmission hotspots and for decision-making, scenario-planning, and disease burden projection.Study registrationPROSPERO protocol #CRD42023384709.

Summary: Brain metastasis cancer-associated fibroblasts (bmCAFs) are emerging as crucial players in the development of breast cancer brain metastasis (BCBM), but our understanding of the underlying molecular mechanisms is limited. In this study, we aim to elucidate the pathological contributions of fucosylation (the post-translational modification of proteins by the dietary sugar L-fucose) to tumor-stromal interactions that drive the development of BCBM. Here, we report that patient-derived bmCAFs secrete high levels of polio virus receptor (PVR), which enhance the invasive capacity of BC cells. Mechanistically, we find that HIF1α transcriptionally upregulates fucosyltransferase 11, which fucosylates PVR, triggering its secretion from bmCAFs. Global phosphoproteomic analysis of BC cells followed by functional verification identifies cell-cell junction and actin cytoskeletal signaling as modulated by bmCAF-secreted, -fucosylated PVR. Our findings delineate a hypoxia- and fucosylation-regulated mechanism by which bmCAFs contribute to the invasiveness of BCBM in the brain.

Abstract Linear local tangent space alignment (LLTSA) is a classical dimensionality reduction method based on manifold. However, LLTSA and all its variants only consider the one-way mapping from high-dimensional space to low-dimensional space. The projected low-dimensional data may not accurately and effectively “represent” the original samples. This paper proposes a novel LLTSA method based on the linear autoencoder called LLTSA-AE (LLTSA with Autoencoder). The proposed LLTSA-AE is divided into two stages. The conventional process of LLTSA is viewed as the encoding stage, and the additional and important decoding stage is used to reconstruct the original data. Thus, LLTSA-AE makes the low-dimensional embedding data “represent” the original data more accurately and effectively. LLTSA-AE gets the recognition rates of 85.10, 67.45, 75.40 and 86.67% on handwritten Alphadigits, FERET, Georgia Tech. and Yale datasets, which are 9.4, 14.03, 7.35 and 12.39% higher than that of the original LLTSA respectively. Compared with some improved methods of LLTSA, it also obtains better performance. For example, on Handwritten Alphadigits dataset, compared with ALLTSA, OLLTSA, PLLTSA and WLLTSA, the recognition rates of LLTSA-AE are improved by 4.77, 3.96, 7.8 and 8.6% respectively. It shows that LLTSA-AE is an effective dimensionality reduction method.

Abstract Spintronics-based microwave devices, such as oscillators and detectors, have been the subject of intensive investigation in recent years owing to the potential reductions in size and power consumption. However, only a few concepts for spintronic amplifiers have been proposed, typically requiring complex device configurations or material stacks. Here, we demonstrate a spintronic amplifier based on two-terminal magnetic tunnel junctions (MTJs) produced with CMOS-compatible material stacks that have already been used for spin-transfer torque memories. We achieve a record gain (|S 11 | > 2) for input power on the order of nW (

Skin yellowness is a hallmark of dull or unhealthy skin, particularly among Asians. Previous research has indicated a link between skin glycation and skin yellowness. However, the specific glycated chemicals contributing to yellowish skin appearance have not been identified yet. Using HPLC-PDA-HRMS coupled with native and artificially glycated human epidermal explant skin, we identified intensely yellow colored glycated chromophores “(1R, 8aR) and (1S, 8aR)-4-(2-furyl)-7-[(2-furyl)-methylidene]-2-hydroxy-2H,7H,8AH-pyrano-[2,3-B]-pyran-3-one” (abbreviated as AGEY) from human skin samples for the first time. The abundance of AGEY was strongly correlated with skin yellowness in the multiple skin explant tissues. We further confirmed the presence of AGEY in cultured human keratinocytes and 3D reconstructed human epidermal (RHE) models. Additionally, we demonstrated that a combination of four cosmetic compounds with anti-glycation properties can inhibit the formation of AGEY and reduce yellowness in the RHE models. In conclusion, we have identified specific advanced glycation end products with an intense yellow color, namely AGEY, in human skin tissues for the first time. The series of study results highlighted the significant contribution of AGEY to the yellow appearance of the skin. Furthermore, we have identified a potential cosmetic solution to mitigate AGEY formation, leading to a reduction in yellowness in the in vitro RHE models.

Wildfires in Mediterranean areas are becoming more frequent, and the fire season is extending toward the spring and autumn months. These alarming findings indicate an urgent need to develop fire susceptibility methods capable of identifying areas vulnerable to wildfires. The present work aims to uncover possible soil moisture and vegetation condition precursory signals of the largest and most devastating wildfires in Greece that occurred in 2021, 2022, and 2023. Therefore, the time series of two remotely sensed datasets–MAP L4 Soil Moisture (SM) and Landsat 8 NDVI, which represent vegetation and soil moisture conditions—were examined before five destructive wildfires in Greece during the study period. The results of the analysis highlighted specific properties indicative of fire-susceptible areas. NDVI in all fire-affected areas ranged from 0.13 to 0.35, while mean monthly soil moisture showed negative anomalies in the spring periods preceding fires. Accordingly, fire susceptibility maps were developed, verifying the usefulness of remotely sensed information related to soil moisture and NDVI. This information should be used to enhance fire models and identify areas at risk of wildfires in the near future.

Background The venous malformation is the most common congenital vascular malformation and exhibits the characteristics of local invasion and lifelong progressive development. Long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) regulates endothelial cells, vascular smooth muscle cells, macrophages, vascular inflammation, and metabolism and also affects the development of venous malformations. This study aimed to elucidate the role of the lncRNA LEF1-AS1 in the development of venous malformations and examine the interaction among LEF1-AS1, miR-489-3p, and S100A11 in HUVEC cells. Methods Venous malformation tissues, corresponding normal venous tissues, and HUVEC cells were used. Agilent human lncRNA microarray gene chip was used to screen differential genes, RNA expression was detected using quantitative reverse transcription PCR, and protein expression was detected using Western blotting. The proliferation, migration, and angiogenesis of HUVEC cells were assessed using CCK8, transwell, and in vitro angiogenesis tests. Results A total of 1,651 lncRNAs were screened using gene chip analysis, of which 1015 were upregulated and 636 were downregulated. The lncRNA LEF1-AS1 was upregulated with an obvious difference multiple, and the fold-change value was 11.03273. The results of the analysis performed using the StarBase bioinformatics prediction website showed that LEF1-AS1 and miR-489-3p possessed complementary binding sites and that miR-489-3p and S100A11 also had complementary binding sites. The findings of tissue experiments revealed that the expressions of LEF1-AS1 and S100A11 were higher in tissues with venous malformations than in normal tissues, whereas the expression of miR-489-3p was lower in venous malformations than in normal tissues. Cell culture experiments indicated that LEF1-AS1 promoted the proliferation, migration, and angiogenesis of HUVEC cells. In these cells, LEF1-AS1 targeted miR-489-3p, which in turn targeted S100A11. LEF1-AS1 acted as a competitive endogenous RNA and promoted the expression of S100A11 by competitively binding to miR-489-3p and enhancing the proliferation, migration, and angiogenesis of HUVEC cells. Thus, LEF1-AS1 participated in the occurrence and development of venous malformation. Conclusions The expression of LEF1-AS1 was upregulated in venous malformations, and the expression of S100A11 was increased by the adsorption of miR-489-3p to venous endothelial cells, thus enhancing the proliferation, migration, and angiogenesis of HUVEC cells. In conclusion, LEF1-AS1 is involved in the occurrence and development of venous malformations by regulating the miR-489-3p/S100A11 axis, which provides valuable insights into the pathogenesis of this disease and opens new avenues for its treatment.

Artificial intelligence promotes the development of mineral/rock automatic recognition technology to reduce labor costs and reliance on personal experience. With instrument digitization, image recognition has played an increasingly important role. This review focuses on the image sensing system applied to mineral/rock identification and redivides this system into a sensing module, an imaging module, and an information processing module. The sensing and imaging mechanisms are summarized via technologies of sensing, imaging, and display. The information processing is classified into single‐modal or multimodal recognition. This review analyzes the limitations of single‐modal recognition and discusses the advantages and significance of multimodal recognition. The challenges of current mineral/rock identification are concluded, such as public database, multimodal learning, and portable sensing system. The interdisciplinary sensing technologies are discussed, and application feasibility is explored. This review aims to provide a reference for the research community in automatic mineral/rock identification and sensing system optimization.

Bound states in the continuum (BICs) based on metasurfaces have gained significant attention recently to enhance the strength of light-matter interaction. However, most BIC metasurfaces possess fixed optical properties once they have been fabricated. In this study, we introduce the concept of BICs to the phase-change metasurfaces composed of Ge2Sb2Te5 nanodisk dimers. The Ge2Sb2Te5 nanodisk dimers can support a low-Q transverse magnetic dipole resonance, a high-Q toroidal dipole resonance and a high-Q longitudinal magnetic dipole resonance. By adjusting geometric parameter, the high-Q longitudinal magnetic dipole resonance can be converted into a BIC mode. Notably, when Ge2Sb2Te5 is in the amorphous phase, high-Q electromagnetically induced transparency (EIT)-like resonances can be achieved due to the interaction between a low-Q transverse magnetic dipole mode and either a high-Q toroidal dipole mode or a high-Q longitudinal magnetic dipole mode. However, the EIT resonances are switched off when Ge2Sb2Te5 is transformed into the crystalline phase. Furthermore, the high-Q EIT resonances enable the realization of an ultrahigh group refractive index, and can be tuned through the phase transition of Ge2Sb2Te5. The switchable high-Q EIT resonances hold potential applications in slow-light devices, optical modulators, and biosensors.

Principal component analysis network (PCANet) is a feature learning algorithm that is widely used in face recognition and object classification. However, original PCANet still has some shortages. One is that the principal component analysis (PCA) algorithm only extracts features by considering the global structure. The other lies in that the original PCANet only employs one particular single layer convolutional results, which loses the information of other convolutional layers. In this paper, we propose a new simple and efficient convolutional neural network called global and local structure network (GLSNet) to address the problems. The network extracts the features both from the global structure and the local structure of the original data space. Specifically, a principal component analysis (PCA) convolutional layer which learns the filters by PCA algorithm is used to remove the noises and redundant information at the first stage. Then at the second stage, another PCA convolution is added to extract features by considering the global structure. As for the local structure, we use the neighborhood preserving embedding (NPE) algorithm to learn the convolutional filters. At the output stage, the global structure feature extracted by PCA convolution and the local structure feature extracted by NPE convolution is concatenated as a united feature. Furthermore, the first layer convolutional feature is also taken into consideration to obtain shallow-level information. Finally, these features are concatenated as a united feature, and a spatial pyramid pooling layer is followed to pool above the united features. To test the effectiveness of the proposed algorithm, the experiments on some image datasets, including three types: human face dataset, object dataset, and handprinted dataset, proceeded. And it performs better than the original PCANet and some improvement algorithms of PCANet, such as PLDANet, and MMPCANet.

Abstract Background The immune response in the bone marrow microenvironment has implications for progression and prognosis in acute myeloid leukemia (AML). However, few immune‐related biomarkers for AML prognosis and immunotherapy response have been identified. We aimed to establish a predictive gene signature and to explore the determinants of prognosis in AML. Methods Immune‐related genes with clinical significance were screened by a weighted gene co‐expression network analysis. Seven immune‐related genes were used to establish a gene signature by a multivariate Cox regression analysis. Based on the signature, low‐ and high‐risk groups were compared with respect to the immune microenvironment, immune checkpoints, pathway activities, and mutation frequencies. The tumor immune dysfunction and exclusion (TIDE) method was used to predict the response to immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) therapy. The Connectivity Map database was used to explore small‐molecule drugs expected to treat high‐risk populations. Results A seven‐gene prognostic signature was used to classify patients into high‐ and low‐risk groups. Prognosis was poorer for patients in the former than in the latter. The high‐risk group displayed higher levels of immune checkpoint molecules (LAG3, PD‐1, CTLA4, PD‐L2, and PD‐L1), immune cell infiltration (dendritic cells, T helper 1, and gamma delta T), and somatic mutations (NPM1 and RUNX1). Moreover, hematopoietic stem cell/leukemia stem cell pathways were enriched in the high‐risk phenotype. Compared with that in the low‐risk group, the lower TIDE score for the high‐risk group implied that this group is more likely to benefit from ICB therapy. Finally, some drugs (FLT3 inhibitors and BCL inhibitors) targeting the expression profiles associated with the high‐risk group were generated using Connectivity Map. Conclusion The newly developed immune‐related gene signature is an effective biomarker for predicting prognosis in AML and provides a basis, from an immunological perspective, for the development of comprehensive therapeutic strategies.

Objective: Dragon’s Blood resin (DBR) is a traditional medicinal substance renowned for its diverse pharmacological effects, which consists of potent anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and angiogenic properties. This study aimed to elucidate its therapeutic mechanism in alleviating steroid-induced osteonecrosis of the femoral head (SIONFH).Methods: Techniques such as SPR and LC-MS were employed to identify and analyze the target proteins of DBR in bone marrow macrophages (BMMs). In vitro, BMMs were treated with RANKL and DBR, and TRAcP staining and actin belt staining were utilized to assess osteoclast activity. The inhibitory effects and underlying mechanisms of DBR on osteoclastogenesis and reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation were determined using real-time PCR, western blotting and immunofluorescence staining. An in vivo SIONFH rat model was set up to assess the curative impacts of DBR using micro-CT scanning and pathological staining.Results: Bioinformatic tools revealed a pivotal role of osteoclast differentiation in SIONFH. Proteomic analysis identified 164 proteins binding in BMMs. In vitro assessments demonstrated that DBR hindered osteoclastogenesis by modulating the expression of specific genes and proteins, along with antioxidant proteins including TRX1 and Glutathione Reductase. Notably, the resin effectively inhibited the expression of crucial proteins, such as the phosphorylation of JNK and the nuclear localization of p65 within the TRAF6/JNK and NFκB signaling pathways. In vivo experiments further confirmed that DBR mitigated the onset of SIONFH in rats by curbing osteoclast and ROS activities.Conclusion: These findings underscore the potential of Dragon’s Blood as an effective administration for early-stage SIONFH, shedding light on its therapeutic influence on ROS-mediated osteoclastic signaling pathways.

ABSTRACT Carryover contamination during amplicon sequencing workflow (AMP-Seq) put the accuracy of the high-throughput detection for pathogens at risk. The purpose of this study is to develop a carryover contaminations-controlled AMP-Seq (ccAMP-Seq) workflow to enable accurate qualitative and quantitative detection for pathogens. By using the AMP-Seq workflow to detect SARS-CoV-2, Aerosols, reagents and pipettes were identified as potential sources of contaminations and ccAMP-Seq was then developed. ccAMP-Seq used filter tips and physically isolation of experimental steps to avoid cross contamination, synthetic DNA spike-ins to compete with contaminations and quantify SARS-CoV-2, dUTP/uracil DNA glycosylase system to digest the carryover contaminations, and a new data analysis procedure to remove the sequencing reads from contaminations. Compared to AMP-Seq, the contamination level of ccAMP-Seq was at least 22-folds lower and the detection limit was also about an order of magnitude lower—as low as one copy/reaction. By testing the dilution series of SARS-CoV-2 nucleic acid standard, ccAMP-Seq showed 100% sensitivity and specificity. The high sensitivity of ccAMP-Seq was further confirmed by the detection of SARS-CoV-2 from 62 clinical samples. The consistency between qPCR and ccAMP-Seq was 100% for all the 53 qPCR-positive clinical samples. Seven qPCR-negative clinical samples were found to be positive by ccAMP-Seq, which was confirmed by extra qPCR tests on subsequent samples from the same patients. This study presents a carryover contamination-controlled, accurate qualitative and quantitative amplicon sequencing workflow that addresses the critical problem of pathogen detection for infectious diseases. IMPORTANCE Accuracy, a key indicator of pathogen detection technology, is compromised by carryover contamination in the amplicon sequencing workflow. Taking the detection of SARS-CoV-2 as case, this study presents a new carryover contamination-controlled amplicon sequencing workflow. The new workflow significantly reduces the degree of contamination in the workflow, thereby significantly improving the accuracy and sensitivity of the SARS-CoV-2 detection and empowering the ability of quantitative detection. More importantly, the use of the new workflow is simple and economical. Therefore, the results of this study can be easily applied to other microorganism, which has great significance for improving the detection level of microorganism.

The large-span, relaxed antenna network is a large deformation flexible structure due to its low pre-tension level of the wires. Its dynamic analysis under a wind load belongs to dynamic and geometric nonlinear problems, which is very complex to accurately calculate and solve. This paper explores the possibility of the finite particle method (FPM) to the aeolian vibration analysis of a large-span, low stress-tensioned antenna cable net. In the FPM, the antenna network structure is discretized into a group of finite particles, where the motions of all particles follow Newton’s second law and can be solved dynamically using a central difference scheme. The effectiveness and applicability of the FPM were verified by comparing the calculation results of the finite element method and FPM. The FPM was used to study the effects of wind speed and the distribution of vibration on the aeolian vibration of antenna cable nets. The results showed that this method is suitable for studying the aeolian vibration of a large-span, low stress-tensioned antenna network and has high computational efficiency and accuracy.

Highlights Survival rates remain very low in patients with osteosarcoma (OS). Identification of new diagnostic biomarkers and therapeutic targets is essential. miR-23b-5p was transfected into OS cells to study the biological effects. miR-23b-5p promoted cell proliferation and metastasis in OS by targeting TMEM127. miR-23b-5p may provide diagnostic value in the treatment of OS.

Soft robots are challenging to model and program. Non-specialists face non-negligible obstacles when working with soft robots to perform tasks. Here, the authors propose a method to interactively teach soft robots complex motions through flexible touchless and tactile multimodal sensors.

In recent years, with environmental problems being increasingly outstanding, the clean transport represented by electric vehicles (EVs) has replaced traditional fossil fuel vehicles in an inevitable way. Taking advantage of the bidirectional charging power of EVs is an effective measure to avoid the grid shock caused by the large-scale EV penetration. However, the frequent charging and discharging of EVs will bring unnecessary damage to the batteries. In order to solve this problem, the paper proposes an optimal scheduling strategy of EVs considering the limitation of battery state switching times. Besides the traditional constraints relevant with EVs’ scheduling, the limitation of battery state switching times is properly involved in the proposed strategy. Numerical results show that the charging schemes obtained from the proposed scheduling model can protect EV batteries at an almost negligible loss in users’ charging cost.

Abstract Background Hydrogels loaded with antimicrobial agents have been widely used for treating infected wound defects. However, hydrogels derived from a porcine dermal extracellular matrix (PADM), containing silver nanoparticles (AgNPs), have not yet been studied. Therefore, we investigated the therapeutic effect of an AgNP-impregnated PADM (AgNP–PADM) hydrogel on the treatment of infected wounds. Methods An AgNP–PADM hydrogel was synthesized by embedding AgNPs into a PADM hydrogel. We examined the porosity, moisture retention, degradation, antibacterial properties, cytotoxicity, antioxidant properties, and ability of the PADM and AgNP–PADM hydrogels to treat infected wounds in animals. Results The PADM and AgNP–PADM hydrogels were pH sensitive, which made them flow dynamically and solidify under acidic and neutral conditions, respectively. The hydrogels also exhibited porous network structures, satisfactory moisture retention, and slow degradation. Additionally, the AgNP–PADM hydrogel showed a slow and sustained release of AgNPs for at least 7 days without the particle size changing. Thus, the AgNPs exhibited adequate antibacterial ability, negligible toxicity, and antioxidant properties in vitro. Moreover, the AgNP–PADM hydrogel promoted angiogenesis and healed infected skin defects in vivo. Conclusions The AgNP–PADM hydrogel is a promising bioderived antibacterial material for clinical application to infected wound dressings.

Study region: Lower Mekong River Basin (LMRB) Study focus: Satellite remote sensing products are widely used for monitoring droughts. Using NASA satellite sensors of precipitation (Global Measurement Mission, GPM), soil moisture (Soil Moisture Active and Passive, SMAP), and terrestrial water storage (Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment, GRACE), this study evaluates the historical drought in the LMRB during 2015–16. SMAP soil moisture was validated against in-situ soil moisture, and GPM precipitation and SMAP soil moisture were cross-validated with streamflow observations. The spatiotemporal dynamics of soil moisture were also examined in different ranges of catchment areas. In performing the analysis, we used lagged correlations between hydrological variables and the indices of the Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI) and Standardized Streamflow Index (SSI). New hydrological insights for the regions: Spatio-temporal patterns of drought in 2015–16 were examined from the entire basin to small watersheds. A mismatch occurs when using GRACE data to study droughts in small watersheds (many of the small watersheds would be a fraction of the few 100 km2 spatial resolutions of GRACE pixel). In smaller watersheds, hydrological drought (SSI) was closely defined with SMAP soil moisture downscaled to 1 km rather than the meteorological drought index (SPI). By leveraging satellite-based observations across a range of spatial scales, this study highlights the utility of Earth observations in informing water resources and land management decisions at the regional scale.

We analyzed large-scale post-translational modification (PTM) data to outline cell signaling pathways affected by tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) in ten lung cancer cell lines. Tyrosine phosphorylated, lysine ubiquitinated, and lysine acetylated proteins were concomitantly identified using sequential enrichment of post translational modification (SEPTM) proteomics. Machine learning was used to identify PTM clusters that represent functional modules that respond to TKIs. To model lung cancer signaling at the protein level, PTM clusters were used to create a co-cluster correlation network (CCCN) and select protein-protein interactions (PPIs) from a large network of curated PPIs to create a cluster-filtered network (CFN). Next, we constructed a Pathway Crosstalk Network (PCN) by connecting pathways from NCATS BioPlanet whose member proteins have PTMs that co-cluster. Interrogating the CCCN, CFN, and PCN individually and in combination yields insights into the response of lung cancer cells to TKIs. We highlight examples where cell signaling pathways involving EGFR and ALK exhibit crosstalk with BioPlanet pathways: Transmembrane transport of small molecules; and Glycolysis and gluconeogenesis. These data identify known and previously unappreciated connections between receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK) signal transduction and oncogenic metabolic reprogramming in lung cancer. Comparison to a CFN generated from a previous multi-PTM analysis of lung cancer cell lines reveals a common core of PPIs involving heat shock/chaperone proteins, metabolic enzymes, cytoskeletal components, and RNA-binding proteins. Elucidation of points of crosstalk among signaling pathways employing different PTMs reveals new potential drug targets and candidates for synergistic attack through combination drug therapy.

ObjectivesThis study aimed to characterize the genomic epidemiology of human adenoviruses (HAdVs) in Hubei, China, using metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS).MethodsIn total, 25 HAdV-positive samples collected from 21 pediatric patients were sequenced and subjected to mNGS using the NextSeq 550 and GenoLab M sequencing platforms. The metagenomic data were assembled de novo for molecular typing, phylogenetic and recombination analyzes.ResultsWe assembled 50 HAdV genomes, 88% (22/25) genomes from GenoLab M, and 84% (21/25) genomes from NextSeq 550 have perfect alignments to reference genomes with greater than 90%. The most fully assembled 25 genomes were categorized into 7 HAdV genotypes, the most abundant of which were HAdV-B3 (9/25) and HAdV-C2 (6/25). Phylogenetic analyzes revealed that the newly isolated HAdV-B3 strains diverged into separate clusters according to their genotypes. Vigilance is needed that HAdV-B3 isolates have begun to form new distinct clusters. High nucleotide identity was observed in the whole genome level within the same HAdV genotypes, while marked differences of three capsid genes across HAdV genotypes were noted. The high nucleotide diversity regions were concordant with the reported hypervariable regions. Further, three recombinant strains were identified: S64 and S71 originated from the parental strains HAdV-B14 and HAdV-B11, and S28 originated from HAdV-C1, HAdV-C5, and HAdV-CBJ113. GenoLab M and NextSeq 550 showed comparable performance with respect to data yield, duplication rate, human ratio, and assembly completeness.ConclusionThe sequencing quality and assembly accuracy showed that mNGS assembled genomes can be used for subsequently HAdV genotyping and genomic characterization. The high nucleotide diversity of capsid genes and high frequency of recombination events has highlighted the necessity for HAdV epidemiological surveillance in China.

Abstract With the advance of smart material science, robotics is evolving from rigid robots to soft robots. Compared to rigid robots, soft robots can safely interact with the environment, easily navigate in unstructured fields, and be minimized to operate in narrow spaces, owning to the new actuation and sensing technologies developed by the smart materials. In the review, different actuation and sensing technologies based on different smart materials are analyzed and summarized. According to the driving or feedback signals, actuators are categorized into electrically responsive actuators, thermally responsive actuators, magnetically responsive actuators, and photoresponsive actuators; sensors are categorized into resistive sensors, capacitive sensors, magnetic sensors, and optical waveguide sensors. After introducing the principle and several robotic prototypes of some typical materials in each category of the actuators and sensors. The advantages and disadvantages of the actuators and sensors are compared based on the categories, and their potential applications in robotics are also presented.