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To investigate the structure-activity relationship of polysaccharide and obtain a better antidepressant polysaccharide, the antidepressant-like activity of a carboxymethyl polysaccharide (C-MEPS2) subjected to submerged fermentation was systematically studied. PC12-H cell and Kunming mice were used to investigate the differences and their mechanism in the antidepressant effects of C-MEPS2 and MEPS2. Cell experiments have showed that C-MEPS2 has a better antidepressant effect than MEPS2. C-MEPS2 could exert antidepressant effects related to catecholamine synthesis with specific sites of TH, D2DR, and P-CAMKII. In addition, C-MEPS2 could repair the Res-induced damage in PC12-H cell, stabilize the mitochondrial membrane potential and regulate intracellular Ca2+concentration, thus reducing cell apoptosis caused by RES. Antagonists common dosing experiments on animals further proved that CMEPS2 could significantly improve the antidepressant effect of derivatives without affecting the antidepressant mechanism of MEPS2. It is speculated that it may be related to carboxymethylated modification.

Graphical AbstractPrenatal exposure to the Chinese Famine of 1959–62 associated with increased risk of cardiovascular diseases in adulthood. CVD, cardiovascular diseases; CHD, coronary heart disease; AMI, acute myocardial infarction; HF, heart failure.

Airborne pathogens, such as the world-spreading severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2), cause global epidemics via transmission through the respiratory pathway. It is of great urgency to develop adequate interventions that can protect individuals against future pandemics. This study presents a nasal spray that forms a polysaccharide “armor” on the cell surface through the layer-by-layer self-assembly (LBL) method to minimize the risk of virus infection. The nasal spray has two separate components: chitosan and alginate. Harnessing the electrostatic interaction, inhaling the two polysaccharides alternatively enables the assembly of a barrier that reduces virus uptake into the cells. The results showed that this approach has no obvious cellular injury and endows cells with the ability to resist the infection of adenovirus and SARS-CoV-2 pseudovirus. Such a method can be a potential preventive strategy for protecting the respiratory tract against multiple viruses, especially the upcoming SARS-CoV-2 variants.

Engineering myocardium has shown great clinal potential for repairing permanent myocardial injury. However, the lack of perfusing blood vessels and difficulties in preparing a thick-engineered myocardium result in its limited clinical use. We prepared a mixed gel containing fibrin (5 mg/ml) and collagen I (0.2 mg/ml) and verified that human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) and human-induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes (hiPSC-CMs) could form microvascular lumens and myocardial cell clusters by harnessing the low-hardness and hyperelastic characteristics of fibrin. hiPSC-CMs and HUVECs in the mixed gel formed self-organized cell clusters, which were then cultured in different media using a three-phase approach. The successfully constructed vascularized engineered myocardial tissue had a spherical structure and final diameter of 1–2 mm. The tissue exhibited autonomous beats that occurred at a frequency similar to a normal human heart rate. The internal microvascular lumen could be maintained for 6 weeks and showed good results during preliminary surface re-vascularization in vitroand vascular remodeling in vivo. In summary, we propose a simple method for constructing vascularized engineered myocardial tissue, through phased cultivation that does not rely on high-end manufacturing equipment and cutting-edge preparation techniques. The constructed tissue has potential value for clinical use after preliminary evaluation.

AbstractBackgroundThe aim of this study was to explore perinatal and early postnatal outcomes in fetuses with prenatally diagnosed d-transposition of the great arteries and impacts of standardised prenatal consultation.MethodsAll fetuses with prenatally diagnosed d-transposition of the great arteries prospectively enrolled at South China cardiac centre from 2011 to 2015. Standardised prenatal consultation was introduced in 2013 and comprehensive measures were implemented, such as establishing fetal CHD Outpatient Consultation Service, performing standard prenatal consultation according to specifications, and establishing a multidisciplinary team with senior specialists performing in-person consultations. Continuous follow-up investigation was conducted. Perinatal and postnatal outcomes were compared before and after consultation including live birth, elective termination of pregnancy, spontaneous fetal death, stillbirths, referral for surgery, and survival.ResultsIn all, 146 fetuses were enrolled with 41 (28%) lost to follow-up. Among 105 remaining fetuses, 29 (28%) were live births and 76 (72%) were terminated. After consultation, live birth rate was higher (50 versus 33%) and termination rate was lower (50 versus 76%), although there was no statistical significance. Excluding three live births without postnatal d-transposition of the great arteries, 65% (17/26) underwent arterial switch operation within 30 days. A total of three in-hospital deaths occurred and during the 10-month follow-up period, one death was observed. In one case, the switch procedure was performed at 13 months and the infant survived. Out of eight infants without arterial switch operation, two died.ConclusionsLive birth rate increased after consultation; however, termination remained high. Combining termination, patients without arterial switch operation, and operative mortality, outcomes of d-transposition of the great arteries infants can be improved. Standard consultation, multidisciplinary collaboration, and improved perinatal care are important to improve outcomes.

BackgroundThe American Heart Association (AHA) developed a simplified assessment tool based on seven ideal cardiovascular health (CVH) metrics, but the relationship between the AHA defined ideal CVH metrics and cardiovascular risk in Chinese population has not been well estimated.MethodsThe baseline survey were conducted among 938 Chinese men and women from four urban and rural population samples in China, aged 35–59 years in 1983–1984. The cohort was followed up for multiple cardiovascular endpoints up to 2005. Cox proportional hazard models were used to test the associations accounting for multiple covariates. Outcomes were collected in 1987–2005 and data analysed in 2017.ResultsDuring a median of 20.3 years follow-up, 68 non-fatal CVD events and 139 deaths (29 CVD deaths) occurred. The multivariable adjusted HRs and 95% CIs for all CVD in the groups with three and 4–7 ideal CVH metrics were 0.59 (95% CI 0.33 to 1.04) and 0.24 (95% CI 0.12 to 0.47), when the group with 0–2 ideal CVH metrics as the reference. Results also showed that participants with 4–7 ideal CVH metrics had a 54% (95% CI 24% to 72%) lower risk of all-cause mortality in comparison with those with 0–2 ideal metrics.ConclusionsThe number of ideal CVH metrics was inversely associated with the risk of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality in this Chinese general population.

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•Currently, few studies that have investigated the prevalence of MS in China based on the latest diagnostic criteria.•The case ascertainment procedures of case finding combined with face-to-face diagnosis by experts is more probable to improve the accuracy of this study.•Accurate estimates of the prevalence of multiple sclerosis can inform the rational allocation of public health resources.

Background:Limited studies have evaluated the risk factors for congenital heart defects (CHDs) in China and compared them for different types of CHDs. This study examined risk factors between isolated and multiple CHDs as well as among CHDs subtypes in Guangdong, Southern China. Methods:This population-based case–control study included 4,034 pairs of case and control infants enrolled in the Guangdong Registry of CHD study, 2004–2013. Multivariate logistic regression was used to compute adjusted odds ratios (ORs) while simultaneously controlling for confounders. Results:Multiple maternal environmental exposures, including living in newly renovated rooms, residential proximity to main traffic, paternal smoking, and maternal occupation as manual worker, were significantly associated with CHDs with ORs ranging 1.30–9.43. Maternal perinatal diseases (including maternal fever, diabetes, influenza, and threatened abortion), maternal medication use (antibiotic use), advanced maternal age, low socioeconomic status, and paternal alcohol intake were also significantly associated with CHDs, with ORs ranging 1.60–3.96. Isolated CHDs and multiple defects have different profiles of risk factors, while subtype of CHD shares common risk factors. Conclusion:These results suggest that maternal environmental exposures/occupation and perinatal diseases/medication use were dominant risk factors associated with CHDs in Southern China. Isolated and multiple CHDs may have different etiologic factors.

High power semiconductor laser arrays have found increased applications in many fields. In this work, a hard soldering microchannel cooler (HSMCC) technology was developed for packaging high power diode laser array. Numerical simulations of the thermal behavior characteristics of hard solder and indium solder MCC-packaged diode lasers were conducted and analyzed. Based on the simulated results, a series of high power HSMCC packaged diode laser arrays were fabricated and characterized. The test and statistical results indicated that under the same output power the HSMCC packaged laser bar has lower smile and high reliability in comparison with the conventional copper MCC packaged laser bar using indium soldering technology.

The coexisting Rayleigh and Brillouin attosecond sum-frequency polarization beats (ASPBs) and the coexisting Raman, Rayleigh, and Brillouin ASPBs have also been investigated via homodyne and heterodyne detections, respectively. The Raman, Rayleigh, and Brillouin-enhanced four-wave mixing processes strongly compete with each other in ASPBs. The heterodyne-detected signal of ASPBs offers the phase dispersion of the third-order nonlinear susceptibility in the homogeneous broadening material.

Polarization properties of pure four-wave mixing (FWM) and dressed-FWM processes in a two-level system and a cascade three-level atomic system are theoretically and experimentally investigated. The relative intensities and polarization characteristics of the FWM signals in different laser polarization configurations and different level systems are experimentally investigated and compared. Also, the results are theoretically explained by different transition paths combinations. In the dressed-FWM processes, we study the dependence of dressing effect on the incident field's polarization. The FWM signal generated by a linearly polarized pumping field is suppressed more by the dressing field than the one generated by a circularly polarized pumping field. However, an opposite effect was observed when the probe field's polarization is changed. The multidressing mechanisms are used to explain these effects. In addition, the interference and polarization dependence of the coexisting FWM signals in the same atomic system are discussed.

We study the co-existing four-wave mixing (FWM) process with two dressing fields and the six-wave mixing (SWM) process with one dressing field in a five-level system with carefully arranged laser beams. We also show two kinds of doubly dressing mechanisms in the FWM process. FWM and SWM signals propagating along the same direction compete with each other. With the properly controlled dressing fields, the FWM signals can be suppressed, while the SWM signals have been enhanced.

We demonstrate Autler–Townes (AT) splitting of four-wave mixing in an electromagnetically induced transparency window, which results from the destructive interference between a three-photon process and a five-photon process. The primary and secondary AT splittings are achieved via induced atomic coherence in a four-level Y-type atomic system. Theoretical calculations fit well with the experimentally measured results. Such controlled multichannel splitting of nonlinear optical signals can have potential applications in optical communication and quantum information processing.