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[Display omitted] • A novel multi-color fluorescent FA sensing system was meticulously designed. • It possesses the capability of fluorometric and colorimetric dual-mode FA sensing. • Visual detection of FA by wearable glove-based film sensor. • The design of logic gates promotes the development of FA intelligent devices. Excess formaldehyde (FA) is a strong carcinogen, so the development of a rapid visualized and portable formaldehyde detection platform is of great research importance. A multi-color fluorescence sensing system constituted of model compound (NAHN) and red-emitting InP/ZnS QDs was constructed herein, which can simultaneously realize fluorometric-colorimetric dual-mode sensing when exposed to FA environment. Its preparation process was simplified, the detection process was green, and the limits of detection (LOD) were 0.623 μM and 0.791 μM, respectively. The high recoveries of FA in actual water samples indicated that the sensor had broad application prospects. The prepared fluorescent film can be utilized for rapid visual simulation analysis of FA on the surface of various fruits and vegetables. In addition, a serial logic gate was designed to quickly semi-quantitatively assess FA concentration, which promoted the realization of on-site intelligent evaluation of FA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of rapid visual detection methods for heavy metal ions is significant for food safety and environmental protection. This work integrated copper nanoclusters and the organometallic framework ZrMOF into a nano detection system. The blue fluorescence of ZrMOF was used as a fluorescent internal standard. The visual and rapid detection of aluminum ions (Al3+) was achieved by Al3+ induced fluorescence enhancement of copper nanocluster aggregates. This nanoprobe has the advantages of high sensitivity, rapid response, and high visualization. The nanoprobe can detect Al3+ with a concentration of 0–60 μM (LOD was 139 nM) and can be used to detect Al3+ in environmental water samples. In addition, an instant detection platform for test paper and gel system based on the nanoprobe was constructed by using the smartphone's colorimetric acquisition and computational analysis application software (APP), which guides the application of multicolor fluorescent nanoprobes in the intelligent detection of fruit surfaces and flour additives. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using pure Ti and hexagonal-BN powder as raw materials, TiB 2 –TiN ceramic composites were synthesized by high-pressure method at 5.0 GPa and 1400–1800 °C. The phase composition, microstructure, density and hardness of TiB 2 –TiN ceramic composites were analyzed. The results shown that when the pressure was constant, the synthesis temperature had an important effect on the phase composition of the samples. When TiB 2 –TiN ceramic composites synthesized at 1800 °C for 30 min, the relative density reached 96.2% and the maximum Vickers hardness reached 17.9 GPa with the load of 4.9 N. The grain size of the TiB 2 –TiN ceramic composites changed with the change of synthesis temperature, which resulted in the change of density and hardness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Electroencephalographic spatial features are used for emotion recognition. • Design automatic eigenvalue selection to improve the Common Spatial Pattern method. • A channel optimization strategy is proposed to decrease the computation load. • The proposed method achieves superior results than the traditional method. Emotional human-computer interaction (HCI) has become an important research area in the fields of artificial intelligence and cognitive science, owing to the requirement for active emotion perception. To enhance the performance of electroencephalography (EEG)-based emotional HCI, this paper proposes an improved common spatial pattern combined with a channel-selection strategy (ICSPCS) for EEG-based emotion recognition. Specifically, we first use a common spatial pattern algorithm to design a spatial domain filter according to three different emotions (positive, neutral, and negative). The traditional joint approximation diagonalization method using the criterion of the "highest score eigenvalue" may be unable to solve multiple classifications of emotion representation. Therefore, we design three different eigenvalue selection methods in terms of the positions of the eigenvalues with the highest scores. Finally, to make the installation easier and reduce the computational load, we also develop a channel-selection strategy based on the weight values that individually reflect the degrees of influence of all the channels on emotion recognition. Experiments are conducted on a self-collected dataset and on the MAHNOB-HCI dataset. The average recognition accuracies for the three emotion tasks are found to be 85.85% and 94.13% on the self-collected and MAHNOB-HCI datasets, respectively, thus proving the effectiveness of the proposed ICSPCS method for emotion recognition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the rapid development of animal husbandry, animal food safety issues are increasingly exposed. Detecting pathogenic bacteria and residual antibiotics in animal food is of great significance for the early detection and regulation of harmful substances that threaten food safety. However, developing a fluorescent sensor that can detect both pathogenic bacteria and antibiotics is challenging. In this study, an interesting dual-channel ratiometric nanoprobe (CDs-Eu) based on europium-functionalized carbon dots was developed to realize the visual detection of Bacillus anthracis marker (DPA) and tetracycline antibiotics (TC) in a water environment under different excitation channels. This method had high sensitivity, comprehensive response range, anti-interference ability, and visualization for detecting DPA and TC. Combined with intelligent phone color scanning applications, a portable agarose gel nanosensor was designed to achieve multicolor on-site assessment of DPA and TC. In addition, an advanced three-to-six logic gate analysis method was also developed, which was expected to achieve intelligent sensing of DPA and TC in food safety. • A dual-channel ratiometric nanoprobe based on europium and carbon dots. • Realization of TC and DPA visual sensing through two channels. • Combined application of gelled detection device and intelligent APP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A wearable gloved probe based on Ag nanoparticles and rare earth. • A sensitive, efficient, and reliable method for TC sensing. • Ultrafast POCT detection of TC in various water and food samples. • Real-time rapid visual intelligent analysis of TC. The abuse of tetracycline antibiotics leads to accumulating residues in the human body, seriously affecting human health. Establishing a sensitive, efficient, and reliable method for qualitative and quantitative detection of tetracycline (TC) is necessary. This study integrated silver nanoclusters and europium-based materials into the same nano-detection system to construct a visual and rapid TC sensor with rich fluorescence color changes. The nanosensor has the advantages of a low detection limit (10.5 nM), high detection sensitivity, fast response, and wide linear range (0–30 μM), which can meet the analysis requirements of different types of food samples. In addition, portable devices based on paper and gloves were designed. Through the smartphone's chromaticity acquisition and calculation analysis application (APP), the real-time rapid visual intelligent analysis of TC in the sample can be realized, which guides the intelligent application of multicolor fluorescent nanosensors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article discloses a method for altering Schiff base to ester in the generative process of binuclear Ln-complexes with U eff of 61.7 k at zero dc field for Dy-complex. In this article, three [Ln 2 ] complexes, [Ln 2 (dbm) 4 (L′) 2 ] (Ln = Tb (1), Dy(2), Ho(3)), were reported. Static and dynamic magnetic analysis of complexes 1 – 3 revealed that complex 2 possessed effective energy barrier of 61.7 K at zero dc field, suggesting single-molecule magnet (SMM) behavior. Besides, the coordinated ligand HL′ in the three complexes (HL′ = methyl-8-hydroxyquinoline-2-carboxylate) was not original but transformed from Schiff-base HL (HL = 2-[[(1,2,4-triazole)-4-imino]methyl]-8-hydroxy-quinoline) during the coordination process. As the best knowledge of us, this kind of ligand-exchange is rare in organic chemistry and in coordination chemistry. [Display omitted] Three [Ln 2 ] complexes, [Ln 2 (dbm) 4 (L′) 2 ] (Ln = Tb(1), Dy(2), Ho(3)), were synthesized, and structurally and magnetically analysed. The structural analysis revealed that a rare ligand-transformation in the field of organic chemistry and coordination chemistry occured during the coordination process, where the original Schiff-base ligand HL (2-[[(1,2,4-triazole)-4-imino]methyl]-8-hydroxy-quinoline) was transformed to coordinated ligand HL′ (methyl-8-hydroxyquinoline-2-carboxylate). Static and dynamic magnetic analysis of 1 – 3 demonstrated single-molecule magnet (SMM) behavior for complex 2 with effective energy barrier of 61.7 K at zero dc field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since the 2001 anthrax attacks, researchers have focused on the development of a bacterial spore biomarker detector with rapid response time and high sensitivity and selectivity. Hence, a ratiometric fluorescent nanosensor based on lanthanide-functionalized attapulgite (Atta) was designed and prepared using dye-doped Atta as an internal reference. Atta, which is famous because of Maya Blue, is a hydrated magnesium aluminum silicate present in nature, with pronounced adsorption and a large specific surface area rich in silicon hydroxyl. The adsorption of dye molecules benefits the formation of an internal reference with orange fluorescence. Meanwhile, silicon hydroxyl would be available for terbium (Tb 3+ ) complex grafting, which favors the sensitization of the bacterial spore biomarker. With increasing dipicolinic acid (DPA) concentrations, energy transfer from DPA to Tb 3+ gradually enhanced, thereby resulting in strong and predominant green fluorescence. The ratiometric fluorescence intensity is highly sensitive. It has a limit of detection of 9.8 nM, which is much lower than the infectious dosage of Bacillus anthracis spores (60 μM) for humans. The rapid response time (10s), high selectivity, and reliable and practical performances in actual applications make this ratiometric fluorescent nanosensor useful in the detection of biomarkers for various bacterial spores. Moreover, the reported construction of visual ratiometric detection system follows the sustainable development idea of ‘‘from nature, for nature, into the nature’’ and promotes the use of naturally renewable resources to produce promising and eco-friendly functional materials for various applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Ar-Crk expression in diapause embryos was significantly lower than non-diapause embryos. • Knockdown of Ar-Crk by RNAi induced the formation of diapause embryos. • Downregulation of Ar-Crk led to cell cycle arrest and metabolic suppression. To survive under harsh environments, embryonic development of Artemia was arrested at the gastrula stage and released as the diapause embryo. Cell cycle and metabolism were highly suppressed in this state of quiescence. However, cellular mechanisms underlying diapause remain largely unclear. In this study, we found that the expression level of a CT10 regulator of kinase-encoding gene (Ar-Crk) in diapause embryos was significantly lower than non-diapause embryos at the early embryogenetic stage of Artemia. Knockdown of Ar-Crk by RNA interference induced formation of diapause embryos, while the control group produced nauplii. Western blot analysis and metabolic assays revealed that the diapause embryos produced by Ar-Crk- knocked - down Artemia had similar characteristics of diapause markers, arrested cell cycle, and suppressed metabolism with those diapause embryos produced by natural oviparous Artemia. Transcriptomic analysis of Artemia embryos revealed knockdown of Ar-Crk induced downregulation of the aurora kinase A (AURKA) signaling pathway, as well as energetic and biomolecular metabolisms. Taken together, we proposed that Ar-Crk is a crucial factor in determining the process of diapause in Artemia. Our results provide insight into the functions of Crk in fundamental regulations such as cellular quiescence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The abuse of tetracycline (TC) has resulted in serious environmental pollution and the preparation of highly sensitive fluorescent probes capable of rapidly detecting TC has become a hot research field. All-inorganic halide perovskites have attracted extensive because of their good fluorescent properties, while the instability in polar solvents hinders its development for practical applications. In the present study, a perovskite quantum dot that can emit green fluorescence was prepared, and a ratio nanocomposite fluorescent probe (CsPbBr 3 @Cs 4 PbBr 6 @NH 2 @Eu) for the rapid visual assessment of TC in ethanol was obtained through functional modification by rare earth complexes. The continuous addition of TC led to the distinct color transition from green to red, resulting in the visualized multicolor sensing for TC. The probe had a good linear relationship with detection limit of 12.1 nM. The sensing mechanism research indicated that the quenching of perovskite nanocrystals in the probe was caused by the PET effect, and the red fluorescence enhancement was caused by the "antenna effect" produced by the chelation of TC with Eu3+. In addition, a portable wearable device for the fast visual detection of TC was developed to realize the rapid and intelligent detection of TC in actual fruit samples. [Display omitted] • An interesting perovskite-Eu hybrid nanosensor was designed. • Rapid visualized assessment of TC in actual fruit samples was achieved. • The probe had a good linear relationship and the LOD was 12.1 nM. • A portable wearable device was designed for intelligent detection of TC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Integrating multiple signals with different excitation wavelength dependence and temperature response properties into a single nanomaterial to construct multimodal anti-counterfeiting materials is still challenging. In this research, an exciting lanthanide hybrid tri-channel tubular anti-counterfeiting nanomaterial was fabricated by fixing NaYF 4 :Yb3+/Tm3+ up-conversion nanoparticles and Cit-Eu-TC complex on the surface of YHF:Ce/11.4%Tb nanotubes, which can be further used to make anti-counterfeiting fluorescent ink and hydrogel. The hidden three-mode anti-counterfeiting patterns showed bright green, red, and blue-violet fluorescence under 254 nm, 365, and 980 nm excitation, respectively. More importantly, under the co-irradiation of 254 and 365 nm light, the patterns prepared by the anti-counterfeiting ink showed mesmerizing dynamic anti-counterfeiting performance under the stimulation of developer and temperature. With the developer's dosage increase or temperature change, the color of anti-counterfeiting patterns changed obviously. The combination of this dynamic stimulus-responsive anti-counterfeiting feature and the above three-channel static anti-counterfeiting feature might bring about multi-mode static-dynamic anti-counterfeiting performance, significantly improving the difficulty of forgery and was expected to be widely used in the field of confidential information and file anti-counterfeiting. [Display omitted] • Tri-channel tubular lanthanide nanocomposite. • Anti-counterfeiting fluorescent ink and hydrogel. • Three-channel static anti-counterfeiting feature. • Multimodal dynamic stimulus-responsive anti-counterfeiting feature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A novel multicolor probe based on Zif-8 and rare earth. • Realization of TC visual detection with high recognition. • Ultrafast POCT detection of TC in various water and food samples. • Combined application of gelled detection device and intelligent APP. In this work, a high-precision visual and point-of-care testing (POCT) ratiometric fluorescent nanosensor for TC was constructed by embedding fluorescein (FL) into l -histidine modified ZIF-8 (LZIF-8) and chelating with rare earth citrate complex. Upon exposure to TC, the coordination and energy transfer between Eu3+ and TC make Eu3+ sensitized emission characteristic red fluorescence, while without prejudice to the emission peak intensity of FL. This ratiometric fluorescent probe with stable reference signal had the characteristics of high sensitivity (ultralow LOD = 5.99 nM) and selectivity and fast response kinetics (within 20 s). The high-bright fluorescence emission was beneficial to human eye recognition and it can realize semi-quantitative detection of TC in eggs, meeting the requirements of household use. In addition, the color can be read and analyzed quickly with the help of smart phone color analysis APP, and the semi-quantitative concentration of TC can be determined more conveniently. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • A bifunctional nano-probe was constructed through one-step method. • It can realize visual assessment of DPA and Cu2+. • It was highly desirable for environmental security. • Thin-filmed sensor indicated good visual assessment for DPA and Cu2+. The poor solubility of Ln-MOF fluorescent nano-probe in water significantly limited their practical application. At the same time, the determination of target analytes is mostly carried out in buffer solution, but the preparation of buffer solution and pH calibration often bring inconvenience to the test. In this work, a bifunctional fluorescent nano-probe (ATP@Eu:Tb-MOF) was constructed at room temperature through one-step method using inorganic nanoclays ATP and Ln-MOF, which recognized anthrax biomarker DPA and Cu2+ in commercially pure drinking water. This nano-probe achieved visual detection of DPA with ultra-high sensitivity (LOD-DPA = 8.82 nM), excellent selectivity to DPA isomers and high reliability in the detection of DPA released by Bacillus subtilis. In addition, the probe can also selectively detect Cu2+ through the "turn-off" pathway with a high sensitivity (LOD-Cu2+ = 6.94 nM). Intelligent visual monitoring was realized by fast reading and analyzing the RGB values of the color changing images of the paper-based nano-probe using smartphone color scanning APP. Furthermore, thin-film-based luminescent nanoprobe can also make excellent visual color assessment of DPA and Cu2+, and advanced logic gate circuit analytical devices were also designed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Thanks to the superior performance and convenience for preparation and operation, programmable memory materials have drawn extensive attention as the ever-higher requirements for anti-counterfeiting. In this work, a lanthanide-doped pH-responsive luminescent sensor (MMT@[Eu(Phen) 2 ]-PFX, MMT = montmorillonite, PFX = pefloxacin) was prepared to achieve reversible multicolor luminescence conversion (from blue to red) by changing the pH of the solution, and thus brought about the designation of a portable test strip for biogenic amines detection. Moreover, multiple encryption and decryption of confidential information can be materialized by combining the sensor with digital code and Morse code. Additionally, the optical memory device MMT@ [Eu(Phen) 2 ]-PFX@CS (CS = chitosan) enabled reversible switching of sol-gel and emission colors synchronously during acid-base conversion. Hence, this smart fluorescent material can be widely applied in the fields of information security and biogenic amines detection for the future. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) with multiple emission centers have recently bloomed out as attractive fluorescence (FL) sensors due to their high sensitivity and selectivity to multiple target species. Herein, a novel silicon quantum dots (SiQDs) hybride MOFs multicolor fluorescent nanosensor (SiQDs@MOF-Eu) was elaborately tailored for tetracycline detection, using in situ composition of SiQDs@MOF and further decoration of Eu3+ on its surface due to the coordination of free carboxyl groups and Eu3+. In this nanosensor, both the SiQDs with blue emission (λ em= 472 nm) and Eu3+ ions with potential red FL (λ em =616 nm) can be served as specific recognition units of TC based on the inner filter effect (IFE) and the antenna effect, respectively. Upon the addition of TC, the emission intensity of the SiQDs decreased slowly while that of the Eu3+ ion increased significantly, accompanied by obvious blue-red color switching, resulting in ultrahigh sensitivity (detection limit 3.16 nM). Furthermore, real-time visual determination of TC in actual samples was successfully achieved. With the assistance of color scanning APP in smart phones, real-time intelligent determination of TC can be realized. [Display omitted] • A novel SiQDs hybride MOFs dual-response fluorescent nanosensor was elaborately tailored. • This multicolor nanosensor can realize ultrasensitive detection of TC in food and water. • The LOD for TC was 3.16 nM. • Smartphone image processing technology was used for TC detection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Jindou kumquat (Fortunella hindsii var. chintou Swingle) with very small fruits belongs to genus Fortunella. However, there is a lack of relevant research on the characteristic secondary metabolites in Jindou compared with other Fortunella fruits. Here, non-targeted and targeted metabolomics based on UPLC-Q-TOF-MS and UPLC-QqQ-MS/MS was performed to profile and quantitate the phytochemicals of 16 varieties including five species in the genus Fortunella. Results showed the types and contents of phytochemicals in different varieties were quite distinct from each other. Twenty four of the screened metabolites in Jindou different from the other varieties were undoubtedly or tentatively identified. Targeted quantitative analysis verified that coumarins and furanocoumarins could be considered to be the dominant characteristic metabolites in Jindou among other Fortunella fruits including auraptene, bergapten, imperatorin, xanthotoxin and umbelliferone. This study makes relatively comprehensive research into the secondary metabolites of Jindou and provides data as a basis for further evaluation and utilization of Fortunella germplasms. • Secondary metabolites in 16 Fortunella germplasms were profiled and quantitated. • Non-targeted and targeted metabolomics were simultaneously used. • The characteristic metabolites in Jindou were screened among Fortunella fruits. • Coumarins and furanocoumarins were the main characteristic metabolites of Jindou. • Auraptene, bergapten, imperatorin, xanthotoxin and umbelliferone enriched in Jindou. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is of vital significance to achieve accurate real-time detection of tetracycline (TC). In this research, the ratio fluorescence detection of tetracycline is realized by introducing europium-based aminoclay containing carbon dots with good sensitivity to tetracycline through subsequent surface modification. With the increase of tetracycline concentration, the fluorescence intensity of rare earth europium fluorophore increases continuously, while the fluorescence intensity of CDs is basically unchanged. The CIE chromaticity coordinate confirms that the luminous color of the probe can be adjusted continuously from blue to red. The results exhibit this approach owns the favourable linearity to TC within 0–12.5 μM and 10–25 μM, and the high sensitivity with a low detection limit of 3.133 nM. Moreover, it can entirely satisfy the requirements of field detection because the rapid monitoring time as short as 30 s. The multicolor fluorescence detection strategy is reliable and feasible in the field test of TC in various actual samples. In addition, a TC floating detector based on vertical float structure is designed to achieve the rapid visual detection of TC in simulated flow environment. The superiority of the sensing platform opens up a neo-pathway for point-of-care monitoring of TC residues. The aminoclay clay and carbon dots integrated visual fluorescence platform indicated point-of-care testing detection of tetracycline. [Display omitted] • Europium-based aminoclay nanoprobe containing carbon dots was prepared successfully. • This visual detection platform displayed point-of-care testing of TC. • Rapid visual detection of TC was realized by nanoprobe functionalized vertical float. • Smartphone-assisted detection platform for semi-quantitative TC analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, the overuse of antibiotics has caused more and more serious environmental pollution, the uncontrolled abuse of antibiotics makes bacteria produce resistance to antibiotics faster than the replacement rate of antibiotics themselves, leading to the emergence of super drug-resistant bacteria. Therefore, it is of great practical significance to establish a simple, rapid and sensitive method for the detection of antibiotics. By integrating natural nano-clay (Atta) and carbon dots (CDs), the real-time and rapid visual detection of tetracycline (TC) in the sample can be realized by chromaticity pick-up APP on smartphone. The nano-sensor can detect tetracycline in the concentration between 25 nM and 20 μM with the detection limit of 8.7 nM. The low detection limit coupled with good accuracy, sensitivity and specificity meets the requirements for the detection of tetracycline in food. More importantly, the test paper and fluorescent stick-like nano-sensor are designed to detect tetracycline by polychromatic fluorescence changes. In addition, a logic gate for semi-quantitative identification of the concentration of tetracycline is designed, which makes it possible for the application of the nano-sensor in the field of smart devices. [Display omitted] • A multicolor fluorescent nano-sensor integrated of attapulgite and carbon dots for tetracycline detection is constructed. • The results indicate that the limit of detection of this nano-sensor to tetracycline was as low as 8.5 nM. • The fluorescent stick-like nano-sensor are designed to semi-quantitative detection of tetracycline. • The fast detection process can be realized through the smartphone with a chromaticity pick-up APP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ultrasensitive and visual detection of tetracycline antibiotic (TC) residues is of great significance to public health and environmental safety. A novel dual-response ratiometric fluorescent nano-probe (SiQDs-Cit-Eu) has been elaborately tailored for the determination and on-site visual assay of tetracycline, by grafting citric acid and europium (Eu3+) ions onto the surface of silicon quantum dots (SiQDs). The blue-emissive SiQDs (λ em = 455 nm) fabricated by a one-step facile method act as both scaffold for coordination with Eu3+ ions and recognition unit for TC owing to the inner filter effect (IFE). The coordinate unsaturated red-fluorescent Eu3+ ions (λ em = 617 nm) bond to the surface of SiQDs, serving as the specific recognition element for TC due to the antenna effect. In the presence of TC, the as-synthesized nano-probe exhibits double (λ em = 455 and 617 nm) and reverse response signals which are accompanied by a marked color change from blue to purple, and then red, thus achieving ultra-high sensitivity with a detection limit of 7.1 nM and instant visual detection of TC in real samples (milk, honey, lake and river water). Furthermore, smartphone-assisted point-of-care testing platform is also constructed based on nano-probe-immobilized test paper by using the color scanning APP. ga1 • The SiQDs functionalized dual-response ratiometric fluorescent nano-probe was manufactured. • The rich color tunability of the nano-probe makes it highly sensitive and selective in the detection of TC. • The nanoprobe can realize the fast detection through the chromaticity analysis software in smart phones. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Ag NPs were successfully loaded in the lumen of HNTs. • The MEF effect of the nanoprobe provided ultra-sensitive detection of TC. • The presence of Ag in the nanoprobe can also enhance the degradation of TC. The ultrasensitive detection and efficient degradation of tetracycline (TC) residues are important for improving food safety and protecting human health. In this paper, a smart silver-enhanced fluorescence platform for the ultrasensitive detection of TC was constructed via a simple and selective modification of the interior and external tubes of natural halloysite nanotubes. The thick pipe wall of this platform provides a natural defense and promotes metal-enhanced fluorescence effects, which subsequently accelerates the detection of TC. Moreover, the nanoplatform of the modified Ag nanoparticles can induce the separation of electrons and holes, thereby enhancing photocatalytic activity in TC degradation. This platform provides new opportunities for studying natural halloysite nanotubes and for simultaneously detecting and photodegrading other deleterious substances. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Diabetic keratopathy (DK) is a common chronic metabolic disorder that causes ocular surface complications. Among various therapeutic approaches, local delivery of nerve growth factor (NGF) remains the most effective treatment for DK. However, achieving a sustained therapeutic effect with NGF and the frequent drug delivery burden remain challenging during clinical practice. Here, we developed a novel adeno-associated virus (AAV)-based NGF delivery system that achieved one-year-long-lasting effects by a single injection. We refined the corneal stromal injection technique, resulting in reduced corneal edema and improved AAV distribution homogeneity. AAV serotype AAV.rh10 exhibited high tropism and specificity to corneal nerves. A dose of 2×109 vector genomes (vg) was determined to achieve efficient Ngf gene expression without inducing corneal immune responses. Moreover, NGF protein was highly expressed in trigeminal ganglion (TG) through a retrograde transport mechanism, indicating the capacity for repairing corneal nerve damage both at the root and corneal nerve endings. In a mouse DK model, a single injection of AAV-Ngf into the corneal stroma led to marked corneal nerve regeneration for over 5 months. Together, we provide a novel therapeutic paradigm for long-term effective treatment of DK and this therapeutic approach is superior to current DK therapies., (© 2024 by the American Diabetes Association.)

Purpose: Neurotrophic keratopathy (NK) is a degenerative corneal condition resulting from corneal nerve injury. Current therapies, including the recombinant human nerve growth factor (rhNGF) therapy, requires continuous administration. This study aims to develop a novel and highly effective gene therapy strategy for the prevention and treatment of NK., Methods: Adeno-associated virus (AAV) was transduced into corneal stromal cells by intrastromal injection. Three dimensional corneal wholemount imaging with co-immunostaining of ZO-1 and tubulin was utilized to assess the transduction of AAV.rh10. The efficacy of prevention and treatment of NK by a single intrastromal injection of AAV-Ngf was tested using capsaicin mouse model, herpes simplex keratitis (HSK) model, type Ⅱ diabetes model and alkali burn model. rhNGF eye drops served as the positive control., Results: Intrastromal injection of AAV.rh10 efficiently transduced the subepithelial nerve plexus and retrogradely transported to the trigeminal ganglion (TG). A single injection of AAV.rh10-Ngf can significantly promote corneal nerve repair, accelerate corneal epithelial repair, reduce corneal stromal edema, and improve corneal sensitivity across the four NK models. The therapeutic effects were consistent with those achieved by continuous administration of rhNGF drops by 6 times daily., Conclusions: This proof-of-concept study demonstrates that AAV.rh10-Ngf gene therapy is a promising method for preventing and treating of NK. Our results underline the potential for developing clinical trials to further explore the safety and efficacy of such gene therapy., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

To investigate the effect and potential mechanism of human-derived urine stem cells (hUSCs) in inhibiting retinal aging by using experimental and bioinformatics. Retinal pigment epithelial cells cultured in vitro, which were randomly divided into normal group, aging group and supernatant of hUSCs group. Cell counting kit-8 detection, senescence-related β-galactosidase, and Annexin V/PI staining were performed to detect cell viability, senescence, and apoptosis. Subsequently, bioinformatics methods were used to explore the underlying mechanisms, in which, targets both hUSCs and aging retina-related targets were obtained from GeneCards. Then, Gene Ontology, Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes enrichment analysis, and protein-protein interaction network were analysis, and the expressional level of hub gene was validated by q-PCR. Supernatant addition of hUSCs promoted markedly cellular proliferation, improved viability and inhibited senescence and apoptosis in vitro. A total of 1476 hUSCs-related targets (Relevance score > 20), 692 retinal disease-related targets, and 732 targets related to disease of aging were selected from GeneCards database, and 289 common targets of hUSCs against aging retina were confirmed through Venn analysis. Enrichment analysis demonstrated that hUSCs might exert its anti-apoptosis efficacy in multiple biological processes, including oxidative stress, inflammation and apoptosis, and core targets were associated with HIF-1, MAPK and PI3K-Akt signal. hUSCs inhibited retinal senescence by regulating multiply targets and signaling pathways, of these, HIF-1, MAPK, and PI3K may be important candidates., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

Keratomycosis, caused by pathogenic fungi, is an intractable blinding eye disease. Corneal penetration is an essential requirement for conventional antifungal medications to address keratomycosis. Due to the distinctive anatomical and physiological structure of the cornea, the therapeutic efficacy is hampered by the inadequate penetration capacity. Despite the emergence of diverse antifungal drug delivery systems and advanced antifungal nanomaterials, it has remained challenging to achieve corneal penetration over the past decade. This study fabricates a penetrative ionic organic molecular cage-based nanozyme (OMCzyme) for treating keratomycosis. The synthesis of OMCzyme involved two steps. Initially, the ionic OMC is synthesized by a [2+3] cycloimination reaction of triformylphloroglucinol and 2,3-diaminopropionic acid. Subsequently, OMCzyme is fabricated by coordination of Fe 2 ⁺ with carboxyl anions and phenolic hydroxyls in the organic cage, and further deposition of silver nanoparticles on the surface of OMC-Fe complex. The as-prepared OMCzyme demonstrates excellent water dispersion, peroxidase-like activity, in vitro and in vivo biocompatibility, and corneal penetration. Notably, the nanozyme displays targeted antifungal activity, effectively combating Fusarium solani with negligible cytotoxicity toward human corneal epithelial cells. The hybrid mimic is further demonstrated to be effective in treating keratomycosis in mice, indicating the potential of OMCzyme for curing fungal infectious diseases., (© 2024 Wiley‐VCH GmbH.)

Background: To evaluate the long-term effectiveness of orthokeratology (ortho-K) lenses with small treatment zone (STZ) or conventional treatment zone (CTZ) in controlling axial elongation in children with myopia as well as the impact on visual quality. We also sought to determine the effect of retinal visual signal quality on axial elongation., Methods: This is a prospective randomized controlled study. A total of 140 participants (age ranging from 8 to 12 years) were randomly assigned to wear either STZ or CTZ ortho-K lenses. STZ ortho-K lenses design was achieved by changing the depth of reverse zone and the sagitta height of the optical zone. Using the IOL-Master 500, axial length (AL) was measured at baseline and after 6, 12 and 18 months of ortho-K treatment. Spherical aberration (SA) and corneal topographic parameters were obtained by the Pentacam anterior segment analyzer at baseline and the 1-month follow-up visit, and optical qualities were assessed by optical quality analysis system-II (OQAS-II) at baseline and after 1 month of lens wearing. Optical quality parameters mainly included the modulation transfer function (MTF) cutoff, Strehl ratio (SR), objective scattering index (OSI), and predicted visual acuity (PVA)., Results: A total of 131 participants completed the study, including 68 in the STZ group and 63 in the CTZ group. The STZ group had significantly reduced AL elongation compared to the CTZ group after treatment (12 months: 0.07 ± 0.11 mm vs. 0.14 ± 0.12 mm, P = 0.002; 18 months: 0.17 ± 0.15 mm vs. 0.26 ± 0.16 mm, P = 0.002). The topography in the STZ group showed a smaller treatment zone (TZ) diameter (2.50 ± 0.23 mm vs. 2.77 ± 0.18 mm, P < 0.001), a wider defocus ring width (2.45 ± 0.28 mm vs. 2.30 ± 0.30 mm, P = 0.006), and larger values of total amount of defocus (119.38 ± 63.71 D·mm 2 vs. 91.40 ± 40.83 D·mm 2 , P = 0.003) and total SA (0.37 ± 0.25 μm vs. 0.25 ± 0.29 μm, P = 0.015), compared with the CTZ group. Objective visual quality decreased in both groups (P < 0.001). This was evidenced by a greater decrease in MTF cutoff (- 14.24 ± 10.48 vs. - 10.74 ± 9.46, P = 0.047) and SR values (- 0.09 ± 0.07 vs. - 0.06 ± 0.07, P = 0.026), and an increase in OSI value (0.84 ± 0.72 vs. 0.58 ± 0.53, P = 0.019). PVA9% decreased significantly in the STZ group but not the CTZ group. A statistically significant negative correlation was found between the changes in total SA and MTF cutoff values (r =  - 0.202, P = 0.025). AL changes were associated with sex, change of MTF cutoff value, increment of total SA and TZ area., Conclusions: Compared with CTZ ortho-K lenses, STZ ortho-K lenses significantly inhibited axial elongation in children with myopia while moderately reducing their objective visual quality. Axial elongation was affected by retinal visual quality, and it may be a possible mechanism for ortho-K slowing myopia progression. Trial registration This trial is registered at Chinese Clinical Trial Registry on November 5, 2019 with trial registration number: ChiCTR1900027218. https://www.chictr.org.cn/showproj.html?proj=45380., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

JOURNAL/nrgr/04.03/01300535-202409000-00035/figure1/v/2024-01-16T170235Z/r/image-tiff Neonatal hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy is often associated with permanent cerebral palsy, neurosensory impairments, and cognitive deficits, and there is no effective treatment for complications related to hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy. The therapeutic potential of human placental chorionic plate-derived mesenchymal stem cells for various diseases has been explored. However, the potential use of human placental chorionic plate-derived mesenchymal stem cells for the treatment of neonatal hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy has not yet been investigated. In this study, we injected human placental chorionic plate-derived mesenchymal stem cells into the lateral ventricle of a neonatal hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy rat model and observed significant improvements in both cognitive and motor function. Protein chip analysis showed that interleukin-3 expression was significantly elevated in neonatal hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy model rats. Following transplantation of human placental chorionic plate-derived mesenchymal stem cells, interleukin-3 expression was downregulated. To further investigate the role of interleukin-3 in neonatal hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy, we established an in vitro SH-SY5Y cell model of hypoxic-ischemic injury through oxygen-glucose deprivation and silenced interleukin-3 expression using small interfering RNA. We found that the activity and proliferation of SH-SY5Y cells subjected to oxygen-glucose deprivation were further suppressed by interleukin-3 knockdown. Furthermore, interleukin-3 knockout exacerbated neuronal damage and cognitive and motor function impairment in rat models of hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy. The findings suggest that transplantation of hpcMSCs ameliorated behavioral impairments in a rat model of hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy, and this effect was mediated by interleukin-3-dependent neurological function., (Copyright © 2024 Copyright: © 2024 Neural Regeneration Research.)

We propose a novel recurrent variational network, SegMorph, to perform concurrent segmentation and motion estimation on cardiac cine magnetic resonance image (CMR) sequences. Our model establishes a recurrent latent space that captures spatiotemporal features from cine-MRI sequences for multitask inference and synthesis. The proposed model follows a recurrent variational auto-encoder framework and adopts a learnt prior from the temporal inputs. We utilise a multi-branch decoder to handle bi-ventricular segmentation and motion estimation simultaneously. In addition to the spatiotemporal features from the latent space, motion estimation enriches the supervision of sequential segmentation tasks by providing pseudo-ground truth. On the other hand, the segmentation branch helps with motion estimation by predicting deformation vector fields (DVFs) based on anatomical information. Experimental results demonstrate that the proposed method performs better than state-of-the-art approaches qualitatively and quantitatively for both segmentation and motion estimation tasks. We achieved an 81% average Dice Similarity Coefficient (DSC) and a less than 3.5 mm average Hausdorff distance on segmentation. Meanwhile, we achieved a motion estimation Dice Similarity Coefficient of over 79%, with approximately 0.14% of pixels displaying a negative Jacobian determinant in the estimated DVFs.

The cornea and sclera are distinct adjacent tissues, yet their stromal cells originate from common neural crest cells (NCCs). Sclerocornea is a disease characterized by an indistinguishable boundary between the cornea and sclera. Previously, we identified a RAD21 mutation in a sclerocornea pedigree. Here, we investigated the impacts of RAD21 on NCC activities during eye development. RAD21 deficiency caused upregulation of PCDHGC3 . Both RAD21 knockdown and PCDHGC3 upregulation disrupted the migration of NCCs. Transcriptome analysis indicated that WNT9B had 190.9-fold higher expression in scleral stroma than in corneal stroma. WNT9B was also significantly upregulated by both RAD21 knockdown and PCDHGC3 overexpression, and knock down of WNT9B rescued the differentiation and migration of NCCs with RAD21 deficiency. Consistently, overexpressing wnt9b in Xenopus tropicalis led to ocular developmental abnormalities. In summary, WNT9B is a determinant factor during NCC differentiation into corneal keratocytes or scleral stromal cells and is affected by RAD21 expression., Competing Interests: The authors declare no competing interests., (© 2024 The Author(s).)

Macular corneal dystrophy (MCD) is a progressive, bilateral stromal dystrophic disease that arises from mutations in carbohydrate sulfotransferase 6 (CHST6). Corneal transplantation is the ultimate therapeutic solution for MCD patients. Unfortunately, postoperative recurrence remains a significant challenge. We conducted a retrospective review of a clinical cohort comprising 102 MCD patients with 124 eyes that underwent either penetrating keratoplasty (PKP) or deep anterior lamellar keratoplasty (DALK). Our results revealed that the recurrence rate was nearly three times higher in the DALK group (39.13%, 9/23 eyes) compared with the PKP group (10.89%, 11/101 eyes), suggesting that surgical replacement of the corneal endothelium for treating MCD is advisable to prevent postoperative recurrence. Our experimental data confirmed the robust mRNA and protein expression of CHST6 in human corneal endothelium and the rodent homolog CHST5 in mouse endothelium. Selective knockdown of wild-type Chst5 in mouse corneal endothelium (AC siChst5 ), but not in the corneal stroma, induced experimental MCD with similar extracellular matrix synthesis impairments and corneal thinning as observed in MCD patients. Mice carrying Chst5 point mutation also recapitulated clinical phenotypes of MCD, along with corneal endothelial abnormalities. Intracameral injection of wild-type Chst5 rescued the corneal impairments in AC siChst5 mice and retarded the disease progression in Chst5 mutant mice. Overall, our study provides new mechanistic insights and therapeutic approaches for MCD treatment by high-lighting the role of corneal endothelium in MCD development., (© 2023. Science China Press.)

Hydrogels have attracted tremendous attention as favorable corneal substitutes for treating severe infectious keratitis (IK). However, current hydrogel-based corneal substitutes were majorly designed to promote the single stage of corneal regeneration, which falls short in meeting the clinical management needs of severe IK including the multiple phases of corneal wound healing. Herein, we introduce a versatile hybrid hydrogel (SQPV) composed of silk fibroin and chitosan, which exhibits spatiotemporal properties for drug release. The SQPV is fabricated by incorporating verteporfin-loaded poly(lactic- co -glycolic)-polyethylene glycol- o -nitrobenzene micelles into a hydrogel network, which is formed from methacrylate silk fibroin and glycidyl methacrylate functionalized quaternized chitosan containing polydeoxyribonucleotide. This double network approach results in a material with exceptional anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, and proliferative stimulation and tissue remodeling regulation capabilities. Furthermore, SQPV showcases mechanical strength and transparency akin to those of native cornea. Extensive in vitro and in vivo studies validate SQPV's ability to effectively eliminate residual bacteria, mitigate inflammation, foster regeneration of corneal epithelium and stroma, prevent corneal scarring, and ultimately expedite wound healing. In summary, the SF/CS-based hybrid hydrogel may represent a promising substitute for comprehensive corneal repair and regeneration in severe IK.

Purpose: To investigate the hereditability of corneal tomographic and biomechanical parameters in keratoconus (KC)., Design: Prospective cohort study., Methods: This study was conducted at Qingdao Eye Hospital of Shandong First Medical University in Qingdao, China. Forty-four patients with KC and their biological parents (n = 88) were recruited as the study group. The control group consisted of 84 healthy adults with matched age and gender. Both eyes of each participant underwent clinical examinations, and 1 eye was selected for statistical analysis. Exclusion criteria were as follows: individuals with glaucoma, ocular surgery, systemic diseases known to affect the eyes, or poor cooperation during examination. Subjects were asked to discontinue soft contact lens (CL) wear for 2 weeks and rigid gas permeable CL wear for 4 weeks before ocular examination. All participants underwent a comprehensive assessment including Pentacam Scheimpflug tomography, Corvis ST, visual acuity, refraction examination, axial length, and slitlamp examination for both eyes. Individuals presenting with KC manifestations in at least 1 eye were classified as having KC. A total of 9 Pentacam indices including keratometry in the flat/steep meridian (K1/K2), maximal keratometry (Kmax), thinnest point pachymetry (TP), and maximum/average Ambrósio relational thickness (ARTmax/ARTave), anterior and posterior surfaces elevation of the cornea (Ef/Eb) and total deviation value (Final D), and 21 biomechanical indices were collected. Associations of these factors with KC were evaluated using multiple comparison and binary logistics regression analyses., Results: Two parents (2.27%) from 2 different families were diagnosed with KC. Parents of patients with KC had thinner corneas with altered corneal biomechanical parameters compared with healthy controls (P < .05). The combined tomographic and biomechanical index demonstrated the highest discriminatory power (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve 0.785) and strong specificity (84.5%). Parental corneal tomographic and biomechanical index, Corvis biomechanical index, and TP were identified as the major influential factors for KC in their offspring by logistic regression analysis, with a 73.3% accuracy in identifying offspring with KC., Conclusions: Parental corneal tomographic and biomechanical properties of patients with KC suggest a possible predisposition to KC. A combination of tomography and corneal biomechanics can be helpful in predicting the incidence rate of KC in the offspring of patients with subclinical KC., (Copyright © 2023 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Fluorescent probes with on-site visual detection function have received extensive attention in the detection of chlortetracycline (CTC), which was widely used in aquaculture and animal husbandry. Copper nanoclusters (Cu NCs) with excellent optical properties were prepared using bovine serum albumin (BSA) as a template, and a multicolor fluorescence strategy based on BSA-stabilized Cu NCs (BSA-Cu NCs) for detecting CTC was proposed. BSA-Cu NCs had a red emission at 640 nm. After the addition of CTC, the red emission of BSA-Cu NCs gradually decreased for internal filtering effect, while the green emission of CTC was significantly enhanced under the sensitization of BSA. This simple sensing process can be achieved in real time by directly mixing the target sample with BSA-Cu NCs, and the detection limit (LOD) of the system for CTC was 12.01 nM. Based on this sensing strategy, a fluorescence film sensing detection platform was constructed to achieve ultra-fast detection of CTC within 30 s. This work provided a fluorescent film sensor with the advantages of portability, ultra-fast and low cost, which provided a feasible alternative for on-site ultra-fast screening of CTC., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest We declare that we have no financial and personal relationships with other people or organizations that can inappropriately influence our work, there is no professional or other personal interest of any nature or kind in any product, service and/or company that could be construed as influencing the position presented in, or the review of, the manuscript entitled., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Purpose: Our objective was to investigate differences in the ocular surface bacterial composition in cataract patients with and without type 2 diabetes (T2D)., Methods: Twenty-four diabetic patients with cataracts (group D) and 14 sex- and age-matched patients with age-related cataracts (group N) were recruited for this study. All samples underwent DNA extraction, fragmentation, purification, library construction, and metagenomic sequencing., Results: The overall conjunctival sac bacterial composition was similar between group D and group N, as determined by alpha diversity and beta diversity. Nevertheless, significant differences were observed in the relative abundance of specific bacteria. At the phylum level, group D had a significantly lower abundance of Chlamydiae, Tenericutes, Chloroflexi, Cyanobacteria, Cossaviricota, Chytridiomycota, Artverviricota, Zoopagomycota, Peploviricota, Deinococcus-Thermus, Preplasmiviricota, and Nucleocytoviricota. At the genus level, group D had a significantly lower abundance of Chlamydia, Mycoplasma, Salmonella, Chryseobacterium, Roseovarius, Desulfococcus, Kangiella, Anaerococcus, and Idiomarina but a significantly higher abundance of Parabacteroides, Phocaeicola, and Sphingomonas. Bacteria such as Aquificae, Parabacteroides, Flavobacterium, Austwickia, Aquifex, Tenacibaculum, and Chryseobacterium in group D and Tenericutes, Chlamydiae, Porphyromonas, Mycoplasma, Chlamydia, Kangiella, Idiomarina, Roseovarius, Aliiroseovarius, and Desulfococcus in group N could be used as conjunctival sac biomarkers, according to the linear discriminant analysis effect size. Gene Ontology functional annotation indicated that bacterial catalytic activity, metabolic processes, locomotion, virion, and reproduction were enriched in group D, while immune system processes were enriched in group N. In addition, the top 30 differentially expressed virulence factors (VFs) were all more enriched in group D., Conclusions: The bacterial composition was similar between the two groups. Several bacterial strains that were reported beneficial in gut were decreased, and pathogenic bacteria were increased in T2D. Furthermore, group D had more active bacterial terms and increased VF expression, suggesting that the susceptibility of diabetic patients to infection is closely related to functional changes in the ocular surface flora. Our conjunctival microbiota atlas provides a reference for investigating ocular complications related to diabetes., Translational Relevance: The altered composition and functional profile of the ocular microbial community in diabetic patients offer evidence for the need to prevent infection during cataract surgery.

Purpose: Contact lens wear (CLW) is one of the leading risk factors for Pseudomonas aeruginosa keratitis (PAK). However, the intrinsic factors that contribute to the high susceptibility to keratitis during CLW remain to be elucidated. CLW over an extended period can elevate corneal norepinephrine (NE) concentration. In this study, we investigated the role of NE in promoting PAK., Methods: We constructed an injury-induced PAK model and a CLW-induced PAK model to confirm the impact of NE during corneal infection. Pharmacological blockage of NE and gene knockdown mouse were used to investigate the downstream effector of NE. RNA sequencing was performed to explore the cellular alterations during NE treatment. Non-parametric Mann-Whitney U test or Kruskal-Wallis test were used to ascertain the significance (P < 0.05)., Results: Supplementation of NE led to PAK even without artificial corneal injury during CLW. The effect was mediated by the β2-adrenergic receptor (β2-AR) in the corneal epithelium. The β2-AR blockage by the NE antagonist ICI118,551 (ICI) or by deleting of its encoding gene Adrb2 significantly alleviated infection during CLW. Conversely, β2-AR activation compromised the integrity of the epithelium and significantly increased the cortical plaque marker ezrin. Transcriptome analysis identified that the protective effect of ICI on the keratitis was mediated by dual-specificity phosphatases. Suramin, a Dusp5 antagonist, abrogated the protective effect of ICI., Conclusions: These data reveal a new mechanism by which NE acts as an intrinsic factor that promotes CLW-induced PAK and provide novel therapeutic targets for treating keratitis by targeting NE-β2-AR.

Doublesex (DSX) proteins are members of the Doublesex/mab-3-related (DMRT) protein family and play crucial roles in sex determination and differentiation among the animal kingdom. In the present study, we identified two Doublesex (Dsx)-like mRNA isoforms in the brine shrimp Artemia franciscana (Kellogg 1906), which are generated by the combination of alternative promoters, alternative splicing and alternative polyadenylation. The two transcripts exhibited sex-biased enrichment, which we termed AfrDsxM and AfrDsxF. They share a common region which encodes an identical N-terminal DNA-binding (DM) domain. RT-qPCR analyses showed that AfrDsxM is dominantly expressed in male Artemia while AfrDsxF is specifically expressed in females. Expression levels of both isoforms increased along with the developmental stages of their respective sexes. RNA interference with dsRNA showed that the knockdown of AfrDsxM in male larvae led to the appearance of female traits including an ovary-like structure in the original male reproductive system and an elevated expression of vitellogenin. However, silencing of AfrDsxF induced no clear phenotypic change in female Artemia. These results indicated that the male AfrDSXM may act as inhibiting regulator upon the default female developmental mode in Artemia. Furthermore, electrophoretic mobility shift assay analyses revealed that the unique DM domain of AfrDSXs can specifically bind to promoter segments of potential downstream target genes like AfrVtg. These data show that AfrDSXs play crucial roles in regulating sexual development in Artemia, and further provide insight into the evolution of sex determination/differentiation in sexual organisms., (© 2023 The Author(s). Published by Portland Press Limited on behalf of the Biochemical Society.)

Purpose: To investigate the role of the sympathetic nervous system in corneal neovascularization (CNV) and to identify the downstream pathway involved in this regulation., Methods: Three types of CNV models were constructed with C57BL/6J mice, including the alkali burn model, suture model, and basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) corneal micropocket model. Subconjunctival injection of the sympathetic neurotransmitter norepinephrine (NE) was administered in these three models. Control mice received injections of water of the same volume. The corneal CNV was detected using slit-lamp microscopy and immunostaining with CD31, and the results were quantified by ImageJ. The expression of β2-adrenergic receptor (β2-AR) was stained with mouse corneas and human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). Furthermore, the anti-CNV effects of β2-AR antagonist ICI-118,551 (ICI) were examined with HUVEC tube formation assay and with a bFGF micropocket model. Additionally, partial β2-AR knockdown mice (Adrb2+/-) were used to establish the bFGF micropocket model, and the corneal CNV size was quantified based on the slit-lamp images and vessel staining., Results: Sympathetic nerves invaded the cornea in the suture CNV model. The NE receptor β2-AR was highly expressed in corneal epithelium and blood vessels. The addition of NE significantly promoted corneal angiogenesis, whereas ICI effectively inhibited CNV invasion and HUVEC tube formation. Adrb2 knockdown significantly reduced the cornea area occupied by CNV., Conclusions: Our study found that sympathetic nerves grow into the cornea in conjunction with newly formed vessels. The addition of the sympathetic neurotransmitter NE and activation of its downstream receptor β2-AR promoted CNV. Targeting β2-AR could potentially be used as an anti-CNV strategy.

Purpose: Previously, we found norepinephrine (NE) could affect the corneal epithelial integrity, herein we investigated the feasibility and safety of NE serving as a chemical enhancer to promote corneal penetration of riboflavin during transepithelial corneal crosslinking (CXL)., Methods: The dosage of NE that could promote riboflavin diffusion through the healthy epithelial barrier without inducing epithelial damage in C57BL/6 mice was determined. The safety of NE treatment was confirmed by morphological and histological examinations of the whole cornea. The efficacy of NE in promoting riboflavin penetration was verified by slit lamp and scanning electron microscope (SEM), and corneal biomechanical measurement after CXL. To better fit the clinical scenario, increased NE dosage and shortened riboflavin infiltration time were further evaluated., Results: The lowest dosage of NE (1 mg/mL) that facilitated transepithelial riboflavin permeation was 2 µL. No visible corneal structure alteration was observed after NE treatment. SEM indicated dissociation of intercellular junctions among corneal epithelial cells. Homogenous distribution of riboflavin throughout corneal stroma was observed. NE-treated corneas reached comparable biomechanical properties after CXL, including stress-relaxation curve and elastic modulus, with corneas treated with the commercially available transepithelial drug Peschke TE. To better fit the clinical scenario, increasing NE up to 5.5 µL helped riboflavin infiltrate the corneal stroma within 30 minutes. After CXL with 9 mW/cm2 ultraviolet-A (UVA) for 2.5 minutes, the cornea showed significantly enhanced corneal biomechanical properties with undisturbed corneal endothelium., Conclusions: NE serves as an effective enhancer in increasing riboflavin diffusion with limited impairment on corneal epithelium and has great potential for clinical application., Translation Relevance: NE serves as an effective enhancer for riboflavin penetration and clinical transepithelial CXL.

A novel multicolor fluorescent nano-probe based on the hybridization of Tb 3+ ion with gold nanoclusters (Au NCs) was synthesized to monitor and on-site visual assay of 2,6-pyridinedicarboxylic acid (DPA), a biomarker of bacterial spores. DPA can replace the water molecule in the center of Tb 3+ and strongly coordinate with Tb 3+ based on the analyte-triggered antenna effect. Simultaneously, the red fluorescence of Au NCs is not influenced after addition of DPA and can be used as steady inside fluorescence reference channel to measure background noise. On this basis, the multicolor fluorescence nano-probe based on Tb 3+ -doped Au NCs for fast analysis of DPA was fabricated. The linear range of this method is 0 to 12.5 μM and the limit of detection is 3.4 nM, which is well below the quantity of DPA concentration of 60 μM released by the spore transmission dose of anthrax infection. The proposed multicolor fluorescence nano-probe was successfully detecting DPA in actual sample with good sensitivity and specificity. In addition, the visual paper-based nano-probe is designed to detect DPA by using the color scanning application of smart phone. This developed platform possesses abroad application prospects with advantages of effective, convenient carrying, simple operation, good selectivity and repeatability., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Purpose: To determine the bacterial spectrum of exogenous endophthalmitis of different origins, namely, posttraumatic, postcataract surgery, filtering bleb-associated, and intravitreal treatment-related endophthalmitis, using the 16S rDNA sequencing method., Methods: Aqueous humor or vitreous humor samples were collected from 24 endophthalmitis patients. Traditional cultivation and 16S rDNA sequencing were conducted with these samples. Three senile cataract controls and one intraocular irrigating solution were used as sequencing control., Results: Eleven of the 24 samples (45.8%) obtained positive bacterial cultivation, and each sample positive for only one species. The 11 culture-positive species could all be identified in their corresponding sequencing results, but only four strains being the top one pathogen in the sequencing. A total of 567 species were isolated using 16S rDNA sequencing, with the top five species being Pseudomonas sp., Staphylococcus epidermidis, Staphylococcus sp., Streptococcus sp., and Enterococcus faecalis. The dominant bacterial strains varied among the different endophthalmitis categories but with no significant difference in the overall bacterial spectrum. Bacterial atlas containing Pseudomonas, Streptococcus, Staphylococcus, Actinomycetales&#95;unclassified, Thermus, and Janibacter was shared by the four categories. Aqueous humor bacterial profile showed a higher overlap with contaminating bacteria from the environment., Conclusions: 16S rDNA sequencing is more efficient for endophthalmitis pathogen screening than the traditional cultivation method in terms of positive detection rate and the number of bacteria identified. But the risk of environmental contamination exists when using 16S rDNA sequencing method for endophthalmitis diagnosis. Different categories of endophthalmitis displayed diversified bacterial composition., (© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature B.V.)

A multicolor fluorescent nanoprobe has been prepared by loading bovine serum albumin-stabilized copper nanoclusters (BSA-Cu NCs) onto amino clay (AC) and grafting Eu 3+ with auxiliary ligand citric acid (Cit). Tetracycline (TC) can coordinate with Eu 3+ by β-diketone structure and transfer energy to Eu 3+ through antenna effect. When the concentration of TC is in the range 0 to 13 μM, the blue emission intensity of BSA-CuNCs is basically unchanged, and the red emission of Eu 3+ is remarkably enhanced due to the coordination with TC. The emission color gradually changes from blue to red under UV lamp (λ = 365 nm). However, when the TC concentration is in the range 13 to 350 μΜ, the internal amino acid residues of BSA sensitize TC, and the emission color gradually changed from red to green. The nanoprobe has rich color, is simple to prepare, portable, and provide a wide detection range. The limit of detection (LOD) is 3.04 nM, which could be used for real-time visual analysis of trace TC in actual samples (lake water, milk, honey, and bovine serum albumin). In addition, a visual test paper has been designed and combined with the color scanning APP of a smartphone to complete the qualitative and semi-quantitative test of TC. BSA-Cu NCs were loaded on amino clay and graft Eu 3+ to establish ratiometric fluorescent nanoprobe for TC detection. With the increase of TC concentration, the emission color under 365 nm UV lamp gradually changed from blue to red and then to green, and the color changed obviously and can be observed by the naked eye. The visual test paper and smartphone application detection sensor were developed to realize rapid, convenient, real-time, and visual detection of TC in actual samples., (© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Austria, part of Springer Nature.)

Patients were found to experience more pain during their second eye cataract surgery compared with their first eye surgery. This study aimed to explore the inflammatory alterations along time in the fellow eye after the first eye surgery and to reveal the underlying mechanism. Eighty patients with bilateral cataracts were recruited and were divided into four groups based on the time of having the second eye surgery. The second eye aqueous humor samples were collected just before surgery and analyzed by mass spectrometry and PCR array. Cytokine activity was enriched in the aqueous humor of the contralateral eye with granulocyte colony-stimulating factor CSF3 significantly upregulated at both gene and protein levels. Rabbits with or without superior cervical ganglionectomy (SCGx) were subjected to lensectomy to mimic human situations. In both human and rabbit models, the fellow eye CSF3 peaked at 1 week post the first eye surgery. Consistently, more neutrophils were recruited to the contralateral eye aqueous humor. Corneal sensitivity and trigeminal electrophysiology were recorded to imply the pain severity in rats receiving capsulorrhexis with or without SCGx. A more intense pulse was detected in the contralateral trigeminal ganglion after the rat received one eye surgery. SCGx could effectively reduce the fellow corneal sensitivity and trigeminal nerve pain. These alterations were under direct regulation of the sympathetic nerves on the surgical eye side. Our results suggest that CSF3 and sympathetic activity could serve as potential analgesic targets during ocular surgeries., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2022 Fan, Fan, Qi, Zhang, Li, Qi, Liu, Zhang and Huang.)

The corneal endothelium is critical for maintaining corneal clarity by mediating hydration through barrier and pump functions. Progressive loss of corneal endothelial cells during aging has been associated with the development of Fuchs endothelial corneal dystrophy (FECD), one of the main causes of cornea-related vision loss. The mechanisms underlying FECD development remain elusive. Single-cell RNA sequencing of isolated healthy human corneas discovered 4 subpopulations of corneal endothelial cells with distinctive signatures. Unsupervised clustering analysis uncovered nuclear enriched abundant transcript 1 ( NEAT1 ), a long non-coding RNA (lncRNA), as the top expressed gene in the C0-endothelial subpopulation, but markedly downregulated in FECD. Consistent with human corneas, a UVA-induced mouse FECD model validated the loss of NEAT1 expression. Loss of NEAT1 function by an in vivo genetic approach reproduced the exacerbated phenotype of FECD by ablating corneal endothelial cells. Conversely, gain of function by a CRISPR-activated adenoviral delivery system protected corneas from UVA-induced FECD. Our findings provide novel mechanistic insights into the development of FECD, and targeting NEAT1 offers an attractive approach for treating FECD., Competing Interests: The authors declare no competing interests., (© 2022 The Authors.)

Human activity recognition (HAR) is a research hotspot in the field of artificial intelligence and pattern recognition. The electrooculography (EOG)-based HAR system has attracted much attention due to its good realizability and great application potential. Focusing on the signal processing method of the EOG-HAR system, we propose a robust EOG-based saccade recognition using the multi-channel convolutional independent component analysis (ICA) method. To establish frequency-domain observation vectors, short-time Fourier transform (STFT) is used to process time-domain EOG signals by applying the sliding window technique. Subsequently, we apply the joint approximative diagonalization of eigenmatrix (JADE) algorithm to separate the mixed signals and choose the "clean" saccadic source to extract features. To address the problem of permutation ambiguity in a case with a six-channel condition, we developed a constraint direction of arrival (DOA) algorithm that can automatically adjust the order of eye movement sources according to the constraint angle. Recognition experiments of four different saccadic EOG signals (i.e. up, down, left and right) were conducted in a laboratory environment. The average recognition ratios over 13 subjects were 95.66% and 97.33% under the between-subjects test and the within-subjects test, respectively. Compared with "bandpass filtering", "wavelet denoising", "extended infomax algorithm", "frequency-domain JADE algorithm" and "time-domain JADE algorithm, the recognition ratios obtained relative increments of 4.6%, 3.49%, 2.85%, 2.81% and 2.91% (within-subjects test) and 4.91%, 3.43%, 2.21%, 2.24% and 2.28% (between-subjects test), respectively. The experimental results revealed that the proposed algorithm presents robust classification performance in saccadic EOG signal recognition.

In this paper, we propose a blind image watermarking algorithm based on the multiband wavelet transformation and the empirical mode decomposition. Unlike the watermark algorithms based on the traditional two-band wavelet transform, where the watermark bits are embedded directly on the wavelet coefficients, in the proposed scheme, we embed the watermark bits in the mean trend of some middle-frequency subimages in the wavelet domain. We further select appropriate dilation factor and filters in the multiband wavelet transform to achieve better performance in terms of perceptually invisibility and the robustness of the watermark. The experimental results show that the proposed blind watermarking scheme is robust against JPEG compression, Gaussian noise, salt and pepper noise, median filtering, and ConvFilter attacks. The comparison analysis demonstrate that our scheme has better performance than the watermarking schemes reported recently.