Broadband polarization-maintaining anti-resonant fiber design via swarm intelligence.

In this study, we utilized a discrete point configuration method in conjunction with genetic algorithm (GA) and particle swarm optimization (PSO) to design broadband polarization-maintaining anti-resonant fibers (PM-ARFs). The resulting structure features a confinement loss (CL) below 0.17 dB/m, birefringence of approximately 8.

Structure characterization of Grifola frondosa polysaccharide and its effect on insulin resistance in HFD-fed mice.

Polysaccharide extracted from Grifola frondosa (GFP) was selected in this study. After preliminary separation, four factions were collected, named GFP-F1, GFP-F2, GFP-F3 and GFP-F4. GPF-F2 was further separated into two fractions, namely GFP-N1 and GFP-N2.

Modelling and prediction of toluene adsorption saturation basing on characteristic values of activated carbons.

Herein, the association between the dynamic adsorption capacity of toluene and several important characteristic values on activated carbon (AC) samples was investigated by multidimensional linear regression. Among the characteristic values, the carbon tetrachloride (CTC) adsorption value has demonstrated relatively stronger correlation with the toluene adsorption capacity on AC samples with diverse sources and forms, particularly in exposure to high-concentration toluene. Notably, the relevance of the toluene adsorption capacity to the CTC value could also be extended to a series of other porous adsorbents, which proved the wide applicability of CTC value in characterizing the adsorption behaviors.

Effect of glyceryl monopalmitate on the gelatinization, rheological and retrogradation properties of Japonica rice starch.

Background: Starch-based food is easy to retrograde during cold storage after gelatinization, which leads to quality fission and a relatively short shelf life. Some lipids can effectively enhance the storage stability of starch gels by the formation of starch-lipid complexes. The present study aimed to investigate the effects of glyceryl monopalmitate (GMP) on gelatinization, rheological and retrogradation properties of Japonica rice starch (JS) at different conditions and to analyze the correlation between the physical-chemical properties and structural characteristics of the JS-GMP complex.

Navigating Challenges and Opportunities in Community-Based Interventions for Promoting Active Aging: A Systematic Review of the Roles of Technology.

Background And Objectives: Researchers from different fields are increasingly interested in incorporating technology into community-based interventions that promote active aging. Yet, there lacks a comprehensive understanding of technology roles, posing challenges for designers seeking to maximize the intended impacts of such interventions. This systematic review aims to fill the gap by examining existing community-based interventions that integrate digital technologies to promote active aging.

A novel angiotensin I-converting enzyme inhibitory peptide APPLRP from Grifola frondosa ameliorated the Ang II-induced vascular modeling in zebrafish model by mediating smooth muscle cells.

Grifola frondosa has garnered significant popularity as an edible mushroom attributable to its exceptional taste and nutritional benefits. This study isolated APPLRP, a potent ACE-inhibitory peptide, from the alcohol-soluble fraction of Grifola frondosa. The underlying mechanisms of APPLRP in antihypertension were explored through computational chemistry, cell experiments, and zebrafish model.

The structural and digestive properties of indica rice starch-fatty acid complexes.

The structural and digestive properties of indica rice starch-fatty acid complexes and the effects of lipoxygenase on the structural and digestive properties of the complexes were examined in this study. The complexes were characterized by scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform-infrared spectroscopy and Raman spectroscopy. The results showed that indica rice starch had the highest molecular chain order and the highest crystallinity, and the crystallization disappeared after gelatinization, and the formation of indica rice starch-fatty acid complexes promoted the transformation of starch crystal structure from A-type to V-type.

Equalization system of low differential mode delay few-mode fibers based on the neural network MIMO algorithm.

In recent years, with the development of information networks, higher requirements for transmission capacity have been recommended. Yet, at the same time, the capacity of single-mode fiber is rapidly approaching the theoretical limit. The multidimensional multiplexing technique is an effective way to solve this problem.

Confinement loss prediction in diverse anti-resonant fibers through neural networks.

In this work, genetic algorithm (GA) is employed to optimize convolutional neural networks (CNNs) for predicting the confinement loss (CL) in anti-resonant fibers (ARFs), achieving a prediction accuracy of CL magnitude reached 90.6%, which, to the best of our knowledge, represents the highest accuracy to date and marks the first instance of using a single model to predict CL across diverse ARF structures. Different from the previous definition of ARF structures with parameter groups, we use anchor points to describe these structures, thus eliminating the differences in expression among them.

Engineering non-conservative substrate recognition sites of extradiol dioxygenase: Computation guided design to diversify and accelerate degradation of aromatic compounds.

Extradiol dioxygenases (EDOs) catalyzing meta-cleavage of catecholic compounds promise an effective way to detoxify aromatic pollutants. This work reported a novel scenario to engineer our recently identified Type I EDO from Tcu3516 for a broader substrate scope and enhanced activity, which was based on 2,3-dihydroxybiphenyl (2,3-DHB)-liganded molecular docking of Tcu3516 and multiple sequence alignment with other 22 Type I EDOs. 11 non-conservative residues of Tcu3516 within 6 Å distance to the 2,3-DHB ligand center were selected as potential hotspots and subjected to semi-rational design using 6 catecholic analogues as substrates; the mutants V186L and V212N returned with progressive evolution in substrate scope and catalytic activity.

Effects of Dityrosine on Lactic Acid Metabolism in Mice Gastrocnemius Muscle During Endurance Exercise via the Oxidative Stress-Induced Mitochondria Damage.

Dityrosine (Dityr) has been detected in commercial food as a product of protein oxidation and has been shown to pose a threat to human health. This study aims to investigate whether Dityr causes a decrease in lactic acid metabolism in the gastrocnemius muscle during endurance exercise. C57BL/6 mice were administered Dityr or saline by gavage for 13 weeks and underwent an endurance exercise test on a treadmill.

Co-designing community-level integral interventions for active ageing: a systematic review from the lens of community-based participatory research.

Background: While community-level interventions for promoting active ageing have received increasing attention and there is a trend to leverage technology to support traditional physical or social interventions, little hands-on guidance exists for designing these integral interventions. This study aimed to examine the interventions reported in the literature guided by Community-Based Participatory Research (CBPR) principles. The goal is to extract insights that inform future practices in co-designing integral interventions for active ageing.

Investigating the Integration and the Long-Term Use of Smart Speakers in Older Adults' Daily Practices: Qualitative Study.

Background: As smart speakers become more popular, there have been an increasing number of studies on how they may benefit older adults or how older adults perceive them. Despite the increasing ownership rates of smart speakers among older adults, studies that examine their integration and the long-term use in older adults' daily practices are scarce.

Objective: This study aims to uncover the integration of smart speakers into the daily practices of older adults over the long term, contributing to an in-depth understanding of maintained technology use among this demographic.

Soybean-derived antihypertensive hydrolysates attenuate Ang II-induced renal damage by modulating MAPK and NF-κB signaling pathways.

Hypertension-induced kidney injury is considered a vital consequence of long-term and uncontrolled hypertension, which is commonly associated with an excessive accumulation of angiotensin II (Ang II) from hyperactivated RAS. Antihypertensive peptides have a significant effect on blood pressure regulation, but few studies have focused on the ameliorative function of antihypertensive peptides on renal injury. This study explored the effects of soybean protein-derived hydrolysate (SPH) on SHR and Ang II-induced HK-2 cells.

Self-similar pulse compression in a tapered Pb-silicate photonic crystal fiber at 2 µm.

We report a 2-µm all-fiber nonlinear pulse compressor based on a tapered Pb-silicate photonic crystal fiber (PCF), which is capable of achieving large compression with low pedestal energy. A tapered Pb-silicate photonic crystal fiber with increased nonlinear coefficients is proposed for achieving self-similar pulse compression (SSPC) at 2 µm. The dynamic evolution of the fundamental order soliton is numerically analyzed based on the designed tapered fiber.

Dityrosine Aggravates Hepatic Insulin Resistance in Obese Mice by Altering Gut Microbiota and the LPS/TLR4/NF-κB Inflammatory Pathway.

Scope: Dityrosine is the main product of protein oxidation, which has been proved to be a threat to human health. This study aims to investigate whether dityrosine exacerbates insulin resistance by inducing gut flora disturbance and associated inflammatory responses.

Methods And Results: Mice fed with normal diet or high-fat diet (HFD) received daily gavage of dityrosine (320 µg kg BW) or saline for consecutive 13 weeks.

Preparation of Gum Arabic-Maltose-Pea Protein Isolate Complexes for 1-Octacosanol Microcapsule: Improved Storage Stability, Sustained Release in the Gastrointestinal Tract, and Its Effect on the Lipid Metabolism of High-Fat-Diet-Induced Obesity Mice.

1-Octacosanol (Octa) is a natural compound with several beneficial properties. However, its poor water solubility and metabolism in the digestive tract reduce its efficacy. The Octa-GA-Malt-PPI microcapsule was prepared as follows: gum Arabic (GA):maltose (Malt):pea protein isolate (PPI) = 2:1:2; core:shell = 1:7.

Orally administered octacosanol improves liver insulin resistance in high-fat diet-fed mice through the reconstruction of the gut microbiota structure and inhibition of the TLR4/NF-κB inflammatory pathway.

1-Octacosanol (Octa) is reported to possess many physiological properties. However, its relative mechanism has not been illustrated yet. Herein, we aimed to investigate the effect of Octa on insulin resistance in mice fed with a high fat diet (HFD) and used an simulated gastrointestinal tract to analyze its digestive behavior.

Risk-Based Control Strategies of Recombinant Monoclonal Antibody Charge Variants.

Since the first approval of the anti-CD3 recombinant monoclonal antibody (mAb), muromonab-CD3, a mouse antibody for the prevention of transplant rejection, by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 1986, mAb therapeutics have become increasingly important to medical care. A wealth of information about mAbs regarding their structure, stability, post-translation modifications, and the relationship between modification and function has been reported. Yet, substantial resources are still required throughout development and commercialization to have appropriate control strategies to maintain consistent product quality, safety, and efficacy.

Identification of differentially expressed genes based on antennae RNA-seq analyses in Culex quinquefasciatus and Culex pipiens molestus.

Background: Both Culex quinquefasciatus and Cx. pipiens molestus are sibling species within Cx. pipiens complex.

Screening of olfactory genes related to blood-feeding behaviors in Culex pipiens quinquefasciatus and Culex pipiens molestus by transcriptome analysis.

Background: Culex pipiens quinquefasciatus Say (Cx. quinquefasciatus) and Culex pipiens form molestus Forskal (Cx. molestus) in the Culex pipiens complex group show considerable differences in host seeking, blood feeding, mating behavior and in vector competence.

A Review of EEG and fMRI Measuring Aesthetic Processing in Visual User Experience Research.

In human-computer interaction, the visual interaction of user experience (UX) and user interface (UI) plays an important role in enriching the quality of daily life. The purpose of our study analyzes the use of brain-computer interface (BCI), wearable technology, and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to explore the aesthetic processing of visual neural response to UI and UX designs. Specifically, this review aims to understand neuroaesthetic processing knowledge, aesthetic appreciation models, and the ways in which visual brain studies can improve the quality of current and future UI and UX designs.

A new thermophilic extradiol dioxygenase promises biodegradation of catecholic pollutants.

Extradiol dioxygenases (EDOs) catalyze the meta cleavage of catechol into 2-hydroxymuconaldehyde, a critical step in the degradation of aromatic compounds in the environment. In the present work, a novel thermophilic extradiol dioxygenase from Thermomonospora curvata DSM43183 was cloned, expressed, and characterized by phylogenetic and biochemical analyses. This enzyme exhibited excellent thermo-tolerance, displaying optimal activity at 50 °C, remaining >40% activity at 70 °C.