Afterpulse effects in quantum key distribution without monitoring signal disturbance.

The round-robin differential phase shift (RRDPS) quantum key distribution (QKD) protocol is the only one that does not require monitoring of signal disturbance. Moreover, it has been proven that RRDPS has excellent performance of resistance to finite-key effects and high error rate tolerance. However, the existing theories and experiments do not take the afterpulse effects into account, which cannot be neglected in high-speed QKD systems.

Glucose metabolism impairment in Parkinson's disease.

Impairments in systematic and regional glucose metabolism exist in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) at every stage of the disease course, and such impairments are associated with the incidence, progression, and special phenotypes of PD, which affect each physiological process of glucose metabolism including glucose uptake, glycolysis, tricarboxylic acid cycle, oxidative phosphorylation, and pentose phosphate shunt pathway. These impairments may be attributed to various mechanisms, such as insulin resistance, oxidative stress, abnormal glycated modification, blood-brain-barrier dysfunction, and hyperglycemia-induced damages. These mechanisms could subsequently cause excessive methylglyoxal and reactive oxygen species production, neuroinflammation, abnormal aggregation of protein, mitochondrial dysfunction, and decreased dopamine, and finally result in energy supply insufficiency, neurotransmitter dysregulation, aggregation and phosphorylation of α-synuclein, and dopaminergic neuron loss.

NLRP3-Dependent Crosstalk between Pyroptotic Macrophage and Senescent Cell Orchestrates Trauma-Induced Heterotopic Ossification During Aberrant Wound Healing.

Heterotopic ossification (HO) represents an unwanted ossific wound healing response to the soft tissue injury which caused catastrophic limb dysfunction. Recent studies established the involvement of inflammation and cellular senescence in the tissue healing process, though their role in HO still remained to be clarified. Here, a novel crosstalk where the pyroptotic macrophages aroused tendon-derived stem cells (TDSCs) senescence is revealed to encourage osteogenic healing during trauma-induced HO formation.

Prediction of hyperkalemia in ESRD patients by identification of multiple leads and multiple features on ECG.

Background: Patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) especially those undergoing dialysis have a high prevalence of hyperkalemia, which must be detected and treated immediately. But the initial symptoms of hyperkalemia are insidious, and traditional laboratory serum potassium concentration testing takes time. Therefore, rapid and real-time measurement of serum potassium is urgently needed.

Physical characteristics of soil-biodegradable and nonbiodegradable plastic mulches impact conidial splash dispersal of Botrytis cinerea.

Botrytis cinerea causes gray mold disease of strawberry (Fragaria ×ananassa) and is a globally important pathogen that causes fruit rot both in the field and after harvest. Commercial strawberry production involves the use of plastic mulches made from non-degradable polyethylene (PE), with weedmat made from woven PE and soil-biodegradable plastic mulch (BDM) as emerging mulch technologies that may enhance sustainable production. Little is known regarding how these plastic mulches impact splash dispersal of B.

In Situ Fabricated Non-Flammable Quasi-Solid Electrolytes for Li-Metal Batteries.

Lithium metal batteries (LMBs) are viewed as one of the most promising high energy density battery systems, but their practical application is hindered by significant fire hazards and fast performance degradation due to the lack of a safe and compatible configuration. Herein, nonflammable quasi-solid electrolytes (NQSEs) are designed and fabricated by using the in situ polymerization method, in which 1,3,2-dioxathiolan-2,2-oxide is used as both initiator to trigger the in situ polymerization of solvents and interphase formation agent to construct robust interface layers to protect the electrodes, and triethyl phosphate as a fire-retardant agent. The NQSEs show a high ionic conductivity of 0.

Fast and convenient delivery of fluidextracts liquorice through electrospun core-shell nanohybrids.

As an interdisciplinary field, drug delivery relies on the developments of modern science and technology. Correspondingly, how to upgrade the traditional dosage forms for a more efficacious, safer, and convenient drug delivery poses a continuous challenge to researchers. In this study, a proof-of-concept demonstration was conducted to convert a popular traditional liquid dosage form (a commercial oral compound solution prepared from an intermediate licorice fluidextract) into a solid dosage form.

Enzyme-Catalyzed Hydrogen-Deuterium Exchange between Environmental Pollutants and Enzyme-Regulated Endogenous Metabolites.

Environmental pollutants can disrupt the homeostasis of endogenous metabolites in organisms, leading to metabolic disorders and syndromes. However, it remains highly challenging to efficiently screen for critical biological molecules affected by environmental pollutants. Herein, we found that enzyme could catalyze hydrogen-deuterium (H-D) exchange between a deuterium-labeled environmental pollutant [D-bis(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (D-DEHP)] and several groups of enzyme-regulated metabolites [cardiolipins (CLs), monolysocardiolipins (MLCLs), phospholipids (PLs), and lysophospholipids (LPLs)].

Large-Area Metal-Semiconductor Heterojunctions Realized via MXene-Induced Two-Dimensional Surface Polarization.

Direct MXene deposition on large-area 2D semiconductor surfaces can provide design versatility for the fabrication of MXene-based electronic devices (MXetronics). However, it is challenging to deposit highly uniform wafer-scale hydrophilic MXene films (e.g.

Presymptomatic Reduction of Individuality in the App Knockin Model of Alzheimer's Disease.

Background: One-third of the risk for Alzheimer's disease is explained by environment and lifestyle, but Alzheimer's disease pathology might also affect lifestyle and thereby impair the individual potential for health behavior and prevention.

Methods: We examined in mice how the App (NL-F) knockin mutation affects the presymptomatic response to environmental enrichment (ENR) as an experimental paradigm addressing nongenetic factors. We assessed the emergence of interindividual phenotypic variation under the condition that both the genetic background and the shared environment were held constant, thereby isolating the contribution of individual behavior (nonshared environment).

[Effectiveness of temporal island flap pedicled with perforating branch of zygomatic orbital artery to repair the defects after periocular malignant tumor resection].

Objective: To summarize the effectiveness of the temporal island flap pedicled with the perforating branch of zygomatic orbital artery for repairing defects after periocular malignant tumor resection.

Methods: Between January 2015 and December 2020, 15 patients with periocular malignant tumors were treated. There were 5 males and 10 females with an average age of 62 years (range, 40-75 years).

Titanium Doping Induced the Suppression of Irreversible Phase Transformation at High Voltage for V-based Phosphate Cathodes of Na-Ion Batteries.

Polyanionic material, specifically the NASICON-type material, is considered a promising cathode material for Na-ion batteries (SIBs) because of its stable structure and high operating voltage. Further, it improves the energy density correlated with the well utilization of all Na in the compound. For Na V (PO ) F (NVPF), the extraction of the third Na, reported as the electrochemical inactivated, can be realized at a high voltage region while forming an irreversible tetragonal phase.

Experimental Study on Bond Performance of NC-UHPC Interfaces with Different Roughness and Substrate Strength.

This paper investigates the bond failure performance between precast normal concrete (NC) and cast-in situ ultra-high performance concrete (UHPC), emphasizing the influence of interfacial roughness. The interfacial bonding behavior under tension and under shear was investigated based on 72 groups of pull-off tests and 36 groups of bi-shear tests, considering six different interface treatment methods and two different NC strength levels. The results demonstrate that certain interfacial roughness is essential to gain a reliable bond connection between NC and UHPC.

Spin State in Homoleptic Iron(II) Terpyridine Complexes Influences Mixed Valency and Electrocatalytic CO Reduction.

Two homoleptic Fe(II) complexes in different spin states bearing superbasic terpyridine derivatives as ligands are investigated to determine the relationship between spin state and electrochemical/spectroscopic behavior. Antiferromagnetic coupling between a ligand-centered radical and the high-spin metal center leads to an anodic shift of the first reduction potential and results in a species that shows mixed valency with a moderately intense intervalence-charge-transfer band. The differences afforded by the different spin states extend to the electrochemical reactivity of the complexes: while the low-spin species is a precatalyst for electrocatalytic CO reduction and leads to the preferential formation of CO with a Faradaic efficiency of 37%, the high-spin species only catalyzes proton reduction at a modest Faradaic efficiency of approximately 20%.

Predictive factors on postoperative venous thromboembolism after minimally invasive colorectal cancer surgery: a retrospective observational study.

Background: Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is a serious and preventable postoperative complication. However, the predictive significance of perioperative biochemical parameters for VTE after minimally invasive colorectal cancer surgery remains unclear.

Methods: A total of 149 patients undergoing minimally invasive colorectal cancer surgery were collected between October 2021 and October 2022.

3D Morphology Measurement for Blastocyst Evaluation From "All Angles".

Measuring the 3D morphology of spherical cell aggregates is required in both biology and medicine. Traditional methods either use fluorescent labeling, which cause cell toxicity and are unsuitable for clinical treatment, or use 2D images to roughly estimate 3D morphology. To overcome these limitations, this paper presents a quantitative label-free 3D morphology measurement technique using multi-view images.

Ruthenium Complexes of Polyfluorocarbon Substituted Terpyridine and Mesoionic Carbene Ligands: An Interplay in CO Reduction.

In recent years terpyridines (tpy) and mesoionic carbenes (MIC) have been widely used in metal complexes. With the right combination with a metal center, both of these ligands are individually known to generate excellent catalysts for CO reduction. In this study, we combine the potentials of PFC (PFC=polyfluorocarbon) substituted tpy and MIC ligands within the same platform to obtain a new class of complexes, which we investigated with respect to their structural, electrochemical and UV/Vis/NIR spectroelectrochemical properties.

Initial Experience of Simultaneous Combined use of Percutaneous Nephrolithotomy and Flexible Ureteroscopy in Complex Renal Calculi: A Novel Surgical Technique of 'Through-Through' Approach.

Background: For complex branched renal calculi, the endoscopic combined intrarenal surgery (ECIRS) is worldwide prevalent. This study aimed to present a novel surgical technique of percutaneous nephrolithotomy combined with antegrade flexible ureteroscopy which is named 'Through-through' approach.

Methods: We retrospectively analyzed the data of 68 patients with complex renal calculi who underwent combined PNL and flexible ureteroscopy surgery using 'Through-through' approach at our center between August 2019 and December 2021.

STING contributes to trauma-induced heterotopic ossification through NLRP3-dependent macrophage pyroptosis.

Trauma-induced heterotopic ossification (HO) is featured by aberrant bone formation at extra-skeletal site. STING is a master adaptor protein linking cellular damage to immune responses, while its role in HO remains elusive. A murine burn/tenotomy model was used to mimic trauma-induced HO in vivo.

LCN2 Inhibits the BMP9-induced Osteogenic Differentiation through Reducing Wnt/β-catenin Signaling Interacting with LRP6 in Mouse Embryonic Fibroblasts.

Background: Due to its effective osteogenic ability, BMP9 is a promising candidate for bone regeneration medicine. Whereas, BMP9 can also induce adipogenesis simultaneously. LCN2 is a cytokine associated with osteogenesis and adipogenesis.

Gut-microbiome-expressed 3β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase degrades estradiol and is linked to depression in premenopausal females.

Estradiol decline can result in depressive disorders in females; nevertheless, the causes of this decline are unclear. In this study, we isolated estradiol-degrading Klebsiella aerogenes from the feces of premenopausal females with depression. In mice, gavaging with this strain led to estradiol decline and depression-like behaviors.

Pathogen Recognition-Driven Dendritic Cell-Specific Gene Silencing and Editing.

Dendritic cells (DCs) play an essential role in both the induction of the immune response and the maintenance of immune tolerance, with any malfunction of DCs potentially causing several diseases. While gene-based therapy for DC manipulation is a promising approach, it remains challenging due to the lack of efficient delivery systems for DC targeting. Herein, we describe a novel bacterial nanomedicine (BNM) system for pathogen recognition-mediated DCs-specific gene silencing and gene editing.

Dimensional Tuning of Perylene Diimide-Based Polymers for Perovskite Solar Cells with Over 24% Efficiency.

The hygroscopic dopants used in Spiro-OMeTAD hole transport material (HTM) in state-of-the-art perovskite solar cells (PSCs) inevitably induce premature degradation of the devices. Here, two multifunctional polymer interface materials based on the perylene diimides (PDI) unit are developed. It is found that quasi-two-dimensional (2D) polymer 2DP-PDI can form a denser film and exhibit better hydrophobicity than linear polymer P-PDI.

Elevation of artemisinin content by co-transformation of artemisinin biosynthetic pathway genes and trichome-specific transcription factors in .

Artemisinin, derived from , is currently used as the first-line treatment for malaria. However, wild-type plants have a low artemisinin biosynthesis rate. Although yeast engineering and plant synthetic biology have shown promising results, plant genetic engineering is considered the most feasible strategy, but it is also constrained by the stability of progeny development.