COVID-19 and retinal layer thickness: A bidirectional Mendelian randomization study.

Background: Observational studies have reported that COVID-19 is associated with alterations in retinal layer thickness, including changes in the ganglion cell inner plexiform layer (GCIPL) and retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL). However, the causal relationships remain unknown. Therefore, we assessed the direction and strength of the causal relationship between COVID-19 and GCIPL and RNFL thicknesses using a bidirectional two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) design.

Giant Magnon-Polaron Anomalies in Spin Seebeck Effect in Double Umbrella-Structured Tb_{3}Fe_{5}O_{12} Films.

We report a giant hysteretic spin Seebeck effect (SSE) anomaly with a sign reversal at magnetic fields much stronger than the coercive field in a (001)-oriented Tb_{3}Fe_{5}O_{12} film. The high-field SSE enhancement reaches 4200% at approximately 105 K over its weak-field value and presents a nonmonotonic dependence on temperature. The unexpected high-field hysteresis of SSE is found to be associated with a magnetic transition of double-umbrella spin texture in TbIG.

Markov model combined with MR diffusion tensor imaging for predicting the onset of Alzheimer's disease.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) affects cognition, behavior, and memory of brain. It causes 60-80% of dementia cases. Cross-sectional imaging investigations of AD show that magnetic resonance (MR) with diffusion tensor image (DTI)-detected lesion locations in AD patients are heterogeneous and distributed across the imaging area.

Electric-Field Control of Spin Diffusion Length and Electric-Assisted D'yakonov-Perel' Mechanism in Ultrathin Heavy Metal and Ferromagnetic Insulator Heterostructure.

Electric-field control of spin dynamics is significant for spintronic device applications. Thus far, effectively electric-field control of magnetic order, magnetic damping factor and spin-orbit torque (SOT) has been studied in magnetic materials, but the electric field control of spin relaxation still remains unexplored. Here, we use ionic liquid gating to control spin-related property in the ultra-thin (4 nm) heavy metal (HM) platinum (Pt) and ferromagnetic insulator (FMI) yttrium iron garnet (YFeO, YIG) heterostructure.

Long Non-Coding RNA HOXA11-AS Promotes Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Tumorigenesis Through microRNA-148a-3p/DNMT1 Regulatory Axis.

Objective: Our present study aimed to further investigate the molecular basis of long non-coding RNA homeobox A11 antisense (HOXA11-AS) in the tumorigenesis of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

Methods: HOXA11-AS, microRNA-148a-3p (miR-148a-3p), and DNA methyltransferase 1 (DNMT1) mRNA levels were measured by RT-qPCR assay. DNMT1 protein level was determined by Western blot assay.

Anomalous Hall-like effect probe of antiferromagnetic domain wall.

Of crucial importance to antiferromagnetic (AF) spintronic devices, AF domain wall (AFDW), created in exchange biased YFeO/NiCoO (NiCoO)/Pt, is characterized by anomalous Hall-like effect through magnetic proximity effect and spin Hall magnetoresistance at NiCoO/Pt interface. The AFDW thickness, in the order of nanometers, has been for the first time proved in experiments to increase with increasing temperature. AF spins within AFDW show the same chirality in decent and ascent branches of ferromagnetic magnetization reversal process.

Modern dust aerosol availability in northwestern China.

The sources of modern dust aerosols and their emission magnitudes are fundamental for linking dust with climate and environment. Using field sample data, wind tunnel experiments and statistical analysis, we determined the contributions of wadis, gobi (stony desert), lakebeds, riverbeds, and interdunes to modern dust aerosol availability in the three important potential dust sources including the Tarim Basin, Qaidam Basin, and Ala Shan Plateau of China. The results show that riverbeds are the dominant landscape for modern dust aerosol availabilities in the Qaidam Basin, while wadis, gobi, and interdunes are the main landscapes over the Ala Shan Plateau and Tarim Basin.

Time-dependent matrix metalloproteinases and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases expression change in fusarium solani keratitis.

Aim: To investigate matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases (TIMPs) expression during the progress of fusarium solani (F.solani) keratitis in a rat model.

Methods: A rat model of F.

Induction of hypoxia-inducible factor-1α by BDNF protects retinoblastoma cells against chemotherapy-induced apoptosis.

Alternations of environment signals such as neurotrophins may be the basis for malignant transformation of retinoblastoma (Rb), the most common primary intraocular malignancy in children. The aim of this study is to investigate the ability of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) to decrease the chemosensitivity of Rb cells to the common chemotherapeutic agents and to explore the role of hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α) in such cellular process. The results showed that BDNF could induce higher expression of HIF-1α via activation of TrkB in human Y-79 retinoblastoma cells, which consequently contributed to its effect against chemotherapeutic agent-induced cytotoxicity and cell apoptosis.

Prostaglandin E(2) enhances proliferation, dedifferentiation and stem-like properties of rat retinal Müller glial cells in vitro.

Aims: To investigate the differences of gene expression in rat retinal Müller glial cells after basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) treatment, and to explore the function of prostaglandin E(2) (PGE(2)) in the proliferation and dedifferentiation of rat retinal Müller glial cells.

Materials And Methods: A gene expression profile in rat retinal Müller glial cells after bFGF treatment, matching untreated cells, was conducted using gene array technology. The candidate gene selection was performed on GenMAPP/MAPPFinder.

Experimental model of Fusarium solani keratitis in rats.

Aim: To establish a repeatable rat model of Fusarium solani keratitis (F. solani keratitis) that mimicked fungal keratitis in humans.

Methods: Wistar rats' corneas were scratched on the superficial stroma after scraping the unilateral corneal epithelia.

Exogenous MD-2 confers lipopolysaccharide responsiveness to human corneal epithelial cells with intracellular expression of TLR4 and CD14.

In the present study, we aimed to investigate the responsiveness of human corneal epithelial cells (HCECs) to lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in vitro and to elucidate the underlying molecular mechanism(s) controlling the LPS responsiveness. The expression and subcellular localization of toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) and CD14 and the expression of myeloid differentiation (MD)-2 were studied in SDHCEC1 cells, one HCEC cell line. Upon exposure to different concentrations of LPS, cell responses were evaluated by examining nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-κB) activation and the production of interleukin (IL)-8.