Clarifying the phylogenetic placement of Eupoinae Maddison, 2015 (Araneae, Salticidae) with ultra-conserved element data.

The subfamily Eupoinae Maddison, 2015 is an enigmatic group of minute leaf-litter-dwelling jumping spiders from Southeast Asia. Although previous molecular phylogenetic studies have suggested that it is one of the basal (non-salticine) lineages within jumping spiders, its exact placement remains unclear. In this study, ultra-conserved element data were collected from major salticid lineages to investigate the phylogenetic relationships of all salticid subfamilies, with a special focus on the placement of Eupoinae.

Synergistic action and mechanism of scoparone, a key bioactive component of Artemisia capillaris, and spirodiclofen against spider mites.

Background: Plants have numerous defensive secondary metabolites to withstand insect attacks. Scoparone, which is extracted from the medicinal plant Artemisia capillaris, has potent acaricidal effects on Tetranychus cinnabarinus. Spirodiclofen, derived from a tetronic acid derivative, is a potent commercial acaricide that is extensively used globally.

Development of a single-domain antibody to target a G-quadruplex located on the hepatitis B virus covalently closed circular DNA genome.

To achieve a virological cure for hepatitis B virus (HBV), innovative strategies are required to target the covalently closed circular DNA (cccDNA) genome. Guanine-quadruplexes (G4s) are a secondary structure that can be adopted by DNA and play a significant role in regulating viral replication, transcription, and translation. Antibody-based probes and small molecules have been developed to study the role of G4s in the context of the human genome, but none have been specifically made to target G4s in viral infection.

Study on monitoring broken rails of heavy haul railway based on ultrasonic guided wave.

Real-time monitoring of broken rails in heavy haul railways is crucial for ensuring the safe operation of railway lines. U78CrV steel is a common material used for heavy haul line rails in China. In this study, the semi-analytical finite element (SAFE) method is employed to calculate the dispersion curves and modal shapes of ultrasonic guided waves in U78CrV heavy steel rails.

Ultra-compact, low-loss,TE- and TE-compatible mode waveguide bends.

Waveguide bends have become an interesting research direction because they allow highly curved light transmission in a limited space. Here, we propose waveguide bends supporting two TE modes by etching slots and adding germanium arcs in the inner side of a waveguide bend. Simulations show that the bending radius of our proposed base-mode waveguide bend drops to 500 nm and its insertion loss (IL) is reduced to 0.

Compact mode converter on SOI based on a polygonal subwavelength grating structure.

In this Letter, we design and experimentally demonstrate compact mode converters with a lightning-like and arrow-like polygonal subwavelength grating (SWG) structure on a silicon-on-insulator (SOI) platform, which can convert the TE mode to the TE and TE modes, respectively. The footprints of the proposed TE and TE mode converters are only 4.44 × 1.

Low loss and ultra-broadband design of an integrated 3 dB power splitter centered at 2 µm.

Because chemical gas is sensitive to absorption in the 2 µm band, and 2 µm matches the absorption band of the remote sensing material, many remote sensors and optical sensors are designed to operate in the 2 µm wavelength region. In this paper, we designed an integrated 3 dB power splitter centered at 2 µm. The study of this device is built on a silicon-on-insulator (SOI) platform.

Molecular determinants within the C-termini of L-HDAg that regulate hepatitis D virus replication and assembly.

Background & Aims: Hepatitis D virus (HDV) is the causative agent of chronic hepatitis delta, the most severe form of viral hepatitis. HDV encodes one protein, hepatitis delta antigen (HDAg), in two isoforms: S- and L-HDAg. They are identical in sequence except that L-HDAg contains an additional 19-20 amino acids at its C-terminus, which confer regulatory roles that are distinct from those of S-HDAg.

Hepatitis D infection induces IFN-β-mediated NK cell activation and TRAIL-dependent cytotoxicity.

Background And Aims: The co-infection of hepatitis B (HBV) patients with the hepatitis D virus (HDV) causes the most severe form of viral hepatitis and thus drastically worsens the course of the disease. Therapy options for HBV/HDV patients are still limited. Here, we investigated the potential of natural killer (NK) cells that are crucial drivers of the innate immune response against viruses to target HDV-infected hepatocytes.

On-chip multifunctional polarizer based on phase change material.

Polarizers are used to eliminate the undesired polarization state and maintain the other one. The phase change material (GSST) has been widely studied for providing reconfigurable function in optical systems. In this paper, based on a silicon waveguide embedded with a GSST, which is able to absorb light by taking advantage of the relatively large imaginary part of its refractive index in the crystalline state, a multifunctional polarizer with transverse electric (TE) and transverse magnetic (TM) passages has been designed.

Examining the impact of perceived stress, anxiety, and resilience on depression among medical staff after COVID-19 quarantine: a chain mediation analysis.

Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent quarantine measures have led to a significant impact on mental health worldwide. Medical staff, in particular, have been exposed to high levels of stress due to their frontline work during the crisis. However, there is still limited research on the psychological mechanism among medical staff after quarantine.

Reconfigurable TE-pass polarizer based on lithium niobate waveguide assisted by GeSbTe and silicon nitride.

On-chip polarization management components play a critical role in tackling polarization dependence in the lithium-niobate-on-insulator (LNOI) platform. In this work, we proposed a reconfigurable TE-pass polarizer based on optical phase change material (GST) and the LNOI wafer. The key region is formed by a hybrid GST- layer symmetrically deposited atop the centerline of the LNOI waveguide along the propagation direction where the GST is sandwiched in the middle of the layer.

PIWIL1 interacting RNA piR-017724 inhibits proliferation, invasion, and migration, and inhibits the development of HCC by silencing PLIN3.

Background: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) accounts for the majority of primary liver cancers. Worldwide, liver cancer is the fourth most common cause of cancer-related death. Recent studies have found that PIWI-interacting RNAs (piRNAs) participate in the occurrence and development of various tumors and are closely related to the growth, invasion, metastasis and prognosis of malignant tumors.

Case report: Hepatic inflammatory pseudotumor-like follicular dendritic cell sarcoma: a rare case and review of the literature.

Inflammatory pseudotumor-like follicular dendritic cell sarcoma (IPT-like FDCS) is a rare subtype of follicular dendritic cell sarcoma (FDCS) that primarily occurs in the liver and spleen. The etiology of IPT-like FDCS is unknown, and it has nonspecific clinical manifestations, imaging performance and laboratory test results. Recently, a patient with IPT-like FDCS was admitted to our hospital because of abdominal distension and anemia.

CDK8 and CDK19: positive regulators of signal-induced transcription and negative regulators of Mediator complex proteins.

We have conducted a detailed transcriptomic, proteomic and phosphoproteomic analysis of CDK8 and its paralog CDK19, alternative enzymatic components of the kinase module associated with transcriptional Mediator complex and implicated in development and diseases. This analysis was performed using genetic modifications of CDK8 and CDK19, selective CDK8/19 small molecule kinase inhibitors and a potent CDK8/19 PROTAC degrader. CDK8/19 inhibition in cells exposed to serum or to agonists of NFκB or protein kinase C (PKC) reduced the induction of signal-responsive genes, indicating a pleiotropic role of Mediator kinases in signal-induced transcriptional reprogramming.

High-performance thin-film lithium niobate electro-optic modulator based on etching slot and ultrathin silicon film.

An electro-optic modulator (EOM) is an indispensable component to connect the electric and optical fields. Here, we propose a high-performance, thin-film lithium niobate-based EOM, where the modulation waveguide is formed by an etching slot on the lithium niobate film and the deposit of an ultrathin silicon film in the slot region. Therefore, a small mode size and high mode energy can be simultaneously achieved in the LN region with a high EO coefficient, which will be beneficial to increase the EO overlap and gradually decrease in the mode size.

Highly efficient and tunable polarization rotator based on lithium niobate on an insulator.

The lithium niobate on an insulator (LNOI) platform has greatly advanced the development of integrated photonics recently, where efficient polarization management components are indispensable. In this work, we propose a highly efficient and tunable polarization rotator based on the LNOI platform and the low-loss optical phase change material antimony triselenide ( ). The key polarization rotation region is formed by a LNOI waveguide with a cross section of the double trapezoidal shape and a layer deposited atop the LNOI waveguide in an asymmetrical way, where an isolating layer of silicon dioxide is sandwiched between them to reduce the material absorption loss.

Significance of PBRM1 mutation in disease progress and drug selection in clear cell renal cell carcinoma.

Clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) is the predominant type of kidney cancer, and the mutation of PBRM1 (Polybromo 1) gene is a commonly observed genetic alteration. The high frequency of PBRM1 mutation in ccRCC suggests its potential use as a biomarker for personalized therapy. In this study, we aimed to investigate the significance of PBRM1 mutation in disease progression and drug sensitivity in ccRCC.

An RNA-based system to study hepatitis B virus replication and evaluate antivirals.

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) chronically infects an estimated 300 million people, and standard treatments are rarely curative. Infection increases the risk of liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma, and consequently, nearly 1 million people die each year from chronic hepatitis B. Tools and approaches that bring insights into HBV biology and facilitate the discovery and evaluation of antiviral drugs are in demand.

On-Chip Reconfigurable and Ultracompact Silicon Waveguide Mode Converters Based on Nonvolatile Optical Phase Change Materials.

Reconfigurable mode converters are essential components in efficient higher-order mode sources for on-chip multimode applications. We propose an on-chip reconfigurable silicon waveguide mode conversion scheme based on the nonvolatile and low-loss optical phase change material antimony triselenide (SbSe). The key mode conversion region is formed by embedding a tapered SbSe layer into the silicon waveguide along the propagation direction and further cladding with graphene and aluminum oxide layers as the microheater.

Dual role of neddylation in transcription of hepatitis B virus RNAs from cccDNA and production of viral surface antigen.

Background & Aims: HBV persistence is maintained by both an episomal covalently closed circular (ccc)DNA reservoir and genomic integration of HBV DNA fragments. While cccDNA transcription is regulated by Cullin4A-DDB1-HBx-mediated degradation of the SMC5/6 complex, HBsAg expression from integrants is largely SMC5/6 independent. Inhibiting neddylation of Cullin-RING ubiquitin ligases impairs degradation of substrates.

LncRNA LINC01857 reduces metastasis and angiogenesis in breast cancer cells via regulating miR-2052/CENPQ axis.

Long non-coding RNAs have been confirmed closely related to the metastasis and angiogenesis of breast cancer (BC). LINC01857 can promote the growth and metastasis of BC cells. The present work focused on exploring the role of LINC01857 in BC metastasis and angiogenesis and investigating the possible mechanisms.

Visible Light-Induced Room-Temperature Formaldehyde Gas Sensor Based on Porous Three-Dimensional ZnO Nanorod Clusters with Rich Oxygen Vacancies.

Oxygen vacancy (V) is a kind of primary point defect that extensively exists in semiconductor metal oxides (SMOs). Owing to some of its inherent qualities, an artificial manipulation of V content in one material has evolved into a hot research field, which is deemed to be capable of modulating band structures and surface characteristics of SMOs. Specific to the gas-sensing area, V engineering of sensing materials has become an effective means in enhancing sensor response and inducing light-enhanced sensing.

Hepatitis D virus-induced interferon response and administered interferons control cell division-mediated virus spread.

Background & Aims: Besides HBV-dependent de novo infection, cell division-mediated spread contributes to HDV persistence and dampens the effect of antivirals that abrogate de novo infection. Nonetheless, the combination of these antivirals with interferons (IFNs) showed strong synergism in recent clinical trials, implying a complementary mode-of-action of IFNs. Therefore, we investigated the effect of IFN response on cell division-mediated HDV spread.

Broadband and high extinction ratio TE-pass/TM-stop polarizer at 850 nm using chirped subwavelength gratings.

A polarizer is used to eliminate undesired polarization states and maintain an orthogonal one. The polarizer we proposed is designed on a silicon nitride () on insulator platform to achieve low-loss operation at the 850 nm wavelength region. Compared with conventional polarizer structures, chirped subwavelength gratings (SWG) are introduced in the proposed device's main body to extend the wavelength band of the leakage mode, i.