Guiding the Growth of a Conductive Filament by Nanoindentation To Improve Resistive Switching.

Redox-based memristor devices, which are considered to have promising nonvolatile memory, mainly operate through the formation/rupture of nanoscale conductive filaments. However, the random growth of conductive filaments is an obstacle for the stability of memory devices and the cell-to-cell uniformity. Here, we investigate the guiding effect of nanoindentation on the growth of conductive filaments in resistive memory devices.

Association between Hemoglobin Levels and Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes: A Cross-Sectional Study Using Electronic Health Records.

Objective: To investigate the relationship between hemoglobin levels and diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN) in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).

Methods: 1511 patients with T2DM were included in the study. DPN was diagnosed based on symptoms, signs, and laboratory tests.

2,3',4,4',5-Pentachlorobiphenyl impairs insulin-induced NO production partly through excessive ROS production in endothelial cells.

Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) have been reported to be associated with increased risk to hypertension, atherosclerosis, cardiovascular disease, etc. 2,3',4,4',5-Pentachlorobiphenyl, known as PCB-118, is a member of coplanar PCBs which renders their structure similar to polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs) and has dioxin-like activity. In our current study, we investigated the effect of PCB-118 exposure on nitric oxide (NO) production and the underlying mechanisms in vitro.

A basis for comparison: sensitive authentication of stem cell derived RPE using physiological responses of intact RPE monolayers.

The retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) is a monolayer of highly specialized cells that help maintain the chemical composition of its surrounding subretinal and choroidal extracellular spaces. Retinal cells (photoreceptors in particular), RPE, and choroidal endothelial cells together help ensure a homeostatically stable metabolic environment with exquisitely sensitive functional responses to light. Aging and disease of the RPE impairs its supportive functions contributing to the progressive loss of photoreceptors and vision.

MiRNA-21 mediates the antiangiogenic activity of metformin through targeting PTEN and SMAD7 expression and PI3K/AKT pathway.

Metformin, an anti-diabetic drug commonly used for type 2 diabetes therapy, is associated with anti-angiogenic effects in conditions beyond diabetes. miR-21 has been reported to be involved in the process of angiogenesis. However, the precise regulatory mechanisms by which the metformin-induced endothelial suppression and its effects on miR-21-dependent pathways are still unclear.

Cerebral capillary velocimetry based on temporal OCT speckle contrast.

We propose a new optical coherence tomography (OCT) based method to measure red blood cell (RBC) velocities of single capillaries in the cortex of rodent brain. This OCT capillary velocimetry exploits quantitative laser speckle contrast analysis to estimate speckle decorrelation rate from the measured temporal OCT speckle signals, which is related to microcirculatory flow velocity. We hypothesize that OCT signal due to sub-surface capillary flow can be treated as the speckle signal in the single scattering regime and thus its time scale of speckle fluctuations can be subjected to single scattering laser speckle contrast analysis to derive characteristic decorrelation time.

Association of insulin resistance with breast, ovarian, endometrial and cervical cancers in non-diabetic women.

Hyperinsulinemia and insulin resistance were reported to play a crucial role in diabetes-cancer relationship. This study aimed to explore the associations between insulin resistance and several female cancers in a non-diabetic population. This cross-sectional study was conducted in 121,230 middle-aged and elderly non-diabetic women.

Hyperglycaemia-induced reciprocal changes in miR-30c and PAI-1 expression in platelets.

Type 2 diabetic mellitus (DM2) is associated with accelerated thrombotic complications and is characterized by high levels of plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1). Recent studies show that human platelets have high levels of miR-30c and synthesize considerable active PAI-1. The underlying mechanism of how PAI-1 expression is upregulated in DM2 is poorly understood.

Optical coherence tomography based microangiography provides an ability to longitudinally image arteriogenesis in vivo.

Background: Arteriogenesis describes the active growth of the pre-existing collateral arterioles, which is a crucial tissue-saving process in occlusive vascular diseases.

New Method: We propose to use optical coherence tomography (OCT)-based microangiography (OMAG) to monitor arteriogenesis following artery transection in mouse ear and focal stroke in mouse brain.

Results: Our longitudinal mouse ear study shows that the growth phase of arteriogenesis, indicated by changes in collateral vessel diameter and velocity, occurs between 12 and 24h after vessel transection.

Depth-resolved 3D visualization of coronary microvasculature with optical microangiography.

In this study, we propose a novel implementation of optical coherence tomography-based angiography combined with ex vivo perfusion of fixed hearts to visualize coronary microvascular structure and function. The extracorporeal perfusion of Intralipid solution allows depth-resolved angiographic imaging, control of perfusion pressure, and high-resolution optical microangiography. The imaging technique offers new opportunities for microcirculation research in the heart, which has been challenging due to motion artifacts and the lack of independent control of pressure and flow.

Glycemic status and chronic kidney disease in Chinese adults: Findings from the REACTION study.

Background: Diagnosed diabetes has been associated with chronic kidney disease (CKD). However, the association between non-diabetic hyperglycemia and CKD remained uncertain. The aim of the present study was to investigate the association between different glycemic status and CKD in Chinese adults and to assess the prevalence and control of diabetes among individuals with CKD.

Monitoring of Microcirculation in Burn Healing Process with Optical Microangiography.

: Optical microangiography (OMAG)-based optical coherence tomography is a noninvasive technique capable of imaging functional microvasculature innervating scanned tissue volume. In this study, we utilize OMAG to investigate dynamic changes of microcirculation during the healing process of a burn. A soft-contact superficial burn injury was induced on a mouse ear with 1 μL 70°C hot water.

Prevalence of Diabetes and Cardiometabolic Disorders in Spouses of Diabetic Individuals.

Pairs of spouses share common lifestyle factors. In a cross-sectional analysis, we investigated whether spouses of diabetic individuals had a higher prevalence of diabetes and cardiometabolic disorders in a community-based population of Chinese adults aged 40 years or older between 2011 and 2012. A total of 34,805 pairs of spouses were identified.

Reduced Kidney Function Is Associated With Cardiometabolic Risk Factors, Prevalent and Predicted Risk of Cardiovascular Disease in Chinese Adults: Results From the REACTION Study.

Background: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) increases cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk. However, the association of mildly reduced kidney function with CVD risk is unclear.

Methods And Results: This study investigated the association of estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) with prevalent CVDs, 10-year Framingham risk for coronary heart disease (CHD), and 10-year risk of atherosclerotic cardiovascular diseases (ASCVD) in 239 832 participants from the baseline of the Risk Evaluation of cAncers in Chinese diabeTic Individuals: a lONgitudinal study.

Characterizing relationship between optical microangiography signals and capillary flow using microfluidic channels.

Optical microangiography (OMAG) is a powerful optical angio-graphic tool to visualize micro-vascular flow in vivo. Despite numerous demonstrations for the past several years of the qualitative relationship between OMAG and flow, no convincing quantitative relationship has been proven. In this paper, we attempt to quantitatively correlate the OMAG signal with flow.

In Pursuit of Authenticity: Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell-Derived Retinal Pigment Epithelium for Clinical Applications.

Unlabelled: : Induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) can be efficiently differentiated into retinal pigment epithelium (RPE), offering the possibility of autologous cell replacement therapy for retinal degeneration stemming from RPE loss. The generation and maintenance of epithelial apical-basolateral polarity is fundamental for iPSC-derived RPE (iPSC-RPE) to recapitulate native RPE structure and function. Presently, no criteria have been established to determine clonal or donor based heterogeneity in the polarization and maturation state of iPSC-RPE.

Assessment of edema volume in skin upon injury in a mouse ear model with optical coherence tomography.

Accurate measurement of edema volume is essential for the investigation of tissue response and recovery following a traumatic injury. The measurements must be noninvasive and repetitive over time so as to monitor tissue response throughout the healing process. Such techniques are particularly necessary for the evaluation of therapeutics that are currently in development to suppress or prevent edema formation.

Nanofiber Scaffold-Based Tissue-Engineered Retinal Pigment Epithelium to Treat Degenerative Eye Diseases.

Clinical-grade manufacturing of a functional retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) monolayer requires reproducing, as closely as possible, the natural environment in which RPE grows. In vitro, this can be achieved by a tissue engineering approach, in which the RPE is grown on a nanofibrous biological or synthetic scaffold. Recent research has shown that nanofiber scaffolds perform better for cell growth and transplantability compared with their membrane counterparts and that the success of the scaffold in promoting cell growth/function is not heavily material dependent.

Disassembly of myofibrils and potential imbalanced forces on Z-discs in cultured adult cardiomyocytes.

Myofibrils are the main protein structures that generate force in the beating heart. Myofibril disassembly is related to many physiological and pathological processes. This study investigated, in a cultured rat adult cardiomyocyte model, the effect of force imbalance on myofibril disassembly.

Intervolume analysis to achieve four-dimensional optical microangiography for observation of dynamic blood flow.

We demonstrate in vivo volumetric optical microangiography at ∼ 200 volumes/s by the use of 1.6 MHz Fourier domain mode-locking swept source optical coherence tomography and an effective 36 kHz microelectromechanical system (MEMS) scanner. We propose an intervolume analysis strategy to contrast the dynamic blood flow signal from the static tissue background.

OCT-based label-free in vivo lymphangiography within human skin and areola.

Due to the limitations of current imaging techniques, visualization of lymphatic capillaries within tissue in vivo has been challenging. Here, we present a label-free high resolution optical coherence tomography (OCT) based lymphangiography (OLAG) within human skin in vivo. OLAG enables rapid (~seconds) mapping of lymphatic networks, along with blood vessel networks, over 8 mm x 8 mm of human skin and 5 mm x 5 mm of human areola.

Association between the change in body mass index from early adulthood to midlife and subsequent type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Objective: To clarify the quantitative relationship of body mass index (BMI) change from early adulthood to midlife with presence of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) after midlife.

Methods: This study included 120,666 middle-aged and elderly, whose retrospectively self-reported body weight at 20 and 40 years and measured height were available. BMI at 20 and 40 years and BMI change in between were defined as early-adulthood BMI, midlife BMI, and early-adulthood BMI change.

[Relationship between serum cystatin-C levels and vibrating perception threshold in patients with Type 2 diabetes mellitus].

Objective: To explore the relationship between serum cystatin-C (Cys-c) levels and vibrating perception threshold (VPT) in patients with Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).


Methods: According to the symptoms, signs and results of lab examination, a total of 352 patients with T2DM were divided into a diabetic peripheral neuropathy group (DPN group, n=107) and a non-diabetic peripheral neuropathy group (NDPN group, n=245). Serum Cys-c levels were measured by radioimmunoassay method.

[Measurement of mass fraction of Sanjie Zhentong capsules with near infrared reflectance spectroscopy].

Sanjie Zhentong capsules were scanned by using a near infrared spectra probe with different drug mass fraction and the spectral information of capsule shells and contents in it were obtained. Then partial least squares (PLS) models were developed for the prediction of mass fraction of Fritillariae Thunbergii Bulbus and Resine draconis in Sanjie Zhentong capsules. The correlation coefficient (r9c)) and root mean standard error( RMSEC) of 0.