An ultra-compact integrated phase shifter electrically tunable meta-waveguides.

Integrated photonics has emerged as a pivotal technology in the advancement of next-generation computing and communication devices. Thermal optical phase shifters (OPSs) have been widely used to realize a tunable Mach-Zehnder interferometer (MZI) and a micro-ring resonator (MRR), which are the building bricks for the LSI/VLSI photonic integrated circuits. Due to the thermal crosstalk and the low modulation efficiency, thermal OPSs have large-scale size and high power consumption.

Stability and molecular interactions in cold-induced hazelnut protein-chlorogenic acid gel.

Background: Phenols have been demonstrated to enhance protein gelation but their stability is often compromised in heat-induced gels. This has prompted the development of cold-induced gels. The objective of this study was to enhance the gel properties of hazelnut isolate protein (HPI) through the incorporation of transglutaminase (TGase), glucono-δ-lactone (GDL), and chlorogenic acid (CA).

CaGA nanozymes inhibit oxidative stress and protect mitochondrial function in ulcerative colitis therapy.

Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a long-term inflammatory bowel disease characterized by intense inflammation of the colorectal mucosa. Overproduction of reactive oxygen species exacerbates the progression of UC, which is linked to mitochondrial impairment and dysbiosis of the intestinal microbiota. CaGA nanozymes have demonstrated efficacy in the treatment of UC.

TA-V Nanozymes with Acid Resistance Capabilities Effectively Target and Alleviate Ulcerative Colitis Lesions via Oral Delivery.

As one of the most common inflammatory bowel diseases (IBDs), ulcerative colitis (UC) has become a rising global health issue that affects people's quality of life. Conventional therapeutic drugs have low bioavailability and may cause serious side effects due to their lack of acidic resistance and lesion-targeting capabilities. The development of novel nanomedicines to overcome these problems is urgently needed.

Droplet-Based Triboelectric Nanogenerators with Needle Electrodes for Efficient Water Energy Harvesting.

With the advent of droplet-based triboelectric nanogenerators (D-TENGs), methods for converting raindrop kinetic energy to electrical energy have developed rapidly. However, current D-TENG designs suffer from slow solid-liquid interface separation speeds and susceptibility to liquid residues. These issues compromise the output performance of D-TENGs and limit their applications in high-power electrical appliances.

Integrated bioinformatics analysis of the effects of chronic pain on patients with spinal cord injury.

Background: Spinal cord injury (SCI) poses a substantial challenge in contemporary medicine, significantly impacting patients and society. Emerging research highlights a strong association between SCI and chronic pain, yet the molecular mechanisms remain poorly understood. To address this, we conducted bioinformatics and systems biology analyses to identify molecular biomarkers and pathways that link SCI to chronic pain.

Research on Factors Affecting Asphalt Mixtures' Resistance to High-Frequency Freeze-Thaw in Plateau Areas.

Aiming at the problem that asphalt pavement materials in plateau areas are vulnerable to freeze-thaw damage, research was carried out on asphalt pavements of representative road sections, and the temperature within the pavement structure was monitored using buried sensors. Based on this, an indoor test method for high-frequency freeze-thaw was established, and UV, thermo-oxygen-aging and high-frequency freeze-thaw tests were combined. The effects of aging and maximum aggregate particle size on the resistance of asphalt mixtures to high-frequency freeze-thaw were investigated using the splitting strength ratio, mass-loss rate and void-ratio changes by employing the newly made RS-type modified asphalt in the laboratory.

The Hippo pathway promotes platinum-based chemotherapy by inhibiting MTF1-dependent heavy metal response.

The platinum-based compounds are widely used in treating various types of cancer through their heavy metal component platinum. However, the development of chemoresistance often limits their clinical effectiveness. In this study, we report the roles of heavy metal response and its associated Hippo pathway in regulating platinum-based chemotherapy.

Large screen size transparent display using spectrum expanded light field holograms.

Holographic displays have the potential to reconstruct natural light field information, making them highly promising for applications in augmented reality (AR), head-up displays (HUD), and new types of transparent three-dimensional (3D) displays. However, current spatial light modulators (SLMs) are constrained by pixel size and resolution, limiting display size. Additionally, existing holographic displays have narrow viewing angles due to device diffraction limits, algorithms, and optical configurations.

MnGA with multiple enzyme-like properties for acute wound healing by reducing oxidative stress and modulating signaling pathways.

Nanozymes with specific catalytic activity inhibit inflammation and promote wound healing efficiently and safely. In this work, multifunctional manganese-based nanozymes (MnGA) with antioxidant properties were successfully constructed via a simple coordination reaction in which manganese chloride was used as the manganese source and gallic acid (GA) was used as the ligand solution. MnGA possesses both catalase-like (CAT-like) and superoxide dismutase-like (SOD-like) activities and a reactive nitrogen species (RNS) scavenging capacity, which enables it to efficiently inhibit the inflammatory response.

Accumulation of microtubule-associated protein tau promotes hepatocellular carcinogenesis through inhibiting autophagosome-lysosome fusion.

Dysregulated expression of microtubule-associated protein tau (MAPT) has been reported in a variety of human cancers. However, whether and how Tau influences hepatocellular carcinogenesis remains elusive. This study was aimed to investigate the role and the underlying mechanism of Tau in the proliferation, invasion, migration and sorafenib sensitivity of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cells.

Oral bacteriophage therapy effectively prevent and control of Clostridium perfringens type c infections in newborn piglets.

Clostridium perfringens (C. perfringens) type C exhibits strong pathogenicity, often leading to swine dysentery, severely affecting the economic efficiency of the pig farming industry. Bacteriophages as bacterial viruses have many natural advantages and are potent candidates for controlling bacterial infections.

Functional annotation of the Hippo pathway somatic mutations in human cancers.

The Hippo pathway is commonly altered in cancer initiation and progression; however, exactly how this pathway becomes dysregulated to promote human cancer development remains unclear. Here we analyze the Hippo somatic mutations in the human cancer genome and functionally annotate their roles in targeting the Hippo pathway. We identify a total of 85 loss-of-function (LOF) missense mutations for Hippo pathway genes and elucidate their underlying mechanisms.

Ultrahigh-surface area covalent organic frameworks for methane adsorption.

Developing porous materials with ultrahigh surface areas for gas storage (for example, methane) is attractive but challenging. Here, we report two isostructural three-dimensional covalent organic frameworks (COFs) with a rare self-catenated -3,6-2 topology and a pore size of 1.1 nanometer.

Enriched Environment Reduces Seizure Susceptibility via Entorhinal Cortex Circuit Augmented Adult Neurogenesis.

Enriched environment (EE), characterized by multi-sensory stimulation, represents a non-invasive alternative for alleviating epileptic seizures. However, the mechanism by which EE exerts its therapeutic impact remains incompletely understood. Here, it is elucidated that EE mitigates seizure susceptibility through the augmentation of adult neurogenesis within the entorhinal cortex (EC) circuit.

Virological characteristics of SARS-CoV-2 Omicron BA.5.2.48.

With the prevalence of sequentially-emerged sublineages including BA.1, BA.2 and BA.

BiSe/PAAS Hydrogels with Photothermal and Antioxidant Properties for Bacterial Infection Wound Therapy by Improving Vascular Function and Regulating Glycolipid Metabolism.

Skin is the largest organ in the human body, and it is also the most important natural barrier. However, some accidents can cause skin damage. Bacterial infections and inflammatory reactions can hinder wound healing.

Deep learning-based quantitative morphological study of anteroposterior digital radiographs of the lumbar spine.

Background: Morphological parameters of the lumbar spine are valuable in assessing lumbar spine diseases. However, manual measurement of lumbar morphological parameters is time-consuming. Deep learning has automatic quantitative and qualitative analysis capabilities.

Automatic measurement of anatomical parameters of the lumbar vertebral body and the intervertebral disc on radiographs by deep learning.

Background: Lumbar spine disorders are one of the common causes of low back pain (LBP). Objective and reliable measurement of anatomical parameters of the lumbar spine is essential in the clinical diagnosis and evaluation of lumbar disorders. However, manual measurements are time-consuming and laborious, with poor consistency and repeatability.

Achieving Tunable Mechanoluminescence in CaZnOS:Tb, Sm for Multicolor Stress Sensing.

Mechanoluminescent (ML) materials can exhibit visible-to-near-infrared mechanoluminescence when responding to the fracture or deformation of a solid under mechanical stimulation. Transforming mechanical energy into light demonstrates promising applications in terms of visual mechanical sensing. In this work, we synthesized the phosphor CaZnOS:Tb, Sm, which exhibited intense and tunable multicolor mechanoluminescence without pre-irradiation.

Combined clinical significance of MRI and serum mannose-binding lectin in the prediction of spinal tuberculosis.

Background: Spinal tuberculosis (STB) is a local manifestation of systemic infection caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis, accounting for a significant proportion of joint tuberculosis cases. This study aimed to explore the diagnostic value of MRI combined with mannose-binding lectin (MBL) for STB.

Methods: 124 patients suspected of having STB were collected and divided into STB and non-STB groups according to their pathological diagnosis.