Terahertz Biosensor Engineering Based on Quasi-BIC Metasurface with Ultrasensitive Detection.

Terahertz (THz) sensors have attracted great attention in the biological field due to their nondestructive and contact-free biochemical samples. Recently, the concept of a quasi-bound state in the continuum (QBIC) has gained significant attention in designing biosensors with ultrahigh sensitivity. QBIC-based metasurfaces (MSs) achieve excellent performance in various applications, including sensing, optical switching, and laser, providing a reliable platform for biomaterial sensors with terahertz radiation.

Tunable multifunctional polarization conversion in bilayer chiral metamaterials.

A chiral metamaterial composed of bilayer twisted split-ring resonators is proposed and demonstrated to realize tunable, dual-directional, and multifunctional polarization conversion for terahertz waves. Simulations show that the converter can selectively achieve linear-to-linear, linear-to-right-handed circular, or linear-to-left-handed circular polarization conversion by tuning the polarization and propagating direction of the incident waves. Stokes parameters, ellipticity, and a polarization rotation angle are introduced to determine the output polarization.

[Analysis of COL1A1 and COL1A2 gene variants in two fetuses with osteogenesis imperfecta].

Objective: To explore the genetic basis of two fetuses with an osteogenesis imperfecta (OI) phenotype.

Methods: Two fetuses diagnosed at the Affiliated Hospital of Weifang Medical College respectively on June 11, 2021 and October 16, 2021 were selected as the study subjects. Clinical data of the fetuses were collected.

Ultrafast Photocarrier Dynamics in Vertically Aligned SnS Nanoflakes Probing with Transient Terahertz Spectroscopy.

By employing optical pump Terahertz (THz) probe spectroscopy, ultrafast photocarrier dynamics of a two-dimensional (2D) semiconductor, SnS nanoflake film, has been investigated systematically at room temperature. The dynamics of photoexcitation is strongly related to the density of edge sites and defects in the SnS nanoflakes, which is controllable by adjusting the height of vertically aligned SnS during chemical vapor deposition growth. After photoexcitation at 400 nm, the transient THz photoconductivity response of the films can be well fitted with bi-exponential decay function.

Lattice-induced strong coupling in symmetric and asymmetric split-ring metamaterial arrays.

The intrinsic link between surface plasmon modes (eigenmodes) and lattice modes in subwavelength periodic structures is investigated based on the split-ring metamaterial structure. The paper shows that the strong coupling between the eigenmodes and the lattice modes can be achieved by appropriately adjusting the period of the metamaterial structure, and the emergence of new, to the best of our knowledge, modes at low frequencies is observed, resulting in a lower spectral loss of a single hybrid resonance and an increase in its factor up to 110. In addition, an asymmetric double-split-ring structure is proposed, and the Fano resonance is excited, giving rise to a spectral line with three resonance valleys.

Ultrafast Dynamics of Defect-Assisted Auger Process in PdSe Films: Synergistic Interaction between Defect Trapping and Auger Effect.

By using optical pump and terahertz probe spectroscopy, we have investigated the photocarrier dynamics in PdSe films with different thicknesses. The experimental results reveal that the photocarrier relaxation consists of two components: a fast component of 2.5 ps that shows the layer-thickness independence and a slow component that has typical lifetime of 7.

Network Analysis of Depression, Anxiety, Posttraumatic Stress Symptoms, Insomnia, Pain, and Fatigue in Clinically Stable Older Patients With Psychiatric Disorders During the COVID-19 Outbreak.

Objectives: The Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has profound negative effects on the mental health of clinically stable older patients with psychiatric disorders. This study examined the influential nodes of psychiatric problems and their associations in this population using network analysis.

Methods: Clinically stable older patients with psychiatric disorders were consecutively recruited from four major psychiatric hospitals in China from May 22 to July 15, 2020.

Sleep Disturbances and Their Association With Quality of Life in Older Psychiatric Patients During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Aims: The negative effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on sleep quality of clinically stable psychiatric patients is unknown. This study examined the prevalence of sleep disturbances and their association with quality of life (QOL) in clinically stable older psychiatric patients during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods: This multicenter, cross-sectional study involved older patients attending maintenance treatment at outpatient departments of four major psychiatric hospitals in China.

Sub-pixel position estimation algorithm based on Gaussian fitting and sampling theorem interpolation for wafer alignment.

Wafer alignment is the core technique of lithographic tools. Image-processing-based wafer alignment techniques are commonly used in lithographic tools. An alignment algorithm is used to analyze the alignment mark image for obtaining the mark position.

Novel Hybrid Peptide Cathelicidin 2 (1-13)-Thymopentin (TP5) and Its Derived Peptides with Effective Antibacterial, Antibiofilm, and Anti-Adhesion Activities.

The increasing numbers of infections caused by multidrug-resistant (MDR) pathogens highlight the urgent need for new alternatives to conventional antibiotics. Antimicrobial peptides have the potential to be promising alternatives to antibiotics because of their effective bactericidal activity and highly selective toxicity. The present study was conducted to investigate the antibacterial, antibiofilm, and anti-adhesion activities of different CTP peptides (CTP: the original hybrid peptide cathelicidin 2 (1-13)-thymopentin (TP5); CTP-NH: C-terminal amidated derivative of cathelicidin 2 (1-13)-TP5; CTPQ: glutamine added at the C-terminus of cathelicidin 2 (1-13)-TP5) by determining the minimal inhibitory concentrations (MICs), minimal bactericidal concentrations (MBCs), propidium iodide uptake, and analysis by scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and confocal laser scanning microscopy).

Involvement of endoplasmic reticulum stress-activated PERK-eIF2α-ATF4 signaling pathway in T-2 toxin-induced apoptosis of porcine renal epithelial cells.

T-2 toxin is a highly toxic trichothecene that can induce toxic effects in a variety of organs and tissues, but the pathogenesis of its nephrotoxicity has not been elucidated. In this study, we assessed the involvement of protein kinase RNA-like ER kinase (PERK)-mediated endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress and apoptosis in PK-15 cells cultured at different concentrations of T-2 toxin. Cell viability, antioxidant capacity, intracellular calcium (Ca) content, apoptotic rate, levels of ER stress, and apoptosis-related proteins were studied.

Optically controlled ultrafast terahertz switching in wafer scale PtSe thin films.

In this study, we have reported a newly ultrafast optically modulated terahertz (THz) switch based on the transition metal dichalcogenide (TMD) material platinum diselenide (${{\rm PtSe}_2}$) with different thicknesses. The high-quality ${{\rm PtSe}_2}$ thin films with centimeter scale are fabricated on sapphire substrate by the chemical vapor deposition method. The optical pump and THz probe (OPTP) spectroscopy reveals that the THz response of the thin films is as fast as ${\sim} 2.

The prevalence of depressive and anxiety symptoms and their associations with quality of life among clinically stable older patients with psychiatric disorders during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on clinically stable older patients with psychiatric disorders is unclear. This study examined the prevalence of depressive and anxiety symptoms, and their associations with quality of life (QOL) in clinically stable older patients with psychiatric disorders during the COVID-19 pandemic. This was a multicenter, cross-sectional study.

Prevalence and correlates of fatigue and its association with quality of life among clinically stable older psychiatric patients during the COVID-19 outbreak: a cross-sectional study.

Background: The pattern of fatigue in older psychiatric patients during the COVID-19 outbreak was unknown. This study examined the prevalence of fatigue and its association with overall quality of life (overall QOL) in clinically stable older patients with psychiatric disorders during the COVID-19 outbreak.

Methods: This was a multicenter, cross-sectional study.

Cr (VI) induced mitophagy via the interaction of HMGA2 and PARK2.

Chromium (Cr) (VI) is a proven toxin, mutagen and carcinogen. Here, the role of high mobility group A2 (HMGA2) mediating Cr (VI)-induced mitophagy was investigated. Cr (VI)-treatment caused the formation of double membrane autophagic vesicles (AVs) engulfing mitochondria and increased the expression of PINK1, PARK2, LC3 as well as HMGA2 particularly in mitochondria in A549 cells.

An overview of the expert consensus on the mental health treatment and services for major psychiatric disorders during COVID-19 outbreak: China's experiences.

The 2019 novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) epidemic in China has presented substantial challenges to traditional forms of mental health service delivery. This review summarizes the expert consensus on the mental health treatment and services for severe psychiatric disorders during the COVID-19 outbreak developed by the Chinese Society of Psychiatry and other academic associations. The Expert Recommendations on Managing Patients with Mental Disorders during a Serious Infectious Disease Outbreak (COVID-19) outline the appropriate measures for psychiatric hospitals or psychiatric units in general hospitals, including the delivery of outpatient, inpatient, and community mental health services.

Free-Standing and Heteroatoms-Doped Carbon Nanofiber Networks as a Binder-Free Flexible Electrode for High-Performance Supercapacitors.

Flexible and heteroatoms-doped (N, O and P) activated carbon nanofiber networks (ACFNs) have been successfully prepared with a mixture of polyamic acid (PAA) and poly(diaryloxyphosphazene) (PDPP) as a solution through electrospinning, followed by a heat post-treatment. The resultant heteroatoms-doped ACFNs can be used as binder-free electrodes for high-performance flexible supercapacitors (SCs) due to lightweight, three-dimensional open-pore structure and good mechanical strength. Despite its surface area being lower than 130.

Robust polyimide nanofibrous membrane with porous-layer-coated morphology by in situ self-bonding and micro-crosslinking for lithium-ion battery separator.

Herein, we demonstrate a strategy to improve the tensile strength, thermal safety issues, and electrochemical performance of an as-synthesized polyimide separator. By spraying the solution of a specific chemical constituent on both sides of a poly(amic acid) non-woven membrane followed by thermal treatment, a novel polyimide nanofibrous membrane with porous-layer-coated morphology was successfully fabricated by in situ self-bonding and micro-crosslinking technique. The self-bonding and micro-crosslinking techniques improve the tensile strength of the nanofiber membranes from 5 MPa to 28 MPa by forming a crosslinked network structure, thereby reducing the risk of nanofiber disassembly during long-term operation.

Eightfold optical encoder with high-density grating.

A novel grating interferometer configuration with eightfold optical subdivision to achieve ultrahigh resolution using a special symmetrical prism is proposed. The optical subdivision is enhanced by four times compared to traditional linear optical encoders. In this work, we take advantage of a high linear density grating of 1780 lines/mm, which is combined with an eightfold optical subdivision configuration.

ROS-dependent Atg4 upregulation mediated autophagy plays an important role in Cd-induced proliferation and invasion in A549 cells.

Cadmium (Cd) is a toxic heavy metal that is widely used in industry and agriculture. In this study the role of autophagy in Cd-induced proliferation, migration and invasion was investigated in A549 cells. Exposure to Cd (2 μM) significantly increased reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, induced autophagy and enhanced cell growth, migration and invasion in A549 cells.

Hormonal and morphological changes during seed development of Cypripedium japonicum.

With the goal of evaluating the factors that may be influencing the reproductive success of an endangered, terrestrial orchid Cypripedium japonicum Thunb., the anatomical and morphological characteristics of seed development were assessed, as were the levels of endogenous hormones to investigate the possible relationship between hormones and seed development. The results showed that morphological characteristics of seeds were changing from milky white and filiform to brown and fusiform.

Forced rotation of nanograting in glass by pulse-front tilted femtosecond laser direct writing.

Femtosecond pulse laser with tilted intensity front demonstrates the capability of rotating the writing of nanograting in glass in 3D space. Other than the light polarization, this phenomenon is also associated with the quill-writing effect, which depends on the correlation between the sample movement and the pulse front tilt. This is because a pondermotive force, perpendicular to the tilted intensity plane, can push the excited electron plasma forward towards the pulse front.

Generation of individually modulated femtosecond pulse string by multilayer volume holographic gratings.

A scheme to generate individually modulated femtosecond pulse string by multilayer volume holographic grating (MVHG) is proposed. Based on Kogelnik's coupled-wave theory and matrix optics, temporal and spectral expressions of diffracted field are given when a femtosecond pulse is diffracted by a MVHG. It is shown that the number of diffracted sub-pulses in the pulse string equals to the number of grating layers of the MVHG, peak intensity and duration of each diffracted sub-pulse depend on thickness of the corresponding grating layer, whereas pulse interval between adjacent sub-pulses is related to thickness of the corresponding buffer layer.

Smoking, smoking cessation and tobacco control in rural China: a qualitative study in Shandong Province.

Background: Smoking prevalence is high in China and even higher among rural residents. The aims of this study were: 1) to gain insights into the motivations of tobacco use and barriers to smoking cessation among rural village residents; 2) to understand the current tobacco control measures in the rural villages and barriers encountered or perceived for implementation.

Methods: Qualitative semi-structured face-to-face interviews and focus group discussions were conducted of 59 rural villagers including 37 village residents, 10 village leaders and 12 village doctors in three counties in Shandong Province, China.