Transforming growth factor-ß1-loaded RADA-16 hydrogel scaffold for effective cartilage regeneration.

Cartilage repair remains a major challenge in clinical trials. These current cartilage repair materials can not effectively promote chondrocyte generation, limiting their practical application in cartilage repair. In this work, we develop an implantable scaffold of RADA-16 peptide hydrogel incorporated with TGF-ß1 to provide a microenvironment for stem cell-directed differentiation and chondrocyte adhesion growth. The longest release of growth factor TGF-ß1 release can reach up to 600 h under physiological conditions. TGF-ß1/RADA-16 hydrogel was demonstrated to be a lamellar porous structure. Based on the cell culture with hBMSCs, TGF-ß1/RADA-16 hydrogel showed excellent ability to promote cell proliferation, directed differentiation into chondrocytes, and functional protein secretion. Within 14 days, 80% of hBMSCs were observed to be directed to differentiate into vigorous chondrocytes in the co-culture of TGF-ß1/RADA-16 hydrogels with hBMSCs. Specifically, these newly generated chondrocytes can secrete and accumulate large amounts of collagen II within 28 days, which can effectively promote the formation of cartilage tissue. Finally, the exploration of RADA-16 hydrogel-based scaffolds incorporated with TGF-ß1 bioactive species would further greatly promote the practical clinical trials of cartilage remediation, which might have excellent potential to promote cartilage regeneration in areas of cartilage damage.

Modeling distracted driving behavior considering cognitive processes.

The modeling of distracted driving behavior has been studied for many years, however, there remain many distraction phenomena that can not be fully modeled. This study proposes a new method that establishes the model using the queuing network model human processor (QN-MHP) framework. Unlike previous models that only consider distracted-driving-related human factors from a mathematical perspective, the proposed method reflects the information processing in the human brain, and simulates the distracted driver's cognitive processes based on a model structure supported by physiological and cognitive research evidence. Firstly, a cumulative activation effect model for external stimuli is adopted to mimic the phenomenon that a driver responds only to stimuli above a certain threshold. Then, dual-task queuing and switching mechanisms are modeled to reflect the cognitive resource allocation under distraction. Finally, the driver's action is modeled by the Intelligent Driver Model (IDM). The model is developed for visual distraction auditory distraction separately. 773 distracted car-following events from the Shanghai Naturalistic Driving Study data were used to calibrate and verify the model. Results show that the model parameters are more uniform and reasonable. Meanwhile, the model accuracy has improved by 57% and 66% compared to the two baseline models respectively. Moreover, the model demonstrates its ability to generate critical pre-crash scenarios and estimate the crash rate of distracted driving. The proposed model is expected to contribute to safety research regarding new vehicle technologies and traffic safety analysis.

Oxide Ionic Neuro-Transistors for Bio-inspired Computing.

Current computing systems rely on Boolean logic and von Neumann architecture, where computing cells are based on high-speed electron-conducting complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) transistors. In contrast, ions play an essential role in biological neural computing. Compared with CMOS units, the synapse/neuron computing speed is much lower, but the human brain performs much better in many tasks such as pattern recognition and decision-making. Recently, ionic dynamics in oxide electrolyte-gated transistors have attracted increasing attention in the field of neuromorphic computing, which is more similar to the computing modality in the biological brain. In this review article, we start with the introduction of some ionic processes in biological brain computing. Then, electrolyte-gated ionic transistors, especially oxide ionic transistors, are briefly introduced. Later, we review the state-of-the-art progress in oxide electrolyte-gated transistors for ionic neuromorphic computing including dynamic synaptic plasticity emulation, spatiotemporal information processing, and artificial sensory neuron function implementation. Finally, we will address the current challenges and offer recommendations along with potential research directions.

Human-level few-shot concept induction through minimax entropy learning.

Humans learn concepts both from labeled supervision and by unsupervised observation of patterns, a process machines are being taught to mimic by training on large annotated datasets-a method quite different from the human pathway, wherein few examples with no supervision suffice to induce an unfamiliar relational concept. We introduce a computational model designed to emulate human inductive reasoning on abstract reasoning tasks, such as those in IQ tests, using a minimax entropy approach. This method combines identifying the most effective constraints on data via minimum entropy with determining the best combination of them via maximum entropy. Our model, which applies this unsupervised technique, induces concepts from just one instance, reaching human-level performance on tasks of Raven's Progressive Matrices (RPM), Machine Number Sense (MNS), and Odd-One-Out (O3). These results demonstrate the potential of minimax entropy learning for enabling machines to learn relational concepts efficiently with minimal input.

Ni/WS2/WC Composite Nanosheets as an Efficient Catalyst for Photoelectrochemical Hydrogen Peroxide Sensing and Hydrogen Evolution.

It is highly attractive to develop a photoelectrochemical (PEC) sensing platform based on a non-noble-metal nano array architecture. In this paper, a PEC hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) biosensor based on Ni/WS2/WC heterostructures was synthesized by a facile hydrothermal synthesis method and melamine carbonization process. The morphology, structural and composition and light absorption properties of the Ni/WS2/WC catalyst were investigated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and UV-visible spectrophotometer. The average size of the Ni/WS2/WC nanosheets was about 200 nm. Additionally, the electrochemical properties toward H2O2 were studied using an electrochemical workstation. Benefiting from the Ni and C atoms, the optimized Ni/WS2/WC catalyst showed superior H2O2 sensing performance and a large photocurrent response. It was found that the detection sensitivity of the Ni/WS2/WC catalyst was 25.7 µA/cm2/mM, and the detection limit was 0.3 mmol/L in the linear range of 1-10 mM. Simultaneously, the synthesized Ni/WS2/WC electrode displayed excellent electrocatalytic properties in hydrogen evolution reaction (HER), with a relatively small overpotential of 126 mV at 10 mA/cm2 in 0.5 M H2SO4. This novel Ni/WS2/WC electrode may provide new insights into preparing other efficient hybrid photoelectrodes for PEC applications.

Long-range connections damage in white matter hyperintensities affects information processing speed.

White matter hyperintensities, one of the major markers of cerebral small vessel disease, disrupt the integrity of neuronal networks and ultimately contribute to cognitive dysfunction. However, a deeper understanding of how white matter hyperintensities related to the connectivity patterns of brain hubs at the neural network level could provide valuable insights into the relationship between white matter hyperintensities and cognitive dysfunction. A total of 36 patients with moderate to severe white matter hyperintensities (Fazekas score ≥ 3) and 34 healthy controls underwent comprehensive neuropsychological assessments and resting-state functional MRI scans. The voxel-based graph-theory approach-functional connectivity strength was employed to systematically investigate the topological organization of the whole-brain networks. The white matter hyperintensities patients performed significantly worse than the healthy controls in episodic memory, executive function and information processing speed. Additionally, we found that white matter hyperintensities selectively affected highly connected hub regions, predominantly involving the medial and lateral prefrontal, precuneus, inferior parietal lobule, insula and thalamus. Intriguingly, this impairment was connectivity distance-dependent, with the most prominent disruptions observed in long-range connections (e.g. 100-150 mm). Finally, these disruptions of hub connectivity (e.g. the long-range functional connectivity strength in the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex) positively correlated with the cognitive performance in white matter hyperintensities patients. Our findings emphasize that the disrupted hub connectivity patterns in white matter hyperintensities are dependent on connection distance, especially longer-distance connections, which in turn predispose white matter hyperintensities patients to worse cognitive function.

Temperature and Twist Sensor Based on the Sagnac Interferometer with Long-Period Grating in Polarization-Maintaining Fiber.

We utilized a CO2 laser to carve long-period fiber gratings (LPFGs) on polarization-maintaining fibers (PMFs) along the fast and slow axes. Based on the spectra of LPFGs written along two different directions, we found that when LPFG was written along the fast axis, the spectrum had lower insertion loss and fewer side lobes. We investigated the temperature and twist characteristics of the embedded structure of the LPFG and Sagnac loop and ultimately obtained a temperature sensitivity of -0.295 nm/°C and a twist sensitivity of 0.87 nm/(rad/m) for the LPFG. Compared to the single LPFG, the embedded structure of the LPFG and Sagnac loop demonstrates a significant improvement in temperature and twist sensitivities. Additionally, it also possesses the capability to discern the direction of the twist. The embedded structure displays numerous advantages, including easy fabrication, low cost, good robustness, a wide range, and high sensitivity. These features make it highly suitable for applications in structural health monitoring and other related fields.

Investigating K+ Storage Behavior of Highly Graphitized Carbon Fibers as Anodes for a Potassium-Ion Battery.

Many problems of potassium-ion batteries (PIBs) are hidden under a low mass load of the active material. However, developing research based on areal capacity is challenging for PIBs, due to the lack of an anode capable of delivering a stable capacity of more than 1 mAh cm-2. This work investigates the K+ storage behavior of highly graphitized carbon fibers (HG-CF), which exhibit automatic structural adjustments to mitigate voltage polarization. The created defects and residual K+ in the structure favor the reversible insertion/deinsertion of K+. HG-GF after structural adjustment realizes a capacity of 2 mAh (1.13 cm-2) without K deposition and a stable cyclic stability (>500 h). In situ X-ray diffraction and in situ Raman spectra were used to detect defect formation and structural evolution during cycles. This work demonstrates the feasibility of HG-GF as an anode for PIBs and provides a suitable anode for further research of PIBs based on areal capacity.

The Assessment of Natural Cross Pollination Properties of a Novel Male-Sterile-Female-Fertile Mutation msLC01 in Soybean.

The value of a novel soybean male-sterile mutation msLC01 in breeding practice was determined by its outcrossing properties. Then, the effects of different planting arrangements on the pod set characteristics of male-sterile plants were assessed by using orthogonal experiments at two sites. At the same time, the effects of msLC01 male sterility on other traits were assessed in two C2F2 populations. In addition, the nectar secretion and natural outcross of male-sterile plants from four msLC01 lines were compared with one ms1 line and one ms6 line. The results of the orthogonal experiment showed that the pod numbers and pod set rates of male-sterile plants were decisively different between the two experimental sites but not between the two levels of the other factors. Both increasing the ratio of paternal parent to maternal parent and planting the parental seeds in a mixed way, the proportion of seeds pollinated by the target parent pollen could be increased. Except for the pod number per plant trait, there was no significant difference between male-sterile plants and their fertile siblings. The amount of nectar significantly differed among the lines. Compared with ms1 and ms6 male-sterile plants, the four msLC01 lines possessed significantly more or similar numbers of pod sets. The results of this study lay a foundation for the future use of this mutant in soybean breeding.

High-Sensitivity Temperature Sensor Based on Fiber Fabry-Pérot Interferometer with UV Glue-Filled Hollow Capillary Fiber.

Optical fiber Fabry-Pérot (FP) interferometer sensors have long been the focus of researchers in sensing applications because of their simple light path, low cost, compact size and convenient manufacturing methods. A miniature and highly sensitive optic fiber temperature sensor using an ultraviolet glue-filled FP cavity in a hollow capillary fiber is proposed. The sensor is fabricated by fusion splicing a single-mode fiber with a hollow capillary fiber, which is filled with ultraviolet glue to form a FP cavity. The sensor has a good linear response in the temperature testing and high-temperature sensitivity, which can be increased with the length of the FP cavity. The experimental results show that the temperature sensitivity reaches 1.174 nm/°C with a high linear response in the range of 30-60 °C. In addition, this sensor is insensitive to pressure and can be highly suitable for real-time water temperature monitoring for ocean research. The proposed ultraviolet glue-filled structure has the advantages of easy fabrication, high-temperature sensitivity, low cost and an arbitrary length of capillary, which has broad application prospects for marine survey technology, biological diagnostics and environmental monitoring.

Combining TSS-MPRA and sensitive TSS profile dissimilarity scoring to study the sequence determinants of transcription initiation.

Cis-regulatory elements (CREs) can be classified by the shapes of their transcription start site (TSS) profiles, which are indicative of distinct regulatory mechanisms. Massively parallel reporter assays (MPRAs) are increasingly being used to study CRE regulatory mechanisms, yet the degree to which MPRAs replicate individual endogenous TSS profiles has not been determined. Here, we present a new low-input MPRA protocol (TSS-MPRA) that enables measuring TSS profiles of episomal reporters as well as after lentiviral reporter chromatinization. To sensitively compare MPRA and endogenous TSS profiles, we developed a novel dissimilarity scoring algorithm (WIP score) that outperforms the frequently used earth mover's distance on experimental data. Using TSS-MPRA and WIP scoring on 500 unique reporter inserts, we found that short (153 bp) MPRA promoter inserts replicate the endogenous TSS patterns of ∼60% of promoters. Lentiviral reporter chromatinization did not improve fidelity of TSS-MPRA initiation patterns, and increasing insert size frequently led to activation of extraneous TSS in the MPRA that are not active in vivo. We discuss the implications of our findings, which highlight important caveats when using MPRAs to study transcription mechanisms. Finally, we illustrate how TSS-MPRA and WIP scoring can provide novel insights into the impact of transcription factor motif mutations and genetic variants on TSS patterns and transcription levels.

Improved GWO and its application in parameter optimization of Elman neural network.

Traditional neural networks used gradient descent methods to train the network structure, which cannot handle complex optimization problems. We proposed an improved grey wolf optimizer (SGWO) to explore a better network structure. GWO was improved by using circle population initialization, information interaction mechanism and adaptive position update to enhance the search performance of the algorithm. SGWO was applied to optimize Elman network structure, and a new prediction method (SGWO-Elman) was proposed. The convergence of SGWO was analyzed by mathematical theory, and the optimization ability of SGWO and the prediction performance of SGWO-Elman were examined using comparative experiments. The results show: (1) the global convergence probability of SGWO was 1, and its process was a finite homogeneous Markov chain with an absorption state; (2) SGWO not only has better optimization performance when solving complex functions of different dimensions, but also when applied to Elman for parameter optimization, SGWO can significantly optimize the network structure and SGWO-Elman has accurate prediction performance.

Disconnection of Network Hubs Underlying the Executive Function Deficit in Patients with Ischemic Leukoaraiosis.

BACKGROUND: Cognitive impairment is the most common clinical manifestation of ischemic leukoaraiosis (ILA), but the underlying neurobiological pathways have not been well elucidated. Recently, it was thought that ILA is a "disconnection syndrome". Disorganized brain connectome were considered the key neuropathology underlying cognitive deficits in ILA patients. OBJECTIVE: We aimed to detect the disruption of network hubs in ILA patients using a new analytical method called voxel-based eigenvector centrality (EC) mapping. METHODS: Subjects with moderate to severe white matters hyperintensities (Fazekas score ≥3) and healthy controls (HCs) (Fazekas score = 0) were included in the study. The resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging and the EC mapping approach were performed to explore the alteration of whole-brain network connectivity in ILA patients. RESULTS: Relative to the HCs, the ILA patients exhibited poorer cognitive performance in episodic memory, information processing speed, and executive function (all ps < 0.0125). Additionally, compared with HCs, the ILA patients had lower functional connectivity (i.e., EC values) in the medial parts of default-mode network (i.e., bilateral posterior cingulate gyrus and ventral medial prefrontal cortex [vMPFC]). Intriguingly, the functional connectivity strength at the right vMPFC was positively correlated with executive function deficit in the ILA patients. CONCLUSION: The findings suggested disorganization of the hierarchy of the default-mode regions within the whole-brain network in patients with ILA and advanced our understanding of the neurobiological mechanism underlying executive function deficit in ILA.

Vertically integrated spiking cone photoreceptor arrays for color perception.

The cone photoreceptors in our eyes selectively transduce the natural light into spiking representations, which endows the brain with high energy-efficiency color vision. However, the cone-like device with color-selectivity and spike-encoding capability remains challenging. Here, we propose a metal oxide-based vertically integrated spiking cone photoreceptor array, which can directly transduce persistent lights into spike trains at a certain rate according to the input wavelengths. Such spiking cone photoreceptors have an ultralow power consumption of less than 400 picowatts per spike in visible light, which is very close to biological cones. In this work, lights with three wavelengths were exploited as pseudo-three-primary colors to form 'colorful' images for recognition tasks, and the device with the ability to discriminate mixed colors shows better accuracy. Our results would enable hardware spiking neural networks with biologically plausible visual perception and provide great potential for the development of dynamic vision sensors.

Acellular allogenic dermis combined with VSD for repair of abdominal wall defect: a case series.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the clinical application of acellular allogenic dermis combined with VSD in repairing abdominal wall defect combined with abdominal infection. METHODS: Clinical data of 5 cases of abdominal cavity infection with abdominal wall defect admitted in the Burn Department of Quanzhou First Hospital from January 2019 to January 2022 were collected for this study. The abdominal cavity was closed temporarily after debridement and VSD in the early stage, and the abdominal wall defect was repaired by acellular allogeneic dermis combined with autologous split-thickness skin graft in the second stage. The changes of infection indexes (WBC, CRP, PCT, Lac) before and after treatment and the clinical therapeutic effect were observed. RESULTS: In the 5 observed cases, the infection index decreased significantly, the intra-abdominal pressure was normal, and there was no abdominal wall hernia, intestinal adhesion, intestinal obstruction or any other complications. The wound of abdominal wall defect achieved stage 1 healing, the local scar tissue only has slight proliferation, and the appearance was satisfying. There was no recurrence in 6 months follow-up. CONCLUSION: Early use of VSD can effectively control abdominal infection and reduce the occurrence of intestinal fistula or other complications. In the later stage of treatment, acellular allogenic dermis combined with autologous split-thickness skin graft can effectively repair abdominal wall defect.

Exosomal miRNA in early-stage hepatocellular carcinoma.

The incidence and mortality of hepatic carcinoma (HCC) remain high, and early diagnosis of HCC is seen as a key approach in improving clinical outcomes. However, the sensitivity and specificity of current early screening methods for HCC are not satisfactory. In recent years, research around exosomal miRNA has gradually increased, and these molecules have emerged as attractive candidates for early diagnosis and treatment of HCC. This review summarizes the feasibility of using miRNAs in peripheral blood exosomes as early diagnostic tools for HCC.

Application of Autogenous Dermis Combined With Local Flap Transplantation in Repair of Titanium Mesh Exposure After Cranioplasty.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the clinical outcome of autogenous dermis combined with local flap transplantation in the treatment of titanium mesh exposure after cranioplasty. METHODS: We studied a total of 8 patients with titanium mesh exposure after cranioplasty. After debridement of the head wound, the autogenous dermal tissue from the lateral thigh was transplanted to the surface of titanium mesh, and the local skin flap was then applied after suturing and fixation to repair the wound on the surface of the dermis. To repair the lateral thigh dermal tissue area, a local skin flap was obtained, and a blade thick skin graft was used. RESULTS: Both dermal tissue and local skin flap survived. In the meanwhile, the donor skin area of the lateral thigh healed well, with only slight scar hyperplasia, and the titanium mesh was preserved. There was no recurrence after 6 months of follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: The application of autogenous dermis combined with local skin flap to repair titanium mesh exposure can effectively avoid skin flap necrosis, potential re-exposure of titanium mesh, sub-flap effusion, infection, and other problems. This method has an ideal effect, has easy access to materials, and reduces patients' economic burden. It is worth popularizing.

How can China achieve its goal of peaking carbon emissions at minimal cost? A research perspective from shadow price and optimal allocation of carbon emissions.

The Chinese government has declared a determination at the 75th United Nations General Assembly that China will improve its independent contribution and adopt more powerful measures to peak the carbon emissions before 2030. However, such strict implementation of carbon reduction policies is bound to bring the cost of sacrificing economic development. In such a context, this paper tries to use shadow price to measure the average social cost of emission reduction, marginal abatement cost to depict the pressure to reduce carbon emissions based on non-radial distance function, and provides an optimal scheme for provincial emission reduction to minimize the national cost of emission reduction based on variable-coefficient model. Results show that: First, the average value of shadow price is 15.91 and varies widely among regions, which means on average reducing one unit of carbon emissions will sacrifice 15.914 yuan RMB of economic output, and there exists possibility of carbon transactions across regions; Second, on the one hand, marginal abatement cost of carbon emission for most regions presents an upward tendency over time, which means greater economic costs have to be sacrificed with economic development in the future; On the other hand, marginal abatement cost is much higher in regions with high economic level than that in the economically undeveloped areas, which indicates reducing carbon emissions is becoming increasingly difficult and would pay more economical cost in economically developed regions; Third, the optional allocation scheme of CO2 reduction derived from this research is better than administrative ways of Grandfathering and Benchmarking in terms of minimizing emission reduction cost. Results of this paper indicate that larger carbon trading market can be implemented in China to economically fulfill the commitment of peaking carbon emissions.

Chromosome-scale genomes reveal genomic consequences of inbreeding in the South China tiger: A comparative study with the Amur tiger.

The South China tiger (Panthera tigris amoyensis, SCT) is the most critically endangered subspecies of tiger due to functional extinction in the wild. Inbreeding depression is observed among the captive population descended from six wild ancestors, resulting in high juvenile mortality and low reproduction. We assembled and characterized the first SCT genome and an improved Amur tiger (P. t. altaica, AT) genome named AmyTig1.0 and PanTig2.0. The two genomes are the most continuous and comprehensive among any tiger genomes yet reported at the chromosomal level. By using the two genomes and resequencing data of 15 SCT and 13 AT individuals, we investigated the genomic signature of inbreeding depression of the SCT. The results indicated that the effective population size of SCT experienced three phases of decline, ~5.0-1.0 thousand years ago, 100 years ago, and since captive breeding in 1963. We found 43 long runs of homozygosity fragments that were shared by all individuals in the SCT population and covered a total length of 20.63% in the SCT genome. We also detected a large proportion of identical-by-descent segments across the genome in the SCT population, especially on ChrB4. Deleterious nonsynonymous single nucleotide polymorphic sites and loss-of-function mutations were found across genomes with extensive potential influences, despite a proportion of these loads having been purged by inbreeding depression. Our research provides an invaluable resource for the formulation of genetic management policies for the South China tiger such as developing genome-based breeding and genetic rescue strategy.

Genomic investigation of the Chinese alligator reveals wild-extinct genetic diversity and genomic consequences of their continuous decline.

Critically endangered species are usually restricted to small and isolated populations. High inbreeding without gene flow among populations further aggravates their threatened condition and reduces the likelihood of their long-term survival. Chinese alligator (Alligator sinensis) is one of the most endangered crocodiles in the world and has experienced a continuous decline over the past c. 1 million years. In order to identify the genetic status of the remaining populations and aid conservation efforts, we assembled the first high-quality chromosome-level genome of Chinese alligator and explored the genomic characteristics of three extant breeding populations. Our analyses revealed the existence of at least three genetically distinct populations, comprising two breeding populations in China (Changxing and Xuancheng) and one breeding population in an American wildlife refuge. The American population does not belong to the last two populations of its native range (Xuancheng and Changxing), thus representing genetic diversity extinct in the wild and provides future opportunities for genetic rescue. Moreover, the effective population size of these three populations has been continuously declining over the past 20 ka. Consistent with this decline, the species shows extremely low genetic diversity, a large proportion of long runs of homozygous fragments, and mutational load across the genome. Finally, to provide genomic insights for future breeding management and conservation, we assessed the feasibility of mixing extant populations based on the likelihood of introducing new deleterious alleles and signatures of local adaptation. Overall, this study provides a valuable genomic resource and important genomic insights into the ecology, evolution, and conservation of critically endangered alligators.