Alzheimer Disease is Associated with Isotropic Ocular Enlargement

Recent studies have documented ocular changes in dementia patients, especially Alzheimer Disease (AD). In this study, we explored the change of eye size and eye shape in dementia, including AD patients. The eyeball volume and diameters were estimated via T1-weighted brain magnetic resonance (MR) images in the OASIS-3 database which included 83 AD, 247 non-AD dementiaand 336 normal-aging participants qualified for this study. After adjustment of age, sex, race, apolipoprotein E genotypes, anisotropic ratio and intracranial volume, we observed the eyeball volume of the AD group was significantly larger than both the normal control (6871mm3 vs 6415mm3, p < 0.001) and the non-AD dementia group (6871mm3 vs 6391 mm3, p < 0.001), but there was no difference between the non-AD dementia group and the normal control (6391 mm3 vs 6415mm3, p = 0.795). Similar results were observed for the axial, transverse and vertical length. No group differences were observed in the anisotropic ratio, indicating an isotropic volume increaseconsistent with previous changes induced by the ocular hypertension (OH), which suggested possible elevation of the intraocular pressure (IOP) in AD. In consideration of the recent findings in ocular changes of dementia, our findings emphasize routine eye examinations and eye cares for AD patients in the clinic

Explicit gain equations for hybrid graphene-quantum-dot photodetectors

Graphene is an attractive material for broadband photodetection but suffers from weak light absorption. Coating graphene with quantum dots can significantly enhance light absorption and create extraordinarily high photo gain. This high gain is often explained by the classical gain theory which is unfortunately an implicit function and may even be questionable. In this work, we managed to derive explicit gain equations for hybrid graphene-quantum-dot photodetectors. Due to the work function mismatch, lead sulfide (PbS) quantum dots coated on graphene will form a surface depletion region near the interface of quantum dots and graphene. Light illumination narrows down the surface depletion region, creating a photovoltage that gates the graphene. As a result, high photo gain in graphene is observed. The explicit gain equations are derived from the theoretical gate transfer characteristics of graphene and the correlation of the photovoltage with the light illumination intensity. The derived explicit gain equations fit well with the experimental data, from which physical parameters are extracted.Comment: 14 pages, 6 figure

Nanostructure Mediated Piezoelectric Effect of Tetragonal BaTiO₃ Coatings on Bone Mesenchymal Stem Cell Shape and Osteogenic Differentiation

In recent years, porous titanium (Ti) scaffolds with BaTiO3 coatings have been designed to promote bone regeneration. However, the phase transitions of BaTiO3 have been understudied, and their coatings have yielded low effective piezoelectric coefficients (EPCs 3 coating with high EPCs. Herein, nanoparticulate tetragonal phase BaTiO3 coatings with cube-like nanoparticles but different effective piezoelectric coefficients were fabricated via anodization combining two hydrothermal processes. The effects of nanostructure-mediated piezoelectricity on the spreading, proliferation, and osteogenic differentiation of human jaw bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (hJBMSCs) were explored. We found that the nanostructured tetragonal BaTiO3 coatings exhibited good biocompatibility and an EPC-dependent inhibitory effect on hJBMSC proliferation. The nanostructured tetragonal BaTiO3 coatings of relatively smaller EPCs (3 coatings promising for application on implant surfaces to promote osseointegration

Emergence, phylogeography, and adaptive evolution of mpox virus

Mpox (Monkeypox) is a zoonotic disease caused by mpox virus (MPXV). A multi-country MPXV outbreak in non-endemic demographics was identified in May 2022. A systematic evaluation of MPXV evolutionary trajectory and genetic diversity could be a timely addition to the MPXV diagnostics and prophylaxis. Herein, we integrated a systematic evolution analysis including phylogenomic and phylogeographic, followed by an in-depth analysis of the adaptive evolution and amino acid variations in type I interferon binding protein (IFNα/βBP). Mutations in IFNα/βBP protein may impair its binding capacity, affecting the MPXV immune evasion strategy. Based on the equilibrated data, we found an evolutionary rate of 7.75×10−5 substitutions/site/year, and an earlier original time (2021.25) of the clade IIb. We further discovered significant genetic variations in MPXV genomes from different regions and obtained six plausible spread trajectories from its intricate viral flow network, implying that North America might have acted as a bridge for the spread of MPXV from Africa to other continents. We identified two amino acids under positive selection in the Rifampicin resistance protein and extracellular enveloped virus (EEV) type-I membrane glycoprotein, indicating a role in adaptive evolution. Our research sheds light on the emergence, dispersal, and adaptive evolution of MPXV, providing theoretical support for mitigating and containing its expansion