Low-loss 25.3km few-mode ring-core fibre for mode-division multiplexed transmission

We report the design, fabrication and characterisation of a few-mode ring-core fibre supporting 4 mode groups. The low loss (~0.3dB/km) and length (25.3km) are both records for a ring-core fibre

Association between cognitive function and IL-18 levels in schizophrenia: Dependent on<i> IL18</i>-607 A/C polymorphism

Accumulating evidence suggests that immune system dysregulation is associated with debilitating neuro-development in schizophrenia (SZ). Cognitive impairment is a persistent feature that occurs during the onset of SZ and persists throughout the course of the disease. Early studies have found that elevated interleukin (IL)-18 interacts with IL18 polymorphism and is correlated with psychotic symptoms in SZ. This study aimed to investigate whether elevated IL-18 levels interacted with the-607 A/C polymorphism to determine cognitive decline in patients with chronic SZ. We recruited 693 inpatients and 422 healthy controls to measure IL-18 levels and genotype the -607 A/C polymorphism. Further, cognitive function was measured by the Repeatable Battery for the Assessment of Neuropsychological Status (RBANS). We found that IL-18 serum levels were higher in patients than those in healthy controls, and were not associated with IL18 -607 A/C in combined subjects or either patients or healthy controls, respectively. Moreover, -607 A/C was correlated with the visuospatial/ constructional index only in the patients. In addition, our research found that IL-18 levels were positively correlated to immediate memory only in patients with the C/C genotype, but not in patients with C/A or A/A genotype. This study suggests that the relationship of IL-18 with cognitive function depends on the IL18 -607 A/ C polymorphism of SZ patients.</p

Electrosprayed naringin-loaded microsphere/SAIB hybrid depots enhance bone formation in a mouse calvarial defect model

The burst release of active osteogenic factors, which is not beneficial to osteogenesis, is commonly encountered in bone tissue engineering. The aims of this study were to prepare naringin-loaded microsphere/sucrose acetate isobutyrate (Ng-m-SAIB) hybrid depots, reduce the burst release of naringin (Ng), and improve osteogenesis. The morphology and size distributions of electrosprayed Ng-microspheres were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The Ng-microspheres and Ng-m-SAIB depots were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and in vitro release studies. In vitro osteoblast-microsphere interactions and in vivo osteogenesis were assessed after implantation of Ng-m-SAIB depots. The addition of sucrose acetate isobutyrate (SAIB) to monodisperse Ng-microspheres did not cause a change in the chemical structure. The performances of the microspheres in osteoblast-microsphere interactions were better when the naringin content was 4% than when it was at 2% and 6%. On the first day following the loading of Ng-microspheres (2%, 4%, and 6%) into SAIB depots, the burst release was reduced dramatically from 70.9% to 6.3%, 73.1% to 7.2%, and 73.9% to 9.9%, respectively. In addition, after 8 weeks, the new bone formation rate in the calvarial defects of SD rats receiving Ng-m-SAIB was 53.1% compared to 21.2% for the control group and 16.1% for the microsphere-SAIB group. These results demonstrated that Ng-m-SAIB hybrid depots may have promise in bone regeneration applications

Metabolic crosstalk between skeletal muscle cells and liver through IRF4-FSTL1 in nonalcoholic steatohepatitis

Abstract Inter-organ crosstalk has gained increasing attention in recent times; however, the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. In this study, we elucidate an endocrine pathway that is regulated by skeletal muscle interferon regulatory factor (IRF) 4, which manipulates liver pathology. Skeletal muscle specific IRF4 knockout (F4MKO) mice exhibited ameliorated hepatic steatosis, inflammation, and fibrosis, without changes in body weight, when put on a nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) diet. Proteomics analysis results suggested that follistatin-like protein 1 (FSTL1) may constitute a link between muscles and the liver. Dual luciferase assays showed that IRF4 can transcriptionally regulate FSTL1. Further, inducing FSTL1 expression in the muscles of F4MKO mice is sufficient to restore liver pathology. In addition, co-culture experiments confirmed that FSTL1 plays a distinct role in various liver cell types via different receptors. Finally, we observed that the serum FSTL1 level is positively correlated with NASH progression in humans. These data indicate a signaling pathway involving IRF4-FSTL1-DIP2A/CD14, that links skeletal muscle cells to the liver in the pathogenesis of NASH

A New Technique for Broadband Matching of Open-Ended Rectangular Waveguide Radiator

The maximum reflection at an open end of a standard rectangular waveguide is about −10 dB in its operating frequency range. It is often used without matching. For critical applications, it is desirable to further reduce the reflection coefficient. In this paper, a new technique is presented for the broadband impedance matching of an open-ended rectangular waveguide. The proposed technique employs three thin capacitive matching elements placed at proper intervals via a low-loss dielectric material. The capacitance of, and distance between, the matching elements are optimized for broadband impedance matching using a simulation tool. Based on the proposed technique, two design examples are presented for the matching of a WR75 waveguide radiator. A reflection coefficient of less than −16 dB and −20 dB has been achieved over a ratio bandwidth of 2.13:1 and 1.62:1, respectively

High gain, low noise, spectral-gain-controlled, broadband lumped fiber Raman amplifier

We demonstrate an 80 nm bandwidth (extending from 1529 to 1609 nm), dual-stage, diode-pumped, lumped Raman amplifier using a relatively short total length (2 km) of highly nonlinear fiber. The impact of Rayleigh back scattering is mitigated and the build-up of thermally generated wavelength dependent noise is controlled by suitably adjusting the spectral gain profile in the two amplifier stages. In this way a high overall gain of 27 dB with 2.6 dB gain flatness and an average noise figure of 5.8 dB with &lt;1 dB variation is achieved across the full amplifier bandwidth. </p

Obese Skeletal Muscle-Expressed Interferon Regulatory Factor 4 Transcriptionally Regulates Mitochondrial Branched-Chain Aminotransferase Reprogramming Metabolome.

In addition to the significant role in physical activity, skeletal muscle also contributes to health through the storage and use of macronutrients associated with energy homeostasis. However, the mechanisms of regulating integrated metabolism in skeletal muscle are not well-defined. Here, we compared the skeletal muscle transcriptome from obese and lean control subjects in different species (human and mouse) and found that interferon regulatory factor 4 (IRF4), an inflammation-immune transcription factor, conservatively increased in obese subjects. Thus, we investigated whether IRF4 gain of function in the skeletal muscle predisposed to obesity and insulin resistance. Conversely, mice with specific IRF4 loss in skeletal muscle showed protection against the metabolic effects of high-fat diet, increased branched-chain amino acids (BCAA) level of serum and muscle, and reprogrammed metabolome in serum. Mechanistically, IRF4 could transcriptionally upregulate mitochondrial branched-chain aminotransferase (BCATm) expression; subsequently, the enhanced BCATm could counteract the effects caused by IRF4 deletion. Furthermore, we demonstrated that IRF4 ablation in skeletal muscle enhanced mitochondrial activity, BCAA, and fatty acid oxidation in a BCATm-dependent manner. Taken together, these studies, for the first time, established IRF4 as a novel metabolic driver of macronutrients via BCATm in skeletal muscle in terms of diet-induced obesity