A 5-50 Gb/s quarter rate transmitter with a 4-tap multiple-MUX based FFE in 65 nm CMOS

This paper presents a 5-50 Gb/s quarter-rate transmitter with a 4-tap feed-forward equalization (FFE) based on multiple-multiplexer (MUX). A bandwidth enhanced 4:1 MUX with the capability of eliminating charge-sharing effect is proposed to increase the maximum operating speed. To produce the quarter-rate parallel data streams with appropriate delays, a compact latch array associated with an interleaved-retiming technique is designed. Implemented in 65 nm CMOS technology, the transmitter occupying an area of 0.6 mm2 achieves a maximum data rate of 50 Gb/s with an energy efficiency of 3.1 pJ/bit

E2F transcription factor 1 elevates cyclin D1 expression by suppressing transcription of microRNA‐107 to augment progression of glioma

Abstract Background Dysregulation of microRNAs has been frequently implicated in the progression of human diseases, including glioma. This study aims to explore the interaction between E2F transcription factor 1 (E2F1) and miR‐107 in the progression of glioma. Methods Expression of miR‐107 in glioma tissues and cells was examined. Putative binding sites between E2F1 and the promoter region of miR‐107, and between miR‐107 and cyclin D1 (CCND1) mRNA were predicted via bioinformatic systems and validated via chromatin immunoprecipitation and luciferase reporter gene assays. Altered expression of miR‐107, E2F1, and CCND1 was introduced in A172 and T98G cells to examine their roles in cell growth and the activity of the Wnt/β‐catenin signaling. In vivo experiments were performed by injecting cells in nude mice. Results miR‐107 was poorly expressed, whereas E2F1 and CCND1 were highly expressed in glioma tissues and cells. E2F1 bound to the promoter region of miR‐107 to induce transcriptional repression, and miR‐107 directly bound to CCND1 mRNA to reduce its expression. Overexpression of miR‐107 reduced proliferation, migration and invasion, and augmented apoptosis of glioma cells, and it reduced activity of the Wnt/β‐catenin pathway. The anti‐tumorigenic roles of miR‐107 were blocked by E2F1 or CCND1 overexpression. Similar results were reproduced in vivo where miR‐107 overexpression or E2F1 inhibition blocked tumor growth in nude mice. Conclusion This study suggested that E2F1 reduces miR‐107 transcription to induce CCND1 upregulation, which leads to progression of glioma via Wnt/β‐catenin signaling activation

Can Hybrid Synapse be Formed between Rat Spinal Motor Neurons and Major Pelvic Ganglion Neurons

The purpose of this study is to determine whether synapses can be formed between spinal motor neurons (SMNs) and major pelvic ganglion (MPG) neurons of a rat in vitro. The green fluorescent protein (GFP)-labelled MPG cells were cultured together with SMNs in a specific medium. The synaptic-like contacts established between SMNs and MPG neurons were studied in co-cultures using morphologic and immunocytochemistry approaches. Phase-contrast observation of co-cultures showed apparent SMNs-MPG neurons contacts as early as three or four days in vitro. We demonstrate some evidence of synaptic contacts between SMNs and MPG neurons in vitro by immunostaining with antibody directed against postsynaptic density protein 95 (PSD-95). We describe the development process of a defined SMNs-MPG neurons co-culture system. The results suggest that the hybrid synapse formation that may occur between SMNs and MPG neurons in vitro played an essential role in the mechanisms of a regenerated bladder with an artificial somatic-autonomic reflex arc

Suprasellar Ganglioglioma Arising from the Third Ventricle Floor: A Case Report and Review of the Literature

Gangliogliomas are uncommon intracranial tumors that include neoplastic and abnormal ganglion cells, and show positive immunohistochemical staining for GFAP and syn. This type of lesion occurs more frequently in the temporal lobe than in other areas; they are extremely rare in the suprasellar region. To the best of our knowledge, including our case, 19 cases of GGs have been found in the suprasellar region. Among them, five tumors invaded the optic nerve, nine tumors invaded the optic chiasm, one tumor invaded the optic tract, and two tumors invaded the entire optic chiasmal hypothalamic pathway. In the present study, we describe the first case of suprasellar GGs arising from the third ventricle floor that was removed through the endoscopic endonasal approach. In addition, we summarize the clinical characteristics of GGs, such as age of onset, gender distribution, MRI signs, main clinical symptoms, and treatment methods for GG cases

Simultaneous determination and risk assessment of highly toxic pesticides in the market-sold vegetables and fruits in China: A 4-year investigational study

This study investigated the levels of highly toxic pesticides (HTPs) in 6554 vegetable and fruit samples from 31 regions of China, along with the associated risk of dietary exposure for the population between 2014 and 2017. 18 HTPs were detected in 325 (4.96%) samples, and the levels of HTPs in 103 (1.57%) samples were found to be higher than the maximum residue limits (MRLs) of China. The rate of detection of HTPs in six types of vegetables and fruits, in a decreasing order, was found to be as follows: eggplant (8.84%) >grape (5.58%) >tomato (5.43%) >cucumber (5.43%) >pear (3.12%) >apple (2.30%). The level of contamination of HTPs was found to be higher in vegetables compared with fruits. The vegetable and fruit samples with the highest percentages of HTPs exceeding MRLs were found in eggplants from Guangxi (20%) and grapes from Inner Mongolia (12.5%), respectively. Both, the average target hazard quotient (THQ) of a single highly toxic pesticide (HTP) and the average hazard index (HI) of the mixture of HTPs for adults and children from vegetables and fruits from the 31 regions were found to be less than one. Omethoate, carbofuran, ethoprophos, triazophos, and phorate were identified as the major contributors to the average HI for vegetables, and carbofuran, ethoprophos, omethoate, phorate, and phosphamidon were identified as the primary contributors to the average HI for fruits. The results of this study revealed that HTPs in vegetables and fruits did not cause any significant chronic risk of dietary exposure. The detection of HTPs exceeding MRLs in some of the samples implied that appropriate management guidelines for HTPs should be implemented to protect the health of the consumers

Histone demethylases in the regulation of immunity and inflammation

Abstract Pathogens or danger signals trigger the immune response. Moderate immune response activation removes pathogens and avoids excessive inflammation and tissue damage. Histone demethylases (KDMs) regulate gene expression and play essential roles in numerous physiological processes by removing methyl groups from lysine residues on target proteins. Abnormal expression of KDMs is closely associated with the pathogenesis of various inflammatory diseases such as liver fibrosis, lung injury, and autoimmune diseases. Despite becoming exciting targets for diagnosing and treating these diseases, the role of these enzymes in the regulation of immune and inflammatory response is still unclear. Here, we review the underlying mechanisms through which KDMs regulate immune-related pathways and inflammatory responses. In addition, we also discuss the future applications of KDMs inhibitors in immune and inflammatory diseases

A 4-40 Gb/s PAM4 transmitter with output linearity optimization in 65 nm CMOS

This paper presents a 4-40 Gb/s current mode PAM4 transmitter with an optimized eye linearity. By embedding an additional mixed combiner and an extra current source into the output driver and developing a coherent scaled-replica based bias generator, the channel-length modulation caused tail-current variations for both DC and AC coupling modes can be effectively compensated. Implemented in 65 nm CMOS, the transmitter occupies an area of 1.02 mm2 and consumes 102 mW at 40 Gb/s. After applying the proposed linearity optimization, the measured eye linearity can be optimized from 1.28 to 1.01 with a single-end swing of 480 mV in AC coupling mode. © 2017 IEEE.</p

Association between Pregestational Vaginal Dysbiosis and Incident Hypertensive Disorders of Pregnancy Risk: a Nested Case-Control Study

ABSTRACT A balanced vaginal microbiome dominated by Lactobacillus can help promote women’s reproductive health, with Lactobacillus crispatus showing the most beneficial effect. However, the potential role of vaginal microbiomes in hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDP) development is not thoroughly explored. In this nested case-control study based on an assisted reproductive technology follow-up cohort, we prospectively assessed the association between pregestational vaginal microbiomes with HDP by collecting vaginal swabs from 75 HDP cases (HDP group) and 150 controls (NP group) and using 16S amplicon sequencing for bacterial identification. The vaginal microbial composition of the HDP group significantly differed from that of the NP group. The abundance of L. crispatus was significantly lower, and the abundances of Gardnerella vaginalis was significantly higher, in the HDP group than in the NP group. Of note, L. crispatus-dominated vaginal community state type was associated with a decreased risk for HDP (odds ratio = 0.436; 95% confidence interval, 0.229 to 0.831) compared with others. Additionally, network analysis revealed different bacterial interactions with 61 and 57 exclusive edges in the NP and HDP groups, respectively. Compared with the HDP group, the NP group showed a higher weighted degree and closeness centrality. Several taxa, including G. vaginalis, L. iners, and bacterial vaginosis-associated bacteria (Prevotella, Megasphaera, Finegoldia, and Porphyromonas), were identified as “drivers” for network rewiring. Notable alterations of predicted pathways involved in amino acid, cofactor, and vitamin metabolism; membrane transport; and bacterial toxins were observed in the HDP group. IMPORTANCE The etiology of HDP remains unclear to date. Effective methods for the individualized prediction and prevention are lacking. Pregestational vaginal dysbiosis precedes the diagnosis of HDP, providing a novel perspective on the etiology of HDP. Early pregnancy is the critical period of placental development, and abnormal placentation initiates HDP development. Thus, disease prevention should be considered before pregnancy. Vaginal microbiome characterization and probiotic interventions before pregnancy are preferred because of their safety and potential for early prevention. This study is the first to prospectively assess associations between pregestational vaginal microbiome and HDP. L. crispatus-dominated vaginal community state type is linked to a reduced risk for HDP. These findings suggest that vaginal microbiome characterization may help identify individuals at high risk for HDP and offer potential targets for the development of novel pregestational intervention methods

A 10 GHz 56 fsrms-integrated-jitter and -247 dB FOM ring-VCO based injection-locked clock multiplier with a continuous frequency-tracking loop in 65 nm CMOS

This paper presents a low jitter ring-VCO based injection-locked clock multiplier (RILCM) with a phase-shift detection based hybrid frequency tracking loop (FTL). A full-swing pseudo-differential delay cell (FS-PDDC) is proposed to lower the device noise to phase noise conversion. To obtain high operation speed, high detection accuracy, and low output disturbance, a compact timing-adjusted phase detector (TPD) tightly combining with a well-matched charge pump (CP) is designed. Additionally, a lock-loss detection and lock recovery (LLD-LR) scheme is devised to equip the RILCM with a similar lock-acquisition ability to conventional PLL, thus excluding the initial frequency setup aid and preventing potential lock loss. Implemented in 65 nm CMOS, the RILCM occupies an active area of 0.07 mm2 and consumes 59.4 mW at 10 GHz. The measured results show that it achieves 56.1 fs rms-jitter and -57.13 dBc spur level. The calculated figure-of-merit (FOM) is -247.3 dB, which is better than previous RILCMs and even comparable to those large-area LC-ILCMs. © 2017 IEEE.</p