Photoelectrochemical and electrochemical ratiometric aptasensing: a case study of streptomycin

There has been much interest in constructing ratiometric sensors using different sensing techniques because of their synergistic effect, although the simultaneous collection of the signals is challenging. Herein, we propose a ratiometric aptasensing strategy based on the dual-detection model with a photoelectrochemical (PEC) “signalon” and an electrochemical (EC) “signal-off”. As a proof-of-concept study, CdTe quantum dots (CdTe QDs) and a methylene blue-labeled aptamer (MB-Apt) were used to generate PEC and EC signals in the sensing system. The target-induced conformational change of MB-Apt pushed MB away from the electrode, thereby decreasing the EC signal; at the same time, the reduced steric hindrance favored the restoration of the PEC signal from the CdTe QDs. Thus, this PEC-EC strategy can achieve the PEC “signal-on” and EC “signal-off” states simultaneously, as well as allowing quantitative analysis of the target based on the ratio of the current intensities. As a model application, an aptasensor fabricated for streptomycin detection showed a wide linear range from 0.03 to 100 μM with a detection limit of 10 nM (S/N = 3). The proposed sensing platform displayed superior analytical properties compared with methods based on PEC or EC alone. Our work provides an efficient dual-detection modelbased ratiometric strategy for advanced analysis, and paves the way to the simultaneous acquisition of signals

Frequency-aware optical coherence tomography image super-resolution via conditional generative adversarial neural network

Optical coherence tomography (OCT) has stimulated a wide range of medical image-based diagnosis and treatment in fields such as cardiology and ophthalmology. Such applications can be further facilitated by deep learning-based super-resolution technology, which improves the capability of resolving morphological structures. However, existing deep learning-based method only focuses on spatial distribution and disregard frequency fidelity in image reconstruction, leading to a frequency bias. To overcome this limitation, we propose a frequency-aware super-resolution framework that integrates three critical frequency-based modules (i.e., frequency transformation, frequency skip connection, and frequency alignment) and frequency-based loss function into a conditional generative adversarial network (cGAN). We conducted a large-scale quantitative study from an existing coronary OCT dataset to demonstrate the superiority of our proposed framework over existing deep learning frameworks. In addition, we confirmed the generalizability of our framework by applying it to fish corneal images and rat retinal images, demonstrating its capability to super-resolve morphological details in eye imaging.Comment: 13 pages, 7 figures, submitted to Biomedical Optics Express special issu

A Novel Non-Volatile Inverter-based CiM: Continuous Sign Weight Transition and Low Power on-Chip Training

In this work, we report a novel design, one-transistor-one-inverter (1T1I), to satisfy high speed and low power on-chip training requirements. By leveraging doped HfO2 with ferroelectricity, a non-volatile inverter is successfully demonstrated, enabling desired continuous weight transition between negative and positive via the programmable threshold voltage (VTH) of ferroelectric field-effect transistors (FeFETs). Compared with commonly used designs with the similar function, 1T1I uniquely achieves pure on-chip-based weight transition at an optimized working current without relying on assistance from off-chip calculation units for signed-weight comparison, facilitating high-speed training at low power consumption. Further improvements in linearity and training speed can be obtained via a two-transistor-one-inverter (2T1I) design. Overall, focusing on energy and time efficiencies, this work provides a valuable design strategy for future FeFET-based computing-in-memory (CiM)

Penicillium marneffei-Stimulated Dendritic Cells Enhance HIV-1 Trans-Infection and Promote Viral Infection by Activating Primary CD4+ T Cells

Penicillium marneffei (P. marneffei) is considered an indicator pathogen of AIDS, and the endemicity and clinical features of P. marneffei have been described. While, how the co-infection of P. marneffei exacerbate deterioration of the immune response remains poorly understood. Here we isolated P. marneffei from the cutaneous lesions of AIDS patients and analyzed its effects on HIV-1-dendritic cells (DCs) interaction. We demonstrated that the monocyte-derived dendritic cells (MDDCs) could be activated by both thermally dimorphic forms of P. marneffei for significantly promoting HIV-1 trans-infection of CD4+ T cells, while these activated MDDCs were refractory to HIV-1 infection. Mechanistically, P. marneffei-activated MDDCs endocytosed large amounts of HIV-1 and sequestrated the internalized viruses into tetrapasnin CD81+ compartments potentially for proteolysis escaping. The activated MDDCs increased expression of intercellular adhesion molecule 1 and facilitated the formation of DC-T-cell conjunctions, where much more viruses were recruited. Moreover, we found that P. marneffei-stimulated MDDCs efficiently activated resting CD4+ T cells and induced more susceptible targets for viral infection. Our findings demonstrate that DC function and its interaction with HIV-1 have been modulated by opportunistic pathogens such as P. marneffei for viral dissemination and infection amplification, highlighting the importance of understanding DC-HIV-1 interaction for viral immunopathogenesis elucidation

Condiciones Laborales y de Salud de Los Trabajadores de la Maquila del Tabaco. Ciudad El Paraíso, Honduras. Octubre 2003 a Marzo 2004.

El propósito es describir las características socio demográficas, las condiciones de trabajo y situación de salud de los trabajadores para aportar información y conocer la magnitud y trascendencia de esta problemática y tomar decisiones necesarias de prevención

Downregulation of Ripk1 and Nsf mediated by CRISPR-CasRx ameliorates stroke volume and neurological deficits after ischemia stroke in mice

Necroptosis is implicated in the pathogenesis of ischemic stroke. However, the mechanism underlying the sequential recruitment of receptor-interacting protein kinase 1 (RIPK1) and N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive fusion ATPase (NSF) in initiating necroptosis remains poorly understood, and the role of NSF in ischemic stroke is a subject of controversy. Here, we utilized a recently emerging RNA-targeting CRISPR system known as CasRx, delivered by AAVs, to knockdown Ripk1 mRNA and Nsf mRNA around the ischemic brain tissue. This approach resulted in a reduction in infarct and edema volume, as well as an improvement in neurological deficits assessed by Bederson score, RotaRod test, and Adhesive removal test, which were achieved by RIPK1/receptor-interacting protein kinase 3/mixed lineage kinase domain-like protein signaling pathway involved in neuronal necroptosis. In conclusion, the downregulation of Ripk1 mRNA and Nsf mRNA mediated by CRISPR-CasRx holds promise for future therapeutic applications aimed at ameliorating cerebral lesions and neurological deficits following the ischemic stroke

A taxonomic revision of three Chinese spurless species of genus Epimedium L. (Berberidaceae)

Due to some common or similar features (e.g., small leaf, spurless, yellow flower), three Chinese species of the genus Epimedium (Berberidaceae), E. ecalcaratum, E. platypetalum, and E. campanulatum, are controversial based on morphological characteristics. In the present study, the descriptions of morphological characteristics for the three species were revised based on extensive studies and observations both in field and in herbaria. In general, E. ecalcaratum has long creeping rhizomes 1–3 mm in diameter, two alternate or opposite trifoliolate leaves, 7–14 flowers, and petals obovate and apex subacute. Epimedium platypetalum has short or long-creeping rhizomes 1–3 mm in diameter, one trifoliolate leaf, 2–6 flowers, and petals oblong and apex rounded. Epimedium campanulatum has compact rhizomes 4–6 mm in diameter, two alternate or opposite trifoliolate leaves, 15–43 flowers, and petals obovate and apex rounded. Through comparison, we found that despite the close affinity of these three species, they can be distinguished by rhizome differences, stem-leaves, the morphology of flower (e.g., petals), and the number of per inflorenscence

Analysis and Comparison of the Industrial Economic Resilience in the Taihu Lake Basin under the 2008 Financial Crisis and the 2018 Sino-US Trade War

Since China acceded to the WTO, the industrial economy of urban areas has experienced a prosperous phase. However, disturbed by the global financial crisis and reverse globalization since 2008, the past crude development path has been unsustainable. Therefore, it is urgent and necessary to improve industrial resilience to avoid falling into a declining trap. This study integrates multi-source spatiotemporal information such as enterprise big data and panel data using the methods of GIS spatial analysis, complex network analysis, and multi-indicator comprehensive evaluation to evaluate the industrial economic resilience of Taihu Lake Basin (TLB). Resistance indicators such as resistance sensitivity, industrial land area, and regional economic connections are used to evaluate the resistance ability of the industrial economy in the TLB during the 2008 financial crisis and the 2018 Sino-US trade conflict. Resistance sensitivity and independent innovation ability are introduced to assess the recovery ability after two rounds of shocks, and comprehensive economic resilience is evaluated based on the entropy weighting method. The results show that in the face of the two economic shocks, the industrial economy in the TLB is increasingly vulnerable to external economic shocks and has a significantly stronger ability to adapt to economic shocks. Under successive shocks, the industrial economy of the TLB continues to transition to a new path of innovation, which contributes to higher value-added and more efficient use of industrial land. Shanghai and Suzhou, which not only have shown strong economic resilience of their own but are also centers of independent innovation in the TLB, badly need to further reduce their reliance on low-end manufacturing in the future. Among the other cities, Huzhou and Zhenjiang show the highest level of resilience, while Changzhou, Wuxi, and Jiaxing are at the middle level, and Hangzhou is evaluated as the city with the lowest industrial economic resilience. Changzhou and Wuxi need to further increase the technical complexity of their industrial products, while Jiaxing, Huzhou, and Zhenjiang are supposed to strengthen their economic connections with Shanghai, Suzhou, and Hangzhou to expand the industrial scale further. Although Hangzhou shows the lowest comprehensive resilience, it still has a catalytic role to play in the development of industrial land and the upgrading and transformation of manufacturing in Jiaxing and Huzhou