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A broadband achromatic phase retarder in the full visible region (wavelength λ∈[400,800 nm]) using subwavelength grating (SWG) is designed, fabricated and tested. For the first time, it is experimentally proved that the achromatic phase retarder in the full visible region can be realized by SWG. An improved method combining enumeration with optimization for designing the achromatic phase retarder with rectangular and sinusoidal SWG is presented. Rigorous coupled wave theory (RCWT) is applied to calculate the diffraction performances. Examples show that the designed phase retarders perform broadband achromatic phase retardation successfully. Compared with the previous methods, the improved method shows the advantages of good versatility and flexibility. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

An integrated diffractive optical mode converter, which can be integrated into planar lightwave circuits (PLCs), consisting of a diffractive optical element (DOE) and a slab waveguide is presented for fiber-to-waveguide coupling. The DOE is designed using iterative phase retrieval algorithm. In the iterative algorithm, we introduce a new modification of far-field amplitude constraint to provide very high mode conversion quality. Compared with previously published mode converters, the scheme is more universal because it is applicable for any waveguide structure. In simulation, coupling losses lower than 0.12 dB have been reached for all the discussed waveguides. The converter is shown to be polarization-insensitive and applicable in multi-wavelength PLCs. And the tolerance on axis misalignment has been investigated. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

An integrated mode converter consisting of two diffractive optical elements (DOEs) and a Silicon slab is presented for low-loss coupling between a semiconductor laser diode (LD) and a single-mode fiber (SMF). The phase structures of the DOEs are designed using iterative phase retrieval algorithm. We introduce a new far-field amplitude constraint into the iteration to provide very high mode conversion quality. Compared with previously published mode converters, the scheme is more universal because it’s applicable for any semiconductor LD. In simulation, coupling losses lower than 0.02 dB are predicted for all the discussed LDs with aspect ratios of the elliptical fields from 1 to 9. The requirements on axial displacement and rotation angle have been removed. The tolerance for 1-dB loss increment for lateral misalignment is 0.9 μm. And the coupling loss is insensitive to tilt angle. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The fast-onset antidepressant actions of ketamine at subanaesthetic doses have attracted enormous interest in psychiatric disease treatment. However, the severe psychotomimetic side effects foster an urgent need to deeply understand the fast-onset antidepressant mechanism of ketamine. Ketamine, as a non-competitive NMDAR antagonist, increases the overall excitability of the mPFC, which is presumed to be essential for the antidepressant action of ketamine. However, the underlying mechanism is still elusive. Here, our results showed that low concentration of ketamine increased the activity and the excitatory/inhibitory ratio of pyramidal neurons; these changes were accompanied by diminished interneurons activity in the mPFC. Moreover, ketamine induced increases in excitatory transmission and antidepressant-like effects, which might rely on the functional intact of GABAergic system in the mPFC. These results suggest a critical role of the mPFC GABAergic system in the fast antidepressant effects of a subanaesthetic dose ketamine. • Ketamine increased the activity of pyramidal neurons but decreased the activity of fast-spiking interneurons in the mPFC. • Ketamine diminished presynaptic inhibitory inputs but strengthened excitatory output of pyramidal neurons in the mPFC. • Ketamine-induced antidepressant effects rely on the intact GABAergic transmission in the mPFC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Heavy metal ions pollution has caused worldwide attention due to its toxicity to people's health. Existing as chromate anions, Cr(VI) is difficult to remove from polluted water. Owing to their low cost, stability, environmentally benign nature, and excellent properties, silicate materials are widely used in catalysis and adsorption. In this work, magnesium silicates with sepiolite and talc phase were synthesized through facile hydrothermal route using diatomite as substrate and silicon source. The Cr removal capacity of wire-like Mg 4 Si 6 O 15 (OH) 2 -diatomite exhibited a Cr adsorption capacity of 1292 mg/g, which was much higher than the other reported inorganic adsorbents. The adsorption followed Freundlich and Temkin models well, indicating that Cr species adsorbed onto adsorbent was a favorable, exothermic multilayer chemisorption process. The first-principles density functional theory (DFT) calculation results revealed the interaction between adsorptive sites of adsorbents and Cr species, also demonstrated ion-exchange behavior between interlayer Mg ion and Cr(III). We believe these low-cost synthesized adsorbents have great potentials for practical applications in the treatment of heavy metal ions polluted wastewater. [Display omitted] • Sepiolite-D was synthesized using diatomite as silicon source and framework. • Sepiolite-D possessed a record high adsorption capacity of 1292 mg/g among all the inorganic adsorbents reported so far. • DFT calculation results demonstrated the important role of adsorptive site and ion exchange ability of adsorbents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• An RRS assay has been developed for the detection of Eca109 cell. • Antibody and aptamer multifunctional gold nanoparticles are used as cell probe. • The sensor has been successfully applied in serum samples. Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) is one of the most common cancers in China. Early and accurate diagnosis is the key to effective treatment of this disease. In this work, a resonance Rayleigh scattering (RRS) strategy was established to determine the concentration of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) over-expressed ESCC cancer cells, which based on the selective binding of the anti-EGFR aptamer (Apt) and anti-EGFR antibody (Ab) multi-functionalized gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) probe (Apt-AuNPs-Ab) to the EGFR-positive cancer cell. When the probe was mixed with the Eca109 ESCC cancer cell, a distinct RRS intensity increase was observed. The probe possesses a dynamic range from 1.0 × 102-5.0 × 105 cell·mL−1 for Eca109 cells, and the detection limit is 20 cell·mL−1. Experimental results with the A2780 ovarian cancer cells line, as well as with the Eca109 ESCC cancer cell line, clearly demonstrated that the RRS assay was sensitive and selective to Eca109 than the other cancer cell lines that express a low level of EGFR. The proposed RRS assay provided a novel platform for detection of EGFR-positive cancer cells and shown the good potential for clinical diagnostics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Landing on the surfaces of small solar system bodies (3SBs) is a prerequisite for maximizing the value of probes and provides technical reserves for the resource development of 3SBs and crewed landings on their surfaces. Motivated by the purposes of space exploration, such as finding the origin of life and developing space resources, launching probes and landing them on 3SBs is attracting increasing attention. The microgravitational environment and uncertain surface characteristics on 3SBs will contribute to the rebounding and tipping over of probes and thus pose great challenges to the landing of probes. In this paper, global deep space missions and plans to explore 3SBs are summarized, and the technologies related to landing mechanisms and sampling-cushioning assemblies are organized. The surface characteristics of 3SBs are important factors affecting the landing process of probes, so the achievements of the surface characteristics that have been obtained by scientific observations are reviewed, and theoretical research on mechanical properties is discussed. For more experience in the landing-cushioning of space probes, the existing landing structures and cushioning assemblies adopted for missions to other extraterrestrial bodies are studied, then their characteristics are analyzed and several novel approaches for landing on 3SBs are proposed. Subsequently, the microgravitational landing experiments and realization methods are sorted. Finally, some discussion about the future development of landing on 3SBs is presented. • Landing on the surface of small solar system bodies helps to maximize probes value. • Few probes have landed on the surface of small solar system bodies. • Microgravity and uncertain surface make challenges to the landing of probes. • Suppression of rebounding and tipping over of probes is crucial issues. • Both passive and controlled active landing-cushioning are worth solutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rhabdomyolysis-associated acute kidney injury (AKI) is life-threatening but effective treatments is lacking. Recently, fatty acid-binding protein 4 (FABP4) has been identified as a mediator of ischemic and toxic AKI through regulating endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress in our previous studies. However, the role of FABP4 in rhabdomyolysis-induced AKI and extended organelle dysfunctions need to be explored and validated. We firstly performed mRNA-seq and bioinformatic analysis to investigate the role of FABP4. The mouse model was established via injecting glycerol to FABP4 wild type (WT) and knockout (KO) mice. Blood biochemical, inflammatory and apoptotic parameters were measured and compared across groups. Representative pathways of ER stress and mitochondrial dysfunction were also detected and quantified. Comparing FABP4 WT and FABP4 KO model groups, FABP4 deficiency significantly attenuated renal dysfunction, by reducing serum creatinine (165.90 ± 15.61 μmol/L vs 35.5 ± 8.33 μmol/L, p < 0.0001) and blood urea nitrogen (89.78 ± 6.82 mmol/L vs 19.75 ± 5.97 mmol/L, p < 0.0001), and alleviating tubular injury scores. Inflammatory and apoptotic responses were alleviated by FABP4 genetic inhibition. Mechanistically, glycerol injection triggered ER stress characterized by activated IRE1, PERK, and ATF6 signaling pathways, and induced mitochondrial dysfunction supported by ultrastructural damage, energy metabolic derangement, and excessive mitochondrial fission (upregulated DRP1/downregulated OPA1). These two organelle dysfunctions were effectively relieved by FABP4 deficiency. Taken together, genetic inhibition of FABP4 protected against rhabdomyolysis-induced AKI via reducing ER stress as well as mitochondrial dysfunction. FABP4 might act as a novel therapeutic target in rhabdomyolysis-induced AKI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The reaction path of preference on three surfaces [Display omitted] • Cu addition makes CH more easily to be oxidized rather than dissociation. • Introducing Cu can make C more easily to be oxidized than that on Ni(111). • Cu 6 Ni 3 surface has the best carbon resistance. The focus of this paper is to solve the carbon deposition on Ni catalyst during dry reforming of methane (DRM). Cu has shown a great carbon resistance in DRM. Different doping ratio of Cu on Ni(111) surface, Cu 1 Ni 8 and Cu 6 Ni 3 , have been studied through density functional theory (DFT), and the same procedure has been proceeded on Ni(111) to compare with. It is found that introducing Cu into Ni(111) surface can weaken the interaction between the surface and the absorbates, thus decrease the energy barrier of CH dissociation. Furthermore, two good linear relationships between the electron transferring from the surface to reactants and the energy barrier of CH dissociation and C2 formation have been discovered. In addition, the adsorption energy and activation energy are obtained, from which the dominated reaction pathway can be deduced. On the three surfaces, the dominated reaction pathways are the same, which can be shown as CH* + O* → HCO* → CO* + H*. However, on the surface of Cu 6 Ni 3 , the activation energy of CH oxidation is 0.63 eV, which is almost half the activation energy on the other two surfaces (1.24 eV and 1.24 eV), indicating that the Cu 6 Ni 3 surface has the extraordinary ability of carbon resistance. Nevertheless, when C is formed on the three surfaces, it would accumulate rather than be oxidized, especially on the Cu 6 Ni 3 surface because it has the lowest energy barrier (0.28 eV). In general, Cu 6 Ni 3 surface having the best carbon resistance for CH* is more easily to be consumed through oxidation than through direct dissociation, thus it can be regarded as one of the potential candidates as the catalyst for DRM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Liriodendron chinense (Hemsl.) Sarg , known as the Chinese tulip tree, has a long history of cultivation and utilization in many Asia countries, especially in China to use in traditional Chinese medicine for expelling "wind and dampness", a term corresponding to rheumatic fever and rheumatoid arthritis. Interestingly, the barks of Liriodendron chinense (Hemsl.) Sarg was also found in folk to treat gout. However, further experimental studies remained to confirm its uric acid-lowering effects. The aim of the study was to evaluate the protective effect of ethanol extract of the barks of Liriodendron chinense (Hemsl.) Sarg (EELC) in a mouse model of hyperuricemic nephropathy (HN) and the involved mechanisms. EELC at a respective dose of 250 mg/kg/d or 500 mg/kg/d were orally administered to HN mice induced by a mixture of adenine (160 mg/kg/d)/potassium oxonate (2.4 g/kg/d) for 21 days. At the end of the treatment, serum uric acid, kidney functions (serum creatinine, blood urea nitrogen and urine microalbumin), 24-h urine uric acid excretion, as well as kidney pathological changes were investigated by biochemical assay, histopathological score, immunofluorescence and histochemistry, RT-qPCR, and western blotting analysis. Oral administration of EELC significantly lowered serum uric acid level at 500 mg/kg (185.75 ± 15.49 μmol/L of EELC vs. 238.28 ± 20.97 μmol/L of HN model, p < 0.01) in HN mice. EELC at 500 mg/kg also remarkably reduced the levels of serum creatinine (82.92 ± 7.86 μmol/L of EELC vs. 92.08 ± 6.13 μmol/L of HN model, p < 0.0001), blood urea nitrogen (21.50 ± 1.87 mmol/L of EELC vs. 29.40 ± 3.95 mmol/L of HN model, p < 0.001) and urine microalbumin (4.25 ± 0.40 mg/L of EELC vs. 5.95 ± 0.33 mg/L of HN model, p < 0.001) to improve renal function. It also attenuated renal fibrosis, especially the high-dose of EELC. Furthermore, EELC could inhibit the activation of NF-κB, ASK1/JNK/c-Jun, JAK2/STAT3 signaling pathways and reduce the release of pro-inflammatory cytokine TNF-α in the kidneys of HN mice. Additionally, EELC remarkably increased urine uric acid excretion of HN mice, which may be achieved by the upregulation of organic anion transporter 1 (OAT1), OAT3 and ATP-binding cassette subfamily G member 2 (ABCG2) proteins. EELC alleviated the progression of HN by suppressing the activation of NF-κB, ASK1/JNK/c-Jun and JAK2/STAT3 signaling pathway, reducing the infiltration of inflammatory factors and uric acid accumulation in the kidney. Image 1 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A new type of tensegrity robot (FTR) based on new class 1 tensegrity system is proposed. • The kinematic and static problems of FTRs are analyzed using the law of minimum energy. • The force space is proposed to present the relationship between external and internal forces acting on the FTR. Tensegrity robots, which are famous for their light weight and high adaptability, have unique potential applications in space exploration and task execution in complex environments. In this paper, a new type of tensegrity robot containing springs is introduced and analysed. The kinematic and static problems of the tensegrity robot are solved using the law of minimum energy. The accessible workspace of the tensegrity robot is calculated using a numerical method according to the kinematic and static model. In addition, the feasible force space, which is the collection of external forces that can be applied to the tensegrity robot in a certain equilibrium configuration, is derived and verified using a particular tensegrity robot as an example. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, non-aqueous Fe(OH) 3 /palygorskite dispersion was prepared and its liquid crystal phase behavior was investigated. Positively charged Fe(OH) 3 colloidal particles were put in to non-aqueous and organically modified palygorskite dispersion. The effects of organically treated palygorskite and Fe(OH) 3 on the preparation of stable palygorskite dispersion were characterized with FT-IR, XRD, Contact Angle measurement, Zeta potential detection, Settlement measurement and SEM, respectively. The addition of Fe(OH) 3 particles shifted the concentrations of the coexisting isotropic and nematic phases to higher values while at the same time markedly accelerated the phase separation. The influence of Fe(OH) 3 particles on the dispersion in magnetic field was also discussed. • Fe(OH) 3 improved organic-Pal dispersity in non-aqueous dispersion. • Fe(OH) 3 could accelerate the phase separation of the palygorskite liquid crystal. • Organic-Pal were orientationally order in a magnetic field aided by Fe(OH) 3. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]