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Long-range surface plasmon resonance (LRSPR) sensors have been extensively studied by virtue of their extremely narrow full width at half maxima (FWHM) characteristics, but their low sensitivity remains an important factor limiting the figure of merit (FOM), making the sensors have difficulties in detecting small refractive index changes accurately. To address this problem, this paper proposes and demonstrates a low dimensional nanostructure (Au nanospheres, WS2) assisted LRSPR sensor to achieve an effective enhancement of the sensor interfaced electric field and thus improve the sensitivity. The performance parameters of the two sensors are compared with the LRSPR sensor by finite element method analysis, and the results showed that the assistance of the low dimensional nanostructure has a positive effect on the sensor. The first refractive index sensing experiment of the WS2-assisted LRSPR sensor was realized with a 25.47% increase in sensitivity and a 7.13% increase in FOM simultaneously, and the Au nanospheres-assisted LRSPR sensor with a 29.23% increase in sensitivity and a 15.95% increase in FOM simultaneously. The introduction of low dimensional nanostructures provides a flexible and effective means of sensitization for LRSPR sensors, making the plasmon resonance sensors combine high sensitivity, narrow FWHM and high FOM, which have promising applications in biochemical sensing.

A coupling enhanced surface plasmon resonance (SPR) sensor based on coreless fiber is proposed. Compared with the common fiber, the coreless fiber is easier to perceive the changes of the external medium environment. As one-dimensional material with superior performance, the Au nano biconical particles are used to improve the sensor performance. Based on the finite element method (FEM), the electric field enhancement effect of the coupling between the SPR of the gold film and the Localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) of the Au nano biconical particles on the surface of the coreless fiber is analyzed, and the experimental results show that the Au nano biconical particles can improve the sensitivity. The sensitivity of the improved Au nano biconical particle sensor is 3514 nm/RIU, which is 64% higher than that of the traditional gold film SPR sensor, and the quality factor is increased by 24%. The new sensor based on Au nano biconical particles and gold film has a good application prospect in biosensor and chemical measurement.

In this work, we firstly used a new two-dimensional (2D) semiconductor material Bi2O2Se for optical-fiber SPR sensor sensitization, proposed and validated a U-shaped optical-fiber SPR sensor with Au film- Bi2O2Se Sandwich structure. The finite element simulation results illustrate that the electric field strength on the surface is 2.08 times higher than that of the pure Au film, which excites a stronger SPR phenomenon thus leading to a high sensitivity of the sensor. The effect of the Radius on the sensor performance was investigated, and the optimal structural parameters were derived to fabricate the sensing probes. The RI sensitivity of the presented sensor is 6827.41 nm/RIU, 1.98 times superior to that of the pure Au film U-shaped optical SPR sensor. The sensor is insensitive to temperature fluctuations and has good repetitive and environmental stability. The proposed sensor has good potential for future applications in biomass detection, which also indicates that Bi2O2Se has good prospects for future applications in optoelectronic devices.

The surface plasmon resonance (SPR) phenomenon is of wide interest due to its sensitivity to changes in surface refractive index for the label-free, highly sensitive and rapid detection of biomarkers. This paper reviews research progress on SPR biosensors modified with different substrate structures and surface materials, surface plasmon resonance imaging (SPRI), and SPR-enhanced electrochemiluminescent (ECL) biosensors for applications in biosensing in the last five years. This paper focuses on the research on the application of the SPR phenomenon in the field of bio-detection, reviews the sensing characteristics of SPR biosensors with substrate structures of prisms, gratings, and optical fibers, and summarizes and analyzes the sensitivity and interference resistance of SPR sensors with surface modification of different materials (high-refractive index dielectric films, metallic micro- and nanostructures, and surface antifouling materials). Considering that imaging is an important tool for biomedical detection, this paper reviews the research progress on SPRI technology in the field of biomedical detection. In addition, this paper also reviews the research progress on SPR-enhanced ECL biosensors in the field of biosensing. Finally, this paper provides an outlook on the development trends of biosensing technology in terms of portable high-precision SPR sensors, reduction of self-loss of thin film materials, optimization of image processing techniques and simplification of electrode modification for ECL sensors.

Genetically encoded molecular tools are crucial for live cell RNA imaging, and few are available for endogenous RNA imaging. We develop a new genetically encoded sensor using conformation switching RNA induced fluorogenic proteins that enable multicolor and signal-amplified imaging of endogenous RNAs. The sensor system is designed with an RNA sensing module and a degron-fused fluorescent protein reporter. Target RNA induces conformation switching of the RNA sensing module to form RNA aptamers that stabilize the degron-fused protein for fluorogenic imaging. This sensor is demonstrated for high-contrast imaging of survivin mRNA abundance and dynamics in live cells. Moreover, the sensor system is extended to a multicolor palette by screening fluorogenic proteins of distinct colors, and engineered into a signal amplifier using the split fluorescent protein design. The sensor is further exploited for imaging lncRNA MALAT-1 and its translocation dynamics during mitosis. Our sensor system can afford a valuable platform for RNA imaging in biomedical research and clinical theranostics.

Cyclic GMP-AMP synthase (cGAS), a cytosolic DNA sensor, acts as a nucleotidyl transferase that catalyzes ATP and GTP to form cyclic GMP-AMP (cGAMP) and plays a critical role in innate immunity. Hyperactivation of cGAS-STING signaling contributes to hyperinflammatory responses. Therefore, cGAS is considered a promising target for the treatment of inflammatory diseases. Herein, we report the discovery and identification of several novel types of cGAS inhibitors by pyrophosphatase (PP

The copolymerization of carbonyl sulfide (COS) with epoxides has been developed to be a facile method to synthesize well-defined sulfur-containing polymers. This work describes the steric effect of tertiary amines on the copolymerization of COS with propylene oxide (PO) via a zwitterionic approach, using triethyl borane (TEB) accompanied by various tertiary amines. N,N-Dimethylcyclohexylamine accompanied by TEB (1/1) showed an exceedingly high turnover frequency of up to 69 800 h−1 and a copolymer selectivity of up to >99% for organocatalytic COS/PO copolymerization at 60 °C under solvent-free conditions. The obtained poly(propylene monothiocarbonate)s (PPMTC)s have fully alternating sequences, regioregularity of >99% tail-to-head (T–H) content, and high-number average molecular weights of up to 221.8 kg mol−1 and narrow dispersities (1.1–1.3) within 1 min. We disclosed that tertiary amines (pKa values range from 8.19 to 10.80) with less steric hindrance exhibited higher catalytic activity for COS/PO copolymerization.

Background. Acupuncture is often used to treat chronic conditions, such as pain. In recent years, given the importance of the explosive forces generated by shoulder muscles for the completion of motor tasks, studies in which nerves were stimulated through acupuncture to increase the explosive forces were conducted. This study explored the effect of acupuncture on explosive force production by the muscles of the female shoulder joint. Methods. Eighteen healthy women underwent shoulder adduction (Add), abduction (Abd), flexion (Flex), and extension (Ext) tests with an isokinetic measurement system. Acupuncture was used to stimulate the Zhongfu (LU1), Tianfu (LI3), Xiabai (LU4), Binao (LI14), Naohui (SJ13), Jianliao (SJ14), and Xiaoluo (SJ12) points, and electromyography (EMG) signals were recorded before and after acupuncture. Results. After acupuncture, there was a significant difference in the average maximum work, the average maximum power, the average maximum speed, the total work in Add/Abd and Flex/Ext, the EMG signals, and the stiffness of the muscles in Abd and Ext ( P < 0.05 ). There were no significant differences in the average maximum torque in Abd or Flex. Conclusion. Based on the results, there may be a significant correlation between the manipulation of different acupoints by acupuncture and the average maximum torque and stiffness. Acupuncture may stimulate nerves to activate muscles and induce a postactivation potentiation effect that improves explosive force production. Therefore, acupuncture as an auxiliary tool may increase the explosive forces generated by acupoint-related muscles by stimulating nerves.

Based on the daily average concentration of PM

Alginate oligosaccharide (AOS) has the function to inhibit tumor progression and the sulfated modification can enhance the antitumor activity. To date, the function and mechanism of sulfated AOS (AOS-SO4) in tumors remain largely elusive. We prepared AOS by the enzymatic degradation of alginate, collected AOS-SO4 by sulfating following the canonical procedure. Using these materials, in vitro assays showed that both AOS and AOS-SO4 elicited antitumor effects in osteosarcoma cells. Sulfated modification significantly enhanced the antitumor activity. In addition, AOS-SO4 had obvious effects on cell cycle arrest, apoptosis, and autophagy induction in vitro and in vivo. Mechanistically, we observed that AOS-SO4 treatment triggered proapoptotic autophagy by inhibiting MEK1/ERK/mTOR signaling. The ERK activator reversed AOS-SO4-induced autophagy. More importantly, we found that KSR1 interacted with MEK1 and functioned as a positive regulator of MEK1 protein in osteosarcoma cells. High KSR1 expression was significantly associated with poor survival in osteosarcoma patients. Together, these results suggest that AOS-SO4 has a better antitumor effect in osteosarcoma by inhibiting MEK1/ERK/mTOR signaling, which is KSR1-dependent; thus, AOS-SO4 can be a new potential therapeutic candidate for the treatment of osteosarcoma.

Shoes of different weights affect proprioception. Drop jump (DJ) tasks are often used to explore the risks and mechanisms of lower limb injuries. Leg dominance mainly refers to differences between the dominant and nondominant legs. Eight males and eight females participated in this study. The weights of the shoes in this investigation were 255 g, 335 g, and 415 g, and the heights of the DJ were 30 cm, 40 cm, and 50 cm. The side-to-side asymmetry of the time of contact initiation for the 30DJ was greater than that of the 40DJ and 50DJ, and the asymmetry for shoes weighing 415 g and 355 g was greater than that for shoes weighing 255 g. When the drop height increased, the side-to-side asymmetry of the peak ground reaction force (PGRF). also increased. The ground contact time increased as the drop height increased to 50DJ. Higher drop heights caused greater side-to-side asymmetry of the PGRF. Heavier shoes caused the peak ground reaction force time (PGRFT) in the nondominant leg to appear earlier, reduced the jump height and affected the performance. Heavier shoes caused greater side-to-side asymmetry at the initial ground contact and at the ground contact time, affecting training effectiveness.

Soil management practices affect rhizosphere microorganisms and enzyme activities, which in turn influence soil ecosystem processes. The objective of this study was to explore the effects of different nitrogen application rates on wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) rhizosphere soil microorganisms and enzyme activities, and their temporal variations in relation to soil fertility under supplemental irrigation conditions in a fluvo-aquic region. For this, we established a split-plot experiment for two consecutive years (2014–2015 and 2015–2016) in the field with three levels of soil moisture: water deficit to no irrigation (W1), medium irrigation to (70±5)% of soil relative moisture after jointing stage (W2), and adequate irrigation to (80±5)% of soil relative moisture after jointing stage (W3); and three levels of nitrogen: 0 kg ha−1 (N1), 195 kg ha−1 (N2) and 270 kg ha−1 (N3). Results showed that irrigation and nitrogen application significantly increased rhizosphere microorganisms and enzyme activities. Soil microbiological properties showed different trends in response to N level; the highest values of bacteria, protease, catalase and phosphatase appeared in N2, while the highest levels of actinobacteria, fungi and urease were observed in N3. In addition, these items performed best under medium irrigation (W2) relative to W1 and W3; particularly the maximum microorganism (bacteria, actinobacteria and fungi) amounts appeared at W2, 5.37×107 and 6.35×107 CFUs g−1 higher than those at W3 in 2014–2015 and 2015–2016, respectively; and these changes were similar in both growing seasons. Microbe-related parameters fluctuated over time but their seasonality did not hamper the irrigation and fertilization-induced effects. Further, the highest grain yields of 13 309.2 and 12 885.7 kg ha−1 were both obtained at W2N2 in 2014–2015 and 2015–2016, respectively. The selected properties, soil microorganisms and enzymes, were significantly correlated with wheat yield and proved to be valuable indicators of soil quality. These results clearly demonstrated that the combined treatment (W2N2) significantly improved soil microbiological properties, soil fertility and wheat yield on the Huanghuai Plain, China.

Phaeosphaeria chinensis sp. nov. was found on dead leaves, collected from Guangdong Province, China. Morphology of the new species was compared with other Phaeosphaeria species and related genera of Phaeosphaeriaceae. Phylogenetic analyses of combined ITS, LSU, SSU and TEF-1 sequence data based on maximum parsimony (MP), maximum likelihood (ML) and Bayesian inference (BI) revealed that P. chinensis as a distinct species within the Phaeosphaeria with high bootstrap support. The comparison of the new species with other Phaeosphaeria species and a comprehensive description and micrographs are provided. The linkage of sexual and asexual morphs of the new species is also showed.

Background: Visual feedback from the center of pressure (COP) on the benefits of standing quietly remains controversial. The study was to investigate the adaptive effect of COP real-time visual feedback training provided by smart wearable devices on standing in silence. Methods: Thirty healthy female college students were randomly divided into three groups (visual feedback balance training group (VFT), non-visual feedback balance training group (NVFT) and control group (CG)) .Two force plates were used to calculate the coordinates of COP anteroposterior (COPAP) and COP mediolateral (COPML).The motion analysis system is used to calculate the coordinates of the center of mass in two directions. Enhanced visual feedback on the screen in the form of fluctuating in different directions, VFT received real-time visual feedback from Podoon APP for training, the NVFT only performs open eye balance without receiving real-time visual feedback. The CG group did not receive any visual feedback. The training lasted 4 weeks, the training lasts 30 minutes at an interval of 1 days. Results: After four weeks of balance training, the results showed that visual feedback training can improve the stability of human posture control by one leg stance and tandem stance static balance training on VFT intelligent App. The parameters of COPML/AP max displacement, COPML/AP velocity and COP radius and COP area in the VFT were significantly increased (p＜0.05).Conclusion: The conclusion shows that COP real-time visual feedback training provided by smart wearable devices can reduce postural sway better and improve body balance ability than general training when standing quietly.

Canopy nitrogen content in wheat is a key indicator of wheat grain yield and quality. When using remote sensing technology to predict wheat canopy nitrogen content, a hyperspectral mode with high adaptability and high accuracy is needed to improve the inversion efficiency. We developed a new three-band spectral vegetation index (NEW-NDRE) by combining a two-band spectral index NDRE and the spectral reflectance at 550 nm based on field data collected from different sites, years, with different varieties and nitrogen levels and at multiple growth stages. The NEW-NDRE was compared with 11 traditional spectral vegetation indices in terms of wheat canopy nitrogen content inversion. NEW-NDRE and three traditional indices (NDRE, NDDA and RI-1dB) all closely correlated with wheat canopy nitrogen content. NEW-NDRE displayed the highest correlation with wheat canopy nitrogen content at early grain filling stage, with a coefficient (R冬小麦冠层叶片氮含量是反映其产量与品质的重要指标,构建高普适性、高精准性冬小麦冠层叶片氮含量高光谱反演模型对提高其监测效率具有重要意义。以不同地点、品种、年份、施氮水平、生育期的大田试验数据为基础,基于两波段光谱植被指数NDRE和550 nm光谱反射率组合构建一个三波段植被指数NEW-NDRE,并与11个传统冬小麦冠层叶片氮素光谱指数进行比较。结果表明: NEW-NDRE及传统植被指数中NDRE、NDDA、RI-1dB与冬小麦冠层叶片氮含量的相关性较好;其中,灌浆初期NEW-NDRE与冬小麦冠层叶片氮含量相关性最好,决定系数

A subwavelength asymmetric grating refractive index (RI) sensor based on quasi-bound states in the continuum (q-BIC) with temperature self-compensation was proposed. The sensor structure consisted of a prism/asymmetric grating/analytes, where the grating layers were periodically arranged asymmetric silicon (Si) and polydimethylsiloxane. The asymmetry of the structure led to the fact that the tangential field component and the radiative field component in the grating layer were no longer in a fully decoupled state at the resonance position, creating two extremely narrow q-BIC resonance peaks, which gave the sensor a high figure of merit (FOM) and a low detection limit (DL). In addition, the thermo-optical coefficient of the materials made one of the resonance peaks more sensitive to temperature changes, realizing the temperature self-compensation of RI detection and thus improving the detection accuracy. From the results, reducing the asymmetry of the structure by modifying the parameters could theoretically make FOM > 5.1 × 106 RIU−1 and DL < 9.8 × 10−9 RIU. For the RI sensor with temperature self-compensation, FOM = 3057.85 RIU−1 and DL = 1.64 × 10−5 RIU for the RI, FOM = 0.88 °C−1 and DL = 0.057 °C for the temperature. These findings could effectively improve the temperature interference resistance of the sensor and thus the accuracy of trace substance detection.

To evaluate the effects of a 48-week course of adefovir dipivoxil (ADV) plus Chinese medicine (CM) therapy, namely Tiaogan Jianpi Hexue (调肝健脾和血) and Tiaogan Jiedu Huashi (调肝解毒化湿) fomulae, in hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg)-positive Chinese patients. A total of 605 HBeAg-positive Chinese CHB patients were screened and 590 eligible participants were randomly assigned to 2 groups in 1:1 ratio including experimental group (EG, received ADV plus CM) and control group (CG, received ADV plus CM-placebo) for 48 weeks. The major study outcomes were the rates of HBeAg and HBV-DNA loss on week 12, 24, 36, 48, respectively. Secondary endpoints including liver functions (enzymes and bilirubin readings) were evaluated every 4 weeks at the beginning of week 24, 36, and 48. Routine blood, urine, and stool analyses in addition to electrocardiogram and abdominal B scan were monitored as safety evaluations. Adverse events (AEs) were documented. The combination therapy demonstrated superior HBeAg loss at 48 weeks, without additional AEs. The full analysis population was 560 and 280 in each group. In the EG, population achieved HBeAg loss on week 12, 24, 36, and 48 were 25 (8.90%), 34 (12.14%), 52 (18.57%), and 83 (29.64%), respectively; the equivalent numbers in the CG were 20 (7.14%), 41 (14.64%), 54 (19.29%), and 50 (17.86%), respectively. There was a statistically significant difference between these group values on week 48 (P

Purpose We investigate the interocular symmetry of fixation, optic disc, and corneal astigmatism in bilateral high myopia, and evaluate the predictive relationships between them. Methods We enrolled 202 cases with bilateral high myopia. Fixation, in terms of the bivariate contour ellipse area (BCEA), was evaluated with the Macular Integrity Assessment microperimetry. Optic disc features, including orientation, tilt, and rotation, were evaluated with ultrawide-field retinal photographs. Corneal topography was performed with Pentacam. Interocular symmetry of fixation, optic disc, and corneal astigmatism was assessed, and the predictive relationships between these parameters were investigated. Results Axial length differences between the two eyes were: ≥0 to ≤1 mm, 67.8%; 1 to ≤2 mm, 20.3%; 2 to ≤3 mm, 9.4%; and >3 mm, 2.5%. Axial length, 95% BCEA, and magnitude of corneal astigmatism showed good interocular symmetry, whereas the optic disc tilt, rotation, and axis of corneal astigmatism (mirror axes) showed less symmetry (all P < 0.05). No interocular symmetry was observed in the direction of the fixation ellipse. In both eyes, the corneal steep meridian more often was consistent with the optic disc orientation than inconsistent (right eye [OD], P < 0.001; left eye [OS], P = 0.029). Conclusions As different parameters presented different degrees of symmetry, cautions are needed when including both eyes or only one lateral eye in cases of bilateral high myopia for clinical investigations. The optic disc orientation, to some extent, may indicate the steep meridian of the cornea. Translational Relevance Our study provided evidences for selection of eye laterality in clinical investigations of highly myopic eyes.

A field experiment was conducted to study the effects of reduced nitrogen application and supplemental irrigation on the light environment, photosynthetic characteristics and yield components in high-yield wheat population. The treatments included three irrigation schedules [no irrigation (W在大田条件下,设自然降水(W

A parallel and fully implicit method is developed for numerical simulations of the thermal convection of an incompressible fluid in a rotating spherical shell. The method is based on a pseudo-compressibility approach with dual time stepping in order to tackle with the numerical difficulty of the solenoidal condition in the incompressible Navier-Stokes equations. The numerical solution of the nonlinear governing equations is based on the method of lines, whereby the partial differential equations are transformed into ordinary differential equations by a suitable spatial discretization. A second-order cell-centered finite volume discretization based on a collocated cubed-sphere grid is used here. In order to relax the time step limit and accurately integrate the semi-discrete nonlinear ordinary differential equations in time, we employ a second-order explicit-first-step, single-diagonal-coefficient, diagonally implicit Runge–Kutta (ESDIRK) method with adaptive time stepping. The nonlinear algebraic system arising at each pseudo-time step is solved by a Newton–Krylov–Schwarz algorithm to achieve good load balance on modern supercomputers. The numerical results are in good agreement with the benchmark solutions and more accurate than those obtained with a fractional step approach in our previous research. Large-scale tests on the Tianhe-2 supercomputer indicate that the fully implicit solver can achieve good parallel scalabilities in both strong and weak senses.

Introduction Intra-articular injection of hyaluronic acid (HA) is often used as therapy for knee osteoarthritis because it is less expensive and less aggressive than total knee replacement. Therefore, it is important to document whether HA is safe and efficacious. We tested whether single and multiple injection viscosupplementation with HA is associated with clinically meaningful pain relief in a new randomized clinical trial (RCT). Our objective was to compare safety and efficacy of intra-articular HA in two formulations: one 3.0 ml injection of Durolane versus five 2.5 ml injections of Artz for the treatment of knee osteoarthritis pain. Methods Patients (N = 349) from the People’s Republic of China were randomized to treatment (Durolane = 175, Artz = 174). The Durolane group received a 3.0 ml injection at week 0 (baseline), with sham skin punctures at weeks 1, 2, 3, and 4. The Artz group received one 2.5 ml injection at each of the same time points. The primary assessment tool was the Likert-type Western Ontario and McMaster University (WOMAC) pain scale at weeks 0, 6, 10, 14, 18, and 26. Secondary assessments were WOMAC physical function, knee stiffness, and global self-assessment, at identical time points. Statistically-controlled analyses were non-inferiority of Durolane over 18, then over 26 weeks, with a priori non-inferiority defined as 8% of the relevant scale. Acetaminophen was permitted as rescue analgesia and all adverse events (AEs) were recorded. Results Overall study retention was excellent; 332 patients (95.1%) completed 18 weeks and 319 (91.4%) completed 26 weeks, with no significant retention difference between treatment arms. All variables met non-inferiority criteria over 18 and 26 weeks. Efficacy response in both arms was >90%. Treatment-related AEs were 9.8% (17/174) for Artz and 13.1% (23/175) for Durolane. Conclusions A single injection of Durolane is non-inferior to 5 injections of Artz over 18 and 26 weeks for pain, physical function, global self-assessment, and knee stiffness. Both treatments were efficacious, safe, and well tolerated. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov NCT01295580. Registered 11 February 2011.

The probabilistic restitution model was adopted by fitting probability functions with Gauss-Hermite method for the integral inlet separator particle trajectory simulation compared with deterministic restitution model and elastic collision model. Result shows that the above three bounce models perform well in AC coarse sand separation prediction. For C-spec sand, results based on elastic collision model deviate from test data seriously, and the deterministic restitution model over predicts its separation efficiency, especially for the swirling inlet particle separator, while the probabilistic restitution model achieves an intermediate value which shows a good agreement with test data.

Two ruthenium(II) complexes [Ru(TTF-terpy)(terpy)][PF(6)](2) (terpy = 2,2':6',2''-terpyridine) (1) and [Ru(TTF-terpy)(2)][PF6](2) (2) were synthesized by reactions of Ru(terpy)(dmso)(2)Cl(2) or cis-Ru(dmso)(4)Cl(2) with 4'-tetrathiafulvalene-2,2':6',2''-terpyridine (TTF-terpy), respectively. The crystal structure of 1 has been determined by X-ray crystallography. In the crystal of complex 1, molecules are seized together into 1D chains via pi···pi stacking interactions. The electrochemical and spectroscopic properties of these compounds have been studied. The results show that these Ru(II) complexes show stepwise redox processes in solution, and are promising building blocks for the construction of multi-functional materials.