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A simulated design for a temperature-compensated voltage sensor based on photonic crystal fiber (PCF) infiltrated with liquid crystal and ethanol is presented in this paper. The holes distributed across the transverse section of the PCF provide two channels for mode coupling between the liquid crystal or ethanol and the fiber core. The couplings are both calculated accurately and explored theoretically using the finite element method (FEM). The influence of voltage on the alignment of the liquid crystal molecules and confinement loss of the fiber mode are studied. Liquid crystal molecules rotate which changes its properties as the voltage changes. As the characteristics of the liquid crystal will be affected by temperature, therefore, we further fill using ethanol, which is merely sensitive to temperature, into one hole of the PCF to realize temperature compensation. The simulated results show that the sensitivity is up to 1.29977 nm/V with the temperature of 25 °C when the voltage ranges from 365 to 565 V. The standard deviation of the wavelength difference is less than 2 nm within the temperature adjustment from 25 to 50 °C for temperature compensation. The impacts of the construction parameters of the PCF on sensing performances of this voltage sensor are also analyzed in this paper.

Background Among six extant tiger subspecies, the South China tiger ( Panthera tigris amoyensis ) once was widely distributed but is now the rarest one and extinct in the wild. All living South China tigers are descendants of only two male and four female wild-caught tigers and they survive solely in zoos after 60 years of effective conservation efforts. Inbreeding depression and hybridization with other tiger subspecies were believed to have occurred within the small, captive South China tiger population. It is therefore urgently needed to examine the genomic landscape of existing genetic variation among the South China tigers. Results In this study, we assembled a high-quality chromosome-level genome using long-read sequences and re-sequenced 29 high-depth genomes of the South China tigers. By combining and comparing our data with the other 40 genomes of six tiger subspecies, we identified two significantly differentiated genomic lineages among the South China tigers, which harbored some rare genetic variants introgressed from other tiger subspecies and thus maintained a moderate genetic diversity. We noticed that the South China tiger had higher F ROH values for longer runs of homozygosity (ROH > 1 Mb), an indication of recent inbreeding/founder events. We also observed that the South China tiger had the least frequent homozygous genotypes of both high- and moderate-impact deleterious mutations, and lower mutation loads than both Amur and Sumatran tigers. Altogether, our analyses indicated an effective genetic purging of deleterious mutations in homozygous states from the South China tiger, following its population contraction with a controlled increase in inbreeding based on its pedigree records. Conclusions The identification of two unique founder/genomic lineages coupled with active genetic purging of deleterious mutations in homozygous states and the genomic resources generated in our study pave the way for a genomics-informed conservation, following the real-time monitoring and rational exchange of reproductive South China tigers among zoos.

Salinity is one of the most serious threats to sustainable agriculture. The Salt Overly Sensitive (SOS) signaling pathway plays an important role in salinity tolerance in plants, and the SOS2 gene plays a critical role in this pathway. Mulberry not only has important economic value but also is an important ecological tree species; however, the roles of the SOS2 gene associated with salt stress have not been reported in mulberry. To gain insight into the response of mulberry to salt stress, SOS2 (designated MulSOS2) was cloned from mulberry (Morus atropurpurea Roxb), and sequence analysis of the amino acids of MulSOS2 showed that it shares some conserved domains with its homologs from other plant species. Our data showed that the MulSOS2 gene was expressed at different levels in different tissues of mulberry, and its expression was induced substantially not only by NaCl but also by ABA. In addition, MulSOS2 was exogenously expressed in Arabidopsis, and the results showed that under salt stress, transgenic MulSOS2 plants accumulated more proline and less malondialdehyde than the wild-type plants and exhibited increased tolerance to salt stress. Moreover, the MulSOS2 gene was transiently overexpressed in mulberry leaves and stably overexpressed in the hairy roots, and similar results were obtained for resistance to salt stress in transgenic mulberry plants. Taken together, the results of this study are helpful to further explore the function of the MulSOS2 gene, which provides a valuable gene for the genetic breeding of salt tolerance in mulberry.

This paper proposes a terahertz (THz) detector in a 180-nm standard CMOS process. The detector consists of a square loop antenna and an NMOS transistor. The antenna has two feed ports. One is connected to the source of the transistor and the other is grounded to provide the source a dc ground. To improve the power transfer efficiency between the antenna and the transistor, impedance matching between them is needed. It is concluded that in order to increase the voltage responsivity of the detector, impedance matching should be achieved by changing the impedance of the antenna rather than by changing the impedance of the transistor. The parasitic capacitance and inductance of the gate power supply line will affect the antenna-transistor impedance matching. An open microstrip transmission line connected to the gate is designed to eliminate this influence. Measurement results show that the detector can detect THz radiation in the frequency range of 220 to 299 GHz. At 244 GHz, the detector achieves a best voltage responsivity of 2497 V/W and a noise equivalent power (NEP) of 357 pW/Hz 1/2 .

Objective To investigate the effects of polaprezinc (PZ) on cyclophosphamide (CTX)- or cisplatin (DDP)-induced gastric mucosal injury and on a rat model of neurotransmitter-mediated vomiting. Methods Sprague–Dawley rats were divided at random into Control, CTX, DDP, PZ+CTX, and PZ+DDP groups. After 20 days, brain tissues and sera were analyzed for the levels of dopamine (DA), 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT), and nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB). Hematoxylin and eosin-stained sections of stomach, intestine, and brain tissues were examined using light microscopy. Results The levels of DA, 5-HT, and NF-κB in brain and serum samples of rats treated with CTX or DDP were significantly increased compared with those of rats in the Control group. There was a significant decrease in these values in the PZ group. Moreover, PZ reduced damage to brain tissue caused by CTX or DDP. Conclusions PZ decreased the levels of DA, 5-HT, and NF-κB in blood and brain tissues caused by CTX or DDP and reduced the chemotherapy-induced damage to the small intestine, stomach, and brain. These findings can be translated to the clinic to enhance the efficacy and safety of chemotherapy.

One kind of Al2O3 ceramic-lined steel pipe was prepared with the gravitational separation SHS method by using the reaction system of Al-Fe2O3-Cr2O3. The element line scans of transition structure and the element plane scans of ceramic coating far away from transition layer were analyzed by Scanning Electron Microscopy and Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy, and then they were used to discuss the coating structure and interface bonding mechanism, and investigate the element composition distribution of coating. All of these were closely related to improving the properties of ceramic-lined steel pipe. The results showed that a transition layer was formed between metal pipe and ceramic coating, it was due to the gravitational separation and molecular diffusion motion of the reaction products in molten state; in the transition structure the amount of the reaction elements was gradually transitional from the direction of the coating-transition layer-steel pipe, which could reduce the stress difference between the layers; in the coating far away from the transition layer, only small amount of Fe embedded in the ceramic was left in the form of Fe-Cr alloy, while Cr was uniformly enriched in the Al2O3 ceramic, these all have great influence on the anti-corrosion ability of coating.

The mechanism of SC-CO2–brine–rock interaction (SCBRI) and its effect on the mechanical properties of shale are crucial for shale oil development and CO2 sequestration. To clarify the influence of SCBRI on the micromechanics of shale, the lamina and matrix of shale were saturated with SC-CO2–brine for 2, 4, 6, and 8 days, respectively. The micro-scratch technique was then used to measure the localized fracture toughness before and after SC-CO2–brine saturation. Combining the micro-scratch results with SEM-QEMSCAN-EDS analysis, the differences in mineral composition and mechanical properties of lamina (primarily composed of carbonate minerals) and matrix (primarily composed of clay minerals) were studied. The QEMSCAN analysis and micro-scratch results indicate distinct mineralogical compositions and mechanical properties between the lamina and the matrix. The results showed that: (1) SCBRI leads to the decrease in carbonate mineral content and the significant increase in matrix porosity and laminar cracks. In addition, the damage degree increased at saturation for 6 days. (2) SCBRI weakens the mechanical properties of shale. The scratch depth of laminar and matrix increased by 34.38% and 1.02%, and the fracture toughness decreased by 34.38% and 13.11%. It showed a trend of first increasing and then decreasing. (3) SCBRI enhances the plastic deformation behavior of shale, and the plastic index of lamina and matrix increases by 18.75% and 21.58%, respectively. These results are of great significance for evaluating the mechanical properties of shale oil and gas extraction by CO2.

Background Domestication of the wild pig has led to obese and lean phenotype breeds, and evolutionary genome research has sought to identify the regulatory mechanisms underlying this phenotypic diversity. However, revealing the molecular mechanisms underlying muscle phenotype variation based on differentially expressed genes has proved to be difficult. To characterize the mechanisms regulating muscle phenotype variation under artificial selection, we aimed to provide an integrated view of genome organization by weighted gene coexpression network analysis. Results Our analysis was based on 20 publicly available next-generation sequencing datasets of lean and obese pig muscle generated from 10 developmental stages. The evolution of the constructed coexpression modules was examined using the genome resequencing data of 37 domestic pigs and 11 wild boars. Our results showed the regulation of muscle development might be more complex than had been previously acknowledged, and is regulated by the coordinated action of muscle, nerve and immunity related genes. Breed-specific modules that regulated muscle phenotype divergence were identified, and hundreds of hub genes with major roles in muscle development were determined to be responsible for key functional distinctions between breeds. Our evolutionary analysis showed that the role of changes in the coding sequence under positive selection in muscle phenotype divergence was minor. Conclusions Muscle phenotype divergence was found to be regulated by the divergence of coexpression network modules under artificial selection, and not by changes in the coding sequence of genes. Our results present multiple lines of evidence suggesting links between modules and muscle phenotypes, and provide insights into the molecular bases of genome organization in muscle development and phenotype variation.

Objective: MiR-203 has been shown to participate in multiple malignancies, but the role of miR-203 in hepatoblastoma (HB) remains unclear. The aim of our study was to investigate the effects of miR-203 in HB. Methods: A total of 15 pairs of HB tissues and para-tumour normal tissues were collected for the experiments. RT-qPCR and Western blotting were performed to detect the expression of CRNDE, miR-203, and VEGFA at the mRNA and/or protein levels, respectively. A dual luciferase assay verified the target relationship between miR-203 and the 3′UTR of VEGFA as well as miR-203 and CRNDE. In addition, MTT, wound healing, and tube formation assays were performed to assess the effects of miR-203, VEGFA, and CRNDE on cell proliferation, migration, and angiogenesis, respectively. Results: Our data revealed that miR-203 expression was decreased in HB tissues, while long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) CRNDE expression was increased. The dysregulation of miR-203 and CRNDE was closely related to tumour size and stage. Moreover, overexpression of miR-203 inhibited angiogenesis. A dual luciferase assay verified that VEGFA is a direct target of miR-203 and that CRNDE binds to miR-203. Furthermore, our results showed that miR-203 suppressed cell viability, migration, and angiogenesis by regulating VEGFA expression. Additionally, it was confirmed that CRNDE promoted angiogenesis by negatively regulating miR-203 expression. Conclusion: lncRNA CRNDE targets the miR-203/VEGFA axis and promotes angiogenesis in HB. These results provide insight into the underlying mechanisms of HB and indicate that CRNDE and miR-203 might be potential targets for HB therapy.

Recently, we reported a chemical approach to generate pluripotent stem cells from mouse fibroblasts. However, whether chemically induced pluripotent stem cells （CiPSCs） can be derived from other cell types remains to be demonstrated. Here, using lineage tracing, we first verify the generation of CiPSCs from fibroblasts. Next, we demon- strate that neural stem cells （NSCs） from the ectoderm and small intestinal epithelial cells （IECs） from the endoderm can be chemically reprogrammed into pluripotent stem cells. CiPSCs derived from NSCs and IECs resemble mouse embryonic stem cells in proliferation rate, global gene expression profile, epigenetic status, self-renewal and differen- tiation capacity, and germline transmission competency. Interestingly, the pluripotency gene Sall4 is expressed at the initial stage in the chemical reprogramming process from different cell types, and the same core small molecules are required for the reprogramming, suggesting conservation in the molecular mechanism underlying chemical reprogramming from these diverse cell types. Our analysis also shows that the use of these small molecules should be finetuned to meet the requirement of reprogramming from different cell types. Together, these findings demonstrate that full chemical reprogramming approach can be applied in cells of different tissue origins and suggest that chemical reprogramming is a promising strategy with the potential to be extended to more initial types.