Lactobacillus from fermented bamboo shoots prevents inflammation in DSS-induced colitis mice via modulating gut microbiome and serum metabolites

Fermented bamboo shoots(FBS)is a region-specific food widely consumed in Southwestern China,with Lactobacillus as the predominant fermenting bacteria.However,the probiotic potential of Lactobacillus derived from FBS reminds largely unexplored,especially for diseases with a low prevalence in areas consuming FBS,namely,inflammatory bowel disease.In this study,Lactiplantibacillus pentosus YQ001 and Lentilactobacillus senioris YQ005 were screening by in vitro probiotic tests to further investigate the probioticlike bioactivity in dextran sulfate sodium(DSS)-induced ulcerative colitis(UC)mouse.They exhibited more positive probiotic effects than Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG in preventing intestinal inflammatory response.The results revealed that both strains improved the abundance of deficient intestinal microbiota in UC mice,including Muribaculaceae and Akkermansia.In the serum metabolome,they modulated the DSS-disturbed levels of metabolites,with significant increment of cinnamic acid.Meanwhile,they reduced the expression levels of interleukin-1β(IL-1β),interleukin-6(IL-6)inflammatory factors and increased zonula occludens-1(ZO-1),Occludin,and cathelicidin-related antimicrobial peptide(CRAMP)in the colon.Consequently,these results demonstrated that Lactobacillus spp.isolates derived from FBS showed promising probiotic activity based on the gut microbiome homeostasis modulation,anti-inflammation and intestinal barrier protection in UC mice.

Calcium-sensitive protein MLC1 as a possible modulator of the astrocyte functional state

Astrocytes,the main population of glial cells in the central nervous system(CNS),exert essential tasks for the control of brain tissue homeostasis,supporting neuron and other glial cell activity from the developmental stage to adult life.To maintain the optimal functionality of the brain,astroglial cells are particularly committed to reacting to every change in tissue homeostatic conditions,from mild modifications of the physiological environment,a process called astrocyte activation,to the more severe alterations occurring in pathological situations causing astrocyte reactivity or reactive astrogliosis(Escartin et al.,2021).During these reactive states,astrocytes mount an active,progressive response encompassing morphological,molecular,and interactional remodeling,leading to the acquisition of new functions and the loss of others,whose intensity,duration,and reversibility are dependent on the nature of the stimulus and regulated in a context-specific manner.

Neuropeptide cholecystokinin:a key neuromodulator for hippocampal functions

Spatial memory is crucial for survival within external surroundings and wild environments.The hippocampus,a critical hub for spatial learning and memory formation,has received extensive investigations on how neuromodulators shape its functions(Teixeira et al.,2018;Zhang et al.,2024).However,the landscape of neuromodulations in the hippocampal system remains poorly understood because most studies focus on classical monoamine neuromodulators,such as acetylcholine,serotonin,dopamine,and noradrenaline.The neuropeptides,comprising the most abundant neuromodulators in the central nervous system,play a pivotal role in neural information processing in the hippocampal system.Cholecystokinin(CCK),one of the most abundant neuropeptides,has been implicated in regulating various physiological and neurobiological statuses(Chen et al.,2019).CCK-A receptor(CCK-AR)and CCK-B receptors(CCK-BR)are two key receptors mediating the biological functions of CCK,both of which belong to class-A sevenfold transmembrane G protein-coupled receptors(Nishimura et al.,2015).CCK-AR preferentially reacts to sulfated CCK,whereas CCK-BR binds both CCK and gastrin with similar affinities(Ding et al.,2022).The expression patterns of CCK-AR and CCK-BR are distinct,implying that CCK has various functions in target regions.For instance,CCK-AR is widely expressed in the GI and brain subregions and is hence implicated in the control of digestive function and satiety regulation.Conversely,CCK-BR is abundantly and widely distributed in the central nervous system,which majorly regulates anxiety,learning,and memory(Ding et al.,2022).However,the roles of endogenous CCK and CCK receptors in regulating hippocampal function at electrophysiological and behavioral levels have received less attention.

Defect Engineering with Rational Dopants Modulation for High‑Temperature Energy Harvesting in Lead‑Free Piezoceramics

High temperature piezoelectric energy harvester(HTPEH)is an important solution to replace chemical battery to achieve independent power supply of HT wireless sensors.However,simultaneously excellent performances,including high figure of merit(FOM),insulation resistivity(ρ)and depolarization temperature(Td)are indispensable but hard to achieve in lead-free piezoceramics,especially operating at 250°C has not been reported before.Herein,well-balanced performances are achieved in BiFeO3–BaTiO3 ceramics via innovative defect engineering with respect to delicate manganese doping.Due to the synergistic effect of enhancing electrostrictive coefficient by polarization configuration optimization,regulating iron ion oxidation state by high valence manganese ion and stabilizing domain orientation by defect dipole,comprehensive excellent electrical performances(Td=340°C,ρ250°C>10^(7)Ωcm and FOM_(250°C)=4905×10^(–15)m^(2)N^(−1))are realized at the solid solubility limit of manganese ions.The HT-PEHs assembled using the rationally designed piezoceramic can allow for fast charging of commercial electrolytic capacitor at 250°C with high energy conversion efficiency(η=11.43%).These characteristics demonstrate that defect engineering tailored BF-BT can satisfy high-end HT-PEHs requirements,paving a new way in developing selfpowered wireless sensors working in HT environments.

Increase in the variability of terrestrial carbon uptake in response to enhanced future ENSO modulation

El Niño-Southern Oscillation(ENSO)is a major driver of climate change in middle and low latitudes and thus strongly influences the terrestrial carbon cycle through land-air interaction.Both the ENSO modulation and carbon flux variability are projected to increase in the future,but their connection still needs further investigation.To investigate the impact of future ENSO modulation on carbon flux variability,this study used 10 CMIP6 earth system models to analyze ENSO modulation and carbon flux variability in middle and low latitudes,and their relationship,under different scenarios simulated by CMIP6 models.The results show a high consistency in the simulations,with both ENSO modulation and carbon flux variability showing an increasing trend in the future.The higher the emissions scenario,especially SSP5-8.5 compared to SSP2-4.5,the greater the increase in variability.Carbon flux variability in the middle and low latitudes under SSP2-4.5 increases by 30.9%compared to historical levels during 1951-2000,while under SSP5-8.5 it increases by 58.2%.Further analysis suggests that ENSO influences mid-and low-latitude carbon flux variability primarily through temperature.This occurrence may potentially be attributed to the increased responsiveness of gross primary productivity towards regional temperature fluctuations,combined with the intensified influence of ENSO on land surface temperatures.

Crystallization Modulation and Holistic Passivation Enables Efficient Two‑Terminal Perovskite/CuIn(Ga)Se_(2)Tandem Solar Cells

Two-terminal(2-T)perovskite(PVK)/CuIn(Ga)Se_(2)(CIGS)tandem solar cells(TSCs)have been considered as an ideal tandem cell because of their best bandgap matching regarding to Shockley–Queisser(S–Q)limits.However,the nature of the irregular rough morphology of commercial CIGS prevents people from improving tandem device performances.In this paper,D-homoserine lactone hydrochloride is proven to improve coverage of PVK materials on irregular rough CIGS surfaces and also passivate bulk defects by modulating the growth of PVK crystals.In addition,the minority carriers near the PVK/C60 interface and the incompletely passivated trap states caused interface recombination.A surface reconstruction with 2-thiopheneethylammonium iodide and N,N-dimethylformamide assisted passivates the defect sites located at the surface and grain boundaries.Meanwhile,LiF is used to create this field effect,repelling hole carriers away from the PVK and C60 interface and thus reducing recombination.As a result,a 2-T PVK/CIGS tandem yielded a power conversion efficiency of 24.6%(0.16 cm^(2)),one of the highest results for 2-T PVK/CIGS TSCs to our knowledge.This validation underscores the potential of our methodology in achieving superior performance in PVK/CIGS tandem solar cells.

Design of Serially Concatenated Two-Level Polar Coded Modulation System with Low-Complexity

Multilevel coding(MLC)is a commonly used polar coded modulation scheme,but challenging to implement in engineering due to its high complexity and long decoding delay for high-order modulations.To address these limitations,a novel two-level serially concatenated MLC scheme,in which the bitlevels with similar reliability are bundled and transmitted together,is proposed.The proposed scheme hierarchically protects the two bit-level sets:the bitlevel sets at the higher level are sufficiently reliable and do not require excessive resources for protection,whereas only the bit-level sets at the lower level are encoded by polar codes.The proposed scheme has the advantages of low power consumption,low delay and high reliability.Moreover,an optimized constellation signal labeling rule that can enhance the performance is proposed.Finally,the superiority of the proposed scheme is validated through the theoretical analysis and simulation results.Compared with the bit interleaving coding modulation(BICM)scheme,under 256-quadrature amplitude modulation(QAM),the proposed scheme attains a performance gain of 1.0 dB while reducing the decoding complexity by 54.55%.

Optimization strategies for operational parameters of Rydberg atom-based amplitude modulation receiver

The Rydberg atom-based receiver, as a novel type of antenna, demonstrates broad application prospects in the field of microwave communications. However, since Rydberg atomic receivers are nonlinear systems, mismatches between the parameters of the received amplitude modulation(AM) signals and the system's linear workspace and demodulation operating points can cause severe distortion in the demodulated signals. To address this, the article proposes a method for determining the operational parameters based on the mean square error(MSE) and total harmonic distortion(THD) assessments and presents strategies for optimizing the system's operational parameters focusing on linear response characteristics(LRC) and linear dynamic range(LDR). Specifically, we employ a method that minimizes the MSE to define the system's linear workspace, thereby ensuring the system has a good LRC while maximizing the LDR. To ensure that the signal always operates within the linear workspace, an appropriate carrier amplitude is set as the demodulation operating point. By calculating the THD at different operating points, the LRC performance within different regions of the linear workspace is evaluated, and corresponding optimization strategies based on the range of signal strengths are proposed. Moreover, to more accurately restore the baseband signal, we establish a mapping relationship between the carrier Rabi frequency and the transmitted power of the probe light, and optimize the slope of the linear demodulation function to reduce the MSE to less than 0.8×10^(-4). Finally, based on these methods for determining the operational parameters, we explore the effects of different laser Rabi frequencies on the system performance, and provide optimization recommendations. This research provides robust support for the design of high-performance Rydberg atom-based AM receivers.

Taming of trinitromethyl-oxadiazole to access high density and high oxygen balance via a dual modulation strategy

Energetic compounds bearing the trinitromethyl group are garnering broad attraction as potential candidates for a new generation of high energy dense oxidizers.In this work,an effective dual modulation strategy involving both molecular isomerization and crystal morphology control was employed to design and optimize trinitromethyl-oxadiazole with improved comprehensive performance.Utilizing this dual strategy,3,5-bis(trinitromethyl)-1,2,4-oxadiazole(3)was synthesized,resulting in the formation of two distinct crystal morphologies(needle and sheet)corresponding to two crystal forms(3-a and3-b).Encouragingly,while maintaining ultra-high oxygen balance(21.73%),3 achieves impressive densities(1.97-1.98 g/cm^(3)).To our knowledge,the density of 1.98 g/cm^(3)for 3-a sets a new record among that of nitrogen-rich monocyclic compounds.Notably,practical crystal morphology prediction was creatively introduced to guide the experimental crystallization conditions of 3,increasing the impact sensitivity and friction sensitivity from 1 J to 80 N(3-a)to 10 J and 240 N(3-b),respectively.Additionally,the crystal structural analyses and theoretical calculations were conducted to elucidate the reasons of differences between 3-a and 3-b in density and stability.This work provides an efficient strategy to enhance performance of trinitromethyl derivatives,broadening the path and expanding the toolbox for energetic materials.

Projective Hilbert modules and sequential approximations

We show that when A is a separable C^(*)-algebra,every countably generated Hilbert A-module is projective(with bounded module maps as morphisms).We also study the approximate extensions of bounded module maps.In the case where A is aσ-unital simple C^(*)-algebra with strict comparison,and every strictly positive lower semicontinuous affine function on quasitraces can be realized as the rank of an element in the Cuntz semigroup,we show that the Cuntz semigroup is equivalent to unitarily equivalent classes of countably generated Hilbert A-modules if and only if A has stable rank one.

A Multi-Task Learning Framework for Joint Sub-Nyquist Wideband Spectrum Sensing and Modulation Recognition

The utilization of millimeter-wave frequencies and cognitive radio(CR)are promising ways to increase the spectral efficiency of wireless communication systems.However,conventional CR spectrum sensing techniques entail sampling the received signal at a Nyquist rate,and they are not viable for wideband signals due to their high cost.This paper expounds on how sub-Nyquist sampling in conjunction with deep learning can be leveraged to remove this limitation.To this end,we propose a multi-task learning(MTL)framework using convolutional neural networks for the joint inference of the underlying narrowband signal number,their modulation scheme,and their location in a wideband spectrum.We demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed framework for real-world millimeter-wave wideband signals collected by physical devices,exhibiting a 91.7% accuracy in the joint inference task when considering up to two narrowband signals over a wideband spectrum.Ultimately,the proposed data-driven approach enables on-the-fly wideband spectrum sensing,combining accuracy,and computational efficiency,which are indispensable for CR and opportunistic networking.

Modulating the microstructure and surface chemistry of carbocatalysts for oxidative and direct dehydrogenation: A review

The catalytic performance of solid catalysts depends on the properties of the catalytically active sites and their accessibility to reactants, which are significantly affected by the microstructure（morphology, shape, size, texture, and surface structure） and surface chemistry（elemental components and chemical states）. The development of facile and efficient methods for tailoring the microstructure and surface chemistry is a hot topic in catalysis. This contribution reviews the state of the art in modulating the microstructure and surface chemistry of carbocatalysts by both bottom‐up and top‐down strategies and their use in the oxidative dehydrogenation（ODH） and direct dehydrogenation（DDH） of hydrocarbons including light alkanes and ethylbenzene to their corresponding olefins, important building blocks and chemicals like oxygenates. A concept of microstructure and surface chemistry tuning of the carbocatalyst for optimized catalytic performance and also for the fundamental understanding of the structure‐performance relationship is discussed. We also highlight the importance and challenges in modulating the microstructure and surface chemistry of carbocatalysts in ODH and DDH reactions of hydrocarbons for the highly‐efficient, energy‐saving,and clean production of their corresponding olefins.

Identification of linear continuous-time system using wavelet modulating filters

An approach to identification of linear continuous-time system is studied with modulating functions. Based on wavelet analysis theory, the multi-resolution modulating functions are designed, and the corresponding filters have been analyzed. Using linear modulating filters, we can obtain an identification model that is parameterized directly in continuous-time model parameters. By applying the results from discrete-time model identification to the obtained identification model, a continuous-time estimation method is developed. Considering the accuracy of parameter estimates, an instrumental variable (Ⅳ) method is proposed, and the design of modulating integral filter is discussed. The relationship between the accuracy of identification and the parameter of modulating filter is investigated, and some points about designing Gaussian wavelet modulating function are outlined. Finally, a simulation study is also included to verify the theoretical results.

Modulating intestinal mucus barrier for nanoparticles penetration by surfactants

Improving peroral delivery efficiency is always a persistent goal for both small-molecule and macromolecular drug development. However,intestinal mucus barrier which greatly impedes drug-loaded nanoparticles penetration is commonly overlooked. Therefore,in this study,taking fluorescent labeled PLGA(poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid)) nanoparticles as a tool,the influence of anionic and nonionic surfactants on mucus penetration ability of nanoparticles and their mucus barrier regulating ability were studied. The movement of PLGA nanoparticles in mucus was tracked by multiple particles tracking method(MPT).Alteration of mucus properties by addition of surfactants was evaluated by rheology and morphology study. Rat intestinal villus penetration study was used to further evaluate penetration enhancement of nanoparticles. The effective diffusivities of the nanoparticles in surfactants pretreated mucus were increased by 2–3 times and the mucus barrier regulating capacity was also surfactant type dependent. Sodium dodecyl sulfate(SDS) increased the complex viscosity and viscoelastic properties of mucus,but poloxamer presented a decreased trend. Tween 80 maintained the rheological property of the mucus. With the mucus barrier regulated by surfactants,the penetration of nanoparticles in intestinal villus was obviously increased. In summary,the mucus penetration ability of nanoparticles could be enhanced by altering mucus microenvironment with surfactants. Tween 80 which largely retains the original mucus rheology and morphology properties may be a promising candidate for facilitating nanoparticle penetration through the mucus barrier with good safety profile.

Optimal transport of cold atoms by modulating the velocity of traps

This work experimentally demonstrates a new method of optimizing the transport of cold atoms via modulating the velocity profile imposed on a magnetic quadrupole trap.The trap velocity and corresponding modulation are controlled by varying the currents of two pairs of anti-Helmholtz coils.Cold 87Rb atoms are transported in a non-adiabatic regime over 22 mm in 200 ms.For the transported atoms their final-vibration amplitude dependences of modulation period number,depth,and initial phase are investigated.With modulation period n = 5,modulation depth K = 0.55,and initial phase φ = 0,cold atom clouds with more atom numbers,smaller final-vibration amplitude,and lower temperature are efficiently transported.Theoretical analysis and numerical simulation are also provided,which are in good agreement with experimental results.

Boron modulating electronic structure of FeN4C to initiate high-efficiency oxygen reduction reaction and high-performance zinc-air battery

The biggest challenge is to develop a low cost and readily available catalyst to replace expensive commercial Pt/C for efficient electrochemical oxygen reduction reaction(ORR).In this research,closo-[B_(12)H_(12)]^(2−)and 1,10-phenanthroline-iron complexes were introduced into the porous metal-organic framework by impregnation method,and further annealing treatment achieved the successful anchoring of single-atom-Fe in B-doped CN Matrix(FeN4CB).The ORR activity of FeN4CB is comparable to the widely used commercial 20 wt%Pt/C.Where the half-wave potential(E_(1/2))in alkaline medium up to 0.84 V,and even in the face of challenging ORR in acidic medium,the E_(1/2)of ORR driven by FeN4CB is still as high as 0.81 V.When FeN4CB was used as air cathode,the open circuit voltage of Zn-air battery reaches 1.435 V,and the power density and specific capacity are as high as 177 mW cm^(−2)and 800 mAh g_(Zn)^(−1)(theoretical value:820 mAh g_(Zn)^(−1)),respectively.The dazzling point of FeN4CB also appears in the high ORR stability,whether in alkaline or acidic media,E_(1/2)and limiting current density are still close to the initial value after 5000 times cycles.After continuously running the charge-discharge test for 220 h,the charge voltage and discharge voltage of the rechargeable zinc-air battery with FeN4CB as the air cathode maintained the initial state.Density functional theory calculations reveals that introducing B atom to Fe–N4–C can adjust the electronic structure to easily break O=O bond and significantly reduce the energy barrier of the rate-determining step resulting in an improved ORR activity.

Role of serotonin in modulating the development and function of adult-born neurons in the olfactory bulb

The neuromodulatory transmitter serotonin(5-hydroxytryptamine,5-HT)is synthesized by neurons located in the brainstem,which project more or less densely to the entire central nervous system(Charnay and Leger,2010).Serotonin regulates a variety of physiological functions,including food intake,reward,reproduction,sleep-wake cycle,memory,cognition,emotion,and mood(Charnay and Leger,2010).

Modulating the microenvironment structure of single Zn atom:ZnN_(4)P/C active site for boosted oxygen reduction reaction

The electronic structure of catalytic active sites can be influenced by modulating the coordination bonding of the central single metal atom,but it is difficult to achieve.Herein,we reported the single Zn-atom incorporated dual doped P,N carbon framework(Zn-N_(4)P/C)for ORR via engineering the surrounding coordination environment of active centers.The Zn-N_(4)P/C catalyst exhibited comparable ORR activity(E_(1/2)=0.86 V)and significantly better ORR stability than that of Pt/C catalyst.It also shows respectable performance in terms of maximum peak power density(249.6 mW cm^(-2)),specific capacitance(779 mAh g^(-1)),and charge-discharge cycling stability for 150 hours in Zn-air battery.The high catalytic activity is attributed to the uniform active sites,tunable electronic/geometric configuration,optimized intrinsic activity,and faster mass transfer during ORR-pathway.Further,theoretical results exposed that the Zn-N_(4)P configuration is more electrochemically active as compared to Zn-N_(4) structure for the oxygen reduction reaction.

A new method of demodulating the digital frequency modulation signals

A new method of estimating the frequency-known signals from the strong background noise was presented first. Then the new method was used in the demodulation of the digital frequency modulation (FSK) signals. The new demodulation method can complete the demodulation of the FSK signals only with the carrier frequency and without any carrier phase information. The simulation results show that the performance of anti-noise of the new method is better than that of the incoherent demodulation method and the fluctuation of the carrier phase has little effect on the new method. So the new demodulation method has a fine prospect in the practical applications.

CaCO3-Assisted Preparation of pH-Responsive Immune-Modulating Nanoparticles for Augmented Chemo-Immunotherapy

Due to the negative roles of tumor microenvironment(TME)in compromising therapeutic responses of various cancer therapies,it is expected that modulation of TME may be able to enhance the therapeutic responses during cancer treatment.Herein,we develop a concise strategy to prepare pH-responsive nanoparticles via the CaCO3-assisted double emulsion method,thereby enabling effective co-encapsulation of both doxorubicin(DOX),an immunogenic cell death(ICD)inducer,and alkylated NLG919(aNLG919),an inhibitor of indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase 1(IDO1).The obtained DOX/aNLG919-loaded CaCO3 nanoparticles(DNCaNPs)are able to cause effective ICD of cancer cells and at the same time restrict the production of immunosuppressive kynurenine by inhibiting IDO1.Upon intravenous injection,such DNCaNPs show efficient tumor accumulation,improved tumor penetration of therapeutics and neutralization of acidic TME.As a result,those DNCaNPs can elicit effective anti-tumor immune responses featured in increased density of tumor-infiltrating CD8+cytotoxic T cells as well as depletion of immunosuppressive regulatory T cells(Tregs),thus effectively suppressing the growth of subcutaneous CT26 and orthotopic 4T1 tumors on the Balb/c mice through combined chemotherapy&immunotherapy.This study presents a compendious strategy for construction of pH-responsive nanoparticles,endowing significantly enhanced chemo-immunotherapy of cancer by overcoming the immunosuppressive TME.