Nondegenerate Soliton Solutions of(2+1)-Dimensional Multi-Component Maccari System

For a multi-component Maccari system with two spatial dimensions,nondegenerate one-soliton and two-soliton solutions are obtained with the bilinear method.It can be seen by drawing the spatial graphs of nondegenerate solitons that the real component of the system shows a cross-shaped structure,while the two solitons of the complex component show a multi-solitoff structure.At the same time,the asymptotic analysis of the interaction behavior of the two solitons is conducted,and it is found that under partially nondegenerate conditions,the real and complex components of the system experience elastic collision and inelastic collision,respectively.

ON MONOTONE TRAVELING WAVES FOR NICHOLSON'S BLOWFLIES EQUATION WITH DEGENERATE p-LAPLACIAN DIFFUSION

We study the existence and stability of monotone traveling wave solutions of Nicholson's blowflies equation with degenerate p-Laplacian diffusion.We prove the existence and nonexistence of non-decreasing smooth traveling wave solutions by phase plane analysis methods.Moreover,we show the existence and regularity of an original solution via a compactness analysis.Finally,we prove the stability and exponential convergence rate of traveling waves by an approximated weighted energy method.

Mitochondria-engine with self-regulation to restore degenerated intervertebral disc cells via bioenergetic robust hydrogel design

Previous studies have confirmed that intervertebral disc degeneration(IDD)is closely associated with inflammation-induced reactive oxygen species(ROS)and resultant cell mitochondrial membrane potential(MMP)decline.Clearance of ROS in an inflammatory environment is essential for breaking the vicious cycle of MMP decline.Additionally,re-energizing the mitochondria damaged in the inflammatory milieu to restore their function,is equally important.Herein,we proposed an interesting concept of mitochondrion-engine equipped with coolant,which enables first to“cool-down”the inflammatory environment,next to restore the MMP,finally to allow cells to regain normal energy metabolism through materials design.As such,we developed a multifunctional composite composed of a reactive oxygen species(ROS)-responsive sodium alginate/gelatin hydrogel infused into a rigid 3D-printed thermoplastic polyurethane(TPU)scaffold.The TPU scaffold was coated with conductive polypyrrole(PPy)to electrophoretically deposit L-arginine,which could upregulate the Mammalian target of rapamycin(mTOR)pathway,thus increasing MMP and energy metabolism to stimulate extracellular matrix synthesis for IVD repair.While the ROS-responsive hydrogel acting as the“mito-engine coolant”could scavenge the excessive ROS to create a favorable environment for IVD cells recovery.Demonstrated by in vitro and in vivo evaluations,the mito-engine system markedly promoted the proliferation and collagen synthesis of nucleus pulposus cells while enhancing the mitochondrial respiration and MMP under oxidative stress.Radiological and histological assessments in vivo revealed the efficacy of this system in IVD repair.This unique bioinspired design integrated biomaterial science with mitochondrial biology,presents a promising paradigm for IDD treatment.

Existence of Entropy Solution for Degenerate Parabolic-Hyperbolic Problem Involving p(x)-Laplacian with Neumann Boundary Condition

We consider a strongly non-linear degenerate parabolic-hyperbolic problem with p(x)-Laplacian diffusion flux function. We propose an entropy formulation and prove the existence of an entropy solution.

AN ALGEBRAIC APPROACH TO DEGENERATE APPELL POLYNOMIALS AND THEIR HYBRID FORMS VIA DETERMINANTS

It is remarkable that studying degenerate versions of polynomials from algebraic point of view is not limited to only special polynomials but can also be extended to their hybrid polynomials.Indeed for the first time,a closed determinant expression for the degenerate Appell polynomials is derived.The determinant forms for the degenerate Bernoulli and Euler polynomials are also investigated.A new class of the degenerate Hermite-Appell polynomials is investigated and some novel identities for these polynomials are established.The degenerate Hermite-Bernoulli and degenerate Hermite-Euler polynomials are considered as special cases of the degenerate Hermite-Appell polynomials.Further,by using Mathematica,we draw graphs of degenerate Hermite-Bernoulli polynomials for different values of indices.The zeros of these polynomials are also explored and their distribution is presented.

Lumbar instability remodels cartilage endplate to induce intervertebral disc degeneration by recruiting osteoclasts via Hippo-CCL3 signaling

Degenerated endplate appears with cheese-like morphology and sensory innervation,contributing to low back pain and subsequently inducing intervertebral disc degeneration in the aged population.1 However,the origin and development mechanism of the cheese-like morphology remain unclear.Here in this study,we report lumbar instability induced cartilage endplate remodeling is responsible for this pathological change.

Nuance of inward rectifying potassium(Kir)channel dysfunctions in neurodegenerative diseases

Neurodegenerative disorders are highly prevalent and diverse in nature.Their manifestation largely depends on the cell types involved,with aberrant inflammatory episodes progressively inducing a constellation of phenotypes that are classified into specific diseases based on their neuropathological traits.The two most prevalent neurodegenerative diseases worldwide,Alzheimer’s disease(AD)and Parkinson’s disease(PD),for example,share notable similarities,yet they differ in terms of the specific cell types lost within the central nervous system(CNS).The significant and progressive loss of cortical and certain subcortical neurons in various regions is a major defining trait of AD.In contrast,the specific loss of dopaminergic neurons(DA)within the substantial nigra pars compacta(SNpc)is sufficient to cause motor symptoms associated with PD.Another devastating condition arising from neurodegeneration within the CNS,amyotrophic lateral sclerosis(ALS),results in the progressive death of upper and lower motor neurons.This degeneration originates in oligodendrocytes,whose defective myelination abilities lead to the denervation of the anterior horn,aggravating motor neuron death.

Taurine: a promising nutraceutic in the prevention of retinal degeneration

Taurine is considered a non-essential amino acid because it is synthesized by most mammals.However,dietary intake of taurine may be necessary to achieve the physiological levels required for the development,maintenance,and function of certain tissues.Taurine may be especially important for the retina.The concentration of taurine in the retina is higher than that in any other tissue in the body and taurine deficiency causes retinal oxidative stress,apoptosis,and degeneration of photoreceptors and retinal ganglion cells.Low plasma taurine levels may also underlie retinal degeneration in humans and therefore,taurine administration could exert retinal neuroprotective effects.Taurine has antioxidant,anti-apoptotic,immunomodulatory,and calcium homeostasis-regulatory properties.This review summarizes the role of taurine in retinal health and disease,where it appears that taurine may be a promising nutraceutical.

Using choroidal thickness to detect myopic macular degeneration

AIM:To explore the usage of choroidal thickness measured by swept-source optical coherence tomography(SS-OCT)to detect myopic macular degeneration(MMD)in high myopic participants.METHODS:Participants with bilateral high myopia(≤−6 diopters)were recruited from a subset of the Guangzhou Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center-Brien Holden Vision Institute High Myopia Cohort Study.SS-OCT was performed to determine the choroidal thickness,and myopic maculopathy was graded by the International Meta-Analysis for Pathologic Myopia(META-PM)Classification.Presence of MMD was defined as META-PM category 2 or above.RESULTS:A total of 568 right eyes were included for analysis.Eyes with MMD(n=106,18.7%)were found to have older age,longer axial lengths(AL),higher myopic spherical equivalents(SE),and reduced choroidal thickness in each Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study(ETDRS)grid sector(P<0.001).The area under the receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curves(AUC)for subfoveal choroidal thickness(0.907)was greater than that of the model,including age,AL,and SE at 0.6249,0.8208,and 0.8205,respectively.The choroidal thickness of the inner and outer nasal sectors was the most accurate indicator of MMD(AUC of 0.928 and 0.923,respectively).An outer nasal sector choroidal thickness of less than 74μm demonstrated the highest odds of predicting MMD(OR=33.8).CONCLUSION:Choroidal thickness detects the presence of MMD with high agreement,particularly of the inner and outer nasal sectors of the posterior pole,which appears to be a biometric parameter more precise than age,AL,or SE.

Ground State and Its Topological Properties of Three-Dimensional Spin-Orbit Coupled Degenerate Fermi Gases

Three-dimensional(3D)degenerate Fermi gases in the presence of spin-orbit coupling,inducing various kinds of physical findings and phenomena,have attracted tremendous attention in these years.We investigate the 3D spin-orbit coupled degenerate Fermi gases in theory and first present the analytic expression of their ground state.Our study provides an innovative perspective into understanding of the topological properties of 3D unconventional superconductors,and describes the topological phase transitions in trivial and topological phase areas.Further,such a system is provided with a richer set of Cooper pairings than traditional superconductors.The dual Cooper pairs with same spin directions emerge and exhibit peculiar behaviors,leading to topological phase transitions.Our study and discussion can be generalized to some other types of unconventional superconductors and areas of optical lattices.

Neutrophil peptide 1 accelerates the clearance of degenerative axons during Wallerian degeneration by activating macrophages after peripheral nerve crush injury

Macrophages play an important role in peripheral nerve regeneration,but the specific mechanism of regeneration is still unclear.Our preliminary findings indicated that neutrophil peptide 1 is an innate immune peptide closely involved in peripheral nerve regeneration.However,the mechanism by which neutrophil peptide 1 enhances nerve regeneration remains unclear.This study was designed to investigate the relationship between neutrophil peptide 1 and macrophages in vivo and in vitro in peripheral nerve crush injury.The functions of RAW 264.7 cells we re elucidated by Cell Counting Kit-8 assay,flow cytometry,migration assays,phagocytosis assays,immunohistochemistry and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.Axonal debris phagocytosis was observed using the CUBIC(Clear,Unobstructed Brain/Body Imaging Cocktails and Computational analysis)optical clearing technique during Wallerian degeneration.Macrophage inflammatory factor expression in different polarization states was detected using a protein chip.The results showed that neutrophil peptide 1 promoted the prolife ration,migration and phagocytosis of macrophages,and CD206 expression on the surfa ce of macrophages,indicating M2 polarization.The axonal debris clearance rate during Wallerian degeneration was enhanced after neutrophil peptide 1 intervention.Neutrophil peptide 1 also downregulated inflammatory factors interleukin-1α,-6,-12,and tumor necrosis factor-αin invo and in vitro.Thus,the results suggest that neutrophil peptide 1 activates macrophages and accelerates Wallerian degeneration,which may be one mechanism by which neutrophil peptide 1 enhances peripheral nerve regeneration.

Visualizing Wallerian degeneration in the corticospinal tract after sensorimotor cortex ischemia in mice

Stroke can cause Wallerian degeneration in regions outside of the brain,particularly in the corticospinal tract.To investigate the fate of major glial cells and axons within affected areas of the corticospinal tract following stroke,we induced photochemical infarction of the sensorimotor cortex leading to Wallerian degeneration along the full extent of the corticospinal tract.We first used a routine,sensitive marker of axonal injury,amyloid precursor protein,to examine Wallerian degeneration of the corticospinal tract.An antibody to amyloid precursor protein mapped exclusively to proximal axonal segments within the ischemic cortex,with no positive signal in distal parts of the corticospinal tract,at all time points.To improve visualization of Wallerian degeneration,we next utilized an orthograde virus that expresses green fluorescent protein to label the corticospinal tract and then quantitatively evaluated green fluorescent protein-expressing axons.Using this approach,we found that axonal degeneration began on day 3 post-stroke and was almost complete by 7 days after stroke.In addition,microglia mobilized and activated early,from day 7 after stroke,but did not maintain a phagocytic state over time.Meanwhile,astrocytes showed relatively delayed mobilization and a moderate response to Wallerian degeneration.Moreover,no anterograde degeneration of spinal anterior horn cells was observed in response to Wallerian degeneration of the corticospinal tract.In conclusion,our data provide evidence for dynamic,pathogenic spatiotemporal changes in major cellular components of the corticospinal tract during Wallerian degeneration.

Quantum degenerate Bose–Fermi atomic gas mixture of 23Na and 40K

We report a compact experimental setup for producing a quantum degenerate mixture of Bose23Na and Fermi40K gases. The atoms are collected in dual dark magneto–optical traps(MOT) with species timesharing loading to reduce the light-induced loss, and then further cooled using the gray molasses technique on the D2line for23Na and D1line for40K. The microwave evaporation cooling is used to cool23Na in |F = 2, mF= 2〉 in an optically plugged magnetic trap, meanwhile,40K in |F = 9/2, mF= 9/2〉 is sympathetically cooled. Then the mixture is loaded into a large volume optical dipole trap where23Na atoms are immediately transferred to |1, 1〉 for further effective cooling to avoid the strong three-body loss between23Na atoms in |2, 2〉 and40K atoms in |9/2, 9/2〉. At the end of the evaporation in optical trap, a degenerate Fermi gas of40K with 1.9 × 10^(5) atoms at T/TF= 0.5 in the |9/2, 9/2〉 hyperfine state coexists with a Bose–Einstein condensate(BEC) of23Na with 8 × 10^(4) atoms in the |1, 1〉 hyperfine state at 300 n K. We also can produce the two species mixture with the tunable population imbalance by adjusting the 23Na magneto–optical trap loading time.

The breaking point between fast-and slow-light in a degenerate two-level atomic system

This paper investigates the breaking point between fast- and slow-light in a degenerate two-level atomic system, where fast-light can be converted to slow-light arbitrarily on a single transition line by adjusting the strength of the pumping field. An equivalent incoherent pumping rate is introduced in this simplified theoretical model which exploits the dependence of this feature. The experimental observation is presented as evidence of the breaking point where the injected power is about 0.08 mW.

Entropy Formulation for Triply Nonlinear Degenerate Elliptic-Parabolic-Hyperbolic Equation with Zero-Flux Boundary Condition

In this note, we investigated existence and uniqueness of entropy solution for triply nonlinear degenerate parabolic problem with zero-flux boundary condition. Accordingly to the case of doubly nonlinear degenerate parabolic hyperbolic equation, we propose a generalization of entropy formulation and prove existence and uniqueness result without any structure condition.

Degenerate States in Nonlinear Sigma Model with SU(2) Symmetry

Entanglement in quantum theory is a peculiar concept to scientists. With this concept we are forced to re-consider the cluster property which means that one event is irrelevant to another event when they are fully far away. In the recent works we showed that the quasi-degenerate states induce the violation of cluster property in antiferromagnets when the continuous symmetry breaks spontaneously. We expect that the violation of cluster property will be observed in other materials too, because the spontaneous symmetry breaking is found in many systems such as the high temperature superconductors and the superfluidity. In order to examine the cluster property for these materials, we studied a quantum nonlinear sigma model with U(1) symmetry in the previous work. There we showed that the model does have quasi-degenerate states. In this paper we study the quantum nonlinear sigma model with SU(2) symmetry. In our approach we first define the quantum system on the lattice and then adopt the representation where the kinetic term is diagonalized. Since we have no definition on the conjugate variable to the angle variable, we use the angular momentum operators instead for the kinetic term. In this representation we introduce the states with the fixed quantum numbers and carry out numerical calculations using quantum Monte Carlo methods and other methods. Through analytical and numerical studies, we conclude that the energy of the quasi-degenerate state is proportional to the squared total angular momentum as well as to the inverse of the lattice size.

NLRP3 and autophagy in retinal ganglion cell inflammation in age-related macular degeneration:potential therapeutic implications

Retinal degenerative diseases were a large group of diseases characterized by the primary death of retinal ganglion cells(RGCs).Recent studies had shown an interaction between autophagy and nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain-like receptor 3(NLRP3)inflammasomes,which may affect RGCs in retinal degenerative diseases.The NLRP3 inflammasome was a protein complex that,upon activation,produces caspase-1,mediating the apoptosis of retinal cells and promoting the occurrence and development of retinal degenerative diseases.Upregulated autophagy could inhibit NLRP3 inflammasome activation,while inhibited autophagy can promote NLRP3 inflammasome activation,which leaded to the accelerated emergence of drusen and lipofuscin deposition under the neurosensory retina.The activated NLRP3 inflammasome could further inhibit autophagy,thus forming a vicious cycle that accelerated the damage and death of RGCs.This review discussed the relationship between NLRP3 inflammasome and autophagy and its effects on RGCs in age-related macular degeneration,providing a new perspective and direction for the treatment of retinal diseases.

Targeting cholesterol trafficking to mitigate axonal degeneration in hereditary spastic paraplegia

Axonal degeneration underlies many debilitating diseases including hereditary spastic paraplegia(HSP),a genetically and clinically diverse group of disorders characterized by spasticity and weakness of the lower extremities.HSP is one significant cause of chronic neurodisability due to the lack of effective treatments and a wide range of onset ages from early childhood to 70 years.

Astrocyte syncytium:from neonatal genesis to aging degeneration

Modern neuroscience began from all reaching and fierce conflict between“neuronismo and reticulismo”——between neuronal and reticular theories of the organization of the nervous system;the conflict culminated in December of 1906 in Stockholm where Santiago Ramon y Cajal(the proponent of the neuronal doctrine)and Camillo Golgi(who advocated the syncytial reticular organization of neural networks)delivered their Noble prize lectures(Verkhratsky,2009).

Mechanisms behind elevated serum levels of plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 in frontotemporal lobar degeneration

Frontotemporal lobar degeneration(FTLD)is a form of progressive dementia characterized by degeneration of the frontal and temporal lobes of the brain.This pathology involves a series of cognitive,behavioral,and neurological symptoms that influence personality,decision-making ability,and language.