Ultra-broadband Light Absorption by a Sawtooth Anisotropic Metamaterial Slab

We present an ultra broadband thin-film infrared absorber made of saw-toothed anisotropic metamaterial. Absorbtivity of higher than 95% at normal incidence is supported in a wide range of frequencies, where the full absorption width at half maximum is about 86%. Such property is retained well at a very wide range of incident angles too. Light of shorter wavelengths are harvested at upper parts of the sawteeth of smaller widths, while light of longer wavelengths are trapped at lower parts of larger tooth widths. This phenomenon is explained by the slowlight modes in anisotropic metamaterial waveguide. Our study can be applied in the field of designing photovoltaic devices and thermal emitters.Comment: 12 pages, 4 picture

Effect of Oral Administration of Enterococcus faecium Ef1 on Innate Immunity of Sucking Piglets

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of orally administered Enterococcus faecium EF1 on innate immune responses of jejunal mucosa in newborn piglets. Twenty-four commercial crossbred healthy newborn piglets were randomly divided into two groups, control (T0) and treatment (T1) group. Each group consists of 12 piglets. T1 was administered sterilized skim milk 2 ml piglet-1 day-1 with addition of E. faecium EF1 (5~6×108 cfu/ml) by oral gavage on alternative odd days (1st, 3rd and 5th) after birth. T0 fed with the same volume of sterilized skim milk without probiotics. The merciful killing of piglets at the 25th day after birth was performed to collect the samples of jejunal mucosa to measure the innate cytokine responses and the Toll-like receptors gene expression by quantitative real time PCR. The results showed that TGF-β1 and TNF-α concentrations increased and mRNA expression levels also improved significantly in T1 as compared to T0. While, the production of IFN-γ and IL-8 decreased significantly in T1 and gene expression modification was not observed. In addition, TLR (Toll-like receptor) 2 and TLR 9 transcription levels were up-regulated in treatment (T1) group. These findings revealed that oral administration of E. faecium EF1 was effective to activate innate immunity and could modulate the TLRs expression in jejunal mucosa of piglets

Hypophosphatemia during continuous veno-venous hemofiltration is associated with mortality in critically ill patients with acute kidney injury

INTRODUCTION: The primary aim of this study was to determine whether hypophosphatemia during continuous veno-venous hemofiltration (CVVH) is associated with the global outcome of critically ill patients with acute kidney injury (AKI). METHODS: 760 patients diagnosed with AKI and had received CVVH therapy were retrospectively recruited. Death during the 28-day period and survival at 28 days after initiation of CVVH were used as endpoints. Demographic and clinical data including serum phosphorus levels were recorded along with clinical outcome. Hypophosphatemia was defined according to the colorimetric method as serum phosphorus levels < 0.81 mmol/L (2.5 mg/dL), and severe hypophosphatemia was defined as serum phosphorus levels < 0.32 mmol/L (1 mg/dL). The ratio of CVVH therapy days with hypophosphatemia over total CVVH therapy days was calculated to reflect the persistence of hypophosphatemia. RESULTS: The Cox proportional hazard survival model analysis indicated that the incidence of hypophosphatemia or even severe hypophosphatemia was not associated with 28-day mortality independently (p = 0.700). Further analysis with the sub-cohort of patients who had developed hypophosphatemia during the CVVH therapy period indicated that the mean ratio of CVVH therapy days with hypophosphatemia over total CVVH therapy days was 0.58, and the ratio independently associated with the global outcome. Compared with the patients with low ratio (< 0.58), those with high ratio (≥ 0.58) conferred a 1.451-fold increase in 28-day mortality rate (95% CI 1.103–1.910, p = 0.008). CONCLUSIONS: Hypophosphatemia during CVVH associated with the global clinical outcome of critically ill patients with AKI. The ratio of CVVH therapy days with hypophosphatemia over total CVVH therapy days was independently associated with the 28-day mortality, and high ratio conferred higher mortality rate

CXCR5+PD-1+ follicular helper CD8 T cells control B cell tolerance

Many autoimmune diseases are characterized by the production of autoantibodies. The current view is that CD4+ T follicular helper (Tfh) cells are the main subset regulating autoreactive B cells. Here we report a CXCR5+PD1+ Tfh subset of CD8+ T cells whose development and function are negatively modulated by Stat5. These CD8+ Tfh cells regulate the germinal center B cell response and control autoantibody production, as deficiency of Stat5 in CD8 T cells leads to an increase of CD8+ Tfh cells, resulting in the breakdown of B cell tolerance and concomitant autoantibody production. CD8+ Tfh cells share similar gene signatures with CD4+ Tfh, and require CD40L/CD40 and TCR/MHCI interactions to deliver help to B cells. Our study thus highlights the diversity of follicular T cell subsets that contribute to the breakdown of B-cell tolerance