16S rRNA gene-based metagenomic analysis reveals differences in bacteria-derived extracellular vesicles in the urine of pregnant and non-pregnant women

Recent evidence has indicated that bacteria-derived extracellular vesicles (EVs) are important for host–microbe communication. The aims of the present study were to evaluate whether bacteria-derived EVs are excreted via the urinary tract and to compare the composition of bacteria-derived EVs in the urine of pregnant and non-pregnant women. Seventy-three non-pregnant and seventy-four pregnant women were enrolled from Dankook University and Ewha Womans University hospitals. DNA was extracted from urine EVs after EV isolation using the differential centrifugation method. 16S ribosomal RNA (16S rRNA) gene sequencing was performed using high-throughput 454 pyrosequencing after amplification of the V1–V3 region of the 16S rDNA. The composition of 13 taxa differed significantly between the pregnant and non-pregnant women. At the genus level, Bacillus spp. EVs were more significantly enriched in the urine of the pregnant women than in that of the non-pregnant women (45.61% vs 0.12%, respectively). However, Pseudomonas spp. EVs were more dominant in non-pregnant women than in pregnant women (13.2% vs 4.09%, respectively). Regarding the compositional difference between pregnant women with normal and preterm delivery, EVs derived from Ureaplasma spp. and the family Veillonellaceae (including Megasphaera spp.) were more abundant in the urine of preterm-delivered women than in that of women with normal deliveries. Taken together, these data showed that Bacillus spp. EVs predominate in the urine of pregnant women, whereas Pseudomonas spp. EVs predominate in the urine of non-pregnant women; this suggests that Bacillus spp. EVs might have an important role in the maintenance of pregnancy.     

Efficient coupling of hybrid optical waveguide with a sharp bend structure for high integration

A hybrid optical waveguide with a \(90^{\circ }\) sharp bend comprising a dielectric straight waveguide, a tapered dielectric strip waveguide, and a microscale metal gap waveguide is proposed, modeled, fabricated, and characterized with the aim of improving the efficiency of light coupling between the dielectric and plasmonic waveguides. The simulation result using the full-vector finite-difference time domain shows a total transmissivity of about 63 % at a wavelength of 1,550 nm. A set of hybrid optical waveguide with a \(90^{\circ }\) bend is fabricated via the two-step photolithography and a metal lift-off process. From the measured result for the characteristics of the fabricated hybrid optical waveguide, the transmission loss was estimated to be about 17 dB, which is in stark contrast with the simulation value. Nevertheless, such a novel coupling scheme may be of potential use in high-density photonic integration applications.     

Nanocatalosomes as Plasmonic Bilayer Shells with Interlayer Catalytic Nanospaces for Solar-Light-Induced Reactions

Interest and challenges remain in designing and synthesizing catalysts with nature-like complexity at few-nm scale to harness unprecedented functionalities by using sustainable solar light. We introduce “nanocatalosomes”—a bio-inspired bilayer-vesicular design of nanoreactor with metallic bilayer shell-in-shell structure, having numerous controllable confined cavities within few-nm interlayer space, customizable with different noble metals. The intershell-confined plasmonically coupled hot-nanospaces within the few-nm cavities play a pivotal role in harnessing catalytic effects for various organic transformations, as demonstrated by “acceptorless dehydrogenation”, “Suzuki–Miyaura cross-coupling” and “alkynyl annulation” affording clean conversions and turnover frequencies (TOFs) at least one order of magnitude higher than state-of-the-art Au-nanorod-based plasmonic catalysts. This work paves the way towards next-generation nanoreactors for chemical transformations with solar energy.     

Hierarchical Self‐Assembled Photo‐Responsive Tubisomes from a Cyclic Peptide‐Bridged Amphiphilic Block Copolymer

Typically, the morphologies of the self‐assembled nanostructures from block copolymers are limited to spherical micelles, wormlike micelles and vesicles. Now, a new generation of materials with unique shape and structures, cylindrical soft matter particles (tubisomes), are obtained from the hierarchical self‐assembly of cyclic peptide‐bridged amphiphilic diblock copolymers. The capacity of obtained photo‐responsive tubisomes as potential drug carriers is evaluated. The supramolecular tubisomes pave an alternative way for fabricating polymeric tubular structures, and will expand the toolbox for the rational design of functional hierarchical nanostructures.     

Anti-Osteoporotic Effects of n-trans-Hibiscusamide and Its Derivative Alleviate Ovariectomy-Induced Bone Loss in Mice by Regulating RANKL-Induced Signaling

Osteoporosis is characterized by the deterioration of bone structures and decreased bone mass, leading to an increased risk of fracture. Estrogen deficiency in postmenopausal women and aging are major factors of osteoporosis and are some of the reasons for reduced quality of life. In this study, we investigated the effects of n-trans-hibiscusamide (NHA) and its derivative 4-O-(E)-feruloyl-N-(E)-hibiscusamide (HAD) on receptor activator of nuclear factor kappa-Β (NF-κB) ligand (RANKL)-induced osteoclast differentiation and an ovariectomized osteoporosis mouse model. NHA and HAD significantly inhibited the differentiation of osteoclasts from bone marrow-derived macrophages (BMMs) and the expression of osteoclast differentiation-related genes. At the molecular level, NHA and HAD significantly downregulated the phosphorylation of mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling molecules. However, Akt and NF-κB phosphorylation was inhibited only after NHA or HAD treatment. In the ovariectomy (OVX)-induced osteoporosis model, both NHA and HAD effectively improved trabecular bone structure. C-terminal telopeptide (CTX), a bone resorption marker, and RANKL, an osteoclast stimulation factor, were significantly reduced by NHA and HAD. The tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP)-stained area, which indicates the osteoclast area, was also decreased by these compounds. These results show the potential of NHA and HAD as therapeutic agents for osteoporosis.     

Polymeric bidirectional wavelength filter based on multimode interference

Optical and Quantum Electronics - We proposed and demonstrated a polymer-based wavelength division multiplex filter based on multimode interference for 1.31/1.55-μm bidirectional operations. A...     

Efficient methods for isolating five phytochemicals from Gentiana macrophylla using high‐performance countercurrent chromatography

Efficient high‐performance countercurrent chromatography methods were developed to isolate five typical compounds from the extracts of Gentiana macrophylla. n‐Butanol‐soluble extract of G. macrophylla contained three hydrophilic iridoids, loganic acid ( 1 ), swertiamarin ( 2 ) and gentiopicroside ( 3 ), and a chromene derivative, macrophylloside D ( 4 ) which were successfully isolated by flow rate gradient (1.5 mL/min in 0–60 min, 5.0 mL/min in 60–120 min), and consecutive flow rate gradient HPCCC using n‐butanol/0.1% aqueous trifluoroacetic acid (1:1, v/v, normal phase mode) system. The yields of 1 – 4 were 22, 16, 122, and 6 mg, respectively, with purities over 97% in a flow rate gradient high‐performance countercurrent chromatography, and consecutive flow rate gradient high‐performance countercurrent chromatography gave 1 , 2 , 3 (54, 41, 348 mg, respectively, purities over 97%) and 4 (13 mg, purity at 95%) from 750 mg of sample. The main compound in methylene chloride soluble extract, 2‐methoxyanofinic acid, was successfully separated by n‐hexane/ethyl acetate/methanol/water (4:6:4:6, v/v/v/v, flow‐rate: 4 mL/min, reversed phase mode) condition. The structures of five isolates were elucidated by ¹H, ¹³C NMR and ESI‐Q‐TOF‐MS spectroscopic data which were compared with previously reported values.