Inspired by the biological neuromorphic system, which exhibits a high degree of connectivity to process huge amounts of information, photonic memory is expected to pave a way to overcome the von Neumann bottleneck for nonconventional computing. Here, a photonic flash memory based on all-inorganic CsPbBr perovskite quantum dots (QDs) is demonstrated. The heterostructure formed between the CsPbBr QDs and semiconductor layer serves as a basis for optically programmable and electrically erasable characteristics of the memory device. Furthermore, synapse functions including short-term plasticity, long-term plasticity, and spike-rate-dependent plasticity are emulated at the device level. The photonic potentiation and electrical habituation are implemented and the synaptic weight exhibits multiple wavelength response from 365, 450, 520 to 660 nm. These results may locate the stage for further thrilling novel advances in perovskite-based memories.

Background-A large number of studies have examined the tracking of blood pressure (BP) from childhood to adulthood, but the reported findings are inconsistent and few systematic analyses have been conducted. Methods and Results-We conducted a systematic search of PubMed for studies that examined the tracking of BP from childhood to adulthood published between January 1970 and July 2006. From 301 retrieved papers, 50 cohort studies met our inclusion criteria and provided 617 data points (Pearson/Spearman correlation coefficients) for systolic BP (SBP) and 547 data points for diastolic BP (DBP) for our meta-analysis. Information on sample characteristics and BP measurement protocols was extracted. Fisher z transformation and random-effects meta-regression analysis were conducted. The reported BP tracking correlation coefficients varied from Ϫ0.12 to 0.80 for SBP and from Ϫ0.

Sleep disturbances are prevalent among middle-aged and older adults, and vary by race/ethnicity, sex, and obesity status. The high prevalence of sleep disturbances and undiagnosed sleep apnea among racial/ethnic minorities may contribute to health disparities.

Huntington's disease (HD) is an inherited neurodegenerative disorder caused by an expanded stretch of CAG trinucleotide repeats that results in neuronal dysfunction and death. Here, the HD consortium reports the generation and characterization of 14 induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) lines from HD patients and controls. Microarray profiling revealed CAG expansion-associated gene expression patterns that distinguish patient lines from controls, and early onset versus late onset HD. Differentiated HD neural cells showed disease associated changes in electrophysiology, metabolism, cell adhesion, and ultimately cell death for lines with both medium and longer CAG repeat expansions. The longer repeat lines were however the most vulnerable to cellular stressors and BDNF withdrawal using a range of assays across consortium laboratories. The HD iPSC collection represents a unique and well-characterized resource to elucidate disease mechanisms in HD and provides a novel human stem cell platform for screening new candidate therapeutics.

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BackgroundAn emerging cavefish model, the cyprinid genus Sinocyclocheilus, is endemic to the massive southwestern karst area adjacent to the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau of China. In order to understand whether orogeny influenced the evolution of these species, and how genomes change under isolation, especially in subterranean habitats, we performed whole-genome sequencing and comparative analyses of three species in this genus, S. grahami, S. rhinocerous and S. anshuiensis. These species are surface-dwelling, semi-cave-dwelling and cave-restricted, respectively.ResultsThe assembled genome sizes of S. grahami, S. rhinocerous and S. anshuiensis are 1.75 Gb, 1.73 Gb and 1.68 Gb, respectively. Divergence time and population history analyses of these species reveal that their speciation and population dynamics are correlated with the different stages of uplifting of the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau. We carried out comparative analyses of these genomes and found that many genetic changes, such as gene loss (e.g. opsin genes), pseudogenes (e.g. crystallin genes), mutations (e.g. melanogenesis-related genes), deletions (e.g. scale-related genes) and down-regulation (e.g. circadian rhythm pathway genes), are possibly associated with the regressive features (such as eye degeneration, albinism, rudimentary scales and lack of circadian rhythms), and that some gene expansion (e.g. taste-related transcription factor gene) may point to the constructive features (such as enhanced taste buds) which evolved in these cave fishes.ConclusionAs the first report on cavefish genomes among distinct species in Sinocyclocheilus, our work provides not only insights into genetic mechanisms of cave adaptation, but also represents a fundamental resource for a better understanding of cavefish biology.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12915-015-0223-4) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

To date, most genome-wide association studies (GWAS) and studies of fine-scale population structure have been conducted primarily on Europeans. Han Chinese, the largest ethnic group in the world, composing 20% of the entire global human population, is largely underrepresented in such studies. A well-recognized challenge is the fact that population structure can cause spurious associations in GWAS. In this study, we examined population substructures in a diverse set of over 1700 Han Chinese samples collected from 26 regions across China, each genotyped at approximately 160K single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). Our results showed that the Han Chinese population is intricately substructured, with the main observed clusters corresponding roughly to northern Han, central Han, and southern Han. However, simulated case-control studies showed that genetic differentiation among these clusters, although very small (F(ST) = 0.0002 approximately 0.0009), is sufficient to lead to an inflated rate of false-positive results even when the sample size is moderate. The top two SNPs with the greatest frequency differences between the northern Han and southern Han clusters (F(ST) > 0.06) were found in the FADS2 gene, which associates with the fatty acid composition in phospholipids, and in the HLA complex P5 gene (HCP5), which associates with HIV infection, psoriasis, and psoriatic arthritis. Ingenuity Pathway Analysis (IPA) showed that most differentiated genes among clusters are involved in cardiac arteriopathy (p < 10(-101)). These signals indicating significant differences among Han Chinese subpopulations should be carefully explained in case they are also detected in association studies, especially when sample sources are diverse.

Adipose tissue-derived cytokines (adipokines) are associated with the development of inflammation and insulin resistance. However, which adipokine(s) mediate this linkage and the mechanisms involved during obesity is poorly understood. Through proteomics and microarray screening, we recently identified lipocalin 2 (LCN 2) as an adipokine that potentially connects obesity and its related adipose inflammation. Herein we show that the levels of LCN2 mRNA are dramatically increased in adipose tissue and liver of ob/ob mice and primary adipose cells isolated from Zucker obese rats, and thiazolidinedione administration reduces LCN2 expression. Interestingly, addition of LCN2 induces mRNA levels of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma (PPARgamma) and adiponectin. Reducing LCN2 gene expression causes decreased expression of PPARgamma and adiponectin, slightly reducing insulin-stimulated Akt2 phosphorylation at Serine 473 in 3T3-L1 adipocytes. LCN2 administration to 3T3-L1 cells attenuated TNFalpha-effect on glucose uptake, expression of PPARgamma, insulin receptor substrate-1, and glucose transporter 4, and secretion of adiponectin and leptin. When added to macrophages, LCN2 suppressed lipopolysaccharide-induced cytokine production. Our data suggest that LCN2, as a novel autocrine and paracrine adipokine, acts as an antagonist to the effect of inflammatory molecules on inflammation and secretion of adipokines.