BackgroundDisorders within the schizophrenia spectrum genetically overlap with bipolar disorder, yet questions remain about shared biological phenotypes. Investigation of brain structure in disease has been enhanced by developments in shape analysis methods that can identify subtle regional surface deformations. Our study aimed to identify brain structure surface deformations that were common across related psychiatric disorders, and characterize differences.MethodsUsing the automated FreeSurfer-initiated Large Deformation Diffeomorphic Metric Mapping, we examined volumes and shapes of seven brain structures: hippocampus, amygdala, caudate, nucleus accumbens, putamen, globus pallidus and thalamus. We compared findings in controls (CON; n = 40), and those with schizophrenia (SCZ; n = 52), schizotypal personality disorder (STP; n = 12), psychotic bipolar disorder (P-BP; n = 49) and nonpsychotic bipolar disorder (N-BP; n = 24), aged 15–35. Relationships between morphometric measures and positive, disorganized and negative symptoms were also investigated.ResultsInward deformation was present in the posterior thalamus in SCZ, P-BP and N-BP; and in the subiculum of the hippocampus in SCZ and STP. Most brain structures however showed unique shape deformations across groups. Correcting for intracranial size resulted in volumetric group differences for caudate (p < 0.001), putamen (p < 0.01) and globus pallidus (p < 0.001). Shape analysis showed dispersed patterns of expansion on the basal ganglia in SCZ. Significant clinical relationships with hippocampal, amygdalar and thalamic volumes were observed.ConclusionsFew similarities in surface deformation patterns were seen across groups, which may reflect differing neuropathologies. Posterior thalamic contraction in SCZ and BP suggest common genetic or environmental antecedents. Surface deformities in SCZ basal ganglia may have been due to antipsychotic drug effects.

Transition metal phosphides (TMPs) nanostructures have emerged as important electroactive materials for energy storage and conversion. Nonetheless, the phase modulation of iron/nickel phosphides nanocrystals or related nanohybrids remains challenging, and their electrocatalytic overall water splitting (OWS) performances are not fully investigated. Here, the phase-controlled synthesis of iron/nickel phosphides nanocrystals "armored"

No abstract

Assembly of distinct types of species, particularly possessing anisotropic configurations, is the premise to broaden structural diversity and explore materials' collective properties. However, it remains a great challenge to programmably cocrystallize manifold anisotropic nanoparticles with the desired assembly mode, because it requires not only the complementarity of both sizes and shapes but also the control over their directional interactions. Here, by introducing DNA origami technique into lattice engineering, we synthesize two types of DNA nano-objects with different symmetries and program the heterogeneous functional patches precisely on their surfaces with nanometerlevel precision, which could guide further assembly of these nanoobjects. We show that these anisotropic DNA nano-objects could be cocrystallized along specified modes via modulating the combination of surface patches. The highly ordered DNA crystals were thoroughly evidenced by techniques including small-angle X-ray scattering and electron microscopy after careful encapsulation of a thin layer of silica on these DNA nano-objects. Our strategy endows distinct shapes of organic DNA origami structures with regulation features to control the sophisticated modes of cocrystallization of these diverse components, laying a foundation for designing and fabricating customized three-dimensional structures with given optical and mechanical properties.

The 3D mesoporous Cu,Co-N-C nanosheets architectures are fabricated, showing greatly enhanced catalytic activity and stability toward ORR relative to their mono-metallic counterparts. Such superiority results from the synergistic interplay of...