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Abstract Tissue-resident memory T (TRM) cells are populations which settle down in non-lymphoid tissues instead of returning to secondary lymph organs after the antigen presentation. These cells can provide rapid on-site immune protection as well as long-term tissue damage. It is reported that TRM cells from small intestine and colon exhibited distinctive patterns of cytokine and granzyme expression along with substantial transcriptional and functional heterogeneity. In this review, we focus on the reason why they lodge in intestinal tract, their developmental plasticity of going back to to circulation, as well as their regulators associated with retention, maintenance, exhaustion and metabolism. We also elaborate their role in the inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and discuss the potential therapeutic strategies targeting TRM cells. Graphical Abstract more...

This study aims to investigate the influence of rigid polyurethane foam (RPUF) as a filling material on the energy absorption performance of thin-walled tubes through experiments. Hybrid graphene oxide-silica nanoparticles (GO-SiO2) was prepared using the electrostatic adsorption method and its potential application in RPUF enhancement were investigated. The interaction between GO and nano SiO2 inhibits the agglomeration of each other and improved the mechanical properties and energy absorption capacity of RPUF. When the GO-SiO2 hybrid content was 6 wt%, the compressive strength and total energy absorption of the GO-SiO2/RPUF composite material increased by 99.59% and 89.63% compared with those of pure RPUF, respectively. In addition, the deformation characteristics of empty tube and foam-filled tube under lateral compression were compared, and the influence of the RPUF material’s mechanical properties on the energy absorption characteristics of foam-filled tube was further analyzed. Test results show that the foam material can effectively improve the stability of the compression deformation of thin-walled circular tubes and improve the compression resistance of the structure. Improving the mechanical properties of RPUF materials can further increase the bearing capacity and energy absorption of foam-filled tubes. The results in this study validated the feasibility of using GO-SiO2 hybrid as a new nano-reinforcing filler for RPUF, and provide an experimental reference for the engineering application of foam-filled tubes as energy absorption components. more...

This study aims to explore the potential application of hollow glass beads (HGB) compounded with graphene oxide (GO, HGB@GO) to improve the mechanical properties of rigid polyurethane foam (RPUF). This HGB@GO/RPUF composite is considered a potential filler for reinforcing aluminum honeycomb (AH). A characterization of the chemical structure and surface morphology of HGB@GO was conducted, as well as the analysis of its effect on the compression properties of the foam. The compressive strength of HGB@GO/RPUF (4 wt. %) is 146.17% higher than that of pure RPUF. This study also compared the deformation modes of AH and foam-filled honeycomb (F-AH) structure under axial crushing. The interaction effects between the foam and AH were also analyzed. The results indicated that the RPUF improves the compressive capacity and deformation stability of the AH through its good compression properties and interaction with the aluminum foil. The use of HGB@GO/RPUF further enhances the energy absorption characteristics of the F-AH. In comparison with the pure RPUF-AH, the total and specific energy absorption of the HGB@GO/RPUF (4 wt. %)-AH increase by 74.65% and 44.98%, respectively. This work demonstrates that the prepared HGB@GO can enhance the mechanical properties of RPUF, and HGB@GO/RPUF-AH is expected to be a desirable energy-absorbing device. more...

Ultrasonic electrodeposition was employed to manufacture ZnCo2O4 anode nanomaterials (ZCOAN), with the objective of utilization as high-performance anode materials for lithium-ion batteries. The influence of ultrasonic power on various characteristics of ZCOAN, including surface morphology, phase composition, crystal structure, and electrochemical properties was also investigated. The results indicated that ZnCo2O4 anode nanomaterials prepared at 600 W demonstrated a spinel surface structure with polyporous dendrite spores and a subcrystalline size of 11.68 nm. Moreover, the prepared ZCOAN material demonstrated polyporous morphological characteristics and well-organized particles. Diffraction peaks were identified at specified angles in all ZCOAN samples: 31.26°, 36.93°, 46.38°, 54.13°, 59.87°, and 66.17° corresponding to the crystallographic planes (200), (311), (400), (422), (511), and (440), respectively. The appearance of these peaks confirms the presence of a spinel structure in the ZCOAN samples. A smaller grain size results in increased gaps and a larger surface area, thereby promoting ion exchange. Therefore, ZnCo2O4 anode nanomaterials synthesized at 600 W showed superior electrochemical performance compared to other samples. They demonstrated the highest charge capacity (∼1176 mAh·g−1), discharge capacity (∼1160 mAh·g−1), and stability, along with a minimal electrical impedance (35.65 Ω) at a constant current density of 150 mA·g−1. Furthermore, the coulomb efficiency of this nanomaterial remained high at 98.6 % after 1200 cycles, indicating its excellent cycling performance. more...

A quantized plateau is typically considered to be the feature of a fractional quantum Hall state. Yan et al. report a series of plateaus quantized at unusual fractions in a confined two-dimensional electron gas, which is attributed to enhanced density in the confined region. more...

Abstract Introduction Clinical metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS) has proven to be a powerful diagnostic tool in pathogen detection. However, its clinical utility has not been thoroughly evaluated. Methods In this single-center prospective study at the First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, a total of 228 samples from 215 patients suspected of having acute or chronic infections between June 2018 and December 2018 were studied. Samples that met the mNGS quality control (QC) criteria (N = 201) were simultaneously analyzed using conventional tests (CTs), including multiple clinical microbiological tests and real-time PCR (if applicable). Results Pathogen detection results of mNGS in the 201 QC-passed samples were compared to CTs and exhibited a sensitivity of 98.8%, specificity of 38.5%, and accuracy of 87.1%. Specifically, 109 out of 160 (68.1%) CT+/mNGS+ samples exhibited concordant results at the species/genus level, 25 samples (15.6%) showed overlapping results, while the remaining 26 samples (16.3%) had discordant results between the CT and mNGS assays. In addition, mNGS could identify pathogens at the species level, whereas only the genera of some pathogens could be identified by CT. In this cohort, mNGS results were used to guide treatment plans in 24 out of 41 cases that had available follow-up information, and the symptoms were improved in over 70% (17/24) of them. Conclusion Our data demonstrated the analytic performance of our mNGS pipeline for pathogen detection using a large clinical cohort and strongly supports the notion that in clinical practice, mNGS represents a valuable supplementary tool to CTs to rapidly determine etiological factors of various types of infection and to guide treatment decision-making. more...

Prophylactic anticoagulation is a standard strategy for patients undergoing total hip arthroplasty (THA) to prevent deep venous thromboembolism (DVT) and pulmonary embolism (PE). Nevertheless, some patients still experience these complications during their hospital stay. Current risk assessment methods like the Caprini and Geneva scores are not specifically designed for THA and may not accurately predict DVT or PE postoperatively. This study used machine learning techniques to establish models for early diagnosis of DVT and PE in patients undergoing THA. Data were collected from 1481 patients who received perioperative prophylactic anticoagulation. Model establishment and parameter tuning were performed using a training set and evaluated using a test set. Among the models, extreme gradient boosting (XGBoost) performed the best, with an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) of 0.982, sensitivity of 0.913, and specificity of 0.998. The main features used in the XGBoost model were direct and indirect bilirubin, partial activation prothrombin time, prealbumin, creatinine, D-dimer, and C-reactive protein. Shapley Additive Explanations analysis was conducted to further analyze these features. This study presents a model for early diagnosis DVT or PE after THA and demonstrates bilirubin could be a potential predictor in the assessment of DVT or PE. Compared to traditional risk assessment, XGBoost has a high sensitivity and specificity to predict DVT and PE in the clinical setting. Furthermore, the results of this study were converted into a web calculator that can be used in clinical practice. more...

Abstract Background Chronic inflammatory pain significantly reduces the quality of life and lacks effective interventions. In recent years, human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells (huc-MSCs)-derived exosomes have been used to relieve neuropathic pain and other inflammatory diseases as a promising cell-free therapeutic strategy. However, the therapeutic value of huc-MSCs-derived exosomes in complete Freund's adjuvant (CFA)-induced inflammatory pain remains to be confirmed. In this study, we investigated the therapeutic effect and related mechanisms of huc-MSCs-derived exosomes in a chronic inflammatory pain model. Methods C57BL/6J male mice were used to establish a CFA-induced inflammatory pain model, and huc-MSCs-derived exosomes were intrathecally injected for 4 consecutive days. BV2 microglia cells were stimulated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) plus adenosine triphosphate (ATP) to investigate the effect of huc-MSCs-derived exosomes on pyroptosis and autophagy. Bioinformatic analysis and rescue experiments were used to demonstrate the role of miR-146a-5p/ TRAF6 in regulating pyroptosis and autophagy. Western blotting, RT-qPCR, small interfering RNA and Yo-Pro-1 dye staining were performed to investigate the related mechanisms. Results Huc-MSCs-derived exosomes alleviated mechanical allodynia and thermal hyperalgesia in CFA-induced inflammatory pain. Furthermore, huc-MSCs-derived exosomes attenuated neuroinflammation by increasing the expression of autophagy-related proteins (LC3-II and beclin1) and inhibiting the activation of NLRP3 inflammasomes in the spinal cord dorsal horn. In vitro, NLRP3 inflammasome components (NLRP3, caspase1-p20, ASC) and gasdermin D (GSDMD-F, GSDMD-N) were inhibited in BV2 cells pretreated with huc-MSCs-derived exosomes. Western blot and Yo-Pro-1 dye staining demonstrated that 3-MA, an autophagy inhibitor, weakened the protective effect of huc-MSCs-derived exosomes on BV2 cell pyroptosis. Importantly, huc-MSCs-derived exosomes transfected with miR-146a-5p mimic promoted autophagy and inhibited BV2 cell pyroptosis. TRAF6, as a target gene of miR-146a-5p, was knocked down via small-interfering RNA, which increased pyroptosis and inhibited autophagy. Conclusion Huc-MSCs-derived exosomes attenuated inflammatory pain via miR-146a-5p/TRAF6, which increased the level of autophagy and inhibited pyroptosis. Graphical Abstract more...

Abstract Objectives To determine the impact of the Coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic on the length of stay (LOS) and prognosis of patients in the resuscitation area. Methods A retrospective analysis of case data of patients in the resuscitation area during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic (January 15, 2020– January 14, 2021) was performed and compared with the pre-COVID-19 period (January 15, 2019 – January 14, 2020) in the First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University. The patients’ information, including age, sex, length of stay, and death, was collected. The Wilcoxon Rank sum test was performed to compare the LOS difference between the two periods. Fisher's Exact test and Chi-Squared test were used to analyze the prognosis of patients. The LOS and prognosis in different departments of the resuscitation area (emergency internal medicine, emergency surgery, emergency neurology, and other departments) were further analyzed. Results Of the total 8278 patients, 4159 (50.24%) were enrolled in the COVID-19 pandemic period group, and 4119 (49.76%) were enrolled pre-COVID-19 period group. The length of stay was prolonged significantly in the COVID-19 period compared with the pre-COVID-19 period (13h VS 9.8h, p < 0.001). The LOS in the COVID-19 period was prolonged in both emergency internal medicine (15.3h VS 11.3h, p < 0.001) and emergency surgery (8.7h VS 4.9h, p < 0.001) but not in emergency neurology or other emergency departments. There was no significant difference in mortality between the two cohorts (4.8% VS 5.3%, p = 0.341). Conclusion The COVID-19 pandemic was associated with a significant increase in the length of resuscitation area stay, which may lead to resuscitation area crowding. The influence of the COVID-19 pandemic on patients of different departments was variable. There was no significant impact on the LOS of emergency neurology. According to different departments of the resuscitation area, the COVID-19 pandemic didn’t significantly impact the prognosis of patients. more...

Abstract Background Spinal tumor surgery usually involved long operation time, large area of soft tissue resection and long wound, and was prone to hypothermia during the operation. Therefore, actively promoting insulation and optimizing the intraoperative insulation program have great potential in reducing the incidence of hypothermia and reducing the incidence of postoperative complications. In this study, we compared patients who did not implement multi-mode nursing insulation program (MNIP) with those who implemented MNIP, observing and comparing clinical outcomes, and complications in both groups, with the aim of developing an optimal management plan for the preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative periods, respectively. Methods We selected 2 periods of 1 year, before (n = 120 patients) and after MINP implementation (n = 120 patients). Data were collected on patient demographics, operative, perioperative details, temperature changes, anesthesia recovery effect, incidence of postoperative wound infection, length of hospital stay and complications. PS analyses were used for dealing with confounding bias in this retrospective observational study. Results After PS matching, the outcomes of 120 well-balanced pairs of patients were compared (No-MNIP vs MNIP). There was no significant difference concerning the satisfaction survey. The results indicated that the MNIP had better insulation effect at 90 min, 120 min, 150 min after anesthesia induction and after surgery. There were 16 cases of complications in the No-MNIP group and 5 cases in the MNIP group postoperative, which have significant statistical difference. Conclusion In this study, the incidence of intraoperative hypothermia was effectively reduced by adopting the multi-mode insulation scheme, thus reducing the incidence of incision infection and shortening the length of hospital stay of patients. more...

Abstract Background Surgical resection is the major way to cure pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). However, this operation is complex, and the peri-operative risk is high, making patients more likely to be admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU). Therefore, establishing a risk model that predicts admission to ICU is meaningful in preventing patients from post-operation deterioration and potentially reducing socio-economic burden. Methods We retrospectively collected 120 clinical features from 1242 PDAC patients, including demographic data, pre-operative and intra-operative blood tests, in-hospital duration, and ICU status. Machine learning pipelines, including Supporting Vector Machine (SVM), Logistic Regression, and Lasso Regression, were employed to choose an optimal model in predicting ICU admission. Ordinary least-squares regression (OLS) and Lasso Regression were adopted in the correlation analysis of post-operative bleeding, total in-hospital duration, and discharge costs. Results SVM model achieved higher performance than the other two models, resulted in an AU-ROC of 0.80. The features, such as age, duration of operation, monocyte count, and intra-operative partial arterial pressure of oxygen (PaO2), are risk factors in the ICU admission. The protective factors include RBC count, analgesic pump dexmedetomidine (DEX), and intra-operative maintenance of DEX. Basophil percentage, duration of the operation, and total infusion volume were risk variables for staying in ICU. The bilirubin, CA125, and pre-operative albumin were associated with the post-operative bleeding volume. The operation duration was the most important factor for discharge costs, while pre-lymphocyte percentage and the absolute count are responsible for less cost. Conclusions We observed that several new indicators such as DEX, monocyte count, basophil percentage, and intra-operative PaO2 showed a good predictive effect on the possibility of admission to ICU and duration of stay in ICU. This work provided an essential reference for indication in advance to PDAC operation. more...

Titanium dioxide (TiO2) is a kind of wide-bandgap semiconductor. Nano-TiO2 devices exhibit size-dependent and novel photoelectric performance due to their quantum limiting effect, high absorption coefficient, high surface-volume ratio, adjustable band gap, etc. Due to their excellent electronic performance, abundant presence, and high cost performance, they are widely used in various application fields such as memory, sensors, and photodiodes. This article provides an overview of the most recent developments in the application of nanostructured TiO2-based optoelectronic devices. Various complex devices are considered, such as sensors, photodetectors, light-emitting diodes (LEDs), storage applications, and field-effect transistors (FETs). This review of recent discoveries in TiO2-based optoelectronic devices, along with summary reviews and predictions, has important implications for the development of transitional metal oxides in optoelectronic applications for researchers. more...

Fractional quantum Hall states in 2D electron gases arise due to strong electron-electron interactions, which makes a general theoretical understanding difficult. Fu et al. present data showing the ν = 5/3 quantum Hall state has a 3/2 plateau in the diagonal resistance that has not been captured by existing models. more...

A two-dimensional electron system placed in a magnetic field develops Landau levels, where strong Coulomb interactions lead to the appearance of many-body correlated ground states. Quantum numbers similar to the electron spin enable the understanding and control of complex ground state order and collective excitations. Owing to its spin, valley, and orbital degrees of freedom, Bernal-stacked bilayer graphene offers a rich platform to pursue correlated phenomena in two dimensions. In this work, we fabricate dual-gated Bernal-stacked bilayer graphene devices and demonstrate unprecedented fine control over its valley isospin degrees of freedom using a perpendicular electric field. Higher sample quality enables us to probe regimes obscured by disorder in previous studies. We present evidence for a new even-denominator fractional quantum Hall state at filling factor ν=5/2. The 5/2 state is found to be spontaneously valley polarized in the limit of vanishing valley Zeeman splitting, consistent with a theoretical prediction made regarding the spin polarization of the Moore-Read state. In the vicinity of the even-denominator fractional quantum Hall states, we observe the appearance of the predicted Levin-Halperin daughter states of the Moore-Read Pfaffian wave function at ν=3/2 and 7/2 and of the anti-Pfaffian at ν=5/2 and −1/2. These observations suggest the breaking of particle-hole symmetry in bilayer graphene. We construct a comprehensive valley polarization phase diagram for the Jain sequence fractional states surrounding filling factor 3/2. These results are well explained by a two-component composite fermion model, further demonstrating the SU(2) nature of the valley isospin in bilayer graphene. Our experiment paves the path for future efforts of manipulating the valley isospin in bilayer graphene to engineer exotic topological orders and quantum information processes. more...

Abstract Background Exosomes are critically involved in cancer development and progression. The exosomal contents have been suggested as ideal cancer biomarkers. In this study, we investigated the expression of exosomal proteins in the serum of gastric cancer patients and their roles in gastric cancer. Methods The proteomic profile of exosomes from the serum of gastric cancer patients was detected by using LC-MS/MS. The expression of TRIM3 in exosomes from the serum of gastric cancer patients and healthy controls was assessed by ELISA and western blot. Immunohistochemistry was used to detect TRIM3 expression in gastric cancer tissues and their matching adjacent tissues. The growth and migration abilities of gastric cancer cells with TRIM3 overexpression or knockdown in vitro were evaluated by colony formation assay and transwell migration assay. The effects of TRIM3 overexpression or knockdown on gastric cancer growth and metastasis in vivo were investigated by using subcutaneous xenograft tumor and peritoneal metastasis mouse model. The effects of TRIM3-overexpressing exosomes on gastric cancer growth and metastasis in vitro and in vivo were also evaluated. Results We found that the expression levels of TRIM3 mRNA and protein were decreased in gastric cancer tissues compared to the matched control tissues. In addition, the levels of TRIM3 protein in the serum exosomes of gastric cancer patients were lower than that in healthy controls. We demonstrated that TRIM3 overexpression reduced while TRIM3 knockdown promoted the growth and metastasis of gastric cancer in vitro and in vivo through the regulation of stem cell factors and EMT regulators. Moreover, exosomes-mediated delivery of TRIM3 protein could suppress gastric cancer growth and metastasis in vitro and in vivo. Conclusions Taken together, our findings suggest that exosomal TRIM3 may serve as a biomarker for gastric cancer diagnosis and the delivery of TRIM3 by exosomes may provide a new avenue for gastric cancer therapy. more...

In the Landau levels of a two-dimensional electron system or when flat bands are present, e.g., in twisted van der Waals bilayers, strong electron-electron interaction gives rise to quantum Hall ferromagnetism with spontaneously broken symmetries in the spin and isospin sectors. Quantum Hall ferromagnets support a rich variety of low-energy collective excitations that are instrumental to understand the nature of the magnetic ground states and are also potentially useful as carriers of quantum information. Probing such collective excitations, especially their dispersion ω(k), is experimentally challenging due to small sample size and measurement constraints. In this work, we demonstrate an all-electrical approach that integrates a Fabry-Pérot cavity with nonequilibrium transport to achieve the excitation, wave vector selection, and detection of spin waves in graphene heterostructures. Our experiments reveal gapless, linearly dispersed spin wave excitations in the E=0 Landau level of bilayer graphene, thus providing direct experimental evidence for a predicted canted antiferromagnetic order. We show that the gapless spin wave mode propagates with a high group velocity of several tens of kilometers per second and maintains phase coherence over a distance of many micrometers. Its dependence on the magnetic field and temperature agree well with the hydrodynamic theory of spin waves. These results lay the foundation for the quest of spin superfluidity in this high-quality material. The resonant cavity technique we develop offers a powerful and timely method to explore the collective excitation of many spin- and isospin-ordered many-body ground states in van der Waals heterostructures and opens the possibility of engineering magnonic devices. more...

The spin-polarized even-denominator fractional quantum Hall (FQH) states in the second Landau level (LL), i.e., 5/2 and 7/2, may possess novel quasiparticle excitations obeying non-Abelian statistics. However, the spin polarization of the 7/2 FQH state has not been investigated experimentally and the spin polarization of the 5/2 FQH state from tilted-field experiments remains controversial. Using a piezodriven sample rotator with the lowest electron temperature down to 25 mK, we studied the energy gap of the even-denominator FQH states in the second LL by precise control of the tilted angles with a resolution less than 0.1°. We observed two different energy gap dependences on the in-plane magnetic field for 5/2, 7/2, other FQH states (7/3 and 8/3) in the second LL, and reentrant integer quantum Hall (RIQH) states in the third LL. Though the transition fields vary from states, their corresponding in-plane magnetic lengths are comparable to the quantum well thickness of the sample, which may result from the influence of the finite-thickness effect. At low in-plane magnetic fields, before the conjectured finite-thickness effect starts to dominate, the energy gaps of both 5/2 and 7/2 states show a nondecreasing behavior, supporting spin-polarized ground states. Our results also suggest that the 7/3, 8/3 FQH states, and the RIQH states in the third LL are spin polarized or partially spin polarized. more...

A label-free aptamer-based assay for the highly sensitive and specific detection of Ochratoxin A (OTA) was developed using a cationic polymer and gold nanoparticles (AuNPs). The OTA aptamer was used as a recognition element for the colorimetric detection of OTA based on the aggregation of AuNPs by the cationic polymer. By spectroscopic quantitative analysis, the colorimetric assay could detect OTA down to 0.009 ng/mL with high selectivity in the presence of other interfering toxins. This study offers a new alternative in visual detection methods that is rapid and sensitive for OTA detection. more...

Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) is the third most common endogenously produced gaseous signaling molecule, but its impact on hepatic ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury, especially on mitochondrial function, remains unclear. In this study, rats were randomized into Sham, I/R, ischemia preconditioning (IPC) or sodium hydrosulfide (NaHS, an H2S donor) preconditioning groups. To establish a model of segmental (70%) warm hepatic ischemia, the hepatic artery, left portal vein and median liver lobes were occluded for 60 min and then unclamped to allow reperfusion. Preconditioning with 12.5, 25 or 50 μmol/kg NaHS prior to the I/R insult significantly increased serum H2S levels, and, similar to IPC, NaHS preconditioning decreased alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) levels in the plasma and prevented hepatocytes from undergoing I/R-induced necrosis. Moreover, a sub-toxic dose of NaHS (25 μmol/kg) did not disrupt the systemic hemodynamics but dramatically inhibited mitochondrial permeability transition pore (MPTP) opening and thus prevented mitochondrial-related cell death and apoptosis. Mechanistic studies revealed that NaHS preconditioning markedly increased the expression of phosphorylated protein kinase B (p-Akt), phosphorylated glycogen synthase kinase-3 beta (p-GSK-3β) and B-cell lymphoma-2 (Bcl-2) and decreased the release of mitochondrial cytochrome c and cleaved caspase-3/9 levels. Therefore, NaHS administration prior to hepatic I/R ameliorates mitochondrial and hepatocellular damage through the inhibition of MPTP opening and the activation of Akt-GSK-3β signaling. Furthermore, this study provides experimental evidence for the clinical use of H2S to reduce liver damage after perioperative I/R injury. more...

Selective detection of ultratrace amounts of cadmium (Cd2+) is extremely important for food safety and environmental monitoring because of its toxicity and widespread use. In this work, we developed a facile, rapid, sensitive, and highly selective method for the detection of Cd2+ based on a label-free aptasensor using an unmodified double-stranded deoxyribonucleic acid-specific dye (PicoGreen). The linear range was 0.10–100 µg/mL, and the detection limit (0.038 ng/mL) was lower than the guideline from the World Health Organization for Cd2+ in drinking water (3 ng/mL). The sensor exhibited excellent selectivity towards Cd2+ ions. We tested the aptasensor in application to a series of real water samples spiked with different concentrations of Cd2+. Compared with atomic absorption spectrometry, the results showed good tolerance to the matrix effect. The developed approach shows great potential for on-site and high-throughput analysis in routine monitoring. more...

Liver regeneration (LR) after partial hepatectomy (PH) involves the proliferation and apoptosis of hepatocytes, and microRNAs have been shown to post-transcriptionally regulate genes involved in the regulation of these processes. To explore the role of miR-127 during LR, the expression patterns of miR-127 and its related proteins were investigated. MiR-127 was introduced into a rat liver cell line to examine its effects on the potential target genes Bcl6 and Setd8, and functional studies were undertaken. We discovered that miR-127 was down-regulated and inversely correlated with the expression of Bcl6 and Setd8 at 24 hours after PH, a time at which hypermethylation of the promoter region of the miR-127 gene was detected. Furthermore, in BRL-3A rat liver cells, we observed that overexpression of miR-127 significantly suppressed cell growth and directly inhibited the expression of Bcl6 and Setd8. The results suggest that down-regulation of miR-127 may be due to the rapid methylation of its promoter during the first 24 h after PH, and this event facilitates hepatocyte proliferation by releasing Bcl6 and Setd8. These findings support a miRNA-mediated negative regulation pattern in LR and implicate an anti-proliferative role for miR-127 in liver cells. more...

Edge states of a topological insulator can be used to explore fundamental science emerging at the interface of low dimensionality and topology. Achieving a robust conductance quantization, however, has proven challenging for helical edge states. In this work, we show wide resistance plateaus in kink states—a manifestation of the quantum valley Hall effect in Bernal bilayer graphene—quantized to the predicted value at zero magnetic field. The plateau resistance has a very weak temperature dependence up to 50 kelvin and is flat within a dc bias window of tens of millivolts. We demonstrate the electrical operation of a topology-controlled switch with an on/off ratio of 200. These results demonstrate the robustness and tunability of the kink states and its promise in constructing electron quantum optics devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

A rapid, portable, and semi-quantitative immunochromatographic strip was developed for rapid and visual detection of alternariol monomethyl ether (AME). For this purpose, the anti-AME monoclonal antibody (mAb) was prepared and identified. AME coupled to bovine serum albumin (BSA) via methyl 4-bromobutanoate was prepared as immunogen. The recoveries of AME in spiked cherry and orange fruits determined by competitive ELISA were 86.1% and 80.7%, respectively. A colloidal gold nanoparticle (CGN) and CGNs-mAb conjugate were synthesized, and on this basis, a competitive colloidal gold immunochromatographic strip was developed and applied to the detection of AME toxin in fruit samples. The intensity of red density of the test line (T line) is inversely proportional to AME concentration in the range 0.1-10 ng/mL. The visual limit of detection (LOD) of AME was found to be about 10 ng/mL. The semi-quantitative detection can be completed in 10 min. Moreover, the immunochromatographic strip has lower cross-reactivity with AME analogues, and it has a good stability performance (following 3 months of storage). Hence, the colloidal gold immunochromatographic strip could be used as a semi-quantitative tool for the on-site, rapid, and visual detection of AME in fruit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

Novel and non-invasive biomarkers are urgently needed for early detection of cancer. Exosomes are nanosized particles released by cells and contain various bioactive molecules including proteins, DNA, mRNAs, and non-coding RNAs. Increasing evidence suggests that exosomes play critical roles in tumorigenesis, tumor growth, metastasis, and therapy resistance. Exosomes could be readily accessible in nearly all the body fluids. The altered production of exosomes and aberrant expression of exosomal contents could reflect the pathological state of the body, indicating that exosomes and exosomal contents can be utilized as novel cancer biomarkers. Herein, we review the basic properties of exosomes, the functional roles of exosomes in cancer, and the methods of detecting exosomes and exosomal contents. In particular, we highlight the clinical values of exosomal non-coding RNAs in cancer diagnosis and prognosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

Some theories predict that the filling factor 5/2 fractional quantum Hall state can exhibit non-Abelian statistics, which makes it a candidate for fault-tolerant topological quantum computation. Although the non-Abelian Pfaffian state and its particle-hole conjugate, the anti-Pfaffian state, are the most plausible wave functions for the 5/2 state, there are a number of alternatives with either Abelian or non-Abelian statistics. Recent experiments suggest that the tunneling exponents are more consistent with an Abelian state rather than a non-Abelian state. Here, we present edge-current-tunneling experiments in geometrically confined quantum point contacts, which indicate that Abelian and non-Abelian states compete at filling factor 5/2. Our results are consistent with a transition from an Abelian state to a non-Abelian state in a single quantum point contact when the confinement is tuned. Our observation suggests that there is an intrinsic non-Abelian 5/2 ground state but that the appropriate confinement is necessary to maintain it. This observation is important not only for understanding the physics of the 5/2 state but also for the design of future topological quantum computation devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

In the higher Landau levels (N > 0) a reentrant integer quantum Hall effect (RIQHE) state, which resides at fractional filling factors but exhibits integer Hall plateaus, has been previously observed and studied extensively. The nonlinear dynamics of the RIQHE were measured by microwave resonance, with the results consistent with an electronic bubble phase pinned by impurities. We have carried out depinning experiments on the N = 2 bubble phases by using Corbino geometry, where depinning threshold values have been systematically measured as a function of magnetic fields and temperatures. Domain sizes and pinning potential of the bubble phases have been estimated from the nonlinear transport data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

Background: Metabolic syndrome (MS) increases a risk of developing cardiovascular disease (CVD) and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). The Vitamin D Receptor gene (VDR) may be important for developing MS. The aim of this study is to investigate the correlation between the VDR gene polymorphisms and MS in North China. Methods: A case–control study included 391 participants with MS according to the MS diagnostic criteria of International Diabetes Federation 2005 (IDF2005) and 400 controls was conducted on the basis of a cross sectional study which was performed from 2008 to 2012 in Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, China. Anthropometric data, blood pressure and blood samples were collected in the field investigation. Blood biochemistry analyses were carried out in the laboratory. Two single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the VDR gene, BsmI (rs1544410 A > G) and FokI (rs 2228570 C > T), were genotyped. Results: The difference in the occurrence of genotypes in BsmI between individuals with MS and the control group was significant. Compared with genotype Bb/bb and allele b, genotype BB and allele B showed higher frequencies in MS cases than controls, which suggested they were risk factors. In addition, the genotype BB carriers with MS presented a higher waist circumference, while genotype FF for the FokI polymorphism was correlated with lower BMI in subjects with MS. Conclusion: Our study suggests that the VDR gene polymorphisms appear to be associated with MS in the Northern Chinese population. Allele B and BB genotype for BsmI are risk factors for MS. The BsmI polymorphism seems to influence waist circumference, while the FokI polymorphism influence BMI in subjects with MS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

Flurbiprofen acts as a nonselective inhibitor for cyclooxygenases (COX-1 and COX-2), but its impact on hepatic ischemia/ reperfusion (I/R) injury remains unclear. Mice were randomized into sham, I/R and flurbiprofen (Flurb) groups. The hepatic artery and portal vein to the left and median liver lobes were occluded for 90 min and unclamped for reperfusion to establish a model of segmental (70%) warm hepatic ischemia. Pretreatment of animals with flurbiprofen prior to I/R insult significantly decreased serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), and prevented hepatocytes from I/R-induced apoptosis/necrosis. Moreover, flurbiprofen dramatically inhibited mitochondrial permeability transition (MPT) pore opening, and thus prevented mitochondrial-related cell death and apoptosis. Mechanistic studies revealed that flurbiprofen markedly inhibited glycogen synthase kinase (GSK)-3β activity and increased phosphorylation of GSK-3β at Ser9, which, consequently, could modulate the adenine nucleotide translocase (ANT)-cyclophilin D (CyP-D) complex and the susceptibility to MPT induction. Therefore, administration of flurbiprofen prior to hepatic I/R ameliorates mitochondrial and hepatocellular damage through inhibition of MPT and inactivation of GSK-3β, and provides experimental evidence for clinical use of flurbiprofen to protect liver function in surgical settings in addition to its conventional use for pain relief. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

The ν=0 quantum Hall state of bilayer graphene is a fertile playground to realize many-body ground states with various broken symmetries. Here we report the experimental observations of a previously unreported metallic phase. The metallic phase resides in the phase space between the previously identified layer polarized state at large transverse electric field and the canted antiferromagnetic state at small transverse electric field. We also report temperature dependence studies of the quantum spin Hall state of ν=0. Complex nonmonotonic behavior reveals concomitant bulk and edge conductions and excitations. These results provide a timely experimental update to understand the rich physics of the ν=0 state. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

We report on the observation of a helical Luttinger liquid in the edge of an InAs/GaSb quantum spin Hall insulator, which shows characteristic suppression of conductance at low temperature and low bias voltage. Moreover, the conductance shows power-law behavior as a function of temperature and bias voltage. The results underscore the strong electron-electron interaction effect in transport of InAs/GaSb edge states. Because of the fact that the Fermi velocity of the edge modes is controlled by gates, the Luttinger parameter can be fine tuned. Realization of a tunable Luttinger liquid offers a one-dimensional model system for future studies of predicted correlation effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

Two-dimensional (2D) transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) have a range of unique physics properties and could be used in the development of electronics, photonics, spintronics, and quantum computing devices. The mechanical exfoliation technique of microsize TMD flakes has attracted particular interest due to its simplicity and cost effectiveness. However, for most applications, large-area and high-quality films are preferred. Furthermore, when the thickness of crystalline films is down to the 2D limit (monolayer), exotic properties can be expected due to the quantum confinement and symmetry breaking. In this paper, we have successfully prepared macro-size atomically flat monolayer NbSe2 films on bilayer graphene terminated surface of 6H-SiC(0001) substrates by a molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) method. The films exhibit an onset superconducting critical transition temperature (Tconset) above 6 K and the zero resistance superconducting critical transition temperature (Tczero) up to 2.40 K. Simultaneously, the transport measurements at high magnetic fields and low temperatures reveal that the parallel characteristic field Bc//(T = 0) is above 5 times of the paramagnetic limiting field, consistent with Zeeman-protected Ising superconductivity mechanism. Besides, by ultralow temperature electrical transport measurements, the monolayer NbSe2 film shows the signature of quantum Griffiths singularity (QGS) when approaching the zero-temperature quantum critical point. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

Diverse phenomena emerge at the interface between band insulators LaAlO3 and SrTiO3, such as superconductivity and ferromagnetism, showing an opportunity for potential applications as well as contributing to fundamental research interests. Here, we report the superconductor-metal transition driven by a perpendicular magnetic field in superconducting two-dimensional electron gas formed at the LaAlO3/SrTiO3(110) interface, which offers an appealing platform for quantum phase transition from a superconductor to a weakly localized metal. Interestingly, when approaching the quantum critical point, the dynamic critical exponent is not a constant but a diverging value, which is direct evidence of a quantum Griffiths singularity arising from quenched disorder at ultralow temperatures. Furthermore, the hysteretic property of magnetoresistance is observed at the LaAlO3/SrTiO3(110) interface, which suggests the potential coexistence of superconductivity and ferromagnetism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

The behavior of phase coherence is studied in two-dimensional hole gas through the integer quantum Hall plateau-to-plateau transition. From the plateau transition as a function of temperature, scaling properties of multiple transitions are analyzed. Our results are in good agreement with the assumption of the zero-point fluctuations of the coherent holes, and support the intrinsic saturation of the coherence time at low temperature limit. The critical exponent p can also be determined under the scheme of the zero-point fluctuations. The similarity and difference in experimental observations between quantum Griffiths singularity and plateau transition is discussed. The spin-orbit coupling effect's influence on the plateau transition is explored by comparing the results from different transitions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...