Search

Abstract Nanoribbons (NRs) of atomic layer transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) can boost the rapidly emerging field of quantum materials owing to their width-dependent phases and electronic properties. However, the controllable downscaling of width by direct growth and the underlying mechanism remain elusive. Here, we demonstrate the vapor-liquid-solid growth of single crystal of single layer NRs of a series of TMDs (MeX2: Me = Mo, W; X = S, Se) under chalcogen vapor atmosphere, seeded by pre-deposited and respective transition metal-alloyed nanoparticles that also control the NR width. We find linear dependence of growth rate on supersaturation, known as a criterion for continues growth mechanism, which decreases with decreasing of NR width driven by the Gibbs-Thomson effect. The NRs show width-dependent photoluminescence and strain-induced quantum emission signatures with up to ≈ 90% purity of single photons. We propose the path and underlying mechanism for width-controllable growth of TMD NRs for applications in quantum optoelectronics.

Abstract Metal nanoparticles have extraordinary properties, but their integration into mesostructures has been challenging. Producing uniformly dispersed nanoparticles attached to substrates in industrial quantities is difficult. Herein, a “plasmashock” method was developed to synthesize metal nanoparticles anchored on different types of carbonaceous substrates using liquid salt solution precursors. These self-supporting, nanoparticle-loaded carbon fabrics are mechanically robust and have been tested as antibacterial substrates and electrocatalysts for reducing carbon dioxide and nitrite. A piece of silver–carbon nanotube paper with a silver loading of ~0.13 mg cm−2 treated after a few-second plasmashock presents good antibacterial and electrocatalytic properties in wastewater, even after 20 bactericidal immersion cycles, due to the strong bonding of the nanoparticles to the substrate. The results prove the effectiveness of this plasmashock method in creating free-standing functional composite films or membranes.

Abstract Despite docetaxel combined with cisplatin and 5‐fluorouracil (TPF) being the established treatment for advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC), there are patients who do not respond positively to this form of therapy. However, the mechanisms underlying this lack of benefit remain unclear. DCAF7 is identified as a chemoresistance gene attenuating the response to TPF therapy in NPC patients. DCAF7 promotes the cisplatin resistance and metastasis of NPC cells in vitro and in vivo. Mechanistically, DCAF7 serves as a scaffold protein that facilitates the interaction between USP10 and G3BP1, leading to the elimination of K48‐linked ubiquitin moieties from Lys76 of G3BP1. This process helps prevent the degradation of G3BP1 via the ubiquitin‒proteasome pathway and promotes the formation of stress granule (SG)‐like structures. Moreover, knockdown of G3BP1 successfully reversed the formation of SG‐like structures and the oncogenic effects of DCAF7. Significantly, NPC patients with increased levels of DCAF7 showed a high risk of metastasis, and elevated DCAF7 levels are linked to an unfavorable prognosis. The study reveals DCAF7 as a crucial gene for cisplatin resistance and offers further understanding of how chemoresistance develops in NPC. The DCAF7‐USP10‐G3BP1 axis contains potential targets and biomarkers for NPC treatment.

Summary: Both concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT) and induction chemotherapy (ICT) followed by CCRT are standard care of advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). However, tailoring personalized treatment is lacking. Herein, we established a radiogenomic clinical decision support system to classify patients into three subgroups according to their predicted disease-free survival (DFS) with CCRT and ICT response. The CCRT-preferred group was suitable for CCRT since they achieved good survival with CCRT, which could not be improved by ICT. The ICT-preferred group was suitable for ICT plus CCRT since they had poor survival with CCRT; additional ICT could afford an improved DFS. The clinical trial–preferred group was suitable for clinical trials since they exhibited poor survival regardless of receiving CCRT or ICT plus CCRT. These findings suggest that our radiogenomic clinical decision support system could identify optimal candidates for CCRT, ICT plus CCRT, and clinical trials, and may thus aid in personalized management of advanced NPC.

Abstract Despite that the docectaxel-cisplatin-5-fluorouracil (TPF) induction chemotherapy has greatly improved patients’ survival and became the first-line treatment for advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC), not all patients could benefit from this therapy. The mechanism underlying the TPF chemoresistance remains unclear. Here, by analyzing gene-expression microarray data and survival of patients who received TPF chemotherapy, we identify transcription factor ATMIN as a chemoresistance gene in response to TPF chemotherapy in NPC. Mass spectrometry and Co-IP assays reveal that USP10 deubiquitinates and stabilizes ATMIN protein, resulting the high-ATMIN expression in NPC. Knockdown of ATMIN suppresses the cell proliferation and facilitates the docetaxel-sensitivity of NPC cells both in vitro and in vivo, while overexpression of ATMIN exerts the opposite effect. Mechanistically, ChIP-seq combined with RNA-seq analysis suggests that ATMIN is associated with the cell death signaling and identifies ten candidate target genes of ATMIN. We further confirm that ATMIN transcriptionally activates the downstream target gene LCK and stabilizes it to facilitate cell proliferation and docetaxel resistance. Taken together, our findings broaden the insight into the molecular mechanism of chemoresistance in NPC, and the USP10-ATMIN-LCK axis provides potential therapeutic targets for the management of NPC.

The molecular mechanisms determining the response to radiotherapy remain incompletely understood. Here, the authors demonstrate that the E3 ubiquitin ligase and intracellular Fc receptor, TRIM21, impairs CD8+ T cell responses in nasopharyngeal carcinoma tumour models following ionizing radiation.

PurposeHead and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) ranks sixth among all cancers globally regarding morbidity, and it has a poor prognosis, high mortality, and highly aggressive properties. In this study, we established a model for predicting prognosis based on immunohistochemical (IHC) scores.MethodsData on 402 HNSCC cases were collected, the glmnet Cox proportional hazards model was used, risk factors were analyzed for predicting the prognosis of survival, and the IHC score was established. We used the IHC score to predict disease-free survival (DFS) using training and independent validation cohorts, including 264 cases in total. Additionally, the accuracy of the IHC score and the TNM system (8th edition) was compared. A DFS prediction nomogram was established by combining the prognostic factors.ResultsThe IHC scores included CK, Ki-67, p16, and p40 staining intensity. The concordance index and the Kaplan-Meier survival analysis showed that the IHC scores had high predictive power for HNSCC. Our results showed that the IHC score is an independent factor that can predict prognosis in a multivariate Cox regression analysis. When predicting DFS, the IHC score had a significantly higher value for the area under the ROC curve (AUC) than that of the TNM system. A nomogram was established and included the IHC score, age, tumor location, and the TNM stage. The calibration curves exhibited high consistency between the prognosis predicted by our nomogram and the actual prognosis.ConclusionsThe IHC score was more accurate than the eighth edition of the TNM system in predicting HNSCC prognosis. Therefore, combining the two methods can facilitate individualized patient consultation and care.

Room-temperature sodium-sulfur batteries are promising electrochemical energy storage systems. Here, the authors proposed a Fe3N/carbon composite to regulate the polysulfides chemistry and improve the performances of sodium-sulfur cells.

Abstract Objectives We aimed to understand the clinical characteristics and better predict the prognosis of patients with mucosal melanoma of the head and neck (MMHN) using a nomogram. Methods Three hundred patients with nometastatic MMHN were included. Multivariable Cox regression was performed to analyze independent prognostic factors for overall survival (OS), disease-free survival (DFS), distant metastasis-free survival (DMFS), and locoregional relapse-free survival (LRRFS), and these factors were used to develop a nomogram. Concordance indexes (C-indexes), calibration plots, and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis were performed to test the predictive performance of the nomogram in both the primary (n = 300) and validation cohorts (n = 182). Results The primary tumor site, T stage and N stage were independent risk factors for survival and were included in the nomogram to predict the 3- and 5-year OS, DFS, DMFS, and LRRFS in the primary cohort. The C-indexes (both > 0.700), well-fit calibration plots, and area under the ROC curve (both > 0.700) indicated the high diagnostic accuracy of the nomogram, in both the primary and validation cohorts. The patients were divided into three groups (high-risk, intermediate-risk, and low-risk groups) according to their nomogram scores. The survival curves of OS, DFS, DMFS, and LRRFS were well separated by the risk groups in both cohorts (all P

Abstract Background For detecting mild cognitive impairment (MCI), brief cognitive screening tools are increasingly required for the advantage of time saving and no need for special equipment or trained raters. We aimed to develop a modified Chinese version of Mini‐Addenbrooke's Cognitive Examination (C‐MACE) and further evaluate its validation in detecting MCI. Methods A total of 716 individuals aged from 50 to 90 years old were recruited, including 431 cognitively normal controls (NC) and 285 individuals with MCI. The effect size of Cramer's V was used to explore which items in the Chinese version of Addenbrooke's Cognitive Examination‐III (ACE‐III‐CV) best associated with MCI and to form the C‐MACE. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analyses were carried out to explore the ability of C‐MACE, ACE‐III‐CV, Chinese version of Montreal Cognitive Assessment‐Basic (MoCA‐BC), and Mini‐Mental State Examination (MMSE) in discriminating MCI from NC. Results Five items with greatest effect sizes of Cramer's V were selected from ACE‐III‐CV to form the C‐MACE: Memory Immediate Recall, Memory Delayed Recall, Memory Recognition, Verbal Fluency Animal and Language Naming. With a total score of 38, the C‐MACE had a satisfactory classification accuracy in detecting MCI (area under the ROC curve, AUC = 0.892), superior to MMSE (AUC = 0.782) and comparable to ACE‐III‐CV (AUC = 0.901) and MoCA‐BC (AUC = 0.916). In the subgroup of Age > 70 years, Education ≤ 12 years, the C‐MACE got a highest classification accuracy (AUC = 0.958) for detecting MCI. Conclusion In the Chinese‐speaking population, C‐MACE derived from ACE‐III‐CV may identify MCI with a good classification accuracy, especially in aged people with low education.

Multi-principal-element alloys have been assumed to have the configurational entropy of an ideal solution. Here, the authors use atomistic simulations to show that instead NiCoCr exhibits local chemical order, raising the activation barriers of dislocation activities to elevate mechanical strength.

PurposeWe aimed to develop a prognostic immunohistochemistry (IHC) signature for patients with head and neck mucosal melanoma (MMHN).MethodsIn total, 190 patients with nonmetastatic MMHN with complete clinical and pathological data before treatment were included in our retrospective study.ResultsWe extracted five IHC markers associated with overall survival (OS) and then constructed a signature in the training set (n=116) with the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression model. The validation set (n=74) was further built to confirm the prognostic significance of this classifier. We then divided patients into high- and low-risk groups according to the IHC score. In the training set, the 5-year OS rate was 22.0% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 11.2%- 43.2%) for the high-risk group and 54.1% (95% CI: 41.8%-69.9%) for the low-risk group (P

ObjectiveThis study focused on developing an effective nomogram for improving prognostication for patients with primary nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) restaged according to the eighth edition of the AJCC/UICC TNM staging system.MethodsBased on data of 5,903 patients with non-metastatic NPC (primary cohort), we used Cox regression analysis to identify survival risk factors and created a nomogram. We used the nomogram to predict overall survival (OS), distant metastasis-free survival (DMFS) and disease-free survival (DFS) in the primary and independent validation (3,437 patients) cohorts. Moreover, we compared the prognostic accuracy between the 8th TNM system and the nomogram.ResultsThe nomogram included gender, age, T stage, N stage, Epstein–Barr virus DNA, hemoglobin, C-reactive protein, lactate dehydrogenase, and radiotherapy with/without induction or concurrent chemotherapy. In the prediction of OS, DMFS and DFS, the nomogram had significantly higher concordance index (C-index) and area under ROC curve (AUC) than the TNM system alone. Calibration curves demonstrated satisfactory agreements between nomogram-predicted and observed survival. The stratification in different groups permitted remarkable differentiation among Kaplan–Meier curves for OS, DMFS, and DFS.ConclusionThe nomogram led to a more precise prognostic prediction for NPC patients in comparison with the 8th TNM system. Therefore, it could facilitate individualized and personalized patients’ counseling and care.

Abstract Purpose To investigate whether heat shock protein 90 (HSP90) is involved in complement regulation in ischemic postconditioning (IPC). Methods The left coronary artery of rats underwent 30 min of occlusion, followed by 120 min of reperfusion and treatment with IPC via 3 cycles of 30s reperfusion and 30s occlusion. The rats were injected intraperitoneally with 1 mg/kg HSP90 inhibitor geldanamycin (GA) after anesthesia. Eighty rats were randomly divided into four groups: sham, ischemia-reperfusion (I/R), IPC and IPC + GA. Myocardial infarct size, apoptosis index and the expression of HSP90, C3, C5a, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha, interleukin (IL)-1β and c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) were assessed. Results Compared with the I/R injury, the IPC treatment significantly reduced infarct size, release of troponin T, creatine kinase-MB, and lactate dehydrogenase, and cardiomyocyte apoptosis. These beneficial effects were accompanied by a decrease in TNF-α, IL-1β, C3, C5a and JNK expression levels. However, all these effects were abrogated by administration of the HSP90 inhibitor GA. Conclusion HSP90 exerts a profound effect on IPC cardioprotection, and may be linked to the inhibition of the complement system and JNK, ultimately attenuating I/R-induced myocardial injury and apoptosis.

Objective To explore the role of high mobility group B1 （HMGB1） protein in the post-traumatic endoplasmic reticulum stress （ERS） in rat lung tissues. Methods The rat model of acute lung injury was established by crushing the hind limbs of rats with standard weight. The first experiment was to divide rats into postural control group and crush groups （6 h, 18 h and 30 h after crushing）. The second experiment was to divide rats into postural control group, 18 h crush group, HMGB1 inhibitor sodium butyrate （SB） group and 18 h crush+SB group. The protein expression changes of HMGB1 and ERS- related proteins （GRP78, caspase-12, CHOP and IRE1α） in rat lung tissues were detected with Western blotting. Meanwhile, the pathological changes of rat lungs were observed by HE stain. Results Compared with the postural control group, the expression levels of ERS-related proteins （GRP78, caspase-12, CHOP and IRE1α） and HMGB1 protein in rat lung tissues by crushing the hind limbs of rats were obviously increased. The protein levels reduced at 30 h after crushing but were still higher than those of postural control group and obvious pathological changes of acute lung injury were observed simultaneously in rats. Compared with the 18 h crush group, the expression levels of the ERS-related proteins and HMGB1 protein in rat lung tissues were attenuated in 18 h crush+SB group, and the pathological changes of rat lung injury began to alleviate. Conclusion HMGB1-ERS pathway activated by traumatic stress can lead to acute lung injury in rats.

‘Smaller is stronger’ has been a well-established tenet for the mechanical strength of small-volume single crystals. However, emerging evidence suggests that this trend does not always hold in the deep sub-micrometre regime (

Background/Aims: Previous studies have shown that heat shock protein 90 (HSP90)-mediated mitochondrial import of connexin 43 (Cx43) is critical in preconditioning cardioprotection. The present study was designed to test whether postconditioning has the same effect as preconditioning in promoting Cx43 translocation to mitochondria and whether mitochondrial HSP90 modulates this effect. Methods: Cellular models of hypoxic postconditioning (HPC) from rat heart-derived H9c2 cells and neonatal rat cardiomyocytes were employed. The effects of HPC on cardiomyocytes apoptosis were examined by flow cytometry and Hoechst 33342 fluorescent staining. Reactive oxidative species (ROS) production was assessed with the peroxide-sensitive fluorescent probe 2′,7′-dichlorofluorescin in diacetate (DCFH-DA). The anti- and pro-apoptotic markers Bcl-2 and Bax, HSP90 and Cx43 protein levels were studied by Western blot analysis in total cell homogenate and sarcolemmal and mitochondrial fractions. The effects on HPC of the HSP90 inhibitor geldanamycin (GA), ROS scavengers superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT), and small interfering RNA (siRNA) targeting Cx43 and HSP90 were also investigated. Results: HPC significantly reduced hypoxia/reoxygenation (H/R)-induced cardiomyocyte apoptosis. These beneficial effects were accompanied by an increase in Bcl-2 levels and a decrease in Bax levels in both sarcolemmal and mitochondrial fractions. HPC with siRNA targeting Cx43 or the ROS scavengers SOD plus CAT significantly prevented ROS generation and HPC cardioprotection, but HPC with either SOD or CAT did not. These data strongly supported the involvement of Cx43 in HPC cardioprotection, likely via modulation of the ROS balance which plays a central role in HPC protection. Furthermore, HPC increased total and mitochondrial levels of HSP90 and the mitochondria-to-sarcolemma ratio of Cx43; blocking the function of HSP90 with the HSP90 inhibitor geldanamycin (GA) or siRNA targeting HSP90 prevented the protection of HPC and the HPC-induced association of Cx43, indicating that mitochondrial HSP90 was important for mitochondrial translocation of Cx43 during HPC. Conclusion: Mitochondrial HSP90 played a central role in HPC cardioprotection, and its activity was linked to the mitochondrial targeting of Cx43, the activation of which triggered ROS signaling and the subsequent reduction of redox stress. Consequently, its target gene, Bcl-2, was upregulated, and proapoptotic Bax was inhibited in the sarcolemma and mitochondria, ultimately attenuating H/R-induced cardiomyocyte apoptosis. These data reveal a novel mechanism of HPC protection.

Coherent twin boundaries (CTBs) in face-centered cubic metals are usually considered unable to slide at room temperature. Here, the authors use in situ transmission electron microscopy and molecular dynamics to show CTB sliding in copper nanopillars when leading and trailing partial dislocations have similar Schmid factors.

Purpose: To study the therapeutic effect of He-Wei-Tong-Xie (HWXT) decoction on acute pancreatitis (AP) complicated with gastrointestinal dysfunction. Methods: AP patients (50) were recruited from the Teaching Hospital of Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine and randomly divided into treatment and control groups (25 per group). All patients were evaluated at baseline, and thereafter subjected to standard therapeutic protocols, including, fasting, gastrointestinal decompression, administration of somatostatin and omeprazole. The patients in the treatment group also received 100 mL of HWTX by nasal route with high enema (three times/day). Gastrointestinal function scores (stomach ache, abdominal distension, borborygmus and defecation), and hospitalization time were evaluated on days 3 and 7 of treatment. Results: No significant baseline differences were observed between the treatment and control groups with respect to etiological agents and AP syndrome scores (p > 0.05). However, after 3 and 7 days of treatment, all AP syndromes in treatment group showed significant improvement compared with the control patients (p < 0.01). There were no significant differences in hospitalization time and rate of recovery between the treatment and control groups (p < 0.01). Conclusion: HWTX treatment appears to be a safe and potentially useful approach for treating AP complicated with gastrointestinal dysfunction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

When microscopic and macroscopic specimens of metals are subjected to cyclic loading, the creation, interaction, and accumulation of defects lead to damage, cracking, and failure. Here we demonstrate that when aluminum single crystals of submicrometer dimensions are subjected to low-amplitude cyclic deformation at room temperature, the density of preexisting dislocation lines and loops can be dramatically reduced with virtually no change of the overall sample geometry and essentially no permanent plastic strain. This "cyclic healing" of the metal crystal leads to significant strengthening through dramatic reductions in dislocation density, in distinct contrast to conventional cyclic strain hardening mechanisms arising from increases in dislocation density and interactions among defects in microcrystalline and macrocrystalline metals and alloys. Our real-time, in situ transmission electron microscopy observations of tensile tests reveal that pinned dislocation lines undergo shakedown during cyclic straining, with the extent of dislocation unpinning dependent on the amplitude, sequence, and number of strain cycles. Those unpinned mobile dislocations moving close enough to the free surface of the thin specimens as a result of such repeated straining are then further attracted to the surface by image forces that facilitate their egress from the crystal. These results point to a versatile pathway for controlled mechanical annealing and defect engineering in submicrometer-sized metal crystals, thereby obviating the need for thermal annealing or significant plastic deformation that could cause change in shape and/or dimensions of the specimen. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Under ultrahigh stresses (e.g., under high strain rates or in small-volume metals) deformation twinning (DT) initiates on a very short time scale, indicating strong spatial-temporal correlations in dislocation dynamics. Using atomistic simulations, here we demonstrate that surface rebound of relativistic dislocations directly and efficiently triggers DT under a wide range of laboratory experimental conditions. Because of its stronger temporal correlation, surface rebound sustained relay of partial dislocations is shown to be dominant over the conventional mechanism of thermally activated nucleation of twinning dislocations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For metallic glasses, "flexibility volume" has recently been introduced as a property-revealing indicator of the structural state the glass is in. This parameter incorporates the atomic volume and the vibrational mean-square displacement, to combine both static structure and dynamics information. Flexibility volume was shown to quantitatively correlate with the properties of metallic glasses [J. Ding et al., Nat. Commun. 7, 13733 (2016)]. However, it remains to be examined if this parameter is useful for other types of glasses with bonding characteristics, atomic packing structures, as well as properties that are distinctly different from metallic glasses. In this paper, we tackle this issue through systematic molecular-dynamics simulations of amorphous silicon (a-Si) models produced with different cooling rates, as a-Si is a prototypical covalently bonded network glass whose structure and properties cannot be characterized using structural parameters such as free volume used for metallic and polymeric glasses. Specifically, we demonstrate a quantitative prediction of the shear modulus of a-Si from the flexibility for atomic motion. This flexibility volume descriptor, when evaluated on the atomic scale, is shown to also correlate well with local packing, as well as with the propensity for thermal relaxations and shear transformations, providing a metric to map out and explain the structural and mechanical heterogeneity in the amorphous material. This case study of a model of covalently bonded network a-Si, together with our earlier demonstration for metallic glasses, points to the universality of flexibility volume as an indicator of the structure state to link with properties, applicable across amorphous materials with different chemical bonding and atomic packing structures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]