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Linear photon-number resolution is the key to quantum tomography. However, it is difficult to realize ideal linear photon-number resolution through multi-pixel technology because of the lack of detectors with both an ultrahigh quantum efficiency and infinite pixel number. In this letter, a photon-number-resolving detector approaching linear resolution is demonstrated. The detector is composed of 16 niobium nitride nanowires (4 × 4 on the chip) driven by independent readouts. The parallel readout enables all pixels to register incident photons independently and efficiently. The experimental results indicate that the amplitudes of the output pulse signals after being combined are linearly proportional to the number of detected photons, and the maximum number of resolved photons reaches 16. The mean photon-number distribution μ = 0.5, 2.2, 3.5, and 5.5 in a laser pulse approximates an ideal Poisson distribution, which indicates that this detector approaches linear resolution. Moreover, the spatial distribution of light can be illustrated by the array device, and the result is consistent with the theoretical prediction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Induction of tetraploids of 'duli' and 'Xinli No.7′ with colchicine is feasible. • Tetraploids have desirable traits, such as dwarfism and enlarged leaves. • Both seeds and shoot tips could be used for pear tetraploid induction. • Mixed culture method is an effective way for pear tetraploid induction. Polyploid plants usually exhibit broader leaves, thicker stems, bigger flowers and fruits, dwarfing stature, as well as improved biotic and abiotic resistance. Therefore, increasing the polyploidy is one of the most important strategies used in plant breeding. Here, we reported the successful induction of tetraploids of two pear varieties, 'duli' pear (Pyrus betulaefolia), a wildtype pear used for rootstocks in grafting, and 'Xinli No.7′ pear (Pyrus bretschneideri), a popular cultivated pear variety in China. This was achieved by treating their seeds, shoot tips of tissue cultured or field grown seedlings with colchicine and pendimethalin using three different methods: impregnation, mixed culture and smearing. The best tetraploids induction condition for 'duli' pear seeds was impregnating them with 0.4% colchicine for 24 h where the mutation rate of 2.0% was achieved with no chimera found. For shoot tips of tissue cultured seedlings the best condition was impregnating them with 0.2% colchicine where 6.67% of 'duli' (48 h) and 13.0% of 'Xinli No.7′ (24 h) were mutated. In addition, we found that in the mixed culture method the best induction condition for 'duli' was mixing with 1.0% colchicine while for 'Xinli No.7′ it was 0.5% colchicine. In the smear method, for the shoot tips of field grown seedlings of 'duli', the best induction condition was treating them with 0.4% colchicine for 24 h. Subsequently, the DNA content of these putative polyploid seedlings was estimated by the flow cytometry, confirming their ploidy nature. Also, we compared the morphological differences between the tetraploid seedlings and the diploid seedlings. Obviously, the tetraploid seedlings appeared to be dwarfed with shorter internode length and reduced internode number of their stems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel design of Bi 2 S 3 nanoparticles with a coating of mesoporous silica (BMSN) is obtained by a surfactant induced condensation method. It was found that BMSNs exhibited a high doxorubicin (DOX) loading efficiency of 45 wt% and pH-responsive controlled drug release owing to the electrostatic interaction between silanol surface and DOX molecules. The cell viability results demonstrated the encapsulation of DOX into BMSNs could lead to significantly enhanced therapeutic effect against multidrug-resistance cancer cells compared to that of free DOX drug. Furthermore, the comparable study of tumor growth by different treatments demonstrated that the introduction of BMSNs in the X-ray therapy could lead to higher therapeutic effect, with just 2.10-fold increase in tumor volume through 24 days, in comparison to 4.40-fold increase for X-ray beams treatment alone. Meanwhile, the in vitro interstitial radiotherapy experiments demonstrated that the cell inhibiting effect of P-32 interstitial radiotherapy combined with BMSNs (50 μg/mL) was 1.55-fold higher than that of P-32 alone. Significantly, it is notable that the simultaneous chemo- and interstitial radiotherapy based on BMSNs could tremendously increase the therapeutic effect compared to those treatment alone. More importantly, the in vivo P-32 radiotherapy in conjunction with BMSNs was proved to present a significantly eradication of the tumor volumes by an average of 21% reduction to its initial values, in comparison to 2.01-fold increase in case of P-32 treatment alone. Thus, it is expected that the BMSNs could be applied as a highly efficient multifunctional nanosystem to realize the enhanced chemo- and radiotherapy in the further clinical applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Performances of superconducting nanowire single-photon detectors (SNSPDs) based on low T materials strongly depend on the operating temperatures. We have fabricated infrared-sensitive niobium SNSPDs based on doped niobium (Nb*) films and measured them in He-3 cryocooler. The critical current approaches to the de-pairing current at 0.3 K. Therefore, with the decrease in temperatures, we have observed a monotonous increase of count rate at the wavelength of 1,521 nm and exponential decrease of dark count rate at all bias currents. The possible origin of dark counts for doped Nb devices is also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Aiming at substantially enhanced efficacy and biosafety of clinical HIFU therapy, a natural solid medium, L-menthol (LM), characteristic of mild and controllable “solid-liquid-gas” (SLG) tri-phase transition, was adopted, instead of those conventional explosive liquid–gas (LG) bi-phase transitional media, in constructing a multifunctional theranostic system. Owing to the continuous and controllable characteristics of SLG tri-phase transition, such a novel tri-phase transition-based theranostic system has been demonstrated of the repeatedly enhanced HIFU efficacy ex vivo and in vivo under once intravenous injection and the significantly improved treatment precision, controllability and biosafety when comparing to the traditional bi-phase transition medium, perfluorohexane (PFH), thus promising great application potential in clinical HIFU treatment. Moreover, this theranostic system has been demonstrated a long blood-circulation lifetime and continuous accumulation in tumor in 24 h, which is very beneficial for the enhanced tumor ablation in vivo along with SLG tri-phase transition. More importantly, after loading multiple model drugs and real drug, such a theranostic system presents a HIFU-mediated temperature-responsive drug release property, and depending on the versatile miscibility of LM, co-loadings with hydrophobic and hydrophilic drugs are also achieved, which provides the possibility of synergistic treatment combining HIFU therapy and chemotherapy. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Nano-sized graphene oxide (GO) is functionalized with adipic acid dihydrazide to introduce amine groups, and then hyaluronic acid (HA) is covalently conjugated to GO by the formation of amide bonds. The resulting HA-grafted GO (GO–HA) has negligible hemolytic activity and very low cytotoxicity towards HeLa and L929 cells, and it can be effectively taken up by cancer cells through receptor-mediated endocytosis. The histological, hematological and biochemical analysis results suggest no perceptible toxicity of GO–HA in mice at a high exposure level of 10mgkg−1 and at an exposure time of up to 10days. Doxorubicin (DOX) can be efficiently loaded on the GO–HA, and the resulting GO–HA/DOX exhibits notable cytotoxicity to HeLa cells. The in vivo drug delivery capability of GO–HA is demonstrated by following the tumor growth in mice after intravenous administration of GO–HA/DOX. The results indicate that GO–HA can efficaciously deliver DOX to the tumors and suppress tumor growth. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

We make a flexible wideband bandpass filter at terahertz (THz) frequencies using multi-layer metamaterials. A very flat response in the passband can be obtained since the Fabry–Perot reflection inside the rigid substrate is eliminated. The center frequency is about 0.89 THz with a 3 dB bandwidth of 0.69 THz for normal incidence. The sharp band-edge transitions are 53 and 70 dB/THz to the rejection bands, respectively. The measured average insertion loss is 1.4 dB with a ripple of 0.8 dB. Furthermore, the transmission feature is insensitive to the polarization of incident wave due to the symmetric structure of the unit cell of the metamaterials. Also, it has a small change as the increase of the curvature of the flexible substrate. This result manifests that the multi-layer metamaterials can provide an effective way to design wideband THz devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As of September 17, 2021, coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has infected more than 226 million people in a worldwide pandemic, with conservative estimates suggesting that there are more than 204 million convalescent patients with COVID-19. Previous studies have indicated that patients in the recovery phase exhibit decreased function of multiple organs. In China, traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) treatment is recommended in the rehabilitation period of COVID-19; however, the safety and efficacy of such treatment remain to be confirmed. The present study aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of Bufei Huoxue (BFHX) in restoring the functional status and exercise tolerance of patients recovering from COVID-19. A total of 131 patients in the rehabilitation period of COVID-19 infection were randomly divided into a Bufei Huoxue (BFHX) group (n = 66) and a placebo group (n = 65). BFHX or placebo was given orally three times a day (1.4 g/dose) for 90 days. The primary outcomes was to evaluate improvements in exercise tolerance and imaging manifestations on chest computed tomography (CT). After the exclusion of two patients who withdrew prior to receiving any medications, 129 patients were recruited, including 64 patients in the BFHX group and 65 patients in the placebo group. After 3 months of treatment, the BFHX group exhibited greater attenuation of pneumonia lesions on chest CT than the placebo group (P < 0.05). Improvements in 6-min walk distance (6MWD) relative to baseline were also significantly better in the BFHX group than in the placebo group (P < 0.01). Scores on the Fatigue Assessment Inventory (FAI) were lower in the BFHX group than in the placebo group (P < 0.05). Although the rate of adverse events was higher in the BFHX group than in the placebo group (9.38% vs. 4.62%), the difference was not significant (P = 0.3241). BFHX may exert strong rehabilitative effects on physiological activity in patients recovering from COVID-19, which may in turn attenuate symptoms of fatigue and improve exercise tolerance. [Display omitted] • This prospective study assessed the efficacy and safety of BFHX in treating patients recovering from COVID-19. • BFHX may have strong rehabilitative effects on patients recovering from COVID-19. • BFHX reduces fatigue symptoms and improves exercise tolerance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • The synthesis of HFO-1234ze(E/Z) from HFC-245fa in the absence of catalyst was carried out. • The thermodynamics and kinetics of the catalyst-free dehydrofluorination of HFC-245fa were investigated both experimentally and theoretically. • The formation complexity and generation rate of different products (HFO-1234ze(E/Z)) were quantified and compared. • The theoretical calculation indicated higher thermodynamic stability and larger reaction constants of HFO-1234ze(E) than those of HFO-1234ze(Z). • The calculation results agree well with the experimental results. The catalyst-free dehydrofluorination of 1,1,1,3,3-pentafluoropropane (HFC-245fa) was investigated both experimentally and theoretically to elucidate the mechanism and kinetics of the reaction. The experimental results demonstrated easier generation of E -1,3,3,3-tetrafluoropropene (HFO-1234ze(E)) than HFO-1234ze(Z) under the same reaction conditions within a temperature range of 500–700 °C. When analyzing the geometry, energetics, and kinetic modeling of the reaction at the B3LYP/6−311++G (d,p) level of theory, it was found that the thermodynamic stability of HFO-1234ze(E) is relatively higher than its isomer (HFO-1234ze(Z). Besides, the rate constants of HFO-1234ze(E) were always larger than those of HFO-1234ze(Z) at 400–2000 K, which agreed well with the higher selectivity of HFO-1234ze(E) in the synthetic experiment results. Our theoretical demonstration provides a reference to investigate the mechanism and kinetics of other analogous reactions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The amination of CHF 2 CH 2 X (X = Cl or Br) without catalyst and solvent was reported. • The theoretical study on the amination of CHF 2 CH 2 X was performed. • The mechanism of the amination of CHF 2 CH 2 X with NH 3 was proposed. • CHF 2 CH 2 Cl was easier to be aminated than CHF 2 CH 2 Br. The synthesis of 2,2-difluoroethylamine via the amination of 1-halo-2,2-difluoroethane (halogen = Cl or Br) without catalyst and solvent was studied by experiment and theoretical calculation. In order to compare the difficulty in the amination of 1-halo-2,2-difluoroethane with NH 3 , experimental investigations were carried through changing reaction temperature, molar ratio and reaction time. And experimental evidence demonstrated that 1-chloro-2,2-difluoroethane was more prone to amination than 1-bromo-2,2-difluoroethane under the same conditions. In addition, the reaction mechanism was investigated, and the formation complexity evaluated. Calculation of the transition states and rate constants, and analysis of the frontier molecular orbitals, indicated that the reaction rate of the amination of 1-chloro-2,2-difluoroethane was higher than that of 1-bromo-2,2-difluoroethane, which was consistent with the results of the experiment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Breast cancer (BRCA) represents a significant health challenge for women globally, with refractory cases showing resistance to current therapeutic strategies. The discovery of novel molecular markers and therapeutic targets is critical for improving outcomes in these patients. The primary aim of this study is to elucidate the role of tumor protein D52 (TPD52) as a novel molecular marker and potential therapeutic target to improve outcomes for BRCA patients., Methods: Using bioinformatics methods, we screened and evaluated the expression, prognosis, and associated mechanisms of TPD52 in BRCA. Two hundred and thirty-eight BRCA cases and 19 control cases were collected from Shanghai First Maternity and Infant Hospital, and the protein expression of TPD52 was detected by immunohistochemistry, and the correlation between TPD52 and the prognosis of BRCA was analyzed., Results: The expression of TPD52 in BRCA tissues was significantly higher than that in the control (P<0.001), displaying a strong association with key clinical variables, concurrently indicating an unfavorable prognostic implication. The survival analysis revealed high TPD52 expression was an independent adverse prognostic factor for overall (P=0.008) and disease-specific survival (P=0.005). Gene set enrichment analysis showed that TPD52 negatively correlated with estradiol, AMP-activated protein kinase, and other responses. Immune infiltration analysis showed that TPD52 was associated with immune cell infiltration, Th-1/Th-2 cell balance, and immune defense cells such as dendritic and plasmacytoid dendritic cells. It is further found that high TPD52 expression is associated with progression-free and disease-free survival from the analysis of immunohistochemical data of the patients at our hospital., Conclusions: In summary, TPD52 may serve as an independent prognostic biomarker for BRCA, which may represent a promising novel therapeutic target, particularly for the refractory estrogen receptor-positive (ER+)/progesterone receptor-positive (PR+)/human epidermal growth factor receptor 2-positive (HER2+) BRCA cases that have failed endocrine therapy and targeted treatment.

Frequency combs, specialized laser sources emitting multiple equidistant frequency lines, have revolutionized science and technology with unprecedented precision and versatility. Recently, integrated frequency combs are emerging as scalable solutions for on-chip photonics. Here, we demonstrate a fully integrated superconducting microcomb that is easy to manufacture, simple to operate, and consumes ultra-low power. Our turnkey apparatus comprises a basic nonlinear superconducting device, a Josephson junction, directly coupled to a superconducting microstrip resonator. We showcase coherent comb generation through self-started mode-locking. Therefore, comb emission is initiated solely by activating a DC bias source, with power consumption as low as tens of picowatts. The resulting comb spectrum resides in the microwave domain and spans multiple octaves. The linewidths of all comb lines can be narrowed down to 1 Hz through a unique coherent injection-locking technique. Our work represents a critical step towards fully integrated microwave photonics and offers the potential for integrated quantum processors., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Symmetry breaking plays a pivotal role in unlocking intriguing properties and functionalities in material systems. For example, the breaking of spatial and temporal symmetries leads to a fascinating phenomenon: the superconducting diode effect. However, generating and precisely controlling the superconducting diode effect pose significant challenges. Here, we take a novel route with the deliberate manipulation of magnetic charge potentials to realize unconventional superconducting flux-quantum diode effects. We achieve this through suitably tailored nanoengineered arrays of nanobar magnets on top of a superconducting thin film. We demonstrate the vital roles of inversion antisymmetry and its breaking in evoking unconventional superconducting effects, namely a magnetically symmetric diode effect and an odd-parity magnetotransport effect. These effects are nonvolatilely controllable through in situ magnetization switching of the nanobar magnets. Our findings promote the use of antisymmetry (breaking) for initiating unconventional superconducting properties, paving the way for exciting prospects and innovative functionalities in superconducting electronics.

Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) are considered one of the most significant electrocatalysts for the sluggish oxygen evolution reaction (OER). Hence, a series of novel N,S-codoped Ni-based heterometallic organic framework (HMOF) ( NiM-bptz-HMOF , M = Co, Zn, and Mn; bptz = 2,5-bis((3-pyridyl)methylthio)thiadiazole) precatalysts are constructed by the heteroatom and second metal doping strategies. The effective combination of the two strategies promotes electronic conductivity and optimizes the electronic structure of the metal. By regulation of the type and proportion of metal ions, the electrochemical performance of the OER can be improved. Among them, the optimized Ni 6 Zn 1 -bptz-HMOF precatalyst exhibits the best performance with an overpotential of 268 mV at 10 mA cm -2 and a small Tafel slope of 72.5 mV dec -1 . This work presents a novel strategy for the design of modest heteroatom-doped OER catalysts.

The metasurface platform with time-varying characteristics has emerged as a promising avenue for exploring exotic physics associated with Floquet materials and for designing photonic devices like linear frequency converters. However, the limited availability of materials with ultrafast responses hinders their applications in the terahertz range. Here we present a time-varying metasurface comprising an array of superconductor-metal hybrid meta-molecules. Each meta-molecule consists of two meta-atoms that are "bonded" together by double superconducting microbridges. Through experimental investigations, we demonstrate high-efficiency linear terahertz frequency conversion by rapidly breaking the bond using a coherent ultrashort terahertz pump pulse. The frequency and relative phase of the converted wave exhibit strong dependence on the pump-probe delay, indicating phase controllable wave conversion. The dynamics of the meta-molecules during the frequency conversion process are comprehensively understood using a time-varying coupled mode model. This research not only opens up new possibilities for developing innovative terahertz sources but also provides opportunities for exploring topological dynamics and Floquet physics within metasurfaces., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Introduction: We investigated the epidemiology of Cytochrome P450 (CYP) 3A4 genotype and the relationship between CYP3A4 genotype and alcohol drinking habits., Materials and Methods: A single-centered retrospective study was conducted on 630 patients who underwent CYP3A4*1G genetic testing. Their relevant information on epidemiology and etiology was collected. Laboratory testing, including CYP3A4*1G genotype, liver function tests, and serum lipid measurements were performed. Bi-variate logistic regressions were used to examine the relationship between variables. The relationship between alcohol drinking and CYP3A4*1G genotype was estimated. Demographic and clinical features were analyzed. Participants with drinking history were divided into non-heavy drinking and heavy drinking groups. Liver function and dyslipidemia of participants with drinking histories were compared between CYP3A4*1G mutation (GA+AA) and wild-type (GG) groups., Results: Participants with CYP3A4*1G mutation(GA+AA) had an increased adjusted odds ratio (AOR) of 2.56 (95% CI, 1.4-4.65; P = 0.00) for alcohol abuse when compared with participants without CYP3A4 mutation (GG). In the subgroup of participants with alcohol abuse, there are no significant differences in liver injury levels and serum lipid levels between CYP3A4*1G mutant and wild-type groups. Patients with CYP3A4*1G mutation had an increased AOR of cardiac-vascular diseases and malignant diseases compared with patients without CYP3A4*1G mutation. The epidemiology had no difference between GA and AA group., Conclusion: The study indicated that there was association between alcohol drinking and CYP3A4*1G genetic mutation. In the subgroup of participants with alcohol abuse, there are no significant differences in liver injury and dyslipidemia between CYP3A4*1G mutant and wild-type groups. CYP3A4*1G mutation was also related to cardiac-vascular diseases and malignant diseases., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright: © 2023 Jia et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.)

Angiopoietin-like 4 (ANGPTL4) is a secreted metabolism-modulating glycoprotein involved in the progression of tumours, cardiovascular diseases, metabolic syndrome and infectious diseases. In this study, more CD8 + T cells were activated to be effector T cells in ANGPTL4 -/- mice. Impaired growth of tumours implanted in 3LL, B16BL6 or MC38 cells and reduced metastasis by B16F10 cells were observed in ANGPTL4 -/- mice. Bone marrow (BM) transplantation experiments displayed that deficiency of ANGPTL4 in either host or BM cells promoted CD8 + T cell activation. However, ANGPTL4 deficiency in CD8 + T cells themselves showed more efficient anti-tumour activities. Recombinant ANGPTL4 protein promoted tumour growth in vivo with the less CD8 + T cell infiltration and it directly downregulated CD8 + T cell activation ex vivo. Transcriptome sequencing and metabolism analysis identified that ANGPTL4 -/- CD8 + T cells increased glycolysis and decreased oxidative phosphorylation, which was dependent on the PKCζ-LKB1-AMPK-mTOR signalling axis. Reverse correlation of elevated ANGPTL4 levels in sera and tumour tissues with activated CD8 + T cells in the peripheral blood was displayed in patients with colorectal cancer. These results demonstrated that ANGPTL4 decreased immune surveillance in tumour progression by playing an immune-modulatory role on CD8 + T cells via metabolic reprogramming. Efficient blockade of ANGPTL4 expression in tumour patients would generate an effective anti-tumour effect mediated by CD8 + T cells., (© 2023 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Background: This study analyzed the clinical features and biomarkers of alcohol-associated liver disease (ALD) to investigate the diagnostic value of age, bilirubin, international normalized ratio (INR), and creatinine (ABIC) score to triglyceride (TG) ratio (ABIC/TG) in ALD-associated primary liver carcinoma (PLC)., Materials and Methods: Data were collected from 410 participants with ALD, and the epidemiological and clinical records of 266 participants were analyzed. Participants were divided into ALD-without-PLC and ALD-associated-PLC groups. Relationships between clinical characteristics, biomarkers and ALD-associated PLC were estimated. Serum lipid levels and liver function were compared between ALD patients without PLC and patients with ALD-associated PLC. Scoring systems were calculated to investigate ALD severity. The robustness of the relationship was analyzed by the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve., Results: Age and dyslipidemia were more strongly associated with ALD-associated PLC than with ALD-without PLC, with AORs of 2.39 and 0.25, respectively, with P less than 0.05. Drinking time and average daily intake, ABIC score, and ABIC/TG ratio were significantly higher in the ALD-associated-PLC group than in the ALD-without-PLC group. The AUC for the ABIC/TG ratio predicting the incidence of PLC was 0.80 (P < 0.01), which was higher than that of the ABIC and TG scores alone; additionally, the specificity and Youden index for the ABIC/TG ratio were also higher, and the cutoff value was 6.99., Conclusions: In ALD patients, age, drinking time, and average daily intake were risk factors for PLC. Drinking time, average daily intake, TG and ABIC score have diagnostic value for ALD-associated PLC. The ABIC/TG ratio had a higher AUC value and Youden index than the ABIC score and TG level., (© 2023. BioMed Central Ltd., part of Springer Nature.)

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a hematological malignancy with an alarming mortality rate. The development of novel therapeutic targets or drugs for AML is urgently needed. Ferroptosis is a form of regulated cell death driven by iron-dependent lipid peroxidation. Recently, ferroptosis has emerged as a novel method for targeting cancer, including AML. Epigenetic dysregulation is a hallmark of AML, and a growing body of evidence suggests that ferroptosis is subject to epigenetic regulation. Here, we identified protein arginine methyltransferase 1 (PRMT1) as a ferroptosis regulator in AML. The type I PRMT inhibitor GSK3368715 promoted ferroptosis sensitivity in vitro and in vivo. Moreover, PRMT1-knockout cells exhibited significantly increased sensitivity to ferroptosis, suggesting that PRMT1 is the primary target of GSK3368715 in AML. Mechanistically, both GSK3368715 and PRMT1 knockout upregulated acyl-CoA synthetase long-chain family member 1 (ACSL1), which acts as a ferroptosis promoter by increasing lipid peroxidation. Knockout ACSL1 reduced the ferroptosis sensitivity of AML cells following GSK3368715 treatment. Additionally, the GSK3368715 treatment reduced the abundance of H4R3me2a, the main histone methylation modification mediated by PRMT1, in both genome-wide and ACSL1 promoter regions. Overall, our results demonstrated a previously unknown role of the PRMT1/ACSL1 axis in ferroptosis and suggested the potential value and applications of the combination of PRMT1 inhibitor and ferroptosis inducers in AML treatment., (© 2023 Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

Superconducting nanocircuits, which are usually fabricated from superconductor films, are the core of superconducting electronic devices. While emerging transition-metal dichalcogenide superconductors (TMDSCs) with exotic properties show promise for exploiting new superconducting mechanisms and applications, their environmental instability leads to a substantial challenge for the nondestructive preparation of TMDSC nanocircuits. Here, we report a universal strategy to fabricate TMDSC nanopatterns via a topotactic conversion method using prepatterned metals as precursors. Typically, robust NbSe 2 meandering nanowires can be controllably manufactured on a wafer scale, by which a superconducting nanowire circuit is principally demonstrated toward potential single photon detection. Moreover, versatile superconducting nanocircuits, e.g., periodical circle/triangle hole arrays and spiral nanowires, can be prepared with selected TMD materials (NbS 2 , TiSe 2 , or MoTe 2 ). This work provides a generic approach for fabricating nondestructive TMDSC nanocircuits with precise control, which paves the way for the application of TMDSCs in future electronics., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

We investigated the relationship between dyslipidemia and drug-induced liver injury (DILI), especially the level of triglyceride to high-density lipoprotein cholesterol ratio (TG/HDL-C) in severe DILI. In this single-centered retrospective study, of 326 patients with DILI, 221 patients were analyzed. Control groups include medication using group and acute hepatitis B group. The relationship between dyslipidemia and DILI was estimated. Demographic and clinical features were analyzed. Dyslipidemia and TG/HDL-C ratios were compared between DILI and control groups, DILI mild group and severe group. The area under the receiver-operating characteristic curve (AUC) was used to evaluate the credibility of the relationship and to find cut-off points. Dyslipidemia is related to DILI when compared with medication using control group (AOR 4.60; 95% CI 2.81-7.54; P < 0.01) and compared with acute hepatitis B group (AOR 2.12; 95% CI 1.37-3.29; P < 0.01). Dyslipidemia is associated with the severity of DILI (AOR 25.78; 95% CI 7.63-87.1; P < 0.01). TG/HDL-C ratio is higher in DILI group than that of medication using control group, also higher in severe DILI group than that of mild DILI group. AUCs for TG/HDL-C ratio to indicate the severity of DILI was 0.89 (P < 0.05), the cut-off point was 2.35. Dyslipidemia and TG/HDL-C ratio were related to DILI occurrence. Severe liver injury in DILI was associated with dyslipidemia and elevated TG/HDL-C ratio., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

Precisely acquiring the timing information of individual X-ray photons is important in both fundamental research and practical applications. The timing precision of commonly used X-ray single-photon detectors remains in the range of one hundred picoseconds to microseconds. In this work, we report on high-timing-precision detection of single X-ray photons through the fast transition to the normal state from the superconductive state of superconducting nanowires. We successfully demonstrate a free-running X-ray single-photon detector with a timing resolution of 20.1 ps made of 100-nm-thick niobium nitride film with an active area of 50  μ m by 50  μ m. By using a repeated differential timing measurement on two adjacent X-ray single-photon detectors, we demonstrate a precision of 0.87 ps in the arrival-time difference of X-ray photon measurements. Therefore, our work significantly enhances the timing precision in X-ray photon counting, opening a new niche for ultrafast X-ray photonics and many associated applications., (© The Author(s) 2023. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of China Science Publishing & Media Ltd.)

The characterization and manipulation of polarization state at single photon level are of great importance in research fields such as quantum information processing and quantum key distribution, where photons are normally delivered using single mode optical fibers. To date, the demonstrated polarimetry measurement techniques based on a superconducting nanowire single photon detector (SNSPD) require the SNSPD to be either highly sensitive or highly insensitive to the photon's polarization state, therefore placing an unavoidable challenge on the SNSPD's design and fabrication processes. In this article, we present the development of an alternative polarimetry measurement technique, of which the stringent requirement on the SNSPD's polarization sensitivity is removed. We validate the proposed technique by a rigorous theoretical analysis and comparisons of the experimental results obtained using a fiber-coupled SNSPD with a polarization extinction ratio of ∼2 to that obtained using other well-established known methods. Based on the full Stokes data measured by the proposed technique, we also demonstrate that at the single photon level (∼ -100 dBm), the polarization state of the photon delivered to the superconducting nanowire facet plane can be controlled at will using a further developed algorithm. Note that other than the fiber-coupled SNSPD, the only component involved is a quarter-wave plate (no external polarizer is necessary), which when aligned well has a paid insertion loss less than 0.5 dB.

Superconducting nanowire single photon detectors (SNSPDs) have been extensively investigated due to their superior characteristics, including high system detection efficiency, low dark count rate and short recovery time. The polarization sensitivity introduced by the meandering-type superconductor nanowires is an intrinsic property of SNSPD, which is normally measured by sweeping hundreds of points on the Poincaré sphere to overcome the unknown birefringent problem of the SNSPD's delivery fiber. In this paper, we propose an alternative method to characterize the optical absorptance of SNSPDs, without sweeping hundreds of points on the Poincaré sphere. It is shown theoretically that measurements on the system detection efficiencies (SDEs) subject to cases of four specific photon polarization states are sufficient to reveal the two eigen-absorptances of the SNSPD. We validate the proposed method by comparing the measured detection spectra with the spectra attained from sweeping points on the Poincaré sphere and the simulated absorption spectra.

This study aims to evaluate levels of D-dimer and serum lipid in different types of pancreatitis, and the relationship between D-dimer and dyslipidemia, especially triglyceride to HDL-C ratio (TG/HDL-C) in different types of pancreatitis. We analyzed the D-dimer and dyslipidemia levels in acute pancreatitis (AP), recurrent acute pancreatitis (RAP) and chronic pancreatitis (CP). A single-centered retrospective study was conducted on 1013 patients diagnosed with AP, RAP or CP. Only patients hospitalized within 24 h of onset were included, and 204 patients were enrolled in pancreatitis groups. 68 normal persons without pancreatitis, malignant diseases, pregnancy, or organ failure, who had health check-ups, were enrolled in the control group. Blood samples were taken within 24 h of admission. The relevant information on epidemiology and etiology was collected. D-dimer and serum lipid levels in different types of pancreatitis were analyzed. Furthermore, the area under the receiver-operating characteristic curve (AUC) was used to estimate the validity of the predictor and to define optimal cut-off points for prediction. We found that D-dimer and TG/HDL-C ratio could distinguish mild AP (MAP) and non-MAP in AP and RAP patients. The D-dimer level was related to TG/HDL-C ratio and severity of pancreatitis, with the coefficient correlation of 0.379 and 0.427(p < 0.05), respectively. TG/HDL-C was related to D-dimer in different types of pancreatitis. Logistic regression analysis was conducted in the parameters at admission like alcohol abuse, dyslipidemia and coagulation disturbance in distinguishing AP and RAP groups from the control group, and the parameter like diabetes in RAP and CP groups significantly increased compared with that of the control group. The value of D-dimer level and TG/HDL-C ratio in predicting the severity of AP and RAP was confirmed but there was no significant difference between CP group and the control group. The D-dimer level was related to dyslipidemia and TG/HDL-C ratio., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

A spectrum-resolved photon detector is crucial for cutting-edge quantum optics, astronomical observation, and spectroscopic sensing. However, such an ability is rarely obtained because a direct linear conversion from weak single-photon energy to a readable electrical signal above the noise level without causing an avalanche is challenging. Here, we overcame these difficulties by building a probabilistic energy-to-amplitude mapping in a tapered superconducting nanowire single-photon detector and combining a computational reconstruction to obtain equivalent spectral resolving capacity. Distinguished dependence of pulse amplitude distributions on varied input spectra has been observed experimentally. As the energy-to-amplitude mapping is probabilistic, statistical measurements are required. By collecting around a few hundred photons, we have demonstrated wavelength perception over a wide spectral range from 600 to 1700 nm with a resolution of 100 nm. These findings represent a new approach to designing spectrum-sensitive SNSPDs for low-light spectroscopic applications.

During the progression of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), immune response and inflammation reactions are dynamic events that develop rapidly and are associated with the severity of disease. Here, we aimed to develop a predictive model based on the immune and inflammatory response to discriminate patients with severe COVID-19. COVID-19 patients were enrolled, and their demographic and immune inflammatory reaction indicators were collected and analyzed. Logistic regression analysis was performed to identify the independent predictors, which were further used to construct a predictive model. The predictive performance of the model was evaluated by receiver operating characteristic curve, and optimal diagnostic threshold was calculated; these were further validated by 5-fold cross-validation and external validation. We screened three key indicators, including neutrophils, eosinophils, and IgA, for predicting severe COVID-19 and obtained a combined neutrophil, eosinophil, and IgA ratio (NEAR) model (NEU [10 9 /liter] - 150×EOS [10 9 /liter] + 3×IgA [g/liter]). NEAR achieved an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.961, and when a threshold of 9 was applied, the sensitivity and specificity of the predicting model were 100% and 88.89%, respectively. Thus, NEAR is an effective index for predicting the severity of COVID-19 and can be used as a powerful tool for clinicians to make better clinical decisions. IMPORTANCE The immune inflammatory response changes rapidly with the progression of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection and is responsible for clearance of the virus and further recovery from the infection. However, the intensified immune and inflammatory response in the development of the disease may lead to more serious and fatal consequences, which indicates that immune indicators have the potential to predict serious cases. Here, we identified both eosinophils and serum IgA as prognostic markers of COVID-19, which sheds light on new research directions and is worthy of further research in the scientific research field as well as clinical application. In this study, the combination of NEU count, EOS count, and IgA level was included in a new predictive model of the severity of COVID-19, which can be used as a powerful tool for better clinical decision-making.

Objectives: COVID-19 is highly infectious and has been widely spread worldwide, with more than 159 million confirmed cases and more than 3 million deaths as of May 11, 2021. It has become a serious public health event threatening people's lives and safety. Due to the rapid transmission and long incubation period, shortage of medical resources would easily occur in the short term of discovering disease cases. Therefore, we aimed to construct an artificial intelligent framework to rapidly distinguish patients with COVID-19 from common pneumonia and non-pneumonia populations based on computed tomography (CT) images. Furthermore, we explored artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms to integrate CT features and laboratory findings on admission to predict the clinical classification of COVID-19. This will ease the burden of doctors in this emergency period and aid them to perform timely and appropriate treatment on patients. Methods: We collected all CT images and clinical data of novel coronavirus pneumonia cases in Inner Mongolia, including domestic cases and those imported from abroad; then, three models based on transfer learning to distinguish COVID-19 from other pneumonia and non-pneumonia population were developed. In addition, CT features and laboratory findings on admission were combined to predict clinical types of COVID-19 using AI algorithms. Lastly, Spearman's correlation test was applied to study correlations of CT characteristics and laboratory findings. Results: Among three models to distinguish COVID-19 based on CT, vgg19 showed excellent diagnostic performance, with area under the curve (AUC) of the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve at 95%. Together with laboratory findings, we were able to predict clinical types of COVID-19 with AUC of the ROC curve at 90%. Furthermore, biochemical markers, such as C-reactive protein (CRP), LYM, and lactic dehydrogenase (LDH) were identified and correlated with CT features. Conclusion: We developed an AI model to identify patients who were positive for COVID-19 according to the results of the first CT examination after admission and predict the progression combined with laboratory findings. In addition, we obtained important clinical characteristics that correlated with the CT image features. Together, our AI system could rapidly diagnose COVID-19 and predict clinical types to assist clinicians perform appropriate clinical management., Competing Interests: XS, SX, AW, TL, and GT were employed by Geneis (Beijing) Co., Ltd. The remaining authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2021 Yu, Shi, Liu, Jin, Jia, Xi, Wang, Li, Zhang, Tian and Sun.)

Background: Sinonasal symptoms were usually reported to appear initially, yielding the symptoms important for the early detection of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). This study was conducted retrospectively to investigate the detailed sinonasal manifestations and dynamic profile of real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) results for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in COVID-19 patients longitudinally., Methods: This retrospective study included 11 consecutive patients. The prevalence, timing and severity of sinonasal manifestations were analyzed. Oropharyngeal, nasal, sputum and stool specimens were collected to detect RT-PCR for SARS-CoV-2 over COVID-19 period., Results: Among the 11 patients, 6 (54.5%) were female, and the median age was 51 (IQR, 36-62) years. Seven patients (63.6%) experienced sinonasal symptoms, with 6 (54.5%) exhibiting sinonasal symptoms on the onset day. Seven patients (63.6%) demonstrated nasal obstruction, 5 (45.5%) had rhinorrhea, and 4 (36.4%) exhibited olfactory dysfunction. All six patients with sinonasal symptoms on the onset day had non-severe infections. Most patients (85.7%) with sinonasal symptoms had non-severe infections. Sinonasal symptoms commonly appeared early. The positive RT-PCR rate for SARS-CoV-2 in various specimens was highest in the first week (73.3%), then gradually decreased over the disease course, but 3 patients (27.3%) had experienced a long-lasting fluctuated positive RT-PCR results since 29 days of illness in both groups, especially for two patients with airway comorbidities., Conclusions: Sinonasal symptoms were more prevalent in patients with mild or moderate COVID-19 and usually appeared early. In addition, regular nucleic acid testing for SARS-CoV-2 should be considered for COVID-19 patients with certain airway comorbidities.

In this Letter, we propose and demonstrate a new type of planar double-slot antenna for a N b 5 N 6 microbolometer terahertz (THz) detector. The calculated results show that the planar antenna possessed high coupling efficiency, and the THz signals were obviously focused on the antenna center place. The new planar antenna was integrated with N b 5 N 6 microbolometer THz detectors using micro-fabrication technology. The measured results showed that the maximum optical voltage responsivity ( R o ) of the detectors reached up to 113 V/W at 0.643 THz, and the corresponding noise equivalent power was 44pW/√Hz. In addition, the performance of double-slot antennas applied into array detectors in a tunable Fabry-Perot cavity was investigated. The measured results of the N b 5 N 6 THz detector remained almost unchanged when the distance between the chip substrate and the copper plate was altered. This indicated that this planar double-slot antenna, which possessed the advantages of high coupling efficiency and easy integration, has great application prospects in a THz detector.

Room-temperature thermal detection at a wavelength of 2 µm in the short-wave infrared range (1.7-3 µm) was demonstrated for the first time using a Nb 5 N 6 microbolometer. The photothermal responses of two types of Nb 5 N 6 microbolometers were evaluated. By suspending Nb 5 N 6 microwires in the air above the substrate, a reduction in thermal conductance of the device by a factor of 39 was achieved. The measured optical voltage responsivity R O of the Nb 5 N 6 microbolometer reached the value of 61.5 V/W. A noise equivalent power of 8.5 × 10 -11 W/√Hz (at 1 kHz) and a detectivity D* = 2.0 × 10 7 cm√Hz /W with a typical response time as small as 0.17 ms was obtained at a wavelength of 2 µm for a 10 × 30-µm 2 device. The performance could be improved further by optimizing the design and operating parameters. This study revealed a simple low-cost technique to develop a large-scale focal plane array in silicon for infrared detection.

A reflective grating-coupled structure on the silicon substrate was designed to improve the detection efficiency of terahertz detectors for the frequency ranging from 0.26 THz to 0.36 THz. By using finite difference time domain (FDTD) solutions, the simulation and optimized design of the grating-coupled structure were carried out. The results showed that the signal was effectively reflected and diffracted by the reflective grating-coupled structure which significantly enhanced the electric field in the place of the detector. The maximum electric field can be increased by 2.8 times than that of the Fabry-Perot resonator. To verify the design results, the reflective grating-coupled structure was applied in the preparation of the Nb 5 N 6 array detector chip and compared with the Nb 5 N 6 array detector chip with the F-P resonator. The results showed that the maximum voltage responsivity of the Nb 5 N 6 detector with the reflective grating-coupled structure was 2 times larger than the Nb 5 N 6 detector with the F-P resonator. It indicates that the reflective grating-coupled structure can efficiently improve the detection efficiency of THz detectors.

Fabricating resonant cavities with conventional methods to improve the coupling efficiency of a detector in the terahertz (THz) region is difficult for the wavelength is too long. Here, we propose a solution by using the substrate cavity effect given that the substrate wavelength and thickness of the preparation device are in the same order. The planar dipole antenna-coupled Nb 5 N 6 microbolometers with different substrate thicknesses were fabricated. The interference effect of the substrate cavity on the optical voltage response of the detector is analyzed experimentally and theoretically. The experimental results show that the optical response of the detector is determined by the length of the substrate cavity. Thus, the THz devices with different detection frequencies can be designed by changing the substrate cavity length. Furthermore, on the basis of this substrate cavity effect, an asymmetric coupled Fabry-Pérot (FP) cavity is constituted by simply placing a movable metallic planar mirror at the backside of the Si substrate. The incident THz radiation on the Nb 5 N 6 microbolometer can be effectively manipulated by changing the substrate-mirror distance to modulate the phase relation between the reflect wave and the incident wave. The distinct radiation control can be observed, and the experiments can be well explained by numerically analyzing the responsivity dynamics that highlights the role of the FP cavity effect during radiation. All of the results discussed here can be extended to a broad range of frequency and other type of THz detectors.

Objective: To investigate ovarian function and therapeutic efficacy among estrogen receptor (ER)-positive, premenopausal breast cancer patients treated with gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist (GnRHa) and chemotherapy simultaneously or sequentially., Method: This study was a phase 3, open-label, parallel, randomized controlled trial (NCT01712893). Two hundred sixteen premenopausal patients (under 45 years) diagnosed with invasive ER-positive breast cancer were enrolled from July 2009 to May 2013 and randomized at a 1:1 ratio to receive (neo)adjuvant chemotherapy combined with sequential or simultaneous GnRHa treatment. All patients were advised to receive GnRHa for at least 2 years. The primary outcome was the incidence of early menopause, defined as amenorrhea lasting longer than 12 months after the last chemotherapy or GnRHa dose, with postmenopausal or unknown follicle-stimulating hormone and estradiol levels. The menstrual resumption period and survivals were the secondary endpoints., Result: The median follow-up time was 56.9 months (IQR 49.5-72.4 months). One hundred and eight patients were enrolled in each group. Among them, 92 and 78 patients had complete primary endpoint data in the sequential and simultaneous groups, respectively. The rates of early menopause were 22.8% (21/92) in the sequential group and 23.1% (18/78) in the simultaneous group [simultaneous vs. sequential: OR 1.01 (95% CI 0.50-2.08); p = 0.969; age-adjusted OR 1.13; (95% CI 0.54-2.37); p = 0.737]. The median menstruation resumption period was 12.0 (95% CI 9.3-14.7) months and 10.3 (95% CI 8.2-12.4) months for the sequential and simultaneous groups, respectively [HR 0.83 (95% CI 0.59-1.16); p = 0.274; age-adjusted HR 0.90 (95%CI 0.64-1.27); p = 0.567]. No significant differences were evident for disease-free survival (p = 0.290) or overall survival (p = 0.514) between the two groups., Conclusion: For ER-positive premenopausal patients, the sequential use of GnRHa and chemotherapy showed ovarian preservation and survival outcomes that were no worse than simultaneous use. The application of GnRHa can probably be delayed until menstruation resumption after chemotherapy.

CD4 + NKG2D + T cells are associated with tumour, infection and autoimmune diseases. Some CD4 + NKG2D + T cells secrete IFN-γ and TNF-α to promote inflammation, but others produce TGF-β and FasL to facilitate tumour evasion. Here, murine CD4 + NKG2D + T cells were further classified into NK1.1 - CD4 + NKG2D + and NK1.1 + CD4 + NKG2D + subpopulations. The frequency of NK1.1 - CD4 + NKG2D + cells decreased in inflamed colons, whereas more NK1.1 + CD4 + NKG2D + cells infiltrated into colons of mice with DSS-induced colitis. NK1.1 - CD4 + NKG2D + cells expressed TGF-β and FasL without secreting IFN-γ, IL-21 and IL-17 and displayed no cytotoxicity. The adoptive transfer of NK1.1 - CD4 + NKG2D + cells suppressed DSS-induced colitis largely dependent on TGF-β. NK1.1 - CD4 + NKG2D + cells did not expressed Foxp3, CD223 (LAG-3) and GITR. The subpopulation was distinct from NK1.1 + CD4 + NKG2D + cells in terms of surface markers and RNA transcription. NK1.1 - CD4 + NKG2D + cells also differed from Th2 or Th17 cells because the former did not express GATA-3 and ROR-γt. Thus, NK1.1 - CD4 + NKG2D + cells exhibited immune regulatory functions, and this T cell subset could be developed to suppress inflammation in clinics., (© 2017 The Authors. Journal of Cellular and Molecular Medicine published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd and Foundation for Cellular and Molecular Medicine.)

Wogonin exerts anti-tumour activities via multiple mechanisms. We have identified that high-dose wogonin (50 or 100 mg/kg) could inhibit the growth of transplanted tumours by directly inducing tumour apoptosis and promoting DC, T and NK cell recruitment into tumour tissues to enhance immune surveillance. However, wogonin (20-50 μM) ex vivo prevents inflammation by inhibiting NF-κB and Erk signalling of macrophages and epithelial cells. It is elusive whether high-dose wogonin promotes or prevents inflammation. To investigate the effects of high-dose wogonin on murine colitis induced by dextran sodium sulphate (DSS), mice were co-treated with DSS and various doses of wogonin. Intraperitoneal administration of wogonin (100 mg/kg) exacerbated DSS-induced murine colitis. More CD4 + CD44 + and CD8 + CD44 + cells were located in the inflamed colons in the wogonin (100 mg/kg) treatment group than in the other groups. Frequencies of CD4 + CD25 + CD127 - and CD4 + CD25 + Foxp3 + cells in the colons and spleen respectively, were reduced by wogonin treatment. Ex vivo stimulations with high-dose wogonin (50-100 μg/ml equivalent to 176-352 μM) could synergize with IL-2 to promote the functions of CD4 + and CD8 + cells. However, regulatory T cell induction was inhibited. Wogonin stimulated the activation of NF-κB and Erk but down-regulated STAT3 phosphorylation in the CD4 + T cells. Wogonin down-regulated Erk and STAT3-Y705 phosphorylation in the regulatory T cells but promoted NF-κB and STAT3-S727 activation. Our study demonstrated that high-dose wogonin treatments would enhance immune activity by stimulating the effector T cells and by down-regulating regulatory T cells., (© 2016 The Authors. Journal of Cellular and Molecular Medicine published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd and Foundation for Cellular and Molecular Medicine.)

Objective: To evaluate the protective effects of oral administration of D-methionine tablets on noise-induced hearing impairment., Method: Two hundred and three volunteers were recruited and randomly divided into two groups: experimental group (n= 113) and control group (n=90). The subjects received oral administration of D-methionine tablets in the experimental group and placebo in the control group before noise exposure. Routine audiometric evaluation and ABR testing were performed and recorded before and after noise exposure. The statistical analysis was carried out with SPSS 11.0., Result: There were no differences in auditory threshold and I-V interpeak latency pre-noise exposure (P>0.05), however, there were statistically significant differences between two groups 1 d, 7 d after noise exposure (P<0.01 and P<0.05). In-respective-group, there were statistically significant differences between before and 1 d after noise exposure (P<0.05 and P<0.01), however, no difference was noted between before and 7 d after noise exposure in the experimental group (P>0.05)., Conclusion: The protective effects of D-methionine tablets were prominent on the noise-induced hearing impairment. Further studies regarding the optimal time of D-methionine administration will be recommended in the future.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most prevalent malignant tumors worldwide, and it is always the consequence of chronic hepatitis and liver cirrhosis. The nucleotide-binding domain, leucine-rich family (NLR), pyrin-containing 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome has been shown to orchestrate multiple innate and adaptive immune responses. However, little is known about its role in cancer. This study was performed to investigate the role of the NLRP3 inflammasome in the development and progression of HCC. The expression of NLRP3 inflammasome components was analyzed in HCC tissues and corresponding non-cancerous liver tissues at both the mRNA and protein levels. Our data demonstrate that the expression of all of the NLRP3 inflammasome components was either completely lost or significantly downregulated in human HCC, and that the deficiency correlated significantly with advanced stages and poor pathological differentiation. In addition, our data provide an overview of the expression of NLRP3 inflammasome components in the multi-stage development of HCC and indicate a surprising link between deregulation of the NLRP3 inflammasome molecular platform and HCC progression. In conclusion, this study presents a dynamic expression pattern of NLRP3 inflammasome components in multi-stage hepatocarcinogenesis and demonstrates that deregulated expression of the inflammasome is involved in HCC progression.

Two tri-axial accelerometers were placed on the wrists (one on each hand) of the patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) and a non-PD control group. Subjects were asked to perform three of the upper extremity motor function tasks from the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS) test. The tasks were: 1) finger tapping, 2) opening and closing of palms, and 3) pronation-supination movements of the forearms. The inertia signals were wirelessly received and stored on a computer for further off-line analysis. Various features such as range, standard deviation, entropy, time to accomplish the task, and maximum frequency present in the signal were extracted and compared. The results showed that among the studied population, "standard deviation", "range", "entropy", "time" and "max frequency" are the best to worst features, respectively, to distinguish between the non-PD and PD subjects. Furthermore, using the mentioned features, it is more probable to distinguish between the non-PD and PD subjects from tasks 2 and 3 as opposed to task 1.

Extracellular adenosine triphosphate (eATP) transduces purinergic signal and plays an important regulatory role in many biological processes, including tumor cell growth and cell death. A large amount of eATP exists in the fast-growing tumor center and inflammatory tumor microenvironment. Tumor cells could acquire anoikis resistance and anchorage independence in tumor microenvironment and further cause metastatic lesion. Whether such a high amount of eATP has any effect on the anchored and non-anchored tumor cells in tumor microenvironment has not been elucidated and is investigated in this study. Our data showed that autophagy helped hepatoma cells to maintain survival under the treatment of no more than 1 mM of eATP. Only when eATP concentration reached a relatively high level (2.5 mM), cell organelle could not be further maintained by autophagy, and apoptosis and cell death occurred. In hepatoma cells under treatment of 2.5 mM of eATP, an AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) pathway was dramatically activated while mTOR signaling pathway was suppressed in coordination with apoptosis. Further investigation showed that the AMPK/mTOR axis played a key role in tipping the balance between autophagy-mediated cell survival and apoptosis-induced cell death under the treatment of eATP. This work provides evidence to explain how hepatoma cells escape from eATP-induced cytotoxicity as well as offers an important clue to consider effective manipulation of cancer.

Objective: To evaluate the protective effects of oral administration of N-acetyl-cysteine (NAC) on noise-induced hearing loss., Method: Three hundred sixty three volunteers were recruited and randomly divided into two groups: experimental group (n=223) and control group (n=140). The subjects had received oral administration of NAC in the experimental group and placebo in the control group before noise exposure. The routine audiometric evaluation and ABR testing were performed and recorded pre- and post-noise exposure. The statistical analysis was carried out on the data obtained from two groups with SPSS 11.0., Result: The hearings of all the participatory were changed after noise exposure, but there were statistically significant differences between two groups., Conclusion: The protective effects of NAC were prominent on the noise-induced hearing loss.