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The interconversion of charge and spin currents via spin-Hall effect is essential for spintronics. Energy-efficient and deterministic switching of magnetization can be achieved when spin polarizations of these spin currents are collinear with the magnetization. However, symmetry conditions generally restrict spin polarizations to be orthogonal to both the charge and spin flows. Spin polarizations can deviate from such direction in nonmagnetic materials only when the crystalline symmetry is reduced. Here, we show control of the spin polarization direction by using a non-collinear antiferromagnet Mn3GaN, in which the triangular spin structure creates a low magnetic symmetry while maintaining a high crystalline symmetry. We demonstrate that epitaxial Mn3GaN/permalloy heterostructures can generate unconventional spin-orbit torques at room temperature corresponding to out-of-plane and Dresselhaus-like spin polarizations which are forbidden in any sample with two-fold rotational symmetry. Our results demonstrate an approach based on spin-structure design for controlling spin-orbit torque, enabling high-efficient antiferromagnetic spintronics.

Solving the Hamiltonian of a system yields the energy dispersion and eigenstates. The geometric phase of the eigenstates generates many novel effects and potential applications. However, the geometric properties of the energy dispersion go unheeded. Here, we provide geometric insight into energy dispersion and introduce a geometric amplitude, namely, the geometric density of states (GDOS) determined by the Riemann curvature of the constant-energy contour. The geometric amplitude should accompany various local responses, which are generally formulated by the real-space Green's function. Under the stationary phase approximation, the GDOS simplifies the Green's function into its ultimate form. In particular, the amplitude factor embodies the spinor phase information of the eigenstates, favoring the extraction of the spin texture for topological surface states under an in-plane magnetic field through spin-polarized STM measurements. This work opens a new avenue for exploring the geometric properties of electronic structures and excavates the unexplored potential of spin-polarized STM measurements to probe the spinor phase information of eigenstates from their amplitudes.

Recently, the altermagnetic materials with spin splitting effect (SSE), have drawn significant attention due to their potential to the flexible control of the spin polarization by the Néel vector. Here, the direct and inverse altermagnetic SSE (ASSE) in the (101)-oriented RuO 2 film with the tilted Néel vector are reported. First, the spin torque along the x-, y-, and z-axis is detected from the spin torque-induced ferromagnetic resonance (ST-FMR), and the z-spin torque emerges when the electric current is along the [010] direction, showing the anisotropic spin splitting of RuO 2 . Further, the current-induced modulation of damping is used to quantify the damping-like torque efficiency (ξ DL ) in RuO 2 /Py, and an anisotropic ξ DL is obtained and maximized for the current along the [010] direction, which increases with the reduction of the temperature, indicating the present of ASSE. Next, by way of spin pumping measurement, the inverse altermagnetic spin splitting effect (IASSE) is studied, which also shows a crystal direction-dependent anisotropic behavior and temperature-dependent behavior. This work gives a comprehensive study of the direct and inverse ASSE effects in the altermagnetic RuO 2 , inspiring future altermagnetic materials and devices with flexible control of spin polarization., (© 2024 The Authors. Advanced Science published by Wiley‐VCH GmbH.)

Achieving all electrical control of magnetism without assistance of an external magnetic field has been highly pursued for spintronic applications. In recent years, the manipulation of magnetic states through spin-orbit torque (SOT) has emerged as a promising avenue for realizing energy-efficient spintronic memory and logic devices. Here, we provide a review of the rapidly evolving research frontiers in all electrical control of magnetization by SOT. The first part introduces the SOT mechanisms and SOT devices with different configurations. In the second part, the developments in all electrical SOT control of magnetization enabled by spin current engineering are introduced, which include the approaches of lateral symmetry breaking, crystalline structure engineering of spin source material, antiferromagnetic order and interface-generated spin current. The third part introduces all electrical SOT switching enabled by magnetization engineering of the ferromagnet, such as the interface/interlayer exchange coupling and tuning of anisotropy or magnetization. At last, we provide a summary and future perspectives for all electrical control of magnetization by SOT., (© 2024 IOP Publishing Ltd.)

Materials with strong spin-orbit coupling (SOC) have been continuously attracting intensive attention due to their promising application in energy-efficient, high-density, and nonvolatile spintronic devices. Particularly, transition-metal perovskite oxides with strong SOC have been demonstrated to exhibit efficient charge-spin interconversion. In this study, we systematically investigated the impact of epitaxial strain on the spin-orbit torque (SOT) efficiency in the SrIrO 3 (SIO)/Ni 81 Fe 19 (Py) bilayer. The results reveal that the SOT efficiency is strongly related to the octahedral rotation around the in-plane axes of the single-crystal SIO. By modulating the epitaxial strain using different substrates, the SOT efficiency can be remarkably improved from 0.15 to 1.45. This 10-fold enhancement of SOT efficiency suggests that modulating the epitaxial strain is an efficient approach to control the SOT efficiency in complex oxide-based heterostructures. Our work may have the potential to advance the application of complex oxides in energy-efficient spintronic devices.

Valleytronics is a research field utilizing a valley degree of freedom of electrons for information processing and storage. A strong valley polarization is critical for realistic valleytronic applications. Here, we predict a tunneling valley Hall effect (TVHE) driven by tilted Dirac fermions in all-in-one tunnel junctions based on a two-dimensional (2D) valley material. Different doping of the electrode and spacer regions in these tunnel junctions results in momentum filtering of the tunneling Dirac fermions, generating a strong transverse valley Hall current dependent on the Dirac-cone tilting. Using the parameters of an existing 2D valley material, we demonstrate that such a strong TVHE can host a giant valley Hall angle even in the absence of the Berry curvature. Finally, we predict that resonant tunneling can occur in a tunnel junction with properly engineered device parameters such as the spacer width and transport direction, providing significant enhancement of the valley Hall angle. Our work opens a new approach to generate valley polarization in realistic valleytronic systems.

Cubic materials host high crystal symmetry and hence are not expected to support anisotropy in transport phenomena. In contrast to this common expectation, here we report an anomalous anisotropy of spin current can emerge in the (001) film of Mn 3 Pt, a noncollinear antiferromagnetic spin source with face-centered cubic structure. Such spin current anisotropy originates from the intertwined time reversal-odd ([Formula: see text]-odd) and time reversal-even ([Formula: see text]-even) spin Hall effects. Based on symmetry analyses and experimental characterizations of the current-induced spin torques in Mn 3 Pt-based heterostructures, we find that the spin current generated by Mn 3 Pt (001) exhibits exotic dependences on the current direction for all the spin components, deviating from that in conventional cubic systems. We also demonstrate that such an anisotropic spin current can be used to realize low-power spintronic applications such as the efficient field-free switching of the perpendicular magnetizations., (© 2023. Springer Nature Limited.)

Spin-orbit torques generated by a spin current are key to magnetic switching in spintronic applications. The polarization of the spin current dictates the direction of switching required for energy-efficient devices. Conventionally, the polarizations of these spin currents are restricted to be along a certain direction due to the symmetry of the material allowing only for efficient in-plane magnetic switching. Unconventional spin-orbit torques arising from novel spin current polarizations, however, have the potential to switch other magnetization orientations such as perpendicular magnetic anisotropy, which is desired for higher density spintronic-based memory devices. Here, it is demonstrated that low crystalline symmetry is not required for unconventional spin-orbit torques and can be generated in a nonmagnetic high symmetry material, iridium dioxide (IrO 2 ), using epitaxial design. It is shown that by reducing the relative crystalline symmetry with respect to the growth direction large unconventional spin currents can be generated and hence spin-orbit torques. Furthermore, the spin polarizations detected in (001), (110), and (111) oriented IrO 2 thin films are compared to show which crystal symmetries restrict unconventional spin transport. Understanding and tuning unconventional spin transport generation in high symmetry materials can provide a new route towards energy-efficient magnetic switching in spintronic devices., (© 2023 The Authors. Advanced Materials published by Wiley-VCH GmbH.)

Ferromagnets are known to support spin-polarized currents that control various spin-dependent transport phenomena useful for spintronics. On the contrary, fully compensated antiferromagnets are expected to support only globally spin-neutral currents. Here, we demonstrate that these globally spin-neutral currents can represent the Néel spin currents, i.e., staggered spin currents flowing through different magnetic sublattices. The Néel spin currents emerge in antiferromagnets with strong intrasublattice coupling (hopping) and drive the spin-dependent transport phenomena such as tunneling magnetoresistance (TMR) and spin-transfer torque (STT) in antiferromagnetic tunnel junctions (AFMTJs). Using RuO_{2} and Fe_{4}GeTe_{2} as representative antiferromagnets, we predict that the Néel spin currents with a strong staggered spin polarization produce a sizable fieldlike STT capable of the deterministic switching of the Néel vector in the associated AFMTJs. Our work uncovers the previously unexplored potential of fully compensated antiferromagnets and paves a new route to realize the efficient writing and reading of information for antiferromagnetic spintronics.

van der Waals (vdW) assembly of two-dimensional (2D) materials allows polar layer stacking to realize novel properties switchable by the induced electric polarization. Here, based on symmetry analyses and density-functional calculations, we explore the emergence of the anomalous Hall effect (AHE) in antiferromagnetic MnBi 2 Te 4 films assembled by polar layer stacking. We demonstrate that breaking P̂T̂ symmetry in an MnBi 2 Te 4 bilayer produces a magnetoelectric effect and a spontaneous AHE switchable by electric polarization. We find that reversible polarization at one of the interfaces in a three-layer MnBi 2 Te 4 film drives a metal-insulator transition, as well as switching between the AHE and quantum AHE (QAHE). Finally, we predict that engineering interlayer polarization in a three-layer MnBi 2 Te 4 film allows converting MnBi 2 Te 4 from a trivial insulator to a Chern insulator. Overall, our work emphasizes the topological properties in 2D vdW antiferromagnets induced by polar layer stacking, which do not exist in a bulk material.

Large spin-orbit torques (SOTs) generated by topological materials and heavy metals interfaced with ferromagnets are promising for next-generation magnetic memory and logic devices. SOTs generated from y spin originating from spin Hall and Edelstein effects can realize field-free magnetization switching only when the magnetization and spin are collinear. Here we circumvent the above limitation by utilizing unconventional spins generated in a MnPd 3 thin film grown on an oxidized silicon substrate. We observe conventional SOT due to y spin, and out-of-plane and in-plane anti-damping-like torques originated from z spin and x spin, respectively, in MnPd 3 /CoFeB heterostructures. Notably, we have demonstrated complete field-free switching of perpendicular cobalt via out-of-plane anti-damping-like SOT. Density functional theory calculations show that the observed unconventional torques are due to the low symmetry of the (114)-oriented MnPd 3 films. Altogether our results provide a path toward realization of a practical spin channel in ultrafast magnetic memory and logic devices., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Limited.)

Current induced spin-orbit torques driven by the conventional spin Hall effect are widely used to manipulate the magnetization. This approach, however, is nondeterministic and inefficient for the switching of magnets with perpendicular magnetic anisotropy that are demanded by the high-density magnetic storage and memory devices. Here, we demonstrate that this limitation can be overcome by exploiting a magnetic spin Hall effect in noncollinear antiferromagnets, such as Mn 3 Sn. The magnetic group symmetry of Mn 3 Sn allows generation of the out-of-plane spin current carrying spin polarization collinear to its direction induced by an in-plane charge current. This spin current drives an out-of-plane anti-damping torque providing the deterministic switching of the perpendicular magnetization of an adjacent Ni/Co multilayer. Due to being odd with respect to time reversal symmetry, the observed magnetic spin Hall effect and the resulting spin-orbit torque can be reversed with reversal of the antiferromagnetic order. Contrary to the conventional spin-orbit torque devices, the demonstrated magnetization switching does not need an external magnetic field and requires much lower current density which is useful for low-power spintronics., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

Magnetic skyrmions are chiral nanoscale spin textures which are usually induced by the Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interaction (DMI). Recently, magnetic skyrmions have been observed in two-dimensional (2D) van der Waals (vdW) ferromagnetic materials, such as Fe 3 GeTe 2 . The electric control of skyrmions is important for their potential application in low-power memory technologies. Here, we predict that DMI and magnetic skyrmions in a Fe 3 GeTe 2 monolayer can be controlled by ferroelectric polarization of an adjacent 2D vdW ferroelectric In 2 Se 3 . Based on density functional theory and atomistic spin-dynamics modeling, we find that the interfacial symmetry breaking produces a sizable DMI in a Fe 3 GeTe 2 /In 2 Se 3 vdW heterostructure. We show that the magnitude of DMI can be controlled by ferroelectric polarization reversal, leading to creation and annihilation of skyrmions. Furthermore, we find that the sign of DMI in a In 2 Se 3 /Fe 3 GeTe 2 /In 2 Se 3 heterostructure changes with ferroelectric switching reversing the skyrmion chirality. The predicted electrically controlled skyrmion formation may be interesting for spintronic applications.

To identify relationships between busulfan (Bu) exposure and outcomes of a cohort pediatric patients receiving hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT), along with a targeted busulfan-based conditioning regimen. We retrospectively evaluated targeted busulfan concentrations in 53 pediatric patients (age 0.4-16 years) who received busulfan 4 times daily according to recommended weight-based doses in a single-center analysis between 2018 and 2020. In this trial, individual busulfan pharmacokinetics were performed following dose 5 of the conditioning regimen. Twenty four of 53 patients (45.3%) studies did not require dose adjustments. Equal number of patients (24/53) required one dose adjustments while two-dose adjustment applied for 5 of 53 (9.4%). Twenty-one percent of the patients exhibited ll-lV aGVHD. The incidence of veno-occlusive disease (VOD) was in 3.8% of the 53 patients, while incidence of hemorrhagic cystitis (II-III) reached to 9.7%. Engraftment was successful in 98% of the 53 patients with relapse in 2% of cases. The probability of overall survival and disease-free survival at day 100 was 96% and 94%, respectively. In conclusion, therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) and individualization of Bu dosage are essential to improve the efficacy and safety of busulfan-based regimen in Chinese pediatric HSCT recipients., (© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Limited.)

Electric currents carrying a net spin polarization are widely used in spintronics, whereas globally spin-neutral currents are expected to play no role in spin-dependent phenomena. Here we show that, in contrast to this common expectation, spin-independent conductance in compensated antiferromagnets and normal metals can be efficiently exploited in spintronics, provided their magnetic space group symmetry supports a non-spin-degenerate Fermi surface. Due to their momentum-dependent spin polarization, such antiferromagnets can be used as active elements in antiferromagnetic tunnel junctions (AFMTJs) and produce a giant tunneling magnetoresistance (TMR) effect. Using RuO 2 as a representative compensated antiferromagnet exhibiting spin-independent conductance along the [001] direction but a non-spin-degenerate Fermi surface, we design a RuO 2 /TiO 2 /RuO 2 (001) AFMTJ, where a globally spin-neutral charge current is controlled by the relative orientation of the Néel vectors of the two RuO 2 electrodes, resulting in the TMR effect as large as ~500%. These results are expanded to normal metals which can be used as a counter electrode in AFMTJs with a single antiferromagnetic layer or other elements in spintronic devices. Our work uncovers an unexplored potential of the materials with no global spin polarization for utilizing them in spintronics., (© 2021. The Author(s).)

The low in-plane symmetry in layered 1T'-ReS_{2} results in strong band anisotropy, while its manifestation in the electronic properties is challenging to resolve due to the lack of effective approaches for controlling the local current path. In this work, we reveal the giant transport anisotropy in monolayer to four-layer ReS_{2} by creating directional conducting paths via nanoscale ferroelectric control. By reversing the polarization of a ferroelectric polymer top layer, we induce a conductivity switching ratio of >1.5×10^{8} in the ReS_{2} channel at 300 K. Characterizing the domain-defined conducting nanowires in an insulating background shows that the conductivity ratio between the directions along and perpendicular to the Re chain can exceed 5.5×10^{4} in monolayer ReS_{2}. Theoretical modeling points to the band origin of the transport anomaly and further reveals the emergence of a flat band in few-layer ReS_{2}. Our work paves the path for implementing highly anisotropic 2D materials for designing novel collective phenomena and electron lensing applications.

Spin-orbit torque (SOT), which arises from the spin-orbit coupling of conduction electrons, is believed to be the key route for developing low-power, high-speed, and nonvolatile memory devices. Despite the theoretical prediction of pronounced Berry phase curvatures in certain transition-metal perovskite oxides, which lead to considerable intrinsic spin Hall conductivity, SOT from this class of materials has rarely been reported until recently. Here, the SOT generated by epitaxial SrRuO 3 of three different crystal structures is systematically studied. The results of both spin-torque ferromagnetic resonance and in-plane harmonic Hall voltage measurements concurrently reveal that the intrinsic SOT efficiency of SrRuO 3 decreases when the epitaxial strain changes from tensile to compressive. The X-ray diffraction data demonstrate a strong correlation between the magnitude of SOT and octahedral rotation around the in-plane axes of SrRuO 3 , consistent with the theoretical prediction. This work offers new possibilities of tuning SOT with crystal structures and novel opportunities of integrating the unique properties of perovskite oxides with spintronic functionalities., (© 2021 Wiley-VCH GmbH.)

Ferroelectric tunnel junctions (FTJs), which consist of two metal electrodes separated by a thin ferroelectric barrier, have recently aroused significant interest for technological applications as nanoscale resistive switching devices. So far, most existing FTJs have been based on perovskite-oxide barrier layers. The recent discovery of the two-dimensional (2D) van der Waals ferroelectric materials opens a new route to realize tunnel junctions with new functionalities and nm-scale dimensions. Because of the weak coupling between the atomic layers in these materials, the relative dipole alignment between them can be controlled by applied voltage. This allows transitions between ferroelectric and antiferroelectric orderings, resulting in significant changes of the electronic structure. Here, we propose to realize 2D antiferroelectric tunnel junctions (AFTJs), which exploit this new functionality, based on bilayer In_{2}X_{3} (X=S, Se, Te) barriers and different 2D electrodes. Using first-principles density functional theory calculations, we demonstrate that the In_{2}X_{3} bilayers exhibit stable ferroelectric and antiferroelectric states separated by sizable energy barriers, thus supporting a nonvolatile switching between these states. Using quantum-mechanical modeling of the electronic transport, we explore in-plane and out-of-plane tunneling across the In_{2}S_{3} van der Waals bilayers, and predict giant tunneling electroresistance effects and multiple nonvolatile resistance states driven by ferroelectric-antiferroelectric order transitions. Our proposal opens a new route to realize nanoscale memory devices with ultrahigh storage density using 2D AFTJs.

Engineered heterostructures formed by complex oxide materials are a rich source of emergent phenomena and technological applications. In the quest for new functionality, a vastly unexplored avenue is interfacing oxide perovskites with materials having dissimilar crystallochemical properties. Here, we propose a unique class of heterointerfaces based on nitride antiperovskite and oxide perovskite materials as a previously unidentified direction for materials design. We demonstrate the fabrication of atomically sharp interfaces between nitride antiperovskite Mn 3 GaN and oxide perovskites (La 0.3 Sr 0.7 )(Al 0.65 Ta 0.35 )O 3 and SrTiO 3 . Using atomic-resolution imaging/spectroscopic techniques and first-principles calculations, we determine the atomic-scale structure, composition, and bonding at the interface. The epitaxial antiperovskite/perovskite heterointerface is mediated by a coherent interfacial monolayer that interpolates between the two antistructures. We anticipate our results to be an important step for the development of functional antiperovskite/perovskite heterostructures, combining their unique characteristics such as topological properties for ultralow-power applications., (Copyright © 2020 The Authors, some rights reserved; exclusive licensee American Association for the Advancement of Science. No claim to original U.S. Government Works. Distributed under a Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial License 4.0 (CC BY-NC).)

Background: Serum prealbumin (PAB) is an effective tool to evaluate patients with malnutrition. In recent years, studies have shown that PAB is statistically reduced during the course of disease infection. The pneumonia severity index (PSI) scoring system is one of the most widely used scoring tools to evaluate the condition and prognosis of community acquired pneumonia (CAP) patients. However, few studies have reported on PSI combined with blood indicators to predict the prognosis of pneumonia. The aim of this study was to investigate the prognostic value of PAB combined with PSI in patients with CAP., Methods: We retrospectively analyzed the data of 400 patients who met the inclusion criteria. Death and survival were selected as prognostic indicators of pneumonia. On the first day after admission, venous blood samples were taken to test PAB and PSI scores. Subject operating characteristic curve (ROC) was used to evaluate PSI, PAB, and PSI combined with PAB to predict 30-day mortality of CAP patients., Results: The 30-day mortality rate of CAP patients was 10.5% (42/400). PAB and PSI score were independent risk factors for 30-day mortality in CAP patients. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value of PAB predicting the death of CAP patients were 86.3%, 79%, 50.74%, and 95.83%, respectively. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value of PSI predicting the death of CAP patients were 74.80%, 63%, 33.71%, and 90.99%, respectively. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value of the combined index predicting the death of CAP patients were 95.20%, 77.80%, 51.70% and 98.41%, respectively., Conclusions: Serum prealbumin is a relatively simple acquired index and an independent risk factor for death in CAP patients. Serum prealbumin improves the sensitivity of pneumonia severity index in predicting 30-day mortality of CAP patients.

Complex oxide heterointerfaces and van der Waals heterostructures present two versatile but intrinsically different platforms for exploring emergent quantum phenomena and designing new functionalities. The rich opportunity offered by the synergy between these two classes of materials, however, is yet to be charted. Here, we report an unconventional nonlinear optical filtering effect resulting from the interfacial polar alignment between monolayer MoS 2 and a neighboring ferroelectric oxide thin film. The second harmonic generation response at the heterointerface is either substantially enhanced or almost entirely quenched by an underlying ferroelectric domain wall depending on its chirality, and can be further tailored by the polar domains. Unlike the extensively studied coupling mechanisms driven by charge, spin, and lattice, the interfacial tailoring effect is solely mediated by the polar symmetry, as well explained via our density functional theory calculations, pointing to a new material strategy for the functional design of nanoscale reconfigurable optical applications.

Antiferromagnetic (AFM) spintronics exploits the Néel vector as a state variable for novel spintronic devices. Recent studies have shown that the fieldlike and antidamping spin-orbit torques (SOTs) can be used to switch the Néel vector in antiferromagnets with proper symmetries. However, the precise detection of the Néel vector remains a challenging problem. In this Letter, we predict that the nonlinear anomalous Hall effect (AHE) can be used to detect the Néel vector in most compensated antiferromagnets supporting the antidamping SOT. We show that the magnetic crystal group symmetry of these antiferromagnets combined with spin-orbit coupling produce a sizable Berry curvature dipole and hence the nonlinear AHE. As a specific example, we consider the half-Heusler alloy CuMnSb, in which the Néel vector can be switched by the antidamping SOT. Based on density-functional theory calculations, we show that the nonlinear AHE in CuMnSb results in a measurable Hall voltage under conventional experimental conditions. The strong dependence of the Berry curvature dipole on the Néel vector orientation provides a new detection scheme of the Néel vector based on the nonlinear AHE. Our predictions enrich the material platform for studying nontrivial phenomena associated with the Berry curvature and broaden the range of materials useful for AFM spintronics.

Background: In China, tuberculous pleural effusion is the most common cause for pleural effusion. Elevated ADH and positive tuberculin test usually are characteristic of tuberculous pleural effusion. We reported a 71-year-old male patient with elevated ADH and positive tuberculin test firstly misdiagnosed as tuberculous pleural effusion finally proven as pleural mesothelial sarcoma by thoracoscopic pathology., Methods: Appropriate laboratory tests and thoracentesis were carried out. Thoracoscopy and pathological biopsy were performed to differentiate tuberculous pleural effusion., Results: Chest CT showed right pleural effusion. ADH in pleural effusion was over 45 U/L and PPD test was positive. No abnormal cells were found in pleural effusion pathology. Pathology of thoracoscopic biopsy proved pleural mesothelioma., Conclusions: Elevated ADH and positive tuberculin test are not a specific index for tuberculosis and thoracoscopic biopsy pathology is crucial for differential diagnosis.

Background: G-lipopolysaccharide, a component of the cell wall of Gram-negative bacteria, is called lipopolysaccharide. The detection of G-lipopolysaccharide can be used for the early diagnosis of infectious diseases, but some-times G-lipopolysaccharide provides limited help. We report a case of a patient with hemoptysis and high-density shadow of both lungs combined with elevated serum G-lipopolysaccharide which mimicked bronchiectasis with Gram-negative bacterium infection. It was ultimately confirmed as Mycobacterium iranicum infection by CT-guided percutaneous lung biopsy and next generation sequencing., Methods: The chest computed tomography (CT) scan, CT-guided percutaneous lung biopsy, and NGS were performed for diagnosis and blood tests explored for the latent etiology., Results: The chest CT scan showed a high-density shadow of both lungs, atelectasis of right middle lobe, multiple enlarged lymph nodes in mediastinum and right hilum. Pathology of CT-guided percutaneous lung biopsy indicated fibrous tissue proliferation and granulation tissue formation and some alveolar epithelial cells slightly proliferated with focal carbon powder deposition in alveolar sacs and spaces. The lung tissue NGS confirmed Mycobacterium iranicum infection., Conclusions: Elevated serum G-lipopolysaccharide is not a specific index for infectious diseases. CT-guided percutaneous lung biopsy and lung tissue NGS has high specificity in pathogen detection of infectious diseases.

Spin-orbit coupling (SOC), the interaction between the electron spin and the orbital angular momentum, can unlock rich phenomena at interfaces, in particular interconverting spin and charge currents. Conventional heavy metals have been extensively explored due to their strong SOC of conduction electrons. However, spin-orbit effects in classes of materials such as epitaxial 5 d -electron transition-metal complex oxides, which also host strong SOC, remain largely unreported. In addition to strong SOC, these complex oxides can also provide the additional tuning knob of epitaxy to control the electronic structure and the engineering of spin-to-charge conversion by crystalline symmetry. Here, we demonstrate room-temperature generation of spin-orbit torque on a ferromagnet with extremely high efficiency via the spin-Hall effect in epitaxial metastable perovskite SrIrO 3 We first predict a large intrinsic spin-Hall conductivity in orthorhombic bulk SrIrO 3 arising from the Berry curvature in the electronic band structure. By manipulating the intricate interplay between SOC and crystalline symmetry, we control the spin-Hall torque ratio by engineering the tilt of the corner-sharing oxygen octahedra in perovskite SrIrO 3 through epitaxial strain. This allows the presence of an anisotropic spin-Hall effect due to a characteristic structural anisotropy in SrIrO 3 with orthorhombic symmetry. Our experimental findings demonstrate the heteroepitaxial symmetry design approach to engineer spin-orbit effects. We therefore anticipate that these epitaxial 5 d transition-metal oxide thin films can be an ideal building block for low-power spintronics., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Coexistence of reversible polar distortions and metallicity leading to a ferroelectric metal, first suggested by Anderson and Blount in 1965, has so far remained elusive. Electrically switchable intrinsic electric polarization, together with the direct observation of ferroelectric domains, has not yet been realized in a bulk crystalline metal, although incomplete screening by mobile conduction charges should, in principle, be possible. Here, we provide evidence that native metallicity and ferroelectricity coexist in bulk crystalline van der Waals WTe 2 by means of electrical transport, nanoscale piezoresponse measurements, and first-principles calculations. We show that, despite being a Weyl semimetal, WTe 2 has switchable spontaneous polarization and a natural ferroelectric domain structure at room temperature. This new class of materials has tantalizing potential for functional nanoelectronics applications.

Background: Invasive pulmonary aspergillosis and nocardia overlap in clinical and radiological presentations, so differentiating between nocardia and invasive pulmonary aspergillosis is confusing. Though sputum culture could distinguish between nocardia and aspergillus fumigatus, but for the ultimate diagnosis, sputum culture provided limited help. Here we report a case of a patient with positive G test and aspergillus fumigatus sputum culture mimic invasive pulmonary aspergillosis ultimately diagnosed as nocardia through bronchoalveolar lavage culture combined metagenomic next-generation sequencing (NGS)., Methods: Bronchoalveolar lavage culture combined metagenomic NGS for infectious diseases were performed for diagnosis., Results: Bronchoalveolar lavage culture combined metagenomic next-generation sequencing showed Nocardia Gelsenkirchen., Conclusions: Positive G test and sputum culture were not specific, while bronchoalveolar lavage culture and NGS gave more information for a differential diagnosis between nocardia and aspergillus fumigatus.

Topological antiferromagnetic (AFM) spintronics is an emerging field of research, which exploits the Néel vector to control the topological electronic states and the associated spin-dependent transport properties. A recently discovered Néel spin-orbit torque has been proposed to electrically manipulate Dirac band crossings in antiferromagnets; however, a reliable AFM material to realize these properties in practice is missing. In this Letter, we predict that room-temperature AFM metal MnPd_{2} allows the electrical control of the Dirac nodal line by the Néel spin-orbit torque. Based on first-principles density functional theory calculations, we show that reorientation of the Néel vector leads to switching between the symmetry-protected degenerate state and the gapped state associated with the dispersive Dirac nodal line at the Fermi energy. The calculated spin Hall conductivity strongly depends on the Néel vector orientation and can be used to experimentally detect the predicted effect using a proposed spin-orbit torque device. Our results indicate that AFM Dirac nodal line metal MnPd_{2} represents a promising material for topological AFM spintronics.

The community structure of colonised bacteria in the gastrointestinal tracts (GITs) of pre-weaned calves is affected by extrinsic factors, such as the genetics and diet of the calves; however, the dietary impact is not fully understood and warrants further research. Our study revealed that a total of 6, 5, 2 and 10 bacterial genera showed biologically significant differences in the GITs of pre-weaned calves fed four waste-milk diets: acidified waste milk, pasteurised waste milk, untreated bulk milk, and untreated waste milk, respectively. Specifically, generic biomarkers were observed in the rumen (e.g., Bifidobacterium, Parabacteroides, Fibrobacter, Clostridium, etc.), caecum (e.g., Faecalibacterium, Oxalobacter, Odoribacter, etc.) and colon (e.g., Megamonas, Comamonas, Stenotrophomonas, etc.) but not in the faeces. In addition, the predicted metabolic pathways showed that the expression of genes related to metabolic diseases was increased in the calves fed untreated waste milk, which indicated that untreated waste milk is not a suitable liquid diet for pre-weaned calves. This is the first study to demonstrate how different types of waste milk fed to pre-weaned calves affect the community structure of colonised bacteria, and the results may provide insights for the intentional adjustment of diets and gastrointestinal bacterial communities.

S100A6 is involved in regulating the progression of cancer. S100A6 can regulate the dynamics of cytoskeletal constituents, cell growth and differentiation by interacting with binding or target proteins. The present study investigated whether S100A6 affects cell proliferation in gastric cancer cells by stimulating several downstream factors. Firstly, the expression and localization of S100A6 were investigated using immunohistochemical staining, an immunoelectron microscopy and laser confocal scanning. A ChIP-Chip assay was performed to determine the downstream factors of S100A6 using promoter Chip analysis, including approximately the -800 to +200 regions around the transcription starting point. Polymerase chain reaction analysis was performed to confirm this. It was found that the intensity of S100A6 staining was markedly higher in the cytoplasm and nucleus, and its expression level correlated with that of the Ki67 protein. The overexpression of S100A6 also promoted cell proliferation in AGS and BGC823 cell lines, detected using a Cell Counting-Kit 8 assay. In cells overexpressing S100A6, the expression levels of interleukin (IL)-8, cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK)5, CDK4, minichromosome maintenance complex component 7 (MCM7) and B-cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl2) were noticeably increased. In conclusion, the increased expression of S100A6 promoted cell proliferation by regulating the expression levels of IL-8, CDK5, CDK4, MCM7 and Bcl2 in gastric cancer cells.

The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of different stocking densities of 82 (0.82 cows per freestall and feed bin), 100, and 129% on behavior, productivity, and comfort indices of lactating Holstein dairy cows. Twenty-seven lactating cows (15 primiparous and 12 multiparous) were assigned to 1 of the 3 treatments, which were balanced for parity, milk yield, days in milk, and body weight in a 3×3 Latin square design with 14-d periods. After 7 d of adaptation to the treatments, lying time and bouts were recorded at 1-min intervals for 3 d, DMI and feeding time were monitored electronically by feed bins, and rumination time was quantified at 2-h periods for 5 d during each period. The cow comfort index, stall standing index, stall perching index, and stall use index (SUI) were calculated using 10-min scan samples of video recording from d 8 to 10 of each period. Milk yield was recorded from d 8 to 12 and milk composition was determined from composite samples on d 12 in each period. Daily lying time, lying bouts, and bout duration did not differ among the stocking densities. The ratio of lying time ≥12 h/d (the number of cows with daily lying time ≥12 h/d divided by number of cows per pen) was higher for cows housed at 82% stocking density compared with those housed at 100% stocking density, with stocking density of 129% intermediate. Hourly lying time was lower at 100% stocking density compared with 82 and 129% stocking densities during the peak period (2300-0400 h), determined based on diurnal pattern of lying time. Daily dry matter intake, feeding time, and feeding rate were not affected by stocking density. After morning milking, dry matter intake and feeding time was reduced at 129 versus 82% stocking density during peak feeding time (0600-0800 h), determined based on diurnal patterns of feeding behavior. Stocking density had no effect on rumination time, milk yield and milk composition. The ratio of SUI ≥85% (mean of the number of SUI ≥85% divided by the number of SUI at 10-min scan samples during a 24-h period) was lower at 129 versus 82% stocking density, with stocking density of 100% intermediate. During peak lying time after evening milking (2300-0400 h), both cow comfort index and SUI were higher at 129 than at 100% stocking density. The SUI was lower 2h after morning milking (0800-0900 h) for cows housed at 129% compared with those housed at 82 and 100% stocking densities. In conclusion, when compared with 100% stocking density, understocking contributed to natural behaviors of cows that including lying, feeding, and rumination behavior, whereas overstocking did not cause negative effect on behavior, productivity, and comfort indices of cows in this study., (Copyright © 2016 American Dairy Science Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Recently, Bi-based compounds have attracted attentions because of the strong spin-orbit coupling (SOC). In this work, we figured out the role of SOC in ABi3 (A = Sr and Ba) by theoretical investigation of the band structures, phonon properties, and electron-phonon coupling. Without SOC, strong Fermi surface nesting leads to phonon instabilities in ABi3. SOC suppresses the nesting and stabilizes the structure. Moreover, without SOC the calculation largely underestimates the superconducting transition temperatures (Tc), while with SOC the calculated Tc are very close to those determined by measurements on single crystal samples. The SOC enhanced superconductivity in ABi3 is due to not only the SOC induced phonon softening, but also the SOC related increase of electron-phonon coupling matrix elements. ABi3 can be potential platforms to construct heterostructure of superconductor/topological insulator to realize topological superconductivity.

Background: The SUMO pathway has been shown to play an important role in tumorigenesis. This report analyzed the involvement of the sole SUMO-Activating Enzyme Subunit 2 (SAE2) in human gastric cancer (GC) progression and prognosis., Methods: Expression of SAE2 was examined by Quantigene Plex, western blotting and immunohistochemistry. The expression of SAE2 and c-MYC were detected in parallel in 276 cases. The molecular mechanisms of SAE2 expression and its effects on cell growth, colony formation, migration and invasion were also explored by CCK8 assay, colony formation experiment, transwell chamber assay with or without matrigel, immunoprecipitation and in vivo tumorigenesis and tumor metastasis., Results: SAE2 was markedly overexpressed in GC cell lines and primary tumor samples of GC, and significantly correlated with deeper tumor depth, distant metastasis, higher pathological stage and stratified survival in human GC. SAE2 positivity was independently associated with a worse outcome in multivariate analysis. Knockdown of SAE2 expression inhibited the proliferation, migration, and invasion of SAE2-overexpressing GC cells. Consistent with the in vitro results, down-regulation of SAE2 in human GC BGC823 cells significantly reduced the tumorigenic and metastatic potential of the cells in vivo. SAE2 protein was significantly associated with the higher expression of c-MYC in primary GC tissues. Moreover, FoxM1 was SUMOylated in GC and that inhibition of SAE2 resulted in a decrease in SUMO1-FoxM1 levels compared with those in the controls., Conclusions: These findings suggest that SAE2 has a pivotal role in the aggressiveness of GC, and highlight its usefulness as a prognostic factor in GC.

Background: The SUMO pathway has been shown to play an important role in tumorigenesis. This report analyzed the involvement of the sole SUMO-Activating Enzyme Subunit 2 (SAE2) in human gastric cancer (GC) progression and prognosis., Methods: Expression of SAE2 was examined by Quantigene Plex, western blotting and immunohistochemistry. The expression of SAE2 and c-MYC were detected in parallel in 276 cases. The molecular mechanisms of SAE2 expression and its effects on cell growth, colony formation, migration and invasion were also explored by CCK8 assay, colony formation experiment, transwell chamber assay with or without matrigel, immunoprecipitation and in vivo tumorigenesis and tumor metastasis., Results: SAE2 was markedly overexpressed in GC cell lines and primary tumor samples of GC, and significantly correlated with deeper tumor depth, distant metastasis, higher pathological stage and stratified survival in human GC. SAE2 positivity was independently associated with a worse outcome in multivariate analysis. Knockdown of SAE2 expression inhibited the proliferation, migration, and invasion of SAE2-overexpressing GC cells. Consistent with the in vitro results, down-regulation of SAE2 in human GC BGC823 cells significantly reduced the tumorigenic and metastatic potential of the cells in vivo. SAE2 protein was significantly associated with the higher expression of c-MYC in primary GC tissues. Moreover, FoxM1 was SUMOylated in GC and that inhibition of SAE2 resulted in a decrease in SUMO1-FoxM1 levels compared with those in the controls., Conclusions: These findings suggest that SAE2 has a pivotal role in the aggressiveness of GC, and highlight its usefulness as a prognostic factor in GC.