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Zygentoma occupies a key evolutionary position for understanding the evolution of insect metamorphosis but has received little attention in terms of genetic analysis. To develop functional genomic studies in this insect, we evaluated five candidate internal reference genes for quantitative RT-PCR (qPCR) studies from Thermobia domestica, a representative species of Zygentoma, including Actin 5C (Actin5C), Elongation factor-1 alpha (EF1A), Ribosome protein S26 (RPS26), Ribosome protein L32 (RPL32), and Superoxide dismutase 2 (SOD2), at different developmental stages, in various body parts, and under dsRNA microinjection and starvation stresses, using four algorithms (delta Ct, geNorm, NormFinder and BestKeeper) and a comparative algorithm (RefFinder). Specific suitable reference genes were recommended across specific experimental conditions, and the combination of RPS26 and RPL32 was appropriate for all tested samples. Employing our selected reference gene combination, we investigated the gene expression pattern of Myoglianin (Myo), a crucial gene-regulating insect metamorphosis, in ametabolous T. domestica, and demonstrated the efficiency of RNA interference (RNAi) in firebrat nymphs. This study provides a basis for reliable quantitative studies of genes and greatly benefits evolutionary and functional genomics studies in Zygentoma.

Coherent population trapping (CPT) resonance signals have promise in a wide range of applications involving precision sensing. Generally, the CPT phenomenon occurs in a three-level Λ system with a bichromatic phase-coherent light fields. We theoretically and experimentally studied an Rb vapor-cell-based atomic system involving bichromatic CPT optical fields and an external microwave (MW) field simultaneously. In such a mixing scheme, the coherence of the ground states could be controlled either by the Rabi frequency of the microwave field or by the relative phase between the optical fields and the MW field. Moreover, we investigated the Rabi resonance in this mixing scheme. The Rabi frequency of the MW field can be measured SI (International System of Units)-traceably based on the Rabi resonance lineshape, and thus holds the potential to realize intensity stabilization of the optical field in this system. Simple theoretical models and numerical calculations are also presented to explain the experimental results. There is scope to use the proposed technique in future development of SI-traceable optical field strength standards.

Introduction: Cancer causes thousands of deaths worldwide each year. Therefore, monitoring of health status and the early diagnosis of cancer using noninvasive assays, such as the analysis of molecular biomarkers in urine, is essential. However, effective biomarkers for early diagnosis of cancer have not been established in many types of cancer.Areas covered: In this review, we discuss recent findings with regard to the use of urine composition as a biomarker in eleven types of cancer. We also highlight the use of urine biomarkers for improving early diagnosis.Expert opinion: Urinary biomarkers have been applied for clinical application of early diagnosis. The main limitation is a lack of integrated approaches for identification of new biomarkers in most cancer. The utilization of urinary biomarker detection will be promoted by improved detection methods and new data from different types of cancers. With the development of precision medicine, urinary biomarkers will play an increasingly important clinical role. Future early diagnosis would benefit from changes in the utilization of urinary biomarkers.

Studied as a type of tumor suppressor, microRNA (miR) performs an important role in growth and apoptosis of various human carcinomas. However, the effects of miR-l44 on osteosarcoma growth and apoptosis, as well as possible underlying mechanisms, remain unclear. The present study investigated the expression of miR-144 in osteosarcoma MG-63 and U-2 OS cell lines compared with osteoblast cells. In order to elucidate the effects of miR-144 on osteosarcoma, miR-144 was upregulated in MG-63 and U-2 OS cells by transfecting chemically synthesized miR-144 mimics. Bioinformatics analysis of potential miR-144 target genes was performed using TargetScanHuman 7.0 and confirmed by luciferase assay. This analysis identified mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) as a target of miR-144. The present results indicated that the overexpression of miR-144 may significantly inhibit proliferation and promote apoptosis of MG-63 and U-2 cells compared with scramble control. Furthermore, the effects of miR-144 on osteosarcoma were associated with the mTOR signaling pathway via directly targeting the 3' untranslated region of mTOR mRNA, resulting in a decrease in the level of mTOR protein. In summary, miR-144 was demonstrated to act as a tumor suppressor, which inhibits proliferation and promotes apoptosis of osteosarcoma cell lines. In addition, this effect was mediated by direct targeting on mTOR following inhibition of the mTOR signaling pathway. The present study suggested that miR-144 may be a candidate for the gene therapy of osteosarcoma.

In this article, graphite oxide was prepared via Hummers method, then reduced by L-ascorbic acid to obtain colloidal suspension of graphene. The resultant graphene was characterized by FT-IR, UV-vis, Raman, XRD, AFM, TEM in detail, and it was found that the the sp2 domain of graphene oxide is restored efficiently, the suspension is very stable and most of the graphene is single-layer. Compared to hydrazine hydrate, L-ascorbic acid has higher deoxygenation efficiency and inclines to gain few-layer graphene and its stable suspensions.

Scattering spheres-embedding three-dimensional ordered macroporous (3DOM) titania(TiO2) was fabricated, by the route of colloidal spheres self-assembly, infiltration and template removal. The procedures of 3DOM structure preparation were characterized by transmission electron microscope (TEM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD). The silica@PMMA core-shell spheres were prepared and self-assembled into colloidal crystal template. Solid material was deposited in the colloidal crystal template by spin-coating of titania nanoparticle dispersions. Subsequently, the samples were heated to 400 °C to form anatase TiO2and to remove the polymer of template, which resulted in macroporous structure with a silica sphere in each lattice pore. The conventional TiO2film, 3DOM TiO2photoanodes were also fabricated. It was found that SiO2-embedding 3DOM photoanode has the higher photocurrent efficiency than both of TiO2 film and 3DOM, because there are scattering spheres in its lattice pores which enhance the light scattering and improve the light harvest of the dye.

In this paper, the graphene oxide reducing by photochemical-thermal reduction and high-temperature thermal reduction was studied to get qualified graphene and avoid the re-aggregation. The results show that graphene obtained by both of the two reduction methods all maintained the original well-layered morphology of the graphene oxide. The graphene had smooth surface and high quality as completely reduced by high-temperature thermal method. However, the reduction the photochemical-thermal reaction was not sufficient and caused many vesicles on the graphene surface due to the low temperature and the lack of reaction time.

Graphite oxide is of great importance in preparing graphene, the average layer of graphene depends on that of graphene oxide in some extent. In this paper, we prepared graphite oxide via H3PO4/H2SO4mixed acid, then which were dried by vacuum drying in a freezer dryer and drying oven respectively, the graphite oxide powder and thin film were obtained correspondingly. After dispersing the above two forms of graphite oxide in water by shaking, stirring or supersonic wave, they were reduced in the same condition. According to the XRD, AFM results, vacuum freeze-drying was inclined to gain few-lay graphene.

We prepared graphite oxide (GO) from natural graphite by the modified Hummers method. Then graphene was prepared by ultrasonically dispersing GO in the presence of hydrazine hydrate. The samples were characterized by FTIR, Raman, Scanning electron microscope (SEM) and Transmission electron microscope (TEM). The results suggest that the graphite is oxidized to covalent bond-type graphite intercalation compounds with various oxygen functional groups (C=O, C-OH, -COOH and C-O-C). Results show that the functional groups on graphite oxide surface are mostly removed by hydrazine hydrate and graphene presents translucent slide with curly edge.