Molecular Beam Epitaxy Scalable Growth of Wafer-Scale Continuous Semiconducting Monolayer MoTe2 on Inert Amorphous Dielectrics

Monolayer MoTe₂ , with the narrowest direct bandgap of ≈1.1 eV among Mo- and W-based transition metal dichalcogenides, has attracted increasing attention as a promising candidate for applications in novel near-infrared electronics and optoelectronics. Realizing 2D lateral growth is an essential prerequisite for uniform thickness and property control over the large scale, while it is not successful yet. Here, layer-by-layer growth of 2 in. wafer-scale continuous monolayer 2H-MoTe₂ films on inert SiO₂ dielectrics by molecular beam epitaxy is reported. A single-step Mo-flux controlled nucleation and growth process is developed to suppress island growth. Atomically flat 2H-MoTe₂ with 100% monolayer coverage is successfully grown on inert 2 in. SiO₂ /Si wafer, which exhibits highly uniform in-plane structural continuity and excellent phonon-limited carrier transport behavior. The dynamics-controlled growth recipe is also extended to fabricate continuous monolayer 2H-MoTe₂ on atomic-layer-deposited Al₂ O₃ dielectric. With the breakthrough in growth of wafer-scale continuous 2H-MoTe₂ monolayers on device compatible dielectrics, batch fabrication of high-mobility monolayer 2H-MoTe₂ field-effect transistors and the three-level integration of vertically stacked monolayer 2H-MoTe₂ transistor arrays for 3D circuitry are successfully demonstrated. This work provides novel insights into the scalable synthesis of monolayer 2H-MoTe₂ films on universal substrates and paves the way for the ultimate miniaturization of electronics.

Abstract 2040: Acute myeloid leukemia cells induce new bone formation by expanding osteoprogenitor niche in the bone marrow

Genetic alterations in osteoprogenitor cells have been shown to induce myeloid leukemia in mouse models. We reported recently that acute myeloid leukemia (AML) cells induce osteogenic differentiation in mesenchymal stromal cells (MSC) in the bone marrow (BM) to facilitate faster AML engraftment in mice (Battula et al., JCI Insight, 2017). However, specifics of this osteogenic niche generated by AML are not known. Here, we hypothesize that AML cells induce new bone formation by expanding osteoprogenitor-rich niche in the BM. To investigate the effect of AML cells on osteoprogenitor cells and mature osteoblasts, we generated transgenic mice by crossing Osx-CreERt2 mice with Ocn-GFP; ROSA-tdTomato mice. The resulting triple transgenic mice had the genotype of Osx-CreERt2;Ocn-GFP;ROSA-tdTomato. In these mice the tdTomato (red) positive cells represented cells that originated from Osterix-expressing (Osx+) cells, whereas a GFP+ (green) cell represented an osteocalcin-expressing (Ocn+) mature osteoblast. We implanted murine AML cells with MLL-ENL fusion proteins into these mice. Three weeks after implantation of AML cells, the femurs and tibia of these mice were subjected to histological evaluation using whole-tissue fluorescence microscopy. Interestigly, in the BM of mice implanted with AML cells, we found a 3-4 fold increase in Osx+ cells compared to control animals. However, no significant difference in the number of GFP+ cells on the endosteum and trabecular bone surface was observed, suggesting that AML cells expand osteoprogenitor cells in the BM. Next, to investigate AML-induced alterations in bone, we implanted AML patient-derived xenograft (PDX) cells with the FLT3-ITD translocation into non-obese diabetic scid interleukin-2Rγnull (NSG) mice. When the percentage of AML blasts in peripheral blood increased over 95%, we performed micro-computed tomography (µCT) to analyze changes in the bone architecture. Of note, we observed a massive increase in cortical bone thickness and new medullary bone formation in the diaphysis area. Quantitative analysis revealed that the bone volume and bone mineral content in AML mouse femurs were about twofold higher than those in healthy mouse femurs. To validate these findings, we stained femurs from mice with and without AML with Masson-Goldner's trichrome reagents. Notably, staining of the femurs from mice with AML revealed massive web-like bone formation within the medullary cavity, which is usually not seen in normal BM. Also, bone that was not fully formed, but in the process of maturation, stained light blue. In conclusion, our data suggest that AML cells expand osteoprogenitor cells resulting in thickening of the cortical bone and new bone formation in mouse models. In-depth analysis of bone remodeling in AML patients could result in new insights into the pathobiology of the disease and provide novel therapeutic avenues for AML.

Citation Format: Bin Yuan, Stanley Ly, Ivo Veletic, Kiersten Maldonado, Xin Zhou, Benoit deCrombrugghe, Michael Andreeff, Venkata Lokesh Battula. Acute myeloid leukemia cells induce new bone formation by expanding osteoprogenitor niche in the bone marrow [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2019; 2019 Mar 29-Apr 3; Atlanta, GA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2019;79(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 2040.

Abstract 3248: B7-H3, an immune checkpoint protein is overexpressed in AML and the blocking monoclonal antibodies enhance NK cell-mediated apoptosis in AML cells

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is the most common and aggressive acute leukemia found in adults. Immune checkpoint inhibition has led to important clinical advances in cancer therapy in recent years due to superior cure rates compared with standard therapy. We hypothesize that B7-H3 (CD276) an immune checkpoint protein is overexpressed in AML cells and targeting B7-H3 activates immune cells against AML cells. We analyzed B7-H3 expression in peripheral blood (PB) and bone marrow (BM) mononuclear cells from AML patients (n=65) and healthy donors (n=10) at MD Anderson Cancer Center. Cell surface expression analysis by flow cytometry revealed that the cells of ~60% of the patients were positive for B7-H3 and its expression was 2- to 3-fold higher in AML cells than in healthy donor cells. B7-H3 expression is relatively higher in CD34+ AML cells than in CD34- AML cells (p<0.01). In contrast, no difference was observed between CD34+ and CD34- cells from healthy donors. The Cancer Genome Atlas RNA sequencing data revealed that patients with high B7-H3 expression had significantly lower overall and disease-free survival durations than did patients with low B7-H3 expression (p=0.024). To investigate the role of B7-H3 in immunomodulation, we stably knocked down B7-H3 in OCI-AML3 and co-cultured them with or without human PB-derived NK cells at a 2:1 ratio and measured apoptosis induction in AML cells by annexin-v binding approach. We found that knockdown of B7-H3 induced NK cell-mediated apoptosis in AML cells 3-fold compared to control AML cells. These data indicate that inhibition of B7-H3 in AML cells enhances NK cell-mediated apoptosis in AML cells. To target B7-H3, we have generated four monoclonal antibodies: B1, B2, B3 and B4 (codenamed to protect IP). To investigate whether these novel anti-B7-H3 monoclonal antibodies are able to block B7-H3 immunomodulatory function and activate NK cells, we performed a co-culture experiment with GFP-expressing OCI-AML3 cells and PB-derived NK cells in the presence or absence of anti-B7-H3 antibodies. Apoptosis induction was measured by real-time annexin-v binding using IncuCyte live cell imaging system. The addition of anti-B7-H3 monoclonal antibodies, B1, B2, B3 and B4 at 25μg/ml enhanced NK cell-induced apoptosis 3-fold in OCI-AML3 cells. These data indicate that anti-B7-H3 antibodies block the immunomodulatory function of B7-H3 and induce NK cell-mediated apoptosis in AML cells. In vivo testing of these antibodies against AML-PDX models is currently ongoing. In conclusion, we found that B7-H3 is overexpressed in AML cells and its expression is associated with bad prognosis in AML patients. Knockdown or antibody-mediated blocking of B7-H3 enhanced NK cell-induced apoptosis in AML cells. These data indicated that B7-H3 is a novel immune-checkpoint protein in AML and patients could potentially benefit from anti-B7-H3 therapies.

Citation Format: Stanley Ly, Bin Yuan, Sabrina Grimm, Michael Andreeff, Hans-Jörg Bühring, Venkata Lokesh Battula. B7-H3, an immune checkpoint protein is overexpressed in AML and the blocking monoclonal antibodies enhance NK cell-mediated apoptosis in AML cells [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2019; 2019 Mar 29-Apr 3; Atlanta, GA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2019;79(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 3248.

On the sources and sinks of atmospheric VOCs: an integrated analysis of recent aircraft campaigns over North America

We apply a high-resolution chemical transport model (GEOS-Chem CTM) with updated treatment of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and a comprehensive suite of airborne datasets over North America to (i) characterize the VOC budget and (ii) test the ability of current models to capture the distribution and reactivity of atmospheric VOCs over this region. Biogenic emissions dominate the North American VOC budget in the model, accounting for 70 % and 95 % of annually emitted VOC carbon and reactivity, respectively. Based on current inventories anthropogenic emissions have declined to the point where biogenic emissions are the dominant summertime source of VOC reactivity even in most major North American cities. Methane oxidation is a 2x larger source of nonmethane VOCs (via production of formaldehyde and methyl hydroperoxide) over North America in the model than are anthropogenic emissions. However, anthropogenic VOCs account for over half of the ambient VOC loading over the majority of the region owing to their longer aggregate lifetime. Fires can be a significant VOC source episodically but are small on average. In the planetary boundary layer (PBL), the model exhibits skill in capturing observed variability in total VOC abundance (R 2 = 0:36) and reactivity (R 2 = 0:54). The same is not true in the free troposphere (FT), where skill is low and there is a persistent low model bias (~ 60 %), with most (27 of 34) model VOCs underestimated by more than a factor of 2. A comparison of PBL: FT concentration ratios over the southeastern US points to a misrepresentation of PBL ventilation as a contributor to these model FT biases. We also find that a relatively small number of VOCs (acetone, methanol, ethane, acetaldehyde, formaldehyde, isoprene C oxidation products, methyl hydroperoxide) drive a large fraction of total ambient VOC reactivity and associated model biases; research to improve understanding of their budgets is thus warranted. A source tracer analysis suggests a current overestimate of biogenic sources for hydroxyacetone, methyl ethyl ketone and glyoxal, an underestimate of biogenic formic acid sources, and an underestimate of peroxyacetic acid production across biogenic and anthropogenic precursors. Future work to improve model representations of vertical transport and to address the VOC biases discussed are needed to advance predictions of ozone and SOA formation.

Hydrogel-based transparent soils for root phenotyping in vivo

Root phenotypes are increasingly explored as predictors of crop performance but are still challenging to characterize. Media that mimic field conditions (e.g., soil, sand) are opaque to most forms of radiation, while transparent media do not provide field-relevant growing conditions and phenotypes. We describe here a "transparent soil" formed by the spherification of hydrogels of biopolymers. It is specifically designed to support root growth in the presence of air, water, and nutrients, and allows the time-resolved phenotyping of roots in vivo by both photography and microscopy. The roots developed by soybean plants in this medium are significantly more similar to those developed in real soil than those developed in hydroponic conditions and do not show signs of hypoxia. Lastly, we show that the granular nature and tunable properties of these hydrogel beads can be leveraged to investigate the response of roots to gradients in water availability and soil stiffness.

PES1 is a critical component of telomerase assembly and regulates cellular senescence

Telomerase defers the onset of telomere shortening and cellular senescence by adding telomeric repeat DNA to chromosome ends, and its activation contributes to carcinogenesis. Telomerase minimally consists of the telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT) and the telomerase RNA (TR). However, how telomerase assembles is largely unknown. Here, we demonstrate that PES1 (Pescadillo), a protein overexpressed in many cancers, forms a complex with TERT and TR through direct interaction with TERT, regulating telomerase activity, telomere length maintenance, and senescence. PES1 does not interact with the previously reported telomerase components Reptin, Pontin, p23, and Hsp90. PES1 facilitates telomerase assembly by promoting direct interaction between TERT and TR without affecting TERT and TR levels. PES1 expression correlates positively with telomerase activity and negatively with senescence in patients with breast cancer. Thus, we identify a previously unknown telomerase complex, and targeting PES1 may open a new avenue for cancer therapy.

The Study of the Aggregated Pattern of TX100 Micelle by Using Solvent Paramagnetic Relaxation Enhancements

TX100 (Triton X-100) is a typical nonionic surfactant that is widely used in biology. However, the detailed aggregated conformation of TX100, such as the boundary between the polar region and the nonpolar region, and the arrangement of hydrophobic chains in micelles, are still controversial. In the manuscript, the aggregation pattern of TX100 has been studied using sPREs (solvent Paramagnetic Relaxation Enhancements)-based NMR (Nuclear Magnetic Resonance spectroscopy). It was found that the average positions of the protons in the TX100 micelle are consistent with those in the multilayer staggered spherical micelle model with the p-tertoctylphenyl groups dispersing in the different layers.

Effectiveness and safety of Chinese herbal medicine for pediatric adenoid hypertrophy: A meta-analysis

OBJECTIVE

Chinese herbal medicine has been gradually used to treat pediatric adenoid hypertrophy. This meta-analysis were conducted to evaluate the clinical efficacy and safety of Chinese herbal medicine in the treatment of pediatric adenoid hypertrophy.

METHODS

Randomized controlled trials involving Chinese herbal medicine in the treatment of pediatric adenoid hypertrophy were identified from Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, PubMed, EMBASE, Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure, Chinese Biomedical Database, Wanfang Database and VIP Information Database. The methodological quality of trials was evaluated with Cochrane Handbook criteria, and the Cochrane Collaboration's Review Manager 5.3 software was used for Meta-analysis.

RESULTS

A total of 13 valid articles involving 1038 patients were included. The meta-analysis showed that: Compared with western medicine treatment, Chinese herbal medicine significantly improved clinical efficacy (RR = 1.33, 95% CI [1.24,1.43]), and significantly decreased A/N ratio (MD = -0.04,95%CI [-0.05,-0.03]). Chinese herbal medicine also prominently improved the quality of life (MD = -4.77,95%CI [-8.35,-1.20]). Meanwhile, it dramatically improved snoring (MD = -0.46,95%CI [-0.62,-0.30]); mouth breathing (MD = -0.52,95%CI [-0.66,-0.39]); nasal obstruction (MD = -0.56,95%CI [-0.68,-0.45]).

CONCLUSION

Chinese herbal medicine has good clinical efficacy and safety on pediatric adenoid hypertrophy, which need to be confirmed by high quality, multiple-centre, large sample randomized controlled trials.

Dinuclear HgII tetracarbene complex-triggered aggregation-induced emission for rapid and selective sensing of Hg2+ and organomercury species

Mercury-mediated chelate ring formation and subsequent aggregation gives strong fluorescence for rapid and selective sensing of Hg²⁺ and organomercury.

Rapid, reliable and highly selective detection of mercury species, including Hg²⁺ ions and organomercury, is of significant importance for environmental protection and human health. Herein, a new fluorescent dye 1,1,2,2-tetrakis[4-(3-methyl-1H-benzimidazol-1-yl)phenyl ethylene tetraiodide (Tmbipe) with aggregation-induced emission (AIE) potential was prepared and characterized. The presence of four positively charged methylated benzimidazole groups endows Tmbipe with excellent water solubility and almost undetectable background fluorescence. However, it can coordinate with two Hg²⁺ ions or two organomercury molecules (e.g. methylmercury and phenylmercury) to form a planar dinuclear Hg^II tetracarbene complex, which can then self-aggregate to turn on AIE fluorescence. Such a fluorescence turn-on process can be completed in 3 min. In addition, synergic rigidification of the tetraphenylethylene-bridged Tmbipe molecule by mercury-mediated chelate ring formation and subsequent aggregation results in obviously higher fluorescence enhancement than that given by the single aggregation-induced one. Low background, high fluorescence enhancement and rapid response time make Tmbipe a good fluorescent probe for reliable, sensitive and highly selective quantitation of both inorganic and organic mercury species. This probe was also demonstrated to work well for identification of mercury species accumulation in living cells.

Abstract P4-06-30: Adipose PD-L1 modulates checkpoint blockade immunotherapy efficacy in breast cancer

Programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) and its receptor programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) play important roles in modulating antitumor immune response and are targeted by checkpoint blockade immunotherapy. While PD-L1 expression in both tumor and host cells is associated with antitumor therapeutic efficacy, the exact contribution of PD-L1 in various tissue and cell compartments to antitumor immune response remains to be elucidated. Here we show that PD-L1 expression is markedly elevated in human and mouse mature adipocytes compared to their preadipocyte counterparts. When co-cultured with mouse splenocytes in vitro, adipocytes prevent anti-PD-L1 antibody from activating CD8+T cells. Genetic ablation of adipose PD-L1 obliterates the inhibitory effect of adipocytes on anti-PD-L1 antibody. Conversely, enforced PD-L1 expression in preadipocytes confers the antibody-inhibitory activity. GW9662, a pharmacologic inhibitor of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPARγ) in adipogenesis, selectively reduces PD-L1 expression in mouse adipose tissue. The same PPARγ antagonist also enhances the antitumor efficacy of checkpoint blockade antibodies for treating multiple mammary tumors. Our findings provide a previously unappreciated approach to bolster anticancer immunotherapy efficacy and suggest a mechanism for the role of adipose tissue in breast cancer progression.

Citation Format: Wu B, Sun X, Gupta HB, Yuan B, Ge F, Li J, Hu Y, Curiel TJ, Li R. Adipose PD-L1 modulates checkpoint blockade immunotherapy efficacy in breast cancer [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2018 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2018 Dec 4-8; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2019;79(4 Suppl):Abstract nr P4-06-30.

Urine metabolic profiles in paediatric asthma

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE

Asthma is a global problem and complex disease suited for metabolomic profiling. This study explored the candidate biomarkers specific to paediatric asthma and provided insights into asthmatic pathophysiology.

METHODS

Children (aged 6-11 years) meeting the criteria for healthy control (n = 29), uncontrolled asthma (n = 37) or controlled asthma (n = 43) were enrolled. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry was performed on urine samples of the patients to explore the different types of metabolite profile in paediatric asthma. Additionally, we employed a comprehensive strategy to elucidate the relationship between significant metabolites and asthma-related genes.

RESULTS

We identified 51 differential metabolites mainly related to dysfunctional amino acid, carbohydrate and purine metabolism. A combination of eight candidate metabolites, including uric acid, stearic acid, threitol, acetylgalactosamine, heptadecanoic acid, aspartic acid, xanthosine and hypoxanthine (adjusted P < 0.05 and fold-change >1.5 or <0.67), showed excellent discriminatory performance for the presence of asthma and the differentiation of poor-controlled or well-controlled asthma, and area under the curve values were >0.97 across groups. Enrichment analysis based on these targets revealed that the Fc receptor, intracellular steroid hormone receptor signalling pathway, DNA damage and fibroblast proliferation were involved in inflammation, immunity and stress-related biological progression of paediatric asthma.

CONCLUSION

Metabolomic analysis of patient urine combined with network-biology approaches allowed discrimination of asthma profiles and subtypes according to the metabolic patterns. The results provided insight into the potential mechanism of paediatric asthma.

Development and Validation of an Analytical Method Based on HPLC-ELSD for the Simultaneous Determination of Rosmarinic Acid, Carnosol, Carnosic Acid, Oleanolic Acid and Ursolic Acid in Rosemary

The safety, efficacy and stability of natural antioxidants have been the focus of research in the food industry, with the aim of rapidly analyzing and controlling the quality of rosemary and its extracts, a novel analytical method involving high-performance liquid chromatography with evaporative light scattering detection (HPLC-ELSD) was developed for the simultaneous determination of rosmarinic acid, carnosol, carnosic acid, oleanolic acid and ursolic acid in rosemary. Chromatographic separation was conducted with gradient elution mode by using a Zorbax SB-C18 column (4.6 mm × 250 mm, 5 μm) with mobile phases of methanol and 0.6% acetic acid. The drift tube temperature of ELSD was 70 °C, and the pressure of nebulizer nitrogen gas was 40 Psi. The method developed has high sensitivity (with limits of detection from 1.3 to 8.6 μg/mL), acceptable linearity over the tested concentrations (with correlation coefficients from 0.991 to 0.999), good repeatability (with intra- and inter-day CV less than 3.1% for all analytes) and satisfactory accuracy (with recovery between 95.5% and 100.8%). The method has been demonstrated as a powerful tool for the functional ingredients analysis and quality control of rosemary and its extracts in a cost- and time-effective manner.

Serum level of macrophage migration inhibitory factor predicts severity and prognosis in patients with ischemic stroke

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate whether the macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) level in serum of ischemic stroke patients was associated with their clinical severity and early outcome.

METHODS

During February 2017-March 2018, consecutive patients admitted to our hospital because of first-ever ischemic stroke were identified. The prognostic value of MIF was set for predicting the outcome of these patients at discharge. The results were compared with existing methods, including National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score and validated indicators.

RESULTS

289 patients were enrolled. The serum level of all patients was determined (median: 20.6 ng/ml). At admission, 131 patients (45.3%) were evaluated as minor stroke (NIHSS < 5). When serum level of MIF was increased by each 1 ng/ml, the unadjusted and adjusted risk of moderate-to-high clinical severity was elevated by 5% (OR = 1.05 [95% CI: 1.01-1.09], P = 0.006) and 3% (1.03 [1.00-1.08], P = 0.02), respectively. At discharge, 82 patients (28.4%) had poor functional outcomes. The median serum level of MIF was lower in group with good outcomes than that observed in poor outcomes (19.4[15.8-24.2] vs. 24.0[19.9-29.4] ng/ml; P < 0.001). When serum level of MIF was increased by each 1 ng/ml, the unadjusted and adjusted risk of poor outcomes was elevated by 9% (1.09 [1.05-1.13], P < 0.001) and 6% (1.06 [1.02-1.10], P < 0.01), respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

High MIF levels are independently related to the moderate to high clinical severity in ischemic stroke patients, as well as the poor outcome at discharge.

Monitoring alkaline transitions of yeast iso-1 cytochrome c at natural isotopic abundance using trimethyllysine as a native NMR probe

Spectral overlap makes it difficult to use NMR for mapping the conformational profile of heterogeneous conformational ensembles of macromolecules. Here, we apply a 1H-14N HSQC experiment to monitor the alkaline conformational transitions of yeast iso-1 cytochrome c (ycyt c) at natural isotopic abundance. Trimethylated Lys72 of ycyt c is selectively detected by a 1H-14N HSQC experiment, and used as a probe to trace conformational transitions of ycyt c under alkaline conditions. It was found that at least four different conformers of ycyt c coexisted under alkaline conditions. Besides the native structure, Lys73 or Lys79 coordinated conformers and a partially unfolded state with exposed heme were observed. These results indicate that the method is powerful at simplifying spectra of a trimethylated protein, which makes it possible to study complex conformational transitions of naturally extracted or chemically modified trimethylated protein at natural isotopic abundance.

[Transarterial chemoembolization with bleomycin treatment for moderate-advenced hepatocellular carcinoma]

Objective: To investigate the safety and efficacy of transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) using bleomycin for the treatment of medium-advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Methods: Between December 2015 and December 2017, a total of 160 patients from the Chinese PLA General Hospital with moderate-advanced HCC whose diagnoses were confirmed by pathology or clinical imaging and were in accord with the Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer (BCLC) staging criteria were prospectively analyzed.All patients had shown persistent viable tumor or tumor progression after at least 2 sessions of TACE.All patients included 135 males and 25 females , age 35-74 (57±8)years, were randomly divided into two groups, the treatment group: TACE procedures consisted of bleomycin+ pirarubicin+ oxaliplatin+ fluorouracil, the control group: pirarubicin+ oxaliplatin+ fluorouracil, and according to modified RECIST criteria the tumor response was evaluated once every 4-6 weeks, survival analysis was performed, overall survival and progression free survival were evaluated.the adverse events were recorded. Results: Response rate of the treatment group was 27.5%(22/80), the median progression free survival(mPFS)was 5.8 months, and the median overall survival (mOS) was 8.1 months.Response rate of the control group was 7.5%(6/80), mPFS of 2.9 months, and mOS of 4 months.The differences in mPFS and in mOS between the two groups were statistically significant (P=0.009, 0.002 respectively), and no serious adverse occurred. Conclusion: It is suggested that transarterial chemoembolization with bleomycin is safe and effective for medium-advenced HCC.

ST8SIA1 Regulates Tumor Growth and Metastasis in TNBC by Activating the FAK-AKT-mTOR Signaling Pathway

Breast cancer stem-like cells (BCSC) are implicated in cancer recurrence and metastasis of triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). We have recently discovered that ganglioside GD2 expression defines BCSCs and that ST8SIA1 regulates GD2 expression and BCSC function. In this report, we show that ST8SIA1 is highly expressed in primary TNBC; its expression is positively correlated with the expression of several BCSC-associated genes such as BCL11A, FOXC1, CXCR4, PDGFRβ, SOX2, and mutations in p53. CRISPR knockout of ST8SIA1 completely inhibited BCSC functions, including in vitro tumorigenesis and mammosphere formation. Mechanistic studies discovered activation of the FAK-AKT-mTOR signaling pathway in GD2⁺ BCSCs, and its tight regulation by ST8SIA1. Finally, knockout of ST8SIA1 completely blocked in vivo tumor growth and metastasis by TNBC cells. In summary, these data demonstrate the mechanism by which ST8SIA1 regulates tumor growth and metastasis in TNBC and identifies it as a novel therapeutic target.

Biomedical Porous Shape Memory Alloys for Hard-Tissue Replacement Materials

Porous shape memory alloys (SMAs), including NiTi and Ni-free Ti-based alloys, are unusual materials for hard-tissue replacements because of their unique superelasticity (SE), good biocompatibility, and low elastic modulus. However, the Ni ion releasing for porous NiTi SMAs in physiological conditions and relatively low SE for porous Ni-free SMAs have delayed their clinic applications as implantable materials. The present article reviews recent research progresses on porous NiTi and Ni-free SMAs for hard-tissue replacements, focusing on two specific topics: (i) synthesis of porous SMAs with optimal porous structure, microstructure, mechanical, and biological properties; and, (ii) surface modifications that are designed to create bio-inert or bio-active surfaces with low Ni releasing and high biocompatibility for porous NiTi SMAs. With the advances of preparation technique, the porous SMAs can be tailored to satisfied porous structure with porosity ranging from 30% to 85% and different pore sizes. In addition, they can exhibit an elastic modulus of 0.4⁻15 GPa and SE of more than 2.5%, as well as good cell and tissue biocompatibility. As a result, porous SMAs had already been used in maxillofacial repairing, teeth root replacement, and cervical and lumbar vertebral implantation. Based on current research progresses, possible future directions are discussed for "property-pore structure" relationship and surface modification investigations, which could lead to optimized porous biomedical SMAs. We believe that porous SMAs with optimal porous structure and a bioactive surface layer are the most competitive candidate for short-term and long-term hard-tissue replacement materials.

Effect of chemokine CC ligand 2 (CCL2) on α‑synuclein‑induced microglia proliferation and neuronal apoptosis

The present study aimed to investigate the effect of chemokine CC ligand 2 (CCL2) on α‑synuclein‑mediated microglia proliferation and neuronal apoptosis. Primary cultured microglia and primary neurons were isolated and cultured in vitro. Microglia were divided into four groups: The cells in the control group were treated with an identical amount of PBS, whereas the cells in the CCL2 group were cultured in medium containing 0.05 ng/µl CCL2; cells in the α‑synuclein group were treated with medium containing 0.2 ng/µl α‑synuclein; and cells in the CCL2 plus α‑synuclein group were cultured in medium containing 0.05 ng/µl CCL2 and 0.2 ng/µl α‑synuclein. After incubation for 24 h, the proliferation of glial cells, and the level of α‑synuclein in the cells, were measured. The levels of tumor necrosis factor‑α (TNF‑α), interleukin‑1β (IL‑1β) and nitric oxide (NO) in the culture medium were also measured. Levels of cleaved caspase‑3, Akt and phosphorylated (p)‑Akt in neurons treated with primary microglia culture medium in each group were subsequently monitored. The proliferation activity and secretion of TNF‑α, IL‑1β and NO in the CCL2, α‑synuclein and CCL2 plus α‑synuclein groups were significantly higher compared with that in the control group (P<0.05), as were the levels of α‑synuclein (P<0.01). The levels of neuronal apoptosis and cleaved caspase‑3 protein in the CCL2, α‑synuclein and CCL2 plus α‑synuclein groups were also significantly higher compared with that in the control group (P<0.01). Taken together, these results have demonstrated that CCL2 is able to promote α‑synuclein secretion and the apoptosis of neurons induced by α‑synuclein, thus inducing proliferation of the microglia and secretion of TNF‑α, IL‑1β and NO.

Adipose PD-L1 Modulates PD-1/PD-L1 Checkpoint Blockade Immunotherapy Efficacy in Breast Cancer

Programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) and its receptor programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) modulate antitumor immunity and are major targets of checkpoint blockade immunotherapy. However, clinical trials of anti-PD-L1 and anti-PD-1 antibodies in breast cancer demonstrate only modest efficacy. Furthermore, specific PD-L1 contributions in various tissue and cell compartments to antitumor immunity remain incompletely elucidated. Here we show that PD-L1 expression is markedly elevated in mature adipocytes versus preadipocytes. Adipocyte PD-L1 prevents anti-PD-L1 antibody from activating important antitumor functions of CD8+ T cells in vitro. Adipocyte PD-L1 ablation obliterates, whereas forced preadipocyte PD-L1 expression confers, these inhibitory effects. Pharmacologic inhibition of adipogenesis selectively reduces PD-L1 expression in mouse adipose tissue and enhances the antitumor efficacy of anti-PD-L1 or anti-PD-1 antibodies in syngeneic mammary tumor models. Our findings provide a previously unappreciated approach to bolster anticancer immunotherapy efficacy and suggest a mechanism for the role of adipose tissue in breast cancer progression.

Stand-off detection of ethanol vapor based on a tunable ICL

We demonstrate a method based on an ICL with tunable wavelength covering ethanol absorption peak, water absorption peak and a reference point around 3.345um to make a stand-off detection of ethanol vapor in the space. The detection model is established using the ratios of reference signal and detection signal at three target wavelengths, which help to eliminate the influence of laser power and the cross interference from water vapor in the space. The intrinsic error caused by detectors and optical elements have been corrected, and availability of this approach has been proved both in theory and in experiment.

Aspirin resistance predicts unfavorable functional outcome in acute ischemic stroke patients

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the prognostic value of aspirin reaction units (ARU) in a 3-month follow-up study in a cohort of Chinese patients with first-ever ischemic stroke.

METHODS

Prospective single-center survey of acute ischemic stroke patients receiving aspirin therapy. Two hundred and seventy-five Chinese patients with first-ever ischemic stroke who previously received aspirin therapy were enrolled. ARU was measured using the VerifyNow system. A cutoff of 550 ARU was used to determine the presence of aspirin resistance (AR).

RESULTS

Median age at study entry was 67 years (IQR: 59-75) and 142(51.6%) were male. A total of 52 of 275 enrolled patients (18.9%) were AR. Median regression estimated a statistically significant increase in NIHSS score of 0.033 point for every 1-point increase in ARU (95% CI, 0.024 to 0.068; P < 0.001). The unfavorable outcomes distribution across the ARU quartiles ranged between 11.8% (first quartile) to 64.8% (fourth quartile). After adjusting for other established risk factors, in multivariate models comparing the third and fourth quartiles against the first quartile of the ARU, levels of ARU were associated with unfavorable outcome, and the adjusted risk of unfavorable outcome increased by 145% (OR = 2.45 [95% CI 1.46-3.87], P = 0.011) and 317% (4.17[2.76-6.15], P < 0.001), respectively. Similarly, the adjusted risk of mortality increased by 215% (OR = 3.15 [95% CI 1.98-4.73], P = 0.008) and 429% (5.29[4.02-8.17], P < 0.001), respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

The results suggest that AR is a meaningful and independent marker to predict short-term functional outcome in patients with ischemic stroke.

3D Hierarchical Porous Cu-Based Composite Current Collector with Enhanced Ligaments for Notably Improved Cycle Stability of Sn Anode in Li-Ion Batteries

A 3D porous Cu current collector used in Li-ion batteries can improve the cycling performance of Sn anodes with high specific capacity because of the accommodation of large volume expansion by the pores. However, the pure Cu ligament is too soft to endure enough stress from volume expansion, and then it leads to the fast fade of capacity because of the formation of cracks or the collapse of the 3D porous structure. In this study, a novel micro-nano 3D hierarchical porous Cu-based composite current collector with enhanced ligaments has been fabricated by one-step dealloying of the Cu-34Zn-6Al (wt %) precursor and subsequent heat treatment. The pore and microstructure evolutions during dealloying and heat treatment have been studied by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, and transmission electron microscopy. To confirm the validity of the 3D porous Cu/β/γ composite current collector, Sn has been directly electroless plated on it in comparison with the porous pure Cu and the common Cu foil. It is found that the Sn-coated 3D hierarchical porous Cu/β/γ composite current collector with higher hardness shows significantly improved cycling stability compared with the Sn-coated 3D porous Cu current collector and the planar copper foil.