[Challenges and strategies in the treatment of neovascular age-related macular degeneration]

Neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD) is a leading cause of blindness in the elderly, and anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) therapy is currently the primary treatment approach. However, the real-world effectiveness of nAMD treatment is not always satisfactory and faces various challenges. Frequent administration and follow-up burdens can lead to decreased patient compliance during long-term treatment, resulting in suboptimal outcomes. Some lesions exhibit poor or no response to anti-VEGF treatment, leading to difficulties in maintaining or even declining visual acuity. Factors such as lesion fibrosis and tissue atrophy can contribute to visual deterioration. Therefore, standardizing and individualizing treatment plans, along with enhancing comprehensive monitoring and management throughout the disease course, are crucial improvement measures. The evidence-based guidelines for diagnosis and treatment of age-related macular degeneration in China, released in 2023, provide guidance for standardized clinical diagnosis and treatment. Meanwhile, research and development of new drugs and administration methods are anticipated for the future.

[Investigation of serum surface active protein D and clara cell protein levels in workers exposed to silica dust in ferrous metal foundry]

Objective: To investigate the levels of serum surface active protein D (SP-D) and clara cell protein (CCl6) in workers exposed to black silica dust, and analyze its influencing factors. Methods: From July to September 2021, 174 workers in 37 positions exposed to silica dust in 5 ferrous metal foundry were investigated by cross-sectional research method. The exposure concentration of silica dust workers was obtained through occupational health field investigation and detection, and the general situation of the study subjects was obtained through questionnaire survey and peripheral blood was collected. Double antigen sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used to detect the concentrations of SP-D and CC16 in serum of workers. The mean values were compared by one-way ANOVA, and the influencing factors of SP-D and CC16 concentrations in serum were analyzed by ordered multiple logistic regression. Results: The time-weighted average concentration (C-TWA) of 174 workers exposed to silica dust (respirable dust) ranged from 0.09 mg/m(3)~3.58 mg/m(3), and the C-TWA overstandard rate of dust exposed workers was 32.18% (56/174) , with differences among workers in different positions (χ(2)=28.85, P<0.001) . The highest concentration of silica dust was (0.82±0.11) mg/m(3). Using C-TWA<50% OEL occupational exposure limit (OEL) as reference, serum SP-D concentration in workers with ≥50% OEL was increased (OR=4.95, 95%CI: 1.86~13.17, P=0.001) , while CC16 concentration was decreased (OR=0.15, 95%CI: 0.05~0.40, P<0.001) ; Serum CC16 concentration decreased in workers exposed to silica dust C-TWA≥OEL (OR=0.46, 95%CI: 0.28~0.98, P=0.043) . Compared with those with low occupational health literacy, the serum SP-D concentration of workers with high occupational health literacy decreased (OR=0.48, 95%CI: 0.25~0.92, P=0.027) and CC16 concentration increased (OR=2.09, 95%CI: 1.10-3.97, P=0.024) . Conclusion: When no abnormality was found in the physical examination of workers, the serum SP-D and CC16 concentration levels changed, and the change was related to the concentration of workers exposed to silica dust.

Correction: Yang et al. Construction and Evaluation of Chitosan-Based Nanoparticles for Oral Administration of Exenatide in Type 2 Diabetic Rats. Polymers 2022, 14, 2181

The authors wish to make the following corrections to this paper [...].

[Establishment of a prognostic model for non-nephrotic membranous nephropathy based on unbalanced data]

Objective: To explore the construction of a machine learning model based on unbalanced data to predict the progression of non-nephrotic membranous nephropathy. Methods: The clinical and pathological data of patients diagnosed with non-nephrotic membranous nephropathy by renal biopsy in Shanxi People's Hospital from January 2018 to December 2021 were retrospectively analyzed.The prediction models were constructed based on logistic regression, support vector machine (SVM) and light gradient boosting machine (lightGBM), respectively. The mixed sampling technology was used to process the unbalanced data, and the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) was used to evaluate the predictive performance of the models. Finally, Shapley additive explanation (SHAP) was used to interpret the results of the optimal prediction model. Results: A total of 148 patients were included in the study, including 84 males and 64 females, with a mean age of (47.2±12.5) years. The follow-up time [M(Q₁, Q₃)] was 14(7, 20) months. Twenty-three patients (15.5%) achieved the renal end-point event in the study. The SVM model had the highest AUC (0.868, 95%CI: 0.813-0.925), followed by logistic regression (AUC=0.865, 95%CI: 0.755-0.899) and lightGBM (AUC=0.791, 95%CI: 0.690-0.882). The feature recursive elimination cross validation (RFECV) method based on random forest (RF) and the SHAP plot based on the SVM model showed that immunohistochemistry IgG, total protein (TP), anti-phospholipase A2 receptor (anti-PLA2R), blood chloride and D-Dimer were risk factors affecting the progress of non-nephrotic membranous nephropathy. Moreover, patients with high immunohistochemistry IgG, anti-PLA2R and D-Dimer had an increased risk of achieving the renal end-point event. Conclusion: The SVM model established in this study can effectively predict the progress of non-nephrotic membranous nephropathy, and provide a new method for the early identification of high-risk patients and precision therapy.

Surgical treatment of tethered cord syndrome showed promising outcome in young children with short duration

OBJECTIVE

Aside from the severity, surgical interventions for the treatment of neurological dysfunctions remain controversial. This study aimed to find factors predicting the benefits of tethered cord syndrome (TCS) surgery.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

80 children with TCS were included and followed up for pre- and post-operative factors along with neurophysiological analysis. Outcomes were assessed by univariate and multivariate analysis.

RESULTS

Surgical treatment not only improved preoperative signs and symptoms in 79% of TCS patients but it showed to be an efficient procedure for the occurrence of future neurological defects. Univariate analysis also revealed that surgical intervention in TCS children (age <1 year) can modulate filar lipoma location and cutaneous abnormalities three months after surgery. Neurophysiological assessment revealed only 5.0% of surgical complications in TCS patients. Two patients had cerebrospinal fluid leakage, and two cases of CNS infection were detected.

CONCLUSIONS

Surgical intervention is highly recommended for the prevention of neurological deficits in children with TCS. Electrophysiological monitoring revealed rare complications following the surgery.

[A meta-analysis on prevalence of primary angle-closure glaucoma in the middle-aged and elderly chinese population]

Objective: To evaluate the prevalence and relevant factors of primary angle-closure glaucoma (PACG) in the middle-aged and elderly (40 years old and above) Chinese population. Methods: Epidemiological literature (of English and/or Chinese language) on prevalence of PACG in China between 2000 and 2022 were retrieved from PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, CNKI, and Wanfang database. Two researchers conducted the process of document retrieval, inclusion, quality assessment and data extraction independently based on inclusion and exclusion criteria. Disagreement was resolved by consensus with a third researcher. The heterogeneity among studies was assessed by using the I² statistics, and a corresponding model was used for the meta-analysis. Subgroup analysis (gender, age, survey date, place of residence, diagnostic criteria, and temperature zone), as well as sensitivity analysis and publication bias analysis, were conducted. Results: Twenty-three studies were included in this research. Among them, eight were of high-quality and fifteen were of middle-quality. In the past 20 years, the PACG prevalence in middle-aged and elderly (40 years and older) Chinese population was 1.35% (95%CI:1.08% to 1.61%). Chinese women (1.40%) were more likely to have PACG than men (0.96%, P<0.01). The PACG prevalence had a positive correlation with age (P<0.01). The prevalence was similar between urban (1.3%) and rural (1.2%, P=0.61) areas. The PACG prevalence from studies in which the diagnostic criteria of PACG requested the symptom of vision or optic nerve damage (1.1%) was lower than that those without such requirement (1.7%, P<0.01). In mid-temperate zone, the prevalence was higher (1.7%, P=0.02). Conclusions: The PACG prevalence in middle-aged and elderly (40 years old and above) Chinese population was 1.35% in the last 20 years. The prevalence of PACG varies across age, regions, and other variations. This risk is higher in the elderly, women, and people in cold regions among Chinese population.

Optical determination of layered-materials InSe thickness via RGB contrast method and regression analysis

Indium selenide (InSe) features intriguing thickness-dependent optoelectronic properties, and a simple, and precise way to identify the thickness is essential for the rapid development of InSe research. Here, a red, green, and blue (RGB) color contrast method with regression analysis for quantitative correlation of three optical contrasts from RGB channels with the InSe thickness (1-35 nm), is demonstrated. The lower accuracy of the thickness identification obtained from the individual channels was discussed. Moreover, the effective refractive indices in the three RGB regions can be extracted from the Fresnel equation and numerical analysis by finding the best fit to the experimental optical contrast. After further consideration of the wavelength-dependent refractive indices, the slope of the regression line between the estimated thickness and that obtained from the atomic force microscope was improved from 1.59 ± 0.05 to 0.97 ± 0.02. The complex refractive index spectra of InSe (1-10 layers) generated fromab initionumerical calculation results were also adopted to identify the InSe thickness. Compared to dispersion, the evolution of the band structure had less effect on thickness identification. This work could be extended to other layered materials, facilitate the thickness-dependent study of layered materials, and expedite the realization of their practical applications.

[Clinical report of hoding cricoarytenoid joint reduction with visual laryngoscope under intravenous anesthesia]

Objective: To investigate the reduction effect of hoding cricoarytenoid joint reduction with visual laryngoscope under intravenous anesthesia. Methods: The therapeutic effects of 40 patients with arytenoid dislocation(AD)treated by closed reduction in the single center from January 2020 to September 2021 were retrospectively analyzed, including 21 males and 19 females, median age 48 years. The etiology, symptoms, preoperative evaluation methods, reduction mode, reduction times, and the recovery of arytenoid cartilage movement and sound after reduction were evaluated and analyzed. Results: All patients had obvious hoarseness and breath sound before treatment. Under stroboscopic laryngoscope or electronic nasopharyngoscope, different degrees of vocal cord movement disorder and poor glottic closure can be seen. There were 28 cases of left dislocation, 9 cases of right dislocation and 3 cases of bilateral dislocation. The etiology of dislocation of cricoarytenoid joint: 25 cases (62.5%) of tracheal intubation under general anesthesia were the most common causes, was as follows by laryngeal trauma, gastroscopy, cough, vomiting and so on. Among them, 28 cases of reduction were initially diagnosed in our department, and 12 cases were diagnosed later after failure of reduction treatment. Of the 40 patients, 6 underwent reduction 24 hours after dislocation; 18 cases from 3 days to 1 month; 7 cases from 1 to 3 months; 6 cases were reset in 3~6 months; Over 6 months in 3 cases. After one reduction, 10 cases (10/40, 25%) recovered normal pronunciation, 14 cases (14/40, 35%) recovered normal pronunciation after two reduction, 10 cases (10/40, 25%) recovered normal pronunciation after three times, 2 cases (2/40, 5%) recovered normal pronunciation after four times, and 1 case (2.5%) recovered normal pronunciation after five times. Thin slice CT scan of larynx and cricoarytenoid joint reconstruction showed the types of AD: subluxation in 37 cases (92.5%) and total dislocation in 3 cases; 28 cases of left dislocation, 9 cases of right dislocation and 3 cases of bilateral dislocation; 29 cases (72.5%) had posterior dislocation and 11 cases (27.5%) had anterior dislocation. All patients were treated by intravenous anesthesia with arytenoid cartilage clamped by cricoarytenoid joint reduction forceps under visual laryngoscope. The curative effect was evaluated by stroboscopic laryngoscope and/or voice analysis at 1-2 weeks after operation. The vocal cord movement returned to normal and the pronunciation was good in 37 cases (92.5%). Conclusions: Hoding cricoarytenoid joint reduction with the vision laryngoscope under intravenous anesthesia is easy to operate and the reduction effect is more stable. It is a effective method for AD.

Operando photoelectron spectroscopy analysis of graphene field-effect transistors

In this study, operando photoelectron spectroscopy was used to characterize the performance of graphene field-effect transistors under working conditions. By sweeping the back-gate voltages, the carrier concentration of the graphene channel on the 150 nm Si₃N₄/Si substrate was tuned. From the C1s core level spectra acquired under the application of different gate voltages, the binding energy shifts caused by electric-field effects were obtained and analyzed. Together with the C1s peak shape information and the photoluminescence spectrum of the Si₃N₄/Si substrate, the presence of local potential across the x-ray beam spot associated with defects and gate leakage current in amorphous Si₃N₄was identified. The presence of defects in Si₃N₄/Si substrate could not only screen the partial electric field generated by the back gate but also serve as long-range scattering centers to the carriers, thus affecting charge transport in the graphene channel. Our findings will help further investigate the dielectric/graphene interface properties and accelerate the utilization of graphene in real device applications.

[Expression and diagnostic value of macrophage inflammatory protein-3α in patients with hepatitis B-related acute-on-chronic liver failure]

Objective: To screen serum protein markers and evaluate their diagnostic application value in hepatitis B-related acute-on-chronic liver failure (HBV-ACLF). Methods: Serum samples of patients with HBV-ACLF, chronic hepatitis B (CHB) and normal healthy volunteers (n = 5/group) were determined by cytokine antibody chip in line with the Chinese Diagnostic Standards Study for HBV-ACLF (COSSH-ACLF) cohort. The differentially expressed proteins significance were identified by microarray analysis and prediction. The preliminary serological markers of HBV-ACLF were screened for diagnosis. The potential markers were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC) analysis and liver tissue immunohistochemistry for the diagnosis of HBV-ACLF. Student t-test or Mann-Whitney U test were used to compare the continuous measurement data between the two groups, and analysis of variance and Kruskal-Wallis test were used to compare the continuous measurement data between multiple groups. Results: Cytokine antibody chip preliminary screening results showed that the expression levels of these six cytokines, namely, macrophage inflammatory protein 3α (MIP-3α), hepatocyte growth factor, E-selectin, osteopontin, growth differentiation factor 15 and carcinoembryonic antigen-related cellular adhesion molecule 1 were significantly increased in the HBV-ACLF group. Among them, the expression level of MIP-3α was significantly higher in the HBV-ACLF group (99.6 times higher than CHB group and 146.9 times higher than healthy volunteers' group, respectively, P < 0.0001) as validated by serum ELISA in 132 HBV-ACLF cases, 91 CHB cases and 72 healthy volunteers. AUROC analysis showed that the high expression of MIP-3α could be used as a marker to distinguish patients with HBV-ACLF from CHB. The AUROC was 0.995 (95% CI: 0.990 ~ 1.000), with sensitivity and specificity of 95.5% and. 98.9%, respectively. Immunohistochemistry showed that MIP-3α was positively expressed in HBV-ACLF-derived liver tissues, and negatively expressed in CHB-derived liver and normal liver tissues. Conclusion: Serum MIP-3α level is closely related to the pathological characteristics of HBV-ACLF. Therefore, it may be used as a potential serological marker for the diagnosis of HBV-ACLF.

[PD-1/PD-L1 expression and its interaction with interferon-γ in Toxoplasma gondii-infected mice at middle and late pregnancy]

OBJECTIVE

To explore the dynamic expression of programmed cell death-1 (PD-1) and its ligand PD-L1 at the maternal-fetal interface of mice post-infection with Toxoplasma gondii at early pregnancy and examine its interaction with interferon-γ (IFN-γ).

METHODS

A total of 20 mice at day 0 of pregnancy were randomly assigned into 4 groups, including the 12-day pregnancy control group (12 dpn group), 12-day pregnancy and infection group (12 dpi group), 18-day pregnancy control group (18 dpn group) and 18-day pregnancy and infection group (18 dpi group), respectively. On the 6th day of the pregnancy, mice in the 12 dpi and 18 dpi groups were injected intraperitoneally with 150 tachyzoites of the T. gondii PRU strain, while mice in the 12 dpn and 18 dpn groups were injected with the same volume of PBS. All mice in the four groups were sacrificed on 12th and 18^th day of the pregnancy, and the number of placenta and fetus was counted and the weight of placenta and fetus was measured. Then, the placental and uterine tissues of the pregnant mice in each group were sampled for pathological examinations. The mRNA expression of PD-1, PD-L1, T. gondii surface antigen SAG-1 and IFN-γ genes was quantified using a quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) assay, and the correlation between PD-1 and IFN-γ expression was examined. In addition, the 12 dpn group, 12 dpi group, 18 dpn group, 18 dpi group, PBS negative control of the 12 pdi group and PBS negative control of the 18 dpi group were assigned, and the PD-1 expression was determined in the uterine and placenta tissues of the pregnant mice.

RESULTS

Adverse pregnant outcomes were seen in mice in the 12 dpi and 18 dpi groups, including placental dysplasia and fetal maldevelopment, and the placental weights and fetal body weights were significantly lower in mice in the 12 dpi and 18 dpi groups than those in the 12 dpn and 18 dpn groups (t = 5.52, 11.44, 12.63 and 11.67, all P < 0.01). The histopathological examinations showed that the decidua and junctional regions of the placental tissues were loosely connected in the 12 dpi and 18 dpi groups, and a large number of inflammatory cells infiltration and congestion were seen in the placental and uterine tissues. qPCR assay detected significant differences in PD-1, PD-L1, IFN-γ and SAG-1 expression in the placental and uterine tissues among the 12 dpn, 12 dpi, 18 dpn and 18 dpi groups (F = 22.48, 51.23, 9.61, 47.49, 16.08, 21.52, 28.66 and 238.90, all P < 0.05), and the PD-1, PD - L1, IFN - γ and SAG - 1 expression was all significantly higher in the placental and uterine tissues of mice in the 12 dpi group than in the 12 dpn group (all P values < 0.05). The PD-1 and PD-L1 expression was significantly lower in the placental tissues of mice in the 18 dpi group than in the 18 dpn group (all P values < 0.05), and the IFN-γ and SAG-1 expression was significantly higher in the placental and uterine tissues of mice in the 18 dpi group than in the 18 dpn group (all P values < 0.05), while the PD-1 and PD-L1 expression was significantly lower in the placental and uterine tissues of mice in the 18 dpi group than in the 12 dpi group (all P values < 0.05). Immunohistochemical staining showed PD-1 expression in the inflammatory cells of the placental tissues of mice in the 12 dpi group, and no apparent PD-1 expression in the 18 dpi group, while strongly positive PD-1 expression was found in the uterine epithelium of mice in the 12 dpi group, and mildly strong expression was in the 18 dpi group. In addition, the IFN-γ mRNA expression was positively correlated with the PD-1 mRNA expression in placental (r_s = 0.99, P < 0.01) and uterine tissues of mice in the 12 dpi group (r_s = 0.97, P < 0.01) and in placental (r_s = 0.82, P < 0.01) and uterine tissues of mice in the 18 dpi group (r_s = 0.81, P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONS

Following T. gondii infection at early pregnancy, the PD-1 and PD-L1 expression shows a remarkable rise at middle pregnancy and a reduction at late pregnancy in placental and uterine tissues of mice, which appears the same tendency with IFN-γ expression during the same time period, and PD-1 expression positively correlates with IFN-γ expression. The dynamic expression of PD-1 and PD-L1 on the maternal-fetal interface of mice may be mutually mediated by IFN-γ induced by T. gondii infection.

[Study on the mechanisms of the intestinal tight-junction destruction caused by Blastocystis hominis infection in rats]

OBJECTIVE

To explore the mechanism of the intestinal barrier damage caused by Blastocystis hominis infections in rats.

METHODS

Thirty SD rats were randomly divided into the control group, and the 1-, 3-, 6- and 9-week-infection groups, of 6 rats in each group. Rats in each infection group were orally infected with B. hominis trophozoites at a density of 2 × 10⁸ parasites per rat, and the control group was given an equal volume of phosphate buffered saline solution. The 7-hour urine samples were collected 1, 3, 6 and 9 weeks post-infection for the measurement of the intestinal permeability. Then, rats were sacrificed using the cervical dislocation method, and the cecum specimens were collected for the detection of the intestinal epithelial cell permeability. The expression of tight junction-related Occludin and Claudin - 1 genes and apoptosis-related Bcl - 2 and Bax genes was quantified in cecum epithelial cells using the real-time fluorescent quantitative PCR (qPCR) assay, and cell apoptosis was detected in the rat cecum using the TdT-mediated dUTP nick-end labeling (TUNEL) assay.

RESULTS

The median urinary lactolose to mannitol ratios were 0.29, 0.72, 0.44, 0.46 and 0.38 in the control group, and the 1-, 3-, 6- and 9-week-infection groups, respectively, and the difference was statistically significant (H = 12.09, P < 0.05). B. hominis invasion and epithelial injury were observed in intestinal epithelial cells of rats infected with B. hominis, and transmission electron microscopy displayed the destruction of tight junctions between intestinal epithelial cells. The relative expression of Occludin, Claudin-1, Bcl-2 and Bax genes was 1.04, 0.62, 0.71, 0.68 and 0.96; 1.03, 0.61, 0.63, 0.76 and 0.86; 1.08, 0.70, 0.75, 0.74 and 1.03; and 1.00, 1.57, 1.33, 1.35 and 1.10 in the control group and the 1-, 3-, 6- and 9-week-infection groups, respectively, and all differences were statistically significant (F = 2.86, 2.85, 3.37 and 4.45, all P values < 0.05). The median number of positive staining cells were 1.00, 13.00, 9.00, 3.50 and 1.00 in rat cecum specimens in the control group, and the 1-, 3-, 6- and 9-week-infection groups, respectively, and the difference was statistically significant (H = 22.95, P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONS

B. hominis infection may cause an increase in the rat intestinal permeability through triggering the apoptosis of intestinal epithelial cells to destroy the tight junction between intestinal epithelial cells, thereby destroying the intestinal barrier function.

[Research progress of neural precursor cells-expressed developmentally down-regulated protein-8 in liver diseases]

Neural precursor cells-expressed developmentally down-regulated protein-8 (NEDD8) is one of the important members of the ubiquitin family, which plays an important role in maintaining cell stability, cell cycle regulation, signal transduction, transcription, and translation, DNA repair, and tumorigenesis through covalently bound substrates (also known as neddylation modification). In recent years, studies have found that the dysfunction of NEDD8 and its related enzymes is common in liver diseases, and is widely involved in the biological processes of hepatitis, liver fibrosis, proliferation, invasion, apoptosis and autophagy of liver cancer cells. This article focuses on the research progress of NEDD8 in liver diseases.

Isotypes of autoantibodies against novel differential 4-hydroxy-2-nonenal-modified peptide adducts in serum is associated with rheumatoid arthritis in Taiwanese women

Background

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune disorder with systemic inflammation and may be induced by oxidative stress that affects an inflamed joint. Our objectives were to examine isotypes of autoantibodies against 4-hydroxy-2-nonenal (HNE) modifications in RA and associate them with increased levels of autoantibodies in RA patients.

Methods

Serum samples from 155 female patients [60 with RA, 35 with osteoarthritis (OA), and 60 healthy controls (HCs)] were obtained. Four novel differential HNE-modified peptide adducts, complement factor H (CFAH)^1211–1230, haptoglobin (HPT)^78–108, immunoglobulin (Ig) kappa chain C region (IGKC)^2–19, and prothrombin (THRB)^328–345, were re-analyzed using tandem mass spectrometric (MS/MS) spectra (ProteomeXchange: PXD004546) from RA patients vs. HCs. Further, we determined serum protein levels of CFAH, HPT, IGKC and THRB, HNE-protein adducts, and autoantibodies against unmodified and HNE-modified peptides. Significant correlations and odds ratios (ORs) were calculated.

Results

Levels of HPT in RA patients were greatly higher than the levels in HCs. Levels of HNE-protein adducts and autoantibodies in RA patients were significantly greater than those of HCs. IgM anti-HPT⁷⁸⁻¹⁰⁸ HNE, IgM anti-IGKC²⁻¹⁹, and IgM anti-IGKC²⁻¹⁹ HNE may be considered as diagnostic biomarkers for RA. Importantly, elevated levels of IgM anti-HPT⁷⁸⁻¹⁰⁸ HNE, IgM anti-IGKC²⁻¹⁹, and IgG anti-THRB^328−345 were positively correlated with the disease activity score in 28 joints for C-reactive protein (DAS28-CRP). Further, the ORs of RA development through IgM anti-HPT⁷⁸⁻¹⁰⁸ HNE (OR 5.235, p < 0.001), IgM anti-IGKC²⁻¹⁹ (OR 12.655, p < 0.001), and IgG anti-THRB^328−345 (OR 5.761, p < 0.001) showed an increased risk. Lastly, we incorporated three machine learning models to differentiate RA from HC and OA, and performed feature selection to determine discriminative features. Experimental results showed that our proposed method achieved an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.92, which demonstrated that our selected autoantibodies combined with machine learning can efficiently detect RA.

Conclusions

This study discovered that some IgG- and IgM-NAAs and anti-HNE M-NAAs may be correlated with inflammation and disease activity in RA. Moreover, our findings suggested that IgM anti-HPT⁷⁸⁻¹⁰⁸ HNE, IgM anti-IGKC²⁻¹⁹, and IgG anti-THRB^328−345 may play heavy roles in RA development.

Engineering an Indium Selenide van der Waals Interface for Multilevel Charge Storage

As the continuous miniaturization of floating-gate transistors approaches a physical limit, new innovations in device architectures, working principles, and device materials are in high demand. This study demonstrated a nonvolatile memory structure with multilevel data storage that features a van der Waals gate architecture made up of a partially oxidized surface layer/indium selenide (InSe) van der Waals interface. The key functionality of this proof-of-concept device is provided through the generation of charge-trapping sites via an indirect oxygen plasma treatment on the InSe surface layer. In contrast to floating-gate nonvolatile memory, these sites have the ability to retain charge without the help of a gate dielectric. Together with the layered structure, the surface layer with charge-trapping sites facilitates continual electrostatic doping in the underlying InSe layers. The van der Waals gating effect is further supported by trapped charge-induced core-level energy shifts and relative work function variations obtained from operando scanning X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and Kelvin probe microscopy, respectively. On modulating the amount of electric field-induced trapped electrons by the electrostatic gate potential, eight distinct storage states remained over 3000 s. Moreover, the device exhibits a high current switching ratio of 10⁶ within 11 cycles. The demonstrated characteristics suggest that the engineering of an InSe interface has potential applications for nonvolatile memory.

Mitochondrial targeted doxorubicin derivatives delivered by ROS-responsive nanocarriers to breast tumor for overcoming of multidrug resistance

Multidrug resistance (MDR) is a serious challenge in chemotherapy and also a major threat to breast cancer treatment. As an intracellular energy factory, mitochondria provide energy for drug efflux and are deeply involved in multidrug resistance. Mitochondrial targeted delivery of doxorubicin can overcome multidrug resistance by disrupting mitochondrial function. By incorporating a reactive oxygen species (ROS)-responsive hydrophobic group into the backbone structure of hyaluronic acid - a natural ligand for the highly expressed CD44 receptor on tumor surfaces, a novel ROS-responsive and CD44-targeting nano-carriers was constructed. In this study, mitochondria-targeted triphenylphosphine modified-doxorubicin (TPP-DOX) and amphipathic ROS-responsive hyaluronic acid derivatives (HA-PBPE) were synthesized and confirmed by ¹H NMR. The nanocarriers TPP-DOX @ HA-PBPE was prepared in a regular shape and particle size of approximately 200 nm. Compared to free DOX, its antitumor activity in vitro and tumor passive targeting in vivo has been enhanced. The ROS-responsive TPP-DOX@HA-PBPE nanocarriers system provide a promising strategy for the reverse of MDR and efficient delivery of doxorubicin derivatives into drug-resistant cancer cells.

A novel bacteriocin BM1029: physicochemical characterization, antibacterial modes and application

AIM

Bacteriocins with antimicrobial activity are considered as potential natural bio-preservatives to control the growth of food spoilage bacteria. The aim of this work was to characterize a novel bacteriocin BM1029 discovered from Lactobacillus crustorum MN047 and evaluate its antibacterial mechanism.

METHODS AND RESULTS

Bacteriocin BM1029 was purified by cation-exchange chromatography and reversed-phase chromatography. Antibacterial activity assay showed that BM1029 is antagonistic against both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. Furthermore, it was found that BM1029 showed low haemolysis with high stability to the pretreatment with different temperatures, pH and surfactants. Moreover electron microscopy and flow cytometry suggested that BM1029 inhibit indicator strains by damaging the cell envelope integrity. Cell cycle assay suggested that BM1029 arrested cell cycle in R-phase.

CONCLUSION

The novel bacteriocin BM1029 showed high bactericidal activity against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus through a cell envelope-associated mechanism.

SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY

Application of BM1029 inhibited the growth of indicator strains on beef meat storage at 4°C suggesting that this bacteriocin is promising to be used as a novel preservative in food processing and preservation.

Intracellular Restructured Reduced Glutathione-Responsive Peptide Nanofibers for Synergetic Tumor Chemotherapy

Self-assembled peptide nanofibers have been widely studied in cancer nanotherapeutics with their excellent biocompatibility and low toxicity of degradation products, showing the significant potential in inhibiting tumor progression. However, poor solubility prevents direct intravenous administration of nanofibers. Although water-soluble peptide precursors have been formed via the method of phosphorylation for intravenous administration, their opportunities for broad in vivo application are limited by the weak capacity of encapsulating drugs. Herein, we designed a novel restructured reduced glutathione (GSH)-responsive drug delivery system encapsulating doxorubicin for systemic administration, which achieved the intracellular restructuration from three-dimensional micelles into one-dimensional nanofibers. After a long blood circulation, micelles endocytosed by tumor cells could degrade in response to high GSH levels, achieving more release and accumulation of doxorubicin at desired sites. Further, the synergistic chemotherapy effects of self-assembled nanofibers were confirmed in both in vitro and in vivo experiments.

Doxorubicin derivative loaded acetal-PEG-PCCL micelles for overcoming multidrug resistance in MCF-7/ADR cells

Objective: This study was aimed to develop DOX-TPP loaded acetal-PEG-PCCL micelles to improve the clinical efficacy of drug resistance tumor. Significance: Chemotherapy is one of the main treatments for breast cancer but is plagued by multidrug resistance (MDR). DOX-TPP-loaded micelles can enhance the specific concentration of drugs in the tumor and improve the efficacy and overcome MDR. Methods: In this study, DOX-TPP-loaded micelles based on acetal-PEG-PCCL were prepared and their physicochemical properties were characterized. The cellular uptake and ability to induce apoptosis of the micelles was confirmed by flow cytometry in MCF-7/ADR cells. In addition, cytotoxicity of the micelles was studied in MCF-7 cells and MCF-7/ADR cells. Confocal is used to study the subcellular distribution of DOX. Free DOX-TPP or DOX-TPP-loaded acetal-PEG-PCCL micelles were administered via intravenous injection in the tail vain for the biodistribution study in vivo. Results: The diameter of micelles was about 102.4 nm and their drug-loading efficiency is 61.8%. The structural characterization was confirmed by 1H NMR. The micelles exhibited better antitumor efficacy compared to free doxorubicin in MCF-7/ADR cells by MTT assay. The apoptotic rate and the cellular uptake of micelles were significantly higher than free DOX and DOX-TPP. Micelles can efficiently deliver mitochondria-targeting DOX-TPP to tumor cells. The result of bio-distribution showed that the micelles had stronger tumor infiltration ability than free drugs. Conclusions: In this study, mitochondriotropic DOX-TPP was conjugated to the nanocarrier acetal-PEG-PCCL via ionic interaction to form a polymer, which spontaneously formed spherical micelles. The cytotoxicity and cellular uptake of the micelles are superior to free DOX and exhibit mitochondrial targeting and passive tumor targeting, indicating that they have potential prospects.

[Advances in research on cell fate determinant Numb regulating liver cancer]

Liver cancer is one of the most common malignant tumors in China, ranking fifth in malignant tumors and the third in tumor-related deaths. As a membrane-related protein, the asymmetric distribution of cell fate determinant Numb plays a key role in cell differentiation. Research reports that Numb may be closely associated to the occurrence and development of tumors. Recently, scholars have gradually valued its important role in liver cancer. This article briefly reviews the structure of Numb molecule, relationship between Numb and tumorigenesis, the molecular mechanism of Numb-regulated tumors, and the role of Numb in the development of liver cancer.

Dipolar magnetism in assembled Co nanoparticles on graphene

The magnetic properties of the assembled Co nanoparticles on graphene were studied using X-ray magnetic circular dichroism (XMCD), magneto-optical Kerr effects, and a modeling simulation. We demonstrate that the superparamagnetic nanoparticles reveal a ferromagnetic phase when they are assembled on graphene. The moderate increase of the XMCD asymmetry and magnetization with coverage for this assembly indicates a dipolar-mediated magnetism, which is further verified by a model simulation considering the dipolar interaction between neighboring nanoparticles. Furthermore, C K-edge spectra reveal visible dichroism at the π* state of graphene, which indicates the existence of a spin-polarized interface state, while the assembled Co nanoparticles reveal a ferromagnetic phase. These results suggest an efficient route to stabilize the ferromagnetic phase of nanostructures on graphene by tailoring dipolar interactions, which is essential to realize a higher efficiency of spin injection in graphene-based spintronics.

[A concentration-response observation of hydromorphone combined with ropivacaine in labor analgesia]

Objective: To investigate the median effective dose (ED(50)) of hydromorphone and the appropriate concentration of ropivacaine combined with hydromorphone in epidural labor analgesia. Methods: One hundred and forty nulliparous women undergoing labor selected for delivery with epidural analgesia were enrolled in our hospital from January to June 2016. The first of top 50 women received 0.12% ropivacaine plus 20 μg/ml hydromorphone complex solution, then sequential women were used the modified sequential method to determine the ED(50) and ED(95) of hydromorphone. The other 90 women were randomly divided and receieved 0.08% ropivacaine and 15 μg/ml hydromorphone(H1 group), 0.10% ropivacaine and 15 μg/ml hydromorphone (H2 group), 0.12% ropivacaine and 15 μg/ml hydromorphone (group H3) respectively for epidural labor analgesia. In the course of labor, block levels of epidural analgesia, the Bromage scores, analgesia scores and fetal heart rate-uterine concraction were monitored. In addition, onset time of anesthesia, labor time, mode of delivery, cases of increased oxytocin using, neonatal Apgar score, incidence of nausea and vomiting, itching and fetal heart reduction were recorded. Results: The ED(50) and ED(95) values of hydromorphone were 10.49 (95% CI: 8.89-11.79) and 15.15 (95% CI: 13.25-22.25) μg/ml respectively. The onset time in group H1 was significantly longer than those in group H2 and H3((14.23±3.82) , ( 11.32±2.16), (10.83±2.56)min, respectively), the difference was statistically significant (t=5.854, 6.212, all P<0.05). Analgesic VAS score at 30, 60 and 90 min time points in H1 group was significantly higher than that in H2 group and H3 group (all P<0.05). VAS score at withdrawal in H1 group was significantly higher than that in group H3 ( (3.25±0.75) vs (0.27±0.12) ), the difference was statistically significant ( t=9.314, P<0.05). VAS scores at the fourth, fifth, sixth contractions after analgesia in H1 group were significantly higher than those in H2 and H3 groups (all P<0.05). The incidence of motor nerve block in group H3 was higher than that in group H1 and group H2 (26.67%, 6.66%, 3.33%, respectively), the difference was statistically significant (χ(2)=6.413, 4.320, all P<0.05). Conclusions: 0.10% ropivacaine combined with 15 μg/ml hydromorphone has a good analgesic effect, slight motor block, high safety and worthy clinical application for labor analgesia.

Isotypes of autoantibodies against differentially expressed novel malondialdehyde-modified peptide adducts in serum of Taiwanese women with rheumatoid arthritis

This study identified and validated four differentially expressed novel malondialdehyde (MDA)-modified peptide adducts and evaluated autoantibodies against native and MDA-modified peptides among Taiwanese women patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), osteoarthritis (OA) and healthy controls (HCs). Ig kappa chain C region^76-99, alpha-1-antitrypsin^284-298, alpha-2-macroglobulin^824-841, and apolipoprotein B-100^4022-4040 exhibiting 2-fold differences in relative modification ratios were identified by concanavalin A (Con A) affinity chromatography, 1D SDS-PAGE, in-gel digestion, nano-LC/MS/MS and nano-LC/MS using pooled serum-derived Con A-captured proteins from 9 RA and 9 age-matched HCs. Furthermore, the levels of proteins, serum MDA, and MDA-modified protein adducts were further validated against individual serum from 20 RA and 20 HCs, and autoantibodies against native and their MDA-modified peptides used 45 RA, 30 OA and 45 HCs. Levels of serum MDA and MDA-modified protein adducts were significantly higher in RA than HCs but protein levels were not significantly different. Serum Igs G and M against MDA-modified peptides showed better diagnostic performance in differentiating among patients with RA, OA and HCs, with an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.96-0.98, sensitivity of 88.9%-97.8%, and specificity of 88.9%-100%. Autoantibodies against MDA-modified epitopes become useful clinical biomarkers for RA.

BIOLOGICAL SIGNIFICANCE

By using a label-free relative quantitative proteomic analysis of concanavalin A (Con A)-bound serum samples, the current study discovered and validated malondialdehyde (MDA)-modified peptide adducts as novel biomarkers for differentiating between rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients and healthy controls (HCs). In addition, the serum levels of MDA, proteins, and MDA-modified protein adducts as well as the MDA modification of proteins were determined. Isotypes of autoantibodies against MDA-modified peptide adducts can be used as serological biomarkers for further discriminating among RA patients, osteoarthritis patients and HCs. This strategy can become the basis for identifying potential diagnostic and pathological biomarkers for RA.

[Determination of 1-hydroxy-2-butanone in urine by gas chromatography]

Objective: To establish a method for the determination of 1-hydroxy-2-butanone in urine by gas chromatography. Methods: Urine samples were acidified with hydrochloric acid, and then stored in the refrigerator . After thawing under natural conditions, urine volume of 2.0 ml was extracted by C₁₈ solid phase, using methanol volume of 2.0 ml elution, detected by gas chromatography with FID detector and quantified by external standard method. Results: The measurement range of method is 0.986 ~32.88 μg/ml, correlation coefficient (r) =0.999 7, detection limit is 0.13 μg/ml; The recovery is 88.1% ~92.2% ; The precision is 1.4% ~3.2%. Conclusion: This method has a high sensitivity and simple processing. All technical indicators can meet the requirements of the determination method.

Reduced expression of serum miR-204 predicts poor prognosis of gastric cancer

Deregulation of microRNAs (miRNAs) is implicated in the initiation and progression of gastric cancer (GC). Previous studies have demonstrated that miR-204 was downregulated in GC tissues. However, its expression profile in serum samples and its potential for clinical value remain unknown. Real-time PCR was performed to evaluate the expression level of serum miR-204 in patients with GC. The association between serum miR-204 expression level and the clinical outcome of GC was then investigated. Our results showed that the expression of miR-204 in serum samples from GC patients was significantly lower than that in the healthy controls (P < 0.01). Serum miR-204 expression level of GC patients was significantly upregulated after receiving surgical resection (P < 0.01). In addition, serum miR-204 was associated with lymph node metastasis (P = 0.016), tumor differentiation (P = 0.001), and TNM stage (P = 0.005). GC patients with low serum miR-204 expression had shorter overall survival than those with high serum miR-204 expression (P = 0.004). Multivariate analysis revealed that serum miR-204 expression level was an independent risk factor for this malignant disease (HR = 3.629, 95%CI = 2.828-8.146, P = 0.015). In conclusion, our findings indicate that serum miR-204 may be employed as a novel biomarker for monitoring the treatment response and predicting the prognosis of GC.

High photosensitivity and broad spectral response of multi-layered germanium sulfide transistors

In this paper, we report the optoelectronic properties of multi-layered GeS nanosheet (∼28 nm thick)-based field-effect transistors (called GeS-FETs). The multi-layered GeS-FETs exhibit remarkably high photoresponsivity of Rλ ∼ 206 A W(-1) under 1.5 μW cm(-2) illumination at λ = 633 nm, Vg = 0 V, and Vds = 10 V. The obtained Rλ ∼ 206 A W(-1) is excellent as compared with a GeS nanoribbon-based and the other family members of group IV-VI-based photodetectors in the layered-materials realm, such as GeSe and SnS2. The gate-dependent photoresponsivity of GeS-FETs was further measured to be able to reach Rλ ∼ 655 A W(-1) operated at Vg = -80 V. Moreover, the multi-layered GeS photodetector holds high external quantum efficiency (EQE ∼ 4.0 × 10(4)%) and specific detectivity (D* ∼ 2.35 × 10(13) Jones). The measured D* is comparable to those of the advanced commercial Si- and InGaAs-based photodiodes. The GeS photodetector also shows an excellent long-term photoswitching stability over a long period of operation (>1 h). These extraordinary properties of high photocurrent generation, broad spectral range, and long-term stability make the GeS-FET photodetector a highly qualified candidate for future optoelectronic applications.

Impact of adherence to GOLD guidelines on 6-minute walk distance, MRC dyspnea scale score, lung function decline, quality of life, and quality-adjusted life years in a Shanghai suburb

We performed a 1-year cluster-randomized field trial to assess the effect of standardized management of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) on lung function and quality of life (QOL) measures in patients in China. We used the Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) treatment guidelines and assessed indexes including pulmonary function, QOL, quality-adjusted life years (QALY), Medical Research Council (MRC) dyspnea scale, 6-min walk distance (6-MWD), number of emergency visits, and frequency of hospitalization. Of a total of 711 patients with chronic cough and asthma, 132 were diagnosed as having COPD and 102 participated in this study [intervention group (N = 47); control group (N = 55)]. We found that adherence to GOLD guidelines had a perceivable impact on 6-MWD, MRC dyspnea scale score, and QOL. The average QALY increased by 1.42/person/year in the intervention group, but declined by 0.95/person/year in the control group. We conclude that standardized management improves disease severity, QOL, and QALY in COPD patients when treatment protocols adhere to GOLD guidelines.

Cyclometalated iridium(III)-β-carboline complexes as potent autophagy-inducing agents

Two cyclometalated Ir(III)-β-carboline complexes were identified as potent inducers of autophagic cell death. Autophagy induced by these complexes is ROS-mediated and caspase-independent.

First Report of Phomopsis longicolla Causing Leaf Spot on Soybean in China

During July 2012, leaf spots affecting 60% of the leaves were observed on soybean cultivar He Feng 60 in fields near Shenyang City, Liaoning Province, leading to 5 to 10% yield loss. The leaf spots were associated with the leaf margins and were irregularly shaped, with brown to black margins and surrounded by a thin, yellow halo. Often, several spots merged to form large necrotic areas, which contained numerous pycnidia on the underside of the leaf. Small pieces (5 mm²) were excised from the margin of diseased and healthy tissue, surface-sterilized in 70% ethanol solution for 30 s and 0.1% mercuric chloride solution for 1 min, washed in three changes of sterile distilled water, and transferred to plates containing potato dextrose agar (PDA). Cultures were maintained in an incubator at 25°C with a 12 h dark/light photoperiod for 5 to 7 days. On PDA, colonies were white with yellow areas, floccose, dense, and moderately fast growing, attaining a diameter of 3.9 mm after 5 days and 9.0 mm after 14 days. Finally, large black stromata appeared after 28 days at 25°C. The conidiomata pycnidia were black, stomatic, globose, length 83.6 to 232 μm, width 37.9 to 146.3 μm and produced α-conidia that were unicellular, hyaline, sometimes two-guttulate, length 4.75 to 8.25 μm, width 1.50 to 3.00 μm. β-Conidia were not observed. To confirm the morphological identification, the ribosomal internal transcribed spacers (ITS1-5.8S-ITS2) from isolates were sequenced (GenBank Accession No. KC460334). The PCR products were cloned into a pMD-19T Cloning Vector (Sangon Biotech, Shanghai, China). The clones were purified with TIANprep Mini Plasmid Kit (Tiangen Biotech, Beijing, China) to get the full-length ITS sequence. BLAST analysis of the isolates showed 100% nucleotide sequence identity with Phomopsis longicolla (AY745021). Four additional primer pairs-large subunit (NL1/NL4), beta-tublin gene (Bt2a/Bt2b), translation elongation factor 1α gene(EF1-728F/EF1-986R), and act gene(ACT-512F/ACT-783R) (1,2)-were amplified and sequenced as described above. The large subunit gene, β-tubulin gene, and translation elongation factor 1α gene from isolates were sequenced (Sangon Biotech). BLAST analysis indicated that the isolates had 100% nucleotide sequence identity with P. longicolla (AB107259, HQ333514, and AF398896). Because the act gene sequence of P. longicolla was not in the NCBI database, this sequence had 94% nucleotide sequence identity with P. cuppatea (JN230389). To fulfill Koch's postulates, five leaves on five healthy soybean plants were inoculated with a conidial suspension (10⁶/ml). Plants inoculated with sterile water served as the noninoculated controls. Plants were incubated in the greenhouse at 25°C. All the inoculated leaves developed pinhead spots on the leaves, gradually increasing to large brown spots. Spots were irregularly shaped, brown and necrotic in the center, and surrounded by a yellow halo. Black pycnidia appeared after 10 days, whereas the noninoculated control plants remained asymptomatic. P. longicolla was consistently recovered from all inoculated plants, except the control. Morphological description of isolates was similar to that of Hobbs (3). However, as described by Hobbs and others, P. longicolla conidiomata pycnidia have prominent necks more than 200 μm long, opening by apical ostioles; locules are uniostiolate or multiostiolate, globose, up to 500 μm wide. The pycnidia size of isolates by frozen section method was smaller than that of Hobbs. Based on morphological and sequence comparisons, the pathogen of leaf spot disease is caused by P. longicolla. This is the first reported leaf spot caused by P. longicolla on soybean in China. References: (1) T. Boekhou et al. Stud. Mycol. 38:75, 1995. (2) P. W. Crous et al. Stud. Mycol. 75:37, 2013. (3) T. W. Hobbs et al. Mycologia 77:535, 1985.

Metallomics insights into the programmed cell death induced by metal-based anticancer compounds

Since the discovery of cisplatin more than 40 years ago, enormous research efforts have been dedicated to developing metal-based anticancer agents and to elucidating the mechanisms involved in the action of these compounds. Abnormal metabolism and the evasion of apoptosis are important hallmarks of malignant transformation, and the induction of apoptotic cell death has been considered to be a main pathway by which cytotoxic metal complexes combat cancer. However, many cancers have cellular defects involving the apoptotic machinery, which results in an acquired resistance to apoptotic cell death and therefore reduced chemotherapeutic effectiveness. Over the past decade, it has been revealed that a growing number of cell death pathways induced by metal complexes are not dependent on apoptosis. Metal complexes specifically triggering these alternative cell death pathways have been identified and explored as novel cancer treatment options. In this review, we discuss recent examples of metallomics studies on the different types of cell death induced by metal-based anticancer drugs, especially on the three major forms of programmed cell death (PCD) in mammalian cells: apoptosis, autophagy and regulated necrosis, also called necroptosis.

Brain and spinal tumour

This study reviewed the epidemiology of brain and spinal tumours in Sarawak from January 2009 till December 2012. The crude incidence of brain tumour in Sarawak was 4.6 per 100,000 population/year with cumulative rate 0.5%. Meningioma was the most common brain tumour (32.3%) and followed by astrocytoma (19.4%). Only brain metastases showed a rising trend and cases were doubled in 4 years. This accounted for 15.4% and lung carcinoma was the commonest primary. Others tumour load were consistent. Primitive neuroectodermal tumour (PNET) and astrocytoma were common in paediatrics (60%). We encountered more primary spinal tumour rather than spinal metastases. Intradural schwannoma was the commonest and frequently located at thoracic level. The current healthcare system in Sarawak enables a more consolidate data collection to reflect accurate brain tumours incidence. This advantage allows subsequent future survival outcome research and benchmarking for healthcare resource planning.

Genetic diversity in wild populations of Paulownia fortune

The genetic diversities of 16 Paulownia fortunei populations involving 143 individuals collected from 6 provinces in China were analyzed using amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP). A total of 9 primer pairs with 1169 polymorphic loci were screened out, and each pair possessed 132 bands on average. The percentage of polymorphic bands (98.57%), the effective number of alleles (1.2138-1.2726), Nei's genetic diversity (0.1566-0.1887), and Shannon's information index (0.2692-0.3117) indicated a plentiful genetic diversity and different among Paulownia fortunei populations. The genetic differentiation coefficient between populations was 0.2386, while the gene flow was 1.0954, and the low gene exchange promoted genetic differentiation. Analysis of variance indicated that genetic variation mainly occurred within populations (81.62% of total variation) rather than among populations (18.38%). The 16 populations were divided by unweighted pair-group method with arithmetic means (UPGMA) into 4 groups with obvious regionalism, in which the populations with close geographical locations (latitude) were clustered together.

High performance and bendable few-layered InSe photodetectors with broad spectral response

Two-dimensional crystals with a wealth of exotic dimensional-dependent properties are promising candidates for next-generation ultrathin and flexible optoelectronic devices. For the first time, we demonstrate that few-layered InSe photodetectors, fabricated on both a rigid SiO2/Si substrate and a flexible polyethylene terephthalate (PET) film, are capable of conducting broadband photodetection from the visible to near-infrared region (450-785 nm) with high photoresponsivities of up to 12.3 AW(-1) at 450 nm (on SiO2/Si) and 3.9 AW(-1) at 633 nm (on PET). These photoresponsivities are superior to those of other recently reported two-dimensional (2D) crystal-based (graphene, MoS2, GaS, and GaSe) photodetectors. The InSe devices fabricated on rigid SiO2/Si substrates possess a response time of ∼50 ms and exhibit long-term stability in photoswitching. These InSe devices can also operate on a flexible substrate with or without bending and reveal comparable performance to those devices on SiO2/Si. With these excellent optoelectronic merits, we envision that the nanoscale InSe layers will not only find applications in flexible optoelectronics but also act as an active component to configure versatile 2D heterostructure devices.

Sunlight-activated long-persistent luminescence in the near-infrared from Cr(3+)-doped zinc gallogermanates

Visible-light persistent phosphors are being widely used as self-sustained night-vision materials because of their sufficiently strong and long afterglow (>10 h) and their ability to be excited by sunlight as well as room light. In contrast, persistent phosphors for near-infrared (NIR) wavelengths are lacking. Here we report a series of Cr(3+)-doped zinc gallogermanate NIR persistent phosphors that exhibit strong emission at 650-1,000 nm, extending beyond the typical 690-750 nm, and with a super-long afterglow of more than 360 h. These new NIR persistent phosphors are all-weather materials that can be rapidly, effectively and repeatedly charged by natural sunlight in almost all kinds of outdoor environment. Seconds to minutes of sunlight activation can result in more than two weeks of persistent NIR light emission. This new series of NIR persistent materials have potential applications in night-vision surveillance, solar energy utilization and in vivo bio-imaging.

Near infrared long-persistent phosphorescence in La3Ga5GeO14:Cr3+ phosphor

Near infrared (NIR; 660-1300 nm) long-persistent phosphorescence from Cr(3+) ions with persistence time of more than 1 hour was realized in La(3)Ga(5)GeO(14):Cr(3+) phosphor (with or without co-dopants such as Li(+), Zn(2+), Ca(2+), Mg(2+) and Dy(3+)). The NIR phosphorescence can be effectively achieved under UV illumination (~240-360 nm) but is barely achieved by blue light (~480 nm) irradiation, even though the blue light excitation are effective to the NIR fluorescence. The NIR phosphorescence mechanisms were discussed by measuring the irradiation energy dependence of the phosphorescence intensity.

Rapid detection of H5 avian influenza virus by TaqMan-MGB real-time RT-PCR

Aims:  Real‐time reverse transcription‐polymerase chain reaction (RT‐PCR) assay based on a TaqMan‐minor groove binder (MGB) probe was developed for the rapid detection of avian influenza virus subtype H5.

Methods and Results:  Conserved regions in the haemagglutinin genes of avian influenza viruses subtype H5 served as targets for the primers and TaqMan‐MGB probe design. Concentrations of primers and probe were optimized to improve the sensitivity and specificity of the reactions. A plasmid containing the haemagglutinin gene was constructed and in vitro transcribed for a quantitative assay of copy numbers of the target gene. The results revealed that the optimal concentration of primers and probe was 640 and 480 nmol l⁻¹, respectively. The threshold of 100 copies of target molecules could be detected. The linear range for detection was determined as 10² to 10⁸ molecules in reaction.

Conclusions:  It took less than 3 h to complete the detection from viral RNA extraction, with good sensitivity and repeatability.

Significance and Impact of the Study:  Real‐time RT‐PCR assay with MGB probe was an effective means for quick and quantitative laboratory detection and monitoring of H5 avian influenza viruses.

Calcified reticulate rind sign: A characteristic feature of gossypiboma on computed tomography

We herein report a gossypiboma resulting from a retained surgical swab, which had been left in peritoneum for 20 years after appendectomy. CT revealed a cystic mass with a calcified reticulate rind. Subsequent surgery and pathological examination showed a gossypiboma. A simple experiment, using a barium-soaked surgical swab demonstrating similar CT appearance, supported our postulation that calcium deposition on the reticulated fibers of a surgical swab could generate such a characteristic “calcified reticulate rind” sign. We believe that identification of this CT sign facilitates the diagnosis of gossypibomas.