Photoluminescence properties, crystal structure and electronic structure of a Sr2CaWO6:Sm3+ red phosphor

A novel Sm³⁺-doped Sr₂CaWO₆ (SCWO) red phosphor was synthesized and its crystal structure and electronic structure were investigated.

Preparation of network-like ZnO–FeWO4 mesoporous heterojunctions with tunable band gaps and their enhanced visible light photocatalytic performance

The enhanced photocatalytic activity of ZnO–FeWO₄ composites is ascribed to both heterojunction construction and their tunable band gaps.

Enhanced thermoelectric performance of carbon nanotubes at elevated temperature

High thermoelectric performance can be realized in single-walled carbon nanotubes by isotopic substitution and chemisorptions of hydrogen.

Type I interferon signaling genes in recurrent major depression: increased expression detected by whole-blood RNA sequencing

A study of genome-wide gene expression in major depressive disorder (MDD) was undertaken in a large population-based sample to determine whether altered expression levels of genes and pathways could provide insights into biological mechanisms that are relevant to this disorder. Gene expression studies have the potential to detect changes that may be because of differences in common or rare genomic sequence variation, environmental factors or their interaction. We recruited a European ancestry sample of 463 individuals with recurrent MDD and 459 controls, obtained self-report and semi-structured interview data about psychiatric and medical history and other environmental variables, sequenced RNA from whole blood and genotyped a genome-wide panel of common single-nucleotide polymorphisms. We used analytical methods to identify MDD-related genes and pathways using all of these sources of information. In analyses of association between MDD and expression levels of 13 857 single autosomal genes, accounting for multiple technical, physiological and environmental covariates, a significant excess of low P-values was observed, but there was no significant single-gene association after genome-wide correction. Pathway-based analyses of expression data detected significant association of MDD with increased expression of genes in the interferon α/β signaling pathway. This finding could not be explained by potentially confounding diseases and medications (including antidepressants) or by computationally estimated proportions of white blood cell types. Although cause-effect relationships cannot be determined from these data, the results support the hypothesis that altered immune signaling has a role in the pathogenesis, manifestation, and/or the persistence and progression of MDD.

miR-143: a novel regulator of MyoD expression in fast and slow muscles of Siniperca chuatsi

The fast and slow skeletal muscle fibers in fish are separated to a much greater degree than in mammals. MyoD is required for the maintenance of normal fiber type balance in muscles. So far, the upstream regulatory factors of MyoD in terms of controlling muscle phenotype are poorly understood. In the present study, we used Siniperca chuatsi as a model system and demonstrated that miR-143 expression was negatively correlated with MyoD expression in the fast and slow muscles of S. chuatsi. The luciferase reporter assay further verified the direct interaction between the miR-143 and MyoD. The miR-143 suppression also led to the significant increase in MyoD and fast myosin heavy chain gene expression in vivo. Taken together, our studies indicated that miRNA participates in controlling the performance of different muscle fiber types in vertebrates.

Subtypes of major depression: latent class analysis in depressed Han Chinese women

BACKGROUND

Despite substantial research, uncertainty remains about the clinical and etiological heterogeneity of major depression (MD). Can meaningful and valid subtypes be identified and would they be stable cross-culturally?

METHOD

Symptoms at their lifetime worst depressive episode were assessed at structured psychiatric interview in 6008 women of Han Chinese descent, age ⩾ 30 years, with recurrent DSM-IV MD. Latent class analysis (LCA) was performed in Mplus. RESULTS; Using the nine DSM-IV MD symptomatic A criteria, the 14 disaggregated DSM-IV criteria and all independently assessed depressive symptoms (n = 27), the best LCA model identified respectively three, four and six classes. A severe and non-suicidal class was seen in all solutions, as was a mild/moderate subtype. An atypical class emerged once bidirectional neurovegetative symptoms were included. The non-suicidal class demonstrated low levels of worthlessness/guilt and hopelessness. Patterns of co-morbidity, family history, personality, environmental precipitants, recurrence and body mass index (BMI) differed meaningfully across subtypes, with the atypical class standing out as particularly distinct.

CONCLUSIONS

MD is a clinically complex syndrome with several detectable subtypes with distinct clinical and demographic correlates. Three subtypes were most consistently identified in our analyses: severe, atypical and non-suicidal. Severe and atypical MD have been identified in multiple prior studies in samples of European ethnicity. Our non-suicidal subtype, with low levels of guilt and hopelessness, may represent a pathoplastic variant reflecting Chinese cultural influences.

Simultaneous realization of two approaches to white light in single-component phosphors

A novel single-component warm white light-emitting Sr(2)Ca(0.995)MoO(6): Sm(3+) (0.005) phosphor was synthesized by solid-state reaction. The photoluminescence excitation spectra ranging from 300 to 450 nm and 460 to 500 nm broadly are observed. Direct full-color warm white light [(x, y) = 0.3221, 0.3525] was realized in this single-phase phosphor with exposure to 380 nm UV light. When this phosphor is pumped by 466 nm radiation we obtained yellow emission with an intense red component, suggesting that this material is also competitive as a blue-pumped yellow phosphor. Thus two approaches to white light are realized simultaneously in Sm(3+) doped single-component phosphor for the first time. The quantum yield and the reliability of the as-synthesized phosphors for White LED applications were also investigated.

TGF-beta induced RBL2 expression in renal cancer cells by down-regulating miR-93

PURPOSE

TGF-beta can induce G1 arrest via many mechanisms including up-regulating p21, p27, and Rb. However, as the member of Rb family, whether RBL2 is induced by TGF-beta treatment remains exclusive.

METHODS

The expression of RBL2 and miR-93 after TGF-beta treatment was determined by quantitative real-time PCR and western blot. The growth of renal cancer cells was determined by CCK-8 assays and cell cycle was determined by PI staining. The binding of miR-93 on RBL2 3'-UTR was determined by double luciferase system.

RESULTS

In renal cancer cells, TGF-beta treatment induced expression of RBL2 in a time- and concentration-dependent manner, and RBL2 mediated TGF-beta induced growth inhibition and cell cycle arrest in renal cancer cells. Furthermore, we found that miR-93 directly targeted RBL2 by binding to its 3'-UTR in renal cancer cells. Over-expression of miR-93 significantly reduced the expression of RBL2, whereas knock down of miR-93 up-regulated the expression of RBL2. More importantly, TGF-beta treatment inhibited miR-93 expression, which resulted in up-regulation of RBL2 after TGF-beta treatment.

CONCLUSION

TGF-beta induced RBL2 expression through down-regulating miR-93 in renal cancer cells. The newly identified TGF-beta/miR-93/RBL2 signal pathway reveals a new mechanism of TGF-beta induced growth arrest in renal cancer.

Functionalized upconversion nanoparticles: versatile nanoplatforms for translational research

The design, application, and translation of targeted multimodality molecular imaging probes based on nanotechnology have attracted increasing attentions during the last decade and will continue to play vital roles in cancer diagnosis and personalized medicine. With the growing awareness of drawbacks of traditional organic dyes and quantum dots, biocompatible lanthanide ion doped upconversion nanoparticles have emerged as promising candidates for clinically translatable imaging probes, owing to their unique features that are suitable for future targeted multimodal imaging in living subjects. In this review, we summarized the recent advances in the field of functionalized upconversion nanoparticles (f-UCNP) for biological imaging and therapy in vivo, and discussed the future research directions, obstacles ahead, and the potential use of f-UCNP in translational research.

Note: Design and initial results of a multi-pulsed intense electron beam source

A multi-pulsed intense electron beam source is introduced, including the design and the initial experimental results. The source can generate a burst of three pulses of intense electron beams with energy of 2-3 MeV and beam intensities of around 2.5 kA. An inductive adder is chosen to generate the pulsed diode voltages and a dispenser cathode is chosen to emit electron beams. The test results indicate that the design of the source is reliable. The multi-pulsed diode voltage is up to 2.5 MV and the beam intensities are more than 2 kA at the exit of the source with small variation.