Synthesis of coral-globular-like composite Ag/TiO2-SnO2 and its photocatalytic degradation of rhodamine B under multiple modes

Taking cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) as the template and using TiO₂ as the substrate, coral-globular-like composite Ag/TiO₂-SnO₂ (CTAB) was successfully synthesized by the sol-gel combined with a temperature-programmed treatment method. X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), UV-vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, SEM combined with X-ray energy dispersive spectroscopy, and N₂ adsorption-desorption tests were employed to characterize samples' crystalline phase, chemical composition, morphology and surface physicochemical properties. Results showed that composites not only had TiO₂ anatase structure, but also had some generated SnTiO₄, and the silver species was metallic Ag⁰. Ag/TiO₂-SnO₂ (CTAB) possessed a coral-globular-like structure with nanosheets in large quantities. The photocatalytic activity of Ag/TiO₂-SnO₂ (CTAB) had studied by degrading organic dyes under multi-modes, mainly using rhodamine B as the model molecule. Results showed that the coral-globular-like Ag/TiO₂-SnO₂ (CTAB) was higher photocatalytic activity than that of commercial TiO₂, Ag/TiO₂-SnO₂, TiO₂-SnO₂ (CTAB), and TiO₂-SnO₂ under ultraviolet light irradiation. Moreover, Ag/TiO₂-SnO₂ (CTAB) composite can significantly affect the photocatalytic degradation under multi-modes including UV light, visible light, simulated solar light and microwave-assisted irradiation. Meanwhile, the photocatalytic activity of Ag/TiO₂-SnO₂ (CTAB) was maintained even after three cycles, indicating that the catalyst had good usability.

Carnosol inhibits Hedgehog signaling pathway in both LNCaP and DU145 prostate cancer cell lines

To investigate the effect of carnosol on the Hedgehog (HH) signaling pathway in human hormone-dependent prostate cancer cell line LNCaP and hormone-independent prostate cancer cell line DU145. The expression levels of glioma-associated oncogene homolog 1 (Gli1) and Sonic hedgehog (Shh) in human prostate cancer tissues were detected by immunohistochemistry. After treated with carnosol (0.25-16 μmol/L), the cell survival of LNCaP and DU145 cells were detected by MTT assay. The expression levels of Gli1 and Shh mRNA and protein in the two cells were detected by qRT-PCR and western blot, respectively. The apoptosis was determined by the caspase-3 activity assay. Results showed that Shh and Gli1 were upregulated in cancer tissues. The inhibitory effect of carnosol on cell survival was enhanced with concentration, suggesting both LNCaP and DU145 cells were sensitive to carnosol. The inhibitory effects of carnosol on Gli1 and Shh mRNAs in the hormone-dependent LNCaP prostate cancer cell was stronger than that in the hormone-independent DU145 prostate cancer cells. Carnosol downregulated the expression of Gli1 in nucleus, and Shh in cells. Greater carnosol concentration resulted in lower levels of Gli1 and Shh. Carnosol increased caspase-3 activity in a dose-dependent manner, suggesting that carnosol promotes cell apoptosis. Thus, carnosol can inhibit the proliferation and induce the apoptosis of prostate cancer cells in vitro, and its mechanism might be associated with the inhibiting of HH signaling pathway. Although the inhibitory effect of carnosol on hormone-dependent LNCaP prostate cancer cells is stronger than hormone-independent DU145 prostate cancer cells, carnosol might be a potential drug for hormone-independent prostate cancer.

Dark plasmonic mode based perfect absorption and refractive index sensing

Dark plasmonic resonances in metallic nanostructures are essential for many potential applications such as refractive index sensing, single molecule detection, nanolasers etc. However, it is difficult to excite the dark modes in optical experiments and thus the practical applications are severely limited. Herein, we demonstrate a simple method to experimentally excite the quadrupolar and higher-order plasmonic modes with normal incident light. By directionally depositing silver films onto the sidewalls of metal-covered one-dimensional grating, we have experimentally observed a series of asymmetrical resonances at the plasmonic ranges of silver gratings. Interestingly, both of the reflection and transmission coefficients of high-order plasmonic modes are reduced to around zero, demonstrating the perfect absorption very well. The corresponding numerical simulations show that these resonances are the well-known dark modes. Different from the conventional dark modes in plasmonic dimers, here the dark modes are the electric oscillations (as standing waves) within the silver sidewalls that are excited by charge accumulation via the bright plasmonic resonance of the top silver strips. In addition to the simple realization of perfect absorption, the dark modes are found to be quite sensitive to the environmental changes. The experimentally measured reflective index sensitivity is around 458 nm per RIU (refractive index unit), which is much higher than the sensitivity of the metal-covered grating without silver sidewalls. This research shall pave new routes to practical applications of dark surface plasmons.

pLARmEB: integration of least angle regression with empirical Bayes for multilocus genome-wide association studies

Multilocus genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have become the state-of-the-art procedure to identify quantitative trait nucleotides (QTNs) associated with complex traits. However, implementation of multilocus model in GWAS is still difficult. In this study, we integrated least angle regression with empirical Bayes to perform multilocus GWAS under polygenic background control. We used an algorithm of model transformation that whitened the covariance matrix of the polygenic matrix K and environmental noise. Markers on one chromosome were included simultaneously in a multilocus model and least angle regression was used to select the most potentially associated single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), whereas the markers on the other chromosomes were used to calculate kinship matrix as polygenic background control. The selected SNPs in multilocus model were further detected for their association with the trait by empirical Bayes and likelihood ratio test. We herein refer to this method as the pLARmEB (polygenic-background-control-based least angle regression plus empirical Bayes). Results from simulation studies showed that pLARmEB was more powerful in QTN detection and more accurate in QTN effect estimation, had less false positive rate and required less computing time than Bayesian hierarchical generalized linear model, efficient mixed model association (EMMA) and least angle regression plus empirical Bayes. pLARmEB, multilocus random-SNP-effect mixed linear model and fast multilocus random-SNP-effect EMMA methods had almost equal power of QTN detection in simulation experiments. However, only pLARmEB identified 48 previously reported genes for 7 flowering time-related traits in Arabidopsis thaliana.

Highly Anisotropic and Twofold Symmetric Superconducting Gap in Nematically Ordered FeSe_{0.93}S_{0.07}

FeSe exhibits a novel ground state in which superconductivity coexists with a nematic order in the absence of any long-range magnetic order. Here, we report on an angle-resolved photoemission study on the superconducting gap structure in the nematic state of FeSe_{0.93}S_{0.07}, without the complications caused by Fermi surface reconstruction induced by magnetic order. We find that the superconducting gap shows a pronounced twofold anisotropy around the elliptical hole pocket near Z (0, 0, π), with gap minima at the end points of its major axis, while no detectable gap is observed around Γ (0, 0, 0) and the zone corner (π, π, k_{z}). The large anisotropy and nodal gap distribution demonstrate the substantial effects of the nematicity on the superconductivity and thus put strong constraints on current theories.

Prognostic significance of preoperative absolute peripheral monocyte count in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma

The objective of this study was to investigate the prognostic value of peripheral blood monocytes in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) patients who underwent esophagectomy. Records from 218 consecutive patients with histologically diagnosed ESCC who underwent esophagectomy at Qilu Hospital of Shandong University from January 2007 to December 2008 were retrospectively reviewed. The median disease-free survival (DFS) of this cohort was 29.0 months, and the 5-year DFS rate was 34.4%. The median overall survival (OS) was 35.0 months, and the 5-year OS rate was 37.6%. The cut-off value of 0.42 × 10⁹ /L for the absolute monocyte count (AMC) was chosen as optimal to discriminate between survival and death by applying receiver operating curve analysis. There were 131 patients (60.1%) who had high AMC (≥0.42 × 10⁹ /L) preoperatively. We found that AMC was significantly associated with gender, tumor location, and platelet count. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis of patients with high preoperative AMC had a significant worse prognosis for DFS (high vs. low: 27.5% vs. 39.0%, P = 0.015) and OS (high vs. low: 31.1% vs. 44.8%, P = 0.009) than those with low preoperative AMC. In a multivariate analysis, preoperative AMC was an independent prognostic factor for DFS (P = 0.025, hazard ratio [HR]: 1.469, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.050-2.054) and OS (P = 0.015, HR: 1.547, 95% CI: 1.088-2.200). In addition, among 140 patients without both preoperative and postoperative therapy, significantly worse OS (P = 0.012) and marginally reduced DFS (P = 0.079) were found in the high AMC cohort versus the low AMC cohort. A higher preoperative absolute peripheral monocyte count can be considered as a useful prognostic marker of ESCC patients who underwent esophagectomy.

[Present status of concurrent chemoreadiotherapy in squamous cell carcinoma of head and neck]

Head neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is a common kind of malignancies in human body. For HNSCC in early stage, either surgical operation or radiotherapy can acquire satisfactory treatment results. However, any single treatment modality such as surgery alone or single radiation is insufficient to gain satisfactory tumor control. Multidisciplinary treatment (MDT) has become a mainstay and important therapeutic strategy in the management of HNSCC. Among various approaches in the MDT, concurrent chemoradiotheraqpy (CCR) constitutes a major progress, which implicates a lot in improving outcomes and organ preservations in managing HNSCC. In the present review, the history, mechanisms, indications along with side effects and drawbacks, and perspectives of CCR are to be described and discussed, in the hope of providing effective guidance for the domestic MDT, especially CCR in the management of HNSCC.

Dual-wavelength passively Q-switched Nd:GYSGG laser by tungsten disulfide saturable absorber

A dual-wavelength passively Q-switched Nd:GYSGG laser using vacuum evaporating tungsten disulfide (WS₂) as a saturable absorber was demonstrated for the first time to the best of our knowledge. The WS₂ saturable absorber was prepared simply by evaporating nanometer WS₂ powders onto a quartz substrate in a vacuum. By inserting the WS₂ saturable absorber into the laser cavity, stable Q-switched laser operation was achieved with a maximum average output power of 367 mW, a pulse repetition rate of 70.7 kHz, the shortest pulse width of 591 ns, and pulse energy of about 1.05 μJ. By vacuum evaporation method, a high-quality WS₂ saturable absorber can be produced, and it seems to be a suitable method for fabrication of 2D transition metal dichalcogenides.

Prenatal diagnosis of trisomy 21, 18 and 13 by quantitative pyrosequencing of segmental duplications

Chromosomal aberration mostly occurs in chromosomes 21, 18 and 13, with an incidence approximately 1 out of 160 live births in humans, therefore making prenatal diagnosis necessary in clinics. Current methods have drawbacks such as time consuming, high cost, complicated operations and low sensitivity. In this paper, a novel method for rapid and accurate prenatal diagnosis of aneuploidy is proposed based on pyrosequencing, which quantitatively detects the peak height ratio (PHR) of different bases of segmental duplication. A direct polymerase chain reaction (PCR) approach was undertaken, where a small volume of amniotic fluid was used as the starting material without DNA extraction. Single-stranded DNA was prepared from PCR products and subsequently analyzed using pyrosequencing. The PHR between target and reference chromosome of 2.2 for euploid and 3:2 for a trisomy fetus were used as reference. The reference intervals and z scores were calculated for discrimination of aneuploidy. A total of 132 samples were collected, within trisomy 21 (n = 11), trisomy 18 (n = 3), trisomy 13 (n = 2), and unaffected controls (n = 116). A set of six segmental duplications were chosen for analysis. This method had consistent results with karyotyping analysis, a correct diagnosis with 100% sensitivity and 99.9% specificity.

Anomalous correlation effects and unique phase diagram of electron-doped FeSe revealed by photoemission spectroscopy

FeSe layer-based superconductors exhibit exotic and distinctive properties. The undoped FeSe shows nematicity and superconductivity, while the heavily electron-doped K_xFe_2−ySe₂ and single-layer FeSe/SrTiO₃ possess high superconducting transition temperatures that pose theoretical challenges. However, a comprehensive study on the doping dependence of an FeSe layer-based superconductor is still lacking due to the lack of a clean means of doping control. Through angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy studies on K-dosed thick FeSe films and FeSe_0.93S_0.07 bulk crystals, here we reveal the internal connections between these two types of FeSe-based superconductors, and obtain superconductivity below ∼46 K in an FeSe layer under electron doping without interfacial effects. Moreover, we discover an exotic phase diagram of FeSe with electron doping, including a nematic phase, a superconducting dome, a correlation-driven insulating phase and a metallic phase. Such an anomalous phase diagram unveils the remarkable complexity, and highlights the importance of correlations in FeSe layer-based superconductors.

Electron doping is a powerful way to induce quantum phase transitions in materials and explore exotic states of matter. Here, Wen et al. present carefully-controlled potassium dosing in FeSe films and FeSe_0.93S_0.07 bulk, which enhances superconductivity and induces other anomalous phases, revealing a complex phase diagram.

Age- and gender-specific associations between sleep duration and incident hypertension in a Chinese population: the Kailuan study

The objective of this study was to explore the age- and sex-dependent association between sleep duration and incident hypertension in a Chinese population. The Kailuan prospective cohort study recruited 101 510 participants. Those participants were followed for an average of 3.98 years and the data obtained from 32 137 participants out of 101 510 were analyzed in this study. Sleep duration was categorized as five groups of⩽5, 6, 7, 8 and ⩾9 h. Cox proportional-hazards models were used to analyze the association of sleep duration with incident hypertension. The 3.98 years' follow-up data showed that 12 732 out of 32 137 participants developed hypertension. Short duration of sleep (⩽5 h per night) was associated with an increased risk of hypertension in woman (hazard ratio (HR) 1.27; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.02 to 1.58) and participants aged <60 years (HR 1.11; 95% CI 1.02-1.21), when compared with the group reported with 7 h of sleep per day. This study suggested that short sleep duration could cause an increased risk of hypertension in Chinese females and population aged <60 years.

Sevoflurane induces neurotoxicity in young mice through FAS/FASL signaling

Sevoflurane, the most widely used anesthetic in clinical practice, has been shown to induce apoptosis, inhibit neurogenesis, and cause learning and memory impairment in young mice. However, the underlying mechanism is still unknown. In this study, wild-type and the FAS- or FAS ligand (FASL)-knockout mice (age 7 days) were exposed to sevoflurane or pure oxygen. Western blotting was used to examine the expression of FAS protein. Terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick-end labeling (TUNEL) and bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) staining were employed to quantify the apoptotic cells and newborn cells in the hippocampus and Morris water maze (MWM) in order to evaluate learning and memory status. Sevoflurane significantly increased the expression of FAS protein in wild-type mice. Compared to FAS- and FASL-knockout mice treated with sevoflurane, sevoflurane-treated wild-type mice exhibited more TUNEL-positive hippocampal cells and less BrdU-positive hippocampal cells. The MWM showed that compared with FAS- and FASL-knockout mice treated with sevoflurane, sevoflurane treatment of wild-type mice significantly prolonged the escape latency and reduced platform crossing times. These data suggest that sevoflurane induces neurotoxicity in young mice through FAS-FASL signaling.

Lack of association between the aryl hydrocarbon receptor rs2066853 polymorphism and breast cancer: A meta-analysis on Ahr polymorphism and breast cancer

Published data regarding the association between aryl hydrocarbon receptor (Ahr) rs2066853 polymorphism and the risk of breast cancer shows conflicting results. We performed a meta-analysis on 2999 patients and 3050 controls from three related case-control studies to estimate the association between Ahr rs2066853 polymorphism and the risk of breast cancer. The protocol was approved by the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) at the University of Florida (America NIH Publication No. 86-231985 Revision). According to the three eligible populations, the odds ratios (ORs), 95% confidence intervals (CIs) on the risk of breast cancer for the genotypes GA vs GG, AA vs GG, and A vs G were 1.06 (0.81-1.40), 0.96 (0.81-1.13), and 1.02 (0.85-1.22), respectively. The OR (95%CI) for GA + AA vs GG was 1.05 (0.80-1.37). Furthermore, after multi-variates adjustment, the ORs (95%CIs) were 1.05 (0.80-1.38) for GA vs GG, and 0.92 (0.76-1.10) for AA vs GG. This meta-analysis suggests that Ahr (rs2066853) polymorphism would not modify the risk of breast cancer. However, further research should be conducted to provide more evidence.

Noise-induced damage to ribbon synapses without permanent threshold shifts in neonatal mice

Recently, ribbon synapses to the hair cells (HCs) in the cochlea have become a novel site of interest in the investigation of noise-induced cochlear lesions in adult rodents (Kujawa and Liberman, 2009; Lin et al., 2011; Liu et al., 2012; Shi et al., 2013). Permanent noise-induced damage to this type of synapse can result in subsequent degeneration of spiral ganglion neurons (SGNs) in the absence of permanent changes to hearing sensitivity. To verify whether noise exposure during an early developmental period produces a similar impact on ribbon synapses, the present study examined the damaging effects of noise exposure in neonatal Kunming mice. The animals received exposure to broadband noise at 105-decibel (dB) sound pressure level (SPL) for 2h on either postnatal day 10 (P10d) or postnatal day 14 (P14d), and then hearing function (based on the auditory brainstem response (ABR)) and cochlear morphology were evaluated during either postnatal weeks 3-4 (P4w) or postnatal weeks 7-8 (P8w). There were no significant differences in the hearing threshold between noise-exposed and control animals, which suggests that noise did not cause permanent loss of hearing sensitivity. However, noise exposure did produce a significant loss of ribbon synapses, particularly in P14d mice, which continued to increase from P4w to P8w. Additionally, a corresponding reduction in the amplitude of compound action potential (CAP) was observed in the noise-exposed groups at P4w and P8w, and the CAP latency was elongated, indicating a change in synaptic function.