P-type laser-doped WSe2/MoTe2 van der Waals heterostructure photodetector

Van der Waals heterostructures (vdWHs) based on two-dimensional (2D) materials are being studied extensively for their prospective applications in photodetectors. As the pristine WSe₂/MoTe₂ heterostructure is a type I (straddling gap) structure, it cannot be used as a photovoltaic device theoretically, although both WSe₂ and MoTe₂ have excellent photoelectric properties. The Fermi level of p-doped WSe₂ is close to its valence band. The p-doped WSe₂/MoTe₂ heterostructure can perform as a photovoltaic device because a built-in electric field appears at the interface between MoTe₂ and p-doped WSe₂. Here, a 633 nm laser was used for scanning the surface of WSe₂ in order to obtain the p-doped WSe₂. x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and electrical measurements verified that p-type doping in WSe₂ is produced through laser treatment. The p-type doping in WSe₂ includes substoichiometric WO_x and nonstoichiometric WSe_x. A photovoltaic device using p-doped WSe₂ and MoTe₂ was successfully fabricated. The band structure, light-matter reactions, and carrier-transport in the p-doped WSe₂/MoTe₂ heterojunction were analyzed. The results showed that this photodetector has an on/off ratio of ≈10⁴, dark current of ≈1 pA, and response time of 72 μs under the illumination of 633 nm laser at zero bias (V _ds = 0 V). The proposed p-doping method may provide a new approach to improve the performance of nanoscale optoelectronic devices.

[Robotic hilar cholangiocarcinoma radical resection compared with laparotomy in prognosis]

Objective: To compare the long term and short term outcomes between robotic and open surgery for hilar cholangiocarcinoma radical resection. Methods: This is a single-center and retrospective case-control study. Patients underwent hilar cholangiocarcinoma radical resection between January 2016 and December 2016 at Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery of the General Hospital of the Chinese People's Liberation Army were included. Safety, effectiveness and long-term prognosis of tumors were evaluated. Patients were divided into robotic hilar cholangiocarcinoma radical surgery group (robotic group, n=16) and open hepatic hilar cholangiocarcinoma radical surgery group (open group, n=31) . All cases were confirmed by pathology histological. Age, gender, histology, resection margin status, extent of surgical resection, disease-free survival (DFS) , and overall survival (OS) were retrospectively collected and analyzed.In the follow-up cohort, the primary outcome was patient death and the secondary outcome was tumor recurrence. Continuous variables were expressed as means and medians and were compared using the Student t test if normally distributed or Wilcoxon-Mann-Whitney test for nonparametric variables. Discrete variables were expressed as frequency and percentages and χ(2) or Fisher exact test, when appropriate, were used for comparisons. Kaplan-Meier curves were used to calculate the probability of survival and comparisons were performed using log-rank test. Results: In this study, compared with the open group, the robotic group had a longer operation time ( (338±71) minutes vs. (256±56) minutes, t=4.251, P=0.001) , but the intraoperative blood loss was less (100 ml vs. 200 ml, Z=121.50, P=0.040) , the gastric tube removal time was earlier (3 days vs. 4 days, Z=136.0, P=0.011) , and the postoperative hospital stay was shorter (9 days vs. 12 days, Z=144.50, P=0.040) , and the difference was statistically significant.There was no significant difference in the blood transfusion rate, R0 resection rate, and tumor size between the two groups.The recurrence rates in the robotic group and open surgery were 53.3% and 67.0%, respectively (χ(2)=1.04, P=0.307) .The median survival time of the robotic group and the open group was 22.0 months and 25.0 months. There was no significant difference in the overall survival rate between the two groups (P>0.05) . Conclusion: Compared with laparotomy, robotic HCC radical resection could have an equivalence or non-inferiority approach with acceptable long-term outcome.

[Analysis of trends on smoking prevalence and its risk factors in Shaanxi province 2007-2015]

Objective: To analyze the trend of smoking prevalence and its risk factors among adults in Shaanxi province from 2007 to 2015. Methods: We used data from China Chronic Disease and Risk Factor Surveillance in 2007, 2010, 2013 and 2015. The current smoking prevalence and trends of the four surveys were calculated. Its risk factors were analyzed by multivariate logistic regression from each survey and then from all pooled data of the three surveys. Results: The number of participants in 2007, 2010, 2013 and 2015 was 1 542, 3 000, 10 166 and 6 330, respectively. The current smoking prevalence dropped from 34.34% in 2007 to 26.22% in 2013, but increased to 28.33% in 2015 (trend χ(2) test: Z=2.53, P=0.01). The results from four pooled data showed that the current smoking prevalence of men was higher than that of women (OR=75.03, 95%CI: 63.57-88.55). The current smoking prevalence of people aged 45-59 was higher than that of people aged 18-44 (OR=1.28, 95%CI: 1.15-1.41). In addition, the current smoking prevalence of those who were educated for 7-9 years and more than 9 years were higher than those who were educated for less than 6 years (people with education for 7-9 years OR=1.44, 95%CI: 1.29-1.61; people with education >9 years OR=1.43, 95%CI: 1.26-1.63). The current smoking prevalence of the single was lower than those of married/cohabitants (OR=0.54, 95%CI: 0.37-0.77). The current smoking prevalence of retirees were lower than those of employees (OR=0.46, 95%CI: 0.38-0.57) and smoking prevalence of alcohol drinkers were higher than those of non-drinkers (OR=2.92, 95%CI: 2.67-3.19). Conclusion: From 2007 to 2015, the current smoking prevalence of Shaanxi population was high and the trends remained stable. It is necessary to strengthen smoking control and health education for men, people over 45 years old, people with education level 7 years and above, and working personnel in Shaanxi province.

High throughput, efficacious gene editing & genome surveillance in Chinese hamster ovary cells

Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells are a common tool utilized in bioproduction and directed genome engineering of CHO cells is of great interest to enhance recombinant cell lines. Until recently, this focus has been challenged by a lack of efficacious, high throughput, and low-cost gene editing modalities and screening methods. In this work, we demonstrate an improved method for gene editing in CHO cells using CRISPR RNPs and characterize the endpoints of Cas9 and ZFN mediated genetic engineering. Furthermore, we validate sequence decomposition as a cost effective, rapid, and accurate method for assessing mutants and eliminating non-clonal CHO populations using only capillary sequencing.

Silencing of TPD52 inhibits proliferation, migration, invasion but induces apoptosis of pancreatic cancer cells by deactivating Akt pathway

Pancreatic cancer (PC) is a complex and multifactorial human malignancy with a low survival rate. Tumor protein D52 (TPD52) was abnormally expressed in several cancers and participated in tumorigenesis. However, the oncogenic effect of TPD52 on PC remains unknown. In the present study, after transfecting AsPC-1 and PANC-1 cells with NC or sh-TPD52, the CCK-8 assay, Hoechst staining, western blot, transwell assay, flow cytometry were used to examine the cell proliferation, migration, invasion and apoptosis. qRT-PCR results confirmed that the expression of TPD52 was significantly increased in PC cells, especially AsPC-1 and PANC-1 cells. The present study revealed that silencing of TPD52 significantly suppressed the proliferation, migration and invasion, but induced apoptosis of AsPC-1 and PANC-1 cells in vitro by dephosphorylating Akt at Ser473. Conversely, SC79, an Akt activator, could partially reverse the anti-metastatic effects of sh-TPD52, accompanied by the reactivating of Akt pathway. Additional in vivo studies are warranted to elucidate that knockdown of TPD52 could inhibit tumor growth in PC mice models. These findings suggested that TPD52 might be a novel therapeutic target for PC treatment.

[Analysis on chronic diseases and risk factors of adult residents in Shaanxi province]

Objective: To explore the prevalence of chronic diseases and related risk factors in Shaanxi province. Methods: Multi-stage stratified cluster random sampling was used to collect the sample from permanent residents in 10 national surveillance points in Shaanxi province in 2015. Behavioral risk factors (smoking, drinking, diet and physical activity) were investigated by face-to-face interviews and biological risk factors (BMI, blood pressure, blood glucose and blood lipid) were collected by physical measurements and laboratory tests. Designed weight, no response weight and post hierarchical weight were taken into account in the data analysis. Binary logistic regression models were used to examine the pair-wise associations among 8 risk factors. Results: A total of 6 174 persons were included in the analysis. The following weighted prevalence were noticed in Shaanxi province in 2015, that including current smoking as 28.19%, harmful use of alcohol as 6.20%, inadequate intake of vegetables and fruits as 55.62%, physical inactivity as 19.56%, overweight and obesity as 46.82%, hypertension as 31.12%, raised fasting blood glucose as 4.27%, and raised total cholesterol as 20.96%. Eight risk factors were found to be associated with each other. The mean numbers of risk factors were 2.41 per male and 1.85 per female, 1.94 per urban resident and 2.28 per rural resident. Conclusions: Risk factors for chronic diseases among adults aged 18 or older were more than the national levels in Shaanxi province in 2015. Male and rural residents presented more risk factors than their counterparts. Correlations between risk factors implied that a combined package of interventions was needed to reduce these risk factors.

LncRNA SNHG8 participates in the development of endometrial carcinoma through regulating c-MET expression by miR-152

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the possible function and mechanism of lncRNA SNHG8 in the pathogenesis of endometrial carcinoma.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

We utilized qRT-PCR to detect the expression of SNHG8 in 60 cases of endometrial carcinoma and 25 cases of normal endometrium; after that, the endometrial carcinoma cell lines were screened. SNHG8 was transfected into endometrial carcinoma cells by Lipofectamine and the proliferative activity of cells was detected by cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8) assay. Bioinformatics methods were used to detect the target microRNA. miR-152 is predicted to bind to SNHG8 and target genes of c-MET. Luciferase reporter assay was performed to detect the relative luciferase activity between miR-152 and c-MET, SNHG8. The interactions between SNHG8, miR-152, and c-MET were further verified by transfection of miR-152 mimics, miR-152 mimics + OE-SNHG8, SNHG8 siRNA, and SNHG8 siRNA + miR-152 inhibitor.

RESULTS

SNHG8 expression in endometrial carcinoma tissue was significantly higher than that in normal endometrium. After transfection with SNHG8 siRNA, the cell viability of AN3CA cells decreased, whereas the activity of Ishikawa was increased after transfection with SNHG8 overexpression plasmid. Bioinformatics predictions and dual luciferase reporter assay illustrated that SNHG8 was bound to miR-152 and miR-152 targeted on c-MET. In addition, miR-152 mimics inhibited the expression of c-MET, and the inhibitory effect was reversed after SNHG8 overexpression. Silencing SNHG8 reduced c-MET expression, and c-MET expression was reversed after addition of miR-152 inhibitor.

CONCLUSIONS

SNHG8 is highly expressed in endometrial carcinoma, and SNHG8 targets c-MET through miR-152 to regulate the proliferation of endometrial cancer cells.

Curcumin alleviates isoproterenol-induced cardiac hypertrophy and fibrosis through inhibition of autophagy and activation of mTOR

OBJECTIVE

Curcumin has been reported to possess cardioprotective effects. However, the potential molecular mechanism of curcumin is still not clear. The aim of the present study was to investigate the role of curcumin in regulating autophagy and mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling in isoproterenol-induced cardiac hypertrophy and fibrosis in the rat.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Rats model of cardiac hypertrophy and fibrosis was induced by isoprenaline (5 mg/kg/day, subcutaneous injection), which were treated with or without curcumin (200 mg/kg/day, intragastric administration). Masson's trichrome staining was performed to investigate the effect of curcumin on fibrosis of cardiac hypertrophy rat. The expression of hypertrophic and fibrosis markers was determined by RT-qPCR. The protein expression of autophagic markers, mTOR, and phosphorylated-mTOR (p-mTOR) was performed by Western blotting.

RESULTS

Isoprenaline treatment significantly up-regulated the mRNA expression of hypertrophic (ANP and MYH7) and fibrotic (procollagen I and III) markers in the hearts from rats. All of these markers were reversed by curcumin treatment in isoproterenol-treated rats. Histological analysis showed that curcumin attenuated the interstitial fibrosis of heart triggered by isoproterenol. Moreover, isoproterenol significantly reduced the mRNA levels of mTOR and the protein expression of p-mTOR. However, isoprenaline caused a significant induction of the mRNA levels of LC3 and Beclin-1 and the protein expression of LC3-II and Beclin-1, as well as LC3-II/I ratio. Curcumin abolished these isoprenaline-mediated changes in mTOR/autophagy signaling pathway.

CONCLUSIONS

Our data demonstrated that curcumin targeted mTOR/autophagy axis could attenuate cardiac hypertrophy and fibrosis in a rat model.

Dynamic monitoring of HER2 amplification in circulating DNA of patients with metastatic colorectal cancer treated with cetuximab

PURPOSE

Cetuximab (CTX) has been used to treat metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) with wild-type (wt) RAS and BRAF genes. Meanwhile HER2 amplification reportedly denoted CTX-resistant mCRC tumors. We investigated whether monitoring of HER2 amplification in circulating DNA allowed early detection of mCRC progression and CTX resistance.

METHODS

mCRC, who progressed after CTX treatments between July 2015 and January 2018.

RESULTS

Of the 36 patients, 5 (13.9%) exhibited dynamic fluctuations of HER2 amplification in plasma in the course of CTX treatment, of whom 2 were positive for HER2 amplification in matched tumor specimens at baseline (per FISH). All 5 primary sites were left side: 3 rectums and 2 descending colon. HER2 ratio fluctuations in circulating DNA not only reflected changes in tumor volume, but their obvious increases presaged CT-documented progress by an average lead time of 2 months. Interestingly, progression-free survival did not significantly differ between these 5 patients and those without HER2 amplification (HR 1.06, 95% CI 0.40-2.77, P = 0.909).

CONCLUSION

Plasma HER2 amplification detected by ddPCR changed over time and predicted resistance to CTX, by an average lead time of 2 months. Further study is needed to validate our findings.

Seven Novel and Three Known Mutations in FOXL2 in 10 Chinese Families with Blepharophimosis Syndrome

BACKGROUND

Blepharophimosis syndrome (BPES) is characterized by eyelid malformation with occasional premature ovarian failure. Mutations in FOXL2 underlie a fraction of BPES cases.

OBJECTIVE

We aimed to investigate the genetic basis of BPES in 26 Chinese families that included 78 patients.

METHODS

We performed ophthalmological examinations on each family member. We used Sanger sequencing to screen FOXL2 exons and their flanking sequences. We also performed bioinformatics studies, structural modeling and pathogenicity evaluations on all identified variations. Literature was reviewed and genotype-phenotype correlation analysis was performed.

RESULTS

The patients had typical manifestations of BPES. Ten mutations were identified in ten of the twenty-six families. Among these, seven were novel mutations. These included the six truncating mutations, p.Glu69*, p.Gly256Glyfs*14, p.Ala14Serfs*135, p.Pro333Profs*200, p.Pro290Leufs*70, and p.Pro157Profs*91, and one missense mutation, p.Tyr59Cys. The mutations were scattered within the gene, and no mutational hotspots were found. Genotype-phenotype correlation analysis showed that frameshift or nonsense mutations were correlated with type I BPES, while in-frame or missense mutations were associated with type II BPES.

CONCLUSION

We report the largest BPES cohort in China thus far as well as seven novel mutations in FOXL2. The identification of novel mutations has not only expanded the mutational spectrum of the gene (which is valuable for mutation detection-based screening) but also suggests that most mutations within the Chinese population may not have been characterized yet.

The application of dexmedetomidine combined with dezocine in thoracoscopic radical resection of lung cancer and its effect on awakening quality of patients

OBJECTIVE

The paper aims to explore the application of dexmedetomidine combined with dezocine in thoracoscopic radical resection of lung cancer and its effect on the awakening quality.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

122 patients undergoing thoracoscopic radical resection of lung cancer in The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University from April 2009 to January 2012 were selected as the subjects of the study. Among them, 68 patients were anesthetized with dexmedetomidine combined with dezocine as a study group, 54 patients with midazolam combined with fentanyl as a control group. The onset of anesthetic, operation time, awakening time, extubation time, and recovery time was compared. The mean arterial pressure (MAP), central venous pressure (CVP), and heart rate (HR) were compared before anesthesia (t0), at extubation (t1), 10 min after extubation (t2), and when patients left anesthesia recovery room (t3). The postoperative sedation score (Ramsay), modified the objective pain score (MOPS), and the pediatric anesthesia emergence delirium (PAED) score were compared at the time of the postoperative awakening (b1), 30 min after awakening (b2), 1 hour after awakening (b3), and 3 hours after awakening (b4).

RESULTS

There was no significant difference in MAP, CVP, and HR between the study group and the control group at t0 (p > 0.05). The scores of PAED at b3 and b4 in the study group were lower than those in the control group (p < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

The anesthesia effect of dexmedetomidine combined with dezocine in thoracoscopic radical resection of lung cancer is better and safer than other drugs, and it can produce good sedation and analgesic effect.