Transverse force generated by an electric field and transverse charge imbalance in spin-orbit coupled systems

We use linear response theory to study the transverse force generated by an external electric field and hence possible charge Hall effect in spin-orbit coupled systems. In addition to the Lorentz force that is parallel to the electric field, we find that the transverse force perpendicular to the applied electric field may not vanish in a system with an anisotropic energy dispersion. Surprisingly, in contrast to the previous results, the transverse force generated by the electric field does not depend on the spin current, but in general, it is related to the second derivative of energy dispersion only. Furthermore, we find that the transverse force does not vanish in the Rashba-Dresselhaus system. Therefore, the non-vanishing transverse force acts as a driving force and results in charge imbalance at the edges of the sample. The estimated ratio of the Hall voltage to the longitudinal voltage is $\sim 10^{-3}$. The disorder effect is also considered in the study of the Rashba-Dresselhaus system. We find that the transverse force vanishes in the presence of impurities in this system because the vertex correction and the anomalous velocity of the electron accidently cancel each other

The effectiveness of different health education strategies in people with pre-diabetes: A randomized controlled trial

Background. People with pre-diabetes often lack knowledge of their risks of developing diabetes. In one of our previous study, Multi-Approach Health Education was shown evidence to be effective on health behavior of reducing risks of developing diabetes. However, which one approach is really effective and efficient need further investigation. Purpose. To examine the effects of different intervention strategies on diabetes prevention knowledge, exercise, dietary behavior, and physiological indicators for people with pre-diabetes. Methods. This was a randomly controlled trial. People who received health examination and were found fasting blood glucose higher than normal, between 100 - 125 mg/dl in 2011 were recruited. Three types of intervention were randomly assigned to 3 groups respectively. The control group (n=51) received a health education lecture. One experimental group (n=48) received the identical lecture plus telephone encouragement. The second experimental group (n=41) received the identical lecture plus a health reminder poster in their daily life. The outcomes were evaluated for the change in knowledge of diabetes prevention, exercise behavior, dietary behavior, and physiological outcomes at 6 and 12 weeks after the lecture of three groups, respectively. Results. Three intervention strategies were equally efficacious at inducing positive behavioral changes but overall the magnitudes of physiological changes were the same. In general, the maximum change in parameters was achieved after 6 weeks and maintained in the second 6 weeks of the study. Conclusions. Educating people with pre-diabetes about their condition can have a positive effect upon their health behaviors. However, education lecture coupled with a telephone follow up or plus educational posters were found no more effective than lecture alone. The lecture alone of health education may be enough for people with pre-diabetes, but the long term effect needs further investigation

Emergence of Reduced Susceptibility and Resistance to Fluoroquinolones in <i>Escherichia coli</i> in Taiwan and Contributions of Distinct Selective Pressures

ABSTRACT A survey of 1,203 Escherichia coli isolates from 44 hospitals in Taiwan revealed that 136 (11.3%) isolates were resistant to fluoroquinolones and that another 261 (21.7%) isolates had reduced susceptibility. Resistance was more common in isolates responsible for hospital-acquired (mostly in intensive care units) infections (17.5%) than in other adult inpatient (11.4%; P = 0.08) and outpatient isolates (11.9%; P &gt; 0.1). Similarly, reduced susceptibility was more common in isolates responsible for hospital-acquired infections (30.9%) than in other adult inpatient (21.0%; P = 0.04) and outpatient (21.4%; P = 0.06) isolates. Isolates from pediatric patients were less likely to be resistant (1.3 versus 12.0%; P &lt; 0.01) but were nearly as likely to have reduced susceptibility (17.7 versus 21.9%; P &gt; 0.1) as nonpediatric isolates. There was an inverse relationship in the proportion of isolates that were resistant versus the proportion that had reduced susceptibility among isolates from individual hospitals ( R = 0.031; P &lt; 0.05). In an analysis of isolates from two hospitals, all 9 resistant strains possessed double point mutations in gyrA and all 19 strains with reduced susceptibility strains had single point mutations; no mutations were found among fully susceptible strains. Risk factors for resistance included underlying cancer (odds ratio [OR], 83; 95% confidence interval [CI 95 ], 7.3 to 2,241; P &lt; 0.001), exposure to a quinolone (OR, undefined; P = 0.02), and exposure to a nonquinolone antibiotic (OR, 20; CI 95 , 2.2 to 482; P &lt; 0.001); underlying cancer was the only independent risk factor (OR, 83; CI 95 , 8.6 to 807; P &lt; 0.001). There were no significant associations between any of these factors and reduced susceptibility. Whereas acute and chronic quinolone use in cancer patients is a major selective pressure for resistance, other undetermined but distinct selective pressures appear to be more responsible for reduced susceptibility to fluoroquinolones in E. coli . </jats:p

Proteomic analysis of rhein-induced cyt: ER stress mediates cell death in breast cancer cells

Rhein is a natural product purified from herbal plants such as Rheum palmatum, which has been shown to have anti-angiogenesis and anti-tumor metastasis properties. However, the biological effects of rhein on the behavior of breast cancers are not completely elucidated. To evaluate whether rhein might be useful in the treatment of breast cancer and its cytotoxic mechanism, we analyzed the impact of rhein treatment on differential protein expression as well as redox regulation in a non-invasive breast cancer cell line, MCF-7, and an invasive breast cancer cell line, MDA-MB-231, using lysine- and cysteine-labeling two-dimensional difference gel electrophoresis (2D-DIGE) combined with MALDI-TOF/TOF mass spectrometry. This proteomic study revealed that 73 proteins were significantly changed in protein expression; while 9 proteins were significantly altered in thiol reactivity in both MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 cells. The results also demonstrated that rhein-induced cytotoxicity in breast cancer cells mostly involves dysregulation of cytoskeleton regulation, protein folding, the glycolysis pathway and transcription control. A further study also indicated that rhein promotes misfolding of cellular proteins as well as unbalancing of the cellular redox status leading to ER-stress. Our work shows that the current proteomic strategy offers a high-through-put platform to study the molecular mechanisms of rhein-induced cytotoxicity in breast cancer cells. The identified differentially expressed proteins might be further evaluated as potential targets in breast cancer therapy

Cardioprotective Effects of Quercetin in Cardiomyocyte under Ischemia/Reperfusion Injury

Quercetin, a polyphenolic compound existing in many vegetables, fruits, has antiinflammatory, antiproliferation, and antioxidant effect on mammalian cells. Quercetin was evaluated for protecting cardiomyocytes from ischemia/reperfusion injury, but its protective mechanism remains unclear in the current study. The cardioprotective effects of quercetin are achieved by reducing the activity of Src kinase, signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3), caspase 9, Bax, intracellular reactive oxygen species production, and inflammatory factor and inducible MnSOD expression. Fluorescence two-dimensional differential gel electrophoresis (2D-DIGE) and matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) can reveal the differentially expressed proteins of H9C2 cells treated with H2O2 or quercetin. Although 17 identified proteins were altered in H2O2-induced cells, these proteins such as alpha-soluble NSF attachment protein (α-SNAP), Ena/VASP-like protein (Evl), and isopentenyl-diphosphate delta-isomerase 1 (Idi-1) were reverted by pretreatment with quercetin, which correlates with kinase activation, DNA repair, lipid, and protein metabolism. Quercetin dephosphorylates Src kinase in H2O2-induced H9C2 cells and likely blocks the H2O2-induced inflammatory response through STAT3 kinase modulation. This probably contributes to prevent ischemia/reperfusion injury in cardiomyocytes