Evolution from Alloying to Nanostrips of Sb on Ag(110) Probed by Scanning Tunneling Microscopy

Surface alloys attract great interest due to their exotic properties. However, many experiments lack specific research studies on the formation process of surface alloys and the evolution of subsequent structures. Here, via scanning tunneling microscopy, we investigate the surface structure evolution of Sb on Ag(110) as a function of coverage (denoted as θ). At a low coverage (θ ≤ 0.5 ML), the deposited Sb atoms were incorporated into the topmost layer of Ag(110), forming the AgSb surface alloy confined to the surface and the c-(2 × 2) alloy islands supported on Ag(110). As the coverage increases (θ > 0.5 ML), chain structures begin to appear at the edge of AgSb alloy islands. When θ increases to a certain extent, the surface is completely transformed into nanostrips along the [001] direction, and no new structure appears with θ up to 5 ML. In addition, we also proposed a possible atomic structure model of the chains and strip structure. Our work is a great help for understanding the specific properties of the surface alloy layer

Prediction of a Kinetic Pathway for Fabricating the Narrowest Zigzag Graphene Nanoribbons on Cu(111)

The narrowest zigzag graphene nanoribbons (nZGNRs) consisting of linearly fused benzene rings have distinctly superior electronic and spintronic properties; yet, to date, fabrication of nZGNRs via bottom-up self-assembly remains a daunting challenge. Here, based on first-principles calculations, we propose a kinetic pathway for growing nZGNRs on Cu(111) using 1,4-dibromo-2,5-bis­(bromomethyl)­benzene precursors. We show that such a precursor molecule can readily adsorb on Cu(111), accompanied by easy detachment of the four Br substituents. As building blocks for the formation of the nZGNRs, the resulting C8H6 radicals have high diffusional and rotational mobilities on the substrate. Two such radicals can fuse into an nZGNR-like dimer via covalent bond formation by overcoming a kinetic barrier of ∼1.00 eV, with the unsaturated C atoms properly located to allow additional C8H6 radicals to join and elongate the nZGNR. We further examine possible competing byproducts and find that the yields of nZGNRs can be enhanced with proper choices of the substrates. As a comparative study, the precursor molecule of 1,4-bis­(bromomethyl)­benzene has also been investigated and found to be less desirable in forming the nZGNRs. These findings provide a highly appealing route toward the fabrication of nZGNRs for potential applications in nanoelectronics and spintronics

Additional file 1 of Conditional transcriptional relationships may serve as cancer prognostic markers

Additional file 1: Fig. S1. Robustness of PCC values across ten folds of BRCA tumors

Assessment of Western blotting.

A. Western blotting of cytochrome C, P53, Bax, Bcl-2, P21, PUMA, caspase-9, pro-caspase-3 and caspase-3 expression in SGC7901 cells. Cells were treated with 1,2,3,6-Tetra-O-galoyl-β-D-glucose at 100 μg/mL for 24 h. B. The average of protein band grayscale.</p

IC₅₀ values of l,2,3,6-tetra-O-galloyl-β-D-glucose on SGC7901 cells.

IC50 values of l,2,3,6-tetra-O-galloyl-β-D-glucose on SGC7901 cells.</p

Results of gene detection in SGC7901 cells.

qPCR was used to detect changes in mRNA levels of apoptosis-related gene expression in SGC7901 cells. (A. PUMA, PERP, IGF-BP3. B. P21, CyclinD Cells were treated with 1,2,3,6-Tetra-O-galoyl-β-D-glucose at 100 μg/mL for 24 h.</p

Differential expression analysis of key genes of apoptosis pathway in transcriptome sequencing.

A. Heatmap Analysis of Differentially Expressed Genes. B. Gene expression changes in P53 signalling pathway.</p

Comparative transcriptomic study of the control and the treatment groups.

SGC7901 cells were treated with 1,2,3,6-Tetra-O-galoyl-β-D-glucose at 50 μg/mL for 24 h. A. Venn diagram analysis. B. Group volcano map. C. Those DEGs were enriched in the metabolic process, signalling or transcription factor activation function in GO terms. D. PI3-AKT signalling pathway and P53 signalling pathway in KEGG pathways.</p

Evaluation of cell cycle in SGC-7901 cells after l,2,3,6-tetra-O-galyl-β-D-glucose treatment.

A. Intracellular the fluorescence intensity in SGC-7901 cells cultured in the presence of 1,2,3,6-tetra-O-galloyl-β-D-glucose (0, 12.5,25, 50, 100 and 200 μg/mL) for 48 h. B. Average intensity of fluorescence in SGC-7901cells.</p

The expression of DEGs in treat-vs-control group.

(XLSX)</p