Migration and Localization of Metal Atoms on Strained Graphene

Reconstructed point defects in graphene are created by electron irradiation and annealing. By applying electron microscopy and density functional theory, it is shown that the strain field around these defects reaches far into the unperturbed hexagonal network and that metal atoms have a high affinity to the nonperfect and strained regions of graphene. Metal atoms are attracted by reconstructed defects and bonded with energies of about 2 eV. The increased reactivity of the distorted π-electron system in strained graphene allows us to attach metal atoms and to tailor the properties of graphene.Peer reviewe

Visualization of lithium-ion transport and phase evolution within and between manganese oxide nanorods.

Multiple lithium-ion transport pathways and local phase changes upon lithiation in silver hollandite are revealed via in situ microscopy including electron diffraction, imaging and spectroscopy, coupled with density functional theory and phase field calculations. We report unexpected inter-nanorod lithium-ion transport, where the reaction fronts and kinetics are maintained within the neighbouring nanorod. Notably, this is the first time-resolved visualization of lithium-ion transport within and between individual nanorods, where the impact of oxygen deficiencies is delineated. Initially, fast lithium-ion transport is observed along the long axis with small net volume change, resulting in two lithiated silver hollandite phases distinguishable by orthorhombic distortion. Subsequently, a slower reaction front is observed, with formation of polyphase lithiated silver hollandite and face-centred-cubic silver metal with substantial volume expansion. These results indicate lithium-ion transport is not confined within a single nanorod and may provide a paradigm shift for one-dimensional tunnelled materials, particularly towards achieving high-rate capability

Ion irradiation of multi-walled boron nitride nanotubes

Non Peer reviewe

Probing resistive switching in HfO2/Al2O3 bilayer oxides using in-situ transmission electron microscopy

In this work, we investigate the resistive switching in hafnium dioxide (HfO2) and aluminum oxide (Al2O3) bilayered stacks using in-situ transmission electron microscopy and X-ray energy dispersive spectroscopy. Conductance of the HfO2/Al2O3 stack changes gradually upon electrical stressing which is related to the formation of extended nanoscale physical defects at the HfO2/Al2O3 interface and the migration and re-crystallization of Al into the oxide bulk. The results suggest two competing physical mechanisms including the redistribution of oxygen ions and the migration of Al species from the Al electrode during the switching process. While the HfO2/Al2O3 bilayered stack appears to be a good candidate for RRAM technology, the low diffusion barrier of the active Al electrode causes severe Al migration in the bi-layered oxides leading to the device to fail in resetting, and thereby, largely limiting the overall switching performance and material reliability

Systemic inflammatory regulators and preeclampsia: a two-sample bidirectional Mendelian randomization study

Background:Systemic inflammatory regulators have been associated with preeclampsia (PE) during pregnancy; however, there is inconsistent evidence from animal models and observational results.Methods:Using summary data from genome-wide association studies (GWASs), we performed a bidirectional Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis of two samples of systemic inflammatory regulators (n = 8,186) and PE (n = 267,242) individuals of European ancestry. As our primary analysis, we used the random-effects inverse-variance weighted (IVW) approach. Sensitivity and pleiotropy analyses were conducted using the MR–Egger method, weighted median, MR Pleiotropy RESidual Sum and Outlier (MR-PRESSO), and Cochran’s Q test.Results:The results indicate that there is a correlation between a higher circulating level of tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) and interleukin-9 (IL-9) and an increased risk of PE (odds ratio [OR] = 1.32, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.09–1.60, p = 0.004 and OR = 1.28, 95% CI: 1.02–1.62, p = 0.033, respectively). Conversely, lower levels of stem cell growth factor beta (SCGF-β) (OR = 0.89, 95% CI: 0.80–0.99, p = 0.027) and interleukin-5 (IL-5) (OR = 0.80, 95% CI: 0.65–0.98, p = 0.030) are linked to an increased risk of PE. The macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) is the downstream inflammatory regulator of PE, according to reverse magnetic resonance imaging studies.Conclusion:Our study suggests that SCGF-β, IL-5, IL-9, and TNF-α causally affect the PE risk, while PE is causally associated with MIF. Further studies are needed to validate these biomarkers in managing PE

Role of ubiquitin specific proteases in the immune microenvironment of prostate cancer: A new direction

Regulation of ubiquitination is associated with multiple processes of tumorigenesis and development, including regulation of the tumor immune microenvironment. Deubiquitinating enzymes (DUBs) can remove ubiquitin chains from substrates, thereby stabilizing target proteins and altering and remodeling biological processes. During tumorigenesis, deubiquitination-altered biological processes are closely related to tumor metabolism, stemness, and the immune microenvironment. Recently, tumor microenvironment (TME) modulation strategies have attracted considerable attention in cancer immunotherapy. Targeting immunosuppressive mechanisms in the TME has revolutionized cancer therapy. Prostate cancer (PC) is one of the most common cancers and the second most common cause of cancer-related death in men worldwide. While immune checkpoint inhibition has produced meaningful therapeutic effects in many cancer types, clinical trials of anti-CTLA4 or anti-PD1 have not shown a clear advantage in PC patients. TME affects PC progression and also enables tumor cell immune evasion by activating the PD-1/PD-L1 axis. Over the past few decades, an increasing number of studies have demonstrated that deubiquitination in PC immune microenvironment may modulate the host immune system’s response to the tumor. As the largest and most diverse group of DUBs, ubiquitin-specific proteases (USPs) play an important role in regulating T cell development and function. According to current studies, USPs exhibit a high expression signature in PC and may promote tumorigenesis. Elevated expression of USPs often indicates poor tumor prognosis, suggesting that USPs are expected to develop as the markers of tumor prognosis and even potential drug targets for anti-tumor therapy. Herein, we first summarized recent advances of USPs in PC and focused on the relationship between USPs and immunity. Additionally, we clarified the resistance mechanisms of USPs to targeted drugs in PC. Finally, we reviewed the major achievement of targeting USPs in cancers