A hybrid single-mode laser based on slotted silicon waveguides

An InGaAsP-Si hybrid single-mode laser based on etched slots in silicon waveguides was demonstrated operating at 1543 nm. The InGaAsP gain structure was bonded onto a patterned silicon-on-insulator wafer by selective area metal bonding method. The mode-selection mechanism based on a slotted silicon waveguide was applied, in which the parameters were designed using the simulation tool cavity modeling framework. The III-V lasers employed buried ridge stripe structure. The whole fabrication process only needs standard photolithography and inductively coupled plasma etching technology, which reduces cost for ease in technology transfer. At room temperature, a single mode of 1543-nm wavelength at a threshold current of 21 mA with a maximum output power of 1.9 mW in continuous-wave regime was obtained. The side mode suppression ratio was larger than 35 dB. The simplicity and flexibility of the fabrication process and a low cost make the slotted hybrid laser a promising light source

Clinical significance of circulating tumor cells in predicating the outcomes of patients with colorectal cancer

Background: Relapse and metastasis of patients with Colorectal Cancer (CRC) is the major obstacle to the long-term life of patients. Its mechanisms remain defined. Methods: A total of 48 CRC patients were enrolled and 68 samples were obtained from the peripheral blood of patients before or after treatments in this study. Twenty non-cancer patients were also detected as a negative control. Circulating Tumor Cells (CTCs), including Epithelial CTCs (eCTCs), Mesenchymal (MCTCs), and epithelial/mesenchymal mixed phenotypes (mixed CTCs), were identified by CanPatrolTM CTC enrichment and RNA in situ hybridization. The relationship between CTCs number and Progression-Free Survival (PFS) or Overall Survival (OS) was evaluated. Results: Thirty-four of 48 patients (70.8%) were found to have positive CTCs. Total CTCs and MCTCs in the post-treatment had a significant correlation PFS and OS. When total CTCs or MCTCs in 5 mL blood of patients were more than 6 CTCs or 5 MCTCs, PFS of the patients was significantly shorter (p < 0.05) than that in patients with less than 6 CTCs or 5 MCTCs. The patients with > 5 CTCs count changes were found to exhibit poor PFS and OS rates (p < 0.05). Conclusion: Total CTCs and MCTCs number detection in patients with colorectal cancer was very useful biomarker for predicting the prognosis of patients. Higher CTCs or MCTCs had poorer PFS and OS rates

Berberine Protects Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells against LPS-Induced Apoptosis by Blocking JNK-Mediated Signaling

Endothelial dysfunction is a critical factor during the initiation of atherosclerosis. Berberine has a beneficial effect on endothelial function; however, the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. In this study, we investigated the effects of berberine on lipopolysaccharide- (LPS-) induced apoptosis in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) and the molecular mechanisms mediating the effect. The effects of berberine on LPS-induced cell apoptosis and viability were measured with 5-ethynyl-2′-deoxyuridine staining, flow cytometry, and Cell Counting Kit-8 assays. The expression and/or activation of proapoptotic and antiapoptotic proteins or signaling pathways, including caspase-3, poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase, myeloid cell leukemia-1 (MCL-1), p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase, C-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK), and extracellular signal-regulated kinase, were determined with western blotting. The malondialdehyde levels, superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity, and production of proinflammatory cytokines were measured with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. The results demonstrated that berberine pretreatment protected HUVECs from LPS-induced apoptosis, attenuated LPS-induced injury, inhibited LPS-induced JNK phosphorylation, increased MCL-1 expression and SOD activity, and decreased proinflammatory cytokine production. The effects of berberine on LPS-treated HUVECs were prevented by SP600125, a JNK-specific inhibitor. Thus, berberine might be a potential candidate in the treatment of endothelial cell injury-related vascular diseases

Optimizing nitrogen application position to change root distribution in soil and regulate maize growth and yield formation in a wide–narrow row cropping system: pot and field experiments

The wide-and narrow-row cropping technology used for maize has the advantages of protecting cultivated soil and improving the population structure in maize fields. However, the relationship between nitrogen application position and root interactions has not been determined. Through pot and field experiments, we evaluated the effects of two nitrogen application positions ((narrow row nitrogen application (RC) and wide row nitrogen application (RN)) and two nitrogen application regimens ((high nitrogen(HN) and low nitrogen(LN)) on root growth and yield composition of wide-narrow row maize during the flowering and harvest stages. In field experiments, RC increased the biomass, length and surface area of competing roots (narrow-row roots, CR) at the flowering stage. The yield and agronomic efficiency of N(AEN) and partial factor productivity of N(PFPN) were increased by RN compared to RC under HN, However, the AEN under LN was significantly lower; There was no significant effect on maize growth and biomass allocation at the same level of application of N. At the flowering stage, the results of CR and non-competing roots (wide-row roots, NCR) was consistent under pot experiments and the field experiments, and the yield under RN was also higher than that under RC, although the difference was not significant. Furthermore, according to the principal component analysis and correlation analysis, the competing roots were the main factor influencing yield and AEN. In conclusion, our study showed that RN is a useful fertilization method to improve overall productivity. All in all, how roots coordinate neighbors and nitrogen spatial heterogeneity is a complex ecological process, and its trophic behavior deserves further study

Gene Expression Analysis Reveals Novel Gene Signatures Between Young and Old Adults in Human Prefrontal Cortex

Human neurons function over an entire lifetime, yet the molecular mechanisms which perform their functions and protecting against neurodegenerative disease during aging are still elusive. Here, we conducted a systematic study on the human brain aging by using the weighted gene correlation network analysis (WGCNA) method to identify meaningful modules or representative biomarkers for human brain aging. Significantly, 19 distinct gene modules were detected based on the dataset GSE53890; among them, six modules related to the feature of brain aging were highly preserved in diverse independent datasets. Interestingly, network feature analysis confirmed that the blue modules demonstrated a remarkably correlation with human brain aging progress. Besides, the top hub genes including PPP3CB, CAMSAP1, ACTR3B, and GNG3 were identified and characterized by high connectivity, module membership, or gene significance in the blue module. Furthermore, these genes were validated in mice of different ages. Mechanically, the potential regulators of blue module were investigated. These findings highlight an important role of the blue module and its affiliated genes in the control of normal brain aging, which may lead to potential therapeutic interventions for brain aging by targeting the hub genes

The synergized diagnostic value of VTQ with chemokine CXCL13 in lung tumors

Virtual Touch Tissue Quantification (VTQ) offers several advantages in the diagnosis of various lung diseases. Chemokine expression levels, such as CXCL13, play a vital role in the occurrence and development of tumors and aid in the diagnosis process. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the combined value of VTQ and changes in CXCL13 expression levels for the diagnosis of lung tumors. A total of 60 patients with thoracic nodules and pleural effusion were included, with 30 of them having malignant pleural effusion (based on pathology) and the remaining 30 having benign thoracic nodules and pleural effusion. The relative expression level of CXCL13 was measured in the collected pleural effusions using Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA). The relationship between CXCL13 expression levels and various clinical features was analyzed. A Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was conducted on the VTQ results and relative expression levels of CXCL13, and the areas under the curve, critical values, sensitivity, and specificity were calculated. Multivariate analysis incorporating multiple indicators was performed to determine the accuracy of lung tumor diagnosis. The results showed that the expression levels of CXCL13 and VTQ were significantly higher in the lung cancer group compared to the control group (P < 0.05). In the Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC) group, CXCL13 expression levels increased with later TNM staging and poorer tumor differentiation. The expression level of CXCL13 in adenocarcinoma was higher than that in squamous cell carcinoma. The ROC curve analysis revealed that CXCL13 had an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.74 (0.61, 0.86) with an optimal cut-off value of 777.82 pg/ml for diagnosing lung tumors. The ROC curve analysis of VTQ showed an AUC of 0.67 (0.53, 0.82) with a sensitivity of 60.0% and a specificity of 83.3%, and an optimal diagnostic cut-off of 3.33 m/s. The combination of CXCL13 and VTQ for diagnosing thoracic tumors had an AUC of 0.842 (0.74, 0.94), which was significantly higher than either factor alone. The results of the study demonstrate the strong potential of combining VTQ results with chemokine CXCL13 expression levels for lung tumor diagnosis. Additionally, the findings suggest that elevated relative expression of CXCL13 in cases of malignant pleural effusion caused by non-small cell lung cancer may indicate a poor prognosis. This provides promising potential for using CXCL13 as a screening tool and prognostic indicator for patients with advanced lung cancer complicated by malignant pleural effusion

Genomic analysis of the domestication and post-Spanish conquest evolution of the llama and alpaca

Background Despite their regional economic importance and being increasingly reared globally, the origins and evolution of the llama and alpaca remain poorly understood. Here we report reference genomes for the llama, and for the guanaco and vicuña (their putative wild progenitors), compare these with the published alpaca genome, and resequence seven individuals of all four species to better understand domestication and introgression between the llama and alpaca. Results Phylogenomic analysis confirms that the llama was domesticated from the guanaco and the alpaca from the vicuña. Introgression was much higher in the alpaca genome (36%) than the llama (5%) and could be dated close to the time of the Spanish conquest, approximately 500 years ago. Introgression patterns are at their most variable on the X-chromosome of the alpaca, featuring 53 genes known to have deleterious X-linked phenotypes in humans. Strong genome-wide introgression signatures include olfactory receptor complexes into both species, hypertension resistance into alpaca, and fleece/fiber traits into llama. Genomic signatures of domestication in the llama include male reproductive traits, while in alpaca feature fleece characteristics, olfaction-related and hypoxia adaptation traits. Expression analysis of the introgressed region that is syntenic to human HSA4q21, a gene cluster previously associated with hypertension in humans under hypoxic conditions, shows a previously undocumented role for PRDM8 downregulation as a potential transcriptional regulation mechanism, analogous to that previously reported at high altitude for hypoxia-inducible factor 1α. Conclusions The unprecedented introgression signatures within both domestic camelid genomes may reflect post-conquest changes in agriculture and the breakdown of traditional management practices

May Measurement Month 2018: a pragmatic global screening campaign to raise awareness of blood pressure by the International Society of Hypertension

Aims Raised blood pressure (BP) is the biggest contributor to mortality and disease burden worldwide and fewer than half of those with hypertension are aware of it. May Measurement Month (MMM) is a global campaign set up in 2017, to raise awareness of high BP and as a pragmatic solution to a lack of formal screening worldwide. The 2018 campaign was expanded, aiming to include more participants and countries. Methods and results Eighty-nine countries participated in MMM 2018. Volunteers (≥18 years) were recruited through opportunistic sampling at a variety of screening sites. Each participant had three BP measurements and completed a questionnaire on demographic, lifestyle, and environmental factors. Hypertension was defined as a systolic BP ≥140 mmHg or diastolic BP ≥90 mmHg, or taking antihypertensive medication. In total, 74.9% of screenees provided three BP readings. Multiple imputation using chained equations was used to impute missing readings. 1 504 963 individuals (mean age 45.3 years; 52.4% female) were screened. After multiple imputation, 502 079 (33.4%) individuals had hypertension, of whom 59.5% were aware of their diagnosis and 55.3% were taking antihypertensive medication. Of those on medication, 60.0% were controlled and of all hypertensives, 33.2% were controlled. We detected 224 285 individuals with untreated hypertension and 111 214 individuals with inadequately treated (systolic BP ≥ 140 mmHg or diastolic BP ≥ 90 mmHg) hypertension. Conclusion May Measurement Month expanded significantly compared with 2017, including more participants in more countries. The campaign identified over 335 000 adults with untreated or inadequately treated hypertension. In the absence of systematic screening programmes, MMM was effective at raising awareness at least among these individuals at risk