Quiver Bundles and Wall Crossing for Chains

Holomorphic chains on a Riemann surface arise naturally as fixed points of the natural C*-action on the moduli space of Higgs bundles. In this paper we associate a new quiver bundle to the Hom-complex of two chains, and prove that stability of the chains implies stability of this new quiver bundle. Our approach uses the Hitchin-Kobayashi correspondence for quiver bundles. Moreover, we use our result to give a new proof of a key lemma on chains (due to \'Alvarez-C\'onsul, Garc\'ia-Prada and Schmitt), which has been important in the study of Higgs bundle moduli; this proof relies on stability and thus avoids the direct use of the chain vortex equations

Dissecting the Kinetic Process of Amyloid Fiber Formation through Asymptotic Analysis

Amyloids are insoluble fibrous protein aggregates which, when abnormally accumulated in the body, can result in amyloidosis and various neurodegenerative diseases. In this work, we describe a new approach to the asymptotic solution of the master equation of amyloid fiber aggregations. It is found that four distinct and successive stages (lag phase, exponential growth phase, breaking phase, and static phase) dominate the fiber formation process. On the basis of the distinctive power-law dependence of the half-time and apparent growth rate of the fiber formation on the initial protein concentration, we propose a novel classification for amyloid proteins theoretically

Hypoglycemia caused by co-secretion of insulin from lung tumor and cardia cancer: first case report

<div><p>ABSTRACT CONTEXT: Non-islet-cell-tumor-induced hypoglycemia (NICTH) is caused on rare occasions by secretion of insulin from tumor cells that are reported to have a single tissue origin. CASE REPORT: A 67-year-old male patient had cardia adenocarcinoma and concomitant lung adenocarcinoma with extensive metastases and repeated episodes of intractable hypoglycemia. Immunohistochemical staining for insulin showed that lung adenocarcinoma stained positive and gastric cardia adenocarcinoma stained weakly positive. These results indicate that tumor cells of different tissue origins co-secreted insulin. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first report on intractable hypoglycemia due to co-secretion of insulin from two kinds of primary tumor cells in a single patient.</p></div

The Effects of 17-beta Estradiol on Enhancing Proliferation of Human Bone Marrow Mesenchymal Stromal Cells In Vitro

Human bone marrow mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) with self-renewal and multiple differentiation potentials are considered a possible cell source for tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. However, the limited amount of MSCs in bone marrow and the loss of differentiation capacity following in vitro expansion restrict their practical application. Effective improvement of MSC proliferation is necessary for the clinical application of MSC-based tissue engineering. The effects of estrogen supplements on proliferation and characterizations of human MSCs were investigated at the present study. Supplements of 17-beta estradiol (E2) significantly increase the proliferation of human MSCs in vitro. The dose range of E2 to significantly increase MSC proliferation differs in the gender of MSC donor. E2 supplementation in cell proliferation maintains characterizations of MSCs, including cell surface markers, and osteogenic and adipogenic differentiation capacities. These data indicate that estrogen treatment can play an important role in improving human MSCs' expansion in vitro, which will effectively facilitate MSCs' function in the practical application of tissue engineering and regeneration

Table_1_Variations in olfactory function among bipolar disorder patients with different episodes and subtypes.pdf

PurposeMost studies on olfactory function in individuals with bipolar disorder (BD) have not distinguished between the different subtypes or between the acute phase (mania or depression) and euthymic state. In this study, we compared olfactory function among BD patients with different subtypes and episodes to explore the potential use of olfactory function as a biomarker for the early identification of BD.Patients and methodsThe study sample consisted of 117 BD patients who were hospitalized between April 2019 and June 2019, and 47 healthy volunteers as controls. The BD patients were divided into a bipolar I disorder (BD I) (n = 86) and bipolar II disorder (BD II) group (n = 31) according to the different subtypes, and divided into depressive BD (n = 36), manic BD (n = 44), or euthymic BD (n = 37) groups according to the types of episodes they experienced. We assessed olfactory sensitivity (OS) and olfactory identification (OI) via the Sniffin’ Sticks test and used the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAMD) and Young Manic Rating Scale (YMRS) to evaluate BD characteristics among all subjects.ResultsCompared with controls, the participants with BD showed decreased OS and OI. We found statistically significant differences in OS and OI between the BD I group and controls, as well as differences in OS between the BD I and BD II group. Least-significant difference multiple comparisons revealed statistically significant differences in OS between the depressive BD group, manic BD group and controls and also between the manic BD and euthymic BD group. OI was positively correlated with the YMRS score in the BD I group and OS was negatively correlated with the HAMD score in the BD II group.ConclusionThis may be the first study to compare olfactory function in patients with BD I vs. BD II via pairwise comparisons. Our findings suggest that OS may have potential as a biomarker for distinguishing the different subtypes of BD and as a state-related biomarker for differentiating the acute phase from the euthymic state of BD. However, further prospective research is warranted.</p

Table_2_Variations in olfactory function among bipolar disorder patients with different episodes and subtypes.pdf

PurposeMost studies on olfactory function in individuals with bipolar disorder (BD) have not distinguished between the different subtypes or between the acute phase (mania or depression) and euthymic state. In this study, we compared olfactory function among BD patients with different subtypes and episodes to explore the potential use of olfactory function as a biomarker for the early identification of BD.Patients and methodsThe study sample consisted of 117 BD patients who were hospitalized between April 2019 and June 2019, and 47 healthy volunteers as controls. The BD patients were divided into a bipolar I disorder (BD I) (n = 86) and bipolar II disorder (BD II) group (n = 31) according to the different subtypes, and divided into depressive BD (n = 36), manic BD (n = 44), or euthymic BD (n = 37) groups according to the types of episodes they experienced. We assessed olfactory sensitivity (OS) and olfactory identification (OI) via the Sniffin’ Sticks test and used the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAMD) and Young Manic Rating Scale (YMRS) to evaluate BD characteristics among all subjects.ResultsCompared with controls, the participants with BD showed decreased OS and OI. We found statistically significant differences in OS and OI between the BD I group and controls, as well as differences in OS between the BD I and BD II group. Least-significant difference multiple comparisons revealed statistically significant differences in OS between the depressive BD group, manic BD group and controls and also between the manic BD and euthymic BD group. OI was positively correlated with the YMRS score in the BD I group and OS was negatively correlated with the HAMD score in the BD II group.ConclusionThis may be the first study to compare olfactory function in patients with BD I vs. BD II via pairwise comparisons. Our findings suggest that OS may have potential as a biomarker for distinguishing the different subtypes of BD and as a state-related biomarker for differentiating the acute phase from the euthymic state of BD. However, further prospective research is warranted.</p

Temperature-Dependent Current–Voltage and Photoresponsive Properties for Semiconducting Nanodevices Fabricated from an Oligothiazole Dithiol and Gold Nanoparticles

A rigid oligothiazole dithiol molecule (<b>3</b>) is first introduced to fabricate the self-assembled granular thin films with gold nanoparticles (Au-NPs) covering 1 μm gap gold electrodes by means of the Au–S bonded contacts, where the nanocomposite thin films prepared from different concentrations of dithiol <b>3</b> and Au-NPs (1.0, 0.5, and 0.1 mmol/L) exhibit temperature-dependent semiconducting <i>I</i>–<i>V</i> behavior in the order of μA, nA, and pA and photoresponsive properties in the temperature range 8–300 K. Compared with the nanodevices fabricated from similar oligothiophene dithiols, it is interesting to mention that the oligothiazole dithiol based ones show analogous morphologies and temperature-dependent <i>I</i>–<i>V</i> characteristics but enhanced photoresponsvie properties, which may arise from the improved charge separation ability of oligothiazole in stabilizing the photogenerated electron carriers. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report in which an oligothiazole dithiol molecule acts as a bridging unit to link Au-NPs exhibiting photoresponse properties in the solid state

Temperature-Dependent Current–Voltage and Photoresponsive Properties for Semiconducting Nanodevices Fabricated from an Oligothiazole Dithiol and Gold Nanoparticles

A rigid oligothiazole dithiol molecule (<b>3</b>) is first introduced to fabricate the self-assembled granular thin films with gold nanoparticles (Au-NPs) covering 1 μm gap gold electrodes by means of the Au–S bonded contacts, where the nanocomposite thin films prepared from different concentrations of dithiol <b>3</b> and Au-NPs (1.0, 0.5, and 0.1 mmol/L) exhibit temperature-dependent semiconducting <i>I</i>–<i>V</i> behavior in the order of μA, nA, and pA and photoresponsive properties in the temperature range 8–300 K. Compared with the nanodevices fabricated from similar oligothiophene dithiols, it is interesting to mention that the oligothiazole dithiol based ones show analogous morphologies and temperature-dependent <i>I</i>–<i>V</i> characteristics but enhanced photoresponsvie properties, which may arise from the improved charge separation ability of oligothiazole in stabilizing the photogenerated electron carriers. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report in which an oligothiazole dithiol molecule acts as a bridging unit to link Au-NPs exhibiting photoresponse properties in the solid state

<i>miR-200c</i> delivered using PEI nanoparticles inhibits IL-6, IL-8, and CCL-5 in primary human periodontal ligament fibroblasts.

<p><b>A-C</b>: The transcripts of IL-6 (<b>A</b>), IL-8 (<b>B</b>), and CCL-5 (<b>C</b>) in the cells with <i>miR-200c</i> or empty vector cultured in DMEM supplemented with LPS after 24 hours; <b>D</b> and <b>E</b>: the amounts of IL-6 (<b>D</b>), IL-8 (<b>E</b>), and CCL-5 (<b>F</b>) secreted by the cells with miR-200c or empty vector cultured in DMEM supplemented with LPS after 12 and 32 hrs, respectively. *: p<0.05 vs empty vector with the same amount.</p

Intracellular delivery of <i>miR-200c</i> using PEI nanoparticles to human primary periodontal ligament fibroblasts and bone marrow MSCs.

<p><b>A</b>: TEM image of PEI-<i>miR-200c</i> nanoplexes. <b>B</b> and <b>C:</b> Fold change of the transcript of <i>miR-200c</i> in non-treated human periodontal ligament fibroblasts (<b>B</b>) and bone marrow MSCs (<b>C</b>) and the cells transfected with empty vector (EV) (10μg/per well) and <i>miR-200c</i> (1, 5, 10μg/per well).</p