Spin-tensor Meissner currents of ultracold bosonic gas in an optical lattice

We investigate the Meissner currents of interacting bosons subjected to a staggered artificial gauge field in a three-leg ribbon geometry, realized by spin-tensor--momentum coupled spin-1 atoms in a 1D optical lattice. By calculating the current distributions using the state-of-the-art density-matrix renormalization-group method, we find a rich phase diagram containing interesting Meissner and vortex phases, where the currents are mirror symmetric with respect to the {\color{red}middle leg} (i.e., they flow in the same direction on the two boundary legs opposite to that on the middle leg), leading to the spin-tensor type Meissner currents, which is very different from previously observed chiral edge currents under uniform gauge field. The currents are uniform along each leg in the Meissner phase and form vortex-antivortex pairs in the vortex phase. Besides, the system also support a polarized phase that spontaneously breaks the mirror symmetry, whose ground states are degenerate with currents either uniform or forming vortex-antivortex pairs. We also discuss the experimental schemes for probing these phases. Our work provides useful guidance to ongoing experimental research on synthetic flux ribbons and paves the way for exploring novel many-body phenomena therein.Comment: 10 pages, 9 figure

The Content and Design of Chinese Media Groups' Corporate Websites: An Empirical Study

Corporate websites enable companies to communicate with a broad range of publics and address their different interests on sites respectively. Although corporate websites have existed for decades, there is hardly any simple standard or rules related to the content and design features. This dissertation has developed a framework to examine the corporate website of Chinese media groups. There are few researches on Chinese media groups, since they have been viewed as the apparatus of the government, but recent decades the nature of business has been highlighted. The framework differentiates website content features from design features. The content component addressing the different information needs of various stakeholders includes four dimensions. The design component contains usability, interactivity, security and credibility dimensions. This framework has been applied to examine the differences between four categories of Chinese media groups' corporate websites and between the corporate website of Chinese media groups and that of Western transnational media companies. The results of this research indicate that the distinctions of corporate websites between different categories of Chinese media groups are meaningful in five dimensions of content and design features, and the differences of sites between Chinese media groups and Western transnational media companies are very significant in four dimensions of content and design features

High expression of ubiquitin-conjugating enzyme 2C (UBE2C) correlates with nasopharyngeal carcinoma progression

BACKGROUND: Overexpression of ubiquitin-conjugating enzyme 2C (UBE2C) has been detected in many types of human cancers, and is correlated with tumor malignancy. However, the role of UBE2C in human nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is unclear. In this study, we investigated the role of aberrant UBE2C expression in the progression of human NPC. METHODS: Immunohistochemical analysis was performed to detect UBE2C protein in clinical samples of NPC and benign nasopharyngeal tissues, and the association of UBE2C expression with patient clinicopathological characteristics was analyzed. UBEC2 expression profiles were evaluated in cell lines representing varying differentiated stages of NPC and immortalized nasopharyngeal epithelia NP-69 cells using quantitative RT-PCR, western blotting and fluorescent staining. Furthermore, UBE2C was knocked down using RNA interference in these cell lines and proliferation and cell cycle distribution was investigated. RESULTS: Immunohistochemical analysis revealed that UBE2C protein expression levels were higher in NPC tissues than in benign nasopharyngeal tissues (P<0.001). Moreover, high UBE2C protein expression was positively correlated with tumor size (P=0.017), lymph node metastasis (P=0.016) and distant metastasis (P=0.015) in NPC patients. In vitro experiments demonstrated that UBE2C expression levels were inversely correlated with the degree of differentiation of NPC cell lines, whereas UBE2C displayed low level of expression in NP-69 cells. Knockdown of UBE2C led to significant arrest at the S and G2/M phases of the cell cycle, and decreased cell proliferation was observed in poorly-differentiated CNE2Z NPC cells and undifferentiated C666-1 cells, but not in well-differentiated CNE1 and immortalized NP-69 cells. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that high expression of UBE2C in human NPC is closely related to tumor malignancy, and may be a potential marker for NPC progression

Anti-PD-L1/TGF-βR fusion protein (SHR-1701) overcomes disrupted lymphocyte recovery-induced resistance to PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors in lung cancer

Background Second-generation programmed cell death-protein 1/programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-1/PD-L1) inhibitors, such as bintrafusp alfa (M7824), SHR-1701, and YM101, have been developed to simultaneously block PD-1/PD-L1 and transforming growth factor-beta/transforming growth factor-beta receptor (TGF-β/TGF-βR). Consequently, it is necessary to identify predictive factors of lung cancer patients who are not only resistant to PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors but also sensitive to bifunctional drugs. The purpose of this study was to search for such predictors. Methods Multivariable Cox regression was used to study the association between the clinical outcome of treatment with PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors and lymphocyte recovery after lymphopenia in lung cancer patients. Murine CMT167 lung cancer cells were engineered to express the firefly luciferase gene and implanted orthotopically in the lung of syngeneic mice. Bioluminescence imaging, flow cytometry, and immunohistochemistry were employed to determine response to immunotherapy and function of tumor-infiltrating immune cells. Results For lung cancer patients treated with anti-PD-1/PD-L1 antibodies, poor lymphocyte recovery was associated with a shorter progression-free survival (PFS; P < 0.001), an accumulation of regulatory T cells (Tregs), and an elimination of CD8+ T cells in the peripheral blood. Levels of CD8+ T cells and Treg cells were also imbalanced in the tumors and peripheral immune organs of mice with poor lymphocyte recovery after chemotherapy. Moreover, these mice failed to respond to anti-PD-1 antibodies but remained sensitive to the anti-PD-L1/TGF-βR fusion protein (SHR-1701). Consistently, SHR-1701 but not anti-PD-1 antibodies, markedly enhanced IFN-γ production and Ki-67 expression in peripheral CD8+ T cells from patients with impaired lymphocyte recovery. Conclusions Lung cancer patients with poor lymphocyte recovery and suffering from persistent lymphopenia after previous chemotherapy are resistant to anti-PD-1/PD-L1 antibodies but might be sensitive to second-generation agents such as SHR-1701.publishedVersio

Antiaging effects of dietary supplements and natural products

Aging is an inevitable process influenced by genetics, lifestyles, and environments. With the rapid social and economic development in recent decades, the proportion of the elderly has increased rapidly worldwide, and many aging-related diseases have shown an upward trend, including nervous system diseases, cardiovascular diseases, metabolic diseases, and cancer. The rising burden of aging-related diseases has become an urgent global health challenge and requires immediate attention and solutions. Natural products have been used for a long time to treat various human diseases. The primary cellular pathways that mediate the longevity-extending effects of natural products involve nutrient-sensing pathways. Among them, the sirtuin, AMP-activated protein kinase, mammalian target of rapamycin, p53, and insulin/insulin-like growth factor-1 signaling pathways are most widely studied. Several studies have reviewed the effects of individual natural compounds on aging and aging-related diseases along with the underlying mechanisms. Natural products from food sources, such as polyphenols, saponins, alkaloids, and polysaccharides, are classified as antiaging compounds that promote health and prolong life via various mechanisms. In this article, we have reviewed several recently identified natural products with potential antiaging properties and have highlighted their cellular and molecular mechanisms. The discovery and use of dietary supplements and natural products that can prevent and treat multiple aging-related diseases in humans will be beneficial. Thus, this review provides theoretical background for existing dietary supplements and natural products as potential antiaging agents

Transcriptome analysis of two pepper genotypes infected with pepper mild mottle virus

Pepper mild mottle virus (PMMoV) poses a significant threat to pepper production because it is highly contagious and extremely persistent in soil. Despite this threat, little is known about the molecular processes that underlie plant responses to pepper mild mottle virus. Here, we performed RNA sequencing of tolerant (“17-p63”) and susceptible (“16-217”) pepper genotypes after pepper mild mottle virus or mock inoculation. Viral accumulation in systemic leaves was lower in the pepper mild mottle virus-resistant 17-p63 genotype than in the pepper mild mottle virus-sensitive 16-217 genotype, and infection symptoms were more apparent in systemic leaves of 16-217 than in those of 17-p63 at the same timepoints during the infection process. We identified 2,959 and 2,159 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in systemic leaves of infected 16-217 and 17-p63, respectively. Through Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analysis of differentially expressed genes from both genotypes revealed significant enrichment of the MAPK signaling pathway, plant–pathogen interaction, and flavonoid biosynthesis. A number of differentially expressed genes showed opposite trends in relation to stress resistance and disease defense in the two genotypes. We also performed weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) of all samples and identified modules associated with resistance to pepper mild mottle virus, as well as seven hub genes. These results identify candidate virus resistance genes and provide insight into pepper defense mechanisms against pepper mild mottle virus

Pseudorabies gD protein protects mice and piglets against lethal doses of pseudorabies virus

IntroductionPseudorabies (PR) is a highly contagious viral disease caused by the pseudorabies virus (PRV), which can cause disease in a wide range of domestic and wild animals. Studies have shown that new mutant strains have emerged in pig farms in many regions and that commercial inactivated and live attenuated vaccines are becoming less effective at protecting pigs.MethodsPorcine pseudorabies glycoprotein D (gD) gene (GenBank: QEY95774.1) with hexa-His tag to the C terminus for further purification processes was cloned into the lentiviral expression plasmid pLV-CMV-eGFP by restriction enzyme, the resulting plasmid was designated as pLV-CMV-gD. HEK-293T cells with robust and stable expression of recombinant gD protein was established by infection with recombinant lentivirus vector pLV-CMV-gD. We expressed porcine pseudorabies virus gD protein using HEK-293T cells.ResultsWe describe in this study that individual gD proteins produced by a mammalian cell expression system are well immunogenic and stimulate high levels of PRV-specific and neutralizing antibodies in mice and piglets. All mice and piglets survived lethal doses of PRV, significantly reducing the amount of PRV virus in piglets’ lymph nodes, lungs, spleen, and other tissues. It also significantly reduced the time cycle and amount of viral excretion from piglets to the environment through the nasal and anal cavities.DiscussionThe results suggest that PRV gD protein is expected to be a potential candidate for the preparation of genetically engineered PR vaccines for the prevention of PRV infection and the control of PR epidemics