Graphical Nonbinary Quantum Error-Correcting Codes

In this paper, based on the nonbinary graph state, we present a systematic way of constructing good non-binary quantum codes, both additive and nonadditive, for systems with integer dimensions. With the help of computer search, which results in many interesting codes including some nonadditive codes meeting the Singleton bounds, we are able to construct explicitly four families of optimal codes, namely, $[[6,2,3]]_p$, $[[7,3,3]]_p$, $[[8,2,4]]_p$ and $[[8,4,3]]_p$ for any odd dimension $p$ and a family of nonadditive code $((5,p,3))_p$ for arbitrary $p>3$. In the case of composite numbers as dimensions, we also construct a family of stabilizer codes $((6,2\cdot p^2,3))_{2p}$ for odd $p$, whose coding subspace is {\em not} of a dimension that is a power of the dimension of the physical subsystem.Comment: 12 pages, 5 figures (pdf

Crystal structure and biochemical analyses reveal Beclin 1 as a novel membrane binding protein

The Beclin 1 gene is a haplo-insufficient tumor suppressor and plays an essential role in autophagy. However, the molecular mechanism by which Beclin 1 functions remains largely unknown. Here we report the crystal structure of the evolutionarily conserved domain (ECD) of Beclin 1 at 1.6 Å resolution. Beclin 1 ECD exhibits a previously unreported fold, with three structural repeats arranged symmetrically around a central axis. Beclin 1 ECD defines a novel class of membrane-binding domain, with a strong preference for lipid membrane enriched with cardiolipin. The tip of a surface loop in Beclin 1 ECD, comprising three aromatic amino acids, acts as a hydrophobic finger to associate with lipid membrane, consequently resulting in the deformation of membrane and liposomes. Mutation of these aromatic residues rendered Beclin 1 unable to stably associate with lipid membrane in vitro and unable to fully rescue autophagy in Beclin 1-knockdown cells in vivo. These observations form an important framework for deciphering the biological functions of Beclin 1

Vertically oriented MoS

Molybdenum disulfide (MoS2), a typical two-dimensional transition metal dichalcogenides, is a promising candidate for electrochemical water splitting catalysis due to its ultrahigh special area and highly exposed active edge sites. The main challenges restricted the wider application for MoS2-based nanomaterials are the complex preparation process and the high overpotential. Here, we design a novel and facile sealed vessel to synthesize vertical oriented MoS2 nanosheets electrocatalyst with vast exposed edges. Benefiting from the unique vertically-oriented structural and compositional characteristics, the MoS2 nanosheets with 10-20 layers exhibits superior hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) performance with a small overpotential of 135.2 mV at a current density of 10 mA∙cm-2 and low Tafel slope of 82.5 mV∙dec-1 as well as extraordinary catalytic stability over 5000 cycles. Importantly, the sealed vessel reactor system may open up a versatile and potential synthetic way to construct various morphologies and structure of metal dichalcogenides for high-performance energy storage and conversions devices

Macroporous Directed and Interconnected Carbon Architectures Endow Amorphous Silicon Nanodots as Low-Strain and Fast-Charging Anode for Lithium-Ion Batteries

Highlights MPCF@VG@SiNDs/C, constructed by uniformly dispersing amorphous Si nanodots in carbon nanospheres that are welded on the wall of the macroporous carbon frameworks by vertical graphene, is synthesized and has achieved a few kilogram production per batch. Finite element imitation reveals that amorphous Si nanodots with high dispersity in carbon nanosphere can achieve ultra-low stress and strain values during lithiation. Unique low-strain property and fast-charging capability are achieved under industrial electrode conditions

Visual Measurement of Fumonisin B₁ with Bipolar Electrodes Array-Based Electrochemiluminescence Biosensor

Fumonisin B1 (FB1) is a toxin produced by the metabolism of Fusarium oxysporum, which can cause serious effects on the nervous, respiratory, digestive, and reproductive systems of humans or animals; it is known as one of the highly toxic epidemic contaminants. Herein, we report the visual inspection of FB1 using bipolar electrodes (BPEs) with an array-based electrochemiluminescence (ECL) platform. The sensor consists of a PDMS cover and a glass substrate containing an array of 10 ITO electrodes. A specific sensing interface was constructed on the cathode of the BPE, which could modulate the ECL reactions that occurred at the anode of BPEs. To amplify the ECL signal, methylene blue (MB)-encapsulated Zr-MOFs (MB@Zr-MOFs) were synthesized and immobilized on the cathode of the BPE, which could amplify the ECL signal at the anode. By coupling the cyclic amplification effect of the DNA walker and nicking endonuclease (Nb.BbvCI), the biosensor can realize the visual measurement of FB1 in the range of 5 × 10−5~0.5 ng/mL. In addition, the developed biosensor was used to monitor the concentration of FB1 in maize and peanut samples. The recoveries were in the range of 99.2%~110.6%, which demonstrated the good accuracy of the designed BPE-ECL biosensor for FB1 assay in food samples

A critical review of cast-off crab shell recycling from the perspective of functional and versatile biomaterials

Shellfish cultivation is an expanding economic activity worldwide. However, the rapid development of crab farming and processing result in a large number of crab shells (CS). Utilizing CS could not only benefit the environment and economy but also promote the sustainable development of aquaculture. In this work, it reviews and analyzes recent attempts in CS recycling, including extracting chitin and its derivatives, for use as adsorbent and flocculant and for preparing polymer composites and catalysts, as well as medical applications. The challenges in these utilizations are discussed, and future research directions are proposed as well. Extracting chitin and its derivates, for use as adsorbent and flocculant, are recent major recycling approaches. Preparing polymer composites and carbon materials has gained more and more attentions. Biotechnology is an alternative method for extracting chitin and its derivates from CS, and high-efficiency desalted and deproteinized bacteria need to be screened. Immobilizing the CS-based adsorbents is the key of treating wastewater in continuous systems. Using CS as a biofiller to prepare polymer composites is promising, and surface modification to improve the interfacial compatibility between CS-based fillers and matrix needs to be further studied

Overexpression of CLC-3 is regulated by XRCC5 and is a poor prognostic biomarker for gastric cancer

Abstract Background Recently, many potential prognostic biomarkers for gastric cancer (GC) have been identified, but the prognosis of advanced GC patients remains poor. Chloride channels are promising cancer biomarkers, and their family member chloride channel-3 (CLC-3) is involved in multiple biological behaviors. However, whether CLC-3 is a prognostic biomarker for GC patients is rarely reported. The molecular mechanisms by which CLC-3 is regulated in GC are unclear. Methods The expression of CLC-3 and XRCC5 in human specimens was analyzed using immunohistochemistry. The primary biological functions and pathways related to CLC-3 were enriched by RNA sequencing. A 5′-biotin-labeled DNA probe with a promoter region between − 248 and + 226 was synthesized to pull down CLC-3 promoter-binding proteins. Functional studies were detected by MTS, clone formation, wound scratch, transwell, and xenograft mice model. Mechanistic studies were investigated by streptavidin-agarose-mediated DNA pull-down, mass spectrometry, ChIP, dual-luciferase reporter assay system, Co-IP, and immunofluorescence. Results The results showed that CLC-3 was overexpressed in human GC tissues and that overexpression of CLC-3 was a poor prognostic biomarker for GC patients (P = 0.012). Furthermore, higher expression of CLC-3 was correlated with deeper tumor invasion (P = 0.006) and increased lymph node metastasis (P = 0.016), and knockdown of CLC-3 inhibited cell proliferation and migration in vitro. In addition, X-ray repair cross-complementing 5 (XRCC5) was identified as a CLC-3 promoter-binding protein, and both CLC-3 (HR 1.671; 95% CI 1.012–2.758; P = 0.045) and XRCC5 (HR 1.795; 95% CI 1.076–2.994; P = 0.025) were prognostic factors of overall survival in GC patients. The in vitro and in vivo results showed that the expression and function of CLC-3 were inhibited after XRCC5 knockdown, and the inhibition effects were rescued by CLC-3 overexpression. Meanwhile, the expression and function of CLC-3 were promoted after XRCC5 overexpression, and the promotion effects were reversed by the CLC-3 knockdown. The mechanistic study revealed that knockdown of XRCC5 suppressed the binding of XRCC5 to the CLC-3 promoter and subsequent promoter activity, thus regulating CLC-3 expression at the transcriptional level by interacting with PARP1. Conclusions Our findings indicate that overexpression of CLC-3 is regulated by XRCC5 and is a poor prognostic biomarker for gastric cancer. Double targeting CLC-3 and XRCC5 may provide the promising therapeutic potential for GC treatment