Integrated glycomic analysis of ovarian cancer side population cells

Additional file 2. The category of representative lectins for glycan profiling

Visualizing the thermoelectric origin of photocurrent flow in anisotropic semimetals

Photocurrent measurements are incisive probes of crystal symmetry, electronic band structure, and material interfaces. However, conventional scanning photocurrent microscopy (SPCM) convolves the processes for photocurrent generation and collection, which can obscure the intrinsic light-matter interaction. Here, by using ac magnetometry with a nitrogen-vacancy center spin ensemble, we demonstrate the high-sensitivity, sub-micron resolved imaging of vector photocurrent flow. Our imaging reveals that in anisotropic semimetals WTe2 and TaIrTe4, the photoexcited electron carriers propagate outward along the zigzag chains and inward perpendicular to the chains. This circulating pattern is explained by our theoretical modeling to emerge from an anisotropic photothermoelectric effect (APTE) caused by a direction-dependent thermopower. Through simultaneous SPCM and magnetic imaging, we directly visualize how local APTE photocurrents stimulate long-range photocurrents at symmetry-breaking edges and contacts. These results uniquely validate the Shockley-Ramo process for photocurrent collection in gapless materials and identify the overlooked APTE as the primary origin of robust photocurrents in anisotropic semimetal devices. Our work highlights quantum-enabled photocurrent flow microscopy as a clarifying perspective for complex optoelectronic phenomena.Comment: 16 pages, 4 main figures, 5 supporting figure

Diagnostic Significance of Serum IgG Galactosylation in CA19-9-Negative Pancreatic Carcinoma Patients

Background: Although Carbohydrate antigen 19-9 (CA19-9) is considered clinically useful and informative for pancreatic carcinoma (PC), false positive results, and false negative results have restricted its clinical use. Especially missed or delayed diagnosis of PC patients with negative CA19-9 value limited the utility. To improve prognosis of PC patients, the discovery of reliable biomarkers to assist CA19-9 is desired. Serum IgG galactosylation based on our previous report was altered in PC patients comparing to healthy controls. The objective of this study was to explore the diagnostic significance of IgG galactosylation in assisting CA19-9 for PC in a comprehensive way.Methods: Serum IgG galactosylation profiles were analyzed by MALDI-MS in cohort 1 (n = 252) and cohort 2 in which all CA19-9 levels were negative (n = 133). In each cohort, not only healthy controls and PC patients but also benign pancreatic disease (BPD) patients were enrolled. Peaks were acquired by the software of MALDI-MS sample acquisition, followed by being processed and analyzed by the software of Progenesis MALDI. IgG Gal-ratio, which was calculated from the relative intensity of peaks G0, G1, and G2 according to the formula (G0/(G1+G2×2)), was employed as an index for indicating the distribution of IgG galactosylation.Results: The Gal-ratio was elevated in PC comparing with that in non-cancer group (healthy controls and BPD). The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) of IgG Gal-ratio was higher than that of CA19-9 (0.912 vs. 0.814). The performance was further improved when Gal-ratio and CA19-9 were combined (AUC: 0.928). Meanwhile, Gal-ratio also had great diagnostic value with a sensitivity of 92.31% (AUC: 0.883) in detection of PC at early stage. Notably, IgG Gal-ratio has great sensitivity (90.63%) and specificity (76.81%) in CA19-9-negative PC patients.Conclusions: IgG Gal-ratio had a great performance in detection of PC and could be used to assist CA19-9 in improving diagnosis performance through early stage detection, differentiation from BPD, and PC diagnosis with CA19-9-negative level

Production of Native Bispecific Antibodies in Rabbits

BACKGROUND: A natural bispecific antibody, which can be produced by exchanging Fab arms of two IgG4 molecules, was first described in allergic patients receiving therapeutic injections with two distinct allergens. However, no information has been published on the production of natural bispecific antibody in animals. Even more important, establishment of an animal model is a useful approach to investigate and characterize the naturally occurring antibody. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: We demonstrated that a natural bispecific antibody can also be generated in New Zealand white rabbits by immunization with synthesized conjugates. These antibodies showed bispecificity to the components that were simultaneously used to immunize the animals. We observed a trend in our test animals that female rabbits exhibited stronger bispecific antibody responses than males. The bispecific antibody was monomeric and primarily belonged to immunoglobulin (Ig) G. Moreover, bispecific antibodies were demonstrated by mixing 2 purified monospecific antibodies in vivo and in vitro. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: Our results extend the context of natural bispecific antibodies on the basis of bispecific IgG4, and may provide insights into the exploration of native bispecific antibodies in immunological diseases

Roadmap on Li-ion battery manufacturing research

Growth in the Li-ion battery market continues to accelerate, driven primarily by the increasing need for economic energy storage for electric vehicles. Electrode manufacture by slurry casting is the first main step in cell production but much of the manufacturing optimisation is based on trial and error, know-how and individual expertise. Advancing manufacturing science that underpins Li-ion battery electrode production is critical to adding to the electrode manufacturing value chain. Overcoming the current barriers in electrode manufacturing requires advances in materials, manufacturing technology, in-line process metrology and data analytics, and can enable improvements in cell performance, quality, safety and process sustainability. In this roadmap we explore the research opportunities to improve each stage of the electrode manufacturing process, from materials synthesis through to electrode calendering. We highlight the role of new process technology, such as dry processing, and advanced electrode design supported through electrode level, physics-based modelling. Progress in data driven models of electrode manufacturing processes is also considered. We conclude there is a growing need for innovations in process metrology to aid fundamental understanding and to enable feedback control, an opportunity for electrode design to reduce trial and error, and an urgent imperative to improve the sustainability of manufacture

Roadmap on Li-ion battery manufacturing research

Growth in the Li-ion battery market continues to accelerate, driven by increasing need for economic energy storage in the electric vehicle market. Electrode manufacture is the first main step in production and in an industry dominated by slurry casting, much of the manufacturing process is based on trial and error, know-how and individual expertise. Advancing manufacturing science that underpins Li-ion battery electrode production is critical to adding value to the electrode manufacturing value chain. Overcome the current barriers in the electrode manufacturing requires advances in material innovation, manufacturing technology, in-line process metrology and data analytics to improve cell performance, quality, safety and process sustainability. In this roadmap we present where fundamental research can impact advances in each stage of the electrode manufacturing process from materials synthesis to electrode calendering. We also highlight the role of new process technology such as dry processing and advanced electrode design supported through electrode level, physics-based modelling. To compliment this, the progresses in data driven models of full manufacturing processes is reviewed. For all the processes we describe, there is a growing need process metrology, not only to aid fundamental understanding but also to enable true feedback control of the manufacturing process. It is our hope this roadmap will contribute to this rapidly growing space and provide guidance and inspiration to academia and industry

Ultracompact and low-power-consumption silicon thermo-optic switch for high-speed data

Ultracompact and low-power-consumption optical switches are desired for high-performance telecommunication networks and data centers. Here, we demonstrate an on-chip power-efficient 2 × 2 thermo-optic switch unit by using a suspended photonic crystal nanobeam structure. A submilliwatt switching power of 0.15 mW is obtained with a tuning efficiency of 7.71 nm/mW in a compact footprint of 60 μm × 16 μm. The bandwidth of the switch is properly designed for a four-level pulse amplitude modulation signal with a 124 Gb/s raw data rate. To the best of our knowledge, the proposed switch is the most power-efficient resonator-based thermo-optic switch unit with the highest tuning efficiency and data ever reported

TLR4 promoter rs1927914 variant contributes to the susceptibility of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma in the Chinese population

Background Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4), as a key regulator of both innate and acquired immunity, has been linked with the development of various cancers, including esophageal cancer. This study aims to analyze the association of potential functional genetic polymorphisms in TLR4 with the risk of esophageal cancer. Methods This case-control study involved in 480 ESCC patients and 480 health controls. Polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) was used to genotype TLR4 rs1927914 polymorphism. Taqman probe method was used to determine the genotypes of TLR4 rs11536891 and rs7873784 variants. The relationship between TLR4 genetic variation and ESCC risk was analyzed by Logistic regression model by calculating the odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (95% CI). Results Compared with TLR4 rs1927914 AA genotype carriers, GG carriers had a lower ESCC risk (OR = 0.59, 95% CI [0.38–0.93], P = 0.023). Stratification analysis by age showed that TLR4 rs1927914 GG could affect the risk of ESCC in elderly people (OR = 0.59, 95% CI [0.36–0.97]). Smoking stratification analysis indicated that rs1927914 GG carriers were related to ESCC susceptibility among non-smokers (OR = 0.36, 95% CI [0.18–0.73]). Dual luciferase reporter assay suggested that rs1927914 G-containing TLR4 promoter displayed a 1.76-fold higher luciferase activity than rs1927914 A-containing counterpart in KYSE30 cells. Electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA) showed the KYSE30 cell nuclear extract was able to bind the probe with rs1927914 G allele and this DNA-protein interaction could be eliminated by competition assays with unlabeled rs1927914 G probe, which indicating that the binding is sequence-specific. Our results also showed that TLR4 rs7873784 (G>C) and rs11536891 (T>C) conformed to complete genetic linkage. The genotype distributions of TLR4 rs11536891 variant among ESCC patients and normal controls have no statistical significance. Conclusion The TLR4 rs1927914 variant contributes to the ESCC risk by effecting the promoter activity

Selenium Dioxide–Mediated Synthesis of Fused 1,2,4-Triazoles as Cytotoxic Agents

<div><p></p><p>A series of fused 1,2,4-triazoles has been prepared by oxidative intramolecular cyclization of heterocyclic hydrazones with selenium dioxide. General applicability of this practical protocol was confirmed by the synthesis of moderate to high yields of 1,2,4-triazolo[4,3-<i>a</i>]pyridines, 1,2,4-triazolo[4,3-<i>a</i>]pyrimidines, 1,2,4-triazolo[4,3-<i>a</i>]pyramidines and 1,2,4-triazolo-[4,3-<i>a</i>]quinoxa lines. All compounds were tested in vitro for their cytotoxic activity against HCT-116, A549 and Colo-205 cell lines. Two compounds, 3-(4-methoxyphenyl)-7-methyl-[1,2,4]triazolo[4,3-<i>a</i>]pyridine and 1-(4-methoxyphenyl)-[1,2,4]triazolo[4,3-<i>a</i>]quinoxaline, showed potent antiproliferative activity against the three cell lines.</p></div