Stable nontrivial Z2 topology in ultrathin Bi (111) films: a first-principles study

Recently, there have been intense efforts in searching for new topological insulator (TI) materials. Based on first-principles calculations, we find that all the ultrathin Bi (111) films are characterized by a nontrivial Z2 number independent of the film thickness, without the odd-even oscillation of topological triviality as commonly perceived. The stable nontrivial Z2 topology is retained by the concurrent band gap inversions at multiple time-reversal-invariant k-points and associated with the intermediate inter-bilayer coupling of the multi-bilayer Bi film. Our calculations further indicate that the presence of metallic surface states in thick Bi(111) films can be effectively removed by surface adsorption.Comment: 5 pages, 3 figure

Divergence in Eco-Physiological Responses to Drought Mirrors the Distinct Distribution of Chamerion angustifolium Cytotypes in the Himalaya–Hengduan Mountains Region

Polyploid species generally occupy harsher habitats (characterized by cold, drought and/or high altitude) than diploids, but the converse was observed for Chamerion angustifolium, in which diploid plants generally inhabit higher altitudes than their polyploid derivatives. Plants at high altitudes may experience cold-induced water stress, and we therefore examined the physiological responses of diploid and hexaploid C. angustifolium to water stress to better understand the ecological differentiation of plants with different ploidy levels. We conducted a common garden experiment by subjecting seedlings of different ploidy levels to low, moderate and severe water stress. Fourteen indicators of physiological fitness were measured, and the anatomical characteristics of the leaves of each cytotype were determined. Both cytotypes were influenced by drought, and diploids exhibited higher fitness in terms of constant root:shoot ratio (R:S ratio) and maximum quantum yield of PSⅡ (Fv/Fm), less reduced maximal photosynthetic rate (Amax), transpiration rate (E), intercellular CO2 concentration (Ci) and stomatal conductance (gs), and higher long-term water use efficiency (WUEL) under severe water stress than did hexaploids. Analysis of leaf anatomy revealed morphological adjustments for tolerating water deficiency in diploids, in the form of closely packed mesophyll cells and small conduits in the midvein. Our results indicate that diploid C. angustifolium is more tolerant of drought than hexaploid plants, ensuring the successful survival of the diploid at high altitudes. This eco-physiological divergence may facilitate the species with different cytotypes to colonize new and large geographic ranges with heterogeneous environmental conditions

Theoretical study of the open-flavor tetraquark Tcsˉ(2900)T_{c\bar{s}}(2900) in the process Λb→K0D0Λ\Lambda_b\to K^0D^0\Lambda

Recently, the LHCb Collaboration has measured the processes $B^0\to\bar{D}^0D_s^+\pi^-$ and $B^+\to\bar{D}^0D_s^+\pi^+$, where the $D_s^+\pi^-$ and $D_s^+\pi^+$ invariant mass distributions show the significant signals of two new open-flavor tetraquark states $T_{c\bar{s}}(2900)^0$ and $T_{c\bar{s}}(2900)^{++}$, as the two of the isospin triplet. In this work, we have investigated the process $\Lambda_b\to K^0D^0\Lambda$ by taking into account the intermediate nucleon resonance $N^*(1535)$ and the tetraquark state $T_{c\bar{s}}(2900)^0$, which could be dynamically generated by the interactions of the $D^*K^*/D^*_s\rho$ and the pseoduscalar mesons-octet baryons, respectively. Our results show that a clear peak of the open-flavor tetraquark $T_{c\bar{s}}(2900)$ may appear in the $K^0D^0$ invariant mass distribution of the process $\Lambda_b\to K^0D^0\Lambda$, which could be tested by future experiments.Comment: 9 pages, 11 figures, 1 tabl

β-AR Blockers Suppresses ER Stress in Cardiac Hypertrophy and Heart Failure

Long-term β-adrenergic receptor (β-AR) blockade reduces mortality in patients with heart failure. Chronic sympathetic hyperactivity in heart failure causes sustained β-AR activation, and this can deplete Ca(2+) in endoplasmic reticulum (ER) leading to ER stress and subsequent apoptosis. We tested the effect of β-AR blockers on ER stress pathway in experimental model of heart failure.ER chaperones were markedly increased in failing hearts of patients with end-stage heart failure. In Sprague-Dawley rats, cardiac hypertrophy and heart failure was induced by abdominal aortic constriction or isoproterenol subcutaneous injection. Oral β-AR blockers treatment was performed in therapy groups. Cardiac remodeling and left ventricular function were analyzed in rats failing hearts. After 4 or 8 weeks of banding, rats developed cardiac hypertrophy and failure. Cardiac expression of ER chaperones was significantly increased. Similar to the findings above, sustained isoproterenol infusion for 2 weeks induced cardiac hypertrophy and failure with increased ER chaperones and apoptosis in hearts. β-AR blockers treatment markedly attenuated these pathological changes and reduced ER stress and apoptosis in failing hearts. On the other hand, β-AR agonist isoproterenol induced ER stress and apoptosis in cultured cardiomyocytes. β-AR blockers largely prevented ER stress and protected myocytes against apoptosis. And β-AR blockade significantly suppressed the overactivation of CaMKII in isoproterenol-stimulated cardiomyocytes and failing hearts in rats.Our results demonstrated that ER stress occurred in failing hearts and this could be reversed by β-AR blockade. Alleviation of ER stress may be an important mechanism underlying the therapeutic effect of β-AR blockers on heart failure

Effect of Puerarin Regulated mTOR Signaling Pathway in Experimental Liver Injury

It is known that excessive hepatocellular apoptosis is a typical characteristic of hepatic disease, and is regulated by the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling pathway. As the main active component of Kudzu (Pueraria lobata) roots, which is frequently used to treat hepatic diseases, Puerarin (Pue) has been reported to alleviate and protect against hepatic injury. However, it is unclear whether Pue can inhibit mTOR signaling to prevent excessive apoptosis in the treatment of hepatic diseases. In the present study, Pue effectively ameliorated pathological injury of the liver, decreased serum enzyme (ALT, AST, γ-GT, AKP, DBIL, and TBIL) levels, regulated the balance between pro-inflammatory (TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-4, IL-6, and TGF-β1) and anti-inflammatory cytokines (IL-10), restored the cell cycle and inhibited hepatocellular apoptosis and caspase-3 expression in rats with liver injury induced by 2-AAF/PH. Pue inhibited p-mTOR, p-AKT and Raptor activity, and increased Rictor expression in the liver tissues of rats with experimental liver injury. These results indicated that Pue effectively regulated the activation of mTOR signaling pathway in the therapeutic and prophylactic process of Pue on experimental liver injury

6,6′-Dihydr­oxy-2,2′-[(pentane-1,5-diyl­dioxy)bis­(nitrilo­methyl­idyne)]diphenol

The mol­ecule of the title compound, C19H22N2O6, assumes a W-shaped configuration with the dihedral angle between the two halves of the mol­ecule being 82.48 (5)°. There is one half-mol­ecule in the asymmetric unit with a crystallographic twofold rotation axis passing through the central C atom of the five methylene groups in the [—CH=N—O—(CH2)5—O—N=CH—] bridge. The dihedral angle formed by the two benzene rings in each mol­ecule of the title compound is 84.18 (4)°. There are strong intra­molecular O—H⋯N and O—H⋯O hydrogen bonds and weak inter­molecular π–π stacking inter­actions between neighbouring benzene rings, and the inter­molecular plane-to-plane distances are 3.488 (2) and 3.841 (3) Å along the b and c axes, respectively. In the crystal structure, inter­molecular O—H⋯O hydrogen bonds link each mol­ecule to two others, forming an infinite three-dimensional supra­molecular structure