Additional file 1: of Preparation of Thermoresponsive Polymer Nanogels of Oligo(Ethylene Glycol) Diacrylate-Methacrylic Acid and Their Property Characterization

Figure S1. Illustration of the synthesis of thermoresponsive P(OEGDA-MAA). Figure S2. 1H NMR spectra of the monomers, oligo(ethylene glycol) diacrylate and methacrylic acid, used in the synthesis of thermoresponsive P(OEGDA-MAA). Figure S3. Potentiometric titration of thermoresponsive P(OEGDA-MAA). Figure S4. DLS diameter of P(OEGDA-MAA) hydrogel in water (1 mg/mL) at room temperature. Figure S5. Dependence of light transmittance on increasing temperature for aqueous dispersion of P(OEGDA-MAA) of different concentration (pH 1.0, 150 mM NaCl). The insets are the photos of the hydrogel at concentration of 1.0 mg/mL, taken at 25 and 60 °C, respectively. (PDF 167 kb

Data_Sheet_1_Identification of PTPN22 as a potential genetic biomarker for abdominal aortic aneurysm.docx

Abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) is a severe life-threatening disease that is generally asymptomatic and is diagnosed at a very late stage. The genetic component underpinning AAA is considerable, with an estimated heritability of up to 70%. Therefore, identifying genetic biomarkers for AAA is valuable for predicting high-risk populations. We used integrative bioinformatics and cellular AAA model-based validation to reveal that the gene encoding protein tyrosine phosphatase non-receptor type 22 (PTPN22) may be a potentially useful diagnostic biomarker for AAA. Integrative bioinformatics analyses of clinical specimens showed that PTPN22 expression was consistently upregulated in aortic tissues and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) derived from patients with AAA. Moreover, transcriptomics data revealed that PTPN22 is a potential biomarker for AAA with limited diagnostic value in patients with thoracic aortic aneurysm/dissection. Single-cell RNA sequencing-based findings further highlight PTPN22 expression in aortic immune cells and vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) is consistently upregulated in patients with AAA. A cellular AAA model was eventually employed to verify the increase in PTPN22 expression. Collectively, the results indicate that PTPN22 could be a potentially useful diagnostic biomarker for AAA.</p

Parameters of DCE-MRI in different groups.

<p>Note.—Data are mean ± standard deviations.</p><p>*<i>P</i><0.05,</p><p>**<i>P</i><0.01 for comparison with rats in normal group.</p><p>^#<i>P</i><0.05 for comparison with rats in mild group.</p><p>K^trans = transfer constant, K_ep = rate constant, V_e = extravascular extracellular volume fraction; iAUC = initial area under the gadolinium concentration-time curve.</p><p>Parameters of DCE-MRI in different groups.</p

The results of serial combined examination for blood markers and DCE-MRI parameters.

<p>ALT = alanine transaminase; AST = aspartate transaminase; K^trans = transfer constant, iAUC = initial area under the gadolinium concentration-time curve.</p><p>The results of serial combined examination for blood markers and DCE-MRI parameters.</p

ROC curves for DCE-MRI parameters for diagnosis in rats with (a) fibrosis (stage F1 and greater) and (b) advanced fibrosis (stage F3 and F4).

<p>ROC curves for DCE-MRI parameters for diagnosis in rats with (a) fibrosis (stage F1 and greater) and (b) advanced fibrosis (stage F3 and F4).</p

Bar graph of the relative enhancement of different groups at 15, 20, 25 minutes after contrast agent injection.

<p>Bar graph of the relative enhancement of different groups at 15, 20, 25 minutes after contrast agent injection.</p

Images of DCE-MRI, K^trans, relative enhancement-time curve, hematoxylin-eosin (HE)-stained (Original magnification, ×100), Masson trichrome-stained (Original magnification, ×100.) and SMA (Original magnification, ×400.) of normal liver, mild liver fibrosis (F2), and advanced liver fibrosis (F4) in rats.

<p>The images of DCE-MRI show the selection of ROIs of artery input function, vein input function, and liver, and the color of ROIs correspond to that of RE-time curves. DCE-MRI = dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI; HE = hematoxylin-eosin; K^trans = transfer constant; RE = relative enhancement; SMA = smooth muscle actin.</p

The serum level of blood markers in different groups.

<p>Note.—Data are mean ± standard deviations.</p><p>*<i>P</i><0.05,</p><p>** <i>P</i><0.01 for comparison with rats in normal group.</p><p>^#<i>P</i><0.05 for comparison with rats in mild group.</p><p>ALT = alanine transaminase; AST = aspartate transaminase; ALP = alkaline phosphatase; PCIII = procollagen type III; IV-C = collagen type IV; LN = laminin; HA = hyaluronic acid.</p><p>The serum level of blood markers in different groups.</p

Spontaneous Nucleation and Growth of GaN Nanowires: The Fundamental Role of Crystal Polarity

We experimentally investigate whether crystal polarity affects the growth of GaN nanowires in plasma-assisted molecular beam epitaxy and whether their formation has to be induced by defects. For this purpose, we prepare smooth and coherently strained AlN layers on 6H-SiC(0001) and SiC(0001̅) substrates to ensure a well-defined polarity and an absence of structural and morphological defects. On N-polar AlN, a homogeneous and dense N-polar GaN nanowire array forms, evidencing that GaN nanowires form spontaneously in the absence of defects. On Al-polar AlN, we do not observe the formation of Ga-polar GaN NWs. Instead, sparse N-polar GaN nanowires grow embedded in a Ga-polar GaN layer. These N-polar GaN nanowires are shown to be accidental in that the necessary polarity inversion is induced by the formation of Si_<i>x</i>N. The present findings thus demonstrate that spontaneously formed GaN nanowires are irrevocably N-polar. Due to the strong impact of the polarity on the properties of GaN-based devices, these results are not only essential to understand the spontaneous formation of GaN nanowires but also of high technological relevance

Effect of sesamin on left ventricular collagen deposition in rats.

<p>Paraffin sections were subjected to Masson staining, followed by evaluation of collagen deposition with collagen volume fraction (CVF), the mean percentage of collagen area to the total area of each microscopic field. The CVF of each animal represents the mean of 6 randomly selected microscopic fields (400×). Data were presented as mean±SD (n = 7). A: WKY; B: SHR; C: Ses80; D: Ses160; E: Cap30; F: Quantitative analysis of collagen deposition (CVF). b <i>P</i> <0.01 vs. WKY group; c <i>P</i> <0.05, d <i>P</i> <0.01 vs. SHR group.</p