Photoresponse in La0.9Hf0.1MnO3/0.05wt%Nb-doped SrTiO3 heteroepitaxial junctions

published_or_final_versio

Cross-Linking Amine-Rich Compounds into High Performing Selective CO2 Absorbents

Amine-based absorbents play a central role in CO2 sequestration and utilization. Amines react selectively with CO2, but a drawback is the unproductive weight of solvent or support in the absorbent. Efforts have focused on metal organic frameworks (MOFs) reaching extremely high CO2 capacity, but limited selectivity to N2 and CH4, and decreased uptake at higher temperatures. A desirable system would have selectivity (cf. amine) and high capacity (cf. MOF), but also increased adsorption at higher temperatures. Here, we demonstrate a proof-of-concept where polyethyleneimine (PEI) is converted to a high capacity and highly selective CO2 absorbent using buckminsterfullerene (C60) as a cross-linker. PEI-C60 (CO2 absorption of 0.14 g/g at 0.1 bar/90°C) is compared to one of the best MOFs, Mg-MOF-74 (0.06 g/g at 0.1 bar/90°C), and does not absorb any measurable amount of CH4 at 50 bar. Thus, PEI-C60 can perform better than MOFs in the sweetening of natural gas

The N-Myc-responsive lncRNA MILIP promotes DNA double-strand break repair through non-homologous end joining

The protooncoprotein N-Myc, which is overexpressed in approximately 25% of neuroblastomas as the consequence of MYCN gene amplification, has long been postulated to regulate DNA double-strand break (DSB) repair in neuroblastoma cells, but experimental evidence of this function is presently scant. Here, we show that N-Myc transcriptionally activates the long noncoding RNA MILIP to promote nonhomologous end-joining (NHEJ) DNA repair through facilitating Ku70–Ku80 heterodimerization in neuroblastoma cells. High MILIP expression was associated with poor outcome and appeared as an independent prognostic factor in neuroblastoma patients. Knockdown of MILIP reduced neuroblastoma cell viability through the induction of apoptosis and inhibition of proliferation, retarded neuroblastoma xenograft growth, and sensitized neuroblastoma cells to DNA-damaging therapeutics. The effect of MILIP knockdown was associated with the accumulation of DNA DSBs in neuroblastoma cells largely due to decreased activity of the NHEJ DNA repair pathway. Mechanistical investigations revealed that binding of MILIP to Ku70 and Ku80 increased their heterodimerization, and this was required for MILIP-mediated promotion of NHEJ DNA repair. Disrupting the interaction between MILIP and Ku70 or Ku80 increased DNA DSBs and reduced cell viability with therapeutic potential revealed where targeting MILIP using Gapmers cooperated with the DNA-damaging drug cisplatin to inhibit neuroblastoma growth in vivo. Collectively, our findings identify MILIP as an N-Myc downstream effector critical for activation of the NHEJ DNA repair pathway in neuroblastoma cells, with practical implications of MILIP targeting, alone and in combination with DNA-damaging therapeutics, for neuroblastoma treatment

Physics and Applications of Laser Diode Chaos

An overview of chaos in laser diodes is provided which surveys experimental achievements in the area and explains the theory behind the phenomenon. The fundamental physics underpinning this behaviour and also the opportunities for harnessing laser diode chaos for potential applications are discussed. The availability and ease of operation of laser diodes, in a wide range of configurations, make them a convenient test-bed for exploring basic aspects of nonlinear and chaotic dynamics. It also makes them attractive for practical tasks, such as chaos-based secure communications and random number generation. Avenues for future research and development of chaotic laser diodes are also identified.Comment: Published in Nature Photonic

On the preservation of fibre direction during axisymmetric hyperelastic mass-growth of a finite fibre-reinforced tube

Several types of tube-like fibre-reinforced tissue, including arteries and veins, different kinds of muscle, biological tubes as well as plants and trees, grow in an axially symmetric manner that preserves their own shape as well as the direction and, hence, the shape of their embedded fibres. This study considers the general, three-dimensional, axisymmetric mass-growth pattern of a finite tube reinforced by a single family of fibres growing with and within the tube, and investigates the influence that the preservation of fibre direction exerts on relevant mathematical modelling, as well on the physical behaviour of the tube. Accordingly, complete sets of necessary conditions that enable such axisymmetric tube patterns to take place are initially developed, not only for fibres preserving a general direction, but also for all six particular cases in which the fibres grow normal to either one or two of the cylindrical polar coordinate directions. The implied conditions are of kinematic character but are independent of the constitutive behaviour of the growing tube material. Because they hold in addition to, and simultaneously with standard kinematic relations and equilibrium equations, they describe growth by an overdetermined system of equations. In cases of hyperelastic mass-growth, the additional information they thus provide enable identification of specific classes of strain energy densities for growth that are admissible and, therefore, suitable for the implied type of axisymmetric tube mass-growth to take place. The presented analysis is applicable to many different particular cases of axisymmetric mass-growth of tube-like tissue, though admissible classes of relevant strain energy densities for growth are identified only for a few example applications. These consider and discuss cases of relevant hyperelastic mass-growth which (i) is of purely dilatational nature, (ii) combines dilatational and torsional deformation, (iii) enables preservation of shape and direction of helically growing fibres, as well as (iv) plane fibres growing on the cross-section of an infinitely long fibre-reinforced tube. The analysis can be extended towards mass-growth modelling of tube-like tissue that contains two or more families of fibres. Potential combination of the outlined theoretical process with suitable data obtained from relevant experimental observations could lead to realistic forms of much sought strain energy functions for growth

Tools to Support Policy Decisions Related to Treatment Strategies and Surveillance of Schistosomiasis Japonica towards Elimination

Immunodiagnostic assays are widely applied in the field to control schistosomiasis in P.R. China as the prevalence and infection intensity of schistosome infections decrease. Field evaluations are urgently needed before they can be adopted to support policy decisions of the national programme for the control and elimination of schistosomiasis in P.R. China. We carried out a large scale cross-sectional survey in field settings with different transmission situations to validate immunodiagnostic tools that can be used to formulate new schistosomiasis elimination strategy in P.R. China. Regarding stool examination as gold reference, the validity and screening efficacy of each immunodiagnostic kit were calculated and compared with each other. The association of the prevalence of schistosomiasis and antibody positive rates determined by immunoassays were analyzed using Pearson's correlation coefficient values. The study indicates that which test to use with the elimination strategy is dependent on the purpose of testing, the endemic status of community and the resources available. And more sensitive methods need to be explored and used to target infected individuals for treatment or to eliminate schistosomiasis

Expression of HIWI in human esophageal squamous cell carcinoma is significantly associated with poorer prognosis

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>HIWI, the human homologue of Piwi family, is present in CD34⁺hematopoietic stem cells and germ cells, but not in well-differentiated cell populations, indicating that HIWI may play an impotent role in determining or maintaining stemness of these cells. That HIWI expression has been detected in several type tumours may suggest its association with clinical outcome in cancer patients.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>With the methods of real-time PCR, western blot, immunocytochemistry and immunohistochemistry, the expression of HIWI in three esophageal squamous cancer cell lines KYSE70, KYSE140 and KYSE450 has been characterized. Then, we investigated HIWI expression in a series of 153 esophageal squamous cell carcinomas using immunohistochemistry and explored its association with clinicopathological features.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The expression of HIWI was observed in tumour cell nuclei or/and cytoplasm in 137 (89.5%) cases, 16 (10.5%) cases were negative in both nuclei and cytoplasm. 86 (56.2%) were strongly positive in cytoplasm, while 49 (32.0%) were strongly positive in nuclei. The expression level of HIWI in cytoplasm of esophageal cancer cells was significantly associated with histological grade (<it>P </it>= 0.011), T stage (<it>P </it>= 0.035), and clinic outcome (<it>P </it>< 0.001), while there was no correlation between the nuclear HIWI expression and clinicopathological features.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The expression of HIWI in the cytoplasm of esophageal cancer cells is significantly associated with higher histological grade, clinical stage and poorer clinical outcome, indicating its possible involvement in cancer development.</p

Thermosensitive Nanocables Prepared by Surface-Initiated Atom Transfer Radical Polymerization

Thermosensitive nanocables consisting of Au nanowire cores and poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) sheaths (denoted as Au/PNIPAAm) were synthesized by surface-initiated atom transfer radical polymerization (SI-ATRP). The formation of PNIPAAm sheath was verified by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) and hydrogen nuclear magnetic resonance (1H NMR) spectroscopy. Transmission electron microscope (TEM) results confirmed the core/shell structure of nanohybrids. The thickness and density of PNIPAAm sheaths can be adjusted by controlling the amount of cross-linker during the polymerization. Signature temperature response was observed from Au/cross-linked-PNIPAAm nanocables. Such smart nanocables show immense potentials as building blocks for novel thermosensitive nanodevices in future