2,117 research outputs found
Superparamagnetic Iron Oxide Nanoparticles Coated with Galactose-Carrying Polymer for Hepatocyte Targeting
Our goal is to develop the functionalized superparamagnetic
iron oxide nanoparticles (SPIONs) demonstrating the capacities
to be delivered in liver specifically and to be dispersed in
physiological environment stably. For this purpose, SPIONs
were coated with polyvinylbenzyl-O-β-D-galactopyranosyl-D-gluconamide (PVLA) having
galactose moieties to be recognized by asialoglycoprotein
receptors (ASGP-R) on hepatocytes. For use as a control, we also
prepared SPIONs coordinated with 2-pyrrolidone. The sizes, size
distribution, structure, and coating of the nanoparticles were
characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM),
electrophoretic light scattering spectrophotometer (ELS), X-ray
diffractometer (XRD), and Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR),
respectively. Intracellular uptake of the PVLA-coated SPIONs was
visualized by confocal laser scanning microscopy, and their
hepatocyte-specific delivery was also investigated through
magnetic resonance (MR) images of rat liver. MRI experimental
results indicated that the PVLA-coated SPIONs possess the more
specific accumulation property in liver compared with control,
which suggests their potential utility as liver-targeting MRI
contrast agent
Squeezing Limit of the Josephson Ring Modulator as a Non-Degenerate Parametric Amplifier
Two-mode squeezed vacuum states are a crucial component of quantum
technologies. In the microwave domain, they can be produced by Josephson ring
modulator which acts as a three-wave mixing non-degenerate parametric
amplifier. Here, we solve the master equation of three bosonic modes describing
the Josephson ring modulator with a novel numerical method to compute squeezing
of output fields and gain at low signal power. We show that the third-order
interaction from the three-wave mixing process intrinsically limits squeezing
and reduces gain. Since our results are related to other general cavity-based
three-wave mixing processes, these imply that any non-degenerate parametric
amplifier will have an intrinsic squeezing limit in the output fields.Comment: 6+6 pages, 4 figure
The discovery and characterization of tungsten insertase in tungsten cofactor biosynthesis
Please click Additional Files below to see the full abstract
CT Evidence for Subchondral Trabecular Injury of the Femoral Head in Transient Osteoporosis of the Hip: A Case Report
A 28-yr-old woman presented with both hip pain that started sequentially during the peripartum period. Diagnosis of transient osteoporosis of the hip (TOH) was made based on typical findings of plain radiographs and magnetic resonance images. The subchondral trabeculae of the femoral head were evaluated on serially taken coronal multiplanar reformation computerized tomogram images. At 4 weeks after pain onset, marked decrease in the sclerotic density with irregular discontinuation was observed in the primary compression trabeculae. At 12 weeks, a focal area of irregular thickening of trabeculae was observed. At 20 weeks, sclerotic density of trabeculae recovered markedly and the focal area of irregular trabecular thickening disappeared. At 1 yr, subchondral trabeculae recovered almost completely. The evidence of subchondral trabecular injury was observed in the femoral heads of TOH
Selenoprotein W enhances skeletal muscle differentiation by inhibiting TAZ binding to 14-3-3 protein
AbstractSelenoprotein W (SelW) is expressed in various tissues, particularly in skeletal muscle. We have previously reported that SelW is up-regulated during C2C12 skeletal muscle differentiation and inhibits binding of 14-3-3 to its target proteins. 14-3-3 reduces myogenic differentiation by inhibiting nuclear translocation of transcriptional co-activator with PDZ-binding motif (TAZ). Phosphorylation of TAZ at Ser89 is required for binding to 14-3-3, leading to cytoplasmic retention of TAZ and a delay in myogenic differentiation. Here, we show that myogenic differentiation was delayed in SelW-knockdown C2C12 cells. Down-regulation of SelW also increased TAZ binding to 14-3-3, which eventually resulted in decreasing translocation of TAZ to the nucleus. However, phosphorylation of TAZ at Ser89 was not affected. Although phosphorylation of TAZ at Ser89 was sustained by the phosphatase inhibitor okadaic acid, nuclear translocation of TAZ was increased by ectopic expression of SelW. This result was due to decreased binding of TAZ to 14-3-3. We also found that the interaction between TAZ and MyoD was increased by ectopic expression of SelW. Taken together, these findings strongly demonstrate that SelW enhances C2C12 cell differentiation by inhibiting TAZ binding to 14-3-3
Bound for Gaussian-state Quantum illumination using direct photon measurement
We present bound for quantum illumination with Gaussian state when using
on-off detector or photon number resolving detector, where its performance is
evaluated with signal-to-noise ratio. First, in the case of coincidence
counting, the best performance is given by two-mode squeezed vacuum (TMSV)
state which outperforms coherent state and classically correlated thermal (CCT)
state. However coherent state can beat the TMSV state with increasing signal
mean photon number when using the on-off detector. Second, the performance is
enhanced by taking Fisher information approach of all counting probabilities
including non-detection events. In the Fisher information approach, the TMSV
state still presents the best performance but the CCT state can beat the TMSV
state with increasing signal mean photon number when using the on-off detector.
We also show that displaced squeezed state exhibits the best performance in the
single-mode Gaussian state.Comment: 5 pages, 2 figures, comments welcom
CONSENSUS DEFINITION-BASED CUTOFFS OF HIGH ON-TREATMENT PLATELET REACTIVITY: VALIDATION BETWEEN LIGHT TRANSMITTANCE AND MULTIPLE ELECTRODE AGGREGOMETRIES
Enhanced black state induced by spatial silver nanoparticles in an electrochromic device
The use of three-dimensional (3D) hierarchical indium tin oxide (ITO) branches of electrochromic devices (ECDs) is an effective approach for increasing the optical properties via localized surface plasmon resonance compared with two- dimensional nanostructured electrodes. ECDs with 3D branches were designed to operate in transparent, mirror and black states. Finite- difference time- domain simulation was used to find the electrical field distributions in three types of ECD: glass/ITO with Ag film, glass/ITO branches and glass/ITO branches with Ag nanoparticles. The ECDs had an optical transmittance of 73.76% in the transparent state, a reflectance of 79.77% in the mirror state and a reflectance of 8.78% in the black state. We achieved an ECD with high stability that can show similar to 10 000 switching cycles among the three states.113Ysciescopu
Geomagnetic field influences probabilistic abstract decision-making in humans
To resolve disputes or determine the order of things, people commonly use
binary choices such as tossing a coin, even though it is obscure whether the
empirical probability equals to the theoretical probability. The geomagnetic
field (GMF) is broadly applied as a sensory cue for various movements in many
organisms including humans, although our understanding is limited. Here we
reveal a GMF-modulated probabilistic abstract decision-making in humans and the
underlying mechanism, exploiting the zero-sum binary stone choice of Go game as
a proof-of-principle. The large-scale data analyses of professional Go matches
and in situ stone choice games showed that the empirical probabilities of the
stone selections were remarkably different from the theoretical probability. In
laboratory experiments, experimental probability in the decision-making was
significantly influenced by GMF conditions and specific magnetic resonance
frequency. Time series and stepwise systematic analyses pinpointed the
intentionally uncontrollable decision-making as a primary modulating target.
Notably, the continuum of GMF lines and anisotropic magnetic interplay between
players were crucial to influence the magnetic field resonance-mediated
abstract decision-making. Our findings provide unique insights into the impact
of sensing GMF in decision-makings at tipping points and the quantum mechanical
mechanism for manifesting the gap between theoretical and empirical probability
in 3-dimensional living space.Comment: 32 pages, 5 figures, 4 supplementary figures, 2 supplementary tables,
and separate 15 ancillary file
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