1. |
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2. |
- Beal, Jacob, et al.
(author)
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Robust estimation of bacterial cell count from optical density
- 2020
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In: Communications Biology. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 2399-3642. ; 3:1
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Optical density (OD) is widely used to estimate the density of cells in liquid culture, but cannot be compared between instruments without a standardized calibration protocol and is challenging to relate to actual cell count. We address this with an interlaboratory study comparing three simple, low-cost, and highly accessible OD calibration protocols across 244 laboratories, applied to eight strains of constitutive GFP-expressing E. coli. Based on our results, we recommend calibrating OD to estimated cell count using serial dilution of silica microspheres, which produces highly precise calibration (95.5% of residuals <1.2-fold), is easily assessed for quality control, also assesses instrument effective linear range, and can be combined with fluorescence calibration to obtain units of Molecules of Equivalent Fluorescein (MEFL) per cell, allowing direct comparison and data fusion with flow cytometry measurements: in our study, fluorescence per cell measurements showed only a 1.07-fold mean difference between plate reader and flow cytometry data.
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3. |
- Klionsky, Daniel J., et al.
(author)
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Guidelines for the use and interpretation of assays for monitoring autophagy
- 2012
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In: Autophagy. - : Informa UK Limited. - 1554-8635 .- 1554-8627. ; 8:4, s. 445-544
-
Research review (peer-reviewed)abstract
- In 2008 we published the first set of guidelines for standardizing research in autophagy. Since then, research on this topic has continued to accelerate, and many new scientists have entered the field. Our knowledge base and relevant new technologies have also been expanding. Accordingly, it is important to update these guidelines for monitoring autophagy in different organisms. Various reviews have described the range of assays that have been used for this purpose. Nevertheless, there continues to be confusion regarding acceptable methods to measure autophagy, especially in multicellular eukaryotes. A key point that needs to be emphasized is that there is a difference between measurements that monitor the numbers or volume of autophagic elements (e.g., autophagosomes or autolysosomes) at any stage of the autophagic process vs. those that measure flux through the autophagy pathway (i.e., the complete process); thus, a block in macroautophagy that results in autophagosome accumulation needs to be differentiated from stimuli that result in increased autophagic activity, defined as increased autophagy induction coupled with increased delivery to, and degradation within, lysosomes (in most higher eukaryotes and some protists such as Dictyostelium) or the vacuole (in plants and fungi). In other words, it is especially important that investigators new to the field understand that the appearance of more autophagosomes does not necessarily equate with more autophagy. In fact, in many cases, autophagosomes accumulate because of a block in trafficking to lysosomes without a concomitant change in autophagosome biogenesis, whereas an increase in autolysosomes may reflect a reduction in degradative activity. Here, we present a set of guidelines for the selection and interpretation of methods for use by investigators who aim to examine macroautophagy and related processes, as well as for reviewers who need to provide realistic and reasonable critiques of papers that are focused on these processes. These guidelines are not meant to be a formulaic set of rules, because the appropriate assays depend in part on the question being asked and the system being used. In addition, we emphasize that no individual assay is guaranteed to be the most appropriate one in every situation, and we strongly recommend the use of multiple assays to monitor autophagy. In these guidelines, we consider these various methods of assessing autophagy and what information can, or cannot, be obtained from them. Finally, by discussing the merits and limits of particular autophagy assays, we hope to encourage technical innovation in the field.
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4. |
- Sampson, Joshua N., et al.
(author)
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Analysis of Heritability and Shared Heritability Based on Genome-Wide Association Studies for 13 Cancer Types
- 2015
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In: Journal of the National Cancer Institute. - : Oxford University Press (OUP). - 0027-8874 .- 1460-2105. ; 107:12
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Background: Studies of related individuals have consistently demonstrated notable familial aggregation of cancer. We aim to estimate the heritability and genetic correlation attributable to the additive effects of common single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) for cancer at 13 anatomical sites. Methods: Between 2007 and 2014, the US National Cancer Institute has generated data from genome-wide association studies (GWAS) for 49 492 cancer case patients and 34 131 control patients. We apply novel mixed model methodology (GCTA) to this GWAS data to estimate the heritability of individual cancers, as well as the proportion of heritability attributable to cigarette smoking in smoking-related cancers, and the genetic correlation between pairs of cancers. Results: GWAS heritability was statistically significant at nearly all sites, with the estimates of array-based heritability, h(l)(2), on the liability threshold (LT) scale ranging from 0.05 to 0.38. Estimating the combined heritability of multiple smoking characteristics, we calculate that at least 24% (95% confidence interval [CI] = 14% to 37%) and 7% (95% CI = 4% to 11%) of the heritability for lung and bladder cancer, respectively, can be attributed to genetic determinants of smoking. Most pairs of cancers studied did not show evidence of strong genetic correlation. We found only four pairs of cancers with marginally statistically significant correlations, specifically kidney and testes (rho = 0.73, SE = 0.28), diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) and pediatric osteosarcoma (rho = 0.53, SE = 0.21), DLBCL and chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) (rho = 0.51, SE = 0.18), and bladder and lung (rho = 0.35, SE = 0.14). Correlation analysis also indicates that the genetic architecture of lung cancer differs between a smoking population of European ancestry and a nonsmoking Asian population, allowing for the possibility that the genetic etiology for the same disease can vary by population and environmental exposures. Conclusion: Our results provide important insights into the genetic architecture of cancers and suggest new avenues for investigation.
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5. |
- Wang, Fang, et al.
(author)
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Emerging contaminants: A One Health perspective
- 2024
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In: Innovation. - 2666-6758. ; 5
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Research review (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Environmental pollution is escalating due to rapid global development that often prioritizes human needs over planetary health. Despite global efforts to mitigate legacy pollutants, the continuous introduction of new substances remains a major threat to both people and the planet. In response, global initiatives are focusing on risk assessment and regulation of emerging contaminants, as demonstrated by the ongoing efforts to establish the UN's Intergovernmental Science-Policy Panel on Chemicals, Waste, and Pollution Prevention. This review identifies the sources and impacts of emerging contaminants on planetary health, emphasizing the importance of adopting a One Health approach. Strategies for monitoring and addressing these pollutants are discussed, underscoring the need for robust and socially equitable environmental policies at both regional and international levels. Urgent actions are needed to transition toward sustainable pollution management practices to safeguard our planet for future generations.
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6. |
- Yang, Yalan, et al.
(author)
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Chemodiversity of Cyanobacterial Toxins Driven by Future Scenarios of Climate Warming and Eutrophication
- 2023
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In: Environmental Science and Technology. - 0013-936X. ; 57:32, s. 11767-11778
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Climate change and eutrophication are two environmental threats that can alter the structure of freshwater ecosystems and their service functions, but we know little about how ecosystem structure and function will evolve in future scenarios of climate warming. Therefore, we created different experimental climate scenarios, including present-day conditions, a 3.0 °C increase in mean temperature, and a “heatwaves” scenario (i.e., an increase in temperature variability) to assess the effects of climate change on phytoplankton communities under simultaneous stress from eutrophication and herbicides. We show that the effects of climate warming, particularly heatwaves, are associated with elevated cyanobacterial abundances and toxin production, driven by a change from mainly nontoxic to toxic Microcystis spp. The reason for higher cyanobacterial toxin concentrations is likely an increase in abundances because under the dual pressures of climate warming and eutrophication individual Microcystis toxin-producing ability decreased. Eutrophication and higher temperatures significantly increased the biomass of Microcystis, leading to an increase in the cyanobacterial toxin concentrations. In contrast, warming alone did not produce higher cyanobacterial abundances or cyanobacterial toxin concentrations likely due to the depletion of the available nutrient pool. Similarly, the herbicide glyphosate alone did not affect abundances of any phytoplankton taxa. In the case of nutrient enrichment, cyanobacterial toxin concentrations were much higher than under warming alone due to a strong boost in biomass of potential cyanobacterial toxin producers. From a broader perspective our study shows that in a future warmer climate, nutrient loading has to be reduced if toxic cyanobacterial dominance is to be controlled.
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7. |
- Chong, Hui, et al.
(author)
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Organo-ptii complexes for potent photodynamic inactivation of multi-drug resistant bacteria and the influence of configuration
- 2024
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In: Advanced Science. - : John Wiley & Sons. - 2198-3844. ; 11:14
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- PtII based organometallic photosensitizers (PSs) have emerged as novel potent photodynamic inactivation (PDI) reagents through their enhanced intersystem crossing (ISC) processes. Currently, few PtII PSs have been investigated as antibacterial materials, with relatively poor performances reported and with structure-activity relationships not well described. Herein, a pair of configurational isomers are reported of Bis-BODIPY (4,4-difluoro-boradizaindacene) embedded PtII PSs. The cis-isomer (cis-BBP) displayed enhanced 1O2 generation and better bacterial membrane anchoring capability as compared to the trans-isomer (trans-BBP). The effective PDI concentrations (efficiency > 99.9%) for cis-BBP in Acinetobacter baumannii (multi-drug resistant (MDR)) and Staphylococcus aureus are 400 nM (12 J cm−2) and 100 nM (18 J cm−2), respectively; corresponding concentrations and light doses for trans-BBP in the two bacteria are 2.50 µM (30 J cm−2) and 1.50 µM (18 J cm−2), respectively. The 50% and 90% minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC50 and MIC90) ratio of trans-BBP to cis-BBP is 22.22 and 24.02 in A. baumannii (MDR); 21.29 and 22.36 in methicillin resistant S. aureus (MRSA), respectively. Furthermore, cis-BBP displays superior in vivo antibacterial performance, with acceptable dark and photoinduced cytotoxicity. These results demonstrate cis-BBP is a robust light-assisted antibacterial reagent at sub-micromolecular concentrations. More importantly, configuration of PtII PSs should be an important issue to be considered in further PDI reagents design.
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8. |
- Stevens, Kristen N, et al.
(author)
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19p13.1 is a triple negative-specific breast cancer susceptibility locus
- 2012
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In: Cancer Research. - 0008-5472 .- 1538-7445. ; 72, s. 1795-
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The 19p13.1 breast cancer susceptibility locus is a modifier of breast cancer risk in BRCA1 mutation carriers and is also associated with risk of ovarian cancer. Here we investigated 19p13.1 variation and risk of breast cancer subtypes, defined by estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR), and human epidermal growth factor receptor-2 (HER2) status, using 48,869 breast cancer cases and 49,787 controls from the Breast Cancer Association Consortium (BCAC). Variants from 19p13.1 were not associated with breast cancer overall or with ER-positive breast cancer but were significantly associated with ER-negative breast cancer risk [rs8170 Odds Ratio (OR)=1.10, 95% Confidence Interval (CI) 1.05 - 1.15, p=3.49 x 10-5] and triple negative (TN) (ER, PR and HER2 negative) breast cancer [rs8170 OR=1.22, 95% CI 1.13 - 1.31, p=2.22 x 10-7]. However, rs8170 was no longer associated with ER-negative breast cancer risk when TN cases were excluded [OR=0.98, 95% CI 0.89 - 1.07, p=0.62]. In addition, a combined analysis of TN cases from BCAC and the Triple Negative Breast Cancer Consortium (TNBCC) (n=3,566) identified a genome-wide significant association between rs8170 and TN breast cancer risk [OR=1.25, 95% CI 1.18 - 1.33, p=3.31 x 10-13]. Thus, 19p13.1 is the first triple negative-specific breast cancer risk locus and the first locus specific to a histological subtype defined by ER, PR, and HER2 to be identified. These findings provide convincing evidence that genetic susceptibility to breast cancer varies by tumor subtype and that triple negative tumors and other subtypes likely arise through distinct etiologic pathways.
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9. |
- Yen, Ying-Tzu, et al.
(author)
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Prominent Enhancement of Cisplatin Efficacy with Optimized Methoxy Poly(ethylene glycol)-Polycaprolactone Block Copolymeric Nanoparticles
- 2020
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In: Journal of Biomedical Nanotechnology. - : AMER SCIENTIFIC PUBLISHERS. - 1550-7033 .- 1550-7041. ; 16:3, s. 335-343
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Chemotherapy has been one of the major standard treatments for a variety of cancers. cis-Dichlorodiamminoplatiunum(II) (cisplatin, CDDP), as one of the anticancer agents, demonstrated excellent efficacy against tumor and has been an indispensable component in chemotherapy, chemoradiation, chemo-molecular targeted therapy and chemo-immunotherapy. However, its therapeutic concentration was limited since its inevitable toxicity. Previously, we have constructed CDDP-loaded nanoparticles (NPs) with mixture of poly(ethyleneglycol)-polycaprolactone (PEG-PCL) and polycarprolactone (HO-PCL) by a facile method. The most optimal proportion of the two copolymers was selected through a series of physical, chemical, cytological and histological evaluations. In the present study, we explored the mechanisms of NPs and observed the in vivo antitumor effect after administrating CDDP-loaded PEG-PCL NPs. Positron emission tomography as well as computed tomography (PET/CT) were adopted for detecting tumoral metabolic activity. Images from fluorescence microscope revealed superior cellular uptake of CDDP-loaded NPs with rhodamine B aggregated intracellularly in cancer cells. Similar apoptotic rates between free CDDP group and CDDP-loaded NPs group was measured by flow cytometry. Tumor volumes and murine weights confirmed the superiority of CDDP-loaded NPs in therapeutic efficacy as compared with free CDDP. Blood tests showed milder side effects in CDDP-loaded nanoparticle group. PET/CT images illustrated less uptake intensity of FDG in mice received CDDP-loaded NPs than free CDDP. Our results suggest that PEG-PCL/PCL NPs could be a promising antitumor drug carrier for CDDP delivery with solid efficacy and minor side effects.
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10. |
- Anderson, Cynthia M., et al.
(author)
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Permanent Genetic Resources added to Molecular Ecology Resources Database 1 December 2009-31 January 2010
- 2010
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In: Molecular Ecology Resources. - : Wiley. - 1755-098X .- 1755-0998. ; 10:3, s. 576-579
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- This article documents the addition of 220 microsatellite marker loci to the Molecular Ecology Resources Database. Loci were developed for the following species: Allanblackia floribunda, Amblyraja radiata, Bactrocera cucurbitae, Brachycaudus helichrysi, Calopogonium mucunoides, Dissodactylus primitivus, Elodea canadensis, Ephydatia fluviatilis, Galapaganus howdenae howdenae, Hoplostethus atlanticus, Ischnura elegans, Larimichthys polyactis, Opheodrys vernalis, Pelteobagrus fulvidraco, Phragmidium violaceum, Pistacia vera, and Thunnus thynnus. These loci were cross-tested on the following species: Allanblackia gabonensis, Allanblackia stanerana, Neoceratitis cyanescens, Dacus ciliatus, Dacus demmerezi, Bactrocera zonata, Ceratitis capitata, Ceratitis rosa, Ceratits catoirii, Dacus punctatifrons, Ephydatia mulleri, Spongilla lacustris, Geodia cydonium, Axinella sp., Ischnura graellsii, Ischnura ramburii, Ischnura pumilio, Pistacia integerrima and Pistacia terebinthus.
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11. |
- Cao, Lina, et al.
(author)
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Atomically dispersed iron hydroxide anchored on Pt for preferential oxidation of CO in H-2
- 2019
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In: Nature. - : NATURE PUBLISHING GROUP. - 0028-0836 .- 1476-4687. ; 565:7741, s. 631-635
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Proton-exchange-membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) are attractive next-generation power sources for use in vehicles and other applications(1), with development efforts focusing on improving the catalyst system of the fuel cell. One problem is catalyst poisoning by impurity gases such as carbon monoxide (CO), which typically comprises about one per cent of hydrogen fuel(2-4). A possible solution is on-board hydrogen purification, which involves preferential oxidation of CO in hydrogen (PROX)(3-7). However, this approach is challenging(8-15) because the catalyst needs to be active and selective towards CO oxidation over a broad range of low temperatures so that CO is efficiently removed (to below 50 parts per million) during continuous PEMFC operation (at about 353 kelvin) and, in the case of automotive fuel cells, during frequent cold-start periods. Here we show that atomically dispersed iron hydroxide, selectively deposited on silica-supported platinum (Pt) nanoparticles, enables complete and 100 per cent selective CO removal through the PROX reaction over the broad temperature range of 198 to 380 kelvin. We find that the mass-specific activity of this system is about 30 times higher than that of more conventional catalysts consisting of Pt on iron oxide supports. In situ X-ray absorption fine-structure measurements reveal that most of the iron hydroxide exists as Fe-1(OH)(x) clusters anchored on the Pt nanoparticles, with density functional theory calculations indicating that Fe-1(OH)(x)-Pt single interfacial sites can readily react with CO and facilitate oxygen activation. These findings suggest that in addition to strategies that target oxide-supported precious-metal nanoparticles or isolated metal atoms, the deposition of isolated transition-metal complexes offers new ways of designing highly active metal catalysts.
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12. |
- Chen, Lan, et al.
(author)
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A modified ionization difference UV-vis method for fast quantitation of guaiacyl-type phenolic hydroxyl groups in lignin
- 2022
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In: International Journal of Biological Macromolecules. - : Elsevier BV. - 0141-8130 .- 1879-0003. ; 201, s. 330-337
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- An ionization difference UV-Vis method (Delta epsilon-spectrum method) is the most potentially simple method for fast quantitation of phenolic hydroxyl groups (ph-OH) in lignin. However, the underestimated results were calculated from the conventional Delta epsilon-spectrum method using one- or two-point wavelengths measurement. In this study, a modified Delta epsilon-spectrum method using multi-point wavelengths measurement was developed and the negative absorbance was also considered. Four main typical lignin models, e.g. vanilla alcohol, 5-5 biphenyl, stilbenoid and vanillin, were applied as the guaiacyl-type (G-type) phenolic models for the determination of ph-OH by the modified Delta epsilon-spectrum method. The 2-methoxyethanol/water/acetic acid = 8/2/0.2 (V/V/V) was used as the acidic solvent system and the 2-methoxyethanol/0.2 M NaOH solution = 1/9 (V/V) was used as the alkaline solvent system. The ph-OH contents in the spruce milled wood lignin (SMWL) and the spruce Kraft lignin (SKL) were respectively quantified by the modified Delta epsilon-spectrum method as 1.078 and 4.348 mmol/g, which were comparable to the counterparts determined by P-31 Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy (P-31 NMR). The results revealed that the modified Delta epsilon-spectrum method can provide more accurate and reliable results compared to the conventional method.
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13. |
- Chen, W., et al.
(author)
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Enhanced efficiency of polymer solar cells by improving molecular aggregation and broadening the absorption spectra
- 2019
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In: Dyes and Pigments. - : Elsevier BV. - 0143-7208 .- 1873-3743. ; 166, s. 42-48
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Alkylthio-substituted thiophene-based benzo[1,2-b:4,5-b’]dithiophene (BDT) was used to construct PBDTS-DTBT, a medium band gap donor-acceptor (D-A) polymer with 5,6-difluoro-4,7-bis[4-(2-octyldodecyl)thiophene-2-yl]benzo[c] [1,2,5]thiadiazole (DTBT). The incorporation of sulfur atoms into the side chains not only lowered the highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO) energy level but also improved molecular aggregation and thus afforded lower band gap (1.68 eV) with full width at half maximum (FWHM) of 170 nm in comparison to that of the analogous polymer (PBDT-DTBT) without sulfur atoms in side chains. Therefore, the bulk heterojunction polymer solar cells based on PBDTS-DTBT with 2% diiodooctane (DIO) as processing additive showed a high power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 9.73% with high open-circuit voltage (V OC , 0.93 V), large short-circuit current density (J SC , 14.23 mA/cm 2 ) and high fill factor (FF, 0.735).
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14. |
- Chen, Weiwei, et al.
(author)
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Lane departure warning systems and lane line detection methods based on image processing and semantic segmentation : A review
- 2020
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In: Journal of Traffic and Transportation Engineering (English Edition). - : Elsevier BV. - 2095-7564. ; 7:6, s. 748-774
-
Research review (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Recently, the development and application of lane line departure warning systems have been in the market. For any of the systems, the key part of lane line tracking, lane line identification, or lane line departure warning is whether it can accurately and quickly detect lane lines. Since 1990s, they have been studied and implemented for the situations defined by the good viewing conditions and the clear lane markings on road. After then, the accuracy for particular situations, the robustness for a wide range of scenarios, time efficiency and integration into higher-order tasks define visual lane line detection and tracking as a continuing research subject. At present, these kinds of lane marking line detection methods based on machine vision and image processing can be divided into two categories: the traditional image processing and semantic segmentation (includes deep learning) methods. The former mainly involves feature-based and model-based steps, and which can be classified into similarity- and discontinuity-based ones; and the model-based step includes different parametric straight line, curve or pattern models. The semantic segmentation includes different machine learning, neural network and deep learning methods, which is the new trend for the research and application of lane line departure warning systems. This paper describes and analyzes the lane line departure warning systems, image processing algorithms and semantic segmentation methods for lane line detection.
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15. |
- Chen, W., et al.
(author)
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Revealing the Position Effect of an Alkylthio Side Chain in Phenyl-Substituted Benzodithiophene-Based Donor Polymers on the Photovoltaic Performance of Non-Fullerene Organic Solar Cells
- 2019
-
In: ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces. - : American Chemical Society (ACS). - 1944-8252 .- 1944-8244. ; 11:36, s. 33173-33178
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- In this work, position effects of an alkylthio side chain were investigated by designing and synthesizing two copolymers based on a phenyl-substituted benzo[1,2-b:4,5-b′]dithiophene (BDTP) and difluorobenzotriazole (FTAZ). The polymer based on the meta-position-alkylthiolated BDTP, named m-PBDTPS-FTAZ, showed a relatively broader bandgap (2.00 vs 1.96 eV) and lower highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO) energy level (-5.40 vs-5.32 eV) than its para-positioned structural isomeric analogue polymer (named p-PBDTPS-FTAZ), that is, m- A nd p-PBDTPS-FTAZ with the side chain structured as ethylhexyl-in the phenyl unit and hexyldecyl-in the FTAZ moiety. When blended with ITIC, m-PBDTPS-FTAZ showed a comparable crystallinity but more uniform morphology compared to that of p-PBDTPS-FTAZ. A high power conversion efficiency of 13.16% was achieved for m-PBDTPS-FTAZ:ITIC devices with a high open circuit voltage (VOC) of 0.95 V, which is higher than that of p-PBDTPS-FTAZ:ITIC devices (10.86%) with a VOC of 0.89 V. Therefore, m-BDTPS could be an effective donor unit to construct high-efficiency polymers due to its effectively decreased HOMO energy level of polymers while still maintaining good molecular stacking.
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16. |
- Chen, Xiren, et al.
(author)
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Bi-Induced Electron Concentration Enhancement Being Responsible for Photoluminescence Blueshift and Broadening in InAs Films
- 2019
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In: Physica Status Solidi (B): Basic Research. - : Wiley. - 1521-3951 .- 0370-1972. ; 256:5
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Photoluminescence (PL) study is conducted on InAs films molecular beam epitaxially grown on GaAs substrates with different Bi flux levels. A PL peak blueshift accompanied by linewidth broadening is found with the increase of Bi/As flux ratio, in contrast to the common Bi isoelectronic incorporation or surfactant effect. It is, with detailed lineshape analysis and the evidence of PL peak splitting in a magnetic filed, attributed to the electron concentration enhancement induced by Bi flux. The electron concentration in InAs film is evaluated, which is about 5-fold enhanced as Bi/As flux ratio rises up from 0 to 1x10(-3). The temperature dependence of the PL spectrum indicates that the carrier redistribution augments while the carrier-phonon Frohlich scattering weakens in InAs films with high Bi/As flux ratios. These findings reveal a novel Bi effect of electron concentration enhancement, and contribute to the basic knowledge of Bi in III-V semiconductors.
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17. |
- Huang, Ke, et al.
(author)
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Tailoring magnetic order via atomically stacking 3d/5d electrons to achieve high-performance spintronic devices
- 2020
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In: Applied Physics Reviews. - : AMER INST PHYSICS. - 1931-9401. ; 7:1
-
Research review (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The ability to tune magnetic orders, such as magnetic anisotropy and topological spin texture, is desired to achieve high-performance spintronic devices. A recent strategy has been to employ interfacial engineering techniques, such as the introduction of spin-correlated interfacial coupling, to tailor magnetic orders and achieve novel magnetic properties. We chose a unique polar-nonpolar LaMnO3/SrIrO3 superlattice because Mn (3d)/Ir (5d) oxides exhibit rich magnetic behaviors and strong spin-orbit coupling through the entanglement of their 3d and 5d electrons. Through magnetization and magnetotransport measurements, we found that the magnetic order is interface-dominated as the superlattice period is decreased. We were able to then effectively modify the magnetization, tilt of the ferromagnetic easy axis, and symmetry transition of the anisotropic magnetoresistance of the LaMnO3/SrIrO3 superlattice by introducing additional Mn (3d) and Ir (5d) interfaces. Further investigations using in-depth first-principles calculations and numerical simulations revealed that these magnetic behaviors could be understood by the 3d/5d electron correlation and Rashba spin-orbit coupling. The results reported here demonstrate a new route to synchronously engineer magnetic properties through the atomic stacking of different electrons, which would contribute to future applications in high-capacity storage devices and advanced computing.
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18. |
- Liu, Fangcen, et al.
(author)
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Biocompatible Nanoparticles as a Platform for Enhancing Antitumor Efficacy of Cisplatin-Tetradrine Combination
- 2021
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In: Nanoscale Research Letters. - : Springer. - 1931-7573 .- 1556-276X. ; 16:1
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Combination therapy has been a standard strategy in the clinical tumor treatment. We have demonstrated that combination of Tetradrine (Tet) and Cisplatin (CDDP) presented a marked synergistic anticancer activity, but inevitable side effects limit their therapeutic concentration. Considering the different physicochemical and pharmacokinetic properties of the two drugs, we loaded them into a nanovehicle together by the improved double emulsion method. The nanoparticles (NPs) were prepared from the mixture of poly(ethyleneglycol)-polycaprolactone (PEG-PCL) and polycarprolactone (HO-PCL), so CDDP and Tet can be located into the NPs simultaneously, resulting in low interfering effect and high stability. Images from fluorescence microscope revealed the cellular uptake of both hydrophilic and hydrophobic agents delivered by the NPs. In vitro studies on different tumor cell lines and tumor tissue revealed increased tumor inhibition and apoptosis rates. As to the in vivo studies, superior antitumor efficacy and reduced side effects were observed in the NPs group. Furthermore, (18)FDG-PET/CT imaging demonstrated that NPs reduced metabolic activities of tumors more prominently. Our results suggest that PEG-PCL block copolymeric NPs could be a promising carrier for combined chemotherapy with solid efficacy and minor side effects.
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19. |
- Liu, Huan, et al.
(author)
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The first human induced pluripotent stem cell line of Kashin–Beck disease reveals involvement of heparan sulfate proteoglycan biosynthesis and PPAR pathway
- 2022
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In: The FEBS Journal. - : John Wiley & Sons. - 1742-464X .- 1742-4658. ; 289:1, s. 279-293
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- OBJECTIVE: Kashin-Beck disease (KBD) is an endemic osteochondropathy. Due to a lack of suitable animal or cellular disease models, the research progress on KBD has been limited. Our goal was to establish the first disease-specific human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) cellular disease model of KBD, and to explore its etiology and pathogenesis exploiting transcriptome sequencing.METHODS: HiPSCs were reprogrammed from dermal fibroblasts of two KBD and one healthy control donors via integration-free vectors. Subsequently, hiPSCs were differentiated into chondrocytes through three-week culture. Gene expression profiles in KBD, normal primary chondrocytes and hiPSC-derived chondrocytes were defined by RNA sequencing. A Venn diagram was constructed to show the number of shared differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between KBD and normal. Gene oncology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes annotations were performed, and six DEGs were further validated in other individuals by real-time quantitative reverse transcription PCR (RT-qPCR).RESULTS: KBD cellular disease models were successfully established by generation of hiPSC lines. Seventeen consistent and significant DEGs present in all compared groups (KBD and normal) were identified. RT-qPCR validation gave consistent results with the sequencing data. Glycosaminoglycan biosynthesis-heparan sulfate/heparin, PPAR signaling pathway and cell adhesion molecules (CAMs) pathways were identified to be significantly altered in KBD.CONCLUSION: Differentiated chondrocytes deriving from KBD-origin hiPSCs provide the first cellular disease model for etiological studies of KBD. This study also provides new sights into the pathogenesis and etiology of KBD and is likely to inform the development of targeted therapeutics for its treatment.
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20. |
- Wang, Huan, et al.
(author)
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Boosting the Electrochemical Performance of PI-5-CA/C-SWCNT Nanohybrid for Sensitive Detection of E. coli O157:H7 From the Real Sample
- 2022
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In: Frontiers in Chemistry. - : Frontiers Media SA. - 2296-2646. ; 10
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Redox activity is an important indicator for evaluating electrochemical biosensors. In this work, we have successfully polymerized indole-5-carboxylic acid into poly-5-carboxyindole nanomaterials (PI-5-CA), using its superior redox activity, and introduced carboxylated single-walled carbon nanotubes (C-SWCNTs) to synthesize a composite material. Finally, a synthesized composite material was used for the modification of the glass carbon electrode to fabricate the PI-5-CA/C-SWCNTs/GCE-based immunosensor and was successfully applied for the sensitive detection of E. coli O157:H7. The fabricated immunosensor exhibited an outstanding electrocatalytic activity toward the detection of E. coli O157:H7 with a remarkably lowest limit of detection (2.5 CFU/ml, LOD = 3 SD/k, n = 3) and has a wide linear range from 2.98x10(1) to 2.98x10(7) CFU/ml. Inspired from the excellent results, the fabricated electrode was applied for the detection of bacteria from real samples (water samples) with a good recovery rate (98.13-107.69%) as well as an excellent stability and specificity. Owing to its simple preparation, excellent performance, and detection time within 30 min, our proposed immunosensor will open a new horizon in different fields for the sensitive detection of bacteria from real samples.
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21. |
- Wang, Huan, et al.
(author)
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MnO2/Mn2+ chemistry: Charging protocol and electrolyte regulation
- 2023
-
In: Energy Storage Materials. - : Elsevier BV. - 2405-8289 .- 2405-8297. ; 63
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Aqueous rechargeable Zn-MnO2 batteries based on the dissolution/deposition mechanism of MnO2/Mn2+are gaining increasing attention due to their high capacity and structural simplicity. One of the major concerns is the Mn2+/Mn3+side reaction, which hampers the coulombic efficiency (CE) due to Mn3+(aq) disproportionation. However, factors affecting Mn3+ formation have not been systematically investigated. In this study, we utilized in situ optical microscopy and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) to evaluate the formation of Mn3+ by observing its disproportionation product: the randomly deposited MnO2. We found that an excessively high charging voltage and a low electrolyte pH (pH<4.2) were shown to adversely accelerate Mn3+ formation. Most reports on the Mn2+/MnO2 cathode indicate a coulombic efficiency of only 80 % on carbon felt (thickness: 2.5 mm) at 2 mAh/cm2 due to the inherently low electrical conductivity of MnO2. Here with the optimized charging protocol and the utilization of the anode-friendly, methanesulfonic acid (MSA)-containing electrolyte, we achieved a CE of nearly 100 % for up to 200 cycles at 2 mAh/cm2. This work gives guidelines on the electrolyte design and charging protocol optimization towards high-performance MnO2/Mn2+cathodes.
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22. |
- Wang, Shu Min, 1963, et al.
(author)
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Novel Dilute Bismides for IR Optoelectronics Applications
- 2013
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In: Asia Communications and Photonics Conference, ACP. - Washington, D.C. : OSA. - 2162-108X.
-
Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
- III-V-Bi compounds reveal a number of attractive physical properties promising for novel IR optoelectronic applications [1,2] and have received considerable attention as witnessed by the dedicated international workshops on this topic in the consecutive past four years. The isoelectronic nature of Bi atoms in III-Vs induces strong interactions with the energy bands of host materials leading to large band-gap reduction, less temperature sensitive band-gap and large spin-orbit split band. So far the most studied material is Ga(N)AsBi, while other dilute bismides have also been reported recently. In this paper, we shall briefly review several novel bismides: GaSbBi, InSbiBi, InAsBi, InPBi and InGaAsBi, and the Bi surfactant effect from our group, all grown by molecular beam epitaxy (MBE).
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23. |
- Wang, Sen, et al.
(author)
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The importance of Se-related genes in the chondrocyte of Kashin-Beck disease revealed by whole genomic microarray and network analysis
- 2019
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In: Biological Trace Element Research. - : Springer. - 0163-4984 .- 1559-0720. ; 187:2, s. 367-375
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Kashin-Beck disease (KBD) is an endemic, chronic, and degenerative osteoarthropathy. Selenium (Se) deficiency plays important role in the pathogenesis of KBD. We aimed to screen Se-related gene from chondrocytes of patients with KBD. Whole-genome oligonucleotide microarrays were used to detect differentially expressed genes. qRT-PCR was used to confirm the microarray results. Comparative Toxicogenomics Database (CTD) was used to screen Se-related genes from differentially expressed genes. Gene Ontology (GO) classifications and network analysis of Se-related genes were constituted by STRING online system. Three hundred ninety-nine differentially expressed genes were obtained from microarray. Among them, 54 Se-related genes were identified by CTD. The qRT-PCR validation showed that four genes expressed similarly with the ones in the microarray transcriptional profiles. The Se-related genes were categorized into 6 cellular components, 8 molecular functions, 44 biological processes, 10 pathways, and 1 network by STRING. The Se-related gene insulin-like growth factor binding protein 2 (IGFBP2), insulin-like growth factor binding protein 3 (IGFBP3), interleukin 6 (IL6), BCL2, apoptosis regulator (BCL2), and BCL2-associated X, apoptosis regulator (BAX), which involved in many molecular functions, biological processes, and apoptosis pathway may play important roles in the pathogenesis of KBD.
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24. |
- Yang, Bin, et al.
(author)
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Non-invasive (non-contact) measurements of human thermal physiology signals and thermal comfort/discomfort poses -A review
- 2020
-
In: Energy and Buildings. - : ELSEVIER SCIENCE SA. - 0378-7788 .- 1872-6178. ; 224
-
Research review (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Heating, ventilation and air-conditioning (HVAC) systems have been adopted to create comfortable, healthy and safe indoor environments. In the control loop, the technical feature of the human demand-oriented supply can help operate HVAC effectively. Among many technical options, real time monitoring based on feedback signals from end users has been frequently reported as a critical technology to confirm optimizing building performance. Recent studies have incorporated human thermal physiology signals and thermal comfort/discomfort status as real-time feedback signals. A series of human subject experiments used to be conducted by primarily adopting subjective questionnaire surveys in a lab-setting study, which is limited in the application for reality. With the help of advanced technologies, physiological signals have been detected, measured and processed by using multiple technical formats, such as wearable sensors. Nevertheless, they mostly require physical contacts with the skin surface in spite of the small physical dimension and compatibility with other wearable accessories, such as goggles, and intelligent bracelets. Most recently, a low cost small infrared camera has been adopted for monitoring human facial images, which could detect the facial skin temperature and blood perfusion in a contact less way. Also, according to latest pilot studies, a conventional digital camera can generate infrared images with the help of new methods, such as the Euler video magnification technology. Human thermal comfort/discomfort poses can also be detected by video methods without contacting human bodies and be analyzed by the skeleton keypoints model. In this review, new sensing technologies were summarized, their cons and pros were discussed, and extended applications for the demand-oriented ventilation were also reviewed as potential development and applications.
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25. |
- Yao, Zhen, et al.
(author)
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A highly efficient transcriptome-based biosynthesis of non-ethanol chemicals in Crabtree negative Saccharomyces cerevisiae
- 2023
-
In: Biotechnology for Biofuels and Bioproducts. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 2731-3654. ; 16:1
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Background: Owing to the Crabtree effect, Saccharomyces cerevisiae produces a large amount of ethanol in the presence of oxygen and excess glucose, leading to a loss of carbon for the biosynthesis of non-ethanol chemicals. In the present study, the potential of a newly constructed Crabtree negative S. cerevisiae, as a chassis cell, was explored for the biosynthesis of various non-ethanol compounds. Results: To understand the metabolic characteristics of Crabtree negative S. cerevisiae sZJD-28, its transcriptional profile was compared with that of Crabtree positive S. cerevisiae CEN.PK113-11C. The reporter GO term analysis showed that, in sZJD-28, genes associated with translational processes were down-regulated, while those related to carbon metabolism were significantly up-regulated. To verify a potential increase in carbon metabolism for the Crabtree negative strain, the production of non-ethanol chemicals, derived from different metabolic nodes, was then undertaken for both sZJD-28 and CEN.PK113-11C. At the pyruvate node, production of 2,3-butanediol and lactate in sZJD-28-based strains was remarkably higher than that of CEN.PK113-11C-based ones, representing 16.8- and 1.65-fold increase in titer, as well as 4.5-fold and 0.65-fold increase in specific titer (mg/L/OD), respectively. Similarly, for shikimate derived p-coumaric acid, the titer of sZJD-28-based strain was 0.68-fold higher than for CEN.PK113-11C-based one, with a 0.98-fold increase in specific titer. While farnesene and lycopene, two acetoacetyl-CoA derivatives, showed 0.21- and 1.88-fold increases in titer, respectively. From malonyl-CoA, the titer of 3-hydroxypropionate and fatty acids in sZJD-28-based strains were 0.19- and 0.76-fold higher than that of CEN.PK113-11C-based ones, respectively. In fact, yields of products also improved by the same fold due to the absence of residual glucose. Fed-batch fermentation further showed that the titer of free fatty acids in sZJD-28-based strain 28-FFA-E reached 6295.6 mg/L with a highest reported specific titer of 247.7 mg/L/OD in S. cerevisiae. Conclusions: Compared with CEN.PK113-11C, the Crabtree negative sZJD-28 strain displayed a significantly different transcriptional profile and obvious advantages in the biosynthesis of non-ethanol chemicals due to redirected carbon and energy sources towards metabolite biosynthesis. The findings, therefore, suggest that a Crabtree negative S. cerevisiae strain could be a promising chassis cell for the biosynthesis of various chemicals.
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26. |
- Zhang, Huan, et al.
(author)
-
Synergistic effects of warming and eutrophication alert zooplankton predator–prey interactions along the benthic–pelagic interface
- 2021
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In: Global Change Biology. - : Wiley. - 1354-1013 .- 1365-2486. ; 27:22, s. 5907-5919
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Contemporary evidence suggests that climate change and other co-occurring large-scale environmental changes, such as eutrophication, will have a considerable impact on aquatic communities. However, the interactions of these environmental changes on trophic interactions among zooplankton remain largely unknown. Here we present results of a mesocosm experiment examining how a couple of zooplankton predator and prey taxa with different life-history strategies respond to the combined effect of an increase in temperature (4.5°C) and in eutrophication (phosphorus addition), during the crucial recruiting and growing season. We show that the addition of phosphorus alone significantly weakened the top-down effects by the cyclopoid copepod predators on their rotifer prey. In contrast, warming strengthened the top-down effects from the predator, leading to a reduction in the abundance of the rotifer prey. These effects of warming were enhanced by phosphorus addition. Together, our results demonstrate that warming made plankton prey organisms more susceptible to top-down effects from predators, but reduced their sensitivity to nutrient enrichment. In terms of the phenological effects, warming advanced the termination of diapause for both rotifers and cyclopoid copepods by about 2 weeks, but these temporal shifts, akin for both groups, resulted in no apparent trophic mismatch. Hence, from a future perspective, cyclopoid copepods are likely to benefit more from the combination of nutrient enrichment and climate warming to the detriment of their rotifer prey.
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27. |
- Zhang, Yin-Ping, et al.
(author)
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Cross-cultural adaptation and validation of the osteoporosis assessment questionnaire short version (OPAQ-SV) for Chinese osteoporotic fracture females
- 2016
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In: Clinical Rheumatology. - : Springer. - 0770-3198 .- 1434-9949. ; 35:4, s. 1003-1010
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The Osteoporosis Assessment Questionnaire Short Version (OPAQ-SV) was cross-culturally adapted to measure health-related quality of life in Chinese osteoporotic fracture females and then validated in China for its psychometric properties. Cross-cultural adaptation, including translation of the original OPAQ-SV into Mandarin Chinese language, was performed according to published guidelines. Validation of the newly cross-culturally adapted OPAQ-SV was conducted by sampling 234 Chinese osteoporotic fracture females and also a control group of 235 Chinese osteoporotic females without fractures, producing robust content, construct, and discriminant validation results. Major categories of reliability were also met: the Cronbach alpha coefficient was 0.975, indicating good internal consistency; the test-retest reliability was 0.80; and principal component analysis resulted in a 6-factor structure explaining 75.847 % of the total variance. Further, the Comparative Fit Index result was 0.922 following the modified model confirmatory factor analysis, and the chi-squared test was 1.98. The root mean squared error of approximation was 0.078. Moreover, significant differences were revealed between females with fractures and those without fractures across all domains (p < 0.001). Overall, the newly cross-culturally adapted OPAQ-SV appears to possess adequate validity and reliability and may be utilized in clinical trials to assess the health-related quality of life in Chinese osteoporotic fracture females.
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28. |
- Zhou, Fang, et al.
(author)
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A New Red-Emitting Fluorescence Probe for Rapid and Effective Visualization of Bisulfite in Food Samples and Live Animals
- 2019
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In: Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry. - : American Chemical Society (ACS). - 0021-8561 .- 1520-5118. ; 67:15, s. 4375-4383
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The development of new methods for rapid and effective detection of bisulfite (HSO3-) in food samples and imaging of HSO3- intake in animals is of significant importance due to the key roles of HSO3- in food quality assurance and community health. In this work, a new responsive fluorescence probe, EQC, is reported for the quantitative detection of HSO3- in food samples and visualization of HSO3- intake in animals. Upon addition of HSO3-, the UV-vis absorption and red emission of EQC were significantly decreased within 120 s. The changes in absorption and emission spectra of EQC were rationalized by theoretical computations. The proposed reaction mechanism of EQC with HSO3- was confirmed by high-resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS) and spectroscopic titration measurements. EQC has the advantages of high sensitivity, selectivity (a detection limit of 18.1 nM), and fast response toward HSO3-, which enable rapid and effective HSO3- detection in buffer solution. The practical applications of EQC were demonstrated by the detection of HSO3- in food samples and the imaging of HSO3- intake in live animals.
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29. |
- Akerman, Ildem, et al.
(author)
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Human Pancreatic β Cell lncRNAs Control Cell-Specific Regulatory Networks
- 2017
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In: Cell Metabolism. - : Elsevier BV. - 1550-4131. ; 25:2, s. 400-411
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Recent studies have uncovered thousands of long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) in human pancreatic β cells. β cell lncRNAs are often cell type specific and exhibit dynamic regulation during differentiation or upon changing glucose concentrations. Although these features hint at a role of lncRNAs in β cell gene regulation and diabetes, the function of β cell lncRNAs remains largely unknown. In this study, we investigated the function of β cell-specific lncRNAs and transcription factors using transcript knockdowns and co-expression network analysis. This revealed lncRNAs that function in concert with transcription factors to regulate β cell-specific transcriptional networks. We further demonstrate that the lncRNA PLUTO affects local 3D chromatin structure and transcription of PDX1, encoding a key β cell transcription factor, and that both PLUTO and PDX1 are downregulated in islets from donors with type 2 diabetes or impaired glucose tolerance. These results implicate lncRNAs in the regulation of β cell-specific transcription factor networks.
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30. |
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31. |
- Autio, Anu, et al.
(author)
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SIRPα - CD47 axis regulates dendritic cell-T cell interactions and TCR activation during T cell priming in spleen
- 2022
-
In: PLoS ONE. - : Public Library of Science (PLoS). - 1932-6203. ; 17:4 April
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The SIRPα-CD47 axis plays an important role in T cell recruitment to sites of immune reaction and inflammation but its role in T cell antigen priming is incompletely understood. Employing OTII TCR transgenic mice bred to Cd47-/- (Cd47KO) or SKI mice, a knock-in transgenic animal expressing non-signaling cytoplasmic-truncated SIRPα, we investigated how the SIRPα-CD47 axis contributes to antigen priming. Here we show that adoptive transfer of Cd47KO or SKI Ova-specific CD4+ T cells (OTII) into Cd47KO and SKI recipients, followed by Ova immunization, elicited reduced T cell division and proliferation indices, increased apoptosis, and reduced expansion compared to transfer into WT mice. We confirmed prior reports that splenic T cell zone, CD4+ conventional dendritic cells (cDCs) and CD4+ T cell numbers were reduced in Cd47KO and SKI mice. We report that in vitro derived DCs from Cd47KO and SKI mice exhibited impaired migration in vivo and exhibited reduced CD11c+ DC proximity to OTII T cells in T cell zones after Ag immunization, which correlates with reduced TCR activation in transferred OTII T cells. These findings suggest that reduced numbers of CD4+ cDCs and their impaired migration contributes to reduced T cell-DC proximity in splenic T cell zone and reduced T cell TCR activation, cell division and proliferation, and indirectly increased T cell apoptosis.
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32. |
- Baranowski, M, et al.
(author)
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Contactless Electroreflectance, Photoluminescence and Time-Resolved Photoluminescence of GaInNAs Quantum Wells Obtained by the MBE Method with N-irradiation
- 2011
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In: Semiconductor Science and Technology. - : IOP Publishing. - 1361-6641 .- 0268-1242. ; 26:4, s. 045012-
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The optical properties of GaInNAs quantum wells (QW) grown by molecular beam epitaxywith and without N-irradiation (i.e. grown by the classical method) were investigated by thecontactless electroreflectance (CER), temperature-dependent photoluminescence (PL) andtime-resolved PL (TRPL). From CER measurements it was concluded that one type ofnitrogen nearest-neighbor environment (In-rich environment) is dominant for GaInNAs QWsgrown with N-irradiation whereas various nitrogen environments are present for the referenceGaInNAs QW (i.e. the sample obtained by the classical method). PL and TRPL measurementsclearly show that the optical properties of GaInNAs QWs are affected mainly by the amount ofthe incorporated nitride atoms. It was observed that the PL decay time decreased from ∼200to ∼40 ps when the nitrogen concentration is increased from 0.8 to 2.2%. In addition, thepresence of As flux during N-irradiation reduces the amount of the incorporated nitrogen andsimultaneously improves the optical quality of GaInNAs QWs (i.e. it weakens the carrierlocalization at low temperatures and improves the quantum efficiency of PL).
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33. |
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34. |
- Bruhn, Sören, et al.
(author)
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A Generally Applicable Translational Strategy Identifies S100A4 as a Candidate Gene in Allergy
- 2014
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In: Science Translational Medicine. - : American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). - 1946-6234 .- 1946-6242. ; 6:218
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The identification of diagnostic markers and therapeutic candidate genes in common diseases is complicated by the involvement of thousands of genes. We hypothesized that genes co-regulated with a key gene in allergy, IL13, would form a module that could help to identify candidate genes. We identified a T helper 2 (T(H)2) cell module by small interfering RNA-mediated knockdown of 25 putative IL13-regulating transcription factors followed by expression profiling. The module contained candidate genes whose diagnostic potential was supported by clinical studies. Functional studies of human TH2 cells as well as mouse models of allergy showed that deletion of one of the genes, S100A4, resulted in decreased signs of allergy including TH2 cell activation, humoral immunity, and infiltration of effector cells. Specifically, dendritic cells required S100A4 for activating T cells. Treatment with an anti-S100A4 antibody resulted in decreased signs of allergy in the mouse model as well as in allergen-challenged T cells from allergic patients. This strategy, which may be generally applicable to complex diseases, identified and validated an important diagnostic and therapeutic candidate gene in allergy.
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35. |
- Chen, Song, et al.
(author)
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Early osteoimmunomodulation by mucin hydrogels augments the healing and revascularization of rat critical-size calvarial bone defects
- 2023
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In: BIOACTIVE MATERIALS. - : Elsevier BV. - 2452-199X. ; 25, s. 176-188
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The design principle of osteogenic bone grafts has shifted from immunological inertness to limiting foreign body response to combined osteoimmunomodulatory activity to promote high-quality endogenous bone regeneration. Recently developed immunomodulatory mucin hydrogels have been shown to elicit very low complement activation and suppress macrophage release and activation after implantation in vivo. However, their immunoregulatory activity has not yet been studied in the context of tissue repair. Herein, we synthesized mucinmonetite composite materials and investigated their early osteoimmunomodulation using a critical-size rat bone defect model. We demonstrated that the composites can polarize macrophages towards the M2 phenotype at weeks 1 and 2. The early osteoimmunomodulation enhanced early osteogenesis and angiogenesis and ultimately promoted fracture healing and engraftment (revascularization of the host vasculature) at weeks 6 and 12. Overall, we demonstrated the applicability of mucin-based immunomodulatory biomaterials to enhance tissue repair in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine.
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36. |
- Dai, Haolei, et al.
(author)
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Enhanced double resonance Raman scattering in multilayer graphene with broadband coherent anti-Stokes Raman spectroscopy
- 2023
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In: Nanoscale. - : Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC). - 2040-3364 .- 2040-3372. ; 16:3, s. 1247-1253
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Graphene's unique gapless band structure and remarkably large third-order optical susceptibility have drawn significant attention to its nonlinear optical response, particularly in the context of coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering (CARS). Under the combined influence of phononic and electronic resonances, the CARS response of graphene has been observed to exhibit a distinctive feature of time-resolved dip-to-peak evolution. Here, we report a greatly enhanced double resonance Raman mode beyond the G mode of multi-layer graphene with broadband CARS measurements. The significant difference in the intensity ratio between CARS and SR for this mode may be attributed to the preferential activation of low-frequency phonons in the impulsive stimulated Raman scattering process (ISRS) and a lower dephasing rate. Our results build on a foundation towards a deeper exploration of the coherent Raman response of two-dimensional materials.
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37. |
- Deng, Huan, et al.
(author)
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Altered Expression of the Hedgehog Pathway Proteins BMP2, BMP4, SHH, and IHH Involved in Knee Cartilage Damage of Patients With Osteoarthritis and Kashin-Beck Disease
- 2022
-
In: Cartilage. - : Sage Publications. - 1947-6035 .- 1947-6043. ; 13:1
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- OBJECTIVE: To investigate the expression of Hedgehog (HH) signaling pathway proteins in knee articular cartilage from Kashin-Beck disease (KBD) and osteoarthritis (OA) patients.METHODS: Knee articular cartilage samples were collected from normal (N), OA, and KBD adults (aged 38-60 years) and divided into 3 groups with 6 subjects in each group. The localization of the HH pathway proteins bone morphogenetic protein 2 (BMP2), bone morphogenetic protein 4 (BMP4), Sonic hedgehog (SHH), and Indian hedgehog (IHH) was observed with the microscope after immunohistochemical (IHC) staining. Positive staining cell rates of each proteins were compared.RESULTS: The strongest stainings of all proteins were observed in the middle zones of all 3 groups. The positive staining rates of BMP4 and IHH were significantly lower in the OA and KBD groups than those in the N group in all 3 zones. The positive staining rates of BMP2 and SHH tend to be lower in the OA and KBD groups than those in the N group in the deep zone, while higher in the OA and KBD groups than those in the N group in superficial and middle zones.CONCLUSIONS: Altered expression of the HH pathway proteins BMP2, BMP4, SHH, and IHH was found in OA and KBD articular cartilage. There seemed to be a compensatory effect between SHH and IHH in cartilage damage. Further studies on the pathogenesis of OA and KBD may be carried out from these aspects in the future.
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38. |
- Engelbertsen, Daniel, et al.
(author)
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Increased lymphocyte activation and atherosclerosis in CD47-deficient mice
- 2019
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In: Scientific Reports. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 2045-2322. ; 9:1
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- CD47, also known as integrin-associated protein (IAP), is a transmembrane protein with multiple biological functions including regulation of efferocytosis and leukocyte trafficking. In this study we investigated the effect of CD47-deficiency on atherosclerosis using a model of adeno-associated virus (AAV)-induced hypercholesterolemia. We observed increased plaque formation in CD47 null mice compared to wild-type controls. Loss of CD47 caused activation of dendritic cells, T cells and natural killer (NK) cells, indicating an important role for CD47 in regulating immunity. In particular, Cd47 deficiency increased the proportion of IFN-γ producing CD90+ NK cells. Treatment with depleting anti-NK1.1 monoclonal antibody (mAb), but not depleting anti-CD4/CD8 mAbs, equalized atherosclerotic burden, suggesting NK cells were involved in the enhanced disease in Cd47 deficient mice. Additional studies revealed that levels of CD90+ and IFN-γ+ NK cells were expanded in atherosclerotic aorta and that CD90+ NK cells produce more IFN-γ than CD90- NK cells. Finally, we demonstrate that anti-CD47 (MIAP410) causes splenomegaly and activation of DCs and T cells, without affecting NK cell activation. In summary, we demonstrate that loss of CD47 causes increased lymphocyte activation that results in increased atherosclerosis.
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39. |
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40. |
- Gustafsson, Mika, et al.
(author)
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A validated gene regulatory network and GWAS identifies early regulators of T cell-associated diseases
- 2015
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In: Science Translational Medicine. - : AMER ASSOC ADVANCEMENT SCIENCE. - 1946-6234 .- 1946-6242. ; 7:313
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Early regulators of disease may increase understanding of disease mechanisms and serve as markers for presymptomatic diagnosis and treatment. However, early regulators are difficult to identify because patients generally present after they are symptomatic. We hypothesized that early regulators of T cell-associated diseases could be found by identifying upstream transcription factors (TFs) in T cell differentiation and by prioritizing hub TFs that were enriched for disease-associated polymorphisms. A gene regulatory network (GRN) was constructed by time series profiling of the transcriptomes and methylomes of human CD4(+) T cells during in vitro differentiation into four helper T cell lineages, in combination with sequence-based TF binding predictions. The TFs GATA3, MAF, and MYB were identified as early regulators and validated by ChIP-seq (chromatin immunoprecipitation sequencing) and small interfering RNA knockdowns. Differential mRNA expression of the TFs and their targets in T cell-associated diseases supports their clinical relevance. To directly test if the TFs were altered early in disease, T cells from patients with two T cell-mediated diseases, multiple sclerosis and seasonal allergic rhinitis, were analyzed. Strikingly, the TFs were differentially expressed during asymptomatic stages of both diseases, whereas their targets showed altered expression during symptomatic stages. This analytical strategy to identify early regulators of disease by combining GRNs with genome-wide association studies may be generally applicable for functional and clinical studies of early disease development.
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41. |
- Gustafsson, Mika, et al.
(author)
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Integrated genomic and prospective clinical studies show the importance of modular pleiotropy for disease susceptibility, diagnosis and treatment
- 2014
-
In: Genome Medicine. - : BioMed Central. - 1756-994X. ; 6:17
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Background: Translational research typically aims to identify and functionally validate individual, disease-specific genes. However, reaching this aim is complicated by the involvement of thousands of genes in common diseases, and that many of those genes are pleiotropic, that is, shared by several diseases. Methods: We integrated genomic meta-analyses with prospective clinical studies to systematically investigate the pathogenic, diagnostic and therapeutic roles of pleiotropic genes. In a novel approach, we first used pathway analysis of all published genome-wide association studies (GWAS) to find a cell type common to many diseases. Results: The analysis showed over-representation of the T helper cell differentiation pathway, which is expressed in T cells. This led us to focus on expression profiling of CD4(+) T cells from highly diverse inflammatory and malignant diseases. We found that pleiotropic genes were highly interconnected and formed a pleiotropic module, which was enriched for inflammatory, metabolic and proliferative pathways. The general relevance of this module was supported by highly significant enrichment of genetic variants identified by all GWAS and cancer studies, as well as known diagnostic and therapeutic targets. Prospective clinical studies of multiple sclerosis and allergy showed the importance of both pleiotropic and disease specific modules for clinical stratification. Conclusions: In summary, this translational genomics study identified a pleiotropic module, which has key pathogenic, diagnostic and therapeutic roles.
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42. |
- Han, Jing, et al.
(author)
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Nano-elemental selenium particle developed via supramolecularself-assembly of chondroitin sulfate A and Na2SeO3 to repaircartilage lesions
- 2023
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In: Carbohydrate Polymers. - : Elsevier. - 0144-8617 .- 1879-1344. ; 316
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Cartilage repair is a significant clinical issue due to its restricted ability to regenerate and self-heal after cartilage lesions or degenerative disease. Herein, a nano-elemental selenium particle (chondroitin sulfate A‑selenium nanoparticle, CSA-SeNP) is developed by the supramolecular self-assembly of Na2SeO3 and negatively charged chondroitin sulfate A (CSA) via electrostatic interactions or hydrogen bonds followed by in-situ reducing of l-ascorbic acid for cartilage lesions repair. The constructed micelle exhibits a hydrodynamic particle size of 171.50 ± 2.40 nm and an exceptionally high selenium loading capacity (9.05 ± 0.03 %) and can promote chondrocyte proliferation, increase cartilage thickness, and improve the ultrastructure of chondrocytes and organelles. It mainly enhances the sulfation modification of chondroitin sulfate by up-regulating the expression of chondroitin sulfate 4-O sulfotransferase-1, −2, −3, which in turn promotes the expression of aggrecan to repair articular and epiphyseal-plate cartilage lesions. The micelles combine the bio-activity of CSA with selenium nanoparticles (SeNPs), which are less toxic than Na2SeO3, and low doses of CSA-SeNP are even superior to inorganic selenium in repairing cartilage lesions in rats. Thus, the developed CSA-SeNP is anticipated to be a promising selenium supplementation preparation in clinical application to address the difficulty of healing cartilage lesions with outstanding repair effects.
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43. |
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44. |
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45. |
- Hu, Kejia, et al.
(author)
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Neuroendocrine pathways and breast cancer progression : a pooled analysis of somatic mutations and gene expression from two large breast cancer cohorts
- 2022
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In: BMC Cancer. - : BioMed Central. - 1471-2407. ; 22:1
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- BACKGROUND: Experimental studies indicate that neuroendocrine pathways might play a role in progression of breast cancer. We aim to test the hypothesis that somatic mutations in the genes of neuroendocrine pathways influence breast cancer prognosis, through dysregulated gene expression in tumor tissue.METHODS: We conducted an extreme case-control study including 208 breast cancer patients with poor invasive disease-free survival (iDFS) and 208 patients with favorable iDFS who were individually matched on molecular subtype from the Breast Cancer Cohort at West China Hospital (WCH; N = 192) and The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA; N = 224). Whole exome sequencing and RNA sequencing of tumor and paired normal breast tissues were performed. Adrenergic, glucocorticoid, dopaminergic, serotonergic, and cholinergic pathways were assessed for differences in mutation burden and gene expression in relation to breast cancer iDFS using the logistic regression and global test, respectively.RESULTS: In the pooled analysis, presence of any somatic mutation (odds ratio = 1.66, 95% CI: 1.07-2.58) of the glucocorticoid pathway was associated with poor iDFS and a two-fold increase of tumor mutation burden was associated with 17% elevated odds (95% CI: 2-35%), after adjustment for cohort membership, age, menopausal status, molecular subtype, and tumor stage. Differential expression of genes in the glucocorticoid pathway in tumor tissue (P = 0.028), but not normal tissue (P = 0.701), was associated with poor iDFS. Somatic mutation of the adrenergic and cholinergic pathways was significantly associated with iDFS in WCH, but not in TCGA.CONCLUSION: Glucocorticoid pathway may play a role in breast cancer prognosis through differential mutations and expression. Further characterization of its functional role may open new avenues for the development of novel therapeutic targets for breast cancer.
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46. |
- Huang, Wei, et al.
(author)
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Propeller-like D-pi-A architectures : bright solid emitters with AIEE activity and large two-photon absorption
- 2014
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In: Journal of Materials Chemistry C. - : Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC). - 2050-7526 .- 2050-7534. ; 2:33, s. 6843-6849
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Two novel molecules TABzPA and TATpPA with D-pi-A structure and large pi-conjugation have been synthesized via Wittig reaction. Unlike common molecules, which exhibit the aggregation-caused quenching (ACQ) phenomenon, TABzPA and TATpPA exhibit aggregation-induced emission enhancement (AIEE) activity: weak luminescence in common solvents but strong emission when aggregated as nanoparticles and solid powders. Due to their intramolecular charge transfer (ICT) attribution and AIEE features, TABzPA and TATpPA display bathochromic effects. Combining ICT and AIEE features, these molecules are intensely yellow solid emitters with high quantum efficiencies of about 23.2% and 24.1%. Moreover, TABzPA and TATpPA have excellent two-photon absorption (2PA) properties owing to good planarity and large pi-conjugation. The values of 2PA cross sections at 800 nm are 7590 GM and 7648 GM. The excellent optical properties of TABzPA and TATpPA pave the way for future potential applications in biophotonics and optoelectronics.
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47. |
- Jay, Raphael M., et al.
(author)
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Photochemical Formation and Electronic Structure of an Alkane ?-Complex from Time-Resolved Optical and X-ray Absorption Spectroscopy
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Other publication (other academic/artistic)abstract
- C-H bond activation reactions with transition metals typically proceed via the formation of alkane ?-complexes, where an alkane C-H ?-bond binds to the metal. Due to the weak nature of metal-alkane bonds, ?-complexes are challenging to characterize experimentally. Here, we photochemically prepare the model ?-complex Cr(CO)5-alkane from Cr(CO)6 in octane solution and characterize the nature of its metal-ligand bonding interactions. Using femtosecond optical absorption spectroscopy, we find photo-induced CO dissociation from Cr(CO)6 to occur within the 100 fs time-resolution of the experiment. Rapid geminate recombination by a fraction of molecules is found to occur with a time constant of 150 fs. The formation of bare Cr(CO)5 in its singlet ground state is followed by complexation of an octane molecule from solution with a time constant of 8.2 ps. Picosecond X-ray absorption spectroscopy at the Cr L-edge and O K-edge provides unique information on the electronic structure of the Cr(CO)5-alkane ?-complex both from the metal and ligand perspectives. We find substantial destabilization of the lowest unoccupied molecular orbital upon coordination of the C-H bond to the undercoordinated Cr center in the Cr(CO)5-alkane ?-complex, accompanied with rehybridization between metal and ligand orbitals. Our study demonstrates the value of combining optical and X-ray spectroscopic methods as complementary tools to study the properties of alkane ?-complexes as the decisive intermediates in C-H bond activation reactions.
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48. |
- Jay, Raphael M., et al.
(author)
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Photochemical Formation and Electronic Structure of an Alkane σ-Complex from Time-Resolved Optical and X-ray Absorption Spectroscopy
- 2024
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In: Journal of the American Chemical Society. - : American Chemical Society (ACS). - 0002-7863 .- 1520-5126. ; 146:20, s. 14000-14011
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- C–H bond activation reactions with transition metals typically proceed via the formation of alkane σ-complexes, where an alkane C–H σ-bond binds to the metal. Due to the weak nature of metal–alkane bonds, σ-complexes are challenging to characterize experimentally. Here, we establish the complete pathways of photochemical formation of the model σ-complex Cr(CO)5-alkane from Cr(CO)6 in octane solution and characterize the nature of its metal–ligand bonding interactions. Using femtosecond optical absorption spectroscopy, we find photoinduced CO dissociation from Cr(CO)6 to occur within the 100 fs time resolution of the experiment. Rapid geminate recombination by a fraction of molecules is found to occur with a time constant of 150 fs. The formation of bare Cr(CO)5 in its singlet ground state is followed by complexation of an octane molecule from solution with a time constant of 8.2 ps. Picosecond X-ray absorption spectroscopy at the Cr L-edge and O K-edge provides unique information on the electronic structure of the Cr(CO)5-alkane σ-complex from both the metal and ligand perspectives. Based on clear experimental observables, we find substantial destabilization of the lowest unoccupied molecular orbital upon coordination of the C–H bond to the undercoordinated Cr center in the Cr(CO)5-alkane σ-complex, and we define this as a general, orbital-based descriptor of the metal–alkane bond. Our study demonstrates the value of combining optical and X-ray spectroscopic methods as complementary tools to study the stability and reactivity of alkane σ-complexes in their role as the decisive intermediates in C–H bond activation reactions.
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49. |
- Jian, Wang, et al.
(author)
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A PSO-Based Layout Method for GNSS Pseudolite System
- 2017
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In: Proceedings of the 2017 International Conference on Information Technology. - New York, NY, USA : ACM. - 9781450363518 ; , s. 313-317
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Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
- In order to improve the user positioning accuracy in GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) pseudolite system, we propose a PSO (Particle Swarm Optimization)-based method to optimize the pseudolite layout in this paper. In detail, given the pseudolite layout information, we calculate the system GDOP (Geometric Dilution of Precision) and then minimize it by using a PSO-based algorithm with N particles. Here the first particle indicates the classical layout under the given scenario and the other particles separately represent N-1 randomly generated layouts. In each iteration of our PSO-based algorithm, these particles move to a direction to reduce the GDOP value. After several iterations, the GDOP value can be minimized and the optimal pseudolite layout is found out as well. To evaluate the merits of our method, we perform some experiments. The experimental results show that compared to the classical pseudolite layout, our method can reduce the GDOP by 13.4%. This, with no doubt, improves the user positioning accuracy. For example, when the pseudo-range error is about 1%, the user positioning accuracy in our optimized layout can be improved by 12.4% against the classical layout.
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50. |
- Jiang, Huanxiang, et al.
(author)
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Appropriate Molecular Interaction Enabling Perfect Balance Between Induced Crystallinity and Phase Separation for Efficient Photovoltaic Blends
- 2020
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In: ACS Applied Materials and Interfaces. - : American Chemical Society. - 1944-8244 .- 1944-8252. ; 12:23, s. 26286-26292
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Fluorination is a promising modification method to adjust the photophysical profiles of organic semiconductors. Notably, the fluorine modification on donor or acceptor materials could impact the molecular interaction, which is strongly related to the morphology of bulk heterojunction (BHJ) blends and the resultant device performance. Therefore, it is essential to investigate how the molecular interaction affects the morphology of BHJ films. In this study, a new fluorinated polymer PBDB-PSF is synthesized to investigate the molecular interaction in both nonfluorinated (ITIC) and fluorinated (IT-4F) systems. The results reveal that the F-F interaction in the PBDB-PSF:IT-4F system could effectively induce the crystallization of IT-4F while retaining the ideal phase separation scale, resulting in outstanding charge transport. On the contrary, poor morphology can be observed in the PBDB-PSF:ITIC system because of the unbalanced molecular interaction. As a consequence, the PBDB-PSF:IT-4F device delivers an excellent power conversion efficiency of 13.63%, which greatly exceeds that of the PBDB-PSF:ITIC device (9.84%). These results highlight manipulating the micromorphology with regard to molecular interaction.
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