Enhanced Superconductivity and Rashba Effect in a Buckled Plumbene-Au Kagome Superstructure.

Plumbene, with a structure similar to graphene, is expected to possess a strong spin-orbit coupling and thus enhances its superconducting critical temperature (Tc ). In this work, a buckled plumbene-Au Kagome superstructure grown by depositing Au on Pb(111) is investigated. The superconducting gap monitored by temperature-dependent scanning tunneling microscopy/spectroscopy shows that the buckled plumbene-Au Kagome superstructure not only has an enhanced Tc with respect to that of a monolayer Pb but also possesses a higher value than what owned by a bulk Pb substrate. By combining angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy with density functional theory, the monolayer Au-intercalated low-buckled plumbene sandwiched between the top Au Kagome layer and the bottom Pb(111) substrate is confirmed and the electron-phonon coupling-enhanced superconductivity is revealed. This work demonstrates that a buckled plumbene-Au Kagome superstructure can enhance superconducting Tc and Rashba effect, effectively triggering the novel properties of a plumbene.

Structure of the N-terminal coiled-coil domains of the ciliary protein Rpgrip1l.

Rpgrip1l is one of the key ciliary proteins located at the transition zone of the primary cilium, an important organelle for cells to sense the outer environment. Mutations in the RPGRIP1L gene are associated with various ciliopathies. Here, we focused on the N-terminal coiled-coil of Rpgrip1l. By comprehensive biochemical and structural characterizations, we demonstrated that the two predicted coiled-coil regions (CC12) located at Rpgrip1l N-terminus each can form a stable parallel dimer. We further showed that overexpression of Rpgrip1l CC12 in NIH/3T3 cells significantly shortened the length of primary cilia, and this effect depended on the dimer formation. In addition, we found that CC12 of the homolog protein Rpgrip1 in mouse and human were significantly different from Rpgrip1l. Finally, we confirmed that some disease-related mutations can alter the dimeric states of CC12 of Rpgrip1l or Rpgrip1, which might explain the pathogenic mechanisms.

Uniform Two-Dimensional Crystalline Platelets with Tailored Compositions for pH Stimulus-Responsive Drug Release.

Two-dimensional, size-tunable, water-dispersible particle micelles with spatially defined chemistries can be obtained by using "living" crystallization-driven self-assembly (CDSA) approach. Nevertheless, a major obstacle of crystalline particles in drug delivery application is the difficulty in accessing to cargo within crystalline cores. In the present work, we design four different types of biocompatible two-dimensional platelets with a crystalline poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL) core, a hydrophobic poly(4-vinylprydine) (P4VP) segment, and a water dispersible poly(N,N-dimethyl acrylamide) (PDMA) block in ethanol by seeded growth method. Transferring those uniform platelets with tailored compositions to an aqueous solution in the presence of a hydrophobic drug leads to efficient encapsulation of the cargo in the P4VP segments via hydrophobic interactions. These drug-loaded platelets exhibit pH-responsive release behavior in aqueous media due to the protonated-deprotonated process of P4VP blocks in acidic and neutral solutions. This work provides initial insight into biocompatible PCL platelets with low dispersity and precise chemistry control in stimulus-responsive drug delivery fields.

Tip-Mediated Bandgap Tuning for Monolayer Transition Metal Dichalcogenides.

Monolayer transition metal dichalcogenides offer an appropriate platform for developing advanced electronics beyond graphene. Similar to two-dimensional molecular frameworks, the electronic properties of such monolayers can be sensitive to perturbations from the surroundings; the implied tunability of electronic structure is of great interest. Using scanning tunneling microscopy/spectroscopy, we demonstrated a bandgap engineering technique in two monolayer materials, MoS2 and PtTe2, with the tunneling current as a control parameter. The bandgap of monolayer MoS2 decreases logarithmically by the increasing tunneling current, indicating an electric-field-induced gap renormalization effect. Monolayer PtTe2, by contrast, exhibits a much stronger gap reduction, and a reversible semiconductor-to-metal transition occurs at a moderate tunneling current. This unusual switching behavior of monolayer PtTe2, not seen in bulk semimetallic PtTe2, can be attributed to its surface electronic structure that can readily couple to the tunneling tip, as demonstrated by theoretical calculations.

Structure of the Harmonin PDZ2 and coiled-coil domains in a complex with CDHR2 tail and its implications.

Harmonin is a protein containing multiple PDZ domains and is required for the development and maintenance of hair cell stereocilia and brush border microvilli. Mutations in the USH1C gene can cause Usher syndrome type 1C, a severe inheritable disease characterized by the loss of hearing and vision. Here, by solving the high-resolution crystal structure of Harmonin PDZ2 and coiled-coil domains in a complex with the tail of cadherin-related family member 2, we demonstrated that mutations located in the Harmonin PDZ2 domain and found in patients could affect its stability, and thus, the target binding capability. The structure also implies that the coiled-coil domain could form antiparallel dimers under high concentrations, possibly when Harmonin underwent liquid-liquid phase separation in the upper tip-link density in hair cell stereocilia or microvilli of enterocytes of the intestinal epithelium. The crystal structure, together with the biochemical analysis, provided mechanistic implications for Harmonin mutations causing Usher syndrome, non-syndromic deafness, or enteropathy.

RETRACTED ARTICLE: DGUOK-AS1 promotes the proliferation cervical cancer through regulating miR-653-5p/EMSY.

Statement of RetractionArticle title: DGUOK-AS1 promotes the proliferation cervical cancer through regulating miR-653-5p/EMSYAuthors: Yan A, Chen G, and Nie, J.Journal: Cancer Biology & TherapyDOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/15384047.2020.1775445In the version of DGUOK-AS1 promotes the proliferation cervical cancer through regulating miR-653-5p/EMSY by Anqi Yan, Guanhao Chen and Jichan Nie published online July 13, 2020, the authors noted inconsistencies within Figures 1F, 2B, 2L, and 4E. Upon investigation, it was determined that the images are unable to support the findings of the manuscript and the article should subsequently be retracted.The Authors apologise for any inconvenience caused.

Layer-Dependent and In-Plane Anisotropic Properties of Low-Temperature Synthesized Few-Layer PdSe2 Single Crystals.

Palladium diselenide (PdSe2), a peculiar noble metal dichalcogenide, has emerged as a new two-dimensional material with high predicted carrier mobility and a widely tunable band gap for device applications. The inherent in-plane anisotropy endowed by the pentagonal structure further renders PdSe2 promising for novel electronic, photonic, and thermoelectric applications. However, the direct synthesis of few-layer PdSe2 is still challenging and rarely reported. Here, we demonstrate that few-layer, single-crystal PdSe2 flakes can be synthesized at a relatively low growth temperature (300 °C) on sapphire substrates using low-pressure chemical vapor deposition (CVD). The well-defined rectangular domain shape and precisely determined layer number of the CVD-grown PdSe2 enable us to investigate their layer-dependent and in-plane anisotropic properties. The experimentally determined layer-dependent band gap shrinkage combined with first-principle calculations suggest that the interlayer interaction is weaker in few-layer PdSe2 in comparison with that in bulk crystals. Field-effect transistors based on the CVD-grown PdSe2 also show performances comparable to those based on exfoliated samples. The low-temperature synthesis method reported here provides a feasible approach to fabricate high-quality few-layer PdSe2 for device applications.

Electroacupuncture prevents cognitive impairments by regulating the early changes after brain irradiation in rats.

Cognitive impairments severely affect the quality of life of patients who undergo brain irradiation, and there are no effective preventive strategies. In this study, we examined the therapeutic potential of electroacupuncture (EA) administered immediately after brain irradiation in rats. We detected changes in cognitive function, neurogenesis, and synaptic density at different time points after irradiation, but found that EA could protect the blood-brain barrier (BBB), inhibit neuroinflammatory cytokine expression, upregulate angiogenic cytokine expression, and modulate the levels of neurotransmitter receptors and neuropeptides in the early phase. Moreover, EA protected spatial memory and recognition in the delayed phase. At the cellular/molecular level, the preventative effect of EA on cognitive dysfunction was not dependent on hippocampal neurogenesis; rather, it was related to synaptophysin expression. Our results suggest that EA applied immediately after brain irradiation can prevent cognitive impairments by protecting against the early changes induced by irradiation and may be a novel approach for preventing or ameliorating cognitive impairments in patients with brain tumors who require radiotherapy.

Variation in background intensity affects PET-based gross tumor volume delineation in non-small-cell lung cancer: the need for individualized information.

PURPOSE: Efficient tumor volume delineation by the combined use of PET/CT scanning is necessary for the proper treatment of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). To understand the effect of variation in background intensity on PET-based gross tumor volume (GTV) delineation, we determined the background standard uptake values (SUVs) in normal lung, aorta (blood pool), and liver tissues and determined GTVs using different methods. METHODS: Thirty-seven previously untreated patients with pathologically confirmed NSCLC underwent PET/CT scanning with (18)F-fluorodeoxyglucose ((18)F-FDG). To obtain (18)F-FDG uptake values in normal tissues, regions of interest in the lung lobes (left upper, left lower, right upper, right middle, and right lower), aorta, and liver zones (left, intermediate, and right) were measured. The coefficient of variation (CV) of the SUV was measured for each normal structure. The CT-based GTV (GTV(CT)) was considered as the standard to which all PET-based GTVs were compared, and the correlation coefficient was analyzed to compare GTV obtained by the various delineation methods. Linear and logarithmic regression analyses were used to determine the relationship between GTV(CT) and GTV(PET). RESULTS: Normal lung tissue showed a significantly lower SUV and less stability than tissue of the aorta or liver. For the lung, aorta, and liver, the maximum SUV (SUV(max)) was 0.82 ± 0.32, 2.35 ± 0.37, and 3.24 ± 0.50 (CV: 38.79%, 15.82%, and 15.30%) and average SUV (SUV(ave)) was 0.49 ± 0.18, 1.68 ± 0.32, and 2.34 ± 0.36 (CV: 36.38%, 18.92%, and 15.44%), respectively. The SUVs of the lung varied from lobe to lobe. The GTV delineation method using the SUV(ave) of the lung lobe in which the tumor was found as background in the source-to-background ratio (SBR) method showed the best correlation with the volume of CT-based GTV (r=0.81). CONCLUSIONS: Our results show vast variation in the SUV among normal tissues, as well as in the different lung lobes. The tumor volume delineated using the SBR method correlated well with the CT-based tumor volume. We conclude that it is reasonable and precise to contour GTV in patients with NSCLC after taking into account the background intensity of the lung lobe in which the tumor is found.

[Local injection of gentamycin for female urethral syndrome: a clinical study].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the therapeutic effect of local antibiotic injection into the female prostate on female urethral syndrome (FUS), and search for an effective treatment for this disease. METHODS: This study included 163 FUS patients treated in the out-patient department between July 2009 and December 2010. According to the visiting order, the patients were randomly assigned to Groups A (n = 58), B (n = 55) and C (n = 50). All underwent routine treatment. Inaddition Group A received local injection of 2 ml of 80 000 U gentamycin + 2 ml of lidocaine, and Group B 2 ml of normal saline + 2 ml of lidocaine, both injected into the distal segment of the urethral back wall where the female prostate is located, twice a week for 3 weeks. The therapeutic effects were evaluated according to the changes of the patients' independent symptom scores at 2 and 4 weeks after the treatment. Disappearance of the symptoms was considered as "curative" , > 1/2 reduction in the symptom score as "obviously effective", 1/2 - > 1/4 reduction in the symptom score as "effective", and < 1/4 reduction or increase in the symptom score as "ineffective". RESULTS: At 2 weeks after the treatment, the total effectiveness rate was significantly higher in Group A (77.5%) than in B (67.3%) and C (68.0%) (P < 0.05), but with no statistically significant difference between B and C (P > 0.05). At 4 weeks, the total effectiveness rate of Group A was slightly decreased, but still remarkably higher than that of group B or C (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Local injection of gentamycin into the female prostate is effective for the treatment of female urethral syndrome.

[Relationship between gene polymorphism of CYP2E1, CYP1A1, IL-4 and medicamentosa-like dermatitis induced by trichloroethylene].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the relationship between gene polymorphism of CYP2E1, CYP1A1, IL-4 and susceptibility of medicamentosa-like dermatitis induced by trichloroethylene (TCE). METHODS: 35 patients with medicamentosa-like dermatitis induced by TCE were chosen as the patient group, and 35 healthy workers as control group. The real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) with TaqMan minor groove binding (MGB) probes was used to test single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) of CYP2E1, CYP1A1 and IL-4 in the patients with medicamentosa-like dermatitis as well as in the control. The genotypes and the frequency of genotype or allele were compared between the patients and control with statistical analysis. RESULTS: The frequency of allele G within CYP1A1 gene (rs1048943) was significantly higher in TCE patients (37.1%) than that in control (P<0.05); the frequency of allele T within CYP2E1-1053 C/T was significantly higher in TCE patients (41.4%) than that in control (P<0.01); the frequency of T/T within IL-4-588 C/T (rs2243250) was significantly higher in TCE patients (75.0%) than that in control (P<0.01), and the frequency of allele T within IL-4-588 C/T (rs2243250) was also significantly higher in TCE patients (87.5%) than that in control (P<0.01). CONCLUSION: The gene polymorphism of CYP2E1, CYP1A1, IL-4 is probably associated with hypersensitivity for the TCE patients with medicamentosa-like dermatitis, and could be one of the genetic factors related to the individual susceptibility to TCE exposure.