The superconductivity and topological surface state of type-II Dirac semimetal NiTe2.

NiTe2 is a type-II Dirac semimetal with the Dirac point very close to the Fermi level. In this paper, its electronic structure, phonon structure and electron-phonon interaction are studied via first-principles calculations. The noteworthy result is that the nontrival bands around the type-II Dirac point are strongly coupled with phonon modes, suggesting that they play an important role in superconductivity. Furthermore, the topological surface states on the (0 0 1) cleavage plane originated from the nontrivial Z 2 are well separated from the bulk states and can be tuned to approach the Fermi level by adding holes or by V substitution. The possible topological superconductivity in type-II Dirac semimetal NiTe2 is discussed.

PTENP1 acts as a ceRNA to regulate PTEN by sponging miR-19b and explores the biological role of PTENP1 in breast cancer.

This study aimed to investigate role of long noncoding RNA PTENP1 regulating PTEN expression via miR-19b to affect breast cancer (BC) progression. We measured expressions of PTENP1, miR-19b and PTEN in 65 matched BC cancerous and noncancerous tissues by quantitative real-time fluorescence PCR (qRT-PCR) and investigated the biological effects of PTENP1 in BC MDA-MB-231 cells by several in vitro experiments including CCK8, wound healing, transwell and Annexin V-FITC/PI analysis. Besides, the competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) activity of PTENP1 on miR-19b was detected by luciferase reporter assay, and the expressions of related genes and proteins were determined by western blot assay and qRT-PCR. Increased PTENP1 and PTEN and decreased miR-19b were observed in BC tissues and cell lines. Further, PTENP1 and PTEN are direct targets of miR-19b, and overexpressed PTENP1 in MDA-MB-231 cells could supress cell proliferation, migration and invasion and promote cell apoptosis. Moreover, PTENP1 could upregulate PTEN via its ceRNA interaction on miR-19b, as well as induced the upregulation of p53 and downregulation of p-AKT. Enhanced PTENP1 could inhibit BC cell growth, metastasis and tumourigenicity by inhibiting miR-19b and facilitating PTEN in BC, thereby may represent a novel target for diagnosis and treatment of BC.

[Prevalence of depression and related factors in 180 HIV/AIDS patients receiving highly active antiretroviral therapy].

OBJECTIVE: To understand the prevalence of depression in HIV/AIDS patients who are receiving highly active antiretroviral therapy(HAART), and identify the influencing factors for depression. METHODS: A total of 180 HIV/AIDS outpatients receiving HAART were recruited in a cross-sectional survey at the first hospital of Changsha from June to December 2015. The SDS questionnaire(SDS score≥50)was used to screen depression patients and psychological CT was used to confirm the depression. The influencing factors were identified through multivariate logistic analysis. RESULTS: Forty eight patients showed depressive symptoms in preliminary screening(26.67%), and 33 patients were diagnosed with depression(18.33%). HIV/AIDS related stigma and discrimination scale score 20-40(OR=0.093, 95%CI: 0.020-0.431)was the protective factors. Living alone(OR=5.062, 95% CI: 1.626-15.764), HIV related diseases in recent three months(OR=3.778, 95% CI: 1.113-12.826)were the risk factors. CONCLUSION: More attention should be paid to the depression in HIV/AIDS patients receiving HAART. The mental health care for these patients needs to be improved in clinic practice.

Impact of Malaria Vector Control Interventions at the Beginning of a Malaria Elimination Stage in a Dominant Area of Anopheles anthropophagus, Hubei Province, China.

Three towns with similar socio-ecological characteristics, malaria morbidities, and populations were selected for this study to explore economic and effective malaria control measures.The sources of infection were controlled in each town. Impregnated mosquito nets with 2.5% deltamethrin (15 mg/m(2)) combined with residual spraying of 5% cypermethrin (25 mg/m(2)) was implemented in cattle and pig pens, as well as in crowded sites in Chenji, whereas the mosquito nets were treated with 2.5% deltamethrin only in Guanqiao Town. All the control measures implemented in Fengling (control town) were the same as those implemented in the towns of Chenji and Guanqiao, except for mosquito elimination control. Results were evaluated and compared based on pathogens and entomology. The densities of Anopheles anthropophagus mosquitoes in houses, outside houses (man bait), as well as in cattle pens and pig pens were reduced by 100%, 71.96%, 94.01%, and 67.42%, respectively at all 4 sites in Chenji Town, whereas the density increased at 1 site (the outside house [man bait]) by 12.38%, while the densities at the other 3 sites (in houses, cattle pens and pig pens) were reduced by 99.63%, 18.71% and 69.44% respectively in Guanqiao Town. The biting rates of An. anthropophagus in the 3 towns were 0.11, 0.22, and 1.1 respectively in Chenji, Guanqiao, and Fengling. The incidence of malaria in the 3 towns decreased by 73.12%, 57.71%, and 65.71% in terms of annual average. Both impregnated mosquito nets combined with residual spraying and impregnated mosquito nets only reduced the density of An. anthropophagus in houses in the 2 towns, but reduction was more rapid in Chenji Town.

Band-gap tunability and dynamical instability in strained monolayer and bilayer phosphorenes.

Very recently, field-effect transistors based on few-layer phosphorene crystals with a thickness of down to a few nanometres were successfully fabricated, triggering interest in this new functional two-dimensional material. In this work, we apply first-principles calculations to studying the evolution of electronic and phononic structures with out-of-plane strain for monolayer and bilayer phosphorenes. It is found that the vertical stress can be used to tune the band gap of a semiconducting phosphorene in a wide range. On the other hand, the vertical stress can make the phosphorene lattice become dynamically unstable and surface reconstruction or structural phase transition may occur. Due to the interlayer van der Waals coupling, the dynamically stable range of bilayer phosphorene under vertical stress is wider than that of monolayer phosphorene. It is proposed whether or not a semiconductor-semimetal transition occurring in a strained phosphorene is determined not only by its band gap closing, but also by its lattice stability against strain. This information is essential for the strain engineering of phosphorene and future device fabrication.

Systematic review with network meta-analysis: the comparative effectiveness and safety of interventions in patients with overt hepatic encephalopathy.

BACKGROUND: Interventional treatment for overt hepatic encephalopathy (OHE), includes non-absorbable disaccharides, neomycin, rifaximin, L-ornithine-L-aspartate and branched chain amino acids (BCAA). However, the optimum regimen remains inconclusive. AIM: To compare interventions in terms of patients' adverse events and major clinical outcomes. METHODS: Literature search of PubMed, Embase, Scopus, and Cochrane Library studies published up to July 31 2014. RCTs of above interventions in OHE patients were included. Network meta-analysis combined direct and indirect evidence to estimate odds ratios (ORs) and mean difference (MD) between treatments and the probabilities of ranking for treatment based on clinical outcomes. RESULTS: Twenty eligible RCTs were included. When compared with observation, only L-ornithine-L-aspartate (OR 3.71, P < 0.001) and BCAA (OR 3.37, P < 0.001) improved clinical efficacy significantly. However, when L-ornithine-L-aspartate was compared with BCAA, non-absorbable disaccharides and neomycin, there was a trend suggesting that L-ornithine-L-aspartate may be the most effective intervention with respect to clinical improvement (OR 1.10), rifaximin (OR 1.31), non-absorbable disaccharides (OR 2.75), neomycin (OR 2.22). In addition, L-ornithine-L-aspartate (MD -20.18, 95% CI -40.12 to -0.27) provided a significant reduction in blood ammonia concentration compared with observation. Neomycin appeared to be associated with more adverse events in comparison with non-absorbable disaccharides (OR 10.15), rifaximin (OR 17.31), L-ornithine-L-aspartate (OR 3.16) or BCAA (OR 7.69). CONCLUSIONS: L-ornithine-L-aspartate treatment may show a trend in superiority for clinical efficacy among standard interventions for OHE. Rifaximin shows the greatest reduction in blood ammonia concentration, and treatment with neomycin demonstrates a higher probability in causing adverse effects among the five compared interventions.

Cross-linking of soybean protein isolate-chitosan coacervate with transglutaminase utilizing capsanthin as the model core.

Transglutaminase (TG) is an alternative coacervate cross-linking agent to aldehydes due to its safety. In this work, the cross-linking conditions of soybean protein isolate (SPI)-chitosan coacervates with TG-utilizing capsanthin as the model core were optimized and its cross-linking effectiveness was compared with that of glutaraldehyde. Results indicated that the optimum capsanthin microcapsule cross-linking conditions were as follows: a suspension pH of 6.0, an incubation duration of 3 h, a TG concentration of 18.75 U/g SPI and a reaction temperature of 45 °C. Under these conditions, TG provided a cross-linking effectiveness comparable with that of glutaraldehyde in regards to microcapsule stability against swelling in 80 °C water and heating at 150 °C. Differential scanning calorimetry analysis revealed that TG cross-linking increased the integrity of the microcapsule walls. It was concluded that the SPI-chitosan coacervation pair has potential applications in the food industry in terms of cross-linker safety and effectiveness.

Surface lattice dynamics and electron-phonon interaction in ultrathin Bi(111) film.

The surface phonon and electron-phonon interactions in the two-dimensional topological insulator Bi(111) film are calculated, including the spin-orbit coupling from density-functional perturbation theory. By analyzing the zone-center phonons, an anomalous phonon hardening of two Raman modes, Eg and A1g, in ultrathin films is found and is explained by considering the redistribution of the charge density on the surface of the semimetallic Bi. Surface phonon band structures and the surface phonon density of states are given, and we find that softening and hardening of surface phonon modes occur simultaneously in ultrathin Bi film, but the softening may dominate over the hardening. The calculated electron-phonon coupling constant λ for Bi(111) film is much larger than that for the bulk, which might induce surface-localized superconductivity in this two-dimensional topological insulator.

Comprehensive analysis of commercially available mouse antichicken monoclonal antibodies for cross-reactivity with peripheral blood leukocytes from commercial turkeys.

In the United States, turkey production contributes approximately $14.4 billion to the US economy; however, the number of reagents specifically developed to study the immune system of this economically important species is limited. To compensate for this, laboratories focused on the turkey system have each empirically tested various chicken-specific reagents for cross-reactivity with turkeys. The result is a patchwork of reports using different genetic lines and different ages, and in many cases, leading to inconsistent conclusions about the cross-reactivity of the reagents tested. In the current study, we investigated a large panel of commercially available monoclonal antibodies specific for chicken leukocyte markers for their ability to specifically recognize the turkey homolog of their respective ligand using 2 different genetic lines of commercial turkeys. The results of these studies identify 8 chicken-specific monoclonal antibodies (F21-21, F21-2, CT4, EP96, 3-298, AV7, c264, and AV6) as demonstrating strong evidence for cross-reactivity with turkey peripheral blood mononuclear cells from both commercial lines, 3 of which (F21-2, EP96, and c264), to our knowledge, have not previously been reported. In addition, characterization of the anti-CD8α monoclonal antibody 3-298 provides evidence that turkeys, like chickens, have a relatively high percentage of CD4CD8 double-positive T-cells in circulation and have at least 5 alleles of the CD8α gene. Collectively, the results from these experiments strengthen our understanding of the turkey immune system, its relative level of conservation with the chicken system, and adds to the list of reagents that can be reliably used to assess immune responses in commercial turkeys.

GhAGP31, a cotton non-classical arabinogalactan protein, is involved in response to cold stress during early seedling development.

Arabinogalactan proteins (AGPs), a superfamily of highly glycosylated hydroxyproline-rich glycoproteins, are widely implicated in plant growth and development. A gene (including its cDNA), designated GhAGP31, encoding a non-classical AGP protein was isolated from cotton (Gossypium hirsutum). The deduced GhAGP31 protein contains the conserved features of non-classical AGPs: a putative signal peptide, N-terminal histidine-rich stretch, middle repetitive proline-rich domain and a cysteine-containing 'PAC' domain. GFP fluorescence assay demonstrated that GhAGP31 protein was localised on cell walls. GhAGP31 transcripts were mainly detected in roots, hypocotyls and ovules, but little or almost none were detected in other tissues. In particular, expression of GhAGP31 was developmentally regulated in roots. Further study demonstrated that GhAGP31 expression in cotton roots was remarkably up-regulated by cold stress. Expression of the GUS gene driven by the GhAGP31 promoter was also dramatically enhanced in roots of transgenic Arabidopsis seedlings under cold treatment. Additionally, overexpression of GhAGP31 in yeast and Arabidopsis significantly improved the freezing tolerance of yeast cells and cold tolerance of Arabidopsis seedlings. These data imply that GhAGP31 protein may be involved in the response to cold stress during early root development of cotton.

[Environmental investigation in areas where Anopheles anthropophagus distributed in Hubei Province].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the natural and socio-economical environment in the areas where Anopheles anthropophagus distributed in Hubei Province. METHODS: 5% of the villages in distribution area of An. anthropophagus were randomly selected for the investigation which included vegetation, soil, water, temperature, farming, resting places of the mosquito. RESULTS: The vegetation of An. anthropophagus area consisted of forest, bush, sod and crops. The area was densely covered with river, ditches and ponds, the water pH being 6.1-7.7. The soil texture was either yellow, yellow brown, grey or black, contained 2.72% organic material. There were one or two seasons of rice plantation in the area and the amount of insecticide used was 0.828 kg/mu in the rice field. The annual average temperature was 16.9 degrees C and the humidity was 76.9%. The breed period of An. anthropophagus was from June to September. There are two peaks of mosquito population in area with two seasons of rice plantation, and one peak in one rice season. The composition of An. anthropophagus resting in households, cowsheds and pigpens was 80.9%, 12.2% and 6.0%, respectively. CONCLUSION: The distribution of An. anthropophagus was in point, flaky or belt form in low hill, hillock, shallow hilly plain. These areas were full of vegetation and source of water, the principal crop was single cropping of rice, and soil texture is yellow or yellow brown. The major resting place of the mosquito was human dwellings.

[Protective effects of extract of Ginkgo biloba (EGb) on lysophosphatidylcholine induced damages of vascular endothelial cells in vitro].

Effects of EGb on cultured bovine aortic endothelial cells (BAEC) damaged by lysophosphatidylcholine (LPC) were investigated. When endothelial cells were incubated with LPC (2.5 micrograms.ml-1) for 24 h, the endothelial cells turned round pyknotic, exfoliated and broken, and the contents of malondialdehyde (MDA), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and plasminogen activator inhibitor (PAI) were markedly increased and the superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity was inhibited. Treatment with EGb at concentrations of 125 and 250 micrograms.ml-1, caused a reduction in MDA, LDH and PAI contents, while the SOD activity in the medium was increased and the morphologically damaged BAECs were alleviated. These results suggest that EGb afforded protection against BAECs damages induced by LPC and that the protective effect of EGb may be due to anti-lipid peroxidation via free-radical scavenging activity.

Single cell analysis of cytokine gene coexpression during CD4+ T-cell phenotype development.

CD4+ T cells from alpha beta-T-cell receptor transgenic mice were analyzed for coexpression of cytokine mRNAs during phenotype development using a double-label in situ hybridization technique. T cells that produced cytokines in the primary response were a fraction of the activated population, and only a minority of the cytokine-positive cells coexpressed two cytokines. In secondary responses, frequencies of double-positive cells increased, although they remained a minority of the total. Of the cytokine pairs examined, interleukin (IL)-4 and IL-5 were the most frequently coexpressed. IL-4 and interferon gamma showed the greatest tendency toward segregation of expression, being rarely coexpressed after the primary stimulation. These data indicate that there is significant heterogeneity of cytokine gene expression by individual CD4+ T cells during early antigenic responses. Coexpression of any pairs of cytokines, much less Th1 and Th2 cytokines, is generally the exception. The Th0 phenotype is a population phenotype rather than an individual cell phenotype.

[The antihepatoma effect of lyophilized aclacinomycin A polyisobutylcyanoacrylate nanoparticles in vitro and in vivo].

This paper reports the results of experiments on the antihepatoma effects of live targeted drug delivery system--lyophilized aclacinomycin A polyisobutylcyanoacrylate nanoparticle (ACM-IBC-NP) in vitro and in vivo. The median inhibition concentration were found to be 0.28 micrograms.ml-1 and 0.34 micrograms.ml-1 of lyophilized ACM-IBC-NP and ACM respectively in vitro. The inhibition ratio of colony formation were found to be 99% and 88% of lyophilized ACM-IBC-NP and ACM respectively in vitro. The antihepatoma activity was shown to be significantly concentration dependent. The results showed that lyophilized ACM-IBC-NP and ACM possess strong cytotoxicity on human hepatoma cell 7703, and the cytotoxicity was not significantly different between lyophilized ACM-IBC-NP and ACM in vitro. The model of orthotopic transplantation of human hepatoma in nude mice were used for evaluation of the activity of lyophilized ACM-IBC-NP against hepatoma. The tumor inhibition rate were found to be 86.84% for lyophilized ACM-IBC-NP and 46.69% for ACM. The cell proliferative activity of hepatoma were found to be 20.83% by lyophilized ACM-IBC-NP and 72.50% by ACM. All the results indicate that lyophilized ACM-IBC-NP and ACM have clinical application potential and the antihepatoma activity of lyophilized ACM-IBC-NP was obviously higher than that of ACM.

Heterogeneity of single cell cytokine gene expression in clonal T cell populations.

T helper type 0 (Th0), Th1, and Th2 CD4+ T cell clones derived from a T cell receptor alpha/beta (TCR-alpha/beta) transgenic mouse were activated by antigen presented on "artificial" antigen-presenting cells that expressed or lacked the costimulatory molecule B7-1, and were analyzed for single cell cytokine mRNA expression by in situ hybridization. There was significant heterogeneity in the frequency of T cells that expressed individual cytokine mRNAs within each clonal population, suggesting that transcriptional control of each of the cytokine genes was not coordinate within an individual cell. The majority of antigen-stimulated Th1 cells expressed mRNA for interferon gamma (IFN-gamma), but far fewer cells in the same population expressed interleukin 2 (IL-2). Similarly, the frequency of IL-4-expressing cells was greater than that of IL-5- or IL-10-expressing cells in the same Th2 population, but the difference in expression frequencies was more variable between clones. The expression frequencies of each of the cytokines was quite heterogeneous in the antigen-activated Th0 population. The principal effect of increased antigen on the activation of individual cytokine genes in each of the clonal populations was to increase recruitment of mRNA-positive cells, with little or no effect on the level of cytokine mRNA expression in individual positive cells. The effects of B7 costimulation were variable depending on the cytokine gene analyzed. B7 costimulation markedly increased the frequency and the level of IL-2 mRNA expression in individual positive cells in the Th1 and Th0 populations, with less effect on the recruitment and single cell expression level of IFN-gamma. IL-4 frequencies were modestly increased by B7 costimulation of the Th2 clones, but there was no detectable increase in single cell IL-4 expression level. The observed patterns of cytokine mRNA expression favor a model of T cell activation in which all-or-none, rather than graded, responses of cytokine genes are dominant.

The antiatherogenic effects of components isolated from pollen typhae.

Based on the results of previous investigations that pollen Typhae, a Traditional Chinese Medicine, Had antiatherogenic effects, several components were isolated successively from the drug and their effects on porcine aortic endothelial cell (EC) and smooth muscle cell (SMC) cultures as well as on platelet aggregation were examined. 12 components isolated from Pollen Typhae have been identified on their chemical structures and biological effects. 4 of them showed different evident antiatherogenic effects. 1) Isorhamnetin-3-O-rhamnosyl-glucoside could stimulate EC to produce tPA and PGI2; 2) Quercetin-3-O-neohesperidose could protect EC from injury by fibrin, as well as raise tPA activity; 3) beta-Sitosterol palmitate could inhibit SMC proliferation and 4) beta-Sitosterol glucoside showed an inhibitory effect on platelet aggregation. These results would provide some information for the search of new drugs in the treatment and prevention of atherosclerosis.

Further study of pollen typhae's effects on the production of tPA and PGI, by cultured endothelial cells.

We had reported that Pollen Typhae, a Chinese traditional herbal medicine could reduce atherosclerotic plaque formation in experimental animals. Fraction IV isolated from Pollen Typhae had the ability to raise tPA and PGI2 productions by cultured porcine aortic endothelial cells (EC). In this paper we reported that F.IV was divided chemically into four subfractions named SubF.1-4 among them SubF.2-2 was further separated from SubF.2, and SubF.4-1 from SubF.4. The six subfractions were tested for their effects on the productions of tPA (125I-fibrin plate method) and PGI2(RIA) by porcine endothelial cells. The results showed that SubF.3 could enhance tPA activity and SubF.2-2 could increase PGI2 level. With Chrono-Log 500 Lumi-Aggregometer, SubF.1,2-2 and 3 were found to be able to inhibit platelet aggregation and release reaction. These data indicated that the mechanisms of Pollen Typhae in its antiatherosclerotic effects were multiple which resulted from various biologic effects exerted by various components of this drug. Chemical analyses were performed and their structures were identified, demonstrating that SubF.2-2 was a flavonoid, while SubF.3 was a group of flavonoids, implying there are some antiatherogenic components in flavonoids.

[Studies on oncogene and its products of human nasopharyngeal carcinoma].

Oncogene of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) by means of external origin DNA transfection experiment and its gene products by immunohistochemical method have been studied. These DNAs were isolated from human primary poorly differentiated NPC tissues and were transfected into NIH/3T3 mouse fibroblasts to induce the foci of the morphologically transformed cells in the culture, while DNAs of normal placenta tissues failed to do so. The DNAs were extracted from the primary and secondary transformed cells to analyse human sequence with human Alu sequence probe. The human sequence has been detected in the DNAs of the primary and secondary transformed foci cells, while none of the human sequence was detected in the DNAs of the control. The results indicated that human transforming sequences had been integrated into transformed cells. The malignant properties of the transformed foci cells were evidenced by tumorigenic experiment of nude mice. The transformed foci cells were inoculated subcutaneously in the nude mice and induced fibrosarcoma in vivo. The tumorigenic rate was 87.5%. It was further demonstrated that DNAs from human NPC possessed carcinogenicity and induced malignant transformation. The primary result revealed that the transforming gene of NPC may be homologue to Ha-ras oncogene. The expression of Ha-ras gene products-p21 has been studied in human NPC tissues. The primary results showed a positive expression of p21 in human NPC tissues by immunohistochemical method. The positive rate was 90.4%.

Immunohistologic demonstration of type II collagen in synovial fluid phagocytes of osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis patients.

We were able to demonstrate type II collagen in synovial phagocytes of osteoarthritis (OA) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients, using a monoclonal antibody to human type II collagen and immunoperoxidase staining. In addition, using immunoelectron microscopy, we demonstrated labeled fragments in synovial phagocytes of both RA and OA patients. This immunohistochemical assay may prove to be a sensitive indicator of cartilage erosion in patients with OA and RA.