Full-color enhanced second harmonic generation using rainbow trapping in ultrathin hyperbolic metamaterials.

Metasurfaces have provided a promising approach to enhance the nonlinearity at subwavelength scale, but usually suffer from a narrow bandwidth as imposed by sharp resonant features. Here, we counterintuitively report a broadband, enhanced second-harmonic generation, in nanopatterned hyperbolic metamaterials. The nanopatterning allows the direct access of the mode with large momentum, rendering the rainbow light trapping, i.e. slow light in a broad frequency, and thus enhancing the local field intensity for boosted nonlinear light-matter interactions. For a proof-of-concept demonstration, we fabricated a nanostructured Au/ZnO multilayer, and enhanced second harmonic generation can be observed within the visible wavelength range (400-650 nm). The enhancement factor is over 50 within the wavelength range of 470-650 nm, and a maximum conversion efficiency of 1.13×10-6 is obtained with a pump power of only 8.80 mW. Our results herein offer an effective and robust approach towards the broadband metasurface-based nonlinear devices for various important technologies.

Nonlinear Optical Characterization of 2D Materials.

Characterizing the physical and chemical properties of two-dimensional (2D) materials is of great significance for performance analysis and functional device applications. As a powerful characterization method, nonlinear optics (NLO) spectroscopy has been widely used in the characterization of 2D materials. Here, we summarize the research progress of NLO in 2D materials characterization. First, we introduce the principles of NLO and common detection methods. Second, we introduce the recent research progress on the NLO characterization of several important properties of 2D materials, including the number of layers, crystal orientation, crystal phase, defects, chemical specificity, strain, chemical dynamics, and ultrafast dynamics of excitons and phonons, aiming to provide a comprehensive review on laser-based characterization for exploring 2D material properties. Finally, the future development trends, challenges of advanced equipment construction, and issues of signal modulation are discussed. In particular, we also discuss the machine learning and stimulated Raman scattering (SRS) technologies which are expected to provide promising opportunities for 2D material characterization.

SP70-Targeted Imaging for the Early Detection of Lung Adenocarcinoma.

NJ001 is a monoclonal antibody that can specifically recognize the SP70 antigen on lung adenocarcinoma cells. The goal of this study was to explore its utility in targeted imaging. Subcutaneous xenograft and orthotopic lung tumor implantation BALB/c mouse models were established. Near-infrared fluorescent CF750-labeled NJ001 was injected into two tumor mouse models. Mice that received orthotopic lung tumor implantation were also injected with NJ001-conjugated nanomagnetic beads intravenously, and then underwent micro-CT scanning. Meanwhile, mice with lung tumor were intravenously injected with normal saline and bare nanomagnetic beads as a control. Fluorescence could be monitored in the mice detected by anti-SP70 fluorescence imaging, which was consistent with tumor burden. Signal intensities detected with SP70-targeted micro-CT scans were greater than those in control mice. More importantly, orthotopic tumor lesions could be found on the fourth week with SP70-targeted imaging, which was 2 weeks earlier than detection in the control. Our results suggest that SP70 is a promising target for molecular imaging, and molecularly targeted imaging with an NJ001-labeled probe could be applied for the early detection of lung adenocarcinoma.

Tumor Suppressor Candidate 1 Suppresses Cell Growth and Predicts Better Survival in Glioblastoma.

Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most common malignant brain tumor with poor prognosis and limited treatment options. Tumor suppressor candidate 1 (TUSC1) was recently identified as a potential tumor suppressor in human cancers. However, the expression and potential function of TUSC1 in GBM remain unclear. Herein, we report that TUSC1 is significantly decreased in GBM tissues and cell lines. Patients with high levels of TUSC1 displayed a significant better survival compared with those with low levels of TUSC1. Functional experiments demonstrated that exogenous expression of TUSC1 inhibited GBM cell proliferation and induced G1 phase arrest by down-regulating CDK4. Moreover, overexpression of TUSC1 retarded tumor growth in vivo. Together, our findings revealed that TUSC1 might be a crucial tumor suppressor gene and a novel therapeutic target for GBM.

Non-small-cell lung cancer-induced immunosuppression by increased human regulatory T cells via Foxp3 promoter demethylation.

Patients with non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) have immune defects that are poorly understood. Forkhead box protein P3 (Foxp3) is crucial for immunosuppression by CD4(+) regulatory T cells (Tregs). It is not well known how NSCLC induces Foxp3 expression and causes immunosuppression in tumor-bearing patients. Our study found a higher percentage of CD4(+) Tregs in the peripheral blood of NSCLC compared with healthy donors. NSCLC patients showed demethylation of eight CpG sites within the Foxp3 promoter with methylation ratios negatively correlated with CD4(+)CD25(+)Foxp3(+) T levels. Foxp3 expression in CD4(+) Tregs was directly regulated by Foxp3 promoter demethylation and was involved in immunosuppression by NSCLC. To verify the effect of tumor cells on the phenotype and function of CD4(+) Tregs, we established a coculture system using NSCLC cell line and healthy CD4(+) T cells and showed that SPC-A1 induced IL-10 and TGF-ß1 secretion by affecting the function of CD4(+) Tregs. The activity of DNA methyltransferases from CD4(+) T was decreased during this process. Furthermore, eight CpG sites within the Foxp3 promoter also appeared to have undergone demethylation. Foxp3 is highly expressed in CD4(+) T cells, and this may be caused by gene promoter demethylation. These induced Tregs are highly immunosuppressive and dramatically inhibit the proliferative activity of naïve CD4(+) T cells. Our study provides one possible mechanism describing Foxp3 promoter demethylation changes by which NSCLC down-regulates immune responses and contributes to tumor progression. Foxp3 represents an important target for NSCLC anti-tumor immunotherapy.

Plasma antioxidant status and motor features in de novo Chinese Parkinson's disease patients.

PURPOSE: This study aimed to explore plasma antioxidant status in de novo Chinese Parkinson's disease (PD) patients and investigate its relationship with specific motor features of PD. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Sixty-four de novo Chinese PD patients and 40 age- and sex-matched healthy controls were recruited. Each motor feature of PD patients was assessed by unified Parkinson's disease rating scale. Plasma antioxidant status, including plasma level of glutathione (GSH) and plasma activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), was detected using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The relationship between the plasma antioxidant status and motor features of PD was evaluated by Spearman's coefficient. RESULTS: Plasma GSH level and plasma activities of GSH-Px, CAT and SOD of PD patients were lower than those of healthy controls. Moreover, the declining activity of plasma CAT was related with the increasing mean postural instability and gait disorder (PIGD) score and growing age. In contrast, the severity of tremor was positively correlated with plasma SOD activity. CONCLUSION: Our study demonstrates that the plasma antioxidant status is impaired in de novo Chinese PD patients. The complex relationship between the plasma antioxidant status and different motor features indicates that the antioxidant mechanisms underlying tremor and PIGD of PD may be different.

Reduced plasma serotonin and 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid levels in Parkinson's disease are associated with nonmotor symptoms.

BACKGROUND: Accumulating evidence suggests that serotonergic system may be implicated in the pathophysiology of Parkinson's disease (PD), and particularly in nonmotor symptoms such as depression, fatigue, sleep disorders, sensory and autonomic dysfunction. This study aimed to evaluate plasma levels of serotonin (5-HT) and its metabolite 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5-HIAA) in PD patients, and investigate their associations with nonmotor symptoms. METHODS: Eighty-two PD patients and sixty-four controls underwent a series of clinical assessments, including Hamilton Depression Scale, Fatigue Severity Scale, Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, Visual Analog Scale for Pain, and Scale for Outcomes in PD for Autonomic Symptoms. Plasma 5-HT and 5-HIAA levels were measured by HPLC-ECD. RESULTS: PD patients exhibited worse performance on nonmotor symptom scales (all P-values <0.001) and presented lower plasma levels of 5-HT (P < 0.001) and 5-HIAA (P < 0.001) than control individuals. Within the PD group, decreased concentrations of plasma 5-HT and 5-HIAA were correlated with more severe depression (r = -0.447, P < 0.001; r = -0.407, P < 0.001, respectively) and pain (r = -0.485, P < 0.001; r = -0.416, P < 0.001, respectively). After performing multiple linear regression, plasma 5-HT (P = 0.01) and 5-HIAA (P = 0.006) remained significantly associated with depression. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that serotonergic dysfunction might exist in PD, and specifically correlated with depression and pain in PD. Plasma levels of 5-HT and 5-HIAA may be considered as peripheral markers for depression in PD.

MiR-622 suppresses proliferation, invasion and migration by directly targeting activating transcription factor 2 in glioma cells.

Malignant gliomas are the most common and devastating primary brain tumors in adults. The rapid invasion of tumor cells into the adjacent normal brain tissues is a major cause of treatment failure, yet the mechanisms that regulate this process remain poorly understood. MicroRNAs have recently emerged as regulators of invasion and metastasis by acting on multiple signaling pathways. In this study, we found that miR-622 is significantly downregulated in glioma tissues and cell lines. Functional experiments showed that increased miR-622 expression reduced glioma cell invasion and migration, whereas decreased miR-622 expression enhanced cell invasion and migration. Moreover, activating transcription factor 2 (ATF2), an important transcription factor that regulate tumor invasion, was identified as a direct target of miR-622. Knockdown of ATF2 using small interefering RNA recapitulated the anti-invasive function of miR-622, whereas restoring the ATF2 expression attenuated the function of miR-622 in glioma cells. Furthermore, clinical data indicated that miR-622 and ATF2 were inversely expressed in glioma specimens. Our findings provide insight into the specific biological behavior of miR-622 in tumor invasion and migration. Targeting miR-622/ATF2 axis is a novel therapeutic approach for blocking glioma invasion.

Relationship between serum CA19-9 and CEA levels and prognosis of pancreatic cancer.

BACKGROUND: To explore the relationship between preoperative serum CA19-9 and CEA levels and prognosis of pancreatic cancer (PC). METHODS: The clinicopathological data of 128 patients with pancreatic adenocarcinoma who were treated in our center between January 2012 and December 2013 were retrospectively analyzed. The relationships between serum CA19-9 and CEA levels and survival were analyzed using Kaplan-Meier method, log-rank test, and Cox regression analysis. The cut-off values for serum CA19-9 and CEA levels were 39 U/mL and 4.7 ng/mL, respectively. RESULTS: Among these 128 patients, the mean age was 62 years, and median survival was 12.2 days. The positive rate of CA19-9 and CEA was 78.1% and 37.5%, respectively. Patients with increased CA19-9 or CEA level suffered a poorer prognosis than those with normal CA19-9 or CEA level (CA19-9: P=0.027; CEA: P=0.036). Cox logistic analysis revealed that lymphatic metastasis, CA19-9 >39 U/mL, and CEA >4.7 ng/mL were independent prognostic factors in patients with pancreatic carcinoma. CONCLUSIONS: Preoperative serum CA19-9 and CEA level are closely related with survival time in PC patients and therefore may be used for evaluating the prognosis for PC.