Factors Influencing Seed Dormancy and Germination and Advances in Seed Priming Technology.

Seed dormancy and germination play pivotal roles in the agronomic traits of plants, and the degree of dormancy intuitively affects the yield and quality of crops in agricultural production. Seed priming is a pre-sowing seed treatment that enhances and accelerates germination, leading to improved seedling establishment. Seed priming technologies, which are designed to partially activate germination, while preventing full seed germination, have exerted a profound impact on agricultural production. Conventional seed priming relies on external priming agents, which often yield unstable results. What works for one variety might not be effective for another. Therefore, it is necessary to explore the internal factors within the metabolic pathways that influence seed physiology and germination. This review unveils the underlying mechanisms of seed metabolism and germination, the factors affecting seed dormancy and germination, as well as the current seed priming technologies that can result in stable and better germination.

Genomic variation in weedy and cultivated broomcorn millet accessions uncovers the genetic architecture of agronomic traits.

Large-scale genomic variations are fundamental resources for crop genetics and breeding. Here we sequenced 1,904 genomes of broomcorn millet to an average of 40× sequencing depth and constructed a comprehensive variation map of weedy and cultivated accessions. Being one of the oldest cultivated crops, broomcorn millet has extremely low nucleotide diversity and remarkably rapid decay of linkage disequilibrium. Genome-wide association studies identified 186 loci for 12 agronomic traits. Many causative candidate genes, such as PmGW8 for grain size and PmLG1 for panicle shape, showed strong selection signatures during domestication. Weedy accessions contained many beneficial variations for the grain traits that are largely lost in cultivated accessions. Weedy and cultivated broomcorn millet have adopted different loci controlling flowering time for regional adaptation in parallel. Our study uncovers the unique population genomic features of broomcorn millet and provides an agronomically important resource for cereal crops.

[Retracted] Silencing cyclin­dependent kinase inhibitor 3 inhibits the migration of breast cancer cell lines.

Following the publication of this paper, it was drawn to the Editor's attention by a concerned reader that the GAPDH control western blotting data shown in Fig. 1C were strikingly similar to data appearing in different form in another article written by different authors at different research institutes [Chen Y, Guo Y, Yang H, Shi G, Xu G, Shi J, Yin N and Chen D: TRIM66 overexpression contributes to osteosarcoma carcinogenesis and indicates poor survival outcome. Oncotarget 6: 23708­23719, 2015]. Moreover, a pair of data panels showing the results from cell­cycle experiments purportedly performed under different experimental conditions in Fig. 4A appeared to be strikingly similar. Owing to the fact that the contentious data in the above article were already under consideration for publication prior to its submission to Molecular Medicine Reports, the Editor has decided that this paper should be retracted from the Journal. The authors were asked for an explanation to account for these concerns, but the Editorial Office did not receive a reply. The Editor apologizes to the readership for any inconvenience caused. [Molecular Medicine Reports 14: 1523­1530, 2016; DOI: 10.3892/mmr.2016.5401].

Inorganic pyrophosphatase 1 activates the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/Akt signaling to promote tumorigenicity and stemness properties in colorectal cancer.

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a common malignant tumor of the human digestive tract. Inorganic pyrophosphatase 1 (PPA1) plays an imperative role in the advancement of malignant tumors, but its function in CRC is ill-defined. In this study, we inspected the functions of PPA1 in CRC. The abundance of PPA1 in CRC tissues was analyzed by utilizing publicly available data from the The Cancer Genome Atlas and Human Protein Atlas project. Cell counting kit-8 assay and 5-ethynyl-2'-deoxyuridine assay were used to evaluate the viability and proliferation of CRC cells. Bioinformatics analysis was used to forecast the PPA1 related genes and signal pathways in CRC. The protein expression was examined by western blot. The xenograft model was implemented to determine the influence of PPA1 in CRC in vivo. Proliferating cell nuclear antigen, CD133, and CD44 contents in xenograft tumors were evaluated by immunohistochemistry. In the present study, we found that the PPA1 content was heightened in CRC, and the diagnostic value of PPA1 in CRC was enormous. Overexpression of PPA1 enhanced cell proliferation and stemness properties in CRC cells, while downregulation of PPA1 had the opposite effects. PPA1 promoted the activation of the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/Akt signaling pathway. Activation of the PI3K/Akt signaling reversed the effect of PPA1 silencing on cell proliferation and stemness properties in CRC cells. Silencing of PPA1 reduced xenograft tumor growth via modulating the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway in vivo. In conclusion, PPA1 promoted cell proliferation and stemness properties in CRC by activating the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway.

Nonlinear amplification of microwave signals in spin-torque oscillators.

Spintronics-based microwave devices, such as oscillators and detectors, have been the subject of intensive investigation in recent years owing to the potential reductions in size and power consumption. However, only a few concepts for spintronic amplifiers have been proposed, typically requiring complex device configurations or material stacks. Here, we demonstrate a spintronic amplifier based on two-terminal magnetic tunnel junctions (MTJs) produced with CMOS-compatible material stacks that have already been used for spin-transfer torque memories. We achieve a record gain (|S11 | > 2) for input power on the order of nW (<-40 dBm) at an appropriate choice of the bias field direction and amplitude. Based on micromagnetic simulations and experiments, we describe the fundamental aspects driving the amplification and show the key role of the co-existence in microwave emissions of a dynamic state of the MTJ excited by a dc current and the injection locking mode driven by the microwave input signal. Our work provides a way to develop a class of compact amplifiers that can impact the design of the next generation of spintronics-CMOS hybrid systems.

Incidence and Clinical Features of Venous Thromboembolism in Inpatients with Mental Illness.

AIMS: We investigated the incidence and clinical features of venous thromboembolism (VTE) in inpatients with mental illnesses. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed records of inpatients with mental illnesses and confirmed VTE at The First Hospital of Hebei Medical University between August 2018 and July 2022. We recorded demographic characteristics, psychosis-related conditions, and thrombus distribution. RESULTS: Among 12939 patients diagnosed with mental illness, 156 (1.21%) presented with VTE at the first visit or during the disease course. Crude VTE incidence varied significantly across mental illnesses, being highest in patients with organic mental disorders (5.20%), followed by emotional disorders (1.10%), and others (P < 0.001). Distal and proximal deep venous thromboses (DVT) occurred in 79.17% and 20.84% of patients, respectively. The Hamilton Depression Scale (HAMD) score was higher in patients with proximal DVT than in those with distal DVT (P < 0.001). On multivariate analysis, the HAMD score (odds ratio [OR] 1.173, confidence interval [CI] 1.100-1.251, P＜0.001) was a risk factor and the Hamilton Anxiety Scale (HAMA) (OR 0.862, CI 0.796-0.934, P＜0.001), a protective factor against DVT progression. CONCLUSION: VTE is not rare in patients with mental illnesses and is most commonly associated with organic mental disorders. Psychosis-related DVT typically shows a significantly high incidence of distal DVT. Prevention and early treatment in patients with severe depression and distal DVT can prevent DVT aggravation.

Metabolic Syndrome and Its Components are Associated with In-Hospital Complications after Thoracic Endovascular Aortic Repair for Acute Type B Aortic Dissection.

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to explore whether and to what extent metabolic syndrome (MetS) and its components are associated with in-hospital complications in patients with acute type B aortic dissection after thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR). METHODS: We retrospectively enrolled 684 patients who had undergone TEVAR. Demographic and clinical data were collected and subgroup analysis, mixed-model regression analysis, scoring systems, and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analyses were performed. RESULTS: Overall, 684 inpatients were assigned to the poor outcome (n = 90) or no complications (n = 594) group. Compared to the no complications group, the poor outcome group had a higher incidence of MetS (44 [48.9%] vs. 120 [20.2%], P < 0.05). In the subgroup analysis, in-hospital complications were present in 3.1%, 6.6%, 11.9%, 20.7%, 40.0%, and 62.5% of patients in the 6 groups who met the 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 MetS diagnostic criteria, respectively. On multivariable logistic regression, hypertension (odds ratio [OR]: 2.680; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.571-4.570), type 2 diabetes (OR: 2.135; 95% CI: 1.192-3.824), quartiles of body mass index (OR: 1.801; 95% CI: 1.415-2.291), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (OR: 0.763; 95% CI: 0.611-0.953), and systolic blood pressure (OR: 1.894; 95% CI: 1.486-2.413) were independent factors for in-hospital complications after adjustment for other risk factors. After adjusting for potential confounding factors, MetS was an independent risk factor for in-hospital complications. We established a scoring system for each component and the area under the ROC curve was 0.664 (95% CI: 0.618-0.710) in all patients, 0.672 (95% CI: 0.595-0.749) in patients with MetS, and 0.610 (95% CI: 0.552-0.667) in patients without MetS, as determined by ROC analysis. CONCLUSIONS: MetS, especially the blood pressure component, confers a greater risk of in-hospital complications in patients with acute type B aortic dissection after TEVAR.

Circular RNA circ-CD44 regulates chemotherapy resistance by targeting the miR-330-5p/ABCC1 axis in colorectal cancer cells.

BACKGROUND: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a common malignant tumor worldwide, ranking fourth for incidence. Recently, circular RNAs (circRNAs) have been demonstrated to play a key role in chemotherapy resistance to CRC treatment. Therefore, the role of circ-CD44 is investigated in CRC. METHODS: The expression levels of circ-CD44, miR-330-5p, and ATP binding cassette subfamily C member 1 (ABCC1) were quantified by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) assay. The sensitivity of CRC cells to oxaliplatin (OXA) was assessed by 3-(4, 5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2, 5-diphenyl-2H-tetrazol-3-ium bromide (MTT) assay. Colony-forming experiment was performed to measure the colony-forming ability of CRC cells. The apoptosis, migration, and invasion of CRC cells were determined by flow cytometry and transwell assays. A xenograft experiment was established to clarify the functional role of circ-CD44 silencing in vivo. The interactional relationship among circ-CD44, miR-330-5p, and ABCC1 was confirmed by dual-luciferase reporter and RNA immunoprecipitation assays. The protein expression of ABCC1 was quantified by western blot assay. RESULTS: Circ-CD44 was obviously upregulated in OXA-resistant colorectal cancer tissues and cells. Loss-of-function experiments revealed that inhibition of circ-CD44 suppressed proliferation, migration, and invasion while it increased OXA sensitivity and apoptosis in OXA-resistant colorectal cancer cells, which was overturned by suppression of miR-330-5p; besides, silencing of circ-CD44 also slowed the tumor growth in vivo. Additionally, overexpression of miR-330-5p inhibited chemotherapy resistance, proliferation, migration, and invasion while it induced apoptosis by targeting ABCC1. CONCLUSION: Mechanistically, circ-CD44 functioned as a miRNA sponge for miR-330-5p to upregulate the expression of ABCC1 and regulate chemotherapy resistance in CRC cells.

Midterm Outcomes of Endovascular Therapy for TASC II D Femoropopliteal Lesions with Critical Limb Ischemia: A Retrospective Analysis.

BACKGROUND: This study evaluated the midterm results of endovascular therapy (EVT) for Trans-Atlantic Inter-Society (TASC) II D femoropopliteal lesions in patients with critical limb ischemia (CLI). METHODS: Fifty seven limbs of 54 patients with CLI due to TASC II D femoropopliteal lesions who underwent EVT at the First Hospital of Hebei Medical University were retrospectively analysed in a single-centre, observational study. The patient characteristics, endovascular procedural details, freedom from target lesion revascularization (TLR), patency rates, ulcer healing rate, and limb salvage rate were accessed. RESULTS: The patients' mean age was 68.2 ± 8.2 years. All patients were treated by EVT. The final technical success rate was 98.2% (56/57). There were 23 cases of pain at rest, 18 cases of ulcer, and 15 cases of gangrene. The median length of the treated segment was 286 ± 42 mm (56/56) and the mean number of stents placed per patient was 2.0 ± 0.8 (49/56). The postoperative ankle-brachial index was significantly higher than that of the preoperative ankle-brachial index (P < 0.05). The perioperative complication rate was 10.7% (6/56). The restenosis or occlusion rate was 44.6% (25/56). The estimated rates of freedom from TLR at 1 year, 2 years, and 3 years were 86.8%, 67.0%, and 62.5%, respectively. A univariate analysis showed that predictors of freedom from TLR were the number of runoff vessels, length of the lesion, and complexity of the lesion, while predictors for restenosis or occlusion were the length and the complexity of the lesion. The ulcer healing rate was 93.8%. The limb salvage rates were 76.4%, 74.4%, and 70.9% at 1, 2, and 3 years after treatment, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The midterm outcomes of EVT for TASC II D femoropopliteal lesions in patients with CLI indicated that this treatment approach is safe and effective and is clinically applicable.

Untargeted metabolomics analysis reveals Mycobacterium tuberculosis strain H37Rv specifically induces tryptophan metabolism in human macrophages.

BACKGROUND: Tuberculosis (TB) caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M. tb) remains a global health issue. The characterized virulent M. tb H37Rv, avirulent M. tb H37Ra and BCG strains are widely used as reference strains to investigate the mechanism of TB pathogenicity. Here, we attempted to determine metabolomic signatures associated with the Mycobacterial virulence in human macrophages through comparison of metabolite profile in THP-1-derived macrophages following exposure to the M. tb H37Rv, M. tb H37Ra and BCG strains. RESULTS: Our findings revealed remarkably changed metabolites in infected macrophages compared to uninfected macrophages. H37Rv infection specifically induced 247 differentially changed metabolites compared to H37Ra or BCG infection. Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway analysis revealed H37Rv specifically induces tryptophan metabolism. Moreover, quantitative PCR (qPCR) results showed that indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase 1 (IDO1) and tryptophan 2,3-dioxygenase 2 (TDO2) which converts the tryptophan to a series of biologically second metabolites were up-regulated in H37Rv-infected macrophages compared to H37Ra- or BCG-infected macrophages, confirming the result of enhanced tryptophan metabolism induced by H37Rv infection. These findings indicated that targeting tryptophan (Trp) metabolism may be a potential therapeutic strategy for pulmonary TB. CONCLUSIONS: We identified a number of differentially changed metabolites that specifically induced in H37Rv infected macrophages. These signatures may be associated with the Mycobacterial virulence in human macrophages. The present findings provide a better understanding of the host response associated with the virulence of the Mtb strain.

Effects of Let-7c on the processing of hepatitis B virus associated liver diseases.

BACKGROUND: The most common type of cancer of the digestive system is hepatocellular carcinoma. In China, many patients harbour HBV. The lin28B/Let-7c/MYC axis is associated with the occurrence of many cancers. Therefore, we aimed to illuminate the function of the lin28B/Let-7c/MYC axis in hepatocellular carcinoma. We aimed to evaluate the critical involvement of lin28B and Let-7c in the carcinogenesis of human hepatocellular carcinoma (B-HCC). METHODS: Data from the GEO database were used to analyse differentially expressed genes and IRGs. A protein - protein interaction (PPI) network and Venn diagram were generated to analyse relationships. Real-time RT-PCR, Western blotting, and cell counting kit-8 assays were used to examine the association of lin28B, Let-7c, and MYC with cell proliferation. RESULTS: A total of 2552 functionally annotated differentially expressed RNAs were analysed in HBV patients from the GSE135860 database. In addition, 46 let-7c target genes were screened in HBV patients, and the interactions were analysed through PPI network analysis. The results confirmed that Let-7c and its target genes play a key role in HBV-related diseases. Next, we discovered a gradual decrease in Let-7c expression during the progression from HBV-associated chronic hepatitis (B-CH) and HBV-associated liver cirrhosis (B-LC) to B-HCC. We found evidence for a negative association between lin28B expression and Let-7c expression. The expression of MYC was obviously upregulated when Let-7c was inhibited. CONCLUSION: Our results highlight that Let-7c and lin28B participate in the carcinogenesis of HBV-associated diseases through the lin28B/Let-7c/MYC axis.

Metabolic syndrome and its components are associated with hypoxemia after surgery for acute type A aortic dissection: an observational study.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to explore whether or to what extent metabolic syndrome (METs) and its components were associated with hypoxemia in acute type A aortic dissection (ATAAD) patients after surgery. METHODS: This study involved 271 inpatients who underwent surgery. Demographic and clinical data were collected. Subgroup analysis, mixed model regression analysis, and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis were performed, and a scoring system was evaluated. RESULTS: The 271 inpatients were assigned to the hypoxemia group (n = 48) or no hypoxemia group (n = 223) regardless of METs status. Compared to the no hypoxemia group, the hypoxemia group had a higher incidence of METs. Hypoxemia was present in 0%, 3.7%, 19.8%, 51.5%, 90.0% and 100% in the groups of individuals who met the diagnostic criteria of MetS 0, 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 times, respectively. In the multivariable logistic regression analysis, BMI quartile was still a risk factor for hypoxemia after adjustment for other risk factors. After adjustment for potential confounding factors, METs was an independent risk factor for hypoxemia in several models. After assigning a score for each METs component present, the AUCs were 0.852 (95% CI 0.789-0.914) in all patients, 0.728 (95% CI 0.573-0.882) in patients with METs and 0.744 (95% CI 0.636-0.853) in patients without METs according to receiver operating characteristic analysis. CONCLUSIONS: METs, especially body mass index, confers a greater risk of hypoxemia in ATAAD after surgery.

Crocin ameliorates atherosclerosis by promoting the reverse cholesterol transport and inhibiting the foam cell formation via regulating PPARγ/LXR-α.

Crocin (CRO) is feasible in alleviating atherosclerosis (AS), the mechanism of which was therefore explored in the study. High-fat diet (HFD)-induced apolipoprotein E-deficient (ApoE-/-) mice and lysophosphatidic acid (LPA)-treated macrophages received CRO treatment. Treated macrophage viability was determined via MTT assay. In both murine and macrophage, the lipid level and total Cholesterol/Cholesteryl l Ester (TC/CE) levels were quantified by oil-red-O staining and ELISA, respectively. Lipid droplet, aortic plaque formation and collagen deposition were detected via Oil-red-O staining, hematoxylin-eosin staining and Masson staining, respectively. Liver X Receptor-α (LXR-α), Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptor γ (PPARγ), CD68, PCSK9, CD36, ATP Binding Cassette Subfamily A Member 1 (ABCA1), phosphorylated (p)-AKT, and AKT expressions were detected via Western blot, the former three also being detected using Immunohistochemistry and the first being measured by qRT-PCR. CRO decreased HFD-induced weight gain, ameliorated the abnormal serum lipid levels of HFD-treated mice, and inhibited aortic plaque formation and lipid deposition, and increased collagen fibers, with upregulated high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C) and downregulated TC and low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C). CRO alleviated the HFD-induced upregulations of CD68, PCSK9 and CD36 as well as downregulations of PPARγ/LXR-α, ABCA1 and AKT phosphorylation. In LPA-treated macrophages, CRO alone exerted no effect on the viability yet inhibited the lipid droplets formation and downregulated TC/CE levels. Silent LXR-α reversed the effect of CRO on the lipid droplets formation and levels of lipid metabolism-related factors. CRO ameliorated AS by inhibiting foam cells formation and promoting reverse cholesterol transport via PPARγ/LXR-α.

The O/S heteroatom effects of covalent triazine frameworks for photocatalytic hydrogen evolution.

S/O heterocyclic covalent triazine frameworks (CTFs i.e., CTF-7 and CTF-8) were synthesized using thiophene and furan as building blocks, respectively. The hydrogen evolution rate of CTF-7 is 7430 µmol g-1 h-1, which is about 5.6 times that of CTF-8. Due to their low electronegativity, sulfur heteroatoms are more favorable for charge separation than oxygen heteroatoms in CTFs. This work provides a guiding principle for the design of high efficiency photocatalyst structures.

Ambipolar Photoresponsivity in an Ultrasensitive Photodetector Based on a WSe2/InSe Heterostructure by a Photogating Effect.

Ambipolar photoresponsivity mainly originates from intrinsic or interfacial defects. However, these defects are difficult to control and will prolong the response speed of the photodetector. Here, we demonstrate tunable ambipolar photoresponsivity in a photodetector built from vertical p-WSe2/n-InSe heterostructures with photogating effect, exhibiting ultrahigh photoresponsivity from -1.76 × 104 to 5.48 × 104 A/W. Moreover, the photodetector possesses broadband photodetection (365-965 nm), an ultrahigh specific detectivity (D*) of 5.8 × 1013 Jones, an external quantum efficiency of 1.86 × 107%, and a rapid response time of 20.8 ms. The WSe2/InSe vertical architecture has promising potential in developing high-performance nano-optoelectronics.

LINC00519 regulates the proliferation, apoptosis, migration and invasion of gastric cancer cells through the miR-876-3p/HMGA1 axis / 中国肿瘤生物治疗杂志

@#[摘 要] 目的：探讨长基因间非编码RNA 00519（long intergene non-coding RNA 00519，LINC00519）调控miR-876-3p/高迁移率家族蛋白A1（high mobility group protein A1，HMGA1）轴在胃癌HGC-27细胞的增殖、凋亡、迁移和侵袭中的作用。方法：采用qPCR检测胃癌细胞HGC-27和胃黏膜上皮细胞GES-1中LINC00519的表达水平。将HGC-27细胞按转染处理分为si-NC、si-LINC00519、si-LINC00519+anti-miR-NC和si-LINC00519+anti-miR-876-3p组，采用集落形成实验检测细胞克隆形成能力，流式细胞术检测细胞凋亡和周期分布，Transwell实验检测细胞迁移和侵袭。双荧光素酶报告实验和qPCR验证LINC00519与miR-876-3p、miR-876-3p与HMGA1之间的相互作用。结果：HGC-27细胞中LINC00519表达较GES-1细胞显著升高（P<0.05），转染siRNA后si-LINC00519组HGC-27细胞中LINC00519的表达水平较si-NC组显著降低（t=47.294，P<0.01）。与si-NC组比较，si-LINC00519组HGC-27细胞克隆数、迁移侵袭数、S期细胞比例均显著降低（均P<0.01），凋亡率、G0/G1期细胞比例均显著升高（均P<0.01）。与si-LINC00519+anti-miR-NC组比较，si-LINC00519+anti-miR-876-3p组HGC-27细胞克隆数、迁移侵袭数、S期细胞比例升高（均P<0.01），凋亡率、G0/G1期细胞比例显著降低（均P<0.01）。LINC00519能够靶向负调控miR-876-3p的表达，miR-876-3p靶向负调控HMGA1的表达。结论：敲降LINC00519能够通过调控miR-876-3p/HMGA1轴抑制胃癌HGC-27细胞的增殖、迁移和侵袭，诱导细胞凋亡。

A new SNP genotyping technology Target SNP-seq and its application in genetic analysis of cucumber varieties.

To facilitate the utility of SNP-based genotyping, we developed a new method called target SNP-seq which combines the advantages of multiplex PCR amplification and high throughput sequencing. Compared with KASP, Microarrays, GBS and other SNP genotyping methods, target SNP-seq is flexible both in SNPs and samples, yields high accuracy, especially when genotyping genome wide perfect SNPs with high polymorphism and conserved flanking sequences, and is cost-effective, requiring 3 days and $7 for per DNA sample to genotype hundreds of SNP loci. The present study established a DNA fingerprint of 261 cucumber varieties by target SNP-seq with 163 perfect SNPs from 4,612,350 SNPs based on 182 cucumber resequencing datasets. Four distinct subpopulations were found in 261 Chinese cucumber varieties: the north China type, the south China type, the Europe type, and the Xishuangbanna type. The north China type and Xishuangbanna type harbored lower genetic diversity, indicating greater risk of genetic erosion in these two subpopulations. Furthermore, a core set of 24 SNPs was able to distinguish 99% of the 261 cucumber varieties. 29 core cucumber backbone varieties in China were identified. Therefore, target SNP-seq provides a new way to screen out core SNP loci from the whole genome for DNA fingerprinting of crop varieties. The high efficiency and low cost of target SNP-seq is more competitive than the current SNP genotyping methods, and it has excellent application prospects in genetic research, as well as in promoting plant breeding processes in the near future.

Enhanced Broad-band Radio Frequency Detection in Nanoscale Magnetic Tunnel Junction by Interface Engineering.

Broad-band radio frequency (RF) detection is of great interest for its potential applications in wireless charging and energy harvesting. Here, we demonstrate that the bandwidth of broad-band RF detection in spin-torque diodes based on magnetic tunnel junctions (MTJs) can be enhanced through engineering the interface perpendicular magnetic anisotropy (PMA) between the CoFeB free layer and the MgO tunnel barrier. An ultrawide RF detection bandwidth of over 3 GHz is observed in the MTJs, and the broad-band RF detection behavior can be modulated by tuning the free layer PMA. Furthermore, a wide RF detection bandwidth (about 1.8 GHz) can be realized even without any external bias field for free layers with a thickness of about 1.65 nm. Finally, the dependence of the broad-band RF detection bandwidth on external magnetic field and RF power is discussed. Our results pave the way for RF energy harvesting for future portable nanoelectronics.

Short- and long-term outcomes in elderly patients with locally advanced non-small-cell lung cancer treated using video-assisted thoracic surgery lobectomy.

BACKGROUND: In recent years, video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS) lobectomy has been used to treat locally advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (LA-NSCLC). However, VATS has not been reported in elderly patients (≥70 years) with LA-NSCLC. The purpose of this study was to compare short- and long-term outcomes of patients with LA-NSCLC aged ≥70 years and 55-69 years treated with VATS. PATIENTS AND METHODS: From January 2012 to January 2018, a total of 83 patients with LA-NSCLC who were ≥55 years of age underwent VATS. Patients were divided into ≥70 years group (37 cases) and 55-69 years group (46 cases), based on their age at the time of VATS. Short- and long-term outcomes of these two groups of patients were compared. RESULTS: American Society of Anesthesiologists scores of ≥70 years patients were higher than those of 55-69 years patients. No significant differences were observed when comparing the general preoperative data. For short-term outcomes, there was no significant difference between the two groups of patients in length of surgery, intraoperative blood loss, conversion to thoracotomy, postoperative 30-day complication rate and severity, postoperative 30-day mortality, pathological results, compliance with adjuvant chemotherapy, or other factors. Long-term follow-up results showed that recurrence, overall survival, and disease-free survival were similar in both groups. Furthermore, multivariate analysis showed that age was not an independent predictor of overall and disease-free survival. CONCLUSIONS: VATS in elderly patients (≥70 years) with LA-NSCLC can result in short- and long-term outcomes similar to those of 55-69 years patients with LA-NSCLC.