Mn2+/Mg2+ co-doped AlON ceramic with ultra-narrowband green emission combining high transparency toward a wide gamut backlight application.

Narrowband green-emission, combined with superior physicochemical stability and thermal performance, is regarded as a common pursuit in backlight display applications. However, mainstream phosphor-converted materials composed of resin or silicone resin easily encounter the dilemma of thermal decomposition and chemical corrosion for practical use. To overcome this problem, in this work, Mn2+/Mg2+ co-doped AlON ceramic is successfully realized with ultra-narrowband green-emission and high transparency. The luminescent property of AlON: Mn2+-Mg2+ ceramic exhibits narrowband green emission centered at 509 nm with a full width at half maximum of 36 nm, which is smaller than the corresponding powder counterpart (44 nm). Moreover, AlON: Mn2+-Mg2+ ceramic presents a wide color gamut (103.6%) and high color purity (74%). Concurrently, high transmittance of this ceramic, at 82%, unveils a potential innovation in the display technology field. This work may facilitate the development of narrowband green light-emitting converters based on AlON: Mn2+-Mg2+ transparent ceramics in large color gamut backlight display applications.

A novel long non-coding RNA MIR4500HG003 promotes tumor metastasis through miR-483-3p-MMP9 axis in triple-negative breast cancer.

Breast cancer (BC) is the most common cancer and the leading cause of cancer-related deaths in women worldwide. The 5-year survival rate is over 90% in BC patients, but once BC cells metastasis into distal organs, it is dramatically decreasing to less than 30%. Especially, triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) patients usually lead to poor prognosis and survival because of metastasis. Understanding the underline mechanisms of TNBC metastasis is a critical issue. Non-coding RNAs, including of lncRNAs and microRNAs, are non-protein-coding transcripts and have been reported as important regulators in TNBC metastasis. However, the underline mechanisms for non-coding RNAs regulating TNBC metastasis remain largely unclear. Here, we found that lncRNA MIR4500HG003 was highly expressed in highly metastatic MDA-MB-231 TNBC cells and overexpression of MIR4500HG003 enhanced metastasis ability in vitro and in vivo and promoted MMP9 expression. Furthermore, we found MIR4500HG003 physically interacted with miR-483-3p and reporter assay showed miR-483-3p attenuated MMP9 expression. Importantly, endogenous high expressions of MIR4500HG003 were correlated with tumor recurrence in TNBC patients with tumor metastasis. Taken together, our findings suggested that MIR4500HG003 promotes metastasis of TNBC through miR-483-3p-MMP9 signaling axis and may be used as potential prognostic marker for TNBC patients.

Antimicrobial peptide LL-37 disrupts plasma membrane and calcium homeostasis in Candida albicans via the Rim101 pathway.

IMPORTANCE: Candida albicans is a major human fungal pathogen, and antimicrobial peptides are key components of innate immunity. Studying the interplay between C. albicans and human antimicrobial peptides would enhance a better understanding of pathogen-host interactions. Moreover, potential applications of antimicrobial peptides in antifungal therapy have aroused great interest. This work explores new mechanisms of LL-37 against C. albicans and reveals the complex connection among calcium homeostasis, oxidative stress, signaling, and possibly organelle interaction. Notably, these findings support the possible use of antimicrobial peptides to prevent and treat fungal infections.

Diphenyl disulfide potentiates the apoptosis of breast cancer cells through Bax proteolytic activation with accompanying autophagy.

Breast cancer is a leading cause of cancer-related death worldwide, and chemoresistance often leads to poor patient outcomes. In this study, we investigated the anticancer activity of synthetic diphenyl disulfide (DPDS) in breast cancer cell lines. DPDS inhibited cellular proliferation and viability in a dose-dependent manner and reduced colony formation, an index of clonogenicity. Annexin-V and 7-AAD double staining showed that DPDS could induce the apoptosis of breast cancer cells. Western blotting of the expression of Bax p21 and its cleaved form p18 suggested the activation of p18 Bax-induced apoptosis. Furthermore, the increased expression of the autophagy marker LC3B-II indicated autophagic lysosome accumulation induced by DPDS. Our findings suggest that DPDS has potential as a candidate for treating breast cancer, and further modifications and optimizations are warranted.

Effect of multiple firings on the marginal fit of monolithic zirconia crowns: An in vitro study.

STATEMENT OF PROBLEM: Speed sintering was introduced to save chair time and produce monolithic zirconia restorations in a single visit. Multiple firings are usually required clinically for both speed-sintered and conventionally sintered monolithic zirconia crowns. However, the effects of multiple firings on the marginal fit of speed-sintered and conventionally sintered monolithic zirconia crowns are unknown. PURPOSE: The purpose of this in vitro study was to investigate the effect of multiple firings on the marginal fit of speed-sintered and conventionally sintered monolithic zirconia crowns. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Twenty conventionally sintered and 20 speed-sintered monolithic zirconia crowns were milled, sintered, and repeatedly fired by using conventional sintering and speed sintering furnaces. The absolute marginal discrepancy of the crowns was measured with a measuring microscope at ×100 magnification after sintering (T0) and after the first (T1), second (T2), and third firings (T3). Two-way repeated-measures ANOVA was used to detect the impact of multiple firings on the absolute marginal discrepancy of conventionally sintered and speed-sintered monolithic zirconia crowns and the differences between the 2 materials (α=.05). RESULTS: Multiple firings improved the absolute marginal discrepancy of conventionally sintered and speed-sintered monolithic zirconia crowns (P<.001). The absolute marginal discrepancy of conventionally sintered monolithic zirconia crowns at T2 and T3 was significantly smaller than that at T1 (P=.008 and 0.016, respectively), and the absolute marginal discrepancy of speed-sintered monolithic zirconia crowns at T2 was significantly smaller than that at T1 (P=.015). The speed-sintered monolithic zirconia crowns had a better marginal fit than conventionally sintered monolithic zirconia crowns (P=.008). No significant interaction was found between the multiple firings and material types on the absolute marginal discrepancy of monolithic zirconia crowns (P=.914). CONCLUSIONS: Multiple firing cycles can significantly improve the marginal fit of conventionally sintered and speed-sintered monolithic zirconia crowns. The speed-sintered monolithic zirconia crowns have a better marginal fit (both vertically and horizontally) than the conventionally sintered monolithic zirconia crowns.

Optimal Reopening Pathways With COVID-19 Vaccine Rollout and Emerging Variants of Concern.

We developed a stochastic optimization technology based on a COVID-19 transmission dynamics model to determine optimal pathways from lockdown toward reopening with different scales and speeds of mass vaccine rollout in order to maximize social economical activities while not overwhelming the health system capacity in general, hospitalization beds, and intensive care units in particular. We used the Province of Ontario, Canada as a case study to demonstrate the methodology and the optimal decision trees; but our method and algorithm are generic and can be adapted to other settings. Our model framework and optimization strategies take into account the likely range of social contacts during different phases of a gradual reopening process and consider the uncertainties of these contact rates due to variations of individual behaviors and compliance. The results show that, without a mass vaccination rollout, there would be multiple optimal pathways should this strategy be adopted right after the Province's lockdown and stay-at-home order; however, once reopening has started earlier than the timing determined in the optimal pathway, an optimal pathway with similar constraints no longer exists, and sub-optimal pathways with increased demand for intensive care units can be found, but the choice is limited and the pathway is narrow. We also simulated the situation when the reopening starts after the mass vaccination has been rolled out, and we concluded that optimal pathways toward near pre-pandemic activity level is feasible given an accelerated vaccination rollout plan, with the final activity level being determined by the vaccine coverage and the transmissibility of the dominating strain.

SOX2 promotes chemoresistance, cancer stem cells properties, and epithelial-mesenchymal transition by ß-catenin and Beclin1/autophagy signaling in colorectal cancer.

Sex-determining region Y-box2 (SOX2), a master regulator of embryonic and induced pluripotent stem cells, drives cancer stem cells (CSCs) properties, fuels tumor initiation, and contributes to tumor aggressiveness. Our previous study has demonstrated the oncogenic role of SOX2 in colorectal cancer (CRC). In this study, we sought to elucidate the underlying mechanisms. Cell function experiments were performed to detect chemoresistance, proliferation, stemness, migration, and invasion in vitro. Chromatin immunoprecipitation, co-immunoprecipitation, luciferase reporter assay, and immunofluorescence were performed to explore the regulation of ABCC2, ß-catenin, and Beclin1 by SOX2. The carcinogenic role of SOX2-ß-catenin/Beclin1-ABCC2 axis in vivo was analyzed by CRC tissues and xenograft models. Here, we reported that SOX2 sustained chemoresistance by transcriptional activation of ABCC2 expression. Suppressing either ß-catenin or autophagy signaling curbed SOX2-driven chemoresistance, stemness, and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). Mechanistically, SOX2 combined with ß-catenin and increased its nuclear expression and transcriptional activity. Transcriptional activation of Beclin1 expression by SOX2 consequently activating autophagy and inducing malignant phenotype. Furthermore, overexpression of ß-catenin or Beclin1 facilitated ABCC2 expression. The clinical analyses showed that high expression of ABCC2 and Beclin1 were positively correlated with SOX2 and were associated with poor prognosis in CRC patients. Finally, xenograft models revealed that inhibition of SOX2 expression and autophagy restrained tumor growth and chemoresistance in vivo. Conclusively, we demonstrated a novel mechanism by which the SOX2-ß-catenin/Beclin1/autophagy signaling axis regulates chemoresistance, stemness, and EMT in CRC. Our findings provide novel insights into CRC carcinogenesis and may help develop potential therapeutic candidates for CRC.

Regulation of cancer stem cell properties, angiogenesis, and vasculogenic mimicry by miR-450a-5p/SOX2 axis in colorectal cancer.

Growing evidence indicates that a small number of cancer cells express stem cell markers and possess stem cell-like properties that promote malignant progression. Sex-determining region Y-box2 (SOX2) is a stem cell transcription factor essential for maintaining the properties of cancer stem cell (CSC). As CSC properties have been associated with angiogenesis and vasculogenic mimicry (VM), we aimed to comprehensively investigate whether SOX2 regulates CSC properties, angiogenesis, and VM in colorectal carcinoma (CRC) and its potential mechanism in this study. For this study, sphere formation assay, flow cytometry, cell survival analysis, tube formation, 3D culture, immunoblot, mouse model, and luciferase reporter assay were performed in vivo and in vitro. Expressions of SOX2 and miR-450a-5p in CRC tissue samples were examined through immunohistochemistry. First, the expression of SOX2 was not only associated with poor differentiation and prognosis but also promoted angiogenesis and VM. Knockdown of SOX2 ceased stemness properties, angiogenesis, and VM, along with decreased expression of CD133, CD31, and VE-cadherin as observed in functional experiments. Downregulation of SOX2 was found to inhibit tumorigenesis in vivo. Second, miR-450a-5p suppressed the expression of SOX2 by targeting its 3'UTR region directly and hence restrained SOX2-induced CSC properties, angiogenesis, and VM. Moreover, SOX2 overexpression preserved the miR-450a-5p-induced inhibition of CRC properties, angiogenesis, and VM. Finally, clinical samples exhibited a negative correlation between miR-450a-5p and SOX2. Patients with higher SOX2 and lower miR-450a-5p expressions had a poorer prognosis than patients with inverse expressions. Conclusively, we elucidated a unique mechanism of miR-450a-5p-SOX2 axis in the regulation of stemness, angiogenesis, and VM, which may act as a potential therapeutic practice in CRC.

Atomic Imaging of Molybdenum Oxide Nanowires with Unique and Complex Periodicity by Advanced Electron Microscopy.

Crystalline Mo5O14 exhibits distinctive structural features such as tunnel structure and pseudolamellar arrangement according to the ideal model. However, the spatial resolution of the conventional technique of transmission electron microscopy (TEM) is insufficient to distinguish the actual positions of atoms. In this work, we aimed to systematically analyze and identify the Mo5O14 nanowires fabricated by the chemical vapor deposition (CVD) process. Utilizing high-angle annular dark-field (HAADF), annular bright-field (ABF), and enhanced annular bright-field (E-ABF) within the scanning transmission electron microscope (STEM) mode reveals the structural features at the atomic scale. In addition, the ultrahigh resolution images have confirmed the crystallographic insights in [001] growth direction for the Mo5O14 nanowires with a tunnel structure throughout the nanowire. The cross-sectional images show the unique close-packed plane and atomic arrangement with a network of MoO6 octahedra and MoO7 pentagonal bipyramids. These results are consistent with the theoretical atomic arrangement, supporting the realization of Mo5O14-type catalysts used in the selective oxidation process and battery applications.

Live/real time three-dimensional transesophageal echocardiography in the assessment of aortic root patch dehiscence.

We report a 66-year-old man who underwent partial reconstruction of the aortic root and presented with heart failure 2 months after the procedure. We used live/real time three-dimensional transesophageal echocardiography (3DTEE) to detect the exact site of the dehiscence flap and extent of the leakage. This information could be valuable to surgeons.

Fullerene derivatives incorporating phosphoramidous ylide and phosphoramidate: synthesis and property.

The reaction of dimethyl acetylenedicarboxylate (DMAD) with C(60) in the presence of hexamethylphosphorous triamide (HMPT) or hexaethylphosphorus triamide (HEPT) results in fullerene derivatives incorporating HMPT or HEPT ylides. The ylide derivatives exhibit unusual electronic absorptions in the visible region (435-660 nm), likely due to the presence of the ylide moiety. Electrochemical studies revealed that the first reductive potential of these compounds was more negative relative to those of both C(60) (DeltaE = 130 mV) and a simple Bingel adduct (DeltaE = 90 mV). A phosphoramidate side product, which resulted from the addition of HMPT or HEPT to C(60) followed by hydrolysis, exhibited a featureless absorption spectrum in the visible region and a more negative first reductive potential (DeltaE = 70 mV) relative to that of C(60).