Manipulation of Skyrmion Motion Dynamics for Logical Device Application Mediated by Inhomogeneous Magnetic Anisotropy.

Magnetic skyrmions are promising potential information carriers for future spintronic devices owing to their nanoscale size, non-volatility and high mobility. In this work, we demonstrate the controlled manipulation of skyrmion motion and its implementation in a new concept of racetrack logical device by introducing an inhomogeneous perpendicular magnetic anisotropy (PMA) via micromagnetic simulation. Here, the inhomogeneous PMA can be introduced by a capping nano-island that serves as a tunable potential barriers/well which can effectively modulate the size and shape of isolated skyrmion. Using the inhomogeneous PMA in skyrmion-based racetrack enables the manipulation of skyrmion motion behaviors, for instance, blocking, trapping or allowing passing the injected skyrmion. In addition, the skyrmion trapping operation can be further exploited in developing special designed racetrack devices with logic AND and NOT, wherein a set of logic AND operations can be realized via skyrmion-skyrmion repulsion between two skyrmions. These results indicate an effective method for tailoring the skyrmion structures and motion behaviors by using inhomogeneous PMA, which further provide a new pathway to all-electric skyrmion-based memory and logic devices.

[Protective effect of oleanolic acid liposomes on cisplatin-induced oligoasthenospermia in mice].

OBJECTIVE: To study the protective effect of oleanolic acid liposomes (OA-Lips) on cisplatin-induced oligoasthenospermia (COAS) in mice. METHODS: Sixty ICR mice were randomly divided into a normal control, a COAS model control, a positive control and a low-, a medium- and a high-dose OA-Lips group. The animals in the low-, medium- and high-dose OA-Lips and positive control groups were given intragastrically OA-Lips solution at 25, 50, and 100 mg/kg/d and vitamin E at 50 mg/kg/d, respectively. On the 28th day, the mice in the COAS model control, positive control and OA-Lips groups were injected intraperitoneally with cisplatin solution at 10 mg/kg, while those in the normal control group with the same dose of normal saline. Three days after administration, all the mice were sacrificed and their testis tissues collected for detection of the semen parameters and observation of the testicular morphology. RESULTS: Both the percentage of motile sperm and sperm concentration were significantly increased in the high-dose OA-Lips group (P < 0.05). HE staining showed that OA-Lips remarkably improved the damaged testis tissue (P < 0.05) and protected the seminiferous tubules and interstitial cells. The percentage of progressively motile sperm (PMS) and the curvilinear velocity (VCL), straight line velocity (VSL), average path velocity (VAP), linearity (LIN), straightness (STR), wobble (WOB), amplitude of lateral head displacement (ALH) and beat-cross frequency (BCF) of sperm were gradually increased in a dose-dependent manner in the OA-Lips groups. The serum T level was significantly higher (P < 0.05) in the OA-Lips-treated mice than in the COAS model controls while the percentage of morphologically abnormal sperm (MAS) markedly lower in the high-dose OA-Lips group than in the model control, positive control and low-dose OA-Lips groups (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: OA-Lips can relieve oligoaspermia and improve the productive ability of mice.

Comparative study of the cervista and hybrid capture 2 methods in detecting high-risk human papillomavirus in cervical lesions.

High-risk human papillomavirus (HR HPV) testing is important for the follow-up of patients with cytological abnormalities. This study was undertaken to compare the clinical value of the Cervista and hybrid capture 2 (HC2) tests for detection of HR HPV in cervical lesions. Overall 439 cervical specimens with abnormal cytology and 22 normal cervical specimens were subjected to the Cervista and HC2 tests. HPV positivity and its predictive value for high-grade cervical lesions were assessed. The Cervista and HC2 tests showed comparable HR HPV detection rates in women with all cytological and histological diagnoses, with a positive and negative percent agreement of 90.8% and 64.5%, respectively. The two methods had a same sensitivity of 90% in detecting CIN II or greater cervical lesions, while the specificity for the Cervista test and HC2 assay was 47% and 43%, respectively. The positive rate for the Cervista assay probe set A9 increased with the histological severity, ranging from 25.0% in normal specimens to 69.5% in high-grade lesions. In conclusion, the clinical performance for the Cervista test is as excellent as the HC2 test in detecting HR HPV and predicting high-grade cervical lesions.

[Value of computer-assisted slide-screening system in ThinPrep cervical cytology].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the value of computer-assisted slide-screening system (ThinPrep imaging system, TIS) in the diagnosis of cervical Thinprep smears. METHODS: A total of 19 600 ThinPrep smears were collected, including 9800 slides by TIS-assisted screening from September 2011 to March 2012 and 9800 slides by manual screening from September 2010 to April 2011 as control. The detection rates of abnormal cells and common microbial infection by the different screening methods were compared. With histopathological diagnosis of colposcopic biopsy as the gold standard, the screening efficiency and correlation of cytologic diagnosis among different screening methods were analyzed. RESULTS: Compared with manual screening, the detection rate of abnormal cells in 9800 cases by TIS-assisted screen was increased from 5.4% (525/9800) to 6.8% (665/9800), mainly in the categories of ASCUS and LSIL (P < 0.05). TIS had a higher accordance rate between cytologic diagnosis and histopathological diagnosis in the NILM and ASCUS than that by manual screening. False-negative rate of finding abnormal cells by TIS decreased from 8.5% (17/200) to 0.7% (2/289, P < 0.01) with an increased sensitivity compared to manual screening, although the specificity was similar. Both TIS and manual screening had advantages and disadvantages respectively in the detection of microbial organisms. TIS improved screening efficiency by 50%. CONCLUSION: TIS improves not only the screening efficiency but also the detection of abnormal cells with a reduced false negativity, and it therefore has a broad application prospect.

[Treatment of ureaplasma urealyticum infection patients of Qi deficiency blood stasis syndrome by pengyan pill: a clinical observation].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the clinical efficacy of penyan pill (PP) in treating ureaplasma urealyticum (UU) infection patients of qi deficiency blood stasis syndrome (QDBSS). METHODS: Totally 188 UU infection patients of QDBSS were randomly assigned to two groups, the treatment group and the control group. Patients in the treatment group were treated with PP (10 g each time, thrice daily, 14 consecutive days as one therapeutic course), while those in the control group took azithromycin (10 g each day, 7 consecutive days as one therapeutic course). They were continually treated for 3 therapeutic courses. The clinical symptom integrals were observed in the two groups before and after treatment. The short-term efficacy was judged. Their recurrence rates were followed-up to assess their long-term efficacies. RESULTS: The total effective rate of the comprehensive efficacy in the treatment group was 91.4%, while it was 79. 3%in the control group, showing no statistical difference between the two groups (P > 0.05). Better effects were obtained in improving Chinese medical clinical symptoms in the treatment group (P <0.01). There was no statistical difference in the negative conversion rate between the two groups after treatment (P >0. 05). There was statistical difference in the recurrence rate between the two groups (12. 82% vs 54.76%,P <0. 05). CONCLUSIONS: PP showed equivalent effects in treating UU infection patients of QDBSS to those of azithromycin. But PP showed obvious advantages over azithromycin in improving Chinese medical syndromes.