Scanning tunneling microscopy studies of topological insulators.

Scanning tunneling microscopy (STM), with surface sensitivity, is an ideal tool to probe the intriguing properties of the surface state of topological insulators (TIs) and topological crystalline insulators (TCIs). We summarize the recent progress on those topological phases revealed by STM studies. STM observations have directly confirmed the existence of the topological surface states and clearly revealed their novel properties.

Helical tomotherapy for cancer treatment: a rapid health technology assessment.

Objectives: Helical tomotherapy (HT) can be applied to treat complex malignant cancer with high-precise radiotherapy, and it can reduce the damage to normal tissues and improve treatment effects. But the procurement of HT must be approved by relevant departments of administration affairs. This study, appointed by the National Health and Family Planning Commission of China and undertook by the National Health Development Research Center and the Chinese Evidence-Based Medicine Centre, was aimed to rapidly assess the effectiveness, safety, costs, and applicability of HT, so as to provide currently available best evidence for decision-makers of health policies.

Genome Sequences of 228 Shiga Toxin-Producing Escherichia coli Isolates and 12 Isolates Representing Other Diarrheagenic E. coli Pathotypes.

Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) are a common cause for food-borne diarrheal illness outbreaks and sporadic cases. Here, we report the availability of the draft genome sequences of 228 STEC strains representing 32 serotypes with known pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) types and epidemiological relationships, as well as 12 strains representing other diarrheagenic E. coli pathotypes.

Suppression of driving laser in high harmonic generation with a microchannel plate.

Separating the infrared driving laser from the extreme ultraviolet (XUV) pulses after high-order harmonic generation has been a long-standing difficulty. In this Letter, we propose and demonstrate that the driving laser can be blocked by simply installing a microchannel plate (MCP) into the beam line. In addition to its high damage threshold, the MCP filter also transmits photons over the entire XUV region.

Cost-effectiveness of clopidogrel-aspirin versus aspirin alone for acute transient ischemic attack and minor stroke.

Background: Treatment with the combination of clopidogrel and aspirin taken soon after a transient ischemic attack (TIA) or minor stroke was shown to reduce the 90-day risk of stroke in a large trial in China, but the cost-effectiveness is unknown. This study sought to estimate the cost-effectiveness of the clopidogrel-aspirin regimen for acute TIA or minor stroke.

Methods And Results: A Markov model was created to determine the cost-effectiveness of treatment of acute TIA or minor stroke patients with clopidogrel-aspirin compared with aspirin alone.

[Comparative study on da Vince robotic and laparoscopic radical gastrectomy for gastric cancer].

Objective: To compare the short-term clinical outcomes of laparoscopic and da Vince robotic radical gastrectomy for gastric cancer and evaluate the safety and efficacy of robotic system.

Methods: Clinical data of 200 consecutive gastric cancer patients undergoing radical gastrectomy, including 100 cases of robotic (RRG group) and 100 cases of laparoscopic (LRG group), in our department from January 2012 to May 2013 were retrospectively analyzed. Reconstruction of the alimentary tract was achieved using extracorporeal method through a minilaparotomy in LRG group, and intracorporeal robot-sewn anastomosis in RRG group.

Inhibition of AMPK accentuates prolonged caloric restriction-induced change in cardiac contractile function through disruption of compensatory autophagy.

Prolonged caloric restriction often results in alteration in heart geometry and function although the underlying mechanism remains poorly defined. Autophagy, a conserved pathway for bulk degradation of intracellular proteins and organelles, preserves energy and nutrient in the face of caloric insufficiency. This study was designed to examine the role of AMPK in prolonged caloric restriction-induced change in cardiac homeostasis and the underlying mechanism(s) involved with a focus on autophagy.

Enhanced photocatalytic removal of sodium pentachlorophenate with self-doped Bi2WO6 under visible light by generating more superoxide ions.

In this study, we demonstrate that the photocatalytic sodium pentachlorophenate removal efficiency of Bi2WO6 under visible light can be greatly enhanced by bismuth self-doping through a simple soft-chemical method. Density functional theory calculations and systematical characterization results revealed that bismuth self-doping did not change the redox power of photogenerated carriers but promoted the separation and transfer of photogenerated electron-hole pairs of Bi2WO6 to produce more superoxide ions, which were confirmed by photocurrent generation and electron spin resonance spectra as well as superoxide ion measurement results. We employed gas chromatography-mass spectrometry and total organic carbon analysis to probe the degradation and the mineralization processes.

Highly selective screening of the bioactive compounds in Huoxue capsule using immobilized β(2)-adrenoceptor affinity chromatography.

A highly selective assay was developed for screening compounds that bind to the porcine recombinant β2-adrenoceptor (β2-AR) with affinity chromatography coupled to quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (Q-TOF-MS). The methodology involved selective screening with immobilized β2-AR, a highly accurate identification via Q-TOF-MS, and a functional evaluation of the screened compounds with a sensitive myograph system. Ferulic acid, hydroxysafflor yellow A (HSYA), and naringin were confirmed to be the bioactive compounds in Huoxue capsule that specifically bound to the β2-AR.

Self-organized chiral colloidal crystals of Brownian square crosses.

We study aqueous Brownian dispersions of microscale, hard, monodisperse platelets, shaped as achiral square crosses, in two dimensions (2D). When slowly concentrated while experiencing thermal excitations, the crosses self-organize into fluctuating 2D colloidal crystals. As the particle area fraction φA is raised, an achiral rhombic crystal phase forms at φA ≈ 0.

The control of mesenchymal stem cell differentiation using dynamically tunable surface microgrooves.

Many studies have demonstrated the potential to modulate stem cell differentiation by using static material substrate surfaces. However, cells actually grow in a dynamically diverse microenvironment in vivo. The regulated signals to the differentiation provided by these materials should not be passive or static but be active and dynamic.

Multi-shelled CeO₂ hollow microspheres as superior photocatalysts for water oxidation.

A general self-templating method is introduced to construct triple-shelled CeO₂ hollow microspheres, which are composed of tiny CeO₂ nanoparticles. When the triple-shelled CeO₂ hollow microspheres are used as photocatalysts for direct water oxidation with AgNO₃ as the electron scavenger, excellent activity and enhanced stability for O₂ evolution are achieved, in contrast with commercial CeO₂ nanoparticles, single-shelled CeO₂ hollow microspheres and double-shelled CeO₂ hollow microspheres. Such an outstanding performance is attributed to the unique properties of the triple-shelled CeO₂ hollow microspheres including more efficient multiple reflections of the incident light by the inner shells, the larger surface area and more active sites for improving separation of electron-hole pairs, and the more curved surfaces unfavorable for deposition of in situ generated Ag nanoparticles.

Sensitive detection of black powder by stand-alone ion mobility spectrometer with chlorinated hydrocarbon modifiers in drift gas.

This paper introduces a simple method for selective and sensitive detection of black powder by adding chlorinated hydrocarbons in the drift gas instead of changing the structure of conventional ion mobility spectrometer (IMS). The function of chloride modifiers was to substitute Cl(-)(H₂O)n for [O₂⁻ (H₂O)(n)] in the drift region so as to avoid the overlap between O₂⁻ (H₂O)(n) and sulfur ion peaks. Among CH₂Cl₂, CHCl₃ and CCl₄, CCl₄ was chosen as the modifier due to the best peak-to-peak resolution and stability towards the fluctuation of modifier concentration.

Building a web-based tool to support clinical decisions in the control of Chlamydia trachomatis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae infections.

Chlamydia trachomatis (CT) and Neisseria gonorrhoeae (GC) are the agents of two common, sexually transmitted diseases afflicting women in the United States (http://www.cdc.gov).

Subtotal facial nerve decompression for recurrent facial palsy in Melkersson Rosenthal syndrome.

Conclusions: Subtotal facial nerve decompression seems effective to prevent further episodes of facial palsy and promote facial nerve recovery for recurrent facial palsy in Melkersson Rosenthal syndrome (MRS). The main inflammatory sites of recurrent facial palsy in MRS may be the mastoid segment, tympanic segment, geniculate ganglion, and labyrinthine segment.

Objective: To present our surgical experience in preventing further episodes of facial palsy and improving facial nerve recovery of patients with recurrent facial palsy in MRS.

Delivery of growth factors using a smart porous nanocomposite scaffold to repair a mandibular bone defect.

Implantation of a porous scaffold with a large volume into the body in a convenient and safe manner is still a challenging task in the repair of bone defects. In this study, we present a porous smart nanocomposite scaffold with a combination of shape memory function and controlled delivery of growth factors. The shape memory function enables the scaffold with a large volume to be deformed into its temporal architecture with a small volume using hot-compression and can subsequently recover its original shape upon exposure to body temperature after it is implanted in the body.

Preparation and characterization of tetrandrine-phospholipid complex loaded lipid nanocapsules as potential oral carriers.

Background: Tetrandrine is an active constituent that is extracted from the root tuber of the Chinese herb Stephania tetrandra S. Moore. It has shown various pharmacological effects, such as antitumor activity, multidrug resistance reversal, and hepatic fibrosis resistance.

Effects of the hippo signaling pathway in human gastric cancer.

Background/aim: The Hippo signaling pathway is a newly discovered and conserved signaling cascade, which regulates organ size control by governing cell proliferation and apoptosis. This study aimed to investigate its effects in human gastric cancer.

Methods: Tumor tissues (n=60), adjacent non-tumor tissues (n=60) and normal tissues (n=60) were obtained from the same patients with primary gastric cancer (GC).

Surface structure-dependent molecular oxygen activation of BiOCl single-crystalline nanosheets.

We demonstrate that BiOCl single-crystalline nanosheets possess surface structure-dependent molecular oxygen activation properties under UV light. The (001) surface of BiOCl prefers to reduce O2 to ·O2(-) through one-electron transfer, while the (010) surface favors the formation of O2(2-) via two-electron transfer, which is cogoverned by the surface atom exposure and the situ generated oxygen vacancy characteristics of the (001) and (010) surfaces under UV light irradiation.

[The relationship between ossicular status and conductive hearing loss in cholesteatoma].

Objective: To investigate and analyze the characteristic of destructive ossicular chain and it's impact on air-bone gap (ABG) among patients with cholesteatoma.

Method: Data from 204 cases (213 ears) undergoing an initial surgery for cholesteatoma were retrospectively reviewed to evaluate the relationships between preoperative pure tone audiometry data and intraoperative assessment of individual ossicular destruction.

Result: Incus was the most significantly affected ossicle.

HER2 gene amplification in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma is less than in gastroesophageal junction and gastric adenocarcinoma.

The aim of the present study was to detect the amplification of the human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) gene in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC), gastroesophageal junction adenocarcinoma (GEJAC) and gastric cancer (GC), as well as to understand the pathological meaning of HER2 gene amplification with regard to clinico-pathological parameters in these types of cancer. HER2 gene amplification was evaluated by fluorescence hybridization (FISH) in surgically obtained specimens from 76 cases of ESCC, 50 of GEJAC and 48 of GC, as well as 21 specimens of tumor-adjacent normal epithelium as a control group. The HER2 gene amplification rates in ESCC, GEJAC and GC were 3.

[Nano-electrospray ionization-ion mobility spectrometry and its combination with high performance liquid chromatography].

A nano-electrospray ionization-ion mobility spectrometer (nanoESI-IMS) was built up. Firstly, the effects of the parameters such as drift gas flow rate and solvent flow rate on the desolvation capability were studied and optimized. Then, a series of compounds were used to characterize the nanoESI-IMS system.

[Clinical analysis of nine cases of congenital petrous apex cholesteatoma].

Objective: To investigate the clinical symptoms, diagnosis and treatment of congenital petrous apex cholesteatoma.

Methods: A retrospective review of clinical symptoms, image findings and effect of operation in nine patients with congenital petrous apex cholesteatoma were performed.

Clinical Symptoms: two cases of congenital petrous apex cholesteatoma patients had peripheral facial paralysis, and progressively aggravated;four cases of peripheral facial paralysis were repeated, without hearing loss; three cases firstly appeared hearing loss, followed by paralysis.

Photocatalytic water splitting for hydrogen generation on cubic, orthorhombic, and tetragonal KNbO3 microcubes.

Potassium niobate (KNbO3) microcubes with orthorhombic and tetragonal phases were hydrothermally prepared and characterized by powder X-ray diffraction, nitrogen adsorption-desorption, micro-Raman spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, diffuse reflectance UV-visible spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy. The photoreactivity of the as-prepared KNbO3 samples was evaluated regarding the hydrogen evolution from aqueous methanol under UV, and the results were compared with that of cubic KNbO3 microcubes. The photocatalytic reactivity was shown to be phase-dependent, following the order cubic > orthorhombic > tetragonal.