Advancing High-Performance Memristors Enabled by Position-Controlled Grain Boundaries in Controllably Grown Star-Shaped MoS.

Two-dimensional transition metal dichalcogenides are highly promising platforms for memristive switching devices that seamlessly integrate computation and memory. Grain boundaries (GBs), an important micro-nanoscale structure, hold tremendous potential in memristors, but their role remains unclear due to their random distribution, which hinders fabrication. Herein, we present a novel chemical vapor deposition approach to synthesize star-shaped MoS nanoflakes with precisely positioned GBs.

Multimodal 2D Ferroelectric Transistor with Integrated Perception-and-Computing-in-Memory Functions for Reservoir Computing.

Emerging neuromorphic hardware promises energy-efficient computing by colocating multiple essential functions at the individual component level. The implementation is challenging due to mismatch between the characteristics of multifunctional devices and neural networks. Here, we demonstrate an artificial synapse based on a 2D α-phase indium selenide that exhibits integrated perception-and-computing-in-memory functions in a single-transistor setup, serving as a basic building block for reservoir computing.

Preconception mitochondrial DNA copy number plays a crucial role in linking prenatal air pollution with the risk of preterm birth.

The relationship between maternal peripheral blood mitochondrial DNA and adverse pregnancy outcomes, specifically preterm birth (PTB), remains uncertain. To investigate the effects of preconception mitochondrial DNA copy number (mtDNAcn) on the association between prenatal air pollutants exposure and PTB risk, a total of 1871 expectant mothers from six regions in Henan Province were recruited. Information regarding air pollutants was obtained from 151 environmental monitoring sites, and relative mtDNAcn was evaluated using real-time PCR analysis.

All-2D-Materials Subthreshold-Free Field-Effect Transistor with Near-Ideal Switching Slope.

The Boltzmann Tyranny, set by thermionic statistics, dictates the lower limit of switching slope (SS) of a MOSFET to be 60 mV/dec, the fundamental barrier for low-dissipative electronics. The large SS leads to nonscalable voltage, significant leakage, and power consumption, particularly at short channels, making transistor scaling an intimidating challenge. In recent decades, an array of steep-slope transistors has been proposed; none is close to an ideal switch with ultimately abrupt switching (SS ∼ 0 mV/dec) between the binary logic states.

High expression of YEATS2 as a predictive factor of poor prognosis in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma.

YEATS domain containing 2 (YEATS2), it may function as a proto-oncogene. This study aims to investigate if YEATS2 correlates with prognosis in hepatocellular carcinoma. The prognostic landscape of YEATS2 and its relationship with expression in hepatocellular carcinoma were deciphered with public databases, RT-qPCR and western-blot in tissue samples.

A pilot clinical study of developing an External Assist Targeting Device for rapid and precise renal calyx access during percutaneous nephrolithotomy.

Objective: To design a device to increase the accuracy of the targeting process and reduce the radiation exposure to both the patients and the medical staff.

Methods: We analyzed the inherent problem and designed the External Assist Targeting Device (EATD) to assist in the alignment of needle targeting on the desired renal calyx under fluoroscopic guidance. The EATD was designed to allow rapid and precise access to calyces at all angles, with a simple two-step puncture protocol developed for puncturing a target renal calyx.

Identification of key immune genes related to lymphatic metastasis of papillary thyroid cancer via bioinformatics analysis and experimental validation.

Objective: The current research aimed to development and validation in signature immune genes for lymphatic metastasis in papillary thyroid cancer (PTC).

Method: Weighted correlation network analysis (WGCNA) was performed to identify genes closely correlated with lymphatic metastasis in PTC from TCGA database. Information on immune-related genes (IRGs) was obtained from the ImmPort database.

Carrier Modulation in 2D Transistors by Inserting Interfacial Dielectric Layer for Area-Efficient Computation.

2D materials with atomic thickness display strong gate controllability and emerge as promising materials to build area-efficient electronic circuits. However, achieving the effective and nondestructive modulation of carrier density/type in 2D materials is still challenging because the introduction of dopants will greatly degrade the carrier transport via Coulomb scattering. Here, a strategy to control the polarity of tungsten diselenide (WSe ) field-effect transistors (FETs) via introducing hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) as the interfacial dielectric layer is devised.

High expression of caspase-8 as a predictive factor of poor prognosis in patients with esophageal cancer.

Background: Esophageal carcinoma (ESCA) is considered to be one of the most common gastrointestinal cancers. Caspase-8 (CASP8) is a key protein of cross-talk signaling in a variety of cancers. However, the role of CASP8 expression in the prognosis of patients with ESCA has remained unexplored.

Spatiotemporal Patterns of Adverse Pregnancy Outcomes in Rural Areas of Henan, China.

The spatial patterns of adverse pregnancy outcomes (APOs) are complex, vary by place, and remain not entirely clear. This study investigated spatiotemporal patterns of APOs in rural areas of Henan, China. We used data from 1,315,327 singleton pregnancies during 2013-2016 in rural areas of Henan, China, from the National Free Pre-pregnancy Checkup Program (NFPCP).

NTN4 as a prognostic marker and a hallmark for immune infiltration in breast cancer.

Netrin-4 (NTN4), a member of neurite guidance factor family, can promote neurite growth and elongation. This study aims to investigate if NTN4 correlates with prognosis and immune infiltration in breast cancer. The prognostic landscape of NTN4 and its relationship with immune infiltration in breast cancer were deciphered with public databases and immunohistochemistry (IHC) in tissue samples.

The type of previous abortion modifies the association between air pollution and the risk of preterm birth.

Background: Air pollution and previous abortion have been reported to be related to preterm birth (PTB). But rare study examined the effect of air pollution on PTB risk among mothers with previous abortion.

Objective: To estimate the effect of air pollution on PTB and the potential effect modification of previous abortion on such an association in rural part of Henan province (China).

Weather and Birth Weight: Different Roles of Maternal and Neonatal Promoter Methylation.

Objectives: It is unclear whether G protein-coupled receptor 61 (GPR61) affecting body weight, plays a role in the association between birth weight and weather. This study aimed to assess the effects of prenatal weather and GPR61 on birth weight.

Methods: A total of 567 mother-newborn pairs were recruited in Houzhai Center Hospital during 2011-2012.

Interactive Effects of Maternal Vitamin D Status and Socio-Economic Status on the Risk of Spontaneous Abortion: Evidence from Henan Province, China.

Background: Maternal vitamin D deficiency might generate adverse reproductive outcomes, and socio-economic inequalities in micronutrient-related diseases have often been found. This study aimed to explore the interactive effects of maternal vitamin D status and socio-economic status (SES) on risk of spontaneous abortion.

Methods: A population-based case-control study was conducted including 293 women with spontaneous abortion and 498 control women in December 2009 and January, 2010 in Henan Province, China.

Defining the Role of GLI/Hedgehog Signaling in Chemoresistance: Implications in Therapeutic Approaches.

Insight into cancer signaling pathways is vital in the development of new cancer treatments to improve treatment efficacy. A relatively new but essential developmental signaling pathway, namely Hedgehog (Hh), has recently emerged as a major mediator of cancer progression and chemoresistance. The evolutionary conserved Hh signaling pathway requires an in-depth understanding of the paradigm of Hh signaling transduction, which is fundamental to provide the necessary means for the design of novel tools for treating cancer related to aberrant Hh signaling.

Incidence of Macrosomia in Rural Areas - Henan Province, China, 2013-2017.

Introduction: Macrosomia has short-term and long-term adverse health effects and is thus an important public health concern. Recent decades have witnessed increasing incidence of macrosomia in many countries.

Methods: The present study used a large population-based birth cohort study to depict incidence of macrosomia among live births in rural areas of Henan Province of China from 2013 to 2017.

The Role of Smoothened-Dependent and -Independent Hedgehog Signaling Pathway in Tumorigenesis.

The Hedgehog (Hh)-glioma-associated oncogene homolog (GLI) signaling pathway is highly conserved among mammals, with crucial roles in regulating embryonic development as well as in cancer initiation and progression. The GLI transcription factors (GLI1, GLI2, and GLI3) are effectors of the Hh pathway and are regulated via Smoothened (SMO)-dependent and SMO-independent mechanisms. The SMO-dependent route involves the common Hh-PTCH-SMO axis, and mutations or transcriptional and epigenetic dysregulation at these levels lead to the constitutive activation of GLI transcription factors.

Site-Selective Photosynthesis of Ag-AgCl@Au Nanomushrooms for NIR-II Light-Driven O- and O-Evolving Synergistic Photothermal Therapy against Deep Hypoxic Tumors.

Light-driven endogenous water oxidation has been considered as an attractive and desirable way to obtain O and reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the hypoxic tumor microenvironment. However, the use of a second near-infrared (NIR-II) light to achieve endogenous HO oxidation to alleviate tumor hypoxia and realize deep hypoxic tumor phototherapy is still a challenge. Herein, novel plasmonic Ag-AgCl@Au core-shell nanomushrooms (NMs) were synthesized by the selective photodeposition of plasmonic Au at the bulge sites of the Ag-AgCl nanocubes (NCs) under visible light irradiation.

Gate-Defined Quantum Confinement in CVD 2D WS.

Temperature-dependent transport measurements are performed on the same set of chemical vapor deposition (CVD)-grown WS single- and bilayer devices before and after atomic layer deposition (ALD) of HfO . This isolates the influence of HfO deposition on low-temperature carrier transport and shows that carrier mobility is not charge impurity limited as commonly thought, but due to another important but commonly overlooked factor: interface roughness. This finding is corroborated by circular dichroic photoluminescence spectroscopy, X-ray photoemission spectroscopy, cross-sectional scanning transmission electron microscopy, carrier-transport modeling, and density functional modeling.

Prenatal exposure to air pollution and the risk of preterm birth in rural population of Henan Province.

Due to the poor living and healthcare conditions, preterm birth (PTB) in rural population is a pressing health issue. However, PTB studies in rural population are rare. To explore the effects of air pollutants on PTB in rural population, we collected 697,316 medical records during 2014-2016 based on the National Free Preconception Health Examination Project.