Designing Fluorescent Interfaces at Hotspots in a Plasmonic Nanopore for Homologous Optoelectronic Sensing.

In this work, a site-selective functionalization strategy is proposed for modifying fluorescent dyes in the plasmonic nanopore, which highlights building optoelectronic dual-signal sensing interfaces at "hotspots" locations to construct multiparameter detection nanosensor. Finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) simulations confirmed the high-intensity electromagnetic field due to plasmonic nanostructure. It is demonstrated that adjusting the distance between the nanopore inner wall and fluorophore prevented the fluorescence quenching, resulting in more than a thirty fold fluorescence enhancement.

Smart Nano-switch with Flexible Modulation of Ion Transport Using Multiple Environmental Stimuli.

In this work, we demonstrate a unique nano-switch with triple environmental stimuli based on the action of functional copolymer brushes in a single conical nanochannel. This nanodevice flexibly and efficiently modulates ion transport properties under the influence of three environmental stimuli: light, pH and temperature. The triple factors can not only play a regulatory role independently, but their synergistic cooperation could fully activate the ionic gate and reversibly control the gating direction.

Association Between Lipid Profiles and Left Ventricular Hypertrophy: New Evidence from a Retrospective Study.

Objective To explore the association between lipid profiles and left ventricular hypertrophy in a Chinese general population. Methods We conducted a retrospective observational study to investigate the relationship between lipid markers [including triglycerides, total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, non-HDL-cholesterol, apolipoprotein A-I, apolipoprotein B, lipoprotein[a], and composite lipid profiles] and left ventricular hypertrophy. A total of 309,400 participants of two populations (one from Beijing and another from nationwide) who underwent physical examinations at different health management centers between 2009 and 2018 in China were included in the cross-sectional study.

Smart pH-Modulated Two-Way Photoswitch Based on a Polymer-Modified Single Nanochannel.

In this article, we have demonstrated a smart pH-modulated two-way photoswitch that can reversibly switch ion transport under alternating light exposure over a wide pH range. This photoswitch was prepared by functionalizing the interior of a single conical glass nanochannel with a poly-spiropyran-linked methacrylate (P-SPMA) polymer through surface-initiated atom transfer radical polymerization. The P-SPMA polymer brushes comprise functional groups that are responsive to light and pH, which can cause configuration and charge changes to affect the properties of the nanochannel wall.

Endoscopic cardial constriction with band ligation in the treatment of refractory gastroesophageal reflux disease: a preliminary feasibility study.

Background: Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is a common digestive disease, could cause extra-esophageal symptoms. Peroral endoscopic cardial constriction with band ligation (PECC-b) is a minimally invasive method for the treatment of GERD in recent years. The goals of this study were to evaluate the clinical efficacy of PECC-b to treat gastroesophageal reflux-related symptoms.

Long Noncoding RNA UCA1 Overexpression Is Associated with Poor Prognosis in Digestive System Malignancies: A Meta-analysis.

Long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) urothelial carcinoma associated 1 (UCA1) has been reported to be highly expressed in many kinds of cancers. This meta-analysis summarized its potential prognostic value in digestive system malignancies. A meta-analysis was performed through a comprehensive search in PubMed, EMBASE, the Cochrane Library, Web of Science and Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) for suitable articles on the prognostic impact of UCA1 in digestive system malignancies from inception to June 27, 2019.

Two highly selective and sensitive fluorescent imidazole derivatives design and application for 2,4,6-trinitrophenol detection.

In this paper, two nanoparticle fluorescence sensors L1 and L2 were designed and synthesized for the detection of 2,4,6-trinitrophenol (TNP) in water. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations were used to assist in designing sensors and explaining the detection mechanism. A further illustration of the fluorescence quenching mechanism was also studied by H NMR titration and UV-Vis absorption spectroscopy.

Thermoelectric properties of polycrystalline palladium sulfide.

Measurement of the electrical, thermal, and structural properties of palladium sulfide (PdS) has been conducted in order to investigate its thermoelectric performance. A tetragonal structure with the space group 4/ for PdS was determined from X-ray diffraction measurement. The obtained power factor of 27 μW cm K at 800 K is the largest value obtained for the transition metal sulfides studied so far.

Pressure-induced superconductivity in palladium sulfide.

An extended study on PdS is carried out with the measurements of the resistivity, Hall coefficient, Raman scattering, and x-ray diffraction at high pressures up to 42.3 GPa. With increasing pressure, superconductivity is observed accompanying with a structural phase transition at around 19.

Sanggenon C induces apoptosis of colon cancer cells via inhibition of NO production, iNOS expression and ROS activation of the mitochondrial pathway.

Sanggenon C is a well-known, major active agent of the flavonoid derivative of benzopyrone with valuable biological properties, including anticancer, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, antiviral, antithrombotic, and immune-modulatory activities. In this study, we investigated the molecular mechanisms by which sanggenon C mediated the induction of cell death in colorectal cancer cells (CRC). Treatment of colorectal cancer cells (LoVo, HT-29 and SW480) with sanggenon C (0, 5, 10, 20, 40 and 80 µM) resulted in inhibited proliferation of colon cancer cells.

[The expression of toll-like receptor4 and NF-kappaB in ulcerative colitis].

Aim: To investigate the expression of TLR4 and NF-kappaB in ulcerative colitis (UC).

Methods: Colonic biopsy specimens were collected from active UC and controls. The expression of TLR4 and NF-kappaBp 65 were analyzed by immunohistochemistry (IHC) and RT-PCR.

Syntheses, crystal structures, and physical properties of La5Cu6O4S7 and La5Cu6.33O4S7.

Single crystal and bulk powder samples of the quaternary lanthanum copper oxysulfides La5Cu6.33O4S7 and La5Cu6O4S7 have been prepared by means of high-temperature sealed-tube reactions and spark plasma sintering, respectively. In the structure of La 5Cu6.

[Screening and cloning gene of a hepatocyte protein interacting with HCV NS5ATP4A protein].

Objective: To screen and clone hepatocyte protein interacting with hepatitis C virus NS5ATP4A protein for studying its biological functions.

Methods: Bait plasmids of hepatitis C virus NS5ATP4A were constructed. After verifying that hepatitis C virus NS5ATP4A protein could be steadily expressed in AH109 yeast strain, yeast-two hybrid assay was performed by mating AH109 with Y187 which pre-transformed with liver cDNA library plasmids pACT2, and the diploidy yeast cells were plated on quadruple dropout (QDO) medium and assayed for X-a-gal activity.

Bismuth sulfide thin films with low resistivity on self-assembled monolayers.

Using self-assembled monolayers (SAMs), highly crystalline bismuth sulfide thin films with low electrical resistivity have been prepared from aqueous solution at low temperature (40-70 degrees C). The nucleation and growth process of Bi2S3 thin films was investigated in detail by XPS, AES, SEM, XRD, SAED, and HRTEM. Solution conditions have marked effects on the microstructure, growth rate, and mechanism of Bi2S3 films.

[Prokaryotic expression of fusion protein TAT-EDAG and study on its transduction activity].

HIV-TAT protein transduction domain (PTD) is a new kind of peptide that is responsible for transduction of proteins through the plasma membrane with high efficiency. Linked covalently to proteins, peptides, nucleic acid, it could transduce into nearly all kinds of cells and tissues with high efficiency and without any damages. In this study, we constructed the TAT-EDAG and TAT-GFP prokaryotic expression vectors and expressed soluble TAT-EDAG and TAT-GFP fusions in E.

[Molecular cloning, expression mutation of myostatin and study on biochemical activity of its C-terminal peptide].

Myostatin, a member of the TGF-beta family, negatively regulates skeletal muscle development. Mutation of myostatin activity leads to increases muscle growth and carcass lean yield. The bovine myostatin mutation cDNA was amplified by polymerase chain reaction, and then sub-cloned into the expression vector pET-30a( + ) to form the expression plasmid pET30a (+)-action/ Myostatin.

Regulation of the epithelial sodium channel by serine proteases in human airways.

The epithelial sodium channel (ENaC) constitutes the rate-limiting step for sodium absorption across airway epithelia, which in turn regulates airway surface liquid (ASL) volume and the efficiency of mucociliary clearance. This role in ASL volume regulation suggests that ENaC activity is influenced by local factors rather than systemic signals indicative of total body volume homeostasis. Based on reports that ENaC may be regulated by extracellular serine protease activity in Xenopus and mouse renal epithelia, we sought to identify proteases that serve similar functions in human airway epithelia.