[Value of contrast-enhanced ultrasound imaging in monitoring malignant tumor during argon-helium cryosurgery].

Objective: To assess the value of contrast-enhanced ultrasound imaging in monitoring the therapeutic effect of argon-helium cryosurgical treatment of malignant tumors.

Methods: Before and after argon-helium cryosurgical treatment, 42 patients underwent contrast-enhanced ultrasound imaging, conventional ultrasound imaging and enhanced CT or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for examining the number of tumor foci and the size of necrotic areas.

Results: A total of 80 tumor lesions were detected by contrast-enhanced ultrasound imaging.

Random laser based on waveguided plasmonic gain channels.

A waveguide-plasmonic scheme is constructed by coating the matrix of randomly distributed gold nanoisland structures with a layer of dye-doped polymer, which provides strong feedback or gain channels for the emission from the dye molecules and enables successful running of a random laser. Excellent overlap of the plasmonic resonance of the gold nanoislands with the photoluminescence spectrum of the dye molecules and the strong confinement mechanism provided by the active waveguide layer are the key essentials for the narrow-band and low-threshold operation of this random laser. This kind of feedback configuration potentially enables directional output from such random lasers.

Direct growth of tellurium nanorod arrays on Pt/FTO/glass through a surfactant-assisted chemical reduction.

Uniform tellurium nanorod arrays (TNA) have been successfully deposited directly on Pt/FTO (F-doped SnO(2))/glass substrate through a facile surfactant-assisted approach, which involved chemical reduction of TeO(3)(2-) ions by hydrazine hydrate. The whole synthesis process is highly repeatable and performed simply by immersing the Pt/FTO/glass in the solution for a certain time. During the growth of TNA, Pt catalyzed the reduction of TeO(3)(2-) ions by hydrazine hydrate and Te nanoparticles were deposited firmly on the substrate at first.

Disassociation between left ventricular mechanical and electrical properties in ischemic rat heart after G-CSF treatment.

Objective: The effect of granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) on post-infarct ventricular remodeling remains controversial. We hypothesized that the timing of G-CSF administration after myocardial ischemia plays an important role in determining its efficacy.

Methods: Rat myocardial ischemia was induced by 60 min coronary ligation and reperfusion.

Magnetron sputtering Si interlayer: a protocol to prepare solid phase microextraction coatings on metal-based fiber.

Use of metal fibers in solid phase microextraction (SPME) can overcome the fragility drawback of conventional fused-silica ones. However, the surface modification of metal substrates is rather difficult, which largely prevents many mature traditional techniques, such as sol-gel and chemical bonding, being used in fabrication of SPME coating on metal-based fibers. This study demonstrates a protocol to resolve this problem by magnetron sputtering a firm Si interlayer on stainless steel fiber.

Can the transition from tunneling to hopping in molecular junctions be predicted by theoretical calculation?

The electron transport mechanism changes from tunneling to hopping as molecular length increases. To validate the theoretical simulation after the transition point and clarify influence of electronic structures on the transition, we calculated the conductance of a series of conjugated molecules by density functional theory together with the nonequilibrium Green's function. We found that the highest occupied molecular orbital energy level, transmission spectrum, and the reorganization energy are good indicators for the transition of the electron transport mechanism.

gTME for improved adaptation of Saccharomyces cerevisiae to corn cob acid hydrolysate.

Global transcription machinery engineering was employed to engineer xylose metabolism, tolerance and adaptation to lignocellulosic hydrolysates. Mutation of the transcription factor spt15 was introduced by error-prone PCR, then transformed the recombinant plasmid pYX212-spt15 into Saccharomyces cerevisiae YPH499 which was not able to grow on xylose, and screened on media using lignocellulosic hydrolysates as the sole carbon source. The maximum sugar yield was obtained by the hydrolysis form with 3% HCl (m/v) using autoclaving at 120 °C, for 2 h with a solid to liquid ratio of 1:10.

Lanthanum chloride suppresses oxysterol-induced ECV-304 cell apoptosis via inhibition of intracellular Ca(2+) concentration elevation, oxidative stress, and activation of ERK and NF-κB signaling pathways.

Experimental studies have demonstrated that oral administration of lanthanum chloride (LaCl(3)) inhibits the development of atherosclerosis, but the related mechanism has not been fully elucidated. Oxysterols are toxic to the vascular endothelial cells which are important in preventing the formation and progression of atheromatous plaque. In this study, we examined the effect of LaCl(3) on oxysterol cholestane-3β,5α,6β-triol (Triol)-induced apoptosis and the related mechanisms in ECV-304 cells, a presumptive endothelial cell line.

Water-soluble and fluorescent dendritic perylene bisimides for live-cell imaging.

We prepared dendritic perylene bisimide probes with triblock structures: perylene bisimides fluorescence cores, branched oligo(glutamic acid)s and polyethylene glycol chains. These probes showed good water solubility, low cytotoxicity and strong fluorescence in live cells.

Theoretical study of the source-drain current and gate leakage current to understand the graphene field-effect transistors.

We designed acene molecules attached to two semi-infinite metallic electrodes to explore the source-drain current of graphene and the gate leakage current of the gate dielectric material in the field-effect transistors (FETs) device using the first-principles density functional theory combined with the non-equilibrium Green's function formalism. In the acene-based molecular junctions, we modify the connection position of the thiol group at one side, forming different electron transport routes. The electron transport routes besides the shortest one are defined as the cross channels.

A surfactant-free recipe for shape-controlled synthesis of CdSe nanocrystals.

We described surfactant-free recipes for the synthesis of CdSe nanocrystals (NCs) with well-controlled morphologies at a relatively low temperature. Dot-, rod-, tetrapod-and sphere-shaped CdSe NCs were prepared with trioctylphosphine oxide (TOPO) as a non-equilibrium solvent and trioctylphosphine selenide (TOPSe) and cadmium carboxylates as Se and Cd precursors, respectively. It was found that the morphology and stacking pattern of the CdSe NCs were related to the preparation conditions such as the concentration of the injected TOPSe(monomer concentration), reaction temperature and chain length of the cadmium carboxylate precursors.

Theoretical investigation into molecular diodes integrated in series using the non-equilibrium Green's function method.

We have conducted a theoretical study on the electronic transport behaviour of two molecular diodes connected in series. The single diode is composed of o-nitrotoluene and o-aminotoluene connecting via a σ-bridge, and the tandem diode is two single diodes connecting via a π-bridge. It was found that the rectification ratio was greatly improved due to the electronic coupling in the tandem diode.

One-dimensional TiO2 nanomaterials: preparation and catalytic applications.

This work reports on the syntheses of one-dimensional (1D) H2Ti3O7 materials (nanotubes, nanowires and their mixtures) by autoclaving anatase titania (Raw-TiO2) in NaOH-containing ethanol-water solutions, followed by washing with acid solution. The synthesized nanosized materials were characterized using XRD, TEM/HRTEM, BET and TG techniques. The autoclaving temperature (120-180 degrees C) and ethanol-to-water ratio (V(EtOH)/V(H2O) = 0/60 approximately 30/30) were shown to be critical to the morphology of H2Ti3O7 product.

Effect of penehyclidine hydrochloride on patients with acute lung injury and its mechanisms.

Objective: To assess the effects of penehyclidine hydrochloride on patients with acute lung injury (ALI), to observe the expression of Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) on the peripheral monocytes of ALI patients and changes of inflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokines and to investigate the mechanism of TLR4 in ALI.

Methods: Forty-five patients with ALI were randomly divided into penehyclidine hydrochloride treatment group (P group, n equal to 21) and conventional treatment group (control group, C group, n equal to 24). Patients in both groups received conventional treatment, including active treatment of the primary disease, respiratory support, nutritional support and fluid management therapy, while those in P group were given penehyclidine hydrochloride (1 mg, im, q.

High mobility field effect transistor from solution-processed needle-like tellurium nanowires.

Well-dispersed and uniform needle-like tellurium nanowires (NWs) have been fabricated in high yield by an environmentally-friendly hydrothermal method. It is found that beta-cyclodextrin ligands and reaction temperature play a great role on the morphology of Te NWs. Uniform needle-like Te NWs can only be obtained at suitable concentration of beta-CD and reaction temperature.

[Response of phytolith in Leymus chinensis to the simulation of global warming and nitrogen deposition on Songnen grassland, China].

Using infrared radiator and applying nitrogen on Leymus chinensis community on Songnen grassland to simulate global warming and nitrogen deposition, phytolith was extracted from L. chinensis, the morphology and content of phytolith were analyzed. Phytolith in L.

Au nanoparticles as a novel coating for solid-phase microextraction.

A novel solid-phase microextraction fiber based on a stainless steel wire coated with Au nanoparticles was prepared and has been applied, coupled with gas chromatography, to the extraction of aromatic hydrophobic organic chemical pollutants in rainwater and soil extract. The solid-phase microextraction fiber exhibited excellent extraction efficiency and selectivity. Effects of extraction time, extraction temperature, ionic strength, stirring rate and desorption conditions were investigated and optimized.

Effects of inherent/enhanced solid acidity and morphology of diatomite templates on the synthesis and porosity of hierarchically porous carbon.

The inherent or enhanced solid acidity of raw or activated diatomite is found to have significant effects on the synthesis of hierarchically porous diatomite-templated carbon with high surface area and special porous structure. The solid acidity makes raw/activated diatomite a catalyst for the generation of porous carbon, and the porous parameters of the carbon products are strongly dependent on the solid acidity of diatomite templates. The morphology of diatomite also dramatically affects the textural structure of porous carbon.

Selenium suppressed hydrogen peroxide-induced vascular smooth muscle cells calcification through inhibiting oxidative stress and ERK activation.

Atherosclerosis is frequently associated with vascular calcification. Increasing evidences underline that the essential micronutrient selenium may prevent atherosclerosis, but the role of selenium in vascular calcification remains unknown. In this study, we assessed the effect of sodium selenite (Na(2)SeO(3)) on H(2)O(2)-enhanced vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) calcification and examined the involvement of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) signaling pathway.

Layer-by-layer self-assembled multi-walled carbon nanotubes/silica microsphere composites as stationary phase for high-performance liquid chromatography.

Multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) were layer-by-layer assembled onto silica microspheres to form MWCNTs/SiO(2) composites and were characterized by surface analysis, elemental analysis, and contact angle. The composite was used as a stationary phase in HPLC for the separation of many kinds of aromatic compounds. The separation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) affected by the number of MWCNTs layers on SiO(2) was investigated.

Enhanced oral bioavailability of Wurenchun (Fructus Schisandrae Chinensis extracts) by self-emulsifying drug delivery systems.

Background: Wurenchun is the alcohol extract from Fructus Schisandrae Chinensis, which has good efficiency in lowering abnormal serum glutamic pyruvic transaminase (SGPT) level of patients suffering from acute or chronic hepatitis. The main purpose of this work is to prepare self-emulsifying drug delivery systems (SEDDS) for enhancing the solubility, dissolution rate, and oral bioavailability of poorly water-soluble traditional Chinese medicines, Wurenchun.

Methods: Pseudoternary phase diagrams were used to evaluate the efficient self-emulsification domains, and particle size distributions of resultant emulsions were determined.

[Comparison of the immnunogenicity of rAAV2/1 and rAd5 rad5 expressing HIV-1 gag].

Objective: To compare the immunogenicity of rAAV2/1 and rAd5 expressing HIV-1 gag in BALB/c mice.

Methods: BALB/c mice were immunized with rAAV2/1-gag or rAd5-gag once or twice. HIV-1 specific cellular immune responses were analyzed by in vivo CTL and intracellular cytokine staining assays.

Transition from tunneling to hopping in single molecular junctions by measuring length and temperature dependence.

The charge transport characteristics of a family of long conjugated molecular wires have been studied using the scanning tunneling microscope break junction technique. The family consists of four wires ranging from 3.1 to 9.

A simple feature representation vector for phylogenetic analysis of DNA sequences.

In this study, a simple 4k-dimension feature representation vector is proposed to reconstruct phylogenetic trees, where k is the length of a word. The vector is composed of elements which characterize the relative difference of biological sequence from sequence generated by an independent random process. In addition, the variance of a vector which is obtained by averaging every column of feature representation matrix is employed to determine appropriate word length.

Molecular concentration sensor based on the diffraction resonance mode of gold nanowire gratings.

We demonstrate a new diffraction resonance mode in waveguide gold nanowire grating structures, which shows much higher sensitivity than the intrinsic waveguide resonance mode to the change in the environmental refractive index. This enables realization of a molecular concentration sensor. Measurements on ethanol/water mixture and glucose solutions in water with different concentrations indicate a sensitivity of this sensor as high as 400 nm per unit refractive index.