Transient chromatin decompaction at the start of male embryonic germline development.

Embryonic germ cells develop rapidly to establish the foundation for future developmental trajectories, and in this process, they make critical lineage choices including the configuration of their unique identity and a decision on sex. Here, we use single-cell genomics patterns for the entire embryonic germline in along with the somatic gonadal precursors after embryonic gonad coalescence to investigate molecular mechanisms involved in the setting up and regulation of the germline program. Profiling of the early germline chromatin landscape revealed sex- and stage-specific features.

Direct detection of virus-like particles using color images of plasmonic nanostructures.

We propose a measurement method for sensitive and label-free detections of virus-like particles (VLPs) using color images of nanoplasmonic sensing chips. The nanoplasmonic chip consists of 5×5 gold nanoslit arrays and the gold surface is modified with specific antibodies for spike protein. The resonant wavelength of the 430-nm-period gold nanoslit arrays underwater environment is about 570 nm which falls between the green and red bands of the color CCD.

Effects of electron transport layer thickness on light extraction in corrugated OLEDs.

This study reported the effects of electron transport layer (ETL) thickness on light extraction in corrugated organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) and each layer in OLEDs exhibited a periodical corrugated structure, which was determined by depositing thin films on a glass substrate with a nanoimprinted blazed grating structure. The insight is that light extraction in corrugated OLEDs significantly depends on the ETL thickness. Varying the ETL thickness changed the distribution of carrier recombination and led to exciton formation and optical interference, thereby resulting in different attribution of optical loss modes in OLEDs, which increased or even decreased light extraction and device efficiency.

Trajectory mapping of the early germline reveals controls of zygotic activation and sex differentiation.

Germ cells in are specified maternally shortly after fertilization and are transcriptionally quiescent until their zygotic genome is activated to sustain further development. To understand the molecular basis of this process, we analyzed the progressing transcriptomes of early male and female germ cells at the single-cell level between germline specification and coalescence with somatic gonadal cells. Our data comprehensively cover zygotic activation in the germline genome, and analyses on genes that exhibit germline-restricted expression reveal that polymerase pausing and differential RNA stability are important mechanisms that establish gene expression differences between the germline and soma.

Polymer LEDs with improved efficacy via periodic nanostructure-based aluminum.

Periodic aluminum-capped nanoslit arrays were produced on a polycarbonate plastic substrate by rapid hot embossing nanoimprint lithography and thermal evaporation, and they were used as a transparent window for blue-emitting polymer light-emitting diodes (PLEDs). The external quantum efficiency of blue-emitting PLEDs was enhanced by the surface plasmon polaritons of the periodic aluminum-capped nanoslit arrays. A maximum current efficiency of 4.

Galectin-1 Restricts Vascular Smooth Muscle Cell Motility Via Modulating Adhesion Force and Focal Adhesion Dynamics.

Vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) migration play a key role in the development of intimal hyperplasia and atherosclerosis. Galectin-1 (Gal-1) is a redox-sensitive β-galactoside-binding lectin expressed in VSMCs with intracellular and extracellular localizations. Here we show that VSMCs deficient in Gal-1 (Gal-1-KO) exhibited greater motility than wild type (WT) cells.

Efficacy improvement in polymer LEDs via silver-nanoparticle doping in the emissive layer.

The coupling of surface plasmons and excitons in the emissive layer (EML) can improve the performance of polymer light-emitting diodes (PLEDs). Silver nanoparticles (Ag-NPs) with a decahedron structure are prepared by the chemical reduction and photochemical methods and doped directly into the EML after the phase-transfer process. The surface plasmon resonance effect of Ag-NPs, which makes full use of quenched excitons and increases the efficiency of excitons in the EML in a PLED, enhances the current efficacy by a factor of 75 relative to that of the undoped reference device (from 0.

Adenocarcinoma Ex Goblet Cell Carcinoid of Appendix: Two Case Reports.

Adenocarcinoma ex goblet cell carcinoid is a rare tumor incidentally found in specimens of appendicitis. Most patients present with acute abdomen, similar to acute appendicitis. Here we present two cases, which were found incidentally after operation.

Enhanced luminescence efficiency of Ag nanoparticles dispersed on indium tin oxide for polymer light-emitting diodes.

This study presents a substantial enhancement in electroluminescence achieved by depositing Ag nanoparticles on an ITO-coated glass substrate (Ag/ITO) for approximately 10-s to form novel window materials for use in polymer light-emitting diodes (PLEDs). The PLEDs discussed herein are single-layer devices based on a poly[9,9-dioctylfluorene-co-benzothiadiazole] (F8BT) emissive layer. In addition to its low cost, this novel fabrication method can effectively increase the charge transport properties of the active layer to meet the high performance requirements of PLEDs.