Effect of genetically determined BCAA levels on cardiovascular diseases and their risk factors: A Mendelian randomization study.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Observational studies have demonstrated that serum branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) are associated with the risk of various cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) and their risk factors. However, the causal effect is unclear. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of genetically determined BCAA levels on CVDs and their risk factors using Mendelian randomization (MR). METHODS AND RESULTS: We performed univariable and multivariable MR analyses using summary-level data from multiple GWASs and the FinnGen consortium to investigate the association between BCAA levels and the risk of CVDs (myocardial infarction, ischemic stroke, and intracerebral hemorrhage) and their risk factors (atrial fibrillation, hypertension, heart failure, and valvular heart disease). We used the random-effects IVW approach as the primary statistical method and incorporated MR estimates from different data sources using the fixed-effects model. We found genetically determined total and individual BCAA levels and a high risk of hypertension. However, there is no evidence of a causal relationship between BCAA levels and 3 cardiovascular diseases and other their risk factors. The odds of hypertension increased per 1-SD increase in BCAA levels (OR = 1.02 95% CI: 1.01, 1.04; P = 0.005), valine (OR = 1.02 95% CI: 1.01, 1.03; P<0.0001), leucine (OR = 1.02 95% CI: 1.01, 1.04; P＜0.01), and isoleucine (OR = 1.02 95% CI: 1.01, 1.03; P < 0.0001). This result was also significant in the multivariable MR. CONCLUSIONS: This MR study suggests that total and individual BCAA levels could be associated with a high risk of hypertension.

miR-124: A Promising Therapeutic Target for Central Nervous System Injuries and Diseases.

Central nervous system injuries and diseases, such as ischemic stroke, spinal cord injury, neurodegenerative diseases, glioblastoma, multiple sclerosis, and the resulting neuroinflammation often lead to death or long-term disability. MicroRNAs are small, non-coding, single-stranded RNAs that regulate posttranscriptional gene expression in both physiological and pathological cellular processes, including central nervous system injuries and disorders. Studies on miR-124, one of the most abundant microRNAs in the central nervous system, have shown that its dysregulation is related to the occurrence and development of pathology within the central nervous system. Herein, we review the molecular regulatory functions, underlying mechanisms, and effective delivery methods of miR-124 in the central nervous system, where it is involved in pathological conditions. The review also provides novel insights into the therapeutic target potential of miR-124 in the treatment of human central nervous system injuries or diseases.

The role of exosomal microRNAs in central nervous system diseases.

MicroRNAs (miRNA), endogenous non-coding RNAs approximately 22 nucleotides long, regulate gene expression by mediating translational inhibition or mRNA degradation. Exosomes are a tool for intercellular transmission of information in which miRNA exchange plays an important role. Under pathophysiological conditions in the central nervous system (CNS), cellular transmission of exosomal miRNAs can regulate signaling pathways. Exosomal miRNAs are involved in the occurrence and development of diverse CNS diseases, such as traumatic brain injury, spinal cord injury, stroke, neurodegenerative diseases, epilepsy, and glioma. The use of exosomes as transport vehicles for certain miRNAs provides a novel therapeutic strategy for CNS diseases. Furthermore, the exosomes in body fluids change with the occurrence of diseases, indicating that subtle changes in physiological and pathological processes in vivo could be recognized by analyzing exosomes. Exosomal analysis is expected to act as a novel tool for diagnosis and prediction of neurological diseases. In this review, we present the current understanding of the implications of miRNAs in CNS diseases and summarize the role and mechanism of action of exosomal miRNA in nervous system disease models.

It can be safe to discontinue oral anticoagulants after successful atrial fibrillation ablation: A systematic review and meta-analysis of cohort studies.

BACKGROUND: Current guidelines recommended that oral anticoagulants (OACs) should last for a minimum first 2 months after atrial fibrillation (AF) ablation and the long-term decision of anticoagulation after AF ablation should be based on the individual patient's risk of stroke rather than the rhythm status. There is controversy about the safety of discontinuing OACs in patients with atrial fibrillation after the blanking period due to the divergences between consensus recommendations and clinical practice. METHODS: Electronic bibliographic sources (PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science) were searched until August 2023 to identify cohort studies about the safety of discontinuing OACs in patients with AF after the blanking period. The primary outcome was thromboembolism (TE). The secondary outcome was major bleeding events (MBEs). Two authors extracted articles independently using predefined data fields. The pooled odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated based on a random-effects model. RESULTS: A total of 16 studies (11 prospective cohorts and 5 retrospective cohorts) enrolling 23,942 patients (14,382 OFF-OAC and 9560 ON-OAC) were included in our analysis. No significant difference emerged in the risk of TE between OFF-OAC and ON-OAC patients following AF ablation after the banking period (OR = 0.66; 95%CI, 0.43-1.01). Similar results emerged in the patients with a high risk of TE after stratification by the risk level of TE (OR = 0.72; 95%CI, 0.25-2.08). A significant reduction in incidences of major bleeding was found in the OFF-OAC patients compared with the ON-OAC patients (OR = 0.23; 95%CI, 0.12-0.42). Subgroup analyses for TE found a reduction of incidences in the subgroups who switched to antiplatelet drugs and with a follow-up duration <3 years. Subgroup analyses for MBEs found a significant reduction of incidences in all subgroups. CONCLUSIONS: Our study suggests it can be safe to discontinue OACs after successful AF ablation. Discontinuation of OACs may reduce the risk of MBEs while not increasing the risk of TE.

Simple screening model based on electrocardiogram for patients with dilated cardiomyopathy.

Dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) is one of the most common causes of heart failure. Therefore, screening and early diagnosis of potential DCM patients is beneficial. Electrocardiogram (ECG) can be an inexpensive and easily available screening tool. We aimed to construct a simple screening model for DCM based on electrocardiogram. In this retrospective observational study, we consecutively enrolled 117 DCM patients between July 1, 2016 and July 1, 2021 as the DCM group, while 117 patients hospitalized in the same period with normal echocardiography and ECG were selected as the non-DCM group. Patients were randomly assigned to the training and validation sets at 8:2. ECG parameters of left ventricular related leads were exacted. Logistic regression was performed to evaluate screening indicators of ECG parameters and a nomogram was conducted. The screening ability of the model was evaluated using receiver operating characteristic analysis. Furthermore, the nomogram was assessed using calibration curve and decision curve analysis. Screening indicators included in the nomogram were the amplitude of S wave in V1 and V3 leads, the amplitude of R wave in aVF and V6 leads, and PR interval. The nomogram performed satisfactory discrimination in the training (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve = 0.904) and validation (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve = 0.878) sets and good calibration (Hosmer-Lemeshow P = .066). Decision curve analysis demonstrated the model can generate a net benefit of 0.33 when the threshold probability was 0.543. The nomogram based on electrocardiogram is a simple and practical screening tool for potential DCM patients.

Open Radiofrequency Ablation Combined with Splenectomy and Pericardial Devascularization vs. Liver Transplantation for Hepatocellular Carcinoma Patients with Portal Hypertension and Hypersplenism: A Case-Matched Comparative Study.

AIM: To compare the short- and long-term treatment outcomes of open radiofrequency ablation combined with splenectomy and pericardial devascularization versus liver transplantation for hepatocellular carcinoma patients with portal hypertension and hypersplenism. METHODS: During the study period, the treatment outcomes of consecutive HCC patients with portal hypertension and hypersplenism who underwent open radiofrequency ablation, splenectomy and pericardial devascularization (the study group) were compared with the treatment outcomes of a case-matched control group of HCC patients who underwent liver transplantation. RESULTS: The study group consisted of 32 patients, and the control group comprised 32 patients selected from 155 patients who were case-matched by tumor size, age, gender, MELD sore, tumor location, TNM classification, degree of splenomegaly and Child-Pugh staging. Baseline data on preoperative laboratory tests and tumor characteristics were comparable between the two groups. The mean follow-up was 43.2 ± 5.3 months and 44.9 ± 5.8 months for the study and control groups, respectively. Although the disease-free survival rates of the control group were better than those of the study group (P < 0.001), there was no significant difference in the cumulative overall survival time or the incidence of portal vein thrombosis between the two groups (P = 0.670, 0.083). Compared with the control group, the study group had significantly less intraoperative blood loss, and lower incidences of postoperative pleural effusion and pneumonia (all P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Open radiofrequency ablation, splenectomy and pericardial devascularization for small HCCs with portal hypertension and hypersplenism can be an alternative therapy for a subset of carefully selected patients under the shortage of liver donors.

Effect of various hepatectomy procedures on circulating tumor cells in postoperative patients: a case-matched comparative study.

Background: The objective of this study is to elucidate the prevalence of systemic circulating tumor cells (CTCs) prior to and following resection of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), and to compare the disparities in postoperative CTCs in terms of quantity and classifications between the open liver resection (OPEN) and laparoscopic liver resection (LAP) cohorts. Patients materials and methods: From September 2015 to May 2022, 32 consecutive HCC patients who underwent laparoscopic liver resection at Southwest Hospital were retrospectively enrolled in this study. The clinicopathological data were retrieved from a prospectively collected computer database. Patients in the OPEN group matched at a 1:1 ratio with patients who underwent open liver resection during the study period on age, gender, tumor size, number of tumors, tumor location, hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) positivity, alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) level, TNM and Child-Pugh staging from the database of patients to form the control group. The Can-Patrol CTC enrichment technique was used to enrich and classify CTCS based on epithelial-mesenchymal transformation phenotypes. The endpoint was disease-free survival (DFS), and the Kaplan-Meier method and multiple Cox proportional risk model were used to analyze the influence of clinicopathological factors such as total CTCs and CTC phenotype on prognosis. Results: The mean age of the 64 patients with primary liver cancer was 52.92 years (23-71), and 89.1% were male. The postoperative CTC clearance rate was more significant in the OPEN group. The total residual CTC and phenotypic CTC of the LAP group were significantly higher than those of the OPEN group (p = 0.017, 0.012, 0.049, and 0.030, respectively), which may increase the possibility of metastasis (p = 0.042). In Kaplan-Meier analysis, DFS was associated with several clinicopathological risk factors, including Barcelona Clinical Liver Cancer (BCLC) stage, tumor size, and vascular invasion. Of these analyses, BCLC Stage [p = 0.043, HR (95% CI) =2.03(1.022-4.034)], AFP [p = 0.007, HR (95% CI) =1.947 (1.238-3.062)], the number of positive CTCs [p = 0.004, HR (95% CI) =9.607 (2.085-44.269)] and vascular invasion [p = 0.046, HR (95% CI) =0.475 (0.22-1.023)] were significantly associated with DFS. Conclusion: In comparison to conventional OPEN technology, LAP technology has the capacity to augment the quantity of epithelial, mixed, and mesenchymal circulating tumor cells (CTCs). Following the surgical procedure, there was a notable increase in the total CTCs, epithelial CTCs, and mixed CTCs within the LAP group, indicating a potential drawback of LAP in facilitating the release of CTCs.

Protective role of perivascular adipose tissue in the cardiovascular system.

This review provides an overview of the key role played by perivascular adipose tissue (PVAT) in the protection of cardiovascular health. PVAT is a specific type of adipose tissue that wraps around blood vessels and has recently emerged as a critical factor for maintenance of vascular health. Through a profound exploration of existing research, this review sheds light on the intricate structural composition and cellular origins of PVAT, with a particular emphasis on combining its regulatory functions for vascular tone, inflammation, oxidative stress, and endothelial function. The review then delves into the intricate mechanisms by which PVAT exerts its protective effects, including the secretion of diverse adipokines and manipulation of the renin-angiotensin complex. The review further examines the alterations in PVAT function and phenotype observed in several cardiovascular diseases, including atherosclerosis, hypertension, and heart failure. Recognizing the complex interactions of PVAT with the cardiovascular system is critical for pursuing breakthrough therapeutic strategies that can target cardiovascular disease. Therefore, this review aims to augment present understanding of the protective role of PVAT in cardiovascular health, with a special emphasis on elucidating potential mechanisms and paving the way for future research directions in this evolving field.

Association of Preoperative NANOG-Positive Circulating Tumor Cell Levels With Recurrence of Hepatocellular Carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: Cancer stem cells (CSCs) and Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) have been proposed as fundamental causes for the recurrence of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). CTCs isolated from patients with HCC illustrate a unique Nanog expression profile analysis. The aim of this study was to enhance the prediction of recurrence and prognosis of the CTC phenotype in patients with HCC by combining Nanog expression into a combined forecasting model. SUBJECTS MATERIALS AND METHODS: We collected 320 blood samples from 160 patients with HCC cancer before surgery and used CanPatrol™ CTC enrichment technology and in situ hybridization (ISH) to enrich and detect CTCs and CSCs. Nanog expression in all CTCs was also determined. In addition, RT-PCR and immunohistochemistry were used to study the expression of Nanog, E-Cadherin, and N-Cadherin in liver cancer tissues and to conduct clinical correlation studies. RESULTS: The numbers of EpCAM mRNA+ CTCs and Nanog mRNA+ CTCs were strongly correlated with postoperative HCC recurrence (CTC number (P = 0.03), the total number of mixed CTCS (P = 0.02), and Nanog> 6.7 (P = 0.001), with Nanog > 6.7 (P = 0.0003, HR = 2.33) being the most crucial marker. There are significant differences in the expression of Nanog on different types of CTC: most Epithelial CTCs do not express Nanog, while most of Mixed CTC and Mesenchymal CTC express Nanog, and their positive rates are 38.7%, 66.7%, and 88.7%, respectively, (P=0.0001). Moreover, both CTC (≤/> 13.3) and Nanog (≤/>6.7) expression were significantly correlated with BCLC stage, vascular invasion, tumor size, and Hbv-DNA (all P < 0.05). In the young group and the old group, patients with higher Nanog expression had a higher recurrence rate. (P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The number of Nanog-positive cells showed positive correlation with the poor prognosis of HCC patients. The detection and analysis of CTC markers (EpCAM and CK8, 18, CD45 Vimentin,Twist and 19) and CSCs markers (NANOG) are of great value in the evaluation of tumor progression.

Bisegmentectomy 7-8 for Small-for-Size Remanant Liver for Cirrhotic Patients Under Right Hemi-hepatectomy With Hepatocellular Carcinoma: A Case-Matched Comparative Study.

Aim: To compare the short- and long-term treatment outcomes of bisegmentectomy 7-8 vs. right hepatectomy for patients with hepatocellular carcinoma and cirrhosis. Methods: Thirty six cirrhotic HCC patients with infiltration of right hepatic vein in segments 7-8 underwent bisegmentectomy 7-8 for small-for-size remanant liver under right hemi-hepatectomy. Its outcome was compared with a case-matched control group of cirrhotic HCC patients who underwent right hemi-hepatectomy during the study period. Results: The study group consisted of 36 patients and the control group 36 patients selected from 1,526 patients matched with age, tumor size, tumor location, and Pugh-Child staging. There were no significant differences between the two groups in operative parameters and in perioperative main complications which included hemorrhage, bile leakage, ascites, pleural effusion, and liver failure. The overall morbidity rate and morbidity rate classified according to Clavien's classification were similar. There was no in-hospital mortality or 90 day post-operative mortality. The mean follow-up was 30 and 32 months for the study group and control group, respectively. The disease free survival rate (DFS) for the study group was just significantly better than the control group. The median DFS was 24 months for the study group and 8 months for the control group (P = 0.049). Meanwhile, the median cumulative overall survival was 35 months for the study group and 27 months for the control group (P = 0.494). Conclusion: Bisegmentectomy 7-8 was safe and feasible for selected cirrhosis patients, and did not increase the perioperative risk and inferior long-term overall survival outcomes. It extended the indications for liver resection in patients with borderline volumes of future liver remnant for HCC cirrhotic liver.

Real-world data on the clinicopathological traits and outcomes of hospitalized liver hemangioma patients: a multicenter study.

BACKGROUND: There is currently a lack of consensus regarding the clinical features, diagnosis, treatment indications and options, and risk assessment of hepatic hemangioma patients. METHODS: This was a multicenter, real-world study that analyzed a large number of hepatic hemangioma cases in China and included patient data on epidemiology, diagnosis, treatment methods, and outcomes. RESULTS: A total of 5,143 patients hospitalized for hepatic hemangioma were included, of whom 34.42% were male and 65.58% were female. The age distribution was concentrated between 30 and 60 years old, accounting for 87.41% of the patients. Among the hepatic hemangioma patients, 60.8% had only one tumor, with the most common pathological type being cavernous hemangioma (96.07% of cases). The treatment motivations and indications included anxiety, obvious clinical symptoms, rapid tumor growth, unclear diagnoses and acute emergencies. Overall, 41.4% of the patients were treated for psychological reasons, while 30.59% were treated because they presented obvious (primarily nonspecific) clinical symptoms. Hepatic resection was the main therapeutic method and was based on various indications. There were a small number of patients with Kasabach-Merritt syndrome, according to its generally recognized definition. CONCLUSIONS: Most patients in this study who were hospitalized for hepatic hemangioma did not meet the indications for requiring treatment. Surveillance is the recommended course of action for definitively diagnosed hepatic hemangioma, and a new classification system is needed to standardize the diagnosis of this condition.

Investigations on the mechanical properties of conducting polymer coating-substrate structures and their influencing factors.

This review covers recent advances and work on the microstructure features, mechanical properties and cracking processes of conducting polymer film/coating- substrate structures under different testing conditions. An attempt is made to characterize and quantify the relationships between mechanical properties and microstructure features. In addition, the film cracking mechanism on the micro scale and some influencing factors that play a significant role in the service of the film-substrate structure are presented. These investigations cover the conducting polymer film/coating nucleation process, microstructure-fracture characterization, translation of brittle-ductile fractures, and cracking processes near the largest inherent macromolecule defects under thermal-mechanical loadings, and were carried out using in situ scanning electron microscopy (SEM) observations, as a novel method for evaluation of interface strength and critical failure stress.

Efficient polycrystalline silicon solar cells with double metal oxide layers.

Crystalline silicon solar cells can achieve high power conversion efficiency and can be successfully commercialized; however, the exploration of optimization strategies is still necessary. Here, we demonstrated improved performance of a polycrystalline silicon solar cell by depositing Sb2Ox/CdO double layers onto a Si wafer via a low-cost route. The metal oxide layers, forming effective heterojunctions, suppressed carrier recombination and reduced surface reflection. Additionally, the heterojunctions of Sb2Ox/CdO/Si enhanced the transmission of electrons and holes and simultaneously, a wider response range in the solar spectrum was realized. The power conversion efficiency improved from 12.6 to 16.7% in a polycrystalline silicon solar cell, with relative increase of 33%. It is expected that the metal oxide-enhanced devices will have tremendous potential in commercial applications.

Influence of Multi-Holes on Fatigue Behaviors of Cast Magnesium Alloys Based on In-Situ Scanning Electron Microscope Technology.

The low cycle fatigue tests on the crack initiation and propagation of cast magnesium alloys with two small holes were carried out by using in-situ scanning electron microscope (SEM) observation technology. The fatigue crack propagation behaviors and fatigue life, which are affected by two small artificial through holes, including the distances between two holes and their locations, were discussed in detail based on the experimental results and the finite element analysis (FEA). The results indicated that the fatigue multi-cracks occurred chiefly at the edges of two holes and the main crack propagation was along the weak dendrite boundary with the plastic deformation vestiges on the surface of α-Mg phase of cast AM50 and AM60B alloys. The fatigue cracking characteristics of cast AZ91 alloy depended mainly on the brittle properties of ß-Mg17Al12 phase, in which the multi-cracks occurred still at the edges of two holes and boundaries of ß-Mg17Al12 phase. The fatigue crack initiation position of cast magnesium alloys depends strongly on the radius of curvature of through hole or stress concentration factor at the closed edges of two through holes. In addition, the fatigue multi-cracks were amalgamated for the samples with titled 45° of two small holes of cast Mg-Al alloys when the hole distance is less than 4D (D is the diameter of the small hole).

Tunable morphologies, multicolor properties and applications of RE3+ doped NaY(MoO4)2 nanocrystals via a facile ligand-assisted reprecipitation process.

Rare earth (RE3+)-doped NaY(MoO4)2 nanocrystals are efficient materials for realizing multicolor emission, which plays an important role in displays, W-LEDs, solar cells and biolabeling. Up to now, research on the multicolor tuning properties of RE3+-doped NaY(MoO4)2 nanoparticles has mostly focused on traditional preparation routes such as the hydrothermal method and sol-gel process. However, the products obtained using these methods are usually large in size (on the micron/submicron scale) and agglomeration problems are inevitable. With the development of nano optoelectronic devices and bioluminescence labeling, there is an urgent need to find an efficient method to prepare nanoscale, monodispersed and NaY(MoO4)2:RE3+ nanocrystals (NCs) with good crystallinity and stronger emission properties. In this work, we demonstrate a simple, fast, reproducible and one-step synthesis of NaY(MoO4)2:Eu3+ NCs with sizes varying from 1-20 nm via a ligand-assisted reprecipitation strategy. The reaction mechanism and emission intensities of NaY(MoO4)2:Eu3+ NCs with various morphologies have been discussed in detail. Furthermore, Tb3+ and Eu3+ ion co-doped NaY(MoO4)2 NCs were also prepared, and various emission colors were obtained and tuned from red, orange-red, yellow and yellow-green to green. Energy transfer between the Tb3+ and Eu3+ ions in the NaY(MoO4)2 host matrix has also been demonstrated. Finally, a highly efficient and stable NaY(MoO4)2:0.05Tb,0.04Eu NC-based W-LED device was built, which indicates the promising future application for this material in the field of lighting. The tunable multicolour emission, ease of preparation and nanosize reveal that NaY(MoO4)2:RE3+ NCs have a potential application in full color displays and W-LEDs.

Microarc Oxidation Coating Combined with Surface Pore-Sealing Treatment Enhances Corrosion Fatigue Performance of 7075-T7351 Al Alloy in Different Media.

Rotating bending fatigue tests have been performed to evaluate the corrosion fatigue performance and its influence factors of 7075-T7351 Al alloy in different media, namely air and a 5.0 wt % NaCl aqueous solution. All samples were coated by microarc oxidation (MAO) coating technology; some samples were followed by an epoxy resin pore-sealing treatment. Microscopic analyses of the surfaces and fracture cross-sections of samples were carried out. The results reveal that the sample with a MAO coating of 10 µm thickness and pore-sealing treatment by epoxy resin possesses optimal corrosion fatigue performance in the different media. The MAO coating with a pore-sealing treatment significantly improves the corrosion fatigue limit of 7075-T7351 Al alloy.

Surrogate endpoint for overall survival in assessment of adjuvant therapies after curative treatment for hepatocellular carcinoma: a re-analysis of meta-analyses of individual patients' data.

The gold standard endpoint to evaluate the effect of treatment for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is overall survival (OS), but it requires a longer follow-up period to observe. This study aimed to identify whether disease-free survival (DFS) could be used as a surrogate endpoint for OS to assess the efficacy of adjuvant therapies after curative treatment (surgical resection and ablation) for HCC patients. A systematic review was conducted to identify trials about curative treatment combined with or without adjuvant therapies (interferon, IFN; or transarterial chemoembolization, TACE) for HCC. Total of 2211 patients' data from 17 trials were analyzed. At the individual study level, DFS was strongly correlated to OS (ρ = 0.988 and 0.930, 95% CI: 0.965-0.996 and 0.806-0.976 for the studies comparing Radiofrequency ablation (RFA) + TACE to RFA alone; and for the studies comparing curative treatment + IFN to curative treatment alone, respectively). At the trial level, the effects of treatment on DFS and OS were also strongly correlated to each other (R = 0.815 and 0.854, 95% CI: 0.536-0.934 and 0.621-0.948, respectively). In conclusion, DFS could be used as a potential surrogate endpoint for OS to assess the effect of adjuvant therapies after curative treatment for HCC.

Improvement on the Fatigue Performance of 2024-T4 Alloy by Synergistic Coating Technology.

In this paper, rotating bending fatigue tests of 2024-T4 Al alloy with different oxide coatings were carried out. Compared to the uncoated and previously reported oxide coatings of aluminum alloys, the fatigue strength is able to be enhanced by using a novel oxide coating with sealing pore technology. These results indicate that the better the coating surface quality is, the more excellent the fatigue performance under rotating bending fatigue loading is. The improvement on the fatigue performance is mainly because the fatigue crack initiation and the early stage of fatigue crack growth at the coating layer can be delayed after PEO coating with pore sealing. Therefore, it is a so-called synergistic coating technology for various uses, including welding thermal cracks and filling micro-pores. The effects of different oxide coatings on surface hardness, compressive residual stress, morphology and fatigue fracture morphology are discussed. A critical compressive residual stress of about 95-100 MPa is proposed.

Visual annotation of the gene database.

The genes in NCBI databases are currently annotated with itemized text (Gene Reference Into Function, or GeneRIF). A previous work suggests that the visual presentation can be more effective when time and space are under heavy constraints. Here we report a novel annotation of the genome information using Web 2.0 technologies: GeneGIF (Gene Graphics Into Function). The users can quickly scan through important functions of each gene from a graph, and then go to detailed pages when they find interesting annotations. The modular implementation makes it easily pluggable into other widely used databases without reprogramming. Similar approaches are being developed to incorporate information to other types of genomics and proteomics databases.

Ultra-high sensitivity of super carbon-nanotube-based mass and strain sensors.

Based on the molecular structure mechanics method, the dynamic properties of super carbon nanotubes (STs), together with ST-based mass and strain sensors, are investigated. The following results are obtained: (a) the fundamental frequency of the STs is found to be lower than that of the single-wall carbon nanotube (SWCNT); (b) the STs may be a potential ultra-high sensitivity mass sensor with a sensitivity about 10(-24) g, which is much higher than that of SWCNT-based mass sensors (10(-21) g); (c) the ST-based strain sensor has a sensitivity as high as 887 Hz/nanostrain, which is also higher than that of SWCNT-based strain sensors. The obtained results suggest that the STs could be used to design the new generation of sensors due to its high sensitivity and ultra-low density.