In Situ Imaging of Two-Dimensional Crystal Growth Using a Heat-Resistant Optical Microscope.

Revealing low-dimensional material growth dynamics is critical for crystal growth engineering. However, in a practical high-temperature growth system, the crystal growth process is a black box because of the lack of heat-resistant imaging tools. Here, we develop a heat-resistant optical microscope and embed it in a chemical vapor deposition (CVD) system to investigate two-dimensional (2D) crystal growth dynamics. This in situ optical imaging CVD system can tolerate temperatures of ≤900 °C with a spatial resolution of ∼1 µm. The growth of monolayer MoS2 crystals was studied as a model for 2D crystal growth. The nucleation and growth process have been imaged. Model analysis and simulation have revealed the growth rate, diffusion coefficient, and spatial distribution of the precursor. More importantly, a new vertex-kink-ledge model has been suggested for monolayer crystal growth. This work provides a new technique for in situ microscopic imaging at high temperatures and fundamental insight into 2D crystal growth.

SPACA6P-AS: a trailblazer in breast cancer pathobiology and therapeutics.

OBJECTIVE: The primary objective of this investigation is to delve into the involvement of the long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) SPACA6P-AS in breast cancer (BC) development, focusing on its expression pattern, association with clinical-pathological features, impact on prognosis, as well as its molecular and immunological implications. METHODS: Bioinformatics analysis was conducted utilizing RNA sequencing data of 1083 BC patients from the TCGA database. Functional exploration of SPACA6P-AS was carried out through the construction of survival curves, GO and KEGG enrichment analysis, and single-sample gene set enrichment analysis (ssGSEA). Furthermore, its functionality was validated through in vitro cell experiments and in vivo nude mouse model experiments. RESULTS: SPACA6P-AS showed a remarkable increase in expression levels in BC tissues (p < 0.001) and demonstrated a close relationship to poor prognosis (overall survival HR = 1.616, progression-free interval HR = 1.40, disease-specific survival HR = 1.54). Enrichment analysis revealed that SPACA6P-AS could impact biological functions such as protease regulation, endopeptidase inhibitor activity, taste receptor activity, taste transduction, and maturity-onset diabetes of the young pathway. ssGSEA analysis indicated a negative correlation between SPACA6P-AS expression and immune cell infiltration like dendritic cells and neutrophils, while a positive correlation was observed with central memory T cells and T helper 2 cells. Results from in vitro and in vivo experiments illustrated that silencing SPACA6P-AS significantly inhibited the proliferation, migration, and invasion capabilities of BC cells. In vitro experiments also highlighted that dendritic cells with silenced SPACA6P-AS exhibited enhanced capabilities in promoting the proliferation of autologous CD3 + T cells and cytokine secretion. These discoveries elucidate the potential multifaceted roles of SPACA6P-AS in BC, including its potential involvement in modulating immune cell infiltration in the tumor microenvironment. CONCLUSION: The high expression of lncRNA SPACA6P-AS in BC is closely linked to poor prognosis and may facilitate tumor progression by influencing specific biological processes, signaling pathways, and the immune microenvironment. The regulatory role of SPACA6P-AS positions it as a prospective biomarker and target for therapeutic approaches for BC diagnosis and intervention.

Liquid Phase Edge Epitaxy of Transition-Metal Dichalcogenide Monolayers.

Precise monolayer epitaxy is important for two-dimensional (2D) semiconductors toward future electronics. Here, we report a new self-limited epitaxy approach, liquid phase edge epitaxy (LPEE), for precise-monolayer epitaxy of transition-metal dichalcogenides. In this method, the liquid solution contacts 2D grains only at the edges, which confines the epitaxy only at the grain edges and then precise monolayer epitaxy can be achieved. High-temperature in situ imaging of the epitaxy progress directly supports this edge-contact epitaxy mechanism. Typical transition-metal dichalcogenide monolayers (MX2, M = Mo, W, and Re; X = S or Se) have been obtained by LPEE with a proper choice of molten alkali halide solvents (AL, A = Li, Na, K, and Cs; L = Cl, Br, or I). Furthermore, alloying and magnetic-element doping have also been realized by taking advantage of the liquid phase epitaxy approach. This LPEE method provides a precise and highly versatile approach for 2D monolayer epitaxy and can revolutionize the growth of 2D materials toward electronic applications.

Automated Microfluidic Nucleic Acid Detection Platform-Integrated RPA-T7-Cas13a for Pathogen Diagnosis.

There is a growing urgent need for point-of-care testing (POCT) devices that integrate sample pretreatment and nucleic acid detection in a rapid, economical, and non-labor-intensive way. Here, we have developed an automated, portable nucleic acid detection system employing microfluidic chips integrating rotary valve-assisted sample pretreatment and recombinase polymerase amplification (RPA)-T7-Cas13a into one-step nucleic acid detection. The RPA and clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)/Cas13a were integrated into a single-chamber reaction. As a validation model, we used this method to detect Group B streptococci (GBS) DNA and achieved a detection sensitivity of 8 copies/reaction, which is 6 times more sensitive than gold-standard polymerase chain reactions (PCRs). Dual specific recognition of RPA with CRISPR/Cas13a makes our method ultraspecific, with correct detection of Group B streptococci from 8 kinds of pathogenic bacteria. For the 16 positive and 24 negative clinical GBS samples, our assay achieved 100% accuracy compared to the PCR technique. The whole procedure can be automatically completed within 30 min, providing a more robust, sensitive, and accurate molecular diagnostic tool for POCT.

Adipocyte-derived exosomes promote the progression of triple-negative breast cancer through circCRIM1-dependent OGA activation.

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) has an escalating morbidity and a dismal prognosis. Obesity has been reported to be strongly linked to adverse TNBC outcomes. Exosomes (Exos) transport RNA and proteins between cells and serve as intermediaries for cell-to-cell communication. Accumulated evidence suggests that adipose-secreted circular RNAs (circRNAs) can modulate protein glycosylation in TNBC to facilitate tumor cell outgrowth. Herein, exo-circCRIM1 expression was found to be elevated in TNBC patients with a high body fat percentage. Functional experiments demonstrated that by inhibiting miR-503-5p, exo-circCRIM1 enhanced TNBC evolution and metastasis while activating glycosylation hydrolase OGA. Furthermore, OGA negatively regulates FBP1 by decreasing its protein stability. Moreover, the levels of OGA and FBP1 were positively related to the infiltration level of some immune cells in TNBC. These findings indicate that exo-cirCRIM1 secreted by adipocytes contributes to TNBC progression by inhibiting miR-503-5p and activating the OGA/FBP1 signaling pathway. The findings reveal a novel intercellular signaling pathway mediated by adipose-derived exosomes and suggest that treatment targeting the secreted exosome-circCRIM1 may reverse TNBC progression.

CdSSe Nano-Flowers for Ultrasensitive Raman Detection of Antibiotics.

Surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) technique is widely used for the highly sensitive detection of trace residues due to its unparalleled signal amplification ability and plays an important role in food safety, environmental monitoring, etc. Herein, CdSSe nano-flowers (CdSSe NFs) are synthesized via the chemical vapor deposition (CVD) method. CdSSe NFs thin film is used as a SERS substrate with an ultralow limit of detection (LOD, 10-14 M), high apparent enhancement factor (EF, 3.62 × 109), and excellent SERS stability (relative standard deviation, RSD = 3.05%) for probe molecules of Rh6G. Further, CdSSe NFs substrate is successfully applied in the sensitive, quantitative, and label-free analysis of ciprofloxacin (CIP) and enrofloxacin (ENR) antibiotics, which exhibit LODs of below 0.5 ppb. This excellent SERS platform may be widely utilized for sensitive life science and environmental sensing.

Effects of Plant-Derived Polyphenols on the Antioxidant Activity and Aroma of Sulfur-Dioxide-Free Red Wine.

Significant efforts have been made in recent years to produce healthier wines, with the primary goal of reducing the use of sulfur dioxide (SO2), which poses health risks. This study aimed to assess the effectiveness of three plant-derived polyphenols (dihydromyricetin, resveratrol, and catechins) as alternatives to SO2 in wine. After a three-month aging process, the wines were evaluated using analytical techniques such as high-performance liquid chromatography, colorimetry, gas chromatography-olfactometry-mass spectrometry, as well as electronic nose and electronic tongue analyses, with the purpose to assess parameters including antioxidant activity, color, contents of volatile aroma compounds, and sensory characteristics. The results demonstrated various degrees of improvement in the antioxidant activity, aromatic intensity, and sensory characteristics of wines using polyphenols. Notably, dihydromyricetin (200 mg/L) exhibited the strongest antioxidant activity, with increases of 18.84%, 23.28%, and 20.87% in 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl, 2,2'azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid), and ferric-ion-reducing antioxidant power assays, respectively. Resveratrol (200 mg/L) made the most significant contribution to volatile aroma compounds, with an 8.89% increase in the total content of alcohol esters. In E-nose analysis, catechins (200 mg/L) showed the highest response to aromatic compounds and the lowest response to volatile sulfur compounds, while also exhibiting the best sensory characteristics. Therefore, the three plant-derived polyphenols investigated here exhibited the potential to enhance wine quality as alternatives to SO2. However, it is important to consider the specific impact of different polyphenols on wine; hence, suitable antioxidants should be selected in wine production according to specific requirements.

Therapeutic Landscape of Human Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor 2-Positive Breast Cancer.

Human epidermal growth factor receptor 2-positive breast cancer (HER2+BC) is a common malignancy that is prone to recurrence and metastasis in the early stages, resulting in a poor prognosis for patients. Many studies have suggested that targeted therapy promotes clinical outcomes in HER2+BC. With the introduction of trastuzumab in 1998, the prognosis of patients with early HER2+BC has improved significantly. However, owing to obstinate drug resistance and adverse events, the addition of new agents in standardized treatment has become a research hotspot. These promising agents include antibodies, antibody-drug conjugates, tyrosine kinase inhibitors, and anti-HER2 combined therapies. This article provides a brief description of the biology of BC and the expression of HER2, with the aim to provide an overview of the therapeutic landscape of HER2+BC by reviewing research results and introducing the latest evidence to provide a reference for clinical treatment.

Binocular stereo matching of real scenes based on a convolutional neural network and computer graphics.

The binocular stereo matching method based on deep learning has limited cross-domain generalization ability, and it is a tricky problem to obtain a large amount of data from real scenes for training. The most advanced stereo matching network is difficult to apply to new real scenes. In this paper, we propose a real-scene stereo matching method based on a convolutional neural network and computer graphics. A virtual binocular imaging system is constructed by introducing graphics software, and a high-quality semi-synthetic dataset close to the texture characteristics of the real scene is constructed for training the network. A feature standardization layer is embedded in the feature extraction module of the proposed network to further reduce the feature space difference between semi-synthetic data and real scene data. Three small 4D cost volumes are constructed to replace one large 4D cost volume, which reduces GPU memory consumption and improves the matching performance of the network. The experimental results show that compared with the traditional stereo matching method, the matching accuracy of the proposed method is significantly improved by about 60%. Compared with other learning-based methods, the matching accuracy is increased by about 30%, the matching speed is increased by 38%, and it has good robustness to the interference of defocus blur and Gaussian noise.

An all two-dimensional vertical heterostructure graphene/CuInP2S6/MoS2for negative capacitance field effect transistor.

As scaling down the size of metal oxide semiconductor field-effect transistors (FETs), power dissipation has become a major challenge. Lowering down the sub-threshold swing (SS) is known as an effective technique to decrease the operating voltage of FETs and hence lower down the power consumption. However, the Boltzmann distribution of electrons (so-called 'Boltzmann tyranny') implements a physical limit to the SS value. Use of negative capacitance (NC) effect has enabled a new path to achieve a low SS below the Boltzmann limit (60 mV dec-1at room temperature). In this work, we have demonstrated a NC-FET from an all two-dimensional (2D) metal ferroelectric semiconductor (MFS) vertical heterostructure: Graphene/CuInP2S6/MoS2. The negative capacitance from the ferroelectric CuInP2S6has enabled the breaking of the 'Boltzmann tyranny'. The heterostructure based device has shown steep slopes switching below 60 mV dec-1(lowest to < 10 mV dec-1) over 3 orders of source-drain current, which provides an avenue for all 2D material based steep slope FETs.

Phase Transition Photodetection in Charge Density Wave Tantalum Disulfide.

The charge density wave (CDW) phase is a macroscopic quantum state with periodic charge density modulation accompanied by periodic lattice distortion in low-dimensional metals. External fields, such as an electric field and optical excitation, can trigger the transitions among different CDW states, leaving an under-explored mechanism and attracting great interest toward optoelectronic applications. Here, we explore a photoinduced phase transition in 1T-TaS2 under an electrical field. By analyzing the phase transition probability, we obtained a linear dependence of the phase transition barrier on the electric field and laser energy density. Additionally, the threshold laser energy for the phase transition decreases linearly with an increasing applied electrical field. Finally, picojoule photodetection was realized in the visible and near-infrared ranges near the CDW transition edge. Our work will promote the understanding of the CDW phase transition mechanism as well as open pathways for optoelectronic applications.

circFBXL5 promotes breast cancer progression by sponging miR-660.

Increasing studies have revealed that circular RNAs (circRNAs) play important roles in cancer progression. However, the potential involvement of circRNAs in breast cancer metastasis to lung is not clear so far. In this study, we conducted circular RNA microarrays of primary breast cancer tissues and lung metastatic tissues. The results revealed that circFBXL5 (hsa_circ_0125597) up-regulated the most in lung metastatic tissues. Survival analysis revealed that high levels of circFBXL5 correlated with worse outcome of breast cancer. Further experiments showed that knockdown of circFBXL5 inhibited breast cancer cell proliferation and migration to lung. Mechanism study showed that circFBXL5 acted as a sponge for miR-660 and compete binding to miR-660 with SRSF6, leading to increased expression of SRSF6. Collectively, our study highlighted the regulatory function of the circFBXL5/miR-660/SRSF6 pathway in breast cancer progression, which could be potential therapeutic targets for breast cancer.

Direct Growth of Perovskite Crystals on Metallic Electrodes for High-Performance Electronic and Optoelectronic Devices.

Metal halide perovskite has attracted enhanced interest for its diverse electronic and optoelectronic applications. However, the fabrication of micro- or nanoscale crystalline perovskite functional devices remains a great challenge due to the fragility, solvent, and heat sensitivity of perovskite crystals. Here, a strategy is proposed to fabricate electronic and optoelectronic devices by directly growing perovskite crystals on microscale metallic structures in liquid phase. The well-contacted perovskite/metal interfaces ensure these heterostructures serve as high-performance field effect transistors (FETs) and excellent photodetector devices. When serving as an FET, the on/off ratio is as large as 106 and the mobility reaches up to ≈2.3 cm2 V-1 s-1 . A photodetector is displayed with high photoconductive switching ratio of ≈106 and short response time of ≈4 ms. Furthermore, the photoconductive response is proved to be band-bending-assisted separation of photoexcited carriers at the Schottky barrier of the silver and p-type perovskites.

Raman Spectroscopic and Dynamic Electrical Investigation of Multi-State Charge-Wave-Density Phase Transitions in 1 T-TaS2.

Two-dimensional layered 1 T-TaS2 exhibits rich charge-density-wave (CDW) states with distinct electronic structures and physical properties, leading to broad potential applications, such as phase-transition memories, electrical oscillators and photodetectors. Besides the various CDW ground states at different temperatures, multiple intermediate phases in 1 T-TaS2 have been observed by applying optical and electrical stimulations. Here, we investigated the electric-field-driven multistate CDW phase transition by Raman spectroscopy and voltage oscillations in 1 T-TaS2. Strong correlation was observed between electrical conductivity and intensity of fold-back acoustic and optical phonon modes in 1 T-TaS2. This indicates that the multistate transitions arise from serial transitions, from the nearly commensurate (NC) CDW phase to out-of-equilibrium intermediate states, and finally to the incommensurate (IC) CDW phase. The dynamics of phase transition under an electric field was investigated. As the electrical field increased, the dwell time of different CDW states changed. At lower temperatures, the multistate oscillations disappeared because of higher-energy barriers between the intermediate phases and/or lower thermal excitation energies at lower temperatures.

Inkjet-Printed High-Efficiency Multilayer QLEDs Based on a Novel Crosslinkable Small-Molecule Hole Transport Material.

Quantum dots light-emitting diodes (QLEDs) have attracted much interest owing to their compatibility with low-cost inkjet printing technology and potential for use in large-area full-color pixelated display. However, it is challenging to fabricate high efficiency inkjet-printed QLEDs because of the coffee ring effects and inferior resistance to solvents from the underlying polymer film during the inkjet printing process. In this study, a novel crosslinkable hole transport material, 4,4'-bis(3-vinyl-9H-carbazol-9-yl)-1,1'-biphenyl (CBP-V) which is small-molecule based, is synthesized and investigated for inkjet printing of QLEDs. The resulting CBP-V film after thermal curing exhibits excellent solvent resistance properties without any initiators. An added advantage is that the crosslinked CBP-V film has a sufficiently low highest occupied molecular orbital energy level (≈-6.2 eV), high film compactness, and high hole mobility, which can thus promote the hole injection into quantum dots (QDs) and improve the charge carrier balance within the QD emitting layers. A red QLED is successfully fabricated by inkjet printing a CBP-V and QDs bilayer. Maximum external quantum efficiency of 11.6% is achieved, which is 92% of a reference spin-coated QLED (12.6%). This is the first report of such high-efficiency inkjet-printed multilayer QLEDs and demonstrates a unique and effective approach to inkjet printing fabrication of high-performance QLEDs.

Phase-selective synthesis of 1T' MoS2 monolayers and heterophase bilayers.

Two-dimensional (2D) MoS2, which has great potential for optoelectronic and other applications, is thermodynamically stable and hence easily synthesized in its semiconducting 2H phase. In contrast, growth of its metastable 1T and 1T' phases is hampered by their higher formation energy. Here we use theoretical calculations to design a potassium (K)-assisted chemical vapour deposition method for the phase-selective growth of 1T' MoS2 monolayers and 1T'/2H heterophase bilayers. This is realized by tuning the concentration of K in the growth products to invert the stability of the 1T' and 2H phases. The synthesis of 1T' MoS2 monolayers with high phase purity allows us to characterize their intrinsic optical and electrical properties, revealing a characteristic in-plane anisotropy. This phase-controlled bottom-up synthesis offers a simple and efficient way of manipulating the relevant device structures, and provides a general approach for producing other metastable-phase 2D materials with unique properties.

Growth of two-dimensional materials on hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN).

With its atomically smooth surface yet no dangling bond, chemical inertness and high temperature sustainability, the insulating hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) can be an ideal substrate for two-dimensional (2D) material growth and device measurement. In this review, research progress on the chemical growth of 2D materials on h-BN has been summarized, such as chemical vapor deposition and molecular beam epitaxy of graphene and various transition metal dichalcogenides. Further, stacking of the as-grown 2D materials relative to h-BN, thermal expansion matching between the deposited materials and h-BN, electrical property of 2D materials on h-BN have been discussed in detail.

Interfacial water intercalation-induced metal-insulator transition in NbS2/BN heterostructure.

Interfacial engineering, such as molecule intercalation, can modify properties and optimize performance of van der Waals heterostructures and their devices. Here, we investigated the pristine and water molecule intercalated heterointerface of niobium disulphide (NbS2) on hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) (NbS2/BN) using advanced atomic force microscopy (AFM), and observed the metal-insulator transition (MIT) of first layer (1L-) of NbS2 induced by water molecule intercalation. In pristine sample, interfacial charge transfers were confirmed by the direct detection of trapped static charges at the post-exposed h-BN surface, produced by mechanically peeling off the 1L-NbS2 from the substrate. The interfacial charge transfers facilitate the intercalation of water molecules at the heterointerface. The intercalated water layers make a MIT of 1L-NbS2, while the pristine metallic state of the following NbS2 layers remains preserved. This work is of great significance to help understand the interfacial properties of 2D metal/insulator heterostructures and can pave the way for further preparation of an ultrathin transistor.

Organic charge transfer complexes on graphene with ultrahigh near infrared photogain.

Photodetectors have widespread applications in fields including telecommunications, thermal imaging and bio-medical imaging. The photogating effect, arising from charge trapping at defects and/or interfaces, can have extremely high photoelectric gain which can be a benefit to high-sensitivity room temperature photodetection. Here, we introduce thin layered organic charge transfer complexes (CPXs) integrated on graphene transistors for the development of hybrid phototransistors with ultra-high photoresponsivity of ∼106 A W-1 in the near infrared (NIR) region at room temperature. Our study has demonstrated a graphene-organic CPX with a broadband photoresponse ranging from the visible to the NIR region. The high photoelectric gain was from the photogating effect at the graphene/CPX interface. In addition, the photoresponse properties of the graphene-organic CPX can be regulated by electrical gating of graphene.

Long non-coding RNA MIAT is estrogen-responsive and promotes estrogen-induced proliferation in ER-positive breast cancer cells.

Estrogen drives the development and progression of estrogen receptor (ER)-positive breast cancer. However, the detailed mechanism underlying ER-driven carcinogenesis remains unclear despite extensive studies. Previously reports indicated higher expression of long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) myocardial infarction associated transcript (MIAT) in ER-positive breast cancer tissues than in ER-negative tissues. However, the functional relevance of MIAT in ER-positive breast cancer tumorigenesis was poorly understood. Here, we investigated the role of lncRNA MIAT in ER-positive breast cancer cells. MIAT was over-expressed in ER-positive breast cancer tissues and ER-positive breast cancer cell line MCF-7. Activating estrogen signaling by diethylstilbestrol (DES) led to a dose- and time-dependent up-regulation of MIAT in MCF-7 cells that was dependent on ERα, as evidenced by ERα silencing and pharmacological inhibition using ER antagonist ICI 182780. Silencing MIAT decreased DES-induced MCF-7 cell proliferation while overexpressing MIAT increased MCF-7 cell proliferation. Further mechanistic study identified that MIAT was critical for G1 to S phase cell cycle transition. Taken together, these results suggest that lncRNA MIAT is an estrogen-inducible lncRNA and a key regulator in ER-positive breast cancer cell growth. MIAT could serve as a potential biomarker and promising therapeutic target for ER-positive breast cancer.