Nonpolar Solvent Modulated Inkjet Printing of Nanoparticle Self-Assembly Morphologies.

Patterning of luminescent nanomaterials is critical in the fields of display and information encryption, and inkjet printing technology have shown remarkable significance with the advantage of fast, large-scalable and integrative. However, inkjet printing nanoparticle deposits with high-resolution and well controlled morphology from nonpolar solvent droplets is still challenging. Herein, a facile approach of nonpolar solvent modulated inkjet printing of nanoparticles self-assembly patterns driven by the shrinkage of the droplet and inner solutal convection is proposed. Through regulating the solvent composition and nanoparticle concentration, multicolor light-emissive upconversion nanoparticle self-assembly microarrays with tunable morphologies are achieved, showing the integration of designable microscale morphologies and photoluminescences for multimodal anti-counterfeit. Furthermore, inkjet printing of nanoparticles self-assembled continuous lines with adjustable morphologies by controlling the coalescence and drying of the ink droplets is achieved. The high resolution of inkjet printing microarrays and continuous lines' width < 5 and 10 µm is realized, respectively. This nonpolar solvent-modulated inkjet printing of nanoparticle deposits approach facilitates the patterning and integration of different nanomaterials, and is expected to provide a versatile platform for fabricating advanced devices applied in photonics integration, micro-LED, and near-field display.

Tunable random lasers via phase transition for information encryption.

Introducing phase transition materials to random systems provides a promising route to create new optoelectronic functionalities of random lasers. Here, a phase transition random laser with switchable lasing modes is reported, which is designed with a thermoresponsive hydrogel as scattering medium. By manipulating the phase transition in hydrogel, random lasing modes can be switched reversibility between incoherent and coherent random lasing. The phenomenon derives from the changing of light scattering properties in different phase states, thus affecting the optical feedback path of random lasing. Besides, based on its controllable and easily detectable time-domain characteristics, the phase transition random laser is applied in information encoding and transmission. It is the first time that the transition from coherent to incoherent random lasing is observed by varying the sample phase states. This work will inspire the design and application of novel random lasers in photoelectric device.

Ophiopogonin D improves oxidative stress and mitochondrial dysfunction in pancreatic ß cells induced by hydrogen peroxide through Keap1/Nrf2/ARE pathway in diabetes mellitus.

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a metabolic disease characterized by high blood sugar. Due to its complex pathogenesis, no effective drugs have been found so far. Ophiopogonin D (OP-D) has anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and anticancer activities, but its role in DM has not been studied so far. Hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) was used to induce INS-1 cells. INS-1 cells induced by H2O2 were treated with OP-D, and cell apoptosis, oxidative stress damage, and related indexes of mitochondrial function were respectively detected by cell counting kit-8, flow cytometry, western blot, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction, JC-1 fluorescent probe, and related kits. Subsequently, molecular docking techniques were used to investigate the relationship between OP-D and Keap1 and to explore the regulation mechanism of OP-D on H2O2-induced oxidative stress and mitochondrial function in INS-1 cells. OP-D inhibited the apoptosis and oxidative stress level of H2O2-induced INS-1 cells, thereby inhibiting cell damage. Moreover, OP-D inhibited mitochondrial dysfunction in H2O2-induced INS-1 cells. At last, we found that Keap1/Nrf2 specific signaling pathway inhibitor ML385 was able to reverse the inhibitory effect of OP-D on H2O2-induced oxidative stress and mitochondrial dysfunction in INS-1 cells. In conclusion, OP-D improves oxidative stress and mitochondrial dysfunction in pancreatic ß cells induced by H2O2 through activating Keap1/Nrf2/ARE pathway in DM.

Dynamic manipulation of WGM lasing by tailoring the coupling strength.

Miniaturized lasing with dynamic manipulation is critical to the performance of compact and versatile photonic devices. However, it is still a challenge to manipulate the whispering gallery mode lasing modes dynamically. Here, we design the quasi-three-dimensional coupled cavity by a micromanipulation technique. The coupled cavity consists of two intersection polymer microfibers. The mode selection mechanism is demonstrated experimentally and theoretically in the coupled microfiber cavity. Dynamic manipulation from multiple modes to single-mode lasing is achieved by controlling the coupling strength, which can be quantitatively controlled by changing the coupling angle or the coupling distance. Our work provides a flexible alternative for the lasing mode modulation in the on-chip photonic integration.

The Application of Low-Frequency Transition in the Assessment of the Second-Order Zeeman Frequency Shift.

Second-order Zeeman frequency shift is one of the major systematic factors affecting the frequency uncertainty performance of cesium atomic fountain clock. Second-order Zeeman frequency shift is calculated by experimentally measuring the central frequency of the (1,1) or (-1,-1) magnetically sensitive Ramsey transition. The low-frequency transition method can be used to measure the magnetic field strength and to predict the central fringe of (1,1) or (-1,-1) magnetically sensitive Ramsey transition. In this paper, we deduce the formula for magnetic field measurement using the low-frequency transition method and measured the magnetic field distribution of 4 cm inside the Ramsey cavity and 32 cm along the flight region experimentally. The result shows that the magnetic field fluctuation is less than 1 nT. The influence of low-frequency pulse signal duration on the accuracy of magnetic field measurement is studied and the optimal low-frequency pulse signal duration is determined. The central fringe of (-1,-1) magnetically sensitive Ramsey transition can be predicted by using a numerical integrating of the magnetic field "map". Comparing the predicted central fringe with that identified by Ramsey method, the frequency difference between these two is, at most, a fringe width of 0.3. We apply the experimentally measured central frequency of the (-1,-1) Ramsey transition to the Breit-Rabi formula, and the second-order Zeeman frequency shift is calculated as 131.03 × 10-15, with the uncertainty of 0.10 × 10-15.

Development of a Laser Gas Analyzer for Fast CO2 and H2O Flux Measurements Utilizing Derivative Absorption Spectroscopy at a 100 Hz Data Rate.

We report the development of a laser gas analyzer that measures gas concentrations at a data rate of 100 Hz. This fast data rate helps eddy covariance calculations for gas fluxes in turbulent high wind speed environments. The laser gas analyzer is based on derivative laser absorption spectroscopy and set for measurements of water vapor (H2O, at wavelength ~1392 nm) and carbon dioxide (CO2, at ~2004 nm). This instrument, in combination with an ultrasonic anemometer, has been tested experimentally in both marine and terrestrial environments. First, we compared the accuracy of results between the laser gas analyzer and a high-quality commercial instrument with a max data rate of 20 Hz. We then analyzed and compared the correlation of H2O flux results at data rates of 100 Hz and 20 Hz in both high and low wind speeds to verify the contribution of high frequency components. The measurement results show that the contribution of 100 Hz data rate to flux calculations is about 11% compared to that measured with 20 Hz data rate, in an environment with wind speed of ~10 m/s. Therefore, it shows that the laser gas analyzer with high detection frequency is more suitable for measurements in high wind speed environments.

DBS: a fast and informative segmentation algorithm for DNA copy number analysis.

BACKGROUND: Genome-wide DNA copy number changes are the hallmark events in the initiation and progression of cancers. Quantitative analysis of somatic copy number alterations (CNAs) has broad applications in cancer research. With the increasing capacity of high-throughput sequencing technologies, fast and efficient segmentation algorithms are required when characterizing high density CNAs data. RESULTS: A fast and informative segmentation algorithm, DBS (Deviation Binary Segmentation), is developed and discussed. The DBS method is based on the least absolute error principles and is inspired by the segmentation method rooted in the circular binary segmentation procedure. DBS uses point-by-point model calculation to ensure the accuracy of segmentation and combines a binary search algorithm with heuristics derived from the Central Limit Theorem. The DBS algorithm is very efficient requiring a computational complexity of O(n*log n), and is faster than its predecessors. Moreover, DBS measures the change-point amplitude of mean values of two adjacent segments at a breakpoint, where the significant degree of change-point amplitude is determined by the weighted average deviation at breakpoints. Accordingly, using the constructed binary tree of significant degree, DBS informs whether the results of segmentation are over- or under-segmented. CONCLUSION: DBS is implemented in a platform-independent and open-source Java application (ToolSeg), including a graphical user interface and simulation data generation, as well as various segmentation methods in the native Java language.

Effective capture of circulating tumor cells from an S180-bearing mouse model using electrically charged magnetic nanoparticles.

BACKGROUND: Technology enabling the separation of rare circulating tumor cells (CTCs) provides the potential to enhance our knowledge of cancer metastasis and improve the care of cancer patients. Modern detection approaches commonly depend on tumor antigens or the physical size of CTCs. However, few studies report the detection of CTCs by the electrical differences between cancer cells and normal cells. RESULTS: In this study, we report a procedure for capturing CTCs from blood samples using electrically charged superparamagnetic nanoparticles (NPs). We found that only positively charged NPs attached to cancer cells, while negatively charged NPs did not. The capture method with positively charged NPs offered a sensitivity of down to 4 CTCs in 1 mL blood samples and achieved a superior capture yield (> 70%) for a high number of CTCs in blood samples (103-106 cells/mL). Following an in vitro evaluation, S180-bearing mice were employed as an in vivo model to assess the specificity and sensitivity of the capture procedure. The number of CTCs in blood from tumor-bearing mice was significantly higher than that in blood from healthy controls (on average, 75.8 ± 16.4 vs. zero CTCs/100 µL of blood, p < 0.0001), suggesting the high sensitivity and specificity of our method. CONCLUSIONS: Positively charged NPs combined with an in vivo tumor model demonstrated that CTCs can be distinguished and isolated from other blood cells based on their electrical properties.

Correction to: Monitoring dynamic release of intracellular hydrogen peroxide through a microelectrode based enzymatic biosensor.

The authors would like to call the reader's attention to the fact that unfortunately Alberto Pasquarelli's and Kay-Eberhard Gottschalk's affiliations were wrong in the original publication.

Monitoring dynamic release of intracellular hydrogen peroxide through a microelectrode based enzymatic biosensor.

A high sensitive and selective hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) biosensor was fabricated on the basis of reduced hemoglobin (Hb) and single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) for detecting the release of H2O2 from living HepG2 cancer cells in the process of the in situ biosynthesis of ZnO quantum. The modification of carbon fiber microelectrode (CFME) was carried out by physical adsorption. By the scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), the dense cover of surface and successful immobilization were characterized. Electrochemical investigation demonstrates that the as-prepared modified microelectrode showed a quasi-reversible process toward the reduction of H2O2, which exhibited a linear range from 0.51 to 10.6 µM, with a limit of detection of 0.23 µM. This microelectrode biosensor was applied for the quantification of the change of H2O2 concentration released from HepG2 cells through the in situ biosynthesis of ZnO quantum dots, which was further confirmed by the fluorescence staining.

Development of a Dew/Frost Point Temperature Sensor Based on Tunable Diode Laser Absorption Spectroscopy and Its Application in a Cryogenic Wind Tunnel.

We have proposed a sensor for real-time and online measurement of dew/frost point temperature using tunable diode laser absorption spectroscopy (TDLAS) technique. Initial experiments have demonstrated its feasibility and technical advantages in comparison to a chilled mirror hygrometer (CMH). The TDLAS sensor we developed has a dew/frost point temperature range from -93 °C to + 14.5 °C, with a measurement uncertainly of less than 2%, and a response time of about 0.8 s, which is much faster than that of the chilled mirror hygrometer (ranging from several minutes to several hours). A TDLAS-based dew/frost point sensor has many advantages, such as rapid and continuous measurements, low frost point temperature sensing, high accuracy, and non-intrusiveness. Such a sensor would be useful for dew/frost point temperature determinations in various applications. In a cryogenic wind tunnel, real-time dew/frost point temperature measurements are helpful in preventing the formation of condensed liquid and ice, which can affect the model geometry and lead to unreliable test data.

Deguelin induced differentiation of mutated NPM1 acute myeloid leukemia in vivo and in vitro.

Nucleophosmin (NPM1), a restricted nucleolar localization protein, shuttles between the nucleus and the cytoplasm. Mutated (Mt)-NPM1 protein, which has aberrant cytoplasmic dislocation of nucleophosmin, occurs in approximately one-third of acute myeloid leukemia cases. Deguelin, a rotenoid isolated from several plant species, is a strong antitumor agent. NOD/SCID mice xenografted with human Mt-NPM1 OCI/AML3 cell lines served as in-vivo models. Wright-Giemsa staining and flow cytometry analysis were used for differentiation assays. Associated molecular events were assessed by western blot and histological analyses. Kaplan-Meier estimates were used to calculate survival. Deguelin toxicity in mice was assessed by immunohistochemistry staining and serum markers. Clinical samples were differentiated by flow cytometry analysis. Deguelin induced differentiation by downregulating the Mt-NPM1 protein levels, which was accompanied by a decrease in SIRT1, p21, and HDAC1 and an increase in CEBPß and granulocyte colony-stimulating factor receptor protein expression levels. A low-deguelin dose prolonged survival compared with the control group, and there were no apparent lesions to the brain, liver, heart, and kidney in vivo. In clinical samples, deguelin induced the differentiation of fresh blasts with Mt-NPM1 protein, but not with the wild-type NPM1 protein. Taken together, these findings further provide new evidence that the Mt-NPM1 protein plays an important role in inducing differentiation in vivo and in vitro. Mutated NPM1 protein may be a therapeutic target of deguelin in acute myeloid leukemia with the NPM1 mutation.

CPNE1 Is a Useful Prognostic Marker and Is Associated with TNF Receptor-Associated Factor 2 (TRAF2) Expression in Prostate Cancer.

BACKGROUND CPNE1 plays a vital role in regulating cell differentiation. The clinical and biological values of CPNE1 in prostate cancer are still unclear. The aim of this study was to investigate the clinicopathological value of CPNE1 and the association of CPNE1 with TRAF2 expression in patients with prostate cancer. MATERIAL AND METHODS CPNE1 expression in prostate cancer was analyzed using Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) databases. The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) dataset was used to investigate the association of CPNE1 expression with TRAF2 expression in prostate cancer. The association of CPNE1 expression with recurrence-free survival in patients was also analyzed using the TCGA dataset. Immunohistochemistry assay was performed to examine CPNE1 expression in 65 normal prostate samples and 114 prostate cancer samples. The recurrence-free survival in patients was evaluated using Kaplan-Meier curves and log-rank test. In addition, multivariate and univariate analyses of prognostic factors were investigated by Cox regression. The effect of CPNE1 on TRAF2 expression was explored in human prostate cancer DU-145 cells. RESULTS Our results showed that expression level of CPNE1 is higher in prostate cancer than in normal prostate tissues (P=0.006). In the GSE35988 dataset, CPNE1 expression was found to be upregulated in castration-resistant prostate cancer compared with non-castration-resistant prostate cancer (P<0.001). Furthermore, we found that CPNE1 high expression was significantly related to tumor stage, Gleason score, and poorer biochemical recurrence-free survival in prostate cancer patients. Co-expression analysis of TCGA data showed that CPNE1 is significantly associated with TRAF2 expression. CPNE1 overexpression can upregulate TRAF2 expression in prostate cancer DU-145 cells as determined by Western blotting and immunofluorescence assays. CONCLUSIONS Overall, our findings suggest that CPNE1 is a valuable prognostic marker for evaluating recurrence-free survival and is positively related to TRAF2 expression in prostate cancer.

TRAF2 is a Valuable Prognostic Biomarker in Patients with Prostate Cancer.

BACKGROUND TRAF2 exerts important functions in regulating the development and progression of cancer. The aim of this study is to investigate whether TRAF2 is a valuable prognostic biomarker and to determine if it regulates TRAIL-induced apoptosis in prostate cancer. MATERIAL AND METHODS Microarray gene expression data from the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) databases were used to determine TRAF2 expression in prostate cancer. TRAF2 expression in prostate cancer was further investigated by immunohistochemistry assay. Kaplan-Meier curves and log-rank test were used to assess the recurrence-free rate. Cox regression was used to analyze prognostic factors. Effects of TRAF2 on regulating TRAIL-induced apoptosis in DU-145 cells were further investigated. RESULTS We found that TRAF2 was significantly upregulated in prostate cancer compared with normal prostate samples (P<0.001). In addition, compared with primary prostate cancer, TRAF2 was upregulated in metastatic prostate cancer (P=0.006). Furthermore, our results showed that high expression of TRAF2 was significantly associated with tumor stage of prostate cancer (P=0.035). TRAF2 high expression was associated with poorer recurrence-free survival in prostate cancer patients (P=0.013). TRAF2 was found to be a valuable independent prognostic factor for predicting recurrence-free survival (P=0.026). In addition, the present results indicate that TRAF2 affects TRAIL-induced apoptosis in prostate cancer DU-145 cells via regulating cleaved Caspase-8 and c-Flip expression. CONCLUSIONS TRAF2 could be a novel prognostic biomarker for predicting recurrence-free survival in patients with prostate cancer, which might be associated with the effects of TRAF2 in regulating TRAIL-induced apoptosis in prostate cancer cells via c-Flip/Caspase-8 signalling.

[Discrimination of Chemical Constituents Changes of Citrus reticulata Pericarp Before and After Processing with Vinegar Based on Partial Least Squares-Discriminate Analysis].

Objective: To investigate the chemical constituents changes of Citrus reticulata pericarp before and after processing with vinegar,and to provide scientific basis for the study of active components in Citrus reticulata pericarp. Methods: Citrus reticulata pericarp was processed with vinegar according to the Zhongyao Paozhixue Cidian. The extracts of unprocessed and processed Citrus reticulata pericarp were detected by HPLC. Partial least squares-discriminate analysis( PLS-DA) was employed to reveal the discrimination between different samples. Results: 15 chemical constituents had significant changes in Citrus reticulata pericarp before and after processing with vinegar. Two components increased significantly after processing with vinegar were characterized as narirutin and hesperidin respectively. Conclusion: The chemical constituents in Citrus reticulata pericarp are found to be changed after processing with vinegar, two components with significant increasing indicate the basis of the variation of bioactivity in vinegar-processed Citrus reticulata pericarp, which provides evidence to interpret its clinical usage.

Cripto-1 expression and its prognostic value in human bladder cancer patients.

Cripto-1 is an important embryonic gene that involved in self-renewal and maintenance of pluripotency of stem cells. Overexpression of Cripto-1 has been found to be correlated with tumorigenesis and may affect tumor recurrence and metastasis. The previous studies indicate that Cripto-1 might be a potential prognostic biomarker for several malignancies. The aim of this study is to examine Cripto-1 expression pattern and clinicopathological significance in human bladder cancer patients. We investigated Cripto-1 expression in 30 paired bladder cancer tissues and corresponding noncancerous bladder tissues using real-time quantitative RT-PCR (qRT-PCR). Moreover, Cripto-1 expression in 130 bladder cancer specimens and bladder cancer T24 and 5637 cells were analyzed using immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence assays. The recurrence/metastasis-free survival was assessed by Kaplan-Meier method and log-rank test. Cox regression was also used for univariate and multivariate analyses of prognostic factors. The results showed that Cripto-1 expression is increased in bladder cancer tissues and is significantly associated with tumor size (P = 0.005) and tumor grade (P = 0.035). In addition, the expression level of Cripto-1 in bladder cancer was also found to be significantly associated with SRY-related HMG-box gene 2 expression (P = 0.003) and Ki-67 (P = 0.001). Compared with the patients with low Cripto-1 expression, the patients with high Cripto-1 expression had significantly poorer recurrence/metastasis-free survival (P = 0.011). Cox regression showed that Cripto-1 might be an independent prognostic factor for recurrence/metastasis-free survival (P = 0.036). Our findings suggest that high Cripto-1 expression might be involved in the development of bladder cancer and a potentially effective prognostic marker in bladder cancer patients.

[Measurements of CO2 Concentration Profile in Troposphere Based on Balloon-Borne TDLAS System].

The main source and sink of CO2 in the atmosphere are concentrated in the troposphere. It is of great significance to the study of CO2 flux and global climate change to obtain the accurate tropospheric CO2 concentration profile. For the characteristics of high resolution, high sensitivity and fast response of tunable diode laser absorption spectroscopy (TDLAS), a compact balloon-borne system based on direct absorption was developed to detect the CO2 concentration profiles by use of the 2 004. 02 nm, R(16), v1+v3 line without the interfere of H2O absorption and the CO2 density of the number of molecules below 10 km in the troposphere was obtained. Due to the balloon-borne environment, a compact design of one single board integrated with laser driver, signal conditioning, spectra acquiring and concentration retrieving was developed. Limited by the working capability and hardware resources of embedded micro-processor, the spectra processing algorithm was optimized to reduce the time-cost. Compared with the traditional TDLAS sensors with WMS technique, this system was designed based on the direct absorption technique by means of an open-path Herriott cell with 20 m optical-path, which avoided the process of standardization and enhanced the environmental adaptation. The universal design of hardware and software platform achieved diverse gas measuring by changing the laser and adjusting some key parameters in algorithm. The concept of compact design helped to reduce the system's power and volume and balanced the response speed and measure precision. The power consumes below 1.5 W in room temperature and the volume of the single board is 120 mm x 100 mm x 25 mm, and the measurement accuracy is ± 0.6 x 10(-6) at 1.5 s response time. It has been proved that the system can realize high precision detection of CO2 profile at 15 m vertical resolution in troposphere and TDLAS is an available method for balloon-borne detection.

[¹H-NMR based metabonomic approach to evaluate anti-coagulant effect of Danggui Sini decoction].

To study the anti-coagulant effect and influence of danggui Sini decoction (DSD) on rat's plasma endogenous metabolites by animal experiment and ¹H-NMR based metabolomics method. After intragastric administration of Danggui Sini Decoction for 7 days, Plasma thrombin time (TT) was measured. Rat plasma metabolic fingerprint in two groups was analyzed using ¹H-NMR, based on which the principal component analysis( PCA) and orthogonal partial least-squares discriminant analysis(OPLS-DA) models for metabonomic analysis. Potential biomarkers were screened by using variable importance in the projection (VIP) and T test. DSD could prolong TT of the rat significantly (P < 0.05). Compared with control group, six kinds of endogenous metabolites in DSD group change significantly (P < 0.05), among which isobutyrate, carnitine and phenylalanine content had an upward trend (P < 0.01) and lysine, Histidine and cholesterol content had a downward trend (P < 0.05). It is likely that carnitine, phenylalanine, Histidine and cholesterol are the potential metabolic markers in the anti-coagulant process and DSD affects the platelet aggregation and the expression of tissue factor and fiber protease by regulating the energy, amino acid and lipid metabolism.

Research on remote sensing of broadband absorbers by using near-infrared diode lasers.

This paper reports the development of an experimental technique for optical remote sensing of broadband absorbers in ambient air. Broadband absorbers have been difficult to detect due to a lack of narrow absorption features, which makes it hard to separate them from interference with other absorbing species and background. In combination with a multidimensional linear regression procedure, we have developed a further step to correct for water vapor and background influences. Various physical processes limiting the detection sensitivity were studied and solutions were developed to reduce their influences. Although the received optical signal from backscatter was very weak as no corner cube reflector was used, we have demonstrated the technique on remote sensing of broadband absorption of ethanol vapor in ambient air with a moderate detection limit of 200 ppm · m. This portable handheld system is particularly suitable for quick "point-and-measure" applications. The developed technique is also applicable for detection of other broadband absorbers.

[Study of high temperature water vapor concentration measurement method based on absorption spectroscopy].

Tunable diode laser absorption spectroscopy (TDLAS) has been developed to realize the real-time and dynamic measurement of the combustion temperature, gas component concentration, velocity and other flow parameters, owing to its high sensitivity, fast time response, non-invasive character and robust nature. In order to obtain accurate water vapor concentration at high temperature, several absorption spectra of water vapor near 1.39 µm from 773 to 1273 K under ordinary pressure were recorded in a high temperature experiment setup using a narrow band diode laser. The absorbance of high temperature absorption spectra was calculated by combined multi-line nonlinear least squares fitting method. Two water vapor absorption lines near 7154.35 and 7157.73 cm(-1) were selected for measurement of water vapor at high temperature. A model method for high temperature water vapor concentration was first proposed. Water vapor concentration from the model method at high temperature is in accordance with theoretical reasoning, concentration measurement standard error is less than 0.2%, and the relative error is less than 6%. The feasibility of this measuring method is verified by experiment.