Electro-responsive actuators based on graphene.

Electro-responsive actuators (ERAs) hold great promise for cutting-edge applications in e-skins, soft robots, unmanned flight, and in vivo surgery devices due to the advantages of fast response, precise control, programmable deformation, and the ease of integration with control circuits. Recently, considering the excellent physical/chemical/mechanical properties (e.g., high carrier mobility, strong mechanical strength, outstanding thermal conductivity, high specific surface area, flexibility, and transparency), graphene and its derivatives have emerged as an appealing material in developing ERAs. In this review, we have summarized the recent advances in graphene-based ERAs. Typical the working mechanisms of graphene ERAs have been introduced. Design principles and working performance of three typical types of graphene ERAs (e.g., electrostatic actuators, electrothermal actuators, and ionic actuators) have been comprehensively summarized. Besides, emerging applications of graphene ERAs, including artificial muscles, bionic robots, human-soft actuators interaction, and other smart devices, have been reviewed. At last, the current challenges and future perspectives of graphene ERAs are discussed.

Distribution and association study in copy number variation of KCNJ12 gene across four Chinese cattle populations.

Copy number variation is a large genome variation which usually happens in the noncoding-region, and it may occur at the locus associated with the functional gene to further influence the phenotype. Potassium inwardly-rectifying channel, subfamily J 12 (KCNJ12) gene expressed widely in cardiomyocytes and neurons, plays an important role in tumor therapy and muscle movement regulation. In this study, we detected the distribution of CNVs for KCNJ12 gene in 404 individuals belonging to four Chinese cattle breeds (NY, JX, JA and GF). We also investigated the KCNJ12 gene expression in different tissues of JX cattle. Additionally, we examined the association of two CNV regions (CNV1: 1,600 bp, intron 1; CNV2: 4,800 bp, intergenic) with growth traits. The statistical analyses indicated that the CNV1 is associated with the body length, rump length and weight in JX cattle population (P < 0.05); and there has a significant association with the body length, chest circumference, and body weight in GF cattle (P < 0.05).The CNV2 had a significant effect on the body length and body weight in JX cattle (P < 0.05); the body length, chest circumference, rump length and body weight in GF cattle (P < 0.01 or P < 0.05). The copy numbers of KCNJ12 gene presented the negative correlations with the transcript level of gene in skeletal muscles (P < 0.05). Our results provide evidence that CNV1 and CNV 2 in KCNJ12 are associated with growth traits in two cattle populations and may be used as candidates for marker-assisted selection and breeding management in cattle.

[Co-detection of P21, P53 and HSP70 and their possible role in diagnosis of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs)-related lung cancer].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the biomarkers of early diagnosis in patients with polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs)-related lung cancer for the application to detection of occupational lung cancer or related lung cancer. METHODS: Western dot blotting was used to explore the expression of ras, p53 and heat stress protein 70 (HSP70) in 29 patients with PAHs-related lung cancer (LC), and 28 patients with non-cancerous pulmonary disease, and 30 healthy controls. RESULTS: The positive detection rates of P21, P53, and HSP70 in LC group (58.62%, 34.48%, 41.38% respectively) were higher than those in non-cancerous pulmonary disease group (14.29%, 7.14%, 10.71% respectively, P < 0.01). The sensitivity of P21, P53 and HSP70 were 58.62%, 34.48% and 41.38% respectively, negative predictive value (NPV) were 68.42%, 78.05% and 63.04% respectively. The co-detection of the three proteins mentioned above produced a sensitivity of 82.76% with a NPV of 78.26% (P < 0.05). Of 18 cases of LC with negative cytology, 13 (72.22%) were found HSP21, P53 or HSP70 positive. CONCLUSIONS: Co-detection of the P21, P53, and HSP70 may be used as the screening marker for diagnosis of PAHs-related lung cancer, and may supplement the diagnostic value of conventional cytology.