Ecological function-oriented vegetation protection and restoration strategies in China's Loess Plateau.

Potential natural vegetation (PNV) can provide a reference for vegetation protection and restoration. Previous studies often used PNV patterns as a reference; however, they ignored PNV ecological functions, impeding the establishment of function-oriented vegetation protection and restoration plans. To address this issue, this study used Loess Plateau of China as a case study to propose an ecological function-oriented vegetation protection and restoration framework based on PNV patterns and ecological functions. The results showed that PNV patterns, ecological functions, and their synergistic and trade-off relationships represented distinct spatial differences that would be largely influenced by climate change. This suggested that vegetation protection and restoration should be adapted to climate change. The protection and potential restoration regions for actual forest and grass were detected based on the stable PNV regions. Approximately 34.5%-41.4% of actual forest and 81.2%-82.3% of actual grass should be protected. Further, 13.9%-16.2% of actual forest and 14.7%-15.2% of actual grass have the potential to be restored to grass and forest, respectively, and lastly, the priority regions of forest and grass protection and potential restoration were determined according to a composite ecological functions index. Moreover, forest protection should be prioritized, followed by forest potential restoration, grass potential restoration, and grass protection. These results would be conducive to forest and grass protection and restoration of the Loess Plateau. The proposed framework is applicable to other regions of the world for developing vegetation protection and restoration strategies.

High-speed and high-responsivity p-i-n waveguide photodetector at a 2 µm wavelength with a Ge0.92Sn0.08/Ge multiple-quantum-well active layer.

We report on p-i-n waveguide photodetectors with a ${{\rm Ge}_{0.92}}{{\rm Sn}_{0.08}}/{\rm Ge}$ multiple-quantum-well (MQW) active layer on a strain-relaxed Ge-buffered silicon substrate. The waveguide-photodetector structure is used to elongate the photo-absorption path and keeps a short photo-generated carrier transmission path. In addition, the double-mesa structure with a low substrate doping concentration is implemented, which minimizes the parasitic capacitance. As a result, a high responsivity of 119 mA/W at ${-}{1}\;{\rm V}$ and a high bandwidth of more than 10 GHz at ${-}{7}\;{\rm V}$ were achieved at a 2 µm wavelength. Compared with the surface-illuminated photodetector, the responsivity was improved by ${\sim}{8}$ times at a 2 µm wavelength, while keeping the comparable bandwidth.

High-performance InGaAs/InAlAs single-photon avalanche diode with a triple-mesa structure for near-infrared photon detection.

We present a novel, to the best of our knowledge, InGaAs/InAlAs single-photon avalanche diode (SPAD) with a triple-mesa structure. Compared with the traditional mesa structures, the horizontal distribution of the electric field decreases dramatically, while the peaks of the electric field at the mesa edges are well eliminated in the triple-mesa structure, leading to an excellent suppression of the surface leakage current and premature breakdown. Furthermore, the temperature coefficient of the breakdown voltage was measured to be as small as 37.4 mV/K within a range from 150 to 270 K. Eventually, one of the highest single-photon detection efficiencies of 35% among all the InGaAs/InAlAs SPADs with a decent dark count rate of ${3.3} \times {{10}^7}\;{\rm Hz}$ was achieved at 240 K. Combined with the inherent ease of integration of the mesa structure, this high-performance triple-mesa InGaAs/InAlAs SPAD provides an effective solution for the fabrication of SPAD arrays and the on-chip integration of quantum systems.

Characterization of Mycobacterium marinum infections in zebrafish wounds and sinus tracts.

The impaired healing of Mycobacterium tuberculosis-infected wounds is a clinical challenge, and the mechanisms involved are still not clear. The zebrafish model of Mycobacterium marinum infection has provided surprising insights into the pathogenesis of tuberculosis in humans. Similarly, the major principles and phases of cutaneous wound healing are conserved among adult mammals and adult zebrafish. Here, we injected Mycobacterium marinum into the dorsal muscles of adult zebrafish and observed the development of chronic wound pathology. Deep sequencing showed that gene expression related to muscles was down-regulated, whereas expressions of the IL-1ß, TNF-α, dram1 genes and the transcript of mir1-2 gene were up-regulated in infected wounds of zebrafish compared with control zebrafish. Muscles are immune-responsive tissues. Thus, muscles may play a role in the anti-Mycobacterium tuberculosis immunologic process, which leads to apoptosis of the infected muscle cell and formation of the subcutaneous sinus tract.

Laser Spectroscopy of GdPO4 . nH2O:Eu Nanomaterials.

One-dimensional GdPO4 . nH2O:Eu nanowires and nanorods of different sizes and the same structure were synthesized by hydrothermal method. Nanowire and nanorods had width and length of about 10 nm/50 nm and 80 nm/1 µm, respectively. Adjusting reaction system PH value by adding alkali metal NaOH, the size and shape of the product can be tuned. The high resolution spectra, excitation spectra, and laser selective excitation spectra at low temperature were determined. Nanorod compared with nanowire, photoluminescence was enhanced, and the excitation spectrum and laser selective excitation spectra were broadened. These results suggest that Eu3+ in GdPO4 . nH20 nanorod and nanowire were located in different local environments.

Trifolium-like Platinum Nanoparticle-Mediated Photothermal Therapy Inhibits Tumor Growth and Osteolysis in a Bone Metastasis Model.

Bone metastasis is a frequent and fatal complication of cancer that lacks effective clinical treatment. Photothermal therapy represents a new strategy for the destruction of multiple cancers. In this study, trifolium-like platinum nanoparticles (TPNs) with small size and excellent photothermal conversion property are prepared via a facile and green method. TPNs show minimal cytotoxicity on normal cell lines and kill cancer cells upon exposure to a near-infrared light. These nanoparticles effectively inhibit tumor growth and prevent osteolysis in a bone metastasis model. This study offers a promising strategy in the treatment of bone metastasis.

A comprehensive analysis of FBN2 in bladder cancer: A risk factor and the tumour microenvironment influencer.

Bladder cancer (BLCA) is a common and difficult-to-manage disease worldwide. Most common type of BLCA is urothelial carcinoma (UC). Fibrillin 2 (FBN2) was first discovered while studying Marfan syndrome, and its encoded products are associated with elastin fibres. To date, the role of FBN2 in BLCA remains unclear. The authors first downloaded data from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO). The patients were divided into high FBN2 expression and low FBN2 expression groups, and the survival curve, clinical characteristics, tumour microenvironment (TME), and immune cell differences were analysed between the two groups. Then, the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were filtered, and functional enrichment for DEGs was performed. Finally, chemotherapy drug susceptibility analysis based on the high and low FBN2 groups was conducted. The authors found upregulated expression of FBN2 in BLCA and proved that FBN2 could be an independent prognostic factor for BLCA. TME analysis showed that the expression of FBN2 affects several aspects of the TME. The upregulated expression of FBN2 was associated with a high stromal score, which may lead to immunosuppression and be detrimental to immunotherapy. In addition, the authors found that NK cells resting, macrophage M0 infiltration, and other phenomena of immune cell infiltration appeared in the high expression group of FBN2. The high expression of FBN2 was related to the high sensitivity of some chemotherapy drugs. The authors systematically investigated the effects and mechanisms of FBN2 on BLCA and provided a new understanding of the role of FBN2 as a risk factor and TME influencer in BLCA.

Characteristic Genes and Immune Infiltration Analysis for Acute Rejection after Kidney Transplantation.

Background: Renal transplantation can significantly improve the survival rate and quality of life of patients with end-stage renal disease, but the probability of acute rejection (AR) in adult renal transplant recipients is still approximately 12.2%. Machine learning (ML) is superior to traditional statistical methods in various clinical scenarios. However, the current AR model is constructed only through simple difference analysis or a single queue, which cannot guarantee the accuracy of prediction. Therefore, this study identified and validated new gene sets that contribute to the early prediction of AR and the prognosis prediction of patients after renal transplantation by constructing a more accurate AR gene signature through ML technology. Methods: Based on the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database and multiple bioinformatic analyses, we identified differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and built a gene signature via LASSO regression and SVM analysis. Immune cell infiltration and immunocyte association analyses were also conducted. Furthermore, we investigated the relationship between AR genes and graft survival status. Results: Twenty-four DEGs were identified. A 5 gene signature (CPA6, EFNA1, HBM, THEM5, and ZNF683) were obtained by LASSO analysis and SVM analysis, which had a satisfied ability to differentiate AR and NAR in the training cohort, internal validation cohort and external validation cohort. Additionally, ZNF683 was associated with graft survival. Conclusion: A 5 gene signature, particularly ZNF683, provided insight into a precise therapeutic schedule and clinical applications for AR patients.

Plasma-enhanced microbial electrolytic disinfection: Decoupling electro- and plasma-chemistry in plasma-electrolyzed oxidizing water using ion-exchange membranes.

Pathogenic microorganisms pose a global threat to public health and environment. Common antibacterial chemicals produce toxic residues, inevitably harming the environment. Electrolyzed oxidizing water (EOW), a promising environment-friendly alternative disinfectant, still lacks effective production processes, sufficient bactericidal efficacy and stability, while the enabling physico-chemical mechanisms remain unclear. Here, we report, for the first time, an effective hybrid plasma electrochemical EOW production process and reveal the mechanisms by combining nonthermal plasmas and a two-chamber electrochemical cell separated by a cation exchange membrane (CEM) for decoupling the chemical reactions during the plasma treatment of water. Experimental results demonstrate that combined chlorine (chloramine) was the main chlorine product in the plasma-enhanced EOW (P-EOW) without a membrane, owing to the consumption of free chlorine  (Cl2, HOCl, ClO-) by plasma-generated reactive nitrogen species. With a CEM in the plasma electrolysis system and through controlling the plasma discharge polarity, the production of free chlorine and other reactive species can be selectively controlled, with the highest concentration of free chlorine obtained in the negative plasma-enhanced EOW (NP-EOW). According to the transportation of cations by the CEM, the high concentrations of free chlorine may be attributed to the higher consuptions of H+ in cathode cell of negative plasma. The study of antibacterial ability of EOW produced under different conditions revealed that Staphylococcus aureus cells were best inactivated by the NP-EOW with CEM, which is mainly attributed to the higher concentration of free chlorine. This study demonstrates the feasibility of plasma-enhanced microbial electrolytic disinfection and offers new insights into the fundamental aspects of P-EOW chemistries for the future development of sustainable, efficient, and cost-effective multipurpose sustainable chemical technologies for water research and treatment.

The Antitumor Effects of Plasma-Activated Saline on Muscle-Invasive Bladder Cancer Cells In Vitro and In Vivo Demonstrate Its Feasibility as a Potential Therapeutic Approach.

Muscle-invasive bladder cancer (MIBC) is a fast-growing and aggressive malignant tumor in urinary system. Since chemotherapy and immunotherapy are only useable with a few MIBC patients, the clinical treatment of MIBC still faces challenges. Here, we examined the feasibility of plasma-activated saline (PAS) as a fledgling therapeutic strategy for MIBC treatment. Our data showed that plasma irradiation could generate a variety of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and reactive nitrogen species (RNS) in saline. In vivo tests revealed that pericarcinomatous tissue injection with PAS was effective at preventing subcutaneous bladder tumor growth, with no side effects to the visceral organs after long-term administration, as well as having no obvious influence on the various biochemistry indices of the blood in mice. The in vitro studies indicated that adding 30% PAS in cell culture media causes oxidative damage to the bladder transitional cells T24 and J82 through enhancing the intracellular ROS level, and eventually induces cancer cells' apoptosis by activating the ROS-mediated Fas/CD95 pathway. Therefore, for an intracavity tumor, these initial observations suggest that the soaking of the tumor tissue with PAS by intravesical perfusion may be a novel treatment option for bladder cancer.

Plasma-activated thermosensitive biogel as an exogenous ROS carrier for post-surgical treatment of cancer.

Post-surgical residual tumor cells are the primary cause of relapse and progression of cancer but unfortunately, there are limited therapeutic options. In this work, a fillable plasma-activated biogel is produced on a thermosensitive biogel [(Poly-DL-lactide)-(poly-ethylene glycol)-(poly-DL-lactide), PLEL] with the aid of a discharge plasma for local post-operative treatment of cancer. In vivo data show that the plasma-activated PLEL biogel (PAPB) eliminates residual tumor tissues after removal surgery and also inhibits in situ recurrence while showing no evident systemic toxicity. Moreover, the PAPB possesses excellent storage capability, allows for slow release of plasma-generated reactive oxygen species (ROS), and exhibits good ROS-mediated anticancer effects in vitro. Our results reveal that the novel plasma-activated biogel is an effective therapeutic agent for local post-operative treatment of cancer.

Remarkably enhanced photoluminescence of hexagonal GdPO4.nH2O:Eu with decreasing size.

The hexagonal rhabdophane-type GdPO(4) hydrate (GdPO(4).nH(2)O) was synthesized via a simple hydrothermal process. The size and morphology of the products can be tunable by adjusting the pH of reaction systems through the addition of aqueous NaOH. The nanorods with a width of 50-100 nm and a length of about 1 microm were obtained in the absence of NaOH (pH = 2), while a significant reduction of size (width: approximately 10 nm, length: approximately 50 nm) was observed for the product synthesized in the presence of NaOH (pH = 10). Surprisingly, the small-sized product exhibits a remarkably enhanced photoluminescence quantum yield and long excited state lifetime in comparison with those of the large-sized product. This abnormal luminescence phenomenon is discussed and explained. The EDS and XPS measurements revealed the presence of Na(+) in the small-sized samples. These Na(+) cations were probably bonded to the surface O(2-) dangling bonds, which thus reduces the number of surface defects that usually serve as the nonradiative energy transfer center channels. A considerable reduction of surface defect centers results in the increase of the emission efficiency and excited state lifetime in a small-sized sample. Obviously, the controlled synthesis of rare-earth-doped nanoparticles with a small size, but with relatively strong luminescence, is significant for their applications in the areas of technologies including optoelectronics, sensing and bioimaging.

The luminescence of nanoscale Y2Si2O7:Eu3+ materials.

The Y2Si2O7:Eu3+ sample was prepared with the sol-gel method. The Y2O3:EU3 was dispersed in SiO2, and the complex Y2Si2O7:Eu3+ particles were synthesized at high annealing temperature. The sample consisted of nearly spherical particles with an average size about 60 nm. The ultraviolet excitation spectra and emission spectra were measured. The sample excited by short ultraviolet light showed strongly red luminescence and fine monochromaticity. The luminescence was strongest from the 5D0 --> 7F2 electric dipole transition located at 611 nm. The excitation spectra of Y2Si2O7:Eu3+ excited with ultraviolet lights showed that the peak of the Eu(3+)-O2- charge transition band located at about 240 nm. During monitoring of different emission peaks of 5D0 --> 7F2, the charge transition band in the excitation spectra shifted, and the relative intensity of emission spectra changed obviously under the excitation of different ultraviolet wavelengths. These results confirmed that the Eu3+ could be excited with ultraviolet radiation of different wavelengths. At low temperature, using Eu3+ ions as fluorescence probes, we monitored the emission peaks of 5D0 --> 7F1 and 5D0 --> 7F2 transitions and measured the excitation spectra of 7F0 --> 5D0, 5D0 --> 7F1, and 5D0 --> 7F2 site-selective excitation spectra. These results indicated that Eu3+ ions are located in different local environments in the Y2Si2O7 host.

Luminescent properties of La3PO7:Eu3+ nanoparticles.

La3PO7:Eu3+ samples were prepared by combustion and annealing and characterized by X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy. It was found that the average size of the particles is about 80 nm. The red emission from the 5D0 --> 7F2 transition of the Eu3+ ions under ultraviolet light excitation is much stronger than the orange emission from the 5D0 --> 7F1 transition. The emission spectra, charge transfer band, laser selective excitation spectra, and time-resolved spectra indicate that symmetry of the local environment of Eu3+ lacks an inversion center and Eu3+ ions occupy at least two types of sites in the La3PO7 crystal. The superior color chromaticity compared to other phosphates and borates doped with Eu3+ means La3PO7:Eu3+ may have potential as a luminescent material.

Detection of hepatitis B virus genotypes using oligonucleotide chip among hepatitis B virus carriers in Eastern China.

AIM: To determine the genotype distribution of hepatitis B virus (HBV) with a newly oligonucleotide chip assay among the HBV carriers in Eastern China. METHODS: An assay using oligonucleotide chip was developed for detection of HBV genotypes in serum samples from HBV DNA-positive patients in Eastern China. This method is based on the principle of reverse hybridization with Cy5-labeled amplicons hybridizing to type-specific oligonucleotide probes that are immobilized on slides. The results of 80 randomly chosen sera were confirmed by direct sequencing. RESULTS: HBV genotype B, C and mixed genotype were detected in 400 serum samples, accounting for 8.3% (n = 33), 83.2% (n = 333), and 8.5% (n = 34), respectively. The evaluation of the oligonucleotide assay showed 100% concordance with the amplicon phylogenetic analysis except 9 mixed genotype infections undetected by sequencing. CONCLUSION: The study indicates that HBV genotype C and B prevail in the Eastern China. It is suggested that the oligonucleotide chip is a reliable and convenient tool for the detection of HBV genotyping.

Highly sensitive detection of multiple tumor markers for lung cancer using gold nanoparticle probes and microarrays.

Assay of multiple serum tumor markers such as carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), cytokeratin 19 fragment antigen (CYFRA21-1), and neuron specific enolase (NSE), is important for the early diagnosis of lung cancer. Dickkopf-1 (DKK1), a novel serological and histochemical biomarker, was recently reported to be preferentially expressed in lung cancer. Four target proteins were sandwiched by capture antibodies attached to microarrays and detection antibodies carried on modified gold nanoparticles. Optical signals generated by the sandwich structures were amplified by gold deposition with HAuCl4 and H2O2, and were observable by microscopy or the naked eye. The four tumor markers were subsequently measured in 106 lung cancer patients and 42 healthy persons. The assay was capable of detecting multiple biomarkers in serum sample at concentration of <1 ng mL-1 in 1 h. Combined detection of the four tumor markers highly improved the sensitivity (to 87.74%) for diagnosis of lung cancer compared with sensitivity of single markers. A rapid, highly sensitive co-detection method for multiple biomarkers based on gold nanoparticles and microarrays was developed. In clinical use, it would be expected to improve the early diagnosis of lung cancer.

Multi-responsive photothermal-chemotherapy with drug-loaded melanin-like nanoparticles for synergetic tumor ablation.

Photothermal-chemotherapy (PT-CT) is a promising strategy for cancer treatment, but its development is hindered by the issues regarding to the long-term safety of carriers and imperfect drug release profiles. In this article, we use polyethylene glycol-modified polydopamine nanoparticles (PDA-PEG) as an outstanding PT-CT agent for cancer treatment. PDA-PEG possesses excellent biocompatibility and photothermal effect, and could easily load anticancer drugs such as doxorubicin (DOX) and 7-ethyl-10-hydroxycamptothecin (SN38) via π-π stacking and/or hydrogen binding. Moreover, the drug-loaded PDA-PEG showed great stability and drug-retaining capability in physiological condition, and could respond to multiple stimuli including near infrared light, pH and reactive oxygen species to trigger the release of loaded anticancer drugs. The in vitro and in vivo studies demonstrated that PDA-PEG-mediated PT-CT showed synergetic effect for cancer therapy.

MDM2 knockdown mediated by a triazine-modified dendrimer in the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer.

Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is the most common type of lung cancer and the five-year survival rate is lower in advanced NSCLC patients. Chemotherapy is a widely used strategy in NSCLC treatment, but is usually limited by poor therapeutic efficacy and adverse effects. Therefore, a new therapeutic regimen is needed for NSCLC treatment. Gene therapy is a new strategy in the treatment of NSCLC. However, the lack of efficient and low toxic vectors remains the major obstacle. Here, we developed a biocompatible dendrimer as a non-viral vector for the delivery of mouse double minute2 (MDM2) siRNA in vitro and in vivo to treat NSCLC. The triazine-modified dendrimer efficiently stimulates the down-regulation of MDM2 gene in NSCLC PC9 cells, which induces significant cell apoptosis through the activation of apoptosis markers such as caspase-8 and poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) cleavage. Furthermore, the dendrimer/MDM2 siRNA polyplexes showed excellent activity in the inhibition of tumor growth in a PC9 xenograft tumor model. These results suggested that inhibition the expression of MDM2 might be a potential target in NSCLC treatment.

Bortezomib Inhibits Giant Cell Tumor of Bone through Induction of Cell Apoptosis and Inhibition of Osteoclast Recruitment, Giant Cell Formation, and Bone Resorption.

Giant cell tumor of bone (GCTB) is a rare and highly osteolytic bone tumor that usually leads to an extensive bone lesion. The purpose of this study was to discover novel therapeutic targets and identify potential agents for treating GCTB. After screening the serum cytokine profiles in 52 GCTB patients and 10 normal individuals using the ELISA assay, we found that NF-κB signaling-related cytokines, including TNFα, MCP-1, IL1α, and IL17A, were significantly increased in GCTB patients. The results were confirmed by IHC that the expression and activity of p65 were significantly increased in GCTB patients. Moreover, all of the NF-κB inhibitors tested suppressed GCTB cell growth, and bortezomib (Velcade), a well-known proteasome inhibitor, was the most potent inhibitor in blocking GCTB cells growth. Our results showed that bortezomib not only induced GCTB neoplastic stromal cell (NSC) apoptosis, but also suppressed GCTB NSC-induced giant cell differentiation, formation, and resorption. Moreover, bortezomib specifically suppressed GCTB NSC-induced preosteoclast recruitment. Furthermore, bortezomib ameliorated GCTB cell-induced bone destruction in vivo As a result, bortezomib suppressed NF-κB-regulated gene expression in GCTB NSC apoptosis, monocyte migration, angiogenesis, and osteoclastogenesis. Particularly, the inhibitory effects of bortezomib were much better than zoledronic acid, a drug currently used in treating GCTB, in our in vitro experimental paradigms. Together, our results demonstrated that NF-κB signaling pathway is highly activated in GCTB, and bortezomib could suppress GCTB and osteolysis in vivo and in vitro, indicating that bortezomib is a potential agent in the treatment of GCTB. Mol Cancer Ther; 15(5); 854-65. ©2016 AACR.

Absolute quantification of lung cancer related microRNA by droplet digital PCR.

Digital polymerase chain reaction (digital PCR) enables the absolute quantification of nucleic acids through the counting of single molecules, thus eliminating the need for standard curves or endogenous controls. In this study, we developed a droplet digital PCR (ddPCR) system based on an oil saturated PDMS (OSP) microfluidic chip platform for quantification of lung cancer related microRNA (miRNA). The OSP chip was made with PDMS and was oil saturated to constrain oil swallow and maintain the stability of droplets. Two inlets were designed for oil and sample injection with a syringe pump at the outlet. Highly uniform monodisperse water-in-oil emulsion droplets to be used for subsequent detection and analysis were generated at the cross section of the channel. We compared miRNA quantification by the ddPCR system and quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) to demonstrate that the ddPCR system was superior to qPCR both in its detection limit and smaller fold changes measurement. This droplet PCR system provides new possibilities for highly sensitive and efficient detection of cancer-related genes.