Recent progress of exciton transport in two-dimensional semiconductors.

Spatial manipulation of excitonic quasiparticles, such as neutral excitons, charged excitons, and interlayer excitons, in two-dimensional semiconductors offers unique capabilities for a broad range of optoelectronic applications, encompassing photovoltaics, exciton-integrated circuits, and quantum light-emitting systems. Nonetheless, their practical implementation is significantly restricted by the absence of electrical controllability for neutral excitons, short lifetime of charged excitons, and low exciton funneling efficiency at room temperature, which remain a challenge in exciton transport. In this comprehensive review, we present the latest advancements in controlling exciton currents by harnessing the advanced techniques and the unique properties of various excitonic quasiparticles. We primarily focus on four distinct control parameters inducing the exciton current: electric fields, strain gradients, surface plasmon polaritons, and photonic cavities. For each approach, the underlying principles are introduced in conjunction with its progression through recent studies, gradually expanding their accessibility, efficiency, and functionality. Finally, we outline the prevailing challenges to fully harness the potential of excitonic quasiparticles and implement practical exciton-based optoelectronic devices.

Expression Profile of Three Splicing Factors in Pleural Cells Based on the Underlying Etiology and Its Clinical Values in Patients with Pleural Effusion.

Splicing factors (SFs) are involved in oncogenesis or immune modulation, the common underlying processes giving rise to pleural effusion (PE). The expression profiles of three SFs (HNRNPA1, SRSF1, and SRSF3) and their clinical values have never been assessed in PE. The three SFs (in pellets of PE) and conventional tumor markers were analyzed using PE samples in patients with PE (N = 336). The sum of higher-molecular weight (Mw) forms of HNRNPA1 (Sum-HMws-HNRNPA1) and SRSF1 (Sum-HMws-SRSF1) and SRSF3 levels were upregulated in malignant PE (MPE) compared to benign PE (BPE); they were highest in cytology-positive MPE, followed by tuberculous PE and parapneumonic PE. Meanwhile, the lowest-Mw HNRNPA1 (LMw-HNRNPA1) and SRSF1 (LMw-SRSF1) levels were not upregulated in MPE. Sum-HMws-HNRNPA1, Sum-HMws-SRSF1, and SRSF3, but neither LMw-HNRNPA1 nor LMw-SRSF1, showed positive correlations with cancer cell percentages in MPE. The detection accuracy for MPE was high in the order of carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA, 85%), Sum-HMws-HNRNPA1 (76%), Sum-HMws-SRSF1 (68%), SRSF3, cytokeratin-19 fragments (CYFRA 21-1), LMw-HNRNPA1, and LMw-SRSF1. Sum-HMws-HNRNPA1 detected more than half of the MPE cases that were undetected by cytology and CEA. Sum-HMws-HNRNPA1, but not other SFs or conventional tumor markers, showed an association with longer overall survival among patients with MPE receiving chemotherapy. Our results demonstrated different levels of the three SFs with their Mw-specific profiles depending on the etiology of PE. We suggest that Sum-HMws-HNRNPA1 is a supplementary diagnostic marker for MPE and a favorable prognostic indicator for patients with MPE receiving chemotherapy.

HNRNPA1, a Splicing Regulator, Is an Effective Target Protein for Cervical Cancer Detection: Comparison With Conventional Tumor Markers.

OBJECTIVE: Heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein A1 (HNRNPA1), serine/arginine-rich splicing factor 1 (SRSF1), and SRSF3 are splicing regulators associated with oncogenesis. However, the alterations of SF proteins and their diagnostic values in cervical cancer are unclear. To apply SFs clinically, effective marker selection and characterization of the target organ properties are essential. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We concurrently analyzed HNRNPA1, SRSF1, SRSF3, and the conventional tumor markers squamous cell carcinoma antigen (SCCA) and carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) in cervical tissue samples (n = 127) using semiquantitative immunoblotting. In addition, we compared them with p16 (cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor 2A [CDKN2A]), which has shown high diagnostic efficacy in immunohistochemical staining studies and has been proposed as a candidate protein for point-of-care screening biochemical tests of cervical neoplasia. RESULTS: HNRNPA1, higher molecular weight forms of SRSF1 (SRSF1-HMws), SRSF3, CEA, and p16 levels were higher (P < 0.05) in cervical carcinoma tissue samples than in nontumoral cervical tissue samples. However, the levels of SRSF1-Total (sum of SRSF1-HMws and a lower molecular weight form of SRSF1) and SCCA, a commonly used cervical tumor marker, were not different between carcinoma and nontumoral tissue samples. In paired sample comparisons, HNRNPA1 (94%) showed the highest incidence of up-regulation (carcinoma/nontumor, >1.5) in cervical carcinoma, followed by p16 (84%), SRSF1-HMws (69%), SRSF3 (66%), CEA (66 %), SCCA (32%), and SRSF1-Total (31%). HNRNPA1 (92%) and p16 (91%) presented the two highest diagnostic accuracies for cervical carcinoma, which were superior to those of SRSF3 (75%), SRSF1-HMws (72%), CEA (72%), SCCA (59%), and SRSF1-Total (55%). CONCLUSIONS: Our results identified that HNRNPA1 is the best diagnostic marker among the SFs and conventional markers given its excellent diagnostic efficacy for cervical carcinoma, and it has a p16-comparable diagnostic value. We suggest that HNRNPA1 is an additional effective target protein for developing cervical cancer detection tools.

Diversity and density of butterfly communities in urban green areas: an analytical approach using GIS.

BACKGROUND: Urbanization is one of the leading causes of habitat loss, habitat degradation, and fragmentation. Urban development negatively affects biodiversity. We clarified changes in butterfly communities due to urbanization in urban green areas. RESULTS: Intotal, 59 species and 1,465 individuals of butterflies were observed in the four urban green areas -Namsan Park(NS), Ewha Womans University (EW), Bukseoul Dream Forest (BD), and Hongneung Forest (HF) -anda natural forest, Gwangneung Forest (GF). The categories of land use around the study sites were determined based on GIS data. Species richness and density of niche breadth and habitat type in the four urban green areas differed mostly from those in GF. Estimated species richness and species diversity (H')in the four urban green areas were significantly lower than those in GF. Species richness and density of forest interior species and specialist species were positively correlated with paddy, field, and forest, whereas those of forest interior species and specialists were negatively correlated with urban area and road. Species composition and community structure of butterflies in the four urban were differed from those in GF. CONCLUSIONS: Theseresults suggest that decreases in paddy, field, and forest associated with the increased urban area and road negatively influenced species composition and changed butterfly communities.

Vascular expression of the chemokine CX3CL1 promotes osteoclast recruitment and exacerbates bone resorption in an irradiated murine model.

Circulating osteoclast precursor cells highly express CX3C chemokine receptor 1 (CX3CR1), which is the only receptor for the unique CX3C membrane-anchored chemokine, fractalkine (CX3CL1). An irradiated murine model was used to evaluate the role of the CX3CL1-CX3CR1 axis in osteoclast recruitment and osteoclastogenesis. Ionizing radiation (IR) promoted the migration of circulating CD11b+ cells to irradiated bones and dose-dependently increased the number of differentiated osteoclasts in irradiated bones. Notably, CX3CL1 was dramatically upregulated in the vascular endothelium after IR. IR-induced production of CX3CL1 by skeletal vascular endothelium promoted chemoattraction of circulating CX3CR1+/CD11b+ cells and triggered homing of these osteoclast precursor cells toward the bone remodeling surface, a specific site for osteoclast differentiation. CX3CL1 also increased the endothelium-derived expression of other chemokines including stromal cell-derived factor-1 (CXCL12) and macrophage inflammatory protein-2 (CXCL2) by activating the hypoxia-inducible factor-1 α pathway. These effects may further enhance osteoclastogenesis. A series of in vivo experiments confirmed that knockout of CX3CR1 in bone marrow-derived cells and functional inhibition of CX3CL1 using a specific neutralizing antibody significantly ameliorated osteoclastogenesis and prevented bone loss after IR. These results demonstrate that the de novo CX3CL1-CX3CR1 axis plays a pivotal role in osteoclast recruitment and subsequent bone resorption, and verify its therapeutic potential as a new target for anti-resorptive treatment.