We report a computational study on the impact of tensile strain on MoS2 monolayer. The transition between direct and indirect bandgap structure and the transition between semiconductor and metal ...phases in the monolayer have been investigated with tensile strain along all direction configurations with both x-axis and y-axis components ɛxy (ɛx and ɛy). Electron effective mass and the hole effective mass are isotropic for biaxial strain ɛxy=ɛx=ɛy and anisotropic for ɛxy with ɛx≠ɛy. The carrier effective mass behaves differently along different directions in response to the tensile strain. In addition, the impact of strain on carrier mobility has been studied by using the deformation potential theory. The electron mobility increases over 10 times with the biaxial strain: ɛx=ɛy=9.5%. Also, the mobility decreases monotonically with the increasing temperature as μ∼T−1. These results are very important for future nanotechnology based on two-dimensional materials.
So far, a number of tumour‐associated antigens (TAAs), such as heat shock proteins, alpha‐fetoprotein, carcino‐embryonic antigen and others have been identified in a variety of malignant tumours. ...Differences in the expression levels of TAAs in cancers compared with normal cells have led to these antigens being investigated as diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers or exciting targets in cancer treatment. Here, we systematically list the current representative TAAs to shed some light on current approaches and challenges for their anti‐cancer application in cancer therapy. In this review, we discuss the ongoing pre‐clinical studies and clinical development of TAAs in human cancers, and the potential application of these TAAs in the diagnosis and prognosis for cancer treatment.
There are tens of thousands of man-made chemicals in the environment; the inherent safety of most of these chemicals is not known. Relevant biological platforms and new computational tools are needed ...to prioritize testing of chemicals with limited human health hazard information. We describe an experimental design for high-throughput characterization of multidimensional in vivo effects with the power to evaluate trends relating to commonly cited chemical predictors. We evaluated all 1060 unique U.S. EPA ToxCast phase 1 and 2 compounds using the embryonic zebrafish and found that 487 induced significant adverse biological responses. The utilization of 18 simultaneously measured endpoints means that the entire system serves as a robust biological sensor for chemical hazard. The experimental design enabled us to describe global patterns of variation across tested compounds, evaluate the concordance of the available in vitro and in vivo phase 1 data with this study, highlight specific mechanisms/value-added/novel biology related to notochord development, and demonstrate that the developmental zebrafish detects adverse responses that would be missed by less comprehensive testing strategies.
Struvite formation is mainly controlled by concentrations of Mg2+, NH4+ and PO4 3+, pH, temperature, and other ions like Ca2+. Experiments evaluating the effects of pH and Ca2+ on struvite formation ...indicated that XRD is only a qualitative method to analyze the struvite content in precipitating compounds, which was also reflected in microscopic images. The element analyses preceded by a dissolution method were introduced to quantitatively determine the struvite content and were shown to be an efficient enough method. Based on element analyses, the struvite content could be calculated according to the N content in the precipitations, based on the molar ratios (1:1:1) of Mg, N and P in pure struvite (MgNH4PO4 x 6H2O). It was found that the optimal pH ranges for the struvite content >90% were respectively at 7.5 approximately 9.0 with ultra pure water as solute and at 7.0 approximately 7.5 with tap water (mainly consisting of ground water) as solute. Applying a pH > 8.0 in real wastewater containing Ca2+ might result in impure struvite contents in the precipitate due to the effect of Ca2+.
Previously we showed that pure struvite could be recovered from wastewater at neutral pH. This omits the need for adding alkalinity to the process. However, at a neutral pH value the reaction is ...relatively slow making it practically not a good system from an engineering point of view. In this study, electrochemical deposition was evaluated as a means to improve the formation of pure struvite at a neutral pH value. An electrolytic cell with an inert Pt (or graphite) anode and a nickel cathode was set up for the experiment. The generation of OH
− via electrochemical reduction of dissolved oxygen slightly increased the interfacial pH near the cathode, resulting in rapid formation of the precipitates. The structure, morphology, composition and thermal properties of the harvested precipitate were analyzed by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), microscopic analysis, infrared (IR) spectra, energy-dispersive spectrometry (EDS), element analysis (EA) and thermo-gravimetric analysis (TGA). All the analyses support formation of pure struvite in the precipitate.
The N-glycan of the IgG constant region (Fc) plays a central role in tuning and directing multiple antibody functions in vivo, including antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity, complement ...deposition, and the regulation of inflammation, among others. However, traditional methods of N-glycan analysis, including HPLC and mass spectrometry, are technically challenging and ill suited to handle the large numbers of low concentration samples analyzed in clinical or animal studies of the N-glycosylation of polyclonal IgG. Here we describe a capillary electrophoresis-based technique to analyze plasma-derived polyclonal IgG-glycosylation quickly and accurately in a cost-effective, sensitive manner that is well suited for high-throughput analyses. Additionally, because a significant fraction of polyclonal IgG is glycosylated on both Fc and Fab domains, we developed an approach to separate and analyze domain-specific glycosylation in polyclonal human, rhesus and mouse IgGs. Overall, this protocol allows for the rapid, accurate, and sensitive analysis of Fc-specific IgG glycosylation, which is critical for population-level studies of how antibody glycosylation may vary in response to vaccination or infection, and across disease states ranging from autoimmunity to cancer in both clinical and animal studies.
•Reliable separation of Fc and Fab for glycan analysis•Inexpensive and fast sample preparation for capillary electrophoresis•Optimization of a sensitive and reproducible technique
Apolygus lucorum is the predominant pest of Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) cotton in China. 20‐hydroxyecdysone (20E) plays a key role in the reproduction of this insect. To better understand the ...mechanism underlying 20E‐regulated reproduction, the nuclear hormone receptor E75 isoform‐A of Ap. lucorum (Al‐E75A) was cloned and its expression analysed. A 2241‐bp sequence of Al‐E75A cDNA encoded an open reading frame of a polypeptide with a predicted molecular mass of 69.04 kDa. Al‐E75A mRNA was detected in female adult stages of Ap. lucorum with peak expression in 7‐day‐old animals. Al‐E75A was also expressed in several tissues, particularly in the fat body and ovary. A 3.2 kb Al‐E75A mRNA was detected in all tissues by Northern blot. The fecundity and longevity were significantly decreased in female adults treated with Al‐E75A small interfering RNA. The rates of egg incubation rates were considerably lower in the RNA interference‐treated animals compared to the untreated controls. In order to investigate the molecular mechanism underlying the effects described above, vitellogenin (Al‐Vg) was selected for further investigation. The expression pattern of Al‐Vg was similar to that of Al‐E75A and was up‐regulated by 20E. After knockdown of Al‐E75A, the expression profile of Al‐Vg and the protein levels were down‐regulated. These findings suggest that Al‐E75A plays a crucial role in the regulation of Al‐Vg expression in Ap. lucorum.
We demonstrate the room-temperature control of magnetization reversal with an electric field in an epitaxial nanostructure consisting of ferrimagnetic nanopillars embedded in a ferroelectric matrix. ...This was achieved by combining a weak, uniform magnetic field with the switching electric field to selectively switch pillars with only one magnetic configuration. On the basis of these experimental results, we propose to use an electric field to assist magnetic recording in multiferroic systems with high perpendicular magnetic anisotropy.
Summary
Many previous studies have reported excellent clinical results with percutaneous kyphoplasty (PKP). In contrast, numerous complications and problems have also been reported, such as puncture ...difficulty, cement leakage, and adjacent vertebral fracture.
Introduction
This study is to evaluate the application and clinical outcomes of unilateral transverse process-pedicle and bilateral PKP in the treatment of osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures (OVCF).
Methods
A total of 56 cases with two levels thoracolumbar OVCF were randomly assigned for treatment with unilateral transverse process-pedicle and bilateral PKP. The patients were followed up postoperatively and were assessed mainly with regard to clinical and radiologic outcomes. Clinical outcomes were evaluated with mainly the use of a visual analogue scale (VAS) for pain. Radiologic outcomes were assessed mainly on the basis of radiation dose and bone cement distribution.
Results
The operation was completed successfully in 56 cases. In the unilateral level, the operation time, the volume of the injected cement, and radiation dose were significantly less than bilateral level. All patients had significantly improvement on VAS score after the procedures, compared with their preoperative period. In the bilateral level, 7 patients had obvious pain in the puncture sites at 1 month postoperatively caused by facet joint violation. With local block treatment, the pain disappeared in all patients at the last follow-up.
Conclusion
Both bilateral and unilateral PKP are relatively safe and effective treatments for patients with painful OVCF. But unilateral PKP received less radiation dose and operation time, offered a higher degree of deformity correction, and resulted in less complication than bilateral.
The covid-19 pandemic has presented unprecedented professional and personal challenges for the oncology community. Under the auspices of the Canadian Association of Medical Oncologists, we conducted ...an online national survey to better understand the impact of the pandemic on the medical oncology community in Canada.
An English-language multiple-choice survey, including questions about demographics, covid-19 risk, use of personal protective equipment (ppe), personal challenges, and chemotherapy management was distributed to Canadian medical oncologists. The survey was open from 30 March to 4 April 2020, and attracted 159 responses.
More than 70% of medical oncologists expressed moderate-to-extreme concern about personally contracting covid-19 and about family members or patients (or both) contracting covid-19 from them. Despite that high level of concern, considerable variability in the use of ppe in direct cancer care was reported at the time of this survey, with 33% of respondents indicating no routine ppe use at their institutions and 69% indicating uncertainty about access to adequate ppe. Of the respondents, 54% were experiencing feelings of nervousness or anxiety on most days, and 52% were having feelings of depression or hopelessness on at least some days. Concern about aging parents or family and individual wellness represented the top personal challenges identified. The management of cancer patients has been affected, with adoption of telemedicine reported by 82% of respondents, and cessation of clinical trial accrual reported by 54%. The 3 factors deemed most important for treatment decision-making were■ cancer prognosis and anticipated benefit from treatment,■ risk of treatment toxicity during scarce health care access, and■ patient risk of contracting covid-19.
This report describes the results of the first national survey assessing the impact of the covid-19 on Canadian medical oncologists and how they deliver systemic anticancer therapies. We hope that these data will provide a framework to address the challenges identified.
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