Endohedral nitrogen fullerenes have been proposed as building blocks for quantum information processing due to their long spin coherence time. However, addressability of the individual electron spin ...levels in such a multiplet system of 4S3/2 has never been achieved because of the molecular isotropy and transition degeneracy among the Zeeman levels. Herein, by molecular engineering, we lifted the degeneracy by zero‐field splitting effects and made the multiple transitions addressable by a liquid‐crystal‐assisted method. The endohedral nitrogen fullerene derivatives with rigid addends of spiro structure and large aspect ratios of regioselective bis‐addition improve the ordering of the spin ensemble. These samples empower endohedral‐fullerene‐based qudits, in which the transitions between the 4 electron spin levels were respectively addressed and coherently manipulated. The quantum geometric phase manipulation, which has long been proposed for the advantages in error tolerance and gating speed, was implemented in a pure electron spin system using molecules for the first time.
Toward molecular quantum computing, the system needs to have good coherence, scalability, and addressability. Using endohedral nitrogen fullerenes with long coherence time, this work tackled the remaining two challenges by molecular modification and ensemble alignment. The refined molecular system scales up to four addressable quantum levels and enables the first implementation of geometric phase manipulation using pure electron paramagnetic resonance.
Objective
To explore the correlations between the habit of betel quid and areca nut (BQ‐AN) chewing and the prognosis of oral cancer (OC).
Methods
We performed a systematic review and meta‐analysis ...to clarify this issue. Data searches were performed using PubMed, Web of Science, Epistemonikos, and Embase databases through November 2019. The primary outcome was the difference in the prognosis of OC between BQ‐AN chewers and non‐chewers, measured in terms of 5‐year overall survival (OS) and 5‐year disease‐specific survival (DSS) log (HR) reported in articles. The pooled HR with 95% CI of 5‐year OS and 5‐year DSS was calculated using a fixed‐effects model.
Results
Ten articles with eleven OS or DSS survival studies (one of the articles contained two studies), which were published between 2003 and 2017, were eligible for inclusion in the present study. All the 11 studies were observational studies, among which 10 were retrospective and 1 was prospective. One study measured both OS and DSS. Eight studies, with a total of 2,761 patients, used 5‐year OS as the primary endpoint and four studies, with a total of 2,551 patients, used 5‐year DSS. Overall, the pooled HR evaluating BQ‐AN chewers was 1.26 (95% CI: 1.09–1.46) for 5‐year OS and 1.40 (95% CI: 1.15–1.70) for 5‐year DSS, compared with non‐chewers. There was a significant association between BQ‐AN chewing and OC survival.
Conclusions
Betel quid and areca nut chewing is significantly associated with poor prognosis in patients with OC.
Oocyte maturation defect can lead to maternal reproduction disorder. NAMPT is a rate‐limiting enzyme in mammalian NAD+ biosynthesis pathway, which can regulate a variety of cellular metabolic ...processes including glucose metabolism and DNA damage repair. However, the function of NAMPT in porcine oocytes remains unknown. In this study, we showed that NAMPT involved into multiple cellular events during oocyte maturation. NAMPT expressed during all stages of porcine oocyte meiosis, and inhibition of NAMPT activity caused the cumulus expansion and polar body extrusion defects. Mitochondrial dysfunction was observed in NAMPT‐deficient porcine oocytes, which showed decreased membrane potential, ATP and mitochondrial DNA content, increased oxidative stress level and apoptosis. We also found that NAMPT was essential for spindle organization and chromosome arrangement based on Ac‐tubulin. Moreover, lack of NAMPT activity caused the increase of lipid droplet and affected the imbalance of lipogenesis and lipolysis. In conclusion, our study indicated that lack of NAMPT activity affected porcine oocyte maturation through its effects on mitochondria function, spindle assembly and lipid metabolism.
Achieving active site engineering at the atomic level poses a significant challenge in the design and optimization of catalysts for energy‐efficient catalytic processes, especially for a reaction ...with two reactants competitively absorbed on catalytic active sites. Herein, we show an example that tailoring the local environment of cobalt sites in a robust metal–organic framework through substituting the bridging atom from −Cl to −OH group leads to a highly active catalyst for oxygen activation in an oxidation reaction. Comprehensive characterizations reveal that this variation imparts drastic changes on the electronic structure of metal centers, the competitive reactant adsorption behavior, and the intermediate formation. As a result, exceptional low‐temperature CO oxidation performance was achieved with T25(Temperature for 25 % conversion)=35 °C and T100 (Temperature for 100 % conversion)=150 °C, which stands out from existing MOF‐based catalysts and even rivals many noble metal catalysts. This work provides a guidance for the rational design of catalysts for efficient oxygen activation for an oxidation reaction.
Tailoring the local environment of cobalt sites in a robust metal–organic framework through substituting the bridging atom from −Cl to −OH group leads to a highly active catalyst for oxygen activation in an oxidation reaction. This variation imparts drastic changes on the electronic structure of metal centers, the competitive reactant adsorption behavior, and the intermediate formation.
An experimental investigation is conducted to study the influence of shear‐thickening behavior on the primary breakup process of suspension jets. The primary breakup morphologies of cornstarch–water ...suspension are observed via a high‐speed camera. The unique hardened breakup mode only occurs when the suspension exhibits discontinuous shear thickening (DST). During hardened breakup mode, the oscillating portion of the suspension jet becomes perpendicular to the air direction and keeps cylindrical instead of deforming into a thin sheet or membrane structure. The suspension jets break off into large pieces rather than tiny droplets. The dimensionless number N is established to describe the relative magnitude of the increment of the viscous force and aerodynamic force during the primary breakup process. The primary breakup regime map of Newtonian fluids and shear‐thickening suspensions is also promoted based on the dimensionless number N and the Weber number We.
Childhood maltreatment is associated with risky sexual behaviors (RSBs). Previous systematic reviews and meta-analysis focused only on the relationship between childhood sexual abuse and RSBs, thus ...the association between childhood maltreatment and RSBs has yet to be systematically and quantitatively reviewed. We aimed to provide a systematic meta-analysis exploring the effect of childhood maltreatment and its subtypes on subsequent RSBs in adolescence and adulthood. PubMed, Google Scholar, EMBASE, Medline were searched for qualified articles up to April 2019. We calculated the pooled risk estimates using either the random-effect model or fixed-effect model. The potential heterogeneity moderators were identified by subgroup and sensitivity analysis. Overall, childhood maltreatment was significantly associated with an early sexual debut (odds ratio (OR) = 2.22; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.64-3.00), multiple sexual partners (OR = 2.22; 95% CI: 1.78-2.76), transactional sex (OR = 3.05; 95% CI: 1.92-4.86) and unprotected sex (OR = 1.59; 95% CI: 1.22-2.09). Additionally, different types of childhood maltreatment were also significantly associated with higher risk of RSBs. Relevant heterogeneity moderators have been identified by subgroup analysis. Sensitivity analysis yielded consistent results. Childhood maltreatment is significantly associated with risky sexual behaviors. The current meta-analysis indicates it is vital to protect children from any types of maltreatment and provide health education and support for maltreated individuals.
The application of laparoscopic liver resection (LLR) has expanded rapidly in recent decades. Although multiple authors have reported LLR shows improved safety and efficacy in treating hepatocellular ...carcinoma (HCC) compared with open liver resection (OLR), laparoscopic (LMLR) and open (OMLR) major liver resections for HCC treatment remain inadequately evaluated. This work aimed to test the hypothesis that LMLR is safer and more effective than OMLR for HCC.
Comparative cohort and registry studies on LMLR and OMLR, searched in PubMed, the Science Citation Index, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Library, and published before March 31, 2018, were collected systematically and meta-analyzed. Fixed- and random-effects models were employed for generating pooled estimates. Heterogeneity was assessed by the Q-statistic.
Nine studies (1173 patients) were included. Although the pooled data showed operation time was markedly increased for LMLR in comparison with OMLR (weighted mean difference WMD 74.1, 95% CI 35.1 to 113.1, P = 0.0002), blood loss was reduced (WMD = - 107.4, 95% CI - 179.0 to - 35.7, P = 0.003), postoperative morbidity was lower (odds ratio OR 0.47, 95% CI 0.35 to 0.63, P < 0.0001), and hospital stay was shorter (WMD = - 3.27, 95% CI - 4.72 to - 1.81, P < 0.0001) in the LMLR group. Although 1-year disease-free survival (DFS) was increased in patients administered LMLR (OR = 1.55, 95% CI 1.04 to 2.31, P = 0.03), other 1-, 3-, and 5-year survival outcomes (overall survival OS and/or DFS) were comparable in both groups.
Compared with OMLR, LMLR has short-term clinical advantages, including reduced blood loss, lower postsurgical morbidity, and shorter hospital stay in HCC, despite its longer operative time. Long-term oncological outcomes were comparable in both groups.
Berberine (BBR), an isoquinoline alkaloid extracted from Coptidis Rhizoma, has a long history of treating dysentery in the clinic. Over the past two decades, the polytrophic, pharmacological, and ...biochemical properties of BBR have been intensively studied. The key functions of BBR, including anti-inflammation, antibacterial, antioxidant, anti-obesity, and even antitumor, have been discovered. However, the underlying mechanisms of BBR-mediated regulation still need to be explored. Given that BBR is also a natural nutrition supplement, the modulatory effects of BBR on nutritional immune responses have attracted more attention from investigators. In this mini-review, we summarized the latest achievements of BBR on inflammation, gut microbes, macrophage polarization, and immune responses associated with their possible tools in the pathogenesis and therapy of ulcerative colitis and cancer in recent 5 years. We also discuss the therapeutic efficacy and anti-inflammatory actions of BBR to benefit future clinical applications.
Golden 2-Like (G2-like) transcription factors play an important role in plant development. However, the roles of these G2-like regulatory genes in response to abiotic stresses in tomato are not well ...understood.
In this study, we identified 66 putative G2-like genes in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) and classified them into 5 groups (I to V) according to gene structure, motif composition and phylogenetic analysis. The G2-like genes were unevenly distributed across all 12 chromosomes. There were nine pairs of duplicated gene segments and four tandem duplicated SlGlk genes. Analysis of the cis-regulatory elements (CREs) showed that the promoter regions of SlGlks contain many kinds of stress- and hormone-related CREs. Based on RNA-seq, SlGlks were expressed in response to three abiotic stresses. Thirty-six differentially expressed SlGlks were identified; these genes have multiple functions according to Gene Ontology (GO) analysis and are enriched mainly in the zeatin biosynthesis pathway. Further studies exhibited that silencing SlGlk16 in tomato would reduce drought stress tolerance by earlier wilted, lower superoxide dismutase (SOD), peroxidase (POD) activities, less Pro contents and more MDA contents.
Overall, the results of this study provide comprehensive information on G2-like transcription factors and G2-like genes that may be expressed in response to abiotic stresses.
It has been for thousands of years in China known medicinal homologous foods that can be employed both as foods and medicines to benefit human and animal health. These edible herbal materials perform ...divert roles in the regulation of metabolic disorders, cancers, and immune-related diseases. Curcumin, the primary component derived from medicinal homologous foods like curcuma longa rhizome, is reported to play vital actions in organic activities, such as the numerous pharmacological functions including anti-oxidative stress, anti-inflammation and anti/pro-apoptosis in treating various diseases. However, the potential mechanisms of curcumin-derived modulation still need to be developed and attract more attention worldwide. Given that these signal pathways are enrolled in important bioactive reactions, we collected curcumin's last achievements predominantly on the immune-regulation signals with the underlying targetable strategies in the last 10 years. This mini-review will be helpful to accelerate curcumin and other extracts from medicinal homologous foods use in future human clinical applications.
PDF
