Changes of outer retinal microstructures after photodynamic therapy for chronic central serous chorioretinopathy

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Right-left or midgut-hindgut?

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Microarray Analysis and Detection of MicroRNAs Associated with Chronic Thromboembolic Pulmonary Hypertension

The aim of this study was to understand the importance of chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension- (CTEPH-) associated microRNAs (miRNAs). miRNAs differentially expressed in CTEPH samples compared with control samples were identified, and the target genes were predicted. The target genes of the key differentially expressed miRNAs were analyzed, and functional enrichment analyses were carried out. Finally, the miRNAs were detected using RT-PCR. Among the downregulated miRNAs, MiR-3148 regulated the most target genes and was significantly enriched in pathways in cancer, glioma, and ErbB signaling pathway. Furthermore, the number of target genes coregulated by miR-3148 and other miRNAs was the most. AR (androgen receptor), a target gene of hsa-miR-3148, was enriched in pathways in cancer. PRKCA (Protein Kinase C Alpha), also a target gene of hsa-miR-3148, was enriched in 15 of 16 KEGG pathways, such as pathways in cancer, glioma, and ErbB signaling pathway. In addition, the RT-PCR results showed that the expression of hsa-miR-3148 in CTEPH samples was significantly lower than that in control samples (). MiR-3148 may play an important role in the development of CTEPH. The key mechanisms for this miRNA may be hsa-miR-3148-AR-pathways in cancer or hsa-miR-3148-PRKCA-pathways in cancer/glioma/ErbB signaling pathway.

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Carbon-Nanotube-Confined Vertical Heterostructures with Asymmetric Contacts

Van der Waals (vdW) heterostructures have received intense attention for their efficient stacking methodology with 2D nanomaterials in vertical dimension. However, it is still a challenge to scale down the lateral size of vdW heterostructures to the nanometer and make proper contacts to achieve optimized performances. Here, a carbon-nanotube-confined vertical heterostructure (CCVH) is employed to address this challenge, in which 2D semiconductors are asymmetrically sandwiched by an individual metallic single-walled carbon nanotube (SWCNT) and a metal electrode. By using WSe₂ and MoS₂, the CCVH can be made into p-type and n-type field effect transistors with high on/off ratios even when the channel length is 3.3 nm. A complementary inverter was further built with them, indicating their potential in logic circuits with a high integration level. Furthermore, the Fermi level of SWCNTs can be efficiently modulated by the gate voltage, making it competent for both electron and hole injection in the CCVHs. This unique property is shown by the transition of WSe₂ CCVH from unipolar to bipolar, and the transition of WSe₂/MoS₂ from p–n junction to n–n junction under proper source–drain biases and gate voltages. Therefore, the CCVH, as a member of 1D/2D mixed heterostructures, shows great potentials in future nanoelectronics and nano-optoelectronics.

Carbon-nanotube-confined vertical hetero-structures can be applied to scale down the lateral size of van der Waals heterostructures to the nanometer, and to make proper contacts to achieve optimized performance of the Fermi level of single-walled carbon nanotubes that can be efficiently modulated by gate voltage. As a member of 1D/2D mixed heterostructures, they show great potential for future nanoelectronics and nano-optoelectronics.

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Two-Photon In Vivo Imaging with Porous Silicon Nanoparticles

A major obstacle in luminescence imaging is the limited penetration of visible light into tissues and interference associated with light scattering and autofluorescence. Near-infrared (NIR) emitters that can also be excited with NIR radiation via two-photon processes can mitigate these factors somewhat because they operate at wavelengths of 650–1000 nm where tissues are more transparent, light scattering is less efficient, and endogenous fluorophores are less likely to absorb. This study presents photolytically stable, NIR photoluminescent, porous silicon nanoparticles with a relatively high two-photon-absorption cross-section and a large emission quantum yield. Their ability to be targeted to tumor tissues in vivo using the iRGD targeting peptide is demonstrated, and the distribution of the nanoparticles with high spatial resolution is visualized.

Two-photon excitation of porous silicon nanoparticles results in photolytically stable near-infrared emission that can be used for in vivo imaging. When conjugated to the iRGD peptide, the intravenously injected nanoparticles selectively home to a tumor xenograft, enabling tumor imaging with high spatial resolution.

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Flexible Electrodes for Sodium-Ion Batteries: Recent Progress and Perspectives

Sodium-ion batteries (SIBs) are considered as promising alternatives to lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) for large-scale electrical-energy-storage applications due to the wide availability and the low cost of Na resources. Along with the avenues of research on flexible LIBs, flexible SIBs are now being actively developed as one of the most promising power sources for the emerging field of flexible and wearable electronic devices. Here, the recent progress on flexible electrodes based on metal substrates, carbonaceous substrates (i.e., graphene, carbon cloth, and carbon nanofibers), and other materials, as well as their applications in flexible SIBs, are summarized. Also, some future research directions for constructing flexible SIBs are proposed, with the aim of providing inspiration to the further development of advanced flexible SIBs.

Flexible sodium-ion batteries (SIBs) are being actively developed as one of the most promising power sources for the emerging field of flexible and wearable electronic devices. The recent progress on flexible electrodes based on metal substrates, carbonaceous substrates, and other materials, is summarized, along with their applications in flexible SIBs.

http://ift.tt/2vRltCi

Alteration of retinal layers in healthy subjects over 60 years of age until nonagenarians

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