Majorana zero modes,unconventional real-complex transition,and mobility edges in a one-dimensional non-Hermitian quasi-periodic lattice

A one-dimensional non-Hermitian quasiperiodic p-wave superconductor without PT-symmetry is studied.By analyzing the spectrum,we discovered that there still exists real-complex energy transition even if the inexistence of PT-symmetry breaking.By the inverse participation ratio,we constructed such a correspondence that pure real energies correspond to the extended states and complex energies correspond to the localized states,and this correspondence is precise and effective to detect the mobility edges.After investigating the topological properties,we arrived at a fact that the Majorana zero modes in this system are immune to the non-Hermiticity.

Functional butter for reduction of consumption risk and improvement of nutrition

Butter has become renowned among consumers because of its exceptional flavor and taste.Nevertheless,conventional butter is deemed“unhealthy”due to its high concentration of saturated fats and cholesterol,which are linked to the development of cardiovascular ailments.Improving the health benefits of butter has become an essential topic of research in the butter industry.This review focuses on researches that have made improvements to functionality of butter,including the changes in fatty acid composition,cholesterol reduction,incorporation with bioactive substances,development of new sources.The reduction of saturated fatty acids and cholesterol in butter can help reduce the risk of disease from eating butter.In addition,incorporating probiotics or natural plant extracts can achieve nutritional functions such as balancing intestinal flora,enhancing nutrient absorption,and increasing the body’s antioxidant capacity.Butter substitute products can be based on new vegetable oils,insect fats or microbial fats,which cater to the consumer demands for low-calorie butter while reducing the environmental impact that results from butter production.This review summarizes the effects and characteristics of various improvement methods and proposes some possible directions for future development of functional butter.

Invariable mobility edge in a quasiperiodic lattice

We analytically and numerically study a 1 D tight-binding model with tunable incommensurate potentials.We utilize the self-dual relation to obtain the critical energy,namely,the mobility edge.Interestingly,we analytically demonstrate that this critical energy is a constant independent of strength of potentials.Then we numerically verify the analytical results by analyzing the spatial distributions of wave functions,the inverse participation rate and the multifractal theory.All numerical results are in excellent agreement with the analytical results.Finally,we give a brief discussion on the possible experimental observation of the invariable mobility edge in the system of ultracold atoms in optical lattices.

Metal–insulator phase transition and topology in a three-component system

Due to the topology, insulators become non-trivial, particularly those with large Chern numbers which support multiple edge channels, catching our attention. In the framework of the tight binding approximation, we study a non-interacting Chern insulator model on the three-component dice lattice with real nearest-neighbor and complex next-nearest-neighbor hopping subjected to Λ-or V-type sublattice potentials. By analyzing the dispersions of corresponding energy bands, we find that the system undergoes a metal–insulator transition which can be modulated not only by the Fermi energy but also the tunable extra parameters. Furthermore, rich topological phases, including the ones with high Hall plateau, are uncovered by calculating the associated band’s Chern number. Besides, we also analyze the edge-state spectra and discuss the correspondence between Chern numbers and the edge states by the principle of bulk-edge correspondence. In general, our results suggest that there are large Chern number phases with C = ±3 and the work enriches the research about large Chern numbers in multiband systems.

The Mechanism of Long Non-Coding RNA SNHG7 in Cholangiocarcinoma Cell Proliferation,Migration,and Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition

Objective:To investigate the mechanism of long non-coding RNA SNHG7 and its regulatory effect on the proliferation,migration,and epithelial-mesenchymal transition of cholangiocarcinoma cells.Methods:A total of 20 pairs of cholangiocarcinoma and adjacent non-tumor bile duct tissues were collected from patients with cholangiocarcinoma who underwent surgery in the Affiliated Hospital of Hebei University(Hebei,China).Cholangiocarcinoma cell lines CCLP-1,QBC939,RBE,and HCC-9810 as well as normal human biliary epithelial cell line HIBEC were purchased for cell culture.We performed cell transfection,quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction(qRT-PCR)to detect gene expression,Cell Counting Kit-8(CCK-8)experiment to determine cell proliferation ability,scratch test to determine cell migration ability,and Transwell test to detect cell invasion ability.Results:The expression of lncRNA SNHG7 in cholangiocarcinoma cell lines CCLP-1,QBC939,RBE,and HCCC-9810 was 3.21±1.01,3.03±1.02,2.98±1.21,and 3.12±1.14,respectively,while its expression in normal cell line HIBEC was 3.21±1.21;the expression of lncRNA SNHG7 in CCLP-1 was the highest;compared with HIBEC,the p values were all less than 0.05,indicating that the difference was statistically significant.The expression of miR-520f-3p in CCLP-1,QBC939,RBE,and HCCC-9810 was 1.45±0.75,1.55±0.71,1.54±0.73,and 1.61±0.72,respectively,while its expression in normal cell line HIBEC was 3.21±1.21;the expression of miR-520f-3p in CCLP-1 was the lowest,and compared with HIBEC,the p values were all less than 0.05,indicating that the difference was statistically significant.In qRT-PCR,the expression of lncRNA SNHG7 of si-NC(3.21±1.11)was significantly higher than that of si-SNHG7(1.14±0.76),and the p value was less than 0.05,indicating that the difference was statistically significant.In the CCK-8 experiment,the proliferation ability of CCLP-1 cells of the si-NC group at 24 h,48 h,and 72 h was 0.61±0.59,0.75±0.68,and 1.36±0.71,respectively;the proliferation ability of CCLP-1 cells of the si-SNHG7 group at 24 h,48 h,and 72 h was 0.51±0.64,0.59±0.59,and 0.63±0.61,respectively;there was a significant decrease in the proliferation ability,and the p value was less than 0.05,indicating a statistically significant difference.After 24 h of scratch treatment,compared with the si-NC group,the migration ability of CCLP-1 cells of the si-SNHG20 group was reduced(t=6.356,P=0.026).The results of Transwell test showed that the cell invasion ability of CCLP-1 in the si-SNHG20 group was significantly reduced compared with the si-NC group(t=7.845,P=0.032).Conclusion:Exploring the gene expression mechanism in relation to the occurrence and development of cholangiocarcinoma is beneficial to future clinical work in terms of diagnosis,treatment,and prognosis.The knockdown of lncRNA SNHG7 can effectively inhibit the proliferation,migration,and invasion of cholangiocarcinoma.

Surface-functionalized design of blood-contacting biomaterials for preventing coagulation and promoting hemostasis

The anticoagulation and hemostatic properties of blood-contacting materials are opposite lines of research, but their realization mechanisms are inspired by each other. Contact between blood and implantable biomaterials is a classic problem in tribological research, as both antithrombotic and hemostatic materials are closely associated with this problem. Thrombus formation on the surfaces of blood-contacting biomedical devices can detrimentally affect their performance and patient life, so specific surface functionalization is required. Currently, intensive research has focused on the development of super-lubricated or super-hydrophobic coatings, as well as coatings that deliver antithrombotic drugs. In addition, hemostatic biomaterials with porous structures, biochemical substances, and strongly adhesive hydrogels can be used to achieve rapid and effective hemostasis via physical or biochemical mechanisms. This article reviews methods of preparing anticoagulant coatings on material surfaces and the current status of rapid hemostatic materials. It also summarizes fundamental concepts for the design and synthesis of anticoagulant and hemostatic materials by discussing thrombosis and hemostasis mechanisms in biomedical devices and normal organisms. Because there are relatively few reports reviewing the progress in surface-functionalized design for anticoagulation and hemostasis, it is anticipated that this review can provide a useful summary of the applications of both bio-adhesion and bio-lubrication techniques in the field of biomedical engineering.