Plasmonic CsPbBr_(3)–Au nanocomposite for excitation wavelength dependent photocatalytic CO_(2) reduction

The optoelectronic performance of CsPbBr_3 nanocrystal(NC) has been dramatically limited by the severe charge carrier recombination and its narrow light absorption range,which are anticipated to be resolved via coupling with plasmonic Au nanoparticle(NP).In view of this,CsPbBr_3-Au nanocomposite is fabricated and further employed as a concept model to study the electronic interaction between perovskite NC and Au NP for the first time.It has been found that the excitation-wavelength dependent carrier transfer behavior exists in CsPbBr_3-Au nanocomposite.Upon illumination with visible light(λ>420 nm),photo-generated electrons in CsPbBr_3 can inject into Au with an electron injection rate and efficiency of 2.84×10~9 s^(-1) and 78%,respectively.The boosted charge separation is further translated into a 3.2-fold enhancement in CO_2 photocatalytic reduction activity compared with pristine CsPbBr_3.On the other hand,when solely exciting Au NP with longer wavelength light(λ>580 nm),the localized surface plasmon resonance(LSPR) induced hot electrons in Au NPs can transfer to CsPbBr_3 NC and further participate in photocatalytic reaction towards CO_2 reduction.The present study provides new insights into preparing plasmonic nanostructure to enhance the performance of perovskite based optoelectronic devices.

Enhanced segmentation of gastrointestinal polyps from capsule endoscopy images with artifacts using ensemble learning

BACKGROUND Endoscopy artifacts are widespread in real capsule endoscopy(CE)images but not in high-quality standard datasets.AIM To improve the segmentation performance of polyps from CE images with artifacts based on ensemble learning.METHODS We collected 277 polyp images with CE artifacts from 5760 h of videos from 480 patients at Guangzhou First People’s Hospital from January 2016 to December 2019.Two public high-quality standard external datasets were retrieved and used for the comparison experiments.For each dataset,we randomly segmented the data into training,validation,and testing sets for model training,selection,and testing.We compared the performance of the base models and the ensemble model in segmenting polyps from images with artifacts.RESULTS The performance of the semantic segmentation model was affected by artifacts in the sample images,which also affected the results of polyp detection by CE using a single model.The evaluation based on real datasets with artifacts and standard datasets showed that the ensemble model of all state-of-the-art models performed better than the best corresponding base learner on the real dataset with artifacts.Compared with the corresponding optimal base learners,the intersection over union(IoU)and dice of the ensemble learning model increased to different degrees,ranging from 0.08%to 7.01%and 0.61%to 4.93%,respectively.Moreover,in the standard datasets without artifacts,most of the ensemble models were slightly better than the base learner,as demonstrated by the IoU and dice increases ranging from-0.28%to 1.20%and-0.61%to 0.76%,respectively.CONCLUSION Ensemble learning can improve the segmentation accuracy of polyps from CE images with artifacts.Our results demonstrated an improvement in the detection rate of polyps with interference from artifacts.

Effects of parecoxib + dexmedetomidine on systemic inflammation and oxidative stress during anesthesia recovery period of thoracoscopic surgery

Objective: To study the effects of parecoxib + dexmedetomidine on systemic inflammation and oxidative stress during anesthesia recovery period of thoracoscopic surgery. Methods:The lung cancer patients undergoing thoracoscopic surgery in Kailuan General Hospital between March 2015 and February 2018 were selected as the research subjects and randomly divided into the experimental group who received parecoxib + dexmedetomidine preemptive analgesia combined with conventional anesthesia and the control group who received conventional anesthesia. 3 and 5 d after surgery, serum was collected to measure the contents of inflammatory cytokines interferon-γ (IFN-γ), interleukin-1β (IL-1β), interleukin-18 (IL-18), intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM1) and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP1) as well as oxidative stress mediators cortisol (COR), malondialdehyde (MDA), endothelin-1 (ET-1), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC), and peripheral anticoagulant blood was collected to measure the expressions of inflammatory signaling molecules Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4), NOD-like receptor protein 3 (NLRP3), nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB), apoptosis-associated speck-like protein containing CARD (ASC) and cysteinyl aspartate specific proteinase-1 (caspase-1) as well as oxidative stress molecules nuclear factor E2-related factor 2 (NRF2), antioxidant response element (ARE), NADPH oxidase (NOX) 2 and NOX4. Results: 3 and 5 d after surgery, serum IFN-γ, IL-1β, IL-18, ICAM1, MCP1, COR, MDA and ET-1 contents as well as peripheral blood TLR4, NLRP3, NF-κB, ASC, Caspase-1, NRF2, ARE, NOX2 and NOX4 expression intensity of the experimental group were significantly lower than those of the control group whereas serum SOD and T-AOC contents were higher than those of the control group. Conclusion: Parecoxib+ dexmedetomidine can inhibit the systemic inflammation and oxidative stress during anesthesia recovery period of thoracoscopic surgery.

The role of central nervous system on hypoglycemia and the feasibility of the brain theory in traditional Chinese medicine on treatment of diabetes mellitus

The central nervous system （CNS） plays a key regulatory role in glucose homeostasis. In particular, the brain is important in initiating and coordinating protective counterregulatory responses when blood glucose levels fall. This may due to the metabolic dependency of the CNS on glucose, and protection of food supply to the brain. In healthy subjects, blood glucose is normally maintained within a relatively narrow range. Hypoglycemia in diabetic patients can increase the risk of complications, such as heart disease and diabetic peripheral neuropathy. The clinical research finds that the use of traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） has a positive effect on the treatment of hypoglycemia. Here the authors reviewed the current understanding of sensing and counterregulatory responses to hypoglycemia, and discuss combining traditional Chinese and Western medicine and the theory of iatrogenic hypoglycemia in diabetes treatment. Furthermore, the authors clarify the feasibility of treating hypoglycemia on the basis of TCM theory and CNS and have an insight on its clinical practice.

ZNF582 hypermethylation promotes metastasis of nasopharyngeal carcinoma by regulating the transcription of adhesion molecules Nectin-3 and NRXN3

Background:Epigenetic regulation plays an important role in the development and progression of nasopharyngeal carcinoma(NPC).However,the epigenetic mechanisms underlying NPC metastasis remains poorly understood.We aimed to find functional genes which regulate the metastasis of NPC and identify therapeutic targets for NPC treatment.Methods:Bisulfite pyrosequencing was used to analyze zinc finger protein 582(ZNF582)methylation in NPC tissues and cell lines.Quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction(qRT-PCR)and Western blotting were used to determine the expression of ZNF582.In vitro and in vivo experiments were performed to evaluate the biological function of ZNF582 in NPC.ZNF582-targeting genes were identified by chromatin immunoprecipitation sequencing(ChIP-seq)and were confirmed by ChIP-qPCR and luciferase assay.Results:ZNF582 promoter was hypermethylated in NPC,and both the mRNA and protein levels of ZNF582 were down-regulated in NPC tissues and cell lines.The restoration of ZNF582 inhibited NPC migration,invasion,and metastasis,while the knockdown of ZNF582 promoted NPC migration,invasion,and metastasis in vitro and in vivo.ZNF582 directly regulated the transcription and expression of adhesion molecules Nectin-3 and NRXN3.Both Nectin-3 and NRXN3 were identified as functional targets of ZNF582,and the restoration or abrogation of these genes reversed the tumor suppressor effect of ZNF582 in NPC metastasis.Conclusions:ZNF582 acts as a tumor suppressor gene in NPC by regulating the transcription and expression of adhesion molecules Nectin-3 and NRXN3,which may provide novel therapeutic targets for NPC treatment.

Correction to: ZNF582 hypermethylation promotes metastasis of nasopharyngeal carcinoma by regulating the transcription of adhesion molecules Nectin-3 and NRXN3

Following publication of this article[1],the authors noticed that the mismatched images were inadvertently included in Figure 5(migration assays of SUNE1-shNRXN3-#2 group in Figure 5I)and Figure 6(invasion assays of SUNE1-ZNF582+Nectin3 group in Figure 6A).This error has now been corrected online.