Ellingtonbengtson4634

Chalcogenide glasses (ChGs) are emerging as critical infrared (IR)-enabled materials in advanced IR optical systems by the wealth of their transparency in the key wide infrared (IR) transmission window. However, fabrication of ChG-based integrated micro-optical components in an efficient and economical way remains a huge challenge. In this paper, a 3D close-packed hexagonal microlens array (MLA) possessing over 6000 convex hexagonal micro-lenslets with the size of tens of micrometers within a footprint of 10 mm × 10 mm on a Ge20Sb15Se65 ChG surface was successfully fabricated via a precise thermal-mechanical molding process. The master mold of ChG MLA was firstly fabricated by a femtosecond laser-assisted chemical etching process and then transferred on to the surface of the ChG via a precision thermo-mechanical molding process, which resulted in a convex MLA. The morphology, imaging and focusing performances of the as-prepared ChG MLA were investigated and demonstrated the advancement of the method. Meanwhile, the IR transmittance and x-ray diffraction image of the ChG MLAs were measured to verify the structural and compositional stability of the ChG under the given molding conditions. The combined results proved a new route to mass production of miniaturized gapless ChG MLAs for advanced infrared micro-optics.Bulk metallic glasses (BMGs) are promising for multifunctional and structural application in different industries. However, the limited size of BMGs hinders their further application. The welding of BMGs has shown the possibility of getting rid of the casting size limitation. The heat-affected zone (HAZ) and fusion zone (FZ) often undergo severe crystallization during the welding process. It is still unclear whether the crystallization occurs during the heating process or the cooling process. To figure out the crystallization mechanisms of Zr-based BMGs during the electron beam welding process, the Zr-based BMGs with the composition of Zr41.2Ti13.8Cu12.5Ni10Be22.5 were remelted by electron beam. The microstructures of the HAZ and the remelting zone (RZ) were analyzed. The thermal field of the electron beam welding was obtained by the finite element method (FEM). The critical conditions for crystallization during the heating and cooling processes were obtained by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and the Kissinger equation. The results show that the Zr41.2Ti13.8Cu12.5Ni10Be22.5 in the HAZ undergoes severe crystallization, while the Zr41.2Ti13.8Cu12.5Ni10Be22.5 in RZ keeps amorphous state after the remelting process. The low cooling rate in the HAZ is responsible for its crystallization.Adherent-invasive Escherichia coli (AIEC), which abnormally colonize the ileal mucosa of Crohn's disease (CD) patients, are able to invade intestinal epithelial cells (IECs) and translocate through M cells overlying Peyer's patches. The levels of microRNA (miRNA) and gene expression in IECs and M cells upon AIEC infection have not been investigated. Here, we used human intestinal epithelial Caco-2 monolayers and an in vitro M-cell model of AIEC translocation to analyze comprehensive miRNA and gene profiling under basal condition and upon infection with the reference AIEC LF82 strain. Our results showed that AIEC LF82 translocated through M cells but not Caco-2 monolayers. Both differential gene expression and miRNA profile in M cells compared to Caco-2 cells were obtained. In addition, AIEC infection induces changes in gene and miRNA profiles in both Caco-2 and M cells. In silico analysis showed that certain genes dysregulated upon AIEC infection were potential targets of AIEC-dysregulated miRNAs, suggesting a miRNA-mediated regulation of gene expression during AIEC infection in Caco-2, as well as M cells. This study facilitates the discovery of M cell-specific and AIEC response-specific gene-miRNA signature and enhances the molecular understanding of M cell biology under basal condition and in response to infection with CD-associated AIEC.Marbling is characterized by the amount and distribution of intramuscular fat (IMF). The AKIRIN2, TTN, EDG1, and MYBPC1 genes are well-known marbling-related genes, which were first identified in Japanese Black beef cattle. Selleckchem Ruboxistaurin The objectives of this study were to analyze the correlation of the expression levels of these genes in the longissimus muscle (LM) with IMF content, and the associations between the single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in these genes and IMF content in Chinese Qinchuan cattle (n = 350). The association analyses showed that the g.42041062G>T SNP in the EDG1 gene was significantly associated with IMF content in Qinchuan (p T SNP in the EDG1 gene might be useful as a molecular marker for IMF content in Qinchuan.The initiation and progression of breast cancer (BRCA) is associated with inflammation and immune-overactivation, which is critically modulated by the E3 ubiquitin ligase. However, the underlying mechanisms and key factors involved in BRCA formation and disease advancement remains under-explored. By retrospective studies of BRCA patient tissues; and gene knockdown and gain/loss-of-function studies, we uncovered a novel E3 ligase, FBXL8, in BRCA. A signature expression profile of F-box factors that specifically target and degrade proteins involved in cell death/survival, was identified. FBXL8 emerged as a prominent member of the F-box factors. Ex vivo analysis of 1349 matched BRCA tissues indicated that FBXL8 promotes cell survival and tumorigenesis, and its level escalates with BRCA progression. Knockdown of FBXL8 caused (i) intrinsic apoptosis, (ii) inhibition of cell migration and invasion, (iii) accumulation of two tumor-suppressors, CCND2 and IRF5, and (iv) downregulation of cancer-promoting cytokines/chemokines; all of which curtailed the tumor microenvironment and displayed potential to suppress cancer progression. Co-IP study suggests that two tumor-suppressors, CCND2 and IRF5 are part of the immune-complex of FBXL8. The protein levels of CCND2 and IRF5 inversely correlated with FBXL8 expression, implying that FBXL8 E3 ligase was associated with the degradation of CCND2 and IRF5. Altogether, we propose the exploitation of the ubiquitin signaling axis of FBXL8-CCND2-IRF5 for anti-cancer strategies and potential therapeutics.