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Electron-phonon coupling affects the properties of two-dimensional (2D) materials significantly, leading to a series of novel phenomena. Inelastic light scattering provides a powerful experimental tool to explore electron-phonon interaction in 2D materials. This review gives an overview of the basic theory and experimental advances of electron-phonon coupling in 2D materials detected by Raman and Brillouin scattering, respectively. In the Raman scattering part, we review Raman spectroscopy studies of electron-phonon coupling in graphene, transition metal disulfide compounds, van der Waals heterostructures, strongly correlated systems, and 2D magnetic materials. In the Brillouin scattering part, we extensively introduce Brillouin spectroscopy in non-van der Waals 2D structures, including temperature sensors for phonons and magnons, interfacial Dzyaloshinsky-Moriya interaction and spin torque in multilayer magnetic structures, as well as exciton-polariton in semiconductor quantum well.

Natural killer (NK) cells are an attractive cell-type for adoptive immunotherapy, but challenges in preparation of therapeutic primary NK cells restrict patient accessibility to NK cell immunotherapy. NK-92 is a well-characterized human NK cell line that has demonstrated promising anti-cancer activities in clinical trials. Unlimited proliferation of NK-92 cells provides a consistent supply of cells for the administration and development of NK cell immunotherapy. However, the clinical efficacy of NK-92 cells has not reached its full potential due to reduced immune functions as compared to primary NK cells. Improvements of NK-92 functions currently rely on conventional transgene delivery by mRNA, plasmid and viral vector with limited efficiencies. To enable precise genetic modifications, we have established a robust CRISPR genome engineering platform for NK-92 based on the nucleofection of Cas9 ribonucleoprotein. To demonstrate the versatility of the platform, we have performed cell-based screening of Cas9 guide RNA, multiplex gene knockout of activating and inhibitory receptors, knock-in of a fluorescent gene, and promoter insertion to reactivate endogenous CD16 and DNAM-1. The CRISPR-engineered NK-92 demonstrated markedly enhanced cytotoxicity and could mediate antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity against hard to kill cancer cell lines. Our genome editing platform is straightforward and robust for both functional studies and therapeutic engineering of NK-92 cells.

In recent years, the study of human health and longevity from the perspective of environmental geochemistry has opened up a new field within environmental science. Tungsten (W) and molybdenum (Mo), both belonging to the same group of elements, are essential trace elements for biological systems and play important roles in human health. However, whether the background levels of W and Mo in a region are statistically associated with human longevity remains a scientific question worthy of investigation. This study employs Origin, SPSS mathematical statistical methods, and Overly spatial analysis techniques to investigate this issue within the research area of Yunnan Province, China. (1) Dynamic correlation evolution: The correlation between ω(W) and the longevity index evolved from non-significant during the Fifth National Census to significantly weak positive correlations in the Sixth and Seventh National Censuses. In contrast, ω(Mo) consistently showed no significant correlation across the three census periods. The ratio ω(W/Mo) shifted from a weak negative correlation to a weak but significant positive correlation. (2) Spatial analysis: Regions with high ω(W) values (66 counties) demonstrated clear longevity advantages. The proportion of counties with longevity above the national average first increased and then slightly decreased over time. These high-ω(W) counties were stably clustered in four major geographical units: the Hengduan Mountains, southwestern Yunnan, southern Yunnan, and central Yunnan. By contrast, The longevity advantages in high ω(Mo) value areas (87 counties/districts) exhibited an \"inverted U-shaped\" trend, widely distributed across six major fault zones and geomorphic regions, yet sharply contracted in the most recent decade. The results suggest that changes in elemental exposure intensity, potentially driven by anthropogenic activities, may be a key factor influencing regional longevity patterns. Provides a basis for exploring the relationship between trace elements in the regional geochemical environment and human health. However, the specific processes and mechanisms underlying these patterns warrant further investigation.

The effect of external magnetic fields on the behavior of the Zhang-Rice exciton in NiPS 3 , which captures the physics of spin-orbital entanglement in 2D XY-type antiferromagnets, remains unclear. This study presents systematic study of angle-resolved and polarization-resolved magneto-optical photoluminescence spectra of NiPS 3 in the Voigt geometry. We observed highly anisotropic, non-linear Zeeman splitting and polarization rotation of the Zhang-Rice exciton, which depends on the direction and intensity of the magnetic field and can be attributed to the spin-orbital coupling and field-induced spin reorientation. Furthermore, above the critical magnetic field, we detected additional splitting of the exciton peaks, indicating the coexistence of various orientations of Néel vector. This study characterizes orbital change of Zhang-Rice exciton and field-induced spin-reorientation phase transitions in a 2D hexagonal XY-type antiferromagnet, and it further demonstrates the continuous manipulation of the spin and polarization of the Zhang-Rice exciton. NiPS3 is a van der Waals antiferromagnet with a rich optical response including an exciton of very narrow linewidth, the origin of which is still a topic of active discussion. Herein, Song, Lv and coauthors study the response of the Zhang-Rice exciton to applied magnetic fields.

The relationship between the geographic environment and human health has been a long-standing focus of scientific inquiry. Sn as an essential trace element for the human body, play vital roles in individual health and may influence longevity. However, the extent to which the statistical characteristics of population longevity are associated with elemental geochemical background values at a regional scale remains an important question. Based on the geochemical survey data of Yunnan Province and Chinese census data, the article utilizes Arcgis spatial analysis and mathematical statistics to explore the relationship between ω(Sn) and regional longevity level. The results of the study show that: (1) There is a close correlation between ω(Sn) and regional longevity levels. Within Yunnan Province, regions with high ω(Sn) have higher levels of longevity index and Ultra-octogenarian Index. (2) Spearman’s correlation coefficient shows that ω(Sn) is significantly positively (P < 0.01) correlated with both the longevity index and the Ultra-octogenarian Index; Linear regression further reveals that ω(Sn) always has a significant positive influence on the longevity index. For the Ultra-octogenarian Index, although the strength of the influence of ω(Sn) is not as significant as that of the longevity index, its influence on the healthy longevity of the population cannot be ignored. At the county scale in Yunnan Province, there is a significant positive correlation between ω(Sn) and longevity index, which may be related to the exposure of Sn in the natural environmental background into the human body and thus affecting the incidence of cancer, but the biogeochemical cycling mechanism of its association with longevity still needs to be further investigated.

The type VI secretion system (T6SS) is a nanomachine deployed by many Gram-negative bacteria as a weapon against eukaryotic hosts or prokaryotic competitors. It assembles into a bacteriophage tail-like structure that can transport effector proteins into the environment or target cells for competitive survival or pathogenesis. T6SS effectors have been identified by a variety of approaches, including knowledge/hypothesis-dependent and discovery-driven approaches. Here, we review and discuss the methods that have been used to identify T6SS effectors and the biological and biochemical functions of known effectors. On the basis of the nature and transport mechanisms of T6SS effectors, we further propose potential strategies that may be applicable to identify new T6SS effectors.

Background Our initial goal was to assess the clinical efficacy of using plasma cell-free DNA (cfDNA) to perform metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS) to detect suspected infections. Methods We retrospectively analyzed 425 patients who underwent plasma cfDNA mNGS. Of them, 84 patients had various systemic infections, 69 were ruled out of infectious diseases, and 272 had bloodstream infections. Conventional microbiological tests (CMTs) and plasma cfDNA mNGS were conducted concurrently in clinical practice. The sensitivity and specificity of the two techniques were examined based on the final diagnosis. Results The total positive rate (276/425) for the cfDNA mNGS test indicated the presence of microorganisms. The mean length of stay in the hospital for mNGS-positive patients was longer than for mNGS-negative patients ( P  = 0.0079). Compared with patients with negative mNGS tests, those with positive mNGS tests have significantly lower white blood cell counts in peripheral blood ( P  = 0.0085). Among all the disorders in our patients, bloodstream infection (272/425, 64.0%) accounted for the most significant percentage. The diagnostic sensitivity of mNGS is also higher than that of CMTs (72.8% vs. 32.9%). However, its diagnostic specificity is lower than CMT’s (75.4% vs. 85.5%). Bacteria were the most frequently identified potential pathogens by mNGS. Klebsiella pneumoniae ( n  = 46) was the most common pathogen. Candida albicans is the most common fungal infection ( n  = 18). Human cytomegalovirus ( n  = 45) is the most common viral infection. The detection rate of mNGS in empirically treated groups was significantly higher than in non-empirically treated groups(71.9% vs. 51.4%, p  < 0.0001), which is contrary to conventional microbiological tests(21.7% vs. 41.0%, p  < 0.0001). Of the 276 patients with positive mNGS results, clinical management was positively affected in 122 (44.2%) cases. Negative mNGS results led to a modified clinical management regimen in 121 patients. The average hospitalized days for the day 1–3 sampling time were significantly shorter than for the other two groups(sampling time 4–7 days and sampling time ≥ 8 days). Conclusions Our research found that mNGS has higher positive predictive values (PPVs) than CMTs. Plasma cfDNA mNGS can be used in addition to CMTs to help doctors provide effective anti-infection treatment and reduce hospital stays.

Mushroom polysaccharides have been known to possess various pharmacological activities. However, information on their chemical and biological differences between mushrooms remains limited. In this study, we aimed to examine the differences in physicochemical characteristics of polysaccharides prepared from Antrodia cinnamomea (AC-P), Coriolus versicolor (CV-P), Grifola frondosa (GF-P), Ganoderma lucidum (GL-P), and Phellinus linteus (PL-P), followed by evaluating their inhibitory effects on nitric oxide (NO) production in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated RAW264.7 macrophages. Results showed that under similar conditions of preparation, the monosaccharide composition of polysaccharides varied between different mushrooms, and glucose was the predominant monosaccharide, followed by galactose and mannose. AC-P and GF-P contained the highest amount of (1,3;1,6)-β- d -glucans. The degree of branching of (1,3;1,6)-β- d -glucans in all polysaccharides ranged from 0.21 to 0.26, with the exception of GF-P (0.38). The molecular weights of different polysaccharides showed diverse distributions; AC-P, CV-P, and GF-P contained two major macromolecular populations (< 30 and >200 kDa) and possessed triple-helix conformation, whereas GL-P (10.2 kDa) and PL-P (15.5 kDa) only had a low molecular weight population without triple-helix structure. These polysaccharides showed different inhibitory potency on NO production in LPS-stimulated RAW264.7 cells.

Bacteria produce second messengers, such as c-di-GMP, to regulate various cellular processes, including biofilm formation, virulence, and bacterial antagonism. Diguanylate cyclases (DGCs) catalyze the biosynthesis of c-di-GMP and function to cope with changing environments through targeting specific effector proteins. In this study, we uncover that phytopathogenic agrobacteria deploy two DGC domain proteins to suppress virulence and interbacterial competition through two different regulatory pathways. One exhibits the DGC activity, enhancing global c-di-GMP concentration to elevate biofilm formation and inhibit virulence and antibacterial activity, while the other specifically suppresses virulence, independent of c-di-GMP biosynthesis. Our findings provide new insight into the distinct regulatory mechanisms of DGC domain proteins on regulating virulence and interbacterial competition, highlighting potential new strategies for controlling Agrobacterium pathogenicity.

During the nano-cutting process, monocrystalline gallium arsenide is faced with various surface/subsurface deformations and damages that significantly influence the product’s performance. In this paper, molecular dynamics simulations of nano-cutting on gallium arsenide are conducted to investigate the surface and subsurface deformation mechanism. Dislocations are found in the machined subsurface. Phase transformation and amorphization are studied by means of coordination numbers. Results reveal the existence of an intermediate phase with a coordination number of five during the cutting process. Models with different cutting speeds are established to investigate the effects on the dislocation. The effect of crystal anisotropy on the dislocation type and density is studied via models with different cutting orientations. In addition, the subsurface stress is also analyzed.