Description: The HIV-1 BED incidence assay was adopted in China in 2005 for HIV-1 incidence surveillance. A proficiency testing (PT) program was established in 2006 to provide quality assurance services. The BED PT program consisted of two components, an international program provided by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention from 2006 and a domestic program started by the National HIV/HCV Reference Laboratory in 2011. Each PT panel consisted of eight coded specimens distributed to participating laboratories semi-annually, and testing results were collected and analyzed. The number of participating laboratories increased progressively from 2006 to 2012. The Chinese HIV-1 incidence laboratory network performed satisfactorily both in international and domestic PT programs. We also demonstrated that the BED assay was highly reproducible among participating laboratories. Our success and lessons learned can be readily replicated in other countries or regions contemplating the establishment of a PT program for assay-based HIV incidence estimation. Scientific Reports 4 doi: 10.1038/srep04512

Description: We report on ordered nanoporous films exhibiting a unique magneto-plasmon based response, fabricated by nanosphere-assisted physical deposition. This work focuses on multi-layer Ag/CoFeB/Ag films as examples of such structures. Their microstructure dependent magnetic properties, localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) and magneto-optical Kerr effect were investigated. The observed effects of nanopores and Ag layers on the magnetic properties indicate the synergistic interaction between nanopores and Ag layers leading to an enhancement of the ferromagnetic character of the CoFeB film. LSPR spectra reveal that the introduction of Ag layers enhances the light transmission in the nanoporous CoFeB films (having pore sizes exceeding the wavelength of light) due to an enhanced interaction of light with surface plasmons. Periodic nanoporous Ag/CoFeB/Ag films covered by Ag capped nanospheres show a much larger extinction than uncovered nanoporous Ag/CoFeB/Ag films. The correlation between the magneto-optical Kerr effect and the nanostructures suggests a field-tunable Kerr effect owing to the magneto-electric coupling between the magnetic layer and the Ag layers, which is enhanced by the nanopores. These hybrid nanostructures are expected to offer potential applications in photovoltaic cells and for magneto-optic sensors. Scientific Reports 4 doi: 10.1038/srep04991

Description: The control of metabolite production is difficult in mixed culture fermentation. This is particularly related to hydrogen inhibition. In this work, hydrogenotrophic methanogens were selectively enriched to reduce the hydrogen partial pressure and to realize efficient acetate production in extreme-thermophilic (70°C) mixed culture fermentation. The continuous stirred tank reactor (CSTR) was stable operated during 100 days, in which acetate accounted for more than 90% of metabolites in liquid solutions. The yields of acetate, methane and biomass in CSTR were 1.5 ± 0.06, 1.0 ± 0.13 and 0.4 ± 0.05 mol/mol glucose, respectively, close to the theoretical expected values. The CSTR effluent was stable and no further conversion occurred when incubated for 14 days in a batch reactor. In fed-batch experiments, acetate could be produced up to 34.4 g/L, significantly higher than observed in common hydrogen producing fermentations. Acetate also accounted for more than 90% of soluble products formed in these fed-batch fermentations. The microbial community analysis revealed hydrogenotrophic methanogens (mainly Methanothermobacter thermautotrophicus and Methanobacterium thermoaggregans) as 98% of Archaea, confirming that high temperature will select hydrogenotrophic methanogens over aceticlastic methanogens effectively. This work demonstrated a potential application to effectively produce acetate as a value chemical and methane as an energy gas together via mixed culture fermentation. Scientific Reports 4 doi: 10.1038/srep05268

Description: Colloidal Nanocrystals (NCs) with fluorescence originating from surface complexes are successfully prepared. The components of these NCs range from insulator, semiconductor to metal, with either pure phase, doped or core/shell structures. The photoluminescence of these NCs can be reversibly tuned across the visible to infrared spectrum, and even allow multi-color emission. A light emitting device is fabricated and a new in vivo cell imaging method is performed to demonstrate the power of this technology for emerging applications. Scientific Reports 4 doi: 10.1038/srep05480

Description: Venous malformations (VMs) are among the most common slow-flow vascular malformations characterized by irregular venous channels, luminal thrombi, and phleboliths. To systematically manifest the disorganized vascular structures in sporadic VMs, we initially evaluated histopathological characteristics, perivascular cell coverage, adhesion molecules expression and vascular ultrastructures. Then, the expression of Tie2 and TGF-β in VMs was detected. Meanwhile, the in vitro studies were performed for mechanism investigation. Our data showed that the perivascular α-SMA+ cell coverage and expression of adhesion molecules in VMs were significantly decreased compared with those in the normal skin tissues. We also found that the expression and phosphorylation levels of Tie2 were upregulated, whereas TGF-β was downregulated in VMs, and they were negatively correlated. Moreover, the in vitro results also revealed a possible balancing effect between Tie2 and TGF-β, as demonstrated by the findings that Ang-1 (agonist of Tie2) treatment significantly downregulated TGF-β expression, and treatment with recombinant TGF-β could also suppress Tie2 expression and phosphorylation. This study provided strong evidence supporting the disorganized vascular structures and dysregulation of related molecules in sporadic VMs, and demonstrated a possible balancing effect between Tie2 and TGF-β, which might help to develop novel therapeutics for vascular disorganization-related disorders. Scientific Reports 4 doi: 10.1038/srep05457

Description: Involvement of galanin and galanin receptor 1 in nociceptive modulation in the central nucleus of amygdala in normal and neuropathic rats Involvement of galanin and galanin receptor 1 in nociceptive modulation in the central nucleus of amygdala in normal and neuropathic rats, Published online: 10 November 2017; doi:10.1038/s41598-017-13944-6

Description: Assessing the regional carbon sink with its forming processes- a case study of Liaoning province, China Assessing the regional carbon sink with its forming processes- a case study of Liaoning province, China, Published online: 11 October 2018; doi:10.1038/s41598-018-33401-2 Assessing the regional carbon sink with its forming processes- a case study of Liaoning province, China

Description: This study demonstrates both prokaryotic and eukaryotic community structures and dominant taxonomies in different positions of the greatest estuary reservoir for drinking water source in the world in four seasons of one year using 454 pyrosequencing method with total of 312,949 16S rRNA and 374,752 18S rRNA gene fragments, including 1,652 bacteria OTUs and 1,182 fungus OTUs. During winter and spring, the community composition at the phylum level showed that microorganisms had similar structures but their quantities were different. Similarly, obvious changes at the genus level were observed among the samples taken in winter and spring between summer and fall. Microorganisms located the reservoir inlet were founded to be different from those in rear at both phylum and genus level. Air temperature had a stronger effect than sampling location on the microbial community structure. Total nitrogen and dissolved oxygen were algae-monitoring indicators during the whole year. Moreover, Bacillus was an efficient indicator during summer and autumn for bacteria OTUs. Scientific Reports 4 doi: 10.1038/srep06966

Description: Spatial order or periodicity is usually required and constructed with tens of nanometers in the feature size, which makes it difficult to process the near-perfect metamaterial absorbers (PMAs) working in the visible range in large-area and mass-production scale. Although many established technologies and theoretical modeling methods used for order-based metamaterials, aperiodic or disordered structures have been gradually recognized to achieve similar functionalities for which the ordered structures are overwhelmingly used. Here, we demonstrated the vapor-deposited ‘amorphous’ metamaterials as controlled-reflectance surfaces and tunable PMAs without the use of the lithographically ordered arrays, the prefabricated colloidal metal nanoparticles (MNPs) or the multilayer of nanoparticles. The flexible construction, the control of the monolayer of MNPs and the atomic-layer-deposited (ALD) dielectric spacer layer provide more insight for understanding the controlled-reflectance surfaces. Such processes have a few key advantages of CMOS-compatible simple processing, low cost and large-area plating, allowing the PMAs to be flexibly constructed in mass-production scale. Scientific Reports 4 doi: 10.1038/srep04850

Description: In this paper, we report the in situ growth of NixCu1-x (x = 0, 0.25, 0.50, 0.75 and 1.0) alloy catalysts to anchor and decorate a redox-reversible Nb1.33Ti0.67O4 ceramic substrate with the aim of tailoring the electrocatalytic activity of the composite materials through direct exsolution of metal particles from the crystal lattice of a ceramic oxide in a reducing atmosphere at high temperatures. Combined analysis using XRD, SEM, EDS, TGA, TEM and XPS confirmed the completely reversible exsolution/dissolution of the NixCu1-x alloy particles during the redox cycling treatments. TEM results revealed that the alloy particles were exsolved to anchor onto the surface of highly electronically conducting Nb1.33Ti0.67O4 in the form of heterojunctions. The electrical properties of the nanosized NixCu1-x/Nb1.33Ti0.67O4 were systematically investigated and correlated to the electrochemical performance of the composite electrodes. A strong dependence of the improved electrode activity on the alloy compositions was observed in reducing atmospheres at high temperatures. Direct electrolysis of CO2 at the NixCu1-x/Nb1.33Ti0.67O4 composite cathodes was investigated in solid-oxide electrolysers. The CO2 splitting rates were observed to be positively correlated with the Ni composition; however, the Ni0.75Cu0.25 combined the advantages of metallic nickel and copper and therefore maximised the current efficiencies. Scientific Reports 4 doi: 10.1038/srep05156