Three-dimensional Architecture Research Articles

Fabrication of 3D engineered intestinal tissue producing abundant mucus by air-liquid interface culture using paper-based dual-layer scaffold.

Fabrication of engineered intestinal tissues with the structures and functions as humans is crucial and promising as the tools for developing drugs and functional foods. The aim of this study is to fabricate an engineered intestinal tissue from Caco-2 cells by air-liquid interface culture using a paper-based dual-layer scaffold and analyze its structure and functions. Just by simply placing on a folded paper soaked in the medium, the electrospun gelatin microfiber mesh as the upper cell adhesion layer of the dual-layer scaffold was exposed to the air, while the lower paper layer worked to preserve and supply the cell culture medium to achieve stable culture over several weeks. Unlike the flat tissue produced using the conventional commercial cultureware Transwell, the engineered intestinal tissue fabricated in this study formed three-dimensional villous architectures. Microvilli and tight junction structures characteristic of epithelial tissue were also formed at the apical side. Furthermore, compared to the tissue prepared by Transwell, mucus production was significantly larger and the enzymatic activities of drug metabolism and digestion were almost equivalent. In conclusion, the air-liquid interface culture using the paper-based dual-layer scaffold developed in this study was simple but effective in fabricating the engineered intestinal tissue with superior structures and functions.

In-situ activation of three-dimensional porous NiFe alloy: Synergistic NiFe hydroxide/alloy as composite active sites for efficiently catalyzing alkaline water splitting

The strategic engineering of bifunctional catalysts for both hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) and oxygen evolution reaction (OER) in alkaline media is critical for water-splitting technologies. This study presented a catalyst consisting of in situ grown nickel iron (NiFe) hydroxide/porous alloy composite catalytic sites on a nickel foam (NF) substrate. Initially, a porous NiFe alloy was electrodeposited onto NF, employing hydrogen (H2) bubbles as dynamic templates to induce a three-dimensional (3D) architecture. Subsequently, ultrathin layers of NiFe hydroxide nanosheets were synthesized in situ via electrochemical activation. The distinctive porous structure, coupled with the in-situ activated nanosheets, augmented the exposure of active sites, optimized electrolyte interaction, and expedited the expulsion of gaseous byproducts, collectively enhancing the kinetics of water electrolysis. The resultant a-Ni2Fe/NF demonstrated superior OER/HER activities, achieving overpotentials of merely 240mV for OER and 183mV for HER at a current density of 100mAcm-2 in alkaline solution. Moreover, a voltage of just 1.53V was requisite to attain a current density of 10mAcm-2 for overall water splitting. Operando Raman spectroscopy revealed the formation of NiOOH and FeOOH active phases during HER, indicating the hydroxide’s role in adsorbing hydroxyl groups and shielding NiFe alloy’s H⁎ adsorption sites from oxidation. The presence of the more reactive β-NiOOH phase was discerned during OER process, acting as an intermediate. This straightforward yet efficacious strategy heralded a new paradigm in the design of NiFe-based bifunctional catalysts, significantly bolstering the efficiency of water electrolysis catalysis.

Antibiofilm Mechanisms of the Helical G3 Peptide against Staphylococcus epidermidis.

Antibacterial peptides (ABPs) have been recognized as promising alternatives to conventional antibiotics due to their broad antibacterial spectrum, high antibacterial activity, and low possibility of inducing bacterial resistance. However, their antibiofilm mechanisms have not yet reached a consensus. In this study, we investigated the antibiofilm activity of a short helical peptide G3 against Staphylococcus epidermidis, one of the most important strains of medical device contamination. Studies show that G3 inhibits S. epidermidis biofilm formation in a variety of ways. In the initial adhesion stage, G3 changes the properties of bacterial surfaces, such as charges, hydrophobicity, and permeability, by rapidly binding to them, thus interfering with their initial adhesion. In the mature stage, G3 prefers to target extracellular polysaccharides, leading to the death of outside bacteria and the disruption of the three-dimensional (3D) architecture of the bacterial biofilm. Such efficient antibiofilm activity of G3 endows it with great potential in the treatment of infections induced by the S. epidermidis biofilm.

Full-color fiber light-emitting diodes based on perovskite quantum wires.

Fiber light-emitting diodes (Fi-LEDs), which can be used for wearable lighting and display devices, are one of the key components for fiber/textile electronics. However, there exist a number of impediments to overcome on device fabrication with fiber-like substrates, as well as on device encapsulations. Here, we uniformly grew all-inorganic perovskite quantum wire arrays by filling high-density alumina nanopores on the surface of Al fibers with a dip-coating process. With a two-step evaporation method to coat a surrounding transporting layer and semitransparent electrode, we successfully fabricated full-color Fi-LEDs with emission peaks at 625 nanometers (red), 512 nanometers (green), and 490 nanometers (sky-blue), respectively. Intriguingly, additional polydimethylsiloxane packaging helps instill the mechanical bendability, stretchability, and waterproof feature of Fi-LEDs. The plasticity of Al fiber also allows the one-dimensional architecture Fi-LED to be shaped and constructed for two-dimensional or even three-dimensional architectures, opening up a new vista for advanced lighting with unconventional formfactors.

Engineering hierarchical heterostructure material based on multiwalled carbon nanotubes/SnO2 nanorod-flowers for high-efficient ammonia detection

The rational manufacturing of multi-component materials with rich heterostructure is emerging as a possible strategy to develop improved carbon nanotube-based gas sensors. Herein, hierarchical heterostructure of multiwalled carbon nanotubes/SnO2 nanorod-flowers (HMCNS) was synthesized by a facile water-bathing combined hydrothermal approach for highly sensitive ammonia detection. Exploration in the microstructure reveals that hierarchical flowers-like SnO2 consisted of nanorods demonstrates a hollow geometry for wrapping multiwalled carbon nanotubes, featuring a unique three-dimensional (3D) hierarchical architecture. Gas sensor based on SnO2@4.5%CNTs hierarchical heterostructure exhibits highly enhanced ammonia-sensing performances, including ultra-high response of 1650 toward 20 ppm ammonia, good selectivity, 250 ppb level detection, and superior long-term stability. The improvement in ammonia sensing capability could be attributed to the peculiar hierarchical architecture and the creation of Mott-Schottky heterostructure which has been strongly validated by electrochemical research. This work will provide a concise and effective avenue to construct hierarchical composite with Mott-Schottky heterostructure for high-performance ammonia gas sensor.

Modification of Living Diatom, Thalassiosira weissflogii, with a Calcium Precursor through a Calcium Uptake Mechanism: A Next Generation Biomaterial for Advanced Delivery Systems.

The diatom's frustule, characterized by its rugged and porous exterior, exhibits a remarkable biomimetic morphology attributable to its highly ordered pores, extensive surface area, and unique architecture. Despite these advantages, the toxicity and nonbiodegradable nature of silica-based organisms pose a significant challenge when attempting to utilize these organisms as nanotopographically functionalized microparticles in the realm of biomedicine. In this study, we addressed this limitation by modulating the chemical composition of diatom microparticles by modulating the active silica metabolic uptake mechanism while maintaining their intricate three-dimensional architecture through calcium incorporation into living diatoms. Here, the diatom Thalassiosira weissflogii was chemically modified to replace its silica composition with a biodegradable calcium template, while simultaneously preserving the unique three-dimensional (3D) frustule structure with hierarchical patterns of pores and nanoscale architectural features, which was evident by the deposition of calcium as calcium carbonate. Calcium hydroxide is incorporated into the exoskeleton through the active mechanism of calcium uptake via a carbon-concentrating mechanism, without altering the microstructure. Our findings suggest that calcium-modified diatoms hold potential as a nature-inspired delivery system for immunotherapy through antibody-specific binding.

The molecular interaction of six single-stranded DNA aptamers to cardiac troponin I revealed by docking and molecular dynamics simulation.

Cardiac troponin I (cTnI) is a cardiac biomarker for diagnosing ischemic heart disease and acute myocardial infarction. Current biochemical assays use antibodies (Abs) due to their high specificity and sensitivity. However, there are some limitations, such as the high-cost production of Abs due to complex instruments, reagents, and steps; the variability of Abs quality from batch to batch; the low stability at high temperatures; and the difficulty of chemical modification. Aptamer overcomes the limitations of antibodies, such as relatively lower cost, high reproducibility, high stability, and ease of being chemically modified. Aptamers are three-dimensional architectures of single-stranded RNA or DNA that bind to targets such as proteins. Six aptamers (Tro1-Tro6) with higher binding affinity than an antibody have been identified, but the molecular interaction has not been studied. In this study, six DNA aptamers were modeled and docked to cTnI protein. Molecular docking revealed that the interaction between all aptamer and cTnI happened in the similar cTnI region. The interaction between aptamer and cTnI involved hydrophobic interaction, hydrogen bonds, π-cation interactions, π-stack interactions, and salt-bridge formation. The calculated binding energy of all complexes was negative, which means that the complex formation was thermodynamically favorable. The electrostatic energy term was the main driving force of the interaction between all aptamer and cTnI. This study could be used to predict the behavior of further modified aptamer to improve aptamer performance.

Ultrastrong magnon-magnon coupling and chiral spin-texture control in a dipolar 3D multilayered artificial spin-vortex ice

Strongly-interacting nanomagnetic arrays are ideal systems for exploring reconfigurable magnonics. They provide huge microstate spaces and integrated solutions for storage and neuromorphic computing alongside GHz functionality. These systems may be broadly assessed by their range of reliably accessible states and the strength of magnon coupling phenomena and nonlinearities. Increasingly, nanomagnetic systems are expanding into three-dimensional architectures. This has enhanced the range of available magnetic microstates and functional behaviours, but engineering control over 3D states and dynamics remains challenging. Here, we introduce a 3D magnonic metamaterial composed from multilayered artificial spin ice nanoarrays. Comprising two magnetic layers separated by a non-magnetic spacer, each nanoisland may assume four macrospin or vortex states per magnetic layer. This creates a system with a rich 16N microstate space and intense static and dynamic dipolar magnetic coupling. The system exhibits a broad range of emergent phenomena driven by the strong inter-layer dipolar interaction, including ultrastrong magnon-magnon coupling with normalised coupling rates of Δfν=0.57\\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$$\\frac{\\Delta f}{\ u }=0.57$$\\end{document}, GHz mode shifts in zero applied field and chirality-control of magnetic vortex microstates with corresponding magnonic spectra.

GAGE-seq concurrently profiles multiscale 3D genome organization and gene expression in single cells.

The organization of mammalian genomes features a complex, multiscale three-dimensional (3D) architecture, whose functional significance remains elusive because of limited single-cell technologies that can concurrently profile genome organization and transcriptional activities. Here, we introduce genome architecture and gene expression by sequencing (GAGE-seq), a scalable, robust single-cell co-assay measuring 3D genome structure and transcriptome simultaneously within the same cell. Applied to mouse brain cortex and human bone marrow CD34+ cells, GAGE-seq characterized the intricate relationships between 3D genome and gene expression, showing that multiscale 3D genome features inform cell-type-specific gene expression and link regulatory elements to target genes. Integration with spatial transcriptomic data revealed in situ 3D genome variations in mouse cortex. Observations in human hematopoiesis unveiled discordant changes between 3D genome organization and gene expression, underscoring a complex, temporal interplay at the single-cell level. GAGE-seq provides a powerful, cost-effective approach for exploring genome structure and gene expression relationships at the single-cell level across diverse biological contexts.

Ag-Incorporated Cr-Doped BaTiO3 Aerogel toward Enhanced Photocatalytic Degradation of Methyl Orange.

A novel Cr-doped BaTiO3 aerogel was successfully synthesized using a co-gelation technique that involves two metallic alkoxides and a supercritical drying method. This freshly prepared aerogel has a high specific surface area of over 100 m2/g and exhibits improved responsiveness to the simulated sunlight spectrum. Methyl orange (MO) was chosen as the simulated pollutant, and the results reveal that the Cr-doped BaTiO3 aerogel, when modified with the noble metal silver (Ag), achieves a pollutant removal rate approximately 3.2 times higher than that of the commercially available P25, reaching up to 92% within 60 min. The excellent photocatalytic performance of the Ag-modified Cr-doped BaTiO3 aerogel can be primarily attributed to its extensive specific surface area and three-dimensional porous architecture. Furthermore, the incorporation of Ag nanoparticles effectively suppresses the recombination of photo-generated electrons and holes. Stability and reusability tests have confirmed the reliability of the Ag-modified Cr-doped BaTiO3 aerogel. Therefore, this material emerges as a highly promising candidate for the treatment of textile wastewater.

Comprehensive Review on Bimetallic (Ni and Co)-Chalcogenides and Phosphides with Three-Dimensional Architecture for Hybrid Supercapacitor Application

Comprehensive Review on Bimetallic (Ni and Co)-Chalcogenides and Phosphides with Three-Dimensional Architecture for Hybrid Supercapacitor Application

Variations in flavin redox states during extracellular electron transfer and electron conduction in Shewanella oneidensis

Flavin is one of the most prevalent redox molecules utilized by electroactive bacteria. Electroactive bacteria form a three-dimensional architecture with multiple cell assemblages on electrodes in bioelectrochemical systems. This provokes the importance of unveiling the redox chemistry of flavins during electron transfer not only at the bacteria/electrode interface but also inside cell assemblages. However, it has been difficult to directly compare the redox species contributing to each electron transfer reaction. In this study, to simultaneously detect the flavin redox species at the electrode surface and those in cell assemblages, we conducted bipotentiometric cyclic voltammetry on a colony of Shewanella oneidensis MR-1. The bipotentiometric data showed that flavin mononucleotide proceeds the redox cycle at − 0.43 V (vs. standard hydrogen electrode) in the MR-1 colony assignable to the semiquinone/hydroquinone redox cycle, which was supported by experiments with semiquinone scavenger and gene deletion mutants. Notably, the peak at − 0.43 V was not detected at the electrode surface, indicating that the flavin redox cycles and redox potentials involved in the electron transfer inside MR-1 assemblages differ from those at the MR-1/electrode interface. The measurement system presented herein offers a platform to clarify the redox reactions in cell assemblages as well as at the bacteria/electrode interface.

Synthesis, structure and photoluminescence properties of heterometallic-based coordination polymers of trimesic acid.

Reacting trimesic acid (H3TMA, C9H6O6) with CaCl2 and MCl2 at 110 °C under hydrothermal conditions gave the isostructural heterobimetallic coordination polymers (CPs) catena-poly[[tetraaquazinc(II)]-μ-5-carboxybenzene-1,3-dicarboxylato-[tetraaquacalcium(II)]-μ-5-carboxybenzene-1,3-dicarboxylato], [CaZn(HTMA)2(H2O)8]n, 1, and catena-poly[[tetraaquacobalt(II)]-μ-5-carboxybenzene-1,3-dicarboxylato-[tetraaquacalcium(II)]-μ-5-carboxybenzene-1,3-dicarboxylato], [CaCo(HTMA)2(H2O)8]n, 2. Compounds 1 and 2 crystallize in the monoclinic space group C2/c. The solid-state structures consist of eight-coordinate CaII ions and six-coordinate MII ions. These ions are connected by a doubly deprotonated HTMA2- ligand to create a one-dimensional (1D) zigzag chain. Poly[[decaaquabis(μ3-benzene-1,3,5-tricarboxylato)calcium(II)dizinc(II)] dihydrate], {[CaZn2(TMA)2(H2O)10]·2H2O}n, 3, was found incidentally as a minor by-product during the synthesis of 1 at a temperature of 140 °C. It forms crystals in the orthorhombic space group Ccce. The structure of 3 consists of a two-dimensional (2D) layer composed of [Zn(TMA)] chains that are interconnected by CaII ions. The presence of aromatic carboxylic acid ligands and water molecules, which can form numerous hydrogen bonds and π-π interactions, increases the stability of the three-dimensional (3D) supramolecular architecture of these CPs. Compounds 1 and 2 exhibit thermal stability up to 420 °C, as indicated by the thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) curves. The powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD) data reveal the formation of unidentified phases in methanol and dimethyl sulfoxide, while 1 exhibits chemical stability in a wide range of solvents. The luminescence properties of 1 dispersed in various low molecular weight organic solvents was also examined. The results demonstrate excellent selectivity, sensitivity and recyclability for detecting acetone molecules in aqueous media. Additionally, a possible sensing mechanism is also outlined.

Three-dimensional architecture of ESCRT-III flat spirals on the membrane

The endosomal sorting complexes required for transport (ESCRTs) are responsible for membrane remodeling in many cellular processes, such as multivesicular body biogenesis, viral budding, and cytokinetic abscission. ESCRT-III, the most abundant ESCRT subunit, assembles into flat spirals as the primed state, essential to initiate membrane invagination. However, the three-dimensional architecture of ESCRT-III flat spirals remained vague for decades due to highly curved filaments with a small diameter and a single preferred orientation on the membrane. Here, we unveiled that yeast Snf7, a component of ESCRT-III, forms flat spirals on the lipid monolayers using cryogenic electron microscopy. We developed a geometry-constrained Euler angle-assigned reconstruction strategy and obtained moderate-resolution structures of Snf7 flat spirals with varying curvatures. Our analyses showed that Snf7 subunits recline on the membrane with N-terminal motifs α0 as anchors, adopt an open state with fused α2/3 helices, and bend α2/3 gradually from the outer to inner parts of flat spirals. In all, we provide the orientation and conformations of ESCRT-III flat spirals on the membrane and unveil the underlying assembly mechanism, which will serve as the initial step in understanding how ESCRTs drive membrane abscission.

Crystal structure of bis{2-[5-(3,4,5-trimethoxyphenyl)-4H-1,2,4-triazol-3-yl]pyridine}palladium(II) bis(trifluoroacetate) trifluoroacetic acid disolvate

The new palladium(II) complex, [Pd(C16H16N4O3)2](CF3COO)2·2CF3COOH, crystallizes in the triclinic space group P\overline{1} with the asymmetric unit containing half the cation (PdII site symmetry Ci ), one trifluoroactetate anion and one co-crystallized trifluoroacetic acid molecule. Two neutral chelating 2-[5-(3,4,5-trimethoxyphenyl)-4H-1,2,4-triazol-3-yl]pyridine ligands coordinate to the PdII ion through the triazole-N and pyridine-N atoms in a distorted trans-PdN4 square-planar configuration [Pd—N 1.991 (2), 2.037 (2) Å; cis N—Pd—N 79.65 (8), 100.35 (8)°]. The complex cation is quite planar, except for the methoxo groups (δ = 0.117 Å for one of the C atoms). The planar configuration is supported by two intramolecular C—H...N hydrogen bonds. In the crystal, the π–π-stacked cations are arranged in sheets parallel to the ab plane that are flanked on both sides by the trifluoroacetic acid–trifluoroacetate anion pairs. Apart from classical N/O—H...O hydrogen-bonding interactions, weak C—H...F/N/O contacts consolidate the three-dimensional architecture. Both trifluoroacetic moieties were found to be disordered over two resolvable positions with a refined occupancy ratio of 0.587 (1):0.413 (17) and 0.530 (6):0.470 (6) for the protonated and deprotonated forms, respectively.

Exploring the dynamic three-dimensional chromatin architecture and transcriptional landscape in goose liver tissues underlying metabolic adaptations induced by a high-fat diet

BackgroundGoose, descendants of migratory ancestors, have undergone extensive selective breeding, resulting in their remarkable ability to accumulate fat in the liver and exhibit a high tolerance for significant energy intake. As a result, goose offers an excellent model for studying obesity, metabolic disorders, and liver diseases in mammals. Although the impact of the three-dimensional arrangement of chromatin within the cell nucleus on gene expression and transcriptional regulation is widely acknowledged, the precise functions of chromatin architecture reorganization during fat deposition in goose liver tissues still need to be fully comprehended.ResultsIn this study, geese exhibited more pronounced changes in the liver index and triglyceride (TG) content following the consumption of the high-fat diet (HFD) than mice without significant signs of inflammation. Additionally, we performed comprehensive analyses on 10 goose liver tissues (5 HFD, 5 normal), including generating high-resolution maps of chromatin architecture, conducting whole-genome gene expression profiling, and identifying H3K27ac peaks in the livers of geese and mice subjected to the HFD. Our results unveiled a multiscale restructuring of chromatin architecture, encompassing Compartment A/B, topologically associated domains, and interactions between promoters and enhancers. The dynamism of the three-dimensional genome architecture, prompted by the HFD, assumed a pivotal role in the transcriptional regulation of crucial genes. Furthermore, we identified genes that regulate chromatin conformation changes, contributing to the metabolic adaptation process of lipid deposition and hepatic fat changes in geese in response to excessive energy intake. Moreover, we conducted a cross-species analysis comparing geese and mice exposed to the HFD, revealing unique characteristics specific to the goose liver compared to a mouse. These chromatin conformation changes help elucidate the observed characteristics of fat deposition and hepatic fat regulation in geese under conditions of excessive energy intake.ConclusionsWe examined the dynamic modifications in three-dimensional chromatin architecture and gene expression induced by an HFD in goose liver tissues. We conducted a cross-species analysis comparing that of mice. Our results contribute significant insights into the chromatin architecture of goose liver tissues, offering a novel perspective for investigating mammal liver diseases.

Three-dimensional architecture and moment arms of human rotator cuff muscles invivo: Interindividual, intermuscular, and intramuscular variations.

The human rotator cuff consists of four muscles, each with a complex, multipennate architecture. Despite the functional and clinical importance, the architecture of the human rotator cuff has yet to be clearly described in humans invivo. The purpose of this study was to investigate the intramuscular, intermuscular, and interindividual variations in architecture and moment arms of the human rotator cuff. Muscle volumes, fascicle lengths, physiological cross-sectional areas (PCSAs), pennation angles, and moment arms of all four rotator cuff muscles were measured from mDixon and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) scans of the right shoulders of 20 young adults. In accordance with the most detailed dissections available to date, we found substantial intramuscular variation in fascicle length (coefficients of variation (CVs) ranged from 26% to 40%) and pennation angles (CVs ranged from 56% to 62%) in all rotator cuff muscles. We also found substantial intermuscular and interindividual variations in muscle volumes, but relatively consistent mean fascicle lengths, pennation angles, and moment arms (CVs for all ≤17%). Moreover, when expressed as a proportion of total rotator cuff muscle volume, the volumes of individual rotator cuff muscles were highly consistent between individuals and sexes (CVs ≤16%), suggesting that rotator cuff muscle volumes scale uniformly, at least in a younger population without musculoskeletal problems. Together, these data indicate limited interindividual and intermuscular variability in architecture, which may simplify scaling routines for musculoskeletal models. However, the substantial intramuscular variation in architecture questions the validity of previously reported mean architectural parameters to adequately describe rotator cuff function.

Freestanding 3D graphite foam prepared by compressed growth template for superior electro-photo thermal performance

As a promising three-dimensional (3D) graphene architecture, graphene foam has excellent structural, electrical and thermal properties. However, due to the growth template limitation of commercial nickel/copper foam, graphene foam prepared by chemical vapor deposition (CVD) has a fixed 3D framework architecture, which limits its performance and application scenarios. In this paper, independent 3D graphite foam (GF) with different thickness and longitudinal compressibility was prepared by CVD method, and it was confirmed that mechanical compression of nickel foam template before graphite film deposition had a positive effect on the electrothermal, photothermal and mechanical properties of GF. At a low driving voltage of 3 V, the heating temperature of compressed GF with a low density of 8.9 mg/cm3 and a high porosity of 99.59 % can reach nearly 600 °C, which is nearly 250 °C higher than that of uncompressed GF. The excellent electrothermal performance of compressed GF is mainly attributed to the high crystallinity and thicker thickness (150–350 nm) of the graphite layers that make up the 3D framework, thus resulting in higher electrical conductivity. Under 1 and 2 sun illumination, the temperature of compressed GF can reach 83 °C and 109 °C respectively, which is 4–7 °C higher than that of the original GF. Compressed GF has better electrothermal, photothermal and radiant heating properties than traditional graphene/graphite foam and 2D graphene/graphite film. It not only has great application potential in high-efficient and energy-saving high-temperature electric heaters and photothermal converters, but also can be used as conductive supports or fillers with better performance, and has broad application prospects in flexible electronics, household appliances, artificial intelligence, medical care and other fields.

Three-dimensional chromatin landscapes in somatotroph tumour.

The three-dimensional (3D) genome architecture plays a critical role inregulating gene expression. However, the specific alterations in thisarchitecture within somatotroph tumors and their implications for gene expression remain largely unexplored. We employed Hi-C and RNA-seq analyses to compare the 3D genomic structures of somatotroph tumors with normal pituitary tissue. This comprehensive approachenabled the characterization of A/B compartments, topologically associateddomains (TADs), and chromatin loops, integrating these with gene expression patterns. We observed a decrease in both the frequency of chromosomal interactions andthe size of TADs in tumor tissue compared to normal tissue. Conversely, the number of TADs and chromatin loops was found to be increased in tumors. Integrated analysis of Hi-C and RNA-seq data demonstrated that changes inhigher-order chromat in structure were associated with alterations in gene expression. Specifically, genes in A compartments showed higher density and increased expression relative to those in B compartments. Moreover, the weakand enhanced insulation boundaries were identified, and the associated genes were enriched in the Wnt/β-Catenin signaling pathway. We identified the gainedand lost loops in tumor and integrated these differences with transcriptional changes to examine the functional relevance of the identified loops. Notably, we observed an enhanced insulation boundary and a greater number of loops in the TCF7L2 gene region within tumors, which was accompanied by an upregulation of TCF7L2 expression. Subsequently, TCF7L2 expression was confirmed through qRT-PCR, and upregulated TCF7L2 prompted cell proliferation and growth hormone (GH) secretion in vitro. Our results provide comprehensive 3D chromatin architecture maps of somatotroph tumors and offer a valuable resource for furthering the understanding of the underlying biology and mechanisms of gene expression regulation.

Formation of SiO2 thin films through plasma- enhanced chemical vapor deposition using SiH4/Ar/N2O

SiO2 films and their formation technologies are critical for the fabrication of Si-based integrated circuits (ICs). SiO2 films fabricated using plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) have become increasingly important because of the increasing trend of three-dimensional (3D) architectures in ICs. SiO2 films formed by PECVD have been widely studied for over 40 years; however, owing to the complex plasma reactions and the differences in system conditions, the relationship between the experimental parameters and film characteristics are disputed. In this study, focusing on the two important characteristics (surface morphology and deposition rate) of SiO2 films for 3 D ICs manufacturing, SiO2 film growth was systematically investigated via SiH4/Ar/N2O in PECVD; a theoretical reaction process model (including gas-phase reaction, chemical adsorption, and surface reaction) bridging the experimental parameters (chamber pressure, gas ratio, radio frequency power, and substrate temperature) and characteristics (surface morphology and deposition rate) of SiO2 films was established. This study contributes to the precise formation of sub-100 nanometer SiO2 films using PECVD for manufacturing 3 D ICs.