MicroRNAs (miRNAs) play a crucial role in the pathogenesis of type 2 diabetes (T2D); they regulate several metabolic pathways including insulin secretion, glucose homeostasis, so their potential as biomarkers of diagnosis and prognosis has became increasingly appreciated. In this study, we explore serum miRNA profiles in T2D patients. A total of ten candidate miRNAs were identified by Solexa sequencing scanning and followed by a stem-loop quantitative reverse transcription PCR (qRT-PCR) to assess these candidate serum miRNAs. The results of qRT-PCR assessment revealed low serum levels of miR-23a, let-7i, miR-486, miR-96, miR-186, miR-191, miR-192, and miR-146a in T2D. Except for significantly lower in T2D and pre-diabetes patients compared with normal glucose tolerance (NGT) controls (P = 2.87E-05 and P = 3.75E-02), the levels of miR-23a demonstrated also significant decline in T2D patients compared with pre-diabetes patients (P = 1.06E-02). This marker yielded an AUC of 0.835 (95 % CI 0.717-0.954). At a cutoff value of 1.645, the sensitivity was 79.2 % and the specificity was 75.0 % in discriminating T2D patients from NGT normal controls. These results revealed that serum miR-23a was a valuable biomarker for early detection of T2D and pre-diabetes with NGT.

An electrochemical codeposition method was used to prepare a Pt/MoO x /C composite electrode which provides a surface modification with catalytic properties for methanol oxidation in acid solution. This method allows the mixing of metal and support on a microscopic level (atomic or molecular scale), i.e., to disperse the Pt microparticles into the molybdenum oxide on a carbon (C) substrate. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy of the composite electrode presented a broad peak in the Mo (3d) region revealing the existence of Mo 6+ species as well as lower valence states such as Mo 5+ and Mo 4+ . Cyclic voltammetry, potentiodynamic voltammetry, and the potentiostatic techniques were also used to characterize the electrode. The composite electrode showed a better performance for methanol oxidation in acidic media than on platinized carbon electrode. A surface redox mechanism which involves (i) the Mo(VI)/Mo(IV) couple in substoichiometric lower valence molybdenum oxides MoO x (2 < x < 3) and (ii) the proton spillover effect from hydrogen molybdenum bronze are two possible explanations for the enhanced catalytic activity of this system.

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By use of optical spectrum technology, the spectra of X-ray induced by highly charged 40 Ar q+ ions interacting with Au surface have been studied. The results show that the argon Kα X-ray were emitted from the hollow atoms formed below the surface. There is a process of multi-electron exciting in neutralization of the Ar 16+ ion, with electronic configuration 1s 2 in its ground state below the solid surface. The yield of the projectile Kα X-ray is related to its initial electronic configuration, and the yield of the target X-ray is related to the projectile kinetic energy.Keywords: highly charged ion, hollow, multi-electron excitation, X-ray.When a highly charged ion with many inner shell holes, provided by the electron cyclotron resonance (ECR) ion source, is approaching to a metallic surface, the conducting-band electrons in the metal can resonantly transfer into the high orbits of the projectile with the principal quantum number / n q W ≈ (q is the charge state of the projectile and W the work function of the metal). As the distance of the projectile to the surface is smaller than a critical value of c 2 / , R q W ≈ the potential barrier between the ion and the surface will drop below the Fermi level. In this way, the ion could be temporarily neutralized to form a hollow atom with outer shell occupied and inner shells empty. For example, when Ar 18+ impacts on the Au surface, the hollow argon atom could be formed at R c =33 a.u. with n=20, and when U 92+ impacts on the Au surface, the hollow uranium