We use first-principles calculations based on the density functional theory to investigate the magnetic properties, optical properties, and electronic structure of perovskite-type multiferroic EuTiO3 (ETO) thin films with biaxial strain. The calculations indicate that, in ETO films, the magnetic moment of Eu ions and the energy of the direct band gap decrease slowly (increase rapidly) with increasing compressive (tensile) strain. A direct band gap tunable from 1.0 to 1.52 eV is expected in ferroelectric and ferromagnetic ETO thin films upon application of 1%–4% tensile strain, and photogenerated carriers with spin-polarization can be induced from Eu 4f to Ti 3d states. This behavior can be confirmed by monitoring the strain-dependent optical absorption coefficient of ETO thin films and is explained by the shift of the strain-tuned electronic structure. These results suggest the potential applications of ETO thin films in multiferroic photovoltaic cells.

Deubiquitinating enzymes regulate protein activity and cell homeostasis by removing ubiquitin moieties from various substrates. Ubiquitin carboxyl-terminal hydrolase 22 (USP22) is a member of the deubiquitinating protease family and is associated with the development of several tumor types. A previous study demonstrated that USP22 is highly expressed in liver cancer, and its high expression is associated with resistance to chemotherapy. However, the role of USP22 in hepatitis B virus (HBV)-associated liver cancer has not yet been elucidated. The current study demonstrated that USP22 was highly expressed in the tissues of patients with HBV-associated liver cancer, and its high expression was associated with clinicopathological characteristics, including tumor size, clinical stage and prognosis. Further results indicated that USP22 may regulate the proliferative and apoptotic abilities of HepG2.2.15 cells. Additionally, investigation into the underlying mechanism, using small interfering RNA, revealed that the downregulation of USP22 inhibited proliferation and promoted apoptosis though the phosphoinositide 3-kinase/protein kinase B signaling pathway. Therefore, USP22 has the potential to be used as an independent predictor of patient prognosis, as well as a therapeutic target for the treatment of HBV-associated liver cancer.

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