Because of its superior stretchability, graphene exhibits rich structural deformation behaviours and its strain engineering has proven useful in modifying its electronic and magnetic properties. Despite the strain-sensitivity of the Raman G and 2D modes, the optical characterization of the native strain in graphene on silica substrates has been hampered by excess charges interfering with both modes. Here we show that the effects of strain and charges can be optically separated from each other by correlation analysis of the two modes, enabling simple quantification of both. Graphene with in-plane strain randomly occurring between − 0.2% and 0.4% undergoes modest compression ( − 0.3%) and significant hole doping on thermal treatments. This study suggests that substrate-mediated mechanical strain is a ubiquitous phenomenon in two-dimensional materials. The proposed analysis will be of great use in characterizing graphene-based materials and devices.

We use native gel electrophoresis to characterize complexes that mediate RNA interference (RNAi) in Drosophila. Our data reveal three distinct complexes (R1, R2, and R3) that assemble on short interfering RNAs (siRNAs) in vitro. To form, all three complexes require Dicer-2 (Dcr-2), which directly contacts siRNAs in the ATP-independent R1 complex. R1 serves as a precursor to both the R2 and R3 complexes. R3 is a large (80S), ATP-enhanced complex that contains unwound siRNAs, cofractionates with known RNAi factors, and binds and cleaves targeted mRNAs in a cognate-siRNA-dependent manner. Our results establish an ordered biochemical pathway for RISC assembly and indicate that siRNAs must first interact with Dcr-2 to reach the R3 "holo-RISC" complex. Dcr-2 does not simply transfer siRNAs to a distinct effector complex, but rather assembles into RISC along with the siRNAs, indicating that its role extends beyond the initiation phase of RNAi.

Inappropriate activation of downstream target genes by the oncoprotein beta-catenin is implicated in development of numerous human cancers. beta-catenin and its fruitfly counterpart Armadillo act as a coactivator in the canonical Wnt/Wingless pathway by binding to Tcf/Lef transcription factors. Here we report a conserved nuclear protein, named Chibby, which was identified in a screen for proteins that directly interact with the C-terminal region of beta-catenin. In mammalian cultured cells we demonstrate that Chibby inhibits beta-catenin-mediated transcriptional activation by competing with Lef-1 to bind to beta-catenin. Inhibition of Drosophila Chibby by RNA interference results in segment polarity defects that mimick a wingless gain-of-function phenotype, and overexpression of the wingless target genes engrailed and Ultrabithorax. In addition, epistasis experiments indicate that chibby acts downstream of wingless and upstream of armadillo.

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Aim The problems of youth social withdrawal (or hikikomori) became a hot‐button social issue in Japan in the 1990s. Unfortunately, current nosology in the DSM‐IV may not adequately capture the concept of socially withdrawn youth (SWY) or hikikomori. This study aimed to investigate core SWY issues, evaluate SWY's psychopathologies, and approach them therapeutically through a home visitation program. Methods Participants were 65 youth referred by community mental health centers and psychiatric clinics around Seoul and Kyongki‐Do province. Among them, only 41 participants (31 male, 10 female, mean age 15 ± 3.6 years) fit our SWY criteria. In addition, 248 middle and high school students in Seoul were recruited as a baseline control group. Caseworkers interviewed the SWY participants and their parents in their homes, using our structured interview manual and a number of psychiatric scales. Caseworkers also approached the participants therapeutically. Results Participants' Depression Inventory, Trait Anxiety Inventory, Social Anxiety Scale, and Internet Addiction Scale scores were significantly higher than those of baseline controls. Participants' mean number of psychotherapeutic sessions was 2.8, and the mean number of parental interview sessions was 3.4. After the therapeutic sessions, Global Assessment Functioning scores and social activities had improved somewhat in 68.3% of participants. Conclusion These findings suggest that SWY is a complex phenomenon, so an individual psychopathologic process is very important for treatment. The most difficult problem in SWY treatment was therapeutic access. Hence, the home visit approach with a structured manual may be a good gateway for solving this problem.