The gene expression profile seems to be the molecular basis of the diverse immune phenotype of SLE. On the basis of the SLE-related genes found in this study, we suggest that the interferon-related immune pathway is important in the pathogenesis of SLE. IFIT1 is the first gene described as a candidate gene for SLE, and may function by activating Rho proteins through interaction with Rho/Rac guanine nucleotide exchange factor. IFIT1 and the interferon-related pathway may provide potential targets for novel interventions in the treatment of SLE.

The aims of this study are to investigate the cytokine, chemokine and adhesion molecule profiles in cerebrospinal fluid from patients with neuropsychiatric systemic lupus erythematosus and systemic lupus erythematosus with central nervous system infection. Experimental sets were established which included 108 patients and 132 cerebrospinal fluid samples. The patients were grouped as neuropsychiatric systemic lupus erythematosus (n = 54), systemic lupus erythematosus with central nervous system infection (n = 16), systemic lupus erythematosus controls (n=20), and non-inflammatory neurological disease (n=18). The dynamic changes of 21 patients in the neuropsychiatric systemic lupus erythematosus group before and after induction therapy were further analyzed. IL-1 beta, IL-4, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, IL-12, IL-17, TNFalpha, IFN gamma, IP-10, MCP-1, RANTES, VCAM-1, and P-selectin were measured in cerebrospinal fluid samples by using a fluorescent bead-based assay. Cerebrospinal fluid levels of IL-8, MCP-1, P-selectin and VCAM-1 were significantly increased in neuropsychiatric systemic lupus erythematosus compared with systemic lupus erythematosus controls. IL-6, IL-17, IL-8 and VCAM-1 were higher in systemic lupus erythematosus with central nervous system infection than in systemic lupus erythematosus controls. Among systemic lupus erythematosus with central nervous system infection, the IL-6, IL-17, IL-8 and IP-10 levels were higher than those in neuropsychiatric systemic lupus erythematosus. After sufficient induction therapy, IL-8, MCP-1, P-selectin, VCAM-1 and IL-6 in patients with neuropsychiatric systemic lupus erythematosus decreased significantly. Levels of all molecules tested in non-inflammatory central nervous system disease were not different from those of systemic lupus erythematosus controls. From our data, the intrathecal cytokine/chemokine profile is different among patients with neuropsychiatric systemic lupus erythematosus, systemic lupus erythematosus complicated with central nervous system infection and systemic lupus erythematosus controls. IL-8, MCP-1, VCAM-1, P-selectin and IL-6 in cerebrospinal fluid are effective parameters to monitor neuropsychiatric systemic lupus erythematosus disease activity and response to treatment. Significantly elevated IL-17, IL-6, and to a lesser extent, IL-8, favors central nervous system infection in systemic lupus erythematosus.

New methods for achieving high‐quality conducting oxide metasurfaces are of great importance for a range of emerging applications from infrared thermal control coatings to epsilon‐near‐zero nonlinear optics. This work demonstrates the viability of plasma patterning as a technique to selectively and locally modulate the carrier density in planar Al‐doped ZnO (AZO) metasurfaces without any associated topographical surface profile. This technique stands in strong contrast to conventional physical patterning which results in nonplanar textured surfaces. The approach can open up a new route to form novel photonic devices with planar metasurfaces, for example, antireflective coatings and multi‐layer devices. To demonstrate the performance of the carrier‐modulated AZO metasurfaces, two types of devices are realized using the demonstrated plasma patterning. A metasurface optical solar reflector is shown to produce infrared emissivity equivalent to a conventional etched design. Second, a multiband metasurface is achieved by integrating a Au visible‐range metasurface on top of the planar AZO infrared metasurface. Independent control of spectral bands without significant cross‐talk between infrared and visible functionalities is achieved. Local carrier tuning of conducting oxide films offers a conceptually new approach for oxide‐based photonics and nanoelectronics and opens up new routes for integrated planar metasurfaces in optical technology.

We investigate local doping concentration modulation of graphene flakes on a SiO 2 /Si substrate that has been exposed to the same chemicals in device fabrication using tip-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (TERS). By spectral line scanning across the edge of graphene, it is observed that the D peak enhancement is localized in the vicinity of the edge boundary, and the TERS spatial resolution of ~228 nm is obtained. In the TERS spectra significant peak shifts of both the G and 2D peaks are observed more than 7 cm -1 across the hump on graphene within the distance of 1 μm, while both G and 2D peaks are shifted less than 2 cm -1 in the far-field spectra. This indicates that the modulation of hole doping concentration in close proximity on graphene/SiO 2 /Si can be *Corresponding author. Tel: +81 761-51-1573. E-mail: t.iwasaki@jaist.ac.jp (Takuya Iwasaki) probed by using TERS surpassing the resolution of a laser diffraction limit of conventional micro Raman spectroscopy.