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Stirring-promoted piezo-photocatalysis based on a three-dimensional foam architecture has great potential applications in wastewater treatment and water splitting. However, the detailed mechanism of stirring-promoted piezo-photocatalysis has not been quantitatively studied, and the utilization of visible light needs to be further improved. In this work, the high solar-driven piezo-photocatalytic ability of graphite carbon nitride (g-C

Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is the leading cause of cancer-induced deaths around the world, and platinum-based chemotherapy remains a standard-of-care for most patients with advanced NSCLC. DNA damage response (DDR) induced by platinum or Etoposide activated a panel of cell cycle-regulatory proteins including p21 through p53 pathway. In this present study, we found that the level of p21 or RanBPM is lower in NSCLC than non-malignant tissues and has a highly positive correlation, which is positively correlated with the survival of patients. We further revealed that RanBPM protein physically interacts with p21, RanBPM deubiquitinates p21 by recruiting a deubiquitinase USP11 to maintain protein stability of p21. Furthermore, RanBPM regulates DNA damage response (DDR) in a p21-dependent manner, and DNA damage promotes the translocation of RanBPM into the nucleus and regulates p21 protein stability through ATM-mediated pathways. We revealed a novel mechanism of p21 protein stability regulated by RanBPM, and the novel roles of RanBPM in the regulation of DDR.

Oncogenic activation of PI3K/AKT signaling pathway, together with epigenetic aberrations is the characters of castration-resistant prostate cancer(CRPC). UHRF1 as a key epigenetic regulator, plays a critical role in prostate cancer (PCa) development, and its expression is closely associated with tumor malignancy. This present study investigated the potential regulatory relationship between AKT1 and UHRF1, and further validated the in vitro and in vivo anti-PCa efficacy of AKT phosphorylation inhibitor MK2206 in combination with abiraterone. Both UHRF1 and p-AKT aberrantly overexpressed in the abiraterone-resistant PCa cells. Further studies revealed that AKT1 protein interacts UHRF1, and AKT1 directly phosphorylates UHRF1 via the site Thr 210. MK2206 induced UHRF1 protein degradation by disrupting AKT1-induced UHRF1 phosphorylation, and then reduced the interaction between UHRF1 and deubiquitinating enzyme USP7, while promoted the interaction between UHRF and E3 ubiquitin protein ligase (BTRC). MK2206 significantly promoted the sensitivity of abiraterone-refractory PCa cells and xenografts to abiraterone by downregulating the levels of UHRF1, and reversed the transdifferentiation of NEPC (SYP and NCAM1), even activated cell senescence (p21 upregulation) and cell apoptosis (cleaved-PARP). Altogether, our present study for the first time revealed a novel molecular mechanism of abiraterone resistance through PI3/AKT-UHRF1 pathway, and provided a novel therapeutic modality by targeting PI3/AKT1 to promote the drug sensitivity of abiraterone in PCa patients.

Revealing the charge transfer path is very important for studying the photocatalytic mechanism and improving photocatalytic performance. In this work, the charge transfer path turned by the piezoelectricity in Ag-BaTiO3 nanofibers is discussed through degrading methyl orange. The piezo-photocatalytic degradation rate of Ag-BaTiO3 is much higher than the photocatalysis of Ag-BaTiO3 and piezo-photocatalysis of BaTiO3, implying the coupling effect between Ag nanoparticle-induced localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR), photoexcited electron-hole pairs, and deformation-induced piezoelectric field. With the distribution density of Ag nanoparticles doubling, the LSPR field increases by one order of magnitude. Combined with charge separation driven by the piezoelectric field, more electrons in BaTiO3 nanofibers are excited by plasmon-induced resonance energy transfer to improve the photocatalytic property.

Organic compounds of actinyls and their bonding features have attracted extensive attention in nuclear waste separation due to their characteristics of separating fission products. Herein, detailed studies on the binding sites of [AnO2(COOH) n (H2O) m ]2-n (An = U, Np, Pu, and Am; n = 1-3; m = 0, 2, 4; 2n + m = 6) complexes toward Cs are predicted by calculation, and their electronic excitation characteristics were illustrated, providing theoretical supports for the design of Cs adsorbents. The quantum theory of atom in molecules and electron localization function have been implemented to analyze the chemical bonding characterization. The covalent character of An-OC bonds become weaker with increasing COOH- ligands, and the covalent interaction in An-OC bonds is more obvious than that in An-OH bonds. Total and partial population density of state suggest that the 2p orbits of O have more significant contribution in the low-energy region atoms and the 6d/5f orbits of An have more significant contribution in the high-energy region. The Cs+ best adsorption site on [UO2(COOH)2(H2O)2] and [UO2(COOH)3]- is the adjacent oxalates, and the [UO2(COOH)3]- complexes have better adsorption capacity. Besides, the electronic excitation characteristics of Cs+ adsorption on the UO2(COOH)2(H2O)2 complex were analyzed by the UV-vis spectrum and hole-electron distribution.

Herein, we report on the experimental observations and a quantitative determination of the laser-induced frequency shift (LIFS) in the photoassociation (PA) spectra of spinor Bose-Einstein condensate of sodium. Our investigations revealed a nonlinear dependence of the LIFS on the intensity of PA laser. By developing a model within the quadratic Stark effect, we simulate the experimental results via a theoretical model that confirms the former. The experimental observations and the theoretical analysis can further improve the accuracy of investigations on important molecular properties and on preparation of specific molecular states, with possible applications in various key fields.

Transcription factor PAX8 expression is upregulated in several types of cancers. However, little is known about the function of PAX8 in the progression of hepatoma and its regulatory mechanisms. Here, we show that PAX8 silencing inhibits the proliferation and clonogenicity of hepatoma cells and its growth in vivo. The HBV X protein (HBx) does not directly interacts, but stabilizes PAX8 by inhibiting proteasome-dependent ubiquitination and degradation. Furthermore, the E3 ubiquitin ligase complex component Skp2 through its LRR domain directly interacts with the Prd domain of PAX8 and targets PAX8 by recognizing its lysine 275 for ubiquitination and degradation in hepatoma cells. In addition, HBx directly interacts and is colocalized with Skp2 to inhibit its recognition and subsequent ubiquitination and degradation of PAX8 in hepatoma cells. Moreover, HBx upregulates the expression and phosphorylation of Aurora A, a serine-threonine kinase, which interacts with and phosphorylates PAX8 at S209 and T277, compromising the Skp2-recognized PAX8 ubiquitination and destabilization. Thus, HBx stabilizes PAX8 protein by inhibiting the Skp2 targeted PAX8 ubiquitination and enhancing the Aurora A-mediated its phosphorylation, contributing to the progression of hepatoma. Our findings suggest that PAX8 may a new target for design of therapies and uncover new insights into the pathogenesis of hepatoma.

Carbon neutrality is a global green energy revolution meaning that the carbon dioxide can make ends meet. However, with the mushroom of the fifth generation wireless systems (5G) and the Internet of Things (IoT), it is a great challenge for powering the ubiquitous distributed devices, because the battery production and high overhead maintenance may bring more carbon emissions. Here, we present wearable biosensors for real-time sweat analysis and body motion capture based on stretchable fiber-based triboelectric nanogenerators (F-TENG). The F-TENG is made of stretchable conductive fiber (Ecoflex coating with polyaniline (PANI)) and varnished wires. Based on the coupling effect of triboelectric effect and enzymatic reaction (surface-triboelectric coupling effect), the wearable biosensors can not only precisely sense the motion states, but also detect glucose, creatinine and lactate acid in sweat in real-time. Importantly, the wearable devices can self-drive without any external power source and the response against glucose, creatinine and lactate acid can be up to 103%, 125% and 38%, respectively. On this basis, applications in biosensing and wireless communication have been demonstrated. This work exhibits a prospective potential application of F-TENG in IoT for diverse use.

Photocatalytic/persulfate-oxidation hybrid (PPSOH) system is considered as a feasible method for antibiotic degradation owing to it contains affluent active species. Herein, the flower-shaped ZnIn2S4 (ZIS) nanosheets modified by carbon dots (CDs) to form CDs-ZIS composite was selected as a catalyst for degradation of tetracycline (TC) in PPOH system. The degradation experimental results reveal that the optimal photocatalytic performance of 1% Vis/CDs-ZIS/persulfate (PS) system was achieved with TC (50 mg/L) removal rate of 83% within 120 min, which is attributed to the successful introduction of CDs that can effectively combine photo-induced electrons of ZIS to co-activate PS for enhancing photocatalytic degradation of TC. The active species capturing experiments exhibit that with the unique electron transfer property of CDs, the synergistic effect between photocatalytic and persulfate-oxidation was realized, in which persulfate was captured by electrons and generated plentiful sulfate radicals (SO4•-) and hydroxyl radicals (•OH). This work provides a new idea and strategy for CDs-based composite photocatalysts for the combination of photocatalysis and advanced oxidation.

Exploring the different mechanisms involved in the application of actinide is necessary to obtain a more comprehensive understanding of actinide science. In this study, the mechanisms of gas-phase Np and Pu atoms dissociating NH3 molecules forming Neptunimine and Plutonimine complexes were systematically investigated using different approaches of density functional theory. A new dehydrogenation channel was discovered. The results reveal that the intermediates HAn-NH2 are the lowest energy in the overall reaction, and the direct planar evolution dehydrogenations are the lowest energy reaction path. Besides, the mechanism of the initial complexation process is discussed on the electron localization function, atoms-in-molecules, atomic dipole moment corrected Hirshfeld atomic charges, and electron density difference analysis. The results indicate that An-N in complex I exhibits a very weak covalent interaction, and it comes down to pulling the original dipole moment of the NH3 molecule and stretched between An atom and three H atoms. Graphical abstract.

Background Glioblastoma is a grade IV glioma with the highest degree of malignancy and extremely high incidence. Because of the poor therapeutic effect of surgery and radiochemotherapy, glioblastoma has a high recurrence rate and lethality, and is one of the most challenging tumors in the field of oncology. Ethyl pyruvate (EP), a stable lipophilic pyruvic acid derivative, has anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, immunomodulatory and other cellular protective effects. It has been reported that EP has potent anti-tumor effects on many types of tumors, including pancreatic cancer, prostate cancer, liver cancer, gastric cancer. However, whether EP has anti-tumor effect on glioblastoma or not is still unclear. Methods Glioblastoma U87 and U251 cells were treated with different concentrations of EP for 24 h or 48 h. CCK8 assay and Colony-Formation assay were performed to test the viability and proliferation. Wound-healing assay and Transwell assay were carried out to measure cell invasion and migration. Western blot was not only used to detect the protein expression of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT)-related molecules, but also to detect the expression and activation levels of NF-κB (p65) and Extracellular Signal Regulated Kinase (ERK). Results In glioblastoma U87 and U251 cells treated with EP, the viability, proliferation, migration, invasion abilities were inhibited in a dose-dependent manner. EP inhibited EMT and the activation of NF-κB (p65) and ERK. With NF-κB (p65) and ERK activated, EMT, migration and invasion of U87 and U251 cells were promoted. However the activation of NF-κB (p65) and ERK were decreased, EMT, migration and invasion abilities were inhibited in U87 and U251 cells treated with EP. Conclusion EP inhibits glioblastoma cells migration and invasion by blocking NF-κB and ERK-mediated EMT.

Triploid hybrid (3n = 150) of red crucian carp (♀, 2n = 100) and allotetraploid (♂, 4n = 200) display improved disease resistance and stress resistance than their parents. In order to elucidate their innate immune mechanisms, three novel cell lines from the caudal fin of red crucian carp, triploid hybrid and allotetraploid (named 2nFC, 3nFC and 4nFC accordingly) were established and characterized respectively. 2nFC, 3nFC and 4nFC showed fibroblast-like morphology and characteristics. They have been subcultured for more than 100 passages since the initial primary culture. Viral infection experiments showed that 2nFC, 3nFC and 4nFC were susceptible to spring viraemia of carp virus (SVCV) infection. Intriguingly, 3nFC performed the stronger resistance ability against SVCV than 2nFC and 4nFC, which indicated that 2nFC, 3nFC and 4nFC might be used as the suitable in vitro models for exploring and analyzing the differences among these three cyprinid fishes in antiviral innate immune mechanisms. Based on this, we analyzed the transcriptome profile of 2nFC, 3nFC and 4nFC in the context of SVCV infection. The KEGG enrichment analysis showed that the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were primarily enriched to immune-related signaling pathways. However, some signaling pathways against viral infection were activated remarkably in 2nFC and 3nFC but not in 4nFC. Overall, the establishment of 2nFC, 3nFC and 4nFC provided us a suitable platform to elucidate the innate immunity of fishes with different ploidy and clear genetic relationship.

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) X (HBx) protein is a pivotal regulator of HBV‐triggered autophagy. However, the role of HBx‐induced epigenetic changes in autophagy remains largely unknown. The cytoplasmic (Cyt) high‐mobility group box 1 (HMGB1) has been identified as a positive regulator of autophagy, and its Cyt translocation is closely associated with its acetylation status. Here, we evaluated the function of HMGB1 in HBx‐mediated autophagy and its association with histone deacetylase (HDAC). Using cell lines with enforced expression of HBx, we demonstrated that HBx upregulated the expression of HMGB1 and promoted its Cyt translocation by acetylation to facilitate autophagy. We further identified the underlying mechanism by which decreased nuclear HDAC activity and expression levels contribute to the HBx‐promoted hyperacetylation and subsequent translocation of HMGB1. We also identified the HDAC1 isoform as a critical factor in regulating this phenomenon. In addition, HBx bound to HMGB1 in the cytoplasm, which triggered autophagy in hepatocytes. Pharmacological inhibition of HMGB1 Cyt translocation with ethyl pyruvate prevented HBx‐induced autophagy. These results demonstrate a novel function of acetylated HMGB1 in HBx‐mediated autophagy in hepatocytes.

Highlights • ZnO/ZnS nanostructures with type-II heterojunction are successfully synthesized. • Heterojunction nanotube exhibits better sonophotocatalysis than nanorod. • Effect of morphology on piezoelectric is experimentally and simulatively studied. • Morphology engineering can affect sonophotocatalysis through turning piezoelectric., Sonophotocatalysis is one of the most significant outcomes of the exploration of the interaction between piezoelectric field and charge carriers, which exhibits potential applications in dye degradation, water splitting, and sterilization. Although several heterojunction catalysts have been applied to improve the sonophotocatalytic capability, the importance of the morphology on the sonophotocatalytic capability has not been emphasized. In this study, brush-like ZnO nanorod arrays are synthesized on a stainless-steel mesh and subsequently vulcanized into ZnO/ZnS core–shell nanorod arrays to investigate the sonophotocatalytic capability of the heterojunction. The sonophotocatalytic capability increases from 25.1% to 45.4% through vulcanization. Afterward, the ZnO/ZnS nanorods are etched to ZnO/ZnS nanotubes without affecting the crystallography and distribution of the ZnS nanoparticle shell, further improving the capability to 63.3%. The improvement can be ascribed to the coupling effect of the enhanced piezoelectric field and the reduced migration distance, which suppresses the recombination of photoexcited electron–hole pairs while transforming the morphology from nanorod to nanotube, as proven by the electron spin resonance test and numerical simulations. This study explores a novel approach of morphology engineering for enhancing the sonophotocatalytic capability of heterojunction nanoarrays.

Herein, we report on the experimental observations and a quantitative determination of the laser-induced frequency shift (LIFS) in the photoassociation (PA) spectra of spinor Bose-Einstein condensate of sodium. Our investigations revealed a nonlinear dependence of the LIFS on the intensity of PA laser. By developing a model within the quadratic Stark effect, we simulate the experimental results via a theoretical model that confirms the former. The experimental observations and the theoretical analysis can further improve the accuracy of investigations on important molecular properties and on preparation of specific molecular states, with possible applications in various key fields.

Background Primary liver cancer is a lethal malignancy with a high mortality worldwide. Currently, sorafenib is the most effective molecular-targeted drug against hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, the sorafenib resistance rate is high. The molecular mechanism of this resistance has not been fully elucidated. High mobility group box 1 (HMGB1) is a multifaceted protein that plays a key role in the proliferation, apoptosis, metastasis and angiogenesis of HCC cells. In addition, HMGB1 has been suggested to contribute to chemotherapy resistance in tumours, including lung cancer, osteosarcoma, neuroblastoma, leukaemia, and colorectal cancer. This study investigated the association between HMGB1 and sorafenib resistance in HCC. Methods HepG2 cells with HMGB1 knockdown or overexpression were generated. The efficacy of sorafenib in these cells was tested using flow cytometry and a cell counting assay. The subcellular localization of HMGB1 in HepG2 cells following sorafenib treatment was measured by western blotting and confocal microscopy. A murine subcutaneous HCC model was generated to examine the association between HMGB1 and the sensitivity of sorafenib treatment. Results The HMGB1 knockdown cells exhibited a significantly higher apoptotic level and lower cell viability than the normal HMGB1 expressing cells following the sorafenib treatment. In addition, the cell viability observed in the HMGB1 overexpressing cells was higher than that observed in the control cells following the sorafenib intervention. Sorafenib had a better tumour inhibition effect in the HMGB1 knockdown group in vivo. The amount of mitochondrial HMGB1 decreased, while the amount of cytosolic HMGB1 increased following the exposure to sorafenib. Altogether, HMGB1 translocated from the mitochondria to the cytoplasm outside the mitochondria following the exposure of HepG2 cells to sorafenib. Conclusions A novel potential role of HMGB1 in the regulation of sorafenib therapy resistance in HCC was observed. The knockdown of HMGB1 restores sensitivity to sorafenib and enhances HepG2 cell death, while HMGB1 overexpression blunts these effects. The translocation of HMGB1 from the mitochondria to the cytosol following sorafenib treatment provides new insight into sorafenib resistance in HCC. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s12885-017-3868-2) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Background P73 antisense RNA 1 T (non-protein coding), also known as TP73-AS1, is a long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) which is involved in cell proliferation and the development of tumors. However, the exact effects and molecular mechanisms of TP73-AS1 in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) progression are still unknown. The present study is aimed to investigate the detailed functions and the mechanism of TP73-AS1 in regulation of HCC cell proliferation. Methods TP73-AS1 expression in HCC tissues and cell lines was determined using real-time PCR assays; the correlation of TP73-AS1 expression with clinicopathological features of HCC was analyzed. The functions of TP73-AS1 in regulation of HCC cell proliferation was evaluated using MTT and BrdU assays. The candidate upstream miRNAs of HMGB1 were screened using miRcode, miRWalk, miRanda and Target scan, verified using real-time PCR assays. The interaction between TP73-AS1 and miR-200a was confirmed using Luciferase report gene assays. The proten levels of HMGB1 signaling-related factors in response to co-processing TP73-AS1 knockdown and miR-200a inhibition were determined using Western blot assays and ELISA. Further, miR-200a, HMGB1 mRNA and RAGE mRNA and their correlations in HCC tissues were determined. Results TP73-AS1 was upregulated in HCC tissues and cell lines. High TP73-AS1 expression was correlated with worse clinicopathological features, poorer prognosis and shorter survival. Knockdown of TP73-AS1 inhibited the HCC proliferation and the expression levels of HMGB1, RAGE and NF-κB in HCC cells. By using online tools, we screened out several candidate upstream miRNAs of HMGB1, among which miR-200a overexpression inhibited HMGB1 mRNA expression the most significantly. By using luciferase assays, we confirmed that miR-200a could directly bind to TP73-AS1 and the 3’UTR of HMGB1; TP73-AS1 competed with HMGB1 for miR-200a binding. MiR-200a inhibition could up-regulate HMGB1, RAGE, NF-κB expression as well as NF-κB regulated cytokines levels, which could be partially restored by si-TP73-AS1. In HCC tissues, miR-200a was down-regulated while HMGB1 and RAGE were up-regulated; TP73-AS1 was inversely correlated with miR-200a, while positively correlated with HMGB1 and RAGE, respectively. Conclusion Our data indicated that TP73-AS1 might be an oncogenic lncRNA that promoted proliferation of HCC and could be regarded as a therapeutic target in human HCC. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s13046-017-0519-z) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Liver cancer is a lethal malignancy with high mortality. Approximately 0.56 million new cases of liver cancer are reported annually. The adverse effects of currently available inefficient chemotherapy remarkably obstruct the treatment of liver cancer. This study was undertaken to investigate the anticancer effects of a natural coumarin, Psoralidin, in vitro and in vivo.The liver HepG2 cancer cell line was used in this study. The MTT cell viability assay was used for the determination of the proliferation rate. Flow cytometry was used for cell cycle analysis. DAPI was used for detection of apoptosis and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) analysis was performed for the demonstration of autophagy. Protein expression was estimated by western blot analysis.Psoralidin decreased the viability of the liver cancer HepG2 cells and exhibited an IC50 of 9 µM. Also, Psoralidin exerted very low toxic effects on the normal AML12 hepatocytes exhibiting an IC50 of 100 µM. Flow cytometry showed that Psoralidin triggered G2/M cell cycle arrest of the HepG2 cancer cells. DAPI staining revealed that Psoralidin triggered apoptotic cell death of HepG2 cells which was accompanied with activation of caspases 3 and 9, upregulation of Bax and downregulation of Bcl-2. Additionally, Psoralidin prompted autophagy in the HepG2 cells as revealed by TEM. The Psoralidin-induced autophagy led to upregulation of LC3 II and Beclin-1 expression. Investigation of the in vivo anticancer potential of Psoralidin revealed that this molecule could suppress the growth of xenografted tumors in vivo.Psoralidin may prove essential in the development of systemic therapy for liver cancer.

Hepatitis B virus-encoded X protein (HBx) acts as a tumor promoter during hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) development, probably by regulating the expression of host proteins through protein–protein interaction. A proteomics approach was used to identify HBx-interacting proteins involved in HBx-induced hepatocarcinogenesis. We validated the proteomics findings by co-immunoprecipitation and confocal microscopy. We performed cell proliferation, migration assays and cell cycle analyses in HCC cells. Finally, we confirmed the clinical significance of our findings in samples from patients. We found that cortactin (CTTN) is a novel HBx-interacting protein, and HBx regulates the expression of CTTN in the HCC cell lines MHCC-LM3 and HepG2. Mechanistically, by upregulating the expression of cAMP response element-binding protein (CREB1) and its downstream targets, such as cyclin D1 and MMP-9, the effects of the HBx-CTTN interaction on the enhancement of cellular proliferation and migration were maintained by inhibiting cell cycle arrest. In addition, we demonstrated that the levels of CTTN and CREB1 were closely correlated in clinical samples from HBV-infected patients with HCC. Overall, our data suggests that HBx contributes to cell migration and proliferation of HCC cells by interacting with CTTN and regulating the expression of CTTN and CREB1. Therefore, the HBx/CTTN/CREB1 axis is a potential novel therapeutic target in HCC.

Direct Z-scheme heterojunction of ZnO/MoS2 nanoarray on Ni foam has been realized by flowing induced piezoelectric field for enhanced sunlight photocatalytic performances. The porous structure of Ni substrate can effectively induce applied deformation on nanorod arrays and generate built-in piezoelectric field by water flowing. Under sunlight irradiation for 50 min, the photocatalytic degradation efficiency of methyl orange is 50.6 %, and the degradation efficiency rapidly increases to 92.7 % under stirring-sunlight irradiation. The degradation rate increases with increasing stirring speed along an S-shaped relationship. In addition, the heterojunction photocatalyst also performs good repeatability in aqueous solution and even in alkaline solution. The role and amount of active radicals are investigated by radical scavenger experiments and electron spin resonance technique, indicating that only the amount of ∙ O H radicals can be significantly increased by flowing induced piezoelectric field. This interesting phenomenon can be attributed to that piezoelectric field converts Ⅱ-type heterojunction into Z-scheme configuration.

Fe/Fe 3 O 4 /carbon nanocomposites are synthesized by a facile two-step solvothermal method. Some (Fe 3 O 4 , Fe) nanoparticles are embedded in carbon nanosheets, and some other (Fe 3 O 4 , Fe) nanoparticles form core-shell structure (Fe 3 O 4 /C, Fe/C) on the surface of carbon nanosheets. As anode of lithium-ion battery, the nanocomposites exhibit ultrafast/stable cycling performance. Their charging time can be shortened to merely ~4 min with reversible capacity of 330 mAh/g and maintains 108 mAh/g after 3500 cycles. At 0.2 C rate, the reversible capacity is up to 690 mAh/g and it increases to 755 mAh/g after 100 cycles. The present results demonstrate a right way to produce metal-oxide/carbon nanocomposites in mass production for realizing ultrafast-charging lithium-ion battery.

The microfiber-optic interferential sensor based on polyaniline (PANI) sensing layer is efficiently performed in pH detection. The refractive index changes of PANI film can be translated into a significant wavelength shift in the interferometric fringe. We demonstrate the feasibility of PANI attached to the fiber surface in studying the interface polymerization method. The sensing performances of an improved sensitivity in acid solution with − 0.54 n m / p H and alkaline solution with 0.28 nm/pH are systematically investigated. By taking advantage of its miniature size and mechanical flexibility, the microfiber interferential sensor might make a promising platform for pH measurement.

The increasing morbidity of internal diseases poses serious threats to human health and quality of life. Exhaled breath analysis is a noninvasive and convenient diagnostic method to improve the cure rate of patients. In this study, a self-powered breath analyzer based on polyaniline/polyvinylidene fluoride (PANI/PVDF) piezo-gas-sensing arrays has been developed for potential detection of several internal diseases. The device works by converting exhaled breath energy into piezoelectric gas-sensing signals without any external power sources. The five sensing units in the device have different sensitivities to various gas markers with concentrations ranging from 0 to 600 ppm. The working principle can be attributed to the coupling of the in-pipe gas-flow-induced piezoelectric effect of PVDF and gas-sensing properties of PANI electrodes. In addition, the device demonstrates its use as an ethanol analyzer to roughly mimic fatty liver diagnosis. This new approach can be applied to fabricating new exhaled breath analyzers and promoting the development of self-powered systems. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1007/s40820-018-0228-y) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Deoxypodophyllotoxin (DPT), a naturally occurring flavolignan, has a broad range of biological effects, including anti-inflammatory, anti-viral and anticancer properties. The present study investigated the anti-proliferative effect of DPT on human cholangiocarcinoma QBC939 and RBE cell lines and its underlying mechanisms of inducing cytotoxicity. MTT assays demonstrated that DPT inhibited the viability of the QBC939 and RBE cells in a dose and time-dependent manner. In addition, DPT treatment resulted in G2/M phase cell cycle arrest associated with the downregulation of Cyclin B and cyclin dependent kinase 1 and caused an increase in apoptosis that was confirmed by characteristic morphological changes. Apoptosis was accompanied by increasing B-cell lymphoma-2 (Bcl-2)/Bcl-2 associated X protein ratios and activated expression of caspase-3, −8 and −9. These findings suggested that DPT may be a novel anticancer agent against human cholangiocarcinoma.

High sensitivity and fast response piezo-humidity sensing have been realized from Ga-doped ZnO nanowire (NW) nanogenerator (NG) as self-powered/active gas sensor. The piezoelectric output generated by Ga-doped ZnO NW NG can not only act as a power source for driving the device, but also as a sensing signal for detecting humidity. Upon exposure to 80% relative humidity (RH) at room temperature, the piezoelectric output of Ga-doped ZnO NWs decreases from 0.56 V (in 45% RH) to 0.12 V, and the sensitivity is up to 358, higher than that of undoped ZnO NWs. In addition, the response time of Ga-doped ZnO NWs is 5 s, much shorter than that of undoped ZnO NWs. Such high performance can be ascribed to that Ga 3+ ions can provide many donor defects and produce high local charge density/strong electrostatic field. The present results demonstrate a feasible approach for realizing high performance self-powered/active humidity sensor.

A high sensitive and repeatable self-powered humidity sensor has been realized from Co-doped ZnO nanowires (NWs). The piezoelectric output of the device acts not only as a power source, but also as a response signal to the relative humidity (RH) in the environment. When the relative humidity is 70% RH at room temperature, the piezoelectric output voltage of the humidity sensor under compressive force decreases from 1.004 (at 20% RH) to 0.181 V. The sensitivity of self-powered humidity sensing based on Co-doped ZnO nanoarrays is much higher than that of undoped ZnO nanoarrays. The device exhibits good repeatability for humidity detection, and the response maintains ∼90% after one month. Such a high performance can be attributed to the piezo-surface coupling effect of the nanocomposites and more active sites introduced by the Co dopants. Our study can stimulate a research trend on exploring composite materials for piezo-gas sensing.

// Jia Li 1, 4 , Jiang He 2, 3 , Yongming Fu 1 , Xingwang Hu 1 , Lun-Quan Sun 2, 3 , Yan Huang 1 and Xuegong Fan 1 1 Department of Infectious Diseases, Hunan Key Laboratory of Viral Hepatitis, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410008, China 2 Center for Molecular Medicine, Center for Molecular Medicine, Xiangya Hospital, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Central South University, Changsha 410078, China 3 Key Laboratory of Molecular Radiation Oncology, Changsha 410008, China 4 Department of Emergency, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410008, China Correspondence to: Xuegong Fan, email: xgfan57@126.com Yan Huang, email: drhyan@163.com Keywords: HBV; HBx; hepatocellular carcinoma; ER stress; apoptosis Received: March 15, 2017 Accepted: August 26, 2017 Published: October 06, 2017 ABSTRACT Chronic Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is a major risk of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) worldwide. Hepatitis B virus X protein (HBx) is encoded by one of the four open reading frames of HBV, and is well known as an important coactivator for HBV replication and HBV-associated hepatocellular carcinogenesis. However, its role in keeping cells from apoptosis to promote HCC proliferation remains controversial. Here, we used HBx expressing HCC cells as a model, to investigate the mechanism of HBx-mediated cellular response to endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress. We found that HBx protein was localized in ER lumen and interacted with GRP78 directly. This interaction resulted in suppression of eIF2α phosphorylation, inhibited expression of ATF4/CHOP/Bcl-2, and reduced cleavage of poly ADP-ribose polymerase (PARP) and level of γH2AX, thus preventing HCC cells from cell death and negatively regulating DNA repair. This study reveals a novel mechanism of the HBx-mediated oncogenesis and provides a basis for potential HBx-targeted therapeutic intervention of HCC.

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AIM To identify the miRNA-mRNA regulatory network in hepatitis B virus X (HBx)-expressing hepatic cells. METHODS A stable HBx-expressing human liver cell line L02 was established. The mRNA and miRNA expression profiles of L02/HBx and L02/pcDNA liver cells were identified by RNA-sequencing analysis. Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway enrichment analysis was performed to investigate the function of candidate biomarkers, and the relationship between miRNA and mRNA was studied by network analysis. RESULTS Compared with L02/pcDNA cells, 742 unregulated genes and 501 downregulated genes were determined as differentially expressed in L02/HBx cells. Gene ontology analysis suggested that the differentially expressed genes were relevant to different biological processes. Concurrently, 22 differential miRNAs were also determined in L02/HBx cells. Furthermore, integrated analysis of miRNA and mRNA expression profiles identified a core miRNA-mRNA regulatory network that is correlated with the carcinogenic role of HBx. CONCLUSION Collectively, the miRNA-mRNA network-based analysis could be useful to elucidate the potential role of HBx in liver cell malignant transformation and shed light on the underlying molecular mechanism and novel therapy targets for hepatocellular carcinoma.

Using pure Nb and Nb5Si3 metal powder as raw material, Nb/Nb5Si3 alloys with three different proportions (90:10, 70:30 and 50:50) were fabricated by spark plasma sintering (SPS). The microstructures, relative densities, and room-temperature mechanical properties of the three SPS Nb/Nb5Si3 alloys were investigated. It is revealed that the synthesized alloys are composed of two phases of Nb and Nb5Si3. The volume fraction of Nb and Nb5Si3 in the synthesized alloys is in line with the original ratio, indicating that the volume fraction ratio of Nb to Nb5Si3 is able to be precisely controlled. The SPS Nb/Nb5Si3 alloys are nearly fully dense and their relative densities are above 99.66%. With an increasing volume fraction of Nb5Si3, the room-temperature hardness of the bulk SPS alloys increased, meanwhile, the fracture toughness decreased with a little amplitude. The SPS alloy with a Nb/Nb5Si3 volume fraction ratio of 50:50 has the highest hardness of Hv879.6, and that with a Nb/Nb5Si3 volume fraction ratio of 90:10 has the highest fracture toughness of 6.9MPa m1/2.