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In this work, a novel metal-organic framework (MOF) based on 2,6-di(1H-imidazol-1-yl)naphthalene (L) and biphenyl-3,4′,5-tricarboxylic acid (H3bptc), namely [Co(L)(Hbptc)(H2O)] (1), has been prepared. 1 has a distinct infinite chain structure, further linked together by winding interactions to give the three-dimensional (3D) network structure. 1 was characterized by X-ray crystallography, infrared spectra (IR) spectroscopy, elemental and thermal analysis. Photoluminescence studies revealed that 1 shows a strong emission at 361 nm upon excitation at 290 nm at room temperature. Moreover, 1 can efficiently detect Fe3+ ions by luminescence quenching.

Redox mediators (RMs) have become a significant point in the now-established Li-O2 battery system to reduce the charging overpotential in the oxygen evolution process. Nevertheless, a major inherent barrier of the RM is the redox shuttling between the Li metal anode and mobile RM, resulting in the corrosion of Li and depletion of RM. In this study, taking iodide/triiodide as a model RM, we propose an effective strategy by immersing the Li metal anode in I2 steam to create a 1.5 μm thick surface protective layer. The resultant ionic conductive LiI layer on the Li metal anode can not only suppress Li dendrite growth but also act as a buffer layer between the RM and bare Li. By combining the iodide/triiodide RM with the LiI protective layer, the Li-O2 battery shows low and steady charge voltage plateaus of ∼3.6 V over 70 cycles. Importantly, the symmetrical cell using the LiI-protected Li electrode exhibited small Li plating/stripping overpotentials (∼20 mV, 480 h), far superior to that of the bare Li electrode (∼70 mV, 300 h). The in situ interfacial observation shows that dendrite growth on the Li metal can be effectively suppressed by optimizing the LiI protective layer.

The existence of defects in perovskite films is a major obstacle that prevents perovskite solar cells (PSCs) from high efficiency and long-term stability. A variety of additives have been introduced into perovskite films for reducing the number of defects. Lewis base-based additive engineering has been considered as an effective way to eliminate defects, especially the defects caused by the uncoordinated Pb2+. In this work, for the first time, a bilateral cyano molecule (succinonitrile, SN) which is a commonly used plasticizer in solid electrolyte of solid-state lithium batteries was selected as an additive to modify organic–inorganic hybrid perovskite films in PSCs. SN is featured with two cyano groups (–C≡N) distributing at both terminals of the carbon chain, providing two cross-linking points to interact with perovskites crystals via coordinating with uncoordinated Pb2+ and forming hydrogen bonds with –NH2 groups in perovskite. It was found that the addition of SN into perovskite precursor solution could effectively reduce defects, particularly inhibit the appearance of Pb0 and thus suppress trap-assisted nonradiative charge carrier recombination. As a result, the efficiency of CH3NH3PbI3(Cl) (MAPbI3(Cl))-based PSCs was improved from 18.4% to 20.3% with enhanced long-term stability at N2 and humid air atmosphere. This work provides a facile and effective strategy to enhance the PCE and stability of PSCs simultaneously, facilitating the commercialization of PSCs.

Searching for the highly active and low cost electrocatalysts with fast-charging capability for rechargeable zinc-air batteries are paramount in terms of their commercial-scale application. Here, we propose an innovative cation/anion-codoped nickel nitrides (FC-Ni3N) along with creating 3D architecture by integrating N-doped carbon nanotubes (NCNT), which is found to be an outstanding bifunctional oxygen electrocatalyst for Zn-air batteries with ultrafast charging rate (Potential =2.02V at 50 mA cm−2 with area capacity of 4 mAh cm−2) and long cycling life (700 cycles at 20 mA cm−2). Through varying the cation/anion moiety, the optimal FC-Ni3N/NCNT shows low overpotential of 260 mV at 10 mA cm−2 and Tafel slope of 46 mV dec−1, much outperforming the RuO2 benchmark with overpotential of 337 mV and Tafel slope of 91 mV dec−1. The extraordinary oxygen evolution reaction performance (corresponding to the charge process) stems from the simultaneous regulation of charge- and mass-transport kinetics in air electrodes. The proposed strategy and results may pave the way for promoting commercial application of rechargeable zinc-air batteries or other metal-air batteries.

Background: Endothelial microparticles (EMPs) carrying the protein disulfide isomerase (PDI) might play a key role in promoting platelet activation in diabetes. This study aimed to examine the activation of platelets, the amounts of MPs, PMPs, and EMPs, and the concentration and activity of PDI in patients with diabetic coronary heart disease (CHD) and non-diabetic CHD. Methods: Patients with CHD (n=223) were divided as non-diabetic CHD (n=121) and diabetic CHD (n=102). Platelet activation biomarkers, circulating microparticles (MPs), the concentration of protein disulfide isomerase (PDI), and MP-PDI activity were determined. The effect of EMPs on platelet activation was investigated in vitro. Allosteric GIIb/IIIa receptors that bind to PDI were detected by a proximity ligation assay (PLA). Results: Platelet activation, platelet-leukocyte aggregates, circulating MPs, EMPs, PDI, and MP-PDI activity in the diabetic CHD group were significantly higher than in the non-diabetic CHD group (P

Electrochemical water splitting is an attractive technique to produce renewable hydrogen gas. However, considerable challenges remain before the catalytic anodic oxygen evolution reaction (OER) can...

A few mode fiber temperature sensor filled with PDMS based on vernier effect is proposed. It uses single mode fiber (SMF), few mode fiber (FMF), and polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) to form the SMF-air microcavity-FMF-PDMS-FMF structure. It is to slot the glass capillary tube, place the two FMFs in the slot at a suitable distance, and fill the slot with PDMS multiple times and seal it. The PDMS is used as a sensing microcavity. We insert the SMF from the other end of the glass capillary tube, adjust the distance, fix the SMF and seal the connection. Two end faces of the SMF and the first FMF form an air reference microcavity. Since the refractive index of each medium is different, multiple reflective surfaces are formed to reflect. Because the second FMF is infinitely long, whose right end is beveled, it is considered that the sensor has four reflected beams. When the temperature changes, the length and refractive index of the PDMS microcavity will change, which will cause a change in the interference spectrum of the sensor. And because the vernier effect is formed by the superposition of the two microcavities, the temperature sensitivity can be amplified and the temperature can be measured with high sensitivity. The experimental results show that in the range of 40–56°C, the transmission spectrum of the sensor appears red shift with the increase of temperature, and the temperature sensitivity can reach 3.89nm/°C. The sensor is simple to manufacture, has high sensitivity, and has good application prospects.

Solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) directly convert chemical energy that is stored in a wide range of fuels into direct current electricity, with high efficiency and low emissions, via a series of electrochemical reactions at elevated operating temperatures (generally 400–1000 °C). During such an energy conversion process, the properties of electrolyte materials determine the working principle and operating temperature of the SOFC. When considering the cost and stability, lowering the operating temperature is critical, and this has become one of the developing trends in SOFC research. The key point for realizing a reduction in operating temperature is to maintain low ohmic resistance of the electrolyte and low polarization resistance of the electrodes. In practice, the mechanical and chemical stability of the electrolyte is also a big concern. According to their differences in ion conduction mechanisms, there are three main types of electrolyte material available, namely, oxygen ion-conducting, proton-conducting, and dual ion-conducting electrolytes. In this review, we give a comprehensive summary of the recent advances in the development of these three types of electrolyte material for intermediate-temperature SOFCs. Both conductivity and stability are emphasized. In conclusion, the current challenges and future development prospects are discussed.

Gastric cancer (GC) is one of the most common cancers around the world. We demonstrate that SPIN1 is upregulated and associated with poor prognosis in GC. SPIN1 sustains GC cell proliferation via activation of MDM2‐p21‐E2F1 signaling pathway by binding to H3K4me3 of the MDM2 promoter. E2F1 could directly bind to the SPIN1 promoter and activate its transcription, forming a positive feedback loop., Gastric cancer (GC) is one of the most common cancers around the world. Searching for specific gene expression changes during the development of GC could help identify potential therapy targets. We previously showed that the histone code reader SPIN1 may act as an oncogene in breast cancer. At present, the biological function and regulation of SPIN1 in GC remain unclear. Here, we demonstrate that SPIN1 is upregulated in GC tissues, compared with nontumorous gastric tissues. Increased expression of SPIN1 is closely associated with poor prognosis for patients with GC. Increased SPIN1 expression enhances GC cell proliferation, migration, and invasion and promotes cell cycle progression. Mechanically, SPIN1 sustains GC cell proliferation via activation of the MDM2‐p21‐E2F1 signaling pathway by binding to H3K4me3 of the MDM2 promoter region. Interestingly, E2F1 could directly bind to the SPIN1 promoter and activate its transcription, thus forming a positive feedback loop. Our data suggest that SPIN1 plays an important role in the development of GC and could be used as a promising prognostic biomarker and therapeutic target for GC.

In this study, the oxygen reduction activity of PrBaCo2O5+δ (PBC) double perovskite is remarkably enhanced by rationally tuning the calcination temperatures of the cathode precursor for solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs). Effects of the calcination temperatures on the phase structure, microstructure, surface area and oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) activity of PBC cathode is systematically investigated. The cathode with optimized calcination temperature (900 °C, PBC-900) shows excellent activity and stability for ORR at 600 °C in terms of area specific resistances (ASRs). A distinctive low ASR of 0.068 Ω cm2 is obtained at 600 °C for PBC-900, which is 92.6%, 34.6% and 15.0% lower than PBC-800, PBC-1000 and PBC-1100, respectively. After operating for 250 h in air at 600 °C, the ASR value of PBC-900 is not significantly reduced. Furthermore, a single cell with PBC-900 cathode delivers attractive peak power density of 1.60 W cm−2 at 600 °C. The present study suggests that the ORR activity of PBC cathode can be greatly boosted by rationally tailoring the calcination temperatures, which may bring new avenue for the design of highly active cathodes for SOFCs.

The solid-state Li-ion battery (SSB) is regarded as one of the most promising next-generation batteries due to its intrinsic safety and high energy density. Unfortunately, its development is plagued by the poor interface compatibility between the electrode and solid-state electrolyte. Herein, flame-retardant trimethyl phosphate (TMP) solvent along with lithium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide (LiTFSI) salt and fuoroethylene carbonate (FEC) additive is utilized as a smart wetting agent to improve the interface compatibility between the Li-metal anode and the Li1.5Al0.5Ge1.5(PO4)(3) (LAGP) solid electrolyte. By taking advantage of such wetting agent, highly stable anodic and cathodic interfaces with improved physical contact and chemical stability are realized. As a result, the solid-state Li/LAGP/Li symmetrical cell with such wetting agent exhibits superior cycling performance over 1000 h with small polarization voltages. When adding such wetting agent to the solid-state Li/LAGP/LiFePO4 battery, we achieved a favorable initial capacity of about 140 mAh g(-1) at 0.5 C and can retain 80% of its initial capacity even after 700 cycles. Additionally, the solid-state Li-air battery with such wetting agent also shows stable cycling performance over 100 h. The strategy demonstrated here will encourage more research works on developing functional and safe wetting agents for solid-state batteries.

Due to the low material cost, simple preparation process, and no pollution to the environment, dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) have become one of the important power conversion devices. The counter electrode (CE, also called cathode), an important part of DSSCs, plays a critical role in the photovoltaic performance of DSSCs. Platinum (Pt) with high electrocatalytic activity is the most commonly used CE material in DSSCs, which suffers from the problems of high price and poor stability, highlighting the importance of developing novel low-cost, active, and stable Pt-free CEs. In this work, a series of A-site deficient (La0.8Sr0.2)1–xFeO3-δ (x = 0, 0.02, 0.05, 0.1) perovskite oxides are designed to serve as CEs in DSSCs. Through investigating the influence of the A-site deficiency on the power conversion efficiency (PCE), it is found that the introduction of an appropriate deficiency in perovskite oxides is beneficial for catalytic activity of triiodide (I3–) reduction reaction (IRR) of the CE, thus improving the photovoltaic performance of DSSCs. Consequently, the (La0.8Sr0.2)0.98FeO3−δ/multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) CE-based device exhibits the highest PCE of 8.22%, while the Pt-based device only yields a PCE of 7.21%. The significantly enhanced efficiency of DSSCs is mainly attributed to the synergistic effect between the high oxygen vacancy concentration and the appropriate amount of Fe4+ as well as reduced particle size, which enhances the charge transfer capability and the I3– diffusion capability simultaneously. Furthermore, the decent IRR durability of (La0.8Sr0.2)0.98FeO3−δ/MWCNTs composites confers the corresponding DSSCs an excellent long-term stability. This work provides a facile way to design active and durable Pt-free perovskite oxide-based CEs in DSSCs, which may lay the foundation for the commercialization of DSSC technology.

Solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) based on Ni-based cermet anodes suffer from severe sulfur poisoning when operated on H2S-containing fuels (

Solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) as one of the clean electrochemical energy conversion devices have acquired increasing attention recently due to the high efficiency, low emission, and excellent fuel...

The cycling performance of lithium-sulfur (Li-S) batteries, which is a major parameter determining the practical application of such an advanced high-energy-density battery system (1675 mA h g(-1)), is strongly affected by the properties of the cathodic sulfur hosts. As a desirable sulfur host, it should possess high surface area, good electronic conductivity, and superior physisorption and chemisorption to polysulfides. Here, by taking advantage of the magnesiothermic denitriding technology, the graphitic carbon nitride (GCN) with a tunable nitrogen content, surface area, and pore volume has been designed as a sulfur host for high-performance Li-S batteries. With a nitrogen content of similar to 6%, a surface area of 594 m(2) g(-1), and a pore volume of about 2 cm(3) g(-1), the GCN-based host can retain sulfur and allow its reversible convention within cathodic region, thereby delivering a high capacity of 852.2 mA h g(-1) at 0.5 C with a low capacity decay of 0.12% per cycle within 300 cycles. This work provides a feasible way to design nitrogen-doped carbon materials with tunable nitrogen content and enlightens the host material design for practical Li-S batteries.

Perovskite-based oxides have emerged as promising oxygen evolution reaction (OER) electrocatalysts. The performance is closely related to the lattice, electronic, and defect structure of the oxides, which determine surface and bulk properties and consequent catalytic activity and durability. Further, interfacial interactions between phases in a nanocomposite may affect bulk transportation and surface adsorption properties in a similar manner to phase doping except without solubility limits. Herein, we report the development of a single/double perovskite nanohybrid with limited surface self-reconstruction capability as an OER electrocatalyst. Such superior performance arises from a structure that maintains high crystallinity post OER catalysis, in addition to forming an amorphous layer following the self-reconstruction of a single perovskite structure during the OER process. In situ X-ray absorption near edge structure spectroscopy and high-resolution synchrotron-based X-ray diffraction reveal an amorphization process in the hybrid single/double perovskite oxide system that is limited in comparison to single perovskite amorphization, ensuring high catalytic activity.

Although aprotic Li-air batteries offer an attractive option for achieving ultrahigh energy density of electrochemical energy storage devices, the now-established system has so far fallen short of its potential due to a daunting challenge related to its open configuration, which results in not only the rapid corrosion of Li metal anodes but also the gradual evaporation of organic liquid electrolytes. Here, we show that these issues can be well addressed by protecting the Li-air battery with a new O2-permeable silica-aerogel-reinforced polydimethylsiloxane external membrane (OPSP). The highly flexible OPSP basically benefiting from hydrogen-bond cross-linking can be constructed in situ on any substrate with particularly desirable properties such as being water-/electrolyte-proof, O2-permeable, high thermotolerance, and transparent, which allows stable cycling of coin-type and flexible Li-air batteries under harsh conditions, such as a highly volatile DMSO electrolyte (over 660 ​h), a humid air (O2) atmosphere (over 700 ​h) or circumstances in air (O2)-saturated liquid water (over 25 ​h). This work could potentially open a new research direction in developing O2-permeable membranes through hydrogen-bond cross-linking for the unfettered design of metal-air batteries.

A minor amount of CO2 in air usually causes a detrimental effect on oxygen activation over a solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) cathode because insulating surface carbonate is easily formed, which inhibi...

Background: Angiogenesis is a key mechanism of tumour growth. Apatinib is an oral tyrosine kinase inhibitor that selectively inhibits vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2 (VEGFR-2) and blocks downstream signalling and inhibiting tumour angiogenesis. It was approved in China to treat gastric cancer in October 2014. However, as breast cancer with a chest wall metastasis (CWM) has rich vascular distribution, whether Apatinib is also effective for breast cancer with a chest wall metastasis remains unknown. Therefore, we designed this clinical study to address this question. Method: The trial involved four centres in China from September 2016 to July 2019. It enrolled patients (pts) who were diagnosed of HER2 negative breast cancer with CWM and experienced first line or could not afford standard treatment. The patients were given Apatinib 500mg/day (single or combined with endocrine therapy if hormone receptor positive (HR+)) until progression or side effect not tolerated. Each patient had at least one measurable lesion according to Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumours (RECIST), version 1.1.This study was approved by ethics committee at the Ethics Committee of Beijing Cancer Hospital, and all participants provided written informed consent. The trial was also Register to clinicaltrial.gov ( NCT02878057). Results: 30 pts were enrolled in the study with a median age of 50 (range 35-69) years old. Among the 30 pts, there were 23 ER positive pts (76.7%). 17 pts (56.7%) had more than 2 sites of metastasis, and 5 pts had invasive metastasis (16.6%). 15 pts (50%) were multi pre-treated. The response of 19 pts (63.3%) could be evaluated, and the overall response rate was 57.9% (no CR, 11 cases reached PR, 2 in HR-, 9 in HR+). and the median PFS was 8.6 months (range 0.5-29.5; 95% CI 0.0-18.7). The tumour in chest wall shrunk obviously. Side effects also existed. 15 pts (50%) had hypertension (grade 3: 6.7%); 10 pts (33.3%) had proteinuria (grade 3: 20%); 4 pts (13.3%) had fatigue (grade 3: 3.3%); 3 pts (10%) had bilirubin increase (grade 3: 6.7%). 8 pts discontinued the treatment due to side effects and 3 due to personal reasons. The Apatinib dose was reduced from 500mg to 250mg for most pts 18/30 (60%), and some pts took 500 mg and 250 mg every other day 10/30 (33.3). Conclusion: Apatinib was effective for pts with chest wall metastasis and pts could benefit from longer PFS. However, the side effects should be pay more attention from start on apatinib treatment. Citation Format: Huiping Li, Cuizhi Geng, Guohong Song, Hanfang Jiang, Zhongshen Tong, Junlan Yang, Ran Ran, Ruyan Zhang, Yaxin Liu, Xinyu Gui, Maorong Wei, Lu Xue. Apatinib in the treatment of HER-2 negative advanced breast cancer with chest wall metastasis multicenter phase II clinical study [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2019 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2019 Dec 10-14; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2020;80(4 Suppl):Abstract nr P1-19-40.

The Li-metal anode plays a critical role in meeting the ever-growing demands for high-energy-density batteries. The rational design of an electrolyte to suppress dendrite formation is of great significance for the practical use of a Li-metal anode in rechargeable Li-metal batteries. In this work, by taking advantage of the lithiophilic polyacenequinone polymer filler, a novel polymer-filler-reinforced gel polymer electrolyte with the merits of high mechanical flexibility, high ionic conductivity, and superior dendrite-Li suppressing ability has been developed. When this gel polymer electrolyte is used in Li symmetrical cells, small and stable Li-plating/stripping overpotentials (∼25 mV) can be maintained over 700 hours. When equipped with a high-voltage cathode of LiNi0.6Co0.2Mn0.2O2 (NCM622) for Li-metal batteries, a high coulombic efficiency of about 99% can be retained after 100 repeated cycles. Such superiority is mainly ascribed to the smart lithiophilic carbonyl groups on the polyacenequinone polymer filler, which can guide uniform Li-ion flux at the Li electrode/electrolyte interface to fundamentally suppress Li dendrite growth during cycling. This work paves a way for designing dendrite-suppressed gel polymer electrolytes for Li-metal batteries and related energy conversion and storage devices.

Cost-effective electrocatalysts with high activity and long durability for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) are key to water splitting and rechargeable metal–air batteries. Here, we report the development of a superior OER electrocatalyst with outstanding activity, favorable durability, and stable particulate morphology based on an ex situ ultra-fast cation exchange strategy that can result in fine tuning of the atom arrangement inside the oxide lattice, thus optimizing the electrocatalytic performance. O3-phase NaCo0.8Fe0.2O2 (O-NCF) is selected as the starting material, and the sodium in the oxide lattice is rapidly exchanged (several minutes) with hydronium ions (H3O+) in an acidic solution. The as-derived structure fine-tuned sample displays excellent OER performances in alkaline media with an ultra-low overpotential of only 234 mV at 10 mA cm−2 in oxide-based electrocatalysts and an ultra-small Tafel slope of 34 mV dec−1. The exchange of H3O+ with Na+ does not affect the oxidation state of cobalt and iron cations inside the oxide lattice, while protons in the inserted H3O+ promote the formation of the hydroxyl group to improve activity. As a general strategy, such cation exchange strategy can also be applied to many other layered sodium transition metal oxides.

A novel Gram-stain-negative, strictly aerobic, rod-shaped, gray-pigmented bacterial strain, designated L-25–5 w-1T, was isolated from the water at Baiyang Lake, PR China. Cells of strain L-25–5 w-1T were motile, with a single polar flagellum. L-25–5 w-1T was able to grow at 15–37 °C (optimum 37 °C) and pH 5–8 (optimum pH 6) in R2A medium. 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis and phylogenetic analysis of L-25–5 w-1T showed the highest relationship to Azospirillum doebereinerae GSF71T (97.9 %), Azospirillum . thiophilum DSM 21654T (97.9 %) and Azospirillum . agricola CC-HIH038T (97.0 %), with other species of the genus Azospirillum showing less than 97 % sequence similarity. The predominant polar lipids were phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylglycerol, diphosphatidylglycerol and two unidentified aminolipids; the major cellular fatty acids were C16 : 0, C16 : 0 3-OH, C18 : 1 2-OH, iso-C18 : 0, summed feature 2 (C12 : 0 aldehyde and/or unknown 10.9525 and/or iso-C16 : 1I and/or C14 : 0 3-OH), summed feature 3 (C16 : 1ω7c and/or C16 : 1ω6c) and summed feature 8 (C18 : 1ω7c and/or C18 : 1ω6c); and the major respiratory quinone was ubiquinone 10. The draft genome size of L-25–5 w-1T was 5.8 Mbp, and the DNA G+C content was 66.6 %. The average nucleotide identity value and digital DNA–DNA hybridization relatedness value between L-25–5 w-1T and related type strains were 80.2 and 24.7 % with A. doebereinerae GSF71T and 78.8 and 23.6 % with A. thiophilum DSM 21654T, respectively. According to the phylogenetic, chemotaxonomic and genotypic properties, strain L-25–5 w-1T represents a novel species in the genus Azospirillum , for which the name Azospirillum griseum sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is L-25–5 w-1T (=CGMCC 1.13672T=KCTC 62777T).

Human UBL4A/GdX, encoding an ubiquitin-like protein, was shown in this study to be upregulated by viral infection and IFN stimulation. Then the functions of UBL4A in antiviral immune response were characterized. Overexpression of UBL4A promoted RNA virus–induced ISRE or IFN-β or NF-κB activation, leading to enhanced type I IFN transcription and reduced virus replication. Consistently, knockdown of UBL4A resulted in reduced type I IFN transcription and enhanced virus replication. Additionally, overexpression of UBL4A promoted virus-induced phosphorylation of TBK1, IRF3, and IKKα/β. Knockdown of UBL4A inhibited virus-induced phosphorylation of TBK1, IRF3, and IKKα/β. Coimmunoprecipitation showed that UBL4A interacted with TRAF6, and this interaction was enhanced upon viral infection. Ubiquitination assays showed that UBL4A promoted the K63-linked ubiquitination of TRAF6. Therefore, we reveal a novel positive feedback regulation of UBL4A in innate immune response combating virus invasion by enhancing the K63-linked ubiquitination of TRAF6.

BACKGROUND The incidence of metabolic syndrome (MetS) is increasing, and n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) in salmon (Oncorhynchus) phospholipids can effectively reduce the risk of MetS. RESULTS Under the intervention of 4% salmon phospholipid, the levels of fasting blood glucose (FBG), insulin, monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1), interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) were significantly reduced in the plasma of MetS mice, whereas adiponectin was significantly increased. By screening, we found that the 18 differential metabolites, consisting of seven triglycerides (TGs), six diglycerides (DGs), one phosphatidylethanolamine (PE), three sphingomyelins (SMs) and one eicosanoid, could be the key differential metabolites, and two metabolic pathways were significantly affected: glycerolipid metabolism and glycerophospholipid metabolism. CONCLUSION 4% salmon phospholipids could affect MetS by inhibiting insulin resistance, reducing inflammatory factors and promoting the synthesis of PE, yet the mechanism required further study. Our results could help in the treatment of MetS. © 2021 Society of Chemical Industry.

Purpose: To assess neural changes in perceptual effects induced by myopic defocus and hyperopic defocus stimuli in ametropic and emmetropic subjects using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI).Methods: This study included 41 subjects with a mean age of 26.0 ± 2.9 years. The mean spherical equivalence refraction was −0.54 ± 0.51D in the emmetropic group and −3.57 ± 2.27D in the ametropic group. The subjects were instructed to view through full refractive correction, with values of +2.00D to induce myopic defocus state and −2.00D to induce hyperopic defocus state. This was carried over in three random sessions. Arterial spin labeling (ASL) perfusion was measured using fMRI to obtain quantified regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF). Behavioral tests including distant visual acuity (VA) and contrast sensitivity (CS), were measured every 5 min for 30 min.Results: Myopic defocus induced significantly greater rCBF increase in four cerebral regions compared with full correction: right precentral gyrus, right superior temporal gyrus, left inferior parietal lobule, and left middle temporal gyrus (P < 0.001). The differences were less significant in low myopes than emmetropes. In the hyperopic defocus session, the increased responses of rCBF were only observed in the right and left precentral gyrus. Myopic defocused VA and CS improved significantly within 5 min and reached a plateau shortly after.Conclusion: This study revealed that myopic defocus stimuli can significantly increase blood perfusion in visual attention-related cerebral regions, which suggests a potential direction for future investigation on the relationship between retinal defocus and its neural consequences.

Background FSC231, a PSD‐95/DLG/ZO‐1 (PDZ) domain inhibitor of protein kinase Cα interacting protein 1 (PICK1), has analgesic effects, but the mechanism remains unclear. Methods The expression level of PICK1 in dorsal root ganglion (DRG) of rats was changed by vector plasmid, and the effect of PICK1 on paclitaxel (PTL)‐induced neuralgia of rats was observed in collaboration with FSC231 treatment. The possible molecular mechanisms were explored by quantitative real‐time polymerase chain reaction (qRT‐PCR), Western Blot and co‐immunoprecipitation (Co‐IP) techniques. Results PTL treatment can significantly reduce mechanical withdrawal threshold (MWT), shorten thermal withdrawal latency (TWL), promote DRG inflammation and release of substance P (SP), stimulate PICK1 expression, decrease α‐amino‐3‐hydroxy‐5‐methyl‐4‐isoxazole‐propionic acid receptor 2 (AMPAR, GluA2) level and increase glycogen synthase kinase‐3β (GSK‐3β) and extracellular regulated protein kinases1/2 (ERK1/2) phosphorylation in rats, while FSC231 treatment can alleviate the above effects induced by PTL. Overexpression of PICK1 can counteract reduced PICK1 level, increased GluA2 level and decreased GSK‐3β and ERK1/2 phosphorylation levels caused by FSC231 treatment. The results of Co‐IP confirmed the interactions between PICK1 and GluA2. Both FSC231 treatment and silent PICK1 improved PTL‐induced MWT reduction, TWL shortening, inflammation, SP release and related gene expression changes, with cumulative effect. Conclusion FSC231 activates GSK‐3β/ERK1/2 by inhibiting the interaction between PICK1 and GluA2 and alleviates PTL‐induced DRG neuralgia in rats.

Five new thiohydantoin derivatives (1–5) were isolated from the rhizomes of Lepidium meyenii Walp. NMR (1H and 13C NMR, 1H−1H COSY, HSQC, and HMBC), HRESIMS, and ECD were employed for the structure elucidation of new compounds. Significantly, the structure of compound 1 was the first example of thiohydantoins with thioxohexahydroimidazo [1,5-a] pyridine moiety. Additionally, compounds 2 and 3 possess rare disulfide bonds. Except for compound 4, all isolates were assessed for neuroprotective activities in corticosterone (CORT)-stimulated PC12 cell damage. Among them, compound (−)-3 exhibited moderate neuroprotective activity (cell viability: 68.63%, 20 μM) compared to the positive control desipramine (DIM) (cell viability: 88.49%, 10 μM).

Here a new strategy is unveiled to develop superior cathodes for protonic ceramic fuel cells (PCFCs) by the formation of Ruddlesden-Popper (RP)-single perovskite (SP) nanocomposites. Materials with the nominal compositions of LaSrx Co1.5 Fe1.5 O10-δ (LSCFx, x = 2.0, 2.5, 2.6, 2.7, 2.8, and 3.0) are designed specifically. RP-SP nanocomposites (x = 2.5, 2.6, 2.7, and 2.8), SP oxide (x = 2.0), and RP oxide (x = 3.0) are obtained through a facile one-pot synthesis. A synergy is created between RP and SP in the nanocomposites, resulting in more favorable oxygen reduction activity compared to pure RP and SP oxides. More importantly, such synergy effectively enhances the proton conductivity of nanocomposites, consequently significantly improving the cathodic performance of PCFCs. Specifically, the area-specific resistance of LSCF2.7 is only 40% of LSCF2.0 on BaZr0.1 Ce0.7 Y0.2 O3-δ (BZCY172) electrolyte at 600 °C. Additionally, such synergy brings about a reduced thermal expansion coefficient of the nanocomposite, making it better compatible with BZCY172 electrolyte. Therefore, an anode-supported PCFC with LSCF2.7 cathode and BZCY172 electrolyte brings an attractive peak power output of 391 mW cm-2 and excellent durability at 600 °C.

Single-phase perovskite oxides that contain nonprecious metals have long been pursued as candidates for catalyzing the oxygen evolution reaction, but their catalytic activity cannot meet the requirements for practical electrochemical energy conversion technologies. Here a cation deficiency-promoted phase separation strategy to design perovskite-based composites with significantly enhanced water oxidation kinetics compared to single-phase counterparts is reported. These composites, self-assembled from perovskite precursors, comprise strongly interacting perovskite and related phases, whose structure, composition, and concentration can be accurately controlled by tailoring the stoichiometry of the precursors. The composite catalyst with optimized phase composition and concentration outperforms known perovskite oxide systems and state-of-the-art catalysts by 1-3 orders of magnitude. It is further demonstrated that the strong interfacial interaction of the composite catalysts plays a key role in promoting oxygen ionic transport to boost the lattice-oxygen participated water oxidation. These results suggest a simple and viable approach to developing high-performance, perovskite-based composite catalysts for electrochemical energy conversion.

Ginsenoside (GS Rg1), which has neuroprotection and anti-inflammation activities, is the main active ingredient of Radix Ginseng. However, its antidepressant-like effect in rats remains unclear. Our study was conducted to investigate whether GS Rg1 confers an antidepressant effect in rats exposed to a chronic unpredictable mild stress model of depression and to explore its possible mechanisms. Our results revealed that GS Rg1 treatments for 3 weeks alleviated the depression-related behaviors of chronic unpredictable mild stress-exposed rats, as indicated by increasing sucrose preference, improving locomotor activity and shortening immobile time in both the forced swimming tests and tail suspension tests. And these ameliorative effects of GS Rg1 treatment were involved with regulating chronic unpredictable mild stress-induced pro-inflammatory cytokine interleukin beta (IL-1β) related neuro-inflammation. In addition, we further found that GS Rg1 reversed chronic unpredictable mild stress-induced IL-1β elevation, possibly by inhibiting nuclear factor kappa B pathway activation and regulating nucleotide binding and oligomerization domain-like receptor family pyrin domain-containing 3 inflammasome expression. In short, our results suggested that GS Rg1 exerted a potential antidepressant-like effect in chronic unpredictable mild stress rat model of depression, which may provide an insight into the potential of GS Rg1 in therapeutic implications for depression.

GP IIb/IIIa receptor activation plays an important role in thrombosis. The mechanism of early activation of GP IIb/IIIa receptors in diabetic conditions remains unknown. The purpose of this study was to investigate the release of Endothelial microparticle (EMP)-associated protein disulfide isomerase (PDI) after endothelial cell injury induced in diabetes and the changes in platelet activation. We produced an animal model of type 2 diabetes mellitus using ApoE−/− mice. Normal ApoE−/− and diabetic mice were allocated to four groups (n = 15): normal diet, normal diet plus rutin, diabetic, and diabetes plus rutin. The EMP-PDI content and GP IIb/IIIa expression of mice platelets were determined. In addition, EMPs obtained from the four groups were pretreated with the PDI inhibitor rutin; then, their effects on the platelets of normal C57 mice were characterized. Compared with the normal diet group, the diabetic group had significantly increased plasma EMP-PDI content and accelerated platelet activation by increased GP IIb/IIIa expression. In conclusion, EMP-PDI promotes early platelet activation through glycoprotein (GP) IIb/IIIa receptors present on platelet surface in the diabetic state. However, this process could be partially suppressed by the administration of rutin.

The photocatalytic reactivity of one monolayer of methanol on TiO2(110) was measured with the surface sum frequency generation vibrational spectroscopy in the C-H stretching range, which shows high photon energy dependence. The photocatalytic reactivity was systematically investigated for different active species on TiO2(110), dissociative adsorbed methanol at five-coordinated Ti sites (Ti-5c), methoxy without adsorbed methanol at Ti-5c sites, and methoxy O-b sites. The results show that the methoxy at Ti-5c sites has much higher photocatalytic reactivity than that of dissociative adsorbed methanol at Ti-5c sites, and the methoxy at O-b sites might be inactive. This work demonstrates that methoxy at Ti-5c sites is the most active species on TiO2(110) and suggests that effectively removing surface OH could enhance the photodegradation of surface organics.

We studied the photocatalytic reaction of methanol on the TiO2(110) surface in situ by surface sum frequency generation vibrational spectroscopy. The in situ vibrational spectra of the photo-oxidat...

With the synthesis of single-layer lead iodide (PbI2) in the laboratory in recent years, it has been widely used due to its stable structure and suitable bandgap (2.5 eV). We carried out first-prin...

The esterification of methacrylic acid with methanol catalyzed by NKC-9 resin (a cation-exchange resin with sulfonate groups) was conducted in a stainless stirred batch reactor. The effects of cata...

Peroxiredoxin 3 (PRX3) is predominantly located in mitochondria and plays a major role in scavenging hydrogen peroxide of mitochondria. In the present study, we detected plasma PRX3 in pregnant women receiving oral glucose tolerance test at 24–28 gestational weeks. Plasma PRX3 was significantly increased about 1 h later than insulin secretion. In vitro detection of PRX3 in mouse islet cells showed up-regulation by more than 2-fold at 1 h and reached its top at 2 h of glucose stimulation, and the PRX3 level in cultured mediums was concomitantly elevated in a glucose concentration-dependent manner. In addition, both fasting plasma insulin and PRX3 were significantly higher in the subjects of term pregnancy as compared to that at 24–28 gestational weeks, and there was a positive correlation between plasma PRX3 and insulin. Our results indicate that PRX3 plays an active role in the response to insulin release. The positive association of plasma PRX3 and insulin suggest PRX3 to be a potential indicator of high insulin resistance.

Lithium–sulfur (Li–S) batteries are of great interest due to their high theoretical energy density and potentially low cost. However, two of the key issues hindering their commercialization are the polysulfide shuttling and Li-dendrite growth, which result in severe capacity decay and serious safety hazards. Herein, liquid-phase delaminated birnessite (HxMnO2+x) nanosheets along with graphene and carbon nanotubes are utilized for the first time to create an “electronegative” coating layer for Li–S batteries to suppress the polysulfide shuttling and Li-dendrite growth. The as-prepared coating layer enables stable cycling of the Li–S battery with a low capacity decay rate of 0.04% per cycle over 1000 cycles at 1C. In addition, a Li-symmetrical cell with the coating layer shows suppressed dendrite growth even after being cycled over 1000 hours at 1 mA cm−2. This excellent performance is ascribed, in part, to the synergistic effect of the chemical and electrostatic interactions among polysulfides, Li ions, and [MnO2+x]x− ions, resulting in a homogeneous Li-ion flux distribution and a mitigated polysulfide shuttling. The proposed concept of an “electronegative” bifunctional coating layer illustrates a simple and effective way to develop highly stable and safe Li–S batteries.

Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are dysregulated in different cancer types, and thus have emerged as important regulators of the initiation and progression of human cancers. However, the biological functions and the underlying mechanisms responsible for their functions in gastric cancer (GC) remain poorly understood. Here, by lncRNA microarray, we identified 1414 differentially expressed lncRNAs, among which THAP7-AS1 was significantly upregulated in GC tissues compared with non-tumorous gastric tissues. High expression of THAP7-AS1 was correlated with positive lymph node metastasis and poorer prognosis. SP1, a transcription factor, could bind directly to the THAP7-AS1 promoter region and activate its transcription. Moreover, the m(6)A modification of THAP7-AS1 by METTL3 enhanced its expression depending on the “reader” protein IGF2BP1-dependent pathway. THAP7-AS1 promoted GC cell progression. Mechanistically, THAP7-AS1 interacted with the 1-50 Amino Acid Region (nuclear localization signal) of CUL4B through its 1-442 nt Sequence, and it promoted interaction between nuclear localization signal (NLS) and importin α1, and improved the CUL4B protein entry into the nucleus, repressing miR-22-3p and miR-320a expression by CUL4B-catalyzed H2AK119ub1 and the EZH2-mediated H3K27me3, subsequently activating PI3K/AKT signaling pathway to promote GC progression. Moreover, LV-sh-THAP7-AS1 treatment could suppress GC growth, invasion and metastasis, indicating that THAP7-AS1 may act as a promising molecular target for GC therapies. Taken together, our results show that THAP7-AS1, transcriptionally activated by SP1 and then modified by METTL3-mediated m6A, exerts oncogenic functions, by promoting interaction between NLS and importin α1 and then improving the CUL4B protein entry into the nucleus to repress the transcription of miR-22-3p and miR-320a.

Nine new pyrrole alkaloids, including two undescribed dimeric pyrrole 2‑carbaldehyde alkaloids, lepipyrrolins A-B (1–2), seven pyrrole-alkaloid derivatives, macapyrrolins D–J (3–9), along with three known ones (10–12) were isolated from the rhizomes of Lepidium meyenii. Their structures and absolute configurations were demonstrated by extensive spectroscopic data (1D, 2D NMR, HRESIMS), and calculated electronic circular dichroism (ECD) experiment. Compounds 1, 3–12 were tested for their nitric oxide inhibitory effects. Furthermore, compound 1 was evaluated for its cytotoxic activity against five human tumor cell lines (HL-60, SMMC-7221, A549, MCF-7, and SW480) in vitro, and displayed selective cytotoxicity against SMMC-7721 with IC50 value of 16.78 ± 0.49 μM.

Objective: The objective of this study is to determine the role of SPA (surfactant protein A) in vascular smooth muscle cell (SMC) phenotypic modulation and vascular remodeling. Approach and Results: PDGF-BB (Platelet-derived growth factor-BB) and serum induced SPA expression while downregulating SMC marker gene expression in SMCs. SPA deficiency increased the contractile protein expression. Mechanistically, SPA deficiency enhanced the expression of myocardin and TGF (transforming growth factor)-β, the key regulators for contractile SMC phenotype. In vivo, SPA was induced in medial and neointimal SMCs following mechanical injury in both rat and mouse carotid arteries. SPA knockout in mice dramatically attenuated the wire injury-induced intimal hyperplasia while restoring SMC contractile protein expression in medial SMCs. These data indicate that SPA plays an important role in SMC phenotype modulation and vascular remodeling in vivo. Conclusions: SPA is a novel protein factor modulating SMC phenotype. Blocking the abnormal elevation of SPA may be a potential strategy to inhibit the development of proliferative vascular diseases.

Objective: We aimed to determine the significance of MSC-derived exosomes (MSC-Exos) in chondrocyte autophagy under normal and inflammatory conditions.Design: Human umbilical cord-derived MSCs (hMSCs) were cultured in vitro. hMSC-Exos( EX） were isolated by an ultracentrifugation method. Transmission electron microscopy and western analysis were used to identify exosomes. Human chondrocytes were extracted from five adult males with OA undergoing total knee arthroplasty. Primary cultures of chondrocytes from OA patients were stimulated with 50 ng/ml tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) in the presence or absence of hMSC-Exos. Autophagy levels were determined based on expression of autophagic marker LC3, StubRFP-SensGFP-LC3 analysis, and electron microscopy. Catabolic gene and chemokine expression were evaluated using quantitative PCR. The NF-κB inhibitor NS398 was used to analyze the role of the NF-κB pathway in autophagic activation.Results: hMSC-Exos increased LC3-II levels as well as autophagosome number in chondrocytes. hMSC-Exos inhibited TNF-α–induced expression of MMP-3, -9, and -13; ADAMTS5; CCL-2 and -5; and CXCL1. NF-κB inhibition activated autophagy in TNF-α–treated chondrocytes. These results indicate that hMSC-Exos might suppress the levels of catabolic and inflammatory factors in chondrocytes by promoting autophagy via NF-κB pathway inhibition.Conclusions: Our data support the interest in hMSC-Exos to develop new therapeutic approaches for joint conditions.

The photocatalytic hydrogen (H2) generation relies heavily on the properties of photocatalysts, including their light absorption, charge transport, and oxygen vacancy of photocatalysts. In this work, we have successfully synthesized Ruddlesden-Popper (RP) perovskite Sr2TiO4 as photocatalysts for H2 evolution reaction (HER). Importantly, we adopted a facile and effective strategy of Ag doping and reducing pretreatment to tailor the properties of Sr2TiO4 photocatalysts. The synergistic effect of Ag doping and moderate reducing pretreatment confers Sr2TiO4 photocatalyst with improved morphological characteristics, increased specific surface area, optimized light absorption capability and band gap, suppressed charge carrier recombination as well as increased amount of surface oxygen vacancies. Benefiting from these merits, r-Ag0.05Sr1.95TiO4 with suitable amount of Ag doping and moderate reducing pretreatment displays an excellent photocatalytic performance for H2 generation, which presents average hydrogen production rates of 1695 μmol h-1 g-1 and 541 μmol h-1 g-1 under full range light irradiation (λ ≥ 250 nm) and visible light irradiation (λ ≥ 400 nm), respectively.