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Photoelectrochemical (PEC) N2 fixation in aqueous solutions under ambient conditions can produce ammonia and migration of hydrogen. However, the process is limited by photocathodes with poor conversion efficiency and low production rates. Therefore, the rational design of catalyst structures is required to improve the performance and photoelectric utilization efficiency. In addition, the micro-charge carrier concentration, lifetime, and mobility cannot be quantitatively analyzed. As a result, we cannot reasonably speculate on the interaction law of microscopic carriers and macroscopic properties. Here, we successfully developed a Cu2S–In2S3 heterostructure catalyst for an efficient photo-electrocatalytic nitrogen reduction reaction (PEC-NRR) possessing sufficient carriers to enable higher carrier mobility and a reasonable recombination lifetime in the PEC process. The micro parameters are first quantified through a self-established photo-charge extraction by linearly increasing voltage (photo-CELIV) device and used to analyze the relationship between micro parameters and macro performance; this is of great significance for the PEC-NRR. In addition, the rare earth fluoride BaGdF5: 30%Yb3+, 5%Er3+ (UCNP) material with an up-conversion effect was applied as an auxiliary light absorber to further broaden the range of sunlight absorption and reduce the ammonia reaction's energy consumption. These steps enable the Cu2S–In2S3 heterostructure catalyst to achieve a NH3 production rate of 23.6721 μg h−1 cm−2 and a higher faradaic efficiency (33.25% at −0.6 V versus the reversible hydrogen electrode) in aqueous solutions under ambient conditions. This special double-electrode structure provides new insights into the design of photoelectric catalytic electrodes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The antitumor activities of ethyl acetate extracts from Selaginella doederleinii Hieron (SD extracts) in vitro and in vivo and its possible mechanism were investigated. HPLC method was developed for chemical analysis. SD extracts were submitted to 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay on different cells, flow cytometry, and RT-PCR analysis using HepG2 cell and antitumor activity in vivo using H-22 xenograft tumor mice. Six biflavonoids from SD extracts were submitted to molecular docking assay. The results showed that SD extracts had considerable antitumor activity in vitro and in vivo without obvious toxicity on normal cells and could induce cell apoptosis. The mechanisms of tumorigenesis and cell apoptosis induced by SD extracts may be associated with decreasing the ratio of bcl-2 and bax mRNA level, activating caspase-3, suppressing survivin, and decreasing the gene expression of COX-2, 5-LOX, FLAP, and 12-LOX mRNA. The main active component in SD extracts is biflavonoids and some exhibited strong interactions with COX-2, 5-LOX, 12-LOX, and 15-LOX. These results offering evidence of possible mechanisms of SD extracts suppress cell proliferation and promote apoptosis and provide the molecular theoretical basis of clinical application of S. doederleinii for cancer therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tengchong county reported a case of import P.falciparum infected from African in January, 2020. He once went to work in the Democratic Republic of Congo, and he reported that he had contracted malaria during his stay abroad and became ill on the way home. Laboratory examination showed that WBC 3.89x109/L, HGB 141 g/L, PLT 75x109/L, ALT 188 U/L, AST 110 U/L, TBIL 29.3 μmol/L, GLU 6.66 mmol/L, BUN 3.8 mmol/L, CR 95 μmol/L.Peripheral blood smear confirmed ring-stage trophozoites, mature trophozoites and immature schizonts by microscopy. The parasite density was 54 846 asexual parasites/μL. The percent of ring-stage trophozoites, mature trophozoites and immatured schizonts were 86.38% (8 640/ 10 002), 13.51% (1 351/10 002) and 0.11% (11/10 002) respectively. Further confirmation was conducted as P. falciparum by nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay. The patient was fully recovered after antimalarial and supportive treatments. The presence of schizonts for P. falciparum in peripheral blood is rare, we should be careful to identify under microscopy detection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Single-atom catalysts (SACs) have attracted increasing concerns in electrocatalysis because of their maximal metal atom utilization, distinctive electronic properties, and catalytic performance. However, the isolated single sites are disadvantageous for reactions that require simultaneously activating different reactants/intermediates. Fully exposed metal cluster catalyst (FECC), inheriting the merits of SACs and metallic nanoparticles, can synergistically adsorb and activate reactants/intermediates on their multi-atomic sites, demonstrating great promise in electrocatalytic reactions. Here a facile method to regulate the atomic dispersion of Ni species from cluster to single-atom scale for efficient CO 2 reduction was developed. The obtained Ni FECC exhibits high Faradaic efficiency of CO up to 99%, high CO partial current density of 347.2 mA cm -2 , and robust durability under 20 h electrolysis. Theoretical calculations illuminate that the ensemble of multiple Ni atoms regulated by sulfur atoms accelerates the reaction kinetics and thus improves CO production., Competing Interests: Conflict of interest The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2022 Science China Press. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Lithium metal is the only anode material that can enable the Li-O 2 battery to realize its high theoretical energy density (≈3500 Wh kg -1 ). However, the inherent uncontrolled dendrite growth and serious corrosion limitations of lithium metal anodes make it experience fast degradation and impede the practical application of Li-O 2 batteries. Herein, a multifunctional complementary LiF/F-doped carbon gradient protection layer on a lithium metal anode by one-step in situ reaction of molten Li with poly(tetrafluoroethylene) (PTFE) is developed. The abundant strong polar C-F bonds in the upper carbon can not only act as Li + capture site to pre-uniform Li + flux but also regulate the electron configuration of LiF to make Li + quasi-spontaneously diffuse from carbon to LiF surface, avoiding the strong Li + -adhesion-induced Li aggregation. For LiF, it can behave as fast Li + conductor and homogenize the nucleation sites on lithium, as well as ensure firm connection with lithium. As a result, this well-designed protection layer endows the Li metal anode with dendrite-free plating/stripping and anticorrosion behavior both in ether-based and carbonate ester-based electrolytes. Even applied protected Li anodes in Li-O 2 batteries, its superiority can still be maintained, making the cell achieve stable cycling performance (180 cycles)., (© 2020 Wiley-VCH GmbH.)

The electrochemical N 2 fixation, which is far from practical application in aqueous solution under ambient conditions, is extremely challenging and requires a rational design of electrocatalytic centers. We observed that bismuth (Bi) might be a promising candidate for this task because of its weak binding with H adatoms, which increases the selectivity and production rate. Furthermore, we successfully synthesized defect-rich Bi nanoplates as an efficient noble-metal-free N 2 reduction electrocatalyst via a low-temperature plasma bombardment approach. When exclusively using 1 H NMR measurements with N 2 gas as a quantitative testing method, the defect-rich Bi(110) nanoplates achieved a 15 NH 3 production rate of 5.453 μg mg Bi -1  h -1 and a Faradaic efficiency of 11.68 % at -0.6 V vs. RHE in aqueous solution at ambient conditions., (© 2019 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.)

Objective: To evaluate the measures and achievements of malaria control in Tengchong City during 2010-2015., Methods: The malaria control information on epidemiology, foci disposal, blood detection of febrile patients, and medical treatment during 2010-2015 in Tengchong City was collected and analyzed using Microsoft Excel 2010., Results: In 2010-2015, 1 654 malaria cases were reported in Tengchong City, including 18 indigenous cases, 22 domestically mobile cases, and 1 614 imported cases from abroad, of whom 1 584 cases （98.1%） were imported from Myanmar. Most of the cases were vivax malaria（76.2%, 1 261/1 654）. No indigenous malaria cases were reported from 2013 to 2015. Blood test was conducted for 80 655 febrile patients, with a positive detection rate of 2.1%（1 654/80 655）. The positive detection rate was highest in 2010 （2.8%, 700/24 861）, lowest in 2011（1.4%, 341/23 623）, and decreased from 2012 to 2015. In addition, 1 654 cases were directly reported through online system. The 24-h case report rate during 2013-2015 was 100%. A total of 1 191 cases were investigated. The 3-day case investigation rate during 2013-2015 was 100%. A total of 1 351 endemic foci were investigated. The 7-day foci disposal rate during 2014-2015 was 100%., Conclusion: No indigenous transmission has been reported for three years in Tengchong City. However, the imported malaria remains an important problem.

The blood sample from a case of vivax malaria in Tengchong City, Yunnan Province, was tested with CareStartTM malaria rapid diagnostic test, Giemsa staining and nested PCR in 2012. The case was determined to be infected with Plasmodium vivax, P. malariae or P. ovale other than P. falciparum by CareStartTM malaria rapid diagnostic test. Microscopic results revealed multinuclear P. vivax ring form and multi-infections with P. vivax in blood slides, with occurrence of two or more nuclei in one ring form accounting for 14.68%（188/1 280）, and parasitism of two or more P. vivax rings in one erythrocyte accounting for 22.50%（288/1 280）. In addition, co-occurrence of ring form and trophozoite, and ring form and gametophyte was found in erythrocytes. Nested PCR revealed P. vivax-specific amplification products. Combining the results with epidemiological information and clinical symptoms, this case was finally diagnosed as imported vivax malaria, and the erythrocytes of the case harbored different stages of P. vivax parasites.

Objective: To analyze the surveillance data of malaria in Tengchong County of Yunnan Province in 2013, so as to provide the evidence for carrying out the malaria elimination in the future., Methods: The data of epidemic situation and surveillance of malaria in Tengchong County in 2013 were collected and analyzed for the prevalence state as well as and the monitoring indicators including the blood examination of fever patients of unknown origin, initiative detection of cases, under-reporting survey, sentinel surveillance and species and density investigation of Anopheles mosquitoes., Results: Totally 138 malaria cases were reported in Tengchong County in 2013, among which 118 cases were infected with Plasmodium vivax and 20 cases with P. falciparum, and all the reported cases were imported. The completion rates of blood examinations, case reports and case investigations all reached 100%. A total of 57 cases were involved in initiative detection, but no positive cases were found. The twice under-reporting of malaria case surveys were conducted and 1 case had been under-reported. The sentinel surveillance was carried out both in the domestic and overseas sites at the same time to detect the suspected malaria cases, 172 cases were screened totally, and 15 ones were detected as positives. Totally 528 returnees were screened, and there were no positive case found. A. sinensis and A. liangshanensis were the dominant species, followed by A. minimus, A. maculatus and others., Conclusions: The malaria epidemic situation is stable in Tengchong County in 2013, and all the work in surveillance has been conducted successfully, but there still exist some difficulties in the process of malaria elimination. The local health departments should further strengthen the surveillance on imported cases and the management on migrant population as well as the capability building for health workers in malaria control in the future.

Twist1 is a highly conserved basic helix-loophelix transcription factor, and has been shown to play an important role in carcinogenesis of many tumors including colorectal cancer (CRC). Here we aimed to investigate the role of Twist1 in the clinical significance and chemoresistance in CRC. In this study, we examined the correlation between Twist1 expression and clinicopathological characteristics using immunohistochemistry in patients with CRC. The molecular mechanisms of Twist1 expression and its effects on chemosensitivity to 5-Fluorouracil and oxaliplatin were also explored by MTT assay, colony forming assay, flow cytometry assay. The results indicate that Twist1 is overexpressed in cancer tissue, and its positive expression are related to histological grade (P=0.004), T-stage (P=0.033), N-stage (P=0.000), M-stage (P=0.040), TNM stage (P=0.002) and recurrence (P=0.023). Moreover, positive Twist1 expression is correlated with poor overall survival in CRC patients (P<0.0001), and is a significant independent prognostic indicator. In addition, we show that knockdown of Twist1 inhibits proliferation, and increased the percentage of apoptotic cells of CRC cell lines. Our findings suggest that Twist1 promotes proliferation and chemoresistance of CRC cells. Twist1 may be a potential prognostic marker and a molecular target for therapies.

Objective: We wish to implement a proteomics-based approach to pick and identify the proteins associated with curcumin enhancing efficacy of irinotecan inducing apoptosis of colorectal cancer LOVO cells, and further explore their synergy mechanism by bioinformatics., Methods: A colorectal cancer cell line (LOVO cell) treated by curcumin combined with irinotecan in different ways respectively was used as our comparative model. Protein spots were analyzed through MALDI-TOF/TOF. The location and function of differential protein spots were analyzed through UniProt database. Protein-protein interactions were examined through String software., Results: A total of 54 protein spots differentially expressed with 1.5-fold difference were picked, 11 of which were repeated. They mainly were involved in intracellular calcium pathways, cellular respiratory chain pathway and intracellular redox reaction pathways of LOVO cell. According to the function of various protein points, combining with varying curves of protein points in each treatment groups, we selected five interesting protein spots, 4 of which exists Protein-protein interactions, and they were close to the formation and reduction of disulfides in intracellular endoplasmic reticulum (ER)., Conclusion: We selected preliminary but comprehensive data about differential expression protein spots of LOVO cell. Among these, the five interesting differential expression protein spots identified in this study may provide new insight into LOVO cell therapeutic biomarkers. Curcumin may suppress GSTM5 expression to enhance the lethal effect of irinotecan on LOVO cells, and maybe their combination via the affection of PDI and PRDX4 to disturb the formation and reduction of disulfides results in inducing apoptosis of LOVO cell.