Three-dimensional (3D) porous conductive composites explored in highly sensitive tactile sensors have attracted extensive close attention in recent years owing to their peculiar porous structure and ...unique physical properties in terms of excellent mechanical flexibility, high relative dielectric permittivity, and good elastic property. Herein, we report an practical, efficient, and macroscopic dip-coating process to manufacture rapid-response, low detection limit, high-sensitivity, and highly sensitive capacitive flexible tactile sensors. The fabrication process, tactile perception mechanism, and sensing performance of the developed devices are comparatively investigated. The homogeneous 3D hybrid network constructed by graphene nanoplatelets/carboxyl-functionalized multiwalled carbon nanotubes/silicone rubber composites anchored on polyurethane sponge skeletons exhibits a significantly improved dielectric property, resulting in a high-performance capacitive flexible tactile sensor with a fast response time (∼45 ms), an extremely low-pressure detection limit of ∼3 Pa, excellent sensitivity (∼0.062 kPa–1), and excellent durability and stability over 2000 cycles. Importantly, the flexible devices can be used as the wearable electronic skin and successfully mounted on human skin or a soft-bodied robot to achieve the capability of physiological stimuli monitoring, micropressure monitoring, soft grabbing, etc. Our rapid-response, low detection limit, and high-sensitivity capacitive flexible tactile sensor with a novel 3D porous dielectric layer could be a prospective candidate for the wearable applications in real-time and high-accuracy portable healthcare monitoring devices, advanced human–machine interfaces, and intelligent robot perception systems.
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IJS, KILJ, NUK, PNG, UL, UM
Highlights
A new zinc-ion capacitor (ZIC) was realized by assembling the free-standing manganese dioxide–carbon nanotubes (MnO
2
–CNTs) battery-type cathode and MXene (Ti
3
C
2
T
x
) capacitor-type ...anode in an aqueous electrolyte.
The large specific capacitance of the MXene anode avoids the mismatch in capacitance between the cathode and anode of the ZIC.
The superior performance of the proposed ZIC makes it a promising candidate for the next-generation energy storage devices.
Restricted by their energy storage mechanism, current energy storage devices have certain drawbacks, such as low power density for batteries and low energy density for supercapacitors. Fortunately, the nearest ion capacitors, such as lithium-ion and sodium-ion capacitors containing battery-type and capacitor-type electrodes, may allow achieving both high energy and power densities. For the inspiration, a new zinc-ion capacitor (ZIC) has been designed and realized by assembling the free-standing manganese dioxide–carbon nanotubes (MnO
2
–CNTs) battery-type cathode and MXene (Ti
3
C
2
T
x
) capacitor-type anode in an aqueous electrolyte. The ZIC can avoid the insecurity issues that frequently occurred in lithium-ion and sodium-ion capacitors in organic electrolytes. As expected, the ZIC in an aqueous liquid electrolyte exhibits excellent electrochemical performance (based on the total weight of cathode and anode), such as a high specific capacitance of 115.1 F g
−1
(1 mV s
−1
), high energy density of 98.6 Wh kg
−1
(77.5 W kg
−1
), high power density of 2480.6 W kg
−1
(29.7 Wh kg
−1
), and high capacitance retention of ~ 83.6% of its initial capacitance (15,000 cycles). Even in an aqueous gel electrolyte, the ZIC also exhibits excellent performance. This work provides an essential strategy for designing next-generation high-performance energy storage devices.
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IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, UL, UM, UPUK
Most complex cognitive tasks require the coordinated interplay of multiple brain networks, but the act of retrieving an episodic memory may place especially heavy demands for communication between ...the frontoparietal control network (FPCN) and the default mode network (DMN), two networks that do not strongly interact with one another in many task contexts. We applied graph theoretical analysis to task-related fMRI functional connectivity data from 20 human participants and found that global brain modularity-a measure of network segregation-is markedly reduced during episodic memory retrieval relative to closely matched analogical reasoning and visuospatial perception tasks. Individual differences in modularity were correlated with memory task performance, such that lower modularity levels were associated with a lower false alarm rate. Moreover, the FPCN and DMN showed significantly elevated coupling with each other during the memory task, which correlated with the global reduction in brain modularity. Both networks also strengthened their functional connectivity with the hippocampus during the memory task. Together, these results provide a novel demonstration that reduced modularity is conducive to effective episodic retrieval, which requires close collaboration between goal-directed control processes supported by the FPCN and internally oriented self-referential processing supported by the DMN.
Modularity, an index of the degree to which nodes of a complex system are organized into discrete communities, has emerged as an important construct in the characterization of brain connectivity dynamics. We provide novel evidence that the modularity of the human brain is reduced when individuals engage in episodic memory retrieval, relative to other cognitive tasks, and that this state of lower modularity is associated with improved memory performance. We propose a neural systems mechanism for this finding where the nodes of the frontoparietal control network and default mode network strengthen their interaction with one another during episodic retrieval. Such across-network communication likely facilitates effective access to internally generated representations of past event knowledge.
•Paradigm of the theory of urban bias is an effective tool to understand China's land development policy.•Policy is measured by the extent to which compensation deviates from the market value of ...expropriated land.•Effect of urban-biased land development on the urban-rural income gap is robust, significant, and positive.•This effect is attributed to an unbalanced urban-rural income growth associated with the land development.
Developing countries generally face the challenge of significant urban-rural divides during their process of industrialization and urbanization. Following the paradigm of the theory of urban bias (TUB), this article focuses on the urban-biased land development policy (UBLDP) in contemporary China, which refers that local governments expropriate rural land with the inadequate compensation and use a considerable share of net land revenue to develop urban areas instead of rural areas. On the basis of pointing out three practical facts about and proposing the technique to measure the UBLDP, its influence on the urban-rural income gap (URIG) is investigated by employing the GMM dynamic model along with panel data from Hubei Province over the period of 2010-2016. The results show that a 1% increase in the extent to which compensation deviates from the market value of expropriated rural land (ERL) leads to a 0.46% increase in the URIG, while this effect is attributed to an unbalanced urban-rural income growth associated with the land development. These findings not only generate a broad of direct implications for Chinese policymakers but also provide lessons for other developing countries.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UILJ, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZAGLJ, ZRSKP
Highlights
Nanoscale multi-dimensional heterojunctions in situ grow at the edge of two-dimensional MXene conductive network.
A controlled anneal procedure in 150 °C is for preparing anatase TiO
2
.../SnO
2
heterojunctions with oxygen vacancy scramble effect.
The perovskite solar cells achieve high power conversion efficiency and high moisture-resistance stability.
A multi-dimensional conductive heterojunction structure, composited by TiO
2
, SnO
2
, and Ti
3
C
2
T
X
MXene, is facilely designed and applied as electron transport layer in efficient and stable planar perovskite solar cells. Based on an oxygen vacancy scramble effect, the zero-dimensional anatase TiO
2
quantum dots, surrounding on two-dimensional conductive Ti
3
C
2
T
X
sheets, are in situ rooted on three-dimensional SnO
2
nanoparticles, constructing nanoscale TiO
2
/SnO
2
heterojunctions. The fabrication is implemented in a controlled low-temperature anneal method in air and then in N
2
atmospheres. With the optimal MXene content, the optical property, the crystallinity of perovskite layer, and internal interfaces are all facilitated, contributing more amount of carrier with effective and rapid transferring in device. The champion power conversion efficiency of resultant perovskite solar cells achieves 19.14%, yet that of counterpart is just 16.83%. In addition, it can also maintain almost 85% of its initial performance for more than 45 days in 30–40% humidity air; comparatively, the counterpart declines to just below 75% of its initial performance.
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IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, UL, UM, UPUK
Osteosarcoma is a disease that primarily affects adolescents with skeletal immaturity. LncRNAs are abnormally expressed and correlated with osteosarcoma patients' prognosis. We identified aberrant ...expression of LncRNA SNHG25 (small nucleolar RNA host gene 25) in osteosarcoma and analyzed the molecular mechanisms by which it regulates osteosarcoma progression.
The expression levels of SNHG25 in tumour specimens and cells were measured by RTqPCR. Loss-of-function assays were conducted to investigate the functional role of SNHG25
and
. Bioinformatic predictions, dual-luciferase reporter assays, and western blotting were performed to explore the possible underlying mechanisms.
SNHG25 was highly expressed in osteosarcoma cells and tissues. The Kaplan-Meier curve showed that the survival rate of patients with high SNHG25 expression was significantly lower than those with low SNHG25 expression. Functional studies have indicated that inhibition of SNHG25 suppresses cell proliferation, migration, and invasion, while promoting apoptosis. SNHG25 knockdown suppresses osteosarcoma tumour growth
. SNHG25 functions as a sponge for miR-497-5p in osteosarcoma cells. The level of SNHG25 was negatively correlated with that of miR-497-5p. The proliferation, invasion, and migration of osteosarcoma cells were restored by transfection of the miR-497-5p inhibitor in the SNHG25 knockdown group.
SNHG25 was determined to function as an oncogene by promoting osteosarcoma cell proliferation, invasion, and migration through the miR-497-5p/SOX4 axis. Upregulation of SNHG25 expression indicated poor prognosis in patients with osteosarcoma, which showed that SNHG25 may serve as a potential therapeutic target and prognostic biomarker in osteosarcoma.
A multi-walled carbon nanotube (MWCNT) and silver (Ag) nanoparticle ink for inkjet printing was prepared by dispersing MWCNTs and Ag nanoparticles in water with the assistance of sodium ...dodecylbenzenesulfonate (SDBS). Highly conductive patterns of Ag-MWCNTs were printed on paper using a HP Deskjet 1010 inkjet printer. The patterns showed good stability during the bending test and a low sheet resistance of similar to 300 Omega sq super(-1) after being printed 50 times. By simply adding manganese dioxide (MnO sub(2)) nanoparticles with a diameter of 60-90 nm into the ink solution, patterned positive electrodes were prepared for asymmetric supercapacitors (ASCs) with filtrated MWCNT negative electrodes. The ASCs exhibit a wide operating potential window of 1.8 V and excellent electrochemical performances, e.g.a high energy density of 1.28 mW h cm super(-3) at a power density of 96 mW cm super(-3) and a high retention ratio of similar to 96.9% of its initial capacitance after 3000 cycles. The inkjet-printing acting as a simple, low-cost, non-contact deposition method can be fully integrated with the fabrication process in current printed electronic devices and has potential applications in energy storage.
Here we report the growth of phase-pure InAs nanowires on Si (111) substrates by molecular-beam epitaxy using Ag catalysts. A conventional one-step catalyst annealing process is found to give rise to ...InAs nanowires with diameters ranging from 4.5 to 81 nm due to the varying sizes of the Ag droplets, which reveal strong diameter dependence of the crystal structure. In contrast, a novel two-step catalyst annealing procedure yields vertical growth of highly uniform InAs nanowires ∼10 nm in diameter. Significantly, these ultrathin nanowires exhibit a perfect wurtzite crystal structure, free of stacking faults and twin defects. Using these high-quality ultrathin InAs nanowires as the channel material of metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistor, we have obtained a high I ON/I OFF ratio of ∼106, which shows great potential for application in future nanodevices with low power dissipation.
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Migration and invasion are two crucial steps of tumor metastasis. Blockage of these steps may be an effective strategy to reduce the risk. The objective of the present study was to investigate the ...effects of diallyl trisulfide (DATS), a natural organosulfuric compound with most sulfur atoms found in garlic, on migration and invasion in triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) cells. Molecular mechanisms underlying the anticancer effects of DATS were further investigated.
MDA-MB-231 cells and HS 578t breast cancer cells were treated with different concentrations of DATS. DATS obviously suppressed the migration and invasion of two cell lines and changed the morphological. Moreover, DATS inhibited the mRNA/protein/ enzymes activities of MMP2/9 via attenuating the NF-κB pathway. DATS also inhibited ERK/MAPK rather than p38 and JNK.
DATS inhibits MMP2/9 activity and the metastasis of TNBC cells, and emerges as a potential anti-cancer agent. The inhibitory effects are associated with down-regulation of the transcriptional activities of NF-κB and ERK/MAPK signaling pathways.
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DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
TRPM8: a potential target for cancer treatment Liu, Zhaoguo; Wu, Hongyan; Wei, Zhonghong ...
Journal of Cancer Research & Clinical Oncology,
09/2016, Volume:
142, Issue:
9
Journal Article, Book Review
Peer reviewed
Transient receptor potential (TRP) cation channel superfamily plays critical roles in variety of processes, including temperature perception, pain transduction, vasorelaxation, male fertility, and ...tumorigenesis. One of seven families within the TRP superfamily of ion channels, the melastatin, or TRPM family comprises a group of eight structurally and functionally diverse channels. Of all the members of TRPM subfamily, TRPM8 is the most notable one. A lot of literatures have demonstrated that transient receptor potential melastatin 8 (TRPM8) could perform a myriad of functions in vertebrates and invertebrates alike. In addition to its well-known function in cold sensation, TRPM8 has an emerging role in a variety of biological systems, including thermoregulation, cancer, bladder function, and asthma. Recent studies have shown that TRPM8 is necessary to the initiation and progression of tumors, and the aberrant expression of TRPM8 was found in varieties of tumors, such as prostate tumor, melanoma, breast adenocarcinoma, bladder cancer, and colorectal cancer, making it a novel molecular target potentially useful in the diagnosis and treatment of cancer. This review outlines our current understanding on the role of TRPM8 in occurrence and development of different kinds of tumor and also includes discussion about the regulation of TRPM8 during carcinogenesis as well as therapeutic potential of targeting TRPM8 in tumor, which may be utilized for a potential pharmacological use as a target for anti-cancer therapy.
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EMUNI, FZAB, GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, MFDPS, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, SBMB, SBNM, UL, UM, UPUK, VKSCE, ZAGLJ
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