Here, we first use CdS nanoparticles to sensitize ferroelectric BaTiO3 nanostructures to construct the BaTiO3/CdS heterostructure photoanodes by a facile hydrothermal method and subsequent successive ...ionic layer adsorption and reaction. Combining the measurements of the valence band and core-level X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy spectra with energy band calculation, the type-II energy structure established at the BaTiO3 and CdS interface is confirmed. Benefiting from the type-II band alignment of the heterostructures, the spontaneous polarization electric field induced by BaTiO3, and the remarkable visible light absorption ability of CdS, the as-prepared BaTiO3/CdS heterostructure photoanode exhibits significantly improved and stable photoelectrochemical water-splitting activity. The highest photocurrent density of the constructed BaTiO3/CdS heterostructure photoanode with optimized CdS nanoparticle loading reaches up to 0.5 mA cm–2 at 0 V versus Ag/AgCl, which is about 12-fold that of the pure BaTiO3 photoanode. Additionally, the solar-to-hydrogen conversion efficiency of the BaTiO3/CdS heterostructure photoanode is 0.48% at 0.13 V versus reversible hydrogen electrode, 24-fold that of the bare BaTiO3 photoanode. In contrast with the photoelectrochemical performance of the other reported BaTiO3-based heterostructure photoanodes, the photocurrent density (0 V versus Ag/AgCl) and the solar-to-hydrogen conversion efficiency (0.13 V versus reversible hydrogen electrode) achieved by the present BaTiO3/CdS photoanode are the highest.
Here, we first use a facile electrochemical deposition method to load Cu2O nanoparticles onto the BaTiO3 (BTO) surface to prepare BTO/Cu2O heterostructure photoanodes. Compared to the pure BTO ...photoanode, all BTO/Cu2O heterostructure photoanodes show outstanding visible light harvesting ability and greatly improved photoelectrochemical water splitting performance. By optimizing the loading amount of Cu2O nanoparticles, the photocurrent density achieved by BTO/Cu2O-100 photoanode is 0.26 mA/cm2 at 0 V versus Ag/AgCl, which is 2.6 times that of the bare BTO photoanode. In contrast with the photocurrent densities of the other reported BTO-based heterostructure photoanodes, the photocurrent density achieved by the present BTO/Cu2O-100 photoanode without bias voltage is much higher. Additionally, the maximum solar-to-hydrogen conversion efficiency of the BTO/Cu2O-100 heterostructure photoanode is 0.11% at 0.72 V versus reversible hydrogen electrode, approximately double that of BTO photoanode. The measurements of diffuse reflectance spectra, photoelectrochemical impedance and the room temperature photoluminescence spectra demonstrate that the improved photoelectrochemical performance contributes from the visible light absorption ability of Cu2O nanoparticles, efficient transport and separation of photogenerated electron-hole pairs, which are induced by the spontaneous polarization electric field of ferroelectric BTO, p-n junction and type-II band alignment of BTO/Cu2O heterostructure photoanode. A possible mechanism for the improved photoelectrochemical water splitting performance and charge transfer process is proposed.
Recent decades have witnessed rapid global urban land (UL) expansion, which has caused severe ecological and environmental issues. As major contributors to carbon emissions (CEs), urban areas play a ...key role in global warming, and therefore, the conflict between UL expansion and CE reduction must be resolved. Identifying the coupling and decoupling relationships between UL and CEs is important for the coordinated development of global UL and CE reduction and urban low-carbon transitions. However, few studies have explored this aspect, resulting in a lack of identification of the coupling mechanism between global UL and CEs. To compensate for this, we conducted spatiotemporal coupling coordination and decoupling analysis of global multiscale UL and CEs with global annual UL and CE data from 2000 to 2019. The results showed global CEs increased markedly from 6.275 billion tonnes in 2000 to 9.293 billion tonnes in 2019. The growth rate of China's CEs slowed considerably, indicating that China has contributed greatly to the global reduction of CEs in recent decades. Global UL expansion was considerable and increased from 5.173 × 105 km2 in 2000 to 9.635 × 105 km2 in 2019, representing an increase of 86.256%. A significant spatial dependence was observed between global UL and CEs, and the low-low type was the dominant relationship. During the study period, the gravity centers of the global UL and CEs moved east, and the overall distance between them increased. Areas with substantial coupling coordination were distributed mainly in high-value areas of CEs and UL. Global UL and CEs exhibited a trend of decoupling and varied considerably at different scales. The results indicate a decarbonization trend in the expansion of global UL, especially in developing regions. These findings can provide a scientific reference for rational UL planning and urban low-carbon transitions.
•Coupling or decoupling relationship between global UL and CEs was measured.•Significant spatial autocorrelation was observed between global UL and CEs.•Gravity centers of global UL and CEs show an eastward migration trend.•Coupling coordination degree between global UL and CEs increased, but varied greatly at different scales.•Global UL and CEs generally exhibited a decoupling trend, but varied greatly at different scales.
Antibacterial efficiency can be effectively improved by applying targeting antibacterial materials and strategies. Herein, the successful synthesis of uniform pH‐responsive Ag nanoparticle clusters ...(AgNCs) is demonstrated, which can collapse and reassemble into nonuniform Ag NPs upon exposure to the acidic microenvironment of bacterial infections. This pH triggered reassembly contributes greatly to the improved antibacterial activities of AgNCs against both methicillin‐resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and Escherichia coli (E. coli). The minimum inhibitory concentration and minimum bactericidal concentration against MRSA are as low as 4 and 32 µg mL−1 (which are 8 and 32 µg mL−1 for E. coli), respectively. In vivo skin wound healing experiments confirm AgNCs can serve as an effective wound dressing to accelerate the healing of MRSA infection. The development of responsive AgNCs offers new materials and strategies in targeting antibacterial applications.
The designed Ag nanoparticles clusters can undergo a collapse and reassembly process upon exposure to the acidic microenvironment of bacterial infections, which results in the highly efficient targeting antibacterial ability.
During goat embryonic morphogenesis and postnatal initiation of hair follicle (HF) regeneration, dermal papilla (DP) cells play a vital role in hair formation. Growing evidence shows that microRNAs ...(miRNAs) participate in HF development and DP cell proliferation. However, the molecular mechanisms have not been thoroughly investigated.
In this study, we utilized miRNA sequencing (miRNA-Seq) to identify differentially expressed miRNAs at different HF cycling stages (anagen and telogen). MiRNA-Seq has identified 411 annotated miRNAs and 130 novel miRNAs in which 29 miRNAs were up-regulated and 32 miRNAs were down-regulated in the anagen phase compared to the telogen phase. Target gene prediction and functional enrichment analysis indicated some major biological pathways related to hair cycling, such as Wnt signaling pathways, ECM-receptor interaction, VEGF signaling pathway, biosynthesis of amino acids, metabolic pathways, ribosome and oxidative phosphorylation. Also, we explored the function of chi-miR-30b-5p in regulating hair growth cycle. Similar to the HF cycling, DP cells were isolated from skin and used to investigate miRNA functions. The MTT and EdU assays showed that the viability and proliferation of DP cells were inhibited or promoted after the transfection of chi-miR-30b-5p mimic or inhibitor, respectively. Bioinformatics analysis revealed CaMKIIδ as a candidate target gene of chi-miR-30b-5p, and the dual-luciferase and western blot assay demonstrated that chi-miR-30b-5p bound to the 3'UTR of CaMKIIδ and further inhibited its translation.
Chi-miR-30b-5p was found to be highly expressed in the telogen than that in the anagen phase and could inhibit the proliferation of DP cells by targeting CaMKIIδ. Our study provides new information on the regulatory functions of miRNAs during HF development.
Celotno besedilo
Dostopno za:
DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
Pasteurella multocida is an important zoonotic respiratory pathogen capable of infecting a diverse range of hosts, including humans, farm animals, and wild animals. However, the precise mechanisms by ...which P. multocida compromises the pulmonary integrity of mammals and subsequently induces systemic infection remain largely unexplored. In this study, based on mouse and rabbit models, we found that P. multocida causes not only lung damage but also bacteremia due to the loss of lung integrity. Furthermore, we demonstrated that bacteremia is an important aspect of P. multocida pathogenesis, as evidenced by the observed multiorgan damage and systemic inflammation, and ultimately found that this systemic infection leads to a cytokine storm that can be mitigated by IL-6-neutralizing antibodies. As a result, we divided the pathogenesis of P. multocida into two phases: the pulmonary infection phase and the systemic infection phase. Based on unbiased RNA-seq data, we discovered that P. multocida-induced apoptosis leads to the loss of pulmonary epithelial integrity. These findings have been validated in both TC-1 murine lung epithelial cells and the lungs of model mice. Conversely, the administration of Ac-DEVD-CHO, an apoptosis inhibitor, effectively restored pulmonary epithelial integrity, significantly mitigated lung damage, inhibited bacteremia, attenuated the cytokine storm, and reduced mortality in mouse models. At the molecular level, we demonstrated that the FAK-AKT-FOXO1 axis is involved in P. multocida-induced lung epithelial cell apoptosis in both cells and animals. Thus, our research provides crucial information with regard to the pathogenesis of P. multocida as well as potential treatment options for this and other respiratory bacterial diseases.
Pasteurella multocida is an opportunistic zoonotic pathogen that primarily causes fatal respiratory diseases, such as pneumonia and respiratory syndromes. However, the precise mechanistic ...understanding of how P. multocida disrupts the epithelial barrier in mammalian lung remains largely unknown. In this study, using unbiased RNA-seq analysis, we found that the evolutionarily conserved Hippo-Yap pathway was dysregulated after P. multocida infection. Given the complexity of P. multocida infection associated with lung injury and systemic inflammatory processes, we employed a combination of cell culture models, mouse models, and rabbit models to investigate the dynamics of the Hippo-Yap pathway during P. multocida infection. Our findings reveal that P. multocida infection activates the Hippo-Yap pathway both in vitro and in vivo, by upregulating the upstream factors p-Mst1/2, p-Lats1, and p-Yap, and downregulating the downstream effectors Birc5, Cyr61, and Slug. Conversely, pharmacological inhibition of the Hippo pathway by XMU-MP-1 significantly rescued pulmonary epithelial cell apoptosis in vitro and reduced lung injury, systemic inflammation, and mouse mortality in vivo. Mechanistic studies revealed that P. multocida induced up-regulation of Rassf1 expression, and Rassf1 enhanced Hippo-Yap pathway through phosphorylation. Accordingly, in vitro knockdown of Rassf1 significantly enhanced Yap activity and expression of Yap downstream factors and reduced apoptosis during P. multocida infection. P. multocida-infected rabbit samples also showed overexpression of Rassf1, p-Lats1, and p-Yap, suggesting that P. multocida activates the Rassf1-Hippo-Yap pathway. These results elucidate the pathogenic role of the Rassf1-Hippo-Yap pathway in P. multocida infection and suggest that this pathway has the potential to be a drug target for the treatment of pasteurellosis.
Co-Sb-S@NC paired with commercial activated carbon to assemble LICs, a maximum power density of 5.91 kW/kg at an energy density of 65.7 Wh/kg and a long-term durability of 10,000 cycles at 5.0 A/g ...were exhibited.
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•Tunable core/shell crystalline/amorphous sulfide heterostructures were fabricated.•Unique design endowed excellent performance practically and theoretically.•Ultralow decay of 0.002%/cycle in 10,000 loops at 5.0 A/g was achieved for LICs.•Various heterostructures with high performance would be created with this method.
Lithium-ion capacitors (LICs) are supposed to be a bridge of lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) and supercapacitors (SCs) and have been attracting intensive attention. Nevertheless, the battery-type anodes are cast in the shade owing to unsatisfactory kinetics, rate capability and lifespan induced by large volume swelling and low conductivity. Herein, we prepared core/shell crystalline/amorphous sulfides heterogenous nanoparticles encapsuled within 3D honeycomb-structured N-doped carbon matrices (Co-Sb-S@NC), the optimal Co-Sb-S@NC composite delivered excellent long-term durability (884.9 mAh/g at 1.0 A/g over 400 cycles) and superior rate performance (504.8 mAh/g at 3.0 A/g) with a significant pseudocapacitive-dominated behaviour. The superior performance could be attributed to the unique core–shell heterostructures and honeycomb-structured carbon matrices, in which the former induces enriched internal built-in electric field at the interfaces with directional ion mobility and the latter endows rapid charge transfer pathways and spatially-confined effect of refined particles during repeated electrochemical process. By optimizing the temperatures, types of cobalt salts and components ratios of heterostructures, furthermore, paired with commercial activated carbon (AC) to assemble LICs, a maximum power density of 5.91 kW kg−1 at an energy density of 65.7 Wh kg−1 and a minor capacity degradation of 0.002% per cycle during 10,000 loops at 5.0 A/g were exhibited. More encouragingly, the facile synthetic method could be extended to the fabrication of high-performance Fe-Sb-S@NC and Zn-Sb-S@NC electrodes towards potential application for advanced LICs.
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