The colorimetric gas sensor offers an opportunity for the simple and rapid detection of toxic gaseous substances based on visually discernible changes in the color of the sensing material. In ...particular, the accurate detection of trace amounts of certain biomarkers in a patient’s breath provides substantial clues regarding specific diseases, for example, hydrogen sulfide (H2S) for halitosis and ammonia (NH3) for kidney disorder. However, conventional colorimetric sensors often lack the sensitivity, selectivity, detection limit, and mass-productivity, impeding their commercialization. Herein, we report an inexpensive route for the meter-scale synthesis of a colorimetric sensor based on a composite nanofiber yarn that is chemically functionalized with an ionic liquid as an effective H2S adsorbent and lead acetate as a colorimetric dye. As an eye-readable and weavable sensing platform, the single-strand yarn exhibits enhanced sensitivity supported by its high surface area and well-developed porosity to detect the breath biomarker (1 ppm of H2S). Alternatively, the yarn loaded with lead iodide dyes could reversibly detect NH3 gas molecules in the ppm-level, demonstrating the facile extensibility. Finally, we demonstrated that the freestanding yarns could be sewn into patterned textiles for the fabrication of a wearable toxic gas alarm system with a visual output.
Polyurethane foam (PUF) has generally been used in liquefied natural gas (LNG) carrier cargo containment systems (CCSs) owing to its excellent mechanical and thermal properties over a wide range of ...temperatures. An LNG CCS must be designed to withstand extreme environmental conditions. However, as the insulation material for LNGC CCSs, PUF has two major limitations: its strength and thermal conductivity. In the present study, PUFs were synthesized with various weight percentages of porous silica aerogel to reinforce the characteristics of PUF used in LNG carrier insulation systems. To evaluate the mechanical strength of the PUF-silica aerogel composites considering LNG loading/unloading environmental conditions, compressive tests were conducted at room temperature (20 °C) and a cryogenic temperature (-163 °C). In addition, the thermal insulation performance and cellular structure were identified to analyze the effects of silica aerogels on cell morphology. The cell morphology of PUF-silica aerogel composites was relatively homogeneous, and the cell shape remained closed at 1 wt.% in comparison to the other concentrations. As a result, the mechanical and thermal properties were significantly improved by the addition of 1 wt.% silica aerogel to the PUF. The mechanical properties were reduced by increasing the silica aerogel content to 3 wt.% and 5 wt.%, mainly because of the pores generated on the surface of the composites.
The treatment strategy is different for acute traumatic peripheral nerve injury and acute compressive neuropathy. This study aimed to compare magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) features of acute ...traumatic peripheral nerve injury and acute compressive neuropathy in a rat model.
Twenty female Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into two groups. In the crush injury group (n = 10), the unilateral sciatic nerve was crushed using forceps to represent acute traumatic peripheral nerve injury. In the compression injury group (n = 10), the unilateral sciatic nerve was ligated using silk to represent acute compressive neuropathy. The MRI of eight rats from each group were acquired on postoperative days 3 and 10. Fat-suppressed T2-weighted images were acquired. Changes in the injured nerve were divided into three grades. A Fisher's exact test was used to compare the changes in the nerves of the two groups. Histological staining and a western blot analysis were performed on one rat in each group on day 3. Neurofilament, myelin basic protein (MBP), and p75NTR staining were performed. Expression of neurofilament, MBP, p75NTR, and c-jun was evaluated by western blot analysis.
MR neurography revealed substantial nerve changes in the compression injury group compared with the crush injury group at two-time points (p = 0.001 on day 3, p = 0.026 on day 10). The histopathological analysis indicated the destruction of the axon and myelin, mainly at the injury site and the distal portion of the injury in the crush injury group. It was prominent in the proximal portion, the injury site, and the distal portion of the injury in the compression injury group. The degree of axonal and myelin destruction was more pronounced in the compression injury group than in the crush injury group.
MR neurography showed prominent and long-segmental changes associated with the injured nerve in acute compressive neuropathy compared with acute traumatic peripheral nerve injury.
Celotno besedilo
Dostopno za:
DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
We report a distinct method for the production of organic-inorganic hybrid perovskite (OIHP) nanostructures using block copolymer micelles as scaffolds. We reveal that various nanostructures can be ...obtained by controlling the parameters related to micelle disassembly. The strategy reported herein can be generalized for the fabrication of diverse nanostructures toward target-oriented potential applications.
We report a distinct method for the production of organic-inorganic hybrid perovskite (OIHP) nanostructures using block copolymer micelles as scaffolds.
A male Mongolian child with a complete congenital absence of both nose and nasal passage had a poor survival prognosis due to respiratory distress. To enable his survival, a new nose capable of ...conferring respiratory function was constructed. Following reconstructive surgery, an absence of mucoepithelium in the nasal passage can lead to rhinostenosis. To avoid this complication, a custom‐made nasal silicone stent was created using three‐dimensional (3D) printing technology in conjunction with the patient's computed tomography data. The stent was implanted for 2 months to maintain the shape and size of the nasal passage. At 2 months after stent implantation, the mucoepithelium tissue in the passage had successfully regenerated with no immune reaction. Three years after stent removal, respiratory function, nasal passage structure, and external nose shape were maintained without additional medical care. These results indicate the successful nasal reconstruction in an arhinia patient using a customized, 3D‐printed nasal stent. Laryngoscope, 129:582–585, 2019
The development of flexible chemiresistors is imperative for real‐time monitoring of air quality and/or human physical conditions without space constraints. However, critical challenges such as poor ...sensing characteristics, vulnerability under toxic chemicals, and weak reliability hinder their practical use. In this work, for the first time, an ultrasensitive flexible sensing platform is reported by assembling Pt loaded thin‐layered (≈10 nm) SnO2 nanosheets (Pt‐SnO2 NSs) based 2D sensing layers on Ag nanowires embedded glass‐fabric reinforced vinyl–phenyl siloxane hybrid composite substrate (AgNW‐GFRVPH film) as a heater. The thermally stable AgNW‐GFRVPH film based heater is fabricated by free radical polymerization of vinyl groups in vinyl–phenyl oligosiloxane and phenyltris(dimethylvinylsiloxy)silane with Ag NW and glass‐fabric, showing outstanding heat generation (≈200 °C), high dimensional stability (13 ppm °C−1), and good thermal stability (≈350 °C). The Pt‐SnO2 NSs, which are synthesized by calcination of Sn precursor coated graphene oxide (GO) sheets and subsequent Pt functionalization, exhibit high mechanical flexibility and superior response (Rair/Rgas = 4.84) to 1 ppm level dimethyl sulfide. Taking these advantages, GO‐templated oxide NSs combined with a highly stable AgNW‐GFRVPH film heater exhibits the best dimethyl sulfide sensing performance compared to state‐of‐the‐art flexible chemiresistors, enabling them as a superior flexible gas sensing platform.
A highly sensitive flexible sensing platform is successfully achieved by integrating ultrathin Pt‐loaded SnO2 nanosheets and Ag nanowires embedded flexible hybrimer heater. As a result, via tailored combination of Pt‐SnO2 NSs with AgNW‐GFRVPH film substrate, not only improved bendability with high thermal stability but also extremely sensitive and selective DMS sensing properties are obtained.
In this work, we introduce a chitosan–Pt complex (CS–Pt) as an effective template for catalytic Pt sensitization and creation of abundant mesopores in SnO2 nanofibers (NFs). The Pt particles ...encapsulated by the CS exhibit ultrasmall size (∼2.6 nm) and high dispersion characteristics due to repulsion between CS molecules. By combining CS–Pt with electrospinning, mesoporous SnO2 NFs uniformly functionalized with the Pt catalyst (CS–Pt@SnO2 NFs) are synthesized. Particularly, numerous mesopores with diameters of ∼20 nm form through the decomposition of CS, while a small SnO2 grain size (14.32 nm) is achieved by the pinning effect of CS. It is observed that CS–Pt@SnO2 NFs exhibit outstanding response (Rair/Rgas = 141.92 at 5 ppm), excellent selectivity, stability, and fast response (12 s)/recovery (44 s) speed toward 1 ppm of acetone at 350 °C and high humidity (90% RH). In addition, by applying an exponential fitting tool to experimental response values toward 0.1–5 ppm of acetone, it is estimated that CS–Pt@SnO2 NFs can detect 5 ppb of acetone with a notable response (Rair/Rgas = 2.9). Furthermore, the sensor array based on CS–Pt@SnO2 NFs, CS-driven SnO2 NFs, polyol-Pt loaded SnO2 NFs, and dense SnO2 NFs obviously classifies simulated diabetic breath and healthy human breath by using a pattern recognition tool. These results clearly demonstrate that mesoporous SnO2 NFs, particularly functionalized with CS–Pt templated nanocatalysts, open up a new class of sensing layers offering high sensitivity and selectivity.
Background
Epstein–Barr virus (EBV) is etiologically associated with ~ 10% of all gastric carcinomas. However, the molecular mechanisms and roles of EBV miRNAs in gastric carcinoma oncogenesis are ...yet to be elucidated.
Methods
MicroRNA microarray and TaqMan quantitative real-time RT-PCR were conducted. RT-PCR and luciferase reporter assay for PIAS3, western blotting for 20 proteins, immunofluorescence for STAT3, transfection with miRBART5-5p-plasmid, STAT3-plasmid, miRBART5-5p mimic, or PIAS3-siRNA, and in vitro assays for biological effects of PD-L1 were implemented. In situ hybridization for EBV-encoded small RNAs and immunohistochemistry were performed on gastric carcinoma tissues.
Results
Transfecting miR-BART5-5p into EBV(−) gastric carcinoma cell lines caused a decrease in PIAS3 3′-UTR reporter activity, PIAS3 downregulation, and subsequent STAT3 activation followed by PIAS3/pSTAT3-dependent PD-L1 upregulation. Interestingly, due to PD-L1 knockdown, apoptosis was increased, while the rate of cell proliferation, invasion capacity, and migration were decreased in miR-BART5-5p-transfected cells. In EBV(+) gastric carcinoma cells, anti-miR-BART5-5p reduced PD-L1 levels through PIAS3/pSTAT3 control. Among 103 patients with EBV-associated gastric carcinomas, overall survival was significantly shortened for those with PD-L1(+) tumors compared to those with PD-L1(−) tumors (
P
= 0.049).
Conclusions
Our findings imply that miR-BART5-5p directly targets PIAS3 and augments PD-L1 through miR-BART5/PIAS3/pSTAT3/PD-L1 axis control. This contributes to antiapoptosis, tumor cell proliferation, invasion and migration, as well as immune escape, furthering gastric carcinoma progression and worsening the clinical outcome, especially in the PD-L1(+) group of patients with EBV-associated gastric carcinomas. miR-BART5-5p may, therefore, be amenable to PD-1/PD-L1 immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy.
Coupling post-combustion CO2 capture with electrochemical utilization (CCU) is a quantum leap in renewable energy science since it eliminates the cost and energy involved in the transport and storage ...of CO2. However, the major challenges involved in industrial scale implementation are selecting an appropriate solvent/electrolyte for CO2 capture, modeling an appropriate infrastructure by coupling an electrolyser with a CO2 point source and a separator to isolate CO2 reduction reaction (CO2RR) products, and finally selection of an appropriate electrocatalyst. In this review, we highlight the major difficulties with detailed mechanistic interpretation in each step, to find out the underpinning mechanism involved in the integration of electrochemical CCU to achieve higher-value products. In the past decades, most of the studies dealt with individual parts of the integration process, i.e., either selecting a solvent for CO2 capture, designing an electrocatalyst, or choosing an ideal electrolyte. In this context, it is important to note that solvents such as monoethanolamine, bicarbonate, and ionic liquids are often used as electrolytes in CO2 capture media. Therefore, it is essential to fabricate a cost-effective electrolyser that should function as a reversible binder with CO2 and an electron pool capable of recovering the solvent to electrolyte reversibly. For example, reversible ionic liquids, which are non-ionic in their normal forms, but produce ionic forms after CO2 capture, can be further reverted back to their original non-ionic forms after CO2 release with almost 100% efficiency through the chemical or thermal modulations. This review also sheds light on a focused techno-economic evolution for converting the electrochemically integrated CCU process from a pilot-scale project to industrial-scale implementation. In brief, this review article will summarize a state-of-the-art argumentation of challenges and outcomes over the different segments involved in electrochemically integrated CCU to stimulate urgent progress in the field.
The diversity of mesenchymal cell types in the lung that influence epithelial homeostasis and regeneration is poorly defined. We used genetic lineage tracing, single-cell RNA sequencing, and organoid ...culture approaches to show that Lgr5 and Lgr6, well-known markers of stem cells in epithelial tissues, are markers of mesenchymal cells in the adult lung. Lgr6+ cells comprise a subpopulation of smooth muscle cells surrounding airway epithelia and promote airway differentiation of epithelial progenitors via Wnt-Fgf10 cooperation. Genetic ablation of Lgr6+ cells impairs airway injury repair in vivo. Distinct Lgr5+ cells are located in alveolar compartments and are sufficient to promote alveolar differentiation of epithelial progenitors through Wnt activation. Modulating Wnt activity altered differentiation outcomes specified by mesenchymal cells. This identification of region- and lineage-specific crosstalk between epithelium and their neighboring mesenchymal partners provides new understanding of how different cell types are maintained in the adult lung.
Display omitted
•Lgr5 and Lgr6 mark mesenchymal cells in adult lungs•Single-cell transcriptome analysis defines mesenchymal heterogeneity•Distinct mesenchymal niches drive airway and alveolar differentiation•Wnt activity affects epithelial differentiation specified by mesenchymal cells
Heterogeneous mesenchymal cell populations in the lung play a central role in epithelial maintenance and alveolar differentiation.
PDF
