Dilute alloying is an effective strategy to tune properties of solid catalysts but is rarely leveraged in complex reactions beyond small molecule conversion. In this work, dilute dopants are ...demonstrated to serve as activating centers to construct multiatom catalytic domains in metal nitride electrocatalysts for lithium–sulfur (Li–S) batteries, of which the sulfur cathode suffers from sluggish and complex conversion reactions. With titanium nitride (TiN) as a model system, the dilute cobalt alloying is shown to greatly improve the reaction kinetics while inducing negligible catalyst reconstruction. Compared to the pristine TiN, the dilute nitride alloy catalyst enables onefold increase in the high rate (2.0 C) capacities of Li–S batteries, as well as an impressively low cyclic decay rate of 0.17% at a sulfur loading of 4.0 mgS cm−2. This work opens up new opportunities toward the rational design of Li–S electrocatalysts by dilute alloying and also enlightens the understandings of complex domain‐catalyzed reactions in energy applications.
Dilute alloying implants “activating” centers in nitride alloy electrocatalysts to boost lithium–sulfur (Li–S) batteries. Dilute Co dopants activate the surrounding N and Ti atoms to construct multiatom active domains for efficient bidirectional catalysis of S redox reactions. The corresponding dilute nitride alloy improves the reaction kinetics and electrochemical performance of Li–S batteries.
A protein‐sized (ca. 4.2×4.2×3.6 nm3) non‐biologically derived molecule {Nb288O768(OH)48(CO3)12} (Nb288) containing up to 288 niobium atoms has been obtained, which is by far the largest and the ...highest nuclearity polyoxoniobate (PONb). Particularly, in terms of metal nuclearity number, Nb288 is the second largest cluster so far reported in classic polyoxometalate chemistry (V, Mo, W, Nb, and Ta). Nb288 can be described as a giant windmill‐like cluster aggregate of six nanoscale high‐nuclearity PONb units {Nb47O128(OH)6(CO3)2} (Nb47) joined together by six additional Nb ions. Interestingly, the 47‐nuclearity Nb47 units generated in situ can be isolated and bridged by copper complexes to form an inorganic–organic hybrid three‐dimensional PONb framework, which exhibits effective catalytic activity for hydrolyzing nerve agent simulant of dimethyl methylphosphonate. The unique Nb47 cluster also provides a new type of topology to very limited family of Nb‐O clusters.
Friendly niobium giant: An unprecedentedly huge polyoxoniobate (PONb) with as many as 288 Nb centers has been made. This is by far the largest PONb and the second highest nuclearity polyoxometalate reported to date. It incorporates a unique 47‐nuclearity PONb building unit formed in situ, which can be stabilized by metal complexes to form an extended PONb framework with the capability of hydrolyzing dimethyl methylphosphonate.
Several recent studies have shown the presence of genes for the key enzyme associated with archaeal methane/alkane metabolism, methyl-coenzyme M reductase (Mcr), in metagenome-assembled genomes ...(MAGs) divergent to existing archaeal lineages. Here, we study the mcr-containing archaeal MAGs from several hot springs, which reveal further expansion in the diversity of archaeal organisms performing methane/alkane metabolism. Significantly, an MAG basal to organisms from the phylum Thaumarchaeota that contains mcr genes, but not those for ammonia oxidation or aerobic metabolism, is identified. Together, our phylogenetic analyses and ancestral state reconstructions suggest a mostly vertical evolution of mcrABG genes among methanogens and methanotrophs, along with frequent horizontal gene transfer of mcr genes between alkanotrophs. Analysis of all mcr-containing archaeal MAGs/genomes suggests a hydrothermal origin for these microorganisms based on optimal growth temperature predictions. These results also suggest methane/alkane oxidation or methanogenesis at high temperature likely existed in a common archaeal ancestor.
Graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4) used in this work was obtained by heating dicyandiamide and melamine, respectively, at different temperatures. The differences of g-C3N4 derived from different ...precursors in phase composition, functional group, surface morphology, microstructure, surface property, band gap and specific surface area were investigated by X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, UV-visible diffuse reflection spectroscopy and BET surface area analyzer, respectively. The photocatalytic discoloration of an active cationic dye, Methylene Blue (MB) under visible-light irradiation indicated that g-C3N4 derived from melamine at 500°C (CN-M500) had higher adsorption capacity and better photocatalytic activity than that from dicyandiamide at 500°C (CN-D500), which was attributed to the larger surface area of CN-M500. MB discoloration ratio over CN-M500 was affected by initial MB concentration and photocatalyst dosage. After 120 min reaction time, the blue color of MB solution disappeared completely. Subsequently, based on the measurement of the surface Zeta potentials of CN-M500 at different pHs, an active anionic dye, Methyl Orange (MO) was selected as the contrastive target pollutant with MB to reveal the synergic effect between adsorption and photocatalysis. Finally, the photocatalytic mechanism was discussed.
Celotno besedilo
Dostopno za:
DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
Despite more effective chemotherapy combined with limb-salvage surgery for the osteosarcoma treatment, survival rates for osteosarcoma patients have stagnated over the past three decades due to the ...poor prognosis. Osteosarcoma cancer stem cells (OSCs) are responsible for the growth and metastasis of osteosarcoma. The existence of OSCs offers a theoretical explanation for therapeutic failures including tumor recurrence, metastasis, and drug resistance. Understanding the pathways that regulate properties of OSCs may shed light on mechanisms that lead to osteosarcoma and suggest better modes of treatment. In this study, we showed that the expression level of Kruppel-like factor 4 (KLF4) is highly associated with human osteosarcoma cancer stemness. KLF4-overexpressed osteosarcoma cells displayed characteristics of OSCs: increased sphere-forming potential, enhanced levels of stemness-associated genes, great chemoresistance to adriamycin and CDDP, as well as more metastasis potential. Inversely, KLF4 knockdown could reduce colony formation in vitro and inhibit tumorigenesis in vivo, supporting an oncogenic role for KLF4 in osteosarcoma pathogenesis. Furthermore, KLF4 was shown to activate the p38 MAPK signaling pathway to promote cancer stemness. Altogether, our studies uncover an essential role for KLF4 in regulation of OSCs and identify KLF4-p38 MAPK axis as a potential therapeutic target for osteosarcoma treatment.
Context: Naringin is a natural flavanone glycoside that is found in the Chinese herbal medicines and citrus fruits. Studies have demonstrated that naringin possesses numerous biological and ...pharmacological properties, but few reviews of these studies have been performed.
Objective: The present review gathers the fragmented information available in the literature describing the extraction of naringin, its pharmacology and its controlled release formulations. Current research progress and the therapeutic potential of naringin are also discussed.
Methods: A literature survey for relevant information regarding the biological and pharmacological properties of naringin was conducted using Pubmed, Sciencedirect, MEDLINE, Springerlink and Google Scholar electronic databases from the year 2007-2015.
Results: Naringin modulates signalling pathways and interacts with signalling molecules and thus has a wide range of pharmacological activities, including anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer activities, as well as effects on bone regeneration, metabolic syndrome, oxidative stress, genetic damage and central nervous system (CNS) diseases. Information was gathered that showed the extraction of naringin can be improved using several modifications. There has been some progress in the development of controlled release formulations of naringin.
Conclusion: Naringin is a promising candidate for further in vivo studies and clinical use. More detailed studies regarding its mechanism of action are required.
Celotno besedilo
Dostopno za:
DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
Microbes of the phylum Aigarchaeota are widely distributed in geothermal environments, but their physiological and ecological roles are poorly understood. Here we analyze six Aigarchaeota metagenomic ...bins from two circumneutral hot springs in Tengchong, China, to reveal that they are either strict or facultative anaerobes, and most are chemolithotrophs that can perform sulfide oxidation. Applying comparative genomics to the Thaumarchaeota and Aigarchaeota, we find that they both originated from thermal habitats, sharing 1154 genes with their common ancestor. Horizontal gene transfer played a crucial role in shaping genetic diversity of Aigarchaeota and led to functional partitioning and ecological divergence among sympatric microbes, as several key functional innovations were endowed by Bacteria, including dissimilatory sulfite reduction and possibly carbon monoxide oxidation. Our study expands our knowledge of the possible ecological roles of the Aigarchaeota and clarifies their evolutionary relationship to their sister lineage Thaumarchaeota.
A
bstract
The left-right symmetric model (LRSM) is a well-motivated framework to restore parity and implement seesaw mechanisms for the tiny neutrino masses at or above the TeV-scale, and has a very ...rich phenomenology at both the high-energy and high-precision frontiers. In this paper we examine the phase transition and resultant gravitational waves (GWs) in the minimal version of LRSM. Taking into account all the theoretical and experimental constraints on LRSM, we identify the parameter regions with strong first-order phase transition and detectable GWs in the future experiments. It turns out in a sizeable region of the parameter space, GWs can be generated in the phase transition with the strength of 10
−
17
to 10
−
12
at the frequency of 0.1 to 10 Hz, which can be detected by BBO and DECIGO. Furthermore, GWs in the LRSM favor a relatively light SU(2)
R
-breaking scalar
H
3
0
, which is largely complementary to the direct searches of a long-lived neutral scalar at the high-energy colliders. It is found that the other heavy scalars and the right-handed neutrinos in the LRSM also play an important part for GW signal production in the phase transition.
The laurel family within the Magnoliids has attracted attentions owing to its scents, variable inflorescences, and controversial phylogenetic position. Here, we present a chromosome-level assembly of ...the Litsea cubeba genome, together with low-coverage genomic and transcriptomic data for many other Lauraceae. Phylogenomic analyses show phylogenetic discordance at the position of Magnoliids, suggesting incomplete lineage sorting during the divergence of monocots, eudicots, and Magnoliids. An ancient whole-genome duplication (WGD) event occurred just before the divergence of Laurales and Magnoliales; subsequently, independent WGDs occurred almost simultaneously in the three Lauralean lineages. The phylogenetic relationships within Lauraceae correspond to the divergence of inflorescences, as evidenced by the phylogeny of FUWA, a conserved gene involved in determining panicle architecture in Lauraceae. Monoterpene synthases responsible for production of specific volatile compounds in Lauraceae are functionally verified. Our work sheds light on the evolution of the Lauraceae, the genetic basis for floral evolution and specific scents.
Early invasive growth along specific anatomical structures, especially the white matter tract, is regarded as one of the main causes of poor therapeutic outcome of people with gliomas. We show that ...some glioma stem cells (GSCs) are preferentially located along white matter tracts, which exhibit a demyelinated phenotype, at the invasive frontier of glioma tissues. These GSCs are CD133
Notch1
, whereas the nerve fibers express the Notch ligand Jagged1. The Notch-induced transcription factor Sox9 promotes the transcription of SOX2 and the methylation level of the NOTCH1 promoter is attenuated by the upregulation of SOX2 to reinforce NOTCH1 expression in GSCs. This positive-feedback loop in a cohort of glioma subjects is correlated with a poor prognosis. Inhibition of Notch signaling attenuates the white-matter-tract tropism of GSCs. These findings provide evidence indicating that the NOTCH1-SOX2 positive-feedback loop controls GSC invasion along white matter tracts.
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