The competitive endogenous RNA (ceRNA) hypothesis suggests an intrinsic mechanism to regulate biological processes. However, whether the dynamic changes of ceRNAs can modulate miRNA activities ...remains controversial. Here, we examine the dynamics of ceRNAs during TGF-β-induced epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT). We observe that TGFBI, a transcript highly induced during EMT in A549 cells, acts as the ceRNA for miR-21 to modulate EMT. We further identify FN1 as the ceRNA for miR-200c in the canonical SNAIL-ZEB-miR200 circuit in MCF10A cells. Experimental assays and computational simulations demonstrate that the dynamically induced ceRNAs are directly coupled with the canonical double negative feedback loops and are critical to the induction of EMT. These results help to establish the relevance of ceRNA in cancer EMT and suggest that ceRNA is an intrinsic component of the EMT regulatory circuit and may represent a potential target to disrupt EMT during tumorigenesis.
Cellulose aerogel as the third generation of aerogel materials has become a hotspot. However, the poor mechanical property and dimensional stability of cellulose aerogel restrict its application. In ...this study, the micron down feather fibers (DFF) was used as the reinforcing material to prepare the cellulose composite aerogels by dispersion DFF in the carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) matrix. The prepared CMC/DFF composite aerogel with low density (0.0389–0.0428 g/cm
3
) and high porosity (about 97%). The effects of down fiber mass fraction on the mechanical and insulation properties of cellulose composite aerogel were studied. The addition of down feather fibers in the CMC aerogels could improve the mechanical property by increasing the compressive stresses at the 80% compressive strain about 75%. The CMC/DFF composite aerogels also could obtain excellent acoustic and thermal insulation properties with the sound absorption coefficient of 0.991 and thermal conductive of 0.06012 W/mK. The reinforcing mechanism of down fiber on cellulose aerogel was studied. The improvement of mechanical property of CMC aerogels by down feather fibers was due to the physical reinforcement by broadening the layers space of composite aerogels and the chemical reinforcement by forming the cross-linking system with CMC matrix and DFF through glutaraldehyde. Therefore, this research provides a novel strategy for preparation of cellulose composite aerogels with excellent acoustic and thermal insulation, and reinforced mechanical property by using the waste bio-based micron down feather fibers.
The application of cellulose aerogel is restricted by its weak mechanical property and dimensional stability due to the hydrophilic effect of the hydroxyl groups on the molecular chains, which are ...prone to structural crumpling during solvent exchange and drying processes. In this paper, down feather fibers (DFF) was dispersed into hydroxyethyl cellulose (HEC) matrix to prepare DFF reinforced cellulose composite aerogel anticipating to improve the mechanical and insulating properties. The basic physical and mechanical properties of HEC/DFF composite aerogels were characterized. And their acoustic and thermal insulation properties were also investigated. The results showed that HEC/DFF composite aerogels had low density (0.045 ~ 0.080 g/cm
3
) and high porosity (90.09% ~ 94.42%). The mechanical properties of HEC/DFF were obviously improved by increasing the compressive stresses at the 80% compressive strain about 135%, and the compression modulus increased from 46.37 kPa of pure HEC aerogel to 128.65 kPa. The reinforcement of DFF for HEC aerogels was arisen from the combination of physical and chemical strengthening action. HEC/DFF composite aerogel has sound absorption coefficient of 0.938, and the thermal conductivity of 0.06773 W/m·K, showing excellent sound absorption and good heat insulation properties. Therefore, this study provides a new method to reinforce cellulose composite aerogels with excellent insulation properties by using bio-based down feather fibers.
Smart textiles with flame retardant and fire-warning functions have received more and more attention. However, improving the fire-warning response sensitivity and long-term responsiveness of the ...smart textiles is a top priority. In this research, flame retardant and fire-warning cotton fabrics were prepared by layer-by-layer assembly composite coating consisting of bio-based flame retardants composed of chitosan (CS) and phytic acid (PA) and carbon-based nanomaterials composed of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and graphene oxide (GO). The PA-GO/CS-CNTs coated cotton fabric showed excellent flame retardancy with a limiting oxygen index (LOI) value of 31 %, and the coated fabrics could self-extinguish rapidly when the flame was removed. The fire hazard of the coated fabric was significantly reduced by reducing the 45.77 % of peak heat release rate, 29.69 % of total heat release and 81.9 % of total smoke production. The PA-GO/CS-CNTs coated cotton fabric showed ultra-fast fire warning response with the response time of 1.0 s. And the fire-warning response time of the coated cotton fabric could last longer than 600 s revealing it possessed the continuous fire warning response property. This research provides a new strategy to prepare the smart fireproof textiles with flame retardant and fire-warning functions to broaden its application in early fire-warning.
Cotton fabric is widely used in many fields for its excellent comfortability, breathability and hygroscopicity. However, the development of multifunctional cotton fabrics to meet the requirements of ...different scenarios is a top priority. In this study, multifunctional coating was constructed through facile layer-by-layer assembly phytic acid and chitosan, and spraying divalent copper ion and polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) on cotton fabrics, anticipating to endow them with flame retardancy, antibacterial and superhydrophobic properties simultaneously. The treated cotton fabric achieved a limiting oxygen index (LOI) value of 32 %, with the char length reducing to 10.7 cm revealing excellent flame retardancy. The water contact angle of multifunctional treated cotton fabric was above 150°, demonstrating it had superhydrophobicity. The antibacterial rates of multifunctional cotton fabrics against E. coli and S. aureus reached to higher than 99 %, indicating that the excellent antibacterial properties. Combined with the thermal stability of cotton fabrics and their char residues analysis, these results demonstrated that the multifunctional coating could act through intumescent flame retardant mechanism to flame retardant cotton fabrics. This research provides a facile way to prepare multifunctional cotton fabrics to broaden the application prospect.
Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) fabric is commonly used in people's daily life due to its excellent performance. However, PET is flammable and easy to produce dripping resulting in a potential fire ...hazard. It is of great significance to endow PET fabric with flame retardancy and anti-dripping simultaneously. Bio-based compounds have received more and more attention in flame retardant field for their eco-friendly, renewable and sustainable advantages. However, their poor durability restricts the industrial application. In this study, 3-glycidyloxypropyltrimethoxysilane (GPTMS) was used as the organic crosslinking agent, which was covalently binded with phytic acid (PA) and chitosan (CS) to endow PET fabrics with durable flame retardancy. The treated PET fabric with 20 bi-layers (BLs) CS/PA coating using layer-by-layer assembly method obtained a LOI value of 34 % and damage length of 6.5 cm, demonstrating that the excellent flame retardancy of treated PET fabric. After 4 times washing, its LOI value was higher than 26 %, indicating the good flame retardant durability of treated PET fabrics. This research provides a basis for durable flame retardant textile using bio-based flame retardants by forming covalent bonds through the crosslinking agent containing reactive epoxy groups.
Display omitted
•Covalent crosslinking bio-based IFR coating have been fabricated on PET fabric.•Covalent crosslinking CS/PA IFR coating endowed PET fabric with excellent flame retardancy.•Covalent crosslinking flame retardant treated PET fabrics showed good washing durability.
Polyester/cotton (T/C) fabric has the excellent properties of both cotton and polyester, and is widely used in the textile field. However, the fabric is highly flammable. Further, the facile growth ...of bacteria on the fabric surface may lead to contamination that precludes application in some areas. Multifunctional T/C fabrics with flame retardancy, superhydrophobicity and antibacterial property have been prepared by construction a surface coating of phytic acid, chitosan, ferric ion and polydimethylsiloxane via a finishing method. The coated T/C fabric exhibits excellent flame retardancy with a LOI value of 30.2 % and a char length of 10.0 cm for combustion. The coated T/C fabrics also display superhydrophobicity with a water contact angle (WCA) greater than 150°. The multifunctional coated T/C fabrics exhibit good antibacterial properties with inhibition of bacterial growth for E. coli and S. aureus of over 98 %. Thermogravimetry and scanning electron microscopy suggest that the multifunctional coating on T/C fabrics produces an intumescent flame retardant effect involving both the promotion of char formation in the condensed phase and the evolution inert species to the gas phase to dilute the fuel load in the combustion zone. A new strategy for the preparation of textile fabrics with good flame retardancy, superhydrophobicity and antimicrobial properties by application of a multifunctional surface coating has been developed.
Display omitted
•Multifunctional T/C fabric was prepared by coating with PA, CS, Fe3+ and PDMS.•Multifunctional T/C fabric obtained a LOI of 30.2 % showing excellent flame reatrdancy.•Multifunctional T/C fabric had superhydrophobicity with water contact angle over 150°.•Multifunctional coated T/C fabrics had excellent antibacterial properties.
Triglycerides are the main reservoir for long‐term energy storage in humans and are stored intracellularly in lipid droplets. Abnormal triglyceride metabolism is a key factor leading to obesity, ...diabetes, fatty liver disease and cardiovascular disease. When energy is needed, triglycerides are broken down in a metabolic pathway called lipolysis. Intracellular lipolysis is initiated by adipose triglyceride lipase (ATGL), which hydrolyzes triacylglycerol (TAG) to make diacylglycerol and a free fatty acid. Alpha‐beta hydrolase domain‐containing 5 (ABHD5) is a highly conserved regulator of ATGL‐mediated lipolysis that increases ATGL activity and is necessary to maintain lipid homeostasis. Consistently, mutations in ABHD5 cause Chanarin‐Dorfman syndrome, which leads to excessive accumulation of triglycerides. Despite over two decades of studies using biochemical approaches to mouse models, the structure of ABHD5 and molecular mechanisms of regulation remained uncharacterized. To understand the mechanism, we purified full‐length human ABHD5, visualized its self‐assembled, multiple oligomeric state in the absence of detergents by cryo‐EM, and generated preliminary crystals of detergent‐solubilized, monomeric ABHD5. We found ABHD5 is phosphorylated in vitro by PKA and recruited to membranes by specific lipids. We also purified the full‐length human ATGL. To further investigate the structural and regulation mechanisms of ABHD5 and ATGL, we will utilize hydrogen deuterium exchange mass spectrometry to map ATGL and ABHD5 protein‐protein and protein‐membrane interactions, biochemical experiments to study their co‐activation mechanism and membrane interaction. This study will provide a deeper understanding for the clinically relevant mutations, membrane recruitment and lipolysis activation of these key players in lipid metabolism.
The application of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) is restricted due to its high flammability and dripping phenomenon. This paper used bio-based phytic acid (PA) and gelatine (G) for flame retardant ...and anti-dripping treatment of PET fabric. The coated PET fabric achieved a limiting oxygen index (LOI) value greater than 29.5% and no dripping phenomenon revealing that its flame retardancy and anti-dripping properties were obviously improved. The LOI value of PA/G coated PET fabric after washing was over 26% showing good washing durability. The PA/G coating could change the starting decomposition stability and the degradation process of PET fabric and promote to form the stable char. PA/G coating formed an intumescent flame retardant (IFR) system on PET fabric to act through the IFR mechanism. This research is expected to result in a novel eco-friendly coating for flame retardant and anti-dripping thermoplastic polyester fabric.
PDF
