•Demineralized biomass can increase the yield of BTX in catalytic pyrolysis.•Pyrolysis of demineralized biomass gives a higher organic liquid yield.•Secondary vapor reactions influences the ...performance of catalytic upgrading.•Bio-oil from demineralized biomass presents significantly lower total acid number.
The effect of ash removal pre-treatment of lignocellulosic biomass prior to catalytic pyrolysis for producing biofuels was investigated. Non-catalytic and catalytic pyrolysis of demineralized and raw biomass was performed in Py-GC/MS and bench-scale experiments to study the performance of in-bed and ex-bed upgrading. Pre-treated biomass shows a significant increase in the organic liquid yield in experiments performed at 600 °C: from 31 to 42 wt% compared to raw biomass, as well as a significant reduction of char yield. The performance of in-bed catalytic pyrolysis of pre-treated biomass over HZSM-5 is limited compared to the corresponding raw material. However, ex-bed catalytic pyrolysis of pre-treated biomass at 600 °C results in an overall increased yield of BTX compounds. Pyrolysis vapors from pre-treated biomass present a suitable composition for catalytic upgrading after secondary vapor-phase reactions. Additionally, demineralization reduces the total acid number of derived liquids in catalytic and non-catalytic pyrolysis.
The third-generation
tyrosine kinase inhibitor osimertinib is approved to treat patients with
T790M-positive non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) who have developed resistance to earlier-generation ...drugs. Acquired
C797S mutation has been reported to mediate osimertinib resistance in some patients. However, the remaining resistance mechanisms are largely unknown.
We performed mutation profiling using targeted next-generation sequencing (NGS) for 416 cancer-relevant genes on 93 osimertinib-resistant lung cancer patients' samples, mainly cell-free DNAs (cfDNAs), and matched pretreatment samples of 12 patients.
experiments were conducted to functionally study the secondary
mutations identified.
G796/C797, L792, and L718/G719 mutations were identified in 24.7%, 10.8%, and 9.7% of the cases, respectively, with certain mutations coexisting in one patient with different prevalence. L792 and L718 mutants markedly increased the half inhibitory concentration (IC
) of osimertinib
, among which the L718Q mutation conferred the greatest resistance to osimertinib, as well as gefitinib resistance when not coexisting with T790M. Further analysis of the 12 matched pretreatment samples confirmed that these
mutations were acquired during osimertinib treatment. Alterations in parallel or downstream oncogenes such as
, and
were also discovered, potentially contributing to the osimertinib-resistance in patients without
secondary mutations.
We present comprehensive mutation profiles of a large cohort of osimertinib-resistance lung cancer patients using mainly cfDNA. Besides C797 mutations, novel secondary mutations of
L718 and L792 residues confer osimertinib resistance, both
and
, and are of great clinical and pharmaceutical relevance.
.
It has recently been shown that the upregulation of a pseudogene specific to a protein-coding gene could function as a sponge to bind multiple potential targeting microRNAs (miRNAs), resulting in ...increased gene expression. Similarly, it was recently demonstrated that circular RNAs can function as sponges for miRNAs, and could upregulate expression of mRNAs containing an identical sequence. Furthermore, some mRNAs are now known to not only translate protein, but also function to sponge miRNA binding, facilitating gene expression. Collectively, these appear to be effective mechanisms to ensure gene expression and protein activity. Here we show that expression of a member of the forkhead family of transcription factors, Foxo3, is regulated by the Foxo3 pseudogene (Foxo3P), and Foxo3 circular RNA, both of which bind to eight miRNAs. We found that the ectopic expression of the Foxo3P, Foxo3 circular RNA and Foxo3 mRNA could all suppress tumor growth and cancer cell proliferation and survival. Our results showed that at least three mechanisms are used to ensure protein translation of Foxo3, which reflects an essential role of Foxo3 and its corresponding non-coding RNAs.
Four-dimensional (4D) printing of shape memory polymer (SMP) imparts time responsive properties to 3D structures. Here, we explore 4D printing of a SMP in the submicron length scale, extending its ...applications to nanophononics. We report a new SMP photoresist based on Vero Clear achieving print features at a resolution of ~300 nm half pitch using two-photon polymerization lithography (TPL). Prints consisting of grids with size-tunable multi-colours enabled the study of shape memory effects to achieve large visual shifts through nanoscale structure deformation. As the nanostructures are flattened, the colours and printed information become invisible. Remarkably, the shape memory effect recovers the original surface morphology of the nanostructures along with its structural colour within seconds of heating above its glass transition temperature. The high-resolution printing and excellent reversibility in both microtopography and optical properties promises a platform for temperature-sensitive labels, information hiding for anti-counterfeiting, and tunable photonic devices.
Localized optical resonances in metallic nanostructures have been increasingly used in color printing, demonstrating unprecedented resolution but limited in color gamut. Here, we introduce a new ...nanostructure design, which broadens the gamut while retaining print resolution. Instead of metals, silicon nanostructures that exhibit localized magnetic and electric dipole resonances were fabricated on a silicon substrate coated with a Si3N4 index matching layer. Index matching allows a suppression of substrate effects, thus enabling Kerker’s conditions to be met, that is, sharpened transitions in the reflectance spectra leading to saturated colors. This nanostructure design achieves a color gamut superior to sRGB, and is compatible with CMOS processes. The presented design could enable compact high-resolution color displays and filters, and the use of a Si3N4 antireflection coating can be readily extended to designs with nanostructures fabricated using other high-index materials.
Cancer cells simultaneously harbor global losses and gains in DNA methylation. We demonstrate that inducing cellular oxidative stress by hydrogen peroxide treatment recruits DNA methyltransferase 1 ...(DNMT1) to damaged chromatin. DNMT1 becomes part of a complex(es) containing DNMT3B and members of the polycomb repressive complex 4. Hydrogen peroxide treatment causes relocalization of these proteins from non-GC-rich to GC-rich areas. Key components are similarly enriched at gene promoters in an in vivo colitis model. Although high-expression genes enriched for members of the complex have histone mark and nascent transcription changes, CpG island-containing low-expression genes gain promoter DNA methylation. Thus, oxidative damage induces formation and relocalization of a silencing complex that may explain cancer-specific aberrant DNA methylation and transcriptional silencing.
► DNMT1 becomes more tightly bound to chromatin after oxidative damage ► Oxidative damage induces formation of a complex containing DNMT1, DNMT3B and PRC4 ► DNMT-PRC4 enrichment at CpG islands may explain aberrant gene silencing in cancer ► Promoters enriched for these proteins have histone mark and DNA methylation changes
The Krüppel-like factor (KLF) family of transcription factors regulates diverse biological processes that include proliferation, differentiation, growth, development, survival, and responses to ...external stress. Seventeen mammalian KLFs have been identified, and numerous studies have been published that describe their basic biology and contribution to human diseases. KLF proteins have received much attention because of their involvement in the development and homeostasis of numerous organ systems. KLFs are critical regulators of physiological systems that include the cardiovascular, digestive, respiratory, hematological, and immune systems and are involved in disorders such as obesity, cardiovascular disease, cancer, and inflammatory conditions. Furthermore, KLFs play an important role in reprogramming somatic cells into induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells and maintaining the pluripotent state of embryonic stem cells. As research on KLF proteins progresses, additional KLF functions and associations with disease are likely to be discovered. Here, we review the current knowledge of KLF proteins and describe common attributes of their biochemical and physiological functions and their pathophysiological roles.
Optically variable devices (OVDs) are in tremendous demand as optical indicators against the increasing threat of counterfeiting. Conventional OVDs are exposed to the danger of fraudulent replication ...with advances in printing technology and widespread copying methods of security features. Metasurfaces, two-dimensional arrays of subwavelength structures known as meta-atoms, have been nominated as a candidate for a new generation of OVDs as they exhibit exceptional behaviors that can provide a more robust solution for optical anti-counterfeiting. Unlike conventional OVDs, metasurface-driven OVDs (mOVDs) can contain multiple optical responses in a single device, making them difficult to reverse engineered. Well-known examples of mOVDs include ultrahigh-resolution structural color printing, various types of holography, and polarization encoding. In this review, we discuss the new generation of mOVDs. The fundamentals of plasmonic and dielectric metasurfaces are presented to explain how the optical responses of metasurfaces can be manipulated. Then, examples of monofunctional, tunable, and multifunctional mOVDs are discussed. We follow up with a discussion of the fabrication methods needed to realize these mOVDs, classified into prototyping and manufacturing techniques. Finally, we provide an outlook and classification of mOVDs with respect to their capacity and security level. We believe this newly proposed concept of OVDs may bring about a new era of optical anticounterfeit technology leveraging the novel concepts of nano-optics and nanotechnology.
Conventional optical security devices provide authentication by manipulating a specific property of light to produce a distinctive optical signature. For instance, microscopic colour prints modulate ...the amplitude, whereas holograms typically modulate the phase of light. However, their relatively simple structure and behaviour is easily imitated. We designed a pixel that overlays a structural colour element onto a phase plate to control both the phase and amplitude of light, and arrayed these pixels into monolithic prints that exhibit complex behaviour. Our fabricated prints appear as colour images under white light, while projecting up to three different holograms under red, green, or blue laser illumination. These holographic colour prints are readily verified but challenging to emulate, and can provide enhanced security in anti-counterfeiting applications. As the prints encode information only in the surface relief of a single polymeric material, nanoscale 3D printing of customised masters may enable their mass-manufacture by nanoimprint lithography.
The study reported and analyzed the current state of wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) in urban China from the perspective of treatment technologies, pollutant removals, operating load and effluent ...discharge standards. By the end of 2013, 3508 WWTPs have been built in 31 provinces and cities in China with a total treatment capacity of 1.48×108m3/d. The uneven population distribution between China's east and west regions has resulted in notably different economic development outcomes. The technologies mostly used in WWTPs are AAO and oxidation ditch, which account for over 50% of the existing WWTPs. According to statistics, the efficiencies of COD and NH3–N removal are good in 656 WWTPs in 70 cities. The overall average COD removal is over 88% with few regional differences. The average removal efficiency of NH3–N is up to 80%. Large differences exist between the operating loads applied in different WWTPs. The average operating loading rate is approximately 83%, and 52% of WWTPs operate at loadings of <80%, treating up to 40% of the wastewater generated. The implementation of discharge standards has been low. Approximately 28% of WWTPs that achieved the Grade I-A Discharge Standard of Pollutants for Municipal Wastewater Treatment Plant (GB 18918–2002) were constructed after 2010. The sludge treatment and recycling rates are only 25%, and approximately 15% of wastewater is inefficiently treated. Approximately 60% of WWTPs have capacities of 1×104m3/d–5×104m3/d. Relatively high energy consumption is required for small-scale processing, and the utilization rate of recycled wastewater is low. The challenges of WWTPs are discussed with the aim of developing rational criteria and appropriate technologies for water recycling. Suggestions regarding potential technical and administrative measures are provided.
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•3508 wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) were summarized.•Population distribution and economic development caused regional difference of WWTPs.•Pollutant removal, operating load, discharge standards in 7 regions were presented.•Suggestions regarding potential technical and administrative measures were provided.
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