Abstract
Electrochemically reversible redox couples that embrace more electron transfer at a higher potential are the eternal target for energy storage batteries. Here, we report a four-electron ...aqueous zinc-iodine battery by activating the highly reversible I
2
/I
+
couple (1.83 V vs. Zn/Zn
2+
) in addition to the typical I
−
/I
2
couple (1.29 V). This is achieved by intensive solvation of the aqueous electrolyte to yield ICl inter-halogens and to suspend its hydrolysis. Experimental characterization and modelling reveal that limited water activity and sufficient free chloride ions in the electrolyte are crucial for the four-electron process. The merits of the electrolyte also afford to stabilize Zn anode, leading to a reliable Zn-I
2
aqueous battery of 6000 cycles. Owing to high operational voltage and capacity, energy density up to 750 Wh kg
−1
based on iodine mass was achieved (15–20 wt% iodine in electrode). It pushes the Zn-I
2
battery to a superior level among these available aqueous batteries.
A number of isothermal DNA amplification technologies claim to be ideal for point-of-need (PON) applications as they enable reactions to be performed using a single-temperature heat source (e.g. ...water bath). Thus, we examined several isothermal amplification methods focusing on simplicity, cost, sensitivity and reproducibility to identify the most suitable method(s) for low resource PON applications. A number of methods were found unsuitable as they either involved multiple temperature incubations, were relatively expensive or required relatively large amounts target DNA for amplification. Among the methods examined, loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) and recombinase polymerase amplification (RPA) were found to be the most suitable for PON applications as they are both single step methods that provide highly sensitive and reproducible amplifications. The speed of LAMP reactions was greatly enhanced, up to 76%, with the addition of loop primers while the presence of swarm primers and the sequestration of free magnesium ions with nucleotides also enhanced the amplification speed. In contrast, we were unable to enhance RPA's performance from the original published literature. While both RPA and LAMP have some drawbacks, either isothermal technology can reliably be used for on-site diagnostics with minimal equipment.
Exosomes from cancer cells or immune cells, carrying bio-macromolecules or microRNAs (miRNAs), participate in tumor pathogenesis and progression by modulating microenvironment. Our study aims to ...investigate the role of these microRNA-501-3p (miR-501-3p) containing exosomes derived from tumor-associated macrophage (TAM) in the progression of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC).
Firstly, the function of TAM recruitment in PDAC tissues was assessed, followed by identification of the effects of M2 macrophage-derived exosomes on PDAC cell activities and tumor formation and metastasis in mice. In silico analysis was conducted to predict differentially expressed genes and regulatory miRNAs related to PDAC treated with macrophages, which determined miR-501-3p and TGFBR3 for subsequent experiments. Next, gain- and loss-of-function experiments were performed to examine their role in PDAC progression with the involvement of the TGF-β signaling pathway.
TAM recruitment in PDAC tissues was associated with metastasis. Highly expressed miR-501-3p was observed in PDAC tissues and TAM-derived exosomes. Both M2 macrophage-derived exosomes and miR-501-3p promoted PDAC cell migration and invasion, as well as tumor formation and metastasis in nude mice. MiR-501-3p was verified to target TGFBR3. PDAC cells presented with down-regulated TGFBR3, which was further decreased in response to M2 macrophage treatment. TGF-β signaling pathway activation was implicated in the promotion of miR-501-3p in PDAC development. The suppression of macrophage-derived exosomal miR-501-3p resulted in the inhibition of tumor formation and metastasis in vivo.
M2 macrophage-derived exosomal miR-501-3p inhibits tumor suppressor TGFBR3 gene and facilitates the development of PDAC by activating the TGF-β signaling pathway, which provides novel targets for the molecular treatment of PDAC.
Evidence has indicated that M2 macrophages promote the progression of cancers, but few focus on the ability of M2 macrophage‐derived exosomes in pancreatic cancer (PC). This study aims to explore how ...M2 macrophages affect malignant phenotypes of PC through regulating long non‐coding RNA SET‐binding factor 2 antisense RNA 1 (lncRNA SBF2‐AS1)/microRNA‐122‐5p (miR‐122‐5p)/X‐linked inhibitor of apoptosis protein (XIAP) axis. THP‐1 cells were transformed into M1 macrophages by lipopolysaccharide and interferon‐γ treatment, and into M2 macrophages after interleukin‐4 treatment. The PANC‐1 PC cell line with the largest lncRNA SBF2‐AS1 expression was selected, and M2 macrophage‐derived exosomes were isolated and identified. A number of assays were applied for the examination of lncRNA SBF2‐AS1 expression, PC cell biological functions and subcellular localization of lncRNA SBF2‐AS1. XIAP expression was detected, along with the interaction among lncRNA SBF2‐AS1, miR‐122‐5p and XIAP. M2 macrophage exosomal lncRNA SBF2‐AS1 expression's effects on the tumorigenic ability of PANC‐1 cells in nude mice were also investigated. M2 macrophage‐derived exosomes promoted progression of PC cells. Overexpressed lncRNA SBF2‐AS1 promoted progression of PC cells. LncRNA SBF2‐AS1 was found to act as a competing endogenous RNA to repress miR‐122‐5p and up‐regulate XIAP. Constrained lncRNA SBF2‐AS1 in M2 macrophage‐derived exosomes contributed to restraining tumorigenic ability of PC cells. Collectively, our study reveals that constrained lncRNA SBF2‐AS1 in M2 macrophage‐derived exosomes increases miR‐122‐5p expression to restrain XIAP expression, which further inhibits PC progression.
Nucleic acid amplification is a powerful molecular biology tool, although its use outside the modern laboratory environment is limited due to the relatively cumbersome methods required to extract ...nucleic acids from biological samples. To address this issue, we investigated a variety of materials for their suitability for nucleic acid capture and purification. We report here that untreated cellulose-based paper can rapidly capture nucleic acids within seconds and retain them during a single washing step, while contaminants present in complex biological samples are quickly removed. Building on this knowledge, we have successfully created an equipment-free nucleic acid extraction dipstick methodology that can obtain amplification-ready DNA and RNA from plants, animals, and microbes from difficult biological samples such as blood and leaves from adult trees in less than 30 seconds. The simplicity and speed of this method as well as the low cost and availability of suitable materials (e.g., common paper towelling), means that nucleic acid extraction is now more accessible and affordable for researchers and the broader community. Furthermore, when combined with recent advancements in isothermal amplification and naked eye DNA visualization techniques, the dipstick extraction technology makes performing molecular diagnostic assays achievable in limited resource settings including university and high school classrooms, field-based environments, and developing countries.
The highly reversible zinc-bromine redox couple has been successfully applied in the zinc-bromine flow batteries; however, non-electroactive pump/pipe/reservoir parts and ion-selective membranes are ...essential to suppress the bromine diffusion. This work demonstrates a zinc-bromine static (non-flow) battery without these auxiliary parts and utilizing glass fiber separator, which overcomes the high self-discharge rate and low energy efficiency while the advantages of the zinc-bromine chemistry are well preserved. It is achieved by a multifunctional additive, tetrapropylammonium bromide (TPABr), which not only mitigates the bromine cross-diffusion by regulating the fluidic bromine to a condensed solid phase but also provides a favorable interface for zinc electrodeposition toward non-dendritic growth. The proposed zinc-bromine static battery demonstrates a high specific energy of 142 Wh kg−1 with a high energy efficiency up to 94%. By optimizing the porous electrode architecture, the battery shows an ultra-stable cycling life for over 11,000 cycles with controlled self-discharge rate.
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•A zinc-bromine static battery with regular sandwich-type configuration•Self-discharge was suppressed by converting soluble Br2/Br3- species to solid phase•Zinc dendrite growth was inhibited by the adsorption of TPA+ on the zinc anode
Electrochemical Energy Storage; Energy Systems; Energy Storage
The reversible storage of Zn2+ ions in Prussian blue analogues with typical aqueous solution was challenged by fast degradation and poor coulombic efficiency, while the mechanism is yet to be ...uncovered. This study correlates the performance of the nickel hexacyanoferrate to the dynamics of H2O in the electrolyte and the associated phase stability of the electrode. It demonstrates severe Ni dissolution in conventional diluted aqueous electrolyte (1 m ZnSO4 or 1 m Zn(TFSI)2), leading to structure collapse with the formation of an electrochemical inert phase. This is regarded as the descriptor for the fast decay of nickel hexacyanoferrate in diluted aqueous electrolyte. However, a well‐preserved open framework for zinc storage was obtained in concentrated aqueous electrolyte (1 m Zn(TFSI)2 + 21 m LiTFSI)—the H2O activity is highly suppressed by extensive coordination—thus, reversible capacity of 60.2 mAh g−1 over 1600 cycles could be delivered.
The main descriptor for the fast decay of nickel hexacyanoferrate in diluted aqueous electrolyte is the collapse of the cubic face‐centered framework, owing to the formation of electrochemical inert phase with tetragonal Bravais lattice by Ni dissolution. However, it shows well‐preserved structure in the concentrated electrolyte with a reversible capacity of 60.2 mAh g−1 for over 1600 cycles.
Lactate accumulation in the tumor microenvironment was shown to be closely related to tumor growth and immune escape, and suppression of lactate production by inhibiting lactate dehydrogenase A ...(LDHA) has been pursued as a potential novel antitumor strategy. However, only a few potent LDHA inhibitors have been developed and most of them did not show potent antitumor effects in vivo. To this end, we designed new LDHA inhibitors and obtained a novel potent LDHA inhibitor, ML‐05. ML‐05 inhibited cellular lactate production and tumor cell proliferation, which was associated with inhibition of ATP production and induction of reactive oxygen species and G1 phase arrest. In a mouse B16F10 melanoma model, intratumoral injection of ML‐05 significantly reduced lactate production, inhibited tumor growth, and released antitumor immune response of T cell subsets (Th1 and GMZB+CD8 T cells) in the tumor microenvironment. Moreover, ML‐05 treatment combined with programmed cell death‐1 Ab or stimulator of interferon genes protein (STING) could sensitize the antitumor activity in B16F10 melanoma model. Collectively, we developed a novel potent LDHA inhibitor, ML‐05, that elicited profound antitumor activity when injected locally, and was associated with the activation of antitumor immunity. In addition, ML‐05 could sensitize immunotherapies, which suggests great translational value.
The novel LDHA inhibitor, ML‐05, reduces lactic acid in the tumor microenvironment, releases T‐cell function, and enhances immunotherapy with great translational value.
The toxic metalloid arsenic is prevalent in the environment and poses a threat to nearly all organisms. However, the mechanism by which phytohormones modulate arsenic resistance is not ...well-understood. Therefore, we analyzed multiple phytohormones based on the results of transcriptome sequencing, content changes, and related mutant growth under arsenic stress. We found that ethylene was the key phytohormone in Arabidopsis thaliana response to arsenic. Further investigation showed the ethylene-overproducing mutant eto1–1 generated less malondialdehyde (MDA), H2O2, and O2•- under arsenic stress compared to wild-type, while the ethylene-insensitive mutant ein2–5 displayed opposite patterns. Compared to wild-type, eto1–1 accumulated a smaller amount of arsenic and a larger amount of non-protein thiols. Additionally, the immediate ethylene precursor, 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid (ACC), enhanced resistance to arsenic in wide-type, but not in mutants with impaired detoxification capability (i.e., cad1–3, pad2–1, abcc1abcc2), which confirmed that ethylene regulated arsenic detoxification by enhancing arsenic chelation. ACC also upregulated the expression of gene(s) involved in arsenic detoxification, among which ABCC2 was directly transcriptionally activated by the ethylene master transcription factor ethylene-insensitive 3 (EIN3). Overall, our study shows that ethylene is the key phytohormone to enhance arsenic resistance by reducing arsenic accumulation and promoting arsenic detoxification at both physiological and molecular levels.
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•Ethylene is the key phytohormone that alleviates arsenic stress in Arabidopsis thaliana.•Ethylene enhances arsenic chelation to promote arsenic detoxification.•Ethylene-insensitive 3 (EIN3) regulated the expression of gene(s) involved in arsenic detoxication.
In the background of climate warming, the demand for improving soil quality and carbon (C) sequestration is increasing. The application of biochar to soil has been considered as a method for ...mitigating climate change and enhancing soil fertility. However, it is uncertain whether the effects of biochar application on C-mineralization and N transformation are influenced by the presence or absence of plant growth-promoting bacteria (PGPB) and soil nitrogen (N) level. An incubation study was conducted to investigate whether the effects of biochar application (0, 1, 2 and 4% of soil mass) on soil respiration, N status, and microbial attributes were altered by the presence or absence of PGPB (i.e., Sphingobium yanoikuyae BJ1) under two soil N levels (N0 and N1 soils as created by the addition of 0 and 0.2 g kg-1 urea- N, respectively). The results showed that biochar, BJ1 strain and their interactive effects on cumulative CO2 emissions were not significant in N0 soils, while the effects of biochar on the cumulative CO2 emissions were dependent on the presence or absence of BJ1 in N1 soils. In N1 soils, applying biochar at 2 and 4% increased the cumulative CO2 emissions by 141.0% and 166.9%, respectively, when BJ1 was absent. However, applying biochar did not affect CO2 emissions when BJ1 was present. In addition, the presence of BJ1 generally increased ammonium contents in N0 soils, but decreased nitrate contents in N1 soils relative to the absence of BJ1, which indicates that the combination of biochar and BJ1 is beneficial to play the N fixation function of BJ1 in N0 soils. Our results highlight that biochar addition influences not only soil C mineralization but also soil available N, and the direction and magnitude of these effects are highly dependent on the presence of PGPB and the soil N level.
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•High biochar application rates promoted CO2 emissions when BJ1 was absent; however, applying biochar did not affect when BJ1 was present in N1 soils.•The presence of BJ1 increased NH4+ in the N0 soils, but decreased NO3- in N1 soils relative to the absence of BJ1.
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