Background The neonatal heart maintains its entire regeneration capacity within days after birth. Using quantitative phosphoproteomics technology, we identified that SGK3 (serine/threonine-protein ...kinase 3) in the neonatal heart is highly expressed and activated after myocardial infarction. This study aimed to uncover the function and related mechanisms of SGK3 on cardiomyocyte proliferation and cardiac repair after apical resection or ischemia/reperfusion injury. Methods and Results The effect of SGK3 on proliferation and oxygen glucose deprivation/reoxygenation- induced apoptosis in isolated cardiomyocytes was evaluated using cardiomyocyte-specific SGK3 overexpression or knockdown adenovirus5 vector. In vivo, gain- and loss-of-function experiments using cardiomyocyte-specific adeno-associated virus 9 were performed to determine the effect of SGK3 in cardiomyocyte proliferation and cardiac repair after apical resection or ischemia/reperfusion injury. In vitro, overexpression of SGK3 enhanced, whereas knockdown of SGK3 decreased, the cardiomyocyte proliferation ratio. In vivo, inhibiting the expression of SGK3 shortened the time window of cardiac regeneration after apical resection in neonatal mice, and overexpression of SGK3 significantly promoted myocardial repair and cardiac function recovery after ischemia/reperfusion injury in adult mice. Mechanistically, SGK3 promoted cardiomyocyte regeneration and myocardial repair after cardiac injury by inhibiting GSK-3β (glycogen synthase kinase-3β) activity and upregulating β-catenin expression. SGK3 also upregulated the expression of cell cycle promoting genes G1/S-specific cyclin-D1, c-myc (cellular-myelocytomatosis viral oncogene), and cdc20 (cell division cycle 20), but downregulated the expression of cell cycle negative regulators cyclin kinase inhibitor P 21 and cyclin kinase inhibitor P 27. Conclusions Our study reveals a key role of SGK3 on cardiac repair after apical resection or ischemia/reperfusion injury, which may reopen a novel therapeutic option for myocardial infarction.
Ether based electrolytes have surfaced as alternatives to conventional carbonates allowing for enhanced electrochemical performance of sodium-ion batteries; however, the primary source of the ...improvement remains poorly understood. Here we show that coupling titanium dioxide and other anode materials with diglyme does enable higher efficiency and reversible capacity than those for the combination involving ester electrolytes. Importantly, the electrolyte dependent performance is revealed to be the result of the different structural evolution induced by a varied sodiation depth. A suit of characterizations show that the energy barrier to charge transfer at the interface between electrolyte and electrode is the factor that dominates the interfacial electrochemical characteristics and therefore the energy storage properties. Our study proposes a reliable parameter to assess the intricate sodiation dynamics in sodium-ion batteries and could guide the design of aprotic electrolytes for next generation rechargeable batteries.
As an interesting layered material, molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) has been extensively studied in recent years due to its exciting properties. However, the applications of MoS2 in optoelectronic ...devices are impeded by the lack of high‐quality p–n junction, low light absorption for mono‐/multilayers, and the difficulty for large‐scale monolayer growth. Here, it is demonstrated that MoS2 films with vertically standing layered structure can be deposited on silicon substrate with a scalable sputtering method, forming the heterojunction‐type photodetectors. Molecular layers of the MoS2 films are perpendicular to the substrate, offering high‐speed paths for the separation and transportation of photo‐generated carriers. Owing to the strong light absorption of the relatively thick MoS2 film and the unique vertically standing layered structure, MoS2/Si heterojunction photodetectors with unprecedented performance are actualized. The self‐driven MoS2/Si heterojunction photodetector is sensitive to a broadband wavelength from visible light to near‐infrared light, showing an extremely high detectivity up to ≈1013 Jones (Jones = cm Hz1/2 W−1), and an ultrafast response speed of ≈3 μs. The performance is significantly better than the photodetectors based on mono‐/multilayer MoS2 nanosheets. Additionally, the MoS2/Si photodetectors exhibit excellent stability in air for a month. This work unveils the great potential of MoS2/Si heterojunction for optoelectronic applications.
A new type of visible–near infrared self‐driven photodetector is developed by sputtering a layer of n‐type MoS2 film with a vertically standing layered structure on p‐type silicon. With the advantages of easy fabrication, wide response spectrum, extremely high detectivity (≈1013 Jones), ultrafast response speed (≈3 μs), and good durability, this heterojunction photodetector shows great potential for optoelectronic applications.
Lignin is the most abundant natural aromatic feedstock, and the conversion of lignin to value-added chemicals has drawn immense attention in biorefineries. Deep eutectic solvents (DESs) have been ...used for lignocellulosic biomass fractionation and lignin extraction due to their simple procedure, selective solubility of lignin, low cost, and high recyclability. The nature and number of functional groups in DESs remarkably influence the delignification and structural changes of lignin during treatment. Although many studies have investigated lignin extraction and the following chemical transformations during DES treatment, no review has illuminated the structure-function relationships between DESs and lignin. This review presents a systematic overview of important studies to provide insights into lignin extraction and chemical transformations by examining the relationship between the type and number of functional groups in DES constituents during pretreatment. Furthermore, various challenges and opportunities in the development of more sustainable and efficient lignin extraction are provided according to the remaining problems in this field.
The effect of the structure and properties of DESs on lignin extraction and chemical transformations.
High reflection and low build‐in electrical field hinder the power conversion efficiency (PCE) of planar n‐Si/organic solar cells. Depositing a thin layer of MoO3 can improve the performance by ...creating an antireflection layer on the front surface as well as inducing an inversion layer in the Si. The as‐processed device achieves a record PCE of 13.8%.
All-inorganic perovskites have emerged as a new class of phosphor materials owing to their outstanding optical properties. Zero-dimensional inorganic perovskites, in particular the Cs4PbBr6-related ...systems, are inspiring intensive research owing to the high photoluminescence quantum yield (PLQY) and good stability. However, synthesizing such perovskites with high PLQYs through an environment-friendly, cost-effective, scalable, and high-yield approach remains challenging, and their luminescence mechanisms has been elusive. Here, we report a simple, scalable, room-temperature self-assembly strategy for the synthesis of Cs4PbBr6/CsPbBr3 perovskite composites with near-unity PLQY (95%), high product yield (71%), and good stability using low-cost, low-toxicity chemicals as precursors. A broad range of experimental and theoretical characterizations suggest that the high-efficiency PL originates from CsPbBr3 nanocrystals well passivated by the zero-dimensional Cs4PbBr6 matrix that forms based on a dissolution–crystallization process. These findings underscore the importance in accurately identifying the phase purity of zero-dimensional perovskites by synchrotron X-ray technique to gain deep insights into the structure–property relationship. Additionally, we demonstrate that green-emitting Cs4PbBr6/CsPbBr3, combined with red-emitting K2SiF6:Mn4+, can be used for the construction of WLEDs. Our work may pave the way for the use of such composite perovskites as highly luminescent emitters in various applications such as lighting, displays, and other optoelectronic and photonic devices.
To meet the huge market demand for carbon fibers (CFs), great efforts have been focused on developing low-cost and sustainable CFs with comparable properties. Lignin, a polyaromatic heteropolymer in ...nature, is considered a promising precursor suitable for CFs fabrication due to its abundant, renewable, low-cost, high-carbon, thermostable, and thermoplastic characteristics. Although research on lignin-based carbon fibers (LCFs) has achieved impressive results, their mechanical properties are still inferior to those of commercialized CFs. In this review, the structural characteristics of the lignin polymers from different plant sources and isolation methods are introduced. The key factors affecting LCFs performances and the effective strategies aiming to improve the properties of LCFs are also summarized in detail, revealing the influences of structural features of lignin on the performances of LCFs. In particular, recent advances in precursors, spinning techniques, stabilization, carbonization, graphitization, and activization of LCFs since 2017 are systematically reviewed. Furthermore, to expand the new applications of LCFs, a comprehensive overview of LCFs applications in diverse fields (electrochemical energy storage, adsorption, catalysis, and other emerging fields) is provided. Finally, the current challenges and opportunities for the future development of LCFs are proposed.
The precursor formulations, fabrications, properties, and various applications of lignin-based carbon fibers (LCFs) since 2017 are reviewed.
Psoriasis is an immune-mediated skin disorder, which is triggered by the aberrant activation of dendritic cells in skin. This activation is followed by the complex interaction between the immune ...cells in the skin and keratinocyte in the epidermis. To improve the conditions of poor aqueous solubility and chemical stability, overcome skin barriers, and enhance in vivo anti-psoriatic activity, curcumin (Cur) loaded poly (lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) nanoparticles (NPs) were fabricated and administered by topical route to treat imiquimod (IMQ)-induced psoriasis-like mouse model. Spherical Cur-NPs with the mean particle sizes of 50nm and 150nm, respectively, were fabricated using a multi-inlet vortex mixer system, with both exhibiting significantly stronger anti-proliferation effect than Cur solution on HaCaT cells in vitro. Psoriatic skin was utilized in the in vitro skin penetration studies, and the results demonstrated that more drugs penetrated through or accumulated in the skin when administered as the Cur-NPs-loaded hydrogel compared to the drug suspension loaded hydrogel. To compare the nanosizing effect of these Cur-NPs, the mice with IMQ-induced psoriasis-like skin disease were treated with blank gel, Cur gel, 50nm sized NPs gel, 150nm sized NPs gel or tracrolimus cream (positive control), respectively. The results indicated that Cur-NPs hydrogel has a superior performance to Cur hydrogel on the IMQ-induced psoriasis-like mouse model in terms of morphological evaluation, biomarkers at mRNA, and protein levels. In conclusion, encapsulation of Cur into PLGA NPs, particularly for NPs of 50nm, could facilitate lipophilic Cur's dispersion, sustained-release, accumulation, and penetration across the skin and into the blood circulation, which significantly improves anti-psoriasis activity in mice.
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Novel porcine circovirus type 3 (PCV3), first identified in the United States, has been detected in many other countries. Porcine circovirus is associated with postweaning multisystemic wasting ...syndrome, reproductive failure, congenital tremors, and other clinical symptoms. In this study, we established a double polymerase chain reaction assay for detecting both porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2) and PCV3. This is the first study to detect and characterize the PCV3 genome in the Tianjin region of North China. We collected a total of 169 tissue samples from seven farms between 2016 and 2018. The PCV3-positive rate of all tissue samples was 37.3% (63/169) and the rate of PCV2 and PCV3 coinfection was 14.8% (25/169). PCV2 and PCV3 coinfections with more serious clinical symptoms were found in only three farms. We sequenced three PCV3 strains selected from tissue samples that were positively identified. The complete genome sequences of the three strains shared 97.6–99.4% nucleotide identities with the PCV3 strains in GenBank. Our results showed the extent of PCV3’s spread in Tianjin, and the need to further study PCV3’s pathobiology, epidemiology, isolation, and coinfection.
An aptamer is a short oligonucleotide chain that can specifically recognize targeting analytes. Due to its high specificity, low cost, and good biocompatibility, aptamers as the targeting elements of ...biosensors have been applied widely in non‐invasive tumor imaging and treatment in situ to replace traditional methods. In this review, we will summarize recent advances in using aptamer‐based biosensors in tumor diagnosis. After a brief introduction of the advantage of aptamers compared with enzyme sensors and immune sensors, the different sensing designs and mechanisms based on 3 signal transduction modes will be reviewed to cover different kinds of analytical methods, including: electrochemistry analysis, colorimetry analysis, and fluorescence analysis. Finally, the prospective advantages of aptamer‐based biosensors in tumor theranostics and post‐treatment monitoring are also evaluated in this review.
This review introduces the advantages of aptamer sensors in disease diagnosis compared with traditional biosensors. It also shows the design strategies of the 3 most studied aptamer sensors: fluorescent aptasensors, electrochemical aptasensors, and colorimetric aptasensors, and their application in early tumor diagnosis. Moreover, taking the fluorescent aptasensor as an example, the design of aptasensors combined with nanomaterials can not only be used for tumor imaging, but also has important significance in tumor treatment and efficacy evaluation. The design provides a new idea for the integration of tumor theranostics.
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