Numerous studies on osmotic power generators with nanoscale pores are conducted. However, their performance output is limited because of the finite osmotic current and conductance from such tiny ...pores. Here, a proof‐of‐concept study demonstrating that the rectified mesopore (sub‐micrometer‐scale pore) with high surface charges can be applied in osmotic energy conversion is reported. A single conical mesopore of ≈405 nm in tip diameter, which can reach an osmotic conductance as high as 0.284 μS (corresponding to a current of 27.5 nA and voltage of 97 mV), enables a record‐high power of 667 pW under a 1000‐fold salinity gradient, more than doubling all of the state‐of‐the‐art single‐pore osmotic power generators reported. This work extends the knowledge of osmotic energy with solid‐state pores from nanoscale to mesoscale and opens up a promising avenue toward ultrahigh performance osmotic power.
High surface charged mesopores to serve as ultrahigh performance osmotic power generators are demonstrated experimentally and theoretically. A single conical mesopore with 405 nm in tip diameter is capable of achieving a power of up to 667 pW, outperforming all of the state‐of‐the‐art single‐pore osmotic power generators reported.
Pancreatic cancer is one of the most lethal diseases which lack an early diagnostic marker. We investigated whether serum ferritin (SF) reflects risk for pancreatic cancer and potential genes that ...may contribute ferritin and pancreatic cancer risks. We performed a meta-analysis of relevant studies on SF and pancreatic cancer risk by searching articles in PUBMED and EMBASE published up to 1 March 2020. We also collected serum samples from Taipei Medical University Joint Biobank and compared SF levels in 34 healthy controls and 34 pancreatic cancer patients. An Oncomine database was applied as a platform to explore a series of genes that exhibited strong associations between ferritin and pancreatic cancer. Herein, we show that high levels of SF can indicate risk of pancreatic cancer, suggesting SF as the new tumor marker that may be used to help pancreatic cancer diagnosis. We also found that expressions of iron homeostasis genes (MYC, FXN) and ferroptosis genes (ALOX15, CBS, FDFT1, LPCAT3, RPL8, TP53, TTC35) are significantly altered with pancreatic tumor grades, which may contribute to differential expression of ferritin related to pancreatic cancer prognosis.
Gemcitabine has been a commonly used therapeutic agent for treatment of pancreatic cancer. In the clinic, a growing resistance to gemcitabine has been observed in patients with pancreatic cancer, and ...investigation of the underlying mechanism of gemcitabine resistance is urgently required. The microRNA (miRNA)‐producing enzyme, Dicer, is crucial for the maturation of miRNAs, and is involved in clinical aggressiveness, poor prognosis, and survival outcomes in various cancers, however, the role of Dicer in acquired gemcitabine resistance of pancreatic cancer is still not clear. Here, we found that Dicer expression was significantly increased in gemcitabine‐resistant PANC‐1 (PANC‐1/GEM) cells compared with parental PANC‐1 cells and observed a high level of Dicer correlated with increased risk of pancreatic cancer. Suppression of Dicer obviously decreased gemcitabine resistance in PANC‐1/GEM cells; consistently, overexpression of Dicer in PANC‐1 cells increased gemcitabine resistance. Moreover, we identified that transcriptional factor Sp1 targeted the promoter region of Dicer and found ERK/Sp1 signaling regulated Dicer expression in PANC‐1/GEM cells, as well as positively correlated with pancreatic cancer progression and suggest that targeting the ERK/Sp1/Dicer pathway has potential therapeutic value for pancreatic cancer with acquired resistance to gemcitabine.
ERK/Sp1 signaling regulates Dicer expression, which is involved in gemcitabine resistance of pancreatic cancer. Suppression of the ERK/Sp1/Dicer pathway has potential therapeutic value for pancreatic cancer with acquired resistance to gemcitabine.
Asian populations are at high risk of diabetes and related vascular complications. We examined risk factor control, preventive care, and disparities in these trends among adults with diabetes in ...Singapore.
The sample included 209,930 adults with diabetes aged≥18 years from a multi-institutional SingHealth Diabetes Registry between 2013 and 2019 in Singapore. We performed logistic generalized estimating equations (GEEs) regression analysis and used linear mixed effect modeling to evaluate the temporal trends.
Between 2013 and 2019, the unadjusted control rates of glycated hemoglobin (4.8%, 95%CI (4.4 to 5.1) and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) (11.5%, 95%CI (11.1 to 11.8)) improved, but blood pressure (BP) control worsened (systolic BP (SBP)/diastolic BP (DBP) <140/90 mmHg: -6.6%, 95%CI (-7.0 to -6.2)). These trends persisted after accounting for the demographics including age, gender, ethnicity, and housing type. The 10-year adjusted risk for coronary heart disease (CHD) (3.4%, 95% (3.3 to 3.5)) and stroke (10.4%, 95% CI (10.3 to 10.5)) increased. In 2019, the control rates of glycated hemoglobin, BP (SBP/DBP<140/90 mmHg), LDL-C, each, and all three risk factors together, accounted for 51.5%, 67.7%, 72.2%, and 24.4%, respectively.
Trends in risk factor control improved for glycated hemoglobin and LDL-C, but worsened for BP among diabetic adults in Singapore from 2013 to 2019. Control rates for all risk factors remain inadequate.
A new zwitterionic small molecule 4-(dimethyl(pyridin-2-yl)ammonio)butane-1-sulfonate (PAS), synthesized from 2-dimethylaminopyrindine (2-DMAP), was developed for the ITO cathode modifier. PAS and ...2-DMAP dissolved in methanol can form a thin layer on ITO cathode by a simple spin-coating process. The heteroatom moieties in 2-DMAP (sp2 and sp3 nitrogen) and PAS (sp2 nitrogen and sulfonate ion) can coordinate to the ITO surface and decrease the ITO work function by the induced surface dipoles. The fullerene-based (PBDTT-FTTE:PC71BM) inverted OSCs using PAS and 2-DMAP interlayer can achieve PCEs of 8.95 and 8.26%, respectively, which are superior to the devices without a modifier (PCE = 3.25%) and comparable to the corresponding ZnO-based device (PCE = 8.57%). Nevertheless, 2-DMAP, like other nitrogen-containing polymer interlayer materials, turns out to be not applicable to inverted organic solar cells (I-OSCs) with IT-4F as the n-type electron acceptor because the amino group of 2-DMAP can act as a nucleophile to attack the end-group of IT-4F at the interface. The decomposition of IT-4F by 2-DMAP was carefully proved to be via retro-aldol condensation. As a result, the device (PBDBT-F:IT-4F) modified with 2-DMAP displayed a low PCE of 7.34%. The zwitterionic PAS with reduced nucleophilicity and basicity can modify the ITO surface without decomposing IT-4F. The PBDBT-F:IT-4F-based device modified with PAS maintained a high PCE of 11.41%. Most importantly, the PAS-based device using the well-known Y6 acceptor (PBDBT-F:Y6) can achieve a PCE of 13.82%. This new interfacial material can be universally applied to I-OSCs employing various A–D-A-type acceptors installed with the electrophilic 1,1-dicyanamethylene-5,6-difluoro-3-indanone (FIC) end-group.
Revealing the spatial and temporal distribution of bacteria in organic tea plantations is of great importance to clarify soil- and/or tea plant-associated community. In this study samples were ...collected from three rhizo-compartments of tea plant during four seasons, which were further subjected to community level physiological profiling and 16S rDNA next generation sequencing. Organic fertilization caused a short-term disturbance on pH, EC, and organic matter content of soil. Three rhizo-compartments harbored distinct bacterial community as revealed by PCA, PCoA and UPGMA analysis. Utilization of six carbon source categories was positively correlated with root surface community while negatively correlated with root interior community. Although there were variations in microbial parameters during four seasons, higher metabolic potential and diversity were observed in soil-associated rhizo-compartments. Bacterial families Gemmataceae, Pedosphaeraceae, and Solibacteraceae were more abundant in soil and root surface, while root interior were dominated by families Acidothermaceae, Burkholderiaceae, Ktedonobacteraceae, and Xanthobacteraceae. It is proposed that Burkholderiaceae and Xanthobacteraceae which dominate in root surface or root interior samples and other poorly studied phylogenetic groups may serve as potential candidates to study their interaction with tea plant.
•Soil-associated community showed higher metabolic potential and diversity.•Bacterial families with niche preferences in different rhizo-compartments were demonstrated.•Organic tea plantations provide opportunities to study uncultivated bacteria.
Aims
Muscleblind‐like 2 (MBNL2) plays a crucial role in regulating alternative splicing during development and mouse loss of MBNL2 recapitulates brain phenotypes in myotonic dystrophy (DM). However, ...the mechanisms underlying DM neuropathogenesis during brain development remain unclear. In this study, we aim to investigate the impact of MBNL2 elimination on neuronal development by Mbnl2 conditional knockout (CKO) mouse models.
Methods
To create Mbnl2 knockout neurons, cDNA encoding Cre‐recombinase was delivered into neural progenitors of Mbnl2flox/flox mouse brains by in utero electroporation. The morphologies and dynamics of dendritic spines were monitored by confocal and two‐photon microscopy in brain slices and live animals from the neonatal period into adulthood. To investigate the underlying molecular mechanism, we further detected the changes in the splicing and molecular interactions of proteins associated with spinogenesis.
Results
We found that Mbnl2 knockout in cortical neurons decreased dendritic spine density and dynamics in adolescent mice. Mbnl2 ablation caused the adducin 1 (ADD1) isoform to switch from adult to fetal with a frameshift, and the truncated ADD1 failed to interact with alpha‐II spectrin (SPTAN1), a critical protein for spinogenesis. In addition, expression of ADD1 adult isoform compensated for the reduced dendritic spine density in cortical neurons deprived of MBNL2.
Conclusion
MBNL2 plays a critical role in maintaining the dynamics and homeostasis of dendritic spines in the developing brain. Mis‐splicing of downstream ADD1 may account for the alterations and contribute to the DM brain pathogenesis.
In Mbnl2‐knockout mouse model of myotonic dystrophy (DM), the density and dynamics of dendritic spines of cortical neurons were decreased during adolescence. Meanwhile, adducin 1 (ADD1) switched from adult to fetal isoform with a frameshift, causing the truncated ADD1 failing to interact with alpha‐II spectrin (SPTAN1), a critical protein for spinogenesis. Their roles in maintaining the dynamics and homeostasis of dendritic spines in the developing brain may underlie the neurological symptoms in DM patients.
To the Editors, We have read the article entitled: “Trends in outpatient emergency department visits during the COVID-19 pandemic at a large, urban, academic hospital system” by Giannouchos TV, ...Biskupiak J, Moss MJ, Brixner D, Andreyeva E, and Ukert B, published in the American Journal of Emergency Medicine, Volume 40, Page 20-26, February 2021 1. The differences in yearly decline in outpatient ED visits in AHMC (28.3%) compared to the University of Utah Health Emergency Department (8.1%) could be explained by the differences in the population which the hospitals serve. (2021) and AHMC HeathSystem as of 20211Unlabelled TableUniversity of Utah Health Emergency DepartmentAHMC HealthSystemGeographic coverageUtah, Nevada, Wyoming, Idaho, and western ColoradoLos Angeles and Orange Counties, CaliforniaOutpatient ED visits30,276 in 2020 and 32,937 in 2019⁎104,450 in 2020 and 145,726 in 2019Data collection periodJanuary 2019 to August 2020January 2019 to January 2021Health Insurance48.2% Private, 22.0% Medicaid, 17.8% Medicare, and 12.0% Out-of-pocket/Other67.2% Managed Care, 18.9% Medicare, 9.8% Medicaid, and 4.1% Private/Other⁎⁎AHMC data were included from all patients from all inpatient admissions, Emergency Department, and outpatient.
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