A strategy to covalently connect crystalline covalent organic frameworks (COFs) with semiconductors to create stable organic–inorganic Z‐scheme heterojunctions for artificial photosynthesis is ...presented. A series of COF–semiconductor Z‐scheme photocatalysts combining water‐oxidation semiconductors (TiO2, Bi2WO6, and α‐Fe2O3) with CO2 reduction COFs (COF‐316/318) was synthesized and exhibited high photocatalytic CO2‐to‐CO conversion efficiencies (up to 69.67 μmol g−1 h−1), with H2O as the electron donor in the gas–solid CO2 reduction, without additional photosensitizers and sacrificial agents. This is the first report of covalently bonded COF/inorganic‐semiconductor systems utilizing the Z‐scheme applied for artificial photosynthesis. Experiments and calculations confirmed efficient semiconductor‐to‐COF electron transfer by covalent coupling, resulting in electron accumulation in the cyano/pyridine moieties of the COF for CO2 reduction and holes in the semiconductor for H2O oxidation, thus mimicking natural photosynthesis.
Here comes the sun: A strategy to covalently connect covalent organic frameworks with semiconductors to create organic–inorganic Z‐scheme heterojunctions was developed and applied for the CO2 photoreduction with H2O. This work delivers new insights for the future design of Z‐scheme organic–inorganic heterojunctions for artificial photosynthesis.
Coat of lipids: Water‐dispersible and functionalizable upconverting nanoparticles (UCNPs) for selective imaging of live cancer cells were synthesized. The synthetic approach involves coating the ...surface of the UCNPs with a monolayer of phospholipids that contain different functional groups (see picture), thus allowing for conjugation of many molecules for applications in fields such as bioinspired nanoassembly, biosensing, and biomedicine.
Abstract
Background
Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are closely related to the occurrence and development of cancer. Abnormally expressed lncRNA can be used as a diagnostic marker for cancer. In this ...study, we aim to investigate the clinical significance of MIR99AHG expression in lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD), and its biological roles in LUAD progression.
Methods
The relative expression of MIR99AHG in LUAD tissues and cell lines was analyzed using public databases and RT-qPCR. The biological functions of MIR99AHG were investigated using a loss-of-function approach. The effect of MIR99AHG on lung fibrosis was assessed by scratch assay, invasion assay and lung fibrosis rat model. FISH, luciferase reporter assay and immunofluorescence were performed to elucidate the underlying molecular mechanisms.
Results
LncRNA MIR99AHG expression level was downregulated in LUAD tissues and cell lines. Low MIR99AHG levels were associated with poorer patient overall survival. Functional analysis showed that MIR99AHG is associated with the LUAD malignant phenotype in vitro and in vivo. Further mechanistic studies showed that, MIR99AHG functions as a competitive endogenous RNA (ceRNA) to antagonize miR-136-5p-mediated ubiquitin specific protease 4 (USP4) degradation, thereby unregulated the expression of angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2), a downstream target gene of USP4, which in turn affected alveolar type II epithelial cell fibrosis and epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT). In summary, the MIR99AHG/miR-136-5p/USP4/ACE2 signalling axis regulates lung fibrosis and EMT, thus inhibiting LUAD progression.
Conclusion
This study showed that downregulated MIR99AHG leads to the development of pulmonary fibrosis. Therefore, overexpression of MIR99AHG may provide a new approach to preventing LUAD progression.
Cancer cells acquire metabolic reprogramming to satisfy their high biogenetic demands, but little is known about how metabolic remodeling enables cancer cells to survive stress associated with ...genomic instability. Here, we show that the mitochondrial methylenetetrahydrofolate dehydrogenase (MTHFD2) is transcriptionally suppressed by p53, and its up-regulation by p53 inactivation leads to increased folate metabolism, de novo purine synthesis, and tumor growth in vivo and in vitro. Moreover, MTHFD2 unexpectedly promotes nonhomologous end joining in response to DNA damage by forming a complex with PARP3 to enhance its ribosylation, and the introduction of a PARP3-binding but enzymatically inactive MTHFD2 mutant (e.g., D155A) sufficiently prevents DNA damage. Notably, MTHFD2 depletion strongly restrains p53-deficient cell proliferation and sensitizes cells to chemotherapeutic agents, indicating a potential role for MTHFD2 depletion in the treatment of p53-deficient tumors.
Lanthanide-doped up-conversion nanoparticles (UCNPs) have shown promise in biomedical applications. However, as the UCNPs are normally capped with hydrophobic ligands, it remains challenging to ...prepare biocompatible UCNPs with specific molecular recognition capabilities. We herein report an exceptionally simple strategy to prepare uniform DNA-modified UCNPs as versatile bioprobes. The approach can directly convert as-prepared hydrophobic UCNPs into water-soluble DNA-UCNPs without any chemical modification of UCNPs or oligonucleotides. Furthermore, DNA molecules on the DNA-UCNPs retain their biorecognition ability, allowing programmable assembly of hybrid nanostructures. More importantly, we show that these DNA-UCNPs are capable of crossing cell membranes without the need of transfection agents, and their use as agents for bioimaging and DNA delivery are also demonstrated. Finally, DNA aptamer-conjugated UCNPs can be readily used for targeted imaging of cancer cells.
The severe performance degradation of high‐capacity Li−O2 batteries induced by Li dendrite growth and concentration polarization from the low Li+ transfer number of conventional electrolytes hinder ...their practical applications. Herein, lithiated Nafion (LN) with the sulfonic group immobilized on the perfluorinated backbone has been designed as a soluble lithium salt for preparing a less flammable polyelectrolyte solution, which not only simultaneously achieves a high Li+ transfer number (0.84) and conductivity (2.5 mS cm−1), but also the perfluorinated anion of LN produces a LiF‐rich SEI for protecting the Li anode from dendrite growth. Thus, the Li−O2 battery with a LN‐based electrolyte achieves an all‐round performance improvement, like low charge overpotential (0.18 V), large discharge capacity (9508 mAh g−1), and excellent cycling performance (225 cycles). Besides, the fabricated pouch‐type Li–air cells exhibit promising applications to power electronic equipment with satisfactory safety.
A novel design principle of polymerization and fluorination for salt anions has been proposed and lithiated Nafion (LN) was suggested as a representative soluble lithium salt for the polyelectrolyte solution to improve the Li+ transfer number and produce a LiF‐rich solid electrolyte interface (SEI). Furthermore, the perfluorinated backbone of LN delivers the polyelectrolyte solution low flammability. Thus, making the Li−O2 batteries realize all‐round performance amelioration.
Cancer has become a major health issue worldwide, contributing to a high mortality rate. Tumor metastasis is attributed to the death of most patients. Epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) plays ...a vital role in inducing metastasis. During EMT, epithelial cells lose their characteristics, such as cell-to-cell adhesion and cell polarity, and cells gain motility, migratory potential, and invasive properties to become mesenchymal stem cells. Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are closely associated with tumor metastasis and patient prognosis, as revealed by increasing lines of evidence. CircRNA is a type of single-stranded RNA that forms a covalently closed continuous loop. CircRNAs are insensitive to ribonucleases and are widespread in body fluids. This work is the first review on EMT-related circRNAs. In this review, we briefly discuss the characteristics and functions of circRNAs. The correlation of circRNAs with EMT has been reported, and we discuss the ways circRNAs can regulate EMT progression through EMT transcription factors, EMT-related signaling pathways, and other mechanisms. This work summarizes current studies on EMT-related circRNAs in various cancers and provides a theoretical basis for the use of EMT-related circRNAs in targeted management and therapy.
We report a novel strategy for regiospecific hetero-assembly of DNA-modified gold nanoparticles (DNA-AuNPs) onto upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs) into hybrid lab-on-a-particle systems. The ...DNA-AuNPs have been assembled onto the hexagonal plate-like UCNPs with well-regulated stoichiometry and controlled organization onto the different facets of UCNP, forming various addressable superstructures. The fine-tuning of stoichiometry and organization is realized by biorecognition specificity of DNA toward specific crystal facets of UCNPs. Such a hetero-assembled DNA-AuNP/UCNP system maintains both plasmonic resonance of AuNPs and fluorescent properties of UCNPs, allowing targeted dual-modality imaging of cancer cells using an aptamer.
I investigated postseismic velocity changes within focal area of the 2013 M7.0 Lushan earthquake using coda-wave data of repeating small earthquakes. I employed template matching and grid search ...methods to identify well-defined repeating earthquakes in order to minimize artifacts induced by variations in source location. I identified a total of 3 isolated patches in a two-month period after the M7.0 mainshock. I applied the coda wave interferometry technique to the waveform data of the identified repeating earthquakes to estimate velocity changes between the first and subsequent events in each cluster. Up to 0.1–0.2% velocity increase is observed from the S coda of repeating events occurred at regions surrounding the large coseismic slip area at seismogenic depths. My observations suggest that a large percent of velocity changes may occur at surface near the stations or shallow, however, healing along the propagation paths in the deep (~5–20km) is likely have contributed to the amount of velocity changes observed after the Lushan earthquake.
•Repeating events for monitoring postseismic velocity changes due to Lushan earthquake.•Up to 0.1–0.2% velocity increase observed immediately after the mainshock.•Healing along the subsurface propagation paths partially explains velocity changes.
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