Luminal fluid reabsorption plays a fundamental role in male fertility. We demonstrated that the ubiquitous GPCR signaling proteins Gq and β-arrestin-1 are essential for fluid reabsorption because ...they mediate coupling between an orphan receptor ADGRG2 (GPR64) and the ion channel CFTR. A reduction in protein level or deficiency of ADGRG2, Gq or β-arrestin-1 in a mouse model led to an imbalance in pH homeostasis in the efferent ductules due to decreased constitutive CFTR currents. Efferent ductule dysfunction was rescued by the specific activation of another GPCR, AGTR2. Further mechanistic analysis revealed that β-arrestin-1 acts as a scaffold for ADGRG2/CFTR complex formation in apical membranes, whereas specific residues of ADGRG2 confer coupling specificity for different G protein subtypes, this specificity is critical for male fertility. Therefore, manipulation of the signaling components of the ADGRG2-Gq/β-arrestin-1/CFTR complex by small molecules may be an effective therapeutic strategy for male infertility.
Solar‐driven syngas production by CO2 reduction provides a sustainable strategy to produce renewable feedstocks. However, this promising reaction often suffers from tough CO2 activation, sluggish ...oxidative half‐reaction kinetics and undesired by‐products. Herein, we report a function‐oriented strategy of deliberately constructing black phosphorus quantum dots‐ZnIn2S4 (BP/ZIS) heterostructures for solar‐driven CO2 reduction to syngas, paired with selectively oxidative C−N bond formation, in one redox cycle. The optimal BP/ZIS heterostructure features the enhanced charge‐carrier separation and enriched active sites for cooperatively photocatalytic syngas production with a tunable ratio of CO/H2 and efficient oxidation of amines to imines with high conversion and selectivity. This prominent catalytic performance arises from the efficient electronic coupling between black phosphorus quantum dots and ZnIn2S4, as well as the optimized adsorption strength for key reaction intermediates, as supported by both experimental and theoretical investigations. We also demonstrate a synergistic interplay between CO2 reduction and amine dehydrogenation oxidation, rather than simply collecting these two single half‐reactions in this dual‐functional photoredox system.
A function‐oriented strategy of engineering black phosphorus quantum dots‐ZnIn2S4 heterostructures for solar‐driven CO2 reduction to syngas, paired with selectively oxidative C−N bond formation, in one redox cycle is reported. The promoted charge‐carrier separation, enriched active sites and optimized adsorption strength of key reaction intermediates for CO2 reduction, as well as the cooperative photoredox manner, jointly contribute to the enhanced photoactivity and selectivity.
China is one of the countries with the highest incidence of gastric cancer. There are differences in epidemiological characteristics, clinicopathological features, tumor biological characteristics, ...treatment patterns, and drug selection between gastric cancer patients from the Eastern and Western countries. Non‐Chinese guidelines cannot specifically reflect the diagnosis and treatment characteristics for the Chinese gastric cancer patients. The Chinese Society of Clinical Oncology (CSCO) arranged for a panel of senior experts specializing in all sub‐specialties of gastric cancer to compile, discuss, and revise the guidelines on the diagnosis and treatment of gastric cancer based on the findings of evidence‐based medicine in China and abroad. By referring to the opinions of industry experts, taking into account of regional differences, giving full consideration to the accessibility of diagnosis and treatment resources, these experts have conducted experts’ consensus judgement on relevant evidence and made various grades of recommendations for the clinical diagnosis and treatment of gastric cancer to reflect the value of cancer treatment and meeting health economic indexes. This guideline uses tables and is complemented by explanatory and descriptive notes covering the diagnosis, comprehensive treatment, and follow‐up visits for gastric cancer.
Urea is an important raw material in the chemical industry and is widely used as a nitrogen source in chemical fertilizers. The current industrial urea synthesis not only requires harsh reaction ...conditions, but also consumes most of the NH
obtained through artificial synthesis. The conversion of N
and CO
into urea through electrochemical reactions under ambient conditions represents a novel green urea synthesis method. However, the large-scale promotion of this method is limited by the lack of suitable electrocatalysts. Here, by means of density functional theory computations, we systematically study the catalytic activity of three experimentally available two-dimensional metal borides (MBenes), Mo
B
, Ti
B
, and Cr
B
toward simultaneous electrocatalytic coupling of N
and CO
to produce urea under ambient conditions. According to our results, these three MBenes not only have superior intrinsic basal activity for urea formation, with limiting potentials ranging from -0.49 to -0.65 eV, but also can significantly suppress the competitive reaction of N
reduction to NH
. In particular, 2D Mo
B
and Cr
B
possess superior capacity to suppress surface oxidation and self-corrosion under electrochemical reaction conditions, rendering them relatively promising electrocatalysts for urea production. Our work paves the way for the electrochemical synthesis of urea.
Ambipolar transistors represent a class of transistors where positive (holes) and negative (electrons) charge carriers both can transport concurrently within the semiconducting channel. The basic ...switching states of ambipolar transistors are comprised of common off‐state and separated on‐state mainly impelled by holes or electrons. During the past years, diverse materials are synthesized and utilized for implementing ambipolar charge transport and their further emerging applications comprising ambipolar memory, synaptic, logic, and light‐emitting transistors on account of their special bidirectional carrier‐transporting characteristic. Within this review, recent developments of ambipolar transistor field involving fundamental principles, interface modifications, selected semiconducting material systems, device structures, ambipolar characteristics, and promising applications are highlighted. The existed challenges and prospective for researching ambipolar transistors in electronics and optoelectronics are also discussed. It is expected that the review and outlook are well timed and instrumental for the rapid progress of academic sector of ambipolar transistors in lighting, display, memory, as well as neuromorphic computing for artificial intelligence.
Ambipolar transistors represent transistors that allow synchronous transport of electrons and holes and their accumulation within semiconductors. This review provides a comprehensive summary of recent advances in various semiconducting materials realized in ambipolar transistors and their functional memory, synapse, logic, as well as light‐emitting applications.
Photocatalytic epoxide alcoholysis through C−O bond cleavage and formation has emerged as an alternative to synthesizing anti‐tumoral pharmaceuticals and fine chemicals. However, the lack of crucial ...evidence to interpret the interaction between reactants and photocatalyst surface makes it challenging for photocatalytic epoxide alcoholysis with both high activity and regioselectivity. In this work, we report the hierarchical ZnIn2S4@CdS photocatalyst for epoxide alcoholysis with high regioselectivity nearly 100 %. Mechanistic studies unveil that the precise activation switch on exposed Zn acid sites for C−O bond polarization and cleavage has a critical significance for achieving efficient photocatalytic performance. Furthermore, the establishment of Z‐scheme heterojunction facilitates the interface charge separation and transfer. Remarkably, the underlying regioselective photocatalytic reaction pathway has been distinctly revealed.
Hollow CdS nanocages wrapped in ultrathin ZnIn2S4 nanosheets were synthesized to form the hierarchical photocatalyst ZnIn2S4@CdS. Surface‐exposed Zn acid centers and the Z‐Scheme pathway between ZnIn2S4 and CdS promote the polarization of epoxide molecules and interfacial charge transfer, leading to photoredox‐catalyzed regioselective alcoholysis of epoxides.
There exist differences in the epidemiological characteristics, clinicopathological features, tumor biological characteristics, treatment patterns, and drug selections between gastric cancer patients ...from the Eastern and Western countries. The Chinese Society of Clinical Oncology (CSCO) has organized a panel of senior experts specializing in all sub‐specialties of gastric cancer to compile a clinical guideline for the diagnosis and treatment of gastric cancer since 2016 and renews it annually. Taking into account regional differences, giving full consideration to the accessibility of diagnosis and treatment resources, these experts have conducted expert consensus judgment on relevant evidence and made various grades of recommendations for the clinical diagnosis and treatment of gastric cancer to reflect the value of cancer treatment and meeting health economic indexes in China. The 2021 CSCO Clinical Practice Guidelines for Gastric Cancer covers the diagnosis, treatment, follow‐up, and screening of gastric cancer. Based on the 2020 version of the CSCO Chinese Gastric Cancer guidelines, this updated guideline integrates the results of major clinical studies from China and overseas for the past year, focused on the inclusion of research data from the Chinese population for more personalized and clinically relevant recommendations. For the comprehensive treatment of non‐metastatic gastric cancer, attentions were paid to neoadjuvant treatment. The value of perioperative chemotherapy is gradually becoming clearer and its recommendation level has been updated. For the comprehensive treatment of metastatic gastric cancer, recommendations for immunotherapy were included, and immune checkpoint inhibitors from third‐line to the first‐line of treatment for different patient groups with detailed notes are provided.
The Chinese Society of Clinical Oncology (CSCO) organized a panel of senior experts specializing in all sub‐specialties of gastric cancer to compile the clinical guideline for gastric cancer in 2016 and then renewed it every year. The 2021 CSCO Clinical Practice Guidelines for gastric cancer covered the diagnosis, treatment, follow‐up and screening.
The development of efficient catalyst for photoredox-catalyzed selective organic synthesis has consitently been an attractive objective in recent years. Regarding semiconductor-based photocatalysts, ...cadmium sulfide (CdS) materials have received extensive consideration for various photoredox reactions because of their suitable band gap (about 2.4 eV) for visible light response and well-matched band edge stations. In this paper, we begin with a concise discussion of the basic physical properties of CdS materials, including electronic band structures, optical properties, crystallographic structures, and phase transition. Then, the fundamental principles of photocatalytic organic transformations over CdS and the effect of different active species on the selective photoredox process are concisely summarized. In particular, we will highlight the photocatalytic selective organic synthesis application over various CdS-based photocatalysts, including selective reductions, oxidations, and valorization of lignin. Finally, the future perspectives and challenges in the development of efficient CdS-based photocatalytic system toward selective organic synthesis are discussed. It is anticipated that this timely overview of recent advances in selective organic synthesis over CdS-based materials would inspire the rational design of CdS or other semiconductor-based catalysts with ameliorated performances toward a variety of artificial photoredox-catalyzed selective organic transformations to value-added feedstocks and beyond.
Pathological angiogenesis is a critical component of diseases, such as ocular disorders, cancers, and atherosclerosis. It is usually caused by the abnormal activity of biological processes, such as ...cell proliferation, cell motility, immune, or inflammation response. Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) have emerged as critical regulators of these biological processes. However, the role of lncRNA in diabetes mellitus-induced microvascular dysfunction is largely unknown.
To elucidate whether lncRNA-myocardial infarction-associated transcript (MIAT) is involved in diabetes mellitus-induced microvascular dysfunction.
Using quantitative polymerase chain reaction, we demonstrated increased expression of lncRNA-MIAT in diabetic retinas and endothelial cells cultured in high glucose medium. Visual electrophysiology examination, TUNEL staining, retinal trypsin digestion, vascular permeability assay, and in vitro studies revealed that MIAT knockdown obviously ameliorated diabetes mellitus-induced retinal microvascular dysfunction in vivo, and inhibited endothelial cell proliferation, migration, and tube formation in vitro. Bioinformatics analysis, luciferase assay, RNA immunoprecipitation, and in vitro studies revealed that MIAT functioned as a competing endogenous RNA, and formed a feedback loop with vascular endothelial growth factor and miR-150-5p to regulate endothelial cell function.
This study highlights the involvement of lncRNA-MIAT in pathological angiogenesis and facilitates the development of lncRNA-directed diagnostics and therapeutics against neovascular diseases.
Background
To reveal detailed histopathological changes, virus distributions, immunologic properties and multi‐omic features caused by SARS‐CoV‐2 in the explanted lungs from the world's first ...successful lung transplantation of a COVID‐19 patient.
Materials and methods
A total of 36 samples were collected from the lungs. Histopathological features and virus distribution were observed by optical microscope and transmission electron microscope (TEM). Immune cells were detected by flow cytometry and immunohistochemistry. Transcriptome and proteome approaches were used to investigate main biological processes involved in COVID‐19‐associated pulmonary fibrosis.
Results
The histopathological changes of the lung tissues were characterized by extensive pulmonary interstitial fibrosis and haemorrhage. Viral particles were observed in the cytoplasm of macrophages. CD3+CD4− T cells, neutrophils, NK cells, γ/δ T cells and monocytes, but not B cells, were abundant in the lungs. Higher levels of proinflammatory cytokines iNOS, IL‐1β and IL‐6 were in the area of mild fibrosis. Multi‐omics analyses revealed a total of 126 out of 20,356 significant different transcription and 114 out of 8,493 protein expression in lung samples with mild and severe fibrosis, most of which were related to fibrosis and inflammation.
Conclusions
Our results provide novel insight that the significant neutrophil/ CD3+CD4− T cell/ macrophage activation leads to cytokine storm and severe fibrosis in the lungs of COVID‐19 patient and may contribute to a better understanding of COVID‐19 pathogenesis.
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