A hybrid organic–inorganic compound, (pyrrolidinium)MnBr3
, distinguished from rare earth (RE)‐doped inorganic perovskites, is discovered as a new member of the ferroelectrics family, having ...excellent luminescent properties and relatively large spontaneous polarization of 6 μC cm−2, as well as a weak ferromagnetism at about 2.4 K. With a quantum yield of >28% and emission lifetime >0.1 ms, such multiferroic photoluminescence is a suitable candidate for future applications in luminescence materials, photovoltaics, and magneto‐optoelectronic devices.
The production, consumption, and waste of plastics have been rapidly growing worldwide in the last decades. A variety of data are needed to characterize plastics stocks and flows across space, time, ...and life cycle to derive insights for developing strategies to address various sustainability challenges from plastics and plastics waste. Here we review data sources on plastics stocks and flows to identify data gaps and research needs. We categorize the reviewed data sources by life cycle stages of plastics including material production, semi‐manufacturing, manufacturing, additives, consumption, in‐use stock, end‐of‐life, waste treatment, and trade. We identify four data gaps in these existing data for characterizing plastics stocks and flows, including inconsistent classification, missing data, conflicting data, and inexplicit data for plastics products and waste. These data gaps represent critical research needs including common platform for data sharing, standard methods for data reconciliation and estimation, consistent data collection and reporting, and new approaches for data collection and curation. This review establishes the state‐of‐the‐art of plastics stock and flow data and develops a roadmap for a high‐quality, comprehensive characterization of plastics stocks and flows to develop management strategies to address the sustainability challenges of plastics production, consumption, waste, and pollution.
Molecular piezoelectrics are highly desirable for their easy and environment-friendly processing, light weight, low processing temperature, and mechanical flexibility. However, although 136 years ...have passed since the discovery in 1880 of the piezoelectric effect, molecular piezoelectrics with a piezoelectric coefficient
comparable with piezoceramics such as barium titanate (BTO; ~190 picocoulombs per newton) have not been found. We show that trimethylchloromethyl ammonium trichloromanganese(II), an organic-inorganic perovskite ferroelectric crystal processed from aqueous solution, has a large
of 185 picocoulombs per newton and a high phase-transition temperature of 406 kelvin (K) (16 K above that of BTO). This makes it a competitive candidate for medical, micromechanical, and biomechanical applications.
Bladder cancer represents a highly heterogeneous disease characterized by distinct histological, molecular and clinical phenotypes, and a detailed analysis of tumor cell invasion and crosstalks ...within bladder tumor cells has not been determined. Here, we applied droplet‐based single‐cell RNA sequencing (scRNA‐seq) to acquire transcriptional profiles of 36 619 single cells isolated from seven patients. Single cell transcriptional profiles matched well with the pathological basal/luminal subtypes. Notably, in T1 tumors diagnosed as luminal subtype, basal cells displayed characteristics of epithelial‐mesenchymal transition (EMT) and mainly located at the tumor‐stromal interface as well as micrometastases in the lamina propria. In one T3 tumor, muscle‐invasive tumor showed significantly higher expression of cancer stem cell markers SOX9 and SOX2 than the primary tumor. We additionally analyzed communications between tumor cells and demonstrated its relevance to basal/luminal phenotypes. Overall, our single‐cell study provides a deeper insight into the tumor cell heterogeneity associated with bladder cancer progression.
What's new?
Extensive heterogeneity in bladder cancer has inspired novel approaches to the investigation of underlying mechanisms, including genomic and phenotypic single‐cell analyses. In this single‐cell characterization of tumor cell heterogeneity in bladder cancer, basal‐like tumor cells were found to possess epithelial‐to‐mesenchymal transition (EMT) features, including enrichment of EMT‐associated genes. Basal‐like cells further exhibited a potential to generate luminal daughter cells, making them possible precursors for local invasion. In addition, aggressive cells with upregulation of stemness‐related genes were observed in a muscle‐invasive T3‐stage tumor. The findings suggest that invasive cell subsets within bladder cancers may serve a significant role in disease progression.
The formation of the Himalaya was associated with the exhumation of high-grade metamorphosed rocks of the Higher Himalayan sequence (HHS) complex, which underwent amphibolite-, granulite- to ...eclogite-facies metamorphism and anatexis. Occurring along the Himalayan mountain crest in the south and the Lhagoi Kangri mountain in the north, the Himalayan leucogranites contain varying proportions of biotite (<5%), muscovite, tourmaline, and garnet, and are typically equigranular in texture with variable structures from foliated to massive. These peraluminous granites have been interpreted as purely crust-derived melts, without any input from the mantle, and may therefore record the timing of continental collision. However, they were emplaced between 44 and 7 Ma, much later than the timing of collision between India and Asia (c. 60 Ma). Although typically interpreted as products of in situ partial melting of the HHS during subduction and exhumation, we suggest that the Himalayan leucogranites underwent intense crystal fractionation, as recorded by crystal layering, sedimentary-like cross-bedding, and the occurrence of pegmatites with varying grain sizes. Geochemically, these leucogranites are low in siderophile but high in lithophile elements, with significant negative europium (Eu) anomalies, non-chondritic Nb/Ta and Zr/Hf ratios, and rare earth element (REE) tetrad effects. Many of the leucogranites and pegmatites contain rare-metal minerals, such as beryl and chrysoberyl; columbite–tantalite, tapiolite, and pyrochlore–microlite; rutile and fergusonite; and zinnwaldite, lepidolite, spodumene, and petalite, supporting an origin involving a high degree of magmatic fractionation. We suggest that the primary magma was generated through partial melting of subducted Indian crust due to input of heat from depth. The generation of magma triggered the exhumation of the Indian crust and subsequent formation of the Himalayan mountain chain. The magma ascended with the Indian crust along the South Tibetan Detachment System (STDS), during which time it underwent significant fractionation. Anatectic melts generated from exhumed Indian crust through decompression melting are distinct from the leucogranites, indicating that exhumation of the Indian crust had a limited contribution to the generation and evolution of the leucogranites. Extensional faulting facilitated a high degree of magma fractionation and rare-metal mineralization.
•Leucogranites are widely distributed in the Himalayan mountains.•These rocks are peraluminous, and were considered as purely crustal derived.•They were not an in-situ melt, but formed by intensive magma fractionation.•Rare-metal mineralization is documented in these rocks and associated pegmatites.
Fifteen transcription factors in the CAMTA (calmodulin binding transcription activator) family of soybean were reported to differentially regulate in multiple stresses; however, their functional ...analyses had not yet been attempted. To characterize their role in stresses, we first comprehensively analyzed the
family in silico and thereafter determined their expression pattern under drought. The bioinformatics analysis revealed multiple stress-related
-regulatory elements including
,
,
and
, 10 unique miRNA (microRNA) targets in
transcripts and 48 proteins in GmCAMTAs' interaction network. We then cloned the 2769 bp CDS (coding sequence) of
in an expression vector and overexpressed in soybean and Arabidopsis through
-mediated transformation. The T3 (Transgenic generation 3) stably transformed homozygous lines of Arabidopsis exhibited enhanced tolerance to drought in soil as well as on MS (Murashige and Skoog) media containing mannitol. In their drought assay, the average survival rate of transgenic Arabidopsis lines OE5 and OE12 (Overexpression Line 5 and Line 12) was 83.66% and 87.87%, respectively, which was ~30% higher than that of wild type. In addition, the germination and root length assays as well as physiological indexes such as proline and malondialdehyde contents, catalase activity and leakage of electrolytes affirmed the better performance of OE lines. Similarly,
overexpression in soybean promoted drought-efficient hairy roots in OE chimeric plants as compare to that of VC (Vector control). In parallel, the improved growth performance of OE in Hoagland-PEG (polyethylene glycol) and on MS-mannitol was revealed by their phenotypic, physiological and molecular measures. Furthermore, with the overexpression of
, the downstream genes including
,
,
and
were upregulated in Arabidopsis. Likewise, in soybean hairy roots,
,
and
were significantly upregulated as a result of
overexpression and majority of these upregulated genes in both plants possess CAMTA binding
motif in their promoters. Taken together, we report that
plays substantial role in tolerance of soybean against drought stress and could prove to be a novel candidate for engineering soybean and other plants against drought stress. Some research gaps were also identified for future studies to extend our comprehension of
-mediated stress regulatory mechanisms.
As a main destination for recycling, reuse and disposal of solid waste in the global circular economy, China has recently issued a new regulation on its imports, banning 24 types of solid waste in 4 ...categories, including waste plastics, unsorted scrap papers, discarded textile materials, and vanadium slags. Bans on additional types of solid waste will take effect soon. Here we discuss the possible profound effects of such policy changes on the global circular economy of solid waste. Recycling industries in developed countries will face challenges in the short run, due to their limited capacity and past reliance on exporting, but also opportunities in the long run. Furthermore, developing countries currently without stringent environmental regulations will likely become the new “pollution haven” of solid waste from developed countries and even emerging economies such as China itself. To truly reap the benefits from China's new policies which are originally designed for environmental sustainability and social justice, the global community needs to develop appropriate policy framework to prevent the unintended consequences.
Autophagy is a central component of integrated stress responses that influences many inflammatory diseases, including inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and colorectal cancer (CRC). While the core ...machinery is known, the molecular basis of the epigenetic regulation of autophagy and its role in colon inflammation remain largely undefined. Here, we report that BRG1, an ATPase subunit of the SWI/SNF chromatin remodeling complex, is required for the homeostatic maintenance of intestinal epithelial cells (IECs) to prevent the inflammation and tumorigenesis. BRG1 emerges as a key regulator that directly governs the transcription of Atg16l1, Ambra1, Atg7 and Wipi2, which are important for autophagosome biogenesis. Defective autophagy in BRG1-deficient IECs results in excess reactive oxygen species (ROS), which leads to the defects in barrier integrity. Together, our results establish that BRG1 may represent an autophagy checkpoint that is pathogenetically linked to colitis and is therefore likely a potential therapeutic target for disease intervention.
Uniform and patterned orientation of a crystallographic direction of ordered materials is of fundamental significance and of great interest for electronic and photonic applications. However, such ...orientation control is generally complicated and challenging with regard to inorganic and organic crystalline materials due to the occurrence of uncontrollable dislocations or defects. Achieving uniform lattice orientation in frustrated liquid‐crystalline phases, like cubic blue phases, is a formidable task. Taming and tailoring the ordering of such soft, cubic lattices along predetermined or desired directions, and even imparting a prescribed pattern on lattice orientation, are more challenging, due to the entropy‐domination attribute of soft matter. Herein, we disclose a facile way to realize designed micropatterning of a crystallographic direction of a soft, cubic liquid‐crystal superstructure, exhibiting an alternate uniform and random orientation of the lattice crystallographic direction enabled by a photoalignment technique. Because of the rewritable trait of the photoalignment film, the pattern can be erased and rewritten on‐demand by light. Such an oriented soft lattice sensitively responds to various external stimuli such as temperature, electric field, and light irradiation. Furthermore, advanced reflective photonic applications are achieved based on the patterned crystallographic orientation of the cubic blue phase, soft lattice.
A facile way to realize designed micropatterning of a crystallographic direction of a soft, cubic liquid‐crystal superstructure is disclosed, exhibiting an alternate uniform and random orientation of the lattice crystallographic direction, enabled by a photoalignment technique, which has not been accomplished before.
Chiral materials with circularly polarized luminescence (CPL) are potentially applicable for 3D displays. In this study, by decorating the pyridinyl‐helicene ligands with ‐CF3 and ‐F groups, the ...platinahelicene enantiomers featured superior configurational stability, as well as high sublimation yield (>90 %) and clear CPPL properties, with dissymmetry factors (|gPL|) of approximately 3.7×10−3 in solution and about 4.1×10−3 in doped film. The evaporated circularly polarized phosphorescent organic light‐emitting diodes (CP‐PhOLEDs) with two enantiomers as emitters exhibited symmetric CPEL signals with |gEL| of (1.1–1.6)×10−3 and decent device performances, achieving a maximum brightness of 11 590 cd m−2, a maximum external quantum efficiency up to 18.81 %, which are the highest values among the reported devices based on chiral phosphorescent PtII complexes. To suppress the effect of reverse CPEL signal from the cathode reflection, the further implementation of semitransparent aluminum/silver cathode successfully boosts up the |gEL| by over three times to 5.1×10−3.
Two platinahelicene enantiomers with configurational stability and good CPPL property were used as emitters in efficient evaporated circularly polarized phosphorescent organic light‐emitting diodes (CP‐PhOLEDs). A maximum brightness of 11 590 cd m−2, a maximum external quantum efficiency up to 18.81 %, and symmetric CPEL signals with |gEL| of (1.1–1.6)×10−3 were achieved. Further implementation of semitransparent silver/aluminum cathode successfully boosted up the |gEL| by over three times to 5.1×10−3.
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