The recent progress on black phosphorus makes it a promising candidate material for broadband nanophotonic devices, especially operating in the mid-infrared spectral region. Here, the excited carrier ...dynamics and nonlinear optical response of unoxidized black phosphorus nanosheets and their wavelength dependence were systematically studied from 800 nm to 2.1 μm. The wavelength-dependent relaxation times of black phosphorus nanosheets are determined to be 360 fs to 1.36 ps with photon energies from 1.55 to 0.61 eV. In a comparative study with graphene, we found that black phosphorus has a faster carrier relaxation in near- and mid-infrared region. With regard to nonlinear optical absorption, the response of black phosphorus significantly increases from near- to mid-infrared, and black phosphorus is also confirmed to be better as saturable absorber to MoS2 in infrared region.
Angelica dahurica
(
A. dahurica
) root is a famous edible medicinal herb that has been used in China for thousands of years. To date, more than 300 chemical constituents have been discovered from
A. ...dahurica
. Among these ingredients, coumarins and volatile oils are the major active compounds. Moreover, a few other compounds have also been isolated from the root of
A. dahurica
, such as alkaloids, phenols, sterols, benzofurans, polyacetylenes and polysaccharides. Modern pharmacological studies demonstrated that the root of
A. dahurica
and its active components displayed various bioactivities such as anti-inflammation, anti-tumor, anti-oxidation, analgesic activity, antiviral and anti-microbial effects, effects on the cardiovascular system, neuroprotective function, hepatoprotective activity, effects on skin diseases and so on. Based on these studies, this review focused on the research publications of
A. dahurica
and aimed to summarize the advances in the traditional uses, phytochemistry and pharmacology which will provide reference for the further studies and applications of
A. dahurica
.
This work is aimed to study in situ upgrading of Shengli lignite pyrolysis vapors over different metal-loaded HZSM-5 in a drop tube reactor. Co/HZSM-5, Mo/HZSM-5 and Ni/HZSM-5 (5.0wt%) were prepared ...by wet impregnation and characterized by N2 adsorption-desorption analyzer, X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscope, Fourier transform infrared spectrometer and temperature programmed desorption of ammonia. The effects of temperature and catalyst on product yields and tar properties were investigated. The results show that the optimal temperature for liquid product was 600°C and aromatics can be directly produced from solid lignite by catalytic fast pyrolysis over metal-loaded HZSM-5 under such mild condition. Due to the participation of metal and acid sites, the bifunctional metal-loaded HZSM-5 showed comparable catalytic activity for deoxygenation reaction in the valorization of oxygen content below 7.1%. The introduction of metal causes the increase of aromatics and the decrease of organic oxygen species in upgraded tar remarkably. Among the catalysts, Ni/HZSM-5 exhibited the best performance for production of high quality tars with highest aromatics content of 94.2% (area%), which can be used as a potential candidate for catalytic upgrading of pyrolysis oil.
•Metal-loaded HZSM-5 was prepared for conversion of lignite to light aromatics.•The BTEXN formation was enhanced by metal-loaded HZSM-5.•Oxygen content in pyrolysis tar is remarkably decreased by metal-loaded HZSM-5.•Ni-loaded HZSM-5 is a potential candidate in catalytic upgrading of pyrolysis oil.
Insulating polymers (commodity plastics in particular) are a major category of polymeric materials widely used in our daily life, but they exhibit abysmal electrical conductivity. Instead, conjugated ...polymers are gaining tremendous interest due to their excellent electrical properties and versatile applications in organic electronics. In this perspective, we provide a concise account of the added value in organic solar cells, as brought by the combined use of conjugated and insulating polymers. The challenging tasks and prospective directions are given to the potential benefits of employing insulating polymer additives, which spans from common commodity plastics to high-temperature resistant resins and thermoplastic elastomers. Particularly, the inert polymers can improve many important properties such as mechanical and thermal robustness but not sacrifice optoelectronic performance.
A novel imprinted electrochemical sensor based on graphene/carbon nanotubes three-dimensional (3D) nanocomposites modified carbon electrode was developed for the determination of tetrabromobisphenol ...A. The imprinted film was prepared by one-step electrodeposition technique with pyrrole as the functional monomer and tetrabromobisphenol A as the template molecule. The imprinted sensor was used for the determination of tetrabromobisphenol A with differential pulse voltammetry. A linear relationship between the response currents and the negative logarithm of tetrabromobisphenol A concentrations was obtained in the concentrations range of 1.0×10−11–1.0×10−8molL−1 with a detection limit of 3.7×10−12molL−1 (S/N=3). The proposed imprinted sensor showed excellent selectivity towards tetrabromobisphenol A. With good reproducibility and stability, the imprinted electrochemical sensor was used to detect tetrabromobisphenol A in fish samples successfully with the recoveries of 93.3–107.7%.
A highly sensitive and selective imprinted electrochemical sensor based on graphene/carbon nanotubes 3D nanocomposites modified carbon electrode was prepared for the determination of tetrabromobisphenol A in fish samples with a detection limit of 3.7×10−12molL−1. Display omitted
•A novel Gr/CNTs 3D nanocomposites modified TBBPA imprinted sensor was developed.•The imprinted sensor showed high selectivity and sensitivity toward TBBPA.•The imprinted sensor was used to detect TBBPA in fish samples successfully.
The oncogene c‐Myc is aberrantly expressed and plays a key role in malignant transformation and progression of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Here, we report that c‐Myc is significantly up‐regulated ...by tumor necrosis factor receptor–associated factor 6 (TRAF6), an E3 ubiquitin ligase, in hepatocarcinogenesis. High TRAF6 expression in clinical HCC samples correlates with poor prognosis, and the loss of one copy of the Traf6 gene in Traf6+/– mice significantly impairs liver tumorigenesis. Mechanistically, TRAF6 first interacts with and ubiquitinates histone deacetylase 3 (HDAC3) with K63‐linked ubiquitin chains, which leads to the dissociation of HDAC3 from the c‐Myc promoter and subsequent acetylation of histone H3 at K9, thereby epigenetically enhancing the mRNA expression of c‐Myc. Second, the K63‐linked ubiquitination of HDAC3 impairs the HDAC3 interaction with c‐Myc and promotes c‐Myc protein acetylation, which thereby enhances c‐Myc protein stability by inhibiting carboxyl terminus of heat shock cognate 70‐kDa–interacting protein–mediated c‐Myc ubiquitination and degradation. Importantly, TRAF6/HDAC3/c‐Myc signaling is also primed in hepatitis B virus–transgenic mice, unveiling a critical role for a mechanism in inflammation–cancer transition. In clinical specimens, TRAF6 positively correlates with c‐Myc at both the mRNA and protein levels, and high TRAF6 and c‐Myc expression is associated with an unfavorable prognosis, suggesting that TRAF6 collaborates with c‐Myc to promote human hepatocarcinogenesis. Consistently, curbing c‐Myc expression by inhibition of TRAF6 activity with a TRAF6 inhibitor peptide or the silencing of c‐Myc by small interfering RNA significantly suppressed tumor growth in mice. Conclusion: These findings demonstrate the oncogenic potential of TRAF6 during hepatocarcinogenesis by modulating TRAF6/HDAC3/c‐Myc signaling, with potential implications for HCC therapy.
Neuronal intranuclear inclusion disease (NIID) is a slowly progressing neurodegenerative disease characterized by eosinophilic intranuclear inclusions in the nervous system and multiple visceral ...organs. The clinical manifestation of NIID varies widely, and both familial and sporadic cases have been reported. Here we have performed genetic linkage analysis and mapped the disease locus to 1p13.3-q23.1; however, whole-exome sequencing revealed no potential disease-causing mutations. We then performed long-read genome sequencing and identified a large GGC repeat expansion within human-specific NOTCH2NLC. Expanded GGC repeats as the cause of NIID was further confirmed in an additional three NIID-affected families as well as five sporadic NIID-affected case subjects. Moreover, given the clinical heterogeneity of NIID, we examined the size of the GGC repeat among 456 families with a variety of neurological conditions with the known pathogenic genes excluded. Surprisingly, GGC repeat expansion was observed in two Alzheimer disease (AD)-affected families and three parkinsonism-affected families, implicating that the GGC repeat expansions in NOTCH2NLC could also contribute to the pathogenesis of both AD and PD. Therefore, we suggest defining a term NIID-related disorders (NIIDRD), which will include NIID and other related neurodegenerative diseases caused by the expanded GGC repeat within human-specific NOTCH2NLC.
The solid superacid TiO2-ZrO2-SO42−-supported CeO2 catalyst (CeO2/Ti-Zr-S) exhibited excellent NH3-SCR performance at 225–425°C. The strong interaction between CeO2 and TiO2-ZrO2-SO42− resulted in ...remarkable redox property and surface acidity. The NH3-SCR reaction over CeO2/Ti-Zr-S followed both Eley-Rideal and Langmuir-Hinshelwood mechanisms.
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•CeO2/Ti-Zr-S exhibited excellent NH3-SCR performance at 225–425°C.•Surface sulfated treatment enhanced the surface acidity of the catalyst.•CeO2/Ti-Zr-S owned superior reducibility and abundant surface oxygen species.•The SCR reaction over CeO2/Ti-Zr-S followed both “L-H” and “E-R” mechanisms.
The solid superacid TiO2-ZrO2-SO42−-supported 20wt.% CeO2 catalyst (20CeO2/Ti-Zr-S) was synthesized for selective catalytic reduction of NO with NH3 (NH3-SCR). The NH3-SCR performance was significantly enhanced by the construction of strong acid sites on the surface of 20CeO2/Ti-Zr-S and over 96% NO conversion was obtained at 225–425°C. Meanwhile, the strong interaction between solid superacid and CeO2 resulted in excellent redox property and abundant surface oxygen species. Furthermore, the NH3-SCR reaction over 20CeO2/Ti-Zr-S catalyst mainly followed the Langmuir-Hinshelwood mechanism at low-temperature (250°C). The M-NO2 (M=Ce, Ti, Zr) nitrate compounds, monodentate and bridging nitrates were the crucial intermediates in Langmuir-Hinshelwood mechanism. In addition, amide (–NH2) species were available at 350°C over 20CeO2/Ti-Zr-S catalyst, which facilitated the high-temperature NH3-SCR activity via Eley-Rideal pathway.
Emerging evidence suggests that epithelial‐mesenchymal transitions (EMTs) play important roles in tumor metastasis and recurrence. Understanding molecular mechanisms that regulate the EMT process is ...crucial for improving treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). MicroRNAs (miRNAs) play important roles in HCC; however, the mechanisms by which miRNAs target the EMT and their therapeutic potential remains largely unknown. To better explore the roles of miRNAs in the EMT process, we established an EMT model in HCC cells by transforming growth factor beta 1 treatment and found that several tumor‐related miRNAs were significantly decreased. Among these miRNAs, miR‐125b expression was most strongly suppressed. We also found down‐regulation of miR‐125b in most HCC cells and clinical specimens, which correlated with cellular differentiation in HCC patients. We then demonstrated that miR‐125b overexpression attenuated EMT phenotype in HCC cancer cells, whereas knockdown of miR‐125b promoted the EMT phenotype in vitro and in vivo. Moreover, we found that miR‐125b attenuated EMT‐associated traits, including chemoresistance, migration, and stemness in HCC cells, and negatively correlated with EMT and cancer stem cell (CSC) marker expressions in HCC specimens. miR‐125b overexpression could inhibit CSC generation and decrease tumor incidence in the mouse xenograft model. Mechanistically, our data revealed that miR‐125b suppressed EMT and EMT‐associated traits of HCC cells by targeting small mothers against decapentaplegic (SMAD)2 and 4. Most important, the therapeutic delivery of synthetic miR‐125b mimics decreased the target molecule of CSC and inhibited metastasis in the mice model. These findings suggest a potential therapeutic treatment of miR‐125b for liver cancer. Conclusion: miR‐125b exerts inhibitory effects on EMT and EMT‐associated traits in HCC by SMAD2 and 4. Ectopic expression of miR‐125b provides a promising strategy to treat HCC. (Hepatology 2015;62:801–815)
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