SO3-COF@Al2O3 modified cathode electrode materials enhance the cycling ability of lithium sulfur batteries.

Herein, a covalent organic framework (SO3-COF) containing sulfonic acid groups has been developed on the surface of alumina by a one-step method, labeled as SO3-COF@Al2O3. The experimental results show that SO3-COF@Al2O3 can effectively inhibit the shuttle effect of soluble lithium polysulfide (LiPSs) in LSBs after loading the active material sulfur, and exhibits better cycling behavior than the initial polymer SO3-COF. The initial discharge specific capacity of this electrode material at 0.05C is as high as 1141 mA h g-1, and the capacity can be maintained at 466 mA h g-1 after 500 cycles with a capacity decay rate of 0.08% per cycle.

Transcriptome analysis of PK-15 cells expressing CSFV NS4A.

BACKGROUND: Classical swine fever (CSF) is a severe disease of pigs that results in huge economic losses worldwide and is caused by classical swine fever virus (CSFV). CSFV nonstructural protein 4 A (NS4A) plays a crucial role in infectious CSFV particle formation. However, the function of NS4A during CSFV infection is not well understood.  RESULTS: In this study, we used RNA-seq to investigate the functional role of CSFV NS4A in PK-15 cells. A total of 3893 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified in PK-15 cells expressing NS4A compared to cells expressing the empty vector (NC). Twelve DEGs were selected and further verified by RT‒qPCR. GO and KEGG enrichment analyses revealed that these DEGs were associated with multiple biological functions, including cell adhesion, apoptosis, host defence response, the inflammatory response, the immune response, and autophagy. Interestingly, some genes associated with host immune defence and inflammatory response were downregulated, and some genes associated with host apoptosis and autophagy were upregulated. CONCLUSION: CSFV NS4A inhibits the innate immune response, and suppresses the expression of important genes associated with defence response to viruses and inflammatory response, and regulates cell adhesion, apoptosis and autophagy.

Corilagin induces apoptosis and inhibits HMBG1/PI3K/AKT signaling pathways in a rat model of gastric carcinogenesis induced by methylnitronitrosoguanidine.

Gastric cancer, invasive cancer of the gastrointestinal tract, found in developing countries. Chemotherapy to patients with advanced gastric cancer, exhibits greater drug resistance to standard chemotherapy drugs. Therefore, important to establish anti-cancer drugs that are successful for cancer therapy. Corilagin is a natural ellagitannin (ET) with profound pharmacological properties has been used for the study to assess its anticancer effects against N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine (MNNG) stimulated gastric cancer rats. Biochemical studies showed Thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) and enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidants increased in corilagin treated animals compared with controls. Histopathologic evaluation revealed corilagin treated rats showed cell morphology similar that control showing its ameliorating effects. In corillagen treament mRNA protein expression levels of HIF-1α, AKT, PI3K, CT4, CD147 and HMGB1 were drastically lowered transcription factors triggering gastric cancer. In Western blot analysis showed released higher apoptotic marker of caspase-3, -9, Bax while Bcl-2 levels were significantly reduced confirming that corilagin triggers apoptosis in gastric cancer.

miR-130b suppresses the invasion and migration of prostate cancer via inhibiting DLL1 and regulating the PI3K/Akt pathways.

Prostate cancer occurs in the prostatic epithelium and poses a threat to the health of middle-aged and older males. The objective of the present study was to explore the roles of microRNA (miRNA/miR)-130b in prostate cancer and potential molecular mechanisms in order to control the migration and invasion of prostate cancer. For this purpose, reverse transcription-PCR was performed to evaluate the mRNA levels of DLL1, phosphoinositide-3 kinase (PI3K), protein kinase B (Akt) and matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)9, and western blot analysis was carried out to detect the protein expression levels of DLL1, phosphorylated (p)-PI3K, p-Akt and MMP9. A Transwell assay was conducted to examine the invasion rate of prostate cancer cells. Furthermore, a scratch wound assay was performed to examine the migration rate of prostate cancer cells. A luciferase assay was performed to examine the interaction between miRNA and its target mRNA. The results revealed that miR-130b had abnormal (low) expression in tumor tissues compared with that in the adjacent normal tissue. An miR-130b mimic suppressed the expression of DLL1. The expression of p-PI3K, p-Akt and MMP9 in prostate cancer cells transfected with the miR-130b mimic was decreased in comparison to the negative control and control groups. Furthermore, migration and invasion were significantly suppressed in the miR-130b mimic group. In conclusion, a novel pathway interlinking miR-130b and MMP9, p-Akt and p-PI3K, which regulates the migration and invasion of prostate cancer cells, was identified. These findings provide an intriguing biomarker and treatment strategy for patients with prostate cancer.

Removal of Cr6+ ions from water by electrosorption on modified activated carbon fibre felt.

Electrosorption is a novel desalination technique that has many advantages in the treatment of sewage. However, commercially available activated carbon electrodes for electrosorption commonly have low microporosity, poor moulding performance, and low adsorption and regeneration efficiency. Here, we evaluated a novel adsorbent material, activated carbon fibre felt (ACFF), for electrosorption of chromium ions (Cr6+) in sewage treatment. The ACFF was modified with 20% nitric acid and its modified structure was characterized. The modified ACFF was used as an adsorbing electrode to investigate its desalination effect by electrosorption. Results showed that compared with those of unmodified ACFF, the modified ACFF had more carbonyl and carboxyl groups and the specific surface area, average pore size and micropore volume of the modified ACFF also improved by 32.2%, 2.5% and 23.1%, respectively. The kinetics of Cr6+ adsorption conformed to the pseudo-second-order kinetic equation, and the adsorption isotherm conformed to the Langmuir model. In addition, the regeneration rate of the modified ACFF electrode was more than 94%. In conclusion, the modified ACFF exhibits excellent electrosorption and regeneration performance for Cr6+ removal from water and thus is of great value for promotion in sewage treatment.