Regulation of TMEM100 expression by epigenetic modification, effects on proliferation and invasion of esophageal squamous carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) is a prevalent malignancy with a high morbidity and mortality rate. TMEM100 has been shown to be suppressor gene in a variety of tumors, but there are no reports on the role of TMEM100 in esophageal cancer (EC). AIM: To investigate epigenetic regulation of TMEM100 expression in ESCC and the effect of TMEM100 on ESCC proliferation and invasion. METHODS: Firstly, we found the expression of TMEM100 in EC through The Cancer Genome Atlas database. The correlation between TMEM100 gene expression and the survival of patients with EC was further confirmed through Kaplan-Meier analysis. We then added the demethylating agent 5-AZA to ESCC cell lines to explore the regulation of TMEM100 expression by epigenetic modification. To observe the effect of TMEM100 expression on tumor proliferation and invasion by overexpressing TMEM100. Finally, we performed gene set enrichment analysis using the Kyoto Encyclopaedia of Genes and Genomes Orthology-Based Annotation System database to look for pathways that might be affected by TMEM100 and verified the effect of TMEM100 expression on the mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPK) pathway. RESULTS: In the present study, by bioinformatic analysis we found that TMEM100 was lowly expressed in EC patients compared to normal subjects. Kaplan-meier survival analysis showed that low expression of TMEM100 was associated with poor prognosis in patients with EC. Then, we found that the demethylating agent 5-AZA resulted in increased expression of TMEM100 in ESCC cells [quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) and western blotting]. Subsequently, we confirmed that overexpression of TMEM100 leads to its increased expression in ESCC cells (qRT-PCR and western blotting). Overexpression of TMEM100 also inhibited proliferation, invasion and migration of ESCC cells (cell counting kit-8 and clone formation assays). Next, by enrichment analysis, we found that the gene set was significantly enriched in the MAPK signaling pathway. The involvement of TMEM100 in the regulation of MAPK signaling pathway in ESCC cell was subsequently verified by western blotting. CONCLUSION: TMEM100 is a suppressor gene in ESCC, and its low expression may lead to aberrant activation of the MAPK pathway. Promoter methylation may play a key role in regulating TMEM100 expression.

Origin of Structural Evolution in Capacity Degradation for Overcharged NMC622 via Operando Coupled Investigation.

The nickel-rich layered oxide materials have been selected as promising cathode materials for the next generation lithium ion batteries because of their large capacity and comparably high operating voltage. However, at high voltage (beyond 4.30 V vs Li/Li+), the members of this family are all suffering from a rapid capacity decay, which was commonly concerned with crystal lattice distortion and related cation disordering. In this work, the quasi-spherical Ni-rich layered LiNi0.6Co0.2Mn0.2O2 (QS-NMC622) material was successfully synthesized through the carbonate co-precipitation method. A coupled measurement, which is a combination of potentiostatic intermittent titration technique (PITT) and in situ X-ray diffraction (XRD), was deployed to simultaneously capture the structural changes and lithium ion diffusion coefficient of QS-NMC622 material during the first cycle. With help of in situ XRD patterns and high-resolution transmission electron microscope (HR-TEM) images, a defective spinel framework of Fd3̅m space group was detected along with a rapid decreasing lattice-parameter c and lattice distortion at deep delithiated state, which causes poor kinetics related to lithium ion mobility. The new-born framework seems to transform and remain as full spinel structure in the parent phase to the end of charge/discharge with high voltage, which could deteriorate both the surface and body structure stability during the subsequent cycles. This established coupled in situ measurement could be applied to simultaneously investigate the structure transformation and kinetics of cathode materials during charge/discharge.

Structure Design and Performance Tuning of Nanomaterials for Electrochemical Energy Conversion and Storage.

The performance of nanomaterials in electrochemical energy conversion (fuel cells) and storage (secondary batteries) strongly depends on the nature of their surfaces. Designing the structure of electrode materials is the key approach to achieving better performance. Metal or metal oxide nanocrystals (NCs) with high-energy surfaces and open surface structures have attained significant attention in the past decade since such features possess intrinsically exceptional properties. However, they are thermodynamically metastable, resulting in a huge challenge in their shape-controlled synthesis. The tuning of material structure, design, and performance on the nanoscale for electrochemical energy conversion and storage has attracted extended attention over the past few years. In this Account, recent progress made in shape-controlled synthesis of nanomaterials with high-energy surfaces and open surface structures using both electrochemical methods and surfactant-based wet chemical route are reviewed. In fuel cells, the most important catalytic materials are Pt and Pd and their NCs with high-energy surfaces of convex or concave morphology. These exhibit remarkable activity toward electrooxidation of small organic molecules, such as formic acid, methanol, and ethanol and so on. In practical applications, the successful synthesis of Pt NCs with high-energy surfaces of small sizes (sub-10 nm) realized a superior high mass activity. The electrocatalytic performances have been further boosted by synergetic effects in bimetallic systems, either through surface decoration using foreign metal atoms or by alloying in which the high-index facet structure is preserved and the electronic structure of the NCs is altered. The intrinsic relationship of high electrocatalytic performance dependent on open structure and high-energy surface is also valid for (metal) oxide nanomaterials used in Li ion batteries (LIB). It is essential for the anode nanomaterials to have optimized structures to keep them more stable during the charge/discharge processes for reducing damaging volume expansion via intercalation and subsequent reduced battery lifetime. In the case of cathodes, tuning the surface structure of nanomaterials should be one of the most beneficial strategies to enhance the capacity and rate performance. In addition, metal oxides with unique defective structure of high catalytic activity and carbon materials of porous structure for facilitating fast Li+ diffusion paths and efficiently trapping polysulfide are most important approached and employed in Li-O2 battery and Li-S battery, respectively. In summary, significant progress has already been made in the electrocatalytic field, and likely emerging techniques based on NCs enclosed with high-energy surfaces and high-index facets could provide a promising platform to investigate the surface structure-catalytic functionality at nanoscale, thus shedding light on the rational design of practical catalysts with high activity, selectivity, and durability for energy conversion and storage.

The effect of carbon nanotubes and titanium dioxide incorporated in PDMS on biofilm community composition and subsequent mussel plantigrade settlement.

This study investigated the effect of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and titanium dioxide (TiO2) incorporated in PDMS on biofilm formation and plantigrade settlement of Mytilus coruscus. TiO2 increased bacterial density, and CNTs also increased bacterial density but reduced diatom density in biofilms after 28 days. Further analysis was conducted between bacterial communities on glass, PDMS, CNTs (0.5 wt%) and TiO2 (7.5 wt%). ANOSIM analysis revealed significant differences (R > 0.9) between seven, 14, 21 and 28 day-old bacterial communities. MiSeq sequencing showed that CNTs and TiO2 impacted the composition of 28 day-old bacterial communities by increasing the abundance of Proteobacteria and decreasing the abundance of Bacteroidetes. The maximum decreased settlement rate in 28 day-old biofilms on CNTs and TiO2 was > 50% in comparison to those on glass and PDMS. Thus, CNTs and TiO2 incorporated in PDMS altered the biomass and community composition of biofilms, and subsequently decreased mussel settlement.

Hierarchical Mn2O 3Hollow Microspheres as Anode Material of Lithium Ion Battery and Its Conversion Reaction Mechanism Investigated by XANES.

Hierarchical Mn2O3 hollow microspheres of diameter about 6-10 µm were synthesized by solvent-thermal method. When serving as anode materials of LIBs, the hierarchical Mn2O3 hollow microspheres could deliver a reversible capacity of 580 mAh g(-1) at 500 mA g(-1) after 140 cycles, and a specific capacity of 422 mAh g(-1) at a current density as high as 1600 mA g(-1), demonstrating a good rate capability. Ex situ X-ray absorption near edge structure (XANES) spectrum reveals that, for the first time, the pristine Mn2O3 was reduced to metallic Mn when it discharged to 0.01 V, and oxidized to MnO as it charged to 3 V in the first cycle. Furthermore, the XANES data demonstrated also that the average valence of Mn in the sample at charged state has decreased slowly with cycling number, which signifies an incomplete lithiation process and interprets the capacity loss of the Mn2O3 during cycling.

Porous graphitic carbon loading ultra high sulfur as high-performance cathode of rechargeable lithium-sulfur batteries.

Porous graphitic carbon of high specific surface area of 1416 m(2) g(-1) and high pore volume of 1.11 cm(3) g(-1) is prepared by using commercial CaCO3 nanoparticles as template and sucrose as carbon source followed by 1200 °C high-temperature calcination. Sulfur/porous graphitic carbon composites with ultra high sulfur loading of 88.9 wt % (88.9%S/PC) and lower sulfur loading of 60.8 wt % (60.8%S/PC) are both synthesized by a simple melt-diffusion strategy, and served as cathode of rechargeable lithium-sulfur batteries. In comparison with the 60.8%S/PC, the 88.9%S/PC exhibits higher overall discharge capacity of 649.4 mAh g(-1)(S-C), higher capacity retention of 84.6% and better coulombic efficiency of 97.4% after 50 cycles at a rate of 0.1C, which benefits from its remarkable specific capacity with such a high sulfur loading. Moreover, by using BP2000 to replace the conventional acetylene black conductive agent, the 88.9% S/PC can further improve its overall discharge capacity and high rate property. At a high rate of 4C, it can still deliver an overall discharge capacity of 387.2 mAh g(-1)(S-C). The porous structure, high specific surface area, high pore volume and high electronic conductivity that is originated from increased graphitization of the porous graphitic carbon can provide stable electronic and ionic transfer channel for sulfur/porous graphitic carbon composite with ultra high sulfur loading, and are ascribed to the excellent electrochemical performance of the 88.9%S/PC.

Facile synthesis of hierarchical micro/nanostructured MnO material and its excellent lithium storage property and high performance as anode in a MnO/LiNi0.5Mn1.5O(4-δ) lithium ion battery.

Hierarchical micro/nanostructured MnO material is synthesized from a precursor of MnCO3 with olive shape that is obtained through a facile one-pot hydrothermal procedure. The hierarchical micro/nanostructured MnO is served as anode of lithium ion battery together with a cathode of spinel LiNi0.5Mn1.5O(4-δ) material, which is synthesized also from the precursor of MnCO3 with olive shape through a different calcination process. The structures and compositions of the as-prepared materials are characterized by TGA, XRD, BET, SEM, and TEM. Electrochemical tests of the MnO materials demonstrate that it exhibit excellent lithium storage property. The MnO material in a MnO/Li half cell can deliver a reversible capacity of 782.8 mAh g(-1) after 200 cycles at a rate of 0.13 C, and a stable discharge capacity of 350 mAh g(-1) at a high rate of 2.08 C. Based on the outstanding electrochemical property of the MnO material and the LiNi0.5Mn1.5O(4-δ) as well, the MnO/LiNi0.5Mn1.5O(4-δ) full cell has demonstrated a high discharge specific energy ca. 350 Wh kg(-1) after 30 cycles at 0.1 C with an average high working voltage at 3.5 V and a long cycle stability. It can release a discharge specific energy of 227 Wh kg(-1) after 300 cycles at a higher rate of 0.5 C. Even at a much higher rate of 20 C, the MnO/LiNi0.5Mn1.5O(4-δ) full cell can still deliver a discharge specific energy of 145.5 Wh kg(-1). The excellent lithium storage property of the MnO material and its high performance as anode in the MnO/LiNi0.5Mn1.5O(4-δ) lithium ion battery is mainly attributed to its hierarchical micro/nanostructure, which could buffer the volume change and shorten the diffusion length of Li(+) during the charge/discharge processes.

Facile synthesis of porous MnO/C nanotubes as a high capacity anode material for lithium ion batteries.

Porous MnO/C nanotubes are synthesized by a facile hydrothermal method followed by thermal annealing, and possess excellent cyclability and high rate capability as an anode for lithium ion batteries.