Dependence of Interlayer or Sulfur Host on Hollow Framework of Lithium-Sulfur Battery.

Lithium-sulfur batteries are recognized as the next generation of high-specific energy secondary batteries owing to their satisfactory theoretical specific capacity and energy density. However, their commercial application is greatly limited by a series of problems, including disordered migration behavior, sluggish redox kinetics, and the serious shuttle effect of lithium polysulfides. One of the most efficient approaches to physically limit the shuttle effect is the rational design of a hollow framework as sulfur host. However, the influence of the hollow structure on the interlayers has not been clearly reported. In this study, the Mo2 C/C catalysts with hollow(H-Mo2 C/C) and solid(S-Mo2 C/C) frameworks are rationally designed to explore the dependence of the hollow structure on the interlayer or sulfur host. In contrast to the physical limitations of the hollow framework as host, the hollow structure of the interlayer inhibited lithium-ion diffusion, resulting in poor electrochemical properties at high current densities. Based on the superiority of the various frameworks, the H-Mo2 C/C@S | S-Mo2 C/C@PP | Li cells are assembled and displayed excellent electrochemical performance. This work re-examines the design requirements and principles of catalyst frameworks in different battery units.

Development of a mammalian cell-based ZZ display system for IgG quantification.

BACKGROUND: Biological laboratories and companies involved in antibody development need convenient and versatile methods to detect highly active antibodies. METHODS: To develop a mammalian cell-based ZZ display system for antibody quantification, the eukaryotic ZZ-displayed plasmid was constructed and transfected into CHO cells. After screening by flow cytometric sorting, the stable ZZ display cells were incubated with reference IgG and samples with unknown IgG content for 40 min at 4℃, the relative fluorescence intensity of cells was analyzed and the concentration of IgG was calculated. RESULTS: By investigating the effects of different display-associated genetic elements, a eukaryotic ZZ-displaying plasmid with the highest display efficiency were constructed. After transfection and screening, almost 100% of the cells were able to display the ZZ peptide (designated CHO-ZZ cells). These stable CHO-ZZ cells were able to capture a variety of IgG, including human, rabbit, donkey and even mouse and goat. CHO-ZZ cells could be used to quantify human IgG in the range of approximately 12.5-1000 ng/mL, and to identify high-yielding engineered monoclonal cell lines. CONCLUSIONS: We have established a highly efficient CHO-ZZ display system in this study, which enables the quantification of IgG from various species under physiological conditions. This system offers the advantage of eliminating the need for antibody purification and will contribute to antibody development.

N6-Methyladenosine Demethylase FTO (Fat Mass and Obesity-Associated Protein) as a Novel Mediator of Statin Effects in Human Endothelial Cells.

BACKGROUND: N6-methyladenosine (m6A) plays a critical role in various biological processes. However, no study has addressed the role of m6A modification in the statin-induced protection of endothelial cells (ECs). METHODS: Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction and Western blotting analyses were used to study the expression of m6A regulatory genes in atorvastatin-treated ECs. Gain- and loss-of-function assays, methylated RNA immunoprecipitation analysis, and dual-luciferase reporter assays were performed to clarify the function of FTO (fat mass and obesity-associated protein) in ECs. RESULTS: Atorvastatin decreased FTO protein expression in ECs. The knockdown of FTO enhanced the mRNA and protein expression of KLF2 (Kruppel-like factor 2) and eNOS (endothelial NO synthase) but attenuated TNFα (tumor necrosis factor alpha)-induced VCAM-1 (vascular cell adhesion molecule 1) and ICAM-1 (intercellular adhesion molecule 1) expression, as well as the adhesion of monocytes to ECs. Conversely, FTO overexpression significantly upregulated the mRNA and protein levels of VCAM-1 and ICAM-1, downregulated those of KLF2 and eNOS, and strongly attenuated the atorvastatin-mediated induction of KLF2 and eNOS expression. Subsequent investigations demonstrated that KLF2 and eNOS are functionally critical targets of FTO. Mechanistically, FTO interacted with KLF2 and eNOS transcripts and regulated their expression in an m6A-dependent manner. After FTO silencing, KLF2 and eNOS transcripts with higher levels of m6A modification in their 3' untranslated regions were captured by YTHDF3 (YT521-B homology m6A RNA-binding protein 3), resulting in mRNA stabilization and the induction of KLF2 and eNOS protein expression. CONCLUSIONS: FTO might serve as a novel molecular target to modulate endothelial function in vascular diseases.

An integrated computer-based procedure for teamwork in digital nuclear power plants.

Computer-based procedures (CBPs) are expected to improve operator performance in nuclear power plants (NPPs), but they may reduce the openness of interaction between team members and harm teamwork consequently. To support teamwork in the main control room of an NPP, this study proposed a team-level integrated CBP that presents team members' operation status and execution histories to one another. Through a laboratory experiment, we compared the new integrated design and the existing individual CBP design. Sixty participants, randomly divided into twenty teams of three people each, were assigned to the two conditions to perform simulated emergency operating procedures. The results showed that compared with the existing CBP design, the integrated CBP reduced the effort of team communication and improved team transparency. The results suggest that this novel design is effective to optim team process, but its impact on the behavioural outcomes may be moderated by more factors, such as task duration. PRACTITIONER SUMMARY: The study proposed and evaluated a team-level integrated computer-based procedure, which present team members' operation status and execution history to one another. The experimental results show that compared with the traditional procedure design, the integrated design reduces the effort of team communication and improves team transparency.

A peptide derived from the N-terminus of charged multivesicular body protein 6 (CHMP6) promotes the secretion of gene editing proteins via small extracellular vesicle production.

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are a promising new therapeutic platform. However, the low cargo-loading efficiency limits their clinical translation. In this study, we developed a high-yield EV cargo-loading device and explored its ability to encapsulate gene editing proteins. A series of fusion protein-based systems were constructed and their cargo loading efficiencies were compared by a NanoGlo luciferase assay. A myristoylated (Myr) peptide tag cloned from the N-terminal region of charged multivesicular body protein 6 (CHMP6), termed Myr(CHMP6), outcompeted CD9, ARRDC1, and other short polypeptides as an active packaging device. As determined by nanoparticle tracking analysis and transmission electron microscopy, the overexpression of Myr(CHMP6) increased small EV (sEV) production in Lenti-X 293T  cells without altering sEV morphology. The high passive packaging efficiency of Myr(CHMP6) was also elucidated for unmodified cargo loading. Western blotting revealed that Myr(CHMP6) facilitated the loading of Cre and Cas9 into sEVs without the generation of packaging device-cargo fusion proteins. Furthermore, Myr(CHMP6)-modified sEVs loaded with Cre or Cas9 promoted gene-editing in recipient cells, as observed using a fluorescence reporter system. Subsequent investigation demonstrated a dose-dependent effect of Myr(CHMP6) tag-induced cargo-loading. Mechanistically, N-myristoylation alone was necessary but not sufficient for the effective packaging of proteins into EVs. Thus, our results indicated that Myr(CHMP6) induces sEV production and may be effective in loading gene editing proteins into sEVs for therapeutic purposes.

Supramolecular Assembly-Driven Color-Tuning and White-Light Emission Based on Crown-Ether-Functionalized Dihydrophenazine.

The development of color-tunable white-light-emitting systems is significant for artificial smart materials. Recently, a set of conformational dependent fluorophores N,N'-diaryl-dihydrodibenzo[a,c]phenazines (DPACs) have been developed with unique photoluminescence mechanism vibration-induced emission (VIE). DPACs can emit intrinsical blue emission at a bent excited state and abnormal orange-red emission at a planar excited state, which are due to the varied π-conjugation via excited-state configuration transformation along the N-N' axis from bent to planar form. Herein, a novel VIE-active compound DPAC-[B15C5]2 is designed and synthesized with two wings of benzo-15-crown-5. The excited-state vibration of the DPAC moiety can be modulated by tuning the supramolecular assembly and disassembly via chelation competition of K+ between 15-crown-5 and 18-crown-6, and hence, a wide-color-tuning emission is achieved from blue to orange-red including white. Dynamic light scattering and transmission electron microscopy experiments were conducted to exhibit the supramolecular assembling process. Additionally, the moisture detection in organic solvents is realized since the water could dissociate the supramolecular assembly.