Solar Energy-Driven Reverse Water Gas Shift Reaction: Photothermal Effect, Photoelectric Activation and Selectivity Regulation.

Excessive carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions are one of the main causes of the greenhouse effect. Thermal catalytic reverse water gas shift (RWGS) reaction, which is a pre reaction for Fischer-Tropsch synthesis, is considered an effective way to convert CO2 and synthesize high value-added chemicals in industry. However, traditional thermal catalysis requires a large amount of fossil fuels to drive reactions, which cannot achieve the true goal of carbon neutrality. Photothermal catalysis, as a novel conversion pathway, can achieve efficient CO2 conversion while significantly improving solar energy utilization. This review provides a detailed introduction of CO2 and H2 adsorption/activation and reaction pathways in thermal catalysis, as well as the catalytic mechanisms of thermal and chemical effects in photothermal catalytic RWGS to supply readers valuable insights on the mechanism of photothermal catalytic RWGS reaction and provide a reference for better catalyst design.

TEAD4 Activates PCSK9 to Promote Stomach Adenocarcinoma Cell Stemness through Fatty Acid Metabolism.

INTRODUCTION: This study attempted to investigate how proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9) influences the stemness of stomach adenocarcinoma (STAD) cells. METHODS: CCK-8 and sphere-formation assays were used to detect cell viability and stemness. qRT-PCR and Western blot were used to detect PCSK9 and TEAD4 expression. The binding relationship was verified by dual-luciferase and chromatin immunoprecipitation assays. The effect of TEAD4 activating PCSK9 on the stemness of STAD cells was detected by bioinformatics, BODIPY 493/503, Oil red O, Western blot, and kits. In vivo experiments verified the role of the TEAD4/PCSK9 axis in tumor formation in nude mice. RESULTS: PCSK9 and TEAD4 were highly expressed in STAD. PCSK9 was enriched in the fatty acid metabolism (FAM) pathway. PCSK9 activated the fatty acid metabolism and promoted the proliferation and stemness of STAD cells. TEAD4 as a transcription factor upstream of PCSK9, cell experiments revealed that knockdown of PCSK9 inhibited STAD cell stemness, whereas further addition of fatty acid inhibitors could attenuate the promoting effect on STAD cell stemness brought by STAD overexpression. Rescue experiments showed overexpressed PCSK9 exerted an inhibitory effect on the stemness of STAD cells brought by TEAD4 knockdown. The hypothesis that TEAD4/PCSK9 axis can promote STAD cell growth was confirmed by in vivo experiments. CONCLUSION: Transcription factor TEAD4 could activate PCSK9 to promote the stemness of STAD cells through FAM. These results added weight to the assumption that TEAD4/PCSK9 axis has the potential to be the therapeutic target that inhibits cancer stem cell in STAD.

Anti-ferroptosis exosomes engineered for targeting M2 microglia to improve neurological function in ischemic stroke.

BACKGROUND: Stroke is a devastating disease affecting populations worldwide and is the primary cause of long-term disability. The inflammatory storm plays a crucial role in the progression of stroke. In the acute phase of ischemic stroke, there is a transient increase in anti-inflammatory M2 microglia followed by a rapid decline. Due to the abundant phospholipid in brain tissue, lipid peroxidation is a notable characteristic of ischemia/reperfusion (I/R), constituting a structural foundation for ferroptosis in M2 microglia. Slowing down the decrease in M2 microglia numbers and controlling the inflammatory microenvironment holds significant potential for enhancing stroke recovery. RESULTS: We found that the ferroptosis inhibitor can modulate inflammatory response in MCAO mice, characterizing that the level of M2 microglia-related cytokines was increased. We then confirmed that different subtypes of microglia exhibit distinct sensitivities to I/R-induced ferroptosis. Adipose-derived stem cells derived exosome (ADSC-Exo) effectively decreased the susceptibility of M2 microglia to ferroptosis via Fxr2/Atf3/Slc7a11, suppressing the inflammatory microenvironment and promoting neuronal survival. Furthermore, through plasmid engineering, a more efficient M2 microglia-targeted exosome, termed M2pep-ADSC-Exo, was developed. In vivo and in vitro experiments demonstrated that M2pep-ADSC-Exo exhibits significant targeting specificity for M2 microglia, further inhibiting M2 microglia ferroptosis and improving neurological function in ischemic stroke mice. CONCLUSION: Collectively, we illustrated a novel potential therapeutic mechanism that Fxr2 in ADSC-Exo could alleviate the M2 microglia ferroptosis via regulating Atf3/Slc7all expression, hence inhibiting the inflammatory microenvironment, improving neurofunction recovery in cerebral I/R injury. We obtained a novel exosome, M2pep-ADSC-Exo, through engineered modification, which exhibits improved targeting capabilities toward M2 microglia. This provides a new avenue for the treatment of stroke.

Inside-Out Oriented Choline Phosphate-Based Biomimetic Magnetic Nanomaterials for Precise Recognition and Analysis of C-Reactive Protein.

Phospholipid-based materials exhibit great application potential in the fields of chemistry, biology, and pharmaceutical sciences. In this study, an inside-out oriented choline phosphate molecule, 2-{2-(methacryloyloxy)ethyldimethylammonium}ethyl n-butyl phosphate (MBP), was proposed and verified as a novel ligand of C-reactive protein (CRP) to enrich the functionality of these materials. Compared with phosphorylcholine (PC)-CRP interactions, the binding between MBP and CRP was not affected by the reverse position of phosphate and choline groups and even found more abundant binding sites. Thus, high-density MBP-grafted biomimetic magnetic nanomaterials (MBP-MNPs) were fabricated by reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer polymerization based on thiol-ene click chemistry. The novel materials exhibited multifunctional applications for CRP including purification and ultrasensitive detection. On the one hand, higher specificity, recovery (90%), purity (95%), and static binding capacity (198.14 mg/g) for CRP were achieved on the novel materials in comparison with traditional PC-based materials, and the enriched CRP from patient serum can maintain its structural integrity and bioactivity. On the other hand, the CRP detection method combining G-quadruplex and thioflavin T developed with MBP-MNPs showed a lower detection limit (10 pM) and wider linear range (0.1-50 nM) than most PC-functionalized analytical platforms. Therefore, the inside-out oriented choline phosphate can not only precisely recognize CRP but also be combined with biomimetic nanomaterials to provide high application potential.

Recent Progress in Rechargeable Sodium Metal Batteries: A Review.

Sodium metal batteries (SMBs) have been widely studied owing to their relatively high energy density and abundant resources. However, they still need systematic improvement to fulfill the harsh operating conditions for their commercialization. In this review, we summarize the recent progress in SMBs in terms of sodium anode modification, electrolyte exploration, and cathode design. Firstly, we give an overview of the current challenges facing Na metal anodes and the corresponding solutions. Then, the traditional liquid electrolytes and the prospective solid electrolytes for SMBs are summarized. In addition, insertion- and conversion-type cathode materials are introduced. Finally, an outlook for the future of practical SMBs is provided.

Astragaloside reduces toxic effect of periodontal ligament fibroblasts induced by lipopolysaccharide.

Periodontitis is a non-specific and chronic disease which is highly prevalent, resulting in inflammation and destruction of periodontal tissues. This study aims to explore the effect and mechanism of astragaloside on periodontitis. We used CCK-8, Western Blot, qPCR and flow cytometry to analyze cell viability, related protein and mRNA expression, and cell apoptosis. We found that AST could promote cell proliferation and reduce apoptosis induced by LPS. Besides, AST could alleviate the increased expression of COX-2 and ICAM-1 induced by LPS. MiR-26b-3P specifically targeted the 3' UTR of ICAM-1. These results indicate that AST reduces toxic effect of human periodontal ligament cells through regulating miR-26b-3P/ICAM-1, thus highlighting its protective role in periodontitis.

Selection of Automated Platelet Counting Methods Based on Mean Platelet Volume (MPV).

BACKGROUND: Impedance-based detection and optic detection with fluorescence are common platelet counting methods used by modern hematology analyzers. There are few studies to compare the accuracy of platelet counts using these methods in case of increased MPV. METHODS: Sixty patients with immune-related thrombocytopenia (IRTP) and 60 healthy controls were included. Platelet counts were obtained by BC-6900 analyzer using impedance detection (PLT-I) and optic detection with fluorescence (PLT-O). Flow cytometry was used as the reference (FCM-ref). RESULTS: The platelet counts in patients using PLT-I were significantly lower than those using PLT-O or FCM-ref by an average of 13.3%. The platelet counts by PLT-O compared to FCM-ref were not statistically significant. MPV inversely affected the platelet counts. When MPV was < 13 fL, platelet counts by all three methods were not statistically different. When MPV was ≥ 13 fL, platelet counts by PLT-I were significantly lower (-15.8%) than those by PLT-O or FCM-ref. Furthermore, when MPV was ≥ 15 fL, platelet counts using PLT-I were further decreased (-23.6%) compared to the counts obtained by PLT-O or FCM-ref. CONCLUSIONS: The platelet counts by PLT-O in patients with IRTP is as accurate as by FCM-ref. When MPV is < 13 fL, platelet counts by all three methods are comparable. However, when MPV is ≥ 13 fL, platelet counts by PLT-I can erroneously decrease by as many as 23.6%. Therefore, in case of IRTP, or any cases when MPV ≥ 13 fL, platelet counts obtained by PLT-I method should be carefully checked by other methods, such as PLT-O to ensure a more accurate platelet count.

Exploring the bidirectional relationship between pain and mental disorders: a comprehensive Mendelian randomization study.

BACKGROUND: The close relationship between pain and mental health problems is well-known, and psychological intervention can provide an effective alternative to medication-based pain relief. However, previous studies on the connection between pain and psychological problems, the findings thus far have been inconclusive, limiting the potential for translating psychological interventions into clinical practice. To complement the gap, this study utilized genetic data and Mendelian randomization (MR) to examine the potential relationship between pain in different parts and common mental disorders. METHODS: Based on the instrumental variables selected from the Genome-wide association study summary statistics of localized pain and mental disorders, we conducted bidirectional two-sample MR analyses to infer bidirectional causal associations between pain and mental disorders. The inverse-variance weighted MR method and MR-Egger were used as the primary statistical method according to the horizontal pleiotropy and heterogeneity level. We reported the odds ratio to infer the causal effect between pain and mental disorders. F statistic was calculated to measure the statistical efficacy of the analyses. RESULTS: Insomnia is causally related to the genetic susceptibility of multisite pain including head (OR = 1.09, 95% CI: 1.06-1.12), neck/shoulder (OR = 1.12, 95% CI: 1.07-1.16), back (OR = 1.12, 95% CI: 1.07-1.18) and hip (OR = 1.08, 95% CI: 1.05-1.10). Reversely, headache (OR = 1.14, 95% CI: 1.05-1.24), neck/shoulder pain (OR = 1.95, 95% CI: 1.03-3.68), back pain (OR = 1.40, 95% CI: 1.22-1.60), and hip pain (OR = 2.29, 95% CI: 1.18-4.45) promote the genetic liability of insomnia. Depression is strongly associated with the predisposition of multisite pain including headache (OR = 1.28, 95% CI: 1.08-1.52), neck/shoulder pain (OR = 1.32, 95% CI: 1.16-1.50), back pain (OR = 1.35, 95% CI: 1.10-1.66) and stomach/abdominal pain (OR = 1.14, 95% CI: 1.05-1.25), while headache (OR = 1.06, 95% CI: 1.03-1.08), neck/shoulder (OR = 1.09, 95% CI: 1.01-1.17), back (OR = 1.08, 95% CI: 1.03-1.14), and stomach/abdominal pain (OR = 1.19, 95% CI: 1.11-1.26) are predisposing factors for depression. Additionally, insomnia is associated with the predisposition of facial, stomach/abdominal, and knee pain, anxiety was associated with the predisposition of neck/shoulder and back pain, while the susceptibilities of hip and facial pain are influenced by depression, but these associations were unidirectional. CONCLUSIONS: Our results enhance the understanding of the complex interplay between pain and mental health and highlight the importance of a holistic approach to pain management that addresses both physical and psychological factors.

High-entropy Electrolyte Enables High Reversibility and Long Lifespan for Magnesium Metal Anodes.

The stable cycling of Mg-metal anodes is limited by several problems, including sluggish electrochemical kinetics and passivation at the Mg surface. In this study, we present a high-entropy electrolyte composed of lithium triflate (LiOTf) and trimethyl phosphate (TMP) co-added to magnesium bis(trifluoromethane sulfonyl)imide (Mg(TFSI)2 /1,2-dimethoxyethane (DME) to significantly improve the electrochemical performance of Mg-metal anodes. The as-formed high-entropy Mg2+ -2DME-OTf- -Li+ -DME-TMP solvation structure effectively reduced the Mg2+ -DME interaction in comparison with that observed in traditional Mg(TFSI)2 /DME electrolytes, thereby preventing the formation of insulating components on the Mg-metal anode and promoting its electrochemical kinetics and cycling stability. Comprehensive characterization revealed that the high-entropy solvation structure brought OTf- and TMP to the surface of the Mg-metal anode and promoted the formation of a Mg3 (PO4 )2 -rich interfacial layer, which is beneficial for enhancing Mg2+ conductivity. Consequently, the Mg-metal anode achieved excellent reversibility with a high Coulombic efficiency of 98 % and low voltage hysteresis. This study provides new insights into the design of electrolytes for Mg-metal batteries.

Highly Active Hydrogen-rich Photothermal Reverse Water Gas Shift Reaction on Ni/LaInO3 Perovskite Catalysts with Near-unity Selectivity.

Photo-assisted reverse water gas shift (RWGS) reaction is regarded green and promising in controlling the reaction gas ratio in Fischer Tropsch synthesis. But it is inclined to produce more byproducts in high H2 concentration condition. Herein, LaInO3 loaded with Ni-nanoparticles (Ni NPs) was designed to obtain an efficient photothermal RWGS reaction rate, where LaInO3 was enriched with oxygen vacancies to roundly adsorbing CO2 and the strong interaction with Ni NPs endowed the catalysts with powerful H2 activity. The optimized catalyst performed a large CO yield rate (1314 mmol gNi -1 h-1 ) and ≈100 % selectivity. In situ characterizations demonstrated a COOH* pathway of the reaction and photoinduced charge transfer process for reducing the RWGS reaction active energy. Our work provides valuable insights on the construction of catalysts concerning products selectivity and photoelectronic activating mechanism on CO2 hydrogenation.

Unraveling the Solvent Effect on Solid-Electrolyte Interphase Formation for Sodium Metal Batteries.

Ether-based electrolytes are considered as an ideal electrolyte system for sodium metal batteries (SMBs) due to their superior compatibility with the sodium metal anode (SMA). However, the selection principle of ether solvents and the impact on solid electrolyte interphase formation are still unclear. Herein, we systematically compare the chain ether-based electrolyte and understand the relationship between the solvation structure and the interphasial properties. The linear ether solvent molecules with different terminal group lengths demonstrate remarkably distinct solvation effects, thus leading to different electrochemical performance as well as deposition morphologies for SMBs. Computational calculations and comprehensive characterizations indicate that the terminal group length significantly regulates the electrolyte solvation structure and consequently influences the interfacial reaction mechanism of electrolytes on SMA. Cryogenic electron microscopy clearly reveals the difference in solid electrolyte interphase in various ether-based electrolytes. As a result, the 1,2-diethoxyethane-based electrolyte enables a high Coulombic efficiency of 99.9 %, which also realizes the stable cycling of Na||Na3 V2 (PO4 )3 full cell with a mass loading of ≈9 mg cm-2 over 500 cycles.

Near 90% Transparent ITO-Based Flexible Electrode with Double-Sided Antireflection Layers for Highly Efficient Flexible Optoelectronic Devices.

As a widely used substrate for flexible electronics, indium-tin oxide-based polymer electrodes (polymer-ITO electrodes) exhibit poorly visible light transmittance of less than 80%. The inferior transmittance for polymer-ITO electrodes severely limits the performance improvement of polymer-ITO based electronics. Here, a conceptually different approach of the double-sided antireflection coatings (DARCs) strategy is proposed to modulate both the air-polymer substrate interface and ITO-air interface refractive index gradient, to synergistically improve the transmittance of polymer-ITO electrodes. On the basis of SiO2 nanoparticles antireflection layer on polymer substrate, a polymer-metal oxide composite antireflection film is fabricated on the ITO side. Resultantly, the transmittance of ITO-based flexible electrodes is successfully improved from 76.8% to 89.8%, which is the highest transmittance among the reported ITO-based flexible electrodes. Furthermore, the photoluminescence emission intensity of luminescent materials enveloped with the DARCs electrodes increases by 74% over that with reference electrodes, demonstrating the DARCs antireflection strategy can efficiently improve the performance of flexible optoelectronic devices. With DARCs electrode, the flexible perovskite solar cells exhibit an enhanced efficiency from 18.80% to 20.85%.

Research progress of statins on immune regulation of multiple sclerosis and experimental allergic encephalomyelitis.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study is to summarize studies on statins used to treat multiple sclerosis (MS) and experimental allergic encephalomyelitis (EAE) and its underlying mechanisms. METHODS: We searched some representing databases. Some studies were included if the effects of statins were tested on MS and EAE. The methodological quality was evaluated by the Collaborative Approach to Meta-Analysis and Review of Animal Data from Experimental Studies checklist. RESULTS: Studies have confirmed that statins have immunomodulatory, neuroprotective and anti-inflammatory effects, and can be used in combination with immunomodulators of different mechanisms to treat MS and EAE. Statins have been shown to improve the following symptoms MS, reduce the number of attacks and the number of lesions, through immunomodulatory, neuroprotective and anti-inflammatory effects, and has a good safety profile. CONCLUSIONS: In short, statins represent an attractive new measure for treating MS. Some studies indicate that in addition to immunomodulatory effects, statins may have neuroprotective and neuro-repairing effects. The combination of statins with other immunosuppressive drugs has also produced encouraging results. This can be broadly prospects prospected to treat MS and EAE. It is hoped that in the near future, a combination of statins with less adverse reactions and high efficacy combined with other immunomodulators will bring exact results to patients with MS.

Light-Induced Redox Looping of a Rhodium/Cex WO3 Photocatalyst for Highly Active and Robust Dry Reforming of Methane.

Dry reforming of methane (DRM) has provided an effective avenue to convert two greenhouse gases, CH4 and CO2 , into syngas. Here, we design a DRM photocatalyst Rh/Cex WO3 that invokes both photothermal and photoelectric processes, which overcomes the thermodynamic limitation of DRM under conventional conditions. In contrast to plasmonic or UV-response photocatalysts, our photocatalyst produces a superior light-to-chemical energy efficiency (LTCEE) of 4.65 % with a moderate light intensity. We propose that a light-induced metal-to-metal charge transfer plays a crucial role in the DRM reaction, which induces a redox looping between Ce to W species to lower the activation energy. Quantum mechanical studies reveal that a high oxygen mobility of Cex WO3 , accompanied with the formation of oxo-bridge species, results in a substantial elimination of deposited C species during the reaction. Our catalyst design strategy could offer a promising energy-efficient industrial process for DRM.

Rutin restrains the growth and metastasis of mouse breast cancer cells by regulating the microRNA-129-1-3p-mediated calcium signaling pathway.

Breast cancer is a common malignancy that is highly lethal. Due to the poor prognosis, more effective and efficient treatment methods are urgently needed. Rutin (RUT) is a traditional Chinese medicine reported to have a variety of pharmacological properties, including anticancer properties. However, the effects of RUT on breast cancer and its underlying molecular mechanism of action remain unclear. In the present study, we observed a significant downregulation of microRNA (miR)-129-1-3p in mouse breast cancer cells (4T1) compared with the expression in mouse normal breast epithelial cells (HC11). We also found that RUT could increase the expression of miR-129-1-3p in 4T1 cells and suppress cell proliferation. To elucidate the molecular mechanism of action of RUT, miR-129-1-3p mimics and its inhibitor were transfected into 4T1 cells. miR-129-1-3p overexpression could inhibit the proliferation, invasion, migration, and calcium overload of mouse breast cancer cells and also enhance apoptosis, whereas miR-129-1-3p knockdown had the opposite effects. Taken together, cell-based experiments indicated that RUT restrains the growth of mouse breast cancer cells by regulating the miR-129-1-3p/Ca2+ signaling pathway. This study also revealed the inhibitory effect of RUT on breast cancer cells at the noncoding RNA level and provided a theoretical foundation for the application of RUT as a drug to inhibit tumor growth.

Clinical Values of Platelet Parameters in Small Cell Lung Carcinoma with Pleural Effusion.

BACKGROUND: Currently, there are few studies on the correlation between platelet counts (PLT), plateletcrit (PCT), and platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) in small cell lung carcinoma (SCLC) with and without pleural effusion. This study is to investigate their likely correlation and to evaluate the potential diagnostic or prognostic applications of these platelet parameters. METHODS: A total of 218 each of patients with primary SCLC and healthy controls were included. Hematological indicators and other clinically relevant information were collected. Comparisons of the differences between groups were applied to the independent samples t-test or the chi-squared test. ROC curve analysis was used to access the diagnostic performance of PLT, PCT, and PLR. RESULTS: Compared with healthy controls, PLT, PCT, and PLR in SCLC were significantly higher. On the other hand, mean platelet volume, lymphocytes, and hemoglobin were significantly lower. The levels of PLT, PCT, and PLR were related to malignant pleural effusion, while not related to lymph node or distant metastasis. The incidence of pleural effusion in patients with SCLC was positively correlated with the levels of PLT, PCT, and PLR. ROC curve analysis showed that PLT, PCT, and PLR were valuable markers for SCLC, and the combination of the three has higher diagnostic efficacy. CONCLUSIONS: Platelet parameters were significantly different between SCLC and controls. PLT, PCT, and PLR could be used to assess the presence of pleural effusion.

The Wnt/ß-Catenin Pathway Regulated Cytokines for Pathological Neuropathic Pain in Chronic Compression of Dorsal Root Ganglion Model.

Neuropathic pain is one of the important challenges in the clinic. Although a lot of research has been done on neuropathic pain (NP), the molecular mechanism is still elusive. We aimed to investigate whether the Wnt/ß-catenin pathway was involved in NP caused by sustaining dorsal root ganglion (DRG) compression with the chronic compression of dorsal root ganglion model (CCD). Our RNA sequencing results showed that several genes related to the Wnt pathway have changed in DRG and spinal cord dorsal horn (SCDH) after CCD surgery. Therefore, we detected the activation of the Wnt/ß-catenin pathway in DRG and SCDH and found active ß-catenin significantly upregulated in DRG and SCDH 1 day after CCD surgery and peaked on days 7-14. Immunofluorescence results also confirmed nuclear translocalization of active ß-catenin in DRG and SCDH. Additionally, rats had obvious mechanical induced pain after CCD surgery and the pain was significantly alleviated after the application of the Wnt/ß-catenin pathway inhibitor XAV939. Furthermore, we found that the levels of proinflammatory factors tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and interleukin-18 (IL-18) were significantly elevated in CCD rat serum, while the levels of them were correspondingly decreased after the Wnt/ß-catenin pathway being inhibited. The results of Spearman correlation coefficient analysis showed that the levels of TNF-α and IL-18 were negatively correlated with the mechanical withdrawal thresholds (MWT) after CCD surgery. Collectively, our findings suggest that the Wnt/ß-catenin pathway plays a critical role in the pathogenesis of NP and may be an effective target for the treatment of NP.

Strong Self-Trapped Exciton Emissions in Two-Dimensional Na-In Halide Perovskites Triggered by Antimony Doping.

Soft lattice and strong exciton-phonon coupling have been demonstrated in layered double perovskites (LDPs) recently; therefore, LDPs represents a promising class of compounds as excellent self-trapped exciton (STE) emitters for applications in solid-state lighting. However, few LDPs with outstanding STE emissions have been discovered, and their optoelectronic properties are still unclear. Based on the three-dimensional (3D) Cs2 NaInCl6 , we synthesized two 2D derivatives (PEA)4 NaInCl8 :Sb (PEA=phenethylamine) and (PEA)2 CsNaInCl7 :Sb with monolayer and bilayer inorganic sheets by a combination of dimensional reduction and Sb-doping. Bright broadband emissions were obtained for the first time under ambient temperature and pressure, with photoluminescence quantum efficiency (PLQE) of 48.7 % (monolayer) and 29.3 % (bilayer), superior to current known LDPs. Spectroscopic characterizations and first-principles calculations of excited state indicate the broadband emissions originate from STEs trapped at the introduced [SbCl6 ]3- octahedron.

Tunable Dual-Emission in Monodispersed Sb3+ /Mn2+ Codoped Cs2 NaInCl6 Perovskite Nanocrystals through an Energy Transfer Process.

Double halide perovskites are a class of promising semiconductors applied in photocatalysis, photovoltaic devices, and emitters to replace lead halide perovskites, owing to their nontoxicity and chemical stability. However, most double perovskites always exhibit low photoluminescence quantum efficiency (PLQE) due to the indirect bandgap structure or parity-forbidden transition problem, limiting their further applications. Herein, the self-trapped excitons emission of Cs2 NaInCl6 by Sb-doping, showing a blue emission with high PLQE of 84%, is improved. Further, Sb/Mn codoped Cs2 NaInCl6 nanocrystals are successfully synthesized by the hot-injection method, showing a tunable dual-emission covering the white-light spectrum. The studies of PL properties and dynamics reveal that an energy transfer process can occur between the self-trapped excitons and dopants (Mn2+ ). The work provides a new perspective to design novel lead-free double perovskites for realizing a unique white-light emission.

Overexpression of CXCR7 accelerates tumor growth and metastasis of lung cancer cells.

BACKGROUND: Under physiological conditions, CXCL12 modulates cell proliferation, survival, angiogenesis, and migration mainly through CXCR4. Interestingly, the newly discovered receptor CXCR7 for CXCL12 is highly expressed in many tumor cells as well as tumor-associated blood vessels, although the level of CXCR7 in normal cells is low. Recently, many studies have suggested that CXCR7 promotes cell growth and metastasis in more than 20 human malignancies, among which lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer-associated deaths worldwide. Thus, the mechanism of CXCR7 in the progression of lung cancer is urgently needed. METHODS: First, we explored CXCR4 and CXCR7 expression in human lung cancer specimens and cell lines by immunohistochemistry, western blot and flow cytometry. Then, we chose the human lung adenocarcinoma cell line A549 that stably overexpressed CXCR7 through the way of lentivirus-mediated transduction. Next, "wound healing" assay and transwell assay were applied to compare the cell migration and invasion ability, and stripe assay was used to evaluate the cell polarization. Last, our team established a mouse xenograft model of human lung cancer and monitored tumor proliferation and metastasis by firefly luciferase bioluminescence imaging in SCID/Beige mice. RESULTS: In clinical lung cancer samples, CXCR7 expression was almost not detected in normal tissue but upregulated in lung tumor tissue, whereas, CXCR4 was highly expressed in both normal and tumor tissues. Furthermore, overexpression of CXCR7 enhanced A549 cell migration and polarization in vitro. Besides, mouse xenograft model of human lung cancer showed that CXCR7 promoted primary lung tumor's growth and metastasis to the second organ, such as liver or bone marrow in SCID/Beige mice in vivo. CONCLUSIONS: This study describes the multiple functions of CXCR7 in lung cancer. Thus, these results suggest that CXCR7 may be a malignancy marker and may provide a novel target for anticancer therapy.