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1.
Environ Sci Ecotechnol ; 22: 100442, 2024 Nov.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-39044783

ABSTRACT

Global temperatures will continue to increase in the future. The ∼640,000-km2 Loess Plateau (LP) is a typical arid and semi-arid region in China. Similar regions cover ∼41% of the Earth, and its soils are some of the most severely eroded anywhere in the world. It is very important to understand the vegetation change and its ecological threshold under climate change on the LP for the sustainable development in the Yellow River Basin. However, little is known about how vegetation on the LP will respond to climate change and what is the sustainable threshold level of vegetation cover on the LP. Here we show that the temperature on the LP has risen 0.27 °C per decade over the past 50 years, a rate that is 30% higher than the average warming rate across China. During historical times, vegetation change was regulated by environmental factors and anthropogenic activities. Vegetation coverage was about 53% on the LP from the Xia Dynasty to the Spring and Autumn and Warring States period. Over the past 70 years, however, the environment has gradually improved and the vegetation cover had increased to ∼65% by 2021. We forecast future changes of vegetation cover on the LP in 2030s, in 2050s and in 2070s using SDM (Species Distribution Model) under Low-emission scenarios, Medium-emission scenarios and High-emission scenarios. An average value of vegetation cover under the three emission scenarios will be 64.67%, 62.70% and 61.47%, respectively. According to the historical record and SDM forecasts, the threshold level of vegetation cover on the LP is estimated to be 53-65%. Currently, vegetation cover on the LP has increased to the upper limit of the threshold value (∼65%). We conclude that the risk of ecosystem collapse on the LP will increase with further temperature increases once the vegetated area and density exceed the threshold value. It is urgent to adopt sustainable strategies such as stopping expanding vegetation area and scientifically optimizing the vegetation structure on the LP to improve the ecological sustainability of the Yellow River Basin.

2.
Int J Biol Macromol ; 277(Pt 2): 134009, 2024 Jul 21.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-39043288

ABSTRACT

Antifreeze peptide (AFP) including in frozen protein ink is an inevitable trend because AFP can make protein ink suitable for 3D printing after freezing. AFP-based surimi ink (ASI) was firstly investigated, and the AFP significantly enhanced 3D printability of frozen surimi ink. The rheological and textural results of ASI show that the τ0, K, and n values are 321.14 Pa, 2.2259 × 105 Pa·sn, and 0.19, respectively, and the rupture strength of the 3D structure is up to 217.67 g. Circular dichroism, intermolecular force, and differential scanning calorimeter show ASI has more undenatured protein after freezing when compared that surimi ink (SI), which was denatured, and the α-helix changed to a ß-sheet due to the destruction of hydrogen bonds and the exposure of hydrophobic groups. The water distribution, water holding capacity, and microstructure indicate that ASI effectively binds free water after freezing, while SI has weak water binding capacity and a large amount of free water is formed. ASI is suitable for 3D printing, and can print up to 40.0 mm hollow isolation column and 50.0 mm high Wuba which is not possible with SI. The application of AFP provides guidance for 3D printing frozen protein ink in food industry.

3.
Chem Sci ; 15(28): 11013-11020, 2024 Jul 17.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-39027296

ABSTRACT

The electrocatalytic methanol oxidation reaction (MOR) is a viable approach for realizing high value-added formate transformation from biomass byproducts. However, usually it is restricted by the excess adsorption of intermediates (COad) and overoxidation of catalysts, which results in low product selectivity and inactivation of the active sites. Herein, a novel Cu-O-Ni electron-transfer channel was constructed by loading NiCuO x on nickel foam (NF) to inhibit the overoxidation of Ni and enhance the formate selectivity of the MOR. The optimized NiCuO x -2/NF demonstrated excellent MOR catalytic performance at industrial current density (E 500 = 1.42 V) and high faradaic efficiency of ∼100%, as well as durable formate generation up to 600 h at ∼500 mA cm-2. The directional electron transfer from Cu to Ni and enhanced lattice stability could alleviate the overoxidation of Ni(iii) active sites to guarantee reversible Ni(ii)/Ni(iii) cycles and endow NiCuO x -2/NF with high stability under increased current density, respectively. An established electrolytic cell created by coupling the MOR with the hydrogen evolution reaction could produce H2 with low electric consumption (230 mV lower voltage at 400 mA cm-2) and concurrently generated the high value-added product of formate at the anode.

4.
RSC Adv ; 14(28): 19707-19717, 2024 Jun 18.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38903670

ABSTRACT

In recent decades, environmental protection and energy issues have gained significant attention, and the development of efficient, environmentally friendly catalysts has become especially crucial for the advancement of photocatalytic technology. This study employs the sintering method to produce biochar. A hybrid photocatalyst for the degradation of RHB under visible light was prepared by loading varying proportions of biochar onto g-C3N4 using ultrasonic technology. Among them, 2% CGCD (2% biochar/g-C3N4) achieved a degradation rate of 91.3% for RHB after 30 minutes of visible light exposure, which was more than 25% higher than GCD (g-C3N4), and exhibited a higher photocurrent intensity and lower impedance value. The enhancement in photocatalytic activity is primarily attributed to the increased utilization efficiency of visible light and the electron transfer channel effect from a minor amount of biochar, effectively reducing the recombination of photo-generated charge carriers on the g-C3N4 surface, thereby significantly improving photocatalytic activity. The degradation of RHB is synergistically mediated by O2 -, h+ (photo-generated holes), and ˙OH. The free radical capture experiment indicates that O2 - and ˙OH are the primary active components, followed by h+.

5.
Sensors (Basel) ; 24(12)2024 Jun 08.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38931527

ABSTRACT

The identification and detection of pesticides is crucial to protecting both the environment and human health. However, it can be challenging to conveniently and rapidly differentiate between different types of pesticides. We developed a supramolecular fluorescent sensor array, in which calixarenes with broad-spectrum encapsulation capacity served as recognition receptors. The sensor array exhibits distinct fluorescence change patterns for seven tested pesticides, encompassing herbicides, insecticides, and fungicides. With a reaction time of just three minutes, the sensor array proves to be a rapid and efficient tool for the discrimination of pesticides. Furthermore, this supramolecular sensing approach can be easily extended to enable real-time and on-site visual detection of varying concentrations of imazalil using a smartphone with a color scanning application. This work not only provides a simple and effective method for pesticide identification and quantification, but also offers a versatile and advantageous platform for the recognition of other analytes in relevant fields.


Subject(s)
Calixarenes , Pesticides , Calixarenes/chemistry , Pesticides/analysis , Biosensing Techniques/methods , Smartphone , Spectrometry, Fluorescence/methods
6.
Nanomaterials (Basel) ; 14(10)2024 May 14.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38786809

ABSTRACT

The application of electrochemical hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) for renewable energy conversion contributes to the ultimate goal of a zero-carbon emission society. Metal phosphides have been considered as promising HER catalysts in the alkaline environment, which, unfortunately, is still limited owing to the weak adsorption of H* and easy dissolution during operation. Herein, a bimetallic NiCoP-2/NF phosphide is constructed on nickel foam (NF), requiring rather low overpotentials of 150 mV and 169 mV to meet the current densities of 500 and 1000 mA cm-2, respectively, and able to operate stably for 100 h without detectable activity decay. The excellent HER performance is obtained thanks to the synergetic catalytic effect between Ni and Co, among which Ni is introduced to enhance the intrinsic activity and Co increases the electrochemically active area. Meanwhile, the protection of the externally generated amorphous phosphorus oxide layer improves the stability of NiCoP/NF. An electrolyser using NiCoP-2/NF as both cathode and anode catalysts in an alkaline solution can produce hydrogen with low electric consumption (overpotential of 270 mV at 500 mA cm-2).

7.
Compr Rev Food Sci Food Saf ; 23(3): e13349, 2024 05.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38638060

ABSTRACT

3D printing is an additive manufacturing technology that locates constructed models with computer-controlled printing equipment. To achieve high-quality printing, the requirements on rheological properties of raw materials are extremely restrictive. Given the special structure and high modifiability under external physicochemical factors, the rheological properties of proteins can be easily adjusted to suitable properties for 3D printing. Although protein has great potential as a printing material, there are many challenges in the actual printing process. This review summarizes the technical considerations for protein-based ink 3D printing. The physicochemical factors used to enhance the printing adaptability of protein inks are discussed. The post-processing methods for improving the quality of 3D structures are described, and the application and problems of fourth dimension (4D) printing are illustrated. The prospects of 3D printing in protein manufacturing are presented to support its application in food and cultured meat. The native structure and physicochemical factors of proteins are closely related to their rheological properties, which directly link with their adaptability for 3D printing. Printing parameters include extrusion pressure, printing speed, printing temperature, nozzle diameter, filling mode, and density, which significantly affect the precision and stability of the 3D structure. Post-processing can improve the stability and quality of 3D structures. 4D design can enrich the sensory quality of the structure. 3D-printed protein products can meet consumer needs for nutritional or cultured meat alternatives.


Subject(s)
Ink , Printing, Three-Dimensional , Food , In Vitro Meat , Meat Substitutes
8.
J Fish Biol ; 104(5): 1308-1325, 2024 May.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38310927

ABSTRACT

We report on the feeding ecology of two species, the short-headed lanternfish Diaphus brachycephalus and Warming's lanternfish Ceratoscopelus warmingii, using data collected over five surveys from 2015 to 2017 in the open South China Sea. D. brachycephalus feed mainly on copepods, with few differences in food composition between different-sized individuals; the diet of C. warmingii is more diverse, including crustacean zooplankton, gelatinous animals, and Mollusca, and differs significantly between fishes >55 mm in body length and smaller fishes. Interspecific competition for food between these two species is not strong, while intraspecific competition may be more intense in D. brachycephalus than in C. warmingii. Trophic levels of D. brachycephalus (3.46) and C. warmingii (3.38) identify both species as third-trophic-level lower carnivores. The diel feeding patterns of D. brachycephalus and C. warmingii differ: the former feeds actively both day and night when food is plentiful, and feeds primarily in the upper layer at night and in the mesopelagic layer during the daytime, and the latter ascends into the upper 100 m at night to feed, but stomach fullness is lower than D. brachycephalus. Dry-body-weight daily ration estimates for D. brachycephalus range from 5.19% to 16.46%, and those for C. warmingii range from 1.38% to 4.39%.


Subject(s)
Diet , Feeding Behavior , Fishes , Animals , Fishes/physiology , Diet/veterinary , China , Food Chain , Body Size
9.
Kidney Int ; 105(5): 1020-1034, 2024 May.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38387504

ABSTRACT

The circadian clock influences a wide range of biological process and controls numerous aspects of physiology to adapt to the daily environmental changes caused by Earth's rotation. The kidney clock plays an important role in maintaining tubular function, but its effect on podocytes remains unclear. Here, we found that podocytes expressed CLOCK proteins, and that 2666 glomerular gene transcripts (13.4%), including autophagy related genes, had 24-hour circadian rhythms. Deletion of Clock in podocytes resulted in 1666 gene transcripts with the loss of circadian rhythm including autophagy genes. Podocyte-specific Clock knockout mice at age three and eight months showed deficient autophagy, loss of podocytes and increased albuminuria. Chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) sequence analysis indicated autophagy related genes were targets of CLOCK in podocytes. ChIP-PCR further confirmed Clock binding to the promoter regions of Becn1 and Atg12, two autophagy related genes. Furthermore, the association of CLOCK regulated autophagy with chronic sleep fragmentation and diabetic kidney disease was analyzed. Chronic sleep fragmentation resulted in the loss of glomerular Clock rhythm, inhibition of podocyte autophagy, and proteinuria. Rhythmic oscillations of Clock also disappeared in high glucose treated podocytes and in glomeruli from diabetic mice. Finally, circadian differences in podocyte autophagy were also abolished in diabetic mice. Deletion Clock in podocytes aggravated podocyte injury and proteinuria in diabetic mice. Thus, our findings demonstrate that clock-dependent regulation of autophagy may be essential for podocyte survival. Hence. loss of circadian controlled autophagy may play an important role in podocyte injury and proteinuria.


Subject(s)
Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental , Diabetic Nephropathies , Podocytes , Mice , Animals , Podocytes/metabolism , Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental/complications , Sleep Deprivation/complications , Sleep Deprivation/metabolism , Proteinuria/genetics , Proteinuria/metabolism , Diabetic Nephropathies/genetics , Diabetic Nephropathies/complications , Mice, Knockout , Autophagy
10.
Sci Transl Med ; 16(734): eade7347, 2024 Feb 14.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38354227

ABSTRACT

Nonalcoholic fatty liver (NAFL) remains relatively benign, but high-risk to end-stage liver diseases become highly prevalent when it progresses into nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). Our current understanding of the development of NAFL to NASH remains insufficient. In this study, we revealed MAP kinase (MAPK) activation as the most notable molecular signature associated with NASH progression across multiple species. Furthermore, we identified suppressor of IKKε (SIKE) as a conserved and potent negative controller of MAPK activation. Hepatocyte-specific overexpression of Sike prevented NASH progression in diet- and toxin-induced mouse NASH models. Mechanistically, SIKE directly interacted with TGF-ß-activated kinase 1 (TAK1) and TAK1-binding protein 2 (TAB2) to interrupt their binding and subsequent TAK1-MAPK signaling activation. We found that indobufen markedly up-regulated SIKE expression and effectively improved NASH features in mice and macaques. These findings identify SIKE as a MAPK suppressor that prevents NASH progression and provide proof-of-concept evidence for targeting the SIKE-TAK1 axis as a potential NASH therapy.


Subject(s)
Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease , Animals , Mice , Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease/prevention & control , Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease/metabolism , Signal Transduction/physiology , Hepatocytes/metabolism , Gene Expression Profiling , Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases/metabolism , Liver/metabolism , Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins/metabolism
11.
ChemSusChem ; 17(3): e202301265, 2024 Feb 08.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-37799013

ABSTRACT

Metal-organic frameworks-based electrocatalysts have been developed as highly desirable and promising candidates for catalyzing oxygen reduction reaction (ORR), which, however, usually need to be prepared at elevated temperatures and may suffer from the framework collapse in water environments, largely preventing its industrial application. Herein, this work demonstrates a facile low-temperature ion exchange method to synthesize Mn and Fe co-loaded Prussian blue analogues possessing core-shell structured frameworks and favorable water-tolerance. Among the catalysts prepared, the optimal HMPB-2.6Mn shows a high ORR electrocatalytic performance featuring a half-wave potential of 0.86 V and zinc-air battery power density of 119 mW cm-2 , as well as negligible degradation up to 60 h, which are comparable to commercial Pt/C. Such an excellent electrocatalytic performance is attributed to the special core-shell-like structure with Mn concentrated in outer shell, and the synergetic interactions between Mn and Fe, endowing HMPB-Mn with outstanding ORR activity and good stability.

12.
Ren Fail ; 45(2): 2278310, 2023.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-37936488

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to analyze the association between sleep quality and cardiovascular disease in patients on maintenance hemodialysis (MHD). METHODS: A total of 601 patients with MHD in the second affiliated hospital of Nanjing Medical University, were prospectively enrolled in this cohort study from January 2019 to December2019. The global Pittsburgh sleep quality index (PSQI) score > 7 indicates that a person with poor sleep quality. Patients were divided into two groups according to the PSQI score. Follow-up was conducted about 3 years with all-cause death and major adverse cardiovascular events (MACEs) as the endpoint events. RESULTS: Of the 601 patients, 595 patients completed the PSQI assessment, with 278 patients having poor sleep quality. Patients in the PSQI > 7 group were older and had a higher proportion of cardiovascular disease or diabetes. Years of education, diastolic blood pressure, and heart rate were lower in the PSQI > 7 group. At a mean follow-up period of 3 years, 116 patients died, 64 patients were lost to follow-up, and 115 patients experienced MACEs. After adjusting for confounding factors such as age, gender, dialysis age, and previous cardiovascular disease, the risk of MACE in patients with poor sleep quality was twice that of patients with good sleep quality (HR = 2.037 (1.339, 3.097), p = 0.001). There was no significant difference in the risk of all-cause death between the two groups. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of poor sleep quality was 46.7% in patients with MHD. Poor sleep quality was an independent risk factor for MACEs in patients with MHD.


Subject(s)
Cardiovascular Diseases , Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders , Sleep Wake Disorders , Humans , Sleep Quality , Cohort Studies , Cardiovascular Diseases/etiology , Cardiovascular Diseases/complications , Prospective Studies , Renal Dialysis/adverse effects , Sleep Wake Disorders/epidemiology , Sleep Wake Disorders/etiology , Sleep/physiology
13.
Nanomicro Lett ; 15(1): 212, 2023 Sep 14.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-37707720

ABSTRACT

Hydrazine oxidation reaction (HzOR) assisted hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) offers a feasible path for low power consumption to hydrogen production. Unfortunately however, the total electrooxidation of hydrazine in anode and the dissociation kinetics of water in cathode are critically depend on the interaction between the reaction intermediates and surface of catalysts, which are still challenging due to the totally different catalytic mechanisms. Herein, the [W-O] group with strong adsorption capacity is introduced into CoP nanoflakes to fabricate bifunctional catalyst, which possesses excellent catalytic performances towards both HER (185.60 mV at 1000 mA cm-2) and HzOR (78.99 mV at 10,00 mA cm-2) with the overall electrolyzer potential of 1.634 V lower than that of the water splitting system at 100 mA cm-2. The introduction of [W-O] groups, working as the adsorption sites for H2O dissociation and N2H4 dehydrogenation, leads to the formation of porous structure on CoP nanoflakes and regulates the electronic structure of Co through the linked O in [W-O] group as well, resultantly boosting the hydrogen production and HzOR. Moreover, a proof-of-concept direct hydrazine fuel cell-powered H2 production system has been assembled, realizing H2 evolution at a rate of 3.53 mmol cm-2 h-1 at room temperature without external electricity supply.

14.
Small ; 19(42): e2303061, 2023 Oct.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-37340882

ABSTRACT

Developing anode catalysts with substantially enhanced activity for hydrogen oxidation reaction (HOR) and CO tolerance performance is of great importance for the commercial applications of proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs). Herein, an excellent CO-tolerant catalyst (Pd-WO3 /C) has been fabricated by loading Pd nanoparticles on WO3 via an immersion-reduction route. A remarkably high power density of 1.33 W cm-2 at 80 °C is obtained by using the optimized 3Pd-WO3 /C as the anode catalyst of PEMFCs, and the moderately reduced power density (73% remained) in CO/H2 mixed gas can quickly recover after removal of CO-contamination from hydrogen fuel, which is not possible by using Pt/C or Pd/C as anode catalyst. The prominent HOR activity of 3Pd-WO3 /C is attributed to the optimized interfacial electron interaction, in which the activated H* adsorbed on Pd species can be effectively transferred to WO3 species through hydrogen spillover effect and then oxidized through the H species insert/output effect during the formation of Hx WO3 in acid electrolyte. More importantly, a novel synergetic catalytic mechanism about excellent CO tolerance is proposed, in which Pd and WO3 respectively absorbs/activates CO and H2 O, thus achieving the CO electrooxidation and re-exposure of Pd active sites for CO-tolerant HOR.

15.
Adv Mater ; 35(32): e2304508, 2023 Aug.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-37344386

ABSTRACT

Environmentally friendly electrochemical reduction of contaminated nitrate to ammonia (NO3 - RR) is a promising solution for large quantity ammonia (NH3 ) production, which, however, is a complex multi-reaction process involving coordination between different reaction intermediates of nitrate reduction and water decomposition-provided active hydrogen (Hads ) species. Here, a dual-site catalyst of [W-O] group-doped CoP nanosheets (0.6W-O-CoP@NF) has been designed to synergistically catalyze the NO3 - RR and water decomposition, especially the reactions between the intermediates of NO3 - RR and water decomposition-provided Hads species. This catalytic NO3 - RR exhibits an extremely high NH3 yield of 80.92 mg h-1 cm-2 and a Faradaic efficiency (FE) of 95.2% in 1 m KOH containing 0.1 m NO3 - . Significantly, 0.6W-O-CoP@NF presents greatly enhanced NH3 yield and FE in a wide NO3 - concentration ranges of 0.001-0.1 m compared to the reported. The excellent NO3 - RR performance is attributed to a synergistic catalytic effect between [W-O] and CoP active sites, in which the doped [W-O] group promotes the water decomposition to supply abundant Hads , and meanwhile modulates the electronic structure of Co for strengthened adsorption of Hads and the hydrogen (H2 ) release prevention, resultantly facilitating the NO3 - RR. Finally, a Zn-NO3 - battery has been assembled to simultaneously achieve three functions: electricity output, ammonia production, and nitrate treatment in wastewater.

16.
Front Oncol ; 13: 1024908, 2023.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-37188185

ABSTRACT

Thyroid cancer can be divided into two types according to its cellular origin, i.e., malignant tumors originating from thyroid cells and cancers that metastasize to the thyroid from other sites, the latter of which are, clinically rare. This article reports the diagnosis and treatment of a rectal neuroendocrine neoplasm metastasis to the thyroid. No similar cases have been reported before. This case suggests that when evaluating thyroid tumors, clinicians should not only carefully identify the clinical features of the tumor but also pay special attention to the patient's history of tumors, especially neuroendocrine neoplasms. For definite secondary thyroid malignancies, neck surgery is feasible if the thyroid is the only site of metastasis; otherwise, the subsequent diagnosis and treatment plan should be determined after a comprehensive evaluation of the primary tumor and patient's general condition.

17.
Adv Sci (Weinh) ; 10(20): e2206744, 2023 07.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-37171793

ABSTRACT

The importance of mRNA N6-methyladenosine (m6 A) modification during tumor metastasis is controversial as it plays distinct roles in different biological contexts. Moreover, how cancer cell plasticity is shaped by m6 A modification is interesting but remains uncharacterized. Here, this work shows that m6 A reader insulin like growth factor 2 mRNA binding protein 3 (IGF2BP3) is remarkably upregulated in metastatic lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) and indicates worse prognosis of patients. Interestingly, IGF2BP3 induces partial epithelial-mesenchymal-transition (EMT) and confers LUAD cells plasticity to metastasize through m6 A-dependent overactivation of Notch signaling. Mechanistically, IGF2BP3 recognized m6 A-modified minichromosome maintenance complex component (MCM5) mRNAs to prolong stability of them, subsequently upregulating MCM5 protein, which competitively inhibits SIRT1-mediated deacetylation of Notch1 intracellular domain (NICD1), stabilizes NICD1 protein and contributes to m6 A-dependent IGF2BP3-mediated cellular plasticity. Notably, a tight correlation of the IGF2BP3/MCM5/Notch axis is evidenced in clinical LUAD specimens. Therefore, this study elucidates a critical role of m6 A modification on LUAD cell plasticity in fostering tumor metastasis via the above axis, providing potential targets for metastatic LUAD.


Subject(s)
Adenocarcinoma of Lung , Adenocarcinoma , Lung Neoplasms , Humans , Adenosine , Cell Cycle Proteins , Lung Neoplasms/genetics , RNA, Messenger
18.
Nat Commun ; 14(1): 1997, 2023 Apr 10.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-37032360

ABSTRACT

Substituting hydrazine oxidation reaction for oxygen evolution reaction can result in greatly reduced energy consumption for hydrogen production, however, the mechanism and the electrochemical utilization rate of hydrazine oxidation reaction remain ambiguous. Herein, a bimetallic and hetero-structured phosphide catalyst has been fabricated to catalyze both hydrazine oxidation and hydrogen evolution reactions, and a new reaction path of nitrogen-nitrogen single bond breakage has been proposed and confirmed in hydrazine oxidation reaction. The high electro-catalytic performance is attributed to the instantaneous recovery of metal phosphide active site by hydrazine and the lowered energy barrier, which enable the constructed electrolyzer using bimetallic phosphide catalyst at both sides to reach 500 mA cm-2 for hydrogen production at 0.498 V, and offer an enhanced hydrazine electrochemical utilization rate of 93%. Such an electrolyzer can be powered by a bimetallic phosphide anode-equipped direct hydrazine fuel cell, achieving self-powered hydrogen production at a rate of 19.6 mol h-1 m-2.

19.
Cell Discov ; 9(1): 41, 2023 Apr 18.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-37072414

ABSTRACT

Aberrant activation of TGF-ß signaling plays a pivotal role in cancer metastasis and progression. However, molecular mechanisms underlying the dysregulation of TGF-ß pathway remain to be understood. Here, we found that SMAD7, a direct downstream transcriptional target and also a key antagonist of TGF-ß signaling, is transcriptionally suppressed in lung adenocarcinoma (LAD) due to DNA hypermethylation. We further identified that PHF14 binds DNMT3B and serves as a DNA CpG motif reader, recruiting DNMT3B to the SMAD7 gene locus, resulting in DNA methylation and transcriptional suppression of SMAD7. Our in vitro and in vivo experiments showed that PHF14 promotes metastasis through binding DNMT3B to suppress SMAD7 expression. Moreover, our data revealed that PHF14 expression correlates with lowered SMAD7 level and shorter survival of LAD patients, and importantly that SMAD7 methylation level of circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) can potentially be used for prognosis prediction. Together, our present study illustrates a new epigenetic mechanism, mediated by PHF14 and DNMT3B, in the regulation of SMAD7 transcription and TGF-ß-driven LAD metastasis, and suggests potential opportunities for LAD prognosis.

20.
Pest Manag Sci ; 79(9): 3133-3140, 2023 Sep.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-37013803

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Pesticides are indispensable in agriculture and can effectively improve the yields and quality of crops. Due to their weak water solubility, most pesticides need to be dissolved by adding solubilizing adjuvants. In this work, based on molecular recognition of the macrocyclic host, we developed a novel supramolecular adjuvant, called sulfonated azocalix[4]arene (SAC4A), which significantly improves the water solubility of pesticides. RESULTS: SAC4A presents multiple advantages, including high water solubility, strong binding affinity, universality, and simple preparation. SAC4A showed an average binding constant value of 1.66 × 105 M-1 for 25 pesticides. Phase solubility results indicated that SAC4A increased the water solubility of pesticides by 80-1310 times. The herbicidal, fungicidal, and insecticidal activities of supramolecular formulations were found to be superior to those of technical pesticides, and the herbicidal effects were even better than those of commercial formulations. CONCLUSION: Overall results revealed the potential of SAC4A to improve the solubility and effectiveness of pesticides, providing a new development idea for the application of adjuvants in agriculture. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry.


Subject(s)
Pesticides , Pesticides/chemistry , Agriculture , Solubility , Water/chemistry
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