ABSTRACT
The planthopper Nilaparvata muiri is a sister species to N. lugens (Hemiptera: Delphacidae), a notorious insect pest in Asian rice fields. N. muiri and N. lugens have a different host preference despite the similarities in many biological features. To better understand the adaptive evolution of planthoppers, comprehensive genomic information on N. muiri and N. lugens are urgently needed. In this study, we used ultra-low input PacBio HiFi libraries and Hi-C sequencing technologies to assemble a reference genome of a single N. muiri at the chromosomal level. The genome size was determined to be 531.62 Mb with a contig N50 size of 2.47 Mb and scaffold N50 size of 38.37 Mb. Totally, 96.61% assembled sequences were anchored to the 15 pseudo-chromosomes. BUSCO analysis yielded an Insecta completeness score of 98.6%. A total of 22,057 protein-coding genes were annotated, and 168.16 Mb repetitive sequences occupying 31.63% of genome were pinpointed. The assembled genome is valuable for evolutionary and genetic studies of planthoppers, and may provide sights to pest control.
Subject(s)
Genome, Insect , Hemiptera , Animals , Hemiptera/genetics , Chromosomes, Insect , Genome SizeABSTRACT
Herein, we have designed and synthesized two novel BODIPY dimer-based small molecules, denoted as ZMH-1 and ZMH-2, covalently linked and functionalized with triphenylamine (TPA) (ZMH-1) and carbazole (CZ) (ZMH-2) units as the electron donor at the 3- and 5-positions of the BODIPY core, respectively. Their optical and electrochemical properties were investigated. We have fabricated all small molecule bulk heterojunction organic solar cells using these BODIPY-based small molecules as electron donors along with fullerene derivative (PC71BM) and medium bandgap non-fullerene acceptor IDT-TC as electron acceptors. The optimized OSCs based on ZMH-1:PC71BM, ZMH-2:PC71BM, ZMH-1:IDT-IC, and ZMH-2:IDT-IC attain overall PCEs of 8.91%, 6.61%, 11.28%, and 5.48%, respectively. Moreover, when a small amount of PC71BM as guest acceptor is added to the binary host ZMH-1:IDT-TC and ZMH-2:IDT-TC, the ternary OSCs based on ZMH-1 and ZMH-2 reach PCEs of 13.70% and 12.71%, respectively.
ABSTRACT
The photochemistry of two representative thermally activated delayed fluorescence (TADF) emitters based on the multiple resonance effect (MRE) (DABNA-1 and DtBuCzB) was studied. No significant TADF was observed in fluid solution, although the compounds have a long-lived triplet state (ca. 30 µs). We found that these planar boron molecules bind with Lewis bases, e.g., 4-dimethylaminopyridine (DMAP) or an N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC). A new blue-shifted absorption band centered at 368 nm was observed for DtBuCzB upon formation of the adduct; however, the fluorescence of the adduct is the same as that of the free DtBuCzB. We propose that photo-dissociation occurs for the DtBuCzB-DMAP adduct, which is confirmed by femtosecond transient absorption spectra, implying that fluorescence originates from DtBuCzB produced by photo-dissociation; the subsequent in situ re-binding was observed with nanosecdon transient absorption spectroscopy. No photo-dissociation was observed for the NHC adduct. Time-resolved electron paramagnetic resonance (TREPR) spectra show that the triplet states of DABNA-1 and DtBuCzB have similar zero field splitting (ZFS) parameters (D = 1450 MHz). Theoretical studies show that the slow ISC is due to small SOC and weak Herzberg-Teller coupling, although the S1/T1 energy gap is small (0.14 eV), which rationalizes the lack of TADF.
ABSTRACT
The extract of Dendrobium huoshanense, a traditional Chinese medicinal and food homologous plant belonging to the family Orchidaceae, was previously reported to have hypoglycemic and antioxidant effects. In this study, the direct effects of polysaccharide (DHP) and non-polysaccharide (NDHP) components of D. huoshanense, as well as its water extract (DHWE) were compared with that of metformin (an antidiabetic drug) on the gut microbiota (collected from fecal flora) of rats with streptozotocin-induced type 1 diabetes (T1D) using an in vitro fermentation method. The results showed that DHWE, DHP, and NDHP reduced pH and increased bacterial proliferation and short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) content in fermentation broth. DHWE, DHP, NDHP and metformin promoted the production of acetic and propionic acid, acetic acid, propionic acid and butyric acid, and propionic acid, respectively. DHWE, DHP, and NDHP reduced the abundance of Proteobacteria (subdominant pathogenic bacteria) and increased the abundance of Firmicutes (dominant beneficial gut bacteria). NDHP also reduced the abundance of Bacteroidetes (beneficial and conditional pathogenic). Metformin increased the abundance of Proteobacteria and reduced the abundance of Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes. At the genus level, NDHP promoted the proliferation of Megamonas and Megasphaera and decreased harmful bacteria (e.g., Klebsiella), and DHP increased the abundance of Prevotellaceae (opportunistic and usually harmless). By contrast, metformin increased the abundance of harmful bacteria (e.g., Citrobacter) and reduced the abundance of beneficial bacteria (e.g., Oscillospira). Our study indicates that DHWE, DHP, and NDHP are potentially more beneficial than metformin on the gut microbiota of T1D rats in vitro.
Subject(s)
Dendrobium , Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 , Fatty Acids, Volatile , Gastrointestinal Microbiome , Metformin , Polysaccharides , Animals , Gastrointestinal Microbiome/drug effects , Metformin/pharmacology , Dendrobium/chemistry , Polysaccharides/pharmacology , Polysaccharides/chemistry , Rats , Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1/drug therapy , Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1/microbiology , Fatty Acids, Volatile/metabolism , Hypoglycemic Agents/pharmacology , Plant Extracts/pharmacology , Plant Extracts/chemistry , Male , Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental/drug therapyABSTRACT
The Bethylidae are the most diverse of Hymenoptera chrysidoid families. As external parasitoids, the bethylids have been widely adopted as biocontrol agents to control insect pests worldwide. Thus far, the genomic information of the family Bethylidae has not been reported yet. In this study, we crystallized into a high-quality chromosome-level genome of ant-like bethylid wasps Sclerodermus sp. 'alternatusi' (Hymenoptera: Bethylidae) using PacBio sequencing as well as Hi-C technology. The assembled S. alternatusi genome was 162.30 Mb in size with a contig N50 size of 3.83 Mb and scaffold N50 size of 11.10 Mb. Totally, 92.85% assembled sequences anchored to 15 pseudo-chromosomes. A total of 10,204 protein-coding genes were annotated, and 23.01 Mb repetitive sequences occupying 14.17% of genome were pinpointed. The BUSCO results showed that 97.9% of the complete core Insecta genes were identified in the genome, while 97.1% in the gene sets. The high-quality genome of S. alternatusi will not only provide valuable genomic information, but also show insights into parasitoid wasp evolution and bio-control application in future studies.
Subject(s)
Genome, Insect , Wasps , Animals , Wasps/genetics , Chromosomes, Insect/geneticsABSTRACT
Purpose: Postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) frequently occur in patients after surgery. In this study, the authors investigated whether perioperative S-ketamine infusion could decrease the incidence of PONV in patients undergoing video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) lobectomy. Patients and Methods: This prospective, randomized, double-blinded, controlled study was conducted a total of 420 patients from September 2021 to May 2023 at Xuzhou Central Hospital in China, who underwent elective VATS lobectomy under general anesthesia with tracheal intubation. The patients were randomly assigned to either the S-ketamine group or the control group. The S-ketamine group received a bolus injection of 0.5 mg/kg S-ketamine and an intraoperative continuous infusion of S-ketamine at a rate of 0.25 mg/kg/h. The control group received an equivalent volume of saline. All patients were equipped with patient-controlled intravenous analgesia (PCIA), with a continuous infusion rate of 0.03 mg/kg/h S-ketamine in the S-ketamine group or 0.03 µg/kg/h sufentanil in the control group. The primary outcome was the incidence of PONV. Secondary outcomes included perioperative opioid consumption, hemodynamics, postoperative pain, and adverse events. Results: The incidence of PONV in the S-ketamine group (9.7%) was significantly lower than in the control group (30.5%). Analysis of perioperative opioid usage revealed that remifentanil usage was 40.0% lower in the S-ketamine group compared to the control group (1414.8 µg vs 2358.2 µg), while sufentanil consumption was 75.2% lower (33.1 µg vs 133.6 µg). The S-ketamine group demonstrated better maintenance of hemodynamic stability. Additionally, the visual analogue scale (VAS) scores on postoperative day 1 (POD-1) and postoperative day 3 (POD-3) were significantly lower in the S-ketamine group. Finally, no statistically significant difference in other postoperative adverse reactions was observed between the two groups. Conclusion: The results of this trial indicate that perioperative S-ketamine infusion can effectively reduce the incidence of PONV in patients undergoing VATS lobectomy.
Subject(s)
Ketamine , Postoperative Nausea and Vomiting , Thoracic Surgery, Video-Assisted , Adult , Aged , Female , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Double-Blind Method , Ketamine/administration & dosage , Postoperative Nausea and Vomiting/prevention & control , Prospective Studies , Thoracic Surgery, Video-Assisted/adverse effectsABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Saliva has a crucial role in determining the compatibility between piercing-sucking insects and their hosts. The brown planthopper (BPH) Nilaparvata lugens, a notorious pest of rice in East and Southeast Asia, secretes gelling and watery saliva when feeding on rice sap. Nlsalivap-5 (NlSP5) and Nlsalivap-7 (NlSP7) were identified as potential planthopper-specific gelling saliva components, but their biological functions remain unknown. RESULTS: Here, we showed by transcriptomic analyses that NlSP5 and NlSP7 were biasedly expressed in the salivary glands of BPHs. Using the clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)/Cas9-mediated genome-editing system, we constructed NlSP5 and NlSP7 homozygous mutants (NlSP5-/- and NlSP7-/-). Electrical penetration graph assay showed that NlSP5-/- and NlSP7-/- mutants exhibited abnormal probing and feeding behaviors. Bioassays revealed that the loss-of-function of NlSP5 and NlSP7 significantly reduced the fitness of BPHs, with extended developmental duration, shortened lifespan, reduced weight, and impaired fecundity and hatching rates. CONCLUSION: These findings deepen our understanding of the BPH-host interaction and may provide potential targets for the management of rice planthoppers. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.
Subject(s)
Hemiptera , Insect Proteins , Salivary Proteins and Peptides , Animals , Female , Feeding Behavior , Genetic Fitness , Hemiptera/genetics , Hemiptera/physiology , Insect Proteins/genetics , Insect Proteins/metabolism , Oryza , Salivary Proteins and Peptides/genetics , Salivary Proteins and Peptides/metabolismABSTRACT
Renal fibrosis poses a significant threat to individuals suffering from chronic progressive kidney disease. Given the absence of effective medications for treating renal fibrosis, it becomes crucial to assess the extent of fibrosis in real time and explore the development of novel drugs with substantial therapeutic benefits. Due to the accumulation of renal tissue damage and the uncontrolled deposition of fibrotic matrix during the course of the disease, there is an increase in viscosity both intracellularly and extracellularly. Therefore, a viscosity-sensitive near-infrared fluorescence (NIRF) and photoacoustic (PA) imaging probe, BDP-KY, was developed to detect aberrant changes in viscosity during fibrosis. Furthermore, BDP-KY has been applied to screen the effective components of herbal medicine, rhubarb, resulting in the identification of potential antirenal fibrotic compounds such as emodin-8-glucoside and chrysophanol 8-O-glucoside. Ultrasound, PA, and NIRF imaging of a unilateral uretera obstruction mice model show that different concentrations of emodin-8-glucoside and chrysophanol 8-O-glucoside effectively reduce viscosity levels during the renal fibrosis process. The histological results showed a significant decrease in fibrosis factors α-smooth muscle actin and collagen deposition. Combining these findings with their pharmacokinetic characteristics, these compounds have the potential to fill the current market gap for effective antirenal fibrosis drugs. This study demonstrates the potential of BDP-KY in the evaluation of renal fibrosis, and the two identified active components from rhubarb hold great promise for the treatment of renal fibrosis.
ABSTRACT
Mitochondrial dysfunction and myocardial remodeling have been reported to be the main underlying molecular mechanisms of doxorubicin-induced cardiotoxicity. SIRT6 is a nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide-dependent enzyme that plays a vital role in cardiac protection against various stresses. Moreover, previous studies have demonstrated that FSTL1 could alleviate doxorubicin-induced cardiotoxicity by inhibiting autophagy. The present study investigated the probable mechanisms of FSTL1 on doxorubicin-induced cardiotoxicity in vivo and in vitro. We confirmed that FSTL1 exerted a pivotal protective role on cardiac tissue in vivo and on doxorubicin-induced cell injury in vitro. Furthermore, FSTL1 can alleviate doxorubicin-induced mitochondrial dysfunction by inhibiting autophagy and apoptosis. Further studies demonstrated that FSTL1 can activate SIRT6 signaling by restoring the SIRT6 protein expression in doxorubicin-induced myocardial injury. SIRT6 activation elevated the protein expression of Nrf2 in doxorubicin-induced H9C2 injury. Treatment with the Nrf2 inhibitor ML385 partially antagonized the cardioprotective role of SIRT6 on doxorubicin-induced autophagy or apoptosis. These results suggested that the protective mechanism of FSTL1 on doxorubicin-induced cardiotoxicity may be related with the inhibition of autophagy and apoptosis, partly through the activation of SIRT6/Nrf2.
Subject(s)
Cardiotoxicity , Follistatin-Related Proteins , Mitochondria , NF-E2-Related Factor 2 , Sirtuins , Animals , Mice , Rats , Apoptosis/drug effects , Autophagy/drug effects , Cardiotoxicity/metabolism , Cardiotoxicity/prevention & control , Cell Line , Doxorubicin/adverse effects , Doxorubicin/toxicity , Follistatin-Related Proteins/metabolism , Mice, Inbred C57BL , Mitochondria/metabolism , Mitochondria/drug effects , Myocytes, Cardiac/drug effects , Myocytes, Cardiac/metabolism , NF-E2-Related Factor 2/metabolism , Signal Transduction/drug effects , Sirtuins/metabolismABSTRACT
Machine learning (ML) is a key focus in predicting protein mutations and aiding directed evolution. Research on potential virus variants is crucial for vaccine development. In this study, the machine learning software PyPEF was employed to conduct mutation analysis within the receptor-binding domain (RBD) of the Spike glycoprotein of SARS-CoV-2. Over 48,960,000 variants were predicted. Eight prospective variants that could surface in the future underwent modeling and molecular dynamics simulations. The study forecasts that the latest variant, ISOY2P5O1, may potentially emerge around 17 November 2023, with an approximate window of uncertainty of ±22 days. The ISOY8P5O2 variant displayed an increased binding capacity in the dry assay, with a total predicted binding energy of -110.306 kcal/mol. This represents an 8.25% enhancement in total binding energy compared to the original SARS-CoV-2 strain discovered in Wuhan (-101.892 kcal/mol). Reverse research confirmed the structural significance of mutation sites using ML models, particularly in the context of protein folding. The study validated regression methods (SVR, RF, and PLS) with different data structures. This study investigates the effectiveness of the "ML-Guided Design Correctly Predicts Combinatorial Effects Strategy" compared to the "ML-Guided Design Correctly Predicts Natural Evolution Prediction Strategy". To enhance machine learning, we created a timestamping algorithm and two auxiliary programs using advanced techniques to rapidly process extensive data, surpassing batch sequencing capabilities. This study not only advances machine learning in guiding protein evolution but also holds potential for forecasting future viruses and vaccine development.
Subject(s)
COVID-19 , Spike Glycoprotein, Coronavirus , Humans , Spike Glycoprotein, Coronavirus/genetics , Prospective Studies , SARS-CoV-2/genetics , Machine Learning , Mutation , Glycoproteins , Protein BindingABSTRACT
Zinc ion capacitors (ZICs) have shown potential for breaking the energy density ceiling of traditional supercapacitors (SCs) via appropriate device design. Nevertheless, a significant challenge remains in advancing ZIC positive electrode materials with excellent conductivity, high specific capacitance, and reliable cycle stability. A highly attractive option for carbon-based electrode materials is reduced graphene oxide (RGO) due to its vast specific surface area, prominent porosity, and 3D cross-linked frame. However, the tight stacking of RGO sheets driven by van der Waals forces can restrict active sites, decrease specific capacitance, and elevate electrochemical impedance. To overcome these challenges, 3D defective RGO (DRGO) hydrogels were prepared by a metal Co cocatalytic gasification reaction. This method produced mesoporous defects on the surface of RGO hydrogels via a low-temperature hydrothermal self-assembly strategy. The surface of the layer has a wide and uniform distribution, which can offer abundant redox active sites, rich ion transfer channels, and fast reaction kinetics. In this work, 3D DRGO//Zn exhibited a wide operating window (0-1.8 V), high specific capacitance (189.39 F g-1 at 1 A g-1), outstanding energy density (85.23 W h kg-1 at 960.31 W kg-1; 52.36 W h kg-1 at 17454.87 W kg-1), and persistent cycling life (98.86% initial capacitance retention after 10 000 cycles at 10 A g-1). This study emphasizes the device design of ZIC and promising prospects of using 3D DRGO hydrogel as a feasible positive electrode for ZIC.
ABSTRACT
Single-atomic catalysts are effective in mitigating the shuttling effect and slow redox kinetics of lithium polysulfides (LiPSs) in lithium-sulfur (Li-S) batteries, but their ideal performance has yet to be achieved due to the multi-step conversion of LiPSs requiring multifunctional active sites for tandem catalysis. Here double-shelled nano-cages (DSNCs) have been developed to address this challenge, featuring separated and tunable single-atom sites as nano reactors that trigger tandem catalysis and promote the efficient electrochemical conversion of LiPSs. This enables high capacity and durable Li-S batteries. The DSNCs, with inner Co-N4 and outer Zn-N4 sites (S/CoNC@ZnNC DSNCs), exhibit a high specific capacity of 1186 mAh g-1 at 1 C, along with a low capacity fading rate of 0.063% per cycle over 500 cycles. Even with a high sulfur loading (4.2 mg cm-2) and a low E/S ratio (6 µL mg-1), the cell displays excellent cycling stability. Moreover, the Li-S pouch cells are capable of stable cycling for more than 160 cycles. These results demonstrate the feasibility of driving successive sulfur conversion reactions with separated active sites, and are expected to inspire further catalyst design for high performance Li-S batteries.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Postsurgical recurrence is of great concern for papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC). We aim to investigate the value of computed tomography (CT)-based radiomics features and conventional clinical factors in predicting the recurrence of PTC. METHODS: Two-hundred and eighty patients with PTC were retrospectively enrolled and divided into training and validation cohorts at a 6:4 ratio. Recurrence was defined as cytology/pathology-proven disease or morphological evidence of lesions on imaging examinations within 5 years after surgery. Radiomics features were extracted from manually segmented tumor on CT images and were then selected using four different feature selection methods sequentially. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was conducted to identify clinical features associated with recurrence. Radiomics, clinical, and combined models were constructed separately using logistic regression (LR), support vector machine (SVM), k-nearest neighbor (KNN), and neural network (NN), respectively. Receiver operating characteristic analysis was performed to evaluate the model performance in predicting recurrence. A nomogram was established based on all relevant features, with its reliability and reproducibility verified using calibration curves and decision curve analysis (DCA). RESULTS: Eighty-nine patients with PTC experienced recurrence. A total of 1218 radiomics features were extracted from each segmentation. Five radiomics and six clinical features were related to recurrence. Among the 4 radiomics models, the LR-based and SVM-based radiomics models outperformed the NN-based radiomics model (P = 0.032 and 0.026, respectively). Among the 4 clinical models, only the difference between the area under the curve (AUC) of the LR-based and NN-based clinical model was statistically significant (P = 0.035). The combined models had higher AUCs than the corresponding radiomics and clinical models based on the same classifier, although most differences were not statistically significant. In the validation cohort, the combined models based on the LR, SVM, KNN, and NN classifiers had AUCs of 0.746, 0.754, 0.669, and 0.711, respectively. However, the AUCs of these combined models had no significant differences (all P > 0.05). Calibration curves and DCA indicated that the nomogram have potential clinical utility. CONCLUSIONS: The combined model may have potential for better prediction of PTC recurrence than radiomics and clinical models alone. Further testing with larger cohort may help reach statistical significance.
Subject(s)
Thyroid Neoplasms , Humans , Thyroid Cancer, Papillary/diagnostic imaging , Thyroid Cancer, Papillary/surgery , Reproducibility of Results , Retrospective Studies , Tomography, X-Ray Computed , Thyroid Neoplasms/diagnostic imaging , Thyroid Neoplasms/surgeryABSTRACT
Although Ti3C2Tx MXenes have attracted attention in electrochemical energy storage devices due to their excellent electronic conductivity, controllable layer structure, and huge redox active surface area, the application of Ti3C2Tx as supercapacitor (SC) electrode materials is severely limited by the ineffective chemical ion transport kinetics caused by self-restacking. In order to increase the interlayer spacing of Ti3C2Tx, the intercalation method is hailed as an effective process. Herein, polyaniline (PANI) nanorods as intercalators were synthesized by the polymerization of an aniline (ANI) monomer chemisorbed onto Ti3C2Tx wrinkled nanosheets, and the formation of a Ti3C2Tx@PANI heterostructure is conducive to the large interlayer voids. Then, the heterostructure was integrated into a three-dimensional (3D) porous cross-linked framework via a simple graphene oxide (GO)-assisted self-convergence hydrothermal strategy with low temperatures. Due to the synergistic effect among each component and 3D porous interconnected structure, the hierarchical Ti3C2Tx@PANI-reduced graphene oxide (RGO) heterostructure hydrogel possesses the advantages of excellent electrical conductivity, high specific capacitance, repressive aggregation, and large electrochemical active area. Heterostructure hydrogel electrodes (without binders) display excellent electrochemical performance with a specific capacitance as high as 301.0 F g-1 at 1 A g-1, 90.74% capacitance retention over 10 000 cycles, and a maximum energy density of 44.6 W h kg-1 at a power density of 504.7 W kg-1. Our study provides a fresh strategy for constructing a 3D Ti3C2Tx-based framework applicable to other MXenes in the design of hybrid structures for maximizing their potential applications in energy storage.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Spontaneous femoral neck fracture is a rare condition that remains controversial due to limited reported cases. This retrospective study aims to provide further insights into the etiology and characteristics of the disease. METHOD: We conducted a retrospective review of data from 963 patients with femoral neck fractures. The data encompassed demographic information, medical histories, radiographic records, bone mineral density (BMD) measurements, and pathological examinations. Patients were categorized into two groups: spontaneous femoral neck fracture (SFF) group (30 cases) and control group (933 cases), based on their medical histories. Logistic regression analysis was employed to identify risk factors for SFF. Statistical analysis was performed to compare and elucidate the characteristics of SFF within each group. RESULTS: Logistic regression analysis revealed osteonecrosis of the femoral head, steroid use, and osteoporosis as three significant risk factors for SFF. Furthermore, a higher proportion of Garden type I and II fractures, as well as Pauwels type I fractures, were observed in the SFF group compared to the control group. Within the SFF group, a higher proportion of patients with osteonecrosis exhibited Garden type III and IV fractures compared to those with osteoporosis. Additionally, both magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and pathological examinations demonstrated that osteonecrosis in the SFF group predominantly occurred at the lateral femoral head-neck junction. CONCLUSIONS: Osteonecrosis of the femoral head, particularly involving the lateral head-neck junction, was confirmed as a major risk factor for SFF. Furthermore, SFF exhibits internal heterogeneity based on its different causes.
Subject(s)
Femoral Neck Fractures , Femur Head Necrosis , Osteoporosis , Humans , Retrospective Studies , Femur Head , Femur Head Necrosis/diagnostic imaging , Femur Head Necrosis/epidemiology , Femur Head Necrosis/etiology , Fracture Fixation, Internal/methods , Femoral Neck Fractures/etiology , Femoral Neck Fractures/complications , Osteoporosis/complicationsABSTRACT
The practical application of supercapacitors (SCs) has been known to be restricted by low energy density, and zinc ion capacitors (ZICs) with a capacitive cathode and a battery-type anode have emerged as a unique technology that can effectively mitigate the issue. To this end, the design of electrodes with low electrochemical impedance, high specific capacitance, and outstanding reaction stability represents a critical first step. Herein, we report the synthesis of hierarchical Ti3C2TX@PANI heterostructures by uniform deposition of conductive polyaniline (PANI) polymer nanofibers on the exposed surface of the Ti3C2TX nanosheets, which are then assembled into a three-dimensional (3D) cross-linking framework by a graphene oxide (GO)-assisted self-convergence hydrothermal strategy. This resulting 3D Ti3C2TX@PANI-reduced graphene oxide (Ti3C2TX@PANI-RGO) heterostructure hydrogel shows a large surface area (488.75 F g-1 at 0.5 A g-1), outstanding electrical conductivity, and fast reaction kinetics, making it a promising electrode material. Separately, defective RGO (DRGO) hydrogels are prepared by a patterning process, and they exhibit a broad and uniform distribution of mesopores, which is conducive to ion transport with an excellent specific capacitance (223.52 F g-1 at 0.5 A g-1). A ZIC is subsequently constructed by utilizing Ti3C2TX@PANI-RGO as the anode and DRGO as the cathode, which displays an extensive operating voltage (0-3.0 V), prominent energy density (1060.96 Wh kg-1 at 761.32 W kg-1, 439.87 Wh kg-1 at 9786.86 W kg-1), and durable cycle stability (retaining 67.9% of the original capacitance after 4000 cycles at 6 A g-1). This study underscores the immense prospect of the Ti3C2TX-based heterostructure hydrogel and DRGO as a feasible anode and cathode for ZICs, respectively.
ABSTRACT
The hydroxyl radical (â¢OH) is shown to play a crucial role in the occurrence and progression of acute kidney injury (AKI). Therefore, the development of a robust â¢OH probe holds great promise for the early diagnosis of AKI, high-throughput screening (HTS) of natural protectants, and elucidating the molecular mechanism of intervention in AKI. Herein, the design and synthesis of an activatable fluorescent/photoacoustic (PA) probe (CDIA) for sensitive and selective imaging of â¢OH in AKI is reported. CDIA has near-infrared fluorescence/PA channels and fast activation kinetics, enabling the detection of the onset of â¢OH in an AKI model. The positive detection time of 12 h using this probe is superior to the 48-hour detection time for typical clinical assays, such as blood urea nitrogen and serum creatinine detection. Furthermore, a method is established using CDIA for HTS of natural â¢OH inhibitors from herbal medicines. Puerarin is screened out by activating the Sirt1/Nrf2/Keap1 signaling pathway to protect renal cells in AKI. Overall, this work provides a versatile and dual-mode tool for illuminating the â¢OH-related pathological process in AKI and screening additional compounds to prevent and treat AKI.
Subject(s)
Acute Kidney Injury , Fluorescent Dyes , Humans , Hydroxyl Radical/metabolism , Kelch-Like ECH-Associated Protein 1/metabolism , High-Throughput Screening Assays , Lighting , NF-E2-Related Factor 2/metabolism , Acute Kidney Injury/diagnosis , Acute Kidney Injury/metabolism , Kidney/metabolismABSTRACT
Wing polyphenism is found in a variety of insects and offers an attractive model system for studying the evolutionary significance of dispersal. The Forkhead box O (FoxO) transcription factor (TF) acts as a wing-morph switch that directs wing buds developing into long-winged (LW) or short-winged morphs in wing-dimorphic planthoppers, yet the regulatory mechanism of the FoxO module remains elusive. Here, we identified the zinc finger TF rotund as a potential wing-morph regulator via transcriptomic analysis and phenotypic screening in the brown plathopper, Nilaparvata lugens. RNA interference-mediated knockdown of rotund antagonized the LW development derived from in the context of FoxO depletion or the activation of the insulin/insulin-like growth factor signaling cascade, reversing long wings into intermediate wings. In vitro binding assays indicated that rotund physically binds to FoxO to form the FoxO combinatorial code. These findings broaden our understanding of the complexity of transcriptional regulation governing wing polyphenism in insects.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: This study investigated the presence and progression of radiolucent lines (RLLs) after cemented total knee arthroplasty (TKA) with or without tourniquet use. METHODS: There were 369 consecutive primary cemented TKAs with 5 to 8 years of follow-up. A tourniquet was used during component cementation in patients who underwent surgery from January 3, 2006, to March 31, 2010. No tourniquet was used from August 14, 2009, to October 14, 2014. There were 192 patients in the tourniquet group (TQ) and 177 patients in the no tourniquet group (NQ). Patient demographics, reoperations, and complications were recorded. RLLs were identified on anteroposterior, lateral, and skyline x-rays at 1, 2, and 5 to 8 years postoperatively using the modern knee society radiographic evaluation system. Demographics, reoperations, complications, and RLLs were compared. Age, sex, and body mass index were similar between groups. Mean tourniquet time in TQ was 11 minutes (range, 8 to 25). RESULTS: The presence of RLLs differed between groups, with 65% of TQ knees having RLLs under any part of the prostheses versus 46% of NQ knees (P < .001). The progression of RLL >2 mm occurred in 26.0% of knees in TQ and 16.7% of knees in NQ (P = .028). There were 13 TKAs that underwent subsequent revision surgery. There was no statistically or clinically significant difference in revision rate between groups (7 revisions in TQ, 6 in NQ, P = .66). CONCLUSION: Less RLLs were identified in NQ versus TQ. There were no statistically or clinically significant differences in revision rates between the NQ and TQ groups at 5 to 8 years.
Subject(s)
Arthroplasty, Replacement, Knee , Knee Prosthesis , Humans , Cementation , Knee Joint/diagnostic imaging , Knee Joint/surgery , Radiography , Reoperation , Treatment OutcomeABSTRACT
Asymmetric supercapacitors (ASCs) based on a battery-type anode and a capacitive-type cathode have been attracting extensive interest because of their high energy density. Herein, NiO nanosheets are hydrothermally deposited onto a V4C3TX substrate, which are then assembled into a 3D porous heterostructure hydrogel through a graphene oxide-assisted self-convergence hydrothermal process at low temperatures. The resultant hierarchical V4C3TX@NiO-RGO heterostructure hydrogel exhibits an ultrahigh specific capacitance of up to 1014.5 F g-1 at 1 A g-1. In addition, a defective reduced graphene oxide (DRGO) hydrogel is prepared using a cost-effective hydrothermal procedure followed by cobalt-catalyzed gasification, which shows a higher specific capacitance (258 F g-1 at 1 A g-1) than the untreated RGO hydrogel (176 F g-1). These two electrodes are then assembled into an ASC; the device features a stable operating voltage of 1.8 V, a maximum energy density of 86.22 W h kg-1 at 900 W kg-1, and excellent cycling stability at 96.4% capacitance retention after 10 000 cycles at 10 A g-1. The results from this work highlight the unique potential of MXene-based materials for the construction of high-performance ASCs.