Analysis and Prediction of Significant Genes in Gastric Cancer Based on TCGA Database.

OBJECTIVE: Use TCGA data to screen the significantly expressed genes in gastric cancer,then analyze the biological functions of characteristic genes.To identify potential targets for the diagnosis, prognosis and therapeutic monitoring of gastric cancer. METHODS: Download the high-throughput gastric cancer patient tissue mRNA expression data from the TCGA database, and used the edgeR software package to perform gene differences using the Rstudio software according to the |logFC|>1 and p<0.05 standards analysis, then performed enrichment analysis and constructed protein interaction network of the differently expressed genes to find the significant genes.Finally,analyzed the relationship between significant genes and gastric cancer patient prognosis. RESULTS: The RNA-seq expression data of 375 cases of gastric cancer and 32 adjacent tissues were obtained from the TCGA database. The differential analysis yielded 4320 differential genes, of which 2718 were highly expressed and 1602 were low expressed. Through enrichment analysis, it is found that the differential genes are mainly related to the neural active ligand-receptor interaction, calcium signaling pathway, Protein digestion and absorption, chemical carcinogenesis, and cytochrome P450 metabolism of foreign compounds. Further survival analysis screened out the five significant genes of ALB, AFP, IGFBP1, APOH, and TF are related to the prognosis of gastric cancer. CONCLUSION: The five significant genes screened by TCGA data may be related to the prognosis of gastric cancer and are expected to become prognostic biomarkers.

Multimetallic Single-Atom Catalysts for Bifunctional Oxygen Electrocatalysis.

Multimetallic alloys have demonstrated promising performance for the application of metal-air batteries, while it remains a challenge to design multimetallic single-atom catalysts (MM-SACs). Herein, metal-C3N4 and nitrogen-doped carbon are employed as cornerstones to synthesize MM-SACs by a general two-step method, and the inherent features of atomic dispersion and the strong electronic reciprocity between the multimetallic sites have been verified. The trimetallic FeCoZn-SACs and quatermetallic FeCoCuZn-SACs are both found to deliver superior oxygen evolution reaction and oxygen reduction reaction activity, respectively, as well as outstanding bifunctional durability. Density functional theory calculations elucidate the crucial contribution of Co sites of FeCoCuZn-SACs to the efficient catalysis of both the ORR and the OER. More importantly, Zn-air batteries with FeCoCuZn-SACs as cathodic catalysts exhibit a high power density (252 mW cm-2), high specific capacity (817 mAh gZn-1), and considerable stability (over 225 h) for charging-discharging processes. This work provides a visual perspective for the advantages of MM-SACs toward oxygen electrocatalysis.

Understanding the Bifunctional Trends of Fe-Based Binary Single-Atom Catalysts.

Binary single-atom catalysts (BSACs) have demonstrated fascinating activities compared to single atom catalysts (SACs) for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) and oxygen evolution reaction (OER). Notably, Fe SACs is one of the most promising ORR electrocatalysts, and further revealing the synergistic effects between Fe and other 3d transition metals (M) for FeM BSACs are very important to enhance bifunctional performance. Herein, density functional theory (DFT) calculations are first adapted to demonstrate the role of various transition metals on the bifunctional activity of Fe sites, and a notable volcano relationship is established through the generally accepted adsorption free energy that ΔG* OH for ORR, and ΔG* O -ΔG* OH for OER, respectively. Further, ten of the atomically dispersed FeM anchored on nitrogen-carbon support (FeM-NC) are successfully synthesized with typical atomic dispersion by a facile movable type printing method. The experimental data confirms the bifunctional activity diversity of FeM-NC between the early- and late- transition metals, agrees very well with the DFT results. More importantly, the optimal FeCu-NC shows the expected performance with high ORR and OER activity, thereby, the assembled rechargeable zinc-air battery delivers a high power density of 231 mW cm-2 , and an impressive stability that can be stably operated over 300 h.

High electrocatalytic activity of Pt on porous Nb-doped TiO2 nanoparticles prepared by aerosol-assisted self-assembly.

This study explores an aerosol-assisted method to prepare an efficient support for the Pt catalyst of polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs). Titania nanoparticles and mesoporous niobium-doped titania nanoparticles were prepared by aerosol-assisted self-assembly using titanium(iv) isopropoxide and niobium(v) ethoxide as the titanium and niobium sources for application as non-carbon supports for the platinum electrocatalyst. The structural characteristics and electrochemical properties of the supports were investigated by transmission electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, electron paramagnetic resonance, inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry, and dynamic light scattering. The Brunauer-Emmett-Teller method was used to calculate the specific surface areas of the samples, and the pore size distribution was also examined. The results demonstrated that under a radial concentration gradient, the aerosol droplets self-assembled into a spherical shape, and mesoporous supports were obtained after subsequent removal of the surfactant cetyltrimethylammonium bromide by annealing and washing. The hydrothermal technique was then used to deposit platinum on the TiO2-based supports. The electrical conductivity of the non-carbon support was enhanced by the strong metal-support interaction effect between the platinum catalyst particles and the porous niobium-doped TiO2 support. The half-wave potential, electrochemical surface area, mass activity, and specific activity of the obtained Pt/Nb-TiO2 catalyst all surpassed those of commercial Pt/C.

General Method for Synthesizing Effective and Durable Electrocatalysts Derived from Cellulose for Microbial Fuel Cells.

Microbial fuel cells (MFCs) can be capable of both wastewater treatment and electricity generation, which necessarily depends on the increasing cathodic performances and stability at low cost to realize industrialization. Herein, cellulose, a commercially available and sustainable material, was oxidized as a carbon precursor to produce the oxygen species synergizing the nitrogen-doped carbon (CON-900) catalyst by a facile in situ nitrogen doping method. The incorporation of nitrogen and oxygen with a high content creates more active centers. Meanwhile, the hierarchical porosity of CON-900 contributes to a high specific surface area (652 m2 g-1) and the exposure of accessible active sites. As expected, CON-900 exhibits considerable activity for the oxygen reduction reaction, excellent operating stability, and high poisoning resistance. In addition, the MFC fabricated with CON-900 as a cathode catalyst demonstrates a maximum power density of 1014 ± 23 mW m-2, which is comparable with that of the Pt/C cathode (1062 ± 14 mW m-2). This work offers a facile and versatile strategy for various biomass materials to develop low-cost and high-efficiency carbon-based catalysts for MFCs and beyond.

Progress in the development of heteroatom-doped nickel phosphates for electrocatalytic water splitting.

Hydrogen energy is expected to replace fossil fuels as a mainstream energy source in the future. Currently, hydrogen production via water electrolysis yields high hydrogen purity with easy operation and without producing polluting side products. Presently, platinum group metals and their oxides are the most effective catalysts for water splitting; however, their low abundance and high cost hinder large-scale hydrogen production, especially in alkaline and neutral media. Therefore, the development of high-efficiency, durable, and low-cost electrocatalysts is crucial to improving the overpotential and lowering the electrical energy consumption. As a solution, Ni2P has attracted particular attention, owing to its desirable electrical conductivity, high corrosion resistance, and remarkable catalytic activity for overall water splitting, and thus, is a promising substitute for platinum-group catalysts. However, the catalytic performance and durability of raw Ni2P are still inferior to those of noble metal-based catalysts. Heteroatom doping is a universal strategy for enhancing the performance of Ni2P for water electrolysis over a wide pH range, because the electronic structure and crystal structure of the catalyst can be modulated, and the adsorption energy of the reaction intermediates can be adjusted via doping, thus optimizing the reaction performance. In this review, first, the reaction mechanisms of water electrolysis, including the cathodic hydrogen evolution reaction and anodic oxygen evolution reaction, are briefly introduced. Then, progress into heteroatom-doped nickel phosphide research in recent years is assessed, and a discussion of each representative work is given. Finally, the opportunities and challenges for developing advanced Ni2P based electrocatalysts are proposed and discussed.

Synthesis and Design of a Highly Stable Platinum Nickel Electrocatalyst for the Oxygen Reduction Reaction.

Exploring effective, stable, and affordable oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) catalysts is very significant for the practical application of proton-exchange membrane fuel cells. In this work, a facile and expandable method is developed to prepare ultrathin PtNi nanowires (NWs) with various Pt/Ni contents, and the ORR performance of the synthesized samples is thoroughly investigated. Pt3.2Ni NWs show the best ORR performance among the studied samples and, notably, exhibit much better ORR activity and stability than those of the Pt/C catalyst even after a 300,000-continuous cycling test. This work confirms that the initial Pt/Ni ratio plays a critical role in the ORR activity and stability of PtNi NWs, and the structure of the PtNi NWs can be well retained after the durability test. Additionally, the structure and performance of Pt3.2Ni NWs are investigated in detail during various cycles, and the performance decay is attributed to the dealloying of Ni and the corrosion of the one-dimensional structure after a prolonged durability test. This work provides a desirable method for rationally synthesizing a highly efficient ORR electrocatalyst with remarkable stability.

Engineering Ruthenium-Based Electrocatalysts for Effective Hydrogen Evolution Reaction.

The investigation of highly effective, durable, and cost-effective electrocatalysts for the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) is a prerequisite for the upcoming hydrogen energy society. To establish a new hydrogen energy system and gradually replace the traditional fossil-based energy, electrochemical water-splitting is considered the most promising, environmentally friendly, and efficient way to produce pure hydrogen. Compared with the commonly used platinum (Pt)-based catalysts, ruthenium (Ru) is expected to be a good alternative because of its similar hydrogen bonding energy, lower water decomposition barrier, and considerably lower price. Analyzing and revealing the HER mechanisms, as well as identifying a rational design of Ru-based HER catalysts with desirable activity and stability is indispensable. In this review, the research progress on HER electrocatalysts and the relevant describing parameters for HER performance are briefly introduced. Moreover, four major strategies to improve the performance of Ru-based electrocatalysts, including electronic effect modulation, support engineering, structure design, and maximum utilization (single atom) are discussed. Finally, the challenges, solutions and prospects are highlighted to prompt the practical applications of Ru-based electrocatalysts for HER.

Multifunctional Graphene Microstructures Inspired by Honeycomb for Ultrahigh Performance Electromagnetic Interference Shielding and Wearable Applications.

High-performance electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding materials with ultralow density, excellent flexibility, and good mechanical properties are highly desirable for aerospace and wearable electronics. Herein, honeycomb porous graphene (HPG) fabricated by laser scribing technology is reported for EMI shielding and wearable applications. Due to the honeycomb structure, the HPG exhibits an EMI shielding effectiveness (SE) up to 45 dB at a thickness of 48.3 µm. The single-piece HPG exhibits an ultrahigh absolute shielding effectiveness (SSE/t) of 240 123 dB cm2/g with an ultralow density of 0.0388 g/cm3, which is significantly superior to the reported materials such as carbon-based, MXene, and metal materials. Furthermore, MXene and AgNWs are employed to cover the honeycomb holes of the HPG to enhance surface reflection; thus, the SSE/t of the HPG/AgNWs composite membrane can reach up to 292 754 dB cm2/g. More importantly, the HPG exhibits excellent mechanical stability and durability in cyclic stretching and bending, which can be used to monitor weak physiological signals such as pulse, respiration, and laryngeal movement of humans. Therefore, the lightweight and flexible HPG exhibits excellent EMI shielding performance and mechanical properties, along with its low cost and ease of mass production, which is promising for practical applications in EMI shielding and wearable electronics.

Chitin and waste shrimp shells liquefaction and liquefied products/polyvinyl alcohol blend membranes.

Ball-milled chitin was liquefied with an optimal yield of 92% under sulfuric acid in diethylene glycol (DEG) at 160 °C for 120 min. The resulting liquid mixture was roughly separated into two portions: the real products of the reaction (liquefied ball-milled chitin, LBMC) and the remaining unreacted DEG. LBMC was further mingled with polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) to prepare LBMC/PVA blend membranes. To promote the direct utilization of shellfishery waste, raw shrimp shells were used to replace chitin for the liquefaction and membrane preparation operations. Liquefied ball-milled shrimp shells (LBMS) and the corresponding LBMS/PVA blend membranes were obtained. After adding LBMC or LBMS, the mechanical, thermal, water content and antibacterial performance of blend membranes were significantly improved compared to pure PVA membrane. Surprisingly, all the measured properties of LBMC/PVA and LBMS/PVA blend membranes were comparable, and even some properties of the latter were slightly superior than those of the former.

Thermal decomposition behaviors and kinetics of carrageenan-poly vinyl alcohol bio-composite film.

Pyrolysis characteristics of carrageenan-polyvinyl alcohol (CG-PVA) composite films were studied on a thermo gravimetric analyzer in N2 atmosphere. A stepwise procedure based on model-free Flynn-Wall-Ozawa (FWO), Kissinger-Akahira-Sunose (KAS) and Friedman-Reich-Levi (FRL) methods were applied to calculate the apparent activation energies (E). The range of E for CG-PVA/LBP/K film was 16.92∼171.53 kJ/mol. Coats-Redfern and master-plots methods were utilized to investigate the most probable mechanisms for CG-PVA/LBP/K film. Further kinetic analysis was performed and revealed that five independent parallel reactions were supposed reasonably by deconvoluting DTG curves. Kinetic parameters of the corresponding five pseudo-components for CG-PVA/LBP/K film were separately calculated via Kissinger's method using the peak maximum temperature. It's concluded that lignin derivatives contributed the major part of degradation process. The orders of activation energy for pseudo components are E (PVA) >E (carrageenan) >E (biomass derivatives). The comprehensive analysis of pyrolysis kinetics may expand application fields of carrageenan based biocomposite films.

Characterization of cellulose from banana pseudo-stem by heterogeneous liquefaction.

A cellulose extraction from banana pseudo-stem through the combination of bleach and liquefaction processes was described: holocellulose was isolated by the sodium chlorite method, and then the cellulose was obtained by removing the hemicellulose through chemical liquefaction. The chemical composition, morphology, thermal properties and degree of crystallinity of the celluloses were characterized to discuss their suitability for new bio-based composite materials. It was shown that hemicellulose can be selectively liquefied to get cellulose. The hemicellulose content in cellulose is decreased from 45.69% to 8.38%. Surface morphological studies revealed that there is a reduction in fiber diameter and fiber bundles are divided into individual fibrils, which lead to an increase of the surface area and results in an increased adhesion at the fiber-matrix interface in composites. Thermal analysis results show that the cellulose exhibit enhanced thermal stability over holocellulose. XRD results indicate that the crystallinity is increased from 52.22% to 81.26% by liquefaction.

S100B protein, brain-derived neurotrophic factor, and glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor in human milk.

BACKGROUND: Human milk contains a wide variety of nutrients that contribute to the fulfillment of its functions, which include the regulation of newborn development. However, few studies have investigated the concentrations of S100B protein, brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), and glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) in human milk. The associations of the concentrations of S100B protein, BDNF, and GDNF with maternal factors are not well explored. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: To investigate the concentrations of S100B protein, BDNF, and GDNF in human milk and characterize the maternal factors associated with their levels in human milk, human milk samples were collected at days 3, 10, 30, and 90 after parturition. Levels of S100B protein, BDNF, and GDNF, and their mRNAs in the samples were detected. Then, these concentrations were compared with lactation and other maternal factors. S100B protein levels in human milk samples collected at 3, 10, 30, and 90 d after parturition were 1249.79±398.10, 1345.05±539.16, 1481.83±573.30, and 1414.39±621.31 ng/L, respectively. On the other hand, the BDNF concentrations in human milk samples were 10.99±4.55, 13.01±5.88, 13.35±6.43, and 2.83±5.47 µg/L, while those of GDNF were 10.90±1.65, 11.38±1., 11.29±3.10, and 11.40±2.21 g/L for the same time periods. Maternal post-pregnancy body mass index was positively associated with S100B levels in human milk (r = 0.335, P = 0.030<0.05). In addition, there was a significant correlation between the levels of S100B protein and BDNF (z = 2.09, P = 0.037<0.05). Delivery modes were negatively associated with the concentration of GDNF in human milk. CONCLUSIONS: S100B protein, BDNF, and GDNF are present in all samples of human milk, and they may be responsible for the long term effects of breast feeding.

Bid integrates intrinsic and extrinsic signaling in apoptosis induced by alpha-tocopheryl succinate in human gastric carcinoma cells.

The underlying mechanisms of alpha-tocopheryl succinate (alpha-TOS)-mediated apoptosis are not understood in detail, although the redox-silent vitamin E analog is a potent apoptogen and anti-cancer agent. Our previous studies showed the important role of Fas signaling in apoptosis induced by the mitocan. The objective of the present study was to investigate whether apoptosis triggered by alpha-TOS in gastric carcinomas cells involves both mitochondria- and death receptor-dependent pathways. alpha-TOS induced apoptosis and mitochondrial permeability transition in a concentration- and time-dependent manner. As a consequence, cytochrome c and the apoptosis-inducing factor were released and caspases were activated. Bax was translocated from the cytosol to mitochondria and Bid was cleaved into its truncated form, tBid. Knocking down Bid by RNAi and Fas antisense oligodeoxynucleotides resulted in a decreased release and cleavage. The results imply that Bid may serve as a critical integrating factor of the death receptor and mitochondrial pathway in alpha-TOS-mediated apoptosis.