The SRC-TOPK positive feedback loop promotes RB1 phosphorylation and drives the development of lung squamous cell carcinoma.

Lung squamous cell carcinoma (LUSC) is a common subtype of non-small cell lung cancer, with limited treatment options and poor patient prognosis. Currently, common driver mutations in lung adenocarcinoma rarely occur in LUSC; the mutated genes found in LUSCs lack corresponding targeted drugs. Therefore, it is necessary to discover new therapeutic targets for LUSC and provide patients with more treatment options.

The mechanistic insights into fruit ripening: integrating phytohormones, transcription factors, and epigenetic modification.

Fruit ripening is a complex developmental process tightly regulated by hormonal crosstalk, transcriptional networks, and epigenetic modifications, with striking divergence between climacteric and non-climacteric species. In climacteric fruits, such as tomatoes, apples, and bananas, ethylene acts as the master regulator, driving autocatalytic biosynthesis through ACS/ACO genes and activating hierarchical transcriptional cascades mediated by MADS-box (RIN), NAC (NOR), and ERF-family transcription factors. These pathways are amplified by epigenetic reprogramming, including DNA demethylation at ripening-related promoters and histone acetylation, which enhance chromatin accessibility to facilitate gene expression.

GC-DFT-Based Dynamic Product Distribution Reveals Enhanced CO-to-Methanol Electrocatalysis Durability by Heterogeneous CoPc.

Heterogeneous cobalt phthalocyanine has emerged as a promising molecular catalyst for electrochemical reduction of CO to methanol. Boosting both electrocatalytic durability and selectivity remains a great challenge, which is more difficult with unknown regulation factors for the HER side reaction. Herein, to discover the key to balancing the durability and selectivity, as well as HER regulation, we carried out GC-DFT calculations, based on which dynamic product distribution modeling was conducted to visually present the variation of the product distribution within the applied voltage range.

Cloning and functional verification of the CmHSP17.9 gene from chrysanthemum.

Small molecular heat shock proteins (sHSPs) belong to the HSP family of molecular chaperones. Under high-temperature stress, they can prevent the aggregation of irreversible proteins and maintain the folding of denatured proteins to enhance heat resistance. In this study, the CmHSP17.

Enhanced Spin Polarization from Biaxially Strained Colloidal Quantum Dots.

Electron and hole spin polarization is crucial for quantum dots to be used in spin lasers and quantum information processing. However, the degree of spin polarization in II-VI and III-V semiconductor quantum dots is low because of the degenerated valence band. Here, we increase the light and heavy hole degeneracy by introducing biaxial strain into CdSe-based quantum dots, enabling the degree of spin polarization to be increased from 20% to 50% under photoexcitation.

Efficient All-Perovskite Tandem Solar Cells with Low-Optical-Loss Carbazolyl Interconnecting Layers.

Combining wide-band gap (WBG) and narrow-band gap (NBG) perovskites with interconnecting layers (ICLs) to construct monolithic all-perovskite tandem solar cell is an effective way to achieve high power conversion efficiency (PCE). However, optical losses from ICLs need to be further reduced to leverage the full potential of all-perovskite tandem solar cells. Here, metal oxide nanocrystal layers anchored with carbazolyl hole-selective-molecules (CHs), which exhibit much lower optical loss, is employed to replace poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) polystyrenesulfonate (PEDOT : PSS) as the hole transporting layers (HTLs) in lead-tin (Pb-Sn) perovskite sub-cells and ICLs in all-perovskite tandem solar cells.

All-perovskite tandem solar cells with 3D/3D bilayer perovskite heterojunction.

All-perovskite tandem solar cells promise higher power-conversion efficiency (PCE) than single-junction perovskite solar cells (PSCs) while maintaining a low fabrication cost. However, their performance is still largely constrained by the subpar performance of mixed lead-tin (Pb-Sn) narrow-bandgap (NBG) perovskite subcells, mainly because of a high trap density on the perovskite film surface. Although heterojunctions with intermixed 2D/3D perovskites could reduce surface recombination, this common strategy induces transport losses and thereby limits device fill factors (FFs).

Enhanced Proton Transfer in Proton-Exchange Membranes with Interconnected and Zwitterion-Functionalized Covalent Porous Material Structures.

Excellent proton-conductive accelerators are indispensable for efficient proton-exchange membranes (PEMs). Covalent porous materials (CPMs), with adjustable functionalities and well-ordered porosities, show much promise as effective proton-conductive accelerators. In this study, an interconnected and zwitterion-functionalized CPM structure based on carbon nanotubes and a Schiff-base network (CNT@ZSNW-1) is constructed as a highly efficient proton-conducting accelerator by in situ growth of SNW-1 onto carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and subsequent zwitterion functionalization.

Unravelling intrinsic descriptors based on a two-stage activity regulation of bimetallic 2D c-MOFs for CORR.

The bimetallic 2D conductive MOFs of MPc-M-O, possessing dual metal sites to realize flexible molecular-level structural modification, are brilliant catalysts for electrochemical CO reduction. However, the bimetallic centers bring about the complex regulatory mechanism of catalytic activity and obscure principles for catalyst design. Herein, systematical theoretical investigation unravels intrinsic descriptors to design favorable MPc-M-O catalysts based on the discovered coarse-fine two-stage activity regulation mechanism.

Evaluating Lead Halide Perovskite Nanocrystals as a Spin Laser Gain Medium.

Spin-polarized charge endows conventional lasers with not only new functionalities but also reduced lasing thresholds thanks to the lifting of spin degeneracy. II-VI and III-V semiconductors have been extensively investigated as spin laser gain mediums; however, the degree of polarization is limited by the light hole and heavy hole degeneracy. Herein, we evaluate the potential of CsPbBr nanocrystals─ones that are featured with low band-edge degeneracy and therefore a high degree of polarization as a result of inverted band structure and large spin-orbit coupling─as a gain medium for spin lasers.

Bulk-like ZnSe Quantum Dots Enabling Efficient Ultranarrow Blue Light-Emitting Diodes.

Blue-emitting heavy-metal free QDs simultaneously exhibiting photoluminescence quantum yield close to unity and narrow emission line widths are essential for next-generation electroluminescence displays, yet their synthesis is highly challenging. Herein, we develop the synthesis of blue-emitting QDs by growing a thin shell of ZnS on ZnSe cores with their size larger than bulk Bohr diameter. The bulk-like size of ZnSe cores enables the emission to locate in the blue region with a narrow emission width close to its intrinsic peak width.

Replication Study: The microRNA miR-34a inhibits prostate cancer stem cells and metastasis by directly repressing CD44.

As part of the Reproducibility Project: Cancer Biology, we published a Registered Report (Li et al., 2015), that described how we intended to replicate selected experiments from the paper 'The microRNA miR-34a inhibits prostate cancer stem cells and metastasis by directly repressing CD44' (Liu et al., 2011).

CRISPR/Cas9-mediated sheep MSTN gene knockout and promote sSMSCs differentiation.

Myostatin (MSTN) is an important gene involved in the regulation of embryonic muscle cells and adult muscle development; it has a good application prospect in transgenic animal production by improving the yield of muscle. The purpose of this study is to construct MSTN gene knockout vector using clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats ( CRISPR)/CRISPR-associated protein 9 ( Cas9). The knockout efficiency was evaluated in sheep ear fibroblasts (SEFs) by cleavage activity of transcription of guide RNA ( gRNA), luciferase-single-strand annealing assay, T7 endonuclease I assay (T7E1), and TA clone sequence (10/38); and above all, detection showed that the cleavage activity of CRISPR/Cas9-mediated MSTN reached 29%.

The Presence of Cu Facilitates Adsorption of Tetracycline (TC) onto Water Hyacinth Roots.

Batch experiments were conducted to investigate the adsorption characteristics of tetracycline (TC), and the interactive effects of copper (Cu) on the adsorption of TC onto water hyacinth roots. TC removal efficiency by water hyacinth roots was ranging from 58.9% to 84.

Two-Dimensional Zeolitic Imidazolate Framework/Carbon Nanotube Hybrid Networks Modified Proton Exchange Membranes for Improving Transport Properties.

Metal-organic framework (MOF)/polymer composite proton exchange membranes (PEMs) are being intensively investigated due to their potentials for the systematic design of proton-conducting properties. However, the development of MOF/polymer composite PEMs possessing high selectivity remains exceedingly desirable and challenging for practical application. Herein, two-dimensional (2D) zeolitic imidazolate framework (ZIF-8)/carbon nanotube (CNT) hybrid cross-linked networks (ZCN) were synthesized via the rational design of the physical form of ZIF-8, and then a series of composite PEMs were prepared by hybridizing ZCN with sulfonated poly(ether ether ketone) (SPEEK) matrix.

Rational Design of S-UiO-66@GO Hybrid Nanosheets for Proton Exchange Membranes with Significantly Enhanced Transport Performance.

Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) are being intensively explored as filler materials for polymeric proton exchange membranes (PEMs) due to their potentials for the systematic design and modification of proton-conducting properties. S-UiO-66, a stable MOF with functional groups of -SOH in its ligands, was selected here to prepare S-UiO-66@graphene oxide (GO) hybrid nanosheets via a facile in situ growth procedure, and then a series of composite PEMs were prepared by hybridizing S-UiO-66@GO and sulfonated poly(ether ether ketone) (SPEEK). The resultant hybrid nanosheets not only possessed abundant -SOH groups derived from the ligands of S-UiO-66 but also yielded a uniform dispersion of S-UiO-66 onto GO nanosheets, thus effectively eliminating the agglomeration of S-UiO-66 in the membrane matrix.

Proton Conductivity of Proton Exchange Membrane Synergistically Promoted by Different Functionalized Metal-Organic Frameworks.

In this study, two functionalized metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), UiO-66-SOH and UiO-66-NH, were synthesized. Then, different composite proton exchange membranes (PEMs) were prepared by single doping and codoping of these two MOFs, respectively. It was found that codoping of these two MOFs with suitable sizes was more conducive to the proton conductivity enhancement of the composite PEM.

Novel Slightly Reduced Graphene Oxide Based Proton Exchange Membrane with Constructed Long-Range Ionic Nanochannels via Self-Assembling of Nafion.

A facile method to prepare high-performance Nafion slightly reduced graphene oxide membranes (N-srGOMs) via vacuum filtration is proposed. The long-range connected ionic nanochannels in the membrane are constructed via the concentration-dependent self-assembling of the amphiphilic Nafion and the hydrophilic-hydrophobic interaction between graphene oxide (GO) and Nafion in water. The obtained N-srGOM possesses high proton conductivity, and low methanol permeability benefitted from the constructed unique interior structures.

Development of Hybrid Ultrafiltration Membranes with Improved Water Separation Properties Using Modified Superhydrophilic Metal-Organic Framework Nanoparticles.

Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) are being intensively explored as filler materials for polymeric membranes primarily due to their high polymer affinity, large pore volumes, and alterable pore functionalities, but the development of MOF-based ultrafiltration (UF) membranes for water treatment lags behind. Herein, poly(sulfobetaine methacrylate) (PSBMA)-functionalized MOF UiO-66-PSBMA was developed, and incorporated into polysulfone (PSf) casting solution to fabricate novel hybrid UF membranes via phase-inversion method. The resultant UiO-66-PSBMA/PSf membrane exhibited significantly improved water flux (up to 602 L m h), which was 2.

Novel Composite Proton Exchange Membrane with Connected Long-Range Ionic Nanochannels Constructed via Exfoliated Nafion-Boron Nitride Nanocomposite.

Nafion-boron nitride (NBN) nanocomposites with a Nafion-functionalized periphery are prepared via a convenient and ecofriendly Nafion-assisted water-phase exfoliation method. Nafion and the boron nitride nanosheet present strong interactions in the NBN nanocomposite. Then the NBN nanocomposites were blended with Nafion to prepare NBN Nafion composite proton exchange membranes (PEMs).

Surface Decoration of Amino-Functionalized Metal-Organic Framework/Graphene Oxide Composite onto Polydopamine-Coated Membrane Substrate for Highly Efficient Heavy Metal Removal.

A new metal-organic framework/graphene oxide composite (IRMOF-3/GO) with high adsorption capacity of copper(II) (maximal adsorption amount = 254.14 mg/g at pH 5.0 and 25 °C) was prepared.

Effects of the Transforming Growth Factor Beta Signaling Pathway on the Differentiation of Chicken Embryonic Stem Cells into Male Germ Cells.

The objectives of the present study were to screen for key gene and signaling pathways involved in the production of male germ cells in poultry and to investigate the effects of the transforming growth factor beta (TGF-β) signaling pathway on the differentiation of chicken embryonic stem cells (ESCs) into male germ cells. The ESCs, primordial germ cells, and spermatogonial stem cells (SSCs) were sorted using flow cytometry for RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) technology. Male chicken ESCs were induced using 40 ng/mL of bone morphogenetic protein 4 (BMP4).

Comparison analysis of microRNAs in response to EV71 and CA16 infection in human bronchial epithelial cells by high-throughput sequencing to reveal differential infective mechanisms.

Hand, foot, and mouth disease (HFMD) mainly caused by Enterovirus 71 (EV71) and coxsackievirus A16 (CA16) infections which presented significantly different clinical manifestations. Nevertheless, the factors underlying these differences remain unclear. Recently, the functions of microRNAs (miRNAs) in pathogen-host interactions have been highlighted.