Splicing-accessible coding 3'UTRs control protein stability and interaction networks.

Background: 3'-Untranslated regions (3'UTRs) play crucial roles in mRNA metabolism, such as by controlling mRNA stability, translation efficiency, and localization. Intriguingly, in some genes the 3'UTR is longer than their coding regions, pointing to additional, unknown functions. Here, we describe a protein-coding function of 3'UTRs upon frameshift-inducing alternative splicing in more than 10% of human and mouse protein-coding genes.

Generation of a Broadly Useful Model for COVID-19 Pathogenesis, Vaccination, and Treatment.

COVID-19, caused by SARS-CoV-2, is a virulent pneumonia, with >4,000,000 confirmed cases worldwide and >290,000 deaths as of May 15, 2020. It is critical that vaccines and therapeutics be developed very rapidly. Mice, the ideal animal for assessing such interventions, are resistant to SARS-CoV-2.

Kinetics of viral load and antibody response in relation to COVID-19 severity.

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is the causative agent for coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) pneumonia. Little is known about the kinetics, tissue distribution, cross-reactivity, and neutralization antibody response in patients with COVID-19. Two groups of patients with RT-PCR-confirmed COVID-19 were enrolled in this study: 12 severely ill patients in intensive care units who needed mechanical ventilation and 11 mildly ill patients in isolation wards.

Increased Pathogenicity and Virulence of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus Clade B and .

Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) causes severe acute respiratory disease in humans. MERS-CoV strains from early epidemic clade A and contemporary epidemic clade B have not been phenotypically characterized to compare their abilities to infect cells and mice. We isolated the clade B MERS-CoV ChinaGD01 strain from a patient infected during the South Korean MERS outbreak in 2015 and compared the phylogenetics and pathogenicity of MERS-CoV EMC/2012 (clade A) and ChinaGD01 (clade B) and Genome alignment analysis showed that most clade-specific mutations occurred in the orf1ab gene, including mutations that were predicted to be potential glycosylation sites.

Photo-induced electrodeposition of metallic nanostructures on graphene.

Graphene, a single atomic layer of sp2 hybridized carbon, is a promising material for future devices due to its excellent optical and electrical properties. Nevertheless, for practical applications, it is essential to deposit patterned metals on graphene in the micro and nano-meter scale in order to inject electrodes or modify the 2D film electrical properties. However, conventional methods for depositing patterned metals such as lift-off or etching leave behind contamination.

Isolated Ni Atoms Dispersed on Ru Nanosheets: High-Performance Electrocatalysts toward Hydrogen Oxidation Reaction.

Designing low-cost, high-efficiency, platinum-free electrocatalysts for the hydrogen oxidation reaction (HOR) in an alkaline electrolyte is of great importance for the development of anion exchange membrane fuel cells. Herein, we report a novel HOR catalyst, RuNi1, in which Ni is atomically dispersed on the Ru nanocrystals. To note, the as-prepared RuNi1 catalyst exhibits excellent catalytic activity and stability for HOR in alkaline media, which is superior to those of Ru-Ni bimetallic nanocrystals, pristine Ru, and commercial Pt/C catalysts.

Multi-signal amplification electrochemical DNA biosensor based on exonuclease III and tetraferrocene.

Homogeneous electrochemical DNA biosensors' unique qualities have been of great interest to researchers, mainly due to their high recognition efficiency in solutions. However, the processes of introducing additional markers and extra operations to obtain a signal are tedious and time consuming, which limits their overall potential applications. Herein, a novel tetraferrocene was synthesized and used as a homogeneous electrochemical DNA biosensor probe label.

Strategies for the prevention and management of coronavirus disease 2019.

Early protection, early identification, early diagnosis, and early isolation are crucial to combat with Covid-19 outbreaks

A Spectroscopic Study of Electrochemical Nitrogen and Nitrate Reduction on Rhodium Surfaces.

Rh is a promising electrocatalyst for the nitrogen reduction reaction (NRR) given its suitable nitrogen-adsorption energy and low overpotential. However, the NRR pathway on Rh surfaces remains unknown. In this study, we employ surface-enhanced infrared-absorption spectroscopy (SEIRAS) and differential electrochemical mass spectrometry (DEMS) to study the reaction mechanism of NRR on Rh.

Metformin attenuates cartilage degeneration in an experimental osteoarthritis model by regulating AMPK/mTOR.

Background: It is generally thought that the occurrence and progression of osteoarthritis (OA) results from multiple causes, including degradation and destruction of the cartilage matrix and aging of chondrocytes. Metformin is a first-line drug for the treatment of diabetes, and has great potential for the treatment of other disorders. However, the role of metformin in OA is unknown.

Single Lithium-Ion Conducting Solid Polymer Electrolyte with Superior Electrochemical Stability and Interfacial Compatibility for Solid-State Lithium Metal Batteries.

Lithium metal batteries are being explored in meeting ever-increasing energy density needs. Because of serious dendritic lithium issues in liquid-state electrolytes, it is generally thought that solid-state electrolytes are potential alternatives for lithium metal batteries. Herein, we design a new single lithium-ion conducting lithium poly[(cyano)(4-styrenesulfonyl)imide] (LiPCSI) to replace the conventional dual-ion conducting salt for use in solid polymer electrolytes (SPEs) that successfully suppress the growth of lithium dendrites.

MiR-204-3p Inhibited the Proliferation of Bladder Cancer Cells via Modulating Lactate Dehydrogenase-Mediated Glycolysis.

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are endogenous non-coding RNAs that negatively regulate the expression of downstream targeted mRNAs. Increasing evidence has suggested that miRNAs act as tumor suppressors or oncogenes to interfere the progression of cancers. Here, we showed that miR-204-3p was decreased in bladder cancer tissues and cell lines.

A theranostic agent for cancer therapy and imaging in the second near-infrared window.

Theranostic nanoparticles are integrated systems useful for simultaneous diagnosis and imaging guided delivery of therapeutic drugs, with wide ranging potential applications in the clinic. Here we developed a theranostic nanoparticle (~ 24 nm size by dynamic light scattering) p-FE-PTX-FA based on polymeric micelle encapsulating an organic dye (FE) fluorescing in the 1,000-1,700 nm second near-infrared (NIR-II) window and an anti-cancer drug paclitaxel. Folic acid (FA) was conjugated to the nanoparticles to afford specific binding to molecular folate receptors on murine breast cancer 4T1 tumor cells.

Developing a Bright NIR-II Fluorophore with Fast Renal Excretion and Its Application in Molecular Imaging of Immune Checkpoint PD-L1.

Fluorescence imaging in the second near-infrared (NIR-II) window holds impressive advantages of enhanced penetration depth and improved signal-to-noise ratio. Bright NIR-II fluorophores with renal excretion ability and low tissue accumulation are favorable for in vivo molecular imaging applications as they can render the target-mediated molecular imaging process easily distinguishable. Here, a probe (anti-PD-L1-BGP6) comprising a fluorophore (IR-BGP6) covalently bonded to the programmed cell death ligand-1 monoclonal antibody (PD-L1 mAb) for molecular imaging of immune checkpoint PD-L1 (a targeting site upregulated in various tumors for cancer imaging) in the NIR-II window is reported.

Systematic genome editing of the genes on zebrafish Chromosome 1 by CRISPR/Cas9.

Genome editing by the well-established CRISPR/Cas9 technology has greatly facilitated our understanding of many biological processes. However, a complete whole-genome knockout for any species or model organism has rarely been achieved. Here, we performed a systematic knockout of all the genes (1333) on Chromosome 1 in zebrafish, successfully mutated 1029 genes, and generated 1039 germline-transmissible alleles corresponding to 636 genes.

Amine-Responsive Disassembly of Au -Cu Double Salts for Oxidative Carbonylation.

A sensitive amine-responsive disassembly of self-assembled Au -Cu double salts was observed and its utilization for the synergistic catalysis was enlightened. Investigation of the disassembly of [Au(NHC) ][CuI ] revealed the contribution of Cu-assisted ligand exchange of N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) by amine in [Au(NHC) ] and the capacity of [CuI ] on the oxidative step. By integrating the implicative information coded in the responsive behavior and inherent catalytic functions of d metal complexes, a catalyst for the oxidative carbonylation of amines was developed.

Highly active oxygen evolution integrated with efficient CO to CO electroreduction.

Electrochemical reduction of CO to useful chemicals has been actively pursued for closing the carbon cycle and preventing further deterioration of the environment/climate. Since CO reduction reaction (CORR) at a cathode is always paired with the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) at an anode, the overall efficiency of electrical energy to chemical fuel conversion must consider the large energy barrier and sluggish kinetics of OER, especially in widely used electrolytes, such as the pH-neutral CO-saturated 0.5 M KHCO OER in such electrolytes mostly relies on noble metal (Ir- and Ru-based) electrocatalysts in the anode.

Dual-Additive Assisted Chemical Vapor Deposition for the Growth of Mn-Doped 2D MoS with Tunable Electronic Properties.

Doping of bulk silicon and III-V materials has paved the foundation of the current semiconductor industry. Controlled doping of 2D semiconductors, which can also be used to tune their bandgap and type of carrier thus changing their electronic, optical, and catalytic properties, remains challenging. Here the substitutional doping of nonlike element dopant (Mn) at the Mo sites of 2D MoS is reported to tune its electronic and catalytic properties.

Nanoscale Architecture of the Cortical Actin Cytoskeleton in Embryonic Stem Cells.

Mechanical cues influence pluripotent stem cell differentiation, but the underlying mechanisms are not well understood. Mouse embryonic stem cells (mESCs) exhibit unusual cytomechanical properties, including low cell stiffness and attenuated responses to substrate rigidity, but the underlying structural basis remains obscure. Using super-resolution microscopy to investigate the actin cytoskeleton in mESCs, we observed that the actin cortex consists of a distinctively sparse and isotropic network.

Kinetic modulation of graphene growth by fluorine through spatially confined decomposition of metal fluorides.

Two-dimensional materials show a variety of promising properties, and controlling their growth is an important aspect for practical applications. To this end, active species such as hydrogen and oxygen are commonly introduced into reactors to promote the synthesis of two-dimensional materials with specific characteristics. Here, we demonstrate that fluorine can play a crucial role in tuning the growth kinetics of three representative two-dimensional materials (graphene, hexagonal boron nitride and WS).

Universal Bipolar Host Materials for Blue, Green, and Red Phosphorescent OLEDs with Excellent Efficiencies and Small-Efficiency Roll-Off.

Host materials are indispensable for the fabrication of organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) with phosphorescent emitters, but high-quality host materials that can efficiently and simultaneously function in blue, green, and red phosphorescent OLEDs (PHOLEDs) are much rare. In this work, four bipolar materials are developed using carbazole and 9,9-dimethyl-9,10-dihydroacridine as hole-transporting groups, pyridine as electron-transporting groups, and biphenyl and -methylbiphenyl as π-spacers. The crystal and electronic structures indicate that these materials have highly twisted conformations, which endow them with aggregation-induced emission features, intramolecular charge transfer processes, wide energy band gaps, and high triplet energies.

Efficient visible light modulation based on electrically tunable all dielectric metasurfaces embedded in thin-layer nematic liquid crystals.

All-dielectric metasurfaces have attracted attention for highly efficient visible light manipulation. So far, however, they are mostly passive devices, while those allowing dynamic control remain a challenge. A highly efficient tuning mechanism is immersing the metasurface in a birefringent liquid crystal (LC), whose refractive index can be electrically controlled.

Epitaxial growth of a 100-square-centimetre single-crystal hexagonal boron nitride monolayer on copper.

The development of two-dimensional (2D) materials has opened up possibilities for their application in electronics, optoelectronics and photovoltaics, because they can provide devices with smaller size, higher speed and additional functionalities compared with conventional silicon-based devices. The ability to grow large, high-quality single crystals for 2D components-that is, conductors, semiconductors and insulators-is essential for the industrial application of 2D devices. Atom-layered hexagonal boron nitride (hBN), with its excellent stability, flat surface and large bandgap, has been reported to be the best 2D insulator.