CuS Microspheres with Tunable Interlayer Space and Micropore as a High‐Rate and Long‐Life Anode for Sodium‐Ion Batteries

Layered transition metal sulfides (LTMSs) have tremendous commercial potential in anode materials for sodium‐ion batteries (SIBs) in large‐scale energy storage application. However, it is a great challenge for most LTMS electrodes to have long cycling life and high‐rate capability due to their larger volume expansion and the formation of soluble polysulfide intermediates caused by the conversion reaction. Herein, layered CuS microspheres with tunable interlayer space and pore volumes are reported through a cost‐effective interaction method using a cationic surfactant of cetyltrimethyl ammonium bromide (CTAB). The CuS–CTAB microsphere as an anode for SIBs reveals a high reversible capacity of 684.6 mAh g^?1 at 0.1 A g^?1, and 312.5 mAh g^?1 at 10 A g^?1 after 1000 cycles with high capacity retention of 90.6%. The excellent electrochemical performance is attributed to the unique structure of this material, and a high pseudocapacitive contribution ensures its high‐rate performance. Moreover, in situ X‐ray diffraction is applied to investigate their sodium storage mechanism. It is found that the long chain CTAB in the CuS provides buffer space, traps polysulfides, and restrains the further growth of Cu particles during the conversion reaction process that ensure the long cycling stability and high reversibility of the electrode material.     

Circular RNA circDVL1 inhibits clear cell renal cell carcinoma progression through the miR-412-3p/PCDH7 axis

Clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) is a primary kidney cancer with high aggressive phenotype and extremely poor prognosis. Accumulating evidence suggests that circular RNAs (circRNAs) play pivotal roles in the occurrence and development of various human cancers. However, the expression, clinical significance and regulatory role of circRNAs in ccRCC remain largely unclear. Here we report that circDVL1 to be reduced in the serums and tissues from ccRCC patients, and to negatively correlate with ccRCC malignant features. Overexpression of circDVL1 inhibits proliferation, induces G1/S arrest, triggers apoptosis, and reduces migration and invasion in different ccRCC cells in vitro. Correspondingly, circDVL1 overexpression suppresses ccRCC tumorigenicity in a mouse xenograft model. Mechanistically, circDVL1 serves as a sponge for oncogenic miR-412-3p, thereby preventing miR-412-3p-mediated repression of its target protocadherin 7 (PCDH7) in ccRCC cells. Collectively, our results demonstrate that circDVL1 exerts tumor-suppressive function during ccRCC progression through circDVL1/miR-412-3p/PCDH7 axis, and suggest that circDVL1 could be a novel diagnostic and prognositc marker and therapeutic target for ccRCC.     

NGF 与Neuritin 在脑外伤伴四肢骨折病人血清中的表达及意义

目的:通过检测脑外伤患者、脑外伤合并骨折患者、骨折患者及正常人外周血中NGF,neuritin不同时间段的表达,根据其含量的变化,判断与骨折愈合速度的相关性,寻找骨折愈合的关键因子。方法:收集单纯脑外伤、单纯骨折患者各80例、脑外伤合并骨折患者60例、健康体检人群20例。选取外伤后3天、10天、2周抽取所有实验对象的静脉血,应用ELISA技术测定标本中NGF与Neuritin的含量。结果:损伤后每个时间段里,患者血清中NGF、neuritin含量有不同程度升高,均高于正常对照组,其中又以脑外伤合并骨折组最高。血清NGF在骨折合并脑外伤组伤后第3天含量明显升高,为(0.86±0.21),伤后10天为(1.47±0.29),14天为(2.0 7±0.21),脑外伤合并四肢骨折组neuritin血清含量在伤后第3天略有升高为(83.47±18.85),10天(108.50±31.65),2周(91.86±21.12).脑外伤合并骨折病人血清NGF、neuritin表达明显高于其他对照组,差别均有统计学意义(P<0.05)。结论:脑外伤合并骨折病人血清NGF、neuritin表达明显高于其他对照组,说明与骨折愈合有着密切的相关性,两种因子可能在骨折愈合修复过程中共同起作用,从而,推测可能是脑外伤后骨折愈合加速的重要因素。     

A novel carbonyl reductase from Pichia stipitis for the production of ethyl (S)-4-chloro-3-hydroxybutanoate

An NADPH-dependent carbonyl reductase (PsCR) gene from Pichia stipitis was cloned. It contains an open reading frame of 849 bp encoding 283 amino acids whose sequence had less than 60% identity to known reductases that produce ethyl (S)-4-chloro-3-hydroxybutanoates (S-CHBE). When expressed in Escherichia coli, the recombinant PsCR exhibited an activity of 27 U/mg using ethyl 4-chloro-3-oxobutanoate (COBE) as a substrate. Reduction of COBE to (S)-CHBE by transformants in an aqueous mono-phase system for 18 h, gave a molar yield of 94% and an optical purity of the (S)-isomer of more than 99% enantiomeric excess.     

The effect of mesenchymal stromal cells on doxorubicin-induced nephropathy in rats

Background aimsThe potential protective effects of mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) on some kidney diseases has been reported. However, the effect of MSCs on doxorubicin-induced nephropathy is still poorly understood.MethodsRats with doxorubicin-induced kidney injuries were treated with human cord-derived MSCs. Human MSCs were first labeled with 5-bromo-2′-deoxyuridine to track their homing in kidneys after infusion.ResultsAlleviation of proteinuria, decreased serum albumin, alleviation of lipid disorders and histologic alterations were found in rats 4 weeks after treatment with MSCs, particularly in rats that were given repeat doses. Decreases in serum levels of interleukin-6, tumor necrosis factor-α and prostaglandin E₂ and decreases in messenger RNA levels of kidney tissue cylooxygenase-2 and EP4 were found in MSC-treated rats. MSC-treated rats also displayed an increase in serum interleukin-10 levels.ConclusionsThese results indicate that MSCs ameliorate doxorubicin-induced kidney injuries and inflammation, suggesting a potential clinical treatment for inflammatory kidney diseases.     

Effects of a moderate-intensity static magnetic field and adriamycin on K562 cells

The aim of this study was to investigate whether a moderate‐intensity static magnetic field (SMF) can enhance the killing effect of adriamycin (ADM) on K562 cells, and to explore the effects of SMF combined with ADM on K562 cells. We analyzed the metabolic activity of cells, cell cycle distribution, DNA damage, change in cell ultrastructure, and P‐glycoprotein (P‐gp) expression after K562 cells were exposed continuously to a uniform 8.8 mT SMF for 12 h, with or without ADM. Our results showed that the SMF combined with ADM (25 ng/ml) significantly inhibited the metabolic activity of K562 cells (P < 0.05), while neither ADM nor the SMF alone affected the metabolic activity of these cells. Cell ultrastructure was altered in the SMF + ADM group. For example, cell membrane was depressed, some protuberances were observable, and vacuoles in the cytoplasm became larger. Cells were arrested at the G2/M phase and DNA damage increased after cells were treated with the SMF plus ADM. ADM also induced the P‐gp expression. In contrast, in the SMF group and SMF + ADM group, the P‐gp expression was decreased compared with the ADM group. Taken together, our results showed that the 8.8 mT SMF enhanced the cytotoxity potency of ADM on K562 cells, and the decrease in P‐gp expression may be one reason underlying this effect. Bioelectromagnetics 32:191–199, 2011. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.     

扶桑绵粉蚧组织蛋白酶B基因的克隆、原核表达和不同发育阶段表达分析

昆虫组织蛋白酶B在昆虫代谢过程中发挥重要作用。本研究利用RACE技术克隆了扶桑绵粉蚧Phenacoccus solenopsis Tinsley组织蛋白酶B基因的开放阅读框（ORF）序列, 命名为PsCb （GenBank登录号: JQ727999）。生物信息学分析表明, 该基因的开放阅读框包含927 bp的片段, 编码308个氨基酸。多序列比对表明, 该基因编码的蛋白在N端变异较大, 在C端保守性高。组织蛋白酶B基因的系统进化树结果表明扶桑绵粉蚧组织蛋白酶独自成为一支。原核表达电泳检测到一条大约35 kDa的目的条带, 与预测的蛋白分子量相符。组织蛋白酶B基因在扶桑绵粉蚧各个虫态均有表达, 卵期表达量相对较低, 2龄若虫期达到最高峰, 然后下降。本研究为进一步研究该基因的功能并开发出组织蛋白酶抑制剂, 从而研制出扶桑绵粉蚧杀卵剂和胚胎发育抑制剂等提供理论依据。     

Chloroplast phylogeographic patterns of Calligonum sect. Pterococcus (Polygonaceae) in arid Northwest China

To understand the impacts of past climatic change and geological events on the evolutionary history of Calligonum sect. Pterococcus, including C. aphyllum, C. rubicundum and C. leucocladum, a total of 128 individuals from 14 populations, mainly from arid Northwest China, were sampled. Two cpDNA intergenic spacer regions (rpl32‐trnL and ycf6‐psbM) were sequenced and 11 haplotypes were identified. Levels of genetic differentiation between populations was low in C. rubicundum (F_ST = 0.54317, p < 0.001) and C. aphyllum (F_ST = 0.55795), while much higher in C. leucocladum (F_ST = 0.95800, p < 0.001), possibly as an effct of differences in geographic distributions and habitats. Analysis of molecular variance (AMOVA) revealed that most of the total genetic variations occurred among species (72.97%). Among eleven identified haplotypes, only H1 and H2 were shared between C. aphyllum and C. rubicundum, while nine were private for one of the three species. The eleven identified haplotypes were divided into two major clades, but they did not yield three species‐specific lineages. Calligonum sect. Pterococcus therefore not appeared reciprocally monophyletic, more likely due to incomplete lineage sorting than hybridization. Mismatch distribution analysis suggested that only C. aphyllum has experienced recent demographic expansion. Divergence time among the 11 haplotypes was estimated at between 2.84 Ma and 0.06 Ma. Within the two clades, haplotype divergence began in early Pleistocene and mainly occurred during the middle to late Pleistocene and was most likely triggered by Quaternary climatic oscillations and increasing aridity of the region.