Hexagonal Boron Nitride‐Based Electrolyte Composite for Li‐Ion Battery Operation from Room Temperature to 150 °C

Batteries for high temperature applications capable of withstanding over 60 °C are still dominated by primary cells. Conventional rechargeable energy storage technologies which have exceptional performance at ambient temperatures employ volatile electrolytes and soft separators, resulting in catastrophic failure under heat. A composite electrolyte/separator is reported that holds the key to extend the capability of Li‐ion batteries to high temperatures. A stoichiometric mixture of hexagonal boron nitride, piperidinium‐based ionic liquid, and a lithium salt is formulated, with ionic conductivity reaching 3 mS cm^?1, electrochemical stability up to 5 V and extended thermal stability. The composite is used in combination with conventional electrodes and demonstrates to be stable for over 600 cycles at 120 °C, with a total capacity fade of less than 3%. The ease of formulation along with superior thermal and electrochemical stability of this system extends the use of Li‐ion chemistries to applications beyond consumer electronics and electric vehicles.     

A proteomics approach to identifying key protein targets involved in VEGF inhibitor mediated attenuation of bleomycin‐induced pulmonary fibrosis

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a progressive lung disease with a life expectancy of less than 5 years post diagnosis for most patients. Poor molecular characterization of IPF has led to insufficient understanding of the pathogenesis of the disease, resulting in lack of effective therapies. In this study, we have integrated a label‐free LC‐MS based approach with systems biology to identify signaling pathways and regulatory nodes within protein interaction networks that govern phenotypic changes that may lead to IPF. Ingenuity Pathway Analysis of proteins modulated in response to bleomycin treatment identified PI3K/Akt and Wnt signaling as the most significant profibrotic pathways. Similar analysis of proteins modulated in response to vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) inhibitor (CBO‐P11) treatment identified natural killer cell signaling and PTEN signaling as the most significant antifibrotic pathways. Mechanistic/mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) and extracellular signal‐regulated kinase (ERK) were identified to be key mediators of pro‐ and antifibrotic response, where bleomycin (BLM) treatment resulted in increased expression and VEGF inhibitor treatment attenuated expression of mTOR and ERK. Using a BLM mouse model of pulmonary fibrosis and VEGF inhibitor CBO‐P11 as a therapeutic measure, we identified a comprehensive set of signaling pathways and proteins that contribute to the pathogenesis of pulmonary fibrosis that can be targeted for therapy against this fatal disease.     

AMPK-dependent phosphorylation of lipid droplet protein PLIN2 triggers its degradation by CMA

Lipids stored in lipid droplets are hydrolyzed via either cytosolic lipases or a selective form of macroautophagy known as lipophagy. We recently demonstrated that chaperone-mediated autophagy (CMA) is required for the initiation of lipolysis by either of these independent lipolytic pathways. CMA selectively degrades the lipid droplet proteins perilipins (PLIN) 2 and 3 from the lipid droplet surface, thus, facilitating the recruitment of cytosolic lipases and autophagy effector proteins to the lipid droplets. PLIN2 phosphorylation was observed upon induction of lipolysis, but the phosphorylating kinase and the relation of this phosphorylation with CMA of PLIN2 remained unknown. Here, we report that phosphorylation of PLIN2 is dependent on AMPK and occurs after the interaction of PLIN2 with the CMA chaperone HSPA8/Hsc70. Our results highlight a role for posttranslational modifications in priming proteins to be amenable for degradation by CMA.     

Prevalence and Association of Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis with Disease Course in Patients with Ulcero-Constrictive Ileocolonic Disease

Background

Association of Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis (MAP) and Crohn’s disease (CD) has been controversial due to contradictory reports. Therefore, we determined the prevalence of MAP in patients with CD and intestinal tuberculosis (ITB) and its association with clinical course.

Methodology

Blood and intestinal biopsies were taken from 69 CD, 32 ITB patients and 41 patients with haemorrhoidal bleed who served as controls. qPCR targeting of MAP-specific IS900 gene was used to detect the presence of MAP DNA. qPCR results were further validated by sequencing. Immunohistochemistry (IHC) was used to detect the presence of MAP antigen in biopsy specimens. CD and ITB patients were followed-up for disease course and response to therapy.

Principal Findings

The frequency of MAP-specific DNA in biopsies by qPCR was significantly higher in CD patients (23.2%, p = 0.03) as compared to controls (7.3%). No significant difference in intestinal MAP presence was observed between ITB patients (12.5%, p = 0.6) and controls (7.3%). MAP presence in blood of CD patients was 10.1% as compared to 4.9% in controls while no patients with ITB were found to be positive (p = 0.1). Using IHC for detection of MAP antigen, the prevalence of MAP in CD was 2.9%, 12.5% in ITB patients and 2.4% in controls. However, long-term follow-up of the patients revealed no significant associations between clinical characteristics and treatment outcomes with MAP positivity.

Conclusion

We report significantly high prevalence of MAP in intestinal biopsies of CD patients. However, the presence of MAP does not affect the disease course and treatment outcomes in either CD or ITB patients.     

Association of DNA Methylation at CPT1A Locus with Metabolic Syndrome in the Genetics of Lipid Lowering Drugs and Diet Network (GOLDN) Study

In this study, we conducted an epigenome-wide association study of metabolic syndrome (MetS) among 846 participants of European descent in the Genetics of Lipid Lowering Drugs and Diet Network (GOLDN). DNA was isolated from CD4+ T cells and methylation at ~470,000 cytosine-phosphate-guanine dinucleotide (CpG) pairs was assayed using the Illumina Infinium HumanMethylation450 BeadChip. We modeled the percentage methylation at individual CpGs as a function of MetS using linear mixed models. A Bonferroni-corrected P-value of 1.1 x 10⁻⁷ was considered significant. Methylation at two CpG sites in CPT1A on chromosome 11 was significantly associated with MetS (P for cg00574958 = 2.6x10^-14 and P for cg17058475 = 1.2x10^-9). Significant associations were replicated in both European and African ancestry participants of the Bogalusa Heart Study. Our findings suggest that methylation in CPT1A is a promising epigenetic marker for MetS risk which could become useful as a treatment target in the future.     

Desiccation stress induces developmental heterochrony in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Drosophila melanogaster</Emphasis>

Stressful environments are known to perturb developmental patterns in insects. In the purview of desiccation as a stressor, relatively little is known about the developmental consequences linked with desiccation tolerance. In this study, we have particularly focused on the exploration of the temporal profile of postembryonic development in response to desiccation exposure in Drosophila melanogaster and the associated trade-offs. We document a correlation between variations in 20-hydroxyecdysone levels and the altered timing of metamorphic events during the life cycle. Following desiccation, we observed an extension in the larval longevity whereas the duration of the pupal and adult stages was significantly shortened. Alternately, feeding of 20-hydroxyecdysone apparently led to the restoration of the normal temporal pattern of development in the desiccated group. In spite of the desiccation-responsive heterochronic shifts in development, the overall lifespan post recovery remained almost unaltered among the desiccated and undesiccated groups suggesting plasticity in developmental control. This observation reminisces ‘canalization-like’ phenomenon that buffers alterations in the overall lifespan. We thus identified a desiccation-responsive period in the lifespan of D. melanogaster during which variations in ecdysone levels are capable to alter the temporal course of development.     

Nanocrystalline SrS:Ce3+ system for the generation of white light‐emitting diodes

Nanocrystalline SrS phosphors doped with Ce³⁺ ions at different concentrations (0.5, 1, 1.5 and 2 mol%) are synthesized via the solid‐state diffusion method (SSDM), which is suitable for the large‐scale production of phosphors in industrial applications. The as‐prepared samples are characterized using an X‐ray diffraction (XRD) technique, field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), high‐resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) and energy‐dispersive X‐ray (EDX) analysis. The optical properties of these phosphors are analyzed using reflectance spectra, photoluminescence spectra and afterglow decay curves. The cubic structure of the SrS phosphor is confirmed by XRD analysis and the crystallite size calculated by Scherer's formula using XRD data shows the nanocrystalline nature of the phosphors. No phase change is observed with increasing concentrations of Ce³⁺ ions. The surface morphology of the prepared phosphors is determined by FESEM, which shows a sphere‐like structure and good connectivity of the grains. The authenticity of the formation of nanocrystalline phosphors is examined by HRTEM analysis. Elemental compositional information for the prepared phosphors is gathered by EDX analysis. Photoluminescence studies reveal that the emission spectra of the prepared phosphor shows broad band emission centered at 458 and 550 nm due to the transition of electrons from the 5d → 4f energy levels. The afterglow decay characteristics of different as‐synthesized SrS:Ce³⁺ nanophosphors are conceptually described. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.