2D Metal Zn Nanostructure Electrodes for High‐Performance Zn Ion Supercapacitors

Recent supercapacitors show a high power density with long‐term cycle life time in energy‐powering applications. A supercapacitor based on a single metal electrode accompanying multivalent cations, multiple charging/discharging kinetics, and high electrical conductivity is a promising energy‐storing system that replaces conventionally used oxide and sulfide materials. Here, a hierarchically nanostructured 2D‐Zn metal electrode‐ion supercapacitor (ZIC) is reported which significantly enhances the ion diffusion ability and overall energy storage performance. Those nanostructures can also be successfully plated on various flat‐type and fiber‐type current collectors by a controlled electroplating method. The ZIC exhibits excellent pseudocapacitive performance with a high energy density of 208 W h kg^?1 and a power density from 500 W kg^?1, which are significantly higher than those of previously reported supercapacitors with oxide and sulfide materials. Furthermore, the fiber‐type ZIC also shows high energy‐storing performance, outstanding mechanical flexibility, and waterproof characteristics, without any significant capacitance degradation during bending tests. These results highlight the promising possibility of nanostructured 2D Zn metal electrodes with the controlled electroplating method for future energy storage applications.     

Robust Swing‐Structured Triboelectric Nanogenerator for Efficient Blue Energy Harvesting

Ocean wave energy is a promising renewable energy source, but harvesting such irregular, “random,” and mostly ultra‐low frequency energies is rather challenging due to technological limitations. Triboelectric nanogenerators (TENGs) provide a potential efficient technology for scavenging ocean wave energy. Here, a robust swing‐structured triboelectric nanogenerator (SS‐TENG) with high energy conversion efficiency for ultra‐low frequency water wave energy harvesting is reported. The swing structure inside the cylindrical TENG greatly elongates its operation time, accompanied with multiplied output frequency. The design of the air gap and flexible dielectric brushes enable mininized frictional resistance and sustainable triboelectric charges, leading to enhanced robustness and durability. The TENG performance is controlled by external triggering conditions, with a long swing time of 88 s and a high energy conversion efficiency, as well as undiminished performance after continuous triggering for 4 00 000 cycles. Furthermore, the SS‐TENG is demonstrated to effectively harvest water wave energy. Portable electronic devices are successfully powered for self‐powered sensing and environment monitoring. Due to the excellent performance of the distinctive mechanism and structure, the SS‐TENG in this work provides a good candidate for harvesting blue energy on a large scale.     

Molecular phylogeny and species delimitation of Stachyuraceae: Advocating a herbarium specimen‐based phylogenomic approach in resolving species boundaries

Species concept and delimitation are fundamental to taxonomic and evolutionary studies. Both inadequate informative sites in the molecular data and limited taxon sampling have often led to poor phylogenetic resolution and incorrect species delineation. Recently, the whole chloroplast genome sequences from extensive herbarium specimen samples have been shown to be effective to amend the problem. Stachyuraceae are a small family consisting of only one genus Stachyurus of six to 16 species. However, species delimitation in Stachyurus has been highly controversial because of few and generally unstable morphological characters used for classification. In this study, we sampled 69 individuals of seven species (each with at least three individuals) covering the entire taxonomic diversity, geographic range, and morphological variation of Stachyurus from herbarium specimens for genome‐wide plastid gene sequencing to address species delineation in the genus. We obtained high‐quality DNAs from specimens using a recently developed DNA reconstruction technique. We first assembled four whole chloroplast genome sequences. Based on the chloroplast genome and one nuclear ribosomal DNA sequence of Stachyurus, we designed primers for multiplex polymerase chain reaction and high throughput sequencing of 44 plastid loci for species of Stachyurus. Data of these chloroplast DNA and nuclear ribosomal DNA internal transcribed spacer sequences were used for phylogenetic analyses. The phylogenetic results showed that the Japanese species Stachyurus praecox Siebold & Zucc. was sister to the rest in mainland China, which indicated a typical Sino‐Japanese distribution pattern. Based on diagnostic morphological characters, distinct distributional range, and monophyly of each clade, we redefined seven species for Stachyurus following an integrative species concept, and revised the taxonomy of the family based on previous reports and specimens, in particular the type specimens. Furthermore, our divergence time estimation results suggested that Stachyuraceae split from its sister group Crossosomataceae from the New World at ca. 54.29 Mya, but extant species of Stachyuraceae started their diversification only recently at ca. 6.85 Mya. Diversification time of Stachyurus in mainland China was estimated to be ca. 4.45 Mya. This research has provided an example of using the herbarium specimen‐based phylogenomic approach in resolving species boundaries in a taxonomically difficult genus.     

Experimental warming and drought treatments reduce physiological activities and increase mortality of Pinus koraiensis seedlings

Plant Ecology - This study was conducted to investigate physiological responses and mortality of P. koraiensis seedlings under warming and drought treatments. In May 2016, 90 P. koraiensis...     

Berberine ameliorates cellular senescence and extends the lifespan of mice via regulating p16 and cyclin protein expression

Although aging and senescence have been extensively studied in the past few decades, however, there is lack of clinical treatment available for anti‐aging. This study presents the effects of berberine (BBR) on the aging process resulting in a promising extension of lifespan in model organisms. BBR extended the replicative lifespan, improved the morphology, and boosted rejuvenation markers of replicative senescence in human fetal lung diploid fibroblasts (2BS and WI38). BBR also rescued senescent cells with late population doubling (PD). Furthermore, the senescence‐associated β‐galactosidase (SA‐β‐gal)‐positive cell rates of late PD cells grown in the BBR‐containing medium were ~72% lower than those of control cells, and its morphology resembled that of young cells. Mechanistically, BBR improved cell growth and proliferation by promoting entry of cell cycles from the G₀ or G₁ phase to S/G₂‐M phase. Most importantly, BBR extended the lifespan of chemotherapy‐treated mice and naturally aged mice by ~52% and ~16.49%, respectively. The residual lifespan of the naturally aged mice was extended by 80%, from 85.5 days to 154 days. The oral administration of BBR in mice resulted in significantly improved health span, fur density, and behavioral activity. Therefore, BBR may be an ideal candidate for the development of an anti‐aging medicine.     

Knockdown of DNA‐binding protein A enhances the chemotherapy sensitivity of colorectal cancer via suppressing the Wnt/β‐catenin/Chk1 pathway

DNA‐binding protein A (dbpA) is reported to be upregulated in many cancers and associated with tumor progress. The present study aimed to investigate the role of dbpA in 5‐fluorouracil (5‐FU)‐resistant and oxaliplatin (L‐OHP)‐resistant colorectal cancer (CRC) cells. We found that 5‐FU and L‐OPH treatment promoted the expression of dbpA. Enhanced dbpA promoted the drug resistance of SW620 cells to 5‐FU and L‐OHP. DbpA knockdown inhibited cell proliferation, induced cell apoptosis, and cell cycle arrested in SW620/5‐FU and SW620/L‐OHP cells. Besides, dbpA short hairpin RNA (shRNA) enhanced the cytotoxicity of 5‐FU and L‐OHP to SW620/5‐FU and SW620/L‐OHP cells. Meanwhile, dbpA shRNA inhibited the activation of the Wnt/β‐catenin pathway that induced by 5‐FU stimulation in SW620/5‐FU cells. Activation of the Wnt/β‐catenin pathway or overexpression of checkpoint kinase 1 (Chk1) abrogated the promoting effect of dbpA downregulation on 5‐FU sensitivity of CRC cells. Importantly, downregulation of dbpA suppressed tumor growth and promoted CRC cells sensitivity to 5‐FU in vivo. Our study indicated that the knockdown of dbpA enhanced the sensitivity of CRC cells to 5‐FU via Wnt/β‐catenin/Chk1 pathway, and DbpA may be a potential therapeutic target to sensitize drug resistance CRC to 5‐FU and L‐OHP.     

MicroRNA‐93‐5p expression in tumor tissue and its tumor suppressor function via targeting programmed death ligand‐1 in colorectal cancer

This work aimed to investigate miR‐93‐5p expression in tumor tissue and its in vitro effects in colorectal cancer (CRC) by targeting programmed death ligand‐1 (PD‐L1). MiR‐93‐5p and PD‐L1 expression was detected in CRC and adjacent normal tissues by quantitative real‐time polymerase chain reaction and immunohistochemistry. The correlation between miR‐93‐5p and PD‐L1 was validated by a dual‐luciferase reporter assay. HCT116 and SW480 cells were divided into blank, miR‐NC, miR‐93‐5p mimics, miR‐93‐5p inhibitor, PD‐L1 small interfering RNA (siRNA) and miR‐93‐5p inhibitor + PD‐L1 siRNA groups, and wound‐healing and transwell assays were performed to detect cell migration and invasion, respectively. Protein expression was measured by western blotting. The secretion of cytokines was detected in the CRC cell/T coculture models. MiR‐93‐5p was downregulated in CRC tissues with upregulated PD‐L1. In PD‐L1‐negative patients, miR‐93‐5p expression was increased compared with that in PD‐L1‐positive patients. MiR‐93‐5p and PD‐L1 expression levels were associated with the tumor differentiation, lymphatic metastasis, TNM, Duke's stage, and prognosis of CRC. PD‐L1 siRNA weakened the migration and invasion abilities via decreased expression of matrix metalloproteinase‐1 (MMP‐1), ‐2, and ‐9, and these effects were abolished by the miR‐93‐5p inhibitor. Additionally, anti‐PD‐L1 upregulated the expressions of interleukin‐2 (IL‐2), tumor necrosis factor‐α (TNF‐α), and interferon γ (IFN‐γ) in the coculture of T cells with CRC cells, but downregulated the expressions of IL‐1β, IL‐10, and TGF‐β. However, these changes were partially reversed by miR‐93‐5p inhibition. miR‐93‐5p is expected to be a novel target for CRC treatment since it decreases the migration and invasion, as well as the immune evasion, of CRC cells via targeting PD‐L1.