Kruppel‐like factor 4 improves obesity‐related nephropathy through increasing mitochondrial biogenesis and activities

Obesity is positively linked to multiple metabolic complications including renal diseases. Several studies have demonstrated Kruppel‐like factor 4 (KLF4) participated in renal dysfunction and structural disorders in acute kidney injuries, but whether it affected the process of chronic kidney diseases was unknown. Therefore, present study was to disclose the role of renal KLF4 in dietary‐induced renal injuries and underlying mechanisms in obesity. Through utilizing high‐fat diet‐fed mice and human renal biopsies, we provided the physiological roles of KLF4 in protecting against obesity‐related nephropathy. Decreased levels of renal KLF4 were positively correlated with dietary‐induced renal dysfunction, including increased levels of creatinine and blood urea nitrogen. Overexpression of renal KLF4 suppressed inflammatory response in palmitic acid‐treated mouse endothelial cells. Furthermore, overexpressed KLF4 also attenuated dietary‐induced renal functional disorders, abnormal structural remodelling and inflammation. Mechanistically, KLF4 maintained renal mitochondrial biogenesis and activities to combat obesity‐induced mitochondrial dysfunction. In clinical renal biopsies and plasma, the renal Klf4 level was negatively associated with circulating levels of creatinine but positively associated with renal creatinine clearance. In conclusions, the present findings firstly supported that renal KLF4 played an important role in combating obesity‐related nephropathy, and KLF4/mitochondrial function partially determined the energy homeostasis in chronic kidney diseases.     

Diminished social interaction incentive contributes to social deficits in mouse models of autism spectrum disorder

One of the core symptoms of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is impaired social interaction. Currently, no pharmacotherapies exist for this symptom due to complex biological underpinnings and distinct genetic models which fail to represent the broad disease spectrum. One convincing hypothesis explaining social deficits in human ASD patients is amotivation, however it is unknown whether mouse models of ASD represent this condition. Here we used two highly trusted ASD mouse models (male Shank3‐deficient [Shank3^+/ΔC] mice modeling the monogenic etiology of ASD, and inbred BTBR mice [both male and female] modeling the idiopathic and highly polygenic pathology for ASD) to evaluate the level of motivation to engage in a social interaction. In the behavioral paradigms utilized, a social stimulus was placed in the open arm of the elevated plus maze (EPM), or the light compartment of the light‐dark box (LDB). To engage in a social interaction, mice were thus required to endure innately aversive conditions (open areas, height, and/or light). In the modified EPM paradigm, both Shank3^+/ΔC and BTBR mice demonstrated decreased open‐arm engagement with a social stimulus but not a novel object, suggesting reduced incentive to engage in a social interaction in these models. However, these deficits were not expressed under the less severe aversive pressures of the LDB. Collectively, we show that ASD mouse models exhibit diminished social interaction incentive, and provide a new investigation strategy facilitating the study of the neurobiological mechanisms underlying social reward and motivation deficits in neuropsychiatric disorders.     

High‐Efficiency CsPbI2Br Perovskite Solar Cells with Dopant‐Free Poly(3‐hexylthiophene) Hole Transporting Layers

CsPbI₂Br is emerging as a promising all‐inorganic material for perovskite solar cells (PSCs) due to its more stable lattice structure and moisture resistance compared to CsPbI₃, although its device performance is still much behind this counterpart. Herein, a preannealing process is developed and systematically investigated to achieve high‐quality CsPbI₂Br films by regulating the nucleation and crystallization of perovskite. The preannealing temperature and time are specifically optimized for a dopant‐free poly(3‐hexylthiophene) (P3HT)‐based device to target dopant‐induced drastic performance degradation for spiro‐OMeTAD‐based devices. The resulting P3HT‐based device exhibits comparable power conversion efficiency (PCE) to spiro‐OMeTAD‐based devices but much enhanced ambient stability with over 95% PCE after 1300 h. A diphenylamine derivative is introduced as a buffer layer to improve the energy‐level mismatch between CsPbI₂Br and P3HT. A record‐high PCE of 15.50% for dopant‐free P3HT‐based CsPbI₂Br PSCs is achieved by alleviating the open‐circuit voltage loss with the buffer layer. These results demonstrate that the preannealing processing together with a suitable buffer layer are applicable strategies for developing dopant‐free P3HT PSCs with high efficiency and stability.     

Hybrid Perovskite‐Organic Flexible Tandem Solar Cell Enabling Highly Efficient Electrocatalysis Overall Water Splitting

Perovskite‐organic tandem solar cells are attracting more attention due to their potential for highly efficient and flexible photovoltaic device. In this work, efficient perovskite‐organic monolithic tandem solar cells integrating the wide bandgap perovskite (1.74 eV) and low bandgap organic active PBDB‐T:SN6IC‐4F (1.30 eV) layer, which serve as the top and bottom subcell, respectively, are developed. The resulting perovskite‐organic tandem solar cells with passivated wide‐bandgap perovskite show a remarkable power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 15.13%, with an open‐circuit voltage (V_oc) of 1.85 V, a short‐circuit photocurrent (J_sc) of 11.52 mA cm^?2, and a fill factor (FF) of 70.98%. Thanks to the advantages of low temperature fabrication processes and the flexibility properties of the device, a flexible tandem solar cell which obtain a PCE of 13.61%, with V_oc of 1.80 V, J_sc of 11.07 mA cm^?2, and FF of 68.31% is fabricated. Moreover, to demonstrate the achieved high V_oc in the tandem solar cells for potential applications, a photovoltaic (PV)‐driven electrolysis system combing the tandem solar cell and water splitting electrocatalysis is assembled. The integrated device demonstrates a solar‐to‐hydrogen efficiency of 12.30% and 11.21% for rigid, and flexible perovskite‐organic tandem solar cell based PV‐driven electrolysis systems, respectively.     

陕北白绒山羊DRB1基因外显子2遗传变异分析

本研究通过对123只陕北白绒山羊DRB1基因外显子2的遗传变异分析,旨在获得陕北白绒山羊DRB1基因的多态性及变异信息,为山羊抗病基因的挖掘研究提供基础资料。本研究共获得6条陕北白绒山羊DRB1基因外显子2序列,其中4条为首次发现。生物信息学分析表明DRB1位点具有较高的多态性,6条等位基因可能起源于2个祖先基因。在长期的进化过程中,DRB1位点受到了明显的选择压力作用,这种选择作用有助于陕北白绒山羊对当地气候的适应。蛋白质结构的预测证实了DRB1*1与其它等位基因间的差异性,说明核苷酸变异可能会引起蛋白质结构的改变,最终可能影响宿主对病原体的免疫应答。本次对陕北白绒山羊DRB1基因多态性的调查与分析有助于筛选疾病抗性和易感性MHC (Major histocompatibility complex)候选基因,进而可加速绒山羊抗病品系的改良与培育进程。     

From signaling to function: how strigolactones regulate plant development

Science China Life Sciences -     

Magnesium isotope fractionation during microbially enhanced forsterite dissolution

Bacillus subtilis endospore‐mediated forsterite dissolution experiments were performed to assess the effects of cell surface reactivity on Mg isotope fractionation during chemical weathering. Endospores present a unique opportunity to study the isolated impact of cell surface reactivity because they exhibit extremely low metabolic activity. In abiotic control assays, ²⁴Mg was preferentially released into solution during forsterite dissolution, producing an isotopically light liquid phase (δ²⁶Mg = ?0.39 ± 0.06 to ?0.26 ± 0.09‰) relative to the initial mineral composition (δ²⁶Mg = ?0.24 ± 0.03‰). The presence of endospores did not have an apparent effect on Mg isotope fractionation associated with the release of Mg from the solid into the aqueous phase. However, the endospore surfaces preferentially adsorbed ²⁴Mg from the dissolution products, which resulted in relatively heavy aqueous Mg isotope compositions. These aqueous Mg isotope compositions increased proportional to the fraction of dissolved Mg that was adsorbed, with the highest measured δ²⁶Mg (?0.08 ± 0.07‰) corresponding to the highest degree of adsorption (~76%). The Mg isotope composition of the adsorbed fraction was correspondingly light, at an average δ²⁶Mg of ?0.49‰. Secondary mineral precipitation and Mg adsorption onto secondary minerals had a minimal effect on Mg isotopes at these experimental conditions. Results demonstrate the isolated effects of cell surface reactivity on Mg isotope fractionation separate from other common biological processes, such as metabolism and organic acid production. With further study, Mg isotopes could be used to elucidate the role of the biosphere on Mg cycling in the environment.