Search

Carbonaceous materials, such as hard carbon and porous carbon, have gained great attentions as the anode materials for Na-ion batteries (NIBs). However, their defects and disordered structure cause the low initial coulombic efficiency (ICE), high-potential slope region and small charge capacity below 0.5 V. Herein, a structurally stable MOF contained 1,3,5-triazine-2,4,6-triamine moieties, belonging to the tetragonal space group I 4/m, is synthesized. On this basis, MOF-derived crystalline carbon with graphite-like crystal, instead of amorphous porous carbon, can be obtained due to slow pyrolysis of MOF framework along with timely and sufficient reassembly of the pyrolyzed carbon atoms into graphite-like crystal under graphite-induced condition. The graphite-like crystal has a geometrically similar unit cell to graphite crystal but with a magnification ratio of 1.25, yielding proportionally expanded d-spacing of (002) plane (4.2 Å), which enables the reversible Na+ intercalation/de-intercalation. When applied in NIBs, it exhibits a very high ICE of 96.0% and reversible charge capacity of 356.2 mAh g−1, reaching the advanced level of graphite applied in LIBs. More importantly, its charge capacity below 0.5 V can account for 90% of the total charge capacity, which is also the key parameter to effectively increase the energy density of full batteries. A structurally stable MOF crystallizing in the tetragonal system was synthesized, which can be transformed into graphite-like crystal with an expanded (002) plane spacing of 4.2 Å under graphite-induced conditions. Accordingly, a high initial coulombic efficiency, low potential plateau and large capacity below 0.5 V are simultaneously for sodium storage. [Display omitted] • MOF is transformed into graphite-like crystal under graphite-induced condition. • Graphite-like crystal has a geometrically similar unit cell to graphite crystal. • Graphite-like crystal enables the reversible Na+ intercalation and deintercalation. • Graphite-like crystal exhibits an ICE of 96% and charge capacity of 356.2 mAh g−1. • The charge capacity below 0.5 V can account for 90% of the total charge capacity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Colorectal cancer (CRC) cells undergo apoptosis in the presence of the small-molecule inhibitor ABT-263 by up-regulating antiapoptotic Bcl-2 family members. However, the resistance to ABT-263 gradually developed in most solid tumors due to its low affinity to Mcl-1. Here, we found the BET-Bromodomain inhibitor JQ1, when combined with ABT-263, synergistically reduced Mcl-1 protein level, induced apoptosis, and decreased cell viability in the CRC HCT-15, HT-29 and SW620 cells. The subsequent mechanism study revealed that a pathway of c-Myc/miR-1271-5p/Noxa/Mcl-1 underlies the synergistic effect of such combination treatment. We discovered that miR-1271-5p, the key mediator for the synergistic effect, is transcriptionally activated by c-Myc, and binds to the 3′-UTR of noxa to inhibit its protein production. The combination treatment of JQ1 and ABT-263 inhibited c-Myc protein level and also c-Myc-driven expression of miR-1271-5p, subsequently increased the protein level of Noxa, and finally promotes the degradation of Mcl-1. Our findings provide an alternative strategy to resolve the resistance during treatment of CRC by JQ1, and also discovered a novel miR-1271-5p-dependent regulatory mechanism for gene expression of noxa . [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Co-free, Ni-rich cathode materials have aroused enormous attentions for the low cost, sustainable development of lithium-ion batteries. However, it is not easy to fabricate single-crystalline Ni-rich cathode materials from the hierarchical structured precursors via coprecipitation method. Furthermore, it is difficult to introduce Al dopant during the coprecipitation process to obtain high quality Ni-rich cathode material owing to the rapid sediment of Al3+. Herein, we developed a one-step stirring-assisted cation chelation and reassembly route for fabricating crack-free single-crystalline, Al-doped Co-free Ni-rich cathode material. The fabricated LiNi 0.8 Mn 0.16 Al 0.04 O 2 shows a high capacity of 204 mAh g−1 at 0.1C, excellent rate capability (143 mAh g−1 at 10C), and good cycling stability (an initial specific capacity of 178 mAh g−1 with capacity retention of 82.2% at 1C over 200 cycles). Furthermore, when tested at a raised temperature of 55 °C, it exhibited an initial capacity of 194.7 mAh g−1 with capacity retention of 82.1% at 1C over 100 cycles. The outstanding electrochemical performance can be ascribed to the synergistic effect of single crystalline structure and successful doping of Al element in the cathode, which enable fast ion and electron transport, suppress Li/Ni mixing and maintain the structural stability. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The chemokine CXCL9 has been demonstrated to play an important role in the development of human malignancies. However, its prognostic significance in cancer patients remains unclear and less is known about its role in colonrectal carcinoma (CRC) patients. In this study, we found that the relative mRNA expression level of CXCL9 in primary colorectal tumor tissues was significantly higher than that in corresponding normal colon tissues. CXCL9 protein expression was also detected in 102 of 130 primary CRC patients by immunochemistry. Thus, CXCL9 might play a vital role in the progression of colorectal cancer. By analyzing the correlation between clinicopathological factors of patients and expression of CXCL9 protein, we showed that the expression of CXCL9 was significantly associated with tumor differentiation, tumor invasion, lymph node metastasis, distant metastasis, and vascular invasion, but not with other factors of CRC patients including age, gender, tumor location and tumor size. Furthermore, by performing Kaplan–Meier method as well as Cox’s univariate and multivariate hazard regression model, we found that the higher the CXCL9 expression, the higher overall survival rate was observed, and CXCL9 expression was a significant independent prognostic factor for CRC patients. Therefore, CXCL9 is a useful predictor of better clinical outcome in CRC patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The expression of chemokine receptor CXCR3 has been associated with tumor dissemination and poor prognosis in breast cancer patients. However, it is still unclear whether CXCR3 can be used as an independent molecular marker for predicting the prognosis of colonrectal carcinoma (CRC) patients. In this study, we found that the relative level of CXCR3 mRNA expression in primary colorectal cancer tissues was significantly higher than that in corresponding non-tumor colon tissues. CXCR3 protein expression was also detected in 98 of 112 primary CRC patients. Thus, CXCR3 might play a vital role in the progression of colorectal cancer. By analyzing the correlation between clinicopathological factors of patients and expression of CXCR3 protein, we showed that high level of CXCR3 protein expression was significantly associated with tumor differentiation, tumor size, lymph node metastasis, distant metastasis, and Dukes’ classification, but not with other factors of CRC patients including gender, age, tumor location and tumor invasion. Furthermore, patients with high CXCR3 expression showed poorer overall survival than those with low CXCR3 expression. Univariate and multivariate analysis indicated that the status of CXCR3 protein expression might be an independent prognostic marker for CRC patients. Therefore, CXCR3 is an indicator of a poor prognosis and a promising target for cancer therapy in colorectal cancer. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Mucositis arising from cancer chemotherapy is a common problem for which there is no definitive treatment. 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) is a common cytotoxic agent used to treat solid tumors. A global gene expression array was performed to identify genetic signals involved in the pathogenesis of mucositis. The chemokine (C-X-C motif) ligand 9 (CXCL9) was one of the candidates identified that presented a characteristic gene expression profile; its temporal expression pattern was correlated with the damage and regeneration phases of the small intestine upon 5-FU chemotherapy. We found that prophylactic CXCL9 administration was able to attenuate the severity of mucositis, weight loss and diarrhea caused by chemotherapy. CXCL9 also increased the tolerance of the mice to lethal-dose chemotherapy. Moreover, we demonstrated that CXCL9 was able to promote the proliferation and regeneration of intestinal cells by inhibiting the proliferation of normal intestinal mucosal cells prior to chemotherapy and by reducing the 5-FU-induced apoptosis in intestinal crypts. Thus, pretreatment with CXCL9 is a new and promising strategy for the alleviation of chemotherapy-induced intestinal mucositis in clinical settings. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Chemotherapy induced intestinal mucositis is still an unmet medical problem. 5-fluorouracil (5-Fu), a chemotherapy drug, was used to create the animal model of mucositis. Global gene expression array was applied to identify genetic signals involved in the pathogenesis of mucositis. Interleukin 1 receptor antagonist (IL-1Ra) was one of the candidates with the characteristic gene expression profile. Its temporal expression pattern correlated to the damage and regeneration phase of the small intestine after a single injection of 5-Fu to mice. Administration of recombinant IL-1Ra to the mouse model of intestinal mucositis induced by 5-Fu demonstrated its therapeutic effects to the symptoms and pathology of the disease. The IL-1Ra treatment reduced the acute lethality, accelerated their body weight recovery, and eliminated severe diarrhea. The symptomatic benefits were supported by the pathological benefits, in which the mice treated with IL-1Ra has less damage and faster recovery of the structure integrity of their small intestine than that of the mice treated with vehicle control. To deliver the therapeutics to the unmet medical condition, further mechanism and translational studies of IL-1Ra in the settings of chemotherapy induced intestinal mucositis are warranted. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Chemotherapy-induced intestinal mucositis is still an unmet medical problem. 5-Fluorouracil (5-Fu), a chemotherapy drug, was used to create the animal model of mucositis. Global gene expression array was applied to identify genetic signals involved in the pathogenesis of mucositis. Interleukin 1 receptor antagonist (IL-1Ra) was one of the candidates with the characteristic gene expression profile. Its temporal expression pattern correlated to the damage and regeneration phase of the small intestine after a single injection of 5-Fu to mice. Administration of recombinant IL-1Ra to the mouse model of intestinal mucositis induced by 5-Fu demonstrated its therapeutic effects to the symptoms and pathology of the disease. The IL-1Ra treatment reduced the acute lethality, accelerated their body weight recovery, and eliminated severe diarrhea. The symptomatic benefits were supported by the pathological benefits, in which the mice treated with IL-1Ra had less damage and faster recovery of the structure integrity of their small intestine than that of the mice treated with vehicle control. To deliver the therapeutics to the unmet medical condition, further mechanism and translational studies of IL-1Ra in the settings of chemotherapy-induced intestinal mucositis are warranted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] Hard carbon, also known as hardly graphitizable carbon, shows great potential for Na-ion batteries (NIBs), but its practical application is greatly hindered by the low initial coulombic efficiency (ICE). Here we report the growth of the completely crystalline carbon from hard carbon precursor under sufficient graphite template-induced conditions. The most crucial growth stage is realized at the low temperature slightly higher than pyrolysis peak temperature (e.g. 380 °C for eggshell membrane), in which sufficient biomass pyrolysis is realized; graphite crystal template can efficiently induce the decomposed carbon atoms and atomic fragments orderly align in parallel fashion enabling their orderly mobility and conversion of sp3-hybridized carbon to sp2-hybridized carbon, promoting the formation of crystal structure. Further high temperature calcination (e.g. 1300 °C) is used to improve the crystal quality, leading to the formation of completely crystalline carbon. The graphite-like crystal possesses a geometrically similar unit-cell to graphite but proportionally enlarged unit-cell constants and interplanar distance of (002) plane. When used as an anode in NIBs, it achieves an ICE up to 99.5% with large reversible capacity of 321.7 mAh/g. Furthermore, it demonstrates only low-voltage plateaus below 0.5 V without high-voltage slope region, showing the same electrochemical behaviors as Li-graphite counterpart. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]