Search

In situ dual‐modal detection of electrophysiology (EP) and blood oxygen (BO) during muscle–vascular activity is crucial for healthcare and human–machine interaction. It requires an integrated monitoring system: a transparent electrode for EP detection directly adhered to skin and a near‐infrared spectroscopy (NIRs) layer for BO detection. In particular, the multi‐channel, highly transparent, stretchable electrodes should be well developed. In this study, 16‐channel transparent ionotronic electrodes are fabricated based on a stretchable and printable ionogel, demonstrating excellent properties such as high transparency, large stretchability, wet adhesion, biocompatibility, softness, and long‐term stability. The electrode exhibits stable contact impedance for 24 h and a 2‐week periodic EP monitoring. The 16‐channel transparent ionotronic electrode outperforms stretchable gold electrodes by providing stable EP monitoring with minimal interference in NIRs for blood oxygen detection. An in situ negative correlation is found between EP intensity and blood oxygen level over time. This study paves the way for designing transparent ionotronics for synchronous optical‐related monitoring and highlights the potential use of an in situ dual‐modal monitoring system for the study of muscle–vascular coupling in neurocience and rehabilitation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Stretchable ultra‐narrow (e.g., 10 µm in width) microelectrodes are crucial for the electrophysiological monitoring of single cells providing the fundamental understanding to the working mechanism of neuro network or other electrically functional cells. Current fabrication strategies either focus on the preparation of normal stretchable electrodes with hundreds of micrometers or millimeters in width by using inorganic conductive materials or develop conductive organic polymer gel for ultra‐narrow electrodes which suffer from low stretchability and instability for long‐term implantation, therefore, it is still highly desirable to explore bio‐interfacial ultra‐narrow stretchable inorganic electrodes. Herein, a hybrid strategy is reported to prepare ultra‐narrow multi‐channel stretchable microelectrodes without using photolithography or laser‐assisting etching. A 10 µm × 10 µm monitoring window is fabricated with enhanced interfacial impedance by the special rough surface. The stretchability achieves to 120% for this 10 µm‐width stretchable electrode. Supported by these superior properties, it is demonstrated that the stretchable microelectrodes can detect electrophysiological signals of single cells in vitro and collect electrophysiological signals more precisely in vivo. The reported strategy will open up the accessible preparation of the fine‐size stretchable microelectrode. It will significantly improve the resolution of monitoring and stimulation of inorganic stretchable electrodes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The sesquiterpene α‐humulene is an important plant natural product, which has been used in the pharmaceutical industry due to its anti‐inflammatory and anticancer activities. Although phytoextraction and chemical synthesis have previously been applied in α‐humulene production, the low efficiency and high costs limit the development. In this study, Yarrowia lipolytica was engineered as the robust cell factory for sustainable α‐humulene production. First, a chassis with high α‐humulene output in the cytoplasm was constructed by integrating α‐humulene synthases with high catalytic activity, optimizing the flux of mevalonate and acetyl‐CoA pathways. Subsequently, the strategy of dual cytoplasmic‐peroxisomal engineering was adopted in Y. lipolytica; the best strain GQ3006 generated by introducing 31 copies of 12 different genes could produce 2280.3± 38.2 mg/l (98.7 ± 4.2 mg/g dry cell weight) α‐humulene, a 100‐fold improvement relative to the baseline strain. To further improve the titer, a novel strategy for downregulation of squalene biosynthesis based on Cu2+‐repressible promoters was firstly established, which significantly improved the α‐humulene titer by 54.2% to 3516.6 ± 34.3 mg/l. Finally, the engineered strain could produce 21.7 g/l α‐humulene in a 5‐L bioreactor, 6.8‐fold higher than the highest α‐humulene titer reported before this study. Overall, system metabolic engineering strategies used in this study provide a valuable reference for the highly sustainable production of terpenoids in Y. lipolytica. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Natural clay sepiolite with high specific surface area and unique porous structure exhibits great potential for application in the fields of water treatment. However, the adsorption methods suffer from some drawbacks, such as the production of toxic sludge and secondary pollution. Electrospinning technology has been widely employed to fabricate porous composite fibres. Thus, the authors design a high‐efficiency electrospun polyurethane/sepiolite membrane that can remove heavy metal ions from drinking water. This kind of sepiolite‐based membrane not only exhibits high absorption capacity of Cr, Cd, As and Mn, but also offers several advantages such as minimising the risk of secondary pollution. Sepiolite‐based membrane shows great potential for applications including urgent drinking‐water treatment, field survival and disaster rescue. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Exploitation of low‐cost and efficient photocatalysts for selective reduction of CO2 into fuels such as methane or methanol is highly desired in the field of solar‐to‐fuel conversion. Herein, ultrathin SiC nanosheets (NSs) with high crystallinity are prepared using two‐dimensional reduced graphene oxide as sacrificial template. The ultrathin feature of SiC NSs readily shortens the migration distance of photoexcited carriers, thereby reducing the recombination probability and providing more energetic electrons to participate in CO2 reduction. Consequently, both the yield (3.11 μmol h−1 g−1) and selectivity (90.6%) of CH4 over SiC NSs demonstrate dramatic improvements in comparison with that of micro‐size SiC (0.76 μmol h−1 g−1, 77.9%) and commercial TiO2 (1.46 μmol h−1 g−1, 61.0%). The initial absorption and activation of CO2 molecules on the surface of SiC NSs is confirmed by the in situ diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transform spectroscopy. The SiC NSs can promote the deep reduction of carbon intermediate into CH4 thanks to the strong reduction potential of photoexcited electrons. This work not only proves ultrathin SiC NSs to be a promising photocatalyst for CO2 reduction, but also provides novel insights into deep photoreduction of CO2 to CH4. Herein, we demonstrated that ultrathin SiC nanosheets (NSs) could promote deep photoreduction of CO2 into CH4 thanks to its strong reduction potential. The ultrathin feature readily shortened the migration distance of photoexcited carriers, thereby providing more energetic electrons. Consequently, the SiC NSs presented efficient (3.11 μmol h−1 g−1) and selective (90.6%) CH4 generation from CO2 photoreduction. This work not only highlights the photocatalytic promises of SiC NSs, but also provides novel insights into deep photoreduction of CO2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The non‐conventional yeast Yarrowia lipolytica have been receiving growing attention due to its excellent lipid accumulation capacity. Microbial lipid have attracted widespread interest due to their broad applications as dietary supplements, cosmetic additives, oleochemicals, and renewable starting materials for the production of fossil fuel. With the development of whole‐genome sequencing, many effective genetic tools, including transformation systems, promoter systems, genomic integration and genome editing tools, have been applied in Y. lipolytica to enhance the overproduction of lipid. It can be genetically engineered for high lipid production via the upregulation of synthetic precursor and lipid synthesis pathways, the downregulation or disruption of competing pathways such as β‐oxidation, and elimination of inhibitory factors. In this review, the lipid metabolism, available genetic tools, and recent advances in metabolic engineering of Y. lipolytica for the overproduction of lipid and lipid‐derived chemicals is summarized. Future prospects of lipid biosynthesis in Y. lipolytica are discussed in light of the current progress, challenges, and trends in this field. Guidelines for future studies are also proposed. Practical Applications: General concerns about climate change, oil price crisis, and the increasing study for renewable energy are driving bio‐lipid as promising alternatives to fossil fuel. Over the past few decades, microbial lipid have been widely applied in dietary supplements, cosmetic additives, oleochemicals, and renewable starting materials for the production of fossil fuel. The non‐conventional yeast Yarrowia lipolytica have become an attractive metabolic engineering host for the production of microbial lipids due to its ability to synthesize them in large quantities. This review illuminates the lipid biosynthesis and degradation of Y. lipolytica, and summarizes the metabolic engineering efforts which have targeted a variety of biosynthetic biosynthetic pathway to efficiently convert carbon source to lipid in oleaginous Y. lipolytica. Schematic diagram of lipid and triacylglyceride biosynthesis, including the native and heterologous biosynthesis pathways of fatty acids in Y. lipolytica. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article describes an unusual case of cutaneous Rosai-Dorfman disease (CRDD), also called sinus histiocytosis with massive lymphadenopathy (SHML), affecting two separate parts of the body of a 49-year-old woman. The patient presented with red nodules on her left arm for four months and plaques on the right breast for three months. The lesions subsided following treatment with oral thalidomide and topical corticosteroids.

Electromyography (EMG) and acoustic myography (AMG) play crucial roles in assessing muscle function, providing valuable insights into neural control, muscle activation, and fatigue levels. However, the current landscape reveals a gap in dual‐modal stretchable sensing patches, highlighting the need for comfortable and wearable solutions in the field of in situ monitoring of synchronous EMG and AMG sensing. In this work, a dual‐modal stretchable patch (DMSP) is developed that fully integrates a multi‐channel EMG electrode with AMG sensors. It possesses stable electromechanical properties even at strains exceeding 200%. With an overall modulus of under 40 kPa and a skin adhesion force surpassing 30 N m−1, the DMSP exhibits exceptional durability, enduring 1000 stretching cycles. The DMSP enables in situ simultaneous monitoring of EMG and AMG signals from sternocleidomastoid muscle during neck rotation where the mechanical strain reaches up to 30%. The DMSP proves instrumental in characterizing muscle activity, facilitating in‐depth research on muscle movement, and thus enhancing clinical outcomes in rehabilitation medicine and physical therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Exploitation of low‐cost and efficient photocatalysts for selective reduction of CO2 into fuels such as methane or methanol is highly desired in the field of solar‐to‐fuel conversion. Herein, ultrathin SiC nanosheets (NSs) with high crystallinity are prepared using two‐dimensional reduced graphene oxide as sacrificial template. The ultrathin feature of SiC NSs readily shortens the migration distance of photoexcited carriers, thereby reducing the recombination probability and providing more energetic electrons to participate in CO2 reduction. Consequently, both the yield (3.11 μmol h−1 g−1) and selectivity (90.6%) of CH4 over SiC NSs demonstrate dramatic improvements in comparison with that of micro‐size SiC (0.76 μmol h−1 g−1, 77.9%) and commercial TiO2 (1.46 μmol h−1 g−1, 61.0%). The initial absorption and activation of CO2 molecules on the surface of SiC NSs is confirmed by the in situ diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transform spectroscopy. The SiC NSs can promote the deep reduction of carbon intermediate into CH4 thanks to the strong reduction potential of photoexcited electrons. This work not only proves ultrathin SiC NSs to be a promising photocatalyst for CO2 reduction, but also provides novel insights into deep photoreduction of CO2 to CH4. Herein, we demonstrated that ultrathin SiC nanosheets (NSs) could promote deep photoreduction of CO2 into CH4 thanks to its strong reduction potential. The ultrathin feature readily shortened the migration distance of photoexcited carriers, thereby providing more energetic electrons. Consequently, the SiC NSs presented efficient (3.11 μmol h−1 g−1) and selective (90.6%) CH4 generation from CO2 photoreduction. This work not only highlights the photocatalytic promises of SiC NSs, but also provides novel insights into deep photoreduction of CO2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aberrant expression of long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) zinc finger protein, FOG family member 2 antisense RNA 1 (ZFPM2-AS1) has been identified in many tumors, but its role in cutaneous malignant melanoma remains largely obscure. Our present study was intended to unveil the role and potential mechanism of ZFPM2-AS1 in cutaneous malignant melanoma. RT-qPCR was utilized to analyze ZFPM2-AS1 expression in cutaneous malignant melanoma cells. Cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8), colony formation, flow cytometry, and transwell analyses were utilized to assess ZFPM2-AS1 function on cell proliferation, apoptosis, and migration. Luciferase reporter, RNA immunoprecipitation, and RNA-pull down assays were applied to probe the regulatory mechanism of ZFPM2-AS1 in cutaneous malignant melanoma cells. Up-regulation of ZFPM2-AS1 was discovered in cutaneous malignant melanoma cells. ZFPM2-AS1 deletion restrained cell proliferation, migration, and elevated cell apoptosis in cutaneous malignant melanoma. ZFPM2-AS1 regulated notch receptor 1 (NOTCH1) to activate the NOTCH pathway. ZFPM2-AS1 acted as a competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) to affect NOTCH1 expression via sponging miR-650. Collectively, ZFPM2-AS1 exerted an oncogenic role in cutaneous malignant melanoma progression via targeting miR-650/NOTCH1 signaling. Our study might offer a novel sight for cutaneous malignant melanoma treatment., (© 2021 Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate whether velocity vector imaging (VVI) combined with stress echocardiography could detect potential diffused myocardial impairment of the left ventricle (LV) in diabetic rats., Methods: Thirty-five male SD rats were randomly divided into either the control group or the diabetes mellitus (DM) group (induced with STZ). VVI was performed both at rest and after dipyridamole stress in all rats 12 weeks later. Segmental peak systolic velocity (V(s)), diastolic velocity (V(d)), radial strain (epsilon(r)), circumferential strain (epsilon(c)), systolic and diastolic radial strain rate (SR(r)), and circumferential strain rate (SR(c)) were measured from six segments at the mid-level of the LV., Results: At rest, systolic and diastolic SR(c) in the DM group were significantly lower than those in the control group. After dipyridamole stress, all VVI parameters in the DM group were significantly lower than those in the control group, although all values increased significantly after dipyridamole stress compared to those at rest in both groups., Conclusions: The VVI-derived V(s,) V(d), epsilon(r), epsilon(c), systolic and diastolic SR(r) and SR(c), combined with dipyridamole stress are all effective parameters in evaluating potential myocardial impairment due to ultrastructural alterations of cardiocytes and microcirculation disturbances in DM rats. Systolic and diastolic SR(c) may be more sensitive indices that could be useful in detecting myocardial impairment at rest.