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Dielectric switches have drawn renewed attention to the study of their many potential applications with the adjustable switch temperatures (Ts). Herein, a novel antimony‐based halide semiconductor, (N,N‐diisopropylethylamine) tetrachloroantimonate ((DIPEA)SbCl4, DIPEA+=N,N‐diisopropylethylamine), with dielectric relaxation behavior and dielectric switches has been successfully synthesized. This compound, consisting of coordinated anion SbCl4∞- ${{\left[{{\rm S}{\rm b}{\rm C}{\rm l}}_{4}\right]}_{\infty }^{-}}$ chains and isolated DIPEA+ cations, undergoes an isostructural order‐disorder phase transition and shows a step‐like dielectric anomaly, which can function as a frequency‐tuned dielectric switch with highly adjustable switch temperature (Ts). Variable‐temperature single‐crystal structure analyses and first‐principles molecular dynamics simulations give information about the general mechanisms of molecular dynamics. This work enriches the dielectric switch family and proves that hybrid metal halides are promising candidates for switchable physical or chemical properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

2019 coronavirus disease (COVID‐19) presents as a newly recognized pneumonia and could rapidly progress into acute respiratory distress syndrome which has brought about a global pandemic. Until now, no curative therapy has been strongly recommended for COVID‐19 except for personalized supportive care. T cells and virus‐specific T cells are essential to protect against virus infection, including COVID‐19. Delayed immune reconstitution (IR) and cytokine storm (CS) remain serious obstacles for the cure of COVID‐19. Most COVID‐19 patients, especially among elderly patients, had marked lymphopenia and increased neutrophils, but T cell counts in severe COVID‐19 patients surviving the disease gradually restored later. Elevated pro‐inflammatory cytokines, particularly IL‐6, IL‐10, IL‐2 and IL‐17, and exhausted T cells are found in peripheral blood and the lungs. It suggests that Thymosin α1 and adoptive COVID‐19‐specific T cells could improve IR, while convalescent plasma, IL‐6 blockade, mesenchymal stem cells and corticosteroids could suppress CS. More clinical studies in this field worldwide are urgently warranted to pave the way for therapy of COVID‐19 in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Emerging evidence reveals the importance of long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) in the development and progression of keloid formation, whereas the underlying mechanisms are not well understood. In the present study, we investigated the biological effects and molecular mechanisms of lncRNA HOXA11-AS in keloid formation. First, the expression levels of HOXA11-AS, miR-124-3p, and transforming growth factor β receptor type I (TGFβR1) were measured in both keloid tissues and human keloid fibroblasts (HKFs) using qRT-PCR and western blot analysis, respectively. Next, we adopted both gain- and loss-of-function strategies to explore the significance of HOXA11-AS. TUNEL, flow cytometry, DNA ladder, and tube formation assays were performed to measure cell apoptosis and angiogenesis, respectively. Besides, the potential binding relationship between HOXA11-AS and miR-124-3p, as well as miR-124-3p and TGFβR1 was identified using bioinformatic screening and verified by luciferase reporter assay. Furthermore, we explored the importance of miR-124-3p in HOXA11-AS-induced phenotypes and regulations on TGFβ signaling or PI3K/Akt signaling. We found that HOXA11-AS and TGFβR1 were significantly up-regulated, while miR-124-3p was down-regulated both in keloid tissues or fibroblasts than in normal skin tissues or fibroblasts. Functionally, high expression of HOXA11-AS essentially inhibited cell apoptosis and promoted fibroblast-induced angiogenesis. Mechanistically, miR-124-3p was identified as a downstream effector to be involved in HOXA11-AS-mediated phenotypes through directly targeting TGFβR1, thus modulating PI3K/Akt signaling pathway. Taken together, our findings revealed that HOXA11-AS inhibits cell apoptosis and promotes angiogenesis through miR-124-3p/TGFβR1 axis, contributing to the progression of keloid formation, which might provide a novel target for keloid therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cistanche deserticola has been found to exert protection against aging and age-related diseases, but mechanisms underlying its longevity effects remain largely unclear. Here, the multicellular model organism Caenorhabditis elegans was employed to identify lifespan extending and protective effects against β-amyloid (Aβ) induced toxicity by echinacoside (ECH), a phenylethanoid glycoside isolated from C. deserticola. Our results showed that ECH extends the mean lifespan of worms and increases their survival under oxidative stress. Levels of intracellular reactive oxygen species and fat accumulation were also significantly suppressed by ECH. Moreover, ECH-mediated lifespan extension was found to be dependent on mev- 1, eat- 2, daf- 2, and daf- 16, but not sir- 2.1 or hsf- 1 genes. Furthermore, ECH triggered DAF-16 nuclear localization and upregulated two of its downstream targets, sod- 3 and hsp- 16.2. In addition, ECH significantly improved the survival of CL4176 worms in response to proteotoxic stress induced by Aβ protein aggregation. Collectively, these findings suggested that reactive oxygen species scavenging, dietary restriction, and insulin/insulin-like growth factor signaling pathways could be partly involved in ECH-mediated lifespan extension. Thus, ECH may target multiple longevity mechanisms to extend lifespan and have a potency to prevent Alzheimer's disease progression. Graphical Abstract: [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A trigonal Te-rich Cr 5 Te 8 single crystal was grown by the Te-flux method. The usual and rotating magnetocaloric effects have been investigated by measuring isothermal magnetization curves on both a single crystal and polycrystalline powder. The Curie temperature and the magnetic moment of trigonal Te-rich Cr 5 Te 8 were determined to be 250 K and 2.03 μ B /Cr, respectively. The difference from the usual magnetocaloric effect, the rotating magnetocaloric effect has saturation tendency when the applied field is above the anisotropy field. The temperature, where the rotating entropy change has its maximum, decreases with increasing the magnetic field. The temperature dependence of the magnetocrystalline anisotropy is the determining factor for the rotating magnetocaloric effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]