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Enhancing charge separation in semiconductor photocatalysts is a major challenge for efficient artificial photosynthesis. Herein, a compact heterojunction is designed by embedding half‐metallic C(CN)3 (hm‐CN) hydrothermally in BiOBr (BOB) as the backbone. The interface between hm‐CN and BOB is seamless and formed by covalent bonding to facilitate the transmission of photoinduced electrons from BOB to hm‐CN. The transient photocurrents and electrochemical impedance spectra reveal that the modified composite catalyst exhibits a larger electron transfer rate. The photocatalytic activity of hm‐CN/BOB increases significantly as indicated by a CO yield that is about four times higher than that of individual components. Density‐functional theory calculations verify that the heterojunction improves electron transport and decreases the reaction energy barrier, thus promoting the overall photocatalytic CO2 conversion efficiency. The half‐metal nitride coupled semiconductor heterojunctions might have large potential in artificial photosynthesis and related applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Enhancing charge separation in semiconductor photocatalysts is a major challenge for efficient artificial photosynthesis. Herein, a compact heterojunction is designed by embedding half-metallic C(CN) 3 (hm-CN) hydrothermally in BiOBr (BOB) as the backbone. The interface between hm-CN and BOB is seamless and formed by covalent bonding to facilitate the transmission of photoinduced electrons from BOB to hm-CN. The transient photocurrents and electrochemical impedance spectra reveal that the modified composite catalyst exhibits a larger electron transfer rate. The photocatalytic activity of hm-CN/BOB increases significantly as indicated by a CO yield that is about four times higher than that of individual components. Density-functional theory calculations verify that the heterojunction improves electron transport and decreases the reaction energy barrier, thus promoting the overall photocatalytic CO 2 conversion efficiency. The half-metal nitride coupled semiconductor heterojunctions might have large potential in artificial photosynthesis and related applications., (© 2023 The Authors. Advanced Science published by Wiley-VCH GmbH.)

3-Phosphoinositide-dependent protein kinase 1 (PDK1) is a mediator of multiple signaling pathways coupled to growth factor receptor activation in human cancers. To evaluate the role of PDK1 in mammary gland oncogenesis, COMMA-1D mouse mammary epithelial cells were retrovirally transduced with PDK1, and transformation was measured by anchorage-independent growth in soft agar. PDK1-expressing cells exhibited a high degree of transformation that was associated with the activation of Akt1 and an elevation of protein kinase Calpha (PKCalpha) expression. Cells overexpressing Akt1 did not exhibit anchorage-independent growth, whereas PKCalpha overexpression produced significant transformation, although to a lesser extent compared with PDK1. Coexpression of Akt1 and PKCalpha led to a more than additive effect on transformation activity. Isografts of either PDK1- or PKCalpha-expressing cells but not Akt1-expressing cells in syngeneic mice led to formation of poorly differentiated mammary carcinomas. PDK1 was highly expressed in a majority of human breast cancer cell lines. These results suggest that activation of PDK1 can lead to mammary tumorigenesis, in part through PKCalpha, and that PDK1 expression may be an important target in human breast cancer.