Herpes Simplex Virus 1 Infection of Human Brain Organoids and Pancreatic Stem Cell-Islets Drives Organoid-Specific Transcripts Associated with Alzheimer's Disease and Autoimmune Diseases.

Viral infections leading to inflammation have been implicated in several common diseases, such as Alzheimer's disease (AD) and type 1 diabetes (T1D). Of note, herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1) has been reported to be associated with AD. We sought to identify the transcriptomic changes due to HSV-1 infection and anti-viral drug (acyclovir, ACV) treatment of HSV-1 infection in dissociated cells from human cerebral organoids (dcOrgs) versus stem cell-derived pancreatic islets (sc-islets) to gain potential biological insights into the relevance of HSV-1-induced inflammation in AD and T1D.

Strategy for Enhancing Catalytic Active Site: Introduction of 1D material InSeI for Electrochemical CO Reduction to Formate.

The presence of oxygen vacancies (V) in electrocatalysts plays a significant role in improving the selectivity and activity of CO reduction reaction (CORR). In this study, 1D material with large surface area is utilized to enable uniform V formation on the catalyst. 1D structured indium selenoiodide (InSeI) is synthesized and used as an electrocatalyst for the conversion of CO to formate.

Exploring the influence of cell configurations on Cu catalyst reconstruction during CO electroreduction.

Membrane electrode assembly (MEA) cells incorporating Cu catalysts are effective for generating C chemicals via the CO reduction reaction (CORR). However, the impact of MEA configuration on the inevitable reconstruction of Cu catalysts during CORR remains underexplored, despite its considerable potential to affect CORR efficacy. Herein, we demonstrate that MEA cells prompt a unique reconstruction of Cu, in contrast to H-type cells, which subsequently influences CORR outcomes.

Proton-Coupled Electron Transfer on CuO/TiCT MXene for Propane (CH) Synthesis from Electrochemical CO Reduction.

Electrochemical CO reduction reaction (CORR) to produce value-added multi-carbon chemicals has been an appealing approach to achieving environmentally friendly carbon neutrality in recent years. Despite extensive research focusing on the use of CO to produce high-value chemicals like high-energy-density hydrocarbons, there have been few reports on the production of propane (CH), which requires carbon chain elongation and protonation. A rationally designed 0D/2D hybrid CuO anchored-TiCT MXene catalyst (CuO/MXene) is demonstrated with efficient CORR activity in an aqueous electrolyte to produce CH.

Scalable Fabrication of Quasi-One-Dimensional van der Waals TaPtSe Nanowire Thin Films via Solution Processing for NO Gas Sensing over Large Areas.

Solution-based processing of van der Waals (vdW) one- (1D) and two-dimensional (2D) materials is an effective strategy to obtain high-quality molecular chains or atomic sheets in a large area with scalability. In this work, quasi-1D vdW TaPtSe was exfoliated via liquid phase exfoliation (LPE) to produce a stably dispersed TaPtSe nanowire solution. In order to screen the optimal exfoliation solvent, nine different solvents were employed with different total surface tensions and polar/dispersive (P/D) component (P/D) ratios.

Extrinsic hydrophobicity-controlled silver nanoparticles as efficient and stable catalysts for CO electrolysis.

To realize economically feasible electrochemical CO conversion, achieving a high partial current density for value-added products is particularly vital. However, acceleration of the hydrogen evolution reaction due to cathode flooding in a high-current-density region makes this challenging. Herein, we find that partially ligand-derived Ag nanoparticles (Ag-NPs) could prevent electrolyte flooding while maintaining catalytic activity for CO electroreduction.

Neuronal miR-9 promotes HSV-1 epigenetic silencing and latency by repressing Oct-1 and Onecut family genes.

Herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1) latent infection entails repression of viral lytic genes in neurons. By functional screening using luciferase-expressing HSV-1, we identify ten neuron-specific microRNAs potentially repressing HSV-1 neuronal replication. Transfection of miR-9, the most active candidate from the screen, decreases HSV-1 replication and gene expression in Neuro-2a cells.

Sp1 facilitates continued HSV-1 gene expression in the absence of key viral transactivators.

Productive replication of herpes simplex virus (HSV) relies upon a well-ordered transcriptional cascade flowing from immediate-early (IE) to early (E) to late (L) gene products. While several virus-encoded transcriptional activators are involved in this process, IE and E gene promoters also contain multiple binding sites for the ubiquitously expressed cellular transcription factor Sp1. Sp1 has been previously implicated in activating HSV-1 gene transcription downstream of these sites, but why Sp1-binding sites are maintained in the promoters of genes activated by virus-encoded activators remains unclear.

Promoted Overall Water Splitting Catalytic Activity and Durability of NiFe Alloy by Designing N-Doped Carbon Encapsulation.

Combining an electrochemically stable material onto the surface of a catalyst can improve the durability of a transition metal catalyst, and enable the catalyst to operate stably at high current density. Herein, the contribution of the N-doped carbon shell (NCS) to the electrochemical properties is evaluated by comparing the characteristics of the NiFe@NCS catalyst with the N-doped carbon shell, and the NiFe catalyst. The synthesized NiFe@NCS catalyst has a distinct overpotential difference from the NiFe catalyst (η = 468.

Colloidal Synthesis of Ultrathin and Se-Rich VSe Nanobelts as High-Performance Anode Materials for Li-Ion Batteries.

In this study, the one-dimensional (1D) material VSe was successfully synthesized using a colloidal method with VO(acac) and Se powder as precursors in a 1-octadecene solvent. The obtained colloidally synthesized VSe (C-VSe) has an ultrathin nanobelt shape and a 4.5 times higher surface area compared with the bulk VSe, which is synthesized in a solid-state reaction as previously reported.

Electro-assisted methane oxidation to formic acid via in-situ cathodically generated HO under ambient conditions.

Direct partial oxidation of methane to liquid oxygenates has been regarded as a potential route to valorize methane. However, CH activation usually requires a high temperature and pressure, which lowers the feasibility of the reaction. Here, we propose an electro-assisted approach for the partial oxidation of methane, using in-situ cathodically generated reactive oxygen species, at ambient temperature and pressure.

Operando Stability of Single-Atom Electrocatalysts.

Single-atom catalysts (SACs) are appealing next-generation catalysts for various electrochemical technologies. Along with significant breakthroughs in their initial activity, SACs now face the next challenge for their viable applications, insufficient operational stability. In this Minireview, we summarize the current knowledge of SAC degradation mechanisms mainly based on Fe-N-C SACs, some of the most investigated SACs.

Elucidation of Electrochemically Induced but Chemically Driven Pt Dissolution.

Securing the electrochemical durability of noble metal platinum is of central importance for the successful implementation of a proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC). Pt dissolution, a major cause of PEMFC degradation, is known to be a potential-dependent transient process, but its underlying mechanism is puzzling. Herein, we elucidate a chemical Pt dissolution process that can occur in various electrocatalytic conditions.

Toward economical application of carbon capture and utilization technology with near-zero carbon emission.

Carbon capture and utilization technology has been studied for its practical ability to reduce CO emissions and enable economical chemical production. The main challenge of this technology is that a large amount of thermal energy must be provided to supply high-purity CO and purify the product. Herein, we propose a new concept called reaction swing absorption, which produces synthesis gas (syngas) with net-zero CO emission through direct electrochemical CO reduction in a newly proposed amine solution, triethylamine.

Colloidal synthesis of 1-D van der Waals material NbSe: study of synergism of coordinating agent in a co-solvent system.

Low-dimensional NbSe nanocrystals were synthesised through a simple one-pot colloidal synthesis with C18 organic solvents (octadecane, oleylalcohol, octadecanethiol, octadecene (ODE), and oleylamine (OLA)) of varied terminal functional groups. The solvent with high reducing power facilitated the nucleation of the nanoparticle, lowering threshold concentration and broadening the concentration spectrum. As a solvent, reducing agent, and capping agent, ODE functions as a primary factor in the synthesis of high-quality NbSe nanorods.

CRISPR-Cas9 Expressed in Stably Transduced Cell Lines Promotes Recombination and Selects for Herpes Simplex Virus Recombinants.

Recombinant herpes simplex virus strains can be constructed by several methods, including homologous recombination, bacterial artificial chromosome manipulation, and yeast genetic methods. Homologous recombination may have the advantage of introducing fewer genetic alterations in the viral genome, but the low level of recombinants can make this method more time consuming if there is no screen or selection. In this study we used complementing cell lines that express Cas9 and guide RNAs targeting the parental virus to rapidly generate recombinant viruses.

Novel High Current-Carrying Quasi-1D Material: Nb PdS.

A quasi-one-dimensional van der Waals metallic nanowire Nb PdS is synthesized, and its electrical characteristics are analyzed. The chemical vapor transport method is applied to produce centimeter-scale Nb PdS crystals with needle-like structures and X-ray diffraction (XRD) confirms their high crystallinity. Scanning transmission electron microscopy reveals the crystal orientation and atomic arrangement of the specific region with atomic resolution.

A unifying mechanism for cation effect modulating C1 and C2 productions from CO electroreduction.

Electrocatalysis, whose reaction venue locates at the catalyst-electrolyte interface, is controlled by the electron transfer across the electric double layer, envisaging a mechanistic link between the electron transfer rate and the electric double layer structure. A fine example is in the CO reduction reaction, of which rate shows a strong dependence on the alkali metal cation (M) identity, but there is yet to be a unified molecular picture for that. Using quantum-mechanics-based atom-scale simulation, we herein scrutinize the M-coupling capability to possible intermediates, and establish H- and M-associated ET mechanisms for CH and CO/CH formations, respectively.

Exploring dopant effects in stannic oxide nanoparticles for CO electro-reduction to formate.

The electrosynthesis of formate from CO can mitigate environmental issues while providing an economically valuable product. Although stannic oxide is a good catalytic material for formate production, a metallic phase is formed under high reduction overpotentials, reducing its activity. Here, using a fluorine-doped tin oxide catalyst, a high Faradaic efficiency for formate (95% at 100 mA cm) and a maximum partial current density of 330 mA cm (at 400 mA cm) is achieved for the electroreduction of CO.

Electrode reconstruction strategy for oxygen evolution reaction: maintaining Fe-CoOOH phase with intermediate-spin state during electrolysis.

Computational calculations and experimental studies reveal that the CoOOH phase and the intermediate-spin (IS) state are the key factors for realizing efficient Co-based electrocatalysts for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER). However, according to thermodynamics, general cobalt oxide converts to the CoO phase under OER condition, retarding the OER kinetics. Herein, we demonstrate a simple and scalable strategy to fabricate electrodes with maintaining Fe-CoOOH phase and an IS state under the OER.

Unraveling CoNiP-CoP 3D-on-1D Hybrid Nanoarchitecture for Long-Lasting Electrochemical Hybrid Cells and Oxygen Evolution Reaction.

Evolving cost-effective transition metal phosphides (TMPs) using general approaches for energy storage is pivotal but challenging. Besides, the absence of noble metals and high electrocatalytic activity of TMPs allow their applicability as catalysts in oxygen evolution reaction (OER). Herein, CoNiP-CoP (CNP-CP) composite is in situ deposited on carbon fabric by a one-step hydrothermal technique.