Supramolecular Assembly Enhanced Linear and Nonlinear Chiroptical Properties of Chiral Manganese Halides.

Chiral hybrid organic-inorganic metal halides (HOMHs) hold great promise in broad applications ranging from ferroelectrics, spintronics to nonlinear optics, owing to their broken inversion symmetry and tunable chiroptoelectronic properties. Typically, chiral HOMHs are constructed by chiral organic cations and metal anion polyhedra, with the latter regarded as optoelectronic active units. However, the primary design approaches are largely constrained to regulation of general components within structural formula.

A Novel Cellulose-Supported Polymer Electrolyte with High Ionic Conductivity for Lithium Metal Batteries.

The traditional liquid electrolytes pose safety hazards primarily attributed to the flammability of organic solvent, whereas solid-state electrolytes can significantly enhance the safety of lithium-ion batteries. Polymer solid electrolytes are being considered as an effective solution due to their excellent flexibility and low cost, but they suffer low ionic conductivity or high interface impedance. Here, the ketone-containing allyl acetoacetate monomers were polymerized within the cellulose membrane via UV photopolymerization to prepare a cellulose-supported poly-allyl acetoacetate polymer electrolyte.

Macroscopic Twisting of Chiral Metal Halide Single Crystals Driven by Thermo-Induced Topochemical Dehydration.

Dynamic twisting crystals, combining the features of dynamic crystals and twisting crystals, promise advanced applications in targeted drug delivery, biosensors, microrobots, and spiral optoelectronics. However, the determination of dynamic twisting crystals with specific directions remains a formidable challenge in practical applications. Herein, based on organic-inorganic hybrid metal halide (OIHMH) single crystals, we have realized the chirality-induced macroscopic twisting of single crystals driven by a thermo-induced topochemical dehydration reaction.

In Situ-Initiated Poly-1,3-dioxolane Gel Electrolyte for High-Voltage Lithium Metal Batteries.

To realize high-energy-density Li metal batteries at low temperatures, a new electrolyte is needed to solve the high-voltage compatibility and fast lithium-ion de-solvation process. A gel polymer electrolyte with a small-molecular-weight polymer is widely investigated by combining the merits of a solid polymer electrolyte (SPE) and liquid electrolyte (LE). Herein, we present a new gel polymer electrolyte (P-DOL) by the lithium difluoro(oxalate)borate (LiDFOB)-initiated polymerization process using 1,3-dioxolane (DOL) as a monomer solvent.

Enabling long-term oxide based solid-state lithium metal battery through a near room-temperature sintering process.

The huge Li ion transport resistance through the grain boundaries (GBs) among rigid oxide particles forces the adoption of high-temperature sintering (HTS) process over 1000 °C. Nevertheless, the severe side reactions and uncontrollable lithium loss are always companied during the high-cost HTS process, which slows down the pace of oxide solid electrolyte (OSE) for practical application and accelerates the exploration of a new OSE sintering process. Herein, a near-room-temperature (60 °C) cold-sintering process is proposed by filling the GBs with a low-melting-point plastic crystal electrolyte (PCE).

Regulating the solvation chemistry of non-flammable high voltage electrolyte through salt-solvent ratio modulation.

Boosting the energy density and safety issue of lithium-ion batteries has become ever more important to satisfy the diverse applications such as energy storage and mobile electronic devices. Herein, we present a new high voltage polyether-based electrolyte (HVPEE) by solvation structure design that can endure high-voltage operations and also possess non-flammable features. Especially, HVPEEs show better compatibility and stability with electrode than conventional electrolyte.

Structurally integrated asymmetric polymer electrolyte with stable Janus interface properties for high-voltage lithium metal batteries.

Solid-state polymer electrolytes are outstanding candidates for next-generation lithium metal batteries in the realm of high specific energy densities, high safeties and tight contact with electrodes. However, their applications are still hindered by the limitations that no single polymer is electrochemically stable with the oxidizing high-voltage cathode and the highly reductive Li anode, simultaneously. Herein, a bilayer asymmetric polymer electrolyte (SL-SPE) without accessional interface resistance that using poly (ethylene glycol) diacrylate (PEGDA) as a "bridge" to connect the sulfonyl (OS = O)-contained oxidation-tolerated layer and polyether-derived reduction-tolerated layer (SPE), is proposed and synthesized by sequential two-step UV polymerizations.

Self-Healing, Reconfigurable, Thermal-Switching, Transformative Electronics for Health Monitoring.

Soft, deformable electronic devices provide the means to monitor physiological information and health conditions for disease diagnostics. However, their practical utility is limited due to the lack of intrinsical thermal switching for mechanically transformative adaptability and self-healing capability against mechanical damages. Here, the design concepts, materials and physics, manufacturing approaches, and application opportunities of self-healing, reconfigurable, thermal-switching device platforms based on hyperbranched polymers and biphasic liquid metal are reported.

Second-order nonlinear optical properties of copper-based hybrid organic-inorganic perovskites induced by chiral amines.

Recently, chiral hybrid organic-inorganic perovskites (HOIPs) are drawing wide attention due to their intrinsic noncentrosymmetric structures which result in fascinating properties such as ferroelectronics and second-order nonlinear optics (NLO). However, previous research mainly focused on chiral lead-based halide perovskites ignoring that the toxic Pb element is harmful to humans and the environment. Herein, we successfully synthesized block-like (-/-NEA)CuCl (NEA = 1-naphthylethylamine) and needle-like (-/-CYHEA)CuCl (CYHEA = 1-cyclohexylethylamine) single crystals, which crystallize in the Sohncke 2 and 2 space group, respectively.

Enabling high-capacity Li metal battery with PVDF sandwiched type polymer electrolyte.

Polyvinylidene difluoride (PVDF) is one of the most attractive electrolyte materials for solid-state batteries due to its high ionic conductivity, however, the battery performance is limited by the high electrolyte-electrode interfacial resistance. Herein, PVDF polymer mixed with ceramic LiLaZrO is coated on cellulose support membrane (PLCSM) through a simple slurry-casting method. The ionic transport of PLCSM is originated from dimethyl formamide (DMF)-Li solvation structure, which plays a critical role in conducting lithium ions.

Knockdown of lncRNA TP53TG1 Enhances the Efficacy of Sorafenib in Human Hepatocellular Carcinoma Cells.

The multikinase inhibitor, sorafenib, is a first-line treatment for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), but its limited efficacy, drug resistance and toxicity are a concern. In this study, we investigated the role of lncRNA TP53TG1 in the efficacy of sorafenib in HCC cells. We found that treatment with sorafenib increased the expression of TP53TG1 in HCC cells.

0D chiral hybrid indium(III) halides for second harmonic generation.

Chiral metal halides have shown great potential for application in next generation nonlinear optical (NLO) devices owing to their intrinsic non-centrosymmetry. However, the structures and properties of chiral hybrid indium halides have been rarely reported, especially when it comes to second-harmonic generation (SHG) in NLO. In this work, we have synthesized a pair of new zero-dimensional (0D) chiral hybrid indium halides, (-MPEA)InCl and (-MPEA)InCl, and studied their NLO properties.

Identification of Gm15441, a Txnip antisense lncRNA, as a critical regulator in liver metabolic homeostasis.

Background: The majority of mammalian genome is composed of non-coding regions, where numerous long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are transcribed. Although lncRNAs have been identified to regulate fundamental biological processes, most of their functions remain unknown, especially in metabolic homeostasis. Analysis of our recent genome-wide screen reveals that Gm15441, a thioredoxin-interacting protein (Txnip) antisense lncRNA, is the most robustly induced lncRNA in the fasting mouse liver.

LncRNA TP53TG1 Promotes the Growth and Migration of Hepatocellular Carcinoma Cells via Activation of ERK Signaling.

Long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) TP53 target 1 (TP53TG1) was discovered as a TP53 target gene. TP53TG1 has been reported as having dual roles by exerting tumor-suppressive and oncogenic activities that vary depending on the cancer type. Yet, the role of TP53TG1 in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is not fully understood.

Lymphotoxin β receptor-mediated NFκB signaling promotes glial lineage differentiation and inhibits neuronal lineage differentiation in mouse brain neural stem/progenitor cells.

Background: Lymphotoxin (LT) is a lymphokine mainly expressed in lymphocytes. LTα binds one or two membrane-associated LTβ to form LTαβ or LTαβ heterotrimers. The predominant LTαβ binds to LTβ receptor (LTβR) primarily expressed in epithelial and stromal cells.