Electrode Materials, Structural Design, and Storage Mechanisms in Hybrid Supercapacitors.

Currently, energy storage systems are of great importance in daily life due to our dependence on portable electronic devices and hybrid electric vehicles. Among these energy storage systems, hybrid supercapacitor devices, constructed from a battery-type positive electrode and a capacitor-type negative electrode, have attracted widespread interest due to their potential applications. In general, they have a high energy density, a long cycling life, high safety, and environmental friendliness.

Risk factors of postoperative adhesive bowel obstruction in children with complicated appendicitis.

Purpose: Postoperative adhesive bowel obstruction (ABO) is a common complication especially in complicated appendicitis. This study aimed to analyze the risk factors for ABO following appendectomy in children with complicated appendicitis, and establish a scoring model for predicting postoperative ABO and treatment option to relieve the obstruction.

Methods: From December 2014 to January 2020, all files of consecutive patients with complicated appendicitis underwent appendectomy were reviewed.

Value of serum tumor markers for predicting EGFR mutations in non-small cell lung cancer patients.

Objectives: We investigated whether serum tumor markers (STMs) represent a valuable noninvasive tool to predict epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutations in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients.

Methods: A retrospective analysis was performed for 143 NSCLC patients at the Peking University International Hospital from December 2014 to December 2019. EGFR mutations in the tumor tissues were identified by amplification refractory mutation system-polymerase chain reaction (ARMS-PCR) and next generation sequencing (NGS).

Cucumber Metallothionein-Like 2 (CsMTL2) Exhibits Metal-Binding Properties.

We identified a novel member of the metallothionein (MT) family, metallothionein-like 2 (CsMTL2), by screening a young cucumber fruit complementary DNA (cDNA) library. The encodes a putative 77-amino acid Class II MT protein that contains two cysteine (Cys)-rich domains separated by a Cys-free spacer region. We found that expression was regulated by metal stress and was specifically induced by Cd treatment.

Long non-coding RNA MALAT1 functions as a mediator in cardioprotective effects of fentanyl in myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury.

Long non-coding (lncRNA) MALAT1 can be increased by hypoxia or ischemic limbs. Also, downregulation of MALAT1 contributes to reduction of cardiomyocyte apoptosis. However, the functional involvement of MALAT1 in myocardial ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury has not been defined.

Development of a neuromedin U-human serum albumin conjugate as a long-acting candidate for the treatment of obesity and diabetes. Comparison with the PEGylated peptide.

Neuromedin U (NMU) is an endogenous peptide implicated in the regulation of feeding, energy homeostasis, and glycemic control, which is being considered for the therapy of obesity and diabetes. A key liability of NMU as a therapeutic is its very short half-life in vivo. We show here that conjugation of NMU to human serum albumin (HSA) yields a compound with long circulatory half-life, which maintains full potency at both the peripheral and central NMU receptors.

[Lycopene synthesis via tri-cistronic expression of LeGGPS2, LePSY1 and crtI in Escherichia coli].

Studies on lycopene synthesis in Escherichia coli were not only able to gain the strains with high yield and less by-products, but also able to test functions of genes or gene clusters. In this article, the cDNA sequences of tomato LeGGPS2 and LePSY1 as well as the coding sequence of crtI from Erwinia uredovora, each of which was added a ribosome biding site, were controlled by T7 promoter and terminator alone or combined, and expressed in E. coli BL21 (DE3) to induce lycopene synthesis.

PEGylation of Neuromedin U yields a promising candidate for the treatment of obesity and diabetes.

Neuromedin U (NMU) is an endogenous peptide, whose role in the regulation of feeding and energy homeostasis is well documented. Two NMU receptors have been identified: NMUR1, expressed primarily in the periphery, and NMUR2, expressed predominantly in the brain. We recently demonstrated that acute peripheral administration of NMU exerts potent but acute anorectic activity and can improve glucose homeostasis, with both actions mediated by NMUR1.

Differential effects of oxyntomodulin and GLP-1 on glucose metabolism.

Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) and oxyntomodulin (OXM) are peptide hormones secreted postprandially from the gut that stimulate insulin secretion in a glucose-dependent manner. OXM activates both the GLP-1 receptor (GLP1R) and the glucagon receptor (GCGR). It has been suggested that OXM acutely modulates glucose metabolism solely through GLP1R agonism.

Development of a liver-targeted stearoyl-CoA desaturase (SCD) inhibitor (MK-8245) to establish a therapeutic window for the treatment of diabetes and dyslipidemia.

The potential use of SCD inhibitors for the chronic treatment of diabetes and dyslipidemia has been limited by preclinical adverse events associated with inhibition of SCD in skin and eye tissues. To establish a therapeutic window, we embarked on designing liver-targeted SCD inhibitors by utilizing molecular recognition by liver-specific organic anion transporting polypeptides (OATPs). In doing so, we set out to target the SCD inhibitor to the organ believed to be responsible for the therapeutic efficacy (liver) while minimizing its exposure in the tissues associated with mechanism-based SCD depletion of essential lubricating lipids (skin and eye).

Effects of peripherally administered neuromedin U on energy and glucose homeostasis.

Neuromedin U (NMU) is a highly conserved peptide reported to modulate energy homeostasis. Pharmacological studies have shown that centrally administered NMU inhibits food intake, reduces body weight, and increases energy expenditure. NMU-deficient mice develop obesity, whereas transgenic mice overexpressing NMU become lean and hypophagic.

Qualitative and quantitative determination of melamine by surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy using silver nanorod array substrates.

Silver nanorod (AgNR) array substrates are investigated to detect pure melamine dissolved in 50% methanol using surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS). We find that sample preparation conditions have a great influence on melamine detection. When the samples are prepared under a nitrogen glove box, the SERS characteristic peak intensities of melamine at Deltanu = 497 cm(-1), 704 cm(-1), and 983 cm(-1) are studied as functions of melamine concentration and/or the mass of melamine.

[Cloning and expression of cucumber CsEXP10 gene].

Basing on the fragment (CO434610) cloned from cDNA amplified fragment length polymorphism (cDNA-AFLP), a 1191-bp cDNA sequence of CsEXP10 with a complete 3' end was obtained via rapid amplification of cDNA ends (RACE) and getting spliced with an EST (AF319471) of the same gene (Fig.2). Southern blotting analysis showed that CsEXP10 was a single copy gene in cucumber (Fig.

P2Y6 nucleotide receptors activate NF-kappaB and increase survival of osteoclasts.

Nucleotides, released from cells during inflammation and by mechanical stimulation, act through the P2 family of nucleotide receptors. Previous studies have demonstrated the expression of P2Y1 and P2Y2 receptors in osteoclasts. The aim of this study was to determine whether osteoclast P2Y receptors signal through NF-kappaB, a key transcription factor regulating osteoclastogenesis.

Telomere shortening exposes functions for the mouse Werner and Bloom syndrome genes.

The Werner and Bloom syndromes are caused by loss-of-function mutations in WRN and BLM, respectively, which encode the RecQ family DNA helicases WRN and BLM, respectively. Persons with Werner syndrome displays premature aging of the skin, vasculature, reproductive system, and bone, and those with Bloom syndrome display more limited features of aging, including premature menopause; both syndromes involve genome instability and increased cancer. The proteins participate in recombinational repair of stalled replication forks or DNA breaks, but the precise functions of the proteins that prevent rapid aging are unknown.