Table_1_Causal association between mTOR-dependent circulating protein levels and central precocious puberty: a Mendelian randomization study.xlsx

BackgroundThe mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling pathway has a significant effect on central precocious puberty (CPP). However, the causality between mTOR-dependent circulating protein levels and CPP is still unclear. Our aim is to assess the effects of seven mTOR-dependent circulating protein levels on CPP using Mendelian randomization (MR).MethodsInstrumental variables (IVs) for mTOR-dependent circulating protein levels were retrieved from the proteomics-GWAS INTERVAL study and eQTLGen. The summary-level genetic datasets for CPP outcome were obtained from the FinnGen Consortium. Inverse-variance weighted (IVW) was used as the primary method and the pleiotropy, heterogeneity and robustness of the analyses were detected as sensitivity analysis. Positive exposures in the discovery cohort would be revalidated in the validation cohort.ResultsThis two-sample MR study revealed a causal association between eIF4G level in plasma and CPP in both discovery cohort (IVW: OR = 0.45, 95% CI = 0.22–0.91, p = 0.026) and validation cohort (IVW: OR = 0.45, 95% CI = 0.24–0.85, p = 0.014).ConclusionsThere was a causal association between eIF4G level in plasma and CPP. Whether eIF4G can be used for the prevention or treatment of CPP needs to be explored in further studies.</p

Image_1_Causal association between mTOR-dependent circulating protein levels and central precocious puberty: a Mendelian randomization study.pdf

BackgroundThe mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling pathway has a significant effect on central precocious puberty (CPP). However, the causality between mTOR-dependent circulating protein levels and CPP is still unclear. Our aim is to assess the effects of seven mTOR-dependent circulating protein levels on CPP using Mendelian randomization (MR).MethodsInstrumental variables (IVs) for mTOR-dependent circulating protein levels were retrieved from the proteomics-GWAS INTERVAL study and eQTLGen. The summary-level genetic datasets for CPP outcome were obtained from the FinnGen Consortium. Inverse-variance weighted (IVW) was used as the primary method and the pleiotropy, heterogeneity and robustness of the analyses were detected as sensitivity analysis. Positive exposures in the discovery cohort would be revalidated in the validation cohort.ResultsThis two-sample MR study revealed a causal association between eIF4G level in plasma and CPP in both discovery cohort (IVW: OR = 0.45, 95% CI = 0.22–0.91, p = 0.026) and validation cohort (IVW: OR = 0.45, 95% CI = 0.24–0.85, p = 0.014).ConclusionsThere was a causal association between eIF4G level in plasma and CPP. Whether eIF4G can be used for the prevention or treatment of CPP needs to be explored in further studies.</p

Synergistic Effect of <i>N</i>-Methylbenzimidazole and Guanidinium Thiocyanate on the Performance of Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells Based on Ionic Liquid Electrolytes

The effects of additives guanidinium thiocyanate (GSCN) and N-methylbenzimidazole (MBI) on the photovoltaic performance of dye-sensitized solar cells based on low-viscous, binary ionic liquid and organic liquid electrolytes were investigated. Addition of only GSCN to the electrolyte has a pronounced influence on the short-circuit current, owing largely to the positive shift of the conduction band edge potential, probably increasing the injection efficiency of the excited dye. When only MBI was added to the electrolyte, a significant improvement of the open-circuit voltage was found, which could be attributed to a negative shift of the TiO2 conduction band edge potential and a longer electron lifetime under open-circuit conditions. Synergistic effects were observed when GSCN and MBI were used together in the ionic liquid-based electrolyte. In this case, optimal open-circuit voltage and total conversion efficiency were obtained among the ionic liquid electrolytes studied mainly due to the more efficient retardation of the recombination loss reaction at the TiO2/electrolyte interface

Natural Chlorophyll Derivative Assisted Defect Passivation and Hole Extraction for MAPbI₃ Perovskite Solar Cells with Efficiency Exceeding 20%

A chlorophyll derivative, sodium copper chlorophyllin (NaCu-Chl), is utilized to passivate the defects at the perovskite film surface via a solution post-treatment method. It is found that NaCu-Chl not only suppresses the defect-induced nonradiative recombination but also improves the film morphology. Moreover, NaCu-Chl treatment also facilitates efficient hole extraction from perovskite to Spiro-OMeTAD. As a result, NaCu-Chl-treated MAPbI3 PSCs produce an optimal power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 20.27% with better ambient and thermal stability. This work offers an insight into the application of natural products and derivatives for fabrication of PSCs

Organic Redox Couples and Organic Counter Electrode for Efficient Organic Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells

A series of organic thiolate/disulfide redox couples have been synthesized and have been studied systematically in dye-sensitized solar cells (DSCs) on the basis of an organic dye (TH305). Photophysical, photoelectrochemical, and photovoltaic measurements were performed in order to get insights into the effects of different redox couples on the performance of DSCs. The polymeric, organic poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT) material has also been introduced as counter electrode in this kind of noniodine-containing DSCs showing a promising conversion efficiency of 6.0% under AM 1.5G, 100 mW·cm–2 light illumination. Detailed studies using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and linear-sweep voltammetry reveal that the reduction of disulfide species is more efficient on the PEDOT counter electrode surface than on the commonly used platinized conducting glass electrode. Both pure and solvated ionic-liquid electrolytes based on a thiolate anion have been studied in the DSCs. The pure and solvated ionic-liquid-based electrolytes containing an organic redox couple render efficiencies of 3.4% and 1.2% under 10 mW·cm–2 light illumination, respectively

Investigation of Iodine Concentration Effects in Electrolytes for Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells

The present work describes the effects of different iodine concentrations and iodine-to-iodide ratios in electrolytes for dye-sensitized solar cells based on low-viscous, binary ionic liquid and organic liquid solvents. Current−voltage characteristics, photoelectrochemical measurements, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, and Raman spectroscopy were used for characterization. Optimal short-circuit current and overall conversion efficiency were achieved using intermediate and low iodine concentration in ionic liquid-based and acetonitrile-based electrolytes, respectively. Results from photoelectrochemical and Raman-spectroscopic measurements reveal that both triiodide mobility and chemical availability affect the optimal iodine concentration required in these two types of electrolytes. The higher iodine concentrations required for the ionic liquid-based electrolytes partly compensate for these effects, although negative effects from higher recombination losses and light absorption of iodine-containing species start to become significant

A Self-Regulating DNA Rotaxane Linear Actuator Driven by Chemical Energy

Nature-inspired molecular machines can exert mechanical forces by controlling and varying the distance between two molecular subunits in response to different inputs. Here, we present an automated molecular linear actuator composed of T7 RNA polymerase (T7RNAP) and a DNA [2]­rotaxane. A T7 promoter region and terminator sequences are introduced into the rotaxane axle to achieve automated and iterative binding and detachment of T7RNAP in a self-controlled fashion. Transcription by T7RNAP is exploited to control the release of the macrocycle from a single-stranded (ss) region in the T7 promoter to switch back and forth from a static state (hybridized macrocycle) to a dynamic state (movable macrocycle). During transcription, the T7RNAP keeps restricting the movement range on the axle available for the interlocked macrocycle and prevents its return to the promotor region. Since this range is continuously depleted as T7RNAP moves along, a directional and active movement of the macrocycle occurs. When it reaches the transcription terminator, the polymerase detaches, and the system can reset as the macrocycle moves back to hybridize again to the ss-promoter docking site. The hybridization is required for the initiation of a new transcription cycle. The rotaxane actuator runs autonomously and repeats these self-controlled cycles of transcription and movement as long as NTP-fuel is available

Visible Light-Driven Water Splitting in Photoelectrochemical Cells with Supramolecular Catalysts on Photoanodes

By using a supramolecular self-assembly method, a functional water splitting device based on a photoactive anode TiO₂(<b>1</b>+<b>2</b>) has been successfully assembled with a molecular photosensitizer <b>1</b> and a molecular catalyst <b>2</b> connected by coordination of <b>1</b> and <b>2</b> with Zr⁴⁺ ions on the surface of nanostructured TiO₂. On the basis of this photoanode in a three-electrode photoelectrochemical cell, a maximal incident photon to current conversion efficiency of 4.1% at ∼450 nm and a photocurrent density of ∼0.48 mA cm^–2 were successfully obtaine

Na⁺‑Induced Conformational Change of Pb²⁺-Stabilized G‑Quadruplex and Its Influence on Pb²⁺ Detection

Here, we first find that Na⁺ can induce Pb²⁺-stabilized T30695 undergoing conformational transition from partly parallel to completely parallel, and further forming a dimeric G-quadruplex, which was characterized by circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopy, matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF-MS), and native polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE). Thermal denaturation experiments show that the transforming process is a thermodynamics-driven process. Furthermore, the presence of Na⁺ further improves the binding efficiency of Pb²⁺-stabilized T30695 with the fluorescent probe (such as ZnPPIX). Based on the fact, with a partially hybridized double-stranded DNA (ds-DNA) containing T30695 as a sensing probe and ZnPPIX as a fluorescence probe, the effect of Na⁺ on Pb²⁺ detection is subsequently investigated. The presence of Na⁺ (varied from 0.3 mM to 500 mM) simultaneously increases the read-out and background fluorescence, which results in a decreased signal-to-noise ratio and further leads to a decreased sensing performance (detection limits is increased to 120 nM). In order to avoid Na⁺ interference, a fully matched ds-DNA containing T30695 is utilized as a sensing probe to fix the background fluorescence, regardless of whether Na⁺ is present or not. Thus, a relatively lower detection limit (10 nM) in all Na⁺-containing real samples is achieved, respectively. Therefore, the paper provides a novel insight into the conformational changes in G-quadruplex and presents an efficient step to resolve the challenging problem about Pb²⁺ detection in Na⁺-containing real samples