DataSheet_2_sc-ImmuCC: hierarchical annotation for immune cell types in single-cell RNA-seq.xlsx

Accurately identifying immune cell types in single-cell RNA-sequencing (scRNA-Seq) data is critical to uncovering immune responses in health or disease conditions. However, the high heterogeneity and sparsity of scRNA-Seq data, as well as the similarity in gene expression among immune cell types, poses a great challenge for accurate identification of immune cell types in scRNA-Seq data. Here, we developed a tool named sc-ImmuCC for hierarchical annotation of immune cell types from scRNA-Seq data, based on the optimized gene sets and ssGSEA algorithm. sc-ImmuCC simulates the natural differentiation of immune cells, and the hierarchical annotation includes three layers, which can annotate nine major immune cell types and 29 cell subtypes. The test results showed its stable performance and strong consistency among different tissue datasets with average accuracy of 71-90%. In addition, the optimized gene sets and hierarchical annotation strategy could be applied to other methods to improve their annotation accuracy and the spectrum of annotated cell types and subtypes. We also applied sc-ImmuCC to a dataset composed of COVID-19, influenza, and healthy donors, and found that the proportion of monocytes in patients with COVID-19 and influenza was significantly higher than that in healthy people. The easy-to-use sc-ImmuCC tool provides a good way to comprehensively annotate immune cell types from scRNA-Seq data, and will also help study the immune mechanism underlying physiological and pathological conditions.</p

DataSheet_1_sc-ImmuCC: hierarchical annotation for immune cell types in single-cell RNA-seq.docx

Accurately identifying immune cell types in single-cell RNA-sequencing (scRNA-Seq) data is critical to uncovering immune responses in health or disease conditions. However, the high heterogeneity and sparsity of scRNA-Seq data, as well as the similarity in gene expression among immune cell types, poses a great challenge for accurate identification of immune cell types in scRNA-Seq data. Here, we developed a tool named sc-ImmuCC for hierarchical annotation of immune cell types from scRNA-Seq data, based on the optimized gene sets and ssGSEA algorithm. sc-ImmuCC simulates the natural differentiation of immune cells, and the hierarchical annotation includes three layers, which can annotate nine major immune cell types and 29 cell subtypes. The test results showed its stable performance and strong consistency among different tissue datasets with average accuracy of 71-90%. In addition, the optimized gene sets and hierarchical annotation strategy could be applied to other methods to improve their annotation accuracy and the spectrum of annotated cell types and subtypes. We also applied sc-ImmuCC to a dataset composed of COVID-19, influenza, and healthy donors, and found that the proportion of monocytes in patients with COVID-19 and influenza was significantly higher than that in healthy people. The easy-to-use sc-ImmuCC tool provides a good way to comprehensively annotate immune cell types from scRNA-Seq data, and will also help study the immune mechanism underlying physiological and pathological conditions.</p

CuWO₄ Nanoflake Array-Based Single-Junction and Heterojunction Photoanodes for Photoelectrochemical Water Oxidation

Over recent years, tremendous efforts have been invested in the search and development of active and durable semiconductor materials for photoelectrochemical (PEC) water splitting, particularly for photoanodes operating under a highly oxidizing environment. CuWO₄ is an emerging candidate with suitable band gap and high chemical stability. Nevertheless, its overall solar-to-electricity remains low because of the inefficient charge separation process. In this work, we demonstrate that this problem can be partly alleviated through designing three-dimensional hierarchical nanostructures. CuWO₄ nanoflake arrays on conducting glass are prepared from the chemical conversion of WO₃ templates. Resulting electrode materials possess large surface areas, abundant porosity and small thickness. Under illumination, our CuWO₄ nanoflake array photoanodes exhibit an anodic current density of ∼0.4 mA/cm² at the thermodynamic potential of water splitting in pH 9.5 potassium borate buffer  the largest value among all available CuWO₄-based photoanodes. In addition, we demonstrate that their performance can be further boosted to >2 mA/cm² by coupling with a solution-cast BiVO₄ film in a heterojunction configuration. Our study unveils the great potential of nanostructured CuWO₄ as the photoanode material for PEC water oxidation

miR-107 Activates ATR/Chk1 Pathway and Suppress Cervical Cancer Invasion by Targeting MCL1

<div><p>MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a class of single-stranded, non-coding RNAs of about 22 nucleotides in length. Increasing evidence implicates miRNAs may function as oncogenes or tumor suppressors. Here we showed that miR-107 directly targeted MCL1 and activated ATR/Chk1 pathway to inhibit proliferation, migration and invasiveness of cervical cancer cells. Moreover, we found that MCL1 was frequently up-regulated in cervical cancer, and knockdown of MCL1 markedly inhibited cancer cell proliferation, migration and invasion, whereas ectopic expression of MCL1 significantly enhances these properties. The restoration of MCL1 expression can counteract the effect of miR-107 on the cancer cells. Together, miR-107 is a new regulator of MCL1, and both miR-107 and MCL1 play important roles in the pathogenesis of cervical cancer. We have therefore identified a mechanism for ATR/Chk1 pathway which involves an increase in miR-107 leading to a decrease in MCL1. Correspondingly, our results revealed that miR-107 affected ATR/Chk1 signalling and gene expression, and implicated miR-107 as a therapeutic target in human cervical cancer. We also demonstrated that taxol attenuated migration and invasion in cervical cancer cells by activating the miR-107, in which miR-107 play an important role in regulating the expression of MCL1. Elucidation of this discovered MCL1 was directly regulated by miR-107 will greatly enhance our understanding of the mechanisms responsible for cervical cancer and will provide an additional arm for the development of anticancer therapies.</p></div

MCL1 rescues miR-107-induced cellular phenotypes in cervical cancer cells.

<p><i>(A)</i>, cells were co-transfected with the pcDNA3/MCL1 vector, which did not contain the 3′-UTR of MCL1, with or without pri-miR-107 vector. (<i>B</i>–<i>D)</i>, at 48 h after transfection, the MCL1 protein level was measured by Western blotting. MTT assay (<i>B</i>), colony formation assay (<i>C</i>), transwell assays without Matrigel (<i>D</i>), or Transwell assays with Matrigel (<i>E</i>) were used to evaluate the cell viability, growth capacity, and potential for cell migration and invasion, respectively. (<i>F</i>) ATR and ATM mRNA levels were monitored by qRT-PC R at the indicated time points after miR-107transfection. GADPH was used for normalization. Data represent means ± standard error (SE) from three independent experiments. (<i>G</i>) Western blot assay revealed that after miR-107 overexpression, ATR was upregulated, then phosphorylation of Chk1 was increased, but phosphorylation of Chk2 was no difference. (H, I and J) Cell cycle distribution was evaluated in cells transfected with negative control, miR-107 or MCL1 by propidium iodide staining and flow cytometry 24 h after transfection. <i>N</i> and <i>O</i>, the relative expression of miR-107 (<i>K</i>) and MCL1 (<i>L</i>) in the 15 pairs, including cervical cancer tissues and matched normal tissues, was determined using qRT-PCR. <i>M</i>, expression of MCL1 in cervical cancer tissue and normal tissues by immunohistochemistry (<i>n</i> = 12). <i>N</i>, schematic representing miR-107-mediated regulation of MCL1 expression during cancer progression. Model of modified ATR/Chk1 pathway, in which miR-107 and MCL1 are involved. Data represent means ±SE from three independent experiments. Significance was determined by Student's t-test: *p<0.05, **p<0.005.</p

General characteristics.

<p>(A: Ulcer that has not yet healed; B: general observations 12 weeks after surgery).</p

Mesoporous Hybrid Shells of Carbonized Polyaniline/Mn₂O₃ as Non-Precious Efficient Oxygen Reduction Reaction Catalyst

Mesoporous hybrid shells of carbonized polyaniline (C_PANI)/Mn₂O₃ with well-controlled diameter and high surface area have been synthesized through surface protected calcination processes. Originating from polystyrene template, PANI, MnO₂, and SiO₂ were sequentially loaded, followed by template removal and calcination, resulting in the desired C_PANI/Mn₂O₃ hybrid shells. The introduction of SiO₂ shell was established to play the determining role in maintaining the configuration during calcination process under high temperature. The C_PANI/Mn₂O₃ hybrid shells showed outstanding electrocatalytic activity toward oxygen reduction reaction (ORR), with the onset potential at +0.974 V (versus RHE), the specific current at 60.8 mA/mg, and an overall quasi 4-electron transfer, which are comparable to those of the benchmark Pt/C. The remarkable ORR performance was attributed to the high specific surface area, the surface oxidation state of Mn, and composition-codependent behavior

Osmium tetroxide staining in each group.

<p>(A: Proximal nerve segment; B: distal segment in the normal group; C: distal segment in the model group; D: distal segment in the treatment group).</p

Morphometric measurements in all groups 12 weeks after surgery.

*<p><i>P</i><0.05 versus normal group;</p>▴<p><i>P</i><0.05 versus model group.</p

Antichilblain Components in Eggplant Based on Network Pharmacology and Biological Evaluation

Eggplant, the fruit of Solanum melongena L. (Solanaceae), is applied externally to relieve the symptoms of chilblains in the folk in East Asia. However, the mechanisms and biological ingredients are not clear. A network pharmacology approach was used to shed light on the mechanisms of eggplant against chilblains, which illustrated that anti-inflammation and antioxidation are mainly involved in the curative effects. Bioassay-guided assays led to the isolation of 44 ingredients (1–44), including two new natural compounds (1–2) and 42 known compounds. Thirteen compounds (3–15) were first reported from the Solanum genus. The anti-inflammatory and antioxidative effects of all isolates were evaluated, and the results showed that 11 compounds have anti-inflammatory activity and 27 have antioxidant activity. Fatty acids, flavonoids, alkaloids, phenolic acids, saponins, and lignans from eggplant have certain anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects. These results provide a scientific basis for eggplant to treat chilblains