Hydrothermally Driven Transformation of Oxygen Functional Groups at Multiwall Carbon Nanotubes for Improved Electrocatalytic Applications

The role of carbon nanotubes in the advancement of energy conversion and storage technologies is undeniable. In particular, carbon nanotubes have attracted significant applications for electrocatalysis. However, one central issue related to the use of carbon nanotubes is the required oxidative pretreatment that often leads to significant damage of graphitic structures which deteriorates their electrochemical properties. Traditionally, the oxidized carbon nanomaterials are treated at high temperature under an inert atmosphere to repair the oxidation-induced defect sites, which simultaneously removes a significant number of oxygen functional groups. Nevertheless, recent studies have shown that oxygen functional groups on the surface of MWCNT are the essential active centers for a number of important electrocatalytic reactions such as hydrogen evolution reaction (HER), oxygen evolution reaction (OER), and oxygen reduction reaction (ORR). Herein we first show that hydrothermal treatment as a mild method to improve the electrochemical properties and activities of surface-oxidized MWCNT for OER, HER, and ORR without significantly altering the oxygen content. The results indicate that hydrothermal treatment could potentially repair the defects without significantly reducing the pre-existing oxygen content, which has never been achieved before with conventional high-temperature annealing treatment

MOESM2 of The role of miR-485-5p/NUDT1 axis in gastric cancer

Additional file 2: Figure S2. Overexpression and knock-down of NUDT1 in GC cells. A, B and C. Up-regulation of NUDT1 expression by plasmid. GC cells were transfected with NUDT1 plasmid, and the protein levels (A and B) and mRNA levels (C) were detected respectively. D, E and F. Silencing of NUDT1 expression by siRNAs. GC cells were transfected with NUDT1 siRNAs, and the protein levels (D and E) and mRNA levels (F) were detected respectively. PCDNA NUDT1 refers to overexpression plasmid, and PCDNA NC refers to control plasmid. ** indicates P < 0.01; *** indicated P < 0.001

MOESM2 of The role of miR-485-5p/NUDT1 axis in gastric cancer

Additional file 2: Figure S2. Overexpression and knock-down of NUDT1 in GC cells. A, B and C. Up-regulation of NUDT1 expression by plasmid. GC cells were transfected with NUDT1 plasmid, and the protein levels (A and B) and mRNA levels (C) were detected respectively. D, E and F. Silencing of NUDT1 expression by siRNAs. GC cells were transfected with NUDT1 siRNAs, and the protein levels (D and E) and mRNA levels (F) were detected respectively. PCDNA NUDT1 refers to overexpression plasmid, and PCDNA NC refers to control plasmid. ** indicates P < 0.01; *** indicated P < 0.001

Dietary Cerebroside from Sea Cucumber (Stichopus japonicus): Absorption and Effects on Skin Barrier and Cecal Short-Chain Fatty Acids

Sphingolipids from marine sources have attracted more attention recently because of their distinctive structures and expected functions. In this study, the content and components of cerebroside from sea cucumber Stichopus japonicus were analyzed. The absorption of cerebroside from <i>S. japonicus</i> was investigated with an in vivo lipid absorption assay. The result revealed that <i>S. japonicus</i> is a rich source of cerebroside that contained considerable amounts of odd carbon chain sphingoid bases. The cumulative recoveries of d17:1- and d19:2-containing cerebrosides were 0.31 ± 0.16 and 0.32 ± 0.10%, respectively, for 24 h after administration. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first work that shows sphingolipids from a marine source could be absorbed in vivo and incorporated into ceramides. In addition, dietary supplementation with sea cucumber cerebroside to hairless mouse improved the skin barrier function and increased short-chain fatty acids in cecal contents, which have shown beneficial effects on the host

Immobilization of Volatile and Corrosive Iodine Monochloride (ICl) and I₂ Reagents in a Stable Metal–Organic Framework

The major discovery here is a robust and water-stable metal–organic framework (MOF) material capable of reversible binding of the volatile and reactive molecules of ICl and I₂. The immobilization of I₂ and ICl, as well as their controllable release thus achieved, is to facilitate the wide-ranging applications of these volatile species as catalysts and reagents in chemical and industrial processes. The framework material TMBP·CuI (hereafter TCuI) can be conveniently prepared in quantitative yields by heating CuI and the organic linker TMBP (3,3′,5,5′-tetramethyl-4,4′-bipyrazol) in acetonitrile. The microporous three-dimensional net of TCuI features CuI chains that contribute to efficient and reversible binding of ICl and I₂ molecules, to result in the stoichiometrically well-defined adducts of TCuI·ICl and TCuI·I₂, respectively. Moreover, the confinement of a volatile compound like ICl within the MOF medium provides unique opportunities to enhance its reactivity and selectivity as a chemical reagent, as is exemplified by the iodination reactions examined herein. With this exemplary study, we intend to stimulate interest in further exploring MOFs and other porous media (e.g., porous polymers) for entrapping ICl and other volatile reagents (e.g., Br₂, SCl₂, S₂Cl₂, and SOCl₂) and for potentially novel reactivity associated with the porous medium

Data_Sheet_1_Sub-Inhibitory Concentrations of Mupirocin Strongly Inhibit Alpha-Toxin Production in High-Level Mupirocin-Resistant MRSA by Down-Regulating agr, saeRS, and sarA.docx

<p>Mupirocin, a topical antibiotic, has been utilized for decades to treat Staphylococcus aureus skin infections, as well as to decolonize patients at risk of methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) infection. The aims of this study were to investigate the expression of α-toxin (encoded by the hla gene) in ten clinical MRSA strains (MIC = 1024 μg/ml) in response to a sub-inhibitory concentration of mupirocin (1/32 minimum inhibitory concentration [MIC]) (32 μg/ml) by using α-toxin activity determination and enzyme-linked immune sorbent assay (ELISA). Subsequently, real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was used to examine the expression of saeR, agrA, RNAIII, and sarA genes under sub-inhibitory concentration of mupirocin in order to investigate the mechanism of action of this treatment regarding its strong inhibition of α-toxin expression. For all the strains tested, mupirocin dramatically reduced mRNA levels of α-toxin. The results indicated that α-toxin activity in mupirocin-treated groups was significantly lower than that in untreated groups. The results show that the levels of agrA, RNAIII, saeR, and sarA expression significantly decrease by 11.82- to 2.23-fold (P < 0.01). Moreover, we speculate that mupirocin-induced inhibition of α-toxin expression may be related to the inhibition of regulatory loci, such as agr, sarA and saeRS. More specifically, we found that the mechanism involves inhibiting the expression of agrA and RNAIII. In conclusion, sub-inhibitory concentrations of mupirocin strongly inhibit alpha-toxin production in high-level mupirocin-resistant MRSA by down-regulating agr, saeRS and sarA, which could potentially be developed as a supplemental treatment to control high-level mupirocin-resistant MRSA infection and reduce the risk of infection and colonization.</p

Image_1_Sub-Inhibitory Concentrations of Mupirocin Strongly Inhibit Alpha-Toxin Production in High-Level Mupirocin-Resistant MRSA by Down-Regulating agr, saeRS, and sarA.tif

<p>Mupirocin, a topical antibiotic, has been utilized for decades to treat Staphylococcus aureus skin infections, as well as to decolonize patients at risk of methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) infection. The aims of this study were to investigate the expression of α-toxin (encoded by the hla gene) in ten clinical MRSA strains (MIC = 1024 μg/ml) in response to a sub-inhibitory concentration of mupirocin (1/32 minimum inhibitory concentration [MIC]) (32 μg/ml) by using α-toxin activity determination and enzyme-linked immune sorbent assay (ELISA). Subsequently, real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was used to examine the expression of saeR, agrA, RNAIII, and sarA genes under sub-inhibitory concentration of mupirocin in order to investigate the mechanism of action of this treatment regarding its strong inhibition of α-toxin expression. For all the strains tested, mupirocin dramatically reduced mRNA levels of α-toxin. The results indicated that α-toxin activity in mupirocin-treated groups was significantly lower than that in untreated groups. The results show that the levels of agrA, RNAIII, saeR, and sarA expression significantly decrease by 11.82- to 2.23-fold (P < 0.01). Moreover, we speculate that mupirocin-induced inhibition of α-toxin expression may be related to the inhibition of regulatory loci, such as agr, sarA and saeRS. More specifically, we found that the mechanism involves inhibiting the expression of agrA and RNAIII. In conclusion, sub-inhibitory concentrations of mupirocin strongly inhibit alpha-toxin production in high-level mupirocin-resistant MRSA by down-regulating agr, saeRS and sarA, which could potentially be developed as a supplemental treatment to control high-level mupirocin-resistant MRSA infection and reduce the risk of infection and colonization.</p

Additional file 1 of Combined score based on plasma fibrinogen and platelet-lymphocyte ratio as a prognostic biomarker in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma

Supplementary Material

Additional file 1 of Chemotherapy re-use versus anti-angiogenic monotherapy as the third-line treatment of patients with metastatic colorectal cancer: a real-world cohort study

Supplementary Material