Ectopic expression of RMRP promoted lung adenocarcinoma cell proliferation, colony formation and invasion.

<p>(A) The expression of RMRP was measured in the H1299 cell after treated with RMRP vector. (B) Ectopic expression of RMRP promoted H1299 cell proliferation. (C) Overexpression of RMRP enhanced the cyclin D1 expression in the H1299 cell. (D) Ectopic expression of RMRP promoted ki-67 expression in the H1299 cell. (E) Overexpression of RMRP promoted the H1299 cell colony formation. (F) Overexpression of RMRP enhanced the H1299 cellinvasion. *p<0.05, **p<0.01 and ***p<0.001.</p

miR-206 expression was downregulated in the lung adenocarcinoma tissues.

<p>(A) The miR-206 expression was measured in lung adenocarcinoma cell lines (A549, SPC-A1, H1299 and H23) and the bronchial epithelial cell line using qRT-PCR. (B) The miR-206 expression was detected in lung adenocarcinoma tissues and the matched adjacent normal tissues by using qRT-PCR. (C) miR-206 expression was downregulated in 21 cases (21/35; 60%) compared to the adjacent normal tissues. (D) The expression of RMRP was negative correlated with the expression of miR-206 in lung adenocarcinoma tissues.</p

RMRP suppressed expression of miR-206 and increased the expression of KRAS, FMNL2 and SOX9.

<p>(A) Overexpression of RMRP inhibited theexpression of miR-206 in the H1299 cell. (B) Ectopic expression ofRMRP promoted the KRAS mRNA expression in the H1299 cell. (C) The protein expression of KRAS was determined using western blot. (D) Ectopic expression ofRMRP promoted the FMNL2 mRNA expression in the H1299 cell. (E) The protein expression ofFMNL2 was determined using western blot. (F) Ectopic expression ofRMRP promoted the SOX9 mRNA expression in the H1299 cell. (G) The protein expression ofSOX9 was determined using western blot.</p

The expression of RMRP was upregulated in the lung adenocarcinoma tissues.

<p>(A) RMRP expression was measured in the lung adenocarcinoma tissues and the matched adjacent normal tissues using qRT-PCR. (B) The RMRP was upregulated in 25 cases (25/35; 71.4%) compared to the adjacent normal tissues. (C) The RMRP expression was upregulated in lung adenocarcinoma cell lines (A549, SPC-A1, H1299 and H23) compared to the bronchial epithelial cell line (16HBE).</p

RMRP exhibited an oncogenic activity through targeting miR-206.

<p>(A) miR-206 expression was upregulated in H1299 cell after treated with the miR-206 mimic. (B) miR-206 expression was decreased in the RMRP-induced H1299 cell after treated with RMRP vector. (C) Restoration of miR-206 suppressed cell proliferation in the RMRP-induced H1299 cell after treated with miR-206 mimic. (D) Restoration of miR-206 inhibited the cell invasion in the RMRP-induced H1299 cell after treated with miR-206 mimic.*p<0.05, **p<0.01 and ***p<0.001.</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

Efficient Photoelectrochemical Hydrogen Evolution on Silicon Photocathodes Interfaced with Nanostructured NiP₂ Cocatalyst Films

Increasing attention has now been focused on the photoelectrochemical (PEC) hydrogen evolution as a promising route to transforming solar energy into chemical fuels. Silicon is one of the most studied PEC electrode materials, but its performance is still limited by its inherent PEC instability and electrochemical inertness toward water splitting. To achieve significant PEC activities, silicon-based photoelectrodes usually have to be coupled with proper cocatalysts, and thus, the formed semiconductor–cocatalyst interface presents a critical structural parameter in the rational design of efficient PEC devices. In this study, we directly grow nanostructured pyrite-phase nickel phosphide (NiP₂) cocatalyst films on textured pn⁺-Si photocathodes via on-surface reaction at high temperatures. The areal loading of the cocatalyst film can be tailored to achieve an optimal balance between its optical transparency and electrocatalytic activity. As a result, our pn⁺-Si/Ti/NiP₂ photocathodes demonstrate a great PEC onset potential of 0.41 V versus reversible hydrogen electrode (RHE), a decent photocurrent density of ∼12 mA/cm² at the thermodynamic potential of hydrogen evolution, and an impressive operation durability for at least 6 h in 0.5 M H₂SO₄. Comparable PEC performance is also observed in 1 M potassium borate buffer (pH = 9.5) using this device

Controllably Interfacing with Ferroelectric Layer: A Strategy for Enhancing Water Oxidation on Silicon by Surface Polarization

Silicon (Si) is an important material in photoelectrochemical (PEC) water splitting because of its good light-harvesting capability as well as excellent charge-transport properties. However, the shallow valence band edge of Si hinders its PEC performance for water oxidation. Generally, thanks to their deep valence band edge, metal oxides are incorporated with Si to improve the performance, but they also decrease the transportation of carriers in the electrode. Here, we integrated a ferroelectric poly­(vinylidene fluoride–trifluoroethylene) [P­(VDF–TrFE)] layer with Si to increase the photovoltage as well as the saturated current density. Because of the prominent ferroelectric property from P­(VDF–TrFE), the Schottky barrier between Si and the electrolyte can be facially tuned by manipulating the poling direction of the ferroelectric domains. The photovoltage is improved from 460 to 540 mV with a forward-poled P­(VDF–TrFE) layer, while the current density increased from 5.8 to 12.4 mA/cm² at 1.23 V bias versus reversible hydrogen electrode

Liquid Phase Exfoliated MoS₂ Nanosheets Percolated with Carbon Nanotubes for High Volumetric/Areal Capacity Sodium-Ion Batteries

The search for high-capacity, low-cost electrode materials for sodium-ion batteries is a significant challenge in energy research. Among the many potential candidates, layered compounds such as MoS₂ have attracted increasing attention. However, such materials have not yet fulfilled their true potential. Here, we show that networks of liquid phase exfoliated MoS₂ nanosheets, reinforced with 20 wt % single-wall carbon nanotubes (SWNTs), can be formed into sodium-ion battery electrodes with large gravimetric, volumetric, and areal capacity. The MoS₂/SWNT composite films are highly porous, electrically conductive, and mechanically robust due to its percolating carbon nanotube network. When directly employed as the working electrode, they exhibit a specific capacity of >400 mAh/g and volumetric capacity of ∼650 mAh/cm³. Their mechanical stability allows them to be processed into free-standing films with tunable thickness up to ∼100 μm, corresponding to an areal loading of 15 mg/cm². Their high electrical conductivity allows the high volumetric capacity to be retained, even at high thickness, resulting in state-of-the-art areal capacities of >4.0 mAh/cm². Such values are competitive with their lithium-ion counterparts

Covalent Hybrid of Spinel Manganese–Cobalt Oxide and Graphene as Advanced Oxygen Reduction Electrocatalysts

Through direct nanoparticle nucleation and growth on nitrogen doped, reduced graphene oxide sheets and cation substitution of spinel Co₃O₄ nanoparticles, a manganese–cobalt spinel MnCo₂O₄/graphene hybrid was developed as a highly efficient electrocatalyst for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) in alkaline conditions. Electrochemical and X-ray near-edge structure (XANES) investigations revealed that the nucleation and growth method for forming inorganic–nanocarbon hybrids results in covalent coupling between spinel oxide nanoparticles and N-doped reduced graphene oxide (N-rmGO) sheets. Carbon K-edge and nitrogen K-edge XANES showed strongly perturbed C–O and C–N bonding in the N-rmGO sheet, suggesting the formation of C–O–metal and C–N–metal bonds between N-doped graphene oxide and spinel oxide nanoparticles. Co L-edge and Mn L-edge XANES suggested substitution of Co³⁺ sites by Mn³⁺, which increased the activity of the catalytic sites in the hybrid materials, further boosting the ORR activity compared with the pure cobalt oxide hybrid. The covalently bonded hybrid afforded much greater activity and durability than the physical mixture of nanoparticles and carbon materials including N-rmGO. At the same mass loading, the MnCo₂O₄/N-graphene hybrid can outperform Pt/C in ORR current density at medium overpotentials with stability superior to Pt/C in alkaline solutions