Nankai University

About: Nankai University is a education organization based out in Tianjin, China. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Catalysis & Adsorption. The organization has 42964 authors who have published 51866 publications receiving 1127896 citations. The organization is also known as: Nánkāi Dàxué.

Ratiometric Detection of Intracellular Lysine and pH with One-Pot Synthesized Dual Emissive Carbon Dots

Abstract: Recently, the development of new fluorescent probes for the ratiometric detection of target objects inside living cells has received great attention. Normally, the preparation, modification as well as conjugation procedures of these probes are complicated. On this basis, great efforts have been paid to establish convenient method for the preparation of dual emissive nanosensor. In this work, a functional dual emissive carbon dots (dCDs) was prepared by a one-pot hydrothermal carbonization method. The dCDs exhibits two distinctive fluorescence emission peaks at 440 and 624 nm with the excitation at 380 nm. Different from the commonly reported dCDs, this probe exhibited an interesting wavelength dependent dual responsive functionality toward lysine (440 nm) and pH (624 nm), enabling the ratiometric detection of these two targets. The quantitative analysis displayed that a linear range of 0.5-260 μM with a detection limit of 94 nM toward lysine and the differentiation of pH variation from 1.5 to 5.0 could be readily realized in a ratiometric strategy, which was not reported before with other carbon dots (CDs) as the probe. Furthermore, because of the low cytotoxicity, good optical and colloidal stability, and excellent wavelength dependent sensitivity and selectivity toward lysine and pH, this probe was successfully applied to monitor the dynamic variation of lysine and pH in cellular systems, demonstrating the promising applicability for biosensing in the future.

Flexible organic photovoltaics based on water-processed silver nanowire electrodes

Abstract: A key feature of organic electronic devices is their mechanical flexibility. However, the performance of flexible organic optoelectronic devices still lags behind the performance of devices on rigid substrates. This is due, in particular, to the lack of flexible transparent electrodes that simultaneously offer low resistance, high transparency and a smooth surface. Here, we report flexible transparent electrodes created using water-processed silver nanowires and a polyelectrolyte. Due to ionic electrostatic charge repulsion, the nanowires form grid-like structures in a single step, leading to smooth, flexible electrodes that have a sheet resistance of around 10 Ω □−1 and a transmittance of around 92% (excluding the substrate). To illustrate the potential of the approach in organic electronics, we use the flexible electrodes to create organic photovoltaic devices. The devices are tested with different types of donors and acceptors, and exhibit performance comparable to devices based on commercial rigid electrodes. Furthermore, flexible single-junction and tandem devices achieve power conversion efficiencies of 13.1% and 16.5%, respectively. Flexible transparent electrodes made from silver nanowires that form grid-like structures due to ionic electrostatic charge repulsion can be used to create flexible single-junction and tandem organic photovoltaic devices with power conversion efficiencies of 13.1% and 16.5%, respectively.

Twist1 Regulates Vimentin through Cul2 Circular RNA to Promote EMT in Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Abstract: Twist is a critical epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT)-inducing transcription factor that increases expression of vimentin. How Twist1 regulates this expression remains unclear. Here, we report that Twist1 regulates Cullin2 (Cul2) circular RNA to increase expression of vimentin in EMT. Twist1 bound the Cul2 promoter to activate its transcription and to selectively promote expression of Cul2 circular RNA (circ-10720), but not mRNA. circ-10720 positively correlated with Twist1, tumor malignance, and poor prognosis in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Twist1 promoted vimentin expression by increasing levels of circ-10720, which can absorb miRNAs that target vimentin. circ-10720 knockdown counteracted the tumor-promoting activity of Twist1 in vitro and in patient-derived xenograft and diethylnitrosamine-induced TetOn-Twist1 transgenic mouse HCC models. These data unveil a mechanism by which Twist1 regulates vimentin during EMT. They also provide potential therapeutic targets for HCC treatment and provide new insight for circular RNA (circRNA)-based diagnostic and therapeutic strategies.Significance: A circRNA-based mechanism drives Twist1-mediated regulation of vimentin during EMT and provides potential therapeutic targets for treatment of HCC.Graphical Abstract: http://cancerres.aacrjournals.org/content/canres/78/15/4150/F1.large.jpg Cancer Res; 78(15); 4150-62. ©2018 AACR.

Morita–Baylis–Hillman adduct derivatives (MBHADs): versatile reactivity in Lewis base-promoted annulation

Abstract: Lewis base-promoted annulation reactions with MBHADs have emerged as a key platform for the construction of functionalized carbo- and heterocycles. MBHADs, which are economical and readily available, exert diverse and amazing reactivity when reacted with a wide range of electrophiles. A variety of carbo- and heterocycles, most of which are predominant in natural products and pharmaceuticals, could be constructed with high efficiency. This tutorial review will describe these annulation reactions, with a special emphasis on recent work regarding diverse reactivities of MBHADs.