| 1. |
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| 2. |
- Klionsky, Daniel J., et al.
(författare)
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Guidelines for the use and interpretation of assays for monitoring autophagy
- 2012
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Ingår i: Autophagy. - : Informa UK Limited. - 1554-8635 .- 1554-8627. ; 8:4, s. 445-544
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Forskningsöversikt (refereegranskat)abstract
- In 2008 we published the first set of guidelines for standardizing research in autophagy. Since then, research on this topic has continued to accelerate, and many new scientists have entered the field. Our knowledge base and relevant new technologies have also been expanding. Accordingly, it is important to update these guidelines for monitoring autophagy in different organisms. Various reviews have described the range of assays that have been used for this purpose. Nevertheless, there continues to be confusion regarding acceptable methods to measure autophagy, especially in multicellular eukaryotes. A key point that needs to be emphasized is that there is a difference between measurements that monitor the numbers or volume of autophagic elements (e.g., autophagosomes or autolysosomes) at any stage of the autophagic process vs. those that measure flux through the autophagy pathway (i.e., the complete process); thus, a block in macroautophagy that results in autophagosome accumulation needs to be differentiated from stimuli that result in increased autophagic activity, defined as increased autophagy induction coupled with increased delivery to, and degradation within, lysosomes (in most higher eukaryotes and some protists such as Dictyostelium) or the vacuole (in plants and fungi). In other words, it is especially important that investigators new to the field understand that the appearance of more autophagosomes does not necessarily equate with more autophagy. In fact, in many cases, autophagosomes accumulate because of a block in trafficking to lysosomes without a concomitant change in autophagosome biogenesis, whereas an increase in autolysosomes may reflect a reduction in degradative activity. Here, we present a set of guidelines for the selection and interpretation of methods for use by investigators who aim to examine macroautophagy and related processes, as well as for reviewers who need to provide realistic and reasonable critiques of papers that are focused on these processes. These guidelines are not meant to be a formulaic set of rules, because the appropriate assays depend in part on the question being asked and the system being used. In addition, we emphasize that no individual assay is guaranteed to be the most appropriate one in every situation, and we strongly recommend the use of multiple assays to monitor autophagy. In these guidelines, we consider these various methods of assessing autophagy and what information can, or cannot, be obtained from them. Finally, by discussing the merits and limits of particular autophagy assays, we hope to encourage technical innovation in the field.
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| 3. |
- Wang, Mengmeng, et al.
(författare)
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Statistical analysis of whistler precursors upstream of foreshock transient shocks : MMS observations
- 2024
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Ingår i: Geophysical Research Letters. - : American Geophysical Union (AGU). - 0094-8276 .- 1944-8007. ; 51:8
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Using the high-time-resolution data from the Magnetospheric Multiscale mission, precursor waves upstream of foreshock transient (FT) shocks are statistically investigated using the four-spacecraft timing method. The wave frequencies and wave vectors determined in the plasma rest frame (PRF) are shown to follow the cold plasma dispersion relation for whistler waves. Combining with the feature of the right-hand polarization in the PRF, the precursors are identified as whistler-mode waves around the lower hybrid frequency. The occurrence of whistler precursors is independent of the Alfvén Mach number and the FT shock normal angle. More importantly, all the whistler precursors have group velocities pointing upstream in the shock frame, suggesting the dispersive radiation to be a possible generation mechanism. The study improves the understanding of not only the whistler precursors but also the overall FT shock dynamics.
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| 4. |
- Zhang, Shuangshuang, et al.
(författare)
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Discovery of carbon-based strongest and hardest amorphous material
- 2022
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Ingår i: National Science Review. - : Oxford University Press. - 2095-5138 .- 2053-714X. ; 9:1
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Carbon is one of the most fascinating elements due to its structurally diverse allotropic forms stemming from its bonding varieties (sp, sp2, and sp3). Exploring new forms of carbon has always been the eternal theme of scientific research. Herein, we report the amorphous (AM) carbon materials with high fraction of sp3 bonding recovered from compression of fullerene C60 under high pressure and high temperature previously unexplored. Analysis of photoluminescence and absorption spectra demonstrates that they are semiconducting with a bandgap range of 1.5–2.2 eV, comparable to that of widely used amorphous silicon. Comprehensive mechanical tests demonstrate that the synthesized AM-III carbon is the hardest and strongest amorphous material known so far, which can scratch diamond crystal and approach its strength. The produced AM carbon materials combine outstanding mechanical and electronic properties, and may potentially be used in photovoltaic applications that require ultrahigh strength and wear resistance.
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| 5. |
- Pan, Junxiu, et al.
(författare)
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pi-Extended Nonfullerene Acceptors for Efficient Organic Solar Cells with a High Open-Circuit Voltage of 0.94 V and a Low Energy Loss of 0.49 eV
- 2021
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Ingår i: ACS Applied Materials and Interfaces. - : AMER CHEMICAL SOC. - 1944-8244 .- 1944-8252. ; 13:19, s. 22531-22539
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- A combination of high open-circuit voltage (V-oc) and short-circuit current density (J(sc)) typically creates effective organic solar cells (OSCs). Y5, a member of the Y-series acceptors, can achieve high V-oc of 0.94 V with PM6 but low J(sc) of 12.8 mA cm(-2). To maintain the high V-oc while increasing the J(sc) of devices, we developed a new nonfullerene acceptor, namely, BTP-C2C4-N, by extending the conjugation of a Y5 molecule with a naphthalenebased end acceptor. In comparison with Y5-based devices, PM6:BTP-C2C4-N-based devices exhibited significantly higher J(sc) of 18.2 mA cm(-2) followed by a high V-oc. To further increase the photovoltaic properties of BTP-C2C4-N analogues, BTP-C4C6-N and BTP-C6C8-N molecules with better processability and film morphology are obtained by adjusting the alkyl branched chain length. The optimized OSCs based on BTP-C4C6-N with a moderate alkyl branched chain length exhibited the best PCE of 12.4% with a high V-oc of 0.94 V and J(sc) of 20.7 mA cm(-2). Notably, the devices achieved a low energy loss of 0.49 eV (0.51 eV for Y5 system) accompanied by a small nonradiative energy loss. The results indicate that nonfullerene acceptors with extended terminal motifs and optimized branched chain lengths can effectively enhance the performance of OSCs and reduce energy loss.
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| 6. |
- Wan, Lu Ming, et al.
(författare)
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Heparanase Facilitates PMA-Induced Megakaryocytic Differentiation in K562 Cells via Interleukin 6/STAT3 Pathway
- 2020
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Ingår i: Thrombosis and Haemostasis. - : GEORG THIEME VERLAG KG. - 0340-6245 .- 2567-689X. ; 120:4, s. 647-657
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Heparanase (HPSE) is an endo-beta-D-glucuronidase that cleaves heparan sulfate and hence participates in remodeling of the extracellular matrix, leading to release of cytokines that are immobilized by binding to heparan sulfate proteoglycans (HSPGs), and consequently activating signaling pathways. This function of HPSE is correlated to its expression level that is normally very low in majority of the tissues. Exceptionally, human platelets express high level of HPSE, suggesting a unique physiological role in this cell. Using K562 cell line, we found a progressive increase of HPSE during the megakaryocytic differentiation. Analysis of a series of megakaryocytic differentiation-related heparin-binding proteins (HBPs) in the cell culture medium revealed an exclusive positive correlation between the level of interleukin 6 (IL-6) and HPSE expression. IL-6 modulated megakaryocytic differentiation through activation of STAT3. Further, we demonstrated that overexpression of HPSE potentiates megakaryocytic differentiation, whereas elimination of HPSE led to a delayed differentiation. This function of HPSE is associated with its activity, as overexpression of inactive HPSE had no effect on IL-6 production and megakaryocytic differentiation. The role of HPSE is further supported by the observation in an umbilical cord blood CD34+ cells megakaryocytic differentiation model. Our data propose a novel role for HPSE in platelets production by a HPSE/IL-6/STAT3 positive feedback loop that specifically regulates megakaryocytes maturation.
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| 7. |
- Xia, Jianyang, et al.
(författare)
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Terrestrial ecosystem model performance in simulating productivity and its vulnerability to climate change in the northern permafrost region
- 2017
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Ingår i: Journal of Geophysical Research - Biogeosciences. - 2169-8953. ; 122:2, s. 430-446
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Realistic projection of future climate-carbon (C) cycle feedbacks requires better understanding and an improved representation of the C cycle in permafrost regions in the current generation of Earth system models. Here we evaluated 10 terrestrial ecosystem models for their estimates of net primary productivity (NPP) and responses to historical climate change in permafrost regions in the Northern Hemisphere. In comparison with the satellite estimate from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS; 246±6gCm-2yr-1), most models produced higher NPP (309±12gCm-2yr-1) over the permafrost region during 2000-2009. By comparing the simulated gross primary productivity (GPP) with a flux tower-based database, we found that although mean GPP among the models was only overestimated by 10% over 1982-2009, there was a twofold discrepancy among models (380 to 800gCm-2yr-1), which mainly resulted from differences in simulated maximum monthly GPP (GPPmax). Most models overestimated C use efficiency (CUE) as compared to observations at both regional and site levels. Further analysis shows that model variability of GPP and CUE are nonlinearly correlated to variability in specific leaf area and the maximum rate of carboxylation by the enzyme Rubisco at 25°C (Vcmax_25), respectively. The models also varied in their sensitivities of NPP, GPP, and CUE to historical changes in climate and atmospheric CO2 concentration. These results indicate that model predictive ability of the C cycle in permafrost regions can be improved by better representation of the processes controlling CUE and GPPmax as well as their sensitivity to climate change.
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| 8. |
- Duan, Yongchang, et al.
(författare)
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Swimming exercise ameliorates hypertension-induced kidney dysfunction via alleviating renal interstitial fibrosis and apoptosis
- 2021
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Ingår i: Kidney and Blood Pressure Research. - : S. Karger AG. - 1423-0143 .- 1420-4096. ; 46:2, s. 219-228
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: Hypertensive nephropathy is one of the major causes of ESRD. Exercise has been considered a nonpathological therapy for hypertension and its complications, yet mechanisms remain unclear. We sought to investigate whether periodic swimming could ameliorate hypertension-induced kidney dysfunction and its underlying mechanisms. Methods: Four-week male spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRs) were randomly divided into the hypertension group (SHR, n = 8) and exercise group (SE, n = 8, 60 min swimming/day, 6 days per week, for 8 weeks). Wistar-Kyoto rats (WKY, n = 8) were served as a sedentary normotensive group. Bodyweight and blood pressure (BP) were recorded weekly. After 8-week sedentary or swimming exercise, lipids profile, BUN, and Cr were measured. The renal interstitial fibrosis was examined by the histopathological analysis using Masson's trichrome staining and hematoxylin and eosin staining. The kidney cell apoptosis was tested by TUNEL staining. The expressions of critical proteins responsible for the TGF-β1/Smad signaling of fibrosis, that is, TGF-β1, Smad2/3, and Smad7, as well as apoptosis related proteins, Bax and Bcl-2 in kidney cortex tissues were measured. Results: The 8-week swimming exercise reduced BP and bodyweight, lowered concentrations of BUN, and serum Cr, compared with SHR. Exercise remarkably inhibited hypertension-induced tubular degeneration, cellular cluster, and tubular cell swelling as well as glomerular degeneration in the kidney cortical tissues, attenuated renal interstitial fibrosis, and renal cell apoptosis. Moreover, expressions of TGF-β1, Smad2/3, and Bax were higher in the SHR than the WKY, which were significantly suppressed by the exercise. In contrast, hypertension-reduced expressions of Smad7 and Bcl-2 were enhanced by the swimming exercise. Strong correlations were found between kidney function indices, blood lipids, and key protein expressions. Conclusion: Our results demonstrate beneficial effects of the periodic swimming on ameliorating hypertension-induced kidney dysfunction highlighting the potential of swimming exercise as a nonpathological therapy for early prevention of hypertension-caused kidney diseases.
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| 9. |
- Guo, Han, et al.
(författare)
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Transition metal-catalysed molecular n-doping of organic semiconductors
- 2021
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Ingår i: Nature. - London, United Kingdom : Nature Publishing Group. - 0028-0836 .- 1476-4687. ; 599:7883, s. 67-73
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Electron doping of organic semiconductors is typically inefficient, but here a precursor molecular dopant is used to deliver higher n-doping efficiency in a much shorter doping time. Chemical doping is a key process for investigating charge transport in organic semiconductors and improving certain (opto)electronic devices(1-9). N(electron)-doping is fundamentally more challenging than p(hole)-doping and typically achieves a very low doping efficiency (eta) of less than 10%(1,10). An efficient molecular n-dopant should simultaneously exhibit a high reducing power and air stability for broad applicability(1,5,6,9,11), which is very challenging. Here we show a general concept of catalysed n-doping of organic semiconductors using air-stable precursor-type molecular dopants. Incorporation of a transition metal (for example, Pt, Au, Pd) as vapour-deposited nanoparticles or solution-processable organometallic complexes (for example, Pd-2(dba)(3)) catalyses the reaction, as assessed by experimental and theoretical evidence, enabling greatly increased eta in a much shorter doping time and high electrical conductivities (above 100 S cm(-1); ref. (12)). This methodology has technological implications for realizing improved semiconductor devices and offers a broad exploration space of ternary systems comprising catalysts, molecular dopants and semiconductors, thus opening new opportunities in n-doping research and applications(12, 13).
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| 10. |
- He, Kun, et al.
(författare)
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Experimental study on flame characteristics of double fires in a naturally ventilated tunnel : Flame merging, flame tilt angle and flame height
- 2021
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Ingår i: Tunnelling and Underground Space Technology. - : Elsevier Ltd. - 0886-7798 .- 1878-4364. ; 114
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- A series of fire tests was carried out to investigate the diffusion flame characteristics of double fires generated from separated burners in a naturally ventilated tunnel, considering different heat release rates and fire separation distances. The results show that the flame tilt angle, as well as the horizontal projected flame length, first increases with fire separation distance and then remains constant, but the vertical flame length first decreases and then remains constant, which is different from two fires in free spaces where flames do not tilt when the separation distance is relatively long. This difference is caused by the non-dimensional fire induced air flow velocity in the tunnel, which is mainly related to the tunnel cross-section dimensions and burner radius. Three regions can be identified, i.e. flame vertical merging, plume vertical merging and non-merging with flame tilted. The critical flame merging separation distance, estimated by the flame merging probability, is greater than that of two fires in an open environment due to the fire-induced air flows. The merging flame height is lower than that of a single fire with a same heat release rate. A correlation was proposed to estimate flame height of two fires in a tunnel by the modified non-dimensional heat release rate using an air entrainment perimeter as the characteristic length. This work enhances the understanding of diffusion flame behaviors of double fires in naturally ventilated tunnels.
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