Zn-based thermal charging devices,utilizing the synergistic effect of ion thermoextraction and thermodiffusion,are able to efficiently convert thermal energy into electrical energy and storage in the devices,making th...Zn-based thermal charging devices,utilizing the synergistic effect of ion thermoextraction and thermodiffusion,are able to efficiently convert thermal energy into electrical energy and storage in the devices,making them a highly promising technology for low-grade heat recovery and utilization.However,the low output power density and energy conversion efficiency resulted by the slow diffusion kinetics of Zn^(2+)hinder their development.Herein,we present a highperformance thermal charging cell design using Zn^(2+)/NH_(4)^(+)hybrid ion electrolyte,which not only maintains the high output voltage of the Zn-based thermoelectric system,but also significantly enhances the output power density due to the fast diffusion kinetics of NH_(4)^(+).Based on this strategy,the thermal charging cell displays a high thermopower of 12.5 mV K^(-1)and an excellent normalized power density of 19.6 mW m^(-2)K^(-2)at a temperature difference of 35 K.The Carnot-relative efficiency is as high as 12.74%.Moreover,it can operate continuously for over 72 h when the temperature difference persists,achieving a balance between thermoelectric conversion and output.This work provides a simple and effective strategy for the design of high-performance thermal charging cells for low-grade heat conversion and utilization.展开更多
Background:Terpinen-4-ol(T4O),a key constituent of tea tree essential oil and various aromatic plants,has shown promising antiproliferative and pro-apoptotic effects in melanoma and other cancer types.However,its effi...Background:Terpinen-4-ol(T4O),a key constituent of tea tree essential oil and various aromatic plants,has shown promising antiproliferative and pro-apoptotic effects in melanoma and other cancer types.However,its efficacy against cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma(cSCC)remains unclear.Thus,in this study,we investigated the in vivo and in vitro effects of T4O on cSCC cell lines and preliminarily explored its impacting pathways.Methods:Using CCK8 and assay colony formation,we assessed the viability of cSCC A431,SCL-1,and COLO-16 cells treated with T40 at varying concentrations(0,1,2,and 4μM).Flow cytometry was employed to evaluate T4O’s effect on cSCC cell’s cycle progression and apoptosis induction.Additionally,western blotting was utilized to examine the expression intensities of N-cadherin and E-cadherin,two indicative markers of the epithelial-mesenchymal transition(EMT)pathway.T4O’s in vivo effect on inhibiting tumor progression was evaluated on an established xenograft tumor model.Then,the molecular mechanisms of T4O’s antitumor effect were explored by an integrated genome-wide transcriptomics and proteomics study on cSCC A431c cells.Finally,calpain-2’s potential mediator role in T4O’s anti-tumor mechanism was investigated in calpain-2 knockdown cell lines prepared via siRNA transfection.Result:It’s demonstrated that T4O treatment inhibited cSCC proliferation,clonogenicity,migration,and invasion while inducing apoptosis and suppressing the EMT pathway.T4O administration also inhibited cSCC tumorigenesis in the xenograft tumor model.RNA-sequencing and iTRAQ analysis detected significant upregulation of calpain-2 expression in T4O-treated cSCC cells.Western blotting confirmed that T4O significantly increased calpain-2 expression and promoted proteolytic cleavage ofβ-catenin and caspase-12,two calpain-2 target proteins.Importantly,siRNA-mediated calpain-2 knockdown relieved T4O’s suppressive effect on cSCC cell proliferation and motility.Mechanistically,T4O upregulates calpain-2 expression and promotes the cleavage ofβ-catenin and caspase-12,with siRNA-mediated calpain-2 knockdown mitigating T4O’s suppressive effects.Conclusion:These findings suggest that T4O’s antitumor activity in cSCC is mediated through the upregulation of calpain-2 expression and subsequent modulation ofβ-catenin and caspase-12.展开更多
基金supported by the Leading Edge Technology of Jiangsu Province(BK20222009-X.Z.,BK20202008-X.Z.)Priority Academic Program Development of Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions(PAPD)National Undergraduate Innovation Training Program of NUAA(202410287179Y).
文摘Zn-based thermal charging devices,utilizing the synergistic effect of ion thermoextraction and thermodiffusion,are able to efficiently convert thermal energy into electrical energy and storage in the devices,making them a highly promising technology for low-grade heat recovery and utilization.However,the low output power density and energy conversion efficiency resulted by the slow diffusion kinetics of Zn^(2+)hinder their development.Herein,we present a highperformance thermal charging cell design using Zn^(2+)/NH_(4)^(+)hybrid ion electrolyte,which not only maintains the high output voltage of the Zn-based thermoelectric system,but also significantly enhances the output power density due to the fast diffusion kinetics of NH_(4)^(+).Based on this strategy,the thermal charging cell displays a high thermopower of 12.5 mV K^(-1)and an excellent normalized power density of 19.6 mW m^(-2)K^(-2)at a temperature difference of 35 K.The Carnot-relative efficiency is as high as 12.74%.Moreover,it can operate continuously for over 72 h when the temperature difference persists,achieving a balance between thermoelectric conversion and output.This work provides a simple and effective strategy for the design of high-performance thermal charging cells for low-grade heat conversion and utilization.
基金supported by the Basic Research Program of the Guizhou Science Cooperation Foundation Project(Grant Number:ZK[2021]466)Guizhou Provincial Health Commission(Grant Number:gzwkj2022-062).
文摘Background:Terpinen-4-ol(T4O),a key constituent of tea tree essential oil and various aromatic plants,has shown promising antiproliferative and pro-apoptotic effects in melanoma and other cancer types.However,its efficacy against cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma(cSCC)remains unclear.Thus,in this study,we investigated the in vivo and in vitro effects of T4O on cSCC cell lines and preliminarily explored its impacting pathways.Methods:Using CCK8 and assay colony formation,we assessed the viability of cSCC A431,SCL-1,and COLO-16 cells treated with T40 at varying concentrations(0,1,2,and 4μM).Flow cytometry was employed to evaluate T4O’s effect on cSCC cell’s cycle progression and apoptosis induction.Additionally,western blotting was utilized to examine the expression intensities of N-cadherin and E-cadherin,two indicative markers of the epithelial-mesenchymal transition(EMT)pathway.T4O’s in vivo effect on inhibiting tumor progression was evaluated on an established xenograft tumor model.Then,the molecular mechanisms of T4O’s antitumor effect were explored by an integrated genome-wide transcriptomics and proteomics study on cSCC A431c cells.Finally,calpain-2’s potential mediator role in T4O’s anti-tumor mechanism was investigated in calpain-2 knockdown cell lines prepared via siRNA transfection.Result:It’s demonstrated that T4O treatment inhibited cSCC proliferation,clonogenicity,migration,and invasion while inducing apoptosis and suppressing the EMT pathway.T4O administration also inhibited cSCC tumorigenesis in the xenograft tumor model.RNA-sequencing and iTRAQ analysis detected significant upregulation of calpain-2 expression in T4O-treated cSCC cells.Western blotting confirmed that T4O significantly increased calpain-2 expression and promoted proteolytic cleavage ofβ-catenin and caspase-12,two calpain-2 target proteins.Importantly,siRNA-mediated calpain-2 knockdown relieved T4O’s suppressive effect on cSCC cell proliferation and motility.Mechanistically,T4O upregulates calpain-2 expression and promotes the cleavage ofβ-catenin and caspase-12,with siRNA-mediated calpain-2 knockdown mitigating T4O’s suppressive effects.Conclusion:These findings suggest that T4O’s antitumor activity in cSCC is mediated through the upregulation of calpain-2 expression and subsequent modulation ofβ-catenin and caspase-12.
