Synthesis and Characterization of LiNi_(0.85)Co_(0.15-x)Al_xO_2 as Cathode Materials for Lithium-ion Batteries

LiNi0.85CO0.15-xAlxO2 samples （x=0.025, 0.05 and 0.10） were prepared by solid state reaction at 725℃ for 24 h from LiOH-H2O, Ni2O3, Co2O3 and Al（OH）3 under oxygen flow. Layered LiNiO2 simultaneously doped by Co-Al has been tried to improve the cathode performance. The results showed that substitution of optimum amount Al and Co for the Ni in LiNiO2 definitely had some beneficial effect on increasing the capacity and cycling behavior. When increasing x in LiNio.85CO0.15-xAlxO2, the initial discharge capacity decreased and its cyclability increased. Compromising high specific capacity and good cyclability, the optimum x in LiNi0.85Co0.15-xAlxO2 was x=0.05. As a consequence, LiNi0.85Co0.15-xAlxO2 had the first discharge capacity of 186.2 mAh/g and a capacity of 180.1 mAh/g after 10 cycles. Differential capacity vs voltage curves indicated that the co-doped LiNiO2 showed suppression of the phase transitions as compared with LiNiO2.

基于预连接镍链的高应变敏感度动态可调电磁干扰屏蔽弹性体

具有动态可调电磁屏蔽性能的电磁干扰屏蔽材料备受关注,但其目前仍然存在制备复杂、厚度大、触发方式不便、调节范围窄等缺点.我们通过将尖刺镍微粒精确地分散到聚二甲基硅氧烷基体中形成预连接的链状结构,制备出了具有可开关电磁屏蔽性能的弹性体材料.弹性体在机械拉伸和释放过程中表现出连续和可逆的电磁干扰屏蔽性能.原始弹性体具有良好的阻抗匹配和低介电损耗,允许大部分电磁波通过.拉伸使预连接的短链彼此接触,在内部形成大量的微尺度导电网络,显著增强了电导损耗能力,实现了较强的电磁干扰屏蔽能力.此外,我们通过无线应变传感系统验证了智能电磁干扰屏蔽弹性体的应用潜力,证明了可穿戴智能电磁干扰屏蔽精确监测人体运动的可能性.

The m^(6)A reader YTHDC2 maintains visual function and retinal photoreceptor survival through modulating translation of PPEF2 and PDE6B

Inherited retinal dystrophies (IRDs) are major causes of visual impairment and irreversible blindness worldwide, while the precise molecular and genetic mechanisms are still elusive. N6-methyladenosine (m^(6)A) modification is the most prevalent internal modification in eukaryotic mRNA. YTH domain containing 2 (YTHDC2), an m^(6)A reader protein, has recently been identified as a key player in germline development and human cancer. However, its contribution to retinal function remains unknown. Here, we explore the role of YTHDC2 in the visual function of retinal rod photoreceptors by generating rod-specific Ythdc2 knockout mice. Results show that Ythdc2 deficiency in rods causes diminished scotopic ERG responses and progressive retinal degeneration. Multi-omics analysis further identifies Ppef2 and Pde6b as the potential targets of YTHDC2 in the retina. Specifically, via its YTH domain, YTHDC2 recognizes and binds m^(6)A-modified Ppef2 mRNA at the coding sequence and Pde6b mRNA at the 5′-UTR, resulting in enhanced translation efficiency without affecting mRNA levels. Compromised translation efficiency of Ppef2 and Pde6b after YTHDC2 depletion ultimately leads to decreased protein levels in the retina, impaired retinal function, and progressive rod death. Collectively, our finding highlights the importance of YTHDC2 in visual function and photoreceptor survival, which provides an unreported elucidation of IRD pathogenesis via epitranscriptomics.

The endoplasmic reticulum membrane protein complex subunit Emc6 is essential for rhodopsin localization and photoreceptor cell survival

The endoplasmic reticulum(ER)membrane protein complex(EMC)is responsible for monitoring the biogenesis and synthetic quality of membrane proteins with tail-anchored or multiple transmembrane domains.The EMC subunit EMC6 is one of the core members of EMC and forms an enclosed hydrophilic vestibule in cooperation with EMC3.Despite studies demonstrating that deletion of EMC3 led to rhodopsin mislocalization in rod photoreceptors of mice,the precise mechanism leading to the failure of rhodopsin trafficking remains unclear.Here,we generated the first rod photoreceptor-specific knockout of Emc6(RKO)and cone photoreceptor-specific knockout of Emc6(CKO)mouse models.Deficiency of Emc6 in rod photoreceptors led to progressive shortening of outer segments(OS),impaired visual function,mislocalization and reduced expression of rhodopsin,and increased gliosis in rod photoreceptors.In addition,CKO mice displayed the progressive death of cone photoreceptors and abnormal localization of cone opsin protein.Subsequently,proteomics analysis of the RKO mouse retina illustrated that several cilium-related proteins,particularly anoctamin-2(ANO2)and transmembrane protein 67(TMEM67),were significantly down-regulated prior to OS degeneration.Detrimental rod photoreceptor cilia and mislocalized membrane disc proteins were evident in RKO mice.Our data revealed that in addition to monitoring the synthesis of rhodopsin-dominated membrane disc proteins,EMC6 also impacted rod photoreceptors'ciliogenesis by regulating the synthesis of membrane proteins associated with cilia,contributing to the mislocalization of membrane disc proteins.

ERRATUM TO:Cholesterol homeostasis regulated by ABCA1 is critical for retinal ganglion cell survival

Erratum to:SCIENCE CHINA Life Sciences,Volume 66,Issue 2:211-225(2022),https://doi.org/10.1007/s11427-021-2126-2 This paper contains an error in Figure 4C,where the representative images of filipin staining of retinal sections from 6-month-old mice were misused.We provide the correct picture for Figure 4C as follows.The statistical result in Figure 4D was corrected as well.This new Figure 4 does not affect the conclusion of this article.

Cholesterol homeostasis regulated by ABCA1 is critical for retinal ganglion cell survival

Genome-wide association studies have suggested a link between primary open-angle glaucoma and the function of ABCA1.ABCA1 is a key regulator of cholesterol efflux and the biogenesis of high-density lipoprotein(HDL) particles. Here, we showed that the POAG risk allele near ABCA1 attenuated ABCA1 expression in cultured cells. Consistently, POAG patients exhibited lower ABCA1 expression, reduced HDL, and higher cholesterol in white blood cells. Ablation of Abca1 in mice failed to form HDL, leading to elevated cholesterol levels in the retina. Counting retinal ganglion cells(RGCs) by using an artificial intelligence(AI) program revealed that Abca1-deficient mice progressively lost RGCs with age. Single-cell RNA sequencing(scRNA-seq) revealed aberrant oxidative phosphorylation in the Abca1-/-retina, as well as activation of the mTORC1 signaling pathway and suppression of autophagy. Treatment of Abca1-/-mice using atorvastatin reduced the cholesterol level in the retina,thereby improving metabolism and protecting RGCs from death. Collectively, we show that lower ABCA1 expression and lower HDL are risk factors for POAG. Accumulated cholesterol in the Abca1-/-retina causes profound aberrant metabolism, leading to a POAG-like phenotype that can be prevented by atorvastatin. Our findings establish statin use as a preventive treatment for POAG associated with lower ABCA1 expression.

Defective EMC1 drives abnormal retinal angiogenesis via Wnt/β-catenin signaling and may be associated with the pathogenesis of familial exudative vitreoretinopathy

Endoplasmic reticulum(ER)membrane protein complex(EMC)is required for the co-translational insertion of newly synthesized multi-transmembrane proteins.Compromised EMC function in different cell types has been implicated in multiple diseases.Using inducible genetic mouse models,we revealed defects in retinal vascularization upon endothelial cell(EC)specific deletion of Emc1,the largest subunit of EMC.Loss of Emc1 in ECs led to reduced vascular progression and vascular density,diminished tip cell sprouts,and vascular leakage.We then performed an unbiased transcriptomic analysis on human retinal microvascular endothelial cells(HRECs)and revealed a pivotal role of EMC1 in theβ-catenin signaling pathway.Further in-vitro and in-vivo experiments proved that loss of EMC1 led to compromisedβ-catenin signaling activity through reduced expression of Wnt receptor FZD4,which could be restored by lithium chloride(LiCl)treatment.Driven by these findings,we screened genomic DNA samples from familial exudative vitreoretinopathy(FEVR)patients and identified one heterozygous variant in EMC1 that co-segregated with FEVR phenotype in the family.In-vitro expression experiments revealed that this variant allele failed to facilitate the expression of FZD4 on the plasma membrane and activate theβ-catenin signaling pathway,which might be a main cause of FEVR.In conclusion,our findings reveal that variants in EMC1 gene cause compromisedβ-catenin signaling activity,which may be associated with the pathogenesis of FEVR.

Loss of Wtap results in cerebellar ataxia and degeneration of Purkinje cells

N^(6)-methyladenosine(m^(6)A)modification,which is achieved by the METTL3/METTL14/WTAP methyltransferase complex,is the most abundant internal mRNA modification.Although recent evidence indicates that m^(6)A can regulate neurodevelopment as well as synaptic function,the roles of m^(6)A modification in the cerebellum and related synaptic connections are not well established.Here,we report that Purkinje cell(PC)-specific WTAP knockout mice display early-onset ataxia concomitant with cerebellar atrophy due to extensive PC degeneration and apoptotic cell death.Loss of Wtap also causes the aberrant degradation of multiple PC synapses.WTAP depletion leads to decreased expression levels of METTL3/14 and reduced m^(6)A methylation in PCs.Moreover,the expression of GFAP and NF-L in the degenerating cerebellum is increased,suggesting severe neuronal injuries.In conclusion,this study demonstrates the critical role of WTAP-mediated m^(6)A modification in cerebellar PCs,thus providing unique insights related to neurodegenerative disorders.

The ER membrane protein complex subunit Emc3 controls angiogenesis via the FZD4/WNT signaling axis

The endoplasmic reticulum(ER) membrane protein complex(EMC) regulates the synthesis and quality control of membrane proteins with multiple transmembrane domains. One of the membrane spanning subunits, EMC3, is a core member of the EMC complex that provides essential hydrophilic vestibule for substrate insertion. Here, we show that the EMC subunit Emc3 plays critical roles in the retinal vascular angiogenesis by regulating Norrin/Wnt signaling. Postnatal endothelial cell(EC)-specific deletion of Emc3 led to retarded retinal vascular development with a hyperpruned vascular network, the appearance of bluntended, aneurysm-like tip endothelial cells(ECs) with reduced numbers of filopodia and leakage of erythrocytes at the vascular front. Diminished tube formation and cell proliferation were also observed in EMC3 depleted human retinal endothelial cells(HRECs). We then discovered a critical role for EMC3 in expression of FZD4 receptor of β-catenin signaling using RNA sequencing, real-time quantitative PCR(RT-q PCR) and luciferase reporter assay. Moreover, augmentation of Wnt activity via lithium chloride(Li Cl) treatment remarkably enhanced β-catenin signaling and cell proliferation of HRECs. Additionally, Li Cl partially reversed the angiogenesis defects in Emc3-c KO mice. Our data reveal that Emc3 plays essential roles in angiogenesis through direct control of FZD4 expression and Norrin/β-catenin signaling.

Variants in the Wnt co-receptor LRP6 are associated with familial exudative vitreoretinopathy

Familial exudative vitreoretinopathy(FEVR),an inherited eye disease,is characterized by abnormal retinal vascular development,such as neovascularization,vitreous hemorrhage,exudation,and retinal detachment(Criswick and Schepens,1969;Robitaille et al.,2002).FEVR is inherited as autosomal dominant,autosomal recessive,and X-linked patterns(de Crecchio et al.,1998).