PTEN inhibition and axon regeneration and neural repair

The intrinsic growth ability of all the neurons declines during development although some may grow better than others. Numerous intracellular signaling proteins and transcription factors have been shown to regulate the intrinsic growth capacity in mature neurons. Among them, PI3 kinase/Akt pathway is important for controlling axon elongation. As a negative regulator of this pathway, the tumor suppressor phosphatase and tensin homolog （PTEN） appears critical to con- trol the regenerative ability of young and adult neurons. This review will focus on recent research progress in axon regeneration and neural repair by PTEN inhibition and therapeutic potential of blocking this phosphatase for neurological disorders. Inhibition of PTEN by deletion in con- ditional knockout mice, knockdown by short-hairpin RNA, or blockade by pharmacological approaches, including administration of selective PTEN antagonist peptides, stimulates various degrees of axon regrowth in juvenile or adult rodents with central nervous system injuries. Im- portantly, post-injury PTEN suppression could enhance axonal growth and functional recovery in adult central nervous system after injury.

Integrated Photothermal Nanoreactors for Effi cient Hydrogenation of CO_(2)

To alleviate the energy crisis and global warming,photothermal catalysis is an attractive way to effi ciently convert CO_(2)and renewable H_(2) into value-added fuels and chemicals.However,the catalytic performance is usually restricted by the trade-off between the dispersity and light absorption property of metal catalysts.Here we demonstrate a simple SiO 2-protected metal-organic framework pyrolysis strategy to fabricate a new type of integrated photothermal nanoreactor with a comparatively high metal loading,dispersity,and stability.The core-satellite structured Co@SiO_(2)exhibits strong sunlight-absorptive abil-ity and excellent catalytic activity in CO_(2)hydrogenation,which is ascribed to the functional separation of diff erent sizes of Co nanoparticles.Large-sized plasmonic Co nanoparticles are mainly responsible for the light absorption and conversion to heat(nanoheaters),whereas small-sized Co nanoparticles with high intrinsic activities are responsible for the catalysis(nanoreactors).This study provides a new concept for designing effi cient photothermal catalytic materials.

Frailty:Past,present,and future?

The prevalence of frailty across the world in older adults is increasing dramatically and having frailty places a person at increased risk for many adverse health outcomes,including impaired mobility,falls,hospitalizations,and mortality.Globally,the concept of frailty is gaining attention and the scientific field has made great strides in identifying and conceptually defining frailty through consensus conferences,in advancing the overall science of frailty by drawing on basic science discoveries including concepts surrounding the hallmarks of aging,resilience,and intrinsic capacities,and in identifying the many challenges faced by professionals within diverse clinical settings.Currently,it is thought that frailty is preventable,thus the identification of a person's degree of frailty is vital.Identification of frailty is achievable through widely used frailty screening tools,which are valid,reliable,and easy to use.Following the identification of a person's degree of frailty,targeted intervention strategies,such as physical activity programs must be implemented.In this perspective,we provide a historical perspective of the frailty field since the last quarter of the 20th century to present.We identify the proposed underlying patho-physiology of multiple physiological systems,including compromised homeostasis and resilience.Next,we outline the available screening tools for frailty with a physical performance assessment and highlight specific benefits of physical activity.Lastly,we discuss current scientific evidence supporting the physical activity rec-ommendations for the aging population and for older adults with frailty.The goal is to emphasize early detection of frailty and stress the value of physical activity.