Relaxation and diffusion measurements were carried out on single and binary liquids filling the pore space of controlled porous glass Vycor with an average pore size of about 4 nm.The dispersion of the longitudinal re...Relaxation and diffusion measurements were carried out on single and binary liquids filling the pore space of controlled porous glass Vycor with an average pore size of about 4 nm.The dispersion of the longitudinal relaxation time Tr is discussed as a means to identify liquid-surface interaction based on existing models developed for metal-free glass surfaces.In addition,the change of T1 and T2 with respect to their bulk values is discussed,in particular T2 serves as a probe for the strength of molecular interactions.As the native glass surface is polar and contains a large amount of hydroxyl groups,a pronounced interaction of polar and protic adsorbate liquids is expected;however,the T dispersion,and the corresponding reduction of T2,are also observed for non-polar liquids such as alkanes and cyclohexane.Deuterated liquids are employed for simplifying data analysis in binary systems,but also for separating the respective contributions of intra-and intermolecular interactions to the overall relaxation rate.Despite the lack of paramagnetic impurities in the glass material,H and 2H relaxation dispersions of equivalent molecules are frequently found to differ from each other,suggesting intermolecular relaxation mechanisms for the'H nuclei.The variation of the T dispersion when comparing single and binary systems gives clear evidence for the preferential adsorption of one of the two liquids,suggesting complete phase separation in several cases.Measurement of the apparent tortuosity by self-diffusion experiments supports the concept of a local variation of sample composition within the porespace.展开更多
Microporous carbon nanofibers(MCNFs) derived from polyacrylonitrile nanofibers were fabricated via electrospinning technology and phase separation in the presence of polyvinylpyrrolidone(PVP).PVP together with a mixed...Microporous carbon nanofibers(MCNFs) derived from polyacrylonitrile nanofibers were fabricated via electrospinning technology and phase separation in the presence of polyvinylpyrrolidone(PVP).PVP together with a mixed solvent of N,N-Dimethylformamide and dimethyl sulfoxide was used as poreforming agent.The influences of PVP content in casting solution on the structure and electrochemical performance of the MCNFs were also investigated.The highest capacitance of 200 F/g was obtained on a three-electrode system at a scan rate of 0.5 A/g.The good performance was owing to the high specific surface area and the large amount of micro-pores,which enhanced the absorption and the transportation efficiency of electrolyte ion during charge/discharge process.This research indicated that the combination of electrospinning and phase separation technology could be used to fabricate microporous carbon nanofibers as electrode materials for supercapacitors with high specific surface area and outstanding electrochemical performance.展开更多
Ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) with a microporous structure was prepared via thermally induced phase separation (TIPS).Liquid paraffin (LP) was used as a diluent in the preparation of microporous UH...Ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) with a microporous structure was prepared via thermally induced phase separation (TIPS).Liquid paraffin (LP) was used as a diluent in the preparation of microporous UHMWPE. Small angle laser light scattering (SALLS) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) were used to determine the phase separation temperatures,i.e.the cloud points and the dynamic crystallization temperatures,respectively.It was found that the cloudI points were coincident with the cr...展开更多
Ionic liquid(IL),1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium hexafluorophosphate([BMIM]PF6)as a new and environmentally friendly diluent was introduced to prepare poly(vinylidene fluoride)(PVDF)membranes via thermally induced phase s...Ionic liquid(IL),1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium hexafluorophosphate([BMIM]PF6)as a new and environmentally friendly diluent was introduced to prepare poly(vinylidene fluoride)(PVDF)membranes via thermally induced phase separation(TIPS).Phase diagram of PVDF/[BMIM]PF6 was measured.The effects of polymer concentration and quenching temperature on the morphologies,properties,and performances of the PVDF membranes were investigated.When the polymer concentration was 15 wt%,the pure water flux of the fabricated membrane was up to nearly 2000 L·m-2·h-1,along with adequate mechanical strength.With the increasing of PVDF concentration and quenching temperature,mean pore size and water permeability of the membrane decreased.SEM results showed that PVDF membranes manufactured by ionic liquid(BMIm PF6)presented spherulite structure.And the PVDF membranes were represented asβphase by XRD and FTIR characterization.It provides a new way to prepare PVDF membranes with piezoelectric properties.展开更多
The effects of Ni addition on the liquid phase separation and giant magnetoresi stance (GMR) of Cu Co alloys were discussed. The results reveal that Ni additio n can partially restrain the liquid phase separation of C...The effects of Ni addition on the liquid phase separation and giant magnetoresi stance (GMR) of Cu Co alloys were discussed. The results reveal that Ni additio n can partially restrain the liquid phase separation of Cu Co alloys, resultin g in a decrease of volume fraction for the Co rich particles separated from the liquid phase and in refined microstructures. The composition analyses indicate t hat Ni is dissolved in both the Co rich and the Cu rich phases, but Ni content in the Co rich phase is much higher than that in the Cu matrix. At the same ti me, Ni addition enhance the solubility between Cu and Co, especially Cu in Co s olid solution. Ni alloying into Cu Co alloys can fully prevent the liquid phase separation during melt spinning, which is very beneficial to improve GMR of Cu Co alloys.展开更多
The phase diagram of a ternary system of PVDF,dibutyl phthalate (DBP) and di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) was determined in terms of a pseudo binary system with the same polymer concentration and different DBP conte...The phase diagram of a ternary system of PVDF,dibutyl phthalate (DBP) and di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) was determined in terms of a pseudo binary system with the same polymer concentration and different DBP content in diluent mixture.The experimental results showed that as the DBP content increased in diluent mixture,the phase separation changed from liquid-liquid phase separation to solid-liquid phase separation,and both the cloudy point for L-L phase separation and crystallization temperature shif...展开更多
Poly(vinylidene fluoride) /polysulfone(PVDF/PSF) flat blend membrane was prepared via thermally induced phase separation(TIPS) technique.The membrane formation mechanism and membrane structure were investigated and th...Poly(vinylidene fluoride) /polysulfone(PVDF/PSF) flat blend membrane was prepared via thermally induced phase separation(TIPS) technique.The membrane formation mechanism and membrane structure were investigated and the effects of PSF/PVDF weight ratio on morphology,crystallinity,porosity,and mechanical properties of the membrane were discussed.The relationship between membrane structure and performances,such as pure water flux and the rejection of carbonic black,was also discussed.It was found that solid-liquid(S-L) phase separation occurred for the PVDF/PSF/diluent system.The addition of PSF influences structure and crystallinity of the membrane,which in turn influences mechanical properties and performances of the membrane.The results reveal that it is possible to obtain network structure via S-L phase separation by blending the polymer,which has a partial compatibility with PVDF.展开更多
The metastable liquid phase separation and rapid solidification behaviors of Co_(40) Fe_(40) Cu_(20) alloy were investigated by using differential thermal analysis(DTA) in combination with glass fluxing and electromag...The metastable liquid phase separation and rapid solidification behaviors of Co_(40) Fe_(40) Cu_(20) alloy were investigated by using differential thermal analysis(DTA) in combination with glass fluxing and electromagnetic levitation(EML) techniques. The critical liquid phase separation undercooling for this alloy was determined by DTA to be 174 K. Macrosegregation morphologies are formed in the bulk samples processed by both DTA and EML. It is revealed that undercooling level, cooling rate, convection, and surface tension difference between the two separated phases play a dominant role in the coalescence and segregation of the separated phases. The growth velocity of the(Fe,Co) dendrite has been measured as a function of undercooling up to 275 K. The temperature rise resulting from recalescence increases linearly with the increase of undercooling because of the enhancement of recalescence. The slope change of the recalescence temperature rise versus undercooling at the critical undercooling also implies the occurrence of liquid demixing.展开更多
The phase behavior of a well-defined poly(methyl methacrylate)- b- polystyrene block copolymer was studied by transmission electron microscope. The results show that a microphase transition may have occurred in the co...The phase behavior of a well-defined poly(methyl methacrylate)- b- polystyrene block copolymer was studied by transmission electron microscope. The results show that a microphase transition may have occurred in the copolymer film. A kind of lamellae and an ordered bicontinuous double-diamond morphology are observed clearly. The lamellar morphology reveals a larger period of about 400 nm.展开更多
The roles of reaction inhomogeneity in phase separation of polymer mixtures were described and summarized via two examples:photocross-link of polymer mixtures in the bulk state and photopolymerization of monomer in th...The roles of reaction inhomogeneity in phase separation of polymer mixtures were described and summarized via two examples:photocross-link of polymer mixtures in the bulk state and photopolymerization of monomer in the liquid state. The reaction kinetics,the reaction-induced elastic strain and the phase separation kinetics were monitored respectively by UV-Vis spectroscopy,Mach-Zehnder interferometry and laser-scanning confocal microscopy.It was found that phase separation in the bulk state was strongly ...展开更多
Computer simulations were performed to study the dense mixtures of passive particles and active particles in two dimensions.Two systems with different kinds of passive particles(e.g.,spherical particles and rod-like p...Computer simulations were performed to study the dense mixtures of passive particles and active particles in two dimensions.Two systems with different kinds of passive particles(e.g.,spherical particles and rod-like particles)were considered.At small active forces,the high-density and low-density regions emerge in both systems,indicating a phase separation.At higher active forces,the systems return to a homogeneous state with large fluctuation of particle area in contrast with the thermo-equilibrium state.Structurally,the rod-like particles accumulate loosely due to the shape anisotropy compared with the spherical particles at the high-density region.Moreover,there exists a positive correlation between Voronoi area and velocity of the particles.Additionally,a small number of active particles capably give rise to super-diffusion of passive particles in both systems when the self-propelled force is turned on.展开更多
The advancement in a power conversion efficiency(PCE)to reach 25%,the inorganic perovskites are being explored intensively as promising optoelectronic materials due to their excellent photovoltaic performance,i.e.,the...The advancement in a power conversion efficiency(PCE)to reach 25%,the inorganic perovskites are being explored intensively as promising optoelectronic materials due to their excellent photovoltaic performance,i.e.,thermal stability and efficiency.Lately,the inorganic cesium lead halide perovskite is studied to show enhanced light absorption,however,it suffers from the phase separate into I-rich and Br-rich phase which leads to poor film quality due to difference of electronegativity.Herein,we propose a unique solution of controlling the rate of solvent volatilization followed by gel method to inhibit phase separation effectively to obtain the homogenous and pinhole-free CsPbIBr2 films with high crystalline quality.In this study,an inverted planar device based on a light absorber of CsPbIBr2 is prepared to achieve a power conversion efficiency of 8.8%(maintain a stabilized value of 8%in ambient air conditions).Surprisingly,the optimized cell without encapsulation shows excellent long-term stability,as it maintained 90%initial efficiency over 500 h and controlled storage at around 45%relative humidity and 25℃.展开更多
Repairing Achilles tendon has emerged as a long-standing challenge in the orthopaedic surgeries.Although suture is the gold standard for re-attaching and repairing the fractured Achilles tendons in clinical surgeries,...Repairing Achilles tendon has emerged as a long-standing challenge in the orthopaedic surgeries.Although suture is the gold standard for re-attaching and repairing the fractured Achilles tendons in clinical surgeries,it is still subjected to numerous adverse side-effects,including chronic inflammatory,tendon tissue re-rupture,scar formation,and post-surgical peritendinous adhesion.In this work,we develop a class of hydrogel bioadhesives with tailored nanoscale phase separation for Achilles tendon repairing.To address the existing limitations of sutures,our hydrogel bioadhesives encompass three core functionalities:(i)instant and tough adhesion to Achilles tendon tissues,(ii)extraordinary long-term adhesion robustness under wet and dynamic in vivo conditions,and(iii)anti-postsurgical peritendinous adhesion.Combining our hydrogel bioadhesives with sutures,such kind of integrated approach enables a conformable yet robust biointerface with the tendon tissues,and prevents the fibroblast migration and formation of connective tissues,thus facilitating the tendon repairing.The hydrogel bioadhesives reported here open up new opportunities for the repairing of fractured Achilles tendons in diverse and complicated clinical scenarios.展开更多
The orphan nuclear receptor Nur77 is a critical regulator of the survival and death of tumor cells.The pro-death effect of Nur77 can be regulated by its interaction with Bcl-2,resulting in conversion of Bcl-2 from a s...The orphan nuclear receptor Nur77 is a critical regulator of the survival and death of tumor cells.The pro-death effect of Nur77 can be regulated by its interaction with Bcl-2,resulting in conversion of Bcl-2 from a survival to killer.As Bcl-2 is overexpressed in various cancers preventing them from apoptosis and promoting their resistance to chemotherapy,targeting the apoptotic pathway of Nur77/Bcl-2 may lead to new cancer therapeutics.Here,we report our identification of XS561 as a novel Nur77 ligand that induces apoptosis of tumor cells by activating the Nur77/Bcl-2 pathway.In vitro and animal studies revealed an apoptotic effect of XS561 in a range of tumor cell lines including MDA-MB-231 triple-negative breast cancer(TNBC)and MCF-7/LCC2 tamoxifen-resistant breast cancer(TAMR)in a Nur77-dependent manner.Mechanistic studies showed XS561 potently induced the translocation of Nur77 from the nucleus to mitochondria,resulting in mitochondria-related apoptosis.Interestingly,XS561-induced accumulation of Nur77 at mitochondria was associated with XS561 induction of Nur77 phase separation and the formation of Nur77/Bcl-2 condensates.Together,our studies identify XS561 as a new activator of the Nur77/Bcl-2 apoptotic pathway and reveal a role of phase separation in mediating the apoptotic effect of Nur77 at mitochondria.展开更多
Ferroptosis, a unique type of non-apoptotic cell death resulting from iron-dependent lipid peroxidation, has a potential physiological function in tumor suppression, but its underlying mechanisms have not been fully e...Ferroptosis, a unique type of non-apoptotic cell death resulting from iron-dependent lipid peroxidation, has a potential physiological function in tumor suppression, but its underlying mechanisms have not been fully elucidated. Here, we report that the long non-coding RNA(lncRNA) LncFASA increases the susceptibility of triple-negative breast cancer(TNBC) to ferroptosis. As a tumor suppressor, LncFASA drives the formation of droplets containing peroxiredoxin1(PRDX1), a member of the peroxidase family, resulting in the accumulation of lipid peroxidation via the SLC7A11-GPX4 axis. Mechanistically, LncFASA directly binds to the Ahpc-TSA domain of PRDX1, inhibiting its peroxidase activity by driving liquid-liquid phase separation, which disrupts intracellular ROS homeostasis. Notably, high LncFASA expression indicates favorable overall survival in individuals with breast cancer, and LncFASA impairs the growth of breast xenograft tumors by modulating ferroptosis. Together, our findings illustrate the crucial role of this lncRNA in ferroptosis-mediated cancer development and provide new insights into therapeutic strategies for breast cancer.展开更多
Semi-interpenetrating(semi-IPN)hydrogels formed by the continuous interpenetration of cross-linked polymer network and linear non-crosslinked polymer with multifunctionality are widely used in biomedical and other fie...Semi-interpenetrating(semi-IPN)hydrogels formed by the continuous interpenetration of cross-linked polymer network and linear non-crosslinked polymer with multifunctionality are widely used in biomedical and other fields.However,the negative impact of linear polymer on the homogeneity of the cross-linked network often leads to a decrease in the mechanical properties of semi-IPN hydrogels and severely limits their applications.Herein,a bioinspired hydrogen-bonding induced phase separation strategy is presented to construct the tough semi-IPN polyvinylpyrrolidone/polyacrylamide hydrogels(named PVP/PAM hydrogels),including the linear polymer polyvinylpyrrolidone(PVP)and cross-linked polyacrylamide(PAM)network.The resultant PVPx/PAM hydrogels exhibit unique phase separation induced by the hydrogen bonding between PVP and PAM and affected by the amount of substance of PVP.Meanwhile,the phase separation of PVPx/PAM hydrogels results in excellent mechanical properties with a strain of 2590%,tensile strength of 0.28 MPa and toughness of 2.17 MJ/m^(3).More importantly,the hydrogen bonding between PVP and PAM firstly disrupts to dissipate energy under external forces,so the PVPx/PAM hydrogels exhibit good self-recovery properties and outperform chemically cross-linked PAM hydrogels in impact resistance and damping applications.It is believed that the PVPx/PAM hydrogels with hydrogen-bonding induced phase separation possess more potential application prospects.展开更多
Changes in ambient temperature profoundly affect plant growth and performance.Therefore,the molecu-larbasis of plant acclimation to temperature fluctuation is of great interest.In this study,we discovered that GLYCINE...Changes in ambient temperature profoundly affect plant growth and performance.Therefore,the molecu-larbasis of plant acclimation to temperature fluctuation is of great interest.In this study,we discovered that GLYCINE-RICH RNA-BINDING PROTEIN 7(GRP7)contributes to cold and heat tolerance in Arabidopsis thaliana.We found that exposure to a warm temperature rapidly induces GRP7 condensates in planta,which can be reversed by transfer to a lower temperature.Cell biology and biochemical assays revealed that GRP7 undergoes liquid-liquid phase separation(LLPS)in vivo and in vitro.LLPS of GRP7 in the cyto-plasm contributes to the formation of stress granules that recruit RNA,along with the translation machinery component eukaryotic initiation factor 4E1(elF4E1)and the mRNA chaperones COLD SHOCK PROTEIN 1(CSP1)and CSP3,to inhibit translation.Moreover,natural variations in GRP7 affecting the residue phos-phorylated by the receptorkinase FERONIA alter its capacity to undergo LLPS and correlate with the adap-tation of some Arabidopsis accessions to a widertemperature range.Taken together,ourfindings illustrate the role of translational control mediated by GRP7 LLPS to confer plants with temperature resilience.展开更多
Preserving the functionality of hepatocytes in vitro poses a significant challenge in liver tissue engineering and bioartificial liver,as these cells rapidly lose their metabolic and functional characteristics after i...Preserving the functionality of hepatocytes in vitro poses a significant challenge in liver tissue engineering and bioartificial liver,as these cells rapidly lose their metabolic and functional characteristics after isolation.Inspired by the macroporous structures found in native liver tissues,here we develop synthetic hydrogel scaffolds that closely mimic the liver’s structural organization through the phase separation between polyethylene glycol(PEG)and polysaccharides.Our hydrogels exhibit interconnected macroporous structures and appropriate mechanical properties,providing an optimal microenvironment conducive to hepatocyte adhesion and the formation of sizable aggregates.Compared to two-dimensional hepatocyte cultures,enhanced functionalities of hepatocytes cultured in our macroporous hydrogels were observed for 14 days,as evidenced by quantitative reverse-transcription–polymerase chain reactions(qRT-PCR),immunofluorescence,and enzyme linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA)analyses.Protein sequencing data further confirmed the establishment of cell–cell interactions among hepatocytes when cultured in our hydrogels.Notably,these hepatocytes maintained a protein expression lineage that closely resembled freshly isolated hepatocytes,particularly in the Notch and tumor necrosis factor(TNF)signaling pathways.These results suggest that the macroporous hydrogels are attractive scaffolds for liver tissue engineering.展开更多
Biomolecular self-assembly based on peptides and proteins is a general phenomenon encountered in natural and synthetic systems.Liquid–liquid phase separation(LLPS)is intimately involved in biomolecular self-assembly,...Biomolecular self-assembly based on peptides and proteins is a general phenomenon encountered in natural and synthetic systems.Liquid–liquid phase separation(LLPS)is intimately involved in biomolecular self-assembly,yet the key factors at a molecular scale activating or modulating such a process remain largely elusive.Herein,we discovered in our experiments that multistep desolvation is fundamental to the formation and evolution of peptide-rich droplets:The first step was partial desolvation of peptides to form peptide clusters,and the second step was selective desolvation of hydrophobic groups within clusters to trigger LLPS and the formation of peptiderich droplets,followed by complete desolvation of droplets,initiating the nucleation of peptide selfassembly.Manipulation of the degree of desolvation at different stages was an effective strategy to control the self-assembly pathways and polymorphisms.This study sheds light on the molecular origin of LLPS-mediated self-assembly distinct from classical one-step self-assembly and paves the way for the precise control of supramolecular self-assembly.展开更多
The nuclear pore complex(NPC),the sole exchange channel between the nucleus and cytoplasm,is composed of several subcomplexes,among which the central barrier determines the permeability/selectivity of the NPC to domin...The nuclear pore complex(NPC),the sole exchange channel between the nucleus and cytoplasm,is composed of several subcomplexes,among which the central barrier determines the permeability/selectivity of the NPC to dominate the nucleocytoplasmic trafficking essential for many important signaling events in yeast and mammals.How plant NPC central barrier controls selective transport is a crucial question remaining to be elucidated.In this study,we uncovered that phase separation of the central barrier is critical for the permeability and selectivity of plant NPC in the regulation of various biotic stresses.Phenotypic assays of nup62 mutants and complementary lines showed that NUP62 positively regulates plant defense against Botrytis cinerea,one of the world’s most disastrous plant pathogens.Furthermore,in vivo imaging and in vitro biochemical evidence revealed that plant NPC central barrier undergoes phase separation to regulate selective nucleocytoplasmic transport of immune regulators,as exemplified by MPK3,essential for plant resistance to B.cinerea.Moreover,genetic analysis demonstrated that NPC phase separation plays an important role in plant defense against fungal and bacterial infection as well as insect attack.These findings reveal that phase separation of the NPC central barrier serves as an important mechanism to mediate nucleocytoplasmic transport of immune regulators and activate plant defense against a broad range of biotic stresses.展开更多
基金Financial support by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft(STA 511/15-1 and STA 511/15-2)is gratefully acknowledged。
文摘Relaxation and diffusion measurements were carried out on single and binary liquids filling the pore space of controlled porous glass Vycor with an average pore size of about 4 nm.The dispersion of the longitudinal relaxation time Tr is discussed as a means to identify liquid-surface interaction based on existing models developed for metal-free glass surfaces.In addition,the change of T1 and T2 with respect to their bulk values is discussed,in particular T2 serves as a probe for the strength of molecular interactions.As the native glass surface is polar and contains a large amount of hydroxyl groups,a pronounced interaction of polar and protic adsorbate liquids is expected;however,the T dispersion,and the corresponding reduction of T2,are also observed for non-polar liquids such as alkanes and cyclohexane.Deuterated liquids are employed for simplifying data analysis in binary systems,but also for separating the respective contributions of intra-and intermolecular interactions to the overall relaxation rate.Despite the lack of paramagnetic impurities in the glass material,H and 2H relaxation dispersions of equivalent molecules are frequently found to differ from each other,suggesting intermolecular relaxation mechanisms for the'H nuclei.The variation of the T dispersion when comparing single and binary systems gives clear evidence for the preferential adsorption of one of the two liquids,suggesting complete phase separation in several cases.Measurement of the apparent tortuosity by self-diffusion experiments supports the concept of a local variation of sample composition within the porespace.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(51203071,51363014 and 51362018)China Postdoctoral Science Foundation(2014M552509)+2 种基金the Opening Project of State Key Laboratory of Polymer Materials Engineering(Sichuan University)(sklpme2014-4-25)the Program for Hongliu Distinguished Young Scholars in Lanzhou University of Technology(J201402)the University Scientific Research Project of Gansu Province(2014B-025)
文摘Microporous carbon nanofibers(MCNFs) derived from polyacrylonitrile nanofibers were fabricated via electrospinning technology and phase separation in the presence of polyvinylpyrrolidone(PVP).PVP together with a mixed solvent of N,N-Dimethylformamide and dimethyl sulfoxide was used as poreforming agent.The influences of PVP content in casting solution on the structure and electrochemical performance of the MCNFs were also investigated.The highest capacitance of 200 F/g was obtained on a three-electrode system at a scan rate of 0.5 A/g.The good performance was owing to the high specific surface area and the large amount of micro-pores,which enhanced the absorption and the transportation efficiency of electrolyte ion during charge/discharge process.This research indicated that the combination of electrospinning and phase separation technology could be used to fabricate microporous carbon nanofibers as electrode materials for supercapacitors with high specific surface area and outstanding electrochemical performance.
基金supported by Special Funds for Major State Basic Research Projects,China (No.2003CB615705).
文摘Ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) with a microporous structure was prepared via thermally induced phase separation (TIPS).Liquid paraffin (LP) was used as a diluent in the preparation of microporous UHMWPE. Small angle laser light scattering (SALLS) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) were used to determine the phase separation temperatures,i.e.the cloud points and the dynamic crystallization temperatures,respectively.It was found that the cloudI points were coincident with the cr...
基金the financial support of the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant No.21606125)the Natural Science Foundation of Jiangsu Province(Grant No.BK20160984)+3 种基金the National Key R&D Program of China(Grant No.2017YFC0403702)the Materials-Oriented Chemical Engineering State Key Laboratory Program(KL16-09)the open project program of Jiangsu Key Lab for Chemistry of Low-Dimensional Materials(JSKC17005)the Priority Academic Program Development of Jiangsu Higher Education Institution(PAPD)。
文摘Ionic liquid(IL),1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium hexafluorophosphate([BMIM]PF6)as a new and environmentally friendly diluent was introduced to prepare poly(vinylidene fluoride)(PVDF)membranes via thermally induced phase separation(TIPS).Phase diagram of PVDF/[BMIM]PF6 was measured.The effects of polymer concentration and quenching temperature on the morphologies,properties,and performances of the PVDF membranes were investigated.When the polymer concentration was 15 wt%,the pure water flux of the fabricated membrane was up to nearly 2000 L·m-2·h-1,along with adequate mechanical strength.With the increasing of PVDF concentration and quenching temperature,mean pore size and water permeability of the membrane decreased.SEM results showed that PVDF membranes manufactured by ionic liquid(BMIm PF6)presented spherulite structure.And the PVDF membranes were represented asβphase by XRD and FTIR characterization.It provides a new way to prepare PVDF membranes with piezoelectric properties.
文摘The effects of Ni addition on the liquid phase separation and giant magnetoresi stance (GMR) of Cu Co alloys were discussed. The results reveal that Ni additio n can partially restrain the liquid phase separation of Cu Co alloys, resultin g in a decrease of volume fraction for the Co rich particles separated from the liquid phase and in refined microstructures. The composition analyses indicate t hat Ni is dissolved in both the Co rich and the Cu rich phases, but Ni content in the Co rich phase is much higher than that in the Cu matrix. At the same ti me, Ni addition enhance the solubility between Cu and Co, especially Cu in Co s olid solution. Ni alloying into Cu Co alloys can fully prevent the liquid phase separation during melt spinning, which is very beneficial to improve GMR of Cu Co alloys.
基金the National Basic Research Program of China (No.2003CB615705)the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No.50433010).
文摘The phase diagram of a ternary system of PVDF,dibutyl phthalate (DBP) and di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) was determined in terms of a pseudo binary system with the same polymer concentration and different DBP content in diluent mixture.The experimental results showed that as the DBP content increased in diluent mixture,the phase separation changed from liquid-liquid phase separation to solid-liquid phase separation,and both the cloudy point for L-L phase separation and crystallization temperature shif...
基金National Natural Foundation of China(No.51003074)
文摘Poly(vinylidene fluoride) /polysulfone(PVDF/PSF) flat blend membrane was prepared via thermally induced phase separation(TIPS) technique.The membrane formation mechanism and membrane structure were investigated and the effects of PSF/PVDF weight ratio on morphology,crystallinity,porosity,and mechanical properties of the membrane were discussed.The relationship between membrane structure and performances,such as pure water flux and the rejection of carbonic black,was also discussed.It was found that solid-liquid(S-L) phase separation occurred for the PVDF/PSF/diluent system.The addition of PSF influences structure and crystallinity of the membrane,which in turn influences mechanical properties and performances of the membrane.The results reveal that it is possible to obtain network structure via S-L phase separation by blending the polymer,which has a partial compatibility with PVDF.
基金Project supported by the National Key Research and Development Program of China(Grant No.2016YFB1100101)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant No.51471135)+2 种基金Shenzhen Science and Technology Program,China(Grant No.JCYJ20170815162201821)Shaanxi Provincial Key R&D Program,China(Grant No.2017KW-ZD-07)the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities,China(Grant No.31020170QD102)
文摘The metastable liquid phase separation and rapid solidification behaviors of Co_(40) Fe_(40) Cu_(20) alloy were investigated by using differential thermal analysis(DTA) in combination with glass fluxing and electromagnetic levitation(EML) techniques. The critical liquid phase separation undercooling for this alloy was determined by DTA to be 174 K. Macrosegregation morphologies are formed in the bulk samples processed by both DTA and EML. It is revealed that undercooling level, cooling rate, convection, and surface tension difference between the two separated phases play a dominant role in the coalescence and segregation of the separated phases. The growth velocity of the(Fe,Co) dendrite has been measured as a function of undercooling up to 275 K. The temperature rise resulting from recalescence increases linearly with the increase of undercooling because of the enhancement of recalescence. The slope change of the recalescence temperature rise versus undercooling at the critical undercooling also implies the occurrence of liquid demixing.
文摘The phase behavior of a well-defined poly(methyl methacrylate)- b- polystyrene block copolymer was studied by transmission electron microscope. The results show that a microphase transition may have occurred in the copolymer film. A kind of lamellae and an ordered bicontinuous double-diamond morphology are observed clearly. The lamellar morphology reveals a larger period of about 400 nm.
基金supported by the Ministry of Education (MONKASHO),Japan through the Grant-in-Aid on the Priority-Research-Area"Molecular Nanodynamics"and"Soft Matter Physics".The Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (No.20350107) is also gratefully acknowledged.
文摘The roles of reaction inhomogeneity in phase separation of polymer mixtures were described and summarized via two examples:photocross-link of polymer mixtures in the bulk state and photopolymerization of monomer in the liquid state. The reaction kinetics,the reaction-induced elastic strain and the phase separation kinetics were monitored respectively by UV-Vis spectroscopy,Mach-Zehnder interferometry and laser-scanning confocal microscopy.It was found that phase separation in the bulk state was strongly ...
基金Project supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant Nos.21674078,21474074,21574096,21774091,and 21374073)Overseas Research Program of Jiangsu,China(2019).
文摘Computer simulations were performed to study the dense mixtures of passive particles and active particles in two dimensions.Two systems with different kinds of passive particles(e.g.,spherical particles and rod-like particles)were considered.At small active forces,the high-density and low-density regions emerge in both systems,indicating a phase separation.At higher active forces,the systems return to a homogeneous state with large fluctuation of particle area in contrast with the thermo-equilibrium state.Structurally,the rod-like particles accumulate loosely due to the shape anisotropy compared with the spherical particles at the high-density region.Moreover,there exists a positive correlation between Voronoi area and velocity of the particles.Additionally,a small number of active particles capably give rise to super-diffusion of passive particles in both systems when the self-propelled force is turned on.
基金the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Nos.11174071,11304088,and 51372180)Special Technical Innovation Project of Hubei Province(Nos.2016AAA035 and 20178ACA088).
文摘The advancement in a power conversion efficiency(PCE)to reach 25%,the inorganic perovskites are being explored intensively as promising optoelectronic materials due to their excellent photovoltaic performance,i.e.,thermal stability and efficiency.Lately,the inorganic cesium lead halide perovskite is studied to show enhanced light absorption,however,it suffers from the phase separate into I-rich and Br-rich phase which leads to poor film quality due to difference of electronegativity.Herein,we propose a unique solution of controlling the rate of solvent volatilization followed by gel method to inhibit phase separation effectively to obtain the homogenous and pinhole-free CsPbIBr2 films with high crystalline quality.In this study,an inverted planar device based on a light absorber of CsPbIBr2 is prepared to achieve a power conversion efficiency of 8.8%(maintain a stabilized value of 8%in ambient air conditions).Surprisingly,the optimized cell without encapsulation shows excellent long-term stability,as it maintained 90%initial efficiency over 500 h and controlled storage at around 45%relative humidity and 25℃.
基金support by Natural Science Foundation of Guangdong Province(Nos.2022A1515010152 and 2021A1515110735)the Basic Research Program of Shenzhen(Nos.JCYJ20210324105211032 and GJHZ20210705141809030)+1 种基金the Scientific Research Platforms and Projects of University of Guangdong Provincial Education Office(No.2022ZDZX3019)supported in part by the Science,Technology,and Innovation Commission of Shenzhen Municipality(No.ZDSYS20200811143601004).
文摘Repairing Achilles tendon has emerged as a long-standing challenge in the orthopaedic surgeries.Although suture is the gold standard for re-attaching and repairing the fractured Achilles tendons in clinical surgeries,it is still subjected to numerous adverse side-effects,including chronic inflammatory,tendon tissue re-rupture,scar formation,and post-surgical peritendinous adhesion.In this work,we develop a class of hydrogel bioadhesives with tailored nanoscale phase separation for Achilles tendon repairing.To address the existing limitations of sutures,our hydrogel bioadhesives encompass three core functionalities:(i)instant and tough adhesion to Achilles tendon tissues,(ii)extraordinary long-term adhesion robustness under wet and dynamic in vivo conditions,and(iii)anti-postsurgical peritendinous adhesion.Combining our hydrogel bioadhesives with sutures,such kind of integrated approach enables a conformable yet robust biointerface with the tendon tissues,and prevents the fibroblast migration and formation of connective tissues,thus facilitating the tendon repairing.The hydrogel bioadhesives reported here open up new opportunities for the repairing of fractured Achilles tendons in diverse and complicated clinical scenarios.
基金partially supported by grants from the The National Natural Science Foundation of China,China(81672749 and 22207093)Xiamen Bureau of Science&Technology,Xiamen city,China(3502Z20193004 and 3502Z20150007,China)+1 种基金Youth Innovation Fund from Xiamen City,Fujian Province,China.(3502Z20206033)the Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Innovative Drug Target Research,Fujian Province,China(FJYW-2022KF01,China)。
文摘The orphan nuclear receptor Nur77 is a critical regulator of the survival and death of tumor cells.The pro-death effect of Nur77 can be regulated by its interaction with Bcl-2,resulting in conversion of Bcl-2 from a survival to killer.As Bcl-2 is overexpressed in various cancers preventing them from apoptosis and promoting their resistance to chemotherapy,targeting the apoptotic pathway of Nur77/Bcl-2 may lead to new cancer therapeutics.Here,we report our identification of XS561 as a novel Nur77 ligand that induces apoptosis of tumor cells by activating the Nur77/Bcl-2 pathway.In vitro and animal studies revealed an apoptotic effect of XS561 in a range of tumor cell lines including MDA-MB-231 triple-negative breast cancer(TNBC)and MCF-7/LCC2 tamoxifen-resistant breast cancer(TAMR)in a Nur77-dependent manner.Mechanistic studies showed XS561 potently induced the translocation of Nur77 from the nucleus to mitochondria,resulting in mitochondria-related apoptosis.Interestingly,XS561-induced accumulation of Nur77 at mitochondria was associated with XS561 induction of Nur77 phase separation and the formation of Nur77/Bcl-2 condensates.Together,our studies identify XS561 as a new activator of the Nur77/Bcl-2 apoptotic pathway and reveal a role of phase separation in mediating the apoptotic effect of Nur77 at mitochondria.
基金supported by the National Science Fund for Distinguished Young Scholars(32225014)the National Key Research and Development Program of China(2021YFC2700903)+2 种基金the National Natural Science Foundation of China(81672791,81872300,82071567)Zhejiang Provincial Natural Science Fund for Distinguished Young Scholars of China(LR18C060002)“Lingyan”R&D Research and Development Project(2023C03023)。
文摘Ferroptosis, a unique type of non-apoptotic cell death resulting from iron-dependent lipid peroxidation, has a potential physiological function in tumor suppression, but its underlying mechanisms have not been fully elucidated. Here, we report that the long non-coding RNA(lncRNA) LncFASA increases the susceptibility of triple-negative breast cancer(TNBC) to ferroptosis. As a tumor suppressor, LncFASA drives the formation of droplets containing peroxiredoxin1(PRDX1), a member of the peroxidase family, resulting in the accumulation of lipid peroxidation via the SLC7A11-GPX4 axis. Mechanistically, LncFASA directly binds to the Ahpc-TSA domain of PRDX1, inhibiting its peroxidase activity by driving liquid-liquid phase separation, which disrupts intracellular ROS homeostasis. Notably, high LncFASA expression indicates favorable overall survival in individuals with breast cancer, and LncFASA impairs the growth of breast xenograft tumors by modulating ferroptosis. Together, our findings illustrate the crucial role of this lncRNA in ferroptosis-mediated cancer development and provide new insights into therapeutic strategies for breast cancer.
基金This work was financially supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.52273210).
文摘Semi-interpenetrating(semi-IPN)hydrogels formed by the continuous interpenetration of cross-linked polymer network and linear non-crosslinked polymer with multifunctionality are widely used in biomedical and other fields.However,the negative impact of linear polymer on the homogeneity of the cross-linked network often leads to a decrease in the mechanical properties of semi-IPN hydrogels and severely limits their applications.Herein,a bioinspired hydrogen-bonding induced phase separation strategy is presented to construct the tough semi-IPN polyvinylpyrrolidone/polyacrylamide hydrogels(named PVP/PAM hydrogels),including the linear polymer polyvinylpyrrolidone(PVP)and cross-linked polyacrylamide(PAM)network.The resultant PVPx/PAM hydrogels exhibit unique phase separation induced by the hydrogen bonding between PVP and PAM and affected by the amount of substance of PVP.Meanwhile,the phase separation of PVPx/PAM hydrogels results in excellent mechanical properties with a strain of 2590%,tensile strength of 0.28 MPa and toughness of 2.17 MJ/m^(3).More importantly,the hydrogen bonding between PVP and PAM firstly disrupts to dissipate energy under external forces,so the PVPx/PAM hydrogels exhibit good self-recovery properties and outperform chemically cross-linked PAM hydrogels in impact resistance and damping applications.It is believed that the PVPx/PAM hydrogels with hydrogen-bonding induced phase separation possess more potential application prospects.
基金supported by grants from National Natural Science Foundation of China(NSFC-32000208 and NSFC-32070769)National Key R&D Program of China(2023YFD1401100)+1 种基金China Postdoctoral Science Foundation funded project(2020M672475)the Science and Technology Innovation Program of Hunan Province(Nonos.2021JJ10015,2021JJ40060,2023ZJ1080,and 2021JJ40056).
文摘Changes in ambient temperature profoundly affect plant growth and performance.Therefore,the molecu-larbasis of plant acclimation to temperature fluctuation is of great interest.In this study,we discovered that GLYCINE-RICH RNA-BINDING PROTEIN 7(GRP7)contributes to cold and heat tolerance in Arabidopsis thaliana.We found that exposure to a warm temperature rapidly induces GRP7 condensates in planta,which can be reversed by transfer to a lower temperature.Cell biology and biochemical assays revealed that GRP7 undergoes liquid-liquid phase separation(LLPS)in vivo and in vitro.LLPS of GRP7 in the cyto-plasm contributes to the formation of stress granules that recruit RNA,along with the translation machinery component eukaryotic initiation factor 4E1(elF4E1)and the mRNA chaperones COLD SHOCK PROTEIN 1(CSP1)and CSP3,to inhibit translation.Moreover,natural variations in GRP7 affecting the residue phos-phorylated by the receptorkinase FERONIA alter its capacity to undergo LLPS and correlate with the adap-tation of some Arabidopsis accessions to a widertemperature range.Taken together,ourfindings illustrate the role of translational control mediated by GRP7 LLPS to confer plants with temperature resilience.
基金funded by the National Key R&D Program of China(No.2020YFA0908100)the Research Project of Jinan Microecological Biomedicine Shandong Laboratory(Nos.JNL2022004A,JNL2022019B)Shandong Provincial Laboratory Project(No.SYS202202).
文摘Preserving the functionality of hepatocytes in vitro poses a significant challenge in liver tissue engineering and bioartificial liver,as these cells rapidly lose their metabolic and functional characteristics after isolation.Inspired by the macroporous structures found in native liver tissues,here we develop synthetic hydrogel scaffolds that closely mimic the liver’s structural organization through the phase separation between polyethylene glycol(PEG)and polysaccharides.Our hydrogels exhibit interconnected macroporous structures and appropriate mechanical properties,providing an optimal microenvironment conducive to hepatocyte adhesion and the formation of sizable aggregates.Compared to two-dimensional hepatocyte cultures,enhanced functionalities of hepatocytes cultured in our macroporous hydrogels were observed for 14 days,as evidenced by quantitative reverse-transcription–polymerase chain reactions(qRT-PCR),immunofluorescence,and enzyme linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA)analyses.Protein sequencing data further confirmed the establishment of cell–cell interactions among hepatocytes when cultured in our hydrogels.Notably,these hepatocytes maintained a protein expression lineage that closely resembled freshly isolated hepatocytes,particularly in the Notch and tumor necrosis factor(TNF)signaling pathways.These results suggest that the macroporous hydrogels are attractive scaffolds for liver tissue engineering.
基金supported by the National Science Fund for Distinguished Young Scholars of China(grant no.22025207)National Natural Science Foundation of China(grant nos.22172172 and 22232006)+3 种基金Youth Innovation Promotion Association of CAS(grant no.2022049)China Scholarship Council(CSC,grant no.202104910187)IPE Project for Frontier Basic Research(grant no.QYJC-2022-011)Natural Science Foundation of Hebei Province(grant nos.B2020103036 and B2020103025).
文摘Biomolecular self-assembly based on peptides and proteins is a general phenomenon encountered in natural and synthetic systems.Liquid–liquid phase separation(LLPS)is intimately involved in biomolecular self-assembly,yet the key factors at a molecular scale activating or modulating such a process remain largely elusive.Herein,we discovered in our experiments that multistep desolvation is fundamental to the formation and evolution of peptide-rich droplets:The first step was partial desolvation of peptides to form peptide clusters,and the second step was selective desolvation of hydrophobic groups within clusters to trigger LLPS and the formation of peptiderich droplets,followed by complete desolvation of droplets,initiating the nucleation of peptide selfassembly.Manipulation of the degree of desolvation at different stages was an effective strategy to control the self-assembly pathways and polymorphisms.This study sheds light on the molecular origin of LLPS-mediated self-assembly distinct from classical one-step self-assembly and paves the way for the precise control of supramolecular self-assembly.
基金supported by funding from the National Natural Science Foundation of China(32250001 and 31830008 to D.X.,32150023 and 32125010 to P.L.,and 31901570 to D.W.)the National Key Research and Development Program of China(2019YFA0508403 to P.L.)+1 种基金the China Postdoctoral Science Foundation(2018M631447 to J.W.)a postdoctoral fellowship of the Tsinghua-Peking Joint Center for Life Sciences.
文摘The nuclear pore complex(NPC),the sole exchange channel between the nucleus and cytoplasm,is composed of several subcomplexes,among which the central barrier determines the permeability/selectivity of the NPC to dominate the nucleocytoplasmic trafficking essential for many important signaling events in yeast and mammals.How plant NPC central barrier controls selective transport is a crucial question remaining to be elucidated.In this study,we uncovered that phase separation of the central barrier is critical for the permeability and selectivity of plant NPC in the regulation of various biotic stresses.Phenotypic assays of nup62 mutants and complementary lines showed that NUP62 positively regulates plant defense against Botrytis cinerea,one of the world’s most disastrous plant pathogens.Furthermore,in vivo imaging and in vitro biochemical evidence revealed that plant NPC central barrier undergoes phase separation to regulate selective nucleocytoplasmic transport of immune regulators,as exemplified by MPK3,essential for plant resistance to B.cinerea.Moreover,genetic analysis demonstrated that NPC phase separation plays an important role in plant defense against fungal and bacterial infection as well as insect attack.These findings reveal that phase separation of the NPC central barrier serves as an important mechanism to mediate nucleocytoplasmic transport of immune regulators and activate plant defense against a broad range of biotic stresses.