Cytosolic escape of mitochondrial DNA triggers cGAS-STING-NLRP3 axis-dependent nucleus pulposus cell pyroptosis

Low back pain (LBP) is a major musculoskeletal disorder and the socioeconomic problem with a high prevalence that mainly involves intervertebral disc (IVD) degeneration, characterized by progressive nucleus pulposus (NP) cell death and the development of an inflammatory microenvironment in NP tissue. Excessively accumulated cytosolic DNA acts as a damage-associated molecular pattern (DAMP) that is monitored by the cGAS-STING axis to trigger the immune response in many degenerative diseases. NLRP3 inflammasome-dependent pyroptosis is a type of inflammatory programmed death that promotes a chronic inflammatory response and tissue degeneration. However, the relationship between the cGAS-STING axis and NLRP3 inflammasome-induced pyroptosis in the pathogenesis of IVD degeneration remains unclear. Here, we used magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and histopathology to demonstrate that cGAS, STING, and NLRP3 are associated with the degree of IVD degeneration. Oxidative stress induced cGAS-STING axis activation and NLRP3 inflammasome-mediated pyroptosis in a STING-dependent manner in human NP cells. Interestingly, the canonical morphological and functional characteristics of mitochondrial permeability transition pore (mPTP) opening with the cytosolic escape of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) were observed in human NP cells under oxidative stress. Furthermore, the administration of a specific pharmacological inhibitor of mPTP and self-mtDNA cytosolic leakage effectively reduced NLRP3 inflammasome-mediated pyroptotic NP cell death and microenvironmental inflammation in vitro and degenerative progression in a rat disc needle puncture model. Collectively, these data highlight the critical roles of the cGAS-STING-NLRP3 axis and pyroptosis in the progression of IVD degeneration and provide promising therapeutic approaches for discogenic LBP.Subject terms: Cell death, Diseases     

Zinc-Guided 3D Graphene for Thermally Chargeable Supercapacitors to Harvest Low-Grade Heat

Low-grade heat energy recycling is the key technology of waste-heat utilization, which needs to be improved. Here, we use a zinc-assisted solid-state pyrolysis route to prepare zinc-guided 3D graphene (ZnG), a 3D porous graphene with the interconnected structure. The obtained ZnG, with a high specific surface area of 1817 m²·g⁻¹ and abundant micropores and mesopores, gives a specific capacitance of 139 F·g⁻¹ in a neutral electrolyte when used as electrode material for supercapacitors. At a high current density of 8 A·g⁻¹, the capacitance retention is 93% after 10,000 cycles. When ZnG is used for thermally chargeable supercapacitors, the thermoelectric conversion of the low-grade heat energy is successfully realized. This work thus provides a demonstration for low-grade heat energy conversion.     

溶剂比对Mn-ZnO复合纳米线形貌及吸附脱硫研究

采用水热法合成了Mn-ZnO复合纳米线,通过改变溶剂比来考察其对Mn-ZnO形貌的影响,并用等体积浸渍法负载金属Ni,制备反应吸附脱硫剂,以正庚烷/噻吩为模拟油并在固定床反应器装置上评价反应吸附脱硫性能.通过XRD、BET、SEM等方法对该催化剂进行表征;研究表明:溶剂比不同可导致Mn-ZnO复合物形貌的不同,从而影响脱硫性能.以乙醇溶液为溶剂制备的脱硫催化剂脱硫率可达99;左右,并且具有良好的稳定性.     

旋涂法制备掺杂BiOX薄膜及光催化性能研究

采用旋涂的方法在基底材料表面原位生长BiOX(X=C1、Br、I)薄膜材料.样品的晶体结构和光学性质等通过X射线粉末衍射(XRD)、透射电子显微镜(TEM)、紫外可见漫反射光谱(UV-Vis)进行了表征.结果表明旋涂法制备的BiOX薄膜是纯净的,无其他杂质,均匀性好.通过对BiOX薄膜材料的光催化性能和瞬态表面光电压技术(TPV)进行了研究,发现卤素掺杂的BiOBr0.48I052具有较好的光催化性能.其结果表明催化性能提高的原因可能是BiOBr0.48I0.52薄膜在光照下可以产生更强的光生载流子并具有更长的光生载流子寿命.     

单轴拉伸下氧化锆纳米柱相变机理的分子动力学研究

通过分子动力学模拟,观察到[001]取向的四方氧化锆纳米柱在拉伸载荷下具有两个线弹性变形的应力-应变关系.这一现象是四方结构向单斜结构相变的结果 .为了进一步阐明应力-应变曲线,进行了包括晶体结构分析和原子应变计算在内的详细研究.晶格取向强烈影响塑性变形机制,即[001]和[111]取向的纳米柱在拉伸载荷下经历相变,而沿[110]取向的纳米柱导致脆性断裂.观察到显著的温度效应,随着温度从300K升高到1500K,弹性模量从573.45GPa线性降低到482.65GPa.此外,还用轻推弹性带(NEB)理论估算了相变能垒,观察到相变能垒随温度的升高而降低.这一工作将有助于加深对氧化锆的四方相到单斜相转变和纳米尺度力学行为的理解.     

Analysis of guanosine-5′-monophosphate at nM level based on the co-luminescence effect of Tb-Gd-GMP system

This paper first found the co-luminescence effect of guanosine-5′-monophosphate (GMP) system. Experiment showed that La³⁺, Gd³⁺, Sc³⁺ and Y³⁺ all could enhance the luminescence of Tb-GMP system, among which Gd³⁺ has the greatest enhancement. Under the optimum conditions, the enhanced intensity of the system is in proportion to the concentration of GMP in the range from 3×10⁻⁸ to 3×10⁻⁵ mol/l. The detection limit is 3.9×10⁻⁹ mol/l. In the study of mechanism, we propose that both Tb and Gd complexes can form bigger netlike compound by the link of the oxygen bridge, through which the energy absorbed by Gd complex may transfer to Tb³⁺ in Tb complex.     

半导体激光泵浦亚稳态氩气激光器实现激光振荡

采用基于体布拉格光栅的窄线宽半导体激光器作为泵浦源,以电容耦合式射频激励Ar, He混合气体放电等离子体为增益介质,在双程纵向泵浦的结构下实现了连续波模式的912 nm的激光输出。     

Theory of modified thermally stimulated current and direct determination of trap level distribution

In order to investigate the trap level distribution in polymer films, a new method is proposed based on modified thermally stimulated current (TSC) theory and numerical calculation of the TSC measurement. In this method, a new function is defined to weight the contribution of every trap level to the external current. The demarcation energy is used to study the trap emptying process. The modified TSC theory shows that only the electrons with trap levels very close to the demarcation energy can significantly contribute to the external circuit at any instant temperature. Based on this method, the trap level distribution of the DuPont original polyimide film 100HN and nanocomposite polyimide film 100CR are investigated as an application example. The effectiveness of the method is confirmed by the experiments. The experimental results show that the trap level density in the 100CR PI films is about six times larger than that in the 100HN PI films through the investigated trap level ranges 06–1.3 eV. The increased traps in 100CR should be introduced by nanofillers, probably come from the interfaces formed between nanofillers and the polymer matrix.     

Optical waveguide double-ring sensor using intensity interrogation with a low-cost broadband source

A highly sensitive optical waveguide sensor based on simple intensity interrogation with a broadband light source is proposed and investigated. It consists of two cascaded microring resonators with the same or slightly different free spectral ranges. The variation of the refractive index of the analyte sample results in a large shift in the envelope function of the transmission peaks of the sensor, and, consequently, a large change in the transmitted power. The low-cost sensing scheme can achieve an ultrahigh sensitivity of 2 × 10? dB/RIU. Experimental results on the intensity interrogated double-ring sensor using a broadband source are presented, demonstrating its operation principle and potential for low-cost practical applications.