Stretchability
and areal coverage of active devices are critical
design considerations of stretchable or wearable photovoltaics and
photodetections where high areal coverages are required. However,
simultaneously maximizing both properties in conventional island-bridge
structures through traditional two-dimensional manufacturing processes
is difficult due to their inherent trade-offs. Here, a 3D printer-based
strategy to achieve extreme system stretchability and high areal coverage
through combining fused deposition modeling (FDM) and flexible conductive
nanocomposites is reported. Distinguished from typical approaches
of using conductive filaments for FDM which have a flexibility dilemma
and conductivity trade-offs, the proposed axiomatic approach to embed
a two-dimensional silver nanowire percolation network into the surfaces
of flexible 3D printed structures offers sufficient conductivity and
deformability as well as additional benefits of electrical junction
enhancement and encapsulation of silver nanowires. Kirigami/origami-pattern-guided
three-dimensional arrangements of encapsulated interconnections provide
efficient control over stretchability and areal coverage. The suggested
process enables a perovskite solar module with an initial areal coverage
of ∼97% to be electrically and mechanically reversible with
400% system stretchability and 25 000% interconnect stretchability
under the 1000 cycle test, by folding down or hiding the origami-applied
interconnects under the islands. This 3D printing strategy of potentially
low cost, large size capabilities, and high speed is promising for
highly flexible future energy conversion applications.
Oenanthe javanica is an aquatic perennial herb that belongs to the Oenanthe genus in Apiaceae family, and it displays well-known medicinal properties such as protective effects against glutamate-induced neurotoxicity. However, few studies regarding effects of Oenanthe javanica on neurogenesis in the brain have been reported. In this study, we examined the effects of a normal diet and a diet containing ethanol extract of Oenanthe javanica on cell proliferation and neuroblast differentiation in the subgranular zone of the hippocampal dentate gyrus of adolescent rats using Ki-67 (an endogenous marker for cell proliferation) and doublecortin (a marker for neuroblast). Our results showed that Oenanthe javanica extract significantly increased the number of Ki-67-immunoreactive cells and doublecortin-immunoreactive neuroblasts in the subgranular zone of the dentate gyrus in the adolescent rats. In addition, the immunoreactivity of brain-derived neurotrophic factor was significantly increased in the dentate gyrus of the Oenanthe javanica extract-treated group compared with the control group. However, we did not find that vascular endothelial growth factor expression was increased in the Oenanthe javanica extract-treated group compared with the control group. These results indicate that Oenanthe javanica extract improves cell proliferation and neuroblast differentiation by increasing brain-derived neurotrophic factor immunoreactivity in the rat dentate gyrus.
Melanosomes undergo a complex maturation process and migrate into keratinocytes. Melanophilin (Mlph), a protein complex involving myosin Va (MyoVa) and Rab27a, enables the movement of melanosomes in melanocytes. In this study, we found six miRNAs targeting Mlph in mouse using two programs (http://targetscan.org and DianaTools). When melan-a melanocytes were treated with six synthesized microRNAs, miR-342-5p, miR-1839-5p, and miR-3082-5p inhibited melanosome transport and induced melanosome aggregation around the nucleus. The other microRNAs, miR-5110, miR-3090-3p, and miR-186-5p, did not inhibit melanosome transport. Further, miR-342-5p, miR-1839-5p, and miR-3082-5p decreased Mlph expression. The effect of miR-342-5p was the strongest among the six synthesized miRNAs. It inhibited melanosome transport in melan-a melanocytes and reduced Mlph expression in mRNA and protein levels in a dose-dependent manner; however, it did not affect Rab27a and MyoVa expressions, which are associated with melanosome transport. To examine miR-342-5p specificity, we performed luciferase assays in a mouse melanocyte-transfected reporter vector including Mlph at the 3′-UTR (untranslated region). When treated with miR-342-5p, luciferase activity that had been reduced by approximately 50% was restored after inhibitor treatment. Therefore, we identified a novel miRNA affecting Mlph and melanosome transport, and these results can be used for understanding Mlph expression and skin pigmentation regulation.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.