The advent of bioethanol production has generated abundant lignin-derived byproducts which contain proteins and polysaccharides. These byproducts are inapplicable for direct material applications. In this study, lignin-derived byproducts were used for the first time as carbon precursors to construct an interconnected hierarchical porous nitrogen-doped carbon (HPNC) via hydrothermal treatment and activation. The obtained HPNC exhibited favorable features for supercapacitor applications, such as hierarchical bowl-like pore structures, a large specific surface area of 2218 m(2) g(-1), a high electronic conductivity of 4.8 S cm(-1), and a nitrogen doping content of 3.4%. HPNC-based supercapacitors in a 6 M KOH aqueous electrolyte exhibited high-rate performance with a high specific capacitance of 312 F g(-1) at 1 A g(-1) and 81% retention at 80 A g(-1) as well as an excellent cyclic life of 98% initial capacitance after 20 000 cycles at 10 A g(-1). Moreover, HPNC-based supercapacitors in the ionic liquid electrolyte of EMI-BF4 displayed an enhanced energy density of 44.7 Wh kg(-1) (remaining 74% of max value) at an ultrahigh power density of 73.1 kW kg(-1). The proposed strategy may facilitate lignin utilization and lead to a green bioethanol production process.
Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is a highly immune-suppressive tumor with a low response rate to single checkpoint blockade therapy. ETS homologous factor (EHF) is a tumor suppressor in PDAC. Here, we report a novel function of EHF in pancreatic cancer immune microenvironment editing and efficacy prediction for anti-PD1 therapy. Our findings support that the deficiency of tumoral EHF induced the accumulation of regulatory T (T reg) cells and myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) and a decrease in the number of tumor-infiltrating CD8+ T cells. Mechanistically, EHF deficiency induced the conversion and expansion of T reg cells and MDSCs through inhibiting tumor TGFβ1 and GM-CSF secretion. EHF suppressed the transcription of TGFB1 and CSF2 by directly binding to their promoters. Mice bearing EHF overexpression tumors exhibited significantly better response to anti-PD1 therapy than those with control tumors. Our findings delineate the immunosuppressive mechanism of EHF deficiency in PDAC and highlight that EHF overexpression may improve PDAC checkpoint immunotherapy.
Diffusible signal factor (DSF) represents a family of widely conserved quorum sensing (QS) signals involved in the regulation of virulence factor production in many Gram-negative bacterial pathogens. Quorum quenching, which disrupts QS either by degradation of QS signals or interference of signal generation or perception, is a promising strategy for prevention and control of QS-mediated bacterial infections. In this study, a novel DSF-degrading strain, HN-2, was isolated from contaminated soil and identified as Cupriavidus sp. The isolate exhibited superior DSF degradation activity and completely degraded 2 mmol·L–1 of DSF within 24 h. Analysis of the degradation products of DSF by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry led to the identification of trans-2-decenoic acid methyl ester as the main intermediate product, suggesting that DSF could be degraded by oxidation and hydroxylation. Moreover, this study presents for the first time, evidence that Cupriavidus sp. can reduce the black rot disease caused by Xanthomonas campestris pv. campestris (Xcc). Application of the HN-2 strain as a biocontrol agent could substantially reduce the disease severity. These findings reveal the biochemical basis of a highly efficient DSF-degrading bacterial isolate and present a useful agent for controlling infectious diseases caused by DSF-dependent bacterial pathogens.
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