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The design and development of cost-effective and highly efficient oxygen evolution reaction (OER) electrocatalysts are urgently desirable during the water-splitting process. Here, Ni x Fe 80-x B 20 (x = 70, 60, 50, 40, 30, hereafter referred to as NFB) amorphous alloys, with high mechanical strength, excellent corrosion resistance, and unique atomic structure, are fabricated as efficient water oxidation electrocatalysts in alkaline solutions. Ni 40 Fe 40 B 20 amorphous ribbons achieve only 319 mV of overpotential at 10 mA·cm−2 with a Tafel slope of 56 mV dec−1 and exhibit excellent long-term stability for 24 h at 10 mA·cm−2 and 100 mA·cm−2 in 1 M KOH solution, which outperform the commercial RuO 2 electrocatalyst. It is worth noting that the OER performance of Ni x Fe 80-x B 20 amorphous electrocatalysts after long-term chronopotentiometry test displays more effectively, which can be ascribed to the surface construction. Meanwhile, the analysis of the morphology and structure of the electrocatalysts reveal that continuous oxidation during the OER process induces the structural reorganization on the surface of the electrocatalysts, which can enhance the electron transfer process and adsorption of the reaction intermediates to optimize the OER performance. This study provides a shred of evidence for surface self-reconstruction of NiFeB amorphous alloys electrocatalysts during the OER process and promotes the application of amorphous alloys as functional materials in the water-splitting field. [Display omitted] • Amorphous Ni 40 Fe 40 B 20 alloys show a low overpotential of 319 mV at 10 mA·cm−2. • Long-term stability of amorphous NFB alloys in a concentrated alkaline solution. • Self-construction enhances the OER performance after the long-term test. • Promoting the application of amorphous NFB alloys as electrodes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) was produced from cane molasses by dilute acid catalysis. • A hyper-cross-linked resin (HCLR) was designed and synthesized. • HCLR was applied for separating and purifying HMF from cane molasses hydrolysate. • HCLR had excellent adsorption performance for HMF, and can be reused stably. Sugarcane molasses is a by-product in the process of sugar production, which has characteristics of large quantity, low price and easy to pollute the environment. High-valued utilization of sugarcane molasses has important research significance. In this work, 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) was obtained through hydrolyzing sugarcane molasses, and was separated from the hydrolysate by a designed hyper-cross-linked adsorption resin (HCLR). The optimal conditions for adsorption/desorption of HMF by HCLR were obtained. On this basis, the adsorption kinetics, equilibrium and thermodynamic behavior of HMF onto HCLR were studied, and the adsorption mechanism of HMF onto HCLR was clarified. At last, HMF with a highest purity of 96.0% and an average purity of 93.2% were obtained through fixed bed dynamic adsorption/desorption study. Overall, this work provides a complete process route from sugarcane molasses to high-value product of HMF, and provides theoretical and technical references for the efficient and comprehensive utilization of sugarcane molasses resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ethnopharmacological relevance Jiang-Xian HuGan (JXHG) formulated by five natural products including Freshwater clam (Corbicula fluminea) , Curcuma longa L., Ligustrum lucidum , Eclipta prostrata (L.) L. and Paeonia lactiflora Pall. , has exhibited a great hepatoprotective effect. Aim of this study We investigated the effect of JXHG on concanavalin A (ConA)-induced acute live injury in mice, and to elucidate its underlying molecular mechanisms. Materials and methods Jiangkanling Capsule (900 mg/kg), low-dose JXHG (LJXHG, 700 mg/kg), high-dose JXHG (HJXHG, 1400 mg/kg) were administered to mice by oral gavage daily for 20 days prior to a single intravenous injection of ConA (20 mg/kg). Liver injury was evaluated by measuring the serum levels of enzymes and cytokines as well as liver histological analysis. We also measured the hepatic expression of cytokines at mRNA levels and the proteins related to NF-κB and Nuclear factor (erythroid-derived 2)-like 2 (Nrf2) signaling pathways. Result Our results showed that JXHG pretreatment significantly alleviated ConA-induced live injury as evidenced by decreased serum levels of glutamic-pyruvic transaminase (ALT) and glutamic oxalacetic transaminase (AST), and reduced hepatocyte apoptosis and mortality. Furthermore, JXHG was able to significantly reduce the serum levels of proinflammatory cytokines, down-regulate the mRNA expression of interleukin-6 (IL-6) and interferon-γ (IFN-γ), and up-regulate IL-10 as well as superoxide-dimutase-1 (SOD1), glutathione reductase (GSR) and Glutathione peroxidase 2 (GPX2) mRNA in the liver tissues after Con A injection. In addition, JXHG pretreatment dramatically suppressed the phosphorylation of NF-κB p65 (p65), increased Nrf2 expression, and decreased the expression ratio of cleaved caspase-3/caspase-3 in liver tissues. Conclusion These results suggest that JXHG protects against ConA-induced acute live injury through inhibiting NF-κB mediated inflammatory pathway and promoting Nrf2 mediated anti-oxidative stress signaling pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Large areas of high-photostability fluorescent X-Zn-ferrite (XZn)Fe 2 O 4 (X = Mg, Mn or Ni) nanoparticles embedded in a bismuth ferrite (BiFeO 3 ) membrane were successfully fabricated via a facile bio-approach using Shewanella oneidensis MR-1. The results revealed that the perovskite BiFeO 3 enhances the fluorescent intensity (at 635 and 795 nm) and surface potential difference (14 meV and −40 meV) of the embedded spinel (XZn)Fe 2 O 4 . This mechanism is attributed to the interfacial coupling of the Fe O O Bi and Fe O Fe interfaces. Such a system could open up new ideas in the design of environmentally friendly fluorescent sensors for water environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BiMg 1/2 Ti 1/2 O 3 (BMT)/NaNbO 3 (NN) was introduced into the Bi 1/2 Na 1/2 TiO 3 -SrTiO 3 lead-free system to modify its phase structure and electrical properties. The ceramics were prepared by a traditional ceramic processing method. All samples exhibited pure perovskite structure, as well as dense microstructures. The modified compositions underwent a phase transition from a ferroelectric phase to an ergodic relaxor state with increasing BMT/NN content. This transition was identified from the decrease in the ferroelectric-relaxor transition temperature to room temperature. When the composition was located in the vicinity of the critical region, giant electrostrain was obtained owing to the field-induced reversible transition between the relaxor and ferroelectric phases. A schematic phase diagram was constructed based on the measured properties. Excellent actuating performance of S max /E max >850 pm/V with an ultra-low driving field of E ≤3 kV/mm was achieved in the modified compositions. This performance is comparable to that of the Pb(Zr,Ti)O 3 -based counterparts and demonstrates the great potential of the current materials in piezoactuator applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The electrical properties and microstructures of (1 − x ) Bi 1/2 Na 1/2 TiO 3 – x SrTiO 3 (BNT-ST100 x , 0.20 ≤ x ≤ 0.30) piezoceramics with different grain size distributions were investigated. The critical region separating the ferroelectric from ergodic relaxor is located around x = 0.26. Strains up to 0.2% could be achieved under a low driving fields ( E < 2 kV/mm) in the BNT-ST26 composition resulting in excellent actuating performance of S max /E max >1000 pm/V. The electrostrain was largely depended on the grain size and an increment of strain up to ∼38% can be realized by increasing the grain size from 5 μm to 13 μm in the BNT-ST26 samples. The results indicate that the field-induced strain performance of BNT-based incipient piezoelectric ceramics can be tailored via microstructure modifications, an alternative strategy to enhance the electromechanical properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We elucidated a number of facets regarding arginine–glycine–aspartate (RGD)–bismuth ferrite (BFO)-(1 1 1) membrane interactions and reactivity that have previously remained unexplored on a molecular level. Results demonstrate the intra-molecular interaction facilitates a “horseshoe” structure of RGD adsorbed onto the BFO-(1 1 1) membrane, through the electrostatic (Asp-cation-Fe) and water-bridge (O H 2 O and H 2 O NH 2 ) interactions. The effect of structural and electron-transfer interactions is attributed to the cation-valences, indicating that the divalent cations are electron-acceptors and the monovalent cations as electron-donors. Notably, the strongly bound Ca 2+ ion exerts a “gluing” effect on the Asp-side-chain, indicating a tightly packed RGD–BFO configuration. Thus, modulating the biological response of BFO-(1 1 1) membrane will allow us to design more appropriate interfaces for implantable diagnostic and therapeutic perovskite-type micro-devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pb(Mn 1/3 Sb 2/3 )O 3 -modified (≤4 mol%) ferroelectric ceramics 0.5Pb(Ni 1/3 Nb 2/3 )O 3 –0.14PbZrO 3 –0.36PbTiO 3 were successfully fabricated by the solid-state reaction method to investigate its influences on the phase structure and piezoelectricity as well as mechanical properties. The addition of Pb(Mn 1/3 Sb 2/3 )O 3 (PMS) led to a phase transformation from tetragonal to rhombohedral and a slightly increased average grain size. The compositions modified by PMS mainly displayed “harden” effect, accompanying with the increase of mechanical quality factor Q m and internal bias field E i . The mechanical properties of the ceramics were strengthened monotonously with the addition of PMS, while the piezoelectric coefficient showed a peak value of d 33 ⁎ ~1058 pm/V when the PMS content equaled to 1 mol%. Fairly good electrical properties and mechanical performance of d 33 ⁎ ~1036 pm/V ( E =1 kV/mm), planar electromechanical coupling factor k p ~0.53, dielectric loss (1 kHz)~0.4%, Young’s modulus E ~120.8 GPa, fracture toughness K Ic ~1.44 MPa m 1/2 were achieved in the sample with the addition of 2 mol% PMS, which makes it promising for applications in piezoactuators, transducers and sensors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

x Pb(Zn 1/3 Nb 2/3 )O 3 –(1− x )PbZr 0.5 Ti 0.5 O 3 ( x PZN–(1− x )PZT) ( x =0.22–0.36) polycrystalline ceramics with finely varied PZN content were fabricated by a solid-state reaction method. The phase structure, microstructure and temperature dependence of the electrical properties were systematically investigated. The core of the morphotropic phase boundary (MPB) separating the tetragonal from rhombohedral phases located around the region with x =0.26–0.30, identified by XRD measurement and electrical properties. Higher PZN content favored rhombohedral symmetry and stronger relaxor-like characteristics. All compositions demonstrated well-saturated ferroelectric P–E loops, and a maximum remnant polarization of P r ~41.83 μC/cm 2 with a corresponding coercive field E c ~11.3 kV/cm was achieved around MPB. Optimum electrical properties of piezoelectric constant d 33 ~550 pC/N, planar electromechanical coupling coefficient k p ~0.69, relative dielectric permittivity ε r ~2327 were obtained in the 0.28PZN–0.72PZT composition with a relatively high Curie point of T c ~325 °C. This composition also possessed a good electric field-induced-strain property with d 33 ⁎ up to 658 pm/V ( E =1 kV/mm), making it promising for application in piezoactuators. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: [•] Alpinia oxyphylla (Yizhi) capsularfruits are commonly used in traditional medicine. [•] The chemicals and their metabolites in rat plasma were identified using LC–MS/MS with MRM mode. [•] Yizhi flavonoids and diarylheptanoids formed mainly monoglucuronide metabolites. [•] Metabolic reduction of Yizhi diarylheptanoids occurred in rats. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Fe-based metallic glasses (MGs) not only are an industrially produced amorphous zero-valent iron (AZVI) with a promising reductive degradability to azo dyes but also can activate persulfate (PS) with sulfate radicals (SO 4 •-, E o = 2.5–3.1V) for wastewater remediation. In this study, acid orange II (AOII) was rapidly and efficiently decolored by Fe 78 Si 8 B 14 MG/PS system with a 99% degradation rate in 8 min. Based on monitoring the degradation rate and the concentration of Fe2+/Fe3+, a two-step degradation mechanism is proposed, that one is deductive degradation by AZVI with products of small organic molecules and Fe2+, and the other is oxidative degradation, where AZVI and Fe2+ activate PS with products of SO 4 •- and •OH confirmed by the electron spin resonance (ESR) analysis test. The orthogonal experimental design proves that the effects of the experiment operating parameters on the decolorization efficiency from high to low are Fe-based MGs dosage, PS dosage, and reaction temperature. Meanwhile, the high efficiency of the Fe-based MGs/PS system is also illustrated for the mineralization of AOII by an indication of the TOC removal rate as high as 57%. This work gives new insight into Fe-based MGs for activating PS and will accelerate the application of Fe-based MGs as catalysts in the field of wastewater treatment. • Fe-based MGs plays the most important role in the decolorization of AOII based on the orthogonal experiments design. • A two-step synergetic decolorization mechanism for the AOII decolorization is proposed. • The Ea of Fe-based MG/PS system is11.556kJ/mol, much lower than other systems for the decolorization of azo dyes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Corn starch was pre-treated with acetic acid and then acetylated by acetic anhydride under microwave irradiation. The effects of molar ratios of these two reagents on the acetylation of starch were investigated. Starch acetate with a high degree of substitution (DS, 2.93) was obtained at a molar ratio (acetic acid/acetic anhydride) of 1:1. However, the DS should tend to decrease with a change of this ratio. The FT-IR analysis indicated characteristic absorption peaks, with increasing DS materialised by an increase of the carbonyl Cnd a decrease of the hydroxyl O–H group, at about 1750cm−1 and 3450cm−1, respectively. The X-ray diffraction patterns of acetylated starch showed an amorphous structure. Degree of crystallinity, surface morphology, water solubility and water absorption index of corn starch were also affected by the changes in reagent ratios. The glass transition (T g) and melting (T m) temperatures of acetylated starches also decreased after acetylation. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: By activating corn starch with acetic acid and using acetic anhydride as an esterifying agent, starch acetates with increasing degrees of substitution were obtained using microwave assistance when the amount of iodine varied from 0.5 to 1.75mmol. The study of Fourier Transform Infrared (FT-IR) spectra, X-ray diffraction pattern, thermal properties, granule morphology, water absorption and solubility, revealed important changes on the physical properties of the obtained products related to the increase of the iodine content. As shown by the scanning electron microscope (SEM), a specific structure on the granule surface was discerned for each amount of iodine. By its exo-corrosive action on starch, iodine indirectly induced loss of crystallinity, decrease of the glass transition and melting temperatures, and a progressive reduction in the water absorption and water solubility index of the modified products. Starch esters with better hydrophobicity and good processability for bio-based material applications were synthesized. Alternatively, the variation in the concentration of the iodine could also be of interest in special purposes, in which starch granules with controlled surface porosity are needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Here, we present a simulation research of the heterogeneous oxidation mechanism of SO 2 on Al 2 O 3 (mineral oxides) surface by H 2 O 2 , density functional theory (DFT) calculations was used to investigate the adsorption mechanism of SO 2 and H 2 O 2 on the perfect and O defect γ-Al 2 O 3 (110) surfaces. The results show that SO 2 molecularly adsorbed on the prefect and O defect surfaces, while H 2 O 2 was adsorbed in the molecule form on the perfect surface. In particular, H 2 O 2 dissociation only occurred on the O defect γ-Al 2 O 3 (110) surface. The oxygen defects not only enhanced the adsorption intensities of H 2 O 2 and SO 2 , but also promoted the H 2 O 2 decomposition (H 2 O 2 →OH + OH). Analysis of partial density of states, differential charge density and Mulliken population indicated that H 2 O 2 decomposition followed the Haber-Weiss mechanism (formation of surface OH), and SO 2 was oxidized by the OH radicals to form HOSO 2 molecule when SO 2 and H 2 O 2 co-adsorbed on O defect γ-Al 2 O 3 (110) surface. Moreover, the lower energy barrier of H 2 O 2 decomposition (32.69 kJ/mol) and SO 2 oxidation (78.21 kJ/mol) demonstrated that SO 2 to be oxidized easily by the H 2 O 2 on the O defect γ-Al 2 O 3 (110) surfaces. These results can well explain the formation mechanism of OH radicals and the oxidation mechanism of SO 2 by H 2 O 2 on the mineral dust at the molecular level, which is of great significance for understanding the role of H 2 O 2 in the heterogeneous oxidation of SO 2 on the mineral dust and the formation mechanism of sulfate aerosols in the atmosphere. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We explored the effect of contact time on the interfacial interaction mechanism of amino acids (AAs) connected to the aluminol group (AlOH) and interlayer Ca ions of Ca-montmorillonite (Ca Mt) in an aqueous solution using density functional theory (DFT) and two-dimensional correlation analysis (2D-CA) technology. The results showed that these interactions include electrostatic (or van-der-Waals) interaction, cation exchange and hydrophilic interaction. In particular, the electrostatic (or van-der-Waals) interaction between the –COO−(H) (and –NH 3 +) groups of the AAs and surface negative O atoms of Ca Mt were found to be the main interaction leading to the adsorption behaviour of AAs onto Ca Mt. With increasing contact time, the Ca-d0 orbital splitting (d x 2 +y 2 → d x 2 +y 2 + d Z 2) not only changes the orbital coupling between the Ca-d0 and O-2p4 orbitals (Ca-d x 2 +y 2-O-2p4 → Ca-d x 2 +y 2 + d Z 2-O-2p4) but also enhances the formation of Ca+–COO−(H) p-p σ (neutral: glycine and serine) and Ca+-NH 3 + p-p π (charged: glutamate and arginine) hybrid orbitals, as well as the cation exchange (AlOH-Ca + AAs) that mainly contributes to the short-range van-der-Waals interaction. Furthermore, the H-1 s (H 2 O) orbital is degenerate, which in turn enhances the orbital overlap of H-1 s (H 2 O) with O-2p4 (-HOCO) and N-2p3 (-NH 3), leading to the formation of hydrated clusters: -NH 3 ·(H 2 O)+ and –HOCO·(H 2 O)−. The hydrophilic interaction (AlOH-H 2 O + AAs) mainly contributes to the long-range electrostatic interaction. The results of the study provide a new perspective to understand the adsorption process of AAs onto clay mineral surfaces. Unlabelled Image • Calculation of the interface interaction between various AAs and Ca-Mt in the water environment. • Orbital hybridization and electronic transition mechanism between AAs and Ca/H 2 O was explained in the interface. • The transition mechanism of van-der Waals (Ca + AAs) and electrostatic interactions (H 2 O + AAs) with contact time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Graphical abstract Highlights • The dynamic characteristics of aggregates under simple shear flow were studied by coarse-graining method. • The relationship between the structure and shear stress of MRF was discussed. • The effect of the size of shear rate on the structure and shear stress of MRF was discussed. • The increase of magnetic field strength and volume fraction of magnetic particles lead to the increase of the shear stress. Abstract In this article, the aggregation behavior and shear properties of magnetorheological fluid (MRF) under different magnetic field strengths, volume fraction of magnetic particles (MPs) and shear rates were investigated by coarse-grained molecular dynamics simulations. With the formation of a wall-like structure, the shear stress (τ) of the MRF increased linearly in the shear strains region 0 < strain (γ) < 0.58. In the yield region (γ > 0.58), the stress began to decrease and finally tended to be stable. The relationship between the aggregation of MPs and shear stress under a magnetic field-shear field was determined at the microscopic level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Graphical abstract Highlights • Superabsorbent composite was synthesized from special bacterial cellulose (BC). • Bentonite inorganic gel (BIG) was produced as substrate for fermentation. • BC was obtained by in situ fermentation. • Effect of different factors on the performance of superabsorbent was evaluated. • The water absorption capacity of composite is suitable for industrial application. Abstract Superabsorbent was synthesized from bacterial cellulose (BC) generated by in situ fermentation on bentonite inorganic gel (BIG). For BIG preparation, the effect of sodium agent's type and content, temperature and time of sodium-modification, and gelling agent's type and content on the viscosity of BIG were learned to optimize the synthesis process. For polymerization, the effect of different factors including ratio of monomer to substrate (modified BC from in situ fermentation), content of initiator and crosslinker, monomer neutralization degree, reaction temperature and time on the performance of composite (superabsorbent) synthesized were analyzed. Under optimal condition, the composite showed good water absorption, salts absorption, and water retention capacity. The original bentonite, sodium-based bentonite, BIG and composite structure was characterized by X-ray fluorescence (XRF), nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), scanning electron microscope (SEM) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and the characterization partly explained the performance of water absorption and thermal stability of the composite. Overall, this study provides one method for superabsorbent synthesis from low-cost and natural resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Anaerobic digestion of elephant grass hydrolysate was evaluated. • Efficient COD removal and biogas production were fulfilled. • Most inlet organic materials could be utilized or degraded efficiently. • Almost no VFAs were accumulated and the operation was stable. • COD and color of outlet effluent of anaerobic digestion were removed efficiently. Elephant grass (Pennisetum purpureum) acid hydrolysate was used as substrate for anaerobic digestion for the first time. Within short period (ten days), the organic materials (sugars and organic acids) in the elephant grass hydrolysate could be utilized efficiently for stable biogas production that the COD removal, biogas yield, and CH 4 content were 91.3 ± 2.0%, 0.561 ± 0.014 m3/kg COD consumption, and 68.1 ± 4.6%, respectively throughout this bioprocess. During anaerobic digestion, almost no volatile fatty acids (VFAs) was accumulated (merely <0.1 g/L acetic acid was found) and the outlet pH was very stable (7.3 ± 0.1). Meanwhile, the furans including furfural and 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) existing in the inlet substrate could be degraded. After anaerobic digestion, the outlet effluent was treated by combination of Fe-C micro-electrolysis and Fenton reaction to remove 93.1% of residual COD and 98.6% of color. Considering the performance, cost, operation, and environmental influence, this technology is suitable for industrial treatment of waste elephant grass. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Wastewater treatment is one important issue for turpentine plant and more wastewater generated by greater turpentine processing will prevent its further development. To solve this issue without extra place and new equipment, one industrial system for reuse and treatment of turpentine processing wastewater was introduced for the first time. For wastewater reuse, the technology was simple and easy to control that after neutralization by lime and absorption with activated carbon (optional, mostly not necessary), the wastewater could be reused for turpentine processing. After reuse, the wastewater was further treated by a biological system. During long-term application of wastewater reuse in this plant, it showed little influence on the products performance (mainly acid value) and final wastewater COD. Base on above advantages, the plant could decide when for wastewater drainage, and thus the amount of wastewater was reduced greatly. For the biological treatment, the COD of wastewater could be degraded to suitable level stably and the wastewater after treatment could be applied for daily life in the plant. Overall, considering the cost, operation, and performance, the whole system shows great potential and possibility of industrial application and therefore can be applied widely in the turpentine processing industry. Graphical abstract Unlabelled Image Highlights • A system for turpentine processing wastewater reuse and treatment was introduced. • Simply treated by neutralization and absorption, the wastewater could be reused. • The wastewater after reusing was suitable for biological treatment. • The whole system has great potential and possibility for industrial application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The compounds of N-Methylanhydrotetrahydroberberrubine A, dictamnine and eudesmin were the primary bioactive components in the roots of Zanthoxylum armatum DC ( Z . armatum ). To clarify the pharmacokinetics and distribution of these three compounds, an ultra-fast liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UFLC-MS/MS) was employed to determine the contents of these three compounds in rat plasma and seven tissues. The separation was achieved on a Kinetex XB–C18 100A column (2.1 × 50 mm, 2.6 μm, Phenomenex). The optimized mobile phase system was set with 0.1‰ formic acid aqueous solution (A) and acetonitrile (containing 0.1‰ formic acid) (B) with a programmed elution of 0.00 to 0.50 min, 2% B; 0.51–4.00 min, 30%–60% B; and 4.01–5.00 min, 2% B. All analytes were measured with optimized multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) in the positive ion ESI mode. Berberine hydrochloride was selected as the internal standard (IS). The MS/MS transitions of N-Methylanhydrotetrahydroberberrubine A, dictamnine, eudesmin and IS were 339.9135.1, 200.1 → 129.1, 387.4 → 369.0 and 337.1 → 321.1, respectively. The lower limits quantification (LLOQ) of the three analytes was 0.5–20 ng/ml. The linear ranges were 0.5–400 ng/ml for N-Methylanhydrotetrahydroberberrubine A and dictamnine and 20–4000 ng/ml for eudesmin. The present analysis showed that the two alkaloids were quickly absorbed, with T max in 0.167–0.292 h, and eudesmin was absorbed in 2.5 h. Moreover, all compounds were found at high concentrations in the gastrointestinal track. These results are helpful for further investigation of the clinical application of Z . armatum . [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Traditional solid-state biogas production from lignocellulosic biomass has some issues such as relatively low methane yield, instability of fermentation system, etc., and these might be solved by changing solid-state mode to completely liquid-state mode using lignocellulosic hydrolysates as substrate for biogas production. However, the potential and possibility of this new technology for industrial application is still unclear. In this study, semi-pilot scale long-term biogas production using various lignocellulosic hydrolysates (acid hydrolysates of bagasse, rice straw, and corncob) as substrate was carried out in a 100 L up-flow anaerobic bioreactor (internal circulation reactor, IC) for 76 days. During operation, biogas was generated almost immediately when the substrate was pumped into bioreactor and the start-up can be finished in short period. Throughout the fermentation process, most COD (>85%) of lignocellulosic hydrolysates was utilized for biogas production. High biogas yield (0.549 ± 0.058 m 3 /kg COD consumption ), methane yield (0.381 ± 0.043 m 3 /kg COD consumption ) and CH 4 content in biogas (69.6 ± 5.6%) can be obtained respectively when the fermentation system was stable. Variations of inlet pH value and types of lignocellulosic hydrolysate showed little influence on the operation performance of this fermentation system. Overall, the fermentation scale, operation period, COD removal, biogas yield, CH 4 content in biogas, and operation performance with various inlet pH value and different kinds of substrate shows that this technology has great potential and possibility of industrialization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High-photostability fluorescent (XZn)Fe 2 O 4 (X = Mg, Mn or Ni) embedded in BiFeO 3 spinel-perovskite nanocomposites were successfully fabricated via a novel bio-induced phase transfer method using shewanella oneidensis MR-1. These nanocomposites have the near-infrared fluorescence response (XZn or Fe)-O-O-(Bi) interfaces (785/832 nm), and the (XZn)Fe 2 O 4 /BiFeO 3 lattices with high/low potentials (572.15–808.77 meV/206.43–548.1 meV). Our results suggest that heavy metal ion (Cr 3+ , Cd 2+ , Co 2+ and Pb 2+ ) d↓ orbitals hybridize with the paired-spin X-Zn-Fe d↓-d↓-d↑↓ orbitals to decrease the average polarization angles (−29.78 to 44.71°), qualitatively enhancing the photovoltage response selective potentials (39.57–487.84 meV). The fluorescent kinetic analysis shows that both first-order and second-order equilibrium adsorption isotherms are in line and meet the Langmuir and Freundlich modes. Highly selective fluorescence detection of Co 2+ , Cr 3+ and Cd 2+ can be achieved using Fe 3 O 4 -BiFeO 3 (Langmuir mode), (MgZn)Fe 2 O 4 -BiFeO 3 and (MnZn)Fe 2 O 4 -BiFeO 3 (Freundlich mode), respectively. Where the corresponding max adsorption capacities (q max ) are 1.5–1.94, 35.65 and 43.7 multiple, respectively, being more competitive than that of other heavy metal ions. The present bio-synthesized method might be relevant for high-photostability fluorescent spinel-perovskite nanocomposites, for design of heavy metal ion sensors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ethnopharmacological relevance A wealth of information is emerging about the impact of gut microbiota on human health and diseases such as cardiovascular diseases, obesity and diabetes. As we learn more, we find out the gut microbiota has the potential as new territory for drug targeting. Some novel therapeutic approaches could be developed through reshaping the commensal microbial structure using combinations of different agents. The gut microbiota also affects drug metabolism, directly and indirectly, particularly towards the orally administered drugs. Herbal products have become the basis of traditional medicines such as traditional Chinese medicine and also been being considered valuable materials in modern drug discovery. Of note, low oral bioavailability but high bioactivity is a conundrum not yet solved for some herbs. Since most of herbal products are orally administered, the herbs' constituents are inevitably exposed to the intestinal microbiota and the interplays between herbal constituents and gut microbiota are expected. Emerging explorations of herb–microbiota interactions have an opportunity to revolutionize the way we view herbal therapeutics. The present review aims to provide information regarding the health promotion and/or disease prevention by the interplay between traditional herbs with low bioavailability and gut microbiota through gut microbiota via two different types of mechanisms: (1) influencing the composition of gut microbiota by herbs and (2) metabolic reactions of herbal constituents by gut microbiota. Materials and methods The major data bases (PubMed and Web of Science) were searched using “gut microbiota”, “intestinal microbiota”, “gut flora”, “intestinal flora”, “gut microflora”, “intestinal microflora”, “herb”, “Chinese medicine”, “traditional medicine”, or “herbal medicine” as keywords to find out studies regarding herb–microbiota interactions. The Chinese Pharmacopoeia (2010 edition, Volume I) was also used to collect the data of commonly used medicinal herbs and their quality control approaches. Results Among the 474 monographs of herbs usually used in the Chinese Pharmacopoeia, the quality control approach of 284 monographs is recommended to use high-performance liquid chromatography approach. Notably, the major marker compounds (>60%) for quality control are polyphenols, polysaccharides and saponins, with significant oral bioavailability conundrum. Results from preclinical and clinical studies on herb–microbiota interactions showed that traditional herbs could exert heath promotion and disease prevention roles via influencing the gut microbiota structure. On the other hand, herb constituents such as ginsenoside C-K, hesperidin, baicalin, daidzin and glycyrrhizin could exert their therapeutic effects through gut microbiota-mediated bioconversion. Conclusions Herb–microbiota interaction studies provide novel mechanistic understanding of the traditional herbs that exhibit poor oral bioavailability. “Microbiota availability” could be taken consideration into describing biological measurements in the therapeutic assessment of herbal medicine. Our review should be of value in stimulating discussions among the scientific community on this relevant theme and prompting more efforts to complement herb–microbiota interactions studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The preparation process of hydrophilic-hydrophobic PAM/PS IPNs was optimized. • PAM/PS IPNs was used to remove fermentation inhibitors from SCBH. • PAM/PS IPNs had excellent adsorption performance towards fermentation inhibitors. • PAM/PS IPNs can be regenerated easily and reused stably. Economical removal of fermentation inhibitors from lignocellulosic hydrolysate plays a considerable role in bioconversion of lignocellulose biomass. In this work, the textural properties of polyacrylamide/polystyrene interpenetrating polymer networks (PAM/PS IPNs) on adsorption of fermentation inhibitors from sugarcane bagasse hydrolysate (SCBH) were investigated for the first time. The results showed that, the specific surface area, pore diameter and surface polarity had important influence on its adsorption performance towards sugars, organic acids, furans and acid-soluble lignin. The PAM/PS IPNs under the optimal copolymerization situation achieved the high selectivity coefficients of 4.07, 14.9, 21.2 and 25.8 with respective to levulinic acid, furfural, hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) and acid-soluble lignin, and had a low total sugar loss of 2.09%. Overall, this research puts forward a design and synthetic strategy for adsorbent to remove fermentation inhibitors from lignocellulosic hydrolysate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]