Search

[Display omitted] P 2-type layered oxides for rechargeable sodium-ion batteries have drawn a lot of attention because of their excellent electrochemical performance. However, these types of cathodes usually suffer from poor cyclic stability. To overcome this disadvantage, in this work, novel ball-shaped concentration-gradient oxide Na 0.67 Ni 0.17 Co 0.17 Mn 0.66 O 2 with P 2 structure modified by Mn-rich surface is successfully prepared using co-precipitation method. The concentration of Mn increased from the inner core to the surface, endowing the material with an excellent cyclic stability. The cathode exhibits enhanced electrochemical properties than that of the sample synthesized by solid-state method and concentration-constant material. It shows 143.2 mAh/g initial discharge capacity and retains 131 mAh/g between 2 V and 4.5 V after 100 rounds. The significant improvement in the electrochemical properties of the sample benefits from the unique concentration-gradient structure, and the Mn-rich surface that effectively stabilizes the basic P 2 structure. The relatively higher Ni content in the core leads to a slight improvement in the discharge capacity of the sample. This strategy may provide new insights for preparing layered cathodes for sodium-ion batteries with high electrochemical performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Selenium (Se) is a micronutrient that becomes toxic when present at higher concentrations in fish tissues. Allium mongolicum Regel flavonoids (AMRF) have been documented to possess antioxidant, immunoenhancement and anti-inflammation properties. The aim of this study was to investigate the protective effects and potential mechanisms of dietary supplementation of AMRF and Se exposure on oxidative stress, immune responses and immune-related genes expression in Channa argus. A total of 480 C. argus were randomly divided into eight groups housed in twenty-four 200 L glass aquarium (3 tanks per group, 20 fish per tank). The fish were exposed for 56 days to waterborne Se at 0, 50, 100 and 200 μg/L and/or dietary AMRF at 40 mg/kg. The result indicated that AMRF exerted significant protective effects by preventing alterations in the levels of bioaccumulation, malondialdehyde, lysozyme, complement C3 and immunoglobulin M. AMRF also assists in the elevation of catalase and glutathione peroxidase in the liver and spleen while regulating the expression of immune-related genes including NF-κB p65, IκB-α, TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-8, HSP70, HSP90, and glucocorticoid receptor after 56 days of Se exposure. Our results suggest that administration of AMRF (40 mg/kg) has the potential to combat Se toxicity in C. argus. • Exposure to waterborne Se induced significant bioaccumulation in specific tissues. • Antioxidant and immune responses were affected following exposure to waterborne Se. • AMRF supplementation effectively attenuated Se-induced toxicity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nitrogen (N) fertilizer application is an essential part of agricultural production in order to improve rice yields. However, long-term irrational application and low utilization of N fertilizer have caused a series of environmental problems. Biofertilizer is considered an effective alternative to N fertilizer. In this study, the effect of biofertilizer made of diazotrophic bacteria Bacillus sp. T28 combined with sea buckthorn pomace on the soil N changes and microbial community structure was conducted. Compared to CK, NO 3 −-N content decreased 33.1%–43.8% and the rate of N 2 O release decreased 8–26 times under different fertilizer treatments during incubation of 0–7 days. On the contrary, NH 4 +-N in T28 with or without sea buckthorn pomace treatments increased by 56.5–118.8% during incubation of 7–14 days. The results indicated that this biofertilizer reduced the environmental risk associated with the accumulation of NO 3 −-N in paddy soil and the release of N 2 O to the atmosphere and maintained the soil available N supply capacity. Besides, applying Bacillus T28 with sea buckthorn pomace increased the abundance of soil N functional genes such as nifH , narG , nirS , nirK , and nosZ. The 13C-PLFAs results demonstrated that this biofertilizer improves soil microbial community diversity, nutrient turnover rate and ecosystem stability by altering soil pH and total carbon (TC). In conclusion, Bacillus sp. T28 combined with sea buckthorn pomace regulated the indigenous soil microbial community structure and mitigated the environmental risk of conventional N fertilization in agroecosystems. • Sea buckthorn pomace had potential for production as a biofertilizer carrier. • Bacillus sp. T28 with carrier increased nifH gene abundance. • Bacillus sp. T28 with carrier enhanced denitrification while reduced N loss risk. • Bacillus sp. T28 with carrier improved microbial communities in paddy soil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Starting with the nonlinear coupled-mode equations of guided optical waves in the magneto-optic fiber Bragg grating (MFBG), the amplitude transfer curve of the transmitted light is numerically calculated for the incident right-circularly polarized wave, and the multi-stability is analyzed by introducing the parameter of jitter suppression. It is shown that, (i) the performance of amplitude jitter suppression in the stable states of high level is better than that of low level; (ii) the jitter suppression in the multi-stable regions can be enhanced when the magnetic field is applied to the MFBG in the opposite direction of the incident wave; and (iii) by adjusting the applied magnetic field, the multi-stable levels can be tuned flexibly, which is helpful for developing the intelligent all-optical devices for multilevel regeneration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Antibiotics are designed to treat bacterial infections in humans and animals; however, the overuse of various antibiotics and consequent contamination in the environment can have adverse effects on aquatic, soil, and saprophytic organisms. The house fly, an important decomposer in ecosystems, has been used for bioconversion of human and animal waste. Vermireactors have been used to remove antibiotics from waste for pollution control, but the effects of antibiotics on fly larvae are unclear. In the present work, we aimed to reveal the mechanism underlying the effects of antibiotics on larval growth in house flies at the transcriptome and microbiome levels and the relationships between genes and the microbiota. Observation of house flies after antibiotic exposure showed that gentamicin sulfate and levofloxacin hydrochloride inhibited larval development to a greater extent than amoxicillin. Transcriptome analysis revealed that biological pathways related to protein synthesis and the metabolism of fatty acids, pentose, and glucuronate were significantly enriched in flies exposed to gentamicin sulfate and levofloxacin hydrochloride. Crucial genes in these pathways were identified as candidates for future study. Microbiome analysis revealed three key bacteria that were closely correlated with gentamicin sulfate and levofloxacin hydrochloride exposure. The correlation network between the differentially expressed genes and bacteria identified an important microbic effector, Pseudomonas and its associated genes. This work will improve the knowledge about the mechanism underlying the effects of antibiotics on the larval development of house flies in the environment and provide guidance for improving the application of house fly bioconversion. [Display omitted] • Antibiotics delayed the larval development of house fly. • Metabolism and drug-resistance pathways were significantly enriched. • Pseudomonas , Enterococcus , and Sphingobium were key bacteria genera. • Transcriptome and microbiome contribute to the poor larval development together. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Retinitis Pigmentosa (RP) is an inherited disorder that may lead to blindness. In the rhodopsin S334ter-line-3 rat model of RP, the death of rods induces spatial rearrangement of cones into regular ring mosaics. Using this model, we discovered that the ring mosaics are restored to a homogeneous distribution upon application of tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-1 (TIMP-1). In this study, we further investigated the cone migration and spatial distribution of second-order neurons and their connections to cones in the presence or absence of TIMP-1 using immunohistochemistry to identify retinal neurons and their connections with cones. M-opsin cell bodies and their outer segments were evaluated to determine whether TIMP-1 delays the degeneration of outer segments of cones. We observed that during cone rearrangement into ring mosaics in RP retina, dendritic processes of second-order neurons undergo remodeling to maintain their synaptic connections with the cones in the rings. TIMP-1 treatment induced the cones to rearrange and dendritic processes of second-order neurons to return to a more homogeneous spatial distribution. In addition, TIMP-1 treatment protected the outer segments of cones at later stages of retinal degeneration. Our findings clearly demonstrate that despite their dramatic spatial rearrangement, cones and second-order neuron processes maintain their synaptic connections before and after TIMP-1 treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Graphical abstract Abstract Fluorescent carbon nanoparticles (FCNs) have gradually become the most promising alternative candidates to other traditional fluorescent nanomaterials for biological applications on account of their excellent fluorescence property and remarkable biocompatibility. Although many methods have reported on the preparation of FCNs, to date, no studies have reported the preparation of polymers of functionalized FCNs. A high-efficiency method was developed in this work to synthesize high-quality poly(ethylene oxide) (PEG)-functionalized FCNs from cigarette ash and thiol group-containing PEG via a facile one-pot ultrasonic irradiation treatment. A series of characterization techniques demonstrated the uniform nanoscale size, good fluorescence stability, high water dispersibility and remarkable biocompatibility of the generated FCNs. Furthermore, cell imaging was easily achieved at high resolution using the synthetic FCNs as probes, which validates their potential for bioimaging applications. In summary, an efficient one-pot strategy is reported for the first time on the preparation of PEG-functionalized FCNs with the assistance of ultrasonic irradiation. This method should be of great research interest for the fabrication of other polymer-functionalized FCNs with designable properties and functions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fluorescent probes have long been regarded as tools for imaging living organisms with advantages such as high sensitivity, good designability and multifunctional potential. Many fluorescent probes, especially the probes based on aggregation-induced emission (AIE) dyes, have received increasing attention since the AIE phenomenon was discovered. These AIE dye-based fluorescent probes could elegantly overcome the notorious quenching effect caused by aggregation of conventional organic dyes. However, it is still difficult to directly apply these AIE-active dyes for biomedical applications owing to their hydrophobic nature. Therefore, the development of novel and facile strategies to endow them with water dispersibility is of critical importance. In this work, we exploit an efficient and simple strategy to fabricate an AIE dye-based fluorescent copolymer through the combination of reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer and the Biginelli reaction. Moreover, the copolymer can self-assemble to fluorescent polymeric nanoparticles (FPNs) in water solution. Hydrophilic poly(PEGMA- co -AEMA) was reacted with the AIE-active dye 4′,4‴-(1,2-diphenylethene-1,2-diyl)bis([1,1′-biphenyl]-4-carbaldehyde (CHO-TPE-CHO) to form amphiphilic luminescent polymers using urea as the connection bridge. The successful synthesis of the final products (poly(PEGMA- co -AEMA-TPE) FPNs) was confirmed by various instruments. Furthermore, Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) images manifest that poly(PEGMA- co -AEMA-TPE) copolymers will self-assemble into spherical nanoparticles in aqueous environments with sizes between 100 nm and 200 nm. The cell uptake and bioimaging experiment confirm that poly(PEGMA- co -AEMA-TPE) FPNs have excellent biocompatibility and emit strong green fluorescence in a cellular environment. Thus, poly(PEGMA- co -AEMA-TPE) FPNs are excellent candidates for biomedical applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hyperbranched polymers have attracted wide research attention owing to their unique topological structure, physicochemical properties and great potential for applications such as additives, drug delivery, catalysts and nanotechnology. Among these, the polyamidoamine (PAMAM) dendrimers are some of the most important dendrimers. However, the synthesis and biomedical applications of fluorescent PAMAM dendrimers have received only limited attention. In this work, we present a rather effective and convenient approach for synthesis of fluorescent PAMAM dendrimers with aggregation-induced emission (AIE) properties through a one-pot catalyst-free Mannich reaction under rather mild experimental conditions (e.g., low reaction temperature, air atmosphere in the presence of water). The obtained AIE-active amphiphiles (PhE-PAD) could self-assemble into fluorescent organic nanoparticles (FONs). The obtained AIE-active FONs (PhE-PAD FONs) were fully characterized, and their successful construction was confirmed by 1 H NMR spectroscopy, FT-IR spectroscopy and transmission electron microscopy. Fluorescence and UV–Visible absorption spectroscopy results demonstrated that the final PhE-PAD FONs showed strong yellow fluorescence, desirable photostability and good water dispersity. The cell viability evaluation and confocal laser scanning microscope imaging results suggested that PhE-PAD FONs possessed low cytotoxicity and excellent biocompatibility. Taken together, these results demonstrate that we have developed a facile and efficient strategy for the fabrication of AIE-active FONs, which possess many desirable features for biomedical applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fluorescent organic nanoparticles (FONs) with aggregation-induced emission (AIE) features have recently emerged as promising fluorescent probes for biomedical applications owing to their excellent optical properties, designability and biocompatibility. Significant progress has been made recently for synthesis and biomedical applications of these AIE-active FONs. However, only very limited reports have demonstrated the fabrication of biodegradable AIE-active FONs with red fluorescence emission. In this study, a novel strategy has been developed for the preparation of biodegradable AIE-active polyurethanes (PUs) through a two-step polymerization, in which the diisocyanate-terminated polyethylene glycol (NCO-PEG-NCO) was synthesized and subsequently conjugated with diamine-containing AIE dye (NH 2 -Phe-NH 2 ). The successful synthesis of AIE-active Phe-PEG 2000 PUs is evidenced by a series of characterization techniques. Because of the formation of AIE-active amphiphilic PUs, the final copolymers can self-assemble into spherical nanoparticles, which exhibit strong luminescence and high water dispersion. The biological evaluation results suggest that the AIE-active Phe-PEG 2000 FONs possess low toxicity and desirable cell permeability. Therefore, we anticipate that these AIE-active FONs with biodegradable potential will trigger much research enthusiasm and effort toward the creation of new AIE-active materials with improved properties for various biomedical applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mesoporous silica nanoparticles have attracted considerable research attention due to their various applications. Surface modification of these mesoporous silica nanoparticles with polymers not only can improve their water dispersity but can also endow several new functions, such as drug loading and delivery or targeting capability. In this work, we report a novel strategy for the direct surface grafting of phospholipid choline-containing copolymers onto Santa Barbara Amorphous-15 (SBA-15) through surface-initiated chain transfer free radical polymerization. The SBA-15 was synthesized by hydrolysis of tetraethoxysilane in the presence of poly(ethylene glycol)- block -poly(propylene glycol)- block -poly(ethylene glycol) (P123) under acidic synthetic conditions. Next, SBA-15 was subsequently modified with thiol groups by co-condensation with γ-mercaptopropyltrimethoxysilane to obtain SBA-15-SH. Finally, the copolymers were grafted on SBA-15-SH through chain transfer free radical polymerization using 2-methacryloyloxy ethyl phosphorylcholine (MPC) and itaconic acid (IA) as monomers. The SBA-15-based polymer composites (SBA-15-SH-poly(MPC- co -IA)) were used as matrices for controlled release of cisplatin (CDDP). The data from a series of characterization techniques indicated that the monomers were successfully grafted onto SBA-15. The resultant SBA-15-SH-poly(MPC- co -IA) composites showed many remarkable physicochemical properties, such as high water dispersity, desirable biocompatibility and high drug loading capacity. These features provide the SBA-15-SH-poly(MPC- co -IA) composites with considerable potential for biomedical applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]