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In this paper, low-pressure 95%Ar–5%H2, pure Ar, and 95%Ar–5%O2 plasmas were used for post-treatment of ruthenium (Ru) deposited on nickel foam (NF) (Ru/NF). Ru/NF was then tested as a catalyst for a hydrogen evolution reaction. Significant improvement in electrocatalytic activity with the lowest overpotential and Tafel slope was observed in an alkaline electrolyte (1 M KOH) with 95%Ar–5%O2 plasma processing on Ru/NF. Linear scanning electrical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and cyclic voltammetry (CV) also indicate the lowest interfacial impedance and largest electrical double layer capacitance. Experimental results with 0.1 M phosphate buffered saline (PBS) and 0.5 M H2SO4 electrolytes were also demonstrated and compared.

BMP-9, whose expression is highest in liver cells, has been demonstrated to regulate expression of enzymes involved in glucose homeostasis. However, the underlying mechanism of this effect has yet to be elucidated. We observed that MB109, a recombinant BMP-9 derivative, enhanced brown adipogenesis of human adipose tissue derived stem cells. With this observation of the cell culture system, we hypothesized that MB109 may be able to improve glucose metabolism by regulating expression of brown adipogenic genes. Systemic intraperitoneal injection of MB109 (200 μg/kg/wk) suppressed weight gaining of high fat diet-induced obese mice by reducing sizes of white adipocytes and decreased 16 h fasting blood glucose levels without changing food consumption or apparent behavioral performances. MB109 induced expression of brown adipogenic genes in the subcutaneous but not in the visceral fat tissues from the mice fed with high fat diet. In addition, systematic injection of MB109 enhanced fatty acid synthase expression in the liver of obese mice, which may help attenuate an obesity-associated increase of blood glucose levels. Our results demonstrate a role of BMP-9 in brown adipogenesis and suppressing pathophysiology of high fat diet-induced obesity, presumably through the activin receptor like kinase 1 signaling pathway.