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To advance the understanding of the degradation of the liquid electrolyte and Si electrode, and their interface, we exploit the latest developments in cryo-atom probe tomography. We evidence Si anode corrosion from the decomposition of the Li salt before charge-discharge cycles even begin. Volume shrinkage during delithiation leads to the development of nanograins from recrystallization in regions left amorphous by the lithiation. The newly created grain boundaries facilitate pulverization of nanoscale Si fragments, and one is found floating in the electrolyte. P is segregated to these grain boundaries, which confirms the decomposition of the electrolyte. As structural defects are bound to assist the nucleation of Li-rich phases in subsequent lithiations and accelerate the electrolyte's decomposition, these insights into the developed nanoscale microstructure interacting with the electrolyte contribute to understanding the self-catalyzed/accelerated degradation Si anodes and can inform new battery designs unaffected by these life-limiting factors.

Makgeolli is a traditional rice wine favored by the general public in Korea. This study investigated the fermentation and sensory characteristics of using wild yeast strains for brewing makgeolli. A non-Saccharomyces cerevisiae strain was isolated from nuruk and termed Y197-13. It showed 98% similarity to Pichia anomala and had an optimal growth temperature of 25 degrees C. Makgeolli was manufactured using koji, jinju nuruk, and improved nuruk as fermentation agents. Y197-13 makgeolli brewed with koji had alcohol and solids contents of 11.1% and 13.9%, respectively. Sweet sensory characteristics were attributed to residual sugars in makgeolli with 6% alcohol. The makgeolli had a fresh sour taste and carbonated taste. Volatile component analysis showed the isoamyl alcohol, phenylethyl alcohol, isoamyl acetate, and fatty acid, including ethyl oleate and ethyl linoleate, relative peak area was higher in Y197-13 makgeolli than in makgeolli with Saccharomyces cerevisiae. These results suggest the wild yeast, Y197-13, as a candidate for brewing makgeolli.

A total of 90 finishing pigs (52 ± 1.46 kg) were randomly assigned to one of three dietary treatments as: TRT1 [CON (basal diet)], TRT2 [CON + 0.05% yeast hydrolysate (YH)], and TRT3 (CON + 0.1% YH) for an 8 wk trial. Each treatment had six replications and five (three gilts and two barrow) pigs per pen. In weeks 4 and 8, YH supplement linearly increased (P

Na3V2(PO4)3 (NVP) is a member of the sodium superionic conductor (NASICON) family and has been extensively studied as a cathode material for sodium-ion batteries (SIBs) for more than three decades due to its stable voltage platform, high capacity, and stable cycle life. However, the presence of toxic and expensive V elements restricts the utilization of NVP-based SIBs. To overcome this, energy researchers have employed a cation swapping approach, which resulted in new NASICON-type manganese-substituted sodium vanadium phosphate (MSVP) cathodes for SIBs. Na4MnV(PO4)3 (NMVP) is among the new generation of high-energy, risk-free NASICON-type MSVP cathodes, and its use for SIBs was documented in 2016. There has been strong acceptance of MSVP-based cathodes among materials researchers due to their cost and economic advantages. In a short period, considerable work has been done to increase the commercial potential of MSVP-based cathodes for SIBs. This review summarizes the pioneering developments made with MSVP-based cathodes, with a special focus on their structural and electrochemical evolution. This review can serve as a reference for future energy researchers fabricating highly efficient and safer NASICON cathodes not only for SIBs but also for other energy storage applications.

Cellulose accounts for the largest proportion of lignocellulosic biomass. Herein, experimental and simulation studies are used to deeply understand the kinetic characteristics of the thermal decomposition of α-cellulose. The simulated data is in good agreement with the experimental data in the aspects of the conversion and the conversion rate versus temperature. The decomposition of α-cellulose, mainly occurring at 270–420 °C, induced an apparent activation energy ranging from 175.42 kJ/mol to 197.73 kJ/mol at a conversion of 10–90%. With 0.1–0.2 wt% K or Ca impregnation into the α-cellulose, the mean activation energy for pyrolysis was lowered (from 181.47 kJ/mol (for α-cellulose) to 141.11 kJ/mol (for 0.2 wt% K/α-cellulose) and 159.46 kJ/mol (for 0.1 wt% Ca/α-cellulose)) and higher amounts of liquid and gas products were produced. Furthermore, the addition of potassium and calcium increased the production of lower molecular weight components, such as furfural and its derivatives. The kinetic parameters of the α-cellulose pyrolysis were determined based on a nonlinear least-squares regression of the experimental data assuming first-order kinetics and correlated with the simulated result. The kinetic rate constants indicate that the predominant reaction pathway is from α-cellulose into a liquid product, rather than from α-cellulose into a gas product.

Despite technological advances in cancer treatment, the survival rate of patients with head and neck cancer (HNC) has not improved significantly. Many studies have shown that endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress-related signals are associated with mitochondrial damage and that these signals determine whether cells maintain homeostasis or activate cell death programs. The unfolded protein response (UPR) is regulated by ER membrane proteins such as double-stranded RNA-activated protein kinase R(PKR)-like ER kinase (PERK), which directly activate transcription of chaperones or genes that function in redox homeostasis, protein secretion, or cell death programs. In this study, we focused on the role of mitophagy and ER stress-mediated cell death induced by DIM-C-pPhtBu in HNC cancer. We found that DIM-C-pPhtBu, a compound that activates ER stress in many cancers, induced lysosomal dysfunction, excessive mitophagy, and cell death in HNC cells. Moreover, DIM-C-pPhtBu strongly inhibited HNC progression in a xenograft model by altering mitophagy related protein expression. Taken together, the results demonstrate that DIM-C-pPhtBu induces excessive mitophagy and eventually UPR-mediated cell death in HNC cells, suggesting that new anti-cancer drugs could be developed based on the connection between mitophagy and cancer cell death.

Anti-death receptor 5 (DR5) antibody is a potential therapeutic agent for liver fibrosis because it exhibits anti-fibrotic effects by inducing the apoptosis of activated hepatic stellate cells (HSCs), which are responsible for hepatic fibrogenesis. However, the clinical applications of anti-DR5 antibodies have been limited by their low agonistic activity against DR5. In this study, an anti-DR5 antibody-curcumin conjugate (DCC) was prepared to investigate its effect on the clearance of activated HSCs. The DCC was synthesized through a coupling reaction between a maleimide-functionalized curcumin derivative and a thiolated anti-DR5 antibody. No significant differences were observed in the uptake behaviors of activated HSCs between the bare anti-DR5 antibodies and DCC. Owing to the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects of curcumin, DCC-treated HSCs produced much lower levels of reactive oxygen species and inducible nitric oxide synthase than the bare anti-DR5 antibody-treated HSCs. Additionally, the anti-fibrotic effects of DCC on activated HSCs were more prominent than those of the bare anti-DR5 antibodies, as demonstrated by the immunocytochemical analysis of α-smooth muscle actin. DCC preferentially accumulated in the liver after its systemic administration to mice with liver fibrosis. Thus, DCC may serve as a potential therapeutic agent for treating liver fibrosis.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of dietary supplementation of Quillaja saponin (QS) on growth performance, nutrient digestibility, fecal microbiota, and fecal gas emission in growing pigs. A total of 50 crossbred growing pigs [(Yorkshire × Landrace) × Duroc] with an initial body weight of 23.83 ± 1.95 kg were randomly assigned to one of two treatments for a 56 d trial with five replicate pens per treatment and five pigs (two barrows and three gilts) per pen. Dietary treatments including control diet and control diet supplemented with 200 mg·kg−1 QS. The average daily gain was significantly increased during days 0–56, whereas the fecal ammonia emission on day 56 and fecal coliform bacteria counts on day 28 were significantly decreased in pigs fed with QS-containing diet. However, dietary supplementation of QS had no significant effects on apparent total tract digestibility. In conclusion, dietary supplementation of 200 mg·kg−1 QS had beneficial effects on growth performance, fecal microbiota, and fecal gas emission in growing pigs. Considering the carry-over effects, the adaption period should be at least 28 d when supplementing 200 mg·kg−1 QS to the diet of growing pigs for improving the growth performance.

Silica particles are widely used as versatile materials with applications in catalyst support, biomedical materials, drug delivery systems, coatings, and cosmetics. Silica particle formation by biological catalysts could be more suitable for biotechnological applications. Although silicatein (protein) and R5 (peptide) are well-known as silica-forming biomolecular agents, new biocatalysts which can mediate silica particle synthesis under mild conditions are still needed. Here, we introduced three new silica-forming peptides (SFPs) found by BLASTp search using silica binding motif (RRSSGGRR) as a query. The three peptides were found to mediate biosilica formation under microbial culture conditions at pH 6-7. Among them, the peptide from Winogradskyella arenosi (Wa-RSG) exhibited better performance than other SFPs in the generation of silica particles at pH 6, at which silica is not easily formed. We investigated the optimal amount and reaction time of Wa-RSG for biosilica particle formation at pH 6-7. In addition, we demonstrated that Wa-RSG adsorbed on Escherichiacoli cell surfaces could induce silica shell coating of E. coli at pH 6-7, and the biosilica-coated microbes showed stability against harsh UV treatment. These results will be useful for the preparation of bio-integrated silica materials such as biomolecule-containing silica particles or silica-coated industrial microbes.

In this study, two-channel thin-film transistors (TC TFTs) using sputtered-deposited amorphous indium-gallium-zinc oxide (a-IGZO) as a channel layer and atomic-layer-deposition Al₂O₃ as gate insulator (GI) are proposed for wearable and portable device application. Symmetric-TC (S-TC) TFT structure consisted of conventional bottom gate (BG) TFT stacked on top of top gate (TG) TFT. Asymmetric-TC (A-TC) TFT contained BG TFT with tandem structure on the TG TFT. It was shown that the TC TFTs exhibited excellent performance such as high field-effect mobility ( $μ_{FE}$ ) and on/off current ratio ( $I_{t{on/off}}$ ) at low voltages (

Various perivascular drug delivery techniques have been demonstrated for localized post-treatment of intimal hyperplasia: a vascular inflammatory response caused by endothelial damages. Although most perivascular devices have focused on controlling the delivery duration of anti-proliferation drug, the confined and unidirectional delivery of the drug to the target tissue has become increasingly important. In addition, careful attention should also be paid to the luminal stability and the adequate exchange of vascular protein or cell between the blood vessel and extravascular tissue to avoid any side effect from the long-term application of any perivascular device. Here, a highly flexible and porous silk fibroin microneedle wrap (Silk MN wrap) is proposed to directly inject antiproliferative drug to the anastomosis sites while ensuring sufficient vascular exchanges. Drug-embedded silk MNs were transfer-molded on a highly flexible and porous silk wrap. The enhanced cell compatibility, molecular permeability, and flexibility of silk MN wrap guaranteed the structural integrity of blood vessels. Silk wrap successfully supported the silk MNs and induced multiple MN penetration to the target tissue. Over 28 days, silk MN wrap significantly inhibited intimal hyperplasia with a 62.1% reduction in neointimal formation.

This study was implemented to assess the effect of Pinus koraiensis extract (PKE) compared with zinc oxide on growth performance, nutrient digestibility, blood profile, fecal bacterial count, and fecal gas emission of post-weaned pigs. This 6 wk experiment was divided into phase 1 (days 1–7), phase 2 (days 8–21), and phase 3 (days 22–42). A total of 150 crossbred weaning pigs (body weight; 10.14 ± 0.78 kg) were randomly sorted in five treatment diets (six replications per treatment; five pigs per pen) presented as CON, basal diet; ZnO, CON + 0.30% zinc oxide; PKE1, CON + 0.05% PKE; PKE2, CON + 0.10% PKE; and PKE3, CON + 0.15% PKE. Pinus koraiensis extract supplementation linearly reduced gain to feed ratio in all phases except phase 3. It also linearly increased average daily gain in the overall experiment compared with the CON group. The increasing level of PKE supplementation brought linear improvement in aspartate aminotransferase of blood profile. Escherichia coli bacterial count and NH3 gas emission were decreased linearly by PKE supplementation in comparison to the CON diet. Though PKE supplementation did not show similar influence as ZnO, it showed beneficial results in weaning pigs’ growth, nutrient digestibility, fecal bacterial count, and reduction of fecal gas emission.

Cancer cells predominantly generate energy via glycolysis, even in the presence of oxygen, to support abnormal cell proliferation. Suppression of PDHA1 by PDK1 prevents the conversion of cytoplasmic pyruvate into Acetyl-CoA. Several PDK inhibitors have been identified, but their clinical applications have not been successful for unclear reasons. In this study, endogenous PDHA1 in A549 cells was silenced by the CRISPR/Cas9 system, and PDHA1WT and PDHA13SD were transduced. Since PDHA13SD cannot be phosphorylated by PDKs, it was used to evaluate the specific activity of PDK inhibitors. This study highlights that PDHA1WT and PDHA13SD A549 cells can be used as a cell-based PDK inhibitor-distinction system to examine the relationship between PDH activity and cell death by established PDK inhibitors. Leelamine, huzhangoside A and otobaphenol induced PDH activity-dependent apoptosis, whereas AZD7545, VER-246608 and DCA effectively enhanced PDHA1 activity but little toxic to cancer cells. Furthermore, the activity of phosphomimetic PDHA1 revealed the complexity of its regulation, which requires further in-depth investigation. [BMB Reports 2021; 54(11): 563-568].

Bacterial β-glucuronidase in the intestine is involved in the conversion of 7-ethyl-10- hydroxycamptochecin glucuronide (derived from irinotecan) to 7-ethyl-10-hydroxycamptothecin, which causes intestinal bleeding and diarrhea (side effects of anti-cancer drugs). Twelve compounds (1-12) from Polygala tenuifolia were evaluated in terms of β-glucuronidase inhibition in vitro. 4-O-Benzoyl-3'-O-(O-methylsinapoyl) sucrose (C3) was highly inhibitory at low concentrations. C3 (an uncompetitive inhibitor) exhibited a ki value of 13.4 μM; inhibitory activity increased as the substrate concentration rose. Molecular simulation revealed that C3 bound principally to the Gln158-Tyr160 enzyme loop. Thus, C3 will serve as a lead compound for development of new β- glucuronidase inhibitors.

Three undescribed cassane-type diterpenoids (CAs), caesalpulcherrins K-M (1–3), together with three known ones (4–6) were isolated from the aerial parts of Caesalpinia pulcherrima (L.) Sw (Fabaceae). Their structures were elucidated via analysis of NMR (1 D and 2 D) and HRESIMS data. The character for caesalpulcherrin K possessing the olefin bond at C-11 and C-12 in its cassane skeleton was observed, which belonged to a small group among more than 450 CAs. That is, only fifteen derivatives have been reported up to now, to our knowledge. Biological evaluation revealed that compounds 1–6 exhibited moderate anti-inflammatory activity, with an IC50 value from 6.04 ± 0.34 to 8.92 ± 0.65 μM. Furthermore, compounds 5 and 6 exhibited significant α-glucosidase inhibitory activity at 10 μM.

Grinding aids to increase grinding efficiency in cement production are materials that can produce large amounts of high-quality cement in a short time by reducing surface energy by preventing particle agglomeration and improving fluidity. In the paper, a grinding aid using glycerol-waste antifreeze(GAP) is prepared and its effect on the grinding properties of clinker is investigated in contrast to that without the grinding aid. The results are as follows: The angle of repose of the cement powder added with GAP decreases as the grinding time increases (decreases by 3.8° when the grinding time is 60 minutes), indicating that it increases the flowability of the powder. On the contrary, the residual amount of 45µm sieve is also significantly reduced (4.6% decrease) and the specific surface area increases (30.5m2/kg), which results in an increase in the grinding efficiency. In the size range of 3 to 32µm, it increases the particle content, makes the particle size distribution uniform, the 7d and 28d activity index of the powder is improved by 5% and 6%, respectively, and increases the compressive strength of the cement. In addition, it is confirmed that the performance of the TEA grinding aid and the grinding aid are similar, and are very effective in terms of economy.

The surface of polycarbonate (PC) was fluorinated with a mixed gas of F2 and O2 at 25 °C for 1 h. The surface roughness (Ra) of the fluorinated PC samples was about double that of the untreated sample (0.685 nm), while the water contact angle of the fluorinated PC samples decreased from 80° to 12°. The dyeing properties of the PC surface were enhanced after surface fluorination due to the increased roughness and hydrophilicity. Fluorination using a mixed gas with a higher F2 proportion led to the formation of a thicker dyeable fluoride layer, thereby giving a deeper color after staining of the PC surface.

The role of SiO2 and WO3 in CeVO4-based catalyst supported on TiO2 support containing silica-tungsten was systematically investigated for selective catalytic reduction (SCR) by hydrothermal aging. It has been found that the CeVO4 with SiO2 and WO3 added to TiO2 (i.e., CeVO4/TWS) is the optimal catalyst to promote N2 selectivity through improved thermal stability and NH3 oxidation. CeVO4/TWS(HT; hydrothermal aging) had abundant defects and surface adsorbed oxygen species even after thermal aging. The high Vn+ (n = 4, 3) fraction of CeVO4/TWS(HT) is due to the improved thermal stability by adding SiO2 and WO3 to TiO2. The addition of SiO2 and WO3 maintains NH3 adsorption and redox properties, so the TWS support exhibits high thermal stability. As the NH3-SCR reaction mechanism, the pristine catalyst shows an Eley–Rideal and Langmuir–Hinshelwood models as dual model (ER-LH) based on abundant Lewis and Bronsted acid sites below 300 °C. On the other hand, the hydrothermal aged catalyst dominates the Eley–Rideal mechanism (reaction of activated ammonia with gaseous NO) based on Lewis acid sites. This study comprehensively shows that CeVO4-based catalysts have improved thermal stability by including SiO2 and WO3 in the TiO2 support.

Na-ion batteries and K-ion batteries are promising alternatives to vastly used lithium-ion batteries mainly due to the larger natural abundance of sodium and potassium resources. Carbon-based and MXene materials have received increasing attention due to their unique layered structure to accommodate the larger sodium and potassium ions. It’s proposed that ionic size disparity (K+: 1.38 A; Na+: 0.97 A; Li+: 0.76 A) leads to sluggish intercalation and extraction kinetics in larger alkali metal ions (AMIs). Nevertheless, the electrochemical inactivity of sodium intercalation in graphite suggests that different chemical properties of AMs and their interactions with carbon host and electrolytes is crucial for interfacial instability and irreversible capacity loss. Structural modifications by expanding interlayer spacing and defect engineering enable reduced diffusion barriers and enhanced insertion of sodium or potassium, but it blurs the electrochemical performance between battery and capacitor. This review provides insight into 2D carbon materials and their architectures for Na and K-ion batteries through an in-depth analysis of structure–property interdependence and different electrochemical mechanisms supported by both experimental and theoretical data to discuss the promises and challenges of post-lithium batteries. Finally, the perspectives and potential directions regarding material design concepts for 2D carbon-based nanomaterials and MXene phases for metal-ion storage are proposed.

This study was conducted to evaluate the supplementation of glutamic acid (Glu) to reduced protein diets on the performance of weanling pigs. One hundred and eighty crossbred weanling pigs ([Yorkshire × Landrace] × Duroc, 21 d old) having similar body weight (BW) of 6.45 kg were randomly allotted to 1 of 6 dietary treatments (5 pigs per pen [2 barrows and 3 gilts]; 6 pens per treatment) based on BW and sex during a 6-week trial. Dietary treatments consisted of positive control (PC) diet formulated to have 226.9, 205.6, and 188.8 g crude protein (CP) during phases 1, 2, and 3, respectively, and negative control (NC) diets with 20 g CP reduction from PC diets and addition of Glu with increasing levels, resulting in the calculated Lys-to-Glu ratios of 1:2.25, 1:2.30.1:2.35, 1:2.40, and 1:2.45, designated as NC, NC1, NC2, NC3, and NC4, respectively. The BW of pigs receiving PC diet was higher (P

Objective: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of supplementing herbal active ingredients (YGF251) which can promote the secretion of insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) in the diet on production performance, egg quality, blood hematology, and excreta gas emission in laying hens.Methods: A total of 288 ISA Brown (41-week-old) laying hens with an initial body weight of 1.83±0.68 kg were randomly assigned to 1 of 4 dietary treatments in a randomized block design based on body weight. Each treatment had 12 replicate cages having 6 adjacent cages per replicate (hens are kept in cages alone). The experimental period was 35 days. Dietary treatments were based on the corn-soybean meal-wheat-based basal diet and supplemented with 0.00%, 0.05%, 0.10%, or 0.15% YGF251.Results: There was a linear increased egg weight in weeks 1 to 5 (p

Background: The coexistence of magnetite within protein aggregates in the brain is a typical pathologic feature of Alzheimer’s disease (AD), and the formation of amyloid-β (Aβ) plaques induces critical impairment of cognitive function. Objective: This study aimed to investigate the therapeutic effect of proton stimulation (PS) targeting plaque magnetite in the transgenic AD mouse brain. Methods: A proton transmission beam was applied to the whole mouse brain at a single entrance dose of 2 or 4 Gy to test the effect of disruption of magnetite-containing Aβ plaques by electron emission from magnetite. The reduction in Aβ plaque burden and the cognitive function of the PS-treated mouse group were assayed by histochemical analysis and memory tests, respectively. Aβ-magnetite and Aβ fibrils were treated with PS to investigate the breakdown of the amyloid protein matrix. Results: Single PS induced a 48–87%reduction in both the amyloid plaque burden and ferrous-containing magnetite level in the early-onset AD mouse brain while saving normal tissue. The overall Aβ plaque burden (68–82%) and (94–97%) hippocampal magnetite levels were reduced in late onset AD mice that showed improvements in cognitive function after PS compared with untreated AD mice (p

Abstract A binder-free porous NiCu(CO3)(OH)2 composite was grown on a polyacrylonitrile (PAN) nanofiber substrate using a hydrothermal method. PAN nanofibers were fabricated by the electrospinning method, thus producing a substrate with a nano-sized diameter and high specific surface area. The composite NiCu(CO3)(OH)2 nanowires on PAN nanofibers provided the large specific surface area required for the redox reaction. Transition metal-based nanowires and nano-sized PAN substrates indicate a synergistic effect in electrochemical performance. The NiCu(CO3)(OH)2 on PAN composite showed a remarkable maximum specific capacity of 870 mAh g−1 at a current density of 3 A g−1, which indicates that it can be a suitable electrode material. In addition, an asymmetric supercapacitor with NiCu(CO3)(OH)2 on PAN composite as the cathode and graphene as the anode showed an ultra-high energy density of 89.2 W h kg−1 at a power density of 835 W kg−1 and a capacitance retention of 90.1% after 5000 cycles. Graphic abstract

Although endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress is thought to be involved in various diseases such as cancer, metabolic, and inflammatory disorders, the relationship between ER stress and bone diseases, are remains unclear. Tunicamycin-treated MC3T3-E1 osteoblasts were used as the ER stress model in this study. 635 nm light-emitting diode irradiation (635 nm-IR) was carried out for 1 h before and after inducing ER stress. To investigate the effects of 635 nm-IR on ER stress-induced MC3T3-E1 osteoblasts and the underlying mechanism, western blot, reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction, alkaline phosphatase and Alizarin red staining, 2',7'-dichlorodyhydrofluorescein diacetate assay, Fluo-3AM and immunocytochemistry were performed. Pretreatment with 635 nm-IR effectively prevented intracellular reactive oxygen species production and alleviated ER stress through the pancreatic ER kinase (PERK)-eukaryotic initiation factor 2 (eIF2)-activating transcription factor 4 (ATF4)-nuclear factor-like 2 (Nrf2) signaling pathway. Hence, 635 nm-IR may serve a protective role in the treatment of ER stress-related bone diseases.

Layered metal chalcogenides with highly promising thermoelectric properties have attracted attention owing to their intrinsically low thermal conductivity, which originates from their unique layered structure and van der Waals bonding. InSe, a post-transition metal chalcogenide, also has layered atomic structure and low thermal conductivity. We investigate the effects of S doping of Si-doped InSe, In0.9Si0.1Se. The S-doped In0.9Si0.1Se exhibits enhanced thermoelectric properties, with a higher power factor and lower thermal conductivity compared to Si-doped InSe. A significant increase in carrier mobility has an overall positive effect on the electronic transport properties, resulting in a systematic increase in power factor from 0.05 to 0.15 mW/mK2 with S doping. In addition, the thermal conductivity systematically decreases with S doping owing to additional point-defect scattering. Because of the higher power factor and lower thermal conductivity, the thermoelectric figure of merit of the In0.9Si0.1Se0.9S0.1 sample at 735 K was 0.18, which is 3.6 times that of In0.9Si0.1Se.

Diffusioosmosis (DO) results from ion transport near charged surfaces in the presence of electrolyte gradients and is critical in nanofluidic systems. However, DO has not yet been comprehensively studied because nanofabrication materials have limitations of low throughput and difficult quantification. Herein, we describe a self-assembled particle membrane (SAPM)-integrated microfluidic platform that can modulate the material properties (e.g., zeta-potential) and transport flux of nanopores. We quantify the effect of the zeta-potential on DO by measuring the electrical signals across three different nanopores/nanochannels of the SAPM. We then empirically quantify the effects of the temperature and ionic strength of the electrolytes on DO and reveal a nonlinear relationship with DO-driven ion transport; the ionic strengths govern the DO- or diffusion-effective ion transport phenomena. Finally, we demonstrate DO-driven electric power generation with enhanced performance as a potential application under optimized experimental conditions.

The substitutional solid solution Mn1-xVxP compounds are proposed as a high performance anode for lithium ion batteries (LIBs) through a novel alloying/insertion hybrid electrochemical reaction concept by combining alloying reaction-type MnP and insertion reaction-type VP. The solid solution series of Mn1-xVxP are successfully synthesized via a facile high energy mechanical milling. Their electrochemical properties as an anode for LIBs are systematically studied and compared with those of MnP/VP mixture, particularly focusing on the verification of simultaneous alloying/insertion hybrid electrochemical reaction in the solid solution compounds. The Mn0.75V0.25P solid solution electrode shows the excellent high rate cyclability delivering the reversible capacity of 321 mAh g−1 after 5000 cycles at a high current density of 1.0 A g−1, resulting from the synergistic effects of two reaction mechanisms. The homogeneously substituted vanadium ions enable the alloying/insertion hybrid electrochemical reaction in a Mn1-xVxP single phase, which can effectively reduce the rate of volume change, hinder the pulverization and agglomeration of alloying reaction-type Li-Mn-P crystallite during cycling, and ensure the fast electron and ion transport. This simple, yet innovative, solid solution design with the consideration of structural relationships and electrochemical properties inspires the development of advanced ternary or multi-component compound electrode materials for LIBs or other energy storage devices.

Background Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a chronic inflammatory disease of the gastrointestinal tract whose occurrence is attributed to various factors, including genetic factors, immune response, microbial changes, and oxidative stress. Microbial-targeted therapy has emerged as an alternative to immunosuppressive therapy for IBD. Methods The effects of an atypical commensal Escherichia coli strain harboring an additional catalase gene (compared to typical E. coli strain) on dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced colitis were explored in mice. Results The atypical E. coli (atEc) significantly restored body weight, reduced disease activity score, and improved histological scores in mice with colitis. Hydrogen peroxide levels in colitis mice were noticeably decreased when the mice were administered atEc. The proinflammatory cytokine levels were decreased and regulatory T cell numbers were increased after the administration of atEc. The abundance of Firmicutes was significantly recovered, while that of Proteobacteria decreased in atEc -treated mice compared with that in vehicle-treated wild-type mice. To investigate the role of interleukin (IL)-17A in mediating the anti-inflammatory effects of the atEc, IL-17A‒knockout mice were orally administered atEc. Clinical and immune responses and microbial composition were significantly reduced in IL-17A‒knockout mice compared with those in wild-type mice. Conclusions atEc ameliorates colonic inflammation by controlling hydrogen peroxide levels, immune responses (including regulatory T cells and IL-17A), and microbial composition. atEc could be a novel candidate of probiotic for IBD treatment.

Tremella fuciformis TFC6 mycelia was isolated from its fruiting body. T. fuciformis TFCUV5 was obtained from TFC6 mycelia by ultraviolet mutagenesis to improve extracellular-polysaccharide (EPS) yield. In addition, we investigated the physicochemical properties and functionality of EPS for industrial applications and the effect of EPS on enhancement of the moisturizing factor and antiwrinkle effect in skin cells. The EPS yield was improved upon fermentation by the mutant strain through optimization of the medium composition and culture conditions to a maximum of 8.4 g/L; the productivity was 1.9 g/L-day under optimal culture conditions (initial pH 7.0 at 25°C, 300 rpm, 2 vvm). EPS with a molecular weight of 1.79 × 106 (± 0.721%) comprised mannose, xylose, glucuronic acid, fucose, and glucose. EPS extract increased both moisture and the antiwrinkle factor in skin cells. Therefore, EPS from TFCUV5 might have potential to be used in the cosmetics industry.

This paper reports the theoretical findings of the new modified type of tuned liquid column ball damper (TLCBD), called a tuned liquid column ball spring damper (TLCBSD). In this new modified form, the ball inside the horizontal section of the damper is attached to the spring. Furthermore, two types of this modified version are proposed, known as a tuned liquid column ball spring sliding damper (TLCBSSD) and a tuned liquid column ball spring rolling damper (TLCBSRD). In the former, the rotational motion of the ball attached to the spring is restricted, whereas in the latter, the ball attached to the spring can translate as well as rotate. Mathematical models and optimum design parameters are formulated for both types. The performance of these new modified damper versions is assessed numerically and subjected to harmonic, seismic, and impulse loadings. The results show that the performance of the newly proposed dampers is relatively better than traditional TLCBDs in harmonic and seismic excitations. The peak response reduction soon after the impact load becomes zero is comparatively better in TLCBSDs over TLCBDs. Overall, the newly proposed passive vibration control devices performed excellently in structure response reduction over TLCBDs.

With the ever-growing demand for clean and viable energy sources, the possibility and need to use a multifunctional energy system having integrated energy storage and conversion capacity has been intensified in current times. To fulfill this requirement, a search for an active material having an efficient bifunctional capacity of both hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) and supercapacitor is an essential requirement. The metal polyphosphate with the advantage of abundance, environmental friendliness, low cost, and reliable activity make it an emerging class of novel material for the present research. Herein, for the first time, the comparison of the amorphous and crystalline form of tin polyphosphate-based electrode was assessed toward hydrogen evolution reaction and supercapacitor. Considering the synergistic influence of abundant tin polyphosphate and the three-dimension structure of nickel substrate, we unswervingly deposited well-defined hierarchical in-situ amorphous SnPxOy and ex-situ crystalline SnPxOy over Ni foam using the one-step hydrothermal route. Impressively, amorphous SnPxOy/NF electrode required less over the potential of the only 100 mV with Tafel slope of 50 mV dec−1 to attain a current density of 10 mA cm−2 in comparison to crystalline SnPxOy/NF electrode showing over the potential of the only 170 mV with Tafel slope of 80 mV dec−1 to attain the same current density in 1 M KOH. Additionally, we investigated this electrode in a supercapacitor and found that amorphous SnPxOy/NF delivers a good specific capacitance of 580 F g−1 at a current density of 1 A g−1, greater rate capability, and cyclic stability. Hopefully, this study may demonstrate a promising technique for the preparation of ample, low-cost electrodes for future applications in both HER and supercapacitors applications.

The impact of different parameters on the chemical degradation of the Nafion polymer electrolyte membrane was investigated in detail under different concentrations of Fenton solution. As a consequence of chemical degradation, the performance and durability of the perfluorosulfonic acid-based electrolyte membrane in fuel cells was studied. Quantitative estimation of fluoride emitted after chemical degradation of the electrolyte membrane is done by an ex-situ fluoride emission rate-test using a potentiometric with an ion-selective electrode. The concentration of fluoride ions is easily affected by several external factors, such as total ionic strength, pH, temperature, and stirring speed, which causes many errors while reporting the fluoride concentration. Furthermore, the micromorphology of recast Nafion membranes before and after FER rest was thoroughly examined by scanning electron microscope (SEM) and X-ray photoelectric spectroscopy. Here, we report the influence of several external parameters over total fluoride concentration during the estimation of fluoride concentration for the proper correlation of the rate of chemical degradation in polymer electrolytes. This systematic study is beneficial for removing errors while measuring fluoride concentration and removing the discrepancy present in FER results reported in the literature.

Most of the alkaloids are chiral compounds and are clinically administered as the racemic mixture, even though its enantiomers have been known to exert different pharmacological activity. The determination of the enantiomeric composition of alkaloid-containing plants is subject to severe attention from pharmacological and toxicological points of view. This review gives an overview of the chiral analysis of alkaloids that were used in theoretical studies and applications for plants in recent years.

Background Limited data are available for validation of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL) calculation (LDLcal) in the adult Korean population. The aim of this study was to develop and validate a new equation for LDLcal and to compare it with previous such equations in a Korean population. Methods A new equation for LDLcal was developed (LDLChoi). LDLChoi and 11 other previously published equations were applied and compared with directly measured LDL concentration (LDLdirect) in a development cohort (population 1), an independent validation cohort in the same laboratory (population 2), and the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2017 cohort (population 3). Results Among the 12 equations, the newly-developed equation (LDLChoi = total cholesterol – 0.87 x high-density lipoprotein cholesterol – 0.13 x triglycerides) had the highest intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) and the lowest mean systemic difference and median absolute percentage error in populations 1 and 2 but not in population 3. Subgroup analysis showed good agreement between LDLChoi and LDLdirect (ICC > 0.75) in population 2, whose LDLdirect 400 mg/dL), equation accuracy varied. Categorization concordance according to the National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel III criteria with the other 11 equations were less than 80%; that of LDLChoi was 87.6 and 87.4% in populations 1 and 2, respectively. Conclusions Accuracy of 12 equations for LDLcal varied by cohort and subgroup based on LDLdirect and triglycerides. A laboratory-specific equation for LDLcal and/or LDLdirect may be needed for accurate evaluation of LDL status.

A total of 16 sows (Landrace × Yorkshire) were used in a 33-d trial (7 d before expected parturition) to determine the effects of dietary-coated omega-3 fatty acid supplementation on reproduction performance, growth performance, nutrient digestibility, and blood profiles in lactating sows and suckling piglets. Pigs were randomly allotted into two treatments with eight replicates per treatment, and the parity was 4.9. The dietary treatments were as follows: CON, corn–soybean-meal-based diet [omega-6:omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) ratio of 17:1] and TRT, CON + 0.9% omega-3 PUFA (omega-6:omega-3 PUFA ratio of 5:1). The supplementation of coated omega-3 increased piglet’s body weight (BW) (day 7) and average daily gain (ADG) (days 0–7) (P 0.05) were observed on reproduction performance, nutrient digestibility, and blood profile in sows. In conclusion, our study demonstrated that the dietary supplementation of 0.9% omega-3 PUFA in corn–soybean-meal-based diet (omega-6:omega3 PUFA ratio of 5:1) improved BW and ADG of suckling piglets during the first week.

This study was conducted to investigate the physicochemical properties and anti-inflammatory effects of the enzymatic extracts of Sargassum patens C. Agardh (SP) using crude enzyme from Shewanella oneidensis PKA 1008. SP is a brown alga containing 30–67% carbohydrates and polysaccharides, such as alginate, laminaran, and fucoidan. The contents of moisture, crude protein, crude lipid, ash, carbohydrate, and alginate in SP were 8.29, 18.10, 0.60, 21.64, 51.37, and 32.37%, respectively. The S. oneidensis PKA 1008 strain was isolated from Ulva pertusa and used to degrade alginate. To obtain the optimum degradation conditions, SP and crude enzyme from S. oneidensis PKA 1008 were prepared in a ratio of 1:1(v/v). The mixture was incubated at 30°C for 0–48 h. The changes in pH, color value, reducing sugar, viscosity, and TLC of SP-degrading extract were confirmed. The pH and viscosity significantly decreased at 24 h compared to those at 0 h. The highest reducing sugar concentration of the enzymatic extract was 571.91 µg/mL at 24 h. The enzymatic extracts were visualized by thin-layer chromatography (TLC) using a solvent system of 1-butanol: methanol: water, 4:1:2 (v/v) and degraded into monomers at 24 h. The anti-inflammatory effects of the enzymatic extracts at 0 and 48 h were measured using LPS-induced RAW 264.7 cells. These results indicate that crude enzyme from S. oneidensis PKA 1008 can be used to enhance the polysaccharide degradation of SP and its anti-inflammatory effect.