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The CO2 gasification of South Open-pit Mines coal from Zhundong Field of China using Ca(OH)2 or K2CO3 as catalyst with different loading methods and contents were conducted in thermogravimetric analysis. Comparison of the gasification reactivity and rate of coal loaded various concentration of Ca(OH)2 concluded that the increase of Ca(OH)2 loading pronouncedly improved the reactivity and rate for grinding method; nevertheless, for impregnation and high pressure method the increase of Ca(OH)2 loading observed a similar catalytic effect on char gasification. However, the catalytic effect of K2CO3 revealed that the catalytic activity increased with the increase of K2CO3 loading for three loading method. For the same catalyst loading, the highest catalytic gasification reactivity achieved for Ca(OH)2 and K2CO3 were the loading methods of high pressure and grinding, respectively. In addition, the gasification of raw char, K2CO3 loaded char and Ca(OH)2 loaded char were quantitatively evaluated by kinetic analysis using shrinking core, random pore and modified random pore models.

Steel surface decarburization leads to insufficient hardness in the surface area due to carbon depletion, reducing its fatigue life significantly. Various models have been proposed to simulate the decarburization behaviour. However, the influence of steel oxidation is either completely ignored or calculated separately, and the concentration-dependent carbon diffusivity in austenite is seldom considered. In this research, a numerical decarburization-oxidation integrated model based on the control volume method considering concentration-dependent carbon diffusivity was proposed. Isothermal and continuous-heating decarburization tests were conducted for a Fe-0.6C-1.8Si-0.8Mn spring steel in the air. Under isothermal holding between 700–1000 °C for 30–60min, the decarburization ferrite thickness rises with the increase of temperature, levelling off around 800–825 °C, and then starts to decrease. During continuous heating, the decarburization ferrite thickness increases at first to 76.1 μm at 840 °C and then starts to decrease to 61.6 μm after holding at 900 °C for 300s, finally rising to 65.8 μm after holding at 900 °C for 900s. Predictions of the proposed decarburization model were compared with experimental results, and a good match can be found between them. The significance of considering oxidation and concentration-dependent carbon diffusivity during modelling was emphasised as well.

The conversion of chemically inert carbon dioxide and its photoreduction to value-added products have attracted enormous attention as an intriguing prospect for utilizing the principal greenhouse gas CO2. Herein, we explore the use of Ag25 clusters with well-defined atomic structures for high-selectivity photocatalytic hydrogenation of CO2 to methane. Ag25 clusters, with molecular-like properties and surface plasmon resonance, exhibit competitive catalytic activity for light-driven CO2 reduction that yield an almost 100% product selectivity of methane at a relatively mild temperature (100 °C). DFT calculations reveal that the absorption of CO2 on Ag25 clusters is energetically favorable. The methanation of the Ag25 cluster catalyst has been investigated by operando infrared spectroscopy, verifying that methane was produced through a -H-assisted multielectron reaction pathway via the transformation of formyl and formaldehyde species to form surface CHx. This work presents a highly efficient strategy for high-performance CO2 methanation via well-defined metal cluster catalysts.

Extensive research has been done on Ca-based sorbents as a promising way to capture CO2 and SO2 from power plants. Considerable effort has also been directed toward maintaining sorbent activity by means of sorbent modification to deal with activity decay with repeated CO2 capture cycles. Based on the principle of “treating waste with waste” and inspired by the idea that a pozzolanic reaction can enhance the surface area, this paper presents a method of hydrothermal synthesis of lime and coal ash. A small amount of CaSO4 or NaOH was added during the hydration process and the mixture was stired for several hours at about 90oC. The synthesized samples were then characterised by scanning electron microscopy, nitrogen adsorption/desorption spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction. The activity of the synthesized sorbent for CO2 and SO2 capture were then tested in a thermogravimetric analyser. The treated samples demonstrate longer-lasting performance for CO2 cyclic capture, albeit with a slightly reduced capture ability compared to pure lime in the first few cycles due their lower CaO content (25~81% versus 98%). The sample with lime/ash mass ratio of 45:5 showed higher CO2 capture ability after three cycles and much greater stability in terms of their activity. The main product of the pozzolanic reaction is CaSiO3, which has a network structure, whose development is related to the ratio of CaO/coal ash, hydration duration and the amount of CaSO4 and NaOH additives. After high temperature calcination, a new phase, namely Ca3Al2O6 is believed to serve as a skeleton preventing sintering in repeated capture cycles. After experiencing multiple cycles, the synthesized sorbents also have a high SO2 capture capacity. A small amount of added NaOH decreases the cyclic CO2 carrying capacity of the synthesized sorbent but enhances SO2 carrying capacity dramatically. The explanation for this is that the sulphation reaction is controlled not only by gas diffusion but also by solid-state ion diffusion. Na+ ions generate more crystal lattice defects which can accelerate the ion diffusion rate in the product layer, and consequentially enhance overall SO2 carrying capacity.

The dielectric properties of bismuth-based cubic pyrochlores strongly depend on the environment of the A-site ions, e.g. the Ni2+ ions doped into Bi1.5MgNb1.5O7 (BMN) pyrochlores for tailoring dielectric properties. Both BMN and Bi1.5NiNb1.5O7 (BNN) ceramics exhibit a cubic pyrochlore structure with preferential (222) planes. However, {442} reflections are observed in BNN pyrochlores, revealing an off-center displacement of A and O' ions. The dielectric constant of BNN pyrochlores is lower than that of BMN pyrochlores, besides BNN pyrochlores have a larger dielectric loss (0.002) than BMN pyrochlores (0.0007). Ni-doping results in a loose and flexible structure contributing positively to the dielectric tunability, besides creating a large amount of oxygen vacancies. The higher amount of oxygen vacancies increases the dielectric loss of BNN pyrochlores. However, BNN pyrochlores exhibit enhanced temperature stability, with a temperature coefficient of –57 ppm/oC, which is significantly better than that of BMN pyrochlores (–362 ppm/oC).

To compare the therapeutic effect of different animal bile powders on lipid metabolism disorders induced by high-fat diet in rats, and analyze the bioactive components of each animal bile powder. Sixty Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into 6 groups (n=10): normal diet control group, high-fat diet model group, high-fat diet groups orally treated with bear, pig, cow and chicken bile powders, respectively. Serum biochemical markers from the abdominal aorta in each group were analyzed. Changes in the body weight and liver weight were recorded. Pathohistological changes in the livers were examined. High performance liquid chromatography coupled with quadrupole time-of-flight tandem mass spectrometry was used to determine the composition of bioactive components in each animal bile powder. Treatment with different types of animal bile powders had different inhibitory effects on high-fat diet-induced increase of body weight and/or liver weight in rats, most notably in bear and pig bile powders (P

Solar-driven nitrogen fixation is a promising clean and mild approach for ammonia synthesis beyond the conventional energy-intensive Haber-Bosch process. However, it is still challenging to design highly active, stable, and low-cost photocatalysts for activating inert N2 molecules. Herein, we report the synthesis of anatase-phase black TiO2-xSy nanoplatelets enriched with abundant oxygen vacancies and sulfur anion dopants (VO-S-rich TiO2-xSy) by ion exchange method at gentle conditions. The VO-S-rich TiO2-xSy nanoplatelets display a narrowed bandgap of 1.18 eV and much stronger light absorption that extends to the near-infrared (NIR) region. The co-presence of oxygen vacancies and sulfur dopants facilitates the adsorption of N2 molecules, promoting the reaction rate of N2 photofixation. Theoretical calculations reveal the synergistic effect of oxygen vacancies and sulfur dopants on visible-NIR light adsorption and photoexcited carrier transfer/separation. The VO-S-rich TiO2-xSy exhibits improved ammonia yield rates of 114.1 μmol g-1 h-1 under full-spectrum irradiation and 86.2 μmol g-1 h-1 under visible-NIR irradiation, respectively. Notably, even under only NIR irradiation (800-1100 nm), the VO-S-rich TiO2-xSy can still deliver an ammonia yield rate of 14.1 μmol g-1 h-1. This study presents the great potential to regulate the activity of photocatalysts by rationally engineering the defect sites and dopant species for room-temperature N2 reduction.

A dynamically reversible two-dimensional (2D) protein assembly system was designed based on host–guest interactions and was triggered to disassemble via a competition mechanism. The artificially tunable and reversible protein assembly architectures hold great potential for on/off switches in bio-systems.

Relatively high dielectric loss often limits the widespread utilization of photoetchable glasses (PEG) in three-dimensional system packaging. Herein, we present the influence of B-doping on network structures and dielectric properties of a Li-Al-Si-based PEG. The addition of B is found to markedly reduce the dielectric losses over the VHF-UHF bands making these PEGs more suitable for applications. Moreover, the effect of UV exposure on structural transformations is studied by X-ray diffraction and Raman spectroscopy. At a B2O3 additive content of 2 wt.-%, the average dielectric loss and dielectric constant are found to be 0.005 and 4.57, respectively, before UV exposure. However, these values decrease to 0.0015 and 3.65, respectively, after UV exposure and thermal annealing. The annealing temperature of PEG can be adjusted based on crystallization temperature since the stability of the boron trihedra are higher than that of the silicon-oxygen tetrahedra. Overall, it is determined that the use of B2O3 as an additive is effective in altering the dielectric properties of photosensitive glass making the PEGs more suitable for low loss three-dimensional system packaging for use over VHF and UHF bands.

Ultrathin, ultrastrong, and highly conductive solid-state polymer-based composite electrolytes have long been exploited for the next-generation lithium-based batteries. In particular, the lightweight membranes that are less than tens of microns are strongly desired, aiming to maximize the energy densities of solid-state batteries. However, building such ideal membranes are challenging when using traditional materials and fabrication technologies. Here we reported a 7.1 μm thick heterolayered Kevlar/covalent organic framework (COF) composite membrane fabricated via a bottom-up spin layer-by-layer assembly technology that allows for precise control over the structure and thickness of the obtained membrane. Much stronger chemical/mechanical interactions between cross-linked Kevlar and conductive 2D-COF building blocks were designed, resulting in a highly strong and Li+ conductive (1.62 × 10-4 S cm-1 at 30 °C and 4.6 × 10-4 S cm-1 at 70 °C) electrolyte membrane that can prevent solid-state batteries from short-circuiting after over 500 h of cycling. All-solid-state lithium batteries using this membrane enable a significantly improved energy density.

The ubiquitous mineralization of calcium phosphate (CaP) facilitates biological organisms to produce hierarchically structured minerals. The coordination number and strength of Ca2+ ions with phosphate species, oxygen-containing additives, and solvent molecules played a crucial role in tuning nucleation processes and surface stability of CaP under the simulated body fluid (SBF) or aqueous solutions upon the addition of oligomeric lactic acid (LACn, n=1, 8) and changing pH values. As revealed by ab initio molecular dynamics (AIMD), density functional theory (DFT), and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations as well as high-throughput experimentation (HTE), the binding of LAC molecules with Ca2+ ions and phosphate species could stabilize both pre-nucleation clusters and brushite (DCPD, CaHPO4·2H2O) surface through intermolecular electrostatic and hydrogen bonding interactions. When the concentration of Ca2+ ions ([Ca2+]) is very low, the amount of the formed precipitation decreased with the addition of LAC based on UV-Vis spectroscopic analysis due to the reduced chance for the LAC capped Ca2+ ions to coordinate with phosphates and the increased solubility in acid solution. With the increasing [Ca2+] concentration, the kinetically stable DCPD precipitation was obtained with high Ca2+ coordination number and low surface energy. Morphologies of DCPD precipitation are in plate, needle, or rod, depending on the initial pH values that tuned by adding NH3·H2O, HCl, or CH3COOH. The prepared samples at pH ≈ 7.4 with different Ca/P ratios exhibited negative zeta potential values, which were correlated with the surface electrostatic potential distributions and potential biological applications.

Superionic conductors with ionic conductivity on the order of mS cm-1 are expected to revolutionize the development of solid-state batteries (SSBs). However, currently available superionic conductors are limited to only a few structural families such as garnet oxides and sulfide-based glass/ceramic. Interfaces in composite systems such as alumina in lithium iodide have long been identified as a viable ionic conduction channel, but practical superionic conductors employing the interfacial conduction mechanism are yet to be realized. Here we report a novel method that creates continuous interfaces in the bulk of composite thin films. Ions can conduct through the interface, and consequently, the inorganic phase can be ionically insulating in this type of bulk interface superionic conductors (BISCs). Ionic conductivities of lithium, sodium, and magnesium ion BISCs have reached 1.16 mS cm-1, 0.40 mS cm-1, and 0.23 mS cm-1 at 25 °C in 25 μm thick films, corresponding to areal conductance as high as 464 mS cm-2, 160 mS cm-2, and 92 mS cm-2, respectively. Ultralow overpotential and stable long-term cycling for up to 5000 h were obtained for solid-state Li metal symmetric batteries employing Li ion BISCs. This work opens new structural space for superionic conductors and urges for future investigations on detailed conduction mechanisms and material design principles.

Photoetchable glasses (PEG) are widely used as interposers in radio frequency electronic systems. However, high dielectric losses limit the utilization of PEGs in three-dimensional integrated microsystems. Herein, the internal structure of PEGs is shown to be altered by the addition of Al2O3 and its influence on dielectric properties systematically studied by X-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy and FT-infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The Al2O3 content significantly influences the ring structure and an amount equal to 4 wt% results in a high degree of crystallinity and phase purity of lithium metasilicate. Lastly, a dielectric constant of 5.1 and dielectric loss of 3 × 10-3 were obtained at 1 GHz, which is attributed to weakened structural vibrations, without loss to attractive etching properties.

The typical polymer electrolyte matrix has been limited to the chains consisting of -C-C- or -C-O-C- or -Si-O- backbone with different solvating groups for decades. In this work, the polymeric sulfur consisting of -(S-S)n- backbone with a high sulfur content (up to 90 wt % S) was reported for the first time. The flexible -(S-S)n- chains with high S atom density create an intense "solvating" environment for Li+ conduction, achieving an excellent Li+ conductivity of 1.69 × 10-3 S cm-1 at 80 °C. Benefiting from its unique thermoplasticity, a hot-rolling process was also developed for fabricating the poly-S membrane. The symmetric solid-state Li cell using the membrane showed a high cycling stability over 300 h. The work offers a novel platform for chemists to design new polymer electrolytes that are quite different with conventional carbon-based polymer electrolytes.

To elevate the effects of Qingxuan Jiangya Decoction (清眩降压汤, QXJYD) on hypertension and vascular structural remodeling (VSR) in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRs), and investigate the underlying mechanisms. SHRs (n=8) were given intra-gastric administration with 60 mg/kg of QXJYD or saline, daily for 8 weeks, while rats in SHR-control (n=8) and WKY (n=8) groups were received equal volumes of saline solution. Systolic blood pressures (SBP), diastolic blood pressures (DBP) and mean blood pressures (MBP) were measured once a week. The levels of angiotensin II (Ang II), endothelin 1 (ET-1) and plasma renin activity (PRA) were tested by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and radioimmunoassay, respectively. The effect of QXJYD on VSR was determined by examining the media thickness and the ex vivo contractility of thoracic aortic. The proliferation and fibrosis of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) were examined via immunohistochemical (IHC) staining for proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA), collagen I and collagen III, respectively. The mRNA and protein expressions of transforming growth factor β 1 (TGF-β 1), Smad3 and phosphorylation of Smad3 in thoracic aorta tissues were determined by real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and Western blot assay, respectively. QXJYD treatment led to a significant decrease of the elevation of blood pressure in SHRs and reduced the levels of Ang II, ET-1 and PRA in the serum (P

Solid electrolyte is the key component of any practical solid-state batteries. Although inorganic Li3PS4 electrolyte has been widely studied, this material is highly unstable in air, reactive towards Li metal, and difficult to process. These undesirable features have limited its application in solid state lithium batteries. In this work, a hybrid solid state electrolyte composed of β-Li3PS4 and poly(glycidyl methacrylate) is prepared through a controlled interfacial reaction between the polymer and the Li3PS4. The resulting hybrid electrolyte shows a good processability, i.e. it can be processed through simple slurry coating rather than conventional cold pressing or high-temperature sintering techniques. Furthermore, it exhibits improved air stability and decreased interfacial resistance with metallic lithium as compared with pure Li3PS4 electrolytes. More interestingly, this hybrid electrolyte exhibits a high ionic conductivity of 1.8 × 10−4 S/cm at room temperature, which is even slightly higher than the ionic conductivity of the pure β-Li3PS4. The new type of hybrid electrolyte will be highly promising for future applications in solid state batteries.

Host defense peptides (HDPs) constitute a large group of natural broad-spectrum antimicrobials and an important first line of immunity in virtually all forms of life. Specific augmentation of synthesis of endogenous HDPs may represent a promising antibiotic-alternative approach to disease control. Previously, we purified and identificated a Novel Antimicrobial Host Defense Peptide from a histone of Rabbit sacculus rotundus, and termed this Peptide RSRAH, which could promoted cellular immune function in immunosuppressed mice and protected mice from E. coli challenge (Chen in Int J Pept Res Ther 2015, 2018). In the present study, we further revealed that RSRAH expression in the sacculus rotundus is significantly higher in adult rabbits than in aging rabbits. And RSRAH is highly expressed in immune-related tissues. Furthermore, feed supplementation with 0.1% and 0.2% Atractylodes macrocephala polysaccharide, recognized as an ideal immunopotentiator, led to a significant increase in RSRAH gene expression in the Rabbit sacculus rotundus. Collectively, it was hypothesized that RSRAH may play an important role in the immune system of rabbits.

Biomineralization generates hierarchically structured minerals with vital biological functions in organisms. This strategy has been adopted to construct complex architectures to achieve similar functionalities, mostly under chemical environments mimicking biological components. The molecular origin of the biofacilitated mineralization process is elusive. Herein, we describe the mineralization of hydroxyapatite (HAp) accompanying the biological secretion of nanocellulose by Acetobacter xylinum. In comparison with mature cellulose, the newly biosynthesized cellulose molecules greatly accelerate the nucleation rate and facilitate the uniform distribution of HAp crystals, thereby generating composites with a higher Young modulus. Both simulations and experiments indicate that the biological metabolism condition allows the easier capture of calcium ions by the more abundant hydroxyl groups on the glucan chain before the formation of hydrogen bonding, for the subsequent growth of HAp crystals. Our work provides more insights into the biologically accelerated mineralization process and presents a different methodology for the generation of biomimetic nanocomposites.

We demonstrate a hybrid integrated laser with nearly two folds of direct modulation bandwidth enhancement and 150 folds of linewidth reduction, by introducing the photon-photon resonance effect and self-injection locking effect to a commercial DFB laser simultaneously through an external high-Q silicon nitride microring reflector (MRR). Different from the widely studied passive feedback lasers, the proposed high-Q MRR keeps the DFB laser in the strong self-injection locking state, which can achieve stable narrow linewidth single-mode output with high Side-Mode Suppression Ratio. After packaging the proposed hybrid laser, we measure its direct modulation bandwidth and linewidth, which are increased from 7.70GHz to 15.28GHz, and reduced from 600kHz to 4kHz, respectively. This work explores a compact footprint and low-cost modulation bandwidth enhancement and linewidth reduction scheme for many applications such as high-speed coherent optical communication and microwave photonics.

Microplastics (MPs) are ubiquitous in the aquatic environment and can be frequently ingested by zooplankton, leading to various effects. Brine shrimp (Artemia parthenogenetica) has an important role in the energy flow through trophic levels in different seawater systems. In this work, the influence of polyethylene (PE) and polystyrene (PS) MPs on the growth of brine shrimp and corresponding changes of gut microbiota were investigated. Our results showed that the MPs remarkably reduced the growth rate of brine shrimp, and the two types of MPs have different impacts. The average body length of brine shrimps was reduced by 17.92 and 14.95% in the PE group and PS group, respectively. MPs are mainly found in the intestine, and their exposure evidently affects the gut microbiota. By using 16S rRNA gene high-throughput sequencing, 32 phyla of bacteria were detected in the intestine, and the microbiome consisted mainly of Proteobacteria, Firmicutes, and Actinobacteria. MPs’ exposure significantly increased the gut microbial diversity. For the PE group, the proportion of Actinobacteria and Bacteroidetes increased by 45.26 and 2.73%, respectively. For the PS group, it was 54.95 and 1.27%, respectively. According to the analysis on genus level, the proportions of Ponticoccus, Seohaeicola, Polycyclovorans, and Methylophaga decreased by 46.38, 1.24, 1.07, and 2.66%, respectively, for the PE group and 57.87, 1.43, 0.88, and 2.24%, respectively, for the PS group. In contrast, the proportions of Stappia, Microbacterium, and Dietzia increased by 1.12, 23.27, and 11.59%, respectively, for the PE group, and 1.09, 3.79, and 42.96%, respectively, for the PS group. These experimental results demonstrated that the ingestion of MPs by brine shrimp can alter the composition of the gut microbiota and lead to a slow growth rate. This study provides preliminary data support for understanding the biotoxicity of MPs to invertebrate zooplankton and is conducive to the further risk assessment of MP exposure.

Orthosiphon stamineus Benth. (OSB) is a well-known herbal medicine exerting various pharmacological effects and medicinal potentials. Owing to its complex of phytochemical constituents, as well as the ambiguous relationship between phytochemical constituents and varied bioactivities, it is a great challenge to explore which constituents make a core contribution to the efficacy of OSB, making it difficult to determine the efficacy makers underlying the varied efficacies of OSB. In our work, a new strategy was exploited and applied for investigating efficacy markers of OSB consisting of phytochemical analysis, in vivo absorption analysis, bioactive compound screening, and bioactive compound quantification. Using liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry, a total of 34 phytochemical components were detected in the OSB extract. Subsequently, based on in vivo absorption analysis, 14 phytochemical constituents in the form of prototypes were retained as potential bioactive compounds. Ten diseases were selected as the potential indications of OSB based on previous reports, and then the overall interaction between compounds, action targets, action pathways, and diseases was revealed based on bioinformatic analysis. After refining key pathways and targets, the interaction reversing from pathways, targets to constituents was deduced, and the core constituents, including tanshinone IIA, sinensetin, salvianolic acid B, rosmarinic acid, and salvigenin, were screened out as the efficacy markers of OSB. Finally, the contents of these five constituents were quantified in three different batches of OSB extracts. Among them, the content of salvianolic acid B was the highest while the content of tanshinone IIA was the lowest. Our work could provide a promising direction for future research on the quality control and pharmacological mechanism of OSB.

Corrosion behavior of 60Si2Mn-A and 60Si2Mn-B in simulated industrial atmospheric environment was investigated by alternate immersion corrosion test and electrochemical method. The phase, morphology, characteristics of corrosion products, and the distribution of Cr, Cu, and Ni in the corrosion products of experimental steel were studied by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and electron probe microanalyzer (EPMA). The results show that the phase of rust layer is Fe3O4 and γ-FeOOH in the early stage and then changes to α-FeOOH and γ-FeOOH in the later stage, the size of the rust layer with corrosion resistance of 60Si2Mn is less than 60Si2Mn, the Cr element accumulates in the rust layer of the experimental steel in the early stage of corrosion resistance, and Cu, Ni, and Cr in the corrosion resistance 60Si2Mn are concentrated in the rust layer near the substrate In the later stage of corrosion. As the corrosion cycle is prolonged, the corrosion potential and the resistance of the rust layer of the experimental steel increases, and the corrosion current decreases, in the same corrosion cycle, the corrosion potential and corrosion resistance of 60Si2Mn-B are greater than 60Si2Mn, and the corrosion current is less than 60Si2Mn.

Mineralization of calcium phosphate (CaP) is ubiquitous in nature, which can facilitate biological organisms produce hierarchically structured minerals. The influences of the addition of oligomeric lactic acid (LACn, n=1, 8) and changing pH values on nucleation processes of CaP under the simulated body fluid (SBF) solution or aqueous solution were revealed by using ab initio molecular dynamics (AIMD) and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. Through increasing pH value, the coordination between differently protonated phosphate species and Ca2+ ions could be tuned from the monodentate (η1) to the coexisting monodentate and bidentate (η2) modes. The carboxyl and hydroxyl groups of LAC molecules are capable of forming multiple interactions such as proton transfer, electrostatic interaction, and intermolecular hydrogen bonding with phosphate species and Ca2+ ions on both pre-nucleation clusters and hydroxyapatite (HA) surfaces. The high-throughput experimentations (HTE) with factors of the adding LAC, changing Ca/P ratios (1.25 ~ 2.50), using different solutions demonstrated that the UV-Vis absorbance values decreased with addition of LAC, indicating the inhibition of the nucleation process of CaP. At the physiological pH of 7.4, the CaP samples with different Ca/P ratios (1.50, 1.67 and 2.00) exhibited negative zeta potential values, which were correlated with the surface electrostatic potential distributions and potential biological applications. The precipitation was CaHPO4·2H2O (DCPD) in neutral condition at the early stage of nucleation process. Understanding the effects of different pH and Ca/P values on the nucleation process and interfacial interaction between LAC additive and the nanocluster is helpful to guide the rational design of biocompatible materials.

CO, a gas molecule that is harmful to living organisms, has a high affinity with hemoglobin, which will cause severe hypoxia. However, in recent years, researchers have discovered that endogenous CO, similar to NO, is one of the messenger molecules, which has a certain regulatory effect in many physiological and pathological processes in the respiratory system, cardiovascular system, and nervous system. Therefore, it is urgent to explore an effective method to monitor the role of CO under physiological and pathological conditions. Herein, we designed and synthesized a near-infrared small-molecule fluorescent probe for the detection of CO in living cells. In this design, a two-site BODIPY dye was introduced as the fluorophore, and the allyl chloroformate part as the CO reactive group. The probe displays excellent sensitivity, selectivity, and a good linear relationship to CO. Furthermore, it shows good biocompatibility and low cytotoxicity. This probe has been successfully applied to the detection of CO in a variety of cells. The developed fluorescent probe can serve as a potential molecular imaging tool for in vivo imaging and detection of CO.

Inspired by the concept of system-in-a-package (SiP) in electronics, here we report a hybrid microwave photonic receiver prototype by integrating lithium niobate (LiNbO3) dual-parallel phase modulators with silicon nitride (Si3N4) integrated tunable microring filters. In particular, we experimentally characterize these employed key elements and evaluate the down-conversion performance of RF signals from 4-20 GHz to the intermediate frequency. With the advantages of the tunable microwave photonic signal filtering, uniform system performance within a broad operation bandwidth, and low SWaP, the demonstrated hybrid microwave photonic receiver module shows a potential setup to satisfy the requirements of wireless communication systems, phased-array radar systems, and electronic warfare.

Toughness and tensile strength are important mechanical properties of polymers. However, it is generally very challenging to improve the toughness without an obvious decrease in the tensile strength, and vice versa, which greatly limits the applications of polymers. Here we developed a novel hydrogen bonding-based self-assembly technology for melt blending polymers to achieve a notable improvement in toughness without an obvious decrease in the tensile strength. Thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU)/polyamide 6 (PA6) blend was selected a model composite and its elongation at break increased significantly from 1150% (0 wt% PA6) to 1350% (7.5 wt% PA6) and 1375% (10 wt% PA6), without an obvious decrease in the tensile strength. We deeply investigated the relationship between microcosmic self-assembly and macroscopic mechanical properties in polymer melt blends. It was found that the hard and soft segment groups (urethane and ester) of TPU form new hydrogen bonds with the amide group of PA6 through hydrogen-bonded self-assembly during the melt blending process, while the intrinsic hydrogen bonding structure of TPU was obviously shielded and weakened. As a result, the TPU/PA6 melt blends showed a notable improvement in toughness without an obvious decrease in the tensile strength. Since most previous self-assembly studies were carried out in solution and there was little work focused on the industrial convenient melt blending method, our study paves the way for further studies on both theoretical studies and practical applications of polymer blends.

Barium strontium titanate (BaxSr1–xTiO3, BST) thin films have large dielectric constant, low dielectric loss, especially the high dielectric tunability, which make them prospective candidates for microwave tunable applications. Resent developments in BST thin films by doping modification are reviewed. The A-site doping, B-site doping, and both sites codoping modifications are summarized and analyzed, respectively. The comparison of dielectric properties and microstructure of the BST thin films with different sites doping modifications is critically analyzed. The single A-site or B-site doping modification cannot obtain the BST thin films with balanced enhancement of the dielectric properties. However, the different elements codoping in both A-site and B-site of BST thin films is demonstrated to be an effective method to achieve balanced dielectric property optimization.

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a common degenerative joint disease which is typically progressed with age, affecting smaller joints of hands, lower limbs, and the vertebral column. It has been reported that microRNAs could regulate the biological processes of OA. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to elucidate miR-9-5p's role in regulating cartilage remodeling of OA mice following tibial plateau fracture (TPF) through regulation of tenascin C (Tnc). Initially, we determined the expression of miR-9-5p and Tnc in mice with OA and then testified their relationship. The results displayed a high expression of Tnc, but a poor expression of miR-9-5p with high methylation in OA. Tnc was confirmed to be a target gene of miR-9-5p. Moreover, based on gain- and loss-function experiments, an increase of miR-9-5p and loss of Tnc had the potential to inhibit cell apoptosis, while facilitating cell proliferation, migration, invasion, and cartilage remodeling of mice with OA following TPF. This was further demonstrated by a higher expression of type II collagen, lower type X collagen, and protogenin expression. Subsequently, downregulation of miR-9-5p aggravated the pathological changes of mice, illustrated by an increase in the Mankin score. In conclusion, the present study proved that overexpression of miR-9-5p suppressed chondrocytes apoptosis and promoted cartilage remodeling through downregulating of Tnc in mice with OA.

Triptolide is a biologically active component of the Chinese antirheumatic herbal remedy Tripterygium wilfordii Hook F, which has been shown to be effective in treating murine lupus. However, its immunological mechanisms are poorly understood. Regulatory T cells (Treg) are pivotal for maintaining peripheral self-tolerance and controlling autoimmunity. This study was undertaken to examine the therapeutic effect of triptolide in lupus mice and the related molecular mechanisms. Our results showed that triptolide treatment ameliorated serum anti-dsDNA, proteinuria and renal histopathologic assessment in MRL/lpr mice, induced the miR-125a-5p expression and enhanced the proportion of Treg in vivo. In vitro, triptolide upregulated the proportion of Treg and the miR-125a-5p expression. Down-regulation of the miR-125a-5p expression reversed the effect of triptolide on Treg. In conclusion, triptolide could induce Treg and the miR-125a-5p expression in vivo and in vitro. Inhibiting the effect of miR-125a-5p could counteract the effect of triptolide on inducing Treg. The study has strong implications for the therapeutic applications of triptolide in systemic lupus erythematosus.

Polycrystalline samples of La0.9−xEuxSr0.1MnO3 (x = 0.00, 0.05) were prepared using the standard solid-state reaction method. The effects of Eu3+ doping on the magnetic properties, magnetic entropy changes, and critical behaviors of La0.9Sr0.1MnO3 polycrystalline samples were systematically investigated. Preformed cluster phases were present in both samples in the temperature ranges of 118–326 K and 121–329 K, respectively. Additionally, near the Curie temperature (TC), the samples exhibited a second-order transition. The critical behaviors of the two samples were best fitted with the mean field model. The maximum magnetic entropy changes $$ \left| {\Delta S_{\text{M}} } \right| $$ of the two tested samples at 7 T near TC were 2.76 J K−1 kg−1 and 2.53 J K−1 kg−1, respectively; in addition, their relative cooling power was 425.28 J kg−1 and 354.93 J kg−1, respectively. The maximum magnetic entropy change calculated from the fitted data was in close agreement with the experimental data. These results indicate that the samples have the potential to realize magnetic refrigeration in the high-temperature regime (T > 77 K).

Bismuth-based cubic pyrochlore thin films, such as Bi1.5ZnNb1.5O7 (BZN) and Bi1.5MgNb1.5O7 (BMN) thin films show attractive properties for microwave tunable system due to their medium dielectric constant, low dielectric loss, and high dielectric tunability. Several deposition technologies are used for preparing bismuth-based cubic pryochlore thin films. The effects of different thin film deposition approaches on the structure and dielectric properties of BZN/BMN thin films are summarized. The advantages and limitations of bismuth-based cubic pyrochlore thin films deposited by different deposition technologies are also discussed from the viewpoint of dielectric properties.

Sulfurized Polyacrylonitrile (S-PAN) has garnered extensive attention as cathode materials for Li S batteries in recent years because of its advantages such as high sulfur utilization efficiency, high Coulombic efficiency and low self-discharge rate. However, it is difficult to effectively balance the conflict between a high S loading (> 45 wt%) and cycling stability for S-PAN. In this work, we employed an in situ wrapping method to improve the cycling performance of high-S-content S-PAN. Compared with the unwrapped S-PAN, the capacity retention ratio of the wrapped S-PAN cathode increased from 38% to 62% after 100 cycles at 0.25C. The analyzed results suggested that the wrapping layer on the high-S-content S-PAN may compose a mixture of sulfide, inorganic LiBxOy and some organic compounds.

B3LYP/6-311++G(d,p) level of theory was carried out to explain the isomerization process of retinal stereoisomer based on the structural and molecular properties in gas phase and implicit aqueous environment. Frequency calculations on the fully optimized molecular geometries of the retinal isomers confirmed them to be true minima. The relative energies, dipole moments, bond orders, theoretically predicted vibrational frequencies, and HOMO–LUMO energy gaps of the retinal isomers were analyzed. The influence of the explicit aqueous environment on the geometrical parameters associated with the geometry of polyene chain and the vibrational spectra of retinal isomers were evident. The geometries of 11-cis and all-trans retinal isomers exhibited delocalized bonds along the polyene chain in the aqueous phase with a pattern of longer double bonds and shorter single bonds. The vibrational frequencies of the retinal isomers calculated at the B3LYP level of theory were in better agreement with the experimental values in the gas phase. The method and results presented in this study may help to better understand the effects of environment on its isomerization process.

Background Sepsis is a severe condition characterised by the body’s systemic inflammatory response to infection. The specific sepsis-related biomarkers should be used in clinical diagnosis, therapeutic response monitoring, rational use of antibiotics, and prognosis (risk stratification), etc. Results In this study, we investigated the expression level of Decoy Receptor 3 (DcR3) and the mechanism of high expression in sepsis patients. Septic cell model experiments were performed by treating human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) and Jurkat cells with lipopolysaccharide (LPS), lipoteichoic acid (LTA) and zymosan, respectively. SP600125, SB203580 and ammonium pyrrolidinedithiocarbamate (PDTC) were used to inhibit JNK1/2, p38MAPK and NF-κB signalling pathways in septic cell model, respectively. These results showed that DcR3 levels were higher in sepsis group than control. DcR3 mRNA and protein levels in HUVECs were increased following treatment with LPS, LTA and zymosan, and also increased in Jurkat cells treated by LPS, but not by LTA or zymosan. When HUVECs were treated with the NF-κB inhibitor PDTC, DcR3 expression was decreased compared with controls. However, SP600125 and SB203580 had no effect on DcR3 mRNA or protein levels. Conclusions The results indicated that DcR3 secretion proceeded through the NF-κB signalling pathway in HUVECs.

The catalytic conversion of nitrogen to ammonia is one of the most important processes in nature and chemical industry. However, the traditional Haber-Bosch process of ammonia synthesis consumes substantial energy and emits a large amount of carbon dioxide. Solar-driven nitrogen fixation holds great promise for the reduction of energy consumption and environmental pollution. On the basis of both experimental results and density functional theory calculations, here we report that the oxygen vacancy engineering on ultrathin BiOBr nanosheets can greatly enhance the performance for photocatalytic nitrogen fixation. Through the addition of polymetric surfactant (polyvinylpyrrolidone, PVP) in the synthesis process, VO-BiOBr nanosheets with desirable oxygen vacancies and dominant exposed {001} facets were successfully prepared, which effectively promote the adsorption of inert nitrogen molecules at ambient condition and facilitate the separation of photoexcited electrons and holes. The oxygen defects narrow the ...

Halobenzoquinones (HBQs) were reported as disinfection byproducts (DBPs) which had potential risk of bladder cancer. In this paper, a highly selective analytical method for HBQs was developed by HBQs-mediated assembly of amino acid modified Mn-doped ZnS/Quantum Dots (Mn: ZnS QDs). In the presence HBQs, a charge-transfer complex (CTC) was formed between aromatic rings of HBQs and the primary amino groups on the surface of the QDs. The formation of CTC led to the aggregation of QDs, as a result fluorescence decreasing occurred. The decrease was correlated with the concentration of HBQs. Then a fluorescence sensor array for discrimination of three kinds of HBQs including 2,6-Dichloro-1,4-benzoquinone (DCBQ), 2,6-Dibromo-1,4-benzoquinone (DBBQ) and 2,3,6-trichloro-1,4-benzoquinone (TCBQ) was developed. Four kinds of amino acids including cysteine, threonine, tyrosine and tryptophan were embellished on the Mn: ZnS QDs. The different extents of aggregation led to different fluorescence decreasing effect, thus distinct fluorescence patterns were created. It showed that three kinds of HBQs could be discriminated successfully by fluorescence sensor array at a range of concentrations through principal component analysis (PCA). The unknown samples were predicted by with a stepwise linear discriminant analysis (SLDA) using Mahalanobis distance as a selection criterion with accuracy of 100%. Remarkably, the practicability of the proposed sensor array was further validated by identification of three kinds of HBQs at different concentrations in real drinking water samples. Compared to LC/MS/MS, this fluorescent sensor array-based method was proved to be more convenient since the nanoparticles can be prepared flexibly according to the property of the target.

Disruption of the intestinal mucosal barrier integrity is a pathogenic process in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) development, and is therefore considered a drug discovery target for IBD. The well-known traditional Chinese formulation Qing Hua Chang Yin (QHCY) has been suggested as a potential therapeutic agent for the treatment of ulcerative colitis. However, the possible underlying molecular mechanisms regarding its therapeutic effect remain unclear. Consequently, the present study investigated the effects of QHCY on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced loss of intestinal epithelial barrier integrity in vitro using the Caco-2 cell model of intestinal epithelium. QHCY reversed the LPS-induced decrease in transepithelial electrical resistance and significantly alleviated the increased fluorescently-labeled dextran 4 flux caused by LPS. Moreover, QHCY upregulated the mRNA and protein expression levels of occludin, zona occludens-1 and claudin-1 in LPS-exposed Caco-2 cells. In conclusion, QHCY was able to protect intestinal epithelial barrier integrity following an inflammatory insult; the protective effects of QHCY may be mediated by modulation of the expression of tight junction proteins.

Xingfang Yu,1,* Xin Liao,2,* Hongwei Chen1 1Department of Orthopedics, The Affiliated Yiwu Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Yiwu, Zhejiang, 322000, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Orthopedics, The Second Affiliated Hospital and Yuying Children’s Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, 325000, People’s Republic of China*These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Hongwei ChenDepartment of Orthopedics, The Affiliated Yiwu Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Yiwu, Zhejiang, 322000, People’s Republic of ChinaTel +86-13506896988Email sssaaa18@163.comBackground: Bone infections remain one of the most common and serious complications of orthopedic surgery, posing a tremendous economic burden to society and patients. This is because bacteria colonize and multiply on the surface of the implant. The (MMT/PLL)8 multilayer films have been shown to effectively release antibiotics depending on the changes in the microenvironment. Here, vancomycin was loaded into the (MMT/PLL)8 multilayer films, which were prepared to be used as a local delivery system for the treatment of bone infections.Methods: We used the layer-by-layer self-assembly method to prepare VA-loaded coatings (MMT/PLL-VA)8 consisting of montmorillonite (MMT), poly-L-lysine (PLL), and VA. The thickness and surface morphology of coatings were characterized using spectroscopic ellipsometry and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). In order to evaluate the drug release behavior from coatings in different media, we measured the size of the zone of inhibition. Additionally, in vitro antibacterial activity was assessed using the shake-flask culture method and SEM images, while that of in vivo was evaluated by establishing an animal model of bone infection.Results: Our findings revealed that small-molecule antibiotics were successfully loaded into the (MMT/PLL-VA)8 multilayer film structure during the hierarchical self-assembly process and subsequently the multilayer film structure depicted linear growth behavior. The PLL in the multilayer films was progressively degraded which triggered the VA release when contacted with CMS or bacterial infections. The release of VA from multilayer film structure depends on the concentration changes of CMS. Notably, the multilayer films presented great in vitro cell compatibility. Moreover, the prepared antibacterial multilayer films showed excellent antibacterial property by killing more than 99.99% of S. aureus in 24 h. More importantly, we found that multilayer film exhibits good sterilization effect and biocompatibility under the stimulation of bacterial liquid both in vitro and in vivo antibacterial ability tests.Conclusion: Altogether, this study shows that (MMT/PLL-VA)8 multilayer films containing CMS and bacteria-responsive drug release properties posess high bactericidal activity and good biocompatibility. This finding provides a novel strategy for the treatment of bone infections.Keywords: bone infections, multilayer films, microenvironment, layer-by-layer, antibacterial

We implemented a high-resolution (0.1nm) on-chip spectrometer in C-band based on CMOS compatible silicon nitride microring array and convex optimized spectral reconstruction algorithm. The wide operation bandwidth and high precision make it promising in next generation optical communication network.

We propose and demonstrate a cascaded micro-ring structure based on silicon nitride to achieve on-chip signal detection and spectral reconstruction. The core of the system is eight rings with different radii. We have developed a mathematical algorithm based on convex optimization theory to achieve spectral reconstruction with a resolution of 0.08 nm and a bandwidth of 40 nm.