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FeNi-layered double hydroxide (LDH) is thought to be an excellent electrocatalyst for oxygen evolution reaction (OER) but it always shows extremely poor electrocatalytic activity toward hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) in alkaline media. Hence, it is significant to improve its HER activity to make it a bifunctional electrocatalyst for the decomposition of water. Here, a simple galvanostatic electrodeposition method was designed for the successful construction of the bifunctional FeNi3@FeNi LDH electrocatalyst. The as-prepared catalyst displayed excellent electrocatalytic activity for HER/OER in 1.0 M KOH. To drive the current density of 10 mA cm−2 for HER/OER, an overpotential of 106/199 mV was needed, respectively. In a two-electrode system with the FeNi3@FeNi LDH/NF as the anode and the cathode simultaneously, the overpotential hardly changed after continuously working for 168 h at 10 mA cm−2. Compared with other FeNi-based catalysts, the present catalyst possessed close or better electrocatalytic activity.

In this work, a CoNxC active sites-rich three-dimensional porous carbon nanofibers network derived from bacterial cellulose and bimetal-ZIFs is prepared via a nucleation growth strategy and a pyrolysis process. The material displays excellent electrocatalytic activity for the oxygen reduction reaction, reaching a high limiting diffusion current density of −7.8 mA cm−2, outperforming metal–organic frameworks derived multifunctional electrocatalysts, and oxygen evolution reaction and hydrogen evolution reaction with low overpotentials of 380 and 107 mV, respectively. When the electrochemical properties are further evaluated, the electrocatalyst as an air cathode for Zn-air batteries exhibits a high cycling stability for 63 h as well as a maximum power density of 308 mW cm−2, which is better than those for most Zn-air batteries reported to date. In addition, a power density of 152 mW cm−2 is provided by the solid-state Zn-air batteries, and the cycling stability is outstanding for 24 h. The remarkable electrocatalytic properties are attributed to the synergistic effect of the 3D porous carbon nanofibers network and abundant inserted CoNxC active sites, which enable the fast transmission of ions and mass and simultaneously provide a large contact area for the electrode/electrolyte.

Silicosis is a fatal profession-related disease linked to long-term inhalation of silica. The present study aimed to determine whether meprin α, a master regulator of anti-fibrotic peptide N-acetyl-seryl-aspartyl-lysyl-proline (Ac-SDKP), is diminished by miR-155-5p in silicotic and control lung macrophages and fibroblasts upon activation. NR8383 macrophages, primary lung fibroblasts, and mouse embryonic fibroblasts were used to evaluate the expression and function of meprin α and miR-155-5p. In vitro meprin α manipulation was performed by recombinant mouse meprin α protein, actinonin (its inhibitor), and small interfering RNA knockdown. Macrophage and fibroblast activation was assessed by western blotting, real-time PCR, matrix deposition, and immunohistochemical staining. The roles of meprin α and miR-155-5p were also investigated in mice exposed to silica. We found that the meprin α level was stably repressed in silicotic rats. In vitro, silica decreased meprin α, and exogenous meprin α reduced activation of macrophages and fibroblasts induced by profibrotic factors. miR-155-5p negatively regulated Mep1a by binding to the 3′ untranslated region. Treatment with anti-miR-155-5p elevated meprin α, ameliorated macrophage and fibroblast activation, and attenuated lung fibrosis in mice induced by silica. The sustained repression of meprin α and beneficial effects of its rescue by inhibition of miR-155-5p during silicosis indicate that miR-155-5p/meprin α are two of the major regulators of silicosis.

The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of Kinesin family member 3A (KIF3A) on primary cilia and myofibroblast differentiation during silicosis by regulating Sonic hedgehog (SHH) signalling. Methods: Changes in primary cilia during silicosis and myofibroblast differentiation were detected in silicotic patients, experimental silicotic rats, and a myofibroblast differentiation model induced by SiO2. We also explored the mechanisms underlying KIF3A regulation of Glioma-associated oncogene homologs (GLIs) involved in myofibroblast differentiation. Results: Primary cilia (marked by ARL13B and Ac-α-Tub) and ciliary-related proteins (IFT 88 and KIF3A) were increased initially and then decreased as silicosis progressed. Loss and shedding of primary cilia were also found during silicosis. Treatment of MRC-5 fibroblasts with silica and then transfection of KIF3A-siRNA blocked activation of SHH signalling, but increased GLI2FL as a transcriptional activator of SRF, and reduced the inhibitory effect of GLI3R on ACTA2. Conclusion: Our findings indicate that primary cilia are markedly altered during silicosis and the loss of KIF3A may promote myofibroblast differentiation induced by SiO2.

Skin fibrosis, which is characterized by fibroblast proliferation and increased extracellular matrix, has no effective treatment. An increasing number of studies have shown that microRNAs (miRNAs/miRs) participate in the mechanism of skin fibrosis, such as in limited cutaneous systemic sclerosis and pathological scarring. The objective of the present study was to determine the role of miR‐411‐3p in bleomycin (BLM)‐induced skin fibrosis and skin fibroblast transformation. Using Western blot analysis and real‐time quantitative polymerase chain reaction assess the expression levels of miR‐411‐3p, collagen (COLI) and transforming growth factor (TGF)‐β/Smad ubiquitin regulatory factor (Smurf)‐2/Smad signalling factors both in vitro and in vivo with or without BLM. To explore the regulatory relationship between miR‐411‐3p and Smurf2, we used the luciferase reporter assay. Furthermore, miR‐411‐3p overexpression was identified in vitro and in vivo via transfection with Lipofectamine 2000 reagent and injection. Finally, we tested the dermal layer of the skin using haematoxylin and eosin and Van Gieson's staining. We found that miR‐411‐3p expression was decreased in bleomycin (BLM)‐induced skin fibrosis and fibroblasts. However, BLM accelerated transforming growth factor (TGF)‐β signalling and collagen production. Overexpression of miR‐411‐3p inhibited the expression of collagen, F‐actin and the TGF‐β/Smad signalling pathway factors in BLM‐induced skin fibrosis and fibroblasts. In addition, miR‐411‐3p inhibited the target Smad ubiquitin regulatory factor (Smurf)‐2. Furthermore, Smurf2 was silenced, which attenuated the expression of collagen via suppression of the TGF‐β/Smad signalling pathway. We demonstrated that miR‐411‐3p exerts antifibrotic effects by inhibiting the TGF‐β/Smad signalling pathway via targeting of Smurf2 in skin fibrosis.

New findings What is the central question of this study? What are the effects of the antifibrotic peptide acetyl-seryl-aspartyl-lysyl-proline (Ac-SDKP) on the angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2)-angiotensin-(1-7)-Mas axis during the occurrence and progression of silicosis? What is the main finding and its importance? Ac-SDKP inhibited lung fibrosis in rats exposed to silica by activation of the ACE2-angiotensin-(1-7)-Mas axis. Angiotensin-(1-7) potentially promotes Ac-SDKP by increasing the level of meprin α, the major synthetase of Ac-SDKP. Thus, the interaction Ac-SDKP and angiotesin-(1-7) in silicosis could provide a new therapeutic strategy. Abstract The central role of angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) in the occurrence and progression of silicosis has been established. The antifibrotic peptide acetyl-seryl-aspartyl-lysyl-proline (Ac-SDKP) can be degraded by ACE. The ACE2-angiotensin-(1-7)-Mas axis is protective and acts to counterbalance the detrimental effects of ACE-angiotensin II (Ang II)-Ang II type 1 receptor and exerts antifibrotic effects. Here, we demonstrate an interaction between Ac-SDKP and Ang-(1-7) in the inhibition of collagen deposition and myofibroblast differentiation in rats exposed to silica. Treatment with Ac-SDKP increased the level of ACE2-Ang-(1-7)-Mas in rats or in cultured fibroblasts and decreased the levels of collagen type I and α-smooth muscle actin. Furthermore, exogenous Ang-(1-7) had similar antifibrotic effects and increased the level of meprin α, a major Ac-SDKP synthetase, both in vivo and in vitro. Compared with non-silicotic patients exposed to silica, the level of serum ACE was increased in patients with silicosis phase III; the levels of Ang II and Ang-(1-7) were high in patients with silicosis phase II; and the level of Ac-SDKP was high in the silicosis phase III group. These data imply that Ac-SDKP and Ang-(1-7) have an interactive effect as regulatory peptides of the renin-angiotensin system and exert antifibrotic effects.

We performed liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) on control and TGF-β1-exposed rat lung fibroblasts to identify proteins differentially expressed between cell populations. A total of 1648 proteins were found to be differentially expressed in response to TGF-β1 treatment and 196 proteins were expressed at ≥ 1.2 fold relative to control. Guided by these results, we next determined whether similar changes in protein expression were detectable in the rat lung after chronic exposure to silica dust. Of the five proteins selected for further analysis, we found that levels of all proteins were markedly increased in the silica-exposed rat lung, including the proteins for the very low density lipoprotein receptor (VLDLR) and the transmembrane (type I) heparin sulfate proteoglycan called syndecan 2 (SDC2). Because VLDLR and SDC2 have not, to our knowledge, been previously linked to the pathobiology of silicosis, we next examined whether knockdown of either gene altered responses to TGF-β1 in MRC-5 lung fibroblasts. Interestingly, we found knockdown of either VLDLR or SDC2 dramatically reduced collagen production to TGF-β1, suggesting that both proteins might play a novel role in myofibroblast biology and pathogenesis of silica-induced pulmonary fibrosis. In summary, our findings suggest that performing LC-MS/MS on TGF-β1 stimulated lung fibroblasts can uncover novel molecular targets of activated myofibroblasts in silica-exposed lung.HighlightsWe identified 196 proteins differentially expressed between control and TGF-β1 treated fibroblastsby LC-MS/MS.Several proteins identified by LC-MS/MS were also found to be differentially expressed in whole lung tissues and isolated fibroblasts after chronic exposure to silica dust, including the very low density lipoprotein receptor (VLDLR) and the transmembrane type I heparan sulfate proteoglycan called syndecan 2Knockdown of SDC2 or VLDLR markedly inhibited collagen production in MRC-5 fibroblasts, suggesting a novel pathogenic role for these proteins in myofibroblast biology.

MnCo2O4+x nanowire arrays have been successfully grown on carbon sponge (CS) via a simple hydrothermal route with sequential thermal treatment, employing CoSO4·7H2O, MnSO4·H2O and urea as the initial reactants. The as-prepared product, labeled MnCo2O4+x/CS, was characterized by X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), (high resolution) transmission electron microscopy (TEM/HRTEM), nitrogen adsorption–desorption isotherms, Raman spectrometry and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The experiments showed that the presence of CS could affect the phase and morphology of the final manganese cobaltite. Without the presence of CS, a MnCo2O4.5 phase with spherical microstructures was produced; and with the presence of CS, a mixed phase of MnCo2O4.5 and MnCo2O4 with wire-like nanostructures was obtained. It was found that the final MnCo2O4+x/CS markedly improved the electrochemical and catalytic properties against MnCo2O4.5. At a current density of 1.0 A g−1, the as-prepared product exhibited a specific capacitance of 405 F g−1, which was far higher than 158.8 F g−1 of pure MnCo2O4.5. Under the same experimental conditions, simultaneously, the MnCo2O4+x/CS catalyst only took ∼6 min for catalyzing 92% of 4-nitrophenol (4-NP) to 4-nitroaniline (4-AP), which was shorter than ∼10 min of the pure MnCo2O4.5 catalyst.

Li4Ti5O12/Ag composite nanobelts with an average width of ca. 1.12 μm were successfully synthesized via a facile electrospinning, and the average width is ca. 1.12 μm. The Li4Ti5O12/Ag composites show perfect initial discharge capacity (178.72 mA h g–1 at 0.1 C), better rate capability (131.70 mA h g–1 after cycled at 15 C) and super cycling stability (172.21 mA h g–1 after 100 cycles at 0.2 C) compared to pure Li4Ti5O12 nanobelts when used as anode materials for lithium ion batteries. The excellent electrochemical performance is explained by the nanostructure of obtained samples which could provide an effective ion and electron transport in the longitudinal direction. The addition of Ag could enhance charge transfer due to increased electronic conductivity. Our new findings provide an effective way to improve the electrochemical performance of Li4Ti5O12 anode materials for lithium ion batteries.

This study investigated the mobility and availability of Cd, Pb, and As pollution in the sediments of the Xijiang River Basin, China. The speciation analysis and ecological risk assessment of Cd, Pb, As in 21 sediment samples from the Xijiang River basin were studied by the sequential extraction technique, the enrichment factor (EF), the geo-accumulation index (Igeo), the potential ecological risk index (RI), the potential ecological risk factor (Eri), the risk assessment code (RAC), and the modified potential ecological risk index (MRI) assessment method. Metal speciation analysis indicated that the exchangeable and carbonate fraction were the primary binding phase for Cd in the sediment. However, the residual fraction was the major host for Pb and As. The Cd, Pb, and As speciation were highly correlated with Mn, organic matter (OM), carbonate (Carb), and pH. The RAC and MRI results showed that the mobility and availability of Cd, Pb, and As in the sediment followed the order of Cd > As > Pb. The higher mobility of Cd posed an elevated environmental risk. Moreover, it was found that the Diaojiang River had high ecological risk levels. Principal component analysis (PCA) and redundancy analysis (RDA) revealed that the mining industry mainly contributed to the enrichment of Cd, Pb, and As. This study provides a better understanding to predict and possibly find ways to control pollution of Cd, Pb, and As in sediments of such basins.

Fuyu Jin,1 Fei Geng,2 Dingjie Xu,3 Yaqian Li,1 Tian Li,1 Xinyu Yang,1 Shupeng Liu,1 Hui Zhang,1 Zhongqiu Wei,1 Shifeng Li,2 Xuemin Gao,2 Wenchen Cai,2 Na Mao,2 Xue Yi,4 Heliang Liu,2 Ying Sun,1 Fang Yang,2 Hong Xu1,2 1Basic Medical College, Hebei Key Laboratory for Chronic Diseases, North China University of Science and Technology, Tangshan, Hebei Province, 063210, People’s Republic of China; 2School of Public Health, Hebei Key Laboratory for Organ Fibrosis Research, North China University of Science and Technology, Tangshan, Hebei Province, 063210, People’s Republic of China; 3Traditional Chinese Medicine College, North China University of Science and Technology, Tangshan, Hebei Province, 063210, People’s Republic of China; 4Key Laboratory of Functional and Clinical Translational Medicine, Xiamen Medical College, Xianmen, Fujian Province, 361023, People’s Republic of ChinaCorrespondence: Hong Xu 21 Bohai Road, Caofeidian District, Tangshan, Hebei Province, 063210, People’s Republic of ChinaTel +86 315-8816236Email xuhong@ncst.edu.cnBackground: Silica-induced inflammatory activation is associated with silicosis and various non-respiratory conditions. The present study was designed to examine the anti-inflammatory effects of N-acetyl-seryl-aspartyl-lysyl-proline (Ac-SDKP) on lung macrophages and bone osteoclasts after silica inhalation in rats.Methods: Wistar rats and NR8383 and RAW 264.7 cell lines were used in the present study. The receptor activator of nuclear factor kappa-B ligand (RANKL) and toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) signaling pathways was measured in the lung tissue of rats or NR8383/RAW 264.7 cells exposed to silica. The microarchitecture of the trabecular bone in the tibia and femur was evaluated in silicotic rats. Furthermore, the roles of Ac-SDKP on silicotic rats, silica-treated NR8383/RAW 264.7 cells, and RANKL-induced osteoclast differentiation were studied.Results: The data indicated that silica inhalation might activate the RANKL and TLR4 signaling pathways in lung macrophages, thus inducing the lung inflammatory and proteolytic phenotype of macrophages and osteoclasts in lung and bone. Ac-SDKP maintained the lung elastin level by inhibiting lung inflammation and macrophage activation via the RANKL and TLR4 signaling pathways. Ac-SDKP also attenuated the reduction in femoral bone mineral density in silicotic rats by inhibiting osteoclast differentiation via the RANKL signaling pathway.Conclusion: Our findings support the hypothesis that inhalation of crystalline silica induces activation of lung macrophages and bone osteoclasts via the RANKL and TLR4 signaling pathways. Ac-SDKP has the potential to stabilize lung homeostasis and bone metabolism.Keywords: silicosis, N-acetyl-seryl-aspartyl-lysyl-proline, macrophage, osteoclast

Cellular senescence has been considered an important driver of many chronic lung diseases. However, the specific mechanism of cellular senescence in silicosis is still unknown. In the present study, silicotic rats and osteoclast stimulatory transmembrane protein (Ocstamp) overexpression of MLE-12 cells were used to explore the mechanism of OC-STAMP in cellular senescence in alveolar epithelial cell type II (AEC2). We found an increasing level of OC-STAMP in AEC2 of silicotic rats. Overexpression of Ocstamp in MLE-12 cells promoted epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress, and cellular senescence. Myosin heavy chain 9 (MYH9) was a potential interacting protein of OC-STAMP. Knockdown of Ocstamp or Myh9 inhibited cellular senescence in MLE-12 cells transfected with pcmv6-Ocstamp. Treatment with 4-phenylbutyrate (4-PBA) to inhibit ER stress also attenuated cellular senescence in vitro or in vivo. In conclusion, OC-STAMP promotes cellular senescence in AEC2 in silicosis.

NiZnAl layered double hydroxides (LDH) with Ni/Zn/Al ratios ranging from 0.1/2/1 to 1/2/1 were papered by coprecipitation. The prepared samples were characterized by multiple techniques including X-ray diffraction (XRD), Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) surface area, scanning electronic microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and UV-vis diffuse-reflectance spectroscopy (UV-vis DRS). The incorporation of Ni2+ into the brucite sheets preserves the layered structure of ZnAl LDH. The doped Ni2+ serves as the photogenerated charges separator and improves the visible light photocatalytic activity of ZnAl LDH at a reasonable content. A degradation mechanism based on the hydroxyl radical as the active species was proposed.

Li4Ti5O12/Li2TiO3 composite nanofibers with the mean diameter of ca. 60 nm have been synthesized via facile electrospinning. When the molar ratio of Li to Ti is 4.8:5, the Li4Ti5O12/Li2TiO3 composite nanofibers exhibit initial discharge capacity of 216.07 mAh g−1 at 0.1 C, rate capability of 151 mAh g−1 after being cycled at 20 C, and cycling stability of 122.93 mAh g−1 after 1000 cycles at 20 C. Compared with pure Li4Ti5O12 nanofibers and Li2TiO3 nanofibers, Li4Ti5O12/Li2TiO3 composite nanofibers show better performance when used as anode materials for lithium ion batteries. The enhanced electrochemical performances are explained by the incorporation of appropriate Li2TiO3 which could strengthen the structure stability of the hosted materials and has fast Li+-conductor characteristics, and the nanostructure of nanofibers which could offer high specific area between the active materials and electrolyte and shorten diffusion paths for ionic transport and electronic conduction. Our new findings provide an effective synthetic way to produce high-performance Li4Ti5O12 anodes for lithium rechargeable batteries.

This work first reported ethylene as hydrate formation guest gas for facilitating orange juice concentration process. Ethylene hydrate with orange juice equilibrium conditions under this process were measured by employing the classic isochoric pressure search method. Based on the obtained equilibrium conditions, the effects of feed ethylene pressure and temperature on dehydration ratio were investigated. The gas consumption curves were recorded and distinctly from that CO2 hydrate formation process in the presence orange juice, which could be caused by the multiple nucleation of ethylene hydrate crystal. The dehydration ratio increased with the increase of the feed ethylene pressure. Maximum dehydration ratio of 92.8% was found at 4.43 MPa. Dehydration ratio ranged from 52.5% to 61.8% in the temperature range of 0.5–10.0 °C. The results demonstrated that ethylene hydrate formation can be an efficient technology on water removal for orange juice concentration.

In the original paper, there was an error in the communication unit 1. The communication unit was "Liaoning Engineering Research Center for Treatment and Recycling of Industrially Discharged Heavy Metals, Shenyang University of Chemical Technology, Shenyang 110142, People's Republic of China".

In order to acquire the spatial distribution, speciation, and risk assessment of arsenic (As), 18 sediment samples were collected in the middle and upper reaches (Nanpan River, Beipan River, Hongshui River, Diaojiang River, and Duliu River) of the Xijiang River basin, China. The chemical fractions of As in the collected sediments were mainly dominated by the residual fraction and the Fe (Mn, Al) oxide/oxyhydroxides fractions. The correlation analysis results showed that the chemical fraction of As in sediments had close correlations with Mn, good correlations with Fe and organic matter (OM), while weak correlations with Al and carbonate. In addition, it also showed that Diaojiang River basin was found to have an extremely high As pollution status and suffered from high ecological risk. Duliu River and Nanpan River had moderately polluted levels of As and showed a low ecological risk. The other sample sites of Xijiang River basin were uncontaminated of As. The assessment results from this study indicated that the different types of species present based on the chemical fractionation of As from the Xijiang River basin showed different risks. Graphical abstract.

Crystalline scorodite (FeAsO4·2H2O) is a common arsenic-(As-)containing solid waste produced from nonferrous metallurgical processes. Its stability is the key factor to determine environmen...

Estimating soil erosion and nutrient losses from surface runoff in paddy fields is essential for the assessment of sustainable rice (Oryza sativa L.) production and water quality protection. Different rice establishment methods have been used in the last three decades in Asia; however, it is still unclear how these methods influence sustainable agriculture and environmental protection in humid areas. The aim of this study was to evaluate the impacts of rice establishment method on soil erosion and phosphorus (P) losses from surface runoff in Hydragric Anthrosols under a subtropical monsoon climate. Total suspended solids (TSS), total P (TP), dissolved P (DP), and particulate P (PP) runoff losses were measured under four rice establishment treatments in 2013 and 2014, including traditional manual transplanting (TT), mechanical transplanting (MT), dry direct seeding (DD), and wet direct seeding (WD). The results showed that the seasonal TSS in the runoff varied from 59.9 to 829.8 kg ha−1 in the two years. Compared with TT, the DD significantly increased the TSS by 481% in 2013 and by 349% in 2014, while the WD significantly increased TSS by 783% in 2013 and by 571% in 2014. In the 2013 and 2014 rice seasons, the field-observed TP runoff losses were from 0.18 to 1.51 kg ha−1. Compared with TT, the DD significantly increased the TP lost by 222% in 2013 and by 197% in 2014, whereas the WD significantly increased the TP lost by 483% in 2013 and by 387% in 2014. However, the TSS and P losses from the MT and TT were similar in both years. The PP runoff losses accounted for 58–77% of the seasonal TP lost. These findings demonstrate that the conversion of traditional manual transplanting to direct seeding increased soil erosion and P runoff losses in subtropical China.

Silicosis is a fatal profession-related disease linked to long term inhalation of silica. The present study aimed to determine whether meprin α, a master regulator of anti-fibrotic peptide N-acetyl-serylaspartyl-lysyl-proline (Ac-SDKP), is diminished by miR-155-5p in silicosis and control lung macrophages and fibroblasts upon activation. RAW 264.7 macrophages, primary lung fibroblasts, and mouse embryonic fibroblasts were used to evaluate the expression and function of meprin α and miR-155-5p. In vitro meprin α manipulation was performed by recombinant mouse meprin α protein, actinonin (its inhibitor), and small interfering RNA knockdown. Macrophage and fibroblast activation was assessed by western blotting, real-time PCR, matrix deposition, immunohistochemistry, and immunofluorescence staining. The roles of meprin α and miR-155-5p were also investigated in mice exposed to silica. We found that the meprin α level was stably repressed in silicotic rats.In vitro, silica decreased meprin α, and exogenous meprin α reduced activation of macrophages and fibroblasts induced by profibrotic factors. MiR-155-5p negatively regulated Mep1a by binding to the 3′ untranslated region. Treatment with anti-miR-155-5p elevated meprin α, ameliorated macrophage and fibroblast activation, and attenuated lung fibrosis in mice induced by silica. The sustained repression of meprin α and beneficial effects of its rescue by inhibition of miR-155-5p during silicosis indicate that miR-155-5p/meprin α are major regulators of silicosis. Funding Statement: This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 81472953), the Natural Science Foundation of Hebei Province (No. H20162091705), Science and Technology Research Project of Hebei Province universities (No. ZD2019077), and the Preeminence Youth Foundation of North China University of Science and Technology (JP201513). Declaration of Interests: The authors declare they have no competing interests. Ethics Approval Statement: All experimental and surgical procedures were approved (2013-038 and 2017-025) by the Ethics Committee for Animal Experimentation of North China University of Science and Technology, which complies with the US National Institutes of Health Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals.

While lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) have been widely used in commercial devices, finding suitable anode materials for alkali metal batteries is still challenging. Therefore, Ni3S2/Ni@N-doped carbon composite electrode was fabricated as the anode for alkali metal batteries. It was found that the Ni3S2/Ni@N-doped carbon electrode achieved a capacity of 742 mAh g−1 at the 1500th cycle at the current density of 1000 mA g−1 for LIBs, and obtained 275 mAh g−1 at the 250th cycle during 500 mA g−1 for Na+ storage. Moreover, it showed 52 mAh g−1 after 50 cycles at 100 mA g−1 for K+ storage. The excellent performances of this electrode is likely due to the combined effect of Ni and C layer. This work provides a simple approach approach for the design of high-performance materials that can be applied to commercial production as a potential substitute for the current alkali ion battery anodes.

Neovascular age-related macular degeneration (neoAMD) is the leading cause of blindness in AMD and manifests as choroidal neovascularization (CNV). Anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) therapies are the mainstay treatments but with limited efficacy and cause detrimental effects on the retina after long-term application. These disadvantages warrant alternative strategy. Herein, we examined the effect on CNV by intravitreal injection of bortezomib, a reversible proteasome inhibitor, and further dissected the mechanism. Krypton red Laser was used to create CNV model in mice. The angiogenesis volume was assessed in choroidal flat-mount with isolectin GS-IB4 labeling and the leakage was examined with fluorescein fundus angiography. Injection of Borsub inhibited angiogenesis in the CNV model which was dose-dependent; the injection significantly inhibited leakage as well. Furthermore, Borsub injection reduced the contents of VEGF-A, macrophage chemotactic factor 1 (MCP-1), and platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF)-D but not PDGF-B, examined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, in choroid/retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) tissue. These injections also reduced phospho-VEGFR-2 and phospho-PDGFRβ in choroid/RPE tissue examined by immunoblotting. Moreover, Borsub inhibited the recruitment of mural cells or macrophages to laser-injured spots. Injection of Borsub indicated negative effect on scotopic and photopic responses recorded by electroretinogram. Altogether, intravitreal injection of Borsub significantly reduced CNV by antagonizing VEGF-A/Flk-1 and PDGF-D/PDGFRβ pathways without impacting electroretinography parameters. Thus, Borsub may offer an invaluable therapy for the prevention and treatment of neoAMD.

We demonstrate a tunable optical parametric oscillator in a periodically poled congruently grown lithium tantalite whispering gallery mode resonator. The resonator is mechanically polished to millimeter size, and the quality factor is approximately 107 at 1064 nm. Our experiments show that this kind of resonator is capable of reaching a very low threshold and having a wide tuning range. Combined with its narrow resonant linewidth, it is potentially used as a compact, widely tunable, and narrow-linewidth infrared to mid-infrared laser source.

A facile two-step route is designed to synthesize chain-like Fe3O4@resorcinol-formaldehyde resins–Ag composite microstructures (denoted as Fe3O4@RF–Ag). Chain-like Fe3O4@RF microstructures are firstly obtained by the in situ polymerization of RF on Fe3O4 microspheres under the assistance of an external magnetic field; and then, Ag nanoparticles are strewn on the surface of the RF via in situ reduction by hydrazine hydrate. The as-obtained chain-like Fe3O4@RF–Ag microstructures are characterized by powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), (high-resolution) transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM/TEM) and energy dispersive spectrometry (EDS). Experiments indicate that the as-prepared chain-like Fe3O4@RF–Ag microstructures can not only serve as outstanding antibacterial agents against bacteria including Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli, but also as highly efficient catalysts for the hydrogenation of various compounds, including 4-nitrophenol, methylene blue and Rhodamine B. Also, the as-prepared chain-like Fe3O4@RF–Ag microstructures can be conveniently regenerated under extra magnetic field due to the presence of Fe3O4 and they show good cyclic stability, which is important for practical applications.

ZnSe quantum dots (QDs) with a homogeneous size distribution and good stability were synthesized by the reaction of zinc acetate and NaHSe in the presence of glutathione (GSH). The obtained ZnSe QDs were characterized using transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and X-ray powder diffraction (XRD). Simultaneously, UV-visible spectroscopy (UV-vis) was performed and the fluorescence properties of ZnSe QDs were investigated. The effect of ZnSe QDs on the luminol–potassium periodate (KIO4) chemiluminescence (CL) system, a popular model CL system, was researched. It was found that as-prepared ZnSe QDs could strongly enhance the chemiluminescence (CL) of the luminol–KIO4 system. To discuss the mechanism of the CL enhancement, we studied the UV-vis and CL spectra of the luminol–KIO4–ZnSe QDs system. The CL enhancement should be attributed to the oxidation of luminol to its excited state by KIO4, under the catalysis of ZnSe QDs, which caused strong light emission. It was found that rutin, p-t-butylprocatechol, catechol, paracetamol, resorcinol and tryptophan could markedly inhibit the CL of the luminol–KIO4–ZnSe QDs system among 17 kinds of amino acids and 23 other kinds of organics. The above phenomena presented good linear relations. Thus, effective methods to detect them were developed.

Grass-like Ni/Cu nanosheet arrays were successfully grown on copper foam by a simple galvanostatic electrodeposition route. Experiments showed that the as-deposited grass-like Ni/Cu nanosheet arrays possessed excellent electrocatalytic activity for hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). In 1 M KOH solution, the nanosheet arrays only required a low overpotential of 38 mV to deliver a current density of -10 mA cm-2. Simultaneously, the present catalyst also presented a high durability. After continuously catalyzing for 50 h at a current density of -30 mA cm-2, the overpotential had no obvious increase. The above outstanding electrocatalytic activity should be attributed to the special grass-like structure of the catalyst, which exposed more effective active sites, promoted electrolyte penetration and facilitated gas diffusion. Compared with other catalysts with complex compositions, the present Ni/Cu binary catalyst is easily synthesized, cost-efficient and highly active for HER, which provides a new selection for electrochemical water splitting in practical applications.

In this study, Mn-doped MgAl-layered double hydroxides (LDHs) were successfully synthesized for efficient removal arsenate from aqueous solution. The structure and composition of Mn-doped MgAl-LDHs intercalated by different ions such as CO32−, Cl−, or NO3− were investigated. The characterizations of XRD, ATR FT-IR, SEM, TG-DTA, and N2 adsorption-desorption presented that the Mn-doped MgAl-LDHs (donated as Mn-LDHs) have very similar physical morphologies and properties to the MgAl-Cl-LDHs (donated as Mg-LDHs). However, the Mn-LDHs exhibits more preferable arsenate adsorption than Mg-LDHs. The As(V) removal kinetics data of Mn-LDHs is followed pseudo-second-order expression. The adsorption capacity of As(V) on Mn-LDHs via Langmuir isotherm model was 166.94 mg g−1. The results of XPS revealed that the enhanced removal mechanism can be attributed to surface complexation of As(V) with Mn on the surface of Mn-LDHs. These results prove that Mn-doped LDHs can be considered as a potential material for adsorption As(V) from wastewater.

The Cu-doped ZnAl layered double hydroxides (LDH) were papered by coprecipitation. The prepared samples were characterized by mutiple techniques including X-ray diffraction (XRD), Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) surface area, scanning electronic microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and UV-vis diffuse-reflectance spectroscopy (UV-vis DRS). The doping of Cu2+ into the LDH sheets results in formation of the distorted CuO6 octahedrons which contribute for the excitation of electrons under visible light. The doped Cu2+ also serves as photo-generated charges separator and improves the visible-light-driven photocatalytic activity of ZnAl LDH. A degradation mechanism based on the hydroxyl radical as the active species was proposed.

Damage to alveolar epithelial cells (AECs) caused by long-term inhalation of large amounts of silica dust plays a significant role in the pathology of silicosis. The present study was undertaken to investigate the regulatory mechanism(s) involved in type II AEC damage from silicon dioxide (SiO2) as well as the mechanism(s) related to the prevention of silicosis by the antifibrotic tetra peptide, N-acetyl-seryl-aspartyl-lysyl-proline (Ac-SDKP). The 2-DE results showed that SiO2 induced endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress in A549 cells. In addition, typical apoptotic characteristics were observed using a transmission electron microscope (TEM) in A549 cells stimulated by SiO2 and in type II AECs from silicotic rats. Mechanistic study showed that both Ac-SDKP and 4-phenylbutyrate (4-PBA), an inhibiter of ER stress, attenuated GRP78, phosphor-PERK, phosphor-eIF2α, CHOP and Caspase-12 protein expression in A549 cells stimulated by SiO2 and in type II AECs from silicotic rats. Treatment with Ac-SDKP and 4-PBA in vivo effectively inhibited collagen deposition in the lungs of silicotic rats. In summary, ER stress is involved in the apoptosis of type II AECs both in vitro and in vivo. Ac-SDKP effectively suppresses SiO2-induced apoptosis in type II AECs by attenuating the Caspase-12 and PERK/eIF2α/CHOP pathway activation caused by ER stress, thus preventing silicotic fibrosis.

Adsorption of Pb2+ ion by a tartrate intercalated MgAl layered double hydroxides (MgAl-TA LDHs) was studied. The adsorption isotherms and kinetics were investigated as a function of various experimental parameters using batch adsorption experiments. The results indicated that the adsorption isotherm was well described by Sips model. The kinetic adsorption data were fitted well to the pseudo-second-order kinetic equation. The adsorption of Pb2+ was controlled mainly by the chemical process combined with intraparticle diffusion. Parameters of adsorption thermodynamic suggested that the interaction of Pb2+ adsorbed by MgAl-TA LDHs adsorbents was thermodynamically spontaneous and endothermic.

A new tomato juice concentration technology was presented by CO2 hydrate formation. The CO2 hydrate equilibrium conditions were measured by isochoric pressure search method and tomato juice concentration experiments were carried out in a high-pressure stirred reactor. Moreover, dehydration ratio was defined and CO2 hydrate formation rate constants were calculated with different feed pressure. The effects of feed pressure, temperature, and juice volume on dehydration ratio were investigated. The results show that the tomato juice used in this work nearly has no effect on CO2 hydrate phase equilibrium conditions, but can accelerate CO2 hydrate formation. And the dehydration ratio increased with increasing the feed pressure from 1.81 to 3.95 MPa, the maximum dehydration ratio can reach 63.2% with feed pressure of 3.95 MPa, and the optimum tomato juice volume is 80 mL. These results demonstrated that removal of water with the help of CO2 hydrate is an efficient technology for tomato juice concentration.

In this work, water-soluble ZnS quantum dots (QDs) modified with 3-mercaptopropionic acid (MPA), L-cysteine (L-Cys) and thioglycolic acid (TGA) were synthesized. The nanostructure and optical properties were characterized by X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), Transmission electron microscopy (TEM), UV-Vis absorption spectrum and fluorescence spectrum. Through the study of the ZnS QDs effects on the chemiluminescence (CL) system of luminol, we found that ZnS QDs could obviously enhance the CL of the luminol–N-bromosuccinimide (NBS) system in an alkaline medium. At the optimal experimental conditions, we researched the impact of 17 kinds of amino acids on this system. It was found that L-tryptophan (Trp) and L-tyrosine (Tyr) had significantly inhibitory effects on luminol–NBS–ZnS QDs CL. Based on the inhibitory effects, a novel CL method with a wider linear range and lower detection limit for determination of Trp and Tyr was developed. The detection limits were 1.5 × 10−11 g mL−1 and 2.0 × 10−10 g mL−1, respectively. The possible CL reaction mechanism was also discussed briefly.

A nanostructured Ag loaded Bi3NbO7 photocatalyst was synthesized by the co-precipitation combined with photodeposition method, and characterized by XRD, XPS, SEM, BET nitrogen adsorption–desorption, and UV–vis DRS. Photocatalytic activities of the Ag/Bi3NbO7 samples were evaluated by the degradation of methyl orange under visible light irradiation. It was shown that the best photocatalytic activity was obtained on sample with Ag loading level of 2 wt%. It was suggested that the increase in photocatalytic activity of Ag/Bi3NbO7 photocatalyst was explained on the basis of the electron trapping ability, the electron exciting ability and the surface plasmon resonance effect of metallic Ag particles.

A novel separation process was developed for orange juice concentration via CO 2 hydrate formation. The CO 2 hydrate equilibrium conditions were measured by an isochoric pressure search method. The effects of feed pressure, temperature, juice volume, and stirring speed on dehydration ratio were investigated. The dehydration ratio increased with increasing the feed pressure; the maximum dehydration ratio of 57.2% was reached at feed pressure of 4.10 MPa; dehydration ratio maintained around 45.8% in the temperature range of 274.8–279.8 K; the optimum orange juice volume is 80 mL. The CO 2 hydrate formation rate constants increased from 0.67 × 10 −8 to 1.91 × 10 −8 mol 2 /(s J) in relation to the feed pressure increasing from 1.96 to 4.10 MPa. The results demonstrated that removal of water by formation of CO 2 hydrate is an efficient technology for orange juice concentration.

We demonstrate an efficiency-enhanced picosecond (ps) mid-infrared radiation via optical parametric downconversion. Based on a cascaded periodically poled MgO-doped stoichiometric lithium tantalate crystal (MgO:sPPLT), a tandem optical parametric oscillation-optical parametric amplification (OPO-OPA) process is achieved. Compared with a single OPO process, the conversion efficiency obtains an enhancement of 71%.

Choroidal neovascularization (CNV) is a leading cause of blindness in age-related macular degeneration. Production of VEGF and macrophage recruitment by retinal pigment epithelial cells (RPE) significantly contributes to the process of CNV in an experimental CNV model. Serine racemase (SR) is expressed in retinal neurons and glial cells, and its product, D-serine, is an endogenous co-agonist of N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDAR). Activation of the receptor results in production of nitric oxide (.NO), a molecule that promotes retinal and choroidal neovascularization. These observations suggest possible roles of SR in CNV. With laser-injured CNV mice, we found that inactivation of SR-coding gene (Srrnull) significantly reduced CNV volume, neovascular density, and invading macrophages. We exploited the underlying mechanism in vivo and ex vivo. RPE from wild-type (WT) mice expressed SR. To explore the possible downstream target of SR inactivation, we showed that choroid/RPE homogenates extracted from laser-injured Srrnull mice contained less inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and decreased phospho-VEGFR2 compared to amounts in WT mice. In vitro, inflammation-primed WT RPEs expressed more iNOS, produced more .NO and VEGF than did inflammation-primed Srrnull RPEs. When co-cultured with inflammation-primed Srrnull RPE, significantly fewer RF/6A-a cell line of choroidal endothelial cell (CEC), migrated to the opposite side of the insert membrane than did cells co-cultured with pre-treated WT RPE. Altogether, SR deficiency reduces RPE response to laser-induced inflammatory stimuli, resulting in decreased production of a cascade of pro-angiogenic cytokines, including .NO and VEGF, and reduced macrophage recruitment, which contribute synergistically to attenuated angiogenesis. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

The tartrate-intercalated MgAl layered double hydroxide (MgAl-TA LDH) was prepared by ion-exchange method at the acid solution using MgAl-CO3 LDH as the precursor. The adsorption of Cu2+ on MgAl-TA LDH was studied and some influence factors such as contact time, initial Cu2+ concentration, adsorbent dosage, solution pH, and adsorption temperature were investigated. Three kinds of adsorption isotherms (Langmuir model, Freundlich model, and Redlich–Peterson model) were investigated; the results indicated that equilibrium was well described by Langmuir isotherm, predicting the adsorption of Cu2+ on MgAl-TA adsorbents was a monolayer adsorption. The equilibrium kinetic adsorption data were fitted to the pseudo-second order kinetic equation. Furthermore, the adsorption of Cu2+ was controlled mainly by chemical process combined with intra-particle diffusion. Parameters of adsorption thermodynamic suggested that the interaction of Cu2+ adsorbed by MgAl-TA LDH adsorbents was spontaneous and endothermic.