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The volumetric bar-chart microfluidic chips (V-Chips) driven by chemical reaction-generated gas provide a promising platform for point-of-care (POC) visual biomarker quantitation. However, multiple limitations are encountered in conventional V-Chips, such as costly and complex chip fabrication, complicated assembly, and imprecise controllability of gas production. Herein, we introduced nanomaterial-mediated photothermal effects to V-Chips, and for the first time developed a new type of V-Chip, photothermal bar-chart microfluidic chip (PT-Chip), for visual quantitative detection of biochemicals without any bulky and costly analytical instruments. Immunosensing signals were converted to visual readout signals via photothermal effects, the on-chip bar-chart movements, enabling quantitative biomarker detection on a low-cost polymer hybrid PT-Chip with on-chip scale rulers. Four different human serum samples containing prostate-specific antigen (PSA) as a model analyte were detected simultaneously using the PT-Chip, with the limit of detection of 2.1 ng/mL, meeting clinical diagnostic requirements. Although no conventional signal detectors were used, it achieved comparable detection sensitivity to absorbance measurements with a microplate reader. The PT-Chip was further validated by testing human whole blood without the color interference problem, demonstrating good analytical performance of our method even in complex matrixes and thus the potential to fill a gap in current clinical diagnostics that is incapable of testing whole blood. This new PT-Chip driven by nanomaterial-mediated photothermal effects opens a new horizon of microfluidic platforms for instrument-free diagnostics at the point of care.

A novel and recoverable platform of polyurethane (PU) sponge-supported Au nanoparticle catalyst was obtained by a water-based in-situ preparation process. The structure, chemical, and morphology properties of this platform were characterized by XRD, TGA, SEM, FT-IR, and XPS. The Au/PU sponge platform exhibited excellent catalytic performances in catalytic reductions of p-nitrophenol and o-nitroaniline at room temperature, and both catalytic reactions could be completed within 4.5 and 1.5 min, respectively. Furthermore, the strong interaction between Au nanoparticles and the PU sponge enabled the catalyst system to maintain a high catalytic efficiency after 5 recycling times, since the PU sponge reduced the trend of leaching and aggregation of Au nanoparticles. The unique nature of Au nanoparticles and the porous PU sponge along with their strong interaction resulted in a highly efficient, recoverable, and cost-effective multifunctional catalyst. The AuNP/Sponge nanocatalyst platform has great potential for wide environmental and other catalytic applications.

Tuberculosis (TB), one of the deadliest infectious diseases, is caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) and remains a public health problem nowadays. Conventional MTB DNA detection methods require sophisticated infrastructure and well-trained personnel, which leads to increasing complexity and high cost for diagnostics and limits their wide accessibility in low-resource settings. To address these issues, we have developed a low-cost photothermal biosensing method for the quantitative genetic detection of pathogens such as MTB DNA on a paper hybrid device using a thermometer. First, DNA capture probes were simply immobilized on paper through a one-step surface modification process. After DNA sandwich hybridization, oligonucleotide-functionalized gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) were introduced on paper and then catalyzed the oxidation reaction of 3,3',5,5'-tetramethylbenzidine (TMB). The produced oxidized TMB, acting as a strong photothermal agent, was used for the photothermal biosensing of MTB DNA under 808 nm laser irradiation. Under optimal conditions, the on-chip quantitative detection of the target DNA was readily achieved using an inexpensive thermometer as a signal recorder. This method does not require any expensive analytical instrumentation but can achieve higher sensitivity and there are no color interference issues, compared to conventional colorimetric methods. The method was further validated by detecting genomic DNA with high specificity. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first photothermal biosensing strategy for quantitative nucleic acid analysis on microfluidics using a thermometer, which brings fresh inspirations on the development of simple, low-cost, and miniaturized photothermal diagnostic platforms for quantitative detection of a variety of diseases at the point of care.

Aim. The slow coronary flow (SCF) phenomenon was characterized by delayed perfusion of epicardial arteries, and no obvious coronary artery lesion in coronary angiography. The prognosis of patients with slow coronary flow was poor. However, there is lack of rapid, simple, and accurate method for SCF diagnosis. This study aimed to explore the utility of plasma choline as a diagnostic biomarker for SCF. Methods. Patients with coronary artery stenosis Results. Forty-four patients with SCF and 21 patients with NCF were included in this study. TFC in LAD, LCX, and RCA and mean TFC were significantly higher in patients with SCF in comparison with patients with NCF (32.67 ± 8.37 vs. 20.66 ± 3.41, P < 0.01). Plasma choline level was obviously higher in patients with SCF when compared with patients with NCF (754.65 ± 238.18 vs. 635.79 ± 108.25, P=0.007). Plasma choline level had significantly positive correlation with Mean TFC (r = 0.364, P=0.002). Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis showed that choline with or without confounding factor adjustment had an AUC score of 0.65 and 0.77, respectively. Conclusions. TFC were closely related with plasma choline level, and plasma choline can be a suitable and stable diagnostic biomarker for SCF.

A simple, low-cost, and universal gold nanoparticle (AuNP) aggregation-induced photothermal biosensing platform has been developed for the first time and applied for the visual quantitative genetic detection using a common thermometer. By exploiting the photothermal effect of target-induced gold nanoparticle aggregation, visual quantitative biochemical analysis can be achieved by simply recording temperature signals using a common thermometer. Compared to conventional genetic testing methods, it is label- and amplification-free and can be completed in 40 min without the aid of any advanced analytical instruments. Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) DNA was used as a model target to demonstrate the application of this photothermal biosensing platform. Although no costly instrument was used, high sensitivity and specificity were achieved with the limit of detection (LOD) of 0.28 nM, which was nearly 10-fold lower than that of the colorimetric method using a spectrometer. This AuNP aggregation-induced photothermal biosensing strategy provides a simple, low-cost, and universal platform for broad application of visual quantitative detection of nucleic acids and many other biomolecules, particularly in point-of-care (POC) biosensing applications.

Although noble metal nanocatalysts show superior performance to conventional catalysts, they can be problematic when balancing catalytic efficiency and reusability. In order to address this dilemma, we developed a smart paper transformer (s-PAT) to support nanocatalysts, based on easy phase conversion between paper and pulp, for the first time. The pulp phase was used to maintain the high catalytic efficiency of the nanocatalysts and the transformation to paper enabled their high reusability. Herein, as an example of smart paper transformers, a novel chromatography paper-supported Au nanosponge (AuNS/pulp) catalyst was developed through a simple water-based preparation process for the successful reduction of p-nitrophenol to demonstrate the high catalytic efficiency and reusability of the noble metal nanocatalyst/pulp system. The composition, structure, and morphology of the AuNS/pulp catalyst were characterized by XRD, TGA, FE-SEM, ICP, TEM, FT-IR, and XPS. The AuNS/pulp catalyst was transformed into the pulp phase during the catalytic reaction and into the paper phase to recover the catalysts after use. Owing to this smart switching of physical morphology, the AuNS/pulp catalyst was dispersed more evenly in the solution. Therefore, it exhibited excellent catalytic performance for p-nitrophenol reduction. Under optimal conditions, the conversion rate of p-nitrophenol reached nearly 100% within 6 min and the k value of AuNS/pulp (0.0106 s−1) was more than twice that of a traditional chromatography paper-based catalyst (0.0048 s−1). Additionally, it exhibited outstanding reusability and could maintain its high catalytic efficiency even after fifteen recycling runs. Accordingly, the unique phase switching of this smart paper transformer enables Au nanosponge to transform into a highly efficient and cost-effective multifunctional catalyst. The paper transformer can support various nanocatalysts for a wide range of applications, thus providing a new insight into maintaining both high catalytic efficiency and reusability of nanocatalysts in the fields of environmental catalysis and nanomaterials., A smart paper transformer supported nanocatalyst platform is developed based on the facile phase conversion between paper and pulp for both high-efficiency and high-reusability catalysis, with wide applications demonstrated by using Au nanosponge.

This work investigated the electrochemical degradation of amoxicillin (AMX) in aqueous solution with Cu-PbO2 electrode. The main influence factors on the degradation of AMX, such as Na2SO4 concentration, initial AMX concentration, current density and initial pH value, were analyzed in detail. Under the optimal conditions, the removal rates of AMX and chemical oxygen demand (COD) reached 99.4% and 46.3% after 150 min treatment. The results indicated that the electrochemical degradation of AMX fitted pseudo-first-order reaction kinetics. Compared with undoped PbO2 electrode, Cu-PbO2 electrode had a smaller crystal size, more proportion of hydroxyl oxygen species, greater AMX and chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal efficiency, higher average current efficiency (ACE) and lower electrical efficiency per log order (EE/O). Electrochemical oxidation using Cu-PbO2 electrodes was an effective way to eliminate amoxicillin in aqueous solution. Moreover, a possible degradation pathway including ring open and mineralization was proposed by intermediate products determined by GC-MS method. This paper could provide basic data and technique reference for the amoxicillin wastewater pollution control.

To observe the effects of saxagliptin on the expression of mitogen-activated protein kinase 38 (p38MAPK), nephrin and podocin in renal tissue in type 2 diabetic (T2DM) rats, and to explore the possible mechanism of its renal protection. Forty-eight male Sprague–Dawley rats were used for the study and divided into four different groups: normal controls (Group NC), DM controls (Group DM), DM + glibenclamide (Group Su) and DM + saxagliptin (Group Sa). The day drug administration started was defined as week 0. After 12 weeks, hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), urea nitrogen (BUN) and creatinine (Cr) in serum were detected, simultaneously albumin and creatinine in urine were measured, respectively, and then urinary albumin/creatinine ratio (UACR) was calculated. The pathological morphology of kidney tissue in different groups was observed, and the expression of nephrin and podocin mRNA and protein in kidney tissue were detected. (1) After 12 weeks, FBG and HbA1c in Group Su and Group Sa were significantly lower than those in Group DM (both P

The biological function of the natural ent-kaurene diterpenoid isolated from genus Isodon, oridonin, has been intensively studied. However, its mechanism studies and clinical applications were hampered by its moderate biological activities. In order to enlarge the applied range of oridonin and explore its mechanism of action, a series of derivatives were designed and synthesized based on the structure of oridonin. Some of the derivatives were significantly more potent than oridonin against four cancer cell lines. Especially, the most potent compound 20 markedly inhibited the proliferation of well differentiated HepG2 and poorly differentiated PLC/PRF/5 cells, with IC50 values as low as 1.36 μM and 0.78 μM respectively, while the IC50 values of oridonin are 8.12 μM and 7.41 μM. We found that compound 20 inhibited liver cancer cell proliferation via arresting cell cycle at G1 phase. Moreover, it induced liver cancer cell apoptosis by decreasing the mitochondrial membrane potential, increasing intracellular reactive oxygen species level and inducing the expression of apoptosis-related proteins. Furthermore, compound 20 significantly inhibited growth of PLC/PRF/5 xenograft tumors in nude mice and had no observable toxic effect. Altogether, these results indicated that compound 20 is a promising lead for liver cancer therapeutics.

A series of TiO2 catalyst carriers with ceria additives were prepared by a precipitation method and tested for selective catalytic reduction (SCR) of NO by NH3. These samples were characterized by XRD, N2-BET, NH3-TPD, H2-TPR, TEM, XPS and in situ DRIFTS, respectively. Results showed that the appropriate addition of ceria can enhance the catalytic activity and thermostability of TiO2 catalyst carriers significantly. The maximum catalytic activity of Ti-Ce-Ox-500 is 98.5% at 400 °C with a GHSV of 100 000 h−1 and the high catalytic activity still remains even after the treatment at high temperature for 24 h. The high catalytic performance of Ti-Ce-Ox-500 can be attributed to a series of superior properties, such as larger specific surface area, more Bronsted acid sites, more hydrogen consumption, and the higher proportion of chemisorbed oxygen. Ceria atoms can inhibit the crystalline grain growth and the collapse of small channels caused by high temperatures. Furthermore, in situ DRIFTS in different feed gases show that the SCR reaction over Ti-Ce-Ox-500 follows both E-R and L-H mechanisms.

Hybrid microfluidic systems that are composed of multiple different types of substrates have been recognized as a versatile and superior platform, which can draw benefits from different substrates while avoiding their limitations. This review article introduces the recent innovations of different types of low-cost hybrid microfluidic devices, particularly focusing on cost-effective polymer- and paper-based hybrid microfluidic devices. In this article, the fabrication of these hybrid microfluidic devices is briefly described and summarized. We then highlight various hybrid microfluidic systems, including polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS)-based, thermoplastic-based, paper/polymer hybrid systems, as well as other emerging hybrid systems (such as thread-based). The special benefits of using these hybrid systems have been summarized accordingly. A broad range of biological and biomedical applications using these hybrid microfluidic devices are discussed in detail, including nucleic acid analysis, protein analysis, cellular analysis, 3D cell culture, organ-on-a-chip, and tissue engineering. The perspective trends of hybrid microfluidic systems involving the improvement of fabrication techniques and broader applications are also discussed at the end of the review.

Maca (Lepidium meyenii) has emerged as a popular functional plant food because of its medicinal properties and nutritional value. Macamides, as the exclusively active ingredients found in maca, are a unique series of non-polar, long-chain fatty acid N-benzylamides with multiple bioactivities such as antifatigue characteristics and improving reproductive health. In this study, a new kind of macamide, N-benzyl eicosapentaenamide (NB-EPA), was identified from maca. We further explore its potential neuroprotective role in hypoxic–ischemic brain injury. Our findings indicated that treatment with biosynthesized NB-EPA significantly alleviates the size of cerebral infarction and improves neurobehavioral disorders after hypoxic–ischemic brain damage in neonatal mice. NB-EPA inhibited the apoptosis of neuronal cells after ischemic challenge. NB-EPA improved neuronal cell survival and proliferation through the activation of phosphorylated AKT signaling. Of note, the protective property of NB-EPA against ischemic neuronal damage was dependent on suppression of the p53–PUMA pathway. Taken together, these findings suggest that NB-EPA may represent a new neuroprotectant for newborns with hypoxic–ischemic encephalopathy.

Macamides are a class of bioactive amide alkaloids found only in maca (Lepidium meyenii). Recent studies have shown that macamide-rich extracts possess various biological activities, such as antioxidative, immune-enhancing, and reproductive health-improving activities. In the present study, N-benzyl docosahexaenamide (NB-DHA), a newly identified macamide with the highest degree of unsaturation among all identified macamides, was identified from the maca extract. Microalgae oil, a docosahexaenoic acid-rich substance, was used as the starting material for the synthesis of NB-DHA. The effects of NB-DHA in colitis-induced mice were evaluated. NB-DHA significantly alleviated weight loss, shortening of colon length, and occult blood occurrence in mice with dextran sulfate sodium-induced colitis. Histological analysis revealed that following the administration of NB-DHA in mice with colitis, the infiltration of inflammatory cells and levels of proinflammatory factors, such as tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6, and myeloperoxidase, decreased, whereas the level of the anti-inflammatory factor IL-10 increased. Furthermore, the decreased expression of intestinal tight junction proteins caused by colitis was upregulated by the administration of NB-DHA. These results indicate that NB-DHA could be developed as a therapeutic agent for ulcerative colitis.

MicroRNA-217 (miR-217) has been recently reported to be abnormally expressed during atherosclerosis. Nonetheless, it still remains unknown whether miR-217 can regulate inflammation, proliferation, migration, and apoptosis of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) in high-glucose condition. Sprague Dawley rats were used for establishing diabetic animal models. miR-217 mimics and miR-217 inhibitors were transfected into VSMCs. The miR-217 and ROCK1 expressions were measured by quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction and Western blot. VSMCs' proliferation, migration, cell cycle, and apoptosis were validated using the Cell Counting Kit-8 assay, Transwell assay, and flow cytometry analysis, respectively. The binding sites between miR-217 and the 3'-untranslated region of ROCK1 were predicted via miRanda, PicTar, TargetScan, and microT databases, and the targeting relationship was confirmed by dual-luciferase reporter experiments. miR-217 was found to be upregulated in VSMCs treated by high glucose and aorta VSMCs of diabetic rats. Transfection of miR-217 mimics significantly induced VSMCs cycle arrest, inhibition of proliferation, reduction of migration, and enhancement of apoptosis. The bioinformatics analysis and dual-luciferase reporter experiments identified ROCK1 as a direct target of miR-217. miR-217 inhibits excessive proliferation and migration of VSMCs induced by high glucose by targeting ROCK1.

Glass slides have been widely used for DNA immobilization in DNA microarray and numerous bioassays for decades, whereas they are faced with limitations of low probe density, time-consuming modification steps, and expensive instruments. In this work, a simple one-step surface modification method using 3-aminopropyl trimethoxysilane (APTMS) has been developed and applied to graft DNA codes on paper. Higher DNA immobilization efficiency was obtained in comparison with that in a conventional method using glass slides. Fluorescence detection, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), infrared spectra (FT-IR), and pH influence studies were employed to characterize the surface modification and subsequent DNA immobilization, which further reveals a mechanism in which this method lies in ionic interactions between the positively charged APTMS-modified paper surface and negatively charged DNA probes. Furthermore, an APTMS-modified paper-based device has been developed to demonstrate application in low-cost detection of a foodborne pathogen

Angiogenesis is critical for re‐establishing the blood supply to the surviving myocardium after myocardial infarction (MI) in patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS). MicroRNAs are recognised as important epigenetic regulators of endothelial function. The aim of this study was to determine the roles of microRNAs in angiogenesis. Eighteen circulating microRNAs including miR‐185‐5p were differently expressed in plasma from patients with ACS by high‐throughput RNA sequencing. The expressional levels of miR‐185‐5p were dramatically reduced in hearts isolated from mice following MI and cultured human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) under hypoxia, as determined by fluorescence in situ hybridisation and quantitative RT‐PCR. Evidence from computational prediction and luciferase reporter gene activity indicated that cathepsin K (CatK) mRNA is a target of miR‐185‐5p. In HUVECs, miR‐185‐5p mimics inhibited cell proliferations, migrations and tube formations under hypoxia, while miR‐185‐5p inhibitors performed the opposites. Further, the inhibitory effects of miR‐185‐5p up‐regulation on cellular functions of HUVECs were abolished by CatK gene overexpression, and adenovirus‐mediated CatK gene silencing ablated these enhancive effects in HUVECs under hypoxia. In vivo studies indicated that gain‐function of miR‐185‐5p by agomir infusion down‐regulated CatK gene expression, impaired angiogenesis and delayed the recovery of cardiac functions in mice following MI. These actions of miR‐185‐5p agonists were mirrored by in vivo knockdown of CatK in mice with MI. Endogenous reductions of miR‐185‐5p in endothelial cells induced by hypoxia increase CatK gene expression to promote angiogenesis and to accelerate the recovery of cardiac function in mice following MI.

The exploration of new physical and chemical properties of materials and their innovative application in different fields are of great importance to advance analytical chemistry, material science, and other important fields. Herein, we, for the first time, discovered the photothermal effect of an iron oxide nanoparticles (NPs)-mediated TMB (3,3′,5,5′-tetramethylbenzidine)-H2O2 colorimetric system, and applied it toward the development of a new NP-mediated photothermal immunoassay platform for visual quantitative biomolecule detection using a thermometer as the signal reader. Using a sandwich-type proof-of-concept immunoassay, we found that the charge transfer complex of the iron oxide NPs-mediated one-electron oxidation product of TMB (oxidized TMB) exhibited not only color changes, but also a strong near-infrared (NIR) laser-driven photothermal effect. Hence, oxidized TMB was explored as a new sensitive photothermal probe to convert the immunoassay signal into heat through the near-infrared laser-driven ...

Based on the pyrolysis of zeolitic imidazolate framework-67/Ni-Co layered double hydroxide (ZIF-67/Ni-Co LDH) precursor, we successfully prepare a novel Co3O4/NiCo2O4@NC double-shelled hollow structure catalyst. After carbonization, Co3O4/NiCo2O4@NC inherit the polyhedral shape from ZIF-67/Ni-Co LDH. At the same time, obvious inter-shell pores appear between the inner shell and outer shell of Co3O4/NiCo2O4@NC. Compared with simple single-shell Co3O4@NC catalyst, more complex hollow structure brings better electrochemical performance of the material. Co3O4/NiCo2O4@NC modified graphite felt (GF) electrode is used to degrade levodopa in Electro-Fenton (EF) system. According to the experimental results, the removal rate of levodopa and TOC have reached 99.07% and 60.16%, respectively after 2 h reaction. The EF reaction for the degradation of levodopa follows a pseudo first-order kinetic model. Based on the intermediate product, we propose a possible degradation pathway of levodopa. In addition, we have evaluated the reusability of Co3O4/NiCo2O4@NC-GF electrode in EF reaction. Finally, we believe that the Co3O4/NiCo2O4@NC-GF electrode is a promising cathode for the treatment of pharmaceutical wastewater in EF field.

A simple and efficient protocol was developed for the syntheses of oridonin analogues, i.e. 6,20-epoxy ent-kaurane diterpenoid analogues from oridonin via diethylaminosulfur trifluoride (DAST) promoted rearrangement, most of which exhibited superior anticancer activities compared with their precursor.

Sustainable synthesis methods for the production of porous carbon with appropriate structural properties for use as supercapacitor electrodes are in high demand. Generally, activation is the most convenient and effective method to increase the surface area of carbon materials. However, the existing activation methods usually suffer from a low yield and low specific surface area; so the search for a new activation agent capable of preparing porous carbon with both a high yield and large surface area remains a great challenge. Here, a new and efficient activation agent copper chloride (CuCl2) is proposed for the production of porous carbon using rape pollen biomass as the carbon precursor. The advantages of using CuCl2 to fulfil synchronous carbonization and activation can be ascribed to the following features: (i) excellent ability to generate micropores in biomass; (ii) a high yield of porous carbon; (iii) low-destruction of the natural structure of the precursor; (iv) high retention of heteroatoms. The as-prepared rape pollen carbon (RPC) exhibits a porous structure with a large specific surface area (2488 m2 g−1), sphere-like structure and high heteroatom content. More importantly, the RPC exhibits a high yield of porous carbon of up to 37.6 wt% based on the raw rape pollen. Furthermore, the RPC electrode exhibits extremely high specific capacitance (390 F g−1 at 0.5 A g−1) and long cycling stability (retaining 92.9% after 10 000 cycles at 20 A g−1) in 6.0 M KOH aqueous electrolyte, and a high energy density of 26.8 W h kg−1 at a power density of 181.4 W kg−1 in 1.0 M Na2SO4 aqueous electrolyte. This method has universal significance in producing highly porous and high-performance carbons from biomass for various energy storage/conversion energy storage applications.

Herein, NaYF4:Yb,Tm@SiO2/carbon dot nanocomposites have been successfully fabricated by a facile route. The structure and morphology of the nanocomposites were characterized by SEM, TEM, XRD, FT-IR and XPS measurements. It was demonstrated that carbon dots were embedded well in the silica layer coating on the surface of NaYF4:Yb,Tm nanoparticles, leading to a relatively stable structure of the nanocomposites. The nanocomposites showed interesting dual-mode luminescence properties, i.e. blue green light under a 365 nm UV lamp and blue purple light under a 980 nm laser. They were utilized to achieve light conversion films, ion detection probes and cell imaging, suggesting their great potential in the fields of anti-counterfeiting and bioapplications.

Collagen/gelatin fragments are often polydisperse and heterogeneous, making them difficult for quantitation, especially during in vivo circulation. In this study, a new quantitation method was established based on the detection of collagen-specific peptide markers using HPLC-MS/MS. Blood samples were collected and digested for collagen-specific peptides identification and content determination after the infusion of bovine gelatin fragments into rabbits. Thirteen collagen-specific peptides, of which five were present in bovine collagen but absent in human collagen, were identified by MS detection and could be used as peptide markers for the quantitation of gelatin fragments in blood. One of the bovine collagen specific-peptides was then used as a peptide marker, and its detection linearity range and limit of quantification were confirmed. The pharmacokinetic parameters, such as half-life and elimination rate, and also the pharmacokinetic model of the infused gelatin fragments were determined from the time-concentration curve. This peptide marker based method offers better selectivity towards collagen/gelatin fragments quantitation and could find wider applications in the field of collagen/gelatin based products such as drug delivery materials, and nanoparticles.

A V2O5 porous nanodisk thin film is synthesized through a simple hydrothermal and subsequent VO2 template oxidation strategy. For the first time, V2O5 is employed as a cathode rather than an anode to construct lithium-ion hybrid capacitors. This design effectively utilizes the intrinsic layered structure of V2O5 for facile Li+ intercalation and facilitates the charge balance with the capacitive electrode, enabling superior performance of the device.

Copper-based metal-organic framework (Cu-CAT) nanowires are directly grown as an anode of sodium ion hybrid capacitors (SIHCs) for the first time. The uniform molecular pores provide a natural Na+ diffusion pathway and abundant accommodations for Na+ coordination to the C-O active sites, which greatly facilitate the kinetics balance with the capacitive cathode and boost the energy density of SIHCs, respectively.

Herein, unique S and N co-doped carbon dots (S,N-C-dots) were synthesized via a one-pot hydrothermal method. The S,N-C-dots not only possess a relatively high photoluminescence (PL) quantum yield (QY) (43%), but also present unique optical properties with dual-emission (blue and yellow) and excitation-independent characteristics. It is extremely rare for bare carbon dots (C-dots) to have dual-emission under single excitation wavelength. Herein, we achieved a series of solid-state lighting materials, such as silica-encapsulated C-dots (silica/C-dots), light conversion films (LCFs), and white-light-emitting diodes (WLEDs), using S,N-C-dots as a doping fluorophore. Moreover, we conducted some comparative experiments to prove that the unique properties of the S,N-C-dots were ascribed to the co-doping effects of S and N atoms. The yellow emission originates from the intrinsic state emission and the blue emission originates from the surface energy trap emission. This study presents a facile preparation of highly efficient dual-emissive S,N-C-dots and provides a new strategy to develop various solid-state lighting materials.

Novel rhodamine and quinoline-functionalized nano film was prepared by copolymerization and electrospinning. Propenyl monomer of rhodamine and quinoline was synthesized and then copolymerized with methyl methacrylate via solution polymerization. This prepared copolymer was electrospun into nano film, as a solid-state sensor, which exhibits highly selective recognition of Fe3+ ions over various environmentally and biologically relevant metal ions and anions with a distinct color change from colorless to pink in very fast response time (

A novel 1,8-naphthalimide-based chemosensor was designed and synthesized for rapid recognition of Cr 3+ . The desired sensor showed off-on fluorescent and lifetime-based response upon Cr 3+ and S 2− in solution, on test paper and in cells. With the intensity-based method, the limit of quantification (LOQ) value was 0–5.5 × 10 −5 M and the detection limit could be as low as 0.60 ppm. The ' in situ ' prepared Cr 3+ complex can recognize S 2− among a series of common anions with high selectivity and sensitivity, the LOD can be as low as 307 nM. The lifetime of the sensor changes from 4.95 to 4.89 and further to 5.88 ns upon addition of Cr 3+ and S 2− in turn.

In this study, the CNTs were successfully compounded in PbO2 electrode through composite electrodeposition technology to obtain multi-layer CNT-PbO2 electrode. Scanning electron microscope, X-ray diffraction and X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy were comprehensively used to characterize the lead dioxide electrode and the electrochemical performance were also tested by cyclic voltammetry, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. Results showed that CNT-PbO2 significantly improved the electrochemical performance, which was attributed to that the compound of CNTs in PbO2 improved the active sites on the surface, with higher oxidation peaks, smaller particle size, larger specific surface area, and lower charge transfer resistance. In the degradation experiment, the chemical oxygen demand removal efficiency of isoniazid by CNT-PbO2 electrode were 1.37 times of that by pure PbO2 electrode. The main influence factors on the degradation of ISN, such as initial ISN concentration, Na2SO4 concentration, current density and initial pH value was analyzed in detail. Considered comprehensively the effects of ISN removal efficiency, COD and average current efficiency, the degradation of ISN and COD reached 99.4% and 86.8%, respectively, after the electrode was degraded by electrochemical oxidation for 120 min under the best conditions. In addition, the degradation mechanism of ISN in electrochemical oxidation was studied. According to the intermediate products detected by GC-MS, the possible degradation pathway of ISN in electrochemical oxidation system were proposed.

Vascular endothelial dysfunction is the major contributing factor to hypertension. Endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) are essential for endogenous vascular endothelial renovation. The activity and number of circulating EPCs are preserved in prehypertensive premenopausal females according to our previous research. However, the changes of EPCs in prehypertensive postmenopausal females are poorly understood, and the mechanisms responsible for the loss of the gender protection advantage of cardiovascular disease remain unexplored. In order to determine the effects of EPCs in prehypertensive postmenopausal females, the number and activity of circulating EPCs were tested in the present study. Next, the function of EPCs secreting nitric oxide (NO), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and granulocyte‑macrophage colony‑stimulating factor (GM‑CSF), as well as their concentration in the plasma, were measured. The association between flow‑mediated dilation (FMD) and EPC secretion was also assessed. Attenuation of proliferation and migration of EPCs was observed in prehypertensive patients in comparison with normotensive subjects. In addition, a reduced NO production secreted by EPCs was detected in prehypertensive patients as compared with that in normotensive patients. There was no significant difference in EPC function between postmenopausal females and age‑matched males. Finally, the association between FMD and NO production was validated. Collectively, these data indicated that impaired EPCs mediated vasodilation dysfunction via decreasing NO production. Therefore, EPC function enhancement and NO level augmentation are emerging as novel therapeutic strategies for prehypertension therapy.

A novel indium (In) doped PbO2 electrode featuring high electrochemical activity and electrode stability toward electrochemical degradation of refractory organic pollutants was prepared by electrodeposition technique. Based on the aspirin removal efficiency, the optimized molar ratio of In/Pb in electrodeposition solution was 1%. In contract with the undoped PbO2 electrode, the constructed In-doped PbO2 electrode displayed a more compact structure, a better oriented crystal of smaller size, an increased concentration of active oxygen species, a higher oxygen evolution potential, a lower charge transfer resistance and a higher electrode stability. The In-doped PbO2 electrode was demonstrated to have a superior electrochemical oxidation ability with higher OH generation capacity. For In-doped PbO2 electrode, the removals of aspirin and COD reached 76.45% and 52.09% after 2.5 h of electrolysis, respectively. Meanwhile, the energy saving could be up to 30.56% after In doping. This outcome was in good agreement with the results of surface characterization of PbO2 electrodes. Finally, combination with the safety evaluation, we could conclude that In-doped PbO2 electrode was a promising anode for the treatment of organic pollutants.

A portable multiplexed bar-chart SpinChip (MB-SpinChip) integrated with nanoparticle-mediated magnetic aptasensors was developed for visual quantitative instrument-free detection of multiple pathogens. This versatile multiplexed SpinChip combines aptamer-specific recognition and nanoparticle-catalyzed pressure amplification to achieve a sample-to-answer output for sensitive point-of-care testing (POCT). This is the first report of pathogen detection using a volumetric bar-chart chip, and it is also the first bar-chart chip using a "spinning" mechanism to achieve multiplexed bar-chart detection. Additionally, the introduction of the spin unit not only enabled convenient sample introduction from one inlet to multiple separate channels in the multiplexed detection, but also elegantly solved the pressure cross-interference problem in the multiplexed volumetric bar-chart chip. This user-friendly MB-SpinChip allows visual quantitative detection of multiple pathogens simultaneously with high sensitivity but without utilizing any specialized instruments. Using this MB-SpinChip, three major foodborne pathogens including Salmonella enterica, Escherichia coli, and Listeria monocytogenes were specifically quantified in apple juice with limits of detection of about 10 CFU/mL. This MB-SpinChip with a bar-chart-based visual quantitative readout has great potential for the rapid simultaneous detection of various pathogens at the point of care and wide applications in food safety, environmental surveillance, and infectious disease diagnosis.

Based on hydrolysis reaction by Cu2+ and intermolecular hydrogen bond, a dual functional colorimetric probe, a novel 1,8-naphthalimide derivative was designed and synthesized for Cu2+ and F− naked-eye recognition with high sensitivity and excellent selectivity. The probe can detect Cu2+ and F− quantitatively in concentration range of 0–16.7 μM and 0–23.3 μM, and the detection limit could be as low as 370 nM for Cu2+ and 720 nM for F−. The detection of F− on chromatography plates and the preliminary application of 1 to detect fluorine contents in several kinds of toothpaste, tap water and Eyebrow Lake have been successfully demonstrated.

A dual-model fluorescent probe for formaldehyde has been developed. With excitation at 365 and 400 nm respectively and upon addition of formaldehyde, the fluorescent probe displays off-on fluorescence responses at 415 and 505 nm. Formaldehyde can be detected quantitatively in the concentration range from 0 to 2.7 × 10 −2 M and the detection limit on fluorescence response of the probe can be as low as 6 μM. The proposed method was successfully employed for preliminary application in several commercially available foods.

The purposes of this study were to evaluate the expression of retinol-binding protein 4 (RBP4) in diabetic rats with atherosclerosis and to investigate the role of vitamin D intervention. Male Wistar rats were randomly divided into 4 groups, including the control group (NC), the diabetic rats (DM1), the untreated diabetic atherosclerosis rats (DM2), and the vitamin D-treated diabetic atherosclerosis rats (DM3). The levels of serum and adipose RBP4, fasting insulin (FINS), fasting plasma glucose (FPG), total cholesterol (TC), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-c), triglycerides (TG), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-c), 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D], C-reactive protein (CRP), and systolic blood pressure (SBP) were measured. Homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), homeostasis model assessment β-cell function index (HOMA-β), and atherogenic indexes (AI) were calculated. Compared with group NC, the levels of RBP4, TG, LDL-c, FPG, FINS, CRP, AI1, AI2, SBP, and HOMA-IR increased, while the levels of HDL-c, 25(OH)D, and HOMA-β decreased in groups DM1 and DM2. After 8 weeks of vitamin D supplementation in group DM3, the levels of 25(OH)D and HOMA-β increased and the levels of LDL-c, TC, HOMA-IR, FINS, CRP, RBP4, AI1, AI2, and SBP decreased significantly when compared with group DM2 (P<0.05); Pearson analysis showed that serum RBP4 was positively correlated with TG, FINS, HOMA-IR, SBP, CRP, and AI and negatively correlated with 25(OH)D. In addition, multivariable logistic regression analysis showed that serum RBP4, SBP, and HDL-c were predictors for the presence of diabetic atherosclerosis. These findings suggested that RBP4 could involve in the improvement of diabetic atherosclerosis; vitamin D had the ability to decrease the level of RBP4 and eventually played an important role in preventing atherosclerosis in diabetes.

The aim of this study was to explore the relationship between serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] concentrations and lower extremity arterial disease (LEAD) in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients and to investigate the intervention effect of vitamin D. 145 subjects were assigned to a control group (Group NC), T2DM group (Group DM1), and T2DM complicated with LEAD group (Group DM2); then Group DM2 were randomly divided into Group DM3 who received oral hypoglycemic agents and Group DM4 who received oral hypoglycemic drugs and vitamin D3 therapy. Compared to Group NC, 25(OH)D was significantly lower in Group DM2 and marginally lower in Group DM1. In contrast to baseline and Group DM3, 25(OH)D rose while low density lipoprotein (LDL), retinol binding protein 4 (RBP4), and HbA1c significantly lowered in Group DM4. Statistical analysis revealed that 25(OH)D had a negative correlation with RBP4, duration, HbA1c, homeostasis model assessment for insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), and fasting plasma glucose (FPG). LDL, systolic blood pressure (SBP), FPG, and smoking were risk factors of LEAD while high density lipoprotein (HDL) and 25(OH)D were protective ones. Therefore, we deduced that low level of 25(OH)D is significantly associated with the occurrence of T2DM complicated with LEAD.

A novel naphthalimide-based fluorescent probe was designed and synthesized for thiol recognition with high sensitivity and excellent selectivity. The probe can detect thiol quantitatively in a concentration range of 0–6.0 μM and the detection limit could be as low as 1.6 nM. The fluorescence enhancement of this probe upon addition of Cys on test paper and the application of the probe for selective detection of intracellular Hcy, GSH and Cys have been successfully demonstrated.

Eighteen novel benzamidine derivatives containing 1,2,3-triazole moieties were synthesized. The in vitro and in vivo fungicidal acitivities of the title compounds and the arylamidine intermediates against Colletotrichum lagenarium and Botrytis cinerea were tested. The synthesized benzamidines exhibited weak antifungal activities in vitro against the tested fungi, but some of the compounds showed excellent activities in vivo to the same strains. Among the compounds tested, 9b showed 79% efficacy in vivo against C. lagenarium at a concentration of 200 μg/mL, and the efficacy of compound 16d (90%) toward the same strain was even superior than that of the commercial fungicide carbendazim (85%).

Previous reports of fluorescent sensors for alcohols based on charge-transfer character of their excited state are based on mono-, di-, and tetra-phosphonate cavitands, which are capable of selecting analytes through shape/size selection and various specific H-bonding, CH-π, and cation-dipole interactions. To contrast, color changes based on absorption properties of the ground state are more suitable for direct observation with the naked eye. Three sensitive and selective colorimetric sensors for C1-C4 alcohols have been developed on the basis of alcohol-mediated ground-state intramolecular proton transfer. Reverse proton transfer induced by water achieves a fully reversible reaction. In addition, the solvent color indicates alcohol concentration.

Based on Rhodamine B, two Al 3þ /Cu 2þ -selective chemosensors were synthesized, which display a high selectivity for Al 3þ and Cu 2þ among environmentally and biologically relevant metal ions. A 1,8Naphthyridine modified rhodamine derivative can detect Al 3þ in ethanol with offeon fluorescence behavior, and detect Cu 2þ in aqueous solution with colorimetric method. The 8-Hydroxyquinoline-based rhodamine sensor can detect Al 3þ in ethanol with both offeon fluorescence and colorimetric methods. The detection mechanism involves a ring-opening process as a consequence of metal complex formation. Job’s plots and a time-of-flight mass spectral study indicated that each chemosensor chelated Al 3þ /Cu 2þ with 1:1 stoichiometry. The binding of the chemosensors and Al 3þ /Cu 2þ is chemically reversible by the addition of F � /EDTA solution, respectively.

Compared with other fluorescent probes, ratiometric fluorescence responses are more attractive because the ratio between the two emission intensities can be used to measure the analyte concentration and provide a built-in correction for environmental effects. A highly selective and sensitive ratiometric fluorescent probe for Fe 3+ was synthesized, which exhibits an enhanced fluorescence with a large red-shift in emission from 361 to 455 nm upon addition of Fe 3+ . The red-shift of the emission peak can be ascribed to the reformed orbital, and the increase of emission intensity may be ascribed to the inhibition of the rotation of C–C bonds between each two aromatic rings.

Artemisia annuaL. belongs to the Asteraceae family, which is indigenous to China. It has valuable pharmacological properties, such as antimalarial, anti-inflammatory, and anticancer properties. However, whether it possesses antiasthma properties is unknown. In the current study, chloroform extract ofArtemisia annuaL. (CEAA) was prepared, and we found that CEAA completely eliminated acetylcholine (ACh) or high K+-elicited (80 mM) contractions of mouse tracheal rings (TRs). Patch-clamp technique and ion channel blockers were employed to explore the underlying mechanisms of the relaxant effect of CEAA. In whole-cell current recording, CEAA almost fully abolished voltage-dependent Ca2+channel (VDCC) currents and markedly enhanced large conductance Ca2+-activated K+(BK) channel currents on airway smooth muscle cells (ASMCs). In single channel current recording, CEAA increased the opening probability but had no effect on the single channel conductance of BK channels. However, under paxilline-preincubated (a selective BK channel blocker) conditions, CEAA only slightly increased BK channel currents. These results indicate that CEAA may contain active components with potent antiasthma activity. The abolished VDCCs by CEAA may mainly contribute to the underlying mechanism through which it acts as an effective antiasthmatic compound, but the enhanced BK currents might play a less important role in the antiasthmatic effects.

The zinc oxide whiskers were synthesized by the equilibrium gas expanding method at the temperature of 700 °C with metallic zinc as the main raw material without any catalysts. The effects of the growth time on microstructure and photoluminescence properties were investigated. The results show that the as-grown samples are composed of uniform tetrapod-like ZnO whiskers. The length and diameter of the arms of the tetrapod-like ZnO whiskers increase obviously with the increase of the growth time. The strong single ultraviolet (UV) emission centering 385-391 nm without any accompanying deep-level emission is observed in the room temperature photoluminescence (PL) spectra of the whiskers. The intensity of UV emission increases markedly with the increase of growth time.

In this work, polyaniline co-doped with (IS)-(+)-10-camphorsulfonic acid (D-CSA) and Ni2+was synthesized viain situpolymerization. The structure, conductivity and electromagnetic parameters of the resulting polyaniline were characterized by FTIR, SZ82 digital multimeter and AV3618 network analyzer. The conductivity of polyaniline at room temperature increases with increasing of Ni2+loading. Moreover, the resulting polyaniline co-doped with Ni2+displays obvious magnetic loss at the microwave frequency. So, we suppose that this conducting polymer can be used as microwave absorbing material with wide-range and good effect.

Cu doping zinc oxides (ZnOs) were prepared by a post doping process with CuCl2 at high temperature. With the increase of the dopant loading, the lattice constant c decreased firstly and then increased, which indicated that the doped Cu atoms substituted for Zn atoms at lower loading and extra dopant of the Cu atoms existed as interstitial atoms. UV-Vis diffuse reflectance spectra (UV-DRS) illustrated that the energy band gap was effectively narrowed after Cu doping. The photocatalytic production of hydroxyl radical (•OH) and superoxide anion (O2-) were determined by terephthalic acid with fluorescence spectrophotometer and nitroblue tetrazolium with UV-Vis spectrophotometer respectively, and the results showed that both the photocatalytic production of •OH and O2- were deceased with the increase of the dopant concentration, which indicated that the recombination centers were formed in the samples.

Two new complexes, {[Cd(bimt)(bdc)(H2O)]·2H2O}n (1) and [Cd(bimt)(Hbtc)]n (2) have been synthesized through the self-assembly of Cd(NO3)2·4H2O with unsymmetrical N-heterocyclic ligand 2-((benzoimidazol-yl)methyl)-1H-tetrazole (bimt) and aromatic polycarboxylate acid 1,3-benzenedicarboxylic acid (H2bdc) or 1,3,5-benzenetricarboxylic acid (H3btc). Single crystal X-ray diffraction determination shows that complex 1 possesses an infinite 2-D layered structure with parallelogram grid units. Complex 2 is a 2-D layered structure containing 1-D ladder-like chains linked by the Hbtc2− anions in tridentate bridging fashion. Both complexes are stacked into complicated 3-D frameworks by coordinating bonds and hydrogen bonds in the solid state. In addition, the luminescent properties of both complexes have been investigated in the solid state at room temperature.

Three new complexes formulated as [Zn(bmi) 2 Cl 2 ] (1), [Zn(bmi) 2 (N 3 ) 2 ](2), and [Hg(bmi)Cl 2 ] 2 (3) (bmi = 1-((benzotriazol-1-yl)methyl)-1-H-1,3-imdazole) have been synthesized and characterized by elemental analysis, IR and single crystal X-ray diffraction. Complexes 1 and 2 show mononuclear structures, and complex 3 exhibits binuclear structure. In the solid state, they all possess a three-dimensional network formed by hydrogen bonds and π-π interactions. Their fluorescent properties have also been determined.

Four ferrocenyl complexes with the formulas {[Mn(η 2 -OOC(CH 2 ) 3 Fc) 2 (bbbm)]·CH 3 OH} n ( 1 ), {[Co(OOC(CH 2 ) 3 Fc)(η 2 -OOC(CH 2 ) 3 Fc)(bbbm)]·CH 3 OH} n ( 2 ), {[Ni(OOC(CH 2 ) 3 Fc) 2 (bbbm)(CH 3 OH) 2 ]·2CH 3 OH} n ( 3 ) and [Pb 6 (μ 2 -OOC(CH 2 ) 3 Fc) 2 (μ 3 -OOC(CH 2 ) 3 Fc) 2 (μ 2 -η 2 -OOC(CH 2 ) 3 Fc) 2 (η 2 -OOC(CH 2 ) 3 Fc) 2 (μ 4 -O) 2 ] ( 4 ) (Fc = (η 5 -C 5 H 5 )Fe(η 5 -C 5 H 4 ), bbbm = 1,1-(1,4-butanediyl)bis-1H-benzimidazole) have been synthesized and characterized by single crystal X-ray diffraction. Owing to the different conformations of the bbbm units in complexes 1 (or 2 ) and 3 , complexes 1 and 2 possess 1D helical chain structure with 2 1 screw axes along the b -direction, while complex 3 shows a 1D linear chain structure with ferrocenylbutyrate groups hanging on the chain. Complex 4 is a hexanuclear complex and exhibits a nano-scale wheel-like framework with six Pb(II) ions as a core and eight 4-ferrocenylbutyrate ligands as branches. The cyclic voltammetric studies show that the formal potentials of the four complexes are close to the free ferrocenylbutyrate ligand, which indicates that the coordination of the metal ions to the ferrocenyl ligand does not have significant effects on the redox potential of the ferrocenylbutyrate ligand. Further investigations suggest that the redox processes of the ferrocenylbutyrate ligand and complexes 1 – 4 are all chemically quasi-reversible processes and controlled by diffusion.