Search

Seahorse embryos are brooded in the enclosed nutrient-rich environment of the male brood pouch, which may be prone to bacterial infection. The immune responses of interleukin (IL) genes in the brood pouch have not been well studied. We identified 13 interleukins in the lined seahorse Hippocampus erectus. Tissue-specific expression analysis revealed increased mRNA expression levels of il-1β, il-18, and il-8 in the brood pouch. When challenged with lipopolysaccharide or Vibrio parahaemolyticus, il-1β and il-18 were active as part of the acute and chronic inflammatory responses, respectively. Importantly, il-8 may be involved in powerful antibacterial immune responses and may be induced by il-1β and il-18 via a process involving the nuclear factor-κB signaling pathway. These results suggest that il-1β, il-18, and il-8 may play key roles in the antibacterial immune defense of the brood pouch in male seahorses.

Objective： To compare the efficacy and safety of concurrent chemoradiotherapy with nedaplatin and cisplatin in inoperative locally-advanced non-small cell lung cancer（NSCLC）.Methods： Eighty patients with locally-advanced NSCLC treated in Guanyun County People’s Hospital，Lianyungang，Jiangsu Province，from January 2015 to January 2019 were enrolled as study subjects，and were randomly divided into the nedaplatin group and the cisplatin group，each consisting of 40 patients.The patients in the 2 groups were treated with linear accelerator 6 MV high energy X-ray and 3D-CRT，5 times a week for a succession of 6 weeks，with a total dosage of 55-66 Gy.Then，the patients were given paclitaxel（155 mg/m2） intravenously for 3 hours in the first day after radiotherapy，and the patients in the cisplatin group were treated with cisplatin（80 mg/m2） intravenously for 3 to 4 days，and the patients in the nedaplatin group were given nedaplatin（80 mg/m2） intravenously also for 3 to 4 days.The efficacy，the levels of such serum tumor markers as carcinoembryonic antigen（CEA），carbohydrate antigen 125（CA125），neuron specific enolase（NSE） and cytokeratin fragment antigen 21-1（CYFRA21-1），as well as the rate of adverse drug reactions（ADRs） were compared between the 2 groups.Results： There was no statistical significance in remission rate and disease control rate，when comparisons were made between the 2 groups（P>0.05）.After treatment，CEA，CA125，NSE and CYFRA21-1 levels in the 2 groups were significantly lower than those before treatment（P0.05）.However，NSE and CYFRA21-1 levels in the patients of the nedaplatin group were significantly lower than those of the cisplatin group（P

Waste water treatment with adsorbents has become one of the most effective methods. In this work, we have reported the preparation of the flower-like Cu2MoS4/g-C3N4 composites. The Cu2MoS4 nanosheets were arranged in a flower-like structure by a simple one-step hydrothermal synthesis method and attached to g-C3N4 nanosheets. The as-prepared flower-like Cu2MoS4/g-C3N4 composites was found to have potential for the adsorption of RhB in aqueous solution. The microstructure of the product was analyzed by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectra, X-ray photoelectron spectroscope (XPS), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET). The effects of the ratio of the composite material, the initial concentration of the dye and the contact time were explored. The Langmuir maximum adsorption capacity of the flower-like Cu2MoS4/g-C3N4 composites for RhB was reached 420.2 mg/g. Moreover, the adsorption process is consistent with the pseudo second-order kinetic model, the Langmuir isotherms model and the Freundlich isotherms model.

Herein, we synthesized snowflake-like DNA crystals (SDC) via hybridization chain reaction and used it for the first time in the synthesis of copper nanoclusters with enhanced fluorescence. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) and laser confocal microscopy characterization confirmed that SDC/CuNCs are self-assembled successfully on SDC. Aggregation induced emission allows SDC/CuNCs to exhibit better stability and stronger emission intensity. Thus, we developed the “turn-on” label-free fluorescence detection method of actin based on SDC/CuNCs which offer simplicity, low cost, good selectivity, and high sensitivity. The detection limit was determined to be 0.0124 μg mL−1, which was an order of magnitude lower than that of reported fluorescent methods (0.12 μg mL−1). Compared with previous method, the linear range is also much wider. We also performed standard recovery experiments in actual samples for evaluating the practicality of this strategy and proved that the capability of the proposed approach for the determination of actin is feasible and the interference from complex biological samples is negligible. These results indicate that SDC/CuNCs are expected to play a more important role in the field of biosensors.

Electroreduction of CO2 to formate (ERCF) over a gas diffusion electrode with a Nafion-bonded carbon-supported Sn-based catalyst layer provides a promising approach for formate production. The ERCF performance is largely dependent on the carbon supports. However, the key influencing factors of the carbon supports for the ERCF performance have not yet been elucidated. We employed a variety of carbon supports with different pore structure features (activated carbon, acetylene black, and ordered mesoporous carbon) to explore the main factors influencing ERCF performance. The results showed that the pore size distribution was crucial for the ERCF performance. The ideal pore size was 5–20 nm. As it had the highest specific surface area within this pore size range among all the carbon supports examined, the ordered mesoporous carbon support obtained the highest ERCF performance (Faraday efficiency and current density for formate were 97.45 ± 2.97% and 80.12 ± 5.91 mA cm−2, respectively). Further analyses revealed that the increased ERCF performance was likely due to the large electroactive surface area, enhanced surface adsorption and activation capability of CO2, mesopore-induced proton transfer limitations for the hydrogen evolution reaction, and excellent charge transfer. This work is of significance for the further design of high-performance gas diffusion electrodes for the ERCF process.

Folic acid (FA) supramolecular gel was prepared in a mixture solvent of N -methylpyrrolidone (NMP)/H 2 O at a 1/1 volume ratio by using FA as gelator with a concentration of 0.4% (w/v). In the mixture solvent, NMP was first of time used as a good solvent to tune the solvent properties in order to be able to induce formation of FA supramolecular gel. The folic acid-gelatin (FA-GA) hybrid gels were synthesized by adding different amount of gelatin (GA) into FA gelator. The gelation temperature (T Gel ) of the FA-GA hybrid gel is 30 °C which is much higher than that of FA gel (10 °C). The gel to sol transition temperature (T GS ) is about 58 °C, which demonstrates that the hybrid gel has good stability at room temperature. The FT-IR and UV–vis spectra of FA-GA hybrid gel indicate that GA involves in the self-assembly process of FA via hydrogen bonding and π-π interactions with FA molecules. Owing to the π-π interaction happened between FA and GA molecules the fluorescence intensity of FA-GA gel is four times as high as that of FA gel. SEM images shows that the hybrid gel has a helical-fiber network structure which would enhance the gel strength to a great extent. Good stability, large specific surface and porosity in three-dimensional network structure of the FA-GA hybrid gel make it a highly promising adsorbent for dye adsorption. The FA-GA hybrid gel is able to absorb 63.5% of Congo red (CR), 68% of methyl blue (MB) and 44% of methyl orange (MO) respectively from their solutions.

A photocatalyst consisting of a cellulose hydrogel loaded with Cd x Zn1−x S (Cd x Zn1−x S-Gel) was prepared, and its photocatalytic water splitting activity was studied. At room temperature, the Cd x Zn1−x S particles with an average size of about 3 nm were loaded in carboxymethyl cellulose hydrogel by an in situ chemical reaction. This synthesis method was simple and repeatable. Diffuse reflectance UV–vis results showed that it is possible to adjust the optical properties of the synthesized photocatalysts by adjusting their composition. Under visible light irradiation, the hydrogen production rate of the photocatalysts was greatly improved. In the absence of a co-catalyst, Cd0.2Zn0.8S-Gel obtained the highest hydrogen production rate of 1762.5 μmol g−1 h−1, which is almost 104 times of that of the pure CdS. Moreover, after four hydrogen production cycles, the hydrogen production rate did not decrease significantly, showing excellent stability. It is noteworthy that the Cd x Zn1−x S-Gel can easily be removed from the aqueous solution after hydrogen production. This is a new approach for manufacturing easy recoverable visible-light-driven photocatalysts, which is vital for hydrogen production through a “green” process.

Tetra (4-carboxyphenyl) porphyrin (TCPP) was loaded on the surface of Pt/g-C3N4 via a simple adsorption process, and the microstructure and chemical structure of the composites were characterized by high resolution transmission electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, UV–visible diffused reflectance spectroscopy and photoluminescence spectroscopy. Loading TCPP onto Pt/g-C3N4 enhanced the visible-light-driven photocatalytic evolution of H2 from water. The TCPP/Pt/g-C3N4 composite with a TCPP loading of 1 wt% had the highest photoactivity, which was 2.1 times higher than that of Pt/g-C3N4. This improvement is attributed to enhanced visible light utilization by the TCPP/Pt/g-C3N4 resulting from the strong visible light response of TCPP. In addition, the formed organic heterostructure between TCPP and g-C3N4 with overlapping bad gaps accelerates the electron transfer and inhibits the recombination of the photogenerated electrons and holes on g-C3N4.

Sn-based gas diffusion electrodes (GDEs) are promising for electroreduction of CO2 to formate (ERCF) as they can alleviate CO2 mass transfer limitations. However, current electrodes suffer from large catalyst size or poor electron and/or ion connections. This limits ERCF performance. Here, we report a Sn-based GDE (IE-Sn) for ERCF fabricated via deposition of Sn nanoparticles onto a gas diffusion layer by using an impregnation-electroreduction method. The characterization results showed that the IE-Sn has small Sn catalyst size (16 nm) and excellent electronic and ionic transfer properties. Moreover, the faradaic efficiency (87.12 ± 4.28%) and partial current density for formate (62.79 ± 5.33 mA cm−2) obtained from the IE-Sn is 2.45-fold and 4.86-fold, respectively, of those of the traditional electrode. This ERCF performance is one of the best among recently reported Sn-based GDEs under similar conditions. Further analyses reveal that the enhanced ERCF performance of the IE-Sn is linked to the large electroactive surface area, enhanced adsorption capacity and chemisorption ability of CO2, better stabilization of CO2.– intermediate, and excellent ion/electron transfer. This study offers design rules to fabricate high-performance electrode materials for ERCF.

Objective Intestinal mucosal barrier damage is an important mechanism for the development of sepsis and multiple organ dysfunction syndrome. At present, there are no satisfactory and effective methods for the protection of the intestinal mucosal barrier. Jinzhi, the first fecal microbiota transplantation worldwide, is often used to treat critically ill patients; however, the specific mechanism involved in this process remains unclear. The aim of this study was to investigate the therapeutic effect and mechanism of Jinzhi intervention on mice with sepsis induced through treatment with lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Methods Mice were intraperitoneally injected with LPS to simulate intestinal mucosal barrier function damage in sepsis; intervention was performed through the oral administration of Jinzhi. The effect of Jinzhi on LPS-induced sepsis was analyzed by comparing the vital signs and survival rate of mice under different treatments. Pathological staining and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay were used to identify the effects of LPS or treatment with Jinzhi on the intestinal mucosal barrier in mice. The effect of LPS or treatment with Jinzhi on the intestinal flora was analyzed via 16S rRNA gene sequencing of ileal contents. Results Immunohistochemistry and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay showed that treatment with LPS increased levels of inflammatory factors (interleukin-1α, interleukin-6, tumor necrosis factor-α), caspase-3, and caspase-8 in the serum and ileum, and destroyed the tight junction between epithelial cells. Intervention with Jinzhi reduced levels of serum LPS and tumor necrosis factor-α, and repaired the tight junction between epithelial cells. Furthermore, 16S rRNA gene sequencing analysis showed that treatment with Jinzhi improved the diversity and physiological function of the intestinal flora. Conclusions These results suggest that Jinzhi may be a promising option for the treatment of sepsis caused by LPS, and emphasize that Jinzhi exerts a recovery effect on the imbalance of intestinal flora.

Porous polyacrylamide hydrogel (PAM) was prepared by polymerization at room temperature. Cadmium sulfide/polyacrylamide hydrogels (CdS/PAM) was synthesized by in situ loading CdS nanoparticles and used for photocatalytic decomposition of water for the first time. The size distribution of the loaded CdS nanoparticles is 3–12 nm. We studied the enhanced photocatalytic activity and photo-corrosion inhibition of CdS/PAM the compared with pure CdS and probed the mechanism of the improvement. In particular, the CdS/PAM prepared in 0.003 M CdCl2 solution exhibited the highest hydrogen production efficiency of 2.929 mmol g−1 h−1, about 79 times that of pure CdS. The results demonstrate that the formation of new N–Cd bond and high transmittance of CdS/PAM dramatically enhance photocatalytic activity. The electron cloud of nitrogen atom can attract holes and repel photogenerated electrons, which lowers the carrier recombination probability. The results also reveal that the excellent hydrophilicity of hydrogel plays an important role in the inhibition of photocorrosion. In addition, CdS/PAM is easily recycled and processed. The present work will pave a good way for the application of smart hydrogels in the field of photocatalytic hydrogen production.

A simple and convenient method was used to synthesize a graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4) nanoporous-tube by using SiO2 nanoparticles as pore formers. The structure of the g-C3N4 nanoporous-tube was characterized by the SEM and TEM images. Taking photodegradation of RhB as an example, the photocatalytic activity of the as-prepared g-C3N4 nanoporous-tube was investigated. It can photodegrade 90% RhB in 40 min under visible-light irradiation and obtain a k value of 0.04491 min-1, which is 8.16 times that of bulk g-C3N4, 3.09 times that of tubular g-C3N4 and 1.48 times that of tubular g-C3N4-SiO2. The significant enhancement in photocatalytic efficiency is due to the edge effect of the pores and the special structure of the tubes. In addition, the possible mechanism of photocatalytic degradation of RhB was also proposed based on the trapping experiment of active species, which indicated that the superoxide radicals ([Formula: see text]) and the holes (h +) were the main reactive species in this photocatalyst. This work may open up a new idea of innovation in g-C3N4 structure and inspire its follow-up study.

The magnetic properties and magnetocaloric effect in Fe 4 MnSi 3 B x compounds with x =0, 0.05, 0.10, 0.15, 0.20, 0.25 have been investigated. X-ray diffraction study shows that all these compounds investigated crystallize in the Mn 5 Si 3 -type structure with space group P6 3 /mcm. Boron insertion in the host ternary silicide Fe 4 MnSi 3 does not change the crystal symmetry, only leads to an increase of the lattice parameters, indicating the B atoms entered the interstitial sites. With increasing B content, the Curie temperature shifts to higher temperatures. The maximal magnetic-entropy changes of the Fe 4 MnSi 3 B x compounds with x =0, 0.10 and 0.20 are about 1.8 J/(kg·K), 1.8 J/(kg·K) and 1.6 J/(kg·K), respectively, for a field change from 0 to 1.5 T.