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Basalt fiber-reinforced polymer (BFRP) is a high-strength, lightweight material with an anti-corrosion property and a thermal expansion coefficient that is close to that of concrete. When used as an anchor bolt material, the corrosion problem of steel anchors can be solved fundamentally. In recent years, the BFRP bar has been applied in geotechnical anchorage engineering. In this study, the mechanical properties of the BFRP bar were studied by tensile, shear, corrosion resistance, and bonding strength tests with cement-based materials. In accordance with the design specifications of the steel anchor and existing research results, the design parameters of the non-prestressed BFRP anchor in supporting soil slope were proposed. To examine the reinforcing effect of the BFRP anchor, this study adopted the recommended parameters to design a BFRP anchor in an actual soil slope. A field contrast test of the steel anchor was also carried out. Experimental studies yielded the following conclusions. First, the tensile-strength safety factor of the non-prestressed BFRP bar should not be less than 1.6 (permanent) and 1.4 (temporary). The tensile-strength standard value was 80% of the ultimate tensile strength, and the value of the BFRP bar (diameter ≥ 12 mm) commonly used as an anchor was 710 MPa. The bonding-strength standard value between the BFRP bar and cement was equal to the average value divided by 2.1 of the pull-out test, and the common value was 2.8 MPa. The monitoring field test data proved that the designed BFRP anchor demonstrates better control displacement and can effectively retain soil slope. Moreover, the reinforcing effect of the BFRP anchor was equivalent to that of the steel anchor. Thus, the design of the BFRP anchor is reasonable, and the equal strength substitution method can be used to design the BFRP anchor.

Superior thermal quenching and degradation of phosphors are required for long lifetime lighting devices, such as light-emitting diodes, which can be realized through composition modification. Here, Al-N bonds in AlON: Eu 2+ phosphors are substituted by higher bond order of Si-C. Photoluminescence (PL) results show thermal quenching (at 150 °C) and thermal degradation (after 600 °C treatment in air) are improved by 5% and 8% with a small decrease of PL intensity in 5% SiC doped AlON: Eu 2+ phosphor. To explain these observations, first-principles computational study was performed to understand the Si and C configuration in AlON:Eu 2+ . The calculations reveal that Si and C elements are not randomly distributed in AlON lattice. It was found that Si prefers occupying tetrahedral sites (Td-Si) and the insertion of C in Td-Si is always energetically favorable, which results in the formation of SiC 4 and SiNC 3 clusters. Thus, the Al-N substitution by Si-C induces a stronger local structure, which accounts for the emission redshift and better thermal stability.

Advanced microscopic technology opens up the opportunity of investigating the microstructure of novel materials and devices. In particular, high-resolution Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) allows for the atomistic observation of materials for a variety of applications. To improve the imaging capability, several tip morphologies have been proposed to be employed in the AFM field. Among such morphologies, the carbon nanotube (CNT) has drawn extensive attention in recent years due to its high resolution and mechanical strength in imaging conditions. However, the exact theoretical basis for employing the nanotube in advanced AFM remains elusive up to this point. Here, we explore the theoretical basis for employing the nanotube morphology in advanced AFM. To do so, van der Waals (vdW) interaction between the nanotube and a planar disc, a key factor for achieving high imaging sensitivity, is evaluated. The results unanimously verify that nanotube morphology has unprecedented advantages over traditional cone-shaped AFM tips.

Copper nanostructures have aroused extensive research interests due to their large number of applications in phonology, electronics, catalysis, etc . Here, we have developed a novel single-step redox colloidal route to construct three-dimensional (3D) nanoporous Cu leaves. By tuning the surface chemistry of copper nuclei, the morphology of as-prepared copper nanocrystals can be adjusted from nanoparticles to leaves. The 3D Cu leaves own anisotropic nanoporous structure and exhibit surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) performance with an enhancement factor of ∼10 6 . The present facile and low-cost route to develop 3D nanoporous Cu leaves provides an efficient platform for achieving high-performance nanostructures for next generation photocathode applications.

Designable control over the morphology and structure of active materials is highly desirable for achieving high-performance devices. Here, we develop a facile microwave-assisted synthesis to decorate MnO2 nanocrystals on three-dimensional (3D) graphite-like capsules (GCs) to obtain sandwich nanostructures (3D MnO2@GCs@MnO2) as electrode materials for electrochemical capacitors (ECs). A templated growth of the 3D GCs was carried out via catalytic chemical vapor deposition and MnO2 was decorated on the exterior and interior surfaces of the GC walls through microwave irradiation to build an engineered architecture with robust structural and morphological stability. The unique sandwiched architecture has a large interfacial surface area, and allows for rapid electrolyte diffusion through its hollow/open framework and fast electronic motion via the carbon backbone. Furthermore, the tough and rigid nature of GCs provides the necessary structural stability, and the strong synergy between MnO2 and GCs leads to hi...

In this study, hydroxyapatite-containing coatings were prepared by microarc oxidation on AZ31 magnesium alloy surface to improve its biodegradation performance. Five applied voltages were chosen to prepare the MAO coatings. The results demonstrate that the number of micropores in the films increases but their dimensions decrease after higher voltage is applied. As the surface roughness of the MAO coatings increases with the applied voltage, the wettability of the coatings improves continuously. The MAO coatings were mainly composed of magnesium oxide (MgO) and hydroxyapatite. The amount of hydroxyapatite phase increased with increasing voltage that was applied. The bonding strength became slightly weaker after a higher voltage was applied. But the bonding strengths of all the coatings were consistently higher than 37 MPa, which met the requirement of implant biomaterials. All coatings exhibited higher corrosion resistances and lower hydrogen evolution rate than the bare AZ31 Mg substrate, implying that the degradation rate of the AZ31 Mg alloy was enhanced by the hydroxyapatite-containing coatings. The results indicate that the present treatment of applying hydroxyapatite-containing coatings is a promising technique for the degradable Mg-based biomaterials for orthopedic applications.

As a novel alternative biodegradable metal, magnesium possesses great potential and feasibility for bone fracture fixation due to its suitable mechanical properties, high degradability and biocompatibility. However, poor corrosion resistance in physiological fluids restricts their practical applications. In this study, HA contained coating on AZ31 Mg alloy substrate is prepared by MAO technique under various treatment times. The effect of treatment time on microstructure, composition, mechanical and corrosion properties is systematically investigated. The results indicate that MAO treatment is an effective route to improve the corrosion resistance. The enhanced corrosion is attributed to the barrier effect of the coatings. The failure mechanism of the MAO samples in Hank's solution is studied by long time immersion. A model for corrosion mechanism and corrosion process of the MAO coating on AZ31 Mg alloy in Hank's solution is proposed.

Graphitic carbon (GC) coatings on the surface of functional materials have received tremendous attention because of their significant effect on surface chemistry. Herein, we have explained the interactions of a carbon source (acetylene) on the surface of functional material (tetrapod-zinc oxide, T-ZnO) through Density Functional Theory (DFT) calculations. DFT studies suggested that the growth of GC in the catalytic chemical vapour deposition (CCVD) process follows two typical pathways: one is chemo/physioadsorption of acetelyne on the T-ZnO surface, and the second one is decomposition of acetylene on the T-ZnO surface to activate carbon atoms that are restructured to generate a GC layer on the T-ZnO surface. Therefore, such a growth through catalytic accumulation reaction of carbon species on the substrate surface is named as vapour-dissociation-solid (VDS) growth. To support our theoretical observation, the GCs on the surface of T-ZnO are grown using acetylene through CCVD, and the results strongly support the VDS growth mechanism. The varying conditions of the CCVD process results in two types of microstructures including a smooth GC coating on T-ZnO that can also yield functional hollow GC nanostructures through acid leaching of the metallic part and ZnC8 nanoparticles embedded in GC walls. The high resolution microscopic analyses confirm the existence of ZnC8 in the nanospheres with an average size of 5.36 nm, which authenticates the decomposition followed by the solid deposition to form the GC on the substrate surface and supports a unique VDS growth mechanism. Therefore, an in-depth study of the GC growth mechanism and its fine coating on complex structures will facilitate research in the prevention of metal oxidation and the design of novel active materials for sensors, environment, energy and medical applications.

Microglia are the primary immune cells in the central nervous system and undergo significant morphological and transcriptional changes after traumatic brain injury (TBI). However, their exact contribution to the pathogenesis of TBI is still debated and remains to be elucidated. In the present study, thy-1 GFP mice received a colony-stimulating factor 1 receptor inhibitor (PLX3397) for 21 consecutive days, then were subjected to moderate fluid percussion injury (FPI). Brain samples were collected at 1 day and 3 days after FPI for flow cytometry analysis, immunofluorescence, dendrite spine quantification, terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling assay, and Western blot. We found that PLX3397 treatment significantly attenuated the percentages of resident microglia and infiltrated immune cells. Depletion of microglia promoted neurite outgrowth, preserved dendritic spines and reduced total brain cell and neuronal apoptosis after FPI, which was accompanied by decreased the protein levels of endoplasmic reticulum stress marker proteins, C/EBP-homologous protein and inositol-requiring kinase 1α. Taken together, these findings suggest that microglial depletion may exert beneficial effects in the acute stage of FPI.

Most microwave absorbers lose their function under harsh working conditions, such as a high temperature and an oxidative environment. Here, we developed a heterogeneous ZrN

This study focuses on the effects of loading and unloading conditions on mechanical behaviors of a sandstone and mudstone. Two-type triaxial tests were carried out. One is the conventional triaxial test, in which the condition is an axial pressure controlled loading. The other is the unloading triaxial test, in which the condition is an axial pressure controlled preloading phase until reaching some 85% of estimated failure strength followed by a confining pressure controlled second loading phase until reaching failure strength. The experimental data indicate that the mechanical behaviors obtained from the unloading triaxial tests, such as the specimens’ failure surface, strain–stress curve, triaxial compressive strength, and triaxial shear strength, are different from ones obtained from the conventional triaxial tests. The failure surface observed in the conventional triaxial tests is a simple inclined slope, but, in the unloading triaxial tests, it is complex including two or more intersecting faces. The crest of deviatoric stress and corresponding axial strain obtained from the unloading triaxial tests are smaller. Some indexes to denote mechanical behaviors of rocks, such as triaxial compressive strength, angle of internal friction, and angle of shearing resistance, obtained from the unloading triaxial tests, are greater.

Early detection of peptide aggregate intermediates is quite challenging because of their variable and complex nature as well as due to lack of reliable sensors for diagnosis. Herein, we report the detection of monomers and oligomers using specified fluorescence and a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) multimodal probe based on bovine-serum-albumin-capped fluorine functionalized graphene quantum dots (BSA@FGQDs). This probe enables in vitro fluorescence-based monitoring of human islet amyloid polypeptide (hIAPP), insulin, and amyloid β(1–42) (Aβ42) monomers and oligomers during the fibrillogenesis dynamic. Up to 90% fluorescence quenching of BSA@FGQDs probe upon addition of amyloid monomers/oligomers was observed due to static quenching and nonradiative energy transfer. Moreover, the BSA@FGQDs probe shows 10 times higher signals in detecting amyloid intermediates and fibrils than that of conventional thioflavin dye. A negative ΔG° value (−36.21 kJ/mol) indicates spontaneous interaction of probe with the pept...

Transition-metal dichalcogenides (TMDs), such as VSe2, are widely explored as promising hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) electrocatalysts, however, the catalytically inert basal planes remain a great challenge limiting the H2 evolution process. Herein, a defect-engineering approach is adopted to activate the inert basal planes of VSe2 by embedding Se vacancies in the crystal lattice via the sealed-quartz tube technology at controlled reaction conditions. The Se vacancies are introduced by tuning the molar ratio of V and Se powders which in situ forms V3+ to revamp the electronic configuration and expose more catalytic active sites favoring reduce the Gibbs free energy of hydrogen adsorption (△GH). The upgraded VSe2-1.8 delivers an overpotential value of 160 mV at a current density of 10 mA cm−2 which shows its superiority compared with the reported literatures. Not only that, a small Tafel slope 85 mV dec-1 and excellent stability for 48 h demonstrate its fast reaction kinetics and applicability for a long period of time. Moreover, the theoretical calculation results also indicate that introducing proper Se-vacancy density to form the separate defects on the basal plane of VSe2 can yield the optimal △GH, which achieve higher intrinsic HER activity. Furthermore, a high throughput synthesis device is designed for large-scale preparation of the catalysts which is much suitable for application at commercial level. The defect engineering technique to trigger more active sites provides a novel and efficient way to enhance HER performance of 2D TMDs.

Generally speaking, thermal stability is the key factor for microwave absorbers (MAs) at high temperature. In this paper, we first propose to apply a novel material called Cr2AlC (CAC) in the high temperature field. The self-made high purity CAC powder prepared by salt bath exhibits good microwave absorption performance and outstanding. Thermogravimetric (TG) analysis indicates the CAC begins to oxidize significantly above 800 °C. Moreover, the effective medium theory is adopted to calculate the microwave absorption performance for the CAC/paraffin composite material. We found that the sample with 70 wt% CAC (CAC70) has a minimum reflection loss of −25.09 dB at 11.08 GHz and its effective absorption bandwidth (below −10 dB) is 2.2 GHz (10.2–12.4 GHz) at the thickness of 2.00 mm, which indicates a thin layer of Al2O3 at room temperature will not affect the entry of electromagnetic waves and internal electrical losses. The high anti-oxidation layered structure CAC provides an opportunity to expand microwave absorption in high temperature applications.

Exploring effective microwave absorption materials is always a challenge especially in the relatively low frequency range of 2–8 GHz and broad absorption band. Here we developed a Fe 3 C/helical carbon nanotube (HCNT) hybrid structures synthesized via catalytic chemical vapor deposition (CCVD) using Fe 3 O 4 nanoparticles as catalyst. The microwave-absorbing characteristics of such hybrid nanomaterials were investigated based on the transmission line theory through the evaluation of the experimental data including complex permittivity and permeability. Considering the reaction temperature range of 400–750 °C, the as-prepared hybrid synthesized at 700 °C can be adjusted to have effective performance of RL value less than −10 dB in the relatively lower frequency ranged from 2.9 GHz to 9.9 GHz at the thickness range of 2–5 mm. Furthermore, the hybrid in case of 750 °C bears bandwidths with RL lower than −10 dB from 7.3 GHz to 18 GHz and the minimum RL is about −21 dB. The observed advantageous reflection loss was attributed to the pronounced impedance match owing to the reasonable synergistic effect between magnetic nanoparticles and HCNTs.

Two-dimensional graphene is easy to aggregate and hard to transfer because of the van der Waals forces between graphene layers. The three-dimensional (3D) graphite-like capsules (GCs) disperse well and exhibit robust structural stability and have a potential for promising applications in energy storage, drug delivery, catalyst substrate, etc. Here, we develop a catalytic chemical vapor deposition route for the synthesis of 3D GCs with unprecedented thickness and morphology control. The theoretical results indicate that the strong chemisorption and charge transfer between ZnO and acetylene allow the layer-by-layer formation of GCs that is later confirmed by the experimental data. The 3D GCs are synthesized with thickness control from three atomic layers to ∼300 atomic layers over various oxides with predesigned shapes of microscale tetrapods, nanospheres, nanorods, nanocubes, etc. In particular, the formation mechanism of GCs is investigated using the ZnO surface as a catalyst through systematically experi...

Small ubiquitin-related modifier protein (SUMO) is an evolutionarily conserved protein in a broad range of eukaryotic organisms. De-SUMOylation, the reverse reaction of SUMOylation, is regulated by a family of SUMO-specific proteases (SENPs). SENP1 is a member of the de-SUMOylation protease family involved in the de-SUMOylation of a variety of SUMOylated proteins. The present study demonstrates that small hairpin RNA (shRNA)-mediated downregulation of SENP1 inhibits cell proliferation and migration, and promotes apoptosis in human glioma cells. Firstly, LN-299 cells were transfected with a plasmid expressing SENP1 shRNA (pGenesil-1-SENP1). The messenger RNA and protein expression of SENP1 was detected by reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction and western blot analysis, respectively. Cell proliferation in vitro was assessed using a methyl thiazolyl tetrazolium assay. Flow cytometry (FCM) was used to detect the apoptosis of LN-299 cells. The effect of the downregulation of SENP1 on cell migration was detected by a Transwell migration system. The present results showed that, compared with the control shRNA group, the expression of SENP1 was significantly reduced in the SENP1 shRNA group. The proliferation was markedly inhibited in the SENP1 shRNA group. FCM findings revealed that apoptosis increased significantly in the SENP1 shRNA group. In addition, it was found that downregulation of SENP1 evidently suppressed tumor cell migration. Downregulation of SENP1 expression inhibited the proliferation and migration and promoted apoptosis in LN-299 cells. These results indirectly demonstrate that SENP1 is likely to play a critical role in human glioma cells.

Zirconium diboride exhibits high thermal conductivities and high melting point, which are beneficial for use in extreme environments. Examples including cutting tools, high-temperature electrodes and leading edges of hypersonic space vehicles. However, there is limited literature on the infrared properties of ZrB2 thin films. In this study, we report the results of infrared emissivity of sputter-deposited films and post-annealed films. X-ray diffraction shows promoted crystalline quality and grains growth for ZrB2 films with the increasing annealing temperature and time. The thin film exhibits high thermal stability and a low infrared emissivity of 0.01 (8 ~ 14 μm) after annealed at 1000℃ for 10 h. Besides, with an increase in annealing temperature and annealing time, film densification and grains growth were observed, leading to decrease of electrical resistivity and infrared emissivity.

As a promising material for electromagnetic microwave absorption, FeSiAl (FSA) alloy always suffers from inadequate corrosion resistance in the marine environment. Herein, the Raman and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) depth profiling techniques are adopted to investigate the basic corrosion behavior of FSA in salt spray environment. The Raman analysis contributes to the understanding of the composition change at various corrosive periods while the XPS depth profiling reveals the corrosion process of Fe0→Fe2+→Fe3+ in a sequence. The observed corrosion rates (CRs) of FSA immersed in 5 wt% NaCl solution for 1, 24 and 48 h are 2.99 × 10−12, 4.90 × 10−12 and 5.85 × 10−12 m/s, respectively. The increasing value of CRs as a function of time demonstrates the accelerated corrosion tendency. Moreover, to suppress the corrosive behavior of FSA alloy, carbon is decorated on its surface by catalytic chemical vapor deposition method using acetylene as the carbon source. The carbon coating restrains the corrosion process by impermeability and hydrophobicity of carbon materials in corrosive mediums. This study will help in the designing of microwave absorbers which can resist corrosion in harsh reaction conditions as well as available at commercial level to save the economy.

It is a challenge to recover copper from low grade ore in an environmentally sustainable way, especially from low-grade copper sulfide resources. This paper introduces Zijinshan Mine where an integrated process was developed and applied to recover copper from low-grade copper sulfide ore and acid mine drainage (AMD). The process includes the main operations of milling-flotation, heap bioleaching, solvent extraction-electrowinning (HBL-SX-EW) and copper precipitation. Ore with a grade higher than 0.25% Cu is fed to milling-flotation plant to produce copper concentrates, while the ore with grade lower than 0.25% Cu is sent to HBL-SX-EW to produce copper cathode via SX-EW. Because the copper resource consists mainly of secondary copper sulfides with high pyrite, and the mine is located in a region of high rainfall, a large volume of acid mine drainage is generated. In order to protect the environment, recover copper and make acid and iron balance, the acid mine drainage is respectively distributed to heap bioleaching, SX and sulfide precipitation, depending on the copper concentration of the wastewater. The paper also introduces the progress of tailings utilization, environmental protection and mine ecological restoration at Zijinshan mine.

Designing of materials which can resist aging and corrosion in harsh reaction conditions is required to mitigate the omnipresent issue of electromagnetic interference pollution. Particularly, FeSiAl alloy is a relevant composite material, however, it always suffers aging and corrosion when exposed to crude saline environment. Herein, Carbon-encapsulated FeSiAl (FeSiAl@C) hybrid flakes are developed by catalytic chemical vapor deposition (CCVD) technique through the reaction of FeSiAl precursor with acetylene (C2H2) gas at 300 °C for 5 min. The carbon coating efficiently improves the impedance matching characteristics of FeSiAl powder leading to enhance microwave absorption. Not only that, the carbon capsule also plays an effective shielding function to prevent the alloy from corroding. Specifically, the FeSiAl@C-300 °C delivers increased complex permeability and permittivity in the frequency range of 7–14 GHz, as well as improved impedance matching. In addition, the corrosion resistance is measured using linear sweep voltammetry (LSV) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) in 5 wt% NaCl solution. The results indicate that the synthesized hybrid exhibits excellent corrosion resistance capability. So, the composite synthesis is a worthy approach to design hybrid materials for effective microwave absorption and corrosion resistance properties for practical applications.

Structural and chemical stability is the key factors of microwave absorbers for their applications in case of high-temperature oxidation. In this study, a plasma-induced method is developed to get a multistrata core-shell structure of FeSiAl@Al2O3@SiO2 with bifunctional performances of microwave absorption and anti-oxidation. Within a dense microstructure, the Al2O3 and SiO2 ceramic shell layers mitigate oxygen transport to prevent corrosion at high temperature. Consequently, the magnetic FeSiAl core is well-protected against oxidation up to 1279 °C in air and exhibits excellent microwave absorption property. In particular, dense ceramic layers effectively reduce the permittivity of FeSiAl without losing permeability. Furthermore, the novel FSA@GCLs microstructures are enriched with multiple interfaces to favor the interfacial polarization and vast internal scattering probabilities. Because of the strong synergistic magnetic-dielectric effects, the multistrata core-shell structure of FeSiAl@Al2O3@SiO2 owns a minimum reflection loss of −46.29 dB at 16.93 GHz and its wide bandwidth (with an RL value of −10 dB) particularly acquire 7.33 GHz in the frequency range of 10.14–17.45 GHz. The highly stable multistrata core-shell opens up the opportunities of extending the microwave absorption as well as anti-oxidation applications.

In rechargeable lithium ion batteries (LIBs), the separator undergoes stresses in repeated charge and discharge processes. Polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) gel separators own excellent thermal stability and electrolyte wettability, but their limited mechanical strength cannot sustain severe strains under the conditions of large Li ion fluxes, mechanical and thermal shocks of batteries. In this report, a solid-electrolyte-reinforced gel separator is prepared through a single-step electrophoretic deposition on a stable surfactant-free colloid of PVDF-HFP and Al-doped Li6.75La3Zr1.75Ta0.25O12 (LLZTO). The LLZTO/PVDF-HFP separator owns a 3D laminated structure, a mechanical strength of 28.6 MPa, a room-temperature ionic conductivity of 7.13 × 10−4 S cm−1 and improved thermal stability. With the LLZTO/PVDF-HFP separator, LiFePO4 LIBs deliver a threshold discharge capacity of 170 mAh g−1 at 0.1 C and stable cycling with nearly zero capacity decay over 100 cycles at 0.5 C.

Liver cancer is considered the sixth most commonly diagnosed cancer and the fourth leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide. Currently, there is no specific and effective therapy for hepatocellular carcinoma. Therefore, developing novel diagnostic and therapeutic strategies against hepatocellular carcinoma is of paramount importance. Solute carrier family 6 member 8 (SLC6A8) encodes the solute carrier family 6-8 to transport creatine into cells in a Na+ and Cl-- dependent manner. SLC6A8 deficiency is characterized by intellectual disabilities, loss of speech, and behavioral abnormalities. Of concern, the association of SLC6A8 with hepatocellular carcinoma remains elusive. In this study, we revealed that SLC6A8 knockdown significantly induced apoptosis and suppressed the migration and invasion of Hep3B and Huh-7 cells. These findings depicted the vital role of SLC6A8 in the initiation and progression of human hepatocellular carcinoma.

Background Mild hypothermia is wildly used in clinical treatment of traumatic brain injury (TBI). However, the effect of mild hypothermia on endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress‐induced apoptosis after severe TBI is still unknown. Methods In the present study, we used BALB/c mice to investigate the efficacy of posttraumatic mild hypothermia in reducing ER stress. Severe TBI was induced by controlled cortical impact injury. Mild hypothermia treatment was performed immediately after surgery and maintained for 4 hr. The animals were euthanized at 1 and 7 days after severe TBI. The expression levels of ER stress marker proteins were evaluated using Western blot and immunofluorescence. Cell apoptosis rate was analyzed by TUNEL staining. Neuronal functions of the mice were assessed using rotarod test and Morris water maze. Results Our results revealed that mild hypothermia significantly attenuated ER stress marker proteins, including p‐eIF2α/eIF2α, ATF4, CHOP and IRE‐1α, and reduced apoptosis rate in the pericontusion region at 1 and 7 days after severe TBI. Interestingly, mild hypothermia also prevented the translocation of CHOP into nucleus. In addition, posttraumatic mild hypothermia significantly improved neuronal functions after severe TBI. Conclusions Our findings illustrated that mild hypothermia could reduce ER stress‐induced apoptosis and improve neuronal functions after severe traumatic brain injury.

The new varieties of Salvia miltiorrhiza were bred by the variety comparison test.Taking these varieties of CDS1,CDS2,CDS3,CDS4,CDS5 as the test varieties, which bred by system seletion from abundant germplasm resources,the conventional variety as the control, the test were arranged in Ximeishan, Linjiagou, Shiya, Hexing Village of Zhongjiang county in 2010 and 2011. And the new varieties from the growth cycle,line of characters,yield, quality and other aspects of Salvia miltiorrhiza were evaluated.CDS2 had the highest yield which was significantly higher than the control group. The growth period were 250 ~ 270 days,the seed germination were early,and the plants were taller. And the medicine merchandise traits were better, the salvianolic acid and the tanshinone were significantly higher. CDS2 was named as the "Zhongdan 1"by crop variety Committee of Sichuan province in2012,which identified by technology field in 2011."Zhongdan 1"is a new variety through the certification authority validation,which has a great popularization value in the production.

Aerospace vehicles are subjected to high temperatures because of surrounding aerodynamic drag and the formation of large temperature gradients across the external structural parts of their airframe. To protect the vehicles, high-infrared emissivity coatings that can radiate a large amount of heat into outer space are in demand. In this work, we describe the development and characterization of high emissivity ceramic coatings formed on a TC4 alloy surface by micro-arc oxidation. We evaluate, in particular, the influence of NiSO4 concentration on current-time response, the thickness, surface roughness, morphologies, bonding strength, and emissivity of these coatings. The results indicate that by increasing the NiSO4 concentration in electrolytes, the thickness and surface roughness of the coatings increase. The bonding strength becomes smaller with increasing concentration of NiSO4, but is still maintains a value higher 30 MPa. The coatings possess good thermal shock resistance after being subjected to severe thermal shocks for 50 cycles, and no peeling of the coating is observed. A higher concentration of NiSO4 in electrolytes also leads to an increasing percentage of the nickel components in the coating to form a NiO phase, which enhances the emissivity of the coatings in the wavelength range of 3-8 μm.

Microwave absorption is a critical challenge with progression in electronics, where fine structural designing of absorbent materials plays an effective role in optimizing their microwave absorption properties. Here, we have developed Fe

Three new C20-diterpenoid alkaloids vilmorrianines E (1), F (2), and G (3) were isolated from the whole plants of Aconitum vilmorrianum, along with one artifact N-chloromethyl vilmorrianine E hydrochloride (4), as well as two known alkaloids hemsleyaconitines F (5) and G (6). The structures of 1-4 were established by HR-ESI-MS, 1D-, 2D-NMR (HMQC, HMBC, and NOESY), and single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis. In addition, the structures of naturally occurring 2-O-acetylorochrine (7) and orochrine (8) were revised to be the known alkaloids heterophylloidine (9) and deacetyl heterophylloidine (10), respectively, on the basis of consideration of transannular effect and chemical correlations.

A method is designed to improve the luminescence of AlN-based phosphors by tuning the band structure and crystal structure due to alloying with GaN. The pure (Al,Ga)N:Eu phosphors were initially prepared by gas-phase reaction in an NH3 atmosphere. GaN alloying was used to expand the crystal lattice of AlN due to Ga3+ substituting for smaller Al3+ ions, making dissolution of Eu2+ easier. The dissolution of Ga in the AlN lattice was proven by the result of the Rietveld refinement and the increase in lattice parameters with increasing Ga content. To introduce other energy states mixing with the 5d states of Eu2+, Ga doping was also used to tune the band structure of AlN by acting on Eu2+ ions. The theoretical result was analyzed using the Cambridge Sequential Total Energy Package (CASTEP). According to the calculated total and atom resolved partial density of states, it was observed that the Ga 5p states contribute a large portion to the corresponding Eu2+ absorption band in (Al,Ga)N:Eu phosphors. As a consequence, an enhanced emission intensity at 470 nm and a high quantum efficiency for excitation at 330 nm was obtained despite of stronger thermal quenching of the (Al,Ga)N:Eu phosphors compared with AlN:Eu.

Lysyl oxidase (LOX) is frequently overexpressed in a variety of malignancies and involved in tumor invasion and metastasis. Furthermore, it has been shown that LOX is closely related to vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). In this study, we aimed to investigate the exact role of LOX and the correlation between LOX and VEGF in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The expression levels of LOX in HCC tissue and adjacent noncancerous tissue were evaluated by quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction and immunohistochemical analysis. The effect of LOX knockdown on cell proliferation, migration, and invasion was investigated in vitro. The role of LOX in the regulation of VEGF was further characterized in HCC cells that had been treated with transforming growth factor beta (TGF-β). Our study showed that LOX was up-regulated in HCC cell lines and tissue. HCC patients with elevated expression of LOX had relatively shorter disease-free survival and overall survival. Knockdown of LOX reduced the proliferation, migration, and invasion of HCC cells. Additionally, the expression level of LOX positively correlated with that of VEGF. After treatment with TGF-β, the levels of LOX and VEGF were both up-regulated in a dose-dependent manner. In the cells treated with siRNA of LOX, levels of VEGF and phosphorylated p38 were significantly decreased and could not be up-regulated by TGF-β. Inhibition of p38 MAPK signaling abrogated TGF-β-mediated up-regulation of VGEF but did not affect LOX expression. LOX appears to be a predictor of less favorable outcomes and may regulate the expression of VEGF via p38 MAPK signaling.

A novel Al 10 O 3 N 8 :Eu 2+ phosphor was prepared successfully by a mechanochemical activation route. With the help of high-energy ball milling, the starting materials were mostly transformed into an amorphous phase, which significantly promotes the synthesis of Al 10 O 3 N 8 phase at a relatively moderate reaction condition. Al 10 O 3 N 8 :Eu 2+ phosphor showed a broad blue emission band under ultraviolet-light excitation and small thermal quenching. Additionally, it was found that Al 10 O 3 N 8 :Eu 2+ phosphor showed a strong blue emission under 147 nm excitation and shorter decay time compared with BAM:Eu 2+ phosphor, making it a potential phosphor used in plasma display panels. Si–N doping was performed to further increase the luminescence intensity of Al 10 O 3 N 8 :Eu 2+ phosphor and the related mechanism was discussed. Prospectively, it was feasible to apply the synthesis approach to other hardly achieved materials.

Helical nanofibers are prepared through in situ growth on the surface of a tetrapod-shaped ZnO whisker (T-ZnO), by employing a precursor decomposition method then adding substrate. After heat treatment at 900 °C under argon, this new composite material, named helical nanofiber-T-ZnO, undergoes a significant change in morphology and structure. The T-ZnO transforms from a solid tetrapod ZnO to a micro-scaled tetrapod hollow carbon film by reduction of the organic fiber at 900 °C. Besides, helical carbon nanofibers, generated from the carbonization of helical nanofibers, maintain the helical morphology. Interestingly, HCNFs with the T-hollow exhibit remarkable improvement in electromagnetic wave loss compared with the pure helical nanofibers. The enhanced loss ability may arise from the efficient dielectric friction, interface effect in the complex nanostructures and the micro-scaled tetrapod-hollow structure.

BaFe12O19 ferrite was firstly prepared through a sol–gel auto-combustion process, and then BaFe12O19/Fe3C/CNTs composites were synthesized from the acetylene chemical vapor deposition process with the introducing of BaFe12O19 ferrite at 400–600 °C. The structure and morphology of the BaFe12O19 ferrite and BaFe12O19/Fe3C/CNTs composites were studied using X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy and energy dispersive X-ray. The microwave-absorbing properties of pure BaFe12O19 and such composites were investigated in the frequency range of 2–18 GHz through the evaluation of the experimental data based on the transmission line theory. The reflection loss results showed that the microwave absorption of BaFe12O19/Fe3C/CNTs composites performed better as the reaction temperature increasing up to 500 °C, due to the generation of the high-purity helical CNTs. The composites obtained at 600 °C performed well in electromagnetic wave loss at low frequency, owing to effective interfacial polarizations and good dispersion of magnetic nanoparticles. The composites were very potential for lightweight and strong electromagnetic attenuation materials at relatively low frequency.