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The unveiling of MOF growth mechanism is hampered by the lack of fundamental knowledge about the very early stage of nucleation, especially the form and ratio of molecular species in the solution for crystal growth. Herein, we report the detection of growth species for a series of MOFs with mono-linker, Cu-MOF-2-BDC and Cu-MOF-2-NDC, and two linkers, MTV-MOF-2-(C4H4)x, by high resolution ESI-MS, where a large variety of Cu-containing species are identified unambiguously. The solvent molecules such as H2O, methanol and DMF participate in the formation of these species, other than ethanol. Furthermore, in the growth solution of MTV-MOF-2-(C4H4)x, growth species containing two different organic linkers are observed. The feeding ratio is not the only factor controlling the distribution of growth species for MTV-MOFs, but also the solvent involves in coordination, an aspect usually overlooked previously.

Pure oxygen is vital in medical treatment, first aid, and chemical synthesis. Hypoxia can cause severe damage to the organ systems such as respiratory, digestive, and nervous systems and even directly cause death. Notably, the severe Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has exacerbated the shortage of medical oxygen in the world. Hence, a safe, economical, and portable oxygen supply device is urgently needed. Here, we have successfully prepared a device with air-breathing electrochemical extraction of pure oxygen (ABEEPO) with light weight and high energy efficiency. By renovating the structure of the electrolytic cell, the components bipolar plate and end plate are replaced with a plastic membrane, and the component current collector is replaced with a highly conductive graphene composite membrane electrode. Due to the use of the plastic membrane and graphene composite membrane electrode, the weight of the electrolytic cell is reduced from 1319.4 to 1.6 g, and the flexibility of the electrolytic cell is successfully realized. Through optimizing anode catalysts, working area, and operating voltage, a high flow rate per mass (234 mL h

A novel iron-hydrogen battery system, whose Fe3+/Fe2+ cathode circumvents slowly dynamic oxygen reduction reaction and anode is fed with clean and cordial hydrogen, is systematically investigated. The maximum discharge power density of the iron-hydrogen battery reaches to 96.0 mW/cm2 under the room temperature. The capacity reaches to 17.2 Ah/L and the coulombic and energy efficiency are achieved to 99% and 86%, respectively, during the galvanostatic charge-discharge test. Moreover, stable cycling test is observed for more than 240 h and 100 cycles with the iron sulfate in the sulfuric acid solutions. It is found that air plasma treatment onto the cathode carbon paper can generate the oxygen-containing groups and increase the hydrophilic pores proportion to ca. 40%, enlarging nearly 6-fold effective diffusion coefficient and improving the mass transfer in the battery performance. The simple iron-hydrogen energy storage battery design offers us a new strategy for the large-scale energy storage and hydrogen involved economy.

Background: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a serious threat to human health worldwide, and its incidence is increasing annually. The incidence of CKD is a worldwide problem that heavily threatens human health and is increasing annually. A growing amount of information is emerging about the role of miRNAs in the regulation of renal fibrosis, which has aroused interest in the development of drugs that block pathogenic miRNAs or restore protective miRNAs levels. Methods: The aim of this study was to identify the microRNAs (miRNAs) differentially expressed in renal tissues from patients with progressive DN and FSGS of high fibrosis scores to investigate the function and mechanism of miRNAs in renal fibrosis by using kidney tissues from normal and MCD patients as controls. First, we investigated the expression profiles of miRNAs in human kidney biopsy samples using microarray. Then, two new miRNAs were selected to explore the biological functions in TGF-β1 or HG -induced cell models using human proximal renal tubule cells (HK-2). GO and KEGG Pathway Enrichment Analysis were used to explore the target genes and their mechanism in renal fibrosis. Results: The kidney biopsy samples from three types of diseases representing different fibrosis states, two novel miRNAs, hsa-miR-1470-3p and hsa-miR-4483-3p, were detected as consistently differentially expressed among all three types of patient's renal samples and in mice model. In vitro, hsa-miR-4483-3p was suppressed, whereas hsa-miR-1470-3p was induced by treatment with TGF-β1 or HG. Inhibition of hsa-miR-1470-3p or overexpression of hsa-miR-4483-3p promoted HG or TGF-β1-induced fibrosis in HK-2 cells. The further study revealed that MMP-13 and TIMP1 were the target genes of hsa-miR-1470-3p and hsa-miR-4483-3p, respectively. Conclusion: In conclusion, the present study identifies newly dysregulated miRNA profiles related to fibrosis kidneys. Hsa-miR-1470-3p and hsa-miR-4483-3p are demonstrated to involve in kidney fibrosis by regulation of MMP13, TIMP1 respectively. Our results may represent a promising research direction for renal disorders and help identify new biomarkers and therapeutic targets for chronic kidney disease.

Objective To investigate the role of microRNA-155-5p on apoptosis and inflammatory response in human renal glomerular endothelial cells (HRGEC) cultured with high glucose. Methods The primary HRGEC were mainly studied, light microscopy was used to detect changes in cell morphology. Quantitative Real Time-Polymerase Chain Reaction, Western Blot, immunofluorescence were aimed to observe the mRNA and protein expression levels of target gene ETS-1, downstream factors VCAM-1, MCP-1 and cleaved caspase-3 in each group after high glucose treatment as well as transfection with miR-155 mimics or inhibitor. Results The expression of inflammatory factors and apoptosis of HRGEC cells increased under high glucose treatment. Compared with normal-glucose treatment, the expression of microRNA-155 markedly increased in HRGECs treated with high-glucose, as well as the mRNA and protein levels of ETS-1, VCAM-1, MCP-1 and cleaved caspase-3. Overexpression of microRNA-155 remarkably downregulated mRNA and protein levels of ETS-1, VCAM-1, MCP-1 and cleaved caspase-3, whereas miRNA-155 knockdown upregulated their levels. In addition, HRGEC cells were transfected with miR-155 mimics and ETS-1 siRNA with high glucose stimulation. The expression of ETS-1 was positively correlated with the expression of downstream factors VCAM-1 and MCP-1. These results suggest that ETS-1 can mediate endothelial cell inflammation by regulating VCAM-1 and MCP-1. Conclusion MiR-155 can negatively regulate the expression of target gene ETS-1 and its downstream factors VCAM-1, MCP-1 and cleaved caspase-3, thus mediating the inflammatory response and apoptosis of HRGEC.

Optimized porous Pt61Te8Rh31 NR/C with 1D building blocks and 3D surface/interface configurations has been adopted as an advanced high-efficiency fuel cell cathodic catalyst for both ORR and MEA catalysis in PEMFCs.

The ordered membrane electrode assembly (MEA) is currently the frontier research field of proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs). The ordered MEA is effective in increasing the utilization of...

Developing high-performance catalysts for fuel cell catalysis is one of the most critical and challenging steps for the commercialization of fuel cell technology. Here one-dimensional trimetallic platinum-iron-cobalt nanosaws (Pt

Hydrogen is one of the most promising sustainable energy carriers for its high gravimetric energy density and abundance. Nowadays, hydrogen production and storage are the main constraints for its commercialization. As a current research focus, hydrogen production from methanol-water reforming, especially at low temperature, is particularly important. In this study, a novel reaction path for low-temperature methanol reforming through synergistic catalysis was developed. Alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) and coenzyme I (nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide, NAD+ ) were employed for methanol catalytic dehydrogenation at low temperature, which could generate formaldehyde and reductive coenzyme I (NADH). Covalent triazine framework-immobilized ruthenium complex (Ru-CTF) was prepared afterwards. On one hand, the catalyst exhibited high activity for the formaldehyde-water shift reaction to generate hydrogen and carbon dioxide. On the other hand, the NADH dehydrogenation was also catalyzed by the Ru-CTF, producing NAD+ and hydrogen. Additionally, the catalyst also showed high biocompatibility with ADH. Through the synergistic effect of the above two main processes, methanol could be converted into hydrogen and carbon dioxide stably at low temperature for more than 96 h. The hydrogen production rate was dependent on the pH of the reaction solution as well as the ADH dosage. A hydrogen production rate of 157 mmol h-1 mol-1 Ru was achieved at the optimum pH (8.1). Additionally, the hydrogen production rate increased linearly with the ADH dosage, reaching 578 mmol h-1 mol-1 Ru when the ADH dosage was 180 U at 35 °C. This research could not only help overcome the difficulties for methanol reforming near room temperature but also give new inspiration for designing new reaction pathways for methanol reforming.

Background There is a characteristic Tibetan folk medicine in China named Corydalis hendersonii Hemsl. (CH) has been used for treatment of cardiovascular related diseases, called “plethora” in Tibetan medicine. Previous studies demonstrated that ethanol extract of CH showed anti-acute myocardial infarction (AMI) effect through inhibiting fibrosis and inflammation. Rich alkaloids fraction (RAF) is isolated from CH, but whether RAF possessing an equivalent effect with the CH ethanol extract and by which mechanism it protects against AMI has not yet reported. The paper aimed to study the potential role of RAF on myocardial injured mice and its underlying mechanism. Materials and methods Liquid chromatography mass spectrometry-ion trap-time of flight (LCMS-IT-TOF) was used to analyze the chemical profile and isolate pure compounds. The ligation of left anterior descending (LAD) of coronary artery in mice was used to evaluate the in vivo anti-AMI effect, by dividing into eight groups: Sham, Model, Fosinopril (10 mg/kg, i.g.), total extract (TE, 400 mg/kg, i.g.), poor alkaloids fraction (PAF, 300 mg/kg, i.g.), and RAF (25, 50, and 100 mg/kg, respectively, i.g.) groups. Echocardiography was used to evaluate mice heart function through the index of left ventricular end-systolic diameter (LVEDs), left ventricular end-diastolic diameter (LVEDd), fractional shortening (FS) and ejection fraction (EF). We detected the lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and creatine kinase-MB (CK-MB) in the serum and the plasma level of angiotensin II (AngII). The apoptosis of mice myocardial tissue was verified by TUNEL assay. The expression of p38 mitogen-activated protein kinases (p38 MAPK), Bcl-2 and Bcl-2-associated X protein (Bax) were detected through immunofluorescence staining, qRT-PCR and western blot in mice heart tissue and H9c2 cells. Results Echocardiography data indicated that the values of LVEDd and LVEDs were reduced and the values of FS and EF were improved by TE and RAF significantly. RAF also decreased the levels of LDH, CK-MB and AngII and significantly inhibited inflammatory cells in the marginal zone of myocardial infarction. The TUNEL assay results showed that RAF significantly attenuated cell apoptosis. Immunofluorescence and qRT-PCR assay showed that RAF inhibited p38 MAPK, Bax, and Bcl-2 proteins in mice myocardium. Western blot results validated that the expressions of key proteins were inhibited by RAF. Also, the apoptotic cells and apoptosis-related proteins were dramatically reduced by RAF in vivo and in vitro. Besides, RAF and PAF were analyzed by LCMS-IT-TOF to identify the main compounds and to demonstrate the difference between them. The results showed that a total of 14 alkaloids were identified, which indicated that the isoquinoline alkaloids were the main ingredients in RAF may contributing to the cardioprotective effect in mice. Conclusions RAF improves cardiac function by inhibiting apoptosis via p38 MAPK signaling pathway, and RAF contributes to the effect against myocardial ischemic injury of TE in mice, which provides a substantial reference for the clinical application against ischemia heart disease and quality control of CH. Graphical Abstract

Research on social work practice is essential for developing an indigenized base of knowledge. In China, while social work education has grown rapidly, much of what is taught – and many social work priorities in research and practice – is influenced by rapidly changing national government policies. This policy environment creates both opportunities and challenges to building an infrastructure to support research on social work practice. This article reviews the context and challenges related to developing research on social work practice in mainland China, and the important role for social work education to support this development.

The nature of many highly efficient catalytic reactions catalyzed by metallocofactors is inspiring. Herein, the concept of metal cofactor was utilized in the in situ fabrication of multiple metal and heteroatom self-doped porous carbonaceous electrocatalysts. The sustainable biomass legume root nodules that contain nitrogenase were used as single precursors, and the specific surface area of the as-prepared catalyst could reach 1835 m2 g−1 by the activation of ZnCl2 during high-temperature pyrolysis processes. The self-doped biomass-derived catalyst exhibits an outstanding oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) electrocatalytic performance with half-wave potentials (E1/2) of 0.723 V and 0.868 V (vs. RHE) in 0.1 M HClO4 and 0.1 M KOH solution, respectively. It is worth noting that E1/2 of the catalyst even outperforms 25 mV to that of Pt/C (E1/2 = 0.843 V) in alkaline electrolytes. This performance is also markedly better than that of most other reference catalysts, which is based on codoped additional transition metals or heteroatoms with biomass-derived carbonaceous materials. The catalyst also delivers promising fuel cell performance in both low-temperature air-breathing polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) and Zn–air batteries. The role of Mo atoms from the iron-molybdenum cofactor in the as-prepared biomass-derived catalyst toward ORRs is discussed herein. This study is expected to inspire exploration and design of appropriate doping structures and compositions to develop highly active and renewable biomass-derived catalysts in diverse application fields.

Different from studies where less defective platinum (Pt)-based nanomaterials have been widely used to improve the catalysis of the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) for proton-exchange membrane fuel...

Nanobubble is a rising research field, which attracts more and more attentions due to its potential applications in medical science, catalysis, electrochemistry and etc. To better implement these applications, it is urgent to understand one of the most important mechanisms of nanobubbles, the evolution. However, few attentions have been paid in this aspect because of the methodology difficulties. Here we successfully used dark-field microscopy to study the evolution process of single nanobubbles generated from formic acid dehydrogenation on single Pd-Ag nanoplates. We found some of the nanobubbles in this system can exhibit three distinct states representing different sizes, which can transform among each other. These transitions are not direct but through some intermediate states. Further kinetic analysis reveals complicated mechanisms behind the evolution of single nanobubbles. The results acquired from this study can be applicable to nanobubble systems in general and provide insights into the understanding of mechanisms affecting the stability of nanobubbles and their applications.

To evaluate the effect of total parathyroidectomy (tPTx) on malnutrition and inflammation in patients on maintenance dialysis (MHD) having secondary hyperparathyroidism (SHPT).Twenty-five patients on MHD having SHPT who were being treated with tPTx were selected, and changes in their general condition (dry body mass), parathyroid hormone (PTH) and calcium levels, nutrition state (hemoglobin, hematocrit, serum albumin, and total iron binding capacity), and inflammatory status [serum C-reactive protein (CRP), interleukin-6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor (TNF-α), and the malnutrition-inflammation score (MIS)] were observed at 12, 24, and 36 months postoperatively.Compared with the preoperative period, the dry body mass increased at 12, 24, and 36 months postoperatively (P 0.01), hemoglobin, hematocrit, and serum albumin increased significantly (P 0.01), whereas calcium, phosphorus, and PTH levels decreased significantly (P 0.01). Serum CRP, IL-6, and TNF-α levels were significantly decreased at 12, 24, and 36 months after surgery (P 0.01). Furthermore, MIS was reduced as well but to a lesser extent (P 0.01).tPTx effectively reduced MIS in maintenance dialysis patients, and the alleviated malnutrition and improved inflammatory status may contributed to improving the quality of life of patients on MHD with SHPT.

Five new sesquiterpenoids, alashanoids O-S (1-5), along with three known analogs (6-8) were isolated from the peeled stems of Syringa pinnatifolia. Their structures were elucidated by analysis of extensive spectroscopic data including ESI-MS, 1D, 2D NMR. The absolute configurations were determined by comparing its experimental and calculated electronic circular dichroism, calculated OR, calculated NMR, and single crystal X-ray diffraction data analysis. Compounds 1 and 2 belong to the seco-humulane type and possess a rare 13-membered oxygen heterocycle framework, and 3-5 belong to eremophilane-type. Compounds 1, 2, and 5 showed inhibitory effects against NO production in LPS-induced RAW264.7 macrophage cells with its IC