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Purpose Cancer testis antigens (CTAs) are optimal tumor diagnostic markers and involved in carcinogenesis. However, colorectal cancer (CRC) related CTAs are less reported with impressive diagnostic capability or relevance with tumor metabolism rewiring. Herein, we demonstrated CRC-related CTA, Protamine 1 (PRM1), as a promising diagnostic marker and involved in regulation of cellular growth under nutrient deficiency. Methods Transcriptomics of five paired CRC tissues was used to screen CRC-related CTAs. Capability of PRM1 to distinguish CRC was studied by detection of clinical samples through enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Cellular functions were investigated in CRC cell lines through in vivo and in vitro assays. Results By RNA-seq and detection in 824 clinical samples from two centers, PRM1 expression were upregulated in CRC tissues and patients` serum. Serum PRM1 showed impressive accuracy to diagnose CRC from healthy controls and benign gastrointestinal disease patients, particularly more sensitive for early-staged CRC. Furthermore, we reported that when cells were cultured in serum-reduced medium, PRM1 secretion was upregulated, and secreted PRM1 promoted CRC growth in culture and in mice. Additionally, G1/S phase transition of CRC cells was facilitated by PRM1 protein supplementation and overexpression via activation of PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway in serum deficient medium. Conclusions In general, our research presented PRM1 as a specific CRC antigen and illustrated the importance of PRM1 in CRC metabolism rewiring. The new vulnerability of CRC cells was also provided with the potential to be targeted in future. Graphical abstract Diagnostic value and grow factor-like biofunction of PRM1 A represents the secretion process of PRM1 regulated by nutrient deficiency. B represents activation of PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway of secreted PRM1.

Core–shell Ni–Co(OH)F@NiCo2S4 nanorods with Ni doping and interface engineering have exhibited outstanding performances toward hydrazine-assisted hydrogen production.

Hole sowing is a new and efficient cultivation method with few studies. This study investigated the effects of different sowing densities and nitrogen topdressing at the jointing stage on dry matter, quality, and yield under wheat hole sowing to provide a theoretical basis for integrating wheat fertilizer and density-supporting technology. In this study, a two-factor split-plot design was used. The sowing density was the main plot, and four levels were set: D1, D2, D3, and D4 (238, 327, 386, and 386 suitable seeds·m−2). The four sowing levels were sown according to 8 grains/hole, 11 grains/hole, 13 grains/hole, and 16 grains/hole, respectively, with a row spacing of 25 cm and a hole spacing of 13.5 cm; the amount of nitrogen fertilizer applied at the jointing stage was the sub-area, with four levels: N1, N2, N3, and N4 (0, 60, 120, and 180 kg·ha−1). After two years of experimental research, the following main conclusions are drawn: the use of high sowing density and nitrogen topdressing is helpful to improve the dry matter quality of wheat spikes at the maturing stage; the sowing density had significant or highly significant effects on protein content, starch content, and sedimentation value. The yield from 2018–2019 reached a maximum of 8448.67 kg·ha−1 under D4N4 treatment, and the yield from 2019–2020 reached a maximum of 10,136.40 kg·ha−1 under D4N3 treatment. Therefore, the combination of 225 kg·ha−1 sowing density and 120–180 kg·ha−1 nitrogen topdressing at the jointing stage can be used in field production, which can help improve wheat production potential. Similarly, understanding the interaction between wheat hole sowing and different sowing densities and nitrogen topdressing amounts provides a practical reference for high-yield wheat cultivation techniques.

Objective: To investigate the clinical efficacy of cognitive behavioral therapy combined with pinaverium bromide tablets in admitted patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Methods: This is a retrospective study. A total of 60 patients with IBS admitted to Beijing Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine between June 2021 and June 2022 were selected and randomly divided into two groups. Patients in the control group were treated with pinaverium bromide tablets, and those in the observation group were treated with cognitive behavior therapy combined with pinaverium bromide tablets. The improvement of clinical symptoms and quality of life before and after treatment was compared for the two groups, IBS-SSS scale and IBS-QOL scale were used to compare the improvement of clinical symptoms and quality of life between the two groups of patients before and after treatment. SAS score and SDS score were used to evaluate the psychology of the two groups. Adverse reactions occurring during the treatment were recorded, such as nausea and vomiting, dizziness and headache, etc. Results: The efficacy of the observation group was higher than that of the control group and the difference was significant (P 0.05). Conclusion: Cognitive behavioral therapy combined with pinaverium bromide tablets is significantly effective in the treatment of patients with IBS, which can effectively relieve symptoms such as diarrhea and abdominal pain, and reduce irritable bowel reactions. doi: https://doi.org/10.12669/pjms.39.4.6994 How to cite this: Liu Q, Zhu Y, Wang W, Dong Y. Clinical efficacy of cognitive behavioral therapy combined with pinaverium bromide tablets on irritable bowel syndrome. Pak J Med Sci. 2023;39(4):---------. doi: https://doi.org/10.12669/pjms.39.4.6994 This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Background Minimally invasive treatment of hallux valgus is one of the better surgical methods,which still has the shortcomings of insufficient correction of deformities and poor correction of hallux rotation. Therefore, we have improved the surgical method to further improve the clinical efficacy. Methods 186 patients(328 feet) who were diagnosed as hallux valgus from January 2019 to January 2020 and underwent DMMO were included in this retrospective study. The preoperative and postoperative hallux valgus angle (HVA), intermetatarsal angle (IMA) and distal articular set angle (DASA) of the patients were collected and compared to evaluate the correction of deformity. To explore the safety and effectiveness of DMMO in improving the function of hallux valgus based on American Orthopaedic Foot & Ankle Society (AOFAS) and visual analogue score (VAS). Results The preoperative HVA, IMA and DASA of the subjects were (33.63°±8.74°,12.95°±2.42°,9.46°±1.88°), postoperative HVA, IMA and DASA were (11.18°±2.04°,7.61°±1.46°,3.25°±1.15°); The preoperative AOFAS and VAS were (49.65 ± 9.32,5.61 ± 2.12), and the postoperative were (90.21 ± 7.65,1.65 ± 0.48).The postoperative(12 months) of HVA, IMA, DASA, AOFAS and VAS were better than those before operation (P Level of Evidence:Level III

Objective Protamine 1 (PRM1) is specific in sperm and plays essential roles in fertilization, also a member of cancer testis antigen (CTA) family. This study aims to summarize the expression and function of PRM1 in spermatogenesis, and to broaden the current knowledge and inspire future development of PRM1-based therapeutic strategies in cancer treatment and nanomedicine. Background The protamine proteins, are characterized by an arginine-rich core and cysteine residues. Humans express two types of protamine: PRM1 and PRM2. The abnormal expression or proportion of PRM1 and PRM2 is known to be associated with subfertility and infertility, especially for PRM1 which is highly evolutionary conserved in mammalians and expressed in all vertebrates. Biological functions of PRM1 have been unveiled in diverse cellular processes, such as tumorigenesis, somatic cell nucleus transfer, and drug delivery systems. Moreover, PRM1 is identified as a CTA in chronic leukemia (CLL) and colorectal cancer (CRC). Methods Literature was obtained using PubMed and the keywords protamine 1, PRM1, or P1, from January 1, 1980, through July 20, 2021. We also collect the additional evidence through screening references of articles identified through the PubMed searches. Conclusions PRM1 is well-studied in male infertility, and further researches and attempts to develop PRM1 as novel tumor marker, as well as drug delivery vector, will be of important clinical significance.

Zixing Bai1 &ast;, Xuhan Cao1 &ast;, Yanjun Yang,1 Xudong Sun,1 Yongli Dong,2 Jianmin Wen,1 Weidong Sun1 1Second Department of Orthopedics, Wangjing Hospital of China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, People’s Republic of China; 2Scientific Research Department, Wangjing Hospital of China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, People’s Republic of China&ast;These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Weidong Sun, Wangjing Hospital of China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, No. 6 Central South Road, Wangjing, Chaoyang District, Beijing, 100102, People’s Republic of China, Tel +86-84739140, Email sunweidong8239@aliyun.comObjective: To investigate the risk factors for hallux valgus complicated with pain under the second metatarsal and construct an effective model and method for predicting hallux valgus complicated with pain under the second metatarsal based on risk factors.Methods: A total of 545 patients with hallux valgus who were admitted to our hospital were divided randomly into a training set and a validation set. The demographic characteristics, imaging indices and gait test indices of the patients were collected. The risk factors were identified by univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses. A risk prediction model for hallux valgus with pain under the second metatarsal was established, and the area under the curve (AUC) of the receiver operating characteristic and a decision curve analysis were used for verification and identification. The value of the model was tested in the verification group.Results: Second metatarsal length, second metatarsal peak pressure, hallux valgus angle (HVA), intermetatarsal angle 1– 2 (IMA1– 2) and weight were the risk factors for hallux valgus complicated with pain under the second metatarsal. Based on the weighting of these seven risk factors, a prediction model was established. The AUC of the prediction model was 0.84 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.802~0.898, P < 0.05), and the results of a Hosmer–Lemeshow test showed a good degree of calibration (χ2 = 10.62, P > 0.05). The internal validation of the AUC was 0.83 (95% CI: 0.737– 0.885, P < 0.05). The model had obvious net benefits when the threshold probability was 10%– 70%.Conclusion: Second metatarsal length, second metatarsal peak pressure, HVA, IMA1– 2 and weight were the risk factors for hallux valgus combined with second metatarsal pain. The risk prediction model for hallux valgus complicated with pain under the second metatarsal based on these seven variables was proven effective.Level of Evidence: Level III, retrospective comparative study.Keywords: hallux valgus, metatarsalgia, nomogram, predictive model, risk factors

Oncogenic RAS mutations are associated with tumor resistance to radiation therapy. Cell-cell interactions in the tumor microenvironment (TME) profoundly influence therapy outcomes. However, the nature of these interactions and their role in Ras tumor radioresistance remain unclear. Here we use Drosophila oncogenic Ras tissues and human Ras cancer cell radiation models to address these questions. We discover that cellular response to genotoxic stress cooperates with oncogenic Ras to activate JAK/STAT non-cell autonomously in the TME. Specifically, p53 is heterogeneously activated in Ras tumor tissues in response to irradiation. This mosaicism allows high p53-expressing Ras clones to stimulate JAK/STAT cytokines, which activate JAK/STAT in the nearby low p53-expressing surviving Ras clones, leading to robust tumor re-establishment. Blocking any part of this cell-cell communication loop re-sensitizes Ras tumor cells to irradiation. These findings suggest that coupling STAT inhibitors to radiotherapy might improve clinical outcomes for Ras cancer patients., Dong, Vadla et al. find that oncogenic Ras and p53 cooperatively stimulate JAK/STAT cytokines to promote non-autonomous tissue overgrowth in Drosophila. Further, blocking STAT signalling prevents the growth-inducing effect of p53 overexpression and ionising irradiation in human cancer lines in culture and in mouse xenografts, suggesting a therapeutic route.

In this paper, CoNi bimetallic nanoparticle decorated reduced graphene oxide (CoNi-RGO) was synthesized by a facile hydrothermal method. When applied this CoNi-RGO into counter electrode for dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs), it shows smaller charge-transfer resistance and better electrocatalytic activity than that of pure reduced graphene oxide (RGO). At the optimized conditions, the energy conversion efficiency of DSSCs based on CoNi-RGO counter electrode was 3.79%, indicating a higher photovoltaic performance of DSSCs based on CoNi-RGO counter electrode than that of DSSCs based on RGO counter electrode (1.37%), and comparable to the value of DSSCs based on Pt counter electrode as a reference (4.95%). Additionally, the photovoltaic performance of DSSCs based on CoNi-RGO counter electrode strongly depends on its composition. The molar ratio of Co/Ni and the weight ratio of CoNi/GO that used to prepare CoNi-RGO counter electrode are key factors to affect the performance of their cell devices. When both the molar ratio of Co/Ni and the weight ratio of CoNi/GO are 1:1, the CoNi-RGO counter electrode shows the best performance, indicating the potential of such bimetallic nanoparticle decorated RGO as low-cost and efficient counter electrode to replace noble metal Pt counter electrode for the practical application of DSSCs devices.

The Casitas B-lineage lymphoma (Cbl) family proteins are E3 ubiquitin ligases implicated in the regulation of various immune cells. However, their function in dendritic cells (DCs) remains unclear. To investigate the role of Cbl family members in DCs, we created dendritic cell double-deficient Casitas B lymphoma-b (Cbl-b) and Casitas B lineage lymphoma (c-Cbl) mice by crossing Cbl-b

The research of application, preparation technics, structure and properties for expanded graphite were summarized, and their developing t rends w ere also expected in this paper. The preparation technics of low-temperature expansible graphite, non-sulfur expansible graphite and expanded graphite compound materials synthesized by chemical oxidation, electrochemistry, microwave, detonation or gaseous volatilization were introduced mostly. The investigation actuality and application foreground of expanded graphite materials were summarized and analyzed in their applied fields of airproof, flame retardant, lubricant, environment, catalysis, military affairs and medicine.

Novel tetracarboxylic zinc naphthalocyanine-graphene oxide (ZnNcC4-GO) and tetracarboxylic zinc naphthalocyanine-amino graphene oxide (ZnNcC4-NGO) hybrids have been prepared with a covalent functionalization method. A series of characterizations have been used to prove the structures of ZnNcC4-GO and ZnNcC4-NGO hybrids. The third order nonlinear optical properties were investigated using the Z-scan technique at 532 nm with 4 ns laser pulses. Either ZnNcC4-GO or ZnNcC4-NGO exhibited much larger nonlinear optical absorption coefficients than GO and ZnNcC4 as a result of the covalent link between GO and ZnNcC4. ZnNcC4-NGO hybrids perform the enhanced NLO properties than ZnNcC4-GO, attributed to the increased excited state absorption from the extended sp2 carbon configurations of the NGO moiety in ZnNcC4-NGO hybrids along with the partial reduction of NGO nanosheets, and the stronger PET/ET process between NGO and ZnNcC4. Moreover, the Z-scan curve of ZnNcC4-NGO shows a deeper RSA valley and the larger β value compared to that of ZnPcC4-NGO because the π-conjugated system of ZnNcC4 is larger relative to that of ZnPcC4.

An efficient counter electrode material for dye sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) was synthesized by pyrolysis of melamine and graphene oxide. The synthesized samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy and scanning electrode microscopy, which show that nitrogen doped reduced graphene oxide (NRGO) was obtained by this synthesis method. In the synthesized NRGO, graphitic structure was kept and the nitrogen was existence as pyrrolic, pyridinic, graphitic, and oxidized nitrogen species in the samples. After deposited as counter electrode films for DSSCs, it shows lower charge-transfer resistance at the electrode/electrolyte interface and higher electrocatalytic activity towards reduction of triiodide (I-₃) than that of reduced graphene oxide (RGO) prepared also by this method without adding melamine. Consequently, the DSSCs based on NRGO counter electrodes achieve an energy conversion efficiency of 4.60%, which is higher than that of RGO counter electrode (2.35%). Although the photovoltaic performance of NRGO counter electrode was lower than that of Pt counter electrode (5.70%), it is still a promising counter electrode to replace noble metal Pt due to its low cost and simple synthesis process.

Nanoparticles of the bimetallic alloy CoNi wrapped in nitrogen-doped graphite-like carbon shells and dispersed on nitrogen-doped graphite-like carbon sheets (CoxNi1−x@NC) were synthesized by calcining CoNi metal–organic frameworks that were prepared through a facile solvothermal reaction using various raw-material molar ratios Co:Ni and CoNi:ethylenedinitrilotetraacetic acid. After depositing CoxNi1−x@NC for use as a counter electrode film in dye-sensitized solar cells, it was found that the electrocatalytic activity of the CoxNi1−x@NC counter electrode towards triiodide reduction could be optimized by simply tuning the molar ratios (Co:Ni and CoNi:ethylenedinitrilotetraacetic acid) appropriately during CoxNi1−x@NC synthesis. Cells that utilized a CoxNi1−x@NC counter electrode exhibited strong chemical-composition-dependent photovoltaic performance. Under optimal conditions, the CoxNi1−x@NC counter electrode presented an impressive energy conversion efficiency of 3.58%, suggesting that it is a highly promising counter electrode for application in dye-sensitized solar cells. This counter electrode has the advantages that it is considerably less expensive than a Pt counter electrode and that it provides the basis for the design and preparation of other inexpensive and efficient counter electrodes to replace Pt.

Background Although common variants in a large collection of patients are associated with increased risk for bipolar disorder (BD), studies have only been able to predict 25%-45% of risks, suggesting that lots of variants that contribute to the risk for BD haven't been identified. Our study aims to identify novel BD risk genes. Methods We performed whole-exome sequencing of 27 individuals from 6 BD multi-affected Chinese families to identify candidate variants. Targeted sequencing of one of the novel risk genes, SERINC2, in additional sporadic 717 BD patients and 312 healthy controls (HC) validated the association. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) were performed to evaluate the effect of the variant to brain structures from 213 subjects (4 BD subjects from a multi-affected family, 130 sporadic BD subjects and 79 HC control). Results BD pedigrees had an increased burden of uncommon variants in extracellular matrix (ECM) and calcium ion binding. By large-scale sequencing we identified a novel recessive BD risk gene, SERINC2, which plays a role in synthesis of sphingolipid and phosphatidylserine (PS). MRI image results show the homozygous nonsense variant in SERINC2 affects the volume of white matter in cerebellum. Conclusions Our study identified SERINC2 as a risk gene of BD in the Chinese population.

Oncogenic RAS mutations are associated with tumor resistance to radiation therapy. The underlying mechanisms remain unclear. Emergent cell-cell interactions in the tumor microenvironment (TME) profoundly influence therapy outcomes. The nature of these interactions and their role in Ras tumor radioresistance remain unclear. We usedDrosophilaoncogenic Ras tissues and human Ras cancer cell radiation models to address these questions. We discovered that cellular response to genotoxic stress cooperates with oncogenic Ras to activate JAK/STAT non-cell autonomously in the TME. JAK/STAT accelerates the growth of the less-damaged Ras tumor cells, leading to rapid tumor recurrence. Specifically, p53 is heterogeneously activated in Ras tumor tissues in response to irradiation. This mosaicism allows high p53-expressing Ras clones to stimulate JAK/STAT cytokines, which activate JAK/STAT in the nearby low p53-expressing surviving Ras clones, leading to robust tumor re-establishment. Blocking any part of this cell-cell communication loop re-sensitizes Ras tumor cells to irradiation. This finding suggests that coupling STAT inhibitors to radiotherapy might improve clinical outcomes for Ras cancer patients.

Background: Ankle fusion is the primary treatment for advanced ankle arthritis. With the advancement of arthroscopy technology, ankle arthroscopy fusion has shown many advantages over traditional surgery. However, there are few related studies globally, and evidence-based medicine is needed to verify the reliability and feasibility of ankle arthroscopy fusion. Objective: To compare the clinical efficacy and safety of arthroscopic ankle arthrodesis and open ankle arthrodesis. Methods: We searched the databases of PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, China National Knowledge Infrastructure [CNKI], Wanfang Database, and VIP Database for published prospective or retrospective controlled studies of arthroscopic-assisted ankle fusion in the treatment of advanced ankle arthritis. The dates were limited from the construction of the library to June 30, 2019. Literature was included based on the principles and methods of evidence-based medicine. Literature retrieval, data extraction, and quality assessment were performed by 2 independent reviewers using the Cochrane 5.1 risk bias assessment tool. The methodological bias of the literature was evaluated, and a meta-analysis was using by RevMan 5.3 software. Results: A total of 18 studies and 1102 patients were included in the study, including 551 in the arthroscopic surgery group and 551 in the open surgery group. Arthroscopy-assisted surgery for advanced ankle arthritis was more effective than open surgery in terms of fusion rate (odd ratio[OR] = 3.32, 95% confidence interval[CI]:2.16, 5.10), fusion time (mean difference[MD] = −2.31, 95% CI:−4.63, −2.21), intraoperative blood loss (MD = −43.37, 95%CI: −48.49, −38.25), hospital stay (MD = −1.80, 95%CI: −2.28, −1.33), and visual analog scale score (MD = −1.75, 95%CI: −2.04, −1.46). In addition, rate of complications (OR = 0.33, 95%CI: 0.21, 0.52) was superior to open ankle fusion (P

Zinc phthalocyanine carrying sulfenyl and 6-sulfydryl linkers was firstly used to functionalize with sulfur vacancies MoS2. The synthesized MoS2/ZnPc composite was further prepared to be PVA (polyvinyl alcohol) thin films by a drop coating method. The microscopic structures and photophysical properties of novel MoS2/ZnPc composite were characterized. A series of analysis results indicate that zinc phthalocyanine with sulfenyl and 6-sulfydryl linkers is loaded to sulfur vacancies of MoS2 by ligand conjugation. The third order nonlinear optical properties of MoS2/ZnPc composite were studied by an open aperture Z-scan technique at 532 nm with 4 ns laser pulses width. In comparison with individual MoS2 or ZnPc, whether MoS2/ZnPc solution or MoS2/ZnPc/PVA film sample possesses larger third order nonlinear absorption coefficients (β) and lower limiting thresholds (F50). It can be ascribed to a combination of different NLO absorption mechanisms for MoS2/ZnPc composite, including one-photon absorption, two photon absorptions and nonlinear scattering of MoS2, triplet excited state absorption of ZnPc, nonlinear scattering of MoS2/ZnPc and the photo-induced electron transfer or energy transfer (PET/ET) process between MoS2 and ZnPc moieties.

Well-dispersed Ni-CeOx nanoparticles grown on carbon nanotubes (CNTs) were successfully synthesized via a simple one-step co-reduction method. The structure and properties of the catalysts were investigated by XRD, XPS, SEM, TEM and ICP-OES. Among the prepared catalysts, Ni1-(CeO1.8)0.5/CNTs exhibited the highest catalytic activity, with 100% hydrogen selectivity and 80 molH2 mol Ni −1 h−1 of hydrogen generation rate (HGR) for hydrogen generation from hydrazine under 1.0 M NaOH solution at 343 K. This superior catalytic performance might be attributed to the smaller sizes and amorphous states of Ni species in Ni1-(CeO1.8)0.5/CNTs, as well as the close attachment of Ni-CeOx NPs on CNTs.

Graphene has attracted a lot of attention because of its unique mechanical, thermal, electrical and optical properties. In this study, a double layered structured photoanode consisting of a graphene/TiO2 composite layer and a TiO2 nanoparticles (P25) underlayer was developed. The photoelectric properties of as-prepared double layer structured photoanode were studied with comparison of the anatase TiO2 photoanode. Graphene was prepared by reduction of graphene oxide (GO) under a hydrothermal conditions and graphenen/TiO2 composite semiconductor materials were prepared by mixing graphene into TiO2 paste. The effect of graphene contents in graphene/TiO2 composite layer was also investigated. After constructing double layer photoanode with proper amount of graphene, the photoanode displayed enhanced light and dye adsorption properties with higher light harvesting efficiency, lower internal resistances, faster electron transport and lower charge recombination rate, which resulted in high current density. At the optimum conditions, the DSSC exhibited a Jsc of 15.01 mA cm-2, a Voc of 0.72 V, and a FF of 0.66 with the energy conversion efficiency (η) of 7.08%, indicating a increase in Jsc and η respectively than that of DSSC based on pure TiO2 photoanode, which gives a Jsc of 13.25 mA cm-2, a Voc of 0.73 V, and a FF of 0.62 with a η of 5.94%. However, the addition of excess graphene in the composite layer led to the enhancement of charge recombination, the reduction of dye adsorption and the decrease of photoelectric conversion efficiency of DSSCs. The graphene/TiO2 composite layer in DSSCs could really enhance its efficiency after the amount of graphene was successfully optimized.

A series of tetra substituted phthalocyanines bearing 2-mercaptobenzimidazole or 2-mercaptobenzothiazole units with different central metals (Zn and In) were synthesized. Their photophysical properties including the parameters of fluorescence and triplet state were studied. The benzothiazole substituted phthalocyanines exhibit stronger third-order nonlinear optical properties (NLO) absorption effects, higher triplet quantum yield (ΦT) and faster intersystem crossing rate compared to the benzimidazole substituted phthalocyanines. With the same central metals, benzothiazole substituted phthalocyanine complexes have the lower fluorescence quantum yield (ΦF), the higher triplet quantum yield (ΦT) and the larger third-order NLO properties as a result of larger conjugated structure and spin-orbit coupling induced by sulphur atoms. The influences of the central metal atoms and the peripheral substituents on the third-order NLO properties are discussed using photophysical parameters.

The selective synthesis of SAPO-5, SAPO-5/SAPO-34 mixture and SAPO-34 was performed by increasing Si/Al ratio and pH through hydrothermal synthesis route, in which the product was successively switched from AFI to AFI/CHA and to CHA. The samples were characterized by XRD, XRF, SEM, and NH3-TPD techniques. It indicates that the SAPO-5/SAPO-34 mixture exhibits higher acidity than the pure SAPO-5 and SAPO-34 phases. During methanol-to-olefins reaction, the catalytic lifetime of the SAPO-5/SAPO-34 mixture was significantly longer than that of SAPO-34, which may be attributed to the moderate acidity of the SAPO-5/SAPO-34 mixture.

In order to enhance the performance of the dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs), graphene oxide (GO) was introduced into the TiO2 photoanode to construct a GO-TiO2 composited photoanode. The photoelectric properties of the as-constructed photoanode were studied in comparison with those of the TiO2 photoanode and the effect of GO obtained by different methods on the performance of the GO-TiO2 composited photoanode was also compared. After constructed with GO, the photoanode displayed enhanced light and dye adsorption properties with a higher light harvesting efficiency, lower internal resistances, a faster electron transport, and a lower charge recombination rate, which resulted in a higher current density. At the optimal condition, the DSSCs based on the photoanode modified by GO obtained in our laboratory (GO1) exhibited a Jsc of 18.16 mA cm−2, a Voc of 0.68 V, and a FF of 0.59 with a energy conversion efficiency (η) of 7.30%, indicating an increased performance compared with that of the DSSCs based only on the pure TiO2 photoanode, which had a Jsc of 14.41 mA cm−2, a Voc of 0.66 V, and a FF of 0.60 with a η value of 5.67%. However, when GO that obtained from a production line in a factory (GO2) was used, the performance of the DSSCs was further improved, which showed a Jsc of 19.49 mA cm−2, a Voc of 0.68 V, and an FF of 0.59 with a η value of 7.83%. Different performances between GOs that obtained from the laboratory and the factory were mainly attributed to their distinct production processes, which distinguished their properties from each other. It is a potential method to enhance the performance of the DSSCs by constructing a GO-TiO2 photoanode with a suitable quality GO.

A reduced graphene oxide/TiO 2 (RGO/TiO 2 ) blocking layer in the photoanode of a dye sensitized solar cell (DSSC) was fabricated in a simple way by depositing a RGO/TiO 2 paste onto a FTO substrate through screen printing method. The RGO content in the RGO/TiO 2 blocking layer was optimized for better DSSC performance. The effect of the RGO/TiO 2 blocking layer on the performance of the DSSC was examined based on the electrochemical impedance spectral analysis, the photocurrent-voltage measurement, and the open-circuit voltage decay technology. After the introduction of RGO/TiO 2 blocking layer in the photoanode, direct contact between the electrolyte and the FTO glass surface was prevented. The electron transfer from the TiO 2 film to the FTO glass substrate was thus improved, the charge recombination rate suppressed, the electron transport rate enhanced, and the electron collection efficiency increased, resulting in higher current density. At the best level of RGO in the composite blocking layer, the DSSC has an energy conversion efficiency ( η ) of 7.48% with a J sc of 15.29 mA cm − 2 , a V oc of 0.74 V and a FF of 0.66, indicating a 29% and a 30% increase in J sc and η , respectively, compared to that of a DSSC based on pure TiO 2 photoanode, which exhibits a η value of 5.76% with a J sc of 11.85 mA cm − 2 , a V oc of 0.74 V, and a FF of 0.66. The introduction of the RGO/TiO 2 blocking layer in the photoanode could really enhance the efficiency of DSSC by preventing the direct contact between the electrolyte and the FTO glass surface.

A serial of Rux-Co3O4 (x = 0.1, 0.2 and 0.3) catalysts were prepared by the coprecipitation method and applied to the decomposition of N2O. They were characterized by the XRD, TEM, Raman, H2-TPR, XPS, O2-TPD and in situ DRIFTS. The results indicate that the strong interaction between Co and Ru exists in the Rux-Co3O4 catalysts, which results in much larger BET surface area, better structural stability and more surface Co2+, Ru3+ and oxygen species compared with Co3O4. Additionally, the Rux-Co3O4 catalysts, especial Ru0.2-Co3O4, show much higher activity and stability than the Co3O4 catalyst due to the synergistic effect of Ru and Co3O4. Moreover, the Ru0.2-Co3O4 catalyst shows much stronger resistance against 2.1% H2O and 1.5% O2 in the feed than Co3O4.

Two kinds of metameric tetra-amino-phthalocyanine zinc (ZnTAPc) bearing peripherally and non-peripherally substituent groups connected to graphene oxide (GO) has been synthesized via covalent functionalized reaction. A series of characterizations including X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectra, Raman spectra, thermogravimetric analysis and ultraviolet–visible absorption confirm that the two kinds of ZnTAPc are grafted onto the GO nanosheets successfully. The fluorescence spectra show strong fluorescence quenching by the photo-induced electron transfer (PET) process between ZnTAPc moieties and GO nanosheets, and the possibility of the PET process has been further proved using the thermodynamic method. The nonlinear optical (NLO) properties of the two kinds of hybrid material were investigated using the Z-scan technique at the wavelength of 532 nm in the nanosecond scale. The GO-β-ZnTAPc hybrid possesses much stronger nonlinear absorption effect than GO-α-ZnTAPc hybrid, showing that the position of substituent have a significant influence on the NLO properties of aforementioned hybrids.

Mn- or/and Ni-modified SAPO-34 molecular sieves (Mn–SAPO-34, Ni–SAPO-34, and MnNi–SAPO-34) were synthesized by a one-pot hydrothermal synthesis method using morpholine as a structure directing agent. XRD, XRF, SEM, TEM-EDX, UV-vis-DRS, NH3-TPD, XPS, NMR, and in situ DRIFTS analyses were performed to study the properties of the samples. The MnNi–SAPO-34 catalyst demonstrated much better NOx conversion (>95%) and N2 selectivity (>98%) for the selective catalytic reduction (SCR) of NOx by NH3 than those of the other catalysts from 320 °C to 470 °C. Moreover, NOx conversion could still be maintained at about 100% at 380 °C even after 80 h over MnNi–SAPO-34. Its excellent activity can be ascribed to the strong interaction between the Mn and Ni species in the framework of MnNi–SAPO-34, leading to the suitable redox ability of MnNi–SAPO-34 by the reaction Ni3+ + Mn3+ ↔ Ni2+ + Mn4+. The in situ DRIFTS results suggested that the NH3-SCR reaction was mainly performed by an Eley–Rideal (E–R) reaction pathway at 300 °C for the MnNi–SAPO-34 catalyst. Thus, MnNi–SAPO-34 is considered as a promising candidate for controlling NOx emissions at middle temperatures.

Rational regulation of localized sp2/sp3 hybrid carbon structure in graphene oxide systems plays a very important role in developing advanced carbon-based hybrid materials. Here, we report a simple ethanol solvothermal method toward precise control of the growth of the sp2 hybrid carbon configurations/clusters in the sp3 carbon matrix so as to regulate the structure of electronic energy bands in the graphene oxide system. The results of morphology observation, XPS, solid-state 13C MAS NMR, FT-IR and Raman spectroscopy proved that controllable generation of the sp2 hybrid carbon configurations/clusters can be achieved based on an executive oxidation/reduction strategy. Upon excitation by a 532 nm laser with 4 ns pulses, the obtained reduced graphene oxide (160-rGO-6) with a large number of sp2 hybrid carbon configurations displays greater nonlinear reverse saturable absorption response and a higher nonlinear absorption coefficient β of 560 cm GW−1 than graphene oxide with different oxidation degree (GO-X, X = 6, 8, 10 and 12), and reduced graphene oxide with relatively few sp2 hybrid carbon configuration ratios (Y-rGO-6, Y = 80, 100, 120, 140 and 180). The significantly enhanced nonlinear reverse saturable absorption of 160-rGO-6 is attributed to the two photon absorption and excited state absorption originating from the sp2 hybrid carbon configuration system.