Search

Rechargeable magnesium batteries (RMBs) are promising next‐generation low‐cost and high‐energy devices. Among all RMBs, anode‐free magnesium metal batteries that use in situ magnesium‐plated current collectors as negative electrodes can afford optimal energy densities. However, anode‐free magnesium metal batteries have remained elusive so far, as their practical application is plagued by low Mg plating/stripping efficiency due to nonuniform Mg deposition on conventional anode current collectors. Herein, for the first time, an anode‐free Mg‐metal battery is developed by employing a 3D MXene (Ti3C2Tx) film with horizontal Mg electrodeposition. The magnesiophilic oxygen and reactive fluorine terminations in MXene enable an enriched local magnesium‐ion concentration and a durable magnesium fluoride‐rich solid electrolyte interphase on the Ti3C2Tx film surface. Meanwhile, Ti3C2Tx MXene exhibits a high lattice geometrical fit with Mg (≈96%) to guide the horizontal electrodeposition of Mg. Consequently, the developed Ti3C2Tx film achieves reversible Mg plating/stripping with high Coulombic efficiencies (>99.4%) at high‐current‐density (5.0 mA cm−2) and high‐Mg‐utilization (50%) conditions. When this Ti3C2Tx film is coupled with a pre‐magnesized Mo6S8 cathode, the anode‐free Mg‐metal full‐cell prototype exhibits a volumetric energy density five times higher than its standard Mg‐metal counterpart. This work provides insights into the rational design of anode current collectors to guide horizontal Mg electrodeposition for anode‐free Mg metal batteries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Magnesium metal batteries are promising candidates for next‐generation high‐energy‐density and low‐cost energy storage systems. Their application, however, is precluded by infinite relative volume changes and inevitable side reactions of Mg metal anodes. These issues become more pronounced at large areal capacities that are required for practical batteries. Herein, for the first time, double‐transition‐metal MXene films are developed to promote deeply rechargeable magnesium metal batteries using Mo2Ti2C3 as a representative example. The freestanding Mo2Ti2C3 films, which are prepared using a simple vacuum filtration method, possess good electronic conductivity, unique surface chemistry, and high mechanical modulus. These superior electro‐chemo‐mechanical merits of Mo2Ti2C3 films help to accelerate electrons/ions transfer, suppress electrolyte decomposition and dead Mg formation, as well as maintain electrode structural integrity during long‐term and large‐capacity operation. As a result, the as‐developed Mo2Ti2C3 films exhibit reversible Mg plating/stripping with high Coulombic efficiency of 99.3% at a record‐high capacity of 15 mAh cm−2. This work not only sheds innovative insights into current collector design for deeply cyclable Mg metal anodes, but also paves the way for the application of double‐transition‐metal MXene materials in other alkali and alkaline earth metal batteries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Magnesium metal anodes have attracted widespread attention for their high volumetric capacity and natural abundance, but are precluded from practical applications by poor rate capability and limited lifespan due to sluggish ion‐transfer kinetics and uneven deposition behavior. Herein, for the first time a grain‐boundary‐rich triphasic artificial hybrid interphase, consisting of Sb metal, Mg3Sb2 alloy, and MgCl2, is designed on Mg anode surface by a facile solution treatment method, enabling high‐rate and long‐cycle Mg plating/stripping behavior. The triphasic artificial hybrid interphase affords high magnesiophilicity and ionic conductivity to reduce the energy barriers for Mg2+ desolvation and deposition. Meanwhile, the abundant grain boundaries redistribute Mg2+ flux at the electrode‐electrolyte interface and guide uniform Mg deposition. Accordingly, the as‐designed Mg metal anode achieves ultralong cycling life of 350 h at a high current density of 5 mA cm−2 and a large areal capacity of 5 mAh cm−2, outperforming previously reported Mg metal anodes with artificial interphases. Full cells with Mo6 cathode also show extraordinary stability over a long lifespan of 8000 cycles at a high rate of 5 C. The rational artificial interphase design and the understanding of composition‐structure‐function relationships shed deep insights into the development of fast‐charging and long‐cycling Mg metal batteries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Rational design of highly active, economical and stable electrocatalysts for hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) is still a great challenge for future applications. Herein, we use a 2D metal-organic framework array as the reactive template and precursor, to fabricate a hybrid nanosheet array of nitrogen-rich CoS 2 @nitrogen-doped carbon on Ti foil substrate (N–CoS 2 @NC/Ti) through a simple thermal treatment in the presence of thiourea. Owing to the prominent synergistic effect of the coupling between CoS 2 and NC, a high content of Co-N x species as well as unique nanoarray architectures, the as-synthesized N–CoS 2 @NC/Ti electrode exhibits remarkable activity and robust durability for HER under both acidic and alkaline conditions, which is obviously superior to the CoS 2 @NC/Ti. Graphical abstract Image 1 Highlights • A novel 2D Co-MOFs was used to fabricate N–CoS 2 @NC flake arrays. • The N–CoS 2 @NC/Ti has a high content of Co-Nx species. • Outstanding HER performance was achieved in acidic and alkaline medium. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Developing highly active and low-cost electrocatalysts with superior durability is attractive but challenging for energy-saving electrolytic hydrogen generation via water electrolysis. Herein, a novel metal-organic framework (MOF)-based growth-etching-phosphorization strategy is reported to construct hierarchical porous CoP nanostructure arrays on nickel foam substrate (HP-CoP NA/NF) for overall water splitting (OWP). Interconnected 2D cobalt-based MOF are fabricated via an aqueous solution reaction at room temperature, and then solid MOFs are uniformly converted into porous CoP arrays with hierarchical 3D configuration through a Co 2+ −etching process with subsequent phosphorization treatment. This unique array architecture is beneficial for providing highly exposed active sites, shortening ion diffusion path and promoting gas release during the electrochemical reactions. Resultantly, this MOFs-derived CoP catalyst exhibits an outstanding electrocatalytic activity in catalyzing not only hydrogen and oxygen evolution reactions with the low overpotentials of 70 and 258 mV at 10 mA cm −2 , respectively, but also some other small molecules electro-oxidation reactions, especially for urea oxidation reaction. Furthermore, the two-electrode electrolyzer comprising bifunctional HP-CoP NA/NF electrode delivers a current density of 10 mA cm −2  at an ultralow cell voltage of 1.38 V in the presence of urea, which is 180 mV smaller than that of pure water splitting. This work introduces a reference for the development of MOF-derived hierarchical nanostructured catalysts for energy-saving water splitting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of highly active dual-functional electrocatalysts, especially for oxygen evolution reaction (OER), is highly desirable to electrocatalyze water splitting for hydrogen production. Herein, a cobalt metal-organic frameworks (Co-MOFs) array is employed as the platform to fabricate oxygen-defect-rich Co 3 O 4 flakes that are vertical grown on nickel foam substrates. This MOFs-derived Co 3 O 4 arrays show a hierarchical interconnected porous flake network structure with tunable oxygen vacancies . The unique structural features obtained from an optimal hydrogenation condition render outstanding catalytic performance toward the oxygen evolution in alkaline media (an ultralow overpotential of 205 mV at 10 mA cm −2 ; a small Tafel slope of 65.3 mV dec −1 as well as high stability). This OER performance is among the best non-noble metal catalysts reported to date. Meanwhile, this defect-rich Co 3 O 4 array electrode is also efficient for catalyzing hydrogen evolution in the same basic solution (overpotential of ∼108 mV at 10 mA cm −2 ). The electrolyzer for overall water splitting can deliver a current density of 100 mA cm −2 at a cell voltage as low as 1.84 V. Density functional theory calculation reveals that the enhanced OER performance mainly arises from the oxygen vacancies and consequently the lowered activation energy as well as improved electrical conductivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Replacement of oxygen evolution (OER) by the more readily oxidized urea is considered to be a promising strategy for electrocatalytic water-splitting. In this work, we report a Fe O P film on nickel foam (Fe O P/NF) via atomic layer deposition (ALD) of iron oxide and a subsequent phosphonation process, which acts as a superior bifunctional electrocatalyst for both urea evolution reaction (UOR) and hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). Benefiting from the synergetic effects, the Fe O P/NF exhibits a low potential of 1.34 V (vs. RHE) at 10 mA cm −2 and a low Tafel slope of 57.2 mV dec −1 for UOR. Combined with the high HER activity of Fe O P/NF, the urea-based overall water splitting can be performed with an low voltage of 1.43 V to deliver 10 mA cm −2 in 1.0 M KOH with 0.5 M urea, which is 200 mV lower than that for pure water splitting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA), an endogenous NOS inhibitor, is also an important inflammatory factor contributing to the development of atherosclerosis (AS). The present study was to test the effect of ADMA on angiotensin (Ang) II-induced monocytic adhesion. Human monocytoid cells (THP-1) or isolated peripheral blood monocyte cells (PBMCs) were incubated with Ang II (10−6 M) or exogenous ADMA (30μM) for 4 or 24h in the absence or presence of losartan or antioxidant PDTC. In cultured THP-1 cells, Ang II (10−6 M) for 24h elevated the level of ADMA in the medium, upregulated the protein expression of protein arginine methyltransferase (PRMT) and decreased the activity of dimethylarginine dimethylaminohydrolase (DDAH). Both of Ang II and ADMA increased monocytic adhesion to human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs), elevated the levels of monocyte chemoattractant protein (MCP)-1, interleukin (IL)-8 and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α and upregulated CCR2 and CXCR2 mRNA expression, concomitantly with increase in reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation and activation of nuclear factor (NF)-κB. Pretreatment with losartan (10μM) or PDTC (10μM) abolished the effects mediated by Ang II or ADMA. In isolated PBMCs from healthy individuals, ADMA upregulated the expression of CXCR2 mRNA, which was attenuated by losartan (10μM), however, ADMA had no effect on surface protein expression of CCR2. The present results suggest that ADMA may be involved in monocytic adhesion induced by Ang II via activation of chemokine receptors by ROS/NF-κB pathway. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

• N-doped carbon incorporated Mo-doped CoP arrays is fabricated. • The Mo-CoP/NC nanoarrays exhibits excellent HER activity at all pH values. • DFT reveal that Mo- doping and N-doped carbon synergistically modify the electronic structure of CoP. • Hierarchical porous endow abundant active sites and facile ion diffusion path. CoP is demonstrated to be efficient for hydrogen evolution reaction (HER), but it suffers from unfavorable electronic and geometric structures to meet the requirement for future hydrogen economy. In this work, hierarchically porous N-doped carbon incorporated Mo-doped CoP nanosheet arrays are homogeneously grown on titanium foils (denoted as Mo-CoP/NC/TF) using a metal–organic-framework (MOF)-etching strategy. DFT simulations manifest that Mo dopants and N-doped carbon incorporation can synergistically modify the electronic structure of CoP, bringing optimal hydrogen adsorption free energies and accelerated interfacial charge transfer. Moreover, hierarchical nanoarray architectures can generate abundant accessible active sites, facile ion-diffusion path, and open-channels for gas release. Benefiting from these electronic and geometric advantages, the Mo-CoP/NC/TF electrocatalysts display superior activity and outstanding stability for pH-universal HER, requiring overpotentials of 59, 130, and 78 mV to drive a current density of 10 mA cm−2 in acidic, neutral, and alkaline electrolytes, respectively, which rivals most of the state-of-the-art non-precious electrocatalysts. This work may inspire the design and exploration of highly active and durable electrocatalysts by synergistically tailoring electronic and geometric structures toward hydrogen evolution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel 2D Co-MOFs-based growth-sulfidation-phosphorization approach is developed to fabricate integrated Co-S-P hollow nanosheet arrays on carbon cloth substrate, which displays superior electrocatalytic properties for overall water splitting. • Integrated Co-S-P hollow nanoarrays is fabricated by a facile 2D Co-MOFs-based growth-sulfidation-phosphorization approach. • The Co-S-P hollow nanoarrays exhibit excellent electrocatalytic activity toward OER, HER, and overall water splitting. • DFT calculations reveal that P-anions doping into CoS 2 leads to moderated adsorption energetics of OER and HER intermediates. The development of economical and versatile catalysts for oxygen evolution reaction (OER) and hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) is an exceedingly challenge for hydrogen production from water electrolysis. Herein, three-dimensional (3D) phosphorus-anion-decorated cobalt disulfide hollow nanosheet arrays are uniformly deposited on carbon cloth (P-CoS 2 HNA/CC) through a MOF-based growth-sulfidation-phosphorization approach. Benefiting from the moderated electronic structure, maximum exposure of active surface sites and the unique 3D hollow conductive architecture, the optimal P-CoS 2 HNA/CC delivers superior electrocatalytic activity with extremely low overpotentials of 250 and 80 mV to achieve a current density of 10 mA cm−2 for OER and HER in alkaline conditions, respectively. The corresponding two-electrode electrolyzer for overall water splitting requires a cell voltage of 1.56 V to attain a current density of 10 mA cm−2, close to commercial IrO 2 /CC || Pt/C/CC couple (1.55 V). Density functional theory (DFT) calculations demonstrate that decoration of P-anions into CoS 2 electrocatalysts not only significantly tunes adsorption energetics of H- and O-containing intermediates, but also offers additional active sites for OER/HER process, dramatically boosting the catalytic activity of P-CoS 2 HNA/CC. This work may shed some new light on the design of advanced and high-active electrocatalysts for overall water splitting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Traditionally, rechargeable lithium metal battery systems relied on simple metal cationic species to enable metal nucleation and deposition. However, this mechanism is less applicable to room‐temperature rechargeable aluminum batteries (RABs), which utilize complex ionic species. This work takes advantage of two different MXenes, Mo2Ti2C3Tx and Ti3C2Tx, which have different metal‐termination group bond strengths, interlayer spacings, and surface termination compositions, to amplify and visualize the differences between two promising RAB electrolytes (i.e., urea/AlCl3 and EMImCl/AlCl3). This work allowed us to deduce the following: 1) despite lower coulombic efficiencies, smoother Al deposits are observed when the urea/AlCl3 electrolyte is used; 2) unknown side reactions occur in all the different scenarios, however, they are likely less reversible in the EMImCl/AlCl3 electrolyte; 3) metal‐halogen exchange reactions can occur in all scenarios, forming Al(OF)x and AlFx species; 4) the free urea in urea/AlCl3 electrolyte behaves differently from the urea in aqueous solutions. Overall, due to the characteristics of aluminum, RABs involve vastly different internal mechanisms, resulting in the need for audacious attempts toward system understanding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The pursuit of high energy density Li‐based rechargeable batteries has intrigued numerous research interest on Li metal anode. However, several significant challenges, including severe parasitic reactions and growth of Li dendrites, lead to fast electrode failure and impede its practical implantation. Herein, it is revealed that the dynamic concentration of alloying element in Li solid solution can significantly improve the cycling stability. It is demonstrated that the alloying element of Li solid solution continuously evolved in the reaction layer on cycling. Alloying element got enriched on anode surface after Li stripping, and re‐dispersed into the deposited Li during Li plating processes. The alloying element‐rich surface can reduce the Li nucleation barrier and promote the uniform Li plating behavior. Ultrathin Li solid solution foils are fabricated, and the dynamic alloying element concentration mechanism is further verified, and the cycling lifespan of pure Li is doubled. Consequently, a 1.4 Ah laminated pouch cell with ultrathin Li solid solution anode (30 µm) exhibits high energy density of 836 Wh L−1 and stable cycling performance under the harsh conditions with low negative/positive capacity (N/P) ratio of 2 and electrolyte/capacity (E/C) ratio of 2.6 g Ah−1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The uneven electrochemical reactions of lithium (Li) metal anode is one of the main reasons that hinder its application in rechargeable high energy density batteries. Great progress has been achieved in homogenizing electrochemical reactions of Li metal anode in lab‐scale coin cells, however, it cannot be directly applied to pouch cells, where undesirable defects or side reactions are significantly aggravated. With carbonate electrolyte, multi‐layered negative and positive electrodes (8 × 11 cm), 1.2 Ah sulfurized polyacrylonitrile (SPAN)||Li pouch cell lost all its capacity after 40 cycles under a current of 600 mA, although its counterpart with coin cell configuration showed much higher capacity retention of 94% under the same test condition. Severe corrosion with uneven, porous, dendritic Li deposits is observed for pristine Li electrode in a pouch cell, especially in the near‐tap and the central regions with close connection with the current collector due to the locally amplified current densities. In contrast, Li/Li–Sn alloy composite electrode displays uniform and dense Li plating behavior over the entire test area with significantly suppressed parasitic reactions and gas evolution. As such, a 1.2 Ah SPAN||Li/Li–Sn cell displays much higher capacity retention than SPAN||Li cell (87% for 100 cycles vs. 0 for 40 cycles). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Na/Na 3 P composite was fabricated by spontaneous reaction between red P and Na. • Na/Na 3 P composite provided functional components for the inorganic-rich SEI. • Na 3 P in the SEI enabled the rapid diffusion of Na ions. • The inorganic-rich SEI improved the electrochemical Na plating/stripping behavior. • Na/Na 3 P composite achieved stable performance over 400 cycles for full cell. The practical application of sodium (Na) metal anode in rechargeable batteries is impeded by inferior electrochemical properties and safety hazards arising from uneven Na plating/stripping behaviors. The Na-ion diffusion within the solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) plays a pivotal role in influencing these behaviors and the electrochemical performance of the Na metal anode. In this study, we leveraged the spontaneous reaction between red phosphorus (P) and metallic Na to fabricate a Na/Na 3 P (NNP) composite foil using a straightforward folding and mechanical rolling method at room temperature. The in-situ formed Na 3 P phase fosters the formation of an inorganic-rich SEI layer with high ionic conductivity, effectively enhancing the Na-ion diffusion kinetics and curbing the formation of Na dendrites. Moreover, the Na 3 P present in the NNP composite can continually replenish the functional component and promptly repair the fracture of the SEI layer, thereby ensuring the stability of its structure and properties. Consequently, the NNP composite electrode significantly extends the Na plating/stripping cyclic lifespan compared to a bare Na anode. As a demonstration, the Na 3 V 2 (PO 4) 3 ||NNP full cell exhibits stable performance over 400 cycles with 96.7 % capacity retention at 5 C. This work paves the way for designing stable SEI layers with fast ion diffusion capability for alkali metal anodes, and the findings are anticipated to propel the development of alkali metal batteries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: In general, the individual patient-level data (IPD) collected in clinical trials are not available to independent researchers to conduct economic evaluations; researchers only have access to published survival curves and summary statistics. Thus, methods that use published survival curves and summary statistics to reproduce statistics for economic evaluations are essential. Four methods have been identified: two traditional methods 1) least squares method, 2) graphical method; and two recently proposed methods by 3) Hoyle and Henley, 4) Guyot et al. The four methods were first individually reviewed and subsequently assessed regarding their abilities to estimate mean survival through a simulation study. Methods: A number of different scenarios were developed that comprised combinations of various sample sizes, censoring rates and parametric survival distributions. One thousand simulated survival datasets were generated for each scenario, and all methods were applied to actual IPD. The uncertainty in the estimate of mean survival time was also captured. Results: All methods provided accurate estimates of the mean survival time when the sample size was 500 and a Weibull distribution was used. When the sample size was 100 and the Weibull distribution was used, the Guyot et al. method was almost as accurate as the Hoyle and Henley method; however, more biases were identified in the traditional methods. When a lognormal distribution was used, the Guyot et al. method generated noticeably less bias and a more accurate uncertainty compared with the Hoyle and Henley method. Conclusions: The traditional methods should not be preferred because of their remarkable overestimation. When the Weibull distribution was used for a fitted model, the Guyot et al. method was almost as accurate as the Hoyle and Henley method. However, if the lognormal distribution was used, the Guyot et al. method was less biased compared with the Hoyle and Henley method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Ethnopharmacological relevance: Wu-Chu-Yu is a well-known herbal drug used for hypertension. Rutaecarpine and evodiamine are main bioactive components of the medicine. Materials and methods: A sensitive and specific HPLC method was developed to analyze rutaecarpine (Rut) and evodiamine (Evo) in rat whole blood. The pharmacokinetics of Rut and Evo after oral administration of Wu-Chu-Yu extracts with different purities to rats was compared to evaluate the effect of purity of Wu-Chu-Yu extracts on the absorption of Rut and Evo. Male Sprague–Dawley rats were given Wu-Chu-Yu extracts with different purities (high, medium and low) approximately the same doses of equivalent to Rut (40mg/kg) and Evo (31mg/kg). The contents of Rut and Evo were 45 and 35%, 28 and 21%, 9 and 7% in high, medium and low purity extracts, respectively. At different time points (0.25, 0.5, 0.75, 1, 1.5, 2, 2.5, 3 and 4h) after administration, the concentrations of Rut and Evo in rat whole blood were determined by HPLC, and main pharmacokinetic parameters were calculated. Results: The results indicated that the absorption of Rut and Evo in Wu-Chu-Yu extracts was improved when compared with the pure Rut and Evo and there were significant differences among different groups. Conclusions: The bioavailability of Rut and Evo was increased along with the increasing of purity (16%–80%) in Wu-Chu-Yu extracts. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Metallic lithium (Li) is the ultimate anode candidate for high‐energy‐density rechargeable batteries. However, its practical application is hindered by serious problems, including uncontrolled dendritic Li growth and undesired side reactions. In this study a concept of "salt‐in‐metal" is proposed, and a Li/LiNO3 composite foil is constructed such that a classic electrolyte additive, LiNO3, is embedded successfully into the bulk structure of metallic Li by a facile mechanical kneading approach. The LiNO3 reacts with metallic Li to generate Li+ conductive species (e.g., Li3N and LiNxOy) over the entire electrode. These derivatives afford a stable solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) and effectively regulate the uniformity of the nucleation/growth of Li on initial plating, featuring a low nucleation energy barrier and large crystalline size without mossy morphology. Importantly, these derivatives combined with LiNO3 can in‐situ repair the damaged SEI from the large volume change during Li plating/stripping, enabling a stable electrode‐electrolyte interface and suppressing side reactions between metallic Li and electrolyte. Stable cycling with a high capacity retention of 93.1% after 100 cycles is obtained for full cells consisting of high‐loading LiCoO2 cathode (≈20 mg cm−2) and composite metallic Li anode with 25 wt% LiNO3 under a lean electrolyte condition (≈12 µL) at 0.5 C. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The designing of high adsorption capacity and selective porous materials to adsorb gallium (Ga) is essential for developing breakthrough Ga separation and purify methods based on resin adsorption to replace traditionally used extraction, chemical precipitation, and electrochemical method. Here, an advanced porous resin with the 2-ethylhexylphosphonic acid mono-2-ethylhexyl ester (P507) and tributyl phosphate (TBP) attached to the silica-based materials (SiO 2 –P) has been prepared, which are synthesized by vacuum impregnation followed by drying. At low concentration sulfuric acid solution (PH = 3.3), the synthetic adsorbent that simultaneously exhibits excellent Ga adsorption capacity and high separation ability (excellent adsorption capacity with 64.2 mg/g, and super-high separation ability with the K d is over 1600). Adsorption and mechanism studies of Ga (III), using the above P507-TBP/SiO 2 –P resin, were carried out. IR, XPS, and BET, TG analysis were applied to confirm the resin were successful adsorb Ga (III) and the conversion of polymer to resin, respectively. More importantly, the P507-TBP/SiO 2 –P adsorbent can also be extended to the design of other silica-based materials for the challenging separate and purify other rare precious metals ions, indicating a very appealing application prospect. Image 1 • A silica-based adsorbent P507-TBP/SiO 2 –P was prepared through a two-step method. • P507-TBP/SiO 2 –P exhibits excellent adsorption capacity and high separation ability. • P507-TBP/SiO 2 –P can be designing of other adsorbents to separate rare metals ions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims Aberrant activation of cardiac fibroblasts leads to cardiac fibrosis, and evolving evidences suggest that endogenous bioactive substances derived from cardiac fibroblasts regulate cardiac fibroblasts activation in an autocrine/paracrine manner. Here we first presented evidence that cardiac fibroblasts can synthesize and secrete calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP), therefore, this study aimed to investigate the role of cardiac fibroblasts-derived CGRP in cardiac fibroblasts activation and its regulative mechanism. Methods and results The abundantly expression of CGRP in rat, mouse, and human myocardium allowed us to explore the cellular origin of CGRP, and found that the cardiac CGRP was mainly derived from cardiac fibroblasts. Activating TRPA1 with a specific agonist allyl isothiocyanate promoted the synthesis and secretion of CGRP, as well as intracellular Ca2+. These effects were reversed by TRPA1-specific antagonist HC030031 and Ca2+ chelator BAPTA-AM. TGF-β1 was applied to induce the activation of cardiac fibroblasts, and found that TGF-β1 can increase the mRNA expression and secretion levels of CGRP in cardiac fibroblasts. Either CGRP8–37 (CGRP receptor antagonist) or α-CGRP small interfering RNA (siRNA) aggravated TGF-β1-induced proliferation, differentiation, collagen production, and instigated inflammation in cardiac fibroblasts. Moreover, TGF-β1-induced NF-κB activation including IκBα phosphorylation and p65 nuclear translocation were also promoted by CGRP8–37 and α-CGRP siRNA. NF-κB inhibitor pyrrolidinedithiocarbamate ammonium (PDTC) reversed the effects of CGRP8–37 on NF-κB activation. The promotive effects of CGRP8–37 on TGF-β1-induced activation of cardiac fibroblasts were all reversed by PDTC. Monocrotaline (MCT) induces pulmonary arterial hypertension, progressively leading to right ventricular fibrosis. This model of cardiac fibrosis was developed here to test the potentially beneficial effects of TRPA1 activation in vivo. The non-toxic TRPA1 agonist Cinnamaldehyde (CA) inhibited MCT-induced elevation in right ventricle systolic pressure, RV/LV + S, and right ventricular collagen accumulation, as well as down-regulation of CGRP. CA increased the synthesis and secretion of CGRP, and inhibited TGF-β1-induced activation in cardiac fibroblasts. Conclusion Our data suggested an autocrine role for cardiac fibroblasts-derived CGRP in suppressing activation of cardiac fibroblasts through inhibiting NF-κB activation. Increasing autocrine CGRP by activating TRPA1 can ameliorate cardiac fibrosis. These findings support the notion that CGRP derived from cardiac fibroblasts is an endogenous suppressor of cardiac fibrosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract CGRP, known as the most potent vasodilator substance, plays an important role in hypertension initiation and development. TRPV1 and TRPA1 are critical in promoting the synthesis and release of CGRP, thereby regulating the cardiovascular tone. Rutaecarpine exhibits potent vasodilator and hypertensive effects by stimulating CGRP synthesis and release via activation of TRPV1. And NO has been shown to react with H 2 S in vivo to form HNO, thereby activating HNO-TRPA1-CGRP pathway. Inspired by combination therapy, 11 rutaecarpine-furoxan hybrids were designed, synthesized and evaluated. The results demonstrated that most hybrids exerted comparable or improved vasodilator activities. Among which, 13a is the most potent both ex vivo (EC 50 = 13.1 nM) and in vivo. Mechanistic studies revealed that the vasodilator and anti-hypertensive effects of the hybrids might involve the promotion of CGRP release via dual activation of TRPV1 and TRPA1. This work suggests that dual-targeted hybrids might be an effective and promising approach to discover and develop novel anti-hypertensive drugs. Graphical abstract A series of rutaecarpine-NO donor hybrids were designed, synthesized and evaluated. Among which, 13a exhibited significantly improved vasodilator activity, which is probably effected via synergistically activating TRPV1 and TRPA1 to promoting the release of CGRP. Image 1 Highlights • Regulating the release of CGRP represents a new approach for anti-hypertensive drug discovery. • Hybridization strategy by dually targeting TRPV1 and TRPA1 was applied. • Rutaecarpine and furoxan-type NO donors are promising active phamacophores. • 13a exhibited significantly improved ex-vivo (EC 50 = 13.1 nM) and in-vivo activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It has been found that Helicobacter pylori （ H. pylori ）is not only the main cause of gastric cancer, but also closely related to its metastasis. E-cadherin cleavage induced by matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) plays an important role in the tumor metastasis. In the present study, we investigated the role of microRNAs-MMPs-E-cadherin in migration and invasion of gastric cancer cells treated with H. pylori . The results showed that H. pylori induced migration and invasion of SGC-7901 cells with a down-regulation of E-cadherin expression, which were abolished by MMPs knock down, E-cadherin overexpression, mimics of miR128 and miR148a. MiR128/miR148a inhibitors restored MMP-3/MMP-7 expression, down-regulated E-cadherin level, and accelerated cellular migration and invasion. This study suggests that H. pylori induces migration and invasion of gastric cancer cells through reduction of E-cadherin function by activation of MMP-3, − 7. The present results also suggest that the activated MMPs/E-cadherin pathway is related with down-regulation of miR128/miR148a in the human gastric cancer cells infected with H. pylori . [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The traditional Chinese herb Wu‑Chu‑Yu has been used to treat hypertension for hundreds of years. A previous study indicated that rutaecarpine was the effective component of Wu‑Chu‑Yu, which lowered blood pressure by elevating the expression level of calcitonin gene‑related peptide (CGRP). The present study was performed to investigate the role of transient receptor potential cation channel subfamily V member 1 (TRPV1) in CGRP expression and release induced by rutaecarpine. Dorsal root ganglia (DRG) obtained from Sprague‑Dawley rats were cultured to analyze the mRNA expression and release of CGRP. Calcium influx, as an indicator of TRPV1 activation, was measured in 293 cells with stable overexpression of TRPV1. The results demonstrated that the amount of CGRP in the cell culture supernatant and the mRNA expression of CGRPα and CGRPβ in DRG was upregulated by rutaecarpine in a concentration‑dependent manner, and was inhibited by the TRPV1 receptor antagonist capsazepine. In addition, intracellular Ca2+ levels were increased by Rut in the aforementioned 293 cell line, indicating the activation of TRPV1 by Rut. Therefore, it was concluded that TRPV1 was involved in the expression and release of CGRP stimulated by rutaecarpine, which provided novel mechanistic understanding of the treatment of hypertension using the Chinese herb Wu‑Chu‑Yu. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the proposed concept of energy blockchain, peer-to-peer (P2P) energy trading between prosumers is regarded as a potential way for future power market development. However, existing P2P energy trading often has problems such as low trading efficiency and significant communication losses. This paper presents an energy trading strategy in the blockchain environment to solve the problems of P2P energy trading. First, the type of market is determined based on energy supply and demand. Then, a Stackelberg game is used to establish a two-layer model of the leader (upper) and follower (lower) to determine the price. In addition, we propose an energy trading method based on feasible regions. The trading strategy considers the supply and demand of the market, provides an accurate energy transfer signal, and can help energy blockchain achieve better "self-sufficiency". A case study proves the effectiveness of the strategy. Compared with the existing methods, the strategy proposed in this paper considers the market type and can promote the coordination and complementation of energy in the microgrid, and improve trading efficiency and reduce communication loss without sacrificing privacy. This study demonstrates that P2P power trading has brought benefits to prosumers, has promoted the development of the energy market, and has shown the massive potential of energy blockchain. • A P2P energy trading model and a consensus algorithm in the blockchain are proposed. • An interactive pricing-and-matching P2P energy trading strategy is proposed. • A novel P2P energy trading pricing model based on game theory is proposed. • A P2P energy trading matching method based on the feasible region is proposed. • Results show that the strategy proposed in this paper can optimize the microgrid. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lead-free ceramics 0.5BaCaTiO-0.5BaTiZrO- xIrO ( x = 0-1.2 %) were prepared at a low temperature of 1260 °C via sintering the as-synthesized nanoparticles, which were synthesized by a modified Pechini polymeric precursor method. All samples featured high levels of densification under the synthesis conditions; particularly, the ceramic prepared at IrO content of 0.4 % achieved the highest relative density (~97.4 %). Phase transition from tetragonal to orthorhombic and a polymorphic phase transition (PPT) region were observed, which were influenced by the IrO content. The dielectric properties, temperature coefficient of capacitance, ferroelectric properties, and piezoelectric properties as a function of IrO content were thoroughly studied. Optimal electrical properties (remnant polarization, piezoelectric constant, and planar electromechanical coupling factors, i.e., P = 6.28 μC/cm, d = 199 pC/N, and k = 0.258) were obtained around the PPT region. The findings of the ceramic electrical properties by IrO doping are believed to be insightful in the development of lead-free dielectric and ferroelectric materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A simple and sensitive electrochemical impedimetric aptasensor based on gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) signal amplification was developed for the ultrasensitive detection of tumor markers (mucin 1 protein, MUC1 as a model). The designed cDNA, which is partly complementary with the aptamer of MUC1 was immobilized on the gold electrode. The detection of MUC1 could be carried out by virtue of switching structures of aptamers from DNA/DNA duplex to DNA/target complex. The change of the interfacial feature of the electrode was characterized by electrochemical impedance analysis (EIS) with the redox probe [Fe(CN) 6 ] 3−/4− . The quantitative detection of MUC1 protein was obtained from the changes of electron-transfer resistance (Δ R et ). Moreover, as the signal enhancer, the aptamer-modified AuNPs (Apt@AuNPs) conjugates was introduced on the electrode by the hybridization of cDNA with aptamer. As expected, the detection sensitivity for MUC1 was greatly improved, which may be due to the specific binding of MUC1 onto the surface of the Apt@AuNPs modified electrode. This proposed simple aptasensor has a low detection limit of 0.1 nM, and also exhibits several advantages of high sensitivity and good selectivity. This present work may provide a general model for the detection of tumor marker based on impedimetric aptasensor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The senescence and dysfunction of vascular endothelial cells are important features of diabetic vascular disease. High mobility group box-1(HMGB1) may be involved in vascular injury in response to high glucose. Glycyrrhizin (GL) is an HMGB1 inhibitor that significantly reduces HMGB1. However, the relationship between HMGB1 and vascular ageing in diabetes is not clear, the protective mechanism of GL against vascular injury in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is unclear too. This study aims to examine the role of HMGB1 in vascular endothelial cell senescence and the protective effects of GL on vascular aging in high fat diet/streptozotocin (HFD/STZ) induce type 2 diabetic rats.After induction of diabetes, GL (150 mg/kg/d) was treated by gavage for 4 weeks. Results showed that compared with the Control group, the serum level of HMGB1 was increased in rats with type 2 diabetes, while the expression of HMGB1 mRNA and protein in the thoracic aorta was upregulated, with a decrease in endothelium-dependent vasodilation function and an increase in aging degree in the thoracic aorta. However, the above indicators were significantly improved after GL treatment. In HUVECs, we found that treated with HMGB1 (50, 100 and 200 ng/ml) for 48 h induced cells senescence and GL (50, 100 mg/L) significantly inhibited high-glucose-induced endothelial cell senescence, meanwhile GL (50, 100 mg/L) significantly inhibited the high-glucose-induced HMGB1 release and upregulated p53 expression. In conclusion, GL as an HMGB1 inhibitor, attenuates endothelium-dependent relaxation impairment and vascular ageing in an animal model of diabetes and high-glucose-induced endothelial cell senescence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Core-branch Co 3 O 4 @CoNi-LDH nanoarrays are fabricated on Ni foam. • Core-branch architectures provide high surface-active sites exposure. • The couple effect between Co 3 O 4 and CoNi-LDH modulates the electronic structure. • The Co 3 O 4 @CoNi-LDH/NF exhibits high OER activities, outperforming the benchmark IrO 2. Electrocatalytic water oxidation is a crucial process for many conversion and storage systems. Developing noble-metal-free oxygen evolution reaction (OER) electrocatalysts with high activity and long durability thus becomes immensely vital yet challenging. In this work, core-branch Co 3 O 4 @CoNi-layered double hydroxide nanoarrays are developed on nickel foam with the assistance of metal-organic-frameworks template and atomic layer deposition technology, acting as active and durable electrocatalysts for OER. The introduction of CoNi-LDH significantly regulates the morphological and electronic structure of Co 3 O 4 , giving rise to high surface-active sites exposure, accelerated electron transfer, and optimal interaction with intermediate products. Together with the 3D self-supported and binder-free structure, the optimized Co 3 O 4 @CoNi-LDH/NF exhibits remarkable OER performances in terms of low overpotential, high OER current density, and low Tafel slope, which are even better than the benchmark IrO 2 electrocatalyst. This study provides a new horizon for exploring biphasic core-branch materials for electrocatalysis and other energy-related applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims Vascular peroxidase 1 (VPO1) is a newly identified haem-containing peroxidase that catalyses the oxidation of a variety of substrates by hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). Considering the well-defined effects of H2O2 on the vascular remodelling during hypertension, and that VPO1 can utilize H2O2 generated from co-expressed NADPH oxidases to catalyse peroxidative reactions, the aims of this study were to determine the potential role of VPO1 in vascular remodelling during hypertension. Methods and results The vascular morphology and the expression of VPO1 in arterial tissues of spontaneously hypertensive rats and Wistar–Kyoto rats were assessed. The VPO1 expression was significantly increased concomitantly with definite vascular remodelling assessed by evaluating the media thickness, lumen diameter, media thickness-to-lumen diameter ratio and mean nuclear area in artery media in spontaneously hypertensive rats. In addition, in cultured rat aortic smooth muscle cells we found that the angiotensin II-mediated cell proliferation was inhibited by knockdown of VPO1 using small hairpin RNA. Moreover, the NADPH oxidase inhibitor, apocynin, and the hydrogen peroxide scavenger, catalase, but not the ERK1/2 inhibitor, PD98059, attenuated angiotensin II-mediated up-regulation of VPO1 and generation of hypochlorous acid. Conclusion VPO1 is a novel regulator of vascular smooth muscle cell proliferation via NADPH oxidase–H2O2–VPO1–hypochlorous acid–ERK1/2 pathways, which may contribute to vascular remodelling in hypertension. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Abstract: Rutaecarpine is the major alkaloid component of Wu-Chu-Yu, a well known Chinese herbal drug. It has been reported that rutaecarpine causes the vasodilator, hypotensive effects by stimulation of CGRP synthesis and release via activation of TRPV1. In present study, 23 rutaecarpine analogues were designed and synthesized. Then, the vasodilator effects of theses compounds were screened by rat aortic ring experiment. The result showed that the 14-N atom of rutaecarpine might be the key site for the activity. The 5-carbonyl might make lower contribution to the effect. And simple substitute in indole-ring or quinazoline-ring would not enhance the vasodilator effect unless in proper position with proper group. One of these compounds, 10-methylrutaecarpine, exhibited similar effect with rutaecarpine. Further functional experiments showed its vasodilator and hypotensive effect were related to the stimulation of CGRP release via activation of TRPV1. The vasodilator effects of these compounds were evaluated and the structure–activity relationship was elucidated for the first time. The results suggested a new direction of valuable TRPV1 agonist as anti-hypertensive drugs. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Enkephalins are peptides with morphine-like activity. To achieve their biological function, they must be transported from an aqueous phase to the lipid-rich environment of their membrane bound receptor proteins. In our study, zeta potential (ZP) method was used to detect the association of Leu-enkephalin and Leu-enkephalinamide with phospholipid liposomes constituted from egg-phosphatidylcholine (EPC), dioleoyl-phosphatidylethanolamine (DOPE), cholesterol (Chol), sphingomyelin (SM) as well as soybean phospholipid (SBPL). Transfer of the peptides over lipid membranes was examined by electrophysiology technique (ET) and fluorescence spectroscopy (FS), and further confirmed using 4-fluoro-7-nitrobenzofurazan (NBD-F) labeled Leu-enkephalin (NBD-F-enkephalin) with confocal laser scanning microscopy method (CLSM). Results of zeta potential showed that enkephalinamide associated with lipid membranes and gradually saturated on the membranes either hydrophobically or electrostatically or both. Data from electrophysiology technique indicated that Leu-enkephalin could cause transmembrane currents, suggesting the transfer of peptides across lipid membranes. Transfer examined by fluorescence spectroscopy implied that it could be separated into three steps, adsorption, transportation and desorption, which was afterward reaffirmed by confocal laser scanning microscopy. Transfer efficiencies of enkephalin across SBPL, EPC/DOPE, EPC/DOPE/SM, EPC/SM and EPC/Chol lipid bilayer membranes were evaluated with ET and CLSM experiments. Results showed that the addition of either sphingomyelin or cholesterol, or negatively charged lipid in lipid membrane composition could lower the transfer efficiency. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Much attention has recently been paid to the study of positively charged polypeptides as a possible carrier for therapeutic protein or DNA delivery to cells. In this study, we have investigated the translocation of positively charged copoly(Lys/Tyr) (MW=72000, DP=385) across lipid membranes constituted from egg-phosphatidylcholine (EPC), dioleoyl-phosphatidylethanolamine (DOPE), as well as soybean phospholipids (SBPL) using ζ potential method, circular dichroism spectroscopy (CD), electrophysiology technique, fluorescence spectroscopy, and confocal laser scanning microscopy. Results of ζ potentials show that copoly(Lys/Tyr) associate with lipid membranes and become gradually saturated on the membranes either hydrophobically or electrostatically or both. CD studies demonstrate that the copoly(Lys/Tyr) takes and remains β-sheet conformation during its interaction with liposome membranes, indicating that the translocation process should be carpet-mode like. Data from the electrophysiology technique reveal that positively charged copoly(Lys/Tyr) can cause transmembrane currents under an applied voltage, confirming its transfer across lipid membranes. Fluorescence spectroscopy results display a three-step mechanism of translocation across membrane: adsorption, transportation, and desorption, which has been verified by results from confocal laser scanning microscopy. We provided the first direct observation that the positively charged polypeptides, copoly(Lys/Tyr), can translocate through SBPL and EPC/DOPE lipid bilayer membranes. In addition, we found that the translocation efficiency of copoly(Lys/Tyr) was higher on the EPC/DOPE lipid membrane than on the SBPL lipid membrane. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

• A novel extraction regime for Sc involves sulfation roasting and water leaching. • The (NH 4) 2 SO 4 can selectively react with some components in bauxite residue. • Above 90% Sc was extracted with low concentration of impurities in the leachate. Bauxite residue, as an important source of scandium, is an alkaline industrial waste generated during the Bayer process for alumina production. A novel method for selective extraction of scandium from bauxite residue was proposed by ammonium sulfate roasting and water leaching. During the roasting process, ammonium sulfate could selectively react with Sc, Al and Fe in the bauxite residue to produce respective metal ammonium sulfates, and then which were completely decomposed to their respective metal sulfates at 550 °C. The sulfates of iron (III) and aluminum were decomposed to their respective metal oxides at about 700 °C, whereas the scandium sulfate remained stable. In the leaching process, the scandium sulfate could be selectively leached with water from roasted residues while other elements mainly remained in the leaching residue. The extraction efficiency of scandium reached above 90% under the optimum conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background A recent meta-analysis by the Early Breast Cancer Trialists’ Collaborative Group found significant improvements achieved by postmastectomy radiotherapy (PMRT) for patients with breast cancer with 1 to 3 positive nodes (pN1−3). It is unclear whether PMRT is cost-effective for subgroups of patients with positive nodes. Objective To determine the cost-effectiveness of PMRT for subgroups of patients with breast cancer with positive nodes. Methods A semi-Markov model was constructed to estimate the expected lifetime costs, life expectancy, and quality-adjusted life-years for patients receiving or not receiving radiation therapy. Clinical and health utilities data were from meta-analyses by the Early Breast Cancer Trialists’ Collaborative Group or randomized clinical trials. Costs were estimated from the perspective of the Chinese society. One-way and probabilistic sensitivity analyses were performed. Findings The incremental cost-effective ratio was estimated as $7984, $4043, $3572, and $19,021 per quality-adjusted life-year for patients with positive nodes (pN+), patients with pN1−3, patients with pN1−3 who received systemic therapy, and patients with >4 positive nodes (pN4+), respectively. According to World Health Organization recommendations, these incremental cost-effective ratios were judged as cost-effective. However, the results of one-way sensitivity analyses suggested that the results were highly sensitive to the relative effectiveness of PMRT (rate ratio). Implications We determined that the results were highly sensitive to the rate ratio. However, the addition of PMRT for patients with pN1-3 in China has a reasonable chance to be cost-effective and may be judged as an efficient deployment of limited health resource, and the risk and uncertainty of PMRT are relatively greater for patients with pN4+. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]