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The hypothalamus plays a vital role in coordinating essential neuroendocrine, autonomic, and somatomotor responses for survival and reproduction. While previous studies have explored population-level projections of hypothalamic neurons, the specific innervation patterns of individual hypothalamic axons remain unclear. To understand the organization of hypothalamic axon projections, we conducted a comprehensive reconstruction of single-cell projectomes from 7,180 mouse hypothalamic neurons expressing specific neuropeptides. Our analysis identified 31 distinct subtypes based on projectome-defined characteristics, with many exhibiting long-range axon collateral projections to multiple brain regions. Notably, these subtypes selectively targeted specific subdomains within downstream areas, either unilaterally or bilaterally. Furthermore, we observed that individual peptidergic neuronal types encompassed multiple projectome-defined subtypes, explaining their diverse functional roles. Additionally, by examining intra-hypothalamic axon projections, we uncovered six modular subnetworks characterized by enriched intramodular connections and distinct preferences for downstream targets. This modular organization of the intra-hypothalamic network likely contributes to the coordinated organization of hypothalamic outputs. In summary, our comprehensive projectome analysis reveals the organizational principles governing hypothalamic axon projections, providing a framework for understanding the neural circuit mechanisms underlying the diverse and coordinated functions of the hypothalamus.

A series of flower-like Bi2WO6/BiOCl photocatalyst were synthesized by a facile hydrothermal method. S-scheme Bi2WO6/BiOCl-3 nano-heterojunction exhibits the excellent photocatalytic activity for degradation of RhB under visible light irradiation.

Magnetically retrievable Cr2O3–Fe3O4/C hetero-nanostructure polyhedra have been fabricated. The formation of Z-scheme Cr2O3–Fe3O4/C obviously improves the visible light absorption and promotes the separation of photogenerated charge carriers.

Grapefruit peel carbon (GPC) is prepared from waste grapefruit peel and further used as substrate for in situ construction of MoS2 arrays, forming MoS2/GPC heterostructured materials. Based on the effect of the mass ratio between MoS2 and GPC on the morphology and structure, it can be found that the mass ratio not only has an important impact on the morphology and structure of MoS2, but also further affects the energy storage performance when used as the anode in lithium-ion batteries. Under the optimal mass ratio of 3:1, flower-like MoS2 is uniformly dotted on the GPC surface, presenting a special heterostructure, which has been successfully synthesized via the hydrothermal method. The electrochemical study shows that the MoS2/GPC composite obtained exhibits satisfying charge–discharge stability and rate capability thanks to the short diffusion channel for lithium ions and very low charge transfer resistance. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy at different states of charge reveals that the passivation layer formed in the initial stage plays an important role in maintaining the stability of the electrode.

Herein, hierarchical WO3 microflowers with tailored oxygen vacancies are newly fabricated by a facile chemical bath deposition integrating H2-reduction route and exhibit a remarkably boosted activity toward visible-light-driven photocatalytic dye degradation, such as that of rhodamine B and methyl orange. The origin of the remarkably boosted activity can be readily ascribed to the integrated factors of the unique hierarchical microflowers and oxygen vacancies that contribute to the enhanced visible-light absorbance, the narrowed band gap and the reduced photoelectron–hole recombination ability. In addition, this photocatalyst also presents an excellent recycling performance due to its robust hierarchical structure and stable crystal phase, showing significant potential for future applications. It is anticipated that this work can shed a bright light on developing highly efficient photocatalysts toward visible-light-driven photocatalytic pollutant cleaning.

Z-scheme heterostructure photocatalysts for the transfer and separation efficiency of carriers are increasingly popular. CdS nanoparticle decorated three-dimensional (3D) flower-like Zn3(PO4)2 nanostructures were prepared through a simple hydrothermal route and precipitation methods. The CdS/Zn3(PO4)2 heteronanostructures were characterized through X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), UV-visible light spectroscopy (UV-vis), photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy and photoelectrochemical measurements. The results showed that the three-dimensional flower-like structure of Zn3(PO4)2 composed of two-dimensional nanoplates and CdS/Zn3(PO4)2 heteronanostructures was obtained. The results of the Mott–Schottky measurements and the active species trapping experiments suggested that a Z-scheme system between the CdS nanoparticles and Zn3(PO4)2 nanoplates was formed. Meanwhile, the CdS/Zn3(PO4)2 heteronanostructures exhibited much higher photocatalytic activity for the degradation of MB under visible light, and that of the CdS/Zn3(PO4)2-13 heteronanostructure with excellent photocatalytic stability is nearly 3.04 times higher than that of pure Zn3(PO4)2 nanostructures.

The green treatment of dye wastewater has always been a research hotspot in the environmental field. The photocatalytic technology is considered to be a simple and effective strategy to remove dyes in wastewater. A new type of NiWO4/WO3 Z-scheme heterojunction microspheres were synthesized by a simple hydrothermal method and impregnation-calcination process. The crystal structure, microscopic morphology, optical and electrochemical properties of the samples were systematically characterized. The photocatalytic activity of methylene blue (MB) was studied by visible light irradiation. The results show that the direct Z-scheme heterojunction formed by NiWO4/WO3 effectively reduces the transfer resistance of photogenerated carriers and improves the separation efficiency of photogenerated carriers. The degradation rates of NiWO4/WO3-4 Z-scheme heterojunction microspheres to MB dye are 1.8 and 3.2 times higher than that of pure WO3·2H2O and WO3 microspheres, respectively. Combined with the Mott-Schottky curve and the active species capture experiments, a possible Z-scheme photogenerated carrier transfer mechanism is proposed. This study provides a method for the development and design of Z-scheme heterojunction photocatalysts in the field of wastewater purification.

Global profile of gene expression at single-cell resolution remains to be determined for primates. Using a recently developed technology (“Stereo-seq”), we have obtained a comprehensive single-cell spatial transcriptome map at the whole-brain level for cynomolgus monkeys, with ∼600 genes per cell for 10 μm-thick coronal sections (up to 15 cm2 in size). Large-scale single-nucleus RNA-seq analysis for ∼1 million cells helped to identify cell types corresponding to Stereo-seq gene expression profiles, providing a 3-D cell type atlas of the monkey brain. Quantitative analysis of Stereo-seq data revealed molecular fingerprints that mark distinct neocortical layers and subregions, as well as domains within subcortical structures including hippocampus, thalamus, striatum, cerebellum, hypothalamus and claustrum. Striking whole-brain topography and coordinated patterns were found in the expression of genes encoding receptors and transporters for neurotransmitters and neuromodulators. These results pave the way for cellular and molecular understanding of organizing principles of the primate brain.

Enterocytozoon bieneusi, an obligate intracellular pathogen of the intestinal epithelium, is commonly identified in humans and many other animals and is ubiquitous in water sources and the environment generally. To determine the molecular prevalence of E. bieneusi in edible bullfrogs (Lithobates catesbeiana) and evaluate the possibility of its potential zoonotic transmission to humans via food or water, the intestinal contents of 295 bullfrogs were intermittently collected from two open markets in Aksu, China. The samples were screened for the internal transcribed spacer by polymerase chain reaction amplifications, revealing that 20.7% (61/295) of them were infected with E. bieneusi, with no significant differences found between the two sampling locations (p > 0.05). Twenty-two different E. bieneusi genotypes were identified, including one known genotype (EbpC) and 19 novel ones (named BLC1 to BLC19). The zoonotic genotype EbpC was identified in most of the E. bieneusi-positive samples (65.6%, 40/61). The remaining genotypes were identified in either one or three samples each. Our phylogenetic analysis showed that 20 of the E. bieneusi genotypes belonged to Group 1. As far as we are aware, this is the first report of E. bieneusi infections in edible bullfrogs. Our findings suggest that E. bieneusi can be maintained in edible bullfrogs and potentially transmitted via food or water. It is possible that these amphibians are unsuspected zoonotic reservoirs of E. bieneusi. Keywords: Enterocytozoon bieneusi, Bullfrogs, Genotype, Zoonotic

MoS2 and nitrogen doped active carbon composite (MoS2/ANC) is fabricated to detect taxifolin and exhibits superior redox current response and decreased redox potential difference. Further investigation reveals that the kinetic process of the redox reaction of taxifolin on MoS2/ANC electrode is controlled by both adsorption and diffusion process. Under the optimum conditions, the redox peak currents linearly relate with the concentration of taxifolin in the range of 1 × 10−9–1 × 10−6 mol L−1, accompanied by the low detection limit (3 × 10−10 mol L−1). Meanwhile, outstanding selectivity, stability and repeatability are also obtained at MoS2/ANC electrode. At last, the proposed method is applied to quantitatively detect taxifolin in fructus polygoni orientalis and satisfactory results have been achieved.

The green treatment of dye wastewater has always been a research hotspot in the environmental field. The photocatalytic technology is considered to be a simple and effective strategy to remove dyes in wastewater. A new type of NiWO

Prefrontal cortex (PFC) is the cognitive center that integrates and regulates global brain activity. However, the whole-brain organization of PFC axon projections remains poorly understood. Using single-neuron reconstruction of 6,357 mouse PFC projection neurons, we identified 64 projectome-defined subtypes. Each of four previously known major cortico-cortical subnetworks was targeted by a distinct group of PFC subtypes defined by their first-order axon collaterals. Further analysis unraveled topographic rules of soma distribution within PFC, first-order collateral branch point-dependent target selection and terminal arbor distribution-dependent target subdivision. Furthermore, we obtained a high-precision hierarchical map within PFC and three distinct functionally related PFC modules, each enriched with internal recurrent connectivity. Finally, we showed that each transcriptome subtype corresponds to multiple projectome subtypes found in different PFC subregions. Thus, whole-brain single-neuron projectome analysis reveals organization principles of axon projections within and outside PFC and provides the essential basis for elucidating neuronal connectivity underlying diverse PFC functions.

Understanding the structural reconstruction of metal nanoparticles (NPs) under working conditions is of particular importance to catalytic processes. Here, using Wulff construction combined with de...

Photocatalytic redox reactions occur on the surface of the catalyst, and therefore the surface properties of the photocatalyst are vital for efficient catalytic reactions. Bi2MoO6 surface co-doped with Ni2+ and Ti4+ ions was fabricated through an incipient-wetness impregnation technology and calcination method. The influence of Ni2+ and Ti4+ co-doping with different concentrations on the crystal structure, morphology, and optical properties of Bi2MoO6 were investigated by different instrumental methods, and the characterization results confirm that the surface of Bi2MoO6 was doped with Ni2+ and Ti4+ ions. Under visible-light irradiation, the effects of Ni2+ and Ti4+ surface co-doping on the photocatalytic activity of Bi2MoO6 were evaluated by the degradation of rhodamine B, with the results suggesting Ni2+ and Ti4+ co-doping increases visible-light absorption by Bi2MoO6 and promotes the separation of photogenerated charge carriers. With optimum Ni2+ and Ti4+ co-doping, Bi2MoO6 surface co-doped with 0.18% Ni2+ and 0.192% Ti4+ exhibits the greatest photocatalytic activity and stability in the degradation of rhodamine B.

Co-doped Bi2MoO6 photocatalyst has been synthesized by a simple and facile solvothermal method. It exhibits the flower-like microspheres composed of orthorhombic Bi2MoO6 nanoplates with the increase of the Co doping amount from 0 to 0.4%. Among these Co-doped samples, 0.1% Co–Bi2MoO6 sample shows the degradation efficiency of 99.7% for Rhodamine B under visible-light-irradiation within 120 min, which is higher than pure Bi2MoO6 and other Co-doping Bi2MoO6 flower-like microspheres. The calculated apparent reaction rate constant for the 0.1% Co–Bi2MoO6 of 0.0298 ± 0.0028 min–1 is 4.18 times of pure Bi2MoO6 photocatalyst (0.0071 ± 0.0010 min–1). The flower-like microspheres of 0.1% Co–Bi2MoO6 with high efficient photocatalytic performance is a promising photocatalytic material.

Enterocytozoon bieneusi, an obligate intracellular pathogen of the intestinal epithelium, is commonly identified in humans and many other animals and is ubiquitous in water sources and the environment generally. To determine the molecular prevalence of E. bieneusi in edible bullfrogs (Lithobates catesbeiana) and evaluate the possibility of its potential zoonotic transmission to humans via food or water, the intestinal contents of 295 bullfrogs were intermittently collected from two open markets in Aksu, China. The samples were screened for the internal transcribed spacer by polymerase chain reaction amplifications, revealing that 20.7% (61/295) of them were infected with E. bieneusi, with no significant differences found between the two sampling locations (p > 0.05). Twenty-two different E. bieneusi genotypes were identified, including one known genotype (EbpC) and 19 novel ones (named BLC1 to BLC19). The zoonotic genotype EbpC was identified in most of the E. bieneusi-positive samples (65.6%, 40/61). The remaining genotypes were identified in either one or three samples each. Our phylogenetic analysis showed that 20 of the E. bieneusi genotypes belonged to Group 1. As far as we are aware, this is the first report of E. bieneusi infections in edible bullfrogs. Our findings suggest that E. bieneusi can be maintained in edible bullfrogs and potentially transmitted via food or water. It is possible that these amphibians are unsuspected zoonotic reservoirs of E. bieneusi., Graphical abstract Image 1, Highlights • First report of Enterocytozoon bieneusi infections in edible bullfrogs. • Overall detection ratio of E. bieneusi was 20.7% in edible bullfrogs. • Zoonotic genotype EbpC was the predominant genotype. • All the identified twenty E. bieneusi genotypes belonged to zoonotic group 1.

In this paper, the cellulose/polyacrylonitrile(PAN) composite nanofibers were prepared via electrospinning technique firstly. Then, cellulose/PAN/Cu nanofibers were fabricated with antibacterial function by loading Cu(II) ions. The morphology, mechanical properties and hydrophilicity of nanofibers was characterized. Antibacterial performance of cellulose/PAN/Cu nanofiber with against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli were evaluated. The results showed that the cellulose/PAN/Cu nanofiber demonstrated excellent mechanical property and antibacterial activity when the concentration of Cu(II) ions is set to be 0.01 mol/L.

A novel CC@MoS2-Ag3PO4 heterostructure, composed of Ag3PO4 nanoparticles decorated MoS2 nanosheets on carbon fiber cloth (CC), is fabricated by a simple hydrothermal method and a successive ionic layer absorption reaction. The CC@MoS2-Ag3PO4 heterostructure displays an excellent photocatalytic activity of ∼96% degradation rate for RhB solution under simulated daylight, which is more than 10 times as much as that of pure Ag3PO4 or MoS2. The CC@MoS2-Ag3PO4 heterostructure with optimized photoactivity is investigated by optical and electrochemical measurements. The CC@MoS2-Ag3PO4 heterostructure can not only broaden the photoresponse range of MoS2, but also alleviate the photodegradation of Ag3PO4, and the easily separated CC provides a proper conductive substrate and rapid charge transfer channels. The probable photocatalytic mechanism of CC@MoS2-Ag3PO4 heterostructure is discussed in detail. Therefore, the CC@MoS2-Ag3PO4 heterostructure with high efficient photocatalytic performance and easy separation is a promising photocatalytic material.

s A facile solution deposition method using the etched Cu2O truncated octahedrons as the substrates has been successfully demonstrated for tailoring Ag/Cu2O heterostructures with excellent reproducibility, and Ag nanoparticles have been deposited on the surface of different Cu2O particles including freshly prepared Cu2O truncated octahedrons, the etched Cu2O truncated octahedrons, Cu2O cube assemblies and Cu2O octahedron assemblies. The obtained tailoring Ag/Cu2O heterostructures prepared by the etched Cu2O truncated octahedrons exhibits enhanced photocatalytic activity for the degradation of MB solution under visible-light irradiation, and the photocatalytic activity of tailoring Ag/Cu2O heterostructures was 3.1 and 5.7 times higher than those of the etched Cu2O truncated octahedrons and bare Cu2O truncated octahedrons. The enhanced photocatalytic activity of tailoring Ag/Cu2O heterostructures can be attributed to tailoring surface of Cu2O truncated octahedrons, the enhancement of UV–vis absorbance spectra and electron sink effect due to Ag nanoparticle deposition. The facilely prepared tailoring Ag/Cu2O heterostructure products are promising materials in fields such as photocatalytic and optoelectronic applications.

Cobalt and zinc bi-metal organic frameworks (CoZn-MOF) derived from double metal hydroxides (CoZn-DMH) is synthesized on the surface of rice husk carbon via hydrothermal method. The obtained CoZn-MOF/RHC is then used as electrochemical sensor for dopamine detection. SEM and TEM characterization displays that the morphology of CoZn-MOF/RHC is different from CoZn-DMH, as well as the electrochemical performance. Further investigation reveals that the kinetic process of the redox reaction of dopamine on CoZn-MOF/RHC electrode is controlled by diffusion process. Under the optimum conditions, the redox peak current linearly relates with the concentration of dopamine in the range of 2 μM~0.8 mM, with the low detection limit of 0.67 μM. During the anti-interference experiment, CoZn-MOF/RHC exhibits good selectivity toward dopamine detection but inappreciable response for interferent.

A simple calcination method was explored to synthesise the tremella-like molybdenum disulphide (MoS2), Mo trioxide (MoO3)/MoS2 and MoO3 nanoplates by using the pristine MoS2 nanosheets as the precursor. The possible formation and growth mechanism from the pristine MoS2 to the tremella-like MoS2, MoO3/MoS2 nanoplates and MoO3 nanoplates was proposed. It was found that the calcination temperature was a key factor for the formation, ingredient and phase structure of the three samples. The adsorption properties of the three samples for an aqueous solution of methylene blue (MB) at room temperature were investigated. The results revealed that the products exhibit the better adsorption capacities with increasing the ingredient of MoO3 in the transformation process from MoS2 to MoO3. Therefore, the pure MoO3 nanoplates have the highest adsorption and removal rates, which reached 96.9% at MB concentration of 10 mg/l and 90.9% at MB concentration of 20 mg/l.

Organic pollutants coming from various industry processes are harmful to the environment, and semiconductor heterostructure is a promising candidate catalyst for poisonous wastewater treatment in the future. In this study, CuOx/MnO2 heterostructures were successfully constructed, using a facile and effective hydrothermal method and chemical both/calcination route, which exhibited higher photocatalytic activity towards the photodegradation of organic contaminants under visible-light driven irradiation. The resulting CuOx/MnO2 heterostructures were systematically characterized using various microscopic and spectroscopic techniques. Morphological characterizations show that the CuOx nanoparticles are well anchored on the surface of the MnO2 nanowires (NMs). The photocatalytic activity enhancement of the CuOx/MnO2 heterostructures (M-4) could be ascribed to the introduction of CuOx on the surface of MnO2 NWs and the efficient separation of the electron-hole pairs compared to other CuOx/MnO2 heterostructures and pure MnO2 NMs. These results show that CuOx/MnO2 heterostructures can be a suitable candidate for efficient visible light photocatalysts.

Limited by the relatively low adsorption capacity of inorganic nanomaterials for antibiotics , ultralong hydrogen titanate nanobelts (UHTNs) with a hollow structure and high surface area (442.21 m2 g−1) were synthesized to evaluate the feasibility as a potential adsorbent material for antibiotic removal. A batch of adsorption experiments were conducted by using norfloxacin (NFO), tetracycline (TC) and ofloxacin (OFO) as the model antibiotic molecules. The results indicate that the adsorption of antibiotics on UHTNs is better fitted to the pseudo-second-order kinetic model, and the UHTNs' maximum adsorption capacities calculated from the Langmuir isotherm model were 151.51 mg g−1 for TC, 111.73 mg g−1 for NFO, and 148.14 mg g−1 for OFO at pH = 7, which are far better than those of most reported inorganic adsorbent materials. In the adsorption process of tetracycline, the surface complexation between the adsorbent and TC contributed most to the adsorption; this has been elucidated by Fourier Transform Infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). In addition, because the UHTNs are up to tens of micrometers in length, they can be easily aggregated to form a network. Therefore, a novel paper-like, free-standing UHTN membrane was fabricated via a simple vacuum filtration method, which also exhibits good adsorption capacity.

Herein, a simple and an environmentally friendly approach is developed to fabricate the novel MnO@C hierarchical structure, derived from Mn-based metal organic frameworks, which is explored as an anode material for lithium ion batteries. Remarkably, the MnO@C microsphere electrode delivers an outstanding, long cycling capacity of 596.3 mA h g−1 at 5C (1C = 765 mA g−1) after 1000 cycles, and an excellent rate performance of 380.1 mA h g−1 at 10C. The overall outstanding properties of the hierarchical MnO@C composite can be attributed to the success of a new strategy for dual structure design, which provides two pathways for effectively alleviating volume changes and enhancing conductivity based on in situ TEM electrochemical experiments and electrochemical impedance spectra. Both the poor conductivity and great volume changes of the MnO electrode material can be effectively improved in two ways: the porous carbon matrix confining the MnO nanoparticles, and the hierarchical nanorod-assembled architecture. The structures herein suggest new design concepts for metal oxide nanoarchitectures for high performance electrode materials in lithium ion batteries.

Nickel-based metal organic framework (Ni-MOF) and carbon nanotubes composite (Ni-MOF/CNTs) is constructed via in situ self-assembly of Ni-MOF in the presence of CNTs solution. The obtained electrode (Ni-MOF/CNTs) exhibits sensitive response toward the detection of taxifolin by significantly enhancing the redox peak currents and decreasing the peak-to-peak separation. Under the selected conditions, the peak current linearly relates with taxifolin concentration in the range of 4.0 × 10−8 ~ 1.0 × 10−5 mol L−1 with the detection limit of 1.33 × 10−8 mol L−1 (S/N = 3). Otherwise, the lithium storage results reveal that Ni-MOF/CNTs with enhanced conductivity exhibits benign cycling stability and rate capability, with coulomb efficiency around 100%. This Ni-MOF/CNTs electrode may lay the foundation for the Ni-MOF based materials in electrochemical application.

A multicolor photodetector based on the heterojunction of n-Si(111)/TiO2 nanorod arrays responding to both ultraviolet (UV) and visible light is developed by utilizing interface engineering. The photodetector is fabricated via a consecutive process including chemical etching, magnetron sputtering, hydrothermal growth, and assembling. Under a small reverse bias (from 0 to approximate to-2 V), only the photogenerated electrons in TiO2 are possible to tunnel through the low barrier of Delta E-C, and the device only responses to UV light; as the reverse bias increases, the photogenerated holes in Si also begin to tunnel through the high barrier of. E V. As a result, the device is demonstrated to have the capacity to detect both UV and visible lights, which is useful in the fields of rapid detection and multicolor imaging. It has been also observed that the crystal orientation of Si affects the characteristics of bias-controlled spectral response of the n-Si/TiO2 heterojunctions. Refereed/Peer-reviewed

We employ the in-site automated observation radiometric calibration (AORC) approach to perform vicarious calibration, which does not require the manual efforts of a field team to measure the surface conditions. By using an automated test-site radiometer (ATR), the surface radiance at any moment in time can be obtained. This Letter describes the AORC approach and makes use of data to compute top-of-atmosphere radiance and compare it to measurements from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer. The result shows that the relative deviation is less than 5% and the uncertainty is less than 6.2%, which indicates that the in-site AORC maintains an accuracy level on par with traditional calibration.

Bi2MoO6 with a tunable morphology was synthesized by a facile hydrothermal route using different surfactants, including nanosheet-assembled microspheres, smooth microspheres, nanoparticle aggregates and nanoparticles. The morphology, crystal structure and photocatalytic activity of as-obtained Bi2MoO6 were characterized by scanning electron microscopes (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), Brunauer&ndash, Emmett&ndash, Teller (BET) and UV&ndash, Vis spectrophotometer. Bi2MoO6 flower-like microspheres using cetyl-trimethyl-ammonium bromide (BET) as the surfactant exhibited much better photocatalytic activity than Bi2MoO6 with the other morphologies, with a degradation efficiency of 98.4%. It can be summarized that the photocatalytic activity of Bi2MoO6 samples depends on their morphology and composition.

CuS/CuO nanowire heterostructures grown on copper mesh (CuS/CuO/Cu) have been successfully synthesized by a liquid–solid reaction at room temperature followed by annealing. The proposed structure has been verified by X-ray diffraction analysis. Scanning electron microscopy images have indicated that the density and diameter of CuS nanoparticles on CuO nanowires can be tuned by controlling the duration of sulfonation with Na2S. Photocatalytic studies have revealed that CuS/CuO/Cu heterostructures offer improved photocatalytic activity in the degradation of Methylene Blue (MB) in the presence of H2O2. A sample designated as CuS/CuO/Cu-10, where “10” denotes sulfonation with Na2S for 10 min, showed the best photocatalytic properties, with MB degradation efficiencies under visible light irradiation of 87.4% after 20 min and 98.6% after 40 min. The enhanced photocatalytic activity can be attributed to effective electron–hole separation and improved visible light utilization due to the cooperative effect of the CuS/CuO heterostructures and conductive copper mesh.

3D flower-like porous NiO architectures were synthesized via a facile and green method. When applied as an electrode material for supercapacitors, the as-prepared 3D flower-like porous NiO exhibited an outstanding electrochemical performance, such as a high specific capacitance (1609 F g−1 at 2 A g−1), and a long-term cycling stability (4.3% loss after 3000 cycles). The excellent electrochemical performance is mainly attributed to the morphology of the porous ultrathin nanosheets self-assembling into flower-like architectures, which facilitate fast and efficient diffusion of the electrolyte ions. Thus, it is expected that the 3D flower-like porous NiO can be a perspective electrode material for electrochemical energy storage applications.

CuS nanoparticle/ZnO nanorod heterostructure arrays grown on carbon fibers (CuS/ZnO/CFs) were prepared successfully by a simple combination of a hydrothermal (HT) process and successive ionic layer adsorption and reaction (SILAR). The heterostructures of CuS/ZnO/CFs showed improved photocatalytic activity in the degradation of methylene blue (MB). Under visible light irradiation, the CuS/ZnO/CF heterostructures exhibited remarkable visible light photocatalytic activity, which was 7.1 and 8.0 times higher than those of ZnO/CFs and ZnO, respectively. Under simulated solar light irradiation, the photocatalytic activity of the CuS/ZnO/CF heterostructures was 1.4 and 2.2 times higher than those of ZnO/CFs and ZnO, respectively. The enhanced photocatalytic activity could be ascribed to the effective electron–hole separation and improved visible light utilization from the cooperative effect of the type II CuS/ZnO heterostructures and conductive CFs, as well as the efficient light harvesting and high surface area of the heterostructure arrays. Moreover, the CuS/ZnO/CF heterostructures can be easily separated and recycled with little loss in the photocatalytic activity due to their unique structural features.

In this report, a simple Kirkendall-based process using freshly prepared Cu2O microcubes as sacrificial templates has been successfully demonstrated for the fabrication of CuS hierarchical and hollow micro/nanocubes (HHCs). Individual CuS HHCs were assembled with plenty of nanosheet-like building units. CuS HHCs showed improved photocatalytic activity in the degradation of methylene blue (MB) in the presence of H2O2. Under visible light irradiation, the photocatalytic activity of CuS HHCs was 3.7 and 5.8 times higher than those of Cu2O/CuS and Cu2O, respectively. Furthermore, they also showed good recyclability in the visible region. It appears that the enhanced photocatalytic performance of the hierarchical and hollow micro/nanostructures can be ascribed to the synergetic effect of the efficient light harvesting and high surface area of the CuS HHCs. The facilely prepared CuS HHC products are promising materials in the fields of photocatalytic and optoelectronic applications.

Recent studies implicate melatonin in the antinociceptive activity of sensory neurons. However, the underlying mechanisms are still largely unknown. Here, we identify a critical role of melatonin in functionally regulating Cav3.2 T-type Ca

Herein, we report a photocatalytic heterojunction device of rutile TiO

A simple one-pot hydrothermal route has been demonstrated for the fabrication of 3D ZnO@hemimorphite zinc silicate (ZSO) core–shell nano-heterostructures on the Si substrate. Individual 3D ZnO@ZSO core–shell nano-heterostructures were assembled with many bundle-like branches, and each bundle-like branch was composed of the ZnO rod as the core and ZSO nanowires as the shell. The structure and composition of the 3D ZnO@ZSO nano-heterostructures could be varied with different reaction conditions and exhibit excellent reproducibility as well. In addition, a possible mechanism for the fabrication of 3D ZnO@ZSO nanohybrids was proposed, suggesting that heterogeneous nucleation played important roles in the formation of 3D nanostructures. The resultant 3D ZnO@ZSO nano-heterostructure films exhibited hydrophobic adhesive characteristic with a water contact angle of 142.1° and a high contact angle hysteresis, which held a great potential in surface wettability and other opto-electronic applications.

Nanosheet-assembled ZnO flower-like ensembles, urchin-like ZnO nanorod assemblies and ZnO nanorods, were synthesised by a facile solution-based route. The Zn2+:OH− molar ratio was adjusted to obtain ZnO with different morphologies. Scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction and an ultraviolet spectrophotometer were used to observe the morphology, crystal structure and photocatalytic activity of obtained ZnO in detail. The flower-like ZnO ensembles composed of ultra-thin nanosheets exhibited a much better photocatalytic activity than ZnO in the other morphologies, and the decomposition efficiency was 90.26%. It can be concluded that the presence of the photocatalytic activity depends on the morphology of the ZnO samples.

A novel and facile synthetic route has been developed to fabricate porous SiO2-coated ultrasmall Se particles (Se@SiO2 nanospheres) as a drug delivery nanoplatform which combines Se quantum dots and doxorubicin (DOX) for efficient synergistic treatment of cancer cells.

A graphene-based device requires the graphene to have an ideal shape, structure, and orientation, and be large enough, to allow them to be formed into a new device. Here the joining of individual single-layer and multi-layer graphene is performed in a transmission electron microscope-scanning tunneling microscope (TEM–STM) holder inside a 200 kV field emission TEM. Attempts have been made to join individual graphene sheets (GSs) with the so-called “top-to-top” and “layer-to-layer” geometries by applying a voltage. In the two geometries, the “top-to-top” form has resulted in a seamless joining for both single-layer and multi-layer GSs. The as-joined GSs show the same excellent electrical and mechanical properties as those of the original GSs. Large Joule heating originating from the field emission current will cause atom diffusion and self-assembly and then rearrangement of carbon networks at the GS edge front. In this way individual GSs could be extended and mended with the so-called “top-to-top” geometries by applying a constant voltage, to meet the required and desired shape, size, configuration, and functions for a variety of the special micro/nano scaled devices.

Nanosheet-assembled ZnO flake-like ensembles were fabricated by a facile solution-based route. The morphology, size and micro/nanostructure of the ZnO flake-like ensembles were investigated in detail. X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy indicated that all the ZnO flake-like ensembles with the porous features were composed of many nanosheets with a hexagonal wurtzite structure. After visible-light irradiation for 3 h, the as-obtained ZnO flake-like ensembles exhibited significantly high photocatalytic activity for decomposing malachite green, and the decomposition efficiency was 76.8 . All of which indicates that the ZnO flake-like ensembles could serve as a good candidate for the degradation of organic pollutants.

Hierarchical self-assembled 3-D ternary Zn 2 GeO 4 nanorods have been successfully synthesized using a simple hydrothermal method. They are formed by two basic parts: a 3-D crystal base and 1-D nanorods nucleated from this base. Mechanisms of this micro/nanostructure growth are suggested to be governed by the change of concentration of ammonia and the reaction time during the self-assembly process. Good crystal lattice quality and morphology were demonstrated by XRD, SEM and TEM analyses. The micro/nanostructures are expected to be promoted in construction of micro/nano-optoelectronic devices.

A simple hydrothermal method has been developed for fabricating hemimorphite zinc silicate, Zn 4 Si 2 O 7 (OH) 2 ·H 2 O (ZSO). Three-dimensional ZSO hierarchal superstructures are deposited on the Si substrate. The product is characterized by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, and transmission electron microscope. The characterization results of the sample show individual ZSO hierarchical architectures are assembled by many well-aligned and highly ordered rod bundles. The morphologies of the rod bundles within the ZSO hierarchal superstructures can be conveniently controlled, by selecting the different reactant concentrations, with excellent reproducibility. The luminescence spectra showed that the ZSO hierarchical superstructure had a stronger emission peak at 436 nm and a weaker emission peak at 418 nm.

Photothermal ablation (PTA) therapy has attracted much interest in recent years as a minimally invasive alternative to conventional approaches, such as surgery and chemotherapy, for therapeutic intervention of specifi c biological targets. [ 1 , 2 ] In particular, near-infrared (NIR, λ = 700–1100 nm) laser-induced PTA, which converts NIR optical energy into thermal energy, has attracted increasing attention, because the NIR laser is absorbed less by biological tissues and the typical penetration depth of the NIR (such as 980 nm) light can be several centimeters in biological tissues. [ 3 , 4 ] A prerequisite for the development of the NIR laser-induced PTA is to gain access to biocompatible and effi cient photothermal coupling agents. As the well-known NIR photothermal conversion agents, gold (Au) nanostructures, including supramolecularly assembled nanoparticles, [ 5–8 ]