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Improving the electrical conductivity of sulfur cathode while ensuring its high affinity to catalyst holds the key to facilitate the reaction kinetics of aqueous zinc–sulfur batteries. Herein, the sulfur redox in aqueous electrolyte is accelerated by introducing selenium–sulfur bonds into the sulfur structure to build an internal electron transport path. The Se with less electronegativity can act as an electron donor to accelerate the binding between S and Zn2+. Meanwhile, the bonded Se in the electron‐poor state endows the modified sulfur cathode with a strong affinity to the I3− catalyst, which further facilitates the conversion efficiency. Thus, the internal electron donor assisted sulfur cathode delivers excellent electrochemical performance in terms of high reversible capacity (1490 mAh g−1 at 0.5 A g−1), competitive rate performance (1010 mAh g−1 at 4 A g−1), as well as outstanding cycle stability (735 mAh g−1 at 4 A g−1 after 500 cycles). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The present study aimed to identify the module genes and key gene functions and biological pathways of septic shock (SS) through integrated bioinformatics analysis. Methods: In the study, we performed batch correction and principal component analysis on 282 SS samples and 79 normal control samples in three datasets, GSE26440, GSE95233 and GSE57065, to obtain a combined corrected gene expression matrix containing 21,654 transcripts. Patients with SS were then divided into three molecular subtypes according to sample subtyping analysis. Results: By analyzing the demographic characteristics of the different subtypes, we found no statistically significant differences in gender ratio and age composition among the three groups. Then, three subtypes of differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and specific upregulated DEGs (SDEGs) were identified by differential gene expression analysis. We found 7361 DEGs in the type I group, 5594 DEGs in the type II group, and 7159 DEGs in the type III group. There were 1698 SDEGs in the type I group, 2443 in the type II group, and 1831 in the type III group. In addition, we analyzed the correlation between the expression data of 5972 SDEGs in the three subtypes and the gender and age of 227 patients, constructed a weighted gene co‐expression network, and identified 11 gene modules, among which the module with the highest correlation with gender ratio was MEgrey. The modules with the highest correlation with age composition were MEgrey60 and MElightyellow. Then, by analyzing the differences in module genes among different subgroups of SS, we obtained the differential expression of 11 module genes in four groups: type I, type II, type III and the control group. Finally, we analyzed the Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment of all module DEGs, and the GO function and KEGG pathway enrichment of different module genes were different. Conclusions: Our findings aim to identify the specific genes and intrinsic molecular functional pathways of SS subtypes, as well as further explore the genetic and molecular pathophysiological mechanisms of SS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The electrochemical reactions for the storage of Zn2+ while embracing more electron transfer is a foundation of the future high‐energy aqueous zinc batteries. Herein, we report a six‐electron transfer electrochemistry of nano‐sized TeO2/C (n‐TeO2/C) cathode by facilitating the reversible conversion of TeO2↔Te and Te↔ZnTe. Benefitting from the integrated conductive nanostructure and the proton‐rich environment in providing optimized electrochemical kinetics (facilitated Zn2+ uptake and high electronic conductivity) and feasible thermodynamic process (low Gibbs free energy change), the as‐prepared n‐TeO2/C with stable cycling performance exhibits a superior reversible capacity of over 800 mAh g−1 at 0.1 A g−1. A precise understanding of the reaction mechanism via ex situ and in situ characterizations presents that the reversible six‐electron transfer reaction is proton‐dependent, and a proton generating and consuming mechanism of three‐phase conversion n‐TeO2/C in the weakly acidic electrolyte is thoroughly revealed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An efficient and straightforward methodology for the synthesis of 1,2,2‐triarylethanones and 2,2‐diarylethanones has been developed, via a visible light‐promoted/Brønsted acid‐catalyzed carbonyl‐alkyne metathesis/transfer hydrogenation one‐pot reaction of benzoquinone, arylalkyne, and Hantzsch ester. A series of synthetically useful triarylethanones and diarylethanones were achieved in excellent yield under mild reaction conditions. This protocol is operationally simple, photocatalyst‐free, and scalable and has a broad substrate scope. Moreover, this reaction involves the formation of three chemical bonds, namely C=O, C−C, and C−H bonds. This feature enables de novo synthesis of 1,2,2‐triarylethanones and 2,2‐diarylethanones. Additionally, this protocol provides a convenient and practical synthetic route for tamoxifen. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aqueous Zn−S battery with high energy density represents a promising large‐scale energy storage technology, but its application is severely hindered by the poor reversibility of both S cathode and Zn anode. Herein, we develop a "cocktail optimized" electrolyte containing tetraglyme (G4) and water as co‐solvents and I2 as additive. The G4‐I2 synergy could activate efficient polar I3−/I− catalyst couple and shield the cathode from water, thus facilitating the conversion kinetics of S and suppressing the interfacial side reactions. Simultaneously, it could stabilize Zn anode by forming an organic–inorganic interphase upon cycling. With boosted electrodes reversibility, the Zn−S cell delivers a high capacity of 775 mAh g−1 at 2 A g−1, and retains over 70 % capacity after 600 cycles at 4 A g−1. The advances can also be readily generalized to other ethers/water hybrid electrolytes, showing the universality of the "cocktail optimized" electrolyte design strategy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Room‐temperature sodium–sulfur (RT‐Na/S) batteries are emerging as promising candidates for stationary energy‐storage systems, due to their high energy density, resource abundance, and environmental benignity. A better understanding of RT‐Na/S batteries in the view of the whole battery components is of essential importance for fundamental research and practical applications. In particular, the components other than sulfur cathodes in preventing the migration of polysulfides and accelerating the reaction kinetics have been greatly overlooked. Such a biased research trend is also adverse to the broader applications for RT‐Na/S batteries, which have long been ignored in previous reviews. Herein, approaches to the historical progress toward practical RT‐Na/S batteries through a "teamwork" perspective are comprehensively summarized, and balanced research trends are encouraged to enable practical RT‐Na/S batteries. In the meantime, the persisting issues, promising solutions, and practical applications of advanced sulfur host design, Na metal anode protection, electrolyte optimization, separator modification, and binder engineering are clearly emphasized. Finally, the device‐scale evaluation in practical parameters and advanced characterization tools are thoroughly provided. This review aims to provide the "teamwork" perspective on the whole‐cell design and fundamental guidelines that can shed light on research directions for practical RT‐Na/S batteries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The shell structure design has been recognized as a highly efficient strategy to buffer the severe volume expansion and consecutive pulverization of conversion‐type anodes. Nevertheless, construction of a functional shell with a stabilized structure that meets the demands of both high electronic conductivity and feasible pathways for Na+ ions has been a challenge so far. Herein, we design a two‐in‐one shell configuration for bimetal selenides to achieve fast sodium storage within broadened voltage windows. The hybridized shell, which benefits from the combination of titanium dioxide quantum dots and amorphous carbon, can not only effectively buffer the strain and maintain structural integrity but also allow facile and reversible transport of electrons and Na+ uptake for electrode materials during sodiation/desodiation processes, resulting in increased reaction kinetics and diffusion of sodium ions, conferring many benefits to the functionality of conversion‐type electrode materials. As a representative material, Ni‐CoSe2 with such structural engineering shows a reversible capacity of 515 mAh g−1 at 0.1 A g−1 and a stable capacity of 416 mAh g−1 even at 6.4 A g−1; more than 80% of the capacity at 0.1 A g−1 could be preserved, so that this strategy holds great promise for designing fast‐charging conversion‐type anodes in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Layered ternary oxides LiNixMnyCozO2 are promising cathode candidates for high‐energy lithium‐ion batteries (LIBs), but they usually suffer from the severe interfacial parasitic reactions at voltages above 4.3 V versus Li+/Li, which greatly limit their practical capacities. Herein, using LiNi1/3Mn1/3Co1/3O2 (NMC111) as the model system, a novel high‐temperature pre‐cycling strategy is proposed to realize its stable cycling in 3.0−4.5 V by constructing a robust cathode/electrolyte interphase (CEI). Specifically, performing the first five cycles of NMC111 at 55 °C helps to yield a uniform CEI layer enriched with fluorine‐containing species, Li2CO3 and poly(CO3), which greatly suppresses the detrimental side reactions during extended cycling at 25 °C, endowing the cell with a capacity retention of 92.3% at 1C after 300 cycles, far surpassing 62.0% for the control sample without the thermally tailored CEI. This work highlights the critical role of temperature on manipulating the interfacial properties of cathode materials, opening a new avenue for developing high‐voltage cathodes for Li‐ion batteries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fresh garlic scape is popular for its unique tastes and special antibacterial effect. As a kind of seasonal vegetable, it has huge quality decay after harvesting, and usually by low temperature storage to approach the round‐year supply. However, it lacks cold chain management directions and transparency, which depends heavily on the real‐time information of the process environments and the quality of fresh garlic scapes. With the analyzed quality‐related indicators, including temperature, relative humidity, gas composition and vibration, a multi‐sensors information acquisition system based on wireless sensor network was designed and developed. Then, the process of the fresh garlic scapes supply were systematically analyzed and identified, and the proposed system was also evaluated using the monitored data in current practices. Results show that the transportation and cold storage occupies an important position in the typical garlic scapes supply process, which has continuous influences on the quality preservation. The developed system functions well, and the wireless multi‐sensors nodes can real‐time monitor environmental information with high data reliability. The data evaluation also demonstrates the association of the monitored quality‐related data with the supply process stage. Meanwhile, it is the visualization of the quality‐related data that enhance the real‐time sensing of the quality in storage, the transparency of the supply process and the cold chain management level. Furthermore, the system should be further enhanced with the better data quality acquired by the nodes for better quality sensing and management of the fresh garlic scapes supply process. Practical Applications: Significant benefits of this work are anticipated on the postharvest and preservation of garlic scapes to the market and reduction of its losses in the postharvest chain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

CuWO4 is a promising n‐type oxide semiconductor for photoelectrochemical (PEC) applications due to the suitable band gap and good photochemical stability. An easy and large‐scale fabrication of ultrathin CuWO4 films with improved PEC performance is highly desired for future practical application but still challenging. Considering that the ultrasonic spray pyrolysis approach is a low‐cost and scalable technique for fabricating films with controllable thickness, we here report the controllable fabrication of ultrathin CuWO4 films with improved PEC performance by an automatic ultrasonic spray pyrolysis method. The effects of different tungsten sources and film thickness on the PEC performance of the resultant CuWO4 film were studied in detail. We find that the ultrathin CuWO4 film prepared from the ammonium metatungstate with a thickness of 2.16 μm shows the best PEC performance of 41 μA cm−2 at 1.23 V vs.RHE for water oxidation under visible light irradiation. We also explored the different charge transfer mechanism and PEC performance of the resultant CuWO4 films under back and front illumination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ligand‐promoted copper‐catalyzed cascade reactions have become a robust tool for the synthesis of cyclic compounds. Although numerous ligands have been developed, this review focuses on the introduction of commercially available 1,10‐phenanthroline‐promoted copper‐catalyzed cascade reactions in recent years. Moreover, based on original articles, this review highlights product yields in the presence and absence of the ligand, and the possible mechanistic role of the 'copper/1,10‐phenanthroline' catalytic system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Black phosphorus has aroused attention as an attractive anode for sodium‐ion batteries, because of its high theoretical capacity. Nevertheless, its practical application is hindered by the large volume expansion, which results in rapid capacity decay. Herein, we report that this challenge can be addressed by using an elaborately designed binder for the phosphorus‐based electrodes. The incorporation of amylose molecules with helical structures endows the linear polyacrylic acid polymer binders with extraordinary stretchability and elasticity under 400 % strain. When it is applied as a binder for black‐phosphorus‐based anodes for sodium‐ion batteries, the adhesion between the electrode and the current collector is much stronger (2.95 N) than that of the polyvinylidene difluoride (PVDF) binder based one (1.90 N). The electrode delivered a capacity as high as 1280 mAh g−1 at 200 mA g−1 after 300 cycles, which is better than the electrode with PVDF binder. Impressively, even after 1000 cycles, the electrode with our binder exhibits a capacity retention of 80 %. Our work sheds light on the significance of the rational design of effective binders and provides a new strategy to further improve the electrochemical performance of phosphorus‐based materials for battery applications, which can be added on directly to other new electrode materials development strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Groundwater contamination with iron (Fe) and manganese (Mn) is directly related to drink water safety. It remains challenging to simultaneously remove Fe and Mn from groundwater by conventional physical and chemical methods. Willows (Salix spp.) show promise for co‐phytofiltration of Mn and Fe from groundwater. Here, a floating culture system was developed using willows for co‐phytofiltration of Mn and Fe from simulated groundwater. Genotypic differences of willows were evaluated in terms of their tolerance to and accumulation of a mixture of Fe and Mn. The results showed that the growth responses of eight genotypes significantly differed to a mixture of Fe and Mn, ranging from growth inhibition to enhancement. Tolerance index analysis further indicated wide variation in the responses of willows. Tissue‐specific analysis also revealed genotypic variation in the capacity of willows for translocation and accumulation of Fe and Mn. Compared with other genotypes, SB7 (Salix babylonica) and J842 (S. babylonica × Salix alba) demonstrated higher co‐phytofiltration potentials for Fe and Mn based on tolerance, tissue metal concentrations, and shoot metal contents. Thus, both SB7 and J842 are candidates for co‐phytofiltration of Fe and Mn from groundwater. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

MoS2 holds great promise as high‐rate electrode for lithium‐ion batteries since its large interlayer can allow fast lithium diffusion in 3.0–1.0 V. However, the low theoretical capacity (167 mAh g−1) limits its wide application. Here, by fine tuning the lithiation depth of MoS2, we demonstrate that its parent layered structure can be preserved with expanded interlayers while cycling in 3.0–0.6 V. The deeper lithiation and maintained crystalline structure endows commercially micrometer‐sized MoS2 with a capacity of 232 mAh g−1 at 0.05 A g−1 and circa 92 % capacity retention after 1000 cycles at 1.0 A g−1. Moreover, the enlarged interlayers enable MoS2 to release a capacity of 165 mAh g−1 at 5.0 A g−1, which is double the capacity obtained under 3.0–1.0 V at the same rate. Our strategy of controlling the lithiation depth of MoS2 to avoid fracture ushers in new possibilities to enhance the lithium storage of layered transition‐metal dichalcogenides. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Keywords: Aqueous Zinc Batteries; Cathode; Electrochemistry; Six-Electron Transfer; Tellurium DioxideBatteries. Reversible six‐electron transfer cathode for aqueous zinc batteries is reported by Zhiqiang Zhu et al. in their Communication (e202312000)...By Zichao Yan; Junwei Li; Hongguang Liu; Hui Zhang; Shibo Xi and Zhiqiang ZhuReported by Author; Author; Author; Author; Author; Author [Extracted from the article]

ABSTRACT: In this article, fluorinated polyurethane (FPU) nanocomposites filled with organic modified palygorskite (Pal) were synthesized and characterized by Fourier transform infrared, X‐ray diffraction, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and scanning electron microscope individually. The Pal nanorods were modified with 4,4′‐methylene (MDI) by chemical bond. TGA results showed that there are almost 27 wt % of 4,4′‐methylene grafting or absorbing on Pal nanorods’ surface. Compared with neat FPU, FPU nanocomposites exhibited somewhat increase in the soft segment glass transition temperature and decrease in the hard segment glass transition temperature. It means the compatibility between soft segment and hard segment becomes better than neat FPU. TGA results also showed that the thermal stability of FPU nanocomposites improved with increasing modified Pal loadings. Pal showed good compatibility with the FPU matrix through scanning electron microscope test results. And, the introduction of Pal into FPU matrix will not affect migration of fluoride side chain. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2018, 135, 45460. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: As a high‐capacity anode for lithium‐ion batteries (LIBs), MoS2 suffers from short lifespan that is due in part to its unstable solid electrolyte interphase (SEI). The cycle life of MoS2 can be greatly extended by manipulating the SEI with a fluoroethylene carbonate (FEC) additive. The capacity of MoS2 in the electrolyte with 10 wt % FEC stabilizes at about 770 mAh g−1 for 200 cycles at 1 A g−1, which far surpasses the FEC‐free counterpart (ca. 40 mAh g−1 after 150 cycles). The presence of FEC enables a robust LiF‐rich SEI that can effectively inhibit the continual electrolyte decomposition. A full cell with a LiNi0.5Co0.3Mn0.2O2 cathode also gains improved performance in the FEC‐containing electrolyte. These findings reveal the importance of controlling SEI formation on MoS2 toward promoted lithium storage, opening a new avenue for developing metal sulfides as high‐capacity electrodes for LIBs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) are primary energy storage devices to power consumer electronics and electric vehicles, but their capacity is dramatically decreased at ultrahigh charging/discharging rates. This mainly originates from a high Li-ion/electron transport barrier within a traditional electrode, resulting in reaction polarization issues. To address this limitation, a functionally layer-graded electrode was designed and fabricated to decrease the charge carrier transport barrier within the electrode. As a proof-of-concept, functionally layer-graded electrodes composing of TiO2(B) and reduced graphene oxide (RGO) exhibit a remarkable capacity of 128 mAh g−1 at a high charging/discharging rate of 20 C (6.7 A g−1), which is much higher than that of a traditionally homogeneous electrode (74 mAh g−1) with the same composition. This is evidenced by the improvement of effective Li ion diffusivity as well as electronic conductivity in the functionally layer-graded electrodes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, we will discuss our continuing efforts on the design, synthesis and characterization of novel platinum complexes for displays and lighting applications. The photo-physics, electrochemistry, electroluminescent properties and operational stability of these novel metal complexes, including blue emitters with 6-membered chelate rings, will be discussed. The rational molecular design enables us to develop cyclometalated metal complexes with both photon-to-photon (in thin film) and electron-to-photon (in device settings) conversion efficiency close to 100% for OLED applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A feasible approach to synthesis self ‐ healing materials via environment ‐ friendly emulsion polymerization is described, which possess high mechanical strength for application as polymer coatings. UPy ‐ functionalized monomer is synthesized via a simple one ‐ step reaction procedure, which is incorporated into the polymeric matrix to establish a supramolecular crosslinking network. UPy groups endow the latex films a high self ‐ healing property on a thorough fracture. And recovery rate of tensile strength is up to 94%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rationale The microwave plasma torch (MPT) is a low power-consumption and easily operated plasma generator. As an ambient ion source, the MPT can be coupled with various mass spectrometers and applied in real-time analysis of metal elements in water for the demands of environmental control and water quality inspection. Methods We constructed a quadrupole mass spectrometer with an MPT as the ion source to detect directly trace levels of lead and cadmium in water. Without any pretreatments,water samples were first pneumatically nebulized with a desolvation unit, then flowed through the central tube of the MPT and finally entered the plasma. After that, the metal ions produced were introduced into the mass spectrometer to be analyzed via an atmospheric inlet of a stainless steel capillary tube. Results The MPT mass spectra of lead and cadmium ions were characterized with clear unit isotopic resolution. The sensitivity reached levels of 20 ng/L for lead and 72.7 ng/L for cadmium in water, respectively. The linear response range covered at least 2 orders of magnitude. Moreover, a single aqueous sample could be completely analyzed within 3 minutes, providing reasonably relative standard deviation values. Conclusions Our results demonstrated that this MPT mass spectrometer is a useful tool for the monitoring of lead and cadmium ions in water, which makes it a potential alternative to ICP-MS, to be used in the fields of environmental control and water quality and foodstuff safety inspection. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Table grapes are inherently perishable and unstable, tending to deteriorate after harvest. The logistics stability of table grape that is closely related to product quality tends to decline. This paper proposed a contour diagram-based graphical method in order to evaluate the logistics stability visually and easily under variable temperature. Firmness was selected as the indicator of table grape quality and shelf life prediction. Two kinds of experiments were designed to evaluate the proposed method by comparing with the kinetics method: one is isothermal experiment with five temperatures and the other is simulated variable temperature. The results suggest that both methods have the ability to evaluate the logistics stability at variable temperature, but the proposed method can provide a more accurate evaluation of logistics stability intuitively and conveniently. Furthermore, two prerequisite conditions are required for applying the proposed method, i.e., the time ratio for the equivalent logistics transformation at different temperatures must match in the kinetics theory and the primary state of the quality index should equal the initial state of the corresponding contour diagram. Practical Applications The proposed method could be applied to evaluate the logistics stability for any products and provide the cold chain management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microwave plasma torch (MPT) is a simple and low power-consumption ambient ion source. And the MPT Mass spectra of many metal elements usually exhibit some novel features different from their inductively coupled plasma (ICP) mass spectra, which may be helpful formetal element analysis. Here, we presented the results about the MPTmass spectra of copper andmolybdenum elements by a linear ion trap mass spectrometer (LTQ). The generated copper ormolybdenumcontained ions in plasmawere characterized further in collision-induced dissociated (CID) experiments. These researches built a novel, direct and sensitive method for the direct analysis of trace levels of copper and molybdenum in aqueous liquids. Quantitative results showed that the limit of detection (LOD) by using MS² procedure was estimated to be 0.265 μg/l (ppb) for copper and 0.497 μg/l for molybdenum. The linear dynamics ranges cover at least 2 orders of magnitude and the analysis of a single aqueous sample can be completed in 5-6min with a reasonable semi-quantitative sense. Two practical aqueous samples, milk and urine, were also analyzed qualitativelywith reasonable recovery rates and RSD. These experimental data demonstrated that the MPTMS is able to turn into a promising and hopeful tool in field analysis of copper and molybdenumions in water and some aqueous media, and can be applied in many fields, such as environmental controlling, hydrogeology, and water quality inspection. Moreover, MPT MS could also be used as the supplement of ICP-MS for the rapid and in-situ analysis of metal ions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel coupling reaction of diaryl methanols with ketones or aldehydes has been developed under the catalysis of AlCl3. Various ketones and aldehydes could couple with 9 H-xanthen-9-ol smoothly, affording coupling products in 48% -88% yields. A plausible mechanism using AlCl3 to activate both diaryl methanol and ketone or aldehyde is proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel coupling reaction of diaryl methanols with ketones or aldehydes has been developed under the catalysis of AlCl3. Various ketones and aldehydes could couple with 9 H-xanthen-9-ol smoothly, affording coupling products in 48% -88% yields. A plausible mechanism using AlCl3 to activate both diaryl methanol and ketone or aldehyde is proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT Apoptosis and proliferation play important roles in embryonic development and are required for neural tube closure. The antifolate drug methotrexate (MTX) induces folate dysmetabolism by inhibition of dihydrofolate reductase and causes abnormal apoptosis and proliferation. In this study, we established an animal model of neural tube defects (NTDs) using MTX to investigate the role of apoptosis and proliferation in NTDs caused by folate deficiency. Differential gene expressions were studied by microarray and reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction in the NTD animal model. Results showed that 30.8% of NTDs were caused by using MTX in treatment regimens. Microarray indicated that 166 genes were significantly different between the control and NTD mice, including four apoptosis-related genes ( Endog, Trp53, Casp3, Bax) and three proliferation-related genes ( Ptch1, Pla2g4a, Foxg1). Levels of Endog, Trp53, Casp3, Bax (fold change > 1.5) were upregulated but Ptch1, Pla2g4a, Foxg1 (fold change < 0.67) were downregulated ( P < 0.05). These results were confirmed by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. TUNEL, immunohistochemical assays and Western blot were further used to detect apoptosis and proliferation in the NTD animal model. It was found that apoptosis in neuroepithelial cells was increased as determined by TUNEL ( P < 0.05). Expressions of caspase-3 were significantly enhanced ( P < 0.05) but expressions of phosphohistone H3 were greatly decreased ( P < 0.05). These results concluded that MTX caused a folate and folate-associated dysmetabolism, and further induced abnormal apoptosis and proliferation, which may play a critical role in the occurrence of NTDs caused by folate deficiency. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Developing organic compounds with multifunctional groups to be used as electrode materials for rechargeable sodium-ion batteries is very important. The organic tetrasodium salt of 2,5-dihydroxyterephthalic acid (Na4DHTPA; Na4C8H2O6), which was prepared through a green one-pot method, was investigated at potential windows of 1.6-2.8 V as the positive electrode or 0.1-1.8 V as the negative electrode (vs. Na+/Na), each delivering compatible and stable capacities of ca. 180 mAh g−1 with excellent cycling. A combination of electrochemical, spectroscopic and computational studies revealed that reversible uptake/removal of two Na+ ions is associated with the enolate groups at 1.6-2.8 V (Na2C8H2O6/Na4C8H2O6) and the carboxylate groups at 0.1-1.8 V (Na4C8H2O6/Na6C8H2O6). The use of Na4C8H2O6 as the initial active materials for both electrodes provided the first example of all-organic rocking-chair SIBs with an average operation voltage of 1.8 V and a practical energy density of about 65 Wh kg−1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A simple, efficient, and facile synthetic route for the preparation of indole-2-carboxylic esters was described. The cascade reactions of 2-bromobenzaldehyde and glycine ester hydrochloride were promoted by Cu2O and a base to provide the corresponding products in good yields. Commercially available, inexpensive substrates and reagents were employed under mild reaction conditions in this one-pot operation, which is complementary to existing methods for access to 2-substituted indoles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Stabile Kapazitäten: Calix[4]chinon (C4Q) kann Lithiumionen über acht Carbonylgruppen binden. Diese Substanz ermöglicht den Aufbau einer wiederaufladbaren Lithium ‐ Quasifeststoffbatterie mit LiClO4/DMSO und einem Polymethylacrylat ‐ Polyethylenglycol ‐ Gel als Elektrolyt, deren Entladungskapazität 422 mA h g−1 anfänglich beträgt und nach 100 Zyklen nur wenig auf 379 mA h g−1 abfällt. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ambient ionization is the new revolution in mass spectrometry (MS). A microwave plasma produced by a microwave plasma torch (MPT) at atmospheric pressure was directly used for ambient mass spectrometric analysis. H3O+ and NH4+ and their water clusters from the background are formed and create protonated molecules and ammoniated molecules of the analytes. In the full-scan mass spectra, both the quasi-molecular ions of the analytes and their characteristic ionic fragments are obtained and provide evidence of the analyte. The successful detection of active compounds in both medicine and garlic proves that MPT has the efficient desorption/ionization capability to analyze solid samples. The obtained decay curve of nicotine in exhaled breath indicates that MPT-MS is a useful tool for monitoring gas samples in real time. These results showed that the MPT, with the advantages of stable plasma, minimal optimization, easy, solvent-free operation, and no pretreatment, is another potential technique for ambient MS. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

RATIONALE Desorption electrospray ionization (DESI) is the most popular ambient ionization technique for direct analysis of complex samples without sample pretreatment. However, for many applications, especially for trace analysis, it is of interest to improve the sensitivity of DESI-mass spectrometry (MS). METHODS In traditional DESI-MS, a mixture of methanol/water/acetic acid is usually used to generate the primary ions. In this article, dilute protein solutions were electrosprayed in the DESI method to create multiply charged primary ions for the desorption ionization of trace analytes on various surfaces (e.g., filter paper, glass, Al-foil) without any sample pretreatment. The analyte ions were then detected and structurally characterized using a LTQ XL mass spectrometer. RESULTS Compared with the methanol/water/acetic acid (49:49:2, v/v/v) solution, protein solutions significantly increased the signal levels of non-volatile compounds such as benzoic acid, TNT, o-toluidine, peptide and insulin in either positive or negative ion detection mode. For all the analytes tested, the limits of detection (LODs) were reduced to about half of the original values which were obtained using traditional DESI. The results showed that the signal enhancement is highly correlated with the molecular weight of the proteins and the selected solid surfaces. CONCLUSIONS The proposed DESI method is a universal strategy for rapid and sensitive detection of trace amounts of strongly bound and/or non-volatile analytes, including explosives, peptides, and proteins. The results indicate that the sensitivity of DESI can be further improved by selecting larger proteins and appropriate solid surfaces. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Several histone deacetylases (HDACs) are involved in the regulation of forkhead box protein P3 (FOXP3) expression and function by affecting features of FOXP3 protein stability. FOXP3, a forkhead family transcription factor specially expressed in regulatory T (Treg) cells, controls the expression of many key immune-regulatory genes. Treg cells are a population of T lymphocytes that have critical roles in the immune system homeostasis and tolerance to self and foreign antigens, the body's response to cancer and infectious agents. FOXP3 forms oligomeric complexes with other proteins, the components of which are believed to be regulated dynamically. In addition, HDAC activities influence FOXP3 interactions with other partners to form transcriptional regulatory complexes. By understanding the details of the biochemical and structural basis of the regulation of FOXP3 acetylation, therapeutic strategies for diseases related to Treg cells may emerge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Human zonula occludens 2 (ZO-2) protein is a multi-domain protein that consists of an SH3 domain, a GK domain and three copies of a PDZ domain with slight divergence. The three PDZ domains act as protein-recognition modules that may mediate protein assembly and subunit localization. The crystal structure of the second PDZ domain of ZO-2 (ZO-2 PDZ2) was determined by molecular replacement at 1.75 Å resolution, revealing a dimer in the asymmetric unit. The dimer is stabilized by extensive symmetrical domain-swapping of the β1 and β2 strands. Structural comparison shows that the ZO-2 PDZ2 homodimer may have a similar ligand-binding pattern to the ZO-1 PDZ2-connexin 43 complex. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]