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Three-dimensionally macroporous (3DOM) MnSmOx composite oxides were prepared via a hard-template method and utilized as catalytic materials for propane combustion. The modification effect of samarium dopant on both their physicochemical and catalytic properties were systematically investigated by means of characterization techniques and experimental approaches. Characterization results revealed that the increasing addition of samarium into MnOx favored the formation of 3DOM structure, and the doping of samarium induced the crystalline phase transformation of Mn2O3 into Mn3O4, concurrently leading to the remarkable improvement of redox ability and surface oxygen mobility as well as higher abundance of surface labile oxygen species. All above-mentioned properties were demonstrated to be the major determinants for boosting the propane combustion performances of Sm-doped catalysts. Among all, the 3DOM Mn0.85Sm0.15Ox (denoted as M0.85S0.15) exhibited the optimum catalytic activity and good regeneration capacity under humid conditions. Additionally, the comparative in situ DRIFTs analysis over M0.85S0.15 and the bulk counterpart (denoted as B-M0.85S0.15) emphasized the superiority of 3DOM architecture on promoting the surface adsorption and oxidation of propane molecules.

Lead (Pb) is a toxic heavy metal and environmental pollutant that adversely affects the nervous system. However, effective therapeutic drugs for Pb-induced neurotoxicity have yet to be developed. In the present study, we investigated the ameliorative effect of sodium para-aminosalicylic acid (PAS-Na) on Pb-induced neurotoxicity. Male Sprague–Dawley rats were treated with (CH3COO)2 Pb•4H2O (6 mg/kg) for 4 weeks, followed by 3 weeks of PAS-Na (100, 200, and 300 mg/kg). The results showed that subacute Pb exposure significantly decreased rats body-weight gains and increased liver coefficient, and impaired spatial learning and memory. HE staining showed that Pb damaged the structure of the hippocampus. Moreover, Pb activated the ERK1/2-p90RSK/ NF-κB pathway concomitant with increased inflammatory cytokine IL-1β levels in rat hippocampus. PAS-Na reversed the Pb-induced increase in the liver coefficient as well as the learning and memory deficits. In addition, PAS-Na reduced the phosphorylation of ERK1/2, p90RSK and NF-κB p65, decreasing IL-1β levels in hippocampus. Our findings indicated that PAS-Na showed efficacy in reversing Pb-induced rats cognitive deficits and triggered an anti-inflammatory response. Thus, PAS-Na may be a promising therapy for treating Pb-induced neurotoxicity.

Fiber coating is a key part of solid-phase microextraction (SPME) technology, and it determines the selectivity, sensitivity, and reproducibility of the analytical method. A ketoenamine covalent organic framework called Tp-Azo-COF with rich electronegative N atoms was prepared as an SPME coating in this work. The Tp-Azo-COF coating had a large surface area of 1218 m2 g-1 and good thermal and chemical stability, and it was applied for the extraction of organochlorine pesticides (OCPs). According to quantum chemistry calculations, the adsorption affinity of the Tp-Azo-COF coating for five OCPs was primarily affected by the halogen bond and hydrophobicity interaction. The extraction efficiencies of the Tp-Azo-COF coating for five OCPs were higher than those of three commercial SPME fiber coatings, and the enrichment factors ranged from 1061 to 3693. When combined with gas chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry, a wide linear range (0.1-1000 ng L-1), low limits of detection (0.002-0.08 ng L-1), and good fiber-to-fiber accuracy (4.3-10.9%) were achieved under optimal conditions. Moreover, the applicability of the developed method was evaluated by analyzing four samples (milk, green tea, tap water, and well water), and the recoveries were in the range of 83.4-101.6%, with relative standard deviations

To improve the controlled release and stability of the loaded drug, the alginate-porous starch solution, as the gel matrix (GM), was prepared and added into curcumin-loaded microemulsion (CUR-ME) in a certain proportion, and then mixed with slow-gelling agents (CaCO3 + d-glucono-δ-lactone) to prepared curcumin-loaded microemulsion gel (CUR-ME-G). With increasing the proportion of GM from 25% (CUR-ME3G1) to 83% (CUR-ME1G5), the drug loading efficiency increased from 24% to 98% and the maximum drug loading capacity (14.9 mg/g) was found in CUR-ME1G3 with 75% GM. Moreover, a denser structure that entrapped all microemulsion droplets was formed with increasing the proportion of microemulsion according to the observation of scanning electron microscopy. This was also confirmed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and Raman spectroscopy that no new peaks appeared in CUR-ME-G, while the hydrogen bonding interactions might exist between curcumin and sodium alginate. The in vitro release of the CUR-ME-G followed diffusion-controlled mechanism that was consistent with the first-order kinetic model. The release rate depended on the components of the CUR-ME-G and the pH value of the release medium. CUR-ME-G with curcumin concentration of 0.20% exhibited the best biological activity. CUR-ME-G might provide a potential application in the smart drug delivery systems.

The viability of applying high capacity sulfur cathodes is hindered by the rapid capacity fading, structure degradation, and severe safety problem. Unfortunately, these problems still existed when the lithium-sulfur batteries (LSBs) faced with commercial applications. Consequently, it is urgent to find perfect strategies to modify the properties of LSBs for achieving wide applications. Herein, we present a detailed host material study by immersing sulfur into cobaltous sulfide host materials. Via the material characterization and electrochemical study, some meaningful results were obtained for the sulfur-based cathode during the electrochemical cycles. The electrochemical properties indicated that the as-prepared cobaltous sulfide/S composite cathode exhibited high initial specific capacity and low self-discharge in the LSBs.

Formononetin exhibits anti‐neoplastic activities in specific types of cancers, such as colon carcinoma and breast cancer. Nevertheless, its role in suppressing gastric carcinoma (GC) growth and metastatic‐associated phenotypes has not been fully understood. Here, we demonstrated that formononetin decreased the viability of GC cell line SGC‐7901 and MGC‐803. Furthermore, formononetin suppressed the migration and invasion abilities of GC cells. Consistent with the results in vitro, the anticancer effect of formononetin was verified using xenograft model. The expression of microRNA‐542‐5p (miR‐542‐5p), acted as an oncogene in many cancers, was identified to be upregulated in GC. Importantly, miR‐542‐5p might involve in formononetin exhibits anticancer activity in GC cells. Taken together, these results indicate that formononetin inhibits the growth and aggressiveness of GC cells in vitro and in vivo.

Silica scalant and organic foulant are rapidly deposited onto the surface of a thin-film composite (TFC) reverse osmosis (RO) membrane during the desalination process. The scaling and fouling prope...

Lithium-sulfur batteries are considered to be an ideal high-performance rechargeable lithium battery. However, some problems have seriously hindered the practical application of lithium-sulfur batteries. A simple one-step hydrothermal method has been applied to design nitrogen-doped graphene aerogel (N-GA) with three different nitrogen sources. Subsequently, sulfur was encapsulated in N-GA by chemical deposition method to synthesize sulfur encapsulated in N-GA (N-GA/S) composites. Among them, the N-GA1/S composite with sulfur content reaching 75.5 wt% has a discharge specific capacity of 723.9 mAh g−1 after 100 cycles at 0.7 C, and the capacity retention rate is up to 87.4% while the coulombic efficiency still remains 98%. The outstanding electrochemical performance is owing to the good coating of sulfur by nitrogen-doped graphene aerogel, the improvement of the conductivity of the graphene skeleton by nitrogen doping, and the strong adsorption capacity of the doped nitrogen atom to lithium polysulfide. The graphene skeleton also helps to reduce the volume effect while charging and discharging. Furthermore, the proportion of pyridinic-N in N-GA1/S composites is higher than that in the two other composites, and it has a better adsorption capacity for lithium polysulfide.

This paper presents a review of research progress for biomass-derived hard carbon materials for sodium-ion storage. It provides an in-depth analysis of hard carbon anode materials obtained from biomass with the aim of identifying an optimal structure performance relationship. Different sodium-ion storage mechanisms in hard carbon and models proposed in the literature are discussed and compared. Hard carbon property – performance correlations are analysed based on recent published data. This paper also provides insight into the common methods for preparing hard carbon from biomass, as well as effect of preparation conditions on the physical properties of hard carbon materials. Observed structural changes are directly correlated with preparation parameters and biomass precursor used. In most cases, biomass derived hard carbon materials thermally treated between 1200 °C and 1400 °C have been identified as providing ideal structural properties for improving sodium-ion storage performance in battery cells. However, certain drawbacks including poor cycling stability and low initial coulombic efficiency still hinder the wider applications of hard carbon for sodium-ion batteries. To that end, methods for addressing the negative performance characteristics are provided, including the requirement for novel characterization techniques and advanced material engineering.

In this research, a distyryl-anthracene derivative (DSAI) with two quaternary ammonium groups was synthesized. It emitted strong yellow-green fluorescence after aggregating with heparin through electrostatic attraction. In the presence of protamine, the fluorescence of DSAI remarkably quenched because of the greater affinity between heparin and protamine. Based on the change of fluorescence signal, a highly sensitive and selective method is successfully constructed to detect heparin and protamine. The DSAI sensor toward heparin showed a broad linear range (0.1 to 1.1 μg mL−1) and a low detection limit (down to 5.64 ng mL−1). The linear detection for protamine was in a wide range (0.1 to 1.7 μg mL−1) with the detection limit of 5.20 ng mL−1. Moreover, DSAI was successfully applied to detect heparin and protamine in complicated goat serum samples with satisfactory results. This simple and ultrasensitive biosensor has potential applications in diagnostics, therapeutics and biological research.

An ionic covalent organic framework (Fe3O4@EB-TFB-iCOF) as a polar adsorbent was synthesized and characterized. It was applied in the magnetic solid phase extraction (MSPE) of four polar organic acids, namely, 2-(2,4,5-trichlorophenoxy)propionic acid, 2-methyl-4-chlorophenoxy acetic acid, naphthyloxyacetic acid, and naphthylacetic acid. The organic acids were detected by high performance liquid chromatography-ultraviolet analysis (HPLC-UV). A method for the determination of organic acids based on MSPE-HPLC-UV was established. The method shows good linear regression (R2≥ 0.9950), high precision (1.53-3.80%, n = 6), and low detection limit (0.10-0.49 ng mL-1). The recovery rate of environmental water samples ranges from 73.3% to 101.0%. This method provides a possibility for high sensitivity analysis of polar organic acids.

Histone deacetylase 5 (HDAC5) belongs to class II HDAC subfamily and is reported to be increased in the kidneys of diabetic patients and animals. However, little is known about its function and the exact mechanism in diabetic kidney disease (DKD). Here, we found that HDAC5 was located in renal glomeruli and tubular cells, and significantly upregulated in diabetic mice and UUO mice, especially in renal tubular cells and interstitium. Knockdown of HDAC5 ameliorated high glucose-induced epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) of HK2 cells, indicated in the increased E-cadherin and decreased α-SMA, via the downregulation of TGF-β1. Furthermore, HDAC5 expression was regulated by PI3K/Akt signaling pathway and inhibition of PI3K/Akt pathway by LY294002 treatment or Akt phosphorylation mutation reduced HDAC5 and TGF-β1 expression in vitro high glucose-cultured HK2 cells. Again, high glucose stimulation downregulated total m6A RNA methylation level of HK2 cells. Then, m6A demethylase inhibitor MA2 treatment decreased Akt phosphorylation, HDAC5, and TGF-β1 expression in high glucose-cultured HK2 cells. In addition, m6A modification-associated methylase METTL3 and METTL14 were decreased by high glucose at the levels of mRNA and protein. METTL14 not METTL3 overexpression led to PI3K/Akt pathway inactivation in high glucose-treated HK2 cells by enhancing PTEN, followed by HDAC5 and TGF-β1 expression downregulation. Finally, in vivo HDACs inhibitor TSA treatment alleviated extracellular matrix accumulation in kidneys of diabetic mice, accompanied with HDAC5, TGF-β1, and α-SMA expression downregulation. These above data suggest that METTL14-regulated PI3K/Akt signaling pathway via PTEN affected HDAC5-mediated EMT of renal tubular cells in diabetic kidney disease.

This study describes the role of circ_0008039 in breast cancer. We found that high expression of circ_0008039 was significantly associated with lymph node metastasis and tumor stage of breast cancer patients, and circ_0008039 knockdown could inhibit breast cancer cell proliferation, invasion, and glucose metabolism by upregulating miR‐140‐3p and downregulating SKA2., Circular RNAs (circRNAs) have been shown to modulate gene expression and participate in the development of multiple malignancies. The purpose of this study was to investigate the role of circ_0008039 in breast cancer (BC). The expression of circ_0008039, miR‐140‐3p, and spindle and kinetochore‐associated protein 2 (SKA2) was detected by qRT‐PCR. Cell viability, colony formation, migration, and invasion were evaluated using methylthiazolyldiphenyl‐tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay, colony formation assay, and transwell assay, respectively. Glucose consumption and lactate production were measured using commercial kits. Protein levels of hexokinase II (HK2) and SKA2 were determined by western blot. The interaction between miR‐140‐3p and circ_0008039 or SKA2 was verified by dual‐luciferase reporter assay. Finally, a mouse xenograft model was established to investigate the roles of circ_0008039 in BC in vivo. We found that circ_0008039 and SKA2 were upregulated in BC tissues and cells, while miR‐140‐3p was downregulated. Knockdown of circ_0008039 suppressed BC cell proliferation, migration, invasion, and glycolysis. Moreover, miR‐140‐3p could bind to circ_0008039 and its inhibition reversed the inhibitory effect of circ_0008039 interference on proliferation, migration, invasion, and glycolysis in BC cells. SKA2 was verified as a direct target of miR‐140‐3p and its overexpression partially inhibited the suppressive effect of miR‐140‐3p restoration in BC cells. Additionally, circ_0008039 positively regulated SKA2 expression by sponging miR‐140‐3p. Consistently, silencing circ_0008039 restrained tumor growth via increasing miR‐140‐3p and decreasing SKA2. In conclusion, circ_0008039 downregulation suppressed BC cell proliferation, migration, invasion, and glycolysis partially through regulating the miR‐140‐3p/SKA2 axis, providing an important theoretical basis for treatment of BC.

The visceral adiposity index (VAI) is a newly developing indicator about visceral fat function and insulin resistance. This research aims to assess the association between organ damage and VAI in the community-dwelling elderly Chinese population. In total, 3363 elderly participants were recruited between June 2014 and August 2019. VAI was used to measure visceral adipose accumulation, and organ damage was measured with standardized methods, including arterial stiffness, lower extremity atherosclerosis, carotid hypertrophy, left ventricular hypertrophy, micro-albuminuria, and chronic kidney disease. According to multivariable linear regression analysis, VAI was related to carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (cf-PWV; β = 0.047, P = 0.024), urine albumin to creatinine ratio (UACR; β = 3.893, P = 0.008), estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR; β = − 0.526, P = 0.003) and loge(ankle-to-brachial index) (ABI; β = -0.003, P = 0.024). Using multivariable stepwise logistic regression model, higher VAI was found to be significantly related to cf-PWV > 10 m/s (OR 1.44, [95% CI 1.17–1.78]; Pfor trend

Owing to the high energy density and rich resource, Li–S batteries are now considered as a promising direction in energy storage. Nevertheless, the electrochemical properties of sulfur host materials have been limited by the large volume changes during cycles, the dissolution of polysulfides in an electrolyte, and the insulating properties of lithium polysulfides. Based on the above conclusions, a novel cathode material of graphene nanosheet@spherical ordered mesoporous carbon/sulfur nanocomposite (GNs@s-OMC/S) where s-OMC/S was wrapped by GNs has been synthesized in this article and delivers superior cycle stability. According to the tests, GNs@s-OMC/S provides a capacity of 1159 mAh g−1 at a 0.4 C discharge rate. In addition, even at a high rate of 4 C, the discharge capacity of GNs@s-OMC/S can also remain 767 mAh g−1, representing a fantastic rate performance and high specific capacity. It can be ensured that the narrow channels provided by s-OMC and the graphene entrapment with high conductivity enhance the electrochemical performance of the cathode.

Environmental persistent free radicals (EPFRs) have been evaluated as a new kind of environmental risk substance, which are mainly detected in atmospheric particles and superfund sites. Clay minerals, which are composed of layered silicates and are abundant in soil environment, provide an appropriate site for organic pollutants to form EPFRs. Our previous studies showed that combination of clay minerals and transition metal species such as Fe and Cu ions/oxides can effectively degrade polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), and significant EPFRs signal can be detected by electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR). Aluminum (Al) is the most abundant metal element in the earth’s crust, however, to the best of our knowledge, few studies have reported the formation of EPFRs by organic pollutants contaminated Al(III)-clay minerals, and an unambiguous of the relevant interface process and mechanism is still lacking. In this paper, benzo[a]pyrene (B[a]P), a strong carcinogenic PAHs compound, was used to contaminate Al(III)-montmorillonite, and Na(I)-montmorillonite served as the control group. The degradation rate of B[a]P was determined by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Fourier transform Infrared spectrometer (FTIR) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) were employed to analyze the changes of functional groups and elements in the course of degradation of B[a]P. Since water content is an important factor in soil, three different relative humidity (RH) conditions (RH 97%) were selected to explore the stability of B[a]P-EPFRs. In order to confirm that the formation of EPFRs was accompanied by generation of hydroxyl radical (•OH) and superoxide radical (O2 · −), reactive oxygen species (ROS) capture experiment and radical quenching experiment were carried out. The results confirmed that Al(III)-montmorillonite was capable of accelerating the degradation of B[a]P, and the reaction rate was 37 times higher than that of Na(I)-montmorillonite. FTIR characterizations showed that the decay of old functional groups (C=C) was accompanied by forming new functional groups (C=O). XPS analysis revealed that upon sorption the ‒C=O band and C=O band occurred by analyzing the C 1s and O 1s, indicating the formation of oxygen-containing compounds. The RH experiment demonstrated that the conversion of B[a]P and the formation of EPFRs were not affected under relatively dry conditions (RH · − radical respectively, and the degradation rate of B[a]P was decreased significantly to 19.1% and 23.4% at 9 d respectively. In addition, the EPR intensity of EPFRs was obvious decreased, and this indicated that the formation of EPFRs was accompanied by the generation of ROS. The degradation of B[a]P and the formation of EPFRs were mainly attributed to electron transfer on the surface of Al(III)-montmorillonite. The formed •OH and O2 · − radical in the system can oxidize B[a]P radicals and eventually generate oxygen-containing compounds.

Crystal morphology has a significant effect on the properties and applications of energetic materials (EMs). Here, we have combined the single-crystal X-ray diffraction (SCXRD) and rotation imaging...

The facile fabrication of covalent organic frameworks (COFs) is significant for exploring and promoting their application. In this study, TAPA-TFPB-COFs with flower-shaped morphology, good crystallinity, and high surface area was prepared via a facile room-temperature method. The as-synthesized TAPA-TFPB-COFs exhibited great adsorption capacity towards quinolone antibiotics (QAs) and satisfying reusability. Utilizing the TAPA-TFPB-COFs as solid-phase extraction cartridge packing and liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry as detector, a reliable and ultrasensitive method for the assay of QAs was developed. The linearity ranges of QAs extended from 0.5 to 200 ng L−1 with correlation coefficients higher than 0.9974, and the limits of detection varied from 0.02 to 0.11 ng L−1. The intra-day and inter-day precision were lower than 10.8% and 6.7%, respectively. The applicability of the developed method was evaluated through analyzing of tap water, spring water, chicken, and fish samples. The recoveries of QAs in spiked water and food samples varied from 80.0% to 107.6%. The reliability of the developed method was further verified by the accurate detection of QAs in a fish certified reference material.

Potassium‐ion storage is being explored by researchers for its advantages in forming graphite‐based intercalation compounds, with cost‐effective production compared to lithium‐ion systems. However, its poor performance in graphite‐based platforms, owing to the volume expansion required for intercalation, has demanded alternative materials for reversible potassiation. Herein, we demonstrate a simple one‐step pyrolysis approach to develop an amorphous hard carbon material from commercial cellulose for high‐performance potassium‐ion batteries (KIB). The larger interlayer spacing (~0.4 nm) alongside the electronegative oxygen functional groups promotes potassium‐ion storage. High capacity, good rate and long cycling performance with lower‐volume expansion could be credited to the amorphous carbon that possesses turbostratic nanodomains. Further, oxygen functional groups on the carbon material are identified in our experimental studies, and density functional theory simulations indicate that these are likely to enhance the potassium ion capacity of the materials.

A series of chitosan (CS)-coated metal–organic-framework (MOF) nanoparticles, which combined excellent chemical stability, thermal stability, and recyclability, were synthesized by an in situ growt...

Three-dimensionally macroporous (3DM) MnZrOx catalysts were fabricated to reveal the structure and Zr-doping effects on both physicochemical properties and propane combustion behaviors. The increasing addition of zirconium is favorable for the formation of 3DM structure and amorphous Mn-Zr solid solution, leading to tunable physicochemical properties. The significant activity improvement after zirconium addition was originally attributable to the superior redox ability, higher oxygen mobility and more abundant oxygen vacancy. The excellent catalytic activity, cycling stability and water resistant ability over 3DM Mn0.6Zr0.4Ox make it a promising material for hydrocarbons elimination. The comparative TPSR, in situ DRIFTs and kinetics study over 3DM and bulk catalysts emphasize the advantageous function of 3DM architecture on promoting propane adsorption, oxidation and lattice oxygen mobility.

As a class of covalently closed non‐coding RNAs, circular RNAs (circRNAs) are key regulators in various malignancies including osteosarcoma (OS). In the present study, we found that circular RNA PVT1 (circPVT1) was up‐regulated in OS and correlated with poor prognosis of patients with OS. Functionally, we showed that knockdown of circPVT1 suppressed OS cells metastasis. In addition, we found that (forkhead box C2) FOXC2 was a downstream gene in circPVT1‐mediated metastasis in OS cells. We demonstrated that circPVT1 promoted OS cells metastasis via post‐transcriptionally regulating of FOXC2. Furthermore, we revealed that microRNA 526b (miR‐526b) was a key bridge which connected circPVT1 and FOXC2. We showed that miR‐526b was down‐regulated in OS tissue and cell lines. Through a transwell assay, we found that miR‐526b suppressed OS cells metastasis by targeting of FOXC2. We also showed that miR‐526b targeted circPVT1 via similar mircoRNA response elements (MREs) as it did for FOXC2. Finally, we proved that circPVT1 decoyed miR‐526b to promote FOXC2‐mediated metastasis in OS cells. In brief, our current study demonstrated that circPVT1, functioning as an oncogene, promotes OS cells metastasis via regulation of FOXC2 by acting as a ceRNA of miR‐526b. CircPVT1/miR‐526b/FOXC2 axis might be a novel target in molecular treatment of OS.

Hollow perovskite oxide La0·5Sr0·5MnO3 nanospheres are synthesized by using carbon spheres as template in the presence of citric acid. Among the samples investigated in this work, the one obtained at a sintering temperature of 700 °C exhibits the highest catalytic activity in the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) in an alkaline electrolyte. The electrochemical measurement data shows that the sample has a positive onset potential (0.860 V) and a high limiting current density (6.48 mA cm−2). Furthermore, the catalyst shows a high selectivity towards methanol and a better stability than a commercial Pt/C catalyst. The hollow La0·5Sr0·5MnO3 nanoshperes described in this manuscript hold a great promise for applications in metal-air batteries and alkaline fuel cells.

Environmentally persistent free radicals (EPFR) are emerging contaminants of health concern. Their levels in the environment are not well known because few studies have optimized EPFR extraction. Therefore, here we studied the extraction and decay of EPFR that are formed on the surfaces of Cu(II)-montmorillonite clay contaminated by polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) including benzo[a]pyrene and anthracene. EPFR were analyzed by electron paramagnetic resonance. Results show that acetone or dichloromethane/acetone effectively extract benzo[a]pyrene-EPFR. By contrast, CCl4, acetonitrile or methanol do not extract benzo[a]pyrene-EPFR, but extract residual benzo[a]pyrene at 62.2% for CCl4, 77.8% for acetonitrile and 59.1% for methanol. EPFR concentration decreases with ultrasonic intensity and time, from 60 s at 16 kHz to 1200 s at 40 kHz. The decay of PAH–EPFR in acetone displays two steps, a fast decay from 0 to about 5 h, then a slower decay from 5 to 50 h. The 1/e lifetime during the slow decay period was about 168 h for benzo[a]pyrene-EPFR and 180 h for anthracene-EPFR.

Highlights Cobalt sulphide nanoparticles are encapsulated in nitrogen-rich carbon cages via a simple and scalable method.Insight into sodium storage mechanism is systematically studied via in situ TEM and XRD techniques.The sodium-ion capacitor device achieved high energy densities of 101.4 and 45.8 Wh kg−1 at power densities of 200 and 10,000 W kg−1, respectively, holding promise for practical applications. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1007/s40820-020-0391-9) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users., Conversion-type anode materials with a high charge storage capability generally suffer from large volume expansion, poor electron conductivity, and sluggish metal ion transport kinetics. The electrode material described in this paper, namely cobalt sulphide nanoparticles encapsulated in carbon cages (Co9S8@NC), can circumvent these problems. This electrode material exhibited a reversible sodium-ion storage capacity of 705 mAh g−1 at 100 mA g−1 with an extraordinary rate capability and good cycling stability. Mechanistic study using the in situ transmission electron microscope technique revealed that the volumetric expansion of the Co9S8 nanoparticles is buffered by the carbon cages, enabling a stable electrode–electrolyte interface. In addition, the carbon shell with high-content doped nitrogen significantly enhances the electron conductivity of the Co9S8@NC electrode material and provides doping-induced active sites to accommodate sodium ions. By integrating the Co9S8@NC as negative electrode with a cellulose-derived porous hard carbon/graphene oxide composite as positive electrode and 1 M NaPF6 in diglyme as the electrolyte, the sodium-ion capacitor full cell can achieve energy densities of 101.4 and 45.8 Wh kg−1 at power densities of 200 and 10,000 W kg−1, respectively. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1007/s40820-020-0391-9) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

PBX3 (Pre-B-cell leukemia homeobox 3) had been considered to be a multifunctional oncogene which involved in tumor growth, invasion, and metastasis in leukemia and some solid tumors. However, the contribution of PBX3 to papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) remains unclear. In this study, we found that PBX3 expression was significantly upregulated in PTC tissues compared to adjacent normal tissues, and high levels of PBX3 were correlated with tumor size, lymphatic metastasis, TMN stage, and poor prognosis of PTC patients. Overexpression of PBX3 in PTC cell lines promoted cell proliferation. Consistently, knockdown of PBX3 by shRNA induced cell cycle arrest at G0/G1 phase, and inhibited angiogenesis and tumor growth in vitro and in vivo. Furthermore, PBX3 promoted PTC cell proliferation and angiogenesis through activation of AT1R/VEGFR2 pathway while overexpression of AT1R and treatment with VEGFA reversed PBX3-shRNA-induced decreased phosphorylation of VEGFR2 and its downstream (ERK1/2, AKT and Src). It demonstrated that PBX3 could be used as a potential prognostic biomarker and therapeutic target for PTC.

Pyridoxal-5′-phosphate (PLP), the active form of vitamin B(6), is an important and versatile coenzyme involved in a variety of enzymatic reactions, accounting for about 4% of all classified activities. However, the detailed catalytic reaction pathways for PLP-dependent enzymes remain to be explored. Methionine-γ-lyase (MGL), a promising alternative anti-tumor agent to conventional chemotherapies whose catalytic mechanism is highly desired for guiding further development of re-engineered enzymes, was used as a representative PLP-dependent enzyme, and the catalytic mechanism for L-Met elimination by MGL was explored at the first-principles quantum mechanical/molecular mechanical (QM/MM) level with umbrella sampling. The QM/MM calculations revealed that the enzymatic reaction pathway consists of 4 stages for a total of 19 reaction steps with five intermediates captured in available crystal structures. Furthermore, the more comprehensive role of PLP was revealed. Besides the commonly known role of “electron sink”, coenzyme PLP can also assist proton transfer and temporarily store the excess proton generated in some intermediate states by using its hydroxyl group and phosphate group. Thus, PLP is participated in most of the 19 steps. This study not only provided a theoretical basis for further development and re-engineering MGL as a potential anti-tumor agent, but also revealed the comprehensive role of PLP which could be used to explore the mechanisms of other PLP-dependent enzymes.

Sodium-sulfur batteries (NaSBs) have emerged as a promising energy storage technology for large-scale stationary applications such as smart electrical grids due to their exceptionally high energy density and cost-effectiveness. However, one of the challenging problems impeding their practical applications is the sulfur shuttle effect by which the active redox intermediates are gradually dissolved in electrolytes. In this work, we have employed first-principles density functional theory (DFT) calculations to unravel the suppression of the shuttle effect in NaSBs with a two-dimensional (2D) As2S3 monolayer as the anchoring material. We show that semiconducting As2S3 is a suitable anchoring layer to inhibit the dissolution of the polysulfide intermediates in common electrolytes because of its stronger chemical binding with sodium polysulfides than with the electrolytes. The immense adsorption is attributed to the electron donation from the unfilled S-3p states of the polysulfides to As2S3. These mechanisms increase the carrier population and consequently improve the electrical conductivity of As2S3. Hence, the use of As2S3 can both reduce the shuttle effect and enhance the cathode electron conductivity to enable improved cycling stability and coulombic efficiency of the battery.

The oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) is one of the most important electrochemical reactions in energy conversion and storage technologies, such as fuel cells and metal–air batteries. However, the sluggish kinetics of the ORR is a key factor limiting the performance of these energy storage and conversion devices. Perovskite oxides are a promising family of electrocatalysts for the ORR because of their unique physical and chemical properties, such as variable crystal structure and non-stoichiometric chemistry. Studies have shown that the catalytic properties of perovskite oxides in the ORR are largely related to oxygen vacancies, which alter their electronic and crystal structures and surface chemistry. This review summarizes recent research advances on understanding the role of oxygen vacancies of the ABO3 perovskite oxides in catalyzing the ORR. With a brief introduction of perovskite oxides, approaches to creating oxygen vacancies in the ABO3 perovskite oxides and the role of oxygen vacancies in improving their catalytic performance for the ORR are discussed. Research perspectives in this important area are highlighted.

Covalent organic frameworks with tunable porous crystallinity and outstanding stability have recently exhibited fascinating pretreatment performance as solid-phase microextraction coatings. In this report, a β-ketoenamine-linked covalent organic framework (TpPa-1) was successfully constructed through a Schiff-base-type reaction between 1,3,5-triformylphloroglucinol (Tp) and para-phenylenediamine (Pa-1). A TpPa-1 coating was then fabricated on a stainless-steel fiber for capturing trace synthetic musks. This TpPa-1 coating exhibited strong interaction with synthetic musks because of its hydrophobicity and π–π affinity. This TpPa-1-based solid-phase microextraction methodology, coupled with gas chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry, provided high enrichment factors (1214–12 487), wide linearity (0.5–1000 ng L−1), low limits of detection (0.04–0.31 ng L−1), and acceptable reproducibility (relative standard deviation

The removal of radioiodine from the exhaust gas streams produced in spent fuel reprocessing plants is of paramount importance for the nuclear fuel cycle's security. Here, millimeter-sized poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) composites containing zirconium-based metal–organic frameworks, MOF-808, were synthesized by a facile phase inversion method to adsorb the volatile iodine. MOF-808@PVDF composites have inherited the crystallinity and pore accessibility of MOF-808, as well as its outstanding iodine capture performance. The MOF-808@PVDF composite beads containing 70 wt% MOFs, exhibited ultrahigh iodine adsorption capacity, 1.42 g g−1 at 80 °C, much higher than other millimeter-sized adsorbents reported in the literature. Raman mapping suggests that the negative iodine ions were formed at the early stage of iodine adsorption, while the close-packed iodine molecules were subsequently trapped in the frames. Using dynamic adsorption, the influences of iodine concentration, operating temperature and humidity were analyzed to evaluate its application potential in industrial conditions. The iodine adsorption capacity could reach 1.36 g g−1 at 80 °C, 100 °C and 120 °C in flow gas. And the elevated temperature (120 °C) is beneficial to accelerating the mass transfer of iodine vapor, as well as slightly inhibiting the competitive adsorption of water molecules under humidity. Besides, only one-third of the loaded iodine was released in nitrogen purging after saturated adsorption. The remaining majority was trapped firmly by the beads due to their strong interactions with the frameworks. This work highlights the millimeter-sized MOF-808@polymer composite beads with ultrahigh iodine adsorption capacity, providing experimental references for their application in radioiodine removal from hot and moist streams.

In this study, we prepared a Ba0.5Sr0.5Co0.8Fe0.2O3-δ (BSCF) cathode layer for proton-conducting solid oxide fuel cells using microwave sintering. Unlike traditional sintering, which is carried out at 1000 °C for a few hours, the microwave sintering method allows the BSCF cathode layer to adhere well with the electrolyte layer after sintering at 900 °C for 10 min. This strategy helps the cathode layer maintain a microstructure favourable for cathode reactions and mitigate the potential diffusion of elements between it and the BaZr0.1Ce0.7Y0.2O3-δ electrolyte, leading to improved cell resistance. The cell with the BSCF cathode layer sintered by the microwave method has a power output of 0.96 W cm-2 at 700 °C, while the power output for the cell with a conventionally sintered cathode is 0.33 W cm-2.

The graphite felt (GF) was modified through the concentrated sulfuric acid, potassium permanganate and ammonia activation with the aim of improving the specific surface area, hydrophilicity and the electrocatalytic activity for the electrogeneration of hydrogen peroxide and its application in the electro-Fenton (EF). The modified graphite felt (M-GF) was characterized by contact angle, scanning electron microscope, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, Raman spectrum, cyclic voltammetry and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. The surface physic-chemical characteristics and morphology of the M-GF were considerably changed after the modification. The current efficiency for H 2 O 2 generation was explored at an optimized current density of 10 mA cm −2 and the value of H 2 O 2 generation for the M-GF was 478.6 mg L −1 , while the GF was 276.5 mg L −1 after 360 min of electrolysis. Finally, the M-GF was used for the mineralization of aniline (100 mg L −1 ), reaching a mineralization percentage of 97% with EF process. The M-GF demonstrated good stability as the aniline mineralization percentage was above 90% after 10 cycles’ degradation, indicating that the M-GF is a promising cathode material for improving the degradation and mineralization of others organic pollutants by the EF process.

Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been implicated in the biology of esophageal cancer via mRNA degradation or translational inhibition. CDH3 is also aberrantly expressed in numerous cancers. This study was conducted with the hypothesis that ADAMTS9-AS2 or CDH3 methylation plays a role in esophageal cancer cell activity and in vivo development. Firstly, mRNA levels of ADAMTS9-AS2 and CDH3 in esophageal cancer tissues and cells were detected by reverse-transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Afterward, esophageal cancer OE21 cells were treated with overexpression of ADAMTS9-AS2, siRNA against ADAMTS9-AS2, overexpression of CDH3 and demethylating agent 5-aza-dc. The biological functions of esophageal cancer OE21 cells were assayed to define the regulatory mechanisms of ADAMTS9-AS2 in esophageal cancer. The interactions among ADAMTS9-AS2, DNMT1/DNMT3 (A/B) and CDH3 were detected by MSP, RNA pull-down, RIP, and ChIP assays. The in vitro findings were reproduced in nude mice to explore the role of ADAMTS9-AS2 in the development of esophageal cancer in vivo. Esophageal cancers expressed low levels of ADAMTS9-AS2 and high levels of CDH3. Methylation of CDH3 promoter was induced by ADAMTS9-AS2 via DNMT1/DNMT3 (A/B). Furthermore, proliferation, invasion, and migration of esophageal cancer cells were inhibited by ADAMTS9-AS2 via downregulation of CDH3. Suppressed esophageal cancer development in vivo was also detected after ADAMTS9-AS2 overexpression. Overexpressed ADAMTS9-AS2 aids in the suppression of esophageal cancer development, which is achieved via inducing CDH3 promoter methylation.

There is a growing demand for high-rate rechargeable batteries for powering electric vehicles and portable electronics. Here, we demonstrate a strategy for improving electrode performance by controlling the formation of solid electrolyte interphase (SEI). A composite electrode consisting of hard carbon (HC) and carbon nanotubes (CNTs) was used to study the formation of the SEI at different charging rates in an electrolyte consisting of 1 M NaClO4 in a mixed solvent with ethylene carbonate (EC) and propylene carbonate (PC), as well as fluoroethylene carbonate (FEC) additive. The half-cell method was used to form the SEI at different charging rates (e.g., 1, 10, and 100 A/g). Symmetric capacitor cells were employed to study ion transport properties through the SEI. It was found that the SEI is a primary factor responsible for limiting the capacity of the composite anode material in conventional ester-based electrolytes. The electrode with the SEI formed at 100 A/g exhibited the lowest impedance and delivered nearly twice the capacity of the electrode with the SEI formed at 1 A/g. This significant difference is due to a thin SEI formed at the fast charging rate, as has been observed with ether-based electrolytes. An identical decay rate (0.11 mA h/g per cycle) was observed on the electrodes with SEIs formed at different charging rates in an ester electrolyte. No chemical difference among the three SEI layers was found. However, morphological differences of the SEI layers were observed. This difference is believed to account for the different electrochemical behaviors of the electrodes. This work shows that high charging rates can result in the formation of an optimal SEI layer, contradicting the widely accepted practice of using low charging rates during the SEI formation in alkali-ion batteries.

High performance protective coatings applied under heavy duty condition will lengthen the structure’s service life, decrease maintenance times, economic and human life loss. Here, high protective performance coatings were prepared by dispersing polyaniline (PANI) nanowires into epoxy modified furfural-acetone (EMFA) resin matrix and then cured with phenalkamine. The protective performance of coatings was investigated by immersion experiments in 12% NaCl solution at 90 °C and Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy (EIS) measurements. The coating containing 1.0% PANI nanowires showed high impedance (>1010 ohm·cm2) after 80 days immersion, exhibiting great protective performance. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) surveys verified the formation of passive layer (Fe2O3/Fe3O4) on steel surface beneath the coating with 1.0% PANI. The bending test suggested that both the pure EMFA coating and the EMFA/PANI coating showed excellent flexibility of 2 mm. Here, measurement of water absorption, adhesion strength, pencil hardness and impact resistance were conducted to evaluate coatings performance.

In this work, we have firstly achieved the construction of bismuth oxyiodide (Bi5O7I)/reduced graphene oxide (rGO)/ZnO Z-scheme photoelectrochemical (PEC) system without backward reactions through loading large-area ZnO quantum dots (QDs)/rGO films on Bi5O7I nanosheets. Single-crystal porous Bi5O7I nanosheets with numerous oxygen vacancies (OVs) were firstly fabricated through the calcination of BiOI in reductive glycols. The single-crystal facilitates charge transport, nanoporous structure promotes light absorption and OVs improves charge separation efficiency. As a result, single-crystal porous Bi5O7I nanosheets with OVs exhibited higher PEC performance than other morphologies reported before. Moreover, The PEC activity of Bi5O7I can be further enhanced through loading large-area ZnO QDs/rGO films to construct a pure Z-scheme charge transfer system, which not only achieves efficient separation of electron-hole pairs but also retains its excellent redox ability. To the best of our knowledge, the photocurrent density of Bi5O7I/rGO/ZnO heterostructures is the highest among Bi5O7I-based samples. For comparison, an opposite Z-scheme model has also been built up by replacing Bi5O7I with WO3, in which the photocurrent density decreased conversely. Therefore, it can be known that a pure Z-scheme system without backward reactions can be successfully prepared through loading ZnO QDs/rGO films on photoelectrodes.

High-performance nitrogen-doped porous carbon adsorbents were prepared from waste cellulose fibers using the spray-drying method and used to remove methyl orange (MO) from water. The carbon adsorbents possessed a honeycomb-like turbostratic microstructure with hierarchical pores. Such waste-cellulose-derived carbon adsorbents were found to exhibit a fast adsorption rate towards MO. A sample thermally treated at 800 °C with the highest specific surface area (about 1259.4 m2/g) and total pore volume (about 2.7 cm3/g) exhibited the best MO adsorption capacity (337.8 mg/g), which is significantly higher than that of ZnCl2-activated carbon. The effect of MO initial concentration, pH and temperature on the carbon adsorption was investigated systematically. It was found that the adsorption system is heterogeneous while the isotherm data on the carbon sample can be well described by both Langmuir and Freundlich isotherm models. The high-performance and cost-effective carbon adsorbent described in this paper holds a great promise for dye removal from aqueous solutions.

Dysregulation of PR (PRDI-BF1 and RIZ) domain protein 5 (PRDM5) expression has been shown to be associated with the progression of many malignancies. Nevertheless, the role and underlying mechanism of PRDM5 in oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) remain elusive. qRT-PCR was performed to analyze PRDM5 mRNA expression, and western blot was used to determine protein expression of PRDM5, MMP-2, MMP-9, 14-3-3zeta, pan-Akt and phosphorylated Akt expression. CCK-8 staining was employed to evaluate cell proliferation, while wound scratch assay and Transwell assay were carried out to detect cell migration. A tumour xenograft model of ESCC was also established to validate the effect of PRDM5. PRDM5 expression was downregulated in ESCC tissues and positively correlated with the overall survival of ESCC patients. Silencing PRDM5 expression promoted cell proliferation in ESCC cells, while overexpressing PRDM5 inhibited cell proliferation. Moreover, the migratory abilities of ESCC cells were promoted by PRDM5 knockdown but were attenuated by PRDM5 overexpression. Importantly, 14-3-3zeta expression, along with the phosphorylation of Akt, was suppressed by PRDM5 in ESCC cells. In the established tumour xenograft model, PRDM5 regulated ESCC tumour growth as well as the expression of 14-3-3zeta and phosphorylation of Akt protein. In conclusion, PRDM5 suppresses ESCC cell proliferation and migration and negatively regulates 14-3-3zeta/Akt signalling pathway in vitro and in vivo.

Efficient capture of benzoylurea insecticide (BU) residue in food is a vital procedure for food safe monitoring. Herein, a core-shell structured magnetic fluorinated covalent organic framework with good magnetic responsiveness and abundant fluorine affinity sites was successfully synthesized, suitable for magnetic solid-phase extraction (MSPE) of BUs. Using a room-temperature synthesis strategy, the magnetic fluorinated covalent organic framework was fabricated by in situ polymerization of 1,3,5-tris(4-aminophenyl) triazine (TAPT) and 2,3,5,6-tetrafluoroterephthaldehyde (TFTA) on the surface of carboxylated Fe3O4 nanoparticles. The competitive adsorption experiment and molecular simulation verified that this magnetic fluorinated covalent organic framework possesses favorable adsorption affinity for BUs. This magnetic fluorinated covalent organic framework could be easily regenerated and reused at least eight times with no reduction of enrichment performance. Combining this magnetic fluorinated covalent organic framework-based MSPE with high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry, a novel sensitive method for the analysis of BUs was developed. In yellow wine and fruit juice samples, good linear correlations were obtained for BUs in the range of 10-2000 and 20-4000 ng·L-1, respectively. The limit of quantitation of the BUs ranged from 1.4 to 13.3 ng·L-1 in the two beverage matrices. Desirable precision was achieved, with intraday and interday relative standard deviations lower than 11%.