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Photocatalytic upgrading of renewable biomass is a promising way to relieve energy crisis and environmental pollution. However, low photocatalytic efficiency and uncontrollable selectivity still limit its development. Herein, ultrathin SnNb2O6 nanosheets with high dispersed Pt nanoparticles (Pt/SN) were successfully developed as an efficient photocatalyst for the precise hydrogenation of furfural (FUR) to furfuryl alcohol (FOL) under visible light irradiation and exhibited the high conversion of FUR (99.9%) with the high selectivity for FOL (99.9%). It was revealed that SN with only 4.1 nm thickness possess good separation ability of photo-generated carriers and abundant surface Lewis acid sites (Nb5+) which would selectively chemisorb and activate FUR molecules via the Nb···O = C coordination. Meanwhile, Pt nanoparticles would gather photo-generated electrons for greatly promoting the generation of active H species to support the hydrogenation of FUR to FOL. The synergistic effects between SnNb2O6 nanosheets and Pt nanoparticles remarkably facilitate the photocatalytic performance for hydrogenation. This work not only confirms the great potential of ultrathin nanosheet photocatalyst with functional metal sites for precise upgrading of biomass but also provides an in-depth view to understand the surface/interface interaction between reactant molecules and surface sites of a photocatalyst.

To cope with global climate change and monitor global CO₂ concentration distribution, the first Chinese carbon dioxide satellite (TanSat) has been successfully launched in December 2016. In this study, we implemented a CO₂ retrieval scheme by calibrating the TanSat sun-glint (GL) mode spectra and adapting the Iterative Maximum A Posteriori Differential Optical Absorption Spectroscopy (IMAP-DOAS) algorithm for CO₂ spectral retrieval. The global terrestrial CO₂ total vertical column density (VCD) and column-averaged dry-air mole fractions of CO₂ (X_CO2) were simultaneously retrieved from TanSat GL spectral observations. Then, a comprehensive verification was performed between TanSat CO₂ retrieval and other measurements including Total Carbon Column Observing Network (TCCON), the Japanese Greenhouse gases Observing SATellite (GOSAT), and the US Orbiting Carbon Observatory-2 (OCO-2). Further comparisons between our TanSat CO₂ retrieval and ground-based FTIR measurements from TCCON indicated a good correlation with the mean bias of -0.78 ppm, the standard deviation at 1.75 ppm, and the Pearson correlation coefficient of 0.81. In addition, cross-satellite CO₂ validations of TanSat with GOSAT and OCO-2 showed consistently spatiotemporal trends for both CO₂ VCD and X_CO2. In summary, we can conclude that the presented CO₂ retrieval scheme has achieved global CO₂ retrieval from TanSat GL mode spectra with high precision and accuracy, as suggested by the results of independent ground-based and satellite validations.

Leaf senescence is an important developmental process in the plant life cycle and has a significant impact on agriculture. When facing harsh environmental conditions, monocarpic plants often initiate early leaf senescence as an adaptive mechanism to ensure a complete life cycle. Upon initiation, the senescence process is fine-tuned through the coordination of both positive and negative regulators. Here, we report that the small secreted peptide CLAVATA3/ESR-RELATED 14 (CLE14) functions in the suppression of leaf senescence by regulating ROS homeostasis in Arabidopsis. Expression of the CLE14-encoding gene in leaves was significantly induced by age, high salinity, abscisic acid (ABA), salicylic acid, and jasmonic acid. CLE14 knockout plants displayed accelerated progression of both natural and salinity-induced leaf senescence, whereas increased CLE14 expression or treatments with synthetic CLE14 peptides delayed senescence. CLE14 peptide treatments also delayed ABA-induced senescence in detached leaves. Further analysis showed that overexpression of CLE14 led to reduced ROS levels in leaves, where higher expression of ROS scavenging genes was detected. Moreover, CLE14 signaling resulted in transcriptional activation of JUB1, a NAC family transcription factor previously identified as a negative regulator of senescence. Notably, the delay of leaf senescence, reduction in H2O2 level, and activation of ROS scavenging genes by CLE14 peptides were dependent on JUB1. Collectively, these results suggest that the small peptide CLE14 serves as a novel "brake signal" to regulate age-dependent and stress-induced leaf senescence through JUB1-mediated ROS scavenging.

Since a portion of patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) do not benefit much from current standard treatments, it is still needed to discover new therapeutic drugs to improve the prognosis of the patients. Considering that Chinese traditional medicine plays a role in inhibiting tumor progression, in this study, we aimed to investigate whether a Chinese herbal formula, Qing Yan Li Ge Tang (QYLGT), has the anticancer activity in NPC cells and explore the underlying mechanism as well. MTT assay, colony formation assay, immunoblotting assay, and DNA laddering assay were performed to assess cell viability, cell colony formation, protein expression, and DNA fragmentation, respectively. Results show that QYLGT was able to inhibit the cell viability and decrease colony formation ability in NPC cells. QYLGT could also increase the formation of intracellular vacuoles and induce the autophagy-related protein expressions, including Atg3, Atg6, and Atg12-Atg5 conjugate in NPC cells. Treatment with an autophagy inhibitor, 3-methyladenine, could significantly recover QYLGT-inhibited cell viability of NPC cells. In addition, QYLGT did not significantly induce apoptosis in NPC cells. We also found that QYLGT had the ability to activate phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)/Akt/mammalian target of the rapamycin (mTOR) pathway. Treatment with PI3K inhibitors, LY294002 and wortmannin, or mTOR inhibitors, rapamycin and Torin 1, could not only recover QYLGT-inhibited cell viability of NPC cells but also inhibit Atg3 expression. Taken together, our results demonstrated that QYLGT could induce autophagic cell death in NPC cells through the PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway.

Flotation separation of smithsonite from calcite is difficult due to their similar surface properties. In the present study, a reagent scheme of depressant calcium lignosulphonate (CLS) and collector benzyl hydroxamic acid (BHA) was introduced in the flotation of smithsonite from calcite. Microflotation tests revealed that the efficient flotation of smithsonite from calcite could only be obtained with the addition order of BHA before CLS, which was opposite to the widely-used order that adding depressant prior to the collector. The zeta potential measurements indicated that BHA selectively adsorbed onto smithsonite surface, then not allowed the CLS adsorption onto the smithsonite surface rather than calcite surface because of the steric hindrance, thereby the smithsonite surface remained hydrophobic while calcite surface became more hydrophilic after the addition of CLS. As a result, the calcite flotation was completely depressed while the smithsonite flotation recovery was still in high value, leading to the optimal flotation separation performance.

Background A considerable amount of azo dye wastewater is generated from textile industry every day, which jeopardizes human health and environment. To treat azo dye-containing wastewater in visible-light environment, a perovskite YFeO3/carbon fiber (CF) electrode was developed. Methods A sol-gel process combined with calcination was adopted to synthesize YFeO3 catalysts, and the composite electrode was fabricated using a facile dip-coating method. Significant findings The YFeO3 powder that was calcined at 700 °C consisted of mixed hexagonal and orthorhombic phases with crystallite sizes of 15–30 nm. The particles tended to aggregate, forming a porous structure, and they exhibited a photocatalytic degradation capability for Reactive Black 5 (RB5) dyes. Notably, the YFeO3/CF composite electrode enabled significant photoelectrocatalytic activity over RB5 under visible light irradiation, with a removal efficiency of 99% in a 60 min treatment. In addition, the composite electrode demonstrated its high stability during the repeated treatments. The synergetic effect of photo- and electrocatalysis accounted for breaking the N=N bonds, as well as the benzene and naphthalene structures of RB5, resulting in a favorable pollutant degradation. Moreover, the photoelectrocatalytic treatment system kinetics followed a pseudo-first-order rate equation, corresponding to a single-molecule reaction. The improved photoelectrocatalytic activity of the composite electrode can be attributed to the reduced surface and charge transfer resistances during the photoelectrocatalysis process.

In this investigation, a chelating agent of amino trimethylene phosphonic acid (ATMP) was introduced to eliminate the adverse effect of seawater in molybdenite flotation. Microflotation results presented that high flotation recovery of molybdenite was achieved in freshwater using kerosene as the collector, but it was significantly decreased in the presence of seawater when pH > 9.5. Among the main ions in seawater, magnesium and calcium ions played a more detrimental role than others. After the addition of ATMP, molybdenite floatability can restore in seawater. Zeta potential distribution and solution chemistry calculation results illustrated that the decreased molybdenite floatability was attributed to the interaction of positive Mg(OH)2(s) (major) and CaOH+ (minor) components with the molybdenite surface. The magnesium/calcium ions of positive components of Mg(OH)2(s) and CaOH+ interacted with the ionized species of ATMP and then produced ATMP-calcium/magnesium complex, leading to the electrostatic repulsion between molybdenite and ATMP-calcium/magnesium complex that was restoring the molybdenite flotation. Hence, the ATMP can be utilized as an appropriate reagent to improve molybdenite flotation in seawater.

Abnormal vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) proliferation has an important role in the pathogenesis of both atherosclerosis restenosis and hypertension. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) has been shown to stimulate VSMC proliferation. In addition, angiogenesis is one of the hallmarks of cancerous growth. VEGF is the key modulator for the initial stages of angiogenesis that acts through the endothelial-specific receptor tyrosine kinases (VEGFRs). VEGFR-2 blockage is a good approach for suppression of angiogenesis. In order to discover novel VEGFR-2 TK inhibitors, we have designed and synthesized three new series of pyridine-containing compounds. The new compounds were all screened against a panel of three cell lines (HepG-2, HCT-116, and MCF-7). Promising results encouraged us to additionally evaluate the most active members for their in vitro VEGFR-2 inhibitory effect. Compound 7a, which is the most potent candidate, revealed a significant increase in caspase-3 level by 7.80-fold when compared to the control. In addition, Bax and Bcl-2 concentration levels showed an increase in the proapoptotic protein Bax (261.4 Pg/ml) and a decrease of the antiapoptotic protein Bcl-2 (1.25 Pg/ml) compared to the untreated cells. Furthermore, compound 7a arrested the cell cycle in the G2/M phase with induction of apoptosis. The immunomodulatory effect of compound 7a, the most active member, showed a reduction in TNF-α by 87%. Also, compound 7a caused a potent inhibitory effect on smooth muscle proliferation. Docking studies were also performed to get better insights into the possible binding mode of the target compounds with VEGFR-2 active sites.

Hydroalkylation, the direct addition of a C(sp3)–H bond across an olefin, is a desirable strategy to produce valuable, complex structural motifs in functional materials, pharmaceuticals, and natural products. Herein, we report a reliable method for accessing α-branched amines via nickel-catalyzed hydroalkylation reactions. Specifically, by using bis(cyclooctadiene)nickel (Ni(cod)2) together with a phosphine ligand, we achieved a formal C(sp3)–H bond insertion reaction between olefins and N-sulfonyl amines without the need for an external hydride source. The amine not only provides the alkyl motif but also delivers hydride to the olefin by means of a nickel-engaged β–hydride elimination/reductive elimination process. This method provides a platform for constructing chiral α-branched amines by using a P-chiral ligand, demonstrating its potential utility in organic synthesis. Notably, a sulfonamidyl boronate complex formed in situ under basic conditions promotes ring-opening of the azanickellacycle reaction intermediate, leading to a significant improvement of the catalytic efficiency., Catalytic addition of a carbon chain and a hydrogen across a double bond has often required an added hydride source. Here the authors show a method to add alkanes with an amino functionality to olefins, wherein a nickel catalyst uses the amine itself as the hydride source, obviating an external hydride reagent.

Background Streptococcus thermophilus (TCI633) is a probiotic that has been newly isolated from human breast milk, and it can produce hyaluronic acid (HA) when colonizing the gastrointestinal (GI) tract of rodents and humans. A recent study has the established that TCI633 can alleviate synovial tissue inflammation and has potential to mitigate the progression of osteoarthritis. Objective TCI633 has not been available for use in skincare and this preliminary clinical study will assess its improvement of the skin. Methods In this study, DNA protection, Hyaluronidase assay, cell viability, and collagen synthesis on human fibroblasts of TCI633 were assessed. Subjects were enrolled in this clinical study and randomly assigned to the TCI633 or placebo group. Each subject was informed to intake two tablets daily for 8 weeks. Each subject was required to undergo skin condition inspection at weeks 0, 4, and 8 and hematology tests to monitor HA, superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase levels, and kidney and liver function at weeks 0 and 8. Results The effects of TCI633 supplementation, including the promotion of skin cell proliferation, the increase of their collagen content, their protection against DNA damage, and the inhibition of hyaluronidase activities, are investigated. Subjects were recruited for an 8-week long clinical trial to confirm the efficacy of TCI633 in improving the serum biochemical HA, SOD and catalase levels, and anti-skin age markers. Conclusions This work provides an alternative approach to improving health, indicating the potential of TCI633 supplementation to delay the aging of skin and improve its condition.

Aqueous zinc ion batteries (ZIBs) are widely researched due to the low-cost and intrinsic safety. However, the rate capability and specific capacity of ZIBs is limited due to the dissolution and structural collapse of cathode materials. It is crucial to construct stable cathode materials to promote rate capability and cycle stability of ZIBs. In this paper, The V3O7 was tightly attached to the surface of graphene oxide (GO) by a hydrothermal reaction and a V3O7/GO heterostructure was successfully achieved. The GO could increase structural stability, enhance electrical conductivity, and expand specific surface area of V3O7. Therefore, the V3O7/GO with a heterostructure exhibits an improved cycle stability and rate capability compared with V3O7. It displayed a specific capacity of 275.6 mA h g−1 at a current density of 1.0 A g−1. The study paves the way for promoting the Zn2+ storage performance of vanadium oxide and developing stable cathode materials of ZIBs.

Nano-whiskers based 3D Si3N4 porous ceramics (3D-NWSNPC) with high-porosity (about 91–93 %), low density (0.17–0.25 g/cm3), low thermal conductivity, and a certain degree of recoverability under cyclic compressive loading and reasonably strengths were prepared at 1423–1523 K via a one-pot foam-gelcasting/nitridation route using inexpensive commercial Si powders as starting materials and hexadecyl trimethyl ammonium bromide as foaming agent. After nitridation at 1523 K, the sample with an original solid loading of 12.5 wt% exhibited the highest compressive strength of 1.9 MPa, even though its density was lowered to 0.25 g/cm3. The sample nitrided at 1473 K had a relative density of 7.3 %. Its compressive and specific strength were respectively 1.1 MPa and 5.5 MPa·cm3 g−1, and its thermal conductivity was as low as 0.074 W/(m K) (measured at 323 K). These outstanding properties would make the as-prepared 3D-NWSNPC a promising candidate for applications in catalysis, filtration, thermal insulation and many other important areas.

Synthesis methods of composites materials can tailor individual materials properties and make the composite possess more superior performance than individual materials. Herein, by combining –NH2 group in graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4) and a facile electrolytic route, g-C3N4-bridging reduced graphene oxide nanocomposite (g-C3N4/r-GO) was successfully prepared to construct chemical sensor for detection of Pb2+. Because g-C3N4 contains a large amount of –NH2 group, covalent bonds as bridges between GO and g-C3N4 could be successfully formed by successively electrolyzing, which simultaneously induced removal of electron withdrawing group in r-GO. Such bridges could shorten the planar distance between GO and g-C3N4 in comparison with the conventional π-π stacking, improving the electrochemical performance of r-GO and g-C3N4. Moreover, the above unique chemical structure of g-C3N4/r-GO not only exhibited excellent electrical conductivity but also provided plenty active sites to chelate Pb2+ from solution. Therefore, the prepared g-C3N4/r-GO ensured chemical sensor for Pb2+detection with wide linear range (1.0–300 μg/L) and low detection limit (0.15 μg/L at S/N = 3). This simple method could also be extended to preparation of other elements-contained nanomaterials functionalized oxide graphene for improve its properties and widen its potential applications.

Herein, silver wire is synthesized electrochemically within a nanopipette using the nanopipette-liquid/liquid interface. The i-t curve characterizes the growth state of the silver wire. The higher rate of current increase indicates the faster electron transfer and the faster growth of the silver wire; conversely, when the current does not increase significantly with time, i.e., the rate of increase of the current is small, the growth rate of the silver wire is slow. The main driving force for the growth of silver into a linear structure is the theoretical current differential between the water and oil, caused by the concentration difference between the silver nitrate and ferrocene. The growth of the silver wire is also influenced by the shape of the nanopipette. If the diameter of the pipet increases quickly, silver wire tends to produce multibranched structures, while a smaller diameter makes it easier to obtain silver wire with fewer branches due to the confinement effect. This method is also applicable to the synthesis of gold within a nanopipette. The combination of nanopipette and metallic material using a liquid-liquid interface results in a broader application of nanopipettes for nanopore sensors, nanopore electrodes, bipolar electrodes, etc.

The top-performing perovskite solar cells (efficiency > 20%) generally rely on the use of a nanocrystal TiO2 electron transport layer (ETL). However, the efficacies and stability of the current stereotypically prepared TiO2 ETLs employing commercially available TiO2 nanocrystal paste are far from their maximum values. As revealed herein, the long-hidden reason for this discrepancy is that acidic protons (∼0.11 wt %) always remain in TiO2 ETLs after high-temperature sintering due to the decomposition of the organic proton solvent (mostly alcohol). These protons readily lead to the formation of Ti–H species upon light irradiation, which act to block the electron transfer at the perovskite/TiO2 interface. Affront this challenge, we introduced a simple deprotonation protocol by adding a small amount of strong proton acceptors (sodium ethoxide or NaOH) into the common TiO2 nanocrystal paste precursor and replicated the high-temperature sintering process, which wiped out nearly all protons in TiO2 ETLs during the sintering process. The use of deprotonated TiO2 ETLs not only promotes the PCE of both MAPbI3-based and FA0.85MA0.15PbI2.55Br0.45-based devices over 20% but also significantly improves the long-term photostability of the target devices upon 1000 h of continuous operation.

BACKGROUND Coffee and coffee products are known potentially to reduce levels of oxidative stress biomarkers in humans. OBJECTIVE This investigation evaluates the effects of coffee pulp extract as a functional supplement (in coffee pulp drink, CPD) and a cosmetic ingredient (coffee pulp serum, CPS). PATIENTS/METHODS The effects of CPD and CPS for anti-oxidation and anti-aging were investigated. Forty subjects were randomly allocated to CPD or placebo drink groups (50 ml of a CPD/placebo drink daily for 8 weeks for each subject), and another 40 subjects were recruited to CPS or placebo serum groups (about 3 ml of a CPS/placebo serum day and night/daily for 4 weeks for each subject) in a double-blind study. RESULTS The CPD and CPS (20%) can increase free radical scavenging activities by 93.3% and 85% (p

Covalent triazine frameworks (CTFs) with two-dimensional structures have exhibited promising visible-light-induced H2 evolution performance. However, it is still a challenge to improve their activity. Herein, we report π-conjugation-linked CTF-1/GO for boosting photocatalytic H2 evolution. The CTF-1/GO hybrid material was obtained by a facile low-temperature condensation of 1,4-dicyanobenzene in the presence of GO. The results of photocatalytic H2 evolution indicate that the optimum hybrid, CTF-1/GO-3.0, exhibited an H2 evolution rate of 2262.4 μmol ⋅ g-1 ⋅ h-1 under visible light irradiation, which was 9 times that of pure CTF-1. The enhanced photocatalytic performance could be attributed to the fact that GO in CTF-1/GO hybrids not only acts as an electron collector and transporter like a "bridge" to facilitate the separation and transfer of photogenerated charges but also shortens the electron migration path due to its thin sheet layer uniformly distribution over CTF-1. This work could help future development of novel conjugated CTF-based composite materials as high-efficiency photocatalyst for photocatalysis.

Oxygen homeostasis disturbances play a critical role in the pathogenesis of acute kidney injury (AKI). The transcription factor hypoxia-inducible factor-1 (HIF-1) is a master regulator of adaptive responses to hypoxia. Aside from posttranslational hydroxylation, the mechanism of HIF-1 regulation in AKI remains largely unclear. In this study, the mechanism of HIF-α regulation in AKI was investigated. We found that tubular HIF-1α expression significantly increased at the transcriptional level in ischemia-reperfusion-, unilateral ureteral obstruction-, and sepsis-induced AKI models, which was closely associated with macrophage-dependent inflammation. Meanwhile, NF-κB, which plays a central role in the inflammation response, was involved in the increasing expression of HIF-1α in AKI, as evidenced by pharmacological modulation (NF-κB inhibitor BAY11-7082). Mechanistically, NF-κB directly bound to the HIF-1α promoter and enhanced its transcription, which occurred not only under hypoxic conditions but also under normoxic conditions. Moreover, the induced HIF-1α by inflammation protected against tubular injury in AKI. Thus, our findings not only provide novel insights into HIF-1 regulation in AKI but also offer to understand the pathophysiology of kidney diseases.NEW & NOTEWORTHY Here, the mechanism of hypoxia-inducible factor-α (HIF-α) regulation in acute kidney injury (AKI) was investigated. We found that tubular HIF-1α expression significantly increased at the transcriptional level, which was closely associated with macrophage-dependent inflammation. Meanwhile, NF-κB was involved in the increasing expression of HIF-1α in AKI. Mechanistically, NF-κB directly bound to the HIF-1α promoter and enhanced its transcription. Our findings not only provide novel insights into HIF-1 regulation in AKI but also offer to understand the pathophysiology of kidney diseases.

Template-induced synthesis of coordination polymers (CPs) is of increasing interest. Herein, we report the synthesis of two Co(II)-complexes from 4-[(1-carboxynaphthalen-2-yl)oxy]phthalic acid (H3L) and 1,10-phenanthroline (phen) templates by two anions ( NO3−, CH3COO−) under solvothermal conditions. The compounds were characterized by single-crystal X-ray diffraction, elemental analysis, infrared spectroscopy, powder X-ray diffraction and thermogravimetry measurement, respectively. Compound 1 possesses an infinite 2D layer structure with a (6, 3)-connected topology. Compound 2 exhibits 2D → 3D supermolecular frameworks by π⋯π stacking interactions among adjacent layers. Moreover, magnetization data for 2 with the {Co2} units showed the antiferromagnetic coupling in the {Co2} units. Two novel Co(II) coordination polymers have been successfully synthesized by templating two different anions ( NO3−, CH3COO−) under solvothermal conditions. Due to the templating role of the anions, the compounds showed different topological structure. Compound 1 possess an infinite 2D layer structure with a (6,3)-connected topology. Compound 2 exhibit 2D → 3D supermolecular frameworks by π⋯π stacking interactions among adjacent layers.

Salicylic acid (SA) acts antagonistically to jasmonic acid (JA) in plant immunity. We previously reported that CATALASE2 (CAT2) promotes JA‐biosynthetic acyl‐CoA oxidase (ACX) activity to enhance plant resistance to necrotrophic Botrytis cinerea, and SA represses JA biosynthesis through inhibiting CAT2 activity, while the underlying mechanism remains to be further elucidated. Here, we report that the truncated CAT2 N‐terminus (CAT2‐N) interacts with and promotes ACX2/3, and CAT2‐N‐overexpressing plants have increased JA accumulation and enhanced resistance to B. cinerea B05.10, but compromised antagonism of SA on JA. Catalase inhibitor treatment or mutating CAT2 active amino acids abolished CAT2 H2O2‐decomposing activity but did not affect its promotion of ACX2/3 activity via interaction. CAT2‐N, a truncated protein with no catalase activity, interacted with and promoted ACX2/3. Overexpressing CAT2‐N in Arabidopsis plants resulted in increased ACX activity, higher JA accumulation, and stronger resistance to B. cinerea B05.10 infection. Additionally, SA dramatically repressed JA biosynthesis and resistance to B. cinerea in the wild type but not in the CAT2‐N‐overexpressing plants. Together, our study reveals that CAT2‐N can be utilized as an accelerator for JA biosynthesis during plant resistance to B. cinerea B05.10, and this truncated protein partly relieves SA repression of JA biosynthesis in plant defence responses., N‐terminal fragment of CATALASE2 interacts with and promotes acyl‐CoA oxidases implicated in JA biosynthesis and enhances plant resistance to Botrytis cinerea, thus CATALASE2‐N could be a genetic tool conferring plant resistance.

With the decreasing size of the integrated circuits, developments of materials with low dielectric constant have become an important research to solve the problems of parasitic capacitance. Thus in this study, low-cost SiO2 and polylactic acid (PLA) were used for the fabrication of SiO2/PLA hybrid films targeting capacitor applications. SiO2 nanoparticles with porous structure were prepared via spray pyrolysis with non-ionic surfactant F-127 as a pore-forming agent. In addition, surface morphology, porous structure, specific surface area, and particle porosity were examined via X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and nitrogen adsorption/desorption isotherms, respectively. Then, the SiO2/PLA hybrid films were fabricated and the resulting dielectric constants were measured. Finally, the resulting morphologies and properties and the corresponding mechanisms were discussed.

In recent years, chemodynamic therapy (CDT) has gained increasing interest in cancer treatment. In contrast to photodynamic therapy and sonodynamic therapy, extrinsic excitations such as laser or ultrasound are not required in CDT. As a result, the CDT performance is not limited by the penetration depth of the external irritation. However, CDT relies heavily on hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) in the tumour microenvironment (TME). Insufficient H2O2 in the TME limits the CDT performance, and the most reported methods to produce H2O2 in the TME are dependent on oxygen supply, which is restricted by the hypoxic TME. In this study, H2O2 self-providing copper nanodots were proposed, and the drug doxorubicin (DOX) was successfully loaded to construct DOX-nanodots. Our results showed that the nanodots produced H2O2 in the weakly acidic TME due to the peroxo group and further generated the most active hydroxyl radical (OH) through the Fenton-like reaction. This process was pH-dependent and did not occur in a neutral environment. In addition to OH, the nanodots also produced singlet oxygen (1O2) and superoxide anions (O2-) in the cancer cells. The copper nanodots performed promising CDT against breast cancer in vitro and in vivo, with enhanced cell apoptosis and decreased cell proliferation. The combination of chemotherapy and CDT using DOX-nanodots further improved the therapeutic effects. The treatments showed good biocompatibility with no obvious toxicity in major tissues, possibly due to the specific OH generation in the weakly acidic TME. In summary, the H2O2 self-providing copper nanodots in combination with DOX showed promising cancer-curing effects due to the oxygen-independent and tumour-specific production of reactive oxygen species and the cooperation of chemotherapy.

High cost and instability of platinum (Pt) counter electrodes (CEs) are two persistent issues in dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). Here, ternary selenide RuCoSe and NiCoSe-nanostructured CEs are ...

Vascular calcification (VC) is characterized by pathological depositions of calcium and phosphate in the arteries and veins via an active cell-regulated process, in which vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) transform into osteoblast/chondrocyte-like cells as in bone formation. VC is associated with significant morbidity and mortality in chronic kidney disease (CKD) and cardiovascular disease, but the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. In this study we investigated the role of large-conductance calcium-activated potassium (BK) channels in 3 experimental VC models. VC was induced in vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) by β-glycerophosphate (β-GP), or in rats by subtotal nephrectomy, or in mice by high-dosage vitamin D3. We showed that the expression of BK channels in the artery of CKD rats with VC and in β-GP-treated VSMCs was significantly decreased, which was functionally confirmed by patch-clamp recording. In β-GP-treated VSMCs, BK channel opener NS1619 (20 μM) significantly alleviated VC by decreasing calcium content and alkaline phosphatase activity. Furthermore, NS1619 decreased mRNA expression of ostoegenic genes OCN and OPN, as well as Runx2 (a key transcription factor involved in preosteoblast to osteoblast differentiation), and increased the expression of α-SMA protein, whereas BK channel inhibitor paxilline (10 μM) caused the opposite effects. In primary cultured VSMCs from BK(−/−) mice, BK deficiency aggravated calcification as did BK channel inhibitor in normal VSMCs. Moreover, calcification was more severe in thoracic aorta rings of BK(−/−) mice than in those of wild-type littermates. Administration of BK channel activator BMS191011 (10 mg· kg(−1) ·d(−1)) in high-dosage vitamin D3-treated mice significantly ameliorated calcification. Finally, co-treatment with Akt inhibitor MK2206 (1 μM) or FoxO1 inhibitor AS1842856 (3 μM) in calcified VSMCs abrogated the effects of BK channel opener NS1619. Taken together, activation of BK channels ameliorates VC via Akt/FoxO1 signaling pathways. Strategies to activate BK channels and/or enhance BK channel expression may offer therapeutic avenues to control VC.

The poor stability and low catalytic activity of NH2-UiO-66 in basic solutions require the reactions to be conducted in acidic solutions, which seriously hinders its potential photocatalytic application. Herein, we report that NH2-UiO-66 coated with two-dimensional covalent organic frameworks (COFs) via imine bond connection presents not only high photocatalytic activity but also high stability and adaptability to the solution environment. The NH2-UiO-66/COF hybrid material was fabricated through the Schiff base reaction of NH2-UiO-66 with 4,4',4″-(1,3,5-triazine-2,4,6-triyl)trianiline (TAPT) and 2,4,6-triformylphloroglucinol (TP). The hybrid material showed high stability in an alkaline environment, with only 4.7% of NH2-UiO-66 decomposed after the photocatalytic reaction. The optimum photocatalytic H2 evolution rate was 8.44 mmol·h-1·g-1 when triethanolamine was used as an electron-donating agent. The results presented here illustrate the possibility for effectively improving both the photocatalytic performance and stability of NH2-UiO-66 by coupling with COFs.

Nonplatinum metal complexes of [Pd(L1)Cl2] (C1), [Rh(L1)Cl3(DMSO)] (C2), [Pd(L2)Cl2] (C3), and [Rh(L3)Cl3(DMSO)] (C4) with isoquinoline derivatives have been prepared and characterized. C1–C4 exhib...

Fermented foods contain beneficial probiotics, which thus results in products with improved nutritional properties and healthy effects. There is however a need for research on clinical trials to measure the effects of fermented foods in clinical applications and in skincare. The composition of fermented vegetable-fruit drink (FVFD) included the fermented vegetable-fruit juice, apple juice, fructose, high methoxyl pectin, citric acid, apple flavor and water. In this study, the effects of FVFD on the free radical scavenging activities, promotion of skin cell proliferation and collagen synthesis were investigated. A randomized, controlled, double-blind study design was used to assess FVFD and basic drink (50 ml of a FVFD/placebo drink daily for 8 weeks for each subject). Thirty subjects (aged 35-55 years old) were recruited for an 8 week-long clinical trial to confirm the efficacy of FVFD in improving the serum biochemical superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase levels, and anti-skin age markers, including improving skin moisture, brightness and elasticity, reducing crow’s feet, skin texture, wrinkles, pores and spots, and increasing amount of skin collagen. The results suggest that fermented vegetable-fruit drink has anti-oxidant activities, promotes collagen synthesis and delays the aging of skin with potential applications in food additives.

Denitrification and anaerobic ammonia oxidation (anammox) play key roles in nitrogen (N) loss, and nitrification can supply substrates of NO2– and NO3– for denitrification and anammox. Coupled nitrification-denitrification/anammox processes are thus crucial for N removal in coastal ecosystems. This study aims to examine the spatial-temporal variations of ambient, coupled, and uncoupled N removal rates in the coastal sediments off the north East China Sea, and to clarify the controlling factors and microbial mechanisms of coupled nitrification-denitrification/anammox. The rates of ambient, coupled, and uncoupled denitrification and anammox in coastal sediments off the north East China Sea were quantified using the continuous-flow experiments combined with 15N isotope pairing technique. The quantitative polymerase chain reaction method was used to determine the abundances of nitrifiers, denitrifiers, and anammox bacteria, with the functional genes of amoA and nirS, and 16S rRNA gene, respectively. Ambient denitrification rates varied between 0.43 and 7.39 μmol N m−2 h−1, and ambient anammox rates ranged from 0.05 to 0.62 μmol N m−2 h−1. Coupled nitrification-denitrification was the dominant N removal pathway. The rates and coupling of N removal processes with nitrification varied distinctly between nearshore and offshore sites, which were driven by diverse environmental factors. Redundancy analysis suggested that nitrate and sulfide were important factors controlling the coupled and uncoupled N removal rates, and nitrate was proved to be the key factor influencing the ratio between coupled and uncoupled N removal via an integrated analysis. Abundances of ammonia oxidizing bacteria (AOB) correlated significantly with coupled denitrification rates and abundances of denitrifiers, suggesting the importance of AOB in coupled nitrification-denitrification. This study investigated the ambient, coupled, and uncoupled denitrification and anammox rates in coastal sediments off the north East China Sea. Nitrate was proved to be the critical factor influencing the ratio between coupled and uncoupled N removal, and AOB may play important role in coupled nitrification-denitrification. These results emphasized that nitrification is crucial for N removal with important implications on N loss in coastal ecosystems.

Starch not only has the advantage of inexpensive and biodegradable compared to other adsorbed materials but also contains a large amount of chemically modified hydroxyl groups. Using starch as the raw material, an amino-functionalized starch-based adsorbent was prepared by a three-step reaction of esterification-crosslinking- aminolysis. The samples were characterized by FTIR, EDS, and XPS. The adsorption performance of amino-functionalized starch-based adsorbents for uranyl ions in aqueous solutions was studied, and the adsorption kinetics and adsorption thermodynamics were analyzed. The results show that after the starch-based adsorbent is functionalized with amino groups. Its adsorption performance for uranyl ions is significantly improved. The adsorption behavior of amino-functionalized starch-based adsorbents for uranyl ions conforms to the Langmuir isotherm adsorption model and the quasi-second-order adsorption kinetic equation. The adsorption process mainly depends on the coordination and chelation between uranyl ions and –NH2 on the surface of the adsorbents. And the adsorption process is exothermic. Finally, satisfactory results were obtained under gentle conditions. Under the conditions of pH 6, C0 of 35 mg/g, T of 25 ℃, m of 0.25 g/L, and t of 5 h, the adsorption capacity of the adsorbent for uranyl ions is 118.92 mg/g. This shows that the amino-functionalized starch-based adsorbent has potential application prospects in terms of nuclear energy-containing uranium wastewater.

Insulation failure and insufficient thermal management in electrical and electronic equipment threaten their safe and stable operation and restrict development toward high power and high integratio...

In the period 2009–2018, an annual field survey with commercial arable farms in the Netherlands was held, to collect data on agronomics of wheat fields as well as mycotoxin concentrations of the specific wheat field at harvest. In total, 293 full farm field records over 8 years were obtained. This study aimed to investigate (i) the occurrence of deoxynivalenol (DON) and other mycotoxins, as well as correlations between these mycotoxins, and (ii) the relationships between agronomics and the DON concentration in wheat kernels for wheat cultivated in the Netherlands. Results showed that mycotoxins most frequently observed in concentrations above the limit of quantification were DON, enniatin B and B1, HT-2 toxin, zearalenone (ZEN) and nivalenol. On average, DON was detected in 54% of the samples (> 50 µg/kg) ranging from 19 to 92% depending on the year. Positive samples (> 50 µg/kg) had DON concentrations ranging 53–15,400 µg/kg, with a median of 228 µg/kg. Co-occurrence between DON and ZEN as well as between each of DON and ZEN with their modified forms was confirmed by the data of this study. The year influenced the DON concentration in wheat the most, followed by the region. The results of this study show that DON levels in wheat can only be influenced in a limited manner by agronomic practices such as the use of fungicides against Fusarium spp. around flowering, crop rotation, or the use of resistant wheat cultivars.

The quality of organic matter influencing sediment nitrate (NO3−) reduction processes in estuarine zones is not well understood. This study aimed to assess the denitrification (DNF), anaerobic ammonium oxidation (ANA), and dissimilatory reduction of nitrate to ammonium (DNRA) in estuarine zones of South Africa, and to understand the effects of organic matter fractions and degradation states on anaerobic NO3− reduction processes. We measured the anaerobic NO3− reduction process rates using 15N isotope-tracing techniques in Knysna Estuary, South Africa. Total hydrolyzable amino acids and fractions and geochemical parameters were also measured. The correlation analysis and structural equation model were used to evaluate the key environmental factors driving NO3− reduction processes. Potential DNF, ANA, and DNRA rates in Knysna Estuary varied from 3.59 to 16.62, 0.28 to 1.16, and 1.52 to 8.38 nmol g−1 h−1, respectively, with a large spatial variation. The variations in NO3− reduction process rates can largely be explained by sediment water content, dissolved organic carbon, and amino acid–based degradation index, while the total organic carbon and inorganic nitrogen contents were not related to the NO3− reduction processes. The DNF process contributed 47.28–79.34% total NO3− reduction, as compared to 17.59–47.58% for DNRA and 2.53–5.76% for ANA. The retention of reactive nitrogen (N) attributed to the DNRA process was approximately 42 t N km−2 year−1. This study reported the first simultaneous investigation of the anaerobic NO3− reduction processes in estuarine areas of South Africa, implying that the qualities of substrate were more important in regulating NO3− reduction processes than substrate quantities and highlighting that DNRA played an important role in reactive N retention.

Sericin, a silk protein, has a high potential for use as an extracellular matrix in tissue engineering applications. In this study, novel gelatin (GEL) and silk sericin (SS) were incorporated with a polyvinyl alcohol) PVA hydrogel nanocomposite (GEL-SS-PVA) scaffold that can be applied to repair cartilage. Glutaraldehyde was used as a cross-linking agent, with hydrochloric acid acting as an initiator. The microstructure characteristics of the obtained GEL-SS and GEL-SS-PVA scaffolds were also examined using FTIR and XRD spectra and their enhanced thermal stability was assessed by TGA. The blended GEL-SS and GEL-SS-PVA scaffolds were confirmed by SEM analysis to be highly porous with optimum pore sizes of 172 and 58 µm, respectively. Smaller pore sizes and improved uniformity were observed as the concentration of PVA in the GEL-SS-PVA scaffold increased. PVA decreased the tensile strength and elongation of the membranes but increased the modulus. Swelling studies showed high swellability and complete degradation in the presence of phosphate-buffered saline. Cytocompatibility of the GEL-SS-PVA scaffolds showed that these had the highest potential to promote cell proliferation as evaluated with standard microscopy using L929 fibroblasts. The prepared GEL-SS composite scaffold incorporated with the PVA hydrogel was implanted in full-thickness articular cartilage defects in rats. The repair effect of cartilage defects was observed and evaluated among the GEL-SS-PVA, GEL-SS, and control operation groups. The defects were almost completely repaired after 14 weeks in the GEL-SS-PVA group, thereby indicating that the GEL-SS-PVA composite had a favorable effect on articular cartilage defects in rat knee joint repair.

Lanthanum-based materials have attained increasing attention because of their high adsorption property of phosphate ions and their environmental harmlessness. However, challenges still remain to improve the phosphate adsorption capacity and find suitable materials for the lanthanum attachment substrate. Nickel foam with characteristics such as excellent uniformity, large specific surface area, high porosity, and low conductivity is considered to be the alternative for the preparation of lanthanum-based adsorption materials. An efficient adsorbent foamed nickel-based La (OH)3 nanowire was first prepared with a facile one-step electrodeposition method. The batch static adsorption tests of simulative wastewater (e.g., coexisting ions and solution pH values) were employed to investigate the phosphate adsorption kinetics and solution matrix effects of the materials. The results indicate that the composite exhibits fast adsorption kinetics within 30 min and high selectivity to phosphate under interference from competing ions. The pH value of wastewater has great influence on the absorption of phosphate, and optimal adsorption capacity can be achieved over a pH 4–6 range. Various findings revealed that the adsorption behavior of lanthanum hydroxide/foamed nickel [La(OH)3/Ni] followed inner-sphere adsorption through the ligand-exchange mechanism. The prepared material is expected to be an enormous potential candidate for the removal of low-concentration phosphorus from effluents.

Immunoglobulin A (IgA) nephropathy, in the presence of myeloid bodies, has been reported in Fabry disease (FD). In this case, we excluded the diagnosis of FD by demonstrating the absence of mutation in the α-galactosidase A（GLA）gene. Our patient also denied any history of use of cationic amphiphilic drugs. Interestingly, we identified a novel missense mutation for Coenzyme Q2（COQ2） , which is known to cause COQ2 mutation-associated nephropathy. We also found heteromorphic mitochondria and good treatment response in our patient following coenzyme Q10 supplementation. In light of our findings, our patient was diagnosed with COQ2 nephropathy and IgA nephropathy. To our knowledge, this is the first case report of COQ2 nephropathy with pathologic manifestations of myeloid bodies in podocytes.

Locally advanced oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) requires multimodal therapy, including surgery and concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT). CCRT-resistant and recurrent cancer has a poor prognosis. We investigated the effects of Bruton’s tyrosine kinase (BTK) on CCRT-resistant OSCC tissues. The effect of ibrutinib, a first-in-class BTK inhibitor, was tested on stem cell-like OSCC tumorspheres. A tissue array was constructed using tissue samples from 70 patients with OSCC. Human OSCC cell lines, SAS, TW2.6 and HSC-3, were examined. Wound healing, Matrigel invasion, and tumorsphere formation assays, as well as immunofluorescence analysis and flow cytometry, were used to investigate the effects of BTK knockdown (shBTK), ibrutinib, cisplatin, and ibrutinib/cisplatin combination on OSCC cells. We demonstrated that BTK was aberrantly highly expressed in the clinical CCRT-resistant OSCC tissue array, which resulted in poor overall survival in our local Tri-Service General Hospital and freely accessible TCGA OSCC cohorts. shBTK significantly downregulated the stemness markers Nanog, CD133, T cell immunoglobulin-3 (TIM-3), and Krüppel-like factor 4 (KLF4) in SAS tumorspheres and attenuated OSCC cell migration and colony formation. Ibrutinib reduced the number of aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH)-rich OSCC cells and reduced tumorsphere formation, migration, and invasion in a dose-dependent manner. Compared with ibrutinib or cisplatin monotherapy, the ibrutinib/cisplatin combination significantly reduced the formation of ALDH + OSCC tumorspheres and enhanced apoptosis. These results demonstrate that ibrutinib effectively inhibits the CSCs-like phenotype of OSCC cells through dysregulation of BTK/CD133 signaling. The ibrutinib/cisplatin combination may be considered for future clinical use.

Effective liberation of chlorine (Cl) as a recoverable product such as hydrochloric acid is crucial for the clean disposal of massive Cl-bearing industrial solid waste. This study aims to clarify the evolution of Cl upon the pyrohydrolysis of CaCl2 waste. Particularly, the use of silica and MgCl2 to promote the breakage of Ca-Cl bonds to release HCl gas has been investigated, via synchrotron X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS). As confirmed, in the presence of silica, the pyrohydrolysis of CaCl2 commences from 800 °C, lower than the minimum temperature predicted based on the existing thermodynamic database. The attraction of Ca2+ by SiO44− breaks the Ca-Cl bond successfully. The addition of Mg2+ can also improve the HCl regeneration extent to nearly 100%. Upon the addition of Mg2+, a structure of Ca-O-Mg-Cl is very likely to form, in which the second coordination shell of Ca2+ is occupied by both Cl− and Mg2+. Consequently, the incorporated Mg2+ bonds with Cl−, “pushing” the Ca2+ in the third shell further away, leading to a distorted and less crystalline silicate matrix from which the liberation of Cl− is easier. The Cl K-edge XANES shows that the reaction residues feature a unique, long-range multi-scattering phenomenon; this differs from the fully molten Cl-bearing glasses that bear a high similarity with CaCl2.

Modern multi-color RGB micro-light emitting diode (μLED) displays and digital micro-mirror laser projectors often require the use of both III-V and III-Nitride material systems for different pixel/laser colors. This is due primarily to the conventionally low efficiencies of red emitters based on the InGaN materials system, which is used to create green and blue emitters for RGB displays. The main challenges for InGaN red emitters are the quantum confined stark effect (QCSE) and the difficulty of incorporating high In-content into the active region. In this work, InGaN/InGaN/delta-InN quantum wells (QWs) on InGaN substrates are proposed and demonstrated to show significant enhancement in electron-hole wavefunction overlap (Te_hh) and spontaneous emission radiative recombination rate (Rsp) in the red emission regime. Analysis of InGaN/InGaN/delta-InN QWs with InGaN barriers emitting at 630 nm was performed using a self-consistent six-band k · p formalism. The Γe_hh was shown to increase by more than 230% compared to an InGaN/InGaN QW emitting at 630 nm, leading to significant increases in Rsp and internal quantum efficiency (ηIQE). With growth of InN monolayers on InGaN now readily achievable, this novel active region design could pave the way for high-efficiency, native red-emitting InGaN LEDs and lasers.

The structural diversity and tunability of metal organic frameworks (MOFs) represent an ideal material platform for a variety of practical scenarios ranging from gas storage/separation to catalysis, yet their application in chemiresistive gas sensing is relatively lacking, due to the requirements of combined electrical conductivity and optimized gas adsorption properties. Here, we report an effective chemical sensing strategy based on missing-linker two-dimensional conductive MOF, with incorporated defects via a simple ligand oxidization method. The multiple hydroxyl defect sites in the conductive 2D missing-linker amorphous Ni-HAB (aNi-HAB) enable rapid adsorption and desorption of water molecules compared to crystalline Ni-HAB (cNi-HAB). As a result, the aNi-HAB sensory device shows good sensitivity, selectivity, linearity, fast response/recovery rate, and excellent stability, which can be further improved by Nafion functionalization. Theoretical investigations including transient current measurement, density functional theory (DFT) calculations, and systematic performance evaluation of isostructural 2D aM-HAB (M = Cu, Fe, Co) MOF showed that unique transport mechanism and adsorption/activation energies originated from hydrogen bonding at defective sites are critical for enhanced humidity response, and further confirmed that defect engineering through missing linker incorporation is a general and effective approach to tune the sensing properties of conductive MOF materials.

Colorectal cancer is a leading cause of cancer-related death worldwide and approximately 20% of cases can be attributed to a mutation in the BRAF oncogene. Curcumin is a promising chemopreventive agent with various anti-cancer benefits. Although curcumin has been reported to have poor bioavailability, this limitation has been overcome by the formulation of nano-carriers. In this preclinical study, we investigated the ability of an improved formulation of curcumin to reduce the incidence of Braf mutant carcinoma. To investigate curcumin as a chemopreventive for Braf mutant colorectal cancer in a preclinical study utilizing a murine model of serrated neoplasia. An intestine-specific Braf mutant murine model (BrafV637E/+/Villin-CreERT2/+) was administered curcumin micelles (240 mg/kg, n = 69) in normal drinking water. Mice in the control group consumed normal drinking water (n = 83). Mice were euthanized at 14 months and the incidence of murine serrated lesions and carcinoma in each cohort were determined by histologic examination. At completion of the study (14 months), it was found that curcumin did not reduce the incidence or multiplicity of murine serrated lesions but did significantly reduce the number of invasive carcinomas (RR 0.83, 95% CI 0.69–0.9985, P = 0.0360) compared to control. We have performed the first long-term study assessing curcumin’s effect on the development of serrated neoplasia. We found that curcumin significantly reduces the risk of developing Braf mutant colorectal cancer. Our data supports further investigation of curcumin as a chemopreventive to reduce the risk of colorectal cancer arising via the serrated pathway.

The enzymatic synthesis of hybrid Lewis antigens including KH-1 (Lewis y-Lewis x-Lactose, Ley-Lex-Lac), Lewis a-Lewis x-Lactose (Lea-Lex-Lac), and Lewis b-Lewis x-Lactose (Leb-Lex-Lac) has been achieved using a facile enzymatic modular assembly strategy. Starting from a readily available tetrasaccharide, 3 complex hybrid Lewis antigens were achieved in over 40% total yields in less than 5 linear steps of sequential enzymatic glycosylation using 6 enzyme modules. The regio-selective fucosylation was achieved by simply controlling the donor-acceptor ratio. This strategy provides an easy access to these biologically important complex hybrid Lewis antigens at preparative scales.

In this study, pyrene was used as a fluorescent dye for peptides. A sensitive, selective, and simple sensor platform was built to detect chymotrypsin based on the covalent binding of peptides to gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) and GO. NaBr as a robust back-filler on gold ensured that the peptides were attached on the surface of AuNPs. Chymotrypsin was added to cleave a specific site on the peptide. Fluorescence was restored after the release of the fluorescent group. The limit of detection was 7.394 pg mL−1. Our method could be applied to real samples.

Nitrile-functionalized anticancer drugs have drawn wide attention. However, the water solubility and side-effects of the drugs reduce their effectiveness in cancer therapy. In this paper, three novel para-, meta- and ortho-linked nitrile-containing water solubility copper(II) porphyrin complexes have been synthesized. Then the relationship between the structure and anticancer performance of the three complexes were investigated. When the complexes have an effect on the cancer cells (A549, H1975, HepG2 and T47D) and normal cell (Hs578 Bst), they demonstrate effective anticancer activity and biocompatibility; the para-nitrile functionalized complex p-CuP can selectively act on H1975 cells, with the lowest IC50 (6.09 μM); the anticancer effect of water-soluble porphyrin ligands (p-L, m-L and o-L) is augmented by coordinate to copper ion(II). Furthermore, DNA binding and flow cytometry methods were applied to research their mechanism, and the results show that these complexes could intercalate DNA and the effect of p-CuP is the best, so there is DNA binding in the anticancer mechanism, also accompanied by mitochondrial dysfunction and arresting cell cycle. In addition, Density Functional Theory (DFT) calculation analyses were carried out for the cationic porphyrin ligands and complexes, using the method with a B3LYP level of theory with the 6-31G(d) and LanL2DZ basis sets, which further proved the biological activities of the target compounds.

Semirigid organic ligands can adopt different conformations to construct coordination polymers with more diverse structures when compared to those constructed from rigid ligands. A new asymmetric semirigid organic ligand, 4-{2-[(pyridin-3-yl)methyl]-2H-tetrazol-5-yl}pyridine (L), has been prepared and used to synthesize three bimetallic macrocyclic complexes and one coordination polymer, namely, bis(μ-4-{2-[(pyridin-3-yl)methyl]-2H-tetrazol-5-yl}pyridine)bis[dichloridozinc(II)] dichloromethane disolvate, [Zn2Cl4(C12H10N6)2]·2CH2Cl2, (I), the analogous chloroform monosolvate, [Zn2Cl4(C12H10N6)2]·CHCl3, (II), bis(μ-4-{2-[(pyridin-3-yl)methyl]-2H-tetrazol-5-yl}pyridine)bis[diiodidozinc(II)] dichloromethane disolvate, [Zn2I4(C12H10N6)2]·2CH2Cl2, (III), and catena-poly[[[diiodidozinc(II)]-μ-4-{2-[(pyridin-3-yl)methyl]-2H-tetrazol-5-yl}pyridine] chloroform monosolvate], {[ZnI2(C12H10N6)]·CHCl3} n , (IV), by solution reaction with ZnX 2 (X = Cl and I) in a CH2Cl2/CH3OH or CHCl3/CH3OH mixed solvent system at room temperature. Complex (I) is isomorphic with complex (III) and has a bimetallic ring possessing similar coordination environments for both of the ZnII cations. Although complex (II) also contains a bimetallic ring, the two ZnII cations have different coordination environments. Under the influence of the I− anion and guest CHCl3 molecule, complex (IV) displays a significantly different structure with respect to complexes (I)–(III). C—H...Cl and C—H...N hydrogen bonds, and π–π stacking or C—Cl...π interactions exist in complexes (I)–(IV), and these weak interactions play an important role in the three-dimensional structures of (I)–(IV) in the solid state. In addition, the fluorescence properties of L and complexes (I)–(IV) were investigated.

The large yellow croaker (Larimichthys crocea), which is an economically important mariculture fish in China, is often exposed to environmental hypoxia. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) homeostasis is essential for the maintenance of normal physiological conditions in an organism. Direct evidence that environmental hypoxia leads to ROS overproduction is scarce in marine fish. Furthermore, the sources of ROS overproduction in marine fish under hypoxic stress are poorly known. In this study, we investigated the effects of hypoxia on redox homeostasis in L. crocea and the impact of impaired redox homeostasis on fish. We first confirmed that hypoxia drove ROS production mainly via the mitochondrial electron transport chain and NADPH oxidase complex pathways in L. crocea and its cell line (large yellow croaker fry (LYCF) cells). We subsequently detected a marked increase in the antioxidant systems of the fish. However, imbalance between the pro-oxidation and antioxidation systems ultimately led to excessive ROS and oxidative stress. Cell viability showed a remarkable decrease while oxidative indicators, such as malondialdehyde, protein carbonylation, and 8-hydroxy-2 deoxyguanosine, showed a significant increase after hypoxia, accompanied by tissue damage. N-acetylcysteine (NAC) reduced ROS levels, alleviated oxidative damage, and improved cell viability in vitro. Appropriate uptake of ROS scavengers (e.g., NAC and elamipretide Szeto-Schiller-31) and inhibitors (e.g., apocynin, diphenylene iodonium, and 5-hydroxydecanoate) may be effective at overcoming hypoxic toxicity. Our findings highlight previously unstudied strategies of hypoxic toxicity resistance in marine fish.

Surface modification of oxygen evolution reaction (OER) cocatalysts is a promising approach to improve PEC water oxidation activity by accelerating the surface charge injection efficiency and catalytic reaction kinetics. However, the PEC performance is still restricted by inefficient charge transfer at the semiconductor/cocatalyst interface. In this study, ultrathin Ti3C2 nanosheets, serving as a highly efficient hole transport layer, were introduced into the Fe2O3/CoAl-layered double hydroxide (LDH) interface. The obtained Fe2O3–Ti3C2–CoAl photoanodes exhibited a significantly improved photocurrent density of 2.1 mA cm−2 at 1.23 V versus the reversible hydrogen electrode (RHE) under AM 1.5G illumination. In this system, the Ti3C2 nanolayer not only suppresses the interfacial recombination of photogenerated carriers but also facilitates efficient hole transfer from Fe2O3 to the OER cocatalyst, thus promoting the PEC performance. This study provides a new guideline for optimizing the charge transfer at the semiconductor/cocatalyst interface.