Targeting autophagy to counteract neuroinflammation: A novel antidepressant strategy.

Depression is a common disease that affects physical and mental health and imposes a considerable burden on afflicted individuals and their families worldwide. Depression is associated with a high rate of disability and suicide. It causes a severe decline in productivity and quality of life. Unfortunately, the pathophysiological mechanisms underlying depression have not been fully elucidated, and the risk of its treatment is still presented. Studies have shown that the expression of autophagic markers in the brain and peripheral inflammatory mediators are dysregulated in depression. Autophagy-related genes regulate the level of autophagy and change the inflammatory response in depression. Depression is related to several aspects of immunity. The regulation of the immune system and inflammation by autophagy may lead to the development or deterioration of mental disorders. This review highlights the role of autophagy and neuroinflammation in the pathophysiology of depression, sumaries the autophagy-targeting small moleculars, and discusses a novel therapeutic strategy based on anti-inflammatory mechanisms that target autophagy to treat the disease.

3D atomic-scale imaging of mixed Co-Fe spinel oxide nanoparticles during oxygen evolution reaction.

The three-dimensional (3D) distribution of individual atoms on the surface of catalyst nanoparticles plays a vital role in their activity and stability. Optimising the performance of electrocatalysts requires atomic-scale information, but it is difficult to obtain. Here, we use atom probe tomography to elucidate the 3D structure of 10 nm sized Co2FeO4 and CoFe2O4 nanoparticles during oxygen evolution reaction (OER). We reveal nanoscale spinodal decomposition in pristine Co2FeO4. The interfaces of Co-rich and Fe-rich nanodomains of Co2FeO4 become trapping sites for hydroxyl groups, contributing to a higher OER activity compared to that of CoFe2O4. However, the activity of Co2FeO4 drops considerably due to concurrent irreversible transformation towards CoIVO2 and pronounced Fe dissolution. In contrast, there is negligible elemental redistribution for CoFe2O4 after OER, except for surface structural transformation towards (FeIII, CoIII)2O3. Overall, our study provides a unique 3D compositional distribution of mixed Co-Fe spinel oxides, which gives atomic-scale insights into active sites and the deactivation of electrocatalysts during OER.

Quantitative Conversion of Methanol to Methyl Formate on Graphene-Confined Nano-Oxides.

We demonstrate the nearly quantitative conversion of methanol to methyl formate (MF) with a reliable durability on the reduced-graphene-oxide-confined VTiOx nanoparticles (rGO@VTiO). The rGO@VTiO exhibits superior low-temperature reactivity than the rGO-free VTiO, and the MF yield of 98.8% is even comparable with the noble metal catalysts. Both experiments and simulations demonstrate that the ultrathin rGO shell significantly impacts the shell/core interfacial electronic structure and the surface chemistry of the resultant catalysts, leading to remarkable reactivity in methanol to MF. rGO enhances the dispersion and loading rates of active monomeric/oligomeric VOx. In particular, the electron migration between the rGO shell and oxides core reinforces the acidity of rGO@VTiO in the absence of sulfate acidic sites. Moreover, both in situ NAP-XPS and DRIFTS investigations suggest that the lattice oxygen was involved in the oxidation of methanol and the MF was formed via the hemiacetal mechanism.

Correction: Au@PdOx with a PdOx-rich shell and Au-rich core embedded in Co3O4 nanorods for catalytic combustion of methane.

Correction for 'Au@PdOx with a PdOx-rich shell and Au-rich core embedded in Co3O4 nanorods for catalytic combustion of methane' by Yan Zhu et al., Nanoscale, 2017, 9, 2123-2128.

Au@PdOx with a PdOx-rich shell and Au-rich core embedded in Co3O4 nanorods for catalytic combustion of methane.

Au@PdOx with a PdOx-rich shell and Au-rich core nested in Co3O4 nanorods exhibited enhanced catalytic performance in the reaction of methane catalytic combustion, compared to monometallic Pd or Au/Co3O4 nanorods as well as conventional PdAu/Co3O4 nanorods. The superior catalysis of Au@PdOx/Co3O4 nanorods is mainly due to the architectural style of the PdOx-rich shell and Au-rich core, which shows strong interaction of Pd, Au, and Co3O4.

Tuning the synthesis of platinum-copper nanoparticles with a hollow core and porous shell for the selective hydrogenation of furfural to furfuryl alcohol.

Pt-Cu nanoparticles constructed with a hollow core and porous shell have been synthesized in which Pt-Cu cages with multiporous outermost shells are formed at the initial stage and then the Pt and Cu atoms in solution continuously fed these hollow-core of cages by passing through the porous tunnels of the outermost shells, finally leading to the formation of hollow structures with different sizes. Furthermore, these hollow-core Pt-Cu nanoparticles are more effective than the solid-core Pt-Cu nanoparticles for the catalytic hydrogenation of furfural toward furfuryl alcohol. The former can achieve almost 100% conversion of furfural with 100% selectivity toward the alcohol.

Bimetallic PtxCoy nanoparticles with curved faces for highly efficient hydrogenation of cinnamaldehyde.

The control of the curved structure of bimetallic nanocrystals is a challenge, due to the rate differential for atom deposition and surface diffusion of alien atomic species on specific crystallographic planes of seeds. Herein, we report how to tune the degree of concavity of bimetallic PtxCoy concave nanoparticles using carboxylic acids as surfactants with an oleylamine system, leading to the specific crystallographic planes being exposed. The terminal carboxylic acids with a bridge ring or a benzene ring serving as structure regulators could direct the formation of curved faces with exposed high-index facets, and long-chain saturated fatty acids favored the production of curved faces with exposed low-index facets, while long-chain olefin acids alone benefited the formation of a flat surface with exposed low-index planes. Furthermore, these PtxCoy particles with curved faces displayed superior catalytic behaviour to cinnamaldehyde hydrogenation when compared with PtxCoy with flat faces. PtxCoy nanoparticles with curved faces exhibited over 6-fold increase in catalytic activity compared to PtxNiy nanoparticles with curved faces, and near 40-fold activity increase was observed in comparison with PtxFey nanoparticles with curved faces.

Designing axial growth of Co-Ni bimetallic nanowires with hexagon-like caps and their catalytic hydrogenation for nitrobenzene.

Co-Ni bimetal nanocrystals, which are constructed with long wires and hexagon-like caps, were synthesized through supersaturation, precipitation, and axial growth from the prenucleated bimetal seeds. These Co-Ni bimetallic nanowires with hexagonal caps are more effective than corresponding nanoparticles for the catalytic hydrogenation of nitrobenzene to produce aniline.

The shape evolution from PtxCoy@Co cubes to PtxCoy multicubes for selective hydrogenation of α,ß-unsaturated aldehyde.

We report the synthesis of PtxCoy@Co cubes and PtxCoy multicubes through use of the previous structure as a seed precursor to induce the formation of the latter. Herein, PtxCoy nanocrystals underwent a shape evolution from a core-shell structure to multicubes under an identical synthetic condition via using the previous structure serving as a seed precursor to induce the formation of the latter. PtxCoy@Co cubes can be viewed as a PtxCoy octapod core coated by a Co atom shell that exhibits complete selectivity towards the C=C bond of unsaturated aldehydes. The Co shell of PtxCoy@Co was further substituted by introducing Pt atoms, followed by successive deposition of Pt on PtxCoy, and interdiffusion between Pt and Co, leading to formation of multicubes. Such multicubes gave rise to superior catalytic activity with higher selectivity for the C=O bond of unsaturated aldehydes compared to pure Pt nanocubes and a commercial Pt/C catalyst.