A novel Ag-loaded 4 Å zeolite as an efficient catalyst for epoxidation of styrene.

In this study, a novel Ag-loaded 4 Å zeolite was synthesized through the combined action of strong ultrasound and a high-voltage electrostatic field (the Z-Ag-UE) and its catalytic activity was evaluated in the epoxidation of styrene. The prepared catalysts were characterized using XRD, SEM, XPS, BET, TG, ICP-OES. The results showed that the silver evenly dispersed inside the octahedral 4 Å zeolite structure rather than being attached to the surface of the material like in the impregnation method, and this Ag-loaded 4 Å zeolite had a high surface area, uniform particle size distribution, and excellent high temperature thermal stability. The catalytic performance of the Ag-loaded 4 Å zeolite was investigated by varying the reaction conditions such as the amount of catalyst, temperature, and reaction time. Under optimized conditions, the Ag-loaded 4 Å zeolite showed high selectivity and conversion for the epoxidation of styrene, achieving a conversion rate of up to 98% and a selectivity of 94%. In particular, the catalyst had excellent recyclability and was reused more than fifteen times with the catalytic performance remaining unchanged. This method of loading metal prepared under external field conditions provides a new method and idea for future research in related fields.

Rapidly reversible persistent long-term potentiation inhibition by patient-derived brain tau and amyloid ß proteins.

How the two pathognomonic proteins of Alzheimer's disease (AD); amyloid ß (Aß) and tau, cause synaptic failure remains enigmatic. Certain synthetic and recombinant forms of these proteins are known to act concurrently to acutely inhibit long-term potentiation (LTP). Here, we examined the effect of early amyloidosis on the acute disruptive action of synaptotoxic tau prepared from recombinant protein and tau in patient-derived aqueous brain extracts. We also explored the persistence of the inhibition of LTP by different synaptotoxic tau preparations. A single intracerebral injection of aggregates of recombinant human tau that had been prepared by either sonication of fibrils (SτAs) or disulfide bond formation (oTau) rapidly and persistently inhibited LTP in rat hippocampus. The threshold for the acute inhibitory effect of oTau was lowered in amyloid precursor protein (APP)-transgenic rats. A single injection of synaptotoxic tau-containing AD or Pick's disease brain extracts also inhibited LTP, for over two weeks. Remarkably, the persistent disruption of synaptic plasticity by patient-derived brain tau was rapidly reversed by a single intracerebral injection of different anti-tau monoclonal antibodies, including one directed to a specific human tau amino acid sequence. We conclude that patient-derived LTP-disrupting tau species persist in the brain for weeks, maintaining their neuroactivity often in concert with Aß. This article is part of a discussion meeting issue 'Long-term potentiation: 50 years on'.

Catalyst-Free Propargylboration of Ketones with Allenyl-Bpins: Highly Stereoselective Synthesis of tert-Homopropargyl Alcohols Bearing Vicinal Stereocenters.

A practical and efficient propargylboration of ketones is presented using general allenylboronic acid pinacol esters (allenyl-Bpins) without a catalyst. This reaction is triggered by in-situ activation of stable allenyl-Bpins through the sequential addition of 1.25 equiv. of n BuLi and the prerequisite 2.0 equiv. of TFAA. Under the optimized reaction conditions, the versatile trisubstituted allenyl-Bpins react with various ketones smoothly to afford a wide range of tert-homopropargyl alcohols bearing vicinal stereocenters in high yields with good to excellent diastereoselectivities. Furthermore, propargylboration of ketones with chiral trisubstituted allenyl-Bpins allows for the asymmetric synthesis of chiral tert-homopropargyl alcohols with a full chirality transfer.

Electromechanical Coupling in Collagen Measured under Increasing Relative Humidity.

The functional role of collagen piezoelectricity has been under debate since the discovery of piezoelectricity in bone in 1957. The possibility that piezoelectricity plays a role in bone remodeling has generated interest in the investigation of this effect in relevant physiological conditions; however, there are conflicting reports as to whether collagen is piezoelectric in a humid environment. In macroscale measurements, the piezoelectricity in hydrated tendon has been shown to be insignificant compared to dehydrated tendon, whereas, at the nanoscale, the piezoelectric effect has been observed in both dry and wet bone using piezoresponse force microscopy (PFM). In this work, the electromechanical properties of type I collagen from a rat tail tendon have been investigated at the nanoscale as a function of humidity using lateral PFM (LPFM) for the first time. The relative humidity (RH) was varied from 10% to 70%, allowing the piezoelectric behavior to be studied dry, humid, as well as in the hydrated range for collagen in physiological bone (12% moisture content, corresponding to 40-50% RH). The results show that collagen piezoresponse can be measured across the humidity range studied, suggesting that piezoelectricity remains a property of collagen at a biologically relevant humidity.

An aggregation of human embryonic and trophoblast stem cells reveals the role of trophectoderm on epiblast differentiation.

The interactions between extra-embryonic tissues and embryonic tissues are crucial to ensure proper early embryo development. However, the understanding of the crosstalk between the embryonic tissues and extra-embryonic tissues is lacking, mainly due to ethical restrictions, difficulties in obtaining natural human embryos, and lack of appropriate in vitro models. Here by aggregating human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) with human trophoblast stem cells (hTSCs), we revealed the hESCs robustly self-organized into a unique asymmetric structure which the primitive streak (PS) like cells exclusively distributed at the distal end to the TS-compartment, and morphologically flattened cells, presumed to be the extra-embryonic mesoderm cells (EXMC) like cells, were induced at the proximal end to hTSCs. Our study revealed two potential roles of extra-embryonic trophectoderm in regulating the proper PS formation during gastrulation and EXMCs induction from the human epiblast.

Experimental Study on Basic Mechanical Properties of PVA Fiber-Reinforced Coral Cement-Based Composites.

In order to improve the brittle characteristics of coral cement-based composites and increase their toughness, an experimental study was carried out on the basic mechanical properties of PVA (polyvinyl alcohol) fiber-reinforced coral cement-based composites, taking into account the fiber content and length-to-diameter ratio (L/D). The results showed that PVA fibers can effectively improve the mechanical properties of concrete, especially its tensile strength. At the same time, PVA fibers improved the damage characteristics of cement-based composites and had obvious toughening and brittleness reduction effects. The PVA fibers, with a volume content of 1.5% and an L/D of 225, had the best performance in reinforcing the overall performance of the coral cement-based composites. Too many PVA fibers or a large length-to-diameter ratio would make it difficult for the fibers to contribute to toughness and cracking resistance and even cause defects in the matrix, reducing the mechanical properties. The tensile stress-strain curves of PVA fiber-reinforced coral cement-based composites were consistent with the trilinear constitutive model curves and showed the tensile characteristic of strain hardening after the occurrence of the main cracks.

Pd-catalysed cross-coupling of allenylic carbonates with gem-diborylalkanes: efficient synthesis of isoprenylboronates.

A simple and novel Pd-catalysed cross-coupling reaction of allenylic carbonates with different gem-diborylalkanes was developed. Under mild reaction conditions, synthetically useful and versatile isoprenylboronates could be obtained selectively in moderate to high yields. Furthermore, the utility of the novel isoprenylboronate is demonstrated through isoprenylboration and homologation.

A novel strategy to identify the species-specific peptide biomarkers in Pheretima aspergillum (E. Perrier) based on enzymatic digestion followed by LC-MS/MS methods.

Guang Dilong [P. aspergillum (E. Perrier)], is an animal-derived traditional Chinese medicine made from the dried body of Pheretima aspergillum (E. Perrier) (TCM). Due to its widely application and high medical values, preparations of P. aspergillum (E. Perrier) may be adulterated by four other species, including three crucial Pheretima species [P. vulgaris (Chen), P. pectinifera (Mkhaeken), and P. guillemi (Michaelsen)] and one considerable adulteration [Metaphire magna (Chen)]. This study developed a novel and effective strategy for analyzing and authenticating Guang Dilong based on enzymatic digestion of protein. The nanoLC-MS/MS technique used to evaluate complete peptidomics profiles of trypsin-digested samples, resulting in the identification of species-specific peptide biomarkers in P. aspergillum (E. Perrier). The significance of different samples and peptides in the target species set was then investigated using mathematical set theory. Consequently, seven peptides were chosen as prospective biomarkers. Finally, five specific peptide biomarkers for differentiating Guang Dilong with other species were confirmed and validated using UFLC-MS/MS and MRM mode. The suggested technique may also be beneficial in evaluating the quality of other animal-derived goods for safety issues in order to avoid misidentification.

Exploring the Magnetic and Electrocatalytic Properties of Amorphous MnB Nanoflakes.

Two-dimensional (2D) metal borides are a class of ceramic materials with diverse structural and topological properties. These diverse material properties of metal borides are what forms the basis of their interdisciplinarity and their applicability in various research fields. In this study, we highlight which fundamental and practical parameters need to be taken into consideration when designing nanomaterials for specific applications. A simple one-pot chemical reduction method was applied for the synthesis of manganese mono-boride nanoflakes at room temperature. How the specific surface area and boron-content of the as-synthesized manganese mono-boride nanoflakes influence their magnetic and electrocatalytic properties is reported. The sample with the highest specific surface area and boron content demonstrated the best magnetic and electrocatalytic properties in the HER. Whereas the sample with the lowest specific surface area and boron content exhibited the best electric conductivity and electrocatalytic properties in the OER.

Integration of single-cell transcriptome and chromatin accessibility of early gonads development among goats, pigs, macaques, and humans.

The early gonads of mammals contain primordial germ cells (PGCs) and somatic cell precursors that are essential for sex determination and gametogenesis. Although it is extensively documented in mice, the development of early gonads in non-rodents remains to be delineated. Because molecular differences between mouse and human gonadal cells have been reported, it warrants the study of the key markers and regulatory features that are conserved or divergent between non-rodent species and human. Here, we integrate single-cell transcriptome and chromatin accessibility analysis to identify regulatory signatures of PGCs and somatic cells in the early gonads of goats, pigs, macaques, and humans. We identify the evolutionarily conserved and species-specific events, including genes expression, signaling pathways, and cell-cell interactions. We also uncover potential cis-regulatory elements and key transcription factors in PGCs and somatic cells. Our datasets provide important resources for better understanding the evolutionary programs of PGCs and gonadal somatic cell development in mammals.

Obesity modulates cell-cell interactions during ovarian folliculogenesis.

Obesity is known to affect female reproduction, as evidenced by obese patients suffering from subfertility and abnormal oogenesis. However, the underlying mechanisms by which obesity impairs folliculogenesis are poorly documented. Here, we performed comprehensive single-cell transcriptome analysis in both regular diet (RD) and obese mouse models to systematically uncover how obesity affects ovarian follicle cells and their interactions. We found an increased proportion of Inhbb highly expressed granulosa cells (GCs) among all the GC subpopulations in obese mice. Under obese conditions, excessive androgen secreted from endocrine theca cells (ETCs) may contribute to the imbalanced change of GC subtypes through ETCs-GCs interactions. This is alleviated by enzalutamide, an androgen receptor antagonist. We also identified and confirmed typical GC markers, such as Marcks and Prkar2b, for sensitive evaluation of female fertility in obesity. These data represent a resource for studying transcriptional networks and cell-cell interactions during folliculogenesis under physiological and pathological conditions.

Bending Response of 3D-Printed Titanium Alloy Sandwich Panels with Corrugated Channel Cores.

Ultralight sandwich constructions with corrugated channel cores (i.e., periodic fluid-through wavy passages) are envisioned to possess multifunctional attributes: simultaneous load-carrying and heat dissipation via active cooling. Titanium alloy (Ti-6Al-4V) corrugated-channel-cored sandwich panels (3CSPs) with thin face sheets and core webs were fabricated via the technique of selective laser melting (SLM) for enhanced shear resistance relative to other fabrication processes such as vacuum brazing. Four-point bending responses of as-fabricated 3CSP specimens, including bending resistance and initial collapse modes, were experimentally measured. The bending characteristics of the 3CSP structure were further explored using a combined approach of analytical modeling and numerical simulation based on the method of finite elements (FE). Both the analytical and numerical predictions were validated against experimental measurements. Collapse mechanism maps of the 3CSP structure were subsequently constructed using the analytical model, with four collapse modes considered (face-sheet yielding, face-sheet buckling, core yielding, and core buckling), which were used to evaluate how its structural geometry affects its collapse initiation mode.

Systematic Analysis of Escherichia coli Isolates from Sheep and Cattle Suggests Adaption to the Rumen Niche.

The commonly used laboratory bacterium Escherichia coli normally does not produce and secrete cellulases due to its complex bilayer membrane structure and poor secretory apparatus. In our previous study, the cellulolytic E. coli strain ZH-4 with extracellular cellulase activity was found in the bovine rumen. In this study, we demonstrate that the secretion of cellulase is a common feature of E. coli isolates from the rumen of animals such as sheep and cattle. Physiological phenotype characterization of these E. coli isolates, together with genome, transcriptome, and comparative genomics analysis, suggests their adaption to the rumen niche. The higher growth rate of the isolated strains under aerobic conditions meets the competitive requirements of the strains in rumen microecosystem, while anaerobic accumulation of reduced H2 and succinate is hypothesized to be the results of adaptation to the rumen environment. Cellulase secretion increased significantly when the molecular chaperone genes ibpA and ibpB were overexpressed. This was also revealed by the transcriptomic data. A possible mechanism for cellulase secretion by E. coli isolates was proposed based on the transcriptomic data and molecular experiments.IMPORTANCE As an important intestinal microorganism, E. coli is present in the intestinal tract of animals and in many other environments. However, it normally does not produce and secret cellulases due to its complex bilayer membrane structure and poor secretory apparatus. Here, we proved that E. coli is widely present in the rumen of sheep and cattle. Systematic analysis of the isolates indicated that they have adapted to the rumen niche, with phenotypes that include secretion of cellulase and fermentative accumulation of succinate and H2 The finding that overexpression of small heat shock protein genes ibpA and ibpB could facilitate cellulase BcsZ secretion, which provides a possible insight into the protein secretion mechanism of rumen-colonizing E. coli.

In-situ formation of carboxylate species on TiO2 nanosheets for enhanced visible-light photocatalytic performance.

It still remains challenge for expanding the photo-response range of TiO2 with dominant {0 0 1} facets due to the hardly achieving modification of the electronic structure without destroying the formation of TiO2 high energy facets. Herein, we report the construction of carboxylate species modified TiO2 nanosheets with dominant {0 0 1} facets by employing ethanol as a carbon source through a low-temperature (300 °C) carbonization method. The as-obtained samples were investigated in detail by using various characterization techniques. The results indicate that the carboxylate species derived from the oxidation and carbonization of ethanol are coordinated to the {0 0 1} facets in a bidentate bridging mode. The electron-withdrawing carboxylate species induce TiO2 to form a lower valence band edge and a narrower bandgap, which enhances the oxidation ability of photogenerated holes and expands the photo-response range. The partially carbonized carboxylate species can also act as a photosensitizer to induce visible-light photocatalytic activity of TiO2 nanosheets. In addition, the carboxylate species can further promote the separation of photogenerated charge carriers. The findings of this work may provide a new perspective for tuning the band structure of TiO2 with dominant {0 0 1} facets and improving its photocatalytic performance.

Facile synthesis of multi-type carbon doped and modified nano-TiO2 for enhanced visible-light photocatalysis.

Nano-TiO2 is a type of environment-friendly and inexpensive substance that could be used for photocatalytic degradation processes. In this study, the multi-type carbon species doped and modified anatase nano-TiO2 was innovatively synthesized and developed to overcome the deficiency of common nano-TiO2 photocatalysts. The multi-type carbon species were derived from tetrabutyl titanate and ethanol as the internal and external carbon sources, respectively. Meanwhile, diverse characterization methods were applied to investigate the morphology and surface properties of the photocatalyst. Finally, the visible-light photocatalytic degradation activity of the collected samples was evaluated by using methyl orange as a model pollutant. The promotion mechanism of multi-type carbon species in the photocatalytic process was also discussed and reported. The results in this work show that the doping and modification of multi-type carbon species successfully narrows the bandgap of nano-TiO2 to expand the light absorption range, reduces the valence band position to improve the oxidation ability of photogenerated holes, and promotes the separation of photogenerated charge carriers to improve quantum efficiency. In addition, the further modification of the external carbon source can promote the surface adsorption of MO and stabilize the multi-type carbon species on the surface of nano-TiO2.

Identification and characterization of an Endo-glucanase secreted from cellulolytic Escherichia coli ZH-4.

BACKGROUND: In the previous study, the cellulolytic Escherichia coli ZH-4 isolated from bovine rumen was found to show extracellular cellulase activity and could degrade cellulose in the culture. The goal of this work was to identify and characterize the secreted cellulase of E. coli ZH-4. It will be helpful to re-understand E. coli and extend its application in industry. RESULTS: A secreted cellulase was confirmed to be endo-glucanase BcsZ which was encoded by bcsZ gene and located in the cellulose synthase operon bcsABZC in cellulolytic E. coli ZH-4 by western blotting. Characterization of BcsZ indicated that a broad range of pH and temperature tolerance with optima at pH 6.0 and 50 °C, respectively. The apparent Michaelis-Menten constant (Km) and maximal reaction rate (Vmax) for BcsZ were 8.86 mg/mL and 0.3 µM/min·mg, respectively. Enzyme activity of BcsZ was enhanced by Mg2+ and inhibited by Zn2+, Cu2+ and Fe3+. BcsZ could hydrolyze carboxymethylcellulose (CMC) to produce cello-oligosaccharides, cellotriose, cellobiose and glucose. CONCLUSIONS: It is confirmed that extracellular cellulolytic capability of E. coli ZH-4 was attributed to BcsZ, which explained why E. coli ZH-4 can grow on cellulose. The endo-glucanase BcsZ from E. coli-ZH4 has some new characteristics which will extend the understanding of endo-glucanase. Analysis of the secretion characteristics of BcsZ provided a great reference for applying E. coli in multiple industrial fields.

[Spectral Characteristics and Catalytic Performances of SO2-4/Ce-TiO2 with Visible Light Response].

Ce doped TiO2 was prepared via sol-gel method. The as-prepared Ce doped TiO2 was impregnated with diluted H2SO4 to obtain a H2SO4-treated Ce doped TiO2. In succession, the characterizations of X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), pyridine adsorption-FTIR (Py-FTIR), ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy (UV-vis) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) were carried out to analyze the reasons for the improvement of the light response performance. The visible light photocatalytic degradation of Rhodamine B (RhB) in an aqueous solution was used as a probe reaction to evaluate the photocatalytic activity of the obtained samples. According to the XRD analysis, Ce doping created the lattice defects in TiO2 and minimized the particle size, which promoted the transfer of photo-generated electrons and then improved catalyst activity. The bridged bidentate coordination mode of SO2-4 was proposed based on the FTIR spectra. The pyridine FTIR spectra showed that both Lewis and Brnsted acid sites were formed on the sample surface. The characteristic absorption band as Lewis acid was more intense than that of the Brnsted acid, exhibiting the major Lewis acidity. The presence of the Lewis acid sites resulted in the transfer of photogenerated electrons to the Lewis acid center because of the electron deficiency of the Lewis acid sites, which contributed greatly to the transport of the photogenerated electrons, inhibiting the recombination of the photogenerated electron/hole pairs and leading to the enhancement of the photocatalytic activity of samples. From UV-Vis results, Ce-doping introduced an impurity energy level in the band gap, narrowing the TiO2 band gap. The impurity energy level could capture the photogenerated electrons on the conduct band and photogenerated holes on the valence band, reducing the recombination probability of photogenerated carriers and exciting the electrons captured on the impurity energy band by the photons with lower energy, thus expanding the light response range of TiO2. The XPS results indicated that the doped Ce existed as a mixture of Ce3+/Ce4+ states, which facilitated the efficient separation of the photo-generated electrons and holes because of the electron transfer, enhancing the system's quantum efficiency. The sulfated Ce doped TiO2 catalysts were very active for the visible photocatalytic degradation of RhB. Results showed that the synergetic effects of Ce doping and acid-treatment improved the visible light response for sulfated Ce-doped TiO2, enhancing the visible photocatalytic activity.

DFT studies on the mechanism of alcohol oxidation by the (bpy)Cu(I)-TEMPO/NMI catalytic system.

Density functional theory (DFT) calculations have been performed to investigate the oxidation of alcohol to acetaldehyde, catalyzed by the (bpy)Cu(I)-TEMPO/NMI catalytic system. Three pathways (path A, path B and path C) are presented. Our calculations indicate that path B is the favourable pathway. In path B, the alcohol coordinating to the Cu(I) center provides a H atom to TEMPO to form TEMPOH. Another TEMPO then replaces TEMPOH to abstract the H atom from the Cα-H of the alcoholate (RCH2O(-)) to generate the aldehyde product. On the basis of the studied pathway, a possible mechanism is presented to explain the experimental observations.

Facile synthesis of carbon-doped mesoporous anatase TiO2 for the enhanced visible-light driven photocatalysis.

Here we report a low-cost and facile synthesis approach for carbon-doped mesoporous anatase TiO2 by using Ti(BuO)4 as a source for both Ti and carbon through xerogel carbonization in a hypoxic atmosphere. The resultant mesoporous C-TiO2 with high crystallinity exhibits excellent photocatalytic activities for degradation of methyl orange (MO) and phenol under visible light irradiation.

Solubility properties and spectral investigation of dilute SO2 in a triethylene glycol + water + La3+ system.

Isothermal gas-liquid equilibrium (GLE) data were determined for dilute SO2 in a triethylene glycol (TEG) + water (W) system (TEGW) at 298.15 K and 123.15 kPa, in which SO2 partial pressures were calculated in the range 0-130 Pa. When La(3+) was added into TEGWs, GLE data suggested that adding of La(3+) ion markedly increased the solubility of dilute SO2. By fitting of these data, Henry's law constants (HLC) were obtained. For acquiring the important absorption mechanism, UV, FTIR, (1)H NMR, and fluorescence spectra in absorption processes of SO2 were investigated. On the basis of these spectral results, the possibility of intermolecular hydrogen bond formation by hydroxyl oxygen atoms in the TEG molecule with hydrogen atoms in the H2O molecule and S···O interaction formation by hydroxyl oxygen atoms in the TEG molecule with the sulfur atom in the SO2 molecule was discussed.