High-Sensitive Uncooled Mid-Wave Infrared Detector Based on TiS3 Nanoribbon.

High-sensitive uncooled mid-wave infrared (MWIR) photodetection with fast speed is highly desired for biomedical imaging, optical communication, and night vision technology. Low-dimensional materials with low dark current and broadband photoresponse hold great promise for use in MWIR detection. Here, this study reports a high-performance MWIR photodetector based on a titanium trisulfide (TiS3) nanoribbon. This device demonstrates an ultra-broadband photoresponse ranging from the visible spectrum to the MWIR spectrum (405-4275 nm). In the MWIR spectral range, the photodetector achieves competitive high photoresponsivity (R) of 21.1 A W-1, and an impressive specific detectivity (D*) of 5.9 × 1010 cmHz1/2 W-1 in ambient air. Remarkably, the photoresponse speed in the MWIR with τr = 1.3 ms and τd = 1.5 ms is realized which is much faster than the thermal time constant of 15 ms. These findings pave the way for highly sensitive, room-temperature MWIR photodetectors with exceptionally fast response speed.

Design, synthesis and bioactivity evaluation of the combination of evodiamine and erlotinib linked by indolequinone.

Compared with single-targeted therapy, the design and synthesis of heterozygous molecules is still a significant challenge for the discovery of antitumor drugs. Quinone oxidoreductase-1 (NQO1) is a potential target for selective cancer therapy due to its overexpression in many cancer cells and its unique bioredox properties. Based on the principle of combinatorial drug design, we successfully synthesized a new hybrid molecules 13 with an indolequinone structure. We found that the synthesized compounds exhibited much higher cytotoxicity against the tested cancer cells than free drugs. Further mechanism studies confirmed that compound 13 induced cell apoptosis was achieved by regulating p53-dependent mitochondrial pathway and cell cycle arrest at the G0/G1 phase.

A Study on the Motion Behavior of Metallic Contaminant Particles in Transformer Insulation Oil under Multiphysical Fields.

When using transformer insulation oil as a liquid dielectric, the oil is easily polluted by the solid particles generated in the operation of the transformer, and these metallic impurity particles have a significant impact on the insulation performance inside the power transformer. The force of the metal particles suspended in the flow insulation oil is multidimensional, which will lead to a change in the movement characteristics of the metal particles. Based on this, this study explored the motion rules of suspended metallic impurity particles in mobile insulating oil in different electric field environments and the influencing factors. A multiphysical field model of the solid-liquid two-phase flow of single-particle metallic impurity particles in mobile insulating oil was constructed using the dynamic analysis method, and the particles' motion characteristics in the oil in different electric field environments were simulated. The motion characteristics of metallic impurity particles under conditions of different particle sizes, oil flow velocities, and insulation oil qualities and influencing factors were analyzed to provide theoretical support for the detection of impurity particles in transformer insulation oil and enable accurate estimations of the location of equipment faults. Our results show that there are obvious differences in the trajectory of metallic impurity particles under different electric field distributions. The particles will move towards the region of high field intensity under an electric field, and the metallic impurity particles will not collide with the electrode under an AC field. When the electric field intensity and particle size increase, the trajectory of the metallic impurity particles between electrodes becomes denser, and the number of collisions between particles and electrodes and the motion speed both increase. Under the condition of a higher oil flow velocity, the number of collisions between metal particles and electrodes is reduced, which reduces the possibility of particle agglomeration. When the temperature of the insulation oil changes and the quality deteriorates, its dynamic viscosity changes. With a decrease in the dynamic viscosity of the insulation oil, the movement of the metallic impurity particles between the electrodes becomes denser, the collision times between the particles and electrodes increase, and the maximum motion speed of the particles increases.

Miniaturized infrared spectrometer based on the tunable graphene plasmonic filter.

Miniaturization of a conventional spectrometer is challenging because of the tradeoffs of size, cost, signal-to-noise ratio, and spectral resolution, etc. Here, a new type of miniaturized infrared spectrometer based on the integration of tunable graphene plasmonic filters and infrared detectors is proposed. The transmittance spectrum of a graphene plasmonic filter can be tuned by varying the Fermi energy of the graphene, allowing light incident on the graphene plasmonic filter to be dynamically modulated in a way that encodes its spectral information in the receiving infrared detector. The incident spectrum can then be reconstructed by using decoding algorithms such as ridge regression and neural networks. The factors that influence spectrometer performance are investigated in detail. It is found that the graphene carrier mobility and the signal-to-noise ratio are two key parameters in determining the resolution and precision of the spectrum reconstruction. The mechanism behind our observations can be well understood in the framework of the Wiener deconvolution theory. Moreover, a hybrid decoding (or recovery) algorithm that combines ridge regression and a neural network is proposed that demonstrates a better spectral recovery performance than either the ridge regression or a deep neural network alone, being able to achieve a sub-hundred nanometer spectral resolution across the 8∼14 µm wavelength range. The size of the proposed spectrometer is comparable to a microchip and has the potential to be integrated within portable devices for infrared spectral imaging applications.

Electrostatic Shielding Regulation of Magnetron Sputtered Al-Based Alloy Protective Coatings Enables Highly Reversible Zinc Anodes.

The uncontrolled zinc dendrite growth during plating leads to quick battery failure, which hinders the widespread applications of aqueous zinc-ion batteries. The growth of Zn dendrites is often promoted by the "tip effect". In this work, we propose a generate strategy to eliminate the "tip effect" by utilizing the electrostatic shielding effect, which is achieved by coating Zn anodes with magnetron sputtered Al-based alloy protective layers. The Al can form a surface insulating Al2O3 layer and by manipulating the Al content of Zn-Al alloy films, we are able to control the strength of the electrostatic shield, therefore realizing a long lifespan of Zn anodes up to 3000 h at a practical operating condition of 1.0 mA cm-2 and 1.0 mAh cm-2. In addition, the concept can be extended to other Al-based systems such as Ti-Al alloy and achieve enhanced stability of Zn anodes, demonstrating the generality and efficacy of our strategy.

Metabolomic analyses redefine the biological classification of pancreatic cancer and correlate with clinical outcomes.

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is characterized by high heterogeneity, and the postoperative prognosis of different patients often varies greatly. Therefore, the classification of pancreatic cancer patients and precise treatment becomes particularly important. In our study, 1 H NMR spectroscopy was used to analyze the 76 PDAC serum samples and identify the potential metabolic subtypes. The metabolic characteristics of each metabolic subtype were screened out and the relationship between metabolic subtype and the long-term prognosis was further identified. The clinical stages of PDAC did not show the metabolic differences at the serum metabolomic level. And three metabolic subtypes, basic, choline-like and amino acid-enriched types, were defined by the hierarchical cluster analysis of the serum metabolites and the disturbed metabolic pathways. The characteristic metabolites of each PDAC subtype were identified, and the metabolite model was established to distinguish the PDAC patients in the different subtypes. Among the three metabolic subtypes, choline-like type displayed better long-term prognosis compared to the other two types of patients. Metabolic subtypes are of clinical importance and are closer to expressing the heterogeneity in the actual life activities of pancreatic cancer than molecular typing. The excavation of metabolic subtypes based on this will be more in line with clinical reality and more promising to guide clinical precision individualization treatment.

Surface and Interface Engineering of Zn Anodes in Aqueous Rechargeable Zn-Ion Batteries.

Rechargeable zinc-ion batteries (ZIBs) have shown great potential as an alternative to lithium-ion batteries. The ZIBs utilize Zn metal as the anode, which possesses many advantages such as low cost, high safety, eco-friendliness, and high capacity. However, on the other hand, the Zn anode also suffers from many issues, including dendritic growth, corrosion, and passivation. These issues are largely related to the surface and interface properties of the Zn anode. Many efforts have therefore been devoted to the modification of the Zn anode, aiming to eliminate the above-mentioned problems. This review gives a comprehensive summary on the mechanism behind these issues as well as the recent progress on Zn anode modification with focus on the strategies of surface and interface engineering, covering the design and application of both the Zn anode supports and surface protective layers, along with abundant examples. In addition, the promising research directions and perspective on these strategies are also presented.

Develop a stepwise integrated method to screen biomarkers of Baihe-Dihuang Tang on the treatment of depression in rats applying with composition screened, untargeted, and targeted metabolomics analysis.

Baihe-Dihuang Tang is a commonly prescribed remedy for depression. In this study, component screening with untargeted and targeted metabolomics was used to identify potential biomarkers for depression in chronic unpredictable mildly stressed rats. Using this novel identification method, the screening of organic acids, lily saponins, iridoids, and other ingredients formed the basis for subsequent metabolomics research. Baihe-Dihuang Tang supplementation in chronic unpredictable mild-stress-induced depression models, increased their body weight, sucrose preference, brain-derived neurotrophic factor deposition, and spatial exploring. Untargeted metabolomics revealed that Baihe-Dihuang Tang exerts its antidepressant effects by regulating the levels of lipids, organic acids, and its derivatives, and benzenoids in the brain, plasma, and urine of the depressed rats. Moreover, it also modulates the d-glutamine and d-glutamate metabolism and purine metabolism. Targeted metabolomics demonstrated significant reduction in l-glutamate levels in the brains of depressed rats. This could be a potential biomarker for depression. Baihe-Dihuang Tang alleviated depression by regulating the levels of l-glutamate, xanthine, and adenine in the brains of depressed rats. Together, these findings conclusively established the promising therapeutic effect of Baihe-Dihuang Tang on depression and also unraveled the underlying molecular mechanism of its potential antidepressant function.

Increased BBB permeability contributes to EGCG-caused cognitive function improvement in natural aging rats: pharmacokinetic and distribution analyses.

Previous studies report that (-)-epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), the most abundant polyphenolic ingredient in green tea, has high efficacy against Alzheimer's disease (AD) in various in vivo and in vitro models. However, as a water-soluble component, how EGCG exerts its anti-AD effects in the brain was not elucidated. In the present study, we investigated the anti-AD mechanisms of EGCG in natural aging rats with cognitive impairments (CIs) assessed using Morris water maze. The rats were treated with EGCG (100 mg/kg per day, intragastrically) for 4 weeks. The expression of ß-amyloid (Aß1-42) in the brain was detected with immunohistochemical staining. We showed that EGCG administration significantly ameliorated the CI in the aging rats with CI and decreased Aß1-42 plaque formation in their brains. Then we used an efficient ultra-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometer method to evaluate EGCG concentrations in rat plasma and tissue distribution. We found that EGCG absorption was significantly increased in the aging with CI group compared with control young rats. After oral administration of EGCG (100 mg), EGCG could not be detected in the brain tissues of control young rats, but it was found in the brain tissue of aging rats with CI. By using Evans Blue assay, transmission electron microscopy, and Western blotting assay, we demonstrated that the permeability of blood-brain barrier (BBB) was significantly increased in aging rats with CI. These results suggest that the permeability change of BBB is the physiological structural basis for EGCG treatment to improve learning and memory, thus providing a solid evidence for EGCG druggability in anti-AD therapeutic field.

Schisandrin ameliorates cognitive impairment and attenuates Aß deposition in APP/PS1 transgenic mice: involvement of adjusting neurotransmitters and their metabolite changes in the brain.

Neurotransmitters (NTs) in the brain are involved in neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer's disease (AD). Schisandrin is a major ingredient of Schisandra chinensis (Turcz.) Baill and has been used for the treatment of AD. In this study we examined the therapeutic effects of schisandrin in APP/PS1 transgenic mice, and correlated the beneficial effects on cognitive impairment with the adjustments in NTs and their metabolites in the mouse brains. APP/PS1 mice were treated with schisandrin (2 mg·kg-1·d-1, ip) for 2 weeks. In Morris Water Maze test; untreated APP/PS1 mice displayed significant cognitive impairment compared with normal mice; schisandrin administration ameliorated the cognitive impairment and significantly decreased Aß deposition in the hippocampus. In order to assess the effects of schisandrin on NTs and their metabolites, we developed a rapid and sensitive UPLC-MS/MS method for simultaneous determination of serotonin, 5-hydroxyindole acetic acid, dopamine, norepinephrine, γ-aminobutyric acid, glutamic acid, homovanillic acid, 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid and acetylcholine in mouse brains. This method conformed to methodology validation requirements. We found that there were statistically significant differences in these NTs and their metabolites between untreated APP/PS1 mice and normal mice, whereas schisandrin administration restored the abnormal NTs and their metabolites levels. These results suggest that schisandrin could alter the levels of these NTs and their metabolites in the brain, thus ameliorating learning and memory impairments in APP/PS1 mice.

Development of a UPLC-MS/MS Method for Simultaneous Determination of Six Flavonoids in Rat Plasma after Administration of Maydis stigma Extract and Its Application to a Comparative Pharmacokinetic Study in Normal and Diabetic Rats.

Maydis stigma is an important medicine herb used in many parts of the world for treatment of diabetes mellitus, which main bioactive ingredients are flavonoids. This paper describes for the first time a study on the comparative pharmacokinetics of six active flavonoid ingredients of Maydis stigma in normal and diabetic rats orally administrated with the decoction. Therefore, an efficient and sensitive ultra high performance liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS) method for the simultaneous determination of six anti-diabetic ingredients (cynaroside, quercetin, luteolin, isorhamnetin, rutin and formononetin) of Maydis stigma in rat plasma has been developed and validated in plasma samples, which showed good linearity over a wide concentration range (r² > 0.99), and gave a lower limit of quantification of 1.0 ng·mL-1 for the analytes. The intra- and interday assay variability was less than 15% for all analytes. The mean extraction recoveries and matrix effect of analytes and IS from rats plasma were all more than 85.0%. The stability results showed the measured concentration for six analytes at three QC levels deviated within 15.0%. The results indicated that significant differences in the pharmacokinetic parameters of the analytes were observed between the two groups of animals, whereby the absorptions of these analytes in the diabetic group were all significantly higher than those in the normal group, which provides an experimental basis for the role of Maydis stigma in anti-diabetic treatment.

Differential pharmacokinetics and the brain distribution of morphine and ephedrine constitutional isomers in rats after oral administration with Keke capsule using rapid-resolution LC-MS/MS.

Opioid and ephedra alkaloids known as the active ingredients for Keke capsule, which is used to treat coughs and bronchial asthma, could have potential adverse effects on the central nervous system. Therefore, an efficient, sensitive rapid-resolution LC-MS/MS method for the simultaneous determination of morphine, ephedrine, and pseudoephedrine in rat plasma and brain tissue homogenate has been developed. The method was validated in the plasma and brain tissue samples, showed good linearity over a wide concentration range (r(2) > 0.99). The intra- and interday assay variability was less than 15% for all analytes, and the accuracy was between -8.8 and 5.7%. The study provided the pharmacokinetics profiles and the brain regional distribution of the three active alkaloids after oral administration of Keke capsule. The results also indicated that significant difference in pharmacokinetics parameters of the epimers was observed between ephedrine and pseudoephedrine.

Rapid Separation and API Grades Identification of Base Oil in Low Viscosity Gasoline Engine Oil SN 0W-16.

Using low viscosity engine oil is one of the most economical and easily achievable ways to improve fuel economy. Base oil is a main component in low viscosity engine oils, and therefore, the separation and identification of its are of great significance for oil product developers to prepare high-performance lubricants. However, the extraction methods reported for base oils mainly adopt membrane dialysis, which not only fails to completely separate the base oil but also wastes a large amount of solvent. The reason for this result is that the concentration of substances inside and outside the membrane cannot always be in an imbalanced state of permeation resulting from manual operation. Additionally, most studies primarily focus on the characterization of base oil components, while there are few reports on grade identification. For the above reasons, an economically effective separation technique of base oil from low viscosity gasoline engine oil SN 0W-16 is successfully established by combining improved Soxhlet extraction and a column chromatography separation method. By applying this method, the yield of extracting base oil generally exceeds 96%, and the solvent can also save more than 3 times. Besides, an exclusion method is built through several simple characterization steps including viscosity index (VI), FT-IR, size-exclusion chromatography (SEC), and hydrocarbon composition, which can quickly identify the American Petroleum Institute (API) grade and brand of the base oils.

Metabolomic analysis of black sesame seeds: Effects of processing and active compounds in antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.

Black sesame seeds (BSS) have been recognized as a functional food due to their nutritional and therapeutic value for many years. In China, BSS is traditionally processed and consumed through two methods, namely, nine steaming nine sun-drying and stir-frying. The present study aimed to evaluate the effects of these processing techniques on the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities of BSS. UPLC-QTOF/MS was used for untargeted metabolomics to analyze the composition changes. The results indicated that the different samples had good antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities, but thermal treatment reduced their activities. Untargeted metabolomics identified a total of 196 metabolites. Molecular docking studies targeting proteins associated with inflammation (iNOS) demonstrated that compounds acting as inhibitors were significantly reduced under both treatments. These results indicate that both nine steaming nine sun-drying and stir-frying lead to substantial loss of antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and bioactive metabolites in BSS, which provides an important reference for its rational utilization.

Combined metabolomics and bioactivity assays kernelby-productsof two native Chinese cherry species: The sources of bioactive nutraceutical compounds.

Cherry kernels are a by-product of cherries that are usually discarded, leading to waste and pollution. In this study, the chemical composition of 21 batches of cherry kernels from two different cherry species was analyzed using untargeted metabolomics. The in vitro antioxidant activity, cellular antioxidant activity, and antiproliferative activity of these kernel extracts were also determined, and a correlation analysis was conducted between differential compounds and biological activity. A total of 49 differential compounds were screened. The kernels of Prunus tomentosa were found to have significantly higher total phenol, total flavonoid content, and biological activity than those of Prunus pseudocerasus (P < 0.05). Correlation analysis showed that flavonoids had the greatest contribution to biological activity. The study suggests that both species of cherry kernel, particularly Prunus tomentosa, could be a potential source of bioactive compounds that could be used in the pharmaceutical, cosmetic, and food industries.

Untargeted metabolomics analysis using UPLC-QTOF/MS and GC-MS to unravel changes in antioxidant activity and compounds of almonds before and after roasting.

Almonds are a commonly consumed nut. They possess significantof nutritional and health benefitsand are commonly processed by roasting. This study aimed to investigatthe effects of roasting on the compound composition and antioxidant activity of almonds. Metabolomics analysis, performed via UPLC-QTOF/MS, and fatty acid analysis, conducted via GC-MS, employed, and the results demonstrated a significant increase in antioxidant activity of post-roasting and in vitro digestion, ranging from 1.16 to 3.44 times. Untargeted metabolomics identified a total of 172 compounds, with notable differences observed in organic oxides, fatty acids, and their derivatives. Correlation analysis identified fatty acids as the primary influencers of changes in antioxidant activity following roasting. Taken together, these findings suggest that roasting enhances the antioxidant activity of almonds, primarily due to alterations in fatty acid analogs, thereby providing valuable insights into optimizing almond consumption for health benefits.

A Tunable Graphene Superlattice with Deformable Periodical Nano-Gating.

Graphene superlattices have simple and controllable electronic band structures, which can also be electrostatically tuned. They have been widely studied for band engineering and strong correlated physics, and have led to the discovery of a variety of exciting phenomena. To experimentally study the physics of graphene superlattices in a systematic way, it is desirable to control the structure parameters, which barely exist at the moment, onsite. Here, a tunable superlattice with graphene and a deformable gating structure is demonstrated. The period and duty cycle of the nano-gating, and furthermore of the superlattice potential, can be tuned through altering the shape of the gating structure with piezo-actuators, offering a tunable band structure. The tuning of the electronic band structures of both a two-dimensional and a one-dimensional superlattice is demonstrated with numerical simulations, offering a new approach for tunable electronic and photonic devices.

Cordycepin Modulates Microglial M2 Polarization Coupled with Mitochondrial Metabolic Reprogramming by Targeting HKII and PDK2.

The microenvironment mediated by the microglia (MG) M1/M2 phenotypic switch plays a decisive role in the neuronal fate and cognitive function of Alzheimer's disease (AD). However, the impact of metabolic reprogramming on microglial polarization and its underlying mechanism remains elusive. This study reveals that cordycepin improved cognitive function and memory in APP/PS1 mice, as well as attenuated neuronal damage by triggering MG-M2 polarization and metabolic reprogramming characterized by increased OXPHOS and glycolysis, rather than directly protecting neurons. Simultaneously, cordycepin partially alleviates mitochondrial damage in microglia induced by inhibitors of OXPHOS and glycolysis, further promoting MG-M2 transformation and increasing neuronal survival. Through confirmation of cordycepin distribution in the microglial mitochondria via mitochondrial isolation followed by HPLC-MS/MS techniques, HKII and PDK2 are further identified as potential targets of cordycepin. By investigating the effects of HKII and PDK2 inhibitors, the mechanism through which cordycepin targeted HKII to elevate ECAR levels in the glycolysis pathway while targeting PDK2 to enhance OCR levels in PDH-mediated OXPHOS pathway, thereby inducing MG-M2 polarization, promoting neuronal survival and exerting an anti-AD role is elucidated.

Recent Insights into Sample Pretreatment Methods for Mycotoxins in Different Food Matrices: A Critical Review on Novel Materials.

Mycotoxins pollution is a global concern, and can pose a serious threat to human health. People and livestock eating contaminated food will encounter acute and chronic poisoning symptoms, such as carcinogenicity, acute hepatitis, and a weakened immune system. In order to prevent or reduce the exposure of human beings and livestock to mycotoxins, it is necessary to screen mycotoxins in different foods efficiently, sensitively, and selectively. Proper sample preparation is very important for the separation, purification, and enrichment of mycotoxins from complex matrices. This review provides a comprehensive summary of mycotoxins pretreatment methods since 2017, including traditionally used methods, solid-phase extraction (SPE)-based methods, liquid-liquid extraction (LLE)-based methods, matrix solid phase dispersion (MSPD), QuEChERS, and so on. The novel materials and cutting-edge technologies are systematically and comprehensively summarized. Moreover, we discuss and compare the pros and cons of different pretreatment methods and suggest a prospect.

Sputtered binder-free Cu3N electrode materials for high-performance quasi-solid-state asymmetric supercapacitors.

Developing high-efficiency electrode materials is of great importance in manufacturing supercapacitor devices with superior electrochemical performance. Herein, we for the first time report a binder-free method for controllable growth of Cu3N electrode materials via magnetron sputtering for supercapacitor applications. Benefiting from their unique polyhedral structure and good electrical conductivity, Cu3N electrodes can achieve an areal capacity of 90.7 mC cm-2 at 1 mA cm-2 and outstanding cycling stability with a capacity retention of 97.4% after 20 000 cycles. In particular, the assembled Cu3N//active carbon quasi-solid-state asymmetric supercapacitor can exhibit a maximum energy density of 13.2 µW h cm-2 and a power density of 4.8 mW cm-2 with an operating voltage of 1.6 V. These remarkable performances demonstrate the great potential of sputtered Cu3N electrode materials for future energy storage applications.