Interface Engineering of MOF-Derived Co3O4@CNT and CoS2@CNT Anodes with Long Cycle Life and High-Rate Properties in Lithium/Sodium-Ion Batteries.

Metal-organic framework materials can be converted into carbon-based nanoporous materials by pyrolysis, which have a wide range of applications in energy storage. Here, we design special interface engineering to combine the carbon skeleton and nitrogen-doped carbon nanotubes (CNTs) with the transition metal compounds (TMCs) well, which mitigates the bulk effect of the TMCs and improves the conductivity of the electrodes. Zeolitic imidazolate framework-67 is used as a precursor to form a carbon skeleton and a large number of nitrogen-doped CNTs by pyrolysis followed by the in situ formation of Co3O4 and CoS2, and finally, Co3O4@CNTs and CoS2@CNTs are synthesized. The obtained anode electrodes exhibit a long cycle life and high-rate properties. In lithium-ion batteries (LIBs), Co3O4@CNTs have a high capacity of 581 mAh g-1 at a high current of 5 A g-1, and their reversible capacity is still 1037.6 mAh g-1 after 200 cycles at 1 A g-1. In sodium-ion batteries (SIBs), CoS2@CNTs have a capacity of 859.9 mAh g-1 at 0.1 A g-1 and can be retained at 801.2 mAh g-1 after 50 cycles. The unique interface engineering and excellent electrochemical properties make them ideal anode materials for high-rate, long-life LIBs and SIBs.

Sorting and gene mutation verification of circulating tumor cells of lung cancer with epidermal growth factor receptor peptide lipid magnetic spheres.

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to identify an efficient, simple, and specific method of detecting mutations in the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) gene in isolated lung cancer circulating tumor cells (CTCs) and to improve the ability to obtain tumor tissue clinically. METHODS: EGFR peptide lipid magnetic spheres (EG-P-LMB) were prepared by reverse evaporation, and characterization and cell capture efficiency assessed. The peripheral blood samples of 30 lung cancer patients were isolated and identified with the EG-P-LMB using 20 healthy volunteers as controls. Finally, the isolated CTCs were tested for EGFR gene mutations, and the tissue samples selected for comparison. RESULTS: The prepared magnetic spheres had a smaller particle size and higher stability according to the particle size potential test. Their morphology was homogeneous by atomic force observation, and the UV test showed that there were peptides on the surface. The separation efficiency of EG-P-LMB was greater than 90% in PBS and greater than 80% in the blood simulation system. Compared with the tissue sample results, the positive rate of EGFR gene mutations was 94%. The CTC test results of 27 patients were consistent with the tissue test results of the corresponding patients, and the consistency with the tissue comparison test results was 90% (27/30). CONCLUSIONS: EG-P-LMB can effectively capture CTCs in the peripheral blood of patients with lung cancer. CTC detection can accurately identify mutations in the EGFR gene and improve the ability to obtain tumor tissue in clinical practice. KEY POINTS: SIGNIFICANT FINDINGS OF THE STUDY: EG-P-LMB can effectively capture CTCs in the peripheral blood of patients with lung cancer. CTC detection can accurately identify mutations in the EGFR gene and improve the ability to obtain tumor tissue in clinical practice. WHAT THIS STUDY ADDS: This study added EGFR peptide lipid magnetic spheres to capture CTCs in the blood. Genetic testing was performed and compared with tissues. It solves the problem of clinically difficult tumor tissue sampling.

CO2 reforming of CH4 on Ni(111): a density functional theory calculation.

CO(2) reforming of CH(4) on Ni(111) was investigated by using density functional theory. On the basis of thermodynamic analyses, the first step is CH(4) sequential dissociation into surface CH (CH(4) --> CH(3) --> CH(2) --> CH) and hydrogen, and CO(2) dissociation into surface CO and O (CO(2) --> CO + O). The second step is CH oxygenation into CHO (CH + O --> CHO), which is more favored than dissociation into C and hydrogen (CH --> C + H). The third step is the dissociation of CHO into surface CO and H (CHO --> CO + H). This can explain the enhanced selectivity toward the formation of CO and H(2) on Ni catalysts. It is found that surface carbon formation by the Bouduard back reaction (2CO = C((ads)) + CO(2)) is more favored than by CH(4) sequential dehydrogenation. The major problem of CO(2) reforming of CH(4) is the very strong CO adsorption on Ni(111), which results in the accumulation of CO on the surface and hinders the subsequent reactions and promotes carbon deposition. Therefore, promoting CO desorption should maintain the reactivity and stability of Ni catalysts. The computed energy barriers of the most favorable elementary reaction identify the CH(4) activation into CH(3) and H as the rate-determining step of CO(2) reforming of CH(4) on Ni(111), in agreement with the isotopic experimental results.

Chemisorption of CO2 on nickel surfaces.

CO2 chemisorption on the Ni(111), Ni(100), and Ni(110) surfaces was investigated at the level of density functional theory. It was found that the ability of CO2 chemisorption is in the order of Ni(110) > Ni(100) > Ni(111). CO2 has exothermic chemisorption on Ni(110) and endothermic chemisorption on Ni(111), while it is thermally neutral on Ni(100). It is also found that there is no significant lateral interaction between the adsorbed CO2 at 1/4 monolayer (ML) coverage, while there is stronger repulsive interaction at 1/2 ML. On all surfaces, the chemisorbed CO2 is partially negatively charged, indicating the enhanced electron transfer, and the stronger the electron transfer, the stronger the C=O bond elongation. The bonding nature of the adsorbed CO2 on nickel surfaces has been analyzed. The thermodynamics of CO2 dissociative chemisorption, compared with CO and O adsorption, has been discussed, and the thermodynamic preference is in the sequence Ni(100) > Ni(111) > Ni(110).

[Effects of Cd2+ concentration on life table demography of Brachionus calyciflorus under different Scenedesmus obliquus density].

In order to understand the chronic toxicity of a pollutant to an organism in an aquatic environment with different food density, and screen out sensitive endpoints for monitoring Cd2+ pollution with rotifers as test animals, this paper studied the effects of different concentration (2.5, 5.0, 10.0, 20.0 and 40.0 microg x L(-1)) Cd2+ on the life table demography of Bracionus calyciflorus at the Scenedesmus obliquus density being 1.0 x 10(6), 3.0 x 10(6), and 5.0 x 10(6) cells x ml(-1). The results showed that at 25 +/- 1 degrees C, the 24 h LC50 of Cd2+ to B. calyciflorus was 37.7 microg x L(-1). Compared with the controls at the same food density, when the S. obliquus density was 1.0 x 10(6) cells x ml(-1), 20.0 and 40.0 microg x L(-1) of Cd2+ prolonged the generation time of B. calyciflorus significantly, and 5.0 microg x L(-1) of Cd2+ increased the percentage of B. calyciflorus mictic offspring. When the S. obliquus density was 3.0 x 10(6) cells x ml(-1), the Cd2+ at all test concentrations except 5.0 microg x L(-1) decreased the percentage of mictic offspring; when the S. obliquus density was 5.0 x 10(6) cells x ml(-1), all test concentration Cd2+ had no effects on the life table demography (P > 0.05). S. obliquus density had significant effects on the generation time, life expectancy at birth, net reproduction rate, percentage of mictic offspring of B. calyciflorus (P < 0.05), Cd2+ concentration had significant effects on the generation time and the percentage of mictic offspring (P < 0.05), and the interaction of S. obliquus density and Cd2+ concentration had significant effects on the percentage of mictic offspring (P < 0.01). Among all the studied parameters, the generation time and the percentage of mictic offspring were more sensitive to Cd2+ pollution under the algal densities of 1.0 x 10(6) and 3.0 x 10(6) cells x ml(-1), with the latter being the most sensitive.