Multi-Component and Nanoporous Design toward RuO2-Based Electrocatalyst with Enhanced Performance for Acidic Water Splitting.

Developing electrocatalysts with excellent activity and stability for water splitting in acidic media remains a formidable challenge due to the sluggish kinetics and severe dissolution. As a solution, a multi-component doped RuO2 prepared through a process of dealloying-annealing is presented. The resulting multi-doped RuO2 possesses a nanoporous structure, ensuring a high utilization efficiency of Ru. Furthermore, the dopants can regulate the electronic structure, causing electron aggregation around unsaturated Ru sites, which mitigates Ru dissolution and significantly enhances the catalytic stability/activity. The representative catalyst (FeCoNiCrTi-RuO2) shows an overpotential of 167 mV at 10 mA cm-2 for oxygen evolution reaction (OER) in 0.5 m H2SO4 solution with a Tafel slope of 53.1 mV dec-1, which is among the highest performance reported. Moreover, it remains stable for over 200 h at a current density of 10 mA cm-2. This work presents a promising approach for improving RuO2-based electrocatalysts, offering a crucial advancement for electrochemical water splitting.

Trap Depth Engineering from Persistent Luminescence Phosphors Mg2-xZnxSnO4 for Dynamic Optical Information Encryption Application.

Traditional information encryption materials that rely on fluorescent/phosphorescent molecules are facing an increasing risk of counterfeiting or tampering due to their static reading mode and advances in counterfeiting technology. In this study, a series of Mg2-xZnxSnO4 (x = 0.55, 0.6, 0.65, 0.7 0.75, 0.8) that realizes the writing, reading, and erasing of dynamic information is developed. When heated to 90 °C, the materials exhibit a variety of dynamic emission changes with the concentration of Zn2+ ions. As the doping concentration increased, the ratio of the shallow trap to deep trap changed from 7.77 to 20.86. When x = 0.55, the proportion of deep traps is relatively large, resulting in a higher temperature and longer time required to read the information. When x = 0.80, the proportion of shallow traps is larger and the encrypted information is easier to read. Based on the above features, encryption binary codes device was designed, displaying dynamic writing, reading, and erasing of information under daylight and heating conditions. Accordingly, this work provides reliable guidance on advanced dynamic information encryption.

Multimodal and Multicolor Anti-counterfeiting Realized in CaCd2Ga2Ge3O12 with a Single Activator of Mn2.

The continuously growing significance of information security and authentication has put forward many new requirements and challenges for modern luminescent materials and anti-counterfeiting technologies. Recently, luminescent materials have attracted much attention in this field owing to their legibility, repeatability, multicolor, and multiple stimuli-responsive nature. In this work, the efficient multicolor and multimodal luminescence material CaCd2Ga2Ge3O12:Mn2+ was successfully designed and synthesized using the strategy of single-doped Mn2+ in a single matrix. Also, we combined the morphology, crystal structure, energy band calculation, luminescence properties, and trap analysis to study the optical data storage capacity of CaCd2Ga2Ge3O12:Mn2+. Interestingly, in the presence of the 254 nm UV lamp, the sample can exhibit a tunable emission color from bule to cyan to yellow by increasing the dopant concentration of Mn2+. Also, under the afterglow and thermoluminescence luminescence modes, it presented strong yellow emission centered at 558 nm. Based on the advantage of multiple tunable luminescence, samples were made into anti-counterfeiting ink and were used to print four optical devices through the screen printing technology. The results show that the material has excellent multicolor anti-counterfeiting properties under the three luminescence modes, which has contributed to the development of many kinds of luminescent anti-counterfeiting materials for security purposes.

A Smartphone-Based Sensing for Portable and Sensitive Visual Detection of Hg (II) via Nitrogen Doped Carbon Quantum Dots Modified Paper Strip.

The development of portable and cost-effective sensing system for Hg2+ quantitation is highly demanded for environmental monitoring. Herein, an on-site, rapid and portable smartphone readout device based Hg2+ sensing system integrating nitrogen-doped carbon quantum dots (NCDs) modified paper strip was proposed, and the physicochemical properties of NCDs were characterized by high resolution TEM, FTIR, UV-vis absorption spectrum and fluorescence spectral analysis. The modified paper strip was prepared via "ink-jet" printing technology and exhibits sensitive fluorescence response to Hg2+ with fluorescence color of bright blue (at the excitation/emission wavelength of 365/440 nm). This portable smartphone-based sensing platform is highly selective and sensitive to Hg2+ with the limit of detection (LOD) of 10.6 nM and the concentration range of 0-130 nM. In addition, the recoveries of tap water and local lake water were in the range of 89.4% to 109%. The cost-effective sensing system based on smartphone shows a great potential for trace amounts of Hg2+ monitoring in environmental water samples.

Analysing oxygen reduction electrocatalysis on transition metal doped niobium oxide(110).

A good oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) catalyst should be stable and active under electrochemical reaction conditions. Niobium pentaoxide (Nb2O5) is known to be stable under ORR conditions. However it has a large band gap, which makes conductivity a challenge during the reaction. In this work, we aim to understand if surface modification of the 110 facet of niobium pentaoxide with transition metal doping has any effect on its ORR activity and conductivity. While the problem of conductivity in the case of transition metal oxides (TMOs) can be partially rectified by transition metal doping, it has negligible influence on the ORR activity of the doped systems.

Achieving Multimodal Emission in Zn4B6O13:Tb3+,Yb3+ for Information Encryption and Anti-counterfeiting.

With the rapid development of technology, information security has always been considered a major challenge. In this work, the excellent combination of persistent luminescence, photoluminescence, up-conversion luminescence, and thermo-luminescence in a particular material Zn4B6O13:Tb3+,Yb3+ synthesized via a solid-state reaction is reported, which can be used for the information encryption and anti-counterfeiting. Tb3+ ions were chosen as the emitting centers for multimodal emissions, and Yb3+ codoping can be used as electron traps and sensitizer to adjust trap distribution and efficient up-conversion luminescence in rare-earth-doped luminescent materials. Besides, the as-prepared luminescent materials exhibit high thermal stability and excellent water resistance. On the basis of these properties, the samples were used to print luminescent images through a screen printing process on the film and banknote. The luminescent image in a film is showing different patterns and on a banknote is showing green emissions under different stimulations. These multimodal emissions demonstrate that the as-prepared sample is suitable for advanced information encryption and anti-counterfeiting.

Comprehensive multi-factors reveal the pathogenesis of degenerative intervertebral disc.

Intervertebral Disc (IVD) is a moderately moving joint that provides load transfer and flexibility to the entire spine. Although healthy IVD can balance the turnover of slow-synthesis matrices, this balance is often disrupted that leading to the development of degenerative diseases. The pathogenesis and treatment mechanism of Intervertebral Disc Degeneration (IDD) has always been the focus of scientific research, but its pathogenesis is still unknown. Therefore, this study is based on a modular approach to in-depth analysis and explore the genes of IDD, intended to identify the molecular process of disc degeneration. Firstly, the data related to Intervertebral Disc Degeneration and normal intervertebral disc were downloaded from the GEO database. The differential analysis of two kinds of data was performed to obtain differential gene expression profiles. Secondly, mapping those differential genes to Cytoscape to construct protein-protein interaction networks (PPIs). Then, the module gene was subjected to enrichment analysis of GO function and KEGG pathway. Finally, non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) and transcription factors that regulate the module are predicted based on hypergeometric testing. In summary, we identified 22 co-expression modules, and the enrichment analysis results revealed that the module genes were significantly involved in the regulation of definite biotic procedures. In conclusion, we recognized the ncRNA pivot (including miR-193b-3p, CRNDE, etc.) and TF pivot (including E2F1, E2F4, etc.) that significantly regulate dysfunction modules.

Three-phase partitioning as an elegant and versatile platform applied to nonchromatographic bioseparation processes.

In recent years, a big trend has been the development of rapid, green, efficient, economical, and scalable approaches for the separation and purification of bioactive molecules from natural sources, which can be used in food, cosmetics, and medicine. As a new nonchromatographic bioseparation technology, three-phase partitioning (TPP) is attracting the attention of a growing number of scientists and engineers. Although a number of studies have been published in the last 40 years regarding the extraction, separation, and purification of numerous bioactive molecules using TPP systems, a background review on TPP partitioning fundamentals and its applications is much needed. Therefore, the present review focuses in detail on the TPP separation process, including the definition of TPP, partitioning mechanisms, parameters for establishing the suitable condition to form precipitate such as concentration of ammonium sulfate, content of tert-butanol, pH and temperature, and the application for separation and purification of protein, enzyme, plant oil, polysaccharide, and other small molecule organic compounds. In addition, the possible directions of future developments in TPP technology are discussed. The review presents a good opportunity, as well as a challenge for scientists, to understand the detailed partitioning rule and to take better use of TPP for the production and separation of various bioactive molecules, which have been intensively applied in the food and medical fields.

Imaging-Assisted Diagnosis and Characteristics of Suspected Spinal Brucellosis: A Retrospective Study of 72 Cases.

BACKGROUND We clarified the imaging features of Brucella spondylitis to enhance our understanding of the disease and to minimize misdiagnosis. MATERIAL AND METHODS Imaging data (X-ray, computed tomography [CT], and magnetic resonance imaging [MRI] data) of 72 Brucella spondylitis patients treated from 2010 to 2017 were retrospectively analyzed; diagnoses was made by evaluating laboratory and pathological data. RESULTS X-ray films revealed changes in intervertebral space heights, the number of lateral osteophytes, and bone destruction, which were more severe in the following order: lumbosacral vertebrae (56 cases, 77.8%), cervical spine (6 cases, 8.3%), thoracic spine (5 cases, 6.9%), and multi-segmental mixed vertebrae (5 cases, 6.9%). CT revealed osteolytic destruction attributable to early-stage Brucella spondylitis (endplate and vertebral lamellar osteolysis), usually associated with multiple vertebral involvement, with the middle and late disease stages being characterized by osteophytes in the vertebral margins and bony bridges, endplate sclerosis, and vertebral osteosynthesis. We encountered 54 cases (75%) with endplate lamellar osteolysis, 37 (51.4%) with vertebral lamellar osteolysis, 59 (81.9%) with marginal osteophytes, 10 (13.9%) with bony bridges, 25 (34.7%) with vertebral laminar sclerosis, and 17 (23.6%) with vertebral osteosynthesis. MRI revealed early, low-intensity, differential T1WI vertebral and intervertebral signals, with occasional iso-signals, T2WI iso-signals or high-intensity signals; and T2WI-FS vertebral and intervertebral high-intensity signals, commonly from vertebral soft tissues and rarely from paravertebral abscesses. CONCLUSIONS A better understanding of the X-ray, CT, and MRI features of Brucella spondylitis could aid in diagnosis when combined with epidemiological and laboratory data, thus minimizing misdiagnosis.

Advances in antitumor polysaccharides from phellinus sensu lato: Production, isolation, structure, antitumor activity, and mechanisms.

Edible and medicinal fungi (mushrooms) are widely applied to functional foods and nutraceutical products because of their proven nutritive and medicinal properties. Phellinus sensu lato is a well-known medicinal mushroom that has long been used in preventing ailments, including gastroenteric dysfunction, diarrhea, hemorrhage, and cancers, in oriental countries, particularly in China, Japan, and Korea. Polysaccharides represent a major class of bioactive molecules in Phellinus s. l., which have notable antitumor, immunomodulatory, and medicinal properties. Polysaccharides that were isolated from fruiting bodies, cultured mycelia, and filtrates of Phellinus s. l. have not only activated different immune responses of the host organism but have also directly suppressed tumor growth and metastasis. Studies suggest that polysaccharides from Phellinus s. l. are promising alternative anticancer agents or synergizers for existing antitumor drugs. This review summarizes the recent development of polysaccharides from Phellinus s. l., including polysaccharide production, extraction and isolation methods, chemical structure, antitumor activities, and mechanisms of action.

Improvement of skin condition by oral administration of collagen hydrolysates in chronologically aged mice.

BACKGROUND: Collagen hydrolysates (CHs) have been demonstrated to have positive effects on skin photoaging by topical application or oral ingestion. However, there has been little research on their influence on skin chronological aging. In this study, 9-month-old female ICR mice were given normal AIN-93M diets containing CHs (2.5, 5 and 10% w/w) from Nile tilapia scale. RESULTS: After 6 months, the collagen content and antioxidant enzyme (superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase) activities increased significantly (P < 0.05), while the survival rate, viscera indices and contents of moisture, fat and non-collagenous protein in skin did not change (P > 0.05). The color, luster and quantity of hair were obviously ameliorated. Moreover, the structure of epidermis and dermis, the density and distribution of collagen fibers and the ratio of type I to type III collagen were improved in a dose-dependent manner as shown by histochemical staining. CONCLUSION: Oral ingestion of CHs increased the collagen content and antioxidant enzyme activities and improved the appearance and structure of skin. These results suggest the potential of CHs as an anti-skin-aging ingredient in nutraceuticals or functional foods. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry.

A single amino acid substitution alter antigenicity of Glycosylated protein 4 of HP-PRRSV.

BACKGROUND: Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS) is an important pig endemic disease in pork-producing countries worldwide. The etiology, porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV), is characterized by fast antigen variability. Glycosylated protein 4 (GP4) is a minor protein in PRRSV virion, but contributes to induce protective immune responses. However, the antigenic characterization of PRRSV GP4 and the role of the mutations in this protein in PRRSV evolution are not clear. METHODS: Peptides chip scanning and peptide based ELISA was used to analyze the antigenic characterization of HP-PRRSV GP4. A total of 142 peptides printed on a chip were used to reveal the antigen reaction characteristics of the HP-PRRSV. The reactions of these peptides with HP-PRRSV-specific pig serum were scanned and quantified using the software PepSlide® Analyzer by fluorescence intensity. The active reaction regions (AR) were identified based on the scanning results and then the amino acids (aa) sequences of AR(s) is aligned among PRRSV strains for further identify the key aa site(s) impact the antigenicity of the protein. Peptide based ELISA is then reacted with PRRSV positive sera derived from pig inoculated with different PRRSV strains for further analysis the role of specific amino acid in AR. RESULTS: The intensity plot was used to show the reactions of the peptides with PRRSV serum and it showed that enormously different response happened to various parts of GP4. The highest reaction intensity value reached 6401.5 against one peptide with the sequence DIKTNTTAASDFVVL. An AR from S29 to G56 was identified. Sequence alignment revealed various mutations in site 43 and possibly played an important role in this AR. Peptides ELISA reaction with sera from pigs inoculated with different PRRSV strain revealed that the change of aa in site 43 reduced the reaction of the peptide with PRRSV positive sera derived from pigs inoculated with the peptide related PRRSV strains. CONCLUSION: In this study, one AR covering S29 to G56 was identified in GP4. The aa in site 43 play an important role in determining the antigenic character of GP4. The continual mutations (S → G → D → N) occurred in this site alter the antigenicity of PRRSV GP4.

Nonequivalent Substitution and Charge-Induced Emitter-Migration Design of Tuning Spectral and Duration Properties of NaCa2GeO4F:Mn(2+) Persistent Luminescent Phosphor.

We combine nonequivalent substitution and charge-induced emitter-migration approaches and design an efficient method to optionally tune the spectral and duration properties of NaCa2GeO4F:Mn(2+) phosphor. A series of representative codopants have been investigated in detail and classified into two categories: RA (RA = Li(+), Al(3+), N(3-), Ga(3+), B(3+)) and RB (RB = Mg(2+), F(-), Bi(3+), Zn(2+), Cd(2+), Sc(3+), Tm(3+)). Results reveal that the nonequivalent substitution of RA codopants would induce foreign negative defects and stabilize Mn(2+) emitters at octahedral Na/Ca sites for red emission. In constrast, the RB codopants would generate foreign positive defects and make Mn(2+) emitters migrate to tetrahedral Ge(4+) sites for green-yellow emission. At the same time, the RA codopants are in favor of the generation of intrinsic positive traps with shallow trap depth and thus efficiently improve the duration properties of phosphors. On the basis of the experimental results, a possible nonequivalent substitution and charge-induced emitter-migration model has been proposed, and we can optionally tune the spectral (568 ↔ 627 nm) and the duration (minutes to more than 6 h) properties according to this model.

Superlong and Color-Tunable Red Persistent Luminescence and Photostimulated Luminescence Properties of NaCa2GeO4F:Mn2+,Yb3+ Phosphor.

An excellent persistent luminescence (PersL) phosphor NaCa2GeO4F:Mn2+,Yb3+ has been synthesized by traditional solid-state reaction. By controlling the occupation sites of Mn2+ emitters, the PersL color of this phosphor can be optionally tuned in the red to green-yellow region, and the maximum spectral shift is more than 50 nm. Significantly, the red PersL can be measured for approximately 13 and 3 h (0.32 mcd/m2) and can be observed for more than 20 and 5 h with dark-adapted vision after exposure to ultraviolet irradiation and artificial sunlight, respectively. The crystal/electronic structure and photoluminescence/PersL properties of this phosphor have been investigated in detail. A series of the excitation temperature-dependent thermoluminescence experiments and the initial rising method have been conducted to study the trap properties of this phosphor. It reveals the reasons for the variation of PersL color, excellent red PersL, and degradation of green-yellow PersL. According to the results, the as-prepared NaCa2GeO4F:Mn2+,Yb3+ can be considered as an excellent red PersL phosphor, and it also has potential for application in optical storage.

Potential Uses of Vinegar as a Medicine and Related in vivo Mechanisms.

While the use of vinegar to fi ght against infections and other crucial conditions dates back to Hippocrates, recent research has found that vinegar consumption has a positive effect on biomarkers for diabetes, cancer, and heart diseases. Different types of vinegar have been used in the world during different time periods. Vinegar is produced by a fermentation process. Foods with a high content of carbohydrates are a good source of vinegar. Review of the results of different studies performed on vinegar components reveals that the daily use of these components has a healthy impact on the physiological and chemical structure of the human body. During the era of Hippocrates, people used vinegar as a medicine to treat wounds, which means that vinegar is one of the ancient foods used as folk medicine. The purpose of the current review paper is to provide a detailed summary of the outcome of previous studies emphasizing the role of vinegar in treatment of different diseases both in acute and chronic conditions, its in vivo mechanism and the active role of different bacteria.

Determination of bioavailability and identification of collagen peptide in blood after oral ingestion of gelatin.

BACKGROUND: Gelatin has long been widely used in foods, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, and other products. However, there are few reports on its bioavailability and bioavailable forms. In this study, the bioavailability of gelatin was indirectly evaluated by the determining the bioavailability of total hydroxyproline in gelatin using a pharmacokinetic method after oral administration to rats. RESULTS: The relative and absolute bioavailability of gelatin were 74.12% and 85.97%, respectively. The amino acid profile of plasma indicated that 41.91% of the digested gelatin was absorbed from the intestine in the form of peptide, and there was a good linear correlation between the absorbed amount of an amino acid and its content in gelatin (R(2) = 0.9566). Moreover, 17 types of collagen peptide were purified by multi-step chromatography and identified with ultra-performance liquid chromatography-electrospray ionisation-mass spectrometry. CONCLUSION: Gelatin had high oral bioavailability. Nearly half of digested gelatin was absorbed from the intestine in the form of various collagen peptides.

Two-sample Mendelian randomization studies revealed a causal relationship between insulin use and osteoporosis: An observational study.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate causal associations between diabetes, insulin treatment and osteoporosis using LDSC analysis with a 2-way Mendelian randomization study. METHODS: LDSC analysis was used to estimate the likelihood-scale heritability of the genome-wide association study used with genetic correlation between the 2 genome-wide association study used. Then a 2-sample Mendelian randomization study was performed using 3 methods including inverse variance weighted, MR Egger, and weighted median. RESULTS: The genetic correlation between diabetes, insulin treatment (h2_Z = 3.70, P = 2.16e-4), osteoporosis (h2_Z = 4.93, h2_p = 8.13e-7) and genes was significant. There was a significant genetic correlation (rg = 0.122, P = 0.0211). There was a causal association between diabetes, insulin treatment and osteoporosis [P = 0.003754, OR (95%CI) = 0.998876 (0.998116-0.999636)], while no causal association existed between osteoporosis and insulin use (P = 0.998116-0.999636) causal association existed (P = 0.333244). CONCLUSION: There was a strong genetic correlation between diabetes, insulin treatment and osteoporosis, a causal association between diabetes, insulin treatment and osteoporosis, and no causal association between osteoporosis and diabetes, insulin treatment.

One-Step Hydrothermal Synthesis of Sn-Doped Sb2Se3 for Solar Hydrogen Production.

Antimony selenide (Sb2Se3) has recently been intensively investigated and has achieved significant advancement in photoelectrochemical (PEC) water splitting. In this work, a facile one-step hydrothermal method for the preparation of Sn-doped Sb2Se3 photocathodes with improved PEC performance was investigated. We present an in-depth study of the performance enhancement in Sn-doped Sb2Se3 photocathodes using capacitance-voltage (CV), drive-level capacitance profiling (DLCP), and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) techniques. The incorporation of Sn2+ into the Sb2Se3 results in increased carrier density, reduced surface defects, and improved charge separation, thereby leading to improved PEC performance. With a thin Sb2Se3 absorber layer (270 nm thickness), the Sn-doped Sb2Se3 photocathode exhibits an improved photocurrent density of 17.1 mA cm-2 at 0 V versus RHE (V RHE) compared to that of the undoped Sb2Se3 photocathode (14.4 mA cm-2). This work not only highlights the positive influence of Sn doping on Sb2Se3 photocathodes but also showcases a one-step method to synthesize doped Sb2Se3 with improved optoelectronic properties.

Multi-mode anti-counterfeiting guarantees from a single material CaCd2Ga2Ge3O12:Tb3+,Yb3+ - two stimuli-responsive and four-state emission.

Luminescent anti-counterfeiting materials have drawn much attention in anti-counterfeiting applications due to their photochemical stability and emission patterns. However, conventional materials majorly use single-mode luminescence, leaving a growing demand for new materials to prevent counterfeiting. In this work, multi-mode anti-counterfeiting is guaranteed from a single luminescent material CaCd2Ga2Ge3O12:Tb3+,Yb3+via a high-temperature solid-state reaction. The experimental result showed that this single material features green luminescence with excellent photoluminescence, afterglow, thermoluminescence, and up-conversion luminescence, which are ascribed to Tb3+ transitions. Upon co-doping with Yb3+ as a sensitiser, the photo-stimuli responsiveness was achieved at 254 and 980 nm excitation sources, respectively, and the thermo-stimuli responsiveness was realised after exposure to UV of 254 nm for 10 s and heating at 45 °C, respectively. The band structure calculation, trap distribution, and effective trap depths were used to explain the luminescence mechanism. Based on the two-stimuli responsiveness and four-state emission performance, we prepared images of optical devices using silk screen printing technology. It was found that the images displayed green emission under different luminescence modes. The results prove that we successfully constructed an advanced luminescence anti-counterfeiting material.

Kindlin-2 in myoepithelium controls luminal progenitor commitment to alveoli in mouse mammary gland.

Myoepithelium plays an important role in mammary gland development, but less is known about the molecular mechanism underlying how myoepithelium controls acinus differentiation during gestation. Herein, we found that loss of Kindlin-2 in myoepithelial cells impaired mammary morphogenesis, alveologenesis, and lactation. Using five genetically modified mouse lines combined with single-cell RNA sequencing, we found a Kindlin-2-Stat3-Dll1 signaling cascade in myoepithelial cells that inactivates Notch signaling in luminal cells and consequently drives luminal progenitor commitment to alveolar cells identity. Single-cell profiling revealed that Kindlin-2 loss significantly reduces the proportion of matured alveolar cells. Mechanistically, Kindlin-2 depletion in myoepithelial cells promotes Stat3 activation and upregulates Dll1, which activates the Notch pathway in luminal cells and inhibits luminal progenitor differentiation and maturation during gestation. Inhibition of Notch1 with tangeretin allowed luminal progenitors to regain commitment ability in the pregnant mice with Kindlin-2 depletion in myoepithelium. Taken together, we demonstrated that Kindlin-2 is essential to myoepithelium-controlled luminal progenitors to alveoli transition during gestation.