Design of Eu3+-Doped Fluoride Phosphor with Zero Thermal Quenching Property Based on Density Functional Theory.

Although being applied in various fields, white light emitting diodes (WLEDs) still have drawbacks that urgently need to be conquered: the luminescent intensity of commercial phosphors sharply decreases at working temperature. In this study, we calculated the forming energy of defects and confirmed that the VNa defect state can stably exist in ß-NaGdF4, by density functional theory (DFT) calculation. Furthermore, we predicted that the VNa vacancies would provide a zero thermal quenching (ZTQ) property for the ß-NaGdF4-based red-light phosphor. Then, a series of ß-NaGdF4:xEu3+ and ß-NaGdF4:0.25Eu3+,yYb3+ red-light phosphors were synthesized by the hydrothermal method. We found that ß-NaGdF4:0.25Eu3+ and ß-NaGdF4:0.25Eu3+,0.005Yb3+ phosphors possess ZTQ properties at a temperature range between 303-483 K and 303-523 K, respectively. The thermoluminescence (TL) spectra were employed to calculate the depth and density of the VNa vacancies in ß-NaGdF4:0.25Eu3+ and ß-NaGdF4:0.25Eu3+,0.005Yb3+. Combining the DFT calculation with characterization results of TL spectra, it is concluded that electrons stored in VNa vacancies are excited to the exited state of Eu3+ to compensate for the loss of Eu3+ luminescent intensity. This will lead to an increase of luminescent intensity at high temperatures and facilitate the samples to improve ZTQ properties. WLEDs were obtained with CRI = 83.0, 81.6 and CCT = 5393, 5149 K, respectively, when phosphors of ß-NaGdF4:0.25Eu3+ and ß-NaGdF4:0.25Eu3+,0.005Yb3+ were utilized as the red-light source. These results indicate that these two phosphors may become reliable red-light sources with high antithermal quenching properties for WLEDs.

Mn-Activated Fluoride Phosphors Modified by Surfactant with Outstanding Water Resistance and Luminescent Thermal Properties.

Although Mn4+-activated fluoride phosphors have high luminescence quality, their poor water resistance and thermal fluorescence properties significantly limit their practical applications. Here, we propose a surfactant modification strategy by adding the surfactant cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) to the synthesis and modifying the surface of the phosphor with ethylene diamine tetraacetic acid (EDTA) to obtain a phosphor with excellent luminescence thermal properties and water resistance, K2TiF6:Mn4+-xCTAB-EDTA (KTFM-xC-E) phosphors. The experimental and X-ray diffraction Rietveld refinement results confirm that the phosphor has higher structural rigidity and thus improved thermal stability. The surface modification with EDTA resulted in the formation of a dilute Mn4+ shell layer on the phosphor surface, which prevented the inward hydrolysis of the phosphor and resulted in excellent water resistance. Therefore, we have successfully modified K2TiF6:Mn4+ (KTFM) phosphors using low-cost surfactants, which also provides new ideas for other commercial high-quality phosphors.

Luminescence Enhancement of K2LiAlF6:Mn4+ Phosphors by Zn2+-Mediated Charge Compensation for Fast-Response Backlighting Applications.

Wide-spectrum displays require narrow-band red phosphors activated by Mn4+, but most of them, such as K2SiF6:Mn4+, have long fluorescence decay lifetimes (>7 ms) that hinder their use in fast-response backlights. Interestingly, K2LiAlF6:0.05Mn4+ has a shorter fluorescence lifetime (3.43 ms), but its disadvantage is that its luminescence intensity is relatively weak. So, in this study, the luminescence intensity of K2LiAlF6:0.05Mn4+ is improved by doping with Zn2+. The experimental results show that enhancement of the luminous intensity is as high as 39%, the fluorescence lifetime is only increased by 13% (3.89 ms), and it is still less than 4 ms. Through experiments and differential charge density calculations, it has been revealed that the luminescence intensity improvement is due to an increased crystalline quality during the synthesis process. Specifically, the co-doping of Zn2+ reduces the formation of impurity ions Mn2+ and Mn3+ and the generation of K+ vacancies caused by nonequivalent doping. We demonstrate the advantage of this phosphor over K2SiF6:Mn4+ in terms of response speed by using a camera. It emits only weak red light after the blue chip stops working for 5 ms, indicating its potential application in next-generation fast-response displays.

Two QTL regions for spike length showing pleiotropic effects on Fusarium head blight resistance and thousand-grain weight in bread wheat (Triticum aestivum L.).

Spike length (SL) plays an important role in the yield improvement of wheat and is significantly associated with other traits. Here, we used a recombinant inbred line (RIL) population derived from a cross between Yangmai 12 (YM12) and Yanzhan 1 (YZ1) to construct a genetic linkage map and identify quantitative trait loci (QTL) for SL. A total of 5 QTL were identified for SL, among which QSl.yaas-3A and QSl.yaas-5B are two novel QTL for SL. The YZ1 alleles at QSl.yaas-2D and QSl.yaas-5A, and the YM12 alleles at QSl.yaas-2A, QSl.yaas-3A, and QSl.yaas-5B conferred increasing SL effects. Two major QTL QSl.yaas-5A and QSl.yaas-5B explained 9.11-15.85% and 9.01-12.85% of the phenotypic variations, respectively. Moreover, the positive alleles of QSl.yaas-5A and QSl.yaas-5B could significantly increase Fusarium head blight (FHB) resistance (soil surface inoculation and spray inoculation were used) and thousand-grain weight (TGW) in the RIL population. Kompetitive allele-specific PCR (KASP) markers for QSl.yaas-5A and QSl.yaas-5B were developed and validated in an additional panel of 180 wheat cultivars/lines. The cultivars/lines harboring both the positive alleles of QSl.yaas-5A and QSl.yaas-5B accounted for only 28.33% of the validation populations and had the longest SL, best FHB resistance (using spray inoculation), and highest TGW. A total of 358 and 200 high-confidence annotated genes in QSl.yaas-5A and QSl.yaas-5B were identified, respectively. Some of the genes in these two regions were involved in cell development, disease resistance, and so on. The results of this study will provide a basis for directional breeding of longer SL, higher TGW, and better FHB resistance varieties and a solid foundation for fine-mapping QSl.yaas-5A and QSl.yaas-5B in future. Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s11032-023-01427-8.

High Water Resistance and Luminescent Thermal Stability of LiyNa(2-y)SiF6: Mn4+ Red-Emitting Phosphor Induced by Codoping of Li.

Mn4+-doped fluoride phosphors are efficient narrowband red-emitting phosphors for white light-emitting diodes (WLEDs) and backlight displays. However, erosion by moisture is the main obstacle that limits their application. In this work, LNSF:Mn4+ (Li0.06Na1.94Si0.94Mn0.06F6) with high quantum yield (QY), luminescent thermal stability, and waterproofness was synthesized using the H2O2-free reaction method at room temperature. Compared to NSF:Mn4+(Na2Mn0.06Si0.94F6), the QY value, luminescence thermal stability, and water resistance of LNSF:Mn4+ are obviously improved by codoping of Li+ because of the formation of charge-carrier transfer (CT) and rare-Mn4+ layer induced by codoping of Li+. The former produces the negative thermal quenching (NTQ) effect, which results in the improvement of the luminescent thermal stability. The latter can inhibit the hydrolysis of Mn4+ on the surface of the sample, which leads to the enhancement of waterproofness. The formation mechanism of the rare-Mn4+ layer is discussed. A prototype WLED emitting the ideal warm white light (CCT = 3173 K, Ra = 90.4) was assembled by coating a mixture of LNSF:Mn4+, yellow emitting phosphor (YAG:Ce3+), and epoxy resin on the blue light InGaN chip, indicating that the performance of the WLED can be improved by using LNSF:Mn4+.

[Bone marrow mesenchymal stem cell-derived exosomes protect TM3 Leydig cells from cyclophosphamide-induced injury].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of exosomes derived from mouse bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSC) on the injury of TM3 Leydig cells induced by cyclophosphamide (CP). METHODS: The exosomes from BMSCs were extracted by ultrahigh speed centrifugation, and their particle size and morphology observed under the electron microscope, and their typical marker proteins examined by Western blot. The uptake of exosomes by TM3 Leydig cells was observed by co-culturing the exosomes with the TM3 cells. The viability and apoptosis rate of the TM3 cells in the normal control, CP-induction and CP+exosomes groups were detected using the CCK-8 method and flow cytometry respectively. ELISA was used to measure the testosterone (T) level in the cell supernatant, and Western blot adopted to determine the expression level of the steroidogenic acute regulatory (StAR) protein, a key enzyme related to T synthesis. RESULTS: The viability of the TM3 Leydig cells was markedly decreased and the apoptosis rate of the cells remarkably increased in the CP-induction group compared with that in the normal control, but both significantly restored after co-culture with exosomes (P < 0.01 and P < 0.05). The T level in the supernatant and the expression of the StAR protein in the cells were lower in the CP-induction than in the normal control group, but both dramatically increased in the CP+exosomes group (P < 0.01). CONCLUSION: Exosomes from BMSCs and protect TM3 Leydig cells from cyclophosphamide-induced injury and restore the level of testosterone secreted by the TM3 cells to a certain extent.

l-Pyroglutamic Acid-Modified CdSe/ZnS Quantum Dots: A New Fluorescence-Responsive Chiral Sensing Platform for Stereospecific Molecular Recognition.

Stereoselective recognition of amino acids is extremely important due to its high chirality-dependent interactions and physiological activities in life activities. We herein report a novel functionalized chiral fluorescent nanosensor prepared from surface modification of CdSe/ZnS quantum dots (QDs) with pyroglutamic acid derivatives, which could serve as a chiral recognition module for fluorescence detection of chiral molecules. The sensor exhibited a unique stereoselective fluorescence response to histidine (His), glutamate (Glu), and dihydroxyphenylalanine (Dopa) and had preferable response performance to l-enantiomers. The enantiomeric fluorescence difference ratios of His, Glu, and Dopa enantiomers were 3.90, 3.40, and 2.49, respectively. The mechanism for the enantiomeric fluorescence recognition was systematically studied through a fluorescence spectrum, fluorescence life, and density functional theory (DFT) calculation. Presumably, the different hydrogen bonding capacity of the chiral recognition module with two enantiomers mainly contributed to the difference in fluorescence signals. As a result, a broader application of the pyroglutamic acid derivative-coated QDs as a fluorescence-responsive chiral sensing platform for enantiomeric detection would be expected.

Effect of 1-Deoxynojirimycin Isolated from Mulberry Leaves on Glucose Metabolism and Gut Microbiota in a Streptozotocin-Induced Diabetic Mouse Model.

1-Deoxynojirimycin (DNJ) exerts hypoglycemic effects. However, the traditional method for DNJ extraction is inefficient, and the hypoglycemic mechanism of DNJ remains unclear. In this study, the mixed fermentation by Lactobacillus fermentum and Saccharomyces cerevisiae was used to enhance DNJ extraction efficiency. It was found that this strategy was more efficient than the traditional method as the yield improved from the original 3.24 mg/g to 5.97 mg/g. The purified DNJ significantly decreased serum glucose (P < 0.01) and insulin levels (P < 0.05), improved serum lipid levels (P < 0.05), and reversed insulin resistance (P < 0.05) in diabetic mice. These changes were caused by up-regulating the protein expression of insulin receptor and glycolysis enzymes (GK, PK, and PFK) (P < 0.05) and down-regulating the protein expression of insulin receptor substrate-1 and gluconeogenesis enzymes (PCB, PEPCK, FBPase, and G-6-Pase) (P < 0.05), thus alleviating glucose tolerance. Additionally, DNJ treatment relieved gut dysbiosis in diabetic mice by promoting the growth of Lactobacillus, Lachnospiraceae NK4A136 group, Oscillibacter, norank Lachnospiraceae, Alistipes, and Bifidobacterium (P < 0.05) and suppressing the growth of Ruminococcaceae UCG-014, Weissella, Ruminococcus, Prevotellaceae Ga6A1 group, Anaerostipes, Klebsiella, Prevotellaceae UCG-001, and Bacteroidales S24-7 group (P < 0.05).

Nitrogen-doped carbon quantum dots as a fluorescent probe to detect copper ions, glutathione, and intracellular pH.

A facile one-step hydrothermal method was developed to synthesize nitrogen-doped carbon quantum dots (N-CQDs) by utilizing hexamethylenetetramine as the carbon and nitrogen source. The quantum yield (QY) of 21.7% was under the excitation wavelength of 420 nm with maximum emission at 508 nm. This N-CQD fluorescent probe has been successfully applied to selectively determine the concentration of copper ion (Cu2+) with a linear range of 0.1-40 µM and a limit of detection of 0.09 µM. In addition, the fluorescence of N-CQDs could be effectively quenched by Cu2+ and specifically recovered by glutathione (GSH), which render the N-CQDs as a premium fluorescent probe for GSH detection. This fluorescence "turn-on" protocol was applied to determine GSH with a linear range of 0.1-30 µM as well as a detection limit of 0.05 µM. For pH detection, there is good linearity in the pH range of 2.87-7.24. Furthermore, N-CQD is a promising and convenient fluorescent pH, Cu2+, and glutathione sensor with brilliant biocompatibility and low cytotoxicity in environmental monitoring and bioimaging applications.

Rapid screening and identification of antioxidants in the leaves of Malus hupehensis using off-line two-dimensional HPLC-UV-MS/MS coupled with a 1,1'-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl assay.

The leaves of Malus hupehensis have a strong antioxidant activity and are commonly consumed as a healthy tea. However, detailed information about its antioxidants is incomplete. Herein, we developed an effective strategy based on combining off-line two-dimensional high-performance liquid chromatography with ultraviolet and tandem mass spectrometry detection with a 1,1'-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl assay to rapidly screen and identify the antioxidants from the leaves of M. hupehensis. In the orthogonal two-dimensional liquid chromatography system, a Venusil HILIC column was used for the first dimension, while a Universil XB-C18 column was installed in the second dimension. As a result, 32 antioxidants, including ten dihydrochalcones, two flavanones, nine flavonols, four flavones, and seven phenolic acids were tentatively identified, out of which 23 compounds, as far as we know, were isolated and characterized from the leaves of M. hupehensis for the first time. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first systematic investigation of the antioxidants from the leaves of M. hupehensis. The results indicated that the proposed method is an efficient technique to rapidly investigate antioxidants, especially for coeluted and minor compounds in a complex system.

Mulberry leaf phenolics ameliorate hyperglycemia-induced oxidative stress and stabilize mitochondrial membrane potential in HepG2 cells.

To investigate the effect of phenolics in mulberry leaves (mulberry leaf phenolics; MLP) on hyperglycemia-induced oxidative stress and mitochondrial membrane potential (ΔΨm) in HepG2 cells; we treated HepG2 with glucose [5.5 (N-Glc) or 50 mmol/L (Hi-Glc)] with or without MLP at 10 or 100 µmol/L gallic acid equivalents and assessed level of reactive oxidant species (ROS), ΔΨm, malondialdehyde (MDA) and nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-κB) activation. Hi-Glc-induced oxidative damage was demonstrated by a series of increase in superoxides (560%, 0.5 h), MDA (400%, 24 h), NF-κB activation (474%, 4 h) and a wild fluctuation of ΔΨm relative to the control cells (p ≤ 0.05). MLP treatments ameliorate Hi-Glc-induced negative effects by a 40% reduction in ROS production, 34-44% reduction in MDA production, over 35% inhibition of NF-κB activation, as well as exert protective effect on HepG2 cells from change in ΔΨm. Our data show that MLP in vitro can protect hepatoctyes from hyperglycemia-induced oxidative damages.

[Advance in studies on antibacterial effect of flavonoids].

As antibiotic drug resistance has become one of the most serious threats to global public health, there is a pressing need to look for new effective therapeutic drugs. Flavonoids are a large class of chemicals widely exist in plants, and have such effects as direct antibiotics, synergistic antibiotics and inhibition of bacterial activity. In this article, we made a summary for the advance in studies on the antibacterial effects of flavonoids and their mechanism.

Preparation of a Transient Thermal Expansion Rock Cracking Agent by Deposition Method and Its Nonisothermal Kinetics Study with Isoconversional Procedure and DAEM.

Cracking agents are indispensable and important products for national energy exploitation and large-scale infrastructure construction. Transient thermal expansion rock cracking agent is a new cracking agent product with excellent performance that has just appeared in recent years. However, it is still prepared by mechanical ball milling, which is considered not the best choice among traditional methods for preparing energetic materials. In this paper, a transient thermal expansion rock splitting agent was prepared by the chemical deposition method using carbon black and calcium peroxide as raw materials. The TG/DTG results show that the mass loss of the sample can be divided into four stages with the increase of temperature. It is worth noting that the mass loss of the TG curve of the sample during the entire thermal decomposition process is 93.385%, and the instantaneous weight loss is 78.07% (ß = 15 °C/min). Kinetic analysis of the thermal decomposition process of the samples was performed using an isotransformation program and a distributed activation energy model (DAEM). The activation energy E α of the thermal decomposition of the sample was iteratively calculated. The results show that the a-E a curve of the sample can be divided into two stages. The pyrolysis kinetics of the first stage was successfully analyzed by the DAEM method and its thermal conversion behavior was predicted. The thermal decomposition behavior of the second stage was analyzed by a traditional kinetic analysis method.

Exosomes derived from BMSCs ameliorate cyclophosphamide-induced testosterone deficiency by enhancing the autophagy of Leydig cells via the AMPK-mTOR signaling pathway.

Cyclophosphamide-induced testosterone deficiency (CPTD) during the treatment of cancers and autoimmune disorders severely influences the quality of life of patients. Currently, several guidelines recommend patients suffering from CPTD receive testosterone replacement therapy (TRT). However, TRT has many disadvantages underscoring the requirement for alternative, nontoxic treatment strategies. We previously reported bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells-derived exosomes (BMSCs-exos) could alleviate cyclophosphamide (CP)-induced spermatogenesis dysfunction, highlighting their role in the treatment of male reproductive disorders. Therefore, we further investigated whether BMSCs-exos affect autophagy and testosterone synthesis in Leydig cells (LCs). Here, we examined the effects and probed the molecular mechanisms of BMSCs-exos on CPTD in vivo and in vitro by detecting the expression levels of genes and proteins related to autophagy and testosterone synthesis. Furthermore, the testosterone concentration in serum and cell-conditioned medium, and the photophosphorylation protein levels of adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK) and mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) were measured. Our results suggest that BMSCs-exos could be absorbed by LCs through the blood-testis barrier in mice, promoting autophagy in LCs and improving the CP-induced low serum testosterone levels. BMSCs-exos inhibited cell death in CP-exposed LCs, regulated the AMPK-mTOR signaling pathway to promote autophagy in LCs, and then improved the low testosterone synthesis ability of CP-induced LCs. Moreover, the autophagy inhibitor, 3-methyladenine (3-MA), significantly reversed the therapeutic effects of BMSCs-exos. These findings suggest that BMSCs-exos promote LC autophagy by regulating the AMPK-mTOR signaling pathway, thereby ameliorating CPTD. This study provides novel evidence for the clinical improvement of CPTD using BMSCs-exos.

Changes of gut microbiota under different nutritional methods in elderly patients with severe COVID-19 and their relationship with prognosis.

Background: The clinical progression of individuals afflicted with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection exhibits significant heterogeneity, particularly affecting the elderly population to a greater extent. Consequently, the association between nutrition and microbiota has garnered considerable interest. Hence, the objective of this study was to gather clinical data pertaining to the influence of diverse nutritional support interventions on the prognosis of geriatric patients with COVID-19, while additionally examining the fecal microbiota of these individuals to assess the repercussions of microecological alterations on their prognostic outcomes. Results: A total of 71 elderly patients diagnosed with severe COVID-19 were included in this study. These patients were subsequently divided into two groups, namely the enteral nutrition (EN) group and the parenteral nutrition (PN) group, based on the type of nutritional support therapy they received after admission. The occurrence of complications was observed in 10.4% of patients in the EN group, whereas it was significantly higher at 69.6% in the PN group (P<0.001). Furthermore, the 60-day mortality rate was 2.1% (1/48) in the EN group, while it was notably higher at 30.4% (7/23) in the PN group (P=0.001). To identify the independent predictors of 60-day mortality, stepwise logistic regression analysis was employed. Among different bacterial groups, Enterococcus_faecium (18.19%) and Pseudomonas_aeruginosa (1.91%) had higher average relative abundance in the PN group (P<0.05). However, the relative abundance of Ruminococcus was higher in the EN group. Further Spearman correlation analysis showed that Enterococcus_faecium was positively correlated with poor clinical prognosis, while Ruminococcus was negatively correlated with poor clinical prognosis. Conclusions: This study shows that the changes in the composition of intestinal flora in elderly COVID-19 patients receiving different nutritional support strategies may be related to different clinical outcomes. The abundance of Enterococcus_faecium in elderly COVID-19 patients receiving PN is significantly increased and is closely related to poor clinical outcomes. It highlights the potential of microbiome-centric interventions to mitigate and manage COVID-19 in older adults with different nutritional support options.

Enhancement of emission and luminescent thermal stability of K2SiF6 : Mn4+ by synergy of co-doping with Na+ and coating with GQDs.

The luminescence properties and thermal stability of phosphors are key properties for practical applications. A series of K2SiF6: Mn4+, Na+ @ GQDs (KSF: Mn4+, Na+ @ GQDs, KSF = K2SiF6, GQDs = graphene quantum dots; here, Cl-contained graphene quantum dots are used) red light phosphors have been synthesized by using a combination of H2O2-free and hydrothermal coating methods. The fluorescence thermal stability and fluorescence intensity of the optimal phosphor are greatly improved by doping the matrix with Na+ and coating it with GQDs. The strong negative thermal quenching (NTQ) effect and the color stability of the phosphor at variable temperatures result in good thermal stability. The strong NTQ effect is attributed to the phonon-induced transition mechanism. The high thermal stability makes the optimal sample ideal for high-power light LEDs (WLEDs). The test results show that the prototype WLED with the optimal sample as the red light component produces warm white light. The light has high luminescent efficiency (101.6 lm W-1), low correlated color temperature (CCT = 3978 K), and high color rendering index (R a = 92.2).

A crystal defect led zero thermal quenching ß-NaYF4 : Eu3+,Dy3+ red emitting phosphor.

Red-light phosphors with extraordinary and stable thermal luminous properties must urgently be explored under the circumstances that commercial phosphors are suffering from serious thermal quenching effects and a lack of red-light components. Synthesized by a one-step hydrothermal method, a new type of NaYF4 : 0.065Eu3+,0.003Dy3+ phosphor with notable thermal luminous stability is reported in this study. As well as energy transfer between Dy3+ and Eu3+, this novel red-light phosphor manifests zero thermal quenching (ZTQ) performance under an increasing temperature of measurement. The ZTQ property stems from the interior defects of the crystal produced by the non-equivalence replacement between distinct ions. Density Functional Theory (DFT) calculations were utilized to verify the formation energy of two kinds of defects that make a vital contribution to the ZTQ performance of the NaYF4 : 0.065Eu3+,0.003Dy3+ phosphor. This finding could make some contributions towards research into improving thermal luminous properties and stability.

Synthesis and optical properties of Gd4Al2O9:Eu3+, a red emitting phosphor with a strong negative thermal quenching effect.

For the purpose of obtaining red-light phosphors with excellent luminescence thermal stability, a series of Gd4Al2O9:Eu3+ (GAO:Eu3+) phosphors were synthesized by combining the sol-gel method with high-temperature calcination, and a detailed series of study and analysis of their room temperature and high temperature luminescence properties was carried out. In GAO, the emission peaks corresponding to the 5D0 → 7F j (j = 0, 1, 2, 3 and 4) transitions of Eu3+ were observed at 578, 590, 610, 654, and 707 nm, with the strongest emission peak at 610 nm, and the obtained samples were red-light phosphors. The sample GAO:Eu3+ synthesized by combining the sol-gel method with high-temperature calcination has a negative thermal quenching (NTQ) effect, and the best doped sample GAO:0.16Eu3+ has an optimal luminescence temperature of 120 °C, and the corresponding integrated PL intensity is 183.2% of the initial value at 30 °C. The presence of the NTQ effect makes GAO:0.16Eu3+ have good luminescence thermal stability, which manifests as thermal-optical energy conversion at the macroscopic level. A detailed study of the thermal quenching mechanism was carried out.

Enhancement in the water resistance and thermal stability of Na3HTiF8:Mn4+ by co-doping with organic amine cations.

Mn4+-doped fluoride red light phosphors are widely utilized in various fields, and their luminous performance is influenced by their stability in high humidity and temperature environments. By incorporating TEOAH+ (TEOAH+ = (HOCH2CH2)3NH+) into the Na2TiF6 matrix, Na3HTiF8:Mn4+,TEOAH+ with improved thermal stability and water resistance was synthesized. Enhancement in the luminescence thermal stability is supported by its strong negative thermal quenching (NTQ) effect, which is attributed to the phonon-induced mechanism wherein the probability of radiative transitions increases much faster than the probability of non-radiative transitions. Additionally, the integrated emission intensity of the optimal sample Na3HTiF8:Mn4+,0.15TEOAH+ was maintained at 70.1% after being immersed in water for 360 min, which may be attributed to the addition of TEOAH+ cations in the structure, thus increasing its structural rigidity. The prototype light-emitting diode (LED) has a narrow emission band, 88.6% color gamut, and 83.1 lm W-1 light efficiency, according to the National Television Standards Committee (NTSC). The qualities of the phosphor make it an ideal candidate for back-lighting devices.

Preparation, structural characterization and prebiotic potential of mulberry leaf oligosaccharides.

The present study shows the purification of a main oligosaccharide fraction (MLO 1-2) from the enzymatic hydrolysate of mulberry leaf polysaccharides by DEAE-52 cellulose and gel column chromatography. The physicochemical properties of MLO 1-2 were characterized. The structure of MLO 1-2 was obtained as follows: α-(2-OAc)-Manp-1 → 2-ß-Glcp-1 → 4-ß-Glcp-1 → 4-α-Glcp-1 → 2-α-Glcp-1 → 2-α-Galp-1 → 2-ß-Galp-1 → 2-ß-Galp-1, which was elucidated by methylation and NMR analysis. The molecular weight of MLO 1-2 showed no significant change after simulated saliva, gastric and intestinal digestion. This indicated that MLO 1-2 could pass through the digestive system without being degraded to safely reach the colon to regulate the gut microbiota. Additionally, MLO 1-2, more than glucose or galactooligosaccharides, promoted the proliferation of Bifidobacterium bifidum, B. adolescentis, Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus and Lactobacillus acidophilus. Furthermore, the acetic and lactic acid concentrations of bacterial cultures inoculated with MLO 1-2 were higher than those inoculated with glucose and galactooligosaccharide (GOS). These results suggest that MLO 1-2 could be an excellent prebiotic for intestinal flora regulation and the promotion of gut health.