Highly efficient and robust noble-metal free bifunctional water electrolysis catalyst achieved via complementary charge transfer.

The operating principle of conventional water electrolysis using heterogenous catalysts has been primarily focused on the unidirectional charge transfer within the heterostructure. Herein, multidirectional charge transfer concept has been adopted within heterostructured catalysts to develop an efficient and robust bifunctional water electrolysis catalyst, which comprises perovskite oxides (La0.5Sr0.5CoO3-δ, LSC) and potassium ion-bonded MoSe2 (K-MoSe2). The complementary charge transfer from LSC and K to MoSe2 endows MoSe2 with the electron-rich surface and increased electrical conductivity, which improves the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) kinetics. Excellent oxygen evolution reaction (OER) kinetics of LSC/K-MoSe2 is also achieved, surpassing that of the noble metal (IrO2), attributed to the enhanced adsorption capability of surface-based oxygen intermediates of the heterostructure. Consequently, the water electrolysis efficiency of LSC/K-MoSe2 exceeds the performance of the state-of-the-art Pt/C||IrO2 couple. Furthermore, LSC/K-MoSe2 exhibits remarkable chronopotentiometric stability over 2,500 h under a high current density of 100 mA cm-2.

Degradation of benzopyrene and acrylamide in roasted coffee beans by corona discharge plasma jet (CDPJ) and its effects on biochemical and sensory properties.

This study was aimed to reduce the concentrations of benzopyrene (BaP) and acrylamide (ACR) in roasted coffee beans by corona discharge plasma jet (CDPJ). The initial concentrations of BaP and ACR in roasted beans were decreased by 53.6% and 32.0%, respectively, following CDPJ (powered by 20 kV DC/1.5 A) treatment for 60 min. The levels of total solid, total acid, chlorogenic acid, caffeine, trigonelline, and pH were insignificantly changed upon CDPJ treatment compared to controls. However, the concentration of total phenolic content and Agtron color values were altered significantly. The treatment of beans did not alter descriptive sensory properties of the corresponding coffee brews, except aroma and aftertaste characteristics. As the treatment time increased from 15 to 60 min, scores for aroma profiles in PCA plot were shifted from right to left, although overlapping was observed between 15- and 30-min-treated samples. Additionally, none of the treated samples were discriminated from the control by electronic tongue.

Effects of Panax ginseng on Obesity in Animal Models: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the antiobesity effects of Panax ginseng in animals. METHODS: We conducted a systematic search for all controlled trials (up to March 2017) that assessed the antiobesity effects of P. ginseng in animal obesity models in the PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane library, Web of Science, and Scopus databases. The primary outcome was final body weight measured at the longest follow-up time after administration of the intervention. The secondary outcome was the lipid profile. We assessed methodological quality using the SYRCLE risk of bias tool, and RevMan 5.3 was used to perform a meta-analysis. Finally, a subgroup analysis of parameters including intervention duration, animal models, and type of ginseng was performed. RESULT: We identified 16 studies that met the inclusion criteria. Data from the meta-analysis indicated that the intervention group had a significantly lower body weight than the control group (SMD: -1.50, 95% CI: -1.90 to -1.11, χ2: 78.14, P < 0.0001, I2 = 58%). Final body weight was lower in an animal obesity model induced by high-fat diet than in genetic models. Also the intervention group had a significantly higher serum HDL level and lower serum LDL, TG, and TC level than the control group. CONCLUSION: Our meta-analysis indicated that oral administration of P. ginseng significantly inhibits weight gain and improves serum lipid profiles in animal obesity models. However, causes of obesity and type of ginseng may affect treatment effects.

Natural inhibitors of carcinogenesis.

Previous collaborative work by our group has led to the discovery of several plant isolates and derivatives with activities in in vivo models of cancer chemoprevention, including deguelin, resveratrol, bruceantin, brassinin, 4'-bromoflavone, and oxomate. Using a panel of in vitro bioassays to monitor chromatographic fractionation, a diverse group of plant secondary metabolites has been identified as potential cancer chemopreventive agents from mainly edible plants. Nearly 50 new compounds have been isolated as bioactive principles in one or more in vitro bioassays in work performed over the last five years. Included among these new active compounds are alkaloids, flavonoids, stilbenoids, and withanolides, as well as a novel stilbenolignan and the first representatives of the norwithanolides, which have a 27-carbon atom skeleton. In addition, over 100 active compounds of previously known structure have been obtained. Based on this large pool of potential cancer chemopreventive compounds, structure-activity relationships are discussed in terms of the quinone reductase induction ability of flavonoids and withanolides and the cyclooxygenase-1 and -2 inhibitory activities of flavanones, flavones and stilbenoids. Several of the bioactive compounds were found to be active when evaluated in a mouse mammary organ culture assay, when used as a secondary discriminator in our work. The compounds (2 S)-abyssinone II, (2 S)-2',4'-dihydroxy-2"-(1-hydroxy-1-methylethyl)dihydrofuro[2,3- h]-flavanone, 3'-[gamma-hydroxymethyl-( E)-gamma-methylallyl]-2,4,2',4'-tetrahydroxychalcone 11'- O-coumarate, isolicoflavonol, isoliquiritigenin, and ixocarpalactone A are regarded as promising leads as potential cancer chemopreventive agents.