Preparation of pure active water for auto-catalytic reactions performed in it.

In catalyzed electrochemical reactions, a general strategy is to modify electrode materials to increase the efficiency of the reaction. From the viewpoint of environmental protection, electrochemical reactions should be performed in an inert green water phase. In this study, we report active pure liquid water (named PV), which was collected from the condensed vapor of heated gold (Au)-containing plasmon-activated water (PAW) with a distinct structure of electron-doping and reduced hydrogen bonding (HB). The resulting PV also exhibited distinct properties of the formation of stronger intermolecular HB with alcohols, and notable activities in catalytic electrochemical reactions, compared to bulk deionized water (DIW). Moreover, the measured diffusion coefficients of water increased by ca. 30% in PV solutions. Two typical electrochemical reactions significantly increased peak currents observed in oxidation-reduction cycles (ORCs) with roughening of the Au substrate and in a model of reversible oxidation-reduction reactions on a platinum (Pt) substrate. Also, PV enhanced hydrogen evolution reactions (HERs) on catalytic Pt and inert stainless steel substrates in PV-based solutions at different pH values, compared to DIW. Moreover, these activities of PV were more marked, even better than those of PAW, when PV was collected under a higher heating rate used to heat PAW. Active pure PV has emerged as a promising green solvent applicable to various chemical reactions with more efficiency.

Interferon-ß suppresses inflammatory pain through activating µ-opioid receptor.

Interferons (IFNs) are cytokines secreted by infected cells that can interfere with viral replication. Besides activating antiviral defenses, type I IFNs also exhibit diverse biological functions. IFN-ß has been shown to have a protective effect against neurotoxic and inflammatory insults on neurons. Therefore, we aimed to investigate the possible role of IFN-ß in reducing mechanical allodynia caused by Complete Freund's Adjuvant (CFA) injection in rats. We assessed the antinociceptive effect of intrathecal IFN-ß in naïve rats and the rats with CFA-induced inflammatory pain. After the behavioral test, the spinal cords of the rats were harvested for western blot and immunohistochemical double staining. We found that intrathecal administration of IFN-ß in naïve rats can significantly increase the paw withdrawal threshold and paw withdrawal latency. Further, the intrathecal injection of a neutralizing IFN-ß antibody can reduce the paw withdrawal threshold and paw withdrawal latency, suggesting that IFN-ß is produced in the spinal cord in normal conditions and serves as a tonic inhibitor of pain. In addition, intrathecal injection of IFN-ß at dosages from 1000 U to 10000 U demonstrates a significant transient dose-dependent inhibition of CFA-induced inflammatory pain. This analgesic effect is reversed by intrathecal naloxone, suggesting that IFN-ß produces an analgesic effect through central opioid receptor-mediated signaling. Increased expression of phospho-µ-opioid receptors after IFN-ß injection was observed on western blot, and immunohistochemical staining showed that µ-opioids co-localized with IFN-α/ßR in the dorsal horn of the spinal cord. The findings of this study demonstrate that the analgesic effect of IFN-ß is through µ-opioid receptors activation in spial cord.

Endogenous Expression of G-CSF in Rat Dorsal Root Ganglion Neurons after Nerve Injury.

Granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) has been reported to modulate pain function following nerve injury. However, the expression of endogenous G-CSF in the dorsal root ganglion (DRG) and the response to nerve injury remain unclear. In the present study, we demonstrated that G-CSF and G-CSFR are mainly expressed in both small- and medium-diameter DRG neurons in rats and are responsible for transmitting pain responses. G-CSF and G-CSFR were co-expressed in certain nociceptive DRG neurons. In addition, G-CSF was expressed in satellite glial cells around large-diameter DRG neurons. After sciatic nerve injury, the number of G-CSF-positive DRG neurons was increased in both the ipsilateral and contralateral lesion sites in rats. However, G-CSF expression in satellite glial cells was not affected by nerve injury. To clarify the role of G-CSF in pain, exogenous G-CSF was administered to a rat model of neuropathic pain induced by partial sciatic nerve transaction (PST). Our results indicate that treatment with G-CSF did not attenuate but exacerbated neuropathic pain. In summary, G-CSF may directly activate sensory neurons and contribute to nociceptive signaling.

New solar energy-storage resource of plasmon-activated water solution with higher chemical potential.

Nowadays, solar energy is the most environmentally friendly energy source to drive many chemical reactions and physical processes. However, the corresponding fabrication procedures for obtaining excellent energy-storage devices are relatively complicated and expensive. In this work, we report an innovative strategy on plasmon-activated water (PAW) serving as energy-storage medium from solar energy. The lifetime of the created energetic PAW solution from hot electron transfer (HET) on Au nanoparticles (AuNPs) illuminated with sunshine can last for 2 days, making the energy-storage system is practically available. Encouragingly, the energy-conversion efficiency from the solar energy in the PAW solution is ca. 6.7%. Compared to conventional deionized (DI) water solution, the prepared metastable PAW solution exhibited distinctly higher chemical potential at room temperature. It demonstrates abilities in faster evaporation and enhancing chemical reactions, including hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) and oxygen evolution reaction (OER). Our proposed strategy on the simple and cheap energy-storage system based on prepared PAW utilizing solar energy is the first time shown in the literature.

The Circadian Hormone Melatonin Inhibits Morphine-Induced Tolerance and Inflammation via the Activation of Antioxidative Enzymes.

Opioids are commonly prescribed for clinical pain management; however, dose-escalation, tolerance, dependence, and addiction limit their usability for long-term chronic pain. The associated poor sleep pattern alters the circadian neurobiology, and further compromises the pain management. Here, we aim to determine the correlation between constant light exposure and morphine tolerance and explore the potential of melatonin as an adjuvant of morphine for neuropathic pain treatment. METHODS: Wistar rats were preconditioned under constant light (LL) or a regular light/dark (LD) cycle before neuropathic pain induction by chronic constriction injury. An intrathecal (i.t.) osmotic pump was used for continued drug delivery to induce morphine tolerance. Pain assessments, including the plantar test, static weight-bearing symmetry, and tail-flick latency, were used to determine the impact of the light disruption or exogenous melatonin on the morphine tolerance progression. RESULTS: constant light exposure significantly aggravates morphine tolerance in neuropathic rats. Continued infusion of low-dose melatonin (3 µg/h) attenuated morphine tolerance in both neuropathic and naïve rats. This protective effect was independent of melatonin receptors, as shown by the neutral effect of melatonin receptors inhibitors. The transcriptional profiling demonstrated a significant enhancement of proinflammatory and pain-related receptor genes in morphine-tolerant rats. In contrast, this transcriptional pattern was abolished by melatonin coinfusion along with the upregulation of the Kcnip3 gene. Moreover, melatonin increased the antioxidative enzymes SOD2, HO-1, and GPx1 in the spinal cord of morphine-tolerant rats. CONCLUSION: Dysregulated circadian light exposure significantly compromises the efficacy of morphine's antinociceptive effect, while the cotreatment with melatonin attenuates morphine tolerance/hyperalgesia development. Our results suggest the potential of melatonin as an adjuvant of morphine in clinical pain management, particularly in patients who need long-term opioid treatment.

Strategy on Persisting in Distinct Activity of Plasmon-Activated Water.

The innovative plasmon-activated water (PAW) with reduced hydrogen bonds exhibits intrinsically distinct properties at room temperature, which are significantly different from the properties of untreated conventional deionized (DI) water. Examples of this are their ability to scavenge free radicals and higher vapor pressure. However, distinct properties of energetic PAW decay within the day after its creation in a metastable liquid state. In this work, we report a facile method for persisting its distinct activities by letting as-prepared PAW be quickly frozen in liquid nitrogen and letting the frozen PAW (for one month before further measurements) be quickly melted to room temperature in a warm-water bath (called treated PAW). Experimental results indicate that the activity of the higher evaporation rate of treated PAW compared to DI water can be maintained ca. 90% of magnitude, as compared to the as-prepared PAW. Also, its abilities to scavenge free hydroxyl and 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radicals can be maintained at ca. 70 and 80% of magnitudes, respectively. Moreover, this strategy of quickly freezing and melting treatments to PAW on persisting in distinct activity of PAW is effective in oxygen evolution reactions. This promises the stored energy and the distinct property of created liquid PAW being available in water-related fields after long-term storage.

Melatonin MT2 receptor agonist IIK-7 produces antinociception by modulation of ROS and suppression of spinal microglial activation in neuropathic pain rats.

BACKGROUND: In recent years, several melatonin (MLT) receptor agonists have been approved by FDA for the treatment of sleep disorders and depression. Very few studies have shed light on their efficacy against neuropathic pain (NP). IIK-7 is an MT-2 agonist known to promote sleep. Whether IIK-7 suppresses NP has not been reported, and the signaling profile is unknown. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of melatonin type 2 receptor agonist IIK-7 on partial sciatic nerve transection-induced NP in rats and elucidate the underlying molecular mechanisms. METHODS: NP was induced by the PSNT in the left leg of adult male Wistar rats. On post-transection day 7, rats were implanted with intrathecal (i.t) catheter connected to an infusion pump and divided in to four groups: sham-operated/vehicle, PSNT/vehicle, PSNT/0.5 µg/hr IIK-7 and PSNT/0.5 µg IIK-7/1 µg 4-p/hr. To test the MT-2 dependence on IIK-7 activity, the animals were implanted with a single i.t catheter and injected MT-2 antagonist 4-Phenyl-2-propionamidotetralin (4-p) 20 mins prior to IIK-7 injection on day 7 after PSNT. The antinociceptive response was measured using a mechanical paw withdrawal threshold. Activation of microglial cells and the expression of NP-associated proteins in the spinal cord dorsal horn was assessed by immunofluorescence assay (IFA) and Western blotting (WB). Reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavenging ability of IIK-7 was evaluated by using bone marrow-derived macrophages (BMDM). RESULTS: Treatment with the MT-2 agonist IIK-7 significantly alleviated PSNT-induced mechanical allodynia and glial activation along with the inhibition of P44/42 MAPK, HMGB-1, STAT3, iNOS and casp-3 proteins. CONCLUSION: IIK-7 attenuates NP through the suppression of glial activation and suppression of proteins involved in inflammation and apoptosis. MT-2 receptor agonists may establish a promising and unique therapeutic approach for the treatment of NP.

Plasmon-Activated Water Reduces Amyloid Burden and Improves Memory in Animals with Alzheimer's Disease.

With the great extension of the human lifespan in recent times, many aging diseases have inevitably followed. Dementia is one of the most-commom neurodegenerative aging diseases, in which inflammation-related Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most prevalent cause of dementia. Amyloid accumulation in the brain, which occurs before any clinical presentations, might be the first and key step in the development of AD. However, many clinical trials have attempted to remove amyloid from brains of AD patients, but none has so far been successful. Negatively charged plasmon-activated water (PAW) is created by resonantly illuminated gold (Au) nanoparticles (NPs), which reduce the hydrogen-bonded (HB) structure of water. PAW was found to possess anti-oxidative and anti-inflammatory effects. Herein, we report on an innovative strategy to retard the progression of AD by the daily consumption of PAW instead of normal deionized (DI) water. APPswe/PS1dE9 transgenic mice were treated with PAW or DI water from the age of 5 months for the next 9 months. Encouragingly, compared to DI water-treated mice, mice treated with PAW presented better memory performance on a test of novel object recognition and had a significantly lower amyloid burden according to 18F-florbetapir amyloid-PET and phosphorylated (p)-tau burden according to Western blotting and immunohistochemistry measurements. There were no obvious side effects in PAW-treated mice. Collectively, our findings support that PAW was able to reduce the amyloid and p-tau burden and improve memory in an AD mouse model. However, the protein levels of molecules involved in amyloid metabolism and oligomeric amyloid did not change. We propose that the effects of PAW of reducing the amyloid burden and improving memory function cannot be attributed to synthesis/degradation of amyloid-ßprotein but probably in preventing aggregation of amyloid-ß proteins or other mechanisms, including anti-inflammation. Further applications of PAW in clinical trials to prevent the progression of AD are being designed.

Potential of Plasmon-Activated Water as a Comprehensive Active Green Energy Resource.

Liquid water is the most commonly used environmental-friendly solvent and reactant in chemical reactions and physical processes. Conventionally, it is considered as a passive reactant. In this work, we investigate the potential of plasmon-activated water (PAW) with intrinsically reduced hydrogen-bonded structures compared to normal deionized (DI) water to serve as an active green energy resource. The efficiency of the electrochemical oxidation of water performed on a platinum electrode to form hydrogen peroxide is significantly enhanced in PAW compared to that in DI water. In addition, the limiting current density of the oxygen reduction reaction on a platinum/carbon-coated disk electrode is also enhanced when using PAW (in 0.9 wt % NaCl or in 0.1 M KOH). Moreover, the cell capacitance with semitransparent platinum-coated fluorine-doped SnO2 electrodes is significantly increased from ca. 2 × 10-9 to 6.1 × 10-7 F when decreasing the applied frequency from 10 to 0.1 Hz in a cell containing PAW instead of DI water (without the supporting electrolyte). More interestingly, compared to that in DI water, the efficiencies of the hydrogen evolution reaction in an acid solution (0.05 M H2SO4) and the oxygen evolution reaction in an alkaline solution (0.1 M KOH) performed with PAW in situ increase by about 20% with nanoscale-granulated gold electrodes under resonant illumination. These increases are more significant in neutral solutions for hydrogen evolution reactions and oxygen evolution reactions.

Plasmon-Activated Water can Prolong Existing Sea-Ice Habitats to Potentially Save Polar Bears.

Due to increasing global warming resulting from the greenhouse effect, subsequent environmental impacts and corresponding ecological influences are unavoidable. These problems are becoming more serious with time. Due to rising temperatures, the survival crisis of polar bears is a very often reported issue, because polar bears are encountering shortened seasons for catching prey on their sea-ice habitat. In this work, we report an innovative and facile strategy to save polar bears via prolonging the existence of ice layers based on plasmon-activated water (PAW). PAW with a reduced hydrogen-bonded network can be created by letting bulk deionized (DI) water flow through supported gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) under resonant illumination. Experimental results indicated that the freezing time of PAW was faster than that of DI water. In contrast, the melting time of frozen PAW was slower than that of the frozen DI water. Because the PAW with reduced hydrogen bonds (HBs) is in a high-energy state, it can more easily transform into a stronger HB structure in a low-energy state during cooling when freezing. This is accompanied by the release of more available energy, resulting in more-perfect tetrahedral symmetrical ice. Similar results were observed for solutions with 3 wt% NaCl, which is similar to the salinity of sea water. Moreover, the heat required to melt frozen PAW was ca. 7.6% higher than that of frozen DI water. These interesting phenomena suggest that prolonging the existence of solid ice can be achieved in a PAW-based system. Moreover, a system of AuNP-coated filter paper in DI water or in a DI water solution (3 wt% NaCl) under resonant illumination could work to prolong the presence of solid ice, compared to a system of AuNP-free filter paper. This innovative concept has emerged as a practical strategy to save polar bears and for other related applications.

Therapeutics for Inflammatory-Related Diseases Based on Plasmon-Activated Water: A Review.

It is recognized that the properties of liquid water can be markedly different from those of bulk one when it is in contact with hydrophobic surfaces or is confined in nano-environments. Because our knowledge regarding water structure on the molecular level of dynamic equilibrium within a picosecond time scale is far from completeness all of water's conventionally known properties are based on inert "bulk liquid water" with a tetrahedral hydrogen-bonded structure. Actually, the strength of water's hydrogen bonds (HBs) decides its properties and activities. In this review, an innovative idea on preparation of metastable plasmon-activated water (PAW) with intrinsically reduced HBs, by letting deionized (DI) water flow through gold-supported nanoparticles (AuNPs) under resonant illumination at room temperature, is reported. Compared to DI water, the created stable PAW can scavenge free hydroxyl and 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radicals and effectively reduce NO release from lipopolysaccharide-induced inflammatory cells. Moreover, PAW can dramatically induce a major antioxidative Nrf2 gene in human gingival fibroblasts. This further confirms its cellular antioxidative and anti-inflammatory properties. In addition, innovatively therapeutic strategy of daily drinking PAW on inflammatory-related diseases based on animal disease models is demonstrated, examples being chronic kidney disease (CKD), chronic sleep deprivation (CSD), and lung cancer.

Innovatively Therapeutic Strategy on Lung Cancer by Daily Drinking Antioxidative Plasmon-Induced Activated Water.

Many human diseases are inflammation-related, such as cancer and those associated with aging. Previous studies demonstrated that plasmon-induced activated (PIA) water with electron-doping character, created from hot electron transfer via decay of excited Au nanoparticles (NPs) under resonant illumination, owns reduced hydrogen-bonded networks and physchemically antioxidative properties. In this study, it is demonstrated PIA water dramatically induced a major antioxidative Nrf2 gene in human gingival fibroblasts which further confirms its cellular antioxidative and anti-inflammatory properties. Furthermore, mice implanted with mouse Lewis lung carcinoma (LLC-1) cells drinking PIA water alone or together with cisplatin treatment showed improved survival time compared to mice which consumed only deionized (DI) water. With the combination of PIA water and cisplatin administration, the survival time of LLC-1-implanted mice markedly increased to 8.01 ± 0.77 days compared to 6.38 ± 0.61 days of mice given cisplatin and normal drinking DI water. This survival time of 8.01 ± 0.77 days compared to 4.62 ± 0.71 days of mice just given normal drinking water is statistically significant (p = 0.009). Also, the gross observations and eosin staining results suggested that LLC-1-implanted mice drinking PIA water tended to exhibit less metastasis than mice given only DI water.

Surface-Enhanced Raman Scattering-Active Substrate Prepared with New Plasmon-Activated Water.

Conventionally, reactions in aqueous solutions are prepared using deionized (DI) water, the properties of which are related to inert "bulk water" comprising a tetrahedral hydrogen-bonded network. In this work, we demonstrate the distinguished benefits of using in situ plasmon-activated water (PAW) with reduced hydrogen bonds instead of DI water in electrochemical reactions, which generally are governed by diffusion and kinetic controls. Compared with DI water-based systems, the diffusion coefficient and the electron-transfer rate constant of K3Fe(CN)6 in PAW in situ can be increased by ca. 35 and 15%, respectively. These advantages are responsible for the improved performance of surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS). On the basis of PAW in situ, the SERS enhancement of twofold higher intensity of rhodamine 6G and the corresponding low relative standard deviation of 5%, which is comparable to and even better than those based on complicated processes shown in the literature, are encouraging.

Plasmon-activated water effectively relieves hepatic oxidative damage resulting from chronic sleep deprivation.

The role of the hepato-protective agent plasmon-activated water (PAW) as an innovative anti-oxidant during chronic sleep deprivation (SD) is realized in this study. PAW possesses reduced hydrogen-bonded structure, higher chemical potential and significant anti-oxidative properties. In vitro tests using rat liver cell line (Clone-9) have demonstrated that PAW is non-cytotoxic and does not change the cellular migration capacity. The in vivo experiment on SD rats suffering from intense oxidative damage to the liver, an extremely common phenomenon in the present-time with deleterious effects on metabolic function, is performed by feeding PAW to replace deionized (DI) water. Experimental results indicate that PAW markedly reduces oxidative stress with enhanced bioenergetics in hepatocytes. PAW also effectively restores hepatocytic trans-membrane ion homeostasis, preserves membranous structures, and successfully improves liver function and metabolic activity. In addition, the hepato-protective effects of PAW are evidently demonstrated by the reduced values of glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase (GOT) and glutamic pyruvic transaminase (GPT) and the recovery of total protein and albumin levels. With clear evidences of PAW for protecting liver from SD-induced injury, delivering PAW as a powerful hepato-protective agent should be worthy of trailblazing new clinical trials in a healthier, more natural, and more convenient way.

Association of anterior cruciate ligament injury with knee osteoarthritis and total knee replacement: A retrospective cohort study from the Taiwan National Health Insurance Database.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to support the potential protective role of anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction against the development of osteoarthritis (OA). METHODS: In this retrospective cohort study, the long-term results of ACL reconstruction in Taiwan were evaluated based on data from the National Health Insurance Research Database (NHIRD). In total, 8,769 eligible cases were included from 11,921 ACL-injured patients. The cumulative incidence rates of OA and total knee replacement (TKR) were analyzed using the Kaplan-Meier estimator. Cox proportional hazards models were applied to estimate the hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) of OA. RESULTS: There was a lower cumulative incidence of OA among ACL-reconstructed patients (271, 33.1%) than among non-reconstructed patients (1,874, 40.3%; p < 0.001). Patients who underwent ACL reconstruction had a lower cumulative incidence of TKR during the follow-up period (0.6%) than the non-reconstructed patients (4.6%, p < 0.001). After adjusting for covariates, ACL-injured patients who underwent reconstruction within one month after ACL injury showed a significantly lower risk of OA than those who never underwent reconstruction (adjusted HR = 0.83, 95% CI = 0.69-0.99). CONCLUSIONS: These results indicate that ACL reconstruction might not provide complete protection from OA development after traumatic knee injury but does yield a lower cumulative incidence of OA development and TKR. Moreover, based on the present study, ACL-injured patients should undergo reconstruction as early as possible (within one month) to lower the risk of OA.

Multifunctions of Excited Gold Nanoparticles Decorated Artificial Kidney with Efficient Hemodialysis and Therapeutic Potential.

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is inflammation-related. Patients with chronic renal failure who undergo hemodialysis (HD) have some acute adverse effects caused by dialysis-induced oxidative stress, protein adsorption, platelet adhesion, and activation of coagulation and inflammation. Here, resonantly illuminated gold nanoparticles-modified artificial kidney (AuNPs@AK) for achieving high efficiency accompanying therapeutic strategy for CKD during HD is proposed. The efficiency in removing uremic toxins increased obviously, especially in the presence of protein (closer to the real blood). The excited AuNPs@AK expressed negatively charged surface reduced some acute adverse effects caused by dialysis-induced protein adsorption, platelet adhesion, and activation of coagulation, thus avoiding thrombosis during HD. Unlike to traditional HD which provides only one function of removing uremic toxins, the solution collected from the outlet of the sample channel of excited AuNPs@AK showed an efficient free radical scavenger that could decrease dialysis-induced oxidative stress. In the CKD mouse model, this antioxidative solution from excited AuNPs@AK further decreased fibronectin expression and attenuated renal fibrosis, suggesting a reduced inflammatory response. These successful in vitro and in vivo approaches suggest that resonantly illuminated AuNPs@AK in HD take multiadvantages in shortening treatment time and reducing risk of adverse effects, which promise trailblazing therapeutic strategies for CKD.

Triggering comprehensive enhancement in oxygen evolution reaction by using newly created solvent.

Theoretical calculations indicate that the properties of confined liquid water, or liquid water at surfaces, are dramatically different from those of liquid bulk water. Here we present an experimentally innovative strategy on comprehensively efficient oxygen evolution reaction (OER) utilizing plasmon-induced activated water, creating from hot electron decay at resonantly illuminated Au nanoparticles (NPs). Compared to conventional deionized (DI) water, the created water owns intrinsically reduced hydrogen-bonded structure and a higher chemical potential. The created water takes an advantage in OER because the corresponding activation energy can be effectively reduced by itself. Compared to DI water-based solutions, the OER efficiencies at Pt electrodes increased by 69.3%, 21.1% and 14.5% in created water-based acidic, neutral and alkaline electrolyte solutions, respectively. The created water was also effective for OERs in photoelectrochemically catalytic and in inert systems. In addition, the efficiency of OER increased by 47.5% in created water-based alkaline electrolyte solution prepared in situ on a roughened Au electrode. These results suggest that the created water has emerged as an innovative activator in comprehensively effective OERs.

Creation of Electron-doping Liquid Water with Reduced Hydrogen Bonds.

The strength of hydrogen bond (HB) decides water's property and activity. Here we propose the mechanisms on creation and persistence of innovatively prepared liquid water, which is treated by Au nanoparticles (AuNPs) under resonant illumination of green-light emitting diode (LED) to create Au NP-treated (sAuNT) water, with weak HB at room temperature. Hot electron transfer on resonantly illuminated AuNPs, which is confirmed from Au LIII-edge X-ray absorption near edge structure (XANES) spectra, is responsible for the creation of negatively charged sAuNT water with the incorporated energy-reduced hot electron. This unique electronic feature makes it stable at least for one week. Compared to deionized (DI) water, the resulting sAuNT water exhibits many distinct properties at room temperature. Examples are its higher activity revealed from its higher vapor pressure and lower specific heat. Furthermore, Mpemba effect can be successfully explained by our purposed hypothesis based on sAuNT water-derived idea of water energy and HB.

Effective Energy Transfer via Plasmon-Activated High-Energy Water Promotes Its Fundamental Activities of Solubility, Ionic Conductivity, and Extraction at Room Temperature.

Water is a ubiquitous solvent in biological, physical, and chemical processes. Unique properties of water result from water's tetrahedral hydrogen-bonded (HB) network (THBN). The original THBN is destroyed when water is confined in a nanosized environment or localized at interfaces, resulting in corresponding changes in HB-dependent properties. In this work, we present an innovative idea to validate the reserve energy of high-energy water and applications of high-energy water to promote water's fundamental activities of solubility, ionic conductivity, and extraction at room temperature. High-energy water with reduced HBs was created by utilizing hot electrons with energies from the decay of surface plasmon excited at gold (Au) nanoparticles (NPs). Compared to conventional deionized (DI) water, solubilities of alkali metal-chloride salts in high-energy water were significantly increased, especially for salts that release heat when dissolved. The ionic conductivity of NaCl in high-energy water was also markedly higher, especially when the electrolyte's concentration was extremely low. In addition, antioxidative components, such as polyphenols and 2,3,5,4'-tetrahydroxystilbene-2-O-beta-d-glucoside (THSG) from teas, and Polygonum multiflorum (PM), could more effectively be extracted using high-energy water. These results demonstrate that high-energy water has emerged as a promising innovative solvent for promoting water's fundamental activities via effective energy transfer.

Innovative Strategy on Hydrogen Evolution Reaction Utilizing Activated Liquid Water.

Splitting water for hydrogen production using light, or electrical energy, is the most developed 'green technique'. For increasing efficiency in hydrogen production, currently, the most exciting and thriving strategies are focused on efficient and inexpensive catalysts. Here, we report an innovative idea for efficient hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) utilizing plasmon-activated liquid water with reduced hydrogen-bonded structure by hot electron transfer. This strategy is effective for all HERs in acidic, basic and neutral systems, photocatalytic system with a g-C3N4 (graphite carbon nitride) electrode, as well as in an inert system with an ITO (indium tin oxide) electrode. Compared to deionized water, the efficiency of HER increases by 48% based on activated water ex situ on a Pt electrode. Increase in energy efficiency from activated water is 18% at a specific current yield of -20 mA in situ on a nanoscale-granulated Au electrode. Moreover, the onset potential of -0.023 V vs RHE was very close to the thermodynamic potential of the HER (0 V). The measured current density at the corresponding overpotential for HER in an acidic system was higher than any data previously reported in the literature. This approach establishes a new vista in clean green energy production.