[Effect of Bupleurum polysaccharides on splenocytes from lupus like mouse re-challenged with Campylobacter jejuni-S(131) in vitro].

Mice were immunized with Campylobacter jejuni-S(131) (CJ-S(131)) to establish the lupus-like model. Splenocytes from lupus like mice were challenged with CJ-S(131) to induce inflammatory response in vitro. Bupleurum smithii var. parvifolium polysaccharides (BPs) was added in the inflammatory model to observe its underlying mechanisms of action on lupus. BALB/c mice were randomly divided into three groups including normal control group, adjuvant control group and lupus-like model. Mice were immunized on Day 0 and 14 with CJ-S(131) to establish lupus-like syndrome, and sacrificed on Day 19. Splenocytes from each group were collected and divided into blank control group, BPs added group (BPs 5, 10, 20, 40 µg·m L(-1)), CJ-S(131) stimulated group, and CJ-S(131) plus BPs group. The levels of total IgG, anti-ds DNA antibody, interferon-γ, interleukin-10 (IL-10) and IL-17 were quantified by ELISA. The proliferation of splenocytes was determined in the MTT assay. BPs significantly suppressed the high levels of total IgG, anti-ds DNA antibody, IFN-γ and IL-10 stimulated by CJ-S131 and had no significant effects on increased IL-17 secretion and splenocytes proliferation. The results suggest that re-stimulation of splenocytes with CJ-S(131) could establish an inflammatory model in vitro. The effect of BPs on lupus might is related to its inhibition of the production of autoantibodies and associated cytokines.

A dual conducting network corbelled hydrated vanadium pentoxide cathode for high-rate aqueous zinc-ion batteries.

Aqueous zinc-ion batteries (ZIBs) are widely recognized for their excellent safety and high theoretical capacity but are hindered by the scarcity of cathode materials with high-rate performance and stability. Herein, a dual conducting network corbelled hydrated vanadium pentoxide that involves structural water as a pillar to enlarge the layer spacing of vanadium pentoxide and ensure cycling stability was reported. Along with the proton co-insertion, the hydrated vanadium pentoxide delivers nearly theoretical specific capacities of 524.6 mA h g-1 at 0.3 A g-1 and 258.7 mA h g-1 at 10 A g-1, which was largely due to non-faradaic contribution, and retains 196.8 mA h g-1 at 4.8 A g-1 after 1100 cycles. Notably, a high energy density of 409.3 W h kg-1 at 0.3 A g-1 and a power density of 6666.4 W kg-1 at 10 A g-1 have also been achieved. The design strategy offers a potential path to develop high-rate ZIBs.

Revealing the Superiority of Fast Ion Conductor in Composite Electrolyte for Dendrite-Free Lithium-Metal Batteries.

Composite electrolytes composed of a nanoceramic and polymer have been widely studied because of their high ionic conductivity, good Li-ion transference number, and excellent machinability, whereas the intrinsic reason for the improvement of performance is ambiguous. Herein, we have designed a functional polymer skeleton with different types of nanofiller to reveal the superiority of fast ion conductors in composite electrolyte. Three types of ceramics with different dielectric constants and Li-ion transfer ability were selected to prepare composite electrolytes, the composition, structure, and electrochemical performances of which were systematically investigated. It was found that the addition of fast ion conductive ceramics could provide a high Li-ion transference ability and decreased diffusion barrier because the additional pathways existed in the ceramic, which are revealed by experiment and density functional theory calculations. Benefiting from the superiority of fast ion conductor, Li-metal batteries with this advanced composite electrolyte exhibit an impressive cycling stability and enable a dendrite-free Li surface after cycling. Our work enriches the understanding of the function of fast ion conductors in composite electrolyte and guides the design for other high-performance composite electrolytes in rechargeable solid batteries.

Preparation of a porous graphite felt electrode for advance vanadium redox flow batteries.

Rapid mass transfer and great electrochemical activity have become the critical points for designing electrodes in vanadium redox flow batteries (VRFBs). In this research, we show a porous graphite felt (GF@P) electrode to improve the electrochemical properties of VRFBs. The generation of pores on graphite felt electrodes is based on etching effects of iron to carbon. The voltage and energy efficiencies of VRFB based on the GF@P electrode can reach 72.6% and 70.7% at a current density of 200 mA cm-2, respectively, which are 8.3% and 7.9% better than that of untreated GF@U (graphite felt). Further, the VRFBs based on GF@P electrodes possess supreme stability after over 500 charge-discharge cycles at 200 mA cm-2. The high-efficiency approach reported in this study offers a new strategy for designing high-performance electrode materials applied in VRFBs.

Unveiling the Role of Heteroatom Gradient-Distributed Carbon Fibers for Vanadium Redox Flow Batteries with Long Service Life.

The fundamental understanding of electrocatalytic reaction process is anticipated to guide electrode upgradation and acquirement of high-performance vanadium redox flow batteries (VRFBs). Herein, a carbon fiber prototype system with a heteroatom gradient distribution has been developed with enlarged interlayer spacing and a high graphitization that improve the electronic conductivity and accelerate the electrocatalytic reaction, and the mechanism by which gradient-distributed heteroatoms enhance vanadium redox reactions was elucidated with the assistance of density functional theory calculations. All these contributions endow the obtained electrode prominent redox reversibility and durability with only 1.7% decay in energy efficiency over 1000 cycles at 150 mA cm-2 in the VRFBs. Our work sheds light on the significance of elaborated electrode design and impels the in-depth investigation of VRFBs with long service life.

Hierarchical Carbon Micro/Nanonetwork with Superior Electrocatalysis for High-Rate and Endurable Vanadium Redox Flow Batteries.

Vanadium redox flow batteries (VRFBs) are receiving increasing interest in energy storage fields because of their safety and versatility. However, the electrocatalytic activity of the electrode is a pivotal factor that still restricts the power and cycling capabilities of VRFBs. Here, a hierarchical carbon micro/nanonetwork (HCN) electrode codoped with nitrogen and phosphorus is prepared for application in VRFBs by cross-linking polymerization of aniline and physic acid, and subsequent pyrolysis on graphite felt. Due to the hierarchical electron pathways and abundant heteroatom active sites, the HCN exhibits superior electrocatalysis toward the vanadium redox couples and imparts the VRFBs with an outstanding energy efficiency and extraordinary stability after 2000 cycles at 250 mA cm-2 and a discharge capacity of 10.5 mA h mL-1 at an extra-large current density of 400 mA cm-2. Such a micro/nanostructure design will force the advancement of durable and high-power VRFBs and other electrochemical energy storage devices.

Study of the biological effectiveness of a nanosilver-epidermal growth factor sustained-release carrier.

The aim of the present study was to elucidate the biological effectiveness and character of a nanosilver-epidermal growth factor (EGF) sustained-release carrier. This was synthesized using the self-assembly method and then characterized by transmission electron microscopy and UV spectrophotometry. The biological activity of the sustained release carrier was determined through cytological, bacteriological and wound-healing experiments. The results showed that the nanosilver-EGF sustained-release carrier was well dispersed with uniform particle size and that it had good antibacterial properties similar to those of nanosilver. The nanosilver-EGF sustained-release carrier is superior to EGFs in effectively promoting cell division and proliferation. The results of the wound-healing experiments provide evidence of its curative effects.