Controlled Growth of Pd Nanocrystals by Interface Interaction on Monolayer MoS2: An Atom-Resolved in Situ Study.

The crystal growth kinetics is crucial for the controllable preparation and performance modulation of metal nanocrystals (NCs). However, the study of growth mechanisms is significantly limited by characterization techniques, and it is still challenging to in situ capture the growth process. Real-time and real-space imaging techniques at the atomic scale can promote the understanding of microdynamics for NC growth. Herein, the growth of Pd NCs on monolayer MoS2 under different atmospheres was in situ studied by environmental transmission electron microscopy. Introducing carbon monoxide can modulate the diffusion of Pd monomers, resulting in the epitaxial growth of Pd NCs with a uniform orientation. The electron energy loss spectroscopy and theoretical calculations showed that the CO adsorption assured the specific exposed facets and good uniformity of Pd NCs. The insight into the gas-solid interface interaction and the microscopic growth mechanism of NCs may shed light on the precise synthesis of NCs on two-dimensional (2D) materials.

Lactobacillaceae improve cognitive dysfunction via regulating gut microbiota and suppressing Aß deposits and neuroinflammation in APP/PS1 mice.

Alzheimer's disease (AD), the most prevalent neurodegenerative disease, has a significant relationship with alteration of the gut microbiota (GM), and the GM-gut-brain axis has been explored to find novel therapeutic approaches for AD. The present study aimed to evaluate the effect of human Lactobacillaceae (HLL) on cognitive function in APP/PS1 mice. The results showed that HLL treatment significantly improved the cognitive function of mice via MWM and NOR tests. Furthermore, the expression of Aß plaques, tau phosphorylation and neuroinflammation were markedly reduced in the hippocampus. Meanwhile, HLL treatment significantly increased the activity of GSH-PX and decreased the expression levels of IL-6 and MDA in the brain, and simultaneously increased the abundance of beneficial bacteria and restrained pathogenic bacteria in the intestine. Interestingly, significant correlations were observed between significant changes in abundance of GMs and AD-related markers. Collectively, these findings reveal that HLL is a promising therapeutic agent and potential probiotics, which might improve the cognitive function and AD pathologies.

Determination of radiative and multiphonon non-radiative relaxation rates of upconversion materials.

The radiative and multiphonon non-radiative relaxation rates of lanthanide ions are intrinsic parameters to characterize the optical properties, which are the basic data for the theoretical model and numerical simulation of lanthanide upconversion systems. However, there are complex energy transfer processes, such as energy migration, energy transfer upconversion, and cross-relaxation in the lanthanide-doped upconversion materials, so it is difficult to accurately measure the intrinsic radiative and multiphonon relaxation rates. Therefore, a method to determine the relaxation rates of multi-level upconversion systems is proposed based on multi-wavelength excitation and level-by-level parameter calculations in this paper. For a dilute doped multi-level luminescence system excited at low powers, a model based on the measurements of steady-state emission spectra and luminescence decay curves is established through the macroscopic rate equations at multi-wavelength excitation, which can be used for the level-by-level calculation of the multi-level radiative and multiphonon relaxation rates. With the dilute doped ß-NaYF4:Er3+ six-level luminescence system as an example, the measurement method and the model are introduced in detail. Under the experimental conditions of neglecting the energy transfer effect between ions, the materials are excited by five lasers with central wavelengths of 1523 nm, 980 nm, 808 nm, 660 nm, and 520 nm to form five subsystems. The steady-state emission spectra and luminescence decay curves of the luminescence system excited by each wavelength were recorded. The intrinsic relaxation rates including 11 radiative relaxation rates and 4 multiphonon relaxation rates in the ß-NaYF4:Er3+ six-level system were determined based on the established model and method, which experimentally verified the applicability of the method proposed in this paper. This work will provide basic data for the analysis and regulation of the luminescence properties of lanthanide upconversion systems.

Temperature dependence mechanism of high-temperature oxidation of transition metal silicide MoSi2.

Transition metal silicides represented by MoSi2have excellent oxidation resistance and are widely used as high-temperature anti-oxidation coatings in hot end components of power equipment. However, the mechanism of temperature-dependent growth of MoSi2oxidation products has not been revealed. Therefore, this study investigated the formation characteristics of oxide film and silicide-poor compound on MoSi2at temperatures of 1000 °C-1550 °C through high-temperature oxidation experiments, combined with microscopic Raman spectroscopy, scanning electron microscope, and x-ray diffraction (XRD) characterizations. The result showed that MoSi2underwent high-temperature selective oxidation reactions at 1000 °C-1200 °C, forming MoO2and SiO2oxide film on the substrate. As the oxidation temperature increased to 1550 °C, after 100 h of oxidation, along with the disappearance of MoO2and the phase transformation of SiO2, a continuous Mo5Si3layer with a thickness of approximately 47µm was formed at the SiO2-MoSi2interface. Thermodynamics and kinetic calculations further revealed the mechanism of temperature-dependent growth of oxidation products (MoO2and Mo5Si3) during high-temperature oxidation process of MoSi2. As the temperature increased, the diffusion flux ratio of O and Si decreased, leading to a decrease in oxygen concentration at the interface and promoting the growth of the Mo5Si3layer. Its thickness is an important indicator for evaluating the oxidation resistance of MoSi2coatings during service. This study provides experimental and mechanistic insights into the temperature-dependent growth behavior of Mo5Si3during the high-temperature oxidation of MoSi2coating, and provides guidance for predicting the service life and improving the oxidation resistance of silicide coatings.

Comparative study of integrated bio-responses in deep-sea and nearshore mussels upon abiotic condition changes: Insight into distinct regulation and adaptation.

Deep-sea mussels, one of the dominant species in most deep-sea ecosystems, have long been used as model organisms to investigate the adaptations and symbiotic relationships of deep-sea macrofauna under laboratory conditions due to their ability to survive under atmospheric pressure. However, the impact of additional abiotic conditions beyond pressure, such as temperature and light, on their physiological characteristics remains unknown. In this study, deep-sea mussels (Gigantidas platifrons) from cold seep of the South China Sea, along with nearshore mussels (Mytilus coruscus) from the East China Sea, were reared in unfavorable abiotic conditions for up to 8 days. Integrated biochemical indexes including antioxidant defense, immune ability and energy metabolism were investigated in the gill and digestive gland, while cytotoxicity was determined in hemocytes of both types of mussels. The results revealed mild bio-responses in two types of mussels in the laboratory, represented by the effective antioxidant defense with constant total antioxidant capability level and malondialdehyde content. There were also disparate adaptations in deep-sea and nearshore mussels. In deep-sea mussels, significantly increased immune response and energy reservation were observed in gills, together with the elevated cytotoxicity in hemocytes, implying the more severe biological adaptation was required, mainly due to the symbiotic bacteria loss under laboratory conditions. On the contrary, insignificant biological responses were exhibited in nearshore mussels except for the increased energy consumption, indicating the trade-off strategy to use more energy to deal with potential stress. Overall, this comparative study highlights the basal bio-responses of deep-sea and nearshore mussels out of their native environments, providing evidence that short-term culture of both mussels under easily achievable laboratory conditions would not dramatically alter their biological status. This finding will assist in broadening the application of deep-sea mussels as model organism in future research regardless of the specialized research equipment.

Changes of phonon modes and electron transfer induced by interface interactions of Pd/MoS2 heterostructures.

As functional materials and nano-catalysts, Pd nanoparticles (NPs) are often used to modify two-dimensional (2D) materials. In the heterostructures of metal NPs and 2D transition metal dichalcogenides, the interface atomic configuration and interface effect greatly affect material properties and stability. Therefore, the rational design of interface structures and in-depth analysis of interface interactions are of vital importance for the preparation of specific functional devices. In this work, Pd NPs were deposited on mechanically exfoliated MoS2 flakes and the epitaxial relationship between Pd and MoS2 was observed, accompanied by distinct moiré patterns. Raman spectra of the Pd NPs/MoS2 heterostructure showed an E12g' vibration mode indicative of the local strain in MoS2. A new vibration mode A'1g appeared in the higher-frequency direction compared with the pristine A1g peak. Combined with X-ray photoelectron spectra and density functional theory calculations, the new vibration mode can be attributed to the bonding between Pd and MoS2. Besides, graphene was inserted between Pd NPs and MoS2, and the decoupling of the interfacial effect by graphene was investigated. This study will help deepen our understanding on the interaction mechanism between metals and MoS2, thereby enabling the modulation of optoelectronic properties and the performance of these hybrid materials.

The Synergism of Human Lactobacillaceae and Inulin Decrease Hyperglycemia via Regulating the Composition of Gut Microbiota and Metabolic Profiles in db/db Mice.

This study aimed to evaluate the effects of Limosilactobacillus fermentum and Lactiplantibacillus plantarum isolated from human feces coordinating with inulin on the composition of gut microbiota and metabolic profiles in db/db mice. These supplements were administered to db/db mice for 12 weeks. The results showed that the Lactobacillaceae coordinating with inulin group (LI) exhibited lower fasting blood glucose levels than the model control group (MC). Additionally, LI was found to enhance colon tissue and increase the levels of short-chain fatty acids. 16S rRNA sequencing revealed that the abundance of Corynebacterium and Proteus, which were significantly increased in the MC group compared with NC group, were significantly decreased by the treatment of LI that also restored the key genera of the Lachnospiraceae_NK4A136_group, Lachnoclostridium, Ruminococcus_gnavus_group, Desulfovibrio, and Lachnospiraceae_UCG-006. Untargeted metabolomics analysis showed that lotaustralin, 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid, and 13(S)-HpODE were increased while L-phenylalanine and L-tryptophan were decreased in the MC group compared with the NC group. However, the intervention of LI reversed the levels of these metabolites in the intestine. Correlation analysis revealed that Lachnoclostridium and Ruminococcus_gnavus_group were negatively correlated with 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid and 13(S)-HpODE, but positively correlated with L-tryptophan. 13(S)-HpODE was involved in the "linoleic acid metabolism". L-tryptophan and 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid were involved in "tryptophan metabolism" and "serotonergic synapse". These findings suggest that LI may alleviate type 2 diabetes symptoms by modulating the abundance of Ruminococcus_gnavus_group and Lachnoclostridium to regulate the pathways of "linoleic acid metabolism", "serotonergic synapse", and" tryptophan metabolism". Our results provide new insights into prevention and treatment of type 2 diabetes.

Microfluidic Technology for the Isolation and Analysis of Exosomes.

Exosomes are lipid-bilayer enclosed vesicles with diameters of 30-150 nm, which play a pivotal role in cell communication by transporting their cargoes such as proteins, lipids, and genetic materials. In recent years, exosomes have been under intense investigation, as they show great promise in numerous areas, especially as bio-markers in liquid biopsies. However, due to the high heterogeneity and the nano size of exosomes, the separation of exosomes is not easy. This review will deliver an outline of the conventional methods and the microfluidic-based technologies for exosome separation. Particular attention is devoted to microfluidic devices, highlighting the efficiency of exosome isolation by these methods. Additionally, this review will introduce advances made in the integrated microfluidics technologies that enable the separation and analysis of exosomes.

COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy on Social Media: Building a Public Twitter Data Set of Antivaccine Content, Vaccine Misinformation, and Conspiracies.

BACKGROUND: False claims about COVID-19 vaccines can undermine public trust in ongoing vaccination campaigns, posing a threat to global public health. Misinformation originating from various sources has been spreading on the web since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. Antivaccine activists have also begun to use platforms such as Twitter to promote their views. To properly understand the phenomenon of vaccine hesitancy through the lens of social media, it is of great importance to gather the relevant data. OBJECTIVE: In this paper, we describe a data set of Twitter posts and Twitter accounts that publicly exhibit a strong antivaccine stance. The data set is made available to the research community via our AvaxTweets data set GitHub repository. We characterize the collected accounts in terms of prominent hashtags, shared news sources, and most likely political leaning. METHODS: We started the ongoing data collection on October 18, 2020, leveraging the Twitter streaming application programming interface (API) to follow a set of specific antivaccine-related keywords. Then, we collected the historical tweets of the set of accounts that engaged in spreading antivaccination narratives between October 2020 and December 2020, leveraging the Academic Track Twitter API. The political leaning of the accounts was estimated by measuring the political bias of the media outlets they shared. RESULTS: We gathered two curated Twitter data collections and made them publicly available: (1) a streaming keyword-centered data collection with more than 1.8 million tweets, and (2) a historical account-level data collection with more than 135 million tweets. The accounts engaged in the antivaccination narratives lean to the right (conservative) direction of the political spectrum. The vaccine hesitancy is fueled by misinformation originating from websites with already questionable credibility. CONCLUSIONS: The vaccine-related misinformation on social media may exacerbate the levels of vaccine hesitancy, hampering progress toward vaccine-induced herd immunity, and could potentially increase the number of infections related to new COVID-19 variants. For these reasons, understanding vaccine hesitancy through the lens of social media is of paramount importance. Because data access is the first obstacle to attain this goal, we published a data set that can be used in studying antivaccine misinformation on social media and enable a better understanding of vaccine hesitancy.

Interactions between spiropyrans and room-temperature ionic liquids: photochromism and solvatochromism.

A series of imidazolium-based room-temperature ionic liquids (RTILs) containing anions from organic carboxylic acids were prepared. A set of dye probes, including Reichardt's dye (30), 4-nitrioaniline, and N, N-diethyl-4-nitroaniline, were used to determine the ET(30) scales and the Kamlet-Taft parameters (pi*, alpha, and beta) of the RTILs. On the basis of the polarity properties, these RTILs were categorized into three groups: group A with beta >0.9, alpha <0.9; group B with beta <0.9, alpha <0.9; and group C with beta <0.9, alpha >0.9. Interactions of these RTILs with four photochromic spiropyran derivatives (SP-I, SP-II, SP-III, and SP-IV) were investigated. It was found that the spiropyrans could present photochromism (positive or negative) or not, depending mainly on the polarity properties of the RTILs and also on the structure itself. A new spectroscopic method based on the molecular transition energy of the spiropyran probes (ESP) was proposed to determine the polarity of those protic or fluorine-containing RTILs, which were failed with the Reichardt's dye (30) probe.

Change of handedness in cholesteric liquid crystalline phase for N-phthaloylchitosan solutions in organic solvents.

The influence of concentration on the helicoidal change of N-phthaloylchitosan (PhCh) solutions in Me2SO, DMAc and DMF was investigated by means of circular dichroism (CD). The critical concentrations to form liquid crystal phase in these three solvents were 43, 45 and 48 wt.%, respectively as measured with polarized optical microscope. There were two kinds of CD peaks, sharp peaks with absorption maximum at about 330 nm induced by the helical conformation of molecular chain, and very broad peaks covering almost whole visible region induced by the cholesteric helix of mesophase. The later only appeared in concentrated solutions with the concentration higher than the critical concentration. The handedness of both levels of helicoidal structures changed from left- to right-handed with the increase of concentration for PhCh/Me2SO solutions. The chirality transfer occurred between these two chiral levels. For PhCh/DMAc and PhCh/DMF systems, only the handedness of helical conformation reversed, but the cholesteric helix did not change. As a method to measure critical concentration, CD is more sensitive than polarized optical microscopy (POM).