Highly Curved Nanostructure-Coated Co, N-Doped Carbon Materials for Oxygen Electrocatalysis.

Nitrogen-doped graphene could catalyze the electrochemical reduction and evolution of oxygen, but unfortunately suffers from sluggish catalytic kinetics. Herein, for the first time, we report an onion-like carbon coated Co, N-doped carbon (OLC/Co-N-C) material, which possesses multilayers of highly curved nanostructures that form mesoporous architectures. These unique nanospheres are produced when surfactant micelles are introduced to synthesis precursors. Owing to the combined electronic effect and nanostructuring effect, our OLC/Co-N-C materials exhibit high bifunctional oxygen reduction/evolution reaction (ORR/OER) activity, showing a promising application in rechargeable Zn-air batteries. Experimental results are rationalized by theoretical calculations, showing that the curvature of graphitic carbon plays a vital role in promoting activities of meta-carbon atoms near graphitic N and ortho/meta carbon atoms close to pyridinic N.

Molecular Modulation of a Molybdenum-Selenium Cluster by Sulfur Substitution To Enhance the Hydrogen Evolution Reaction.

Many strategies to optimize molybdenum selenide based electrocatalysts for hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) have been explored; however, the modulation of molybdenum selenide on the molecular scale remains an ongoing challenge. Here, we synthesized a new molecular HER electrocatalyst based on a molybdenum-selenium cluster (Mo3Se13) and further realized its modulation by precise sulfur substitution at the molecular level to enhance the HER activity. The density functional theory (DFT) calculations demonstrated that the substituted sulfur could promote the hydrogen adsorption process and thus improve the HER performance. This work not only realizes the selective replacement of the bridging selenium atom with a sulfur atom in the molybdenum-selenium cluster for the first time but also provides a precise model for illustrating the structure-property relationship in electrocatalysis on the molecular level.

Iridium metallene oxide for acidic oxygen evolution catalysis.

Exploring new materials is essential in the field of material science. Especially, searching for optimal materials with utmost atomic utilization, ideal activities and desirable stability for catalytic applications requires smart design of materials' structures. Herein, we report iridium metallene oxide: 1 T phase-iridium dioxide (IrO2) by a synthetic strategy combining mechanochemistry and thermal treatment in a strong alkaline medium. This material demonstrates high activity for oxygen evolution reaction with a low overpotential of 197 millivolt in acidic electrolyte at 10 milliamperes per geometric square centimeter (mA cmgeo-2). Together, it achieves high turnover frequencies of 4.2 sUPD-1 (3.0 sBET-1) at 1.50 V vs. reversible hydrogen electrode. Furthermore, 1T-IrO2 also shows little degradation after 126 hours chronopotentiometry measurement under the high current density of 250 mA cmgeo-2 in proton exchange membrane device. Theoretical calculations reveal that the active site of Ir in 1T-IrO2 provides an optimal free energy uphill in *OH formation, leading to the enhanced performance. The discovery of this 1T-metallene oxide material will provide new opportunities for catalysis and other applications.

Single Vanadium Atoms Anchored on Graphitic Carbon Nitride as a High-Performance Catalyst for Non-oxidative Propane Dehydrogenation.

In comparison with oil-based cracking technologies, the on-purpose dehydrogenation of propane (PDH) is a more eco-friendly and profitable approach to produce propylene. By means of density functional theory calculations, the present work reveals that the single vanadium (V) atom anchored on graphitic carbon nitride (V1/g-C3N4) may serve as a promising single-atom catalyst for non-oxidative PDH with industrially practical activity, selectivity, and thermal stability. The high activity of V1/g-C3N4 for PDH is attributed to the low-coordinated 3d orbitals of single V atoms, while the propylene selectivity is originated from the inhibition of the di-σ binding mode of propylene on the single V atoms. This work provides a guideline to design and screen out promising single-atom catalysts for selective dehydrogenation of alkanes.

Calisthenics exercises to intervene in obesity and diabetes in middle-aged people / Exercícios calistênicos para intervir na obesidade e diabetes em pessoas de meia idade / Ejercicios calisténicos para intervenir en la obesidad y en la diabetes en personas de mediana edad

ABSTRACT Introduction: There is an annual increase in type 2 diabetes (T2DM) incidence in middle-aged people. Aerobic exercise is known to influence glucose metabolic pathways positively. Few studies concerning calisthenic aerobic exercise and its influence on elderly patients with T2DM. Objective: To measure the therapeutic effect of calisthenic exercise in obese Middle-aged people with T2DM. Methods: A total of 86 patients with T2DM were selected from the physical examination of employees of the same unit. They were randomly divided into the exercise group and the control group. The exercise intervention lasted for 16 weeks, with sessions held 3-5 times per week, varying from 60 to 90 minutes per session. The markers evaluated were defined according to the literature and statistically verified. Results: After 16 weeks of calisthenic exercise intervention, compared to the control group or before the experiment, we observed significant reductions in variables VFA (visceral fat area), FPG (fasting glucose), Fins (fasting insulin), HOMA-IR (homeostasis model evaluation of insulin resistance), 2hPBG (postprandial two hours glucose) and HbAlc (hemoglobin Alc) of the exercise group were significantly reduced (P<0.01). Conclusion: Calisthenic exercise intervention can reduce the levels of VFA, FPG. FIns, HOMA-HR, 2hPBG and HbAlc in patients with T2DM. It was also found to reduce the visceral fat content of obese elderly patients with T2DM, reducing obesity risks. Level of evidence II; Therapeutic studies - investigation of treatment results.

RESUMO Introdução: Há um aumento anual na incidência de diabetes tipo 2 (T2DM) nas pessoas de meia idade. O exercício aeróbico é conhecido por influenciar positivamente as vias metabólicas da glicose. Porém há poucos estudos sobre o exercício aeróbico calistênico e sua influência em pacientes entre 40 a 60 anos com T2DM. Objetivo: Medir o efeito terapêutico do exercício calistênico em pacientes de meia idade com obesidade e T2DM. Métodos: Um total de 86 pacientes com T2DM foram selecionados a partir do exame físico dos funcionários da mesma unidade. Eles foram divididos aleatoriamente entre o grupo de exercícios e o grupo de controle. A intervenção do exercício durou 16 semanas, com sessões realizadas de 3 a 5 vezes por semana, variando de 60 a 90 minutos por sessão. Os marcadores avaliados foram definidos de acordo com a literatura e verificados estatisticamente. Resultados: Após 16 semanas de intervenção de exercício aeróbico calistênico, em comparação ao grupo controle ou antes do experimento, observamos reduções significativas nas variáveis VFA (área de gordura visceral), FPG (glicose de jejum), Fins (insulina em jejum), HOMA-IR (avaliação do modelo de homeostase de resistência à insulina), 2hPBG (glicose pós-prandial de duas horas) e HbAlc (hemoglobina Alc) do grupo exercício foram significativamente reduzidas (P<0,01). Conclusão: A intervenção de exercício aeróbico calistênico pode reduzir os níveis de VFA, FPG. FIns, HOMA-HR, 2hPBG e HbAlc em pacientes com T2DM. Também foi constatado que reduz o conteúdo de gordura visceral de pacientes idosos obesos com T2DM, reduzindo os riscos de obesidade. Nível de evidência II; Estudos terapêuticos - investigação dos resultados do tratamento.

RESUMEN Introducción: Cada año aumenta la incidencia de la diabetes tipo 2 (T2DM) en personas de mediana edad. Se sabe que el ejercicio aeróbico influye positivamente en las vías metabólicas de la glucosa. Pero hay pocos estudios sobre el ejercicio aeróbico calisténico y su influencia en pacientes de 40-60 años con T2DM. Objetivo: Medir el efecto terapéutico del ejercicio calisténico en pacientes de mediana edad con obesidad y T2DM. Métodos: Se seleccionó un total de 86 pacientes con T2DM a partir de la exploración física de los empleados de la misma unidad. Se dividieron aleatoriamente entre el grupo de ejercicio y el grupo de control. La intervención de ejercicios duró 16 semanas, con sesiones realizadas de 3 a 5 veces por semana, de 60 a 90 minutos por sesión. Los marcadores evaluados se definieron según la literatura y se verificaron estadísticamente. Resultados: Después de 16 semanas de intervención de ejercicio aeróbico calisténico, en comparación con el grupo de control o antes del experimento, observamos reducciones significativas en las variables VFA (área de grasa visceral), FPG (glucosa en ayunas), Fins (insulina en ayunas), HOMA-IR (evaluación del modelo de homeostasis de resistencia a la insulina), 2hPBG (glucosa postprandial de dos horas) y HbAlc (hemoglobina Alc) del grupo de ejercicio se redujeron significativamente (P<0,01). Conclusión: La intervención de ejercicio aeróbico calisténico puede reducir los niveles de AGV, FPG. FIns, HOMA-HR, 2hPBG y HbAlc en pacientes con T2DM. También se ha comprobado que reduce el contenido de grasa visceral en pacientes ancianos obesos con T2DM, reduciendo el riesgo de obesidad. Nivel de evidencia II; Estudios terapéuticos - investigación de los resultados del tratamiento.

Optimization of the open-loop liquid crystal adaptive optics retinal imaging system.

An open-loop adaptive optics (AO) system for retinal imaging was constructed using a liquid crystal spatial light modulator (LC-SLM) as the wavefront compensator. Due to the dispersion of the LC-SLM, there was only one illumination source for both aberration detection and retinal imaging in this system. To increase the field of view (FOV) for retinal imaging, a modified mechanical shutter was integrated into the illumination channel to control the size of the illumination spot on the fundus. The AO loop was operated in a pulsing mode, and the fundus was illuminated twice by two laser impulses in a single AO correction loop. As a result, the FOV for retinal imaging was increased to 1.7-deg without compromising the aberration detection accuracy. The correction precision of the open-loop AO system was evaluated in a closed-loop configuration; the residual error is approximately 0.0909λ (root-mean-square, RMS), and the Strehl ratio ranges to 0.7217. Two subjects with differing rates of myopia (-3D and -5D) were tested. High-resolution images of capillaries and photoreceptors were obtained.

[Landscape pattern analysis based on boundary characteristics].

Through boundary number to the length distribution spectrum analysis, the relationships between boundary number-length and fragmentation of landscape and element were discussed. Landscape pattern indices such as diversity, evenness, heterogeneity, and spatial complicity were calculated based on boundary number and cumulative length, and these indices were compared with those based on element area proportion. The results indicated that the fast urbanization process caused complication of boundary element distribution pattern and simplification of layer structure. The distribution function parameter alpha could reflect landscape fragmentation properly, and the landscape pattern indices based on boundary characteristics was an useful supplement for traditional pattern analysis.