ABSTRACT
In order to prepare high ionic conductivity and robust mechanical properties of alkaline solid polyelectrolyte (ASPE) for applications in flexible wearable devices, a co-continuous structure membrane was designed using in-situ polymerization to introduce cross-linked polyacrylic acid (N-PAA) into the cellulose network constructed by regenerated degreasing cotton (RDC). The resultant ASPE membrane showed high ionic conductivity (430 mS·cm-1 at 25 °C), strong mechanical properties, and excellent alkaline stabilities, proving the viability of cellulose for use in energy storage systems. Surprisingly, the sandwich-shaped zinc-air battery assembled using RDC/N-PAA/KOH membranes as electrolytes exhibits superior values of cycling stability, discharge time, specific capacity (731.5 mAh·g-1), peak power density (40.25 mW·cm-2), and mechanical flexibility. Even under bending conditions, the zinc-air batteries still possess stable energy supply performance, suggesting this novel solid polyelectrolyte has promising application for wearable technology.
Subject(s)
Cellulose , Zinc , Polyelectrolytes , Zinc/chemistry , Electric Power Supplies , Electrolytes/chemistry , Ions/chemistryABSTRACT
The possibility of using coconut fatty acid diethanolamide, a derivate from coconut oil as a bio-based polyol for the synthesis of polyurethane foam was explored. The intrinsic tertiary amine moiety in this polyol (p-CFAD) endowed an auto-catalytic effect in the synthesis process of polyurethane foams, combined with a shorter cream and gelation time compared to the fossil-based polyol 3152. H-nuclear magnetic resonance (1H-NMR) and Fourier transform infrared spectrometry (FTIR) were conducted to characterize the chemical structural features of the p-CFAD, and rheology measurement showed the shear-thinning behavior due to the branched structure. A thermal conductivity comparable to the commercial rigid polyurethane foam was achieved when 40wt% fossil-based polyol 3152 was substituted with the bio-based p-CFAD. With the increased content of the p-CFAD, a transition of the physical properties from rigid PU foam to soft PU foam was observed. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) revealed the occurrence of the interconnected pores on the cell walls with the increase of the added p-CFAD, implying the possibility of regulating the cellular structure and foam properties via the incorporation of the p-CFAD. Results showed the feasibility of using p-CFAD as a potential polyol in the development of bio-based polyurethane foams with high performance.
ABSTRACT
The effect of rosuvastatin on the expression of candidate gene polypeptide N-acetylgalactosaminyltrans ferase 3 (GALNT3) in atherosclerosis was studied. Sixty Wistar rats were randomly divided into the control (n=20), model (atherosclerosis group, n=20) and administration (rosuvastatin group, n=20) groups. The atherosclerosis model was established via injecting D3.6 million units of vitamin per kilogram of body weight and then the rats were fed with high-fat diet for 6 weeks. The total cholesterol, serum triglyceride and nitric oxide contents were detected using the kits, the morphological changes in thoracic aorta were observed via hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining, the mRNA expression of candidate gene GALNT3 was detected via reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), and the protein expression of candidate gene GALNT3 was detected via western blot analysis. Compared with those in the control group, the contents of serum triglyceride and total cholesterol in the model group were significantly increased, and then significantly decreased after drug administration. Morphological observation showed that the surface of thoracic aorta was not smooth with endothelial shedding, and the smooth muscle cells were arranged irregularly and their number was obviously increased. Moreover, RT-PCR and western blot analysis revealed that the mRNA and protein expressions of GALNT3 were significantly increased in the administration group. Rosuvastatin can therefore significantly upregulate the expression of candidate gene GALNT3 in atherosclerosis, thereby reducing the incidence of atherosclerosis.
ABSTRACT
This study determined the correlations of CXC ligand 16 (CXCL16) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) levels with coronary atherosclerotic heart disease (CAHD) and screened for new clinical markers for the prognosis and treatment of the disease. Eighty patients with coronary heart disease and 50 healthy subjects were enrolled into a CAHD or healthy control group, respectively. Computed tomography (CT) coronary angiography and Gensini integral were used to classify plaques and evaluate patients with coronary heart disease. The serum levels of CXCL16 and TNF-α of subjects in each group were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA), and the correlation between levels and clinical markers (such as blood pressure, glucose, lipid and heart rate) and the severity of disease were analyzed. Our results showed the serum levels of CXCL16 and TNF-α were significantly higher in the CAHD group than those in the CK group. The serum CXCL16 levels of the CAHD group patients with plaques were distinctly higher than those of the CADH group patients without plaques, but there were no significant difference in serum TNF-α levels between these two groups of patients. The level of CXCL16 had a significantly positive correlation with the severity of disease, but there was no significant correlation between TNF-α level and the severity of disease. Also, there was no significant correlation between the CXCL16 levels and blood pressure, blood glucose, heart rate, total cholesterol, triglyceride or high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, but there was a clear correlation with the low-density lipoprotein cholesterol. Finally no significant correlations were found between TNF-α levels and each of the clinical markers studied. Based on our findings, the levels of CXCL16 and TNF-α in the patients with coronary heart disease were abnormally increased and the level of CXCL16 correlated closely with the severity of disease. These markers seem to be reliable biological markers for prognosis and disease evaluation in coronary heart disease patients.
ABSTRACT
The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of telmisartan on vascular endothelial functions, inflammatory factors and insulin resistance of coronary heart disease patients complicated with diabetes mellitus. In total, 80 coronary heart disease patients complicated with type 2 diabetes mellitus, admitted and treated in the Zhangqiu Hospital from January 2016 to March 2017 were enrolled in the study. Each patient was randomly assigned to an observation (n=40) or a control group (n=40) using a random number table. Conventional symptomatic and supporting therapies were administered to all the patients in the two groups for 12 consecutive weeks, while additional telmisartan was given only to patients in the observation group. Markers of glucose metabolism, vascular endothelial function and inflammation were determined before and after intervention, to compare averages between groups. Results showed the levels of fasting blood glucose and blood glucose in the observation group were significantly lower than those in the control group (p<0.05) after 4 weeks of treatment. The levels of HOMA-IR in the observation group were clearly improved compared to those in the control group during the same period (p<0.05). After the intervention, the levels of FINS and HOMA-IR in the observation group improved significantly more compared with those in the control group (p<0.05), while the levels of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-6 (IL-6) and C-reactive protein (CRP) were much lower than those in the control group (p<0.05). Furthermore, at the 4th, 8th and 12th week after starting the treatment, the vascular endothelin (ET) levels in the observation group were significantly lower than those in the control group (p<0.05). In addition, the brachial artery diameters in the basal state were significantly larger than those in the control group (p<0.05) for the same time-points. Coronary heart disease patients complicated with diabetes mellitus whose treatment includes telmisartan can better regulate their blood glucose, reduce the insulin resistance and body inflammatory responses and improve their vascular endothelial functions.
