Exploiting the Bragg Mirror Effect of TiO Nanotube Photonic Crystals for Promoting Photoelectrochemical Water Splitting.

Exploiting the Bragg mirror effect of photonic crystal photoelectrode is desperately desired for photoelectrochemical water splitting. Herein, a novel TiO nanotube photonic crystal bi-layer structure consisting of a top nanotube layer and a bottom nanotube photonic crystal layer is presented. In this architecture, the photonic bandgap of bottom TiO nanotube photonic crystals can be precisely adjusted by modulating the anodization parameters.

ZnO quantum dots decorated BaTiO for cancer sonodynamic therapy.

Sonodynamic therapy depending on ultrasound irradiation, which generates reactive species to kill cancer cells, has attracted considerable attention due to the deep tissue penetration depth. However, the insufficient separation of electron/hole pairs induces its limited therapeutic efficiency. Herein, we use oxygen vacancy and ZnO quantum dots decoration techniques to enhance electron/hole separation and reactive species production.

Obesity-induced upregulation of miR-483-5p impairs the function and identity of pancreatic β-cells.

Aim: To assess the expression and function of miR-483-5p in diabetic β cells.

Methods: The expression of miR-483-5p was evaluated in the pancreatic islets of obesity mouse models by quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. Dual-luciferase activity, and western blotting assays, were utilized for miR-483-5p target gene verification.

Drug target genes and molecular mechanism investigation in isoflurane-induced anesthesia based on WGCNA and machine learning methods.

Purpose: This study sought to identify drug target genes and their associated molecular mechanisms during isoflurane-induced anesthesia in clinical applications.

Methods: Microarray data (ID: GSE64617; isoflurane-treated vs. normal samples) were downloaded from the Gene Expression Omnibus database.

Two-dimensional lateral anatase-rutile TiO phase junctions with oxygen vacancies for robust photoelectrochemical water splitting.

Exploiting the photoelectrode materials with broad solar light response, high-efficient separation of photogenerated charges and abundant active sites is extremely vital yet enormously challenging. Herein, an innovative two-dimensional (2D) lateral anatase-rutile TiO phase junctions with controllable oxygen vacancies perpendicularly aligned on Ti mesh is presented. Our experimental observations and theoretical calculations corroborate explicitly that the 2D lateral phase junctions together with three-dimensional arrays not only exhibit the high-efficient photogenerated charges separation guaranteed by the build-in electric field at the side-to-side interface, but also furnish enriching active sites.

Synthesis of Two Porous CdS Rods by Anion Exchange Method and Their Photocatalytic Properties.

Semiconductor materials with pore structure have excellent physicochemical properties for photocatalytic reactions. Here, the one-step vulcanization of Cd-based MOF solid rods was successfully developed to synthesize two kinds of CdS rods with pore structure: hollow rods (HRs) and mesoporous rods (MRs). Among the three catalysts, the CdS HRs showed the highest photocatalytic efficiency, which could remove about 96.

Catalytic degradation of amoxicillin from water by a combined system of ultrasound/HO/KI.

A new combined system of ultrasound (US)/ HO/KI was presented in this study for the degradation of amoxicillin (AMX). Various parameters that influencing the degradation efficiency, such as ultrasonic power, pH value of the solution, concentrations of HO and KI, initial concentration of AMX were investigated. The maximum degradation efficiency of 84.

Black 3D-TiO Nanotube Arrays on Ti Meshes for Boosted Photoelectrochemical Water Splitting.

Black 3D-TiO nanotube arrays are successfully fabricated on the Ti meshes through a facile electrochemical reduction method. The optimized black 3D-TiO nanotubes arrays yield a maximal photocurrent density of 1.6 mA/cm at 0.

Improved Temporal Response of MoS Photodetectors by Mild Oxygen Plasma Treatment.

Temporal response is an important factor limiting the performance of two-dimensional (2D) material photodetectors. The deep trap states caused by intrinsic defects are the main factor to prolong the response time. In this work, it is demonstrated that the trap states in 2D molybdenum disulfide (MoS) can be efficiently modulated by defect engineering through mild oxygen plasma treatment.

PI3K inhibitor treatment ameliorates the glucocorticoid insensitivity of PBMCs in severe asthma.

Background: Glucocorticoid (GC) insensitivity is an important feature of severe and fatal asthma. Oxidative stress can induce phosphoinositide-3-kinase (PI3K) activation, contributing to the development of GC insensitivity in chronic airway diseases. However, the underlying molecular mechanism of PI3K in the pathogenesis of severe asthma remains unknown.

Clinical and pulmonary function changes in cough variant asthma with small airway disease.

Background: It is known that small airway disease is present across all asthma severities; however, its prevalence and clinical characteristics in cough variant asthma (CVA) have not been fully illuminated.

Methods: A total of 77 CVA patients with preserved proximal airway function (FEV1/FVC > 70%) were enrolled in this study. The correlation between forced expiratory flow at 50% (FEF) and FEF in the CVA population was first evaluated.

Efficacy of add-on sublingual immunotherapy for adults with asthma: A meta-analysis and systematic review.

Background: Sublingual immunotherapy (SLIT) reduces symptom scores and the use of rescue medication in children with allergic asthma, but the effect of SLIT therapy in adult patients has not been reported.

Objective: To examine the efficacy and adverse effects of SLIT add-on vs conventional medication in adult patients with mild to moderate asthma.

Methods: We systematically searched the MEDLINE, Embase, Cochrane, and Central databases.

Hydrogenated TiO nanotube photonic crystals for enhanced photoelectrochemical water splitting.

We report the design, fabrication and characterization of novel TiO nanotube photonic crystals with a crystalline core/disordered shell structure as well as substantial oxygen vacancies for photoelectrochemical (PEC) water splitting. The novel TiO nanotube photonic crystals are fabricated by annealing of anodized TiO nanotube photonic crystals in hydrogen atmosphere at various temperatures. The optimized novel TiO nanotube photonic crystals produce a maximal photocurrent density of 2.

IL-27 attenuates airway inflammation in a mouse asthma model via the STAT1 and GADD45γ/p38 MAPK pathways.

Background: Asthma is prone to Th2-mediated chronic airway inflammation. Interleukin-27 (IL-27) is a member of the IL-12 family that promotes the differentiation of Th1 cells and inhibits Th2 cells. We use human/mouse CD4 T cells to see whether IL-27 could inhibit IL-4 production in vitro and then observe whether IL-27 administration could alleviate allergic airway inflammation in vivo by mice asthma model.

Effect of memory CD4 T cells' signal transducer and activator of transcription (STATs) functional shift on cytokine-releasing properties in asthma.

Background: Recent data have demonstrated that long-lived memory T cells are present in the human lung and can play significant roles in the pathogenesis of specific allergic and autoimmune diseases. However, most evidence has been obtained from mouse studies, and the potential roles of memory T cells in human allergic diseases, such as asthma, remain largely unknown.

Methods: Thirty-three asthmatics, 26 chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients, and 22 healthy volunteers were enrolled in this study.

Selective Tuning of Gilbert Damping in Spin-Valve Trilayer by Insertion of Rare-Earth Nanolayers.

Selective tuning of the Gilbert damping constant, α, in a NiFe/Cu/FeCo spin-valve trilayer has been achieved by inserting different rare-earth nanolayers adjacent to the ferromagnetic layers. Frequency dependent analysis of the ferromagnetic resonances shows that the initially small magnitude of α in the NiFe and FeCo layers is improved by Tb and Gd insertions to various amounts. Using the element-specific technique of X-ray magnetic circular dichroism, we find that the observed increase in α can be attributed primarily to the orbital moment enhancement of Ni and Co, rather than that of Fe.

Investigation on Spin Dependent Transport Properties of Core-Shell Structural Fe₃O₄/ZnS Nanocomposites for Spintronic Application.

The core-shell structural Fe3O4/ZnS nanocomposites with controllable shell thickness were well-fabricated via seed-mediate growth method. Structural and morphological characterizations reveal the direct deposition of crystalline II-VI compound semiconductor ZnS shell layer on Fe3O4 particles. Spin dependent electrical transport is studied on Fe3O4/ZnS nanocomposites with different shell thickness, and a large magnetoresistance (MR) ratio is observed under the magnetic field of 1.

Wet chemical synthesis and magnetic properties of single crystal Co nanochains with surface amorphous passivation Co layers.

: In this study, for the first time, high-yield chain-like one-dimensional (1D) Co nanostructures without any impurity have been produced by means of a solution dispersion approach under permanent-magnet. Size, morphology, component, and structure of the as-made samples have been confirmed by several techniques, and nanochains (NCs) with diameter of approximately 60 nm consisting of single-crystalline Co and amorphous Co-capped layer (about 3 nm) have been materialized. The as-synthesized Co samples do not include any other adulterants.

Magnetic Properties of Ni-doped ZnO Nanocombs by CVD Approach.

The search for above room temperature ferromagnetism in dilute magnetic semiconductors has been intense in recent year. Arrays of perpendicular ferromagnetic nanowire/rods have recently attracted considerable interest for their potential use in many areas of advanced nanotechnology. We report a simple low-temperature chemical vapor deposition (CVD) to create self-assembled comb-like Ni-/undoped ZnO nanostructure arrays.