Detection of Leptin Using Electrocatalyst Mediated Impedimetric Sensing.

Obesity is a complex disorder associated with immense health consequences including high risk of cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, and cancer. Abnormality in the thyroid gland, genetics, less physical activity, uptake of excessive diet, and leptin resistance are critical factors in the development of obesity. To determine the treatment strategy, understanding the pathophysiology of obesity is crucial.

Low-dimensional heterostructures for advanced electrocatalysis: an experimental and computational perspective.

Low dimensional electrocatalytic heterostructures have recently attracted significant attention in the catalysis community due to their highly tuneable interfaces and exciting electronic features, opening up new possibilities for effective nanometric control of both the charge carriers and energetic states of several intermediate catalytic species. In-depth understanding of electrocatalytic routes at the interface between two or more low-dimensional nanostructures has triggered the development of heterostructure nanocatalysts with extraordinary properties for water splitting reactions, NRR and CORR. This tutorial review provides an overview of the most recent advances in synthetic strategies for 0D-1D, 0D-2D, and 2D-2D nanoheterostructures, discussing key aspects of their electrocatalytic performances from experimental and computational perspectives as well as their applications towards the development of overall water splitting and Zn-air battery devices.

Controlling the Interfacial Charge Polarization of MOF-Derived 0D-2D vdW Architectures as a Unique Strategy for Bifunctional Oxygen Electrocatalysis.

The design of alternative earth-abundant van der Waals (vdW) nanoheterostructures for bifunctional oxygen evolution/reduction (OER/ORR) electrocatalysis is of paramount importance to fabricate energy-related devices. Herein, we report a simple metal-organic framework (MOF)-derived synthetic strategy to fabricate low-dimensional (LD) nanohybrids formed by zero-dimensional (0D) ZrO nanoparticles (NPs) and heteroatom-doped two-dimensional (2D) carbon nanostructures. The 2D platforms controlled the electronic structures of interfacial Zr atoms, thus producing optimized electron polarization for boron and nitrogen-doped carbon (BCN)/ZrO nanohybrids.

Combinatorial Analysis of Sparse Experiments on Photocatalytic Performance of Cement Composites: A Route toward Optimizing Multifunctional Materials for Water Purification.

Blending TiO and cement to create photocatalytic composites holds promise for low-cost, durable water treatment. However, the efficiency of such composites hinges on cross-effects of several parameters such as cement composition, type of photocatalyst, and microstructure, which are poorly understood and require extensive combinatorial tests to discern. Here, we report a new combinatorial data science approach to understand the influence of various photocatalytic cement composites based on limited datasets.

Nature-inspired hierarchical materials for sensing and energy storage applications.

Nature-inspired hierarchical architectures have recently drawn enormous interest in the materials science community, being considered as promising materials for the development of high-performance wearable electronic devices. Their highly dynamic interfacial interactions have opened new horizons towards the fabrication of sustainable sensing and energy storage materials with multifunctional properties. Nature-inspired assemblies can exhibit impressive properties including ultrahigh sensitivity, excellent energy density and coulombic efficiency behaviors as well as ultralong cycling stability and durability, which can be finely tuned and enhanced by controlling synergistic interfacial interactions between their individual components.

Tuning the Intermolecular Electron Transfer of Low-Dimensional and Metal-Free BCN/C Electrocatalysts via Interfacial Defects for Efficient Hydrogen and Oxygen Electrochemistry.

The development of low-dimensional (LD) supramolecular materials with multifunctional electrocatalytic properties has sparked the attention of the catalysis community. Herein, we report the synthesis of a new class of 0D-2D heterostructures composed of boron carbon nitride nanosheets (BCN NSs) and fullerene molecules (C/F) that exhibit multifunctional electrocatalytic properties for the hydrogen evolution/oxidation reactions (HER/HOR) and the oxygen evolution/reduction reactions (OER/ORR). The electrocatalytic properties were studied with varying F:BCN weight ratios to optimize the intermolecular electron transfer (ET) from the BCN NSs to the electron-accepting C molecules.

Nanoparticle-templated conversion of glucose to a high surface area biocarbon for the removal of organic pollutants in water.

While extensive work has been done on the generation of adsorbents by carbonization of large polymeric structures, few works are currently available for the use of monomeric carbon molecules as precursors during carbonization. In this work we report the formation of a carbon adsorbent material from the carbonization of glucose in the presence of zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticle templates. Carbonization at 1,000 °C under inert atmosphere yields a product with Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) surface area of 1,228.

Tissue paper-derived porous carbon encapsulated transition metal nanoparticles as advanced non-precious catalysts: Carbon-shell influence on the electrocatalytic behaviour.

Porous carbon encapsulated non-precious metal nanocatalysts have recently opened the ways towards the development of high-performance water remediation and energy conversion technologies. Herein, we report a facile, scalable and green synthetic methodology to fabricate porous carbon encapsulated transition metal nanocatalysts (M@TP: M = Cu, Ni, Fe and Co) using commercial tissue paper. The morphology, crystalline structure, chemical composition and textural properties of the M@TP nanocatalysts were thoroughly characterized.

Corrigendum to "Alkyl Length Effects on the DNA Transport Properties of Cu (II) and Zn(II) Metallovesicles: An and Study".

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1155/2018/2851579.].

Tuning of Trifunctional NiCu Bimetallic Nanoparticles Confined in a Porous Carbon Network with Surface Composition and Local Structural Distortions for the Electrocatalytic Oxygen Reduction, Oxygen and Hydrogen Evolution Reactions.

The rational design of multifunctional catalysts that use non-noble metals to facilitate the interconversion between H, O, and HO is an intense area of investigation. Bimetallic nanosystems with highly tunable electronic, structural, and catalytic properties that depend on their composition, structure, and size have attracted considerable attention. Herein, we report the synthesis of bimetallic nickel-copper (NiCu) alloy nanoparticles confined in a sp carbon framework that exhibits trifunctional catalytic properties toward hydrogen evolution (HER), oxygen reduction (ORR), and oxygen evolution (OER) reactions.

Alginate Hydrogels with Embedded ZnO Nanoparticles for Wound Healing Therapy.

Introduction: In this in-vitro study, we designed a 3D printed composite of zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles (NPs) with photocatalytic activities encapsulated within hydrogel (alginate) constructs, for antibacterial purposes applicable towards wound healing. We primarily sought to confirm the mechanical properties and cell compatibility of these ZnO NP infused scaffolds.

Methods: The antibacterial property of the ZnO NPs was confirmed by hydroxyl radical generation using ultraviolet (U.

Development of photocatalytic paint based on TiO and photopolymer resin for the degradation of organic pollutants in water.

While the use of TiO2 nanoparticles in the form of slurry/suspension requires energy-intensive separation processes, its immobilization in solid support may open new opportunities in the area of sustainable water treatment technologies. In this study, a novel method for the development of photocatalytic paint based on TiO nanoparticles and acrylate-based photopolymer resin is reported. The paint (TiO@polymer) was applied on substrates such as plastic petri dish and glass jar, which was polymerized/solidified by ultraviolet light irradiation.

Nanoscale nickel metal organic framework decorated over graphene oxide and carbon nanotubes for water remediation.

In this report, highly crystalline and well-dispersed nano-sized nickel metal organic framework (MOFs) was decorated over graphene oxide (GO) and carbon nanotubes (CNTs) platforms to form hybrid nanocomposites. These as-synthesized hybrid nanocomposites were synthesized through a one-pot green solvothermal method. The prepared nanocomposites were characterized by SEM, TEM, EDS, XRD, FT-IR, Raman and TGA techniques.

Sucrose-Mediated Fast Synthesis of Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles for the Photocatalytic Degradation of Organic Pollutants in Water.

We report a facile method for the synthesis of zinc oxide nanoparticles (nZnOs) by rapidly heating a paste of zinc nitrate and sucrose on the hot plate at 500 °C. The transmission electron microscopy images revealed the spherical shape of the nZnO with an average size of 35 nm. The band gap and the specific surface area of the nZnO were measured to be about 3.

Bimetallic CoMoS Composite Anchored to Biocarbon Fibers as a High-Capacity Anode for Li-Ion Batteries.

Our work reports the hydrothermal synthesis of a bimetallic composite CoMoS, followed by the addition of cellulose fibers and its subsequent carbonization under Ar atmosphere (CoMoS@C). For comparison, CoMoS was heat-treated under the same conditions and referred as bare-CoMoS. X-ray diffraction analysis indicates that CoMoS@C composite matches with the CoMoS phase with additional peaks corresponding to MoO and CoMoO phases, which probably arise from air exposure during the carbonization process.

Rapid synthesis of ultrasmall platinum nanoparticles supported on macroporous cellulose fibers for catalysis.

Herein, we report a facile method for the synthesis of platinum nanoparticles (PtNPs) about 2.25 nm in size by heating a solution of chloroplatinic acid and sodium rhodizonate. The PtNPs were synthesized in about 5 min.

Sustainable synthesis and remarkable adsorption capacity of MOF/graphene oxide and MOF/CNT based hybrid nanocomposites for the removal of Bisphenol A from water.

A series of novel absorbents based on Cu-BDC MOFs decorated over graphene oxide (GrO) and carbon nanotubes (CNTs) hybrid nanocomposites, namely Cu-BDC@GrO and Cu-BDC@CNT, are synthesized via a facile and one-pot green solvothermal method for water remediation. The nanocomposites were characterized by XRD, TEM, SEM, EDS, Raman, FTIR, TGA, XPS, Zetasizer and ICP-OES instruments. XRD results confirmed the high crystalline structure of the synthesized hybrid nanocomposites.

Alkyl Length Effects on the DNA Transport Properties of Cu (II) and Zn(II) Metallovesicles: An and Study.

Cationic liposomes with DNA-transportation properties have attracted considerable attention for their ability to deliver medicinal oligonucleotides to mammalian cells. Amongst these are metalloliposomes that use transition metal ions to confer the lipid molecules cationic charge and unique advantages such as redox- and ligand-exchange triggered DNA-release properties. In this study, lipophilic copper (II) and zinc (II) complexes of 1-alkyl-1,4,7-triazacyclononane were prepared to investigate their ability to bind and transfect double stranded DNA with mammalian cells in vitro and in vivo.

Adsorption of methylene blue and tetracycline onto biomass-based material prepared by sulfuric acid reflux.

The adsorptive removal of environmental pollutants is an effective method for the treatment of contaminated water. Thus, the preparation of adsorbents from low-cost, readily available, and renewable resources has garnered immense attention in recent years. In this study, a facile one-step method for the preparation of a high-capacity adsorbent is demonstrated by refluxing pine cones in concentrated sulfuric acid.

Mesomorphic Behavior in Silver(I) -(4-Pyridyl) Benzamide with Aromatic π⁻π Stacking Counterions.

Organic semiconductor materials composed of π⁻π stacking aromatic compounds have been under intense investigation for their potential uses in flexible electronics and other advanced technologies. Herein we report a new family of seven π⁻π stacking compounds of silver(I) bis--(4-pyridyl) benzamide with varying counterions, namely [Ag(NPBA)2]X, where NPBA is -(4-pyridyl) benzamine, X = NO₃ (), ClO₄ (), CF₃SO₃ (), PF₆ (), BF₄ (), CH₃PhSO₃ (), and PhSO₃ (), which form extended π-π stacking networks in one-dimensional (1D), 2D and 3D directions in the crystalline solid-state via the phenyl moiety, with average inter-ring distances of 3.823 Å.

Solid-phase organic synthesis of 2-tridecanyl-1,4-naphthoquinone and 2-tridecanyl-1,4-naphthodiol that form redox-active micelles and vesicles.

The solid-phase synthesis of new amphiphilic compounds is reported. It is based on a newly designed 1,4-naphthoquinone derivative that contains polar and nonpolar groups and self-assembles into micelles or vesicles in water depending on the concentration. They also display redox-active properties.

A novel class of metal-directed supramolecular DNA-delivery systems.

The bis-complexes [Cu(L(dt))(2)](OTf)(2) (1) and [Cu(L(ot))(2)](OTf)(2) (2), where L(dt) = 1-dodecyl-1,4,7-triazacyclononane, L(ot) = 1-octadecyl-1,4,7-triazacyclononane and OTf = trifluoromethanesulfonate, formed a novel class of metallo-liposomes in water that transfect pEGFP-N1 plasmids into HEK 293-T cells at 38% and 4% efficiency, respectively.

Single-crystal to single-crystal phase transitions of bis(N-phenylisonicotinamide)silver(I) nitrate reveal cooperativity properties in porous molecular materials.

Two single-crystal to single-crystal phase transitions in trans-[Ag(NPI)(2)](NO(3)).2CH(3)OH (), (NPI = N-phenylisonicotinamide) were characterized with X-ray crystallography; the first transition is reversible and arises from a desolvation transition induced by vacuum and generated ; the second transition was induced by heat at 140 degrees C and generated .