Dual-plasmonic Au@CuS yolk@shell nanocrystals for photocatalytic hydrogen production across visible to near infrared spectral region.

Near infrared energy remains untapped toward the maneuvering of entire solar spectrum harvesting for fulfilling the nuts and bolts of solar hydrogen production. We report the use of Au@CuS yolk@shell nanocrystals as dual-plasmonic photocatalysts to achieve remarkable hydrogen production under visible and near infrared illumination. Ultrafast spectroscopic data reveal the prevalence of long-lived charge separation states for Au@CuS under both visible and near infrared excitation.

Zhang-Rice singlets state formed by two-step oxidation for triggering water oxidation under operando conditions.

The production of ecologically compatible fuels by electrochemical water splitting is highly desirable for modern industry. The Zhang-Rice singlet is well known for the superconductivity of high-temperature superconductors cuprate, but is rarely known for an electrochemical catalyst. Herein, we observe two steps of surface reconstruction from initial catalytic inactive Cu in hydrogen treated CuO to Cu state and further to catalytic active Zhang-Rice singlet state during the oxygen evolution reaction for water splitting.

Ligand-Promoted Cooperative Electrochemical Oxidation of Bio-Alcohol on Distorted Cobalt Hydroxides for Bio-Hydrogen Extraction.

Hydrogen is increasingly viewed as a game-changer in the clean energy sector. Renewable hydrogen production from water is industrialized by integrating water electrolysis and renewable electricity, but the current cost of water-born hydrogen remains high though. An ideal scenario would be to produce value-added chemicals along with hydrogen so the cost can be partially offset.

4D spatiotemporal modulation of biomolecules distribution in anisotropic corrugated microwrinkles via electrically manipulated microcapsules within hierarchical hydrogel for spinal cord regeneration.

Although traditional 3D scaffolds or biomimetic hydrogels have been used for tissue engineering and regenerative medicine, soft tissue microenvironment usually has a highly anisotropic structure and a dynamically controllable deformation with various biomolecule distribution. In this study, we developed a hierarchical hybrid gelatin methacrylate-microcapsule hydrogel (HGMH) with Neurotrophin-3(NT-3)-loaded PLGA microcapsules to fabricate anisotropic structure with patterned NT-3 distribution (demonstrated as striped and triangular patterns) by dielectrophoresis (DEP). The HGMH provides a dynamic biomimetic sinuate-microwrinkles change with NT-3 spatial gradient and 2-stage time-dependent distribution, which was further simulated using a 3D finite element model.

Structural and Electronic Optimization of MoS Edges for Hydrogen Evolution.

The activity and accessibility of MoS edge sites are critical to deliver high hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) efficiency. Here, a porous carbon network confining ultrasmall N-doped MoS nanocrystals (N-MoS/CN) is fabricated by a self-templating strategy, which realizes synergistically structural and electronic modulations of MoS edges. Experiments and density functional theory calculations demonstrate that the N dopants could activate MoS edges for HER, while the porous carbon network could deliver high accessibility of the active sites from N-MoS nanocrystals.

Sandwich-Nanostructured n-CuO/AuAg/p-CuO Photocathode with Highly Positive Onset Potential for Improved Water Reduction.

An n-CuO layer formed a high-quality buried junction with p-CuO to increase the photovoltage and thus to shift the turn-on voltage positively. Mott-Schottky measurements confirmed that the improvement benefited from a positive shift in flat-band potential. The obtained extremely positive onset potential, 0.

Two-Dimensional Cobalt Phosphate Hydroxide Nanosheets: A New Type of High-Performance Electrocatalysts with Intrinsic CoO Lattice Distortion for Water Oxidation.

Despite the recent advances in electrochemical water splitting, developing cost-effective and highly efficient electrocatalysts for oxygen evolution reaction (OER) still remains a substantial challenge. Herein, two-dimensional cobalt phosphate hydroxides (Co(PO)(OH)) nanosheets, a unique stacking-disordered phosphate-based inorganic material, are successfully prepared via a facile and scalable method for the first time to serve as a superior and robust electrocatalyst for water oxidation. On the basis of the detailed characterization (e.

MEKK1, JNK, and SMAD3 mediate CXCL12-stimulated connective tissue growth factor expression in human lung fibroblasts.

Background: In idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, the interaction of CXCL12 and CXC receptor 4 (CXCR4) plays a critical role in lung fibrosis. Connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) overexpression underlies the development of pulmonary fibrosis. Our previous report showed that the Rac1-dependent extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK), c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK), and activator protein (AP)-1 pathways are involved in CXCL12-generated CTGF expression in human lung fibroblasts (WI-38).

Identification of anti-HBV activities in Andr. using GRP78 as a drug target on Herbochip.

Background: Herbochip technology is a high throughput drug screening platform in a reverse screening manner, in which potential chemical leads in herbal extracts are immobilized and drug target proteins can be used as probes for screening process [BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine (2015) 15:146]. While herbal medicines represent an ideal reservoir for drug screenings, here a molecular chaperone GRP78 is demonstrated to serve as a potential target for antiviral drug discovery.

Methods: We cloned and expressed a truncated but fully functional form of human GRP78 (hGRP78) and used it as a probe for anti-HBV drug screening on herbochips.

Synthesis of Cu2O nanoparticle films at room temperature for solar water splitting.

A Cu2O nanoparticle film using ZnO nanorods as a sacrificial scaffold was fabricated near 23°C, for applications in photoelectrochemical (PEC) water splitting. Three chemical solutions were utilized to convert ZnO nanorods to a Cu2O nanoparticle film - solutions of CuCl2 and NaOH, NaBH4 and NaOH, respectively. The structural evolution from ZnO through Cu(OH)2 and metallic Cu to Cu2O phase was analyzed at each stage with X-ray diffraction and X-ray absorption spectra.

Thermally activated Cu/Cu2S/ZnO nanoarchitectures with surface-plasmon-enhanced Raman scattering.

Hierarchical Cu/Cu2S/ZnO nanoarchitectures were fabricated via an electroplated ZnO nanorod array in the first step, followed by the growth of Cu2S nanostructures for the application of surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) detection. The Cu/Cu2S nanostructures as grown were thermally treated at 150-300°C under a nitrogen atmosphere to improve the crystalline quality, and, unexpectedly, to induce plasmonic Cu nanoshells on the surface of Cu2S. With 4-aminothiophenol (4-ATP) as probing molecules, SERS experiments showed that the thermally treated Cu/Cu2S/ZnO nanostructures exhibit excellent detection performance, so that they can serve as active and cost-effective SERS substrates for ultrasensitive detection.

MicroRNA-320 inhibits cell proliferation in glioma by targeting E2F1.

MicroRNAs (miRs) are a class of small non-coding RNAs that are involved in the regulation of gene expression, and in cancer development and progression. In the present study, miR-320 expression was found to be significantly reduced in glioma tissue in comparison with that in adjacent healthy tissues. In the present study, in vitro analyses demonstrated that overexpression of miR-320 inhibited cell proliferation and metastasis, while antisense miR-320 oligonucleotides enhanced cell proliferation and migration in U251 and SHG-44 glioma cell lines, compared with that in negative control cells.

MicroRNA-210 overexpression predicts poorer prognosis in glioma patients.

MicroRNA-210 (miR-210) levels are elevated in many tumor types, are frequently associated with hypoxia induction, and are correlated with poor prognosis in many solid tumors. miR-210 regulates cell growth, angiogenesis, invasion, and apoptosis of many human tumors. In this study, we investigated the clinical significance of miR-210 expression in common brain tumors, or human gliomas.

Neuroprotective effects of ischemic preconditioning and postconditioning on global brain ischemia in rats through the same effect on inhibition of apoptosis.

Transient forebrain or global ischemia induces neuronal death in vulnerable CA1 pyramidal cells with many features. A brief period of ischemia, i.e.

The effect of shoe sole tread groove depth on the friction coefficient with different tread groove widths, floors and contaminants.

Slipping and falling are common phenomena in both workplaces and our daily activities. The risks associated with slipping and falling are related to the materials of footwear/floor, contamination condition, and geometric design of the sole. Shoe soles of various tread design are very common.

[Preliminary study of chromosome aberrations in pituitary adenoma].

Background & Objective: Pituitary adenoma is one of the most common intracranial benign tumor. This study was designed to seek the most suitable method for cytogenetic study of pituitary adenoma(PA), and then to analyze the genetic change of PA cell.

Methods: Twenty-five samples of primary PA were examined by R-banding through direct preparation(DP) and short-term culture(STC) to analyze genomic alterations.