A highly reversible force-assisted Li - CO battery based on piezoelectric effect of BiNaTiO nanorods.

The use of light-assisted cathode is regarded as an effective approach to reduce the overpotential of lithium carbon dioxide (Li - CO) batteries. However, the inefficient electron-hole separation and the complex discharge-charge reactions hamper the efficiency of CO photocatalytic reaction in battery. Herein, a highly reversible force-assisted Li - CO battery has been established for the first time by employing a BiNaTiO nanorods piezoelectric cathode.

Causal relationship between endometriosis with infertility and ankylosing spondylitis.

Retrospective studies have identified an increased risk of ankylosing spondylitis (AS) in endometriosis patients. The purpose of this study was to investigate the causal relationship between clinical phenotypes of endometriosis and AS using mendelian randomized analysis (MR). MR was performed using data from genome-wide association studies (GWASs).

All-Solid-State Photo-Assisted Li-CO Battery Working at an Ultra-Wide Operation Temperature.

At present, photoassisted Li-air batteries are considered to be an effective approach to overcome the sluggish reaction kinetics of the Li-air batteries. And, the organic liquid electrolyte is generally adopted by the current conventional photoassisted Li-air batteries. However, the superior catalytic activity of photoassisted cathode would in turn fasten the degradation of the organic liquid electrolyte, leading to limited battery cycling life.

Oxygen Vacancy-Mediated Growth of Amorphous Discharge Products toward an Ultrawide Band Light-Assisted Li-O Batteries.

Photoassisted electrochemical reaction is regarded as an effective approach to reduce the overpotential of lithium-oxygen (Li-O ) batteries. However, the achievement of both broadband absorption and long term battery cycling stability are still a formidable challenge. Herein, an oxygen vacancy-mediated fast kinetics for a photoassisted Li-O system is developed with a silver/bismuth molybdate (Ag/Bi MoO ) hybrid cathode.

Magnetic and Optical Field Multi-Assisted Li-O Batteries with Ultrahigh Energy Efficiency and Cycle Stability.

The photoassisted lithium-oxygen (Li-O ) system has emerged as an important direction for future development by effectively reducing the large overpotential in Li-O batteries. However, the advancement is greatly hindered by the rapidly recombined photoexcited electrons and holes upon the discharging and charging processes. Herein, a breakthrough is made in overcoming these challenges by developing a new magnetic and optical field multi-assisted Li-O battery with 3D porous NiO nanosheets on the Ni foam (NiO/FNi) as a photoelectrode.

A Renewable Light-Promoted Flexible Li-CO Battery with Ultrahigh Energy Efficiency of 97.9.

Directly converting and storing abundant solar energy in next-generation energy storage devices is of central importance to build a sustainable society. Herein, a new prototype of a light-promoted rechargeable and flexible Li-CO battery with a TiO /carbon cloth (CC) cathode is reported for the direct utilization of solar energy to promote the kinetics of the carbon dioxide reduction reaction and carbon dioxide evolution reaction (CO ER). Under illumination, photoelectrons are generated in the conduction band of TiO /CC, followed by the enhancing diffusion of electrons and lithium ions during the discharge process.

Driving Oxygen Electrochemistry in Lithium-Oxygen Battery by Local Surface Plasmon Resonance.

Although the lithium-oxygen (Li-O) battery brings hope for the improvement of high-energy rechargeable batteries, the sluggish oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) and oxygen evolution reaction (OER) kinetics become the major stumbling block. Herein, the incorporation of a plasmonic silver cathode as an advanced strategy to promote ORR and OER kinetics due to strong local surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) is introduced. Chronoamperometry results revealed that the highly energetic electrons and holes excited by LSPR of silver nanostructure facilitated ORR and OER kinetics ascribe to the emission of hot carriers in femtosecond time scale.

Light/Electricity Energy Conversion and Storage for a Hierarchical Porous In S @CNT/SS Cathode towards a Flexible Li-CO Battery.

A photoinduced flexible Li-CO battery with well-designed, hierarchical porous, and free-standing In S @CNT/SS (ICS) as a bifunctional photoelectrode to accelerate both the CO reduction and evolution reactions (CDRR and CDER) is presented. The photoinduced Li-CO battery achieved a record-high discharge voltage of 3.14 V, surpassing the thermodynamic limit of 2.

[Research progress on effects of traditional Chinese medicines on proliferation, apoptosis and differentiation of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells].

Bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) are a kind of pluripotent stem cells derived from bone marrows, which can not only support hematopoiesis, but also have capabilities of multidifferentiation, high-proliferation and self-renewing. They have become one of hotspots in stem cell studies. Studies on in vitro intervention with BMSCs with TCMs have made remarkable progress in recent years.

A piperidine alkaloid and limonoids from Arisaema decipiens, a traditional antitumor herb used by the Dong people.

A new piperidine alkaloid and three known tetranortriterpenoids were isolated from the methanol extracts of the rhizomes of Arisaema decipiens Schott (Araceae) and their chemical structures were identified as (-)-(2R*,3S*,6S*)-N,2-dimethyl-3-hydroxy-6-(9-phenylnonyl) piperidine (1), 6-deacetylnimbin (2), 28-deoxonimbolide (3) and nimbin (4). The N-methylated derivative (1a) of 1 was synthesized. Compound 1 exhibited weak inhibitory activity against the MCF-7 cell line, while compound 1a showed potential inhibitory activity against the MCF-7 cell line with an IC₅₀ value of 4.

Hepatocyte growth factor protects human embryonic stem cell derived-neural progenitors from hydrogen peroxide-induced apoptosis.

Promoting human embryonic stem cell (hESC)-derived-neural progenitor survival in the pro-apoptotic niche is pivotal for stem cell replacement therapy. The present study was designed to investigate the protective effect of hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) on hESC-derived neural progenitor injured by hydrogen peroxide (H(2)O(2)) exposure. Treatment of hESC-derived neural progenitor cells with HGF prior to H(2)O(2) exposure conferred protective effect against oxidative stress-induced apoptosis.

Sarcocystis tupaia, sp. nov., a new parasite species employing treeshrews (Tupaiidae, Tupaia belangeri chinensis) as natural intermediate hosts.

The range of vertebrates that serve as intermediate hosts for parasites in the genus Sarcocystis remains incompletely defined. Here, we provide the first report of infections in treeshrews, describe the morphology of encysted parasites using light and transmission electron microscopy, and place this agent within a phylogenetic context by sequencing and comparing its 18S ribosomal DNA to that of related parasites. Muscle infections were diagnosed in four of 45 wild treeshrews captured in the vicinity of Kunming, Yunnan Province, Mainland China.

Optimization of physiological xenofree molecularly defined media and matrices to maintain human embryonic stem cell pluripotency.

We describe in this chapter the development of a xenofree molecularly defined medium, SBX, associated with xenofree matrices, to maintain human embryonic stem cell (hESC) pluripotency as determined by phenotypic, functional and TLDA studies. This simple, inexpensive, and more physiological culture condition has been chosen because (1) it is xenofree and molecularly defined; it is devoid of albumin, which is a carrier of undefined molecules; (2) it maintains pluripotency, but very significantly reduces differentiation gene expression during hESC self-renewal, as compared to the widely used culture conditions tested so far; and (3) it can be further improved by replacing high concentrations of expensive additives by physiological concentrations of new factors. Xenofree molecularly defined media and matrices represent valuable tools for elucidating still unknown functions of numerous embryonic genes using more physiological culture conditions.

Sesquiterpenoids from Pilea cavaleriei subsp. crenata.

Three new humulane-type sesquiterpenes, 8-O-(p-coumaroyl)-5beta-hydroperoxy-1(10)E,4(15)-humuladien-8alpha-ol (1), 8-O-(3-nitro-p-coumaroyl)-1(10)E,4(15)-humuladien-5beta,8alpha-diol (2) and 8-O-(p-coumaroyl)-1(10)E,4(5)E-humuladien-8-ol (3), and a new copaborneol derivative, 1-O-p-coumaroyl-copaborneol (4), have been isolated from the methanol extract of Pileacavaleriei Lévl. subsp. crenata C.

[bFGF-stimulated MEF-conditioned medium is capable of maintaining human embryonic stem cells].

4 ng/ml bFGF is indispensable for hESC cultured on mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEF), withdrawal of bFGF drives the hESC to differentiate. In order to exploit effect of bFGF on MEF, we collected a series of MEF conditioned medium (bFGF-MCM) by co-culturing MEF with increasing bFGF concentrations: 0.03, 0.

Use of xenofree matrices and molecularly-defined media to control human embryonic stem cell pluripotency: effect of low physiological TGF-beta concentrations.

To monitor human embryonic stem cell (hESC) self-renewal without differentiation, we used quantitative RT-PCR to study a selection of hESC genes, including markers for self-renewal, commitment/differentiation, and members of the TGF-beta superfamily and DAN gene family. Indeed, low commitment/differentiation gene expression, together with a significant self-renewal gene expres sion, provides a better pluripotency index than self-renewal genes alone. We demonstrate that matrices derived from human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) can advantageously replace murine embryonic fibroblasts (MEF) or hMSC feeders.

Cytotoxic ent-kauranoids from the medicinal plant Isodon xerophilus.

Bioassay-directed fractionation of the leaves of the medicinal plant Isodon xerophilus led to the isolation of a series of potential antitumor molecules. Thirteen new (1-13) and 23 (14-36) known diterpenoids were isolated and identified, representing ent-kauranoids of several structural types. The structures of 1-13 were determined by means of spectroscopic studies.

Isolation of two bioactive ent-kauranoids from the leaves of Isodon xerophilus.

Isodon xerophilus has been used as a herbal cold tea for the prevention and treatment of sore throat and inflammation in southernwestern China. A phytochemical study on the ethyl acetate (EtOAc) soluble fraction of I. xerophilus leaves led to the isolation of two new ent-kauranoids, xerophinoids A (1) and B (2), together with 14 known diterpenoids.

[Synthesis, structure characterization and anti-tumor activity of lanthanide complex Ln[ (Phen)2 (5-Fu)3 (NO3) (NO3 )2].

Aim: To study the biochemistry of lanthanides, the cooperative action of inorganic and organic anti-tumor drugs.

Methods: A series of rare earth complexes were synthesized with Ln(NO3) 6H2O, Phen and 5-Fu. Their anti-tumor activity was measured by the improved MTT, SRB methods.

Ent-kauranoids from Isodon rubescens var. taihangensis.

Two new compounds, rubescensins Q and R (1 and 2), and a new acetonide derivative (3) of lasiodonin, together with thirteen known analogues, oridonin (4), ponicidin (5), wikstroemioidin B (6), lasiodonin (7), lasiokaurin (8), enmenol (9), 1-O-beta-D-glucopyranosyl-enmenol (10), trichokaurin (11), the acetonide of maoyecrystal F (12), rabdoternins A-D (13-16), have been isolated from Isodon rubescens var. taihangensis. The structures of the new compounds were elucidated on the basis of spectroscopic methods, especially the 2D NMR spectral analysis.

Maoecrystal V, cytotoxic diterpenoid with a novel C19 skeleton from Isodon eriocalyx (Dunn.) hara.

Maoecrystal V (1), a novel C(19) diterpenoid possessing a unique 6,7-seco-6-nor-15(8-->9)-abeo-5,8-epoxy-ent-kaurane skeleton, was isolated from the leaves of a Chinese medicinal herb, Isodon eriocalyx. Its structure was determined by comprehensive NMR and MS spectroscopic analysis and confirmed by single-crystal X-ray diffraction study. Compound 1 showed remarkable inhibitory activity toward HeLa cells with IC(50) = 0.

[Role and mechanism of nuclear factor kappa B in angiogenesis of human ovarian carcinoma].

Background & Objective: It had been reported that nuclear factor kappa b (NF kappa B) was associated with in vitro angiogenesis, but its role in angiogenesis of human ovarian carcinoma (HOC) had not been reported yet. The objective of this paper was to investigate the role and the mechanism of NF kappa B in HOC angiogenesis in chick chorioallantcic membrane (CAM).

Methods: The HOC TYK cells were implanted into 10-day CAM by 1 x 10(9)/per egg to establish the HOC CAM model.

Cytotoxic ent-kaurane diterpenoids from Isodon rubescens var. rubescens.

Five new ent-kauranoids, xindongnins C - G ( 1 - 5), together with five known ones, xindongnins A and B ( 6 and 7), melissoidesin G ( 8), dawoensin A ( 9), and glabcensin V ( 10), were isolated from the leaves of Isodon rubescens var. rubescens, and structurally elucidated. Compounds 1, 4, and 6 - 10 showed inhibitory effects against human tumor K562 cells with IC (50) values ranging from 0.

Cytotoxic diterpenoids from Isodon enanderianus.

Five new ent-kaurane diterpenoids, enanderianins K-O (1-5), and one new ent-abietane diterpenoid, enanderianin P (6), together with five known ent-kaurane diterpenoids, rabdocoetsin A (7), rabdocoetsin B (8), rabdocoetsin D (9), megathyrin A (10), megathyrin B (11) were isolated from the aerial parts of Isodon enanderianus. Their structures were determined by spectral means. Some diterpenoids were tested for their cytotoxicity against the human tumor K562 cells.