Terahertz Spectroscopic Study of Standard Substances for Bituminous Coal and Anthracite

This study underscores the significance of online monitoring of standard substances for bituminous coal and anthracite,two commonly used fossil fuels.Terahertz technology emerges as a powerful non-destructive detection method capable of revealing the physical and chemical properties of measured objects.In this research,terahertz time-domain spectroscopy technology was employed to investigate the spectral characteristics of four distinct types of bituminous coal and anthracite samples.The refractive index and absorption coefficient spectra of these samples were calculated across a frequency range of 0.5 THz to 2.5 THz.Furthermore,principal component analysis was conducted using all refractive index and absorption coefficient data within this frequency band.Through the analysis and comparison with known parameters of coal standard materials,it was established that carbon content primarily influences the refractive index of bituminous coal and anthracite,while ash content predominantly affects the absorption effect.These findings underscore the potential of terahertz spectroscopy in conjunction with principal component analysis to qualitatively assess the similarities and differences between coal samples,thus offering novel insights for the online monitoring of diverse coal types and qualities.

Sulforaphane prevents LPS‑induced inflammation by regulating the Nrf2‑mediated autophagy pathway in goat mammary epithelial cells and a mouse model of mastitis

Background Mastitis not only deteriorates the composition or quality of milk,but also damages the health and pro-ductivity of dairy goats.Sulforaphane(SFN)is a phytochemical isothiocyanate compound with various pharmacologi-cal effects such as anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory.However,the effect of SFN on mastitis has yet to be elucidated.This study aimed to explore the anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory effects and potential molecular mechanisms of SFN in lipopolysaccharide(LPS)-induced primary goat mammary epithelial cells(GMECs)and a mouse model of mastitis.Results In vitro,SFN downregulated the mRNA expression of inflammatory factors(tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α),interleukin(IL)-1βand IL-6),inhibited the protein expression of inflammatory mediators(cyclooxygenase-2(COX2),and inducible nitric oxide synthase(iNOS))while suppressing nuclear factor kappa-B(NF-κB)activation in LPS-induced GMECs.Additionally,SFN exhibited an antioxidant effect by increasing Nrf2 expression and nuclear translocation,up-regulating antioxidant enzymes expression,and decreasing LPS-induced reactive oxygen species(ROS)produc-tion in GMECs.Furthermore,SFN pretreatment promoted the autophagy pathway,which was dependent on the increased Nrf2 level,and contributed significantly to the improved LPS-induced oxidative stress and inflammatory response.In vivo,SFN effectively alleviated histopathological lesions,suppressed the expression of inflammatory factors,enhanced immunohistochemistry staining of Nrf2,and amplified of LC3 puncta LPS-induced mastitis in mice.Mechanically,the in vitro and in vivo study showed that the anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidative stress effects of SFN were mediated by the Nrf2-mediated autophagy pathway in GMECs and a mouse model of mastitis.Conclusions These results indicate that the natural compound SFN has a preventive effect on LPS-induced inflam-mation through by regulating the Nrf2-mediated autophagy pathway in primary goat mammary epithelial cells and a mouse model of mastitis,which may improve prevention strategies for mastitis in dairy goats.

Scalable production of mesoporous titanium nanoparticles through sequential flash nanocomplexation

Mesoporous titanium nanoparticles(MTNs) have emerged as an important porous semiconductor owning to their large surface area and unique electronic/optical properties. However, the fundamental research for rational manufacturing MTNs in a highly scalable manner remains a challenge. In this study, we report a two-step flash nanocomplexation(FNC) approach to large-scalable generate MTNs through the sequential combination of two multi-inlet vortex mixers. By optimizing the concentrated titanium precursor,polyethylene glycol(PEG)-functionalized silane amount and p H, we have been able to produce MTNs with small particle size(31.5 nm), larger surface area(416.9 m^(2)/g) and pore volume(0.59 cm^(3)/g). Different from the traditional MTNs bulk, FNC-produced MTNs exhibited well-controlled manner and exceptional photocatalytic and antibacterial properties. Importantly, the optimized MTNs outperformed commercial P25 not only in protecting ultraviolet A(UVA)-exposed skin, but also in treating P. aeruginosa-infected wound. We believe that the high controllability and scalability of sequential flash nanocomplexation method offers great opportunities in enhancing the performance of mesoporous titanium nanoparticles.

MXene derivative Ta_(4)C_(3)-Ta_(2)O_(5) heterostructure as bi-functional barrier for Li-S batteries

The shuttle effect of polysulfides during the charging and discharging of lithium-sulfur(Li-S)batteries and the growth of Li dendrites are crucial obstacles to hinder the commercialization of Li-S batteries.Heterostructure engineering is an effective strategy to accelerate catalytic conversion and suppress the dissolution of polysulfides.Herein,we report a Ta_(4)C_(3)-Ta_(2)O_(5) heterostructure composite as a bi-functional modified separator that not only achieves effective protection for lithium metal but also accelerates the polysulfides redox kinetics process.This heterostructure possesses efficient chemical anchoring and abundant active sites to immobilize polysulfides by synergistic effect,which endows a stable long cycling performance for Li-S batteries.This corresponds to an initial high capacity of 801.9 mAh g^(–1) at 1 C with a decay rate of 0.086%for 500 cycles.Due to its high Young’s modulus(up to 384 GPa),Ta_(4)C_(3) contributes to forming a protective layer on the Li metal surface to inhibit the growth of Li dendrites.Accordingly,the symmetrical cell has a stable overpotential for 700 cycles at 20 mA cm^(–2)/20 mAh cm^(–2).So,this“one stone two birds”design affords a novel perspective for high-energy Li-S battery storage system design and Li metal protection.

Highly redispersible CNT dough for better processiblity

Carbon nanotubes(CNTs)have received considerable attention for their excellent thermal and electrical conductivity as well as scalable production.However,CNT dispersions are prone to settling and have a short shelf time,especially under high concentration,which significantly hinders their further processing and increases transportation costs.Here,we report a highly concentrated CNT dough enabled by ionic liquid crystal(ILC)as auxiliaries.Benefiting from the temperature-controlled physical transformation of the ILC,the CNTs of the powder state are successfully transferred to highly processable dough with excellent electrical conductivity,flame retardancy,and outstanding redispersibility even after 180 days of storage.In particular,the CNT dough exhibits excellent self-healing properties and good reshapable capability.Various bulk form CNT derived from the ILC armored CNT dough are realized by facile processing technique.Hybrid nanocomposite papers with ANF nanofiber exhibited excellent photothermal conversion and Joule heating properties.The redispersible CNT doughs presented here promise to revolutionize traditional CNT powder and dispersions as the primary raw material for building CNT-based architectures and facilitate the large-scale application of CNTs.

MiR-27a Promotes Hepatocellular Carcinoma Cell Proliferation Through Suppression of its Target Gene Peroxisome Proliferator-activated Receptor γ

Background： MicroRNAs （miRNAs） function as essential posttranscriptional modulators ofgene expression, and are involved in a wide range of physiologic and pathologic states, including cancer. Numerous miRNAs are deregulated in hepatocellular carcinoma （HCC）. This study aimed to investigate the role of miR-27a in the development of HCC. Methods： The expression of MiR-27a was measured by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction （qRT-PCR）. 3-（4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl）-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide was used to examine changes in the viability of HepG2, Bel-7402, Bel-7404 hepatoma cell lines associated with up-regulation or down-regulation of miR-27a. A dual-luciferase activity assay was used to verily a target gene ofmiR-27a, lmmunohistochemistry, qRT-PCR, Western blotting analysis, and cell cycle and apoptosis flow cytometric assays were used to elucidate the mechanism by which miR-27a modulates liver cancer cell proliferation. Results： The expression of miR-27a was significantly increased in HCC tissues and HepG2, Bel-7402, Bel-7404 hepatoma cell lines （P 〈 0.05）. We also found that the down-regulation of miR-27a in HepG2 cells dramatically inhibited proliferation, blocked the G1 to S cell cycle transition and induced apoptosis （P 〈 0.05）. In addition, miR-27a directly targeted the 3＇-untranslated region of peroxisonae proliferator-activated receptor y （PPAR-γ）, and ectopic miR-27a expression suppressed PPAR-γ expression on the mRNA and protein levels. The rosiglitazone-induced overexpression of PPAR-γ attenuated the effect of miR-27a in HCC cells. Conclusions： Our findings suggested that miRNA-27a promoted HCC cell proliferation by regulating PPAR-γ expression. MiR-27a may provide a potential therapeutic strategy for HCC treatment.

Embedding wasted hairs in Ti/PbO_(2) anode for efficient and sustainable electrochemical oxidation of organic wastewater

Despite of the hazardous risk of Pb^(2+) leakage, lead dioxide has been attributed as a quasi-ideal anode material with high oxygen evolution potential, excellent conductivity, good stability and low cost in electrochemical oxidation wastewater treatment technique. In this study, a novel Ti/PbO_(2) anode was fabricated by embedding raw materials that are readily and cheaply available, i.e., hairs. The structure-activity relationship of the new electrode was firstly revealed by material and electrochemical characterizations. Then different levels of pollutants (azo dye, phenol and maleic acid) were used to investigate the electrochemical oxidation performance of the new electrode. Finally, the accelerated electrode lifetime and Pb^(2+) leakage tests were carried out. Results showed that the embedded hairs changed the preferential crystallographic orientation of PbO_(2) and decreased the grain size. Hairs introduced additional roughness and active sites, and decreased the electrode impedance, especially under 5 mg/cm^(2) of embedding amount. The removal efficiencies of different target pollutants were enhanced more or less by embedding appropriate amount of hairs, depending on the current density, but loading excessive hairs had a negative effect. The accumulation of intermediate products during phenol degradation was also changed by the hairs. The new electrode could undergo ~550 h of harsh electrolysis. It is also relieved that the Pb^(2+) leakage was found to be suppressed during this long-term electrolysis process.

Scalable biomimetic SARS-CoV‑2 nanovaccines with robust protective immune responses

Dear Editor,The emergence of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2(SARS-CoV-2)infection requires rapid development of vaccines matching the pace of virus mutation.While the firstgeneration of nucleic acid vaccines have been successful,subunit vaccines carry far fewer safety concerns and also have shown promise in clinical trials.

Synthesis of Rod-like NiO-Co_(3)O_(4)Composites for Sensitive Electrochemical Detection of Hydrogen Peroxide

Accurate and effective detection of hydrogen peroxide(H_(2)O_(2))is of great significance in physiological functions as well as industrial applications.In this paper,the rod-like NiO-Co_(3)O_(4)nanomaterials were synthesized by a simple hydrothermal method for electrochemical detection of H_(2)O_(2).The characterization results indicated that the nanomaterials possess high porosity and excellent conductivity,and displayed good electrocatalysis activity at the same time.Under alkaline conditions,the as-prepared nanomaterials can catalyze the reduction of H_(2)O_(2)and realize the electron transfer between H_(2)O_(2)and the electrode.The H_(2)O_(2)electrochemical sensor based on NiO-Co_(3)O_(4)nanomaterials exhibited a wide linear response(1-250 and 250-1200μmol/L),a low detection limit(0.1μmol/L)and a high sensitivity(5305.59μA/(mmol/L·cm^(2))(S/N=3)).In addition,the fabricated sensor showed high selectivity,good repeatability and high stability.The applications of the proposed sensor for H_(2)O_(2)detection in food samples were demonstrated and satisfactory results were obtained.