PtZn nanoparticles supported on porous nitrogen-doped carbon nanofibers as highly stable electrocatalysts for oxygen reduction reaction

The oxygen reduction reaction(ORR)electrocatalytic activity of Pt-based catalysts can be significantly improved by supporting Pt and its alloy nanoparticles(NPs)on a porous carbon support with large surface area.However,such catalysts are often obtained by constructing porous carbon support followed by depositing Pt and its alloy NPs inside the pores,in which the migration and agglomeration of Pt NPs are inevitable under harsh operating conditions owing to the relatively weak interaction between NPs and carbon support.Here we develop a facile electrospinning strategy to in-situ prepare small-sized PtZn NPs supported on porous nitrogen-doped carbon nanofibers.Electrochemical results demonstrate that the as-prepared PtZn alloy catalyst exhibits excellent initial ORR activity with a half-wave potential(E_(1/2))of 0.911 V versus reversible hydrogen electrode(vs.RHE)and enhanced durability with only decreasing 11 mV after 30,000 potential cycles,compared to a more significant drop of 24 mV in E_(1/2)of Pt/C catalysts(after 10,000 potential cycling).Such a desirable performance is ascribed to the created triple-phase reaction boundary assisted by the evaporation of Zn and strengthened interaction between nanoparticles and the carbon support,inhibiting the migration and aggregation of NPs during the ORR.

Synthesis of noble metal-based intermetallic electrocatalysts by space-confined pyrolysis:Recent progress and future perspective

Noble metal-based intermetallics are promising electrocatalysts for sustainable energy conversion and consumption processes.High-temperature pyrolysis(>500°C)methods are used to control their crystalline orderings,critical to their electrocatalytic activity and durability.However,the high temperature would cause severe aggregation,resulting in a low catalytic active surface area.Significant research efforts have been devoted to addressing this issue.This short review summarizes recent research progress on synthesizing noble metal-based intermetallic electrocatalysts by space-confined pyrolysis.We focus on three strategies:isolation in pores,coverture by shells,and immobilization by salts.The advantages and existing problems of different methods are highlighted.Last,important issues to be addressed in future research are also discussed.We hope that this article will stimulate future research to develop high-performance intermetallic catalysts for practical applications.

A Pharmacological Study on Action Mechanism of Zhizi Ganjiang Decoction from Treatise on Cold Damage Diseases in Treating Sleep Disorders

[Objectives]To explore the molecular mechanism of Zhizi Ganjiang Decoction(ZZGJD)regulating sleep disorders based on the network pharmacology.[Methods]The BATMAN-TCM server was used to predict the potential targets of ZZGJD and constructed a compound-disease-target network map,and the GeneCards database was used to search for insomnia-related targets;with the aid of Cytoscape 3.5.1 software,the compound-insomnia target interaction network and protein-protein interaction(PPI)network were constructed,and gene ontology(GO)enrichment,Reactome pathway enrichment,and biological pathway enrichment analysis based on KEGG(Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Enomes)was performed.[Results]The constructed PPI network of ZZGJD involves 204 nodes and 645 interaction relationships.Key nodes involve G protein-coupled receptors,rhodopsin-like adrenaline receptor families,zinc finger proteins,nuclear hormone receptor superfamilies,ligand-binding domains of hormone receptors,voltage-gated calcium(Ca^(2+))channel IQ domains,and neuropituitary hormones.The related entries of GO enrichment analysis pathway mainly involve G protein-coupled receptor activity,neurotransmitter receptor activity,adrenergic receptor activity,ammonium ion binding,catecholamine binding,G protein-coupled serotonin receptor activity,serotonin receptor activity,and steroid hormone receptors(SHRs)activity.Reactome pathway mainly involves amine ligand binding receptors,rhodopsin-like receptors,G protein-coupled receptor ligand binding,adrenergic receptors,neuronal systems and signal transduction,etc.KEGG channel analysis mainly involves neural activity ligand-receptor interaction,calcium ion messenger pathway,cAMP signaling pathway,serotonergic synapse,dopaminergic synapse,cGMP-PKG signaling pathway,and cholinergic synapse pathway,etc.[Conclusions]The potential targets of ZZGJD in the treatment of insomnia mainly involve G protein-coupled receptors,and regulate various neural receptor pathways such as calcium ion channels,serotonin,dopamine,and adrenergic receptors.INS,IGF-1,CTNNB1,ESR1,HIF-1A,etc.may be the key targets of ZZGJD in regulating sleep disorders,reflecting the multi-target and overall function characteristics of Chinese herbal compounds.ZZGJD is of great significance in the treatment of sleep disorders caused by blood sugar abnormality in patients with diabetes and perimenopausal hormones in women.This article is expected to It provide new ideas for in-depth study of the molecular mechanism of ZZGJD.

Clinical Observation and Network Pharmacology Study on Analgesic Effect of Qianghuo Chushi Decoction on Fasciitis

[Objectives]To observe the clinical analgesic effect of Qianghuo Chushi Decoction(QHCSD)on patients with fasciitis,and explore its possible molecular mechanism based on network pharmacology.[Methods]120 enrolled patients were randomly divided into experimental group and control group,and were separately treated with QHCSD formula granules and Diclofenac Sodium Enteric-coated Tablets for 4 weeks.The patient’s pain visual analogue scale(VAS)was used as the curative effect indicator.The molecular action mechanism of QHCSD was predicted based on network pharmacology,the active components of QHCSD were screened using TCMSP database,potential targets were predicted by PharmMapper server,compound-target network and protein interaction network were constructed,and GO-based enrichment analysis and KEGG-based biological pathway enrichment analysis were performed.[Results]After treatment,the pain scores in each group were significantly lower than those before treatment(P<0.01),the score of the experimental group was significantly lower than that of the control group(P<0.01),and the total effective rate of the experimental group was 83.33%,which was significantly higher than that of the control group(78.33%,P<0.05).Based on 108 active components in QHCSD,a compound-target network was constructed.The PPI network contained 155 nodes and 527 interaction relationships,and key nodes included FOS,ESR1,NCOA1,RELA,EGFR,MAPK8,IL-6,etc.The GO pathway mainly involved steroid hormone and its receptor activity,RNA polymerase II transcriptional regulator binding,nuclear receptor activity,protein heterodimerization activity and other pathways.KEGG metabolic pathways included PI3 K-Akt signaling pathway,Kaposi’s sarcoma-associated herpesvirus(KSHV)infection and other pathways.[Conclusions]QHCSD has a significant analgesic effect on fasciitis,and the PI3 K-Akt signaling pathway may be the key pathway for its analgesic effect.

Metal-support interactions in designing noble metal-based catalysts for electrochemical CO_(2) reduction: Recent advances and future perspectives

Electrochemical CO_(2) reduction reaction (CO_(2) RR) offers a practical solution to current global greenhouse effect by converting excessive CO_(2) into value-added chemicals or fuels. Noble metal-based nanomaterials have been considered as efficient catalysts for the CO_(2) RR owing to their high catalytic activity, long-term stability and superior selectivity to targeted products. On the other hand, they are usually loaded on different support materials in order to minimize their usage and maximize the utilization because of high price and limited reserve. The strong metal-support interaction (MSI) between the metal and substrate plays an important role in affecting the CO_(2) RR performance. In this review, we mainly focus on different types of support materials (e.g., oxides, carbons, ligands, alloys and metal carbides) interacting with noble metal as electrocatalysts for CO_(2) RR. Moreover, the positive effects about MSI for boosting the CO_(2) RR performance via regulating the adsorption strength, electronic structure, coordination environment and binding energy are presented. Lastly, emerging challenges and future opportunities on noble metal electrocatalysts with strong MSI are discussed.