COVID-19 not only affects the physical health of Chinese people, but also their psychological health. This article mainly summarized the causes, clinical manifestations and preventive measures of ...COVID-19 impact on psychology of Chinese people, and presented two representative cases at the same time.
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•The PtO@Ti3C2/TiO2 composite is obtained via Ti3C2 MXene in-situ conversion and following PtO nanodots photo-deposition.•The Ti3C2 MXene and PtO nanodots effectively separate the ...photogenerated electrons and holes.•The PtO nanodots also largely suppress the hydrogen back reaction.•The PtO@Ti3C2/TiO2 composite demonstrates remarkable photocatalytic H2 production efficiency.
Increasing the separation efficiency of photogenerated carriers and preventing the hydrogen back oxidation are two key challenges in photocatalytic hydrogen production. Herein, we report a promising PtO@Ti3C2/TiO2 photocatalyst to overcome these two challenges by in-situ growing TiO2 nanosheets on Ti3C2 MXene (to improve charge separation) and depositing PtO nanodots (to diminish hydrogen back reaction) for enhanced photocatalytic hydrogen production. Within this design principle, the photogenerated electrons and holes in the PtO@Ti3C2/TiO2 composites flow in opposite direction into PtO and Ti3C2 respectively, resulting in effective separation of the photogenerated electrons and holes. Beyond, the higher oxidation state of PtO nanodots also largely suppresses the undesirable hydrogen back oxidation reaction. Thereby the PtO@Ti3C2/TiO2 composite demonstrates remarkable hydrogen production efficiency. Our work here indicates that rational design of dual co-catalysts could not only promote the separation of photogenerated carriers for enhanced hydrogen production, but also inhibit the reverse reaction of hydrogen production.
The aim of this study is to evaluate the efficacy of the strain Paenibacillus polymyxa HX-140, isolated from the rhizosphere soil of rape, to control Fusarium wilt of cucumber seedlings caused by ...Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cucumerinum.
Strain HX-140 was able to produce protease, cellulase, β-1,3-glucanase and antifungal volatile organic compounds. An in vitro dual culture test showed that strain HX-140 exhibited broad spectrum antifungal activity against soil-borne plant pathogenic fungi. Strain HX-140 also reduced the infection of Fusarium wilt of cucumber seedlings by 55.6% in a greenhouse pot experiment. A field plot experiment confirmed the biocontrol effects and further revealed that antifungal activity was positively correlated with inoculum size by the root-irrigation method. Here, inoculums at 10
10
and 10
cfu/mL of HX-140 bacterial suspension reduced the incidence of Fusarium wilt of cucumber seedling by 19.5, 41.1, and 50.9%, respectively.
Taken together, our results suggest that P. polymyxa HX-140 has significant potential in the control of Fusarium wilt and possibly other fungal diseases of cucumber.
Genetic studies have proved the involvement of Tuberous sclerosis complex subunit 2 (Tsc2) in aortic aneurysm. However, the exact role of macrophage Tsc2 in the vascular system remains unclear. Here, ...we examined the potential function of macrophage Tsc2 in the development of aortic remodeling and aortic aneurysms.
Conditional gene knockout strategy combined with histology and whole-transcriptomic analysis showed that Tsc2 deficiency in macrophages aggravated the progression of aortic aneurysms along with an upregulation of proinflammatory cytokines and matrix metallopeptidase-9 in the angiotensin II-induced mouse model. G protein-coupled receptor 68 (Gpr68), a proton-sensing receptor for detecting the extracellular acidic pH, was identified as the most up-regulated gene in Tsc2 deficient macrophages compared with control macrophages. Additionally, Tsc2 deficient macrophages displayed higher glycolysis and glycolytic inhibitor 2-deoxy-D-glucose treatment partially attenuated the level of Gpr68. We further demonstrated an Tsc2-Gpr68-CREB network in macrophages that regulates the inflammatory response, proteolytic degradation and vascular homeostasis. Gpr68 inhibition largely abrogated the progression of aortic aneurysms caused by Tsc2 deficiency in macrophages.
The findings reveal that Tsc2 deficiency in macrophages contributes to aortic aneurysm formation, at least in part, by upregulating Gpr68 expression, which subsequently drives proinflammatory processes and matrix metallopeptidase activation. The data also provide a novel therapeutic strategy to limit the progression of the aneurysm resulting from Tsc2 mutations.
•Tris(trimethylsilyl) borate (TMSB) as electrolyte additive alleviates cathode electrolyte interphase (CEI) for enhanced Li-Se battery.•TMSB easily adsorbs F− and PFx− to form polyanionic groups.•The ...polyanionic groups suppress the formation of insulating LiF in CEI to promote the conductivity and stability of the Se cathode.•TMSB adsorbs PFx− releasing more active Li+ for reaction to improve the capacity.
Lithium-selenium (Li-Se) batteries have attracted increasing attentions in recent years because of their high energy density and theoretical capacity. One of the keys that influences the cycle stability of Se cathode is the formation of a stable cathode electrolyte interphase (CEI) film between the cathode material and electrolyte. In this work, we report utilizing tris(trimethylsilyl) borate (TMSB) as electrolyte additive to promote the formation of stable CEI film for enhanced Li-Se battery. The TMSB containing electron-deficient boron atoms easily adsorb electron-rich F− and PFx− to form polyanionic groups, which suppress the formation of insulating LiF in the CEI film, promoting the conductivity and stability of the cathode. Furthermore, the TMSB adsorbing PFx− releases more active Li+ for reaction to improve the capacity. These largely improve the compatibility of the electrolyte and the electrode material interface, significantly reducing the interface impedance and increasing the rate capability. As the result, the system with 1 wt% TMSB exhibits a high specific discharge capacity of 462 mA h g –1 at 1 C after 500 cycles, showing 130% improvement for the cathode without TMSB. Our work here confirms that TMSB as electrolyte additive can effectively improve the electrochemical performance of Li-Se batteries.
Porous titanium oxide (TiO2) nanocubes combining with carbon nanotubes (CNTs) framework greatly improve the utilization efficiency and enhance their sodium storage.
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•An interwoven ...scaffolded TiO2/CNTs framework is designed and constructed for sodium storage.•The TiO2/CNTs framework provides abundant channels and shorter diffusion pathways for electrons and ions.•The TiO2/CNTs framework demonstrates low strain and superior transport kinetics in Na+ intercalation/extraction processes.•The TiO2/CNTs framework provides fast channels for Na+ insertion/extraction with a much lower energy barrier.
Supercapacitor-like Na-ion batteries have attracted much attention due to the high energy density of batteries and power density of capacitors. Titanium dioxide (TiO2), is a promising anode material. Its performance is however seriously hindered by its low electrical conductivity and the sluggish diffusion of sodium ions (Na+) in the TiO2 matrix. Herein, this work combines porous TiO2 nanocubes with carbon nanotubes (CNTs) to enhance the electrical conductivity and accelerate Na+ diffusivity for Na-ion batteries (NIBs). In this composite, an interwoven scaffolded TiO2/CNTs framework is formed to provide abundant channels and shorter diffusion pathways for electrons and ions. The in-situ X-ray diffraction and cyclic voltammetry confirm the low strain and superior transport kinetics in Na+ intercalation/extraction processes. In addition, the chemically bonded TiO2/CNTs hybrid provides a more feasible channel for Na+ insertion/extraction with a much lower energy barrier. Consequently, the TiO2/CNTs composite exhibits excellent electrochemical performance with a capacity of 223.4 mAh g−1 at 1 C and a capacity of 142.8 mAh g−1 at 10 C (3.35 A g−1). The work here reveals that the combination of active materials with CNTs can largely improve the utilization efficiency and enhance their sodium storage.
AIM:To explore the therapeutic role of globular adiponectin(gAd)in high-fat diet/streptozotocin(STZ)-induced type 2 diabetic rats with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease(NAFLD).METHODS:Seven rats were ...fed a basic diet(normal control group;NC)during the experiment.Experimental rats(14 rats)were given a high-fat diet for 4 wk and were then injected with STZ to induce type 2 diabetes mellitus(T2DM)and NAFLD.Half of the T2DM/NAFLD rats were randomly injected intraperitoneally with gAd for 7 d(gAd-treated group),while the other 7 rats(T2DM/NAFLD group)received 0.9%saline.Plasma biochemical parameters and insulin concentrations were measured.Liver histopathology was examinedby hematoxylin-eosin staining.Insulin receptor expression in the liver was analyzed by immunohistochemical staining,Western blot and quantitative real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction analysis.RESULTS:Compared to the control group,the T2DM/NAFLD group had increased levels of glucolipid and decreased levels of insulin.Plasma glucose and lipid levels were decreased in the gAd-treated group,while serum insulin levels increased.The expression of insulin receptor in the T2DM/NAFLD group increased compared with the NC group,and gAd downregulated insulin receptor expression in the livers of T2DM/NAFLD rats.Steatosis of the liver was alleviated in the gAd-treated group compared to the T2DM/NAFLD group(NAS 1.39±0.51 vs 1.92±0.51,P<0.05).CONCLUSION:Globular adiponectin exerts beneficial effects in T2DM rats with NAFLD by promoting insulin secretion,mediating glucolipid metabolism,regulating insulin receptor expression and alleviating hepatic steatosis.
AbstractBackground. Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is correlated with obesity, but specific therapeutic interventions are lacking. Adiponectin is an adipokine with anti-inflammatory ...activity and is considered a hepatic protector. We aimed to investigate effects of a low-fat diet on the hepatic expression of adiponectin and its receptors in rats with NAFLD. Materials and methods. Sixteen male SD rats were fed a high-fat diet for 8 weeks (HFD1 group) or 16 weeks (HFD2 group) to induce NAFLD, and these rats were compared with rats on a normal diet for 8 weeks (NC1 group) or 16 weeks (NC2 group). Another group of 8 rats was fed an HFD for 8 weeks and then switched to a low-fat diet (DIET group) until the 16th week. The expression of hepatic adiponectin and its receptors was detected by western blotting, immunohistochemistry and RT-qPCR. Results. The NAFLD activity score (NAS) in the HFD groups increased from 3.2 ± 0.45 (8th week) to 6.2 ± 0.84 (16th week) (P < 0.001), reflecting the progression in the NAFLD histology. In contrast to the HFD2 group, the low-fat diet ameliorated the steatosis, ballooning degeneration and inflammation. Dietary intervention augmented the expression of adiponectin and its receptors, which was down-regulated in the HFD2 group. Conclusions. The NAFLD rat model was successfully developed by feeding the animals a high-fat diet. Adiponectin may play a role in the pathogenesis of NAFLD, especially in the progression from steatosis to NASH. The low-fat diet alleviated the histological lesions associated with NAFLD by up-regulating the expression of adiponectin and its receptors.
Aims. To evaluate the effects of globular adiponectin (gAd) on treatment of type 2 diabetic rats combined with NAFLD. Materials and Methods. Twenty-one male wistar rats were fed with normal diet (7 ...rats) or high fat diet (HFD) (14 rats) for 4 weeks, and then HFD-fed rats were injected with streptozotocin (STZ) to induce type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Half of T2DM rats were randomly injected with gAd intraperitoneally for 7 days. The expressions of adiponectin receptors (adipoR1/R2) in liver and skeletal muscle tissues were detected through western blotting or RT-qPCR, respectively. Results. Globular adiponectin alleviated the hepatic steatosis and increased insulin secretion. In liver, both the protein and mRNA expressions of adipoR2 in T2DM group decreased ( P < 0.05 , resp.) in contrast to NC group and increased ( P < 0.05 and P < 0.001 , resp.) after gAd treatment. But the protein and mRNA expressions of adipoR1 increased ( P < 0.05 , resp.) in T2DM group and no change was found in the gAd-treated group. In skeletal muscle, the protein and mRNA expressions of adipoR1 and adipoR2 were upregulated in T2DM group and were downregulated after gAd treatment. Conclusions. Globular adiponectin could ameliorate the hepatic steatosis and vary the expressions of adiponectin receptors in liver and skeletal muscle by stimulating insulin secretion.
The infection risk of natural orifice transluminal endoscopic surgery (NOTES) is of concern. The aim of this study was to assess the safety of NOTES by investigating the intraperitoneal bacterial ...load during transgastric and transvaginal procedures with antiseptic or controlling perioperative preparation.
Forty-five female pigs were randomly assigned to five equal groups: the transgastric (TG) control group (group A), the TG middle volume gastric lavage group (group B), the TG high volume lavage group (group C), the transvaginal (TV) control group (group D) and the TV study group (group E). The study groups received gastric or vaginal lavage and abdominal antimicrobial irrigation, while the control groups received neither. All animals were administered intravenous antibiotics, underwent NOTES peritoneoscopy and transumbilical laparoscopic cholecystectomy under NOTES view with sterile instruments. The viscerotomy was closed by laparoscopic suture. The animals were observed until necropsy was performed 14 days postoperatively. Quantitative bacteriologic cultures were taken from the gastric or vaginal aspirate before and after lavage; peritoneal fluid was collected before and after peritoneal irrigation and at necropsy.
The surgical procedures were completed for all the pigs and all of them survived. The mean operative time of the TG group and the TV group was (81 ± 27) minutes and (66 ± 12) minutes, respectively. All animals survived for 14 days. At necropsy, significantly more peritoneal infections were noted in group A than in group D (5:9 vs. 0:9; P < 0.05). No gross evidence of intra-peritoneal infection was found in groups B, C, D and E. Bacteriological evidence was seen in all pigs in group A, 7 pigs in group B, 6 pigs in group D, and none in groups C and E.
Without gastric or vaginal lavage and antibiotic peritoneal irrigation, the TG procedure has a higher infection rate than the TV access. After antiseptic preparation, the bacterial load significantly decreased in the TG group, which seems as safe as the sterile TV approach.
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