In this paper; the surface plasmon resonance (SPR) sensor with a porous silica film was studied. The effect of the thickness and porosity of the porous silica film on the performance of the sensor ...was analyzed. The results indicated that the figure of merit (FOM) of an SPR sensor can be enhanced by using a porous silica film with a low-refractive-index. Particularly; the FOM of an SPR sensor with 40 nm thick 90% porosity porous silica film; whose refractive index is 1.04 was improved by 311% when compared with that of a traditional SPR sensor. Furthermore; it was found that the decrease in the refractive index or the increase in the thickness of the low-refractive-index porous silica film can enlarge the FOM enhancement. It is believed that the proposed SPR sensor with a low-refractive-index porous silica film will be helpful for high-performance SPR sensors development.
Large inactive component mass ratio and internal resistance are two critical challenges in further realizing high energy and power density lithium-ion batteries. Herein, lightweight copper coated ...polyimide (PI@Cu) current collectors with a high electrical conductivity (2.25 × 105 S cm−1) and low area density (1.99 mg cm−2) are fabricated via a facile electroless copper deposition method. Compared with the commercial Cu foil current collector, lithium titanate anodes equipped with PI@Cu current collectors decrease the inactive component mass ratio and improve the gravimetric capacity based on the whole mass of the electrode. Meanwhile, the rough surface morphology of deposited Cu layers reduces the electrode layer/current collector interfacial resistance, resulting in a lower internal resistance and better rate capability. PI@Cu composite films are promising alternatives to the traditional copper foil current collectors for high energy density and power density lithium-ion batteries.
•A polyimide/copper composite current collector is prepared by a facile method.•The current collector possesses a high electrical conductivity and low area density.•The rough surface morphology of Cu layers reduces the interfacial resistance.
Carboxysome is an icosahedral self‐assembled microcompartment that sequesters RuBisCO and carbonic anhydrases within a selectively permeable protein shell. The scaffolding proteins, CcmM, and CcmN ...were proposed to act as adaptors that crosslink the enzymatic core to shell facets. However, the details of interaction pattern remain unknown. Here we obtained a stable heterotrimeric complex of CcmM γ‐carbonic anhydrase domain (termed CcmMNT) and CcmN, with a 1:2 stoichiometry, which interacts with the shell proteins CcmO and CcmL in vitro. The 2.9 Å crystal structure of this heterotrimer revealed an asymmetric bundle composed of one CcmMNT and two CcmN subunits, all of which adopt a triangular left‐handed β‐helical barrel structure. The central CcmN subunit packs against CcmMNT and another CcmN subunit via a wall‐to‐edge or wall‐to‐wall pattern, respectively. Together with previous findings, we propose CcmMNT‐CcmN functions as an adaptor to facilitate the recruitment of shell proteins and the assembly of intact β‐carboxysome.
PDB Code(s): 7D6C;
•A novel CPHE process for extraction of fucoidan from brown algae was developed.•The CPHE process provided operational, economic, and environmental advantages.•The crude extracts of fucoidan ...extracted by the CPHE process showed potential for use as natural antioxidant agents.
Fucoidan, a multifunctional marine polymer, is normally extracted from brown algae via extensive use of acid, solvent or high temperature water and a long reaction time. In present study, we developed a novel compressional-puffing-hydrothermal extraction (CPHE) process which primarily decomposes the cellular structure of algae and facilitates the release of fucoidan by hot water extraction. The CPHE process provides a number of advantages including simple procedure, reactant-saving, reduced pollution, and feasibility for continuous production. Sargassum glaucescens (SG) was utilized in this study, and the maximum extraction yield of polysaccharide was approximately 9.83±0.11% (SG4). Thin layer chromatography (TLC), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) analysis, and measurements of monosaccharide composition, fucose, sulfate, and uronic acid contents revealed that the extracted polysaccharide showed characteristics of fucoidan. All extracts exhibited antioxidant activities, and thus, further exploration of these extracts as potential natural and safe antioxidant agents is warranted.
Aim
The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of maternal nicotine exposure (MNE) on the development of metabolic associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) in adulthood offspring and the ...underlying mechanism.
Methods
Pregnant mice (n = 22) were subcutaneously injected with either saline vehicle (n = 11) or nicotine (n = 11) twice a day on gestational days 11‐21. Offspring mice (n = 176) from both groups were weaned at postnatal day 21, and for 6 months after postnatal day 21, 96 mice were fed either a standard chow diet (n = 48) or a high‐fat diet (n = 48). Serum lipid indicators, liver function indicators, insulin, and liver mitochondrial respiration were analyzed. The expression levels of fibrosis‐related proteins, phosphorylated PI3K, phosphorylated Akt, sterol regulatory element‐binding transcription factor 1 (SREBP1c), and peroxisome proliferator‐activated receptor alpha (PPAR‐α) were detected in the liver by immunohistochemistry and Western blotting.
Results
MNE significantly decreased the weight of both maternal and offspring mice (~30%) and inhibited organ growth in offspring mice (P < .05). MNE also significantly increased serum levels of total bile acid, triglycerides, total cholesterol, glucose, alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, low‐density lipoprotein, and insulin while decreasing serum high‐density lipoprotein levels and mitochondrial respiration activity in mice fed either the normal diet or high‐fat diet (all P < .05). These effects of MNE on lipid metabolism and insulin resistance were mediated via PI3K and Akt phosphorylation and down‐regulation of SREBP1c and PPAR‐α.
Conclusion
Our data indicate MNE induces lipid metabolism disorder and insulin resistance to promote MAFLD progression in adult offspring through activation of PI3K/Akt signaling and suppression of SREBP1c and PPARα protein expression.
•Few studies have explored the effects of air pollution on metabolic syndrome (MetS) in children.•We studied 9,897 Chinese children in a national cross-sectional study.•Long-term exposures to PM2.5, ...PM10, and NO2 were positively associated with MetS.•PM1 and NO2 were related to elevated risk of fasting blood glucose and abdominal obesity.
The prevalence of metabolic syndrome (MetS) rapidly increased over the past decades. However, little evidence exists about the effects of long-term exposure to ambient air pollution on MetS in children and adolescents.
This study aims to assess the association between long-term ambient air pollution and the prevalence of MetS in a large population of Chinese children and adolescents.
In 2013, a total of 9,897 children and adolescents aged 10 to 18 years were recruited from seven provinces/municipalities in China. MetS was defined based on the recommendation by the International Diabetes Federation (IDF). Satellite based spatio-temporal models were used to estimate exposure to ambient air pollution (including particles with diameters ≤1.0 µm (PM1), ≤2.5 µm (PM2.5), and ≤10 µm (PM10), and nitrogen dioxide (NO2)). Individual exposure was calculated according to 94 schools addresses. After adjustment for a range of covariates, generalized linear mixed-effects models were utilized to evaluate the associations between air pollutants and the prevalence of MetS and its components. In addition, several stratified analyses were examined according to sex, weight status, outdoor physical activity time, and sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) intake.
The prevalence of MetS was 2.8%. The odds ratio of MetS associated with a 10 μg/m3 increase in PM1, PM2.5, PM10 and NO2 was 1.20 (95%CI: 0.99, 1.46), 1.31 (95%CI: 1.05, 1.64), 1.32 (95%CI: 1.08, 1.62), and 1.33 (95%CI: 1.03, 1.72), respectively. Regarding the MetS components, we observed associations between all pollutants and abdominal obesity. In addition, long-term PM1 and NO2 exposures were associated with the prevalence of elevated fasting blood glucose. Stratified analyses detected that the associations between air pollutants and the prevalence of MetS were stronger in boys (Pinteraction < 0.05).
We found that long-term exposure to PM2.5, PM10, and NO2 were positively associated with the prevalence of MetS in children and adolescents. Our findings may have certain public health implications for some comprehensive strategy of environment improvement and lifestyles changes in order to reduce the burden of non-communicable disease.
Graphene quantum dots (GQDs) are emerging zero dimensional materials promising various novel applications due to their extraordinary physicochemical properties. In this work, novel conjugates of GQDs ...and gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) are synthesized and used for sensitive electrochemical detection of heavy metal ions (Hg2+ and Cu2+). Ultralow detection limit (0.02nM with S/N=6.25 for Hg2+ and 0.05nM with S/N=4.81 for Cu2+) and high sensitivity (2.47μA/nM for Hg2+ and 3.69μA/nM for Cu2+) have been achieved.
Flavan‐3‐ol monomers are the building blocks of proanthocyanidins (PACs), natural compounds from plants shown to mediate specific biologic activities on dentin. While the stereochemistry of the ...terminal flavan‐3‐ols, catechin (C) versus epicatechin (EC), impacts the biomechanical properties of the dentin matrix treated with oligomeric PACs, structure–activity relationships driving this bioactivity remain elusive. To gain insights into the modulatory role of the terminal monomers, two highly congruent trimeric PACs from Pinus massoniana only differing in the stereochemistry of the terminal unit (Trimer‐C vs. Trimer‐EC) were prepared to evaluate their chemical characteristics as well as their effects on the viscoelasticity and biostability of biomodified dentin matrices via infrared spectroscopy and multi‐scale dynamic mechanical analyses. The subtle alteration of C versus EC as terminal monomers lead to distinct immediate PAC‐trimer biomodulation of the dentin matrix. Nano‐ and micro‐dynamic mechanical analyses revealed that Trimer‐EC increased the complex moduli (0.51 GPa) of dentin matrix more strongly than Trimer‐C (0.26 GPa) at the nanoscale length (p < 0.001), whereas the reverse was found at the microscale length (p < .001). The damping capacity (tan δ) of dentin matrix decreased by 70% after PAC treatment at the nano‐length scale, while increased values were found at the micro‐length scale (~0.24) compared to the control (0.18 ; p < .001). An increase in amide band intensities and a decrease of complex moduli was observed after storage in simulated body fluid for both Trimer‐C and Trimer‐EC modified dentin. The stereochemical configuration of the terminal monomeric units, C and EC, did not impact the chemo‐mechanical stability of dentin matrix.
A
bstract
The XENON1T collaboration reported an excess of the low-energy electron recoil events between 1 and 7 keV. We explore the possibility to explain such an anomaly by the MeV-scale dark matter ...(DM) heated by the interior of the Sun due to the same DM-electron interaction as in the detector. The kinetic energies of heated DM particles can reach a few keV, and can potentially account for the excess signals detected by XENON1T. We study different form factors of the DM-electron interactions,
F
(
q
) ∝
q
i
with
q
being the momentum exchange and
i
= 0
,
1
,
2, and find that for all these cases the inclusion of the Sun-heated DM component improves the fit to the XENON1T data. The inferred DM-electron scattering cross section (at
q
=
αm
e
where
α
is the fine structure constant and
m
e
is electron mass) is from ∼ 10
−
38
cm
2
(for
i
= 0) to ∼ 10
−
42
cm
2
(for
i
= 2). We also derive constraints on the DM-electron cross sections for these form factors, which are stronger than previous results with similar assumptions. We emphasize that the Sun-heated DM scenario relies on the minimum assumption on DM models, which serves as a general explanation of the XENON1T anomaly via DM-electron interaction. The spectrum of the Sun-heated DM is typically soft comparing to other boosted DM, so the small recoil events are expected to be abundant in this scenario. More sensitive direct detection experiments with lower thresholds can possibly distinguish this scenario with other boosted DM models or solar axion models.
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