Neoagarooligosaccharide Protects against Hepatic Fibrosis via Inhibition of TGF-β/Smad Signaling Pathway

Hepatic fibrosis occurs when liver tissue becomes scarred from repetitive liver injury and inflammatory responses; it can progress to cirrhosis and eventually to hepatocellular carcinoma. Previously, we reported that neoagarooligosaccharides (NAOs), produced by the hydrolysis of agar by β-agarases, have hepatoprotective effects against acetaminophen overdose-induced acute liver injury. However, the effect of NAOs on chronic liver injury, including hepatic fibrosis, has not yet been elucidated. Therefore, we examined whether NAOs protect against fibrogenesis in vitro and in vivo. NAOs ameliorated PAI-1, α-SMA, CTGF and fibronectin protein expression and decreased mRNA levels of fibrogenic genes in TGF-β-treated LX-2 cells. Furthermore, downstream of TGF-β, the Smad signaling pathway was inhibited by NAOs in LX-2 cells. Treatment with NAOs diminished the severity of hepatic injury, as evidenced by reduction in serum alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase levels, in carbon tetrachloride (CCl₄)-induced liver fibrosis mouse models. Moreover, NAOs markedly blocked histopathological changes and collagen accumulation, as shown by H&E and Sirius red staining, respectively. Finally, NAOs antagonized the CCl₄-induced upregulation of the protein and mRNA levels of fibrogenic genes in the liver. In conclusion, our findings suggest that NAOs may be a promising candidate for the prevention and treatment of chronic liver injury via inhibition of the TGF-β/Smad signaling pathway.     

Strong tribocatalytic dye degradation by tungsten bronze Ba4Nd2Fe2Nb8O30

The triboelectric effect has recently demonstrated its great potential in environmental remediation and even new energy applications for triggering a number of catalytic reactions by utilizing trivial mechanical energy. In this study, Ba₄Nd₂Fe₂Nb₈O₃₀ (BNFN) submicron powders were used to degrade organic dyes via the tribocatalytic effect. Under the frictional excitation of three PTFE stirring rods in a 5 mg/L RhB dye solution, BNFN demonstrates a high tribocatalytic degradation efficiency of 97% in 2 h. Hydroxyl radicals (?OH) and superoxide radicals (?O₂－) were also detected during the catalysis process, which proves that triboelectric energy stimulates BNFN to generate electron-hole pairs. The tribocatalysis of tungsten bronze BNFN submicron powders provides a novel and efficient method for the degradation of wastewater dye by utilizing trivial mechanical energy.     

Effects of (Li0.5Sm0.5)/W co-substitution and sintering temperature on the structure and electrical properties of ultrahigh Curie temperature piezoceramics,Ca0.92(Li0.5Sm0.5)0.08Bi2Nb2-xWxO9

With co-substitution of (Li_0.5Sm_0.5) at A site and W at B site, the electrical properties of modified Ca_0.92(Li_0.5Sm_0.5)_0.08Bi₂Nb_2-xW_xO₉ [(CLS)BN-xW, x = 0, 0.015 and 0.03] piezoceramics with ultrahigh Curie temperature (T_C) of > 930 °C were enhanced dramatically. The increased resistivity induced by the co-substitution ensure them to be polarized under an enough high field. Combined with the increase of spontaneous ferroelectric polarization (P_S), the significant enhancements in the piezoelectric, dielectric and ferroelectric properties can be obtained in the composition x = 0.015. Furthermore, the piezoelectric activity (d₃₃) and bulk resistivity (ρ_b) of (CLS)BN-0.015 W can be further enhanced at an appropriate sintering temperature. This optimum composition sintered at 1170 °C shows ultrahigh T_C of ～948 °C, d₃₃ of ～17.3 pC/N and ρ_b of ～6.9 MΩ cm at 600 °C, which are comparable to those of the reported high-temperature Aurivillius piezoceramics with T_C > 850 °C.     

当代均陶艺术创作浅思——作品“麒麟献瑞”的制作感悟

宜兴有“陶都”的美名,宜兴的陶艺又有“五朵金花”,在中国陶瓷艺术之林可谓独树一帜,其中均陶和紫砂一样都属于宜兴陶艺“五朵金花”之一,有着相近的历史发展进程,同宜兴紫砂一样蕴含了丰富的中国文化元素,在中国秦汉以及历代釉陶的影响下发展而来,有着非常特殊的艺术和文化风格。     

基于有限元的区域分解方法在永磁聚焦系统仿真中的应用

随着计算机技术以及并行求解技术的发展,区域分解方法越来越多地应用于计算电磁学的各个领域.针对微波管中的永磁聚焦系统仿真,该文提出一种基于有限元的非重叠区域分解方法,其引入一种新型传输条件,并采用内罚的方式推导出有限元弱形式.该区域分解法的最大优势是不需要引入多余的未知量,并且最终集成的有限元矩阵满足对称正定性,适合采用预处理共轭梯度法进行矩阵方程的求解.该文仿真了多个微波管永磁聚焦系统,并与商业软件Maxwell进行了详细的对比,结果表明所提出的区域分解方法和Maxwell精度相当,却拥有着更加优越的计算性能.     

Progressive NO2 Sensors with Rapid Alarm and Persistent Memory-Type Responses for Wide-Range Sensing Using Antimony Triselenide Nanoflakes

Antimony triselenide (Sb₂Se₃) nanoflake-based nitrogen dioxide (NO₂) sensors exhibit a progressive bifunctional gas-sensing performance, with a rapid alarm for hazardous highly concentrated gases, and an advanced memory-type function for low-concentration (<1 ppm) monitoring repeated under potentially fatal exposure. Rectangular and cuboid shaped Sb₂Se₃ nanoflakes, comprising van der Waals planes with large surface areas and covalent bond planes with small areas, can rapidly detect a wide range of NO₂ gas concentrations from 0.1 to 100 ppm. These Sb₂Se₃ nanoflakes are found to be suitable for physisorption-based gas sensing owing to their anisotropic quasi-2D crystal structure with extremely enlarged van der Waals planes, where they are humidity-insensitive and consequently exhibit an extremely stable baseline current. The Sb₂Se₃ nanoflake sensor exhibits a room-temperature/low-voltage operation, which is noticeable owing to its low energy consumption and rapid response even under a NO₂ gas flow of only 1 ppm. As a result, the Sb₂Se₃ nanoflake sensor is suitable for the development of a rapid alarm system. Furthermore, the persistent gas-sensing conductivity of the sensor with a slow decaying current can enable the development of a progressive memory-type sensor that retains the previous signal under irregular gas injection at low concentrations.