One-pot synthesis of uniform hollow cuprous oxide spheres fabricated by single-crystalline particles via a simple solvothermal route

Uniform Cu₂O hollow spheres fabricated by single-crystalline particles (smaller than 20 nm) are facile synthesized in ethylene glycol (EG) solution by a simple solvothermal route without using pre-fabricated templates and reductive agents. EG in this protocol is not only used as a solvent, complexing agent, and reducing agent, but also served as a structure-directing agent for the formation of hollow structure. By control of reaction conditions, such as reaction time, temperature, and the anions, the morphology and structure of the hollow spheres can be tuned. A coordination adsorption and oriented attachment and Ostwald ripening mechanism is proposed for explaining the formation process of hollow Cu₂O spheres in EG solution; and importantly, the hollow Cu₂O spheres exhibit an excellent property for the electro-catalytic oxidization of ascorbic acid in acetic acid buffer solution. Moreover, the hollow spherical Cu₂O particles could be potentially applied in catalysis, sensor, and as model for fundamental research.     

Nanomedicine-Enabled Chemical Regulation of Reactive X Species for Versatile Disease Treatments

Reactive X species (RXS), encompassing elements such as O, N, C, S, Se, Cl, Br, I, and H, play vital roles in cell biology and physiological function, impacting cellular signal transduction, metabolic regulation, and disease processes. The redox unbalance of RXS is firmly implicated in an assortment of physiological and pathological disorders, including cancer, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and neurodegenerative diseases. However, the intricate nature and multifactorial dependence of RXS pose challenges in comprehending and precisely modulating their biological behavior. Nanomaterials with distinct characteristics and biofunctions offer promising avenues for generating or scavenging RXS to maintain redox homeostasis and advance disease therapy. This minireview provides a tutorial summary of the relevant chemistry and specific mechanisms governing different RXS, focusing on cellular metabolic regulation, stress responses, and the role of nanomedicine in RXS generation and elimination. The challenges associated with chemically regulating RXS for diverse disease treatments are further discussed along with the future prospects, aiming to facilitate the clinical translation of RXS-based nanomedicine and open new avenues for improved therapeutic interventions.     

High power nano-LiMn2Oa cathode materials with high-rate pulse discharge capability for lithium-ion batteries＊

Nano-LiMn2O4 cathode materials with nano-sized particles are synthesized via a citric acid assisted sol-gel route. The structure, the morphology and the electrochemical properties of the nano-LiMn204 are investigated. Compared with the micro-sized LiMn2O4, the nano-LiMn2O4 possesses a high initial capacity （120 mAh/g） at a discharge rate of 0.2 C （29.6 mA/g）. The nano-LiMn2O4 also has a good high-rate discharge capability, retaining 91% of its capacity at a discharge rate of 10 C and 73~ at a discharge rate of 40 C. In particular, the nano-LiMn2O4 shows an excellent high-rate pulse discharge capability. The cut-off voltage at the end of 50-ms pulse discharge with a discharge rate of 80 C is above 3.40 V, and the voltage returns to over 4.10 V after the pulse discharge. These results show that the prepared nano-LiMn2O4 could be a potential cathode material for the power sources with the capability to deliver very high-rate pulse currents.     

Fabrication and laser performance of highly transparent Nd:YAG ceramics from well-dispersed Nd:Y<Subscript>2</Subscript>O<Subscript>3</Subscript> nanopowders by freeze-drying

Well-dispersed Nd:Y₂O₃ powders with uniform particle size of about 60 nm were synthesized from freeze-dried precursors. Highly transparent 2 at.% Nd:YAG ceramics were fabricated from the as-synthesized Nd:Y₂O₃ powders and commercial Al₂O₃ powders by vacuum sintering at 1,750 °C for 5 h. Phase evolution, microstructures, and spectroscopic properties of the Nd:YAG transparent ceramics were investigated. Freeze-drying played an important role in the synthesis of high-quality Nd:Y₂O₃ nanosized powders, which were essential for the fabrication of highly transparent Nd:YAG ceramics. Optical transmittance of a 3-mm thick sample reached 82% in the wavelength range of 200–900 nm. 5.23 W output power was obtained with 14.3 W diode laser pumping, giving a slope efficiency of 36.5%.     

Role of TRPM8 in dorsal root ganglion in nerve injury-induced chronic pain

Background

Chronic neuropathic pain is an intractable pain with few effective treatments. Moderate cold stimulation can relieve pain, and this may be a novel train of thought for exploring new methods of analgesia. Transient receptor potential melastatin 8 (TRPM8) ion channel has been proposed to be an important molecular sensor for cold. Here we investigate the role of TRPM8 in the mechanism of chronic neuropathic pain using a rat model of chronic constriction injury (CCI) to the sciatic nerve.

Results

Mechanical allodynia, cold and thermal hyperalgesia of CCI rats began on the 4th day following surgery and maintained at the peak during the period from the 10th to 14th day after operation. The level of TRPM8 protein in L5 dorsal root ganglion (DRG) ipsilateral to nerve injury was significantly increased on the 4th day after CCI, and reached the peak on the 10th day, and remained elevated on the 14th day following CCI. This time course of the alteration of TRPM8 expression was consistent with that of CCI-induced hyperalgesic response of the operated hind paw. Besides, activation of cold receptor TRPM8 of CCI rats by intrathecal application of menthol resulted in the inhibition of mechanical allodynia and thermal hyperalgesia and the enhancement of cold hyperalgesia. In contrast, downregulation of TRPM8 protein in ipsilateral L5 DRG of CCI rats by intrathecal TRPM8 antisense oligonucleotide attenuated cold hyperalgesia, but it had no effect on CCI-induced mechanical allodynia and thermal hyperalgesia.

Conclusions

TRPM8 may play different roles in mechanical allodynia, cold and thermal hyperalgesia that develop after nerve injury, and it is a very promising research direction for the development of new therapies for chronic neuroapthic pain.

     

High efficiency top-emitting white organic light-emitting devices with a (metal/organic)2 cathode

White top-emitting organic light-emitting devices (TEOLEDs) were fabricated on a glass substrate with metal/organic multilayer of (Ag/Alq₃)₂ (Alq₃ is tris-(8-hydroxyquinoline) aluminum) as cathode. White TEOLEDs with high efficiency were obtained due to the microcavity effects. And the (Ag/Alq₃)₂ cathode, which adjusted the optical characteristics of the devices, played an important role. In addition, Alq₃–Ag–Alq₃ multilayer could work as a buffer layer, which would simplify the process of encapsulation for devices. We also calculated the electroluminescence spectrum of devices encapsulated with Al₂O₃ (150 nm) and Al₂O₃(75 nm)/ZrO₂(75 nm). And the results indicated that the CIE coordinates is almost the same between with and without encapsulating.     

Disturbed solution of the El Ni?no-southern oscillation sea–air delayed oscillator

A class of delayed oscillators of El Ni?o-southern oscillation (ENSO) models is considered. Using the delayed theory, the perturbed theory and other methods, the asymptotic expansions of the solutions for ENSO models are obtained and the asymptotic behaviour of solution of corresponding problem is studied.     

Optical and atomic force microscopic study on step bunching in BaB2O4 crystal growth

The formation of macrostep during high-temperature phase of barium meta-borate (α-BaB 2 O 4) single crystal growth has been investigated by both optical in-situ observation system and atomic force microscopy (AFM).The insitu observation results demonstrate that the critical linear size of growing facet exceeding the size that the macrostep generates is significantly anisotropic.The critical linear sizes are around 280 μm and 620 μm for {1010} and {1010} planes,respectively.AFM study illustrates that macrostep train with a height of 150 nm～200 nm is one typical morphological feature of the as-grown crystal surface.The riser of each macrostep consists of several straight and parallel sub-steps,indicating the occurrence of step bunching.Additionally,triangular sub-steps with heights of several nanometers on the treads of the macrosteps are found to be another typical feature of surface morphology,which implies a microscopically competitive bunching of sub-steps between various crystallographic orientations.     

Free standing modulation doped core–shell GaAs/AlGaAs hetero‐nanowires

Modulation doped AlGaAs/GaAs core–shell nanowire structures were grown by molecular beam epitaxy. A Si delta‐doping was introduced in the AlGaAs shell around the {110} facets of the GaAs core. The wires are typically highly resistive at low temperatures. However, they show a pronounced persistent photoconductivity effect indicating activation of free carriers from the delta‐doped shell to the GaAs core. The n‐type character of the channel is demonstrated by applying a back‐gate voltage. (© 2011 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

A DFT study on the interaction between europium,uranium and SWCNT

We investigate the electronic and band structure for the (8; 0) single-wall carbon nanotube (SWCNT) with a europium (Eu) and a uranium (U) atom outside by using the first-principles method with the density functional theory (DFT). The calculated band structure (BS), total density of state (TDOS), and projected density of state (PDOS) can elucidate the differences between the pure (8; 0) SWCNT and the nuclei outside the SWCNT. The indirect band gaps are obtained when Eu and U atom are put outside the (8; 0) CNT; they are 0.037 eV and 0.036 eV, respectively, which is much smaller than 0.851 eV for pure CNT. Compared with pure (8; 0) SWCNT, the bottom of the conduction band moves down by 0.383 eV and 0.451 eV with the Eu and U outside, and the top of valence band moves up by 0.127 eV and 0.162 eV, respectively. More significantly, the top of the valence band has exceeded the fermi-level. So, a single nucleus changes the semiconductor character of pure nanotube to semi-metal.