Thermal Catalytic-Cracking Low-Density Polyethylene Waste by Metakaolin-Based Geopolymer NaA Microsphere

Metakaolin-based geopolymer microspheres (MGM) with hierarchical pore structures were prepared by suspension dispersion method in dimethicone at 80 °C. The hydrothermal modification of MGM was carried out at a lower temperature of 80 °C, and a NaA molecular sieve converted from metakaolin-based geopolymer (NMGM) with good crystal structure was prepared and applied in thermal catalytic cracking of low-density polyethylene (LDPE) reaction. The one-pot two-stage thermal catalytic cracking of LDPE was carried out in a 100 mL micro-autoclave under normal pressure. In this work, the optimal proportions and optimal reaction conditions of catalysts for NMGM thermal catalytic cracking of LDPE waste to fuel oil were investigated. The NMGM catalyst showed high selectivity to the liquid product of thermal catalytic cracking of waste LDPE. Under the reaction conditions of reaction time of 1 h and reaction temperature of 400 °C, the liquid-phase yield of thermal catalytic cracking of LDPE reached a high of 88.45%, of which the content of gasoline components was 10.14% and the content of diesel components was 80.97%.     

微气相色谱法分析氢氘同位素组分气体

该文建立了聚变堆燃料循环系统中氢氘组分的微气相色谱定量分析方法。采用MnCl2溶液改性的氧化铝色谱柱(4～6 m×0.53 mm)为分离柱,考察了改性液含量、色谱柱长和载气流量对氢氘组分分析的影响,在液氮低温(77 K)条件下实现了H₂、HD和D₂混合物的分离。结果表明,19%MnCl2溶液处理的色谱柱分离氢同位素的效果优于15%MnCl₂溶液处理的色谱柱;柱越长,H₂和HD的分离效果越好,当色谱柱长度大于5 m时,H2和HD组分可以完全分离,分离度大于1.5;HD和D2的最小理论塔板高度分别为0.013 cm和0.016 cm。He中H2、HD、D23组分氢同位素在0%～10%含量范围内的线性相关系数均不低于0.993,检出限(LOD)分别为600.1、343.8、654.5μL/L。方法的相对标准偏差为0.34%～1.5%。该法是一种快速、准确、实用的氢同位素分析方法,有望用于聚变堆D/T燃料循环系统氢同位素气体的测定。     

Kinetics of batch production of single-cell protein from cheese whey

A kinetic model for single-cell protein batch fermentation was developed using the numerical simultaneous integration approach of the fourth-order Runge-Kutta method. The model takes into account the effect of substrate inhibtion, maintenance energy, and cell death on the cell growth and substrate utilization during the fermentation process. The theoretical results obtained from the model compared well with the experimental data. The model was used to study the effect of the initial substrate concentration on the lag period, fermentation time, specific growth rate, population size, and cell productivity of batch fermentation. Increasing the initial substrate concentration increased the lag period and fermentation time and decreased the specific growth rate and cell yield. The growth limiting substrate concentration was 2.9 g/L, whereas the growth inhibiting substrate concentration was 69.0 g/L. Increasing the initial substrate concentration above 150 g/L significantly decreased the yeast population size.     

丝网印刷法制备高催化活性对电极

对电极在染料敏化太阳能电池（DSCs）中主要起催化氧化还原反应及收集电荷的作用,铂对电极常用的制备方法为磁控溅射法,但其成本较高,制备条件苛刻. 本文通过引入低成本的表面活性剂Span-85,所制得的铂对电极的附着力、透光率和均匀性显著改善,实现了面积可控,与两步浸泡法和旋涂热解法制备的对电极在DSCs中的光电转换效率分别为7.30%,6.96%和7.03%. 紫外-可见吸收光谱、扫描电镜和附着力测试等结果表明,（1）添加表面活性剂有利于增加附着力及改善透光率和均匀性;（2）使用该法制备的Pt/FTO对电极的透光率与两步浸泡法制作的相同,且铂粒子分布更加均匀. 电化学阻抗图谱、塔菲尔极化曲线和循环伏安曲线结果表明,丝网印刷方法制备的Pt/FTO对电极具有更加优异的催化性能,且该法更有利于降低其生产成本和大规模生产.     

Determination of sulfur and selected trace elements in metallothionein-like proteins using capillary electrophoresis hyphenated to inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry with an octopole reaction cell

The determination of sulfur in biologically relevant samples such as metalloproteins is described. The analytical methodology used is based on robust on-line coupling between capillary electrophoresis (CE) and octopole reaction cell inductively-coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ORC–ICP–MS). Polyatomic ions that form in the plasma and interfere with the determination of S at mass 32 are minimised by addition of xenon to the collision cell. The method has been applied to the separation and simultaneous element-specific detection of sulfur, cadmium, copper, and zinc in commercially available metallothionein preparations (MT) and metallothionein-like proteins (MLP) extracted from liver samples of bream (Abramis brama L.) caught in the river Elbe, Germany. Instrumental detection limits have been calculated according to the German standard procedure DIN 32645 for the determination of sulfur and some simultaneously measured trace elements in aqueous solution. For sulfur detection limits down to 1.3 g L^–1 (³⁴S) and 3.2 g L^–1 (³²S) were derived. For the other trace elements determined simultaneously detection limits ranging from 300 ng L^–1 (⁵⁸Ni) to 500 ng L^–1 (⁶⁶Zn, ⁵⁵Mn) were achieved. For quantification of sulfur and cadmium in a commercially available MT preparation under hyphenated conditions the use of external calibration is suggested. Finally, the need for proper sample-preparation technique will be discussed.     

Current status of automotive fuel cells for sustainable transport

Automotive proton-exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) have finally reached a state of technological readiness where several major automotive companies are commercially leasing and selling fuel cell electric vehicles, including Toyota, Honda, and Hyundai. These now claim vehicle speed and acceleration, refueling time, driving range, and durability that rival conventional internal combustion engines and in most cases outperform battery electric vehicles. The residual challenges and areas of improvement which remain for PEMFCs are performance at high current density, durability, and cost. These are expected to be resolved over the coming decade while hydrogen infrastructure needs to become widely available. Here, we briefly discuss the status of automotive PEMFCs, misconceptions about the barriers that platinum usage creates, and the remaining hurdles for the technology to become broadly accepted and implemented.     

Gypensapogenin H from hydrolyzate of total Gynostemma pentaphyllum saponins induces apoptosis in human breast carcinoma cells

Abstract

Gypensapogenin H (Gyp H) is a novel dammarane-type triterpene, isolated from hydrolyzate of total saponins from Gynostemma pentaphyllum. Our previous work demonstrated that Gyp H exhibited potent growth inhibitory effects on tumor cells. It significantly inhibited the growth of human breast cancer cells (MDA-MB-231), while having low toxicity to normal human breast epithelial cells, MCF-10a. Further mechanistic study demonstrated that Gyp H decreased survival, inhibited proliferation, migration, induced apoptosis and led to cell cycle arrest. For the MDA-MB-231 cell lines, Gyp H increased expression of P21, Bax and cytochrome c, induced PARP cleavage and activated caspases. Gyp H also reduced expression of CDK2/4, CyclinD1, E2F1 and Bcl2, which associated with the cell cycle arrest. Thus, our finding may be useful for understanding the mechanism of action of Gyp H on breast cancer cells and suggest that Gyp H would be a leading agent for the treatment of breast cancer.     

Bruch’s-Mimetic Nanofibrous Membranes Functionalized with the Integrin-Binding Peptides as a Promising Approach for Human Retinal Pigment Epithelium Cell Transplantation

Background: This study aimed to develop an ultrathin nanofibrous membrane able to, firstly, mimic the natural fibrous architecture of human Bruch’s membrane (BM) and, secondly, promote survival of retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells after surface functionalization of fibrous membranes. Methods: Integrin-binding peptides (IBPs) that specifically interact with appropriate adhesion receptors on RPEs were immobilized on Bruch’s-mimetic membranes to promote coverage of RPEs. Surface morphologies, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy spectra, contact angle analysis, Alamar Blue assay, live/dead assay, immunofluorescence staining, and scanning electron microscopy were used to evaluate the outcome. Results: Results showed that coated membranes maintained the original morphology of nanofibers. After coating with IBPs, the water contact angle of the membrane surfaces varied from 92.38 ± 0.67 degrees to 20.16 ± 0.81 degrees. RPE cells seeded on IBP-coated membranes showed the highest viability at all time points (Day 1, p < 0.05; Day 3, p < 0.01; Days 7 and 14, p < 0.001). The proliferation rate of RPE cells on uncoated poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL) membranes was significantly lower than that of IBP-coated membranes (p < 0.001). SEM images showed a well-organized hexa/polygonal monolayer of RPE cells on IBP-coated membranes. RPE cells proliferated rapidly, contacted, and became confluent. RPE cells formed a tight adhesion with nanofibers under high-magnification SEM. Our findings confirmed that the IBP-coated PCL membrane improved the attachment, proliferation, and viability of RPE cells. In addition, in this study, we used serum-free culture for RPE cells and short IBPs without immunogenicity to prevent graft rejection and immunogenicity during transplantation. Conclusions: These results indicated that the biomimic BM-IBP-RPE nanofibrous graft might be a new, practicable approach to increase the success rate of RPE cell transplantation.     

Natural Dietary Compound Xanthohumol Regulates the Gut Microbiota and Its Metabolic Profile in a Mouse Model of Alzheimer’s Disease

Discovering new and effective drugs for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a major clinical challenge. This study focuses on chemical modulation of the gut microbiome in an established murine AD model. We used the 16S rDNA sequencing technique to investigate the effect of xanthohumol (Xn) on the diversity of intestinal microflora in 2-month- and 6-month-old APP/PS1 mice, respectively. APP/PS1 and wild-type mice were treated by gavage with corn oil with or without Xn every other day for 90 days. Prior to and following treatment, animals were tested for spatial learning, cognitive and memory function. We found Xn reduced cognitive dysfunction in APP/PS1 mice and significantly regulated the composition and abundance of gut microbiota both in prevention experiments (with younger mice) and therapeutic experiments (with older mice). Differential microflora Gammaproteobacteria were significantly enriched in APP/PS1 mice treated with Xn. Nodosilineaceae and Rikenellaceae may be the specific microflora modulated by Xn. The penicillin and cephalosporin biosynthesis pathway and the atrazine degradation pathway may be the principal modulation pathways. Taken together, oral treatment with Xn may have a neuroprotective role by regulating the composition of intestinal microflora, a result that contributes to the scientific basis for a novel prophylactic and therapeutic approach to AD.     

The Alleviating Effect of Lagerstroemia indica Flower Extract on Stretch Marks through Regulation of Mast Cells

Striae distensae (SD) or stretch marks are common linear scars of atrophic skin with disintegrating extracellular matrix (ECM) structures. Although fibroblasts contribute to the construction of ECM structure in SD, some studies have reported that mast cell degranulation causes the disruption of ECM in early SD lesions. Lagerstroemia indica flower (LIF) has traditionally been used in India as a diuretic. However, little is known about the effect and molecular action of Lagerstroemia indica flower extract (LIFE) on alleviating SD. This study evaluated the effects of LIFE on mast cell degranulation and the synthesis of ECM components in fibroblasts. LIFE inhibits the adhesion of rat basophilic leukemia (RBL) cells, RBL-2H3 on fibronectin (FN) and the expression of integrin, a receptor for FN, thereby reducing focal adhesion kinase (FAK) phosphorylation. In addition, LIFE attenuated the allergen-induced granules and cytokine interleukin 3 (IL-3) through the adhesion with FN. Moreover, the conditioned medium (CM) of activated mast cells decreases the synthesis of ECM components, and LIFE restores the abnormal expressions induced by activated mast cells. These results demonstrate that LIFE suppresses FN-induced mast cell activation and promotes the synthesis of ECM components in fibroblast, which indicates that LIFE may be a useful cosmetic agent for SD treatment.