Sustainable Approach for Spent V₂O₅–WO₃/TiO₂ Catalysts Management: Selective Recovery of Heavy Metal Vanadium and Production of Value-Added WO₃–TiO₂ Photocatalysts

In order to control nitrogen oxides emissions, V₂O₅–WO₃/TiO₂ catalysts are widely applied in coal-fired power plants. Consequently, a large number of V₂O₅–WO₃/TiO₂ catalysts are spent annually because of their short operating life. Although these spent catalysts contain amounts of heavy metals, they have also been regarded as a potential secondary resource for the recovery of valuable elements titanium, tungsten, and vanadium. Therefore, this study developed an efficient method for selective leaching of heavy metal vanadium with an “H₂SO₄ + Na₂SO₃” acid reduction system. The use of this leaching solution achieved nearly 100% efficiency in vanadium removal, and the effects of the leaching parameters on the vanadium leaching efficiencies were investigated. Subsequently, the titanium-enriched residue obtained from the leaching process was used to produce high-performance WO₃–TiO₂ photocatalysts with dominant {001} facets via a hydrothermal treatment. The influence of the amount of hydrogen fluoride on the morphology and percentage exposure of the {001} facets of the photocatalysts was studied systematically. The method proposed in this study constitutes a novel and sustainable approach for the disposal of spent V₂O₅–WO₃/TiO₂ catalysts

Additional file 1 of Phosphorylation of EZH2 differs HER2-positive breast cancer invasiveness in a site-specific manner

Supplementary Material 1: Supplementary Fig. 1. EZH2-related genes in tumors provided by bioinformatics analysis based on TCGA-BRCA using STRING, and metascape databas

Table1_Novel targets in renal fibrosis based on bioinformatic analysis.DOCX

Background: Renal fibrosis is a widely used pathological indicator of progressive chronic kidney disease (CKD), and renal fibrosis mediates most progressive renal diseases as a final pathway. Nevertheless, the key genes related to the host response are still unclear. In this study, the potential gene network, signaling pathways, and key genes under unilateral ureteral obstruction (UUO) model in mouse kidneys were investigated by integrating two transcriptional data profiles.Methods: The mice were exposed to UUO surgery in two independent experiments. After 7 days, two datasets were sequenced from mice kidney tissues, respectively, and the transcriptome data were analyzed to identify the differentially expressed genes (DEGs). Then, Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analysis were executed. A Protein-Protein Interaction (PPI) network was constructed based on an online database STRING. Additionally, hub genes were identified and shown, and their expression levels were investigated in a public dataset and confirmed by quantitative real time-PCR (qRT-PCR) in vivo.Results: A total of 537 DEGs were shared by the two datasets. GO and the KEGG analysis showed that DEGs were typically enriched in seven pathways. Specifically, five hub genes (Bmp1, CD74, Fcer1g, Icam1, H2-Eb1) were identified by performing the 12 scoring methods in cytoHubba, and the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve indicated that the hub genes could be served as biomarkers.Conclusion: A gene network reflecting the transcriptome signature in CKD was established. The five hub genes identified in this study are potentially useful for the treatment and/or diagnosis CKD as biomarkers.</p

Vancomycin-Modified Mesoporous Silica Nanoparticles for Selective Recognition and Killing of Pathogenic Gram-Positive Bacteria Over Macrophage-Like Cells

Rapid, reliable recognition and detection of bacteria from an authentic specimen have been gained increasing interests in the past decades. Various materials have been designed and prepared for implementation of bacterial recognition and treatment in the artificial systems. However, in the complicated physiological condition, the macrophages always compromise the outcomes of bacterial detection and/or treatment. In this work, we demonstrated the vancomycin-modified mesoporous silica nanoparticles (<b>MSNs⊂Van</b>) for efficiently targeting and killing gram-positive bacteria over macrophage-like cells. Owing to the specific hydrogen bonding interactions of vancomycin toward the terminal d-alanyl-d-alanine moieties of gram-positive bacteria, the <b>MSNs⊂Van</b> exhibited enhanced recognition for gram-positive bacteria due to the multivalent hydrogen binding effect. Furthermore, the fluorescent molecules (FITC) were covalently decorated inside of mesopores of MSNs for tracking and visualizing the <b>MSNs⊂Van</b> during the detection/treatment processes. Upon incubation of FITC decorated MSNs with bacteria (i.e., <i>S. aureus</i> and <i>E. coli</i> as gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria, respectively) or macrophage-like cells (Raw 264.7), the fluorescence signals in <i>S. aureus</i> were 2–4 times higher than that in <i>E. coli</i> and no detectable fluorescence signals were observed in Raw 264.7 cells under the same condition. Finally, the <b>MSNs⊂Van</b> showed unambiguous antibacterial efficacy without decrease in cell viability of macrophage-like cells. This new strategy opens a new door for specific detection and treatment of pathogenic bacteria with minimized side effects

Cytotoxicity of the MS. PBST was used as the negative control.

<p>Cytotoxicity of the MS. PBST was used as the negative control.</p

Oxygen Vacancy-Modified B‑/N-Codoped ZnGa₂O₄ Nanospheres with Enhanced Photocatalytic Hydrogen Evolution Performance in the Absence of a Pt Cocatalyst

Here, we report oxygen vacancy (V_O)-modified B/N-codoped ZnGa₂O₄ (V_O-B/N-ZGO) nanospheres, showing excellent photocatalytic H₂ production even without a Pt cocatalyst, which is better than that obtained with V_O-modified B-doped ZnGa₂O₄ (V_O-B-ZGO) or N-doped ZnGa₂O₄ (N-ZGO) and as high as about three times of that achieved with the undoped ZnGa₂O₄ (ZGO) photocatalyst. The dramatically enhanced photocatalytic activity of V_O-B/N-ZGO predominately originates from the improvement of charge separation and surface activation. Experimental characterization combined with the theoretical calculation method demonstrates that V_O-B/N-ZGO can show effective charge compensation more easily through the interaction of oxygen vacancies, interstitial boron, and substitutional nitrogen; especially for the formation of a B–N bond, it avoids the presence of semioccupied states as new recombination centers in a doped photocatalyst. In addition, V_O-B/N-ZGO rich in reactive sites is generated by oxygen vacancy-modified B/N-codoping, which overcomes the limitation for most semiconductors without high H₂ evolution activities in the absence of a cocatalyst and provides a potentially new photocatalytic H₂ generation research

The release profile of the MS in PBST (pH = 7.40).

<p>The release profile of the MS in PBST (pH = 7.40).</p

Three different tasks: (a) imagining a leg flexion-extension under the object stimulus (OI); (b) imagining a leg flexion-extension without goal (NI); (c) imagining a leg flexion-extension without the stimulus (SI).

<p>Three different tasks: (a) imagining a leg flexion-extension under the object stimulus (OI); (b) imagining a leg flexion-extension without goal (NI); (c) imagining a leg flexion-extension without the stimulus (SI).</p

Distribution of the lateral electrodes where EEG is suppressed under OI and NI conditions.

<p>Distribution of the lateral electrodes where EEG is suppressed under OI and NI conditions.</p