Cu Nanowires with Clean Surfaces: Synthesis and Enhanced Electrocatalytic Activity

Low activity and high cost of electrocatalysts are the major challenge for the commercialization of the direct fuel cells (DFCs) and biofuel cells. In this work, we demonstrate the desirable “clean surfaces” effect of Cu nanocrystals in electrocatalysis. By a new reaction route of Cu₂O nanospheres (Cu₂O NSs), Cu nanowires (Cu NWs) with high purity and “clean surfaces” are first obtained under mild conditions. Benefiting from the path directing effects and abundant (100) facets, the as-prepared Cu NWs exhibit a lower overpotential to achieve the methanol electro-oxidation reaction (MOR) than that of analogous Cu nanoparticles (Cu NPs). Moreover, the “clean surfaces” provide more available active sites for the efficient transfer of electrons, enabling the Cu NWs to show their enhanced electrocatalytic activity. In the MOR, forward peak current density for the surface-cleaned Cu NWs is 2839 μA cm^–2, which is ca. 6.45-fold higher than that of the Cu NWs with residual capping molecules on their surface. The “clean surfaces” effect can also be extended to the glucose electro-oxidation reaction (GOR), and the enhancement in specific surface area activity for the Cu NWs is 11.3-fold. This work enhances the electrocatalytic performance of Cu nanocrystals without the need for additional noble metals, which opens up new avenues for utilizing non-noble metals in the DFC or biofuel cell applications

DataSheet_1_Small RNA perspective of physical exercise-related improvement of male reproductive dysfunction due to obesity.docx

PurposeTo study whether physical exercise can effectively ameliorate obesity-induced abnormalities in male fertility and provide a new perspective on the role of small noncoding RNAs in spermatogenesis in obese male mice.MethodsIn this study, four-week-old C57/Bl6 male mice were randomly allocated to receive a control diet, a high-fat diet or physical exercise intervention for 40 weeks. Purified round spermatids and spermatozoa were obtained after intervention. Sperm motility, concentration, the ability of the sperm to undergo capacitation and acrosome reaction were assessed. Small RNA sequencing was conducted on round spermatids and spermatozoa. The small noncoding RNAs expression pattern was systematically analyzed.ResultsThe spermatozoa concentration and percentage of motile spermatozoa, the capacitation and acrosome reaction, and the reproductive success rate, including mating success and pregnancy success, were decreased or delayed in the obesity group compared with controls. Physical exercise was able to restore the parameters to normal levels. Three microRNAs were consistently upregulated and 5 were downregulated in round spermatids and epididymal spermatozoa between the obesity and control groups.ConclusionsThis report provides evidence that the adverse effects of obesity could be offset after physical exercise. small noncoding RNAs, especially microRNAs in germ cells, may play an important role in the effects of obesity and physical exercise on spermatozoa.</p

JC-1 staining of different stage early embryos in the HTF-control, PF-control, and PF-E groups.

<p>Rows, from top to bottom, correspond to 2-cell, 4-cell, morula, and blastocyst stages, respectively. Columns, from left to right, correspond to the HTF-control (A, D, G, and J), PF-control (B, E, H, and K), and PF-E (C, F, I, and L) groups, respectively.</p

Electron microscopy of 2-cell and 4-cell embryos in the HTF-control, PF-control, and PF-E groups.

<p>A) 2-cell embryos in the HTF-control group. The mitochondria were round with few cristae (17,500×). B) 4-cell embryos in the HTF-control group. Several mitochondria with rich cristae were seen (24,000×). C) 2-cell embryos in the PF-control group. Most mitochondria were round with few cristae, and a few mitochondria had a transverse crest (24,000×). D) 4-cell embryos in the PF-control group. Mitochondria with transverse cristae were increased (24,000×). E) 2-cell embryos in the PF-E group. Mitochondria with lamellar transverse cristae were increased significantly (24,000×). F) 4-cell embryos in the PF-E group. Multiple mitochondria with rich transverse cristae were seen (24,000×). (The single arrow indicates mitochondria rich in transverse cristae, and the double arrow indicates the Golgi apparatus.)</p

The Effect of Peritoneal Fluid from Patients with Endometriosis on Mitochondrial Function and Development of Early Mouse Embryos

<div><p>Background</p><p>Peritoneal fluid (PF) from patients with endometriosis can inhibit early embryo development via probable functional changes of embryo mitochondria in the early stage of embryo development. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of PF from patients with endometriosis on mitochondrial function and development of early mouse embryos.</p><p>Methodology/Principal Findings</p><p>PF was collected from patients with infertility and endometriosis, infertility due to tubal factors, and normal control subjects, and the level of NO was measured. Early murine embryos were then cultured with PF from normal control subjects, those with endometriosis, and with human tubal fluid (HTF), respectively. Cleavage and blastulation rates, mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) copy numbers, adenosine triphosphate (ATP) level, and mitochondrial membrane potential (ΔΨm) of the different groups were compared. The NO level in the PF of patients with endometriosis was significantly greater than in those without endometriosis and control patients. The embryos cultures with PF from patients with endometriosis had a lower cleavage rate and blastulation rate, and higher ATP and ΔΨm level at the 2- and 4-cell stages. No significant difference was found in mtDNA copies among the 3 groups.</p><p>Conclusions/Significance</p><p>PF from patients with endometriosis can inhibit early embryo development via probable functional changes of embryo mitochondria in the early stage of embryo development. Understanding the effects of PF on embryo development may assist in developing new methods of treatment for infertility.</p></div

Cleavage (A) and blastulation (B) rates of HTF-control group and groups cultured with peritoneal fluid from patients with endometriosis (PF-E) and those without endometriosis (PF-control).

<p>^a Indicates a significant difference between the given group and HTF-control group. ^bIndicates a significant difference between the PF-control and PF-E groups.</p

Effect of Mixing Order of Si and Al Sources on the Inner Architecture and Catalytic Performance of ZSM‑5 Zeolites

The performance of zeolites in catalysis and adsorption is closely related to their inner architecture beneath the crystal surface, which however remains less studied due to characterization limitations. Here we report the synthesis of two ZSM-5 zeolite samples by changing only the order of mixing of Si and Al sources, resulting not only in morphological differences of the zeolite crystals but most importantly in defined distinction in their inner architecture. The spatial Si and Al distributions and structural properties of the ZSM-5 zeolite crystals were characterized by high-resolution microscopy under chemically unbiased defect-selective NH4F etching. The Al-zoning and structural features in the ZSM-5 zeolite crystals were explained by the biased nucleation in the Si-rich aluminosilicate amorphous precursor followed by multistage crystal growth in a heterogeneous feedstock. This observation was associated with the different solubility and reactivity of the microscopic aluminosilicate domains with various Si/Al ratios in the amorphous precursors. The zeolites with diverse structural properties showed a high cracking activity in n-hexane cracking reaction and different activity, stability, and product selectivity in the ethylene dehydroaromatization (EDA) reaction. The comprehensive understanding of the zeolite synthesis history and their performance in the EDA reaction revealed the chemical mixing-dependent synthesis–structure–performance correlation of the zeolite catalyst

Table_2_Deep Surveying of the Transcriptional and Alternative Splicing Signatures for Decidual CD8+ T Cells at the First Trimester of Human Healthy Pregnancy.xlsx

<p>Decidual CD8⁺ (dCD8) T cells have been proposed to play important roles in immune protection against the invading pathogens and in tolerance toward the growing semi-allogeneic fetus during early pregnancy. However, their phenotypic and functional characteristics remain poorly defined. Here, we performed the first analysis of the transcriptional and alternative splicing (AS) signatures for human first-trimester dCD8 T cells using high-throughput mRNA sequencing. Our data revealed that dCD8 T cells have distinct transcriptional and AS landscapes when compared with their autologous peripheral blood CD8⁺ (pCD8) T counterparts. Furthermore, human dCD8 T cells were observed to contain CD8-Treg and effector-memory T-cell subsets, and display enhanced functionality in terms of degranulation and cytokine production on a per-cell basis. Additionally, we have identified the novel splice junctions that use a high ratio of the non-canonical splicing motif GC-AG and found that AS is not a major contributor to the gene expression-level changes between paired pCD8 and dCD8 T cells. Together, our findings not only provide a comprehensive framework of the transcriptional and AS landscapes but also reveal the functional feature of human dCD8 T cells, which are of great importance in understanding the biology of these cells and the physiology of human healthy pregnancy.</p

Table_6_Deep Surveying of the Transcriptional and Alternative Splicing Signatures for Decidual CD8+ T Cells at the First Trimester of Human Healthy Pregnancy.xlsx

<p>Decidual CD8⁺ (dCD8) T cells have been proposed to play important roles in immune protection against the invading pathogens and in tolerance toward the growing semi-allogeneic fetus during early pregnancy. However, their phenotypic and functional characteristics remain poorly defined. Here, we performed the first analysis of the transcriptional and alternative splicing (AS) signatures for human first-trimester dCD8 T cells using high-throughput mRNA sequencing. Our data revealed that dCD8 T cells have distinct transcriptional and AS landscapes when compared with their autologous peripheral blood CD8⁺ (pCD8) T counterparts. Furthermore, human dCD8 T cells were observed to contain CD8-Treg and effector-memory T-cell subsets, and display enhanced functionality in terms of degranulation and cytokine production on a per-cell basis. Additionally, we have identified the novel splice junctions that use a high ratio of the non-canonical splicing motif GC-AG and found that AS is not a major contributor to the gene expression-level changes between paired pCD8 and dCD8 T cells. Together, our findings not only provide a comprehensive framework of the transcriptional and AS landscapes but also reveal the functional feature of human dCD8 T cells, which are of great importance in understanding the biology of these cells and the physiology of human healthy pregnancy.</p

Table_4_Deep Surveying of the Transcriptional and Alternative Splicing Signatures for Decidual CD8+ T Cells at the First Trimester of Human Healthy Pregnancy.xlsx

<p>Decidual CD8⁺ (dCD8) T cells have been proposed to play important roles in immune protection against the invading pathogens and in tolerance toward the growing semi-allogeneic fetus during early pregnancy. However, their phenotypic and functional characteristics remain poorly defined. Here, we performed the first analysis of the transcriptional and alternative splicing (AS) signatures for human first-trimester dCD8 T cells using high-throughput mRNA sequencing. Our data revealed that dCD8 T cells have distinct transcriptional and AS landscapes when compared with their autologous peripheral blood CD8⁺ (pCD8) T counterparts. Furthermore, human dCD8 T cells were observed to contain CD8-Treg and effector-memory T-cell subsets, and display enhanced functionality in terms of degranulation and cytokine production on a per-cell basis. Additionally, we have identified the novel splice junctions that use a high ratio of the non-canonical splicing motif GC-AG and found that AS is not a major contributor to the gene expression-level changes between paired pCD8 and dCD8 T cells. Together, our findings not only provide a comprehensive framework of the transcriptional and AS landscapes but also reveal the functional feature of human dCD8 T cells, which are of great importance in understanding the biology of these cells and the physiology of human healthy pregnancy.</p