Strong ferromagnetism in Pt-coated ZnCoO: The role of interstitial hydrogen

We observed strong ferromagnetism in ZnCoO as a result of high concentration hydrogen absorption. Coating ZnCoO with Pt layer, and ensuing hydrogen treatment with a high isostatic pressure resulted in a highly increased carrier concentration of 10(21)/cm(3). This hydrogen treatment induced a strong ferromagnetism at low temperature that turned to superparamagnetism at about 140 K. We performed density functional method computations and found that the interstitial H dopants promote the ferromagnetic ordering between scattered Co dopants. On the other hand, interstitial hydrogen can decrease the magnetic exchange energy of Co-H-Co complexes, leading to a reduction in the blocking temperature.open7

The heme oxygenase-1 genotype is a risk factor to renal impairment of IgA nephropathy at diagnosis, which is a strong predictor of mortality

The induction of heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) ameliorates oxidative stress and inflammatory process, which play important roles in IgA nephropathy. We hypothesized length polymorphism in the promoter region of the HO-1 gene, which is related to the level of gene transcription, is associated with disease severity of IgA nephropathy. The subjects comprised 916 patients with IgA nephropathy and gene data. Renal impairment was defined as an estimated glomerular filtration rate less than 60 mL/min/1.73 m(2) at diagnosis. The short (S: 28) (GT) repeats in the HO-1 gene was determined. The frequencies of S/S, S/M, M/M, S/L, L/M, and L/L genotypes were 7.2%, 6.9%, 3.1%, 30.8%, 22.7%, and 29.4%, respectively. The baseline characteristics were not different. In the S/S genotypic group, the renal impairment rate was 18.2%, which was lower than 32.2% in the group with M/M, L/M, or L/L genotype. The odds ratio of renal impairment in S/S genotype, compared to that in M/M, L/M, or L/L genotype, was 0.216 (95% confidence interval, 0.060-0.774, p=0.019). The HO-1 gene promoter length polymorphism was related to the renal impairment of IgA nephropathy at diagnosis, which is an important risk factor for mortality in IgA nephropathy patients

Guidelines for the use and interpretation of assays for monitoring autophagy (4th edition)1.

In 2008, we published the first set of guidelines for standardizing research in autophagy. Since then, this topic has received increasing attention, and many scientists have entered the field. Our knowledge base and relevant new technologies have also been expanding. Thus, it is important to formulate on a regular basis updated guidelines for monitoring autophagy in different organisms. Despite numerous reviews, there continues to be confusion regarding acceptable methods to evaluate autophagy, especially in multicellular eukaryotes. Here, we present a set of guidelines for investigators to select and interpret methods to examine autophagy and related processes, and for reviewers to provide realistic and reasonable critiques of reports that are focused on these processes. These guidelines are not meant to be a dogmatic set of rules, because the appropriateness of any assay largely depends on the question being asked and the system being used. Moreover, no individual assay is perfect for every situation, calling for the use of multiple techniques to properly monitor autophagy in each experimental setting. Finally, several core components of the autophagy machinery have been implicated in distinct autophagic processes (canonical and noncanonical autophagy), implying that genetic approaches to block autophagy should rely on targeting two or more autophagy-related genes that ideally participate in distinct steps of the pathway. Along similar lines, because multiple proteins involved in autophagy also regulate other cellular pathways including apoptosis, not all of them can be used as a specific marker for bona fide autophagic responses. Here, we critically discuss current methods of assessing autophagy and the information they can, or cannot, provide. Our ultimate goal is to encourage intellectual and technical innovation in the field

Enhanced electrochemical performance of carbon-coated TiO2 nanobarbed fibers as anode material for lithium-ion batteries

We report the electrochemical performance of carbon-coated TiO2 nanobarbed fibers (TiO2@C NBFs) as anode material for lithium-ion batteries. The TiO2@C NBFs are composed of TiO2 nanorods grown on TiO2 nanofibers as a core, coated with a carbon shell. These nanostructures form a conductive network showing high capacity and C-rate performance due to fast lithium-ion diffusion and effective electron transfer. The TiO2@C NBFs show a specific reversible capacity of approximately 170 mAh g−1 after 200 cycles at a 0.5 A g−1 current density, and exhibit a discharge rate capability of 4 A g−1 while retaining a capacity of about 70 mAh g−1. The uniformly coated amorphous carbon layer plays an important role to improve the electrical conductivity during the lithiation–delithiation process. Keywords: Li-ion batteries, Anode, Nanostructure, Carbon-coatin

Ferromagnetic spin ordering in amorphous Co-doped InGaZnO based on the Co–H–Co complex

We report on ferromagnetic spin ordering in amorphous Co-doped InGaZnO (Co-IGZO) based on hydrogen mediation. The amorphous structure was maintained after hydrogenation using hot isostatic pressing. Changes in the electrical and optical characteristics were attributed to interactions between hydrogen and each element in Co-IGZO. The ferromagnetism of hydrogenated Co-IGZO, induced in the amorphous phase without long-range ordering, was manifested by spin-spin interactions of the Co–H–Co complex acting as an individual magnetic unit, similar to a single molecular magnet. It is suggested that the electron carriers mediate the correlation between Co–H–Co units

Sodium storage behavior and long cycle stability of boron-doped carbon nanofibers for sodium-ion battery anodes

A double heteroatom doping strategy is proposed to synthesize boron- and nitrogen-doped heteroatom carbon nanofibers (BNC NFs) as anode materials for sodium-ion batteries (SIBs). The specific capacity and rate performance of the BNC NF anode are higher than those of the NC NF anode. Particularly, the composite containing 5 wt% boric acid provides the highest reversible capacity of 249 mAh g−1 at a current density of 0.02 A g−1 and excellent cyclic stability of 144 mAh g−1 at 2 A g−1 after 3000 cycles. The excellent cyclic performance of the BNC NFs can be attributed to the defect-rich nanostructure derived by optimally doping boron under annealing, which is conducive to accelerating ion transport and introducing additional Na-ion storage active sites. The excellent capacity and long cycle stability of the full cell SIBs comprising the optimized BNC NFs anode and Na3V2(PO4)3 cathode suggest the promising potential of B-doped C NFs as anodes for rechargeable Na-ion batteries. © 2022 Elsevier LtdFALS

Enhanced electrochemical performance and interdiffusion behavior of sodium ions in onion-derived freeze-dried and KOH-activated carbon for sodium-ion battery anodes

Biomass-derived carbon materials are widely regarded as promising anode materials for sodium-ion batteries (SIBs) owing to their environmental friendliness, high electronic conductivity, stability, and low cost. However, their commercial application is restricted because of their low capacities and poor cycling stabilities. Heteroatom doping and increasing the active specific surface area of carbon materials have proven to be key to solving these problems. In this study, a facile activation and annealing process combined with freeze drying and KOH treatment was used to successfully prepare nitrogen-doped onion-derived carbon materials (dried onion (DO) and freeze-dried onion (FDO)) with high specific surface areas. The obtained carbon materials exhibited excellent electrochemical performances as anodes for SIBs, delivering high discharge reversible capacities of 140.5 (DO) and 151.4 (FDO) mAh/g at a current density of 0.05 A/g after 30 cycles. The capacities reached 45 (DO) and 66 (FDO) mAh/g at 30 A/g. Specifically, FDO//Na3V2(PO4)3@C full cells achieved a reversible capacity of 43.9 mAh/g with a specific energy of 91.5 Wh kg−1 at 5 C after 1,000 cycles, indicating that it provides broad prospects for the energy storage system of SIBs. © 2023 Elsevier B.V.FALS