Flowerlike Copper(II)-Based Coordination Polymers Particles: Rapid Room-Temperature Fabrication, Influencing Factors, and Transformation toward CuO Microstructures with Good Catalytic Activity for the Reduction of 4‑Nitrophenol

A facile and environment-friendly approach for synthesis of flowerlike copper-based coordination polymer particles (CPPs) was reported. Copper acetate (CuAc₂) and sodium pyridine-2,3-dicarboxylate (2,3-Na₂PDC) were used as the initial reactants. The flowerlike Cu-PDC microstructures were obtained based on a simple direct precipitation between CuAc₂ and 2,3-Na₂PDC in a mixed solution of water and methanol with the volume ratio of 20:10 at room temperature. The as-obtained products were characterized by X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), and elemental analysis. Some factors to affect the morphology and size of the Cu-PDC microstructures were systematically investigated such as the molar ratio of reactants, the volume ratio of water/methanol, acetic groups, and the reaction time. It was found that flowerlike Cu-PDC microstructures could be transformed into flowerlike CuO microstructures by heat-treating in air at 350 °C for 30 min. Experiments showed that the as-obtained flowerlike CuO microstructure exhibited a high catalytic activity for the reduction of 4-nitrophenol in excess NaBH₄ solution

Photoinduced C–S Bond Cleavage of Thioglycosides and Glycosylation

A glycosyl coupling reaction via photoinduced direct activation of thioglycosides and subsequent <i>O</i>-glycosylation in the absence of photosensitizer was developed for the first time. This reaction underwent a selectively homolytic cleavage of a C–S bond to generate a glycosyl radical, which was oxidized to an oxacarbenium ion by Cu­(OTf)₂, and a sequential <i>O</i>-glycosylation. A wide range of glycosides were synthesized in moderate to excellent yield using sugars, amino acids, or cholesterol as the acceptors

Comparison of organ weights between wild-type and <i>Mbd5^−/−</i> mice.

<p>Data are means ± SEM for four matched male mice at P7. Relative (% of control) values ± SEM were compared to evaluate statistically significant differences.</p

Postnatal growth retardation and pre-weaning lethality of <i>Mbd5^−/−</i> mice.

<p>(<b>A</b>) Gross morphology of typical wild-type (+/+), heterozygous (+/−) and homozygous (−/−) mice at postnatal day 14 (P14). The Mbd5-knockout mice had significantly smaller body size than their littermates, and the reduction in body weight was accompanied by a reduction in body length. (<b>B</b>) Survival curve of <i>Mbd5^−/−</i> pups (n = 48) and their littermate controls. (<b>C</b>) Growth curve of <i>Mbd5^−/−</i> pups (n = 4–5 for each gender) and their littermate controls (For WT, n = 4–5 for each gender, for heterozygotes, n = 9–10 for each gender). The offspring generated from heterozygous intercrosses of <i>Mbd5^+/−</i> mice were weighed at 3-day intervals as indicated. (<b>D</b>) Growth gain curve of <i>Mbd5^−/−</i> mice (n = 9) and their littermate controls (8 wild-type and 19 heterozygotes). The growth rates shown were calculated by subtracting the value of cumulative weight at a particular day from that of three days before, i.e., each point represents the weight gain of the three preceding days. (<b>E</b>) Reduction of subcutaneous fat (white arrows) and perigonadal fat (black arrows) in Mbd5-knockout mouse at P14.</p

Targeted disruption of <i>Mbd5</i> in mice.

<p>(<b>A</b>) The strategy for the generation of a targeted <i>Mbd5</i> allele. Numbered black boxes represent the coding exons and open boxes represent the 5′ untranslated region (UTR). The <i>Lox</i>P and <i>Frt</i> sites are shown as black and gray triangles, respectively. The floxed region contains exon 1, which encodes the majority of the MBD domain. The probes used in the Southern blot analysis to correctly identify targeted ES cells are indicated by the horizontal bars. The restriction sites used to digest ES genomic DNA were <i>Bam</i>HI (B) and <i>Eco</i>RV (E). The PCR primers used for genotyping are indicated with arrows P1, P2 and P3. (<b>B</b>) Identification of targeted ES clones by Southern blot analysis using two different probes. (<b>C</b>) Verification of the mutant allele in homozygous and heterozygous mice by genomic PCR with primers P1 and P2. (<b>D</b>) Loss of <i>Mbd5</i> mRNA in knockout mice. RNA samples from the brain, pancreas and liver were examined by RT-PCR. The forward primer used was located in the targeted genomic region. A targeted allele following Cre-deletion generated no PCR product, and the floxed allele generated a 305-bp product.</p

Specific deletion of Mbd5 in brain results in similar phenotypes as the whole body deletion.

<p>(<b>A</b>) Genotype confirmation of Mbd5 brain-specific knockout mice by PCR with primers indicated. (<b>B</b>) <i>Mbd5</i> mRNA level in different tissues of Mbd5 BSKO mice normalized to the control levels. <i>Gapdh</i> was used for normalization. At least 3 pairs of matched mice were used for comparison. (<b>C</b>) Body weight of Mbd5 BSKO mice and their littermates controls at P7. n = 4 per genotype. (<b>D</b>) Serum GH concentrations in 2-week-old BSKO and littermate controls. n = 4 per genotype. (<b>E</b>) Expression levels of GH/IGF-1 axis associated genes in Mbd5 BSKO mice and littermate controls at P14 as measured by real-time PCR. <i>β-actin</i> was used for normalization. n = 3 per group. (<b>F</b>) Serum IGF-1 concentrations in P14 mice. At least 6 pairs of matched mice were used for comparison. *, P<0.05; ***P<0.001.</p

Oxide Film Efficiently Suppresses Dendrite Growth in Aluminum-Ion Battery

Aluminum metal foil is the optimal choice as an anode material for aluminum-ion batteries for its key advantages such as high theoretical capacity, safety, and low cost. However, the metallic nature of aluminum foil is very likely to induce severe dendrite growth with further electrode disintegration and cell failure, which is inconsistent with previous reports. Here, we discover that it is aluminum oxide film that efficiently restricts the growth of crystalline Al dendrite and thus improves the cycling stability of Al anode. The key role of surficial aluminum oxide film in protecting Al metal anode lies in decreasing the nucleation sites, controlling the metallic dendrite growth, and preventing the electrode disintegration. The defect sites in aluminum oxide film provide channels for electrolyte infiltration and further stripping/depositing. Attributed to such a protective aluminum oxide film, the Al–graphene full cells can attain up to 45 000 stable cycles

Reduced somatotropic signaling in Mbd5-knockout mice.

<p>(<b>A</b>) Pituitary expression of <i>GH</i> in control and knockout mice. <i>Gapdh</i> was used for normalization. Gene expression levels were determined by real-time PCR in P14 mice. At least 5 pairs of matched female mice were used for the comparison. (<b>B–D</b>) RNA levels of <i>Ghr</i>, <i>Als</i> and <i>Igf-1</i> in the liver of control and knockout mice at P14. <i>β-actin</i> was used for normalization. n = 3 per group. (<b>E</b>) Serum IGF-1 concentrations in P14 mice. For each group, n = 5–6. (<b>F</b>) Pituitary from KO and wild-type littermates at P14. (<b>G, H</b>) Pituitary GH stores (<b>G</b>) and GH content normalized to pituitary protein level (<b>H</b>) in 2-week-old Mbd5 KO mice and their littermate controls. n = 4 per group. *, P<0.05, **, P<0.01; ***, P<0.001.</p

Oxide Film Efficiently Suppresses Dendrite Growth in Aluminum-Ion Battery

Aluminum metal foil is the optimal choice as an anode material for aluminum-ion batteries for its key advantages such as high theoretical capacity, safety, and low cost. However, the metallic nature of aluminum foil is very likely to induce severe dendrite growth with further electrode disintegration and cell failure, which is inconsistent with previous reports. Here, we discover that it is aluminum oxide film that efficiently restricts the growth of crystalline Al dendrite and thus improves the cycling stability of Al anode. The key role of surficial aluminum oxide film in protecting Al metal anode lies in decreasing the nucleation sites, controlling the metallic dendrite growth, and preventing the electrode disintegration. The defect sites in aluminum oxide film provide channels for electrolyte infiltration and further stripping/depositing. Attributed to such a protective aluminum oxide film, the Al–graphene full cells can attain up to 45 000 stable cycles

Disturbed glucose homeostasis with elevated insulin sensitivity in <i>Mbd5^−/−</i> mice.

<p>(<b>A</b>) Blood glucose levels in WT, <i>Mbd5^+/−</i> and <i>Mbd5^−/−</i> mice in the fed state at the indicated ages. The numbers in brackets indicate the number of animals studied. (<b>B</b>) Blood glucose and serum insulin levels of 2-week-old mice in the fed state. For each group, n = 5. (<b>C</b>) The OGTT of control and Mbd5-knockout male mice at P14. For each group, n = 5. (<b>D</b>) The ITT of control and Mbd5-knockout male mice at P14. For each group, n = 5. *, P<0.05; **, P<0.01; ***, P<0.001. (<b>E</b>) Akt activation in the liver of control and Mbd5-knockout mice at P14. The protein levels were analyzed by western blotting with the antibodies indicated. α-tubulin was used as a loading control. (<b>F</b>) Alteration in the mRNA levels of glycolytic genes in the livers of Mbd5-knockout mice at P14. The expression of each gene was normalized to <i>β-actin</i>. At least 5 pairs of matched mutant and wild-type mice were used for comparison. (<b>G</b>) Lactate levels in the livers of Mbd5-knockout mice and controls at P14. n = 3 per genotype *, P<0.05; **, P<0.01; ***, P<0.001.</p