Portable Visible-Light Photocatalysts Constructed from Cu₂O Nanoparticles and Graphene Oxide in Cellulose Matrix

For the first time, portable visible-light photocatalysts were fabricated by in situ synthesizing Cu₂O in the micropores of regenerated cellulose (RC)/graphene oxide (GO) composite films, in which the porous matrix was used as a microreactor for the formation of Cu₂O nanoparticles. Cu₂O nanoparticles were immobilized and evenly distributed in the RC matrix to excite and generate free photoelectrons and electron holes, leading to the high photodegradation efficiency against methyl orange dye under visible-light irradiation. Moreover, the introduction of GO has dramatically improved the photocatalytic activities of Cu₂O nanoparticles in the Cu₂O/GO/RC nanocomposite films, leading to a significant enhancement of the photodegradation rate from 2.0 to 6.5 mg h^–1 g_cat^–1. In the Cu₂O/GO/RC photocatalysts, Cu₂O nanoparticles inside the matrix tended to generate on the GO sheets, which transferred the yielded photoelectrons to prevent local high potential zone generation and to induce the chain degradation reaction at more points, leading to the improvement of the photocatalyst activity. Moreover, the portable photocatalysts could be easily recycled and reused, showing great potential applications for wastewater purification by utilizing solar energy

Data_Sheet_1_Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease causally affects the brain cortical structure: a Mendelian randomization study.docx

BackgroundReduced brain volume, impaired cognition, and possibly a range of psychoneurological disorders have been reported in patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD); however, no underlying cause has been specified. Here, Mendelian randomization (MR) was employed to determine the causative NAFLD effects on cortical structure.MethodsWe used pooled-level data from FinnGen’s published genome-wide association study (GWAS) of NAFLD (1908 cases and 340,591 healthy controls), as well as published GWAS with NAFLD activity score (NAS) and fibrosis stage-associated SNPs as genetic tools, in addition to the Enigma Consortium data from 51,665 patients, were used to assess genetic susceptibility in relation to changes with cortical thickness (TH) and surface area (SA). A main estimate was made by means of inverse variance weighted (IVW), while heterogeneity and pleiotropy were detected using MR-Egger, weighted median, and MR Pleiotropy RESidual Sum and Outlier to perform a two-sample MR analysis.ResultsAt the global level, NAFLD reduced SA (beta = −586.72 mm2, se = 217.73, p = 0.007) and several changes in the cortical structure of the cerebral gyrus were found, with no detectable pleiotropy.ConclusionNAFLD causally affects cortical structures, which supports the presence of an intricate liver–brain axis.</p

Data_Sheet_2_Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease causally affects the brain cortical structure: a Mendelian randomization study.xlsx

BackgroundReduced brain volume, impaired cognition, and possibly a range of psychoneurological disorders have been reported in patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD); however, no underlying cause has been specified. Here, Mendelian randomization (MR) was employed to determine the causative NAFLD effects on cortical structure.MethodsWe used pooled-level data from FinnGen’s published genome-wide association study (GWAS) of NAFLD (1908 cases and 340,591 healthy controls), as well as published GWAS with NAFLD activity score (NAS) and fibrosis stage-associated SNPs as genetic tools, in addition to the Enigma Consortium data from 51,665 patients, were used to assess genetic susceptibility in relation to changes with cortical thickness (TH) and surface area (SA). A main estimate was made by means of inverse variance weighted (IVW), while heterogeneity and pleiotropy were detected using MR-Egger, weighted median, and MR Pleiotropy RESidual Sum and Outlier to perform a two-sample MR analysis.ResultsAt the global level, NAFLD reduced SA (beta = −586.72 mm2, se = 217.73, p = 0.007) and several changes in the cortical structure of the cerebral gyrus were found, with no detectable pleiotropy.ConclusionNAFLD causally affects cortical structures, which supports the presence of an intricate liver–brain axis.</p