Enhanced Methanol Oxidation and CO Tolerance Using CeO\u3csub\u3e2\u3c/sub\u3e-Added Eggshell Membrane-Templated Pd Network Electrocatalyst

Macroporous Pd and CeO2-added Pd network catalysts have been synthesized using eggshell membrane (ESM) as a template for enhanced methanol oxidation and CO tolerance. The microstructural characterization revealed a hierarchically ordered macroporous network of Pd reproducing the fibrous structure of ESM for a Pd-only catalyst, and a flower-like CeO2-decorated Pd morphological architecture for the CeO2-added Pd catalyst synthesized by a precipitation method. XRD patterns indicated Pd and CeO2 phases with good crystallinity. The cyclic voltammetry studies showed an enhanced electrocatalytic activity for methanol oxidation in acidic aqueous medium. Because of the preferential formation of Ce–CO bonds over Pd–CO bonds, the incorporation of CeO2 into Pd-based catalysts results in an increased CO tolerance, making it a robust catalyst for methanol oxidation in direct methanol fuel cells

A dynamic multi-objective evolutionary algorithm based on decision variable classification

The file attached to this record is the author's final peer reviewed version.In recent years, dynamic multi-objective optimization problems (DMOPs) have drawn increasing interest. Many dynamic multi-objective evolutionary algorithms (DMOEAs) have been put forward to solve DMOPs mainly by incorporating diversity introduction or prediction approaches with conventional multi-objective evolutionary algorithms. Maintaining good balance of population diversity and convergence is critical to the performance of DMOEAs. To address the above issue, a dynamic multi-objective evolutionary algorithm based on decision variable classification (DMOEA-DVC) is proposed in this study. DMOEA-DVC divides the decision variables into two and three different groups in static optimization and change response stages, respectively. In static optimization, two different crossover operators are used for the two decision variable groups to accelerate the convergence while maintaining good diversity. In change response, DMOEA-DVC reinitializes the three decision variable groups by maintenance, prediction, and diversity introduction strategies, respectively. DMOEA-DVC is compared with the other six state-of-the-art DMOEAs on 33 benchmark DMOPs. Experimental results demonstrate that the overall performance of the DMOEA-DVC is superior or comparable to that of the compared algorithms

A Novel Bayesian Framework Infers Driver Activation States and Reveals Pathway-Oriented Molecular Subtypes in Head and Neck Cancer

Head and neck squamous cell cancer (HNSCC) is an aggressive cancer resulting from heterogeneous causes. To reveal the underlying drivers and signaling mechanisms of different HNSCC tumors, we developed a novel Bayesian framework to identify drivers of individual tumors and infer the states of driver proteins in cellular signaling system in HNSCC tumors. First, we systematically identify causal relationships between somatic genome alterations (SGAs) and differentially expressed genes (DEGs) for each TCGA HNSCC tumor using the tumor-specific causal inference (TCI) model. Then, we generalize the most statistically significant driver SGAs and their regulated DEGs in TCGA HNSCC cohort. Finally, we develop machine learning models that combine genomic and transcriptomic data to infer the protein functional activation states of driver SGAs in tumors, which enable us to represent a tumor in the space of cellular signaling systems. We discovered four mechanism-oriented subtypes of HNSCC, which show distinguished patterns of activation state of HNSCC driver proteins, and importantly, this subtyping is orthogonal to previously reported transcriptomic-based molecular subtyping of HNSCC. Further, our analysis revealed driver proteins that are likely involved in oncogenic processes induced by HPV infection, even though they are not perturbed by genomic alterations in HPV+ tumors

SEC24A deficiency lowers plasma cholesterol through reduced PCSK9 secretion.

The secretory pathway of eukaryotic cells packages cargo proteins into COPII-coated vesicles for transport from the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) to the Golgi. We now report that complete genetic deficiency for the COPII component SEC24A is compatible with normal survival and development in the mouse, despite the fundamental role of SEC24 in COPII vesicle formation and cargo recruitment. However, these animals exhibit markedly reduced plasma cholesterol, with mutations in Apoe and Ldlr epistatic to Sec24a, suggesting a receptor-mediated lipoprotein clearance mechanism. Consistent with these data, hepatic LDLR levels are up-regulated in SEC24A-deficient cells as a consequence of specific dependence of PCSK9, a negative regulator of LDLR, on SEC24A for efficient exit from the ER. Our findings also identify partial overlap in cargo selectivity between SEC24A and SEC24B, suggesting a previously unappreciated heterogeneity in the recruitment of secretory proteins to the COPII vesicles that extends to soluble as well as trans-membrane cargoes. DOI:http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.00444.001

Catalytic removal of 1,2-dichloroethane over LaSrMnCoO6/H-ZSM-5 composite: insights into synergistic effect and pollutant-destruction mechanism

LaxSr2−xMnCoO6 materials with different Sr contents were prepared by a coprecipitation method, with LaSrMnCoO6 found to be the best catalyst for 1,2-dichloroethane (DCE) destruction (T90 = 509 °C). As such, a series of LaSrMnCoO6/H-ZSM-5 composite materials were rationally synthesized to further improve the catalytic activity of LaSrMnCoO6. As expected, the introduction of H-ZSM-5 could remarkably enlarge the surface area, increase the number of Lewis acid sites, and enhance the mobility of the surface adsorbed oxygen species, which consequently improved the catalytic activity of LaSrMnCoO6. Among all the composite materials, 10 wt% LaSrMnCoO6/H-ZSM-5 possessed the highest catalytic activity, with 90% of 1,2-DCE destructed at 337 °C, which is a temperature reduction of more than 70 °C and 170 °C compared with that of H-ZSM-5 (T90 = 411 °C) and LaSrMnCoO6 (T90 = 509 °C), respectively. Online product analysis revealed that CO2, CO, HCl, and Cl2 were the primary products in the oxidation of 1,2-DCE, while several unfavorable reaction by-products, such as vinyl chloride, 1,1,2-trichloroethane, trichloroethylene, perchloroethylene, and acetaldehyde, were also formed via dechlorination and dehydrochlorination processes. Based on the above results, the reaction path and mechanism of 1,2-DCE decomposition are proposed

Yanghe Decoction Suppresses the Experimental Autoimmune Thyroiditis in Rats by Improving NLRP3 Inflammasome and Immune Dysregulation

Inflammation is an important contributor to autoimmune thyroiditis. Yanghe decoction (YH) is a traditional Chinese herbal formulation which has various anti-inflammatory effects. It has been used for the treatment of autoimmune diseases such as ankylosing spondylitis In this study we aimed to investigate the effects of YH on autoimmune thyroiditis in a rat model and elucidate the underlying mechanisms. The experimental autoimmune thyroiditis (EAT) model was established by thyroglobulin (pTG) injections and excessive iodine intake. Thyroid lesions were observed using hematoxylin and eosin (H and E) staining and serum TgAb, TPOAb, TSH, T3, and T4 levels were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay IL-35 levels were evaluated using real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and Th17/Treg balance in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) was determined by flow cytometry and RT-PCR. Changes in Wnt/β-catenin signaling were evaluated using Western blot. Immunofluorescence staining and western blot were employed to examine NLRP3 inflammasome activation in the thyroid. YH minimized thyroid follicle injury and decreased concentrations of serum TgAb, TPOAb, TSH, T3, and T4 in EAT model. The mRNA of IL-35 was increased after YH treatment. YH also increased the percentage of Treg cells, and decreased Th17 proportion as well as Th17/Treg ratio in PBMCs. Meanwhile, the mRNA levels of Th17 related cytokines (RORγt, IL-17A, IL-21, and IL-22) were suppressed and Treg related cytokines (FoxP3, TGF-β, and IL-10) were promoted in PBMCs. Additionally, the protein expressions of Wnt-1 and β-catenin were unregulated after YH treatment. NLRP3 immunostaining signal and protein levels of IL-17, p-NF-κB, NLRP3, ASC, cleaved-Caspase-1, cleaved-IL-1β, and IL-18 were downregulated in the thyroid after YH intervention. Overall, the present study demonstrated that YH alleviated autoimmune thyroiditis in rats by improving NLRP3 inflammasome and immune dysregulation

Understanding the promotional effect of Mn2O3 on micro-/mesoporous hybrid silica nanocubic-supported Pt catalysts for the low-temperature destruction of methyl ethyl ketone: An experimental and theoretical study

Pt0.3Mnx/SiO2 nanocubic (nc) micro-/mesoporous composite catalysts with varied Mn contents were synthesized and tested for the oxidation of methyl ethyl ketone (MEK). Results show that MEK can be efficiently decomposed over synthesized Pt0.3Mnx/SiO2-nc materials with a reaction rate and turnover frequency respectively higher than 12.7 mmol gPt–1 s–1 and 4.7 s–1 at 100 °C. Among these materials, the Pt0.3Mn5/SiO2-nc catalyst can completely oxidize MEK at just 163 °C under a high space velocity of 42600 mL g–1 h–1. The remarkable performance of these catalysts is attributed to a synergistic effect between the Pt nanoparticles and Mn2O3. NH3-TPD and NH3-FT-IR experiments revealed that exposed Mn2O3 (222) facets enhance the quantity of Brønsted acid sites in the catalyst, which are considered to be responsible for promoting the desorption of surface-adsorbed O2 and CO2. It is suggested that the desorption of these species liberates active sites for MEK molecules to adsorb and react. 18O2 isotopic labeling experiments revealed that the presence of a Pt–O–Mn moiety weakens the Mn–O bonding interactions, which ultimately promotes the mobility of lattice oxygen in the Mn2O3 system. It was determined that the Mn4+/Mn3+ redox cycle in Mn2O3 allows for the donation of electrons to the Pt nanoparticles, enhancing the proportion of Pt0/Pt2+ and in turn increasing the activity and stability of catalyst. In situ DRIFTS, online FT-IR, and DFT studies revealed that acetone and acetaldehyde are the main intermediate species formed during the activation of MEK over the Pt0.3Mn5/SiO2-nc catalyst. Both intermediates were found to partake in sequential reactions resulting in the formation of H2O and CO2 via formaldehyde