Lithium Storage Performance Boosted via Delocalizing Charge in Znx Co1- x PS3 /CoS2 of 2D/3D Heterostructure.

A promising anode material consisting of bimetallic thiophosphate Znx Co1- x PS3 and CoS2 with 2D/3D heterostructure is designed and prepared by an effective chemical transformation. Density functional theory calculations illustrate that the Zn2+ can effectively modulate the electrical ordering of Znx Co1- x PS3 on the nanoscale: the reduced charge distribution emerging around the Zn ions can enhance the local built-in electric field, which will accelerate the ions migration rate by Coulomb forces and provide tempting opportunities for manipulating Li+ storage behavior. Moreover, the merits of the large planar size enable Znx Co1- x PS3 to provide abundant anchoring sites for metallic CoS2 nanocubes, generating a 2D/3D heterostructure with a strong electric field. The resultant Znx Co1- x PS3 /CoS2 can offer the combined advantages of bimetallic alloying and heterostructure in lithium storage applications, leading to outstanding performance as an anode material for lithium-ion batteries. Consequently, a high capacity of 794 mA h g-1 can be retained after 100 cycles at 0.2 A g-1 . Even at 3.0 A g-1 , a satisfactory capacity of 465 mA h g-1 can be delivered. The appealing alloying-heterostructure and electrochemical performance of this bimetallic thiophosphate demonstrate its great promise for applications in practical rechargeable batteries.

Research on fuzi based on animal thermotropism behavior to discover if it has fewer "hot" characteristics without Ganjiang.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate whether fuzi (Radix Aconiti Praeparata) has fewer "hot" characteristics when administered without Ganjiang (Rhizoma Zingiberis). METHODS: Differences in the thermotropism behaviors of mice treated either with fuzi (Radix Aconiti Praeparata), Ganjiang (Rhizoma Zingiberis) or the combination of the two given intragastrically were investigated using the Animal Thermotropism Behavior Surveillance System. The water intake volume, oxygen consumption volume, adenosine triphosphatase (ATPase) activity, total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC) and total superoxide dismutase (T-SOD) activity were determined during the investigation. RESULTS: When fuzi and ganjiang were administered together, the rate at which mice remained on a warm plate ("remaining rate") and the times and distances of their movement were all significantly reduced (P < 0.05). Compared with the Normal group, the reduction was 55.1%, 48.3% and 44.8%, while compared with the Fuzi group, the reduction was 57.6%, 34.3% and 36.0%, indicating that "cold" tropism was significantly increased. Compared with the normal and fuzi groups, the ATPase activity and the respiratory oxygen consumption volume of the fuzi + ganjiang group were significantly increased (P < 0.05), suggesting an improvement in energy metabolism and showing a "hot" characteristic when Fuzi and Ganjiang are present together. Additionally, the T-AOC and T-SOD activity were significantly enhanced (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: The behavior of mice tending toward "cold" tropism can be regarded as a quantitative reflection of Fuzi having fewer characteristics consistent with a "hot" nature when not used with Ganjiang, the functional mechanism of which may be a change in the ATPase activity in liver tissue.

Study on drug property differences of shexiang (moschus) and bingpian (borneolum synthcticum) based on analysis of biothermodynamics.

OBJECTIVE: To study the drug property differences of Shexiang (Moschus) and Bingpian (Borneolum Synthcticum) with biothermodynamics, and to verify the objectivity and authenticity of the drug property. METHODS: The growth-thermogram curves of Escherichia coli (E. coli) affected by Shexiang (Moschus) and Bingpian (Borneolum Synthcticum) at different concentrations were determined with microcalorimetry, and the power-time curves (thermogram curves) of E. coli metabolism and characteristic parameters, such as growth rate constant (k), maximum output power (P(m)), peak time (t(p)), total heat-output (Q(t)), etc. were analyzed with the principal component analysis (PCA) to find the close correlative parameters, so as to objectively reflect the drug property differences of Shexiang (Moschus) and Bingpian (Borneolum Synthcticum). RESULTS: The values of P2 in the second exponential growth phase increased with the increase of the concentrations of Shexiang (Moschus) and Bingpian (Borneolum Synthcticum), and the P2 of Shexiang (Moschus) was larger than that of Bingpian (Borneolum Synthcticum); Q2 increased with the increase of the concentrations of Shexiang (Moschus), but for Bingpian (Borneolum Synthcticum) it was opposite. It is indicated that they have different effects on P2 and Q2 of E. coli in the second exponential growth phase, and have differences in warm and cold natures. CONCLUSION: The microcalorimetry can accurately and objectively appraise differences of the drug property of Shexiang (Moschus) and Bingpian (Borneolum Synthcticum) and verify the objectivity and authenticity of the drug property, so as to provide a new and useful method for studies of the drug property of Chinese drugs.

Study on the complex prescription compatibility law of the cold and hot nature of Mahuang Decoction and its categorized formulae based on the cold-hot pad differentiating assay.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the complex prescription compatibility law of the cold and hot nature of Mahuang Decoction (, MHD) and Maxing Shigan Decoction (, MXSGD), both categorized both categorized MHD) and Maxing Shigan Decoction (both categorized MXSGD), both categorized formulas but with different hot/cold natures. METHODS: Oxygen consumption of mice was determined among three groups: MHD, MXSGD and the control; a cold-hot pad differentiating assay was used to observe the variability of temperature tropism among the groups of mice which was treated with MHD, MXSGD, and their compositions. Meanwhile, the total anti-oxidant capability (T-AOC) activity were detected. RESULTS: After administration of MHD, the mice showed increased oxygen consumption (P<0.01). Compared with MHD group, the remaining rate of MXSGD mice on the hot pad was found to be significantly increased with the cold-hot pad differentiating assay (P<0.05). There was no significant difference (P>0.05) among the remaining rates of MXSGD, MXSGD with high dose Gypsum Fibrosum (MXHGF) group, and MXSGD with low dose Gypsum Fibrosum (MXLGF) group mice. Compared with the MHD group, T-AOC activity of the mice in the Consensus Compositons group was significantly decreased (P=0.0494). Compared with the MXSGD group, T-AOC activity of Gypsum Fibrosum (GF) group was increased significantly (P=0.0013). CONCLUSIONS: The differences in cold and hot nature could be represented objectively between MHD with a hot nature and MXSGD with a cold nature. The reason may be the Gypsum Fibrosum which decreased the efficacy of the consensus compositions. However, increasing or decreasing the dose of Gypsum Fibrosum will not change the cold and hot nature of MXSGD.

[Effect of zuojin pill and fanzuojin pill on the growth metabolism of enterobacteria by microcalorimetry].

OBJECTIVE: To study the effects of Zuojin Pill and Fanzuojin Pill (ZJP and FZJP) on the growth metabolism of enterobacteria from the biothermodynamic viewpoint, and to objectively validate the difference between the two drugs for investigating a new way in congener Chinese drugs research. METHODS: The growth metabolism power-time curves of enterobacteria affected by ZJP and FZJP in different concentrations were obtained by microcalorimetry. And the activities of the two drugs were assessed depending some related characteristic parameters, including growth rate constant (k), maximum output power (P(max)), peak time (T(p)) , maximum heat-output (Q1), and bacteria inhibition rate (I). RESULTS: With the drugs' concentration increasing, T(p) was prolonged, k value reduced in enterobacteria, i.e. , the two drugs both inhibited the growth of enterobacteria in different extents. Comparison of inhibiting rates showed that the bacteriostasis activity of ZJP was greater than that of FZJP. CONCLUSIONS: There was objective difference in activities of inhibiting enterobacteria between ZJP and FZJP. Microcalorimetry could express the features at real-time, on-line and sensitively. It was able to determine the activity of drugs accurately and quickly in appraising congener Chinese drugs, like ZJP and FZJP, by microcalorimetry.

[COLD or HOT natural attribute of Zuojinwan and Fanzuojinwan based on temperature tropism of mice].

This study is to investigate the authenticity between COLD and HOT natural attribute in the famous Chinese medicine formulas--Zuojinwan (Coptis-Evodia 6 : 1) and Fanzuojinwan (Coptis-Evodia 1 : 6) based on mice temperature tropism, and establish an objective method to estimate the difference of two natural attribute by using a cold/hot plate differentiating technology. The results indicated that the COLD nature Zuojinwan could decrease significantly the remaining rate of HOT-symptom rat on warm pad (P < 0.05). That was not notable to COLD-symptom rat. The interference result of COLD-HOT temperature tropism to COLD/HOT symptom rat in Fanzuojinwan was the reverse with the COLD nature Zuojinwan. Meanwhile, biochemical indicators which are relative to energy metabolism such as ATPase enzyme activity and total anti-oxidant capability (T-AOC), had corresponding change in the organism. In the study, the COLD and HOT natural tendency in Zuojinwan and Fanzuojinwan which were composed by the same herbs with different proportion could be expressed qualitatively, quantitatively, objectively and directly with applying animal temperature tropism, and be verified to philosophical idea of treating disease theory with "expelling heat with cold herbs and cryopathy requiring warm prescription", not "expelling heat with heat herbs and cryopathy requiring cold prescription" in ancient traditional Chinese medicine, which brings a new approach in investigation of the nature theory of traditional Chinese medicine.