Metal vacancy-enriched layered double hydroxide for biomass molecule electrooxidation coupled with hydrogen production.

The electrochemical oxidation of biomass molecules coupling with hydrogen production is a promising strategy to obtain both green energy and value-added chemicals; however, this strategy is limited by the competing oxygen evolution reactions and high energy consumption. Herein, we report a hierarchical CoNi layered double hydroxides (LDHs) electrocatalyst with abundant Ni vacancies for the efficient anodic oxidation of 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) and cathodic hydrogen evolution. The unique hierarchical nanosheet structure and Ni vacancies provide outstanding activity and selectivity toward several biomass molecules because of the finely regulated electronic structure and highly-exposed active sites. In particular, a high faradaic efficiency (FE) at a high current density (99% at 100 mA cm-2) is achieved for HMF oxidation, and a two-electrode electrolyzer is assembled based on the Ni vacancies-enriched LDH, which realized a continuous synthesis of highly-pure 2,5-furandicarboxylic acid products with high yields (95%) and FE (90%).

Effects of 12-Week Endurance Training at Natural Low Altitude on the Blood Redox Homeostasis of Professional Adolescent Athletes: A Quasi-Experimental Field Trial.

This field study investigated the influences of exposure to natural low altitude on endurance training-induced alterations of redox homeostasis in professional adolescent runners undergoing 12-week off-season conditioning program at an altitude of 1700 m (Alt), by comparison with that of their counterparts completing the program at sea-level (SL). For age-, gender-, and Tanner-stage-matched comparison, 26 runners (n = 13 in each group) were selected and studied. Following the conditioning program, unaltered serum levels of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC), and superoxide dismutase accompanied with an increase in oxidized glutathione (GSSG) and decreases of xanthine oxidase, reduced glutathione (GSH), and GSH/GSSG ratio were observed in both Alt and SL groups. Serum glutathione peroxidase and catalase did not change in SL, whereas these enzymes, respectively, decreased and increased in Alt. Uric acid (UA) decreased in SL and increased in Alt. Moreover, the decreases in GSH and GSH/GSSG ratio in Alt were relatively lower compared to those in SL. Further, significant interindividual correlations were found between changes in catalase and TBARS, as well as between UA and T-AOC. These findings suggest that long-term training at natural low altitude is unlikely to cause retained oxidative stress in professional adolescent runners.

[Effect of Flor-Essence on serum levels of IL-6, IL-12, TNF-α and NK cells in exercise rats].

The present study was aimed to investigate the effects of exercise and nutrition intervention on rat immune function. Flor-Essence is a kind of health food produced by FLORA company in Canada and certified by Quality Assurance International (QAI). Its main components are burdock root, cress leaves of grass, kelp, Turkish rhubarb root, et al. Flor-Essence has been shown to activate the body detoxification path, improve the physical environment, and inhibit cancer cell growth and proliferation. Sixty male Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were randomly divided into six groups: control, NS + training, low-dose Flor-Essence + training, low-dose Flor-Essence, high-dose Flor-Essence + training, high-dose Flor-Essence groups. The rats in NS + training, low-dose Flor-Essence + training, high-dose Flor-Essence + training groups swam 35 min per day in the water tank for 6 days a week. One hour before exercise, the rats were given low- (2.5 mg/mL) or high-dose (5 mg/mL) Flor-Essence daily by intragastric administration, and the rats in NS + training group were given equivalent volume of NS. On the last day of four training weeks, all rats took part in a bout of exhaustive exercise, and then were sacrificed immediately. Arterial blood serum samples were taken for the assays of IL-6, IL-12 and TNF-α contents, spleens for natural killer (NK) cells activity. The results showed that serum IL-6 content in NS + training group was decreased compared with that in control group. Low- and high-dose Flor-Essence groups showed decreased IL-6, IL-12 and TNF-α serum contents, as well as longer exhaustive time, compared with control group. The improving effects of high-dose Flor- Essence on IL-6, TNF-α and exhaustive time were greater than those of low dose. Compared with NS + training, low- and high-dose Flor-Essence + training reduced serum contents of IL-6 and TNF-α, and prolonged exhaustive time; only high-dose Flor-Essence + training decreased serum IL-12 content and enhanced NK cells activity. These results suggest Flor-Essence in combination with exercise can improve rat immune function and sports performance, and the effect of high-dose Flor-Essence is better than that of low dose.

Surface selective growth of ceria nanocrystals by CO absorption.

A significant morphology change from ceria nanoparticles to nanocubes was observed in ceria nanocrystals when CO molecules were introduced into the synthetic system, which is attributed to the surface selective growth driven by strong surface selective adsorption of CO onto the ceria surface.