ZIF-derived sulfides with tremella-like core-shell structure for high performance supercapacitors

Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) have emerged as promising active electrode materials in supercapacitors for its controllable porous structure and excellent physio-chemical properties. However, the poor conductivities keep it from achieving its full capacitance potential, which greatly limits its practical application. Here, a facile pathway is reported to fabricate the GO/Ni2ZnS4@NiCo2S4 composite with large specific surface area and favorable electrical conductivity. Thanks to the novel tremella-like core-shell structure and high-efficient synergistic effects among multi-components, the designed GO/Ni2ZnS4@NiCo2S4 electrode shows a high specific capacitance of 2284 F/g at 1 A/g. Furthermore, the asymmetric supercapacitor fabricated by coupling GO/Ni2ZnS4@NiCo2S4 positive electrode with biological carbon negative electrode achieves a remarkable energy density of 120 Wh kg-1 at a power density of 750 W kg-1.

In Situ Preparation of rGO-Cement Using Thermal Reduction Method and Performance Study

In this study, the combination of freeze-drying and high-temperature thermal reduction methods was employed to in situ prepare reduced graphene oxide (rGO)-Cement based on graphene oxide (GO)-Cement. The electrical conductivity and mechanical properties of the rGO-Cement were investigated. Microscopic analysis methods such as Raman spectra, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) were used to confirm the successful transformation of GO-Cement to rGO-Cement. The research results demonstrated that with an increase in rGO content, the electrical resistivity of the rGO-Cement decreased first and then increased, reaching a percolation threshold at the dosage of 0.7 wt.%. The compressive strength and flexural strength of the rGO-Cement increased first and then decreased. The optimal dosage of rGO was 0.7%. The in situ preparation of rGO-Cement using the thermal reduction method holds a great potential for various applications, providing new ideas and methods for the modification and enhancement of cement materials.

Nylon Fabric/GO Based Self-Powered Humidity Sensor Based on the Galvanic Cell Principle with High Air Permeability and Rapid-Response

Flexible humidity sensors have received more and more attention in people's lives, and the problems of gas permeability and power supply issues of the device have long been areas in need of improvement. In this work, inspired by the high air permeability of daily wear clothing and galvanic batteries, a self-powered humidity sensor with high air permeability and fast response is designed. A nylon fabric/GO net (as a humidity sensitive layer and solid electrolyte) is obtained by spraying technique. This structure enables the sensor to have fast response/recovery (0.78 s/0.93 s, calculated at 90% of the final value), ultra-high response (0.83 V) and excellent stability (over 150 cycles) at 35 °C. Such sensors are useful for health monitoring, such as non-contact monitoring of human respiratory rate before and after exercise, and monitoring a level of humidity in the palms, arms, and fingers. This research provides an idea for developing a flexible wearable humidity sensor that is both breathable and self-powered and can also be mass-produced similar to wearable clothing.

Transcriptomic Analysis of the Rat Dorsal Root Ganglion After Fracture

In fractures, pain signals are transmitted from the dorsal root ganglion (DRG) to the brain, and the DRG generates efferent signals to the injured bone to participate in the injury response. However, little is known about how this process occurs. We analyzed DRG transcriptome at 3, 7, 14, and 28 days after fracture. We identified the key pathways through KEGG and GO enrichment analysis. We then used IPA analysis to obtain upstream regulators and disease pathways. Finally, we compared the sequencing results with those of nerve injury to identify the unique transcriptome changes in DRG after fracture. We found that the first 14 days after fracture were the main repair response period, the 3rd day was the peak of repair activity, the 14th day was dominated by the stimulus response, and on the 28th day, the repair response had reached a plateau. ECM-receptor interaction, protein digestion and absorption, and the PI3K-Akt signaling pathway were most significantly enriched, which may be involved in repair regeneration, injury response, and pain transmission. Compared with the nerve injury model, DRG after fracture produced specific alterations related to bone repair, and the bone density function was the most widely activated bone-related function. Our results obtained some important genes and pathways in DRG after fracture, and we also summarized the main features of transcriptome function at each time point through functional annotation clustering of GO pathway, which gave us a deeper understanding of the role played by DRG in fracture.

The Relevance of Reperfusion Stroke Therapy for miR-9-3p and miR-9-5p Expression in Acute Stroke-A Preliminary Study

Reperfusion stroke therapy is a modern treatment that involves thrombolysis and the mechanical removal of thrombus from the extracranial and/or cerebral arteries, thereby increasing penumbra reperfusion. After reperfusion therapy, 46% of patients are able to live independently 3 months after stroke onset. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are essential regulators in the development of cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury and the efficacy of the applied treatment. The first aim of this study was to examine the change in serum miRNA levels via next-generation sequencing (NGS) 10 days after the onset of acute stroke and reperfusion treatment. Next, the predictive values of the bioinformatics analysis of miRNA gene targets for the assessment of brain ischemic response to reperfusion treatment were explored. Human serum samples were collected from patients on days 1 and 10 after stroke onset and reperfusion treatment. The samples were subjected to NGS and then validated using qRT-PCR. Differentially expressed miRNAs (DEmiRNAs) were used for enrichment analysis. Hsa-miR-9-3p and hsa-miR-9-5p expression were downregulated on day 10 compared to reperfusion treatment on day 1 after stroke. The functional analysis of miRNA target genes revealed a strong association between the identified miRNA and stroke-related biological processes related to neuroregeneration signaling pathways. Hsa-miR-9-3p and hsa-miR-9-5p are potential candidates for the further exploration of reperfusion treatment efficacy in stroke patients.

Recognition of chiral propranolol by fluorescent aptamerlight switch based on GO

In this work, specific aptamers with affinity for S-propranolol were screened by SELEX technology based on the graphene oxide (GO) adsorption platform, and a GO-FAM labeled aptamer-propranolol fluorescent optical switch system was constructed for the recognition of chiral propranolol. It was found that the fluorescence quenching of FAM labeled aptamer could be caused by the adsorption of GO. However, when S-propranolol was introduced, S-propranolol could pull out the aptamer adsorbed by GO, and the fluorescence of the system could be restored. But, R-propranolol could not be realized. Therefore, a simple and sensitive fluorescent optical switch system was established to identify chiral propranolol and perform highly sensitive detection of S-propranolol.

How Age Affects Graves' Orbitopathy-A Tertiary Center Study

PURPOSE

Graves' orbitopathy (GO) is an autoimmune disorder leading to inflammation, adipogenesis, and fibrosis. The severity of GO can vary widely among individuals, making it challenging to predict the natural course of the disease accurately, which is important for tailoring the treatment approach to the individual patient. The aim of this study was to compare the clinical characteristics, course, treatment, and prognosis of GO patients under 50 years with older patients.

METHODS

We reviewed the medical records of a random sample of 1000 patients in our GO database Essen (GODE) comprising 4260 patients at our tertiary referral center. Patients were divided into two groups: Group 1 (≤50 years) and Group 2 (>50 years). Only patients with a complete data set were included in the further statistical analysis.

RESULTS

The results showed that younger patients (n = 484) presented significantly more often with mild GO (53% vs. 33%, p < 0.0001), while older patients (n = 448) were more likely to experience moderate-to-severe disease (44% vs. 64%, p < 0.0001). Older patients showed more severe strabismus, motility, and clinical activity scores (5.9 vs. 2.3 PD/310° vs. 330° both p < 0.0001, CAS: 2.1 vs. 1.7, p = 0.001). Proptosis and occurrence of dysthyroid optic neuropathy (DON) showed no significant difference between groups (both 3%). Multiple logistic regression revealed that the need for a second step of eye muscle surgery was most strongly associated with prior decompression (OR = 0.12, 95% CI: 0.1-0.2, p < 0.0001) followed by orbital irradiation and age. The model showed good fitness regarding the area under the curve (AUC = 0.83).

DISCUSSION

In conclusion, younger GO patients present with milder clinical features such as a lower rate of restrictive motility disorders and less pronounced inflammatory signs. Therefore, older patients tend to need more steroids, irradiation, and lid and eye muscle surgery. Still, the risk of DON and the necessity of secondary eye muscle surgery are not or only slightly associated with age, respectively.

Gene function annotations for the maize NAM founder lines

OBJECTIVES

We annotated the latest published sequences of the 26 Zea mays Nested Association Mapping (NAM) founder lines using GOMAP, the Gene Ontology Meta Annotator for Plants. The maize NAM panel enables researchers to understand and identify the genetic basis of complex traits. Annotations of predicted functions for genes can help researchers investigate gene-phenotype associations, prioritize candidate genes for phenotypes of interest, and formulate testable hypotheses about gene function/phenotype associations. The creation and release of high-confidence, high-coverage gene function annotation sets for the NAM founder lines is critical to accelerate the generation of knowledge in maize genetics research. GOMAP is a high-throughput computational pipeline that annotates gene functions genome-wide in plant genomes using Gene Ontology functional class terms. Here we report and share GOMAP-generated functional annotations for the NAM founder lines.

DATA DESCRIPTION

Datasets include the protein sequences used as input, GOMAP-generated annotation files, scripts used to update obsolete terms, and GAF-formatted tab-delimited text files of gene function annotations along with README files that describe formatting, content, and how files relate to each other.

Draft genome sequence of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus strain D1418m22 isolated from human wound pus

This study reveals the complete genome sequence of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) strain d1418m22, sourced from a Karnal, Haryana, human skin wound. Classified as community-associated MRSA, it features a 2.78-MB genome harboring Staphylococcus-specific genetic elements, encompassing 2,625 protein-coding genes and 18 antimicrobial resistance genes.

Effect of surface ligands on the photoinduced electron transfer rate and efficiency in ZnO quantum dots and graphene oxide assemblies

Apart from biocompatibility, ZnO quantum dots (QDs) are considered to be an efficient luminescence material due to their low cost and high redox potential. Here, we report the synthesis of ZnO QDs by using five different functionalizing ligands like mercaptoacetic acid (MAA), 3-mercaptopropionic acid (MPA), octadecene (ODE), ethylene glycol (EG), and oleyl amine (OLA) and fabricate their assemblies with graphene oxide (GO). We investigate the role of functionalizing ligands as a surface modifier of ZnO QDs for their attachment to GO. The steady-state photoluminescence (SSPL) and time-resolved photoluminescence (TRPL) analyses demonstrate the photoluminescence (PL) quenching of ZnO QDs in ZnO QDs-GO assembly. The highest reduction in PL intensity is observed with ZnO QDs-GO assembly with EG as a surface functionalizing ligand. Cyclic voltammetry (CV) analysis confirms the feasibility of charge transfer from ZnO QDs to the GO. The maximum (79.43%) charge transfer efficiency (ECT ) is observed in the case of ZnO-MAA-GO as compared to other assemblies. This means the thiol group-containing ligands facilitate charge transfer as compared to hydroxyl and amine group ligands. This leads to the conclusion that charge transfer in ZnO QDs-GO assemblies depends strongly on the nature of surface ligands.

Fabrication of Highly Conductive Porous Fe3O4@RGO/PEDOT:PSS Composite Films via Acid Post-Treatment and Their Applications as Electrochemical Supercapacitor and Thermoelectric Material

As a remarkable multifunctional material, ferroferric oxide (Fe3O4) exhibits considerable potential for applications in many fields, such as energy storage and conversion technologies. However, the poor electronic and ionic conductivities of classical Fe3O4 restricts its application. To address this challenge, Fe3O4 nanoparticles are combined with graphene oxide (GO) via a typical hydrothermal method, followed by a conductive wrapping using poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):poly(styrene sulfonic sulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS) for the fabrication of composite films. Upon acid treatment, a highly conductive porous Fe3O4@RGO/PEDOT:PSS hybrid is successfully constructed, and each component exerts its action that effectively facilitates the electron transfer and subsequent performance improvement. Specifically, the Fe3O4@RGO/PEDOT:PSS porous film achieves a high specific capacitance of 244.7 F g-1 at a current of 1 A g-1. Furthermore, due to the facial fabrication of the highly conductive networks, the free-standing film exhibits potential advantages in flexible thermoelectric (TE) materials. Notably, such a hybrid film shows a high electric conductivity (σ) of 507.56 S cm-1, a three times greater value than the Fe3O4@RGO component, and achieves an optimized Seebeck coefficient (S) of 13.29 μV K-1 at room temperature. This work provides a novel route for the synthesis of Fe3O4@RGO/PEDOT:PSS multifunctional films that possess promising applications in energy storage and conversion.

Analysis of ceRNA Regulatory Mechanism of Rape Pollen Allergy Based on Whole-Transcriptome Sequencing of Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells

Background

Rape pollen allergy is a common allergic reaction disorder that affects the health and life of patients seriously. The research on ceRNA regulatory network in rape pollen allergy is poor.

Methods

High throughput whole-transcriptome sequencing was conducted on rape pollen allergic samples and non-allergic samples. Differentially expressed microRNAs (DEmiRNAs), circRNAs (DEcircRNAs), long non-coding RNA (DElncRNAs), mRNA (DEmRNAs) were identified and a ceRNA regulatory network was constructed by Cytoscape. Functional enrichment analyses were performed on DEmRNAs in the ceRNA network. Then, the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression model was used to identify characteristic genes for rape pollen allergy. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was used to evaluate the diagnostic ability of characteristic genes.

Results

A total of 25 DEmiRNAs, 258 DEcircRNAs, 304 DElncRNAs, and 383 DEmRNAs in the allergic group compared with the non-allergic group were uncovered, respectively. A ceRNA network containing 21 miRNAs, 57 circRNAs, 28 lncRNAs, and 33 mRNAs was generated with 139 nodes and 160 edges. The signal transduction-related processes, immune-related processes, the ion, inorganic substance, and hormone regulation processes were associated with mRNAs in the ceRNA network. The results of pathway enrichment illustrated that mRNAs in the ceRNA were significantly linked to IL-17 signaling pathway, inflammatory mediator regulation of trp channels, GMP-PKG signaling pathway, signaling by GPCR, and GPCR downstream signaling pathway. Then, five characteristic genes (KCNQ3, CCR5, FOSB, CFAP43, and PRKG1) were defined by the LASSO algorithm. The AUC values of these genes indicated that these genes had a powerful discrimination ability in discriminating allergic samples from non-allergic samples.

Conclusion

Taken together, we revealed the ceRNA regulatory network in rape pollen allergy and excavated five characteristic genes (KCNQ3, CCR5, FOSB, CFAP43, and PRKG1) with the diagnostic value that may be a potential target in diagnosis and treatment.

Additive Manufacturing of Cu Using Graphene-Oxide-Treated Powder

Additive manufacturing of Cu is interesting for many applications where high thermal and electric conductivity are required. A problem with printing of Cu with a laser-based process is the high reflectance of the powder for near-infrared wavelengths making it difficult to print components with a high density. In this study, we have investigated laser bed fusion (L-PBF) of Cu using graphene oxide (GO)-coated powder. The powder particles were coated in a simple wet-chemical process using electrostatic attractions between the GO and the powder surface. The coated powder exhibited a reduced reflectivity, which improved the printability and increased the densities from ~90% for uncoated powder to 99.8% using 0.1 wt% GO and a laser power of 500 W. The coated Cu powders showed a tendency for balling using laser powers below 400 W, and increasing the GO concentration from 0.1 to 0.3 wt.% showed an increase in spattering and reduced density. Graphene-like sheet structures could be observed in the printed parts using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Carbon-filled inclusions with sizes ranging from 10-200 nm could also be observed in the printed parts using transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The GO treatment yielded parts with higher hardness (75.7 HV) and electrical conductivity (77.8% IACS) compared to the parts printed with reference Cu powder.

Arabidopsis Transcription Regulatory Factor Domain/Domain Interaction Analysis Tool-Liquid/Liquid Phase Separation, Oligomerization, GO Analysis: A Toolkit for Interaction Data-Based Domain Analysis

Although a large number of databases are available for regulatory elements, a bottleneck has been created by the lack of bioinformatics tools to predict the interaction modes of regulatory elements. To reduce this gap, we developed the Arabidopsis Transcription Regulatory Factor Domain/Domain Interaction Analysis Tool-liquid/liquid phase separation (LLPS), oligomerization, GO analysis (ART FOUNDATION-LOG), a useful toolkit for protein-nucleic acid interaction (PNI) and protein-protein interaction (PPI) analysis based on domain-domain interactions (DDIs). LLPS, protein oligomerization, the structural properties of protein domains, and protein modifications are major components in the orchestration of the spatiotemporal dynamics of PPIs and PNIs. Our goal is to integrate PPI/PNI information into the development of a prediction model for identifying important genetic variants in peaches. Our program unified interdatabase relational keys based on protein domains to facilitate inference from the model species. A key advantage of this program lies in the integrated information of related features, such as protein oligomerization, LOG analysis, structural characterizations of domains (e.g., domain linkers, intrinsically disordered regions, DDIs, domain-motif (peptide) interactions, beta sheets, and transmembrane helices), and post-translational modification. We provided simple tests to demonstrate how to use this program, which can be applied to other eukaryotic organisms.

Preparation and characterization of silanized graphene oxide based polyacrylate composites in situ copolymerization

In the present work, graphene oxide (GO) was initially prepared by the modified Hummers' method and then surface modification with 3-Methacryloxypropyltrimeth- oxysilane (MPS) was carried out. The silanized GO based polyacrylate (PA) composite emulsion was fabricated via in situ copolymerization. The covalent bonds formed between GO and PA matrix were proposed to improve the dispersion of MPS-GO in composites. FTIR spectra, Raman spectra, XPS and XRD data confirmed that oxidation and modification were occurred, and oxygen-containing functional groups and CC groups were introduced on the side of GO, respectively. Two kinds of structures were observed in composite latexes, and the average diameter of composite latexes (107 nm) was larger than that of PA latexes (87 nm). FTIR spectra also disclosed that reactive MPS-GO had already successfully copolymerized with the PA matrix. AFM images demonstrated that wrinkled GO nanosheets were homogeneously dispersed and incorporated into the PA matrix. The water contact angle (WCA) was found increasing as the addition of MPS-GO, although the composite films exhibited obvious hydrophilicity with increasing the content of MPS-GO.

Integrated analysis of the lncRNA-associated ceRNA network in Alzheimer's disease

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that worsens with age. Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) dysregulation and its associated competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) network have a potential connection with the occurrence and development of AD. A total of 358 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were screened via RNA sequencing, including 302 differentially expressed mRNAs (DEmRNAs) and 56 differential expressed lncRNAs (DElncRNAs). Anti-sense lncRNA is the main type of DElncRNA, which plays a major role in the cis and trans regulation. The constructed ceRNA network consisted of 4 lncRNAs (NEAT1, LINC00365, FBXL19-AS1, RAI1-AS1719) and 4 microRNAs (miRNAs) (HSA-Mir-27a-3p, HSA-Mir-20b-5p, HSA-Mir-17-5p, HSA-Mir-125b-5p), and 2 mRNAs (MKNK2, F3). Functional enrichment analysis revealed that DEmRNAs are involved in related biological functions of AD. The co-expressed DEmRNAs (DNAH11, HGFAC, TJP3, TAC1, SPTSSB, SOWAHB, RGS4, ADCYAP1) of humans and mice were screened and verified by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). In this study, we analyzed the expression profile of human AD-related lncRNA genes, constructed a ceRNA network, and performed functional enrichment analysis of DEmRNAs between human and mice. The obtained gene regulatory networks and target genes can be used to further analyze AD-related pathological mechanisms to optimize AD diagnosis and treatment.

Fabrication of poly (styrene-acrylate)/silver nanoparticle-graphene oxide composite antibacterial by in situ Pickering emulsion polymerization

Graphene oxide (GO) nanosheets decorated with silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) were easily synthesized by chemical reduction, and the prepared nanocomposite was then used as a stabilizer in the Pickering emulsion polymerization of poly (styrene-acrylate) to prepare PSA/AgNPs-GO composites. The AgNPs-GO nanocomposites were fully characterized by TEM, FTIR, Raman, SEM and XPS, which demonstrated that about 5-30 nm AgNPs with spherical, octahedral and cubic structures were decorated on the surface of wrinkled GO nanosheets. TEM photos and EDS spectrum of composites showed that the transparent GO nanosheets decorated with AgNPs were covered on the surface of PSA latexes and the AgNPs were uniformly dispersed on the surface of the PSA latexes without aggregation. The average diameter of composite latexes was obviously bigger than that of PSA latexes. However, the role of surfactant and the properties of hydrophilicity decreased the average diameter and WCA of composites while increasing the additions of AgNPs-GO nanocomposites. AFM images disclosed that wrinkled GO nanosheets decorated with AgNPs dispersed on the surface of composite films. XPS data proved clearly that silver was present only in metallic form and migration occurred during film-formation. TGA curves confirmed the composite film displayed better thermal stability than that of PSA. The results of antibacterial activity revealed that composite films had exhibited antibacterial properties against both E. coli and S. aureus, and the latter showed better antibacterial efficacy than the former. The nano-silver polyacrylate coatings with antibacterial activity explored in current work have wide application in the fields of wood coatings, leather finishing, and so on.

Salmonella typhimurium detection and ablation using OmpD specific aptamer with non-magnetic and magnetic graphene oxide

Foodborne diseases have increased in the last few years due to the increased consumption of packaged and contaminated food. Major foodborne bacteria cause diseases such as diarrhea, vomiting, and sometimes death. So, there is a need for early detection of foodborne bacteria as pre-existing detection techniques are time-taking and tedious. Aptamer has gained interest due to its high stability, specificity, and sensitivity. Here, aptamer has been developed against Salmonella Typhimurium through the Cell-Selex method, and to further find the reason for specificity and sensitivity, OmpD protein was isolated, and binding studies were done. Single molecular FRET experiment using aptamer and graphene oxide studies has also been done to understand the mechanism of FRET and subsequently used for target bacterial detection. Using this assay, Salmonella Typhimurium can be detected up to 10 CFU/mL. Further, Magnetic Graphene oxide was used to develop an assay to separate and ablate bacteria using 808 nm NIR where temperature increase was more than 60 °C within 30 s and has been shown by plating as well as a confocal live dead assay. Thus, using various techniques, bacteria can be detected and ablated using specific aptamer and Graphene oxide.

Transcriptome Analysis of Roots from Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) Varieties in Response to Drought Stress

Under climate change, drought is one of the most limiting factors that influences wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) production. Exploring stress-related genes is vital for wheat breeding. To identify genes related to the drought tolerance response, two common wheat cultivars, Zhengmai 366 (ZM366) and Chuanmai 42 (CM42), were selected based on their obvious difference in root length under 15% PEG-6000 treatment. The root length of the ZM366 cultivar was significantly longer than that of CM42. Stress-related genes were identified by RNA-seq in samples treated with 15% PEG-6000 for 7 days. In total, 11,083 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and numerous single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and insertions/deletions (InDels) were identified. GO enrichment analysis revealed that the upregulated genes were mainly related to the response to water, acidic chemicals, oxygen-containing compounds, inorganic substances, and abiotic stimuli. Among the DEGs, the expression levels of 16 genes in ZM366 were higher than those in CM42 after the 15% PEG-6000 treatment based on RT-qPCR. Furthermore, EMS-induced mutants in Kronos (T. turgidum L.) of 4 representative DEGs possessed longer roots than the WT after the 15% PEG-6000 treatment. Altogether, the drought stress genes identified in this study represent useful gene resources for wheat breeding.

Effect of Graphene Oxide on the Mechanical Properties and Durability of High-Strength Lightweight Concrete Containing Shale Ceramsite

An effective pathway to achieve the sustainable development of resources and environmental protection is to utilize shale ceramsite (SC), which is processed from shale spoil to produce high-strength lightweight concrete (HSLWC). Furthermore, the urgent demand for better performance of HSLWC has stimulated active research on graphene oxide (GO) in strengthening mechanical properties and durability. This study was an effort to investigate the effect of different contents of GO on HSLWC manufactured from SC. For this purpose, six mixtures containing GO in the range of 0-0.08% (by weight of cement) were systematically designed to test the mechanical properties (compressive strength, flexural strength, and splitting tensile strength), durability (chloride penetration resistance, freezing-thawing resistance, and sulfate attack resistance), and microstructure. The experimental results showed that the optimum amount of 0.05% GO can maximize the compressive strength, flexural strength, and splitting tensile strength by 20.1%, 34.3%, and 24.2%, respectively, and exhibited excellent chloride penetration resistance, freezing-thawing resistance, and sulfate attack resistance. Note that when the addition of GO was relatively high, the performance improvement in HSLWC as attenuated instead. Therefore, based on the comprehensive analysis of microstructure, the optimal addition level of GO to achieve the best mechanical properties and durability of HSLWC is considered to be 0.05%. These findings can provide a new method for the use of SC in engineering.

Transparent, patterned graphene oxide films with tunable electrical conductivity using thermal, chemical, and photoreduction techniques for lab-on-a-chip applications

This work demonstrates the fabrication of electrically tunable films of graphene oxide (GO). GO thin films were deposited and micropatterned on a cyclic olefin copolymer (COC) substrate using a plasma-enhanced liftoff technique. This article discusses thermal, chemical, and photoreduction methods for controlling the electrical conductivity of the patterned film. The patterned graphene oxide films were used to manipulate cells after embedding them in a microfluidic channel. Cells were manipulated under dielectrophoresis (DEP) using patterned reduced graphene oxide (rGO) films with varying electrical conductivities. The non-uniform electric field required for DEP was created either by arranging and shaping a set of electrodes (eDEP) or by simply implementing low conductivity rGO as an insulator between two metal electrodes (iDEP).

Improved Strength and Heat Distortion Temperature of Emi-Aromatic Polyamide 10T-co-1012 (PA10T/1012)/GO Composites via In Situ Polymerization

In this paper, an effective method for preparing poly (p-phenylene terephthalamide) -co- poly (dodecanedioyl) decylamine (PA10T/1012)/graphene oxide (GO) composites by pre-dispersion and one-step in situ polymerization was proposed for the first time. During the process of polycondensation, the condensation between the terminal amino groups of PA10T/1012 chains and the oxygen-containing functional groups of GO allowed nylon to be grafted onto graphene sheets. The effects of polymer grafting on the thermal and mechanical properties of (PA10T/1012)/GO composites were studied in detail. Due to the interaction between PA10T/1012 grafted graphene sheets and its matrix, GO is well dispersed in the PA10T/1012 matrix and physically entangled with it, forming a cross-linked network structure of polymer bridged graphene, thus obtaining enhanced tensile strength, tensile modulus and impact strength. More importantly, benefiting from the cross-linked network structure, the heat distortion temperature (HDT) of the composite is greatly increased from 77.3 °C to 144.2 °C. This in situ polycondensation method opens a new avenue to prepare polycondensate graphene-based composites with high strength and high heat distortion temperatures.

Synthesis of MnSe-Based GO Composites as Effective Photocatalyst for Environmental Remediations

In this work, a manganese selenide/graphene oxide (MnSe/GO)-based composite was prepared for wet-chemical assisted method against organic dye; herein, methylene blue (MB) dye removal from the water was employed as a metal selenide-based photocatalyst. The synthesized MnSe/GO composite was systematically characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform electron microscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), and UV-visible diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (UV-vis. DRS). The structural characteristic revealed the adequate synthesis of the sample with good crystallinity and purity of the obtained products. The morphological analysis indicates the formation of MnSe nanoflakes composed of tiny particles on their surface. At the same time, the GO nanosheets with high aggregation were formed, which may be due to the van der Waals forces. The bond interaction and compositional analysis studies confirmed and supported the structural findings with high purity. The optical analysis showed the bandgap energies of MnSe and their composites MnSe (1.7 eV), 7% GO-MnSe (2.42 eV), 14% GO-MnSe (2.6 eV), 21% GO-MnSe (3.02 eV), and 28% GO-MnSe (3.24 eV) respectively, which increase the bandgap energy after GO and MnSe recombination. Among different contents, the optimized 21% GO-MnSe composite displayed enhanced photocatalytic properties. For instance, a short time of 90 min was taken compared with other concentrations due to the narrow bandgap of MnSe and the highly conductive charge carrier's support, making the process to remove MB from water faster. These results show that the selenide-based photocatalyst can be an attractive candidate for future advanced photocatalysis applications.

Elimination of Cancer Cells in Co-Culture: Role of Different Nanocarriers in Regulation of CD47 and Calreticulin-Induced Phagocytosis

Under healthy conditions, pro- and anti-phagocytic signals are balanced. Cluster of Differentiation 47 (CD47) is believed to act as an anti-phagocytic marker that is highly expressed on multiple types of human cancer cells including acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and lung and liver carcinomas, allowing them to escape phagocytosis by macrophages. Downregulating CD47 on cancer cells discloses calreticulin (CRT) to macrophages and recovers their phagocytic activity. Herein, we postulate that using a modified graphene oxide (GO) carrier to deliver small interfering RNA (siRNA) CD47 (CD47_siRNA) in AML, A549 lung, and HepG2 liver cancer cells in co-culture in vitro will silence CD47 and flag cancer cells for CRT-mediated phagocytosis. Results showed a high knockdown efficiency of CD47 and a significant increase in CRT levels simultaneously by using GO formulation as carriers in all used cancer cell lines. The presence of CRT on cancer cells was significantly higher than levels before knockdown of CD47 and was required to achieve phagocytosis in co-culture with human macrophages. Lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) and modified boron nitride nanotubes (BNPs) were used to carry CD47_siRNA, and the knockdown efficiency values of CD47 were compared in three cancer cells in co-culture, with an achieved knockdown efficiency of >95% using LNPs as carriers. Interestingly, the high efficiency of CD47 knockdown was obtained by using the LNPs and BNP carriers; however, an increase in CRT levels on cancer cells was not required for phagocytosis to happen in co-culture with human macrophages, indicating other pathways' involvement in the phagocytosis process. These findings highlight the roles of 2D (graphene oxide), 1D (boron nitride nanotube), and "0D" (lipid nanoparticle) carriers for the delivery of siRNA to eliminate cancer cells in co-culture, likely through different phagocytosis pathways in multiple types of human cancer cells. Moreover, these results provide an explanation of immune therapies that target CD47 and the potential use of these carriers in screening drugs for such therapies in vitro.

Titanium Dioxide/Chromium Oxide/Graphene Oxide Doped into Cellulose Acetate for Medical Applications

Wound dressings have been designed based on cellulose acetate encapsulated with different concentrations of chromium oxide (Cr₂O₃) and titanium oxide (TiO₂) with/without graphene oxide (GO). This study comprises the structural, morphological, optical, thermal, and biological behavior of chromium oxide/titanium dioxide/graphene oxide-integrated cellulose acetate (CA) films. The CA-based film bond formation was introduced by functional group analysis via Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. The fabricated Cr₂O₃/TiO₂/GO@CA film SEM micrographs demonstrate transition metal oxides Cr₂O₃ and TiO₂ on a nano-scale. The TiO₂@CA shows the lowest contact angle with 30°. Optically, the refractive index increases from 1.76 for CA to 2.14 for the TiO₂@CA film. Moreover, normal lung cells (A138) growth examination in a function of Cr₂O₃/TiO₂/GO@CA film concentration is conducted, introducing 93.46% with the usage of 4.9 µg/mL. The resulting data showed a promising wound-healing behavior of the CA-based films.

Synthesis and characterization of Ag2O, CoFe2O4, GO, and their ternary composite for antibacterial activity

Currently, nanomaterials with exceptional antibacterial activity have become an emerging domain in research. The optimization of nanomaterials against infection causing agents is the next step in dealing with the present-day problem of antibiotics. In this research work, Ag₂O, CoFe₂O₄, and Ag₂O/CoFe₂O₄/rGO are prepared by chemical methods. Ag₂O was prepared by co-precipitation method, while solvothermal technique was utilized for the synthesis of CoFe₂O₄. The ternary nanocomposite was synthesized by a simple in situ reduction using a two-step approach. The structural and morphological properties were studied by UV-Vis spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction spectroscopy (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM), dynamic light scattering (DLS), and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). From the X-ray diffraction analysis, the crystallite size is found to be 14 nm, 5 nm, and 6 nm for Ag₂O, CoFe₂O₄, and Ag₂O/CoFe₂O₄/rGO respectively. The synthesized nanomaterials were investigated for antibacterial activities against gram-positive strain Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) and gram-negative strain Escherichia coli (E. coli) using Agar well diffusion method. Ag₂O and CoFe₂O₄ showed zones of inhibition (ZOI) of 13 mm and 11 mm against gram positive bacteria while 12 mm against gram negative bacteria respectively, while ternary nanocomposite showed 14 mm and 13 mm of ZOI. The antibacterial activity of nanomaterials showed a gradual increment with an increase in the concentration of the materials. Ag₂O, CoFe₂O₄, and Ag₂O/CoFe₂O₄/rGO showed minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values of 4.5, 6.5, and 4.5 μg/mL for S. aureus and 6.5, 7.2, and 4.8 μg/mL for E. coli respectively. Minimum bactericidal concentrations were found to be same as the MIC values. Additionally, a time-kill curve analysis was performed and for ternary nanocomposite; the killing response was most effective as the complete killing was achieved at 3 h of incubation at 3-MIC (9.75 μg/mL). These results demonstrate that all the nanomaterials, as a kind of antibacterial material, have a great potential for a wide range of biomedical applications.

Exploration of the Mechanism of Tripterygium Wilfordii in the Treatment of Myocardial Fibrosis Based on Network Pharmacology and Molecular Docking

BACKGROUND

A network pharmacology study on the biological action of Tripterygium wilfordii on myocardial fibrosis (MF).

METHODS

The effective components and potential targets of tripterygium wilfordii were screened from the TCMSP database to develop a combination target network. A protein-protein interaction network was constructed by analyzing the interaction between tripterygium wilfordii and MF; then, the Gene Ontology (GO) classification and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analysis was performed. Furthermore, molecular docking was utilized to verify the network analysis results.

RESULTS

It was predicted that MF has 29 components contributing to its effectiveness and 87 potential targets. It is predicted that Tripterygium wilfordii has 29 active components and 87 potential targets for the treatment of MF. The principal active components of tripterygium wilfordii include kaempferol, β-sitosterol, triptolide, and Nobiletin. Signaling pathways: AGE-RAGE, PI3K-Akt, and MAPK may be involved in the mechanism of its action.7 Seven key targets (TNF, STAT3, AKT1, TP53, VEGFA, CASP3, STAT1) are possibly involved in treating MF by tripterygium wilfordii.

CONCLUSION

This study shows the complex network relationship between multiple components, targets, and pathways of Tripterygium wilfordii in treating MF.

Functional Piezoresistive Polymer Composites Based on CO2 Laser-Irradiated Graphene Oxide-Loaded Polyurethane: Morphology, Structure, Electrical and Piezoresistive Properties

Nanocomposite materials have recently attracted great attention for their wide range of applications, such as in smart materials, flexible electronics, and deformation sensing applications. Such materials make it possible to combine a polymer with functional fillers. In this study, flexible artificial leathers, exhibiting insulating properties and containing 1.5 or 2wt.% of graphene oxide (GO) in the polyurethane (PU) layer, were electrically activated via CO₂ laser irradiation to obtain conductive paths at the surface exposed to the laser beam. As the material retained its insulating properties out of the irradiation areas, the laser scribing method allowed, at least in principle, a printed circuit to be easily and quickly fabricated. Combining a variety of investigation methods, including scanning electron microscopy (SEM), optical profilometry, IR and Raman spectroscopies, and direct current (DC) and alternate current (AC) electrical measurements, the effects of the laser irradiation were investigated, and the so-obtained electrical properties of laser-activated GO/PU regions were elucidated to unveil their potential use in both static and dynamic mechanical conditions. In more detail, it was shown that under appropriate CO₂ laser irradiation, GO sheets into the GO/PU layer were locally photoreduced to form reduced-GO (RGO) sheets. It was verified that the RGO sheets were entangled, forming an accumulation path on the surface directly exposed to the laser beam. As the laser process was performed along regular paths, these RGO sheets formed electrically conductive wires, which exhibited piezoresistive properties when exposed to mechanical deformations. It was also verified that such piezoresistive paths showed good reproducibility when subjected to small flexural stresses during cyclic testing conditions. In brief, laser-activated GO/PU artificial leathers may represent a new generation of metal-free materials for electrical transport applications of low-current signals and embedded deformation sensors.

Ultrafast Photothermal Actuators with a Large Helical Curvature Based on Ultrathin GO and Biaxially Oriented PE Films

In nature, there are some amazing superfast actuations (Venus flytrap) and large-curvature helical deformations (the awn of Erodium). Although many bionic actuators have been made (electrothermal, hygroscopic, photoinduced), most of their actuations are slow and small, not comparable to the wonderful ones in nature. Here, we report an ultrafast photothermal actuator with large-curvature curling based on an ultrathin graphene oxide (GO) and biaxially oriented polyethylene (BOPE) bilayer film (thickness ∼11 μm). By virtue of the fast temperature changing rate (peak: 900 °C s^-1 during infrared heating and -1200 °C s^-1 during cooling) and the great difference in the coefficient of thermal expansion of GO and BOPE layers, the actuator deforms rapidly and greatly. The maximum bending speed and curvature can reach 5300° s^-1 and 22 cm^-1, respectively, which are comparable to those of wonderful natural actuators and far exceed the performances of the reported artificial actuators. Different from ordinary helical actuators made of uniaxial anisotropic materials, our actuator is based on a typical biaxial anisotropic material of BOPE. However, the morphing behaviors of this type of actuator have not been reported before. So for the first time, we systematically studied this problem through experiments and simulations using the GO-BOPE actuator as a prototype and have drawn clear conclusions. In addition, functional GO-BOPE actuators capable of winding around and manipulating tiny objects were also designed and developed. We think this ultrafast large-curvature photothermal actuator will have wide application prospects in bionic actuations and dexterous robots.

Recycling Nanoarchitectonics of Graphene Oxide from Carbon Fiber Reinforced Polymer by the Electrochemical Method

In this paper, an electrochemical method was proposed to recycle nanoarchitectonics of graphene oxide (GO) from carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP). In the recycling process, NaCl solution with varied concentrations (3% and 10%) and tap water were used as electrolyte, while the impressed current density varied from 2.67 A/m² to 20.63 A/m². The results indicated that in NaCl electrolyte, the obtained nanoarchitectonics of GO contained a large amount of nano-carbon onions (NCO) produced by etching CFRP, while high purity GO was produced when tap water was used as electrolyte. The higher current density improved the production efficiency and resulted in a finer GO particle size. The proposed recycling method of GO is economical and simple to operate. It also provides an alternate approach to handle discarded CFRP.

Transcriptome Analysis of Duck and Chicken Brains Infected with Aquatic Bird Bornavirus-1 (ABBV-1)

Aquatic bird bornavirus 1 (ABBV-1) is a neurotropic virus that infects waterfowls, resulting in persistent infection. Experimental infection showed that both Muscovy ducks and chickens support persistent ABBV-1 infection in the central nervous system (CNS), up to 12 weeks post-infection (wpi), without the development of clinical disease. The aim of the present study was to describe the transcriptomic profiles in the brains of experimentally infected Muscovy ducks and chickens infected with ABBV-1 at 4 and 12 wpi. Transcribed RNA was sequenced by next-generation sequencing and analyzed by principal component analysis (PCA) and differential gene expression. The functional annotation of differentially expressed genes was evaluated by gene ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analysis. The PCA showed that the infected ducks sampled at both 4 and 12 wpi clustered separately from the controls, while only the samples from the chickens at 12 wpi, but not at 4 wpi, formed a separate cluster. In the ducks, more genes were differentially expressed at 4 wpi than 12 wpi, and the majority of the highly differentially expressed genes (DEG) were upregulated. On the other hand, the infected chickens had fewer DEGs at 4 wpi than at 12 wpi, and the majority of those with high numbers of DEGs were downregulated at 4 wpi and upregulated at 12 wpi. The functional annotation showed that the most enriched GO terms were immune-associated in both species; however, the terms associated with the innate immune response were predominantly enriched in the ducks, whereas the chickens had enrichment of both the innate and adaptive immune response. Immune-associated pathways were also enriched according to the KEGG pathway analysis in both species. Overall, the transcriptomic analysis of the duck and chicken brains showed that the main biological responses to ABBV-1 infection were immune-associated and corresponded with the levels of inflammation in the CNS.

Artificial Intelligence-Aided Low Cost and Flexible Graphene Oxide-Based Paper Sensor for Ultraviolet and Sunlight Monitoring

The adverse effect of ultraviolet (UV) radiation on human beings has sparked intense interest in the development of new sensors to effectively monitor UV and solar exposure. This paper describes a novel low-cost and flexible graphene oxide (GO)-based paper sensor capable of detecting the total amount of UV or sun energy delivered per unit area. GO is incorporated into the structure of standard printing paper, cellulose, via a low-cost fabrication technique. The effect of UV and solar radiation exposure on the GO paper-based sensor is investigated using a simple color change analysis. As a result, users can easily determine the amount of ultraviolet or solar energy received by the sensor using a simple color analysis application. A neural network (ANN) model is also explored to learn the relation between UV color intensity and exposure time, then digitally display the results. The accuracy for the developed ANN reached 96.83%. The disposable, cost-effective, simple, biodegradable, safe, and flexible characteristics of the paper-based UV sensor make it an attractive candidate for a variety of sensing applications. This work provides new vision toward developing highly efficient and fully disposable GO-based photosensors.

Graphene oxide modified κ-carrageenan/sodium alginate double-network hydrogel for effective adsorption of antibiotics in a batch and fixed-bed column system

The treatment of antibiotic wastewater pollution is imminent, the studies of double-network hydrogels as adsorbents have gradually increased, it is quite important to develop a non-toxic hydrogel with excellent properties as adsorbent. In this study, a graphene oxide modified κ-carrageenan/sodium alginate (GO-κ-car/SA) gel was prepared by calcium hardening. The addition of GO nanosheets enhances the mechanical strength and anti-swelling property of the double-network hydrogel, making it possible for the application in the fixed-bed column system. The elastic modulus is twice as much as the hydrogel without GO. The maximum adsorption capacity in the experiments of the GO-κ-car/SA gel for CIP and OFL can reach 272.18 mg g^-1 and 197.39 mg g^-1, respectively. The GO-κ-car/SA gel always remains negatively charged, which means that the adsorption capacity of the gel is better in an acidic environment. In the fixed-bed column system, through Thomas fitting, the maximum adsorption capacity of the simulated OFL wastewater (200 mg L^-1) is 83.99 mg g^-1. The adsorption mechanism of antibiotics by GO-κ-car/SA gel depends on hydrogen bond, functional groups and electrostatic adsorption. The good hydrophilic properties, excellent adsorption capacity and high mechanical strength, which can ensure that the adsorbent is in full contact with the contaminants without major deformation or damage, makes the study more helpful for the further study on hydrogel in the fixed-bed column system.

Robust Self-Healing Graphene Oxide-Based Superhydrophobic Coatings for Efficient Corrosion Protection of Magnesium Alloys

A self-healing coating possesses a broad application prospect in the metal corrosion protection area due to its pleasurable performance. By far, despite a great deal of research studies that have been reported in this field, it is still a challenge to construct an intrinsic self-healing surface that can repair a damaged structure and restore superhydrophobicity simultaneously. Herein, a self-healing superhydrophobic coating was fabricated by combining polydopamine (PDA)-functionalized Cu²⁺-doped graphene oxide (GO), octadecylamine (ODA), and polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS), which can recover the superhydrophobicity and microstructure of the coating after chemical/physical damage. The as-prepared self-healing coating displayed excellent liquid repellency with a water contact angle of 158.2 ± 2° and a sliding angle of 4 ± 1°, which endowed the Mg alloy with excellent anticorrosion performance. Once the coating is scratched, the local damaged structure will be automatically repaired through the chelation of catechol and Cu²⁺. Also, the superhydrophobicity of the coating can be rapidly restored under 1-sun irradiation even after being etched by O₂ plasma. Furthermore, the as-fabricated self-healing coating still exhibited excellent corrosion protection against a magnesium alloy after immersion in 3.5 wt % NaCl solution for 30 days, which was attributed to the efficient repair of defects in GO by PDA through π-π interactions and the inherent chemical inertia of PDMS. Moreover, the as-fabricated self-healing coating also exhibited favorable mechanical stability, chemical durability, and weather resistance. This study paves a fresh insight into the design of robust self-healing coatings with huge application potential.

Graphene Oxide-Sensitized Surface Plasmon Resonance Biosensor of Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome Virus

Biosensor analysis based on the surface plasmon resonance (SPR) phenomenon enables label-free, highly sensitive analyte detection without prior sample purification or processing. However, potential applications of SPR biosensors in virus detection in biological samples remain to be explored. Owing to its excellent biocompatibility and abundance of hydroxyl and carboxyl functional groups, graphene oxide (GO) has been widely used as a biosensor of proteins and metal ions in living cells. The present work explored the effect of GO modification on the sensitivity of an SPR biosensor and used a GO-modified sensor to detect porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus in cell culture, as shown. The GO modification markedly enhanced the sensitivity of the Fourier transform SPR sensor and enabled linear detection of porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) with a multiplicity of infection in the range 0.2-1.7 (R² = 0.998). Such a GO-modified sensor provides a promising alternative for virus detection.

Study on population structure of kiwifruit and GWAS for hairiness character

BACKGROUND

A total of 74,936 SNPs were employed to carry out population structure and genome-wide association studies and post-GWAS for hairiness character of the fifty-six samples including thirty-six Actinidia chinensis var. deliciosa, eighteen A. chinensis var. chinensis, and two A. polygama in the light of morphological observations.

RESULTS

The percentage of heterozygous sites of A. chinensis var. deliciosa is higher than that of A. chinensis var. chinensis, which could be one of the reasons for A. chinensis var. deliciosa high disease resistance. Fifty-six samples were divided into two subgroups, in which the genetic distance, ranged from 0.17 to 0.99, according to their genetic divergence. Analysis of molecular variance shows that the frequency of genetic variations within the population is 83.53% and 16.47% between populations. F_st between the two populations is 0.14, and N_m is 1.60. Set at α ≤ 0.05, a total of 327 SNPs and 260 haplotypes were related to the hairiness character. A total of 246 proteins were annotated using GO and KEGG analyses, which indicated the membrane-related genes and stress-resistant metabolic pathways are related to the hairiness character of leaves, stems, and peels of kiwifruit. Protein interaction analysis showed that DNA-directed RNA polymerase was an important node protein that interacted with many proteins.

CONCLUSIONS

The genetic basic in the fifty-six genotypes was rich. The results of clustering and morphological observations are not completely consistent, indicating the hairiness character play an important role in the classification of kiwifruit, in which two A. polygama were clustered together with those of A. chinensis var. chinensis. Phylogeny and haplotype analysis showed that the evolution of A. chinensis var. chinensis is later than that of A. chinensis var. deliciosa in A. chinesis. The loss of hairiness character on leaves, stems and peels of A. chinensis var. chinensis compare with A. chinensis var. deliciosa, which is also the result of its poor resistance.

Construction of core-shell Fe3O4@GO-CoPc photo-Fenton catalyst for superior removal of tetracycline: The role of GO in promotion of H2O2 to •OH conversion

A novel core-shell structured Fe₃O₄@GO-CoPc magnetic catalyst, which is with magnetite (Fe₃O₄) as the core, graphene oxide (GO) as the interlayer and cobalt-phthalocyanine (CoPc) as the shell, was successfully prepared and used as a heterogeneous photo-Fenton catalyst for tetracycline (TC) degradation in this work. The core-shell structure of the catalyst was confirmed by XRD, FTIR, SEM and TEM. BET and magnetic hysteresis loops measurements indicated that Fe₃O₄@GO-CoPc catalyst owned large specific surface area and could be easily recovered under an external magnetic field. Meanwhile, the experimental results of TC degradation demonstrated that the photo-Fenton efficiency of Fe₃O₄@GO-CoPc was excellent. When the reaction time was 120 min, TC could be degraded almost completely in the photo-Fenton system with Fe₃O₄@GO-CoPc. The high photo-Fenton catalytic activity of Fe₃O₄@GO-CoPc could be resulted from the effective transfer of photo-generated electrons between CoPc and Fe₃O₄ by GO. Moreover, the main reaction species, •OH, O₂•-, ¹O₂ and h⁺, were verified by the analysis of active species in this system. Finally, the mechanism analyses and quantitative analysis results of active species indicated that the introduction of GO accelerated the cycle between Fe(II) and Fe(III) as well as improved the effective utilization of H₂O₂ (the efficiency of conversion of H₂O₂ to •OH).

A graphene oxide-based covalent resorufin-conjugated fluorescence "off-on" probe for detection of hydrazine

The unique properties of graphene oxide (GO), such as good water solubility, non-toxicity, biocompatibility and cell permeability, make GO well suited for a number of biological applications. In this study, we explore the application of GO as an efficient fluorescent quencher for a highly fluorescent organic dye, resorufin (RF). The quenching effect of GO on resorufin is studied by noncovalent and covalent bonding of resorufin, respectively. The fluorescence is completely quenched when resorufin is covalently linked to GO; while resorufin's fluorescence could be still observed through noncovalent bonding to GO sheet. Interestingly, addition of hydrazine into RF-GO complex causes the fluorescence recovered, providing a potential ''OFF-ON'' fluorescence responsive probe for detecting hydrazine in vitro and in living cells.

Analysis of WRKY Resistance Gene Family in Boehmeria nivea (L.) Gaudich: Crosstalk Mechanisms of Secondary Cell Wall Thickening and Cadmium Stress

A total of 60 WRKY family genes of ramie were identified in the ramie. The genes were unevenly distributed across 14 chromosomes in the specie and highly concentrated (72%) in the distal telomeric region. Phylogenetic analysis placed these genes into seven distinct subfamilies groups: I, II (a, b, c, d, e), and III, with group IIc containing only the variant of heptapetide sequence (WRKYGKK). Segmental duplication events (41.7%) was found to be the main driver of BnGWRKY evolution. Thirty eight from among the genes showed collinear relationships with WRKY genes from Arabidopsis thaliana, Cannabis sativa, Oryza sativa, and Zea mays. The number and density of stress and hormone responsives cis-acting elements were comparably higher than other elements, with abundant ARE and rare LTR cis-acting elements indicating the long-standing adaptability of ramie to its natural environment. GO and KEGG enrichment analysis of the WRKY target genes revealed their involvement in response to stimuli, immune system processes, transporter protein activity and antioxidant activity. Expression analysis show that most WRKYs were activated by the cadmium stress, more especially the BnGWRKY2, BnGWRKY15, BnGWRKY20, BnGWRKY50 and BnGWRKY58. Combining transcriptome, orthologous gene relationships and qPCR result, we established the possible involvement of BnGWRKY50 and BnGWRKY58 in crosstalk mechanism between secondary cell wall thickening and Cd²⁺ stress. This provided information into the role of BnGWRKY proteins in ramie secondary wall development and cadmium stress response to, and could serve as basis for improvement of the ramie.

Removal of Hg2+ from desulfurization wastewater by tannin-immobilized graphene oxide

A novel adsorbent consisting of tannic acid (TA) immobilized on graphene oxide (GO) was proposed and used to remove Hg²⁺ from desulfurization wastewater. The morphology and physicochemical properties of tannin-immobilized graphene oxide (TAIGO) were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The characterization results showed that TA was successfully immobilized on GO, and that new functional groups were introduced on TAIGO. The effects of contact time, adsorbent dose, pH, and ion components on removal efficiency were evaluated. The adsorption process was found to be complete within 15 min, and the removal efficiency increased with increasing adsorbent dosage. The pH value affected the protonation of TAIGO and the form of Hg²⁺ in wastewater. High concentrations of Cl^- and SO₃^2- hindered the adsorption performance, whereas SO₄^2- and cations had a negligible effect. In addition, the excellent economic benefits of TAIGO were analyzed in an economic evaluation, and the Hg²⁺ removal efficiency remained at 88% after three recycles. A pseudo-second-order kinetic model (R = 0.9995) was used to fit the adsorption process, and the oxygen-containing functional groups and chelation reaction played critical roles in adsorption. TAIGO is a low-cost adsorbent with high Hg²⁺ removal efficiency and could be further used in practical desulfurization wastewater.

Highly efficient recovery of heavy rare earth elements by using an amino-functionalized magnetic graphene oxide with acid and base resistance

In the application of various magnetic materials for water treatment, control of surface resistance to acid and alkali corrosion remains largely overlooked, which could greatly extend their service life. We herein prepare amino grafted magnetic graphene oxide composites using a simple one-step cross-link reaction between the graphene oxide and magnetic Fe₃O₄/C nanoparticles. The as-prepared magnetic graphene oxide composites have long-term stability under acid and alkali solutions and shows an excellent performance in removing Ho(III), a representative rare earth element (REE) from water. The observed adsorption capacity of 72.1 mg Ho(III)/g exceeded that of most magnetic materials previously reported. Regeneration of the magnetic composites was realized in acid and alkali solutions but their structural integrity and physicochemical properties retained even after 18 adsorption-desorption cycles. The current adsorbent also shows excellent adsorption performance for other heavy REEs, such as Er(III), Eu(III), Lu(III), Tm(III), Y(III) and Yb(III). This work can provide a new strategy for constructing an acid and base resistance magnetic graphene oxide for the high-efficient recovery of heavy REEs from aqueous solution.

Synthesis of graphene oxide/polyethyleneimine sponge and its performance in the sustainable removal of Cu(II) from water

Modification of graphene oxide (GO) with polyethyleneimine (PEI) has been studied to develop a GO/PEI sponge material that not only performs well in the adsorption of Cu(II) but also is easily separated from water. The results showed that GO had excellent affinity for PEI, and GO/PEI prepared at pH 9.0 using PEI with a MW of 70,000 was shown to be a good adsorbent for Cu(II). This GO/PEI was characterized with SEM, XRD, XPS, FTIR and TG analyses and was investigated for Cu(II) adsorption further. The adsorption isotherm data of Cu(II) were fitted well with the Langmuir model, from which the maximum adsorption of GO/PEI was calculated to be 150.9 mg/g at pH 5.5. This was much higher than that of GO and two commercial resins. GO/PEI showed high selectivity towards Cu(II). In GO/PEI, the contributions of amino groups on PEI and negative charges on GO were 79.2% and 20.8%, respectively. Cu(II) adsorption on GO/PEI decreased with decreasing pH, and 1 M HCl caused nearly complete desorption of the adsorbed Cu(II). Experimental results of five cycles of adsorption-desorption indicated that this material could be reused. Column studies showed that GO/PEI performed well in terms of both Cu(II) adsorption and stability in water.

Electrochemical study of a novel high-efficiency PbO2 anode based on a cerium-graphene oxide co-doping strategy: Electrodeposition mechanism, parameter optimization, and degradation pathways

A novel and efficient Ti/SnO₂-Sb/PbO₂-GO-Ce electrode was successfully fabricated based on the co-deposition of Ce ions and graphene oxide (GO) into β-PbO₂ crystals and used as an anode for electrocatalytic oxidation of phenol. The electrodeposition mechanism, parameter optimization, mechanism analysis, and potential degradation pathways were discussed in depth. The co-doping of GO and Ce resulted in the high directional specificity of β(301), orderly and dense grain arrangement of PbO₂ crystals. At the same time, the oxygen evolution potential, •OH generation capacity and lifetime were also improved. The effects of experimental parameters on phenol removal efficiency were evaluated, including the applied current density, electrode gap, supporting electrolyte, initial NaCl concentration, initial pH, and initial phenol concentration. Under the optimal conditions, the removal efficiency of phenol can reach 375.6 g m^-2 h^-1 for 20 min electrolysis, which is about 1.2 times that of the pure PbO₂ electrode. The active oxygen species (•OH, ClO^- and HClO) were important attributes to the degradation of phenol. Additionally, a potential degradation pathway for phenol was proposed. After 10 successive recycles, there was no significant difference of the electro-generated •OH, cell voltage and phenol removal rate, which confirms the stability and admirable reusability of Ti/SnO₂-Sb/PbO₂-GO-Ce electrode.

A fluorescent aptasensor for the detection of Aflatoxin B1 by graphene oxide mediated quenching and release of fluorescence

Aflatoxin B1 contamination in food and agro commodities has been major concern of global food safety and trade industry. There is an urgent need to develop sensitive and on-site detection methods for aflatoxins mainly, AFB1 monitoring. In the present study, a fluorophore (Alexa Fluor 488) based aptamer biosensor was devised in combination with graphene oxide (GO) for the detection of Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1). The optimized diagnostic procedure consisted of a fluorescent modified aptamer (Ax-AFLA5) as detection probe and GO mediated quenching of the same; to the quenched system AFB1 was added resulting in subsequent release of fluorescence. The principle of GO based adsorption of ssDNA and successive desorption in the presence of target mycotoxin was utilised in development of the bioassay. In presence of target mycotoxin, the GO adsorbed ssDNA attained a structural conformation resulting in desorption and subsequent release of fluorescence. Assay parameters such as concentration of fluorescent probe, GO and incubation time were evaluated and optimized. The optical signal thus generated could determine presence of AFB1 in the given sample. Selectivity of the method with other mycotoxins was evaluated. The linear range of AFB1 from 0.2-200 ppb was assessed. Visible green fluorescence release was observed at 20 ppb under UV transilluminator and the detection limit of the developed assay was interpreted as 20 ppb of AFB1. The suitability of the assay for AFB1 quantification in groundnut and natural samples was also evaluated. Thus, the developed assay can be a field deployable, reliable and rapid alternative tool for onsite screening method of aflatoxins and other mycotoxins at field level.

Crystallization Behavior and Electrical Properties of Nanoparticle-Reinforced Poly(lactic Acid)-Based Films

Graphene oxide (GO) and multiwalled carbon nanotubes with silver particles (MWNT-Ag) of different concentrations were used as nanofillers to prepare poly(lactic acid) (PLA) nanoparticle films through the solvent casting method. In this study, the effects of nanoparticles on the crystallization behavior, relationships between the dispersion and electrical properties, and hydrolytic degradation behaviors were investigated for the PLA/MWNT-Ag and PLA/rGO films. Differential scanning calorimetry was used to evaluate the crystallization behaviors of the PLA/MWNT-Ag and PLA/reduced GO (rGO) films. Electron probe microanalysis was performed to characterize the dispersion of MWNT-Ag, and X-ray diffraction and Raman spectroscopy were used to determine the degree of dispersion of rGO in the PLA matrix. The results showed that nanoparticles enhanced the crystallization kinetics of PLA as well as the hydrolytic degradation rate. From the measurement of electrical properties, the electrical conductivity of PLA/MWNT-Ag 1.0 wt% was much higher than that of the pure PLA and PLA/rGO films, showing that MANT and Ag nanoparticles contribute greatly to enhancing the electrical conductivity of the PLA/MWNT-Ag films.

In situ synthesis of hydroxyapatite nanorods on graphene oxide nanosheets and their reinforcement in biopolymer scaffold

Introduction

It is urgently needed to develop composite bone scaffold with excellent mechanical properties and bioactivity in bone tissue engineering. Combining graphene oxide (GO) and hydroxyapatite (HAP) for the reinforcement of biopolymer bone scaffold has emerged as a promising strategy. However, the dispersion of GO and HAP remains to be a big challenge.

Objectives

In this present work, the mechanical properties of GO and the bioactivity of and HAP were combined respectively via in situ synthesis for reinforcing biopolymer bone scaffold.

Methods

GO nanosheets were employed to in situ synthesize GO-HAP nanocomposite via hydrothermal reaction, in which their abundant oxygen-containing groups served as anchor sites for the chelation of Ca2+ and then Ca2+ absorbed HPO42- via electrovalent bonding to form homogeneously dispersed HAP nanorods. Thereby, the GO-HAP nanocomposite was blended with biopolymer poly-L-lactic acid (PLLA) for fabricating biopolymer scaffold by selective laser sintering (SLS).

Results

GO nanosheets were uniformly decorated with HAP nanorods, which were about 60 nm in length and 5 nm in diameter. The compressive strength and modulus of PLLA/12%GO-HAP were significantly increased by 53.71% and 98.80% compared to the pure PLLA scaffold, respectively, explained on the base of pull out, crack bridging, deflection and pinning mechanisms. Meanwhile, the mineralization experiments indicated the PLLA/GO-HAP scaffold displayed good bioactivity by inducing the formation of apatite layer. Besides, cell culturing experiments demonstrated the favorable cytocompatibility of scaffold by promoting cell adhesion and proliferation.

Conclusions

The present findings show the potential of PLLA/GO-HAP composite scaffold via in situ synthesis in bone tissue engineering.

An On-off Supramolecular Fluorescence Switch for Detection of Pb2+ Ions and Vitamin C

β-cyclodextrin-hydroxyquinoline functionalized graphene oxide (GO-CD-HQ) was facilely fabricated to monitor and quantitatively analyze cations in aqueous media. The optical probe was notably selective enhanced toward Pb²⁺ ions over the other tested ions like Cu²⁺, Hg²⁺, Ca²⁺, Na⁺, K⁺, Zn²⁺, Fe²⁺, Fe³⁺, Ag⁺, Mg²⁺, and Cd²⁺ at 468 nm as an emission wavelength. The probe was shown the best performance in pH value, 5, and optimum time 1 min. Absorption spectra have clearly confirmed the static type fluorescence enhancement mechanism of GO-CD-HQ. Under the optimal conditions, the detection limit of it and linear concentration range for Pb²⁺ ions were obtained as 3.72 × 10^-5 M and (5-60) × 10^-5 M, respectively. Additionally, the developed assay exhibited logic gate behavior with Pb²⁺ ions and vitamin C as a masking agent for cited ions.

Preparation of GO/MIL-101(Fe,Cu) composite and its adsorption mechanisms for phosphate in aqueous solution

In this study, MIL-101(Fe), MIL-101(Fe,Cu), and graphene oxide (GO)/MIL-101(Fe,Cu) were synthesized to compose a novel sorbent. The adsorption properties of these three MOF-based composites were compared toward the removal of phosphate. Furthermore, the influencing factors including adsorption time, pH, temperature, and initial concentration on the adsorption capacity of phosphate on these materials as well as the reusability of the material were discussed. The structure of fabricated materials and the removal mechanism of phosphate on the composite material were analyzed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), nitrogen adsorption-desorption analysis, and zeta potential. The results show that the maximum adsorption capacity of phosphate by the composite GO/MIL-101(Fe,Cu)-2% was 204.60 mg·g^-1, which is higher than that of MIL-101(Fe,Cu) and MIL-101(Fe). likewise the specific surface area of GO/MIL-101(Fe,Cu)-2% is 778.11 m²/g is higher than that of MIL-101(Fe,Cuand MIL-101(Fe),which are 747.75 and 510.66 m²/g, respectively. The adsorption mechanism of phosphate is electrostatic attraction, forming coordination bonds and hydrogen bonds. The fabricated material is a promising adsorbent for the removal of phosphate with good reusability.

miRkit: R framework analyzing miRNA PCR array data

OBJECTIVE

The characterization of microRNAs (miRNA) in recent years is an important advance in the field of gene regulation. To this end, several approaches for miRNA expression analysis and various bioinformatics tools have been developed over the last few years. It is a common practice to analyze miRNA PCR Array data using the commercially available software, mostly due to its convenience and ease-of-use.

RESULTS

In this work we present miRkit, an open source framework written in R, that allows for the comprehensive analysis of RT-PCR data, from the processing of raw data to a functional analysis of the produced results. The main goal of the proposed tool is to provide an assessment of the samples' quality, perform data normalization by endogenous and exogenous miRNAs, and facilitate differential and functional enrichment analysis. The tool offers fast execution times with low memory usage, and is freely available under a ΜΙΤ license from https://bio.tools/mirkit . Overall, miRkit offers the full analysis from the raw RT-PCR data to functional analysis of targeted genes, and specifically designed to support the popular miScript miRNA PCR Array (Qiagen) technology.

Direct-Deposited Graphene Oxide on Dental Implants for Antimicrobial Activities and Osteogenesis

Objective

To determine the effects of graphene oxide (GO) deposition (on a zirconia surface) on bacterial adhesion and osteoblast activation.

Methods

An atmospheric pressure plasma generator (PGS-300) was used to coat Ar/CH₄ mixed gas onto zirconia specimens (15-mm diameter × 2.5-mm thick disks) at a rate of 10 L/min and 240 V. Zirconia specimens were divided into two groups: uncoated (control; Zr) group and GO-coated (Zr-GO) group. Surface characteristics and element structures of each specimen were evaluated by field emission scanning electron microscope (FE-SEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), Raman spectroscopy, and contact angle. Additionally, crystal violet staining was performed to assess the adhesion of Streptococcus mutans. WST-8 and ALP (Alkaline phosphatase) assays were conducted to evaluate MC3T3-E1 osteoblast adhesion, proliferation, and differentiation. Statistical analysis was calculated by the Mann–Whitney U-test.

Results

FE–SEM and Raman spectroscopy demonstrated effective GO deposition on the zirconia surface in Zr-GO. The attachment and biofilm formation of S. mutans was significantly reduced in Zr-GO compared with that of Zr (P < 0.05). While no significant differences in cell attachment of MC3T3-1 were observed, both proliferation and differentiation were increased in Zr-GO as compared with that of Zr (P < 0.05).

Significance

GO-coated zirconia inhibited the attachment of S. mutans and stimulated proliferation and differentiation of osteoblasts. Therefore, GO-coated zirconia can prevent peri-implantitis by inhibiting bacterial adhesion. Moreover, its osteogenic ability can increase bone adhesion and success rate of implants.