Yu Huang

Bio: Yu Huang is an academic researcher from Chinese Academy of Sciences. The author has contributed to research in topics: Medicine & Materials science. The author has an hindex of 136, co-authored 1492 publications receiving 89209 citations. Previous affiliations of Yu Huang include The Chinese University of Hong Kong & Samsung.

Perovskite LaFeO3-SrTiO3 composite for synergistically enhanced NO removal under visible light excitation

Abstract: Perovskite oxides (ABO 3 ) are widely studied as excellent sorbing and catalytic materials for NO x abatement in automobile or stationary depollution processes, and recently they have attracted significant interest in solar conversion reactions due to the flexible composition, facile optical and electronic tuning properties. In this work, perovskite LaFeO 3 microspheres were synthesized and employed as photocatalysts to remove parts-per-billion level NO, and it is found that the photocatalytic efficiency was dramatically improved by coupling with SrTiO 3 nanocubes. The LaFeO 3 -SrTiO 3 composite with proper mass ratio (0.3–1) displayed 3.1 and 4.5 fold enhancement in NO removal rate as compared to the pristine LaFeO 3 and SrTiO 3 , respectively. Moreover, the LaFeO 3 -SrTiO 3 composite exhibited decreased NO 2 yield possibly due to the basic surface property of strontium sites. The synergistically improved activity was due to broad visible light harvest, enlarged surface area, and most importantly, the depressed surface charge recombination originating from the perfectly matched LaFeO 3 -SrTiO 3 interface and facile charge transfer along the staggered band alignment. The temperature programmed desorption (TPD) analysis revealed that the composite had efficient chemisorption for NO. Further, the electron spin resonance (ESR) combined with the radical scavenger tests and density functional theory (DFT) calculations suggested that the photocatalytic NO oxidation via superoxide radicals ( O 2 − ) from SrTiO 3 and direct hole (h + ) transfer from LaFeO 3 might be the predominant routes. We believe that this study provides some new insights into perovskite nanomaterials as photocatalyst for NO x abatement under ambient conditions.

Sensitive pressure sensors based on conductive microstructured air-gap gates and two-dimensional semiconductor transistors

Abstract: Microscopic pressure sensors that can rapidly detect small pressure variations are of value in robotic technologies, human–machine interfaces, artificial intelligence and health monitoring devices. However, both capacitive and transistor-based pressure sensors have limitations in terms of sensitivity, response speed, stability and power consumption. Here we show that highly sensitive pressure sensors can be created by integrating a conductive microstructured air-gap gate with two-dimensional semiconductor transistors. The air-gap gate can be used to create capacitor-based sensors that have tunable sensitivity and pressure-sensing range, exhibiting an average sensitivity of 44 kPa−1 in the 0–5 kPa regime and a peak sensitivity up to 770 kPa−1. Furthermore, by employing the air-gap gate as a pressure-sensitive gate for two-dimensional semiconductor transistors, the pressure sensitivity of the device can be amplified to ~103–107 kPa−1 at an optimized pressure regime of ~1.5 kPa. Our sensors also offer fast response speeds, low power consumption, low minimum pressure detection limits and excellent stability. We illustrate their capabilities by using them to perform static pressure mapping, real-time human pulse wave measurements, sound wave detection and remote pressure monitoring. Pressure sensors with a sensitivity of ~103−107 kPa−1, as well as rapid response speeds, low power consumption and excellent stability, can be created by integrating a conductive microstructured air-gap gate with two-dimensional semiconductor transistors.

Reactive Oxygen Species, Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress and Mitochondrial Dysfunction: The Link with Cardiac Arrhythmogenesis.

Abstract: Background: Cardiac arrhythmias represent a significant problem globally, leading to cerebrovascular accidents, myocardial infarction, and sudden cardiac death. There is increasing evidence to suggest that increased oxidative stress from reactive oxygen species (ROS), which is elevated in conditions such as diabetes and hypertension, can lead to arrhythmogenesis. Method: A literature review was undertaken to screen for articles that investigated the effects of ROS on cardiac ion channel function, remodelling and arrhythmogenesis. Results: Prolonged endoplasmic reticulum stress is observed in heart failure, leading to increased production of ROS. Mitochondrial ROS, which is elevated in diabetes and hypertension, can stimulate its own production in a positive feedback loop, termed ROS-induced ROS release. Together with activation, mitochondrial inner membrane anion channels, it leads to mitochondrial depolarization. Abnormal function of these organelles can then activate downstream signalling pathways, ultimately culminating in altered function or expression of cardiac ion channels responsible for generating the cardiac action potential (AP). Vascular and cardiac endothelial cells become dysfunctional, leading to altered paracrine signalling to influence the electrophysiology of adjacent cardiomyocytes. All of these changes can in turn produce abnormalities in AP repolarization or conduction, thereby increasing likelihood of triggered activity and reentry. Conclusion: ROS plays a significant role in producing arrhythmic substrate. Therapeutic strategies targeting upstream events include production of a strong reducing environment or the use of pharmacological agents that target organelle-specific proteins and ion channels. These may relieve oxidative stress and in turn prevent arrhythmic complications in patients with diabetes, hypertension and heart failure.

Real-time electrical detection of nitric oxide in biological systems with sub-nanomolar sensitivity

Abstract: Real-time monitoring of nitric oxide concentrations is of central importance for probing the diverse roles of nitric oxide in neurotransmission, cardiovascular systems and immune responses. Here we report a new design of nitric oxide sensors based on hemin-functionalized graphene field-effect transistors. With its single atom thickness and the highest carrier mobility among all materials, graphene holds the promise for unprecedented sensitivity for molecular sensing. The non-covalent functionalization through π-π stacking interaction allows reliable immobilization of hemin molecules on graphene without damaging the graphene lattice to ensure the highly sensitive and specific detection of nitric oxide. Our studies demonstrate that the graphene-hemin sensors can respond rapidly to nitric oxide in physiological environments with a sub-nanomolar sensitivity. Furthermore, in vitro studies show that the graphene-hemin sensors can be used for the detection of nitric oxide released from macrophage cells and endothelial cells, demonstrating their practical functionality in complex biological systems.

I and i

Abstract: There is, I think, something ethereal about i —the square root of minus one. I remember first hearing about it at school. It seemed an odd beast at that time—an intruder hovering on the edge of reality. Usually familiarity dulls this sense of the bizarre, but in the case of i it was the reverse: over the years the sense of its surreal nature intensified. It seemed that it was impossible to write mathematics that described the real world in …

Fast parallel algorithms for short-range molecular dynamics

Abstract: Three parallel algorithms for classical molecular dynamics are presented. The first assigns each processor a fixed subset of atoms; the second assigns each a fixed subset of inter-atomic forces to compute; the third assigns each a fixed spatial region. The algorithms are suitable for molecular dynamics models which can be difficult to parallelize efficiently—those with short-range forces where the neighbors of each atom change rapidly. They can be implemented on any distributed-memory parallel machine which allows for message-passing of data between independently executing processors. The algorithms are tested on a standard Lennard-Jones benchmark problem for system sizes ranging from 500 to 100,000,000 atoms on several parallel supercomputers--the nCUBE 2, Intel iPSC/860 and Paragon, and Cray T3D. Comparing the results to the fastest reported vectorized Cray Y-MP and C90 algorithm shows that the current generation of parallel machines is competitive with conventional vector supercomputers even for small problems. For large problems, the spatial algorithm achieves parallel efficiencies of 90% and a 1840-node Intel Paragon performs up to 165 faster than a single Cray C9O processor. Trade-offs between the three algorithms and guidelines for adapting them to more complex molecular dynamics simulations are also discussed.

疟原虫var基因转换速率变化导致抗原变异[英]／Paul H, Robert P, Christodoulou Z, et al//Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A

Abstract: 抗原变异可使得多种致病微生物易于逃避宿主免疫应答。表达在感染红细胞表面的恶性疟原虫红细胞表面蛋白1（PfPMP1）与感染红细胞、内皮细胞、树突状细胞以及胎盘的单个或多个受体作用，在黏附及免疫逃避中起关键的作用。每个单倍体基因组var基因家族编码约60种成员，通过启动转录不同的var基因变异体为抗原变异提供了分子基础。