Shandong University of Technology

About: Shandong University of Technology is a education organization based out in Zibo, Shandong, China. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Catalysis & Microstructure. The organization has 10049 authors who have published 8802 publications receiving 84243 citations.

Synthesis, Characterization, and Biological Application of Size-Controlled Nanocrystalline NaYF4:Yb,Er Infrared-to-Visible Up-Conversion Phosphors

Abstract: Nanocrystalline infrared-to-visible up-conversion phosphors, ytterbium and erbium co-doped sodium yttrium fluoride, were synthesized. Spherical particles with narrow size distribution were prepared by a co-precipitation method in the presence of ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA). Particles of controlled size in the range of 37 to 166 nm diameter were obtained by adjusting the molar ratio of EDTA to total lanthanides. Although the as-prepared nanoparticles emit very weak up-conversion fluorescence when excited by infrared light, the emission was enhanced by up to 40-fold after they were annealed at temperatures between 400 and 600 degreesC. By comparison with the bulk phosphor, the luminescence efficiency of the nanoparticle was estimated to be 1%. Factors affecting the particle size and their up-conversion fluorescence intensity were investigated by various microscopic and spectroscopic techniques. Preliminary results demonstrated the nanoparticles as promising up-converting fluorescence labels in the detection of biological interactions.

Evaluation of the Spermatogenic Activity of Polyherbal Formulation in Oligospermic Males.

Abstract: The therapeutic use of natural herbs is an ancient human civilization act and the numbers of people have reliance on their pharmacological properties and preferred to use the natural herbs. People also use to consume these herbs as supplements to energize, bolster, and eventually enhance sexual ability. Polyherbal formulation (PHF) is one of these herbal amalgams that can be used to treat sexual dysfunction including erectile dysfunction, impotence, ejaculation dysfunction, and hypogonadism. The pilot study was aimed at evaluating the capacity of PHF in enhancing the spermatogenic potential of oligospermic patients. Thirty-six male patients with oligospermia were enrolled and randomized either to treatment (n = 23) with PHF (750 mg/d in three doses for 90 days) or to placebo (n = 13) in the same protocol. The preintervention semen analysis was compared with posttreatment semen analysis. Based on the postintervention semen analysis, patients were advised to undergo either in vitro fertilization (IVF) or intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) to assess their fertility status. After polyherbal treatment, there was a 256% increase in sperm concentration (9.59 ± 4.37 × 106/mL to 25.61 ± 8.6 × 106/mL; P ≤0.001), 154% increase in semen volume (1.7 ± 0.14 mL to 4.32 ± 0.38 mL; P ≤0.001), and 215% increase in sperm motility (15.43 ± 2.40% to 48.65 ± 5.10%; P ≤ 0.001) on day 90 from baseline. Furthermore, a significant improvement and regulation were also observed in serum hormone levels with PHF treatment as compared to the placebo group. The present study demonstrated the evidence on synergistic spermatogenic effect of PHF as attributed in ayurveda for the treatment of oligospermia leading to infertility.

Natural products and drug discovery. Can thousands of years of ancient medical knowledge lead us to new and powerful drug combinations in the fight against cancer and dementia

Abstract: The medicinal use of natural products—compounds that are derived from natural sources such as plants, animals or micro‐organisms—precedes recorded human history probably by thousands of years. Palaeoanthropological studies at the cave site of Shanidar, located in the Zagros Mountains of Kurdistan in Iraq, have suggested that more than 60,000 years ago, Neanderthals might have been aware of the medicinal properties of various plants, as evidenced by pollen deposits in one of the graves at the site (Solecki, 1975). Over the ensuing millennia, humankind discovered and made use of an enormous range of natural compounds; the latest version of the Dictionary of Natural Products (DNP; http://dnp.chemnetbase.com) has just over 214,000 entries. Throughout our evolution, the importance of natural products for medicine and health has been enormous. Since our earliest ancestors chewed on certain herbs to relieve pain, or wrapped leaves around wounds to improve healing, natural products have often been the sole means to treat diseases and injuries. In fact, it has only been during the past decades that natural products have taken a secondary role in drug discovery and drug development, after the advent of molecular biology and combinatorial chemistry made possible the rational design of chemical compounds to target specific molecules. The past few years, however, have seen a renewed interest in the use of natural compounds and, more importantly, their role as a basis for drug development. The modern tools of chemistry and biology—in particular, the various ‘‐omics’ technologies—now allow scientists to detail the exact nature of the biological effects of natural compounds on the human body, as well as to uncover possible synergies, which holds much promise for the development of new therapies against many devastating diseases, including dementia and cancer. > …Throughout our evolution, the importance of natural products for medicine and health has been enormous Owing …

Proton-conducting crystalline porous materials

Abstract: Crystalline porous materials are currently a hot research topic in the field of proton-conducting materials. Crystalline porous materials include metal–organic frameworks (MOFs), coordination polymers (CPs), polyoxometalates (POMs) and covalent organic frameworks (COFs). The designable structures and high surface areas of these materials provide great opportunities to orderly accommodate proton carriers and to systemically modify the concentration and mobility of proton carriers in available spaces. Based on the understanding of the relationship between the structure and proton conductivity, controllable synthesis of porous materials with high proton conductivity will gradually be achieved. This review summarizes the emerging studies of these materials and their unique proton conductivities.