Sun Yat-sen University

About: Sun Yat-sen University is a education organization based out in Guangzhou, Guangdong, China. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Cancer. The organization has 115149 authors who have published 113763 publications receiving 2286465 citations. The organization is also known as: Zhongshan University & SYSU.

Hierarchically Porous Carbon Plates Derived from Wood as Bifunctional ORR/OER Electrodes.

Abstract: Porous carbon electrodes have emerged as important cathode materials for metal-air battery systems. However, most approaches for fabricating porous carbon electrodes from biomass are highly energy inefficient as they require the breaking down of the biomass and its subsequent reconstitution into powder-like carbon. Here, enzymes are explored to effectively hydrolyze the partial cellulose in bulk raw wood to form a large number of nanopores, which helps to maximally expose the inner parts of the raw wood to sufficiently dope nitrogen onto the carbon skeletons during the subsequent pyrolysis process. The resulting carbons exhibit excellent catalytic activity with respect to the oxygen reduction and oxygen evolution reactions. As-fabricated cellulose-digested, carbonized wood plates are mechanically strong, have high conductivity, and contain a crosslinked network and natural ion-transport channels and can be employed directly as metal-free electrodes without carbon paper, polymer binders, or carbon black. When used as metal-free cathodes in zinc-air batteries, they result in a specific capacity of 801 mA h g-1 and an energy density of 955 W h kg-1 with the long-term stability of the batteries being as high as 110 h. This work paves the way for the ready conversion of abundant biomass into high-value engineering products for energy-related applications.

Pigment epithelium-derived factor (PEDF) is an endogenous antiinflammatory factor

Abstract: Pigment epithelium-derived factor (PEDF) is a potent angiogenic inhibitor. Reduced PEDF levels are associated with diabetic retinopathy. However, the mechanism for the protective effects of PEDF against diabetic retinopathy (DR) is presently unclear. As inflammation plays a role in DR, the present study determined the effect of PEDF on inflammation. Western blot analysis and ELISA demonstrated that retinal and plasma PEDF levels were drastically decreased in rats with endotoxin-induced uveitis (EIU), which suggests that PEDF is a negative acute-phase protein. Intravitreal injection of PEDF significantly reduced vascular hyper-permeability in rat models of diabetes and oxygen-induced retinopathy, correlating with the decreased levels of retinal inflammatory factors, including VEGF, VEGF receptor-2, MCP-1, TNF-alpha, and ICAM-1. In cultured retinal capillary endothelial cells, PEDF significantly decreased TNF-alpha and ICAM-1 expression under hypoxia. Moreover, down-regulation of PEDF expression by siRNA resulted in significantly increases of VEGF and TNF-alpha secretion in retinal Muller cells. These findings suggest that PEDF is a novel endogenous anti-inflammatory factor in the eye. The decrease of ocular PEDF levels may contribute to inflammation and vascular leakage in DR.

Co(OH)2 @PANI Hybrid Nanosheets with 3D Networks as High-Performance Electrocatalysts for Hydrogen Evolution Reaction.

Abstract: Hybrid electrocatalysts with excellent electrocatalytic activity for hydrogen reduction are fabricated using an efficient and facile electrochemical route. The electronic and synergistic effects between Co(OH)2 and polyaniline (PANI) in the composite structure are the key factors that generate the high electrocatalytic activity and excellent stability. A highly efficient, non-precious metal-based flexible electrocatalyst for high-performance electrocatalysts is shown, which reveals a novel route for the design and synthesis of electrocatalysts.

Brain Anatomical Abnormalities in High-Risk Individuals, First-Episode, and Chronic Schizophrenia: An Activation Likelihood Estimation Meta-analysis of Illness Progression

Abstract: Objective: The present study reviewed voxel-based morphometry (VBM) studies on high-risk individuals with schizophrenia, patients experiencing their first-episode schizophrenia (FES), and those with chronic schizophrenia. We predicted that gray matter abnormalities would show progressive changes, with most extensive abnormalities in the chronic group relative to FES and least in the high-risk group. Method: Forty-one VBM studies were reviewed. Eight high-risk studies, 14 FES studies, and 19 chronic studies were analyzed using anatomical likelihood estimation meta-analysis. Results: Less gray matter in the high-risk group relative to controls was observed in anterior cingulate regions, left amygdala, and right insula. Lower gray matter volumes in FES compared with controls were also found in the anterior cingulate and right insula but not the amygdala. Lower gray matter volumes in the chronic group were most extensive, incorporating similar regions to those found in FES and high-risk groups but extending to superior temporal gyri, thalamus, posterior cingulate, and parahippocampal gryus. Subtraction analysis revealed less frontotemporal, striatal, and cerebellar gray matter in FES than the high-risk group; the high-risk group had less gray matter in left subcallosal gyrus, left amygdala, and left inferior frontal gyrus compared with FES. Subtraction analysis confirmed lower gray matter volumes through ventral-dorsal anterior cingulate, right insula, left amygdala and thalamus in chronic schizophrenia relative to FES. Conclusions: Frontotemporal brain structural abnormalities are evident in nonpsychotic individuals at high risk of developing schizophrenia. The present meta-analysis indicates that these gray matter abnormalities become more extensive through first-episode and chronic illness. Thus, schizophrenia appears to be a progressive cortico-striato-thalamic loop disorder.