Hybrid capacitive deionization (HCDI) is an emerging and promising technology for water desalination and has been extensively explored in recent years. Designing a structure-tailorable electrode material has been proved to be a valid strategy for achieving a higher salt adsorption capacity (SAC). In this study, MnO2 materials with tailorable phase compositions and crystallinities were prepared hydrothermally and then evaluated as electrodes for removal of ions from a NaCl solution in a membrane-free HCDI cell. MnO2 electrode materials tested in the HCDI system include poorly crystalline δ-MnO2 along with abundant amorphous phases (MnO2-1h); crystalline δ-MnO2 with plentiful amorphous MnO2 (MnO2-2h); MnO2 mixtures of α-, δ-, and amorphous MnO2 (MnO2-5h); and α-MnO2 nanowires with minor amorphous MnO2 (MnO2-12h). Our results revealed that the phase composition and the crystallinity of MnO2 materials govern their specific capacitances and thus the SAC values. When the cell voltage is 1.2 V, the lamellar-structured poorly crystalline MnO2-1h electrode with the lowest crystallinity demonstrates the highest SACs of 13.84 mg g–1 in 100 mg L–1 NaCl (1.71 mM) and 21.32 mg g–1 in 500 mg L–1 NaCl (8.56 mM) solutions, respectively. The desalination efficiencies of the MnO2−1h electrode are remarkable and much greater than other MnO2-based electrodes under similar conditions (e.g., NaCl concentrations, cell voltage, etc.). This study sheds light on the significance of understanding the fundamentals of both the phase composition and crystallinity in defining the desalination performance of MnO2 electrodes.

No abstract

No abstract

: ANO1, anoctamin 1(also known as TMEM16A), is the molecular basis of calcium-activated chloride channels with ten transmembrane segments which are widely expressed in mammalian cells, including epithelial cells, vascular smooth muscle tissues, electro-excitatory cells, and some tumor cells. These proteins are widely expressed in mammalian cells, including epithelial cells, vascular smooth muscle tissues, electro-excitatory cells, and some tumor cells. To date, multiple studies have shown that many natural and synthetic compounds have regulatory effects on ANO1. Therefore, ANO1 could be a potential new drug target for the treatment of cancer, pain, diarrhea, hypertension, and asthma. Here we review the structure of ANO1 and its involvement in cancer, pain, diarrhea, hypertension, and asthma.

BACKGROUND The exopolysaccharides (EPS) produced by Lactobacillus and other probiotics are associated with many benefits, such as immune regulation, antioxidant properties, antitumor effect, and regulation of intestinal microbe homeostasis. In the present study, the modulatory effect of EPS produced by Lactobacillus rhamnosus ZFM231 on the intestinal flora of mice with inflammatory bowel disease induced by dextran sulfate solution was investigated. RESULTS Results indicated that weight loss, colonic length, the disease activity index score and colonic tissue damage in mice were significantly improved by EPS treatment. Compared with the model group, in the EPS‐treated group, the diversity of and the composition of gut microbiota at both phylum and genus levels were found to recover to the levels of normal group, indicating the effective modulation on gut microbiota by EPS; short‐chain fatty acids, including acetic acid, propionic acid and butyric acid produced by intestinal microbial metabolism, increased significantly; the level of anti‐inflammatory factor transforning growth factor‐β significantly increased and the level of pro‐inflammatory factor tumor necrosis factor‐α significantly decreased in the colonic cells of EPS‐treated mice. CONCLUSION It is clear that EPS produced by L. rhamnosus ZFM231 could find application in functional foods with the property of anti‐ulcerative colitis. The experimental results provide new insights into the probiotic effect of EPS. © 2022 Society of Chemical Industry.