Facilitated by TiO2 particles absorbing La3+ in hydrosol, La-doped TiO2 was prepared by a sol-hydrothermal method. Electron paramagnetic resonance and Brunauer−Emmett−Teller (BET) surface area analysis showed that the obtained La-doped anatase TiO2 surface provided a higher density of oxygen vacancies without a change in the BET surface area. A theoretical calculation was carried out to explain the generation mechanism of the increased oxygen vacancies. The results showed that the La-doped anatase TiO2 (101) surface tends to engender oxygen vacancies. The photoelectric conversion efficiency of dye-sensitized solar cells fabricated from 1 mol % La-doped TiO2 reached 6.72%, which gave an efficiency improved by 13.5% compared with that of the cells fabricated from pure TiO2. The improvement in the efficiency was ascribed to more dye absorbed on the surface of TiO2.

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Multilayer structure was prepared in a dye-sensitized solar cell work electrode by enlarging the porosity in each layer being coated on the fluorine-doped tin oxide transparent conducting glass from bottom to top. The multilayer structure exhibits an improved light scattering character, which resulted in better light harvesting of the cell. An obvious improvement in short circuit current is obtained. I-V characteristic measurement indicates an improved efficiency by 13% as compared to homogeneous pore-size samples. Diffuse reflectance spectra, scanning electron microscope images, and porosity measurements demonstrate that larger porosity is the cause of enhanced light scattering.

Polyhedron-shaped AgNbO3 photocatalysts were synthesized by solvothermal and liquid-solid methods. Their photocatalytic properties were evaluated from the photocatalytic O2 evolution under visible light irradiation. The polyhedron-shaped AgNbO3 was induced to grow by shaped silver particles followed by the free-growth model. The photocatalytic results indicate that the polyhedron-shaped morphology is favourable for the photocatalytic O2 evolution under visible light irradiation in comparison with the spherical one. Furthermore, the Cu doping on the surface would enhance the visible light photocatalytic activity significantly.

A highly (110)-oriented ZnO porous nanosheet framework is designed as the photoanode in photoelectrochemical systems, by virtue of its anisotropic electronic properties. It can be facilely prepared in large scale via a hydrothermal method. X-ray diffraction (XRD) analyses show that the orientation index of the (110) diffraction plane is 3.54, indicating the films possess (110) preferred orientation. Field-emission scanning electron microscope (FE-SEM) images exhibit that most of the nanosheets stand nearly perpendicularly on the substrate. The {002} lattice planes work just like conducting wires and induce the electrons to transport to the substrate. Chronoamperometry measurement demonstrates an effective electron collection. When the nanostructured photoanode is introduced to dye-sensitized solar cells, a conversion efficiency of 3.7% is obtained. The photoanode also has potential application in the other photoelectrochemical systems, such as photocatalytical splitting of water.

Recurrent spontaneous abortion (RSA) is a common complication of pregnancy that affects the physical and mental health of pregnant women, and approximately 50% of the mechanisms are unclear. Our previous studies have found that high mobility group box 1 (HMGB1) molecules are highly expressed at the maternal-fetal interface of unexplained recurrent spontaneous abortion (URSA) patients. The purpose of this study was to further detect the expression of HMGB1 and pyroptosis in decidual tissue of URSA patients, and explore the potential mechanism of the protective role of HMGB1 in URSA patients and mouse model. The decidua tissues of 75 URSA patients and 75 women who actively terminated pregnancy were collected, and URSA mouse models were established and treated with HMGB1 inhibitor-aspirin. The expression of HMGB1, and their receptors (RAGE, TLR2, TLR4), pyroptosis-associated proteins (NLRP-3, caspase-1, GSDMD) and NF-κB was examined at the maternal-fetal interface of human and mouse. Our study found that HMGB1, NLRP-3, Caspase-1, GSDMD, RAGE, TLR2 and TLR4 were highly expressed and NF-κB signaling pathway were activated in the decidua tissue of URSA group. Moreover, immune cell disorder and co-localization of HMGB1 and macrophages were found at the maternal-fetal interface of URSA mice. However, HMGB1, TLR2, TLR4, NF-κB, and pyroptosis-associated proteins can be down-regulated by administering low-dose aspirin. These data may indicate that highly expressed HMGB1 was actively secreted by macrophages and then activated pyroptosis through the TLR2/TLR4-NF-κB pathway to cause aseptic inflammation, leading to the occurrence and development of URSA. Moreover, low-dose aspirin can reduce HMGB1 protein levels of serum and decidual in URSA.

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Monodisperse iron oxide micro-, nanospindles and nanospheres with controlled sizes were synthesized through a facile solvothermal process. The products are characterized by X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, BET surface area measurements, scanning electron microscopy and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy. The growth mechanism of spindle-like or spherical iron oxides with controlled size is discussed. Different content of Cl À in the reaction medium can also influence the nucleation rate through the decomposition of Fe 8 O 8 (OH) 8 Cl 1.35 and thus control the particle sizes. The as-prepared iron oxides exhibit size dependence in their physical properties such as UV-vis absorption spectra and IR spectra. In addition, the removal capacities of Cr(VI) of the asprepared iron oxides are investigated. The better performances of the as-prepared iron oxides than commercial iron oxides could be attributed to the larger surface area and rough surface structure.