Development of active and earth-abundant catalysts is pivotal to render hydrazine monohydrate (N₂H₄·H₂O) viable as a hydrogen carrier. Herein, we report the synthesis of noble-metal-free Ni–W–O-derived catalysts using a hydrothermal method in combination with reductive annealing treatment. Interestingly, the thus-prepared Ni-based catalysts exhibit remarkably distinct catalytic properties toward N₂H₄·H₂O decomposition depending upon the annealing temperature. From a systematic phase/microstructure/chemical state characterization and the first-principles calculations, we found that the variation of the apparent catalytic properties of these Ni-based catalysts should stem from the formation of different Ni–W alloys with distinct intrinsic activity, selectivity, and distribution state. The thereby chosen Ni–W alloy nanocomposite catalyst prepared under an optimized condition showed high activity, nearly 100% selectivity, and excellent stability toward N₂H₄·H₂O decomposition for hydrogen production. Furthermore, this noble-metal-free catalyst enables rapid hydrogen production from commercially available N₂H₄·H₂O solution with an intriguingly high hydrogen capacity of 6.28 wt % and a satisfactory dynamic response property. These results are inspiring and momentous for promoting the use of the N₂H₄·H₂O-based H₂ source systems.

Fluoxetine, a member of the class of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, is a racemic mixture and has an anxiolytic effect in rodents. Previously, we have shown that fluoxetine can up-regulate melanin synthesis in B16F10 melanoma cells and normal human melanocytes (NMHM). However, the role of r-fluoxetine and s-fluoxetine, in the regulation of melanin synthesis, is still unknown. Here, we show how r-fluoxetine plays a critical role in fluoxetine enhancing melanogenesis, both in vivo and vitro, by up-regulating tyrosinase (TYR) and the microphthalmia-associated transcription factor (MITF) expression, whereas, s-fluoxetine does not show any effect in the vivo and vitro systems. In addition, we found that r-fluoxetine induced melanin synthesis through the serotonin1A receptor (5-HT1A) and serotonin 2A receptor (5-HT2A). Furthermore, r-fluoxetine increased the phosphorylation of p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (p38 MAPK), without affecting the phosphorylation of extracellularly responsive kinase (ERK1/2) and c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK). These data suggest that r-fluoxetine may be used as a drug for skin hypopigmentation disorders.

Pydiflumetofen (PYD), a highly effective and broad-spectrum fungicide, is commonly employed for the control of fungal diseases. In this study, the uptake, translocation, and biotransformation of PYD by wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) were firstly investigated at a chiral level. The findings revealed that the residue concentration of R-PYD in wheat was higher than that of S-PYD, because of its higher uptake rate (k₁ = 0.0421 h^-1) and lower elimination rate (k² = 0.0459 h^-1). Additionally, R-PYD exhibited higher root bioconcentration factors and translocation factors compared with S-enantiomer, indicating R-PYD was more easily accumulating in roots and translocating to shoots. Furthermore, a total of 9 metabolites, including hydroxylated, demethylated, demethoxylated, dechlorinated, hydrolyzed, and glycosylated-conjugated products, were detected qualitatively in wheat roots or shoots. Symplastic pathway-mediated uptake, which predominantly relied on aquaporins and anion channels, was confirmed by root adsorption and inhibition experiments, without displaying any enantioselective effect. Molecular simulations demonstrated that R-PYD exhibited stronger binding affinity with TaLTP 1.1 with a lower grid score (-6.79 kcal/mol), whereas weaker interaction with the metabolic enzyme (CYP71C6v1) compared to the S-enantiomer. These findings highlight the significance of plant biomacromolecules in the enantioselective bioaccumulation and biotransformation processes. Importantly, a combination of experimental and theoretical evidence provide a comprehensive understanding of the fate of chiral pesticides in plants from an enantioselective perspective.

Different pollutants usually co-exist in the natural environment, and the ecological and health risk assessment of agrochemicals needs to be carried out based on the combined toxicological effects of pollutants. To examine the combined toxicity to aquatic organisms, the effects of cadmium (Cd) and five pesticides (acetamiprid, carbendazim, azoxystrobin, chlorpyrifos, and bifenthrin) mixture on zebrafish (Danio rerio) larvae were assessed. The data from the 96-h toxicity test indicated that bifenthrin possessed the highest toxicity to D. rerio with the LC₅₀ value of 0.15 mg L⁻¹, followed by chlorpyrifos (0.36 mg L⁻¹) and azoxystrobin (0.63 mg L⁻¹). Cd (6.84 mg L⁻¹) and carbendazim (8.53 mg L⁻¹) induced the intermediate toxic responses, while acetamiprid (58.39 mg L⁻¹) presented the lowest toxicity to the organisms. Pesticide mixtures containing chlorpyrifos and bifenthrin or acetamiprid and carbendazim showed synergistic impacts on the zebrafish. Besides, two binary combinations of Cd-acetamiprid and Cd-chlorpyrifos also displayed a synergistic effect on D. rerio. Our results offered a better idea of the mixed ecological risk assessment of Cd and different agricultural chemicals to aquatic organisms. Our findings better interpreted how the interaction between Cd and various agrochemicals changed their toxicity to aquatic vertebrates and provided valuable insights into critical impacts on the ecological hazard of their combinations.

This study aims to reveal the potential relationship between 5-HT and oxidative stress in the organism. Our in vitro experiments in RIN-14B cells showed that anoxia leads the cells to the state of oxidative stress. Administration of exogenous 5-HT exacerbated this effect, whereas the inhibition of Tph1, LP533401 alleviated the oxidative stress. Several research articles reported that Cinnabar (consists of more than 96% mercury sulfide, HgS), which is widely used in both Chinese and Indian traditional medicine prescriptions, has been involved in the regulation of 5-HT. The present research revealed that HgS relieved the level of oxidative stress of RIN-14B cells. This pharmacological activity was also observed in the prescription drug Zuotai, in which HgS accounts for 54.5%, and these effects were found to be similar to LP533401, an experimental drug to treat pulmonary hypertension. Further, our in vivo experiments revealed that the administration of cinnabar or prescription drug Zuotai in zebrafish reduced the reactive oxygen species (ROS) induced by hypoxia and cured behavioral abnormalities. Taken together, in organisms with hypoxia induced oxidative stress 5-HT levels were found to be abnormally elevated, indicating that 5-HT could regulate oxidative stress, and the decrease in the 5-HT levels, behavioral abnormalities after treatment with cinnabar and Zuotai, we may conclude that the therapeutic and pharmacologic effect of cinnabar and Zuotai may be based on the regulation of 5-HT metabolism and relief of oxidative stress. Even though they aren’t toxic at the present dosage in both cell lines and zebrafish, their dose dependent toxicities are yet to be evaluated.