Alexey Klechikov

The role of pro-inflammatory S100A9 in Alzheimer’s disease amyloid-neuroinflammatory cascade

Pro-inflammatory S100A9 protein is increasingly recognized as an important contributor to inflammation-related neurodegeneration. Here, we provide insights into S100A9 specific mechanisms of action in Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Due to its inherent amyloidogenicity S100A9 contributes to amyloid plaque formation together with Aβ. In traumatic brain injury (TBI) S100A9 itself rapidly forms amyloid plaques, which were reactive with oligomer-specific antibodies, but not with Aβ and amyloid fibrillar antibodies. They may serve as precursor-plaques for AD, implicating TBI as an AD risk factor. S100A9 was observed in some hippocampal and cortical neurons in TBI, AD and non-demented aging. In vitro S100A9 forms neurotoxic linear and annular amyloids resembling Aβ protofilaments. S100A9 amyloid cytotoxicity and native S100A9 pro-inflammatory signaling can be mitigated by its co-aggregation with Aβ, which results in a variety of micron-scale amyloid complexes. NMR and molecular docking demonstrated transient interactions between native S100A9 and Aβ. Thus, abundantly present in AD brain pro-inflammatory S100A9, possessing also intrinsic amyloidogenic properties and ability to modulate Aβ aggregation, can serve as a link between the AD amyloid and neuroinflammatory cascades and as a prospective therapeutic target.

Hydrogen storage in high surface area graphene scaffolds

Using an optimized KOH activation procedure we prepared highly porous graphene scaffold materials with SSA values up to 3400 m(2) g(-1) and a pore volume up to 2.2 cm(3) g(-1), which are among the highest for carbon materials. Hydrogen uptake of activated graphene samples was evaluated in a broad temperature interval (77-296 K). After additional activation by hydrogen annealing the maximal excess H2 uptake of 7.5 wt% was obtained at 77 K. A hydrogen storage value as high as 4 wt% was observed already at 193 K (120 bar H2), a temperature of solid CO2, which can be easily maintained using common industrial refrigeration methods.

Structure of graphene oxide membranes in solvents and solutions

The change of distance between individual graphene oxide sheets due to swelling is the key parameter to explain and predict permeation of multilayered graphene oxide (GO) membranes by various solvents and solutions. In situ synchrotron X-ray diffraction study shows that swelling properties of GO membranes are distinctly different compared to precursor graphite oxide powder samples. Intercalation of liquid dioxolane, acetonitrile, acetone, and chloroform into the GO membrane structure occurs with maximum one monolayer insertion (Type I), in contrast with insertion of 2-3 layers of these solvents into the graphite oxide structure. However, the structure of GO membranes expands in liquid DMSO and DMF solvents similarly to precursor graphite oxide (Type II). It can be expected that Type II solvents will permeate GO membranes significantly faster compared to Type I solvents. The membranes are found to be stable in aqueous solutions of acidic and neutral salts, but dissolve slowly in some basic solutions of certain concentrations, e.g. in NaOH, NaHCO3 and LiF. Some larger organic molecules, alkylamines and alkylammonium cations are found to intercalate and expand the lattice of GO membranes significantly, e.g. up to ∼35 Å in octadecylamine/methanol solution. Intercalation of solutes into the GO structure is one of the limiting factors for nano-filtration of certain molecules but it also allows modification of the inter-layer distance of GO membranes and tuning of their permeation properties. For example, GO membranes functionalized with alkylammonium cations are hydrophobized and they swell in non-polar solvents.

A Molecular Pillar Approach To Grow Vertical Covalent Organic Framework Nanosheets on Graphene: Hybrid Materials for Energy Storage

Hybrid 2D-2D materials composed of perpendicularly oriented covalent organic frameworks (COFs) and graphene were prepared and tested for energy storage applications. Diboronic acid molecules covalently attached to graphene oxide (GO) were used as nucleation sites for directing vertical growth of COF-1 nanosheets (v-COF-GO). The hybrid material has a forest of COF-1 nanosheets with a thickness of 3 to 15 nm in edge-on orientation relative to GO. The reaction performed without molecular pillars resulted in uncontrollable growth of thick COF-1 platelets parallel to the surface of GO. The v-COF-GO was converted into a conductive carbon material preserving the nanostructure of precursor with ultrathin porous carbon nanosheets grafted to graphene in edge-on orientation. It was demonstrated as a high-performance electrode material for supercapacitors. The molecular pillar approach can be used for preparation of many other 2D-2D materials with control of their relative orientation.

Correction to “Comment on ‘Nanohole-Structured and Palladium-Embedded 3D Porous Graphene for Ultrahigh Hydrogen Storage and CO Oxidation Multifunctionalities’”

ACS Nano 2016, 10, 9055−9056. DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.6b03568. The inset in the original Figure 1 showed two scanning electron microscope (SEM) images from air-annealed, Pd-decorated reduced graphene oxide (r-GO). However, in the process of working on the full paper on the relevant subject of H2 storage in Pd-decorated graphene-related materials, we discovered that one of the images (with scale bar 200 nm) mistakenly showed a similar-looking air-annealed Ni-decorated nanocarbon sample. The second image and isotherms were recorded from the Pd-decorated sample, as stated in the figure caption. We apologize for this unfortunate error in image selection. Correct images of holey Pd-decorated air annealed r-GO samples are shown in Figure 1 and ref 2.