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Background: Pregnant women are a vulnerable population to COVID-19 given an increased susceptibility to severe SARS-CoV-2 infection and pregnancy complications. However, few SARS-CoV-2 serological surveys have been performed among this population to assess the extent of the infection in sub-Saharan countries. The objectives of this study were to determine SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence among Beninese pregnant women, to identify spatial seropositivity clusters and to analyse factors associated with the infection. Methods: A cross-sectional study including women in their third trimester of pregnancy attending the antenatal care (ANC) clinics at Allada (south Benin) and Natitingou (north Benin) was conducted. Rapid diagnostic tests (RDT) for detection of IgG/IgM against the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein were performed using capillary blood. Seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies and associations between SARS-CoV-2 serostatus and maternal characteristics were analyzed by multivariate logistic regression. Spatial analyses were performed using the spatial scan statistics to identify spatial clusters of SARS-CoV-2 infection. Results: A total of 861 pregnant women were enrolled between May 4 and June 29, 2022. 58/861 (6.7%) participants reported having received COVID-19 vaccine. None of the participants had been diagnosed with COVID-19 during their pregnancy. SARS-CoV-2 antibodies were detected in 607/802 (75.7%; 95% CI 72.56%–78.62%) of unvaccinated participants. Several urban and rural spatial clusters of SARS-CoV-2 cases were identified in Allada and one urban spatial cluster was identified in Natitingou. Unvaccinated participants from Allada with at least one previous morbidity were at a three-times higher risk of presenting SARS-CoV-2 antibodies (OR = 2.89; 95%CI 1.19%-7.00%). Conclusion: Three out of four pregnant women had SARS-CoV-2 antibodies, suggesting a high virus circulation among pregnant women in Benin, while COVID-19 vaccination coverage was low. Pregnant women with comorbidities may be at increased risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection. This population should be prioritized for COVID-19 diagnosis and vaccination in order to prevent its deleterious effects. Trial registration: NCT06170320 (retrospectively registered on December 21, 2023). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Group B Streptococcus (GBS) is the leading cause of invasive infections in newborns. The prevention of GBS neonatal disease relies on the administration of an intrapartum antibiotic prophylaxis to GBS-colonized women. In recent years, rapid intrapartum detection of GBS vaginal colonization using real-time nucleic acid amplification tests (NAATs) emerged as an alternative to antenatal culture screening methods. Methods: We compared the performances of two loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) tests, the Ampliflash® GBS and the PlusLife® GBS tests, to standard culture for GBS detection in vaginal specimens from pregnant women. The study was conducted from April to July 2023 in a French hospital of the Paris area. Results: A total of 303 samples were analyzed, including 85 culture-positive samples (28.1%). The Ampliflash® GBS test and the PlusLife® GBS tests gave a result for 100% and 96.3% tests, respectively. The performances of the tests were as follows: sensitivity 87.1% (95% confidence interval (CI) 78.3–92.6) and 98.7% (95% CI 93.0-99.8), specificity 99.1% (95% CI 96.7–99.8), and 91.9% (95% CI 87.3–95.0), respectively. False negative results of the Ampliflash® GBS test correlated with low-density GBS cultures. Time-to-results correlated with GBS culture density only for the PlusLife® GBS test (p < 0.001). Conclusion: Both techniques provide excellent analytical performances with high sensitivity and specificity together with a short turnaround time and results available in 10 to 35 min. Their potential to further reduce the burden of GBS neonatal disease compared with antenatal culture screening needs to be assessed in future clinical studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background Pregnant women are a vulnerable population to COVID-19 given an increased susceptibility to severe SARS-CoV-2 infection and pregnancy complications. However, few SARS-CoV-2 serological surveys have been performed among this population to assess the extent of the infection in sub-Saharan countries. The objectives of this study were to determine SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence among Beninese pregnant women, to identify spatial seropositivity clusters and to analyse factors associated with the infection. Methods A cross-sectional study including women in their third trimester of pregnancy attending the antenatal care (ANC) clinics at Allada (south Benin) and Natitingou (north Benin) was conducted. Rapid diagnostic tests (RDT) for detection of IgG/IgM against the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein were performed using capillary blood. Seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies and associations between SARS-CoV-2 serostatus and maternal characteristics were analyzed by multivariate logistic regression. Spatial analyses were performed using the spatial scan statistics to identify spatial clusters of SARS-CoV-2 infection. Results A total of 861 pregnant women were enrolled between May 4 and June 29, 2022. 58/861 (6.7%) participants reported having received COVID-19 vaccine. None of the participants had been diagnosed with COVID-19 during their pregnancy. SARS-CoV-2 antibodies were detected in 607/802 (75.7%; 95% CI 72.56%–78.62%) of unvaccinated participants. Several urban and rural spatial clusters of SARS-CoV-2 cases were identified in Allada and one urban spatial cluster was identified in Natitingou. Unvaccinated participants from Allada with at least one previous morbidity were at a three-times higher risk of presenting SARS-CoV-2 antibodies (OR = 2.89; 95%CI 1.19%-7.00%). Conclusion Three out of four pregnant women had SARS-CoV-2 antibodies, suggesting a high virus circulation among pregnant women in Benin, while COVID-19 vaccination coverage was low. Pregnant women with comorbidities may be at increased risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection. This population should be prioritized for COVID-19 diagnosis and vaccination in order to prevent its deleterious effects. Trial registration NCT06170320 (retrospectively registered on December 21, 2023).

Abstract Purpose Group B Streptococcus (GBS) is the leading cause of invasive infections in newborns. The prevention of GBS neonatal disease relies on the administration of an intrapartum antibiotic prophylaxis to GBS-colonized women. In recent years, rapid intrapartum detection of GBS vaginal colonization using real-time nucleic acid amplification tests (NAATs) emerged as an alternative to antenatal culture screening methods. Methods We compared the performances of two loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) tests, the Ampliflash® GBS and the PlusLife® GBS tests, to standard culture for GBS detection in vaginal specimens from pregnant women. The study was conducted from April to July 2023 in a French hospital of the Paris area. Results A total of 303 samples were analyzed, including 85 culture-positive samples (28.1%). The Ampliflash® GBS test and the PlusLife® GBS tests gave a result for 100% and 96.3% tests, respectively. The performances of the tests were as follows: sensitivity 87.1% (95% confidence interval (CI) 78.3–92.6) and 98.7% (95% CI 93.0-99.8), specificity 99.1% (95% CI 96.7–99.8), and 91.9% (95% CI 87.3–95.0), respectively. False negative results of the Ampliflash® GBS test correlated with low-density GBS cultures. Time-to-results correlated with GBS culture density only for the PlusLife® GBS test (p

Robust, conductive and flexible electrode materials have been the focus of attention in portable, wearable electronics. However, it is still a significant challenge to achieve synergistic development of multiple properties simultaneously. Herein, we propose a combination of microscale design and nanostructures strategy to prepare MXene/cellulose nanofiber-poly (3,4-ethylenedioxythiphoenes):polystyrene sulfonate (Ti 3 C 2 T x /CNF-PEDOT:PSS, TC-P) hybrid film by a simple in-situ polymerization and vacuum filtration process. CNF serves as the supporting skeleton of PEDOT:PSS, effectively mitigating its self-aggregation and structural deformation due to the expansion/contraction of the polymer network. And the CNF-PEDOT:PSS composite is capable to open up the interlayer space of Ti 3 C 2 T x , which reduces the self-stacking of Ti 3 C 2 T x nanosheets. The strong interactions among the three components enable the hybrid film electrode to possess both flexibility and high electrochemical properties. As a result, the film electrode exhibits a remarkable tensile strength of 77.4 MPa and an excellent conductivity of 162.5 S cm -1 , as well as an outstanding areal specific capacitance of 896 mF cm -2 at 4 mA cm -2 . Moreover, the assembled symmetric supercapacitor (SSC) device displays a large areal energy density of 62 µWh cm -2 at a power density of 800 µW cm -2 and demonstrates a long cycle life with 85.1 % capacitance retention after 10,000 GCD cycles. This study provides an effective strategy to balance mechanical flexibility and electrochemical properties, providing an inspiration to prepare flexible electrodes that are widely applied in a new generation of portable, wearable electronics., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

The green synthesis strategy for cellulose-containing hydrogel electrolytes is significant for effectively managing resources, energy, and environmental concerns in the contemporary world. Herein, we propose an all-green strategy using AlCl 3 /ZnCl 2 /H 2 O solvent to create cellulose/polyacrylamide-based hydrogel (AZ-Cel/PAM) with expanded hierarchical topologies. The aqueous AlCl 3 /ZnCl 2 facilitates the efficient dissolution of cellulose at room temperature, and the dispersed Al 3+ -Zn 2+ ions autocatalytic system catalyzes in-situ polymerization of acrylamide (AM) monomer. This expands the AM network within the cellulose framework, forming multiple bonding interactions and stable ion channels. The resulting hybrid hydrogel exhibits improved mechanical properties (tensile strength of 56.54 kPa and compressive strength of 359.43 kPa) and enhanced ionic conductivity (1.99 S/m). Furthermore, it also demonstrates excellent adhesion, freeze resistance (-45 °C), and water retention capabilities. Quantum simulations further clarify the mechanical composition and ion transport mechanism of AZ-Cel/PAM hydrogels. The assembled supercapacitor with the hydrogel electrolyte, demonstrates an ideal area-specific capacitance of 203.80 mF/cm 2 . This all-green strategy presents a novel approach to developing sustainable energy storage devices., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

The production of hydrogen through seawater electrolysis has recently garnered increasing concern. However, hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) by alkaline seawater electrocatalysis is severely impeded by the slow H 2 O adsorption and H* binding kinetics at industrial current densities. Herein, a face-centered cubic/hexagonal close packed (fcc/hcp) NiRu alloy heterojunction was fabricated on Ni foam (N doped NiRu-inf/NF) by a low-temperature nitrogen plasma activation. Simultaneously, nitrogen atoms are introduced into the alloy to facilitate d-p hybridization. When N doped NiRu-inf/NF is integrated into a dual-electrode cell for urea-assisted seawater electrolysis, it achieves 100 mA cm -2 with an ultra-low voltage of 1.36 V and excellent stability. Density functional theory (DFT) verifies that the robust d-p hybridization among Ni, Ru and N exhibits more energy level matching for H 2 O molecule adsorption at the Ru sites, while simultaneously reducing the interaction between H* and Ni sites in N-doped NiRu-inf., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier Inc.)

The pulp and paper industry generates vast quantities of paper sludge, posing significant environmental challenges due to its disposal in landfills or incineration. This study explores the potential of valorizing paper sludge by incorporating it into particleboard production. It aims to optimize sludge content and particle size to enhance board properties-a novel approach to waste management in the wood composites industry. Through systematic variation of sludge content (0-25%) and particle size (< 0.5 to > 2 mm), we assessed the mechanical and physical properties such as internal bond strength (IB), modulus of rupture (MOR), modulus of elasticity (MOE), water absorption (WA), and thickness swelling (TS). The findings indicate that incorporating paper sludge at moderate levels (5-15%) with optimized particle sizes (< 1 mm) significantly improves the mechanical properties of the particleboard, including increased IB, MOR, and MOE while reducing WA and TS. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) further supported these results, revealing that higher-density boards with enhanced mechanical properties absorb less water, highlighting the interrelationship between structural integrity and moisture resistance. The PCA also identified thickness swelling as an independent factor, suggesting that while mechanical properties can be optimized, additional strategies are needed to control swelling. In conclusion, this study demonstrates that up to 15% paper sludge can be effectively used in particleboard production without compromising quality, provided particle size is carefully controlled. This approach not only offers a sustainable solution for managing paper sludge but also contributes to the development of eco-friendly composite materials, aligning with circular economy principles., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Hypothesis: Nonpolar solvents with added charge control agents are widely used in various applications, such as E-paper displays. In spite of previous work, the mechanisms governing charge generation in nonpolar liquids, particularly those induced by electrochemical reactions at the liquid-solid interface, are not completely understood. We hypothesize that a physics-based model, according to the modified Butler-Volmer equation, can be used to quantitatively predict the injection of charges and the corresponding currents, in nonpolar solvents with surfactants., Simulation and Experiments: We propose a model to describe the migration and charge generation of inverse micelles. In addition to the mechanisms of electromigration, diffusion and charge generation via disproportionation that were introduced in earlier models, we include charge generation via electron injection at the electrodes using a microscopically justified expression as opposed to the previously used semi-empirical approaches. To validate our model, we compare its results to experimental current measurements in a simplified, effectively 1D, geometry., Findings: We find that the incorporation of both bulk and electrochemical reaction mechanisms in the model can effectively explain the experimental steady-state currents in a wide range of concentrations, voltages (0.5 V-5 V), and cell thicknesses. These numerical results of currents at longer time scales show a steady-state current only when both bulk and electrochemical reactions are taken into account. Moreover, we have observed in our simulation that at low applied voltages, the electric field in the bulk is fully shielded, and the steady-state current in this low-voltage regime is governed by the charge injection at the electrodes. Conversely, when the voltage is high enough and the electric field remains partially unscreened, the bulk disproportionation mechanism dominates the current generation. This also explains why we observe a non-Ohmic behavior where the steady-state currents at high voltages are independent of applied voltage. Hence, by elucidating the physical processes underlying the experimental observations, our model offers a more profound comprehension of charge transport in these systems, which could facilitate advancements in the design of enhanced E-ink displays and smart windows., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Compared to traditional lithium metal batteries, anode-free lithium metal batteries use bare current collectors as an anode instead of Li metal, making them highly promising for mass production and achieving high-energy density. The current collector, as the sole component of the anode, is crucial in lithium deposition-stripping behavior and greatly impacts the rate of Li depletion from the cathode. In this study, to investigate the lithiophilicity effect of the current collector on the solid electrolyte interface (SEI) film construction and cycling performance of anode-free lithium batteries, various lightweight paper-based current collectors were prepared by electroless plating Cu and lipophilic Ag on low-dust paper (LDP). The areal densities of the as-prepared LDP@Cu, LDP@Cu-Ag, and LDP@Ag were approximately 0.33 mg cm -2 . The use of lipophilic Ag-coated collectors with varying loadings allowed for the regulation of lipophilicity. The impacts of these collectors on the distribution of SEI components and Li depletion rate in common electrolytes were investigated. The findings suggest that higher loadings of lipophilic materials, such as Ag, on the current collector increase its lipophilicity but also lead to significant Li depletion during the cycling process in full-cell anode-free Li metal batteries. Thus, moderately lithiophilic current collectors, such as LDP@Cu-Ag, show more potential for Li deposition and striping and stable SEI with a low speed of Li depletion.

Lignin, an abundant natural resource, has not been effectively utilized. In this study, the functionality of lignin was enhanced through amination to produce amine-crosslinked lignin, and its adsorption behavior toward cationic and anionic dyes was investigated. Chemical structure analysis confirmed the successful introduction of amine groups, thereby improving the molecular weight and thermal stability of the optimized amine-crosslinked lignin. Additionally, the amine-crosslinked lignin exhibited a larger specific surface area than kraft lignin, as well as excellent adsorption capacity for both anionic and cationic dyes. Furthermore, it selectively adsorbed anionic and cationic dyes depending on pH conditions. The adsorption kinetics were described using a pseudo-second-order model, and the adsorption isotherms for congo red and methyl green were determined using the Langmuir and Freundlich equations, respectively. Additionally, the reusability and adsorption efficiency of the optimized amine-crosslinked lignin were evaluated, confirming its stable and repeatable adsorption efficiency for congo red and methyl green even after five repeated cycles. The assumed adsorption mechanism was attributed to electrostatic interactions. Therefore, the successful synthesis and excellent adsorption properties of amine-crosslinked lignin suggest its promising potential for environmentally friendly and efficient removal of both cationic and anionic dyes, thereby offering a sustainable solution for wastewater treatment and remediation., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (© 2024 The Authors.)

To increase the value of waste coconut shells and further broaden their use by biorefining, a milder and greener method to prepare cellulose nanofibers (CCNFs) was developed. The CCNFs were separated from coir fibers by using peroxyformic acid and alkali treatment in combination with high-power ultrasonication. The basic properties of the CCNFs were comprehensively evaluated using scanning and transmission electron microscopy, spectroscopy, diffraction, and thermogravimetric techniques. The results revealed that the developed preparation method provided CCNFs with typical nanocellulose sizes, structures, and properties. Nanocellulose-reinforced poly(vinyl acetate) (PVA) composite films were prepared using the CCNFs, and their mechanical properties, transmittance, crystallinity, and thermal stability were investigated. The elongation at break of the film with 8% CCNFs was 612%. The tensile strength of the films with 4 and 12% CCNFs was 41.3 MPa, which was higher than that of a PVA film (36 MPa). The transmittance and thermal stability of the PVA composite films were not appreciably affected by the CCNFs. The CCNFs show promise as a nanofiller for PVA-based composite films with favorable mechanical properties, crystallinity, and high transparency., Competing Interests: The authors declare no competing financial interest., (© 2024 The Authors. Published by American Chemical Society.)

Peroxymonosulfate (PMS) activation technology has important application value in treating emerging contaminant (ECs), but it still faces challenges in achieving efficient electron transfer and metal valence cycling. In this study, the interfacial electric field characteristics of FeNC catalysts were adjusted by introducing NC defects to affect the electron transfer process, thereby enhancing the catalytic performance of PMS. It is found that in the FeNC structure, the shift of the charge generates an interfacial electric field, which can promote the directional transfer of electrons. Through quantitative structure-activity relationship (QSAR) analysis, it was confirmed that the defect played a decisive role in regulating the interfacial electric field and improving the catalytic reaction efficiency. The interfacial electric field-mediated superexchange interaction realizes the electron donor effect of organic pollutants and the effective electron transfer between the Fe site, accelerates the electron cycling of the Fe site, and realizes the rapid and stable catalysis of PMS. The increase of the occupancy state distribution of d orbitals near the Fermi level provides favorable conditions for electron transitions and catalytic activation of PMS. ECs can be converted into environmentally friendly, non-toxic and harmless substances through. This defect-controlled interface electric field strategy realizes rapid electron directional transfer, which provides a new solution for improving the catalytic efficiency of PMS and the safe treatment of ECs in water., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Corrosion of steel in the marine environment greatly reduces their service life. Polymeric coatings are the most popular anticorrosion technology, but seawater penetration cannot be prohibited because of the distinct stacking structure of the macromolecular chains. In this context, a novel anticorrosive hyperbranched polyurethane-based coating with dopamine (DOPA) at the terminals is prepared herein. The built-in DOPA is able to capture the iron ions released from the corroded substrate and form DOPA-Fe 3+ complexation, which further cooperates with the surrounding seawater and imparts self-passivation, self-delivery and self-healing capabilities to the coating. Under the joint action of these measures, the corrosion of tinplate (serving as the steel model) is reduced to a record-low level (corrosion current = 1 × 10 -9  A cm -2 , corrosion rate = 1 × 10 -5  mm year -1 ). Conceptually, the present dynamic active anticorrosion strategy greatly outperforms the traditional static passive approach, and turns the unfavorable but unavoidable seawater into a favorable factor, which paves the way for the development of long-lasting marine coatings., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Paper relics, as carrieres of historical civilization's records and inheritance, could be severely acidic and brittle over time. In this study, the multi-functional dispersion of nanometer magnesium oxide (MgO) carried by 3-aminopropyl triethoxysilane-modified bacterial cellulose (KH550-BC) was applied in the impregnation process to repair aged paper, aiming at solving the key problems of anti-acid and strength recovery in the protection of ancient books. The KH550-BC/MgO treatment demonstrated enhanced functional efficacy in repairing aged paper, attributed to the homogeneous and stable distribution of MgO within the nanofibers of BC networks, with minimal impact on the paper's wettability and color. Furthermore, the treatment facilitated the formation of adequate alkali reserves and hydrogen bonding, resulting in superior anti-aging properties in the treated paper during prolonged preservation. Even after 30 days of hygrothermal aging tests, the paper repaired by KH550-BC/MgO was still in a gently alkaline environment (pH was about 7.56), alongside a 32.18% elevation compared to the untreated paper regarding the tear index. The results of this work indicate that KH550-BC/MgO is an effective reinforcement material for improving the long-term restoration of ancient books.

In this paper, N-vinylpyrrolidone was copolymerized with acrylic acid and itaconic acid by free radical polymerization, and a series of polyacrylic acid-co-itaconic acid-co-N-vinylpyrrolidone (PAIN) dispersants with different pyrrolidone ligand contents were synthesized and characterized. Then, the cobalt blue nano-pigment slurry (20 wt%) was prepared through a water-based grinding method, and the optimum grinding technology was explored and determined as follows: PAIN2 as a dispersant, a dispersant dosage of 10 wt%, and a grinding time of 480 min. According to this optimum grinding technology, the prepared pigment slurry had a significantly decreased agglomeration, the D 90 of which was 82 nm, and separately increased to 130 nm and 150 nm after heat storage for 3 and 7 days, exhibiting excellent heat storage stability. Additionally, its TSI value was also the lowest (1.9%), indicating good dispersion stability. The QCM and adorption capacity measuring results showed PAIN2 had a larger adsorption capacity, and the formed adsorption layer had a higher rigidity and was not easy to fall off. This was caused by both the interaction of carboxyl groups and the pyrrolidone ligand (strong coordination interaction) in PAIN2 with cobalt blue. The XPS and FT-IR measurements further proved the above-mentioned adsorption mechanism.

Background : Employing citric acid/dimethyl formamide (CA/DMF), two distinct types of carbon quantum dots (CQDs), tree-shaped/fingerprinted (TF-CQDs) and fullerene-like (F) were synthesized from both cellulose and carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC). Methods : Fluorescence microscopy revealed different emission colors: blue for TF-CQDs and green for F, highlighting the structural influence on light properties. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) confirmed the intricate fingerprinted and tree-like morphology of TF-CQDs and the spherical nature of F derived from CMC. The adsorption behavior and kinetics of Cr(vi) removal from water by TF-CQDs and F were evaluated. Significant findings : Both samples demonstrated rapid Cr(vi) uptake; TF-CQDs reached equilibrium within 120 minutes compared to 240 minutes for F. Subsequent leaching led to decreased adsorption after these initial periods. Kinetic analysis revealed a first-order model for TF-CQDs, implying physical adsorption dominance. Conversely, F exhibited a better fit to pseudo-first and second-order models, suggesting combined chemical and physical mechanisms., Competing Interests: There are no conflicts to declare., (This journal is © The Royal Society of Chemistry.)

The graphitic carbon nitride (g-C 3 N 4 ) photocatalysis has emerged as a clean method for cleaving lignin-linked bonds due to its mild and sunlight-driven reaction conditions. The fast electron-hole pair complex of g-C 3 N 4 constrains its degradation efficiency, making the heterojunction construction a popular solution. The conventional methods of preparing g-C 3 N 4 heterojunctions by physical mixing destroy π-conjugations in g-C 3 N 4 , reducing the adsorption of lignin containing benzene rings. In this study, a novel indium oxide (In 2 O 3 ) quantum dot-g-C 3 N 4 0D/2D heterojunction was prepared through the high-temperature oxidation of pre-prepared indium-doped g-C 3 N 4 . The introduction of In 2 O 3 at the quantum dot level minimizes the interference with lignin adsorption capacity. The strong combination of the two (In 2 O 3 and g-C 3 N 4 ) increases the intersection interface area, promoting the S-scheme transfer route of the photogenerated electrons. Consequently, this enhances the photoelectric conversion efficiency and carrier lifetime of the heterojunction, and inhibits the rapid recombination of photogenerated electron-hole pairs in g-C 3 N 4 . The proposed heterojunction was 3 times more efficient than g-C 3 N 4 alone for selective cleavage of lignin β-O-4 bonds after 2 h of sunlight irradiation. Combined with inhibitor experiments and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis, this paper defines the reactive oxides and proposes a cleavage pathway for the lignin β-O-4 bonds in In 2 O 3 -g-C 3 N 4 heterojunction system., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier Inc.)

This study aimed to investigate the biodegradation behaviour of starch/nanocellulose/black tea extract (SNBTE) films in a 30-day soil burial test. The SNBTE films were prepared by mixing commercial starch, nanocellulose (2, 4, and 6%), and an aqueous solution of black tea extract by a simple mixing and casting process. The chemical and morphological properties of the SNBTE films before and after biodegradation were characterized using the following analytical techniques such as field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), and fourier transform infrared (FTIR). The changes in soil composition, namely pH, electrical conductivity (EC), moisture content, water holding capacity (WHC), soil respiration, total nitrogen, weight mean diameter (MDW), and geometric mean diameter (GMD), as a result of the biodegradation process, were also estimated. The results showed that the films exhibited considerable biodegradability (35-67%) within 30 days while increasing soil nutrients. The addition of black tea extract reduced the biodegradation rate due to its polyphenol content, which likely resulted in a reduction in microbial activity. The addition of nanocellulose (2-6% weight of starch) increased the tensile strength, but decreased the elongation at break of the films. These results suggest that starch nanocellulose and SNBTE films are not only biodegradable under soil conditions but also positively contribute to soil health, highlighting their potential as an environmentally friendly alternative to traditional plastic films in the packaging industry., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

This study reports a novel, eco-friendly; fast and cost-effective microwave method for synthesizing carboxymethylated graphene oxide (CMGO) from sugarcane residues. Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) confirmed successful CMGO synthesis through the presence of characteristic peaks at 1567.93 and 1639.29 cm -1 (COONa vibrations) and increased CH 2 intensity compared to unmodified graphene oxide (GO). Furthermore, CMGO derived from sugarcane residues demonstrated potential in mitigating the side effects of toxic materials like carbon tetrachloride (CCl 4 ). Treatment with CMGO partially reduced elevated levels of liver enzymes (ALT and AST) and nitrogenous waste products (urea and uric acid) in CCl 4 -induced liver damage models, suggesting an improvement in liver function despite ongoing cellular damage.This work paves the way for a sustainable and economical approach to produce functionalized graphene oxide with promising biomedical applications in alleviating toxin-induced liver injury., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Starch-based pH-sensing films with bacterial nanocellulose (BNC) and red cabbage anthocyanins (RCA) as active components were investigated in this research. Their structural, physical, surface and colorimetric properties were analyzed, mainly as a function of BNC concentration. The aim of the research was to relate the changes in the intermolecular interactions between the components of the films (starch, anthocyanins and BNC) to the physical, surface and colorimetric properties that are important for the primary intended application of the produced films as pH indicators in smart packaging. The results showed that maize starch (MS) was more suitable as a matrix for the stabilization of anthocyanins compared to potato starch (PS). PS-based films showed a lower value of water contact angle than MS-based films, indicating stronger hydrophilicity. The swelling behavior results indicate that the concentrations of BNC in MS-based films (cca 10%) and the concentration of about 50% BNC in PS-based films are required if satisfactory properties of the indicator in terms of stability in a wet environment are to be achieved. The surface free energy results of PS-based films with BNC were between 62 and 68 mJ/m 2 and with BNC and RCA between 64 and 68 mJ/m 2 ; for MS-based films, the value was about 65 mJ/m 2 for all samples with BNC and about 68 mJ/m 2 for all samples with BNC and RCA. The visual color changes after immersion in different buffer solutions (pH 2.0-10.5) showed a gradual transition from red/pink to purple, blue and green for the observed samples. Films immersed in different buffers showed lower values of 2 to 10 lightness points (CIE L*) for PS-based films and 10 to 30 lightness points for MS-based films after the addition of BNC. The results of this research can make an important contribution to defining the influence of intermolecular interactions and structural changes on the physical, surface and colorimetric properties of bio-based pH indicators used in smart packaging applications.

This work deals with the fabrication of lignin containing cellulose nanofiber (LCNF)/Ag 2 Se films for thermoelectric applications. Ag 2 Se nanoparticles were synthesized within the LCNF network through in situ methods, employing Na 2 SeO 3 and AgNO 3 along with microwave energy treatment. LCNF/Ag 2 Se films fabricated with two LCNF : Ag 2 Se weight percent ratios ( i.e. , 50 : 50 and 30 : 70) were used to construct a flexible thermoelectric module. The obtained Ag 2 Se nanoparticles displayed a uniform size distribution in the LCNF network with smaller dimensions from the microwave energy treated group. The microstructure of LCNF/Ag 2 Se films was improved by hot-pressing, leading to enhanced film density thermoelectric properties. At a differential temperature of 50 K, films with 50% and 70% of Ag 2 Se exhibited output voltages of 18 and 21 mV; and Seebeck coefficients of -60 and -70 μV K -1 at 350 K, respectively. When microwave energy was applied, the films at 50% and 70% Ag 2 Se showed highest output voltages of 19 and 33 mV, respectively, and Seebeck coefficients of -63.3 and -110 μV K -1 at 350 K. The low-cost fabrication process associated with this module opens a pathway for applications such as energy harvesting., Competing Interests: No conflicts require declaration., (This journal is © The Royal Society of Chemistry.)

Background: Ferroptosis is a novel form of regulated cell death that involves in cancer progression. However, the role of ferroptosis-related long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) in papillary thyroid cancer (PTC) remains to be elucidated. The purpose of this paper was to clarify the prognostic value of ferroptosis-related lncRNAs in PTC., Methods: The transcriptome data and clinical information were downloaded from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database. The correlation between ferroptosis-related genes (FRGs) and lncRNA was determined using Pearson correlation analysis. Multivariate Cox regression model (P < 0.01) was performed to establish a ferroptosis-related lncRNAs risk model. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis, receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves, risk curve and nomograms were then performed to assess the accuracy and clinical applicability of prognostic models. The correlations between the prognosis model and clinicopathological variables, immune and m6A were analyzed. Finally, in vitro assays were performed to verify the role of LINC00900, LINC01614 and PARAL1 on the proliferation, migration and invasion in TPC-1 and BCPAP cells, as well as the relationship between three lncRNAs and ferroptosis., Results: A five-ferroptosis-related lncRNAs (PARAL1, LINC00900, DPH6-DT, LINC01614, LPP-AS2) risk model was constructed. Based on the risk score, samples were divided into the high- and low-risk groups. Patients in the low-risk group had better prognosis than those in high-risk group. Compared to traditional clinicopathological features, risk score was more accurate in predicting prognosis in patients with PTC. Additionally, the difference of immune cell, function and checkpoints was observed between two groups. Moreover, experiments showed that LINC00900 promoted the proliferation, migration and invasion in TPC-1 and BCPAP cells, while LINC01614 and PARAL1 revealed opposite effects, all of which were related to ferroptosis., Conclusions: In summary, we identified a five-ferroptosis-related lncRNAs risk model to predict the prognosis of PTC. Furthermore, our study also revealed that LINC00900 functioned as a tumor suppressor lncRNA, LINC01614 and PARAL1 as an oncogenic lncRNA in PTC., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest to declare., (Copyright 2024, Zhao et al.)

Guided nanowires grown on polymer surfaces facilitate their seamless integration as flexible devices without post-growth processing steps. However, this is challenging due to the inability of polymer films to provide the required lattice-matching effect. In this work, this challenge is addressed by replicating highly aligned nanogrooves from a compact disc (CD) onto a casted flexible polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) surface. Leveraging the replicated nanogrooves, copper hexadecafluorophthalocyanine (F 16 CuPc) and various metal phthalocyanines are guided into large-area, self-aligned nanowires. Subsequently, by employing specifically designed shadow masks during electrode deposition, these nanowires are seamlessly integrated as either a monolithic flexible photodetector with a large sensing area or on-chip flexible photodetector arrays. The resulting flexible photodetectors exhibit millisecond and long-term stable response to UV-vis-NIR light. Notably, they demonstrate exceptional bending stability, retaining stable and sensitive photoresponse even at a curvature radius as low as 0.5 cm and after enduring 1000 bending cycles. Furthermore, the photodetector array showcases consistent sensitivity and response speed across the entire array. This work not only proves the viability of guided nanowire growth on flexible polymer surfaces by replicating CD nanogrooves but also underscores the potential for large-scale monolithic integration of guided nanowires as flexible devices., (© 2024 The Author(s). Advanced Science published by Wiley‐VCH GmbH.)

Developing a high-performance activator is crucial for the practical application of peroxymonosulfate-based advanced oxidation processes (PMS-AOPs). High-entropy oxides (HEOs) have attracted increasing attention due to their stable crystal structure, flexible composition and unique functionality. However, research into the mechanisms by which HEOs function as PMS activators for degrading organic pollutants remains insufficient, and the relationship between entropy and the catalytic performance of HEOs has yet to be clarified. In this study, we synthesized NiMgZnCuCoO x with different levels of entropy as PMS activators for acetaminophen (APAP) degradation, and observed a significant effect for entropy on the catalytic performance. Sulfate radicals (SO 4 • ‒ ) were identified as the primary reactive oxygen species (ROS), while hydroxyl radicals (•OH) and singlet oxygen ( 1 O 2 ) act as secondary ROS during APAP degradation. Both the Co 2+ contents and the oxygen vacancy concentration in NiMgZnCuCoO x are found to increase with the entropy. An increase in the Co 2+ sites leads to more activation sites for PMS activation, while excessive oxygen vacancies consume PMS, producing weak oxidation species, and affect the electron-donating ability of Co 2+ . Consequently, the NiMgZnCuCoO x with middle level of entropy exhibits the optimal performance with APAP degradation rate and mineralization rate reaching 100% and 74.22%, respectively. Furthermore, the degradation intermediates and their toxicities were assessed through liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry and quantitative structure-activity relationship analysis. This work is expected to provide critical insight into the impact of the HEOs entropy on the PMS activation and guide the rational design of highly efficient peroxymonosulfate activators for environmental applications., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

The chemical safety of poly (butylene adipate-co-terephthalate) (PBAT) based food contact articles (FCAs) has aroused increasing toxicological concerns in recent years, but the chemical characterization and associated risk assessment still remain inadequate as it fails to elucidate the distribution pattern and discern the potential genotoxic and carcinogenic hazards of the identified substances. Herein, the volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in 50 batches of PBAT-based FCAs of representative categories and 10 batches of PLA and PBAT pellets were characterized, by which 237 VOCs of 10 chemical categories were identified and exhibited characteristic distribution patterns in the chemical spaces derived from their molecular descriptors. Chemical hazards associated with the identified VOCs were discerned by a hazard-driven classification scheme integrating hazard-related knowledge from multiple publicly available sources, and 34 VOCs were found to bear genotoxic or carcinogenic hazards and to feature higher average molecular weight than the other VOCs. Finally, the Risk and hazard quotient (HQ) calculated as the metrics of risk suggested that all identified VOCs posed acceptable risks (Risk<10 -4 or HQ < 1), whereas oxolane, butyrolactone, N,N-dimethylacetamide, 2-butoxyethanol, benzyl alcohol, and 1,2,3-trichloropropane posed non-negligible (Risk>10 -6) genotoxic or carcinogenic risk and thus should be of prioritized concern to promote the chemical safety of PBAT-based FCAs., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Treating hazardous landfill leachate poses significant environmental challenges due to its complex nature. In this study, we propose a novel approach for enhancing the anaerobic digestion of landfill leachate using silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) conjugated with eco-friendly green silica nanoparticles (Si NPs). The synthesized Si NPs and Ag@Si NPs were characterized using various analytical techniques, including transmission electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy. The anaerobic digestion performance of Si NPs and Ag@Si NPs was tested by treating landfill leachate samples with 50 mg/L of each NP. The results demonstrated an enhancement in the biogas production rate compared to the control phase without the nanocomposite, as the biogas production increased by 14% and 37% using Si NPs and Ag@Si NPs. Ag@Si NPs effectively promoted the degradation of organic pollutants in the leachate, regarding chemical oxygen demand (COD) and volatile solids (VS) by 58% and 65%. Furthermore, microbial analysis revealed that Ag@Si NPs enhanced the activity of microbial species responsible for the methanogenic process. Overall, incorporating AgNPs conjugated with eco-friendly green Si NPs represents a sustainable and efficient approach for enhancing the anaerobic digestion of landfill leachate., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Electron tomography has become a commonly used tool to investigate the three-dimensional (3D) structure of nanomaterials, including colloidal nanoparticle assemblies. However, electron microscopy is typically done under high-vacuum conditions, requiring sample preparation for assemblies obtained by wet colloid chemistry methods. This involves solvent evaporation and deposition on a solid support, which consistently alters the nanoparticle organization. Here, we suggest using electron tomography to study nanoparticle assemblies in their original colloidal liquid environment. To address the challenges related to electron tomography in liquid, we devise a method that combines fast data acquisition in a commercial liquid-cell with a dedicated alignment and reconstruction workflow. We present the advantages of this methodology in accurately characterizing two different systems. 3D reconstructions of assemblies comprising polystyrene-capped Au nanoparticles encapsulated in polymeric shells reveal less compact and more distorted configurations for experiments performed in a liquid medium compared to their dried counterparts. A similar expansion can be observed in quantitative analysis of the surface-to-surface distances of self-assembled Au nanorods in water rather than in a vacuum, in agreement with bulk measurements. This study, therefore, emphasizes the importance of developing high-resolution characterization tools that preserve the native environment of colloidal nanostructures., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

In this study, a comparative analysis of silver nanoparticles treatment and chitosan coating on packaging paper barrier properties was carried out. In order to examine the water, grease, and antibacterial barrier properties of silver nanoparticle-treated and chitosan-coated laboratory-obtained paper samples, a mixture of bleached softwood and hardwood celluloses was used. In order to conduct the comparative analysis SEM, water contact angle, Cobb 60 , and Kit tests were carried out on a cellulose sample, and four paper samples (three of them treated with silver nanoparticles-1, 2, and 3 mL/20 cm 2 or chitosan coated-0.5, 1, and 2 g/m 2 ) together with the inhibition activity against nine Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, yeast, and fungal strains. The study found out that increasing the silver nanoparticle treatment and chitosan coating led to improved water resistance, while grease resistance was improved only for chitosan coated paper samples. Additionally, paper treated with 3 mL/20 cm 2 of silver nanoparticles had the highest antibacterial protection (81.6%) against the Gram-positive bacterium Staphylococcus aureus , followed by Gram-negative Escherichia coli (75.8%). For the rest of the studied microorganisms, the average efficiency of the treated paper was 40.79%. The treatment of the paper with 1 and 2 mL/20 cm 2 of silver nanoparticles was less effective-27.13 and 39.83%, respectively. The antibacterial protection of 2 g/m 2 chitosan-coated paper samples was the most effective (average 79%) against the tested bacterial, yeast, and fungal strains. At 1 and 0.5 g/m 2 chitosan coatings, the efficiency was 72.38% and 54.67%, respectively. Gram-positive bacteria, yeasts, and fungal strains were more sensitive to chitosan supplementation.

Clothing and textile industries are major contributors to environmental pollution including textile manufacturing through garment production, spinning, weaving, and dyeing. In this context, the sustainability textile industry is a big challenge and contributes to serving a large segment of society. Also, textile wastes could be used as a raw material for added-value products. Herein, in this study, recycling of residues fabric was treated with antimicrobial nanocomposite to reach the best use of exhausts and obtain multifunction products of aesthetic via the technical design of the waste raw materials. Besides, solving the unemployment problem by opening fields for small industry projects capable of producing high-value textile artifacts, especially when treated against microbes, can be applied to home furnishings. The waste fabric was treated via green synthesis nanocomposite based on chitosan and in situ prepared ZnONPs and cross-linked with tannic acid. The prepared nanocomposite was characterized using physicochemical analysis including attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). Additionally, the nanocomposite and treated fabric topographical behavior were studied using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) attachment with energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDX), and images were processed to evaluate the roughness structure. Additionally, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM) and dynamic light scattering (DLS) were performed to ensure the size and stability of the nanocomposite. The obtained results affirmed the green synthesis of nanocomposite with a size around 130 nm, as well as the doped ZnONPs average size of 26 nm and treated waste fabric, performed a promising attraction between nanocomposite and fabric fibers. Moreover, the antimicrobial study observed excellent activity of nanocomposite against bacteria and unicellular fungi as well., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Natural-based materials represent green choices for biomedical applications. In this study, resin pulp capping restoration enclosing strengthening silica and bioactive portlandite nanofillers were prepared from industrial wastes. Silica nanoparticles were isolated from rice husk by heat treatment, followed by dissolution/precipitation treatment. Portlandite nanoparticles were prepared by calcination of carbonated lime waste followed by ultrasonic treatment. Both were characterized using x-ray diffraction, energy dispersive x-ray, and transmission electron microscopy. For preparing pulp capping restoration, silica (after silanization) and/or portlandite nanoparticles were mixed with 40/60 weight ratio of bisphenol A-glycidyl methacrylate and triethylene glycol dimethacrylate. Groups A, B, and C enclosing 50 wt.% silica, 25 wt.% silica + 25 wt.% portlandite, and 50 wt.% portlandite, respectively, were prepared. All groups underwent microhardness, compressive strength, calcium release, pH, and apatite forming ability inspection in comparison to mineral trioxide aggregate (MTA) positive control. In comparison to MTA, all experimental groups showed significantly higher compressive strength, group B showed comparable microhardness, and group C showed significantly higher calcium release. Groups B and C showed prominent hydroxyapatite formation. Thus, the preparation of economic, silica-fortified, bioactive pulp capping material from under-utilized agricultural residues (rice husk) and zero-value industrial waste (carbonated lime from sugar industry) could be achieved., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Flexible electrothermal heaters have attracted abundant attention in recent years due to their wide applications, but their preparation with high efficiency remains a challenge. Here in this work, a highly stable and bending-tolerant flexible heater was fabricated with graphite nanosheets and cellulose fibers through a scalable papermaking procedure. Its electrothermal property can be enhanced by a hot-pressing treatment and introduction of cationic polyacrylamide (CPAM) during the papermaking protocol. The flexible heater may quickly reach its maximum temperature of 239.8 °C in around 1 min at a voltage of 9 V. The power density was up to 375.3 °C cm 2 w -1 . It appeared to have a high tolerance for bending deformation with various curvatures, and the temperature remained stable even under 100 bending with frequency of around 0.17 Hz. Over 100 alternatively heating and cooling cycles, it worked stably as well. It was proved to be used as wearable heating equipment, soft heaters, and aircraft deicing devices, suggesting its great prospect in the field of heat management.

The paper industry faces two critical challenges: the scarcity of raw materials and the environmental impact of chemical waste pollution. Addressing the first challenge involves harnessing alternative, sustainable raw materials, while the second challenge can be mitigated through the adoption of bio-bleaching processes, which significantly reduce chemical consumption while enhancing paper brightness and quality. This study proposes a solution to both challenges by using non-woody Calotropis procera (Ankara) and a xylanase-producing microbial consortium for sustainable handmade paper production, a combination not extensively explored in prior research . To evaluate this approach, the process was divided into three stages. In stage I, Ankara fibre was pulped through open hot digestion. In stage II, the pulp was subjected to bio-bleaching in two experimental setups: Set I (without sucrose) and Set II (with sucrose) for 5 days. In stage III, chemical bleaching was used to improve the final brightness of the treated pulps. A novel comparison was made between the bio-bleaching efficiency of an individual isolate g5 (BI) and a bacterial consortium (BC). This research highlighted that bio-bleaching with the consortium effectively removed lignin (140±60 mg/l) and colour (1830±50 PCU), especially in the presence of sucrose, compared to using a single xylanase isolate. Pulp residue/filtrate collected at each stage was estimated based on parameters such as colour and lignin content. After stage III (chemical bleaching), the release of colour and lignin in pulp filtrate was higher in BI compared to BC, indicating the consortium's effectiveness during bio-bleaching, which leaves fewer degradable lignin structures for the chemical bleaching stage. Papers crafted from consortium-treated pulp also exhibited higher brightness than those treated with the isolate. This study reveals the synergistic effect of microbial consortia, leading to more efficient lignin degradation and enhanced bio-bleaching capabilities, supporting the development of greener industrial processes. Ultimately, this study demonstrates a unique and eco-friendly approach to papermaking, combining C. procera and enzymatic bio-bleaching to reduce dependency on hazardous chemicals and support sustainable industry practices., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (© 2024 The Author(s).)

This study promotes the use of nanobiochar (NBC) as an environmentally friendly substitute to conventional fillers to improve various properties of biopolymers such as their mechanical strength, thermal stability and crystallization properties. TGA analysis showed a slight increase in onset thermal degradation temperature of the composites by up to 5 °C with the addition of 4 wt% NBC. Non-isothermal DSC analysis determined that the addition of NBC into PHBHHx increases the crystallization temperature and degree of crystallinity of PHBHHx while isothermal DSC analysis demonstrated higher crystallization rate in PHBHHx/NBC composited by up to 54%. PHBHHx incorporated with NBC also exhibited superior tensile strength and modulus versus neat PHBHHx. Increase in mechanical strength was further proven via DMA where PHBHHx/NBC composites maintained higher storage modulus at higher temperatures when compared to neat PHBHHx. PHBHHx/NBC also exhibited no cytotoxicity effect against HaCat cells. This study demonstrates the ability of biochar to act as both nucleating agents and reinforcing agents in biodegradable polymers such as PHBHHx, which could be suitable for packaging application., Competing Interests: There are no conflicts of interest to declare., (This journal is © The Royal Society of Chemistry.)

Lignin, a natural pol2ymer with a complex structure that is difficult to separate, is prone to C-C bond condensation during the separation process. To reduce the condensation of lignin, here, a novel method is proposed for separating the components by using a combination of maleic acid (MA)/ozone (O 3 ) to co-treat wheat straw. The removal of lignin, glucan, and xylan was 38.07 ± 0.2%, 31.44 ± 0.1%, and 71.98 ± 0.1%, respectively, under the conditions of ball-milling of wheat straw for 6 h, reaction temperature of 60 °C, and O 3 holding time of 9 min. Lignin-rich solutions were collected to extract the dissolved lignin (DL) after washing the treated samples. The DL obtained under MA/O 3 conditions had a carboxyl group (-COOH) content of 2.96 mmol/g. The carboxyl group of MA underwent esterification with the hydroxyl group (-OH) at the γ position of lignin and O 3 reacted on the positions of the lignin side chain or the phenolic ring, resulting in a break in the side chain and the opening of the phenolic ring to introduce the carboxyl group. The 2D-HSQC-NMR results revealed that the phenolic ring-opening reaction of lignin in the presence of O 3 was essentially free of β-β and β-5 condensation bonds.

This work deals with promoting the efficiency of removing the cationic and ionic dyes by new aerogel-carbon nanostructures. For cleaner production the rice straw-pulping black liquors, which regards serious environmental risk during routine disposing, is used in preparing the aerogel precursors. These aerogels (AGBs) depend on using pulping black liquor in hybrid with resorcinol and the less carcinogenic formaldehyde butyraldehyde. Black liquors from five pulping processes are used, Elemental, thermogravimetric (TGA and DTG), and FTIR-ATR analyses are used to characterize the carbon precursors. While their adsorption behavior toward cationic and anionic dyes are accessed via iodine-value, adsorption capacity and kinetic models, textural characterization, and SEM. The TGA measurements reveal that AGBs from BLs of neutral sulfite and soda-borohydride pulping reagents have higher activation and degradation energies than other aerogels. In terms of cationic and anionic dyes adsorption as well as textural characterization, the AGB-CNSs surpass that made from BLs. The discarded KOH/NH 4 OH black liquor is used to synthesize the best aerogel precursor for producing cationic methylene blue dye (MB) adsorbent, where it provides an adsorption capacity 242.1 mg/g. The maximum anionic brilliant blue dye (BB) adsorption capacity, 162.6 mg/g, is noticed by Kraft BL-aerogel-CNSs. These finding data overcome the literature carbon adsorbents based on lignin precursors. All examined CNSs toward MB dye follow the Langmuir adsorption equilibrium; while primarily the Freundlich model for BB dye. The pseudo-second-order kinetic model well fits the adsorption kinetics of investigated AGB-CNSs. The textural characterization and SEM revealed a mixture of mesoporous and micro porous features in the CNSs., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

A W/ZSM-5 zeolite was successfully prepared by incorporating tungsten transition metal into a zeolite structure using a conventional impregnation method. The as-obtained W/ZSM-5 zeolite was characterized using several characterization techniques such as XRD, IR and SEM-EDS. The catalyst was then applied to a cascade, single-batch reaction to synthesize bio-polyol from sunflower oils using H 2 O 2 in isopropanol solvent. The obtained results indicated that the W/ZSM-5 zeolite had high catalytic efficiency in the epoxidation of the double bond of vegetable oil and the epoxy ring opening reaction to form bio-polyol. The effect of different reaction conditions on bio-polyol synthesis, such as the dosage of the catalyst and reaction time, were investigated. Bio-polyol was obtained from sunflower oil with a hydroxyl number of 160 mg KOH per g and functionality of 2.9 OH groups per mol. The as-synthesized sunflower oil-based polyol was used to replace fossil-based polyol in the fabrication of a bio-polyurethane-based composite with high oil uptake capacity. The oil adsorption capacity of the porous polyurethane-corn stalk composite was relatively high, up to 15.07 g g -1 . In comparison with neat polyurethane and lignocellulosic materials, the new porous bio-composite had higher oil uptake capacity., Competing Interests: There are no conflicts to declare., (This journal is © The Royal Society of Chemistry.)

Single-atom catalysts (SACs) with active metals dispersed atomically have shown great potential in heterogeneous catalysis due to the high atomic utilization and superior selectivity/stability. Synthesis of SACs using carbon-neutral biomass and its components as the feedstocks provides a promising strategy to realize the sustainable and cost-effective SACs preparation as well as the valorization of underused biomass resources. Herein, we begin by describing the general background and status quo of carbon-based SACs derived from biomass. A detailed enumeration of the common biomass feedstocks (e.g., lignin, cellulose, chitosan, etc.) for the SACs preparation is then offered. The interactions between metal atoms and biomass-derived carbon carriers are summarized to give general rules on how to stabilize the atomic metal centers and rationalize porous carbon structures. Furthermore, the widespread adoption of catalysts in diverse domains (e.g., chemocatalysis, electrocatalysis and photocatalysis, etc.) is comprehensively introduced. The structure-property relationships and the underlying catalytic mechanisms are also addressed, including the influences of metal sites on the activity and stability, and the impact of the unique structure of single-atom centers modulated by metal/biomass feedstocks interactions on catalytic activity and selectivity. Finally, we end this review with a look into the remaining challenges and future perspectives of biomass-based SACs. We expect to shed some light on the forthcoming research of carbon-based SACs derived from biomass, manifestly stimulating the development in this emerging research area., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest None., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

Across the life sciences, an ongoing effort over the last 50 years has made data and methods more reproducible and transparent. This openness has led to transformative insights and vastly accelerated scientific progress 1,2 . For example, structural biology 3 and genomics 4,5 have undertaken systematic collection and publication of protein sequences and structures over the past half-century, and these data have led to scientific breakthroughs that were unthinkable when data collection first began (e.g. 6 ). We believe that neuroscience is poised to follow the same path, and that principles of open data and open science will transform our understanding of the nervous system in ways that are impossible to predict at the moment. To this end, new social structures along with active and open scientific communities are essential 7 to facilitate and expand the still limited adoption of open science practices in our field 8 . Unified by shared values of openness, we set out to organize a symposium for Open Data in Neuroscience (ODIN) to strengthen our community and facilitate transformative neuroscience research at large. In this report, we share what we learned during this first ODIN event. We also lay out plans for how to grow this movement, document emerging conversations, and propose a path toward a better and more transparent science of tomorrow.

Hypothesis: Electronic paper displays rely on electrokinetic effects in nonpolar solvents to drive the displacement of colloidal particles within a fluidic cell. While Electrophoresis (EP) is a well-established and frequently employed phenomenon, electro-osmosis (EO), which drives fluid flow along charged solid surfaces, has not been studied as extensively. We hypothesize that by exploiting the interplay between these effects, an enhanced particle transport can be achieved., Experiments: In this study, we experimentally investigate the combined effects of EP and EO for colloidal particles in non-polar solvents, driven by an electric field. We use astigmatism micro-particle tracking velocimetry (A-μPTV) to measure the motion of charged particles within model fluidic cells. Using a simple approach that relies on basic fluid flow properties we extract the contributions due to EP and EO, finding that EO contributes significantly to particle transport. The validity of our approach is confirmed by measurements on particles with different magnitudes of charge, and by comparison to numerical simulations., Findings: We find that EO flows can play a dominant role in the transport of particles in electrokinetic display devices. This can be exploited to speed up particle transport, potentially yielding displays with significantly faster switching times., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Environment-friendly and biodegradable packaging materials have attracted widespread attention. Development of green solutions to extend the fruit shelf life and address fruit preservation thus has a far-reaching impact. In this study, high-barrier white cardboard (WC) was prepared by a facile coating method. Compared with the WC substrate, the WVP value of the polyvinylidene chloride (PVDC) emulsion-coated WC (3.46 × 10 -11 g m m -2 s -1 kPa -1 ) decreased 73.8% and the OP value (14.8 cm 3 m -2 day -1 ·Pa -1 ) decreased 61.9%. In addition, the mechanical properties of the PVDC emulsion-coated WC increased significantly. The weight loss rate and decay rate of the stored fruits packaged with PVDC emulsion-coated WC decreased by about 5%. The high barrier PVDC emulsion-coated WC with excellent mechanical properties, good barrier effect, and preservation function was successfully prepared. Benefitting from these investigated characteristics, the obtained coated WC can be used to package fruits to reduce water loss and delay ripening, and thus extend their shelf life, exhibiting a favorable effect on blueberry and grape storage. Overall, the fabricated eco-friendly coated white cardboard has shown great potential for biodegradable packaging applications. We believe the current work presents an approach to address perishable fruit preservation and provide a supplement alternative., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest., (This journal is © The Royal Society of Chemistry.)

The antibacterial characteristics of graphene oxide (GO-SB) nano-sheets generated by charring sugarcane bagasse (SB) are described in this study. The antibacterial capability of GO-SB was improved when it was grafted with ethyl cellulose (EC) and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) to form GO-SB/EC/PVA hydrogels. Characterization of GO-SB nanosheets and GO-SB/EC/PVA hydrogels was accomplished by using FTIR, SEM, XRD, and thermal studies. The antimicrobial activity was carried out against Gram positive bacteria [Micrococcus leutus & Staphylococcus aureus], Gram negative bacteria [Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa] and pathogenic fungal yeast [Candida albicans] applying the disc diffusion method. The disc diffusion method results showed that the improved GO-SB/EC/PVA exhibited a reasonable level of antimicrobial capability against Micrococcus leutus, demonstrating that the antimicrobial improvement of GO-SB was more effective in the GO-SB/EC/PVA hydrogels by increasing the inhibition zone of Gram-positive bacteria, Micrococcus leutus from (13.0 to 16.0 mm)., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

High-sensitivity strain sensing elements with a wide strain range, fast response, high stability, and small sensing areas are desirable for constructing strain sensor arrays with high temporospatial resolution. However, current strain sensors rely on crack-based conductive materials having an inherent tradeoff between their sensing area and performance. Here, we present a molecular-level crack modulation strategy in which we use layer-by-layer assembly to introduce strong, dynamic, and reversible coordination bonds in an MXene and silver nanowire-matrixed conductive film. We use this approach to fabricate a crack-based stretchable strain sensor with a very small sensing area (0.25 mm 2 ). It also exhibits an ultrawide working strain range (0.001-37%), high sensitivity (gauge factor ~500 at 0.001% and >150,000 at 35%), fast response time, low hysteresis, and excellent long-term stability. Based on this high-performance sensing element and facile assembly process, a stretchable strain sensor array with a device density of 100 sensors per cm 2 is realized. We demonstrate the practical use of the high-density strain sensor array as a multichannel pulse sensing system for monitoring pulses in terms of their spatiotemporal resolution., (© 2024. The Author(s).)