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Solid acid catalysts are widely used in the field of biomass catalytic conversion owing to their advantages of low environmental pollution, easy separation and reusability. Nevertheless, there are relatively few studies on the mechanism of solid acid liquefaction for biomass. In this study, the effect of acid strength and acid amount of various solid acids on the liquefaction efficiency has been investigated using waste bamboo sawdust generated from the pulp and paper industry as the raw material. In addition, the physicochemical changes of cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin during the reaction process of bamboo sawdust have been studied, and the liquefaction mechanism of bamboo sawdust under the action of various solid acids has been concluded. As a result, the liquefaction efficiency of bamboo sawdust under the polyol system of PEG400/propanetriol is mainly related to the acid strength of the solid acid, and the greater the acid strength of the solid acid, the better the catalytic effect on the bamboo sawdust, in which the residual amount of bamboo sawdust liquefaction catalyzed by the SPA catalyst is only 17.72%. Noteworthy, the most difficult component to liquefy is the crystallization of natural cellulose I into cellulose II during the reaction process, which is the primary obstacle to the complete liquefaction of bamboo sawdust by solid acid. Overall, these findings are valuable for the high value utilization of waste bamboo sawdust in the pulp and paper industry, as well as the application of solid acid catalytic technology for biomass., Competing Interests: Author ZX was employed by Yibin Paper Industry Co., Ltd. Author LW was employed by China Pulp and Paper Research Institute Co., Ltd. Author GF was employed by Shandong Huatai Paper Co., Ltd. The remaining authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Wu, Tang, Huang, Zhao, Liang, Xie, Wei, Fang and Wu.)

This study introduces environmentally-friendly nanocellulose-based membranes for AZO dye (methylene blue, MB) removal from wastewater. These membranes, made of cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs), carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC), zeolite, and citric acid, aim to offer eco-friendly water treatment solutions. CNCs, obtained from sugarcane bagasse, act as the foundational material for the membranes. The study aims to investigate both the composition of the membranes (CMC/CNC/zeolite/citric acid) and the critical adsorption factors (initial MB concentration, contact time, temperature, and pH) that impact the removal of the dye. After systematic experimentation, the optimal membrane composition is identified as 60% CNC, 15% CMC, 20% zeolites, and 5% citric acid. This composition achieved a 79.9% dye removal efficiency and a 38.3 mg/g adsorption capacity at pH 7. The optimized membrane exhibited enhanced MB dye removal under specific conditions, including a 50 mg adsorbent mass, 50 ppm dye concentration, 50 mL solution volume, 120-min contact time, and a temperature of 25°C. Increasing pH from neutral to alkaline enhances MB dye removal efficiency from 79.9% to 94.5%, with the adsorption capacity rising from 38.3 mg/g to 76.5 mg/g. The study extended to study the MB adsorption mechanisms, revealing the chemisorption of MB dye with pseudo-second-order kinetics. Chemical thermodynamic experiments determine the Freundlich isotherm as the apt model for MB dye adsorption on the membrane surface. In conclusion, this study successfully develops nanocellulose-based membranes for efficient AZO dye removal, contributing to sustainable water treatment technologies and environmental preservation efforts., Competing Interests: Author MI was employed by NanoFab Technology Company. The remaining authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest. The authors declared that they were an editorial board member of Frontiers, at the time of submission. This had no impact on the peer review process and the final decision., (Copyright © 2024 Ibrahim, Salama, Zahran, Abdelfattah, Alsalme, Bechelany and Barhoum.)

The transformation of modern industries towards enhanced sustainability is facilitated by green technologies that rely extensively on rare earth elements (REEs) such as cerium (Ce), neodymium (Nd), terbium (Tb), and lanthanum (La). The occurrence of productive mining sites, e.g., is limited, and production is often costly and environmentally harmful. As a consequence of increased utilization, REEs enter our ecosystem as industrial process water or wastewater and become highly diluted. Once diluted, they can hardly be recovered by conventional techniques, but using cyanobacterial biomass in a biosorption-based process is a promising eco-friendly approach. Cyanobacteria can produce extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) that show high affinity to metal cations. However, the adsorption of REEs by EPS has not been part of extensive research. Thus, we evaluated the role of EPS in the biosorption of Ce, Nd, Tb, and La for three terrestrial, heterocystous cyanobacterial strains. We cultivated them under N-limited and non-limited conditions and extracted their EPS for compositional analyses. Subsequently, we investigated the metal uptake of a) the extracted EPS, b) the biomass extracted from EPS, and c) the intact biomass with EPS by comparing the amount of sorbed REEs. Maximum adsorption capacities for the tested REEs of extracted EPS were 123.9-138.2 mg g -1 for Komarekiella sp. 89.12, 133.1-137.4 mg g -1 for Desmonostoc muscorum 90.03, and 103.5-129.3 mg g -1 for Nostoc sp. 20.02. A comparison of extracted biomass with intact biomass showed that 16% ( Komarekiella sp. 89.12), 28% ( Desmonostoc muscorum 90.03), and 41% ( Nostoc sp. 20.02) of REE adsorption was due to the biosorption of the extracellular EPS. The glucose- rich EPS (15%-43% relative concentration) of all three strains grown under nitrogen-limited conditions showed significantly higher biosorption rates for all REEs. We also found a significantly higher maximum adsorption capacity of all REEs for the extracted EPS compared to cells without EPS and untreated biomass, highlighting the important role of the EPS as a binding site for REEs in the biosorption process. EPS from cyanobacteria could thus be used as efficient biosorbents in future applications for REE recycling, e.g., industrial process water and wastewater streams., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2023 Paper, Jung, Koch, Lakatos, Nilges and Brück.)

Introduction: Sirolimus is currently being explored as an alternative drug to paclitaxel for the treatment of peripheral artery disease (PAD). To date, sirolimus has only been used as drug coatings for stents and balloons and no studies have yet demonstrated the delivery of sirolimus in liquid form. The purpose of this pilot study was to investigate the feasibility of the delivery of liquid sirolimus into arterial segments in a benchtop peripheral artery bioreactor., Methods: The feasibility to deliver liquid therapy was first tested on four drug delivery devices using a fluorescently tagged liquid drug and an ex vivo porcine artery benchtop model. The four devices included the Bullfrog micro-infusion device, ClearWay RX catheter, Occlusion perfusion catheter (OPC), and the targeted adjustable pharmaceutical administration system (TAPAS). Penetration of the fluorescently tagged drug was measured via microscopic imaging and quantification of the depth of drug penetration into all device-treated tissue. Based on the penetration outcome, we then selected a single device to deliver liquid sirolimus into the ex vivo porcine artery model undergoing physiological flow and pressure conditions. The liquid sirolimus-treated arteries were collected from the ex vivo bioreactor at 1- and 24-hour post-delivery and arterial drug retention analyzed by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry., Results: Fluorescent microscopy demonstrated that drug delivery with the OPC had greater drug penetration into the medial wall as compared to other devices (OPC: 234 ± 161 µm; TAPAS: 127 ± 68 µm; ClearWay: 118 ± 77 µm; Bullfrog: 2.12 ± 3.78 µm; p  = 0.098). The results of the ex vivo flow-circuit bench top model showed that the OPC device successfully delivered the liquid sirolimus at 1-hour (5.17 ± 4.48 ng/mg) and 24-hour (0.78 ± 0.55 ng/mg)., Conclusions: These results demonstrate for the first time the ability to deliver liquid sirolimus directly to the medial layer of an artery via a liquid delivery catheter., Competing Interests: SY serves on the Scientific Advisory Board of Advanced Catheter Therapies and has received grant support from BD, OrbusNeich Medical, Advanced NanoTherapies and Biosensors International. The remaining authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (© 2023 Todd, Liu, Saul and Yazdani.)

Biosorption of metal ions by phototrophic microorganisms is regarded as a sustainable and alternative method for bioremediation and metal recovery. In this study, 12 cyanobacterial strains, including 7 terrestrial and 5 aquatic cyanobacteria, covering a broad phylogenetic diversity were investigated for their potential application in the enrichment of rare earth elements through biosorption. A screening for the maximum adsorption capacity of cerium, neodymium, terbium, and lanthanum was conducted in which Nostoc sp. 20.02 showed the highest adsorption capacity with 84.2-91.5 mg g -1 . Additionally, Synechococcus elongatus UTEX 2973, Calothrix brevissima SAG 34.79, Desmonostoc muscorum 90.03, and Komarekiella sp. 89.12 were promising candidate strains, with maximum adsorption capacities of 69.5-83.4 mg g -1 , 68.6-83.5 mg g -1 , 44.7-70.6 mg g -1 , and 47.2-67.1 mg g -1 respectively. Experiments with cerium on adsorption properties of the five highest metal adsorbing strains displayed fast adsorption kinetics and a strong influence of the pH value on metal uptake, with an optimum at pH 5 to 6. Studies on binding specificity with mixed-metal solutions strongly indicated an ion-exchange mechanism in which Na + , K + , Mg 2+ , and Ca 2+ ions are replaced by other metal cations during the biosorption process. Depending on the cyanobacterial strain, FT-IR analysis indicated the involvement different functional groups like hydroxyl and carboxyl groups during the adsorption process. Overall, the application of cyanobacteria as biosorbent in bioremediation and recovery of rare earth elements is a promising method for the development of an industrial process and has to be further optimized and adjusted regarding metal-containing wastewater and adsorption efficiency by cyanobacterial biomass., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2023 Paper, Koch, Jung, Lakatos, Nilges and Brück.)

Biobased furfural is a sustainable alternative to petrochemical intermediates for bulk chemicals and fuel production. However, existing methods for the conversion of xylose or lignocelluloses in mono-/bi-phasic systems to furfural involve non-selective sugar isolation or lignin condensation, limiting the valorisation of lignocelluloses. Herein, we used diformylxylose (DFX), a xylose derivative that is formed during the lignocellulosic fractionation process with formaldehyde protection, as a substitute for xylose to produce furfural in biphasic systems. Under kinetically optimized conditions, over 76 mol% of DFX could be converted to furfural in water-methyl isobutyl ketone system at a high reaction temperature with a short reaction time. Finally, isolation of xylan in eucalyptus wood as DFX with formaldehyde protection followed by converting DFX in a biphasic system gave a final furfural yield of 52 mol% (on the basis of xylan in wood), which was more than two times of that without formaldehyde. Combined with the value-added utilization of formaldehyde-protected lignin, this study would enable the full and efficient utilization of lignocellulosic biomass components and further improve the economics of the formaldehyde protection fractionation process., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2023 Huang, Bian, Li, Cheng, Luo, Shuai and Liu.)

Hemicellulose-based hydrogels are three-dimensional networked hydrophilic polymer with high water retention, good biocompatibility, and mechanical properties, which have attracted much attention in the field of soft materials. Herein, recent advances and developments in hemicellulose-based hydrogels were reviewed. The preparation method, formation mechanism and properties of hemicellulose-based hydrogels were introduced from the aspects of chemical cross-linking and physical cross-linking. The differences of different initiation systems such as light, enzymes, microwave radiation, and glow discharge electrolytic plasma were summarized. The advanced applications and developments of hemicellulose-based hydrogels in the fields of controlled drug release, wound dressings, high-efficiency adsorption, and sensors were summarized. Finally, the challenges faced in the field of hemicellulose-based hydrogels were summarized and prospected., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2023 Xu, Liu, Yang, Kim, Lee, Zhang, Xu, Choi and Si.)

Lignin, an abundant aromatic biopolymer, has the potential to produce various biofuels and chemicals through biorefinery activities and is expected to benefit the future circular economy. Microwave-assisted efficient degradation of lignin in methanol/formic acid over Ru/C catalyst cooperated with metal chloride was investigated, concerning the effect of type and dosage of metal chloride, dosage of Ru/C, reaction temperature, and reaction time on depolymerized product yield and distribution. Results showed that 91.1 wt% yield of bio-oil including 13.4 wt% monomers was obtained under the optimum condition. Yields of guaiacol-type compounds and 2,3-dihydrobenzofuran were promoted in the presence of ZnCl 2 . Formic acid played two roles: (1) acid-catalyzed cleavage of linkages; (2) acted as an in situ hydrogen donor for hydrodeoxygenation in the presence of Ru/C. A possible mechanism for lignin degradation was proposed. This work will provide a beneficial approach for efficient depolymerization of lignin and controllable product distribution., Competing Interests: Authors LS and LW were employed by the company of Shandong Chenming Paper Holdings Co., Ltd. The remaining authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2022 Shao, Wang, Liu, Wang, Wang and Xu.)

With the emerging of the problems of environmental pollution and energy crisis, the development of high-efficiency energy storage technology and green renewable energy is imminent. Supercapacitors have drawn great attention in wearable electronics because of their good performance and portability. Electrodes are the key to fabricate high-performance supercapacitors with good electrochemical properties and flexibility. As a biomass based derived material, nanocellulose has potential application prospects in supercapacitor electrode materials due to its biodegradability, high mechanical strength, strong chemical reactivity, and good mechanical flexibility. In this review, the research progress of nanocellulose/two dimensional nanomaterials composites is summarized for supercapacitors in recent years. First, nanocellulose/MXene composites for supercapacitors are reviewed. Then, nanocellulose/graphene composites for supercapacitors are comprehensively elaborated. Finally, we also introduce the current challenges and development potential of nanocellulose/two dimensional nanomaterials composites in supercapacitors., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2022 Liang, Wang, Yang, Xu, Xu, Zhao, Heo, Kim, Jeong, Yao, Song, Choi and Si.)

Cellulose fiber/paper-based surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) is considered as a promising food safety detection technology due to its non-toxicity, low cost, flexibility, and hygroscopicity for possible rapid on-site agricultural product contaminant detection. However, it faces the problems of poor noble metal adhesion and toxic noble metal reducing agent. In this study, a natural macromolecule-xylan was used as both a reducing agent and a stabilizing agent to prepare stable Au-Ag bimetal nanoparticles, which were anchored on the paper surface by xylans in order to fabricate a paper-based Au-Ag bimetallic SERS substrate. The results show that the SERS substrate has a high Raman enhancement performance and reproductively. The substrate can effectively detect trace pesticide, i.e., thiram, and the limit of detection is as low as 1 × 10 -6  mol/L (0.24 ppm). In addition, the paper-based SERS substrate can be used for direct detection of pesticide residues on the surface of fruit. The paper-based SERS substrate developed in this study has great potential in applications for rapid food safety detection., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2022 Xiang, He, Li, Bobokalonov, Dzhonmurodov and Ji.)

Cellulose-based functional composite films can be a good substitute for conventional plastic packaging to ensure food safety. In this study, the semi-transparent, mechanical strengthened, UV-shielding, antibacterial and biocompatible films were developed from hydroxyethyl cellulose Polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) and ε-polylysine (ε-PL) were respectively used as reinforcing agent and antibacterial agent, and chemical cross-linking among these three components were constructed using epichlorohydrin The maximum tensile strength and elongation at break were 95.9 ± 4.1 MPa and 148.8 ± 2.6%, respectively. TG-FTIR and XRD analyses indicated that chemical structure of the composite films could be well controlled by varying component proportion. From UV-Vis analysis, the optimum values of the percentage of blocking from UV-A and UV-B and ultraviolet protection factor values were 98.35%, 99.99% and 60.25, respectively. Additionally, the composite films exhibited good water vapor permeability, swelling behavior, antibacterial activity and biocompatibility. In terms of these properties, the shelf life of grapes could be extended to 6 days after packing with the composite film., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2022 Zhang, Guo, Luo, Chen, Xiao, Xiao and Liu.)

Flavonoid aglycones possess biological activities, such as antioxidant and antidiabetic activities compared to glycosides. Taxifolin, a flavonoid aglycones, is detected only in trace amounts in nature and is not easily observed. Therefore, in this study, to investigate the hair tonic and hair loss inhibitors effect of taxifolin, high content of taxifolin aglycone extract was prepared by enzymatic hydrolysis. Taxifolin effectively regulates the apoptosis of dermal papilla cells, which is associated with hair loss, based on its strong antioxidant activities. However, inhibition of dihydrotestosterone (DHT), which is a major cause of male pattern hair loss, was significantly reduced with taxifolin treatment compared with minoxidil, as a positive control. It was also confirmed that a representative factor for promoting hair growth, IGF-1, was significantly increased, and that TGF-β1, a representative biomarker for hair loss, was significantly reduced with taxifolin treatment. These results suggest that taxifolin from enzymatic hydrolysis of RM is a potential treatment for hair loss and a hair growth enhancer., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2022 Park, He, Gong, Gao, Bae, Si, Park and Choi.)

Herein, we reported that KOH impregnation can generate a large number of porous structures with fruitful nitrogen self-doped groups during the carbonized process for poly ( p -phenylene terephthalamide) fiber and poly ( p -phenylene benzobisoxazole) fiber (denoted as PPTA and PBO, respectively). The intrinsical insulation, volume change, and shuttle effect of polysulfides then can be more significantly improved for the PBO-coated separator than the PPTA case. The discharge capacity primary achieves 1,322 mA h/g, which retains 827 mA h/g even after 200 cycles at 0.2 C for the cell with PBO-coated separator. The reversible specific discharge capacity maintains 841 mA h/g with a Coulomb efficiency of 99.7% at 5 C. The nitrogen self-doped nanocarbon particles are etched by KOH with the simple one-step preparation, which has promising application as Li-S battery cathode., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2022 Meng, Sun, Sun, Zhang, Dan, Long and Hu.)

In analogy to higher plants, eukaryotic microalgae are thought to be incapable of utilizing green light for growth, due to the "green gap" in the absorbance profiles of their photosynthetic pigments. This study demonstrates, that the marine chlorophyte Picochlorum sp . is able to grow efficiently under green light emitting diode (LED) illumination. Picochlorum sp. growth and pigment profiles under blue, red, green and white LED illumination (light intensity: 50-200 μmol m -2 s -1 ) in bottom-lightened shake flask cultures were evaluated. Green light-treated cultures showed a prolonged initial growth lag phase of one to 2 days, which was subsequently compensated to obtain comparable biomass yields to red and white light controls (approx. 0.8 g DW L -1 ). Interestingly, growth and final biomass yields of the green light-treated sample were higher than under blue light with equivalent illumination energies. Further, pigment analysis indicated, that during green light illumination, Picochlorum sp . formed unknown pigments (X1-X4). Pigment concentrations increased with illumination intensity and were most abundant during the exponential growth phase. Mass spectrometry and nuclear magnetic resonance data indicated, that pigments X1-X2 and X3-X4 are derivatives of chlorophyll b and a , which harbor C=C bonds in the phytol side chain similar to geranylgeranylated chlorophylls. Thus, for the first time, the natural accumulation of large pools (approx. 12 mg g DW -1 ) of chlorophyll intermediates with incomplete hydrogenation of their phytyl chains is demonstrated for algae under monochromatic green light (Peak λ 510 nm, full width at half maximum 91 nm). The ability to utilize green light offers competitive advantages for enhancing biomass production, particularly under conditions of dense cultures, long light pathways and high light intensity. Green light acclimation for an eukaryotic microalgae in conjunction with the formation of new aberrant geranylgeranylated chlorophylls and high efficiency of growth rates are novel for eukaryotic microalgae. Illumination with green light could enhance productivity in industrial processes and trigger the formation of new metabolites-thus, underlying mechanisms require further investigation., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2022 Paper, Glemser, Haack, Lorenzen, Mehlmer, Fuchs, Schenk, Garbe, Weuster-Botz, Eisenreich, Lakatos and Brück.)

In this work, a simple synthetic method was used to prepare a new type of magnetic dissolving pulp (MDP) @polydopamine (PDA) fibers. The hydroxyl groups of the fibers were converted into carboxyl groups after succinylation. Fe 3 O 4 nanoparticles were grown in situ on the fibers. The prepared MDP@PDA fibers have catalytic reduction efficiency and adsorption performance for methylene blue organic dyes, and it has been thoroughly tested under various pH conditions. Fe 3 O 4 @PDA fibers have high reusability, are easy to separate, and regenerate quickly. The catalytic and adsorption efficiency barely decreases after repeated use. The surface of dissolving pulp fibers with a functionalized multifunctional PDA coating is used to create multifunctional catalysts and adsorbent materials. This study presents a very useful and convenient method for the synthesis and adjustment of MDP@PDA fibers, which have a wide range of potential applications in catalysis and wastewater treatment., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2022 Yang, Lu, Wu, Hu, Miao, Huang, Chen and Ni.)

In this study water soluble compounds that form complexes with Rare Earth Elements (REE) and other metals were isolated from Calothrix brevissima biomass with chromatographic methods for the first time. Molecular characterization showed that the isolated compounds are most likely polysaccharides comprised of arabinose, xylose, mannose, galactose and glucose. FT-IR analysis revealed functional groups involved in the binding mechanism of Tb are likely sulfate- and to a lesser extend hydroxyl-groups. The binding specificity of the isolated compounds was investigated with different metal solutions. Here, ions of the alkali and alkaline earth metals Na, K, Mg and Ca showed no competition for Tb-binding even at 10-fold excess concentration. Ions of the elements Co and Pb on the other hand replaced Tb at higher concentrations. Addition of the isolated compounds significantly reduced the precipitation of Eu at pH-values between 6.7 and 9.5, indicating that the interaction between the isolated chelators and Rare Earth Metals is stable even at high pH-values., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2022 Jurkowski, Paper and Brück.)

Tailoring the structure and properties of lignin is an important step toward electrochemical applications. In this study, lignin/polypyrrole (PPy) composite electrode films with microporous and mesoporous structures were designed effectively by electrostatic spinning, carbonization, and in situ polymerization methods. The lignin can not only reduce the cost of carbon fiber but also increase the specific surface area of composite films due to the removal of carbonyl and phenolic functional groups of lignin during carbonization. Besides, the compact three-dimensional (3D) conductive network structures were constructed with PPy particles densely coated on the lignin nanofibers, which was helpful to improve the conductivity and fast electron transfer during the charging and discharging processes. The synthesized lignin carbon fibers/PPy anode materials had good electrochemical performance in 1 M H 2 SO 4 electrolyte. The results showed that, at a current density of 1 A g -1 , the lignin carbon nanofibers/PPy (LCNFs/PPy) had a larger specific capacitance of 213.7 F g -1 than carbon nanofibers (CNFs), lignin carbon nanofibers (LCNFs), and lignin/PPy fiber (LPAN/PPy). In addition, the specific surface area of LCNFs/PPy reached 872.60 m 2  g -1 and the average pore size decreased to 2.50 nm after being coated by PPy. Therefore, the independent non-binder and self-supporting conductive film is expected to be a promising electrode material for supercapacitors with high performance., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2022 Hu, Li, Kim, Kim, Xu, Ma, Choi and Si.)

The bioconversion of lignocellulose into monosaccharides is critical for ensuring the continual manufacturing of biofuels and value-added bioproducts. Enzymatic degradation, which has a high yield, low energy consumption, and enhanced selectivity, could be the most efficient and environmentally friendly technique for converting complex lignocellulose polymers to fermentable monosaccharides, and it is expected to make cellulases and xylanases the most demanded industrial enzymes. The widespread nature of thermophilic microorganisms allows them to proliferate on a variety of substrates and release substantial quantities of cellulases and xylanases, which makes them a great source of thermostable enzymes. The most significant breakthrough of lignocellulolytic enzymes lies in lignocellulose-deconstruction by enzymatic depolymerization of holocellulose into simple monosaccharides. However, commercially valuable thermostable cellulases and xylanases are challenging to produce in high enough quantities. Thus, the present review aims at giving an overview of the most recent thermostable cellulases and xylanases isolated from thermophilic and hyperthermophilic microbes. The emphasis is on recent advancements in manufacturing these enzymes in other mesophilic host and enhancement of catalytic activity as well as thermostability of thermophilic cellulases and xylanases, using genetic engineering as a promising and efficient technology for its economic production. Additionally, the biotechnological applications of thermostable cellulases and xylanases of thermophiles were also discussed., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2021 Ajeje, Hu, Song, Peter, Afful, Sun, Asadollahi, Amiri, Abdulkhani and Sun.)

Chemical pretreatment followed by enzymatic hydrolysis has been regarded as a viable way to produce fermentable sugars. Phenylsulfonic acid (PSA) pretreatment could efficiently fractionate the non-cellulosic components (hemicelluloses and lignin) from bamboo and result in increased cellulose accessibility that was 10 times that of untreated bamboo. However, deposited lignin could trigger non-productive adsorption to enzymes, which therefore significantly decreased the enzymatic hydrolysis efficiency of PSA-pretreated bamboo substrates. Herein, poly(N-vinylcaprolactam) (PNVCL), a non-ionic surfactant, was developed as a novel additive for overcoming the non-productive adsorption of lignin during enzymatic hydrolysis. PNVCL was found to be not only more effective than those of commonly used lignosulfonate and polyvinyl alcohol for overcoming the negative effect of lignin, but also comparable to the robust Tween 20 and bovine serum albumin additives. A PNVCL loading at 1.2 g/L during enzymatic hydrolysis of PSA pretreated bamboo substrate could achieve an 80% cellulosic enzymatic conversion and meanwhile reduce the cellulase loading by three times as compared to that without additive. Mechanistic investigations indicated that PNVCL could block lignin residues through hydrophobic interactions and the resultant PNVCL coating resisted the adsorption of cellulase via electrostatic repulsion and/or hydration. This practical method can improve the lignocellulosic enzymatic hydrolysis efficiency and thereby increase the productivity and profitability of biorefinery., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2021 Lv, Yang, Gong, Cheng, Shuai, Huang, Chen, Luo and Liu.)

Paper is the material of choice for a large range of applications because it has many favorable environmental and economic characteristics. Especially in the packaging sector of dry goods and food products, paper has found unique applications. For that purpose, it has to fulfill certain requirements: Primarily it should protect the packaged goods. In order to ensure the compliance of a paper packaging, its interactions with the packaged goods should be investigated. Therefore, it is of utmost importance to understand how the paper interacts with chemicals of different nature and what factors influence these interactions-be that the nature of the paper or the characteristics of the substances. In this study, we investigated the surface interactions of cellulose thin films with n-decane and deuterated methanol using two different analytical methods: headspace solid-phase microextraction with gas chromatography and flame ionization detection (HS-SPME-GC/FID) and temperature-programmed desorption (TPD). Cellulose thin films were characterized with contact angle and FT-IR measurements and successfully applied as model systems for real paper samples. Regarding the interactions of the cellulose films with the model compounds, the two inherently different methods, HS-SPME-GC/FID and TPD, provide very comparable results. While the nonpolar n-decane was readily released from the cellulose films, the polar model compound deuterated methanol showed a strong interaction with the polar cellulose surface., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2021 Hoffellner, Henögl, Petschacher, Schennach and Leitner.)

The kinetics studies is of great importance for the understanding of the mechanism of hemicellulose pyrolysis and expanding the applications of hemicellulose. In the past years, rapid progress has been paid on the kinetics studies of hemicellulose hydrolysis. In this article, we first introduced the hydrolysis of hemicelluloses via various strategies such as autohydrolysis, dilute acid hydrolysis, catalytic hydrolysis, and enzymatic hydrolysis. Then, the history of kinetic models during hemicellulose hydrolysis was summarized. Special attention was paid to the oligosaccharides as intermediates or substrates, acid as catalyst, and thermogravimetric as analyzer method during the hemicellulose hydrolysis. Furthermore, the problems and suggestions of kinetic models during hemicellulose hydrolysis was provided. It expected that this article will favor the understanding of the mechanism of hemicellulose pyrolysis., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest. The reviewer (JX) declared a past co-authorship with one of the authors (MM) to the handling Editor., (Copyright © 2021 Yuan, Liu, Ma, Ji, Choi and Si.)

This paper reviews the preparation of magnetic biochar and its application in wastewater treatment, and briefly discusses the adsorption mechanism of biochar to remove pollutants and the modification methods of biochar. Due to the good physical and chemical properties of biochar, including its rough porous structure, it has been widely used to absorb pollutants from water. Magnetic biochar is commonly prepared by combining biochar with magnetic material. The biochar is endowed with the characteristics of the magnetic material, which could effectively solve the problems of difficult recovery and easy loss of adsorbent in water treatment. Magnetic biochar with high carbon content, large specific surface area, magnetic separation, and other excellent properties, has become a hot research topic in recent years. The preparation methods and application properties of magnetic biochar are reviewed. The future research directions of magnetic biochar are put forward to provide directions for further research and application of magnetic biochar materials., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2021 Zhao, Xu, Song, Nie, Choi and Si.)

Paris polyphylla var. yunnanensis is a kind of biomass resource, which has important medicinal and economical values with a huge market. This review article aims to summarize the recent development of biomass P. polyphylla var. yunnanensis . The genetic diversity and chemical components of biomass P. polyphylla var. yunnanensis were reviewed based on the literature. Both the genetic diversity and genetic structure of biomass P. polyphylla var. yunnanensis were compared by using molecular marker technologies. All the extraction processes, harvest time, and drying methods on the chemical components were summarized in detail. The differences of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi on the infection rate, diosgenin content, microorganisms, enzyme activities, rhizospheric environment, and endogenous hormones were discussed. This review article is beneficial for the applications of biomass P. polyphylla var. yunnanensis as a biomass resource in the biomedical field., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2021 Zhou, Xu, Park, Ma, Choi and Si.)

Lignin exhibited numerous advantages such as plentiful functional groups, good biocompatibility, low toxicity, and high carbon content, which can be transformed into composites and carbon materials. Lignin-based materials are usually environmentally friendly and low cost, and are widely used in energy storage, environment, electronic devices, and other fields. In this review article, the pretreatment separation methods like hydrothermal process are illustrated briefly, and the properties and categories of technical lignin are introduced. Then, the latest progress of lignin-based composites and lignin-derived carbon materials is summarized. Finally, the current challenges and future developments were suggested based on our knowledge. It is expected that this review paper favored the applications of composites and lignin-derived carbon materials in the future., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2021 Ma, Kim, Liu, Ma, Choi and Si.)

Hemicellulose is an important component of plant cell walls, which is mainly used in biofuels and bioproducts. The hemicellulose extracted from different plant sources and plant locations has different microstructure and molecule. Wheat straw is an important biomass raw material for the extraction of hemicellulose. The aims of this review are to summary the recent developments and various applications of hemicellulose from wheat straw. The microstructure and molecule of hemicellulose extracted by different methods are comparably discussed. The hemicellulose-based derivatives and composites are also reviewed. Special attention was paid to the applications of hemicellulose such as biofuel production, packaging field, and adsorbent. The problems and developing direction were given based on our knowledge. We expect that this review will put forward to the development and high-value applications of hemicellulose from wheat straw., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2021 Huang, Ma, Ji, Choi and Si.)

Alnus sibirica Fisch. ex Turcz (ASFT), belonging to the family of Betulaceae, grows naturally in Asia, Europe, and America. The aims of this study are determining the efficacy of various biomarkers related to hair loss, evaluated by extracting the branch with 60% alcohol, and purely separating diarylheptanoid oregonin, an indicator and active substance, from 60% alcohol extract of the tree. To determine the preventive effects on hair loss, we investigated the anti-oxidative and anti-apoptotic effects on hydrogen peroxide-induced cytotoxicity on human hair dermal papilla cells using 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay and Western blotting analysis for proving of apoptosis-related marker alteration, respectively. Moreover, we examined the ameliorative effects of 60% alcohol extract of the tree and oregonin against changes of oxidative stress-induced cytokine and testosterone-induced dihydrotestosterone production as crucial pathways of the hair loss mechanism. These results suggest that 60% alcohol extract of the tree and oregonin were available as novel natural materials for maintaining hair health in mammals., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2021 Ha, Yun, Si, Bae, Jeong, Park and Choi.)

Hydrogels with ion exchange properties were synthesized from compounds derived from wood biopolymer hemicellulose and from commercial vinyl monomers to be tested as active materials for the removal of Cu(II), Cr(VI), and As(V) ions. The hemicellulose O -acetyl galactoglucomannan (GGM) was used as the precursor material, and through a transesterification reaction, GGM was converted into a macromonomer GGM-glycidyl methacrylate (GGM-GMA). Subsequently, the GGM-GMA macromonomer, containing more than one methacrylate group, was used as a crosslinking agent in the synthesis of hydrogels through free-radical polymerization reactions in combination with a 2-acrylamido-2-methyl-1-propanesulfonic acid monomer to produce a cation exchange hydrogel. Also, (3-acrylamidopropyl)trimethylammonium chloride monomer was applied together with the GGM-GMA to form hydrogels that can be used as anion exchange hydrogel. The hydrogels were characterized by Fourier transform-infrared (FT-IR), 1 H-NMR spectroscopy, and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), as well as derivative thermogravimetry (DTG). The microstructure of the hydrogels was characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis with X-ray microanalysis energy-dispersive spectroscopy (EDS). The results obtained regarding the absorption capacity of the Cu(II), Cr(VI), and As(V) ions were studied as a function of the pH value and the initial concentration of the metal ions in the solutions. Absorption was carried out in consecutive batches, and it was found that the poly(GGM-GMA/AMPSH) hydrogel reached an absorption capacity of 90 mg g -1 for Cu(II). The poly(GGM-GMA/APTACl) hydrogel reached values of 69 and 60 mg g -1 for Cr(VI) and As(V) oxyanions, respectively. Tests with polymer blends (mixtures of anionic and cationic hydrogels) were also carried out to remove Cu(II), Cr(VI), and As(V) ions from multi-ionic solutions, obtaining satisfactory results., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2021 Sánchez, Dax, Tapiero, Xu and Willför.)

Cellulose from different lignocellulosic biomass can be used to prepare various materials. In this work, the cellulose nanofibrils were produced from hardwood bleached kraft pulp. Then, a novel biosorbent from cellulose nanofibrils grafted with poly( m -aminobenzene sulfonate) (PABS) was prepared for effective detoxification and adsorption of Cr(VI) in an aqueous medium. 6,6-tetramethylpiperidine-1-oxyl (TEMPO)-oxidized cellulose nanofibrils (TOCNF) with a high aspect ratio was used as an adsorbent matrix. PABS, an amine-rich conductive polymer, was grafted onto TOCNF via a successive two-step reaction. The analyses of Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) confirmed the successful grafting reaction between TOCNF and PABS. The biosorbent from TOCNF-bonded PABS with the nitrogen content of 7.0% was synthesized. It exhibited excellent Cr(VI) adsorption capacity at a solution pH below 3, and almost 100% Cr(VI) can be removed. The adsorption of Cr(VI) on the biosorbent was described by a pseudo-second-order model and obeyed the Langmuir model. The Cr(VI) adsorption capacity of the biosorbent from TOCNF-bonded PABS was almost 10 times higher than that of TOCNF. It was interesting to note that part of Cr(VI) ions had been reduced to Cr(III) during the adsorption process. It indicated that the biosorbent from TOCNF grafted with PABS could detoxify and adsorb Cr(VI) synchronously., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2021 Yu, An, Bae, Heo, Chen, Jeong and Kim.)

As a kind of biomass waste, enzymatic hydrolysis residues (EHRs) are conventionally burned or just discarded, resulting in environmental pollution and low economic benefits. In this study, EHRs of corncob residues (CCR) were used to produce high lignin-containing cellulose nanofibrils (LCNFs) and lignin nanoparticles (LNPs) through a facile approach. The LCNFs and LNPs with controllable chemical compositions and properties were produced by tuning the enzymolysis time of CCR and the followed homogenization. The morphology, thermal stability, chemical and crystalline structure, and dispersibility of the resultant LCNFs and LNPs were further comprehensively investigated. This work not only promotes the production of lignocellulose-based nanomaterials but also provides a promising utilization pathway for EHRs., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2021 Xu, Du, Wang, Zhang, Wu, Liu, Yu, Zhang, Si, Choi and Li.)

Impact Statement: Nasopharyngeal cancer is one of the most common malignant tumors in the head and neck. Identification of promising miRNA biomarkers might benefit a lot to the detection of nasopharyngeal carcinoma. A three-miRNA signature (has-miR-142-3p, has-miR-29c, and has-miR-30e) was obviously associated with the overall survival of nasopharyngeal carcinoma patients. The model has better clinical independence and has better clinical prediction effect when combined with clinical characteristics. Our results revealed that a three-miRNA signature was a potential novel prognostic biomarker for nasopharyngeal carcinoma.

At present, there are various wound dressings that can protect the wound from further injury or isolate the external environment in wound treatment. Whereas, infection and slow self-healing still exist in wound healing process. Therefore, it is urgent to develop an ideal wound dressing with good biocompatibility and strong antibacterial activity to promote wound healing. Bacterial cellulose is a kind of promising biopolymer because it can control wound exudate and provide a moist environment for wound healing. However, the lack of antibacterial activity limits its application. In this paper, the advantages of bacterial cellulose as wound dressings were introduced, and the preparation and research progress of bacterial cellulose-based antibacterial composites in recent years were reviewed, including adding antibiotics, combining with inorganic antibacterial agents or organic antibacterial agents. Finally, the existing problems and future development direction of bacterial cellulose-based antibacterial wound dressings were discussed., (Copyright © 2020 Zheng, Li, Luo and Wang.)

This study describes a class of cellulosic nanomaterials, cellulosic nanowhiskers (CNWs), and demonstrates scaled-up production with acid recovery using less expensive equipment made of common stainless steel rather than glass-lined steel. CNWs produced using concentrated maleic acid (MA) hydrolysis followed by mechanical fibrillation have morphology similar to MA-produced cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) and sulfuric-acid-produced CNCs (S-CNCs) but differ in crystallinity. Applications of CNWs as a substitute for CNCs for which morphology and surface charge, rather than crystallinity, are the pertinent characteristics are presented. The tested CNW suspensions have a wider viscosity range of 0.001 to 1000 Pa.s over a variety of shear rates of 0.01 to 1000 1/s compared to S-CNCs of 0.001 to 0.1 Pa.s and are better suited for applications such as rheology modification and 3D printing. This study proposes CNWs as a less expensive and sustainable replacement for CNCs in applications that do not require crystalline properties., (Copyright © 2020 Wang, Zhu, Ma, Agarwal, Gleisner, Reiner, Baez and Zhu.)

Perovskite nanocrystals have attracted worldwide attention due to their outstanding optical versatility, high photoluminescence quantum yields, and facile synthesis. In this review, we firstly revisit the synthetic methods for perovskite nanocrystals (PNCs), including hot injection, anion exchange, solvothermal reaction, etc. In the meantime, we discuss effects of the different synthetic methods on the properties of PNCs, including the crystal size, emission spectral feature, quantum yield, etc., followed by several optimizing strategies. Finally, lasing and display applications of these PNCs in combination with liquid crystal materials are discussed thoroughly. Outlooks on the challenges and opportunities of these nanocrystalline materials in terms of adjunct applications with liquid crystals have been presented at the end, which are highly promising for next-generation light emission applications., (Copyright © 2020 Lin, Nie, Jiang, Jiang, Wang, Shui, Priya, Zhou and Hu.)

Reject fines, a waste stream of short lignocellulosic fibers produced from paper linerboard recycling, are a cellulose-rich paper mill byproduct that can be hydrolyzed enzymatically into fermentable sugars. In this study, the use of hydrolyzed reject fines as a carbon source for bacterial biosynthesis of poly( R -3-hydroxyalkanoate) (PHA) and poly(γ-glutamic acid) (PGA) was investigated. Recombinant Escherichia coli harboring PHA biosynthesis genes were cultivated with purified sugars or crude hydrolysate to produce both poly( R -3-hydroxybutyrate) (PHB) homopolymer and medium chain length-containing copolymer (PHB- co -MCL). Wild-type Bacillus licheniformis WX-02 were cultivated with crude hydrolysate to produce PGA. Both PHB and short chain-length- co -medium chain-length (SCL- co -MCL) PHA yields from crude hydrolysate were a 2-fold improvement over purified sugars, and the MCL monomer fraction was decreased slightly in copolymers produced from crude hydrolysate. PGA yield from crude hydrolysate was similarly increased 2-fold. The results suggest that sugars from hydrolyzed reject fines are a viable carbon source for PHA and PGA biosynthesis. The use of crude hydrolysate is not only possible but beneficial for biopolymer production, eliminating the need for costly separation and purification techniques. This study demonstrates the potential to divert a lignocellulosic waste stream into valuable biomaterials, mitigating the environmental impacts of solid waste disposal., (Copyright © 2019 Scheel, Fusi, Min, Thomas, Ramarao and Nomura.)

Formaldehyde is a colorless, highly toxic, and flammable gas that is harmful to human health. Recently, many efforts have been devoted to the application of activated carbon to absorb formaldehyde. In this work, lignocellulose-based activated carbon fiber paper (LACFP) loaded with manganese dioxide (MnO 2 ) was fabricated for the adsorption and in-situ catalytic degradation of formaldehyde. LACFP was prepared by two-stage carbonization and activation of sisal hemp pulp-formed paper and was then impregnated with manganese sulfate (MnSO 4 ) and potassium permanganate (KMnO 4 ) solutions; MnO 2 then formed by in situ growth on the LACFP base by calcination. The catalytic performance of MnO 2 -loaded LACFP for formaldehyde was then investigated. It was found that the suitable carbonization conditions were elevating the temperature first by raising it at 10°C/min from room temperature to 280°C, then at 2°C/min from 280 to 400°C, maintaining the temperature at 400°C for 1 h, and then increasing it quickly from 400 to 700°C at 15°C/min. The conditions used for activation were similar to those for carbonization, with the temperature additionally being held at 700°C for 2 h. The conditions mentioned above were optimized to maintain the fiber structure and shape integrity of the paper, being conducive to loading with catalytically active substances. Regarding the catalytic activity of MnO 2 -loaded LACFP, the concentration of formaldehyde decreased by 59 ± 6 ppm and the concentration of ΔCO 2 increased by 75 ± 3 ppm when the reaction proceeded at room temperature for 10 h. The results indicated that MnO 2 -loaded LACFP could catalyze formaldehyde into non-toxic substances., (Copyright © 2019 Zhang, Zhang, Lin, Cheng, Liu, Peng and Ren.)

This work describes the preparation of spin-coated thin polymer films composed of cellulose (CE), ethyl cellulose (EC), and cellulose acetate (CA) in the form of bi- or mono-component coatings on sensors of a quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation monitoring (QCM-D). Depending on the composition and derivative, hydrophilicity can be varied resulting in materials with different surface properties. The surfaces of mono- and bi-component films were also analyzed by atomic force microscopy (AFM) and large differences in the morphologies were found comprising nano- to micrometer sized pores. Extended protein adsorption studies were performed by a QCM-D with 0.1 and 10 mg mL -1 bovine serum albumin (BSA) and 0.1 and 1 mg mL -1 fibrinogen from bovine plasma in phosphate buffered saline. Analysis of the mass of bound proteins was conducted by applying the Voigt model and a comparison was made with the Sauerbrey wet mass of the proteins for all films. The amount of deposited proteins could be influenced by the composition of the films. It is proposed that the observed effects can be exploited in biomaterial science and that they can be used to extent the applicability of bio-based polymer thin films composed of commercial cellulose derivatives.

Using isocyanate-functionalized Kraft lignin as a reactive macromonomer for the preparation of polyurethane foams by a prepolymer technique is a well-known strategy to incorporate the biomacromolecule into a higher value polymer material. However, as of today the mechanical properties of the resulting materials are still insufficient for a number of possible applications. One reason for this limitation is that the reaction pathway and the morphological arrangement of such foams is of uttermost complexity and depends on a large number of influencing material-intrinsic factors. One important parameter is the reactivity of the functionalized lignin, which has a great impact on the interphase reaction kinetics and thus, on the geometry and mechanical properties of the resulting polyurethane foams. The reactivity is implied, amongst others, by the electron affinity of the isocyanate moiety. Herein, we investigate the reactivity of Kraft lignin modified with different commercially used isocyanates in the reaction with conventional polyols. Therefore, differently reactive prepolymers were synthesized, characterized and polyurethane foams were prepared thereof by using these compounds and the foam formation kinetics, morphological as well as mechanical properties were investigated. Finally, the results were supported by quantum mechanical calculations of the electron affinities of representative model compounds for the lignin-based prepolymers. This work gives rise to a better understanding of the effect of the reactivity and isocyanate structure linked to Kraft lignin on the polyurethane formation and enables rational choice of the isocyanate for pre-functionalization of lignin to prepare materials with better mechanical performance.

A literature review on ultrathin films of cellulose is presented. The review focuses on different deposition methods of the films-all the way from simple monocomponent films to more elaborate multicomponent structures-and the use of the film structures in the vast realm of materials science. The common approach of utilizing cellulose thin films as experimental models is therefore omitted. The reader will find that modern usage of cellulose thin films constitutes an exciting emerging area within materials science and it goes far beyond the traditional usage of the films as model systems.

Depolymerization of lignin into valuable aromatic compounds is an important starting point for its valorization strategies, which requires the cleavage of C-O and C-C bonds between lignin monomer units. The catalytic cleavage of these bonds is still difficult and challenging. Our previous experimental investigation (Green Chem., 2018, 20: 3743) has shown that methyl p-hydroxycinnamate ( MPC ) can be produced from molecular tailoring of H unit in lignin by the cleavage of the γ-O ester bond. In this study, the mechanism of [Bmim][FeCl 4 ]-catalyzed depolymerization of lignin was investigated by using the density functional theory (DFT) method. The results reveal that [FeCl 4 ] - anion of the catalyst plays a decisive role in the whole catalytic process, where two possible activation modes including three different potential reaction pathways can realize the depolymerization of lignin model compound. The calculated overall barriers of the catalytic conversion along these potential routes show that the third potential pathway, i.e., methanol firstly activated by [Bmim][FeCl 4 ], has the most probability with the lowest energy barrier, while the second pathway is excluded because the energy barrier is too high. Also, the results illustrate that the solvent effect is beneficial to the reduction of the relative energy for the reaction to form the transition states. Hence, the obtained molecular level information can identify the favorable conversion process catalyzed by metallic ionic liquids to a certain extent, and it is desirable to enhance the utilization of biomass as a ubiquitous feedstock.

Chemistry, geometric shape and swelling behavior are the key parameters that determine any successful use of man-made polymeric networks (gels). While understanding of the swelling behavior of both water-swellable hydrogels and organogels that swell in organic solvents can be considered well-advanced with respect to fossil fuel-based polymer networks, the understanding, in particular, of wood-derived polymers in such a network architecture is still lacking. In this work, we focus on organogels derived from hydroxypropyl cellulose (HPC) ester. The latter polymer was functionalized with saturated and unsaturated fatty acids, respectively. Due to their tailored chemical constitution, we demonstrated that such polysaccharide can be crosslinked and simultaneously surface-bound by using a photo-induced radical reaction using a photo-initiator. Based on the choice of fatty acid used in the design of the HPC ester, and by controlling the degree of substitution (DS) obtained during the esterification of the polysaccharide, modular manipulation of the physical properties (e.g., polarity) of the resulting gel is possible. Depending on the initiator employed, different wavelengths of light, from UV to visible, can be utilized for the crosslinking reaction, which facilitates the deployment of a range of light sources and different lithographic methods. Additionally, we showed that altering of the illumination time allows to tailor the netpoint density, and thus, the degree of linear deformation in equilibrium and the swelling kinetics. Finally, we performed a proof-of-principle experiment to demonstrate the application of our material for the generation of spatially resolved polymer patches to enrich organic molecules from a solution within a microfluidic channel.

Cellulose derivate phase separation in thin films was applied to generate patterned films with distinct surface morphology. Patterned polymer thin films are utilized in electronics, optics, and biotechnology but films based on bio-polymers are scarce. Film formation, roughness, wetting, and patterning are often investigated when it comes to characterization of the films. Frictional properties, on the other hand, have not been studied extensively. We extend the fundamental understanding of spin coated complex cellulose blend films via revealing their surface friction using Friction Force Microscopy (FFM). Two cellulose derivatives were transformed into two-phase blend films with one phase comprising trimethyl silyl cellulose (TMSC) regenerated to cellulose with hydroxyl groups exposed to the film surface. Adjusting the volume fraction of the spin coating solution resulted in variation of the surface fraction with the other, hydroxypropylcellulose stearate (HPCE) phase. The film morphology confirmed lateral and vertical separation and was translated into effective surface fraction. Phase separation as well as regeneration contributed to the surface morphology resulting in roughness variation of the blend films from 1.1 to 19.8 nm depending on the film composition. Friction analysis was successfully established, and then revealed that the friction coefficient of the films could be tuned and the blend films exhibited lowered friction force coefficient compared to the single-component films. Protein affinity of the films was investigated with bovine serum albumin (BSA) and depended mainly on the surface free energy (SFE) while no direct correlation with roughness or friction was found. BSA adsorption on film formed with 1:1 spinning solution volume ratio was an outlier and exhibited unexpected minimum in adsorption.

Impact Statement: Due to high-fat and high-sugar diets accompanied by sedentary lifestyles, diabetes has become a global epidemic. Literature findings suggest a potential therapeutic effect of Nrg4 on treating obesity-related metabolic disorders including type 2 diabetes (T2D). Adipose tissue-derived MSCs (ADSCs) were used in our study as they are abundant and can be harvested with minimally invasive procedures. In the end, our study reveals that ADSC transplantation improves glucose tolerance and metabolic balance in HFD-fed mice by multiple mechanisms, including upregulating GLUT4 expression and suppressing inflammation. More importantly, our study shows that Nrg4 overexpression could improve the efficacy of ADSCs in ameliorating insulin resistance (IR) and other obesity-related metabolic disorders, given the function of Nrg4 in attenuating hepatic lipogenesis. It would provide a new therapeutic strategy for the treatment of obesity, IR, and T2D.

An approach for the multilayer density analysis of polysaccharide thin films at the example of cellulose is presented. In detail, a model was developed for the evaluation of the density in different layers across the thickness direction of the film. The cellulose thin film was split into a so called "roughness layer" present at the surface and a "bulk layer" attached to the substrate surface. For this approach, a combination of multi-parameter surface plasmon resonance spectroscopy (SPR) and atomic force microscopy (AFM) was employed to detect changes in the properties, such as cellulose content and density, thickness and refractive index, of the surface near layer and the bulk layer. The surface region of the films featured a much lower density than the bulk. Further, these results correlate to X-ray reflectivity studies, indicating a similar layered structure with reduced density at the surface near regions. The proposed method provides an approach to analyse density variations in thin films which can be used to study material properties and swelling behavior in different layers of the films. Limitations and challenges of the multilayer model evaluation method of cellulose thin films were discussed. This particularly involves the selection of the starting values for iteration of the layer thickness of the top layer, which was overcome by incorporation of AFM data in this study.

Impact Statement: The abnormal expression of many regulatory factors may be involved in the development of PE. circRNAs are proved to have a series of important biological functions; however, reports about circRNA and PE are rare. In this work, we evaluated the profile analysis of circRNAs in human placenta of PE by RNA-seq and found some newly differentially expressed circRNAs which might be involved in PE. Combined with bioinformatics analysis, their possible functions were preliminarily discussed.

Impact Statement: A critical barrier in treating diarrheal disease is easy-to-use effective treatments. Rx100 is a first in class, novel small molecule that has shown efficacy after both subcutaneous and oral administration in a mouse cholera-toxin- and Citrobacter rodentium infection-induced diarrhea models. Our findings indicate that Rx100 a metabolically stable analog of the lipid mediator lysophosphatidic acid blocks activation of CFTR-mediated secretion responsible for fluid discharge in secretory diarrhea. Rx100 represents a new treatment modality which does not directly block CFTR but attenuates its activation by bacterial toxins. Our results provide proof-of-principle that Rx100 can be developed for use as an effective oral or injectable easy-to-use drug for secretory diarrhea which could significantly improve care by eliminating the need for severely ill patients to regularly consume large quantities of oral rehydration therapies and offering options for pediatric patients.

Due to its unique material properties, paper offers many practical advantages as a viable platform for sensing devices. In view of paper-based microfluidic biosensing applications, the covalent immobilization of enzymes with preserved functional activity is highly desirable and ultimately challenging. In the present manuscript, we report an efficient approach to achieving the covalent attachment of certain enzymes on paper fibers via a surface-bound network of hydrophilic polymers bearing protein-modifiable sites. This tailor-made macromolecular system consisting of polar, highly swellable copolymers is anchored to the paper exterior upon light-induced crosslinking of engineered benzophenone motifs. On the other hand, this framework contains active esters that can be efficiently modified by the nucleophiles of biomolecules. This strategy allowed the covalent immobilization of glucose oxidase and horseradish peroxidase onto cotton linters without sacrificing their bioactivities and performance upon surface binding. As a proof-of-concept application, a microfluidic chromatic paper-based glucose sensor was developed and achieved successful glucose detection in a simple yet efficient cascade reaction.

First isolated in 1926, Clostridium thermocellum has recently received increased attention as a high utility candidate for use in consolidated bioprocessing (CBP) applications. These applications, which seek to process lignocellulosic biomass directly into useful products such as ethanol, are gaining traction as economically feasible routes toward the production of fuel and other high value chemical compounds as the shortcomings of fossil fuels become evident. This review evaluates C. thermocellum's role in this transitory process by highlighting recent discoveries relating to its genomic, transcriptomic, proteomic, and metabolomic responses to varying biomass sources, with a special emphasis placed on providing an overview of its unique, multivariate enzyme cellulosome complex and the role that this structure performs during biomass degradation. Both naturally evolved and genetically engineered strains are examined in light of their unique attributes and responses to various biomass treatment conditions, and the genetic tools that have been employed for their creation are presented. Several future routes for potential industrial usage are presented, and it is concluded that, although there have been many advances to significantly improve C. thermocellum's amenability to industrial use, several hurdles still remain to be overcome as this unique organism enjoys increased attention within the scientific community.