Search

Alkaline water electrolysis is the promising technical pathway of large‐scale green hydrogen production. However, its hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) is hindered by the alkaline environment, leading to slow H2O splitting kinetics, especially for NiMoCu alloy catalysts which are considered potential alkaline HER catalysts. In this work, the Ru‐substrate modified NiMoCu20 porous electrode is designed by a continuous multistep electrodeposition method. It shows the good alkaline HER performance at the high current density of 1000 mA cm−2, which is attributed to the synergistic charge‐reconfiguration effects between Ru‐substrate and NiMoCu alloy by density functional theory (DFT) calculations and in situ Raman spectra analysis. It indicates that the Ru‐substrate is capable of encouraging H‐OH* bond breakage and optimizing transition‐state H* adsorption. Further, the overall water electrolysis results of the alkaline water electrolysis cell (30 wt% KOH) at 70 °C show that it has good performance at the large current density of 1000 mA cm−2 with 2.05 V and good stability at 600 mA cm−2 up to 500 h. It provides the possibility of designing the high‐performance HER electrode from the view of industrial applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the realm of electronic circuits, materials with high thermal conductivity are sought after as ideal packaging components. It is crucial that such materials not only possess excellent thermal conductivity, but also maintain desirable dielectric properties. To this end, boron nitride nanosheets (BNNS) and BNNS/nanodiamond (ND) aerogels with a three‐dimensional (3D) structure using the ice‐template method were prepared. Subsequently, these aerogels were utilized as a framework to produce 3D‐BNNS/epoxy and 3D‐BNNS/ND/epoxy composites via the vacuum‐assisted impregnation method, which exhibit enhanced anisotropic thermal conductivity. Furthermore, the thermal conductivity exhibited by the 3D‐BNNS/epoxy composites outperforms those containing randomly distributed BNNS. The experiment also reveals sintering the aerogel at elevated temperatures to remove the PVA can significantly improve the thermal conductivity exhibited by the 3D‐BNNS/epoxy and 3D‐BNNS/ND/epoxy composites. Importantly, the 3D‐BNNS/ND/epoxy composites illustrate exceptional thermal conductivity values of 1.326 W/(m·K), indicating a remarkable synergistic effect of BNNS and ND in improving thermal conductivity. It is noteworthy to state that the relative thermal conductivity ratio of the 3D‐BNNS/epoxy and 3D‐BNNS/ND/epoxy composites to pure epoxy resin was markedly higher at lower temperatures than the values measured at room temperature, signifying their superior heat transfer performance at lower temperatures. In addition, the composites depict excellent dielectric properties and lower coefficients of thermal expansion values. Finally, the 3D‐BNNS/ND/epoxy composites also have significantly improved Tg (132.5 and 152.6°C). The high‐performance polymer composites described in this study are envisaged for implementation within the realm of electronic packaging materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Alkaline water electrolysis (AWE) is the promising technical pathway of large‐scale green hydrogen production. The sluggish oxygen evolution reaction seriously hampers the water decomposition reaction kinetics for AWE, especially at high current density above 500 mA cm−2. It is closely related with bubbles removal dynamic performance of porous electrodes. In this study, the multi‐stage porous nickel–iron oxide electrode is prepared by a two‐step electro‐deposition method. The electrode shows good oxygen evolution reaction performance at high current densitiy of 1000 mA cm−2, which is attributed to both the good electro‐catalytic performance of NiFeOx with nano‐cone structure and good bubbles removal performance of porous Ni interlayer with the curved pore channels. Bubbles motion inside the pore channels is deeply analyzed by Lattice Boltzmann simulation of gas–liquid two‐phase flows, combining with the experiments. The results indicate that bubbles motion speed is faster in curved pore channels than that in straight pore channels due to the role of bubble buoyancy. It illuminates the effects of pore channel curvature on bubbles motion for porous electrodes prepared by electro‐deposition. It provides the possibility of designing porous electrodes with both good electro‐catalytic performance and good bubbles removal performance by the electro‐deposition method, from the view of industrial applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Islet allotransplantation has demonstrated improved clinical outcomes using the hepatic portal vein as the standard infusion method. However, the current implantation site is not ideal due to the short‐term thrombotic and long‐term immune destruction. Meanwhile, the shortage of human organ donors further limits its application. To find a new strategy, we tested a new polymer combination for islet encapsulation and transplantation. Meanwhile, we explored a new site for xenogeneic islet transplantation in mice. Method: We synthesized a hydrogel combining alginate plus poly‐ethylene‐imine (Alg/PEI) for the encapsulation of rat, neonatal porcine, and human islets. Transplantation was performed into the retroperitoneal retro‐colic space of diabetic mice. Control mice received free islets under the kidney capsule or encapsulated islets into the peritoneum. The biochemical indexes were measured, and the transplanted islets were harvested for immunohistochemical staining of insulin and glucagon. Results: Mice receiving encapsulated rat, porcine and human islets transplanted into the retroperitoneal space maintained normoglycemia for a median of 275, 145.5, and 146 days, respectively. In contrast, encapsulated xenogeneic islets transplanted into the peritoneum, maintained function for a median of 61, 95.5, and 82 days, respectively. Meanwhile, xenogeneic islets transplanted free into the kidney capsule lost their function within 3 days after transplantation. Immunohistochemical staining of encapsulated rat, porcine and human islets, retrieved from the retroperitoneal space, allowed to distinguish morphological normal insulin expressing β‐ and glucagon expressing α‐cells at 70, 60, and 100 days post‐transplant, respectively. Conclusion: Transplantation of Alg/PEI encapsulated xenogeneic islets into the retroperitoneal space provides a valuable new implantation strategy for the treatment of type 1 diabetes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With an increasingly aging society, bone defects and fractures have become significant threats to human health and quality of life. Currently, autologous and allogeneic bone grafts remain the "gold standard" for the clinical treatment of bone repair. However, bone transplantation is still clinically insufficient, owing to its substantial limitations, such as graft rejection, donor functional defects, and risk of infection. Therefore, a variety of biomaterials have been developed to facilitate bone repair. With the advancement of bone tissue engineering, the focus of research has transitioned from bioinert to bioactive biomaterials. However, many biomaterials have not achieved satisfactory therapeutic effects. In recent years, advancements in osteoimmunology have revealed that the immune system, of which macrophages are critical components, plays an essential regulatory role in bone regeneration. In this review, the role of macrophages in bone healing is explored and recent developments in biomaterials that promote bone regeneration by modulating macrophage polarization and improving the osteoimmune microenvironment are reviewed. This review provides a reference for the development and clinical application of bone repair biomaterials from the immunomodulation perspective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Microbiota colonize every accessible plant tissue and play fundamental roles in plant growth and health. Soybean stay‐green syndrome (SGS), a condition that causes delayed leaf senescence (stay‐green), flat pods and abnormal seeds of soybean, has become the most serious disease of soybean in China. However, the direct cause of SGS is highly debated, and little is known about how SGS affect soybean microbiome dynamics, particularly the seed microbiome. We studied the bacterial, fungal, and viral communities associated with different soybean tissues with and without SGS using a multi‐omics approach, and investigated the possible pathogenic agents associated with SGS and how SGS affects the assembly and functions of plant‐associated microbiomes. We obtained a comprehensive view of the composition, function, loads, diversity, and dynamics of soybean microbiomes in the rhizosphere, root, stem, leaf, pod, and seed compartments, and discovered that soybean SGS was associated with dramatically increased microbial loads and dysbiosis of the bacterial microbiota in seeds. Furthermore, we identified a novel geminivirus that was strongly associated with soybean SGS, regardless of plant cultivar, sampling location, or harvest year. This whole‐plant microbiome profiling of soybean provides the first demonstration of geminivirus infection associated with microbiota dysbiosis, which might represent a general microbiological symptom of plant diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

3D‐printed polycaprolactone (PCL) scaffolds have been extensively studied for application in bone tissue engineering. However, PCL‐based scaffolds with enhanced bioactivity and intelligent delivery capability for bone repair remains challenging. Herein, CuS nanoparticle‐PEG soft hydrogel‐coated 3D hard polycaprolactone scaffolds (denoted as CuS‐PEG‐PCL scaffold) are rationally designed for efficient bone regeneration. CuS nanoparticles cross‐linked PEG hydrogel (CuS‐PEG‐hydrogel) endows the PCL‐based scaffold with excellent photothermal properties and stable soft elasticity, while the PCL scaffold provides excellent mechanical performance. Upon exposure to 1064 nm near‐infrared (NIR) light irradiation, dexamethasone sodium phosphate (Dexp), stored in the CuS‐PEG‐PCL scaffold, can be controllably released, which efficiently promotes osteogenic differentiation of bone mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs). In addition, the combination of mild heating at 42 ± 0.5 °C further promoted osteogenic differentiation of BMSCs. Subsequently, this Dexp‐loaded CuS‐PEG‐PCL scaffold (D‐CuS‐PEG‐PCL scaffold) with NIR light treatment at the tibial defect of rats presented the highest bone regeneration capacity. These findings demonstrate that the Dexp‐loaded CuS‐PEG‐hydrogel can effectively modify the 3D printed PCL scaffold. Therefore, this multifunctional scaffold with a soft‐hard hybrid structure has the potential to become an advanced drug delivery vehicle in the treatment of large bone defects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Platinum‐based catalysts play an outstanding role in alkaline hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) but with sluggish reaction kinetics. Herein, stimulated pH‐dependence phosphorus‐embedded PtNi nano‐alloy clusters (P@PtNi/C) with good alkaline HER catalytic activity are obtained. The overpotential of P@PtNi/C at a current density of 10 mA cm−2 is 26 mV in 1M KOH solution. At the overpotential of 70 mV, the mass activity of P@PtNi/C is 4.62 A mgPt−1, which is 21 times that of commercial 20 wt% Pt/C in terms of the unit mass of Pt. Due to the doping of P elements, the electronic interface is optimized, which enhances the OH− sensitivity and enables more OHad* to be involved in the overall alkaline cathode reaction. Density functional theory calculations suggest that PtNi3P/C can promote the further reduction of OHad* to generate Oad*, which plays an important role in the decomposition of H2O* to form OHad*. A closed‐looping H2O reduction process that exhibits the pH‐dependent characteristics of alkaline HER is proposed. OH− is appropriately integrated into the alkaline HER catalytic process based on P@PtNi/C catalyst, which provides a feasible consideration for the design of alkaline HER catalyst. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Generally, nanostructured polymer particles are prepared by 3D confined self‐assembly (3D‐CSA) of block copolymers (BCPs), while micelles are obtained through self‐assembly of BCPs in dilute solutions. Herein, a facile yet robust strategy is developed to regulate the assembled structures of BCP, poly(styrene‐block‐4‐vinylpyridine) (PS‐b‐P4VP), from nanostructured particles to micelles. The assemblies are prepared by an emulsion‐solvent diffusion‐induced self‐assembly route, which is conducted by dialysis. A key feature of this strategy is that a P4VP‐selective solvent (e.g., ethanol) is added to the dialysate to tune the interfacial behavior of the droplets and assembled structures of PS‐b‐P4VP. The authors' results reveal that in the presence of slight ethanol, the surface and internal structural transitions of nanostructured particles are caused by changes in the interfacial selectivity and packing parameter. Interestingly, interfacial instability, which results in the formation of micelles, is observed when the dialysate contains 50 vol% ethanol or more. The reason can be ascribed to the decreased interface tension, which is induced by the increase in ethanol and enhanced solubility of P4VP. This facile strategy provides a new opportunity to bridge the gap between traditional 3D‐CSA and solution self‐assembly of BCPs, offering a promising route to engineer morphologies and nanostructures of polymeric assemblies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gastric carcinoma is one of the most aggressive types of cancer that ranks fifth among all cancer incidences and third in cancer mortality. As it exhibits a prolonged asymptomatic condition and high recurrence rate, it is a great challenge to treat gastric cancer. Traditional medicine that utilizes herbal phytochemicals to treat various diseases is a potent alternative for current allopathic treatment. Hence, we evaluated the potency of a phytochemical bilobalide for treating gastric cancer in in vitro and in vivo models. Bilobalide, a sesquiterpenoid, is present in the Ginkgo biloba plant that belongs to the family of Ginkgoaceae. The cytotoxicity effect of bilobalide was evaluated in both gastric cancer (AGS) cells and normal gastric epithelial cells. Apoptosis‐inducing property of bilobalide against the AGS cell line was analyzed with different fluorescent staining techniques and terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick‐end labeling assay, and cell cycle analysis was carried out by flow cytometry. The in vivo studies were assessed with N‐methyl‐N‐nitrosourea (MNU)‐induced gastric cancer in rats. Serum‐specific gastric markers were quantified and histopathological analysis of stomach tissue was performed. The expression of target‐signaling molecules was analyzed by a reverse‐transcription polymerase chain reaction. The in vitro results proved that bilobalide effectively suppressed the AGS cell growth and induced cell death by nuclear damage and apoptosis induction. The bilobalide treatment effectively arrested the cell cycle of AGS cells via inhibiting the PI3K‐signaling pathway. Our in vivo results also confirmed that the bilobalide persuasively inhibited the MNU‐induced gastric carcinoma via inhibiting the thioredoxin‐fold family proteins and inflammatory markers' expression. Overall, our results authentically prove that bilobalide possesses therapeutic potency to cure gastric carcinoma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biphasic calcium phosphate ( BCP) ceramics have received much attention in the field of biomaterials. Regulation of phase compositions of BCP is extremely important for improving their bioactivity. In this study, the effects of Sr- and Mg-addition on the phase composition and morphology of BCP ceramics, prepared by a conventional hydrothermal way, were investigated deeply. The results indicated that the addition of Sr and Mg both facilitated the generation of β-tricalcium phosphate (β- TCP), and the relationships between the addition and the relative content of β- TCP under different pH 8.5 and 10.5 were similar. The relative content of β- TCP phase increased linearly with the Sr addition. Meantime, the relative content of β- TCP changed quadratically with the Mg addition and reached its peak when the Mg addition was up to 30%. Besides, the fraction of β- TCP phase of samples synthesized at pH 8.5 was higher than that of samples synthesized at pH 10.5 when the substitution was same. The morphology did not change significantly in Sr-substituted samples while an enhancement in density was observed with Mg addition in Mg-substituted samples. These results and findings provide more comprehensive knowledge about controlling the phase compositions of BCP by changing the initial substitution of Mg and Sr. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lithium cobalt oxide (LiCoO2) is considered an indispensable cathode material in the realm of consumer electronic batteries due to its high volumetric energy density. However, at a charging cut‐off voltage as high as 4.6 V, significant interfacial side reactions between LiCoO2 and the electrolyte occur, which adversely impact the battery's cycle performance. The surface‐related issues of LiCoO2 at high charge voltages not only constrain its utilization in conventional lithium‐ion batteries with liquid electrolytes but also limit its application in solid‐state batteries. Although traditional coating methods using inert inorganic compounds can partially alleviate this issue, their point‐like coatings fail to completely prevent the surface of LiCoO2 from direct contact with the electrolyte. The exploration of novel surface protection strategies for LiCoO2 remains imperative to address the associated challenges. Herein, introducing a sulfone‐based polymer electrolyte interface is proposed on the surface of LiCoO2 using methyl vinyl sulfone (MVS) through in situ polymerization. Remarkably, LiCoO2 with sulfone‐based polymer electrolyte interface exhibits a capacity retention rate of 83% after 500 cycles when employing a carbonate electrolyte without additives at a charge cut‐off voltage of 4.6 V. Furthermore, the LiCoO2 and polymer electrolyte interface exhibits exceptional cycle stability when paired with polyether solid electrolytes that do not possess high voltage tolerance. Moreover, the incorporation of a polymer electrolyte interface not only enhances the cycle stability of LiCoO2 but also improves its thermal stability. This work presents novel research perspectives for exploring high‐voltage stable LiCoO2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]