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The need for bladder reconstruction and side effects of cystoplasty have spawned the demand for the development of alternative material substitutes. Biomaterials such as submucosa of small intestine (SIS) have been widely used as patches for bladder repair, but the outcomes are not fully satisfactory. To capture stem cells in situ has been considered as a promising strategy to speed up the process of re-cellularization and functionalization. In this study, we have developed an anti-CD29 antibody-conjugated SIS scaffold (AC-SIS) which is capable of specifically capturing urine-derived stem cells (USCs) in situ for tissue repair and regeneration. The scaffold has exhibited effective capture capacity and sound biocompatibility. In vivo experiment proved that the AC-SIS scaffold could promote rapid endothelium healing and smooth muscle regeneration. The endogenous stem cell capturing scaffolds has thereby provided a new revenue for developing effective and safer bladder patches.

Brewing water plays a crucial role in flavor and potential healthy functions of tea infusion. In this study, seven water samples with different physicochemical properties were selected to brew green tea. Results showed that the brewing water with higher minerals level and pH value would reduce the yield of catechins in tea infusion, which in turn caused the decrease of antioxidant activity to a large extent. Besides, it was found that EGCG, as a major contributor to the antioxidant activity of green tea infusion, was influenced differently by different metal ions, among which Ca2+/Mg2+ could enhance the antioxidant activity of EGCG solutions with different concentration through synergistic effect, particularly Ca2+, and the effect was more markable at a higher EGCG concentration. These results offered theoretical direction to the selection of tea brewing water for consumers and gave a new sight to the effects of metal ions on the antioxidant capacity of EGCG.

Two new isobenzofuranone derivatives (1 and 2) together with six known compounds (3–8) were isolated from the roots of Phlomis betonicoides, a highly sweet plant in China. Their structures were determined by means of HR-ESI-MS and extensive 1D and 2D NMR spectroscopic studies. Compounds 1–8 were tested for their anti-rotavirus activity. The results showed that compounds 1–8 exhibited potent anti-rotavirus activity with therapeutic index value 7.5–16.4.

Transition metal electrocatalysts with high activity and long durability are desired for methanol oxidation reaction (MOR). Here, the surface fluorinated nickel-graphene nanocomposites (F–Ni–G) are synthesized via the reduction of Si–H bonds produced by silicon and ammonium fluoride in hydrothermal condition. During this process, ionic nickel-F bonds and semi-ionic C–F bonds are introduced to the catalysts as confirmed by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. When F–Ni–G nanocomposites are employed as MOR catalysts, the surface fluorination is contributed to the formation of nickelic, which can increase the activity and kinetics for MOR. The onset oxidation potential of F–Ni–G-2 for methanol oxidation is 53 mV lower than that of the Ni/G catalyst without fluorine. The mass activity of F–Ni–G-2 (2493.3 A g−1) is 3.90 folds than that of Ni/G (638.5 A g−1). In addition, the density functional theory calculation indicates that the modified fluorine in graphene results in the decreased reaction energy barrier from ∗CO to ∗COOH step in MOR. The strong electronegativity of F atom makes intermediates easier to attract OH− groups and repel protons, which is conductive to decrease the reaction energy barrier for MOR. Such a facile method for the fabrication of the surface fluorinated catalytic system may be extended to the preparation of other transition metal electrocatalysts.

Anti-angiogenesis serves as an effective tumor therapy approach. In a previous study, we found that β3-endonexin expressed in vascular endothelial cells was involved in promoting proliferation and angiogenesis partially by facilitating VEGF expression. However, it still remains unclear if β3-endonexin in vascular endothelial cells also employs other mechanisms in regulating angiogenesis. In this study, we utilized a β3-endonexin mutant (M2) carrying a defective nuclear localization sequence to disrupt its nuclear localization and evaluated its ability to promote HUVEC proliferation and formation of tube-like vascular structures. In addition, we performed yeast 2-hybrid assay to identify potential functional effectors of β3-endonexin. We found that both wild type β3-endonexin and the M2 mutant could localize to centrosomes in HUVECs and both were able to promote HUVEC proliferation and formation of vascular structures. However, the M2 mutant failed to promote VEGF expression in HUVECs. Further, we found that both wild type β3-endonexin and the M2 mutant were capable of binding to ninein, a centrosomal protein with a proangiogenic effect. Knockdown of ninein in HUVECs impeded centrosome localization of wild type β3-endonexin and the M2 mutant and inhibited HUVEC proliferation and formation of vascular structures. Taken together, these findings suggest that β3-endonexin interacts with centrosome ninein and contributes to HUVEC proliferation and formation of vascular structures.

Post-heat treatment takes a key role for the enhancement of mechanical properties in selective laser melting (SLM) additive manufacturing (AM) of 6xxx series aluminum alloy. To understand the basic mechanism for changes of mechanical properties in the SLM process and the following post-heat treatment, the finite element model and the precipitate evolution (PE) model of SLM AM were established and combined. Results show that the hardness of the fabricated AM component can reach 91.47 HV at 170 °C for 18.8 h, which is 63.1% higher than the as-fabricated state. The comparison of hardness in as-fabricated AM component with experiments shows the validity of the proposed models. Further work on chemical composition shows that the selection of powder particle can greatly affect the hardness of the fabricated AM component. In the selection of 6xxx series aluminum alloy powder, higher Mg and Si contents in their solubility domains lead to higher generation of Mg2Si nano-size precipitates and then cause higher hardness of AM specimen. After the optimal post-heat treatment, the maximum hardness can exceed 100 HV.

NiFe oxyhydroxide and hydroxide have been proven to be efficient and earth-abundant non-noble metal catalysts for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER). However, the fragile nature of these oxyhydroxides or hydroxides severely reduces the long-term stability and hinders the industrial applications. Meanwhile, the poor electrical conductivity of these materials also has seriously led to the higher overpotential when applying to the OER. Herein, a novel method using polyurethane (PU) sponge as electroplating was carried out to design NiFe alloy foam with different Fe content for OER. The physical properties of NiFe alloy foams were characterized by Scanning Electronic Microscopy (SEM), Energy Dispersive System (EDS) and X-Ray Diffraction (XRD), respectively, suggesting that the porous NiFe alloy is formed with uniform distribution of Ni and Fe. The OER performance was tested by Cyclic Voltammetry (CV), Linear Sweep Voltammetry (LSV), Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy (EIS), I-t, etc. The results showed that the doped Fe could significantly improve the conductivity and OER performance of Ni foam. The NiFe alloy foam with 30% Fe exhibited 292 mV overpotential at 10 mA/cm2 and the Tafel slope 126.12 mV/decade in alkaline solution with excellent long-term stability. Without any complex electrode preparation processes and binders, NiFe alloy foam is much convenient to use as anode of water splitting in alkaline media for industrial applications.

A phytochemical investigation on the aerial parts of Laggera pterodonta resulted in the isolation and identification of 23 compounds, including twelve sesquiterpenoids (1–12), two norisoprenoids (13, 14), three alkaloids (15-17), one lignan (18), and five flavonoids (19-23). Among them, norpterodonols A (1) and B (2) are two undescribed norsesquiterpenoid derivatives. Their structures were established on the basis of NMR and HR-ESI-MS spectroscopic analysis. All isolates were evaluated for their inhibitory effects on the NO production in LPS-induced RAW 264.7 macrophages, and compounds 8, 10, 16, 18, 20, 21, and 23 were shown to have obvious anti-inflammatory effects.

A phytochemical investigation on the roots of Sophora flavescens resulted in the isolation of two undescribed lavandulylated acylphloroglucinols, flavescenols A (1) and B (2), together with biogenetically related analogues (3–6). Their structures were established on the basis of 1D, 2D NMR, and HR-ESI-MS spectroscopic analysis. Since flavescenols represent the first example of lavandulylated acylphloroglucinols, the biogenetical relationship of compounds 1-6 is proposed. In addition, all isolates were evaluated for their antiproliferative activity against HepG2 cell lines and inhibitory effects on LPS-induced NO production in RAW 264.7 cells.

Highly conductive and elastic three-dimensional (3D) porous carbon materials are ideal platforms to fabricate electrodes for high-performance compressible supercapacitors. Herein, a robust, highly conductive, and elastic carbon foam (CF) hybrid material is reported, which is fabricated by integrating cellulose nanofiber/multiwalled carbon nanotube (CNF/MWCNT) aerogel sheets with a melamine sponge (MS), followed by carbonization. The carbonized CNF/MWCNT aerogel sheets contribute to the high conductivity and specific surface area of the CF, and the 3D network-like skeleton derived from the carbonization of the MS enhances the elasticity and stability of the CF. More importantly, the CF possesses good scalability, allowing the introduction of electroactive materials such as polypyrrole (PPy) and Fe3O4 to fabricate high-performance compressible PPy–CF and Fe3O4–CF electrodes. Moreover, an assembled PPy–CF//Fe3O4–CF device shows reversible charging–discharging at a voltage of 1.6 V and demonstrates a high specific capacitance (172.5 F/g) and an outstanding energy density (59.9 W h/kg). The device exhibits capacitance retention rates reaching 98.3% and stable energy storage characteristics even under different degrees of compressive deformation. This study offers a scalable strategy for fabricating high-performance compressible supercapacitors, thereby providing a new means of satisfying the energy storage needs of portable electronic devices that are prone to deformation.

Excess lead iodide (PbI2) plays a crucial role in passivating the defects of perovskite films and boosting the power conversion efficiency (PCE) of perovskite solar cells (PSCs). However, the photolysis of PbI2 is easily triggered by light illumination, which accelerates the decomposition of perovskite materials and weakens the long-term stability of PSCs. Herein, the high light tolerance of lead iodide (PbI2) is reported by introducing an electron-donor molecule, namely, 2-thiophenecarboxamide (2-TCAm), to strengthen the [PbX6]4- frame. Characterization reveals that the retarded decomposition of PbI2 is attributed to the interactions between Pb2+ and the organic functional groups in 2-TCAm as well as the optimized distribution of PbI2. The crystallization and morphology of 2-TCAm-doped perovskite films are improved simultaneously. The 2-TCAm-based PSCs achieve a 16.8% increase in PCE and nearly 12 times increase in the lifetime as compared to the reference device. The demonstrated method provides insight into the stability of PbI2 and its influence on PSCs.

A structure-based modeling of the CaO−‘FeO’−MgO−Al2O3−SiO2 system and its subsystems was investigated based on iron extraction from nickel slag by aluminum dross. Parameters optimization in the present model indicated that the coefficient of free O2− in FeO, $$a_{{{\text{O}}_{{{\text{FeO}}}}^{{2 - }} }}$$ , on the lengths of network linkage had the largest value and $${\text{O}}_{{{\text{FeO}}}}^{{2 - }}$$ (free O2− in FeO) had the largest mobility. The coefficients of bridging oxygen (aSi−O−Al and aAl−O−Al) were lower than those of non-bridging oxygen and free oxygen (O2−). Viscosity prediction for the CaO−‘FeO’−(8 wt.%) MgO−Al2O3−SiO2 system was conducted at a fixed slag basicity, which indicated that the predicted viscosity changed monotonously with the FeO content. However, the non-monotonous evolution with Al2O3 content reflected the amphoteric behavior of Al2O3. In addition, the performances of the present model in predicting viscosity from binary (‘FeO’−SiO2) to quinary (CaO−‘FeO’−MgO−Al2O3−SiO2) system were analyzed and a comparison with the established models was made.

Chronic musculoskeletal pain (CMP) is a common occurrence in clinical practice and there are a variety of options for the treatment of it. However, the pharmacological therapy is still considered to be a primary treatment. The recent years have witnessed the emergence of opioid crisis, yet there are no relevant guidelines on how to treat CMP with non-opioid analgesics properly. The Chinese Medical Association for the Study of Pain convened a panel meeting to develop clinical practice consensus for the treatment of CMP with non-opioid analgesics. The purpose of this consensus is to present the application of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, serotonin norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors, serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors, muscle relaxants, ion channel drugs and topical drugs in CMP.

Three ester-containing gemini surfactants (CmDEGs) were used to construct UV-responsive micellar systems with sodium trans-ortho-methoxycinnamate (trans-NaOMCA) as photo-sensitive additive. The effect of tail-chain length and spacer chain length on the UV-responsive ability was preliminarily explored. Longer tail chain and shorter spacer chain are favorable factors for enhancing UV-responsive ability. The addition of trans-NaOMCA into N,N′-bis(2-(dodecanoyloxy)ethyl)-N,N,N′,N′-tetramethyl-1,3-propane diammonium dibromide (C12DEG3) aqueous solution leads to a peak in zero-shear viscosity (η0) versus composition curve, and its further addition induces aqueous two-phase separation. For the C12DEG3/trans-NaOMCA/H2O mixed micellar systems, the UV responsiveness of significant decrease in η0 ascribes to microstructural transitions arising from the changes in counterion binding modes due to the trans-cis photoisomerization of NaOMCA. In comparison with the gemini surfactant 12-3-12, C12DEG3 has ester groups introduced in its tail chains. The introduction of ester groups leads to a significant effect on enhancing the photo-responsive ability in viscosity decrease of the constructed UV-responsive micellar systems. Furthermore, the effect of the addition of an amino acid–based surfactant sodium lauroylglutamate (SLGlu) into the C12DEG3/trans-NaOMCA/H2O mixed system on the UV-responsive behaviors was explored. In addition to UV-induced significant decrease in η0 and phase transition from aqueous two-phase systems (ATPS) to isotropic single-phase systems, the addition of SLGlu can also cause UV-induced increase in η0 and lead to richer UV-induced phase transition behaviors. The reason leading to these differences due to the presence of SLGlu was discussed based on 1H NMR spectra, molecular dynamics (MD) simulation, and molecular electrostatic potential (MEP) analysis.

Self-assembled lignin nanospheres (LNS) have attracted much attention due to the new opportunities provided for the preparation of value-added products derived from lignin. However, the internal co...

One luminescent Cd2+ coordination polymer, {[Cd(tbca)(H2O)]}n (1) (Htbca = 4'-(1H-tetrazol-5-yl)-biphenyl-4-carboxylic acid), has been synthesized and characterized by infrared spectroscopy and powder X-ray diffraction. Structural analysis revealed that 1 was a 3D framework with a 3,6-connected rtl topology. Fluorescence titration experiments demonstrated that 1 was an excellent multi-functional probe for metal ions and amino acids.

A Lewis acid-promoted [6+1] annulation between sulfur ylides and modified vinyl benzoxazinanones was described. In this reaction, the newly designed vinyl benzoxazinanones could serve as a novel six-atom synthon, and the key to success is the installation of an electron-withdrawing group on the alkene moiety of the benzoxazinanones. A broad range of substrates are compatible with this mild reaction system, thereby providing a facile and practical approach for constructing a benzo[b]azepine skeleton.

Memristive devices with in-memory computing functions have broad application prospects in the field of artificial intelligence. The development of memristive devices that integrate multi-functions of nonvolatile rewritable memory and biomimicking memristor activity requires the design and preparation of well-tailored memristive materials. In this contribution, MoS2 nanosheets (MoS2 NSs) were modified with polydopamine (PDA) through mussel-inspired chemistry, and then the metal phthalocyanine was covalently tethered onto their surface to form a two-dimensional MoS2-PDA–tBu4PcTiO nanomaterial with a sandwich structure. The fabricated electronic device with the Al/MoS2-PDA–tBu4PcTiO/ITO structure exhibits nonvolatile resistive memory characteristics in a large scanning voltage window and an ON/OFF current ratio of more than 103. Interestingly, the device exhibits history-dependent memristive characteristics in a small scanning voltage window. The potentiation and depression, as well as the “learning–forgetting–relearning” processes of a biological synapse, have been successfully emulated in this biomimicking memristor. This work is expected to provide new insights into the development of multifunctional memristive devices.

Design and fabrication of high-efficiency electrocatalysts are important to generate hydrogen via urea electrocatalysis with the minimum required energy. In this study, in situ growth of a branch-like Mo-doped Ni3S2 nanoforest on Ni foam was achieved through a facile one-pot hydrothermal process. The as-obtained catalyst exhibited excellent activity and robust durability because of its unique hierarchical nanostructures and doping-optimized electronic structural configuration, and required merely 1.33 V (vs. RHE) and 90 mV (overpotential) to attain a current density of 10 mA cm−2 for the urea oxidation reaction (UOR) and hydrogen evolution reaction (HER), without any noticeable loss in activity even after 120 h of operation. On the basis of the experimental results and theoretical calculations, it was confirmed that the incorporation of Mo in Ni3S2 altered the morphology and electronic structure of the catalyst; hence, more active sites were exposed and the Gibbs adsorption energy of the intermediates in the UOR was optimized. Notably, the overall urea electrolysis cell could afford a low voltage of 1.45 V (vs. RHE) to attain a current density of 10 mA cm−2 and showed excellent durability over 120 h. The findings from this study provide new insights into efficient electrocatalysts for urea electrolyzers, which hold great potential in electrochemical energy conversion and sewage treatment applications.

Natural wood has attracted enormous attention in the electrocatalysis field due to its hierarchical porous structure and excellent electrical conductivity after carbonization. Different wood species as a carbon substrate have a significant impact on the electrocatalytic performance. Herein, to fundamentally understand the electrochemical catalytic performance of carbonized natural wood, the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) performances of various carbonized wood (pine, fir, poplar, and balsa) calcined at different temperature were studied. The OER performance of wood carbon was improved with the increase of carbonization temperature, and better OER performance was obtained at a carbonization temperature of 900 °C. The overpotentials of pine carbon, fir carbon, poplar carbon, and balsa carbon are 507 mV, 539 mV, 490 mV, and 651 mV, respectively, at a current density of 10 mA cm−2. The pore structure of wood carbon significantly affected the OER activity. Among the four types of wood carbon, poplar carbon exhibited better electrocatalytic activity due to its cross-distribution of pores and pore diameter. This work is conducive to the selection of suitable wood carbon substrates for the preparation of environmentally friendly electrocatalysts, and is of great significance for improving the efficiency of electrocatalytic water splitting to produce clean and sustainable hydrogen energy.

Organic-inorganic hybrid perovskite has been verified as a suitable semiconductor for hot carrier solar cells via transient absorption spectroscopy. Recently, an internally photoemitted hot carrier (IPHC) solar cell with a novel and innovative structure based on organic-inorganic hybrid perovskite has been achieved. This is a breakthrough in hot carrier study based on perovskite material. To further improve the performance of this newly developed hot electron collection device, a simple and efficient method of adding lithium fluoride (LiF) surface modification layer was applied onto the outmost perovskite layer that benefits both reduction of the trap states and formation of interface dipoles. The IPHC device with LiF modification layer shows a remarkable increase of the short-circuit current density with 20.31% increment. This successful interface engineering proposes a new guideline for further optimizing the performance IPHC and also traditional solar cells based on perovskite.

Metal halide perovskite light-emitting diodes (PeLEDs) have been recognized as emerging candidates for next-generation solution-processed electronic display technology, and great progress has been made in recent years. However, their poor operational stability is yet to be solved. Here, we present a reformative all-inorganic red-emission PeLED based on the passivation effect caused by the incorporation of zinc ions into perovskites for enhancing the efficiency and operational stability. A high-quality quasi-two-dimensional perovskite CsPbI3−xBrx thin film with good crystallinity is obtained, benefiting from the combination of large organic ammonium ions (PEA+ ions) and inorganic salt zinc iodide (ZnI2). As a result, ZnI2-passivated CsPbI3−xBrx PeLEDs emitting at 666 nm show a maximum external quantum efficiency of 9.93% and a maximum brightness of 4258 cd m−2. More importantly, the PeLEDs achieve a long half-lifetime of about 2667 h at an initial luminance of 100 cd m−2. This work provides a facile method to obtain stable and efficient red-emission PeLEDs.

The dropping mechanism in the electrospinning process is elucidated. A moving jet becomes thinner at the initial stage due to the acceleration caused by the electrostatic force. When the jet diameter reaches a threshold, beyond which the jet breaks into drops and daughter jets, dropping occurs. The drops will finally form microspheres. Effects of applied voltage, flow rate, polymer?s concentration, and receptor?s distance on the dropping process are theoretically analyzed and experimentally verified. This paper gives a general strategy for fabrication of smooth fiber, microspheres, and their mixture.

Herein, lignin derived hierarchical porous carbon (LHPC) supported Pd nanoparticles (Pd/LHPC) were synthesized and developed as advanced electrocatalysts for ethanol oxidation. In the Pd/LHPC, the special hierarchical porous carbon with the interconnected micropores and mesopores uniformly distribute on the surface and walls of macropores can provide facile transport for electroactive species and more reaction available surface. The Pd/LHPC exhibits larger specific electrochemically active surface area, higher electrocatalytic activity and better stability toward the oxidation of ethanol than the black carbon (Vulcan XC-72) supported Pd (Pd/XC-72) and commercial Pd/C electrocatalysts. The strategy reported will open a new road to effectively use industrial waste to synthesize advanced carbon material for efficient electrocatalysts and other electrochemical energy-conversion devices.

Chemical potassium (K) fertilizer is commonly used in apple (Malus domestica L. Borkh) production but K is easily fixed by soil, resulting in reduced K fertilizer utilization and wasted resources. K-solubilizing bacteria (KSB) can cost-effectively increase the soluble K content in rhizosphere soil. Therefore, the objectives were to select high-efficiency KSB from apple orchards under various soil management models and evaluate their effects on apple seedling growth. Maize (Zea mays L.) straw mulching (MSM) increased the total carbon (TC), total nitrogen (TN) and available potassium (AK) in the rhizosphere and improved fruit quality. The number of KSB in the rhizosphere soil of MSM was 9.5×104 CFU g−1 soil, which was considerably higher than that in the other mulching models. Fourteen KSB strains were isolated with relative K solubilizing ability ranging from 17 to 30%, and five strains increased the dry weight per apple seedling. The most efficient strain was identified as Paenibacillus mucilaginosus through morphological observation and sequence analysis of 16S rDNA, named JGK. After inoculation, the colonization of JGK in soil decreased from 4.0 to 1.5×109 CFU g−1 soil within 28 d. The growth of the apple seedlings and the K accumulation in apple plants were promoted by irrigation with 50 mL JGK bacterial solution (1×109 CFU mL−1), but there was no significant increase in the AK content of rhizosphere soil. High-performance liquid phase analysis (HPLC) data showed that the JGK metabolites contained phytohormones and organic acids. Hence, the JGK strain promoted the growth of two-month-old apple seedlings by stimulating function of the produced phytohormones and enhanced K solubility by acidification for apple seedling uptake. This study enriches the understanding of KSB and provides an effective means to increase the K utilization efficiency of apple production.

Two new coumarins, 6-hydroxymethyl-3-prenyl-7-methoxycoumarin (1) and 6-hydroxyethyl-3-prenyl-7- methoxycoumarin (2), together with three known coumarins (3–5), were isolated from the roots and stems of Yunyan-300, a variety of Nicotiana tabacum L. Their structures were elucidated by spectroscopic methods, including extensive 1D and 2D NMR techniques. Compounds 1 and 2 were tested for their anti-methicillinresistant Staphylococcus aureus (anti-MRSA) activity and their antioxidant activity. The results revealed that compounds 1 and 2 showed good anti-MRSA inhibitions with IZD of 12.2 ± 1.8 and 11.8 ± 1.5 mm, respectively, and antioxidant activity with an IC50 value of 4.65 and 4.85 μg/mL, respectively.

The dissociation of natural gas hydrate is an endothermic reaction controlled by the heat transfer, which is closely associated with the employed exploitation methods and well configurations. The m...

A series of novel quinolinyl imidazolidin-2-imine nickel complexes with different substituents on the imidazolidin-2-imine ligand were synthesized and characterized. The complexes in the presence of methylaluminoxane (MAO) as a cocatalyst catalyzed the copolymerization of norbornene (N) and styrene (S) or para-chlorostyrene (CS) with high activity (up to 1070 kg·mol−1·h−1). The installation of sterically bulky substituents on the imidazolidine-2-imine ligand was effective for the increase of the molecular weight and the comonomer content, affording high molecular weight copolymers with tunable CS content (0.57 mol%–11.7 mol%), in which the existence of Cl group can provide reaction site for the further functionalization of copolymers as well as the synthesis of graft or cross-linked polymers. The linear relationship between the comonomer content and the glass transition temperature of the copolymers and the monomer reactivity ratios in the copolymerization indicated the formation of the expected functionalized cyclic olefin copolymers (COC).

In the paper, ZnO-deposited activated carbon composite (ZnO-AC) was firstly prepared in a simple two-step preparation process, and then covered with nano-graphene oxide to give the NGO-ZnOAC composite. The successful deposition of ZnO and NGO on the AC surface was demonstrated by various experiments, and the ZnO nanoparticles showed a mean diameter size mainly within about 10 nm. The specific surface area of the NGO-AC and NGO-ZnO-AC decreased from 67.74 m²/g of the parent AC to 32.54 and 11.43 m²/g, respectively. The fabricated NGO-ZnO-AC showed excellent adsorptive behaviors towards CrO2-₄ and Cu2+ ions, outperforming both ZnO-AC and AC.

Two new anti-tobacco mosaic virus (anti-TMV) xanthones, 4,7-dimethoxy-5-hydroxymethyl-1-methylxanthone (1) and 7-hydroxy-5-hydroxymethyl-4-methoxy-1-methylxanthone (2), were isolated from the whole plants of Comastoma pedunculatum. Their structures were elucidated by spectroscopic methods, including extensive 1D and 2D NMR techniques. Compounds 1 and 2 showed high anti-TMV activity with inhibition rates of 48.5 and 63.6%, respectively. These rates are higher than that of positive control.

Urea electrolysis is a potential energy-efficient hydrogen (H2) production method that can simultaneously purify urea-rich wastewater. However, the lack of inexpensive and effective electrocatalyst...

Hydrocarbazolone and its derivatives are attractive organic molecules, which have been widely applied in the synthesis of natural products and pharmaceuticals. Herein, we describe a novel intermolecular dearomative [4 + 2] annulation of 3-nitroindoles and enals under oxidative N-heterocyclic carbene catalysis. With this organocatalytic strategy, a variety of dearomatised hydrocarbazolone products were obtained in high yields. This protocol was also suitable for the oxidative cyclisation of 2-nitrobenzothiophenes with enals, thereby affording a collection of 4-hydroxyldibenothiophenes.

The use of bone tissue engineering scaffolds has become a promising potential treatment for bone defects as they expedite bone healing. A carbon nanotube-hydroxyapatite (CNT-HA) composite can accelerate the growth of cells. However, the molecular organized arrangement of organic and inorganic components is one of the most important biochemical phenomena in the formation of bones. This study aimed to prepare ordered CNT-HA scaffolds by applying agarose gel electrophoresis to imitate a biomimetic parallel pattern of collagens and hydroxyapatite hydrogel scaffolds (AG-Col-o-CNT). Significant improvements were presented in the mechanical properties of the scaffolds and cell growth in vitro or in vivo. The results showed that the AG-Col-o-CNT scaffolds accelerated the proliferation and differentiation of bone mesenchymal stem cell lines. In addition, the bone defects were repaired when the scaffolds were transplanted after 28 and 56 days in vivo. The superior performance of the ordered AG-Col-o-CNT scaffolds indicates that they have an enormous potential for bone tissue engineering.

High-efficiency orange and red thermally activated delayed fluorescent (TADF) organic light-emitting diodes were fabricated based on a pair of isomers 3,6,11-triAC-BPQ and 3,6,12-triAC-BPQ, containing a rigid dibenzo[f,h]pyrido[2,3-b]quinoxaline (BPQ) core and three 9,9-dimethyl-9,10-dihydroacridine (Ac) donors. Both materials exhibited red emission in neat films and small singlet–triplet energy gaps. Compared with the stable intramolecular charge transfer (ICT) state of 3,6,12-triAC-BPQ, 3,6,11-triAC-BPQ showed hybridized local and charge transfer (HLCT) character due to the H-bond between the 11-position Ac and 10-position N atom. As a result, the doped film of 3,6,11-triAC-BPQ showed a high photoluminescence quantum yield (PLQY) and the related device showed a high external quantum efficiency (EQE) of 22.0% in the orange–red region.

Two fluorescent probes (L1 and L2) based on an imidazole unit were synthesized for the specific detection of ClO− and HSO3−. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations were used to assist in designing the probes. As predicted, L1 could be used to detect ClO− in real water samples and in living cells. It was shown to be a quenching probe. L2 could be used to monitor HSO3− in living cells and is an enhanced fluorescence probe. Further details of the fluorescence recognition mechanism were obtained via HRMS analysis. Moreover, both fluorescent probes showed relatively low detection limits (0.96 and 0.59 μM, respectively), and fast and highly selective fluorescence responses.

A sulfur (S) atom generally undergoes sp3 hybridization when linking two moieties, not only for the sulfane status but also its fully oxidized form, sulfone. In the research reported here an S atom was used as a bridge to construct two thermally activated delayed fluorescence (TADF) emitters, Trz-S-DMAc and Trz-SO2-DMAc. The only difference between these two emitters is the valence of the S atoms in the bridges; however, their electron distributions are greatly affected and the charge-transfer (CT) transitions can be well-modulated between intermolecular and intramolecular modes. In a Trz-S-DMAc molecule, the S atom breaks the conjugation between donor (D) and acceptor (A) moieties, and their CT transition can only then occur with other Trz-S-DMAc molecules. The OLEDs based on Trz-S-DMAc achieve the best external quantum efficiency (EQE) of 18.1% at a high concentration of 55 wt% and maintain a satisfactory EQE of 13.0% for a non-doped device. Whereas for Trz-SO2-DMAc, the sulfone group acts as a second A moiety rather than a simple bridge. The Trz-SO2-DMAc is thus a typical TADF emitter with an effective intramolecular CT transition. The optimized OLED based on Trz-SO2-DMAc achieves a maximum EQE of 18.3%, whereas a significant efficiency drop can be observed with increasing doping concentrations. It is expected that these results will help to increase the understanding of how to link donor and acceptor moieties via sp3 atoms to construct TADF emitters and the roles of the different CT transitions.

A Gram-stain-negative, rod-shaped, non-motile, aerobic, catalase-negative and oxidase-positive bacterium, designated strain Sn-9-2T, was isolated from a cave soil sample collected from Tiandong cave, Guizhou Province, south-west PR China. Growth occurred at 15–40 °C (optimum, 30 °C), at pH 5.0–9.0 (optimum, pH 7.0–8.0) and with 0–1 % NaCl (w/v). The predominant respiration quinone was ubiquinone-10 (Q-10). The major cellular fatty acids were summed feature 8 (C18 : 1ω7c or C18 : 1ω6c; 83.9 %) and C16 : 0 (5.8 %). The major polar lipids were phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylmonomethylethanolamine, phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylglycerol, three unidentified phospholipids, two unidentified glycolipids, two unidentified polar lipids and one unidentified aminolipid. The DNA G+C content of strain Sn-9-2T was 67.5 mol%. Based on the results of 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis, the nearest phylogenetic neighbours of strain Sn-9-2T (MF958452) were identified as Aquabacter spiritensis (FR733686) DSM 9035T (97.5 %), Xanthobacter autorophicus (jgi.1053054) DSM 432T (97.2 %) and Xanthobacter tagetidis ATCC 700314T RCTF01000015 (96.9 %). The average nucleotide identity values were 78.0, 77.4 and 77.6 % and the digital DNA–DNA hybridization values were 21.8, 22.0 and 18.8 % between strain Sn-9-2T and A. spiritensis DSM 9035T, X. autotrophicus DSM 432T and X. tagetidis DSM 11105T, respectively. The DNA–DNA hybridization data indicated that strain Sn-9-2T represented a novel genomic species. On the basis of the results of phylogenetic analysis, chemotaxonomic data, physiological characteristics and DNA–DNA hybridization data, strain Sn-9-2T should represent a novel species of the genus Aquabacter , for which the name Aquabacter cavernae sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is Sn-9-2T (=KCTC 62308T=CCTCC AB 2018270T).

Cerebral venous thrombosis (CVST) can cause severe dysfunction and even death. Silencing information regulator (SIRT1) involves in neurodegenerative diseases. However, whether SIRT1 participates in CVST is unclear. SD rats were divided into 3 groups, control group; CVST group and SIRT1 group (transfected with AAV-SIRT1 plasmid) followed by analysis of brain tissue SIRT1 and VEGF expression by Real time PCR, neurological deficit scores and brain tissue water content. Brain vascular endothelial cells (bVECs) were cultured and divided into NC group, SIRT1 group and si-SIRT1 group followed by analysis of cell proliferation by MTT assay, Caspase 3 activity, SIRT1 expression by Real time PCR and Western blot and VEGF expression and secretion by Real time PCR and ELISA. SIRT1 expression was decreased and VEGF expression was increased, along with increased score of neurological deficit and water content of brain tissue in CVST rats. Transfection of AAV-SIRT1 plasmid up-regulated SIRT1 expression in CVST rats, inhibited VEGF expression, improved neurological deficit score and brain tissue water content (P < 0.05). Overexpression of SIRT1 in bVECs significantly decreased cell proliferation, elevated Caspase 3 activity, and decreased VEGF expression and secretion, compared to NC group (P < 0.05). Knockdown of SIRT1 expression in bVECs reversed the above changes (P < 0.05). SIRT1 expression is decreased in CVST rats and up-regulation of SIRT1 can inhibit VEGF expression and improve neurological function. SIRT1 can inhibit the proliferation of bVECs and regulate cerebral venous thrombosis by regulating VEGF.

A Gram-stain-negative, aerobic, non-motile and rod-shaped bacterium, designated strain L4-6T, was isolated from an arable soil sample of tobacco in Huize, south-western China and subjected to polyphasic taxonomic characterization. The cells showed oxidase-positive and catalase-positive reactions. Growth occurred at 20–35 °C, at pH 5.0–8.0 and with 0–2 % (w/v) NaCl, optimally at 30 °C, pH 6.0–7.0 and 0–1 % (w/v) NaCl. The major respiratory lipoquinone was ubiquinone-8. The predominant cellular fatty acids (>10.0 %) were identified as summed feature 9 (iso-C17 : 1ω9c or C16 : 0 10-methyl), iso-C15 : 0 and iso-C17 : 0. The polar lipid profile contained diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine, two unidentified phospholipids, two unidentified aminophospholipids and five unidentified aminolipids. The genomic DNA G+C content was 60.8 mol%. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences showed that strain L4-6T should be affiliated to the genus Dyella and formed a clade with the most closely related organism Dyella soli JS12-10T. 16S rRNA gene sequences similarity analysis showed that strain L4-6T was mostly closely related to D. soli JS12-10T (98.73 %) and Dyella lipolytica DHOB07T (98.02 %). DNA–DNA hybridization data indicated that strain L4-6T represented a novel genomic species belonging to the genus Dyella . The polyphasic taxonomic characteristics indicated that the strain L4-6T represents a novel species of the genus Dyella , for which the name Dyella tabacisoli sp. nov. (type strain L4-6T=CGMCC 1.16273T=KCTC 62035T) is proposed.