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The development of high-performance non-noble metal-based oxygen electrocatalysts is crucial for the practical application of zinc–air batteries. Most of them suffer from low intrinsic activity and poor stability, failing to meet the needs of practical applications. Here, we report an efficient and durable bifunctional oxygen electrocatalyst of Fe@Fe-SAC composite (SAC stands for single atoms on carbon). A facile and ease-to-scale-up process synthesizes it. Fe single-atom and Fe nanoparticles are anchored on nitrogen-doped porous carbon, with the latter encapsulated by the graphitic shell. It exhibits appealing activity and durability in a basic electrolyte, requiring a half-wave potential of 0.805 V for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) and an overpotential of only 348 mV to deliver a current density of 10 mA cm−2 for oxygen evolution reaction (OER). Both activities are comparable to the corresponding benchmarking electrocatalyst of Pt/C for ORR and IrO2 for OER. The superior activities are attributed to the strong electronic interaction between metal single-atom and nanoparticles. The favorable stability is ascribed to the physical encapsulation of carbon coatings on nanoparticles. This work presents a feasible scheme for designing and large-scale preparation of high-performance non-noble metal-based bifunctional oxygen electrocatalysts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • A novel proton exchange membrane was prepared by adding OA-POSS-g-GO into SPEEK. • Grafting on uniquely structured GO led to interconnected, well-dispersed OA-POSS. • The –NH 2 and -SO 3 H formed acid-base pair and enhanced interfacial interaction. • Interaction was optimized to control the ion channel and the state of water. • Enhanced compatibility and interaction at the interface improved PEM performance. Nano octa-aminopropyl polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane (OA-POSS) was grafted into graphene oxide (GO) via covalent bonding to synthesize OA-POSS-g-GO. A novel SP/OA-POSS-g-GO proton exchange membrane was prepared by adding sulfonated poly (ether ether ketone) (SPEEK, SP). OA-POSS was well dispersed on GO to form an ordered acid-base pair with SPEEK, which facilitated the construction of continuous ion channels. GO as a carrier facilitated the construction of long-range proton conduction pathways in the membrane. The strong interactions between OA-POSS and SPEEK along with the synergistic effect of GO modulate the size of ionic clusters and increased the bound water ratio within the membrane. The conductivity of the SP/OA-POSS-g-GO-2 membrane (80 °C, 95% RH) reached 0.2096 S⋅cm−1, which was 1.7 times higher than that of the SPEEK membrane (0.1265 S⋅cm−1). The conductivity of the SP/OA-POSS-g-GO-2 membrane increased at 100 °C and 40% RH, while that of the SPEEK membrane decreased with the temperature increased above 80 °C. The maximum power density of the single cell assembled from the composite membrane reached 305.8 mW⋅cm−2 at 80 °C and 95% RH, which was 1.4 and 1.3 times higher than that of the SPEEK and Nafion 117 membrane, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Precipitation nowcasting is mainly achieved by the radar echo extrapolation method. Due to the timing characteristics of radar echo extrapolation, convolutional recurrent neural networks (ConvRNNs) have been used to solve the task. Most ConvRNNs have been proven to perform far better than traditional optical flow methods, but they still have fatal problems. These models lack differentiation in the prediction of echoes of different intensities, which leads to the omission of responses from regions with high intensities. Moreover, because it is difficult for these models to capture long-term feature dependencies among multiple echo maps, the extrapolation effect declines sharply over time. This paper proposes an embedded multi-layer attention module (MLAM) to address the shortcomings of ConvRNNs. Specifically, an MLAM mainly enhances attention to critical regions in echo images and the processing of long-term spatiotemporal features through the interaction between input and memory features in the current moment. Comprehensive experiments were conducted on the radar dataset HKO-7 provided by the Hong Kong Observatory and the radar dataset HMB provided by the Hunan Meteorological Bureau. Experiments show that ConvRNNs embedded with MLAMs achieve more advanced results than standard ConvRNNs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Droplet microfluidics, involving micrometer-sized emulsion of droplets is a growing subfield of microfluidics which attracts broad interest due to its application on biological assays. Droplet-based systems have been used as microreactors as well as to encapsulate many biological entities for biomedical and biotechnological applications. Here, a novel microfluidic device is presented for the generation, trapping and release of aqueous including hydrogel droplets in a double laminar oil flow. This platform enables the storage and release of picoliter-sized droplets in two different carrier oils by using hydrodynamic forces without the need of electrical forces or optical actuators. Furthermore, this design allows droplets to be selectively and simultaneously exposed to two different conditions and collected on demand. Successful encapsulation of hepatoma H35 cells was performed on-chip. Viability of cell-laden droplets was performed off-chip to assess the potential applications in 3D encapsulation cell culture and drug discovery assays. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Contact electrification is aboutthe charge transfer between thesurfaces of two materials in a contact-separation process. This effecthas been widely utilized in particle separation and energy harvesting,where the charge transfer is preferred to be maximized. However, thiseffect is always undesirable in some areas such as electronic circuitsystems due to the damage from the accumulated electrostatic charges.Herein, we introduced an approach to purposely manipulate the contactelectrification process both in polarity and magnitude of the chargetransfer through an applied electric field between two materials.Theoretical modeling and the corresponding experiments for controllingthe charge transfer between a Pt coated atomic force microscopy tipand Parylene film have been demonstrated. The modulation effect ofthe electric field on contact electrification is enhanced for a thinnerdielectric layer. This work can potentially be utilized to enhancethe output performance of energy harvesting devices or nullify contactelectric charge transfer in applications where this effect is undesirable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We introduce an innovative designof a disk triboelectric nanogenerator(TENG) with segmental structures for harvesting rotational mechanicalenergy. Based on a cyclic in-plane charge separation between the segmentsthat have distinct triboelectric polarities, the disk TENG generateselectricity with unique characteristics, which have been studied byconjunction of experimental results with finite element calculations.The role played by the segmentation number is studied for maximizingoutput. A distinct relationship between the rotation speed and theelectrical output has been thoroughly investigated, which not onlyshows power enhancement at high speed but also illuminates its potentialapplication as a self-powered angular speed sensor. Owing to the nonintermittentand ultrafast rotation-induced charge transfer, the disk TENG hasbeen demonstrated as an efficient power source for instantaneouslyor even continuously driving electronic devices and/or charging anenergy storage unit. This work presents a novel working mode of TENGsand opens up many potential applications of nanogenerators for harvestingeven large-scale energy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aiming at harvesting ambient mechanicalenergy for self-poweredsystems, triboelectric nanogenerators (TENGs) have been recently developedas a highly efficient, cost-effective and robust approach to generateelectricity from mechanical movements and vibrations on the basisof the coupling between triboelectrification and electrostatic induction.However, all of the previously demonstrated TENGs are based on verticalseparation of triboelectric-charged planes, which requires sophisticateddevice structures to ensure enough resilience for the charge separation,otherwise there is no output current. In this paper, we demonstrateda newly designed TENG based on an in-plane charge separation processusing the relative sliding between two contacting surfaces. UsingPolyamide 6,6 (Nylon) and polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) films withsurface etched nanowires, the two polymers at the opposite ends ofthe triboelectric series, the newly invented TENG produces an open-circuitvoltage up to ∼1300 V and a short-circuit current density of4.1 mA/m2with a peak power density of 5.3 W/m2, which can be used as a direct power source for instantaneouslydriving hundreds of serially connected light-emitting diodes (LEDs).The working principle and the relationships between electrical outputsand the sliding motion are fully elaborated and systematically studied,providing a new mode of TENGs with diverse applications. Comparedto the existing vertical-touching based TENGs, this planar-slidingTENG has a high efficiency, easy fabrication, and suitability formany types of mechanical triggering. Furthermore, with the relationshipbetween the electrical output and the sliding motion being calibrated,the sliding-based TENG could potentially be used as a self-powereddisplacement/speed/acceleration sensor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Energy generation and energy storage are two distinct processes that are usually accomplished using two separated units designed on the basis of different physical principles, such as piezoelectric nanogenerator and Li-ion battery; the former converts mechanical energy into electricity, and the latter stores electric energy as chemical energy. Here, we introduce a fundamental mechanism that directly hybridizes the two processes into one, in which the mechanical energy is directly converted and simultaneously stored as chemical energy without going through the intermediate step of first converting into electricity. By replacing the polyethylene (PE) separator as for conventional Li battery with a piezoelectric poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) film, the piezoelectric potential from the PVDF film as created by mechanical straining acts as a charge pump to drive Li ions to migrate from the cathode to the anode accompanying charging reactions at electrodes. This new approach can be applied to fabricating a self-charging power cell (SCPC) for sustainable driving micro/nanosystems and personal electronics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A convenient synthesis of 5-alkylfuran-2(5H)-ones are described starting from 3-nitropropanoate and aldehydes, promoted by neutral alumina, in 35-60% overall yields, via a condensation-lactonization-elimination pathway. [image omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Two diastereoisomers (2S,1′R) and (2R,1′R)-2-acetoxymethyl-3-phenyl-N-(1′-phenylethyl)-propionamide(2), have been studied to investigate their discrimination on the absolute configuration using nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), infrared (IR) spectroscopy were performed. The experimental results were supported by performing density functional theory (DFT) calculations for the NMR, IR spectra using the Becke 3-parameter, Lee, Yang and Parr (B3LYP) functional and the 6-311+G** basis set. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

5-Alkylfuran-2(5 H )-ones can be efficiently obtained using a one-pot approach, starting from methyl 3-nitropropanoate and aldehydes, in ethyl acetate, with Amberlyst A-21 as catalyst, in 60–90% overall yield. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Overexpression of ISG20 enhanced the inhibitory effect of cisplatin on ovarian cancer. • ISG20 inhibited the polarization of M2-type macrophages in ovarian cancer. • TGF-β1 promoted activation of PI3K/mTOR pathway by inhibiting ISG20 expression in ovarian cancer. • IFN-γ or TGF-β1 inhibitors sensitized ovarian cancer cells to cisplatin in vivo and in vitro. The involvement of Interferon-stimulated exonuclease gene 20 (ISG20) has been reported in renal clear cell carcinoma, hepatocellular carcinoma, and cervical cancer. However, its role in ovarian cancer chemotherapy remains unclear. In this study, we conducted a comparative analysis of TGF-β1 and ISG20 in cisplatin-sensitive and cisplatin-resistant ovarian cancer cells and tissues using qRT-PCR and a tissue immunofluorescence analysis. We also investigated the impact of ISG20-targeted drugs (IFN-γ) and TGF-β1 inhibitors on cisplatin response both in vivo and in vitro. Additionally, we assessed the effects of TGF-β1 or ISG20 on the polarization of tumor-associated macrophages through flow cytometry and ELISA analysis. Our findings revealed that ISG20 expression was lower in cisplatin-resistant tissues compared to cisplatin-sensitive tissues; however, overexpression of ISG20 sensitized ovarian cancer to cisplatin treatment. Furthermore, activation of ISG20 expression with IFN-γ or TGF-β1 inhibitors enhanced the sensitivity of ovarian cancer cells to cisplatin therapy. Notably, our results demonstrated that TGF-β1 promoted M2-type macrophage polarization as well as PI3K/mTOR pathway activation by suppressing ISG20 expression both in vivo and in vitro. In conclusion, our study highlights the critical role played by ISG20 within the network underlying cisplatin resistance in ovarian cancer. Targeting ISG20 using IFN-γ or TGF-β1 inhibitors may represent a promising therapeutic strategy for treating ovarian cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effects of immunotherapeutics on interactions between immune and cancer cells are modulated by multiple components in the tumour microenvironment (TME), including endothelium and tumour stroma, which provide both a physical barrier and immunosuppressive stimuli. Herein, we report a recirculating chip to enable continuous immune cell recirculation through a microfluidic cell array to include these crucial players. This system consists of a three-layered cell array (μFCA) spatially emulating the TME, with tailored fluidic circuits establishing T cell recirculation. This platform enables the study of dynamics among the TME, immune cells in a circulatory system and cancer cell responses thereof. Through this system, we found that tumour endothelium hindered T cell infiltration into the reconstructed breast cancer tumour compartment. This negative effect was alleviated when treated with anti-human PD-L1 (programmed cell death ligand 1) antibody. Another key stromal component – cancer associated fibroblasts – attenuated T cell infiltration, compared against normal fibroblasts, and led to reduced apoptotic activity in cancer cells. These results confirm the capability of our tumour-on-a-chip system in identifying some key axes to target in overcoming barriers to immunotherapy by recapitulating immune cell interactions with the reconstructed TME. Our results also attest to the feasibility of scaling up this system for high-throughput cancer immunotherapeutic screening. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In our continued phytochemical studies of I O. malacophylla i [[10]-[12]], through an I i -glucosidase activity-guided method, phenolic glycoside constituents were investigated. The ethyl acetate extract was subjected to column chromatography using silica gel (120 ×10 cm, silica gel 75 m), and eluted with dichloromethane-methanol (100:1-1:1) to obtain 11 subfractions (Frs. The NMR featured signals of compound B 6 b that were consistent with the compound B 2 b skeleton. The six compounds, 6 I O i -acetylarbutin ( B 1 b , 17.5 mg), I p i -carboxyphenyl- -D-glycopyranoside ( B 2 b , 8.0 mg), I p i -hydroxyphenyl I i -L-rhamnopyranoside ( B 3 b , 4.0 mg), cissusic acid ( B 4 b , 8.2 mg), arbutin ( B 5 b , 17.5 mg), and I p i -carboxyphenyl-6' I O i -acetate I i -Dglycopyranoside ( B 6 b , 8.4 mg) were first isolated from the ethyl acetate extract of I O. malacophylla i , purifying by RP-18 column chromatography. [Extracted from the article]

This article, published in the Chemistry of Natural Compounds journal, explores the challenges of extracting polyhydroxyl compounds from medicinal plants and their role in repelling insects. The study focuses on the plant Hylotelephium erythrostictum, which is resilient and adaptable to various weather conditions. The researchers have identified eight polyhydroxyl compounds from this plant, including sarmentosin, sachaloside V, rhodiocyanoside A, lotaustralin, ethyl glucopyranoside, (–)-myrtenyl-α-L-arabinopyranosyl-(1→6)-β-D-glucopyranoside, maltose, and glycerol. The article provides detailed information about the chemical structures and properties of these compounds. The document also discusses the methods used to collect, identify, extract, and partition the plant, as well as the presence of similar compounds in other species of the Rhodiola genus. The research was supported by funding from the National Natural Science Foundation of China and the Doctor of Natural Science Foundation of Yanbian University. [Extracted from the article]

Abstract: Despite the strong antihepatotoxic, antioxidant, and antitumor properties of lignans from Schisandra chinensis, their applications in new drug development, bioscience and functional foods, etc. are limited because of their low abundance and complex coextractions. In this study, a magnetic separation method has been developed based on polyethylenimine‐modified magnetic nanoparticles to rapidly and effectively separate and purify the lignans from S. chinensis crude extracts through cation–π interaction and electrostatic adsorption. The magnetic nanoparticles were characterized by transmission electron microscopy, vibrating sample magnetometry, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and X‐ray diffraction. Polyethylenimine‐modified magnetic nanoparticles showed a spherical‐shaped morphology and the average size was about 10 nm with superparamagnetism. Under the pH 7.4, polyethylenimine modified magnetic nanoparticles can remove a lot of coextracts. The range of detection limits and quantification limits was 0.27–0.34 and 0.89–1.13 ng/mL, respectively. Compared with other common methods, the magnetic separation method proposed in this study is much simpler and more effective through both strong cation–π interaction and electrostatic interaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Currently, no suitable clinical drugs are available for patients with neurodegenerative diseases complicated by depression. Based on a fusion technique to create effective multi–target–directed ligands (MTDLs), we synthesized a series of (R)–N–(benzo[d]thiazol–2–yl)–2–(1–phenyl–3,4–dihydroisoquinolin–2(1H)–yl) acetamides with substituted benzothiazoles and (S)–1–phenyl–1,2,3,4–tetrahydroisoquinoline. All compounds were tested for their inhibitory potency against monoamine oxidase (MAO) and cholinesterase (ChE) by in vitro enzyme activity assays, and further tested for their specific inhibitory potency against monoamine oxidase B (MAO–B) and butyrylcholinesterase (BuChE). Among them, six compounds (4b–4d, 4f, 4g and 4i) displayed excellent activity. The classical antidepressant forced swim test (FST) was used to verify the in vitro results, revealing that six compounds reduced the immobility time significantly, especially compound 4g. The cytotoxicity of the compounds was assessed by the MTT method and Acridine Orange (AO) staining, with cell viability found to be above 90% at effective compound concentrations, and not toxic to L929 cells reversibility, kinetics and molecular docking studies were also performed using compound 4g, which showed the highest MAO–B and BuChE inhibitory activities. The results of these studies showed that compound 4g binds to the primary interaction sites of both enzymes and has good blood–brain barrier (BBB) penetration. This study provides new strategies for future research on neurodegenerative diseases complicated by depression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • A one-step blending approach is developed to synthesize efficient and durable Ag@hydroxides OER electrocatalysts. • Ag@hydroxides lower the overpotentials by 41–56 mV, rendering Ag@NiFe LDH among the most active alkaline OER catalysts. • Ag@NiFe LDH based alkaline electrolyzer exhibits a low cell voltage of 1.76 V@ 500 mA cm−2 for more than 110 h. • The strong interfacial charge transfer optimizes the binding energies of catalytic intermediates for elevated kinetics. Electrocatalysts play a pivotal role in electrochemical water splitting, where the development of efficient oxygen evolution reaction (OER) electrocatalysts remains challenging. Here, we report a facile one-step blending approach to synthesize efficient and durable OER electrocatalysts of silver decorated hydroxides (Ag@hydroxides). The general efficacy of this methodology is demonstrated in five hydroxides, in form of powders or self-supported electrodes. The decoration of Ag lowers the overpotentials by 41–56 mV, rendering Ag@NiFe LDH among the most active OER catalysts. It requires an overpotential of 246 mV only to deliver a current density of 10 mA cm−2. Under industrial electrolysis conditions (30 wt% KOH and 80 °C), the cell voltage is 1.76 V for 500 mA cm−2. It is 270 mV lower than the intact nickel mesh, corresponding to a 9% improvement in the energy conversion efficiency. Furthermore, by combining spectroscopic analysis and theoretical calculation we unravel that the strong interfacial charge transfer is the root cause for the promoting catalytic activity, where the binding energies of catalytic intermediates are optimized. This work provides a facile and ease-to-scale-up approach for the synthesis of efficient and durable electrocatalysts and demonstrates the power of regulating the interface in improving electrocatalytic kinetics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Drosophila is often exposed to harmful environments, and the intestinal epithelium is the first line of defense against external infection. Intestinal stem cells (ISCs) in the Drosophila midgut play a crucial role in maintaining tissue homeostasis and compensating for cell loss caused by tissue damage. Crocus sativus L. (saffron) can protect against intestinal injury in response to inflammation; however, the specific protective components of saffron and the related mechanisms remain unclear. Safranal is one of the main components of saffron. Here, we used dextran sodium sulfate (DSS) or Erwinia carotovora carotovora 15 (Ecc15) to create an intestinal injury model and explored the protective effect of safranal against tissue damage. Excessive proliferation and differentiation of ISCs in the Drosophila midgut were observed after DSS or Ecc15 feeding; however, these phenotypes were rescued after safranal feeding. In addition, we found that this process occurred through inhibition of the c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK), epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and Janus kinase (JAK)/signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT) pathways. Furthermore, safranal inhibited the Ecc15- and DSS-induced increases in antimicrobial peptide (AMP) and reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels and intestinal epithelial cell death, thereby protecting gut integrity. In summary, safranal was found to have a significant protective effect and maintain intestinal homeostasis in Drosophila ; these findings provide a foundation for the application of safranal in clinical research and the treatment of intestinal injury. • Safranal inhibited the DSS-induced overproliferation of intestinal stem cells. • Safranal inhibited the DSS-induced overdifferentiation of intestinal stem cells. • Safranal inhibited the Ecc15 -induced excessive AMP levels. • Safranal protected against DSS-induced epithelial cell death and oxidative stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Water electrolysis capable of working in a neutral medium is compatible with direct seawater splitting, solar-driven water splitting cells, and hybrid inorganic–biological systems for renewable energy conversion and storage. Non-precious electrocatalysts for efficient and durable hydrogen evolution reactions (HER) are of paramount significance. Herein, we report that the heterostructured nitrides composites that are made of poor HER electrocatalysts of Ni 3 N and VN show remarkable activity and durability for HER in a neutral medium. Ni 3 N-VN composite rivals the state-of-the-art Pt/C electrocatalyst, requiring an overpotential of only 85 mV to deliver a benchmark current density of 10 mA cm−2 in 1.0 M phosphate-buffered saline. The HER kinetics are significantly promoted in comparison with Ni 3 N and VN, showing 6–17 times higher current densities and lowered Tafel slopes (73 mV decade for Ni 3 N-VN and >120 mV decade−1 for Ni 3 N and VN). The promoted kinetics is ascribed to the interfacial heterostructures, where the electronic structures are tailored for optimal hydrogen absorption and promoted water adsorption and dissociation. This research demonstrates a powerful interfacial engineering strategy in promoting the sluggish kinetics of nitrides for HER in a neutral medium, which deserves further attention to electrocatalysts in other reactions. [Display omitted] • A simple method for synthesizing heterojunction electrocatalysts is introduced. • Ni 3 N-VN heterojunction enhances the adsorption and dissociation of water molecules. • Ni 3 N-VN heterojunction shows the extended energy states in the near Fermi level. • 3D hierarchical structure catalyst has excellent alkaline/neutral HER performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Single-electrode triboelectric nanogenerators (SETENGs) significantly expand the application of triboelectric nanogenerators in various circumstances, such as touch-pad technologies. In this work, a theoretical model of SETENGs is presented with in-depth interpretation and analysis of their working principle. Electrostatic shield effect from the primary electrode is the main consideration in the design of such SETENGs. On the basis of this analysis, the impacts of two important structural parameters, that is, the electrode gap distance and the area size, on the output performance are theoretically investigated. An optimized electrode gap distance and an optimized area size are observed to provide a maximum transit output power. Parallel connection of multiple SETENGs with micro-scale size and relatively larger spacing should be utilized as the scaling-up strategy. The discussion of the basic working principle and the influence of structural parameters on the whole performance of the device can serve as an important guidance for rational design of the device structure towards the optimum output in specific applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Osteoarthritis (OA) is one of diseases that seriously affect elderly people's quality of life. Human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) offer a potential promise for the joint repair in OA patients. However, chondrogenic differentiation from hMSCs in vitro takes a long time (∼6 weeks) and differentiated cells are still not as functionally mature as primary isolated chondrocytes, though chemical stimulations and mechanical loading have been intensively studied to enhance the hMSC differentiation. On the other hand, thermal stimulations of hMSC chondrogenesis have not been well explored. In this study, the direct effects of mild heat shock (HS) on the differentiation of hMSCs into chondrocytes in 3D pellet culture were investigated. Periodic HS at 41°C for 1 hr significantly increased sulfated glycosaminoglycan in 3D pellet culture at Day 10 of chondrogenesis. Immunohistochemical and Western Blot analyses revealed an increased expression of collagen type II and aggrecan in heat-shocked pellets than non heat-shocked pellets on Day 17 of chondrogenesis. In addition, HS also upregulated the expression of collagen type I and X as well as heat shock protein 70 on Day 17 and 24 of differentiation. These results demonstrate that HS accelerated the chondrogenic differentiation of hMSCs and induced an early maturation of chondrocytes differentiated from hMSCs. The results of this study will guide the design of future protocols using thermal treatments to facilitate cartilage regeneration with human mesenchymal stem cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Orostachys malacophylla (Pall.) Fisch (O. malacophylla) is a succulent herbaceous plant that is the Orostachys genus of Crassulaceae family. O. malacophylla has been widely used as a traditional Chinese medicine with antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-febrile, antidote, anti-Toxoplasma gondii properties. However, the biological function of alleviating intestinal inflammation and key bioactive compounds were still unknown. We used a Drosophila model to study the protective effects and bioactive compounds of O. malacophylla water extract (OMWE) and butanol extract (OMBE) on intestinal inflammation. Drosophila intestinal inflammation was induced by oral invasion of dextran sodium sulfate (DSS) or Erwinia carotovora carotovora 15 (Ecc15). We revealed the protective effects of two extracts by determining intestinal reactive oxygen species (ROS) and antimicrobial peptide (AMP) levels and intestinal integrity, and using network pharmacology analysis to identify bioactive compounds. We demonstrated that both OMWE and OMBE could ameliorate the detrimental effects of DSS, including a decreased survival rate, elevated ROS levels, increased cell death, excessive proliferation of ISCs, acid-base imbalance, and disruption of intestinal integrity. Moreover, the overabundance of lipid droplets (LDs) and AMPs by Ecc15 infection is mitigated by these extracts, thereby enhancing the flies' resistance to adverse stimuli. In addition, we used widely targeted metabolomics and network pharmacology analysis to identify bioactive compounds associated with IBD healing that are present in OMWE and OMBE. In summary, our research indicates that OMWE and OMBE significantly mitigate intestinal inflammation and have the potential to be effective therapeutic agents for IBD in humans. [Display omitted] • Extracts of Orostachys malacophylla inhibit excessive accumulation of ROS induced by DSS. • Extracts of Orostachys malacophylla alleviate Ecc15 -induced elevation of AMPs levels. • Extracts of Orostachys malacophylla maintain intestinal homeostasis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A phytochemical study of Cortex Moutan (the dried root bark of Paeonia suffruticosa Andrews) led to the isolation of 24 compounds, including eleven mono-phenols (1 – 11), seven terpenoids (12 – 18), three flavonoids (19–21), two sterols (22 and 23) and one coumarin (24). The structures of these isolated compounds were identified using NMR spectroscopy (1H and 13C) by comparison with previously reported data. To the best of our knowledge, compounds 5 , 11 , 15 , 16 , 22 , and 24 were reported from this plant for the first time. The chemotaxonomic significance of the isolates was also discussed. [Display omitted] • Cortex Moutan is a herbal remedy broadly utilized in Traditional Chinese Medicine. • The hydroalcoholic extract from Cortex Moutan was investigated. • Twenty-four compounds were purified and identified mainly by means of NMR tools. • The chemotaxonomy significance was discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• One hydroxynitrile glucoside, (R)-lotastralin is obtained by magnetic separation. • The BFMS serves separation of hydrophilic, hydrophobic components from plant extract. • This opens a route for enrichmenting hydroxynitrile glucoside in plant analysis. • Magnetic separations can be applied for a selective separation from plant extracts. • O. malacophyllus is much well-known that they contain harmful cyanogenic glycoside. A double benefit is a kind of strategy for separate efficiency. By selecting the appropriate method, the small molecule in plant extracts can be effectively extracted. CCK-8 method was employed to bioassay-guide. Magnetic separation was adopted as extraction probe to capture and enrich potent cytotoxicity constituent. Borate functionalized magnetic solid (BFMS) was performed for two purposes to wrap hydrophobic and to leave hydrophilic component from the ethyl acetate extract of O. malacophyllus , fortunately, (R)-lotastralin, 1- O -alpha-D-glucopyranosyl-beta-D-fructopyranose and 3- O -alpha-D-glucopyranosyl-beta-D-fructo furanose was obtained. As a result, O. malacophyllus is much well-known that they also contain hydroxynitrile glucoside. This provides a route to enrich hydroxynitrile glucoside in plant analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • 1D CoSe 2 /FeSe 2 nanomaterials were obtained through in-situ selenization. • 1D CoSe 2 /FeSe 2 electrocatalysts demonstrated the excellent OER catalytic performance. • DFT calculations indicated CoSe 2 /FeSe 2 electrocatalysts undergone charge density redistribution at the interface. One promising approach to improving the slow reaction dynamics of alkaline oxygen evolution reaction (OER) is to construct non-precious metal-based heterojunctions via interface engineering. In this work, the relationship between structure and activity for one-dimensional CoSe 2 /FeSe 2 nanomaterials for OER is discussed in detail by experimental techniques, coupled with the density functional theory calculations. Capitalizing on the refined electronic structure layout and abundant heterogeneous interfaces, the hierarchical branched CoSe 2 /FeSe 2 heterojunctions demonstrate the outstanding electrocatalytic activity for OER in 1 M KOH solution, and can achieve low overpotentials of 283 and 330 mV at current densities of 10 and 100 mA cm−2, respectively, as well as keeping 94.7 % of its initial activity after 100 h cycles. Furthermore, it is found that the enhanced inherent catalytic performance of CoSe 2 /FeSe 2 electrocatalyst after standardizing the current density with electrochemically active surface area (ECSA) could be attributed to the robust interaction at the interface induced by the construction of the heterojunctions. This work presents the significance of manipulating the electronic structure of electrocatalysts utilizing interface design to enhance OER catalytic activity, and provides new insights for exploring the highly active electrocatalysts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• 1D MWO 4 (M = Zn, Ni, Cu) nanomaterials were synthesized by electrospinning method. • CuWO 4 nanotubes exhibited superior degradation performances under UV–Vis-NIR light. • NIR responses of CuWO 4 and NiWO 4 were explained by metal ion d-d orbital transition. Photocatalysis is a promising technology for addressing environmental pollution and energy shortages in a carbon neutral way, and highly effective utilization of solar light is very important for water treatment via photocatalysis. In this study, we synthesized one-dimensional wolframite-structured MWO 4 (M = Zn, Ni, and Cu) nanomaterials as UV–Vis–NIR broad spectrum-driven photocatalysts via the electrospinning method, and observed the excellent performances in the photocatalytic degradation of tetracycline (TC) and bisphenol A (BPA) under the UV–Vis–NIR light illumination. The degradation experiments showed that CuWO 4 nanotubes exhibited the highest degradation capability, and achieved the TC removal rates of 91.8% and 94.2% after 140 min and 12 h under UV–Vis and NIR light irradiation, respectively. The UV–Vis–NIR responsive photocatalytic activities and mechanisms could be explained by the charge transfer mechanism and metal ion d-d orbital transition based on the experimental results and density functional theory modulations. Our findings demonstrate that the MWO 4 (M = Zn, Ni, and Cu) photocatalysts could be responsive to the UV–Vis–NIR broad-spectrum lights, representing a major step forward in the development of photocatalytic technology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The chemical structures of the compounds were determined from the NMR and MS spectra and by comparison with reported values in the literature. The petroleum ether extract (5.3 g) was subjected to a series of silica gel columns (petroleum ether-ethyl acetate, 30:1 to 2:1) to afford 10 compounds on the basis of TLC analysis and a bioassay-guided fractionation. Compd. 2019; 55: 21. 1:CAS:528:DC%2BC1MXmsFeltbc%3D. 10.1007/s10600-019-02606-w 13 Sielinou VT, Vardamides JC, Ali MS, Ahmed Z, Hameed A, Nkengfack AE. In our continuous effort to explore inhibitory -glucosidase ingredients from this plant, we isolate 10 compounds from the petroleum ether extract of I H. erythromosticum i , which is the first report on compounds from the genus I Hylotelephium i , including diethyl 2-hydroxysuccinate ( B 1 b ), triethyl 2-hydroxypropane-1,2,3-tricarboxylate ( B 2 b ), 5-ethoxy-3-(ethoxycarbonyl)- 3-hydroxy-5-oxopentanoic acid ( B 3 b ), methyl -D-xylopyranoside ( B 4 b ), 4-hydroxy-2-methylphenyl- -D-glucopyranoside ( B 5 b ), 6 I O i -acetylarbutin ( B 6 b ), I cis i -caffeic acid ( B 7 b ), scopoletin ( B 8 b ), 24-propylcholesterol ( B 9 b ), and acacetin-7 I O i - -D-glucopyranoside ( B 10 b ). [Extracted from the article]

Abstract: CRISPR/Cas9 technology enables targeted gene editing; yet, the efficiency and specificity remain unsatisfactory, particularly for the nonvirally delivered, plasmid‐based CRISPR/Cas9 system. To tackle this, a self‐assembled micelle is developed and evaluated for human papillomavirus (HPV) E7 oncogene disruption. The optimized micelle enables effective delivery of Cas9 plasmid with a transient transgene expression profile, benefiting the specificity of Cas9 recognition. Furthermore, the feasibility of using the micelle is explored for another nucleic acid‐guided nuclease system, Natronobacterium gregoryi Argonaute (NgAgo). Both systems are tested in vitro and in vivo to evaluate their therapeutic potential. Cas9‐mediated E7 knockout leads to significant inhibition of HPV‐induced cancerous activity both in vitro and in vivo, while NgAgo does not show significant E7 inhibition on the xenograft mouse model. Collectively, this micelle represents an efficient delivery system for nonviral gene editing, adding to the armamentarium of gene editing tools to advance safe and effective precision medicine‐based therapeutics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wearable electronics have attracted a wide range of attention with various functions due to the development of semiconductor industry and information technology. This work focuses on a triboelectric nanogenerator-based self-charging power system as a continuous energy source for wearable electronics. The triboelectric nanogenerator has a multilayer elastomeric structure with closely stacked arches as basic functional units. Owing to material and structural innovations, this triboelectric nanogenerator performs outstanding electric output with the maximum volume charge density ≈0.055 C m−3 and practical properties for energy harvesting from body motions. Utilizing the triboelectric nanogenerator as outsole to harvest energy from walking or jogging, a pair of shoes is fabricated with the maximum equivalent charge current of each shoe being around 16.2 µA and specific fitness functions realized on each shoe separately without complex connections. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Botanical medicinal plants have aroused our interest to deal with Toxoplasmosis which can causes serious public health problems. Nipagic acid, gallic acid, ethyl gallate, phloretic acid, protocatechuic acid, methyl p -coumarate, arbutin, and homoprotocatechuic acid are first isolated from Orostachys malacophylla (Pallas) Fischer, their inhibition rate, survival rate, biochemical and viscera index are evaluated using gastric epithelia strain-1(GES-1). Among them, arbutin can effectively prolong the survival time of mice acutely infected with T. gondii , and exhibit the same curative effect as Spiramycin (Spi) group in terms of the glutathione (GSH) and malondialdehyde (MDA) content, alleviate hepatomegaly and splenomegaly. Structure-activity relationship (SAR) and molecular docking implies that phenolic hydroxyl group would be preferred for improvement of activity. In a summary, arbutin is a potential anti- T. gondii candidate for clinical application. [Display omitted] • Phenolic compounds isolated from O. malacophylla were first evaluated for anti- T. gondii activity in vitro, in vivo. • The inhibition rate, the survival rate, selectivity index of arbutin better than the positive control Spiramycin. • Structure-activity relationship implies that phenolic hydroxyl group would be preferred for improvement of activity. • Arbutin is effective in relieving the liver damage induced by T. gondii. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ochratoxin A (OTA), a mycotoxin produced by Aspergillus ochraceus and Penicillium verrucosum , is one of the most significant mycotoxins encountered in foods. In this research, a novel fluorescence biosensing strategy for simple and sensitive OTA detection using an aptamer specific for OTA as recognition element and single-walled carbon nanohorns (SWCNHs) as fluorescence quencher was reported. In the absence of target molecule (OTA), FAM (carboxyfluorescein)-modified aptamer was adsorbed onto the SWCNH surface. In this arrangement, the fluorophore and quencher were in close proximity; thus, FAM fluorescence was readily quenched by fluorescence resonance energy transfer from dye to carbon nanohorn. In the presence of target molecules (OTA), the OTA-specific aptamer form an antiparallel G-quadruplex, which is resistant to being wrapped onto SWCNHs. Therefore, the fluorescence of FAM cannot be quenched, and the fluorescent intensity as a function of OTA concentration was correspondingly measured. We obtained a detection limit of 17.2 nM for our sensing platform based on SWCNHs, with a linear detection range of 20–500 nM. The proposed assay system also exhibited high selectivity for OTA against other mycotoxins. The biosensor was verified for real sample application by testing 1% red wine containing buffer solution spiked with a series of OTA concentrations, and there is a good linear relationship (correlation coefficient = 0.990) between the fluorescence intensity and the logarithm of OTA concentration. Utilization of the proposed biosensor for quantitative determination of mycotoxins in food samples indicated the sensor being a useful tool for verifying the effectiveness of mycotoxin control strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG) technology has emerged as a new mechanical energy harvesting technology with numerous advantages. This paper analyzes its charging behavior together with a load capacitor. Through numerical and analytical modeling, the charging performance of a TENG with a bridge rectifier under periodic external mechanical motion is completely analogous to that of a dc voltage source in series with an internal resistance. An optimum load capacitance that matches the TENGs impedance is observed for the maximum stored energy. This optimum load capacitance is theoretically detected to be linearly proportional to the charging cycle numbers and the inherent TENG capacitance. Experiments were also performed to further validate our theoretical anticipation and show the potential application of this paper in guiding real experimental designs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Motion tracking is of great importance in a wide range of fields such as automation, robotics, security, sports and entertainment. Here, a self-powered, single-electrode-based triboelectric sensor (TES) is reported to accurately detect the movement of a moving object/body in two dimensions. Based on the coupling of triboelectric effect and electrostatic induction, the movement of an object on the top surface of a polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) layer induces changes in the electrical potential of the patterned aluminum electrodes underneath. From the measurements of the output performance (open-circuit voltage and short-circuit current), the motion information about the object, such as trajectory, velocity, and acceleration is derived in conformity with the preset values. Moreover, the TES can detect motions of more than one objects moving at the same time. In addition, applications of the TES are demonstrated by using LED illuminations as real-time indicators to visualize the movement of a sliding object and the walking steps of a person. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Besides targeting at the worldwide energy needs at a large scope, we have been developing an area of nanoenergy, aiming at using nanotechnology to harvest the energy required for sustainable, independent and maintenance free operation of micro/nano-systems and mobile/portable electronics. As first reported in 2006, various nanogenerators (NGs) have been demonstrated using piezoelectric, triboelectric and pyroelectric effects. By using the energy from our living environment, our goal is to make self-powered system. The self-powering approaches developed here are a new paradigm in nanotechnology and green energy for truly achieving sustainable self-sufficient micro/nano-systems, which are of critical importance for sensing, medical science, infrastructure/environmental monitoring, defense technology and personal electronics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For patients carrying BRCA1 mutations, at least one‐third develop triple negative breast cancer (TNBC). Not only is TNBC difficult to treat due to the lack of molecular target receptors, but BRCA1 mutations (BRCA1m) also result in chemotherapeutic resistance, making disease recurrence more likely. Although BRCA1m are highly heterogeneous and therefore difficult to target, BRCA1 gene's synthetic lethal pair, PARP1, is conserved in BRCA1m cancer cells. Therefore, we hypothesize that targeting PARP1 might be a fruitful direction to sensitize BRCA1m cancer cells to chemotherapy. We used CRISPR/Cas9 technology to generate PARP1 deficiency in two TNBC cell lines, MDA‐MB‐231 (BRCA1 wild‐type) and MDA‐MB‐436 (BRCA1m). We explored whether this PARP1 disruption (PARP1m) could significantly lower the chemotherapeutic dose necessary to achieve therapeutic efficacy in both a 2D and 3D tumor‐on‐a‐chip model. With both BRCA1m and PARP1m, the TNBC cells were more sensitive to three representative chemotherapeutic breast cancer drugs, doxorubicin, gemcitabine and docetaxel, compared with the PARP1 wild‐type counterpart in the 2D culture environment. However, PARP1m did not result in this synergy in the 3D tumor‐on‐a‐chip model, suggesting that drug dosing in the tumor microenvironment may influence the synergy. Taken together, our results highlight a discrepancy in the efficacy of the combination of PARP1 inhibition and chemotherapy for TNBC treatment, which should be clarified to justify further clinical testing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]