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BACKGROUND: Cognitive impairment (CI) is a significant public health concern, and bioactive peptides have shown potential as therapeutic agents. However, information about their synergistic effects on cognitive function is still limited. Here, we investigated the synergistic effects of tilapia head protein hydrolysate (THPH) and walnut protein hydrolysate (WPH) in mitigating CI induced by scopolamine in mice. RESULTS: The results showed that the combined supplementation of THPH and WPH (mass ratio, 1:1) was superior to either individual supplement in enhancing spatial memory and object recognition abilities in CI mice, and significantly lessened brain injury in CI mice by alleviating neuronal damage, reducing oxidative stress and stabilizing the cholinergic system. In addition, the combined supplementation was found to be more conducive to remodeling the gut microbiota structure in CI mice by not only remarkably reducing the ratio of Firmicutes to Bacteroidota, but also specifically enriching the genus Roseburia. On the other hand, the combined supplementation regulated the disorders of sphingolipid and amino acid metabolism in CI mice, particularly upregulating glutathione and histidine metabolism, and displayed a stronger ability to increase the expression of genes and proteins related to the brain‐derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF)/TrkB/CrEB signaling pathway in the brain. CONCLUSION: These findings demonstrate that tilapia head and walnut‐derived protein hydrolysates exerted synergistic effects in ameliorating CI, which was achieved through modulation of gut microbiota, serum metabolic pathways and BDNF signaling pathways. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Comprehensive Summary: Nineteen new cadinane‐involving sesquiterpenoid dimers, artemordins A—S (1—19), together with 13 known SDs (20—32) were isolated from Artemisia ordosica. Their structures and absolute configurations were established by comprehensive spectral analyses, X‐ray single crystal diffraction, theoretical ECD, and NMR calculations. Chemically, artemordins A—F (1—6) were the first examples of two cadinane units constructed by unprecedented C‐3−C‐15′ or C‐3−C‐13′ single bond with an oxido‐rearranged 6/5/6/6 fused ring system; artemordins G—K (7—11) were biogenetically connected by [4 + 2] cycloaddition reaction and artemordins G—J (7—10) possessed a novel 5/6/6/6/6/6/5‐heptacyclic fused ring system. Artemordins L—S (12—19) were formed by esterification, which involved three different types of sesquiterpenoids. Antihepatoma assay suggested that the most active compounds, artemordins B and H (2 and 8), exhibited inhibitory activities on three hepatoma cell lines with IC50 values of 26.9 and 25.1 μmol/L (HepG2), 29.5 and 18.3 μmol/L (Huh7), 19.7 and 15.7 μmol/L (SK‐Hep‐1). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Comprehensive Summary: Eight new guaiane‐type sesquiterpenoid trimers, artemsieverolactones A—H, possessing unprecedented scaffolds via biocatalyzed [4+2] Diels−Alder cycloaddition reactions were identified from Artemisia sieversiana. Their structures were determined by comprehensive spectroscopic data, single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction analyses, and ECD calculations. In terms of structure, artemsieverolactones A—H are first examples of sesquiterpenoid trimers from guaiane‐type sesquiterpenoid through four different [4+2] Diels−Alder cycloaddition models. Antihepatic fibrosis assay suggested that five compounds exhibited activity against HSC‐LX2 with IC50 values ranging from 37.8 to 117.1 μmol/L. The most active artemsieverolactone B (2) displayed significant inhibitory activity against HSC‐LX2 with IC50 value of 37.8 μmol/L, which was 3 times more active than the positive drug silybin (IC50, 139.7 μmol/L). Preliminary mechanism study revealed that artemsieverolactone B could inhibit the deposition of human collagen type I (Col I), human hyaluronic acid (HA), and human laminin (HL) with IC50 values of 40.4 μmol/L (Col I), 55.1 μmol/L (HL), 47.3 μmol/L (HA), which was 2 to 3‐fold more potent than silybin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The selection of electron donors and nonfullerene acceptors (NFAs) in organic solar cells (OSCs) is crucial for improving photovoltaic performance. Machine learning (ML) has brought a breakthrough solution. Herein, 292 donor‐NFA pairs with experimental OSC parameters from the reported articles are collected. The ML descriptors include device processing parameters, molecular properties, and molecular structure. The five ML regression models, random forest (RF), extra tree regression, gradient boosting regression tree, adaptive boosting, and artificial neural network (ANN) are trained. GridSearchCV is used for hyperparameter optimization of ML regression models. The SHapley Additive exPlanation approach is employed to analyze descriptor importance. Among the trained five ML models, the RF model shows superior performance, achieving Pearson's correlation coefficient (r) of 0.81 on the test set. Based on the donors and NFAs in constructed dataset, the 9779 donor–NFA pairs for OSCs are generated by randomly combining donor and acceptor molecules. The trained RF model is utilized to predict the power conversion efficiency (PCE) of new donor–acceptor pairs for OSCs. The results indicate that the OSC composed of PBDB‐TF as donor and L8‐BO as acceptor can achieve the remarkable PCE of 17.9%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Solar‐driven conversion of renewable biomass resources into high‐density hydrocarbon fuels can effectively realize biomass valorization and renewable energy conversion. In this work, an efficient self‐sensitized [2 + 2] photocycloaddition process is explored to develop highly strained fuel with high yield using norbornene and biomass‐derived cyclohexenone as feedstocks. The enhancement mechanism is revealed by phosphorescent measurement and theoretical calculation, and a reasonable reaction path for self‐sensitized [2 + 2] co‐cycloaddition is proposed. When using methanol as solvent, the apparent activation energy of co‐cycloaddition is 21.37 W/mol, which is lower than that of self‐cycloaddition (31.57 W/mol). Importantly, the jet‐fuel‐range highly strained fuel has high density (0.986 g/cm3) and high volumetric net heat of combustion (41.14 MJ/L), which are 5.34% and 4.39% higher than those of JP‐10, respectively. This work proposes a green and effective pathway for the preparation of high‐performance hydrocarbon fuel with polycyclic‐asymmetric structure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Comprehensive Summary: Ten novel isocoumarins, including four pairs of enantiomers, were isolated from Artemisia dubia var. subdigitata (Asteraceae). Compounds 1, 2 and 3a/3b possessed a unique 6/6/6‐tricyclic system comprising an unusual 1‐(2‐methylcyclohexyl) propan‐1‐one moiety fused with isocoumarin core skeleton. Compounds 4a/4b were characterized as an unexpected 2,5‐dimethylcyclohexan‐1‐one scaffold, and compounds 5a/5b and 6a/6b were rare 1,2‐seco‐isocoumarin. Their structures and absolute configurations were elucidated through spectroscopic data, X‐ray crystallography, ECD and NMR calculations with DP4+ analyses. Plausible biosynthetic pathways were proposed from the naturally occurring isocoumarin. Network pharmacological analysis suggested that the targets of compound 1 were significantly enriched in the cell cycle and PI3K‐Akt signaling pathway. The molecular docking revealed that compound 1 had high binding affinity with CDK2 (total score: 6.8717). Furthermore, compounds 1 and 2 exhibited inhibitory activity on three human hepatoma cell lines, with inhibitory ratios of 85.1% and 84.5% (HepG2), 88.2% and 87.3% (Huh7), and 69.2% and 69.1% (SK‐Hep‐1) at 200 μmol·L–1, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Silicon (Si) is considered to be the promising candidate anode for the next generation of high‐energy‐density batteries. However, the poor initial coulombic efficiency (ICE) and rate performance severely hinder its commercial development. Here, fully exploits the 2D structure of photovoltaic silicon waste (PV‐WSi), combining with the advantage of controllable depositing layers offered by fluidized bed atomic layer deposition (FBALD), to simultaneously achieve high ICE and highrate performance of Si‐based anodes. The characteristic of Li+ embedding vertically into the plane direction of the 2D sheet‐like structure of PV‐WSi helps shorten the diffusion distance, alleviating the pulverization problem caused by volume expansion. FBALD is utilized to controllably deposit Li2O (≈1 nm) and TiO2 (≈4 nm) layers to compensate for the loss of Li sources, further suppressing the volume expansion of Si and isolating the side reactions between Si and electrolyte. The prepared Si@Li2O@TiO2 demonstrates ultrahigh ICE (90.9%) and outstanding rate performance (>900 mAh g−1 at a rate of 20 A g−1). Full cells with the Si@Li2O@TiO2 anode and LiFePO4 cathode deliver a stable capacity of 100 mAh g−1 after 300 cycles at 0.5 C. This work provides new ideas for the development of high ICE, high‐rate Si‐based anodes based on low‐cost photovoltaic waste. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fluoro‐ and chlorofluorocabons (FC/CFCs) are important refrigerants, solvents, and fluoropolymers in industry while being toxic and carrying high global warming potential. Detection and reclamation of FC/CFCs based on adsorption technology with highly selective adsorbents is important to labor safety and environmental protection. Herein, the study reports an integrated method to combine capture, separation, enrichment, and analysis of representative FC/CFCs (chlorodifluoromethane(R22) and 1,1,1,2‐tetrafluoroethane (R134a)) by using the highly stable and porous Zr‐MOF, DUT‐67. Gas adsorption and breakthrough experiments demonstrate that DUT‐67 has high R22/R134a uptake (124/116 cm3 g−1) and excellent R22/R134a/CO2 separation performance (IAST selectivities of R22/CO2 and R134a/CO2 ranging from 51.4 to 33.3, and 31.1 to 25.8), even in rather low concentration and humid conditions. A semi‐quantitative analysis protocol is set up to analyze the low concentrations of R22/R134a based on the high selective R22/R134a adsorption ability, fast adsorption kinetics, water‐resistant utility, facile regeneration, and excellent recyclability of DUT‐67. In situ single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction, theoretical calculations, and in situ diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transform spectra have been employed to understand the adsorption mechanism. This work may provide a potential adsorbent for purge and trap technique under room temperature, thus promoting the application of MOFs for VOCs sampling and quantitative analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The modification of fused rings in the central backbone, side chains, and end groups of the non‐fullerene acceptor (NFA) for organic solar cells (OSCs) can modulate properties and photovoltaic performance. In order to investigate the effect of fused rings and side chains on photovoltaic performance, PBDB‐T is selected as electron donor and IDTIC, IDIC, IDIC‐PhC6, IDIC‐C4Ph, 4TIC, ITIC‐OE, IDTTIC, ITC6‐IC, ITIC, and C8‐ITIC are selected as NFAs. Based on quantum chemistry calculations, the geometries, electronic structures, excitation properties, excited‐state lifetimes, and electrostatic potentials (ESPs) of the monomer and the PBDB‐T:NFA complexes are studied, and the rate constants of charge transfer (CT), exciton dissociation (ED) and charge recombination (CR) processes are analyzed. The results show that the increase of fused‐ring in NFA's backbone by substituting phenyl or thienyl with bithiophene can elevate the highest occupied molecular orbital energies, reduce the gap of frontier molecular orbital energies, induce red‐shift of absorption spectrum, increase CT energy, improve CT and ED rates. This work provides a detailed understanding of tuning optoelectronic properties and photovoltaic performance by modifying NFA's side chains and extending backbones. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The low oxidation resistance of Ti3SiC2/Al2O3 composites limits their applications as high‐temperature structural materials. To improve the oxidation resistance, Nb and Ta are introduced into the substrate herein. The Nb/Ta‐doped Ti3SiC2/Al2O3 composite shows superior oxidation resistance than clean Ti3SiC2/Al2O3 following the oxidation process at 800–1000 °C for 100 h. The oxidation mechanism is determined via first‐principles calculations. The oxidation process of the composite is controlled by the inward diffusion of O and outward diffusion of Ti. When Nb/Ta elements are doped, their larger atomic radii and stronger binding produce a higher diffusion barrier for O and Ti atoms, which prevents element migration and reduces the thickness of the oxidation layers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Efficient approaches to perfluoroalkyl/alkenyl aryl sulfides were accomplished by a C−S coupling reaction under mild conditions. Hexafluoropropylene dimer was employed as a versatile building block for the perfluoroalkylation and perfluoroalkenylation of thiophenol. The application of the synthetic strategy was demonstrated by the high‐yield transformation of a broad range of aryl derivatives. A plausible mechanistic explanation was proposed to elaborate the differences between the two reaction pathways. The methodology provides straightforward and convenient access to aryl sulfides constituting C6 perfluoroalkyl and perfluoroalkenyl substituents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lignin is the main component of lignocellulose and the largest source of aromatic substances on the earth. Biofuel and bio‐chemicals derived from lignin can reduce the use of petroleum products. Current advances in lignin catalysis conversion have facilitated many of progress, but understanding the principles of catalyst design is critical to moving the field forward. In this review, the factors affecting the catalysts (including the type of active metal, metal particle size, acidity, pore size, the nature of the oxide supports, and the synergistic effect of the metals) are systematically reviewed based on the three most commonly used supports (carbon, oxides, and zeolites) in lignin hydrogenolysis. The catalytic performance (selectivity and yield of products) is evaluated, and the emerging catalytic mechanisms are introduced to better understand the catalyst design guidelines. Finally, based on the progress of existing studies, future directions for catalyst design in the field of lignin depolymerization are proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: In this study, three litchi glycans (Lzp1–Lzp3) with molecular weights (Mw) of 2.25 × 106 Da, 6.00 × 103 Da and 3.24 × 102 Da were purified, and their structural characteristics, biological activities and structure–activity relationships were investigated. The results showed that Lzp1–Lzp3 had similar inhibitory effects on Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus, as evidenced by the fact that there were no significant correlations between the Mw, active groups, monosaccharide compositions of Lzp1–Lzp3 and their antimicrobial activities. Lzp1 consisted of more mannose, galactose and arabinose, and less ribose and xylose, thus leading to its higher antioxidant activities of DPPH, ABTS, hydroxyl and superoxide radical scavenging and ferric‐ion reducing with the values of 78.0%, 99.0%, 90.2%, 1.08 and 3.93 respectively. Lzp2 contained more sulphonic acid and uronic acid, and the least glucose possessed the best effect on the promotion of exopolysaccharide production (24.77 mg/mL) by Weissella confusa, and the proliferation of Weissella confusa, Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus, Bifidobacterium bifidum and Bifidobacterium breve with the OD600 ranging from 0.278–1.082. This study can provide a reference for the preparation of litchi glycans possessed specific biological activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Dementia increases as individuals age. Aging physicians represent a growing population. Studies have demonstrated there are physicians with cognitive impairments practicing medicine. The medico‐legal consequences of physicians with cognitive impairments have not been investigated. Methods: The Canadian Medical Protective Association (CMPA) is a national medical association with 108,000 members who advise and assist doctors with medico‐legal matters. They maintain a national repository of legal actions and complaints to regulatory bodies and hospitals. We looked at civil‐legal and regulatory college cases closed over a 10‐year period associated with physicians aged ≥55. A word search of the cases was conducted using "Dementia, Alzheimer, Cognitive impairment, Cognitive decline, Memory loss, Memory issues, Fit for/to practice." Results: The CMPA closed 67,566 cases between 2012 and 2021 and 16% (10,599) involved members ≥55. A mixed methodology approach identified 65 cases associated with physician's cognitive ability to practice medicine. Of these 65 cases, the average age of physician was 71.3 (56.1–88.5). The proportion of cases where concern was associated with a physician's cognitive ability to practice medicine increased, from 0.2% of cases in 55–60‐year‐olds, to 7.7% in physicians over 80. Interpretation: As physicians age, concerns about cognitive impairment are more likely to contribute to medico‐legal matters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: This study analyzed the predictive value of artificial intelligence (AI)‐powered tumor‐infiltrating lymphocyte (TIL) analysis in recurrent or metastatic (R/M) adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC) treated with axitinib. Methods: Patients from a multicenter, prospective phase II trial evaluating axitinib efficacy in R/M ACC were included in this study. H&E whole‐side images of archival tumor tissues were analyzed by Lunit SCOPE IO, an AI‐powered spatial TIL analyzer. Results: Twenty‐seven patients were included in the analysis. The best response was stable disease, and the median progression‐free survival (PFS) was 11.1 months (95% CI, 9.2–13.7 months). Median TIL densities in the cancer and surrounding stroma were 25.8/mm2 (IQR, 8.3–73.0) and 180.4/mm2 (IQR, 69.6–342.8), respectively. Patients with stromal TIL density >342.5/mm2 exhibited longer PFS (p = 0.012). Conclusions: Cancer and stromal area TIL infiltration were generally low in R/M ACC. Higher stromal TIL infiltration was associated with a longer PFS with axitinib treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Whether late‐life depression or depressive symptoms are a risk factor of future stroke in elders is important for prevention measures. A systematic review and meta‐analysis were used to investigate the association between depression or depressive symptoms and risk of stroke in elders. Methods: Embase, MEDLINE, PsychINFO, and Web of Science were searched for studies published from inception to January 6, 2023. Prospective cohort studies reporting quantitative estimates of the association between depression or depressive symptoms and stroke morbidity in participants aged over 60 years were included. Reviews, meta‐analyses, case reports, retrospective, cross‐sectional, and theoretical studies were excluded. Study screening and data extraction were conducted by two researchers independently. Random‐effects meta‐analysis was used to estimate pooled adjusted hazard ratios (HRs). Publication bias was evaluated via the symmetry of funnel plots and Egger tests. The Newcastle Ottawa Scale was used to assess the risk of bias. The quality of evidence of synthesis was assessed by the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE). The primary outcome was any stroke, including non‐fatal, fatal, ischemic and hemorrhagic sub‐types. Results: Seventeen studies of 57,761 patients in total were included in the meta‐analysis. A positive association was found between depressive disorder or symptoms and stroke risk (HR: 1.39; 95% CI: 1.22–1.58; p < 0.001). Conclusions: Late‐life depression or depressive symptoms are a significant risk factor for stroke in older people. Regular assessment and more effective management of associated comorbidities are recommended to reduce stroke risk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dopamine (DA) is a crucial neurotransmitter in the central nervous system (CNS) of human and multicellular animal brains. In this paper, we report for the first time the synthesis of carbon black (C)/phosphotungstic acid (PWA) composites by doping PWA on carbon black nanoparticles by impregnation method. The synthesized materials were characterized using high‐resolution scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X‐ray diffraction spectroscopy (XRD) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT‐IR). Glassy carbon electrodes (GCE) modified by C/PWA composites were used to detect dopamine. The electrochemical redox behavior of DA was studied with cyclic voltammetry (CV). Under optimized conditions, DA was detected by differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) and the calibration plot showed linearity (R2=0.9988) over the range of DA concentrations of 10 μM‐600 μM with a detection limit of 0.1 μM. The sensor's capability to detect DA in commercial DA injections in real time has been successfully demonstrated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of efficient and economical electrocatalysts for oxygen evolution reaction (OER) is of paramount importance for the sustainable production of renewable fuels and energy storage systems; however, the sluggish OER kinetics involving multistep four proton-coupled electron transfer hampers progress in these systems. Fortunately, surface reconstruction offers promising potential to improve OER catalyst design. Anion modulation plays a crucial role in controlling the extent of surface reconstruction and positively persuading the reconstructed species' performances. This review starts by providing a general explanation of how various types of anions can trigger dynamic surface reconstruction and create different combinations with pre-catalysts. Next, the influences of anion modulation on manipulating the surface dynamic reconstruction process are discussed based on the in situ advanced characterization techniques. Furthermore, various effects of survived anionic groups in reconstructed species on water oxidation activity are further discussed. Finally, the challenges and prospects for the future development directions of anion modulation for redirecting dynamic surface reconstruction to construct highly efficient and practical catalysts for water oxidation are proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Comprehensive Summary: Artemiprincepsolides A—F (1—6) were isolated from Artemisia princeps guided by bioactivity and elucidated by comprehensive spectral data and ECD calculation. Compounds 1—3 represented the first connecting model of germacrane‐guaiane hetero‐dimeric adducts, and compounds 4—6 were eudesmane‐guaiane hetero‐coupled sesquiterpenoid dimers, meanwhile, all these were presumably formed by Diels‐Alder cycloaddition. Compounds 1—6 were evaluated for their hepatomatic cytotoxicity on three hepatoma cell lines, and demonstrated cytotoxicity with IC50 values in the range of 5.0—67.3 μmol/L. Interestingly, compound 1 manifested significant cytotoxicity against HepG2, Huh7, and SK‐Hep‐1 cells with IC50 values of 9.9, 9.2, and 5.0 μmol/L, which were almost equivalent to the positive control, sorafenib. Flow cytometry data and Western blot assays revealed the most active compound 1 dose‐dependently inhibited cell migration and invasion, and significantly induced HepG2 cells arrest in G2/M phase by downregulating proteins pcdc2 and upregulating the level of protein CyclinB1; and induced apoptosis by downregulating of Bcl‐2 expression and upregulating Bax level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent developments in metamaterial research have shown promising progress in overcoming the fundamental physical limitations of acoustics. While the majority of this research is curiosity‐driven and focused on fundamental physics, there has been a scarcity of acoustic metamaterials research that can have a direct and immediate impact on real‐world applications. In this study, an acoustic metamaterial inside a head‐mounted audio module is incorporate to achieve a 3–7 dB broadband sound pressure level (SPL) improvement in the bass range (50–700 Hz), which is the most challenging frequency range for radiation enhancement. The adoption of the acoustic metamaterial not only enhances voltage sensitivity near the intrinsic metamaterial resonance frequency, but also extends the broadband enhancement to a lower transducer resonance frequency by carefully engineering the metamaterial‐transducer resonant coupling. The improvement of the audio module is demonstrated through fully coupled electrical‐mechanical‐acoustical numerical simulations using finite element analysis, which are validated against comprehensive measurements including electrical impedance analysis, speaker diaphragm displacement analysis, voltage sensitivity and power sensitivity analysis, and spectrogram. This study not only offers a promising path to improve the audio module quality without increasing the size, but also represents an important milestone toward using acoustic metamaterial research to solve audio industry challenges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Comprehensive Summary: 17 new guaiane‐type sesquiterpenoid dimers (GSDs), artemzhongdianolides B1—B17 (1—17), were isolated from Artemisia zhongdianensis under the guidance of bioassay, and elucidated by spectral analyses (HRESIMS, 1D and 2D NMR, IR, ECD). The absolute configuration of compounds 1, 3, 7, 9, 10, and 13 was determined by single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction analyses. Structurally, artemzhongdianolides B1 (1) and B2 (2) were the first example of the GSDs fused via a C‐13/C‐13' single bond, and artemzhongdianolides B3—B17 were [4 + 2] Diels–Alder adducts of two monomeric guaianolides. Most of the compounds showed antihepatoma cytotoxicity with IC50 values ranging from 9.9 to 170.1 μmol/L. Importantly, artemzhongdianolide B9 (9) was the most active one against three hepatoma cell lines with IC50 values of 13.1 μmol/L (HepG2), 19.5 μmol/L (Huh7), and 19.5 μmol/L (SK‐Hep‐1), and dose‐dependently inhibited cell migration and invasion, induced G1 cell cycle arrest and cell apoptosis in HepG2 cells. Compound 9 might suppress HepG2 cells via affecting the p38MAPK signaling pathway suggested by machine learning approach, and significantly upregulated expression of phosphorylated p38 validated by Western blot assay. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Obesity can induce myocardial pyroptosis, but the exact mechanism is still unknown. A recent study reported the association of opa‐interacting protein 5‐antisense transcript 1 (OIP5‐AS1), an evolutionarily conserved long noncoding RNA, with pyroptosis. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the role of OIP5‐AS1 in obesity‐induced myocardial pyroptosis. Methods: OIP5‐AS1 was downregulated in H9c2 cells, followed by treatment with 400 μM palmitic acid (PA). Propidium iodide (PI) staining, lactic dehydrogenase (LDH) release assay, caspase‐1 activity assay, IL‐1β, and IL‐18 activity assay were performed to detect pyroptotic phenotype. The interaction between OIP5‐AS1 and microRNAs (miRNAs) was analyzed using RNA pull‐down and luciferase assay. The effect of OIP5‐AS1 knockdown in high‐fat diet (HFD)‐induced obesity rat on cardiac function, myocardial hypertrophy, fibrosis, and remodeling was evaluated. Results: Fat deposition was observed in cardiomyocytes 24 h after PA treatment; moreover, PA‐treated cardiomyocytes showed significant increase in the rate of pyroptotic cells, release of LDH, protein expressions of NLRP3 and cleaved caspase‐1, and the activity of caspase‐1, IL‐1β, and IL‐18 as well as OIP5‐AS1 expression. These findings suggested that PA activated pyroptosis and induced OIP5‐AS1 expression in cardiomyocytes. Moreover, OIP5‐AS1 knockdown inhibited PA‐induced pyroptosis. Mechanistically, OIP5‐AS1 was found to specifically bind to miR‐22 and to regulate NLRP3 inflammasome‐mediated pyroptosis via miR‐22. Furthermore, OIP5‐AS1 knockdown ameliorated HFD‐induced cardiac dysfunction, myocardial hypertrophy, fibrosis, remodeling, and pyroptosis. Conclusion: Our results revealed that downregulation of OIP5‐AS1 can inhibit obesity‐induced myocardial pyroptosis via miR‐22/NLRP3 inflammasome axis. This finding lays a foundation of gene therapy for heart disease targeting OIP5‐AS1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Inspired by our previous finding that disesquiterpenoids showed more potent antihepatoma cytotoxicity than their corresponding parent monomers, natural product‐like guaianolide‐germacranolide heterodimers were designed and synthesized from guaianolide diene and germacranolides via a biomimetic Diels–Alder reaction to provide three antihepatoma active dimers with novel scaffolds. To explore the structure–activity relationship, 31 derivatives containing ester, carbamate, ether, urea, amide, and triazole functional groups at C‐14′ were synthesized and evaluated for their cytotoxic activities against HepG2, Huh7, and SK‐Hep‐1 cell lines. Among them, 25 compounds were more potent than sorafenib against HepG2 cells, 15 compounds were stronger than sorafenib against Huh7 cells, and 17 compounds were stronger than sorafenib against SK‐Hep‐1 cells. Compound 23 showed the most potent cytotoxicity against three hepatoma cell lines with IC50 values of 4.4 µM (HepG2), 3.7 µM (Huh7), and 3.1 µM (SK‐Hep‐1), which were 2.7‐, 2.2‐, and 2.8‐fold more potent than sorafenib, respectively. The underlying mechanism study demonstrated that compound 23 could induce cell apoptosis, prevent cell migration and invasion, cause G2/M phase arrest in SK‐Hep‐1 cells. Network pharmacology analyses predicted PDGFRA was one of the potential targets of compound 23, and surface plasmon resonance (SPR) assay verified that 23 had strong affinity with PDGFRA with a dissociatin constant (KD) value of 90.2 nM. These promising findings revealed that structurally novel guaianolide‐germacranolide heterodimers might provide a new inspiration for the discovery of antihepatoma agents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cyclopropane derivates are appealing to synthesis of high‐energy‐density fuels because of the high strained energy of the three‐numbered ring. The catalytic cyclopropanation of olefin with diazomethane is very effective to construct the carbocycle. The majority of the catalysts employed are nonrecyclable homogeneous compounds. Herein, we report cyclopropanation of polycyclic olefins catalyzed by heterogeneous Pd/C. The optimal cyclopropanation conditions were explored utilizing dicyclopentadiene as model substrate and a series of polycyclic olefins were cyclopropanated with high yield. Additionally, the catalyst has good recyclability and stability, as shown by characterizations as well as the fact that no inactivation happens after cyclopropanation. The synthesized cyclopropane derivates exhibit good fuel characteristics like high density (1.006–1.087 g/cm3), high volumetric net heat of combustion (42.58–46.45 kJ/cm3), good low‐temperature and combustion performance. This work shows industrial potential for cyclopropanation of polycyclic olefins with diazomethane. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Objective: Periodontal ligament stem cells (PDLSCs) are derived from the periodontal ligament and have the characteristics of pluripotent differentiation, including osteogenesis, and are one of the important seed cells in oral tissue engineering. Thyrotropin (TSH) has been shown to regulate bone metabolism independently of thyroid hormone, including the fate of osteoblasts and osteoclasts, but whether it affects osteogenic differentiation of PDLSCs is unknown. Materials and Methods: PDLSCs were isolated and cultured from human periodontal ligament and grown in osteogenic medium (containing sodium β‐glycerophosphate, ascorbic acid, and dexamethasone). Recombinant human TSH was added to the culture medium. Osteogenic differentiation of PDLSCs was assessed after 14 days by staining with alkaline phosphatase and alizarin red and by detection of osteogenic differentiation genes. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in PDLSCs under TSH were detected by high‐throughput sequencing. Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analyzed the biological functions and signaling pathways involved in DEGs. Results: We found that osteogenic differentiation of PDLSCs was significantly inhibited in the presence of TSH: including decreased calcium nodule formation, decreased alkaline phosphatase levels, and decreased collagen synthesis. Using high‐throughput sequencing, we found changes in the expression of some osteogenesis‐related genes, which may be the reason that TSH inhibits osteogenic differentiation of PDLSCs. Conclusion: Unless TSH is ≥10 mU/L, patients with subclinical hypothyroidism usually do not undergo thyroxine supplementation therapy. However, in this work, we found that elevated TSH inhibited the osteogenic differentiation of PDLSCs. Therefore, correction of TSH levels in patients with subclinical hypothyroidism may be beneficial to improve orthodontic, implant, and periodontitis outcomes in these patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Stable isotope chemical labeling methods have been widely used for high‐throughput mass spectrometry (MS)‐based quantitative proteomics in biological and clinical applications. However, the existing methods are far from meeting the requirements for high sensitivity detection. In the present study, a novel isobaric stable isotope N‐phosphorylation labeling (iSIPL) strategy was developed for quantitative proteome analysis. The tryptic peptides were selectively labeled with iSIPL tag to generate the novel reporter ions containing phosphoramidate P−N bond with high intensities under lower collision energies. iSIPL strategy are suitable for peptide sequencing and quantitative analysis with high sensitivity and accuracy even for samples of limited quantity. Furthermore, iSIPL coupled with affinity purification and mass spectrometry was applied to measure the dynamics of cyclin dependent kinase 9 (CDK9) interactomes during transactivation of the HIV‐1 provirus. The interaction of CDK9 with PARP13 was found to significantly decrease during Tat‐induced activation of HIV‐1 gene transcription, suggesting the effectiveness of iSIPL strategy in dynamic analysis of protein‐protein interaction in vivo. More than that, the proposed iSIPL strategy would facilitate large‐scale accurate quantitative proteomics by increasing multiplexing capability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current study aimed to explore the pharmacokinetics of danofloxacin in non‐laying hens after a single oral (PO) and intravenous (IV) dose, both at 5 mg/kg body weight (BW). Eighteen 13‐week‐old healthy hens were equally and randomly divided into two groups. After both doses, blood samples (approximately 1 ml) were collected at different time points. Danofloxacin concentrations were quantified by a validated high‐performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method followed by a non‐compartmental analysis using the software of WinNonLin. The elimination half‐lives (t1/2λzs) after PO and IV routes were determined as 8.15 ± 3.37 and 7.69 ± 3.40 h, respectively. After IV administration, danofloxacin had an initial concentration (C0) of 3.62 μg/ml, a volume of distribution at steady state (VSS) of 3579.72 ± 454.29 ml/kg, and a total body clearance (Cl) of 0.49 ml/h/g. After PO administration, the absolute bioavailability and absorption half‐life (t1/2ka) were calculated as 100.99% ± 23.10% and 0.82 ± 0.58 h, respectively. Based on the calculated ratio values of AUC/MIC and Cmax/MIC, an oral dose of 5 mg/kg danofloxacin would be expected to successfully treat hens infected with strains with MIC values ≤0.1 μg/ml. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Molecular stacking modes that determine morphology of bulk‐heterojunctions are important because of their effects on photovoltaic performance of organic solar cells (OSCs). Here, in order to investigate how molecular stacking pattern in OSCs heterojunction impact on electronic structures and properties, and then influence photovoltaic performance, this work selected D18:Y6 OSC as a representative system. On the basis of semi‐empirical quantum chemistry and density functional theory calculations, we studied the geometries, electronic structures and excitation properties, as well as electron and hole couplings of D18 and Y6 molecules, Y6 dimers, D18/Y6 and D18/Y6‐dimer complexes which are heterojunction interface models. The results indicate that the molecular stacking effects on open‐circuit voltage (VOC) can be attributed to the influences on charge transfer (CT) excitation energies because molecular stacking modes at donor/acceptor heterojunction interface can significantly change excitation energies. Furthermore, the molecular stacking modes can cause drastically different electron and hole couplings, and then affect charge transfer/transport rates. Hence, the molecular stacking effects on short‐circuit current density (JSC) can be understood from the effects on electron and hole couplings. The molecular stacking modes that are favorable to improving VOC and JSC of D18:Y6 OSC were also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ti3SiC2/Al2O3 multilayered composites were prepared by the combination of tape casting and hot pressing sintering. The slurry was produced by adjusting the amounts of each organic material, including triethyl phosphate (TEP) as a dispersion, polyvinyl butyrate (PVB) as a binder, dioctyl phthalate (DOP) as a plasticizer, and anhydrous ethanol as an organic solvent. When TEP content was 3 wt.%, PVB content was 4.5 wt.%, R‐value (DOP/PVB) was 1.4, and solid content was 38 wt.%; the cast film with a smooth surface, good flexibility, and uniform thickness was obtained after defoaming, tape casting, and drying. Three samples were prepared, namely, S1–S3. The S1 was monolithic Ti3SiC2/Al2O3 (mass ratio is 1:1) composites. S2 and S3 were Ti3SiC2/Al2O3 multilayered composites, which matrix layers were Ti3SiC2/Al2O3 composites (mass ratio is 1:1) and Al2O3, respectively, and their interface layer was Ti3SiC2. S1–S3 were also sintered at 1550°C. The bending strength of multilayered materials were lower than that of monolithic material, but the fracture toughness of multilayered materials significantly increased. Due to the introduction of Ti3SiC2 interface layer, the friction coefficient and wear rate of Ti3SiC2/Al2O3 multilayered composites were reduced by 30.7% and 33.8%, respectively, compared with monolithic material. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to shorten the degradation incubation period of existing seawater‐degradable materials and achieve "disappearance" in seawater as soon as possible, based on the successful introduction of hydrolyzed sites GA into the PBS main chain to obtain the PBSG copolymer matrix, water‐soluble PVA is introduced to finally obtain a series of PBSG/PVA blends, aiming to promote the hydrolysis process of polyester matrix by the dual action of water‐soluble PVA and easily hydrolyzed site GA. Compared with pure polyester, PBSG/PVA blends exhibt rapid loss of mechanical properties, weight loss and molecular weight drop in seawater. Among them, PBSG50/PVA0588 = 50/50 with the fastest degradation rate completely loses its mechanical properties within 1 week, and its molecular weight decreases by about 97% after 417 days. In the first 51 days of degradation, the swelling and dissolution of PVA can effectively accelerate the decrease of the molecular weight of polyester matrix, and the Mn decreases by about 50%–80%, which is much higher than that of pure polyester (about 40%). After 417 days in the late stage of degradation, compared with PBS/PVA blends, the easy hydrolysis of GA promots the obvious degradation of the matrix, and the weight loss of matrix can reach 20%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are often dysregulated in cancers and closely related to cancer progression, including cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (CSCC). However, the role and mechanism of circ_0068631 in CSCC progression have not been reported. Methods: The expression of circ_0068631, microRNA‐139‐5p (miR‐139‐5p), and homeobox B7 (HOXB7) was measured by real‐time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT‐qPCR). Cell counting kit‐8 (CCK‐8) assay, 5‐ethynyl‐2′‐deoxyuridine (EdU) assay, and colony formation assay were used to measure cell proliferation. Cell apoptosis was assessed by flow cytometry. Cell migration was detected by transwell assay. The interaction between miR‐139‐5p and circ_0068631 or HOXB7 was confirmed by dual‐luciferase reporter assay. A xenograft tumor model was established to confirm the function of circ_0068631 in vivo. Results: Circ_0068631 was upregulated in CSCC tissues and cells, and its silencing could inhibit CSCC cell proliferation and metastasis while promoting apoptosis in vitro, as well as restrain CSCC tumor growth in vivo. Circ_0068631 acted as a sponge of miR‐139‐5p, and miR‐139‐5p inhibition reversed the repressive effect of circ_0068631 knockdown on CSCC cell progression. Furthermore, HOXB7 was a target of miR‐139‐5p, and miR‐139‐5p inhibited the malignant behaviors by downregulating HOXB7 expression in CSCC cells. Further, circ_0068631 sponged miR‐139‐5p to regulate HOXB7 expression. Conclusion: Circ_0068631 functioned as a novel oncogene in CSCC progression by regulating miR‐139‐5p/HOXB7 axis, suggesting that circ_0068631 may be a potential target for CSCC treatment. Highlights: Circ_0068631 was overexpressed in CSCC tissues and cells.Circ_0068631 downregulation suppressed CSCC progression via miR‐139‐5p.Circ_0068631 regulated HOXB7 via sponging miR‐139‐5p. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The conversion of biomass is a favorable alternative to the fossil energy route to solve the energy crisis and environmental pollution. As one of the most versatile platform compounds, 5‐hydroxymethylfural (HMF) can be transformed to various value‐added chemicals via electrolysis combining with renewable energy. Here, the recent advances in electrochemical oxidation of HMF, from reaction mechanism to reactor design are reviewed. First, the reaction mechanism and pathway are summarized systematically. Second, the parameters easy to be ignored are emphasized and discussed. Then, the electrocatalysts are reviewed comprehensively for different products and the reactors are introduced. Finally, future efforts on exploring reaction mechanism, electrocatalysts, and reactor are prospected. This review provides a deeper understanding of mechanism for electrochemical oxidation of HMF, the design of electrocatalyst and reactor, which is expected to promote the economical and efficient electrochemical conversion of biomass for industrial applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Haber–Bosch process for industrial NH3 production is energy‐intensive with heavy CO2 emissions. Electrochemical N2 reduction reaction (NRR) is an attractive carbon‐neutral alternative for NH3 synthesis, while the challenge associated with N2 activation highlights the demand for efficient electrocatalysts. Herein, we demonstrate that PdCu nanoparticles with different Pd/Cu ratios anchored on boron nanosheet (PdCu/B) behave as efficient NRR electrocatalysts toward NH3 synthesis. Theoretical and experimental results confirm that the highly efficient NH3 synthesis can be achieved by regulating the charge transfer between interfaces and forming a symmetry‐breaking site, which not only alleviates the hydrogen evolution but also changes the adsorption configuration of N2 and thus optimizes the reaction pathway of NRR over the separated Pd sites. Compared with monometallic Pd/B and Cu/B, the PdCu/B with the optimized Pd/Cu ratio of 1 exhibits superior activity and selectivity for NH3 synthesis. This study provides new insight into developing efficient catalysts for small energy molecule catalytic conversion via regulating the charge transfer between interfaces and constructing symmetry‐breaking sites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ongoing pandemic with the emergence of immune evasion potential and, particularly, the current omicron subvariants intensified the situation further. Although vaccines are available, the immune evasion capabilities of the recent variants demand further efficient therapeutic choices to control the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS‐CoV‐2) pandemic. Hence, considering the necessity of the small molecule inhibitor, we target the main protease (3CLpro), which is an appealing target for the development of antiviral drugs against SARS‐CoV‐2. High‐throughput molecular in silico screening of South African natural compounds database reported Isojacareubin and Glabranin as the potential inhibitors for the main protease. The calculated docking scores were reported to be −8.47 and −8.03 kcal/mol, respectively. Moreover, the structural dynamic assessment reported that Isojacareubin in complex with 3CLpro exhibit a more stable dynamic behavior than Glabranin. Inhibition assay indicated that Isojacareubin could inhibit SARS‐CoV‐2 3CLpro in a time‐ and dose‐dependent manner, with half maximal inhibitory concentration values of 16.00 ± 1.35 μM (60 min incubation). Next, the covalent binding sites of Isojacareubin on SARS‐CoV‐2 3CLpro was identified by biomass spectrometry, which reported that Isojacareubin can covalently bind to thiols or Cysteine through Michael addition. To evaluate the inactivation potency of Isojacareubin, the inactivation kinetics was further investigated. The inactivation kinetic curves were plotted according to various concentrations with gradient‐ascending incubation times. The KI value of Isojacareubin was determined as 30.71 μM, whereas the Kinact value was calculated as 0.054 min−1. These results suggest that Isojacareubin is a covalent inhibitor of SARS‐CoV‐2 3CLpro. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mixed 2D/3D perovskite solar cells (PSCs) show promising performances in efficiency and long‐term stability. The functional groups terminated on a large organic molecule used to construct 2D capping layer play a key role in the chemical interaction mechanism and thus influence the device performance. In this study, 4‐(trifluoromethyl) benzamidine hydrochloride (TFPhFACl) is adopted to construct 2D capping layer atop 3D perovskite. It is found that there are two mechanisms synergistically contributing to the increase of efficiency: 1) The TFPhFA+ cations form a dipole layer promoting the interfacial charge transport. 2) The suppressed nonradiative recombination of perovskite through the coordination of TFPhFA+ cations with Pb–I octahedron, as well as the recrystallization of 3D perovskite induced by Cl‐ ions. As a result, the PSC delivers an efficiency of 24.0% with improved open‐circuit voltage (VOC) of 1.16 V, short‐circuit current density (JSC) of 25.42 mA cm‐2, and fill factor of 81.26%. The device shows no decrease in efficiency after 1500 h stored in the air indicating the good stability. The utilization of TFPhFACl not only provides a facile way to optimize the interfacial problems, but also gives a new perspective for rational design of large spacer molecule for constructing efficient 2D/3D PSCs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The copper‐catalyzed enantioconvergent radical C(sp3)−C(sp2) cross‐coupling of tertiary α‐bromo‐β‐lactams with organoboronate esters could provide the synthetically valuable α‐quaternary β‐lactams. The challenge arises mainly from the construction of sterically congested quaternary stereocenters between the tertiary alkyl radicals and chiral copper(II) species. Herein, we describe our success in achieving such transformations through the utilization of a copper/hemilabile N,N,N‐ligand catalyst to forge the sterically congested chiral C(sp3)−C(sp2) bond via a single‐electron reduction/transmetalation/bond formation catalytic cycle. The synthetic potential of this approach is shown in the straightforward conversion of the corresponding products into many valuable building blocks. We hope that the developed catalytic cycle would open up new vistas for more enantioconvergent cross‐coupling reactions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Photocatalysis can create a green way to produce clean energy resources, degrade pollutants and achieve carbon neutrality, making the construction of efficient photocatalysts significant in solving environmental issues. Conjugated polymers (CPs) with adjustable band structures have superior light‐absorption capacity and flexible morphology that facilitate contact with other components to form advanced heterojunctions. Interface engineering can strengthen the interfacial contact between the components and further enlarge the interfacial contact area, enhance light absorption, accelerate charge transfer and improve the reusability of the composites. In order to throw some new light on heterojunction interface regulation at a molecular level, herein we summarize CP‐based composites with improved photocatalytic performance according to the types of interactions (covalent bonding, hydrogen bonding, electrostatic interactions, π‐π stacking, and other polar interactions) between the components and introduce the corresponding interface building methods, identifying techniques. Then the roles of interfaces in different photocatalytic applications are discussed. Finally, we sum up the existing problems in interface engineering of CP‐based composites and look forward to the possible solutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The piezo‐Fenton system has attracted attention not only because it can enhance the Fenton reaction activity by mechanical energy input, but also because it is expected to realize a class of stimuli‐responsive advanced oxidation systems by regulating energy input and hydrogen peroxide self‐supply, thus greatly enriching the application possibilities of Fenton chemistry. In this work, a series of Fe‐doped g‐C3N4 (g‐C3N4‐Fe) as a piezo‐Fenton system were synthesized where the iron stably immobilized through Fe−N interaction. The piezo‐induced electrons generate on g‐C3N4 matrix support the conversion of Fe(III) to Fe(II) and promote rate‐limiting step of Fenton reaction. With the optimal Fe loading, g‐C3N4‐0.5Fe can achieve methylene blue (MB) degradation under ultrasonic treatment with first‐order kinetic rate constants of 75×10−3 min−1. Most importantly, the g‐C3N4‐Fe can maintain good catalytic activity in a wide pH range (pH=2.0∼9.0) and be cyclic used without iron leaching to solution (<0.001 μg ⋅ L−1), overcoming the disadvantage of traditional Fe‐based Fenton catalysts that can only be applied under acidic conditions and prone to secondary pollution. In addition, g‐C3N4‐0.5Fe also exhibits antibacterial properties of Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus under ultrasound. Hydroxyl radicals mainly contribute to the degradation of MB and the sterilization process. Our work is an attempt to clarify the role of g‐C3N4‐Fe in the conversion of mechanical energy to ROS and provide inspirations for the piezo‐Fenton system design. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Further performance enhancement of perovskite solar cells (PSCs) is limited by the defect‐assisted recombination losses. The approaches employed to decrease the losses contain defect passivation, perovskite crystallization control, interface engineering, etc. Herein, a new material of acetamidine thiocyanate (AASCN) via a facile method is synthesized, which exhibits dual functions combining a cation with passivation and an anion with crystallization. The iodine vacancies in the perovskite can be effectively passivated through hydrogen bonds formed by the NH bonds of the polar cation AA+. Furthermore, the pseudo‐halide anion SCN− can coordinate the Pb–I octahedrons, improving the perovskite film crystallization. Through vaporing the AASCN on perovskite films during the secondary crystal growth process, the defects mitigation and crystallization improvement are synergistically achieved. As a consequence, the FA0.25MA0.75PbI3 PSCs with AASCN achieve a power conversion efficiency of 23.17%, which is higher than that (21.43%) of untreated PSCs. In detail, the open‐circuit voltage has also a significant advancement from 1.095 to 1.167 V after the AASCN treatment. The design and synthesization of the multifunctional materials are supposed to provide a feasible approach for the performance improvement of PSCs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One pot synthesis of 2,5‐dimethylfuran (2,5‐DMF) from saccharides under mild conditions is of importance for the production of biofuel and fine chemicals. However, the synthesis requires a multitude of active sites and suffers from slow kinetics due to poor diffusion in most composite catalysts. Herein, a metal‐acid functionalized 2D metal‐organic framework (MOF; Pd/NUS‐SO3H), as an ultrathin nanosheet of 3–4 nm with Lewis acid, Brønsted acid, and metal active sites, was prepared based on the diazo method for acid modification and subsequent metal loading. This new composite catalyst gives substantially higher yields of DMF than all reported catalysts for different saccharides (fructose, glucose, cellobiose, sucrose, and inulins). Characterization suggests that a cascade of reactions including polysaccharide hydrolysis, isomerization, dehydration, and hydrodeoxygenation takes place with rapid molecular interactions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The cover image is based on the Research Article Synergistic effects of tilapia head protein hydrolysate and walnut protein hydrolysate on the amelioration of cognitive impairment in mice by Jun Ji et al., https://doi.org/10.1002/jsfa.13369. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Currently, low intimacy between hydrogenation sites and acidic sites causes unsatisfactory catalytic activity and selectivity for the synthesis of 2,5‐hexanedione from C6 furan aldehydes (5‐methylfurfural, 5‐hydroxymethylfurfural). Herein, iodine(I) modification of Pd‐supported catalysts (such as PdI/Al2O3 and PdI/SiO2) was investigated to modulate the hydrogenation sites and acidic sites. Unlike Pd catalysts that produced 71.4 % yield of 2‐hydroxymethyl‐5‐methyl tetrahydrofuran via an overhydrogenation route of 5‐methylfurfural, PdI catalysts showed a high efficiency for 2,5‐hexanedione with 93.7 % yield by a hydrogenative ring‐opening route. More importantly, the selective synthesis of 2,5‐hexanedione from 5‐hydroxymethylfurfural with a high yield of 50.2 % by the hydrogenolysis and subsequent ring‐opening route was reported for the first time. I‐modified Pd nanoparticles produced in‐situ hydrogen spillover, which promoted the selective C=O hydrogenation and ring‐opening steps by regulating the adsorption configuration of the reactants and the transformation of Lewis to Brønsted acidity, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The design and creation of soft porous crystals combining regularity and flexibility may promote potential applications for gas storage and separation due to their deformable framework's responsiveness to external stimuli. The flexibility of metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) relies on alterable degrees of freedom that are mainly provided by organic linkers or the junctions linking organic and inorganic building units. Herein, we report a new dynamic MOF whose flexibility originates from an unprecedented tailorable Mn8O38‐cluster and shows simultaneous coordination geometry changes and ligand migration that are reversibly driven by guest exchange. This provides an extra degree of freedom to the framework's deformation, resulting in three‐dimensional variations in the framework that subtly respond to varied aromatic molecules. The gas adsorption behavior of this flexible MOF was evaluated, and the selective separation of light hydrocarbons and Freon gases is achieved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The excessive dependence on fossil fuels contributes to the majority of CO2 emissions, influencing on the climate change. One promising alternative to fossil fuels is green hydrogen, which can be produced through water electrolysis from renewable electricity. However, the variety and complexity of hydrogen evolution electrocatalysts currently studied increases the difficulty in the integration of catalytic theory, catalyst design and preparation, and characterization methods. Herein, this review first highlights design principles for hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) electrocatalysts, presenting the thermodynamics, kinetics, and related electronic and structural descriptors for HER. Second, the reasonable design, preparation, mechanistic understanding, and performance enhancement of electrocatalysts are deeply discussed based on intrinsic and extrinsic effects. Third, recent advancements in the electrocatalytic water splitting technology are further discussed briefly. Finally, the challenges and perspectives of the development of highly efficient hydrogen evolution electrocatalysts for water splitting are proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Perovskite homojunction can promote the separation and oriented transportation of the photocarriers through the built‐in electric field, and weaken the dependence of solar cells on the charge transport layer. Although the perovskite homojunction shows great advantages in improving device efficiency, it retains the inherent poor stability of perovskite materials. Herein, it is found that donor defects (MA+ interstitial, I− vacancy, etc.) in the n‐type layer are prone to compensate the acceptor defects (MA+ vacancy, I− interstitial, etc.) in the p‐type layer. This compensation behavior results from the diffusion of doping defects driven by a concentration gradient, which leads to the weakening of the built‐in electric field. Furthermore, phenethylammonium iodide is introduced into the perovskite homojunction to inhibit the defect diffusion, which enhances the stability of the homojunction and the corresponding solar cells. After modification, the efficiency of perovskite homojunction solar cells is improved from 8.60% to 9.60%, and retains 80% (standard ≈30%) of initial efficiency after 1000 h aging. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]