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Abstract Resolving the detailed structures of metal organic frameworks is of great significance for understanding their structure-property relation. Real-space imaging methods could exhibit superiority in revealing not only the local structure but also the bulk symmetry of these complex porous materials, compared to reciprocal-space diffraction methods, despite the technical challenges. Here we apply a low-dose imaging technique to clearly resolve the atomic structures of building units in a metal-organic framework, MIL-125. An unexpected node structure is discovered by directly imaging the rotation of Ti-O nodes, different from the unrotated structure predicted by previous X-ray diffraction. The imaged structure and symmetry can be confirmed by the structural simulations and energy calculations. Then, the distribution of node rotation from the edge to the center of a MIL-125 particle is revealed by the image analysis of Ti-O rotation. The related defects and surface terminations in MIL-125 are also investigated in the real-space images. These results not only unraveled the node symmetry in MIL-125 with atomic resolution but also inspired further studies on discovering more unpredicted structural changes in other porous materials by real-space imaging methods.

Abstract Background This study sought to explore the effect of electroacupuncture (EA) intervention at Zusanli (ST36) acupoint on modulating the NLRP3 inflammasome pathway for treating inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Methods C57BL/6 mice were administrated with 3% dextran sulfate sodium (DSS) to construct the IBD model. DSS mice were then administrated with EA (10 Hz, 1.5 mA) at ST36 for 7 days or intragastric administration of sulfasalazine (SASP) each day during the entire course. The control group animals were administered with distilled water. Then, partial least squares discriminant analysis revealed differences in the relative content of metabolites. The pathological changes of colon and spleen tissues were observed by H&E and immunohistochemistry (IHC) staining. qPCR determined the mRNA expression levels, while ELISA and western blot analysis determined the protein expression. Results Compared with the control groups, DSS‐induced decreases of body weight were reversed after EA stimulation at ST36 or SASP treatment. The DAI of DSS mice was significantly higher relative to the control groups, whereas the DAI of DSS mice were decreased after EA stimulation at ST36 or SASP treatment. The intestinal weight/length ratio increased significantly in DSS groups; however, EA at ST36 significantly improved the macroscopic/microscopic characteristics and the weight and length of the colon. EA reversed inflammation and leukocyte infiltration and normalized the elevated levels of IL‐1β, IL‐18, and NLRP3. Furthermore, EA improved the expression levels of ZO‐1, occludin, and claudin 1, exhibiting normalization of the colon's tight junctions. Conclusions EA at Zusanli acupoint of colon tissue significantly improved the pathological phenotype, showing a therapeutic effect on IBD.

Abstract Phase transition dynamics are an important concern in the wide applications of metal halide perovskites, which fundamentally determine the optoelectronic properties and stabilities of perovskite materials and devices. However, a more in-depth understanding of such a phase transition process with real atomic resolution is still limited by the immature low-dose electron microscopy and in situ imaging studies to date. Here, we apply an emergent low-dose imaging technique to identify different phase structures (α, β and γ) in CsPbI3 nanocrystals during an in-situ heating process. The rotation angles of PbI6 octahedrons can be measured in these images to quantitatively describe the thermal-induced phase distribution and phase transition. Then, the dynamics of such a phase transition are studied at a macro time scale by continuously imaging the phase distribution in a single nanocrystal. The structural evolution process of CsPbI3 nanocrystals at the particle level, including the changes in morphology and composition, is also visualized with increasing temperature. These results provide atomic insights into the transition dynamics of perovskite phases, indicating a long-time transition process with obvious intermediate states and spatial distribution that should be generally considered in the further study of structure-property relations and device performance.

The acid sites are important local structures to determine catalytic performances of zeolites. Here, the authors expand the interface engineering to the field of porous zeolites through the lattice mismatch of the intergrown zeolite to enrich the inherent Lewis acid sites at the interface of a mortise-tenon ZSM-5 catalyst.

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, commonly abbreviated to NAFLD, is a pervasive ailment within the digestive system, exhibiting a rising prevalence, and impacting individuals at increasingly younger ages. Those afflicted by NAFLD face a heightened vulnerability to the onset of profound liver fibrosis, cardiovascular complications, and malignancies. Currently, NAFLD poses a significant threat to human health, and there is no approved therapeutic treatment for it. Recent studies have shown that synbiotics, which regulate intestinal microecology, can positively impact glucolipid metabolism, and improve NAFLD-related indicators. Sonchus brachyotus DC., a Chinese herb, exhibits hepatoprotective and potent antioxidant properties, suggesting its potential therapeutic use in NAFLD. Our preclinical animal model investigation suggests that the synergy between Sonchus brachyotus DC. extracts and synbiotics is significantly more effective in preventing and treating NAFLD, compared to the isolated use of either component. As a result, this combination holds the potential to introduce a fresh and encouraging therapeutic approach to addressing NAFLD.

The number of people with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) has increased sharply over the past decades. Apart from genetic predisposition, which may cause some of the diagnosed cases, an unhealthy diet and lifestyle are incentive triggers of this global epidemic. Consumption of probiotics and prebiotics to gain health benefits has become increasingly accepted by the public in recent years, and their critical roles in alleviating T2DM symptoms are confirmed by accumulating studies. Microbiome research reveals gut colonization by probiotics and their impacts on the host, while oral intake of prebiotics may stimulate existing metabolisms in the colon. The use of synbiotics (a combination of prebiotics and probiotics) can thus show a synergistic effect on T2DM through modulating the gastrointestinal microenvironment. This review summarizes the research progress in the treatment of T2DM from the perspective of synbiotics and gut microbiota and provides a class of synbiotics which are composed of lactulose, arabinose, and Lactobacillus plantarum, and can effectively adjust the blood glucose, blood lipid, and body weight of T2DM patients to ideal levels.

Coordinating the interrelationships among economic growth, land resource utilization, and carbon emissions is critical for promoting high-quality economic growth and achieving sustainable urban progress. According to the gravity model and the Tapio decoupling model, this study examined the decoupling relationships of economic growth with land expansion and carbon emissions in Zhejiang Province during the period of 2002–2017. We found that (1) The economic gravity center and the built-up area gravity center generally shifted towards the northwest; however, the carbon emission gravity center initially shifted towards the northwest and then towards the southwest. The spatial coupling between the economic gravity center and the built-up area gravity center exhibited a tendency of ‘first weakening, then strengthening, and last weakening’, whereas the spatial coupling between the economic gravity center and the carbon emission gravity center displayed a tendency of ‘first strengthening and then weakening’. (2) The decoupling of economic growth and land expansion is weak at every stage with effective controls on land expansion. However, in recent years, the phenomenon of ‘expansive negative decoupling’ has become prevalent in counties and cities surrounding the central city. The decoupling of economic growth and carbon emissions steadily increased at each stage, first ‘expansive coupling and expansive negative decoupling’, then ‘weak decoupling’, and finally ‘strong decoupling’. The urban low-carbon transformation effect is remarkable. (3) Zhejiang Province should prioritize addressing the regional imbalance and state instability in the decoupling relationships. It is crucial to comprehensively consider the natural resource endowment, macro-policy factors, and urban development orientation of counties and cities while implementing differentiated planning and control strategies, which will promote regional coordination and comprehensive, high-quality development in all areas.

Internal mechanisms and laws exist in the evolution of cities, and the power law is widely applied in multiple areas in the real world. It is crucial to optimize the urban-scale systems through explanation studies of the urban-scale distribution pattern from the perspective of regional differences in risk attitudes. Based on computer simulation technologies, this study explores the influence of regional differences in risk attitudes of micro decision-makers on the power law through setting scenarios of same attitudes with quantitative differences and mixed multi-attitudes. In this case, we selected six provinces in China to verify the scale characteristic of the real world. The results show that the settlement scale is heavily influenced by risk attitudes with a larger slope, which are more pronounced in the mixed multi-attitudes scenario. The increase in the mixed-scale benefits less affects the utility of risk attitudes, where the slope value of the aversion attitudes has smaller variation. The averse model has a larger primary ratio than the others. However, the primary ratio does not reveal a significant bias towards large and small in the mixed multi-attitude scenario. In the six provinces, the advantageous areas with higher economic and cultural levels show larger-scale agglomeration characteristics similar to the impact of seeking attitudes. The primacy ratio increases with the variation degree in urban scales, especially in economically disadvantaged areas.