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Most of the state-of-the-art thermoelectric materials are inorganic semiconductors. Owing to the directional covalent bonding, they usually show limited plasticity at room temperature1,2, for example, with a tensile strain of less than five per cent. Here we discover that single-crystalline Mg3Bi2 shows a room-temperature tensile strain of up to 100 per cent when the tension is applied along the (0001) plane (that is, the ab plane). Such a value is at least one order of magnitude higher than that of traditional thermoelectric materials and outperforms many metals that crystallize in a similar structure. Experimentally, slip bands and dislocations are identified in the deformed Mg3Bi2, indicating the gliding of dislocations as the microscopic mechanism of plastic deformation. Analysis of chemical bonding reveals multiple planes with low slipping barrier energy, suggesting the existence of several slip systems in Mg3Bi2. In addition, continuous dynamic bonding during the slipping process prevents the cleavage of the atomic plane, thus sustaining a large plastic deformation. Importantly, the tellurium-doped single-crystalline Mg3Bi2 shows a power factor of about 55 microwatts per centimetre per kelvin squared and a figure of merit of about 0.65 at room temperature along the ab plane, which outperforms the existing ductile thermoelectric materials3,4.The thermoelectric material Mg3Bi2 is shown to be ductile in single-crystal form along certain directions, with a room-temperature tensile strain of 100%, which is attributed to the gliding of dislocations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: Dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitors (DPP-4i) served as oral antidiabetic agents for treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Although an action on glucose homeostasis was identified, no well-rounded illustration had been established on the changes of tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) levels during DPP-4i treatment. This study aimed to explore the anti-inflammatory effect of DPP-4i on TNF-alpha in patients with T2DM. Methods: PubMed, Embase and Cochrane Library were systematically searched from inception to May 31, 2024. Randomized controlled trials exploring the impact of DPP-4i on TNF-alpha levels were identified. Risk of bias was assessed according to the Cochrane criteria. A fixed or random-effects model was selected to pool estimate on whether the heterogeneity was present. Subgroup analysis were performed to explore the potential factors that influenced heterogeneity. Related meta-analysis was conducted with the software of Revman 5.3 and STATA 12.0. Results: Eleven trials involving 884 participants with T2DM were included. Pooled estimates suggested that DPP-4i did not significantly modulate TNF-alpha levels (WMD, − 0.70, 95% CI − 1.94 to 0.53, P = 0.26) in T2DM. DPP-4i produced a significant effect on TNF-alpha (WMD, − 4.50 pg/mL, 95% CI − 4.68 to − 4.32, P < 0.00001) when compared to placebo, and a comparable effect was demonstrated on TNF-alpha (WMD, 0.10 pg/mL, 95% CI − 0.11 to 0.30, P = 0.35) in comparison with active agents. Estimate was stable according to the sensitivity test. Subgroup analysis revealed that heterogeneity might not correlate with baseline glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c), age or treatment duration. Conclusions: A significant effect of DPP-4i on TNF-alpha levels was present in T2DM when compared to placebo. Administration of DPP-4i produced no significant effect on TNF-alpha in comparison with active comparators. Further studies with large samples should be performed to illustrate the impact of DPP-4i on TNF-alpha levels in T2DM. Trial registration International Prospective Register for Systematic Review (PROSPERO) number: CRD42020185479 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the widespread use of nuclear energy, the storage of surplus spent fuel has emerged as a critical issue that needs to be solved, especially for the efficient absorption of neutron radiation and secondary γ-rays generated by spent fuel produced when 10B absorbs neutrons. In this work, B4C/Al and W/B4C/Al coating were prepared on 316 L stainless steel by cold spraying. The microstructure and tensile properties of the coatings were investigated. The performance of the thermal neutron and secondary γ-rays absorption of the two coatings were simulated using the Monte Carlo approach. The results indicated that, compared to the B4C/Al coating, the W/B4C/Al coating exhibited better mechanical properties due to the tamping effect of the W particles. In addition, the secondary γ-rays absorption property was improved due to the addition of W. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Long-lived thermally activated delayed fluorescence (TADF) emission has gained extensive attention due to its potential application in information encryption, illumination, and bioimaging. However, developing visible light-excited TADF materials is still a significant challenge. Herein, visible light triggered TADF emission was achieved by embedding chlorine doped carbon dots (Cl-CDs) into a g-C3N4 nanosheet matrix through a simple microwave treatment. The strong electron-withdrawing effect of the chlorine dropping redshifts the excitation wavelength, and the covalent bonds between Cl-CDs and the matrix significantly stabilize the triplet state. Green TADF with a peak at 520 nm could be obtained in the Cl-CD composite when excited by the UV to visible light, and the afterglow signal can be observed by the naked eye for up to 5 s after a mobile phone flashlight irradiation. The composite also exhibited temperature-responsive color stability under UV light irradiation. Consequently, the Cl-CD composite was successfully employed in concepts of information encryption and single-component time delay WLED development. This research provides materials and strategies that may motivate the visible light-excited TADF applied in advanced information encryption and illumination areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Contaminated foods are a major source of bisphenol A (BPA) and are widely used in food packaging. Prolonged exposure to BPA can cause reproductive dysfunction in humans. Procyanidine (PC) is a potent natural antioxidant; however, the exact mechanism by which PC mitigates Leydig cell damage caused by BPA is unknown. In this study, the protective effect of PC against BPA-induced TM3 cell damage was investigated, and the underlying mechanism was assessed. PC treatment attenuates BPA-induced TM3 cell damage by suppressing oxidative stress and inhibiting TM3 apoptosis. In addition, PC upregulates the expression of nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) and its downstream antioxidant target genes. Treatment with the NRF2 inhibitor ML385 reversed the PC-induced upregulation of the mRNA expression of these genes. Overall, PC may mitigate BPA-induced cell damage by activating the Nrf2 signaling pathway, suggesting that PC supplementation may alleviate BPA toxicity in TM3 cells., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)