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The development and utilization of electrochemical energy conversion and storage devices can maximize intermittent renewable energy and balance environmental issues. Aqueous metal‐redox bicatalyst batteries, incorporating value‐added electro‐reduction reactions during discharge process at the cathode, are considered a particularly attractive alternative for simultaneous electricity generation and valuable chemical production. In this review, for the first time, a holistic and subtle description of value‐added metal‐redox bicatalyst batteries is made, focusing on recent efforts to optimize the energy conversion/chemical production‐involved cathodic discharging reactions, including CO2 reduction reaction (CO2RR), nitrogen reduction reaction (NRR), nitric oxide reduction reaction (NORR), nitrate reduction reaction (NO3−RR), nitrite reduction reaction (NO2−RR), hydrogen evolution reaction (HER), and acetylene reduction reaction (ARR). A macroscopic understanding of design principles in terms of anodes, cathodes, and reaction parameters is provided. Some mechanism explorations, feasibility analyses, technoeconomic assessments, device combinations, and associated comparisons are involved to deepen the understanding of different systems and evaluate their application prospects. Perspectives on and opportunities for future research directions are also outlined. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Poorly controlled type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is known to result in left ventricular (LV) dysfunction, myocardial fibrosis, and ischemic/nonischemic dilated cardiomyopathy (ICM/NIDCM). However, less is known about the prognostic value of T2DM on LV longitudinal function and late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) assessed with cardiac MRI in ICM/NIDCM patients. Purpose: To measure LV longitudinal function and myocardial scar in ICM/NIDCM patients with T2DM and to determine their prognostic values. Study Type: Retrospective cohort. Population: Two hundred thirty‐five ICM/NIDCM patients (158 with T2DM and 77 without T2DM). Field Strength/Sequence: 3T; steady‐state free precession cine; phase‐sensitive inversion recovery segmented gradient echo LGE sequences. Assessment: Global peak longitudinal systolic strain rate (GLPSSR) was evaluated to LV longitudinal function with feature tracking. The predictive value of GLPSSR was determined with ROC curve. Glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) was measured. The primary adverse cardiovascular endpoint was follow up every 3 months. Statistical Tests: Mann–Whitney U test or student's t‐test; Intra and inter‐observer variabilities; Kaplan–Meier method; Cox proportional hazards analysis (threshold = 5%). Results: ICM/NIDCM patients with T2DM exhibited significantly lower absolute value of GLPSSR (0.39 ± 0.14 vs. 0.49 ± 0.18) and higher proportion of LGE positive (+) despite similar LV ejection fraction, compared to without T2DM. LV GLPSSR was able to predict primary endpoint (AUC 0.73) and optimal cutoff point was 0.4. ICM/NIDCM patients with T2DM (GLPSSR < 0.4) had more markedly impaired survival. Importantly, this group (GLPSSR < 0.4, HbA1c ≥ 7.8%, or LGE (+)) exhibited the worst survival. In multivariate analysis, GLPSSR, HbA1c, and LGE (+) significantly predicted primary adverse cardiovascular endpoint in overall ICM/NIDCM and ICM/NIDCM patients with T2DM. Conclusions: T2DM has an additive deleterious effect on LV longitudinal function and myocardial fibrosis in ICM/NIDCM patients. Combining GLPSSR, HbA1c, and LGE could be promising markers in predicting outcomes in ICM/NIDCM patients with T2DM. Evidence Level: 3 Technical Efficacy: 5 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Alisol B 23‐acetate (AB23A) has been demonstrated to have beneficial effects on nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). However, the mechanisms of AB23A on NASH remain unclear. This study aimed to investigate the mechanisms underlying the metabolic regulatory effects of AB23A on NASH. We used AB23A to treat mice with NASH, which was induced by a methionine and choline deficient (MCD) diet. We initially investigated therapeutic effect and resistance to oxidation and inflammation of AB23A on NASH. Subsequently, we performed untargeted metabolomic analyses and relative validation assessments to evaluate the metabolic regulatory effects of AB23A. AB23A reduced lipid accumulation, ameliorated oxidative stress and decreased pro‐inflammatory cytokines in the liver. Untargeted metabolomic analysis found that AB23A altered the metabolites of liver. A total of 55 differential metabolites and three common changed pathways were screened among the control, model and AB23A treatment groups. Further tests validated the effects of AB23A on modulating common changed pathway‐involved factors. AB23A treatment can ameliorate NASH by inhibiting oxidative stress and inflammation. The mechanism of AB23A on NASH may be related to the regulation of alanine, aspartate and glutamate metabolism, d‐glutamine and d‐glutamate metabolism, and arginine biosynthesis pathways. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aims: Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a crippling, chronic, gender‐related disease that causes burdens to individuals and society. China has a considerable and increasing population of MS. We aim to analyze the gender disparities in the burden of MS in China and predict the trends. Methods: The study was conducted based on the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019. Data on incidence, prevalence, deaths, and disability‐adjusted life years (DALYs) of MS in China from 1990 to 2019 was descriptively analyzed by year, gender, and age group. The Nordpred package in R (version 4.2.2) was used for age‐period‐cohort analysis to predict the all‐ages numbers and age‐standardized rates of incidence, prevalence, deaths, and DALYs in China from 2020 to 2044. Results: The number of prevalent cases of MS in 2019 reached 18,143.56 (95% uncertainty intervals [UI]: 13,997.71–22,658.60) in males and 24,427.11 (95% UI: 18,906.02–30,530.21) in females in China. The peak age of prevalence was shifted from 40–44 years in 1990 to 45–49 years in 2019 in females but remained unchanged in males. In contrast to the increased age‐standardized prevalence rate, the age‐standardized death rate (ASDR) and age‐standardized DALYs rate showed downward trends, which were more significant in females. Different from the global, Chinese males showed lower prevalence but higher deaths and DALYs than females for age‐standardized rates and numbers. In the next 25 years, the patient population will remain large and peak around 44,599.78 in 2025–2029. The ASDR, age‐standardized DALYs rate, and DALYs number were expected to decrease. The improvements in deaths and DALYs will be more significant in females. Conclusion: Males with MS had a lower prevalence but higher deaths and DALYs than females in China. The ASDR and age‐standardized DALYs rate have reduced over the past 30 years and were expected to continue decreasing, especially in females. The burden of MS will remain notable in the next 25 years. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mitochondrial neurogastrointestinal encephalomyopathy (MNGIE) is a rare autosomal recessive multisystem disorder that often presents with gastrointestinal and neurological symptoms. Here we report a 33‐year‐old male who presented with a 16‐year history of diarrhea with black stool and progressive weight loss. He complained of progressive bilateral blurred vision, upper eyelids heaviness, ocular motility impairment, and color blindness. Peripheral neuropathy, bilateral sensorineural deafness, hyperlactatemia, diabetes mellitus, hepatic steatosis, blood coagulation dysfunction, and diffuse leukoencephalopathy were detected in the systemic evaluation. Based on the novel homozygous pathogenic variant in the TYMP gene (c.1159+1G>A), he was diagnosed with MNGIE. On ophthalmic examinations, the thickness of the inner retina and ganglion cell complex significantly decreased. ERG showed diffusely decreased amplitudes. The electronegative electroretinogram, which was first reported in MNGIE, indicated a more severe inner retina impairment. The bilateral papillomacular bundle defect and central vision loss in MNGIE are consistent with classical mitochondrial optic neuropathies' features. According to the literature, pigmentary retinopathy, optic neuropathy, and abnormal pupillary reflexes are uncommon ocular features of MNGIE. This study contributes to a better understanding of ocular manifestations in MNGIE and demonstrates that MNGIE may have dyschromatopsia and an electronegative electroretinogram. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wolbachia can modulate the reproductive development of their hosts in multiple modes, and cytoplasmic incompatibility (CI) is the most well‐studied phenotype. The whitefly Bemisia tabaci is highly receptive to different Wolbachia strains: wCcep strain from the rice moth Corcyra cephalonica and wMel strain from the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster could successfully establish and induce CI in transinfected whiteflies. Nevertheless, it is unknown what will happen when these two exogenous Wolbachia strains are co‐transinfected into a new host. Here, we artificially transinferred wCcep and wMel into the whitefly and established double‐ and singly‐transinfected B. tabaci isofemale lines. Reciprocal crossing experiments showed that wCcep and wMel induced a complex of CI phenotypes in the recipient host, including unidirectional and bidirectional CI. We next sequenced the whole genome of wCcep and performed a comparative analysis of the CI factor genes between wCcep and wMel, indicating that their cif genes were phylogenetically and structurally divergent, which can explain the crossing results. The amino acid sequence identity and structural features of Cif proteins may be useful parameters for predicting their function. Structural comparisons between CifA and CifB provide valuable clues for explaining the induction or rescue of CI observed in crossing experiments between transinfected hosts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The theoretical understanding of the magneto‐structural correlations of an oximato‐bridged dinuclear copper(II) complex can help develop new applied molecular magnets. This study evaluated the magnetic coupling constant of a [Cu2(hfac)2(ppko)2] complex using the density functional theory combined with the broken symmetry approach (DFT‐BS). The magnetic structure correlation between the magnetic coupling constant (Jcalc) of the complex and the structural parameters, NOCu bond angle (α), ONCu bond angle (β), NO bond length (RN‐O), and Cu•••Cu distance (R0), was evaluated. The data showed that Jcalc initially decreased and then increased as bond angles α and β increased. These relationships were expressed by unary quadratic functions. However, Jcalc varied linearly with the bond length, RN‐O, and spacing, R0. Moreover, in the ground state, the magnetic coupling constant increased with a decrease in the spin density of Cu(1), but gradually decreased as the spin density of Cu(2) increased. An increase of parameters α, β, RN‐O, and R0, resulted in a gradual increase in the distance between Cu(II) ions, and the square of the overlap integral between the non‐orthogonal magnetic orbitals of Cu(II) ions to gradually decay. Finally, the contribution of the antiferromagnetic part decreased as the magnetic coupling constant gradually increased. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chiral vicinal diols are important intermediates in the synthesis of pharmaceuticals. Epoxide hydrolases catalyze hydrolytic ring opening of epoxides to produce the corresponding vicinal diols, providing an attractive way to access these building blocks under mild conditions in a stereoselective and atom‐efficient manner. In this study, an epoxide hydrolase is identified and engineered to form (3S,4S)‐tetrahydrofurandiol in high optical purity via the desymmetrization of meso‐3,4‐epoxytetrahydrofuran. In nine rounds of directed evolution, the enzyme's native (3R,4R)‐stereopreference was reversed and its activity was dramatically improved to achieve quantitative yield under remarkably high 500 g/L substrate concentration and low enzyme loading. Computational modelling provides insights on the changes in enzyme‐substrate interaction that result in divergent enantioselectivities afforded by evolved variants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Genetic variations in the solute carrier family 11 member 1 (SLC11A1) gene have been implicated in developing inflammatory disorders. However, it is still unclear whether such polymorphisms contribute to the pathogenesis of post‐traumatic osteomyelitis (PTOM). Therefore, this study investigated the roles of genetic variations of the SLC11A1 gene (rs17235409 and rs3731865) in PTOM development in a Chinese Han cohort. The SNaPshot method was used for genotyping 704 participants (336 patients and 368 controls) for rs17235409 and rs3731865. Outcomes revealed that rs17235409 increased the risk of PTOM occurrence by dominant (p =.037, odds ratio [OR] = 1.44) and heterozygous models (p =.035, OR = 1.45), implying AG genotype as a risk factor for PTOM development. In addition, patients with AG genotype had relatively higher levels of inflammatory biomarkers than those with AA and GG genotypes, especially for the white blood cell count and C‐reactive protein. Despite no statistically significant differences achieved, rs3731865 may reduce the PTOM susceptibility, suggested by the results of dominant (p =.051, OR = 0.67) and heterozygous (p =.068, OR = 0.69) models. In short, rs17235409 confers an elevated chance of developing PTOM, with AG genotype as a risk factor. Whether rs3731865 involves in the pathogenesis of PTOM requires further investigations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hemibarbus maculatus is a globally important species for its value in fisheries and aquaculture. There is relatively little information available about this species' sexual development genes. Therefore, in this study, we used the technology of high‐throughput RNA sequencing (RNA‐seq), to investigate if the ovary and testis' differently expressed genes (DEGs) during sex differentiation in H. maculatus. Our results revealed a total of 43,468,248 and 39,241,362 qualified reads were generated in the female and male libraries, and 32,127 unigenes were assembled via the annotation analysis. Moreover, 17,808 unigenes were found to be DEGs between males and females, with 12,726 up‐ and 5082 downregulated genes in the ovaries and testes, respectively. The transcriptome analysis revealed there are 23 DEGs between ovary and testes of H. maculatus, which may be involved in sex determination. The expression patterns of these genes were validated by quantitative real‐time PCR (qPCR). The results of qPCR were generally consistent with the RNA‐seq results. This work was the first to annotate genes linked with gonadal development and reproduction in H. maculatus using gonadal transcriptome analysis, which provides useful molecular data for a better understanding of sexual development, as well as functional genomics and population genetics studies of H. maculatus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Near‐infrared‐II (NIR‐II) ferroptosis activators offer promising potentials in in vivo theranostics of deep tumors, such as glioma. However, most cases are nonvisual iron‐based systems that are blind for in vivo precise theranostic study. Additionally, the iron species and their associated nonspecific activations might trigger undesired detrimental effects on normal cells. Considering gold (Au) is an essential cofactor for life and it can specifically bind to tumor cells, Au(I)‐based NIR‐II ferroptosis nanoparticles (TBTP‐Au NPs) for brain‐targeted orthotopic glioblastoma theranostics are innovatively constructed. It achieves the real‐time visual monitoring of both the BBB penetration and the glioblastoma targeting processes. Moreover, it is first validated that the released TBTP‐Au specifically activates the effective heme oxygenase‐1‐regulated ferroptosis of glioma cells to greatly extend the survival time of glioma‐bearing mice. This new ferroptosis mechanism based on Au(I) may open a new way for the fabrication of advanced and high‐specificity visual anticancer drugs for clinical trials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Solar‐driven water electrolysis has been considered to be a promising route to produce green hydrogen, because the conventional water electrolysis system is not completely renewable as it requires power from nonrenewable fossil fuel sources. This review emphasizes the strategies for solar‐driven water electrolysis, including the construction of photovoltaic (PV)‐water electrolyzer systems, PV‐rechargeable energy storage device‐water electrolyzer systems with solar energy as the sole input energy, and photoelectrochemical water splitting systems. The basic discussions of the above strategies for solar‐driven water electrolysis are first presented. Meanwhile, replacing the oxygen evolution reaction with the electrooxidation of organic compounds can effectively improve the efficiency of water splitting. Also, solar‐driven seawater electrolysis greatly broadens the practical applications due to the abundant reserves of seawater. Recent years have witnessed great development in the field of solar‐driven water electrolysis. The recent research development in the area is subsequently reviewed. Finally, perspectives on the existing challenges along with some opportunities for the further development of solar‐driven water electrolysis are provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent years have witnessed an upsurge of interest in exploiting advanced photo‐/electrocatalysts for efficient energy conversion and environmental remediation. Constructing internal electric fields has been highlighted as a rising star to help facilitate various catalytic processes, with the merits of promoting charge transfer/separation, optimizing redox potential and creating effective active/adsorption sites. Internal electric fields are usually formed by the polarization of uneven charge distributions between different constituent layers, which widely exist in piezoelectrics, polar surface terminations, and heterostructure materials. Herein, a groundbreaking and interdisciplinary overview of the latest advances in the construction of internal electric fields to improve photo(electro)catalytic and electrocatalytic activity is provided. This critical review begins with an encyclopedic summary of the classification, advantages, and synthesis strategies of internal electric fields. Subsequently, the identification methods are thoroughly discussed based on the characterization techniques, experiments, and theoretical calculations, which can provide profound guidance for the in‐depth study of internal electric fields. To elaborate the theory–structure–activity relationships for internal electric fields, the corresponding reaction mechanisms, modification strategies, and catalytic performance are jointly discussed, along with a discussion of their practical energy and environmental applications. Finally, an insightful analysis of the challenges and future prospects for internal electric field‐based catalysts are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Water electrolysis, driven by renewable energy resources, is a promising energy conversion technology that has gained intensive interest in recent years. However, conventional water electrolysis faces a number of challenges, including large thermodynamic potential gaps, valueless anodic products, explosive hydrogen/oxygen mixtures, reactive oxygen species, and limited pure water. Hybrid water electrolysis, appending different electrolytes in the anode compartment to circumvent the above‐mentioned challenges in conventional water electrolysis, is a particularly attractive alternative. In this review, for the first time, a holistic and subtle description of hybrid water electrolysis is provided, focusing on the design of high‐activity/selectivity/stability anodic electrocatalysts for the electrochemical oxidation of various chemicals, such as alcohol, aldehyde, amine, urea and hydrazine, or the oxygen evolution reaction in seawater electrolytes. Comprehensive judging criteria for anodic oxidation reactions, electrocatalysts, and reaction parameters in hybrid water electrolysis are discussed. Some technoeconomic assessments, feasibility analyses, mechanism explorations, and correlation comparisons are involved. Finally, perspectives on and opportunities for future research directions in hybrid water electrolysis systems are outlined. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Anastatus japonicus Ashmead (Hymenoptera: Eupelmidae) is a solitary egg endoparasitoid that has been studied for inundative biological control of Halyomorpha halys Stål (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) in China. In this study, we assessed the reproductive attributes and functional response of Anastatus japonicus on a factitious host, Antheraea pernyi (Guérin‐Méneville) (Lepidoptera: Anthelidae) at 25 ± 1 °C, 70 ± 5% relative humidity and 16 h:8 h light/dark photoperiod. RESULTS: The mean lifetime fecundity of Anastatus japonicus females was 404.3 progeny produced over an average oviposition period of 42.3 days. The sex ratio of adult progeny was slightly male biased (51.2%), whereas more female progeny were produced before day 20 of a female's life. Single 1‐day‐old mated Anastatus japonicus females exhibited a type II functional response to increasing host densities (1–50 eggs), with an inverse host density‐dependent pattern of percent parasitism. The upper limit to the daily attack rate was estimated as 7.6 Antheraea pernyi eggs. Furthermore, mutual interference among Anastatus japonicus females occurred when increasing densities of parasitoids (1, 2, 4, 8, 16) were exposed to 30 host eggs. CONCLUSION: Laboratory functional response result revealed that individual Anastatus japonicus might be unable to respond effectively to increasing host density in the field, which could be compensated by releasing larger numbers of wasps. Strong mutual interference among foraging Anastatus japonicus females should be considered in any future inundative biological control programs for the sustainable management of Halyomorpha halys or other host insect pests. © 2022 The Authors. Pest Management Science published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present a simulation microscope device called GiantScope, which combines virtual microscope, cloud computing, and embedded technologies. Users can complete most of the microscope‐based experiments in biology courses by operating our device, while learning the operating skills of microscopes at the same time. Our device supports most of the operation functions of optical microscopes, including quasifocus screw adjustment, slide movement recognition and so on, and also has auxiliary enhancement functions including manual measurement, annotation and so on. In addition, we have built a cloud‐based digital slide database, which enables users to select experimental observations through digital slides, including static cell specimens or dynamic cell activities. After user study, we found that using GiantScope for biological experiments has better learning efficiency and user experience than traditional microscopes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To evaluate microvascular alterations with optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) in eyes with non‐arteritic anterior ischaemic optic neuropathy (NAION) and the unaffected fellow eyes. Design: Systematic review and meta‐analysis. Methods: A comprehensive literature search was conducted in the PubMed and Embase databases through 6 September 2020, to identify the studies on NAION and the unaffected fellow eyes using OCTA. Eligible studies and data of interest were extracted and analysed by RevMan Software v. 5.4 and Stata Software v.14.0. The weighted mean differences and 95% confidence intervals were used to assess the strength of the association. Results: Seventeen observational comparative studies, including 379 eyes with NAION, 175 unaffected contralateral eyes and 470 eyes of healthy controls, were identified. Compared to those of the healthy controls, the perfusion density (PD) of radial peripapillary capillary (RPC) and peripapillary superficial capillary plexus (ppSCP) of NAION were significantly lower. Moreover, the PD of the macular SCP (mSCP) in NAION was significantly reduced in the whole image, superior quadrant and temporal quadrant, while the macular deep capillary plexus (mDCP) showed a decreasing PD only within the whole image. Between unaffected fellow eyes and healthy eyes, significant differences of PD were demonstrated in the whole image and some peripapillary regions of the RPC and ppSCP. Conclusion: Our results suggested that compared to those of healthy controls, the eyes affected by NAION and unaffected fellow eyes demonstrated significant microvascular impairments in different regions. Between acute and non‐acute NAION, macular OCTA parameters showed different characteristic patterns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: An increasing body of evidence has revealed that long non‐coding RNAs play a significant part in a variety of human cancers, including lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD). Methods: The expression of PP7080, miR‐670‐3p and UHRF1BP1 in LUAD cells and tissues was detected using a quantitative real‐time polymerase chain reaction. The role of PP7080 in LUAD cells was validated by CCK‐8, flow cytometry, colony formation, transwell and wound healing assays. The binding capacity between PP7080/UHRF1BP1 and miR‐670‐3p was confirmed by luciferase reporter assays. Moreover, the interactional mechanism among PP7080, miR‐670‐3p and UHRF1BP1 was determined by means of RNA immunoprecipitation and western blot assays. Results: The expression level of PP7080 is up‐regulated in LUAD cells and tissues compared to their matched controls. Down‐regulation of PP7080 restrained the proliferative and migratory abilities of LUAD cells, but induced cell apoptosis. PP7080 up‐regulation led to the opposite results. Moreover, the binding ability between miR‐670‐3p and PP7080/UHRF1BP1 in LUAD cells was confirmed. A rescue assay revealed that PP7080 contributes to LUAD development by modulating the miR‐670‐3p/UHRF1BP1 signaling pathway. Conclusions: PP7080 expedites the proliferation and migration of LUAD cell via sponging miR‐670‐3p and modulating UHRF1BP1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) is a highly value‐added and environmentally friendly chemical with various applications. The production of H2O2 by electrocatalytic 2e− oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) has drawn considerable research attention, with a view to replacing the currently established anthraquinone process. Electrocatalysts with low cost, high activity, high selectivity, and superior stability are in high demand to realize precise control over electrochemical H2O2 synthesis by 2e− ORR and the feasible commercialization of this system. This Review introduces a comprehensive overview of non‐noble metal‐based catalysts for electrochemical oxygen reduction to afford H2O2, providing an insight into catalyst design and corresponding reaction mechanisms. It starts with an in‐depth discussion on the origins of 2e−/4e− selectivity towards ORR for catalysts. Recent advances in design strategies for non‐noble metal‐based catalysts, including carbon nanomaterials and transition metal‐based materials, for electrochemical oxygen reduction to H2O2 are then discussed, with an emphasis on the effects of electronic structure, nanostructure, and surface properties on catalytic performance. Finally, future challenges and opportunities are proposed for the further development of H2O2 electrogeneration through 2e− ORR, from the standpoints of mechanistic studies and practical application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: This paper reported the effects of the pre‐reinforcement to the mortise‐tenon joints with glued‐in rods that were mounted near the surface of the tenon. Fifteen full‐scale specimens that were manufactured with engineered wood products using computer numerically controlled technology were tested under monotonic loading. The initial stiffnesses and moment carrying capacities of joints with different reinforcement configurations were obtained from the established moment–rotational angle relationships. It was found from the tests that the initial stiffness of the reinforced mortise‐tenon joints increased by 2.9% to 30.8%, and the moment carrying capacity increased by 13.6% to 32.0%. Further conclusions drawn from the numerical simulation included the following: increasing the embedment length and diameter of rods, as well as the steel strength of rods and decreasing the distance to the surface, could help enhance the initial stiffnesses and moment carrying capacities of the joints. The moment and initial stiffness decreased with increasing of tenon's height to width ratio. By choosing appropriate parameters, the proposed pre‐reinforcement methods significantly increased the initial stiffness and moment carrying capacity. This study demonstrated the feasibility of pre‐reinforcing mortise‐tenon joints in new timber constructions via near‐surface‐mounted glued‐in rods and is meaningful for promoting wider application of mortise‐tenon joints in modern timber structures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The key challenge to developing renewable energy conversion and storage devices lies in the exploration and rational engineering of cost‐effective and highly efficient electrocatalysts for various energy‐related electrochemical reactions. Transition‐metal phosphates and phosphonates have shown remarkable performances for these reactions based on their unique physicochemical properties. Compared with transition‐metal oxides, phosphate groups in transition‐metal phosphates and phosphonates show flexible coordination with diverse orientations, making them an ideal platform for designing active electrocatalysts. Although numerous efforts have been spent on the development of transition‐metal phosphate and phosphonate electrocatalysts, some urgent issues, such as low intrinsic catalytic efficiency and low electronic conductivity, have to be resolved in accordance with their applications. In this Review, we focus on the design strategies of highly efficient transition‐metal phosphate and phosphonate electrocatalysts, with special emphasis on the tuning of transition‐metal‐center coordination environment, optimization of electronic structures, increase of catalytically active site densities, and construction of heterostructures. Guided by these strategies, recently developed transition‐metal phosphate and phosphonate materials have exhibited excellent activity, selectivity, and stability for various energy‐related electrocatalytic reactions, showing great potential for replacing noble‐metal‐based catalysts in next‐generation advanced energy techniques. The existing challenges and prospects regarding these materials are also presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To control and manipulate fluids in lab‐on‐a‐chip (LOC) devices, active components such as pumps, valves, and injectors are necessary. However, such components are often complex and expensive to fabricate, limiting integration in disposable LOCs. A new type of flexible, all‐polymer diaphragm actuator system, called Double Diaphragm Active Polymer Actuator (DDAPA), is presented as a single modular unit that can be repurposed to diverse active microfluidic components. To demonstrate the versatility of the DDAPA concept, the DDAPA devices are investigated in three different configurations: as a single operation microinjector, as a flow regulating element, and as a pump in a hybrid configuration with unibody‐LOC unidirectional systems. The working principle, fabrication process, and the three examples of microfluidic components are presented. The trilayer diaphragm actuator is realized using the conductive polymer poly(3,4‐ethylenedioxythiophene) polystyrene sulfonate as the actuating material and thiol‐acrylate‐based ionogels as solid‐state electrolyte and base material. The three demonstrators show the feasibility of using the DDAPA module to inject liquids, regulate flow, and unidirectionally pump fluids up to 112 µL min−1 when coupled with a 3D printed unibody check valve. Hence, the presented concept with a simple mechanism and easy manufacturability, broadens the choice of disposable actuators compatible with fully disposable autonomous LOC solutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over the past decade, transition metal phosphate materials have attracted enormous interest for various functional devices. In addition to being low‐cost, earth‐abundant and environmentally benign, transition metal phosphates have several unique advantages including high stability, unique chemical/physical characteristics and tunable multifunctionality, making them ideally suited for advanced highly‐efficiency energy conversion and storage applications. In this Review, the synthetic strategies for transition metal phosphates are summarized, and the most recent advances in the development of transition metal phosphates are described for efficient electrocatalysis such as oxygen evolution, hydrogen evolution and oxygen reduction reactions, highlighting the impact of their morphologies and structures on the electrochemical performance and practical applications in overall water splitting and rechargeable metal‐air batteries. Finally, the challenges facing the development of transition metal phosphates in the field of energy conversion and storage are outlined, together with directions of further research and perspectives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As hydrogen has been increasingly considered as promising sustainable energy supply, electrochemical overall water splitting driven by highly efficient non‐noble metal electrocatalysts has aroused extensive attention. Transition metal phosphides (TMPs) have demonstrated remarkable electrocatalytic performance, including high activity and robust durability towards hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) in acidic and alkaline as well as neutral electrolytes. In this Review, up‐to‐date progress of TMP‐based HER electrocatalysts is summarized. Various synthesis strategies of TMPs based on selected phosphorus sources are presented, and the reaction mechanisms of HER as well as the contribution of phosphorus in the TMPs to HER activity are briefly discussed. The multiscale approaches for promoting the activity and stability of TMP‐based catalysts are discussed with respect to intrinsic electronic structure, hybrids, microstructure, and working electrode interface. Some crucial issues and future perspectives of TMPs are pointed out. These modulated approaches and challenges are also instructive for constructing other high‐activity energy‐related electrocatalysts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ammonia (NH3) electrosynthesis from atmospheric nitrogen (N2) and water is emerging as a promising alternative to the energy‐intensive Haber–Bosch process; however, such a process is difficult to perform due to the inherent inertness of N2 molecules together with low solubility in aqueous solutions. Although many active electrocatalysts have been used to electrocatalyze the N2 reduction reaction (NRR), unsatisfactory NH3 yields and lower Faraday efficiency are still far from practical industrial production, and thus, considerable research efforts are being devoted to address these problems. Nevertheless, most reports still mainly focus on the preparation of electrocatalysts and largely ignore a summary of optimization–modification strategies for the NRR. In this review, a general introduction to the NRR mechanism is presented to provide a reasonable guide for the design of highly active catalysts. Then, four categories of NRR electrocatalysts, according to chemical compositions, are surveyed, as well as several strategies for promoting the catalytic activity and efficiency. Later, strategies for developing efficient N2 fixation systems are discussed. Finally, current challenges and future perspectives in the context of the NRR are highlighted. This review sheds some light on the development of highly efficient catalytic systems for NH3 synthesis and stimulates research interests in the unexplored, but promising, research field of the NRR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Effective legume–rhizobia symbiosis depends on efficient nutrient exchange. Rhizobia need to synthesize iron‐containing proteins for symbiotic nitrogen fixation (SNF) in nodules, which depends on host plant‐mediated iron uptake into the symbiosome.We functionally investigated a pair of vacuolar iron transporter like (VTL) genes, GmVTL1a/b, in soybean (Glycine max) and evaluated their contributions to SNF, including investigations of gene expression patterns, subcellular localization, and mutant phenotypes.Though both GmVTL1a/b genes were specifically expressed in the fixation zone of the nodule, GmVTL1a was the lone member to be localized at the tonoplast of tobacco protoplasts, and shown to facilitate ferrous iron transport in yeast. GmVTL1a targets the symbiosome in infected cells, as verified by in situ immunostaining. Two vtl1 knockout mutants had lower iron concentrations in nodule cell sap and peribacteroid units than in wild‐type plants, suggesting that GmVTL1 knockout inhibited iron import into symbiosomes. Furthermore, GmVTL1 knockout minimally affected soybean growth under nonsymbiotic conditions, but dramatically impaired nodule development and SNF activity under nitrogen‐limited and rhizobia‐inoculation conditions, which eventually led to growth retardation.Taken together, these results demonstrate that GmVTL1a is indispensable for SNF in nodules as a transporter of ferrous iron from the infected root cell cytosol to the symbiosome. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Exploring an efficient strategy to enhance the catalytic oxygen reduction performance of carbon‐based catalysts is of great significance in the field of electrocatalysis. In this work, through a facile polymerization‐carbonization approach under the regulation of melamine, N,S‐codoped hierarchically porous carbon nanosheets with controllable morphology are fabricated by using polyaniline as the precursor. The resultant catalysts have favorable features of the synergetic effect of N,S co‐doping and the advanced structural property with high specific surface area and hierarchical pore structure, contributing to an encouraging onset potential (Eonset = 0.94 V) in alkaline media, comparable to that of Pt/C catalysts, as well as excellent electrochemical stability and methanol tolerance. By rationally adjusting the experimental parameters, the mechanism of melamine on the formation of final porous nanosheet structure during high‐temperature pyrolysis is clarified, and the optimal experimental conditions for the superior catalysts are also discussed. Furthermore, a rechargeable Zn‐air battery constructed with the resulting materials exhibits desirable performance with low charge‐discharge gap and impressive life‐span. This contribution would supply some novel inspiration to design carbon‐based materials with desired features for energy‐related technologies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Small ZnO nanoclusters supported on dealuminated β zeolite were prepared and evaluated for catalyzing direct dehydrogenation of propane to propylene (PDH), exhibiting high catalytic performance. N2 sorption, XRD, TEM, 27Al and 28Si MAS NMR, IR, XRF, DR UV‐vis, XPS, and NH3‐TPD techniques were employed to characterize the physicochemical properties of this novel catalyst system. It is found that the Zn species can be accommodated in the vacant T‐atom sites of dealuminated β zeolite due to the reaction of aqueous zinc acetate solution with silanol groups, and thus, producing massive small ZnO nanoclusters as active phases in PDH. Additionally, dealuminated β zeolite can greatly depress side reactions attributable to the absence of strong acid sites, thereby guaranteeing high catalytic activity, propylene selectivity and stability. As a result, the optimal catalyst of 10 wt% Zn loaded on dealuminated β zeolite exhibits a high initial propane conversion of around 53 % and a superior propylene selectivity of about 93 % at a space velocity of 4000 cm3 gcat−1 h−1, together with the high stability and satisfactory reusability. This study may open a new way to design and synthesize highly active PDH catalysts with high selectivity and stability. Catalysts with Zing: Small ZnO nanoclusters supported on dealuminated β zeolite can be obtained via a two‐step post‐synthesis method, showing much better catalytic performance for direct dehydrogenation of propane to propylene than that on raw Hβ zeolite. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND Recently, nanocarbons (e.g. carbon nanotubes, nanodiamond and mesoporous carbon) were found to be efficient catalysts in dehydrogenation reactions. However, the preparation of these nanocarbons is costly, complicated and time‐consuming. The goal of this study is to exploit a biomass‐derived carbon for propane dehydrogenation. RESULTS: Biomass‐derived carbons with hierarchical porous structures and high surface area are prepared via carbonization of bean dregs with NaOH, and operated as metal‐free catalysts for direct dehydrogenation of propane to propylene. The properties of the prepared carbon catalysts are characterized by SEM, TEM, XRD, N2 sorption and XPS techniques, revealing the presence of many nanopores and oxygenated functional groups. The catalytic results show that the resultant carbons exhibit high catalytic activity, selectivity and stability for direct dehydrogenation of propane. The activation temperature can significantly affect the textural properties and surface functional groups of the carbons, and thus, affect their catalytic performance. CONCLUSION: The excellent catalytic performance can be attributed to the high content of oxygenated functional groups combined with hierarchical porous structure and large surface area of the obtained porous carbons which could provide more accessible active sites. This work demonstrates the flexible utilization of bean dregs‐derived carbons in propane dehydrogenation to propylene. © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Developing highly efficient and cost‐effective electrocatalysts to boost the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) and oxygen evolution reaction (OER) is vital for the sustainable energy systems. The nitrogen and phosphorus codoped vesica‐like carbons with hierarchical nanoporous structure are synthesized through an efficient self‐polymerization strategy with the template of g‐C3N4 monolith. Featuring sufficient heteroatom‐doping, well‐developed porous hierarchy, and high electrochemical surface area, the fabricated carbon materials exhibit considerable activity and robust stability in both electrocatalyzing ORR and OER, in competition with the precious metal electrocatalysts, which are thus capable of using as air cathode catalysts for rechargeable Zn‐air batteries, affording large discharge current density and impressive operation stability. Get on top of your electrocat: Hierarchically porous heteroatoms‐doped vesica‐like carbons were synthesized through a polymerization‐carbonization approach using g‐C3N4 as template, exhibiting considerable performance towards ORR and OER. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The growing energy and environmental crisis calls for renewable systems for energy production and conversion. Herein, polyaniline‐derived porous carbon nanorods tri‐doped with N, P, and S (NPSC) are directly fabricated by the one‐pot polymerization of aniline and diphenylamine‐4‐sulfonic acid induced by organophosphonic acid and subsequent pyrolysis at 900 °C. The nanorods exhibit high‐efficiency electrochemical oxygen reduction and oxygen evolution activity in alkaline electrolyte, along with strong durability and methanol tolerance. The synergistic effect among the tri‐doped elements and the related porosity can account for the superior electrocatalytic capacity of the fabricated catalysts. Particularly, a Zn–air battery assembled with the fabricated NPSC as the cathode shows a peak power density of 122 mW cm−2 and superior stability, presenting a promising potential for sustainable energy devices, particularly regenerative metal–air batteries and fuel cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: An improved method used to design high transmission efficiency microwave power transmission (MPT) antenna array is proposed in this article. In this method, the constraint of the transmitting element arrangement is removed by defining the power transmission efficiency different from previous works, and the coupling between transmitting elements is included completely. Two 4 × 4 antenna arrays working at 5.8 GHz are designed and fabricated to verify it. These two arrays are used in two MPT systems, in each system the transmitting array and receiving array have the same geometry. The measured transmission efficiencies of antenna array 1 and array 2 are 65% and 58% when the transmission distances are 10 cm and 20 cm, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Photocatalytic hydrogen production is crucial for solar‐to‐chemical conversion process, wherein high‐efficiency photocatalysts lie in the heart of this area. A photocatalyst of hierarchically mesoporous titanium phosphonate based metal–organic frameworks, featuring well‐structured spheres, a periodic mesostructure, and large secondary mesoporosity, are rationally designed with the complex of polyelectrolyte and cathodic surfactant serving as the template. The well‐structured hierarchical porosity and homogeneously incorporated phosphonate groups can favor the mass transfer and strong optical absorption during the photocatalytic reactions. Correspondingly, the titanium phosphonates exhibit significantly improved photocatalytic hydrogen evolution rate along with impressive stability. This work can provide more insights into designing advanced photocatalysts for energy conversion and render a tunable platform in photoelectrochemistry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT C-methylcalix[4]resorcinarene (CMCR) was first synthesized by condensation reaction between resorcinol and acetaldehyde, and then used as functional monomer to prepare two CMCR derivatives including CMCR-1 and CMCR-2 with four ethoxymethyl chains and four hexylthiolmethyl chains, respectively. The structures of CMCR and its derivatives were confirmed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and high-resolution mass spectrometry. Thermogravimetric analysis revealed CMCR, CMCR-1, and CMCR-2 had superior thermal stability than commercial antioxidant 2,6-di- tert-butyl-4-methylphenol. Oxidation induction time and accelerated thermal aging tests indicated that CMCR-2 exhibited excellent antioxidative property in natural rubber, which was due to multiphenol groups, big steric hindrance, and synergistic effect between thiother and hindered phenol. Importantly, CMCR-2 also possessed outstanding extraction resistance. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2017, 134, 45144. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Glycocholic acid (GCA) is a newly identified biomarker for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients. In this study, a method based on macromolecular crowding strategy has been applied for preparation of a molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP), which possesses high adsorption capacity for GCA. Polymethyl methacrylate was used as a macromolecular crowding agent, N-(3-aminopropyl)-methacrylamide hydrochloride as a functional monomer and ethylene dimethacrylate as a cross-linker. The morphology and binding characteristics of MIP were assessed by scanning electron microscopy and absorption experiments. The MIP was used as an adsorbent material to separate GCA, and the molecularly imprinted solid-phase extraction (MISPE) was carefully optimized. The MISPE combined with high-performance liquid chromatographic analysis was successfully used to determine the GCA in plasma and urine samples. When spiked levels ranged from 0.2 to 20 μmol L−1, the recoveries were between 94.3 and 100.5%. As a proof of principle, this proposed method has been validated on a small subset of HCC patients ( n = 10) and healthy volunteers ( n = 10). The average GCA concentrations of HCC patients in plasma and urine were about 25 and 2.8 times than that of healthy volunteers. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Development of catalysts with high activity and durability is essential for the cathodic hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) and anodic oxygen evolution reaction (OER) of water splitting. Three-dimensional catalysts have large surface areas and good mechanical and antipoisoning properties and can directly act as working electrodes; these are especially important factors from the point of view of practical applications. Here we review recent significant progress in the field of three-dimensional catalysts for water splitting. Various three-dimensional catalysts that can be applied in electrocatalytic water splitting are presented. The fabricating methods, electrocatalytic performances, and the catalytic mechanisms of these catalysts are introduced. Lastly, the major challenges in this particular field and their prospective solutions are also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Water splitting for the production of hydrogen and oxygen is an appealing solution to advance many sustainable and renewable energy conversion and storage systems, while the key fact depends on the innovative exploration regarding the design of efficient electrocatalysts. Reported herein is the growth of CoP mesoporous nanorod arrays on conductive Ni foam through an electrodeposition strategy. The resulting material of well-defined mesoporosity and a high specific surface area (148 m2 g−1) can be directly employed as a bifunctional and flexible working electrode for both hydrogen and oxygen evolution reactions, showing superior activities as compared with noble metal benchmarks and state-of-the-art transition-metal-based catalysts. This is intimately related to the unique nanorod array electrode configuration, leading to excellent electric interconnection and improved mass transport. A further step is taken toward an alkaline electrolyzer that can achieve a current density of 10 mA cm−2 at a voltage around 1.62 V over a long-term operation, better than the combination of Pt and IrO2. This development is suggested to be readily extended to obtain other electrocatalysis systems for scale-up water-splitting technology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chemical doping has been recognized as a promising route to achieve novel physicochemical functions of porous carbons as metal-free catalysts in renewable energy-related technologies, such as electrochemical oxygen reduction reaction (ORR). However, it remains challenging to exploit an effective method for the synthesis of metal-free carbonaceous electrocatalysts. Herein, we report the direct synthesis of phosphorus-doped mesoporous carbonaceous electrocatalysts for the first time through soft-templating method, in which organophosphonic acid serves as the phosphorus source. The resulting mesoporous carbon material possesses high doping level, large surface area, and an interconnected mesopore system, ensuring the sufficient exposure and availability of catalytic sites to realize considerable catalytic activity for ORR in alkaline media. More importantly, much better tolerance for methanol oxidation, higher durability, and comparable Tafel slopes as compared with the commercial Pt/carbon (Pt/C) catalyst are valuable for developing alternative fuel cells and metal-air batteries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Metal-free carbonaceous materials have attracted considerable interests as heterogeneous catalysts owing to their superior physiochemical properties over metal-based catalysts, such as low cost, no pollution, chemical and thermal stabilities, as well as readily tailorable porous structure and surface chemistry. This review article provides an overview of the fundamentals and recent advances in the field of metal-free carbon catalysts, including graphenes, carbon nanotubes, mesoporous carbons, graphitic carbon nitrides, and related composites. Special focus is placed on their controllable preparation and applications in gas phase, liquid phase, electrochemical, and photocatalytic reactions, as well as defect and surface chemistry related catalytic activities of carbon materials. Some perspectives are highlighted on the development of more efficient metal-free carbonaceous catalysts featuring high stability, low cost, optimized structures, and enhanced performance, which are the key factors to accelerate the designed preparation and commercialization of carbocatalysts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]