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Ionizing radiation (IR)-induced excessive reactive oxygen species (ROS) is an important contributor of the injury of hematopoietic system. Grape seed proanthocyanidin extract (GSPE) is a new type of antioxidant, whereas whether it could ameliorate IR-induced hematopoietic injury remains unclear. Here, we show that GSPE treatment improves the survival of irradiated mice and alleviates IR-induced myelosuppression. Meanwhile, the hematopoietic reconstituting ability of hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) in mice following irradiation exposure is significantly increased after GSPE treatment. Furthermore, GSPE treatment can reduce IR-induced ROS production and relieve DNA damage and apoptosis in hematopoietic stem progenitor cells (HSPCs). Interestingly, we find that a critical antioxidant-associated gene fokhead box transcription factor O1 (Foxo1) is significantly decreased in HSPCs after irradiation. Consistently, hematopoietic specific deletion of Foxo1 increases the radiosensitivity of mice. Further investigations reveal that GSPE treatment specifically upregulates the expression of Foxo1, as well as its target genes superoxide dismutase 1 (SOD1), superoxide dismutase 2 (SOD2) and catalase (CAT). Importantly, Foxo1 deficiency largely abolishes the radioprotection of GSPE on HSPCs. Collectively, our data demonstrate that GSPE plays an important role in ameliorating IR-induced HSPC injury via the Foxo1-mediated pathway. Therefore, GSPE may be used as a promising radioprotective agent.

Photocatalytic technology offers a practical way to solve the energy crisis by producing hydrogen under sunlight but its performance is encumbered by the fast recombination of photoinduced electron-hole pairs. Constructing heterojunctions to form built-in electric fields could separate these electrons and holes, finally enhancing the photocatalytic efficiency. Herein, a Mn0.5Cd0.5Se/g-C3N4 (MCS/CN) heterojunction was fabricated by a facile method to tap into this advantage. 2%MCS/CN shows a hydrogen evolution rate of up to 354.5 μmol in 3 h, which is 4.49 and 126.6 times that of pure g-C3N4 and Mn0.5Cd0.5Se, respectively. Its photocatalytic stability is proved by six cycling tests. Photocurrent, EIS, along with PL spectra, prove that the recombination of photoinduced electron-hole pairs is inhibited by constructing a heterojunction between Mn0.5Cd0.5Se and g-C3N4. In summary, this work demonstrates the enhancement of photocatalysis by constructing a S-scheme heterojunction and offers a feasible way to develop other effective photocatalysts.

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to establish an accurate model to quantify the effect of conductor roughness on insertion loss (IL) and provide improved measurements and suggestions for manufacturing good conductive copper lines of printed circuit board. Design/methodology/approach To practically investigates the modified model of conductor roughness, three different kinds of alternate oxidation treatments were used to provide transmission lines with different roughness. The IL results were measured by a vector net analyzer for comparisons with the modified model results. Findings An accurate model, with only a 1.8% deviation on average from the measured values, is established. Compared with other models, the modified model is more reliable in industrial manufacturing. Originality/value This paper introduces the influence of tiny roughness structures on IL. Besides, this paper discusses the effect of current distribution on IL.

Background Pancreaticobiliary reflux (PBR) causes chronic inflammation of the gallbladder mucosa and changes in the bile components, which are known to promote gallstone formation. This study aimed to investigate the bile biochemistry changes in gallstone patients with PBR and provide new clues for research on the involvement of PBR in gallstone formation. Methods Patients undergoing surgery for gallstones between December 2020 and May 2021 were eligible for inclusion. The bile biochemistry (including amylase, lipase, triglyceride, cholesterol, free fatty acids [FFAs], alanine aminotransferase [ALT], aspartate aminotransferase [AST], alkaline phosphatase [ALP], and γ-glutamyl transferase [γ-GT]) of the included gallstone patients was analysed to determine correlations with PBR. Results In this study, 144 gallstone patients who underwent surgery were enrolled. Overall, 15.97 % of the patients had an increased bile amylase level, which was associated with older age and significantly higher bile levels of ALP, lipase, triglyceride, and FFAs. Positive correlations were observed between amylase and lipase, triglyceride, FFAs levels in the gallbladder bile. However, the bile levels of triglyceride, FFAs, and lipase were positively correlated with each other only in the PBR group and showed no significant correlation in the control (N) group. In addition, elevated bile FFAs levels were found to be an independent risk factor for gallbladder wall thickening. Conclusions In conclusion, PBR-induced increase in FFAs and triglyceride in the gallbladder bile is a cause of gallstone formation, and an increase in bile ALP suggests the presence of cholestasis in PBR.

The effects of different concentrations of organic matter on the biological activity and nitrogen removal performance of the anaerobic ammonium oxidation (anammox) system was studied. The results showed that under the conditions of low influent total organic carbon (TOC ≤ 100 mg/L), the activity rate of anammox bacteria was basically unaffected, the anammox bacteria and denitrifying bacteria formed a good synergistic effect, and the maximum total nitrogen (TN) removal efficiency reached 95.77%. However, when the influent TOC concentration was up to 200 mg/L, the activity of anammox bacteria was seriously inhibited. At this time, denitrification becomes the main pathway of nitrogen removal, the effluent ammonia nitrogen content increases, and the TN removal efficiency decreases to 64.17%. High-throughput sequencing analysis showed that with the increase in organic matter concentration, the relative abundance of Proteobacteria and Planctomycetes changed significantly. In particular, the relative abundance proportion of Proteobacteria increased from 21.06% to 25.57%, the Planctomycetes dropped from 10.01% to 3.03% and the Candidatus Brocadia genus had the largest decrease. In conclusion, the concentration range of organic matter for collaborative denitrification was proposed in this study, which provided theoretical reference for the practical application of anammox biofilm process. HIGHLIGHTS A continuous flow anammox/denitrification moving bed biofilm reactor (MBBR) was operated.; The optimum denitrification performance of the reactor was achieved at the influent organic matter concentration of 100 mg/L.; The denitrification form of biofilm changed with the increase in organic matter.; Predominant genus changed with the increase in organic matter concentration.

Boron carbide (B4C) is an important structural ceramic material, however, the use of this material is limited by its poor sinterability and low fracture toughness. Nano-sized powders have small particle size, high chemical activity and great sintering ability, which can promote the fabrication of the dense B4C ceramics. Herein, by spark plasma sintering (SPS) homemade high-purity nanopowders, single phase B4C ceramics with density close to the theoretical value were prepared. Results showed that the best SPS condition was holding at temperature of 1850 °C for 4 min. Under this condition the sample exhibited enhanced mechanical properties including Vickers hardness of 33.9 GPa, fracture toughness of 3.81 MPa m1/2 and flexure strength of 554.7 MPa. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) analysis shows that non-coherent twins exist at the grain boundary instead of amorphous phase or second phase, which further confirms the high purity and high densification of the obtained B4C ceramics.

A superior comprehensive performance is essential for the extensive utilization of polymers. Current flame-retardant strategies for polycarbonates (PCs) usually realize satisfied fire resistance at the cost of thermostability, toughness, and/or mechanical robustness. Thus, we report a rare-earth-based P, N-containing complex with a lamellar aggregated structure [Ce(DPA)3] by a coordination reaction between a tailored ligand and cerium(III) nitrate. The results indicate that incorporating 3 wt % Ce(DPA)3 enables the resultant PC composite to achieve UL-94 V-0 rating, with a 55% reduction in the peak heat release rate. Besides, the initial (T5) and maximum (Tmax1 and Tmax2) decomposition temperatures are significantly increased by 21, 19, and 27 °C, respectively, in an air atmosphere. Moreover, the impact strength and elongation at break of the PC composite containing 3 wt % Ce(DPA)3 are greatly increased by 20 and 59%, respectively, relative to pristine PC, while its tensile strength (57 MPa) is still close to that of bulk PC (60 MPa). Notably, this work provides a novel methodology for revealing the evolution mechanisms of chemical structures of vapor and residual products during thermal decomposition, which is conducive to guiding fire and heat resistance modification of PC in the future.

Conductive polymer direct electroplating technology is one of the research hotspots in printed circuit board manufacturing. In this work, we designed a simple, efficient and environmental friendly chemical polymerization method to form a conductive polymer-based metal-mixed composite film where the polymer was polythiophene and the metals included copper and silver (PT-based Cu/Ag composite film). The work function of the PT-based Cu/Ag composite film decreased from 4.822 eV of pure PT to 4.638 eV, which serves as a seed layer to prepare conductive circuits by the additive process. The method without the metal etching and photolithography steps solves the problems of conventional subtractive processes for forming conductive patterns. Besides, the PT-based Cu/Ag composite film is able to increase the roughness of the substrate to improve the bonding force between the electroplated copper layer and the substrate. Moreover, due to the particularity of oxidation solution for preparing the PT-based Cu/Ag composite film, conductive lines and patterns can be selectively formed on insulating substrate with arbitrary shapes by the additive process.

Chemokines are important regulators of the immune system, inducing specific cellular responses by binding to receptors on immune cells. In SLE patients, decreased expression of CCL2 on mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) prevents inhibition of B-cell proliferation, causing the characteristic autoimmune phenotype. Nevertheless, the intrinsic role of CCL2 on B-cell autoimmunity is unknown. In this study using Ccl2 KO mice, we found that CCL2 deficiency enhanced BCR signaling by upregulating the phosphorylation of the MST1-mTORC1-STAT1 axis, which led to reduced marginal zone (MZ) B cells and increased germinal center (GC) B cells. The abnormal differentiation of MZ and GC B cells were rescued by in vivo inhibition of mTORC1. Additionally, the inhibition of MST1-mTORC1-STAT1 with specific inhibitors in vitro also rescued the BCR signaling upon antigenic stimulation. The deficiency of CCL2 also enhanced the early activation of B cells including B-cell spreading, clustering and signalosome recruitment by upregulating the DOCK8-WASP-actin axis. Our study has revealed the intrinsic role and underlying molecular mechanism of CCL2 in BCR signaling, B-cell differentiation, and humoral response.

Purpose C5α receptor 1 (C5ΑR1) is associated with the development of various human cancers. However, whether it is involved in the development of hepatitis B virus (HBV)–related hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is poorly understood. We explored the expression, biological role, and associated mechanisms of C5AR1 in HBV-related hepatoma cells. Materials and Methods The expression of C5ΑR1 mediated by HBV and HBV core protein (HBc) was detected in hepatoma cells. The function of nuclear factor кB (NF-κB) pathway in HBc-induced C5AR1 expression was assessed. The roles of C5ΑR1 in the activation of intracellular signal pathways, the upregulation of inflammatory cytokines, and the growth and migration of hepatoma cells mediated by HBc, were investigated. The effect of C5α in the development of HCC mediated by C5AR1 was also measured. Results C5ΑR1 expression was increased in HBV-positive hepatoma cells. Dependent on HBc, HBV enhanced the expression of C5ΑR1 at the mRNA and protein levels. Besides, HBc could promote C5ΑR1 expression via the NF-κB pathway. Based on the C5ΑR1, HBc facilitated the activation of JNK and ERK pathways and the expression and secretion of interleukin-6 in hepatoma cells. Furthermore, C5ΑR1 was responsible for enhancing the growth and migration of hepatoma cells mediated by HBc. Except these, C5α could promote the malignant development of HBc-positive HCC via C5AR1. Conclusion We provide new insight into the mechanisms of hepatocarcinogenesis mediated by HBc. C5ΑR1 has a significant role in the functional abnormality of hepatoma cells mediated by HBc, and might be utilized as a potential therapeutic target for HBV-related HCC.

Background Gout is a common kind of inflammatory arthritis with metabolic disorders. However, the detailed pathogenesis of gout is complex and not fully clear. We investigated the serum metabolic profiling of gout patients by ultra-performance liquid chromatograph quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC-Q-TOF/MS). Methods Serum metabolites were extracted from 31 gout patients and 31 healthy controls. Metabolite extracts were analyzed in negative mode by UPLC-Q-TOF/MS for global metabolomics. Principal components analysis (PCA), orthogonal partial least squares-discriminant analysis (OPLS-DA) and hierarchical clustering analysis were performed to detect different compounds between the two groups. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis and pathway analysis of the different metabolites were conducted. Results A total of 9192 compounds were detected, of which 138 significantly different compounds were selected, according to the criteria of (Variable importance in projection (VIP) > 3). Hierarchical clustering analysis showed that the relative levels of the differential compounds were different between the 2 groups. Ninety-one reliable metabolites matching the human metabolome database (HMDB) were confirmed. ROC curve results revealed that 4-hydroxytriazolam, urate and bilirubin exerted higher AUC values. Pathway analysis indicated that the significantly different metabolites were mainly involved in primary bile acid biosynthesis, purine metabolism and glycerophospholipid metabolism. Conclusions The serum metabolic profiling of gout patients was significantly different from healthy subjects based on UPLC-Q-TOF/MS. Bilirubin was the potential biomarker. Primary bile acid biosynthesis may be a novel metabolic pathway of gout.

Water ice becomes a superionic phase under the high pressure and temperature conditions of deep planetary interiors of ice planets such as Neptune and Uranus, which affects interior structures and generates magnetic fields. The solid Earth, however, contains only hydrous minerals with a negligible amount of ice. Here we combine high pressure and temperature electrical conductivity experiments, Raman spectroscopy and first-principles simulations to investigate the state of hydrogen in the pyrite-type FeO2Hx (x ≤ 1), which is a potential H-bearing phase near the core–mantle boundary. We find that when the pressure increases beyond 73 GPa at room temperature, symmetric hydroxyl bonds are softened and the H+ (or proton) becomes diffusive within the vicinity of its crystallographic site. Increasing temperature under pressure, the diffusivity of hydrogen is extended beyond the individual unit cell to cover the entire solid, and the electrical conductivity soars, indicating a transition to the superionic state, which is characterized by freely moving protons and a solid FeO2 lattice. The highly diffusive hydrogen provides fresh transport mechanisms for charge and mass, which dictate the geophysical behaviours of electrical conductivity and magnetism, as well as geochemical processes of redox, hydrogen circulation and hydrogen isotopic mixing in Earth’s deep mantle. Under conditions of Earth’s deep lower mantle, hydrogen ions diffuse freely through the FeOOH lattice framework and electrical conductivity increases rapidly, according to electrical conductivity experiments and first-principles simulations.

Although nitrogen in the Earth’s interior has attracted significant attention recently, it remains the most enigmatic of the light elements in the Earth’s core. In this work, synchrotron X-ray diffraction (XRD) and electrical conductivity experiments were conducted on iron nitrides (Fe2N and Fe4N) in diamond anvil cells (DACs) up to about 70 ​GPa ​at ambient temperature. These results show that iron nitrides are stable up to at least 70 ​GPa. From the equation of state (EOS) parameters, iron nitrides are more compressible than iron carbides. Moreover, using the van der Pauw method and Wiedemann-Franz law, the electrical and thermal conductivity of samples were determined to be much lower than that of iron carbides. The conductivities of Fe2N and Fe4N were similar at 20–70 ​GPa, suggesting no evident effects by varying the N stoichiometries in iron nitrides. Iron nitrides are less dense and conductive but more compressible than carbides at 0–70 ​GPa. This study indicates that less nitrogen than carbon can explain geophysical phenomena in the deep Earth, such as the density deficit.

Owing to its photonic band gap (PBG) and slow light effects, aniline black (AB)-poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) inverse opal (IO) photonic crystal (PC) was constructed to promote the utility of light and realize photothermal synergetic catalysis. As a highly efficient reaction platform with the capability of restricting heat, a microreactor was introduced to further amplify the photothermal effects of near infrared (NIR) radiation. The photocatalytic efficiency of ZnO/0.5AB-PVDF IO (Z0.5A) increases 1.63-fold compared to that of pure ZnO film under a full solar spectrum, indicating the effectiveness of synergetic promotion by slow light and photothermal effects. Moreover, a 5.85-fold increase is achieved by combining Z0.5A with a microreactor compared to the film in a beaker. The photon localization effect of PVDF IO was further exemplified by finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) calculations. In conclusion, photonic crystal-microreactor enhanced photothermal catalysis has immense potential for alleviating the deteriorating water environment.

Neuraminidase 1 (NEU1) has been reported to be associated with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, the function and associated molecular mechanisms of NEU1 in hepatitis B virus (HBV)-related HCC have not been well investigated. In the present study, the expression of NEU1 mediated by HBV and HBV core protein (HBc) was measured in hepatoma cells. The expression of NEU1 protein was detected via immunohistochemical analysis in HBV-associated HCC tissues. The role of NEU1 in the activation of signaling pathways and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and the proliferation and migration of hepatoma cells mediated by HBc was assessed. We found that NEU1 was upregulated in HBV-positive hepatoma cells and HBV-related HCC tissues. HBV promoted NEU1 expression at the mRNA and protein level via HBc in hepatoma cells. Mechanistically, HBc was able to enhance the activity of the NEU1 promoter through NF-κB binding sites. In addition, through the increase in NEU1 expression, HBc contributed to activation of downstream signaling pathways and EMT in hepatoma cells. Moreover, NEU1 facilitated the proliferation and migration of hepatoma cells mediated by HBc. Taken together, our findings provide novel insight into the molecular mechanism underlying the oncogenesis mediated by HBc and demonstrate that NEU1 plays a vital role in HBc-mediated functional abnormality in HCC. Thus, NEU1 may serve as a potential therapeutic target in HBV-associated HCC.

Silicon phosphide (SiP) has attracted a great deal of attention in the field of energy storage because of its unique properties of stable semiconducting two-dimensional structure and promising theo...

Mitsugumin 53 (MG53) is a tripartite motif family protein that has been reported to attenuate injury via membrane repair in different organs. Contrast-induced acute kidney injury (CI-AKI) is a common complication caused by the administration of iodinated contrast media (CM). While the cytotoxicity induced by CM leading to tubular cell death may be initiated by cell membrane damage, we wondered whether MG53 alleviates CI-AKI. This study was designed to investigate the effect of MG53 on CI-AKI and the underlying mechanism. A rat model of CI-AKI was established, and CI-AKI induced the translocation of MG53 from serum to injury sites on the renal proximal tubular (RPT) epithelia, as illustrated by immunoblot analysis and immunohistochemical staining. Moreover, pretreatment of rats with recombinant human MG53 protein (rhMG53, 2 mg/mL) alleviated iopromide-induced injury in the kidney, which was determined by measuring serum creatinine, blood urea nitrogen and renal histological changes. In vitro studies demonstrated that exposure of RPT cells to iopromide (20, 40, and 80 mg/mL) caused cell membrane injury and cell death, which were attenuated by rhMG53 (10 and 50 μg/mL). Mechanistically, MG53 translocated to the injury site on RPT cells and bound to phosphatidylserine to protect RPT cells from iopromide-induced injury. In conclusion, MG53 protects against CI-AKI through cell membrane repair and reducing cell apoptosis; therefore, rhMG53 might be a potential effective means to treat or prevent CI-AKI.

In the original published version of the article, the red squares in the figures which indicated the corrections.

In this work, silver nitrate, thiourea, bisphenol A diglycidyl ether (BADGE), and propylene glycol methyl ether (PM) were selected for designing a silver(I)-complex to trigger the deposition of inductance coil on PET film through electroless copper plating. The most stable silver(I)-complex structure is formed when the ratio of thiourea molecules and silver ions is 3 to 1 by quantum chemical calculations based on density functional theory (DFT). Meanwhile, XRD test demonstrates that the white precipitate crystallized from PM solution of thiourea and silver nitrate is [Ag(SC(NH2)2)3]NO3, which is consistent with theoretical calculations. The cross section of PET film with copper patterns and interconnection holes characterized by metallurgical microscope proves that the silver(I)-complex is able to initiate copper deposition on the surface and through hole wall of PET film. The measured inductance values at operating frequency from 1 to 50 MHz indicate that the fabricated flexible inductor is capable of being integrated into flexible electronics when the bending angles are within 45°. Additionally, the inductor can also be utilized as an angel sensor when the bending angles are in the range of 60° to 180° at 10 MHz.

Herein, a non-polluting and simple electrodeposition strategy is presented by us for fabricating ternary iron cobalt transition metal sulfide (FeCoS) on Ni foam with nanosheet arrays, which are used as cathode materials for asymmetric supercapacitors. The FeCoS-15 nanosheet arrays reveal an admirable specific capacitance of 3741.03 F g−1 when the current density is 1 A g−1 and also exhibit a fantastic cycling performance with 92.84% capacitance retention at 20 A g−1 up to 10,000 cycles. Furthermore, the asymmetric supercapacitors using the FeCoS-15 nanosheet arrays as the positive electrode and the activated carbon (AC) as the negative electrodes demonstrate remarkable electrochemical performance. Our device exhibits an energy density of 54.08 Wh kg−1 with the power density of 800 W kg−1, achieving an impressive cycling retention of 85.64% over 10,000 cycles. The excellent results show that FeCoS nanosheet array materials have a roomy application prospect for high-performance asymmetric supercapacitors.

As a promising microwave absorber filler, molybdenum disulfide (MoS2), because of the unique structure, high electrical conductivity, and polarization effect, is receiving more and more interest. Developing MoS2-based composites with specific structure and morphology is a hot top in the field of microwave absorbers, because of its strong multiple scattering and reflecting for microwaves as well as its unique interfacial characteristics. Now, with a facile solvothermal method, a novel core–shell CoFe2O4@1T/2H-MoS2 composite is synthesized, where the CoFe2O4 nanospheres are entirely embedded in a special three-dimensional (3D) nest-like 1T/2H phase MoS2. Notably, in comparison with superparamagnetic CoFe2O4 nanospheres, the coercivities of as-synthesized CoFe2O4@1T/2H-MoS2 composites greatly increase. Here, 1T/2H-MoS2 exhibits ferromagnetism superimposed onto large diamagnetism. It is noted that, by adjusting the content of 1T/2H-phase MoS2, the microwave absorption performance of as-synthesized composites ...

As an important chemokine receptor, the role of CX3CR1 has been studied extensively on the migration of lymphocytes including T and B cells. Although CX3CR1+ B cells have immune suppressor properties, little is known about its role on the regulation of BCR signaling and B cell differentiation as well as the underlying molecular mechanism. We have used CX3CR1 KO mice to study the effect of CX3CR1 deficiency on BCR signaling and B cell differentiation. Interestingly, we found that proximal BCR signaling, such as the activation of CD19, BTK and SHIP was reduced in CX3CR1 KO B cells upon antigenic stimulation. However, the activation of mTORC signaling was enhanced. Mechanistically, we found that the reduced BCR signaling in CX3CR1 KO B cells was due to reduced BCR clustering, which is caused by the enhanced actin accumulation by the plasma membrane via increased activation of WASP. This caused an increased differentiation of MZ B cells in CX3CR1 KO mice and an enhanced generation of plasma cells (PC) and antibodies. Our study shows that CX3CR1 regulates BCR signaling via actin remodeling and affects B cell differentiation and the humoral immune response.

Strong upconversion luminescence is significant for effective photocatalytic technology. In this work, photonic crystals and Au nanoparticles (AuNPs) were introduced together to enhance triplet–triplet annihilation upconversion (TTA-UC) luminescence intensity. Photonic crystal films have been fabricated by demolding a polydimethylsiloxane film containing platinum(II)-octaethylporphyrin & 9,10-diphenylanthracene and AuNPs from V-shape anodic aluminum oxide templates. The blue light intensity of the photonic crystal film with AuNPs has gained a 3.69-fold enhancement under green light excitation. After coupling the photonic crystal structure with AuNP plasma resonance, the green-to-blue TTA-UC intensity of the composite film has been enhanced 7.68 times compared with the planar upconversion film without AuNPs. The pseudo-first-order rate constant of the composite film system with g-C3N4@CdS has been increased 3.88 times compared with that of the planar upconversion film system without AuNPs under visible light. This work presents a new route to enhance the TTA-UC luminescence via a hybrid effect, which is useful for photocatalysis.

Poly(vinylidene difluoride) (PVDF) and its copolymers as the polymers with the highest piezoelectric coefficient have been widely used as sensors and generators. However, their relatively low performances limit their applications in some harsh environments. In this work, piezoelectric poly(vinylidene-trifluoroethylene) P(VDF-TrFE) matrices with different amounts of polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane (POSS) were prepared by a low temperature solvent evaporation method and thermal poling. The morphology, surface performance, crystalline phase, and piezoelectric and ferroelectric properties of the nanocomposites were investigated and the influence of POSS on these performances was studied. POSS had good compatibility with P(VDF-TrFE) and did not affect the crystalline phase formation of the matrix. The composites presented good piezoelectric properties. Piezo- and triboelectric nanogenerators were designed and fabricated. The voltage and current outputs were analyzed and the polarization effect was evaluated. The average output voltage and the current density of the matrix were 3 V and 0.5 μA cm−2 when subjected to a force of 38 N on an area of 1 cm2. The mechanical properties of P(VDF-TrFE)/POSS nanocomposites were also studied by the nanoindentation test. The hardness and modulus of samples increased 20% and 17% with a low addition of POSS. Atomic oxygen erosion properties of the composites were numerically simulated by the Monte Carlo method. The erosion cavity shape and depth were compared and studied. The influence of POSS addition on the P(VDF-TrFE) matrix and the associated reinforcing mechanism were analyzed.

To develop responsive organogels, a low molecular mass gelator (Chol-Se) with selenium as its redox-active center was designed and synthesized. Chol-Se could form thermally reversible physical gels in several organic solvents. By controlling the redox state of the selenide group in Chol-Se, responsive transformation of Chol-Se in ethyl acetate between the gelation and solution was achieved. Chol-Se will serve as an excellent smart material with potential applications in sensors, recognition, and separation.

Rationale: The hematopoietic system and skeletal system have a close relationship, and megakaryocytes (MKs) may be involved in maintaining bone homeostasis. However, the exact role and underlying mechanism of MKs in bone formation during steady-state and stress conditions are still unclear. Methods: We first evaluated the bone phenotype with MKs deficiency in bone marrow by using c-Mpl-deficient mice and MKs-conditionally deleted mice. Then, osteoblasts (OBs) proliferation and differentiation and CD31hiEmcnhi tube formation were assessed. The expression of growth factors related to bone formation in MKs was detected by RNA-sequencing and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs). Mice with specific depletion of TGF-β1 in MKs were used to further verify the effect of MKs on osteogenesis and angiogenesis. Finally, MKs treatment of irradiation-induced bone injury was tested in a mouse model. Results: We found that MKs deficiency significantly impaired bone formation. Further investigations revealed that MKs could promote OBs proliferation and differentiation, as well as CD31hiEmcnhi vessels formation, by secreting high levels of TGF-β1. Consistent with these findings, mice with specific depletion of TGF-β1 in MKs displayed significantly decreased bone mass and strength. Importantly, treatment with MKs or thrombopoietin (TPO) substantially attenuated radioactive bone injury in mice by directly or indirectly increasing the level of TGF-β1 in bone marrow. MKs-derived TGF-β1 was also involved in suppressing apoptosis and promoting DNA damage repair in OBs after irradiation exposure. Conclusions: Our findings demonstrate that MKs contribute to bone formation through coupling osteogenesis with angiogenesis by secreting TGF-β1, which may offer a potential therapeutic strategy for the treatment of irradiation-induced osteoporosis.

The design and development of composite materials with novel structures is one of the effective ways to enhance the electrochemical properties of supercapacitors. In this paper, a one-step electrodeposition method is used to adjust the morphology and structure of CoMnS nanomaterials by changing the amount of CS2. CoMnS nanomaterials with unique flower-like structures are reasonably prepared, which promotes the flow of electron transfer and improves the electrochemical behavior. It is worth noting that when the amount of CS2 is 4 mmol, the specific capacitance of CoMnS-4 reaches 3469.5 F g−1 at 1 A g−1, and the specific capacitance is still 2830.5 F g−1 (maintaining 81.56%) until the high current density reaches 20 A g−1. After 10 000 cycles, it shows excellent cycle stability (maintaining 95.78% at 20 A g−1). The CoMnS-4//AC asymmetric supercapacitor device has an excellent energy density of 85.91 W h kg−1 when the power density is 800 W kg−1, which shows it's great application value.

A layered aluminophosphate |C14H11NO|2[Al4(HPO4)4F4(H2O)2] (denoted as SYSU-2) with a new topology has been hydrothermally synthesized with N-methyl-9-acridone (NMA) as the organic structure-directing agent. Single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis reveals that SYSU-2 crystallizes in a triclinic space group P1[combining macron], with the inorganic sheets stacked in an AA sequence. Hydrogen bonds are responsible for the neutral inorganic-organic layer connection. The layer structure of SYSU-2 is constructed by alternating AlO4F2 octahedra and PO4 tetrahedra. The topological analysis of SYSU-2 indicates an independent topology. The NMA layers are self-assembled with π-π interaction. SYSU-2 crystals show interesting dual-band emission fluorescence properties compared with NMA crystals. Under 406 nm UV irradiation, SYSU-2 crystals emit yellow light with two emission bands at 477 and 566 nm, while NMA crystals emit blue light with only one band at 473 nm. The differences may be derived from the difference of stacking orders and distance of NMA molecule layers between the two crystals.

The organic-inorganic composite water-retaining agent has been widely concerned because of its advantages such as strong salt tolerance, high strength and good thermal stability. However, there are...

To increase the utilization ratio and catalytic efficiency of the nano TiO2, The RGO/TiO2/(Ag) powders and RGO/TiO2/Ag aerogel photocatalyst were designed and prepared. The composition and microstructure of RGO/TiO2/(Ag) powders and RGO/TiO2/Ag aerogel were studied, in addition, the photocatalytic activity of RGO/TiO2/(Ag) powders and RGO/TiO2/Ag aerogel was researched by the photocatalytic degradation behavior of formaldehyde solution and formaldehyde gas respectively. The result indicate that TiO2 is uniformly loaded on the surface of RGO with a particle size of 10 nm to 20 nm. When the amount of graphene oxide added is 1 wt%, RGO/TiO2 powder has the highest degradation effect on formaldehyde solution, in addition, the introduction of Ag can greatly improve the photocatalytic effect of the sample. The results also show that the pore size of RGO/TiO2/Ag aerogel is between 7.6 nm and 12.1 nm, and the degradation rate of formaldehyde gas is 77.08% within 2 hours.

Earth-abundant antimony trisulfide (Sb2S3), or simply antimonite, is a promising material for capturing natural energies like solar power and heat flux. The layered structure, held up by weak van-der Waals forces, induces anisotropic behaviors in carrier transportation and thermal expansion. Here, we used stress as mechanical stimuli to destabilize the layered structure and observed the structural phase transition to a three-dimensional (3D) structure. We combined in situ x-ray diffraction (XRD), Raman spectroscopy, ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy, and first-principles calculations to study the evolution of structure and bandgap width up to 20.1 GPa. The optical band gap energy of Sb2S3 followed a two-step hierarchical sequence at approximately 4 and 11 GPa. We also revealed that the first step of change is mainly caused by the redistribution of band states near the conduction band maximum. The second transition is controlled by an isostructural phase transition, with collapsed layers and the formation of a higher coordinated bulky structure. The band gap reduced from 1.73 eV at ambient to 0.68 eV at 15 GPa, making it a promising thermoelectric material under high pressure. Antimonite (Sb2S3) has potential applications for solar energy, but how its layered structure changes under pressure is incompletely understood. Here diamond anvil cell experiments supported by first principles calculations offer a structural explanation for experimentally observed phase transitions.

In this study, a flexible bioresistive memory with an aluminum/tussah hemolymph/indium tin oxide/polyethylene terephthalate structure is fabricated by using a natural biological material, tussah hemolymph (TH), as the active layer. When different compliance currents (Icc) are applied to the device, it exhibits different resistance characteristics. When 1 mA is applied in the positive voltage range and 100 mA is applied in the negative voltage range, the device exhibits bipolar resistive switching behavior. Additionally, when 1 mA is applied in both the positive- and negative-voltage ranges, the device exhibits write-once-read-many-times (WORM) characteristics. The device has good endurance, with a retention time exceeding 104 s. After 104 bending cycles, the electrical characteristics remain constant. This memory device can be applied for “AND” and “OR” logic operations in programmable logic circuits. The prepared flexible and transparent biomemristor made of pure natural TH provides a promising new approach for realizing environmentally friendly and biocompatible flexible memory, nerve synapses, and wearable electronic devices.