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Mixed multiple oxidation states CoMoO4 nanowires (electrocatalysts) with tunable intrinsic oxygen vacancies were fabricated. CoMoO4 with proper oxygen vacancy can be employed to construct a Li-air battery with a high capacity and stable cyclability. This is possible because CoMoO4 contains surface oxygen vacancies, which result in the unit of CoMo bond, that is important for electrocatalysts used in Li-air batteries. Both the experimental and theoretical results demonstrate that the surface oxygen vacancies containing CoMoO4 nanowires have a higher electrocatalytic activity. This shows that the highly efficient electrocatalysts used for Li-air batteries were designed to modify the redox properties of the mixed metal oxide in the catalytic active sites. This successful material design led to an improved strategy for high oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) and oxygen evolution reaction (OER) activities based on the fast formation and extinction of ORR products.

CO2-enhanced coalbed methane (CO2-ECBM) technology can be applied not only to extract coal seam gas, but also to geologically store a large amount of CO2 produced in various industries, thus reducing the CO2 concentration in the atmosphere and protecting the earth’s environment from the adverse effects of climate change. For CO2 injection and methane recovery from coal seams, the differences in the gas adsorption and diffusion characteristics due to the properties of the coal seam are crucial. In this study, first, intact and tectonic coals were collected to conduct a proximate analysis and high-pressure methane adsorption/desorption tests. Subsequently, the adsorption characteristics of the intact and tectonic coals with different particle sizes were analyzed. A time-dependent dynamic diffusion coefficient was introduced to investigate the diffusion characteristics of the two coals. The results showed that the intact and tectonic coals have higher adsorption capacity for CO2 than methane under the same particle size, demonstrating the potential for storing a large amount of CO2 in coal seams. The time-dependent dynamic diffusion coefficient decreased significantly in the initial stages and then tended to stabilize as the desorption progressed. To better explain the gas diffusion characteristics of the coal, a gas diffusion mechanism model was established to analyze the variation in the diffusion coefficient over time. In addition, a new method for reducing the pressure difference was proposed to maximize CO2 storage and methane recovery. Finally, the environmental implications and safety of CO2 storage in coal seams during the implementation of a CO2-ECBM project was analyzed.

Polymer-grafted nanoparticle (PGN) films were prepared from polystyrene (PS) grafted to rodlike cellulose nanocrystals (MxG-CNC-g-PS) with a controllable grafting density (0.03–0.25 chains/nm2) and...

Compact components are prone to failure at brazed joints. A comprehensive understanding of the effect of brazing temperature on the metallurgical reactions and microstructure evolution of 316L/BNi-2 brazed joints will provide support for optimization of the brazing process and improving joints strength. In this paper, the brazing process was carried out at 966°C 991°C, 1033°C, 1065°C, 1100°C, 1137°C and 1170°C in a vaccum furnace. The morphology and crystal structure of different zones of the brazed joints including athermal solidification zone (ASZ), isothermal solidification zone, and diffusion-affected zone (DAZ) were investigated. Results show that the DAZ begins to form, and the Ni3B, Ni3Si, CrB, and γ-Ni in the ASZ gradually coarsen below 1033°C. When the temperature reaches 1065°C, the filler alloy completely liquidizes. The boron in the filler alloy diffuses into the base metal, resulting in isothermal solidification. The residual liquid phase generates binary and ternary eutectic reactions. According to TEM patterns analysis in the DAZ, borides, and carbon-boride are mainly distributed on grain boundaries and within grains, respectively. In addition, M5B3 boride in the DAZ gradually transforms into M2B boride due to its better thermodynamic stability. Above 1170°C, the borides in the DAZ partly dissolve, and meanwhile, the matrix transforms from martensite to austenite, forming the alternating distribution of austenite and boride. During the heating process, with increasing brazing temperature, the hardness and elastic modulus of brazed joint microregions gradually decrease.

This paper reviews materials challenges and recent progress for selective area regrowth and doping for vertical gallium nitride (GaN) power devices. The purpose is to realize randomly placed, reliable, contactable, and generally useable laterally patterned p-n junctions, which are the building blocks for various advanced power rectifiers and transistors. The general regrowth process and regrowth dynamics in trenches were discussed, where the effects of trench geometries, growth methods, and bulk substrates were elucidated. Comprehensive materials characterization techniques were utilized to analyze the regrown structures, including scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, atom probe tomography, scanning probe microscopy, and secondary-ion mass spectrometry. Cathodoluminescence and secondary electrons in scanning electron microscopy and atom probe tomography were used to achieve lateral and vertical dopant profiling at a sub-micron scale. The regrowth interface after dry etching accumulated a high density of impurities and charges, contributing to the formation of a p+-n+ tunneling junction. This hypothesis was further confirmed by the electrostatic potential profile at the regrowth interface using electron holography. Novel etching technologies were investigated to improve the regrowth interface. It was found that low-power dry etching significantly reduced the interfacial charges and the reverse leakage currents of regrown p-n junctions. Photoelectrochemical wet etching was found to be effective in reducing deep-level defects near the regrowth interface. Atomic layer etching uses self-limiting chemical processes, thus removing the damaged layers without inducing further etching damage. Tertiarybutylchloride-based in situ etching may serve as an alternative etching method to dry etching with reduced etching damage. In terms of devices, regrown p-n junctions with low leakage currents and vertical junction field-effect transistors were demonstrated. Further improvements in selective area regrowth and associated devices can be expected using regrowth optimization and regrowth interface engineering via surface treatments and low-damage etching. These results represent an important step towards realizing selective area regrowth and doping for high performance GaN power electronics devices and systems.

Conductive hydrogels are good candidates for flexible wearable sensors, which have received considerable attention for use in human-machine interfaces, human motion/health monitoring, and soft robots. However, these hydrogels often freeze at low temperatures and thus, exhibit low transparency, weak mechanical strength and stretchability, as well as poor adhesion strength. In this paper, conductive organohydrogels were prepared by thermal polymerization of acrylamide and N-(3-aminopropyl) methacrylamide in a glycerol-water binary solvent using NaCl as a conductive salt. Compared to other organohydrogels, our organohydrogels featured higher fracture stress (170 kPa) and greater stretchability (900%). The organohydrogels showed excellent antifreezing properties and high transparency (97%, at 400–800 nm wavelength) and presented outstanding adhesion strength to a variety of substrates. The conductive organohydrogels that were stored at −20°C for 24 h could still respond to both strain and pressure, showing a high sensitivity (gauge factor=2.73 under 100% strain), fast response time (0.4 s), and signal repeatability during multiple force cycles (∼100 cycles). Furthermore, the conductivity of cleaved antifreezing gels could be restored by contacting the broken surfaces together. Finally, we used our organohydrogels to monitor human tremors and bradykinesia in real-time within wired and wireless models, thus presenting a potential application for Parkinson’s disease diagnosis.

Brazed joints have been widely used in the assembling process of compact structures due to its series of advantages. It is the weakest part of the whole system and directly determines the safety and reliability of long-term operation. In order to improve the performance of brazed joints, it is necessary to study the diffusion behaviour of major elements. This paper investigates the wedge-shaped specimen composed by 316 L stainless steel with BNi-2 filler alloy in vacuum brazing furnace. The microscopic morphology is studied by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy disperse spectroscopy (EDS) and electron probe microanalysis (EPMA). The elements concentration distribution is depicted by using Boltzmann function according to the EDS results. Then a calculation method based on Boltzmann-Matano model is proposed. The results show that the athermal solidification zone, the isothermal solidification zone and the diffusion-affected zone consist of eutectic compound, γ-Ni solid solution and boride precipitates, respectively. The brazing temperature have a great influence on the diffusion behaviour of the elements Si, Fe and Ni. The diffusion coefficient values at different positions in brazed joints can be accurately calculated by the proposed model. The thermal vibration energy are the main reasons for the diffusion behaviours at brazing temperature.

Cisplatin has been reported to promote the expression of programmed cell death ligand-1 (PD-L1) in some cancer cells. However, the underlying mechanism through which PD-L1 is transcriptionally regulated by cisplatin in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cells remains largely unknown. In the present study, we found that the expression of hepatocyte growth factor (HGF), p-Akt, p-ERK, and PD-L1 was increased in cisplatin-treated SNU-368 and SNU-739 cells. HGF stimulation also increased PD-L1 expression in these cells. Moreover, Inhibition of HGF/c-MET, PI3K/Akt, and MEK/ERK signaling pathways can dramatically block cisplatin or HGF-induced PD-L1 expression in SNU-368 and SNU-739 cells. In vivo, combination PHA665752 with cisplatin significantly reduced tumor weight with increased infiltration of CD8+ T cells in the tumor. Taken together, our study suggested that HGF/c-Met axis-induced the activation of PI3K/Akt and MEK/ERK pathways contributes to cisplatin-mediated PD-L1 expression. These findings may provide an alternative avenue for the treatment of HCC.

Polyaniline nanofiber (PANI-f) was covalently linked with cetyltrimethyl ammonium bromide (CTAB) modified graphene oxide nanosheets (CTGO) to fabricate a smart composite coating for corrosion protection of carbon steel. In the copolymerization process, CTAB served both as a modifier for the modification of GO and a dispersant for the preparation of polyaniline nanofibers. The prepared PANI-f can avoid the accelerated corrosion of steel by a conventional synthesis method using hydrochloric acid as medium. The covalent binding between PANI-f and CTGO improved the compatibility of PANI-f-GO with the waterborne epoxy emulsion, which significantly enhanced the hydrophobicity and antipermeability of the coating. The PANI-f-GO waterborne epoxy coating exhibited excellent smart corrosion protection efficiency by catalyzing the formation of passivation film on the steel surface. Molecular adsorption energy on Fe(110) and radial distribution function confirmed the chemical adsorption of the PANI-f-GO composite on the steel surface. The superior smart protective performance can be ascribed to the synergistic effects of PANI-f and CTGO.

Synthesis methods of composites materials can tailor individual materials properties and make the composite possess more superior performance than individual materials. Herein, by combining –NH2 group in graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4) and a facile electrolytic route, g-C3N4-bridging reduced graphene oxide nanocomposite (g-C3N4/r-GO) was successfully prepared to construct chemical sensor for detection of Pb2+. Because g-C3N4 contains a large amount of –NH2 group, covalent bonds as bridges between GO and g-C3N4 could be successfully formed by successively electrolyzing, which simultaneously induced removal of electron withdrawing group in r-GO. Such bridges could shorten the planar distance between GO and g-C3N4 in comparison with the conventional π-π stacking, improving the electrochemical performance of r-GO and g-C3N4. Moreover, the above unique chemical structure of g-C3N4/r-GO not only exhibited excellent electrical conductivity but also provided plenty active sites to chelate Pb2+ from solution. Therefore, the prepared g-C3N4/r-GO ensured chemical sensor for Pb2+detection with wide linear range (1.0–300 μg/L) and low detection limit (0.15 μg/L at S/N = 3). This simple method could also be extended to preparation of other elements-contained nanomaterials functionalized oxide graphene for improve its properties and widen its potential applications.

Summary Cytosine base editors (CBEs) are great additions to the expanding genome editing toolbox. To improve C‐to‐T base editing in plants, we first compared seven cytidine deaminases in the BE3‐like configuration in rice. We found A3A/Y130F‐CBE_V01 resulted in the highest C‐to‐T base editing efficiency in both rice and Arabidopsis. Furthermore, we demonstrated this A3A/Y130F cytidine deaminase could be used to improve iSpyMacCas9‐mediated C‐to‐T base editing at A‐rich PAMs. To showcase its applications, we first applied A3A/Y130F‐CBE_V01 for multiplexed editing to generate microRNA‐resistant mRNA transcripts as well as pre‐mature stop codons in multiple seed trait genes. In addition, we harnessed A3A/Y130F‐CBE_V01 for efficient artificial evolution of novel ALS and EPSPS alleles which conferred herbicide resistance in rice. To further improve C‐to‐T base editing, multiple CBE_V02, CBE_V03 and CBE_V04 systems were developed and tested in rice protoplasts. The CBE_V04 systems were found to have improved editing activity and purity with focal recruitment of more uracil DNA glycosylase inhibitors (UGIs) by the engineered single guide RNA 2.0 scaffold. Finally, we used whole‐genome sequencing (WGS) to compare six CBE_V01 systems and four CBE_V04 systems for genome‐wide off‐target effects in rice. Different levels of cytidine deaminase‐dependent and sgRNA‐independent off‐target effects were indeed revealed by WGS among edited lines by these CBE systems. We also investigated genome‐wide sgRNA‐dependent off‐target effects by different CBEs in rice. This comprehensive study compared 21 different CBE systems, and benchmarked PmCDA1‐CBE_V04 and A3A/Y130F‐CBE_V04 as next‐generation plant CBEs with high editing efficiency, purity, and specificity.

Here, a flexible electrode based on three-dimensional melamine foam-derived macroporous carbon (3D-FC) loading graphene oxide (GO), Schiff base polymer (SPB) foam-derived carbon (CNDS), and polyaniline (PANI) arrays are employed for supercapacitors. The commercial melamine foam is prepared into ultralight and flexible 3D-FC by high-temperature carbonization, and then the GO is uniformly distributed into 3D-FC to form 3D-FC/GO, which avoid the aggregation of GO. The SPB foam is grown on 3D-FC/GO and subsequently is transformed into CNDS by carbonization for loading PANI. The uniformly distributed GO connected the fibers of 3D-FC to improve the electrical conductivity. The macropores of 3D-FC/GO/CNDS/PANI enhance the mass transfer. The PANI is vertically arrayed on 3D-FC/GO/CNDS to form flexible 3D-FC/GO/CNDS/PANI. The as-prepared 3D-FC/GO/CNDS/PANI as electrode materials exhibits a rapid electron transport and good performance with a specific capacitance of 2814.5 F g−1 at the current density of 0.5 A g−1.

Charge density wave (CDW) in two-dimensional (2D) crystals plays a vital role in tuning the interface structures and properties. However, how the CDW tunes the self-assembled molecular superlattice still remains unclear. In this study, we investigated the self-assembled manganese phthalocyanine (MnPc) molecular superlattice on single-layered 1T- and 2H-NbSe2 crystals under regulation by distinct CDW patterns. We observe that, in low coverage, MnPc molecules preferentially adsorb on 2H-NbSe2 compared to 1T-NbSe2. With increasing coverage, MnPc can form a highly ordered superlattice on 2H-NbSe2; however, it is randomly distributed on 1T-NbSe2. We reveal a perfect geometric commensurability between the molecular superlattice and intrinsic CDW pattern in 2H-NbSe2 and a poor commensurability for that of 1T-NbSe2. We believe that the subtly different geometric commensurability dominates the different adsorption and arrangement of the molecular superlattices on 2D CDW patterns. Our study provides a pioneering approach for tuning the molecular superlattices using the CDW patterns.

The aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) is a ligand-binding protein that responds to environmental aromatic hydrocarbons and stimulates the transcription of downstream phase I enzyme–related genes by binding the cis element of dioxin-responsive elements (DREs)/xenobiotic-responsive elements. Dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) is a well-known organic solvent that is often used to dissolve phase I reagents in toxicology and oxidative stress research experiments. In the current study, we discovered that 0.1% DMSO significantly induced the activation of the AhR promoter via DREs and produced reactive oxygen species, which induced apoptosis in mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs). Moreover, Jun dimerization protein 2 (Jdp2) was found to be required for activation of the AhR promoter in response to DMSO. Coimmunoprecipitation and chromatin immunoprecipitation studies demonstrated that the phase I–dependent transcription factors, AhR and the AhR nuclear translocator, and phase II–dependent transcription factors such as nuclear factor (erythroid-derived 2)–like 2 (Nrf2) integrated into DRE sites together with Jdp2 to form an activation complex to increase AhR promoter activity in response to DMSO in MEFs. Our findings provide evidence for the functional role of Jdp2 in controlling the AhR gene via Nrf2 and provide insights into how Jdp2 contributes to the regulation of ROS production and the cell spreading and apoptosis produced by the ligand DMSO in MEFs. Graphical abstract

Melt spinning is the most extensively used method of fabricating polymeric fibers in the textile industry. This series of studies aimed to construct an automatic abnormality diagnosis system for polypropylene (PP) as-spun fiber produced by the melt spinning process. Part I of this study aimed to construct the processing parameter optimization for the PP as-spun fiber produced by the melt spinning machine. The product quality resulting from the processing parameters of the melt spinning process included six control factors: extruder temperature, gear pump temperature, die-head temperature, rotational speed of extruder, rotational speed of gear pump, and take-up speed. The quality characteristics included fiber fineness, breaking strength, breaking elongation, and modulus of resilience. The quality data were derived from the experiments, the design of which were based on the orthogonal array of the Taguchi method in order to calculate the signal-to-noise ratio, analysis of variance, and confidence interval. Principal component analysis was then applied to eliminate the multi-correlation of the output responses and transform the correlated responses into principal components, to obtain multi-quality optimum processing parameters. These optimum parameters, including the extruder temperature (180°C), gear pump temperature (220°C), die-head temperature (240°C), the rotational speed of the extruder (7.5 rpm), the rotational speed of the gear pump (15 rpm), and take-up speed (700 rpm) would later be used to build a prediction of an abnormality diagnosis system for identification of fault processing parameters in a melt spinning machine in Part II of this study.

Photoactive conjugated microporous polymers (CMPs) are emerging as porous materials capable of mediating the photocatalytic evolution of H2 from water. In this study, we synthesized three pyrene-based CMPs (Py–F-CMP, Py–TPA-CMP, Py–TPE-CMP) through Sonogashira–Hagihara cross-couplings of 1,3,6,8-tetraethynylpyrene (Py–T, as a common monomer building block) with 2,7-dibromo-9H-fluorene (F–Br2), tris(4-bromophenyl)amine (TPA–Br3), and 1,1,2,2-tetrakis(4-bromophenyl)ethene (TPE–Br4), respectively, in the presence of Pd(PPh3)4 in DMF/Et3N. We then characterized the chemical structures, crystallinities, thermal stabilities, surface morphologies, and porosities of these three new CMPs. Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) analyses and tests of photocatalytic H2 production revealed that Py–TPA-CMP displayed the highest BET surface area (454 m2 g−1), highest total pore volume (0.28 cm3 g−1), highest H2 evolution rate (19 200 μmol h−1 g−1), and highest apparent quantum yield (15.3%) when compared with those of Py–F-CMP, Py–TPE-CMP, and other organic porous materials.

TRIzol is a monophasic solution of phenol and guanidine isothiocyanate used for the extraction of RNA, DNA and proteins from tissues or cells. However, few studies have described its application to DNA extraction due to its time-consuming procedure. We present a TRIzol-modified method of extracting DNA from tissues using the TRIzol reagent and a silica column, which requires only one-third of the time required for the classic extraction procedure. Spectrophotometric analysis showed that the 260/280 and 260/230 nm optical density ratio of the DNA extracted using the TRIzol-modified method is ideal and equal to that obtained by the classic method and commercial DNAiso methods. The DNA extracted by the TRIzol-modified method had the same performance in a restriction enzyme digestion and quantitative PCR as that extracted using the classic method. Using the TRIzol-modified method saves time, simplifies the DNA extraction procedure, and facilitates various molecular biology assays.

We report an experimental demonstration of GaN-based vertical-channel junction field-effect transistors (VC-JFETs). A p-GaN regrowth by metalorganic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) and a subsequent self-planarization process were developed to fabricate the GaN VC-JFETs. Fin-like channel regions were patterned by electron beam lithography (EBL) and aligned to ${m}$ -plane or ${a}$ -plane. The electrical properties of lateral and vertical p-n junctions were characterized to verify the effectiveness of the p-GaN regrowth. Both VC-JFETs with ${m}$ -plane and ${a}$ -plane channels show decent gate modulation. We further discussed important factors that may affect the device performance including interfacial impurities and nonuniform acceptor distribution. This work highlights the successful demonstration of GaN VC-JFETs and lateral p-n junctions by an etch-then-regrow process, providing valuable information and reference for the further development of GaN power electronics.

A series of functionalized ionic liquids (ILs) were developed for the reductive functionalization of CO2 with amine and hydrosilane to afford formamides under mild conditions. It was found that 1,8-diazabicyclo[5.4.0]undec-7-ene (DBU)-based IL i.e. [DBUC12]Br showed high efficiency for the N-formylation reaction of amines without using any organic solvents or additives. Furthermore, control experiments suggested the cations with active hydrogen may weaken the nucleophilicity of anions through ion pairing interactions, thereby affecting the activation of hydrosilane. The reaction mechanism was then investigated by Density Functional Theory (DFT) calculations. This protocol represents a highly efficient and environmentally friendly example for catalytic conversion of CO2 into value-added chemicals such as formamide derivatives by employing DBU functionalized ILs.

A tetrathiotungstate-intercalated NiAl layered double hydroxide (LDH) was synthesized and then calcined under N2 at various temperatures to prepare a series of NiW presulfurized hydrotreating catalysts. Upon calcination, WS42– in the interlayer decomposes into WS3 and then WS2, releasing sulfur to sulfurize nickel in the sheets. The property and activities of catalysts for hydrodesulfurization (HDS) of dibenzothiophene and hydrodearomatization (HDA) of tetralin are dependent on the calcination temperature. At 300 °C, WS3 can be well maintained, offering highly active hydrogenation sites S22– and superior HDA activity. As the temperature increases up to 500 °C, WS3 converts into WS2, while nickel sulfides migrate to the edge of WS2 to form NiWS phases with high HDS activity. LDH-based presulfurized catalysts can achieve fully sulfurized and well-dispersed tungsten species even at high tungsten loadings and can retain more WS3 even at high temperatures because of the peculiar properties of LDHs. Therefore, they show better HDS and superior HDA activities over an oxidic NiW LDH-based catalyst (LDO) and an alumina-supported NiWS presulfurized catalyst (NiWS/Al2O3). The optimized catalyst shows 1.59 and 1.05 times higher HDS activity than LDO and NiWS/Al2O3 while 2.05 and 1.77 times higher HDA activity than LDO and NiWS/Al2O3, respectively. It also shows better HDS and HDA activity for a real diesel than a NiCoMoW/Al2O3 commercial catalyst.

Bacterial infections are the most common type of clinical infection. The abuse of clinical antibiotics has led to the frequent appearance of drug-resistant strains and even some super bacteria. In this study, we synthesized Poly(MTZ) n -(DMAEMA) m polymer micelles with cations on the surface. The synthesis of this novel polymer comes in two steps. First, Poly(MTZ) n was synthesized with metronidazole (MTZ) referred as the macromolecular chain transfer agent and v-501 as the initiator for initiating the polymerization of 4-cyanopentanoic acid dithiobenzoate. Then, novel polymer micelles were synthesized with Poly(MTZ) n referred as the macromolecular chain transfer agent and v-501 as the initiator for initiating the polymerization of the monomer 2-(dimethylamino) ethyl methacrylate, which could adsorb to the negatively charged bacterial surface via electrostatic interaction and enhance bactericidal activity. Scanning electron microscopy showed that the micelles could be accurately targeted to the surface of bacteria, and the zone of inhibition assay confirmed that the micelles could enhance the sensitivity of bacteria to drugs. Hence, Poly(MTZ) n -(DMAEMA) m polymer micelles will have potential use for the clinical treatment of anaerobic infections in the future.

Clean label products with natural antioxidants have always attracted great attention due to healthy benefits. In this study, the stability of palm olein oil with various natural antioxidants (cedarwood, citronella, clove, nutmeg and rosemary oil) during the heat treatment was investigated; the acidic value, conjugated diene and triene content, peroxide value, thiobarbituric acid reactive substance value and instrumental color of the palm olein oil were analyzed. Sample with nutmeg oil exhibited the highest oxidation stability. In addition, the higher the nutmeg oil concentration, the better the prevention of oil oxidation during the heat treatment. During the repeated frying with corn extrudate, nutmeg oil concentration of 4 g/kg palm olein oil was able to prevent lipid degradation. The acidic and peroxide value of the palm olein oil in the fryer was statistically similar to that of the extracted oil from the fried extrudate. Nutmeg oil can be considered as a potential natural antioxidant for industrial frying of snack food products.

The effects of clay particles (montmorillonite, M) and phosphate (P) on the transport of hydrochar nanoparticles (NPs) in water-saturated porous media (uncoated and aluminum (Al) oxide-coated sands) were explored in NaCl (1-50 mM) solutions. Our results showed that the deposition behaviors of hydrochar NPs affected by M and phosphate were significantly different between pH 6.0 and pH 9.0, especially in Al oxide-coated sand. This can be attributed to their distinct surface characteristics: hydrochar agglomerates with a larger pore size distribution, more carboxylate groups, and less negative charges on the surface at pH 9.0 than those at pH 6.0. In Al oxide-coated sand, block adsorption of hydrochar was alleviated appreciably with the presence of M due to the preferential preoccupies of M on these favorable retention sites. On the contrary, M substantially increased the hydrochar retention on uncoated sand due to the formation of nanoaggregates between hydrochar and M. Differently, phosphate substantially enhanced the transport of hydrochar, even in coated sand, due to the strong phosphate adsorption onto Al oxide on the surface of sand and hydrochar. Our findings will provide useful insights into designing effective strategies for land application of hydrochar while minimizing potential environmental risks. Graphical abstract.

In this study, Fenton oxidation and activated persulfate oxidation were used to investigate the optimized in situ chemical oxidation (ISCO) process for its efficiency on petroleum-hydrocarbon contaminated groundwater cleanup. In the batch and column experiments using benzene and toluene as the target compounds, oxidant depletion, soil oxidant demand (SOD), adsorption of oxidant on soils, and oxidation kinetics were studied. Results show that Fenton oxidation process was more catalytic than activated persulfate oxidation by ferrous iron catalysis. Higher SOD value was obtained for H2O2 than persulfate because H2O2 had higher reactivity to soil organic matter. In addition, increased benzene and toluene oxidation rates were observed with increased concentrations of H2O2 and persulfate oxidants. The calculated pseudo first-order decay rate constants (k’) for Fenton and activated persulfate oxidation processes were 1.65 and 0.13 1/h for benzene and 1.28 and 0.1 1/h for toluene, respectively. Compared to persulfate oxidation, results indicate that Fenton oxidation had much higher reaction rates on petroleum hydrocarbon oxidation. Results from the column experiment show that up to 5.94 pore volumes (PVs) of H2O2 solution and 12.85 PVs of persulfate solution were required to cleanup benzene and toluene contaminated groundwater with an oxidant concentration of 10 wt%, ferrous iron concentration of 100 mg/L, and initial contaminant concentration of 50 mg/L. Results indicate that the Fenton oxidation process would be a more practical and efficient approach to remediate petroleum-hydrocarbon contaminated groundwater. The results would be useful in developing an ISCO system for a practical field application to cleanup benzene and toluene contaminated groundwater.

The g-C3N4/ZnO nanorods were prepared by simple hydrothermal, grinding and calcination methods. The characterization of g-C3N4/ZnO nanorods was done by different analytical techniques such as SEM, TEM, XRD, XPS, FT-IR and UV–Vis. g-C3N4/ZnO nanorods with heterostructures have been successfully synthesized without changing the structure between the monomers, which broadens the visible light response range and improves several major pollutants in water degradation rate. Photocatalytic studies were done for the degradation of MB, RhB, Cr(VI) and eosin which are almost fully degraded. The experimental results show that the photocatalytic performance of the nanorods is much better than others. The g-C3N4/ZnO photocatalyst has excellent stability and repeated cycle performance. Basing on the results of comprehensive free radical trapping test and ESR tests, it is proposed that the main active substance of the catalyst for degrading dyes is ·02-, and ·OH played significant roles in the degradation process. A good photocatalytic mechanism has been proven.

Stable poly(styrene-co-2-ethylhexyl acrylate) latex particles with diameter less than 600 nm were prepared by the miniemulsion polymerization of Pickering emulsions stabilized with hexyl-functional...

Urea, as a prospective energy source, is rarely utilized for lack of effective catalysts to overcome its sluggish kinetics during its electrolysis. Exploiting low-cost and high-efficiency catalysts to accelerate the urea oxidation reaction (UOR) does make sense as it can relieve not only energy shortage but also the water contamination problems. In this work, the Ni₃S₂ nanosheets grown on the Ni foam with different amounts of Mn²⁺ doping were developed as useful electrocatalysts toward UOR. The experimental and computational methods were performed to explore the properties of obtained samples. We found that the doping of Mn²⁺ could distinctly regulate the charge distribution of Ni₃S₂ by which the performance was observably optimized. We also compared the behaviors of obtained catalysts with various dopant concentrations of Mn²⁺. Especially, Ni₃S₂ grown on the Ni foam with the addition of 0.2 mmol of Mn²⁺ exhibits splendid properties with a lower potential and superior longevity, which can achieve a current density of 100 mA cm–² at a voltage of only 1.397 V (vs reversible hydrogen electrode) in 1.0 M KOH containing 0.5 M urea solution, indicating that our findings can serve as promising electrocatalysts for urea electrolysis.

Nb-modified Mo–V–Nb tri-component oxides were synthesized for catalytic oxidative dehydrogenation of Cα–OH lignin model compounds. Nb–O octahedron as the nucleation center refined the Mo–V–Nb oxide particles with TiO2 as the support and changed the selective oxidation performance of the catalyst to a certain extent. However, the conversion of Cα–OH lignin model compounds was significantly reduced under the catalysis of Mo–V–Nb–O with too much Nb content. The experimental results showed that the effect of Nb in the three-component oxides not only reduced the crystal size of the catalyst, but also more importantly adjusted the valence state of vanadium. The valence state of vanadium in vanadyl octahedron formed based on Nb nucleation center was adjusted. The ratio between tetravalent vanadium and pentavalent vanadium was directly proportional to the conversion rate. The catalytic mechanism was that there were oxygen vacancies at the catalytic active sites of V4+, which provided a basis for the generation of reactive oxygen species in the oxidative dehydrogenation reaction.

In the study, Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus (L. bulgaricus) and Lactobacillus paracasei subsp. paracasei (L. paracasei) were isolated from food products and identified. The probiotics were co-encapsulated by emulsification technique with transglutaminase-induced gelation of whey protein isolate (WPI). A double layer was formed by xanthan gum (XG). The survival of both free and microencapsulated cells in each step was enumerated. The results showed that high entrapment yield (86.36 ± 1.07%) was achieved, WPI-XG provided significant protection for cells in simulated gastric juice and bile tolerance tests compared with free cells. Besides, the survivability under thermal condition also strengthened. During freeze-drying process, the survival was improved and naked cells cannot be seen on microcapsules surface when trehalose was added into WPI solution as a lyoprotectant. Additionally, the structure changes of WPI/XG in the encapsulation process were investigated by Fourier transform infrared spectrophotometer (FT-IR) and the thermal properties were studied by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC).

It has been reported that bipyramidal anatase TiO2 with {101}-exposed facets (AT170) results in outstanding photocatalytic performance. However, its activity decayed significantly and comparatively lower than that of commercial P25 after 20 min. Further studies and calculations showed that the methylene blue (MB) degradation rate constants for AT170 were time dependent and decrease of k values with time. Besides, the results of XPS, EA and TEM could clearly elucidate that the active sites of catalysts were blocked by the carbon buildup and covered on the surface creating the metal–carbon bonding on the catalysts. These observation strongly implied the existence of the poisoning effect of AT170 during photocatalytic processes. Also, the surface area values of P25 and AT170 were found to be 46.83 and 3.56 m2/g respectively. It was suggested that the catalyst poisoning effect could be prevented or controlled by increasing the surface area of the catalyst. Besides of surface area, zeta potential was also found to be served as the important factor determining the photocatalytic performance toward organic dyes due to the attraction/repulsion of electrostatic interaction. The zeta potential values of P25 and AT170 were found to be − 3.8 and − 32.9 mV respectively, which can adsorb cationic MB dyes on the negative charged surface through attraction of electrostatic interaction successively enhancing the degradation performance. It strongly indicates that both surface area and zeta potential play vital roles in photocatalytic degradation toward organic dyes and affect the rate constants.

Two new pyrrolizidine alkaloids, sclerwalins A and B (1 and 2), and one known 9-O-E-hydroxysenecioylretronecine (3) were first isolated from the seeds of Scleropyrum wallichianum. Their chemical st...

4-Acetylantroquinonol B (4-AAQB) and antroquinonol (AQ) are the major benzoquinone compounds contributing to the anti-carcinoma effect of Antrodia cinnamomea. This study used oxygen vectors to increase the yields of 4-AAQB and AQ during the submerged fermentation of this pharmaceutical fungus. Incorporation of 5% of n-hexadecane in the culture medium increased the yields of 4-AAQB and AQ by 15.8-fold and 61.6-fold, respectively, as compared with the control group. During fermentation, the dissolved oxygen (DO) in the culture medium of both groups gradually decreased, but DO in the oxygen vector treated group maintained at 56.1% after 28 days of fermentation, which was approximately 2.2-fold of that in the control group (25.5%). HPLC-HRMS analysis revealed that this phenomenon could be attributed to the acceleration of farnesylation of the upstream compounds 5-DMQ0 and CoQ0 as well as the redox reaction of the benzoquinone ring of CoQ3B in the 4-AAQB and AQ biosynthetic pathways. Besides, a two-phase, in situ, liquid separation system was formed in the fermentation system. Extraction of 4-AAQB and AQ from the aqueous phase to the n-hexadecane hydrophobic phase could reduce the effect of back-inhibition and thus promote the biosynthesis of these two end products.

Sleep deprivation (SD) has detrimental effects on the physiological function of the brain. However, the underlying mechanism remains elusive. In the present study, we investigated the expression of candidate plasticity-related gene 15 (cpg15), a neurotrophic gene, and its potential role in SD using a REM-SD mouse model. Immunofluorescent and Western blot analysis revealed that the expression of cpg15 protein decreased in the hippocampus, ventral group of the dorsal thalamus (VENT), and somatosensory area of cerebral cortex (SSP) after 24–72 h of REM-SD, and the oxidative stress in these brain regions was increased in parallel, as indicated by the ratio of glutathione (GSH) to its oxidative product (GSSG). Over-expression of cpg15 in thalamus, hippocampus, and cerebral cortex mediated by AAV reduced the oxidative stress in these regions, indicating that the decrease of cpg15 might be a cause that augments oxidative stress in the sleep deprived mouse brain. Collectively, the results imply that cpg15 may play a protective function in the SD-subjected mouse brain via an anti-oxidative function. To our knowledge, this is the first time to provide evidences in the role of cpg15 against SD-induced oxidative stress in the brain.

This letter demonstrates novel hydrogen-plasma based guard rings (GRs) for high voltage vertical GaN p-n diodes grown on bulk GaN substrates by metalorganic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD). The GR structure can significantly improve breakdown voltages ( BV ) and critical electric fields ( ${E}_{c}$ ) of the devices. Not having field plates or passivation, the p-n diodes with a $9~\mu \text{m}$ drift layer and 10 GRs showed BV /on-resistance ( ${R}_{\textit {on}}$ ) of 1.70 kV/0.65 $\text{m}\Omega \cdot $ cm2, which are close to the GaN theoretical limit. Moreover, the device also exhibited good rectifying behaviors with an on-current of ~ 2.6 kA/cm2, an on/off ratio of ~ 1010, and a turn-on voltage of 3.56 V. This work represents one of the first effective GR techniques for high performance kV-class GaN p-n diodes.

A SiC trench MOSFET with an enhanced vertical RESURF effect is proposed and analyzed in this article. The device features a deep oxide trench surrounded by a P-type doping layer at the source-side. With the assistant depletion effect of the P-type layer, the concentration of the N-drift region is increased and the specific on-resistance ( ${R} _{\mathrm{ on,sp}}$ ) is thus reduced. The P-type doping can significantly reduce the intensity of the electric field at the gate oxide corner, and modulate the bulk electric field for the device. The breakdown voltage ( BV ) is therefore improved. As a result, the proposed SiC MOSFET has a better trade-off of BV and ${R} _{\mathrm{ on,sp}}$ . The ${R} _{\mathrm{ on,sp}}$ decreases by 59% and the BV increases by 16% for the proposed device without a CSL layer compared with the conventional trench MOSFET with a CSL layer. Meanwhile, the device exhibits a lower gate-to-drain charge ( ${Q} _{\mathrm{ gd}}$ ) which is reduced by 52% and the switching loss is also reduced by 19%.

Vertical GaN Schottky barrier diodes (SBDs) with floating metal rings (FMRs) as edge termination structures have been fabricated on bulk GaN substrates. Devices with different FMR geometries were investigated including various numbers of rings and various spacings between rings. These devices have a low Ron of 1.16~1.59 mΩ·cm2, a turn-on voltage of 0.96~ 0.94 V, a high on-off ratio of 109, a nearly ideal ideality factor of 1.03~1.09, and a Schottky barrier height of 1.11~1.18 eV at room temperature. These devices have similar forward electrical characteristics, indicating that FMRs don't degrade the device rectifying performance. The ideality factor decreased and the Schottky barrier height increased with increasing temperature from 300 K to 420 K, where the temperature dependencies of the two parameters indicate the inhomogeneity of the metal/semiconductor Schottky interface. In addition, FMRs can improve device breakdown voltages. As the number of FMRs increased from 0 to 20, the reverse breakdown voltage increased from 223 to 289 V. As the spacing between the FMRs increased from 1.5 to 3 μm, the reverse breakdown voltage increased from 233 to 290 V, respectively. These results indicate multiple FMRs with proper spacings can effectively improve breakdown performance without degrading the device forward characteristics. This work represents a useful reference for the FMR termination design for GaN power devices.

Two-dimensional MXene, a significant member of the two-dimensional family, has attracted much interest in physics, energy evolution, environmental science, and nanomedicine. However, the acute toxi...

This letter reports high performance GaN ${p}$ - ${n}$ junctions with regrown ${p}$ -GaN by metalorganic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) on dry-etched surfaces. The breakdown voltage reaches 1.27 kV and the differential on-resistance is 0.8 $\text{m}\Omega \cdot \text {cm}^{{2}}$ . The effects of etching powers and surface treatments on the reverse leakage characteristics of the regrown ${p}$ - ${n}$ junctions have been investigated. It’s found that lowering the etching power and damage is very effective to reduce the leakage currents and increase the breakdown voltages. Further analysis reveals that the charge concentration at the regrowth interface plays a critical role in the performance of the regrown samples. To avoid sacrificing the etching rate by using only low power etching, a multiple-RF-power etching recipe was developed with gradually decreased etching power. This work has demonstrated a practical and viable method to realize high performance regrown p-n junctions for various advanced GaN power electronics.

High-energy–density lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) that can be safely fast-charged are desirable for electric vehicles. However, sub-optimal lithiation potential and low capacity of commonly used LIBs anode cause safety issues and low energy density. Here we hypothesize that a cobalt vanadate oxide, Co2VO4, can be attractive anode material for fast-charging LIBs due to its high capacity (~ 1000 mAh g−1) and safe lithiation potential (~ 0.65 V vs. Li+/Li). The Li+ diffusion coefficient of Co2VO4 is evaluated by theoretical calculation to be as high as 3.15 × 10–10 cm2 s−1, proving Co2VO4 a promising anode in fast-charging LIBs. A hexagonal porous Co2VO4 nanodisk (PCVO ND) structure is designed accordingly, featuring a high specific surface area of 74.57 m2 g−1 and numerous pores with a pore size of 14 nm. This unique structure succeeds in enhancing Li+ and electron transfer, leading to superior fast-charging performance than current commercial anodes. As a result, the PCVO ND shows a high initial reversible capacity of 911.0 mAh g−1 at 0.4 C, excellent fast-charging capacity (344.3 mAh g−1 at 10 C for 1000 cycles), outstanding long-term cycling stability (only 0.024% capacity loss per cycle at 10 C for 1000 cycles), confirming the commercial feasibility of PCVO ND in fast-charging LIBs. Highlights: 1 The Li+ diffusion coefficient of Co2VO4 is evaluated by theoretical calculation to be as high as 3.15 × 10–10 cm2 s−1, theoretically proving Co2VO4 a promising anode in fast-charging lithium-ion batteries.2 A hexagonal porous Co2VO4 nanodisk (PCVO ND) structure is designed, featuring a high specific surface area of 74.57 m2 g−1 and numerous pores with a pore size of 14 nm.3 The PCVO ND shows excellent fast-charging performance (a high average capacity of 344.3 mAh g−1 at 10 C for 1000 cycles with only 0.024% capacity loss per cycle for 1000 cycles).

Nucleic acid detection plays a vital role in both biomedical research and clinical medicine. The temperature circulation changes of the widely used polymerase chain reaction technique are time-consuming and technically challenging for system development. Recombinase polymerase amplification (RPA) is an isothermal method for rapid nucleic acid detection. However, current RPA amplicon detection methods are complicated and expensive and easily generate false positives, restricting the promotion of RPA techniques. In this work, a hyperspectral interferometric amplicon-complex quantitation method is presented, combined with asymmetric dipole complex strategy optical scattering analysis. GelRed dye was utilized to form amplicon-complex particles, and the Fourier domain spectrum computation contributed to complex scattering quantitation. With this method, a supporting microfluidic chip and automatic system were developed to achieve integrated, rapid, quantitative, and miniscule nucleic acid detection. The Plasmodium falciparum dhfr gene was utilized as an example for targeted nucleic acid quantitation and single nucleotide polymorphism detection. The total reaction time was decreased to merely 20 min, and the limit of detection was only 3.17 ng/μL. The minimum measurable concentration of target was 1.68 copies/μL, 31.67 times more sensitive than turbidity detection, and the single reaction chamber was only 9.33 μL. No scattering increase occurred for template-free control, and thus, false positives caused by primer dimers and nonspecific products could be avoided. The experimental results prove that the provided method and system can detect single-base mutations in the dhfr gene and is a reasonable technique for rapid, automatic, and low-cost nucleic acid detection.

Antifungal drugs have already been established as an effective treatment option for Candida parapsilosis infections, but there is no universal consensus on the ideal target for clinical efficacy and safety of antifungal drugs for the treatment of C. parapsilosis infections. Few studies have directly compared the efficacies of antifungal drugs for the treatment of C. parapsilosis infections. We hypothesize that different antifungal drugs offer differing clinical efficacy and safety for the treatment of C. parapsilosis infections. We performed a comprehensive network meta-analysis on different strategies for C. parapsilosis infection treatment and compared the clinical efficacy and safety of antifungal drugs as interventions for C. parapsilosis infections. The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, Medline, Embase, PubMed, Web of Science, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Technology of Chongqing VIP database, Wan Fang Data, and SinoMed databases were searched to identify appropriate randomized trials. Among the extracted C. parapsilosis cases, the survival and death rates with treatment of C. parapsilosis infection were compared among groups treated with different antifungal drugs. According to the evidence-network analysis, echinocandins were a better choice than other drugs for treating C. parapsilosis infections, and more importantly, caspofungin showed a more preferable effect for decreasing the risk of 30 day mortality. In conclusion, this study systematically evaluated the effectiveness and safety of antifungal drugs for the purpose of helping clinicians choose the most appropriate antifungal drugs. Future studies with larger samples are needed to evaluate the effects of patient factors on the clinical efficacy and safety of antifungal drugs for C. parapsilosis infections.

The green alga Caulerpa microphysa, which is native to Taiwan, has a relatively high economic value and a well-developed culture technique, and is used mainly as a foodstuff. Its extract has been shown to exhibit antitumor properties, but the polysaccharide content of the extract and its anti-inflammatory and wound-healing effects and moisture-absorption and -retention capacity remain unknown. Hence, the objective of this study was to evaluate the potential of the polysaccharides in C. microphysa extract (CME) for use in cosmetics. The overall polysaccharide yield from the CME was 73.93% w/w, with four molecular weight fractions. The polysaccharides comprised 59.36 mol% mannose, 27.16 mol% glucose, and 13.48 mol% galactose. In addition, the CME exhibited strong antiallergic, wound-healing, transdermal-delivery, and moisture-absorption and -retention effects. In conclusion, the results suggested that CME potentially has anti-inflammatory and wound-healing effects and a good moisture capacity, which can be used in cosmetic applications.

Long-term peritoneal dialysis (PD) can lead to detrimental changes in peritoneal membrane function, which may be related to the accumulation of glucose degradation products. A previous study demonstrated that 6 months of far-infrared (FIR) therapy may decrease glucose degradation products in PD dialysate. Due to limited literature on this matter, this study aims to investigate the effect of FIR therapy on the peritoneal membrane transport characteristics of PD patients. Patients were grouped according to baseline peritoneal transport status: lower transporters (low and low-average) and higher transporters (high-average and high). Both groups underwent 40 min of FIR therapy twice daily for 1 year. In lower transporters, FIR therapy increased weekly dialysate creatinine clearance (6.91 L/wk/1.73 m2, p = 0.04) and D/P creatinine (0.05, p = 0.01). In higher transporters, FIR therapy decreased D/P creatinine (−0.05, p = 0.01) and increased D/D0 glucose (0.05, p = 0.006). Fifty percent of high transporter patients shifted to high-average status after FIR therapy. FIR therapy may decrease D/P creatinine for patients in the higher transporter group and cause high transporters to shift to high-average status, which suggests the potential of FIR therapy in improving peritoneal membrane function in PD patients.

Objective We aimed to establish reference intervals for water-soluble vitamins determined by LC-MS/MS to improve the diagnosis of vitamin deficiency and outcomes of associated conditions. Research Methods & Procedures In this retrospective analysis of 24,810 specimens, we aimed to examine sex-, age-, and season-related variations in vitamin levels in different groups, set reference value intervals for vitamin levels, and evaluate these reference values against those recommended by manufacturers. Results The levels of vitamins B3, B5, B6, B7, and B12 were higher and those of vitamins B2, B9, and C were lower in men than in women, respectively. There were seasonal variations in the levels of vitamins B1, B3, B5, B6, B9, B12, and C. The levels of vitamins B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B7, B9, and C differed across age groups; vitamin B1 displayed significant difference between group aged 0-14years and adult group compared with RCV; Meanwhile, in this study, the lower limits of vitamins B1 (aged 15-100years), B2, B3, B7, and C were lower and that of vitamin B5 was higher than the recommended reference values. Finally, the upper limits of vitamins B1, B3, B5, B6, and B7 were lower than the recommended values. Conclusions The lower limits of vitamins B1 (aged 15-100years), B2, B3, B7, and C reference intervals should be lowered and that of vitamin B5 should be increased, the upper limits of vitamins B1, B3, B5, B6, and B7 reference intervals should be lowered for values obtained using liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry.

Two new tfmpiq-based bis-cyclometalated iridium(III) complexes, [(tfmpiq) 2 Ir(imdzppo)] ( 2a ) and [(tfmpiq) 2 Ir(idzpo)] ( 2b ) (where tfmpiq = 1-(4-(trifluoromethyl)phenyl)isoquinoline, imdzppo = 2-(imidazo[1,2-a]pyridin-2-yl)phenol, idzpo = 2-(2 H -indazol-2-yl)phenol), have been synthesized and fully characterized. The single crystal structure of 2b has been determined. The relationship between the structures and photophysical properties of both complexes are considered, and the DFT calculations have been used to further support the deduction. These Ir(III) complexes emit red light with quantum yields of 39.9–51.9% in degassed CH 2 Cl 2 solution at room temperature. Also, their emission originates from a hybrid 3 MLCT/ 3 LLCT/ 3 LC excited state. All these results show that iridium(III) complexes 2a - 2b are suitable for red-phosphorescent materials in OLEDs.

A modular synthetic approach to strategically unique structural analogues of the alkaloid yohimbine is reported. The overall synthetic strategy couples the transition-metal-catalyzed decarboxylative allylation of 2,2-diphenylglycinate imino esters with a scandium triflate-mediated highly endo-selective intramolecular Diels-Alder (IMDA) cycloaddition to generate a small collection of de-rigidified yohimbine analogues lacking the ethylene linkage between the indole and decahydroisoquinoline units. One compound generated in this study contains an unprecedented pentacyclic urea core and appears to demonstrate increased cytotoxicity against the gastric cancer cell line SGC-7901 in comparison to a pancreatic cancer cell line (PATU-8988) and a normal human gastric mucosal cell line (GES-1).