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Zn-doped and Zn-Al co-doped La2O3 catalysts were prepared by citric acid sol-gel method and characterized by a series of in situ technologies, to investigate the structure-activity relationship of La2O3-based catalysts in the oxidative coupling of methane (OCM). The in situ XRD results reveal a thermal expansion of the La2O3 crystal along the c-axis at high temperature. The H2-TPR results show two types of oxygen species on the La2O3-based catalysts, viz., the strong-binding oxygen species and weak-binding oxygen species; in addition, the XPS results indicate that the strong-binding oxygen species is probably attributed to anion radical O−. The doping with Zn can significantly increase the number of oxygen vacancies in the Zn-doped La2O3 catalysts, which can promote the activation of oxygen and generate more strong-binding oxygen species; as a result, the Zn-doped La2O3 catalyst shows better performance in OCM in comparison with the unmodified La2O3 catalyst. Moreover, the co-doping with Al can promote the dispersion of Zn in La2O3 and further raise the number of strong-binding oxygen species in the Zn-Al co-doped La2O3 catalysts, which is beneficial to enhance the selectivity to C2+ hydrocarbons in the OCM reaction.

Aim This study investigated the effects of sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors on renal outcomes in Asian patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Materials and methods We searched Medline, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Library to identify randomized controlled trials published up to April 2020 that compared SGLT2 inhibitors with placebo or active comparator and reported any renal outcomes in Asian patients with T2DM. Random effects models and inverse variance weighting were used to calculate relative risks with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Results We included 14 studies, totaling 3792 patients, in the analysis. In the short term, SGLT2 inhibitors significantly slowed estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) decline (MD: 0.80; 95% CI: 0.66 to 0.94; p p p p = 0.11). However, dapagliflozin does appear to reduce albuminuria (p = 0.005). Lastly, SGLT2 inhibitors increased the incidence of adverse events (AEs) related to renal function (OR: 1.90; 95% CI: 1.24 to 2.91; p = 0.003), but did not increase the incidence of renal impairment (OR: 0.85; 95% CI: 0.40 to 1.81; p = 0.68). Conclusion The use of SGLT2 inhibitors in Asian patients with T2DM can help delay the decline of eGFR and reduce Scr and UA. Although SGLT2 inhibitors have no overall advantage in reducing albuminuria, dapagliflozin does appear to reduce albuminuria, and while they may increase the occurrence of AEs related to renal function, they do not increase the incidence of renal impairment.

Polymeric monoliths are of great interest in a variety of applications. A new gelation approach to produce a mechanically stable polystyrene (PS) gel directly from its microemulsion is reported. To produce a PS gel, the as-prepared microemulsion is first demulsified by adding selected water-miscible organic solvents. The small PS latex particles liberated from the surfactant are assembled into a piece of bulk material at an appropriate temperature with a high degree of entanglement of the polymer chains. It is found that the d2T/η value is an important parameter to evaluate the gelation ability of the organic solvents and helps determine the gelation conditions. Finally, PS monoliths are obtained by capillary drying and their pore structures can be effectively tuned by changing the gelation time and the amount of solvent exchanged with water. This allows the controlled preparation of bulk PS artefacts with densities in the range of 0.06 to 1.14 g cm−3. This simple method of PS monolith production avoids the use of shaping tools or chemical templates, needs less energy, and is a promising alternative approach to design either integrated porous or compact polymer materials.

Nuciferine (NF) is one of the main constituents of Lotus (Nelumbo nucifera) leaves which have been widely used in both food and drug formulations in China. Although possessing a broad spectrum of bioactivities, the metabolic characteristics of NF are inadequately unknown after oral gavage with this NF. The present study was performed to characterize its metabolism in vivo and in vitro. After NF oral gavage with mice, a total of 55 metabolites, containing 14 novel phase I metabolites and 18 novel phase II metabolites, were identified with high-resolution mass spectrometry-based metabolomics. Recombinant enzyme screenings showed that multiple cytochrome P450s, two UDP-glucuronosyltransferases (UGT1A4, UGT1A9), and several sulfotransferases (SULTs) participated in the metabolism of NF. In silico prediction and molecular docking of NF to the polymorphic enzymes (CYPs) provided additional support for the above experiments. This research details metabolic characteristics and provides an important reference basis for further application of NF.

In this paper, titanium oxide (TiO2) films were prepared by cathodic electrodeposition using titanium oxysulfate (TiOSO4), potassium nitrate (KNO3), citric acid, and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) as reactants. The article investigated the effect of citric acid and deposition temperature on the structure and electrochemical properties of TiO2 films. The results indicated that hydrous TiO2 thin films were prepared at 60°C when no citric acid was added, while thin films containing hydrous TiO2 and anatase phase were fabricated at 60–75°C when citric acid was added. It was found that adding citric acid and raising the reaction temperature (60–75°C) were beneficial to reduce crack width until cracks disappeared. Adding citric acid facilitated phase transition from hydrous TiO2 to anatase. Continuous and uniform TiO2 thin film was prepared at 75°C, which was found to have ideal capacitive behavior with a rectangular cyclic voltammogram and high photocurrent performance with photocurrent 2.89 μA, which is several times higher than that of cracked samples.

Among the transition metal oxide catalysts, manganese oxides have great potential for formaldehyde (HCHO) oxidation at ambient temperature because of their high activity, nontoxicity, low cost, and polybasic morphologies. In this work, a MnO2-based catalyst (M-MnO2) with an interconnected network structure was successfully synthesized by a one-step hydrothermal method. The M-MnO2 catalyst was composed of the main catalytic agent, δ-MnO2 nanosheets, dispersed in a nonactive framework material of γ-MnOOH nanowires. The catalytic activity of M-MnO2 for HCHO oxidation at room temperature was much higher than that of the pure δ-MnO2 nanosheets. This is attributed to the special interconnected network structure. The special interconnected network structure has high dispersion and specific surface area, which can provide more surface active oxygen species and higher surface hydroxyl groups to realize rapid decomposition of HCHO.

Over 30% of commercial pesticides are racemic mixtures. Nowadays, the environmental safety of chiral pesticides has received more and more attention. Metalaxyl is a broad-spectrum fungicide with sy...

Although considerable effort has been devoted to purifying nitrogen oxides (NOx), it is still challenging to effectively reduce NOx at room temperature and ambient pressure without catalysts. In this study, as a proof-of-concept, we have for the first time demonstrated the room-temperature reduction of nitrogen dioxide (NO2) using a rechargeable lithium-nitrogen dioxide (Li-NO2) battery. The battery shows a capacity of 884 mAh g−1 at 50 mA g−1 (an actual energy density of 666 Wh kg−1) and a promising electrochemical Faraday efficiency (FE) of 67%. The unique properties of Li-NO2 rechargeable batteries not only provide a way to reduce and recycle NO2 but also highlight the potential of oxidative air pollutants as energy sources for next-generation electrochemical energy storage (EES) systems.

Conventional carbon materials cannot combine high density and high porosity, which are required in many applications, typically for energy storage under a limited space. A novel highly dense yet porous carbon has previously been produced from a three-dimensional (3D) reduced graphene oxide (r-GO) hydrogel by evaporation-induced drying. Here the mechanism of such a network shrinkage in r-GO hydrogel is specifically illustrated by the use of water and 1,4-dioxane, which have a sole difference in surface tension. As a result, the surface tension of the evaporating solvent determines the capillary forces in the nanochannels, which causes shrinkage of the r-GO network. More promisingly, the selection of a solvent with a known surface tension can precisely tune the microstructure associated with the density and porosity of the resulting porous carbon, rendering the porous carbon materials great potential in practical devices with high volumetric performance.

Background Dried fruits of Psoralea corylifolia L. (Psoraleae Fructus) is one of the most popular traditional Chinese medicine with treatment for nephritis, spermatorrhea, pollakiuria, asthma, and various inflammatory diseases. Bakuchiol is main meroterpenoid with bioactive diversity from Psoraleae Fructus. This study was designed to seek structural diverse bakuchiol derivants with anti-inflammatory activities from this plant. Methods Various column chromatography methods were used for isolation experiment. Structures and configurations of these compounds were determined by spectroscopic methods and single-crystal X-ray diffraction. Their inhibition on nitric oxide (NO) production in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated RAW264.7 macrophages were evaluated by the Griess reaction. Results Twelve unpresented bakuchiol dimmers, bisbakuchiols M–U (1–9) and bisbakuchiol ethers A–C (10–12), along with five known compounds (13–17), were isolated from the fruits of Psoralea corylifolia L. Compounds 1–3, 10–12, 16 and 17 exhibited inhibitory activities against LPS-induced NO production in RAW264.7 macrophages, and the inhibition of compound 1 (half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) value = 11.47 ± 1.57 μM) was equal to that of L-N(6)-(1-iminoethyl)-lysine (IC50 = 10.29 ± 1.10 μM) as a positive control. Conclusions Some compounds exhibited inhibitory activities against NO production, and the study of structure–activity relationship suggested that uncyclized compounds with oxygen substitution at C-12/12′ showed strong inhibitory activities, and carbonyl units contributed to enhanced activities.

One new siaresinolic acid saponin (1)and three new rotundic acid saponins (2-4) were isolated from the roots of Ilex centrochinensis. Their structures were confirmed by detailed analysis of standard spectroscopic data (IR, MS, 1D and 2D NMR). Compounds (1-4) exhibited anti-inflammatory activity by inhibiting nitric oxide production in a lipopolysaccharide-induced RAW264.7 cell inflammatory model. However, they showed no significant lipid-lowering activity against the production of triglycerides in the lipid-accumulation model of HepG2 cells induced by oleic acid.

Background: Dried fruit of Psoralea corylifolia L. (Psoraleae Fructus) is one of the most popular traditional Chinese medicine with treatment for nephritis, spermatorrhea, pollakiuria, asthma, and various inflammatory diseases. Bakuchiol is main meroterpenoid with bioactive diversity from Psoraleae Fructus.Methods: Various column chromatography methods were used for isolation experiment. Structures and configurations of these compounds were determined by spectroscopic methods and single-crystal X-ray diffraction. Their inhibition on nitric oxide (NO) production in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated RAW264.7 macrophages were evaluated by the Griess reaction.Results: Twelve unpresented bakuchiol dimmers, bisbakuchiols M–U (1–9) and bisbakuchiol ethers A–C (10–12), along with five known compounds (13–17), were isolated from the fruits of Psoralea corylifolia L. Compounds 1–3 and 10–14 exhibited inhibitory activities against LPS-induced NO production in RAW264.7 macrophages, and the inhibition of compound 1 (IC50 = 11.47 ± 1.57 μM) was equal to that of L-NIL (IC50 = 10.29 ± 1.10 μM) as a positive control.Conclusions: Seventeen bakuchiol dimers (1–17), including 12 undescribed dimers and 5 known compounds, were isolated. Bisbakuchiol M (1), whose other bakuchiol unit was cyclized to form a 6/6/5 tricyclic system, was a new skeleton compound. Some compounds exhibited NO inhibition activities and the inhibition of compound 1 was equal to that of L-NIL, a positive control. These findings suggested that Psoraleae Fructus provided natural anti-inflammatory constituents and bisbakuchiol M had the potential to be novel NO inhibitor.

The shuttling of soluble lithium polysulfides between the electrodes leads to serious capacity fading and excess use of electrolyte, which severely bottlenecks practical use of Li-S batteries. Here selective catalysis is proposed as a fundamental remedy for the consecutive solid-liquid-solid sulfur redox reactions. The proof-of-concept In2O3 catalyst targetedly slows down the solid-liquid conversion, dissolution of elemental sulfur to polysulfides, while accelerates the liquid-solid conversion, deposition of polysulfides into insoluble Li2S, which basically reduces accumulation of polysulfides in electrolyte, finally inhibiting the shuttle effect. The selective catalysis is revealed, experimentally and theoretically, by changes of activation energies and kinetic currents, modified reaction pathway together with the probed LiInS2 intermediates, and gradual deactivation of the catalyst. The In2O3-catalysed Li-S battery works steadily over 1000 cycles at 4.0 C and yields an initial areal capacity up to 9.4 mAh cm−2 with a sulfur loading of ~9.0 mg cm−2.

Heparan sulfate (HS) is a linear polysaccharide found in almost all animal cells and plays an important role in various biological processes. HS functions mainly via covalently binding to core proteins to form HS proteoglycans (HSPGs), which are heterogeneous in the lengths of the HS chain, the modifications on HS and the core proteins. The molecular mechanisms underlying HSPG heterogeneity, although widely studied, are not yet fully defined. The expression profiles of HS biosynthesis enzymes and HSPG core proteins likely contribute to the HSPG heterogeneity, but these expression profiles remain poorly characterized. To investigate the expression profiles of genes encoding HS biosynthesis enzymes and HSPG core proteins, we systematically integrated the publicly available RNA sequencing data in mice. To reveal the spatial expression of these genes, we analyzed their expression in 21 mouse tissues. To reveal the temporal expression of these genes, we analyzed their expression at 17 time points during the mouse forebrain development. To determine the cell-type-specific expression of these genes, we obtained their expression profiles in 23 cell types in the mouse cerebral cortex by integrating single nucleus RNA sequencing data. Our findings demonstrate the spatial, temporal and cell-type-specific expression of genes encoding HS biosynthesis enzymes and HSPG core proteins and represent a valuable resource to the HS research community.

This work reports a moderate round-the-clock route to treating organic pollutants by utilizing a La2NiO4 hollow-sphere microreactor. A glycerol-assisted solvothermal route followed by an annealing process was applied for fabricating the catalyst. Both the physicochemical properties and the catalytic performance of the as-obtained microreactor for treating pollutants were discussed. The microreactor exhibited a strong ability to degrade phenol and anionic dyes in the absence of light irradiation, owing to its high surface area and positively charged surface. With the aid of visible-light irradiation, the degradation rate of the organic pollutants could be further accelerated due to the light multireflection in a hollow structure, which enhances the utilization of light. The present work indicates that the hollow-sphere La2NiO4 microreactor is effectively energy saving for environmental remediation.

Aim To understand potential pro-oncological effects of lower dose paclitaxel treatment in cervical cancer cells, we investigated the potential roles of KRT17 on migration and proliferation of cervical cancer cells which might respond to cytoskeletal-based drugs treatments. Materials and methods We extracted the clinic data of cervical cancer patients from TCGA database to investigate mRNA expression of different keratins. HPV genotypes were identified by reverse transcription PCR. krt17 mRNA and EMT markers were quantified by real-time PCR. krt17 and EMT markers protein were immunoblotted by western blot. Cell viability was detected by CCK8. Cell migration was performed by transwell migration assay. Key findings Our results showed that HPV16 infection correlated with the expression of KRT17 in cervical cancer cell lines. KRT17 knockdown would decrease Snail2 and elevate E-Cadherin to inhibit migration of Caski cells and SiHa cells. Lower dose of paclitaxel promoted SiHa proliferation, it also significantly promoted the migration of Caski cells. Otherwise, colchicine and higher dose of paclitaxel dose-dependently suppressed the proliferation and migration of Caski cells and SiHa cells. Moreover, KRT17 knockdown significantly facilitated cytoskeletal-based drugs to inhibit migration and induce cytotoxicity in cervical cancer cells. Significance KRT17 played pivotal oncogenic roles in cell survival, migration and paclitaxel-induced resistance of cervical cancer cells. Thus, KRT17 would serve as a promising target for compromising paclitaxel-induced resistance and metastasis.

Graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4) fundamental photophysical processes exhibit a high frequency of charge trapping due to physicochemical defects. In this study, a copper phosphide (Cu3P) and g-C3N4 hybrid was synthesized via a facile phosphorization method. Cu3P, as an electron acceptor, efficiently captures the photogenerated electrons and drastically improved the charge separation rate to cause a significantly enhanced photocatalytic performance. Moreover, the robust and intimate chemical interactions between Cu3P and g-C3N4 offers a rectified charge-transfer channel that can lead to a higher H2 evolution rate (HRE, 277.2 μmol h-1 g-1) for this hybrid that is up to 370 times greater than that achieved from using bare g-C3N4 (HRE, 0.75 μmol h-1 g-1) with a quantum efficiency of 3.74% under visible light irradiation (λ = 420 nm). To better determine the photophysical characteristics of the Cu3P-induced charge antitrapping behavior, ultrafast time-resolved spectroscopy measurements were used to investigate the charge carriers' dynamics from femtosecond to nanosecond time domains. The experimental results clearly revealed that Cu3P can effectively enhance charge transfer and suppress photoelectron-hole recombination.

The biogas produced from the anaerobic fermentation of palm oil mill effluent (POME) contains equal amount of H2 and CO2, in which the biohydrogen (bioH2) is a prospective source of renewable energy. Therefore, the determination of an efficient H2 purification technique has been a major concern. Membrane separation technology is highly recommended due to its excellent purification performance with high permeation of H2 and H2/CO2 selectivity. Polymer blending is a favourable approach due to its simplicity to refine membrane inner structural properties by combining different polymers with complementary features. In this study, the synthesized polysulfone-polyimide (PSf/PI) membrane is an alternative polymeric membrane practicable for H2/CO2 separation due to its outstanding permeation properties, enhanced membrane properties as well as improved tolerance to plasticizing gases. The effect of evaporation time on PSf/PI membranes was further investigated and was thoroughly characterized by FTIR, TGA, DSC and SEM. The miscibility of the PSf/PI blending was proven by DSC with the detection of only single glass transition temperature value. The highest permeability of both H2 and CO2 gas were presented by PSf/PI-60 membrane with 348 GPU and 86 GPU, respectively, H2/CO2 selectivity of 4.4 and H2 purification efficiency of 80%. Hence, PSf/PI membrane is a high potential candidate with inherent properties for H2/CO2 separation from POME fermentation.

This study assessed the environmental impacts of a composite polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) membrane (incorporating nanomaterials) and compared with neat PVDF membrane on algal membrane photoreactor (A-MPR) system's overall sustainability. The life cycle assessment (LCA) was carried out using Simapro 8.4.0 with cradle-to-gate approach, including raw materials, equipment, transportation and electricity consumption using ReCiPe 1.13 (H) and IPCC 2013 GWP 100a methodology. From the LCA analysis, silver/graphene oxide - polyvinylidene fluoride (Ag/GO-PVDF) membrane fabrication showed higher environmental impact than the neat PVDF membrane fabrication due to the addition of Ag/GO nanohybrids into the polymer. However, the A-MPR system using the Ag/GO-PVDF membrane exhibited better environmental footprint due to the improved performance of the modified membrane in producing higher volume of permeate as the output. Therefore, the A-MPR system using Ag/GO-PVDF membrane had outweighed the additional environmental impact of the Ag/GO-PVDF membrane fabrication process. Energy demand was identified as the main environmental hotspot in the LCA analysis. Subsequently, sensitivity analysis was performed to find out the effect of various energy mix for electricity generation towards the environment. The analysis revealed that the energy source for electricity generation had significant influence on the overall sustainability of the A-MPR system. The use of grid with 100% renewable energy (hydropower and geothermal) and solar photovoltaic might be able to mitigate 94.8% and 97.5% of CO2 emission, respectively.

Acute statin treatment has been reported to be critical in protecting the cardiac cells against ischemia/reperfusion injury by activating PI3K/Akt signal pathway. In vitro rat myocardial ischemia/reperfusion model, chronic statin treatment led to upregulation of phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN). This has been potentially indicated the correlation in PTEN and protective effect of statin on myocardium. In this current study, we evaluated the role of sodium orthovanadate a nonspecific inhibitor to PTEN and its correlation with atorvastatin on protecting myocardium against ischemia/reperfusion injury. We found a long-term statin treatment could increase the PTEN level, and this process was counteracted in the presence of sodium orthovanadate. However, the phosphotyrosine level was not affected by this statin. Besides, this process was mediated by Akt signaling since phosphorylated Akt level was altered by statin and sodium orthovanadate treatment. In a conclusion, this study showed a potential mechanism underlying PTEN-induced attenuation in long-term statin's therapeutic effect, which provided the new insight into the synergic role of PTEN and atorvastatin in protecting cardiac cells against ischemia/reperfusion injury.

Background: Rosmarinic acid (RA) is a natural phenolic compound that acts as a Fyn inhibitor by 53 homology modeling of the human Fyn structure. Therefore, the apoptosis mechanism related to NF-κB signaling pathway induced by RA in HepG2 was investigated. Methods: The cell growth, apoptosis, and proliferation of HepG2 regulated by various concentrations of RA were studied. The proteins expression of MMP-2, MMP-9, PI3K, AKT, NF-κB, and apoptosis-related proteins Bax, Bcl-2, cleaved caspase-3 were detected. Results: RA significantly reduced proliferation rates, inhibited migration and invasion, and decreased the expressions of invasion-related factors, such as matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-2 and MMP-9. TUNEL staining revealed that RA resulted in a dose-dependent increase of HepG2 cell apoptosis. In line with this finding, the expression of apoptosis suppressor protein Bcl-2 was downregulated and that of the pro-apoptotic proteins Bax and cleaved caspase-3 was increased. In addition, we found that the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/Akt/nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) signaling pathway was involved in RA-mediated inhibition of HepG2 cell metastasis. Conclusion: Our study identified that RA as a drug candidate for the treatment of HCC.

Photocatalytic CO2 reduction is a green and environmentally friendly carbon conversion technology, which can vigorously promote the realization of the goals of "carbon neutrality" and " peak carbon dioxide emissions ". Herein, the -NH2 modified carbon frame decorated Cu2O (NH2-C@Cu2O) photocatalyst was synthesized by the metal organic framework (NH2-Cu-MOF) under the low temperature carbonization (300 ℃). During the low temperature annealing process, the organic ligand would self-converted into amorphous carbon, which could promote the photogenerated electron transfer and inhibit the photo-corrosion of Cu2O. According to in-situ FTIR analysis, the modification of amino group could greatly promote the chemisorption of CO2 by strong interaction with acid and base between -NH2 and CO2. Moreover, NH2-C@Cu2O preferred to form HCOO− intermediates instead of others, thus improved the selectivity of CO2 reduction to HCOOH. Simultaneously, the amino functionalization could further inhibit carrier recombination due to its electron-acceptor properties. Compared with pure Cu2O, a 3-fold enhancement for HCOOH yield rate was achieved. This work provides new ideas for the design of highly efficient and stable photocatalysts, and also contributes to the realization of the “double carbon goal”.

Background Neutrophilic asthma (NA) was a subtype of asthma. Soluble advanced glycosylation receptor (sRAGE) was considered to be associated with the neutrophilic airway. However, the role of sRAGE in NA still limited. Methods A NA mouse model was established and the levels of sRAGE in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) were measured by ELISA. Hematoxylin-eosin (HE) and Masson trichrome staining were used to identifying airway remodeling. Adeno-associated virus 9 (AAV9) overexpressed sRAGE and inhibitors for HMGB1, RAGE, and PI3K were used to intervene NA mouse model via tail-vein injection and intraperitoneally injection. Expressions of airway remodeling, EMT, and signaling markers were detected using qRT-PCR or western blotting. The levels of IL-17 and IL-6 in BALF were measured by ELISA. HMGB1 was applied to induce EMT of human bronchial epithelial cells (16HBE), then E-cadherin and vimentin expressions were examined after sRAGE, RAGE inhibitor, and PI3K inhibitor administration. Results sRAGE levels were significantly reduced in BALF and the airway remodeling was observed in the NA mouse model. AAV9-sRAGE significantly inhibited the neutrophilic airway inflammation, airway remodeling, and the expression of IL-17, IL-6, TGF-β1, RAGE, PI3K, and EMT markers -E-cadherin and vimentin in vivo. HMGB1 inhibitor, RAGE inhibitor, and PI3K inhibitor upregulated E-cadherin level. Moreover, HMGB1 promoted the EMT process via RAGE/PI3K in 16HBE cells and sRAGE reversed HMGB1- induced EMT in vitro. Conclusion sRAGE levels decrease in the mouse model with NA. sRAGE treatment attenuates neutrophilic airway inflammation, airway remodeling, and EMT. This suggests sRAGE may yield benefits in the treatment of NA.

Background Electrospun (e-spun) nanofibers for wound dressing have attracted wide attention due to its large specific surface area, large porosity and breathability. Compared with solution electrospinning (e-spinning), melt e-spinning is more bio-friendly without toxic solvent participation, which provides the possibility of in situ e-spinning on wounds directly. However, previously reported melt e-spinning devices were usually bulky and cumbersome due to their necessary heating unit, and different components were separated to avoid electrostatic interference. Results In this article, we report on a self-powered hand-held melt e-spinning gun which can work without any external power supply (outdoors). The problem of electrostatic interference for this integrated device was solved by using a special high heat transfer insulation unit. The apparatus is easy and safe to operate by a single hand due to its small volume (24 × 6 × 13 cm3) and light weight (about 450 g). Some biodegradable polymers, for example, polycaprolactone (PCL) fibers were successful e-spun onto wounds directly by using this dressing gun. Conclusions PCL fibrous membrane has good biocompatibility and can be in situ electrospun to wound surface as a wound dressing by the portable melt e-spinning gun. Besides wound dressing, this hand-held melt e-spinning gun may be used in 3D printing and experimental teaching demonstration aids.

Background Acute lung injury (ALI) and/or acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) are critical life-threatening syndromes characterized by the infiltration of a large number of granulocytes (mainly neutrophils) that lead to an excessive inflammatory response. Emodin (Emo) is a naturally occurring anthraquinone derivative and an active ingredient of Chinese medicine. It is believed to have anti-inflammatory effects. In this study, we examined the impact of Emo on the pulmonary inflammatory response and the granulocytes function in a rat model of lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced ALI. Results Treatment with Emo protected rat against LPS-induced ALI. Compared to untreated rat, Emo-treated rat exhibited significantly ameliorated lung pathological changes and decreased tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and interleukin-1β (IL-1β). However, Emo has no protective effect on the rat model of acute lung injury with granulocyte deficiency. In addition, treatment with Emo enhanced the bactericidal capacity of LPS-induced granulocytes via the up-regulation of the ability of granulocytes to phagocytize bacteria and generate neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs). Emo also downregulated the respiratory burst and the expression of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in LPS-stimulated granulocytes, alleviating the damage of granulocytes to surrounding tissues. Finally, Emo can accelerate the resolution of inflammation by promoting apoptosis of granulocytes. Conclusion Our results provide the evidence that Emo could ameliorates LPS-induced ALI via its anti-inflammatory action by modulating the function of granulocytes. Emo may be a promising preventive and therapeutic agent in the treatment of ALI.

To study the effect of curcumin on proliferation and invasion of the human retinoblastoma cells and its potential mechanism. A cell line of retinoblastoma (WERI-Rb-1) was treated with various concentrations of curcumin (0–40 µM). Cell number was counted with CCK8 kit, and cell migration was assessed using the Transwell assay. Immunoblotting was performed to detect the proteins of metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2), MMP-9 and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) as well as nuclear translocation of nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB, p65). Proliferation and migration of WERI-Rb-1 cells were significantly inhibited by curcumin in a concentration-dependent manner (0–40 µM). Protein expressions of MMP-2, MMP-9 and VEGF in the WERI-Rb-1 cells were also significantly inhibited by curcumin in a concentration-dependent manner (0–40 µM). Furthermore, nuclear translocation of NF-κB (p65) was significantly inhibited by curcumin in time-dependent manner (6–24 h). Curcumin inhibited proliferation and migration of WERI-Rb-1 cells, a cell line of human retinoblastoma, which might be through modulating NF-κB and its downstream proteins including VEGF, MMP-2, and MMP-9.

In this paper, LiNiPO4 powders were prepared by sol gel method using citric acid as chelating agent. The article investigated the effect of annealing temperature and citric acid: Li molar ratio (cit/Li) on the structure and electrochemical properties of LiNiPO4 material. The results indicated that pure Pnma LiNiPO4 phase was synthesized at 700 and 800 °C. It was found that the increase of annealing temperature and cit/Li induced rod-to-sphere transition. The particles sizes increased with increasing annealing temperature, while the particles sizes were increasing firstly and then decreasing with increasing the ratio of cit/Li. Decreasing particles sizes had an advantage of both decreasing the charge transfer resistance (Rct) and improving the reversible capacity of pure olivine LiNiPO4 samples. Spherical particles (100–200 nm) prepared at 700 °C with cit/Li molar ratio of 2:1 were found to have low resistance, high electrochemical reversibility, cycle stability.

The practical application of lithium-sulfur batteries with a high energy density has been plagued by the poor cycling stability of the sulfur cathode, which is a result of the insulating nature of sulfur and the dissolution of polysulfides. Much work has been done to construct nanostructured or doped carbon as a porous or polar host for promising sulfur cathodes, although restricting the polysulfide shuttle effect by improving the redox reaction kinetics is more attractive. Herein, we present a well-designed strategy by introducing graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4) into a three-dimensional hierarchical porous graphene assembly to achieve a synergistic combination of confinement and catalyzation of polysulfides. The porous g-C3N4 nanosheets in situ formed inside the graphene network afford a highly accessible surface to catalyze the transformation of polysulfides, and the hierarchical porous graphene-assembled carbon can function as a conductive network and provide appropriate space for g-C3N4 catalysis in the sulfur cathode. Thus, this hybrid can effectively improve sulfur utilization and block the dissolution of polysulfides, achieving excellent cycling performance for sulfur cathodes in lithium-sulfur batteries.

Solvent recovery is a big challenge in conventional solution electrospinning for the large-scale production of ultrafine fibers because the precursor utilization ratio is usually less than 20 wt%. In this paper, we report an eco-friendly two-component electrospinning technique for the fabrication of acrylate composite fibers using a homemade device at room temperature. During this electrospinning process, the two-component spinning solutions (component A: t-butyl peroxy-2-ethyl hexanoate (BPOEH), isobornyl methacrylate (IBOMA), nitrile rubber (NBR), methacrylic acid (MAA); component B: N,N-dimethylaniline (DMA), IBOMA, NBR and MAA) are nearly all electrospun into ultrafine fibers, and the utilization ratio of the precursor can reach more than 90 wt%. The fiber solidification mechanism can be ascribed to the rapid polymerization of the IBOMA monomer in the presence of free radicals formed by a redox initiation system (BPOEH + DMA), which is different from the solvent evaporation in solution electrospinning or cooling solidification in melt electrospinning. Such a two-component electrospinning technique may stimulate the development of an eco-friendly approach to fabricate composite and functional ultrafine fibers.

Background The fruit of Psoralea corylifolia L., Psoraleae fructus (PF), is widely used in traditional Chinese medicine as a well-known herbal tonic. Previous studies have shown that PF and its major constituents may have potential values in the treatment of Parkinson and Alzheimer diseases, though their pharmacokinetics and brain distribution were largely unknown. Purpose To develop a liquid chromatographic–tandem mass spectrometry (LC–MS/MS) method for simultaneous studies of the plasma pharmacokinetics and cerebral nuclei (including cerebellum, thalamus, brainstem, hippocampus, corpus striatum and cortex) distribution in rats of eleven known PF compounds following as psoralen, isopsoralen, psoralidin, bavachin, bavachinin, isobavachin, isobavachalcone, bavachalcone, neobavaisoflavone, corylifol A, and corylin. Methods Rats were orally administered via gavage at a single dose of PF extract at 1.2 g/kg. The eleven known PF compounds were extracted from rat plasma and cerebral nuclei at different time points, and then determined by the established LC–MS/MS method. Non-compartmental pharmacokinetic profiles were calculated, and the distribution in rat plasma and cerebral nuclei were compared. Results The results showed that all the tested compounds were quickly absorbed into rat plasma and distributed almost evenly to the cerebral nuclei. The distribution concentrations at different nuclei varied at one determined time point, but the overall trends were basically similar to the plasma concentration-time results. Psoralen and isopsoralen, the two highest coumarins contained in PF, displayed far higher plasma concentrations (AUC0→∞, plasma≈53,884∼65,578 ng·h/ml) and central nervous system penetration (AUC0→∞, brain nuclei ≈44,659∼65,823 ng·h/g) than the prenylflavonoids (other compounds except psoralidin, AUC0→∞, plasma≈69∼324 ng·h/ml; AUC0→∞, brain nuclei ≈119∼3662 ng·h/g). However, the total brain-to-plasma ratios of the prenylflavonoids were higher than the coumarins, suggesting the prenylflavonoids can more readily enter the brain than the coumarins. Conclusion The established LC–MS/MS method is sensitive and specific for the simultaneous quantitation of the eleven PF compounds in rat plasma and cerebral nuclei. The results of plasma pharmacokinetics and cerebral nuclei distribution may reveal the possible substance basis for the CNS activities of PF, and highlight the application possibility of PF and its major constituents in the treatment of Parkinson and Alzheimer diseases.

Trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO), which is oxidized from trimethylamine (TMA) by hepatic flavin-containing monooxygenases (FMOs), promotes the development of atherosclerosis and is a new target for the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular disease from the perspective of intestinal flora. TMA is transformed by intestinal flora from TMA-containing nutrients, such as choline. Some small molecular agents lower serum TMAO and/or cecal TMA levels. However, probiotics that can effectively reduce serum TMAO levels are currently lacking. In this work, five potentially probiotic strains were administered to mice supplemented with 1.3% choline. Only Lactobacillus plantarum ZDY04 significantly reduced serum TMAO and cecal TMA levels by modulating the relative abundance of the families Lachnospiraceae, Erysipelotrichaceae and Bacteroidaceae and the genus Mucispirillum in mice and not by influencing the expression levels of hepatic FMO3 and metabolizing choline, TMA, and TMAO. In addition, L. plantarum ZDY04 can significantly inhibit the development of TMAO-induced atherosclerosis in ApoE-/- 1.3% choline-fed mice as compared with the untreated PBS group. In conclusion, the use of L. plantarum ZDY04 may be an alternative approach to reduce serum TMAO levels and TMAO-induced atherosclerosis in mice.

Colloidal silica can quickly seep through sand and then form silica gels to cement sand particles. To improve the strength of sand seeped by colloidal silica, carbon nanotubes were dispersed in the colloidal silica to form carbon-nanotube-reinforced sand-gel composites. Then triaxial tests were performed to explore how carbon nanotube content affects shear strength. The test results showed that:(1) with the increase of colloidal silica concentration, the shear strength significantly increased with the same carbon nanotube content (especially the low concentration of 10 wt% colloidal silica, which showed almost no reinforcing effect with carbon nanotubes) while 40 wt% colloidal silica plus 0.01 wt% carbon nanotube caused the maximum increase of shear strength by up to 93.65%, (2) there was a concentration threshold of colloidal silica, above which the shear strength first increased to the peak value and then decreased with increasing carbon nanotube content (and we also established a formula to predict such phenomenon), and (3) SEM images showed that carbon nanotubes were connected as several ropes in the micro-cracks of the silica gel, resulting in greater macroscopic shear strength. Our new method of mixing carbon nanotubes and colloidal silica to seep through sand can contribute to sandy ground improvement.

The application of photosensitizers (PSs) is sometimes limited due to hypoxic environment. To overcome this drawback, one-dimensional infinite tetraphenylporphyrin nano-wires (1D-TPP-WIREs) and two-dimensional tetraphenylporphyrin covalent organic frameworks (2D-TPP-COFs) as Type I photosensitizers (PSs) for photodynamic therapy (PDT) are presented. Meanwhile, the mono-TPP, bis-TPP, and terta-TPP molecules are also studied to investigate the influence of conjugative and metallic effect on the properties of the TPP system. Compared with mono-TPPs, the intra-molecular charge transfer in bis-TPPs and tetra-TPPs is more obvious, the absorption spectra intensity of bis-TPPs and tetra-TPPs is strengthened. Moreover, the 1D-TPP-WIREs and 2D-TPP-COFs with more large conjugated TPP system exhibit photocatalytic activity, which can abstract hydrogen from water to get reactive oxygen OH for treatment of hypoxic tumours. Comprehensively consider the properties of charge density distribution, absorption spectra, band edge position of the CB and VB potentials, the 1D-TPP-WIRE-HCu and 2D-TPP-COF-HCu is more suitable for hypoxic Type I PDT.

This study investigated the characteristics of various graphene oxide (GO) nanohybrid membranes and their performance in algal organic matter (AOM) filtration. The membranes were fabricated by phase inversion method. The effect of GO and its nanohybrids embedded in membranes was investigated in terms of wettability, porosity, pore size, surface charge, composition, morphology, permeability, fouling resistance and antimicrobial ability. In addition, the rejection of protein and carbohydrate as critical foulants in AOM was studied. Based on the findings, all the composite membranes showed lower flux decline than PVDF membrane. Composite membranes maintained higher protein (81–86%) and carbohydrate (77–83%) rejection compared with PVDF membrane (64% for protein and 63% for carbohydrate). However, the reversible to irreversible fouling ratio of PVDF, ZnO/GO-PVDF, Ag/GO-PVDF and GO-PVDF membranes was 3.07, 1.53, 0.86 and 1.09, respectively. This scenario implied that more hydrophilic substances in small molecular weight (MW) contained in AOM had plugged the composite membranes' pores and resulted in irreversible fouling. On the other hand, ZnO/GO-PVDF and Ag/GO-PVDF membranes exhibited superior antimicrobial ability and showed great potential in anti-biofouling mitigation.

In the original publication, the affiliation of authors Ying-Tao Mu, Jin-Qiang Yu, Zhen-Kai Liu, Yan Wang, Jie Shao and De-Kun Li was published incorrectly. The correct affiliation is given in this correction.

During the deep-water oil well cementing process, the concentrated heat release of cement paste reduces the zonal isolation quality of the cement sheath. A new approach is proposed in this work to lower the hydration heat release of cement paste and meanwhile give the assurance to the early-age strength development at low curing temperature. This is achieved by the synergistic effects of the admixtures addition, which includes 20% ultrafine fly ash (UFA), 1% C-S-H seeds, 1% nano-SiO2 and 0.3% polycarboxylate super plasticizer. Combined methods of ICC, XRD, SEM and MIP are used to characterize the phase and microstructure evolutions in cement paste. The results show that when compared with the original low-density cement paste without UFA addition, the cumulative heat release after 24 h of hydration decreases by 28% from 75.7 J/g to 54.6 J/g. The concentrated hydration heat release peak is separated into two moderate peaks, because the silicate reaction is accelerated, and the sulfate depletion is delayed. The compressive strength of the paste cured at 10 °C for 24 h is 3.8 MPa, which increases by 41%.

An enhanced dye (rhodamine B, RhB)-sensitized BiPO4/BiOCl heterojunction (P-BOC) system was explored for simultaneously treating various highly concentrated hazardous organic pollutants, including dyes and persistent organic pollutants (POPs) (such as bisphenol A, BPA and 4-chlorophenol, 4-CP) under visible-light irradiation (> 420 nm). Such high photo-degradation activity of P-BOC system stemmed from the high-performance of sensitization of RhB upon visible-light excitation. Suitable conduction band match between BiPO4 and BiOCl in P-BOC heterojunctions readily facilitated the subsequent electron transfer from excited RhB to P-BOC surface, forming various reactive oxygen species (ROS). Superoxide radical ( O2−) and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) served as the main ROS species for oxidizing POPs. A possible enhanced RhB- photosensitizing degradation mechanism of P-BOC heterojunction was proposed for clarifying the efficient photo-degradation treatment of highly concentrated hazardous pollutants. The combination of dye-sensitization with P-BOC heterojunctions explored a green, energy saving, efficient photo induced system for treating pollutants.

Copper-nickel sulfides could effectively suppress deep trapping states of active charge in carbon nitride. It also improves the efficiency of the shallow trapped electron transfer through C S bond for enhancing visible-light-driven photocatalytic hydrogen production with rates up to 752.8 μmol h−1 g−1, that is 470 times higher than that of pristine g-C3N4 (1.6 μmol h−1 g−1) so far. The kinetic coupling of electron transfer and long-lived charge separation (∼ 4896 ps) are systematically investigated by femtosecond time-resolved absorption spectroscopy (fs-TA). The TA signal of the composite is quenched by hole sacrificial agent, assigning to the effective hole extraction for high photocatalytic activity. Furthermore, a remarkable near-infrared-driven photocatalytic H2 evolution (0.32 μmol h−1 g−1, λ > 800 nm) was achieved due to the hole transfer from copper-nickel sulfide to the trap state of g-C3N4, indicating that the strong interaction between copper-nickel sulfide and g-C3N4 is favorable to charge transfer and long-lived charge separation states.

Introduction Internal bleaching of discolored teeth uses sodium perborate reacting with water to form the active agent, hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). Sodium perborate is replaced at varying time intervals depending on clinician preference and until esthetically acceptable results are achieved, but this is done without scientific basis. This study measured the depletion rate of hydrogen peroxide from sodium perborate as a bleaching agent. Methods Two sodium perborate bleaching products (Odontobleach [Australian Dental Manufacturing, Kenmore Hills, Queensland, Australia] and Endosure Perborate Micro [Dentalife, Ringwood, Victoria, Australia]) and distilled deionized water mixtures at ratios of 25 μg/mL, 50 μg/mL, and 100 μg/mL were placed into sealed microtubes and incubated at 37°C. H2O2 concentrations were measured at 23 time points over 4 weeks. Quantification of H2O2 concentrations was obtained using a ferrothiocyanate oxidation reduction reaction followed by spectrophotometry readings. Results The H2O2 concentration rapidly peaked within 27 hours and reached a plateau by about 3 days (75 hours). Low levels of H2O2 were evident beyond 3 days and for at least 28 days. No significant differences were found between the 2 sodium perborate products. There was also no significant difference in the depletion rate between the different ratios. Conclusions Based on the chemistry of H2O2 depletion, the minimum replacement interval for the bleaching agent is 3 days. Frequent replacements of the perborate clinically may be unnecessary because of the continued presence of low H2O2 levels for at least 28 days. Although these data cannot be extrapolated to the clinical situation, they set a baseline for further studies to address the many clinical variables influencing internal bleaching.

Glycosylated small molecules are often bioactive and obtained mainly via microbial biotransformation especially by fungi. However, no responsible glycosylation gene/enzyme has yet been uncovered in a filamentous fungus. We report here the first identification of a phenolic glycosyltransferase MhGT1 from Mucor hiemalis. The substrate promiscuity of the new phenolic O-glycosyltransferase was explored by using phenols from Traditional Chinese Medicinal herbs as substrates. MhGT1 exhibited robust capabilities for the regio- and stereospecific O-glycosylation of 72 structurally diverse drug-like scaffolds and sterols with uridine diphosphate (UDP) glucose as a sugar donor. Unprecedentedly, MhGT1 showed higher regiospecificities and activities for prenylated phenols than for their non-prenylated analogues. Computational modelling of MhGT1 uncovered a truncated N-terminal domain of the enzyme consisting of hydrophobic and charged amino acid residues which contributed to the broad substrate scope and regiospecificity towards prenylated compounds. Our findings expand the ways to obtain new glycosyltransferases and also effectively apply the enzymatic approach to obtain glycosylated compounds in drug discovery.

The mechanisms of the reaction of CO inserting into the C H bond of furane/thiofuran through the anionic magnesium–CO 2 complex [ClMg(η 2 -O 2 C)] − as a reaction catalyst are investigated using the second-order Moller-Plesset (MP2), and the polarized continuum model (PCM) is applied to simulate the solvent effects. Calculated results show that the insertion reaction route includes three steps: (i) the dehydrogenation of furane/thiofuran through the capturing of the anion complex [ClMg(η 2 -O 2 C)] − with strong carbene character, results in an intermediate I, (ii) the addition of CO via the C C bond formation between the carbon atom of I and the carbon atom of CO through the partial negative charge transfer into the π ∗ orbital of CO, forms an anion species III, and (iii) H abstraction from the neutral complex [ClMg(η 2 -O 2 CH)] 0 produces the aldehyde product. We find that the reactions of CO inserting into the C H bond of furane/thiofuran is an endothermic process, and the H abstraction to form aldehyde species (corresponding transition states TS3) is the rate-determining step. Meanwhile, solvent effect is important for the CO insertion reaction, for example, the barrier of TS3 in THF solvent is lower by 5 kcal/mol than corresponding that in acetone solvent. We expected that the understanding of the insertion reaction can provide valuable insights into related reactions.

Graphene oxide (GO) was prepared by modified Hummer’s method, and reduced by solvothermal method using ethanol as the solvent and modified diethylene triamine (amine curing agent 593) as reducing agent and modifier. The effect of reduction time and temperature on the structure and conductive property of reduced graphene oxide (593-rGO) was investigated by SEM, FT-IR and XRD. The results show that the graphene modified by 593 is obviously improved in dispersibility and sedimentation stability in dichloromethane, as well as in conductivity. The optimal reduction processing is that the mass ratio of GO to 593 is 2:1, the reduction time and temperature is 6 h and 160°C, respectively.

Biohydrogen is a potential alternative for fossil fuels and it can be produced from POME fermentation. Membrane technology has been a prominent separation approach for H2 purification. However, membranes yield weakness in tradeoff between permeability and selectivity. The main objective of this project is to develop mixed matrix membrane with different polymeric bases of Polysulfone (PSF) and Polyimide (PI) with graphene oxide (GO) incorporation as inorganic filler for H2/CO2 separation. Gas permeability and selectivity results indicated that PI/GO membrane with 1 wt% of GO has the highest H2 and CO2 permeability at 501 GPU and 595 GPU at 1 bar, respectively, H2/CO2 selectivity of 1.01 at 5 bar and highest H2 purity of 83 %. FESEM analysis indicated changes in the pore size and top layer of membranes due to the presence of GO. Zeta potential analysis proved that PI/GO 1wt% membranes is highly negative-charged (-56 mV). Contact angle results showed a decrease in contact angle value with the addition of GO. It can be concluded that PI/GO 1 wt% membranes demonstrated better results in the aspects of permselectivity and physicochemical properties compared to PSF membranes.

Nanomaterials can be incorporated in the synthesis of membrane to obtain mixed-matrix membrane with marked improvement in properties and performance. However, stability and dispersion of the nanomaterials in the membrane matrix, as well as the need to use high ratio of nanomaterials for obvious improvement of membrane properties, remain a major hurdle for commercialization. Hence, this study aims to investigate the improvement of polyamide 6,6 membrane properties with the incorporation of silver nanoparticles decorated on graphene oxide (Ag-GO) nanoplates and at the same time focus is given to the issues above. Graphene oxide nanoplates were synthesized using the modified Hummers’ method and decorated with silver before embedded into the polyamide 6,6 matrix. Physicochemical characterizations were conducted on both nanoplates and the mixed-matrix Ag-GO polyamide 6,6 membrane. The issues of Ag agglomeration and leaching were not observed, which could be attributed to the decoration of Ag on GO that helped to disperse the nanomaterials and provided a better anchor point for the attachment of Ag nanoparticles. The synthesized membrane showed marked improvement regarding flux (135% increment) and antifouling (40% lower irreversible fouling), which could be ascribed to the more negative charge of membrane surface (−14 ± 6 to −31 ± 3.8 mV) and hydrophilicity (46% enhancement) of the membranes. With minimal embedment of Ag nanoparticles, the membrane showed superior antibacterial property where the E. coli bacteria could not form a single colony on the membrane surface. Overall, the decoration of Ag on GO nanoplates could be a promising approach to resolve the agglomeration and leaching issues as well as reduce the amount of precious Ag in the synthesis of Ag-GO polyamide 6,6 membrane.

Graphene-based materials have gained popularity recently for various applications. Most of the graphene-based composites have been developed using either graphene oxide (GO) or reduced-graphene oxide (rGO), using solvent processing, in situ polymerization, or melt processing method. The presence of GO can enhance the membrane surface charges, thus, higher rejection toward heavy metal ions. GO as additives in polyvinylidene fluoride composite membrane have improved membrane surface hydrophilicity, which is highly useful to reduce membrane fouling tendency in wastewater treatment. Layer-by-layer (LbL) approach (by constructing GO framework) has successfully produced composite nanofiltration membranes that can reject heavy metal ions (Pb2+, Ni2+, and Zn2+) higher than 95%. GO membrane interlinked with multiwalled carbon nanotubes were also fabricated on polyacrylonitrile support and recorded 93.4% of rejection for chelated strontium ions in an alkaline solution. Polyethersulfone/GO/polyacrylic acid membrane, on the other hand, has demonstrated a significant color removal efficiency of 54% with enhanced flux improvement, antifouling ability, and better color rejection capability. Separation membrane via LbL deposition of GO nanosheets, which were cross-linked by 1,3,5-benzenetricarbonyl trichloride, on a polydopamine-coated polysulfone support, showed membrane fluxes with approximately 4–10 times higher than most of the commercial nanofiltration membranes in addition to high rejection efficiency of 95% for Rhodamine WT, a moderate rejection rate of 66% for methylene blue and relatively low rejection (6%–46%) for monovalent and divalent salts. Undoubtedly, graphene-based membranes can be considered as highly promising materials to enhance the removal of hazardous contaminants, especially heavy metal ions and dyes, in wastewater treatments.

In this paper, we report an interesting bubble melt electrospinning (e-spinning) to produce polymer microfibers. Usually, melt e-spinning for fabricating ultrafine fibers needs &ldquo, Taylor cone&rdquo, which is formed on the tip of the spinneret. The spinneret is also the bottleneck for mass production in melt e-spinning. In this work, a metal needle-free method was tried in the melt e-spinning process. The &ldquo, was formed on the surface of the broken polymer melt bubble, which was produced by an airflow. With the applied voltage ranging from 18 to 25 kV, the heating temperature was about 210&ndash, 250 &deg, C, and polyurethane (TPU) and polylactic acid (PLA) microfibers were successfully fabricated by this new melt e-spinning technique. During the melt e-spinning process, polymer melt jets ejected from the burst bubbles could be observed with a high-speed camera. Then, polymer microfibers could be obtained on the grounded collector. The fiber diameter ranged from 45 down to 5 &mu, m. The results indicate that bubble melt e-spinning may be a promising method for needleless production in melt e-spinning.

Asymmetric fiber supercapacitor (AFSC) is one of the most promising options to boost the energy density for wearable energy storage. In conventional ASCs, the mass matching is normally used to achieve a charge balance between positive and negative electrodes, which would cause different lengths of fiber electrodes that lowers the energy density and bottlenecks the practical use of AFSC devices. The length matching between two electrodes is of vital importance for the practical use of high-energy AFSCs and has all along been overlooked. In this work, using engineered activated carbon fiber (ACF) as a substrate, we fabricate a robust polyaniline (PANI) composite fiber electrode (PANI@Ink/ACF) with a high length capacitance of 108 mF cm−1 (688 mF cm−2), which can be used as the negative electrode to couple with our previously reported MnO2@Ink/ACF composite fiber with the same length. Benefiting from the length matching strategy, the assembled AFSC device delivers an exceptional energy density of 16 μW h cm−1 (102 μW h cm−2), which is among the highest values reported. This work suggests a practical way to realize high-energy AFSCs, and holds great promise to integrate AFSCs with the well-established weaving technology of carbon fibers for wearable electronics.