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Abstract The active and stable palladium (Pd) based catalysts for CH4 conversion are of great environmental and industrial significance. Herein, we employed N2 as an optimal activation agent to develop a Pd nanocluster exsolved Ce‐incorporated perovskite ferrite catalyst toward lean methane oxidation. Replacing the traditional initiator of H2, the N2 was found as an effective driving force to selectively touch off the surface exsolution of Pd nanocluster from perovskite framework without deteriorating the overall material robustness. The catalyst showed an outstanding T50 (temperature of 50% conversion) plummeting down to 350°C, outperforming the pristine and H2‐activated counterparts. Further, the combined theoretical and experimental results also deciphered the crucial role that the atomically dispersed Ce ions played in both construction of active sites and CH4 conversion. The isolated Ce located at the A‐site of perovskite framework facilitated the thermodynamic and kinetics of the Pd exsolution process, lowering its formation temperature and promoting its quantity. Moreover, the incorporation of Ce lowered the energy barrier for cleavage of C─H bond, and was dedicated to the preservation of highly reactive PdOx moieties during stability measurement. This work successfully ventures uncharted territory of in situ exsolution to provide a new design thinking for a highly performed catalytic interface.

While there has been an increase in research on Chinese as a foreign language (CFL) teachers’ identity worldwide, limited attention has been drawn to CFL teachers’ positioning and affordances to interpret their identity construction in an overseas context. To fill the gap, this study investigated seven novice CFL teachers’ identity construction as Chinese language teachers in primary schools in New Zealand from positioning and affordance perspectives. Retrospective semi-structured interviews were adopted to understand how the novice CFL teachers were positioned, how they positioned themselves, and what affordances they perceived to be influential to their Chinese language teacher identity construction. The findings showed that the novice CFL teachers’ identity construction was subject to the social, institutional, and individual levels of being positioned, self-positioning, and affordances. Specifically, (1) consistent self-positioning at the social, institutional, and individual levels could largely determine the novice CFL teachers’ identity construction; (2) inconsistency of identities between being positioned and self-positioning at the social, institutional, and individual levels might weaken the novice CFL teachers’ identity construction; (3) affordances as opportunities at the social, institutional, and individual levels could strengthen the novice CFL teachers’ identity construction, whereas affordances as challenges could not. The study concluded with implications and limitations to inform future research.

Intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) is one of the most devastating forms of stroke. Dexmedetomidine (DEX) has shown certain neuroprotective roles in ICH. Nevertheless, the details concerning the underlying molecular mechanism of DEX’s protective effects still need further elucidation. Herein, a model of ICH was established. The rats were randomly divided into the sham group, the ICH group, and the ICH + DEX group. Neurological outcomes, neuronal injury, and apoptosis were evaluated. Brain water content, Evans blue extravasation, and the expression of tight junction-associated proteins were also detected to assess the blood-brain barrier (BBB) integrity. Subsequently, the microglia/macrophage polarization state and inflammatory cytokine levels were observed. To further explore the underlying mechanism, NF-κB signaling pathway-associated proteins were detected. The results showed that DEX exerted neuroprotective effects against ICH-induced neurological deficits. DEX significantly increased the numbers of the surviving neurons and ameliorated neuronal cell loss and apoptosis in ICH. The rats that received the DEX displayed a lower level of brain water content and EB extravasation, moreover, ZO-1, occludin, and claudin-5 were markedly increased by DEX. Additionally, DEX facilitated M2 microglia/macrophage polarization, the M1-associated markers were reduced by DEX, while the M2-associated identification significantly increased. We found that DEX dramatically diminished pro-inflammatory cytokines expression, simultaneously promoting anti-inflammatory cytokines expression. DEX inhibited nuclear translocation of NF-κB in ICH rats. Our data suggest that DEX post-conditioning protects BBB integrity by modulating microglia/macrophage polarization via inhibiting the NF-κB signaling pathway in ICH.

As a clean and renewable energy source for sustainable development, hydrogen energy has gained a lot of attention from the general public and researchers. Hydrogen production by electrolysis of water is the most important approach to producing hydrogen, and it is also the main way to realize carbon neutrality. In this paper, the main technologies of hydrogen production by electrolysis of water are discussed in detail; their characteristics, advantages, and disadvantages are analyzed; and the selection criteria and design criteria of catalysts are presented. The catalysts used in various hydrogen production technologies and their characteristics are emphatically expounded, aiming at optimizing the existing catalyst system and developing new high-performance, high-stability, and low-cost catalysts. Finally, the problems and solutions in the practical design of catalysts are discussed and explored.

Abstract Background To investigate the odonto-immunomodulatory properties of dental pulp stem cell-derived small extracellular vesicles (DPSCs-sEV), which promote odontogenesis by switching macrophages toward the pro-healing M2 phenotype. Methods MicroRNA sequencing was carried out for microRNA profiling of DPSCs-sEV. Automated Western blot, qPCR, ELISA, and flow cytometry were performed to identify the functions of microRNA-enriched DPSCs-sEV in macrophages. A luciferase reporter gene assay was carried out to confirm exosomal miR-125a-3p’s direct target gene. DPSCs-sEV-stimulated macrophage-conditioned media were used to promote odontogenesis in DPSCs and explore the mechanism of immune response in DPSCs-SEV-stimulated odontogenesis. DPSCs-sEV were injected into the exposed pulp tissue of rat incisor to investigate the odonto-immunomodulatory properties of DPSCs-sEV in vivo. Results DPSCs-sEV switched macrophages to the pro-healing M2 phenotype by inhibiting TLR and NFκΒ signaling. MicroRNA sequencing found 81 microRNAs significantly altered in DPSCS-sEV, with miR-125a-3p showing a 12-fold upregulation. Exosomal miR-125a-3p switched macrophages toward the M2 phenotype via inhibiting NFκΒ and TLR signaling via direct IKBKB targeting. Interestingly, DPSCs-sEV and the encapsulated miR-125a-3p enhanced BMP2 release in macrophages, promoting odontogenesis in DPSCs through BMP2 pathway activation. The rat study confirmed that DPSCs-sEV could be used as ideal biomimetic tools to enhance odontogenesis by switching macrophages toward pro-healing M2 cells. Conclusions We firstly defined the odonto-immunomodulatory properties of microRNA-enriched DPSCs-sEV, which could be used as ideal biomimetic tools to enhance odontogenesis by switching macrophages toward the pro-healing M2 phenotype.

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) show promising therapeutic potential in treating inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), and intraperitoneal delivery of MSCs have become a more effective route for IBD treatment. However, the underlying mechanisms are still poorly understood. Here, we found that intraperitoneally delivered MSCs significantly alleviated experimental colitis. Depletion of peritoneal B cells, but not macrophages, clearly impaired the therapeutic effects of MSCs. Intraperitoneally delivered MSCs improved IBD likely by boosting the IL-10-producing B cells in the peritoneal cavity, and a single intraperitoneal injection of MSCs could significantly prevent disease severity in a recurrent mouse colitis model, with lower proinflammation cytokines and high level of IL-10. The gene expression profile revealed that thrombospondin-1 (THBS1) was dramatically upregulated in MSCs after coculture with peritoneal lavage fluid from colitis mice. Knockout of THBS1 expression in MSCs abolished their therapeutic effects in colitis and the induction of IL-10-producing B cells. Mechanistically, THBS1 modulates the activation of transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β), which combines with TGF-β receptors on B cells and contributes to IL-10 production. Blocking the interaction between THBS1 and latent TGF-β or inhibiting TGF-β receptors (TGF-βR) significantly reversed the THBS1-mediated induction of IL-10-producing B cells and the therapeutic effects on colitis. Collectively, our study revealed that intraperitoneally delivered MSCs secreted THBS1 to boost IL-10+Bregs and control the progression and recurrence of colitis, providing new insight for the prevention and treatment of IBD.

Solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) is an advanced electricity generation device with attractive fuel flexibility and conversion efficiency. As its reversed process, solid oxide electrolysis cell (SOEC) can efficiently electrolyze notorious CO2 to valuable chemical product such as CO, by utilizing renewable energy. To achieve long-term operation, the development of catalytically active electrode materials in both SOFC/SOEC modes is highly desirable, yet still challenging. In this research, an A-site deficient perovskite oxide (lanthanum chromite) decorated with in-situ exsolved Ni-Co nano-alloy has been fabricated and applied as a potential fuel electrode for both SOFC/SOEC. The influences of A-site non-stoichiometry and B-site dopant concentration on structural properties and in-situ exsolution process have been elaborately studied from various aspects. Diverse characterizations collectively confirm that the existence of A-site deficiency helps the formation of oxygen vacancies and stimulates the exsolution of B-site cations. In addition, the synergistic effect between the dopants of Co and Ni manipulates the reducibility and promotes carbon deposition resistance of the material. The electrolyte-supported SOFC with self-assembled Ni-Co nano-alloy electrode has shown maximum power densities of 329 mW/cm2 (in H2) and 258 mW/cm2 (in syngas, H2 + CO) at 850 °C, which are 50% better than those of the fuel cell with the exsolved Ni nanoparticles only. Also, the nano-alloy decorated electrode catalyst promotes a 30% increase in SOEC performance for CO2 electrolysis with prominently enhanced resistance against carbon deposition, suggesting the versatile functionality of the materials.

Disk milling strategy has been applied in grooving for decades for its capacity to provide huge milling force on difficult-to-cut material. However, basic research on the tool orientation of the disk milling cutter for the disk milling process on the milling free surface, especially on the free surface of the blisk, is still lacking in previous studies. In this study, the minimum residual amount after the disc milling process is used as an optimization target to obtain the optimal tool orientation of the disc cutter. To address the problem mentioned above, a torque balance method, including a torque balance algorithm and concentric circle ray point (CCRP) method is proposed. The torque calculation and torque balance problem are solved by the torque balance algorithm and the problem of generating random points to cause torque symmetry is solved in the CCRP method. Based on the secondary development of UG NX software, a series of tool orientation of disk milling cutter are calculated. Finally, the torque balance method is compared with steepest descent method, Newton method, and conjugate gradient method in the aspects of calculation accuracy, operation speed, and convergence speed. However, both the calculation speed and the convergence speed are better than the other three algorithms. Compared with the other three methods, the operation speed of the torque balance method is reduced by 0.35 times, 1.5 times, and 2.25 times. The results prove the feasibility of the torque balance method in solving the problem of tool orientation optimization of the disk milling cutter.

The blisk has been widely used in modern high performance aero-engines of high thrust-weight ratio. Disc milling process provides a reliable way to improve the efficiency of the blisk milling. The process parameters of disc milling have crucial effects on the milling efficiency and physical property of blisk. In this paper, material removal rate, cutter life and thickness of residual stress layer are regarded as optimization targets the key process parameters such as spindle speed, cutting depth and feed speed are optimized. Based on the grey relational analysis, the multi-objective optimization problem is transformed into a single objective optimization problem. At the same time, the problem of non-symmetry influence of key process parameters on optimization targets can be solved. And the influence weight of material removal rate, cutter life and thickness of residual stress layer on the grey relational grade (GRG) are calculated according to principal component analysis. The second order prediction model of GRA is developed by response surface method. On the basis of verifying the accuracy of the model, the influence mechanism of the process parameters coupling on the gray correlation degree is analyzed the optimal process parameter combination is obtained as spindle speed with 81.92 rpm, cutting depth with 5.88 mm and feed rate with 66.0823 mm/min. The experimental research show that the optimal process parameter combination can effectively improve the material removal rate and cutter life and reduce the thickness of residual stress layer.

Regulating perovskite film crystallization and avoiding bulk defects during the deposition process are essential for achieving perovskite solar cells (PSCs) with excellent power conversion efficiency (PCE) and stability. Herein, the synergistic effects between n-type, narrow-bandgap conjugated organic molecules (2,2'- ((2Z,2' Z)-((5,5'-(4,4,9,9-tetrakis(4-hexylphenyl)-4,9-dihydros-indaceno[1,2-b:5,6- b'] dithiophene-2,7-diyl)bis(4-((2-ethylhexyl)oxy)thiophene-5,2-diyl))bis(methanylylidene)) bis(3-oxo-2,3-dihydro-1H-indene-2,1-diylidene))dimalononitrile [IEICO]) and perovskites on film surface morphology and stability, and the regulation mechanism on bulk defects in MAPb(I0.97Br0.03)3:IEICO films are explored. The results of theoretical and experimental studies indicate that a large number of electrons on the C=O and -C≡N surface functional groups of IEICO can function as Lewis bases and exhibit strong interactions with uncoordinated Pb2+ ions, substantially reducing bulk defects. Moreover, the resulting MAPb(I0.97Br0.03)3:IEICO film exhibits an optical response in the near-infrared region and an increased crystallite size. Consequently, the MAPb(I0.97Br0.03)3: IEICO PSCs with a p--i--n device structure demonstrate a PCE exceeding 20%. In addition, the MAPb(I0.97Br0.03)3:IEICO PSCs possess superior stability and negligible photocurrent hysteresis. These results suggest that the incorporation of near-infrared organic molecules into perovskites provides a simple method to achieve high-performance PSCs and realize the utilization of near-infrared wavelengths. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]