Dinuclear Dicationic Iridium Complexes for Highly Synergistic Photodynamic and Photothermal Therapy to Chemoresistant Cancer.

A series of dinuclear Ir(III) complexes have been constructed for enhanced photodynamic and photothermal therapy (PDT and PTT) for cisplatin-resistant non-small-cell lung cancer. They enter cells via caveolar endocytosis, target mitochondria but not nuclear, generate both singlet oxygen and superoxide anion, and release heat when exposed to infrared (IR) irradiation, thus inducing reactive oxygen species (ROS)-associated cell disruption and thermal ablation. The IR-generated ROS can further activate caspases, triggering apoptosis.

Identifying Upper d-Band Edge as Activity Descriptor for Ammonia Oxidation on PtCo Alloys in Low-Temperature Direct Ammonia Fuel Cells.

Low-temperature direct ammonia fuel cell (DAFC) stands out as a more secure technology than the hydrogen fuel cell system, while there is still a lack of elegant bottom-up synthesis procedures for efficient ammonia oxidation reaction (AOR) electrocatalysts. The widely accepted d-band center, even with consideration of the d-band width, usually fails to describe variations in AOR reactivity in many practical conditions, and a more accurate activity descriptor is necessary for a less empirical synthesis path. Herein, the upper d-band edge, ε, derived from the d-band model, is identified as an effective descriptor for accurately establishing the descriptor-activity relationship.

Optimizing Si─O Conjugation to Enhance Interfacial Kinetics for Low-Temperature Rechargeable Lithium-Ion Batteries.

With the growing demand for high-voltage and wide-temperature range applications of lithium-ion batteries (LIBs), the requirements for electrolytes have become increasingly stringent. While fluorination engineering has enhanced the performance of traditional solvent systems, it has also raised concerns regarding cost, environmental hazards, and low reduction stability. Through strategic molecular bond design, a novel class of low-temperature (LT) solvents-siloxanes-is identified, meeting the demands of LT and high-voltage applications in LIBs.

Simple enzymatic depolymerization process based on rapid ball milling pretreatment for high-crystalline polyethylene terephthalate fibers.

The high crystallinity (30 %-50 %) of discarded polyester textile waste limits the industrialization of its clean enzymatic depolymerization. In this study, a simple process based on ball milling pretreatment was developed to achieve effective enzymatic hydrolysis of high-crystalline polyester fiber. Ball milling was selected for its short, mild, and chemical-free process, which achieved a remarkable 23.

Development of a novel "4E" polyethylene terephthalate bio-recycling process with the potential for industrial application: Efficient, economical, energy-saving, and eco-friendly.

Recently, clean PET biodegradation has gained widespread attention in tackling white pollution. Nonetheless, the development of industrial biotechnology is still impeded by its contamination susceptibility, high energy input, and consumption of substantial freshwater resources. Thus, a novel PET biodegradation process was developed based on host screening and by-product circulation to address the aforementioned issues.

Orderly Coating of Bilayer Polymer to Tailor Microenvironment for Efficient C-N Coupling Toward Highly Selective Urea Electrosynthesis.

Electrosynthesis of urea from co-reduction of carbon dioxide and nitrate is a promising alternative to the industrial process. However, the overwhelming existence of proton and nitrate as well as the insufficient supply of CO at the reaction interface usually result in complex product distributions from individual nitrate reduction or hydrogen evolution, instead of C-N coupling. In this work, we systematically optimize this microenvironment through orderly coating of bilayer polymer to specifically tackle the above challenges.

High terephthalic acid purity: Effective polyethylene terephthalate degradation process based on pH regulation with dual-function hydrolase.

Eco-friendly enzymatic-recycling has been widely utilized in tackling plastic pollution. However, the limited activity on the polyethylene terephthalate (PET) degradation product mono-hydroxyethyl terephthalate (MHET) leads to the formation of heterogeneous hydrolysis products, resulting in PET downcycling. Herein, by applying a dual-function PET hydrolase IsPETase with balanced PET and MHET degradation efficiency, an effective PET hydrolysis process was developed to enhance the terephthalic acid (TPA) product purity.

Triggering Heteroatom Ensemble Effect over RuFe Alloy to Promote Nitrogen Chemisorption for Efficient Ammonia Electrosynthesis at Ambient Conditions.

Ammonia (NH) electrosynthesis from nitrogen (N) provides a promising strategy for carbon neutrality, circumventing the energy-intensive and carbon-emitting Haber-Bosch process. However, the current system still presents unsatisfactory performance, and the bottleneck lies in the rational synthesis of catalytic centers with efficient N chemisorption ability. Herein, a heteroatom ensemble effect is deliberately triggered over RuFe alloy with spatial proximity of metal sites to promote electrocatalytic nitrogen reduction.

The role of microglia in neuronal and cognitive function during high altitude acclimatization.

Due to their interactions with the neurovasculature, microglia are implicated in maladaptive responses to hypobaric hypoxia at high altitude (HA). To explore these interactions at HA, pharmacological depletion of microglia with the colony-stimulating factor-1 receptor inhibitor, PLX5622, was employed in male C57BL/6J mice maintained at HA or sea level (SL) for 3-weeks, followed by assessment of ex-vivo hippocampal long-term potentiation (LTP), fear memory recall and microglial dynamics/physiology. Our findings revealed that microglia depletion decreased LTP and reduced glucose levels by 25% at SL but did not affect fear memory recall.

Built-In Positive Valence Space Shifting the Chemical Equilibrium Forward for Nitrate Reduction to Ammonia.

The electrochemical conversion of nitrate pollutants into value-added ammonia (NH) is an appealing alternative synthetic route for sustainable NH production. However, the development of the electrocatalytic nitrate-to-ammonia reduction reaction (NORR) has been hampered by unruly reactants and products at the interface and the accompanied sluggish kinetic rate. In this work, a built-in positive valence space is successfully constructed over FeCu nanocrystals to rationally regulate interfacial component concentrations and positively shift the chemical equilibrium.

Prediction and design optimization of mechanical properties for rubber fertilizer hose reinforced with helically wrapped nylon.

Predicting and optimizing the mechanical performance of the helically wound nylon-reinforced rubber fertilizer hose (HWNR hose) is crucial for enhancing the performance of hose pumps. This study aims to enhance the service life of HWNR hoses and the efficiency of liquid fertilizer transport. First, a finite element simulation model and a mathematical model were established to analyze the influence of fiber layer arrangement on the maximum shear strain on the coaxial surface (MSS) and the reaction force on the extrusion roller (RF).

Rare-Earth Lanthanum-Evoked Amorphization and Optimization to Boost Ambient Nitrogen Fixation over Single-Atom Catalysts.

Single-atom catalysts (SACs) have been widely studied in a variety of electrocatalysis. However, its application in the electrocatalytic nitrogen reduction reaction (NRR) field still suffers from unsatisfactory performance, due to the sluggish mass transfer and significant kinetic barriers. Herein, a novel rare-earth-lanthanum-evoked optimization strategy is proposed to boost ambient NRR over SACs.

A facile nanozyme-based colorimetric method to realize the quantitative and specific detection of casein phosphopeptides in food samples.

As a popular nutritional enhancer, casein phosphopeptides (CPPs) have attracted growing attention in food industry. However, conventional methods for CPPs detection are usually less precise or requires expensive instruments. Herein, a nanozyme-based colorimetric method was developed to achieve the quantitative detection of CPPs in food samples.

Bithiophene-Functionalized Infrared Two-Photon Absorption Metal Complexes as Single-Molecule Platforms for Synergistic Photodynamic, Photothermal, and Chemotherapy.

A planar conjugated ligand functionalized with bithiophene and its Ru(II), Os(II), and Ir(III) complexes have been constructed as single-molecule platform for synergistic photodynamic, photothermal, and chemotherapy. The complexes have significant two-photon absorption at 808 nm and remarkable singlet oxygen and superoxide anion production in aqueous solution and cells when exposed to 808 nm infrared irradiation. The most potent Ru(II) complex Ru7 enters tumor cells via the rare macropinocytosis, locates in both nuclei and mitochondria, and regulates DNA-related chemotherapeutic mechanisms intranuclearly including DNA topoisomerase and RNA polymerase inhibition and their synergistic effects with photoactivated apoptosis, ferroptosis and DNA cleavage.

The Inhibition Mechanisms of Three Structurally Different Salvianolic Acids on the Non-Enzymatic Glycation of Bovine Serum Albumin.

The antiglycation mechanisms of three structurally different salvianolic acids (Sals) including salvianolic acid A (Sal-A), salvianolic acid B (Sal-B) and salvianolic acid C (Sal-C) were investigated using the bovine serum albumin (BSA)-fructose model. The results showed that the three compounds could inhibit the formation of glycation products, maintain protein structural stability, mitigate the development of amyloid fibrils and scavenge radicals. Notably, Sal-A possessed the highest anti-glycated activity compared with Sal-B and Sal-C.

Virtual water flows and drivers in the international trade of agricultural products of the regional comprehensive economic partnership.

The regional comprehensive economic partnership (RCEP) is today the largest free trade area in the world. This paper examines agricultural trade in the RCEP from 2010 to 2019 through the perspective of virtual water. And the drivers of the virtual water flow between China and the RCEP are also explored.

MRI-based tumor shrinkage patterns after early neoadjuvant therapy in breast cancer: correlation with molecular subtypes and pathological response after therapy.

Background: MRI-based tumor shrinkage patterns (TSP) after neoadjuvant therapy (NAT) have been associated with pathological response. However, the understanding of TSP after early NAT remains limited. We aimed to analyze the relationship between TSP after early NAT and pathological response after therapy in different molecular subtypes.

Rational design of antibodies and development of a novel method for (1-3)-β-D glucan detection as an alternative to Limulus amebocyte lysate assay.

With advances in medicine, increasing medical interventions have increased the risk of invasive fungal disease development. (1-3)-β-D glucan (BDG) is a common fungal biomarker in serological tests. However, the scarcity of Limulus resources for BDG detection poses a challenge.

Molecular Coupling Strategy Achieving In Situ Synthesis of Agglomeration-Free Solid Composite Electrolytes.

Solid composite electrolytes (SCEs) synergize inorganic and polymer merits for viable commercial application. However, inferior filler-polymer interfacial stability ultimately leads to the agglomeration of inorganic particles and greatly impedes Li migration. Herein, triethoxyvinylsilane (VTEO) is employed to form a strong chemical interaction between poly(vinylene carbonate) (PVC) and montmorillonite (MMT) via in situ solidification, which eliminates the agglomeration and improves interfacial compatibility.

Structural connectivity from DTI to predict mild cognitive impairment in de novo Parkinson's disease.

Background: Early detection of Parkinson's disease (PD) patients at high risk for mild cognitive impairment (MCI) can help with timely intervention. White matter structural connectivity is considered an early and sensitive indicator of neurodegenerative disease.

Objectives: To investigate whether baseline white matter structural connectivity features from diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) of de novo PD patients can help predict PD-MCI conversion at an individual level using machine learning methods.