Publications by authors named "Xiaokang Liu"

Article Synopsis
  • Utilizing near zero-carbon ammonia (NH) as fuel shows potential for achieving carbon neutrality, but faces challenges due to poor combustion characteristics and harmful NO emissions.
  • The study introduces a method to convert traditional gas-powered engines to NH-fueled engines, where carbon monoxide (CO) serves as a byproduct.
  • Two conversion routes are proposed: the first, a "spatially decoupled" method, achieves nearly complete conversion of NH and CO into nitrogen and carbon hydrogen (CH) using separate processes, while the second, "spatially coupled," combines NH and CO in one step but results in lower conversion efficiency due to reaction condition mismatches.
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Ethnopharmacological Relevance: The Anemonoides Raddeana (Rege) Holubhe is commonly employed in clinical practice as a traditional Chinese medicine for the treatment of conditions such as rheumatism and limb numbness. Raddeanin A (RA), an active compound derived from this Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), demonstrates specific anticancer properties against many tumorigeneses. However, the molecular mechanism underlying its effects on hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remains unexplored.

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The causes of heterogeneity in evolutionary rates are a key question in macroevolution. Origination and extinction rates are closely related to abiotic factors, such as climate and geography, as well as biotic factors such as taxonomic richness and morphology, which are influenced by phylogeny. Studies on the relationship between morphology and macroevolution have focused on morphological traits, including body size, shape, color, and complexity, and have proposed biological laws, such as the zero-force evolutionary law and Cope's rule.

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Understanding the characteristics of interfacial hydroxyl (OH) at the solid/liquid electrochemical interface is crucial for deciphering synergistic catalysis. However, it remains challenging to elucidate the influences of spatial distance between interfacial OH and neighboring reactants on reaction kinetics at the atomic level. Herein, we visualize the distance-dependent synergistic interaction in heterogeneous dual-site catalysis by using ex-situ infrared nanospectroscopy and in situ infrared spectroscopy techniques.

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Article Synopsis
  • The study investigates how adjusting the nonplanar metal coordination environment can affect the spin state of transition metal-based catalysts, particularly focusing on iron (Fe) in a tetrahedral arrangement altered by phosphorus (P) atoms.
  • As the number of P atoms increases, the spin magnetic moment of the Fe atoms decreases significantly, indicating a linear relationship between P coordination and spin state properties.
  • A strong correlation is found between the spin states of the Fe catalysts and their efficiency in catalyzing the oxygen reduction reaction, with an optimal activity at a medium spin state of 19% yielding a notable half-wave potential of 0.92 V.
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The efficiency of the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) is severely limited by the sluggish proton-coupled electron transfer processes and inadequate long-term stability. Herein, we introduce a carboxylate group (TPA) to modify NiFe layered double hydroxide (NiFe LDH@TPA), resulting in notable improvements in both activity and stability. A combination of spectroscopic and theoretical investigations reveals the dual-functional role of incorporated TPA.

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While atomically precise metal nanoclusters (NCs) with unique structures and reactivity are very promising in catalysis, the spatial resistance caused by the surface ligands and structural instability poses significant challenges. In this work, Au(Cys) NCs are encapsulated in multivariate metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) to afford Au@M-MOF-74 (M = Zn, Ni, Co, Mg). By the MOF confinement, the Au NCs showcase highly enhanced activity and stability in the intramolecular cascade reaction of 2-nitrobenzonitrile.

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Background: The Atractylodes chinensis (DC.) Koidz (A. chinensis) Chinese herb possesses numerous therapeutic properties and is extensively utilized in the pharmaceutical industry.

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Article Synopsis
  • Doping carbon nitride (CN) with phosphorus improves its ability to break down uranyl, a kind of uranium compound.
  • The new type, called crystalline PCN, is over 1620% more effective at reducing uranyl compared to regular CN.
  • This method makes the PCN stable and able to work well in different pH levels, while helping to keep its structure and properties mostly the same.
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Cations such as K play a key part in the CO electroreduction reaction, but their role in the reaction mechanism is still in debate. Here, we use a highly symmetric Ni-N structure to selectively probe the mechanistic influence of K and identify its interaction with chemisorbed CO. Our electrochemical kinetics study finds a shift in the rate-determining step in the presence of K.

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The progression of osteoarthritis (OA) includes the initial inflammation, subsequent degradation of the extracellular matrix (ECM), and chondrocyte apoptosis. Down syndrome candidate region 1 (DSCR1) is a stress-responsive gene and expresses in varied types of cells, including chondrocytes. Bioinformatics analysis of GSE103416 and GSE104739 datasets showed higher DSCR1 expression in the inflamed cartilage tissues and chondrocytes of OA.

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Rational design of efficient methanol oxidation reaction (MOR) catalyst that undergo non-CO pathway is essential to resolve the long-standing poisoning issue. However, it remains a huge challenge due to the rather difficulty in maximizing the non-CO pathway by the selective coupling between the key *CHO and *OH intermediates. Here, we report a high-performance electrocatalyst of patchy atomic-layer Pt epitaxial growth on CeO nanocube (Pt ALs/CeO) with maximum electronic metal-support interaction for enhancing the coupling selectively.

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  • The study investigates the relationship between morphological disparity (how different organisms look) and taxonomic diversity (the number of different species) during the Permian-Triassic mass extinction, revealing they can change independently.
  • Using a deep learning model called DeepMorph, researchers analyzed fossil images of 599 genera and found that certain groups like ammonoids and brachiopods lost more complex forms, while others like bivalves did not face such selective losses.
  • The findings suggest that environmental tolerance differences among clades influenced the extent of selective extinctions, ultimately showing that the impact of mass extinctions on biodiversity can vary significantly across different groups of organisms.
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Unlabelled: The appearance and prevalence of multidrug-resistance (MDR) Gram-negative bacteria (GNB) have limited our antibiotic capacity to control bacterial infections. The clinical efficacy of colistin (COL), considered as the "last resort" for treating GNB infections, has been severely hindered by its increased use as well as the emergence and prevalence of mobile colistin resistance (MCR)-mediated acquired drug resistance. Identifying promising compounds to restore antibiotic activity is becoming an effective strategy to alleviate the crisis of increasing MDR.

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In-depth comprehension and modulation of the electronic structure of the active metal sites is crucial to enhance their intrinsic activity of electrocatalytic oxygen evolution reaction (OER) toward anion exchange membrane water electrolyzers (AEMWEs). Here, we elaborate a series of amorphous metal oxide catalysts (FeCrO, CoCrO and NiCrO) with high performance AEMWEs by high-valent chromium dopant. We discover that the positive effect of the transition from low to high valence of the Co site on the adsorption energy of the intermediate and the lower oxidation barrier is the key factor for its increased activity by synchrotron radiation in-situ techniques.

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The performance of single-atom catalysts is greatly influenced by the chemical environment surrounding the central atom. Here, a salt-assisted method is employed to transform the tetrahedral coordination structure of zeolitic imidazolate frameworks - 8 (ZIF-8) into a planar square coordination structure without altering the ligands. During the subsequent carbonization process, concurrent with the evaporation of zinc atoms, the structure of the nitrogen and carbon carriers (NC carriers) undergoes a transition from five-membered rings to six-membered rings to preserve the 2D structure.

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Article Synopsis
  • The study focuses on how mold flux entrapment affects the quality of IF steel casting, identified as a significant defect in the process.
  • Using a high-temperature mold simulator, it was determined that lower melting and viscosity mold fluxes lead to lower temperature and heat flux in the copper mold.
  • Results showed that mold flux A (higher melting/viscosity) produced sharper oscillation marks and less slag entrapment compared to mold flux B (lower melting/viscosity), which had deeper marks resulting in greater slag entrapment.
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  • Understanding the dealloying process is essential for creating effective alloy catalysts for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR), but the specific steps involved are not fully understood.
  • Using X-ray absorption fine structure spectroscopy, researchers studied the dealloying of a two-dimensional ordered alloy called PtTe, which is known for its strong ORR performance.
  • The study finds that as Pt transforms structurally before Te is completely removed, a defect-rich Pt catalyst is formed, significantly improving ORR activity compared to standard commercial Pt/C catalysts.
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  • The study presents a method for creating a core-shell catalyst with a high-index Pt shell and a PtCu intermetallic core, enhancing the efficiency of oxygen reduction reactions without high temperatures.
  • Using surfactant effects and solvent-ligand interactions, the catalyst is formed through a self-assembly process that directly fabricates the desired structure.
  • The catalyst demonstrates a high performance with a half-wave potential of 0.911 V and maintains its effectiveness even after 15,000 cycles, largely due to improved electronic interactions that stabilize key reaction intermediates.
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Background: Multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C) is a severe post-acute sequela of SARS-CoV-2 infection. The highly diverse clinical features of MIS-C necessities characterizing its features by subphenotypes for improved recognition and treatment. However, jointly identifying subphenotypes in multi-site settings can be challenging.

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Nonprecious transition metal catalysts have emerged as the preferred choice for industrial alkaline water electrolysis due to their cost-effectiveness. However, their overstrong binding energy to adsorbed OH often results in the blockage of active sites, particularly in the cathodic hydrogen evolution reaction. Herein, we found that single-atom sites exhibit a puncture effect to effectively alleviate OH blockades, thereby significantly enhancing the alkaline hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) performance.

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This study aims to delineate landslide susceptibility maps using the Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) method for the Great Xi'an Region, China, which is a key planning project for urban construction in Shaanxi Province, China from 2021 to 2035. Multiple data as elevation, slope, aspect, curvature, river density, soil, lithology, and land use have been considered for delineating the landslide susceptibility maps. Spatially thematic layers and distributed maps of all the aforementioned parameters were created in a GIS environment.

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Article Synopsis
  • Electrolysis of carbon dioxide (CO) into useful chemicals offers a path to a more sustainable future but faces challenges, particularly in maintaining efficient conversion without carbonate precipitation.
  • Researchers have explored using acid electrolytes to avoid these issues, leading to the development of a proton-exchange membrane system that converts CO to formic acid with high efficiency.
  • This innovative system features a catalyst made from waste materials, operates efficiently for extended periods, and could significantly contribute to advancing carbon-neutral technologies.
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The design of highly efficient and robust platinum-based electrocatalysts is pivotal for proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFC). One of the long-standing issues for PEMFC is the rapid deactivation of the catalyst under working conditions. Here, we report a simple synthesis strategy for ultrafine PtCo alloy nanoparticles loaded on a unique carbon support derived from a zeolitic imidazolate framework-67 (ZIF-67) and Ketjen Black (KB) composite, exhibiting a remarkable catalytic performance toward the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) and PEMFC.

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