Local chemical order enables an ultrastrong and ductile high-entropy alloy in a cryogenic environment.

Owing to superior strength-ductility combination and great potential for applications in extreme conditions, high-entropy alloys (HEAs) with the face-centered cubic (FCC) structure have drawn enormous attention. However, the FCC structure limits yield strength and makes the alloys unable to meet ever-increasing demands for exploring the universe. Here, we report a strategy to obtain FCC materials with outstanding mechanical properties in both ambient and cryogenic environments, via exploiting dynamic development of the interstitial-driven local chemical order (LCO).

Investigation on the Moisture Absorption Behaviors of Palm Leaves () and Their Variation Mechanism.

Palm leaves serve as a traditional recording medium and are widespread in south and southeast Asia, and they have a long history. However, they are sensitive to environmental fluctuations, especially moisture, which may severely affect their conservation status. In this research, the moisture absorption behaviors of palm leaves in different states, including raw, treated, naturally aged, and artificially aged ones, were investigated by intelligent gravimetric analysis (IGA) and water retention value (WRV) to analyze their moisture absorption characteristics.

Carrier-Free Biomimetic Organic Nanoparticles with Super-High Drug Loading for Targeted NIR-II Excitable Triple-Modal Bioimaging and Phototheranostics.

Multimodal near-infrared II (NIR-II) theranostics combined with nanotechnology have emerged as promising treatments for cancer due to their noninvasive and high spatiotemporal nature. Traditional NIR-II theranostics typically comprise useless and massive inert carriers, resulting in low drug loading capacity, reduced therapeutic effects, and potential biotoxicity. To overcome these limitations, this work reports carrier-free NIR-II theranostics simultaneously with high drug loading capacity and multimodal NIR-II imaging capabilities for cancer phototheranostics in the NIR-II window.

Recombinant canstatin inhibits the progression of hepatocellular carcinoma by repressing the HIF-1α/VEGF signaling pathway.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), a hypervascular tumor, is the most frequent primary malignant tumor of the liver. Angiogenesis inhibitors, such as endogenous angiogenesis inhibitors, are essential for HCC therapy and have generated significant interest owing to their safety, efficacy, and multitargeting attributes. Canstatin is an angiogenesis inhibitor derived from the basement membrane and exerts anti-tumor effects.

Bacterial Cellulose Incorporating Multicolor Fluorescent Probes for Visual Acidity Detection in Paper-Based Cultural Relics.

Paper-based cultural relics often undergo acidification and deterioration during long-term preservation. Accurate detection of paper acidity is of great significance to assess aging status and extend the preservation lifetime of paper-based cultural relics. Rapid identification of the acidification degree and acid distribution across multiple regions of paper is essential.

Dimethyl sulfoxide, an alternative for control of Nosema ceranae infection in honey bees (Apis mellifera).

Nosema ceranae is a microsporidian parasite that threatens current apiculture. N. ceranae-infected honey bees (Apis mellifera) exhibit morbid physiological impairments and reduced honey production, malnutrition, shorter life span, and higher mortality than healthy honey bees.

Structure-Functional Activity of Pyrone Derivatives for Inhibition of Barnacle Settlement and Biofilm Formation.

Naturally occurring 6-pentyl-2H-pyran-2-one and its synthetic analogues greatly inhibit the settlement of Amphibalanus amphitrite cyprids and the growth and biofilm formation of marine bacteria. To optimize the antifouling activities of pyrone derivatives, this study designed pyrone analogues by modifying functional groups, such as the benzyl group, cyclopentane, and halides, substituted on both sides of a pyrone. The antifouling effects of the synthesized pyrone derivatives were subsequently evaluated against five marine biofilm-forming bacteria, Loktanella hongkongensis, Staphylococcus cohnii, S.

Reliable wafer-scale integration of two-dimensional materials and metal electrodes with van der Waals contacts.

Since the first report on single-layer MoS based transistor, rapid progress has been achieved in two-dimensional (2D) material-based atomically thin electronics, providing an alternative approach to solve the bottleneck in silicon device miniaturization. In this scenario, reliable contact between the metal electrodes and the subnanometer-thick 2D materials becomes crucial in determining the device performance. Here, utilizing the quasi-van der Waals (vdW) epitaxy of metals on fluorophlogopite mica, we demonstrate an all-stacking method for the fabrication of 2D devices with high-quality vdW contacts by mechanically transferring pre-deposited metal electrodes.

Functional and mechanistic studies of a phytogenic formulation, Shrimp Best, in growth performance and vibriosis in whiteleg shrimp.

Climate change and disease threaten shrimp farming. Here, we studied the beneficial properties of a phytogenic formulation, Shrimp Best (SB), in whiteleg shrimp. Functional studies showed that SB dose-dependently increased shrimp body weight and decreased feed conversion ratio.

Reversible Deacidification and Preventive Conservation of Paper-Based Cultural Relics by Mineralized Bacterial Cellulose.

Paper-based cultural relics experience irreversible aging and deterioration during long-term preservation. The most common process of paper degradation is the acid-catalyzed hydrolysis of cellulose. Nowadays, deacidification has been considered as a practical way to protect acidified literature; however, two important criteria of minimal intervention and reversibility should be considered.

Polyvinylidene Fluoride Based Piezoelectric Composites with Strong Interfacial Adhesion via Click Chemistry for Self-Powered Flexible Sensors.

Achieving relatively uniform dispersion in organic-inorganic composites with overwhelming differences in surface energy is a perennial challenge. Herein, novel eliminated polyvinylidene fluoride (EPVDF)/EPVDF functionalized barium titanate nanoparticles (EPVDF@BT) flexible piezoelectric nanogenerators (PENGs) with strong interfacial adhesion are developed via thermal stretching following sequential click chemistry. Thanks to the strong interfacial adhesion, the optimal PENGs containing ultra-high β-phase content (97.

Bacterially synthesized superfine tellurium nanoneedles as an antibacterial and solar-thermal still for efficient purification of polluted water.

Bacterial biosynthesis of nanomaterials has several advantages (, reduced energy inputs, lower cost, negligible environmental pollution) compared with traditional approaches. Various nanomaterials have been produced by bacteria. However, reports on using the bacterial biosynthesis of nanomaterials for applications with solar-thermal agents are scarce due to their narrow optical absorption.

Bacterial polyynes uncovered: a journey through their bioactive properties, biosynthetic mechanisms, and sustainable production strategies.

Covering: up to 2023Conjugated polyynes are natural compounds characterized by alternating single and triple carbon-carbon bonds, endowing them with distinct physicochemical traits and a range of biological activities. While traditionally sourced mainly from plants, recent investigations have revealed many compounds originating from bacterial strains. This review synthesizes current research on bacterial-derived conjugated polyynes, delving into their biosynthetic routes, underscoring the variety in their molecular structures, and examining their potential applications in biotechnology.

Understanding the application of covalent adaptable networks in self-repair materials based on molecular simulation.

Covalent adaptable networks (CANs) are widely used in the field of self-repair materials. They are a group of covalently cross-linked associative polymers that undergo reversible chemical reactions, and can be further divided into dissociative CANs (Diss-CANs) and associative CANs (Asso-CANs). Self-repair refers to the ability of a material to repair itself without external intervention, and can be classified into self-adhesion and self-healing according to the utilization of open stickers.

Effect of Bletilla Striata Polysaccharide on the Pasting, Rheological and Adhesive Properties of Wheat Starch.

A combination of starch and hydrocolloids is a facile method for physically modifying native starch. Bletilla striata polysaccharide (BSP) is a glucomannan with various applications in the food and cosmetic industries as a thickening agent. This study focused on investigating the impact of BSP on the pasting, rheological and adhesive properties of wheat starch (WS).

Integrated metabolomics and network pharmacology to reveal the mechanism of areca nut addiction.

As a chewing hobby, areca nut (Areca catechu L.) has become the most common psychoactive substance in the world, besides tobacco, alcohol and caffeinated beverages. Moreover, as a first-class carcinogen designated by International Agency for Research on Cancer, long-term chewing areca nut can result in oral mucosal diseases and even oral cancer.

A Stable Open-Shell Conjugated Diradical Polymer with Ultra-High Photothermal Conversion Efficiency for NIR-II Photo-Immunotherapy of Metastatic Tumor.

Massive efforts have been concentrated on the advance of eminent near-infrared (NIR) photothermal materials (PTMs) in the NIR-II window (1000-1700 nm), especially organic PTMs because of their intrinsic biological safety compared with inorganic PTMs. However, so far, only a few NIR-II-responsive organic PTMs was explored, and their photothermal conversion efficiencies (PCEs) still remain relatively low. Herein, donor-acceptor conjugated diradical polymers with open-shell characteristics are explored for synergistically photothermal immunotherapy of metastatic tumors in the NIR-II window.

An Investigation into the Performance and Mechanisms of Soymilk-Sized Handmade Xuan Paper at Different Concentrations of Soymilk.

Invaluable paper relics that embody a rich traditional culture have suffered damage, requiring urgent restoration. In this context, the utilization of soymilk as a sizing agent holds great significance and reverence. This study investigates the use of soymilk as a sizing agent for Xuan paper and evaluates its effects on various properties and the long-term behavior of the paper.

Study on the Multimodal Anticancer Mechanism of Ru(II)/Ir(III) Complexes Bearing a Poly(ADP-ribose) Polymerase 1 Inhibitor.

A series of novel ruthenium(II) and iridium(III) complexes (- and -) with different ancillary ligands and a PARP-1-inhibitory chelating ligand 2-(2,3-dibromo-4,5-dimethoxybenzylidene)hydrazine-1-carbothioamide () were designed and prepared. The target complexes were structurally characterized by NMR and ESI-MS techniques. Among them, the crystal and molecular structures of and were also determined by X-ray crystallography.

Thermal, Rheological, Structural and Adhesive Properties of Wheat Starch Gels with Different Potassium Alum Contents.

Wheat starch (WS) is a common adhesive material used in mounting of calligraphy and paintings. Potassium alum (PA) has indeed been used for many centuries to modify the physicochemical properties of starch. Thermal analysis revealed that the presence of PA led to an increase in the gelatinization temperature and enthalpy of the starch gels.

NIR-II fluorescence and PA imaging guided activation of STING pathway in photothermal therapy for boosting cancer immunotherapy by theranostic thermosensitive liposomes.

Photothermal immunotherapy has shown great potential for efficient cancer treatment. However, the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment forms a heavy barrier for photothermal-induced anti-tumor immunity by inhibiting dendritic cell (DC) maturation and cytotoxic T cell response. Moreover, the lack of reliable spatiotemporal imaging modalities makes photothermal immunotherapy difficult to guide tumor ablation and monitor therapeutic outcomes in real time.

Template Design for Complex Block Copolymer Patterns Using a Machine Learning Method.

This study represents the first attempt to address the inverse design problem of the guiding template for directed self-assembly (DSA) patterns using solely machine learning methods. By formulating the problem as a multi-label classification task, the study shows that it is possible to predict templates without requiring any forward simulations. A series of neural network (NN) models, ranging from the basic two-layer convolutional neural network (CNN) to the large NN models (32-layer CNN with 8 residual blocks), have been trained using simulated pattern samples generated by thousands of self-consistent field theory (SCFT) calculations; a number of augmentation techniques, especially suitable for predicting morphologies, have been also proposed to enhance the performance of the NN model.

Naphthalene Diimide-Functionalized Half-Sandwich Ru(II) Complexes as Mitochondria-Targeted Anticancer and Antimetastatic Agents.

In this work, four naphthalene diimide (NDI)-functionalized half-sandwich Ru(II) complexes - bearing the general formula [(η-arene)Ru(N^N)Cl]PF, where arene = benzene (bn), -cymene (-cym), 1,3,5-trimethylbenzene (tmb), and hexamethylbenzene (hmb), have been synthesized and characterized. By introducing the NDI unit into the N,N-chelating ligand of these half-sandwich complexes, the poor luminescent half-sandwich complexes are endowed with excellent emission performance. Besides, modification on the arene ligand of arene-Ru(II) complexes can influence the electron density of the metal center, resulting in great changes in the kinetic properties, catalytic activities in the oxidative conversion of NADH to NAD, and biological activities of these compounds.