Two decades of materials research excellence at NIMTE: celebrating the 20th anniversary of Ningbo Institute of Materials Technology and Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences.

In celebration of the 20th anniversary of Ningbo Institute of Materials Technology and Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences (NIMTE, CAS), has published this collection showcasing some of the recent and impactful research from the institute.

Efficient amine-assisted CO hydrogenation to methanol co-catalyzed by metallic and oxidized sites within ruthenium clusters.

Amine-assisted two-step CO hydrogenation is an efficient route for methanol production. To maximize the overall catalytic performance, both the N-formylation of amine with CO (i.e.

Association between prophylactic aspirin use and hypertension using data from NHANES 2011-2018.

Aspirin may be necessary for some patients with cardiovascular disease, but previous studies on the use and dosage of aspirin and the association with hypertension have been inadequate. The results of existing studies have been somewhat inconsistent. Our study was designed to assess the association between prophylactic aspirin use and hypertension in U.

Design of 3d transition metal-embedded asymmetric HMoCF for electrocatalytic conversion of N to NH.

The electrochemical reduction of N to NH (NRR) is challenging due to the lack of efficient catalysts under mild conditions. We constructed a series of 3d-transition-metal (3d-TM)-embedded asymmetric 2D MXene HMoCF with one H or F vacancy (H or F) based on first-principles calculation. Due to the strong steric effect of the surface-covered H or F terminals, N is favored to be adsorbed on H or F through the end-on mode rather than the side-on mode.

Rational mutagenesis of an epoxide hydrolase and its structural mechanism for the enantioselectivity improvement toward chiral ortho-fluorostyrene oxide.

Chiral (S)-o-fluorostyrene oxide (oFSO) and vicinal diol (R)-o-fluorophenylethane-1,2-diol (oFPED) are important intermediates for synthesizing treatments for neuropathic diseases. This study aimed to engineer Aspergillus usamii epoxide hydrolase (AuEH2) through a rational mutagenesis strategy to customize high enantioselectivity mutant for rac-oFSO. Out of 181 single-site mutants screened, six showed elevated enantiomeric ratio (E value) ranging from 32 to 108 according to E value and activity mutability landscapes.

Self-cleaning electrode for stable synthesis of alkaline-earth metal peroxides.

Alkaline-earth metal peroxides (MO, M = Ca, Sr, Ba) represent a category of versatile and clean solid oxidizers, while the synthesis process usually consumes excessive hydrogen peroxide (HO). Here we discover that HO synthesized via two-electron electrochemical oxygen reduction (2e ORR) on the electrode surface can be efficiently and durably consumed to produce high-purity MO in an alkaline environment. The crucial factor lies in the in-time detachment of in situ-generated MO from the self-cleaning electrode, where the solid products spontaneously detach from the electrode to solve the block issue.

Strontium Doped IrO Triggers Direct O-O Coupling to Boost Acid Water Oxidation Electrocatalysis.

The discovery of efficient and stable electrocatalysts for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) in acidic conditions is crucial for the commercialization of proton-exchange membrane water electrolyzers. In this work, we propose a Sr(OH)-assisted method to fabricate a (200) facet highly exposed strontium-doped IrO catalyst to provide available adjacent iridium sites with lower Ir-O covalency. This design facilitates direct O-O coupling during the acidic water oxidation process, thereby circumventing the high energy barrier associated with the generation of *OOH intermediates.

Engineering an Epoxide Hydrolase for Chemoenzymatic Asymmetric Synthesis of Chiral Triazole Fungicide ()- and ()-Flutriafol.

Flutriafol, a globally utilized triazole fungicide in agriculture, is typically applied as a racemic mixture, but its enantiomers differ in bioactivity and environmental impact. The synthesis of flutriafol enantiomers is critically dependent on chiral precursors: 2,2-bisaryl-substituted oxirane [(2-fluorophenyl)-2-(4-fluorophenyl)oxirane, ] and 1,2-diol [1-(2-fluorophenyl)-1-(4-fluorophenyl)ethane-1,2-diol, ]. Here, we engineered a epoxide hydrolase (EH), obtaining mutant / with a 6.

Bioinformatics Analysis of the Expression and Prognostic Value of PLAU Gene in Wilms' Tumor.

Background/aim: Autophagy and immunity play important roles in the growth of malignant tumors and are promising targets for tumor therapy. This study was conducted to identify differentially expressed immune genes related to autophagy in Wilms' tumor (WT) and analyze their correlation with the disease prognosis.

Materials And Methods: The public data of WT and normal kidney tissues were downloaded from TCGA, ImmPort, and GeneCards databases to obtain differentially expressed immune genes associated with autophagy.

Identification and analysis of epithelial-mesenchymal transition-related key long non-coding RNAs in hypospadias.

EMT dysfunction is a dominant mechanisms of hypospadias. Thus, identification of EMT-related lncRNAs based on transcriptome sequencing data of hypospadias might provide novel molecular markers and therapeutic targets for hypospadias. First, the microarray data related to hypospadias were downloaded from Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO).

Sulfur-regulated CoSe nanowires with high-charge active centers for electrochemical nitrate reduction to ammonium.

Developing high-efficiency electrocatalysts for nitrate-to-ammonia transformation holds significant promise for the production of ammonia, a crucial component in agricultural fertilizers and as a carbon-free energy carrier. In this study, we propose a viable strategy involving sulfur doping to modulate both the microstructure and electronic properties of CoSe for nitrate reduction. This approach remarkably enhances the conversion of nitrate to ammonia by effectively regulating the adsorption capability of nitrogenous intermediates.

Solidophobic Surface for Electrochemical Extraction of High-Valued Mg(OH) Coupled with H Production from Seawater.

A significant challenge in direct seawater electrolysis is the rapid deactivation of the cathode due to the large scaling of Mg(OH). Herein, we synthesized a Pt-coated highly disordered NiCu alloy (Pt-NiCu alloy) electrode with superior solidophobic behavior, enabling stable hydrogen generation (100 mA cm, >1000 h durability) and simultaneous production of Mg(OH) (>99.0% purity) in electrolyte enriched with Mg and Ca.

Chemoenzymatic Asymmetric Synthesis of Chiral Triazole Fungicide ()-Tebuconazole in High Optical Purity Mediated by an Epoxide Hydrolase from .

Tebuconazole is a chiral triazole fungicide used globally in agriculture as a racemic mixture, but its enantiomers exhibit significant enantioselective dissimilarities in bioactivity and environmental behaviors. The steric hindrance caused by the -butyl group makes it a great challenge to synthesize tebuconazole enantiomers. Here, we designed a simple chemoenzymatic approach for the asymmetric synthesis of ()-tebuconazole, which includes the biocatalytic resolution of racemic epoxy-precursor (2--butyl-2-[2-(4-chlorophenyl)ethyl] oxirane, -) by / whole cells expressed epoxide hydrolase from (EH), followed by a one-step chemocatalytic synthesis of ()-tebuconazole.

Self-Supported WO@RuO Nanowires for Electrocatalytic Acidic Water Oxidation.

Developing catalysts with high catalytic activity and stability in acidic media is crucial for advancing hydrogen production in proton exchange membrane water electrolyzers (PEMWEs). To this end, a self-supported WO@RuO nanowire structure was grown in situ on a titanium mesh using hydrothermal and ion-exchange methods. Despite a Ru loading of only 0.

The construction of a nomogram to predict the prognosis and recurrence risks of UPJO.

Objective: This study was conducted to explore the risk factors for the prognosis and recurrence of ureteropelvic junction obstruction (UPJO).

Methods: The correlation of these variables with the prognosis and recurrence risks was analyzed by binary and multivariate logistic regression. Besides, a nomogram was constructed based on the multivariate logistic regression calculation.

Identification and analysis of MSC-Exo-derived LncRNAs related to the regulation of EMT in hypospadias.

Objective: This study aims to screen the differentially expressed long non-coding RNAs (DELncRNAs) related to the regulation of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in hypospadias in mesenchymal stem cell-derived exosomes (MSC-Exons) and explore the potential mechanism of these lncRNAs for the EMT in hypospadias.

Methods: In this study, the microarray data related to MSC-Exos and hypospadias were downloaded from Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO). Besides, the lncRNAs highly expressed in MSC-Exos and the differentially expressed mRNAs and lncRNAs in children with hypospadias were screened, respectively.

Nephroblastoma-specific dysregulated gene SNHG15 with prognostic significance: scRNA-Seq with bulk RNA-Seq data and experimental validation.

Wilms tumor (WT) is the most common malignancy of the genitourinary system in children. Currently, the Integration of single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-Seq) and Bulk RNA sequencing (RNA-Seq) analysis of heterogeneity between different cell types in pediatric WT tissues could more accurately find prognostic markers, but this is lacking. RNA-Seq and clinical data related to WT were downloaded from the Therapeutically Applicable Research to Generate Effective Treatments (TARGET) database.

Progress in Anode Stability Improvement for Seawater Electrolysis to Produce Hydrogen.

Seawater electrolysis for hydrogen production is a sustainable and economical approach that can mitigate the energy crisis and global warming issues. Although various catalysts/electrodes with excellent activities have been developed for high-efficiency seawater electrolysis, their unsatisfactory durability, especially for anodes, severely impedes their industrial applications. In this review, attention is paid to the factors that affect the stability of anodes and the corresponding strategies for designing catalytic materials to prolong the anode's lifetime.

Concerns on the Effects of Electrode Positions in Electrolyte Container for the Oxygen Evolution Reaction.

Water electrolysis is currently a major technique to produce clean hydrogen, which is regarded as a promising and sustainable energy carrier. The efficiency of water electrolysis is highly dependent on the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) on the anode. The evaluation of an OER electrocatalyst is frequently carried out on a three-electrode system in a container of electrolyte.

Self-Supporting Mn-RuO Nanoarrays for Stable Oxygen Evolution Reaction in Acid.

Currently, the process of an acidic oxygen evolution reaction (OER) necessitates the use of Iridium dioxygen (IrO), which is both expensive and incredibly scarce on Earth. Ruthenium dioxygen (RuO) offers high activity for acidic OERs and presents a potential substitution for IrO. Nevertheless, its practical application is hindered by its relatively poor stability.

Ag Nanoparticle-Induced Surface Chloride Immobilization Strategy Enables Stable Seawater Electrolysis.

Although hydrogen gas (H ) storage might enable offshore renewable energy to be stored at scale, the commercialization of technology for H generation by seawater electrolysis depends upon the development of methods that avoid the severe corrosion of anodes by chloride (Cl ) ions. Here, it is revealed that the stability of an anode used for seawater splitting can be increased by more than an order of magnitude by loading Ag nanoparticles on the catalyst surface. In experiments, an optimized NiFe-layered double hydroxide (LDH)@Ag electrode displays stable operation at 400 mA cm in alkaline saline electrolyte and seawater for over 5000 and 2500 h, respectively.

MOF-Derived CoSe@NiFeOOH Arrays for Efficient Oxygen Evolution Reaction.

Water electrolysis is a compelling method for the production of environmentally friendly hydrogen, minimizing carbon emissions. The electrolysis of water heavily relies on an effective and steady oxygen evolution reaction (OER) taking place at the anode. Herein, we introduce a highly promising catalyst for OER called CoSe@NiFeOOH arrays, which are supported on nickel foam.