Probing Impact of Support Pore Diameter on Three-phase Interfaces of Pt/C Catalysts by Molecular Dynamic Simulation.

Investigating how the size of carbon support pores influences the three-phase interface of platinum (Pt) particles in fuel cells is essential for enhancing catalyst utilization. This study employed molecular dynamics simulations and density functional theory calculation to examine the effects of mesoporous carbon support size, specifically its pore diameter, on Nafion ionomer distribution, as well as on proton and gas/liquid transport channels, and the utilization of Pt active sites. The findings show that when Pt particles are located within the pores of carbon support (Pt/PC), there is a significant enhancement in the spatial distribution of Nafion ionomer, along with a reduction in encapsulation around the Pt particles, compared to when Pt particles are positioned on the surface or in excessively large pores of the carbon support.

Circular Polymer Designed by Regulating Entropy: Spiro-Valerolactone-Based Polyesters with High Gas Barriers and Adhesion Strength.

Enthalpy is often the focal point when designing monomers for polymer circularity, but much less is explored on how entropy can be exploited to create polymers with synergistic circularity and properties. Here, we design a series of spiro-lactones (SLs) with closed-chain cycloalk(en)yl substituents at the α,α-position of δ-valerolactone (δVL), which, when combined with the parent δVL and -α,α-dialkyl-substituted δVL with open-chain alkyl groups, provide a desired platform for exploring the circular polymer design by focusing on the entropy change of polymerization. These SLs exhibit finely balanced (de)polymerizability that is regulated chiefly by entropy differentiation, allowing both the facile synthesis of polyester PSLs ( up to 1000 kg mol) in a living fashion and selective depolymerization of the PSLs to completely recover monomers under mild conditions (using a recyclable catalyst at 100 °C).

Antioxidant and anti-inflammatory function of walnut green husk aqueous extract (WNGH-AE) on human hepatocellular carcinoma cells (HepG2) treated with t-BHP.

Oxidative damage, oxidative inflammation, and a range of downstream diseases represent significant threats to human health. The application of natural antioxidants and anti-inflammatory agents can help prevent and mitigate these associated diseases. In this study, we aimed to investigate the effectiveness of walnut green husk (WNGH) as an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory agent in an in vitro setting.

An evolutionary game theory analysis on the environmental impact of discharging Fukushima's nuclear wastewater: International stakeholders and strategic dynamics.

On August 24, 2023, Japan controversially decided to discharge nuclear wastewater from the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant into the ocean, initiating intense domestic and global debates. This study employs a mixed-method approach, integrating quantitative evolutionary game theory and qualitative data analysis to explore the strategic dynamics among Japan, other nations, and the Japan Fisheries Association regarding this decision. The data includes international environmental reports and economic statistics, served as the basis for simulating decision-making processes under various legal, economic, and environmental pressures.

A rare complication of a thoracic wound: the pneumopericardium?

Pneumopericardium (PPC) is defined by the presence of gas in the pericardial cavity, often leading to cardiac tamponade and a high mortality rate. This report describes a case involving a 33-year-old man found deceased a few meters from a knife, his clothes intact, with no resuscitation attempt made. A knotted scarf was tightly fastened around his neck, without ligature mark.

Molecular Mechanism Behind the Capture of Fluorinated Gases by Metal-Organic Frameworks.

Fluorinated gases (F-gases) play a vital role in the chemical industry and in the fields of air conditioning, refrigeration, health care, and organic synthesis. However, the direct emission of waste gases containing F-gases into the atmosphere contributes to greenhouse effects and generates toxic substances. Developing porous materials for the energy-efficient capture, separation, and recovery of F-gases is highly desired.

A Chain of Events Leading to Posttraumatic Subacute Meningitis.

There are few reports that discuss the nebulous entity known as posttraumatic subacute meningitis. Herein, we describe a case where a male was found deceased with Streptococcus pyogenes meningitis 7 days after experiencing head trauma inflicted with a tow chain. Computed tomography scan prior to death revealed a scalp laceration with subcutaneous gas and a subdural hematoma.

Continuous Blood Gas Control Based on Active Disturbance Rejection Control During Ex Vivo Porcine Liver Perfusion.

Background: Membrane oxygenators facilitate extracorporeal gas exchange, necessitating the monitoring of blood gas. Recent advances in normothermic machine perfusion (NMP) for ex vivo liver offer solutions to the shortage of donor liver. However, maintaining physiological blood gas levels during prolonged NMP is complex and costly.

A One-Step Plasma Assisted Synthesis of Gold Nanoparticles and Simultaneous Linker-Free Conjugation with Nestin: An In Vitro Study of Cellular Toxicity.

We present a method for conjugating antigens to gold nanoparticles (GNPs) during their synthesis via gas plasma, eliminating the need for chemical linkers and significantly speeding up the process (taking only 15 min). This fast, linker-free method produces biocompatible and stable GNPs, with potential for immunotherapy applications, such as antigen and antibody conjugation and drug delivery. We demonstrate the conjugation of the antigen Nestin (NES), a tumor marker, to GNPs using two approaches.

Germanium nanocrystal non-volatile memory devices: fabrication, charge storage mechanism and characterization.

The widespread proliferation and increasing use of portable electronic devices and wearables, and the recent developments in artificial intelligence and internet-of-things, have fuelled the need for high-density and low-voltage non-volatile memory devices. Nanocrystal memory, an emergent non-volatile memory (NVM) device that makes use of the Coulomb blockade effect, can potentially result in the scaling of the tunnel dielectric layer to a very small thickness. Since the nanocrystals are electrically isolated, potential charge leakage paths localized defects in the thin tunnel dielectric can be substantially reduced, unlike that in a continuous polysilicon floating gate structure.

A sulfonated and nitrated polyether ether ketone/polyvinyl chloride modified atmosphere packaging delays the deterioration of grapes.

Background: Polyether ether ketone (PEEK) was modified by a sulfuric and nitric acid mixed system to improve the solubility of the material and the gas selective permeability of the film. SN1 and SN5, synthesized from mixed acid systems (with ratios of nitric acid and sulfuric acid of 1:1 and 1:5, respectively) were chosen because they had comparable nitro groups but differing sulfonyl groups. To investigate the impact of the type and content of sulfonated and nitrated polyether ether ketone (SNPEEK) on the structure and physicochemical properties of the films, SN1/polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and SN5/polyvinyl chloride films were made by adding varying amounts of SN1 and SN5 (0.

Poly(1,3-dioxolane)-Modified Li1.3Al0.3Ti1.7(PO4)3 as the Electrolyte for Enhanced Solid Lithium Metal Batteries.

Li1.3Al0.3Ti1.

Pain in very preterm infants-prevalence, causes, assessment, and treatment. A nationwide cohort study.

Studies on pain in preterm infants have usually been confined to observations of painful procedures, and information from extremely preterm infants is limited. Using registry data from a Swedish nationwide cohort, this study explored the epidemiology of pain in very preterm infants, its causes, assessments, and treatment strategies. We included liveborn infants <32 weeks' gestational age (GA) discharged between January 2020 and June 2024.

Efficient Co-Delivery of Metformin and Ammonia Borane via a Hollow Mesoporous Polydopamine Nanogenerator for Enhanced Chemo-Photothermal Therapy against Melanoma.

Melanoma, a highly aggressive skin cancer, poses significant challenges due to its rapid metastases and high mortality rates. While metformin (Met), a first-line medication for type 2 diabetes, has shown promise in inhibiting tumor growth and metastases, its clinical efficacy in cancer therapy is limited by low bioavailability, short half-life, and gastrointestinal adverse reactions associated with oral administration. In this study, we developed a hollow mesoporous polydopamine nanocomposite (HMPDA-PEG@Met@AB) coloaded with Met and ammonia borane (AB), designed to enable a combined gas-assisted, photothermal, and chemotherapeutic approach for melanoma treatment.

Environmental impacts of restructuring the EU's natural gas supply and consumption: Learnings from the 2022 energy crisis.

In 2022, the European Union put forward the REPowerEU plan in response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine, aiming at enhancing short-term energy security by diversifying imports and reducing natural gas demand while accelerating the deployment of renewable alternatives in the long term. Here, we quantify the life cycle environmental impacts of both REPowerEU's short-term measures, including the controversial extended coal-fired power plant operations, and how the first year of the crisis was managed in practice. We find that the policy measures' impact on greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions would be negligible, although they could have detrimental effects on other environmental categories.

A critical appraisal of advances in integrated CO capture and electrochemical conversion.

This perspective work examines the current advancements in integrated CO capture and electrochemical conversion technologies, comparing the emerging methods of (1) electrochemical reactive capture (eRCC) though amine- and (bi)carbonate-mediated processes and (2) direct (flue gas) adsorptive capture and conversion (ACC) with the conventional approach of sequential carbon capture and conversion (SCCC). We initially identified and discussed a range of cell-level technological bottlenecks inherent to eRCC and ACC including, but not limited to, mass transport limitations of reactive species, limitation of dimerization, impurity effects, inadequate generation of CO to sustain industrially relevant current densities, and catalyst instabilities with respect to some eRCC electrolytes, amongst others. We followed this with stepwise perspectives on whether these are considered intrinsic challenges of the technologies - otherwise recommendations were disclosed where appropriate.

Higher monomeric C-reactive protein levels are associated with premature coronary artery disease.

Introduction: Chronic inflammation is a major risk factor for coronary artery disease (CAD). Currently, the inflammatory cardiovascular risk is assessed via C-reactive protein (CRP) levels measured using a high-sensitivity assay (hsCRP). Monomeric CRP (mCRP) is a locally produced form of CRP that has emerged as a potential biomarker of inflammation.

Comprehensive Analysis of Metabolic Changes in Mice Exposed to Corilagin Based on GC-MS Analysis.

Background: Corilagin is widely distributed in various medicinal plants. In recent years, numerous pharmacological activities of Corilagin have been reported, including anti-inflammatory, antiviral, hepatoprotective, anti-tumor, and anti-fibrosis effects. However, there is still a need for systematic metabolomics analysis to further elucidate its mechanisms of action.

Coconut ( L.) and Carob ( L.) Flours Dietary Fibers Differentially Impact Fecal Microbiota Composition and Metabolic Outputs In Vitro.

Alternative flours can reveal beneficial health effects. The aim of this study was to evaluate and compare the effects of dietary fibers (DFs) of coconut and carob flours on colonic microbiota compositions and function. Coconut flour DFs were found to be dominated by mannose-containing polysaccharides by gas chromatography (GC)/MS and spectrophotometer, whereas glucose and uronic acid were the main monosaccharide moieties in carob flour DFs.

Development and Characterization of Potato Starch-Pectin-Based Active Films Enriched With Juniper Berry Essential Oil for Food Packaging Applications.

The increasing demand for sustainable food packaging has driven the development of films based on biopolymers. However, enhancing their functional properties remains a challenge. In the current study, potato starch-pectin (PSP) composite films were fabricated and enriched with juniper berry essential oil (JBEO) to improve their physicochemical properties.

Sustainable, greenhouse gas derived fermented protein in canine diets-a pilot study.

Sustainability concerns have increased consumer demand for non-animal-derived proteins and the search for novel, alternative protein sources. The nutritional sustainability of the food system without compromising the nutrient quality, composition, digestibility and consumption is pivotal. As with farmed livestock, it is imperative to ensure the well-being and food security of companion animals and to develop sustainable and affordable pet foods.

Nanogenerators for gas sensing applications.

Gas sensors are now widely employed in many industries due to the rapid speed of industrialization and the growth of the Internet of Things. However, the wearability and mobility of traditional gas sensors are limited by their high reliance on external power sources. Nanogenerators (NGs) can compensate for their power source limitations when paired with gas sensors by transforming the environment's widely dispersed low-frequency energy into electrical energy, allowing for self-powered gas detection.

Temporal variations in and predictive values of ABG results prior to in-hospital cardiac arrest.

In-hospital cardiac arrest (IHCA) has been understudied relative to out-of-hospital cardiac arrest. Further, studies of IHCA have mainly focused on a limited number of pre-arrest patient characteristics (e.g.

Plant growth promotion via priming with volatile organic compounds emitted from strain EXTN-1.

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) produced by potential plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) play an important role in plant interactions. However, the mechanisms underlying this phenomenon are not well understood. Our findings show that the influence of VOCs from the PGPR strain (EXTN-1) on tobacco plant growth is dependent on the culture media used.

Partial directed coherence analysis of resting-state EEG signals for alcohol use disorder detection using machine learning.

Introduction: Excessive alcohol consumption negatively impacts physical and psychiatric health, lifestyle, and societal interactions. Chronic alcohol abuse alters brain structure, leading to alcohol use disorder (AUD), a condition requiring early diagnosis for effective management. Current diagnostic methods, primarily reliant on subjective questionnaires, could benefit from objective measures.