pH- and glucose-responsive antioxidant hydrogel promotes diabetic wound healing.

Excessive oxidative stress and persistent inflammation are key factors contributing to the formation of diabetic chronic wounds. Delivering antioxidants through a microenvironment-responsive hydrogel system can effectively enhance wound healing and tissue regeneration. In this study, we developed a novel pH- and glucose-responsive hydrogel using Schiff base reaction and phenyl borate group for intelligent antioxidant release.

Energy Aggregation for Illuminating Upconversion Multicolor Emission Based on Ho Ions.

Lanthanide-doped upconversion luminescent nanoparticles (UCNPs) have garnered extensive attention due to their notable anti-Stokes shifts and superior photostability. Notably, Ho-based UCNPs present a complex energy level configuration, which poses challenges in augmenting their luminescence efficiency. Herein, a rational design strategy was used to enhance the upconversion luminescence intensity of Ho ions by improving the photon absorption ability and energy utilization efficiency.

Exploring redox-active electrolytes to boost energy density of carbon-based supercapacitors.

To boost supercapacitor (SC) energy density, we introduced redox-active molecules into an aqueous HSO electrolyte. Using retrosynthetic analysis, we identified aminoquinones, specifically triaminochlorobenzoquinone (TACBQ), as promising candidates. Characterization via elemental analysis, Fourier Transform Infrared Spectrometer (FT-IR), nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) confirmed structure of TACBQ.

Porous, environment-friendly chitosan-ZIF composite fibers for dye adsorption.

Chitosan (CS) is regarded as a promising sorbent due to its biodegradability, wide availability, easy processing, and multiple active groups. In this work, CS-based porous fibers (ZIF-@CS) consisting of CS and zeolitic imidazolate frameworks (ZIFs) were fabricated through wet spinning and self-assembly methods. This combination effectively utilizes the dual advantages of CS and ZIFs, which effectively remove dyes from water and exhibit excellent recyclability.

Late-Stage Modification of Peptides with Maleimides through Palladium-Catalyzed β-C(sp)-H Alkylation.

Transition-metal-catalyzed C-H activation has proven to be a powerful tool for the late-stage modification of peptides. We herein report a method for site-selective alkylation of peptides with maleimides through Pd-catalyzed β-C(sp)-H activation. In this protocol, the methionine residues within peptides serve as the directing groups, which circumvented the preinstallation and subsequent removal of the directing groups.

Copper-catalyzed deborodeuteration of arylboronic acids/borates using DO as the deuterium source.

A straightforward copper-catalyzed deborodeuteration of arylboronic acids and borates was achieved, employing the cost-effective deuterium source DO. This protocol demonstrates wide substrate applicability, exceptional deuterium incorporation efficiency, and favorable tolerance for various functional groups. Therefore, this approach offers a mild option for further applications in valuable deuterium molecule synthesis.

Intramolecular dynamic coupling slows surface relaxation of polymer glasses.

Over the past three decades, studies have indicated a mobile surface layer with steep gradients on glass surfaces. Among various glasses, polymers are unique because intramolecular interactions - combined with chain connectivity - can alter surface dynamics, but their fundamental role has remained elusive. By devising polymer surfaces occupied by chain loops of various penetration depths, combined with surface dissipation experiments and Monte Carlo simulations, we demonstrate that the intramolecular dynamic coupling along surface chains causes the sluggish bulk polymers to suppress the fast surface dynamics.

Methionine-enabled peptide modification through late-stage Pd-catalyzed β-C(sp)-H olefination/cyclization.

We present a method for site-selective diversification of peptides Pd-catalyzed β-C(sp)-H olefination/cyclization. In this protocol, the native methionine residue acts as a directing group, enabling site-specific olefination/cyclization of peptides. This chemistry demonstrates broad substrate scope, offering a versatile tool for peptide ligation.

Silk fibroin biohydrogel composites for loading and ordered release of multiple active ingredients with enhanced bioactivity.

Bioactive hydrogels are currently receiving significant attention. In this study, silk fibroin tyramine-modified gelatin hydrogels (SF-TG) with varying degrees of tyramine root substitution were explored. The physicochemical property and biocompatibility of low degree of substitution tyramine-modified gelatin hydrogel (SF-LTG) and high degree of substitution tyramine-modified gelatin hydrogel (SF-HTG) were compared.

Utilization of deep eutectic solvent as a degumming protocol for raw silk: Towards performance and mechanism elucidation.

Degumming is the most critical step for the silk textile industry and the process of silk-based advanced materials. However, current common degumming techniques are largely limited because of insufficient efficiency, obvious hydrolysis damage and difficulty in long-term storage. Here, deep eutectic solvent (DES) constituted of choline chloride (ChCl) and urea was explored to Bombyx mori silk fibers degumming without combining any further treatment.

Introducing terminal alkyne groups at the reducing end of cellulose nanocrystals by aldimine condensation for further click reaction.

In recent years, click reactions with cellulose nanocrystals (CNC) participation have gradually become a research hotspot. Carboxylamine condensation is the most used method to introduce terminal alkyne groups at the reducing end of CNC as reaction sites for click reactions. However, hydroxyl groups on CNC surface would be slightly oxidized during the carboxyamine condensation process, inducing the potential positions of introduced alkynes would be not only at the reducing end but also on CNC surface.

Outer membrane vesicle-wrapped manganese nanoreactor for augmenting cancer metalloimmunotherapy through hypoxia attenuation and immune stimulation.

Tumor hypoxia, high oxidative stress, and low immunogenic create a deep-rooted immunosuppressive microenvironment, posing a major challenge to the therapeutic efficiency of cancer immunotherapy for solid tumor. Herein, an intelligent nanoplatform responsive to the tumor microenvironment (TME) capable of hypoxia relief and immune stimulation has been engineered for efficient solid tumor immunotherapy. The MnO@OxA@OMV nanoreactor, enclosing bacterial-derived outer membrane vesicles (OMVs)-wrapped MnO nanoenzyme and the immunogenic cell death inducer oxaliplatin (OxA), demonstrated intrinsic catalase-like activity within the TME, which effectively catalyzed the endogenous HO into O to enable a prolonged oxygen supply, thereby alleviating the tumor's oxidative stress and hypoxic TME, and expediting OxA release.

Backbone-enabled modification of peptides with benzoquinone palladium-catalyzed δ-C(sp)-H functionalization.

Backbone-enabled site-selective modification of peptides with benzoquinone Pd-catalyzed δ-C(sp)-H functionalization has been achieved. The amide groups of peptides serve as internal directional groups, facilitating C-H functionalization through a kinetically less favored six-membered palladacycle. This methodology presents novel opportunities for the late-stage site-selective diversification of peptides.

Construction of Janus structures on thin silk fabrics via misting for wet-thermal comfort and antimicrobial activity.

Owing to their small fiber diameter (10-15 μm), silk fabrics are always thin (32-90 g m). Therefore, construction of the Janus surfaces of silk fabrics that possess excellent multifunctionality remains a formidable challenge. Herein, first, silk fabrics were grafted using glycidyltrimethylammonium chloride to form a superhydrophilic surface (G-side).

Photocatalytic Three-Component Reaction for the Synthesis of Multifunctional Diaryl Sulfides.

A photocatalytic three-component reaction of a nitroarene, a thiophenol, and a ketone for the synthesis of multifunctional diaryl sulfides was reported using a nitro group as the nitrogen source and thiophenol as the sulfur source. Thiophenol also serves as a proton donor to reduce nitroarene to arylamine as a key intermediate for the formation of C-N and C-S bonds. Good functional group tolerance and mild reaction conditions make this method have practical synthetic value for diversified multifunctional diaryl sulfides.

Deep insights into biodegradability mechanism and growth cycle adaptability of polylactic acid/hyperbranched cellulose nanocrystal composite mulch.

The widespread use of petroleum-based plastic mulch in agriculture has accelerated white and microplastic pollution while posing a severe agroecological challenge due to its difficulty in decomposing in the natural environment. However, endowing mulch film with degradability and growth cycle adaptation remains elusive due to the inherent non-degradability of petroleum-based plastics severely hindering its applications. This work reports polylactic acids hyperbranched composite mulch (PCP) and measured biodegradation behavior under burial soil, seawater, and ultraviolet (UV) aging to understand the biodegradation kinetics and to increase their sustainability in the agriculture field.

Visible-Light-Mediated Three-Component Decarboxylative Coupling Reactions to Synthesize 1,4-Diol Monoethers.

An efficient approach for 1,2-difunctionalization of aromatic olefins and the synthesis of functionalized 1,4-diols monoethers has been established via a photoinduced three-component reaction of an α-alkoxycarboxylic acid, an aromatic olefin, and an aldehyde. The reaction proceeds by photoinduced oxidative decarboxylation of the carboxylic acid followed by the addition of the α-alkoxyalkyl radical to the olefin, one-electron reduction of the addition radical, and the nucleophilic attack of the resulting carbanion to the aldehyde. Besides the convenient one-pot protocol of the three-component reaction, this method offers several other advantages, including good functional group tolerance for the three substrates, gentle reaction conditions, and ease of scaling up.

High-energy-density flexible graphene-based supercapacitors enabled by atypical hydroquinone dimethyl ether.

Supercapacitor is an electrochemical energy-storage technology that can meet the green and sustainable energy needs of the future. However, a low energy density was a bottleneck that limited its practical application. To overcome this, we developed a heterojunction system composed of two-dimensional (2D) graphene and hydroquinone dimethyl ether- an atypical redox-active aromatic ether.