Discovery and properties of novel analogues of the aphid pheromones nepetalactone and nepetalactol

BACKGROUND

Pheromones have unique advantages for pest control. Current aphid pheromone research focuses on alarm and sex pheromones. However, practical applications are limited so far, as (E)-β-farnesene has only been investigated to a small extent as an alarm pheromone and only male aphids are targeted by sex pheromones. Previous literature reports electrophysiological responses and repellent behavior of asexual aphids to nepetalactone (1B), therefore our objective was to modify nepetalactone's structure to identify key fragments responsible for repellent effects, as guidance for subsequent modifications and further investigation.

RESULTS

In this study, seven derivatives were designed and synthesized based on nepetalactol (1A) and nepetalactone (1B) as lead compounds. Free-choice tests, conducted using cowpea aphids (Aphis craccivora), revealed that the lactone moiety was crucial for the repellent activity, and the removal of the carbonyl group eliminated the repelling effect. Compound (±)1I, an analogue of nepetalactone (1B), demonstrated a significantly higher repellent value than nepetalactone (1B) at three different concentrations, and even at 0.1 mg/mL it maintained a considerable repellent effect (26.5%). Electrostatic potential and density functional theory calculations supported the importance of the carbonyl group for the repellent effects.

CONCLUSION

The newly discovered para-pheromone (±)1I shows improved repellent effects and potential for development as a novel biological control agent. Based on our innovative findings, analogues with improved efficacy and properties can be designed and prepared. Our research contributes to understanding the effects of structural modifications on pheromone activity and properties, which is crucial for exploring novel pheromone-based products for crop protection. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.

A Rational Design of Bio-Derived Disulfide CANs for Wearable Capacitive Pressure Sensor

Classic approaches to integrate flexible capacitive sensor performance are to on-demand microstructuring dielectric layers and to adjust dielectric material compositions via the introduction of insoluble carbon additives (to increase sensitivity) or dynamic interactions (to achieve self-healing). However, the sensor's enhanced performances often come with increased material complexity, discouraging its circular economy. Herein, a new intrinsic self-healable, closed-loop recyclable dielectric layer material, a fully nature-derived dynamic covalent poly(disulfide) decorated with rich H bonding and metal-catechol complexations is introduced. The polymer network possesses a mechanically ductile character with an Arrhenius-type temperature-dependent viscoelasticity. The assembled capacitive pressure sensor is able to achieve a sensitivity of up to 9.26 kPa-1, fast response/recovery time of 32/24 ms, and can deliver consistent signals of continuous consecutive cycles even after being self-healed or closed-loop recycled for real-time detection of human motions. This is expected to be of high interest for current capacitive sensing research to move toward a life-like, high performance, and circular economy direction.

Hidden delta degradation due to fluvial sediment decline and intensified marine storms

Deltas are threatened by erosion due to climate change and reduced sediment supply, but their response to these changes remains poorly quantified. We investigate the abandoned Yellow River delta that has transitioned from rapid growth to ongoing deterioration due to a river avulsion removing the sediment supply. Integrating bathymetric data, process observations, and sediment transport modeling, we find that while the subaerial delta was stabilized by engineering measures, the subaqueous delta continued to erode due to intensified storms, losing 39% of its mass deposited before the avulsion. Long-term observations show that winter storms initiate scouring of the subaqueous delta, contributing up to 70% of seabed erosion. We then analyze 108 global deltas to assess subaqueous delta erosion risks and identify 17 deltas facing similar situations of sediment decline and storm intensification during the past 40 years. Our findings suggest that subaqueous delta erosion must be integrated into delta sustainability evaluations.

Keratinocytes in the pathogenesis, phenotypic switch, and relapse of psoriasis

Although biologics have achieved tremendous success in the treatment of psoriasis and revolutionized the clinical management of the disease, certain issues arise during treatments, including the phenotypic switch from psoriasis to other skin disorders and the recurrence of psoriasis after the cessation of biologic treatment. Here we provide a concise overview of the roles of keratinocytes in the pathogenesis of psoriasis, elucidate the involvement of keratinocytes in the phenotypic switch and relapse of psoriasis, and address the challenges encountered in both basic and clinical research on psoriasis.

Ordered mesoporous nanofibers mimicking vascular bundles for lithium metal batteries

Hierarchical self-assembly with long-range order above centimeters widely exists in nature. Mimicking similar structures to promote reaction kinetics of electrochemical energy devices is of immense interest, yet remains challenging. Here, we report a bottom-up self-assembly approach to constructing ordered mesoporous nanofibers with a structure resembling vascular bundles via electrospinning. The synthesis involves self-assembling polystyrene (PS) homopolymer, amphiphilic diblock copolymer, and precursors into supramolecular micelles. Elongational dynamics of viscoelastic micelle solution together with fast solvent evaporation during electrospinning cause simultaneous close packing and uniaxial stretching of micelles, consequently producing polymer nanofibers consisting of oriented micelles. The method is versatile for the fabrication of large-scale ordered mesoporous nanofibers with adjustable pore diameter and various compositions such as carbon, SiO2, TiO2 and WO3. The aligned longitudinal mesopores connected side-by-side by tiny pores offer highly exposed active sites and expedite electron/ion transport. The assembled electrodes deliver outstanding performance for lithium metal batteries.

A Highly Deficient Medium-Entropy Perovskite Ceramic for Electromagnetic Interference Shielding under Harsh Environment

Materials that can provide reliable electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding in highly oxidative atmosphere at elevated temperature are indispensable in the fast-developing aerospace field. However, most of conductor-type EMI shielding materials such as metals can hardly withstand the high-temperature oxidation, while the conventional dielectric-type materials cannot offer sufficient shielding efficiency in gigahertz (GHz) frequencies. Here, a highly deficient medium-entropy (ME) perovskite ceramic as an efficient EMI shielding material in harsh environment, is demonstrated. The synergistic effect of entropy stabilization and aliovalent substitution on A-site generate abnormally high concentration of Ti and O vacancies that are stable under high-temperature oxidation. Due to the clustering of vacancies, the highly deficient perovskite ceramic exhibits giant complex permittivity and polarization loss in GHz, leading to the specific EMI shielding effectiveness above 30 dB/mm in X-band even after 100 h of annealing at 1000 °C in air. Along with the low thermal conductivity, the aliovalent ME perovskite can serve as a bifunctional shielding material for applications in aircraft engines and reusable rockets.

Hierarchically Responsive Alternating Nano-Copolymers with Tailored Interparticle Bonds

Self-assembly of inorganic nanoparticles (NPs) is an essential tool for constructing structured materials with a wide range of applications. However, achieving ordered assembly structures with externally programmable properties in binary NP systems remains challenging. In this work, we assemble binary inorganic NPs into hierarchically pH-responsive alternating copolymer-like nanostructures in an aqueous medium by engineering the interparticle electrostatic interactions. The polymer-grafted NPs bearing opposite charges are viewed as nanoscale monomers ("nanomers"), and copolymerized into alternating nano-copolymers (ANCPs) driven by the formation of interparticle "bonds" between nanomers. The resulting ANCPs exhibit reversibly responsive "bond" length (i.e., the distance between nanomers) in response to the variation of pH in a range of ~7-10, allowing precise control over the surface plasmon resonance of ANCPs. Moreover, specific interparticle "bonds" can break up at pH≥11, leading to the dis-assembly of ANCPs into molecule-like dimers and trimers. These dimeric and trimeric structures can reassemble to form ANCPs owing to the resuming of interparticle "bonds", when the pH value of the solution changes from 11 to 7. The hierarchically responsive nanostructures may find applications in such as biosensing, optical waveguide, and electronic devices.

NIR-II Fluorescence Sensor Based on Steric Hindrance Regulated Molecular Packing for In Vivo Epilepsy Visualization

Fluorescence sensing is crucial to studying biological processes and diagnosing diseases, especially in the second near-infrared (NIR-II) window with reduced background signals. However, it's still a great challenge to construct "off-on" sensors when the sensing wavelength extends into the NIR-II region to obtain higher imaging contrast, mainly due to the difficult synthesis of spectral overlapped quencher. Here, we present a new fluorescence quenching strategy, which utilizes steric hindrance quencher (SHQ) to tune the molecular packing state of fluorophores and suppress the emission signal. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations further reveal that large SHQs can competitively pack with fluorophores and prevent their self-aggregation. Based on this quenching mechanism, a novel activatable "off-on" sensing method is achieved via bio-analyte responsive invalidation of SHQ, namely the Steric Hindrance Invalidation geNerated Emission (SHINE) strategy. As a proof of concept, the ClO--sensitive SHQ lead to the bright NIR-II signal release in epileptic mouse hippocampus under the skull and high photon scattering brain tissue, providing the real-time visualization of ClO- generation process in living epileptic mice.

Marine-Derived Metabolites Act as Promising Antifungal Agents

The incidence of invasive fungal diseases (IFDs) is on the rise globally, particularly among immunocompromised patients, leading to significant morbidity and mortality. Current clinical antifungal agents, such as polyenes, azoles, and echinocandins, face increasing resistance from pathogenic fungi. Therefore, there is a pressing need for the development of novel antifungal drugs. Marine-derived secondary metabolites represent valuable resources that are characterized by varied chemical structures and pharmacological activities. While numerous compounds exhibiting promising antifungal activity have been identified, a comprehensive review elucidating their specific underlying mechanisms remains lacking. In this review, we have compiled a summary of antifungal compounds derived from marine organisms, highlighting their diverse mechanisms of action targeting various fungal cellular components, including the cell wall, cell membrane, mitochondria, chromosomes, drug efflux pumps, and several biological processes, including vesicular trafficking and the growth of hyphae and biofilms. This review is helpful for the subsequent development of antifungal drugs due to its summary of the antifungal mechanisms of secondary metabolites from marine organisms.

sp-Carbon-Conjugated Organic Polymer as Multifunctional Interfacial Layers for Ultra-Long Dendrite-Free Lithium Metal Batteries

Fatal issues in lithium metal anodes (LMA), such as detrimental lithium dendrites growth and fragile solid-electrolyte interphase (SEI) during the Li plating/stripping process, often hinder the practical application of Li metal batteries (LMBs). Herein, cobalt-coordinated sp-carbon-conjugated organic polymer (Co-spc-COP) is constructed as the protective layer for regulating the interface stability of LMA. The unique synergistic beneficial effect of organic functional groups (C≡C linkage, C=N units and aromatic rings) and Co sites not only regulate the Li+ coordination environment and rearrange Li+ concentration to facilitate its transport by optimizing the electronic density, enhancing the compatibility with electrolyte interface and supplying "external magnetic driving strategy", but also strengthens the interfacial stiffness with high Young's modulus to better withstand the mechanical stress. These beneficial effects and relative underlying working mode and mechanism of uniform Li plating and rapid Li+ migration on the Co-spc-COP are also revealed by various in situ/ex situ experimental technologies and theory calculation. The Co-spc-COP-based cell delivers an extraordinary lifespan of 6600 h and ultrahigh capacity retention of 78.3 % (111.9 mAh g-1) after 1000 cycles at 1 C. This demonstrated synergistic strategy in Co-coordinated organic polymer may gain new insights to regulate the uniform and non-dendritic deposition/dissolution behaviors for highly stable LMBs.

One-step Synthesis of Organic Terminal 2D Ti3C2Tx MXene Nanosheets by Etching of Ti3AlC2 in an Organic Lewis Acid Solvent

The surface and interface chemistry are critical for controlling the properties of two-dimensional transition metal carbides and nitrides (MXenes). Numerous efforts have been devoted to the functionalization of MXenes with small inorganic ligands; however, few etching methods have been reported on the direct bonding of organic groups to MXene surfaces. In this work, we demonstrated an efficient and rapid strategy for the direct synthesis of 2D Ti3C2Tx MXene nanosheets with organic terminal groups in an organic Lewis acid (trifluoromethanesulfonic acid) solvent, without introducing additional intercalations. The dissolution of aluminum and the subsequent in situ introduction of trifluoromethanesulfonic acid resulted in the extraction of Ti3C2Tx MXene (T=CF3SO3 -) (denoted as CF3SO3H-Ti3C2Tx) flakes with sizes reaching 15 μm and high productivity (over 70 %) of monolayers or few layers. More importantly, the large CF3SO3H-Ti3C2Tx MXene nanosheets had high colloidal stability, making them promising as efficient electrocatalysts for the hydrogen evolution reaction.

Tuning Electrons Migration of Dual S Defects Mediated MoS2-x/ZnIn2S4-x Toward Highly Efficient Photocatalytic Hydrogen Production

Photocatalytic hydrogen production is a prevalent method for hydrogen synthesis. However, high recombination rate of photogenerated carriers and high activation energy barrier of H remain persistent challenge. Here, the two-step hydrothermal method is utilized to prepare dual S-defect mediated catalyst molybdenum sulfide/zinc indium sulfide (MSv/ZISv), which has high hydrogen production rate of 8.83 mmol g-1h-1 under simulated sunlight. The achieved rate is 21.91 times higher than pure ZnIn2S4 substrate. Defects in ZIS within MSv/ZISv modify the primitive electronic structure by creating defect state that retaining good reducing power, leading to the rapid separation of electron-hole pairs and the generation of additional photogenerated carriers. The internal electric field further enhances the migration toward to cocatalyst. Simultaneously, the defects introduced on the MoS2 cause electron rearrangement, leading to electron clustering on both S vacancies and edge S. Thereby MSv/ZISv exhibits the lowest activation energy barrier and |ΔGH*|. This work explores the division of synergies between different types of S defects, providing new insights into the coupling of defect engineering.

A point mutation in the meiotic crossover formation gene HEI10/TFS2 leads to thermosensitive genic sterility in rice

Thermosensitive genic female sterility (TGFS) is a promising property to be utilized for hybrid breeding. Here, we identified a rice TGFS line, tfs2, through an ethyl methyl sulfone (EMS) mutagenesis strategy. This line showed sterility under high temperature and became fertile under low temperature. Few seeds were produced when the tfs2 stigma was pollinated, indicating that tfs2 is female sterile. Gene cloning and genetic complementation showed that a point mutation from leucine to phenylalanine in HEI10 (HEI10tfs2), a crossover formation protein, caused the TGFS trait of tfs2. Under high temperature, abnormal univalents were formed, and the chromosomes were unequally segregated during meiosis, similar to the reported meiotic defects in oshei10. Under low temperature, the number of univalents was largely reduced, and the chromosomes segregated equally, suggesting that crossover formation was restored in tfs2. Yeast two-hybrid assays showed that HEI10 interacted with two putative protein degradation-related proteins, RPT4 and SRFP1. Through transient expression in tobacco leaves, HEI10 were found to spontaneously aggregate into dot-like foci in the nucleus under high temperature, but HEI10tfs2 failed to aggregate. In contrast, low temperature promoted HEI10tfs2 aggregation. This result suggests that protein aggregation at the crossover position contributes to the fertility restoration of tfs2 under low temperature. In addition, RPT4 and SRFP1 also aggregated into dot-like foci, and these aggregations depend on the presence of HEI10. These findings reveal a novel mechanism of fertility restoration and facilitate further understanding of HEI10 in meiotic crossover formation.

Self-Disassembling and Oxygen-Generating Porphyrin-Lipoprotein Nanoparticle for Targeted Glioblastoma Resection and Enhanced Photodynamic Therapy

The dismal prognosis for glioblastoma multiform (GBM) patients is primarily attributed to the highly invasive tumor residual that remained after surgical intervention. The development of precise intraoperative imaging and postoperative residual removal techniques will facilitate the gross total elimination of GBM. Here, a self-disassembling porphyrin lipoprotein-coated calcium peroxide nanoparticles (PLCNP) is developed to target GBM via macropinocytosis, allowing for fluorescence-guided surgery of GBM and improving photodynamic treatment (PDT) of GBM residual by alleviating hypoxia. By reducing self-quenching and enhancing lysosome escape efficiency, the incorporation of calcium peroxide (CaO2) cores in PLCNP amplifies the fluorescence intensity of porphyrin-lipid. Furthermore, the CaO2 core has diminished tumor hypoxia and improves the PDT efficacy of PLCNP, enabling low-dose PDT and reversing tumor progression induced by hypoxia aggravation following PDT. Taken together, this self-disassembling and oxygen-generating porphyrin-lipoprotein nanoparticle may serve as a promising all-in-one nanotheranostic platform for guiding precise GBM excision and empowering post-operative PDT, providing a clinically applicable strategy to combat GBM in a safe and effective manner.

Emerging trends and hotspots of the itch research: A bibliometric and visualized analysis

AIMS

Itch, a common uncomfortable sensory experience, occurs frequently in inflammatory or allergic disorders. In recent years, with the discovery of itch-specific pathways in the peripheral and central nervous system, the association between immunology and neural pathways has gradually emerged as the main mechanism of itch. Although many studies have been conducted on itch, no bibliometric analysis study focusing on this topic has been conducted. This study aimed to explore the research hotspots and trends in the itch field from a bibliometric perspective.

METHODS

Publications relevant to itch, published from 2003 to 2022, were retrieved from the Science Citation Index-Expanded of Web of Science Core Collection. Publications were critically reviewed and analyzed with CiteSpace software, Vosviewer, and the bibliometric online analysis platform. Visual maps were conducted in terms of annual production, collaborating countries or institutions, productive authors, core journals, co-cited references, and keyword bursts.

RESULTS

2395 articles on itch that met our criteria were identified and the quantity of publications has been increasing rapidly since 2012. The USA was the most influential country. University Hospital Münster was the institution with the most publications. Gil Yosipovitch was the most prolific author. Atopic dermatitis (AD), intradermal serotonin, chronic pruritus, mechanical itch, gastrin-releasing peptide, substance p, interleukin-31 receptor, histamine-induced itch, bile acid, scratching behavior, and h-4 receptor were the top 11 clusters in co-citation cluster analysis. Keyword burst analysis suggested that treatment, inflammation, and AD are current research hotspots.

CONCLUSION

Global publications on itch research have increased steadily and rapidly over the past 20 years. Inflammation and AD are current research hotspots. The neuroimmunological and neuroinflammatory mechanisms of itch, as well as clinical assessment methods and therapeutic targets, will be novel research directions in the future. This study provides guidance for further itch research.

Acoustic Cell Patterning for Structured Cell-Laden Hydrogel Fibers/Tubules

Cell-laden hydrogel fibers/tubules are one of the fundamentals of tissue engineering. They have been proven as a promising method for constructing biomimetic tissues, such as muscle fibers, nerve conduits, tendon and vessels, etc. However, current hydrogel fiber/tubule production methods have limitations in ordered cell arrangements, thus impeding the biomimetic configurations. Acoustic cell patterning is a cell manipulation method that has good biocompatibility, wide tunability, and is contact-free. However, there are few studies on acoustic cell patterning for fiber production, especially on the radial figure cell arrangements, which mimic many native tissue-like cell arrangements. Here, an acoustic cell patterning system that can be used to produce hydrogel fibers/tubules with tunable cell patterns is shown. Cells can be pre-patterned in the liquid hydrogel before being extruded as cross-linked hydrogel fibers/tubules. The radial patterns can be tuned with different complexities based on the acoustic resonances. Cell viability assays after 72 h confirm good cell viability and proliferation. Considering the biocompatibility and reliability, the present method can be further used for a variety of biomimetic fabrications.

In Situ Construction of Interface with Photothermal and Mutual Catalytic Effect for Efficient Solar-Driven Reversible Hydrogen Storage of MgH2

Hydrogen storage in MgH2 is an ideal solution for realizing the safe storage of hydrogen. High operating temperature, however, is required for hydrogen storage of MgH2 induced by high thermodynamic stability and kinetic barrier. Herein, flower-like microspheres uniformly constructed by N-doped TiO2 nanosheets coated with TiN nanoparticles are fabricated to integrate the light absorber and thermo-chemical catalysts at a nanometer scale for driving hydrogen storage of MgH2 using solar energy. N-doped TiO2 is in situ transformed into TiNxOy and Ti/TiH2 uniformly distributed inside of TiN matrix during cycling, in which TiN and Ti/TiHx pairs serve as light absorbers that exhibit strong localized surface plasmon resonance effect with full-spectrum light absorbance capability. On the other hand, it is theoretically and experimentally demonstrated that the intimate interface between TiH2 and MgH2 can not only thermodynamically and kinetically promote H2 desorption from MgH2 but also simultaneously weaken Ti─H bonds and hence in turn improve H2 desorption from the combination of weakened Ti─H and Ti─H bonds. The uniform integration of photothermal and catalytic effect leads to the direct action of localized heat generated from TiN on initiating the catalytic effect in realizing hydrogen storage of MgH2 with a capacity of 6.1 wt.% under 27 sun.

Unlocking the Potential of Iron Sulfides for Sodium-Ion Batteries by Ultrafine Pulverization

Iron sulfides have attracted tremendous research interest for the anode of sodium-ion batteries due to their high capacity and abundant resource. However, the intrinsic pulverization and aggregation of iron sulfide electrodes induced by the conversion reaction during cycling are considered destructive and undesirable, which often impedes their capacity, rate capability, and long-term cycling stability. Herein, an interesting pulverization phenomenon of ultrathin carbon-coated Fe1- xS nanoplates (Fe1- xS@C) is observed during the first discharge process of sodium-ion batteries, which leads to the formation of Fe1- xS nanoparticles with quantum size (≈5 nm) tightly embedded in the carbon matrix. Surprisingly, no discernible aggregation phenomenon can be detected in subsequent cycles. In/ex situ experiments and theoretical calculations demonstrate that ultrafine pulverization can confer several advantages, including sustaining reversible conversion reactions, reducing the adsorption energies, and diffusion energy barriers of sodium atoms, and preventing the aggregation of Fe1- xS particles by strengthening the adsorption between pulverized Fe1- xS nanoparticles and carbon. As a result, benefiting from the unique ultrafine pulverization, the Fe1- xS@C anode simultaneously exhibits high reversible capacity (610 mAh g-1 at 0.5 A g-1), superior rate capability (427.9 mAh g-1 at 20 A g-1), and ultralong cycling stability (377.9 mAh g-1 after 2500 cycles at 20 A g-1).

Application of TNB in dual photo-controlled release of phenamacril, imidacloprid, and imidacloprid synergist

Pesticides can improve crops' yield and quality, but unreasonable applications of pesticides lead to waste of pesticides which are further accumulated in the environment and threaten human health. Developing the release of controlled drugs can improve the utilization rate of pesticides. Among these methods, light-controlled release is a new technology of controlled release, which can realize spatiotemporal delivery of drugs by light. Four compounds, named Imidacloprid-Thioacetal o-nitrobenzyl-Phenamacril (IMI-TNB-PHE), Imidacloprid-Thioacetal o-nitrobenzyl- Imidacloprid (IMI-TNB-IMI), Phenamacril-Thioacetal o-nitrobenzyl-Phenamacril (PHE-TNB-PHE), and Imidacloprid-Thioacetal o-nitrobenzyl-Imidacloprid Synergist (IMI-TNB-IMISYN), were designed and synthesized by connecting thioacetal o-nitrobenzyl (TNB) with pesticides TNB displaying simple and efficient optical properties in this work. Dual photo-controlled release of pesticides including two molecules of IMI or PHE, both IMI and PHE, as well as IMI and IMISYN were, respectively, studied in this paper. Insecticidal/fungicidal activities of the photosensitive pesticides showed 2-4 times increments if they were exposed to light. In addition, a synergistic effect was observed after the light-controlled release of IMI-TNB-IMISYN, which was consistent with the effect of IMISYN. The results demonstrated whether dual photo-controlled release of the same or different pesticide molecules could be achieved with a TNB linker with spatiotemporal precision. We envisioned that TNB will be an innovative photosensitive protective group for light-dependent application of agrochemicals in the future.

A universal and scalable transformation of bulk metals into single-atom catalysts in ionic liquids

Single-atom catalysts (SACs) with maximized metal atom utilization and intriguing properties are of utmost importance for energy conversion and catalysis science. However, the lack of a straightforward and scalable synthesis strategy of SACs on diverse support materials remains the bottleneck for their large-scale industrial applications. Herein, we report a general approach to directly transform bulk metals into single atoms through the precise control of the electrodissolution-electrodeposition kinetics in ionic liquids and demonstrate the successful applicability of up to twenty different monometallic SACs and one multimetallic SAC with five distinct elements. As a case study, the atomically dispersed Pt was electrodeposited onto Ni3N/Ni-Co-graphene oxide heterostructures in varied scales (up to 5 cm × 5 cm) as bifunctional catalysts with the electronic metal-support interaction, which exhibits low overpotentials at 10 mA cm-2 for hydrogen evolution reaction (HER, 30 mV) and oxygen evolution reaction (OER, 263 mV) with a relatively low Pt loading (0.98 wt%). This work provides a simple and practical route for large-scale synthesis of various SACs with favorable catalytic properties on diversified supports using alternative ionic liquids and inspires the methodology on precise synthesis of multimetallic single-atom materials with tunable compositions.

Secondary-Bond-Driven Construction of a Polar Material Exhibiting Strong Broad-Spectrum Second-Harmonic Generation and Large Birefringence

Considerable effort has been invested in the development of non-centrosymmetric (NCS) inorganic solids for ferroelectricity-, piezoelectricity- and, particularly, optical nonlinearity-related applications. While great progress has been made, a persistent problem is the difficulty in constructing NCS materials, which probably stems from non-directionality and unsaturation of the ionic bonds between metal counter-cations and covalent anionic modules. We report herein a secondary-bond-driven approach that circumvents the cancellation of dipole moments between adjacent anionic modules that has plagued second-harmonic generation (SHG) material design, and which thereby affords a polar structure with strong SHG properties. The resultant first NCS counter-cation-free iodate, VO2 (H2 O)(IO3 ) (VIO), a new class of iodate, crystallizes in a polar lattice with∞ 1 [ ${{}_{{\rm { \infty }}}{}^{{\rm { 1}}}{\rm { [}}}$ VO2 (H2 O)(IO3 )] zigzag chains connected by weak hydrogen bonds and intermolecular forces. VIO exhibits very large SHG responses (18 × KH2 PO4 @ 1200 nm, 1.5 × KTiOPO4 @ 2100 nm) and sufficient birefringence (0.184 @ 546 nm). Calculations and crystal structure analysis attribute the large SHG responses to consistent polarization orientations of the∞ 1 [ ${{}_{{\rm { \infty }}}{}^{{\rm { 1}}}{\rm { [}}}$ VO2 (H2 O)(IO3 )] chains controlled by secondary bonds. This study highlights the advantages of manipulating the secondary bonds in inorganic solids to control NCS structure and optical nonlinearity, affording a new perspective in the development of high-performance NLO materials.

Manipulation of Convection Using Infrared Light Emitted from Human Hands

Control of convection plays an important role in heat transfer regulation, bio/chemical sensing, phase separation, etc. Current convection controlling systems generally depend on engineered energy sources to drive and manipulate the convection, which brings additional energy consumption into the system. Here the use of human hand as a natural and sustainable infrared (IR) radiation source for the manipulation of liquid convection is demonstrated. The fluid can sense the change of the relative position or the shape of the hand with the formation of different convection patterns. Besides the generation of static complex patterns, dynamic manipulation of convections can also be realized via moving of hand or finger. The use of such sustainable convections to control the movement of a floating "boat" is further achieved. The use of human hands as the natural energy sources provides a promising approach for the manipulation of liquid convection without the need of extra external energy, which may be further utilized for low-cost and intelligent bio/chemical sensing and separation.

Advanced Cooling Textiles: Mechanisms, Applications, and Perspectives

High-temperature environments pose significant risks to human health and safety. The body's natural ability to regulate temperature becomes overwhelmed under extreme heat, leading to heat stroke, dehydration, and even death. Therefore, the development of effective personal thermal-moisture management systems is crucial for maintaining human well-being. In recent years, significant advancements have been witnessed in the field of textile-based cooling systems, which utilize innovative materials and strategies to achieve effective cooling under different environments. This review aims to provide an overview of the current progress in textile-based personal cooling systems, mainly focusing on the classification, mechanisms, and fabrication techniques. Furthermore, the challenges and potential application scenarios are highlighted, providing valuable insights for further advancements and the eventual industrialization of personal cooling textiles.

Making Nanofiber Membrane Stand on End to Construct Vertically Interfacial Evaporators for Efficient Solar Evaporation, Omnidirectional Solar Absorption, and Ultrahigh-Salinity Brine Desalination

Solar-driven interfacial desalination is widely considered to be a promising technology to address the global water crisis. This study proposes a novel electrospun nanofiber-based all-in-one vertically interfacial solar evaporator endowed with a high steam generation rate, steady omnidirectional evaporation, and enduring ultrahigh-salinity brine desalination. In particular, the electrospun nanofiber is collected into the tubular structure, followed by spraying with a dense crosslinked poly(vinyl alcohol) film, which renders them sufficiently strong for the preparation of a vertically array evaporator. The integrated evaporator made an individual capillary as a unit to form multiple thermal localization interfaces and steam dissipation channels, realizing zone heating of water. Thus a high steam generation rate exceeding 4.0 kg m-2 h-1 in pure water is demonstrated even under omnidirectional sunlight, and outperforms existing evaporators. Moreover, salt ions in the photothermal layer can be effectively transported to the water in capillaries and subsequently exchanged with the bulk water due to the strong action of capillary force, which ensures an ultrahigh desalination rate (≈12.5 kg m-2 h-1 under 3 sun) in 25 wt% concentration brine over 300 min. As such, this work provides a meaningful roadmap for the development of state-of-the-art solar-driven interfacial desalination.

Chiral Supramolecular Nanofibers Regulated Tumor-Derived Exosomes Secretion for Constructing an Anti-Tumor Extracellular Microenvironment

Tumor-derived exosomes (TDEs) induced extracellular microenvironment has recently been validated to be critical for tumor progression and metastasis, however, remodeling it for oncotherapy still remains a major challenge due to difficulty in regulation of TDEs secretion. Herein, the supramolecular chiral nanofibers, composed of L/D -phenylalanine derivates (L/D-Phe) and linear hyaluronic acid (HA), are successfully employed to construct TDEs induced anti-tumor extracellular microenvironment. The left-handed L-Phe @HA nanofibers significantly inhibit TDEs secretion into extracellular microenvironment, which results in suppression of tumor proliferation and metastasis in vitro and vivo. Biological assays and theoretical modeling reveal that these results are mainly attributed to strong adsorption of the key exosomes transporters (Ras-related protein Rab-27A and synaptosome-associated protein 23) on left-handed L-Phe @HA nanofibers via enhanced stereoselective interaction, leading to degradation and phosphorylated dropping of exosomes transporters. Subsequently, transfer function of exosomes transporters is limited, which causes remarkable inhibition of TDEs secretion. These findings provide a promising novel insight of chiral functional materials to establish an anti-tumor extracellular microenvironment via regulation of TDEs secretion.

Temperature and light reverse the fertility of rice P/TGMS line ostms19 via reactive oxygen species homeostasis

P/TGMS (Photo/thermo-sensitive genic male sterile) lines are crucial resources for two-line hybrid rice breeding. Previous studies revealed that slow development is a general mechanism for sterility-fertility conversion of P/TGMS in Arabidopsis. However, the difference in P/TGMS genes between rice and Arabidopsis suggests the presence of a distinct P/TGMS mechanism in rice. In this study, we isolated a novel P/TGMS line, ostms19, which shows sterility under high-temperature conditions and fertility under low-temperature conditions. OsTMS19 encodes a novel pentatricopeptide repeat (PPR) protein essential for pollen formation, in which a point mutation GTA(Val) to GCA(Ala) leads to ostms19 P/TGMS phenotype. It is highly expressed in the tapetum and localized to mitochondria. Under high temperature or long-day photoperiod conditions, excessive ROS accumulation in ostms19 anthers during pollen mitosis disrupts gene expression and intine formation, causing male sterility. Conversely, under low temperature or short-day photoperiod conditions, ROS can be effectively scavenged in anthers, resulting in fertility restoration. This indicates that ROS homeostasis is critical for fertility conversion. This relationship between ROS homeostasis and fertility conversion has also been observed in other tested rice P/TGMS lines. Therefore, we propose that ROS homeostasis is a general mechanism for the sterility-fertility conversion of rice P/TGMS lines.

Ice-Templated Synthesis of Atomic Cluster Cocatalyst with Regulable Coordination Number for Enhanced Photocatalytic Hydrogen Evolution

Supported metal catalysts have been exploited in various applications. Among them, cocatalyst supported on photocatalyst is essential for activation of photocatalysis. However, cocatalyst decoration in a controllable fashion to promote intrinsic activity remains challenging. Herein, a versatile method is developed for cocatalyst synthesis using an ice-templating (ICT) strategy, resulting in size control from single-atom (SA), and atomic clusters (AC) to nanoparticles (NP). Importantly, the coordination numbers (CN) of decorated AC cocatalysts are highly controllable, and this ICT method applies to various metals and photocatalytic substrates. Taking narrow-band gap Ga-doped La5 Ti2 Cu0.9 Ag0.1 O7 S5 (LTCA) photocatalyst as an example, supported Ru AC/LTCA catalysts with regulable Ru CNs have been prepared, delivering significantly enhanced activities compared to Ru SA and Ru NPs supported on LTCA. Specifically, Ru(CN = 3.4) AC/LTCA with an average CN of Ru─Ru bond measured to be ≈3.4 exhibits excellent photocatalytic H2 evolution rate (578 µmol h-1 ) under visible light irradiation. Density functional theory calculation reveals that the modeled Ru(CN = 3) atomic cluster cocatalyst possesses favorable electronic properties and available active sites for the H2 evolution reaction.

Surface-Initiated Living Self-Assembly of Polythiophene-Based Conjugated Block Copolymer into Erect Micellar Brushes

Nanostructured conjugated polymers are of widespread interest due to their broad applications in organic optoelectronic devices, biomedical sensors and other fields. However, the alignment of conjugated nanostructures perpendicular to a surface remains a critical challenge. Herein, we report a facile method to directly self-assemble a poly(3-(2-ethylhexyl)thiophene), P3EHT-based block copolymer into densely aligned micellar brushes through surface-initiated living crystallization-driven self-assembly. The presence of an ethyl pendant on the side group intrinsically moderates the crystallization rate of the polythiophene main chains, and hence favors the controlled living growth of long conjugated fibers and the subsequent fabrication of conjugated micellar brushes. The corona of the micellar brush can be further decorated with platinum nanoparticles, which enables the formation of erect nanoarrays with heights up to 2700 nm in the dried state. This also renders the micellar brush catalytically active toward hydrogen evolution reaction, which shows a low overpotential of 27 mV at 10 mA cm-2 . Notably, the P3EHT-based micellar brush can simultaneously grow with polyferrocenyldimethylsilane, PFS-based micellar brush on the same surface without any significant interference between the two systems. Thus, these two micellar brushes can be patterned through site-selective immobilization of two types of seeds followed by independent living self-assembly.

Halofantrine Hydrochloride Acts as an Antioxidant Ability Inhibitor That Enhances Oxidative Stress Damage to Candida albicans

Candida albicans, a prominent opportunistic pathogenic fungus in the human population, possesses the capacity to induce life-threatening invasive candidiasis in individuals with compromised immune systems despite the existence of antifungal medications. When faced with macrophages or neutrophils, C. albicans demonstrates its capability to endure oxidative stress through the utilization of antioxidant enzymes. Therefore, the enhancement of oxidative stress in innate immune cells against C. albicans presents a promising therapeutic approach for the treatment of invasive candidiasis. In this study, we conducted a comprehensive analysis of a library of drugs approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). We discovered that halofantrine hydrochloride (HAL) can augment the antifungal properties of oxidative damage agents (plumbagin, menadione, and H2O2) by suppressing the response of C. albicans to reactive oxygen species (ROS). Furthermore, our investigation revealed that the inhibitory mechanism of HAL on the oxidative response is dependent on Cap1. In addition, the antifungal activity of HAL has been observed in the Galleria mellonella infection model. These findings provide evidence that targeting the oxidative stress response of C. albicans and augmenting the fungicidal capacity of oxidative damage agents hold promise as effective antifungal strategies.

Electronic Modulation in Cu Doped NiCo LDH/NiCo Heterostructure for Highly Efficient Overall Water Splitting

Layered double hydroxides (LDHs), promising bifunctional electrocatalysts for overall water splitting, are hindered by their poor conductivity and sluggish electrochemical reaction kinetics. Herein, a hierarchical Cu-doped NiCo LDH/NiCo alloy heterostructure with rich oxygen vacancies by electronic modulation is tactfully designed. It extraordinarily effectively drives both the oxygen evolution reaction (151 mV@10 mA cm-2 ) and the hydrogen evolution reaction (73 mV@10 mA cm-2 ) in an alkaline medium. As bifunctional electrodes for overall water splitting, a low cell voltage of 1.51 V at 10 mA cm-2 and remarkable long-term stability for 100 h are achieved. The experimental and theoretical results reveal that Cu doping and NiCo alloy recombination can improve the conductivity and reaction kinetics of NiCo LDH with surface charge redistribution and reduced Gibbs free energy barriers. This work provides a new inspiration for further design and construction of nonprecious metal-based bifunctional electrocatalysts based on electronic structure modulation strategies.

Unleashing the Power of Sn2 S3 Quantum Dots: Advancing Ultrafast and Ultrastable Sodium/Potassium-Ion Batteries with N, S Co-Doped Carbon Fiber Network

Tin sulfide (Sn2 S3 ) has been recognized as a potential anode material for sodium-ion batteries (SIBs) and potassium-ion batteries (PIBs) due to its high theoretical capacities. However, the sluggish ion diffusion kinetics, low conductivity, and severe volume changes during cycling have limited its practical application. In this study, Sn2 S3 quantum dots (QDs) (≈1.6 nm) homogeneously embedded in an N, S co-doped carbon fiber network (Sn2 S3 -CFN) are successfully fabricated by sequential freeze-drying, carbonization, and sulfidation strategies. As anode materials, the Sn2 S3 -CFN delivers high reversible capacities and excellent rate capability (300.0 mAh g-1 at 10 A g-1 and 250.0 mAh g-1 at 20 A g-1 for SIBs; 165.3 mAh g-1 at 5 A g-1 and 100.0 mAh g-1 at 10 A g-1 for PIBs) and superior long-life cycling capability (279.6 mAh g-1 after 10 000 cycles at 5 A g-1 for SIBs; 166.3 mAh g-1 after 5 000 cycles at 2 A g-1 for PIBs). According to experimental analysis and theoretical calculations, the exceptional performance of the Sn2 S3 -CFN composite can be attributed to the synergistic effect of the conductive carbon fiber network and the Sn2 S3 quantum dots, which contribute to the structural stability, reversible electrochemical reactions, and superior electron transportation and ions diffusion.

Deep Learning-Assisted Active Metamaterials with Heat-Enhanced Thermal Transport

Heat management is crucial for state-of-the-art applications such as passive radiative cooling, thermally adjustable wearables, and camouflage systems. Their adaptive versions, to cater to varied requirements, lean on the potential of adaptive metamaterials. Existing efforts, however, feature with highly anisotropic parameters, narrow working-temperature ranges, and the need for manual intervention, which remain long-term and tricky obstacles for the most advanced self-adaptive metamaterials. To surmount these barriers, heat-enhanced thermal diffusion metamaterials powered by deep learning is introduced. Such active metamaterials can automatically sense ambient temperatures and swiftly, as well as continuously, adjust their thermal functions with a high degree of tunability. They maintain robust thermal performance even when external thermal fields change direction, and both simulations and experiments demonstrate exceptional results. Furthermore, two metadevices with on-demand adaptability, performing distinctive features with isotropic materials, wide working temperatures, and spontaneous response are designed. This work offers a framework for the design of intelligent thermal diffusion metamaterials and can be expanded to other diffusion fields, adapting to increasingly complex and dynamic environments.

Broad-Range-Response Battery-Type All-in-one Self-Powered Stretchable Pressure-Sensitive Electronic Skin

Highly sensitive self-powered stretchable electronic skins with the capability of detecting broad-range dynamic and static pressures are urgently needed with the increasing demands for miniaturized wearable electronics, robots, artificial intelligence, etc. However, it remains a great challenge to achieve this kind of electronic skins. Here, unprecedented battery-type all-in-one self-powered stretchable electronic skins with a novel structure composed of pressure-sensitive elastic vanadium pentoxide (V2 O5 ) nanowire-based porous cathode, elastic porous polyurethane /carbon nanotube/polypyrrole anode, and polyacrylamide ionic gel electrolyte are reported. A new battery-type self-powered pressure sensing mechanism involving the output current variation caused by the resistance variation of the electrodes and electrolytes under external pressure is revealed. The battery-type self-powered electronic skins combining high sensitivity, broad response range (1.8 Pa-1.5 MPa), high fatigue resistance, and excellent stability against stretching (50% tensile strain) are achieved for the first time. This work provides a new and versatile battery-type sensing strategy for the design of next-generation all-in-one self-powered miniaturized sensors and electronic skins.

The G protein-coupled estrogen receptor of the trigeminal ganglion regulates acute and chronic itch in mice

AIMS

Itch is an unpleasant sensation that severely impacts the patient's quality of life. Recent studies revealed that the G protein-coupled estrogen receptor (GPER) may play a crucial role in the regulation of pain and itch perception. However, the contribution of the GPER in primary sensory neurons to the regulation of itch perception remains elusive. This study aimed to investigate whether and how the GPER participates in the regulation of itch perception in the trigeminal ganglion (TG).

METHODS AND RESULTS

Immunofluorescence staining results showed that GPER-positive (GPER+ ) neurons of the TG were activated in both acute and chronic itch. Behavioral data indicated that the chemogenetic activation of GPER+ neurons of the TG of Gper-Cre mice abrogated scratching behaviors evoked by acute and chronic itch. Conversely, the chemogenetic inhibition of GPER+ neurons resulted in increased itch responses. Furthermore, the GPER expression and function were both upregulated in the TG of the dry skin-induced chronic itch mouse model. Pharmacological inhibition of GPER (or Gper deficiency) markedly increased acute and chronic itch-related scratching behaviors in mouse. Calcium imaging assays further revealed that Gper deficiency in TG neurons led to a marked increase in the calcium responses evoked by agonists of the transient receptor potential ankyrin A1 (TRPA1) and transient receptor potential vanilloid V1 (TRPV1).

CONCLUSION

Our findings demonstrated that the GPER of TG neurons is involved in the regulation of acute and chronic itch perception, by modulating the function of TRPA1 and TRPV1. This study provides new insights into peripheral itch sensory signal processing mechanisms and offers new targets for future clinical antipruritic therapy.

Design, Synthesis, and Synergistic Activities of Eight-Membered Carbon Bridged Neonicotinoid Derivatives

Insecticide synergists are an effective approach to increase the control efficacy and reduce active ingredient usage. In order to explore neonicotinoid-specific synergists with novel scaffolds and higher potency, a series of eight-membered carbon bridged neonicotinoid derivatives were designed and synthesized in accordance with our previous research. The synergistic effects of the target compounds on neonicotinoids in Aphis craccivora were evaluated, and the structure-activity relationships were summarized. The results indicated that most of the target compounds exhibited significant synergistic effects on imidacloprid in A. craccivora at low concentrations. In particular, compound 1 at a concentration of 1 mg/L reduced the LC50 value of imidacloprid from 0.856 mg/L to 0.170 mg/L. Meanwhile, compound 1 also increased the insecticidal activity of most neonicotinoid insecticides belonging to the Insecticide Resistance Action Committee (IRAC) 4 A subgroup against A. craccivora. The present study might be meaningful for directing the design of neonicotinoid-specific synergists.

A novel online calculator based on clinical features and hematological parameters to predict total skin clearance in patients with moderate to severe psoriasis

BACKGROUND

Treatment responses to biologic agents vary between patients with moderate to severe psoriasis; while some patients achieve total skin clearance (TSC), a proportion of patients may only experience partial improvement.

OBJECTIVE

This study was designed to identify potential predictors for achieving TSC in psoriasis patients treated with IL-17 inhibitors. It also aimed to develop an easy-to-use calculator incorporating these factors by the nomogram to predict TSC response.

METHODS

A total of 381 patients with psoriasis receiving ixekizumab were included in the development cohort and 229 psoriasis patients who initiated secukinumab treatment were included in the validation cohort. The study endpoint was achieving TSC after 12 weeks of IL-17 inhibitors treatment, defined as the 100% improvement in Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI 100). Multivariate Cox regression analyses and LASSO analysis were performed to identify clinical predictors and blood predictors respectively.

RESULTS

The following parameters were identified as predictive factors associated with TSC: previous biologic treatment, joint involvement, genital area affected, early response (PASI 60 at week 4), neutrophil counts and uric acid levels. The nomogram model incorporating these factors achieved good discrimination in the development cohort (AUC, 0.721; 95% CI 0.670-0.773) and validation cohort (AUC, 0.715; 95% CI 0.665-0.760). The calibration curves exhibited a satisfactory fit, indicating the accuracy of the model. Furthermore, the decision curve analysis confirmed the clinical utility of the nomogram, highlighting its favorable value for practical application. Web-based online calculator has been developed to enhance the efficiency of clinical applications.

CONCLUSIONS

This study developed a practical and clinically applicable nomogram model for the prediction of TSC in patients with moderate to severe psoriasis. The nomogram model demonstrated robust predictive performance and exhibited significant clinical utility. Trial registration A multi-center clinical study of systemic treatment strategies for psoriasis in Chinese population;ChiCTR2000036186; Registered 31 August 2020; https://www.chictr.org.cn/showproj.html?proj=58256 .

Magnetic Field Enhanced Oxygen Reduction Reaction via Oxygen Diffusion Speedup

The mass-transfer of oxygen in liquid phases (including in the bulk electrolyte and near the electrode surface) is a critical step to deliver oxygen to catalyst sites (especially immersed catalyst sites) and use the full capacity of oxygen reduction reaction (ORR). Despite the extensive efforts of optimizing the complex three-phase reaction interfaces to enhance the gaseous oxygen transfer, strong limitations remain due to oxygen's poor solubility and slow diffusion in electrolytes. Herein, a magnetic method for boosting the directional hydrodynamic pumping of oxygen toward immersed catalyst sites is demonstrated which allows the ORR to reach otherwise inaccessible catalytic regions where high currents normally would have depleted oxygen. For Pt foil electrodes without forced oxygen saturation in KOH electrolytes, the mass-transfer-limited current densities can be improved by 60% under an external magnetic field of 435 mT due to the synergistic effect between bulk- and surface-magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) flows induced by Lorentz forces. The residual magnetic fields are further used at the surface of magnetic materials (such as CoPt alloys and Pt/FeCo heterostructures) to enhance the surface-MHD effect, which helps to retain part of the ORR enhancement permanently without applying external magnetic fields.

Photo-Induced Self-assembly of Copolymer-Capped Nanoparticles into Colloidal Molecules

Colloidal molecules (CMs) are precisely defined assemblies of nanoparticles (NPs) that mimic the structure of real molecules, but externally programming the precise self-assembly of CMs is still challenging. In this work, we show that the photo-induced self-assembly of complementary copolymer-capped binary NPs can be precisely controlled to form clustered ABx or linear (AB)y CMs at high yield (x is the coordination number of NP-Bs, and y is the repeating unit number of AB clusters). Under UV light irradiation, photolabile p-methoxyphenacyl groups of copolymers on NP-A*s are converted to carboxyl groups (NP-A), which react with tertiary amines of copolymers on NP-B to trigger the directional NP bonding. The x value of ABx can be precisely controlled between 1 and 3 by varying the irradiation duration and hence the amount of carboxyl groups generated on NP-As. Moreover, when NP-A* and NP-B are irradiated after mixing, the assembly process generates AB clusters or linear (AB)y structures with alternating sequence of the binary NPs. This assembly approach offers a simple yet non-invasive way to externally regulate the formation of various CMs on demand without the need of redesigning the surface chemistry of NPs for use in drug delivery, diagnostics, optoelectronics, and plasmonic devices.

Leveraging the Proximity and Distribution of Cu-Cs Sites for Direct Conversion of Methanol to Esters/Aldehydes

Methanol serves as a versatile building-block for various commodity chemicals, and the development of industrially promising strategies for its conversion remains the ultimate goal in methanol chemistry. In this study, we design a dual Cu-Cs catalytic system that enables a one-step direct conversion of methanol and methyl acetate/ethanol into high value-added esters/aldehydes, with customized chain length and saturation by leveraging the proximity and distribution of Cu-Cs sites. Cu-Cs at a millimeter-scale intimacy triggers methanol dehydrogenation and condensation, involving proton transfer, aldol formation, and aldol condensation, to obtain unsaturated esters and aldehydes with selectivities of 76.3 % and 31.1 %, respectively. Cu-Cs at a micrometer-scale intimacy significantly promotes mass transfer of intermediates across catalyst interfaces and their subsequent hydrogenation to saturated esters and aldehydes with selectivities of 67.6 % and 93.1 %, respectively. Conversely, Cu-Cs at a nanometer-scale intimacy alters reaction pathway with a similar energy barrier for the rate-determining step, but blocks the acidic-basic sites and diverts the reaction to byproducts. More importantly, an unprecedented quadruple tandem catalytic production of methyl methacrylate (MMA) is achieved by further tailoring Cu and Cs distribution across the reaction bed in the configuration of Cu-Cs||Cs, outperforming the existing industrial processes and saving at least 15 % of production costs.

Dendritic sp Carbon-Conjugated Benzothiadiazole-Based Polymers with Synergistic Multi-Active Groups for High-Performance Lithium Organic Batteries

Green organic materials composed of C, H, O, and N elements are receiving more and more attention worldwide. However, the high solubility, poor electrical conductivity, and long activation time limit the development of organic materials in practice. Herein, two stable covalent organic materials with alkynyl linkage between benzene rings and benzothiadiazole groups with different amounts of fluorine atoms modification (defined as BOP-0F and BOP-2F), are designed for lithium-ion batteries. Both BOP-0F and BOP-2F can achieve superior reversible capacities of ≈719.8 and 713.5 mAh g-1 over 100 cycles on account of the redox activity of alkynyl (two-electron involved) and benzothiadiazole units (five-electron involved) in these organic materials. While BOP-2F electrodes exhibit much more stable cycling performance than BOP-0F electrodes, especially without pronounced capacity ascending during initial cycling. It can be assigned to the synergy effect of alkynyl linkage and fluorine atom modification in BOP-2F. The lithium storage and activation mechanism of alkynyl, benzothiadiazole, and fluorine groups have also been deeply probed by a series of material characterizations and theoretical simulations. This work could be noteworthy in providing novel tactics for the molecular design and investigation of high-efficiency organic electrodes for energy storage.

Humidity/Oxygen-Insensitive Organic Synaptic Transistors Based on Optical Radical Effect

For most organic synaptic transistors based on the charge trapping effect, different atmosphere conditions lead to significantly different device performance. Some devices even lose the synaptic responses under vacuum or inert atmosphere. The stable device performance of these organic synaptic transistors under varied working environments with different humidity and oxygen levels can be a challenge. Herein, a moisture- and oxygen-insensitive organic synaptic device based on the organic semiconductor and photoinitiator molecules is reported. Unlike the widely reported charge trapping effect, the photoinduced free radical is utilized to realize the photosynaptic performance. The resulting synaptic transistor displays typical excitatory postsynaptic current, paired-pulse facilitation, learning, and forgetting behaviors. Furthermore, the device exhibits decent and stable photosynaptic performances under high humidity and vacuum conditions. This type of organic synaptic device also demonstrates high potential in ultraviolet B perception based on its environmental stability and broad ultraviolet detection capability. Finally, the contrast-enhanced capability of the device is successfully validated by the single-layer-perceptron/double-layer network based Modified National Institute of Standards and Technology pattern recognition. This work could have important implications for the development of next-generation environment-stable organic synaptic devices and systems.

Mechanical and chemical itch regulated by neuropeptide Y-Y1 signaling

Itch is a somatosensory sensation to remove potential harmful stimulation with a scratching desire, which could be divided into mechanical and chemical itch according to diverse stimuli, such as wool fiber and insect biting. It has been reported that neuropeptide Y (NPY) neurons, a population of spinal inhibitory interneurons, could gate the transmission of mechanical itch, with no effect on chemical itch. In our study, we verified that chemogenetic activation of NPY neurons could inhibit the mechanical itch as well as the chemical itch, which also attenuated the alloknesis phenomenon in the chronic dry skin model. Afterwards, intrathecal administration of NPY1R agonist, [Leu31, Pro34]-NPY (LP-NPY), showed the similar inhibition effect on mechanical itch, chemical itch and alloknesis as chemo-activation of NPY neurons. Whereas, intrathecal administration of NPY1R antagonist BIBO 3304 enhanced mechanical itch and reversed the alloknesis phenomenon inhibited by LP-NPY treatment. Moreover, selectively knocking down NPY1R by intrathecal injection of Npy1r siRNA enhanced mechanical and chemical itch behavior as well. These results indicate that NPY neurons in spinal cord regulate mechanical and chemical itch, and alloknesis in dry skin model through NPY1 receptors.

Long-term mental health cost of the Great Chinese Famine

The Great Chinese Famine (1959-1961) claimed tens of millions of lives. This study aims to causally examine the long-term mental health cost it imposed on those who survived. To estimate the nationwide total mental health cost, we use a novel dataset to measure the famine intensity of every prefecture-level region, match it to a nationally representative survey, and then identify the long-term effects of the famine on the depression of rural residents then in the early years of their lives. Difference-in-differences estimates reveal that a one-standard-deviation rise in the experienced famine intensity increased a standard measure of depression by about 0.039 and 0.064 if the individual experienced the famine at ages 0-2 and 3-5, respectively. This translates into roughly 7.99 million cases of severe depressive symptoms caused by the famine, which is likely an undercount. Examining the mechanisms behind the large effects, we find that important roles were played by starvation experience and childhood maltreatment, as well as the primary mediators including other health outcomes, economic status, and social relationship. Our findings shed light on how large-scale food security failures impact the mental well-being of the survivors.

A Versatile Platform to Generate Shell-Cross-Linked Uniform Π-Conjugated Nanofibers with Controllable Length, High Morphological Stability, and Facile Surface Tailorability

Living crystallization-driven self-assembly (CDSA) has emerged as an efficient route to generate π-conjugated-polymer-based nanofibers (CPNFs) with promising applications from photocatalysis to biomedicine. However, the lack of efficient tools to endow CPNFs with morphological stability and surface tailorability becomes a frustrating hindrance for expanding application spectrum of CPNFs. Herein, a facile strategy to fabricate length-controllable OPV-based (OPV = oligo(p-phenylenevinylene)) CPNFs containing a cross-linked shell with high morphological stability and facile surface tailorability through the combination of living CDSA and thiol-ene chemistry by using OPV5 -b-PNAAM32 (PNAAM = poly(N-allyl acrylamide)) as a model is reported. Uniform fiber-like micelles with tunable length can be generated by self-seeding of living CDSA. By taking advantage of radical thiol-ene reaction between vinyls of PNAAM corona and four-arm thiols, the shell of micelles can be cross-linked with negligible destruction of structure of vinylene-containing OPV core. The resulting micelles show high morphological stability in NaCl solution and PBS buffer, even upon heating at 80 °C. The introduced extra thiol groups in the cross-linked shell can be further employed to install extra functional moieties via convenient thiol-Michael-type reaction. Given the negligible cytotoxicity of resulting CPNFs, this strategy opens an avenue to fabricate various CPNFs of diverse functionalities for biomedicine.

Ultrasound-Driven Non-Metallic Fenton-Active Center Construction for Extensive Chemodynamic Therapy

Chemodynamic therapy (CDT) is an emerging tumor microenvironment-responsive cancer therapeutic strategy based on Fenton/Fenton-like reactions. However, the effectiveness of CDT is subject to the slow kinetic rate and non-homogeneous distribution of H2 O2 . In this study, a conceptual non-metallic "Fenton-active" center construction strategy is proposed to enhance CDT efficiency using Bi0.44 Ba0.06 Na0.5 TiO2.97 (BNBT-6) nanocrystals. The separated charge carriers under a piezoelectric-induced electric field synchronize the oxidation of H2 O and reduction of H2 O2 , which consequently increases hydroxyl radical (·OH) yield even under low H2 O2 levels. Moreover, acceptor doping induces electron-rich oxygen vacancies to facilitate the dissociation of H2 O2 and H2 O and further promote ·OH generation. In vitro and in vivo experiments demonstrate that BNBT-6 induces extensive intracellular oxidative stress and enhances cell-killing efficiency by activating necroptosis in addition to the conventional apoptotic pathway. This study proposes a novel design approach for nanomaterials used in CDT and presents a new treatment strategy for apoptosis-resistant tumors.

Studies on immunotoxicity induced by emamectin benzoate in zebrafish embryos based on metabolomics

Emamectin benzoate (EMB) is an insecticide for the control of agricultural lepidoptera pests, and also an anti-parasiticide for the control of exoparasites in aquaculture industry. Increased studies suggest that EMB could cause toxicity to non-targeted organisms, but its immunotoxicity to human remains unclear. In this study, zebrafish were used to investigate the immunotoxic effects induced by environmentally relevant doses of EMB. We observed that EMB exposure led to embryo mortality and delayed hatching, as well as increased malformations. Meanwhile, zebrafish exposed to EMB exhibited a significant decrease in the number of neutrophils and macrophages. In addition, untargeted metabolomics approach was developed to elucidate the mechanism of EMB-induced immunotoxicity. We found that a total of 10 shared biomarkers were identified in response to EMB exposure. Furthermore, pathway analysis identified glycerophospholipid metabolism was the most relevant pathway. Within this pathway, it was observed abnormal increases in glycerol 3-phosphate content, which could be attributed to the increased expression of GK5 and decreased expression of GPAT3. Our study provided novel and robust perspectives, which showed that EMB exposure to zebrafish embryos could cause metabolic disturbances that adversely affected development and immune system.

Polymer Coating with Balanced Coordination Strength and Ion Conductivity for Dendrite-Free Zinc Anode

Decorating Zn anodes with functionalized polymers is considered as an effective strategy to inhibit dendrite growth. However, this normally brings extra interfacial resistance rendering slow reaction kinetics of Zn2+ . Herein, a poly(2-vinylpyridine) (P2VP) coating with modulated coordination strength and ion conductivity for dendrite-free Zn anode is reported. The P2VP coating favors a high electrolyte wettability and rapid Zn2+ migration speed (Zn2+ transfer number, tZn 2+ = 0.58). Electrostatic potential calculation shows that P2VP mildly coordinates with Zn2+ (adsorption energy = -0.94 eV), which promotes a preferential deposition of Zn along the (002) crystal plane. Notably, the use of partially (26%) quaternized P2VP (q-P2VP) further reduces the interfacial resistance to 126 Ω, leading to a high ion migration speed (tZn 2+ = 0.78) and a considerably low nucleation overpotential (18 mV). As a result of the synergistic effect of mild coordination and partial electrolysis, the overpotential of the q-P2VP-decorated Zn anode retains at a considerably low level (≈46 mV) over 1000 h at a high current density of 10 mA cm-2 . The assembled (NH4 )2 V6 O16 ·1.5H2 O || glass fiber || q-P2VP-Zn full cell reveals a lower average capacity decay rate of only 0.018% per cycle within 500 cycles at 1 A g-1 .

Progress, Challenge, and Prospect of LiMnO2 : An Adventure toward High-Energy and Low-Cost Li-Ion Batteries

Lithium manganese oxides are considered as promising cathodes for lithium-ion batteries due to their low cost and available resources. Layered LiMnO2 with orthorhombic or monoclinic structure has attracted tremendous interest thanks to its ultrahigh theoretical capacity (285 mAh g-1 ) that almost doubles that of commercialized spinel LiMn2 O4 (148 mAh g-1 ). However, LiMnO2 undergoes phase transition to spinel upon cycling cause by the Jahn-Teller effect of the high-spin Mn3+ . In addition, soluble Mn2+ generates from the disproportionation of Mn3+ and oxygen release during electrochemical processes may cause poor cycle performance. To address the critical issues, tremendous efforts have been made. This paper provides a general review of layered LiMnO2 materials including their crystal structures, synthesis methods, structural/elemental modifications, and electrochemical performance. In brief, first the crystal structures of LiMnO2 and synthetic methods have been summarized. Subsequently, modification strategies for improving electrochemical performance are comprehensively reviewed, including element doping to suppress its phase transition, surface coating to resist manganese dissolution into the electrolyte and impede surface reactions, designing LiMnO2 composites to improve electronic conductivity and Li+ diffusion, and finding compatible electrolytes to enhance safety. At last, future efforts on the research frontier and practical application of LiMnO2 have been discussed.

Post-transcriptional regulation of grain weight and shape by the RBP-A-J-K complex in rice

RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) are components of the post-transcriptional regulatory system, but their regulatory effects on complex traits remain unknown. Using an integrated strategy involving map-based cloning, functional characterizations, and transcriptomic and population genomic analyses, we revealed that RBP-K (LOC_Os08g23120), RBP-A (LOC_Os11g41890), and RBP-J (LOC_Os10g33230) encode proteins that form an RBP-A-J-K complex that negatively regulates rice yield-related traits. Examinations of the RBP-A-J-K complex indicated RBP-K functions as a relatively non-specific RBP chaperone that enables RBP-A and RBP-J to function normally. Additionally, RBP-J most likely affects GA pathways, resulting in considerable increases in grain and panicle lengths, but decreases in grain width and thickness. In contrast, RBP-A negatively regulates the expression of genes most likely involved in auxin-regulated pathways controlling cell wall elongation and carbohydrate transport, with substantial effects on the rice grain filling process as well as grain length and weight. Evolutionarily, RBP-K is relatively ancient and highly conserved, whereas RBP-J and RBP-A are more diverse. Thus, the RBP-A-J-K complex may represent a typical functional model for many RBPs and protein complexes that function at transcriptional and post-transcriptional levels in plants and animals for increased functional consistency, efficiency, and versatility, as well as increased evolutionary potential. Our results clearly demonstrate the importance of RBP-mediated post-transcriptional regulation for the diversity of complex traits. Furthermore, rice grain yield and quality may be enhanced by introducing various complete or partial loss-of-function mutations to specific RBP genes using clustered regularly interspaced palindromic repeats (CRISPR)/CRISPR-associated protein 9 technology and by exploiting desirable natural tri-genic allelic combinations at the loci encoding the components of the RBP-A-J-K complex through marker-assisted selection.

Perovskite Oxides Alleviate Microstrain and Anion Loss of Radially-Aligned Ni-Rich Ncm811 Cathodes under High-Voltage Operations

The energy density of Ni-rich cathodes is expected to be further unlocked by increasing the cut-off voltage to above 4.3 V, which nevertheless come with significantly increased irreversible phase transition and abundant side reactions. In this study, the perovskite oxides enhanced radial-aligned LiNi0.8 Co0.1 Mn0.1 O2 (NCM811) cathodes are reported, in which the coherent-growth La2 [LiTM]O4 clusters are evenly riveted into the crystals and the stable Lax Ca1- x [TM]O3- x protective layer is concurrently formed on the surface. The reciprocal interactions greatly reduce the lattice strain during de-/lithiation. Meantime, the abundant oxygen vacancies of the coating layer are proved to reversibly capture (state of charge) and re-release (state of discharge) the oxygen radicals, fully avoiding their correlative side reactions. The resultant NCM811 displays negligible O2 and CO2 emissions when charging to 4.5 V as well as a thinner CEI film, therefore delivering a large capacity of 225 mAh g-1 at 0.1C in coin-type half-cells and a high retention of 88.3% after 1000 cycles at 1C in pouch-type full-cells within 2.7-4.5 V. The development of high-voltage Ni-rich cathodes exhibits a highly effective pathway to further increase their energy density.