Melanin Hydrogel Inverse Opal Microneedle Patches for Wound Healing.

Bacterial infected wounds bring an economic burden to the worldwide medical care field. A variety of bioactives-integrated hydrogel patches are developed in response to this challenge. Here, the melanin hydrogel inverse opal microneedle patches (MNs) with antioxidant and visual color sensing abilities for the management of bacterial infected wounds are proposed. The MNs are fabricated by applying melanin-loaded polyethylene glycol diacrylate (PEGDA) as the inverse opal hydrogel and using bacitracin-carried gelatin to fill those nanopores of hydrogel scaffold. Benefitting from the antioxidant capacity of melanin nanoparticles and the local antimicrobial ability of bacitracin, the resulting MNs possess the integrated functions of reactive oxygen species scavenging and antibacterial. Besides, the inverse opal structure endows the MNs with vivid structure color and detectable reflected wavelength, which can gradually shift with the release of the drug, thus allowing MNs to assess the drug delivery. Based on these characteristics, MNs perform excellent in in vitro drug delivery and monitoring, as well as the promotion of bacterial infected wound recovery in vivo, indicating the potential of MNs in the future wound management field.

Emerging biomedical technologies for scarless wound healing.

Complete wound healing without scar formation has attracted increasing attention, prompting the development of various strategies to address this challenge. In clinical settings, there is a growing preference for emerging biomedical technologies that effectively manage fibrosis following skin injury, as they provide high efficacy, cost-effectiveness, and minimal side effects compared to invasive and costly surgical techniques. This review gives an overview of the latest developments in advanced biomedical technologies for scarless wound management. We first introduce the wound healing process and key mechanisms involved in scar formation. Subsequently, we explore common strategies for wound treatment, including their fabrication methods, superior performance and the latest research developments in this field. We then shift our focus to emerging biomedical technologies for scarless wound healing, detailing the mechanism of action, unique properties, and advanced practical applications of various biomedical technology-based therapies, such as cell therapy, drug therapy, biomaterial therapy, and synergistic therapy. Finally, we critically assess the shortcomings and potential applications of these biomedical technologies and therapeutic methods in the realm of scar treatment.

Rodent Ecology and Etiological Investigation in China: Results from Vector Biology Surveillance - Shandong Province, China, 2012-2022.

Introduction: Rodents are hosts of a wide range of zoonotic disease pathogens which threaten human health. However, comprehensive investigations of rodent ecology and etiology in Shandong are lacking. Thus, we aimed to analyze rodent ecology and infection with relevant pathogens in Shandong Province, China. Methods: Rodent survey data collected from 2012 to 2022 in Shandong Province were used in this study. Rodents captured from 2020 to 2022 were identified to species and tested for pathogens. Results: From 2012 to 2022, 4,145 rodents were captured, with an average capture rate of 0.70%. High capture rates were observed in rural residential areas and other habitats, such as farmland and forestland. Rattus norvegicus (R. norvegicus) was the dominant species, followed by Mus musculus (M. musculus). The regions with the highest capture rates of R. norvegicus were Dongying (0.82%) and Heze (0.63%), while M. musculus was more prevalent in Dongying (0.81%) and Weihai (0.56%). Rodent capture rates were highest between March and September. The positive detection rates of Hantavirus (HV), Leptospira interrogans (L. interrogans), Rickettsia typhi (R. typhi), Anaplasma phagocytophilum (A. phagocytophilum), and Francisella tularensis (F. tularensis) in rodents were 2.58%, 1.10%, 0.94%, 0.16%, and 0.19%, respectively. Conclusions: The rodent capture rate in human habitation environments has trended downward in Shandong Province, with R. norvegicus and M. musculus being the dominant species. Rodent infection risk from HV, L. interrogans, and R. typhi showed seasonal variation. Strengthening rodent surveillance and maintaining a low capture rate of host animals could be pivotal for preventing and controlling relevant rodent-borne diseases in high-risk areas.

Quantitative modelling of Plato and total flavonoids in Qingke wort at mashing and boiling stages based on FT-IR combined with deep learning and chemometrics.

Craft beer brewers need to learn process control strategies from traditional industrial production to ensure the consistent quality of the finished product. In this study, FT-IR combined with deep learning was used for the first time to model and analyze the Plato degree and total flavonoid content of Qingke beer during the mashing and boiling stages and to compare the effectiveness with traditional chemometrics methods. Two deep learning neural networks were designed, the effect of variable input methods on the effectiveness of the models was discussed. The experimental results showed that the CARS-LSTM model had the best predictive performance, not only as the best quantitative model for Plato in the mashing (R2p = 0.9368) and boiling (R2p = 0.9398) phases but also as the best model for TFC in the boiling phase (R2p = 0.9154). This study demonstrates the great potential of deep learning and provides a new approach to quality control analysis in beer brewing.

Developing conductive hydrogels for biomedical applications.

Conductive hydrogels have attracted copious attention owing to their grateful performances, such as similarity to biological tissues, compliance, conductivity and biocompatibility. A diversity of conductive hydrogels have been developed and showed versatile potentials in biomedical applications. In this review, we highlight the recent advances in conductive hydrogels, involving the various types and functionalities of conductive hydrogels as well as their applications in biomedical fields. Furthermore, the current challenges and the reasonable outlook of conductive hydrogels are also given. It is expected that this review will provide potential guidance for the advancement of next-generation conductive hydrogels.

Preparation of silver-based metal-organic framework and chitosan hybrid material for removing drug and dye.

Pharmaceuticals and personal care products and dyes have low biodegradability and high toxicity, seriously threaten the human health and ecological environment. Therefore, seeking effective removal methods has become the focus of research. In this study, silver-based metal-organic framework (Ag-MOF) and chitosan (CS) hybrid adsorbent (Ag-MOF-CS) was synthesized via solvothermal one-pot synthesis to remove diclofenac sodium (DCF) and acid Red 1 (AR1) from water for the first time. The morphology and structure of Ag-MOF-CS were confirmed by various characterizations. The effect on adsorption was investigated by changing the adsorbent dosage, pH and other conditions. The adsorption kinetics, adsorption isotherms and thermodynamics were analyzed. Ag-MOF-CS showed a high adsorption capacity. And the maximum adsorption capacity of Ag-MOF-CS for DCF and AR1 was 351.75 mg/g and 678.83 mg/g, respectively. The adsorbent bound to DCF and AR1 may via electrostatic forces, π-π interactions, hydrogen bonding. Even after four cycles of Ag-MOF-CS, the DCF removal can still be higher than 80 %. The eco-friendly Ag-MOF-CS demonstrated significant potential for utilization in treating wastewater.

Niobium carbide MXenzyme-Driven comprehensive cholesterol regulation for photoacoustic image-guided and anti-inflammatory photothermal ablation in atherosclerosis.

Foam cells play a pivotal role in the progression of atherosclerosis progression by triggering inflammation within arterial walls. They release inflammatory molecules that attract additional immune cells, leading to further macrophage recruitment and plaque development. In this study, we develop an osteopontin (OPN) antibody-conjugated niobium carbide (Nb2C-aOPN) MXenzyme designed to selectively target and mildly ablate foam cells while reducing inflammation in the plaque microenvironment. This approach utilizes photonic hyperthermia to decrease plaque size by enhancing cholesterol regulation through both passive cholesterol outflow and positive cholesterol efflux. Nb2C-aOPN MXenzyme exhibits multiple enzyme-mimicking properties, including catalase, superoxide dismutase, peroxidase and glutathione peroxidase, and acts as a scavenger for reactive oxygen and nitrogen species. The inhibition of reactive oxygen and nitrogen species synergizes with photothermal ablation to promote positive cholesterol efflux, leading to reduced macrophage recruitment and a shift in macrophage phenotype from M1 to M2. This integrative strategy on cholesterol regulation and anti-inflammation highlights the potential of multifunctional 2D MXenzyme-based nanomedicine in advancing atherosclerotic regression.

Hernandezine acts as a CDK4 suppressor inhibiting tumor growth by the CDK4/PKM2/NRF2 axis in colon cancer.

BACKGROUND: The cyclin-dependent kinase 4 (CDK4) interacts with its canonical and non-canonical substrates modulating the cell cycle in tumor cells. However, the potential substrates and the beyond-cell-cycle-regulated functions of CDK4 in colon cancer (CC) are still unknown. Hernandezine (HER) is previously verified to induce G0/G1 phase arrest and autophagic cell death in human cancer cells, which implies that HER might target G0/G1 phase-related proteins, including CDK4. PURPOSE: The present study tried to investigate the glycolytic metabolism and oxidative stress functions of CDK4 in colon cancer. Furthermore, the inhibitory effects and potential binding sites of HER on CDK4, as well as its anti-tumor activity were investigated in CC cells. METHODS: The mass spectrometry assay was performed to identify potential endogenous substrates of CDK4 and the correlation between glycolytic metabolic rate and CDK4 level in COAD patient tissues. Meanwhile, after inhibiting the activity or the expression of CDK4, the binding capacity of CDK4 to PKM2 and NRF2 and the latter two protein distributions in cytoplasm and nucleus were detected in CC cells. In vitro, the regulatory effects of the CDK4-PKM2-NRF2 axis on glycolysis and oxidative stress were performed by ECAR, OCR, and ROS assay. The inhibitory effect of HER on CDK4 activity was explored in CC cells and the potential binding sites were predicted and testified in vitro. Furthermore, tumor growth inhibition of HER by suppressing the CDK4-PKM2-NRF2 axis was also investigated in vitro and in vivo. RESULTS: PKM2 and NRF2 were identified as endogenous substrates of CDK4 and, high-expressed CDK4 was associated with low-level glycolysis in COAD. In vitro, inactivated CDK4 facilitated CDK4-PKM2-NRF2 complex formation which resulted in 1) inhibited PKM2 activity and retarded the glycolytic rate; 2) cytoplasm-detained NRF2 failed to transcript anti-oxidative gene expressions and induced oxidant stress. Additionally, as a CDK4 inhibitor, HER developed triple anti-tumor effects including induced G0/G1 phase arrest, suppressed glycolysis, and disrupted the anti-oxidative capacity of CC cells. CONCLUSION: The results first time revealed that CDK4 modulated glycolytic and anti-oxidative capacity of CC cells via bound to its endogenous substrates, PKM2 and NRF2. Additionally, 140Asp145Asn amino acid sites of CDK4 were potential targets of HER. HER exerts anti-tumor activity by inhibited the activity of CDK4, promoted the CDK4-PKM2-NRF2 complex formation in the CC cells.

Bisphosphonate-Anchored Self-Assembled Molecules with Larger Dipole Moments for Efficient Inverted Perovskite Solar Cells with Excellent Stability.

In the fabrication of inverted perovskite solar cells (PSCs), the wettability, adsorbability, and compactness of self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) on conductive substrates have critical impacts on the quality of the perovskite films and the defects at the buried perovskite-substrate interface, which control the efficiency and stability of the devices. Herein, three bisphosphonate-anchored indolocarbazole (IDCz)-derived SAMs, IDCz-1, IDCz-2, and IDCz-3, are designed and synthesized by modulating the position of the two nitrogen atoms of the IDCz unit to improve the molecular dipole moments and strengthen the π-π interactions. Regulating the work functions (WF) of FTO electrodes through molecular dipole moments and energy levels, the perovskite band bends upwards with a small offset for ITO/IDCz-3/perovskite, thereby promoting hole extraction and blocking electrons. As a result, the inverted PSC employing IDCz-3 as hole-collecting layer exhibits a champion PCE of 25.15%, which is a record efficiency for the multipodal SAMs-based PSCs. Moreover, the unencapsulated device with IDCz-3 can be stored for at least 1800 h with little degradation in performance.

Molecular detection and genetic characteristics of porcine circovirus 3 and porcine circovirus 4 in central China.

Porcine circoviruses (PCVs) are a significant cause of concern for swine health, with four genotypes currently recognized. Two of these, PCV3 and PCV4, have been detected in pigs across all age groups, in both healthy and diseased animals. These viruses have been associated with various clinical manifestations, including porcine dermatitis and nephropathy syndrome (PDNS) and respiratory and enteric signs. In this study, we detected PCV3 and PCV4 in central China between January 2022 and February 2023. We tested fecal swabs and tissue samples from growing-finishing and suckling pigs with or without respiratory and systemic manifestations and found the prevalence of PCV3 to be 15.15% (15/99) and that of PCV3/PCV4 coinfection to be 4.04% (4/99). This relatively low prevalence might be attributed to the fact that most of the clinical samples were collected from pigs exhibiting respiratory signs, with only a few samples having been obtained from pigs with diarrhea. In some cases, PCV2 was also detected, and the coinfection rates of PCV2/3, PCV2/4, and PCV2/3/4 were 6.06% (6/99), 5.05% (5/99), and 3.03% (3/99), respectively. The complete genomic sequences of four PCV3 and two PCV4 isolates were determined. All four of the PCV3 isolates were of subtype PCV3b, and the two PCV4 isolates were of subtype PCV4b. Two mutations (A24V and R27K) were found in antibody recognition domains of PCV3, suggesting that they might be associated with immune escape. This study provides valuable insights into the molecular epidemiology and evolution of PCV3 and PCV4 that will be useful in future investigations of genotyping, immunogenicity, and immune evasion strategies.

A Current Understanding of FXR in NAFLD: The multifaceted regulatory role of FXR and novel lead discovery for drug development.

The global prevalence of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) has reached 30 %, with an annual increase. The incidence of NAFLD-induced cirrhosis is rapidly rising and has become the leading indicator for liver transplantation in the US. However, there are currently no US Food and Drug Administration-approved drugs for NAFLD. Increasing evidence underscores the close association between NAFLD and bile acid metabolism disorder, highlighting the feasibility of targeting the bile acid signaling pathway for NAFLD treatment. The farnesoid X receptor (FXR) is an endogenous receptor for bile acids that exhibits favorable effects in ameliorating the metabolic imbalance of bile acids, lipid disorders, and disruption of intestinal homeostasis, all of which are key characteristics of NAFLD, making FXR a promising therapeutic target for NAFLD. The present review provides a comprehensive overview of the diverse mechanisms through which FXR improves NAFLD, with particular emphasis on its involvement in regulating bile acid homeostasis and the recent advancements in drug development targeting FXR for NAFLD treatment.

Cryoprotectant-Mediated Cold Stress Mitigation in Litchi Flower Development: Transcriptomic and Metabolomic Perspectives.

Temperature is vital in plant growth and agricultural fruit production. Litchi chinensis Sonn, commonly known as litchi, is appreciated for its delicious fruit and fragrant blossoms and is susceptible to stress when exposed to low temperatures. This study investigates the effect of two cryoprotectants that counteract cold stress during litchi flowering, identifies the genes that generate the cold resistance induced by the treatments, and hypothesizes the roles of these genes in cold resistance. Whole plants were treated with Bihu and Liangli cryoprotectant solutions to protect inflorescences below 10 °C. The soluble protein, sugar, fructose, sucrose, glucose, and proline contents were measured during inflorescence. Sucrose synthetase, sucrose phosphate synthetase, antioxidant enzymes (SOD, POD, CAT), and MDA were also monitored throughout the flowering stage. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs), gene ontology, and associated KEGG pathways in the transcriptomics study were investigated. There were 1243 DEGs expressed after Bihu treatment and 1340 in the control samples. Signal transduction pathways were associated with 39 genes in the control group and 43 genes in the Bihu treatment group. The discovery of these genes may contribute to further research on cold resistance mechanisms in litchi. The Bihu treatment was related to 422 low-temperature-sensitive differentially accumulated metabolites (DAMs), as opposed to 408 DAMs in the control, mostly associated with lipid metabolism, organic oxidants, and alcohols. Among them, the most significant differentially accumulated metabolites were involved in pathways such as ß-alanine metabolism, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon biosynthesis, linoleic acid metabolism, and histidine metabolism. These results showed that Bihu treatment could potentially promote these favorable traits and increase fruit productivity compared to the Liangli and control treatments. More genomic research into cold stress is needed to support the findings of this study.

Xianlian Jiedu Decoction alleviates colorectal cancer by regulating metabolic profiles, intestinal microbiota and metabolites.

BACKGROUND: Xianlian Jiedu Decoction (XLJDD) has been used for the treatment of colorectal cancer (CRC) for several decades because of the prominent efficacy of the prescription. Despite the clear clinical efficacy of XLJDD, the anti-CRC mechanism of action is still unclear. PURPOSE: The inhibitory effect and mechanism of XLJDD on CRC were investigated in the azoxymethane/dextran sulfate sodium (AOM/DSS)-induced mice. METHODS: The AOM/DSS-induced mice model was adopted to evaluate the efficacy after administering the different doses of XLJDD. The therapeutic effects of XLJDD in treating AOM/DSS-induced CRC were investigated through histopathology, immunofluorescence and ELISA analysis methods. In addition, metabolomics profile and 16S rRNA analysis were used to explore the effective mechanisms of XLJDD on CRC. RESULTS: The results stated that the XLJDD reduced the number of tumor growth on the inner wall of the colon and the colorectal weight/length ratio, and suppressed the disease activity index (DAI) score, meanwhile XLJDD also increased body weight, colorectal length, and overall survival rate. The treatment of XLJDD also exhibited the ability to lower the level of inflammatory cytokines in serum and reduce the expression levels of ß-catenin, COX-2, and iNOS protein in colorectal tissue. The findings suggested that XLJDD has anti-inflammatory properties and may provide relief for those suffering from inflammation-related conditions. Mechanistically, XLJDD improved gut microbiota dysbiosis and associated metabolic levels of short chain fatty acids (SCFAs), sphingolipid, and glycerophospholipid. This was achieved by reducing the abundance of Turicibacter, Clostridium_sensu_stricto_1, and the levels of sphinganine, LPCs, and PCs. Additionally, XLJDD increased the abundance of Enterorhabdus and Alistipes probiotics, as well as the content of butyric acid and isovaleric acid. CONCLUSION: The data presented in this article demonstrated that XLJDD can effectively inhibit the occurrence of colon inner wall tumors by reducing the level of inflammation and alleviating intestinal microbial flora imbalance and metabolic disorders. It provides a scientific basis for clinical prevention and treatment of CRC.

Dynamic contrast-enhanced MR imaging in identifying active anal fistula after surgery.

BACKGROUND: It is challenging to identify residual or recurrent fistulas from the surgical region, while MR imaging is feasible. The aim was to use dynamic contrast-enhanced MR imaging (DCE-MRI) technology to distinguish between active anal fistula and postoperative healing (granulation) tissue. METHODS: Thirty-six patients following idiopathic anal fistula underwent DCE-MRI. Subjects were divided into Group I (active fistula) and Group IV (postoperative healing tissue), with the latter divided into Group II (≤ 75 days) and Group III (> 75 days) according to the 75-day interval from surgery to postoperative MRI reexamination. MRI classification and quantitative analysis were performed. Correlation between postoperative time intervals and parameters was analyzed. The difference of parameters between the four groups was analyzed, and diagnostic efficiency was tested by receiver operating characteristic curve. RESULTS: Wash-in rate (WI) and peak enhancement intensity (PEI) were significantly higher in Group I than in Group II (p = 0.003, p = 0.040), while wash-out rate (WO), time to peak (TTP), and normalized signal intensity (NSI) were opposite (p = 0.031, p = 0.007, p = 0.010). Area under curves for discriminating active fistula from healing tissue within 75 days were 0.810 in WI, 0.708 in PEI, 0.719 in WO, 0.783 in TTP, 0.779 in NSI. All MRI parameters were significantly different between Group I and Group IV, but not between Group II and Group III, and not related to time intervals. CONCLUSION: In early postoperative period, DCE-MRI can be used to identify active anal fistula in the surgical area. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Chinese Clinical Trial Registry: ChiCTR2000033072.

Integrative Single Cell Atlas Revealed Intratumoral Heterogeneity Generation from an Adaptive Epigenetic Cell State in Human Bladder Urothelial Carcinoma.

Intratumor heterogeneity (ITH) of bladder cancer (BLCA) contributes to therapy resistance and immune evasion affecting clinical prognosis. The molecular and cellular mechanisms contributing to BLCA ITH generation remain elusive. It is found that a TM4SF1-positive cancer subpopulation (TPCS) can generate ITH in BLCA, evidenced by integrative single cell atlas analysis. Extensive profiling of the epigenome and transcriptome of all stages of BLCA revealed their evolutionary trajectories. Distinct ancestor cells gave rise to low-grade noninvasive and high-grade invasive BLCA. Epigenome reprograming led to transcriptional heterogeneity in BLCA. During early oncogenesis, epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition generated TPCS. TPCS has stem-cell-like properties and exhibited transcriptional plasticity, priming the development of transcriptionally heterogeneous descendent cell lineages. Moreover, TPCS prevalence in tumor is associated with advanced stage cancer and poor prognosis. The results of this study suggested that bladder cancer interacts with its environment by acquiring a stem cell-like epigenomic landscape, which might generate ITH without additional genetic diversification.

Gentisic acid prevents colorectal cancer metastasis via blocking GPR81-mediated DEPDC5 degradation.

BACKGROUND: Metastasis driven by epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) remains a significant contributor to the poor prognosis of colorectal cancer (CRC), and requires more effective interventions. GPR81 signaling has been linked to tumor metastasis, while lacks an efficient specific inhibitor. PURPOSE: Our study aimed to investigate the effect and mechanism of Gentisic acid on colorectal cancer (CRC) metastasis. STUDY DESIGN: A lung metastasis mouse model induced by tail vein injection and a subcutaneous graft tumor model were used. Gentisic acid (GA) was administered by an intraperitoneal injection. HCT116 was treated with lactate to establish an in vitro model. METHODS: MC38 cells with mCherry fluorescent protein were injected into tail vein to investigate lung metastasis ability in vivo. GA was administered by intraperitoneal injection for 3 weeks. The therapeutic effect was evaluated by survival rates, histochemical analysis, RT-qPCR and live imaging. The mechanism was explored using small interfering RNA (siRNA), Western blotting, RT-qPCR and immunofluorescence. RESULTS: GA had a therapeutic effect on CRC metastasis and improved survival rates and pathological changes in dose-dependent manner. GA emerged as an GPR81 inhibitor, effectively suppressed EMT and mTOR signaling in CRC induced by lactate both in vivo and in vitro. Mechanistically, GA halted lactate-induce degradation of DEPDC5 through impeding the activation of Chaperone-mediated autophagy (CMA). CONCLUSION: CMA-mediated DEPDC5 degradation is crucial for lactate/GPR81-induced CRC metastasis, and GA may be a promising candidate for metastasis by inhibiting GPR81 signaling.

Vanillic acid restores homeostasis of intestinal epithelium in colitis through inhibiting CA9/STIM1-mediated ferroptosis.

The damage of integrated epithelial epithelium is a key pathogenic factor and closely associated with the recurrence of ulcerative colitis (UC). Here, we reported that vanillic acid (VA) exerted potent therapeutic effects on DSS-induced colitis by restoring intestinal epithelium homeostasis via the inhibition of ferroptosis. By the CETSA assay and DARTS assay, we identified carbonic anhydrase IX (CAIX, CA9) as the direct target of VA. The binding of VA to CA9 causes insulin-induced gene-2 (INSIG2) to interact with stromal interaction molecule 1 (STIM1), rather than SREBP cleavage-activating protein (SCAP), leading to the translocation of SCAP-SREBP1 from the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) to the Golgi apparatus for cleavage into mature SREBP1. The activation of SREBP1 induced by VA then significantly facilitated the transcription of stearoyl-CoA desaturase 1 (SCD1) to exert an inhibitory effect on ferroptosis. By inhibiting the excessive death of intestinal epithelial cells caused by ferroptosis, VA effectively preserved the integrity of intestinal barrier and prevented the progression of unresolved inflammation. In conclusion, our study demonstrated that VA could alleviate colitis by restoring intestinal epithelium homeostasis through CA9/STIM1-mediated inhibition of ferroptosis, providing a promising therapeutic candidate for UC.

Dynamic Restructuring of Cu7S4/Cu for Efficient CO2 Electro-reduction to Formate.

Optimized catalytic properties and reactant adsorption energy played a crucial role in promoting CO2 electrocatalysis. Herein, Cu7S4/Cu underwent in situ dynamic restructuring to generate S-Cu2O/Cu hybrid catalyst for effective electrochemical CO2 reduction to formate that outperformed Cu2O/Cu and Cu7S4. Thermodynamic and in situ Raman spectra revealed that the optimized adsorption of the HCOO* intermediate on S-Cu2O/Cu was regulated and the H2 pathway (surface H) was suppressed by S-doping. Meanwhile, Cu7S4/Cu nanoflowers created abundant boundaries for ECR and strengthened the CO2 adsorption by inducing Cu. These findings provide a new perspective on synthetic methods for various electrocatalytic reduction processes.

Database of emission factors of volatile organic compound (VOC) species in motor vehicle exhaust in China.

The synergistic strategy for fine particulate matter (PM2.5) and O3 pollution prevention and control has emerged as a pivotal approach in combating air pollution. Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) serve as crucial precursors to both O3 and secondary organic aerosols (SOAs), with motor vehicles representing one of their significant sources. In this study, a standard for establishing a database of VOC species emission factors for motor vehicles was developed, and a database containing 134 VOC species was constructed through field tests and literature surveys. The VOC emissions of light-duty gasoline passenger vehicles (LDGPVs) comprised primarily alkanes and aromatics. The VOC emissions of light-duty diesel trucks (LDDTs) comprised mostly alkanes. Regarding low-speed trucks, 3-wheel vehicles, medium-duty diesel trucks (MDDTs) and heavy-duty diesel trucks (HDDTs), their VOC emissions comprised mainly oxygenated volatile organic compounds (OVOCs). The update of emission standards resulted in a reduction in VOC species emission factors while altering the composition of VOCs. Attention should be directed toward isopentane, benzene and dichloromethane emitted by LDGPVs, dodecane, undecane, ethene and propene emitted by LDDTs, and acetaldehyde emitted by HDDTs. VOC species originating from LDGPVs were more dispersed than those originating from LDDTs and HDDTs. In addition, variations in VOC species were observed among motor vehicles with different fuel types. Toluene, ethene, benzene, m,p-xylene, isopentane, hexanal, ethyne and 1,2,4-trimethylbenzene were the predominant VOC species emitted by gasoline vehicles. Diesel vehicles emitted mainly dodecane, formaldehyde, propene, undecane, acetaldehyde, ethene, decane and benzene. The results could enhance our comprehension of the emission characteristics of VOC species originating from motor vehicles and provide data support and a scientific foundation for achieving synergistic PM2.5 and O3 pollution prevention and control.

Developing natural polymers for skin wound healing.

Natural polymers are complex organic molecules that occur in the natural environment and have not been subjected to artificial synthesis. They are frequently encountered in various creatures, including mammals, plants, and microbes. The aforementioned polymers are commonly derived from renewable sources, possess a notable level of compatibility with living organisms, and have a limited adverse effect on the environment. As a result, they hold considerable significance in the development of sustainable and environmentally friendly goods. In recent times, there has been notable advancement in the investigation of the potential uses of natural polymers in the field of biomedicine, specifically in relation to natural biomaterials that exhibit antibacterial and antioxidant characteristics. This review provides a comprehensive overview of prevalent natural polymers utilized in the biomedical domain throughout the preceding two decades. In this paper, we present a comprehensive examination of the components and typical methods for the preparation of biomaterials based on natural polymers. Furthermore, we summarize the application of natural polymer materials in each stage of skin wound repair. Finally, we present key findings and insights into the limitations of current natural polymers and elucidate the prospects for their future development in this field.