A Soft Amphibious Voxel-Type Quadruped Robot Based on Origami Flexiball of Rhombic Dodecahedron.

The research work presents a novel voxel-type soft amphibious robot based on an assembly of origami flexiballs. The geometric and elastic constitutive models of the origami flexiball are theoretically established to elucidate its intricate deformation mechanism. Especially, the zero-energy storage phenomenon and the quasi-zero-stiffness characteristic are revealed to prove that the origami flexiball is suitable for serving as soft robotic components. As a proof of concept, fourteen origami flexiballs are interconnected to form a quadruped robot capable of walking or crawling in both underwater and terrestrial environments, including flat surfaces and sandy terrain. Its adaptability across multiple environments is enhanced by the origami polyhedra-inspired hollow structure, which naturally adjusts to underwater conditions such as hydrostatic pressure and currents, improving stability and performance. Other advantages of the voxel-type soft amphibious quadruped robot include its ease of manufacture using 3D printing with accessible soft elastic materials, ensuring rapid and cost-effective fabrication. We anticipate its potentially versatile applications, including underwater pipeline inspections, offshore maintenance, seabed exploration, ecological monitoring, and marine sample collection. By leveraging metamaterial features embodied in the origami polyhedra, the presented voxel-type soft robot exemplifies an innovative approach to achieving complex functionalities in soft robotics.

Ruthenium-Based Electrocatalysts for Hydrogen Evolution Reaction: from Nanoparticles to Single Atoms.

Benefiting from similar hydrogen bonding energy to Pt and much lower price compare with Pt, Ru based catalysts are promising candidates for electrocatalytic hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). The catalytic activity of Ru nanoparticles can be enhanced through improving their dispersion by using different supports, and the strong metal supports interaction can further regulate their catalytic performance. In addition, single-atom catalysts (SACs) with almost 100% atomic utilization attract great attention and the coordinative atmosphere of single atoms can be adjusted by supports. Moreover, the syngenetic effects of nanoparticles and single atoms can further improve the catalytic performance of Ru based catalysts. In this review, the progress of Ru based HER electrocatalysts are summarized according to their existing forms, including nanoparticles (NPs), single atoms (SAs) and the combination of both NPs and SAs. The common supports such as carbon materials, metal oxides, metal phosphides and metal sulfides are classified to clarify the metal supports interaction and coordinative atmosphere of Ru active centers. Especially, the possible catalytic mechanisms and the reasons for the improved catalytic performance are discussed from both experimental results and theoretical calculations. Finally, some challenges and opportunities are prospected to facilitate the development of Ru based catalysts for HER.

A highly birefringent metal-free crystal assembled by cooperative non-covalent interactions.

Birefringent crystals can manipulate the phase and polarization of light, so they are widely used as essential components in various optical devices. Common strategies to construct birefringent crystals are introducing metal cations that are either able to realize favorable coordination with functional anionic units or are susceptible to polarizability anisotropy. Herein, we report a metal-free crystal, NH4(H2C6N7O3)·2H2O, synthesized using the facile solution method. In the crystal structure of NH4(H2C6N7O3)·2H2O, (H2C6N7O3)- functional units are assembled in an optimal manner by cooperative non-covalent interactions, i.e., hydrogen bonding and π-π interactions. As a result, this metal-free crystal possesses exceptional birefringence up to 0.54@550 nm, which is larger than those of most metal-containing birefringent crystals. In addition, the interference color of this crystal does not change obviously from 243 K to 313 K, indicating that the birefringence is robust at different temperatures. This work will inspire useful insights into the role of non-covalent interactions in designing outstanding birefringent crystals for efficient polarized optical devices.

2'-O-methylation at internal sites on mRNA promotes mRNA stability.

2'-O-methylation (Nm) is a prominent RNA modification well known in noncoding RNAs and more recently also found at many mRNA internal sites. However, their function and base-resolution stoichiometry remain underexplored. Here, we investigate the transcriptome-wide effect of internal site Nm on mRNA stability. Combining nanopore sequencing with our developed machine learning method, NanoNm, we identify thousands of Nm sites on mRNAs with a single-base resolution. We observe a positive effect of FBL-mediated Nm modification on mRNA stability and expression level. Elevated FBL expression in cancer cells is associated with increased expression levels for 2'-O-methylated mRNAs of cancer pathways, implying the role of FBL in post-transcriptional regulation. Lastly, we find that FBL-mediated 2'-O-methylation connects to widespread 3' UTR shortening, a mechanism that globally increases RNA stability. Collectively, we demonstrate that FBL-mediated Nm modifications at mRNA internal sites regulate gene expression by enhancing mRNA stability.

Deep-Ultraviolet Bialkali-Rare Earth Metal Anhydrous Sulfate Birefringent Crystal.

Birefringence is an important linear optical property of anisotropic crystals that plays a significant role in regulating light polarization. A new bialkali-rare earth metal sulfate, NaRbY2(SO4)4 compound, consisting of non-π-conjugated alkali metals and rare earth metal-centered dodecahedral YO8 has been synthesized. The structure analysis suggests that the three-dimensional (3D) structure of the compound is found to be attributable to the combination of dodecahedral YO8 and tetrahedral SO4 groups with Na+ and Rb+ located in the cavities. The ultraviolet, visible, and near-infrared (UV-vis-NIR) spectra reveal that the compound exhibits transparency at a wavelength of less than 200 nm. The observed birefringence of the compound is 0.045@550 nm, which is comparatively larger than that of most deep-ultraviolet (DUV) birefringent crystals. The birefringence mainly originated from the YO8 dodecahedron, which is suggested by first-principles calculations. This research work can provide a useful perspective to explore new DUV sulfates with excellent birefringence.

Testicular protective effects of hesperidin against chemical and biological toxicants.

Toxic agents can adversely impact the male reproductive system mainly via activating oxidative stress affecting the seminiferous epithelia, spermatogenesis, sperms, and the testis. Toxic agents lead to the excessive generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), such as hydroxyl radicals, hydrogen peroxide, and superoxide anions. ROS exert a cytotoxic effect and oxidative damage to nucleic acids, proteins, and membrane lipids. Hesperidin is a pharmacologically active phytoflavone abundantly occurring in citrus fruits, such as oranges and lemons. It has shown various pharmacological properties such as antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-carcinogenic, analgesic, antiviral, anti-coagulant, hypolipidemic, and hypoglycemic effects. Hesperidin has been found to exert protective effects against natural and chemical toxins-induced organ toxicity. Considerable evidence has implicated the testicular protective effects of hesperidin against the toxicological properties of pharmaceutical drugs as well as biological and chemical agents, and in the present review, we discussed, for the first time, the reported studies. The resultant data indicate that hesperidin can exert testicular protective effects through antioxidant properties.

Combining rigid and deformable groups to construct a robust birefringent crystal for compact polarization components.

There is a pressing demand for the development of novel birefringent crystals tailored for compact optical components, especially for crystals exhibiting large birefringence across a range of temperatures. This has commonly been achieved by introducing various deformable groups with high polarizability anisotropy. In this study, we combined both rigid and deformable groups to synthesise a new birefringent crystal, Al2Te2MoO10, which demonstrates an exceptional birefringence value of 0.29@550 nm at room temperature. Not only is this higher birefringence than that of commercial crystals, but Al2Te2MoO10 exhibits excellent birefringence stability over a wide temperature range, from 123 to 503 K. In addition, the first-principles theory calculations and structural analyses suggest that although the rigid AlO6 groups do not make much contribution to the prominent birefringence, they nonetheless played a role in maintaining the structural anisotropy at elevated temperatures. Based on these findings, this paper proposes a novel structural design strategy to complement conventional approaches for developing optimal birefringent crystals under various environmental conditions.

High Tribocatalytic Performance of FeOOH Nanorods for Degrading Organic Dyes and Antibiotics.

Tribocatalysis is vitally important for electrochemistry, energy conservation, and water treatment. Exploring eco-friendly and low-cost tribocatalysts with high performance is crucial for practical applications. Here, the highly efficient tribocatalytic performance of FeOOH nanorods is reported. The factors related to the tribocatalytic activity such as nanorod diameter, surface area, and surface roughness are investigated, and the diameter of the FeOOH nanorods is found to have a significant effect on their tribocatalytic performance. As a result, under ultrasonic excitation, the optimized FeOOH nanorods exhibit superior tribocatalytic degradation toward rhodamine B (RhB), acid orange 7, methylene blue, methyl orange dyes, and their mixture. The RhB and mixed dyes are effectively degraded within 20 min (k = 0.179 min-1 ) and 35 min (k = 0.089 min-1 ), respectively, with the FeOOH nanorods showing excellent reusability. Moreover, antibiotics, such as tetracycline hydrochloride, phenol, and bisphenol A are efficiently degraded. Investigation of the catalytic mechanism reveals that the friction-generated h+ as well as these yielded •OH and •O2 - active radicals participate in the catalytic reaction. This work not only shed light on the design of high-performance tribocatalyst but also demonstrates that by harvesting mechanical energy, the FeOOH nanorods are promising materials for removing organic contaminants in wastewater.

Hollow CoVOx/Ag nanoprism with tailored electronic structure for high efficiency oxygen evolution reaction.

Developing high-active and inexpensive electrocatalysts for oxygen evolution reaction (OER) is very important in the field of water splitting. The catalytic performance of electrocatalysts can be significantly improved by optimizing the electronic structure and designing suitable nanostructure. In this work, we represent the synthesis of hollow CoVOx/Ag-5 for OER. Due to the interaction of CoVOx and Ag nanoparticles, the electronic structure is optimized to improve the intrinsic catalytic activity. Additionally, the extrinsic catalytic activity of CoVOx/Ag is enhanced by the abundant active sites from the hollow structure. As a result, the CoVOx/Ag-5 demonstrates significantly enhanced OER catalytic activity with a low overpotential of 247 mV at 10 mA cm-2. In addition, it also exhibits excellent durability, without obvious attenuation in performance after continuous operation for 60 h. Furthermore, the catalyst can enable full water splitting with appropriate 100 % Faraday efficiency, demonstrating its practical application.

Effect of traditional Chinese medicine in osteosarcoma: Cross-interference of signaling pathways and potential therapeutic targets.

Osteosarcoma (OS) has a high recurrence rate, disability rate, mortality and metastasis, it brings great economic burden and psychological pressure to patients, and then seriously affects the quality of life of patients. At present, the treatment methods of OS mainly include radiotherapy, chemotherapy, surgical therapy and neoadjuvant chemotherapy combined with limb salvage surgery. These treatment methods can relieve the clinical symptoms of patients to a certain extent, and also effectively reduce the disability rate, mortality and recurrence rate of OS patients. However, because metastasis of tumor cells leads to new complications, and OS cells become resistant with prolonged drug intervention, which reduces the sensitivity of OS cells to drugs, these treatments still have some limitations. More and more studies have shown that traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has the characteristics of "multiple targets and multiple pathways," and can play an important role in the development of OS through several key signaling pathways, including PI3K/AKT, Wnt/ß-catenin, tyrosine kinase/transcription factor 3 (JAK/STAT3), Notch, transforming growth factor-ß (TGF-ß)/Smad, nuclear transcription factor-κB (NF-κB), mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK), nuclear factor E2-related factor 2 (Nrf2), Hippo/YAP, OPG/RANK/RANKL, Hedgehog and so on. In this paper, the signaling pathways of cross-interference between active ingredients of TCM and OS were reviewed, and the development status of novel OS treatment was analyzed. The active ingredients in TCM can provide therapeutic benefits to patients by targeting the activity of signaling pathways. In addition, potential strategies for targeted therapy of OS by using ferroptosis were discussed. We hope to provide a unique insight for the in-depth research and clinical application of TCM in the fields of OS growth, metastasis and chemotherapy resistance by understanding the signaling crosstalk between active ingredients in TCM and OS.

A Non-π-Conjugated Molecular Crystal with Balanced Second-Harmonic Generation, Bandgap, and Birefringence.

Traditional nonlinear optical (NLO) crystals are exclusively limited to ionic crystals with π-conjugated groups and it is a great challenge to achieve a subtle balance between second-harmonic generation, bandgap, and birefringence for them, especially in the deep-UV spectrum region (Eg  > 6.20 eV). Herein, a non-π-conjugated molecular crystal, NH3 BH3 , which realizes such balance with a large second-harmonic generation response (2.0 × KH2 PO4 at 1064 nm, and 0.45 × ß-BaB2 O4 at 532 nm), deep-UV transparency (Eg > 6.53 eV), and moderate birefringence (Δn = 0.056@550 nm) is reported. As a result, NH3 BH3 exhibits a large quality factor of 0.32, which is evidently larger than those of non-π-conjugated sulfate and phosphate ionic crystals. Using an unpolished NH3 BH3 crystal, effective second-harmonic generation outputs are observed at different wavelengths. These attributes indicate that NH3 BH3 is a promising candidate for deep-UV NLO applications. This work opens up a new door for developing high-performance deep-UV NLO crystals.

Designing a Hybrid Perovskite with Enlarged Birefringence and Bandgap for Modulation of Light Polarization.

Birefringent crystals have important applications in optoelectronics areas due to their ability to modulate and polarize light. Despite increasing discovery of the birefringence potential of new crystals, it remains a great challenge to optimize both birefringence and bandgap simultaneously. Herein, a 1D chain-like hybrid perovskite birefringent crystal designed by 3D-to-1D dimensional tailoring, (GAM)2 PbI7 ·H2 O (GAM = C5 N10 H10 ), is presented, showing enlarged birefringence of 0.49@550 nm and enlarged optical bandgap (2.48 eV). Consequently, the birefringent quality factor of (GAM)2 PbI7 ·H2 O is up to 2.8 times that of the template MAPbI3 . In particular, the birefringence is much larger than those of commercial birefringent crystals and surpasses that of the vast majority of hybrid perovskite known to date. Theoretical calculations reveal that the strongly anisotropic arrangement of (GAM)2.5+ π-conjugated cations and ordered PbI6 octahedra contributes to the large birefringence and wide bandgap of (GAM)2 PbI7 ·H2 O. It is believed that this work will provide a new pathway toward the rational design and synthesis of hybrid perovskite birefringent crystals for compact wide-bandgap polarization dependent devices.

Multi-objective optimization of saline water irrigation in arid oasis regions: Integrating water-saving, salinity control, yield enhancement, and CO2 emission reduction for sustainable cotton production.

Brackish water stands as a promising alternative to mitigate freshwater scarcity in arid regions. However, its application poses potential threats to agricultural sustainability. There is a need to establish a clear understanding of the economic and ecological benefits. We conducted a two-year (2021-2022) field experiment to investigate the effects of four different irrigation water salinity levels on soil electrical conductivity, cotton yield, water use efficiency, CO2 emissions, and carbon sequestration. The salinity levels were designated as CK (0.85 g L-1), S1 (3 g L-1), S2 (5 g L-1), and S3 (8 g L-1). Results indicated that using irrigation water with high salinity (≥5 g L-1) led to the accumulation of salt in the soil, and a decrease in plant biomass and seed cotton yield. Compared to CK, the S3 treatment decreased by 18.72 % and 20.10 % in the respective two years. Interestingly, using brackish water (3 L-1 and 5 g L-1) decreased the rate and cumulative CO2 emissions, and increased the carbon emission efficiency and carbon sequestration by 0.098-0.094 kg kg-1 and 871-1859 kg ha-1 in 2021, 0.098-0.094 kg kg-1 and 617-1995 kg ha-1 in 2022, respectively. To comprehensively evaluate the tradeoff between economic and ecological benefits, we employed the TOPSIS method, and S1 was identified as the optimal irrigation salinity. Through fitting analysis, the most suitable irrigation salinity levels for 2021 and 2022 were determined as 3.52 g L-1 and 3.31 g L-1, respectively. From the perspective of water conservation, salinity management, yield improvement, and reduction of CO2 emissions, it is feasible to utilize brackish water for irrigation purposes, as long as the salinity does not exceed 3.52 g L-1 (first year) and 3.31 g L-1 (second year).

Ru doping induced interface engineering in flower-liked CoMoO4-RuO2 boosts oxygen electrocatalysis for rechargeable Zn-air battery.

Constructing heterogeneous catalysts can significantly boost the electrocatalytic activity due to the improved intrinsic catalytic activity induced by tailored electronic structure and optimized chemisorption to the reaction intermediates. RuO2 based electrocatalysts are especially attractive due to the high catalytic activity of RuO2. To reduce the usage of noble metal and improve the catalytic activity of catalyst, CoMoO4-RuO2 micro-flower was synthesized using a facile hydrothermal-calcination method in this work. CoMoO4-RuO2 exhibits a low overpotential of 177 mV at 10 mA cm-2 for oxygen evolution reaction (OER) and a high half-wave potential of 0.858 V for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR). Moreover, the Zn-air battery assembled using CoMoO4-RuO2 exhibit shows a high maximum discharge power density of 149 mW cm-2 and a large open circuit voltage of 1.38 V. The good performance can be attributed to the incorporation of RuO2, which not only induces extra catalytic active sites, but also forms heterojunction with CoMoO4 to optimize the electronic structure of CoMoO4-RuO2, thereby achieving a better equilibrium of absorption and desorption of intermediates. The work provides insights into designing RuO2 based electrocatalysts for advanced electrocatalysis.

CWC22-Mediated Alternative Splicing of Spp1 Regulates Nociception in Inflammatory Pain.

Increasing evidence suggests that alternative splicing plays a critical role in pain, but its underlying mechanism remains elusive. Herein, we employed complete Freund's adjuvant (CFA) to induce inflammatory pain in mice. A combination of genomics research techniques, lentivirus-based genetic manipulations, behavioral tests, and molecular biological technologies confirmed that splicing factor Cwc22 mRNA and CWC22 protein were elevated in the spinal dorsal horn at 3 days after CFA injection. Knockdown of spinal CWC22 by lentivirus transfection (lenti-shCwc22) reversed CFA-induced thermal hyperalgesia and mechanical allodynia, whereas upregulation of spinal CWC22 (lenti-Cwc22) in naïve mice precipitated pain. Comprehensive transcriptome and genome analysis identified the secreted phosphoprotein 1 (Spp1) as a potential gene of CWC22-mediated alternative splicing, however, only Spp1 splicing variant 4 (Spp1 V4) was involved in thermal and mechanical nociceptive regulation. In conclusion, our findings demonstrate that spinal CWC22 regulates Spp1 V4 to participate in CFA-induced inflammatory pain. Blocking CWC22 or CWC22-mediated alternative splicing may provide a novel therapeutic target for the treatment of persistent inflammatory pain.

Selection of surgical modality for massive splenomegaly in children.

BACKGROUND: Laparoscopic splenectomy (LS), a treatment for both benign and malignant splenic diseases, can prove technically challenging in patients with massive splenomegaly. In particular, the optimal surgical modality for treating massive splenomegaly in children remains controversial. METHODS: The clinicopathologic data of 289 pediatric patients undergoing splenectomy for massive splenomegaly were studied in a retrospective analysis. Accordingly, the patients were classified into the LS surgery group and open splenectomy (OS) surgery group. In the laparoscopy cohort, they were separated into two subgroups according to the method of surgery: the multi-incision laparoscopic splenectomy (MILS) and the single-incision laparoscopic splenectomy (SILS) surgery groups, respectively. Patient demographics, clinical data, surgery, complications, and postoperative recovery underwent analysis. Concurrently, we compared the risk of adverse laparoscopic splenectomy outcomes utilizing univariable and multivariable logistic regression. RESULTS: The total operation time proved remarkably shorter in the OS group in contrast to the LS group (149.87 ± 61.44 versus 188.20 ± 52.51 min, P < 0.001). Relative to the OS group, the LS group exhibited lowered postoperative pain scores, bowel recovery time, and postoperative hospitalization time (P < 0.001). No remarkable difference existed in post-operation complications or mortality (P > 0.05). Nevertheless, the operation duration was remarkably longer in the SILS surgery group than in the MILS surgery group (200 ± 46.11 versus 171.39 ± 40.30 min, P = 0.02). Meanwhile, the operative duration of MILS and SILS displayed a remarkable positive association with splenic length. Moreover, the operative duration of SILS displayed a remarkable positive association with the age, weight, and height of the sick children. Splenic length proved an independent risk factor of adverse outcomes (P < 0.001, OR 1.378). CONCLUSIONS: For pediatric patients with massive splenomegaly who can tolerate prolonged anesthesia and operative procedures, LS surgery proves the optimal treatment regimen. SILS remains a novel surgery therapy which may be deemed a substitutional surgery approach for treating massive splenomegaly.

Low RNA stability signifies strong expression regulatability of tumor suppressors.

RNA expression of a gene is determined by not only transcriptional regulation, but also post-transcriptional regulation of RNA decay. The precise regulation of RNA stability in the cell plays an important role in normal development. Dysregulation of RNA stability can lead to diseases such as cancer. Here we found tumor suppressor RNAs tended to decay fast in normal cell types when compared with other RNAs. Consistent with a negative effect of m6A modification on RNA stability, we observed preferential deposition of m6A on tumor suppressor RNAs. Moreover, abundant m6A and fast decay of tumor suppressor RNAs both tended to be further enhanced in prostate cancer cells relative to normal prostate epithelial cells. Further, knockdown of m6A methyltransferase METTL3 and reader YTHDF2 in prostate cancer cells both posed stronger effect on tumor suppressor RNAs than on other RNAs. These results indicated a strong post transcriptional expression regulatability mediated by abundant m6A modification on tumor suppressor RNAs.

A Two-Dimensional Hybrid Perovskite With Heat Switching Birefringence.

Birefringent crystals that can switch light polarization have important applications in optoelectronics. In the last decades, birefringence is mostly optimized by chemical strategies. Recently, switching birefringence by physical means has attracted much attention. Here, this work reports the observation of heat switching birefringence in a 2D layered hybrid halide perovskite (C2 N3 H4 )2 PbCl4 ((C2 N3 H4 )+ =1,2,4-triazolium). This heat switching birefringence leads to a significant change in the interference color for the crystal plate under the illumination of orthogonal polarized light. Structure analyses reveal a heat dependent structure transition in (C2 N3 H4 )2 PbCl4 , whose birefringence is switched by the change in the distortion degree of PbCl6 octahedron. This discovery may be beneficial to the further development of stimuli-responsive polarization optical devices.

Recent progress of molybdenum carbide based electrocatalysts for electrocatalytic hydrogen evolution reaction.

Electrocatalytic hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) is one of the most promising and clean strategies to prepare hydrogen on a large scale. Nevertheless, the efficiency of HER is greatly restricted by the large overpotential at the anode, and it is necessary to develop low cost electrocatalysts with excellent performance and stability. Molybdenum carbide has shown great potential in the field of HER due to its unique electronic structure and physical and chemical properties. In this paper, the current progress of molybdenum carbide-based catalysts for HER is summarized. The influence of phase structure, nanostructure, heterostructure and heteroatoms doping on its catalytic performance is discussed in detail. Especially, the catalytic mechanisms are analyzed according to structural characterization and theoretical calculation results. Finally, the challenges and prospects for the further development of molybdenum carbide-based catalysts for HER are put forward to guide the progress of this field.

Designing a Dimension Reduced Hybrid Perovskite with Robust Large Birefringence by Expanding Cationic π-Delocation.

It is in great demand to discover new materials with large birefringence for the miniaturization of optical communication devices. In this work, a new one-dimensional hybrid halide perovskite, (C6 N10 H8 )Pb2 Br6 , is obtained successfully through structural design of dimension reduction from the notable three-dimensional halide perovskite CsPbBr3 . Remarkably, (C6 N10 H8 )Pb2 Br6 exhibits a significantly enhanced birefringence of ∆n = 0.42@550 nm, which is the largest among halide perovskites so far. Furthermore, its birefringence performance is robust in a wide temperature range of 300-440 K. Theoretical calculations reveal that this outstanding birefringence results from the synergistic effect of [PbBr6 ]4- octahedra and [C6 N10 H8 ]2+ cations with expanding π-delocation. According to further structural analyses, the structural dimension reduction cooperating with the increase of [PbBr6 ]4- octahedral distortion leads to the enhanced birefringence. This work uncovers the great promise of hybrid halide perovskites as robust birefringent crystals in future optical communication and would shed useful insights on the design and synthesis of new birefringent crystals.