Steering CO2 electroreduction pathway toward ethanol via surface-bounded hydroxyl species-induced noncovalent interaction.

Selective electroreduction of carbon dioxide (CO2RR) into ethanol at an industrially relevant current density is highly desired. However, it is challenging because the competing ethylene production pathway is generally more thermodynamically favored. Herein, we achieve a selective and productive ethanol production over a porous CuO catalyst that presents a high ethanol Faradaic efficiency (FE) of 44.1 ± 1.0% and an ethanol-to-ethylene ratio of 1.2 at a large ethanol partial current density of 501.0 ± 15.0 mA cm-2, in addition to an extraordinary FE of 90.6 ± 3.4% for multicarbon products. Intriguingly, we found a volcano-shaped relationship between ethanol selectivity and nanocavity size of porous CuO catalyst in the range of 0 to 20 nm. Mechanistic studies indicate that the increased coverage of surface-bounded hydroxyl species (*OH) associated with the nanocavity size-dependent confinement effect contributes to the remarkable ethanol selectivity, which preferentially favors the *CHCOH hydrogenation to *CHCHOH (ethanol pathway) via yielding the noncovalent interaction. Our findings provide insights in favoring the ethanol formation pathway, which paves the path toward rational design of ethanol-oriented catalysts.

Mechanistic Insights into Surfactant-Modulated Electrode-Electrolyte Interface for Steering H2O2 Electrosynthesis.

Electrocatalytic reactions taking place at the electrified electrode-electrolyte interface involve processes of proton-coupled electron transfer. Interfacial protons are delivered to the electrode surface via a H2O-dominated hydrogen-bond network. Less efforts are made to regulate the interfacial proton transfer from the perspective of interfacial hydrogen-bond network. Here, we present quaternary ammonium salt cationic surfactants as electrolyte additives for enhancing the H2O2 selectivity of the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR). Through in situ vibrational spectroscopy and molecular dynamics calculation, it is revealed that the surfactants are irreversibly adsorbed on the electrode surface in response to a given bias potential range, leading to the weakening of the interfacial hydrogen-bond network. This decreases interfacial proton transfer kinetics, particularly at high bias potentials, thus suppressing the 4-electron ORR pathway and achieving a highly selective 2-electron pathway toward H2O2. These results highlight the opportunity for steering H2O-involved electrochemical reactions via modulating the interfacial hydrogen-bond network.

Microfluidic Printing of Vertically-Oriented Nanosheets/MOFs Hetero-Interface for Intensive Pseudocapacitive Storage.

Efficient manufacture of electroactive vertically-oriented nanosheets with enhanced electrolyte mass diffusion and strong interfacial redox dynamics is critical for realizing high energy density of miniature supercapacitor (SC), but still challenging. Herein, microfluidic droplet printing is developed to controllably construct vertically-oriented graphene/ZIF-67 hetero-microsphere (VAGS/ZIF-67), where the ZIF-67 is coordinately grown on vertically-oriented graphene framework via Co─O─C bonds. The VAGS/ZIF-67 shows ordered porous channel, high electroactivity and strong interfacial interaction, providing rapid electrolyte diffusion dynamics and high faradaic capacitance in KOH solution (1674 F g-1 , 1004 C g-1 ), which are verified by computational fluid dynamics (CFD) and density functional theory (DFT). Moreover, the VAGS/ZIF-67 based SC exhibits large energy density (100 Wh kg-1 ), excellent durability (10 000 cycles and high/low temperature), and robust power-supply applications in portable electronics.

Construction and Properties of O/W Liquid Crystal Nanoemulsion.

Liquid crystal emulsion is a new type of emulsion, in which the emulsifier molecules are located at the oil/water (O/W) interface and form a long-range ordered and short-range disordered lamellar liquid crystal. The lamellar liquid crystal formed by the emulsifier is similar to the skin stratum corneum lipid structure, which enables it to have a broad application prospect in the fields of cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, etc. In this work, a liquid crystal nanoemulsion was obtained by passing a liquid crystal emulsion stabilized by hydrogenated lecithin and phytosterol combination through a microfluidizer. The microstructure of the prepared liquid crystal nanoemulsion was investigated experimentally by dynamic light scattering, transmission electron microscopy, and small-angle X-ray scattering. The results have shown that the nanoemulsion inherited the liquid crystal emulsion property, namely, the long-range ordered and short-range disordered lamellar structure still existed at the oil/water interface even though they underwent extrusion, friction, and acceleration. At the same time, the underlying mechanisms of the existence of lamellar liquid crystal between the oil phase and the water phase for the nanoemulsion were explored theoretically by molecular dynamics simulations. The simulation results elucidated that the hydrogenated lecithin and phytosterol combination improved the flexibility of the bilayer structure composed of emulsifiers. The bilayers were the basic structure units of lamellar liquid crystals, and thus, the improved flexibility of bilayers provided insurance for the existence of lamellar liquid crystals with larger curvature around the oil droplets. In addition, the applicable properties of liquid crystal nanoemulsion were studied, and the results have shown that the liquid crystal nanoemulsion presented better slow-release and moisturizing properties than traditional nanoemulsions due to the existence of multilayers between oil and water phases. This work not only provides necessary information for the development and effective application of liquid crystal emulsions but also is helpful for in-depth understanding the inner properties of lamellar liquid crystal at molecular level.

Unraveling the Molecular Mechanisms of Alcohol-Mediated Skin Permeation Enhancement: Insights from Molecular Dynamics Simulations.

The application of alcohols as permeation enhancers in pharmaceutical and cosmetic formulations has attracted considerable attention, owing to their skin permeation-enhancing effect. Nonetheless, the elucidation of the fundamental mechanisms underlying the skin permeation-enhancing effect remains elusive. In this study, molecular dynamics (MD) simulations were employed to investigate the effect of 1,2-propanediol (1,2-PDO), 1,2-butanediol (1,2-BDO), and ethanol (EtOH) on the stratum corneum (SC) model membrane. The results showed that the effect of alcohols on the SC model membrane displayed a concentration-dependent nature. The alcohols can interact with SC lipids and exhibit a remarkable ability to selectively extract free fatty acid (FFA) molecules from the SC model membrane and make the SC looser. Meanwhile, 1,2-BDO and EtOH can penetrate into SC lipid bilayers at higher concentrations, leading to the formation of continuous hydrophilic defects in SC. The FFA extraction and the formation of continuous hydrophilic defects induced ceramide (CER) tail chains to become more disordered and fluid and also weakened the hydrogen bonding (H-bonding) network among SC lipids. Both the FFA extraction and the continuous hydrophilic defect formation endowed alcohols with the permeation-enhancing effect. The constrained simulations revealed that the free energy barriers decreased for the permeation of the hydrophilic model molecule (COL) across the SC model membranes containing alcohols, particularly for 1,2-BDO and EtOH. The possible permeation-enhancing mechanisms of alcohols were proposed correspondingly. This work not only provided a deep understanding of the transdermal permeation-enhancing behavior of alcohols at the molecular level but also provided necessary reference information for designing effective transdermal drug delivery systems in applications.

A case report of classic galactosemia with a GALT gene variant and a literature review.

BACKGROUND: Galactosemia is an autosomal recessive disorder resulting from an enzyme defect in the galactose metabolic pathway. The most severe manifestation of classic galactosemia is caused by galactose-1-phosphate uridylyltransferase (GALT) deficiency, and this condition can be fatal during infancy if left untreated. It also may result in long-term complications in affected individuals. CASE PRESENTATION: This report describes a patient whose initial clinical symptoms were jaundice and liver dysfunction. The patient's liver and coagulation functions did not improve after multiple admissions and treatment with antibiotics, hepatoprotective and choleretic agents and blood transfusion. Genetic analysis revealed the presence of two variants in the GALT gene in the compound heterozygous state: c.377 + 2dup and c.368G > C (p.Arg123Pro). Currently, the variant locus (c.377 + 2dup) in the GALT gene has not been reported in the Human Gene Mutation Database (HGMD), while c.368G > C (p.Arg123Pro) has not been reported in the Genome Aggregation Database (GnomAD) nor the HGMD in East Asian population. We postulated that the two variants may contribute to the development of classical galactosemia. CONCLUSIONS: Applications of whole-exome sequencing to detect the two variants can improve the detection and early diagnosis of classical galactosemia and, more specifically, may identify individuals who are compound heterozygous with variants in the GALT gene. Variants in the GALT gene have a potential therapeutic significance for classical galactosemia.

The role of the light source in antimicrobial photodynamic therapy.

Antimicrobial photodynamic therapy (APDT) is a promising approach to fight the growing problem of antimicrobial resistance that threatens health care, food security and agriculture. APDT uses light to excite a light-activated chemical (photosensitiser), leading to the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Many APDT studies confirm its efficacy in vitro and in vivo against bacteria, fungi, viruses and parasites. However, the development of the field is focused on exploring potential targets and developing new photosensitisers. The role of light, a crucial element for ROS production, has been neglected. What are the main parameters essential for effective photosensitiser activation? Does an optimal light radiant exposure exist? And finally, which light source is best? Many reports have described the promising antibacterial effects of APDT in vitro, however, its application in vivo, especially in clinical settings remains very limited. The restricted availability may partially be due to a lack of standard conditions or protocols, arising from the diversity of selected photosensitising agents (PS), variable testing conditions including light sources used for PS activation and methods of measuring anti-bacterial activity and their effectiveness in treating bacterial infections. We thus sought to systematically review and examine the evidence from existing studies on APDT associated with the light source used. We show how the reduction of pathogens depends on the light source applied, radiant exposure and irradiance of light used, and type of pathogen, and so critically appraise the current state of development of APDT and areas to be addressed in future studies. We anticipate that further standardisation of the experimental conditions will help the field advance, and suggest key optical and biological parameters that should be reported in all APDT studies. More in vivo and clinical studies are needed and are expected to be facilitated by advances in light sources, leading to APDT becoming a sustainable, alternative therapeutic option for bacterial and other microbial infections in the future.

Tunable Ordered Nanostructured Phases by Co-assembly of Amphiphilic Polyoxometalates and Pluronic Block Copolymers.

The assembly of polyoxometalate (POM) metal-oxygen clusters into ordered nanostructures is attracting a growing interest for catalytic and sensing applications. However, assembly of ordered nanostructured POMs from solution can be impaired by aggregation, and the structural diversity is poorly understood. Here, we present a time-resolved small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) study of the co-assembly in aqueous solutions of amphiphilic organo-functionalized Wells-Dawson-type POMs with a Pluronic block copolymer over a wide concentration range in levitating droplets. SAXS analysis revealed the formation and subsequent transformation with increasing concentration of large vesicles, a lamellar phase, a mixture of two cubic phases that evolved into one dominating cubic phase, and eventually a hexagonal phase formed at concentrations above 110 mM. The structural versatility of co-assembled amphiphilic POMs and Pluronic block copolymers was supported by dissipative particle dynamics simulations and cryo-TEM.

Dopant- and Surfactant-Tuned Electrode-Electrolyte Interface Enabling Efficient Alkynol Semi-Hydrogenation.

Electrochemical alkynol semi-hydrogenation has emerged as a sustainable and environmentally benign route for the production of high-value alkenols, featuring water as the hydrogen source instead of H2. It is highly challenging to design the electrode-electrolyte interface with efficient electrocatalysts and their matched electrolytes to break the selectivity-activity stereotype. Here, boron-doped Pd catalysts (PdB) and surfactant-modified interface are proposed to enable the simultaneous increase in alkenol selectivity and alkynol conversion. Typically, compared to pure Pd and commercial Pd/C catalysts, the PdB catalyst achieves both higher turnover frequency (139.8 h-1) and specific selectivity (above 90%) for the semi-hydrogenation of 2-methyl-3-butyn-2-ol (MBY). Quaternary ammonium cationic surfactants that are employed as electrolyte additives are assembled at the electrified interface in response to applied bias potential, establishing an interfacial microenvironment that can facilitate alkynol transfer and hinder water transfer suitably. Eventually the hydrogen evolution reaction is inhibited and alkynol semi-hydrogenation is promoted, without inducing the decrease of alkenol selectivity. This work offers a distinct perspective on creating a suitable electrode-electrolyte interface for electrosynthesis.

Solvent Effects on Structure and Screening in Confined Electrolytes.

Using classical density functional theory, we investigate the influence of solvent on the structure and ionic screening of electrolytes under slit confinement and in contact with a reservoir. We consider a symmetric electrolyte with implicit and explicit solvent models and find that spatially resolving solvent molecules is essential for the ion structure at confining walls, excess ion adsorption, and the pressure exerted on the walls. Despite this, we observe only moderate differences in the period of oscillations of the pressure with the slit width and virtually coinciding decay lengths as functions of the scaling variable σ_{ion}/λ_{D}, where σ_{ion} is the ion diameter and λ_{D} the Debye length. Moreover, in the electrostatic-dominated regime, this scaling behavior is practically independent of the relative permittivity and its dependence on the ion concentration. In contrast, the crossover to the hard-core-dominated regime depends sensitively on all three factors.

A screening of results on the decay length in concentrated electrolytes.

Screening of electrostatic interactions in room-temperature ionic liquids and concentrated electrolytes has recently attracted much attention as surface force balance experiments have suggested the emergence of unanticipated anomalously large screening lengths at high ion concentrations. Termed underscreening, this effect was ascribed to the bulk properties of concentrated ionic systems. However, underscreening under experimentally relevant conditions is not predicted by classical theories and challenges our understanding of electrostatic correlations. Despite the enormous effort in performing large-scale simulations and new theoretical investigations, the origin of the anomalously long-range screening length remains elusive. This contribution briefly summarises the experimental, analytical and simulation results on ionic screening and the scaling behaviour of screening lengths. We then present an atomistic simulation approach that accounts for the solvent and ion exchange with a reservoir. We find that classical density functional theory (DFT) for concentrated electrolytes under confinement reproduces ion adsorption at charged interfaces surprisingly well. With DFT, we study confined electrolytes using implicit and explicit solvent models and the dependence on the solvent's dielectric properties. Our results demonstrate how the absence vs. presence of solvent particles and their discrete nature affect the short and long-range screening in concentrated ionic systems.

Ligand-Mediated Regulation of the Chemical/Thermal Stability and Catalytic Performance of Isostructural Cobalt(II) Coordination Polymers.

Regulating the chemical/thermal stability and catalytic activity of coordination polymers (CPs) to achieve high catalytic performance is topical and challenging. The CPs are competent in promoting oxidative cross-coupling, yet they have not received substantial attention. Here, the ligand effect of the secondary ligand of CPs for oxidative cross-coupling reactions was investigated. Specifically, four new isostructural CPs [Co(Fbtx)1.5(4-R-1,2-BDC)]n (denoted as Co-CP-R, Fbtx = 1,4-bis(1,2,4-triazole-1-ylmethyl)-2,3,5,6-tetrafluorobenzene, 4-R-1,2-BDC = 4-R-1,2-benzenedicarboxylate, R = F, Cl, Br, CF3) were prepared. It was found that in the reactions of oxidative amination of benzoxazoles with secondary amines and the oxidative coupling of styrenes with benzaldehydes, both the chemical and thermal stabilities of the four Co-CPs with the R group followed the trend of -CF3 > -Br > -Cl > -F. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations suggested that the difference in reactivity may be ascribed to the effect of substituent groups on the electron transition energy of the cobalt(II) center of these Co-CPs. These findings highlight the secondary ligand effect in regulating the stability and catalytic performance of coordination networks.

Prion-like Aggregation of the Heptapeptide GNNQQNY into Amyloid Nanofiber Is Governed by Configuration Entropy.

A major cause of prion infectivity is the early formation of small, fibril-like aggregates consisting of the heptapeptide GNNQQNY. The prion aggregates exhibit a unique stacking mode in which the hydrophobic tyrosine (Y) is exposed outward, forming a bilayer ß-sheet-stacking zipper structure. This stacking mode of the prion peptides, termed "Y-outward" structure for convenience, goes against the common understanding that, for other amyloid-forming peptides, the hydrophobic residues should be hidden within the peptide fibril, referred to as "Y-inward" structure. To explore the extraordinary stacking behaviors of the prion GNNQQNY peptides, two fibril models are constructed in a fashion of "Y-outward" and "Y-inward" stackings and then studied in silico to examine their thermodynamic stabilities and disaggregation pathways. The "Y-inward" structure indeed exhibits stronger thermodynamic stability than the "Y-outward" structure, according to potential energy and stacking energy calculations. To show how the peptide fibrils dissociate, we illustrated two disaggregation pathways. A dihedral-based free energy landscape was then calculated to examine the conformational degrees of freedom of the GNNQQNY chains in the "Y-outward" and "Y-inward" structures. Peptide chains lose more configurational entropy in the "Y-inward" structure than in the "Y-outward" structure, indicating that the prion peptides are prone to aggregate in a fashion of "Y-outward" stacking pattern due to its low conformational constraints. The prion-like aggregation of the GNNQQNY peptides into amyloid fibrils is primarily governed by the configuration entropy.

FGF10 mitigates doxorubicin-induced myocardial toxicity in mice via activation of FGFR2b/PHLDA1/AKT axis.

Doxorubicin is a common chemotherapeutic agent in clinic, but myocardial toxicity limits its use. Fibroblast growth factor (FGF) 10, a multifunctional paracrine growth factor, plays diverse roles in embryonic and postnatal heart development as well as in cardiac regeneration and repair. In this study we investigated the role of FGF10 as a potential modulator of doxorubicin-induced cardiac cytotoxicity and the underlying molecular mechanisms. Fgf10+/- mice and an inducible dominant negative FGFR2b transgenic mouse model (Rosa26rtTA; tet(O)sFgfr2b) were used to determine the effect of Fgf10 hypomorph or blocking of endogenous FGFR2b ligands activity on doxorubicin-induced myocardial injury. Acute myocardial injury was induced by a single injection of doxorubicin (25 mg/kg, i.p.). Then cardiac function was evaluated using echocardiography, and DNA damage, oxidative stress and apoptosis in cardiac tissue were assessed. We showed that doxorubicin treatment markedly decreased the expression of FGFR2b ligands including FGF10 in cardiac tissue of wild type mice, whereas Fgf10+/- mice exhibited a greater degree of oxidative stress, DNA damage and apoptosis as compared with the Fgf10+/+ control. Pre-treatment with recombinant FGF10 protein significantly attenuated doxorubicin-induced oxidative stress, DNA damage and apoptosis both in doxorubicin-treated mice and in doxorubicin-treated HL-1 cells and NRCMs. We demonstrated that FGF10 protected against doxorubicin-induced myocardial toxicity via activation of FGFR2/Pleckstrin homology-like domain family A member 1 (PHLDA1)/Akt axis. Overall, our results unveil a potent protective effect of FGF10 against doxorubicin-induced myocardial injury and identify FGFR2b/PHLDA1/Akt axis as a potential therapeutic target for patients receiving doxorubicin treatment.

Sublethal effects of emamectin benzoate on development, reproduction, and vitellogenin and vitellogenin receptor gene expression in Thrips hawaiiensis (Thysanoptera: Thripidae).

Thrips hawaiiensis (Morgan) (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) is a sap-sucking pest that seriously damages several crops and reduces their economic value. Exposure to low concentrations of insecticides may have a sublethal effect on surviving insects. In order to provide a reference for the rational application of emamectin benzoate, its sublethal effects on the development and reproduction of T. hawaiiensis were evaluated. Pupal development time was significantly shorter in T. hawaiiensis treated with sublethal concentrations of emamectin benzoate (LC10 and LC20) than in control. Female adult longevity and female total longevity were significantly longer following LC20 treatment than in the control and LC10 treatment groups. Nevertheless, male adult longevity and male total longevity were significantly shorter in the LC10 treatment group than in the control and LC20 treatment groups. The sublethal concentration of emamectin benzoate (LC20) significantly shortened the preadult stages and the mean generation. Meanwhile, it significantly increased the finite rate of increase, intrinsic rate of increase, and net reproductive rate. The fecundity was significantly higher after LC20 treatment than after LC10 and control treatments. Compared with the control group, the LC10 and LC20 groups of T. hawaiiensis adults showed a significantly higher expression of the vitellogenin (Vg) and vitellogenin receptor (VgR) genes, which played a key role in increasing their fecundity. These findings suggest that short-term exposure to sublethal concentrations of emamectin benzoate may lead to a resurgence and secondary outbreak of T. hawaiiensis infestation. The results have practical applications for the management of this important and noxious pest.

Alcohol-Induced Strong Metal-Support Interactions in a Supported Copper/ZnO Catalyst.

Tuning the strong metal-support interaction (SMSI) in metal catalysts is a promising strategy to improve their catalytic performance. In this article, we systematically investigated the influences of different alcohol/water mixtures on the evolution of the interfacial structure of Cu/ZnO catalysts in the reduction stage. A series of in situ characterization and theoretical simulation studies were performed to elucidate the various mechanisms of alcohol induced SMSI. It was found that when methanol/water is added to H2 during the reduction pretreatment, more oxygen vacancies are formed on the ZnO support, which facilitates the dissociation of H2 O and the hydroxylation of ZnO species. Such promotion eventually favors the SMSI between Cu and ZnO and increases the catalytic activity for the methanol steam reforming reaction. In contrast, the addition of ethanol/water and 1-propanol/water during reduction leads to a physical blockage of the catalyst by alcohol molecules, poisoning the active Cu sites and limiting the migration of ZnO species.

High Power- and Energy-Density Supercapacitors through the Chlorine Respiration Mechanism.

Supercapacitor represents an important electrical energy storage technology with high-power performance and superior cyclability. However, currently commercialized supercapacitors still suffer limited energy densities. Here we report an unprecedentedly respiring supercapacitor with chlorine gas iteratively re-inspires in porous carbon materials, that improves the energy density by orders of magnitude. Both electrochemical results and theoretical calculations show that porous carbon with pore size around 3 nm delivers the best chlorine evolution and adsorption performance. The respiring supercapacitor with multi-wall carbon nanotube as the cathode and NaTi2 (PO4 )3 as the anode can store specific energy of 33 Wh kg-1 with negligible capacity loss over 30 000 cycles. The energy density can be further improved to 53 Wh kg-1 by replacing NaTi2 (PO4 )3 with zinc anode. Furthermore, thanks to the extraordinary reaction kinetics of chlorine gas, this respiring supercapacitor performs an extremely high-power density of 50 000 W kg-1 .

Dynamically Formed Surfactant Assembly at the Electrified Electrode-Electrolyte Interface Boosting CO2 Electroreduction.

Electrocatalytic reactions occur in the nanoscale space at the electrified electrode-electrolyte interface. It is well known that the electrode-electrolyte interface, also called as interfacial microenvironment, is difficult to investigate due to the interference of bulk electrolytes and its dynamic evolution in response to applied bias potential. Here, we employ electrochemical co-reduction of CO2 and H2O on commercial Ag electrodes as a model system, in conjunction with quaternary ammonium cationic surfactants as electrolyte additives. We probe bias-potential-driven dynamic response of the interfacial microenvironment as well as the mechanistic origin of catalytic selectivity. By virtue of comprehensive in situ vibrational spectroscopy, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, and molecular dynamics simulations, it is revealed that the structure of surfactants is dynamically changed from a random distribution to a nearly ordered assembly with increasing bias potential. The nearly ordered surfactant assembly regulates the interfacial water environment by repelling isolated water and suppressing water orientation into an ordered structure as well as promotes CO2 enrichment at the electrified interface. Eventually, the formed hydrophobic-aerophilic interface microenvironment reduces the activity of water dissociation and increases the selectivity of CO2 electroreduction to CO. These results highlight the importance of regulating the interfacial microenvironment by organic additives as a means of boosting the electrochemical performance in electrosynthesis and beyond.

Integrated Construction Improving Electrochemical Performance of Stretchable Supercapacitors Based on Ant-Nest Amphiphilic Gel Electrolytes.

Aqueous integrated stretchable supercapacitors (ISSCs) have attracted extensive attention due to the intrinsic safety in future wearable electronics. However, aqueous ISSCs usually suffer from low energy density and poor dynamic deformation stability owing to the conventional hydrogel electrolytes' narrow electrochemical stability window (ESW) and dissatisfied interface bonding. Herein, an ant-nest amphiphilic polyurethane hydro/organogel electrolyte (sAPUGE) with a wide ESW (≈2.2 V) and superb self-adhesion is prepared by electrospinning, which interacts with carbon-based stretchable electrodes for the construction of flame-retardant PU-based sAPUGE-ISSC. Benefitting from the synergistic effect of chemical bonding and mechanical meshing between the electrode and gel electrolyte interface, as-assembled sAPUGE-ISSC delivers a high energy density of 13.7 mWh cm-3 (at a power density of 0.126 W cm-3 ) and outstanding dynamic deformation stability (98.3% capacitance retention after 500 stretching cycles under 100% strain). This unique hydro/organogel electrolyte provides a pathway toward the next generation of wearable energy products in modern electronics.

Plantamajoside protects H9c2 cells against hypoxia/reoxygenation-induced injury through regulating the akt/Nrf2/HO-1 and NF-κB signaling pathways.

Myocardial ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury has been found to be associated with oxidative stress. Plantamajoside (PMS) is a major compound of Plantago asiatica that was reported to possess cardioprotective and antioxidant effects. The current study was designed to investigate the effect of PMS on myocardial I/R injury. Rat cardiomyocytes H9c2 cells were exposed to hypoxia/reoxygenation (H/R) to establish in vitro model of myocardial I/R injury. MTT assay proved that H9c2 cells viability was significant reduced under H/R treatment, while the reduction was ameliorated by PMS. H/R-induced ROS production in H9c2 cells was suppressed by PMS. The decreased activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) in the H/R group were effectively elevated by PMS. In addition, treatment with PMS attenuated H/R-stimulated production of TNF-α, IL-6 and IL-1ß in H9c2 cells. Besides, PMS significantly suppressed bax expression and caspase 3 activity, as well as increased bcl-2 expression in H/R-stimulated H9c2 cells. Furthermore, we also found that PMS significantly enhanced the activation of Akt/Nrf2/HO-1 signaling pathway and suppressed the activation of NF-κB signaling pathway in H/R-stimulated H9c2 cells. These results provided substantial evidence that PMS protected against myocardial I/R injury via attenuating oxidative stress, inflammatory response and apoptosis. The protective effects of PMS were attributed to the Akt/Nrf2/HO-1 and NF-κB signaling pathways.