miR-148b-5p regulates hypercalciuria and calcium-containing nephrolithiasis.

Calcium-containing stones represent the most common form of kidney calculi, frequently linked to idiopathic hypercalciuria, though their precise pathogenesis remains elusive. This research aimed to elucidate the molecular mechanisms involved by employing urinary exosomal microRNAs as proxies for renal tissue analysis. Elevated miR-148b-5p levels were observed in exosomes derived from patients with kidney stones. Systemic administration of miR-148b-5p in rat models resulted in heightened urinary calcium excretion, whereas its inhibition reduced stone formation. RNA immunoprecipitation combined with deep sequencing identified miR-148b-5p as a suppressor of calcitonin receptor (Calcr) expression, thereby promoting urinary calcium excretion and stone formation. Mice deficient in Calcr in distal epithelial cells demonstrated elevated urinary calcium excretion and renal calcification. Mechanistically, miR-148b-5p regulated Calcr through the circRNA-83536/miR-24-3p signaling pathway. Human kidney tissue samples corroborated these results. In summary, miR-148b-5p regulates the formation of calcium-containing kidney stones via the circRNA-83536/miR-24-3p/Calcr axis, presenting a potential target for novel therapeutic interventions to prevent calcium nephrolithiasis.

Strengthening the Stability of the Reconstructed NiOOH Phase for 5-Hydroxymethylfurfural Oxidation.

Electrochemical oxidation of biomass-derived 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) is a promising approach to produce high-value chemicals such as 2,5-furandicarboxylic acid (FDCA). However, the undesirable stability of catalysts commonly limits its potential application value. In this work, NiOOH derived from Ni(OH)2 was determined as the main catalytic site for HMF oxidation, but the collapse of Ni(OH)2 caused severe instability during the electrocatalytic process because of the crystal structure mismatch between NiOOH and Ni(OH)2. The implantation of Ce in Ni(OH)2 (Ce-Ni(OH)2) was successfully realized to address the stability issue of bare Ni(OH)2, since the larger ion radius of Ce could increase the Ni-O bond length and d-spacing. As a result, the activity of 14%Ce-Ni(OH)2 has not obviously decayed after the 50 cyclic voltammetry (CV)-cycle test. HMF conversion is close to 100%, and the Faraday efficiency (FE) reaches 86.6% at the potential of 0.45 V vs Ag/AgCl. This study provides a new strategy to design stable catalysts for the conversion of biomass derivatives.

CeO2/Ni-MOF with Synergistic Function of Enrichment and Activation: Efficient Reduction of 4-Nitrophenol Pollutant to 4-Aminophenol.

The conversion of organic pollutants to value-added chemicals has been considered as a sustainable approach to solve environmental problems. However, it is still a challenge to construct a suitable heterogeneous catalyst that can synchronously achieve the enrichment and activation of organic pollutants (such as 4-nitrophenol, 4-NP). Here, an organic-inorganic hybrid catalyst (CeO2/Ni-MOF) was successfully fabricated for efficiently reducing 4-NP to 4-aminophenol (4-AP) with water as the hydrogen source. Based on the synergistic effect of Ni-MOF (adsorption action) and CeO2 (active sites), CeO2/Ni-MOF could achieve a reaction rate of 1.102 µmol min-1 mg-1 with an ultrahigh Faraday efficiency (FE) (99.9%) and conversion (97.6%). In addition, the catalytic mechanism of 4-NP reduction over CeO2/Ni-MOF was elaborated in depth. This work presents a new avenue for the effective reduction of pollutants and provides a new strategy for designing high-performance catalysts for rare-earth metals.

In Situ Electrochemical Reconstitution of CF-CuO/CeO2 for Efficient Active Species Generation.

Achievement of the intrinsic activity by in situ electrochemical reconstruction has been becoming a great challenge for designing a catalyst. Herein, an effective electrochemical strategy is proposed to reconstruct the surface of the CF-CuO/CeO2 precursor. Under the stimulation of oxidative/reductive potential, abundant active sites were successfully generated on the surface of CF-CuO/CeO2. Remarkably, the implantation of oxygen vacancy-rich CeO2 synergistically optimizes the chemical composition and electronic structure of CF-CuO/CeO2, greatly promoting the generation of active species. Systematic electrochemical experiments indicate that the superior catalytic performance of reconstructed CF-CuO/CeO2 could be attributed to CuOOH/CeO2 and Cu2O/Ce2O3 active species, respectively. The oxidative-/reductive-activated CF-CuO/CeO2 was further employed in a paired cell for the synergistic catalysis of hydroxymethylfurfural oxidation with 4-nitrophenol hydrogenation. As a result, nearly 100% Faraday efficiency for furandicarboxylic acid/4-aminophenol production was achieved in the paired system (-0.9 V vs Ag/AgCl, 1.5 h). Therefore, the electrochemical reconstruction via oxidative/reductive activation has been confirmed as a feasible approach to significantly excite the intrinsic activity of a catalyst.

Multifunctional peptide-based fluorescent chemosensor for detection of Hg2+ , Cu2+ and S2- ions.

A novel multifunctional fluorescent peptide sensor based on pentapeptide dansyl-Gly-His-Gly-Gly-Trp-COOH (D-P5) was designed and synthesized efficiently using Fmoc solid-phase peptide synthesis (SPPS). This fluorescent peptide sensor shows selective and sensitive responses to Hg2+ and Cu2+ among 17 metal ions and six anions studied in N-2-hydroxyethylpiperazine-N-2-ethane sulfonic acid (HEPES) buffer solution. The peptide probe differentiates Hg2+ and Cu2+ ions by a 'turn-on' response to Hg2+ and a 'turn-off' response to Cu2+ . Upon addition of Hg2+ or Cu2+ ions, the sensor displayed an apparent color change that was visible under an ultraviolet lamp to the naked eye. The limits of detection (LOD) of DP-5 were 25.0 nM for Hg2+ and 85.0 nM for Cu2+ ; the detection limits for Cu2+ were much lower than the drinking water maximum contaminant levels set out by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA). It is noteworthy that both D-P5-Hg and D-P5-Cu systems were also used to detect S2- successfully based on the formation of ternary complexes. The LODs of D-P5-Hg and D-P5-Cu systems for S2- were 217.0 nM and 380.0 nM, respectively. Furthermore, the binding stoichiometry, binding affinity and pH sensitivity of the probe for Hg2+ and Cu2+ were investigated. This study gives new possibilities for using a short fluorescent peptide sensor for multifunctional detection, especially for anions.

Controllable evolution of NiOOH/Au3+ active species for the oxidation of 5-hydroxymethylfurfural.

To induce the generation of active species at the metal-carrier interface, a new synthetic strategy was successfully developed to reconstruct the Ni MOF-Au via electrochemical activation. This unique configuration not only obtained high-valence NiOOH-Au3+ species, but also stably anchored the Au nanoparticles on the surface of the catalyst. As a result, nearly 99.8% FDCA yield and 100% Faraday efficiency of FDCA were achieved at the optimal potential of 1.57 V vs. RHE. Therefore, this electrochemical reconstruction provides new insights for the development of efficient catalysts in other heterogeneous catalytic reactions.

The value of 3D printing model combined PCNL in kidney stones: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

INTRODUCTION: With the continuous advancement of medical imaging, 3D printing technology is emerging. This technology allows for the representation of complex objects in a model form. This research aims to delve into the irreplaceable value of percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL) in conjunction with 3D printed models in urinary stone surgery. This forward-looking approach provides doctors with a new perspective, enabling them to plan and execute surgeries with greater precision, ultimately delivering a safer and more efficient treatment experience for patients. We evaluated the literature on PCNL for the kidney stones with the introduction of 3D printing models and conducted a meta-analysis. The assessed parameters included stone clearance rate, operation time, hospital stay, blood loss, puncture accuracy, and the rate of complications. EVIDENCE ACQUISITION: We systematically searched the EMBASE, PubMed, Cochrane Library, SCIE, and Chinese Biomedical Literature Search databases for articles related to PCNL (Percutaneous Nephrolithotomy) with 3D printing models from January 2000 to January 2023. Data were managed and screened using Excel . Meta-analysis was performed for operation time, stone clearance rate, blood loss, puncture accuracy, length of hospital stay, and complications in PCNL combined with 3D printing model for kidney stone treatment. The quality of included articles was assessed using the risk of bias tool by the Cochrane Collaboration. Sensitivity analysis was conducted to assess the reliability of the results. Data were recorded using StataSE 17 software, and publication bias was examined using Egger's linear regression test. EVIDENCE SYNTHESIS: We followed the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) guidelines to conduct a systematic search and screening of literature relevant to the use of 3D printed models in the treatment of kidney stones. We conducted an extensive literature search across several major academic databases, including EMBASE, PubMed, Cochrane Library, SCIE, and Chinese Biomedical Literature Search databases, to ensure comprehensive coverage of relevant studies. Following the PRISMA process of screening and analysis, we ultimately included 10 randomized controlled trials with a combined sample of 608 for systematic review. CONCLUSIONS: Across these studies, we identified the introduction of 3D printing models prior to surgery for kidney stones resulted in significant advantages for the experimental group compared to the control group in terms of operation time, stone clearance rates, puncture accuracy, hospital stay, blood loss, and the incidence of complications, providing valuable insights for further research and clinical practice.

Solvent-directed multiple correspondence fluorescent probe for highly selective and sensitive detection of Cu2+ and Mg2.

A solvent-directed, new Schiff base multiple correspondence fluorescent probe, (E)-2-(2-hydroxybenzylidene) hydrazine-1-carboxamid (L), was synthesized for selective sensing of Cu2+ and Mg2+ ions. L showed excellent selectivity and high sensitivity toward Cu2+ in "turn off" mode with a detection limit of 40.5 nM in 10 mM, pH = 7.0 PBS buffer. Contrary to that, when acetonitrile was used as the solvent, L exhibited highly selective and sensitive fluorescence sensing ability for Mg2+ in "turn on" mode with a detection limit of 9.5 nM. L can coordinate to Cu2+ and Mg2+ in a 1:1 molar ratio, respectively, evidenced by Job's plot analysis. Their binding modes were investigated by NMR, IR and XPS spectroscopies. Moreover, the satisfied results were obtained when L was used to detect Cu2+ and Mg2+ in real water samples.

Nanotubular Fe2O3 and Mn3O4 with hierarchical porosity as high-performance anode materials for lithium-ion batteries.

Developing eco-friendly and low-cost advanced anode materials, such as Fe2O3 and Mn3O4, is fundamental to improve the electrochemical performance of lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). The rational engineering of the microstructure of Fe2O3 and Mn3O4 to endow it with one-dimensionally and hierarchically porous architecture is a feasible way to further improve and optimize the electrochemical performance of the anode materials. Herein, we demonstrate a facile strategy to prepare nanotubular Fe2O3 and Mn3O4 as advanced anode materials for high-performance LIBs. By combining the merits of the one-dimensionally nanotubular morphology and hierarchically porous structure, limitations in the lithiation activity of Mn3O4 and Fe2O3 anode materials, such as low electrical conductivity, large volume expansion, and sluggish lithium-ion diffusion within the materials, have been effectively overcome. When used as anode materials, t-Fe2O3 and t-Mn3O4 exhibited outstanding electrochemical performances, including a high reversible discharge capacity (859.7 and 901.4 mA h g-1 for t-Fe2O3 and t-Mn3O4, respectively), excellent rate performance, and ultra-stable cycling stability. Such superior electrochemical performances proved the exceptional potential of the materials for the real-world application in LIBs.

Ag/Ni-MOF heterostructure with synergistic enrichment and activation properties for electrocatalytic reduction of 4-nitrophenol.

The synchronous optimization of adsorption and activity dominates the practical performance in electrocatalysis, so Ag/Ni-MOF/Ni foam was synthesized for expediting 4-nitrophenol (4-NP) reduction under mild and green conditions. The synergistic combination of selective adsorption (Ni-MOF) and sites (Ag) contributed to the excellent performance of 4-NP reduction. The 4-NP (25 mM) conversion and Faraday efficiency have been achieved up to 98.4% and 99.8%, respectively. Therefore, this work provides a feasible approach for synergistic enrichment and activation to convert pollutants.

Electrocatalytic reduction of 4-nitrophenol over Ni-MOF/NF: understanding the self-enrichment effect of H-bonds.

The chemical adsorption and active sites play a key role in electrocatalysis, so Ni-MOF/nickel foam was fabricated for efficiently reducing 4-nitrophenol (4-NP) without any sacrificial agents. The coordinated water molecules induced the formation of hydrogen bonds (H-bonds) with the nitro group, contributing to the self-enrichment of 4-NP. The reaction rate reached 0.351 µmol min-1 mg-1. Therefore, this work provides a new insight into the H-bond effect in the field of electrocatalysis.

Charge-transfer dynamics at a Ag/Ni-MOF/Cu2O heterostructure in photoelectrochemical NH3 production.

Ag-decorated ultrathin Ni-MOF on Cu2O was fabricated for the first time. The charge-transfer dynamics at the heterostructure was studied by ultrafast transient absorption spectroscopy in depth. An NH3 yield rate of 4.63 µg h-1 cm-2 with a faradaic efficiency of 24.3% has been achieved. DFT calculations further supported to further comprehend the nitrogen reduction reaction mechanism.

Biothiol-Functionalized Cuprous Oxide Sensor for Dual-Mode Sensitive Hg2+ Detection.

Hg2+ ions are one of the highly poisonous heavy metal ions in the environment, so it is urgent to develop rapid and sensitive detection platforms for detecting Hg2+ ions. In this work, a novel electrochemical and photoelectrochemical dual-mode sensor (l-Cys-Cu2O) was successfully fabricated, and the sensor exhibits a satisfactory detection limit (0.2 and 0.01 nM) for the detection of Hg2+, which is far below the dangerous limit of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The linear ranges of dual-mode Hg2+ detections were 0.33-3.3 and 0.17-1.33 µM, respectively. Moreover, the sensor shows desirable stability, selectivity, and reproducibility for detecting Hg2+ ions. For river water samples, the recoveries of 96.6-101.4% (electrochemical data) and 93.0-105.6% (photoelectrochemical data) were obtained, indicating that the sensor could be successfully applied in the determination of Hg2+ ions in environmental water. Therefore, the designed sensor has a potential in the trace-level detection of Hg2+ ions.

Amorphous MnCO3/C Double Layers Decorated on BiVO4 Photoelectrodes to Boost Nitrogen Reduction.

NH3 is mainly obtained by the Haber-Bosch method in the process of industrial production, which is not only accompanied by huge energy consumption but also environmental pollution. The reduction of N2 to NH3 under mild conditions is an important breakthrough to solve the current energy and environmental problems, so the preparation of catalysts that can effectively promote the reduction of N2 is a crucial step. In this work, BiVO4 decorated with amorphous MnCO3/C double layers has been successfully synthesized by a one-step method for the first time. The C and MnCO3 have been formed as ultrathin film, which enables the establishment of a uniform and tight interface with BiVO4. The temperature-programmed desorption of N2 (N2-TPD) spectra confirmed that the MnCO3/C could endow BiVO4 with a drastic enhancement of the chemical absorption ability of a N2 molecule compared with the pristine BiVO4. Meanwhile, the method of isotope labeling proved that the catalyst exhibited excellent selectivity for the photocatalytic nitrogen reduction reaction (NRR). The production rate of NH3 up to 2.426 mmol m-2 h-1 has been achieved over the BiVO4/MnCO3/C, which is almost 8 times that of pristine BiVO4. The promoted production rate of NH3 over BiVO4/MnCO3/C could be mainly attributed to the cooperative process between MnCO3 and C amorphous layers. Therefore, this work could provide an alternative insight to understand the NRR process based on the model of a hierarchical amorphous structure.