Continuous Rapid Fabrication of Ceramic Fiber Sponge Aerogels with High Thermomechanical Properties via a Green and Low-Cost Electrospinning Technique.

Ceramic aerogel is an appealing fireproof and heat-insulation material, but synchronously improving its mechanical and thermal properties is a challenge. Moreover, the expensive discontinuous processing techniques inhibit the large-scale fabrication of ceramic aerogels. Here, we propose a water-based electrospinning method, based on the hydrolysis and condensation reactions of ceramic precursor salts themselves, for the continuous and rapid (0.025 m3/min) fabrication of ceramic fiber sponge aerogels with dual micronano fiber networks, which show synchronous enhanced fireproof, thermal insulation, and resilience performance. The elastic ceramic micro/nano fiber sponge aerogels contain robust silica-based microfibers as a firm skeleton and alumina-based nanofibers as elastic thermal insulation filler. The sponges have a high porosity of >99.8%, a low mass density (6.21 mg/cm3), a small thermal conductivity (0.022 W/m·K), and a large compression strength (21.15 kPa at 80% strain). The ceramic fiber sponges can effectively prevent the propagation of thermal runaway when a lithium battery experiences catastrophic thermal shock (>1000 °C) in the power battery packs. The proposed strategy is feasible for low-cost and rapid synthesizing ceramic aerogels toward effective battery thermal management.

Construction of Iron-Scavenging Hydrogel via Thiol-Ene Click Chemistry for Antibiotic-Free Treatment of Bacterial Wound Infection.

Bacteria, especially drug-resistant strains, can quickly cause wound infections, leading to delayed healing and fatal risk in clinics. With the growing need for alternative antibacterial approaches that rely less on antibiotics or eliminate their use altogether, a novel antibacterial hydrogel named Ovtgel is developed. Ovtgel is formulated by chemically crosslinking thiol-modified ovotransferrin (Ovt), a member of the transferrin family found in egg white, with olefin-modified agarose through thiol-ene click chemistry. Ovt is designed to sequester ferric ions essential for bacterial survival and protect wound tissues from damages caused by the reactive oxygen species (ROS) generated in Fenton reactions. Experimental data have shown that Ovtgel significantly enhances wound healing by inhibiting bacterial growth and shielding tissues from ROS-induced harms. Unlike traditional antibiotics, Ovtgel targets essential trace elements required for bacterial survival in the host environment, preventing the development of drug resistance in pathogenic bacteria. Ovtgel exhibits excellent biocompatibility due to the homology of Ovt to mammalian transferrin. This hydrogel has the potential to serve as an effective antibiotic-free solution for combating bacterial infections.

Assessment of surgical strategies for management of complicated strabismus reoperation in Graves' ophthalmopathy.

PURPOSE: Strabismus reoperation in Graves' ophthalmopathy (GO) is complicated and challenging. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the various surgical strategies of strabismus reoperation and their outcomes in patients with GO. METHODS: A retrospective study was conducted on strabismus reoperations performed at the Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China from 2008 to 2018. Data collected included sex, age at surgery, duration of deviation, ocular alignment, ocular motility, various surgical procedures performed and surgical outcomes. Surgical methods included rectus recession for newly developed strabismus, rectus resection for undercorrection and anterior advancement of a previously recessed rectus for overcorrection. Surgical success was defined as an absence of diplopia, a horizontal deviation of ≤ 10 prism diopters (PD) and a vertical deviation of ≤ 5 PD at distance in primary and reading positions. RESULTS: Of the 153 GO patients receiving strabismus surgery, 27 cases (20 males, 7 females) underwent reoperation for strabismus, with a reoperation rate of 17.6%. Success rates of reoperation in patients with a previous undercorrection and overcorrection were 45% and 71.4%, respectively. Success rates of rectus recession, rectus resection and anterior advancement were 47.1%, 66.7% and 50%, respectively. Two patients underwent the third surgery. The overall success rate was 51.9%. CONCLUSIONS: Rectus recession is an effective method for GO patients with newly-developed strabismus. Rectus resection may benefit some patients with undercorrection who underwent a maximal degree of rectus recession. Anterior advancement of a previously recessed rectus is effective for cases with overcorrection.

A modified Nishida procedure for management of myopic strabismus fixus.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the outcomes of a novel modification of the Nishida procedure with medial rectus recession (Nishida-MRc) for myopic strabismus fixus (MSF) and to compare this modified procedure with the half Jensen's union with medial rectus recession (U-MRc). METHODS: The medical records of MSF patients who underwent strabismus surgery at a single institution between January 2017 and June 2022 were retrospectively reviewed. The main outcome measures assessed were postoperative improvements in ocular alignment and motility. Surgical success was defined as horizontal and vertical deviations ≤15Δ. RESULTS: A total of 45 patients were included, of whom 39 had no previous strabismus surgery. All but 3 had follow-up ≥8 months. Nishida-MRc, with or without a traction suture (Ts), had a success rate (9/16 [56%]) higher, though not statistically significantly so, than U-MRc with or without Ts (11/29 [38%]). The Nishida-MRc group tended to have less frequent use of Ts (25% vs 52%; P = 0.076), and 94% of these patients had a deviation within 20Δ, compared with 59% for U-MRc (P = 0.012). In cases with esotropia of ≥123Δ, final residual esotropia in the Nishida-MRc without Ts (12.40Δ ± 8.30Δ) and U-MRc-Ts (19.75Δ ± 18.62Δ) groups was significantly lower (P = 0.019) than in the U-MRc without Ts group (63.40Δ ± 40.83Δ), and the average correction of esotropia was significantly greater (P = 0.014). CONCLUSIONS: In our study cohort, Nishida-MRc produced a greater effect in the treatment of MSF than U-MRc.

Impact of Online Video Game-Based Dichoptic Training on Binocular Vision Rehabilitation in Post-surgical Patients with Intermittent Exotropia.

INTRODUCTION: Dichoptic training has emerged as a promising rehabilitation approach for improving binocular visual function in patients with strabismus. A prospective observational study design was employed to assess the effectiveness of online video game-based dichoptic training in rehabilitating binocular visual function in patients who had undergone an operation for intermittent exotropia. METHODS: A total of 64 patients who had undergone an operation for intermittent exotropia were recruited and divided into the training group and the control group based on whether they would receive the dichoptic training. The dichoptic training was conducted for 3 months in the training group and the control group would not accept any form of orthoptic therapy. Assessments of binocular visual functions and deviation were conducted at baseline, 3-month and 6-month follow-up. RESULTS: Twenty-nine participants in the training group (mean 9.69 ± 2.66 years old) and 26 participants in the control group (mean 8.41 ± 2.64 years old) completed follow-up. At both 3- and 6-month follow-ups, the training group showed superior distance stereopsis compared to the control group, with near stereopsis only showing significant difference at the 6-month follow-up. Additionally, the training group exhibited significantly less distance exo-deviation drift than the control group at these times, and no significant difference was observed in near exo-deviation drift between the groups. The control group had a significantly higher rate of suboptimal surgical outcomes at both the 3- and 6-month follow-up. However, no significant differences were observed in simultaneous perception and fusion functions between the two groups. CONCLUSIONS: Online video game-based dichoptic training has the potential to become a novel postoperative rehabilitation strategy for patients with intermittent exotropia.

Tailoring Practical Solid Electrolyte Composites Containing Ferroelectric Ceramic Nanofibers and All-Trans Block Copolymers for All-Solid-State Lithium Metal Batteries.

Ion transport efficiency, the key to determining the cycling stability and rate capability of all-solid-state lithium metal batteries (ASSLMBs), is constrained by ionic conductivity and Li+-migration ability across the multicomponent phases and interfaces in ASSLMBs. Here, we report a robust strategy for the large-scale fabrication of a practical solid electrolyte composite with high-throughput linear Li+-transport channels by compositing an all-trans block copolymer PVDF-b-PTFE matrix with ferroelectric BaTiO3-TiO2 nanofiber films. The electrolyte shows a sustainable electromechanical-coupled deformability that enables the rapid dissociation of anions with Li+ to create more movable Li+ ions and spontaneously transform the battery internal strain into Li+-ion migration kinetic energy. The ceramic framework homogenizes the interfacial potential with electrodes, endowing the electrolyte with a high conductivity of 0.782 mS·cm-1 and stable ion transport ability in ASSLMBs at room temperature. The batteries of LiFePO4/Li can stably cycle 1000 times at 0.5 C with a high capacity retention of 96.1%, and Ah-grade pouch or high-voltage Li(Ni0.8Mn0.1Co0.1)O2/Li batteries also exhibit excellent rate capability and cycling performance.

Superhydrophobic, Highly Conductive, and Trilayered Fabric with Connected Carbon Nanotubes for Energy-Efficient Electrical Heating.

Current electrically heated fabrics provide heat in cold climates, suffer from abundant wasted radiant heat energy to the external environment, and are prone to damage by water. Thus, constructing energy-efficient and superhydrophobic conductive fabrics is in high demand. Therefore, we propose an effective and facile methodology to prepare a superhydrophobic, highly conductive, and trilayered fabric with a connected carbon nanotube (CNT) layer and a titanium dioxide (TiO2) nanoparticle heat-reflecting layer. We construct polyamide/fluorinated polyurethane (PA/FPU) nanofibrous membranes via first electrospinning, then performing blade-coating with the polyurethane (PU) solution with CNTs, and finally fabricating FPU/TiO2 nanoparticles via electrospraying. This strategy causes CNTs to be connected to form a conductive layer and enables TiO2 nanoparticles to be bound together to form a porous, heat-reflecting layer. As a consequence, the as-prepared membranes demonstrate high conductivity with an electrical conductivity of 63 S/m, exhibit rapid electric-heating capacity, and exhibit energy-efficient asymmetrical heating behavior, i.e., the heating temperature of the PA/FPU nanofibrous layer reaches more than 83 °C within 90 s at 24 V, while the heating temperature of the FPU/TiO2 layer only reaches 53 °C, as well as prominent superhydrophobicity with a water contact angle of 156°, indicating promising utility for the next generation of electrical heating textiles.

Clinical features and surgical management of traumatic acquired isolated superior rectus palsy.

PURPOSE: Isolated acquired superior rectus palsy (ASRP) is extremely rare. The goal of this report is to describe the clinical manifestations and surgical protocols for treatment of isolated traumatic ASRP. DESIGN: Retrospective observational case series. METHOD: Records of patients presenting with traumatic isolated ASRP from 2011 to 2020 were retrospectively reviewed. Variables analyzed included nature of the damage, ocular alignment, ocular motility, binocular vision, fundus photography, imaging and surgical treatment. RESULT: Of the 23,498 strabismus surgeries performed, 16 (0.07%) were identified as being attributable to traumatic isolated ASRP. Iatrogenic injury during orbital/brain tumorectomy was the most common cause for ASRP, followed by injury resulting from a sharp object, blunt instrument, car accident, dog bite, accidental fall and explosion. The main clinical features were hypotropia and deficient supraduction of the affected eye, accompanied by exotropia, extorsion, decreased vision and ptosis. The imaging examination showed the superior orbital wall fracture in 3 cases and superior rectus rupture in 7 cases. Inferior rectus recession and/or superior rectus resection comprised the major surgical procedures employed for these cases. Vertical deviations were reduced from 45.60 ± 17.52 PD preoperatively to 12.20 ± 12.97 PD postoperatively after an average of 22.70 months at follow-up, with a success rate of 50%. CONCLUSION: Traumatic isolated ASRP comprised only 0.07% of cases receiving strabismus surgery at our hospital. Orbital imaging is essential to identify whether muscle rupture, orbital fractures and/or other possible disorders are present. Superior rectus resection and inferior rectus recession represented the most frequently used surgical procedures.

Association of barium deficiency with Type 2 diabetes mellitus incident risk was mediated by mitochondrial DNA copy number (mtDNA-CN): A follow-up study.

Accumulating evidence indicates that plasma metals levels may associate with Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) incident risk. Mitochondrial function such as mitochondrial DNA copy number (mtDNA-CN) might be linked metal exposure and physiological metabolism. Mediation analysis was conducted to determine the mediating roles of mtDNA-CN in the associations of plasma metals with diabetes risk. In the present study, we investigated associations between plasma metals levels, mtDNA-CN and T2DM incident in elderly population with 6-year follow-up (2 times) study. Ten plasma metals (i.e. manganese (Mg), aluminium (Al), calcium (Ca), ferrum (Fe), barium (Ba), arsenic (As), copper (Cu), selenium (Se), titanium (Ti) and cesium (Sr) were measured by using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Mitochondrial DNA copy number was measured by real-time PCR. Multivariable linear regression and logistic regression models were carried out to estimate the relationship between plasma metal concentrations, mtDNA-CN and T2DM incident risk in the current work. Plasma Ba deficiency and mtDNA-CN decline associated with T2DM incident risk during aging process. Meanwhile plasma Ba found to be positively associated with mtDNA-CN. Mitochondrial function mtDNA-CN demonstrated mediating effects in association between plasma Ba deficiency and T2DM incident risk, and 49.8% of the association was mediated by mtDNA-CN. These findings extend the knowledge of T2DM incident risk factors and highlight the point that mtDNA-CN may be linked metals element and T2DM incident risk.

Incineration-source fingerprints and emission spectrums of dioxins with diagnostic application.

Despite increasing waste-to-energy (WtE) capacities, there remain deficiencies in comprehension of 136 kinds of tetra- through octa-chlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxin and dibenzofurans (136 PCDD/Fs) originating from incineration sources. Samples from twenty typical WtE plants, encompassing coal-fired power plants (CPP), grate incinerators (GI), fluidized bed incinerators (FBI), and rotary kilns (RK), yielded extensive PCDD/F datasets. Research was conducted on fingerprint mapping, formation pathways, emission profiles, and diagnostic analysis of PCDD/Fs in WtE plants. Fingerprints revealed a prevalence of TCDF, followed by PeCDF, while CPP and RK respectively generated more PCDD and HxCDD. De novo synthesis was the predominant formation pathway except one plant, where CP-route dominated. DD/DF chlorination also facilitated PCDD/F formation, showing general trends of FBI > GI > CPP > RK. The PCDD/F emission intensities emitted in air pollution control system inlet (APCSI) and outlet (APCSO) followed the statistical sequence of RK > FBI > GI > CPP, with the average I-TEQ concentrations in APCSO reaching 0.18, 0.08, 0.11, and 0.04 ng I-TEQ·Nm-3. Emission spectrum were accordingly formed. Four clusters were segmented for diagnosis analysis, where PCDD/Fs in GI and FBI were similar, grouped as a single cluster. PCDD/Fs in CPP and RK demonstrated distinctive features in TCDD, HxCDD, and HxCDF. The WtE plants exceeding the limit value tended to generate and retain fewer TCDD and TCDF yet had higher fractions of HxCDD and HxCDF. The failure of APCS coupled with the intrinsic source strength of PCDD/Fs directly led to exceedance, highlighting safe operational practices. This study motivated source tracing and precise evaluation of 136 PCDD/Fs based on the revealed fingerprint profiles for WtE processes.

Generation and persistency of combustion-derived environmentally persistent free radicals from phenolic compounds over a Fe2O3/SiO2 surface.

Combustion of organic solid wastes releases phenolic compounds which can act as precursors in the formation of environmentally persistent free radicals (EPFRs) in the post-flame, cooling zone of waste combustion. The study investigated the generation mechanism of EPFRs from phenolic compounds catalyzed by transition metals in air atmosphere under simulated combustion conditions. Representative combustion-derived phenolic compounds were used, and SiO2 particulates containing different mass ratio of Fe2O3 were synthesized as carriers. EPFRs formed had g-factors between 1.9998 and 2.0066, indicating phenoxyl-, cyclopentadienyl-, and semiquinone-type radicals, along with paramagnetic F-centers. The promotion effect of phenolic compounds on EPFR formation during heating decreased as catechol > hydroquinone > phenol > p-cresol. This trend is related to hydroxyl groups and activation energy. In particular, catechol chemically adsorbed on Fe2O3 at 600 K led to the formation of EPFRs with relatively high spin concentrations (up to 1.28 × 1017 spin/g). Higher Fe2O3 concentrations promoted the transformation of phenoxyl-type radicals into cyclopentadienyl-type and paramagnetic F-centers. However, as the Fe2O3 loading increased from 1.25% to 5%, the density of EPFRs decreased. The findings related to the influence of various precursors and Fe2O3 concentration on EPFR formation provide valuable insights for estimating EPFR generation and associated risk during combustion processes.

Deciphering Microbiome, Transcriptome, and Metabolic Interactions in the Presence of Probiotic Lactobacillus acidophilus against Salmonella Typhimurium in a Murine Model.

Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium (S. Typhimurium), a foodborne pathogen that poses significant public health risks to humans and animals, presents a formidable challenge due to its antibiotic resistance. This study explores the potential of Lactobacillus acidophilus (L. acidophilus 1.3251) probiotics as an alternative strategy to combat antibiotic resistance associated with S. Typhimurium infection. In this investigation, twenty-four BALB/c mice were assigned to four groups: a non-infected, non-treated group (CNG); an infected, non-treated group (CPG); a group fed with L. acidophilus but not infected (LAG); and a group fed with L. acidophilus and challenged with Salmonella (LAST). The results revealed a reduction in Salmonella levels in the feces of mice, along with restored weight and improved overall health in the LAST compared to the CPG. The feeding of L. acidophilus was found to downregulate pro-inflammatory cytokine mRNA induced by Salmonella while upregulating anti-inflammatory cytokines. Additionally, it influenced the expression of mRNA transcript, encoding tight junction protein, oxidative stress-induced enzymes, and apoptosis-related mRNA expression. Furthermore, the LEfSe analysis demonstrated a significant shift in the abundance of critical commensal genera in the LAST, essential for maintaining gut homeostasis, metabolic reactions, anti-inflammatory responses, and butyrate production. Transcriptomic analysis revealed 2173 upregulated and 506 downregulated differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in the LAST vs. the CPG. Functional analysis of these DEGs highlighted their involvement in immunity, metabolism, and cellular development. Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genome (KEGG) pathway analysis indicated their role in tumor necrosis factor (TNF), mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK), chemokine, Forkhead box O (FOXO), and transforming growth factor (TGF-ß) signaling pathway. Moreover, the fecal metabolomic analysis identified 929 differential metabolites, with enrichment observed in valine, leucine, isoleucine, taurine, glycine, and other metabolites. These findings suggest that supplementation with L. acidophilus promotes the growth of beneficial commensal genera while mitigating Salmonella-induced intestinal disruption by modulating immunity, gut homeostasis, gut barrier integrity, and metabolism.

Exploration and Application of a Muscle Fatigue Assessment Model Based on NMF for Multi-Muscle Synergistic Movements.

Muscle fatigue significantly impacts coordination, stability, and speed in daily activities. Accurate assessment of muscle fatigue is vital for effective exercise programs, injury prevention, and sports performance enhancement. Current methods mostly focus on individual muscles and strength evaluation, overlooking overall fatigue in multi-muscle movements. This study introduces a comprehensive muscle fatigue model using non-negative matrix factorization (NMF) weighting. NMF is employed to analyze the duration multi-muscle weight coefficient matrix (DMWCM) during synergistic movements, and four electromyographic (EMG) signal features in time, frequency, and complexity domains are selected. Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) optimizes feature weights. The DMWCM and weighted features combine to calculate the Comprehensive Muscle Fatigue Index (CMFI) for multi-muscle synergistic movements. Experimental results show that CMFI correlates with perceived exertion (RPE) and Speed Dynamic Score (SDS), confirming its accuracy and real-time tracking in assessing multi-muscle synergistic movements. This model offers a more comprehensive approach to muscle fatigue assessment, with potential benefits for exercise training, injury prevention, and sports medicine.

Novel Synergistic Probiotic Intervention: Transcriptomic and Metabolomic Analysis Reveals Ameliorative Effects on Immunity, Gut Barrier, and Metabolism of Mice during Salmonella typhimurium Infection.

Salmonella typhimurium (S. typhimurium), a prevalent cause of foodborne infection, induces significant changes in the host transcriptome and metabolome. The lack of therapeutics with minimal or no side effects prompts the scientific community to explore alternative therapies. This study investigates the therapeutic potential of a probiotic mixture comprising Lactobacillus acidophilus (L. acidophilus 1.3251) and Lactobacillus plantarum (L. plantarum 9513) against S. typhimurium, utilizing transcriptome and metabolomic analyses, a novel approach that has not been previously documented. Twenty-four SPF-BALB/c mice were divided into four groups: control negative group (CNG); positive control group (CPG); probiotic-supplemented non-challenged group (LAPG); and probiotic-supplemented Salmonella-challenged group (LAPST). An RNA-sequencing analysis of small intestinal (ileum) tissue revealed 2907 upregulated and 394 downregulated DEGs in the LAPST vs. CPG group. A functional analysis of DEGs highlighted their significantly altered gene ontology (GO) terms related to metabolism, gut integrity, cellular development, and immunity (p ≤ 0.05). The KEGG analysis showed that differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in the LAPST group were primarily involved in pathways related to gut integrity, immunity, and metabolism, such as MAPK, PI3K-Akt, AMPK, the tryptophan metabolism, the glycine, serine, and threonine metabolism, ECM-receptor interaction, and others. Additionally, the fecal metabolic analysis identified 1215 upregulated and 305 downregulated metabolites in the LAPST vs. CPG group, implying their involvement in KEGG pathways including bile secretion, propanoate metabolism, arginine and proline metabolism, amino acid biosynthesis, and protein digestion and absorption, which are vital for maintaining barrier integrity, immunity, and metabolism. In conclusion, these findings suggest that the administration of a probiotic mixture improves immunity, maintains gut homeostasis and barrier integrity, and enhances metabolism in Salmonella infection.

Two undescribed compounds from Aspergillus Niger, an endophytic fungus isolated from Camellia flavida.

A new naphtho-γ-pyrone dimer, asperosperma A, and a new methyl nicotinate derivative, asperosperma B, with 12 known compounds were isolated from the endophytic fungus Aspergillus niger from the stem of Camellia flavida. Their structure was elucidated by NMR, ECD spectrum, and HR-ESI-MS data. Asperosperma A exhibited a highly cytotoxicity against H460 and 4T1 cancer cells with the IC50 values were 0.37 ± 0.06 and 2.04 ± 0.79 µM, respectively. Moreover, it showed a highly sensitive against Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and methicillin-resistant S. aureus.

Low-Temperature Synthesis of Mesoporous Half-Metallic High-Entropy Spinel Oxide Nanofibers for Photocatalytic CO2 Reduction.

High-entropy oxides (HEOs) exhibit great prospects owing to their varied composition, chemical adaptability, adjustable light-absorption ability, and strong stability. In this study, we report a strategy to synthesize a series of porous high-entropy spinel oxide (HESO) nanofibers (NFs) at a low temperature of 400 °C by a sol-gel electrospinning technique. The key lies in selecting six acetylacetonate salt precursors with similar coordination abilities, maintaining a high-entropy disordered state during the transformation from stable sols to gel NFs. The as-synthesized HESO NFs of (NiCuMnCoZnFe)3O4 show a high specific surface area of 66.48 m2/g, a diverse elemental composition, a dual bandgap, half-metallicity property, and abundant defects. The diverse elements provide various synergistic catalytic sites, and oxygen vacancies act as active sites for electron-hole separation, while the half-metallicity and dual-bandgap structure offer excellent light absorption ability, thus expanding its applicability to a wide range of photocatalytic processes. As a result, the HESO NFs can efficiently convert CO2 into CH4 and CO with high yields of 8.03 and 15.89 µmol g-1 h-1, respectively, without using photosensitizers or sacrificial agents.

Establishing chronic models of age-related macular degeneration via long-term iron ion overload.

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is characterized by the degenerative senescence in the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) and photoreceptors, which is accompanied by the accumulation of iron ions in the aging retina. However, current models of acute oxidative stress are still insufficient to simulate the gradual progression of AMD. To address this, we established chronic injury models by exposing the aRPE-19 cells, 661W cells, and mouse retina to iron ion overload over time. Investigations at the levels of cell biology and molecular biology were performed. It was demonstrated that long-term treatment of excessive iron ions induced senescence-like morphological changes, decreased cell proliferation, and impaired mitochondrial function, contributing to apoptosis. Activation of the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway and the downstream molecules were confirmed both in the aRPE-19 and 661W cells. Furthermore, iron ion overload resulted in dry AMD-like lesions and decreased visual function in the mouse retina. These findings suggest that chronic exposure to overloading iron ions plays a significant role in the pathogenesis of retinopathy and provide a potential model for future studies on AMD.NEW & NOTEWORTHY To explore the possibility of constructing reliable research carriers on age-related macular degeneration (AMD), iron ion overload was applied to establish models in vitro and in vivo. Subsequent investigations into cellular physiology and molecular biology confirmed the presence of senescence in these models. Through this study, we hope to provide a better option of feasible methods for future researches into AMD.

Challenges and Strategies for Synthesizing High Performance Micro and Nanoscale High Entropy Oxide Materials.

High-entropy oxide micro/nano materials (HEO MNMs) have shown broad application prospects and have become hot materials in recent years. This review comprehensively provides an overview of the latest developments and covers key aspects of HEO MNMs, by discussing design principles, computer-aided structural design, synthesis challenges and strategies, as well as application areas. The analysis of the synthesis process includes the role of high-throughput process in large-scale synthesis of HEOs MNMs, along with the effects of temperature elevation and undercooling on the formation of HEO MNMs. Additionally, the article summarizes the application of high-precision and in situ characterization devices in the field of HEO MNMs, offering robust support for related research. Finally, a brief introduction to the main applications of HEO MNMs is provided, emphasizing their key performances. This review offers valuable guidance for future research on HEO MNMs, outlining critical issues and challenges in the current field.

Controlled Alignment of Carbon Black Nanoparticles in Electrospun Carbon Nanofibers for Flexible Films.

Carbon nanofiber (CNF) films or mats have great conductivity and thermal stability and are widely used in different technological processes. Among all the fabrication methods, electrospinning is a simple yet effective technique for preparing CNF mats, but the electrospun CNF mats are often brittle. Here, we report a feasible protocol by which to control the alignment of carbon black nanoparticles (CB NPs) within CNF to enhance the flexibility. The CB NPs (~45 nm) are treated with non-ionic surfactant Triton-X 100 (TX) prior to being blended with a solution containing poly(vinyl butyral) and polyacrylonitrile, followed by electrospinning and then carbonization. The optimized CB-TX@CNF mat has a boosted elongation from 2.25% of pure CNF to 2.49%. On the contrary, the untreated CB loaded in CNF displayed a lower elongation of 1.85% because of the aggregated CB spots created weak joints. The controlled and uniform dispersion of CB NPs helped to scatter the applied bending force in the softness test. This feasible protocol paves the way for using these facile surface-treated CB NPs as a commercial reinforcement for producing flexible CNF films.

Fiber Actuators Based on Reversible Thermal Responsive Liquid Crystal Elastomer.

Soft actuators inspired by the movement of organisms have attracted extensive attention in the fields of soft robotics, electronic skin, artificial intelligence, and healthcare due to their excellent adaptability and operational safety. Liquid crystal elastomer fiber actuators (LCEFAs) are considered as one of the most promising soft actuators since they can provide reversible linear motion and are easily integrated or woven into complex structures to perform pre-programmed movements such as stretching, rotating, bending, and expanding. The research on LCEFAs mainly focuses on controllable preparation, structural design, and functional applications. This review, for the first time, provides a comprehensive and systematic review of recent advances in this important field by focusing on reversible thermal response LCEFAs. First, the thermal driving mechanism, and direct and indirect heating strategies of LCEFAs are systematically summarized and analyzed. Then, the fabrication methods and functional applications of LCEFAs are summarized and discussed. Finally, the challenges and technical difficulties that may hinder the performance improvement and large-scale production of LCEFAs are proposed, and the development opportunities of LCEFAs are prospected.