2D MXene/MBene Superlattice with Narrow Bandgap as Superior Electrocatalyst for High-Performance Lithium-Oxygen Battery.

Lithium-oxygen (Li-O2) battery with large theoretical energy density (≈3500 Wh kg-1) is one of the most promising energy storage and conversion systems. However, the slow kinetics of oxygen electrode reactions inhibit the practical application of Li-O2 battery. Thus, designing efficient electrocatalysts is crucial to improve battery performance. Here, Ti3C2 MXene/Mo4/3B2-x MBene superlattice is fabricated its electrocatalytic activity toward oxygen redox reactions in Li-O2 battery is studied. It is found that the built-in electric field formed by a large work function difference between Ti3C2 and Mo4/3B2-x will power the charge transfer at the interface from titanium (Ti) site in Ti3C2 to molybdenum (Mo) site in Mo4/3B2-x. This charge transfer increases the electron density in 4d orbital of Mo site and decreases the d-band center of Mo site, thus optimizing the adsorption of intermediate product LiO2 at Mo site and accelerating the kinetics of oxygen electrode reactions. Meanwhile, the formed film-like discharge products (Li2O2) improve the contact with electrode and facilitate the decomposition of Li2O2. Based on the above advantages, the Ti3C2 MXene/Mo4/3B2-x MBene superlattice-based Li-O2 battery exhibits large discharge specific capacity (17 167 mAh g-1), low overpotential (1.16 V), and superior cycling performance (475 cycles).

Pure optical twist with zero net torque.

In photonic systems, bilayer or multilayer systems exhibit numerous exciting phenomena induced by twisting. Thus, it is highly desired to explore the twisting effect by engineering the light-matter interactions. Optical torque, an important means in optical micromanipulation, can rotate micro-objects in various ways, enabling a wide range of promising applications. In this study, we present an interesting phenomenon called "pure optical twist" (POT), which emerges when a bilayer structure with specific symmetry is illuminated by counter-propagating lights with opposite spin and/or orbital angular momentum. Remarkably, this leads to zero net optical torque but yet possesses an interesting mechanical effect of bilayer system twisting. The crucial determinant of this phenomenon is the rotational symmetries of each layer, which govern the allowed azimuthal channels of the scattered wave. When the rotational symmetries do not allow these channels to overlap, no resultant torque is observed. Our work will encourage further exploration of the twisting effect through engineered light-matter interactions. This opens up the possibility of creating twisted bilayer systems using optical means, and constructing a stable bilayer optical motor that maintains identical rotation frequencies for both layers.

Reusable, Green, Portable Ionogels Based on Terpyridine-Imidazole Salt for Visual Monitoring of Pork Spoilage.

Ionogels have emerged as a promising approach because they combine the advantageous properties of ionic liquids and gels. Herein, a novel gelator bearing terpyridine and imidazolium salt units was designed and synthesized, which assembled into ionogels in three ionic liquids by a heating-cooling procedure. The properties of ionogels were characterized by FT-IR, UV-vis spectroscopy, POM, XRD, and rheology, and resonance light scattering and opacity measurements were conducted to investigate the gelation kinetics. Furthermore, the ionogels incorporating pH-sensitive dyes (BTB and MR) were exploited as colorimetric sensor to monitor total volatile basic nitrogen (TVB-N) of meat at -4 °C, which can easily and reliably estimate the quality of meat by naked eye recognition, and the results demonstrated a positive correlation between the color variation and TVB-N levels. Notably, the hydrophobic ionogel indicators are more suitable for potential application at high humidity thanks to their antiswelling advantage, which could prevent the inaccurate information produced by hydrogel indicators. In addition, the ionogels could be reused up to three times as colorimetric indicators, suggesting potential applications and competitiveness. Our research sheds new light on the novel application of ionogels in the food industry.

Enhancing Solar Steam Generation of Hydrogels via Silver Nanoparticle-Doped Cellulose Nanofibers.

Solar steam generation (SSG) is regarded as an efficient approach for harnessing solar energy to purify polluted or saline water. Herein, we demonstrate a hydrogel composed of cellulose nanofibers (CNFs), polyethylenimine (PEI), and reduced graphene oxide (rGO) that functions as an independent solar steam generator, which shows enhanced solar water evaporation efficiency by incorporating silver nanoparticles (AgNPs). It presented that the presence of AgNPs increases the photothermal conversion efficiency and thermal conductivity of the evaporator and reduces the enthalpy of evaporation. As a result, an outstanding water evaporation rate of 3.62 kg m-2 h-1 and a photothermal conversion efficiency of 96.25% are successfully obtained under one sun illumination. Also, the resulting hydrogel exhibits exceptional mechanical properties, as well as outstanding desalination and salt-resistant abilities during prolonged seawater desalination. In oil/water mixtures, the evaporation of the hydrogel decreases to 2.94 kg m-2 h-1, owing to the oil layer barrier. This work paves a reference approach to produce easily addressed cellulose nanofiber (CNF)-based hydrogel evaporators with significantly enhanced evaporation rates.

Discovery of 1,2,3-triazole-based pleuromutilin derivatives as potent gram-positive antibacterial agents.

A novel class of pleuromutilin derivatives possessing 1,2,3-triazole as the linker connected to phenyl analogues were designed. The antibacterial properties of the prepared compounds were assessed in vitro against five strains (E. coli, S. aureus, S. epidermidis, and E. faecalis). Most of the tested compounds displayed potent antibacterial activities against gram-positive bacteria and 14-O-[2-(4-((2,4-dinitrophenoxy)-methyl-1H-1,2,3-triazol-1-yl) acetamide)-2-methylpropan-2-yl) thioacetyl]mutilin (7c) exerted antibacterial activities against S. aureus, MRSA and S. epidermidis with MIC values 0.0625 µg/mL, representing 64-fold, 4-fold and 8-fold higher than tiamulin respectively. Compound 6e, 7c and 8c were chosen to carry out killing kinetics, which exhibited concentration-dependent effect. Subsequently, molecular modeling was conducted to further explore the binding of compound 6e, 7a, 7c, 8c and tiamulin with 50S ribosomal subunit from deinococcus radiodurans. The investigation revealed that the main interactions between compound 7c and the ribosomal residues were three hydrogen bonds, π-π, and p-π conjugate effects. Additionally, the free binding energy and docking score of 7c with the ribosome demonstrated the lowest values of -11.90 kcal/mol and -7.97 kcal/mol, respectively, consistent with its superior antibacterial activities.

Simplified dressing change after surgery for high anal fistula: A prospective, single centre randomized controlled study on loose combined cutting seton (LCCS) technique.

BACKGROUND: Dressing change is the most important part of postoperative wound care. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether a more effective, simple and less painful method of dressing change for anal fistulas could be found without the need for debridement and packing. Data related to postoperative recovery were recorded at postoperative days 3, 7, 14, 21 and 180. METHODS: In this experiment, 76 subjects diagnosed with high anal fistula were randomly divided into a simplified dressing change (SDC) group and a traditional debridement dressing change(TDDC) group according to a ratio of 1:1. RESULTS: The SDC group had significantly fewer pain scores, bleeding rates, dressing change times, inpatient days and lower average inpatient costs than the TDDC group. There were no significant differences in wound healing time, area and depth and Wexner score between the two groups. CONCLUSIONS: Studies have shown that the use of simplified dressing changes does not affect cure or recurrence rates, but significantly reduces dressing change times and pain during changes, reducing patient inpatient length of stay and costs.

Ultrafast Self-Healing, Superstretchable, and Ultra-Strong Polymer Cluster-Based Adhesive Based on Aromatic Acid Cross-Linkers for Excellent Hydrogel Strain Sensors.

Synthetic hydrogel strain sensors rarely exhibit a comprehensive combination of mechanical properties such as ultra-stretchability, ultrafast self-healing, and high sensitivity. Herein, seven small molecule enhanced mechanical behaviors of polymer-cluster based hydrogels are demonstrated. The oxidized polyethyleneimine/polymeric acrylic acid (ohPEI/PAA) hydrogels with aromatic formic acids as supramolecular cross-linkers are prepared by simultaneous formation of ohPEI polymer clusters and PAA upon the addition of ammonium persulfate. The optimized hydrogel adhesive exhibits comprehensive excellent properties, such as high extensibility (up to 12 298%), real-time mechanical self-healing capability (<1 s, 93% efficiency), high uniformity, underwater adhesivity, and water-sealing ability. The proper binding strength of hydrogel and skin (47 kPa) allows the hydrogel to be utilized as highly sensitive (gauge factor:16.08), highly conductive (2.58 mS cm-1 ), and underwater strain sensors. Specially, the adhesive strength of the adhesive to wood after dehydration is extremely high, reaching up to 29.59 MPa. Additionally, when glycerol is introduced, the obtained gel maintains the physical properties even at harsh-temperature conditions (-40 to 80 °C). It presents that multiple and hierarchical non-covalent interactions including multiple hydrogen bonding interactions, π-π stacking, electrostatic interactions, and dipole-dipole interactions of polymer clusters, allow for the energy dissipation and contribute to the excellent performance of the hydrogel.

Best-corrected visual acuity results facilitate molecular diagnosis of infantile nystagmus patients harboring FRMD7 mutations.

The visual function of patients with infantile nystagmus (IN) can be significantly decreased owing to constant eye movement. While, reaching a definitive diagnosis becomes a challenge due to genetic heterozygous of this disease. To address it, we investigated whether best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) results can facilitate the molecular diagnosis of IN patients harboring FRMD7 mutations. 200 patients with IN from 55 families and 133 sporadic cases were enrolled. Mutations were comprehensively screened by direct sequencing using gene-specific primers for FRMD7. We also retrieved related literature to verify the results based on our data. We found that the BCVA of patients with IN harboring FRMD7 mutations was between 0.5 and 0.7, which was confirmed by data retrieved from the literature. Our results showed that BCVA results facilitate the molecular diagnosis of patients with IN harboring FRMD7 mutations. In addition, we identified 31 FRMD7 mutations from the patients, including six novel mutations, namely, frameshift mutation c.1492_1493insT (p.Y498LfsTer14), splice-site mutation c.353C > G, three missense mutations [c.208C > G (p.P70A), c.234G > A (p.M78I), and c.1109G > A (p.H370R)], and nonsense mutation c.1195G > T (p.E399Ter). This study demonstrates that BCVA results may facilitate the molecular diagnosis of IN patients harboring FRMD7 mutations.

Single-step assembly of lipid-gelatin-epigallocatechin-3-gallate hybrid nanoparticles for cancer therapy.

OBJECTIVE: Novel core-shell lipid-gelatin-epigallocatechin-3-gallate hybrid nanoparticles (LGE-N) were prepared to increase the stability and antitumor efficacy of epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG). METHODS: The LGE-N was prepared by a single-step double-emulsion method, in which EGCG-gelatin nanoparticles were formed and stabilized in the inner phase by gelatinization. The cytotoxicity of EGCG solution (EGCG-S) and LGE-N were assessed by a standard 3-(4, 5-dimethylthiazol- 2-yl)-2, 5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay. RESULTS: The obtained LGE-N had a spherical shape, with relatively high encapsulation efficiency (92.30 ± 1.63%), drug loading capacity (11.09 ± 0.62%) and controlled drug release. In-vitro cytotoxicity studies revealed that LGE-N exhibited a lower half maximal inhibitory concentration compared with EGCG-S in MCF-7 (a breast carcinoma cell line) cells. When labeled with a fluorescent probe, Dir, LGE-N was shown to accumulate much more in tumor. In addition, the LGE-N achieved potent antitumor efficacy at a dose of 5 mg/kg in 4T1-implanted mice. CONCLUSION: Our study highlights the unique EGCG-entrapped lipid-gelatin hybrid nanoparticles, which may be a powerful strategy for further cancer therapy.

Dual Lewis Acid- and Base-Responsive Terpyridine-Based Hydrogel: Programmable and Spatiotemporal Regulation of Fluorescence for Chemical-Based Information Security.

A huge amount of data inundated in our daily life; there is an ever-increasing need to develop a new strategy of information encryption-decryption-erasing. Herein, a polymeric DCTpy/PAM hydrogel has been fabricated to store information via controllable Eu3+/Zn2+ ionoprinting for hierarchical and multidimensional information decryption. Eu3+ and Zn2+ have a competition and dynamic interaction toward DCTpy under NH3 stimuli in the polymeric DCTpy/PAM hydrogel network. The Eu(III)/Zn(II)@DCTpy/PAM hydrogel exhibits light red fluorescence of Eu3+ due to the antenna effect. Upon the addition of NH3, dissociation of the Eu3+-DCTpy complex takes place, and the Zn(II)/DCTpy/NH3 complex is formed with both ICT (intramolecular charge-transfer) and PET (photo-induced electron-transfer) process characteristics that exhibits yellow emission color. Subsequently, HCl can quench the fluorescence of the resulting hydrogel. By integrating transparency, adhesiveness, and programmable stimuli responsiveness of the hydrogel blocks in to one system, complex, multistage, and time-controlled information storage-encryption-decryption-erasing in sequence with multidimensions is illustrated via the molecule diffusion method. This work provides a novel and representative strategy in fabricating information encryption-decryption-erasing materials with high capacity and complexity by a simple terpyridine-based hydrogel.

Conjugated Poly(ionic liquid)-Based Nanoporous Membrane for Rapid Moisture Response.

Stimuli-responsive nanoporous materials represent a newly emerging category of functional materials, for which instant and significant response behavior is strongly demanded but still challenging. Herein, a new kind of conjugated poly(ionic liquid)s (PILs) synthesized via a simple one-pot spontaneous nucleophilic substitution and polymerization between 4,4'-vinylenedipyridine and propargyl bromide is reported. A nanoporous membrane actuator is further developed via ionic complexation between the current PIL and trimesic acid. The actuator carries a gradient density in the hydrophobicity content along the membrane cross-section, which results in a fast response to moisture.

Single-cell omics traces the heterogeneity of prostate cancer cells and the tumor microenvironment.

Prostate cancer is one of the more heterogeneous tumour types. In recent years, with the rapid development of single-cell sequencing and spatial transcriptome technologies, researchers have gained a more intuitive and comprehensive understanding of the heterogeneity of prostate cancer. Tumour-associated epithelial cells; cancer-associated fibroblasts; the complexity of the immune microenvironment, and the heterogeneity of the spatial distribution of tumour cells and other cancer-promoting molecules play a crucial role in the growth, invasion, and metastasis of prostate cancer. Single-cell multi-omics biotechnology, especially single-cell transcriptome sequencing, reveals the expression level of single cells with higher resolution and finely dissects the molecular characteristics of different tumour cells. We reviewed the recent literature on prostate cancer cells, focusing on single-cell RNA sequencing. And we analysed the heterogeneity and spatial distribution differences of different tumour cell types. We discussed the impact of novel single-cell omics technologies, such as rich omics exploration strategies, multi-omics joint analysis modes, and deep learning models, on future prostate cancer research. In this review, we have constructed a comprehensive catalogue of single-cell omics studies in prostate cancer. This article aimed to provide a more thorough understanding of the diagnosis and treatment of prostate cancer. We summarised and proposed several key issues and directions on applying single-cell multi-omics and spatial transcriptomics to understand the heterogeneity of prostate cancer. Finally, we discussed single-cell omics trends and future directions in prostate cancer.

Interference of the scattered vector light fields from two optically levitated nanoparticles.

We experimentally study the interference of dipole scattered light from two optically levitated nanoparticles in vacuum, which present an environment free of particle-substrate interactions. We illuminate the two trapped nanoparticles with a linearly polarized probe beam orthogonal to the propagation of the trapping laser beams. The scattered light from the nanoparticles are collected by a high numerical aperture (NA) objective lens and imaged. The interference fringes from the scattered vector light for the different dipole orientations in image and Fourier space are observed. Especially, the interference fringes of two scattered light fields with polarization vortex show the π shift of the interference fringes between inside and outside the center region of the two nanoparticles in the image space. As far as we know, this is the first experimental observation of the interference of scattered vector light fields from two dipoles in free space. This work also provides a simple and direct method to determine the spatial scales between optically levitated nanoparticles by the interference fringes.

Optical spectrum detection of synthetic microsphere resonator using a nanofiber.

We demonstrate optical spectrum detection of a synthetic silica microsphere (SSM) resonator with whispering gallery modes fabricated by chemical methods using an optical nanofiber to touch the SSM. Critical coupling, under coupling and over coupling are obtained by controlling the nanofiber radius. The SSM radius deviation, 0.51 nm, can be obtained through multiple measurements when the nanofiber touches the SSM equatorial planes randomly. The scheme opens a new avenue for accurate sample characterization and sample tracking for microparticle detection.

Self-Assembled Copper Metallogel Bearing Terpyridine and Its Application as a Catalyst for the Click Reaction in Water.

Metallogels have attracted a great deal of interest because of their intriguing properties and applications in chemsensors, batteries, catalysis, and other fields. In this work, a novel ligand bearing terpyridine and hydroxyamine units was designed and synthesized. The ligand selectively gelated with copper ions in water by heating and cooling or sonication. Different physicochemical studies [Fourier transform infrared, ultraviolet-visible (UV-vis), electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR), scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, and rheology] were conducted to characterize the gels. We show that coordination interaction, π-π interaction, and noncovalent interaction had obvious effects on the properties of the gel. Additionally, a stable radical hydrogel could be obtained by ultrasound treatment, which was accompanied by color variation from green to blue. This was further confirmed by UV-vis and EPR experiments. Furthermore, the copper metallogels were developed as catalysts for the preparation of 1,2,3-triazole derivatives in water at 25 °C. Although various types of catalysts have been investigated, the use of metallogels as catalysts for the click reaction in water has been scarce. This strategy shows the process is simple, affords a high yield, and is "green" and economical.

A rare variant of obstructed hemivagina and ipsilateral renal agenesis and its improvement of classification.

Obstructed hemivagina and ipsilateral renal agenesis (OHVIRA) is a rare congenital malformation of the female reproductive organs, including uterine dysplasia, blind hemivagina, and ipsilateral renal dysplasia. It has a serious impact on patients' quality of life and fertility. We report a rare case of OHVIRA with a complete septate uterus, ectopic dysplasia of the left kidney, left ectopic ureter, and three oblique vaginal septa. The dysplastic left kidney and the ectopic ureter were removed during laparoscopy. In addition, the two layers of vaginal septa, which were ignored in the past 10 years, were removed by hysteroscopy. As the detection rate of OHVIRA has gradually increased, manifestations that previous classification systems could not recapitulate have emerged. By retrieving the relevant cases, we have tried to propose a new classification system, which would allow clinicians to have a complete understanding of the manifestations of OHVIRA and would be helpful in the treatment of patients.

Urocanic acid enhances memory consolidation and reconsolidation in novel object recognition task.

Urocanic acid (UCA) is an endogenous small molecule that is elevated in skin, blood and brain after sunlight exposure, mainly playing roles in the periphery systems. Few studies have investigated the role of UCA in the central nervous system. In particular, its role in memory consolidation and reconsolidation is still unclear. In the present study, we investigated the effect of intraperitoneal injection of UCA on memory consolidation and reconsolidation in a novel object recognition memory (ORM) task. In the consolidation version of the ORM task, the protocol involved three phases: habituation, sampling and test. UCA injection immediately after the sampling period enhanced ORM memory performance; UCA injection 6 h after sampling did not affect ORM memory performance. In the reconsolidation version of the ORM task, the protocol involved three phases: sampling, reactivation and test. UCA injection immediately after reactivation enhanced ORM memory performance; UCA injection 6 h after reactivation did not affect ORM memory performance; UCA injection 24 h after sampling without reactivation did not affect ORM memory performance. This UCA-enhanced memory performance was not due to its effects on nonspecific responses such as locomotor activity and exploratory behavior. The results suggest that UCA injection enhances consolidation and reconsolidation of an ORM task, which further extends previous research on UCA effects on learning and memory.

Phase-sensitive manipulation of squeezed vacuum via a dual-recycled Michelson interferometer.

The injection of squeezed vacuum state is an indispensable technology for the next generation gravitational wave observatory, which will open up a much larger window to the universe. After analyzing the absorption and dispersion properties of the reflected field of the dual-recycled Michelson interferometer (DRMI), we propose the phase-sensitive manipulation scheme of squeezed vacuum by utilizing the coupled-resonator-induced transparency in a dual-recycled Michelson interferometer (DRMI). In this way, the rotation frequency of squeezing ellipse can be finely tuned by the coupling strength, which overcome the limitation of the current solution (with a fixed rotation frequency) that employs a Fabry-Perot optical cavity as phase-sensitive manipulation element. This work will unleash the potential applications for quantum metrology beyond the shot noise limit.

Controllable continuous variable quantum state distributor.

To scale quantum information processing, quantum state distributors are an indispensable technology in quantum networks. We present a universal scheme of a continuous variable quantum state distributor that performs point-to-multipoint distributions via quantum teleportation with partially disembodied transport. The fidelity of the state at the output nodes can be conveniently manipulated as needed by engineering the correlation noise of the Einstein-Podolsky-Rosen (EPR) beam. For a 1→2 distributor, controllable distributions were demonstrated by manipulating the squeezing factor of EPR entanglement. The fidelities of the two receivers gradually changed from (2/3, 2/3) to (0.95, 0.17) corresponding to the transition from symmetric to asymmetric quantum cloning.

Structural Tunability on Naphthalimide-Based Dendrimer Gelators via Glaser Coupling Interaction with Tailored Gelation Solvent Polarity and Stimuli-Responsive Properties.

To date, most of the low-molecular-weight gels are found serendipitously, and modification on known gelator structures via organic synthesis is an efficient methodology to prepare gel series. However, a simple, direct, and rational modification method for a known gelator is still a challenge. Herein, we employ Glaser coupling reaction to synthesize a novel dendrimer gelator BisDEC with the (ALS2)2 structure, starting from terminal alkyne-based gelator DEC with the ALS2 structure. This structural change results in gels with distinct gelation solvents, mechanical properties, and stimuli-responsive abilities. The gelation abilities of DEC and BisDEC in nonpolar and polar solvents, respectively, have been examined and discussed by several experiments and Hansen constants. It is also shown that the BisDEC gel system shows intriguing self-healing, self-supporting, and grinding chromism properties.