Steering Photooxidation of Methane to Formic Acid over A Priori Screened Supported Catalysts.

Efficient methane photooxidation to formic acid (HCOOH) has emerged as a sustainable approach to simultaneously generate value-added chemicals and harness renewable energy. However, the persistent challenge lies in achieving a high yield and selectivity for HCOOH formation, primarily due to the complexities associated with modulating intermediate conversion and desorption after methane activation. In this study, we employ first-principles calculations as a comprehensive guiding tool and discover that by precisely controlling the O2 activation process on noble metal cocatalysts and the adsorption strength of carbon-containing intermediates on metal oxide supports, one can finely tune the selectivity of methane photooxidation products. Specifically, a bifunctional catalyst comprising Pd nanoparticles and monoclinic WO3 (Pd/WO3) would possess optimal O2 activation kinetics and an intermediate oxidation/desorption barrier, thereby promoting HCOOH formation. As evidenced by experiments, the Pd/WO3 catalyst achieves an exceptional HCOOH yield of 4.67 mmol gcat-1 h-1 with a high selectivity of 62% under full-spectrum light irradiation at room temperature using molecular O2. Notably, these results significantly outperform the state-of-the-art photocatalytic systems operated under identical condition.

Stabilizing and Activating Active Sites: 1T-MoS2 Supported Pd Single Atoms for Efficient Hydrogen Evolution Reaction.

Metallic 1T-MoS2 with high intrinsic electronic conductivity performs Pt-like catalytic activity for hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). However, obtaining pure 1T-MoS2 is challenging due to its high formation energy and metastable properties. Herein, an in situ SO4 2--anchoring strategy is reported to synthesize a thin layer of 1T-MoS2 loaded on commercial carbon. Single Pd atoms, constituting a substantial loading of 7.2 wt%, are then immobilized on the 1T-phase MoS2 via Pd─S bonds to modulate the electronic structure and ensure a stable active phase. The resulting Pd1/1T-MoS2/C catalyst exhibits superior HER performance, featuring a low overpotential of 53 mV at the current density of 10 mA cm-2, a small Tafel slope of 37 mV dec-1, and minimal charge transfer resistance in alkaline electrolyte. Moreover, the catalyst also demonstrates efficacy in acid and neutral electrolytes. Atomic structural characterization and theoretical calculations reveal that the high activity of Pd1/1T-MoS2/C is attributed to the near-zero hydrogen adsorption energy of the activated sulfur sites on the two adjacent shells of atomic Pd.

A novel mutation in intron 1 of Wnt1 causes developmental loss of dopaminergic neurons in midbrain and ASD-like behaviors in rats.

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a group of neurodevelopmental disorders with a strong genetic liability. Despite extensive studies, however, the underlying pathogenic mechanism still remains elusive. In the present study, we identified a homozygous mutation in the intron 1 of Wnt1 via large-scale screening of ASD risk/causative genes and verified that this mutation created a new splicing donor site in the intron 1, and consequently, a decrease of WNT1 expression. Interestingly, humanized rat models harboring this mutation exhibited robust ASD-like behaviors including impaired ultrasonic vocalization (USV), decreased social interactions, and restricted and repetitive behaviors. Moreover, in the substantia nigra compacta (SNpc) and the ventral tegmental area (VTA) of mutant rats, dopaminergic (DAergic) neurons were dramatically lost, together with a comparable decrease in striatal DAergic fibers. Furthermore, using single-cell RNA sequencing, we demonstrated that the decreased DAergic neurons in these midbrain areas might attribute to a shift of the boundary of the local pool of progenitor cells from the hypothalamic floor plate to the midbrain floor plate during the early embryonic stage. Moreover, treatments of mutant rats with levodopa could attenuate the impaired USV and social interactions almost completely, but not the restricted and repetitive behaviors. Our results for the first time documented that the developmental loss of DAergic neurons in the midbrain underlies the pathogenesis of ASD, and that the abnormal progenitor cell patterning is a cellular underpinning for this developmental DAergic neuronal loss. Importantly, the effective dopamine therapy suggests a translational significance in the treatment of ASD.

AI-ENABLED ASSESSMENT OF CARDIAC FUNCTION AND VIDEO QUALITY IN EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT POINT-OF-CARE ECHOCARDIOGRAMS.

BACKGROUND: The adoption of point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) has greatly improved the ability to rapidly evaluate unstable emergency department (ED) patients at the bedside. One major use of POCUS is to obtain echocardiograms to assess cardiac function. OBJECTIVES: We developed EchoNet-POCUS, a novel deep learning system, to aid emergency physicians (EPs) in interpreting POCUS echocardiograms and to reduce operator-to-operator variability. METHODS: We collected a new dataset of POCUS echocardiogram videos obtained in the ED by EPs and annotated the cardiac function and quality of each video. Using this dataset, we train EchoNet-POCUS to evaluate both cardiac function and video quality in POCUS echocardiograms. RESULTS: EchoNet-POCUS achieves an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC) of 0.92 (0.89-0.94) for predicting whether cardiac function is abnormal and an AUROC of 0.81 (0.78-0.85) for predicting video quality. CONCLUSIONS: EchoNet-POCUS can be applied to bedside echocardiogram videos in real time using commodity hardware, as we demonstrate in a prospective pilot study.

Experiences of postpartum Chinese women undergoing confinement practices: A qualitative meta-synthesis.

AIMS: We aim to review the experiences and needs of postpartum Chinese women undergoing 'confinement' or 'doing-the-month' a postpartum practice after childbirth. METHODS: A meta-synthesis was reported in alignment with the Enhancing Transparency in Reporting the Synthesis of Qualitative Research (ENTREQ) statement. Ten electronic databases were searched for eligible primary qualitative or mixed-methods studies in English and Chinese from their inception until December 2021. Two reviewers independently reviewed the methodological quality of the included studies using the 10-item Critical Appraisal Skills Program (CASP) qualitative checklist, with discrepancies resolved through discussions. The meta-synthesis was conducted based on the two-step approach by Sandelowski and Barroso. RESULTS: Four themes were meta-synthesized from 13 studies: 'confinement' as an essential practice; physical and psychological stressors during 'confinement'; coping strategies by postpartum women; and needs for family, social, and professional support in enhancing satisfaction with 'confinement'. The review showed that 'confinement' remains a significant practice shaped by socio-cultural and health constructs. CONCLUSION: This review suggested re-evaluating the 'confinement' practice and promoting evidence-based care to improve maternal well-being. Nurses and midwives should be cognisant of such postpartum customs and adopt non-judgemental attitudes as early as the prenatal period to provide culturally sensitive care.

CdS Quantum Dot Gels as a Direct Hydrogen Atom Transfer Photocatalyst for C-H Activation.

Here, we report CdS quantum dot (QD) gels, a three-dimensional network of interconnected CdS QDs, as a new type of direct hydrogen atom transfer (d-HAT) photocatalyst for C-H activation. We discovered that the photoexcited CdS QD gel could generate various neutral radicals, including α-amido, heterocyclic, acyl, and benzylic radicals, from their corresponding stable molecular substrates, including amides, thio/ethers, aldehydes, and benzylic compounds. Its C-H activation ability imparts a broad substrate and reaction scope. The mechanistic study reveals that this reactivity is intrinsic to CdS materials, and the neutral radical generation did not proceed via the conventional sequential electron transfer and proton transfer pathway. Instead, the C-H bonds are activated by the photoexcited CdS QD gel via a d-HAT mechanism. This d-HAT mechanism is supported by the linear correlation between the logarithm of the C-H bond activation rate constant and the C-H bond dissociation energy (BDE) with a Brønsted slope α = 0.5. Our findings expand the currently limited direct hydrogen atom transfer photocatalysis toolbox and provide new possibilities for photocatalytic C-H activation.

Modulating Charges of Dual Sites in Multivariate Metal-Organic Frameworks for Boosting Selective Aerobic Epoxidation of Alkenes.

Selective aerobic epoxidation of alkenes without any additives is of great industrial importance but still challenging because the competitive side reactions including C═C bond cleavage and isomerization are difficult to avoid. Here, we show fabricating Cu(I) single sites in pristine multivariate metal-organic frameworks (known as CuCo-MOF-74) via partial reduction of Cu(II) to Cu(I) ions during solvothermal reaction. Impressively, CuCo-MOF-74 is characteristic with single Cu(I), Cu(II), and Co(II) sites, and they exhibit the substantially enhanced selectivity of styrene oxide up to 87.6% using air as an oxidant at almost complete conversion of styrene, ∼25.8% selectivity increased over Co-MOF-74, as well as good catalytic stability. Contrast experiments and theoretical calculation indicate that Cu(I) sites contribute to the substantially enhanced selectivity of epoxides catalyzed by Co(II) sites. The adsorption of two O2 molecules on dual Co(II) and Cu(I) sites is favorable, and the projected density of state of the Co-3d orbital is closer to the Fermi level by modulating with Cu(I) sites for promoting the activation of O2 compared with dual-site Cu(II) and Co(II) and Co(II) and Co(II), thus contributing to the epoxidation of the C═C bond. When other kinds of alkenes are used as substrates, the excellent selectivity of various epoxides is also achieved over CuCo-MOF-74. We also prove the universality of fabricating Cu(I) sites in other MOF-74 with various divalent metal nodes.

General Synthesis of a Diatomic Catalyst Library via a Macrocyclic Precursor-Mediated Approach.

Heterogeneous catalysts containing diatomic sites are often hypothesized to have distinctive reactivity due to synergistic effects, but there are limited approaches that enable the convenient production of diatomic catalysts (DACs) with diverse metal combinations. Here, we present a general synthetic strategy for constructing a DAC library across a wide spectrum of homonuclear (Fe2, Co2, Ni2, Cu2, Mn2, and Pd2) and heteronuclear (Fe-Cu, Fe-Ni, Cu-Mn, and Cu-Co) bimetal centers. This strategy is based on an encapsulation-pyrolysis approach, wherein a porous material-encapsulated macrocyclic complex mediates the structure of DACs by preserving the main body of the molecular framework during pyrolysis. We take the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) as an example to show that this DAC library can provide great opportunities for electrocatalyst development by unlocking an unconventional reaction pathway. Among all investigated sites, Fe-Cu diatomic sites possess exceptional high durability for ORR because the Fe-Cu pairs can steer elementary steps in the catalytic cycle and suppress the troublesome Fenton-like reactions.

Electronic Structure Regulation and Surface Reconstruction of Iron Diselenide for Enhanced Oxygen Evolution Activity.

Regulating the electronic structure of active sites and monitoring the evolution of the active component is essential to improve the intrinsic activity of catalysts for electrochemical reactions. Herein, a highly efficient pre-electrocatalyst of iron diselenide with rich Se vacancies achieved by phosphorus doping (denoted as P-FeSe2 ) for oxygen evolution reaction (OER) is reported. Systematically experimental and theoretical results show that the formed Se vacancies with phosphorus doping can synergistically modulate the electronic structure of FeSe2 and facilitate OER kinetics with the resulting enhanced electrical conductivity and electrochemical surface area. Importantly, the in situ formed FeOOH species on the surface of the P-FeSe2 nanorods (denoted as P-FeOOH(Se)) during the OER process acts as an active component to efficiently catalyze OER and exhibits a low overpotential of 217 mV to reach 10 mA cm-2 with good durability. Promisingly, an alkaline electrolyzer assembled with P-FeOOH(Se) and Pt/C electrodes requires an ultra-low cell voltage of 1.50 V at 10 mA cm-2 for overall water splitting, which is superior to the RuO2 || Pt/C counterpart and most of the state-of-the-art electrolyzers, demonstrating the high potential of the fabricated electrocatalyst by P doping strategy to explore more highly efficient selenide-based catalysts for various reactions.

Formation mechanism of DKDP surface in single point diamond fly-cutting process and the resulting degradation of laser-induced damage performance.

Laser damage performance of DKDP (KD2xH2(1-x)PO4) crystal is largely determined by the surface microstructures generated in the manufacturing process, more specifically, single point diamond fly-cutting process. However, because of the lack of knowledge about the formation mechanism and damage performance of the microstructures, laser induced damage of DKDP crystal remains a key issue limiting the output energy of the high power laser systems. In this paper, the influence of fly-cutting parameters on the generation of DKDP surface and the underlying material deformation mechanism have been investigated. Except for cracks, two kinds of new microstructures, namely micro grains and ripples, have been found on the processed DKDP surfaces. GIXRD, nano-indentation and nano-scratch test results prove that the micro grains are generated by the slip motion of the crystal, while the simulation results show that the cracks are induced by the tensile stress formed behind the cutting edge. Moreover, the formation of micro grains can facilitate the plastic chip flow through the mechanism of grain boundary sliding, which will further lead to a periodic fluctuation of the chip separation point and the formation of micro ripples. Finally, laser damage test results demonstrate that cracks will degrade the damage performance of DKDP surface significantly, while the formation of micro grains and micro ripples has little impact. The results of this study can deepen the understanding of the formation mechanism of the DKDP surface during the cutting process and provide guidance to improve the laser-induced damage performance of the crystal.

De novo mutations within metabolism networks of amino acid/protein/energy in Chinese autistic children with intellectual disability.

BACKGROUND: Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is often accompanied by intellectual disability (ID). Despite extensive studies, however, the genetic basis for this comorbidity is still not clear. In this study, we tried to develop an analyzing pipeline for de novo mutations and possible pathways related to ID phenotype in ASD. Whole-exome sequencing (WES) was performed to screen de novo mutations and candidate genes in 79 ASD children together with their parents (trios). The de novo altering genes and relative pathways which were associated with ID phenotype were analyzed. The connection nodes (genes) of above pathways were selected, and the diagnostic value of these selected genes for ID phenotype in the study population was also evaluated. RESULTS: We identified 89 de novo mutant genes, of which 34 genes were previously reported to be associated with ASD, including double hits in the EGF repeats of NOTCH1 gene (p.V999M and p.S1027L). Interestingly, of these 34 genes, 22 may directly affect intelligence quotient (IQ). Further analyses revealed that these IQ-related genes were enriched in protein synthesis, energy metabolism, and amino acid metabolism, and at least 9 genes (CACNA1A, ALG9, PALM2, MGAT4A, PCK2, PLEKHA1, PSME3, ADI1, and TLE3) were involved in all these three pathways. Seven patients who harbored these gene mutations showed a high prevalence of a low IQ score (< 70), a non-verbal language, and an early diagnostic age (< 4 years). Furthermore, our panel of these 9 genes reached a 10.2% diagnostic rate (5/49) in early diagnostic patients with a low IQ score and also reached a 10% diagnostic yield in those with both a low IQ score and non-verbal language (4/40). CONCLUSION: We found some new genetic disposition for ASD accompanied with intellectual disability in this study. Our results may be helpful for etiologic research and early diagnoses of intellectual disability in ASD. Larger population studies and further mechanism studies are warranted.

NR1 Splicing Variant NR1a in Cerebellar Granule Neurons Constitutes a Better Motor Learning in the Mouse.

As an excitatory neuron in the cerebellum, the granule cells play a crucial role in motor learning. The assembly of NMDAR in these neurons varies in developmental stages, while the significance of this variety is still not clear. In this study, we found that motor training could specially upregulate the expression level of NR1a, a splicing form of NR1 subunit. Interestingly, overexpression of this splicing variant in a cerebellar granule cell-specific manner dramatically elevated the NMDAR binding activity. Furthermore, the NR1a transgenic mice did not only show an enhanced motor learning, but also exhibit a higher efficacy for motor training in motor learning. Our results suggested that as a "junior" receptor, NR1a facilitates NMDAR activity as well as motor skill learning.

Metabolic profiling of the flower of Citrus aurantium L. var. amara Engl. in rats using ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography coupled to quadrupole time-of-flight tandem mass spectrometry with data mining strategy.

RATIONALE: The flower of Citrus aurantium L. var. amara Engl. (FCAVA), an edible tea and herbal medicine with anti-obesity effect, has attracted great attention in China. The structural elucidation of chemical components in FCAVA has been realized in our previous work. It is well known that metabolic profiling provided a structural basis to discover potential anti-obesity ingredients in FCAVA. Nevertheless, there are no reports about in vivo metabolic profiles of FCAVA. Therefore, it is necessary to comprehensively identify in vivo substances of FCAVA. METHODS: The identification of in vivo substances of FCAVA remains a challenge due to the strong interference of complex chemical components, biological matrices and metabolite isomers. In this work, ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography coupled to quadrupole time-of-flight tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-QTOF-MS/MS) analysis with a data mining strategy was established and applied for the metabolic profiling of FCAVA in rats. The data mining strategy, including diagnostic product ions and neutral loss filtering, improved structural elucidation of xenobiotics in rats after oral administration of FCAVA. RESULTS: A total of 228 xenobiotics, including 80 prototypes (10 unambiguous confirmed with reference standards) and 148 metabolites, were tentatively characterized in rat plasma, urine and fecal samples. Among them, 35 xenobiotics were found in plasma, 124 in urine and 156 in feces. The main biotransformation pathway of FCAVA metabolism was deglycosylation, methylation, glucuronidation and sulfation. The main compounds absorbed into the blood were neohesperidin and naringin, which have been reported to show significant anti-obesity effect. CONCLUSIONS: Collectively, this present study would be conducive to the discovery of active ingredients of FCAVA for the treatment of obesity and the development of quality control of FCAVA.

Explainable artificial intelligence in ophthalmology.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Despite the growing scope of artificial intelligence (AI) and deep learning (DL) applications in the field of ophthalmology, most have yet to reach clinical adoption. Beyond model performance metrics, there has been an increasing emphasis on the need for explainability of proposed DL models. RECENT FINDINGS: Several explainable AI (XAI) methods have been proposed, and increasingly applied in ophthalmological DL applications, predominantly in medical imaging analysis tasks. SUMMARY: We summarize an overview of the key concepts, and categorize some examples of commonly employed XAI methods. Specific to ophthalmology, we explore XAI from a clinical perspective, in enhancing end-user trust, assisting clinical management, and uncovering new insights. We finally discuss its limitations and future directions to strengthen XAI for application to clinical practice.

Intrauterine transmission of SARS-CoV-2 to and prenatal ultrasound abnormal findings in the fetus of a pregnant woman with mild COVID-19.

BACKGROUND: Whether intrauterine transmission of COVID-19 occurs remains uncertain, and it remains unclear whether the disease affects fetuses. We present a case of intrauterine transmission of SARS-CoV-2 infection and the prenatal ultrasonographic findings of the fetus in a pregnant woman with mild COVID-19. CASE PRESENTATION: A 30-year-old woman was admitted to our hospital for ultrasound examination in January 2023 at 26+ 3 weeks' gestation. Twenty-one days prior, her COVID-19 nucleic acid test was positive, and she had mild symptoms, including fever (38.3 °C), headache, chills, ankle pain and cough. After receiving symptomatic treatment, she fully recovered. Prenatal ultrasound revealed that the placenta was diffusely distributed with punctate echogenic foci, hepatomegaly, and the volume of bilateral lungs decreased significantly, with enhanced echo. In addition, we found that the surface of the fetal brain demonstrated widened gyri with a flattened surface. The prenatal MRI confirmed these fetal abnormalities. Amniotic fluid was tested for SARS-CoV-2, and the sample tested was positive for the virus. After careful consideration, the pregnant woman decided to terminate the pregnancy. CONCLUSION: The intrauterine transmission of COVID-19 is certain. Moreover, the intrauterine transmission of COVID-19 may cause abnormalities in various organs of the fetus.

Effect of non-pharmacological interventions on the prevention of sarcopenia in menopausal women: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

BACKGROUND: Sarcopenia is a chronic disease marked by gradual muscle system and functional decline. Prior research indicates its prevalence in those under 60 varies from 8 to 36%. There is limited evidence on the effectiveness of non-pharmacological interventions for sarcopenia prevention in menopausal women aged 40-60. This study examines the influence of such interventions for sarcopenia prevention on these women. METHODS: PubMed, EMBASE, Medline, Cochrane Library, CINAHL, PEDro, and Airiti Library were searched from inception until May 5, 2023. Randomized controlled trials that examined exercise, vitamin D and protein supplementation effects on muscle mass, strength, and physical function. Quality assessment used the Cochrane risk of bias tool, and analysis employed Comprehensive Meta-Analysis version 2.0. RESULTS: A total of 27 randomized controlled trials, involving 1,989 participants were identified. Meta-analysis results showed exercise improved lean body mass (SMD = 0.232, 95% CI: 0.097, 0.366), handgrip strength (SMD = 0.901, 95% CI: 0.362, 1.441), knee extension strength (SMD = 0.698, 95% CI: 0.384, 1.013). Resistance training had a small effect on lean body mass, longer exercise duration (> 12 weeks) and higher frequency (60-90 min, 3 sessions/week) showed small to moderate effects on lean body mass. Vitamin D supplementation improved handgrip strength (SMD = 0.303, 95% CI: 0.130, 0.476), but not knee extension strength. There was insufficient data to assess the impact of protein supplementation on muscle strength. CONCLUSIONS: Exercise effectively improves muscle mass, and strength in menopausal women. Resistance training with 3 sessions per week, lasting 20-90 min for at least 6 weeks, is most effective. Vitamin D supplementation enhances small muscle group strength. Further trials are needed to assess the effects of vitamin D and protein supplementation on sarcopenia prevention. REGISTRATION NUMBER: This review was registered on PROSPERO CRD42022329273.

CCDC86 promotes the aggressive behavior of nasopharyngeal carcinoma by positively regulating EGFR and activating the PI3K/Akt signaling.

Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is a common malignant tumor of the head and neck. A number of studies have confirmed that coiled-coil domain-containing protein 86 (CCDC86) plays an important role in the pathogenesis of lymphoma but the role of CCDC86 in NPC has not yet been reported. Here, in vivo and in vitro experiments were conducted to explore whether CCDC86 plays a role in the pathogenesis of NPC and to identify the specific mechanism. We found that CCDC86 was highly expressed in NPC tissues and cells, and the expression level of CCDC86 was correlated with the prognosis of patients with advanced NPC. CCDC86 promoted the proliferation, invasion, and migration of NPC cells in vivo and in vitro by promoting the EMT process and upregulating the expression of MMPs. Then, we confirmed that EGFR is a downstream target gene of CCDC86 and that CCDC86 can promote the proliferation, invasion, and migration of NPC cells by upregulating the expression of EGFR and activating downstream PI3K/Akt. Furthermore, we confirmed that CCDC86 did not directly bind to EGFR but positively regulated EGFR by binding to NPM1. CCDC86 is expected to be used as a novel biomarker and therapeutic target for predicting the prognosis of NPC.

Effects of Branched-Chain Fatty Acids Derived from Yak Ghee on Lipid Metabolism and the Gut Microbiota in Normal-Fat Diet-Fed Mice.

Branched-chain fatty acids (BCFAs) are natural components with a variety of biological activities. However, the regulation of lipid metabolism by BCFAs is unknown. It was dedicated to examining the impacts of BCFAs inferred from yak ghee on the expression of qualities related to lipid metabolism, natural pathways, and intestinal microbiota in mice. The treatment group (purified BCFAs from yak ghee) exhibited a decrease in cholesterol levels; a decrease in HMGCR levels; downregulation of FADS1, FADS2, ACC-α, FAS, GAPT4, GPAM, ACSL1, THRSP, A-FABP, and PPARα gene expression; and upregulation of SCD1, ACSS1, FABP1, CPT1, and DGAT-1 gene expression. Gut microbiota 16S rDNA sequencing analysis showed that the treatment group improved the gut microbiota by increasing the relative abundances and increasing the short-chain fatty acid levels produced by the genera Akkermansia, Clostridium, Lachnospiraceae, Lactobacillus, Anaerotaenia, and Prevotella. After adding BCFAs to cultured breast cancer cells, pathways that were downregulated were found to be related to fatty acid degradation and fatty acid metabolism, while 20 other pathways were upregulated. Our results suggest that BCFAs reduce body fat in mice by modulating intestinal flora and lipid metabolism and modulating fatty acid metabolism in breast cancer cells.

Controlling One- or Two-Electron Oxidation for Selective Amine Functionalization by Alternating Current Frequency.

Here, we report a unique electrosynthetic method that enables the selective one-electron oxidation of tertiary amines to generate α-amino radical intermediates over two-electron oxidation to iminium cations, providing easy access to arylation products by simply applying an optimal alternating current (AC) frequency. More importantly, we have discovered an electrochemical descriptor from cyclic voltammetry studies to predict the optimal AC frequency for various amine substrates, circumventing the time-consuming trial-and-error methods for optimizing reaction conditions. This new development in AC electrolysis provides an alternative strategy to solving challenging chemoselectivity problems in synthetic organic chemistry.

Superdurable Bifunctional Oxygen Electrocatalyst for High-Performance Zinc-Air Batteries.

The development of high-efficiency and durable bifunctional electrocatalysts for both the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) and oxygen evolution reaction (OER) is critical for the widespread application of rechargeable zinc-air (Zn-air) batteries. This calls for rational screening of targeted ORR/OER components and precise control of their atomic and electronic structures to produce synergistic effects. Here, we report a Mn-doped RuO2 (Mn-RuO2) bimetallic oxide with atomic-scale dispersion of Mn atoms into the RuO2 lattice, which exhibits remarkable activity and super durability for both the ORR and OER, with a very low potential difference (ΔE) of 0.64 V between the half-wave potential of ORR (E1/2) and the OER potential at 10 mA cm-2 (Ej10) and a negligible decay of E1/2 and Ej10 after 250 000 and 30 000 CV cycles for ORR and OER, respectively. Moreover, Zn-air batteries using the Mn-RuO2 catalysts exhibit a high power density of 181 mW cm-2, low charge/discharge voltage gaps of 0.69/0.96/1.38 V, and ultralong lifespans of 15 000/2800/1800 cycles (corresponding to 2500/467/300 h operation time) at a current density of 10/50/100 mA cm-2, respectively. Theoretical calculations reveal that the excellent performances of Mn-RuO2 is mainly due to the precise optimization of valence state and d-band center for appropriate adsorption energy of the oxygenated intermediates.