[Cangxi Tongbi Capsules promote chondrocyte autophagy by regulating circRNA＿0008365/miR-1271/p38 MAPK pathway to inhibit development of knee osteoarthritis].

To investigate the mechanism by which Cangxi Tongbi Capsules promote chondrocyte autophagy to inhibit knee osteoarthritis(KOA) progression by regulating the circRNA＿0008365/miR-1271/p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase(MAPK) pathway. The cell and animal models of KOA were established and intervened with Cangxi Tongbi Capsules, si-circRNA＿0008365, si-NC, and Cangxi Tongbi Capsules combined with si-circRNA＿0008365. Flow cytometry and transmission electron microscopy were employed to determine the level of apoptosis and observe autophagosomes, respectively. Western blot was employed to reveal the changes in the protein levels of microtubule-associated protein light chain 3(LC3)Ⅱ/Ⅰ, Beclin-1, selective autophagy junction protein p62/sequestosome 1, collagen Ⅱ, a disintegrin and metalloproteinase with thrombospondin motifs 5(ADAMTS-5), and p38 MAPK. The mRNA levels of circRNA＿0008365, miR-1271, collagen Ⅱ, and ADAMTS-5 were determined by qRT-PCR. Hematoxylin-eosin staining was employed to reveal the pathological changes of the cartilage tissue of the knee, and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay to measure the levels of interleukin-1ß(IL-1ß) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha(TNF-α). The chondrocytes treated with IL-1ß showed down-regulated expression of circRNA＿0008365, up-regulated expression of miR-1271 and p38 MAPK, lowered autophagy level, increased apoptosis rate, and accelerated catabolism of extracellular matrix. The intervention with Cangxi Tongbi Capsules up-regulated the expression of circRNA＿0008365, down-regulated the expression of miR-1271 and p38 MAPK, increased the autophagy level, decreased the apoptosis rate, and weakened the catabolism of extracellular matrix. However, the effect of Cangxi Tongbi Capsules was suppressed after interfering with circRNA＿0008365. The in vivo experiments showed that Cangxi Tongbi Capsules dose-dependently inhibited the p38 MAPK pathway, enhanced chondrocyte autophagy, and mitigated articular cartilage damage and inflammatory response, thereby inhibiting the progression of KOA in rats. This study indicated that Cangxi Tongbi Capsules promoted chondrocyte autophagy by regulating the circRNA＿0008365/miR-1271/p38 MAPK pathway to inhibit the development of KOA.

Nutrient Deprivation Coupled with High Light Exposure for Bioactive Chrysolaminarin Production in the Marine Microalga Isochrysis zhangjiangensis.

Chrysolaminarin, a kind of water-soluble bioactive ß-glucan produced by certain microalgae, is a potential candidate for food/pharmaceutical applications. This study identified a marine microalga Isochrysis zhangjiangensis, in which chrysolaminarin production was investigated via nutrient (nitrogen, phosphorus, or sulfur) deprivations (-N, -P, or -S conditions) along with an increase in light intensity. A characterization of the antioxidant activities of the chrysolaminarin produced under each condition was also conducted. The results showed that nutrient deprivation caused a significant increase in chrysolaminarin accumulation, though this was accompanied by diminished biomass production and photosynthetic activity. -S was the best strategy to induce chrysolaminarin accumulation. An increase in light intensity from 80 (LL) to 150 (HL) µE·m-2·s-1 further enhanced chrysolaminarin production. Compared with -N, -S caused more suitable stress and reduced carbon allocation toward neutral lipid production, which enabled a higher chrysolaminarin accumulation capacity. The highest chrysolaminarin content and concentration reached 41.7% of dry weight (%DW) and 632.2 mg/L, respectively, under HL-S, with a corresponding productivity of 155.1 mg/L/day achieved, which exceeds most of the photoautotrophic microalgae previously reported. The chrysolaminarin produced under HL-N (Iz-N) had a relatively competitive hydroxyl radical scavenging activity at low concentrations, while the chrysolaminarin produced under HL-S (Iz-S) exhibited an overall better activity, comparable to the commercial yeast ß-glucan, demonstrating I. zhangjiangensis as a promising bioactive chrysolaminarin producer from CO2.

Risk factors for prolonged preoperative waiting time of intertrochanteric fracture patients undergoing operative treatment.

PURPOSE: Intertrochanteric fracture is a common fracture in older adults. We observed the case characteristics of intertrochanteric fracture and analyzed the risk factors for prolonged preoperative waiting time based on patient data from a 6 year period. Investigate the post-admission treatment of intertrochanteric fracture. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the medical records from July 2015 to July 2021 of patients hospitalized for intertrochanteric fracture who had undergone internal fixation surgery in the orthopedic ward of the Affiliated Hospital of Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine. Data regarding gender, age, AO/OTA classification, preoperative waiting time, preoperative medical comorbidities, and complicated deep venous thrombosis (DVT) of lower limbs were collected. Statistical tests were used to evaluate the factors influencing preoperative preparation time and DVT. RESULTS: A total of 1812 cases were retrospectively analyzed, 1258 patients (69.43%) had three or more medical comorbidities. The average preoperative waiting time was 5.09 ± 3.27 days. Advanced age, more preoperative medical comorbidities and DVT led to longer preoperative waiting times, and preoperative medical comorbidities were an independent risk factor. Patients with advanced age and preoperative medical comorbidities were more likely to have DVT. CONCLUSION: Age and preoperative medical comorbidities are risk factors for DVT and prolonged preoperative preparation time in intertrochanteric fracture patients. Preoperative medical comorbidities are an independent risk factors affecting the preoperative waiting time, and a combination of multiple comorbidities almost predicts the delay of the operation time.

Impact of minimal solid and micropapillary components on invasive lung adenocarcinoma recurrence.

BACKGROUND: The specific impacts of solid and micropapillary components on prognosis in lung adenocarcinoma remain unclear. Herein, we elucidated their distinct contributions to lung adenocarcinoma recurrence. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Lung adenocarcinoma was classified into solid and micropapillary absent (S-M-); solid absent, micropapillary present (S-M+); micropapillary absent, solid present (S + M-); and solid and micropapillary present (S + M+). Cumulative incidence of recurrence (CIR) was calculated using competing risk analysis. RESULTS: Of 994 adenocarcinomas, 650 (65.4%) were classified as S-M-; 152 (15.3%), S-M+; 148 (14.9%), S + M-; and 44 (4.4%), S + M+. In total, 168 (16.9%) patients had recurrence; 16 (1.6%) died from other causes. S-M- had significantly lower CIR than other groups (S-M- vs. S-M+: P < 0.001, S-M- vs. S + M-: P < 0.001, S-M- vs. S + M+: P < 0.001); S + M- had significantly higher CIR than S-M+ (P = 0.002). These differences remained significant in multivariable analysis. In stage IA, S-M- had significantly lower CIR than other groups (S-M- vs. S-M+: P = 0.006, S-M- vs. S + M-: P < 0.001, S-M- vs. S + M+: P < 0.001); S + M- and S + M+ had significantly higher CIR than S-M+ (P = 0.005, P = 0.008, respectively). These differences remained significant in multivariable analysis. CIR was not significantly different between S + M- and S-M+ subgroups. CONCLUSIONS: The presence of solid or micropapillary component (≥1%) was an independent risk factor for CIR; patients with solid component alone had a higher CIR than those with micropapillary component alone. In IA lung adenocarcinoma, patients with both solid and micropapillary components had a higher CIR than those with micropapillary component alone; the proportion of solid or micropapillary component was not associated with CIR.

First Demonstration of Novel Vertical Gate-All-Around Field-Effect-Transistors Featured by Self-Aligned and Replaced High-κ Metal Gates.

A novel n-type nanowire/nanosheet (NW/NS) vertical sandwich gate-all-around field-effect-transistor (nVSAFET) with self-aligned and replaced high-κ metal gates (HKMGs) is presented for the first time, aiming at a 3 nm technology node and beyond. The nVSAFETs were fabricated by an integration flow of Si/SiGe epitaxy, quasi-atomic layer etching (qALE) of SiGe selective to Si, formation of SiGe/Si core/shell NS/NW structure, building of nitride dummy gate, and replacement of the dummy gate. This fabrication method is complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS)-compatible, simple, and reproducible, and NWs with a diameter of 17 nm and NSs with a thickness of 20 nm were obtained. Excellent control of short-channel-effects was presented. The device performance was also investigated and discussed. The proposed integration scheme has great potential for applications in chip manufacturing, especially with vertical channel devices.

Osthole Suppresses Knee Osteoarthritis Development by Enhancing Autophagy Activated via the AMPK/ULK1 Pathway.

Knee osteoarthritis (KOA) is an increasingly prevalent heterogeneous disease characterized by cartilage erosion and inflammation. As the main chemical constituent of Angelicae Pubescentis Radix (APR), an anti-inflammatory herbal medicine, the potential biological effects and underlying mechanism of osthole on chondrocytes and KOA progression remain elusive. In this study, the potential effect and mechanism of osthole on KOA were investigated in vitro and in vivo. We found that osthole inhibited IL-1ß-induced apoptosis and cartilage matrix degeneration by activating autophagy in rat chondrocytes. In addition, osthole could activate autophagy through phosphorylation of AMPK/ULK1, and AMPK serves as a positive upstream regulator of ULK1. Furthermore, KOA rats treated with osthole showed phosphorylation of the AMPK/ULK1 pathway and autophagy activation, as well as cartilage protection. Collectively, the AMPK/ULK1 signaling pathway can be activated by osthole to enhance autophagy, thereby suppressing KOA development. Osthole may be a novel and effective therapeutic agent for the clinical treatment of KOA.

Investigation on the Interaction of Dabrafenib with Human Serum Albumin Using Combined Experiment and Molecular Dynamics Simulation: Exploring the Binding Mechanism, Esterase-like Activity, and Antioxidant Activity.

Dabrafenib is a novel targeted antimelanoma drug. The present work explored the binding mechanism of dabrafenib-human serum albumin (HSA) and the effect on the esterase-like activity and antioxidant activity of HSA by using 19F NMR, spectroscopy methods, and molecular dynamics simulation. The results of 19F NMR, fluorescence, and time-resolved fluorescence spectroscopy revealed that dabrafenib spontaneously binds to the subdomain IIIA of the HSA by hydrophobic action and forms a static complex. The binding affects the esterase-like activity of HSA but not its antioxidant activity. According to the results of molecular dynamics simulation, dabrafenib interacts with Arg410 and Tyr411, which are the key residue associated with the esterase-like activity of HSA. Meanwhile, dabrafenib does not interact with Cys34, the key residue associated with the antioxidant activity of HSA. The results of circular dichroism spectroscopy and molecular dynamics simulation show that the conformation of HSA is not affected by the binding of dabrafenib. This study can provide useful information for understanding the pharmacokinetic properties of dabrafenib.

The effect of 7,8,4´-trihydroxyflavone on tyrosinase activity and conformation: Spectroscopy and docking studies.

Tyrosinase is a ubiquitous enzyme that plays an essential role in the production of melanin. Effective inhibitors of tyrosinase have extensive applications in the medical, cosmetic and food industries. In this study, a combination of enzyme kinetics, ultraviolet (UV)-visible absorption, fluorescence spectroscopic techniques and a computational simulation method was used to characterize the inhibitory mechanism of 7,8,4´-trihydroxyflavone on tyrosinase. 7,8,4´-Trihydroxyflavone was found to strongly inhibit the oxidation of l-DOPA by tyrosinase with an IC50 value of 10.31 ± 0.41 µM. The inhibitory mechanism was determined to be reversible and non-competitive with a Ki of 9.50 ± 0.40 µM. The UV absorption spectra showed that 7,8,4´-trihydroxyflavone could chelate with copper ions and form a complex with tyrosinase. The intrinsic fluorescence of tyrosinase was quenched by 7,8,4´-trihydroxyflavone through a static quenching mechanism. 7,8,4´-Trihydroxyflavone was found to occupy a single binding site with a binding constant of 7.50 ± 1.20 × 104  M-1 at 298 K. The conformation of tyrosinase changed, and the microenvironment became more hydrophilic after 7,8,4´-trihydroxyflavone binding. Thermodynamics parameters indicated that the binding was a spontaneous process and involved hydrogen bonds and van der Waals forces. The binding distance was evaluated to be 4.54 ± 0.05 nm. Docking simulation analysis further authenticated that 7,8,4´-trihydroxyflavone could form hydrogen bonds with the residues His244 and Met280 within the tyrosinase active site. Our results will contribute to further understanding of the inhibitory mechanisms of 7,8,4´-trihydroxyflavone against tyrosinase and will facilitate future screening for tyrosinase inhibitors.

Association of lymph node involvement with the prognosis of pathological T1 invasive non-small cell lung cancer.

BACKGROUND: Lymph node involvement could help to predict the prognosis of pathological T1 (pT1, diameters of ≤3 cm) non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). This study assessed the clinicopathological factors and associated lymph node involvement in invasive lung adenocarcinoma (IAC) and squamous cell lung cancer (SCC) and the overall and disease-free survival associated with these factors. METHODS: Three hundred and twenty-five patients with pathological T1 NSCLC (253 IAC and 72 SCC) were retrospectively analyzed from a pool of 1094 primary lung cancer patients. The data were assessed using multiple logistic regression, Kaplan-Meier curves and multivariable analyses. RESULTS: Among patients with a ≤30-mm tumor lesion (N = 325), N1 and N2 lymph node involvement was found in 28 (8.6%) and 34 (10.4%) patients, respectively. Lymph node metastasis occurred in 13.0% (33/253) of pT1 IAC patients and 40.3% (29/72) of SCC patients. Carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) levels, SCC by histology, and tumor lesions larger than 1.0 cm were associated with lymph node involvement (P < 0.0001, <0.0001, and 0.048, respectively). In IAC patients, negative lymph nodes were associated with better overall survival compared with lymph node-positive ones (P = 0.021). No significant difference was observed in SCC patients regardless of lymph node status (P = 0.40). Multivariable Cox analysis revealed that lymph node involvement was an independent prognostic predictor of overall IAC patient survival (P = 0.041), but not of SCC patient survival (P = 0.470). Chemotherapy was administered to 72.2% (52/72) of SCC patients, a significantly higher rate when compared with that of IAC patients (42.3%, 107/253). CONCLUSIONS: Lymph node metastasis was inversely associated with the overall survival of IAP patients, but not with the survival of SCC patients. Patients with pT1 SCC exhibited a significantly higher rate of lymph node involvement when compared with IAC patients. Thus, a systematic lymph node dissection should be performed in pT1 IAC patients, especially in patients with IAC larger than 1.0 cm, for additional treatment selections to improve survival.

Preparation of quaternary ammonium-Chlorella vulgaris and its adsorption of Ag(CN)2-.

A novel anion exchange resin, quaternary ammonium-Chlorella vulgaris (QACV), was prepared by introducing quaternary ammonium groups onto dried Chlorella vulgaris as base material. Degrees of epoxy, amine and quaternary ammonium groups of QACV were measured. Water retention, optical microscopy, and Fourier transform infrared spectrometry were used to characterize QAVC. The adsorption behavior of QACV towards Ag(CN)2- in different conditions was studied carefully. The results showed that QAVC was efficient to adsorb Ag(CN)2- at pH 9-11, and adsorption equilibrium was almost reached in 30 min. Both kinetics and isotherm parameters in the adsorption process were obtained. The data indicated that the pseudo-second-order model provided a good correlation for adsorption of Ag(CN)2- on QACV and the calculated rate constant of the adsorption was 3.51 g/(mmol min). The equilibrium data fitted well in the Langmuir isotherm and the estimated maximum adsorption capacity qm was 1.96 mmol/g. The dimensionless separation factor RL was between 0 and 1, suggesting that the adsorption process of Ag(CN)2- using QACV was favorable. The QACV could be used successively three times without significantly affecting its adsorption efficiency. Chlorella vulgaris was a potential base material to be modified with quaternary ammonium groups to prepare an adsorbent for adsorption of Ag(CN)2-.

Differential expression of miR-125a-5p and let-7e predicts the progression and prognosis of non-small cell lung cancer.

Aberrant expression of various microRNAs (miRNA) has shown diagnostic and prognostic significance in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). qRT-PCR analysis confirmed altered expression of miR-125a-5p, let-7e, miR-30a, miR-30e and miR-30e-3p in 70 paired tissue and serum samples from NSCLC patients. The reduced expression of miR-125a-5p, let-7e and miR-30e was strongly associated with NSCLC dedifferentiation. The lost expression of miR-125a-5p and let-7e was associated with shorter overall survival and let-7e was an independent prognostic factor for NSCLC patients. These five miRNA expressions should be further evaluated as biomarkers for the early detection and prognosis of NSCLC patients.

New structure transistors for advanced technology node CMOS ICs.

Over recent decades, advancements in complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor integrated circuits (ICs) have mainly relied on structural innovations in transistors. From planar transistors to the fin field-effect transistor (FinFET) and gate-all-around FET (GAAFET), more gate electrodes have been added to three-dimensional (3D) channels with enhanced control and carrier conductance to provide higher electrostatic integrity and higher operating currents within the same device footprint. Beyond the 1-nm node, Moore's law scaling is no longer expected to be applicable to geometrical shrinkage. Vertical transistor stacking, e.g. in complementary FETs (CFET), 3D stack (3DS) FETs and vertical-channel transistors (VFET), for enhanced density and variable circuit or system design represents a revolutionary scaling approach for sustained IC development. Herein, innovative works on specific structures, key process breakthroughs, shrinking cell sizes and design methodologies for transistor structure research and development are reviewed. Perspectives on future innovations in advanced transistors with new channel materials and operating theories are also discussed.

Ultrasonication followed by aqueous two-phase system for extraction, on-site modification and isolation of microalgal starch with reduced digestibility.

Microalgae are new and sustainable sources of starch with higher productivity and flexible production modes than conventional terrestrial crops, but the downstream processes need further development. Here, ultrasonication (with power of 200 W or 300 W and duration of 10, 15, 20, or 25 min) was applied to simultaneously extract and modify starch from a marine microalga Tetraselmis subcordiformis for reducing the digestibility, and an aqueous two-phase system (ATPS) of ethanol/NaH2PO4 was then used to isolate the starches with varied properties. Increasing ultrasonic duration facilitated the partition of starch into the bottom pellet, while enhancing the ultrasonic power was conducive to the allocation in the interphase of the ATPS. The overall starch recovery yield reached 73 âˆ¼ 87 % and showed no significant difference among the ultrasonic conditions tested. The sequential ultrasonication-ATPS process successfully enriched the starch with purities up to 65 % âˆ¼ 88 %, which was among the top levels reported in microalgal starch isolated. Ultrasonication produced more amylose which was mainly fractionated into the interface of the ATPS. The digestibility of the starch was altered under different ultrasonic conditions and varied from different ATPS phases as well, with the one under the ultrasonic power of 200 W for 15 min at the bottom pellet having the highest resistant starch content (RS, 39.7 %). The structural and compositional analysis evidenced that the ultrasonication-ATPS process could exert impacts on the digestibility through altering the surface roughness and fissures of the starch granules, modulating the impurity compositions (protein and lipid) that could interact with starch, and modifying the long- and short-range ordered structures. The developed ultrasonication-ATPS process provided novel insights into the mechanism and strategy for efficient production of functional starch from microalgae with a potential in industrial application.

Allicin affects immunoreactivity of osteosarcoma cells through lncRNA CBR3-AS1.

Objective: To analyze the effect of allicin on the immunoreactivity of osteosarcoma (OS) cells and further explore whether its mechanism is related to the long non-coding Ribonucleic Acid (lncRNA) CBR3-AS1/miR-145-5p/GRP78 axis, so as to provide clinical evidence. Methods: The human OS cell line Saos-2 was treated with allicin at 25, 50, and 100 µmol/L, respectively, to observe changes in cell biological behaviors. Subsequently, CBR3-AS1 abnormal expression vectors were constructed and transfected into Saos-2 to discuss their influence on OS. Furthermore, the regulatory relationship between allicin and the CBR3-AS1/miR-145-5p/GRP78 axis was validated by rescue experiments. Finally, a nude mice tumorigenesis experiment was carried out to analyze the effects of allicin and CBR3-AS1/miR-145-5p/GRP78 axis on the growth of living tumors. Alterations in T-lymphocyte subsets were also detected to assess the effect of allicin on OS immunoreactivity. Results: With the increase of allicin concentration, Saos-2 activity decreased and apoptosis increased (P < 0.05). In addition, the expression of CBR3-AS1 and GRP78 decreased after allicin intervention, while miR-145-5p increased (P < 0.05). Silencing CBR3-AS1 led to reduced Saos-2 activity, enhanced apoptosis, and activated mitophagy and endoplasmic reticulum stress (P < 0.05). In the rescue experiment, the effect of CBR3-AS1 on OS cells was reversed by silencing miR-145-5p, while the impact of miR-145-5p was reversed by GRP78. Finally, the tumorigenesis experiment in nude mice confirmed the regulatory effects of allicin and CBR3-AS1/miR-145-5p/GRP78 on tumor growth in vivo. Meanwhile, it was seen that allicin activated CD4+CD8+ in OS mice, confirming that allicin has the effect of activating OS immunoreactivity. Conclusions: Allicin activates OS immunoreactivity and induces apoptosis through the CBR3-AS1/miR-145-5p/GRP78 molecular axis.

Evaluation of the preoperative neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio as a predictor of the micropapillary component of stage IA lung adenocarcinoma.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the ability of markers of inflammation to identify the solid or micropapillary components of stage IA lung adenocarcinoma and their effects on prognosis. METHODS: We performed a retrospective study of clinicopathologic data from 654 patients with stage IA lung adenocarcinoma collected between 2013 and 2019. Logistic regression analysis was used to identify independent predictors of these components, and we also evaluated the relationship between markers of inflammation and recurrence. RESULTS: Micropapillary-positive participants had high preoperative neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratios. There were no significant differences in the levels of markers of systemic inflammation between the participants with or without a solid component. Multivariate analysis showed that preoperative neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (odds ratio [OR] = 2.094; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.668-2.628), tumor size (OR = 1.386; 95% CI, 1.044-1.842), and carcinoembryonic antigen concentration (OR = 1.067; 95% CI, 1.017-1.119) were independent predictors of a micropapillary component. There were no significant correlations between markers of systemic inflammation and the recurrence of stage IA lung adenocarcinoma. CONCLUSIONS: Preoperative neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio independently predicts a micropapillary component of stage IA lung adenocarcinoma. Therefore, the potential use of preoperative neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio in the optimization of surgical strategies for the treatment of stage IA lung adenocarcinoma should be further studied.

CMOS Scaling for the 5 nm Node and Beyond: Device, Process and Technology.

After more than five decades, Moore's Law for transistors is approaching the end of the international technology roadmap of semiconductors (ITRS). The fate of complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) architecture has become increasingly unknown. In this era, 3D transistors in the form of gate-all-around (GAA) transistors are being considered as an excellent solution to scaling down beyond the 5 nm technology node, which solves the difficulties of carrier transport in the channel region which are mainly rooted in short channel effects (SCEs). In parallel to Moore, during the last two decades, transistors with a fully depleted SOI (FDSOI) design have also been processed for low-power electronics. Among all the possible designs, there are also tunneling field-effect transistors (TFETs), which offer very low power consumption and decent electrical characteristics. This review article presents new transistor designs, along with the integration of electronics and photonics, simulation methods, and continuation of CMOS process technology to the 5 nm technology node and beyond. The content highlights the innovative methods, challenges, and difficulties in device processing and design, as well as how to apply suitable metrology techniques as a tool to find out the imperfections and lattice distortions, strain status, and composition in the device structures.

Microstructural tailoring of porous few-layer graphene-like biochar from kitchen waste hydrolysis residue in molten carbonate medium: Structural evolution and conductive additive-free supercapacitor application.

Biomass-derived graphene-like material is a promising candidate for supercapacitor electrodes, while it is critical to controllably convert biomass into structure-tunable graphene. Herein, few-layer graphene-like biochar (FLGBS) was successfully fabricated from waste biomass in molten carbonate medium. Molten carbonate acted as the effective catalyst for graphitizing and the liquid medium for microcrystal relinking to achieve the rearrangement of carbon structure. It was found that the stacking of graphene layer and formation of porous structure were influenced by the volume of reaction medium and biomass pre­carbonation. Namely, increasing the dosage of molten K2CO3 was in favor to form few layer-type graphene structure, but excess dosage could destroy the nanopore structure to expand the aperture. In addition, pre­carbonation at high temperature impeded the exfoliation of graphene layers. When FLGBSs were applied to fabricate conductive additive-free electrode, they displayed a superior supercapacitor performance (up to 237.4 F g-1 at 0.5 Ag-1). This excellent performance should be attributed to the large specific surface area, hierarchical pore structure and graphene-like structure. In short, this work could help to get insights into the structural evolution of biomass carbon to graphene-like biochar in molten carbonate medium and achieve the tailoring of microstructure for further application in energy storage.

Treatment of bisphenol pollutant in water by N,P-co-doped carbon nanosheet: Fast degradation, toxicity elimination and reaction mechanism investigation.

Metal-free carbon catalysts perform well in peroxymonosulfate-based advanced oxidation process for the treatment of organic pollutant-containing wastewater. Herein, a natural biomolecule of adenosine triphosphate (ATP), containing abundant N and P elements, served as sole precursor to prepare N,P-co-doped carbon through one-step anoxic pyrolysis, which was applied as peroxymonosulfate activator to treat bisphenol-contaminated water. Owing to the endogenous N and P elements in ATP, in-situ doping was achieved for the prepared carbon material with excellent doping effect, such as high doping amount and numerous defects. During pyrolysis process, the generated gases facilitated the exfoliation of carbon structure, resulting in a nanosheet-like morphology with large specific surface area, e.g., 852.75 m2 g-1 for NPCN-900 sample obtained at 900 °C. Benefiting from the structural modulation brought by N,P co-doping, typical sample of NPCN-900 presented excellent catalytic performance towards bisphenol AF (BPAF) degradation through PMS activation. An apparent reaction rate constant of 0.4115 min-1 was calculated under the investigated reaction conditions. Further studies indicated that 1O2, surface-bound •OH and SO4-• worked together in NPCN-900/PMS system for BPAF degradation. Graphitic N, pyrrolic N, CO groups, defect structure and the doped P atoms in NPCN-900 contributed to PMS activation. It was also important that the toxicity of BPAF solution could be preliminarily eliminated after treatment by NPCN-900/PMS system, which was verified by ecotoxicity assessments through ECOSAR program and green algae growth experiments.

Using the inherent elements in yeast biomass to produce Ni2P/N-doped biocarbon composites for efficient hexavalent chromium reduction.

The heterogeneous catalytic reduction of Cr(VI) to Cr(III) is an effective strategy for aqueous Cr(VI) contamination abatement, which requires the development of highly efficient, low-cost, and recyclable catalysts. Herein, Ni2P/N-doped biocarbon composites (Ni2P/N-BC) were fabricated through an anoxic pyrolysis process using NaCl and KCl as activators. A precursor of yeast biomass provided the essential C, N, and P elements for Ni2P/N-BC formation. When adopted for Cr(VI) reduction in the presence of oxalic acid as a reductant, the fabricated Ni2P/N-BC performed superior catalytic activity with a 100% Cr(VI) reduction efficiency within 10 min (Ni2P/N-BC-5 = 0.2 g L-1, oxalic acid = 0.4 g L-1, Cr(VI) = 20 mg L-1). Typical affecting parameters, e.g., catalyst dosage, oxalic acid loading, reaction temperature, initial solution pH, and water matrix, were investigated. Ni2P/N-BC exhibited good applicability in a broad pH range from 3.0 to 9.0 and in actual aquatic systems. Cr(VI) reduction efficiency remained 92.7% after five recycle runs. Such promising catalytic activity may originate from the well-crystallized Ni2P, N-doped biocarbon framework and high specific surface area of the materials. Preliminary reaction mechanism analysis indicated that the favorable charge state of Ni2P, fast hydrogen transfer, affinity of oxalic acid to Cr(VI), and inherent electron transfer in the biocarbon matrix contributed to effective Cr(VI) reduction. This work not only provides a facile and low-cost strategy to construct Ni2P/N-doped biocarbon nanosheet composite using environmentally benign biomass but also brings new insights for the remediation of Cr(VI) contamination.

An FeP/carbon composite derived from a phytic acid-Fe3+ complex for sulfathiazole degradation through peroxymonosulfate activation.

Peroxymonosulfate (PMS) activation-based advanced oxidation technology possesses great potential for antibiotic-containing wastewater treatment. Herein, we developed an iron phosphide/carbon composite and verified its capability and superiority towards a model antibiotic pollutant (sulfathiazole, STZ) degradation through PMS activation. Benefiting from the chelating ability of phytic acid (PA) with metal ions and its abundance on phosphorous element, a PA-Fe3+ complex was firstly formed and then served as sole precursor for iron phosphide formation by anoxic pyrolysis. Well crystalized FeP particle were found loading on the simultaneously formed thin layer carbon structure. Catalytic activity evaluation showed that FeP/carbon composite could remove over 99% of STZ (20 mg L-1) in 20 min adsorption and 30 min catalysis process under the reaction conditions of catalyst dosage 0.2 g L-1, PMS loading 0.15 g L-1. A pseudo-first-order reaction rate constant of 0.2193 min-1 was obtained, which was among the highest compared with reported studies. Further investigations indicated that the developed FeP/carbon composite worked well in a wide solution pH range of 3-9. Reaction mechanism study showed that reactive species of SO4-• and 1O2 generated from PMS activation played major roles for STZ degradation. Based on liquid chromatography-mass spectroscopy (LC-MS) analysis, a few STZ degradation intermediate products were identified, which facilitated the proposal of STZ degradation pathways. The possible ecological risk of STZ and related degradation intermediates were also considered by toxicity assessment using the Ecological Structure Activity Relationships (ECOSAR) Class Program. The obtained acute and chronic toxicity values implied the relatively low ecological risk of FeP/carbon-PMS reaction system for STZ treatment.