Nanocellulose-based composite aerogels toward the environmental protection: Preparation, modification and applications.

Nanocellulose aerogel has the advantages of porosity, low density and high specific surface area, which can effectively realize the adsorption and treatment of wastewater waste gas. The methods of preparing nanocellulose mainly include mechanical, chemical and biological methods. Nanocellulose is formed into nanocellulose aerogel after gelation, solvent replacement and drying processes. Based on the advantages of easy modification of nanocellulose aerogels, nanocellulose aerogels can be functionalized with conductive fillers, reinforcing fillers and other materials to give nanocellulose aerogels in electrical, mechanical and other properties. Through functionalization, the properties of nanocellulose composite aerogel such as hydrophobicity and adsorption are improved, and the aerogel is endowed with the ability of electrical conductivity and electromagnetic shielding. Through functionalization, the applicability and general applicability of nanocellulose composite aerogel in the field of environmental protection are improved. In this paper, the preparation and functional modification methods of nanocellulose aerogels are reviewed, and the application prospects of nanocellulose composite aerogels in common environmental protection fields such as dye adsorption, heavy metal ion adsorption, gas adsorption, electromagnetic shielding, and oil-water separation are specifically reviewed, and new solutions are proposed.

Performance of Rod-Shaped Ce Metal-Organic Frameworks for Defluoridation.

The performance of a Ce(III)-4,4',4″-((1,3,5-triazine-2,4,6-triyl) tris (azanediyl)) tribenzoic acid-organic framework (Ce-H3TATAB-MOFs) for capturing excess fluoride in aqueous solutions and its subsequent defluoridation was investigated in depth. The optimal sorption capacity was obtained with a metal/organic ligand molar ratio of 1:1. The morphological characteristics, crystalline shape, functional groups, and pore structure of the material were analyzed via SEM, XRD, FTIR, XPS, and N2 adsorption-desorption experiments, and the thermodynamics, kinetics, and adsorption mechanism were elucidated. The influence of pH and co-existing ions for defluoridation performance were also sought. The results show that Ce-H3TATAB-MOFs is a mesoporous material with good crystallinity, and that quasi-second kinetic and Langmuir models can describe the sorption kinetics and thermodynamics well, demonstrating that the entire sorption process is a monolayer-governed chemisorption. The Langmuir maximum sorption capacity was 129.7 mg g-1 at 318 K (pH = 4). The adsorption mechanism involves ligand exchange, electrostatic interaction, and surface complexation. The best removal effect was reached at pH 4, and a removal effectiveness of 76.57% was obtained under strongly alkaline conditions (pH 10), indicating that the adsorbent has a wide range of applications. Ionic interference experiments showed that the presence of PO43- and H2PO4- in water have an inhibitory effect on defluoridation, whereas SO42-, Cl-, CO32-, and NO3- are conducive to the adsorption of fluoride due to the ionic effect.

High Value Utilization of Waste Wood toward Porous and Lightweight Carbon Monolith with EMI Shielding, Heat Insulation and Mechanical Properties.

With the increasing pollution of electromagnetic (EM) radiation, it is necessary to develop low-cost, renewable electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding materials. Herein, wood-derived carbon (WC) materials for EMI shielding are prepared by one-step carbonization of renewable wood. With the increase in carbonization temperature, the conductivity and EMI performance of WC increase gradually. At the same carbonization temperature, the denser WC has better conductivity and higher EMI performance. In addition, due to the layered superimposed conductive channel structure, the WC in the vertical-section shows better EMI shielding performance than that in the cross-section. After excluding the influence of thickness and density, the specific EMI shielding effectiveness (SSE/t) value can be calculated to further optimize tree species. We further discuss the mechanism of the influence of the microstructure of WC on its EMI shielding properties. In addition, the lightweight WC EMI material also has good hydrophobicity and heat insulation properties, as well as good mechanical properties.

Combining Multivariate Electrospinning with Surface MOF Functionalization to Construct Tunable Active Sites toward Trifunctional Electrocatalysis.

The development of high-performance multifunctional electrocatalysts operating in the same electrolyte is key to reduce the material and process costs of renewable energy conversion and storage devices. Herein, the fabrication of freestanding integral electrodes by combining multivariate electrospinning with surface metal organic framework functionalization to arrest pyrolytic emissions from fiber interior is reported, resulting in the expression of rich active sites with controlled composition, for example, the tunable Co-P coordination. The as-fabricated electrode of CoP@CF-900, when used as both the cathode and anode for overall water splitting, is able to deliver 200 mA cm-2 at a cell voltage of 1.89 V, significantly outshining the Pt/C‖RuO2 couple; when used as the air cathode for a zinc-air battery, is able to operate more than 150 h at 10 mA cm-2 with a nearly constant round-trip energy efficiency of ≈60%, also outperforming the Pt/C+RuO2 benchmark. The activity and kinetics origin of the superb multi-functionality is further elucidated through extensive electroanalytical, post-mortem, and operando characterizations, which underscore the construction of robust integral electrodes through synergistic structure and composition engineering.

Multifunctional Modulation of High-Performance Znx Fe3-x O4 Nanoparticles by Precisely Tuning the Zinc Doping Content.

The possibility to precisely control important properties of nanoparticles (NPs) such as their size, morphology, surface charge, or doping content is crucial for enhancing the performance of existing solutions beyond the state-of-the-art and for enabling novel applications. In this work, custom-tailored Znx Fe3- x O4 NPs are synthesized at different Zn doping concentrations to augment and expand their usefulness for high-performance applications in nanomedicine. By precisely increasing the Zn2+ content in the range of 0 ≤ x ≤ 2.0, the discussed NPs can sequentially acquire valuable properties enabling magnetic resonance imaging, near-infrared (NIR) photothermal effects, NIR photocatalytic and photoelectric effects, depending on the variation of substitution position of the Zn2+ in the magnetite structure and the emergence of a ZnO/ZnFe2 O4 heterostructure at high doping concentrations. The presented work demonstrates and explainsa facile route for the synthesis and modulation of multifunctional nanomaterials with manifold roles in disease diagnostics and therapy, and provides helpful guidance in designing divalent transition metal ion-doped nanomaterials.

Fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase aggravates oxidative stress-induced apoptosis in asthma by suppressing the Nrf2 pathway.

Asthma is a chronic airway disease that causes excessive inflammation, oxidative stress, mucus production and bronchial epithelial cell apoptosis. Fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase (Fbp1) is one of the rate-limiting enzymes in gluconeogenesis and plays a critical role in several cancers. However, its role in inflammatory diseases, such as asthma, is unclear. Here, we examined the expression, function and mechanism of action of Fbp1 in asthma. Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) data sets revealed that Fbp1 was overexpressed in a murine model of asthma and in interleukin (IL)-4- or IL-13-stimulated bronchial epithelial cells. We confirmed the findings in an animal model as well as Beas-2B and 16HBE cells. In vitro investigations revealed that silencing of Fbp1 reduced apoptosis and the proportion of cells in the G2/M phase, whereas overexpression led to increases. Fbp1 knock-down inhibited oxidative stress by activating the nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) pathway, whereas Fbp1 overexpression aggravated oxidative stress by suppressingthe Nrf2 pathway. Moreover, the Nrf2 pathway inhibitor ML385 reversed the changes caused by Fbp1 inhibition in Beas-2B and 16HBE cells. Collectively, our data indicate that Fbp1 aggravates oxidative stress-induced apoptosis by suppressing Nrf2 signalling, substantiating its potential as a novel therapeutic target in asthma.

Sparstolonin B exerts beneficial effects on prostate cancer by acting on the reactive oxygen species-mediated PI3K/AKT pathway.

Prostate cancer is a major health concern in males worldwide, owing to its high incidence. Sparstolonin B (SsnB), a component of the Chinese herbal medicine Sparganium stoloniferum, is used to treat many diseases. However, the effects and mechanisms of action of SsnB in prostate cancer have not yet been reported. In this study, we evaluated the effects of SsnB on cellular processes and tumour growth. In particular, we verified that SsnB could inhibit the proliferation, migration and invasion of prostate cancer cells and induce apoptosis by activating G2/M phase arrest in vitro based on a series of cytological experiments. In vivo, we found that SsnB could inhibit tumour growth in nude mouse xenograft models. We further confirmed that SsnB could repress the PI3K/AKT pathway by increasing reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation and oxidative stress. Collectively, SsnB inhibits tumour growth and induces apoptosis in prostate cancer via the suppression of the ROS-mediated PI3K/AKT pathway and may be a new alternative to adjuvant therapy for prostate cancer.

WITHDRAWN: M2 macrophage-derived exosomes carry microRNA-370 to alleviate asthma progression through inhibiting the FGF1/MAPK/STAT1 axis.

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Celastrol Protects From Cholestatic Liver Injury Through Modulation of SIRT1-FXR Signaling.

Celastrol, derived from the roots of the Tripterygium Wilfordi, shows a striking effect on obesity. In the present study, the role of celastrol in cholestasis was investigated using metabolomics and transcriptomics. Celastrol treatment significantly alleviated cholestatic liver injury in mice induced by α-naphthyl isothiocyanate (ANIT) and thioacetamide (TAA). Celastrol was found to activate sirtuin 1 (SIRT1), increase farnesoid X receptor (FXR) signaling and inhibit nuclear factor-kappa B and P53 signaling. The protective role of celastrol in cholestatic liver injury was diminished in mice on co-administration of SIRT1 inhibitors. Further, the effects of celastrol on cholestatic liver injury were dramatically decreased in Fxr-null mice, suggesting that the SIRT1-FXR signaling pathway mediates the protective effects of celastrol. These observations demonstrated a novel role for celastrol in protecting against cholestatic liver injury through modulation of the SIRT1 and FXR.

Nitrated and parent PAHs in the surface water of Lake Taihu, China: Occurrence, distribution, source, and human health risk assessment.

Nitrated polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (NPAHs) have toxic potentials that are higher than those of their corresponding parent polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and thus have received increasing attention in recent years. In this study, the occurrence, distribution, source, and human health risk assessment of 15 NPAHs and 16 PAHs were investigated in the surface water from 20 sampling sites of Lake Taihu during the dry, normal, and flood seasons of 2018. The ΣPAH concentrations ranged from 255 to 7298 ng/L and the ΣNPAH concentrations ranged from not-detected (ND) to 212 ng/L. Among the target analytes, 2-nitrofluorene (2-nFlu) was the predominant NPAH, with a detection frequency ranging from 85% to 90% and a maximum concentration of 56.2 ng/L. The three-ringed and four-ringed NPAHs and PAHs comprised the majority of the detected compounds. In terms of seasonal variation, the highest levels of the ΣNPAHs and ΣPAHs were in the dry season and flood season, respectively. Diagnostic ratio analysis indicated that the prime source of NPAHs was direct combustion, whereas in the case of PAHs the contribution was predominantly from a mixed pattern including pollution from unburned petroleum and petroleum combustion. The human health risk of NPAHs and PAHs was evaluated using a lifetime carcinogenic risk assessment model. The carcinogenic risk level of the targets ranged from 2.09 × 10-7 to 5.75 × 10-5 and some surface water samples posed a potential health risk.

Breaking the Linear Scaling Relationship by Compositional and Structural Crafting of Ternary Cu-Au/Ag Nanoframes for Electrocatalytic Ethylene Production.

Electrocatalytic conversion of carbon dioxide into high-value multicarbon (C2+ ) chemical feedstocks offers a promising avenue to liberate the chemical industry from fossil-resource dependence and eventually close the anthropogenic carbon cycle but is severely impeded by the lack of high-performance catalysts. To break the linear scaling relationship of intermediate binding and minimize the kinetic barrier of CO2 reduction reactions, ternary Cu-Au/Ag nanoframes were fabricated to decouple the functions of CO generation and C-C coupling, whereby the former is promoted by the alloyed Ag/Au substrate and the latter is facilitated by the highly strained and positively charged Cu domains. Thus, C2 H4 production in an H-cell and a flow cell occurred with high Faradic efficiencies of 69±5 and 77±2 %, respectively, as well as good electrocatalytic stability and material durability. In situ IR and DFT calculations unveiled two competing pathways for C2 H4 generation, of which direct CO dimerization is energetically favored.

Self-Phosphorization of MOF-Armored Microbes for Advanced Energy Storage.

Utilization of microbes as the carbon source and structural template to fabricate porous carbon has incentivized great interests owing to their diverse micromorphology and intricate intracellular structure, apart from the obvious benefit of "turning waste into wealth." Challenges remain to preserve the biological structure through the harsh and laborious post-synthetic treatments, and tailor the functionality as desired. Herein, Escherichia coli is directly coated with metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) through in situ assembly to fabricate N, P co-doped porous carbon capsules expressing self-phosphorized metal phosphides. While the MOF coating serves as an armoring layer for facilitating the morphology inheritance from the bio-templates and provides metal sources for generating extra porosity and electrochemically active sites, the P-rich phospholipids and N-rich proteins from the plasma membrane enable carbon matrix doping and further yield metal phosphides. These unique structural and compositional features endow the carbon capsules with great capabilities in suppressing polysulfide shuttling and catalyzing reversible oxygen conversion, ultimately leading to the superb performance of lithium-sulfur batteries and zinc-air batteries. Combining the bio-templating strategy with hierarchical MOF assembly, this work opens a new avenue for the fabrication of highly porous and functional carbon for advanced energy applications.

Collagen Triple Helix Repeat Containing 1 Deficiency Protects Against Airway Remodeling and Inflammation in Asthma Models In Vivo and In Vitro.

Asthma is a chronic inflammatory disease characterized by airway remodeling and lung inflammation. Collagen triple helix repeat containing 1 (CTHRC1), a glycoprotein, is involved in multiple pathological processes, including inflammation and fibrosis. However, the function of CTHRC1 in asthma remains unclear. In the present study, the mouse asthma model was successfully generated by sensitizing and challenging mice with ovalbumin (OVA). CTHRC1 expression at both RNA and protein levels was significantly upregulated in lung tissues of asthmatic mice. Asthmatic mice exhibited significant airway remodeling as evidenced by increased bronchial wall and smooth muscle cell layer thickness, goblet cell hyperplasia and collagen deposition, and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), but those characteristics were reversed by CTHRC1 silencing. The cell model with transforming growth factor-ß1 (TGF-ß1) induction in bronchial epithelial cells (BEAS-2B) was conducted to verify the effects of CTHRC1 on EMT, a classic mechanism that mediates airway remodeling. The results showed that TGF-ß1 stimulation increased CTHRC1 expression, and CTHRC1 knockdown inhibited TGF-ß1-induced EMT. OVA-treated mice also showed increased inflammatory cell infiltration and the production of OVA-specific immunoglobulin E (IgE), interleukin (IL)-4, IL-5, and IL-13, which were decreased by CTHRC1 downregulation. The effects of CTHRC1 on OVA-induced airway inflammation were further determined by treating BEAS-2B cells with IL-13, in which CTHRC1 knockdown reduced the IL-13-induced secretion of pro-inflammatory factors, including IL-4 and IL-5. In conclusion, these results indicate that CTHRC1 silencing attenuates asthmatic airway remodeling and inflammation in vivo and in vitro, suggesting that CTHRC1 may be a potential target for asthma treatment.

Hypermethylation of RNF125 promotes autophagy-induced oxidative stress in asthma by increasing HMGB1 stability.

Asthma is a global chronic airway disease. The expression and role of RNF125, an E3 ubiquitin ligase, in asthma remain uncertain. In this study, we revealed that RNF125 was downregulated in the bronchial epithelium of mice and patients with asthma. Rnf125 hypermethylation was responsible for the low expression of RNF125 in primary airway epithelial cells of mice treated with OVA. Moreover, we demonstrated that RNF125 could attenuate autophagy, oxidative stress, and protect epithelial barrier in vivo and in vitro. Additionally, we identified HMGB1 as a substrate of RNF125, which interacted with the HMG B-box domain of HMGB1 and induced degradation via the ubiquitin proteasome system, reducing autophagy and oxidative stress. Overall, our findings elucidated that hypermethylation of Rnf125 reduced its expression, which promoted autophagy-induced oxidative stress in asthma by increasing HMGB1 stability. These findings offer a theoretical and experimental basis for the pathogenesis of asthma.

Preparation and Lithium-Ion Separation Property of ZIF-8 Membrane with Excellent Flexibility.

Metal-organic framework (MOF) membranes exhibit immense potential for separation applications due to their regular pore channels and scalable pore sizes. However, structuring a flexible and high-quality MOF membrane remains a challenge due to its brittleness, which severely restricts its practical application. This paper presents a simple and effective method in which continuous, uniform, defect-free ZIF-8 film layers of tunable thickness are constructed on the surface of inert microporous polypropylene membranes (MPPM). To provide heterogeneous nucleation sites for ZIF-8 growth, an extensive amount of hydroxyl and amine groups were introduced on the MPPM surface using the dopamine-assisted co-deposition technique. Subsequently, ZIF-8 crystals were grown in-situ on the MPPM surface using the solvothermal method. The resultant ZIF-8/MPPM exhibited a lithium-ion permeation flux of 0.151 mol m-2 h-1 and a high selectivity of Li+/Na+ = 1.93, Li+/Mg2+ = 11.50. Notably, ZIF-8/MPPM has good flexibility, and the lithium-ion permeation flux and selectivity remain unchanged at a bending curvature of 348 m-1. These excellent mechanical characteristics are crucial for the practical applications of MOF membranes.

Oxidation of cellulose molecules toward delignified oxidated hot-pressed wood with improved mechanical properties.

Wooden building materials have advantages in terms of biodegradability, non-toxicity, pollution-free and recycling. Currently, applications of natural wood are extremely limited because of low density, low strength and toughness. Therefore, we reported an effective modification strategy with nano-scale cellulose nanofibrils design to prepare a synergistically enhanced cellulosic material. Via three steps: i) the secondary alcohol hydroxyl groups in C2, C3 position were cut; ii) oxidize the hydroxyl group at C2, C3 position to achieve dialdehyde cellulose; and iii) oxidized again to obtain dicarboxylic cellulose. Subsequently, thanks to the regulation of the average moisture content, the moisture content in the wood surface and subsurface increased in a short time. The wood softening layer contributes to the hotpressing treatment of the wood. The mechanical properties and dimensionality have been greatly improved. The obtained delignified oxidated hot-pressed wood with 0.55 mmol/g carboxyl group content demonstrates excellent strength of 328.8 ± 7.43 MPa and Young's modulus of 8.1 ± 0.14 GPa, which is twice than that of natural wood. Delignified oxidated hot-pressed wood also shows exceptional toughness of 8.3 ± 0.28 MJ/m3. Other than that, the shore hardness indicates 0.55 mmol/g carboxylic group, which could increase the hardness at the wood surface hardness to 72.5 ± 4.29°.

Preparation and sustained-release properties of poly(lactic acid)/graphene oxide porous biomimetic composite scaffolds loaded with salvianolic acid B.

Biomimetic scaffolds loaded with drugs can improve the osteogenesis and neovascularisation of scaffolds. A series of PLA/GO/Sal-B drug-loaded scaffolds was prepared by thermally induced phase separation. The addition of Sal-B increased the diameter of the fibres, but the scaffold showed a porous nanofibrous structure after drug release. X-ray diffraction results showed that the addition of Sal-B did not affect the formation of the nanofibre biomimetic structure of the scaffold. FTIR results indicated a certain interaction between Sal-B and PLA/GO. Water absorption and porosity test results revealed that the scaffolds had good hydrophilicity and appropriate porosity. The addition of Sal-B was also conducive to the formation of sediments possibly due to the good water solubility of Sal-B itself. The prepared scaffolds had good blood compatibility and cytocompatibility, and a small additional amount of Sal-B could significantly promote cell proliferation and alkaline phosphatase activity. Their sustained release performance indicated that the biomimetic scaffolds had controlled the release of Sal-B. The kinetic model showed that the PLA/GO/Sal-B drug-loaded biomimetic scaffolds followed the diffusion mechanism.

Fabrication of Ag/ZnO@N-Carbon Core@Shell Photocatalyst for Efficient Photocatalytic Degradation of Rhodamine B.

Photocatalytic degradation method has been recognized as an effective way to eliminate the contamination of environment. However, developing photocatalysts with excellent photocatalytic properties are still a big challenge. In this paper, Ag doped ZnO coating with a layer of N doped porous carbon (Ag/ZnO@N-carbon) was successfully synthesized by using polyvinyl pyrrolidone (PVP) modified ZIF-8 as precursor via adsorption, hydrothermal treatment, in situ growth and carbonization processes. The physical and chemical properties of all samples were characterized by X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscope (SEM), electron transmission microscopy (TEM) and so on. The results show that Ag doping does not change the crystallinity of ZnO, but broaden its photo-response property. The coating of N doped carbon can improve the specific surface area of photocatalyst. The photocatalytic activity of all samples was evaluated by degradation of rhodamine B (RhB) solution under UV light irradiation for 25 min. Ag/ZnO@N-carbon exhibits the highest photocatalytic activity for degradation of RhB with a degradation of 98.65%. Furthermore, Ag/ZnO@N-carbon also has high stability. Based on the characterization, possible mechanism for degradation of RhB by Ag/ZnO@N-carbon under UV light irradiation was proposed.

Preparation and Synergistic Effect of Biomimetic Poly(lactic acid)/Graphene Oxide Composite Scaffolds Loaded with Dual Drugs.

To promote the bone repair ability of drug-loaded scaffolds, poly(lactic acid) (PLA)/graphene oxide (GO)/Salvianolic acid B (Sal-B)/aspirin (ASA) dual drug-loaded biomimetic composite scaffolds were prepared. The results showed that the addition of these two drugs delayed the gel formation of the composite system, but a biomimetic nanofiber structure could still be obtained by extending the gel time. The addition of Sal-B increased the hydrophilicity of the scaffold, while an increase in ASA reduced the porosity. Dual drug-loaded scaffolds had good haemocompatibility and synergically promoted the proliferation of MC3T3-E1 cells and enhanced alkaline phosphatase activity. Sustained-release experiments of the two drugs showed that the presence of ASA slowed the cumulative release of Sal-B, while Sal-B promoted the release of ASA. Kinetic modeling showed that the release of both drugs conforms to the Korsmeyer-Peppas model, but Sal-B conforms to the Fick diffusion mechanism and ASA follows Fick diffusion and carrier swelling/dissolution.

In situ formation of Co3O4 nanocrystals embedded in laser-induced graphene foam for high-energy flexible micro-supercapacitors.

The cost-effective synthesis of flexible energy storage devices with high energy and power densities is a challenge in wearable electronics. Here, we report a facile, efficient, and scalable approach for preparing three-dimensional (3D) laser-induced graphene foam (Co3O4@LIG) embedded with porous Co3O4 nanocrystals using a CO2 infrared laser. The in situ formed Co3O4@LIG nanocomposites directly serve as active materials, current collectors, and the conductive substrate for micro-supercapacitors (MSCs). Benefiting from rational structural features, the MSC based on Co3O4@LIG nanocomposites (Co3O4@LIG-MSC) with an interdigitated electrode configuration exhibits excellent electrochemical performance, including a high specific capacitance (143.5 F g-1), excellent rate capability, high energy density (19.9 W h kg-1 at a power density of 0.5 W kg-1), and remarkable power density (15.0 W kg-1 at an energy density of 15.8 W h kg-1). Furthermore, the device possesses good stability under different bending diameters and cycling stability. Such a highly integrated flexible MSC with high energy and power densities made by a directly laser scribing strategy has some potential for the fabrication of wearable energy storage devices.