An improved N-N dimethylacetamide-based non-flammable molecular crowding electrolyte using NaOTf for cobalt-based prussian blue//hard carbon aqueous solution battery.

Aqueous sodium-ion batteries (ASIBs) are promising for large-scale electrical energy storage (LSEES) applications due to their cost and safety advantages. However, the low voltage stabilization window of water (∼1.23 V) and the lack of cathode with high specific capacity and long cycle life have limited their development. Cobalt-based Prussian blue analogues (NaCoPBAs) have the advantage of high theoretical specific capacity but short cycle life. Recently, the molecular crowding electrolyte (MCE) strategy has been proposed to improve the electrolyte voltage stability window (ESW) of electrolytes, in this work, we report an improved xMC (x: ratio, MC: molecular crowding agent) electrolyte that uses N-N dimethylacetamide (DMAC) as the molecular crowding agent and NaOTf as the advanced salt with an ESW of 2.65 V and excellent nonflammability. The side reactions of the NaCoPBA//Hard Carbon (HC) full-cell active material are improved with the aid of the electrolyte. Capacity retention of 75 % after 600 cycles with excellent cycling stability. These results demonstrate that this advanced MCE strategy can be utilized for practical applications designed for safety, high specific capacity and long cycle (ASIB).

Performance enhancement and mechanism of electroenhanced peroxymonosulfate activation by single-atom Fe catalyst modified electrodes.

Peroxymonosulfate-based electrochemical advanced oxidation processes (PMS-EAOPs) have great potential for sustainable water purification, so an in-depth understanding of its catalytic mechanism is imperative to facilitate its practical application. Herein, the performance enhancement and mechanism of electroenhanced PMS activation by single-atom Fe catalyst modified carbon felt was investigated. Compared with the anode, the cathode exhibited faster bisphenol A degradation (kcathode = 0.073 vs. kanode = 0.015 min-1), increased PMS consumption (98.8 vs. 10.3%), and an order of magnitude reduction of Fe dissolution (0.068 vs. 0.787 mg L-1). Mass transfer is a key factor limiting PMS activation, while the electrostriction of water in the hydrophobic region caused by cathode electric field (CEF) significantly increased mass transfer coefficient (km, cathode = 1.49 × 10-4 vs. km, anode = 2.68 × 10-5 m s-1). The enhanced activation of PMS is a synergistic result between electroactivation and catalyst-activation, which is controlled by the applied current density. 1O2 and direct electron transfer are the main active species and activation pathway, which achieve high degradation efficiency over pH 3 to 10. Density functional theory calculations prove CEF increases the adsorption energy, lengthens the O-O bond in PMS, and promotes charge transfer. A flow-through convection unit achieves sustainable operation with high removal efficiency (99.5% to 97.5%), low electrical energy consumption (0.15 kWh log-1 m-3), and low Fe leaching (0.81% of the total single atom Fe). This work reveals the critical role of electric fields in modulating Fenton-like catalytic activity, which may advance the development of advanced oxidation processes and other electrocatalytic applications.

Searching for Love and Babies: A Qualitative Study on Online Social Support Among Women with Infertility.

With the popularity of computer-mediated communication, accessing online social support has become more accessible for women confronting infertility, yet the role of such support for Chinese women remains understudied. This study investigates the online social support experiences of Chinese women navigating infertility within the framework of Cutrona and Suhr's social support. Employing netnography and semi-structured interviews alongside thematic analysis, the findings highlight challenges in informational support due to limitations in online information dissemination, with some degree of overlap observed between informational support and network support. Emotional support proves crucial and esteem support aids in mitigating self-blame among online forum members. Tangible assistance primarily involves expressed willingness to help. This research advances social support theory by exploring new areas, clarifying online support mechanisms using Daena Goldsmith's normative approach, highlighting sociocultural influences, and enhancing understanding of esteem support in the context of stigmatization.

Highly efficient FeS/Fe3O4 @ biomass carbon bifunctional catalyst with enriched oxygen vacancies for heterogeneous electro-Fenton catalysis.

Low H2O2 production, narrow adaptive pH range and slow Fe(II) regeneration on the cathode still limit efficiency of electro-Fenton (EF) and its application. Herein, we designed a bifunctional catalyst with FeS and Fe3O4 nanoparticles dispersed on porous carbon (CFeS@C) using template of sodium alginate (SA)/FeSO4 hydrogel mixed with carbon black (CB), which presented high H2O2 generation efficiency and outstanding tetracycline degradation efficiency under wide pH ranges (3-8) with a low energy consumption of 19.6 kWh/kg total organic carbon (TOC). The introduction of CB created abundant oxygen vacancies in CFeS@C, promoting the oxygen adsorption and the electrochemical generation of H2O2, which further boosted the formation of •OH due to the interaction with Fe2+ on the cathode surface. Simultaneously, the reaction between the outer layer of FeS and Fe3+ not only accelerated iron cycling but also reduced the solution pH. It was verified that •OH and 1O2 played a dominant role in organics degradation. The system maintained stability after 10 cycles and effectiveness in the treatment of pharmaceutical wastewater. This study would offer a new strategy to develop an efficient and durable bifunctional catalyst for heterogeneous EF system working in wide pH conditions for wastewater treatment.

Correction: Feng et al. Electrolyte Analysis in Blood Serum by Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy Using a Portable Laser. Molecules 2022, 27, 6438.

In the original publication [...].

Non-soluble antibacterial polyurethane based on cation mechanism and functionalized by chitosan and heparin azide.

Nowadays, medical polyurethanes with favorable and durable antibacterial properties received more attention, because of avoiding repeated replacement of interventional materials and reducing patients' pain. In this thesis, non-soluble antibacterial polyurethane (NAPU) based on cation antibacterial mechanism was prepared by photo-grafting chitosan azide and heparin azide into polyurethane (PU). -NH3+of chitosan azide absorbed bacteria, inhibiting and breaking their mobility and structures. Heparin azide prevented cations from penetrating bacteria's membranes and inhibited their growth. The results showed that chitosan azide and heparin azide were successfully grafted into PU. The highest antibacterial rate was 92.07%, cytotoxicity grade ranging from 0-1 (RGR standard) and water contact angle exhibiting 60°, attributing to cation antibacterial effect and -OH existing. Tensile strength was up to 23.91 MPa and was suitable for using as medical materials. NAPU with long-lasting coating both possessed antibacterial properties and persistence, which can solve the problem of medical catheters' long-term using.

Regulating the electronic structure by P-doping cobalt-based catalyst for atomic hydrogen mediated electrocatalytic dechlorination.

Electrocatalytic dechlorination by atomic hydrogen (H*) is efficient, but limited by the low efficiency of H* production. Herein, a phosphorus-doped cobalt nitrogen carbon catalyst (Co-NP/C) was prepared, which had high catalytic activity in a wide pH range (3-11). The turnover frequency of Co-NP/C (3.54 min-1) was 1.21-59000 times superior to that of current Pd-based and non-noble metal catalysts (0.00006-2.92 min-1). Co-NP/C significantly enhanced H* generation, which was 1.52, 2.44, and 3.77 times stronger than that of Co-N/C, NP/C, and N/C, respectively, since the introduction of phosphorus was found enhanced the electron density of cobalt and regulated the electron transfer. Co-NP/C showed outstanding catalytic performance after ten cycles and could achieve nearly complete chloramphenicol removal. This regulation method was verified to be effective for other non-noble metal (Fe, Mn, Cu, Ni) phosphorus doped catalysts, proposing a general class for efficient electrochemical dechlorination, which would be of great significance for the elimination of chlorinated organic pollutants.

Generation of rat forebrain tissues in mice.

Interspecies blastocyst complementation (IBC) provides a unique platform to study development and holds the potential to overcome worldwide organ shortages. Despite recent successes, brain tissue has not been achieved through IBC. Here, we developed an optimized IBC strategy based on C-CRISPR, which facilitated rapid screening of candidate genes and identified that Hesx1 deficiency supported the generation of rat forebrain tissue in mice via IBC. Xenogeneic rat forebrain tissues in adult mice were structurally and functionally intact. Cross-species comparative analyses revealed that rat forebrain tissues developed at the same pace as the mouse host but maintained rat-like transcriptome profiles. The chimeric rate of rat cells gradually decreased as development progressed, suggesting xenogeneic barriers during mid-to-late pre-natal development. Interspecies forebrain complementation opens the door for studying evolutionarily conserved and divergent mechanisms underlying brain development and cognitive function. The C-CRISPR-based IBC strategy holds great potential to broaden the study and application of interspecies organogenesis.

Reliability and validity assessment of the Chinese version of the Intrahospital Transport Safety Scale (IHTSS) in intensive care units.

BACKGROUND: Intrahospital transport of critically ill patients is a common practice in intensive care units (ICUs), where patients' safety is constantly challenged in high-intensity and dynamic environments. While Intrahospital Transport Safety Scale (IHTSS) is widely used internationally to evaluate the intrahospital transport safety, it has not been introduced in China. OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to assess the reliability and validity of the Chinese version of the IHTSS scale among critical care nurses in China. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted using a cluster sampling method. A total of 544 critical care nurses from 25 ICUs in 10 tertiary hospitals were recruited. We employed exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) to examine the questionnaire's underlying factor structure, ensuring construct validity. Additionally, internal consistency was assessed using Cronbach's alpha coefficient, test-retest reliability, and corrected item-total correlation. RESULTS: The Chinese version of the scale displayed robust psychometric properties, with a Cronbach's α coefficient of 0.976, a split-half reliability of 0.906, and a test-retest reliability of 0.856. EFA revealed a robust four-factor model that accounted for 75.970% of the variance, with the factor loadings of the items ranging from 0.433 to 0.951. CFA indicated a strong model fit, with a chi-square to degrees of freedom ratio (CMIN/DF) of 2.765, comparative fit index (CFI) of 0.943, incremental fit index (IFI) of 0.943, and goodness-of-fit index (GFI) of 0.845, supporting the efficacy of the four-factor model in assessing intrahospital transport safety for critically ill patients. CONCLUSION: The Chinese version of the IHTSS demonstrated favourable reliability and validity among critical care nurses in China, making it a suitable tool for measuring the level of intrahospital transport safety for critically ill patients.

Dearomatization of 3-Aminophenols for Synthesis of Spiro[chromane-3,1'-cyclohexane]-2',4'-dien-6'-ones via Hydride Transfer Strategy-Enabled [5+1] Annulations.

The Sc(OTf)3-catalyzed dearomative [5+1] annulations between readily available 3-aminophenols and O-alkyl ortho-oxybenzaldehydes were developed for synthesis of spiro[chromane-3,1'-cyclohexane]-2',4'-dien-6'-ones. The "two-birds-with-one-stone" strategy was disclosed by the dearomatization of phenols and direct α-C(sp3)-H bond functionalization of oxygen through cascade condensation/[1,5]-hydride transfer/dearomative-cyclization process. In addition, the antifungal activity assay and derivatizations of products were conducted to further enrich the utility of the structure.

Diversity-oriented synthesis of indole-fused scaffolds and bis(indolyl)methane from tosyl-protected tryptamine.

An efficient, diversity-oriented synthesis of indole-1,2-fused 1,4-benzodiazepines, tetrahydro-ß-carbolines, and 2,2'-bis(indolyl)methanes was established starting from tosyl-protected tryptamine. These diverse privileged skeletons were controllably constructed by adjusting different hydride donors and Brønsted acids. A variety of indole-1,2-fused 1,4-benzodiazepines were facilely accessed using benzaldehydes bearing cyclic amines as hydride donors via a cascade N-alkylation/dehydration/[1,5]-hydride transfer/Friedel-Crafts alkylation sequence. The reaction site could be switched when benzaldehydes bearing an alkoxy moiety as hydride donors were used for the generation of tetrahydro-ß-carbolines. On the other hand, the switchable synthesis of 2,2'-bis(indolyl)methanes could be achieved as well by applying p-TsOH·H2O as a catalyst. The reactions feature mild conditions, simple and practical operation, excellent efficiency and the use of EtOH as a green solvent. Using the concept of diversity-oriented, reagent-based synthesis, the inexpensive feedstock tryptamine was efficiently converted to three different types of privileged scaffolds, which facilitates rapid compound library synthesis for accelerating drug discovery.

Preparation and characterizations of antibacterial iodine-containing coatings on pure Ti.

Iodine-containing coatings were prepared on pure Ti surfaces via electrochemical deposition to enhance their antibacterial properties. The factors influencing iodine content were analyzed using an orthogonal experiment. The electrochemically deposited samples were characterized using scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and their antibacterial properties and cytotoxicity were evaluated. The results showed that changing the deposition time is an effective way to control the iodine content. The iodine content, coating thickness, and adhesion of the samples increased with deposition time. Iodine in the coatings mainly exists in three forms, which are I2, I3-, and pentavalent iodine. For samples with iodine-containing coatings, the antibacterial ratios against E. coli and S. aureus were greater than 90% and increased with increasing iodine content. Although the samples with iodine-containing coatings showed some inhibition of the proliferation of MC3T3-E1 cells, the cell viabilities were all higher than 80%, suggesting that iodine-containing coatings are biosafe.

Controllable Synthesis of N-Heterocycles via Hydride Transfer Strategy-Enabled Formal [5 + 1] and [5 + 2] Cyclizations.

The Brønsted acid-controlled switchable synthesis of indoline-fused tetrahydroquinolines and indole-fused benzazepines was developed through hydride transfer-enabled formal [5 + 1] and [5 + 2] cyclization reactions from indoles and N-alkyl o-aminobenzoketones. Indoline, furanone, and tetrahydroquinoline hybridized pentacyclic products were unprecedentedly accessed via a cascade condensation/hydride transfer/dearomatization-cyclization/deethylation/nucleophilic addition process. In addition, the undeveloped hydride transfer-involved [5 + 2] cyclizations were also realized for direct construction of indole-fused benzazepines.

Controllable Synthesis of N- and O-Containing Heterocycles via Formal [3 + 2] and [5 + 2] Cyclizations.

The controllable synthesis of spirooxindole-dihydrofurans and spirooxindole-benzazepines was developed through formal [3 + 2] and [5 + 2] cyclization reactions from 2-(2-oxoindolin-3-yl)malononitriles and ortho-aminobenzaldehydes, respectively. A variety of spirooxindole-benzazepines were facilely constructed via a furan ring-open-involved hydride transfer/cyclization process. It is noteworthy that the application of the hydride-transfer-involved [5 + 2] cyclization strategy for construction of spirobenzazepines was unprecedented. In addition, the spiro N- and O-containing heterocycles were highly functionalized by amino, amide, and cyano groups, which were conducive to late-stage functionalization.

Underwater Structured Light Stripe Center Extraction with Normalized Grayscale Gravity Method.

The non-uniform reflectance characteristics of object surfaces and underwater environment disturbances during underwater laser measurements can have a great impact on laser stripe center extraction. Therefore, we propose a normalized grayscale gravity method to address this problem. First, we build an underwater structured light dataset for different illuminations, turbidity levels, and reflective surfaces of the underwater object and compare several state-of-the-art semantic segmentation models, including Deeplabv3, Deeplabv3plus, MobilenetV3, Pspnet, and FCNnet. Based on our comparison, we recommend PSPnet for the specific task of underwater structured light stripe segmentation. Second, in order to accurately extract the centerline of the extracted light stripe, the gray level values are normalized to eliminate the influence of noise and light stripe edge information on the centroids, and the weights of the cross-sectional extremes are increased to increase the function convergence for better robustness. Finally, the subpixel-structured light center points of the image are obtained by bilinear interpolation to improve the image resolution and extraction accuracy. The experimental results show that the proposed method can effectively eliminate noise interference while exhibiting good robustness and self-adaptability.

Trimetallic MOF-derived CoFeNi/Z-P NC nanocomposites as efficient catalysts for oxygen evolution reaction.

We used sodium hydroxide-mediated approach and tannic acid etching to prepare hollow structured trimetallic MOF-derived CoFeNi/Z-P NC nanocomposites. Remarkably, the resulting CoFeNi/Z-P NC nanocomposites have large specific surface area and mesoporous structure, making their active sites more accessible and mass transfer more effective. More complex trimetallic components provide greater possibilities for further improving electrocatalytic performance. The CoFeNi/Z-P NC nanocomposites demonstrate notable enhancements for the OER, and 10 mA cm-2 current density is achieved at a low overpotential of 244 mV, with a low Tafel slope of 66.2 mV dec-1 and have good stability in alkaline solutions. In addition, as a cathode material for overall alkaline water splitting, CoFeNi/Z-P NC is better than RuO2 with longer cycling stability.

CRH neurons in the lateral hypothalamic area regulate feeding behavior of mice.

Food cues serve as pivotal triggers for eliciting physiological responses that subsequently influence food consumption. The magnitude of response induced by these cues stands as a critical determinant in the context of obesity risk. Nonetheless, the underlying neural mechanism that underpins how cues associated with edible food potentiate feeding behaviors remains uncertain. In this study, we revealed that corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH)-expressing neurons in the lateral hypothalamic area played a crucial role in promoting consummatory behaviors in mice, shedding light on this intricate process. By employing an array of diverse assays, we initially established the activation of these neurons during feeding. Manipulations using optogenetic and chemogenetic assays revealed that their activation amplified appetite and promoted feeding behaviors, whereas inhibition decreased them. Additionally, our investigation identified downstream targets, including the ventral tegmental area, and underscored the pivotal involvement of the CRH neuropeptide itself in orchestrating this regulatory network. This research casts a clarifying light on the neural mechanism underlying the augmentation of appetite and the facilitation of feeding behaviors in response to food cues. VIDEO ABSTRACT.

Insights into Electrochemical Dehalogenation by Non-Noble Metal Single-Atom Cobalt with High Efficiency and Low Energy Consumption.

It is critical to discover a non-noble metal catalyst with high catalytic activity capable of replacing palladium in electrochemical reduction. In this work, a highly efficient single-atom Co-N/C catalyst was synthesized with metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) as a precursor for electrochemical dehalogenation. X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) revealed that Co-N/C exhibited a Co-N4 configuration, which had more active sites and a faster charge-transfer rate and thus enabled the efficient removal of florfenicol (FLO) at a wide pH, achieving a rate constant 3.5 and 2.1 times that of N/C and commercial Pd/C, respectively. The defluorination and dechlorination efficiencies were 67.6 and 95.6%, respectively, with extremely low Co leaching (6 µg L-1), low energy consumption (22.7 kWh kg-1), and high turnover frequency (TOF) (0.0350 min-1), demonstrating excellent dehalogenation performance. Spiking experiments and density functional theory (DFT) verified that Co-N4 was the active site and had the lowest energy barrier for forming atomic hydrogen (H*) (ΔGH*). Capture experiments, electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR), electrochemical tests, and in situ Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) proved that H* and direct electron transfer were responsible for dehalogenation. Toxicity assessment indicated that FLO toxicity decreased significantly after dehalogenation. This work develops a non-noble metal catalyst with broad application prospects in electrocatalytic dehalogenation.

Effects of chloride, sulfate, and bicarbonate stress on mortality rate, gill tissue morphology, and gene expression in mandarin fish (Siniperca chuatsi).

The mandarin fish Siniperca chuatsi is a freshwater fish that is endemic to East Asia. To study the different damages and molecular mechanisms caused by different salt (NaCl, Na2SO4, and NaHCO3) on Siniperca chuatsi, the fish were subjected to NaCl, Na2SO4, and NaHCO3 stresses with different concentration for 96 h for mortality assessment, moreover, the fish were exposed to these salt stresses with equal sodium ion concentration (Na+ = 210 mmol/L), then gill morphological changes were observed and gene expression was analyzed by high-throughput transcriptome sequencing and real-time quantitative PCR (qRT-PCR). The results showed that mandarin fish tolerated NaCl and Na2SO4 better than NaHCO3. NaHCO3 stress caused more damage to gill than NaCl and Na2SO4 stress. Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment analyses indicated that differentially expressed genes were enriched in damage and apoptosis upon NaHCO3 stress, whereas they were enriched in energy and immune-related pathways upon NaCl and Na2SO4 stress. Hub genes were different under all three stresses. MAPK pathway genes showed a trend in up-regulated expression under all salt stresses, but the expression patterns varied with time during salt exposure and freshwater recovery stage. Taken together, this study demonstrated the variation in the effects of NaCl, Na2SO4, and NaHCO3 stress on mandarin fish. The MAPK signaling pathway is important for regulating the response to salt stress.