Hierarchical Ni-Mn LDHs@CuC2O4 Nanosheet Arrays-Modified Copper Mesh: A Dual-Functional Material for Enhancing Oil/Water Separation and Supercapacitors.

The pursuit of superhydrophilic materials with hierarchical structures has garnered significant attention across diverse application domains. In this study, we have successfully crafted Ni-Mn LDHs@CuC2O4 nanosheet arrays on a copper mesh (CM) through a synergistic process involving chemical oxidation and hydrothermal deposition. Initially, CuC2O4 nanosheets were synthesized on the copper mesh, closely followed by the growth of Ni-Mn LDHs nanosheets, culminating in the establishment of a multi-tiered surface architecture with exceptional superhydrophilicity and remarkable underwater superoleophobicity. The resultant Ni-Mn LDHs@CuC2O4 CM membrane showcased an unparalleled amalgamation of traits, including superhydrophilicity, underwater superoleophobicity, and the ability to harness photocatalytic forces for self-cleaning actions, making it an advanced oil-water separation membrane. The membrane's performance was impressive, manifesting in a remarkable water flux range (70 kL·m-2·h-1) and an efficient oil separation capability for both oil/water mixture and surfactant-stabilized emulsions (below 60 ppm). Moreover, the innate superhydrophilic characteristics of the membrane rendered it a prime candidate for deployment as a supercapacitor cathode material. Evidenced by a capacitance of 5080 mF·cm-2 at a current density of 6 mA cm-2 in a 6 M KOH electrolyte, the membrane's potential extended beyond oil-water separation. This work not only introduces a cutting-edge oil-water separation membrane and supercapacitor electrode but also offers a promising blueprint for the deliberate engineering of hierarchical structure arrays to cater to a spectrum of related applications.

A biomimetic beetle-like membrane with superoleophilic SiO2-induced oil coalescence on superhydrophilic CuC2O4 nanosheet arrays for effective O/W emulsion separation.

It is highly attractive to develop highly efficient oil-in-water (O/W) emulsion separation technologies for promoting the oily wastewater treatment. Herein, a novel inversely Stenocara beetle-like hierarchical structure of superhydrophobic SiO2 nanoparticle-decorated CuC2O4 nanosheet arrays were prepared on copper mesh membrane by bridging polydopamine (PDA) to make a SiO2/PDA@CuC2O4 membrane for substantially enhanced separation of O/W emulsions. The superhydrophobic SiO2 particles on the as-prepared SiO2/PDA@CuC2O4 membranes were served as localized active sites to induce coalescence of small-size oil droplets in oil-in-water (O/W) emulsions. Such innovated membrane delivered outstanding demulsification ability of O/W emulsion with a high separation flux of 2.5 kL⋅m-2⋅h-1 and its filtrate's chemical oxygen demand (COD) being 30 and 100 mg⋅L-1 for surfactant-free emulsion (SFE) and surfactant-stabilized emulsion (SSE), respectively, and also exhibited a good anti-fouling performance in cycling tests. The innovative design strategy developed in this work broadens the application of superwetting materials for oil-water separation and presents a promising prospect in practical oily wastewater treatment applications.

Enhanced catalytic performance of atomically dispersed Pd on Pr-doped CeO2 nanorod in CO oxidation.

Single-atom noble metal catalysts have been widely studied for catalytic oxidation of CO. Regulating the coordination environment of single metal atom site is an effective strategy to improve the intrinsic catalytic activity of single atom catalyst. In this work, single atom Pd catalyst supported on Pr-doped CeO2 nanorods was prepared, and the performance and nature of Pr-coordinated atomic Pd site in CO catalytic oxidation are systematically investigated. The structure characterization using AC-HAADF-STEM, EXAFS, XRD and Raman spectroscopy demonstrate the formation of single atom Pd site and abundant surface oxygen vacancies on the surface of Pr-doped CeO2 nanorod. With the combination of the XPS characterization and DFT calculations, the oxidation state of Pd on Pr-doped CeO2 nanorod is determined lower than that on CeO2 nanorod. The turnover frequency of CO oxidation is markedly increased from 8.4 × 10-3 to 31.9 × 10-3 s with Pr-doping at 130 ºC and GHSV of 70,000 h-1. Combined with kinetic studies, DRIFT and DFT calculations, the doped-Pr atoms reduced the formation energy of oxygen vacancies and generate more oxygen vacancies around the atomically dispersed Pd sites on the surface of cerium oxide, which reduces the dissociation energy of oxygen, thereby accelerating the reaction rate of CO oxidation.

Multifunctional Switchable Nanocoated Membranes for Efficient Integrated Purification of Oil/Water Emulsions.

Surfaces with unusual under-liquid dual superlyophobicity are attractive on account of their widespread applications, but their development remains difficult due to thermodynamic contradiction. Additionally, these surfaces may suffer from limited antifouling ability, which has restricted their practical applications. Herein, we report a successful in situ growth of a hybrid zeolitic imidazolate framework-8 and zinc oxide nanorod on a porous poly(vinylidene fluoride) membrane (ZIF-8@ZnO-PPVDF) and its application as a self-cleaning switchable barrier material in rapid filtration for emulsified oily wastewater. The novel ZIF-8@ZnO-PPVDF exhibits superior mechanical strength, reversible under-liquid dual superlyophobicity, photocatalytic self-cleaning property, and an effective alternate separation capacity toward both oil-in-water (O/W) and water-in-oil (W/O) emulsions with ultrahigh fluxes and efficiencies (>99%). By simply using a "bait-hook-eliminate" method to separate the O/W emulsions containing soluble organic pollutants, we demonstrate that the ZIF-8@ZnO-PPVDF can achieve stable separation fluxes over 600 L m-2 h-1 with high efficiencies and be completely/nondestructively regenerated by visible-light irradiation after each cycle. This study would demonstrate a new approach to prepare an under-liquid dual superlyophobic revivable membrane for various applications.

Self-Locked and Self-Cleaning Membranes for Efficient Removal of Insoluble and Soluble Organic Pollutants from Water.

A feasible and efficient membrane for long-term treatment of complex oily wastewater is especially in demand, but its development still remains a challenge because of serious membrane fouling and incomplete/destructive reclamation methods. Herein, an interpenetrating TiO2 nanorod-decorated membrane with self-locked and self-cleaning properties is rationally fabricated via coaxial electrospinning and hydrothermal synthesis. The self-locked membrane shows full reinstatement of the original state and exhibits satisfactory mechanical strength, superhydrophilicity, underwater superoleophobicity, and robust solvent resistance, which endow the membrane with successful separation for 16 types of highly emulsified oil-in-water emulsions (e.g., surfactant-free; anionic, cationic, and nonionic surfactant-stabilized). Moreover, successful sequencing treatment of soluble organic emulsions using the separated "bait-hook-destroy" strategy indicates that the pristine membrane can be used to treat multipollutant wastewater with various limits. Most importantly, the fouled membrane can easily be reinstated by light irradiation without reduction of both mechanical strength and separation performance. As a proof of concept, the as-synthesized membrane shows an ultrahigh flux over 5000 L m-2 h-1 with a removal efficiency of >99.92%. The present development would provide a highly efficient strategy for the fabrication of an inorganic-organic revivable electrospinning membrane for various applications.

Single nucleotide polymorphisms within the Wnt pathway predict the risk of bone metastasis in patients with non-small cell lung cancer.

The Wingless-type (Wnt) signaling pathway plays an important role in the development and progression of cancer. This study aimed to evaluate the relationship between single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the Wnt pathway and the risk of bone metastasis in patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). We collected 500 blood samples from patients with NSCLC and genotyped eight SNPs from four core genes (WNT2, AXIN1, CTNNB1 and APC) present within the WNT pathway. Moreover, we assessed the potential relationship of these genes with bone metastasis development. Our results showed that the AC/AA genotype of CTNNB1: rs1880481 was associated with a decreased risk of bone metastasis. Polymorphisms with an HR of < 1 had a cumulative protective impact on the risk of bone metastasis. Furthermore, patients with the AC/AA genotype of CTNNB1: rs1880481 was associated with Karnofsky performance status score, squamous cell carcinoma antigen and Ki-67 proliferation index. Lastly, patients with the AC/AA genotype of CTNNB1: rs1880481 had significantly longer median progression free survival time than those with the CC genotype. In conclusion, SNPs within the Wnt signaling pathway are associated with a decreased risk of bone metastasis, and may be valuable biomarkers for bone metastasis in patients with NSCLC.

CusS-CusR Two-Component System Mediates Tigecycline Resistance in Carbapenem-Resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae.

BACKGROUND: The increase in carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae (CRKP), especially the emergence of tigecycline-resistant K. pneumoniae (KP), is a serious public health concern. However, the underlying mechanism of tigecycline resistance is unclear. In this study, we evaluated the role of the CusS-CusR two-component system (TCS), which is associated with copper/silver resistance, in tigecycline resistance in CRKP. METHODS: Following the in vitro evolution of tigecycline-resistant KP, the minimum inhibitory concentrations of tigecycline were determined using the micro-broth dilution method. RNA sequencing and data analysis were performed to identify differentially expressed genes. Quantitative PCR (qPCR) was performed to verify the genes of interest. Genes associated with tigecycline resistance, such as ramR, tex (T), and tet (A), were detected by PCR, and then mutants were confirmed by sequencing. Additionally, the efflux pump-associated genes soxS, oqxA, oqxB, acrE, and acrF were also analyzed by qPCR. CusR was deleted and complemented by the suicide vector pKO3-Km plasmid and pGEM-T-easy plasmid, respectively. RESULTS: Nine strains of KP were evaluated in our study. Strains A2 and A3 were evolved from A1, B2, and B3 were evolved from B1, and C2 and C3 were evolved from C1. The tigecycline minimum inhibitory concentration for A1, B1, and C1 was 0.5 µg/mL; that for A2, B2, and C3 was 16.0 µg/mL; and that for A3, B3, and C3 was 32.0 µg/mL. RNA-sequencing and qPCR confirmed that the differentially expressed genes cusE, cusS, cusR, cusC, cusF, cusB, and cusA showed higher expression in C2 and C3 than in C1. Genes related to the efflux pump AcrAB-TolC showed higher expression in B2 and B3 than in B1. No mutants of ramR, tex (T), or tet (A) were detected. SoxS, oqxA, oqxB, acrE, and acrF did not show increased expression in any group. After deletion and complementation of cusR among C3, the MIC of tigecycline decreased to 4 µg/mL, and then recovered to 32 µg/mL. The expression of cusFBCA, correspondingly decreased and increased significantly. CONCLUSION: In addition to its primary function in resistance to copper/silver, the CusS-CusR two-component system is associated with CRKP resistance to tigecycline.