Robust Superconductivity in Infinite-Layer Nickelates.

The recent discovery of nickelate superconductivity represents an important step toward understanding the four-decade mastery of unconventional high-temperature superconductivity. However, the synthesis of the infinite-layer nickelate superconductors shows great challenges. Particularly, surface capping layers are usually unitized to facilitate the sample synthesis. This leads to an important question whether nickelate superconductors with d9 configuration and ultralow valence of Ni1+ are in metastable state and whether nickelate superconductivity can be robust? In this work, a series of redox cycling experiments are performed across the phase transition between perovskite Nd0.8Sr0.2NiO3 and infinite-layer Nd0.8Sr0.2NiO2. The infinite-layer Nd0.8Sr0.2NiO2 is quite robust in the redox environment and can survive the cycling experiments with unchanged crystallographic quality. However, as the cycling number goes on, the perovskite Nd0.8Sr0.2NiO3 shows structural degradation, suggesting stability of nickelate superconductivity is not restricted by the ultralow valence of Ni1+, but by the quality of its perovskite precursor. The observed robustness of infinite-layer Nd0.8Sr0.2NiO2 up to ten redox cycles further indicates that if an ideal high-quality perovskite precursor can be obtained, infinite-layer nickelate superconductivity can be very stable and sustainable under environmental conditions. This work provides important implications for potential device applications for nickelate superconductors.

Nanohybrids of BCN-Fe1-x S for Sodium and Lithium Hybrid Ion Capacitors.

Hybrid ion capacitors (HIC) are receiving a lot of attention due to their potential to achieve high energy and power densities, but they remain insufficient. It is imperative to explore outstanding and environmentally benign electrode materials to achieve high-performing HIC systems. Here, a unique boron carbon nitride (BCN)-based HIC system that comprises a microporous BCN structure and Fe1-x S nanoparticle incorporated BCN nanosheets (BNF) as cathode and anode, respectively is reported. The BNF is prepared through a facile one-pot calcination process using dithiooxamide (DTO), boric acid, and iron source. In situ, crystal growth of Fe1-x S facilitates the formation of BCN structure through the creation of holes/defects in the polymeric structure. The first principle density functional (DFT) theory simulations demonstrate the structural and electronic properties of the hybrid of BCN and Fe1-x S as compelling anode materials for HIC applications. The DFT calculations reveal that both BCN and BNF structures have excellent metallic characters with Li+ storage capacities of 128.4 and 1021.38 mAh g-1  respectively. These findings are confirmed experimentally where the BCN-based HIC system delivers exceptional energy and power densities of 267.5 Wh kg-1 /749.5 W kg-1 toward Li+ storage, which outweighs previous HIC performances and demonstrates favorable performance for Li+ and Na+ storages.

Tunable Spin-Polarized States in Graphene on a Ferrimagnetic Oxide Insulator.

Spin-polarized two-dimensional (2D) materials with large and tunable spin-splitting energy promise the field of 2D spintronics. While graphene has been a canonical 2D material, its spin properties and tunability are limited. Here, this work demonstrates the emergence of robust spin-polarization in graphene with large and tunable spin-splitting energy of up to 132 meV at zero applied magnetic fields. The spin polarization is induced through a magnetic exchange interaction between graphene and the underlying ferrimagnetic oxide insulating layer, Tm3 Fe5 O12 , as confirmed by its X-ray magnetic circular dichroism (XMCD). The spin-splitting energies are directly measured and visualized by the shift in their Landau-fan diagram mapped by analyzing the measured Shubnikov-de-Haas (SdH) oscillations as a function of applied electric fields, showing consistent fit with the first-principles and machine learning calculations. Further, the observed spin-splitting energies can be tuned over a broad range between 98 and 166 meV by field cooling. The methods and results are applicable to other 2D (magnetic) materials and heterostructures, and offer great potential for developing next-generation spin logic and memory devices.

Carboxylated Hexagonal Boron Nitride/Graphene Configuration for Electrosynthesis of High-Concentration Neutral Hydrogen Peroxide.

The electrosynthesis of hydrogen peroxide (H2 O2 ) via two-electron (2e- ) oxygen (O2 ) reduction reaction (ORR) has great potential to replace the traditional energy-intensive anthraquinone process, but the design of low-cost and highly active and selective catalysts is greatly challenging for the long-term H2 O2 production under industrial relevant current density, especially under neutral electrolytes. To address this issue, this work constructed a carboxylated hexagonal boron nitride/graphene (h-BN/G) heterojunction on the commercial activated carbon through the coupling of B, N co-doping with surface oxygen groups functionalization. The champion catalyst exhibited a high 2e- ORR selectivity (>95 %), production rate (up to 13.4 mol g-1 h-1 ), and Faradaic efficiency (FE, >95 %). The long-term H2 O2 production under the high current density of 100 mA cm-2 caused the cumulative concentration as high as 2.1 wt %. The combination of in situ Raman spectra and theoretical calculation indicated that the carboxylated h-BN/G configuration promotes the adsorption of O2 and the stabilization of the key intermediates, allowing a low energy barrier for the rate-determining step of HOOH* release from the active site and thus improving the 2e- ORR performance. The fast dye degradation by using this electrochemical synthesized H2 O2 further illustrated the promising practical application.

Incorporation of Bimetallic Sulfide with Carbon Nitride for Advanced Na-Ion Batteries.

Sodium-ion batteries (SIBs) have received tremendous attention owing to their low cost, high working voltages, and energy density. However, the design and development of highly efficient SIBs represent a great challenge. Here, a unique and reliable approach is reported to prepare carbon nitride (CN) hybridized with nickel iron sulfide (NFCN) using simple reaction between Ni-Fe layered double hydroxide and dithiooxamide. The characterization results demonstrate that the hybridization with optimal amount of CN induces local distortion in the crystal structure of the hybrid, which would benefit SIB performance. Systematic electrochemical studies with a half-cell configuration show that the present hybrid structure exhibits a promising reversible specific capacity of 348 mAh g-1 at 0.1 A g-1 after 100 cycles with good rate capability. Simulation result reveals that the iron atoms in nickel iron sulfide act as a primary active site to accommodate Na+ ions. At last, with a full cell configuration using NFCN and Na3 V2 (PO4 )2 O2 F as the anode and cathode, respectively, the specific capacity appears to be ≈95 mAh g-1 after 50 cycles at 0.1 A g-1 condition. This excellent performance of these hybrids can be attributed to the synergistic effect of the incorporated CN species and the high conductivity of nickel-iron sulfide.

Realization of High Magnetization in Artificially Designed Ni/NiO Layers through Exchange Coupling.

High-magnetization materials play crucial roles in various applications. However, the past few decades have witnessed a stagnation in the discovery of new materials with high magnetization. In this work, Ni/NiO nanocomposites are fabricated by depositing Ni and NiO thin layers alternately, followed by annealing at specific temperatures. Both the as-deposited samples and those annealed at 373 K exhibit low magnetization. However, the samples annealed at 473 K exhibit a significantly enhanced saturation magnetization exceeding 607 emu cm-3 at room temperature, surpassing that of pure Ni (480 emu cm-3 ). Material characterizations indicate that the composite comprises NiO nanoclusters of size 1-2 nm embedded in the Ni matrix. This nanoclustered NiO is primarily responsible for the high magnetization, as confirmed by density functional theory calculations. The calculations also indicate that the NiO clusters are ferromagnetically coupled with Ni, resulting in enhanced magnetization. This work demonstrates a new route toward developing artificial high-magnetization materials using the high magnetic moments of nanoclustered antiferromagnetic materials.

Nucleosome assembly protein 1 like 1 (NAP1L1) promotes cardiac fibrosis by inhibiting YAP1 ubiquitination and degradation.

Myocardial fibrosis post myocardial infarction (MI) is characterized by abnormal extracellular matrix (ECM) deposition and cardiac dysfunction could finally develop into serious heart disease, like heart failure. Lots of regulating factors involved in this pathological process have been reported while the specific mediators and underlying mechanisms remain to need to be further investigated. As part of the NAP1 family, Nucleosome assembly protein 1 like 1 (NAP1L1) is expressed in a wide variety of tissues. Here, we report that NAP1L1 is a significant regulator of cardiac fibrosis and is upregulated in ischemic cardiomyopathy patient hearts. Enhanced expression of NAP1L1 can promote cardiac fibroblasts (CFs) proliferation, migration, and differentiation into myofibroblasts. In contrast, loss of NAP1L1 decreased fibrosis-related mRNA and protein levels, inhibited the trans-differentiation, and blunted migration and proliferation of CFs after Transforming Growth Factorß1（TGF-ß1）stimulation. In vivo, NAP1L1 knockout mice enhanced cardiac function and reduced fibrosis area in response to MI stimuli. Mechanically, NAP1L1 binding to Yes-associated protein 1 (YAP1) protein influences its stability, and silencing NAP1L1 can inhibit YAP1 expression by promoting its ubiquitination and degradation in CFs. Collectively, NAP1L1 could potentially be a new therapeutic target for various cardiac disorders, including myocardial fibrosis.

Electroacupuncture at BL15 attenuates chronic fatigue syndrome by downregulating iNOS/NO signaling in C57BL/6 mice.

Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) has a high incidence due to the increased pressure of daily life and work in modern society. Our previous clinical studies have found the effects of electroacupuncture (EA) on CFS patients, however, the mechanism of EA on CFS is still unknown. In this study, we investigated the effects of EA on cardiac function in a CFS mouse model to explore its underlying mechanism. The mice were randomly divided into three groups: control, CFS, and CFS mice receiving EA (CFS + EA). After behavioral assessments and echocardiographic measurement, blood and heart tissue of the mice were collected for biochemical tests, and then we evaluated the effects of EA on the CFS mouse model when nitric oxide (NO) levels were enhanced by l-arginine. The results showed that EA ameliorated the injured motor and cardiac function. Meanwhile, EA also inhibited increased expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) at heart tissue and the serum NO levels in mice subjected to sustained forced swimming stress. Furthermore, the NO level in serum increased with l-arginine administration, which blocked the effects of EA on CFS mice. This study suggested that EA could improve the motor function and cardiac function in CFS mice and its effects may be associated with the down-regulation of iNOS/NO signaling.

Epitaxial Growth of Single-Layer Kagome Nanoflakes with Topological Band Inversion.

The kagome lattice has attracted intense interest with the promise of realizing topological phases built from strongly interacting electrons. However, fabricating two-dimensional (2D) kagome materials with nontrivial topology is still a key challenge. Here, we report the growth of single-layer iron germanide kagome nanoflakes by molecular beam epitaxy. Using scanning tunneling microscopy/spectroscopy, we unravel the real-space electronic localization of the kagome flat bands. First-principles calculations demonstrate the topological band inversion, suggesting the topological nature of the experimentally observed edge mode. Apart from the intrinsic topological states that potentially host chiral edge modes, the realization of kagome materials in the 2D limit also holds promise for future studies of geometric frustration.

Systematic analyses identify the anti-fibrotic role of lncRNA TP53TG1 in IPF.

Long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) was reported to be a critical regulator of cellular homeostasis, but poorly understood in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). Here, we systematically identified a crucial lncRNA, p53-induced long non-coding RNA TP53 target 1 (TP53TG1), which was the dysregulated hub gene in IPF regulatory network and one of the top degree genes and down-regulated in IPF-drived fibroblasts. Functional experiments revealed that overexpression of TP53TG1 attenuated the increased expression of fibronectin 1 (Fn1), Collagen 1α1, Collagen 3α1, ACTA2 mRNA, Fn1, and Collagen I protein level, excessive fibroblasts proliferation, migration and differentiation induced by TGF-ß1 in MRC-5 as well as PMLFs. In vivo assays identified that forced expression of TP53TG1 by adeno-associated virus 5 (AAV5) not only prevented BLM-induced experimental fibrosis but also reversed established lung fibrosis in the murine model. Mechanistically, TP53TG1 was found to bind to amount of tight junction proteins. Importantly, we found that TP53TG1 binds to the Myosin Heavy Chain 9 (MYH9) to inhibit its protein expression and thus the MYH9-mediated activation of fibroblasts. Collectively, we identified the TP53TG1 as a master suppressor of fibroblast activation and IPF, which could be a potential hub for targeting treatment of the disease.

Ordered Mesoporous Boron Carbon Nitrides with Tunable Mesopore Nanoarchitectonics for Energy Storage and CO2 Adsorption Properties.

Porous boron carbon nitride (BCN) is one of the exciting systems with unique electrochemical and adsorption properties. However, the synthesis of low-cost and porous BCN with tunable porosity is challenging, limiting its full potential in a variety of applications. Herein, the preparation of well-defined mesoporous boron carbon nitride (MBCN) with high specific surface area, tunable pores, and nitrogen contents is demonstrated through a simple integration of chemical polymerization of readily available sucrose and borane ammonia complex (BAC) through the nano-hard-templating approach. The bimodal pores are introduced in MBCN by controlling the self-organization of BAC and sucrose molecules within the nanochannels of the template. It is found that the optimized sample shows a high specific capacitance (296 F g-1 at 0.5 A g-1 ), large specific capacity for sodium-ion battery (349 mAg h-1 at 50 mAh g-1 ), and excellent CO2 adsorption capacity (27.14 mmol g-1 at 30 bar). Density functional theory calculations demonstrate that different adsorption sites (BC, BN, CN, and CC) and the large specific surface area strongly support the high adsorption capacity. This finding offers an innovative breakthrough in the design and development of MBCN nanostructures for energy storage and carbon capture applications.

Large-Scale Epitaxial Growth of Ultralong Stripe BiFeO3 Films and Anisotropic Optical Properties.

The controlled synthesis of large-scale ferroelectric domains with high uniformity is crucial for practical applications in next-generation nanoelectronics on the basis of their intriguing properties. Here, ultralong and highly uniform stripe domains in (110)-oriented BiFeO3 thin films are large-area synthesized through a pulsed laser deposition technique. Utilizing scanning transmission electron microscopy and piezoresponse force microscopy, we verified that the ferroelectric domains have one-dimensional 109° domains and the length of a domain is up to centimeter scale. More importantly, the ferroelectric displacement is directly determined on atomic-scale precision, further confirming the domain structure. We find that the unique one-dimensional ferroelectric domain significantly enhances the optical anisotropy. Furthermore, we demonstrate that the purely parallel domain patterns can be used to control photovoltaic current. These ultralong ferroelectric domains can be patterned into various functional devices, which may inspire research efforts to explore their properties and various applications.

Antiferromagnetism in Ni-Based Superconductors.

Due to the lack of any magnetic order down to 1.7 K in the parent bulk compound NdNiO2 , the recently discovered 9-15 K superconductivity in the infinite-layer Nd0.8 Sr0.2 NiO2 thin films has provided an exciting playground for unearthing new superconductivity mechanisms. Herein, the successful synthesis of a series of superconducting Nd0.8 Sr0.2 NiO2 thin films ranging from 8 to 40 nm is reported. The large exchange bias effect is observed between the superconducting Nd0.8 Sr0.2 NiO2 films and a thin ferromagnetic layer, which suggests the existence of the antiferromagnetic order. Furthermore, the existence of the antiferromagnetic order is evidenced by X-ray magnetic linear dichroism measurements. These experimental results are fundamentally critical for the current field.

Room Temperature Ferromagnetism of Monolayer Chromium Telluride with Perpendicular Magnetic Anisotropy.

The realization of long-range magnetic ordering in 2D systems can potentially revolutionize next-generation information technology. Here, the successful fabrication of crystalline Cr3 Te4 monolayers with room temperature (RT) ferromagnetism is reported. Using molecular beam epitaxy, the growth of 2D Cr3 Te4 films with monolayer thickness is demonstrated at low substrate temperatures (≈100 °C), compatible with Si complementary metal oxide semiconductor technology. X-ray magnetic circular dichroism measurements reveal a Curie temperature (Tc ) of v344 K for the Cr3 Te4 monolayer with an out-of-plane magnetic easy axis, which decreases to v240 K for the thicker film (≈7 nm) with an in-plane easy axis. The enhancement of ferromagnetic coupling and the magnetic anisotropy transition is ascribed to interfacial effects, in particular the orbital overlap at the monolayer Cr3 Te4 /graphite interface, supported by density-functional theory calculations. This work sheds light on the low-temperature scalable growth of 2D nonlayered materials with RT ferromagnetism for new magnetic and spintronic devices.

Diverse Structures and Magnetic Properties in Nonlayered Monolayer Chromium Selenide.

Thickness-dependent magnetic behavior has previously been observed in chemical vapor deposition-grown chromium selenide. However, the low-dimensional structure in nonlayered chromium selenide, which plays a crucial role in determining the low-dimensional magnetic order, needs further study. Here, we report the structure-dependent magnetic properties in monolayer CrSe2 and Cr2Se3 grown by molecular beam epitaxy. In the monolayer CrSe2, 1T-CrSe2 with a lattice constant of 3.3 Å has a metallic character, coexisting with the 1T″ phase with 2 × 2 surface periodicity. Monolayer CrSe2 can be transformed into Cr2Se3 with a lattice constant of 3.6 Å by annealing at 300 °C. X-ray magnetic circular dichroism (XMCD) measurements combined with DFT calculations reveal that while the MBE-grown monolayer CrSe2 is antiferromagnetic, monolayer Cr2Se3 is ferromagnetic with a Curie temperature of ∼200 K. This work demonstrates the structural diversity in nonlayered chromium selenide and the critical effect of different structures on its electronic and magnetic properties.

Microporous Carbon Nitride (C3 N5.4 ) with Tetrazine based Molecular Structure for Efficient Adsorption of CO2 and Water.

Mesoporous carbon nitrides with C3 N5 and C3 N6 stoichiometries created a new momentum in the field of organic metal-free semiconductors owing to their unique band structures and high basicity. Here, we report on the preparation of a novel graphitic microporous carbon nitride with a tetrazine based chemical structure and the composition of C3 N5.4 using ultra-stable Y zeolite as the template and aminoguanidine hydrochloride, a high nitrogen-containing molecule, as the CN precursor. Spectroscopic characterization and density functional theory calculations reveal that the prepared material exhibits a new molecular structure, which comprises two tetrazines and one triazine rings in the unit cell and is thermodynamically stable. The resultant carbon nitride shows an outstanding surface area of 130.4 m2 g-1 and demonstrates excellent CO2 adsorption per unit surface area of 47.54 µmol m-2 , which is due to the existence of abundant free NH2 groups, basic sites and microporosity. The material also exhibits highly selective sensing over water molecules (151.1 mmol g-1 ) and aliphatic hydrocarbons due to its unique microporous structure with a high amount of hydrophilic nitrogen moieties and recognizing ability towards small molecules.

Acetylcholine reduces palmitate-induced cardiomyocyte apoptosis by promoting lipid droplet lipolysis and perilipin 5-mediated lipid droplet-mitochondria interaction.

Lipid droplets (LDs), which are neutral lipid storage organelles, are important for lipid metabolism and energy homeostasis. LD lipolysis and interactions with mitochondria are tightly coupled to cellular metabolism and may be potential targets to buffer the effects of excessive toxic lipid species levels. Acetylcholine (ACh), the major neurotransmitter of the vagus nerve, exhibits cardioprotective effects. However, limited research has focused on its effects on LD lipolysis and the LD-mitochondria association in fatty acid (FA) overload models. Here, we reveal that palmitate (PA) induces an increase in expression of the FA transport protein cluster of differentiation 36 (CD36) and LD formation; remarkably reduces the expression of lipases involved in triacylglycerol (TAG) lipolysis, such as adipose triglyceride lipase (ATGL), hormone-sensitive lipase (HSL) and monoacylglycerol lipase (MGL); impairs LD-mitochondria interaction; and decreases perilipin 5 (PLIN5) expression, resulting in LD accumulation and mitochondrial dysfunction, which ultimately lead to cardiomyocyte apoptosis. ACh significantly upregulates PLIN5 expression and improved LD lipolysis and the LD-mitochondria association. Moreover, ACh reduces CD36 expression, LD deposition and mitochondrial dysfunction, ultimately suppressing apoptosis in PA-treated neonatal rat ventricular cardiomyocytes (NRVCs). Knockdown of PLIN5, which plays a role in LD-mitochondria contact site formation, abolishes the protective effects of ACh in PA-treated NRVCs. Thus, ACh protects cardiomyocytes from PA-induced apoptosis, at least partly, by promoting LD lipolysis and activating LD-mitochondria interactions via PLIN5. These findings may aid in developing novel therapeutic approaches that target LD lipolysis and PLIN5-mediated LD-mitochondria interactions to prevent or alleviate lipotoxic cardiomyopathy.

A single atom change turns insulating saturated wires into molecular conductors.

We present an efficient strategy to modulate tunnelling in molecular junctions by changing the tunnelling decay coefficient, ß, by terminal-atom substitution which avoids altering the molecular backbone. By varying X = H, F, Cl, Br, I in junctions with S(CH2)(10-18)X, current densities (J) increase >4 orders of magnitude, creating molecular conductors via reduction of ß from 0.75 to 0.25 Å-1. Impedance measurements show tripled dielectric constants (εr) with X = I, reduced HOMO-LUMO gaps and tunnelling-barrier heights, and 5-times reduced contact resistance. These effects alone cannot explain the large change in ß. Density-functional theory shows highly localized, X-dependent potential drops at the S(CH2)nX//electrode interface that modifies the tunnelling barrier shape. Commonly-used tunnelling models neglect localized potential drops and changes in εr. Here, we demonstrate experimentally that [Formula: see text], suggesting highly-polarizable terminal-atoms act as charge traps and highlighting the need for new charge transport models that account for dielectric effects in molecular tunnelling junctions.

Ferroelectric Self-Polarization Controlled Magnetic Stratification and Magnetic Coupling in Ultrathin La0.67Sr0.33MnO3 Films.

Multiferroic oxide heterostructures consisting of ferromagnetic and ferroelectric components hold the promise for nonvolatile magnetic control via ferroelectric polarization, advantageous for the low-dissipation spintronics. Modern understanding of the magnetoelectric coupling in these systems involves structural, orbital, and magnetic reconstructions at interfaces. Previous works have long proposed polarization-dependent interfacial magnetic structures; however, direct evidence is still missing, which requires advanced characterization tools with near-atomic-scale spatial resolutions. Here, extensive polarized neutron reflectometry (PNR) studies have determined the magnetic depth profiles of PbZr0.2Ti0.8O3/La0.67Sr0.33MnO3 (PZT/LSMO) bilayers with opposite self-polarizations. When the LSMO is 2-3 nm thick, the bilayers show two magnetic transitions on cooling. However, temperature-dependent magnetization is different below the lower-temperature transition for opposite polarizations. PNR finds that the LSMO splits into two magnetic sublayers, but the inter-sublayer magnetic couplings are of opposite signs for the two polarizations. Near-edge X-ray absorption spectroscopy further shows contrasts in both the Mn valences and the Mn-O bond anisotropy between the two polarizations. This work completes the puzzle for the magnetoelectric coupling model at the PZT/LSMO interface, showing a synergic interplay among multiple degrees of freedom toward emergent functionalities at complex oxide interfaces.

LncRNA CTD-2528L19.6 prevents the progression of IPF by alleviating fibroblast activation.

Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have emerged as critical factors for regulating multiple biological processes during organ fibrosis. However, the mechanism of lncRNAs in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) remains incompletely understood. In the present study, two sets of lncRNAs were defined: IPF pathogenic lncRNAs and IPF progression lncRNAs. IPF pathogenic and progression lncRNAs-mRNAs co-expression networks were constructed to identify essential lncRNAs. Network analysis revealed a key lncRNA CTD-2528L19.6, which was up-regulated in early-stage IPF compared to normal lung tissue, and subsequently down-regulated during advanced-stage IPF. CTD-2528L19.6 was indicated to regulate fibroblast activation in IPF progression by mediating the expression of fibrosis related genes LRRC8C, DDIT4, THBS1, S100A8 and TLR7 et al. Further studies showed that silencing of CTD-2528L19.6 increases the expression of Fn1 and Collagen I both at mRNA and protein levels, promoted the transition of fibroblasts into myofibroblasts and accelerated the migration and proliferation of MRC-5 cells. In contrast, CTD-2528L19.6 overexpression alleviated fibroblast activation in MRC-5 cells induced by TGF-ß1. LncRNA CTD-2528L19.6 inhibited fibroblast activation through regulating the expression of LRRC8C in vitro assays. Our results suggest that CTD-2528L19.6 may prevent the progression of IPF from early-stage and alleviate fibroblast activation during the advanced-stage of IPF. Thus, exploring the regulatory effect of lncRNA CTD-2528L19.6 may provide new sights for the prevention and treatment of IPF.