High Stability Research Articles

Highly sensitive and selective fluorescent "turn-on" sensor for Ag+ detection using MAPbBr3@PCN-221(Fe): An efficient Ag+-bridged energy transfer from perovskite to MOF.

Metal ion-induced water pollution is attracting increasing public attention. Perovskite quantum dots and metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), owing to their outstanding properties, hold promise as ideal probes for detecting metal ions. In this study, a composite material, MAPbBr3@PCN-221(Fe), was prepared by encapsulating MAPbBr3 quantum dots with PCN-221(Fe), demonstrating high chemical stability and good reusability. The composite material shows a sensitive fluorescence turn-on signal in the presence of silver ions. The fluorescence intensity of the composite material exhibits a linear relationship with the concentration of Ag+ in the solution, with a low detection limit of 8.68 µM. Moreover, the fluorescence signal exhibits a strong selectivity for Ag+, enabling the detection of Ag+ concentration. This fluorescence turn-on signal originates from the Ag+-bridged energy transfer from the conductive band of MAPbBr3 to the excited state of the MOF, which is directly proportional to the concentration of silver ions. Simultaneously, this finding may open up a new possibility in artificial controlled energy transfer from perovskite to MOF for future development.

PROSCA: an online platform for humanized scaffold mining facilitating rational protein engineering.

Protein scaffolds with small size, high stability and low immunogenicity show important applications in the field of protein engineering and design. However, no relevant computational platform has been reported yet to mining such scaffolds with the desired properties from massive protein structures in human body. Here, we developed PROSCA, a structure-based online platform dedicated to explore the space of the entire human proteome, and to discovery new privileged protein scaffolds with potential engineering value that have never been noticed. PROSCA accepts structure of protein as an input, which can be subsequently aligned with a certain class of protein structures (e.g. the human proteome either from experientially resolved or AlphaFold2 predicted structures, and the human proteins belonging to specific families or domains), and outputs humanized protein scaffolds which are structurally similar with the input protein as well as other related important information such as families, sequences, structures and expression level in human tissues. Through PROSCA, the user can also get excellent experience in visualizations of protein structures and expression overviews, and download the figures and tables of results which can be customized according to the user's needs. Along with the advanced protein engineering and selection technologies, PROSCA will facilitate the rational design of new functional proteins with privileged scaffolds. PROSCA is freely available at https://idrblab.org/prosca/.

Polyacrylonitrile as an Efficient Transfer Medium for Wafer-scale Transfer of Graphene.

The disparity between growth substrates and application-specific substrates can be mediated by reliable graphene transfer, the lack of which currently strongly hinders the graphene applications. Conventionally, the removal of soft polymers, that support the graphene during the transfer, would contaminate graphene surface, produce cracks, and leave unprotected graphene surface sensitive to airborne contaminations. In this work, we found that polyacrylonitrile (PAN) can function as polymer medium for transferring wafer-size graphene, and encapsulating layer to deliver high-performance graphene devices. Therefore, PAN, that is compatible with device fabrication, does not need to be removed for subsequent applications. We achieved the crack-free transfer of 4-inch graphene onto SiO2/Si wafers, and the wafer-scale fabrication of graphene-based field-effect transistor (FET) arrays with no observed clear doping, uniformly high carrier mobility (∼11,000 cm2 V-1 s-1) and long-term stability at room temperature. Our work presents new concept for designing the transfer process of two-dimensional (2D) materials, in which multifunctional polymer can be retained, and offers a reliable method for fabricating wafer-scale devices of 2D materials with outstanding performance. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Synthesis of High‐Sodium‐Content Oxythiosilicate Glass Electrolytes Via Sodium Polysulfide

AbstractSulfide glass electrolytes with high ionic conductivities and formabilities are key materials for practical use in all‐solid‐state sodium secondary batteries. Both sealing and quenching are considered to be necessary for producing high‐alkali‐content sulfide glass electrolytes. In this study, the glass‐forming ability of sodium thiosilicate glasses is enhanced by adding a small quantity of SiO2. Consequently, high‐sodium‐content oxythiosilicate glass is synthesized without sealing and quenching processes under Ar atmosphere. The prepared Na4SiS4·0.200SiO2 (molar ratio) glass exhibits ionic conductivity of 4.0 × 10−5 S cm−1 at 25 °C, surpassing that of Na4SiS4 glass. The Na4SiS4·0.200SiO2 glass shows high reduction stability to sodium metal. The all‐solid‐state Na metal/Na4SiS4·0.200SiO2 glass/Na2.88Sb0.88W0.12S4/TiS2 cell shows a reversible capacity of 140 mAh g−1 for 5 cycles. The amount of H2S gas generated in Na4SiS4·0.0830SiO2 and Na4SiS4·0.200SiO2 glasses is one‐tenth that of the Na4SiS4 glass, suggesting increased chemical stability to humidity by incorporating oxygen in the structure. High‐sodium‐content oxythiosilicate glass with high ionic conductivity, high chemical stability against humidity, and high reduction stability is successfully prepared under ambient pressure without sealing and quenching processes.

Assessment of Physicochemical Properties of Orange Juice Concentrate Formulated with Pectin, Xanthan, and CMC Hydrocolloids

Orange concentrate (OC) is one of the main raw materials in the nonalcoholic beverage industry. Considering the difference in orange varieties, preserving its natural quality is essential to yield a product with favorable attributes and physical stability. Thus, the present study is aimed at assessing the effect of pectin, xanthan, and carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) in a concentration range of 0–0.2% (w/v) along with mixing temperature on Brix, pH, acidity, density, turbidity, and viscosity of OC and at calculating the model equation for each attribute. The results showed that, except for CMC, the influence of concentration, type, and amount of hydrocolloid on pH changes was insignificant. Adding each hydrocolloid individually, in pairs, or threes reduced the density, and the measured density was lower at a mixing temperature of 4°C. Also, it was observed that mixing temperature was the only factor influencing turbidity, and the values were significantly lower at 80°C compared to 4°C. A significant interaction effect of xanthan concentration and mixing temperature on the Brix was observed. Adding hydrocolloids, except pectin, resulted in a significant (p<0.05) increase in viscosity, and xanthan had the greatest effect on the viscosity. A suitable model was designed using pectin and xanthan, pectin and CMC, and all three gums, resulting in a final OC product with high stability and improved physical and chemical attributes. The optimized values for Brix, pH, acidity, density, turbidity, and OC viscosity were achieved using 0.08% pectin, 0.19% xanthan, and 0.08% CMC at 80°C mixing temperature.

Thermosensitive and mucoadhesive gels containing solid lipid nanoparticles loaded with fluconazole and niosomes loaded with clindamycin for the treatment of periodontal diseases: a laboratory experiment

BackgroundPeriodontal diseases may benefit more from topical treatments with nanoparticles rather than systemic treatments due to advantages such as higher stability and controlled release profile. This study investigated the preparation and characterization of thermosensitive gel formulations containing clindamycin-loaded niosomes and solid lipid nanoparticles (SLNs) loaded with fluconazole (FLZ), as well as their in vitro antibacterial and antifungal effects in the treatment of common microorganisms that cause periodontal diseases.MethodsThis study loaded niosomes and SLNs with clindamycin and FLZ, respectively, and assessed their loading efficiency, particle size, and zeta potential. The particles were characterized using a variety of methods such as differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), dynamic light scattering (DLS), and Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM). Thermosensitive gels were formulated by combining these particles and their viscosity, gelation temperature, in-vitro release profile, as well as antibacterial and antifungal effects were evaluated.ResultsBoth types of these nanoparticles were found to be spherical (TEM) with a mean particle size of 243.03 nm in niosomes and 171.97 nm in SLNs (DLS), and respective zeta potentials of -23.3 and -15. The loading rate was 98% in niosomes and 51% in SLNs. The release profiles of niosomal formulations were slower than those of the SLNs. Both formulations allowed the release of the drug by first-order kinetic. Additionally, the gel formulation presented a slower release of both drugs compared to niosomes and SLNs suspensions.ConclusionThermosensitive gels containing clindamycin-loaded niosomes and/or FLZ-SLNs were found to effectively fight the periodontitis-causing bacteria and fungi.

Stable Organic Solar Cells Enabled by Simultaneous Hole and Electron Interlayer Engineering

The development of high‐performance organic solar cells (OSCs) with high operational stability is essential to accelerate their commercialization. Unfortunately, our understanding of the origin of instabilities in state‐of‐the‐art OSCs based on bulk heterojunction (BHJ) featuring non‐fullerene acceptors (NFAs) remains limited. Herein, we developed NFA‐based OSCs using different charge extraction interlayer materials and studied their storage, thermal, and operational stabilities. Despite the high power conversion efficiency (PCE) of the OSCs (17.54%), we found that cells featuring self‐assembled monolayers (SAMs) as hole‐extraction interlayers exhibited poor stability. The time required for these OSCs to reach 80% of their initial performance (T80) was only 6 h under continuous thermal stress at 85 °C in a nitrogen atmosphere and 1 h under maximum power point tracking (MPPT) in a vacuum. Inserting MoOx between ITO and SAM enhanced the T80 to 50 and ~15 h after the thermal and operational stability tests, respectively, while maintaining a PCE of 16.9%. Replacing the organic PDINN electron transport layer with ZnO NPs further enhances the cells' thermal and operational stability, boosting the T80 to 1000 and 170 h, respectively. Our work reveals the synergistic roles of charge‐selective interlayers and device architecture in developing efficient and stable OSCs.

Unconventional magnetism mediated by spin-phonon-photon coupling

Magnetic order typically emerges due to the short-range exchange interaction between the constituent electronic spins. Recent discoveries have found a crucial role for spin-phonon coupling in various phenomena from optical ultrafast magnetization switching to dynamical control of the magnetic state. Here, we demonstrate theoretically the emergence of a biquadratic long-range interaction between spins mediated by their coupling to phonons hybridized with vacuum photons into polaritons. The resulting ordered state enabled by the exchange of virtual polaritons between spins is reminiscent of superconductivity mediated by the exchange of virtual phonons. The biquadratic nature of the spin-spin interaction promotes ordering without favoring ferro- or antiferromagnetism. It further makes the phase transition to magnetic order a first-order transition, unlike in conventional magnets. Consequently, a large magnetization develops abruptly on lowering the temperature which could enable magnetic memories admitting ultralow-power thermally-assisted writing while maintaining a high data stability. The role of photons in the phenomenon further enables an in-situ static control over the magnetism. These unique features make our predicted spin-spin interaction and magnetism highly unconventional paving the way for novel scientific and technological opportunities.

Highly Conjugated Nanozyme with Non Coordination Saturation for Cascaded Enhanced POD Reaction Driving Antibacterial Therapy

AbstractThe misuse of antibiotics leads to emergence of drug‐resistant bacteria. Developing artificial nanozymes with high stability and excellent catalytic performance is desirable to substitute for antibiotics, but still remains huge challenge. Herein, the study reports a new strategy for cascaded enhanced peroxidase (POD) reaction driving antibacterial therapy via constructing 2D conjugated metal‐organic frameworks (MOFs) with non coordination saturation as nanozyme. It is demonstrated that the non coordination saturation Cu atom promotes the adsorption of H2O2, followed by the Cu‐HHTP MOFs with high conjugated structure can enhance the photogenerated electron transfer for ·OH generation in POD reaction. The sequential enhancement of substrate adsorption and decomposition endows the as‐made Cu‐HHTP MOFs with outstanding antibacterial property of >99.9999% elimination with a concentration only 1/133 that of traditional nanozyme. In addition, the study also certifies its excellent in vivo antimicrobial activity and biocompatibility, indicating the therapeutic potential for infections by drug‐resistant bacteria.

Lipazy roślinne – struktura molekularna, rola w ontogenezie oraz potencjał biotechnologiczny

Lipases are enzymes commonly found in microorganisms, fungi, plants and animals. Their main function in cell metabolism is the hydrolysis (lipolysis) of ester bonds between fatty acids and glycerol in mono-, di- and triacylglycerols. In plants, lipases play an important role in ontogeny, participating in both vegetative development and generative stages. These enzymes may also be a component of plant responses to biotic and abiotic stresses. Based on the similarity of the amino acid sequence and vacuolar localization of some plant lipases to yeast Atg15, we present a hypothesis about the participation of lipases in autophagy (precisely, in the degradation of the autophagic body) in plants. Despite the narrow substrate specificity and the type of reactions catalysed in cells, lipases find numerous biotechnological applications. The physicochemical features of lipases, which determine, for example, wide substrate specificity in vitro or high stability in a wide range of pH and temperature, make these enzymes the subject of applied research, and plant lipases show an increasing potential in this area of science and industry.

Metal Halide Perovskite Single Crystals toward Electroluminescent Applications

AbstractMetal halide perovskite single crystals (MHP SCs) have attracted extensive attention due to their superior properties, such as higher carrier mobility, longer carrier diffusion length, and better stability than their polycrystalline counterparts. In particular, the suppression of ion migration and Auger recombination endows MHP SCs with excellent electroluminescence (EL) properties, thus holding great potential for highly efficient and stable light‐emitting devices. In this review, general overview of MHP crystal structures are begin, and highlight the merits of MHP SCs in terms of outstanding optoelectronic properties and high stability. Then, appropriate growth methods of high‐quality, thickness‐controlled MHP SCs for EL device applications are systematically summarized. Subsequently, recent advancements in developing MHP SC‐based perovskite light‐emitting diodes (PeLEDs) are discussed, and the effective strategies to further enhance the device performance are reviewed. Moreover, the potential application of MHP SCs for electrically pumped lasers is highlighted. Finally, the review is concluded with a detailed account of the current challenges and a perspective on the key approaches and opportunities on the optimization of SC growth, the improvement of device performance and the integration of SC‐based optoelectronic devices.

Molecularly imprinted polymers using high-performance liquid chromatography to detect and determine ethion pesticide in apricot, grapes, strawberry and soil samples

ABSTRACT This paper demonstrates the synthesis of molecularly imprinted polymers-solid phase extraction-liquid chromatography method at room temperature using bulk polymerisation of ethion pesticide, by high sensitivity, low costs and high stability. By making MIP for ethion as ethion-MIP, which could be detected with a UV-Vis spectrophotometer at 276 nm, a functional monomer of acrylic acid with cross-linking ethylene glycol dimethyl acrylate. The high-performance liquid chromatography methods developed in this study are accurate, sensitive, and precise to apricot, grapes, strawberry and soil samples. The elution process to the template ethion from the ethion-MIP, caused by minimum volume using solution of 1.0 mL of methanol-acetic acid (9:1) was obtained. Different factors affecting the reaction were studied and optimised. The calibration plot is linear in the concentration range of (0.02 to 1.0 µg mL−1). The relative standard deviations of (±2.0%) and detection limit of the method are 0.02 µg mL−1, and the maximum imprinting factor of ethion-MIP was 6.8 mgg−1. The results obtained the evidence of efficiency and reliability of the method for the ethion pesticide analysis and estimation for the capacitance of molecular imprinted polymer, analytical technical method by molecularly imprinted polymer and high-performance liquid chromatography.

Hyaluronic acid-coated liposomes for enhanced in vivo efficacy of neogambogic acid via active tumor cell targeting and prolonged systemic exposure

Neogambogic acid (NGA), which possesses a variety of anticancer activities, is visualized as an anticancer bioactive ingredient. However, the huge vascular stimulation, poor aqueous solubility, and short half-life restricted its clinical use. In this work, an effective nanocarrier was explored to reduce toxicity and enhance the tumor-targeted delivery. Two liposomal formulations, neogambogic acid liposomes (NGA-L), and hyaluronic acid-coated neogambogic acid liposomes (HA-NGA-L) were prepared and characterized with high encapsulation efficiency, slow pattern of drug release, narrow size distribution and higher stability. The cytotoxicity and cellular uptake of HA-NGA-L were higher than those of NGA-L in MDA-MB-231 cells (high CD44 expression), while no obvious differences in MCF-7 cells with (low CD44 expression), suggesting the CD44-mediated cellular internalization of hyaluronic acid-modified liposomes enhanced the cytotoxicity. Mechanistically, elevation of Bax and caspase-3 as well as downregulation of Bcl-2 led to cell apoptosis. Besides, the vascular stimulation and the hemolysis test indicated good safety of HA-NGA-L. In addition, HA-NGA-L was the effective nanocarrier to repress tumor proliferation in MDA-MB-231 tumor xenograft mouse through CD44 mediated active targeting without any obvious histopathological abnormities on major organs. Immunohistochemistry analysis revealed the enhanced elevation of Bax and caspase-3, and reduced expression of Bcl-2 contribute to apoptosis in tumors. Meanwhile, HA-NGA-L increased the AUC and t1/2 by 5.34-fold and 3.94-fold, respectively. In summary, the present study shows that HA-NGA-L may be safe and effective for the tumor-targeted delivery of neogambogic acid.

A laser-Engraved Wearable Electrochemical Sensing Patch for Heat Stress Precise Individual Management of Horse.

In point-of-care diagnostics, the continuous monitoring of sweat constituents provides a window into individual's physiological state. For species like horses, with abundant sweat glands, sweat composition can serve as an early health indicator. Considering the salience of such metrics in the domain of high-value animal breeding, a sophisticated wearable sensor patch tailored is introduced for the dynamic assessment of equine sweat, offering insights into pH, potassium ion (K+), and temperature profiles during episodes of heat stress and under normal physiological conditions. The device integrates a laser-engraved graphene (LEG)sensing electrode array, a non-invasive iontophoretic module for stimulated sweat secretion, an adaptable signal processing unit, and an embedded wireless communication framework. Profiting from an admirable Truth Table capable of logical evaluation, the integrated system enabled the early and timely assessment for heat stress, with high accuracy, stability, and reproducibility. The sensor patch has been calibrated to align with the unique dermal and physiological contours of equine anatomy, thereby augmenting its applicability in practical settings. This real-time analysis tool for equine perspiration stands to revolutionize personalized health management approaches for high-value animals, marking a significant stride in the integration of smart technologies within the agricultural sector.

Synergistic Effect of PBz/Epoxy/PCLA Composite Films with Improved Thermal Properties

Polybenzoxazines (PBzs) are advanced forms of phenolic resins that possess many attractive properties, including thermally induced self-curing polymerization, which produces void-free polymer products without any by-product formation. They also possess a high Tg (glass transition temperature) and thermal stability, but the produced materials are brittle in nature, due to which the final form of their application is very difficult. Hence, in this paper, an attempt has been made to overcome the brittleness of PBz by blending it with epoxy and ε-caprolactam (CPLA) to produce free-standing PBz/Epoxy/PCLA (polycaprolactam) films. The curing process between the three components (i.e., Bzo, epoxy, and caprolactam) was monitored using differential scanning calorimetric (DSC) analysis. The results show that there is no appreciable shift in curing the exotherm observed, except a slight shift in the curing process. However, the heat liberated during the exotherm (ΔH) decreases drastically from 121 to 84 J/g, indicating that the content of benzoxazine is very important as it is involved in the polymerization process through oxazine ring-opening. The morphological studies analyzed using SEM and AFM analyses indicate that there was no observable phase separation up to 30 wt.% of CPLA loading, whereas a higher CPLA content of 50 wt.% causes agglomeration and leads to distinctive phase separation. Moreover, the thermal stability of the composite film, PBz/Epoxy/PCLA30, is also increased with a 10% degradation temperature, T10, of 438 °C, when compared with an PBz/Epoxy film. From the obtained results, it is evident that the formation of a composite film through the melt blending process could produce a tough and thermally stable film without sacrificing individual properties.

Electropolymerization of a Carbonyl-Modified Dihydropyrazine Derivative for Aqueous Zinc Batteries with Ultrahigh Cycling Stability.

The design of aqueous zinc-ion batteries (ZIBs) that have high specific capacity and long-term stability is essential for future large-scale energy storage systems. Cathode materials with extended π-conjugation and abundant active sites are desirable to enhance the charge storage performance and the cycling stability of the aqueous ZIB. Based on this concept, 6,9-dihydropyrazino[2,3-g]quinoxaline-2,3,7,8(1H,4H)-tetrone was chosen as the monomer to be electropolymerized onto carbon cloth (PDHPQ-Tetrone/CC). When used as the cathode material for aqueous ZIBs, an exceptional cycling life (>20,000 cycles) at a current density of 10 A g-1 was achieved, with the specific capacity maintained at 82.8% and with the Coulombic efficiency at around 100% throughout cycling. At the charge-discharge current density of 0.1 A g-1, the ZIB with PDHPQ-Tetrone/CC achieved a high specific capacity of 248 mAh g-1. Kinetic analyses showed that both surface-capacitive-controlled processes and semi-infinite diffusion-controlled processes contribute to the stored charge. The charge storage mechanism was investigated with ex situ characterizations and involves the redox processes of carbonyl/hydroxyl and amino/imino groups coupled with insertion and extraction of both Zn2+ and H+.

Dually functional NiSi intermetallic compounds for the efficient hydrogenation and oxidation of cinnamaldehyde

Intermetallic compounds (IMCs) are promising catalysts for upgrading biomass-derived platform chemicals. Herein, bifunctional NiSi IMCs catalysts were developed for the hydrogenation and oxidation of cinnamaldehyde (CAL). A solvent-free arc-melting method was employed for the synthesis of NiSi IMCs within 5 min. The NiSi IMCs catalysts afforded 99 % conversion of CAL and presented ∼ 71 % yield of 2-phenyl propanol and ∼ 34 % yield of benzaldehyde for the hydrogenation and base-free oxidation of CAL, respectively. Moreover, NiSi IMCs could be used for five runs without deactivation. Characterizations and theoretical calculation results indicated the formation of intermetallic structure and the existence of Si vacancy sites, which could not only facilitate the efficient hydrogenation of CAL but also expose NiOx species as catalytic centers for the oxidation of CAL, leading to the high performance and stability in both hydrogenation and oxidation process.

Atomically dispersed hexavalent iridium oxide from MnO2 reduction for oxygen evolution catalysis.

Hexavalent iridium (IrVI) oxide is predicted to be more active and stable than any other iridium oxide for the oxygen evolution reaction in acid; however, its experimental realization remains challenging. In this work, we report the synthesis, characterization, and application of atomically dispersed IrVI oxide (IrVI-ado) for proton exchange membrane (PEM) water electrolysis. The IrVI-ado was synthesized by oxidatively substituting the ligands of potassium hexachloroiridate(IV) (K2IrCl6) with manganese oxide (MnO2). The mass-specific activity (1.7 × 105 amperes per gram of iridium) and turnover number (1.5 × 108) exceeded those of benchmark iridium oxides, and in situ x-ray analysis during PEM operations manifested the durability of IrVI at current densities up to 2.3 amperes per square centimeter. The high activity and stability of IrVI-ado showcase its promise as an anode material for PEM electrolysis.

Catalysts with Trimetallic Sites on Graphene-like C2N for Electrocatalytic Nitrogen Reduction Reaction: A Theoretical Investigation.

Electrocatalytic nitrogen reduction reaction (NRR) is a green and highly efficient way to replace the industrial Haber-Bosch process. Herein, clusters consisting of three transition metal atoms loaded on C2N as NRR electrocatalysts are investigated using density functional theory (DFT). Meanwhile, Ca was introduced as a promoter and the role of Ca in NRR was investigated. It was found that Ca anchored to the catalyst can act as an electron donor and effectively promote the activation of N2 on M3. In both M3@C2N and M3Ca@C2N (M = Fe, Co, Ni), the limiting potential (UL) is less negative than that of the Ru(0001) surface and has the ability to suppress the competitive hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). Among them, Fe3@C2N is suggested to be the most promising candidate for NRR with high thermal stability, strong N2 adsorption ability, low limiting potential, and good NRR selectivity. The concepts of trimetallic sites and alkaline earth metal promoters in this work provide theoretical guidance for the rational design of atomically active sites in electrocatalytic NRR.

Efficacy, safety and tolerability of rozanolixizumab in patients with chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy: a randomised, subject-blind, investigator-blind, placebo-controlled, phase 2a trial and open-label extension study

BackgroundChronic inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy (CIDP) is a peripheral nerve disorder characterised by weakness and sensory loss. We assessed the neonatal Fc receptor inhibitor rozanolixizumab for CIDP management.MethodsCIDP01 (NCT03861481) was a...