Stimulus-Induced Dynamic Behavior Regulation of Flexible Crystals through the Tuning of Module Rigidity.

Introducing dynamic behavior into periodic frameworks has borne fruit in the form of flexible porous crystals. The detailed molecular design of frameworks in order to control their collective dynamics is of particular interest, for example, to achieve stimulus-induced behavior. Herein, by varying the degree of rigidity of ditopic pillar linkers, two isostructural flexible metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) with common rigid supermolecular building bilayers were constructed. The subtle substitution of single (in bibenzyl-4,4'-dicarboxylic acid; H2BBDC) with double (in 4,4'-stilbenedicarboxylic acid; H2SDC) C-C bonds in pillared linkers led to markedly different flexible behavior of these two MOFs. Upon the removal of guest molecules, both frameworks clearly show reversible single-crystal-to-single-crystal transformations involving the cis-trans conformation change and a resulting swing of the corresponding pillar linkers, which gives rise to Flex-Cd-MOF-1a and Flex-Cd-MOF-2a, respectively. Strikingly, a more favorable gas-induced dynamic behavior in Flex-Cd-MOF-2a was verified in detail by stepwise C3H6/C3H8 sorption isotherms and the corresponding in situ powder X-ray diffraction experiments. These insights are strongly supported by molecular modeling studies on the sorption mechanism that explores the sorption landscape. Furthermore, a consistency between the macroscopic elasticity and microscopic flexibility of Flex-Cd-MOF-2 was observed. This work fuels a growing interest in developing MOFs with desired chemomechanical functions and presents detailed insights into the origins of flexible MOFs.

Broadband Emission Induced by Band-Edge Carrier Reconfiguration in 2D Hybrid Lead Halide Perovskites.

Broadband emission in hybrid lead halide perovskites (LHPs) has gained significant attention due to its potential applications in optoelectronic devices. The origin of this broadband emission is primarily attributed to the interactions between electrons and phonons. Most investigations have focused on the impact of structural characteristics of LHPs on broadband emission, while neglecting the role of electronic mobility. In this work, the study investigates the electronic origins of broadband emission in a family of 2D LHPs. Through spectroscopic experiments and density functional theory calculations, the study unveils that the electronic states of the organic ligands with conjugate effect in LHPs can extend to the band edges. These band-edge carriers are no longer localized only within the inorganic layers, leading to electronic coupling with molecular states in the barrier and giving rise to additional interactions with phonon modes, thereby resulting in broadband emission. The high-pressure photoluminescence measurements and theoretical calculations reveal that hydrostatic pressure can induce the reconfiguration of band-edge states of charge carriers, leading to different types of band alignment and achieving macroscopic control of carrier dynamics. The findings can provide valuable guidance for targeted synthesis of LHPs with broadband emission and corresponding design of state-of-the-art optoelectronic devices.

A linker selective retention strategy to construct hierarchical porous metal-organic frameworks with high catalytic activity for oxidative desulfurization.

In order to improve the oxidative desulfurization (ODS) performance of MOF materials, an effective way is to convert a microporous MOF into a hierarchical porous MOF (HP-MOF) by utilizing the linker selective retention strategy. Herein, UiO-66 with the introduction of an unstable linker ligand (dihydro-1,2,4,5-tetrazine-3,6-dicarboxylate, dhtz) can selectively remove dhtz ligands to form HP-MOF (HP-UiO-66-dhtz) through heat treatment at high temperature. While maintaining the original structure of UiO-66, HP-UiO-66-dhtz features mesopores and abundant Lewis acid sites, showing excellent ODS performance for diphenylthiophene (DBT).

Fluorescence Thermometers Involving Two Ranges of Temperature: Coordination Polymer and DMSP Embedding.

The measurement of temperature is indispensable in the fields of life, science, and industry. Fluorescence thermometers are attractive to researchers because of their advantages such as noncontact, high sensitivity, fast response, and excellent anti-interference. Here, a new coordination polymer (HNU-76) was synthesized by assembling Zn2+ with the H3TCA ligand, a fluorescent molecule with an AIE behavior, which can be used as a fluorescence thermometer. At 100-210 K, the fluorescence intensity ratio of HNU-76 versus temperature conforms to an Arrhenius-type decay relationship (R2 = 0.997), which can be the candidate for low-temperature sensing. In order to increase the sensing range, 4-[4-(dimethylamino)styryl] pyndine (DMSP) was successfully embedded on HNU-76, obtaining HNU-76⊃DMSP. The fluorescence intensity of HNU-76⊃DMSP conforms to an Arrhenius-type decay relationship (R2 = 0.997) at 270-360 K versus temperature. HNU-76 can be used for fluorescence detection at low temperatures, due to the DMSP loading, and HNU-76⊃DMSP can serve as the temperature thermometer in a range of temperatures common. Both materials show good cyclability and have the potential to be used in fluorescence thermometers.

Facile Tuned TSCT-TADF in Donor-Acceptor MOF for Highly Adjustable Photonic Modules based on Heterostructures Crystals.

Highly adjustable photonic modules were constructed based on the heterostructures crystals of a new series of donor-acceptor metal-organic framework (D-A MOF) featuring highly tunable thermally activated delayed fluorescence (TADF). By introducing N-phenylcarbazole and derivatives as donor guests into the acceptor host NKU-111, highly tunable through-space charge transfer based TADF could be achieved through the engineering of heavy atom effect, which result in modulatable emission wavelength (540 to 600 nm) and enhanced quantum yield (up to 30.86 %). Furthermore, by rationally integrating the D-A MOFs with distinctive emissions, rod-like heterostructures crystals featuring excitation position dependent tip emissions in wide wavelength range (495 to 598 nm) could be fabricated, which could serve as highly potential photonic modules for photonic circuit applications.

Highly Tunable MOF Luminophores Featuring Anthracene Directed Assembly and Fluorescence Regulation.

Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) have been recognized as a potential platform for the development of tunable luminophores owing to their highly modulable structures and components. Herein, two MOF luminophores based on Cd(II) ions, 1,3,5-tri(4-pyridinyl)benzene (TPB), and 1,4-dicarboxybenzene (H2BDC) were constructed. The directed assembly of the metal ions and organic linkers results in [Cd2(BDC)2(TPB)(H2O)]·x(solvent) (MOF-1) featuring TPB-based blue fluorescence centered at 425 nm. By introducing anthracene as the structure directing agent (SDA) for assembly regulation, [Cd2(BDC)(TPB)2(NO3)2]·x(solvent) (MOF-2) was obtained, which reveals anthracene feeding-dependent high tunable emission in the 517-650 nm range. Detailed components, photophysical properties, and structural characteristics investigations of MOF-2 indicate the TPB and NO3- interactions as the origin of its redshifted emission compared with that of MOF-1. Furthermore, the fluorescence of MOF-2 was found to be regulatable by the anthracene feeding based on the SDA-determined crystallinity of the crystalline sample. All these results provided a unique example of the structural and fluorescence regulation of MOF luminophores.

Tuning the Trade-Off between Ethane/Ethylene Selectivity and Adsorption Capacity within Isoreticular Microporous Metal-Organic Frameworks by Linker Fine-Fluorination.

The pore dimension and surface property directly dictate the transport of guests, endowing diverse gas selective adsorptions to porous materials. It is highly relevant to construct metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) with designable functional groups that can achieve feasible pore regulation to improve their separation performances. However, the role of functionalization in different positions or degrees within framework on the separation of light hydrocarbon has rarely been emphasized. In this context, four isoreticular MOFs (TKL-104-107) bearing dissimilar fluorination are rationally screened out and afforded intriguing differences in the adsorption behavior of C2 H6 and C2 H4 . Ortho-fluoridation of carboxyl allows TKL-105-107 to exhibit enhanced structural stabilities, impressive C2 H6 adsorption capacities (>125 cm3 g-1 ) and desirable inverse selectivities (C2 H6 over C2 H4 ). The more modified ortho-fluorine group and meta-fluorine group of carboxyl have improved the C2 H6 /C2 H4 selectivity and adsorption capacity, respectively, and the C2 H6 /C2 H4 separation potential can be well optimized via linker fine-fluorination. Meanwhile, dynamic breakthrough experiments proved that TKL-105-107 can be used as highly efficient C2 H6 -selective adsorbents for C2 H4 purification. This work highlights that the purposeful functionalization of pore surfaces facilitates the assembly of highly efficient MOF adsorbents for specific gas separation.

Role of phenolic acids with different functional groups in the regulation of starch digestion in simulated dietary intake patterns.

This study investigated the effects of phenolic acids with different functional groups (cinnamic acid: CIA, caffeic acid: CA, ferulic acid: FA) on corn starch (CS) digestibility by simulating dietary intake patterns (co-heating and non-co-heating) and their mechanism. Both treatments could reduce the digestibility of CS. Compared to the non-co-heating treatment, the resistant starch content of 10 % CA co-heating samples increased by 8.36 %. The co-heating case led to a decrease in the trough viscosity, peak viscosity, and final viscosity of CS. Phenolic acids reduced the short-range order of CS, which was due to the interaction through hydrogen bonding by co-heating. The contribution was most pronounced for CA which contained more hydroxyl groups on the benzene ring. Quartz Crystal microbalance tests further confirmed that different absorption of phenolic acids to CS was caused by their hydroxyl groups on the benzene ring. These results demonstrated that the functional groups of phenolic acids were a controllable factor in inhibiting starch digestion, and co-heating could be considered a promising method to control starch digestion and an advocating way to ingest phenolic supplements.

Ultrasound super-resolution imaging for differential diagnosis of breast masses.

Objective: Ultrasound imaging has been widely used in breast cancer screening. Recently, ultrasound super-resolution imaging (SRI) has shown the capability to break the diffraction limit to display microvasculature. However, the application of SRI on differential diagnosis of breast masses remains unknown. Therefore, this study aims to evaluate the feasibility and clinical value of SRI for visualizing microvasculature and differential diagnosis of breast masses. Methods: B mode, color-Doppler flow imaging (CDFI) and contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) images of 46 patients were collected respectively. SRI were generated by localizations of each possible contrast signals. Micro-vessel density (MVD) and microvascular flow rate (MFR) were calculated from SRI and time to peak (TTP), peak intensity (PI) and area under the curve (AUC) were obtained by quantitative analysis of CEUS images respectively. Pathological results were considered as the gold standard. Independent chi-square test and multivariate logistic regression analysis were performed using these parameters to examine the correlation. Results: The results showed that SRI technique could be successfully applied on breast masses and display microvasculature at a significantly higher resolution than the conventional CDFI and CEUS images. The results showed that the PI, AUC, MVD and MFR of malignant breast masses were significantly higher than those of benign breast masses, while TTP was significantly lower than that of benign breast masses. Among all five parameters, MVD showed the highest positive correlation with the malignancy of breast masses. Conclusions: SRI is able to successfully display the microvasculature of breast masses. Compared with CDFI and CEUS, SRI can provide additional morphological and functional information for breast masses. MVD has a great potential in assisting the differential diagnosis of breast masses as an important imaging marker.

Modulation of Hierarchical Pores in Metal-Organic Frameworks for Improved Dye Adsorption and Electrocatalytic Performance.

The hierarchical porous metal-organic framework (HP-MOF) has emerged as a hot topic in porous materials in consideration of their advantages in storage capacity and catalysis performance. Herein, we report the construction and property investigation of a series of HP-MOFs. A series of isoreticular microporous MOFs featuring the pacs topology network based on 2,4,6-tris(4-pyridyl)-1,3,5-triazine and different carboxylic acid ligands are found to be potential precursors to construct HP-MOFs. Through the decarboxylation of carboxylate ligands at high temperatures, a hierarchical porous structure could be obtained with the reservation of a crystalline framework. The formation of hierarchical pores is highly dependent on the structural and component nature (carboxylate ligands and metal centers) of the pristine MOF and the pyrolysis conditions (temperature and treatment time), indicating the highly tunable hierarchical pore characteristic of the HP-MOFs. By taking advantage of the increased pore volume and more exposed activation sites, the HP-MOFs reveal enhanced anionic dye adsorption capacity (800 mg·g-1 for Congo red and 140 mg·g-1 for methyl blue) and catalytic activity toward electrocatalytic oxygen reduction reaction (overpotential of 0.302 V at a current density of 10 mA·cm-2, 51 mV lower than that of the pristine MOF).

Artificial Intelligence in Medical Imaging of the Breast.

Artificial intelligence (AI) has invaded our daily lives, and in the last decade, there have been very promising applications of AI in the field of medicine, including medical imaging, in vitro diagnosis, intelligent rehabilitation, and prognosis. Breast cancer is one of the common malignant tumors in women and seriously threatens women's physical and mental health. Early screening for breast cancer via mammography, ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) can significantly improve the prognosis of patients. AI has shown excellent performance in image recognition tasks and has been widely studied in breast cancer screening. This paper introduces the background of AI and its application in breast medical imaging (mammography, ultrasound and MRI), such as in the identification, segmentation and classification of lesions; breast density assessment; and breast cancer risk assessment. In addition, we also discuss the challenges and future perspectives of the application of AI in medical imaging of the breast.

Two porous Ni-MOFs based on 2,4,6-tris(pyridin-4-yl)-1,3,5-triazine showing solvent determined structures and distinctive sorption properties toward CO2 and alkanes.

By regulating the solvent used for synthesis, two porous Ni-MOFs, namely {[Ni3(BTC)2(TPT)2/3(H2O)4.08(MeOH)0.92]·2DMF·0.5H2O·0.5MeOH}n (1) and {[Ni3(BTC)2(TPT)2(H2O)6]·6DMF}n (2) (H3BTC = 1,3,5-benzenetricarboxylic acid, TPT = 2,4,6-tris(pyridin-4-yl)-1,3,5-triazine, DMF = N,N-dimethylformamide, and MeOH = methanol) were obtained. Compound 1 reveals a rigid 3D framework, while compound 2 shows a flexible 3-fold interpenetrated framework. Compound 1 exhibits a selective adsorption of CO2 due to the sieving effect of the rigid framework containing two types of cages with small apertures. Noteworthily, the flexible compound 2 displays an obviously guest-induced structural transformation. The desolvated compound 2 reveals a much higher capacity toward CO2 and n-C4H10 than those of N2 CH4, C2H6 and C3H8.

A metal-organic framework-derived Zn1-xCdxS/CdS heterojunction for efficient visible light-driven photocatalytic hydrogen production.

ZCS-C (ZnCdS/CdS) QDs were synthesized via low-temperature vulcanization using zeolitic imidazolate framework-8 (ZIF-8) nanoparticles as a precursor, cation exchange, and heterojunction construction. Without any precious metal as a cocatalyst, the photocatalytic hydrogen production rate of ZCS-C-3 QDs reached 2.7 mmol g-1 h-1 under visible light irradiation. The optimized sample exhibited an outstanding chemical stability and recyclability, which is superior to most of the reported Zn1-xCdxS-based photocatalysts.

Defective Hierarchical Pore Engineering of a Zn-Ni MOF by Labile Coordination Bonding Modulation.

The construction and modulation of hierarchical pore structure in metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) has become a hot topic owing to the advantages of hierarchical pore MOFs (HP-MOFs) in matter storage and mass transfer related applications. Herein, we report the engineering of crystalline defect in a bimetallic MOF for the construction and tuning of HP-MOF. A microporous MOF system showing metal-center-dependent water stability, namely, {[M3F(bdc)3 tpt] (solvents)}n (M = Zn2+ and Ni2+, H2bdc = 1,4-benzenedicarboxylic acid, tpt = 2,4,6-tris(4-pyridyl)triazine), was utilized as a platform for the construction of HP-MOF. By tuning the Zn2+/Ni2+ ratio in the reactant, a bimetallic MOF with a highly tunable Zn2+/Ni2+ ratio could be obtained. The relatively labile Zn2+-based coordination bonding in the bimetallic MOF could be readily and targeted broken through water treatment for the engineering of crystalline defects-based hierarchical pore structure. The resultant HP-MOF reveals a dramatically increased pore volume with the presence of mesopore and macropore. In addition, the anionic framework of HP-MOF could be utilized for the selective adsorption of a cationic dye methylene blue, and a relatively high capacity (250 mg·g-1, five times compared with the pristine microporous MOF) could be achieved.

Self-Interpenetrated Water-Stable Microporous Metal-Organic Framework toward Storage and Purification of Light Hydrocarbons.

Storage and purification of light hydrocarbons are very meaningful for their high-purity requirements and safety utilization in the fields of industry and clean energy. It is a simple and effective way to achieve this goal utilizing the physical adsorption properties of stable porous metal-organic frameworks (MOFs). In this work, a stable self-interpenetrated three-dimensional MOF with a new 3,4-connected topology, {[Zn2(tpda)2(4,4'-bpy)]·4DMF}n (NKM-101; H2tpda = 4,4'-[4-(4H-1,2,4-triazol-4-yl)phenyl]dibenzoic acid, 4,4'-bpy = 4,4'-bipyridine, and DMF = N,N-dimethylformamide), has been successfully constructed based on a triazole-carboxyl ligand. The dense functional active sites existing on the inner walls of one-dimensional channels of NKM-101 are beneficial to enhancement of the binding affinities between the framework and specific molecules (CO2, C2-C4). Therefore, the selective adsorption and separation performance of the material on CO2/CH4 and C2-C4/CH4 are effectively improved. In addition, NKM-101 also exhibits excellent water stability, making it possible to be a practical material for the storage and purification of light hydrocarbons.

Coiled-Coil N21 of Hpa1 in Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae Promotes Plant Growth, Disease Resistance and Drought Tolerance in Non-Hosts via Eliciting HR and Regulation of Multiple Defense Response Genes.

Acting as a typical harpin protein, Hpa1 of Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae is one of the pathogenic factors in hosts and can elicit hypersensitive responses (HR) in non-hosts. To further explain the underlying mechanisms of its induced resistance, we studied the function of the most stable and shortest three heptads in the N-terminal coiled-coil domain of Hpa1, named N21Hpa1. Proteins isolated from N21-transgenic tobacco elicited HR in Xanthi tobacco, which was consistent with the results using N21 and full-length Hpa1 proteins expressed in Escherichia coli. N21-expressing tobacco plants showed enhanced resistance to tobacco mosaic virus (TMV) and Pectobacterium carotovora subsp. carotovora (Pcc). Spraying of a synthesized N21 peptide solution delayed the disease symptoms caused by Botrytis cinerea and Monilinia fructicola and promoted the growth and drought tolerance of plants. Further analysis indicated that N21 upregulated the expression of multiple plant defense-related genes, such as genes mediated by salicylic acid (SA), jasmonic acid (JA) and ethylene (ET) signaling, and genes related to reactive oxygen species (ROS) biosynthesis. Further, the bioavailability of N21 peptide was better than that of full-length Hpa1Xoo. Our studies support the broad application prospects of N21 peptide as a promising succedaneum to biopesticide Messenger or Illite or other biological pharmaceutical products, and provide a basis for further development of biopesticides using proteins with similar structures.

Development of a nanoparticle delivery system based on zein/polysaccharide complexes.

Zein, an alcohol-soluble protein in corn, can self-assemble into spherical nanoparticles, which makes it an ideal carrier material for the encapsulation of hydrophobic bioactive molecules. However, zein nanoparticles easily aggregate in water and are sensitive to enzymatic degradation in the digestive system. A strategy to overcome their limitations is the incorporation of polysaccharides as a second polymer layer that provides stability to zein nanoparticles. This review introduces the characteristics of zein as they relate to understanding the formation of zein/polysaccharide nanoparticles. Particular attention is paid to the preparation methods for the zein/polysaccharide nanoparticles, as well as to the morphological observation methods and detection mechanism. Moreover, the properties and applications of zein/polysaccharide nanoparticles are highlighted.

Metal-Organic-Framework-Based Photocatalysts Optimized by Spatially Separated Cocatalysts for Overall Water Splitting.

Efficient charge separation and utilization are critical factors in photocatalysis. Herein, it is demonstrated that the complete spatial separation of oxidation and reduction cocatalysts enhances the efficacy of charge separation and surface reaction. Specifically, a Pt@NH2 -UiO-66@MnOx (PUM) heterostructured photocatalyst with Pt and MnOx as cocatalysts is designed for the optimization of the NH2 -UiO-66 photocatalyst. Compared with the pristine NH2 -UiO-66, Pt@NH2 -UiO-66 (PU), and NH2 -UiO-66@MnOx (UM) samples, the PUM sample exhibits the highest hydrogen production activity. As cocatalysts, Pt favors trapping of electrons, while MnOx tends to collect holes. Upon generation from NH2 -UiO-66, electrons and holes flow inward and outward of the metal-organic framework photocatalyst, accumulating on the corresponding cocatalysts, and then take part in the redox reactions. The PUM photocatalyst greatly prolongs the lifetime of the photogenerated electrons and holes, which favors the electron-hole separation. Furthermore, the PUM sample facilitates overall water splitting in the absence of sacrificial agents, thereby demonstrating its potential as a modification method of MOF-type semiconductors for the overall water-splitting reaction.

Crystal engineering of a rectangular sql coordination network to enable xylenes selectivity over ethylbenzene.

Separation of the C8 aromatic isomers, p-xylene (PX), m-xylene (MX), o-xylene (OX) and ethylbenzene (EB), is relevant thanks to their widespread application as chemical feedstocks but challenging because of their similar boiling points and close molecular dimensions. Physisorptive separation could offer an energy-efficient solution to this challenge but sorbents which exhibit strong selectivity for one of the isomers remain a largely unmet challenge despite recent reports of OX or PX selective sorbents with high uptake capacity. For example, the square lattice, sql, topology coordination network [Co(bipy)2(NCS)2] n (sql-1-Co-NCS) exhibits the rare combination of high OX selectivity and high uptake capacity. Herein we report that a crystal engineering approach enabled isolation of the mixed-linker sql coordination network [Co(bipy)(bptz)(NCS)2] n (sql-1,3-Co-NCS, bipy = 4,4'-bipyridine, bptz = 4,4'-bis(4-pyridyl)tetrazine) and study of its C8 vapour and liquid sorption properties. sql-1,3-Co-NCS was found to exhibit high adsorption capacity from liquid xylenes (∼37 wt%) and is to our knowledge the first sorbent to exhibit high selectivity for each of xylene isomer over EB (S OX/EB, S MX/EB, S PX/EB > 5). Insights into the performance of sql-1,3-Co-NCS are gained from structural studies which reveal stacking interactions between electron-deficient bptz linkers and the respective xylenes. sql-1,3-Co-NCS is the first N-donor mixed-linker sql coordination network studied for its gas/vapour sorption properties and represents a large and diverse class of understudied coordination networks.

Analysis of kinetic parameters and mechanisms of nanocrystalline cellulose inhibition of α-amylase and α-glucosidase in simulated digestion of starch.

This study evaluated the in vitro inhibitory influence of particle size of nanocrystalline cellulose (NCC) fractions against α-amylase and α-glucosidase using cooked potato starch-protein food model system. The kinetics of the resulting inhibitions in the presence of NCC of the two tested enzymes were examined and characterised. Both the size and dose of NCC significantly (p < 0.05) inhibited α-amylase and α-glucosidase by modulating the rate of hydrolysis of starch in the food model system lower than that of the control (no added fibre). At equal concentrations of each NCC fraction, the smallest particle size (≤125 nm) exhibited the highest potency as an inhibitor (median inhibitory concentration (IC50) = 2.98 mg mL-1 and 4.57 mg mL-1 for α-amylase and α-glucosidase, respectively). Increasing concentrations of each NCC fraction caused an apparent significant decrease in Vmax values (p < 0.05) with insignificant change in the Km values for both the tested enzymes. Furthermore, binding assays demonstrated that NCC particles may bind to the two tested enzymes in a non-specific manner. Analysis of the kinetics of the enzymes suggested that the mechanism of inhibition showed that the two tested enzymes mainly exhibited non-competitive mode of inhibition. The observed inhibition of the two tested enzymes suggests that reducing the cellulose size ≤125 nm may enhance its inhibition potency and potentially attenuate starch hydrolysis when added to diet.