RILP Induces Cholesterol Accumulation in Lysosomes by Inhibiting Endoplasmic Reticulum-Endolysosome Interactions.

Endoplasmic reticulum (ER)-endolysosome interactions regulate cholesterol exchange between the ER and the endolysosome. ER-endolysosome membrane contact sites mediate the ER-endolysosome interaction. VAP-ORP1L (vesicle-associated membrane protein-associated protein- OSBP-related protein 1L) interaction forms the major contact site between the ER and the lysosome, which is regulated by Rab7. RILP (Rab7-interacting lysosomal protein) is the downstream effector of Rab7, but its role in the organelle interaction between the ER and the lysosome is not clear. In this study, we found RILP interacts with ORP1L to competitively inhibit the formation of the VAP-ORP1L contact site. Immunofluorescence microscopy revealed that RILP induces late endosome/lysosome clustering, which reduces the contact of endolysosomes with the ER, interfering with the ER-endolysosome interaction. Further examination demonstrated that over-expression of RILP results in the accumulation of cholesterol in the clustered endolysosomes, which triggers cellular autophagy depending on RILP. Our results suggest that RILP interferes with the ER-endolysosome interaction to inhibit cholesterol flow from the endolysosome to the ER, which feedbacks to trigger autophagy.

Causal relationship between gut microbiota, plasma metabolites, inflammatory cytokines and abdominal aortic aneurysm: a Mendelian randomization study.

BACKGROUND: Complex interconnections are evident among gut microbiota, circulating metabolites, inflammatory cytokines, and the pathogenesis of abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA), with the causal dynamics yet to be comprehensively elucidated. The primary objective of this study was to elucidate the potential causal relationships involving gut microbiota-mediated plasma metabolites, inflammatory cytokines, and AAA. METHODS: We utilized data from genome-wide association studies predominantly comprising individuals of European ancestry, encompassing four major gut microbiota signatures, 233 plasma metabolite signatures (N = 136,016), 91 inflammatory cytokine signatures (N = 14,824), and AAA signatures (N = 1,458,875). Mendelian randomization (MR), employed in a two-sample format, was utilized as a tool to investigate the potential causal pathways from gut microbiota to the development of AAA. Additionally, a two-step MR approach was employed to dissect the impact of plasma metabolites and inflammatory cytokines on the relationship between gut microbiota and AAA and to ascertain the mediated fractions. RESULTS: Our findings indicate that five phylum or family-identical bacteria, 175 plasma metabolites, and seven inflammatory factors are causally associated with AAA. Among them, five bacterial species from the same phylum or family, identified from different GWAS data, were strongly associated with AAA. Of these, two exhibited negative causality and three exhibited positive causality. We found that the phylum Firmicutes and the families Oscillospiraceae might reduce the risk of AAA, whereas the families Prevotellaceae, Sutterellaceae, and Aminobacteriaceae might increase the risk of AAA. Further screening indicated that phylum Firmicutes id.1672 (GCST90017114) may confer a protective effect against AAA by reducing triglyceride levels in medium/small high-density lipoprotein (HDL). CONCLUSION: MR analysis has delineated a causal pathway from gut microbiota, through plasma circulating metabolites and inflammatory cytokines, to the pathogenesis of AAA. The role of intestinal flora and certain biomarkers may provide a reference for the diagnosis of AAA, and contribute to the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of AAA disease.

S100a8/a9 regulated by LPS/TLR4 axis plays an important role in Salmonella-based tumor therapy and host defense.

Bacteria are ideal anticancer agents and carriers due to their unique capabilities that are convenient in genetic manipulation, tumor-specific targeting, and deep-tissue penetration. However, the specific molecular mechanisms of bacteria-mediated cancer therapy (BMCT) have not been clarified. In this study, we found that TLR4 signaling pathway is critical for Salmonella-mediated tumor targeting, tumor suppression, and liver and spleen protection. TLR4 knockout in mice decreased the levels of cytokines and chemokines, such as S100a8, S100a9, TNF-α, and IL-1ß, in tumor microenvironments (TMEs) after Salmonella treatment, which inhibited tumor cell death and nutrient release, led to reduced bacterial contents in tumors and attenuated antitumor efficacy in a negative feedback manner. Importantly, we found that S100a8 and S100a9 played a leading role in Salmonella-mediated cancer therapy (SMCT). The antitumor efficacy was abrogated and liver damage was prominent when blocked with a specific inhibitor. These findings elucidated the mechanism of Salmonella-mediated tumor targeting, suppression, and host antibacterial defense, providing insights into clinical cancer therapeutics.

Enhancing the Room-Temperature Phosphorescence Performance by Salinization of Guests.

Although the host-guest doped strategy effectively improves the phosphorescence performance of materials and greatly enriches the variety of materials, most of the guests are organic molecules with weak luminescence ability, which leads to the need for further improvement in the phosphorescence performance of doped materials. Herein, by salinization of organic molecules, the luminescence performance of the guests was effectively improved, thereby significantly enhancing the phosphorescence performance of the doped system. A compound 4-(naphthalen-2-yl)quinoline (QL) containing nitrogen atom was synthesized as initial guest, then QL was salted to obtain six organic salt guests containing anions BF4-, PF6-, CF3SO3-, N(CF3SO2)2-, ClO4-, and C4F9SO3-, respectively. Two doped systems were constructed using benzophenone and poly(methyl methacrylate) as the hosts. The phosphorescence quantum yield and phosphorescence lifetime of doped materials with QL as guest were only 4.1%/5.2% and 131 ms/141 ms, while those of doped materials with salinized molecules as guests were improved to 32-39% and 534-625 ms, respectively. The single-crystal structures and theoretical calculations indicated that anions can not only enhance the intermolecular interaction of guests but also increase the spin-orbit coupling constant. This work provides an effective strategy for improving the phosphorescence performance of doped materials.

Bilateral ciliochoroidal detachment: Drug- or COVID-19-related? A case report and literature review.

Background: This report describes a case of bilateral transient myopia with a shallow anterior chamber and ciliochoroidal detachment following severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection and indapamide intake. Case presentation: A 37-year-old man with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) was referred to our department due to bilateral blurred vision. The patient had been treated with ibuprofen for fever and indapamide for uncontrolled blood pressure. After four days of indapamide intake, the patient complained of bilateral visual blurring. On ocular examination, his uncorrected visual acuity was 20/400 in both eyes. Slit-lamp examination revealed shallow anterior chambers. The following day, the patient experienced pain and redness in both eyes, which began the previous night. Ocular examination revealed a significant decrease in intraocular pressure (IOP) compared to the previous day: 11 mmHg and 12 mmHg in the right eye (OD) and left eye (OS), respectively. Slit-lamp examination revealed conjunctival injection and the presence of inflammatory cells (2+) in the shallow anterior chambers of both eyes. Ultrasound biomicroscopy revealed ciliary body detachment and B-scan ultrasonography showed peripheral shallow choroidal detachment in both eyes. Discontinuing indapamide and initiating treatment with oral prednisolone, topical tobramycin dexamethasone and tropicamide phenylephrine eye drops resulted in the rapid recovery of signs and symptoms after three days. Discussion and conclusions: Indapamide intake may contribute to bilateral ciliochoroidal detachment, with SARS-CoV-2 infection possibly increasing susceptibility to drug-induced side effects. Timely drug withdrawal and symptomatic treatment can result in a good prognosis.

Primary pulmonary meningioma presenting as a pulmonary ground glass nodule: a case report and review of the literature.

BACKGROUND: A primary pulmonary meningioma is an extremely rare entity. Primary pulmonary meningiomas manifested with a ground glass nodule are a very rare occurrence in clinical practice. CASE PRESENTATION: In this study, we report a case of a primary pulmonary meningioma with atypical computed tomography features. A 59-year-old Han Chinese female came to our hospital for treatment and reported that her physical examination revealed a ground glass nodule in the right lung for over 3 months. The histologic result revealed a primary pulmonary meningioma. The patient underwent a thoracoscopic lung wedge resection of the right upper lobe for a ground glass nodule. After 1 year of follow-up, the patient is still alive without evidence of metastasis or recurrence. CONCLUSIONS: Primary pulmonary meningiomas could have a variety of radiological findings. As there are no specific radiologic features for the diagnosis of primary pulmonary meningiomas, complete resection of the lesion is required for both diagnosis and treatment. It is necessary to note the imaging features of primary pulmonary meningiomas, presenting as a ground glass nodule; this rare tumor should be considered in differential diagnoses.

A high-temperature-triggered crosslinking reaction to achieve excellent intrinsic flame retardancy of organic phase change composites.

The host-guest composite that integrates a porous scaffold and organic phase change materials (PCMs) features high energy density and customizable function, promising for advanced thermal storage/utilization. However, highly flammable organic PCMs are prone to severe combustion in porous structures, making it challenging for traditional flame-retardant methods to balance fire safety and latent heat. Herein, a high-temperature-triggered crosslinking reaction between the host and guest is designed using a polybenzoxazine-based aerogel (PB-1) and benzoxazine-based PCMs (C-dad). At high temperatures, the ring-opening polymerization (ROP) of C-dad can be initiated by and reacted with the phenolic groups of PB-1 to form a polybenzoxazine copolymer monolith with an improved char yield and intrinsic low flammability and without using the typical flame-retardant components. This enables the obtained composite (PB-1/C-dad) to well balance latent heat (145.3 J g-1), char yield (a char residue of 13.1% at 600 °C), and flame retardancy (a peak heat release rate of 231 W g-1), outperforming the representative flame-retardant modified polymer/organic PCM complexes reported in the literature. This thermal-triggered mechanism allows PB-1/C-dad to be repeatedly and stably used within the working temperature and activates its flame retardancy when exposed to open flames. The proposed host-guest crosslinking strategy is believed to inspire the development of inherently nonflammable phase change composites for safer thermal management.

Avatrombopag as alternative therapy for severe aplastic anemia patients who are intolerant or unresponsive to eltrombopag.

Introduction: Eltrombopag (EPAG), a thrombopoietin receptor agonist, was approved for the treatment of severe aplastic anemia (SAA) combined with immunosuppressive therapy (IST). However, EPAG contains a typical biphenyl structure, which causes liver function damage. Methods: Twenty patients with SAA who were intolerant or refractory to EPAG were enrolled in a multicenter prospective registry of the Chinese Eastern Collaboration Group of Anemia (ChiCTR2100045895) from October 2020 to June 2023. Results: Eight patients who were ineffective to EPAG, six with kidney impairment, and nine with abnormal liver function (two with concomitant liver and kidney impairment) were converted to avatrombopag (AVA) therapy with the median duration of AVA treatment was 6 (3-24) months. 17 cases (85%) achieved trilineage hematological response (HR): complete remission (CR) in 3 cases (15%), good partial remission (GPR) in 4 cases (20%), partial remission (PR) in 10 cases (50%), and no response (NR) in 3 cases (15%). The median time to response was 1.7 (0.5-6.9) months, with 16 cases (94%) achieving response within six months and 17 cases (100%) within 12 months. 9 cases (50%) achieved transfusion independence. AVA converted treatment was associated with higher neutrophil counts (0.8×109/L vs 2.2×109/L, p=0.0003), platelet counts (11×109/L vs 39×109/L, p=0.0008), hemoglobin count (59g/L vs 98g/L, p=0.0002), red cell count (1.06×1012/L vs 2.97×1012/L, p=0.001), and absolute reticulocyte count (31.99 ×109/L vs 67.05×109/L p=0.0004) were all significantly elevated compared with the pre-treatment level. After the conversion to AVA therapy, liver and kidney function indexes were maintained within the normal range, no AVA related grade 2 or higher adverse events occurred, and no thrombotic events occurred. Conclusion: The conversion to AVA was an optimal choice for patients with SAA who were EPAG intolerant or refractory. Clinical trial registration: http://www.chictr.org.cn/showproj.html?proj=125480, identifier ChiCTR2100045895.

Efficient Recovery of Rare Earth Elements from Acidic Wastewater by a Green ß-CDs-Functionalized Nanosponge.

The recovery of rare earth elements (REEs) from acidic wastewater is crucial to sustainable development, industrial processes, and human health. In this research, ß-cyclodextrin-based nanosponges (ß-CD/PVA-SA NSs) have been proposed as potential adsorbents for europium (Eu), dysprosium (Dy), and gadolinium (Gd) recovery. The nanosponges are synthesized by cross-linking ß-cyclodextrin (ß-CD) functionalized polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) and sodium alginate (SA). Experimental results indicate that ß-CD/PVA-SA NSs exhibit favorable selectivity for Eu, Dy, and Gd, with the maximum adsorption capacity of 222, 217, and 204 mg/g, respectively, in addition to stability and cyclicity. ß-CD/PVA-SA NSs maintain selective adsorption effects towards RE ions that are present in acidic mine drainage (AMD), thereby highlighting their potential for practical applications. Furthermore, density functional theory (DFT) simulations have unveiled the fundamental interactions between the functional groups anchored in ß-CD/PVA-SA NSs and the REEs, providing vital insights into their adsorption mechanism. Hence, the utilization of ß-CD/PVA-SA NSs has the potential to advance initiatives in remediating acidic water pollution and facilitating the sustainable recycling of RE resources.

Molecular mechanisms regulating glucose metabolism in quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.) seeds under drought stress.

BACKGROUND: Abiotic stress seriously affects the growth and yield of crops. It is necessary to search and utilize novel abiotic stress resistant genes for 2.0 breeding programme in quinoa. In this study, the impact of drought stress on glucose metabolism were investigated through transcriptomic and metabolomic analyses in quinoa seeds. Candidate drought tolerance genes on glucose metabolism pathway were verified by qRT-PCR combined with yeast expression system. RESULTS: From 70 quinoa germplasms, drought tolerant material M059 and drought sensitive material M024 were selected by comprehensive evaluation of drought resistance. 7042 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were indentified through transcriptomic analyses. Gene Ontology (GO) analysis revealed that these DEGs were closely related to carbohydrate metabolic process, phosphorus-containing groups, and intracellular membrane-bounded organelles. The Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analysis detected that DEGs were related to pathways involving carbohydrate metabolisms, glycolysis and gluconeogenesis. Twelve key differentially accumulated metabolites (DAMs), (D-galactose, UDP-glucose, succinate, inositol, D-galactose, D-fructose-6-phosphate, D-glucose-6-phosphate, D-glucose-1-phosphate, dihydroxyacetone phosphate, ribulose-5-phosphate, citric acid and L-malate), and ten key candidate DEGs (CqAGAL2, CqINV, CqFrK7, CqCELB, Cqbg1x, CqFBP, CqALDO, CqPGM, CqIDH3, and CqSDH) involved in drought response were identified. CqSDH, CqAGAL2, and Cqß-GAL13 were candidate genes that have been validated in both transcriptomics and yeast expression screen system. CONCLUSION: These findings provide a foundation for elucidating the molecular regulatory mechanisms governing glucose metabolism in quinoa seeds under drought stress, providing insights for future research exploring responses to drought stress in quinoa.

Specific Cytokines Analysis Incorporating Latency-Associated Antigens Differentiates Mycobacterium tuberculosis Infection Status: An Exploratory Study.

Introduction: Current immunologic methods cannot distinguish Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) infection statuses, especially to discriminate active tuberculosis (ATB) from latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI). This study explored the potential of latency-associated antigens (Rv1733cSLP and Rv2028c) and multifactorial cytokine detection to distinguish tuberculosis infection states. Methods: ATB patients (20), LTBI healthcare workers (25), fever patients (11), and healthy controls (10) were enrolled. Cytokine levels (IFN-γ, TNF-α, IL-2, IL-6, IP-10, IL-1Ra, CXCL-1, and MCP-1) were measured using Luminex with/without MTB-specific virulence factor and latency-associated antigens stimulation. Results: Without antigen stimulation, IL-6, IP-10, MCP-1, and IL-1Ra were higher in the ATB group than in the LTBI group (p<0.05), but no significant differences between the ATB group and the fever group. Stimulated with the four antigens, respectively, the cytokines, including IP-10Esat-6, IP-10CFP-10, IFN-γRv1733cSLP, IFN-γRv2028c, IL-6Esat-6, IL-6Rv1733cSLP, IL-6Rv2028c, IL-2Rv1733cSLP, IL-2 Rv2028c, IL-1RaEsat-6, IL-1RaCFP-10, IL-1RaRv2028c, CXCL-1Esat-6, CXCL-1CFP-10, CXCL-1Rv1733cSLP, CXCL-1Rv2028c, MCP-1Esat-6 and MCP-1CFP-10, demonstrated accurate discrimination between ATB and LTBI (p<0.05). Additive concentrations demonstrated significant secretion differences of IFN-γ, IP-10 and IL-2, primarily by virulence factors in ATB and latency-associated antigens in LTBI. Latency-associated antigens synergized with virulence factors, enhancing TH1-type cytokine diagnostic efficacy for discriminating ATB from LTBI, the AUC for TNF-α increased from 0.696 to 0.820 (p=0.038), IFN-γ increased from 0.806 to 0.962 (p=0.025), and IL-2 increased from 0.565 to 0.868 (p=0.007). Model selected by forward likelihood method indicated combined detection of IFN-γCFP-10, IFN-γRv1733cSLP, IP-10Rv1733cSLP, and CXCL-1Rv1733cSLP achieved ATB diagnosis (AUC=0.996) and ATB-LTBI differentiation (AUC=0.992). Combined detection of IFN-γCFP-10 and IFN-γRv1733cSLP achieved tuberculosis infection diagnosis (AUC=0.943). Conclusion: Latency-associated antigens enhance multiple cytokine discriminatory ability, particularly TH1-type cytokines, for differentiating Mtb infection statuses.

Knowledge and Attitudes About Screening and Preventive Treatment of Latent Tuberculosis Infection Among Patients with Rheumatic Diseases in Beijing, China.

Objective: Tuberculosis preventive treatment (TPT) is an important strategy for tuberculosis (TB) control. Rheumatic diseases (RD) patients are at high risk for active TB development. More researches are needed in terms of patient compliance in clinical practice. This study aims to explore the potential difficulties and obstacles in latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) screening and TPT in RD patients. Methods: Convenience sampling was used to recruit RD outpatients who had indications for LTBI screening and TPT. All participants were given questionnaires on knowledge and attitudes regarding screening and preventive treatment of LTBI. Results: Of the 200 RD patients, most people were aware that they were at increased risk of ATB due to their rheumatic disease and knew that TB was curable. The main association with willingness to have screening for LTBI was tertiary education (P = 0.013). The main association with willingness to take treatment for LTBI was a sense of personal risk and belief that the treatment would reduce risk of ATB (P < 0.001). More than half of the people surveyed could not accept taking 6 or more pills per day, while more than half of the patients could tolerate a treatment course of 9 months or longer. Most (65.4%) preferred their own rheumatologists to initiate treatment. Conclusion: Educating RD patients about their individual risks of TB and the side effects of treatment, and educating/empowering rheumatologists to discuss these aspects with their patients and to offer LTBI screening and treatment, may help improve patients' compliance with LTBI screening and TPT.

Enzyme-activated binary assembly for targeted, controlled delivery of anti-liver cancer compounds.

Liver cancer is the third leading cause of cancer deaths globally. The use of Hydroxycamptothecin (HCPT) as a first-line chemotherapeutic agent for liver, lung, and gastric cancers is often hampered by its low activity, limited targeting, and poor water solubility. This results in a low accumulation of HCPT in tumor cells, as well as the inability to maintain continuous treatment. Consequently, there is an urgent need to develop an accessory method that can enhance the therapeutic efficacy of HCPT while exhibiting good biocompatibility and targeted delivery ability. To address this critical issue, an enzyme-triggered supramolecular nanocarrier, refer as SCD/LCC SNCs, has been successfully developed, leveraging the aggregation of the negatively charged sulfate-modified ß-CDs and positively charged lauroylcholine chloride (LCC). This nanocarrier demonstrates acetylcholinesterase (LCC) triggered decomposition behavior, making it a promising drug carrier for HCPT. The cellular assays conducted have demonstrated that HCPT loaded into these SCD/LCC SNCs exhibit reduced cytotoxicity towards normal cells while maintaining robust tumor inhibitory activity and inducing apoptosis. Therefore, this study offers a promising strategy for the effective use of HCPT in the treatment of liver cancer.

The histamine receptor H1 acts as an alternative receptor for SARS-CoV-2.

Numerous host factors, in addition to human angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (hACE2), have been identified as coreceptors of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), demonstrating broad viral tropism and diversified druggable potential. We and others have found that antihistamine drugs, particularly histamine receptor H1 (HRH1) antagonists, potently inhibit SARS-CoV-2 infection. In this study, we provided compelling evidence that HRH1 acts as an alternative receptor for SARS-CoV-2 by directly binding to the viral spike protein. HRH1 also synergistically enhanced hACE2-dependent viral entry by interacting with hACE2. Antihistamine drugs effectively prevent viral infection by competitively binding to HRH1, thereby disrupting the interaction between the spike protein and its receptor. Multiple inhibition assays revealed that antihistamine drugs broadly inhibited the infection of various SARS-CoV-2 mutants with an average IC50 of 2.4 µM. The prophylactic function of these drugs was further confirmed by authentic SARS-CoV-2 infection assays and humanized mouse challenge experiments, demonstrating the therapeutic potential of antihistamine drugs for combating coronavirus disease 19.IMPORTANCEIn addition to human angiotensin-converting enzyme 2, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) can utilize alternative cofactors to facilitate viral entry. In this study, we discovered that histamine receptor H1 (HRH1) not only functions as an independent receptor for SARS-CoV-2 but also synergistically enhances ACE2-dependent viral entry by directly interacting with ACE2. Further studies have demonstrated that HRH1 facilitates the entry of SARS-CoV-2 by directly binding to the N-terminal domain of the spike protein. Conversely, antihistamine drugs, primarily HRH1 antagonists, can competitively bind to HRH1 and thereby prevent viral entry. These findings revealed that the administration of repurposable antihistamine drugs could be a therapeutic intervention to combat coronavirus disease 19.

Discordant High Remnant Cholesterol With LDL-C Increases the Risk of Stroke: A Chinese Prospective Cohort Study.

BACKGROUND: Previous studies focusing on assessing the effects of remnant cholesterol (RC) and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) on stroke may not consider their mutual influence. We aimed to explore the associations of RC and discordant high RC with LDL-C with stroke, ischemic stroke (IS), and hemorrhagic stroke. METHODS: This prospective cohort study was conducted based on 3 cohorts of the China-PAR (Prediction for Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease Risk in China) project. RC was calculated as non-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol minus LDL-C estimated by Martin/Hopkins equations. Concordant/discordant categories for RC versus LDL-C were determined based on cut-points of 130 mg/dL for LDL-C and equivalent percentile (32.50 mg/dL) for RC. Cox models were used to estimate adjusted hazard ratios and 95% CIs for incident stroke. RESULTS: Among 113 448 participants recruited at baseline, a total of 98 967 participants were eligible for the final analysis (mean age of 51.44 years; 40.45% were men). During 728 776.87 person-years of follow-up, 2859 stroke cases, 1811 IS cases, and 849 hemorrhagic stroke cases were observed. RC was positively associated with stroke and IS, but not hemorrhagic stroke, with adjusted hazard ratios (95% CIs) of 1.06 (1.02-1.10), 1.09 (1.04-1.13), and 0.95 (0.88-1.03) for per SD increase in RC. Compared with low LDL-C/low RC group, low LDL-C/high RC group had higher risks of stroke (adjusted hazard ratio, 1.15 [95% CI, 1.02-1.30]) and IS (1.19, 1.03-1.38), while high LDL-C/low RC group had no increased risk of stroke (1.07 [0.95-1.20]) and IS (1.09 [0.94-1.25]). CONCLUSIONS: Higher RC was associated with increased risks of stroke and IS but not hemorrhagic stroke. Discordantly high RC, not discordantly high LDL-C, conferred higher risks of stroke and IS. Our findings support further lowering RC by interventions to reduce residual IS risk.

Insights into in situ surface reconstruction in cobalt perovskite oxides for enhanced catalytic activity.

An depth understanding of the fundamental interactions between surface termination and catalytic activity is crucial to prompt the properties of functional perovskite materials. The elastic energy due to size mismatch and electrostatic attraction of the charged Sr dopant by positively charged oxygen vacancies induced inert A-site surface enrichment rearrangement for perovskites. Lower temperatures could reduce A-site enrichment, but it is difficult to form perovskite crystals. La0.8Sr0.2CoO3-δ (LSCO) as a model perovskite oxide was modified with additive urea to reduce the crystallization temperature, and suppress Sr segregation. The LSCO catalysts with 600 °C annealing temperature (LSCO-600) exhibited a 19.4-fold reaction reactivity of toluene oxidation than that with 800 °C annealing temperature (LSCO-800). Combined surface-sensitive and depth-resolved techniques for surface and sub-surface analysis, surface Sr enrichment was effectively suppressed due to decreased oxygen vacancy concentration and smaller electrostatic driving force. DFT calculations and in-situ DRIFTs spectra well revealed that tuning the surface composition/termination affected the intrinsic reactivity. The catalyst surface with lower Sr enrichment could easily adsorb toluene, cleave, and decompose benzene rings, thus contributing to toluene degradation to CO2. This work demonstrates a green and efficient way to control surface composition and termination at the atomic scale for higher catalytic activity.

Hydrophobic Ion Barrier-Enabled Ultradurable Zn (002) Plane Orientation towards Long-Life Anode-Less Zn Batteries.

Gradual disability of Zn anode and high negative/positive electrode (N/P) ratio usually depreciate calendar life and energy density of aqueous Zn batteries (AZBs). Herein, within original Zn2+-free hydrated electrolytes, a steric hindrance/electric field shielding-driven "hydrophobic ion barrier" is engineered towards ultradurable (002) plane-exposed Zn stripping/plating to solve this issue. Guided by theoretical simulations, hydrophobic adiponitrile (ADN) is employed as a steric hindrance agent to ally with inert electric field shielding additive (Mn2+) for plane adsorption priority manipulation, thereby constructing the "hydrophobic ion barrier". This design robustly suppresses the (002) plane/dendrite growth, enabling ultradurable (002) plane-exposed dendrite-free Zn stripping/plating. Even being cycled in Zn‖Zn symmetric cell over 2150 h at 0.5 mA cm-2, the efficacy remains well-kept. Additionally, Zn‖Zn symmetric cells can be also stably cycled over 918 h at 1 mA cm-2, verifying uncompromised Zn stripping/plating kinetics. As-assembled anode-less Zn‖VOPO4 ⋅ 2H2O full cells with a low N/P ratio (2 : 1) show a high energy density of 75.2 Wh kg-1 full electrode after 842 cycles at 1 A g-1, far surpassing counterparts with thick Zn anode and low cathode loading mass, featuring excellent practicality. This study opens a new avenue by robust "hydrophobic ion barrier" design to develop long-life anode-less Zn batteries.

Laser-Printed All-Carbon Responsive Material and Soft Robot.

Responsive materials and actuators are the basis for the development of various leading-edge technologies but have so far mostly been designed based on polymers, incurring key limitations related to sensitivity and environmental tolerance. This work reports a new responsive material, laser-printed carbon film (LPCF), produced via direct laser transformation of a liquid organic precursor and consists of graphitic and amorphous carbons. The high activity of amorphous carbon combined with the dual-gradient structure enables the LPCF to have a actuation speed of 9400° s-1 in response to the stimulus of organic vapor. LPCF exhibits a conductivity of 950 S m-1 and excellent resistance to various extreme environmental conditions, which are unachievable for polymer-based materials. Additionally, an LPCF-based all-carbon soft robot that can mimic the complex continuous backward somersaulting motions without manual intervention is constructed. The locomotion velocity of the robot reaches a value of 1.19 BL s-1, which is almost one to two orders of magnitude faster than that of reported soft robots. This work not only offers a new paradigm for highly responsive materials but also provides a great design and engineering example for the next generation of biomimetic robots with life-like performance.

Unveiling the Failure Mechanism of Zn Anodes in Zinc Trifluorosulfonate Electrolyte: The Role of Micelle-like Structures.

Zinc trifluorosulfonate [Zn(OTf)2] is considered as the most suitable zinc salt for aqueous Zn-ion batteries (AZIBs) but cannot support the long-term cycling of the Zn anode. Here, we reveal the micelle-like structure of the Zn(OTf)2 electrolyte and reunderstand the failing mechanism of the Zn anode. Since the solvated Zn2+ possesses a positive charge, it can spontaneously attract OTf- with the hydrophilic group of -SO3 and the hydrophobic group of -CF3 via electrostatic interaction and form a "micelle-like" structure, which is responsible for the poor desolvation kinetics and dendrite growth. To address these issues, an antimicelle-like structure is designed by using ethylene glycol monomethyl ether (EGME) as a cosolvent for highly reversible AZIBs. The modified electrolyte shows lower dissociation ability to Zn(OTf)2 and higher coordination tendency with Zn2+ compared to the Zn(OTf)2 electrolyte, resulting in the unique solvation structure of Zn2+(H2O)1.2(OTf-)2(EGME)2.8, which significantly reduces the charge of micelle, damages the micelle-like structure, and boosts the desolvation kinetics. Moreover, the reduction of EGME and OTf- can form a robust dual-layered SEI with high Zn2+ ion conductivity. Consequently, the Zn/Cu asymmetric coin cell using ZT-EGME can work at a high rate and a capacity of 50 mA cm-2 and 5 mA h cm-2 for more than 120 cycles, while its counterparts using ZT can barely work. Moreover, a 505.1 mA h pouch cell with practical parameters including a lean electrolyte supply of 15 mL A h-1 and an N/P ratio of ∼3.5 can work for 50 cycles.

Molecular Bridging Induced Anti-salting-out Effect Enabling High Ionic Conductive ZnSO4-based Hydrogel for Quasi-solid-state Zinc Ion Batteries.

Hydrogel electrolytes (HEs) hold great promise in tackling severe issues emerging in aqueous zinc-ion batteries, but the prevalent salting-out effect of kosmotropic salt causes low ionic conductivity and electrochemical instability. Herein, a subtle molecular bridging strategy is proposed to enhance the compatibility between PVA and ZnSO4 from the perspective of hydrogen-bonding microenvironment re-construction. By introducing urea containing both an H-bond acceptor and donor, the broken H-bonds between PVA and H2O, initiated by the SO42--driven H2O polarization, could be re-united via intense intermolecular hydrogen bonds, thus leading to greatly increased carrying capacity of ZnSO4. The urea-modified PVA-ZnSO4 HEs featuring a high ionic conductivity up to 31.2 mS cm-1 successfully solves the sluggish ionic transport dilemma at the solid-solid interface. Moreover, an organic solid-electrolyte-interphase can be derived from the in-situ electro-polymerization of urea to prohibit H2O-involved side reactions, thereby prominently improving the reversibility of Zn chemistry. Consequently, Zn anodes witness an impressive lifespan extension from 50 h to 2200 h at 0.1 mA cm-2 while the Zn-I2 full battery maintains a remarkable Coulombic efficiency (>99.7%) even after 8000 cycles. The anti-salting-out strategy proposed in this work provides an insightful concept for addressing the phase separation issue of functional HEs.