A Meta-Analysis on the Association between Tea Consumption and the Risk of Osteoporotic Fractures.

Background: Bone fractures are a significant cause of health impairment. However, observational studies have yielded inconsistent conclusions regarding the correlation between tea consumption and bone fractures. Objective: This meta-analysis aims to examine the influence of tea consumption on bone fractures by conducting a comprehensive search of databases such as PubMed, Embase, and others. Methods: The meta-analysis utilized STATA software and identified a total of 9 observational studies involving 147 950 participants. The pooled odds ratio (OR) and corresponding 95% confidence interval (CI) were calculated using a random effects model. Conclusions: The findings indicate that tea consumption does not exhibit a significant association with the risk of bone fractures. However, further studies with larger sample sizes are warranted to confirm this conclusion.

0D hybrid indium halides with highly efficient intrinsic broadband light emissions.

Two new zero-dimensional (0D) hybrid indium halides of [H2DMP]2InX7·2H2O (X = Cl, Br) were designed based on [InX6]3- octahedra as optically active centers. Remarkably, these 0D halides display intrinsic broadband yellow-orange light emissions with highest quantum yield of 58.53% exceeding all previously reported 0D indium halides.

Ultra-Sensitive, Selective and Repeatable Fluorescence Sensor for Methanol Based on a Highly Emissive 0D Hybrid Lead-Free Perovskite.

A convenient and rapid detection method for methanol in ethanol remains a major challenge due to their indistinguishable physical properties. Herein, a novel fluorescence probe based on perovskite was successfully designed to overcome this bottleneck. We report a new zero-dimensional (0D) hybrid perovskite of [MP]2 Inx Sb1-x Cl7 ⋅ 6 H2 O (MP=2-methylpiperazine) displaying an unusual green light emission with near-unity photoluminescence quantum yield. Remarkably, this 0D perovskite exhibits reversible methanol-response luminescence switching between green and yellow color but fail in any other organic vapors. Even for blended alcohol solutions, the luminescent probe exhibits excellent sensing performance with multiple superiorities of rapid response time (30 s) and ultra-low detection limit (40 ppm), etc. Therefore, this 0D perovskite can be utilized as a perfect fluorescence probe to detect traces of methanol from ethanol with ultrahigh sensitivity, selectivity and repeatability. To the best of our knowledge, this work represents the first perovskite as fluorescence probe for methanol with wide potential in environmental monitoring and methanol detection, etc.

Diversity-oriented synthesis of polymer membranes with ion solvation cages.

Microporous polymers feature shape-persistent free volume elements (FVEs), which are permeated by small molecules and ions when used as membranes for chemical separations, water purification, fuel cells and batteries1-3. Identifying FVEs that have analyte specificity remains a challenge, owing to difficulties in generating polymers with sufficient diversity to enable screening of their properties. Here we describe a diversity-oriented synthetic strategy for microporous polymer membranes to identify candidates featuring FVEs that serve as solvation cages for lithium ions (Li+). This strategy includes diversification of bis(catechol) monomers by Mannich reactions to introduce Li+-coordinating functionality within FVEs, topology-enforcing polymerizations for networking FVEs into different pore architectures, and several on-polymer reactions for diversifying pore geometries and dielectric properties. The most promising candidate membranes featuring ion solvation cages exhibited both higher ionic conductivity and higher cation transference number than control membranes, in which FVEs were aspecific, indicating that conventional bounds for membrane permeability and selectivity for ion transport can be overcome4. These advantages are associated with enhanced Li+ partitioning from the electrolyte when cages are present, higher diffusion barriers for anions within pores, and network-enforced restrictions on Li+ coordination number compared to the bulk electrolyte, which reduces the effective mass of the working ion. Such membranes show promise as anode-stabilizing interlayers in high-voltage lithium metal batteries.

Clinical significance of CC16 and IL-12 in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid of various stages of silicosis.

BACKGROUND: Identification of novel biomarkers for silicosis could be helpful for disease diagnosis and pathophysiological mechanism exploration. Our study aims to investigate the Clara cell secretory 16-kd protein (CC16) and interleukin-12 (IL-12) levels in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) in patients with silicosis at various stages. METHODS: The enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) double antibody sandwich method was used to determine the CC16 and IL-12 in BALF levels from 79 patients with silicosis of various stages. Correlation analyses were performed between CC16 and IL-12 levels, and lung function and cytological counts in patients with silicosis at various stages. RESULTS: There were no significant differences in the BALF recovery volume, the number of cells, percentages of macrophages and lymphocytes in the alveolar lavage fluid of patients with silicosis in different stages (P>0.05); the percentage of neutrophils in stage I and stage II were higher than the control group (P<0.05) with statistically significant differences. The CC16 in BALF levels in stage I and II silicosis groups lower than the control group and stage III silicosis group with statistically significant differences (P<0.05), whereas CC16 levels in stage II silicosis group are higher than the stage I group (P<0.01). The IL-12 levels were higher than the control group (P<0.01), and the IL-12 levels in stage II and III silicosis group was higher than the stage I silicosis group (P<0.01). With the increase of the length of dust service, the CC16 and IL-12 levels decreased and showed a positive correlation between these indexes (correlation coefficient r=0.559, P<0.01). In addition, CC16 silicosis patient levels were positively correlated with FEV1/FVC and VCmax (r=0.242, 0.257; both P<0.05); IL-12 levels were negatively correlated with FEV1 and VC max (r=-0.250, -0.483; both P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The CC16 and IL-12 levels may have a specific reference value for the early diagnosis of silicosis and the assessment of lung function.

Evaluation of pyraoxystrobin bioconcentration in zebrafish (Danio rerio) using modified QuEChERS extraction.

Pyraoxystrobin is a novel strobilurin fungicide that is widely used on many crops. The high log Kow of pyraoxystrobin implies that it tends to accumulate in aquatic organisms. This study optimized the sorbents of QuEChERS (quick, easy, cheap, effective, rugged, and safe) using 13C-labelled pyraoxystrobin as the internal standard (IS). It has been established a QuEChERS-LC-MS/MS IS method to study the bioconcentration and elimination of pyraoxystrobin in zebrafish (Danio rerio). The results indicated that the method had satisfactory linearity between 0.234 and 15 µg L-1 (R2 = 0.9996). The limits of detection (LOD) and quantification (LOQ) for pyraoxystrobin were 0.01 and 0.03 µg L-1, respectively. The LOQs of the method for water and zebrafish were 0.05 µg L-1 and 0.01 mg/kg, respectively. The mean recovery of pyraoxystrobin in zebrafish and water at fortification levels of 0.01-0.3 mg kg-1 and 0.05-1.5 µg L-1 ranged from 98.31 to 105.61% and 101.87 to 108.48%, respectively, with a % RSD (relative standard deviation) of 0.94-3.57%. The bioconcentration has been evaluated. The bioconcentration factors for pyraoxystrobin in zebrafish were 1,792 and 3,505 after exposure to 0.5 µg L-1 for 168 h and 0.05 µg L-1 for 216 h, respectively. The half-life of pyraoxystrobin in zebrafish was 9.0-9.5 d.

Hierarchical porous silicon structures with extraordinary mechanical strength as high-performance lithium-ion battery anodes.

Porous structured silicon has been regarded as a promising candidate to overcome pulverization of silicon-based anodes. However, poor mechanical strength of these porous particles has limited their volumetric energy density towards practical applications. Here we design and synthesize hierarchical carbon-nanotube@silicon@carbon microspheres with both high porosity and extraordinary mechanical strength (>200 MPa) and a low apparent particle expansion of ~40% upon full lithiation. The composite electrodes of carbon-nanotube@silicon@carbon-graphite with a practical loading (3 mAh cm-2) deliver ~750 mAh g-1 specific capacity, <20% initial swelling at 100% state-of-charge, and ~92% capacity retention over 500 cycles. Calendered electrodes achieve ~980 mAh cm-3 volumetric capacity density and <50% end-of-life swell after 120 cycles. Full cells with LiNi1/3Mn1/3Co1/3O2 cathodes demonstrate >92% capacity retention over 500 cycles. This work is a leap in silicon anode development and provides insights into the design of electrode materials for other batteries.

Revealing the Atomic Origin of Heterogeneous Li-Ion Diffusion by Probing Na.

Tracing the dynamic process of Li-ion transport at the atomic scale has long been attempted in solid state ionics and is essential for battery material engineering. Approaches via phase change, strain, and valence states of redox species have been developed to circumvent the technical challenge of direct imaging Li; however, all are limited by poor spatial resolution and weak correlation with state-of-charge (SOC). An ion-exchange approach is adopted by sodiating the delithiated cathode and probing Na distribution to trace the Li deintercalation, which enables the visualization of heterogeneous Li-ion diffusion down to the atomic level. In a model LiNi1/3 Mn1/3 Co1/3 O2 cathode, dislocation-mediated ion diffusion is kinetically favorable at low SOC and planar diffusion along (003) layers dominates at high SOC. These processes work synergistically to determine the overall ion-diffusion dynamics. The heterogeneous nature of ion diffusion in battery materials is unveiled and the role of defect engineering in tailoring ion-transport kinetics is stressed.

Bioremediation of dibutyl phthalate in a simulated agricultural ecosystem by Gordonia sp. strain QH-11 and the microbial ecological effects in soil.

Bioremediation of organic pollutants has been identified as an economically efficient and environmentally friendly method. Here, a pot experiment was conducted to evaluate the bioremediation efficiency of dibutyl phthalate (DBP) by Gordonia phthalatica sp. nov. QH-11 in agricultural soils, along with the effect of this exogenous organism on the native microbial community and ecosystem functions during the bioremediation process. The results showed that inoculation with strain QH-11 accelerated DBP degradation in the soil and decreased DBP accumulation in plants, thereby reducing the health risks associated with vegetables grown in those soils. High-throughput sequencing demonstrated that both DBP contamination and the bioremediation process significantly altered prokaryotic community composition, structure, and network interactions; however, these effects were greatly reduced after 30 d. Dibutyl phthalate affected the prokaryotic community by influencing soil properties rather than directly impacting on microorganisms. In addition, ecosystem functions, like the nitrogen cycle, were significantly altered. Contamination with DBP promoted nitrogen fixation and the denitrification processes while inhibiting nitrification. Bioremediation may mitigate some of the changes to nitrogen cycling, helping to maintain the balance of prokaryotic community function. According to this study, bioremediation through highly efficient degradation bacteria may be a safe and promising method for reducing PAEs contamination in soil-vegetable systems.

Assembling Carbon Pores into Carbon Sheets: Rational Design of Three-Dimensional Carbon Networks for a Lithium-Sulfur Battery.

The conversion reaction-based lithium-sulfur battery features an attractive energy density of 2600 W h/kg. Nevertheless, the unsatisfied performance in terms of poor discharge capacity and cycling stability still hinders its practical applications. Recently, porous carbon materials have been widely reported as promising sulfur reservoirs to promote the sluggish reaction kinetics of sulfur conversion, tolerate volume expansion of sulfur, and suppress polysulfide shuttling. However, porous carbon with a simply designed nanostructure is hard to satisfy all of these aspects simultaneously. Herein, we have applied a dual-template strategy that assembles carbon pores into carbon sheets to prepare three-dimensional (3D) nitrogen-doped porous carbon nanosheets (N-PCSs) as the multifunctional sulfur host for the Li-S battery. By arranging carbon pores within an interconnected 3D architecture, the porous carbon sheets enable rapid electron/ion transfer. Moreover, the micro/mesopores and nitrogen dopant in N-PCS provide both physical and chemical restrictions to polysulfide species. With these advances, the N-PCS/S cathode delivers a large initial discharge capacity of 1360 mA h/g at 0.1 C. When performed at 0.5 C for 1000 cycles, the cathode can still remain ∼50% of its capacity with a low decay rate of 0.05% per cycle, showing the important role of the 3D carbon material in the Li-S battery.

A comparative study of pomegranate Sb@C yolk-shell microspheres as Li and Na-ion battery anodes.

Alloy-based nanostructure anodes have the privilege of alleviating the challenges of large volume expansion and improving the cycling stability and rate performance for high energy lithium- and sodium-ion batteries (LIBs and SIBs). Yet, they face the dilemma of worsening the parasitic reactions at the electrode-electrolyte interface and low packing density for the fabrication of practical electrodes. Here, pomegranate Sb@C yolk-shell microspheres were developed as a high-performance anode for LIBs and SIBs with controlled interfacial properties and enhanced packing density. Although the same yolk-shell nanostructure (primary particle size, porosity) and three-dimensional architecture alleviated the volume change induced stress and swelling in both batteries, the SIBs show 99% capacity retention over 200 cycles, much better than the 78% capacity retention of the LIBs. The comparative electrochemical study and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy characterization revealed that the different SEIs, besides the distinct phase transition mechanism, played a critical role in the divergent cycling performance.

Deleting MyD88 signaling in myeloid cells promotes development of adenocarcinomas of the colon.

Intestinal myeloid cells are not only essential for keeping local homeostasis, but also play an important role in regulating the occurrence of colitis and colitis-associated cancer (CAC). In these diseases, the manner in which the myeloid cells work and which molecular pathways influence them are still not fully understood. In our study, we discovered that MyD88 signaling in colonic myeloid cells participates in the development of CAC. Myeloid MyD88-deficient mice showed greater susceptibility to azoxymethane (AOM)/dextran sodium sulfate (DSS)-induced CAC, as evidenced by the increase in the number and sizes of tumors. Myeloid MyD88 deletion markedly increased production of pro-inflammatory and pro-tumor cytokines; recruitment of more IL-1ß producing-neutrophils in colon from bone marrow; increased in epithelial cell apoptosis and decreased in epithelial cell proliferation; enhancement of colon mucosal expression of COX-2, p-STAT3, ß-catenin, and cyclinD1; induction of further DNA damage and ß-catenin mutation. To sum up, these results suggest that myeloid MyD88 signaling protects the intestine from tumorigenesis during the development of CAC.

Simultaneous Stabilization of LiNi0.76 Mn0.14 Co0.10 O2 Cathode and Lithium Metal Anode by Lithium Bis(oxalato)borate as Additive.

The long-term cycling performance, rate capability, and voltage stability of lithium (Li) metal batteries with LiNi0.76 Mn0.14 Co0.10 O2 (NMC76) cathodes is greatly enhanced by lithium bis(oxalato)borate (LiBOB) additive in the LiPF6 -based electrolyte. With 2 % LiBOB in the electrolyte, a Li∥NMC76 cell is able to achieve a high capacity retention of 96.8 % after 200 cycles at C/3 rate (1 C=200 mA g-1 ), which is the best result reported for a Ni-rich NMC cathode coupled with Li metal anode. The significantly enhanced electrochemical performance can be ascribed to the stabilization of both the NMC76 cathode/electrolyte and Li-metal-anode/electrolyte interfaces. The LiBOB-containing electrolyte not only facilitates the formation of a more compact solid-electrolyte interphase on the Li metal surface, it also forms a enhanced cathode electrolyte interface layer, which efficiently prevents the corrosion of the cathode interface and mitigates the formation of the disordered rock-salt phase after cycling. The fundamental findings of this work highlight the importance of recognizing the dual effects of electrolyte additives in simultaneously stabilizing both cathode and anode interfaces, so as to enhance the long-term cycle life of high-energy-density battery systems.

Porous Carbon-Hosted Atomically Dispersed Iron-Nitrogen Moiety as Enhanced Electrocatalysts for Oxygen Reduction Reaction in a Wide Range of pH.

As one of the alternatives to replace precious metal catalysts, transition-metal-nitrogen-carbon (M-N-C) electrocatalysts have attracted great research interest due to their low cost and good catalytic activities. Despite nanostructured M-N-C catalysts can achieve good electrochemical performances, they are vulnerable to aggregation and insufficient catalytic sites upon continuous catalytic reaction. In this work, metal-organic frameworks derived porous single-atom electrocatalysts (SAEs) were successfully prepared by simple pyrolysis procedure without any further posttreatment. Combining the X-ray absorption near-edge spectroscopy and electrochemical measurements, the SAEs have been identified with superior oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) activity and stability compared with Pt/C catalysts in alkaline condition. More impressively, the SAEs also show excellent ORR electrocatalytic performance in both acid and neutral media. This study of nonprecious catalysts provides new insights on nanoengineering catalytically active sites and porous structures for nonprecious metal ORR catalysis in a wide range of pH.

Insights into the Electrochemical Reaction Mechanism of a Novel Cathode Material CuNi2(PO4)2/C for Li-Ion Batteries.

In this work, we first report the composite of CuNi2(PO4)2/C (CNP/C) can be employed as the high-capacity conversion-type cathode material for rechargeable Li-ion batteries (LIBs), delivering a reversible capacity as high as 306 mA h g-1 at a current density of 20 mA g-1. Furthermore, CNP/C also presents good rate performance and reasonable cycling stability based on a nontraditional conversion reaction mode. X-ray diffraction (XRD) and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) characterizations show that CNP is reduced to form Cu/Ni and Li3PO4 during the discharging process, which is reversed in the following charging process, demonstrating that a reversible conversion reaction mechanism occurs. X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) discloses that Ni2+/Ni0 exhibits a better reversibility compared to Cu2+/Cu during the conversion reaction process, while Cu0 is more difficult to be reoxidized during the recharge process, leading to capacity loss as a consequence. The fundamental understanding obtained in this work provides some important clues to explore the high-capacity conversion-type cathode materials for rechargeable LIBs.

Two-Dimensional N,S-Codoped Carbon/Co9S8 Catalysts Derived from Co(OH)2 Nanosheets for Oxygen Reduction Reaction.

The development of highly active and cost-efficient electrocatalysts for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) is of great importance in a wide range of clean energy devices, including fuel cells and metal-air batteries. Herein, the simultaneous formation of Co9S8 and N,S-codoped carbon with high ORR catalytic activity was achieved in an efficient strategy with a dual templates system. First, Co(OH)2 nanosheets and tetraethyl orthosilicate were utilized to direct the formation of two-dimensional carbon precursors, which were then dispersed into thiourea solution. After subsequent pyrolysis and template removal, N,S-codoped porous carbon-sheet-confined Co9S8 catalysts (Co9S8/NSC) were obtained. Owing to the morphological and compositional advantages as well as the synergistic effects, the resultant Co9S8/NSC catalysts with a modified doping level and pyrolysis degree exhibit superior ORR catalytic activity and long-term stability compared with the state-of-the-art Pt/C catalysts in alkaline media. Remarkably, the as-prepared carbon composites also reveal exceptional tolerance of methanol, indicating their potential applications in fuel cells.

Sugar Blowing-Induced Porous Cobalt Phosphide/Nitrogen-Doped Carbon Nanostructures with Enhanced Electrochemical Oxidation Performance toward Water and Other Small Molecules.

Rational design of high active and robust nonprecious metal catalysts with excellent catalytic efficiency in oxygen evolution reaction (OER) is extremely vital for making the water splitting process more energy efficient and economical. Among these noble metal-free catalysts, transition-metal-based nanomaterials are considered as one of the most promising OER catalysts due to their relatively low-cost intrinsic activities, high abundance, and diversity in terms of structure and morphology. Herein, a facile sugar-blowing technique and low-temperature phosphorization are reported to generate 3D self-supported metal involved carbon nanostructures, which are termed as Co2 P@Co/nitrogen-doped carbon (Co2 P@Co/N-C). By capitalizing on the 3D porous nanostructures with high surface area, homogeneously dispersed active sites, the intimate interaction between active sites, and 3D N-doped carbon, the resultant Co2 P@Co/N-C exhibits satisfying OER performance superior to CoO@Co/N-C, delivering 10 mA cm-2 at overpotential of 0.32 V. It is worth noting that in contrast to the substantial current density loss of RuO2 , Co2 P@Co/N-C shows much enhanced catalytic activity during the stability test and a 1.8-fold increase in current density is observed after stability test. Furthermore, the obtained Co2 P@Co/N-C can also be served as an excellent nonprecious metal catalyst for methanol and glucose electrooxidation in alkaline media, further extending their potential applications.

Nitrogen and Fluorine-Codoped Carbon Nanowire Aerogels as Metal-Free Electrocatalysts for Oxygen Reduction Reaction.

The development of active, durable, and low-cost catalysts to replace noble metal-based materials is highly desirable to promote the sluggish oxygen reduction reaction in fuel cells. Herein, nitrogen and fluorine-codoped three-dimensional carbon nanowire aerogels, composed of interconnected carbon nanowires, were synthesized for the first time by a hydrothermal carbonization process. Owing to their porous nanostructures and heteroatom-doping, the as-prepared carbon nanowire aerogels, with optimized composition, present excellent electrocatalytic activity that is comparable to commercial Pt/C. Remarkably, the aerogels also exhibit superior stability and methanol tolerance. This synthesis procedure paves a new way to design novel heteroatom-doped catalysts.

Self-Assembled Fe-N-Doped Carbon Nanotube Aerogels with Single-Atom Catalyst Feature as High-Efficiency Oxygen Reduction Electrocatalysts.

Self-assembled M-N-doped carbon nanotube aerogels with single-atom catalyst feature are for the first time reported through one-step hydrothermal route and subsequent facile annealing treatment. By taking advantage of the porous nanostructures, 1D nanotubes as well as single-atom catalyst feature, the resultant Fe-N-doped carbon nanotube aerogels exhibit excellent oxygen reduction reaction electrocatalytic performance even better than commercial Pt/C in alkaline solution.

Drug-Derived Bright and Color-Tunable N-Doped Carbon Dots for Cell Imaging and Sensitive Detection of Fe3+ in Living Cells.

Inspired by the diverse drug compounds with various heteroatoms (such as N, S, and P) in the drug library, facile synthesis of a new kind of bright and color-tunable N-doped carbon dots (NCDs) has been reported by using a popular antibiotic-aminosalicylic acid-as precursor. The N doping of CDs not only enable great improvement of photoluminescence (PL) efficiency and tunability of PL emission, but also enrich surface functional groups to broaden its application. The as-prepared NCDs possess tunable PL and show a quantum yield of 16.4%, which is the result of PL improvement effect of introduced nitrogen atoms among CDs. The cellular toxicity on H1299 cancer cells indicates that the NCDs have negligible cytotoxicity, excellent biocompatibility, and great resistance to photobleaching. Moreover, the drug-derived NCDs showed excellent sensitivity in detection of Fe3+ in living cells, which indicates the potential application in diagnosis and related biological study.