Ultrathin High-Entropy Fe-Based Spinel Oxide Nanosheets with Metalloid Band Structures for Efficient Nitrate Reduction toward Ammonia

Spinel oxides with tunable chemical compositions have emerged as versatile electrocatalysts, however their performance is greatly limited by small surface area and low electron conductivity. Here, ultrathin high-entropy Fe-based spinel oxides nanosheets are rationally designed (i.e., (Co0.2Ni0.2Zn0.2Mg0.2Cu0.2)Fe2O4; denotes A5Fe2O4) in thickness of ≈4.3 nm with large surface area and highly exposed active sites via a modified sol-gel method. Theoretic and experimental results confirm that the bandgap of A5Fe2O4 nanosheets is significantly smaller than that of ordinary Fe-based spinel oxides, realizing the transformation of binary spinel oxide from semiconductors to metalloids. As a result, such A5Fe2O4 nanosheets manifest excellent performance for the nitrate reduction reaction (NO3 -RR) to ammonia (NH3), with a NH3 yield rate of ≈2.1 mmol h-1 cm-2 at -0.5 V versus Reversible hydrogen electrode, outperforming other spinel-based electrocatalysts. Systematic mechanism investigations reveal that the NO3 -RR is mainly occurred on Fe sites, and introducing high-entropy compositions in tetrahedral sites regulates the adsorption strength of N and O-related intermediates on Fe for boosting the NO3 -RR. The above findings offer a high-entropy platform to regulate the bandgap and enhance the electrocatalytic performance of spinel oxides.

Charge transfer in TiO2-based photocatalysis: fundamental mechanisms to material strategies

Semiconductor-based photocatalysis has attracted significant interest due to its capacity to directly exploit solar energy and generate solar fuels, including water splitting, CO2 reduction, pollutant degradation, and bacterial inactivation. However, achieving the maximum efficiency in photocatalytic processes remains a challenge owing to the speedy recombination of electron-hole pairs and the limited use of light. Therefore, significant endeavours have been devoted to addressing these issues. Specifically, well-designed heterojunction photocatalysts have been demonstrated to exhibit enhanced photocatalytic activity through the physical distancing of electron-hole pairs generated during the photocatalytic process. In this review, we provide a systematic discussion ranging from fundamental mechanisms to material strategies, focusing on TiO2-based heterojunction photocatalysts. Current efforts are focused on developing heterojunction photocatalysts based on TiO2 for a variety of photocatalytic applications, and these projects are explained and assessed. Finally, we offer a concise summary of the main insights and challenges in the utilization of TiO2-based heterojunction photocatalysts for photocatalysis. We expect that this review will serve as a valuable resource to improve the efficiency of TiO2-based heterojunctions for energy generation and environmental remediation.

Bridging Together Theoretical and Experimental Perspectives in Single-Atom Alloys for Electrochemical Ammonia Production

Ammonia is an essential commodity in the food and chemical industry. Despite the energy-intensive nature, the Haber-Bosch process is the only player in ammonia production at large scales. Developing other strategies is highly desirable, as sustainable and decentralized ammonia production is crucial. Electrochemical ammonia production by directly reducing nitrogen and nitrogen-based moieties powered by renewable energy sources holds great potential. However, low ammonia production and selectivity rates hamper its utilization as a large-scale ammonia production process. Creating effective and selective catalysts for the electrochemical generation of ammonia is critical for long-term nitrogen fixation. Single-atom alloys (SAAs) have become a new class of materials with distinctive features that may be able to solve some of the problems with conventional heterogeneous catalysts. The design and optimization of SAAs for electrochemical ammonia generation have recently been significantly advanced. This comprehensive review discusses these advancements from theoretical and experimental research perspectives, offering a fundamental understanding of the development of SAAs for ammonia production.

Advances in magnetic materials for microplastic separation and degradation

The widespread use of plastics in modern human society has led to severe environmental pollution with microplastics (MP/MPs). The rising consumption of plastics raises the omnipresence of microplastics in aquatic environments, which carry toxic organic matter, transport toxic chemicals, and spread through the food chain, seriously threatening marine life and human health. In this context, several advanced strategies for separating and degrading MPs from water have been developed recently, and magnetic materials and their nanostructures have emerged as promising materials for targeting, adsorbing, transporting, and degrading MPs. However, a comprehensive review of MP remediation using magnetic materials and their nanostructures is currently lacking. The present work provides a critical review of the recent advances in MP removal/degradation using magnetic materials. The focus is on the comparison and analysis of the MP's removal efficiencies of different magnetic materials, including iron/ferrite nanoparticles, magnetic nanocomposites, and micromotors, aiming to unravel the underlying roles of magnetic materials in different types of MP degradation and present the general strategies for designing them with optimal performance. Finally, the review outlines the forthcoming challenges and perspectives in the development of magnetic nanomaterials for MP remediation.

Utilising the Nanozymatic Activity of Copper-Functionalised Mesoporous C3 N5 for Sensing Biomolecules

Designing unique nanomaterials for the selective sensing of biomolecules is of significant interest in the field of nanobiotechnology. In this work, we demonstrated the synthesis of ordered Cu nanoparticle-functionalised mesoporous C3 N5 that has unique peroxidase-like nanozymatic activity for the ultrasensitive and selective detection of glucose and glutathione. A nano hard-templating technique together with the in-situ polymerisation and self-assembly of Cu and high N-containing CN precursor was adopted to introduce mesoporosity as well as high N and Cu content in mesoporous C3 N5 . Due to the ordered structure and highly dispersed Cu in the mesoporous C3 N5 , a large enhancement of the peroxidase mimetic activity in the oxidation of a redox dye in the presence of hydrogen peroxide could be obtained. Additionally, the optimised Cu-functionalised mesoporous C3 N5 exhibited excellent sensitivity to glutathione with a low detection limit of 2.0 ppm. The strong peroxidase activity of the Cu-functionalised mesoporous C3 N5 was also effectively used for the sensing of glucose with a detection limit of 0.4 mM through glucose oxidation with glucose oxidase. This unique Cu-functionalised mesoporous C3 N5 has the potential for detecting various molecules in the environment as well as for next-generation glucose and glutathione diagnostic devices.

Direct observation of intrinsic room-temperature ferroelectricity in 2D layered CuCrP2S6

Multiferroic materials have ignited enormous interest owing to their co-existence of ferroelectricity and ferromagnetism, which hold substantial promise for advanced device applications. However, the size effect, dangling bonds, and interface effect in traditional multiferroics severely hinder their potential in nanoscale device applications. Recent theoretical and experimental studies have evidenced the possibility of realizing two-dimensional (2D) multiferroicity in van der Waals (vdW) layered CuCrP2S6. However, the incorporation of magnetic Cr ions in the ferroelectric framework leads to antiferroelectric and antiferromagnetic orderings, while macroscopic spontaneous polarization is always absent. Herein, we report the direct observation of robust out-of-plane ferroelectricity in 2D vdW CuCrP2S6 at room temperature with a comprehensive investigation. Modification of the ferroelectric polarization states in 2D CuCrP2S6 nanoflakes is experimentally demonstrated. Moreover, external electric field-induced polarization switching and hysteresis loops are obtained in CuCrP2S6 down to ~2.6 nm (4 layers). By using atomically resolved scanning transmission electron microscopy, we unveil the origin of the emerged room-temperature ferroelectricity in 2D CuCrP2S6. Our work can facilitate the development of multifunctional nanodevices and provide important insights into the nature of ferroelectric ordering of this 2D vdW material.

Multifunctional carbon nitride nanoarchitectures for catalysis

Catalysis is at the heart of modern-day chemical and pharmaceutical industries, and there is an urgent demand to develop metal-free, high surface area, and efficient catalysts in a scalable, reproducible and economic manner. Amongst the ever-expanding two-dimensional materials family, carbon nitride (CN) has emerged as the most researched material for catalytic applications due to its unique molecular structure with tunable visible range band gap, surface defects, basic sites, and nitrogen functionalities. These properties also endow it with anchoring capability with a large number of catalytically active sites and provide opportunities for doping, hybridization, sensitization, etc. To make considerable progress in the use of CN as a highly effective catalyst for various applications, it is critical to have an in-depth understanding of its synthesis, structure and surface sites. The present review provides an overview of the recent advances in synthetic approaches of CN, its physicochemical properties, and band gap engineering, with a focus on its exclusive usage in a variety of catalytic reactions, including hydrogen evolution reactions, overall water splitting, water oxidation, CO2 reduction, nitrogen reduction reactions, pollutant degradation, and organocatalysis. While the structural design and band gap engineering of catalysts are elaborated, the surface chemistry is dealt with in detail to demonstrate efficient catalytic performances. Burning challenges in catalytic design and future outlook are elucidated.

Strategies for Improving the Photocatalytic Hydrogen Evolution Reaction of Carbon Nitride-Based Catalysts

Due to the depletion of fossil fuels and their-related environmental issues, sustainable, clean, and renewable energy is urgently needed to replace fossil fuel as the primary energy resource. Hydrogen is considered as one of the cleanest energies. Among the approaches to hydrogen production, photocatalysis is the most sustainable and renewable solar energy technique. Considering the low cost of fabrication, earth abundance, appropriate bandgap, and high performance, carbon nitride has attracted extensive attention as the catalyst for photocatalytic hydrogen production in the last two decades. In this review, the carbon nitride-based photocatalytic hydrogen production system, including the catalytic mechanism and the strategies for improving the photocatalytic performance is discussed. According to the photocatalytic processes, the strengthened mechanism of carbon nitride-based catalysts is particularly described in terms of boosting the excitation of electrons and holes, suppressing carriers recombination, and enhancing the utilization efficiency of photon-excited electron-hole. Finally, the current trends related to the screening design of superior photocatalytic hydrogen production systems are outlined, and the development direction of carbon nitride for hydrogen production is clarified.

Feasibility of Omitting Contralateral Neck Irradiation in Patients with Node-Negative Sinonasal Squamous Cell Carcinoma Crossing the Midline

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVE(S)

This study aims to analyze the nodal target volume in patients with node-negative SNSCC crossing the midline.

MATERIALS/METHODS

One hundred and four patients with node-negative advanced sinonasal squamous cell carcinoma (SNSCC) crossing the midline were included. Survival rates were estimated and compared between treatment groups.

RESULTS

Sixty-four patients received contralateral ENI (contralateral ENI group), while forty patients did not (non-contralateral ENI group). The median follow-up time was 89.99 and 95.01 months in the contralateral and non-contralateral ENI groups, respectively. At 5 years, the regional relapse-free survival and contralateral regional relapse-free survival were 57.68% vs. 55.83% (p = 0.372), and 57.68% vs. 61.62% (p = 0.541), in contralateral ENI group vs. non-contralateral ENI group, respectively. Five-year overall survival, local relapse-free survival, and distant metastasis-free survival were similar in the two groups (all p > 0.05).

CONCLUSION

In patients with node-negative SNSCC crossing the midline, omission of contralateral ENI did not affect regional control and survival outcomes on the premise of receiving ipsilateral ENI covering at least levels Ib and II.

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

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

Photoelectron "Bridge" in Van Der Waals Heterojunction for Enhanced Photocatalytic CO2 Conversion Under Visible Light

Constructing Van der Waals heterojunction is a crucial strategy to achieve excellent photocatalytic activity. However, in most Van der Waals heterojunctions synthesized by ex situ assembly, electron transfer encounters huge hindrances at the interface between the two components due to the large spacing and potential barrier. Herein, a phosphate-bridged Van der Waals heterojunction of cobalt phthalocyanine (CoPc)/tungsten disulfide (WS2 ) bridged by phosphate (xCoPc-nPO4 - -WS2 ) is designed and prepared by the traditional wet chemistry method. By introducing a small phosphate molecule into the interface of CoPc and WS2 , creates an electron "bridge", resulting in a compact combination and eliminating the space barrier. Therefore, the phosphate (PO4 - ) bridge can serve as an efficient electron transfer channel in heterojunction and can efficiently transmit photoelectrons from WS2 to CoPc under excited states. These excited photoelectrons are captured by the catalytic central Co2+ in CoPc and subsequently convert CO2 molecules into CO and CH4 products, achieving 17-fold enhancement on the 3CoPc-0.6PO4 - -WS2 sample compared to that of pure WS2 . Introducing a small molecule "bridge" to create an electron transfer channel provides a new perspective in designing efficient photocatalysts for photocatalytic CO2 reduction into valuable products.

Magnetic Nanofibrous Hydrogels for Dynamic Control of Stem Cell Differentiation

The extracellular matrix in tissue consists of complex heterogeneous soft materials with hierarchical structure and dynamic mechanical properties dictating cell and tissue level function. In many natural matrices, there are nanofibrous structures that serve to guide cell activity and dictate the form and function of tissue. Synthetic hydrogels with integrated nanofibers can mimic the structural properties of native tissue; however, model systems with dynamic mechanical properties remain elusive. Here we demonstrate modular nanofibrous hydrogels that can be reversibly stiffened in response to applied magnetic fields. Iron oxide nanoparticles were incorporated into gelatin nanofibers through electrospinning, followed by chemical stabilization and fragmentation. These magnetoactive nanofibers can be mixed with virtually any hydrogel material and reversibly stiffen the matrix at a low fiber content (≤3%). In contrast to previous work, where a large quantity of magnetic material disallowed cell encapsulation, the low nanofiber content allows matrix stiffening with cells in 3D. Using adipose derived stem cells, we show how nanofibrous matrices are beneficial for both osteogenesis and adipogenesis, where stiffening the hydrogel with applied magnetic fields enhances osteogenesis while discouraging adipogenesis. Skeletal myoblast progenitors were used as a model of tissue morphogenesis with matrix stiffening augmenting myogenesis and multinucleated myotube formation. The ability to reversibly stiffen fibrous hydrogels through magnetic stimulation provides a useful tool for studying nanotopography and dynamic mechanics in cell culture, with a scope for stimuli responsive materials for tissue engineering.

[IL-8 Links NF-κB and Wnt/β-Catenin Pathways in Persistent Inflammatory Response Induced by Chronic Helicobacter pylori Infection]

Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection can cause persistent inflammatory response in human gastric mucosal epithelial cells, which may result in the occurrence of cancer. However, the underlying mechanism of carcinogenesis has not been elucidated yet. Herein, we established the models of chronic H. pylori infection in GES-1 cells and C57BL/6J mice. Interleukin 8 (IL-8) level was detected by ELISA. The expression of NF-κB p65, IL-8, Wnt2 and β-catenin mRNA and proteins was evaluated by real-time PCR, Western blotting, immunofluorescence staining, and immunohistochemistry. The infection of H. pylori in mice was evaluated by rapid urease test, H&E staining and Warthin-Starry silver staining. The morphological changes of gastric mucosa were observed by electron microscopy. Our results showed that in H. pylori infected gastric mucosal cells along with activation of NF-κB signaling pathway and increase of IL-8 level, the expression of Wnt2 was also increased significantly, which preliminarily indicates that IL-8 can positively regulate the expression of Wnt2. Studies in chronic H. pylori infected C57BL/6J mice models showed that there was an increased incidence of premalignant lesions in the gastric mucosa tissue. Through comparing changes of gastric mucosal cell ultrastructure and analyzing the relationship between NF-κB signaling pathway and Wnt2 expression, we found that H. pylori infection activated NF-κB signal pathways, and the massive release of IL-8 was positively correlated with the high expression of Wnt2 protein. Subsequently, the activated Wnt/β-catenin signal pathways may be involved in the malignant transformation of gastric mucosal cells. Collectively, H. pylori chronic infection may continuously lead to persistent inflammatory response: activate NF-κB pathway, promote IL-8 release and thereby activate Wnt/β-catenin pathway. IL-8 probably plays an important role of a linker in coupling these two signal pathways.

Recent Advances in Carbon-Based Electrodes for Energy Storage and Conversion

Carbon-based nanomaterials, including graphene, fullerenes, and carbon nanotubes, are attracting significant attention as promising materials for next-generation energy storage and conversion applications. They possess unique physicochemical properties, such as structural stability and flexibility, high porosity, and tunable physicochemical features, which render them well suited in these hot research fields. Technological advances at atomic and electronic levels are crucial for developing more efficient and durable devices. This comprehensive review provides a state-of-the-art overview of these advanced carbon-based nanomaterials for various energy storage and conversion applications, focusing on supercapacitors, lithium as well as sodium-ion batteries, and hydrogen evolution reactions. Particular emphasis is placed on the strategies employed to enhance performance through nonmetallic elemental doping of N, B, S, and P in either individual doping or codoping, as well as structural modifications such as the creation of defect sites, edge functionalization, and inter-layer distance manipulation, aiming to provide the general guidelines for designing these devices by the above approaches to achieve optimal performance. Furthermore, this review delves into the challenges and future prospects for the advancement of carbon-based electrodes in energy storage and conversion.

Emerging Trends of Carbon-Based Quantum Dots: Nanoarchitectonics and Applications

Carbon-based quantum dots (QDs) have emerged as a fascinating class of advanced materials with a unique combination of optoelectronic, biocompatible, and catalytic characteristics, apt for a plethora of applications ranging from electronic to photoelectrochemical devices. Recent research works have established carbon-based QDs for those frontline applications through improvements in materials design, processing, and device stability. This review broadly presents the recent progress in the synthesis of carbon-based QDs, including carbon QDs, graphene QDs, graphitic carbon nitride QDs and their heterostructures, as well as their salient applications. The synthesis methods of carbon-based QDs are first introduced, followed by an extensive discussion of the dependence of the device performance on the intrinsic properties and nanostructures of carbon-based QDs, aiming to present the general strategies for device designing with optimal performance. Furthermore, diverse applications of carbon-based QDs are presented, with an emphasis on the relationship between band alignment, charge transfer, and performance improvement. Among the applications discussed in this review, much focus is given to photo and electrocatalytic, energy storage and conversion, and bioapplications, which pose a grand challenge for rational materials and device designs. Finally, a summary is presented, and existing challenges and future directions are elaborated.

Borophene Embedded Cellulose Paper for Enhanced Photothermal Water Evaporation and Prompt Bacterial Killing

Solar-driven photothermal water evaporation is considered an elegant and sustainable technology for freshwater production. The existing systems, however, often suffer from poor stability and biofouling issues, which severely hamper their prospects in practical applications. Conventionally, photothermal materials are deposited on the membrane supports via vacuum-assisted filtration or dip-coating methods. Nevertheless, the weak inherent material-membrane interactions frequently lead to poor durability, and the photothermal material layer can be easily peeled off from the hosting substrates or partially dissolved when immersed in water. In the present article, the discovery of the incorporation of borophene into cellulose nanofibers (CNF), enabling excellent environmental stability with a high light-to-heat conversion efficiency of 91.5% and water evaporation rate of 1.45 kg m^-2 h^-1 under simulated sunlight is reported. It is also demonstrated that borophene papers can be employed as an excellent active photothermal material for eliminating almost 100% of both gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria within 20 min under three sun irradiations. The result opens a new direction for the design of borophene-based papers with unique photothermal properties which can be used for the effective treatment of a wide range of wastewaters.

Surface acoustic wave induced phenomena in two-dimensional materials

Surface acoustic wave (SAW)-matter interaction provides a fascinating key for inducing and manipulating novel phenomena and functionalities in two-dimensional (2D) materials. The dynamic strain field and piezo-electric field associated with propagating SAWs determine the coherent manipulation and transduction between 2D excitons and phonons. Over the past decade, many intriguing acoustic-induced effects, including the acousto-electric effect, acousto-galvanic effect, acoustic Stark effect, acoustic Hall effect and acoustic exciton transport, have been reported experimentally. However, many more phenomena, such as the valley acousto-electric effect, valley acousto-electric Hall effect and acoustic spin Hall effect, were only theoretically proposed, the experimental verification of which are yet to be achieved. In this minireview, we attempt to overview the recent breakthrough of SAW-induced phenomena covering acoustic charge transport, acoustic exciton transport and modulation, and coherent acoustic phonons. Perspectives on the opportunities of the proposed SAW-induced phenomena, as well as open experimental challenges, are also discussed, attempting to offer some guidelines for experimentalists and theorists to explore the desired exotic properties and boost practical applications of 2D materials.

Cu(I)/Cu(II) Creutz-Taube Mixed-Valence 2D Coordination Polymers

Graphene-like 2D coordination polymers (GCPs) have been of central research interest in recent decades with significant impact in many fields. According to classical coordination chemistry, Cu(II) can adopt the dsp² hybridization to form square planar coordination geometry, but not Cu(I); this is why so far, there has been few 2D layered structures synthesized from Cu(I) precursors. Herein a pair of isostructural GCPs synthesized by the coordination of benzenehexathiol (BHT) ligands with Cu(I) and Cu(II) ions, respectively, is reported. Spectroscopic characterizations indicate that Cu(I) and Cu(II) coexist with a near 1:1 ratio in both GCPs but remain indistinguishable with a fractional oxidation state of +1.5 on average, making these two GCPs a unique pair of Creutz-Taube mixed-valence 2D structures. Based on density functional theory calculations, an intramolecular pseudo-redox mechanism is further uncovered whereby the radicals on BHT ligands can oxidize Cu(I) or reduce Cu(II) ions upon coordination, thus producing isostructures with distinct electron configurations. For the first time, it is demonstrated that using Cu(I) or Cu(II), one can achieve 2D isostructures, indicating an unusual fact that a neutral periodic structure can host a different number of total electrons as ground states, which may open a new chapter for 2D materials.

Fluoride-assisted detection of glutathione by surface Ce3+/Ce4+ engineered nanoceria

Nanoceria has evolved as a promising nanomaterial due to its unique enzyme-like properties, including excellent oxidase mimetic activity, which significantly increases in the presence of fluoride ions. However, this significant increase in oxidase activity has never been utilised as a signal enhancer for the detection of biological analytes partly because of the lack of understanding of the mechanism involved in this process. In this study, we show that the surface oxidation state of cerium ions plays a very crucial role in different enzymatic activities, especially the oxidase mimetic activity by engineering nanoceria with three different surface Ce⁴⁺/Ce³⁺ compositions. Using DFT calculations combined with Bader charge analysis, it is demonstrated that stoichiometric ceria registers a higher oxidase mimetic activity than oxygen-deficient ceria with a low Ce⁴⁺/Ce³⁺ ratio due to a higher charge transfer from a substrate, 3,3',5,5' tetramethylbenzidine (TMB), to the ceria surface. We also show that the fluoride ions can significantly increase the charge transfer from the TMB surface to ceria irrespective of the surface Ce⁴⁺/Ce³⁺ ratio. Using this knowledge, we first compare the fluoride sensing properties of nanoceria with high Ce⁴⁺ and mixed Ce⁴⁺/Ce³⁺ oxidation states and further demonstrate that the linear detection range of fluoride ions can be extended to 1-10 ppm for nanoceria with mixed oxidation states. Then, we also demonstrate an assay for fluoride assisted detection of glutathione, an antioxidant with elevated levels during cancer, using nanoceria with a high surface Ce⁴⁺/Ce³⁺ ratio. The addition of fluoride ions in this assay allows the detection of glutathione in the linear range of 2.5-50 ppm with a limit of detection (LOD) of 3.8 ppm. These studies not only underpin the role of the surface Ce⁴⁺/Ce³⁺ ratio in tuning the fluoride assisted boost in the oxidase mimetic activity of nanoceria but also its strategic application in designing better colourimetric assays.

Low-Dimensional Metal-Halide Perovskites as High-Performance Materials for Memory Applications

Metal-halide perovskites have drawn profuse attention during the past decade, owing to their excellent electrical and optical properties, facile synthesis, efficient energy conversion, and so on. Meanwhile, the development of information storage technologies and digital communications has fueled the demand for novel semiconductor materials. Low-dimensional perovskites have offered a new force to propel the developments of the memory field due to the excellent physical and electrical properties associated with the reduced dimensionality. In this review, the mechanisms, properties, as well as stability and performance of low-dimensional perovskite memories, involving both molecular-level perovskites and structure-level nanostructures, are comprehensively reviewed. The property-performance correlation is discussed in-depth, aiming to present effective strategies for designing memory devices based on this new class of high-performance materials. Finally, the existing challenges and future opportunities are presented.

[Introduction and implications of WHO position paper: vaccines against influenza, May 2022]

On May 13, 2022, World Health Organization(WHO) Position Paper on Influenza Vaccine (2022 edition) was published. This position paper updates information on influenza epidemiology, high risk population, the impact of immunization on disease, influenza vaccines and effectiveness and safety, and propose WHO's position and recommendation that all countries should consider implementing seasonal influenza vaccine immunization programmes to prepare for an influenza pandemic. In addition, it proposes that the influenza surveillance platform can be integrated with the surveillance of other respiratory viruses, such as SARS-CoV-2 and Respiratory Syncytial Virus. This position paper has some implications for the prevention and control of influenza and other respiratory infectious diseases in China: (1) Optimize influenza vaccine policies to facilitate the implementation of immunization services; (2) Influenza prevention and control should from the perspective of Population Medicine focus on the individual and community to integrate with "Promotion, Prevention, Diagnosis, Control, Treatment, Rehabilitation"; (3) Incorporate prevention and control of other respiratory infectious diseases such as influenza, COVID-19, respiratory syncytial virus and adenovirus, and intelligently monitor by integrating multi-channel data to achieve the goal of co-prevention and control of multiple diseases.

Tuning Phase Transition and Thermochromic Properties of Vanadium Dioxide Thin Films via Cobalt Doping

Vanadium dioxide (VO₂) featuring a distinct thermally triggered phase transition is regarded as the most attractive thermochromic material for smart window applications. However, the high transition temperature (∼67 °C) and moderate luminous transmittance (<50%) of the pristine VO₂ circumvent room temperature applications. In this work, epitaxial cobalt-doped VO₂ thin films were fabricated to tailor the electric and optical properties on a c-plane sapphire substrate. At the highest doping concentration of 10%, the transition temperature of VO₂ is reduced to 44 °C, accompanied by a high luminous transmittance of 79% for single-element Co-doped VO₂. The roles of cobalt doping and detailed band variation are fully explained experimentally and by modeling (DFT calculation), respectively. Furthermore, the dramatically increased carrier concentration in cobalt-doped VO₂ underscores the promising future of cobalt-doped VO₂ unveiled by temperature-dependent Hall effect measurement.

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

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

Hydrazine Hydrate Intercalated 1T-Dominant MoS2 with Superior Ambient Stability for Highly Efficient Electrocatalytic Applications

Metallic 1T-phase MoS₂ exhibits superior hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) performance than natural 2H-phase MoS₂ owing to its higher electrical conductivity and abundance of active sites. However, the reported 1T-MoS₂ catalysts usually suffer from extreme instability, which results in quick phase transformation at ambient conditions. Herein, we present a facile approach to engineer the phase of MoS₂ by introducing intercalated hydrazine. Interestingly, the as-synthesized 1T-dominant MoS₂ sample demonstrates excellent ambient stability without noticeable degradation for 3 months. Additionally, the 1T-dominant MoS₂ exhibits superior electrical conductivity (∼700 times higher than that of 2H-MoS₂) and improved electrochemical catalytic performance (current density ∼12 times larger than that of 2H-MoS₂ at an overpotential of 300 mV vs the reversible hydrogen electrode, RHE). Through experimental characterizations and density functional theory (DFT) calculation, we conclude that the stabilization of the metallic phase could be attributed to the electron donation from hydrazine molecules to the adjacent Mo atoms. The phase control strategy in this work provides a guideline to develop other highly efficient and stable two-dimensional (2D) electrocatalysts.

Single port robotic assisted sacrocolpopexy: technique and tips

INTRODUCTION AND HYPOTHESIS

Sacrocolpopexy is the most durable surgical procedure for the treatment of symptomatic pelvic organ prolapse (Maher et al. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2013;(4):CD004014). The single port robotic platform has recently been approved in the USA for use in urological surgery. Innovation in robotic surgery continues to evolve, minimizing abdominal wall trauma while improving instrumentation and technical feasibility. Identifying the appropriate procedures to utilize novel technology is important to understand the role of new surgical tools. Sacrocolpopexy procedure, when performed with supracervical hysterectomy, requires extension of an incision for specimen retrieval, making it ideal for single port surgery. The technique and adaptation to new instrumentation is demonstrated in this video.

METHOD

A surgical demonstration of single port robotic sacrocolpopexy is shown.

RESULTS

Sacrocolpopexy was successfully completed using the single port robotic platform.

CONCLUSIONS

Sacrocolpopexy is technically feasible with use of the single port robotic platform.

Rare-Earth Doped Iron Oxide Nanostructures for Cancer Theranostics: Magnetic Hyperthermia and Magnetic Resonance Imaging

Superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPIONs) have been extensively investigated during the last couple of decades because of their potential applications across various disciplines ranging from spintronics to nanotheranostics. However, pure iron oxide nanoparticles cannot meet the requirement for practical applications. Doping is considered as one of the most prominent and simplest techniques to achieve optimized multifunctional properties in nanomaterials. Doped iron oxides, particularly, rare-earth (RE) doped nanostructures have shown much-improved performance for a wide range of biomedical applications, including magnetic hyperthermia and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), compared to pure iron oxide. Extensive investigations have revealed that bigger-sized RE ions possessing high magnetic moment and strong spin-orbit coupling can serve as promising dopants to significantly regulate the properties of iron oxides for advanced biomedical applications. This review provides a detailed investigation on the role of RE ions as primary dopants for engineering the structural and magnetic properties of Fe₃ O₄ nanoparticles to carefully introspect and correlate their impact on cancer theranostics with a special focus on magnetic hyperthermia and MRI. In addition, prospects for achieving high-performance magnetic hyperthermia and MRI are thoroughly discussed. Finally, suggestions on future work in these two areas are also proposed.

Transcriptomic Mapping of Human Parotid Gland at Single-Cell Resolution

As the largest salivary gland in oral cavity, the parotid gland plays an important role in initial digesting and lubricating food. The abnormal secretory function of the parotid gland can lead to dental caries and oral mucosal inflammation. In recent years, single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) has been used to explore the heterogeneity and diversity of cells in various organs and tissues. However, the transcription profile of the human parotid gland at single-cell resolution has not been reported yet. In this study, we constructed the cell atlas of human parotid gland using the 10× Genomics platform. Characteristic gene analysis identified the biological functions of serous acinar cell populations in secreting digestive enzymes and antibacterial proteins. We revealed the specificity and similarity of the parotid gland compared to other digestive glands through comparative analyses of other published scRNA-seq data sets. We also identified the cell-specific expression of hub genes for Sjögren syndrome in the human parotid gland by integrating the results of genome-wide association studies and bulk RNA-seq, which highlighted the importance of immune cell dysfunction in parotid Sjögren syndrome pathogenesis.

Design of Magnetic Nanoplatforms for Cancer Theranostics

Cancer is the top cause of death globally. Developing smart nanomedicines that are capable of diagnosis and therapy (theranostics) in one-nanoparticle systems are highly desirable for improving cancer treatment outcomes. The magnetic nanoplatforms are the ideal system for cancer theranostics, because of their diverse physiochemical properties and biological effects. In particular, a biocompatible iron oxide nanoparticle based magnetic nanoplatform can exhibit multiple magnetic-responsive behaviors under an external magnetic field and realize the integration of diagnosis (magnetic resonance imaging, ultrasonic imaging, photoacoustic imaging, etc.) and therapy (magnetic hyperthermia, photothermal therapy, controlled drug delivery and release, etc.) in vivo. Furthermore, due to considerable variation among tumors and individual patients, it is a requirement to design iron oxide nanoplatforms by the coordination of diverse functionalities for efficient and individualized theranostics. In this article, we will present an up-to-date overview on iron oxide nanoplatforms, including both iron oxide nanomaterials and those that can respond to an externally applied magnetic field, with an emphasis on their applications in cancer theranostics.

Antiferromagnetism in Ni-Based Superconductors

Due to the lack of any magnetic order down to 1.7 K in the parent bulk compound NdNiO₂ , the recently discovered 9-15 K superconductivity in the infinite-layer Nd_0.8 Sr_0.2 NiO₂ thin films has provided an exciting playground for unearthing new superconductivity mechanisms. Herein, the successful synthesis of a series of superconducting Nd_0.8 Sr_0.2 NiO₂ thin films ranging from 8 to 40 nm is reported. The large exchange bias effect is observed between the superconducting Nd_0.8 Sr_0.2 NiO₂ films and a thin ferromagnetic layer, which suggests the existence of the antiferromagnetic order. Furthermore, the existence of the antiferromagnetic order is evidenced by X-ray magnetic linear dichroism measurements. These experimental results are fundamentally critical for the current field.