One-step electrochemical conversion of propane to acetone of 96% purity.

Acetone is a crucial chemical and solvent with extensive industrial applications, traditionally synthesized from propane through multi-step processes that demand high temperatures and pressures. Here, we report a selective one-step conversion of propane to acetone using a heterogeneous electro-Fenton process (h-EFP) under mild conditions. In this process, concentrated ·OH radicals are generated in an iron/carbon hybrid cathode via a two-electron oxygen reduction reaction followed by HO conversion.

Hsp60 lactylation promotes mitochondrial dysfunction and trophoblast apoptosis in preeclampsia.

Preeclampsia is characterized by placental hypoxia and metabolic reprogramming toward glycolysis, leading to increased lactate production and protein lactylation. This study investigated the role of heat shock protein 60 (Hsp60) lactylation in preeclampsia pathophysiology. Using placental tissue microarrays and HTR-8/SVneo trophoblast cells, we found that Hsp60 undergoes aberrant lactylation in preeclamptic placentas, particularly under hypoxic conditions.

The Bcl-2 family protein NOXA is a novel regulator of liver regeneration.

Aims: Robust liver regeneration alleviates liver injury and averts liver failure. In the present study we investigated the regulatory role of phorbol-12-myristate-13-acetate-induced protein 1 (PMAIP1, also known as NOXA) in liver generation.

Methods And Materials: Liver regeneration was modeled in vitro by treating primary hepatocytes with hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) and in vivo by subjecting C57BL/6 mice to partial hepatectomy (PHx).

Decoding the influence of monomer structures on the electrical double layer of alkaline fuel cells.

Alkaline polymer electrolytes (APEs) are extensively used in fuel cells and electrolysers due to their safety and low-cost advantages. Recently, scientists have explored their potential as electrochemical reaction catalysts, allowing APEs to function as ion transport channels and actively participate in catalytic reactions, exhibiting bifunctional characteristics. However, the key challenge in designing such materials lies in ensuring that the catalytic groups embedded within the polymer backbone can interact effectively with the electrode surface or reaction sites.

Multicomponent Ru-Based Alloys with a Face-Centered Cubic Structure Achieve High Activity and CO Tolerance for Hydrogen Oxidation Electrocatalysis.

The face-centered cubic (fcc) Ru exhibits great potential for the alkaline hydrogen oxidation reaction (HOR), while achieving high HOR activity and CO tolerance poses a formidable challenge for Ru catalysts in practical fuel cells, particularly when using CO-contaminated H, such as gray and blue hydrogen. Here, we propose a compositional diversification strategy to create 14 types of fcc Ru-based alloys, in which adjustable compositions can tune the nanostructure while offsetting the limitations of single Ru. Among them, quinary RuInPtNiCu nanocrystals (NCs) exhibit an outstanding HOR activity of 5.

Operando Spectroscopic Insights into CO Reduction at Electrode/Polyelectrolyte Interfaces.

The electrode/polyelectrolyte interface is a notable feature in modern electrochemical technologies that utilize membrane electrode assembly (MEA) configurations. However, its interfacial structure and catalytic behavior remain poorly understood. Here, we developed an integrated operando Raman spectroscopy and mass spectrometry (MS) method, to directly investigate the CO reduction mechanism at the electrode/polyelectrolyte interface within a practical MEA electrolyzer operating at high current densities.

Ferritinophagy: multifaceted roles and potential therapeutic strategies in liver diseases.

Ferritinophagy, the selective autophagic degradation of ferritin to release iron, is emerging as a critical regulator of iron homeostasis and a key player in the pathogenesis of various liver diseases. This review comprehensively examines the mechanisms, regulation, and multifaceted roles of ferritinophagy in liver health and disease. Ferritinophagy is intricately regulated by several factors, including Nuclear Receptor Coactivator 4 (NCOA4), Iron regulatory proteins and signaling pathways such as mTOR and AMPK.

Two-sample Mendelian randomization analysis of the causal relationship between lipid metabolism/fatty acid metabolism and pre-eclampsia.

Objectives: A causal relationship has been found between the abundance of some flora in the gut microbiota and the development of pre-eclampsia (PE). Short-chain fatty acids in gut microbes are an important source of lipids. The causal effect of lipid metabolism/fatty acid metabolism pathways on PE exposure is unknown.

Probiotics isolated from the fermented grains of Chinese baijiu alleviate alcohol-induced liver injury by regulating alcohol metabolism and the gut microbiota in mice.

Alcoholic liver disease is one of the diseases with a high mortality rate worldwide, resulting from excessive and chronic alcohol consumption. With the rapid rise of intestinal microbial research, more and more researchers have begun to focus on the role of probiotics in preventing, alleviating or treating diseases. In this study, effects of lactic acid bacteria (LAB), a general type of probiotic, isolated from the fermented grains of Chinese baijiu, on alcohol-induced liver injury and alcohol metabolism were investigated, and the results showed that LTJ12, LTJ28, LTJ30, and LTJ32 could prevent drunkenness and sober up, and had a good protective effect on alcoholic liver injury.

Redox-Mediated CO Electrolysis for Recovering Transmembrane Carbon Loss.

CO electrolysis in alkaline media presents advantages by suppressing the competitive hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) and enhancing the CO reduction selectivity. However, it suffers from the carbonation issue, leading to substantial carbon loss due to CO transmembrane transport. To tackle this issue, we here put forward a redox mediator (RM)-coupled electrolysis strategy.

Strong Heteroatomic Bond-Induced Confined Restructuring on Ir-Mn Intermetallics Enable Robust PEM Water Electrolyzers.

Low-iridium acid-stabilized electrocatalysts for efficient oxygen evolution reaction (OER) are crucial for the market deployment of proton exchange membrane (PEM) water electrolysis. Manipulating the in situ reconstruction of Ir-based catalysts with favorable kinetics is highly desirable but remains elusive. Herein, we propose an atomic ordering strategy to modulate the dynamic surface restructuring of catalysts to break the activity/stability trade-off.

Origin of Performance Decline in Carbonated Anion Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells.

Anion exchange membrane fuel cells (AEMFCs) have successfully eliminated anode carbonate precipitation through cation immobilization with the incorporation of alkaline polymer electrolytes (APEs). However, carbonation by CO in ambient air continues to induce significant AEMFC performance losses via mechanisms that remain unclear/elusive. In this multimodal investigation of AEMFC carbonation, we find that the increase in ionic resistance after carbonation accounts for only a small fraction of the cell voltage drop, especially at high current densities.

Hydrophobic modification enhances the microstructure stability of the catalyst layer in alkaline polymer electrolyte fuel cells.

Alkaline polymer electrolyte fuel cells (APEFCs) have achieved notable advancements in peak power density, yet their durability during long-term operation remains a significant challenge. It has been recognized that increasing the hydrophobicity of the catalyst layer can effectively alleviate the performance degradation. However, a microscopic view of how hydrophobicity contributes to the stability of the catalyst layer microstructure is not clear.

Observation of Fast Low-Temperature Oxygen Ion Conduction in CeO/β"-AlO Heterostructure.

Semiconductor ion fuel cells (SIFCs) have demonstrated impressive ionic conductivity and efficient power generation at temperatures below 600 °C. However, the lack of understanding of the ionic conduction mechanisms associated with composite electrolytes has impeded the advancement of SIFCs toward lower operating temperatures. In this study, a CeO/β″-AlO heterostructure electrolyte is introduced, incorporating β″-AlO and leveraging the local electric field (LEF) as well as the manipulation of the melting point temperature of carbonate/hydroxide (C/H) by Na and Mg from β″-AlO.

LncRNA ZFAS1 regulates ATIC transcription and promotes the proliferation and migration of hepatocellular carcinoma through the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway.

Purpose: Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) exert a significant influence on various cancer-related processes through their intricate interactions with RNAs. Among these, lncRNA ZFAS1 has been implicated in oncogenic roles in multiple cancer types. Nevertheless, the intricate biological significance and underlying mechanism of ZFAS1 in the initiation and progression of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remain largely unexplored.

Catalytic Peculiarity of Alkali Metal Cation-Free Electrode/Polyelectrolyte Interfaces Toward CO Reduction.

A prominent feature of modern electrochemical technologies, such as fuel cells and electrolysis, is the employing of polyelectrolytes instead of liquid electrolytes. Unlike the well-studied electrode/liquid electrolyte interfaces, however, the catalytic characteristics of electrode/polyelectrolyte interfaces remain largely unexplored, mostly due to the lack of reliable probing methods. Herein, we report a universally applicable approach to investigating electrocatalytic reactions at electrode/polyelectrolyte interfaces under normal electrochemical conditions.

Gpbar-1/cAMP/PKA signaling mitigates macrophage-mediated acute cholestatic liver injury via antagonizing NLRP3-ASC inflammasome.

Acute cholestatic liver injury (ACLI) is a disease associated with bile duct obstruction that causes liver inflammation and apoptosis. Although G protein-coupled bile acid receptor1 (Gpbar-1) has diverse metabolic roles, its involvement in ACLI-associated immune activation remains unclear. Liver tissues and blood samples from 20 patients with ACLI and 20 healthy individuals were analyzed using biochemical tests, H&E staining, western blotting, and immunohistochemistry to verify liver damage and expression of Gpbar-1.

Multidimensional Electrochemistry Decodes the Operando Mechanism of Hydrogen Oxidation.

Being an efficient approach to the utilization of hydrogen energy, the hydrogen oxidation reaction (HOR) is of particular significance in the current carbon-neutrality time. Yet the mechanistic picture of the HOR is still blurred, mostly because the elemental steps of this reaction are rapid and highly entangled, especially when deviating from the thermodynamic equilibrium state. Here we report a strategy for decoding the HOR mechanism under operando conditions.

The lncRNA TRG-AS1 promotes the growth of colorectal cancer cells through the regulation of P2RY10/GNA13.

Background: The lncRNA TRG-AS1 and its co-expressed gene P2RY10 are important for colorectal cancer (CRC) occurrence and development. The purpose of our research was to explore the roles of TRG-AS1 and P2RY10 in CRC progression.

Methods: The abundance of TRG-AS1 and P2RY10 in CRC cell lines (HT-29 and LoVo) and normal colon cells FHC was determined and difference between CRC cells and normal cells was compared.

Celebrating the 130th anniversary of Wuhan University.

Lin Zhuang, Qiu Wang, Aiwen Lei and Qianghui Zhou introduce the and joint themed collection celebrating the 130th Anniversary of Wuhan University.

Implanting oxophilic metal in PtRu nanowires for hydrogen oxidation catalysis.

Bimetallic PtRu are promising electrocatalysts for hydrogen oxidation reaction in anion exchange membrane fuel cell, where the activity and stability are still unsatisfying. Here, PtRu nanowires were implanted with a series of oxophilic metal atoms (named as i-M-PR), significantly enhancing alkaline hydrogen oxidation reaction (HOR) activity and stability. With the dual doping of In and Zn atoms, the i-ZnIn-PR/C shows mass activity of 10.

In Situ Rapid-Formation Sprayable Hydrogels for Challenging Tissue Injury Management.

Rapid-acting, convenient, and broadly applicable medical materials are in high demand for the treatment of extensive and intricate tissue injuries in extremely medical scarcity environment, such as battlefields, wilderness, and traffic accidents. Conventional biomaterials fail to meet all the high criteria simultaneously for emergency management. Here, a multifunctional hydrogel system capable of rapid gelation and in situ spraying, addressing clinical challenges related to hemostasis, barrier establishment, support, and subsequent therapeutic treatment of irregular, complex, and urgent injured tissues, is designed.

Unsupervised machine learning reveals eigen reactivity of metal surfaces.

The reactivity of metal surfaces is a cornerstone concept in chemistry, as metals have long been used as catalysts to accelerate chemical reactions. Although fundamentally important, the reactivity of metal surfaces has hitherto not been explicitly defined. For example, in order to compare the activity of two metal surfaces, a particular probe adsorbate, such as O, H, or CO, has to be specified, as comparisons may vary from probe to probe.

Metal-support interaction boosts the stability of Ni-based electrocatalysts for alkaline hydrogen oxidation.

Ni-based hydrogen oxidation reaction (HOR) electrocatalysts are promising anode materials for the anion exchange membrane fuel cells (AEMFCs), but their application is hindered by their inherent instability for practical operations. Here, we report a TiO supported NiMo (NiMo/TiO) catalyst that can effectively catalyze HOR in alkaline electrolyte with a mass activity of 10.1 ± 0.