Preparation of high-strength silica aerogels by two-step surface modification via ambient pressure drying

Journal of Porous Materials - High-strength silica aerogels were prepared successfully by a new two-step surface modification (TSSM) method via ambient pressure drying (APD). Methyltrimethoxysilane...     

Enzyme-Activated Prodrug-Based Smart Liposomes Specifically Enhance Tumor Hemoperfusion with Efficient Drug Delivery to Pancreatic Cancer Cells and Stellate Cells

Tumor-specific enhanced delivery of chemotherapeutics and modulators to tumor cells and activated pancreatic stellate cells (aPSCs), respectively, represents safer and more effective therapy for pancreatic cancer. Herein, a membrane type 1-matrix metalloproteinase (MT1-MMP)-cleavable spacer is used to assemble low-density cRGDfK onto thermosensitive liposomes loaded with phosphorylated calcipotriol (PCAL) and doxorubicin (DOX), yielding MR-T-PD. The liposome-linked cRGDfK prodrug on MR-T-PD surface is first activated by MT1-MMP, which is selectively expressed on tumor endothelial cells, to release cRGDfK. The free cRGDfK specifically promotes tumor angiogenesis, leading to 3.4-fold higher accumulation and a wider distribution of MR-T-PD in tumors. Furthermore, MR-T-PD rapidly releases PCAL and DOX into the interstitium under heat treatment. The released DOX enters tumor cells to induce apoptosis, whereas the PCAL prodrug is converted to CAL by alkaline phosphatase on the surface of aPSCs; CAL can then enter aPSCs to induce quiescence and promote the antitumor effect of DOX. Finally, by enhancing the exposure of DOX and CAL to tumor cells and aPSCs, respectively, in a tumor-specific manner, MR-T-PD exerts superior efficacy (a 5.9-fold decrease in tumor weight) without causing additional side effects. Overall, this prodrug-based smart liposome system represents a promising paradigm for pancreatic cancer therapy.     

Stable Radicals with Protective Umbrellas Integrated on the Surface of 2D Layered Materials

Radicals are closely related to human life and health and have been widely used in biology, chemistry, functional materials, etc. However, the high reactivity, disorder, and short half-lives limit their wide applications. Therefore, it remains a great challenge to prepare stable and ordered radicals. Herein, radicals are prepared with protective umbrellas (diethylmethyleneamine, DEMA) that are integrated on the surface of 2D layered materials to isolate water and oxygen and enhance the stability of radicals. Taking 2D black phosphorus (BP) as an example: triethylamine reacts with dichloromethane to form quaternary ammonium salts with further Hoffmann elimination to produce DEMA radicals that could react with one electron of a lone pair electrons in P on the surface of BP to produce P radicals, which shows a prolonged half-life of 21 days at room temperature. First-principle calculations and electron paramagnetic resonance fitting confirm that the steric hindrance constructed by dense DEMA passivation layer acts as a protective umbrella and the 2D coupling of P radicals and other P atoms in 2D BP plane to enhance the stability and strong superexchange interaction of P radicals. Furthermore, it is a general strategy to produce stable radicals integrated on the 2D plane.     

Enhanced thermal conductivity and stability of boron nitride/phenyl silicone rubber composites via surface modification and grain alignment

Journal of Materials Science - With the extensive use of high-power electronic appliances, polymer-based thermal insulation composites with excellent thermal properties are utilized in the field of...     

Engineering A-site cation deficiency into LaCoO3 thin sheets for improved microwave absorption performance

Journal of Materials Science - Rationally designing microwave absorption materials with highly efficient and tunable bandwidth is in great demand but remains a huge challenge. In this study,...     

基于完全互补码波形的非零多普勒目标检测

本文将完全互补码(Complete Complementary Code, CCC)应用于多输入多输出(Multiple Input Multiple Output, MIMO)雷达目标探测中，针对具有非零多普勒的多目标检测问题，提出一种基于广义普洛黑-修-莫尔斯(Generalized Prouhet-Thue-Morse, GPTM)序列和二项式系数加权的信号处理方法。该方法分别在发射端和接收端进行处理，在发射端采用GPTM序列设计方法调整脉冲的发射顺序，以降低由多普勒引起的距离旁瓣；在接收端通过二项式设计(Binomial Design, BD)方法为各接收脉冲加上不同权重，扩大目标多普勒附近的清洁区。为综合上述两次处理的优势，将两次处理得到的距离多普勒谱进行逐点最小化处理，得到最终的距离多普勒谱，然后进行有序恒虚警检测。仿真结果表明，本文所提的信号处理方法具有良好的旁瓣抑制效果和多普勒分辨率，能够有效检测出非零多普勒目标。     

Core–Shell Photoanodes for Photoelectrochemical Water Oxidation

Photoelectrochemical (PEC) water splitting into hydrogen and oxygen is a promising solution for the conversion and storage of solar energy. Because sluggish water oxidation is the bottleneck of water splitting, the design and preparation of an efficient photoanode is intensively investigated. Currently, all known photoanode materials suffer from at least one of the following drawbacks: ① low carriers separation efficiency; ② sluggish surface water oxidation reaction; ③ poor long-term stability; ④ insufficient water adsorption and gas desorption. Core–shell configurations can endow a photoanode with improved activity and stability by coating an overlayer that plays energetic, catalytic, and/or protective roles. The construction strategy has an important effect on the activity of a core–shell photoanode. Nonetheless, the mechanism for the improvement of performance is still ambiguous and is worthy of a closer examination. In this review, the successes and challenges of core–shell photoanodes for water oxidation, focusing on synthesis strategies as well as functionalities (facilitating carrier separation, surface reaction promotion, corrosion prevention, and bubble detachment) are explored. Finally, the perspectives of this class of materials in terms of new opportunities and efforts are discussed.     

武汉市一般人群血清中全氟及多氟烷基化合物浓度及其影响因素研究

目的 了解武汉市一般人群血清中全氟及多氟烷基化合物(PFASs)浓度,探索血清中PFASs浓度水平的影响因素。方法 以在武汉市某医院进行一般体检的人群为研究对象(n=67),通过超高效液相色谱-三重四级杆质谱(UPLC-TQ/MS)联用仪测定外周血清中12种PFASs浓度,采用多元线性回归分析方法分析一般人口学特征和血清中PFASs浓度的关联性。结果 武汉市一般人群血清中12种PFASs的平均浓度水平为11.60 ng/mL。全氟辛烷磺酸及其盐类(PFOS)和全氟辛酸及其盐类(PFOA)的贡献率较大,分别为45.03%和31.86%。男性人群血清中PFOS、PFOA、全氟己基磺酸(PFHxS)、全氟壬酸(PFNA)等主要化合物的浓度高于女性,其β值(95%可信区间)分别为0.708(0.313,1.104)、0.518(0.069,0.967)、0.724(0.388,1.059)和0.684(0.399,0.968)。同时,发现血清中PFOS、PFHxS、PFNA浓度和年龄呈正相关,其β值(95%可信区间)分别为0.062(0.042,0.081)、0.035(0.019,0.052)和0.030(0.016,0.045)。结论 性别和年龄对血清中PFASs浓度有影响,在进行人体PFASs暴露评估中应考虑这些因素。     

Practical in-storage interventions to control foodborne pathogens on fresh produce

Although tremendous efforts have been made to ensure fresh produce safety, various foodborne outbreaks and recalls occur annually. Most of the current intervention strategies are evaluated within a short timeframe (less than 1 h), leaving the behavior of the remaining pathogens unknown during subsequent storages. This review summarized outbreak and recall surveillance data from 2009 to 2018 obtained from government agencies in the United States to identify major safety concerns associated with fresh produce, discussed the postharvest handling of fresh produce and the limitations of current antimicrobial interventions, and reviewed the intervention strategies that have the potential to be applied in each storage stage at the commercial scale. One long-term (up to 12 months) prepacking storage (apples, pears, citrus among others) and three short-term (up to 3 months) postpacking storages were identified. During the prepacking storage, continuous application of gaseous ozone at low doses (≤1 ppm) is a feasible option. Proper concentration, adequate circulation, as well as excess gas destruction and ventilation systems are essential to commercial application. At the postpacking storage stages, continuous inhibition can be achieved through controlled release of gaseous chlorine dioxide in packaging, antimicrobial edible coatings, and biocontrol agents. During commercialization, factors that need to be taken into consideration include physicochemical properties of antimicrobials, impacts on fresh produce quality and sensory attributes, recontamination and cross-contamination, cost, and feasibility of large-scale production. To improve fresh produce safety and quality during storage, the collaboration between researchers and the fresh produce industry needs to be improved.