Enzymatic Extraction of Bioactive and Self‐Assembling Wool Keratin for Biomedical Applications

Keratin is widely recognized as a high‐quality renewable protein resource for biomedical applications. Despite their extensive existence, keratin resources such as feathers, wool, and hair exhibit high stability and mechanical properties because of their high disulfide bond content. Consequently, keratin extraction is challenging and its application is greatly hindered. In this work, a biological extraction strategy is proposed for the preparation of bioactive keratin and the fabrication of self‐assembled keratin hydrogels (KHs). Based on moderate and controlled hydrolysis by keratinase, keratin with a high molecular weight of approximately 45 and 28 kDa that retain its intrinsic bioactivities is obtained. The keratin products show excellent ability to promote cell growth and migration and are conferred with significant antioxidant ability because of their intrinsically high cysteine content. In addition, without the presence of any cross‐linking agent, the extracted keratin can self‐assemble into injectable hydrogels. The KHs exhibit a porous network structure and 3D culture ability, showing potential in promoting wound healing. This enzyme‐driven keratin extraction strategy opens up a new approach for the preparation of keratin that can self‐assemble into injectable hydrogels for biomedical engineering.     

Selectivity switch in transformation of CO2 from ethanol to methanol on Cu embedded in the defect carbon

The copper-based catalysts have been generally regarded as high-performance catalysts for CO_2 hydrogenation toward methanol,while the production of ethanol via C–C coupling on the copper-based catalysts is still challenging. Herein, we report a new catalyst where Cu nanoparticles are embedded in the carbon support with abundant defect sites, achieving a high selectivity for ethanol in the CO_2 hydrogenation. The experiments coupled with the theoretical studies show a clear map where carbon defects serve as anchor sites that can stabilize interfacial copper species, and interfacial Cu sites with low coordination numbers can adsorb two C_1 species and later convert them to a C_2 species via a hydrogenation-induced coupling reaction. Further adjacent Cu atoms of interfacial Cu sites can facilitate OH reduction reactions via the Cu–Cu bridge adsorption to assist the formation of ethanol. Especially, those specific active sites easily disappear in the reducing conditions and during the reaction, the major product can transform from ethanol to methanol.     

Synergistic effect of thermoplastic phenolic resin and multiwalled carbon nanotubes on the crystallization of polyoxymethylene

To reduce the crystallization rate of polyoxymethylene (POM) to meet the requirement of thick-walled and large-sized articles production, and maintain high crystallinity as well as obtain refined crystalline grains to ensure the strength and stiffness simultaneously, thermoplastic phenolic resin (PF) and multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) were used as crystal growth inhibitor and nucleating agent, respectively, and their effects on the crystallization of POM were studied in details. The results showed that PF is an effective inhibitor and MWCNTs exhibits excellent nucleation effect on POM. Based on the obtained results, their synergistic influences on the crystallization process of POM were investigated. It is found that the objective of decreasing the crystallization rate while maintaining high crystallinity and forming fine crystalline grains can be realized. The 97/3/1 wt% POM/PF/MWCNTs, compared with those of neat POM, The T _c shifts by 3.3°C to a lower temperature, the crystallization enthalpy increases by 16.1 J/g and the full width at half-maximum widens by 48.5%. The modulation effect of PF and MWCNTs on the crystallization is closely related to the PF content and dispersion, the distribution and dispersion of MWCNTs in the PF and POM phases.     

Synthesis of heterobiaryls via Suzuki‐Miyaura coupling reaction of potassium aryltrifluoroborates with heteroaryl halides in aqueous systems

A variety of heterobiaryl compounds have been synthesized by the Suzuki‐Miyaura coupling reactions of heteroaryl halides with potassium aryltrifluoroborates. Pd (OAc)₂ was found to be highly efficient for the Suzuki‐Miyaura coupling reactions of various heteroaryl halides with potassium aryltrifluoroborates in aqueous systems, delivering the corresponding heterobiaryl compounds in good to excellent yields.     

求解矩阵方程AXB+CXD=F参数迭代法的最优参数分析

本文针对求矩阵方程AXB+CXD=F唯一解的参数迭代法，分析当矩阵A，B，C，D均是Hermite正（负）定矩阵时，迭代矩阵的特征值表达式，给出了最优参数的确定方法，并提出了相应的加速算法.     

Unconditionally Superclose Analysis of a New Mixed Finite Element Method for Nonlinear Parabolic Equation

This paper develops a framework to deal with the unconditional superclose analysis of nonlinear parabolic equation. Taking the finite element pair $Q_{11}/Q_{01} × Q_{10}$ as an example, a new mixed finite element method (FEM) is established and the $τ$ -independent superclose results of the original variable $u$ in $H^1$-norm and the flux variable $\mathop{q} \limits ^{\rightarrow}= −a(u)∇u$ in $L^2$-norm are deduced ($τ$ is the temporal partition parameter). A key to our analysis is an error splitting technique, with which the time-discrete and the spatial-discrete systems are constructed, respectively. For the first system, the boundedness of the temporal errors is obtained. For the second system, the spatial superclose results are presented unconditionally, while the previous literature always only obtain the convergent estimates or require certain time step conditions. Finally, some numerical results are provided to confirm the theoretical analysis, and show the efficiency of the proposed method.     

Pitch-Based Laminated Carbon Formed by Pressure Driving at Low Temperature as High-Capacity Anodes for Lithium Energy Storage Systems

Pitch has been used to prepare electrodes by high-temperature heat treatments for supercapacitors, lithium-ion batteries, on account of its rich aromatic ring structure. Here, the toluene-soluble component of pitch is used to prepare a kind of laminated carbon. This was realized by a template-free synthesis at low temperature with the addition of pressure. The toluene-soluble component has a small molecular weight, which makes the thermal deformation ability stronger and then enhances the orientation of the carbon layer with the help of pressure. The prepared anode exhibits a splendid electrochemical performance compared with the traditional graphite anode. A high stable capacity of approximately 550 mAh g⁻¹ at 50 mA g⁻¹, which is much higher than graphite (372 mAh g⁻¹), is obtained. Also, when the current density is up to 2 A g⁻¹, the capacity is about 150 mAh g⁻¹. Surprisingly, it also delivers a superior cycling performance. And when used as the anode/cathode electrode for lithium-ion capacitors, a high energy density can be obtained. The present work offers an opportunity to utilize the pitch source in lithium energy storage with promising cycle life, high energy/power density, and low cost.     

Alkaloid and Glycoside Compounds from the Fruits of Berberis atrocarpa and Their Anticomplementary Activities

Chemistry of Natural Compounds -