Adsorptive Separation of Acetylene from Light Hydrocarbons by Mesoporous Iron Trimesate MIL‐100(Fe)

A reducible metal–organic framework (MOF), iron(III) trimesate, denoted as MIL‐100(Fe), was investigated for the separation and purification of methane/ethane/ethylene/acetylene and an acetylene/CO₂ mixtures by using sorption isotherms, breakthrough experiments, ideal adsorbed solution theory (IAST) calculations, and IR spectroscopic analysis. The MIL‐100(Fe) showed high adsorption selectivity not only for acetylene and ethylene over methane and ethane, but also for acetylene over CO₂. The separation and purification of acetylene over ethylene was also possible for MIL‐100(Fe) activated at 423 K. According to the data obtained from operando IR spectroscopy, the unsaturated Fe^III sites and surface OH groups are mainly responsible for the successful separation of the acetylene/ethylene mixture, whereas the unsaturated Fe^II sites have a detrimental effect on both separation and purification. The potential of MIL‐100(Fe) for the separation of a mixture of C₂H₂/CO₂ was also examined by using the IAST calculations and transient breakthrough simulations. Comparing the IAST selectivity calculations of C₂H₂/CO₂ for four MOFs selected from the literature, the selectivity with MIL‐100(Fe) was higher than those of CuBTC, ZJU‐60a, and PCP‐33, but lower than that of HOF‐3.     

Euodia sutchuenensis Dode extract stimulates osteoblast differentiation via Wnt/β-catenin pathway activation

The Wnt/β-catenin pathway has a role in osteoblast differentiation and bone formation. We screened 100 plant extracts and identified an extract from Euodia sutchuenensis Dode (ESD) leaf and young branch as an effective activator of the Wnt/β-catenin pathway. ESD extract increased β-catenin levels and β-catenin nuclear accumulation in murine primary osteoblasts. The ESD extract also increased mRNA levels of osteoblast markers, including RUNX2, BMP2 and COL1A1, and enhanced alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity in murine primary osteoblasts. Both ESD extract-induced β-catenin increment and ALP activation were abolished by β-catenin knockdown, confirming that the Wnt/β-catenin pathway functions in osteoblast differentiation. ESD extract enhanced terminal osteoblast differentiation as shown by staining with Alizarin Red S and significantly increased murine calvarial bone thickness. This study shows that ESD extract stimulates osteoblast differentiation via the Wnt/β-catenin pathway and enhances murine calvarial bone formation ex vivo.     

Mussel‐Inspired Protein Nanoparticles Containing Iron(III)–DOPA Complexes for pH‐Responsive Drug Delivery

A novel bioinspired strategy for protein nanoparticle (NP) synthesis to achieve pH‐responsive drug release exploits the pH‐dependent changes in the coordination stoichiometry of iron(III)–3,4‐dihydroxyphenylalanine (DOPA) complexes, which play a major cross‐linking role in mussel byssal threads. Doxorubicin‐loaded polymeric NPs that are based on Fe^III–DOPA complexation were thus synthesized with a DOPA‐modified recombinant mussel adhesive protein through a co‐electrospraying process. The release of doxorubicin was found to be predominantly governed by a change in the structure of the Fe^III–DOPA complexes induced by an acidic pH value. It was also demonstrated that the fabricated NPs exhibited effective cytotoxicity towards cancer cells through efficient cellular uptake and cytosolic release. Therefore, it is anticipated that Fe^III–DOPA complexation can be successfully utilized as a new design principle for pH‐responsive NPs for diverse controlled drug‐delivery applications.     

Multivalent Polymer Nanocomplex Targeting Endosomal Receptor of Immune Cells for Enhanced Antitumor and Systemic Memory Response

We have designed and synthesized linear polymer‐based nanoconjugates and nanocomplexes bearing multivalent immunostimulatory ligands and also demonstrated that the synthetic multivalent nanocomplexes led to an enhanced stimulation of immune cells in vitro and antitumor and systemic immune memory response in vivo. We have developed hyaluronic acid (HA)‐based multivalent nanoconjugates and nanocomplexes for enhanced immunostimulation through the combination of multivalent immune adjuvants with CpG ODNs (as a TLR9 ligand) and cationic poly(L ‐lysine) (PLL; for the enhancement of cellular uptake). The multivalent HA‐CpG nanoconjugate efficiently stimulated the antigen‐presenting cells and the multivalent PLL/HA‐CpG nanocomplex also led to an enhanced cellular uptake as well as continuous stimulation of endosomal TLR9. The mice vaccinated with dendritic cells treated with the multivalent nanocomplex exhibited tumor growth inhibition as well as a strong antitumor memory response.     

A Highly Efficient All-Solid-State Lithium/Electrolyte Interface Induced by an Energetic Reaction

The energetic chemical reaction between Zn(NO₃)₂ and Li is used to create a solid-state interface between Li metal and Li_6.4La₃Zr_1.4Ta_0.6O₁₂ (LLZTO) electrolyte. This interlayer, composed of Zn, ZnLi_x alloy, Li₃N, Li₂O, and other species, possesses strong affinities with both Li metal and LLZTO and affords highly efficient conductive pathways for Li⁺ transport through the interface. The unique structure and properties of the interlayer lead to Li metal anodes with longer cycle life, higher efficiency, and better safety compared to the current best Li metal electrodes operating in liquid electrolytes while retaining comparable capacity, rate, and overpotential. All-solid-state Li||Li cells can operate at very demanding current–capacity conditions of 4 mA cm⁻²–8 mAh cm⁻². Thousands of hours of continuous cycling are achieved at Coulombic efficiency >99.5 % without dendrite formation or side reactions with the electrolyte.     

Far-field spectral intensity characteristics of a time-dependent gaussian pulse from a circular mask with a linear circular apertures array

The spectral characteristics of a time-dependent Gaussian pulse from a circular mask with a circular apertures array in the far field are theoretically investigated and presented with numerical results. A rigorous treatment, with the Fresnel diffraction integral, to the spectral changes of a time-dependent Gaussian-shaped pulse passing through a circular mask with a linear circular apertures array is given and some properties of the spectral intensity under different situations are provided. Also an accurate and concrete criteria judging the condition for the red shift, blue shift of spectral intensity distributions is obtained as well.     

A simple fabrication method for mechanically robust superhydrophobic surface by hierarchical aluminum hydroxide structures

Superhydrophobic surfaces with uniformly superhydrophobic surface where nano-scale structures were fabricated by alkali surface modification method and self-assembled monolayer coating. To enhance mechanical durability of the superhydrophobicity, we propose the fabrication process for dual-scale hierarchical structures combining both microstructure via sandblasting techniques and the nanostructured aluminum hydroxide layer. The superhydrophobic surfaces fabricated by both methods exhibited a high water contact angle and very low contact angle hysteresis. By forming the hierarchical structure, the mechanical durability of superhydrophobic aluminum hydroxide surface was improved. The resulting hierarchical structures are suitable for diverse applications of aluminum in various industrial areas, including self-cleaning, anti-frosting, and microfluidic devices for rigorous environments.     

Influence of reactive oxygen species on the sterilization of microbes

The influence of reactive oxygen species on living cells, including various microbes, is discussed. A sterilization experiment with bacterial endospores reveals that an argon–oxygen plasma jet very effectively kills endospores of Bacillus atrophaeus (ATCC 9372), thereby indicating that oxygen radicals are the key element of sterilization. Ozone in acidic water also kills endospores of B. atrophaeus very effectively, demonstrating the capability of cleaning a large surface area contaminated by toxic biological agents. The viable microbe numbers after the contact with acidic ozone water directly correlate with increase in the ozone decay time in water after lowering the pH value of water from pH = 7 to 4 indicating that acidic ozone water is an effective means of sterilizing microbes. However, advanced cells such as fertilized eggs were not greatly influenced by the acidic ozone water. Also, both human and canine cells after treatment with the acidic ozone water prospered without showing signs of stress due to ozone in acidic water. This study suggests that antioxidant enzymes such as superoxide dismutase can be developed in the advanced cells to protect themselves from attacks by reactive oxygen species. Meanwhile, the advanced cells utilize oxygen by certain enzymes, proliferating life on earth.     

Electron-beam assisted growth of hexagonal boron-nitride layer

It has been known that a good quality h-BN layer can only be grown within a narrow temperature window of 1020–1100 K on a copper substrate. We found that the growth temperature window on Cu(111) surface could be lowered up to 100 K by ionizing and/or exciting borazine precursor gas with an electron-beam. The structures of a hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) layers grown at various substrate temperatures on a Cu(111) were examined using scanning tunneling microscopy. We found that the grown h-BN film exhibits highly inert behavior with wide bandgap semiconductor characteristics.