Limitations of Electrochemical Nitrogen Oxidation toward Nitrate

The electrocatalytic N2 oxidation reaction (NOR) using renewable electricity is a promising alternative to the industrial synthesis of nitrate from NH3 oxidation. However, breaking the triple bond in the nitrogen molecule is one of the most essential challenges in chemistry. In this work, we use density functional theory simulations to investigate the plausible reaction mechanisms of electrocatalytic NOR and its competition with oxygen evolution reaction (OER) at the atomic scale. We focus on the electrochemical conversion of inert N2 to active *NO during NOR. We propose formation of *N2O from *N2 and *O as the rate-determining step (RDS). Following the RDS, a microkinetic model is utilized to study the rate of NOR on metal oxides. Our results demonstrate that a lower activation energy is obtained when a catalyst binds *O weakly. We show that the reaction is extremely challenging but also that design strategies have been suggested to promote electrochemical NOR

Robust Two-Photon Visualized Nanocarrier with Dual Targeting Ability for Controlled Chemo-Photodynamic Synergistic Treatment of Cancer

In consideration of the intrinsic complexity of cancer, just being a delivery nanovehicle for the nanocarrier is no longer enough to fulfill requirements of dealing with cancer. In this regard, the multifunctional nanocarrier appears to be an appealing choice in cancer treatment. Herein, the novel multifunctional nanocarrier (Fe₃O₄-NS-C₃N₄@mSiO₂-PEG-RGD) possessing properties of dual targeting (the peptide- and magnetism-mediated targeting), imaging (one- and two-photon modes), pH-triggered release of loaded anticancer drug, and synergistic treatment (photodynamic therapy (PDT) combined with chemotherapy) are successfully developed. The nanocarrier specifically centralizes within cancer cells with the enhanced amount through the dual targeting ability and is facilely tracked under one- and two-photon imaging modes attributed to the autofluorescence. Then, visible light irradiation-induced PDT combined with low pH-triggered chemotherapy synergistically cooperate to efficiently kill cancer cells. Following the above process, the multifunctional nanocarrier demonstrates effective inhibition of the growth of A549 and HeLa cancer cells. The efficient manipulation of Fe₃O₄-NS-C₃N₄@mSiO₂-PEG-RGD also implies potential applications of the multifunctional nanocarrier in delivery of different agents. Furthermore, it might also broaden the scope of fabrication of the multifunctional nanocarrier for inhibiting the growth of cancer cells

Dipicolylamine Functionalized Polyfluorene Based Gel with Lower Critical Solution Temperature: Preparation, Characterization, and Application

A thermoresponsive fluorescent polymer gel with lower critical solution temperature (LCST) phase transition has been prepared by cooperating conjugated fluorene homopolymer poly­(2,7-(9,9-di­(8-di­(2-picolyl)­aminooctyl))­fluorene) (<b>PPAOF</b>) and small organic dye sulforhodamine B (<b>SRB</b>) or its sodium salt (<b>SRB-Na</b>). The sol–gel phase transition originates from the electrostatic interactions between the protonated pyridyl/amino groups in <b>PPAOF</b> and the sulfonic groups in the organic dye molecules, as revealed by FTIR, variable-temperature ¹H NMR spectroscopies, and cyclic voltammetry measurements. Consequently, the LCST value can be finely controlled by simply tuning the component concentrations. Moreover, due to the inefficient energy transfer, the resulting fluorescent polymer gel exhibits two independent emission bands at 440 and 577 nm, assigned to the characteristic emissions from fluorene homopolymer and organic dye, respectively. Furthermore, this fluorescent polymer gel exhibits a reversible electrofluorochromic (EFC) property with high fluorescence contrast when it is assembled in a single-layer supporting electrolyte-free EFC device. Most interestingly, different fluorescence colors can be achieved from the two electrodes of the device. Our findings may present a new way to design conjugated polymer based LCST gels and EFC materials

Advanced Supercapacitors Based on α‑Ni(OH)₂ Nanoplates/Graphene Composite Electrodes with High Energy and Power Density

In order to solve the lack of energy sources, researchers devote themselves to the study of green renewable and economical supercapacitors. We demonstrate herein that the α-Ni­(OH)₂ nanoplates/graphene composites are fabricated as active electrodes in supercapacitors with excellent cycling stability, high energy density, and power density. The advantages of graphene can complement the shortcomings of α-Ni­(OH)₂ nanoplates to compose a novel composite. The α-Ni­(OH)₂ nanoplates/graphene composite presents a high specific capacitance of 1954 F g^–1 at 5 A g^–1. The reason for the improving performance is attributed to graphene, which provides an improved conductivity and increased specific surface area by interweaving with α-Ni­(OH)₂ nanoplates. It is particularly worth mentioning that the assembled asymmetric supercapacitor cells yield a high specific capacitance of 309 F g^–1 at 5 A g^–1 and light a 2 V LED sustainable for about 7 min, which may bring great prospects for further fundamental research and potential applications in energy storage devices

Additional file 1 of Trends in cause of death among patients with renal cell carcinoma in the United States: a SEER-based study

Additional file 1: Supplement Figure 1. Distribution of the most common causes of death in different age renal cell carcinoma patients by survival time

Rapidly Responsive and Flexible Chiral Nematic Cellulose Nanocrystal Composites as Multifunctional Rewritable Photonic Papers with Eco-Friendly Inks

Rapidly responsive and flexible photonic papers are manufactured by coassembly of cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) and waterborne polyurethane (WPU) latex for fully taking advantage of the chiral nematic structure of CNCs and the flexibility of WPU elastomer. The resulting CNC/WPU composite papers exhibit not only tunable iridescent colors by adjusting the helical pitch size, but also instant optical responses to water and wet gas, ascribed to the easy chain movement of the elastomeric WPU that does not restrict the fast water absorption-induced swelling of CNCs. By choosing water or NaCl aqueous solutions as inks, the colorful patterns on the CNC/WPU photonic paper can be made temporary, durable, or even disguisable. In addition, the photonic paper is simultaneously rewritable for all these three types of patterns, and the disguisable patterns, which are invisible at normal times and show up under stimuli, exhibit a quick reveal conversion just by exhaling on the paper. The rewritability, rapid responsibility, easy fabrication, and the eco-friendly nature of the inks make the flexible photonic paper/ink combination highly promising in sensors, displays, and photonic circuits

Additional file 3 of Trends in cause of death among patients with renal cell carcinoma in the United States: a SEER-based study

Additional file 3: Supplement Figure 3. Distribution of the most common causes of death in different race renal cell carcinoma patients by survival time

Preparation of Polypropylene Spin Tips Filled with Immobilized Titanium(IV) Ion Monolithic Adsorbent for Robust Phosphoproteome Analysis

In this study, we developed a Ti­(IV) monolithic spin tip for phosphoproteome analysis of a minute amount of biological sample for the first time. The surface of polypropylene pipet tip was activated by the photoinitiator benzophenone under UV light radiation followed by polymerization of ethylene glycol methacrylate phosphate and bis-acrylamide in the tip to form a porous monolith with reactive phosphate groups. The as-prepared tips grafted with monolithic adsorbent were then chelated with titanium­(IV) ion for phosphopeptide enrichment. It was found that the tips enabled fast and efficient capture of phosphopeptides from microscale complex samples. The monolithic tip was demonstrated to have a detection limit as low as 5 fmol β-casein tryptic digest, along with an exceptionally high specificity to capture phosphopeptides from complex tryptic digest mixed with an unphosphorylated protein and a phosphorylated protein at a molar ratio up to 1000:1. When the tip was applied to enrich phosphopeptides from 5 μg of tryptic digest of complex HeLa cell proteins, 1185 high confidence of phosphorylated sites were successfully identified with the specificity as high as 92.5%. So far, this is the most sensitive phosphoproteomics analysis using a standard liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (LC–MS/MS) system for proteome-wide phosphorylation analysis in mammalian cells

Additional file 4 of Trends in cause of death among patients with renal cell carcinoma in the United States: a SEER-based study

Additional file 4: Supplement Figure 4. Distribution of the most common causes of death in different stage renal cell carcinoma patients by survival time