RSC Advances

Ruan, Xuewei; Xu, Tiancheng; Chen, Dingjiang; Ruan, Ziwen; Hu, Haitu

doi: 10.1039/c9ra08018jpmid: 35497842

Although various filtration materials with (super)wetting properties have been fabricated for effective oil/water separation, eco-friendly and low-cost materials are still highly desired. This work details the facile preparation of efficient oil–water separation papers with superhydrophobic properties that successfully combine micro/nanoscale hierarchical particles and low surface energy components with porous substrates. The superhydrophilic papers were coated with a polydopamine layer and then immersed in the mixture of polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) and hydrophobic-silica nanoparticles. The resultant paper can separate oil–water mixtures under gravity driving conditions, where heavy oil penetrates through the sample and water is collected on the surface. And the as-prepared sample had favorable separation efficiency (>99%). More importantly, the oil flux almost remained at the original value after 10 cycles, indicating excellent recyclability. In addition, the as-prepared paper exhibits good stability in acidic, alkaline and salty media.

Shojaei, Fazel; Azizi, Maryam; Mahdavifar, Zabiollah; Wang, Busheng; Frapper, Gilles

doi: 10.1039/c9ra10380epmid: 35497853

On the basis of first-principles calculations, we discuss a new class of two-dimensional materials—CuXSe2 (X = Cl, Br) nanocomposite monolayers and bilayers—whose bulk parent was experimentally reported in 1969. We show the monolayers are dynamically, mechanically and thermodynamically stable and have very small cleavage energies of ∼0.26 J m−2, suggesting their exfoliation is experimentally feasible. The monolayers are indirect-gap semiconductors with practically the same moderate band gaps of 1.74 eV and possess extremely anisotropic and very high carrier mobilities (e.g., their electron mobilities are 21 263.45 and 10 274.83 cm2 V−1 s−1 along the Y direction for CuClSe2 and CuBrSe2, respectively, while hole mobilities reach 2054.21 and 892.61 cm2 V−1 s−1 along the X direction). CuXSe2 bilayers are also indirect band gap semiconductors with slightly smaller band gaps of 1.54 and 1.59 eV, suggesting weak interlayer quantum confinement effects. Moreover, the monolayers exhibit high absorption coefficients (>105 cm−1) over a wide range of the visible light spectra. Their moderate band gaps, very high unidirectional electron and hole mobilities, and pronounced absorption coefficients indicate the proposed CuXSe2 (X = Cl, Br) nanocomposite monolayers hold significant promise for application in optoelectronic devices.

Chen, Peng; Lei, Jiexin; Chen, Fuchao; Zhou, Benhong

doi: 10.1039/d0ra00774apmid: 35497859

Urolithin A, a metabolite produced by human colon microflora from ellagic acid and related compounds, has been reported to have antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and antiapoptotic properties. The present study investigates the protective effects of urolithin A (Uro A) on d-galactose (d-gal)-induced liver and kidney injury and the possible mechanisms in mice. In this study, we first investigated the antioxidant ability of Uro A in vitro. Then mice were treated with d-gal subcutaneously (150 mg kg−1 d−1), followed by Uro A at different dosages (50, 100, 150 mg kg−1 d−1, administered orally) for 8 weeks. The levels of aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and creatinine (Cr) in the serum were tested. Histopathological features were assessed by hematoxylin and eosin (HE) staining followed by an assessment of the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities. Furthermore, we also evaluated the expression levels of the genes Bax, Bcl-2 and cleaved caspase-3 in the liver and kidney. The results showed that Uro A treatment obviously attenuated d-gal-induced liver and kidney damage. The beneficial effects of Uro A were accompanied by a decline in malondialdehyde (MDA) levels and a rise in the superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), catalase (CAT), and total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC) activity in the liver and kidney and downregulation of the levels of inflammatory cytokines, such as tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-1 beta (IL-1β) and interleukin-6 (IL-6), in serum. Moreover, Uro A could modulate the expression of Bax, Bcl-2 and cleaved caspase-3 in the livers and kidneys of aging mice. These findings suggested that Uro A ameliorated d-gal-induced liver and kidney injury through attenuating oxidative stress, inflammatory responses and apoptosis.

Kanda, Taiji; Kitawaki, Mayuka; Arata, Toshiaki; Matsuki, Yoh; Fujiwara, Toshimichi

doi: 10.1039/d0ra00399apmid: 35497820

Poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVOH) is a water-soluble synthetic polymer, widely used in materials for functional films and moldings, fiber fabric sizing agents, paper coating resins, and adhesives. PVOH is mainly applied in the form of an aqueous solution, yet after its application, insolubility (water resistance) is required. To achieve this, additives are introduced. These additives used with PVOH are cross-linking agents which react with the hydroxyl groups and modified functional groups in PVOH. Because of the poor reactivity of unmodified PVOH, it does not react with cross-linking agents that have functional reactive groups. Therefore, modified PVOH that reacts with a cross-linking agent more successfully is required. These chemical bonding sites are so low in abundance that it is difficult to characterize the cross-linking structure. Solid-state 13C NMR is a powerful technique that can be used for the structural analysis of a polymer material. However, its sensitivity is low, hence it is difficult to determine crosslinking in a polymer, as it makes up only a small proportion of the product. Therefore, solid-state 13C NMR sensitivity can be enhanced by high-field dynamic nuclear polarization (DNP) using strong electron polarization. In this study, the reaction of acetoacetylated PVOH with a cross-linking agent, adipic dihydrazide, was analyzed. This crosslinked PVOH is the most popular vinyl alcohol polymer on the commercial market. The sensitivity enhanced 13C NMR spectra reveal that the carbonyl of the acetoacetyl group of PVOH crosslinks with adipic hydrazide by forming an imine bond (>CN–) this study also shows that the product has only seven crosslinking sites per molecular chain with a polymerization degree of 1000 and is water resistant.

Wang, Maorong; Yao, Ping; Gao, Minpeng; Jin, Jian; Yu, Yerong

doi: 10.1039/c9ra10593jpmid: 35497855

Here, we design and evaluate novel long-lasting GLP-1R G-protein-biased agonists with promising pharmacological virtues. Firstly, six GLP-1R G-protein-biased peptides (named PX01–PX06), screened by using a previous reported high-throughput autocrine-based method, were fused to the N-terminus of GLP-1(9-37) to generate six fusion peptides (PX07–PX012). In vitro surface plasmon resonance (SPR) measurements showed that PX09 exerts the highest binding affinity for both human and mouse GLP-1R extracellular domains (ECD). We further used the PX09 as a starting point to conduct site-specific modifications yielding twelve lysine-modified conjugates, termed PX13–PX24. Of these conjugates, PX17 retained relatively better in vitro GLP-1R activation potency and plasma stability compared with other ones. Preclinical studies in db/db mice demonstrated that acute treatment of PX17 exerts enhanced hypoglycemic and insulinotropic activities in a dosage dependent model within the range of 0.1–0.9 mg kg−1. Similarly, prolonged glucose-lowering abilities were exhibited in modified multiple oral glucose tolerance tests (OGTTs) and a hypoglycemic duration test. Apparently prolonged in vivo half-lives of ∼96 and ∼141 h were observed after a single subcutaneous administration of PX17 at 0.1 and 0.3 mg kg−1, respectively, in healthy cynomolgus monkeys. In addition, twice-weekly treatment of PX17 in db/db mice for 8 weeks obviously improved the hemoglobin A1C (HbA1C), and was more effective at improving the insulin resistance, glucose tolerance as well as function of pancreatic beta cells compared with Semaglutide. Furthermore, subcutaneously dosed PX17 in diet induced obese (DIO) mice achieved long-term beneficial effects on food intake and body weight control, HbA1C and inflammation-related factor level lowering. The above results indicate that PX17, as a novel GLP-1R G-protein-biased agonist, may be a promising candidate for antidiabetic therapies.

Xie, Weiqi; Huang, Shiwen; Tang, Donglin; Liu, Shumei; Zhao, Jianqing

doi: 10.1039/d0ra90016hpmid: 35503672

Correction for ‘Synthesis of a furfural-based DOPO-containing co-curing agent for fire-safe epoxy resins’ by Weiqi Xie et al., RSC Adv., 2020, 10, 1956–1965.

Han, Wenpeng; Wang, Shanmin; Li, Xuekuan; Ma, Ben; Du, Mingxian; Zhou, Ligong; Yang, Ying; Zhang, Ye; Ge, Hui

doi: 10.1039/d0ra00320dpmid: 35497838

The effect of Fe, Co and Ni promoters on supported MoS2 catalysts for hydrogenation of nitroarenes were systematically investigated via experiment, characterization and DFT calculation. It was found that the addition of promoters remarkably improved the reaction activity in a sequence of Ni > Co > Fe > Mo. Meanwhile Ni promoted catalyst with the best performance showed good recyclability and chemoselectivity for a wide substrate scope. The characterization results revealed that the addition of promoters decreased the interaction between Mo and support and facilitated the reductive sulfidation of Mo species to produce more coordinated unsaturated sites (CUS). DFT calculations showed that the addition of promoters increased the formation of CUS, and enhanced the adsorption of hydrogen. The influence degree of promoters followed the sequence Ni > Co > Fe > Mo, which was consistent with those of the activities. Nitrobenzene hydrogenation and hydrogen activation occurred at the S and Mo edge, respectively. The adsorbed hydrogen diffused from the Mo edge to the S edge to participate in the hydrogenation reaction. Mechanism investigation showed that the main reason for increased activity by the addition of promoters was the increase of amounts of CUS and the secondary reason was the augmentation of intrinsic activity of CUS. The present studies give a new understanding for promoter modified MoS2 catalysts applied for hydrogenation of nitroarenes.

Takemoto, Masanori; Tokudome, Yasuaki; Kikkawa, Soichi; Teramura, Kentaro; Tanaka, Tsunehiro; Okada, Kenji; Murata, Hidenobu; Nakahira, Atsushi; Takahashi, Masahide

doi: 10.1039/d0ra00710bpmid: 35497863

Imparting an enhanced CO2 reduction selectivity to ZnGa2O4 photocatalysts has been demonstrated by controlled crystallization from interdispersed nanoparticles of zinc and gallium hydroxides. The hydroxide precursor in which Zn(ii) and Ga(iii) are homogeneously interdispersed was prepared through an epoxide-driven sol–gel reaction. ZnGa2O4 obtained by a heat-treatment exhibits a higher surface basicity and an enhanced affinity for CO2 molecules than previously-reported standard ZnGa2O4. The enhanced affinity for CO2 molecules of the resultant ZnGa2O4 leads to highly-selective CO evolution in CO2 photo-reduction with H2O reductants. The present scheme is promising to achieve desirable surface chemistry on metal oxide photocatalysts.

Miura, Risako; Sawada, Shin-ichi; Mukai, Sada-atsu; Sasaki, Yoshihiro; Akiyoshi, Kazunari

doi: 10.1039/c9ra10066kpmid: 35497849

Therapeutic strategies for cancer involving immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have been gaining widespread attention, but their efficacy remains limited. Thus, combination of ICI therapies with other therapeutic modalities may be required to improve their outcomes. In this study, we examined the improved efficacy of a CHP nanogel-based vaccine delivery system after combination with ICI therapy. For this, we evaluated the therapeutic efficacy of combining an anti-PD-1 antibody as an ICI with an OVA antigen-complexed CHP nanogel vaccine delivery system in a mouse E.G7-OVA tumor model. Mice were subcutaneously inoculated with E.G7-OVA tumor cells on one side of the back, and subcutaneously injected with OVA or the OVA/CHP nanogel vaccine on the other side of the back. Anti-PD-1 antibody was administered at defined intervals. Tumor volume, immune responses, and tumor-infiltrating cells were evaluated. Mice treated with OVA vaccine alone showed weak tumor suppression compared with untreated control mice. Mice receiving combined OVA/CHP nanogel vaccine and anti-PD-1 antibody therapy exhibited strong tumor growth suppression and markedly improved survival, suggesting that PD-1 signaling blockade by the anti-PD-1 antibody enhanced the anti-tumor efficacy of the OVA vaccine. Furthermore, tumor-infiltrating cells and immune responses were increased in the combined therapy group. No serious side effects were observed for any of the treatments. Taken together, the immune system activation induced by the CHP nanogel vaccine was synergistically enhanced by the anti-PD-1 antibody. The present findings suggest the potential for enhanced therapeutic efficacy by combining the CHP nanogel vaccine delivery system with ICI therapy for various cancer types.

Jiao, Haoxuan; Zhang, Min; Du, Chunhui; Zhang, Ziwei; Huang, Weihong; Huang, Qiuyue

doi: 10.1039/c9ra10534dpmid: 35497813

In recent years, stretchable electronics have attracted great attention because of their broad application prospects such as in the field of wearable electronics, skin-like electronics, medical transplantation and human–machine interaction. Intrinsically stretchable transistors have advantages in many aspects. However, integration of intrinsically stretchable layers to achieve stretchable transistors is still challenging. In this work, we combine the excellent electrical and mechanical properties of carbon nanotubes with excellent dielectric and mechanical properties of styrene–ethylene–butylene–styrene (SEBS) to realize intrinsically stretchable thin film transistors (TFTs). This is the first time that all the intrinsically stretchable components have been combined to realize multiple stretchable TFTs in a batch by photolithography-based process. In this process, a plasma resistant layer has been introduced to protect the SEBS dielectric from being damaged during the etching process so that the integration can be achieved. The highly stretchable transistors show a high carrier mobility of up to 10.45 cm2 V−1 s−1. The mobility maintains 2.01 cm2 V−1 s−1 even after the transistors are stretched by over 50% for more than 500 times. Moreover, the transistors have been scaled to channel length and width of 56 μm and 20 μm, respectively, which have a higher integration level. The stretchable transistors have light transmittance of up to 60% in the visible range. The proposed method provides an optional solution to large-scale integration for stretchable electronics.