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Ethylene (C 2 H 4 ) purification from multi-component mixtures by physical adsorption is a great challenge in the chemical industry. Herein, we report a GeF 6 2- anion embedded MOF (ZNU-6) with customized pore structure and pore chemistry for benchmark one-step C 2 H 4 recovery from C 2 H 2 and CO 2 . ZNU-6 exhibits significantly high C 2 H 2 (1.53 mmol/g) and CO 2 (1.46 mmol/g) capacity at 0.01 bar. Record high C 2 H 4 productivity is achieved from C 2 H 2 /CO 2 /C 2 H 4 mixtures in a single adsorption process under various conditions. The separation performance is retained over multiple cycles and under humid conditions. The potential gas binding sites are investigated by density functional theory (DFT) calculations, which suggest that C 2 H 2 and CO 2 are preferably adsorbed in the interlaced narrow channel with high aff0inity. In-situ single crystal structures with the dose of C 2 H 2 , CO 2 or C 2 H 4 further reveal the realistic host-guest interactions. Notably, rare C 2 H 2 clusters are formed in the narrow channel while two distinct CO 2 adsorption locations are observed in the narrow channel and the large cavity with a ratio of 1:2, which accurately account for the distinct adsorption heat curves. Ethylene (C 2 H 4 ) purification from multi-component mixtures by physical adsorption is a great challenge in the chemical industry. Here authors present a GeF6 2- anion embedded MOF ZNU-6 with customized pore structure and pore chemistry for benchmark one-step C 2 H 4 recovery from C 2 H 2 and CO 2 with record C 2 H 4 productivity.

Metal-free aerobic oxidation of aryl sulfides to sulfoxides and sulfones has been developed in the presence of aliphatic aldehydes with excellent selectivity and yields. The reaction proceeded under mild conditions with the catalysis of N-hydroxyphthalimide (NHPI). Control experiments indicated that the reaction underwent a free radical pathway with the acylperoxyl radicals generated from aldehydes in situ as the key intermediates. The aromatic aldehydes were less efficient in the sulfide oxidation, which might be explained by the fact that the aromatic ring dispersed the electrons of free radicals and thus weakened the attacking ability of peroxy free radicals.Graphic Abstract

Intervertebral disc degeneration (IDD) is a frequent chronic orthopaedic disorder. We investigated the mechanism of miR-376a-5p alleviating IDD through targeting tumor necrosis factor receptor-related factor 6 (TRAF6) to regulate the nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) pathway. An IDD model was established and treated with miR-376a-5p mimic, oe-TRAF6, and the NF-κB inhibitor (BAY 11–7,082). Levels of miR-376a-5p and TRAF6 mRNA, TRAF6, nucleus-p65, cytoplasm-p65 and p-p65, and inflammatory factors TNF-α, IL-1β and IL-6 were determined by RT-qPCR, Western blot, and ELISA. Cell viability and apoptosis were assessed using CCK-8 and flow cytometry assays. The potential binding sites between miR-376a-5p and TRAF6 were predicted and verified by TargetScan database and dual-luciferase assay. LPS-induced NP cells exhibited reduced miR-376a-5p expression, up-regulated TRAF6 expression, weakened cell viability, increased apoptosis, and elevated TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6 levels. Overexpression of miR-376a-5p suppressed LPS-induced apoptosis and inflammatory responses and reduced nuclear translocation of p65 protein levels. There were target binding sites between miR-376a-5p and TRAF6. Overexpression of TRAF6 partially reversed the inhibitory roles of miR-376a-5p. Taken together, our study found that miR-376a-5p suppressed LPS-induced apoptosis and inflammatory response in NP cells by targeting the TRAF6/NF-κB pathway, potentially providing a new therapeutic target for IDD treatment.

In the traditional micromilling (TMM) of Inconel718 alloy, due to the influence of material plasticity and size effect, relatively large burr will be produced. In order to hinder the burr forming in micromilling, ultrasonic vibration in feed direction is applied to the workpiece to complete vibration cutting. Combined with trajectory simulation and cutting experiment, the burr formation mechanism of TMM and ultrasonic vibration assisted micromilling (UVAMM) was studied. The results show that when the ratio of amplitude ( A ) to feed per tooth (ƒ z ) is greater than 0.5, continuous cutting changes to intermittent cutting in the vibration cutting process. The fractured area with dimples on the burr increases with the increase of amplitude. Compared with TMM, UVAMM improves chip breaking ability, facilitates the propagation of burr crack, and effectively inhibits the formation of burr. When the chip breaking condition is reached, the burr shape is usually tearing or flocculent. Under the conditions of low speed ( n ), large ƒ z , and large A , the burr suppression is more obvious.

Background Soil microorganisms play a key role in nutrient cycling, carbon sequestration, and other important ecosystem processes, yet their response to seasonal dry–wet alternation remains poorly understood. Here, we collected 120 soil samples from dry-hot valleys (DHVs, ~ 1100 m a.s.l.), transition (~ 2000 m a.s.l.) and alpine zones (~ 3000 m a.s.l.) along the Jinsha River in southwest China during both wet and dry seasons. Our aims were to investigate the bacterial microbiome across these zones, with a specific focus on the difference between wet and dry seasons. Results Despite seasonal variations, bacterial communities in DHVs exhibit resilience, maintaining consistent community richness, diversity, and coverage. This suggests that the microbes inhabiting DHVs have evolved adaptive mechanisms to withstand the extreme dry and hot conditions. In addition, we observed season-specific microbial clades in all sampling areas, highlighting their resilience to environmental fluctuations. Notably, we found similarities in microbial clades between soils from DHVs and the transition zones, including the phyla Actinomycetota, Chloroflexota, and Pseudomonadota. The neutral community model respectively explained a substantial proportion of the community variation in DHVs (87.7%), transition (81.4%) and alpine zones (81%), indicating that those were predominantly driven by stochastic processes. Our results showed that migration rates were higher in the dry season than in the wet season in both DHVs and the alpine zones, suggesting fewer diffusion constraints. However, this trend was reversed in the transition zones. Conclusions Our findings contribute to a better understanding of how the soil microbiome responds to seasonal dry–wet alternation in the Jinsha River valley. These insights can be valuable for optimizing soil health and enhancing ecosystem resilience, particularly in dry-hot valleys, in the context of climate change.

The direct aerobic oxidation of secondarty C(sp 3 )-H bonds was achieved in the presence of N -hydroxyphthalimide (NHPI) and cerium ammonium nitrate (CAN) under mild conditions. Various benzylic methylenes could be oxidized to carbonyl compounds in satisfied selectivity while saturated cyclic alkanes could be further oxidized to the corresponding lactones with the catalytic system. Remarkably, 25% of isochroman was converted to corresponding ketone with a selectivity of 96%. The reaction was initiated by hydrogen atom abstraction from NHPI by cerium and nitrates under oxygen atmosphere to form PINO radicals. 2,2,6,6-Tetramethylpiperidine-1-oxyl (TEMPO) addition experiments showed that the oxidation proceeded via a complex radical chain mechanism and an ion pathway. Graphic Abstract

The challenge of effectively capturing and separating perfluorinated gases is critical due to environmental concerns and the potential to recover these gases as high-value products in the silicon semiconductor industry. Various strategies have been developed to enhance the mass transfer capabilities of microporous adsorbents, which are vital for producing high-performance adsorbent materials. However, slow mass transfer within micropores significantly limits their performance in applications. In this study, we introduce two isostructural mesoporous covalent organic frameworks (COFs) characterized by high crystallinity, porosity, and stability. Compared to non-fluorinated COFs, the highly fluorinated COF demonstrates superior storage capacity for octafluoropropane (C 3 F 8 ) and perfluorocyclobutane (c-C 4 F 8 ). It also achieves remarkable separation efficiencies for C 3 F 8 (or c-C 4 F 8 )/N 2 (or Ar, H 2 , O 2 ) mixtures under ambient conditions, establishing a standard in the field. This study highlights the significance of strategically modifying pore surface chemistry based on the polarizability differences of guest molecules. Such modifications enable the efficient separation of mixed gas molecules in mesoporous materials. Capturing and separating perfluorinated gases is critical due to their environmental concerns. However, microporous adsorbents show slow mass transfer within micropores limiting their performance in applications. Here, the authors report fluorinated mesoporous covalent organic frameworks for the storage of octafluoropropane and perfluorocyclobutane and separation from other gases mixtures.

Objectives Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is an aggressive malignancy with high rates of morbidity and mortality, largely because of its late diagnosis and metastatic potential. Lactate metabolism and protein lactylation are thought to play roles in NPC pathogenesis by modulating the tumor microenvironment and immune evasion. However, research specifically linking lactate-related mechanisms to NPC remains limited. This study aimed to identify lactate-associated biomarkers in NPC and explore their underlying mechanisms, with a particular focus on immune modulation and tumor progression. Methods To achieve these objectives, we utilized a bioinformatics approach in which publicly available gene expression datasets related to NPC were analysed. Differential expression analysis revealed differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between NPC and normal tissues. We performed weighted gene coexpression network analysis (WGCNA) to identify module genes significantly associated with NPC. Overlaps among DEGs, key module genes and lactate-related genes (LRGs) were analysed to derive lactate-related differentially expressed genes (LR-DEGs). Machine learning algorithms can be used to predict potential biomarkers, and immune infiltration analysis can be used to examine the relationships between identified biomarkers and immune cell types, particularly M0 macrophages and B cells. Results A total of 1,058 DEGs were identified between the NPC and normal tissue groups. From this set, 372 key module genes associated with NPC were isolated. By intersecting the DEGs, key module genes and lactate-related genes (LRGs), 17 lactate-related DEGs (LR-DEGs) were identified. Using three machine learning algorithms, this list was further refined, resulting in three primary lactate-related biomarkers: TPPP3, MUC4 and CLIC6. These biomarkers were significantly enriched in pathways related to “immune cell activation” and the “extracellular matrix environment”. Additionally, M0 and B macrophages were found to be closely associated with these biomarkers, suggesting their involvement in shaping the NPC immune microenvironment. Conclusion In summary, this study identified TPPP3, MUC4 and CLIC6 as lactate-associated clinical modelling indicators linked to NPC, providing a foundation for advancing diagnostic and therapeutic strategies for this malignancy.

The synthesis and structural characterization of new derivatives of [B12H12]2− is of fundamental interest and is expected to allow for extended applications. Herein we report on the synthesis of a series of amidine, amide, urea and isocyanate derivatives based on the amino-closo-dodecaborate anion [B12H11NH3]−. Their structures have been confirmed by spectroscopic methods, and nine crystal structures are presented.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is characterized by poor prognosis and remains a leading cause of cancer mortality worldwide. Advanced HCC is managed with several first-line therapies, including tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKI) and immunotherapy (mAb-PD-1 and mAb-VEGF). However, the efficacy of HCC therapeutics is often short-lived. Recent studies have demonstrated that the activation of the Nrf2-Bcl-xL pathway contributes to poor prognosis in a subset of HCC patients. Here, we found that dimethyl fumarate (DMF), a drug used for treating psoriasis and multiple sclerosis, regulates the Nrf2-Bcl-xL signaling axis to inhibit HCC growth in a mice xenograft model. Mechanistically, the downregulation of the Nrf2-Bcl-xL axis led to mitochondria stress and apoptosis in vitro and in vivo. Enforced Nrf2 or Bcl-xL expression in HCC cells markedly reversed the antitumor effects of DMF in HCC cells. Importantly, DMF enhanced sorafenib’s antitumor effects. Collectively, our results demonstrate new mechanism insights into the antitumor effects of DMF and that Nrf2-targeted therapy might improve HCC treatment outcomes.