Primary osteoporosis is a degenerative disease primarily caused by an imbalance between osteoblastogenesis and osteoclastogenesis, predominantly affecting postmenopausal women and the elderly. Current therapeutic strategies mainly focus on promoting bone formation and/or inhibiting bone resorption; however, ideal therapeutic options with low side effects and high cost-effectiveness are still lacking. This study aimed to explore the dual regulatory effect of Fexofenadine (FFD) on osteoblast-osteoclast equilibrium and elucidate its underlying molecular mechanisms. In vivo, FFD alleviated osteoporosis-related bone loss in both ovariectomized and naturally aged mouse models. In vitro, FFD inhibited RANKL-induced osteoclastogenesis in bone marrow-derived macrophages and directly promoted osteogenic differentiation in primary bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells. Mechanistically, cytosolic phospholipase A2 (cPLA2) and mothers against decapentaplegic homolog 2 (Smad2) were identified as the direct molecular targets of FFD via limited proteolysis-mass spectrometry: cPLA2 mediated the inhibitory effect of FFD on osteoclast differentiation, while Smad2 contributed to the pro-osteogenic action of FFD. These findings position FFD as a promising therapeutic candidate for maintaining bone homeostasis via dual targeting of cPLA2 and Smad2 to restore osteoblast-osteoclast balance, and also provide novel insights into the treatment of other bone metabolic disorders.

Imbalances between osteoblastogenesis and osteoclastogenesis represent the fundamental pathological feature of primary osteoporosis; however, safe and cost-effective therapies that simultaneously promote bone formation and suppress bone resorption are lacking. Given the central roles of runt-related transcription factor 2 and the nuclear factor κB pathway in bone remodeling, we performed a phenotypic screen of a Food and Drug Administration-approved drug library to identify dual-acting regulators of bone homeostasis and identified the orally approved anticoagulant dabigatran (DAB) as a novel candidate. In vivo, DAB administration markedly attenuated bone loss and preserved bone microarchitecture in both ovariectomized and aged mouse models of osteoporosis. In vitro, DAB not only inhibited receptor activator of nuclear factor κB ligand-induced osteoclastogenesis from bone-marrow-derived macrophages but also directly enhanced the osteogenic differentiation of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells. Mechanistically, using limited proteolysis-coupled mass spectrometry, we identified protein kinase adenosine-monophosphate-activated noncatalytic subunit β1 and v-Rel reticuloendotheliosis viral oncogene homolog A as direct targets of DAB. In bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells, DAB binds to protein kinase adenosine-monophosphate-activated noncatalytic subunit β1 via the alanine-77 residue, leading to adenosine-monophosphate-activated protein kinase activation, subsequent mechanistic target of rapamycin complex 1 inhibition, enhanced autophagic flux, and ultimately promoted osteogenesis; in osteoclast precursors, DAB interacts with v-Rel reticuloendotheliosis viral oncogene homolog A at arginine-50, resulting in suppression of the nuclear factor κB pathway and attenuated osteoclast differentiation. Collectively, our findings reposition DAB as a promising therapeutic candidate for restoring osteoblast–osteoclast balance and maintaining skeletal homeostasis while establishing a novel single-molecule, dual-target pharmacological strategy and providing novel mechanistic insights for bone metabolic disease treatment.

Intervertebral disc degeneration (IDD) is characterized by an imbalance between nucleus pulposus catabolism and anabolism, driven by metabolic dysfunction of nucleus pulposus cells (NPCs) and a chronic inflammatory microenvironment. Effective treatments for IDD are lacking. Here, we report an injectable hydrogel that achieves reactive oxygen species (ROS)-triggered self-stabilization within the degenerative microenvironment for adaptive intradiscal therapy. The CAD hydrogel is constructed from chitosan-phenylboronic acid (CS-PBA), aldehyde-β-cyclodextrin (A-β-CD), and hyaluronic acid-dopamine (HA-DA), forming a dynamic multinetwork. The dopamine moieties are preorganized within the network via both boronate ester bonds and host‒guest interactions with β-CD. Upon encountering pathological ROS in the oxidative IDD microenvironment, the cleavage of boronate esters triggers the release of sinigrin (SIN). Moreover, in situ polymerization of the dopamine moieties occurs simultaneously, which is facilitated by the spatial confinement of dopamine by β-CD. Polymerization converts the dynamic network into a covalently stabilized matrix, effectively self-solidifying the hydrogel to counteract mechanical decay and enabling the sustainable release of dabigatran (DAB) encapsulated in β-CD. This process ensures long-term structural support while enabling intelligent dual drug delivery. In a puncture-induced IDD model, the hydrogel demonstrated significant efficacy. In vitro, the dual-drug-loaded DS@CAD hydrogel mitigated NPC inflammatory catabolism and promoted anabolism. Mechanistically, the rapid release of SIN attenuated inflammation by targeting MAPK signalling, while sustained DAB release inhibited inflammation via RELA and promoted extracellular matrix anabolism by activating AMPK. This reconfigurable hydrogel platform offers an innovative strategy for developing next-generation biomaterials that respond to complex disease microenvironments for adaptive therapy.

Background: Diabetic ulcer (DU) are severe complications of diabetes, characterized by persistent inflammation, oxidative stress, and impaired mitochondrial function. Verapamil, a calcium channel blocker, has shown potential in reducing oxidative stress and improving mitochondrial dysfunction, but its application in DU treatment remains unexplored. Methods: A dual-network QSAZ@VPH hydrogel was developed for local delivery and controlled release of verapamil. In vitro experiments evaluated its protective effects on HUVECs exposed to H2O2-induced mitochondrial dysfunction, including inflammatory marker expression, apoptosis inhibition, and angiogenesis promotion. In vivo studies used db/db mice and DU model rats to assess wound healing, granulation tissue formation, and neovascularization. Results: In vitro, QSAZ@VPH reduced mitochondrial dysfunction, lowered inflammatory markers, inhibited apoptosis, and promoted angiogenesis. In vivo, the hydrogel significantly improved wound healing in both models, reversing impaired healing and promoting granulation tissue formation and enhanced neovascularization. Conclusions: The QSAZ@VPH hydrogel presents a promising strategy for diabetic ulcer therapy by targeting mitochondrial dysfunction and promoting tissue regeneration.

Inflammatory responses and subsequent microglial polarization play a critical role in the secondary damage that follows spinal cord injury (SCI). Morusin, a natural flavonoid with anti-inflammatory properties, has therapeutic potential in SCI; however, its molecular mechanisms and direct targets remain unclear. This study aimed to elucidate both the neuroprotective effects of Morusin against SCI and the underlying mechanisms, with a particular focus on its role in modulating microglial/macrophage polarization. The therapeutic efficacy of Morusin was evaluated in a rat model of SCI using behavioral, histological, and immunofluorescence analyses. In vitro, its anti-inflammatory and polarization-modulating effects were examined in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated BV2 microglia. Neuroprotection was assessed in a cellular co-culture system. To identify the direct target of Morusin, we integrated drug affinity responsive target stability with mass spectrometry and validated the findings using cellular thermal shift assay and siRNA knockdown. Administration of Morusin significantly improved functional recovery, attenuated neuroinflammation, and reduced tissue damage in SCI rats. In cellular assays, Morusin potently suppressed LPS-induced M1 polarization and enhanced IL-4-induced M2 polarization. Mechanistically, Morusin directly bound to RELA, inhibiting the NF-κB pathway, while concurrently activating the NRF2/HO-1 signaling axis. This study demonstrated that Morusin alleviates SCI by directly targeting RELA (p65) to inhibit NF-κB-driven M1 polarization, while simultaneously promoting NRF2/HO-1-mediated M2 polarization. These findings not only revealed a novel dual mechanism of action for Morusin but also underscored its potential as a lead compound for the targeted therapies against SCI.

Incorporating piezo-response into photocatalysis holds great promise for eco-friendly strategies in environmental remediation and sustainable energy conversion. Herein, flexible N -defect nanoporous g-C 3 N 4 nanosheets (NPCNs) was prepared via one-step method, then whose surface was protonated. And existed dense 1T/2H phase and vertical interfaces in non-layer-dependent-piezo-response sailboat-like-MoS 2 (Sv-MS) formed by in -situ stresses during nucleation and growth by experiments and MD -simulations. Noble -metal -free Z -scheme PC/VM heterojunction with broad-spectrum absorption, enhanced piezo-response and intimate triple -interface was established by electrostatic self -assembly, performing efficient hybrid -driven piezo-photocatalysis. With a systematic modification of morphology, grain size, phase composition, and surface condition of the components, the optimal PC(3.6H)/VM(u2) exhibited high piezo-photocatalytic rates for degradation of organic dyes and antibiotic (RhB (0.565 min -1 ), MO (0.052 min -1 ), MB (1.557 min -1 ), TC (0.062 min -1 )) and hydrogen evolution (3528 mu molg -1 h -1 ) under visible -light and ultrasonic -wave, with maintenance under NIR-light ( lambda max = 1000 nm) attributed to up -conversion effect (RhB: 0.212 min -1 , H 2 : 2355 mu molg -1 h -1 ). Furthermore, the piezophotocatalytic mechanism was proposed by experiments and DFT-calculations for effective triple -interface ZScheme charge migration. This work provides a rational protocol for constructing diverse -energy -triggered, multiple -interfaces and broad -solar -spectrum (UV-Vis-NIR) piezo-photocatalysts in degradation and hydrogen evolution.

Osteosarcoma recurrence following surgical resection is notoriously prevalent and resistant to chemotherapy (i. e., doxorubicin, DOX) due to its intricate immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment, which remains one of the most life-threatening tumors. In this study, we report the fabrication of an in-situ injectable hydrogelimmobilized nanotherapeutics, tailored to stimulate tumoricidal immunity, thus mitigate both localized osteosarcoma recurrence and the propagation of metastatic tumors subsequent to surgical intervention. Zeolitic imidazolate framework-8 nanoparticles (ZIF NPs), encapsulating a chemotherapeutic agent (i.e., DOX) and immunotherapeutic agents (i.e., alpha PDL1 and alpha CD47), are loaded in fibrin hydrogels. These bioengineered constructs are judiciously deployed at surgical sites to orchestrate chemo-immunotherapeutic interventions, effectuated through the controlled release of doxorubicin and the initiation of T cell-mediated immune responses. DOX has the capability to eradicate tumor cells and initiate immunogenic cell death. Notably, alpha PDL1 engenders the circumvention of PDL1-mediated resistance and dominates metastatic tumor expansion, thereby exerting a pivotal role in the context of systemic immunosuppression. alpha CD47 blocks the 'don't eat me' signaling axis intrinsic to cancer cells, thereby potentiating their phagocytosis by macrophages. This orchestrated blockade synergistically activates the host immune milieu, thereby repressing tumor recurrence and curtailing the growth of metastatic lesions post-surgical resection in the subcutaneous tumor model (lateral and bilateral) and tibial tumor model (orthotopic and metastatic), respectively. Additionally, zinc ions from the degradation of ZIF NPs acts as the stimulator of interferon genes (STING) agonists to enhance the immunotherapeutic activity against distal and metastatic tumors. The reported immune checkpoint-regulatable cancer immunotherapy activates the host innate and adaptive immune systems, which shows promising for the treatment of osteosarcoma patients.

Piezocatalysis can effectively harvest various kinds of mechanical energy with high entropy from the environment and drive some redox reactions without light irradiation, where MoS2- and g-C3N4-based piezocatalysts are recent research hotspots. This study constructs an architecture of ordered melamine hydrochloride-cyanuric acid/MoO42- supramolecular precursor via self-assembly, serving as a self-template for in situ tight growth of vertically aligned micron-scale MoS2 on porous foam-like g-C3N4(CMx) under S vapor with a bioinspired rooting and sprouting-like process. Experiments, DFT calculations, and finite element simulations collectively confirm the high piezoresponse of the CMx with high exposure of active sites and enhanced mechanical energy collection. The vertical interfaces and built-in electric fields in the composite induce efficient charge carrier separation and transfer. The optimized CM0.77 efficiently degrades various organic dyes and antibiotic under dark ultrasound [rhodamine B (RhB): 0.47 s(-1), methyl orange (MO): 0.05 s(-1), methylene blue (MB): 0.21 s(-1), and tetracycline hydrochloride (TC): 0.03 s(-1)] and achieves hydrogen evolution (2431 mu molg(-1)h(-1)). Under simulated water flow (10 L/min), the expanded CM0.77/Al2O3 porous foam ceramic (CM/alumina ceramic) purifier device degrades 95% of 400 mL of RhB within 25 min. The developed ordered vertical MoS2/g-C3N4 piezocatalyst demonstrates rapid pollutant degradation and efficient hydrogen evolution under water flow and ultrasound, providing new insights for constructing multidimensional piezoelectric composites for environmental remediation and clean energy production.

In this study, Fe@Fe2O3 core-shell nanoparticles were synthesized and adsorbed onto g-C3N4 nanosheets through a chemical adsorption process. The resulting Fe@Fe2O3/g-C3N4 nanocomposites exhibited a unique morphology and were characterized by a narrow dispersion of Fe@Fe2O3 nanostructures uniformly distributed on the g-C3N4 nanosheets. The impact of varying reaction parameters, such as reaction time and reducing agent concentration, on the reactivity and properties of iron was investigated. The enhanced photoactivity of Fe@Fe2O3/g-C3N4 nanocomposites for RhB and phenol was explored, and it was found that the heterojunction formed between Fe2O3 and g-C3N4 facilitated efficient charge partition, thereby reducing electron-hole recombination, and promoting the separation of photogenerated charges. Mechanistic insights into the degradation process of the pollutant RhB were gained using Fe@Fe2O3/g-C3N4 nanocomposites, and it was found that the holes (h+) and superoxide radicals (O2−) were the main active species involved in the degradation of RhB. The study highlights the potential of Fe@Fe2O3/g-C3N4 nanocomposites to eliminate contaminants.

The piezo-response of two-dimensional molybdenum disulfide(MoS2) only exists at the edge of oddnumber layers. It's crucial to design reasonable micro/nano-structures and construct tight interfaces to weaken layer-dependence, enhance energy harvesting, charge transfer and active sites exposure to improve piezoelectricity. The novel sailboat-like-vertical-MoS2-nanosheets(SVMS), in which abundant vertical MoS2 nanosheets(-20 nm, 1-5 layers) are uniformly distributed on horizontal substrate of MoS2, with abundant vertical interfaces and controllable phase composition are prepared by facile method. The larger geometric-asymmetry enhances mechanical energy capture. Experiment and theory revealed the enhanced in-/out-of-plane polarization, higher piezo-response in multi-directions and abundant active edge sites of SVMS, thereby eliminating the layer-dependence and generating higher piezopotential. Cooperating with the Mo-S bonds at vertical interfaces, free electrons-holes are efficiently separated and migrated. The piezo-degradation of Rhodamine B(RhB) and hydrogen evolution rate under ultrasonic/stirring are 0.16 min-1 and 1598 lmolg �1h-1 for SVMS(2H) with the highest piezo-response (under ultrasonic wave, stirring and water flow), which are over 1.6 and 3.1 times than few-layer MoS2 nanosheets. 94% RhB(500 mL) is degraded under water-flow(60 min). The mechanism was proposed. Overall, the design of SVMS with enhanced piezoelectricity was studied and modulated by regulating microstructure and phase composition, which has excellent application potential in fields of environment, energy and novel materials. & COPY; 2023 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Cervical spondylotic myelopathy (CSM) is the main cause of cervical spinal cord dysfunction in adults, especially in middle-aged and elderly patients, which easily leads to gait disturbance. In the present study, we propose a dynamic method for the detection of CSM based on nonlinear dynamics of gait system and deterministic learning theory. First, a 3-dimensional (3D) gait analysis system is used to capture the walking locomotion from healthy controls (HCs) and patients with CSM. Discriminant kinematic gait features, including angles of hip and knee joints in the sagittal and coronal planes, are extracted based on statistical analysis and clinicians’ empirical investigation. Second, deterministic learning theory is used to model and identify nonlinear gait system dynamics of HCs and patients with CSM, which are approximated and stored in constant Radial Basis Function (RBF) neural networks (NN). The disparity of gait system dynamics between the two groups of participants is used for classification and detection of the presence of CSM by constructing a bank of dynamic estimators with constant RBF NN. Finally, experiments are carried out on the self-constructed CSM gait database to evaluate the performance of the proposed method, in which gait data from 45 CSM patients and 45 age-matched HCs are involved. By using 2-fold and leave-one-out cross-validation styles, the achieved average classification accuracy is reported to be 94.44 % and 95.56 % , respectively. The results demonstrate excellent performance and the proposed method has the potential to serve as a candidate for the automatic detection of CSM in clinical examination.

Intervertebral disc (IVD) degeneration is a common chronic degenerative and disabling spinal disease in which the inflammatory response plays a crucial role. Rebamipide (REB) prevents gastric mucosal damage by suppressing inflammatory cytokines via the NF-κ B signaling pathway. The aim of this study was to investigate how REB affects the pathological process of IVD degeneration. In our study, nucleus pulposus tissue and cells were obtained from patients and mice, and western blotting, real-time PCR, immunohistochemistry, immunofluorescence, histological staining, and flow cytometry were used to identify the mechanism of REB in TNF- α-induced IVD degeneration, demonstrating that TNF-α induced lumbar disc degeneration and REB prevented lumbar disc degeneration induced by the TNF-α pathway. REB inhibited TNF- α-mediated degradation of the extracellular matrix and protected the inflammatory responses of TNF- α-induced disc degeneration. Furthermore, a mechanistic study verified that REB could suppress TNF- α-mediated disc degeneration through the NF-κ B signaling pathway. The role of REB in disc degeneration in vivo was validated using a needle puncture model in rats. Overall, REB inhibited lumbar disc degeneration by suppressing inflammatory responses via the NF-κ B signaling pathway. REB provides a potential therapeutic treatment for back pain due to IVDD.

Intervertebral disc (IVD) degeneration is a common chronic degenerative and disabling spinal disease in which the inflammatory response plays a crucial role. Rebamipide (REB) prevents gastric mucosal damage by suppressing inflammatory cytokines via the NF-κB signaling pathway. The aim of this study was to investigate how REB affects the pathological process of IVD degeneration. In our study, nucleus pulposus tissue and cells were obtained from patients and mice, and western blotting, real-time PCR, immunohistochemistry, immunofluorescence, histological staining, and flow cytometry were used to identify the mechanism of REB in TNF-α-induced IVD degeneration, demonstrating that TNF-α induced lumbar disc degeneration and REB prevented lumbar disc degeneration induced by the TNF-α pathway. REB inhibited TNF-α-mediated degradation of the extracellular matrix and protected the inflammatory responses of TNF-α-induced disc degeneration. Furthermore, a mechanistic study verified that REB could suppress TNF-α-mediated disc degeneration through the NF-κB signaling pathway. The role of REB in disc degeneration in vivo was validated using a needle puncture model in rats. Overall, REB inhibited lumbar disc degeneration by suppressing inflammatory responses via the NF-κB signaling pathway. REB provides a potential therapeutic treatment for back pain due to IVDD.

This study reported the fabrication of TiO 2 /Fe 2 O 3 /g-C 3 N 4 ternary Z-scheme photocatalyst via lowtemperature calcination followed by a nonaqueous route with tunable particle size and strong interfacial contact. The subsequent Fe 2 O 3 /g-C 3 N 4 and TiO 2 /Fe 2 O 3 /g-C 3 N 4 were investigated in terms of structure, morphology, optical properties, and surface chemical composition analysis via transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy (EDX), UV- visible spectroscopy, and photoluminescence spectroscopy (PL). The crystalline nature of the samples was investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and HRTEM. Under visible light, the photocatalytic capabilities of as-fabricated TiO 2 /Fe 2 O 3 /g-C 3 N 4 were examined by degrading Rhodamine B (RhB), and an enhancement in photocatalytic efficacy was found. TiO 2 works as a primary photosensitizer, providing extra photoinduced electrons, while Fe 2 O 3 acts as a "bridge" for electron transport from the TiO 2 moiety to the g-C 3 N 4 thereby establishing an indirect charge transport pathway based on the Z-scheme. Radical scavenging tests were conducted to further explore the cause of increased activity and degradation mechanisms. The proposed technique might be a viable option for the removal of rhodamine b compounds and remedying freshwater reservoirs.

Photocatalytic performance is significantly influenced by the efficiency of photogenerated electron-hole pairs separation and transfer. In this paper, rational designed Z-scheme Bi/Black Phosphorus Nanosheets/P-doped BiOCl (Bi/BPNs/P-BiOCl) nanoflower photocatalyst was synthesized by a facile in-situ reduction process. The interfacial P-P bond between Black phosphorus nanosheets (BPNs) and P-doped BiOCl (P-BiOCl) was investigated by the XPS spectrum. The Bi/BPNs/P-BiOCl photocatalysts exhibited enhanced photocatalytic performance for H(2)O(2)production and RhB degradation. The optimally modified photocatalyst (Bi/BPNs/P-BiOCl-20) showed an excellent photocatalytic H2O2 generation rate of 4.92 mM/h and RhB degradation rate of 0.1169 min(-1) under simulated sunlight irradiation, which was 1.79 times and 1.25 times greater than the P-P bond free Bi/BPNs/BiOCl-20. The mechanism was investigated through charge transfer route, radical capture experiments, and band gap structure analysis, indicating that the formation of Z-scheme heterojunctions and interfacial P-P bond not only enhances the redox potential of the photocatalyst but also facilitates the separation and migration of photogenerated electrons-holes. This work might provide a promising strategy for constructing Z-scheme 2D composite photocatalysts combining interfacial heterojunction and elemental doping engineering for efficient photocatalytic H2O2 production and organic dye pollutant degradation.

In the cervical region of middle-aged and elderly patients, cervical spondylotic myelopathy (CSM) is frequently recognized as the primary factor that contributes to spinal cord dysfunction. Numbness and gait disturbance are the main clinical manifestations of CSM, which exhibits as a stiff and spastic gait in comparison with that of healthy controls (HCs). Because it is difficult to screen CSM in the primary stage which easily leading to a delay in medication, the identification of CSM followed by treatment is urgent. The aim of this study is to develop an automated classification method for the screening of CSM, using fifty-four lower extremity kinematic parameters derived from three-dimensional gait analysis. The present study employs a deep neural network (DNN) model to automatically extract informative features from raw gait kinematic data. Hierarchically placed layers in the DNN produce deep feature maps that are used to screen CSM using multiple shallow classifiers. The proposed method is evaluated using a self-constructed gait database of patients diagnosed with CSM and HCs, both groups consisting of 45 individuals within a similar age range. Experimental results reveal that the combination of deep features and shallow classifiers yields remarkable accuracy rates for binary classification with twofold, tenfold, and leave-one-out cross-validation methods, all achieving an accuracy of 99.44 %. The data suggest that our approach is efficient in detecting the early onset CSM and performs better than other cutting-edge techniques.

Purpose : Primary intraspinal tumors are rare tumors of the central nervous system. There is a paucity of detailed clinical data on the tumors for neurosurgeons. The paper is to report the clinical characters of 589 patients with primary intraspinal tumors in China. Methods : Medical records of 589 patients with primary intraspinal tumor treated surgically with pathologic confirmation from January 2015 to December 2019 in our hospital were collected and reviewed. In each case, data about patient's age at surgery, sex, clinical presentation, anatomical location, vertebral levels and histological diagnosis were obtained and analyzed. Results : The entire cohort included 281 (47.7%) males and 308 (52.3%) females with a mean age of 48.1 years. Primary intraspinal tumors were most likely occurred on thoracic levels, counting 38.7%, compared with cervical 25.1% and lumbar 33.7%. 80.3% (472/589) of intraspinal tumors were intradural extramedullary, and 5.60% (33/589) were intramedullary, and 13.07% (77/589) were epidural. The pathological diagnoses included schwannoma (52.8%), meningioma (10.4%), cyst (8.0%), teratoma (24,4.1%), ependymoma (23,3.9%), and angioma (23,3.9%), and females had a higher incidence of meningiomas than males, with a male/female of 0.20. Pain, numbness, weakness, and sensory disturbances were most common presentations of the intraspinal tumor, which was determined partially by the vertebral level distribution and anatomical location. Conclusions : This large single-center clinical study adds new insights into the descriptive epidemiology and characters of primary intraspinal tumors by providing in-depth analyses of these tumors, which is of vital importance in planning studies on prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis of the tumors.

The highly efficient separation of photogenerated electron-hole pairs significantly influences photocatalytic performance. In this paper, flower-like Bi/BPNs/P-doped BiOCl Z-scheme photocatalyst heterojunctions were formed via facile in-situ reduction process. The interfacial P-P bond between Black phosphorus nanosheets (BPNs) and P-doped BiOCl (PBC) was investigated by XPS spectrum. EIS and photocurrent measurements demonstrated that the P-P bond cooperated with the BPNs to facilitate charge-flow steering, which enhanced the BPNs and PBC charge transfer. Consequently, the Bi/BPNs/PBC photocatalyst showed enhanced photocatalytic performance for H 2 O 2 production. The optimally modified photocatalyst (Bi/BPNs/PBC-20) showed an excellent photocatalytic H 2 O 2 generation rate of 4.92 mM/h under simulated solar light irradiation. Furthermore, Bi/BPNs/PBC-20 also exhibited excellent RhB degradation efficiency, with a degradation ratio of 98% reached after 30 min solar light illumination. The reaction pathway of photocatalytic H 2 O 2 generation for Bi/BPNs/PBC-20 was determined to be a two-step oxygen reduction reaction with two electrons (2e - ORR) according to mechanistic analysis. Meanwhile, characterization, active species trapping experiments, and bandgap structure analysis revealed the Z-scheme heterojunction formation. As a result, the enhanced activity of the Bi/BPNs/PBC heterojunction was mostly ascribed to its enhanced light absorption properties, the formation of the Z-scheme heterojunction, and the more efficient charge transfer behavior caused by the interfacial P-P bond and metallic Bi nanoparticles.

As a polymeric soft material, hydrogel is a good candidate for smart skin-like sensors. However, in practical applications conventional, hydrogels face the challenges of mechanical properties, poor electrical conductivity and inability to adhere well to the material surface to withstand high tensile strength. Therefore, the development of multifunctional hydrogels can solve some of these technical problems. In this work, we chose the nanoclay Laponite as a cross-linking agent and prepared poly (N, N-dimethylacrylamide)/Laponite nanocomposite (PDMAA/Laponite NC) hydrogels with excellent tensile (0.04 similar to 0.08 MPa), adhesion (4.3 MPa) and electrochemical properties by initiating the free radical polymerization of polymer monomers under UV light. The hydrogel network is formed by multiple physical interactions between polymer chains and clay particles, conferring the reversible adhesion ability of the gel on various substrates. Considering the ease of preparation and comprehensive high performance, our nanocomposite hydrogels may have potential applications in wearable sensors and flexible electronic devices.

As an effective energy-saving technology, smart windows have become one of the solutions to the global common problem of huge energy consumption. However, there are few studies on applying smart windows to extreme environments (extremely high/low temperature). In this study, we imparted ice resistance and evaporation resistance to smart windows by adding ethylene glycol (EG). More interestingly, the addition of EG also affected the lower critical solution temperature (LCST) of the smart window, making it possible to have a controllable LCST range. With the increase of EG concentration from 0 to 70%, the lowest temperature that the gel can withstand increased from − 10 °C to -50 °C and the evaporation resistance performance of the gel increased by about 10 times, while the LCST of the gel decreased from 50 °C down to 25 °C. And a series of studies were conducted on smart windows to prove the above conclusion, including rheological measurements to characterize its mechanical properties, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), evaporation rate of gel at about 25 °C, and differential scanning calorimetry measurements (DSC) to demonstrate the evaporation and ice resistance of gel smart windows under extreme environmental conditions. In addition, we also conducted cycle tests and energy-saving experiments on smart windows to prove their high practical application value. This is undoubtedly an effective and excellent way to deal with the energy crisis on the basis of expanding the practical application scope of smart windows. At the same time, this may also be able to fill the gap in the current application of smart windows in extreme conditions.