Exploring the diversity of dissolved organic matter (DOM) properties and sources in different functional areas of a typical macrophyte - derived lake combined with optical spectroscopy and FT-ICR MS analysis.

Lake Baiyangdian is one of China's largest macrophyte - derived lakes, facing severe challenges related to water quality maintenance and eutrophication prevention. Dissolved organic matter (DOM) was a huge carbon pool and its abundance, property, and transformation played important roles in the biogeochemical cycle and energy flow in lake ecosystems. In this study, Lake Baiyangdian was divided into four distinct areas: Unartificial Area (UA), Village Area (VA), Tourism Area (TA), and Breeding Area (BA). We examined the diversity of DOM properties and sources across these functional areas. Our findings reveal that DOM in this lake is predominantly composed of protein - like substances, as determined by excitation - emission matrix and parallel factor analysis (EEM - PARAFAC). Notably, the exogenous tyrosine-like component C1 showed a stronger presence in VA and BA compared to UA and TA. Ultrahigh - resolution mass spectrometry (FT - ICR MS) unveiled a similar DOM molecular composition pattern across different functional areas due to the high relative abundances of lignan compounds, suggesting that macrophytes significantly influence the material structure of DOM. DOM properties exhibited specific associations with water quality indicators in various functional areas, as indicated by the Mantel test. The connections between DOM properties and NO3N and NH3N were more pronounced in VA and BA than in UA and TA. Our results underscore the viability of using DOM as an indicator for more precise and scientific water quality management.

Cortico-striatal gamma oscillations are modulated by dopamine D3 receptors in dyskinetic rats.

JOURNAL/nrgr/04.03/01300535-202504000-00031/figure1/v/2024-07-06T104127Z/r/image-tiff Long-term levodopa administration can lead to the development of levodopa-induced dyskinesia. Gamma oscillations are a widely recognized hallmark of abnormal neural electrical activity in levodopa-induced dyskinesia. Currently, studies have reported increased oscillation power in cases of levodopa-induced dyskinesia. However, little is known about how the other electrophysiological parameters of gamma oscillations are altered in levodopa-induced dyskinesia. Furthermore, the role of the dopamine D3 receptor, which is implicated in levodopa-induced dyskinesia, in movement disorder-related changes in neural oscillations is unclear. We found that the cortico-striatal functional connectivity of beta oscillations was enhanced in a model of Parkinson's disease. Furthermore, levodopa application enhanced cortical gamma oscillations in cortico-striatal projections and cortical gamma aperiodic components, as well as bidirectional primary motor cortex (M1) ↔ dorsolateral striatum gamma flow. Administration of PD128907 (a selective dopamine D3 receptor agonist) induced dyskinesia and excessive gamma oscillations with a bidirectional M1 ↔ dorsolateral striatum flow. However, administration of PG01037 (a selective dopamine D3 receptor antagonist) attenuated dyskinesia, suppressed gamma oscillations and cortical gamma aperiodic components, and decreased gamma causality in the M1 → dorsolateral striatum direction. These findings suggest that the dopamine D3 receptor plays a role in dyskinesia-related oscillatory activity, and that it has potential as a therapeutic target for levodopa-induced dyskinesia.

PpSAUR5 promotes plant growth by regulating lignin and hormone pathways.

Introduction: Peach (Prunus persica) has a high nutritional and economic value. However, its overgrowth can lead to yield loss. Regulating the growth of peach trees is challenging. The small auxin-up RNA (SAUR) gene family is the largest family of auxin-responsive genes, which play important roles in plant growth and development. However, members of this gene family are rarely reported in peach. Methods: In this study, we measured leaf area, chlorophyll and lignin content to detect the role of PpSAUR5 on growth through transgenic Arabidopsis. Results: PpSAUR5 responds to auxin and gibberellin, promoting and inhibiting the synthesis of gibberellin and auxin, respectively. The heterologous transformation of PpSAUR5 in Arabidopsis led to enhanced growth of leaves and siliques, lightening of leaf color, decrease in chlorophyll content, increase in lignin content, abnormalities in the floral organs, and distortion of the inflorescence axis. Transcriptome data analysis of PpSAUR5 overexpression and wild-type lines revealed 854 differentially expressed genes (DEGs). GO and KEGG analyses showed that the DEGs were primarily involved in biological processes, such as cellular processes, metabolic processes, response to stimuli, and catalytic activity. These genes were mainly enriched in pathways, such as phenylalanine biosynthesis, phytohormone signaling, and MAPK signaling. Discussion: In summary, these results suggested that PpSAUR5 might regulate tree vigor by modulating the synthesis of auxin and gibberellin. Future studies can use PpSAUR5 as a candidate gene to elucidate the potential regulatory mechanisms underlying peach tree vigor.

The pH-dependent role of different manganese oxides in the fate of arsenic during microbial reduction of arsenate-bearing goethite.

Manganese oxides reduce arsenic (As) toxicity by promoting aqueous-phase As(III) oxidation and immobilization in natural aquatic ecosystems. In anaerobic water-sediment systems, arsenic exists both in a free state in the liquid phase and in an adsorbed state on iron (Fe) minerals. However, the influence of different manganese oxides on the fate of As in this system remains unclear. Therefore, in this study, we constructed an anaerobic microbial As(V) reduction environment and investigated the effects of three different manganese oxides on the fate of both aqueous-phase and goethite-adsorbed As under different pH conditions. The results showed that δ-MnO2 had a superior As(III) oxidation ability in both aqueous and solid phase due not only to the higher SSA, but also to its wrinkled crystalline morphology, less favorable structure for bacterial reduction, structure conducive to ion exchange, and less interference caused by the formation of secondary Fe-minerals compared to α-MnO2 and γ-MnO2. Regarding aqueous-phase As, δ-MnO2, α-MnO2, and γ-MnO2 required an alkaline condition (pH 9) to exhibit their strongest As(III) oxidation and immobilization capability. For goethite-adsorbed As, under microbial-reducing conditions, all manganese oxides had the highest As immobilization effect in neutral pH environments and the strongest As oxidation effect in alkaline environments. This was because at pH 7, Fe(II) and Mn(II) formed hydrated complexes, which was more favorable for As adsorption. At pH 9, the negatively charged state of goethite hindered As adsorption but promoted the adsorption and oxidation of As by the manganese oxides. Our research offers new insights for optimizing As removal from water using various manganese oxides and for controlling the mobilization of As in water-sediment system under different pH conditions.

A tactile sensing system capable of recognizing objects based on bioinspired self-sensing soft pneumatic actuator.

Tactile sensors play an important role when robots perform contact tasks, such as physical information collection, force or displacement control to avoid collision. For these manipulations, excessive contact may cause damage while poor contact cause information loss between robotic end-effector and objects. Inspired by skin structure and signal transmission method, this paper proposes a tactile sensing system based on the self-sensing soft pneumatic actuator (S-SPA) capable of providing tactile sensing capability for robots. Based on the adjustable height and compliance characteristics of the S-SPA, contact is safe and accurate tactile information can be collected. And to demonstrate the feasibility and advantage of this system, a robotic hand with S-SPAs could recognize different textures and stiffness of objects by touching and pinching behaviours to collect physical information of the various objects under the positive work states of the S-SPA. The result shows the recognition accuracy of the fifteen texture plates reaches 99.4%, and the recognition accuracy of the four stiffness cuboid reaches 100% by training a KNN model. This safe and simple tactile sensing system with high recognition accuracies based on S-SPA shows great potential in robotic manipulations and beneficial to applications in domestic and industrial fields.

[Plankton Community Stability and Drive Factor Identification Guizhou Plateau Reservoir].

In order to understand the stability of the zooplankton and phytoplankton communities in the Guizhou plateau reservoir environment, the process of reservoir water quality change affecting the stability of plankton was studied. The changes in the plankton community and water quality in three different nutrient reservoirs （Huaxi Reservoir, Goupitan Reservoir, and Hailong Reservoir） were studied from October 2020 to August 2021. The stability of the zooplankton and phytoplankton communities was studied using time-lag analysis （TLA）. Variance decomposition analysis （VPA） was used to explore the response of the two communities to environmental changes. The driving factors of plankton community changes in reservoirs were also revealed. The results showed that Huaxi Reservoir and Goupitan Reservoir were mesotrophic reservoirs, and Hailong Reservoir was a eutrophic reservoir. The average comprehensive nutrition indices of the three reservoirs were 44.07, 44.68, and 50.25. A total of 51 species of zooplankton rotifers, 39 species of rotifers, three species of copepods, and nine species of cladocera were identified. Among them, the abundance of rotifers was the highest, accounting for 85.96%. A total of seven phyla and 73 species of phytoplankton were identified, including 16 species in the phylum Cyanophyta, 32 species in the phylum Chlorophyta, 16 species in the phylum Diatoma, three species in the phylum Chlorophyta, four species in the phylum Euglenophyta, and one species each in the phyla Cryptophyta and Chrysophyta. Among them, the abundance of cyanobacteria and diatoms was the highest, accounting for 66.2% and 27.35%, respectively. The median absolute deviation （MAD） of the Bray-Curtis distance of zooplankton and phytoplankton community in the three reservoirs were 0.67 and 0.65 in Huaxi Reservoir, 0.80 and 0.69 in Goupitan Reservoir, and 0.85 and 0.47 in Hailong Reservoir, respectively. The larger the value, the greater the variation in the community. The absolute value of the slope of zooplankton was greater than that of phytoplankton in the TLA results, and the absolute values of the slopes were 0.018 and 0.004, respectively. The larger the absolute value of the slope, the faster the community variability. The zooplankton community in the three reservoirs was less stable than the phytoplankton community and more sensitive to environmental changes, and the degree of variation was greater. The higher the degree of eutrophication of the reservoir, the more obvious this phenomenon. VPA showed that the changes in plankton communities in Huaxi Reservoir and Hailong Reservoir were mainly influenced by water temperature and eutrophication factors. The changes in planktonic community in Goupitan Reservoir were mainly influenced by water temperature and chemical factors. The driving factors of Huaxi Reservoir were water temperature, TP, permanganate index, and SD. The driving factors of Goupitan Reservoir were water temperature, NO3-- N, and pH. The driving factors of Hailong Reservoir were water temperature and TP. Nutrients and water temperature were the main factors affecting the stability of plankton communities in reservoirs.

The mechanism of interaction between tri-para-cresyl phosphate and human serum protein: a multispectroscopic and in-silico study.

Organophosphate flame retardants (OPFRs) pose the significant risks to the environment and human health and have become a serious public health issue. Tricresyl phosphates (TCPs), a group of aryl OPFRs, exhibit neurotoxicity and endocrine disrupting toxicity. However, the binding mechanisms between TCPs and human serum albumin (HSA) remain unknown. In this study, through fluorescence and ultraviolet-visible (UV-vis) absorption spectroscopy, molecular docking and molecular dynamics (MD), tri-para-cresyl phosphate (TpCP) was selected to explore potential interactions between HSA and TCPs. The results of the fluorescence spectroscopy demonstrated that a decrease the fluorescence intensity of HSA and a blue shift were observed with the increasing concentrations of TpCP. The binding constant (Ka) was 2.575 × 104 L/mol, 4.701 × 104 L/mol, 5.684 × 104 L/mol and 9.482 × 104 L/mol at 293 K, 298 K, 303 K, and 310 K, respectively. The fluorescence process between HSA and TpCP involved a mix of static and dynamic quenching mechanism. The gibbs free energy (ΔG0) of HSA-TpCP system was -24.452, -25.907, 27.363, and 29.401 kJ/mol at 293 K, 298 K, 303 K, and 310 K, respectively, suggesting that the HSA-TpCP reaction was spontaneous. The enthalpy change (ΔH0) and thermodynamic entropy change (ΔS0) of the HSA-TpCP system were 291.08 J/K mol and 60.83 kJ/mol, respectively, indicating that hydrophobic force was the major driving forces in the HSA-TpCP complex. Furthermore, multispectral analysis also revealed that TpCP could alter the microenvironment of tryptophan residue and the secondary structure of HSA and bind with the active site I of HSA. Molecular docking and MD simulations confirmed that TpCP could spontaneously form a stable complex with HSA, which was consistent with the fluorescence experimental results. This study provides novel insights into the mechanisms of underlying the transportation and distribution of OFPRs in humans.

Repeatability and Agreement of Central Vault for Implantable Collamer Lens Obtained by the Tomey OA-2000 Biometer and Spectralis OCT.

Objective: To assess repeatability and agreement of central vault for implantable collamer lens (ICL) measured by the Tomey OA-2000 biometry and Spectralis optical coherence tomography (OCT). Methods: In this prospective study, the central vault was measured by the Tomey OA-2000 biometer and Spectralis OCT in 84 eyes (43 patients) after ICL implantation at six month follow-up. Three consecutive scans were obtained by one experienced technician using Tomey OA-2000 and the Spectralis OCT in the same day. The coefficient of variation (CoV), intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC), within-subject standard deviation (Sw), and 2.77 Sw were calculated to assess the repeatability and reproducibility. The paired t-test and Bland-Altman plots were used to analyze the differences and agreements of central vault measured by two devices. Results: Repeatability of the central vault measured by Tomey OA-2000 biometer and Spectralis OCT showed that the CoV was 2.71% and 1.66%, respectively. The ICC for both devices was 0.996 and 0.999, respectively. The paired t-test showed that central vault measured by Tomey OA-2000 biometer was -7.25 ± 23.57 microns lower than that measured by Spectralis OCT (P = 0.006). The mean difference between measurements for Tomey OA-2000 and ASM-OCT with 95% limits of agreement (LoAs) was -38.94 to 53.44 µm. Conclusion: Both Tomey OA-2000 biometer and Spectralis OCT displayed good repeatability for the measurement of central vault of ICL. Good reliability and agreement were observed between Tomey OA-2000 biometer and Spectralis OCT. Both instruments are useful but not replaced each other for central vault measurements.

The supramolecular synthon behavior within cocrystals of pyrazinamide and alkyl dicarboxylic acids: A perspective from terahertz spectroscopy and quantum chemical calculation.

Pyrazinamide (PZA) is a widely-used anti-tuberculosis pharmaceutical, but its poor solubility prompts us to optimize pharmaceutical performance. Cocrystallization is a promising technique to improve physiochemical properties of active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) by connecting it with cocrystal former (CCF) via intermolecular interactions. Even though a series of alkyl dicarboxylic acids are employed to form cocrystal structures, systematic understanding on the role of intermolecular interactions is still missing. Therefore, terahertz (THz) spectroscopy and quantum chemical calculation are combined to elucidate the behavior of ubiquitous supramolecular synthons, such as hetero-synthons of acid-pyrazine, acid-amide and homo-synthon of amide-amide, from energy's view. Potential energy is calculated to differentiate the stability within polymorphs of PZA-MA cocrystal and free energy is evaluated to compare the solubility of PZA-CCF cocrystals respectively. With regard to vibrational energy, THz spectral fingerprints are theoretically assigned to specific vibrations and attributed to the flexibility deformation of supramolecular synthons based on oscillation theory, where stretching and twisting modes dominate the collective vibrational behavior. It provides a promising tool to evaluate cocrystal performance from its driving force and insightful guidance to discover new pharmaceutical cocrystals.

Highly graphitized coal tar pitch-derived porous carbon as high-performance lithium storage materials.

Because of its high specific capacity and superior rate performance, porous carbon is regarded as a potential anode material for lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). However, porous carbon materials with wide pore diameter distributions suffer from low structural stability and low electrical conductivity during the application process. During this study, the calcium carbonate nanoparticle template method is used to prepare coal tar pitch-derived porous carbon (CTP-X). The coal tar pitch-derived porous carbon has a well-developed macroporous-mesoporous-microporous hierarchical porous network structure, which provides abundant active sites for Li+ storage, significantly reduces polarization and charge transfer resistance, shortens the diffusion path and promotes the rapid transport of Li+. More specifically, the CTP-2 anode shows high charge capacity (496.9 mAh g-1 at 50 mA g-1), excellent rate performance (413.6 mAh g-1 even at 500 mA g-1), and high cycling stability (capacity retention rate of about 100% after 1,000 cycles at 2 A g-1). The clean and eco-friendly large-scale utilization of coal tar pitch will facilitate the development of high-performance anodes in the field of LIBs.

Combination of IVIM with DCE-MRI for diagnostic and prognostic evaluation of breast cancer.

PURPOSE: To identify the most effective combination of DCE-MRI (Ktrans,Kep) and IVIM (D,f) and analyze the correlations of these parameters with prognostic indicators (ER, PR, and HER2, Ki-67 index, axillary lymph node (ALN) and tumor size) to improve the diagnostic and prognostic efficiency in breast cancer. METHODS: This is a prospective study. We performed T1WI, T2WI, IVIM, DCE-MRI at 3 T MRI examinations on benign and malignant breast lesions that met the inclusion criteria. We also collected pathological results of corresponding lesions, including ER, PR, and HER2, Ki-67 index, axillary lymph node (ALN) and tumor size. The diagnostic efficacy of DCE-MRI, IVIM imaging, and their combination for benign and malignant breast lesions was assessed. Correlations between the DCE-MRI and IVIM parameters and prognostic indicators were assessed. RESULTS: Overall,59 female patients with 62 lesions (22 benign lesions and 40 malignant lesions) were included in this study. The malignant group showed significantly lower D values (p < 0.05) and significantly higher Ktrans, Kep, and f values (p < 0.05). The AUC values of DCE, IVIM, DCE + IVIM were 0.828, 0.882, 0.901. Ktrans, Kep, D and f values were correlated with the pathological grade (p < 0.05); Ktrans was negatively correlated with ER expression (r = -0.519, p < 0.05); Kep was correlated with PR expression and the Ki-67 index (r = -0.489, 0.330, p < 0.05); the DCE and IVIM parameters showed no significant correlations with the HER2 and ALN (p > 0.05). Tumor diameter was correlated with the Kep, D and f values (r = 0.246, -0.278, 0.293; p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: IVIM and DCE-MRI allowed differential diagnosis of benign and malignant breast lesions, and their combination showed significantly better diagnostic efficiency. DCE- and IVIM-derived parameters showed correlations with some prognostic factors for breast cancer.

GRP75-dependent mitochondria-ER contacts ensure cell survival during early mouse thymocyte development.

Mitochondria and endoplasmic reticulum contacts (MERCs) control multiple cellular processes, including cell survival and differentiation. Based on the observations that MERCs were specifically enriched in the CD4-CD8- double-negative (DN) stage, we studied their role in early mouse thymocyte development. We found that T cell-specific knockout of Hspa9, which encodes GRP75, a protein that mediates MERC formation by assembling the IP3R-GRP75-VDAC complex, impaired DN3 thymocyte viability and resulted in thymocyte developmental arrest at the DN3-DN4 transition. Mechanistically, GRP75 deficiency induced mitochondrial stress, releasing mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) into the cytosol and triggering the type I interferon (IFN-I) response. The IFN-I pathway contributed to both the impairment of cell survival and DN3-DN4 transition blockage, while increased lipid peroxidation (LPO) played a major role downstream of IFN-I. Thus, our study identifies the essential role of GRP75-dependent MERCs in early thymocyte development and the governing facts of cell survival and differentiation in the DN stage.

A General Strategy for Enhanced Photodynamic Antimicrobial Therapy with Perylenequinonoid Photosensitizers Using a Macrocyclic Supramolecular Carrier.

Perylenequinonoid natural products are a class of photosensitizers (PSs) that exhibit high reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation and excellent activity for Type I/Type II dual photodynamic therapy. However, their limited activity against gram-negative bacteria and poor water solubility significantly restrict their potential in broad-spectrum photodynamic antimicrobial therapy (PDAT). Herein, a general approach to overcome the limitations of perylenequinonoid photosensitizers (PQPSs) in PDAT by utilizing a macrocyclic supramolecular carrier is presented. Specifically, AnBox·4Cl, a water-soluble cationic cyclophane, is identified as a universal macrocyclic host for PQPSs such as elsinochrome C, hypocrellin A, hypocrellin B, and hypericin, forming 1:1 host-guest complexes with high binding constants (≈107 m -1) in aqueous solutions. Each AnBox·4Cl molecule carries four positive charges that promote strong binding with the membrane of gram-negative bacteria. As a result, the AnBox·4Cl-PQPS complexes can effectively anchor on the surfaces of gram-negative bacteria, while the PQPSs alone cannot. In vitro and in vivo experiments demonstrate that these supramolecular PSs have excellent water solubility and high ROS generation, with broad-spectrum PDAT effect against both gram-negative and gram-positive bacteria. This work paves a new path to enhance PDAT by showcasing an efficient approach to improve PQPSs' water solubility and killing efficacy for gram-negative bacteria.

Distinct biological characteristics of mesenchymal stem cells separated from different components of human placenta.

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have tremendous potential in cell therapy and regenerative medicine. The placenta-derived MSCs (PMSCs) are becoming favorable sources as they are ethically preferable and rich in MSCs. Although several subgroups of PMSCs have been identified from human term placenta, optimal sources for specific clinical applications remain to be elucidated. This study aimed to isolate MSCs from various components of the placenta, and compare their biological characteristics, including morphology, proliferation, immunophenotype, differentiation potential, growth factor and cytokine secretion, and immunomodulatory properties. Finally, four distinct groups of PMSCs were isolated from the placenta: amniotic membrane-derived MSCs (AM-MSCs), chorionic membrane-derived MSCs (CM-MSCs), chorionic plate-derived MSCs (CP-MSCs), and chorionic villi-derived MSCs (CV-MSCs). The results showed that CV-MSCs had good proliferation ability, and were easier to induce osteogenic and chondrogenic differentiation; CP-MSCs exhibited the strongest inhibitory effect on the proliferation of activated T cells, secreted high levels of EGF and IL-6, and could well differentiate into osteoblasts, adipocytes, and chondroblasts; AM-MSCs showed good growth dynamics in the early generations, were able to grow at high density, and tended to induce differentiation into osteogenic and neural lineages. These findings may provide novel evidence for the selection of seed cells in clinical application.

Adjustable Ultra-Light Mechanical Negative Poisson's Ratio Metamaterials with Multi-Level Dynamic Crushing Effects.

Mechanical metamaterials with multi-level dynamic crushing effects (MM-MLs) are designed in this study through coordinate transformation and mirror arrays. The mechanical effects of the diameter and length ratio of the struts and connecting rods, the Euler angles, and the cell numbers on the mechanical properties are investigated separately. MM-ML can exhibit significant two-level platform stress, and the local cells in the first platform stress stage undergo rotational motion, while the second platform stress stage mainly involves collapse compression and bending. Although increasing the length of the connecting rods can increase the range of Poisson's ratio, it will reduce the level of platform stress and energy absorption. Increasing the Euler angle will reduce the strain interval of the first platform stress and can improve the energy absorption capacity. In addition, increasing the cell number while maintaining a constant relative density can effectively enhance energy absorption. MM-ML has significant parameter controllability, can achieve different platform stress regions, different ranges of Poisson's ratios, and energy absorption requirements according to the application scenario, and can demonstrate functional diversity compared to existing research. The design scheme can provide ideas for adaptive crushing protection requirements.

The Influence of Piriformospora indica Colonization on the Root Development and Growth of Cerasus humilis Cuttings.

Numerous studies have shown that the endophytic fungus Piriformospora indica has a broad range of promoting effects on root development and plant growth in host plants. However, there are currently no reports on the application of this fungus on Cerasus humilis. This study first compared the colonization ability of P. indica on 11 C. humilis varieties and found that the colonization rate of this fungus on these varieties ranged from 90% to 100%, with the colonization rate of the varieties '09-01' and 'Nongda 7' being as high as 100%. Subsequently, the effect of P. indica on root development and plant growth of C. humilis was investigated using cuttings of '09-01' and 'Nongda 7' as materials. P. indica colonization was found to increase the biomass of '09-01' and 'Nongda 7' plants; root activity, POD enzymes, and chlorophyll content were also significantly increased. In addition, indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) content in the roots of C. humilis plants increased after colonization, while jasmonic acid (JA) and 1-aminocyclopropane-1-car- boxylic acid (ACC) content decreased. In conclusion, it has been demonstrated that P. indica can promote the growth of C. humilis plants by accelerating biomass accumulation, promoting rooting, and enhancing the production of photosynthetic pigments, as well as regulating hormone synthesis.

Regulating Sodium Deposition Behavior by a Triple-Gradient Framework for High-Performance Sodium Metal Batteries.

An efficient method for the synthesis of a self-supporting carbon framework (denoted Gra-GC-MoSe2) is proposed with a triple-gradient structure-in sodiophilic sites, pore volume, and electrical conductivity-which facilitates the highly efficient regulation of Na deposition. In situ and ex situ measurements, together with theoretical calculations, reveal that the gradient distribution of Se heteroatoms in MoSe2, and its derivatives tailor the sodiophilicity, while the gradient distribution of porous nanostructures homogenizes the Na+ diffusion. Therefore, Na deposition occurs from the bottom to the top of the Gra-GC-MoSe2 framework without dendrite formation. In addition, the gradient in electrical conductivity ensures the stripping process does not lead to dead Na. As a result, a Gra-GC-MoSe2 modified Na anode (Na@Gra-GC-MoSe2) shows impressive cycling stability with a high average Coulombic efficiency in an asymmetric cell. In symmetric cells, it also exhibits a long cycling life of 2000 h with a low polarization voltage and works stably even under a large capacity of 10 mAh cm-2. Moreover, a Na@Gra-GC-MoSe2|| Na3V2(PO4)3 full cell delivers a high energy density with an excellent cycling performance.

Development of T cell antigen-based human coronavirus vaccines against nAb-escaping SARS-CoV-2 variants.

Currently approved vaccines have been successful in preventing the severity of COVID-19 and hospitalization. These vaccines primarily induce humoral immune responses; however, highly transmissible and mutated variants, such as the Omicron variant, weaken the neutralization potential of the vaccines, thus, raising serious concerns about their efficacy. Additionally, while neutralizing antibodies (nAbs) tend to wane more rapidly than cell-mediated immunity, long-lasting T cells typically prevent severe viral illness by directly killing infected cells or aiding other immune cells. Importantly, T cells are more cross-reactive than antibodies, thus, highly mutated variants are less likely to escape lasting broadly cross-reactive T cell immunity. Therefore, T cell antigen-based human coronavirus (HCoV) vaccines with the potential to serve as a supplementary weapon to combat emerging SARS-CoV-2 variants with resistance to nAbs are urgently needed. Alternatively, T cell antigens could also be included in B cell antigen-based vaccines to strengthen vaccine efficacy. This review summarizes recent advancements in research and development of vaccines containing T cell antigens or both T and B cell antigens derived from proteins of SARS-CoV-2 variants and/or other HCoVs based on different vaccine platforms.