Inhibition of Mettl3 ameliorates osteoblastic senescence by mitigating m6A modifications on Slc1a5 via Igf2bp2-dependent mechanisms.

Age-related osteoporosis is characterized by a marked decrease in the number of osteoblasts, which has been partly attributed to the senescence of cells of the osteoblastic lineage. Epigenetic studies have provided new insights into the mechanisms of current osteoporosis treatments and bone repair pathophysiology. N6-methyladenosine (m6A) is a novel transcript modification that plays a major role in cellular senescence and is essential for skeletal development and internal environmental stability. Bioinformatics analysis revealed that the expression of the m6A reading protein Igf2bp2 was significantly higher in osteoporosis patients. However, the role of Igf2bp2 in osteoblast senescence has not been elucidated. In this study, we found that Igf2bp2 levels are increased in ageing osteoblasts induced by multiple repetition and H2O2. Increasing Igf2bp2 expression promotes osteoblast senescence by increasing the stability of Slc1a5 mRNA and inhibiting cell cycle progression. Additionally, Mettl3 was identified as Slc1a5 m6A-methylated protein with increased m6A modification. The knockdown of Mettl3 in osteoblasts inhibits the reduction of senescence, whereas the overexpression of Mettl3 promotes the senescence of osteoblasts. We found that administering Cpd-564, a specific inhibitor of Mettl3, induced increased bone mass and decreased bone marrow fat accumulation in aged rats. Notably, in an OVX rat model, Igf2bp2 small interfering RNA delivery also induced an increase in bone mass and decreased fat accumulation in the bone marrow. In conclusion, our study demonstrated that the Mettl3/Igf2bp2-Slc1a5 axis plays a key role in the promotion of osteoblast senescence and age-related bone loss.

The efficacy of nutritional screening indexes in predicting the incidence of osteosarcopenia and major osteoporotic fracture in the elderly.

INTRODUCTION: The effect of nutritional status on osteosarcopenia (OS) and major osteoporotic fracture (MOF) among the elderly is still unclear. So we aimed to compare the efficacy of the Mini-Nutrition Assessment-Short Form (MNA-sf), the Geriatric Nutritional Risk Index (GNRI) and Controlling Nutritional Status (CONUT) for predicting OS and MOF among the elderly. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 409 participants were enrolled in this prospective study. Blood biochemical indexes, nutritional status, and bone- and muscle-related examinations were assessed at initial visit to the outpatient. Participants were divided into 4 groups: (1) control; (2) osteopenia/osteoporosis; (3) sarcopenia; (4) osteosarcopenia, and then followed for 5 years, recording the occurrence time of MOF. RESULTS: The frequency values of osteopenia/osteoporosis, sarcopenia, and OS, at baseline, were respectively 13.4, 16.1, and 12% among the study samples. Correlation analysis showed that nutritional status scores were associated with body mass index, handgrip strength, albumin, bone mineral density, and physical functions. According to multivariate models, poor nutritional status was significantly associated with a higher risk of OS and MOF (P < 0.05). Survival analysis showed that the MOF rate in malnutrition group was significantly higher than normal nutrition group (P < 0.05). The receiver operator characteristic curve shows that the value of MNA-sf to diagnose OS and MOF is greater (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: The poor nutritional status was associated with a higher risk of both OS and MOF. MNA-sf showed a superior diagnostic power for OS and MOF among the elderly. Early nutrition assessments and interventions may be key strategies to prevent OS and fractures.

Deciphering Anion-Modulated Solvation Structure for Calcium Intercalation into Graphite for Ca-Ion Batteries.

Co-intercalation reactions make graphite a feasible anode in Ca ion batteries, yet the correlation between Ca ion intercalation behaviors and electrolyte structure remains unclear. This study, for the first time, elucidates the pivotal role of anions in modulating the Ca ion solvation structures and their subsequent intercalation into graphite. Specifically, the electrostatic interactions between Ca ion and anions govern the configurations of solvated-Ca-ion in dimethylacetamide-based electrolytes and graphite intercalation compounds. Among the anions considered (BH4 -, ClO4 -, TFSI- and [B(hfip)4]-), the coordination of four solvent molecules per Ca ion (CN=4) leads to the highest reversible capacities and the fastest reaction kinetics in graphite. Our study illuminates the origins of the distinct Ca ion intercalation behaviors across various anion-modulated electrolytes, employing a blend of experimental and theoretical approaches. Importantly, the practical viability of graphite anodes in Ca-ion full cells is confirmed, showing significant promise for advanced energy storage systems.

Vitamin D delays intervertebral disc degeneration and improves bone quality in ovariectomized rats.

Known to be involved in bone-cartilage metabolism, Vitamin D (VD) may play a role in human's disc pathophysiology. Given that postmenopausal women are prone to suffer VD deficiency and intervertebral disc degeneration (IDD), this study is intended to investigate whether VD can delay IDD in ovariectomized rats by improving bone microstructure and antioxidant stress. Female Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly allocated into four groups: sham, oophorectomy (OVX)+VD deficiency (VDD), OVX, and OVX+VD supplementation (VDS). In vivo, after a 6-month intervention, imaging and pathology slice examinations showed that IDD induced by OVX was significantly alleviated in VDS and deteriorated by VDD. The expressions of aggrecan and Collagen II in intervertebral disc were reduced by OVX and VDD, and elevated by VDS. Compared with the OVX+VDD and OVX group vertebrae, OVX+VDS group vertebrae showed significantly improved endplate porosity and lumbar bone mineral density with increased percent bone volume and trabecular thickness. Furthermore, 1α,25(OH)2D3 restored the redox balance (total antioxidant capacity, ratio of oxidized glutathione/glutathione) in the disc. The cocultivation of 1α,25(OH)2D3 and nucleus pulposus cells (NPCs) was conducted to observe its potential ability to resist excessive oxidative stress damage induced by H2O2. In vitro experiments revealed that 1α,25(OH)2D3 reduced the senescence, apoptosis, and extracellular matrix degradation induced by H2O2 in NPCs. In conclusion, VDS exhibits protective effects in OVX-induced IDD, partly by regulating the redox balance and preserving the microstructure of endplate. This finding provides a new idea for the prevention and treatment of IDD.

A versatile CuCo@PDA nanozyme-based aptamer-mediated lateral flow assay for highly sensitive, on-site and dual-readout detection of Aflatoxin B1.

Mycotoxin contaminations in food and environment seriously harms human health. Constructing sensitive and point-of-test early-warning tools for mycotoxin determination is in high demand. In this study, a CuCo@PDA nanozyme-based aptamer-mediated lateral flow assay (Apt-LFA) has been elaborately designed for on-site and sensitive determination of mycotoxin Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1). Benefiting from the rich functional groups and excellent peroxidase-like activity, the CuCo@PDA with original dark color can be conjugated with the specific recognition probe (i.e., aptamer), generating colorimetric signal on the test lines of Apt-LFA via a competitive sensing strategy. The signal can further be amplified in-situ by catalytic chromogenic reaction. Therefore, a visual and dual-readout detection of AFB1 has been realized. The developed Apt-LFA provides a flexible detection mode for qualitative and quantitative analysis of AFB1 by naked-eyes observation or smartphone readout. The smartphone-based LFA platform shows a reliable and ultrasensitive determination of AFB1 with the limit of detection (LOD) of 2.2 pg/mL. The recoveries in the real samples are in the range of 95.11-113.77% with coefficients of variations less than 9.84%. This study provides a new approach to realize point-of-test and sensitive detection of mycotoxins in food and environment using nanozyme-based Apt-LFAs.

Dendrite-Free and High-Rate Potassium Metal Batteries Sustained by an Inorganic-Rich SEI.

Potassium metal battery is an appealing candidate for future energy storage. However, its application is plagued by the notorious dendrite proliferation at the anode side, which entails the formation of vulnerable solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) and non-uniform potassium deposition on the current collector. Here, this work reports a dual-modification design of aluminum current collector to render dendrite-free potassium anodes with favorable reversibility. This work achieves to modulate the electronic structure of the designed current collector and accordingly attain an SEI architecture with robust inorganic-rich constituents, which is evidenced by detailed cryo-EM inspection and X-ray depth profiling. The thus-produced SEI manages to expedite ionic conductivity and guide homogeneous potassium deposition. Compared to the potassium metal cells assembled using typical aluminum current collector, cells based on the designed current collector realize improved rate capability (maintaining 400 h under 50 mA cm-2 ) and low-temperature durability (stable operation at -50 °C). Moreover, scalable production of the current collector allows for the sustainable construction of high-safety potassium metal batteries, with the potential for reducing the manufacturing cost.

Role of ferroptosis and immune infiltration in intervertebral disc degeneration: novel insights from bioinformatics analyses.

Background: Intervertebral disc degeneration (IVDD), which contributes to stenosis of the spinal segment, commonly causes lower back pain. The process of IVDD degradation entails gradual structural adjustments accompanied by extreme transformations in metabolic homeostasis. However, the molecular and cellular mechanisms associated with IVDD are poorly understood. Methods: The RNA-sequencing datasets GSE34095 and GSE56081 were obtained from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database. Ferroptosis-related differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified from these gene sets. The protein-protein interaction (PPI) network was established and visualized using the STRING database and Cytoscape software, and the key functional modules of ferroptosis-related genes were identified. Gene ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment analyses were performed on the DEGs. Weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA), immune infiltration analysis in the GEO database, and other GSE series were used as validation datasets. The xCELL algorithm was performed to investigate the immune cell infiltration differences between the degenerated IVDD and control groups. Results: The major genes involved in nucleus pulposus tissue immune infiltration and ferroptosis-related genes were mined by bioinformatics analysis. A total of 3,056 DEGs were obtained between the IVDD tissue and control groups. The DEGs were enriched in the cell cycle; apoptosis; necroptosis; and the PI3K-Akt, Hippo, and HIF-1 signaling pathways. PCR and Western blot techniques were utilized to confirm the differential ferroptosis-related genes. The results indicated that the protein expression levels of NCOA4 and PCBP1 were elevated, while the protein expression level of GPX4 was reduced in NPCs following IL-1ß treatment. Our study has found that severe disc tissue degeneration leads to a noteworthy increase in the expression of CD8A in naive T cells, CCR7 in memory CD4+ cells, GZMB in natural killer (NK) cells, and CD163 and CD45 in macrophages. Conclusion: Our data demonstrate that ferroptosis occurs in IVDD, suggesting that ferroptosis may also increase IVDD improvement by triggering immune infiltration. This work was conducted to further understand IVDD pathogenesis and identify new treatment strategies.

α-Ketoglutaric acid ameliorates intervertebral disk degeneration by blocking the IL-6/JAK2/STAT3 pathway.

Intervertebral disk degeneration (IVDD) is the major cause of low back pain. Alpha-ketoglutaric acid (α-KG), an important intermediate in energy metabolism, has various functions, including epigenetic regulation, maintenance of redox homeostasis, and antiaging, but whether it can ameliorate IVDD has not been reported. Here, we examined the impacts of long-term administration of α-KG on aging-associated IVDD in adult rats. In vivo and in vitro experiments showed that α-KG supplementation effectively ameliorated IVDD in rats and the senescence of nucleus pulposus cells (NPCs). α-KG supplementation significantly attenuated senescence, apoptosis, and matrix metalloproteinase-13 (MMP-13) protein expression, and it increased the synthesis of aggrecan and collagen II in IL-1ß-treated NPCs. In addition, α-KG supplementation reduced the levels of IL-6, phosphorylated JAK2 and STAT3, and the nuclear translocation of p-STAT3 in IL-1ß-induced degenerating NPCs. The effects of α-KG were enhanced by AG490 in NPCs. The underlying mechanism may involve the inhibition of JAK2/STAT3 phosphorylation and the reduction of IL-6 expression. Our findings may help in the development of new therapeutic strategies for IVDD.NEW & NOTEWORTHY Alpha-ketoglutaric acid (α-KG) exerted its protective effect on nucleus pulposus cells' (NPCs) degeneration by inhibiting the senescence-associated secretory phenotype and extracellular matrix degradation. The possible mechanism may be associated with negatively regulating the JAK2/STAT3 phosphorylation and the decreased IL-6 expression, which could be explained by a blockage of the positive feedback control loop between IL-6 and JAK2/STAT3 pathway.

Hollow NiCo@C Nanozyme-Embedded Paper-Based Colorimetric Aptasensor for Highly Sensitive Antibiotic Detection on a Smartphone Platform.

Antibiotic residues in the environment and in foods pose a serious threat to ecosystems and human health. Developing sensitive and on-site detection methods is therefore in high demand. In this work, a portable paper-based colorimetric sensor with a smartphone platform with an ultrahigh sensitivity has been designed for on-site and quantitative analysis of antibiotic residues based on aptamer-regulated nanozyme activity. The developed excellent peroxidase-like nanozymes, carbon-protected NiCo bimetal oxides with a unique hollow nanocage structure (NiCo@C HCs), could effectively catalyze the oxidation of chromogenic substrates by H2O2. Once bound to a specific aptamer, the enzyme-mimicking activity of NiCo@C HCs is obviously inhibited as a result of the masking of active sites but could be restored via the target-aptamer recognition. Herein, the aptamer-modified NiCo@C HCs are embedded on paper pieces to construct paper-based biochips for visual detection. Meanwhile, a smartphone platform is integrated for the signal readout. Using enrofloxacin (ENR) as an analyte model, the proposed paper-based analysis platform shows a reliable and sensitive detection of ENR with an ultralow detection limit of 0.029 ng/mL. The platform also works well in various real samples. This analysis method is facile in design, showing a great application potential for on-site and mass screening of antibiotic residues in the environment and in foods.

Association Between Poor Nutritional Status and Increased Risk for Subsequent Vertebral Fracture in Elderly People with Percutaneous Vertebroplasty.

Background: The relationship between a poor nutritional state and the risk of fractures has not been investigated. This study aimed to investigate the ability of the Controlling Nutritional Status (CONUT) and Geriatric Nutritional Risk Index (GNRI) to predict the incidence of subsequent vertebral fracture (SVF) after percutaneous vertebroplasty (PVP). Methods: A total of 307 women and 138 men over 50 years old who underwent PVP for osteoporotic vertebral compression fracture (OVCF) were included. Blood biochemical indexes, body mass index (BMI), bone mineral density (BMD), physical function, and muscle strength were measured at baseline. Cox regression analysis was used to determine whether nutritional state was an independent predictor for SVF. Results: During follow-up, 35 (25.4%) men and 85 (27.7%) women suffered SVF. Patients with SVF had lower BMI, serum albumin levels, GNRI scores, grip strength, lumbar BMD, and Short-Physical Performance Battery (SPPB) scores and higher fall rates and CONUT scores (P < 0.05). Compared with normal nutrition, mild malnutrition was associated with higher risk for SVF (women: HR 2.37, p=0.001, men: HR 2.97, p=0.021 by GNRI; women: HR 2.36, p=0.005, men: HR 3.62, p=0.002 by CONUT) after adjusting for confounding factors. Those with moderate-severe malnutrition also had a higher risk of SVF. Kaplan-Meier analysis showed that poor nutrition state was significantly associated with lower SVF-free survival (P<0.05). The area under curve (AUC) for predicting SVF was 0.65 and 0.73 for the GNRI and 0.67 and 0.66 for the CONUT in men and women, respectively. Conclusion: GNRI and CONUT are simple and effective tools for predicting SVF in patients undergoing PVP. Health management and nutrition supplement after PVP is a potentially effective prevention strategy against SVF.

Multifunctional MnCo@C yolk-shell nanozymes with smartphone platform for rapid colorimetric analysis of total antioxidant capacity and phenolic compounds.

Accurate on-site analysis of food quality, environmental pollutants, and disease biomarkers is of great significance for safeguarding public health. In this work, based on the novel nanozymes, MnCo oxides@carbon yolk-shell nanocages (MnCo@C NCs), a portable colorimetric sensor with smartphone platform has been developed for rapid, on-site and quantitative analysis of total antioxidant capacity (TAC) and phenolic compounds. The MnCo@C NCs are synthesized via one-step calcination of polydopamine-coated MnCo Prussian blue analogs (MnCo-PBA@PDA). The PDA-derived carbon shell is found to be able to protect the nanocages from collapsing, thus increasing their specific surface areas and porosity. Benefiting from the unique structure and multivalent MnCo bimetallic oxides, the MnCo@C NCs perform outstanding catalytic performance and multiple enzyme-mimicking activities including oxidase, laccase and catalase. Hence, a multifunctional application platform integrated smartphone has been constructed for rapid and sensitive colorimetric detection of three model analytes (i.e., ascorbic acid (AA), 2,4-dichlorophenol (2,4-DP), and epinephrine) with extremely low detection limits of 0.29 µM, 0.76 µM, and 0.70 µM, respectively. This sensor device is successfully applied in TAC analysis in vegetables, fruits, and beverages, as well as epinephrine determination in human serum samples. This work provides new insights into designing multifunctional nanozymes to advance the instant detection technology in the field of food supervision, environment monitoring, and human health.

Computed tomography-based paravertebral muscle density predicts subsequent vertebral fracture risks independently of bone mineral density in postmenopausal women following percutaneous vertebral augmentation.

BACKGROUND: The risk of subsequent vertebral fractures (SVF) after the primary vertebral fracture cannot be explained by lower bone mineral density (BMD) alone. Computed tomography (CT) measurements of paravertebral muscle density (PMD) are recognized radiographic markers used to predict physical function, fragile fractures. AIMS: This study aims to investigate the relationship between PMD and the risk of SVF in cohorts of postmenopausal women, and to determine if combining both PMD and BMD measures derived from CT can improve the accuracy of predicting SVF. METHODS: This study enrolled 305 postmenopausal women between the ages of 50 and 88 for 3 years of follow-up studies. Trabecular attenuation (Hounsfield units, HU) was measured at L1 level and muscle attenuation of paravertebral muscle at L3 level on preoperative lumbar CT scans to determine the L1 BMD and L3 PMD. Kaplan-Meier analysis was applied to evaluate SVF-free survival. The hazard ratios (HRs) of PMD for SVF events were estimated with the Cox proportional hazards model. The predictive values of L1 BMD and L3 PMD for SVF were quantified using the Receiver-Operating Characteristic (ROC) curve. RESULT: During the 3 years of follow-up studies, 88 patients (28.9%) suffered an SVF. ROC curve analysis demonstrated that an L3 PMD threshold of 32 HU had a sensitivity of 89.8% and a specificity of 62% for the prediction of SVF. Kaplan-Meier analysis showed that L3 PMD ≤ 32 HU was significantly associated with lower SVF-free survival (p < 0.001; log-rank test). After adjusting for age, BMI, diabetes, postoperative osteoporosis treatment, handgrip strength, L1 BMD, multivariate analyses also indicated a persistent modest effect of L3 PMD on SVF-free survival. The area under the ROC curve of L3 PMD and L1 BMD, combined to predict the risk of SVF, was 0.790, which was significantly higher than the value for L1 BMD alone (0.735). L3 PMD and L1 BMD significantly improved the accuracy of SVF risk prediction compared with L1 BMD alone, which was confirmed by reclassification improvement measures. The inclusion of handgrip strength and postoperative osteoporosis treatment in the model further improved SVF prediction accuracy, and PMD remained significant in the model. CONCLUSION: Decreased L3 PMD is an independent risk predictor of SVF. Combined CT-based L1 BMD and L3 PMD can significantly improve the accuracy of predicting the risk of SVF in postmenopausal women who have suffered prior osteoporotic vertebral fractures.

Exogenous Klotho ameliorates extracellular matrix degradation and angiogenesis in intervertebral disc degeneration via inhibition of the Rac1/PAK1/MMP-2 signaling axis.

Intervertebral disc degeneration (IDD) is highly ubiquitous in the aged population and is an essential factor for low back pain and spinal disability. Because of the association between IDD and senescence, we investigated the ability of the anti-aging drug Klotho to inhibit age-dependent advancement of nucleus pulposus cell (NPC) degeneration. The results indicated that 400 pM exogenous Klotho significantly ameliorated extracellular matrix degradation and angiogenesis. Moreover, we demonstrated that the suppression of angiogenesis and extracellular matrix catabolism was related to inhibition of the Ras-related C3 botulinum toxin substrate 1 (Rac1)/PAK1 axis and matrix metalloproteinase 2 protein expression by exogenous Klotho cotreatment with a Rac1 inhibitor, gene overexpression in NPCs, and stimulation of human umbilical vein endothelial cells with conditioned medium from NPCs. The treatment also preserved the NPC phenotype, viability, and matrix content. In conclusion, these results suggest that the new anti-aging drug Klotho is a potential treatment strategy to mitigate IDD, and thus, provides an innovative understanding of the molecular mechanism of IDD. DATA AVAILABILITY: All data supporting the findings of this study are available from the corresponding authors upon reasonable request.

Ascorbic acid promotes nucleus pulposus cell regeneration by regulating proliferation during intervertebral disc degeneration.

Intervertebral disc degeneration (IVDD) affects human health. Ascorbic acid (AA) deficiency is a major factor that contributes to the development of degenerative disc disease in the elderly. Here, as a novel treatment with promising applications, we demonstrate that AA treatment inhibited senescence and maintained the proliferation of nucleus pulposus (NP) cells during long-term culture. AA-treated NP cells and acupuncture-treated rat models exhibited degenerative resistance during cell passaging and AA increased cell proliferation and decreased time-related senescence. Interestingly, Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway mapping revealed five top enriched pathways and four pathways were associated with the aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH) enzyme family, especially proliferation-related ALDH1A3. Collectively, our findings demonstrate that ALDH1A3 expression was increased by AA treatment, which counteracted degeneration in NP cells over time and rejuvenated maintenance of proliferation in NP cells, which has a promising therapeutic implications in IVDD.

Association Between Abdominal Obesity and Subsequent Vertebral Fracture Risk.

BACKGROUND: Obesity had been previously considered to be a protective factor against osteoporosis or fractures; however, recent research indicates that obesity, especially abdominal obesity, may increase the risk of some types of fractures. OBJECTIVE: We explored the effects of abdominal obesity on subsequent vertebral fracture (SVF) after percutaneous vertebral augmentation (PVA). STUDY DESIGN: A prospective observational cohort study. SETTING: Department of Spinal Surgery of a hospital affiliated with a medical university. METHODS: A total of 390 women and 237 men aged > 50 years suffering from osteoporotic vertebral fracture (OVF) were included. Weight, height, bone mineral density (BMD), abdominal circumference, and other basic information were measured at baseline and 1-year follow-up visit. RESULTS: During follow-up, 80 (33.7%) men and 143 (36.7%) women incurred SVF. Greater waist circumference (WC) and waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) increased the risk of SVF in men (WC: HR 1.83, P = 0.016; WHR: HR 1.63, P = 0.045) and women (WC: HR 2.75, P = 0.001; WHR: HR 2.63, P = 0.001) after adjustment for BMD and other potential confounders. Compared with normal BMI, being overweight was associated with lower SVF risk (women: HR 0.55, P = 0.044; men: HR 0.46, P = 0.046), and obesity was associated with greater SVF risk (women: HR 4.53, P < 0.001; men: HR 3.77, P < 0.001) in both genders. We observed a nonlinear relationship between BMI and SVF with a U-shaped curve; after adjusting BMD, this became a reverse J-curve. LIMITATIONS: There was no further statistical analysis of the relationship between abdominal obesity and other fracture sites. Asymptomatic SVF may underestimate the impact of abdominal obesity on the occurrence of SVF. CONCLUSIONS: Abdominal obesity was significantly associated with a higher risk of SVF after PVA. Management of body type after PVA may be an effective prevention strategy against SVF.

An Anode-Free Potassium-Metal Battery Enabled by a Directly Grown Graphene-Modulated Aluminum Current Collector.

Potassium (K)-metal batteries have emerged as a promising energy-storage device owing to abundant K resources. An anode-free architecture that bypasses the need for anode host materials can deliver an elevated energy density. However, the poor efficiency of K plating/stripping on potassiophobic anode current collectors results in rapid K inventory loss and a short cycle life. Herein, commercial Al foils are decorated with an ultrathin graphene-modified layer (Al@G) through roll-to-roll plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition. By harnessing strong adhesion (10.52 N m-1 ) and a high surface energy (66.6 mJ m-2 ), the designed Al@G structure ensures a highly smooth and ordered K plating/stripping process. Consequently, during K-metal plating/stripping, Al@G can operate at a current density of up to 4.0 mA cm-2 and cyclic capacity of up to 4.0 mAh cm-2 , with an ultralong lifespan of up to 1000 h at 0.5 mA cm-2 and stable cycling of up to 750 h under periodic current fluctuations of 0.1-2.0 mA cm-2 . In addition, a novel anode-free K-metal full-cell prototype enabled by Al@G anode current collectors is constructed, demonstrating ameliorative cyclic stability.

Highly Potassiophilic Graphdiyne Skeletons Decorated with Cu Quantum Dots Enable Dendrite-Free Potassium-Metal Anodes.

Employing an Al foil current collector at the potassium anode side is an ideal choice to entail low-cost and high-energy potassium-metal batteries (PMBs). Nevertheless, the poor affinity between the potassium and the planar Al can cause uneven K plating/stripping and, hence, an undermined anode performance, which remains a significant challenge to be addressed. Herein, a nitrogen-doped carbon@graphdiyne (NC@GDY)-modified Al current collector affording potassiophilic properties is proposed, which simultaneously suppresses the dendrite growth and prolongs the lifespan of K anodes. The thin and light modification layer (7 µm thick, with a mass loading of 500 µg cm-2 ) is fabricated by directly growing GDY nanosheets interspersed with Cu quantum dots on NC polyhedron templates. As a result, symmetric cell tests reveal that the K@NC@GDY-Al electrode exhibits an unprecedented cycle life of over 2400 h at a 40% depth of discharge. Even at an 80% depth of discharge, the cell can still sustain for 850 h. When paired with a potassium Prussian blue cathode, the thus-assembled full cell demonstrates comparable capacity and rate performance with state-of-the-art PMBs.

A novel electrocatalytic system with high reactive chlorine species utilization capacity to degrade tetracycline in marine aquaculture wastewater.

The problems of high salinity and coexistence of antibiotics in mariculture wastewater pose a great challenge to the traditional wastewater treatment technology. Herein, an electrocatalytic system based on cathodes to sustain reactive chlorine species (RCS) in a high chlorine environment was proposed. The results show that the content of RCS is affected by cathodes. The electrocatalytic system with FeNi/NF as cathode has the largest RCS retention capacity when compared with other cathode systems (carbon felt, nickel foam, copper foam, stainless steel, and nickel-iron foam). This is related to FeNi/NF's higher hydrogen production activity, which inhibits the reduction reaction of RCS. Furthermore, the degradation of tetracycline by the proposed FeNi/NF system maintained long-term effective performance across 20 cycles. Thus, the application of high chlorine resistance electrocatalysis system provides a possibility for practical electrocatalysis treatment of mariculture wastewater.

Changes in intervertebral distraction: A possible factor for predicting dysphagia after anterior cervical spinal surgery.

OBJECTIVE: Dysphagia following anterior cervical spine surgery (ACSS) is common. This study aimed to determine if change in intervertebral distraction following ACSS is associated with early dysphagia. METHODS: We retrospectively examined patients who underwent ACSS for myelopathy and/or radiculopathy in our institution. The Bazaz score and the Chinese version of the Swallowing-Quality of Life survey were used to assess postoperative swallowing function. Change in intervertebral distraction was defined as the difference between the preoperative and postoperative mean values of the anterior and posterior intervertebral distances at the surgical site. Potential risk factors examined included age, gender, body mass index, operative time, blood loss volume, level of surgery, as well as radiographic data including Cobb angle, T1 slope, sagittal vertical axis, and intervertebral distraction. RESULTS: Among the 289 patients, the incidence of dysphagia was 58.1% 1 week after ACSS. Patients who underwent surgery involving C3/4 or involving three or more levels had worse Swallowing-Quality of Life and Bazaz scores. The optimal cutoff value for change in intervertebral distraction for predicting dysphagia 1 week after surgery was 6.10 mm. Change in intervertebral distraction ≥ 6.10 mm, surgery involving C3/4, and surgery involving three or more levels were significantly and independently associated with early dysphagia. CONCLUSION: A correlation between early dysphagia and change in intervertebral distraction ≥ 6.10 mm could be confirmed. In addition, patients undergoing ACSS involving C3-4 or multilevel surgery (≥3) must be monitored carefully postoperatively for dysfunctional swallowing.

Sarcopenic obesity defined by visceral adiposity was associated with osteoporotic vertebral fracture.

BACKGROUND: Previous studies have reported that the fracture risk related to sarcopenic obesity (SO) may be influenced by the distribution of fat mass. Therefore, it is useful to explore a body component suitable for defining obesity when predicting fracture risk. This study was an attempt to explore the contribution of SO defined by visceral adiposity on the incidence of osteoporotic fracture. METHODS: We enrolled 736 Chinese patients aged > 60 years in this prospective study. Sarcopenia was defined as low skeletal muscle index (SMI) with muscle strength or low SMI with low physical performance. Obesity was categorized as follows: (1) android to gynoid ratio (A/G ratio, men > 0.82, women > 0.65) as an indicator of visceral adiposity; (2) body fat percentage (men > 27.8%; women > 34.5%); and (3) body mass index (≥ 25 kg/m2). A Cox proportional hazard model was used to determine the association between SO and the risk of osteoporotic fracture. RESULTS: The incidence of SO was 8.7%; 9.0% in females and 8.1% in males. Of 223 (30.2%) patients with self-reported fractures. SO classified by A/G was associated with an increased risk of osteoporotic vertebral fracture (HR: 1.71, 95% CI: 1.07-2.72). High SMI was associated with a reduced risk of osteoporotic vertebral fracture (HR: 0.82, 95% CI: 0.72-0.93), higher BMI was associated with a higher risk vertebral fracture (HR: 1.12, 95% CI: 0.94-1.63), and higher A/G ratio was associated with a higher risk of any fracture (HR: 1.28, 95% CI: 1.14-1.43) and osteoporotic vertebral fracture (HR: 1.19, 95% CI: 1.05-1.36). CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that SO, defined by visceral adiposity, was associated with the risk of osteoporotic vertebral fracture. Moreover, low SMI, low muscle strength and visceral adiposity were independently associated with osteoporotic fracture.