Association of per- and polyfluoroalkylated substances/heavy metals and bone health in children and adolescents.

Background: Research on the correlation between exposure to per- and polyfluoroalkylated substances (PFASs)/heavy metals and bone health during childhood and adolescence is limited. Considering their role as endocrine disruptors, we examined relationships of six PFASs and three heavy metals with bone mineral density (BMD) in children and adolescents using representative samples from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). Methods: The study included 622 participants aged 12-19. The relationship between single pollutant and lumbar spine and total BMD was studied using linear regression analyses. Additionally, Bayesian Kernel Machine Regression (BKMR) models were applied to assess the joint effects of multiple PFASs and heavy metals exposure on the lumbar spine and total BMD. Results: Statistically significant differences were noted in the serum concentrations of perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS), perfluorohexane sulfonic acid (PFHxS), blood lead (Pb), and blood manganese (Mn) between male and female participants (all p < 0.05). Single-exposure studies have shown that Mn was negatively correlated with lumbar spine BMD and total BMD. Multivariate linear regression models revealed that, in the male group, total bone density decreased as the blood PFOA levels [95% CI = (-0.031, -0.001), p = 0.040] and blood manganese levels [95% CI = (-0.009, -0.002), p = 0.004] increased. Similarly, lumbar spine bone density decreased as the blood manganese levels [95% CI = (-0.011, -0.002), p = 0.009] increased. In the female group, total bone density decreased as the serum PFNA levels [95% CI = (-0.039, 0.000), p = 0.048] increased. As shown in the BKMR model, the joint effects of pollutant mixtures, including Mn, were negatively associated with both the lumbar spine and total BMD. Among the pollutants analyzed, Mn appeared to be the primary contributor to this negative association. Conclusion: This study suggests that exposure to certain PFASs and heavy metals may be associated with poor bone health. Childhood and adolescence are crucial stages for bone development, and improper exposure to PFASs and heavy metals during these stages could potentially jeopardize future bone health, consequently raising the risk of osteoporosis in adulthood.

Analysis of the Relationship Between Primary Tumor Site and Clinicopathological Characteristics and Survival Prognosis of Breast Cancer Patients Based on SEER Database.

PURPOSE: This study aimed to analyze the association between the primary tumor site and clinicopathological characteristics and survival prognosis of breast cancer (BC) patients using a large population database. METHODS: BC patients screened in the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database were categorized into 6 groups based on primary sites. Descriptive statistics, Kaplan-Meier curves, Cox regression models, forest plots were used to assess the effect of primary sites on overall survival (OS) and breast cancer-specific survival (BCSS). Multivariate Cox proportional analyses were conducted to calculate hazard ratios (HRs) and adjusted subgroups' hazard ratios (AHRs). Nomograms were utilized to predict OS and BCSS. RESULTS: Among 193,043 BC patients, the highest incidence was found in the upper outer quadrant (52.60%). Central portion patients are associated with more clinical features indicating a poor prognosis, and had worse OS and BCSS than other sites. Univariate and multifactorial Cox analyses showed associations between OS/BCSS and various factors. Subgroup analyses revealed differences in OS and BCSS between central portion and upper outer quadrant varied among age, T and N stage. The nomogram was established to predict the survival of central portion BC patients. CONCLUSIONS: Primary tumor site is associated with clinicopathological features and prognosis of BC, may be influenced by age at diagnosis and T and N stage. Central portion BC patients have worse prognosis due to older age at diagnosis, higher T stage and higher likelihood of lymph node metastasis. Early diagnosis and treatment may help to improve survival of central portion BC.

Citral: A potent inhibitor of advanced glycation end products.

Advanced glycation end products (AGEs), which are produced during food processing, pose health risks to humans. This study found that citral (Cit) effectively inhibited the formation of both fluorescent and non-fluorescent AGEs in the bovine serum albumin (BSA)-glucose (Glc) system. Cit achieved an average inhibition rate of over 80 % for fluorescent AGEs and reduced the levels of N-ε-carboxymethyllysine (CML) and N-ε-carboxyethyllysine (CEL) by up to 45.85 % and 59.32 %, respectively. The comprehensive characterizations and high-resolution mass spectrometry analysis demonstrated that the carbonyl group and CC group present on Cit could compete with Glc for the amino groups on BSA, thereby reducing the formation of AGEs. Additionally, the cytotoxicity assay demonstrated that the BSA-Cit adducts were non-toxic. This research indicated that Cit was a potent and safe inhibitor of AGEs.

Construction and Evaluation of BAL-PTX Co-Loaded Lipid Nanosystem for Promoting the Anti-Lung Cancer Efficacy of Paclitaxel and Reducing the Toxicity of Chemotherapeutic Drugs.

Purpose: The present study aimed to develop a lipid nanoplatform, denoted as "BAL-PTX-LN", co-loaded with chiral baicalin derivatives (BAL) and paclitaxel (PTX) to promote the anti-lung cancer efficacy of paclitaxel and reduce the toxicity of chemotherapeutic drugs. Methods: BAL-PTX-LN was optimized through central composite design based on a single-factor experiments. BAL-PTX-LN was evaluated by TEM, particle size, encapsulation efficiency, hemolysis rate, release kinetics and stability. And was evaluated by pharmacokinetics and the antitumor efficacy studied both in vitro and in vivo. The in vivo safety profile of the formulation was assessed using hematoxylin and eosin (HE) staining. Results: BAL-PTX-LN exhibited spherical morphology with a particle size of 134.36 ± 3.18 nm, PDI of 0.24 ± 0.02, and with an encapsulation efficiency exceeding 90%, BAL-PTX-LN remained stable after 180 days storage. In vitro release studies revealed a zero-order kinetic model of PTX from the liposomal formulation. No hemolysis was observed in the preparation group. Pharmacokinetic analysis of PTX in the BAL-PTX-LN group revealed an approximately three-fold higher bioavailability and twice longer t1/2 compared to the bulk drug group. Furthermore, the IC50 of BAL-PTX-LN decreased by 2.35 times (13.48 µg/mL vs 31.722 µg/mL) and the apoptosis rate increased by 1.82 times (29.38% vs 16.13%) at 24 h compared to the PTX group. In tumor-bearing nude mice, the BAL-PTX-LN formulation exhibited a two-fold higher tumor inhibition rate compared to the PTX group (62.83% vs 29.95%), accompanied by a ten-fold decrease in Ki67 expression (4.26% vs 45.88%). Interestingly, HE staining revealed no pathological changes in tissues from the BAL-PTX-LN group, whereas tissues from the PTX group exhibited pathological changes and tumor cell infiltration. Conclusion: BAL-PTX-LN improves the therapeutic effect of poorly soluble chemotherapeutic drugs on lung cancer, which is anticipated to emerge as a viable therapeutic agent for lung cancer in clinical applications.

Facile Preparation of Superhydrophobic PDMS Polymer Films with Good Mechanical Strength Based on a Wear-Resistant and Reusable Template.

In this paper, a new method involving a wear-resistant and reusable template is proposed for the preparation of high-mechanical-strength superhydrophobic polymer film based on wire electrical discharge machining (WEDM). A solid-liquid-contact-angle simulation model was established to obtain surface-texture types and sizes that may achieve superhydrophobicity. The experimental results from template preparation show that there is good agreement between the simulation and experimental results for the contact angle. The maximum contact angle on the template can reach 155.3° given the appropriate triangular surface texture and WEDM rough machining. Besides, the prepared superhydrophobic template exhibits good wear resistance and reusability. PDMS superhydrophobic polymer films were prepared by the template method, and their properties were tested. The experimental results from the preparation of superhydrophobic polymer films show that the maximum contact angle of the polymer films can be up to 154.8° and that these films have good self-cleaning and anti-icing properties, wear resistance, bending resistance, and ductility.

Impact of response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy on surgical modality in patients with T1-2N0-1M0 triple-negative breast cancer.

PURPOSE: Many T1-2N0-1M0 triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) patients who undergo neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) do not receive breast-conserving therapy (BCT) due to concerns about non-pCR or lymph node metastasis presence. METHODS: T1-2N0-1M0 TNBC patients who underwent NAC between 2010 and 2017 were collected from the SEER database. Factors affecting surgical modalities were analyzed by multinomial logistic regression. The overall survival (OS) and breast cancer-specific survival (BCSS) were evaluated by Kaplan-Meier curves and Cox proportional hazards models. Further stratified subgroup analyses were performed based on the response to NAC and N-stage. Adjusted-hazard ratios were also calculated to exclude potential bias. RESULTS: A total of 1112 patients were enrolled (median follow-up: 81 months), 58.5% received BCT, 23.6% received reconstruction and 17.9% received mastectomy. Response to NAC and N-stage not only influenced the choice of surgical modality but also were independent predictors for OS and BCSS. The surgery-induced survival differences mainly affect OS. Survival analyses demonstrated that the 10-year OS of BCT was superior or equal to that of mastectomy even in patients with partial response (PR) (77.4% vs. 64.1%, P = 0.013), no response (NR) (44.9% vs. 64.2%, P = 0.33), or N1 stage (75.7% vs. 57.4%, P = 0.0021). In the N1-PR cohort, mastectomy may lead to worse OS (P = 0.0012). Besides, between reconstruction and BCT, there was no statistical difference in OS or BCSS (P > 0.05). CONCLUSION: Our study reveals the necessity of breast surgical de-escalation. Besides, physicians should actively recommend reconstruction for individuals who strongly desire mastectomy.

Preliminary Investigation Into the Antidepressant Effects of a Novel Curcumin Analogue (CACN136) In Vitro and In Vivo.

The aim of this study was to develop a novel antidepressant with high activity. Based on the findings of molecular docking, eight novel curcumin analogues were evaluated in vitro to check for antidepressant efficacy. Among them, CACN136 had the strongest antidepressant effect. Firstly, CACN136 had a stronger 2,2'-azinobis-(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonate) radical ion scavenging ability (IC50: 17.500 ± 0.267 µg/mL) compared to ascorbic acid (IC50: 38.858 ± 0.263 µg/mL) and curcumin (27.189 ± 0.192 µg/mL). Secondly, only CACN136 demonstrated clear protective effects on cells damaged by glutamate and oxidative stress at all concentrations. Finally, only CACN136 showed ASP + inhibition and was more effective than fluoxetine hydrochloride (FLU) at low concentrations. To further confirm the antidepressant effect of CACN136 in vivo, the CUMS model was established. Following 28 days of oral administration of CUMS mice, CACN136 increased the central area residence time in the open-field test, significantly increased the sucrose preference rate in the sucrose preference test (P < 0.001) and significantly reduced the immobility period in the tail suspension test (P < 0.0001), all of which were more effective than those of FLU. Subsequent research indicated that the antidepressant properties of CACN136 were linked to a decrease in the metabolism of 5-HT and the modulation of oxidative stress levels in vivo. In particular, the activation of the Keap1-Nrf2/BDNF-TrkB signaling pathway by CACN136 resulted in elevated levels of antioxidant enzymes, enhancing the antioxidant capability in mice subjected to CUMS. In conclusion, CACN136 has the potential to treat depression and could be an effective antidepressant.

Is neoadjuvant chemotherapy necessary for T2N0-1M0 hormone receptor-positive/HER2-negative breast cancer patients undergoing breast-conserving surgery?

INTRODUCTION: For HR-positive/HER2-negative patients who can undergo breast-conserving surgery (BCS) but have a tumor size of 2-5 cm or 1-3 lymph node metastases, neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) is still controversial. METHODS: Patients with T2N0-1M0 HR-positive/HER2-negative BC who underwent BCS between 2010 and 2017 were selected from the SEER database. Propensity score matching (PSM) was used to minimize the influence of confounding factors. The overall survival (OS) and breast cancer-specific survival (BCSS) of patients were estimated by Kaplan‒Meier curves and Cox proportional hazard models. Independent prognostic factors were included to construct a nomogram prediction model. RESULTS: A total of 6475 BC patients were enrolled, of whom 553 received NAC and 5922 received adjuvant chemotherapy (AC). In the T2N0-1M0 population and T2N1M0 subgroup, AC patients before PSM had better OS and BCSS than NAC patients. After PSM, there was no significant difference in OS or BCSS between the two groups. However, in the T2N0M0 subgroup, there was no difference in survival between the AC and NAC groups before and after PSM. Stratified analysis revealed that for complete response (CR) patients, survival was roughly equivalent between the NAC and AC groups. However, the survival of no response (NR) and partial response (PR) patients was significantly worse than that of AC patients. Cox analysis revealed that radiotherapy after BCS was an independent protective factor for OS. NAC is an independent risk factor for NR and PR patients. The nomogram has good prediction efficiency. CONCLUSION: NAC before BCS is not necessary for T2N0-1M0 HR-positive/HER2-negative BC patients.

Heterogeneous bimetallic selenides encapsulated within graphene aerogel as advanced anodes for sodium ion batteries.

Metal selenides are promising anode candidates for sodium ion batteries (SIBs) because of their high theoretical capacity, low cost, and environmental friendship. However, the low rate capability at high current density due to its inherent low electrical conductivity and poor cycle stability caused by inevitable volume variations during cycling frustrate its practical applications. Herein, we have developed a simple metallic-organic frameworks (MOFs)-derived selenide strategy to synthesize a series of heterogeneous bimetallic selenides encapsulated within graphene aerogels (GA) as anodes for SIBs. The bimetallic selenides/GA composites have unique structural characteristics that can shorten the migration path for Na+/electrons and accommodate the volume variations via additional void space during cycling. The built-in electric fields induced at the heterointerfaces can greatly reduce the activation energy for rapid charge transfer kinetics and promote the diffusion of Na+/electrons. GA is also beneficial for accommodating the volume variations during cycling and improving conductivity. As an advanced anode for SIBs, the MoSe2-Cu1.82Se@GA with a special porous octahedron can deliver the highest capacity of 444.8 mAh/g at a high rate of 1 A/g even after 1000 cycles among the bimetallic selenides/GA composites.

Study on the High-Efficiency Preparation of Superhydrophobic Polymer Thin Films by Continuous Micro/Nano Imprinting.

In order to improve the preparation efficiency, quality stability, and large-area preparation of superhydrophobic thin films, a roll-to-roll continuous micro-nano imprinting method for the efficient preparation of superhydrophobic polymer films is proposed. A wear-resistant mold roller with hierarchical microstructure is prepared by wire electrical discharge machining (WEDM). The rheological filling model is constructed for revealing the forming mechanism of superhydrophobic polymer films during continuous micro/nano imprinting. The effects of imprinting temperature, rolling speed and the surface texture size of the template on the surface texture formation rate of polymer films are analyzed. The experimental results show that, compared with other process methods, the template processed by WEDM shows excellent wear resistance. Moreover, the optimal micro/nano imprinting parameters are the mold temperature of 190 °C (corresponding film temperature of 85 ± 5 °C), rolling speed of 3 rpm and roller gap of 0.1 mm. The maximum contact angle of the polymer film is 154°. In addition, the superhydrophobic polymer thin film has been proven to have good self-cleaning and anti-icing performance.

Synthesis and characterization of core-shell high-nickel cobalt-free layered LiNi0.95Mg0.02Al0.03O2@Li2ZrO3 cathode for high-performance lithium ion batteries.

High-nickel cobalt-free layered cathode is regarded as a highly potential cathode material for the next generation lithium ion batteries (LIBs) because of its high energy density, low cost and environmentally benign. However, the poor cycle performance caused by its intrinsic unstable structure and chemo-mechanical instability frustrates its practical applications. Herein, we have developed a new core-shell high-nickel cobalt-free layered LiNi0.95Mg0.02Al0.03O2@Li2ZrO3 (LZO-NMA9523) cathode for high-performance LIBs. The Li2ZrO3 coating layer firstly helps to suppress and reduce the degree of Li+/Ni2+ cation mixing during the material preparation process. In addition, the Li2ZrO3 coating layer can not only accommodate the volume variations and enhance the electricity of the active materials, but also effectively inhibit the harmful irreversible phase transition during the charging/discharging process, thus greatly stabilizing the structure of the high-nickel cobalt-free cathode. As an advanced cathode for LIBs, the LZO-NMA9523 exhibits an excellent reversible capacity of 146.9 mAh g-1 after 100 cycles at 0.5 C with capacity retention of about 80%. This study provides a possible high-nickel cobalt-free layered cathode material for the next generation LIBs.

Numerical Simulation Technologies in Solar-Driven Interfacial Evaporation Processes.

Solar interfacial evaporation technology has the advantages of environmentally conscious and sustainable benefits. Recent research on light absorption, water transportation, and thermal management has improved the evaporation performance of solar interfacial evaporators. However, many studies on photothermal materials and structures only aim to improve performance, neglecting explanations for heat and mass transfer coupling or providing evidence for performance enhancement. Numerical simulation can simulate the diffusion paths and heat and water transfer processes to understand the thermal and mass transfer mechanism, thereby better achieving the design of efficient solar interfacial evaporators. Therefore, this review summarizes the latest exciting findings and tremendous advances in numerical simulation for solar interfacial evaporation. First, it presents a macroscopic summary of the application of simulation in temperature distribution, salt concentration distribution, and vapor flux distribution during evaporation. Second, the utilization of simulation in the microscopic is summed up, specifically focusing on the movement of water molecules and the mechanisms of light responses during evaporation. Finally, all simulation methods have the goal of validating the physical processes in solar interfacial evaporation. It is hoped that the use of numerical simulation can provide theoretical guidance and technical support for the application of solar-driven interfacial evaporation technology.

Pharmacological interventions for pediatric obstructive sleep apnea (OSA): Network meta-analysis.

IMPORTANCE: Pediatric obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a common disease that can have significant negative impacts on a child's health and development. A comprehensive evaluation of different pharmacologic interventions for the treatment of OSA in children is still lacking. OBJECTIVE: This study aims to conduct a comprehensive systematic review and network meta-analysis of pharmacological interventions for the management of obstructive sleep apnea in pediatric population. DATA SOURCES: PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, The Cochrane Library, and CNKI were searched from 1950 to November 2022 for pediatric OSA. STUDY SELECTION: Multiple reviewers included Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) concerning drugs on OSA in children. DATA EXTRACTION AND SYNTHESIS: Multiple observers followed the guidance of the PRISMA NMA statement for data extraction and evaluation. Bayesian network meta-analyses(fixed-effect model) were performed to compare the weighted mean difference (WMD), logarithmic odds ratios (log OR), and the surface under the cumulative ranking curves (SUCRA) of the included pharmacological interventions. Our protocol was registered in PROSPERO website (CRD42022377839). MAIN OUTCOME(S) AND MEASURE(S): The primary outcomes were improvements in the apnea/hypopnea index (AHI), while secondary outcomes included adverse events and the lowest arterial oxygen saturation (SaO2). RESULTS: 17 RCTs with a total of 1367 children with OSA aged 2-14 years that met the inclusion criteria were eventually included in our systematic review and network meta-analysis. Ten drugs were finally included in the study. The results revealed that Mometasone + Montelukast (WMD-4.74[95%CrIs -7.50 to -2.11], Budesonide (-3.45[-6.86 to -0.15], and Montelukast(-3.41[-5.45 to -1.39] exhibited significantly superior therapeutic effects compared to the placebo concerning apnea hypopnea index (AHI) value with 95%CrIs excluding no effect. Moreover, Mometasone + Montelukast achieved exceptionally high SUCRA values for both AHI (85.0 %) and SaO2 (91.0 %). CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: The combination of mometasone furoate nasal spray and oral montelukast sodium exhibits the highest probability of being the most effective intervention. Further research is needed to investigate the long-term efficacy and safety profiles of these interventions in pediatric patients with OSA.

Hollow CoSe2-ZnSe microspheres inserted in reduced graphene oxide serving as advanced anodes for sodium ion batteries.

Transition metal selenides are promising anode candidates for sodium ion batteries (SIBs) because of their higher theoretical capacity and conductivity than metal oxides. However, the disadvantages of severe capacity degradation and poor magnification performance greatly limit their commercial applications. Herein, we have developed a new hollow bimetallic selenides (CoSe2-ZnSe)@reduced graphene oxide (rGO) composite with abundant heterointerfaces. The rGO could not only alleviate the volume variations of hollow CoSe2-ZnSe microspheres during cycling, but also improve the conductivity of composite. The presence of the heterointerfaces could help to accelerate ionic diffusion kinetics and improve electron transfer, resulting in the improved sodium storage performance. As an advanced anode for SIBs, the CoSe2-ZnSe@rGO exhibits an enhanced initial coulombic efficiency of 75.1% (65.2% of CoSe2@rGO), extraordinary rate capability, and outstanding cycling stability (540.3 mAh/g at 0.2 A/g after 150 cycles, and 395.2 mAh/g at 1 A/g after 600 cycles). The electrochemical mechanism was also studied by kinetic analysis, showing that the charging/discharging process of CoSe2-ZnSe@rGO is mostly related to a capacitive-controlled behavior.

The therapeutic value of bifidobacteria in cardiovascular disease.

There has been an increase in cardiovascular morbidity and mortality over the past few decades, making cardiovascular disease (CVD) the leading cause of death worldwide. However, the pathogenesis of CVD is multi-factorial, complex, and not fully understood. The gut microbiome has long been recognized to play a critical role in maintaining the physiological and metabolic health of the host. Recent scientific advances have provided evidence that alterations in the gut microbiome and its metabolites have a profound influence on the development and progression of CVD. Among the trillions of microorganisms in the gut, bifidobacteria, which, interestingly, were found through the literature to play a key role not only in regulating gut microbiota function and metabolism, but also in reducing classical risk factors for CVD (e.g., obesity, hyperlipidemia, diabetes) by suppressing oxidative stress, improving immunomodulation, and correcting lipid, glucose, and cholesterol metabolism. This review explores the direct and indirect effects of bifidobacteria on the development of CVD and highlights its potential therapeutic value in hypertension, atherosclerosis, myocardial infarction, and heart failure. By describing the key role of Bifidobacterium in the link between gut microbiology and CVD, we aim to provide a theoretical basis for improving the subsequent clinical applications of Bifidobacterium and for the development of Bifidobacterium nutritional products.

Co-Intercalation-Free Ether-Based Weakly Solvating Electrolytes Enable Fast-Charging and Wide-Temperature Lithium-Ion Batteries.

Ether-based electrolytes are competitive choices to meet the growing requirements for fast-charging and low-temperature lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) due to the low viscosity and low melting point of ether solvents. Unfortunately, the graphite (Gr) electrode is incompatible with commonly used ether solvents due to their irreversible co-intercalation into Gr interlayers. Here, we propose cyclopentyl methyl ether (CPME) as a co-intercalation-free ether solvent, which contains a cyclopentane group with large steric hindrance to obtain weakly solvating power with Li+ and a wide liquid-phase temperature range (-140 to +106 °C). A weakly solvating electrolyte (WSE) based on CPME and fluoroethylene carbonate (FEC) cosolvents can simultaneously achieve fast desolvation ability and high ionic conductivity, which also induces a LiF-rich solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) on the Gr anode. Therefore, the Gr/Li half-cell with this WSE can deliver outstanding rate capability, stable cycling performance, and high specific capacity (319 mAh g-1) at an ultralow temperature of -60 °C. Furthermore, a practical LiFePO4 (loading ≈25 mg cm-2)/Gr (loading ≈12 mg cm-2) pouch cell with this WSE also reveals outstanding rate capability and stable long-term cycling performance above 1000 cycles with a high Coulombic efficiency (≈99.9%) and achieves an impressive low-temperature application potential at -60 °C.

Long-Life Lithium-Ion Sulfur Pouch Battery Enabled by Regulating Solvent Molecules and Using Lithiated Graphite Anode.

The development of lithium-sulfur (Li-S) batteries is severely limited by the shuttle effect and instability of Li-metal anode. Constructing Li-ion S batteries (LISBs), by using more stable commercial graphite (Gr) anode instead of Li-metal, is an effective way to realize long-cycle-life Li-S batteries. However, Gr electrode is usually incompatible with the ether-based electrolytes commonly used for Li-S batteries due to the Li+ -ether complex co-intercalation into Gr interlayers. Herein, a solvent molecule structure regulation strategy is provided to weaken the Li+ -solvent binding by increasing steric hindrance and electronegativity, to accelerate Li+ de-solvation process and prevent Li+ -ether complex co-intercalation into Gr anode. Meanwhile, the weakly solvating power of solvent can suppress the shuttle effect of lithium polysulfides and makes more anions participate in Li+ solvation structure to generate a stable anion-derived solid electrolyte interface on Gr surface. Therefore, a LISB coin-cell consisting of lithiated graphite anode and S@C cathode displays a stable capacity of ≈770 mAh g-1 within 200 cycles. Furthermore, an unprecedented practical LISB pouch-cell with a high Gr loading (≈10.5 mg cm-2 ) also delivers a high initial capacity of 802.3 mAh g-1 and releases a stable capacity of 499.1 mAh g-1 with a high Coulombic efficiency (≈95.9%) after 120 cycles.

Molecular mechanisms of rapid-acting antidepressants: New perspectives for developing antidepressants.

Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a chronic relapsing psychiatric disorder. Conventional antidepressants usually require several weeks of continuous administration to exert clinically significant therapeutic effects, while about two-thirds of the patients are prone to relapse of symptoms or are completely ineffective in antidepressant treatment. The recent success of the N-methyl-D-aspartic acid (NMDA) receptor antagonist ketamine as a rapid-acting antidepressant has propelled extensive research on the action mechanism of antidepressants, especially in relation to its role in synaptic targets. Studies have revealed that the mechanism of antidepressant action of ketamine is not limited to antagonism of postsynaptic NMDA receptors or GABA interneurons. Ketamine produces powerful and rapid antidepressant effects by affecting α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazole-propionic acid receptors, adenosine A1 receptors, and the L-type calcium channels, among others in the synapse. More interestingly, the 5-HT2A receptor agonist psilocybin has demonstrated potential for rapid antidepressant effects in depressed mouse models and clinical studies. This article focuses on a review of new pharmacological target studies of emerging rapid-acting antidepressant drugs such as ketamine and hallucinogens (e.g., psilocybin) and briefly discusses the possible strategies for new targets of antidepressants, with a view to shed light on the direction of future antidepressant research.

Zn(II)-Based Mixed-Ligand-Bearing Coordination Polymers as Multi-Responsive Fluorescent Sensors for Detecting Dichromate, Iodide, Nitenpyram, and Imidacloprid.

Coordination polymers (CPs) are organo-inorganic porous materials consisting of metal ions or clusters and organic linkers. These compounds have attracted attention for use in the fluorescence detection of pollutants. Here, two Zn-based mixed-ligand-bearing CPs, [Zn2(DIN)2(HBTC2-)2] (CP-1) and [Zn(DIN)(HBTC2-)]·ACN·H2O (CP-2) (DIN = 1,4-di(imidazole-1-yl)naphthalene, H3BTC = 1,3,5-benzenetricarboxylic acid, and ACN = acetonitrile), were synthesized under solvothermal conditions. CP-1 and CP-2 were characterized by single-crystal X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, elemental analysis, and powder X-ray diffraction analysis. Solid-state fluorescence analysis revealed an emission peak at 350 nm upon excitation at 225 and 290 nm. Fluorescence sensing tests showed that CP-1 was highly efficient, sensitive, and selective for detecting Cr2O72- at 225 and 290 nm, whereas I- was only detected well at an excitation of 225 nm. CP-1 detected pesticides differently at excitation wavelengths of 225 and 290 nm; the highest quenching rates were for nitenpyram at 225 nm and imidacloprid at 290 nm. The quenching process may occur via the inner filter effect and fluorescence resonance energy transfer.

Preparation of Nitrogen and Phosphorus Doped Porous Carbon from Watermelon Peel as Supercapacitor Electrode Material.

The use of green and sustainable biomass-derived compounds to obtain excellent electrochemical properties is important to address growing environmental and energy issues. In this paper, cheap and abundant watermelon peel was used as a raw material to successfully synthesize nitrogen-phosphorus double-doped bio-based porous carbon by a one-step carbonization method and explore it as a renewable carbon source for low-cost energy storage devices. The supercapacitor electrode exhibited a high specific capacity of 135.2 F/g at a current density of 1 A/g in a three-electrode system. A variety of characterization methods and electrochemical tests indicate that porous carbon prepared by this simple method has great potential as electrode materials for supercapacitors.