High-Entropy Configuration Strategy to Build High Performance Na-Ion Layered Oxide Cathodes Derived from Simple Techniques.

Layered transition metal oxides are commonly used as the cathode materials in sodium-ion batteries due to their low cost and easy manufacturing. However, the application is hindered by poor rate performance and complex phase transitions. To address these challenges, a new seven-component high-entropy layered oxide cathode material, O3-NaNi0.25Fe0.15Mn0.3Ti0.1Sn0.05Co0.05Li0.1O2 (HEO) has been developed. The entropy stabilization effect plays a crucial role in improving the performance of electrochemical systems and the stability of structures. The HEO exhibits a specific discharge capacity of 154.1 mA h g-1 at 0.1 C and 94.5 mA h g-1 at 7 C. In-situ and ex-situ XRD results demonstrate that the HEO effectively retards complex phase transitions. This work provides a high-entropy design for the storage materials with a high energy density. Meanwhile, it eliminates industry doubts about the performance of sodium ion layered oxide cathode materials.

Electrical Stimulations Generated by P(VDF-TrFE) Films Enhance Adhesion Forces and Odontogenic Differentiation of Dental Pulp Stem Cells (DPSCs).

Biophysical and biochemical cues of biomaterials can regulate cell behaviors. Dental pulp stem cells (DPSCs) in pulp tissues can differentiate to odontoblast-like cells and secrete reparative dentin to form a barrier to protect the underlying pulp tissues and enable complete pulp healing. Promotion of the odontogenic differentiation of DPSCs is essential for dentin regeneration. The effects of the surface potentials of biomaterials on the adhesion and odontogenic differentiation of DPSCs remain unclear. Here, poly(vinylidene fluoride-trifluoro ethylene) (P(VDF-TrFE)) films with different surface potentials were prepared by the spin-coating technique and the contact poling method. The cytoskeletal organization of DPSCs grown on P(VDF-TrFE) films was studied by immunofluorescence staining. Using atomic force microscopy (AFM), the lateral detachment forces of DPSCs from P(VDF-TrFE) films were quantified. The effects of electrical stimulation generated from P(VDF-TrFE) films on odontogenic differentiation of DPSCs were evaluated in vitro and in vivo. The unpolarized, positively polarized, and negatively polarized films had surface potentials of -52.9, +902.4, and -502.2 mV, respectively. DPSCs on both negatively and positively polarized P(VDF-TrFE) films had larger cell areas and length-to-width ratios than those on the unpolarized films (P < 0.05). During the detachment of DPSCs from P(VDF-TrFE) films, the average magnitudes of the maximum detachment forces were 29.4, 72.1, and 53.9 nN for unpolarized, positively polarized, and negatively polarized groups, respectively (P < 0.05). The polarized films enhanced the mineralization activities and increased the expression levels of the odontogenic-related proteins of DPSCs compared to the unpolarized films (P < 0.05). The extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) signaling pathway was involved in the odontogenic differentiation of DPSCs as induced by surface charge. In vivo, the polarized P(VDF-TrFE) films enhanced adhesion of DPSCs and promoted the odontogenic differentiation of DPSCs by electrical stimulation, demonstrating a potential application of electroactive biomaterials for reparative dentin formation in direct pulp capping.

Characterization of Fusarium solani associated with tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L.) root rot in Henan, China.

The aim of this study was to characterize the Fusarium solani species complex (FSSC) population obtained from tobacco roots with root rot symptoms using morphological characteristics, molecular tests, and assessment of pathogenicity. Cultures isolated from roots were white to cream with sparse mycelium on PDA with colony growth of 21.5 ± 0.5 to 29.5 ± 0.5 mm after 3 days. Sporodochia were cream on carnation leaf agar (CLA) and spezieller nährstoffarmer agar (SNA), and macroconidia formed in sporodochia were 3- to 6-septate, straight to slightly curved, with wide central cells, a slightly short blunt apical cell, and a straight to almost cylindrical basal cell with a distinct foot shape, ranging in size from 20.92 to 64.37 µm × 3.91 to 6.57 µm. Microconidia formed on CLA were reniform and fusiform with 0 or 1 to occasionally 2 septa, that formed on long monophialidic conidiogenous cells, with a size range of 5.99 to 32.32 µm × 1.76 to 5.84 µm. Globose to oval chlamydospores were smooth to rough-walled, 6.5 to 13.3 ± 0.37 µm in diameter, terminal or intercalary, single or in pairs, occasionally in short chains on SNA. Molecular tests consisted of sequencing and phylogenetic analysis of the translation elongation factor-1 alpha (EF-1α), RNA polymerase II largest subunit (RPB1), and second largest subunit (RPB2) regions. All the obtained sequences revealed 98.14%~100% identity to Fusarium solani in both Fusarium ID and Fusarium MLST databases. Phylogenetic trees of the EF-1α gene and concatenated three-loci data showed that isolates from tobacco in Henan grouped in the proposed group 5, which is nested within FSSC clade 3 (FSSC 5). Twenty-seven of the 28 isolates caused a root rot of artificially inoculated tobacco seedlings, with a disease index ranging from 15.00 ± 1.67 to 91.11 ± 2.22. Cross pathogenicity tests showed that three representative isolates were virulent to six species of Solanaceae and two of Poaceae, with disease indexes ranging from 6.12 ± 0.56 to 84.44 ± 0.00, indicating that these isolates have a wide host range. The results may inform control of tobacco root rot through improved crop rotations.

Functional and Structural Abnormalities in the Pain Network of Generalized Anxiety Disorder Patients with Pain Symptoms.

Pain symptoms significantly impact the well-being and work capacity of individuals with generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), and hinder treatment and recovery. Despite existing literature focusing on the neural substrate of pain and anxiety separately, further exploration is needed to understand the possible neuroimaging mechanisms of the pain symptoms in GAD patients. We recruited 73 GAD patients and 75 matched healthy controls (HC) for clinical assessments, as well as resting-state functional and structural magnetic resonance imaging scans. We defined a pain-related network through a published meta-analysis, including the insula, thalamus, periaqueductal gray, prefrontal cortex, anterior cingulate cortex, amygdala, and hippocampus. Subsequently, we conducted the regional homogeneity (ReHo) and the gray matter volume (GMV) within the pain-related network. Correlation analysis was then employed to explore associations between abnormal regions and self-reported outcomes, assessed using the Patient Health Questionnaire-15 (PHQ-15) and pain scores. We observed significantly increased ReHo in the bilateral insula but decreased GMV in the bilateral thalamus of GAD compared to HC. Further correlation analysis revealed a positive correlation between ReHo of the left anterior insula and pain scores in GAD patients, while a respective negative correlation between GMV of the bilateral thalamus and PHQ-15 scores. In summary, GAD patients exhibit structural and functional abnormalities in pain-related networks. The enhanced ReHo in the left anterior insula is correlated with pain symptoms, which might be a crucial brain region of pain symptoms in GAD.

Red light-triggered release of ROS and carbon monoxide for combinational antibacterial application.

The abuse of antibiotics has led to the emergence of a wide range of drug-resistant bacteria. To address the challenge of drug-resistant bacterial infections and related infectious diseases, several effective antibacterial strategies have been developed. To achieve enhanced therapeutic effects, combinational treatment approaches should be employed. With this in mind, a metal-organic framework (MOF) based nanoreactor with integrated photodynamic therapy (PDT) and gas therapy which can release reactive oxygen species (ROS) and carbon monoxide (CO) under red light irradiation has been developed. The release of ROS and CO under red light irradiation exerts a preferential antibacterial effect on Gram-positive/Gram-negative bacteria. The bactericidal effects of ROS and CO on Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) and methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) are better than ROS only, showing a combinational antibacterial effect. Furthermore, the fluorescence emission properties of porphyrin moieties can be leveraged for real-time tracking and imaging of the nanoreactors. The simple preparation procedures of this material further enhance its potential as a versatile and effective antibacterial candidate, thereby presenting a new strategy for PDT and gas combinational treatment.

Matrix complete dissolution concatenated biochar magnetic solid-phase extraction of benzotriazole ultraviolet stabilizers in polyester fibers prior to UPLC-MS/MS analysis.

Matrix complete dissolution combined with magnetic solid-phase extraction (MSPE) was applied to extract four benzotriazole ultraviolet stabilizers (BUVSs) from polyester curtains. Ultra-performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry was coupled to perform the content of trace BUVSs. The procedure was being developed in two steps. The polymer matrix was initially thoroughly dissolved by 1,1,1,3,3,3-hexafluoro-2-propanol (HFIP) followed by the addition of precipitant to separate the target from the dissolved polymer matrix. Next, triiron tetraoxide/biochar magnetic material was prepared and utilized as the sorbent for purification of the extract. Ultrasonic extraction coupled with the MSPE method and the proposed method was compared. Better extraction recovery of four BUVSs was acquired by the novel developed extraction method. The purification effect of the new extraction method was established by comparing the matrix effect of the polymer complete dissolution method and the polymer complete dissolution combined with the MSPE method. The extraction parameters were investigated. Under the optimized conditions, correlation coefficient (r) ranging from 0.9969 to 0.9997, limit of detection of 0.2 to 0.8 ng·g-1, and the recovery varied from 81.5 to 102.7% with RSD smaller than 10.7% were obtained for four BUVSs, respectively. This study provides a potential strategy for the efficient extraction and sensitive determination of BUVSs in polyester fibers samples.

A Single-Component Dual Donor Enables Ultrasound-Triggered Co-release of Carbon Monoxide and Hydrogen Sulfide.

The development of dual gasotransmitter donors can not only provide robust tools to investigate their subtle interplay under pathophysiological conditions but also optimize therapeutic efficacy. While conventional strategies are heavily dependent on multicomponent donors, we herein report an ultrasound-responsive water-soluble copolymer (PSHF) capable of releasing carbon monoxide (CO) and hydrogen sulfide (H2 S) based on single-component sulfur-substituted 3-hydroxyflavone (SHF) derivatives. Interestingly, sulfur substitution can not only greatly improve the ultrasound sensitivity but also enable the co-release of CO/H2 S under mild ultrasound irradiation. The co-release of CO/H2 S gasotransmitters exerts a bactericidal effect against Staphylococcus aureus and demonstrates anti-inflammatory activity in lipopolysaccharide-challenged macrophages. Moreover, the excellent tissue penetration of ultrasound irradiation enables the local release of CO/H2 S in the joints of septic arthritis rats, exhibiting superior therapeutic efficacy without the need for any antibiotics.

Construction of a Preoxidation and Cation Doping Regeneration Strategy to Improve Rate Performance Recycling Spent LiFePO4 Materials.

Efficient recycling of spent lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) is significant for solving environmental problems and promoting resource conservation. Economical recycling of LiFePO4 (LFP) batteries is extremely challenging due to the inexpensive production of LFP. Herein, we report a preoxidation combine with cation doping regeneration strategy to regenerate spent LiFePO4 (SLFP) with severely deteriorated. The binder, conductive agent, and residual carbon in SLFP are effectively removed through preoxidation treatment, which lays the foundation for the uniform and stable regeneration of LFP. Mg2+ doping is adopted to promote the diffusion efficiency of lithium ions, reduces the charge-transfer impedance, and further improves the electrochemical performance of the regenerated LFP. The discharge capacity of SLFP with severe deterioration recovers successfully from 43.2 to 136.9 mA h g-1 at 0.5 C. Compared with traditional methods, this technology is simple, economical, and environment-friendly. It provided an efficient way for recycling SLFP materials.

Nuclear localization of TET2 requires ß-catenin activation and correlates with favourable prognosis in colorectal cancer.

Mutation-induced malfunction of ten-eleven translocation methylcytosine dioxygenase 2 (TET2) is widely reported in haematological malignancies. However, the role of TET2 in solid cancers, including colorectal cancer (CRC), is unclear. Here, we found that TET2 malfunction in CRC is mostly due to decreased nuclear localization and that nuclear localization of TET2 is correlated with better survival of patients. To explore the underlying mechanisms, 14 immortalized solid tumour cell lines and 12 primary CRC cell lines were used. TET2 was mostly detected in the nucleus, and it induced significant DNA demethylation and suppressed cell growth by demethylating RORA and SPARC in cell lines like SW480. While in cell lines like SW620, TET2 was observed in the cytosol and did not affect DNA methylation or cell growth. Further examination with immunoprecipitation-mass spectrometry illustrated that ß-catenin activation was indispensable for the nuclear localization and tumour suppression effects of TET2. In addition, the ß-catenin pathway activator IM12 and the TET2 activator vitamin C were used simultaneously to enhance the effects of TET2 under low-expression conditions, and synergistic inhibitory effects on the growth of cancer were observed both in vitro and in vivo. Collectively, these data suggest that ß-catenin-mediated nuclear localization of TET2 is an important therapeutic target for solid tumours.

Dynamic expression of IGFBP3 modulate dual actions of mineralization micro-environment during tooth development via Wnt/beta-catenin signaling pathway.

BACKGROUND: Tooth development, as one of the major mineralized tissues in the body, require fine-tuning of mineralization micro-environment. The interaction between dental epithelium and mesenchyme plays a decisive role in this process. With epithelium-mesenchyme dissociation study, we found interesting expression pattern of insulin-like growth factor binding protein 3 (IGFBP3) in response to disruption of dental epithelium-mesenchyme interaction. Its action and related mechanisms as regulator of mineralization micro-environment during tooth development are investigated. RESULTS: Expressions of osteogenic markers at early stage of tooth development are significantly lower than those at later stage. BMP2 treatment further confirmed a high mineralization micro-environment is disruptive at early stage, but beneficial at later stage of tooth development. In contrast, IGFBP3's expression increased gradually from E14.5, peaked at P5, and decreased afterwards, demonstrating an inverse correlation with osteogenic markers. RNA-Seq and Co-immunoprecipitation showed that IGFBP3 regulates the Wnt/beta-catenin signaling pathway activity by enhancing DKK1 expression and direct protein-protein interaction. The suppression of the mineralization microenvironment effectuated by IGFBP3 could be reversed by the DKK1 inhibitor WAY-262611, further demonstrating that IGFBP3 exerted its influence via DKK1. CONCLUSION: A deeper understanding of tooth development mechanisms is essential for tooth regeneration, which have great implications for dental care. The current study demonstrated that the IGFBP3 expression is regulated in accordance with the needs of the mineralization microenvironment during tooth development, and IGFBP3 exerts its modulating action on osteogenic/odontogenic differentiation of hDPSCs by DKK1-Wnt/ beta-catenin axis.

Apathy in melancholic depression and abnormal neural activity within the reward-related circuit.

Major depressive disorder is a heterogeneous syndrome, of which the most common subtype is melancholic depression (MEL). Previous studies have indicated that anhedonia is frequently a cardinal feature in MEL. As a common syndrome of motivational deficit, anhedonia is closely associated with dysfunction in reward-related networks. However, little is currently known about apathy, another syndrome of motivational deficits, and the underlying neural mechanisms in MEL and non-melancholic depression (NMEL). Herein, the Apathy Evaluation Scale (AES) was used to compare apathy between MEL and NMEL. On the basis of resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging, functional connectivity strength (FCS) and seed-based functional connectivity (FC) were calculated within reward-related networks and compared among 43 patients with MEL, 30 patients with NMEL, and 35 healthy controls. Patients with MEL had higher AES scores than those with NMEL (t = -2.20, P = 0.03). Relative to NMEL, MEL was associated with greater FCS (t = 4.27, P < 0.001) in the left ventral striatum (VS), and greater FC of the VS with the ventral medial prefrontal cortex (t = 5.03, P < 0.001) and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (t = 3.18, P = 0.005). Taken together the results indicate that reward-related networks may play diverse pathophysiological roles in MEL and NMEL, thus providing potential directions for future interventions in the treatment of various depression subtypes.

MIL-88B(Fe)/cellulose microspheres as sorbent for the fully automated dispersive pipette extraction towards trace sulfonamides in milk samples prior to UPLC-MS/MS analysis.

MIL-88B(Fe)/cellulose microspheres (MIL-88B(Fe)/CMs) were characterized by the means of SEM, XRD, TGA and N2 adsorption-desorption test. The composite was used as the sorbent for fully automated dispersive pipette extraction (DPX), after introducing CMs as the support, the loss of MIL-88B(Fe) in DPX was avoided. Coupled to UPLC-MS/MS, the proposed method was employed for the analysis of trace sulfonamides (SAs) in milk samples. The parameters affecting the extraction efficiency, including pH of sample solution, the rate of aspiration and dispense, amount of the adsorbent, type and volume of elution solvent were optimized. Under the optimal conditions, good linearity (r ≥ 0.9978 for five analytes), high sensitivity (limit of detection: 0.00660-0.0136 µg kg-1) and satisfactory recovery (69.8%-100.9%) were achieved. Furthermore, the sorbent showed desirable reusability over eight extraction cycles. Compared with other methods for the pretreatment of SAs, the proposed method showed advantages of high sensitivity, less sorbent consumption, environmental friendliness and automation, providing a promising protocol for sample preparation.

Current status of traditional Chinese medicine for the treatment of COVID-19 in China.

An ongoing outbreak of severe respiratory illness and pneumonia caused by the severe acute respiratory coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) commenced in December 2019, and the disease was named as coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Soon after, scientists identified the characteristics of SARS-CoV-2, including its genome sequence and protein structure. The clinical manifestations of COVID-19 have now been established; and nucleic acid amplification is used for the direct determination of the virus, whereas immunoassays can determine the antibodies against SARS-CoV-2. Clinical trials of several antiviral drugs are ongoing. However, there is still no specific drugs to treat COVID-19. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) was used in the treatment of COVID-19 during the early stages of the outbreak in China. Some ancient TCM prescriptions, which were efficacious in the treatment of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) in 2002-03 and the influenza pandemic (H1N1) of 2009, have been improved by experienced TCM practitioners for the treatment of COVID-19 based on their clinical symptoms. These developed new prescriptions include Lianhua Qingwen capsules/granules, Jinhua Qinggan granules and XueBiJing injection, among others. In this review, we have summarized the presenting features of SARS-CoV-2, the clinical characteristics of COVID-19, and the progress in the treatment of COVID-19 using TCMs.

Gases emission during the continuous thermophilic composting of dairy manure amended with activated oil shale semicoke.

NH3 and greenhouse gases emission are big problems during composting, which can cause great nitrogen nutrient loss and environmental pollution. This study investigated effects of the porous bulking agent of oil shale semicoke and its activated material on the gases emission during the continuous thermophilic composting. Results showed addition of semicoke could significantly reduce the NH3 emission by 74.65% due to its great adsorption capacity to NH4+-N and NH3, further the effect could be enhanced to 85.92% when utilizing the activated semicoke with larger pore volume and specific surface area. In addition, the CH4 emission in the semicoke and activated semicoke group was also greatly mitigated, with a reduction of 67.23% and 87.62% respectively, while the N2O emission was significantly increased by 93.14% and 100.82%. Quantification analysis of the functional genes found the abundance of mcrA was high at the massive CH4-producing stage and the archaeal amoA was dominant at the N2O-producing stage in all the composting groups. Correlation and redundancy analysis suggested there was a positive correlation between the CH4 emission and mcrA. Addition of semicoke especially activated semicoke could reduce the CH4 production by inhibiting the methanogens. For the NH3 and N2O, it was closely related with the nitrification process conducted by archaeal amoA. Addition of semicoke especially activated semicoke was beneficial for the growth of ammonia-oxidizing archaea, causing the less NH4+-N transformation to NH3 but more N2O emission.

Photoresponsive Vesicles Enabling Sequential Release of Nitric Oxide (NO) and Gentamicin for Efficient Biofilm Eradication.

The development of new antibacterial agents that can efficiently eradicate biofilms is of crucial importance to combat persistent and chronic bacterial infections. Herein, the fabrication of photoresponsive vesicles capable of the sequential release of nitric oxide (NO) and gentamicin sulfate (GS) is reported, which can not only efficiently disperse Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa) PAO1 biofilm but also kill the planktonic bacteria. Well-defined amphiphilic diblockcopolymers of poly(ethylene oxide)-b-poly(4-((2-nitrobenzyl)(nitroso)amino)benzyl methacrylate) (PNO) is first synthesized through atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP). The PNO diblock copolymer self-assembled into vesicles in aqueous solution, and a hydrophilic antibiotic of GS is subsequently encapsulated into the aqueous lumens of vesicles. The vesicles undergo visible light-mediated N-NO cleavage, releasing NO and disintegrating the vesicles with the release of the GS payload. The sequential release of NO and GS efficiently eradicate P. aeruginosa PAO1 biofilm and kill the liberated bacteria, showing a better antibiofilm effect than that of NO or GS alone.

Effects of humic acid modified oyster shell addition on lignocellulose degradation and nitrogen transformation during digestate composting.

The aim of this work was to investigate the performance of a novel humic acid modified oyster shell (MOS) bulking agent on the digestate composting. MOS was prepared by immobilizing humic acid onto oyster shell using solid phase grafting method, and then applied to the composting process. Results showed more obvious degradation of lignocellulose was observed in the MOS treatment, which was probably due to the high relative abundance of Actinobacteria. Moreover, the addition of MOS could significantly preserve NH4+ and reduce the NO3- generation with the decreasing abundance of ammonia-oxidizing bacteria and archaea. Besides, adding MOS reduced the N2O emission by 59.63% compared with the control. After composting, excitation-emission matrix fluorescence spectra demonstrated that the humification degree as well as compost maturity was enhanced with MOS added.

Positive feedback between retinoic acid and 2-phospho-L-ascorbic acid trisodium salt during somatic cell reprogramming.

Retinoic acid (RA) and 2-phospho-L-ascorbic acid trisodium salt (AscPNa) promote the reprogramming of mouse embryonic fibroblasts to induced pluripotent stem cells. In the current studies, the lower abilities of RA and AscPNa to promote reprogramming in the presence of each other suggested that they may share downstream pathways at least partially. The hypothesis was further supported by the RNA-seq analysis which demonstrated a high-level overlap between RA-activated and AscPNa activated genes during reprogramming. In addition, RA upregulated Glut1/3, facilitated the membrane transportation of dehydroascorbic acid, the oxidized form of L-ascorbic acid, and subsequently maintained intracellular L-ascorbic acid at higher level and for longer time. On the other hand, AscPNa facilitated the mesenchymal-epithelial transition during reprogramming, downregulated key mesenchymal transcriptional factors like Zeb1 and Twist1, subsequently suppressed the expression of Cyp26a1/b1 which mediates the metabolism of RA, and sustained the intracellular level of RA. Furthermore, the different abilities of RA and AscPNa to induce mesenchymal-epithelial transition, pluripotency, and neuronal differentiation explain their complex contribution to reprogramming when used individually or in combination. Therefore, the current studies identified a positive feedback between RA and AscPNa, or possibility between vitamin A and C, and further explored their contributions to reprogramming.

FOXQ1 promotes the osteogenic differentiation of bone mesenchymal stem cells via Wnt/ß-catenin signaling by binding with ANXA2.

BACKGROUND: This study investigated the role of Forkhead box Q1 (FOXQ1) in the osteogenic differentiation of bone mesenchymal stem cells. METHODS: Mouse bone mesenchymal stem cells (mBMSCs) were transfected with lentivirus to generate Foxq1-overexpressing mBMSCs, Foxq1-suppressed mBMSCs, and mBMSC controls. The activity of osteogenic differentiation was evaluated with alizarin red staining, alkaline phosphatase activity assay, and RT-qPCR. Wnt/ß-catenin signaling activities were compared among groups by TOPFlash/FOPFlash assay, immunofluorescence staining, and western blot assay of beta-catenin (CTNNB1). Coimmunoprecipitation mass spectrometry was also carried out to identify proteins binding with FOXQ1. RESULTS: Our data showed that FOXQ1 expression was positively correlated with the osteogenic differentiation of the mBMSCs. FOXQ1 also promoted the nuclear translocation of CTNNB1 in the mBMSCs, enhancing Wnt/ß-catenin signaling, which was also shown to be essential for the osteogenic differentiation-promoting effect of FOXQ1 in the mBMSCs. Annexin A2 (ANXA2) was bound with FOXQ1, and its depletion reversed the promoting effect of FOXQ1 on Wnt/ß-catenin signaling. CONCLUSION: These results showed that FOXQ1 binds with ANXA2, promoting Wnt/ß-catenin signaling in bone mesenchymal stem cells, which subsequently promotes osteogenic differentiation.