A Cu/MnOx Composite with Copper-Doping-Induced Oxygen Vacancies as a Cathode for Aqueous Zinc-Ion Batteries.

Aqueous zinc-ion batteries are anticipated to be the next generation of important energy storage devices to replace lithium-ion batteries due to the ongoing use of lithium resources and the safety hazards associated with organic electrolytes in lithium-ion batteries. Manganese-based compounds, including MnOx materials, have prominent places among the many zinc-ion battery cathode materials. Additionally, Cu doping can cause the creation of an oxygen vacancy, which increases the material's internal electric field and enhances cycle stability. MnOx also has great cyclic stability and promotes ion transport. At a current density of 0.2 A g-1, the Cu/MnOx nanocomposite obtained a high specific capacitance of 304.4 mAh g-1. In addition, Cu/MnOx nanocomposites showed A high specific capacity of 198.9 mAh g-1 after 1000 cycles at a current density of 0.5 A g-1. Therefore, Cu/MnOx nanocomposites are expected to be a strong contender for the next generation of zinc-ion battery cathode materials in high energy density storage systems.

Metabolic Composition and Quality Traits of Polygonatum cyrtonema Hua from Different Germplasms and Age Sections Based on Widely Targeted Metabolomics Analysis.

Polygonatum rhizomes are rich in various compounds with many biological activities and are widely used in functional foods and pharmaceutical products. In order to screen for superior Polygonatum cyrtonema Hua (P. cyrtonema) germplasm and also to elucidate the nutritional and medicinal values of rhizomes, the metabolic composition and quality traits of rhizomes from different germplasms and age sections of P. cyrtonema were analysed by widely targeted metabolomics, and the molecular mechanism of triacylglycerol synthesis was explored. The results showed that the different germplasms and age sections of P. cyrtonema were rich in different nutritional and medicinal components. Of these, the broad-leaved green stem (GK) germplasm is rich in polysaccharides, alkaloids, and lipids; the pointed-leaved green stem (JL) germplasm is rich in flavonoids, steroids, and amino acids, while the pointed-leaved purple stem (JZ) germplasm contains more phenolic acids. The one-year (AT) age section is rich in polysaccharides, steroids, organic acids, and lipids; the three years (CT) age section contains more flavonoids, alkaloids, and amino acid metabolites. Lipids were significantly enriched in the broad-leaved green stem germplasm and the one-year age section. Interestingly, the highest accumulation of triacylglycerols, an important component of lipids, was also found in the GK germplasm and the AT age section. Nineteen, 14, and 13 members of the glycerol-3-phosphate acyltransferase (GPAT), lysophosphatidic acid acyltransferase (LPAT), and diacylglycerol acyltransferase (DGAT) gene families, respectively, involved in triacylglycerol synthesis were also identified. The quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) results further suggested that the differentially expressed PcDGAT1, PcDGAT2.4, PcGPAT9.1, PcLPAT2.9, and PcLPAT4.3 genes may play important roles in triacylglycerol synthesis in P. cyrtonema. Therefore, this study provides a new theoretical reference for product development and the breeding of new varieties of Polygonatum species.

Semi-Embedded Structured Bi Nanospheres for Boosted Self-Heating-Induced Healing of Li-Dendrites.

It is reported that self-heating-induced healing on lithium metal anodes (LMAs) provides a mitigation strategy for suppressing Li dendrites. However, how to boost the self-heating-induced healing of Li-dendrites and incorporate it into Li-host design remains an imminent problem that needs to be solved. Herein, a new bismuth nanosphere semi-buried carbon cloth (Bi-NS-CC) material with a 3D flexible host structure is proposed. The ultrasmall Bi nanospheres are uniformly and densely distributed on carbon fiber, providing active sites to form uniform Li3 Bi alloy with molten lithium, thereby guiding the injection of molten metallic lithium into the 3D structure to form a self-supporting composite LMAs. The ingenious semi-embedded structure with strong interfacial C─Bi ensures superior mechanical properties. Interestingly, when the current density reaches up to 10 mA cm-2 , the lithium dendrites undergo self-heating. Carbon cloth as a host can quickly and uniformly transfer heat, which induces the uniform migration of Li on anodes. The semi-embedded structure with strong C─Bi ensures Bi nanospheres guide the formation of smooth morphology even under these harsh conditions (high-temperature, high-rate, etc.). Consequently, at 10 mA cm-2 /10 mAh cm-2 , the Li/Li3 Bi-NS-CC realizes ultra-long cycles of 1500 h and ultra-low overpotential of 15 mV in a symmetric cell.

A photothermal assisted zinc-air battery cathode based on pyroelectric and photocatalytic effect.

Zinc-air battery as one of the new generations of battery system, its theoretical specific energy is as high as 1086 Wh kg-1, specific capacity up to 820 mAh/g, and zinc has the advantages of environmental friendliness, resource abundance, low cost and good safety, so it has attracted much attention. However, due to its slow reaction kinetic process, zinc-air battery will produce a large charging overpotential usually up to 2 V, it is far beyond the theoretical voltage of 1.65 V, so reducing the overpotential of zinc-air batteries is extremely necessary, and the most common way to solve this problem is to use excellent catalyst cathode to improve the oxygen reduction and oxygen evolution kinetics of zinc-air batteries. So we developed a new photothermal assisted zinc-air battery system with Hollow carbon nanosphere@poly (vinylidene fluoride-trifluoroethylene-chlorofluoroethylene)@CdS(HCN@PVTC@CdS) photocathode, the pyroelectric and photocatalysis effect can effectively promote the reaction kinetics and reduce the reaction overpotential. With the pyroelectric and photocatalysis synergistic effect, the zinc-air has displayed a high discharge potential of 1.33 V and a low charging potential of 1.5 V with good cycle stability. This multi-assist technology with built-in electric and light fields paves the way for the development of high-performance zinc-air batteries and other energy storage systems.

Mushroom-derived bioactive components with definite structures in alleviating the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a complicated neurodegenerative condition with two forms: familial and sporadic. The familial presentation is marked by autosomal dominance, typically occurring early in individuals under 65 years of age, while the sporadic presentation is late-onset, occurring in individuals over the age of 65. The majority of AD cases are characterized by late-onset and sporadic. Despite extensive research conducted over several decades, there is a scarcity of effective therapies and strategies. Considering the lack of a cure for AD, it is essential to explore alternative natural substances with higher efficacy and fewer side effects for AD treatment. Bioactive compounds derived from mushrooms have demonstrated significant potential in AD prevention and treatment by different mechanisms such as targeting amyloid formation, tau, cholinesterase dysfunction, oxidative stress, neuroinflammation, neuronal apoptosis, neurotrophic factors, ER stress, excitotoxicity, and mitochondrial dysfunction. These compounds have garnered considerable interest from the academic community owing to their advantages of multi-channel, multi-target, high safety and low toxicity. This review focuses on the various mechanisms involved in the development and progression of AD, presents the regulatory effects of bioactive components with definite structure from mushroom on AD in recent years, highlights the possible intervention pathways of mushroom bioactive components targeting different mechanisms, and discusses the clinical studies, limitations, and future perspectives of mushroom bioactive components in AD prevention and treatment.

Safety and Immunogenicity of a Recombinant Two-Component SARS-CoV-2 Protein Vaccine: Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Phase I and Phase II Studies.

INTRODUCTION: ReCOV is a recombinant protein vaccine that aims to induce cross-neutralization against SARS-CoV-2 variants. The phase I and phase II studies were conducted in New Zealand and the Philippines, respectively, for ReCOV primary series. METHODS: Both studies were randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled designed among COVID-19 vaccine-naïve healthy adults who received two doses of study vaccination with a 21-day interval. In phase I, 100 younger (15-55 years) and older (56-80 years) subjects were 4:1 randomized to receive ReCOV (20 µg or 40 µg) or placebo. In the phase II study, 347 subjects (≥ 18 years) were 2:1 randomized to receive 40 µg ReCOV or placebo. Subjects that received ReCOV were followed up for 6 months after the second dosing. The safety outcomes included solicited and unsolicited AEs, SAEs, and AESIs. The immunogenicity outcomes were live-virus neutralizing antibody (NAb) against prototype, while pseudovirus NAbs against several SARS-CoV-2 variants were included in phase II as well. RESULTS: No related SAE, AESI, or AE leading to early discontinuation were reported. The AE incidences were higher in ReCOV groups than placebo group in phase I while they were similar between study groups in phase II. The majority of solicited AEs were mild or moderate with median duration of 1.0-4.0 days. The common (≥ 10%) solicited AEs in phase I were injection site reactions, headache, pyrexia, fatigue, and myalgia, and common reported (≥ 5%) ones in phase II included injection site pain, headache, and pyrexia. Robust neutralizing activities against the prototype were observed in ReCOV groups, peaking at 14 days post the second dosing: in phase I, the GMTs for 20 µg and 40 µg ReCOV groups were 1643.2 IU/mL (95% CI 1188.5, 2271.9) and 1289.2 IU/mL (95% CI 868.3, 1914.1) in younger adults, and 1122.3 IU/mL (95% CI 722.6, 1743.1) and 680.3 IU/mL (95% CI 440.2, 1051.4) in older adults, respectively, while in the ReCOV group of phase II, the GMTs for subjects with seronegative and seropositive status at baseline were 3741.0 IU/mL (95% CI 3113.4, 4495.0) and 6138.3 IU/mL (95% CI 5255.1, 7169.9), respectively. In phase II, substantial levels of pseudovirus NAbs against SARS-CoV-2 variants were demonstrated; the peak GMTs for prototype, Omicron BA.2, and BA.4/5 were 8857, 4441, and 2644, and 15,667.3, 7334.3, and 4478.8 among seronegative and seropositive subjects, respectively. The neutralization persisted till 6 months post the second dosing, with only 2.5- to 5.2-fold declines for Omicron variants. CONCLUSIONS: Two doses of 20 µg and 40 µg ReCOV are safe and immunogenic against SARS-CoV-2 prototype. The cross-neutralizing activities against Omicron variants support ReCOV advance to late-stage clinical trials. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Phase I study, clinicaltrials.gov NCT04818801; phase II study, clinicaltrials.gov NCT05084989.

Research of the transition from a aqueous zinc ion battery to an aqueous hydrogen proton battery triggered by the Cu@Cu31S16 cathode material development.

The aqueous zinc ion battery (AZIB) has been widely studied due to its rapid kinetics and high specific capacity attributed to the chemical insertion of H+ protons. However, the current research landscape lacks comprehensive investigations into copper-based sulfide materials and the intricate co-embedding/extraction mechanism of H+/Zn2+. In this study, we employed an innovative in-situ etching method to synthesize a current collector-integrated Cu@Cu31S16 cathode material. Cu31S16 not only exhibits excellent stability and conductivity but also activates proton insertion chemistry. Consequently, we have demonstrated, for the first time, efficient and reversible co-embedding/extraction behavior of H+/Zn2+ in Zn-Cu31S16 batteries. Specifically, owing to the lower charging and discharging plateaus of zinc ions (0.65 V, 0.45 V) compared to H+ (0.97 V, 0.84 V) in Zn-Cu31S16 batteries, two distinct plateaus were observed. Moreover, we delved into the mechanism of ion co-embedding/extraction by exploring different ions (Zn2+, H+/Zn2+, H+) within varying voltage ranges. This exploration led to the development of three types of ion batteries, where Zn2+, H+/Zn2+, and H+ exhibit co-embedding/extraction within voltage ranges of 0.3-0.9 V, 0.3-1.05 V, and 0.5-1.05 V, respectively. These batteries have achieved impressive performance with specific capacities of 282.74 mAh g-1, 587.4 mAh g-1 and 687.3 mAh g-1, respectively. Introducing the concept of "Voltage-Selective Ion Co-Embedding/Extraction", this study broadens the research scope of AZIBs. This research not only offers a feasible solution and theoretical guidance for future proton batteries but also underscores the tremendous potential of AHPB.

Immunogenicity and safety of boosting with a recombinant two-component SARS-CoV-2 vaccine: two randomized, parallel-controlled, phase 2 studies.

BACKGROUND: Recombinant protein vaccines are vital for broad protection against SARS-CoV-2 variants. This study assessed ReCOV as a booster in two Phase 2 trials. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: Study-1 involved subjects were randomized (1:1:1) to receive 20 µg ReCOV, 40 µg ReCOV, or an inactivated vaccine (COVILO®) in the United Arab Emirates. Study-2 participating individuals were randomized (1:1:1) to receive 20 µg ReCOV (pilot batch, ReCOV HA), 20 µg ReCOV (commercial batch, ReCOV TC), or 30 µg BNT162b2 (COMIRNATY®) in the Philippines. The primary immunogenicity objectives was to compare the geometric mean titer (GMT) and seroconversion rate (SCR) of neutralizing antibodies induced by one ReCOV booster dose with those of inactivated vaccine and BNT162b2, respectively, at 14 days post-booster. RESULTS: Heterologous ReCOV booster doses were safe and induced comparable immune responses to inactivated vaccines and BNT162b2 against Omicron variants and the prototype. They showed significant advantages in cross-neutralization against multiple SARS-CoV-2 variants, surpassing inactivated vaccines and BNT162b2, with good immune persistence. CONCLUSIONS: Heterologous ReCOV boosting was safe and effective, showing promise in combating COVID-19. The study highlights ReCOV's potential for enhanced protection, supported by strong cross-neutralization and immune persistence. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: Study-1, www.clinicaltrials.gov, identifier is NCT05323435; Study-2, www.clinicaltrials.gov, identifier is NCT05084989.

Modulation of cancer-associated fibroblasts by nanodelivery system to enhance efficacy of tumor therapy.

Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) are the most common cells in the tumor stroma and are essential for tumor development and metastasis. While decreasing the release and infiltration of nanomedicine through nonspecific internalization, CAFs specifically increase solid tumor pressure and interstitial fluid pressure by secreting tumor growth- and migration-promoting cytokines, which increases vascular and organ pressure caused by solid tumor pressure. Nanoparticles have good permeability and can penetrate tumor tissue to reach the lesion area, inhibiting tumor growth. Thus, CAFs are used as modifiable targets. Here, the authors review the biological functions, origins and biomarkers of CAFs and summarize strategies for modulating CAFs in nanodelivery systems. This study provides a prospective guide to modulating CAFs to enhance oncology treatment.

Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) participate in the growth and metastasis of cancer and also suppress the penetration of antitumor drugs into the deep tumor tissue. Therefore, many researchers have sought to improve the therapeutic efficacy of nanomedicine through the regulation of CAFs. Some nanoparticles that can precisely target CAFs can slow their growth while also assisting the immune system in fighting cancer cells and releasing pressure within the tumor. These nanoparticles may pass through tumors and inhibit the growth of cancer cells. Therefore, the modulation of CAFs with nanomedicines to enhance tumor therapy is essential.

A dendrite-free and anticaustic Zn anode enabled by high current-induced reconstruction of the electrical double layer.

Aqueous Zn-based batteries deliver thousands of cycles at high rates but poor recyclability at low rates. Herein, we reveal that this illogical phenomenon is attributed to the reconstructed electrode/electrolyte interface at high rates, wherein the condensed electrical double layer (EDL) and the tightly absorbed Zn2+ ions on the Zn electrode surface afford compact and corrosion-resistant Zn deposits.

Mushroom Polysaccharides as Potential Candidates for Alleviating Neurodegenerative Diseases.

Neurodegenerative diseases (NDs) are a widespread and serious global public health burden, particularly among the older population. At present, effective therapies do not exist, despite the increasing understanding of the different mechanisms of NDs. In recent years, some drugs, such as galantamine, entacapone, riluzole, and edaravone, have been proposed for the treatment of different NDs; however, they mainly concentrate on symptom management and confer undesirable side effects and adverse reactions. Therefore, there is an urgent need to find novel drugs with fewer disadvantages and higher efficacy for the treatment of NDs. Mushroom polysaccharides are macromolecular complexes with multi-targeting bioactivities, low toxicity, and high safety. Some have been demonstrated to exhibit neuroprotective effects via their antioxidant, anti-amyloidogenic, anti-neuroinflammatory, anticholinesterase, anti-apoptotic, and anti-neurotoxicity activities, which have potential in the treatment of NDs. This review focuses on the different processes involved in ND development and progression, highlighting the neuroprotective activities and potential role of mushroom polysaccharides and summarizing the limitations and future perspectives of mushroom polysaccharides in the prevention and treatment of NDs.