The end-of-life power battery recycling & remanufacturing center location-adjustment problem considering battery capacity and quantity uncertainty.

The booming electric vehicle market has led to an increasing number of end-of-life power batteries. In order to reduce environmental pollution and promote the realization of circular economy, how to fully and effectively recycle the end-of-life power batteries has become an urgent challenge to be solved today. The recycling & remanufacturing center is an extremely important and key facility in the recycling process of used batteries, which ensures that the recycled batteries can be handled in a standardized manner under the conditions of professional facilities. In reality, different adjustment options for existing recycling & remanufacturing centers have a huge impact on the planning of new sites. This paper proposes a mixed-integer linear programming model for the siting problem of battery recycling & remanufacturing centers considering site location-adjustment. The model allows for demolition, renewal, and new construction options in planning for recycling & remanufacturing centers. By adjusting existing sites, this paper provides an efficient allocation of resources under the condition of meeting the demand for recycling of used batteries. Next, under the new model proposed in this paper, the uncertainty of the quantity and capacity of recycled used batteries is considered. By establishing different capacity conditions of batteries under multiple scenarios, a robust model was developed to determine the number and location of recycling & remanufacturing centers, which promotes sustainable development, reduces environmental pollution and effectively copes with the risk of the future quantity of used batteries exceeding expectations. In the final results of the case analysis, our proposed model considering the existing sites adjustment reduces the cost by 3.14% compared to the traditional model, and the average site utilization rate is 15.38% higher than the traditional model. The results show that the model has an effective effect in reducing costs, allocating resources, and improving efficiency, which could provide important support for decision-making in the recycling of used power batteries.

Nanoparticle-Based Immunotherapy for Reversing T-Cell Exhaustion.

T-cell exhaustion refers to a state of T-cell dysfunction commonly observed in chronic infections and cancer. Immune checkpoint molecules blockading using PD-1 and TIM-3 antibodies have shown promising results in reversing exhaustion, but this approach has several limitations. The treatment of T-cell exhaustion is still facing great challenges, making it imperative to explore new therapeutic strategies. With the development of nanotechnology, nanoparticles have successfully been applied as drug carriers and delivery systems in the treatment of cancer and infectious diseases. Furthermore, nanoparticle-based immunotherapy has emerged as a crucial approach to reverse exhaustion. Here, we have compiled the latest advances in T-cell exhaustion, with a particular focus on the characteristics of exhaustion that can be targeted. Additionally, the emerging nanoparticle-based delivery systems were also reviewed. Moreover, we have discussed, in detail, nanoparticle-based immunotherapies that aim to reverse exhaustion, including targeting immune checkpoint blockades, remodeling the tumor microenvironment, and targeting the metabolism of exhausted T cells, etc. These data could aid in comprehending the immunopathogenesis of exhaustion and accomplishing the objective of preventing and treating chronic diseases or cancer.

Possible Mechanisms of Lymphopenia in Severe Tuberculosis.

Tuberculosis (TB) is a chronic infectious disease caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M. tuberculosis). In lymphopenia, T cells are typically characterized by progressive loss and a decrease in their count results. Lymphopenia can hinder immune responses and lead to systemic immunosuppression, which is strongly associated with mortality. Lymphopenia is a significant immunological abnormality in the majority of patients with severe and advanced TB, and its severity is linked to disease outcomes. However, the underlying mechanism remains unclear. Currently, the research on the pathogenesis of lymphopenia during M. tuberculosis infection mainly focuses on how it affects lymphocyte production, survival, or tissue redistribution. This includes impairing hematopoiesis, inhibiting T-cell proliferation, and inducing lymphocyte apoptosis. In this study, we have compiled the latest research on the possible mechanisms that may cause lymphopenia during M. tuberculosis infection. Lymphopenia may have serious consequences in severe TB patients. Additionally, we discuss in detail potential intervention strategies to prevent lymphopenia, which could help understand TB immunopathogenesis and achieve the goal of preventing and treating severe TB.

Construction and evaluation of a novel multi-antigenic Mycobacterium tuberculosis subunit vaccine candidate BfrB-GrpE/DPC.

Tuberculosis poses a significant threat to human health due to the lack of an effective vaccine. Although promising progress has been made in the development of tuberculosis vaccines, new vaccines that broaden the antigenic repertoire need to be developed to eradicate this illness. In this study, we used Mycobacterium tuberculosis ferritin BfrB and heat-shock protein GrpE to construct a novel multi-antigenic fusion protein, BfrB-GrpE (BG). BG protein was stably overexpressed in the soluble form in Escherichia coli at a high yield and purified via sequential salt fractionation and hydrophobic chromatography. Purified BG was emulsified in an adjuvant containing N, N'-dimethyl-N, N'-dioctadecylammonium bromide, polyinosinic-polycytidylic acid, and cholesterol (DPC) to construct the BG/DPC vaccine, which stimulated strong cellular and humoral immune responses in mice. Moreover, combination of BG with our previously developed vaccine, Mtb10.4-HspX (MH), containing antigens from both the proliferating and dormant stages, significantly reduced the bacterial counts in the lungs and spleens of M. tuberculosis-infected mice. Importantly, mice that received BG + MH/DPC after M. tuberculosis H37Rv infection survived slightly better (100% survival) than those that received the BCG vaccine (80% survival), although the difference was not statistically significant. Our findings can aid in the selection of antigens and optimization of vaccination regimens to improve the efficacy of tuberculosis vaccines.

Glutamate Transporters GltS, GltP and GltI Are Involved in Escherichia coli Tolerance In Vitro and Pathogenicity in Mouse Urinary Tract Infections.

To verify the roles of GltS, GltP, and GltI in E. coli tolerance and pathogenicity, we quantified and compared the relative abundance of gltS, gltP, and gltI in log-phase and stationary-phase E. coli and constructed their knockout mutant strains in E. coli BW25113 and uropathogenic E. coli (UPEC) separately, followed by analysis of their abilities to tolerate antibiotics and stressors, their capacity for adhesion to and invasion of human bladder epithelial cells, and their survival ability in mouse urinary tracts. Our results showed that gltS, gltP, and gltI transcripts were higher in stationary phase E. coli than in log-phase incubation. Furthermore, deletion of gltS, gltP, and gltI genes in E. coli BW25113 results in decreased tolerance to antibiotics (levofloxacin and ofloxacin) and stressors (acid pH, hyperosmosis, and heat), and loss of gltS, gltP, and gltI in uropathogenic E. coli UTI89 caused attenuated adhesion and invasion in human bladder epithelial cells and markedly reduced survival in mice. The results showed the important roles of the glutamate transporter genes gltI, gltP, and gltS in E. coli tolerance to antibiotics (levofloxacin and ofloxacin) and stressors (acid pH, hyperosmosis, and heat) in vitro and in pathogenicity in mouse urinary tracts and human bladder epithelial cells, as shown by reduced survival and colonization, which improves our understanding of the molecular mechanisms of bacterial tolerance and pathogenicity.

Preparation and Testing of Anisotropic MAPbI3 Perovskite Photoelectric Sensors.

Perovskite structures of organic and inorganic halides are peculiar structures with many interesting properties. Using their photoelectric effect, the structures have been used in photocells, photoelectric sensors, and light-emitting diodes. In conventional perovskite film crystallization, which is a one-step method, the MAPbI3 crystals form disordered needlelike crystals at room temperature. Such needlelike crystal films have rough surfaces and low coverage to the substrate, resulting in insignificant photoelectric effects. With the assistance of an electric field and three-dimensional (3D) printing, the direction of the perovskite needlelike crystal can be arranged to make it orderly. In this way, the photoelectric sensor of the ordered MAPbI3 perovskite needlelike crystal film can be prepared. This sensor has high sensitivity, high stability, and high response speed. Moreover, it has anisotropy and higher photoelectric sensitivity in the direction perpendicular to the needle crystal. Most interestingly, the sensors respond differently to polarized light in different directions, and this effect can be used to detect the direction and degree of polarization of polarized light.