Regulation of mesenchymal stem cell differentiation by autophagy.

Autophagy, a process that isolates intracellular components and fuses them with lysosomes for degradation, plays an important cytoprotective role by eliminating harmful intracellular substances and maintaining cellular homeostasis. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are multipotent progenitor cells with the capacity for self-renewal that can give rise to a subset of tissues and therefore have potential in regenerative medicine. However, a variety of variables influence the biological activity of MSCs following their proliferation and transplantation in vitro. The regulation of autophagy in MSCs represents a possible mechanism that influences MSC differentiation properties under the right microenvironment, affecting their regenerative and therapeutic potential. However, a deeper understanding of exactly how autophagy is mobilized to function as well as clarifying the mechanisms by which autophagy promotes MSCs differentiation is still needed. Here, we review the current literature on the complex link between MSCs differentiation and autophagy induced by various extracellular or intracellular stimuli and the molecular targets that influence MSCs lineage determination, which may highlight the potential regulation of autophagy on MSCs' therapeutic capacity, and provide a broader perspective on the clinical application of MSCs in the treatment of a wide range of diseases.

Potential mechanism of ginseng in the treatment of periodontitis based on network pharmacology and molecular docking.

OBJECTIVES: To explore the mechanism of ginseng in the treatment of periodontitis based on network pharmacology and molecular docking technology. METHODS: Potential targets of ginseng and periodontitis were obtained through various databases. The intersection targets of ginseng and periodontitis were obtained by using VENNY, the protein-protein interaction network relationship diagram was formed on the STRING platform, the core target diagram was formed by Cytoscape software, and the ginseng-active ingredient-target network diagram was constructed. The selected targets were screened for gene ontology (GO) and Kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment analysis. The core targets of ginseng's active ingredients in treating periodontitis were analyzed by molecular docking technique. RESULTS: The 22 ginseng's active ingredients, 591 potential targets of ginseng's active ingredients, 2 249 periodontitis gene targets, and 145 ginseng-periodontitis intersection targets were analyzed. Ginseng had strong binding activity on core targets such as vascular endothelial growth factor A and epidermal growth factor receptor, as well as hypoxia induced-factor 1 (HIF-1) signaling pathway and phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase-protein kinase B (PI3K-Akt) signaling pathway. CONCLUSIONS: Ginseng and its active components can regulate several signaling pathways such as HIF-1 and PI3K-Akt, thereby indicating that ginseng may play a role in treating periodontitis through multiple pathways.

The application of mesenchymal stem cells in the treatment of traumatic brain injury: mechanisms, results, and problems.

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are multipotent stromal cells that can be derived from a wide variety of human tissues and organs. They can differentiate into a variety of cell types, including osteoblasts, adipocytes, and chondrocytes, and thus show great potential in regenerative medicine. Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is an organic injury to brain tissue with a high rate of disability and death caused by an external impact or concussive force acting directly or indirectly on the head. The current treatment of TBI mainly includes symptomatic, pharmacological, and rehabilitation treatment. Although some efficacy has been achieved, the definitive recovery effect on neural tissue is still limited. Recent studies have shown that MSC therapies are more effective than traditional treatment strategies due to their strong multi-directional differentiation potential, self-renewal capacity, and low immunogenicity and homing properties, thus MSCs are considered to play an important role and are an ideal cell for the treatment of injurious diseases, including TBI. In this paper, we systematically reviewed the role and mechanisms of MSCs and MSC-derived exosomes in the treatment of TBI, thereby providing new insights into the clinical applications of MSCs and MSC-derived exosomes in the treatment of central nervous system disorders.

Protein from rapeseed for food applications: Extraction, sensory quality, functional and nutritional properties.

The application of rapeseed protein in human foods is limited by residual antinutritive components and poor sensory quality. The effects of five extraction protocols on rapeseed protein yield, sensory, functional and nutritional properties were systematically evaluated in this study. In particular, the potential of weakly acidic salt (pH 6.5, 150 mmol·L-1 MgCl2) extraction as a mild method for recovering edible rapeseed protein was investigated compared with conventional alkali extraction. All salt-extracted proteins showed above 40 % extraction yield and low antinutritional factor contents. They also had ideal amino acid patterns and better in vitro gastroduodenal digestibility than alkaline-extracted proteins. Additionally, the lighter color and odor, as well as better solubility, emulsion activity, foaming property, and water/oil holding capacity were found in weakly acidic salt extraction-ultrafiltered proteins. These findings suggest that weakly acidic salt extraction-ultrafiltration could be used for obtaining edible rapeseed protein, while extraction yield should be improved for scale application.

Li+ mobility powered by a crystal compound for fast Li-S chemistry.

Placing blocking layers between electrodes has shown paramount prospects in suppressing the shuttle effect of Li-S batteries, but the associated ionic transport would be a concurrent obstacle. Herein, we present a Li-based crystal composited with carbon (LiPN2@C) by a one-step annealing of Li+ absorbed melamine polyphosphate, which simultaneously achieves alleviated polysulfide-shuttling and facilitated Li+ transport. As a homologous crystal, LiPN2 with abundant lithiophilic sites makes Li+ transport more efficient and sustainable. With a LiPN2@C-modified separator, the Li2S cathode exhibits a much-lower activation potential of 2.4 V and a high-rate capacity of 519 mA h g-1 at 2C. Impressively, the battery delivers a capacity of 726 mA h g-1 at 0.5C with a low decay rate of 0.25% per cycle during 100 continuous cycles.

Fast-Charging Sodium-Ion Batteries Enabled by Molecular-Level Designed Nitrogen and Phosphorus Codoped Mesoporous Soft Carbon.

Soft carbons have attracted extensive interests as competitive anodes for fast-charging sodium-ion batteries (SIBs); however, the high-rate performance is still restricted by their large ion migration barriers and sluggish reaction kinetics. Herein, we show a molecular design approach toward the fabrication of nitrogen and phosphorus codoped mesoporous soft carbon (NPSC). The key to this strategy lies in the chemical cross-linking reaction between polyphosphoric acid and p-phenylenediamine, associated with pyrolysis induced in-situ self-activation that creates mesoporous structures and rich heteroatoms within the carbon matrix. Thanks to the enlarged interlayer spacing, reduced ion diffusion length, and plentiful active sites, the obtained NPSC delivers a superb rate capacity of 215 mAh g-1 at 10 A g-1 and an ultralong cycle life of 4,700 cycles at 5 A g-1. Remarkably, the full cell shows 99% capacity retention during 100 continuous cycles, and maximum energy and power densities of 191 Wh kg-1 and 9.2 kW kg-1, respectively. We believe that such a synthetic protocol could pave a novel venue to develop soft carbons with unique properties for advanced SIBs.

Interface Engineering Toward Expedited Li2 S Deposition in Lithium-Sulfur Batteries: A Critical Review.

Lithium-sulfur batteries (LSBs) with superior energy density are among the most promising candidates of next-generation energy storage techniques. As the key step contributing to 75% of the overall capacity, Li2 S deposition remains a formidable challenge for LSBs applications because of its sluggish kinetics. The severe kinetic issue originates from the huge interfacial impedances, indicative of the interface-dominated nature of Li2 S deposition. Accordingly, increasing efforts have been devoted to interface engineering for efficient Li2 S deposition, which has attained inspiring success to date. However, a systematic overview and in-depth understanding of this critical field are still absent. In this review, the principles of interface-controlled Li2 S precipitation are presented, clarifying the pivotal roles of electrolyte-substrate and electrolyte-Li2 S interfaces in regulating Li2 S depositing behavior. For the optimization of the electrolyte-substrate interface, efforts on the design of substrates including metal compounds, functionalized carbons, and organic compounds are systematically summarized. Regarding the regulation of electrolyte-Li2 S interface, the progress of applying polysulfides catholytes, redox mediators, and high-donicity/polarity electrolytes is overviewed in detail. Finally, the challenges and possible solutions aiming at optimizing Li2 S deposition are given for further development of practical LSBs. This review would inspire more insightful works and, more importantly, may enlighten other electrochemical areas concerning heterogeneous deposition processes.

Engineering the First Coordination Shell of Single Zn Atoms via Molecular Design Strategy toward High-Performance Sodium-Ion Hybrid Capacitors.

Atomically dispersed Zn moieties are efficient active sites for accelerating the electrode kinetics of carbons for sodium-ion hybrid capacitors (SIHCs), but the low utilization and symmetric configuration of Zn single-atom greatly hamper the Na ion storage capability. Herein, a molecular design strategy is employed to synthesize high-density Zn single atoms with asymmetric Zn-N3 S coordination embedded in nitrogen/sulfur codoped carbon (Zn-N3 S-NSC). The key to this strategy lies in the Zn power-catalyzed condensation of trithiocyanuric acid molecules to generate S-doped g-C3 N4 , which can in situ coordinate with Zn sources to form Zn-N3 S moieties during pyrolysis. By virtue of the highly exposed Zn-N3 S moieties, Zn-N3 S-NSC presents ultrahigh reactivity, efficient electron transfer, and decreased ion diffusion barriers for SIHCs, rendering an impressive energy density of 215 Wh kg-1 and a maximum power density of 15625 W kg-1 . Moreover, the pouch cell displays a high capacity of 279 mAh g-1 after 4000 cycles. This work provides a new avenue for the regulation of the coordination configuration of single metal atoms in carbons toward high-performance electrochemical energy technologies at the molecular level.

On the Road to the Frontiers of Lithium-Ion Batteries: A Review and Outlook of Graphene Anodes.

Graphene has long been recognized as a potential anode for next-generation lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). The past decade has witnessed the rapid advancement of graphene anodes, and considerable breakthroughs are achieved so far. In this review, the aim is to provide a research roadmap of graphene anodes toward practical LIBs. The Li storage mechanism of graphene is started with and then the approaches to improve its electrochemical performance are comprehensively summarized. First, morphologically engineered graphene anodes with porous, spheric, ribboned, defective and holey structures display improved capacity and rate performance owing to their highly accessible surface area, interconnected diffusion channels, and sufficient active sites. Surface-modified graphene anodes with less aggregation, fast electrons/ions transportation, and optimal solid electrolyte interphase are discussed, demonstrating the close connection between the surface structure and electrochemical activity of graphene. Second, graphene derivatives anodes prepared by heteroatom doping and covalent functionalization are outlined, which show great advantages in boosting the Li storage performances because of the additionally introduced defect/active sites for further Li accommodation. Furthermore, binder-free and free-standing graphene electrodes are presented, exhibiting great prospects for high-energy-density and flexible LIBs. Finally, the remaining challenges and future opportunities of practically available graphene anodes for advanced LIBs are highlighted.

Advances in the Emerging Gradient Designs of Li Metal Hosts.

Developing host has been recognized a potential countermeasure to circumvent the intrinsic drawbacks of Li metal anode (LMA), such as uncontrolled dendrite growth, unstable solid electrolyte interface, and infinite volume fluctuations. To realize proper Li accommodation, particularly bottom-up deposition of Li metal, gradient designs of host materials including lithiophilicity and/or conductivity have attracted a great deal of attention in recent years. However, a critical and specialized review on this quickly evolving topic is still absent. In this review, we attempt to comprehensively summarize and update the related advances in guiding Li nucleation and deposition. First, the fundamentals regarding Li deposition are discussed, with particular attention to the gradient design principles of host materials. Correspondingly, the progress of creating different gradients in terms of lithiophilicity, conductivity, and their hybrid is systematically reviewed. Finally, future challenges and perspective on the gradient design of advanced hosts towards practical LMAs are provided, which would provide a useful guidance for future studies.

The Structural and the Functional Aspects of Intercellular Communication in iPSC-Cardiomyocytes.

Recent advances in the technology of producing novel cardiomyocytes from induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC-cardiomyocytes) fuel new hope for future clinical applications. The use of iPSC-cardiomyocytes is particularly promising for the therapy of cardiac diseases such as myocardial infarction, where these cells could replace scar tissue and restore the functionality of the heart. Despite successful cardiogenic differentiation, medical applications of iPSC-cardiomyocytes are currently limited by their pronounced immature structural and functional phenotype. This review focuses on gap junction function in iPSC-cardiomyocytes and portrays our current understanding around the structural and the functional limitations of intercellular coupling and viable cardiac graft formation involving these novel cardiac muscle cells. We further highlight the role of the gap junction protein connexin 43 as a potential target for improving cell-cell communication and electrical signal propagation across cardiac tissue engineered from iPSC-cardiomyocytes. Better insight into the mechanisms that promote functional intercellular coupling is the foundation that will allow the development of novel strategies to combat the immaturity of iPSC-cardiomyocytes and pave the way toward cardiac tissue regeneration.

Expediting Sulfur Reduction/Evolution Reactions with Integrated Electrocatalytic Network: A Comprehensive Kinetic Map.

Electrocatalysts are considered the most promising candidates in ameliorating the slow kinetics of Li-S batteries (LSBs), however, the issue of insufficient catalytic capability remains to be addressed. Herein, we report an integrated catalytic network comprising graphitic carbon-encapsulated/bridged ultrafine NiCoP embedded in N, P-codoped carbon (GC-uNiCoP@NPC) as a highly competent catalyst for sulfur-based species conversions. By profiling the evolution map of Li-S chemistry via operando kinetic analyses, GC-uNiCoP@NPC is demonstrated to possess versatile yet efficient catalytic activity for sulfur reduction/evolution reactions, especially the rate-determining heterogeneous phase transitions. As a result, GC-uNiCoP@NPC enables high capacity and stable cycling of sulfur cathode under high areal loading and lean electrolyte. Moreover, pouch cells assembled under practical conditions present promising performance with a specific energy of 302 Wh kg-1. This work not only conceptually expands the catalyst design for LSBs but also provides a comprehensive insight into the catalyst performance for Li-S chemistry.

A stable and ultrafast K ion storage anode based on phase-engineered MoSe2.

Potassium-ion batteries (PIBs) are attracting increasing attention due to the abundance of K resources, but the sluggish kinetics and inferior cycling stability of anodes still hinder their application. Herein, we present a hybrid 1T/2H phase MoSe2 anode, which shows noticeable pseudocapacitive response and fast kinetics for K storage. Correspondingly, superior electrochemical performances including a high reversible capacity of 440 mA h g-1 after 100 cycles at 0.1 A g-1 and superb rate capacity of 211 mA h g-1 at 20.0 A g-1 are achieved. We believe this work may shed light on the phase engineering of transition metal compounds for rapid charging PIBs.

Kinetically Controlled, Scalable Synthesis of γ-FeOOH Nanosheet Arrays on Nickel Foam toward Efficient Oxygen Evolution: The Key Role of In-Situ-Generated γ-NiOOH.

Layered γ-type iron oxyhydroxide (γ-FeOOH) is a promising material for various applications; however, its sheet-shaped structure often suffers from instability that results in aggregation and leads to inferior performance. Herein, a kinetically controlled hydrolysis strategy is proposed for the scalable synthesis of γ-FeOOH nanosheets arrays (NAs) with enhanced structural stability on diverse substrates at ambient conditions. The underlying mechanisms for the growth of γ-FeOOH NAs associated with their structural evolution are systematically elucidated by alkalinity-controlled synthesis and time-dependent experiments. As a proof-of-concept application, γ-FeOOH NAs are developed as electrocatalysts for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER), where the sample grown on nickel foam (NF) exhibits superior performance of high catalytic current density, small Tafel slope, and exceptional durability, which is among the top level of FeOOH-based electrocatalysts. Density functional theory calculations suggest that γ-NiOOH in situ generated from the electrooxidation of NF would induce charge accumulation on the Fe sites of γ-FeOOH NAs, leading to enhanced OER intermediates adsorption for water splitting. This work affords a new technique to rationally design and synthesize γ-FeOOH NAs for various applications.

State-Of-The-Art and Future Challenges in High Energy Lithium-Selenium Batteries.

Li-chalcogen batteries, especially the Li-S batteries (LSBs), have received paramount interests as next generation energy storage techniques because of their high theoretical energy densities. However, the associated challenges need to be overcome prior to their commercialization. Elemental selenium, another chalcogen member, would be an attractive alternative to sulfur owing to its higher electronic conductivity, comparable capacity density, and moreover, excellent compatibility with carbonate electrolytes. Unlike LSBs, the research and development of Li-Se batteries (LSeBs) have garnered burgeoning attention but are still in their infant stage, where a comprehensive yet in-depth overview is highly imperative to guide future research. Herein, a critical review of LSeBs, in terms of the underlying mechanisms, cathode design, blocking layer engineering, and emerging solid-state electrolytes is provided. First, the electrolyte-dependent electrochemistry of LSeBs is discussed. Second, the advances in Se-based cathodes are comprehensively summarized, especially highlighting the state-of-the-art Sex Sy cathodes, and mainly focusing on their structures, compositions, and synthetic strategies. Third, the versatile separators/interlayers optimization and interface regulation are outlined, with a particular focus on the emerging solid-state electrolytes for advanced LSeBs. Last, the remaining challenges and research orientations in this booming field are proposed, which are expected to motivate more insightful works.

High-performance sodium-ion anodes enabled by a low-temperature molten salt approach.

A low-temperature doping approach has been developed for fabricating nitrogen and sulfur co-doped few-layer graphene (NS-FLG) by annealing graphene oxide in KSCN molten salt at 175 °C. The as-prepared NS-FLG with a high doping level and unique few-layer structure delivers remarkable performance for sodium-ion batteries (SIBs) in terms of a high reversible capacity of 325.4 mA h g-1 at 0.5 A g-1, a superb rate capacity of 203.6 mA h g-1 at 10 A g-1, and ultra-long cyclability over 5100 cycles. This work provides a new avenue for exploring advanced graphene-based materials towards SIBs and even other electrochemical fields.

Low-temperature molten salt synthesis of MoS2@CoS2 heterostructures for efficient hydrogen evolution reaction.

A versatile low-temperature molten salt approach has been developed for fabricating a MoS2@CoS2 heterostructure electrocatalyst, where low-cost molten KSCN serves as both the reaction medium and sulfur source. The as-obtained electrocatalyst with a defect-rich structure is highly efficient for the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER), delivering a low overpotential of 96 mV at an HER current density of 10 mA cm-2, a small Tafel slope of 60 mV dec-1, and outstanding durability. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations suggest that the heterostructures present an optimized Gibbs free energy of hydrogen adsorption (ΔGH*) close to zero, which is responsible for the excellent HER performance.

A long-cycling anode based on a coral-like Sn nanostructure with a binary binder.

A coral-like metallic Sn nanostructure was synthesized towards an advanced Li-ion battery anode via a facile one-pot displacement reaction. In the presence of 5 wt% sodium carboxymethyl cellulose and 5 wt% graphene oxide as a binary binder, the electrode demonstrates extraordinary Li storage behaviors in terms of high initial coulombic efficiency (68.7%), long-cycling life (800 cycles with a retention capacity of 422 mA h g-1 at 500 mA g-1), and superb rate capability. The fascinating electrochemical performance could be attributed to the 3D interconnected nanostructure together with the binary binder to ease the volume expansion of Sn.