circE2F1-encoded peptide inhibits circadian machinery essential for nucleotide biosynthesis and tumor progression via repressing SPIB/E2F1 axis.

Circadian clock dominates a variety of biological activities, while its roles and regulatory mechanisms in neuroblastoma (NB), a pediatric extracranial malignancy, still remain largely elusive. Herein, through comprehensive analyses of public datasets, E2F transcription factor 1 (E2F1) and its circular RNA (circE2F1)-encoded 99-amino acid peptide (E2F1-99aa) were identified as vital regulators of circadian machinery essential for purine and pyrimidine biosynthesis during NB progression. Mechanistically, through interaction with Spi-B transcription factor (SPIB), E2F1 was transactivated to up-regulate circadian machinery genes (CRY1 and TIMELESS), resulting in relief of CLOCK/BMAL1-repressed transcription of enzymes (DHODH, PAICS, or PPAT) essential for de novo purine and pyrimidine biosynthesis. The biogenesis of circE2F1 was repressed by eukaryotic translation initiation factor 4A3 (EIF4A3), while E2F1-99aa or its truncated peptide competitively bound to SPIB, leading to decrease in SPIB-E2F1 interaction, circadian machinery and nucleotide biosynthetic gene expression, purine or pyrimidine biosynthesis, tumorigenesis, and aggresiveness of NB cells. In clinical NB cases, high EIF4A3, E2F1 or SPIB expression was correlated with low survival possibility of patients, while lower circE2F1 or E2F1-99aa levels were associated with advanced stages and tumor progression. These results indicate that circE2F1-encoded peptide inhibits circadian machinery essential for nucleotide biosynthesis and tumor progression via repressing SPIB/E2F1 axis.

Oncolytic Virus Senecavirus A Inhibits Hepatocellular Carcinoma Proliferation and Growth by Inducing Cell Cycle Arrest and Apoptosis.

Background and Aims: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a highly aggressive tumor with limited treatment options and high mortality. Senecavirus A (SVA) has shown potential in selectively targeting tumors while sparing healthy tissues. This study aimed to investigate the effects of SVA on HCC cells in vitro and in vivo and to elucidate its mechanisms of action. Methods: The cell counting kit-8 assay and colony formation assay were conducted to examine cell proliferation. Flow cytometry and nuclear staining were employed to analyze cell cycle distribution and apoptosis occurrence. A subcutaneous tumor xenograft HCC mouse model was created in vivo using HepG2 cells, and Ki67 expression in the tumor tissues was assessed. The terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling assay and hematoxylin and eosin staining were employed to evaluate HCC apoptosis and the toxicity of SVA on mouse organs. Results: In vitro, SVA effectively suppressed the growth of tumor cells by inducing apoptosis and cell cycle arrest. However, it did not have a notable effect on normal hepatocytes (MIHA cells). In an in vivo setting, SVA effectively suppressed the growth of HCC in a mouse model. SVA treatment resulted in a significant decrease in Ki67 expression and an increase in apoptosis of tumor cells. No notable histopathological alterations were observed in the organs of mice during SVA administration. Conclusions: SVA inhibits the growth of HCC cells by inducing cell cycle arrest and apoptosis. It does not cause any noticeable toxicity to vital organs.

[Current Status of Application and Quality Evaluation of Commercial Platelet Pathogen Reduction Technology --Review].

With the development of transfusion medicine, platelet pathogen contamination is of increasing concern to the industry. Currently, pathogen reduction technology (PRT) has been successfully applied to platelets and achieved good results. This paper provides an overview of the research progress of commercial platelet PRT, a comprehensive analysis of the current application status of platelet PRT, preclinical mechanism studies, clinical cohort studies and alternative or complementary strategies, and makes recommendations to provide a scientific basis for safeguarding blood safety in China and developing platelet PRT products applicable to our national conditions.

Inhibition of NNMT enhances drug sensitivity in lung cancer cells through mediation of autophagy.

Introduction: This study aimed to investigate the role of Nicotinamide N-methyltransferase (NNMT) in the drug sensitivity of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cells, with a focus on its impact on autophagy and resistance to the chemotherapeutic agent osimertinib. The study hypothesized that NNMT knockdown would enhance drug sensitivity by modifying autophagic processes, providing a potential new therapeutic target for overcoming chemoresistance in lung cancer. Methods: Proteomic analysis was utilized to identify changes in protein expression following NNMT knockdown in H1975 and H1975 osimertinib resistance (H1975OR) lung cancer cell lines. Gene expression patterns and their correlation with NNMT expression in lung cancer patients were analyzed using The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) dataset. Additionally, a predictive model for lung cancer survival was developed via lasso regression analysis based on NNMT-associated gene expression. Drug sensitivity was assessed using the IC50 values and apoptosis ratio, and autophagy was evaluated through Western blot and flow cytometric analysis. Results: Significant variations in the expression of 1,182 proteins were observed following NNMT knockdown, with a significant association with autophagy-related genes. Analysis of gene expression patterns unveiled a significant correlation between NNMT expression and specific changes in gene expression in lung cancer. The predictive model successfully forecasted lung cancer patient survival outcomes, highlighting the potential of NNMT-associated genes in predicting patient survival. Knockdown of NNMT reversed osimertinib resistance in H1975 cells, as evidenced by altered IC50 values and apoptosis ratio, and changes were observed in autophagy markers. Discussion: Knockdown of NNMT in lung cancer cells enhances drug sensitivity by modulating autophagy, providing a promising therapeutic target to overcome chemoresistance in NSCLC. The study underscores the importance of NNMT in lung cancer pathology and underscores its potential as a predictive marker for clinical outcomes. Additionally, the developed predictive model further supports the clinical relevance of NNMT-associated gene expression in improving the prognosis of lung cancer patients.

Structural Characters and Pharmacological Activity of Protopanaxadiol-Type Saponins and Protopanaxatriol-Type Saponins from Ginseng.

Ginseng has a long history of drug application in China, which can treat various diseases and achieve significant efficacy. Ginsenosides have always been deemed important ingredients for pharmacological activities. Based on the structural characteristics of steroidal saponins, ginsenosides are mainly divided into protopanaxadiol-type saponins (PDS, mainly including Rb1, Rb2, Rd, Rc, Rh2, CK, and PPD) and protopanaxatriol-type saponins (PTS, mainly including Re, R1, Rg1, Rh1, Rf, and PPT). The structure differences between PDS and PTS result in the differences of pharmacological activities. This paper provides an overview of PDS and PTS, mainly focusing on their chemical profile, pharmacokinetics, hydrolytic metabolism, and pharmacological activities including antioxidant, antifatigue, antiaging, immunodulation, antitumor, cardiovascular protection, neuroprotection, and antidiabetes. It is intended to contribute to an in-depth study of the relationship between PDS and PTS.

All-Fluorinated Electrolyte Engineering Enables Practical Wide-Temperature-Range Lithium Metal Batteries.

The development of lithium metal batteries (LMBs) is severely hindered owing to the limited temperature window of the electrolyte, which renders uncontrolled side reactions, unstable electrolyte/electrode interface (EEI) formation, and sluggish desolvation kinetics for wide temperature operation condition. Herein, we developed an all-fluorinated electrolyte composed of lithium bis(trifluoromethane sulfonyl)imide, hexafluorobenzene (HFB), and fluoroethylene carbonate, which effectively regulates solvation structure toward a wide temperature of 160 °C (-50 to 110 °C). The introduction of thermostable HFB induces the generation of EEI with a high LiF ratio of 93%, which results in an inhibited side reaction and gas generation on EEI and enhanced interfacial ion transfer at extreme temperatures. Therefore, an unparalleled capacity retention of 88.3% after 400 cycles at 90 °C and an improved cycling performance at -50 °C can be achieved. Meanwhile, the practical 1.3 Ah-level pouch cell delivers high energy density of 307.13 Wh kg-1 at 60 °C and 277.99 Wh kg-1 at -30 °C after 50 cycles under lean E/C ratio of 2.7 g/Ah and low N/P ratio of 1.2. This work not only offers a viable strategy for wide-temperature-range electrolyte design but also promotes the practicalization of LMBs.

Treatment of three pediatric AML co-expressing NUP98-NSD1, FLT3-ITD, and WT1.

During the treatment of 89 pediatric patients with Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML) at the Hematology Department of Kunming Medical University's Children's Hospital from 2020 to 2023, three patients were identified to co-express the NUP98-NSD1, FLT3-ITD, and WT1 gene mutations. The bone marrow of these three patients was screened for high-risk genetic mutations using NGS and qPCR at the time of diagnosis. The treatment was administered following the China Children's Leukemia Group (CCLG)-AML-2019 protocol. All three patients exhibited a fusion of the NUP98 exon 12 with the NSD1 exon 6 and co-expressed the FLT3-ITD and WT1 mutations; two of the patients displayed normal karyotypes, while one presented chromosomal abnormalities. During the induction phase of the CCLG-AML-2019 treatment protocol, the DAH (Daunorubicin, Cytarabine, and Homoharringtonine) and IAH (Idarubicin, Cytarabine, and Homoharringtonine) regimens, in conjunction with targeted drug therapy, did not achieve remission. Subsequently, the patients were shifted to the relapsed/refractory chemotherapy regimen C + HAG (Cladribine, Homoharringtonine, Cytarabine, and G-CSF) for two cycles, which also failed to induce remission. One patient underwent Haploidentical Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation (Haplo-HSCT) and achieved complete molecular remission during a 12-month follow-up period. Regrettably, the other two patients, who did not receive transplantation, passed away. The therapeutic conclusion is that pediatric AML patients with the aforementioned co-expression do not respond to chemotherapy. Non-remission transplantation, supplemented with tailor-made pre- and post-transplant strategies, may enhance treatment outcomes.

Nomogram to predict radicular grooves in maxillary lateral incisors in preoperative orthodontic population.

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to develop and validate a predictive nomogram for diagnosing radicular grooves (RG) in maxillary lateral incisors (MLIs), integrating demographic information, anatomical measurements, and Cone Beam Computed Tomography (CBCT) data to diagnose the RG in MLIs based on the clinical observation before resorting to the CBCT scan. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective cohort of orthodontic patients from the School and Hospital of Stomatology, Wuhan University, was analyzed, including demographic characteristics, photographic anatomical assessments, and CBCT diagnoses. The cohort was divided into development and validation groups. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses identified significant predictors of RG, which informed the development of a nomogram. This nomogram's performance was validated using receiver operating characteristic analysis. RESULTS: The study included 381 patients (64.3% female) and evaluated 760 MLIs, with RG present in 26.25% of MLIs. The nomogram incorporated four significant anatomical predictors of RG presence, demonstrating substantial predictive efficacy with an area under the curve of 0.75 in the development cohort and 0.71 in the validation cohort. CONCLUSIONS: A nomogram for the diagnosis of RG in MLIs was successfully developed. This tool offers a practical checklist of anatomical predictors to improve the diagnostic process in clinical practice. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: The developed nomogram provides a novel, evidence-based tool to enhance the detection and treatment planning of MLIs with RG in diagnostic and therapeutic strategies.

Quantification of Charge Transport and Mass Deprivation in Solid Electrolyte Interphase for Kinetically-Stable Low-Temperature Lithium-Ion Batteries.

Graphite (Gr)-based lithium-ion batteries with admirable electrochemical performance below -20 °C are desired but are hindered by sluggish interfacial charge transport and desolvation process. Li salt dissociation via Li+-solvent interaction enables mobile Li+ liberation and contributes to bulk ion transport, while is contradictory to fast interfacial desolvation. Designing kinetically-stable solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) without compromising strong Li+-solvent interaction is expected to compatibly improve interfacial charge transport and desolvation kinetics. However, the relationship between physicochemical features and temperature-dependent kinetics properties of SEI remains vague. Herein, we propose four key thermodynamics parameters of SEI potentially influencing low-temperature electrochemistry, including electron work function, Li+ transfer barrier, surface energy, and desolvation energy. Based on the above parameters, we further define a novel descriptor, separation factor of SEI (SSEI), to quantitatively depict charge (Li+/e-) transport and solvent deprivation processes at Gr/electrolyte interface. A Li3PO4-based, inorganics-enriched SEI derived by Li difluorophosphate (LiDFP) additive exhibits the highest SSEI (4.89×103) to enable efficient Li+ conduction, e- blocking and rapid desolvation, and as a result, much suppressed Li-metal precipitation, electrolyte decomposition and Gr sheets exfoliation, thus improving low-temperature battery performances. Overall, our work originally provides visualized guides to improve low-temperature reaction kinetics/thermodynamics by constructing desirable SEI chemistry.

The long-term efficacy of eltrombopag in children with immune thrombocytopenia.

Immune thrombocytopenia (ITP) is the most common autoimmune disorder characterized by decreased platelet counts and impaired platelet production. Eltrombopag has been demonstrated to be safe and effective for children with ITP. It is reported eltrombopag can achieve a sustained response off treatment. However, data on its overall efficacy and safety profile are scarce in children. This study aimed to investigate the long-term efficacy of eltrombopag in children with ITP. Treatment overall response (OR), complete response (CR), response (R), durable response (DR), no response (NR), treatment free remission (TFR), and relapse rate, were assessed in 103 children with ITP during eltrombopag therapy. The OR rate, CR rate, R rate, DR rate, NR rate, TFR rate, and relapse rate were 67.0%, 55.3%, 11.7%, 56.3%, 33.0%, 60%, 36.2%, respectively. Importantly, we discovered that newly diagnosed ITP patients showed a higher DR rate, TFR rate and lower relapse rate compared to persistent and chronic ITP patients. Furthermore, the CR rate, DR rate, and TFR rate of 5 patients under six months were 100%. None of them suffered relapse. The most common adverse event (AEs) was hepatotoxicity (7.77%). Our study highlighted the critical role of eltrombopag as the second-line treatment in children with ITP who were intolerant to first-line therapy.

Establishment of a Cleavage-Based Single-Plasmid Dual-Luciferase Surrogate Reporter for the Cleavage Efficiency Evaluation of CRISPR-Cas12a Systems and Its Primary Application.

CRISPR-Cas technology is a widely utilized gene-editing tool that involves gRNA-guided sequence recognition and Cas nuclease-mediated cleavage. The design and evaluation of gRNA are essential for enhancing CRISPR/Cas editing efficiency. Various assays such as single-strand annealing, in vitro cleavage, and T7 endonuclease I (T7EI) are commonly used to assess gRNA-mediated Cas protein cleavage activity. In this study, a firefly luciferase and Renilla luciferase co-expressed and a cleavage-based single-plasmid dual-luciferase surrogate reporter was built to evaluate the gRNA-mediated Cas12a cleavage efficiency. The cleavage activities of CRISPR-Cas12a can be quantitatively determined by the recovery degree of firefly luciferase activity. The cleavage efficiency of CRISPR-Cas12a can be quantitatively measured by the recovery of firefly luciferase activity. By using this system, the cleavage efficiency of CRISPR-Cas12a on hepatitis B virus (HBV)/D expression plasmid was evaluated, revealing a negative correlation between gRNA cleavage efficiency and HBV gene expression measured using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. This simple, efficient, and quantifiable system only requires the dual-luciferase vector and CRISPR-Cas12a vector, making it a valuable tool for selecting effective gRNAs for gene editing.

Enhanced near-infrared optical transmission in zinc germanium phosphide crystals via precise magnesium doping.

A zinc germanium phosphorus (ZnGeP2) crystal with a chalcopyrite structure is an efficient frequency converter in the mid-infrared region. However, point defect-induced optical absorption at the pumping wavelength (near infrared region) blocked the further application of ZnGeP2. To alleviate the absorption losses caused by point defects, in situ magnesium doping compensation was presented during the ZnGeP2 bulk crystal growth process via the vertical Bridgman method. Combined with theoretical calculations, the structural distortion of the magnesium-doped ZnGeP2 crystals in different orientations was illustrated. The thermodynamic and kinetic stability of the magnesium-doped ZnGeP2 structure were demonstrated. The transmission results indicated the improvement of transmittance within a wavelength range of 1.8-2.4 µm when doped with magnesium, which revealed the powerful ability of the appropriate dopant in optimizing near-infrared optical properties. Thus, the introduction of magnesium is a practical approach to improve the transmittance performance and extend the pumping source wavelengths of ZnGeP2 crystals.

Targeting c-Myc transactivation by LMNA inhibits tRNA processing essential for malate-aspartate shuttle and tumour progression.

BACKGROUND: A series of studies have demonstrated the emerging involvement of transfer RNA (tRNA) processing during the progression of tumours. Nevertheless, the roles and regulating mechanisms of tRNA processing genes in neuroblastoma (NB), the prevalent malignant tumour outside the brain in children, are yet unknown. METHODS: Analysis of multi-omics results was conducted to identify crucial regulators of downstream tRNA processing genes. Co-immunoprecipitation and mass spectrometry methods were utilised to measure interaction between proteins. The impact of transcriptional regulators on expression of downstream genes was measured by dual-luciferase reporter, chromatin immunoprecipitation, western blotting and real-time quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) methods. Studies have been conducted to reveal impact and mechanisms of transcriptional regulators on biological processes of NB. Survival differences were analysed using the log-rank test. RESULTS: c-Myc was identified as a transcription factor driving tRNA processing gene expression and subsequent malate-aspartate shuttle (MAS) in NB cells. Mechanistically, c-Myc directly promoted the expression of glutamyl-prolyl-tRNA synthetase (EPRS) and leucyl-tRNA synthetase (LARS), resulting in translational up-regulation of glutamic-oxaloacetic transaminase 1 (GOT1) as well as malate dehydrogenase 1 (MDH1) via inhibiting general control nonrepressed 2 or activating mechanistic target of rapamycin signalling. Meanwhile, lamin A (LMNA) inhibited c-Myc transactivation via physical interaction, leading to suppression of MAS, aerobic glycolysis, tumourigenesis and aggressiveness. Pre-clinically, lobeline was discovered as a LMNA-binding compound to facilitate its interaction with c-Myc, which inhibited aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase expression, MAS and tumour progression of NB, as well as growth of organoid derived from c-Myc knock-in mice. Low levels of LMNA or elevated expression of c-Myc, EPRS, LARS, GOT1 or MDH1 were linked to a worse outcome and a shorter survival time of clinical NB patients. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that targeting c-Myc transactivation by LMNA inhibits tRNA processing essential for MAS and tumour progression.

The Numerical Simulations and Experimental Study of an 8-Inch SiC Single Crystal with Reduced BPD Density.

The basal plane dislocation (BPD) density is one of the most important defects affecting the application of SiC wafers. In this study, numerical simulations and corresponding experiments were conducted to investigate the influence of cooling processes, seed-bonding methods, and graphite crucible materials on the BPD density in an 8-inch N-type 4H-SiC single crystal grown by the physical vapor transport (PVT) method. The results showed that the BPD density could be effectively reduced by increasing the cooling rate, optimizing the seed-bonding method, and adopting a graphite crucible with a similar coefficient of thermal expansion as the SiC single crystal. The BPD density in the experiments showed that a high cooling rate reduced the BPD density from 4689 cm-2 to 2925 cm-2; optimization of the seed-bonding method decreased the BPD density to 1560 cm-2. The BPD density was further reduced to 704 cm-2 through the adoption of a graphite crucible with a smaller thermal expansion coefficient.

Autophagy-related protein 5 (ATG5) interacts with bone marrow stromal cell antigen 2 (BST2) to stimulate HBV replication through antagonizing the antiviral activity of BST2.

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is a major global health burden with 820 000 deaths per year. In our previous study, we found that the knockdown of autophagy-related protein 5 (ATG5) significantly upregulated the interferon-stimulated genes (ISGs) expression to exert the anti-HCV effect. However, the regulation of ATG5 on HBV replication and its underlying mechanism remains unclear. In this study, we screened the altered expression of type I interferon (IFN-I) pathway genes using RT² Profiler™ PCR array following ATG5 knock-down and we found the bone marrow stromal cell antigen 2 (BST2) expression was significantly increased. We then verified the upregulation of BST2 by ATG5 knockdown using RT-qPCR and found that the knockdown of ATG5 activated the Janus kinase/signal transducer and activator of transcription (JAK-STAT) signaling pathway. ATG5 knockdown or BST2 overexpression decreased Hepatitis B core Antigen (HBcAg) protein, HBV DNA levels in cells and supernatants of HepAD38 and HBV-infected NTCP-HepG2. Knockdown of BST2 abrogated the anti-HBV effect of ATG5 knockdown. Furthermore, we found that ATG5 interacted with BST2, and further formed a ternary complex together with HBV-X (HBx). In conclusion, our finding indicates that ATG5 promotes HBV replication through decreasing BST2 expression and interacting with it directly to antagonize its antiviral function.

Precise Capture and Dynamic Release of Circulating Liver Cancer Cells with Dual-Histidine-Based Cell Imprinted Hydrogels.

Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) detection presents significant advantages in diagnosing liver cancer due to its noninvasiveness, real-time monitoring, and dynamic tracking. However, the clinical application of CTCs-based diagnosis is largely limited by the challenges of capturing low-abundance CTCs within a complex blood environment while ensuring them alive. Here, an ultrastrong ligand, l-histidine-l-histidine (HH), specifically targeting sialylated glycans on the surface of CTCs, is designed. Furthermore, HH is integrated into a cell-imprinted polymer, constructing a hydrogel with precise CTCs imprinting, high elasticity, satisfactory blood compatibility, and robust anti-interference capacities. These features endow the hydrogel with excellent capture efficiency (>95%) for CTCs in peripheral blood, as well as the ability to release CTCs controllably and alive. Clinical tests substantiate the accurate differentiation between liver cancer, cirrhosis, and healthy groups using this method. The remarkable diagnostic accuracy (94%), lossless release of CTCs, material reversibility, and cost-effectiveness ($6.68 per sample) make the HH-based hydrogel a potentially revolutionary technology for liver cancer diagnosis and single-cell analysis.

Cascaded signal amplification strategy for ultra-specific, ultra-sensitive, and visual detection of Shigella flexneri.

Pathogen infections including Shigella flexneri have posed a significant threat to human health for numerous years. Although culturing and qPCR were the gold standards for pathogen detection, time-consuming and instrument-dependent restrict their application in rapid diagnosis and economically less-developed regions. Thus, it is urgently needed to develop rapid, simple, sensitive, accurate, and low-cost detection methods for pathogen detection. In this study, an immunomagnetic beads-recombinase polymerase amplification-CRISPR/Cas12a (IMB-RPA-CRISPR/Cas12a) method was built based on a cascaded signal amplification strategy for ultra-specific, ultra-sensitive, and visual detection of S. flexneri in the laboratory. Firstly, S. flexneri was specifically captured and enriched by IMB (Shigella antibody-coated magnetic beads), and the genomic DNA was released and used as the template in the RPA reaction. Then, the RPA products were mixed with the pre-loaded CRISPR/Cas12a for fluorescence visualization. The results were observed by naked eyes under LED blue light, with a sensitivity of 5 CFU/mL in a time of 70 min. With no specialized equipment or complicated technical requirements, the IMB-RPA-CRISPR/Cas12a diagnostic method can be used for visual, rapid, and simple detection of S. flexneri and can be easily adapted to monitoring other pathogens.

Metagenomic analysis of individual mosquito viromes reveals the geographical patterns and drivers of viral diversity.

Mosquito transmitted viruses are responsible for an increasing burden of human disease. Despite this, little is known about the diversity and ecology of viruses within individual mosquito hosts. Here, using a meta-transcriptomic approach, we determined the viromes of 2,438 individual mosquitoes (81 species), spanning ~4,000 km along latitudes and longitudes in China. From these data we identified 393 viral species associated with mosquitoes, including 7 (putative) species of arthropod-borne viruses (that is, arboviruses). We identified potential mosquito species and geographic hotspots of viral diversity and arbovirus occurrence, and demonstrated that the composition of individual mosquito viromes was strongly associated with host phylogeny. Our data revealed a large number of viruses shared among mosquito species or genera, enhancing our understanding of the host specificity of insect-associated viruses. We also detected multiple virus species that were widespread throughout the country, perhaps reflecting long-distance mosquito dispersal. Together, these results greatly expand the known mosquito virome, linked viral diversity at the scale of individual insects to that at a country-wide scale, and offered unique insights into the biogeography and diversity of viruses in insect vectors.

A Fast-Charge Graphite Anode with a Li-Ion-Conductive, Electron/Solvent-Repelling Interface.

Graphite has been serving as the key anode material of rechargeable Li-ion batteries, yet is difficultly charged within a quarter hour while maintaining stable electrochemistry. In addition to a defective edge structure that prevents fast Li-ion entry, the high-rate performance of graphite could be hampered by co-intercalation and parasitic reduction of solvent molecules at anode/electrolyte interface. Conventional surface modification by pitch-derived carbon barely isolates the solvent and electrons, and usually lead to inadequate rate capability to meet practical fast-charge requirements. Here we show that, by applying a MoOx-MoNx layer onto graphite surface, the interface allows fast Li-ion diffusion yet blocks solvent access and electron leakage. By regulating interfacial mass and charge transfer, the modified graphite anode delivers a reversible capacity of 340.3 mAh g-1 after 4000 cycles at 6 C, showing promises in building 10-min-rechargeable batteries with a long operation life.

Total Infectome Characterization of Respiratory Infections during the 2022-23 COVID-19 Outbreak in China Revealed Extensive Coinfections with Links to SARS-CoV-2 Status, Age, and Disease Severity.

Between 7 December 2022 and 28 February 2023, China experienced a new wave of COVID-19 that swept across the entire country and resulted in an increasing amount of respiratory infections and hospitalizations. The purpose of this study is to reveal the intensity and composition of coinfecting microbial agents. In total, 196 inpatients were recruited from The Third People's Hospital of Shenzhen, and 169 respiratory and 73 blood samples were collected for metagenomic next-generation sequencing. The total "Infectome" was characterized and compared across different groups defined by the SARS-CoV-2 detection status, age groups, and severity of disease. Our results revealed a total of 22 species of pathogenic microbes (4 viruses, 13 bacteria, and 5 fungi), and more were discovered in the respiratory tract than in blood. The diversity of the total infectome was highly distinguished between respiratory and blood samples, and it was generally higher in patients that were SARS-CoV-2-positive, older in age, and with more severe disease. At the individual pathogen level, HSV-1 seemed to be the major contributor to these differences observed in the overall comparisons. Collectively, this study reveals the highly complex respiratory infectome and high-intensity coinfection in patients admitted to the hospital during the period of the 2023 COVID-19 pandemic in China.