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Red Monascus Pigment (RMP), a natural pigment, has attracted significant attention due to its suitability for food use and potential health benefits. However, preserving its stability and exploring value-added development opportunities remain crucial challenges. This study outlined the utilization of RMP, by successfully preparing hydrogel beads encapsulating RMP crude extract (RMPCE) through Ca2+-mediated chitosan (CS)/sodium alginate (SA) encapsulation (CO-RMPHB). A systematic investigation into the fabrication and stability parameters, including preparation conditions, temperature, monochromatic light and storage time, was undertaken. Through optimization (SA: 2.50 wt%; CaCl2: 6.00 wt%; CS: 0.50 wt%), maximum encapsulation efficiency of 73.54 ± 2.16 % was achieved. The maximum swelling degree of blank hydrogel beads (BHB) in simulated gastric solution (pH = 1.2, 1.50 ± 0.97 %) was significantly lower than in simulated intestinal solution (pH = 7.0, 28.05 ± 1.43 %), confirming their sensitivity to pH changes. Additionally, the CO-RMPHB (66.08 %, 1000 µL) exhibited superior DPPH radical scavenging capability compared to individual RMPCE or BHB. Furthermore, analysis of the release kinetics based on zero-order, first-order, Higuchi, and Ritger-Peppas models revealed that RMPCE release from CO-RMPHB under in vitro digestion models followed non-Fickian diffusion. This discovery effectively addresses the challenges of the stability and controlled release of RMP, expanding its applications in the food and pharmaceutical industries.
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Alginatos , Calcio , Quitosano , Hidrogeles , Monascus , Quitosano/química , Alginatos/química , Hidrogeles/química , Monascus/química , Monascus/metabolismo , Cinética , Calcio/química , Liberación de Fármacos , Concentración de Iones de Hidrógeno , Pigmentos Biológicos/química , Portadores de Fármacos/química , MicroesferasRESUMEN
In contrast to traditional static surfaces, smart patterned surfaces with periodical and reversible morphologies offer limitless opportunities for encoding surface functions and properties on demand, facilitating their widespread application as functional building blocks in various devices. Advances in intelligently controlling the macroscopic properties of these smart surfaces have been accomplished through various techniques (such as three-dimensional printing, imprint lithography and femtosecond laser) and responsive materials. In contrast to the sophisticated techniques above, dynamic anisotropic wrinkling, taking advantage of dynamic programmable manipulation of surface wrinkling and its orientation, offers a powerful alternative for fabricating dynamic periodical patterns due to its spontaneous formation, versatility, convenient scale-up fabrication, and sensitivity to various stimuli. This review comprehensively summarizes recent advances in smart patterned surfaces with dynamic oriented wrinkles, covering design principles, fabrication techniques, representative types of physical and chemical stimuli, as well as fine-tuning of wrinkle dimensions and orientation. Finally, advanced applications of these smart patterned surfaces are presented, along with a discussion of current challenges and future prospects in this rapidly evolving field. This review would offer some insights and guidelines for designing and engineering novel stimuli-responsive smart wrinkled surfaces, thereby facilitating their sustainable development and progressing toward commercialization.
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BACKGROUND: Surgery is crucial for glioma treatment, but achieving complete tumour removal remains challenging. We evaluated the effectiveness of a probe targeting monocarboxylate transporter 4 (MCT4) in recognising gliomas, and of near-infrared window II (NIR-II) fluorescent molecular imaging and photothermal therapy as treatment strategies. METHODS: We combined an MCT4-specific monoclonal antibody with indocyanine green to create the probe. An orthotopic mouse model and a transwell model were used to evaluate its ability to guide tumour resection using NIR-II fluorescence and to penetrate the blood-brain barrier (BBB), respectively. A subcutaneous tumour model was established to confirm photothermal therapy efficacy. Probe specificity was assessed in brain tissue from mice and humans. Finally, probe effectiveness in photothermal therapy was investigated. FINDINGS: MCT4 was differentially expressed in tumour and normal brain tissue. The designed probe exhibited precise tumour targeting. Tumour imaging was precise, with a signal-to-background (SBR) ratio of 2.8. Residual tumour cells were absent from brain tissue postoperatively (SBR: 6.3). The probe exhibited robust penetration of the BBB. Moreover, the probe increased the tumour temperature to 50 °C within 5 min of laser excitation. Photothermal therapy significantly reduced tumour volume and extended survival time in mice without damage to vital organs. INTERPRETATION: These findings highlight the potential efficacy of our probe for fluorescence-guided surgery and therapeutic interventions. FUNDING: Jilin Province Department of Science and Technology (20200403079SF), Department of Finance (2021SCZ06) and Development and Reform Commission (20200601002JC); National Natural Science Foundation of China (92059207, 92359301, 62027901, 81930053, 81227901, U21A20386); and CAS Youth Interdisciplinary Team (JCTD-2021-08).
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Neoplasias Encefálicas , Glioblastoma , Transportadores de Ácidos Monocarboxílicos , Terapia Fototérmica , Animales , Ratones , Transportadores de Ácidos Monocarboxílicos/metabolismo , Transportadores de Ácidos Monocarboxílicos/antagonistas & inhibidores , Humanos , Terapia Fototérmica/métodos , Glioblastoma/terapia , Glioblastoma/metabolismo , Glioblastoma/diagnóstico por imagen , Glioblastoma/patología , Glioblastoma/cirugía , Línea Celular Tumoral , Neoplasias Encefálicas/terapia , Neoplasias Encefálicas/metabolismo , Neoplasias Encefálicas/diagnóstico por imagen , Neoplasias Encefálicas/patología , Neoplasias Encefálicas/cirugía , Cirugía Asistida por Computador/métodos , Modelos Animales de Enfermedad , Barrera Hematoencefálica/metabolismo , Proteínas Musculares/metabolismo , Imagen Óptica/métodos , Ensayos Antitumor por Modelo de XenoinjertoRESUMEN
Silicon is considered as a promising alternative to traditional graphite anode for lithium-ion batteries. Due to the dramatic volume expansion of silicon anode generated from the insertion of Li+ ions, the binder which can suppress the severe volume change and repeated massive stress impact during cycling is required greatly. Herein, we design a gradient-distributed two-component binder (GE-PAA) to achieve excellent cyclic stability, and reveal the mechanism of high energy dissipative binder stabilized silicon electrodes. The inner layer of the electrode is the polyacrylic acid polymer (PAA) with high Young's modulus, which is used as the skeleton binder to stabilize the silicon particle interface and the electrode structure. The outer layer is the gel electrolyte polymer (GE) with lower Young's modulus, which releases the stress generated during the lithiation and de-lithiation process effectively, achieving the high structural stability at the molecular level and silicon particles. Due to the synergistic effect of the gradient binder design, the silicon electrode retains a reversible capacity of 1557.4 mAh g-1 after 200 cycles at the current density of 0.5 C and 1539.2 mAh g-1 at a high rate of 1.8 C. This work provides a novel binder design strategy for Si anode with long cycle stability.
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Polymer-mediated cytosolic protein delivery demonstrates a promising strategy for the development of protein therapeutics. Here, we propose a new designed diblock copolymer which realizes efficient cytosolic protein delivery both in vitro and in vivo. The polymer contains one protein-binding block composed of phenylboronic acid (PBA) and N-(3-dimethylaminopropyl) (DMAP) pendant units for protein binding and endosomal escape, respectively, followed by the response to ATP enriched in the cytosol which triggers the protein release. The other block is PEG designed to improve particle size control and circulation in vivo. By optimizing the block composition, sequence and length of the copolymer, the optimal one (BP20) was identified with the binding block containing 20 units of both PBA and DMAP, randomly distributed along the chain. When mixed with proteins, the BP20 forms stable nanoparticles and mediates efficient cytosolic delivery of a wide range of proteins including enzymes, toxic proteins and CRISPR/Cas9 ribonucleoproteins (RNP), to various cell lines. The PEG block, especially when further modified with folic acid (FA), enables tumor-targeted delivery of Saporin in vivo, which significantly suppresses the tumor growth. Our results shall inspire the design of novel polymeric vehicles with robust capability for cytosolic protein delivery, which holds great potential for both biological research and therapeutic applications.
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Citosol , Humanos , Citosol/metabolismo , Animales , Polietilenglicoles/química , Ratones , Polímeros/química , Tamaño de la Partícula , Nanopartículas/química , Sistemas de Liberación de Medicamentos , Ácidos Borónicos/química , Proteínas/química , Portadores de Fármacos/química , Propiedades de Superficie , Diseño de FármacosRESUMEN
5-Methylcytosine (m5C) methylation is a significant post-transcriptional modification that play a crucial role in the development and progression of numerous cancers. Whereas the functions and molecular mechanisms underlying m5C methylation in gliomas remain unclear. This study dedicated to explore changes of m5C levels and the clinical significance of the m5C writer NSUN4 in gliomas. We found that high m5C levels were negatively related to prognosis of patients with glioma. Moreover, gain- and loss-of-function experiments revealed the role of NSUN4 in enhancing m5C modification of mRNA to promote the malignant progression of glioma. Mechanistically speaking, NSUN4-mediated m5C alterations regulated ALYREF binding to CDC42 mRNA, thereby impacting the mRNA stability of CDC42. We also demonstrated that CDC42 promoted glioma proliferation, migration, and invasion by activating the PI3K-AKT pathway. Additionally, rescue experiments proved that CDC42 overexpression weaken the inhibitory effect of NSUN4 knockdown on the malignant progression of gliomas in vitro and in vivo. Our findings elucidated that NSUN4-mediated high m5C levels promote ALYREF binding to CDC42 mRNA and regulate its stability, thereby driving the malignant progression of glioma. This provides theoretical support for targeted the treatment of gliomas.
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5-Metilcitosina , Glioma , Metiltransferasas , Estabilidad del ARN , Proteína de Unión al GTP cdc42 , Animales , Femenino , Humanos , Masculino , Ratones , 5-Metilcitosina/metabolismo , 5-Metilcitosina/análogos & derivados , Neoplasias Encefálicas/genética , Neoplasias Encefálicas/patología , Neoplasias Encefálicas/metabolismo , Proteína de Unión al GTP cdc42/metabolismo , Proteína de Unión al GTP cdc42/genética , Línea Celular Tumoral , Movimiento Celular , Proliferación Celular , Progresión de la Enfermedad , Regulación Neoplásica de la Expresión Génica , Glioma/genética , Glioma/patología , Glioma/metabolismo , Ratones Desnudos , Pronóstico , ARN Mensajero/genética , ARN Mensajero/metabolismo , Metiltransferasas/genética , Metiltransferasas/metabolismoRESUMEN
Solid-state batteries (SSBs) have garnered significant attention in the critical field of sustainable energy storage due to their potential benefits in safety, energy density, and cycle life. The large-scale, cost-effective production of SSBs necessitates the development of high-performance solid-state electrolytes. However, the manufacturing of SSBs relies heavily on the advancement of suitable solid-state electrolytes. Composite polymer electrolytes (CPEs), which combine the advantages of ordered microporous materials (OMMs) and polymer electrolytes, meet the requirements for high ionic conductivity/transference number, stability with respect to electrodes, compatibility with established manufacturing processes, and cost-effectiveness, making them particularly well-suited for mass production of SSBs. This review delineates how structural ordering dictates the fundamental physicochemical properties of OMMs, including ion transport, thermal transfer, and mechanical stability. The applications of prominent OMMs are critically examined, such as metal-organic frameworks, covalent organic frameworks, and zeolites, in CPEs, highlighting how structural ordering facilitates the fulfillment of property requirements. Finally, an outlook on the field is provided, exploring how the properties of CPEs can be enhanced through the dimensional design of OMMs, and the importance of uncovering the underlying "feature-function" mechanisms of various CPE types is underscored.
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Parasitic side reactions and dendrite growth on zinc anodes are formidable issues causing limited lifetime of aqueous zinc ion batteries (ZIBs). Herein, a spontaneous cascade optimization strategy is first proposed to regulate Zn2+ migration-diffusion behavior. Specifically, PAPE@Zn layer with separation-reconstruction properties is constructed in situ on Zn anode. In this layer, well-soluble poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) can spontaneously separation to bulk electrolyte and weaken the preferential coordination between H2O and Zn2+ to achieve primary optimization. Meanwhile, poor-soluble polymerized-4-acryloylmorpholine (PACMO) is reconstructed on Zn anode as hydrophobic flower-like arrays with abundant zincophilic sites, further guiding the de-solvation and homogeneous diffusion of Zn2+ to achieve the secondary optimization. Cascade optimization effectively regulates Zn2+ migration-diffusion behavior, dendrite growth and side reactions of Zn anode are negligible, and the stability is significantly improved. Consequently, symmetrical cells exhibit stability over 4000â h (1â mA cm-2). PAPE@Zn//NH4 +-V2O5 full cells with a high current density of 15â A g-1 maintains 72.2 % capacity retention for 12000â cycles. Even better, the full cell demonstrates excellent performance of cumulative capacity of 2.33â Ah cm-2 at ultra-low negative/positive (N/P) ratio of 0.6 and a high mass-loading (~17â mg cm-2). The spontaneous cascade optimization strategy provides novel path to achieve high-performance and practical ZIBs.
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Data from English randomized controlled trials comparing unilateral versus bilateral PKP for the treatment of OVCFs were retrieved and analyzed, and the results showed that unilateral PKP is a better choice for the treatment of patients with OVCFs, which will provide a reliable clinical rationale for the treatment of OVCFs. PURPOSE: To investigate the advantages of unilateral percutaneous kyphoplasty (PKP) for the treatment of osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures(OVCFs). METHODS: The systematic evaluation program met all program requirements (CRD 42023422383) by successfully passing the PROSPERO International Prospective Systematic Evaluation Registry. Researchers searched the references of English-language randomized controlled trials comparing unilateral and bilateral PKP for the treatment of osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures published between 2010 and 2023 and manually searched for known primary and review articles. The study statistically analyzed data from all the included literature, which primarily included time to surgery, visual pain score(VAS) and Oswestry disability index(ODI) at postoperative follow-up time points, polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA, bone cement) injection dose, cement leakage, radiation dose, and improvement in kyphotic angle. RESULTS: This meta-analysis searched 416 articles published from 2010 to 2023 based on keywords, and 18 articles were finally included in this study. The results of the forest plot showed that unilateral PKP operative time, amount of bone cement used, and radiation dose to the patient were significantly reduced (p < 0.01, p < 0.01, and p < 0.01, respectively), and unilateral and bilateral PKP had comparable cement leakage (p = 0.49, 95% CI = 0.58-1.30), and there was no significant difference in the kyphotic angle between unilateral and bilateral PKP (p = 0.42, 95% CI = - 2.29-0.96). During follow-up, there was no significant difference in pain relief between unilateral and bilateral PKP (p = 0.70, 95% CI = - 0.09-0.06), nor was there a significant difference in ODI (p = 0.27, 95% CI = - 0.35-1.24). CONCLUSIONS: There is no difference in clinical efficacy between unilateral PKP and bilateral PKP, but unilateral PKP has a shorter operative time, a lower incidence of cement leakage, a lower amount of cement, and a lower radiation dose to the patient and operator. Unilateral PKP is a better option for patients with OVCFs.
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Fracturas por Compresión , Cifoplastia , Fracturas Osteoporóticas , Fracturas de la Columna Vertebral , Humanos , Cifoplastia/métodos , Fracturas por Compresión/cirugía , Fracturas Osteoporóticas/cirugía , Fracturas de la Columna Vertebral/cirugía , Cementos para Huesos/uso terapéutico , Resultado del Tratamiento , Ensayos Clínicos Controlados Aleatorios como AsuntoRESUMEN
The instability of the solid electrolyte interface (SEI) is a critical challenge for the zinc metal anodes, leading to an erratic electrode/electrolyte interface and hydrogen evolution reaction (HER), ultimately resulting in anode failure. This study uncovers that the fluorine species dissolution is the root cause of SEI instability. To effectively suppress the F- dissolution, an introduction of a low-polarity molecule, 1,4-thioxane (TX), is proposed, which reinforces the stability of the fluorine-rich SEI. Moreover, the TX molecule has a strong affinity for coordinating with Zn2+ and adsorbing at the electrode/electrolyte interface, thereby diminishing the activity of local water and consequently impeding SEI dissolution. The robust fluorine-rich SEI layer promotes the high durability of the zinc anode in repeated plating/stripping cycles, while concurrently suppressing HER and enhancing Coulombic efficiency. Notably, the symmetric cell with TX demonstrates exceptional electrochemical performance, sustaining over 500â hours at 20â mA cm-2 with 10â mAh cm-2. Furthermore, the Zn||KVOH full cell exhibits excellent capacity retention, averaging 6.8â mAh cm-2 with 98 % retention after 400â cycles, even at high loading with a lean electrolyte. This work offers a novel perspective on SEI dissolution as a key factor in anode failure, providing valuable insights for the electrolyte design in energy storage devices.
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Developing argyrodite-type, chlorine-rich, sodium-ion, solid-state electrolytes with high conductivity is a long-term challenge that is crucial for the advancement of all-solid-state batteries (ASSBs). In this study, chlorine-rich, argyrodite-type Na6-xPS5-xCl1+x solid solutions were successfully developed with a solid solution formation range of 0 ≤ x ≤ 0.5. Na5.5PS4.5Cl1.5 (x = 0.5), displaying a highest ionic conductivity of 1.2 × 10-3 S/cm at 25 °C, which is more than a hundred times higher than that of Na6PS5Cl. Cyclic voltammetry and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy results demonstrated that the rich chlorine significantly enhanced the ionic conductivity and electrochemical stability, in addition to causing a reduction in activation energy. The Na5.5PS4.5Cl1.5 composite also showed the characteristics of a pure ionic conductor without electronic conductivity. Finally, the viability of Na5.5PS4.5Cl1.5 as a sodium electrolyte for all-solid-state sodium batteries was checked in a lab-scale ASSB, showing stable battery performance. This study not only demonstrates new composites of sodium-ionic, solid-state electrolytes with relatively high conductivity but also provides an anion-modulation strategy to enhance the ionic conductivity of argyrodite-type sodium solid-state ionic conductors.
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The gene-encoding carboxylesterase (TM1022) from the hyperthermophilic bacterium Thermotoga maritima (T. maritima) was cloned and expressed in Escherichia coli Top10 and BL21 (DE3). Recombinant TM1022 showed the best activity at pH 8.0 and 85 °C and retained 57% activity after 8 h cultivation at 90 °C. TM1022 exhibited good stability at pH 6.0-9.0, maintaining 53% activity after incubation at pH 10.0 and 37 °C for 6 h. The esterase TM1022 exhibited the optimum thermo-alkali stability and kcat/Km (598.57 ± 19.97 s-1mM-1) for pN-C4. TM1022 hydrolyzed poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) degradation intermediates, such as bis(2-hydroxyethyl) terephthalate (BHET) and mono(2-hydroxyethyl) terephthalate (MHET). The Km, kcat, and kcat/Km values for BHET were 0.82 ± 0.01 mM, 2.20 ± 0.02 s-1, and 2.67 ± 0.02 mM-1 s-1, respectively; those for MHET were 2.43 ± 0.07 mM, 0.04 ± 0.001 s-1, and 0.02 ± 0.001 mM-1 s-1, respectively. When purified TM1022 was added to the cutinase BhrPETase, hydrolysis of PET from drinking water bottle tops produced pure terephthalic acids (TPA) with 166% higher yield than those obtained after 72 h of incubation with BhrPETase alone as control. The above findings demonstrate that the esterase TM1022 from T. maritima has substantial potential for depolymerizing PET into monomers for reuse.
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Proteínas Bacterianas , Estabilidad de Enzimas , Ácidos Ftálicos , Thermotoga maritima , Thermotoga maritima/enzimología , Thermotoga maritima/genética , Hidrólisis , Concentración de Iones de Hidrógeno , Proteínas Bacterianas/genética , Proteínas Bacterianas/metabolismo , Proteínas Bacterianas/química , Cinética , Ácidos Ftálicos/metabolismo , Ácidos Ftálicos/química , Especificidad por Sustrato , Esterasas/metabolismo , Esterasas/genética , Esterasas/química , Tereftalatos Polietilenos/metabolismo , Tereftalatos Polietilenos/química , TemperaturaRESUMEN
The sensitivity of soil organic carbon (SOC) decomposition in seasonally frozen soils, such as alpine ecosystems, to climate warming is a major uncertainty in global carbon cycling. Here we measure soil CO2 emission during four years (2018-2021) from the whole-soil warming experiment (4 °C for the top 1 m) in an alpine grassland ecosystem. We find that whole-soil warming stimulates total and SOC-derived CO2 efflux by 26% and 37%, respectively, but has a minor effect on root-derived CO2 efflux. Moreover, experimental warming only promotes total soil CO2 efflux by 7-8% on average in the meta-analysis across all grasslands or alpine grasslands globally (none of these experiments were whole-soil warming). We show that whole-soil warming has a much stronger effect on soil carbon emission in the alpine grassland ecosystem than what was reported in previous warming experiments, most of which only heat surface soils.
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The sodium (Na) metal anode encounters issues such as volume expansion and dendrite growth during cycling. Herein, a novel three-dimensional flexible composite Na metal anode was constructed through the conversion-alloying reaction between Na and ultrafine Sb2S3 nanoparticles encapsulated within the electrospun carbon nanofibers (Sb2S3@CNFs). The formed sodiophilic Na3Sb sites and the high Na+-conducting Na2S matrix, coupled with CNFs, establish a spatially confined "sodiophilic-conductive" network, which effectively reduces the Na nucleation barrier, improves the Na+ diffusion kinetics, and suppresses the volume expansion, thereby inhibiting the Na dendrite growth. Consequently, the Na/Sb2S3@CNFs electrode exhibits a high Coulombic efficiency (99.94%), exceptional lifespan (up to 2800 h) at high current densities (up to 5 mA cm-2), and high areal capacities (up to 5 mAh cm-2) in symmetric cells. The coin-type full cells assembled with a Na3V2(PO4)3/C cathode demonstrate significant enhancement in electrochemical performance. The flexible pouch cell achieves an excellent energy density of 301 Wh kg-1.
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Li-CO2 batteries are regarded as promising high-energy-density energy conversion and storage devices, but their practicability is severely hindered by the sluggish CO2 reduction/evolution reaction (CORR/COER) kinetics. Due to the various crystal structures and unique electronic configuration, Mn-based cathode catalysts have shown considerable competition to facilitate CORR/COER. However, the specific active sites and regulation principle of Mn-based catalysts remain ambiguous and limited. Herein, this work designs novel Mn dual-active sites (MOC) supported on N-doped carbon nanofibers and conduct a comprehensive investigation into the underlying relationship between different Mn active sites and their electrochemical performance in Li-CO2 batteries. Impressively, this work finds that owing to the in situ generation and stable existence of Mn(III), MOC undergoes obvious electrochemical reconstruction during battery cycling. Moreover, a series of characterizations and theoretical calculations demonstrate that the different electronic configurations and coordination environments of Mn(II) and Mn(III) are conducive to promoting CORR and COER, respectively. Benefiting from such a modulating behavior, the Li-CO2 batteries deliver a high full discharge capacity of 10.31 mAh cm-2, and ultra-long cycle life (327 cycles/1308 h). This fundamental understanding of MOC reconstruction and the electrocatalytic mechanisms provides a new perspective for designing high-performance multivalent Mn-integrated hybrid catalysts for Li-CO2 batteries.
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Traditional dual-ion lithium salts have been widely used in solid polymer lithium-metal batteries (LMBs). Nevertheless, concentration polarization caused by uncontrolled migration of free anions has severely caused the growth of lithium dendrites. Although single-ion conductor polymers (SICP) have been developed to reduce concentration polarization, the poor ionic conductivity caused by low carrier concentration limits their application. Herein, a dual-salt quasi-solid polymer electrolyte (QSPE), containing the SICP network as a salt and traditional dual-ion lithium salt, is designed for retarding the movement of free anions and simultaneously providing sufficient effective carriers to alleviate concentration polarization. The dual salt network of this designed QSPE is prepared through in-situ crosslinking copolymerization of SICP monomer, regular ionic conductor, crosslinker with the presence of the dual-ion lithium salt, delivering a high lithium-ion transference number (0.75) and satisfactory ionic conductivity (1.16 × 10-3 S cm-1 at 30 °C). Comprehensive characterizations combined with theoretical calculation demonstrate that polyanions from SICP exerts a potential repulsive effect on the transport of free anions to reduce concentration polarization inhibiting lithium dendrites. As a consequence, the Li||LiFePO4 cell achieves a long-cycle stability for 2000 cycles and a 90% capacity retention at 30 °C. This work provides a new perspective for reducing concentration polarization and simultaneously enabling enough lithium-ions migration for high-performance polymer LMBs.
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The rapid growth of electric vehicle use is expected to cause a significant environmental problem in the next few years due to the large number of spent lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). Recycling spent LIBs will not only alleviate the environmental problems but also address the challenge of limited natural resources shortages. While several hydro- and pyrometallurgical processes are developed for recycling different components of spent batteries, direct regeneration presents clear environmental, and economic advantages. The principle of the direct regeneration approach is restoring the electrochemical performance by healing the defective structure of the spent materials. Thus, the development of direct regeneration technology largely depends on the formation mechanism of defects in spent LIBs. This review systematically details the degradation mechanisms and types of defects found in diverse cathode materials, graphite anodes, and current collectors during the battery's lifecycle. Building on this understanding, principles and methodologies for directly rejuvenating materials within spent LIBs are outlined. Also the main challenges and solutions for the large-scale direct regeneration of spent LIBs are proposed. Furthermore, this review aims to pave the way for the direct regeneration of materials in discarded lithium-ion batteries by offering a theoretical foundation and practical guidance.
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Flexible all-solid-state lithium-carbon dioxide batteries (FASSLCBs) are recognized as a next-generation energy storage technology by solving safety and shuttle effect problems. However, the present FASSLCBs rely heavily on high-temperature operation due to sluggish solid-solid-gas multiphase mass transfer and unclear capacity degradation mechanism. Herein, we designed bicontinuous hierarchical porous structures (BCHPSs) for both solid polymer electrolyte and cathode for FASSLCBs to facilitate the mass transfer in all connected directions. The formed large Lewis acidic surface effectively promotes the lithium salt dissociation and the CO2 conversion. Furthermore, it is unraveled that the battery capacity degradation originates from the "dead Li2CO3" formation, which is inhibited by the fast decomposition of Li2CO3. Accordingly, the assembled FASSLCBs exhibit an excellent cycling stability of 133 cycles at 60 °C, which is 2.7 times longer than that without BCHPSs, and the FASSLCBs can be operated repeatedly even at room temperature. This BCHPS method and fundamental deactivation mechanism provide a perspective for designing FASSLCBs with long cycling life.
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OBJECTIVE: The study aims to investigate the levels of serum NLRP3 along with its effector molecules (Caspase-1, IL-1ß, and IL-18) in the mid-pregnancy in pregnant women with hyperglycemia, and explore the relationship between NLRP3, along with its effector molecules (Caspase-1, IL-1ß, and IL-18) and insulin resistance, as well as pregnancy outcomes. METHODS: The levels of serum NLRP3 along with its effector molecules (Caspase-1, IL-1ß, and IL-18) in three groups of pregnant women with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM), pregestational diabetes mellitus (PGDM) and normal glucose tolerance (NGT) were measured in mid-pregnancy, and their relationship with insulin resistance and pregnancy outcomes was analyzed. The ROC curve was also used to evaluate the predictive value of serum NLRP3 inflammasome and its effector molecules for pregnancy outcomes. RESULTS: There were no statistical differences in the general clinical data of the three groups, and the concentrations of serum NLRP3 along with its effector molecules were higher in the GDM and PGDM groups than in the NGT group, and NLRP3 along with its effector molecules were positively correlated with fasting blood glucose, fasting insulin, and insulin resistance index in both groups (r > 0, p < .05). The incidence of preterm delivery, hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, premature rupture of membranes, neonatal hypoglycemia and macrosomia was significantly higher in both groups than in the NGT group (p < .05). The value of the combined serum NLRP3 and its effector molecules in mid-pregnancy to predict adverse pregnancy outcomes was highest, and the AUCs for the combined prediction of late hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, premature rupture of membranes, preterm delivery, neonatal hypoglycemia and macrosomia were 0.84 (95% CI 0.79-0.88, p < .001), 0.81 (95% CI 0.75-0.85, p < .001), 0.76 (95% CI 0.70-0.81, p < .001), 0.76 (95% CI 0.70-0.81, p < .001) and 0.72 (95% CI 0.63-0.81, p < .001), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Increased serum NLRP3 along with its effector molecules in pregnant women with hyperglycemia are associated with the levels of insulin resistance and the subsequent development of adverse pregnancy outcomes.
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Diabetes Gestacional , Hiperglucemia , Hipertensión Inducida en el Embarazo , Hipoglucemia , Resistencia a la Insulina , Nacimiento Prematuro , Recién Nacido , Embarazo , Femenino , Humanos , Resultado del Embarazo/epidemiología , Macrosomía Fetal/epidemiología , Interleucina-18 , Nacimiento Prematuro/epidemiología , Proteína con Dominio Pirina 3 de la Familia NLR , Glucemia , Hiperglucemia/complicaciones , Aumento de Peso , CaspasasRESUMEN
Zinc-iodine batteries are one of the most intriguing types of batteries that offer high energy density and low toxicity. However, the low intrinsic conductivity of iodine, together with high polyiodide solubility in aqueous electrolytes limits the development of high-areal-capacity zinc-iodine batteries with high stability, especially at low current densities. Herein, we proposed a hydrophobic polyiodide ionic liquid as a zinc-ion battery cathode, which successfully activates the iodine redox process by offering 4 orders of magnitude higher intrinsic electrical conductivity and remarkably lower solubility that suppressed the polyiodide shuttle in a dual-plating zinc-iodine cell. By the molecular engineering of the chemical structure of the polyiodide ionic liquid, the electronic conductivity can reach 3.4 × 10-3 S cm-1 with a high Coulombic efficiency of 98.2%. The areal capacity of the zinc-iodine battery can achieve 5.04 mAh cm-2 and stably operate at 3.12 mAh cm-2 for over 990 h. Besides, a laser-scribing designed flexible dual-plating-type microbattery based on a polyiodide ionic liquid cathode also exhibits stable cycling in both a single cell and 4 × 4 integrated cell, which can operate with the polarity-switching model with high stability.