Self-Assembly of Ultrathin, Ultrastrong Layered Membranes by Protic Solvent Penetration.

Flexible membranes with ultrathin thickness and excellent mechanical properties have shown great potential for broad uses in solid polymer electrolytes (SPEs), on-skin electronics, etc. However, an ultrathin membrane (<5 µm) is rarely reported in the above applications due to the inherent trade-off between thickness and antifailure ability. We discover a protic solvent penetration strategy to prepare ultrathin, ultrastrong layered films through a continuous interweaving of aramid nanofibers (ANFs) with the assistance of simultaneous protonation and penetration of a protic solvent. The thickness of a pure ANF film can be controlled below 5 µm, with a tensile strength of 556.6 MPa, allowing us to produce the thinnest SPE (3.4 µm). The resultant SPEs enable Li-S batteries to cycle over a thousand times at a high rate of 1C due to the small ionic impedance conferred by the ultrathin characteristic and regulated ionic transportation. Besides, a high loading of the sulfur cathode (4 mg cm-2) with good sulfur utilization was achieved at a mild temperature (35 °C), which is difficult to realize in previously reported solid-state Li-S batteries. Through a simple laminating process at the wet state, the thicker film (tens of micrometers) obtained exhibits mechanical properties comparable to those of thin films and possesses the capability to withstand high-velocity projectile impacts, indicating that our technique features a high degree of thickness controllability. We believe that it can serve as a valuable tool to assemble nanomaterials into ultrathin, ultrastrong membranes for various applications.

Regulating the Spin State Configuration in Bimetallic Phosphorus Trisulfides for Promoting Sulfur Redox Kinetics.

Lithium-sulfur (Li-S) batteries suffer from sluggish kinetics due to the poor conductivity of sulfur cathodes and polysulfide shutting. Current studies on sulfur redox catalysis mainly focus on the adsorption and catalytic conversion of lithium polysulfides but ignore the modulation of the electronic structure of the catalysts which involves spin-related charge transfer and orbital interactions. In this work, bimetallic phosphorus trisulfides embedded in Prussian blue analogue-derived nitrogen-doped hollow carbon nanocubes (FeCoPS3/NCs) were elaborately synthesized as a host to reveal the relationship between the catalytic activity and the spin state configuration for Li-S batteries. Orbital spin splitting in FeCoPS3 drives the electronic structure transition from low-spin to high-spin states, generating more unpaired electrons on the 3d orbit. Specifically, the nondegenerate orbitals involved in the high-spin configuration of FeCoPS3 result in the upshift of energy levels, generating more active electronic states. Such tailored electronic structure increases the charge transfer, influences the d-band center, and further modifies the adsorption energy with lithium polysulfides and the potential reaction pathways. Consequently, the cell with FeCoPS3/NC host exhibits an ultralow capacity decay of 0.037% per cycle over 1000 cycles. This study proposed a general strategy for sculpting geometric configurations to enable spin and orbital topology regulation in Li-S battery catalysts.

Structure, spectroscopy and laser performance of an Er:YGGAG crystal.

In this work, we report on investigations of structure, spectroscopic properties and laser performances of, what we believe to be, a novel Er:YGGAG laser crystal. High crystalline quality is proved by an FWHW of XRC of 0.019°. Thermal conductivity of a 30 at.% Er:YGGAG crystal is determined as 4.98 W/(m·K). The refractive index is measured in the range of 400 to 1000 nm and fitting with Sellmeier equation is done. A broad fluorescence emission band is located at 2786∼2819 nm, suggesting that this crystal is favorable to realize tunable and ultrafast laser. Under the pump at 969 nm with a fiber-coupled diode laser, at 400 Hz repetition rate and 600 µs pulse duration, the 30 at.% Er:YGGAG delivered maximum average power of 506 mW with overall optical-to-optical efficiency of 12.4% and slope efficiency of 16.9%. The laser beam quality was characterized by M2 factors of 1.53 and 1.39 in horizontal and vertical directions, respectively.

Vacancy-Rich MoSSe with Sulfiphilicity-Lithiophilicity Dual Function for Kinetics-Enhanced and Dendrite-Free Li-S Batteries.

The sluggish redox kinetics of sulfur and the uncontrollable growth of lithium dendrites are two main challenges that impede the practical applications of lithium-sulfur (Li-S) batteries. In this study, a multifunctional host with vacancy-rich MoSSe vertically grown on reduced graphene oxide aerogels (MoSSe/rGO) is designed as the host material for both sulfur and lithium. The embedding of Se into a MoS2 lattice is introduced to improve the inherent conductivity and generate abundant anion vacancies to endow the 3D conductive graphene based aerogels with specific sulfiphilicity-lithiophilicity. As a result, the assembled Li-S batteries based on MoSSe/rGO exhibit greatly improved capacity and cycling stability and can be operated under a lean electrolyte (4.8 µL mg-1) and a high sulfur loading (6.5 mg cm-2), achieving a high energy density. This study presents a unique method to unlock the catalysis capability and improve the inherent lithiophilicity by heteroatom doping and defect chemistry for kinetics-enhanced and dendrite-free Li-S batteries.

Freestanding and Sandwich MXene-Based Cathode with Suppressed Lithium Polysulfides Shuttle for Flexible Lithium-Sulfur Batteries.

Flexible lithium-sulfur (Li-S) batteries with high mechanical compliance and energy density are highly desired. This manuscript reported that large-area freestanding MXene (Ti3C2Tx) film has been obtained through a scalable drop-casting method, significantly improving adhesion to the sulfur layer under the continuously bent. Titanium oxide anchored on holey Ti3C2Tx (TiO2/H-Ti3C2Tx) was also produced by the well-controlled oxidation of few-layer Ti3C2Tx, which greatly facilitates lithium ion transport as well as prevents the shuttling of lithium polysulfides. Therefore, the obtained sandwich electrode has demonstrated a high capacity of 740 mAh g-1 at 2 C and a high capacity retention of 81% at 1 C after 500 cycles. Flexible Li-S batteries based on this sandwich electrode have a capacity retention as high as 95% after bending 500 times. This work provides effective design strategies of MXene for flexible batteries and wearable electronics.

Stable Operation of Lithium Metal Batteries with Aggressive Cathode Chemistries at 4.9†V.

High-voltage lithium metal batteries (LMBs) pose severe challenges for the matching of electrolytes with aggressive electrodes, especially at low temperatures. Here, we report a rational modification of the Li+ solvation structure to extend the voltage and temperature operating ranges of conventional electrolytes. Ion-ion and ion-dipole interactions as well as the electrochemical window of solvents were tailored to improve oxidation stability and de-solvation kinetics of the electrolyte. Meanwhile, robust and elastic B and F-rich interphases are formed on both electrodes. Such optimization enables Li||LiNi0.5 Mn1.5 O4 cells (90.2 % retention after 400 cycles) and Li||LiNi0.6 Co0.2 Mn0.2 O2 (NCM622) cells (74.0 % retention after 200 cycles) to cycle stably at an ultra-high voltage of 4.9 V. Moreover, NCM622 cells deliver a considerable capacity of 143.5 mAh g-1 at -20 °C, showing great potential for practical uses. The proposed strategy sheds light on further optimization for high-voltage LMBs.

Defects in efferent duct multiciliogenesis underlie male infertility in GEMC1-, MCIDAS- or CCNO-deficient mice.

GEMC1 and MCIDAS are geminin family proteins that transcriptionally activate E2F4/5-target genes during multiciliogenesis, including Foxj1 and Ccno Male mice that lacked Gemc1, Mcidas or Ccno were found to be infertile, but the origin of this defect has remained unclear. Here, we show that all three genes are necessary for the generation of functional multiciliated cells in the efferent ducts that are required for spermatozoa to enter the epididymis. In mice that are mutant for Gemc1, Mcidas or Ccno, we observed a similar spectrum of phenotypes, including thinning of the seminiferous tubule epithelia, dilation of the rete testes, sperm agglutinations in the efferent ducts and lack of spermatozoa in the epididymis (azoospermia). These data suggest that defective efferent duct development is the dominant cause of male infertility in these mouse models, and this likely extends to individuals with the ciliopathy reduced generation of multiple motile cilia with mutations in MCIDAS and CCNO.

Stabilized Solid Electrolyte Interphase Induced by Ultrathin Boron Nitride Membranes for Safe Lithium Metal Batteries.

Lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) are still facing safety problems, mainly due to dendrite growth on the anode that leads to combustion and explosion. Forming a stable solid electrolyte interface (SEI) layer is an effective way to suppress this. To induce the formation of stable SEI using simple methods at a low cost, we report an ultrathin and large-scale hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN)/polyimide (PI) layer that was coated on a commercial polypropylene (PP) separator. The formation of a stabilized SEI component induced by the h-BN coating layer is proposed, as suggested by theoretical calculations and confirmed by electrochemical analysis and spectroscopy. It effectively suppresses Li dendrite growth and reduces the consumption of active lithium. The separator also has good electrolyte wettability, excellent mechanical strength and thermal conductivity, and high thermal stability. When using the h-BN modified separator in a full cell, the capacity is extremely stable after long cycling and high temperature.

13-W and 1000-Hz of a 2.7-µm laser on the 968†nm LD side-pumped Er:YAP crystal with concave end-faces.

We demonstrate a 968-nm LD side-pumped Er:YAP laser with concave end-faces and a working frequency of 50∼1000 Hz. The maximum average powers of 26.75 and 13.18 W are obtained at 250 and 1000 Hz, corresponding to the slope efficiency of 16.2% and 9.0%, respectively. The M2 factors of 7.98 and 1.49 are determined under the multi-mode and single-mode, and three laser wavelengths of 2713, 2732 and 2796 nm are observed. The results indicate that the LD side-pumped Er:YAP crystal with negative curvature end-faces is a promising candidate for the high power and high frequency mid-infrared laser device.

Short-Wave Infrared Quantum Dots with Compact Sizes as Molecular Probes for Fluorescence Microscopy.

Materials with short-wave infrared (SWIR) emission are promising contrast agents for in vivo animal imaging, providing high-contrast and high-resolution images of blood vessels in deep tissues. However, SWIR emitters have not been developed as molecular labels for microscopy applications in the life sciences, which require optimized probes that are bright, stable, and small. Here, we design and synthesize semiconductor quantum dots (QDs) with SWIR emission based on HgxCd1-xSe alloy cores red shifted to the SWIR by epitaxial deposition of thin HgxCd1-xS shells with a small band gap. By tuning alloy composition alone, the emission can be shifted across the visible-to-SWIR (VIR) spectra while maintaining a small and equal size, allowing direct comparisons of molecular labeling performance across a broad range of wavelength. After coating with click-functional multidentate polymers, the VIR-QD spectral series has high quantum yield in the SWIR (14-33%), compact size (13 nm hydrodynamic diameter), and long-term stability in aqueous media during continuous excitation. We show that these properties enable diverse applications of SWIR molecular probes for fluorescence microscopy using conjugates of antibodies, growth factors, and nucleic acids. A broadly useful outcome is a 10-55-fold enhancement of the signal-to-background ratio at both the single-molecule level and the ensemble level in the SWIR relative to visible wavelengths, primarily due to drastically reduced autofluorescence. We anticipate that VIR-QDs with SWIR emission will enable ultrasensitive molecular imaging of low-copy number analytes in biospecimens with high autofluorescence.

Spectroscopic and laser properties of Er:LuSGG crystal for high-power ∼2.8 µm mid-infrared laser.

We demonstrate a novel Er:LuSGG active gain medium emitting laser wavelength at 2795 nm for the first time. The Er:LuSGG crystal is grown successfully by the Czochralski method with high crystalline and optical quality. The spectra properties, including absorption and fluorescence emission cross-section are presented in contrast with similar Er-doped garnet crystals. The fluorescence lifetimes of the upper (4I11/2) and lower (4I13/2) laser levels are 1.75 and 4.64 ms, respectively. Under 973 nm laser diode pumping, a maximum output power of 789 mW in continuous-wave mode, corresponding to optical-to-optical efficiency of 20.2% and slope efficiency of 24.4%, is achieved with high laser beam quality. The results show that the Er:LuSGG is a promising MIR laser material operated at 2.8 µm.

Multi-hyperbolic sine-correlated beams and their statistical properties in turbulent atmosphere.

We introduce a partially coherent beam, called a multi-hyperbolic sine-correlated (MHSC) beam, by employing a multi-hyperbolic sine function to modulate the spectral degree of coherence. Based on the extended Huygens-Fresnel principle and second-order moments of the Wigner distribution function, we derive the analytical expressions for the spectral intensity, the root-mean-square (rms) angular width and the M2 factor in turbulent atmosphere. Numerical results show that the intensity profile, which keeps the dark-hollow invariant in free space, will be gradually destroyed by the turbulence along the propagation distance. We believe that the MHSC beams have significant advantage over the hyperbolic sine-correlated beams for reducing the turbulence-induced degradation, especially for the MHSC beams with a higher beam order N. The effects of the beams parameters and the turbulent atmosphere on the beam quality are analyzed in detail.

Selective killing of Helicobacter pylori with pH-responsive helix-coil conformation transitionable antimicrobial polypeptides.

Current clinical treatment of Helicobacter pylori infection, the main etiological factor in the development of gastritis, gastric ulcers, and gastric carcinoma, requires a combination of at least two antibiotics and one proton pump inhibitor. However, such triple therapy suffers from progressively decreased therapeutic efficacy due to the drug resistance and undesired killing of the commensal bacteria due to poor selectivity. Here, we report the development of antimicrobial polypeptide-based monotherapy, which can specifically kill H. pylori under acidic pH in the stomach while inducing minimal toxicity to commensal bacteria under physiological pH. Specifically, we designed a class of pH-sensitive, helix-coil conformation transitionable antimicrobial polypeptides (HCT-AMPs) (PGA)m-r-(PHLG-MHH)n, bearing randomly distributed negatively charged glutamic acid and positively charged poly(γ-6-N-(methyldihexylammonium)hexyl-l-glutamate) (PHLG-MHH) residues. The HCT-AMPs showed unappreciable toxicity at physiological pH when they adopted random coiled conformation. Under acidic condition in the stomach, they transformed to the helical structure and exhibited potent antibacterial activity against H. pylori, including clinically isolated drug-resistant strains. After oral gavage, the HCT-AMPs afforded comparable H. pylori killing efficacy to the triple-therapy approach while inducing minimal toxicity against normal tissues and commensal bacteria, in comparison with the remarkable killing of commensal bacteria by 65% and 86% in the ileal contents and feces, respectively, following triple therapy. This strategy renders an effective approach to specifically target and kill H. pylori in the stomach while not harming the commensal bacteria/normal tissues.

Propagation properties of radially polarized multi-Gaussian Schell-model beams in oceanic turbulence.

By utilizing the extended Huygens-Fresnel principle, we derive the analytical formulas for the cross-spectral density matrix elements of a radially polarized multi-Gaussian Schell-model (RPMGSM) beam propagating in oceanic turbulence. Effects of beam parameters and oceanic turbulence parameters on the propagation properties of RPMGSM beams are investigated in detail by numerical simulation. Our results show that the RPMGSM beam with larger beam order M has an advantage over the radially polarized Gaussian Schell-model beam for reducing turbulence-induced degradation. Compared with temperature-induced turbulence fluctuation, the salinity-induced turbulence fluctuation makes a greater contribution to the influence on propagation properties of RPMGSM beams.

miR-H28 and miR-H29 expressed late in productive infection are exported and restrict HSV-1 replication and spread in recipient cells.

We report on the properties and function of two herpes simplex virus-1 (HSV-1) microRNAs (miRNAs) designated "miR-H28" and "miR-H29." Both miRNAs accumulate late in productive infection at a time when, for the most part, viral DNA and proteins have been made. Ectopic expression of miRNA mimics in human cells before infection reduced the accumulation of viral mRNAs and proteins, reduced plaque sizes, and at vey low multiplicities of infection reduced viral yields. The specificity of the miRNA mimics was tested in two ways. First, ectopic expression of mimics carrying mutations in the seed sequence was ineffective. Second, in similar tests two viral miRNAs made early in productive infection also had no effect. Both miR-H28 and miR-H29 are exported from infected cells in exosomes. A noteworthy finding is that both miR-H28 and miR-H29 were absent from murine ganglia harboring latent virus but accumulated in ganglia in which the virus was induced to reactivate. The significance of these findings rests on the principle that the transmission of HSV from person to person is by physical contact between the infected tissues of the donor and those of uninfected recipient. Diminished size of primary or recurrent lesions could be predicted to enhance person-to-person transmission. Reduction in the amount of reactivating latent virus would reduce the risk of retrograde transport to the CNS but would not interfere with anterograde transport to a site at or near the site of initial infection.

Patterns of accumulation of miRNAs encoded by herpes simplex virus during productive infection, latency, and on reactivation.

The key events in herpes simplex virus (HSV) infections are (i) replication at a portal of entry into the body modeled by infection of cultured cells; (ii) establishment of a latent state characterized by a sole latency-associated transcript and microRNAs (miRNAs) modeled in murine peripheral ganglia 30 d after inoculation; and (iii) reactivation from the latent state modeled by excision and incubation of ganglia in medium containing anti-NGF antibody for a timespan of a single viral replicative cycle. In this report, we examine the pattern of synthesis and accumulation of 18 HSV-1 miRNAs in the three models. We report the following: (i) H2-3P, H3-3P, H4-3P, H5-3P, H6-3P, and H7-5P accumulated in ganglia harboring latent virus. All but H4-3P were readily detected in productively infected cells, and most likely they originate from three transcriptional units. (ii) H8-5P, H15, H17, H18, H26, and H27 accumulated during reactivation. Of this group, only H26 and H27 could be detected in productively infected cells. (iii) Of the 18 we have examined, only 10 miRNAs were found to accumulate above background levels in productively infected cells. The disparity in the accumulation of miRNAs in cell culture and during reactivation may reflect differences in the patterns of regulation of viral gene expression during productive infection and during reactivation from the latent state.

Synthetic polypeptides: from polymer design to supramolecular assembly and biomedical application.

Synthetic polypeptides from the ring-opening polymerization of N-carboxyanhydrides (NCAs) are one of the most important biomaterials. The unique features of these synthetic polypeptides, including their chemical diversity of side chains and their ability to form secondary structures, enable their broad applications in the field of gene delivery, drug delivery, bio-imaging, tissue engineering, and antimicrobials. In this review article, we summarize the recent advances in the design of polypeptide-based supramolecular structures, including complexes with nucleic acids, micelles, vesicles, hybrid nanoparticles, and hydrogels. We also highlight the progress in the chemical design of functional polypeptides, which plays a crucial role to manipulate their assembly behaviours and optimize their biomedical performances. Finally, we conclude the review by discussing the future opportunities in this field, including further studies on the secondary structures and cost-effective synthesis of polypeptide materials.

Bacteria-Assisted Activation of Antimicrobial Polypeptides by a Random-Coil to Helix Transition.

The application of antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) is largely hindered by their non-specific toxicity against mammalian cells, which is usually associated with helical structure, hydrophobicity, and charge density. A random coil-to-helix transition mechanism has now been introduced into the design of AMPs, minimizing the toxicity against mammalian cells while maintaining high antimicrobial activity. By incorporating anionic phosphorylated tyrosine into the cationic polypeptide, the helical structure of AMPs was distorted owing to the side-chain charge interaction. Together with the decreased charge density, the AMPs exhibited inhibited toxicity against mammalian cells. At the infectious site, the AMPs can be activated by bacterial phosphatase to restore the helical structure, thus contributing to strong membrane disruptive capability and potent antimicrobial activity. This bacteria-activated system is an effective strategy to enhance the therapeutic selectivity of AMPs.

A novel long noncoding RNA AK001796 acts as an oncogene and is involved in cell growth inhibition by resveratrol in lung cancer.

Lung cancer is the most common form of cancer throughout the world. The specific targeting of long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) by resveratrol opened a new avenue for cancer chemoprevention. In this study, we found that 21 lncRNAs were upregulated and 19 lncRNAs were downregulated in lung cancer A549 cells with 25 µmol/L resveratrol treatment determined by microarray analysis. AK001796, the lncRNA with the most clearly altered expression, was overexpressed in lung cancer tissues and cell lines, but its expression was downregulated in resveratrol-treated lung cancer cells. By monitoring cell proliferation and growth in vitro and tumor growth in vivo, we observed a significant reduction in cell viability in lung cancer cells and a slow growth in the tumorigenesis following AK001796 knockdown. We also found that AK001796 knockdown caused a cell-cycle arrest, with significant increases in the percentage of cells in G0/G1 in lung cancer cells. By using cell cycle pathway-specific PCR arrays, we detected changes in a number of cell cycle-related genes related to lncRNA AK001796 knockdown. We further investigated whether AK001796 participated in the anticancer effect of resveratrol and the results showed that reduced lncRNA AK001796 level potentially impaired the inhibitory effect of resveratrol on cell proliferation. To our knowledge, this is the first study to report the changes in an lncRNA expression profile induced by resveratrol in lung cancer.

Total knee arthroplasty in patients with Klippel Trenaunay syndrome and knee osteoarthritis: A case report and a literature review.

INTRODUCTION: Klippel Trenaunay syndrome (KTS) is a rare congenital disorder characterized by wine staining, varicose veins, bone hypertrophy, and soft tissue hyperplasia. KTS usually occurs at birth, early infancy or childhood. The rarity of disease makes it difficult to calculate its incidence rate. However, few studies report the incidence rate of 2 to 5 cases per 100 thousand. Furthermore, evidence demonstrates that KTS is more prevalent among males compared to females. CASE PRESENTATION: An elderly male aged 67, was admitted to the hospital for chronic pain in his left knee. An outpatient physical examination reveals a significantly thicker left lower limb accompanied by multiple varicose veins. The right lower limb was 2 cm short on the opposite side, and the right foot was stunted with high arch deformity. The entire body was covered in a red grape globus, which faded after pressing. He was diagnosed with KTS. We performed TKA for him after blood coagulation examination. The patient recovered well after the operation. He was followed up for 1 year, The patient is in good condition and satisfied with the operation. CONCLUSION: For patients with KTS, total knee arthroplasty is an effective surgical procedure to treat arthritis. However, some risks must be considered, and appropriate surgical preparation must be undertaken.