High-Entropy Configuration Strategy to Build High Performance Na-Ion Layered Oxide Cathodes Derived from Simple Techniques.

Layered transition metal oxides are commonly used as the cathode materials in sodium-ion batteries due to their low cost and easy manufacturing. However, the application is hindered by poor rate performance and complex phase transitions. To address these challenges, a new seven-component high-entropy layered oxide cathode material, O3-NaNi0.25Fe0.15Mn0.3Ti0.1Sn0.05Co0.05Li0.1O2 (HEO) has been developed. The entropy stabilization effect plays a crucial role in improving the performance of electrochemical systems and the stability of structures. The HEO exhibits a specific discharge capacity of 154.1 mA h g-1 at 0.1 C and 94.5 mA h g-1 at 7 C. In-situ and ex-situ XRD results demonstrate that the HEO effectively retards complex phase transitions. This work provides a high-entropy design for the storage materials with a high energy density. Meanwhile, it eliminates industry doubts about the performance of sodium ion layered oxide cathode materials.

Prilling and Coating Strategy to Synthesize High-Performance Spherical NaNi0.4Fe0.2Mn0.4O2 Cathode Materials for Sodium Ion Batteries.

Low-cost sodium ion batteries are of great significance in large-scale energy storage applications. With its high energy density and simple synthesis process, layered transition-metal oxides have become one of the most likely sodium ion battery cathode materials to replace lithium ion batteries in the energy storage market. Here, we report a prilling and MoS2 coating strategy to prepare the spherical cathode material. The spherical micronano particles shorten the diffusion path of Na+, restrain the complexity phase transitions, and enhance the tap density of the materials. In addition, the MoS2 coating improves the electrical conductivity of the material and the structural stability of the cathode material in air. The initial specific discharge capacity is 148.4 mA h g-1 at 0.1 C, which can be maintained at 128.9 mA h g-1 after exposure to air for 10 days. This method dramatically improves the energy density and structural stability of the cathode material, which provides a new scheme for preparing high-performance sodium ion batteries.

Characterization of Fusarium solani Associated with Tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum) Root Rot in Henan, China.

The aim of this study was to characterize the Fusarium solani species complex (FSSC) population obtained from tobacco roots with root rot symptoms by morphological characteristics, molecular tests, and assessment of pathogenicity. Cultures isolated from roots were white to cream with sparse mycelium on potato dextrose agar, with colony growth of 21.5 ± 0.5 to 29.5 ± 0.5 mm after 3 days. Sporodochia were cream on carnation leaf agar (CLA) and Spezieller Nährstoffarmer agar (SNA), and macroconidia formed in sporodochia were 3 to 6 septate and straight to slightly curved, with wide central cells, a slightly short blunt apical cell, and a straight to almost cylindrical basal cell with a distinct foot shape, ranging in size from 20.92 to 64.37 × 3.91 to 6.57 µm. Microconidia formed on CLA were reniform and fusiform, with 0 or 1 to occasionally 2 septa, that formed on long monophialidic conidiogenous cells, with a size range of 5.99 to 32.32 × 1.76 to 5.84 µm. Globose to oval chlamydospores were smooth- to rough-walled, 6.5 to 13.3 ± 0.37 µm in diameter, and terminal or intercalary and occurred singly, in pairs, or occasionally in short chains on SNA. Molecular tests consisted of sequencing and phylogenetic analysis of the translation elongation factor-1 alpha (EF-1α), RNA polymerase II largest subunit, and second largest subunit regions. All the obtained sequences revealed 98.14 to 100% identity to F. solani in both Fusarium ID and Fusarium MLST databases. Phylogenetic trees of the EF-1α gene and concatenated three-locus data showed that isolates from tobacco in Henan grouped in the proposed group 5, which is nested within FSSC clade 3 (FSSC 5). Twenty-seven of the 28 isolates caused root rot in artificially inoculated tobacco seedlings, with a disease severity index ranging from 15.00 ± 1.67 to 91.11 ± 2.22. Cross-pathogenicity tests showed that three representative isolates were virulent to six species of Solanaceae and two species of Poaceae, with disease severity indexes ranging from 6.12 ± 0.56 to 84.44 ± 0.00, indicating that these isolates have a wide host range. The results may inform the control of tobacco root rot through improved crop rotations.

Red light-triggered release of ROS and carbon monoxide for combinational antibacterial application.

The abuse of antibiotics has led to the emergence of a wide range of drug-resistant bacteria. To address the challenge of drug-resistant bacterial infections and related infectious diseases, several effective antibacterial strategies have been developed. To achieve enhanced therapeutic effects, combinational treatment approaches should be employed. With this in mind, a metal-organic framework (MOF) based nanoreactor with integrated photodynamic therapy (PDT) and gas therapy which can release reactive oxygen species (ROS) and carbon monoxide (CO) under red light irradiation has been developed. The release of ROS and CO under red light irradiation exerts a preferential antibacterial effect on Gram-positive/Gram-negative bacteria. The bactericidal effects of ROS and CO on Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) and methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) are better than ROS only, showing a combinational antibacterial effect. Furthermore, the fluorescence emission properties of porphyrin moieties can be leveraged for real-time tracking and imaging of the nanoreactors. The simple preparation procedures of this material further enhance its potential as a versatile and effective antibacterial candidate, thereby presenting a new strategy for PDT and gas combinational treatment.

Electrical Stimulations Generated by P(VDF-TrFE) Films Enhance Adhesion Forces and Odontogenic Differentiation of Dental Pulp Stem Cells (DPSCs).

Biophysical and biochemical cues of biomaterials can regulate cell behaviors. Dental pulp stem cells (DPSCs) in pulp tissues can differentiate to odontoblast-like cells and secrete reparative dentin to form a barrier to protect the underlying pulp tissues and enable complete pulp healing. Promotion of the odontogenic differentiation of DPSCs is essential for dentin regeneration. The effects of the surface potentials of biomaterials on the adhesion and odontogenic differentiation of DPSCs remain unclear. Here, poly(vinylidene fluoride-trifluoro ethylene) (P(VDF-TrFE)) films with different surface potentials were prepared by the spin-coating technique and the contact poling method. The cytoskeletal organization of DPSCs grown on P(VDF-TrFE) films was studied by immunofluorescence staining. Using atomic force microscopy (AFM), the lateral detachment forces of DPSCs from P(VDF-TrFE) films were quantified. The effects of electrical stimulation generated from P(VDF-TrFE) films on odontogenic differentiation of DPSCs were evaluated in vitro and in vivo. The unpolarized, positively polarized, and negatively polarized films had surface potentials of -52.9, +902.4, and -502.2 mV, respectively. DPSCs on both negatively and positively polarized P(VDF-TrFE) films had larger cell areas and length-to-width ratios than those on the unpolarized films (P < 0.05). During the detachment of DPSCs from P(VDF-TrFE) films, the average magnitudes of the maximum detachment forces were 29.4, 72.1, and 53.9 nN for unpolarized, positively polarized, and negatively polarized groups, respectively (P < 0.05). The polarized films enhanced the mineralization activities and increased the expression levels of the odontogenic-related proteins of DPSCs compared to the unpolarized films (P < 0.05). The extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) signaling pathway was involved in the odontogenic differentiation of DPSCs as induced by surface charge. In vivo, the polarized P(VDF-TrFE) films enhanced adhesion of DPSCs and promoted the odontogenic differentiation of DPSCs by electrical stimulation, demonstrating a potential application of electroactive biomaterials for reparative dentin formation in direct pulp capping.

Leaching potentials of microplastic fibers and UV stabilizers from coastal-littered face masks.

Synthetic fibrous textiles are ubiquitous plastic commodities in everyday existence. Nevertheless, there exists a dearth of understanding regarding their environmental occurrence and the releasing capacities of associated additives. In this study, ten additives were determined in twenty-eight kinds of daily used plastic products including face masks, synthetic clothing, and food containers. Our results revealed that a typical kind of fibrous plastic, face masks, contained a greater variety of additives with UV stabilizers in particular, when compared to other plastic commodities. The above phenomena triggered our field investigation for the occurrence and release potentials of face mask fibers and the co-existing UV stabilizers into the environment. We further collected 114 disposed masks from coastal areas and analyzed their UV stabilizer concentrations. Results showed that the abundance of littered face masks ranged from 40-1846 items/km2 along the Yangtze Estuary, China; and UV stabilizers were of 0.3 ± 0.7 ng/g and 0.7 ± 1.7 ng/g in main bodies and ear ropes, respectively. The UV stabilizer concentrations in the field collected masks were only ∼7 % of their new counterparts, implying their potential leaching after disposal. By simulating the weathering scenario, we predict that a substantial amount of microplastics, with 1.1 × 1010 polypropylene fibers and 3.7 × 1010 polyester fibers, are probably be released daily into the coastal environment after face masks disposal; whereas the accompanied leaching amount of UV stabilizers was relatively modest under the current scenario.

Functional and Structural Abnormalities in the Pain Network of Generalized Anxiety Disorder Patients with Pain Symptoms.

Pain symptoms significantly impact the well-being and work capacity of individuals with generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), and hinder treatment and recovery. Despite existing literature focusing on the neural substrate of pain and anxiety separately, further exploration is needed to understand the possible neuroimaging mechanisms of the pain symptoms in GAD patients. We recruited 73 GAD patients and 75 matched healthy controls (HC) for clinical assessments, as well as resting-state functional and structural magnetic resonance imaging scans. We defined a pain-related network through a published meta-analysis, including the insula, thalamus, periaqueductal gray, prefrontal cortex, anterior cingulate cortex, amygdala, and hippocampus. Subsequently, we conducted the regional homogeneity (ReHo) and the gray matter volume (GMV) within the pain-related network. Correlation analysis was then employed to explore associations between abnormal regions and self-reported outcomes, assessed using the Patient Health Questionnaire-15 (PHQ-15) and pain scores. We observed significantly increased ReHo in the bilateral insula but decreased GMV in the bilateral thalamus of GAD compared to HC. Further correlation analysis revealed a positive correlation between ReHo of the left anterior insula and pain scores in GAD patients, while a respective negative correlation between GMV of the bilateral thalamus and PHQ-15 scores. In summary, GAD patients exhibit structural and functional abnormalities in pain-related networks. The enhanced ReHo in the left anterior insula is correlated with pain symptoms, which might be a crucial brain region of pain symptoms in GAD.