Unraveling the Nucleation and Growth Mechanism of Potassium Metal on 3D Skeletons for Dendrite-Free Potassium Metal Batteries.

Designing three-dimensional (3D) porous carbonaceous skeletons for K metal is one of the most promising strategies to inhibit dendrite growth and enhance the cycle life of potassium metal batteries. However, the nucleation and growth mechanism of K metal on 3D skeletons remains ambiguous, and the rational design of suitable K hosts still presents a significant challenge. In this study, the relationships between the binding energy of skeletons toward K and the nucleation and growth of K are systematically studied. It is found that a high binding energy can effectively decrease the nucleation barrier, reduce nucleation volume, and prevent dendrite growth, which is applied to guide the design of 3D current collectors. Density functional theory calculations show that P-doped carbon (P-carbon) exhibits the highest binding energy toward K compared to other elements (e.g., N, O). As a result, the K@P-PMCFs (P-binding porous multichannel carbon nanofibers) symmetric cell demonstrates an excellent cycle stability of 2100 h with an overpotential of 85 mV in carbonate electrolytes. Similarly, the perylene-3,4,9,10-tetracarboxylic dianhydride || K@P-PMCFs cell achieves ultralong cycle stability (85% capacity retention after 1000 cycles). This work provides a valuable reference for the rational design of 3D current collectors.

The Effects of Partial Substitution of Fertilizer Using Different Organic Materials on Soil Nutrient Condition, Aggregate Stability and Enzyme Activity in a Tea Plantation.

Fertilization plays a crucial role in enhancing tea production. However, it has been demonstrated that the long-term single application of chemical fertilizer will reduce soil nutrient content and the formation of soil aggregates, which is not conducive to the sustainable development of soil and agriculture. Many studies have shown that partial substitution of chemical fertilizer with organic fertilizer can improve soil physicochemical properties and soil nutrient content. This study compared the effects of different organic materials as substitutes for chemical fertilizer. We partially replaced chemical fertilizer with rabbit manure, wine lees and rapeseed cake, amounting to 30% of the total annual nitrogen application in the field experiment, and we set nine different fertilization methods to assess and analyze the soil nutrient condition, aggregate stability and enzyme activity. The results showed that the experimental soil aggregate mean weight diameter (MWD) and geometric mean diameter (GMD) were significantly increased compared with control (p < 0.05); the aforementioned fertilization methods also decreased the soil aggregate fractal dimension (D), disruption rate (PAD), average weight-specific surface area (MWSSA) and soil erodibility factor (K). The application of the fertilizer containing organic materials and microbial agent increased soil organic carbon (SOC) by 20.7% to 22.6% and total nitrogen (TN) by 34.6% to 38.1%; it also significantly promoted sucrase, urease and protease activities in all aggregate sizes (p < 0.05) and increased the 2-5 mm aggregate content. The correlation coefficients between the SOC and the enzyme activities were 0.18-0.95, and most of them showed an extremely significant positive correlation (p < 0.01). In conclusion, the application of fertilizers containing organic materials and microbial agents can improve soil aggregate stability, aggregate enzyme activity and soil structural stability.

Comparative analysis of nascent RNA sequencing methods and their applications in studies of cotranscriptional splicing dynamics.

High-throughput detection of nascent RNA is critical for studies of transcription and much more challenging than that of mRNA. Recently, several massively parallel nascent RNA sequencing methods were established in eukaryotic cells. Here, we systematically compared 3 classes of methods on the same pure or crude nuclei preparations: GRO-seq for sequence nuclear run-on RNAs, pNET-seq for sequence RNA polymerase II-associated RNAs, and CB RNA-seq for sequence chromatin-bound (CB) RNAs in Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana). To improve the resolution of CB RNAs, 3'CB RNA-seq was established to sequence the 3' ends of CB RNAs. In addition, we modified pNET-seq to establish the Chromatin Native Elongation Transcript sequencing (ChrNET) method using chromatin as the starting material for RNA immunoprecipitation. Reproducibility, sensitivity and accuracy in detecting nascent transcripts, experimental procedures, and costs were analyzed, which revealed the strengths and weaknesses of each method. We found that pNET and GRO methods best detected active RNA polymerase II. CB RNA-seq is a simple and cost-effective alternative for nascent RNA studies, due to its high correlation with pNET-seq and GRO-seq. Compared with pNET, ChrNET has higher specificity for nascent RNA capture and lower sequencing cost. 3'CB is sensitive to transcription-coupled splicing. Using these methods, we identified 1,404 unknown transcripts, 4,482 unannotated splicing events, and 60 potential recursive splicing events. This comprehensive comparison of different nascent/chromatin RNA sequencing methods highlights the strengths of each method and serves as a guide for researchers aiming to select a method that best meets their study goals.

Shortwave Infrared InGaAs Detectors On-Chip Integrated with Subwavelength Polarization Gratings.

Shortwave infrared polarization imaging can increase the contrast of the target to the background to improve the detection system's recognition ability. The division of focal plane polarization indium gallium arsenide (InGaAs) focal plane array (FPA) detector is the ideal choice due to the advantages of compact structure, real-time imaging, and high stability. However, because of the mismatch between nanostructures and photosensitive pixels as well as the crosstalk among the different polarization directions, the currently reported extinction ratio (ER) of superpixel-polarization-integrated detectors cannot meet the needs of high-quality imaging. In this paper, a 1024 × 4 InGaAs FPA detector on-chip integrated with a linear polarization grating (LPG) was realized and tested. The detector displayed good performance throughout the 0.9-1.7 um band, and the ERs at 1064 nm, 1310 nm and 1550 nm reached up to 22:1, 29:1 and 46:1, respectively. For the crosstalk investigation, the optical simulation of the grating-integrated InGaAs pixel was carried out, and the limitation of the ER was calculated. The result showed that the scattering of incident light in the InP substrate led to the crosstalk. Moreover, the deviation of the actual grating morphology from the designed structure caused a further reduction in the ER.

Oxygen Defect Engineering toward Zero-Strain V2O2.8@Porous Reticular Carbon for Ultrastable Potassium Storage.

Potassium-ion batteries (KIBs) are promising candidates for large-scale energy storage devices due to their high energy density and low cost. However, the large potassium-ion radius leads to its sluggish diffusion kinetics during intercalation into the lattice of the electrode material, resulting in electrode pulverization and poor cycle stability. Herein, vanadium trioxide anodes with different oxygen vacancy concentrations (V2O2.9, V2O2.8, and V2O2.7 determined by the neutron diffraction) are developed for KIBs. The V2O2.8 anode is optimal and exhibits excellent potassium storage performance due to the realization of expanded interlayer spacing and efficient ion/electron transport. In situ X-ray diffraction indicates that V2O2.8 is a zero-strain anode with a volumetric strain of 0.28% during the charge/discharge process. Density functional theory calculations show that the impacts of oxygen defects are embodied in reducing the band gap, increasing electron transfer ability, and lowering the diffusion energy barriers for potassium ions. As a result, the electrode of nanosized V2O2.8 embedded in porous reticular carbon (V2O2.8@PRC) delivers high reversible capacity (362 mAh g-1 at 0.05 A g-1), ultralong cycling stability (98.8% capacity retention after 3000 cycles at 2 A g-1), and superior pouch-type full-cell performance (221 mAh g-1 at 0.05 A g-1). This work presents an oxygen defect engineering strategy for ultrastable KIBs.

Synthesis of a pyridine-based covalent organic framework as an efficient adsorbent for rhodamine B removal.

Covalent organic frameworks (COFs), featured with crystalline structures, permanent porosity, and designable organic skeletons, are good candidates for serving as adsorbents. Herein, a new pyridine-based two-dimensional COF (TAPP-DBTA-COF) was constructed via the condensation of 2,4,6-tris(4-aminophenyl)pyridine and 2,5-dibromobenzene-1,4-dicarbaldehyde. TAPP-DBTA-COF displayed high-performance for the removal of rhodamine B (Rh B) from water with high capacity, good adaptability and reusability. The maximum adsorption capacity for Rh B can reach up to 1254 mg g-1, and the kinetic constant was determined as k2 = 0.00244 g mg-1 min-1. Moreover, the corresponding amorphous polymer of TAPP-DBTA-COF, termed as TAPP-DBTA-COP, was synthesized from the same starting materials. The lower efficiency of TAPP-DBTA-COP in capture of Rh B revealed that the ordered pore structure, large specific surface area and rich adsorption sites play an important role in adsorption.

Optimizing the Fermi Level of a 3D Current Collector with Ni3 S2 /Ni3 P Heterostructure for Dendrite-Free Sodium-Metal Batteries.

Rechargeable sodium-metal batteries (RSMBs) with high energy density and low cost are attracting extensive attention as promising energy-storage technologies. However, the poor cyclability and safety issues caused by unstable solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) structure and dendrite issues limit their practical application. Herein, it is theoretically predicted that constructing the Ni3 S2 /Ni3 P heterostructure with high work function can lower the Fermi energy level, and therefore effectively suppressing continuous electrolyte decomposition derived from the electron-tunneling effect after long-term sodiation process. Furthermore, the Ni3 S2 /Ni3 P heterostructure on 3D porous nickel foam (Ni3 S2 /Ni3 P@NF) is experimentally fabricated as an advanced Na-anode current collector. The seamless Ni3 S2 /Ni3 P heterostructure not only offers abundant active sites to induce uniform Na+ deposition and enhance ion-transport kinetics, but also facilitates the formation of stable SEI for dendrite-free sodium anode, which are confirmed by cryogenic components transmission electron microscopy tests and in situ spectroscopy characterization. As a result, the Na-composite anode (Ni3 S2 /Ni3 P@NF@Na) delivers stable plating/stripping process of 5000 h and high average Coulombic efficiency of 99.7% over 2500 cycles. More impressively, the assembled sodium-ion full cell displays ultralong cycle life of 10 000 cycles at 20 C. The strategy of stabilizing the sodium-metal anode gives fundamental insight into the potential construction of advanced RSMBs.

Single-Atom Vanadium Catalyst Boosting Reaction Kinetics of Polysulfides in Na-S Batteries.

The practical application of the room-temperature sodium-sulfur (RT Na-S) batteries is hindered by the insulated sulfur, the severe shuttle effect of sodium polysulfides, and insufficient polysulfide conversion. Herein, on the basis of first principles calculations, single-atom vanadium anchored on a 3D nitrogen-doped hierarchical porous carbon matrix (denoted as 3D-PNCV) is designed and fabricated to enhance sulfur reactivity, and adsorption and catalytic conversion performance of sodium polysulfide. The 3D-PNCV host with abundant and active V sites, hierarchical porous structure, high electrical conductivity, and strong chemical adsorption/conversion ability of V-N bonding can immobilize the polysulfides and promote reversibly catalytic conversion of polysulfides toward Na2 S. Therefore, as-fabricated RT Na-S batteries can achieve a high reversible capacity (445 mAh g-1 over 800 cycles at 5 A g-1 ) and excellent rate capability (224 mAh g-1 at 10 A g-1 ). The electrocatalysis mechanism of sodium polysulfides is further experimentally and theoretically revealed, which provides a new strategy to develop the highly stable RT Na-S batteries.

Self-assembly of Ni2P/γ-Ga2O3 nanosheets for efficient photocatalytic water splitting hydrogen production.

The development of photocatalysts enabling stable and highly efficient water splitting hydrogen production remains an open challenge in the field of energy photocatalysis. Herein, Ni2P/γ-Ga2O3 nanosheets have been reported as excellent water splitting photocatalysts. Ni2P particles and γ-Ga2O3 nanosheets were synthesized by a facile hydrothermal process. The Ni2P/γ-Ga2O3 samples were prepared by an electrostatic self-assembly method with Ni2P particles and γ-Ga2O3 nanosheets as precursors. The 0.5 wt% Ni2P/γ-Ga2O3 sample shows a photocatalytic H2-production activity as high as 2.7 mmol g-1 h-1 in pure water and 12 mmol g-1 h-1 in an aqueous methanol solution under a 125 W high pressure mercury lamp, respectively, which are much higher than those of pure γ-Ga2O3 and Pt/γ-Ga2O3 nanosheets modified with a comparable Pt content. The Ni2P component plays a role as an electron collector that promotes efficient separation of photogenerated electrons and holes, and thereby improves the efficiency of photocatalytic hydrogen production. The effects of inorganic and organic sacrificial reagents on the reaction efficiency and stability were observed and discussed. This work shows that Ni2P as a cocatalyst substituting noble metals can greatly improve the photocatalytic hydrogen production efficiency of γ-Ga2O3 compared to that in pure water and a methanol-water solution.

Effects of Biochar and Manure Co-Application on Aggregate Stability and Pore Size Distribution of Vertisols.

BACKGROUND: The combination of biochar and organic manure has substantial local impacts on soil properties, greenhouse gas emissions, and crop yield. However, the research on soil health or quality is still in its early stages. Four pot experiments were carried out: C (30 g biochar (kg soil)-1), M (10 g manure (kg soil)-1), CM (15 g biochar (kg soil)-1 + 5 g manure (kg soil)-1), and the control (without any amendments). RESULTS: When compared to C and M treatments, the MWD of CM was reduced by 5.5% and increased by 4.9%, respectively, and the micropore volume (5-30 m) was increased by 17.6% and 89.6%. The structural equation model shows that soil structural parameters and physical properties regulate the distribution of micropores (5-30 µm) in amended soil. CONCLUSION: Our studies discovered that biochar mixed with poultry manure had antagonistic and synergistic effects on soil aggregate stability and micropore volume in vertisol, respectively, and thus enhanced crop yield by 71.1%, which might be used as a technological model for farmers in China's Huang-Huai-Hai region to improve low- and medium-yielding soil and maintain soil health.

Revisiting the Role of Physical Confinement and Chemical Regulation of 3D Hosts for Dendrite-Free Li Metal Anode.

Lithium metal anode has been demonstrated as the most promising anode for lithium batteries because of its high theoretical capacity, but infinite volume change and dendritic growth during Li electrodeposition have prevented its practical applications. Both physical morphology confinement and chemical adsorption/diffusion regulation are two crucial approaches to designing lithiophilic materials to alleviate dendrite of Li metal anode. However, their roles in suppressing dendrite growth for long-life Li anode are not fully understood yet. Herein, three different Ni-based nanosheet arrays (NiO-NS, Ni3N-NS, and Ni5P4-NS) on carbon cloth as proof-of-concept lithiophilic frameworks are proposed for Li metal anodes. The two-dimensional nanoarray is more promising to facilitate uniform Li+ flow and electric field. Compared with the NiO-NS and the Ni5P4-NS, the Ni3N-NS on carbon cloth after reacting with molten Li (Li-Ni/Li3N-NS@CC) can afford the strongest adsorption to Li+ and the most rapid Li+ diffusion path. Therefore, the Li-Ni/Li3N-NS@CC electrode realizes the lowest overpotential and the most excellent electrochemical performance (60 mA cm-2 and 60 mAh cm-2 for 1000 h). Furthermore, a remarkable full battery (LiFePO4||Li-Ni/Li3N-NS@CC) reaches 300 cycles at 2C. This research provides valuable insight into designing dendrite-free alkali metal batteries.

Role of PIM2 in acute lung injury induced by sepsis.

Pediatric sepsis can cause lung damage leading to death in children. In addition, its complicated pathogenesis currently presents a difficult problem in the medical field. Proviral integrations of Moloney virus 2 (PIM2) is a prognostic marker of pediatric sepsis; therefore, the aim of the present study was to investigate the role of PIM2 in lung injury caused by pediatric sepsis. To meet this aim, the expression of PIM2 in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced BEAS-2B pulmonary epithelial cells was detected using reverse transcription-quantitative (RT-q)PCR and western blotting. Subsequently, the expression of PIM2 was inhibited using the cell transfection technique. Cell Counting Kit-8, TUNEL and western blotting, use of a fluorescence kit, ELISA detection kits were used to detect the expression of inflammatory- and cell injury-associated indicators following PIM2 inhibition. In addition, the expression of proteins known to be associated with the Toll-like receptor 2 (TLR2)/myeloid differentiation primary response 88 (MyD88) pathway were also assessed using western blotting. Finally, the simultaneous inhibition of PIM2 expression and overexpression of TLR2 were investigated in an attempt to elucidate the underlying mechanism. The expression level of PIM2 was revealed to be increased in LPS-induced BEAS-2B cells. Interference with PIM2 expression led to an increase in BEAS-2B cell viability, the inhibition of apoptosis and a reduction in oxidative stress and the inflammatory response. These processes were also revealed to be accomplished via downregulation of the TLR2/MyD88 signaling pathway. Overall, the present study demonstrated that knockdown of PIM2 alleviated LPS-induced bronchial epithelial cell injury by inhibiting the TLR2/MyD88 pathway.

An Open-Ended Ni3 S2 -Co9 S8 Heterostructures Nanocage Anode with Enhanced Reaction Kinetics for Superior Potassium-Ion Batteries.

Sulfides are perceived as promising anode materials for potassium-ion batteries (PIBs) due to their high theoretical specific capacity and structural diversity. Nonetheless, the poor structural stability and sluggish kinetics of sulfides lead to unsatisfactory electrochemical performance. Herein, Ni3 S2 -Co9 S8 heterostructures with an open-ended nanocage structure wrapped by reduced graphene oxide (Ni-Co-S@rGO cages) are well designed as the anode for PIBs via a selective etching and one-step sulfuration approach. The hollow Ni-Co-S@rGO nanocages, with large surface area, abundant heterointerfaces, and unique open-ended nanocage structure, can reduce the K+ diffusion length and promote reaction kinetics. When used as the anode for PIBs, the Ni-Co-S@rGO exhibits high reversible capacity and low capacity degradation (0.0089% per cycle over 2000 cycles at 10 A g-1 ). A potassium-ion full battery with a Ni-Co-S@rGO anode and Prussian blue cathode can display a superior reversible capacity of 400 mAh g-1 after 300 cycles at 2 A g-1 . The unique structural advantages and electrochemical reaction mechanisms of the Ni-Co-S@rGO are revealed by finite-element-simulation in situ characterizations. The universal synthesis technology of bimetallic sulfide anodes for advanced PIBs may provide vital guidance to design high-performance energy-storage materials.

IFI27 is a potential therapeutic target for HIV infection.

BACKGROUND: Therapeutic studies against human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) infection have become one of the important works in global public health. METHODS: Differential expression analysis was performed between HIV-positive (HIV+) and HIV-negative (HIV-) patients for GPL6947 and GPL10558 of GSE29429. Coexpression analysis of common genes with the same direction of differential expression identified modules. Module genes were subjected to enrichment analysis, Short Time-series Expression Miner (STEM) analysis, and PPI network analysis. The top 100 most connected genes in the PPI network were screened to construct the LASSO model, and AUC values were calculated to identify the key genes. Methylation modification of key genes were identified by the chAMP package. Differences in immune cell infiltration between HIV + and HIV- patients, as well as between antiretroviral therapy (ART) and HIV + patients, were calculated using ssGSEA. RESULTS: We obtained 3610 common genes, clustered into nine coexpression modules. Module genes were significantly enriched in interferon signalling, helper T-cell immunity, and HIF-1-signalling pathways. We screened out module genes with gradual changes in expression with increasing time from HIV enrolment using STEM software. We identified 12 significant genes through LASSO regression analysis, especially proteasome 20S subunit beta 8 (PSMB8) and interferon alpha inducible protein 27 (IFI27). The expression of PSMB8 and IFI27 were then detected by quantitative real-time PCR. Interestingly, IFI27 was also a persistently dysregulated gene identified by STEM. In addition, 10 of the key genes were identified to be modified by methylation. The significantly infiltrated immune cells in HIV + patients were restored after ART, and IFI27 was significantly associated with immune cells. CONCLUSION: The above results provided potential target genes for early diagnosis and treatment of HIV + patients. IFI27 may be associated with the progression of HIV infection and may be a powerful target for immunotherapy.

Mo2 N-W2 N Heterostructures Embedded in Spherical Carbon Superstructure as Highly Efficient Polysulfide Electrocatalysts for Stable Room-Temperature Na-S Batteries.

Room-temperature sodium-sulfur (RT Na-S) batteries are highly desirable for a sustainable large-scale energy-storage system due to their high energy density and low cost. Nevertheless, practical applications of RT Na-S batteries are still prevented by the shuttle effect of sodium polysulfides (NaPS), slow reaction kinetics of S, and incomplete conversion process of NaPS. Here, Mo2 N-W2 N heterostructures embedded in a spherical carbon superstructure (Mo2 N-W2 N@PC) are designed to efficiently suppress the "polysulfide shuttle" and promote NaPS redox reactions. The designed Mo2 N-W2 N@PC heterostructure with abundant heterointerfaces, high conductivity, and porosity can facilitate electron/ion diffusion and provide high catalytic activity for efficient NaPS conversion. The obtained Na-S battery delivers high reversible capacity with superior long-term cyclability (517 mAh g-1 at 1 A g-1 after 400 cycles) and unprecedented rate capability (417 mAh g-1 at 2 A g-1 ). Furthermore, the electrocatalysis mechanism is revealed by combining in situ X-ray diffraction (XRD), ex situ X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), UV-vis spectra, and precipitation experiments. This work demonstrates a novel heterostructure design strategy that enables high-performance Na-S batteries.

Ultrafast Potassium Storage in F-Induced Ultra-High Edge-Defective Carbon Nanosheets.

Carbonaceous materials have been considered as promising anodes for potassium-ion batteries (PIBs) because of their high electronic conductivity, eco-friendliness, and structural stability. However, the small interlayer spacing and serious volume expansion caused by the repeated insertion/extraction of large K-ions restrict their potassium-ion storage performance. Herein, F and N codoped carbon nanosheets (FNCS) with rich-edge defects are designed to resolve these problems. The F doping is in favor of the formation of more edge defects in the carbon layer, offering strong K+ adsorption capability and promoting the K+ storage. The ultrathin carbon nanosheets can provide a large contact area for the electrochemical reactions and shorten the transportation pathways for both K-ions and electrons. Consequently, the FNCS anode shows a high reversible capacity (610 mAh g-1 at 0.1 A g-1) and ultrastable cyclability over 4000 cycles at 5 A g-1. Moreover, K-ion full cells (FNCS|K2FeFe(CN)6) display excellent cycling stability (128 mAh g-1 at 1 A g-1 after 500 cycles) and rate capability (93 mAh g-1 at 20 A g-1). This design strategy can be extended to design other electrode materials for high-performance energy storage, such as magnesium-ion batteries, supercapacitors, and electrocatalysis.

Silenced SOX2-OT alleviates ventricular arrhythmia associated with heart failure by inhibiting NLRP3 expression via regulating miR-2355-3p.

BACKGROUND: Nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain-like receptor family pyrin domain containing 3 (NLRP3) inflammasomes are the most important factors in ventricular arrhythmia associated with heart failure (VA-HF). However, how the relationship between lncRNA and NLRP3 inflammasomes is regulated in VA-HF has not been investigated in detail. Thus, we aimed to determine the effects of SOX2-overlapping transcripts (SOX2-OT) by targeting NLRP3 in rats with VA-HF. METHODS: We established rats (SPF, male, weight: 240 ± 10 g) with VA-HF by aortic coarctation and constant-current stimulation, then injected them with small interfering SOX2-OT and anti-miR-2355-3p. Six weeks later, SOX2-OT and miR-2355-3p expression was measured using the quantitative reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction and NLRP3, ASC, caspase-1, IL-1ß, and TGF-ß1 expression were measured by Western blot analysis; the ventricular chambers were histopathologically analyzed by staining with hematoxylin and eosin, Masson trichrome, and Picro Sirius Red and reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels were assessed by flow cytometry. The targeting relationship between miR-2355-3p and SOX2-OT or NLRP3 was verified using dual-luciferase reporter gene assays. RESULTS: The expression of SOX2-OT and levels of NLRP3 inflammasomes gradually increased in normal rats, and in those with heart failure and with VA-HF. Silencing SOX2-OT expression inhibited NLRP3, ASC, caspase-1, IL-1ß, and TGF-ß1 expression and ROS production, reduced the degrees of cardiomyocyte necrosis and fibrosis and alleviated cardiac dysfunction in rats with VA-HF. MicroR-2355-3p can bind the SOX2-OT and the 3'-untranslated region of NLRP3. Inhibiting miR-2355-3p reversed the effect of SOX2-OT in rats with VA-HF. CONCLUSIONS: Silencing SOX2-OT alleviated cardiac dysfunction in rats by reducing the activation of NLRP3 inflammasomes via regulating miR-2355-3p.

Boosting Potassium Storage by Integration Advantageous of Defect Engineering and Spatial Confinement: A Case Study of Sb2 Se3.

The potassium ion batteries (KIBs) based on conversion/alloying reaction mechanisms show high theoretical capacity. However, their applications are hampered by the poor cyclability resulting from the inherent large volume variations and the sluggish kinetics during K+ repeated insertion/extraction process. Herein, taken Sb2 Se3 as a model material, by rational design, nickel doped-carbon coated Sb2 Se3 nanorods (denoted as (Sb0.99 Ni0.01 )2 Se3 @C) are prepared through combined strategies of the conductive encapsulation and crystal structure modification. The carbon coating acts as an efficient buffer layer that maintains superior structural stability upon cycling. The introduction of Ni atoms can enhance electrical conductivity, leading to outstanding rate performance, which are confirmed by density functional theory calculation. The (Sb0.99 Ni0.01 )2 Se3 @C displays excellent reversible capacity (410 mAh g-1 at 0.1 A g-1 after 100 cycles) and unprecedented rate capability (140 mAh g-1 at 10 A g-1 ). Furthermore, KFeHCF//(Sb0.99 Ni0.01 )2 Se3 @C full cell exhibits a high specific capacity (408 mAh g-1 at 0.1 A g-1 ), superior rate capability (260 mAh g-1 at 2 A g-1 ). This work can open up a new avenue for the design of stable conversion/alloying-based anodes for high energy density KIBs.

MiR-23a induced the activation of CDC42/PAK1 pathway and cell cycle arrest in human cov434 cells by targeting FGD4.

BACKGROUND: MiRNAs play important roles in the development of ovarian cancer, activation of primitive follicles, follicular development, oocyte maturation and ovulation. In the present study, we investigated the specific role of miR-23a in cov434 cells. RESULTS: Downregulation of miR-23a was observed in serum of PCOS patients compared with the healthy control, suggesting the inhibitory effect of miR-23a in PCOS. MiR-23a was positively correlated with Body Mass Index (BMI) and negatively correlated with Luteinizing hormone (LH), Testostrone (T), Glucose (Glu) and Insulin (INS) of PCOS patients. MiR-23a mimic inhibited the proliferation and promoted apoptosis of human cov434 cells. In addition, flow cytometry assay confirmed that miR-23a blocked cell cycle on G0/G1 phase. MiR-23a inhibitor showed opposite results. Furthermore, double luciferase reporter assay proved that miR-23a could bind to the 3'UTR of FGD4 directly through sites predicted on Target Scan. FGD4 level was significantly suppressed by miR-23a mimic, but was significantly enhanced by miR-23a inhibitor. We further proved that miR-23a increased the expression of activated CDC42 (GTP bround) and p-PAK-1, suggesting that miR-23a induced cell cycle arrest through CDC42/PAK1 pathway. CONCLUSIONS: In conclusion, our study reveals that miR-23a participates in the regulation of proliferation and apoptosis of cov434 cells through target FGD4, and may play a role in the pathophysiology of PCOS.

3D Flexible, Conductive, and Recyclable Ti3C2Tx MXene-Melamine Foam for High-Areal-Capacity and Long-Lifetime Alkali-Metal Anode.

Alkali metals are ideal anodes for high-energy-density rechargeable batteries, while seriously hampered by limited cycle life and low areal capacities. To this end, rationally designed frameworks for dendrite-free and volume-changeless alkali-metal deposition at both high current densities and capacities are urgently required. Herein, a general 3D conductive Ti3C2TX MXene-melamine foam (MXene-MF) is demonstrated as an elastic scaffold for dendrite-free, high-areal-capacity alkali anodes (Li, Na, K). Owing to the lithiophilic nature of F-terminated MXene, conductive macroporous network, and excellent mechanical toughness, the constructed MXene-MF synchronously achieves a high current density of 50 mA cm-2 for Li plating, high areal capacity (50 mAh cm-2) with high Coulombic efficiency (99%), and long lifetime (3800 h), surpassing the Li anodes reported recently. Meanwhile, MXene-MF shows flat voltage profiles for 720 h at 10 mA cm-2 for the Na anode and 800 h at 5 mA cm-2 for the K anode, indicative of the wide applicability. Notably, the high current density of 20 mA cm-2 for 20 mAh cm-2 for the Na anode, accompanying good recyclability was rarely achieved before. When coupled with sulfur or Na3V2(PO4)3 cathodes, the assembled MXene-MF alkali (Li, Na)-based full batteries showcase enhanced rate capability and cycling stability, demonstrating the potential of MXene-MF for advanced alkali-metal batteries.