In-Sb Covalent Bonds over Sb2Se3/In2Se3 Heterojunction for Enhanced Photoelectrochemical Water Splitting.

Antimony selenide is a promising P-type photocatalyst, but it has a large number of deep energy level defects, leading to severe carrier recombination. The construction of a heterojunction is a common way to resolve this problem. However, the conventional heterojunction system inevitably introduces interface defects. Herein, we employ in situ synthesis to epitaxially grow In2Se3 nanosheets on Sb2Se3 nanorods and form In-Sb covalent interfacial bonds. This petal-shaped heterostructure reduced interface defects and enhanced the efficiency of carrier separation and transport. In this work, the photocurrent density in the proposed Sb2Se3/In2Se3 photocathode is 0.485 mA cm-2 at 0 VRHE, which is 30 times higher than that of pristine Sb2Se3 and it has prominent long-term stability for 24 h without obvious decay. The results reveal that the synergy of the bidirectional built-in electric field constructed between In2Se3 and Sb2Se3 and the solid In-Sb interfacial bonds together build a high-efficiency transport channel for the photogenerated carriers that display enhanced photoelectrochemical (PEC) water-splitting performance. This work provides efficient guidance for reducing interface defects via the in situ synthesis and construction of interfacial bonds.

Tuning Electrocatalytic Activities of Dealloyed Nanoporous Catalysts by Macroscopic Strain Engineering.

It is technically challenging to quantitatively apply strains to tune catalysis because most heterogeneous catalysts are nanoparticles, and lattice strains can only be applied indirectly via core-shell structures or crystal defects. Herein, we report quantitative relations between macroscopic strains and hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) activities of dealloyed nanoporous gold (NPG) by directly applying macroscopic strains upon bulk NPG. It was found that macroscopic compressive strains lead to a decrease, while macroscopic tensile strains improve the HER activity of NPG, which is in line with the d-band center model. The overpotential and onset potential of HER display approximately a linear relation with applied macroscopic strains, revealing an ∼2.9 meV decrease of the binding energy per 0.1% lattice strains from compressive to tensile. The methodology with the high strain sensitivity of electrocatalysis, developed in this study, paves a new way to investigate the insights of strain-dependent electrocatalysis with high precision.

Characteristics and Prognosis of Type 2 Myocardial Infarction Through Worsening Renal Function and NT-proBNP in Older Adults with Pneumonia.

Background: Type 2 myocardial infarction (MI) is becoming more recognized. This study aimed to assess the factors linked to type 2 MI in older adults with pneumonia and further determine the predictive factors of 90-day adverse events (refractory heart failure, cardiogenic shock, and all-cause mortality). Methods: A single-center retrospective analysis was conducted among older adults with pneumonia. The primary outcome was the prevalence of type 2 MI. The secondary objective was to assess the adverse events in these patients with type 2 MI within 90 days. Results: A total of 2618 patients were included. Of these, 361 patients (13.8%) suffered from type 2 MI. Multivariable predictors of type 2 MI were chronic kidney disease (CKD), age-adjusted Charlson comorbidity index (ACCI) score, and NT-proBNP > 4165pg/mL. Moreover, the independent predictive factors of 90-day adverse events included NT-proBNP > 4165pg/mL, age, ACCI score, and CKD. The Kaplan-Meier adverse events curves revealed that the type 2 MI patients with CKD and NT-proBNP > 4165pg/mL had a higher risk than CKD or NT-proBNP > 4165pg/mL alone. Conclusion: Type 2 MI in older pneumonia hospitalization represents a heterogeneous population. Elevated NT-proBNP level and prevalence of CKD are important predictors of type 2 MI and 90-day adverse events in type 2 MI patients.

Antiviral effectiveness and survival correlation of azvudine and nirmatrelvir/ritonavir in elderly severe patients with COVID-19: a retrospective real-world study.

Background: Azvudine and nirmatrelvir/ritonavir are approved to treat mild-to-moderate coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in adults with a high risk for progression to severe infection. We sought to compare the antiviral effectiveness and clinical outcomes of elderly severe patients with COVID-19 receiving these two antiviral agents. Methods: In this observational study, we identified 249 elderly patients with severe COVID-19 infection who were admitted to the Second Medical Center of the People's Liberation Army General Hospital from December 2022 to January 2023, including 128 azvudine recipients, 66 nirmatrelvir/ritonavir recipients and 55 patients not received antiviral treatments. We compared the cycle threshold (Ct) value dynamic change of all three groups. The primary outcome was a composite outcome of disease progression, including all-cause death, intensive care unit admission, and initiation of invasive mechanical ventilation. The outcomes of all enrolled patients were followed up from the electronic medical record system. Kaplan-Meier and Cox risk proportional regression analyses were used to compare the clinical outcomes of all three groups. To more directly compare the effectiveness of the two antiviral drugs, we performed propensity-score matching between the two antiviral groups and compared antiviral efficacy and clinical outcomes in the matched population. Findings: Among 249 patients (mean age, 91.41 years), 77 patients died during the follow-up period. When compared to patients who did not receive any antivirals, neither nirmatrelvir/ritonavir nor azvudine demonstrated a survival benefit. The Cox analysis of the all-cause death of the three groups showed that the risk of death was 0.730 (0.423-1.262) in the azvudine group 0.802 (0.435-1.480) and in the nirmatrelvir/ritonavir group compared with the non-antiviral group. After propensity score matching, we included 58 azvudine recipients and 58 nirmatrelvir/ritonavir recipients. The fitted curve of the Ct value after matching illustrated that the rate of viral decline in the early stage of nirmatrelvir/ritonavir treatment seems to surpass that of azvudine, but there was no statistical significance. Azvudine was seemly associated with a lower risk of composite outcomes (HR:1.676, 95% CI:0.805-3.488) and short-term all-cause death (HR: 1.291, 95%CI: 0.546-3.051). Interpretation: Patients who received azvudine have a similar antiviral effectiveness and survival curve trend compared to nirmatrelvir/ritonavir. In this limited series, antiviral treatment was not associated with a significant clinical benefit. This lack of clinical benefit might be attributed to potential bias. Funding: This study was supported by the "National Key R&D Program of China" (Funding No. 2020YFC2008900) and the National Defense Science and Technology Innovation Special Zone Project (223-CXCY-N101-07-18-01).

Circulating circRNA expression profile and its potential role in late recurrence of paroxysmal atrial fibrillation post catheter ablation.

BACKGROUND: Catheter-based pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) is an effective and well-established intervention for symptomatic paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (PAF). Nevertheless, late recurrences of atrial fibrillation (LRAF) occurring during 3 to 12 months are common, and the underlying mechanisms remain elusive. Circular RNAs (circRNAs) in atrial tissue have been linked to the pathophysiological mechanisms and progression of PAF in a few studies. However, their expression patterns in peripheral blood and regulatory function in LRAF are not clear. METHODS: In the present study, the expression profile of circulating circRNAs in three paired nonvalvular PAF patients with or without LRAF was investigated by high-throughput sequencing and validated by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). Bioinformatics analyses, including Gene Ontology (GO), Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway analysis, and circRNA/miRNA regulatory network, were performed to predict the functions and potential regulatory roles of differentially expressed (DE) circRNAs. RESULTS: A total of 12,834 circRNAs, comprising 5,491 down-regulated and 7,343 up-regulated circRNAs, were found to be DE in blood smaples from the two groups in peripheral blood between LRAF and non-recurrence control individuals. The most enriched GO categories in terms of molecular function, biological process, and cellular component features were catalytic activity, cellular metabolic process, and intracellular part, respectively. The KEGG enrichment study revealed that the most important metabolic process controlled by DE circRNAs is endocytosis. In the circRNA/microRNAs interaction network, four up-regulated circRNAs (hsa_circ_0002665, hsa_circ_0001953, hsa_circ_0003831, and hsa_circ_0040533) and one down-regulated circRNA (hsa_circ_0041103) were predicted to play potential regulatory roles in the pathogenesis of LRAF. CONCLUSIONS: This investigation discovered the expression pattern of circulating circRNAs that is indicative of PAF late recurrence, which may serve as risk markers or therapeutic targets for LRAF after PVI.

Prediction of Outcomes Through Cystatin C and cTnI in Elderly Type 2 Myocardial Infarction Patients.

Background: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) and coronary artery disease (CAD) are strongly associated. Cystatin C (Cys C) is a more sensitive marker of early renal insufficiency. This study aimed to evaluate the prognostic implications of combined of Cys C and cardiac troponin I (cTnI) on 90-day outcomes in elderly patients with type 2 myocardial infarction (MI). Methods: The data of consecutive type 2 MI patients aged 80 years and older who received Cys C and cTnI measurements within 24 h of admission were retrospectively reviewed. The endpoint was a 90-day all-cause and cardiac mortality. Results: A total of 4326 patients were included. During the 90-day follow-up period, a higher all-cause and cardiac mortality was observed in patients with Cys C ≥ 1.49mg/L than in patients with Cys C < 1.49 mg/L (P <0.001). After the multivariate logistic regression adjustments, the higher CysC and cTnI levels remained independent predictors of the 90-day all-cause mortality and cardiac mortality. Moreover, the Kaplan-Meier all-cause and cardiac mortality event-free survival curves showed that the patients with the presence of elevated levels of both Cys C and cTnI had a significantly increased risk than those with Cys C or cTnI alone. Conclusion: Elevated Cys C level is an independent risk factor for all-cause and cardiac mortality in the elderly type 2 MI population. The predictive ability of the combined use of Cys C and cTnI in elderly type 2 MI patients is stronger than that of Cys C or cTnI alone.

The novel chitosan-amphoteric starch dual flocculants for enhanced removal of Microcystis aeruginosa and algal organic matter.

A novel flocculation strategy for simultaneously removing Microcystis aeruginosa and algal organic matter (AOM) was proposed using chitosan-amphoteric starch (C-A) dual flocculants in an efficient, cost-effective and ecologically friendly way, providing new insights for harmful algal blooms (HABs) control. A dual-functional starch-based flocculant, amphoteric starch (AS) with high anion degree of substitution (DSA) and cation degree of substitution (DSC), was prepared using a cationic moiety of 3-chloro-2-hydroxypropyltrimethylammonium chloride (CTA) coupled with an anion moiety of chloroacetic acid onto the backbone of starch simultaneously. In combination of the results of FTIR, XPS, 1H NMR, 13C NMR, GPC, EA, TGA and SEM, it was evidenced that the successfully synthesized AS with excellent structural characteristics contributed to the enhanced flocculation of M. aeruginosa. Furthermore, the novel C-A dual flocculants could achieve not only the removal of >99.3 % of M. aeruginosa, but also the efficacious flocculation of algal organic matter (AOM) at optimal concentration of (0.8:24) mg/L, within a wide pH range of 3-11. The analysis of zeta potential and cellular morphology revealed that the dual effects of both enhanced charge neutralization and notable netting-bridging played a vital role in efficient M. aeruginosa removal.

Insights into the fate of antibiotics in constructed wetland systems: Removal performance and mechanisms.

Antibiotics have been recognized as emerging contaminants that are widely distributed and accumulated in aquatic environment, posing a risk to ecosystem at trace level. Constructed wetlands (CWs) have been regarded as a sustainable and cost-effective alternative for efficient elimination of antibiotics. This review summarizes the removal of 5 categories of widely used antibiotics in CWs, and discusses the roles of the key components in CW system, i.e., substrate, macrophytes, and microorganisms, in removing antibiotics. Overall, the vertical subsurface flow CWs have proven to perform better in terms of antibiotic removal (>78%) compared to other single CWs. The adsorption behavior of antibiotics in wetland substrates is determined by the physicochemical properties of antibiotics, substrate configuration and operating parameters. The effects of wetland plants on antibiotic removal mainly include direct (e.g., plant uptake and degradation) and indirect (e.g., rhizosphere processes) manners. The possible interactions between microorganisms and antibiotics include biosorption, bioaccumulation and biodegradation. The potential strategies for further enhancement of the antibiotic removal performance in CWs included optimizing operation parameters, innovating substrate, strengthening microbial activity, and integrating with other treatment technologies. Taken together, this review provides useful information for facilitating the development of feasible, innovative and intensive antibiotic removal technologies in CWs, as well as enhancing the economic viability and ecological sustainability.

Effect of modified Total Body Recumbent Stepper training on exercise capacity and thioredoxin in COPD: a randomized clinical trial.

Exercise intolerance is one of the major symptoms of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Exercise training can benefit COPD patients, but the underlying mechanism remains unclear. The modified Total Body Recumbent Stepper (TBRS, Nustep-T4) can benefit patients with stroke, spinal cord injury and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Nevertheless, the effect of TBRS training alone on pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) in COPD patients remains largely unknown. We aimed to explore the effect of TBRS training on exercise capacity and the thioredoxin system (TRXS) in COPD patients to provide a novel rehabilitation modality and new theoretical basis for PR of COPD patients. Ninety stable COPD patients were randomly divided into a control group (NC group) and a TBRS training group (TBRS group), with 45 cases in each group. Subjects in the TBRS training group were scheduled to undergo TBRS endurance training triweekly for 12 weeks under the guidance of a rehabilitation therapist. We assessed the primary outcome: exercise capacity (6-min walking distance, 6MWD); and secondary outcomes: perception of dyspnoea (mMRC, Borg), the COPD assessment test (CAT), the BODE index, pulmonary function, the number of acute exacerbations of COPD and oxidative stress (TRXS) at one-year follow-up. Compared with before the intervention and the control group, after the intervention, the TBRS training group, exhibited an increase in the 6MWD (from 366.92 ± 85.81 to 484.10 ± 71.90, 484.10 ± 71.90 vs 370.63 ± 79.87, P < 0.01), while the scores on the BORG, mMRC, BODE index, CAT, and the number of acute exacerbations of COPD were reduced, and the protein and mRNA expression levels of TRXS was significantly increased (P < 0.01). However, no differences were found in PF parameters in the comparison with before the intervention or between groups. TBRS training can effectively increase exercise capacity, while there are indications that it can alleviate COPD-related dyspnoea and reduce the number of acute exacerbations of COPD. Interestingly, long-term regular TBRS training may reduce oxidative stress associated with COPD to increase exercise capacity.

Hybrid solid electrolyte enabled dendrite-free Li anodes for high-performance quasi-solid-state lithium-oxygen batteries.

The dendrite growth of Li anodes severely degrades the performance of lithium-oxygen (Li-O2) batteries. Recently, hybrid solid electrolyte (HSE) has been regarded as one of the most promising routes to tackle this problem. However, before this is realized, the HSE needs to simultaneously satisfy contradictory requirements of high modulus and even, flexible contact with Li anode, while ensuring uniform Li+ distribution. To tackle this complex dilemma, here, an HSE with rigid Li1.5Al0.5Ge1.5(PO4)3 (LAGP) core@ultrathin flexible poly (vinylidene fluoride-hexafluoropropylene) (PVDF-HFP) shell interface has been developed. The introduced large amount of nanometer-sized LAGP cores can not only act as structural enhancer to achieve high Young's modulus but can also construct Li+ diffusion network to homogenize Li+ distribution. The ultrathin flexible PVDF-HFP shell provides soft and stable contact between the rigid core and Li metal without affecting the Li+ distribution, meanwhile suppressing the reduction of LAGP induced by direct contact with Li metal. Thanks to these advantages, this ingenious HSE with ultra-high Young's modulus of 25 GPa endows dendrite-free Li deposition even at a deposition capacity of 23.6 mAh. Moreover, with the successful inhibition of Li dendrites, the HSE-based quasi-solid-state Li-O2 battery delivers a long cycling stability of 146 cycles, which is more than three times that of gel polymer electrolyte-based Li-O2 battery. This new insight may serve as a starting point for further designing of HSE in Li-O2 batteries, and can also be extended to various battery systems such as sodium-oxygen batteries.

Nanoselenium transformation and inhibition of cadmium accumulation by regulating the lignin biosynthetic pathway and plant hormone signal transduction in pepper plants.

Selenium (Se) can promote the growth and resistance of agricultural crops as fertilizers, while the role of nano-selenium (nano-Se) against Cd remains unclear in pepper plants (Capsicum annuum L.). Biofortification with nano-Se observably restored Cd stress by decreasing the level of Cd in plant tissues and boosting the accumulation in biomass. The Se compounds transformed by nano-Se were primarily in the form of SeMet and MeSeCys in pepper tissues. Differential metabolites and the genes of plant signal transduction and lignin biosynthesis were measured by employing transcriptomics and determining target metabolites. The number of lignin-related genes (PAL, CAD, 4CL, and COMT) and contents of metabolites (sinapyl alcohol, phenylalanine, p-coumaryl alcohol, caffeyl alcohol, and coniferaldehyde) were remarkably enhanced by treatment with Cd1Se0.2, thus, maintaining the integrity of cell walls in the roots. It also enhanced signal transduction by plant hormones and responsive resistance by inducing the biosynthesis of genes (BZR1, LOX3, and NCDE1) and metabolites (brassinolide, abscisic acid, and jasmonic acid) in the roots and leaves. In general, this study can enable a better understanding of the protective mechanism of nano-Se in improving the capacity of plants to resist environmental stress.

The algicidal efficacy and the mechanism of Enterobacter sp. EA-1 on Oscillatoria dominating in aquaculture system.

The global escalation and intensification of cyanobacterial blooms require powerful algaecides. This study investigated the algicidal efficacy and mechanism of EA-1 against Oscillatoria. Bacteria EA-1, identified as Enterobacter, was isolated with high algicidal activity against harmful cyanobacteria. Results showed that a complete removal of Oscillatoria was observed within 3 days with the initial Chl-a concentration of 1.74 mg/L. Physiological responses of Oscillatoria revealed that EA-1 induced severe lipid peroxidation and the ultimate decline of antioxidant enzyme activities. Moreover, the contents for both intracellular protein and carbohydrate of each algae cell increased first and then decreased. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) analysis clarified that the possible process of Oscillatoria lysis included the breach of cross wall, followed by the disruption of photosynthetic membrane and incipient nucleus, and the ultimate outflow of inclusion. Confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) analysis illustrated the degradation process of incipient nucleus in Oscillatoria.

A porous heterostructure catalyst for oxygen evolution: synergy between IrP2nanocrystals and ultrathin P,N-codoped carbon nanosheets.

Designing efficient and robust oxygen evolution reaction (OER) electrocatalysts is of great importance for various electrochemical energy storage and conversion applications. Herein, we developed IrP2nanocrystals uniformly anchored in P,N-codoped carbon nanosheets (IrP2@PNC-NS) as highly active OER electrocatalysts. The ultrathin PNC-NS reconstructs an agaric-like porous structure, which can inhibit the agglomeration of the IrP2nanocrystals effectively. Moreover, thein-situphosphatization leads to the formation of a strong electron interaction between PNC-NS and IrP2nanocrystals, endowing the heterostructure materials with satisfying synergistic effects. Benefiting from the collaborative advantages of ideal configuration structure and favorable synergistic effects, IrP2@PNC-NS exhibits excellent OER performance with a low overpotential of 221 mV at 10 mA cm-2, and a small Tafel slope of 37.5 mV dec-1. DFT calculations reveal that the synergistic effects derived from the IrP2/PNC interfaces, which can effectively tune the activation barriers towards facilitating the oxygen evolution process. This work provides new insight into the design of heterostructure materials for advanced OER electrocatalysts.

Transition-Metal Carbides as Hydrogen Evolution Reduction Electrocatalysts: Synthetic Methods and Optimization Strategies.

With the strengths of zero carbon emission and high gravimetric energy density, hydrogen energy is recognized as a primary choice for future energy supply. Electrochemical water splitting provides a promising strategy for effective and sustainable hydrogen production through renewable electricity, and one of the immediate challenges toward its large-scale application is the availability of low-cost and efficient electrocatalysts for the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). Given the enormous efforts in the exploration of potential transition-metal carbide (TMC) electrocatalysts, this review aims to summarize the recent advances in synthetic methods and optimization strategies of TMC electrocatalysts. Additionally, the perspectives for the development of novel efficient TMC-based catalysts are also proposed.

Identification of key genes and novel immune infiltration-associated biomarkers of sepsis.

Sepsis is the major cause of mortality in the intensive care unit. The aim of this study was to identify the key prognostic biomarkers of abnormal expression and immune infiltration in sepsis. In this study, a total of 36 differentially expressed genes were identified to be mainly involved in a number of immune-related Gene Ontology terms and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathways. The hub genes (MMP9 and C3AR1) were significantly related to the prognosis of sepsis patients. The immune infiltration analysis indicated a significant difference in the relative cell content of naive B cells, follicular Th cells, activated NK cells, eosinophils, neutrophils and monocytes between sepsis and normal controls. Weighted gene co-expression network analysis and a de-convolution algorithm that quantifies the cellular composition of immune cells were used to analyse the sepsis expression data from the Gene Expression Omnibus database and to identify modules related to differential immune cells. CEBPB is the key immune-related gene that may be involved in sepsis. Gene set enrichment analysis revealed that CEBPB is involved in the processes of T cell selection, B cell-mediated immunity, NK cell activation and pathways of T cells, B cells and NK cells. Therefore, CEBPB may play a key role in the biological and immunological processes of sepsis.

In Situ Designing a Gradient Li+ Capture and Quasi-Spontaneous Diffusion Anode Protection Layer toward Long-Life Li-O2 Batteries.

Lithium metal is the only anode material that can enable the Li-O2 battery to realize its high theoretical energy density (≈3500 Wh kg-1 ). However, the inherent uncontrolled dendrite growth and serious corrosion limitations of lithium metal anodes make it experience fast degradation and impede the practical application of Li-O2 batteries. Herein, a multifunctional complementary LiF/F-doped carbon gradient protection layer on a lithium metal anode by one-step in situ reaction of molten Li with poly(tetrafluoroethylene) (PTFE) is developed. The abundant strong polar C-F bonds in the upper carbon can not only act as Li+ capture site to pre-uniform Li+ flux but also regulate the electron configuration of LiF to make Li+ quasi-spontaneously diffuse from carbon to LiF surface, avoiding the strong Li+ -adhesion-induced Li aggregation. For LiF, it can behave as fast Li+ conductor and homogenize the nucleation sites on lithium, as well as ensure firm connection with lithium. As a result, this well-designed protection layer endows the Li metal anode with dendrite-free plating/stripping and anticorrosion behavior both in ether-based and carbonate ester-based electrolytes. Even applied protected Li anodes in Li-O2 batteries, its superiority can still be maintained, making the cell achieve stable cycling performance (180 cycles).

High levels of microplastic pollution in aquaculture water of fish ponds in the Pearl River Estuary of Guangzhou, China.

Microplastics (MPs) have caused great concern worldwide recently due to their ubiquity in the aquatic environment. The current knowledge on the occurrence of MPs in aquaculture fish ponds in a typical estuary system remains meagre. This study investigated the abundance and characteristics (shape, color, size and composition) of MPs in aquaculture water and pond influents in the Pearl River Estuary of Guangzhou, China, using an improved separation method. The bulk sampling and improved separation method by the combination of ethanol and polyaluminum chloride (PAC) significantly increased the MP separation efficiency, especially for particles with size less than <333 µm. The investigation results showed that MPs were detected in all water samples of fish ponds at two experimental stations with abundances of 10.3-60.5 particles/L (S1) and 33.0-87.5 particles/L (S2), respectively. Moreover, the average abundance of MPs in aquaculture water (42.1 particles/L) exhibited higher value than that in pond influents (32.1 particles/L). Most of MPs were colored and fibrous in appearance. MPs with the size range of <1000 µm (56.3-87.7%) prevailed in aquaculture water. MPs with size <333 µm that usually ignored in most studies were detected with percentage of 43.7% at S1station and 33.2% at S2 station, respectively. The small-sized MPs (<100 µm) in aquaculture water (23.7% at S1 station and 14.6% at S2 station) were more abundant than those in pond influents (7.2% at S1 station and 2.5% at S2 station). The main composition of MPs was polypropylene (PP) and polyethylene (PE). These findings indicated a high level of MP pollution in aquaculture fish ponds. The MPs originated from the Pearl River Estuary were accumulated in aquaculture fish ponds. This study provides an insight into MP pollution in aquaculture fish ponds at a typical estuarine system and highlights the load of MPs in the pond influents.

The Stabilization Effect of CO2 in Lithium-Oxygen/CO2 Batteries.

The lithium (Li)-air battery has an ultrahigh theoretical specific energy, however, even in pure oxygen (O2 ), the vulnerability of conventional organic electrolytes and carbon cathodes towards reaction intermediates, especially O2 - , and corrosive oxidation and crack/pulverization of Li metal anode lead to poor cycling stability of the Li-air battery. Even worse, the water and/or CO2 in air bring parasitic reactions and safety issues. Therefore, applying such systems in open-air environment is challenging. Herein, contrary to previous assertions, we have found that CO2 can improve the stability of both anode and electrolyte, and a high-performance rechargeable Li-O2 /CO2 battery is developed. The CO2 not only facilitates the in situ formation of a passivated protective Li2 CO3 film on the Li anode, but also restrains side reactions involving electrolyte and cathode by capturing O2 - . Moreover, the Pd/CNT catalyst in the cathode can extend the battery lifespan by effectively tuning the product morphology and catalyzing the decomposition of Li2 CO3 . The Li-O2 /CO2 battery achieves a full discharge capacity of 6628 mAh g-1 and a long life of 715 cycles, which is even better than those of pure Li-O2 batteries.

The behaviors of Microcystis aeruginosa and microcystins during the Fe2+/persulfate (PS) preoxidation-coagulation and flocs storage period.

The frequent occurrence of toxin-producing cyanobacteria blooms driven by anthropogenic eutrophication has become a major threat to aquaculture ecosystems worldwide. In this study, the behavior of M. aeruginosa cells during flocs storage period of 6 days was first investigated after pre-oxidation and coagulation of Fe2+/PS. Fe2+/PS achieved a superior removal efficiency of 90.7% for OD680 and 90.4% for chl-a. The contents of extracellular MCs in the pre-oxidation and coagulation system were significantly (P < 0.05) lower than those in the control. A significant (P < 0.05) difference in intracellular protein between the control and the coagulated systems was observed. Three-dimensional fluorescence excitation emission matrix (EEM) was employed to investigate the variations in extracellular organic matter (EOM) during flocs storage. The results indicated the presence of four peaks, representing protein-like substances, intermediate dissolved microbial metabolites, fulvic and humic-like compounds in the Fe2+/PS process. And the intensities of four peaks were all decreased in the Fe2+/PS system compared to those in the control. A low level of accumulated residual Fe of 0.28 mg/L was observed without posing potential environmental risk. The results showed that the M. aeruginosa cells were under stressful conditions after 3-d storage due to the decomposition of extracellular polymeric substances (EPSs) and the insufficient supply of nutrients. However, SEM results indicated that no significant alteration in cell morphology was observed. Therefore, with high removal of M. aeruginosa, low MCs concentrations, and trivial cell damage, the Fe2+/PS preoxidation-coagulation was proved to be an environmental-friendly method for cyanobacteria removal without yielding serious secondary pollution. This work will contribute to better understanding and managing the cyanobacteria-laden aquaculture water after pre-oxidation and coagulation.

Repair of facial nerve crush injury in rabbits using collagen plus basic fibroblast growth factor.

Facial nerves are frequently crushed or cut during facial surgery. In this study, the feasibility of repairing facial nerves in rabbits after crush or cut off injury was evaluated using collagen conduits with A collagen-binding domain (CBD)-human basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF). A total of 39 six-month-old New Zealand White rabbits were randomly divided into four groups of nine rabbits, and bilateral crush or cut off injuries were made on each animal's face. Three rabbits were classified as the healthy control. The facial nerves were cut or crushed and then were either untreated or wrapped with a collagen conduit plus bFGF. At the 15, 30, and 90 days after the injury, three rabbits in each group were sacrificed. Regeneration of the injured facial nerve was evaluated using electrophysiological examination (compound muscle action potentials, CAMPs), scanning electron microscopy, and histological observation. The results suggested that using collagen conduits with recombinant proteins CBD-bFGF to repair facial nerves with crush or cut off injuries promoted functional facial nerve recovery. This treatment, as a possible therapeutic for patients with facial nerve injury, requires further investigation.