Enhanced Electrochemical Performance and Cycling Stability of the (NH4)8[VIV12VV7O41(OH)9]·11H2O Cathode in Aqueous Zinc Ion Batteries.

Although vanadium-based compounds possess several advantageous characteristics, such as multivalency, open structure, and high theoretical specific capacity, which render them highly promising candidates for cathode materials in aqueous zinc ion batteries (AZIBs), their large-scale application still necessitates addressing the challenges posed by slow kinetics resulting from low conductivity and capacity degradation caused by material dissolution. Therefore, we have successfully synthesized high-purity mixed multivalent (NH4)8[VIV12VV7O41(OH)9]·11H2O (NVO) crystalline materials via a liquid-phase precipitation modulation method and employed it as an innovative AZIB cathode material for the first time. It exhibits a remarkable reversible specific capacity of 240 and 102.2 mAh g-1 after undergoing 1000 cycles at current densities of 1 and 5 A g-1, respectively, highlighting its exceptional cycling stability and electrochemical performance. The results from cyclic voltammetry (CV) and GITT tests demonstrate that the dominant factor influencing the charge storage is the pseudocapacitive behavior, which is accompanied by an exceptionally high diffusion coefficient of Zn2+ at a rate of 10-10 cm2 s-1. The highly reversible intercalation-deintercalation of Zn2+ in NVO/Zn cells is demonstrated through ex-situ TEM, XRD, and XPS analyses. This work provides a benchmark for the development of high-performance POV electrode materials.

Functional black phosphorus-based sensors for food safety applications: A review.

Food safety has garnered global attention, necessitating advanced methods for the quick and accurate detection of contaminants. Sensors, notable for their ease of use, high sensitivity, and fast analysis, are prominent. Two-dimensional (2D) nanomaterials have been employed to improve sensor performance. Particularly, black phosphorus (BP) stands out with its multifunctional capabilities, attributed to unique layered structure, ultra-high charge mobility, easy surface functionalization, enhanced optical absorption, and tunable direct bandgap. These characteristics suggest that BP could significantly enhance sensor selectivity, sensitivity, and response speed for contaminant detection. Despite numerous studies on BP-based sensors in food safety, few reviews have been comprehensively summarized. Moreover, challenges in BP's preparation and stability restrict its wider use. This paper reviews recent research on BP's role in food safety, covering preparation, passivation, and applications. Through analysis of challenges and prospects, this review aims to provide insightful guidance for upcoming research in this area.

Simultaneous Hg2+ and Pb2+ detection in water samples using an electrochemical aptasensor with dual signal amplification by exonuclease III and metal-organic frameworks.

Heavy metal pollution in the environment has become a significant global concern due to its detrimental effects on human health and the environment. In this study, we report an electrochemical aptasensor for the simultaneous detection of Hg2+ and Pb2+. Gold nanoflower/polyethyleneimine-reduced graphene oxide (AuNFs/PEI-rGO) was introduced on the surface of a gold electrode to improve sensing performance. The aptasensor is based on the formation of a T-Hg2+-T mismatch structure and specific cleavage of the Pb2+-dependent DNAzyme, resulting in a dual signal generated by the Exo III specific digestion of methylene blue (MB) labeled at the 3' end of probe DNA-1 and the reduction of the substrate ascorbic acid (AA) catalyzed by the signal label. The decrease of MB signal and the increase of AA oxidation peak was used to indicate the content of Hg2+ and Pb2+, respectively, with detection limits of 0.11 pM (Hg2+) and 0.093 pM (Pb2+). The aptasensor was also used for detecting Hg2+ and Pb2+ in water samples with good recoveries. Overall, this electrochemical aptasensor shows promising potential for sensitive and selective detection of heavy metals in environmental samples.

Selective production of high-value fuel via catalytic upgrading of bio-oil over nitrogen-doped carbon-alumina hybrid supported cobalt catalysts.

Bio-oil derived from biomass fast pyrolysis can be upgraded to gasoline and diesel alternatives by catalytic hydrodeoxygenation (HDO). Here, the novel nitrogen-doped carbon-alumina hybrid supported cobalt (Co/NCAn, n = 1, 2.5, 5) catalyst is established by a coagulation bath technique. The optimized Co/NCA2.5 catalyst presented 100 % conversion of guaiacol, high selectivity to cyclohexane (93.6 %), and extremely high deoxygenation degree (97.3 %), respectively. Therein, the formation of cyclohexanol was facilitated by stronger binding energy and greater charge transfer between Co and NC which was unraveled by density functional theory calculations. In addition, the appropriate amount of Lewis acid sites enhanced the cleavage of the C-O bond in cyclohexanol, finally resulting in a remarkable selectivity for cyclohexane. Finally, the Co/NCA2.5 catalyst also exhibited excellent selectivity (93.1 %) for high heating value hydrocarbon fuel in crude bio-oil HDO. This work provides a theoretical basis on N dopants collaborating alumina hybrid catalysts for efficient HDO reaction.

The Impact of HIFU Ablation on the Histopathological Features of Locally Recurrent Fibroids Tissue Post-HIFU Treatment.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the impact of high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) ablation on the histopathological features of locally recurrent fibroids tissue. METHODS: Patients who underwent transabdominal hysterectomy or myomectomy for uterine fibroids from January 1, 2021 to July 1, 2023 at a teaching hospital in China were enrolled in this prospective study. The patients who underwent surgery for local recurrence of uterine fibroids after HIFU ablation were categorized as the HIFU group, and patients who had not undergone HIFU ablation for uterine fibroids were the control group. Hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining, Masson staining, and immunohistochemical staining were performed to analyze the counts of smooth muscle cells (SMCs), collagen content, microvascular count, and the expression levels of estrogen receptor (ER) and progesterone receptor (PR) in the fibroid tissue specimens. RESULTS: The mean SMC counts in the HIFU and control groups were 337.68/field and 328.52/field respectively. The mean collagen content in the HIFU group and control group were 46.06% and 41.69% respectively. The mean microvessel counts in the HIFU group and control group were 13.66/field and 14.08/field respectively. The mean ER scores in the HIFU and control groups were 6.9 and 7.47 respectively, and the mean PR scores were 7.3 and 7.56 respectively. Overall, there were no significant differences in the SMC counts, collagen content, microvascular counts, and the ER and PR expression levels between the HIFU group and control group (p > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: HIFU ablation has no effect on the pathological characteristics of local recurrent fibroid tissue, and is an ideal non-invasive treatment option.

Response of chlorophyll-a to rainfall event in the basin of the South China sea: Statistical analysis.

Chlorophyll-a (Chl-a) is an essential ecological indicator, and affected by processes such as typhoons, mesoscale eddies, and Rossby waves. However, the impact of more frequent and widespread precipitation events on Chl-a seems to be overlooked. This study utilized remote sensing data and reanalysis data to investigate the response of Chl-a to 240 precipitation events in the central South China Sea from 2005 to 2019. The results indicate that precipitation events have a significant impact on Chl-a concentration. Following a precipitation event in 2019, the Chl-a concentration in the affected area increased by approximately 0.22 mg m-³ from the 3rd to the 7th day. The reasons for the increase in Chl-a concentration were the vertical mixing induced by wind stirring and the upwelling caused by wind stress curl, which transported nutrients to the euphotic zone, lowering the sea surface temperature and triggering a proliferation of phytoplankton. Additionally, dissolved nutrients in precipitation provided a nutrient source for Chl-a growth. The contributions of nutrient supply, wind speed, and wind stress curl to the increase in Chl-a concentration during precipitation events were 18%, 37%, and 45%, respectively. Precipitation events enhanced marine primary productivity, playing a crucial role in deepening our understanding of ocean-atmosphere interactions and their impact on marine ecosystem.

Potential-Regulated Design for Direct Recycling of Degraded LiFePO4 Cathode.

The rapid proliferation of power sources equipped with lithium-ion batteries poses significant challenges in terms of post-scrap recycling and environmental impacts, necessitating urgent attention to the development of sustainable solutions. The cathode direct regeneration technologies present an optimal solution for the disposal of degraded cathodes, aiming to non-destructively re-lithiate and straightforwardly reuse degraded cathode materials with reasonable profits and excellent efficiency. Herein, a potential-regulated strategy is proposed for the direct recycling of degraded LiFePO4 cathodes, utilizing low-cost Na2SO3 as a reductant with lower redox potential in the alkaline systems. The aqueous re-lithiation approach, as a viable alternative, not only enables the re-lithiation of degraded cathode while ignoring variation in Li loss among different feedstocks but also utilizes the rapid sintering process to restore the cathode microstructure with desirable stoichiometry and crystallinity. The regenerated LiFePO4 exhibits enhanced electrochemical performance with a capacity of 144 mA h g-1 at 1 C and a high retention of 98% after 500 cycles at 5 C. Furthermore, this present work offers considerable prospects for the industrial implementation of directly recycled materials from lithium-ion batteries, resulting in improved economic benefits compared to conventional leaching methods.

Prevalence and Evolutionary Characteristics of Bovine Coronavirus in China.

Bovine coronavirus (BCoV), bovine rotavirus, bovine viral diarrhea virus, and bovine astrovirus are the most common intestinal pathogenic viruses causing diarrhea in cattle. We collected 1646 bovine fecal samples from January 2020 to August 2023. BCoV was the major pathogen detected, with a positive rate of 34.02% (560/1646). Of the 670 diarrheal samples and 976 asymptomatic samples, 209 and 351 were BCoV-positive, respectively. Studying the relevance of diarrhea associated with BCoV has shown that the onset of diarrheal symptoms post-infection is strongly correlated with the cattle's age and may also be related to the breed. We amplified and sequenced the hemagglutinin esterase (HE), spike protein, and whole genomes of the partially positive samples and obtained six complete HE sequences, seven complete spike sequences, and six whole genomes. Molecular characterization revealed that six strains were branched Chinese strains, Japanese strains, and partial American strains from the GⅡb subgroup. Strains HBSJZ2202 and JSYZ2209 had four amino acid insertions on HE. We also analyzed ORF1a and found disparities across various regions within GIIb, which were positioned on separate branches within the phylogenetic tree. This work provides data for further investigating the epidemiology of BCoV and for understanding and analyzing BCoV distribution and dynamics.

Ultrasensitive label-free electrochemical aptasensor for Pb2+ detection exploiting Exo III amplification and AgPt/GO nanocomposite-enhanced transduction.

Lead ion pollution has become a serious public health concern worldwide. Therefore, sensitive detection of Pb2+ is critical to control lead pollution, assess risks, and safeguard the health of vulnerable populations. This study reports a highly sensitive labelling-free electrochemical aptasensor for Pb2+ detection. The aptasensor employs silver-platinum nanoparticles/graphene oxide (AgPt/GO) and Exonuclease III (Exo III) for signal amplification. GO provides high surface area and conductivity for immobilizing AgPt NPs, facilitating the immobilization of aptamer (Apt) probes on the electrode surface. Exo III enzymatically cleaves DNA strands on the electrode surface, releasing DNA segments to amplify the signal further. The synergistic amplification by AgPt/GO and ExoIII enables an extremely wide linear detection range of 0.05 pM-5 nM for Pb2+, with a low detection limit of 0.019 pM. Additionally, the G-quadruplex structure ensures excellent selectivity for Pb2+ detection, resulting in high reproducibility and stability of the aptasensor. The aptasensor was successfully applied to detect spiked Pb2+ in tap water samples, achieving recovery rates ranging from 96 to 108.4 %. By integrating nanomaterials, aptamers and enzymatic amplification, the aptasensor facilitates highly sensitive and selective detection of Pb2+, demonstrating potential for practical applications in environmental monitoring.

Role of N6-methyladenosine-related lncRnas in pseudoexfoliation glaucoma.

To explore the role of lncRNA m6A methylation modification in aqueous humour (AH) of patients with pseudoexfoliation glaucoma (PXG). Patients with open-angle PXG under surgery from June 2021 to December 2021 were selected. Age- and gender-matched patients with age-related cataract (ARC) were chosen as control. Patients underwent detailed ophthalmic examinations. 0.05-0.1 ml AH were extracted during surgery for MeRIP-Seq and RNA-Seq. Joint analysis was used to screen lncRNAs with differential m6A methylation modification and expression. Online software tools were used to draw lncRNA-miRNA-mRNA network (ceRNA). Expression of lncRNAs and mRNAs was confirmed using quantitative real-time PCR. A total of 4151 lncRNAs and 4386 associated m6A methylation modified peaks were identified in the PXG group. Similarly, 2490 lncRNAs and 2595 associated m6A methylation modified peaks were detected in the control. Compared to the ARC group, the PXG group had 234 hypermethylated and 402 hypomethylated m6A peaks, with statistically significant differences (| Fold Change (FC) |≥2, p < 0.05). Bioinformatic analysis revealed that these differentially methylated lncRNA enriched in extracellular matrix formation, tight adhesion, TGF- ß signalling pathway, AMPK signalling pathway, and MAPK signalling pathway. Joint analysis identified 10 lncRNAs with differential m6A methylation and expression simultaneously. Among them, the expression of ENST000000485383 and ROCK1 were confirmed downregulated in the PXG group by RT-qPCR. m6A methylation modification may affect the expression of lncRNA and participate in the pathogenesis of PXG through the ceRNA network. ENST000000485383-hsa miR592-ROCK1 May be a potential target pathway for further investigation in PXG m6A methylation.

A whole-exome sequencing study of patent foramen ovale: investigating genetic variants and their association with cardiovascular disorders.

Background: Patent foramen ovale (PFO) has a genetic predisposition and is closely associated with cryptogenic stroke (CS), migraine, decompression sickness, and hypoxemia. Identifying PFO-related mutant genes through whole-exome sequencing (WES) can help in the early recognition of cardiovascular genetic risk factors, guide timely clinical intervention, and reduce the occurrence of cardiovascular events. Methods: We analyzed mutant genes from ClinVar and OMIM databases. WES was performed on 25 PFO patients from Zhejiang Provincial Hospital of Chinese Medicine. Pathogenicity of variants was evaluated using American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics (ACMG) and Association for Molecular Pathology. (AMP) guidelines. Results: In ClinVar (4 Feb 2023), 113 coding gene mutations were found, including 83 associated with PFO. From OMIM (18 Apr 2023), 184 gene mutations were analyzed, with 110 mutant coding genes. WES identified pathogenic mutations in two of 25 PFO patients (8%). LDLR, SDHC, and NKX2-5 genes were linked to PFO and primarily involved in myocardial tissue function. NKX2-5 may play a crucial role in PFO development, interacting with NOTCH1, GATA4, MYH6, SCN5A signaling pathways regulating cardiomyocyte characteristics. Conclusion: We identified pathogenic mutations in LDLR, SDHC, and NKX2-5 genes, implying their role in PFO development. Functional enrichment analysis revealed NKX2-5's interaction with signaling pathways regulating cardiomyocyte function. These findings enhance our understanding of PFO's genetic basis, suggesting potential therapeutic targets for future research.

Metastatic pericardial mass and cardiophrenic lymph nodes resection in ovarian cancer.

Introduction: Epithelial Ovarian cancer most commonly presents at advanced stages with extra-abdominal disease metastasis. Notably, enlarged cardiophrenic lymph nodes are found in 10.5-62 % of patients with advanced ovarian cancer. However, the safety and feasibility of cardiophrenic lymph nodes dissection as a component of debulking surgery remains controversial (Acs et al., 2022, Agusti et al., 2024). Case/methods: We present a surgical video demonstrating the technique of bulky pericardial mass and metastatic cardiophrenic lymph nodes resection by transdiaphragmatic approach in advanced ovarian cancer. After the complete excision of intra-abdominal disease at laparotomy, the diaphragm is exposed, following the liver mobilization. According to the preoperative radiological examinations, the pericardial mass in the diaphragmatic space is reconfirmed, and then carefully removed by blunt and sharp dissection. Next, the pericardial cavity is closed by continuous suture. Through the transdiaphragmatic access to thoracic cavity, the pericardial fat pad containing cardiophrenic lymph nodes is explored and completely resected in view throughout. The diaphragm incision is closed continuously using non-absorbable suture with a biofilm, meanwhile, performing air aspiration in thoracic cavity. Conclusion: We demonstrate that advanced ovarian cancer with extra-abdominal diseases, such as bulky pericardial mass and cardiophrenic lymph nodes, should not be an absolute contraindication to a planned complete debulking surgery. Based on our growing experience, transdiaphragmatic approach is a safe and feasible access for metastatic cardiophrenic lymph nodes dissection.

Effects of ant nests on soil CH4 emissions from Syzygium oblatum communities of a secondary tropical forest.

Exploring the effects of ant nests on soil CH4 emissions in the secondary tropical forests is of great scientific significance to understand the contribution of soil faunal activities to greenhouse gas emissions. With static chamber-gas chromatography method, we measured the dry-wet seasonal dynamics of CH4 emissions from ant nests and control soils in the secondary forest of Syzygium oblatum communities in Xishuangbanna. We also examined the linkages of ant-mediated changes in functional microbial diversity and soil physicochemical properties with CH4 emissions. The results showed that: 1) Ant nests significantly accelerated soil CH4 emissions, with average CH4 emissions in the ant nests being 2.6-fold of that in the control soils. 2) The CH4 emissions had significant dry-wet seasonal variations, which was a carbon sink in the dry seasons (from -0.29±0.03 to -0.53±0.02 µg·m-2·h-1) and a carbon source in the wet seasons (from 0.098±0.02 to 0.041±0.009 µg·m-2·h-1). The CH4 emissions were significantly higher in ant nests than in control soils. The CH4 emissions from the ant nests had smaller dry-wet seasonal variation (from -0.38±0.01 to 0.12±0.02 µg·m-2·h-1) than those in the control soils (from -0.65±0.04 to 0.058±0.006 µg·m-2·h-1). 3) Ant nests significantly increased the values (6.2%-37.8%) of soil methanogen diversity (i.e., Ace and Shannon indices), temperature and humidity, carbon pools (i.e., total, easily oxidizable, and microbial carbon), and nitrogen pools (i.e., total, hydrolyzed, ammonium, and microbial biomass nitrogen), but decreased the diversity (i.e., Ace and Chao1 indices) of methane-oxidizing bacteria by 21.9%-23.8%. 4) Results of the structural equation modeling showed that CH4 emissions were promoted by soil methanogen diversity, temperature and humidity, and C and N pools, but inhibited by soil methane-oxidizing bacterial diversity. The explained extents of soil temperature, humidity, carbon pool, nitrogen pool, methanogen diversity, and methane-oxidizing bacterial diversity for the CH4 emission changes were 6.9%, 21.6%, 18.4%, 15.2%, 14.0%, and 10.8%, respectively. Therefore, ant nests regulated soil CH4 emission dynamics through altering soil functional bacterial diversities, micro-habitat, and carbon and nitrogen pools in the secondary tropical forests.

Mediating effects of sleep quality between clinical characteristics and quality of life in children with epilepsy: A cross-sectional study from Southwest China.

BACKGROUND: Although sleep quality (SQ) reportedly affects the health-related quality of life (QOL) of patients with epilepsy, little is known about the potential association between SQ and QOL, particularly in children with epilepsy (CWE). Our study aimed to investigate the mediating effect of SQ on the QOL of CWE to obtain more information for the prevention and treatment of epilepsy in children. METHODS: We collected general demographic and clinical data of 212 CWE and 79 controls (children who visited the Health Examination Department), and their guardians were instructed to answer the Children's Sleep Habits Questionnaire (CSHQ) and the optimized Quality of Life in Childhood Epilepsy Questionnaire-16 (QOLCE-16). The t-test, analysis of variance, chi-square test, and Fisher's exact test were used for between group comparisons. The Pearson correlation was used to analyze the correlation between variables. The direct, indirect, and total effects of predictors on the QOL of CWE were estimated based on an adjusted mediation model. RESULTS: CWE had significantly smaller long-term urban residence rates, less educated guardians, higher total CSHQ score, higher incidence of poor SQ, higher bedtime resistance, more sleep anxiety, worse sleep-disordered breathing, increased parasomnia, more daytime sleepiness, more frequent night waking, and greater sleep onset delay than controls (P < 0.05 for all). The univariable analysis showed significant differences in total CSHQ scores between CWE with different seizure frequency in the last month, whether or not drug-resistant epilepsy (DRE), and with different video electroencephalogram (VEEG) findings (P < 0.05 for all). Differences in QOLCE-16 scores between CWE with different guardian's employment status, age at diagnosis, number of anti-seizure medication (ASM) types, seizure frequency in the last month, DRE status, seizure type, VEEG findings, neuropsychological evaluation findings, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings, and etiology were statistically significant (P < 0.05 for all). The correlation study indicated that the total CSHQ score was negatively correlated with the QOLCE-16 score (P < 0.05). The mediation analysis showed that DRE and VEEG abnormalities had a standardized direct effect on the QOL. Seizure frequency in the last month, DRE, and VEEG abnormalities had an indirect effect on the QOL through SQ, and their mediating effect values of SQ were 31.61 %, 13.45 %, and 14.35 %, respectively. CONCLUSION: Our findings uncovered the relationship of some clinical characteristics with SQ and QOL and characterized the nature of factors affecting the QOL of CWE. SQ could be a key factor in the prognosis of CWE experiencing epileptic seizures, and more attention should be paid on the management of SQ in interventions for epilepsy.

Explainable machine learning for early predicting treatment failure risk among patients with TB-diabetes comorbidity.

The present study aims to assess the treatment outcome of patients with diabetes and tuberculosis (TB-DM) at an early stage using machine learning (ML) based on electronic medical records (EMRs). A total of 429 patients were included at Chongqing Public Health Medical Center. The random-forest-based Boruta algorithm was employed to select the essential variables, and four models with a fivefold cross-validation scheme were used for modeling and model evaluation. Furthermore, we adopted SHapley additive explanations to interpret results from the tree-based model. 9 features out of 69 candidate features were chosen as predictors. Among these predictors, the type of resistance was the most important feature, followed by activated partial throm-boplastic time (APTT), thrombin time (TT), platelet distribution width (PDW), and prothrombin time (PT). All the models we established performed above an AUC 0.7 with good predictive performance. XGBoost, the optimal performing model, predicts the risk of treatment failure in the test set with an AUC 0.9281. This study suggests that machine learning approach (XGBoost) presented in this study identifies patients with TB-DM at higher risk of treatment failure at an early stage based on EMRs. The application of a convenient and economy EMRs based on machine learning provides new insight into TB-DM treatment strategies in low and middle-income countries.

Polarized emission of Cs3Cu2I5 nanowires embedded in nanopores of an anodic aluminum oxide template.

Due to the intrinsic polarized emission property, polarized emissive materials with anisotropic nanostructures are expected to be potential substitutes for polarizers. Herein, by the template-assisted strategy, well-aligned lead-free metal halide Cs3Cu2I5 nanowire (NW) arrays are fabricated by evaporating the precursor ink in the anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) for polarized emission. The Cs3Cu2I5/AAO composite film emits highly polarized light with a degree of polarization (DOP) of 0.50. Furthermore, by changing the molar ratio of CsI/CuI, the stability of Cs3Cu2I5 precursor inks is improved. Finally, an ultraviolet (UV) light-emitting diode (LED) is adopted to pump the composite film to achieve a blue LED device. The reported Cs3Cu2I5/AAO composite film with highly polarized light emissions will have great potential for polarized emission applications such as liquid crystal display backlights, waveguides, and lasers.

MOF-Derived Bimetallic Selenide CoNiSe2 Nanododecahedrons Encapsulated in Porous Carbon Matrix as Advanced Anodes for Lithium-Ion Batteries.

Transition metal selenides have received considerable attention as promising candidates for lithium-ion battery (LIB) anode materials due to their high theoretical capacity and safety characteristics. However, their commercial viability is hampered by insufficient conductivity and volumetric fluctuations during cycling. To address these issues, we have utilized bimetallic metal-organic frameworks to fabricate CoNiSe2/C nanodecahedral composites with a high specific surface area, abundant pore structures, and a surface-coated layer of the carbon-based matrix. The optimized material, CoNiSe2/C-700, exhibited impressive Li+ storage performance with an initial discharge specific capacity of 2125.5 mA h g-1 at 0.1 A g-1 and a Coulombic efficiency of 98% over cycles. Even after 1000 cycles at 1.0 A g-1, a reversible discharge specific capacity of 549.9 mA h g-1 was achieved. The research highlights the synergistic effect of bimetallic selenides, well-defined nanodecahedral structures, stable carbon networks, and the formation of smaller particles during initial cycling, all of which contribute to improved electronic performance, reduced volume change, increased Li+ storage active sites, and shorter Li+ diffusion paths. In addition, the pseudocapacitance behavior contributes significantly to the high energy storage of Li+. These features facilitate rapid charge transfer and help maintain a stable solid-electrolyte interphase layer, which ultimately leads to an excellent electrochemical performance. This work provides a viable approach for fabricating bimetallic selenides as anode materials for high-performance LIBs through architectural engineering and compositional tailoring.

Effects of measurement protocols and repetitions on handgrip strength weakness and asymmetry in patients with cancer.

BACKGROUND: The use of handgrip strength (HGS) in clinical cancer research is surging. The association between HGS and outcomes in patients with cancer varied across studies, which might be due to the different measurement protocols for HGS. We aimed to answer three questions: (1) Did the use of various protocols for HGS, along with different numbers of repetitions, lead to significant differences in maximum HGS values? (2) If yes, were these differences clinically significant? (3) Did the differences in HGS protocols and repetitions affect the identification of HGS weakness or HGS asymmetry? METHODS: We continuously recruited adult patients with solid tumours. Two protocols were used to measure HGS: Method A, following the American Society of Hand Therapists guidelines, and Method B, following the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey guidelines. To analyse HGS, we used the maximal value obtained from either two or three repetitions of the dominant hand or four or six repetitions of both hands. RESULTS: We included 497 patients (326 men and 171 women, median age: 58 years). The maximal HGS values, measured with Method B, were significantly higher than those measured by Method A in both men and women, despite repetitions (all P < 0.05). The maximum HGS values were significantly different across the repetition groups, regardless of measurement protocols and sex (all P < 0.01). The protocol-induced differences in maximal HGS values might be clinically meaningful in over 60% of men and 40% of women despite repetitions. The repetition-induced difference was only clinically significant in 4.3-17.8% of men and 4.1-14.6% of women. To identify HGS weakness, using Method A (six repetitions) as the 'gold' standard, the other protocols demonstrated an overall accuracy of 0.923-0.997 in men and 0.965-1 in women. To identify HGS asymmetry, using Method A (six repetitions) as the 'gold' standard, Method B (six repetitions) demonstrated a diagnostic accuracy of 0.972 in men and 0.971 in women. Method A (four repetitions) showed a diagnostic accuracy of 0.837 in men and 0.825 in women, while Method B (four repetitions) showed a diagnostic accuracy of 0.825 in men and 0.807 in women. CONCLUSIONS: Both measurement protocols and repetitions significantly affect the maximal HGS values. The identification of HGS weakness is not significantly affected by either protocols or repetitions, while the identification of HGS asymmetry may be affected by different repetitions but not protocols.

Effects of minocycline on dendrites, dendritic spines, and microglia in immature mouse brains after kainic acid-induced status epilepticus.

PURPOSE: This study aimed to investigate whether minocycline could influence alterations of microglial subtypes, the morphology of dendrites and dendritic spines, the microstructures of synapses and synaptic proteins, or even cognition outcomes in immature male mice following status epilepticus (SE) induced by kainic acid. METHODS: Golgi staining was performed to visualize the dendrites and dendritic spines of neurons of the hippocampus. The microstructures of synapses and synaptic proteins were observed using transmission electron microscopy and western blotting analysis, respectively. Microglial reactivation and their markers were evaluated using flow cytometry. The Morris water maze (MWM) test was used to analyze spatial learning and memory ability. RESULTS: Significant partial spines increase (predominate in thin spines) was observed in the dendrites of neurons after acute SE and partial loss (mainly in thin spines) was presented by days 14 and 28 post-SE. The postsynaptic ultrastructure was impaired on the 7th and 14th days after SE. The proportion of M1 microglia increased significantly only after acute SE Similarly, the proportion of M2 microglia increased in the acute stage with high expression levels of all surface markers. In contrast, a decrease in M2 microglia and their markers was noted by day 14 post-SE. Minocycline could reverse the changes in dendrites and synaptic proteins caused by SE, and increase the levels of synaptic proteins. Meanwhile, minocycline could inhibit the reactivation of M1 microglia and the expression of their markers, except for promoting CD200R. In addition, treatment with minocycline could regulate the expression of M2 microglia and their surface markers, as well as ameliorating the impaired spatial learning and memory on the 28th day after SE. CONCLUSIONS: Dendritic spines and microglia are dynamically changed after SE. Minocycline could ameliorate the impaired cognition in the kainic acid-induced mouse model by decreasing the damage to dendrites and altering microglial reactivation.