Ti-Mn hydrogen storage alloys: from properties to applications.

Efficient and safe storage of hydrogen is an important link in the process of hydrogen energy utilization. Hydrogen storage with hydrogen storage materials as the medium has the characteristics of high volumetric hydrogen storage density and good safety. Among many hydrogen storage materials, only rare earth-based and titanium-based hydrogen storage alloys have been applied thus far. In this work, current state-of-the-art research and applications of Ti-Mn hydrogen storage alloys are reviewed. Firstly, the hydrogen storage properties and regulation methods of binary to multicomponent Ti-Mn alloys are introduced. Then, the applications of Ti-Mn alloys in hydrogen storage, hydrogen compression and catalysis are discussed. Finally, the future research and development of Ti-Mn hydrogen storage alloys is proposed.

Lineage-mosaic and mutation-patched spike proteins for broad-spectrum COVID-19 vaccine.

SARS-CoV-2 spread in humans results in continuous emergence of new variants, highlighting the need for vaccines with broad-spectrum antigenic coverage. Using inter-lineage chimera and mutation-patch strategies, we engineered a recombinant monomeric spike variant (STFK1628x) that contains key regions and residues across multiple SAR-CoV-2 variants. STFK1628x demonstrated high immunogenicity and mutually complementary antigenicity to its prototypic form (STFK). In hamsters, a bivalent vaccine composed of STFK and STFK1628x elicited high titers of broad-spectrum neutralizing antibodies to 19 circulating SARS-CoV-2 variants, including Omicron sublineages BA.1, BA.1.1, BA.2, BA.2.12.1, BA.2.75, and BA.4/5. Furthermore, this vaccine conferred robust protection against intranasal challenges by either SARS-CoV-2 ancestral strain or immune-evasive Beta and Omicron BA.1. Strikingly, vaccination with the bivalent vaccine in hamsters effectively blocked within-cage virus transmission of ancestral SARS-CoV-2, Beta variant, and Omicron BA.1 to unvaccinated sentinels. Thus, our study provided insight and antigen candidates for the development of next-generation COVID-19 vaccines.

A non-fluorinated superhydrophobic composite coating with excellent anticorrosion and wear-resistant performance.

The facile and low-cost fabrication of fluorine-free superhydrophobic metal surfaces for anticorrosion remains a challenging issue. Here, we report a superhydrophobic coating based on polyacrylate/SiO2 nanoparticles/graphene oxide sheets through a simple yet environmentally friendly method. The as-prepared composite coating sprayed on metal surfaces exhibits excellent superhydrophobic and corrosion-resistant properties. Furthermore, the coating surface possesses good anti-wear performance and remains superhydrophobic after harsh abrasion tests. Prospectively, the developed non-fluorinated superhydrophobic coating opens up opportunities for the application in industrial anticorrosion field.

A Terahertz Identification Method for Internal Interface Structures of Polymers Based on the Long Short-Term Memory Classification Network.

Polymers are used widely in the power system as insulating materials and are essential to the power grid's security and stability. However, various insulation defects may occur in the polymer., which can lead to severe insulation accidents. Terahertz (THz) detection is a novel non-destructive testing (NDT) method that is able to detect the interface structures inside polymers. The large quantity of information in the THz waveform has potential for the identification of interface types, and the long short-term memory (LSTM) network is one of the most popular artificial intelligence methods for time series data like THz waveform. In this paper, the LSTM classification network was used to identify the internal interfaces of the polymer with the reflected THz pulses of the internal interfaces. The experiment verified that it is feasible to identify and image the void interfaces and impurity interfaces in the polymer using the proposed method.

A recombinant spike protein subunit vaccine confers protective immunity against SARS-CoV-2 infection and transmission in hamsters.

Multiple safe and effective vaccines that elicit immune responses against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) are necessary to respond to the ongoing coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Here, we developed a protein subunit vaccine composed of spike ectodomain protein (StriFK) plus a nitrogen bisphosphonate-modified zinc-aluminum hybrid adjuvant (FH002C). StriFK-FH002C generated substantially higher neutralizing antibody titers in mice, hamsters, and cynomolgus monkeys than those observed in plasma isolated from COVID-19 convalescent individuals. StriFK-FH002C also induced both TH1- and TH2-polarized helper T cell responses in mice. In hamsters, StriFK-FH002C immunization protected animals against SARS-CoV-2 challenge, as shown by the absence of virus-induced weight loss, fewer symptoms of disease, and reduced lung pathology. Vaccination of hamsters with StriFK-FH002C also reduced within-cage virus transmission to unvaccinated, cohoused hamsters. In summary, StriFK-FH002C represents an effective, protein subunit-based SARS-CoV-2 vaccine candidate.

DNA methylation-mediated silencing of microRNA-204 enhances T cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia by up-regulating MMP-2 and MMP-9 via NF-κB.

T cell acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (T-ALL) is a highly aggressive haematological cancer of the bone marrow. The abnormal expression of microRNAs (miRNAs) is reportedly involved in T-ALL development and progression. Thus, we aimed to decipher the involvement of miR-204 silencing mediated by DNA methylation in the occurrence of T cell acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (T-ALL). miR-204 expression was determined in bone marrow and peripheral blood samples from T-ALL patients by real-time quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) with its effect on cell proliferation evaluated by functional assays. In addition, bisulphite sequencing PCR was employed to detect the DNA methylation level of the miR-204 promoter region, and the binding site between miR-204 and IRAK1 was detected by luciferase assay. We found that miR-204 was down-regulated in T cells of T-ALL patients, which was caused by the increased DNA methylation in the promoter region of miR-204. Moreover, overexpression of miR-204 inhibited T-ALL cell proliferation while enhancing their apoptosis through interleukin receptor-associated kinase 1 (IRAK1), which enhanced the expression of matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) and MMP-9 through activation of p-p65. Thus, miR-204 modulated MMP-2 and MMP-9 through IRAK1/NF-κB signalling pathway, which was confirmed by in vivo assay. Taken together, DNA methylation-mediated miR-204 silencing increased the transcription of IRAK1, thus activating the NF-κB signalling pathway and up-regulating the downstream targets MMP-2/MMP-9.

Water sorption induced transformations in crystalline solid surfaces: characterization by atomic force microscopy.

The effect of water sorption on the mobility of molecules on the surface of a crystalline anhydrous solid was investigated to understand the mechanism of its transformation to the corresponding hydrate. Theophylline was chosen as the model compound. The transition water activity for anhydrate to hydrate transformation, RH(T), and the deliquescence RH, RH(0), was determined to be 62% and 99%, respectively (25 degrees C). Atomic force microscopy (AFM) was used to study the surface changes of theophylline above and below the transition water activity. Contact-mode AFM showed that the jump-to-contact distance increased appreciably above RH(T), suggesting formation of solution on the surface. At RH(T) < RH < RH(0), using dynamic (AC/"tapping" mode) AFM, the movements of surface steps were visualized. These results from AFM indicated that, below RH(0), the formation of a thin solution film significantly increased surface mobility. Furthermore, when the anhydrate crystal surface was seeded with the hydrate, the propagation of a new hydrate phase was observed by polarized light microscopy. In conclusion, atomic force microscopy provided direct evidence that the phase transformation of anhydrous theophylline to theophylline monohydrate in the solid-state is mediated by a surface solution as a result of water adsorption.

[In vitro and in vivo study of two kinds of long-circulating solid lipid nanoparticles containing paclitaxel].

AIM: To prepare long-circulating solid lipid nanoparticles containing paclitaxel with stearic acid, and investigate the in vitro and in vivo characterization of nanoparticles. METHODS: The method of "emulsion evaporation-solidification at low temperature" was used to prepare the stearic acid solid lipid nanoparticles containing paclitaxel. Its morphology was examined by transmission electron microscope. The HPLC method for determination of paclitaxel in nanoparticles or serum samples was established. The release of paclitaxel in vitro and the pharmacokinetics after i.v. bolus injection to mice were studied. RESULTS: The mean diameter of Brij78-SLN and F68-SLN is (103.5 +/- 29.2) nm and (220 +/- 98) nm, respectively. The nanoparticles release paclitaxel slowly and linearly, within 24 h, Brij78-SLN and F68-SLN release 8% and 20% of total drug, respectively. Long-circulation nanoparticles was found to stay in the blood circulation, with T 1/2 beta 10.1 h of F68-SLN, and T 1/2 beta 4.88 h of Brij78-SLN more than one commercialized paclitaxel injection, T 1/2 beta 1.3 h. CONCLUSION: Stearic acid might be a new drug carrier material in the future.