Engineering Nano-Sized Silicon Anodes with Conductive Networks toward a High Average Coulombic Efficiency of 90.2% via Plasma-Assisted Milling.

Si-based anode is considered one of the ideal anodes for high energy density lithium-ion batteries due to its high theoretical capacity of 4200 mAh g-1. To accelerate the commercial progress of Si material, the multi-issue of extreme volume expansion and low intrinsic electronic conductivity needs to be settled. Herein, a series of nano-sized Si particles with conductive networks are synthesized via the dielectric barrier discharge plasma (DBDP) assisted milling. The p-milling method can effectively refine the particle sizes of pristine Si without destroying its crystal structure, resulting in large Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) values with more active sites for Li+ ions. Due to their unique structure and flexibility, CNTs can be uniformly distributed among the Si particles and the prepared Si electrodes exhibit better structural stability during the continuous lithiation/de-lithiation process. Moreover, the CNT network accelerates the transport of ions and electrons in the Si particles. As a result, the nano-sized Si anodes with CNTs conductive network can deliver an extremely high average initial Coulombic efficiency (ICE) reach of 90.2% with enhanced cyclic property and rate capability. The C-PMSi-50:1 anode presents 615 mAh g-1 after 100 cycles and 979 mAh g-1 under the current density of 5 A g-1. Moreover, the manufactured Si||LiNi0.8Co0.1Mn0.1O2 pouch cell maintains a high ICE of >85%. This work may supply a new insight for designing the nano-sized Si and further promoting its commercial applications.

The Alterations in the Brain Corresponding to Low Back Pain: Recent Insights and Advances.

Low back pain (LBP) is a leading cause of global disabilities. Numerous molecular, cellular, and anatomical factors are implicated in LBP. Current issues regarding neurologic alterations in LBP have focused on the reorganization of peripheral nerve and spinal cord, but neural mechanisms of exactly what LBP impacts on the brain required further researches. Based on existing clinical studies that chronic pain problems were accompanying alterations in brain structures and functions, researchers proposed logical conjectures that similar alterations occur in LBP patients as well. With recent extensive studies carried out using noninvasive neuroimaging technique, increasing number of abnormalities and alterations has been identified. Here, we reviewed brain alterations including white matters, grey matters, and neural circuits between brain areas, which are involved in chronic LBP. Moreover, brain structural and functional connectivity abnormalities are correlated to the happening and transition of LBP. The negative emotions related to back pain indicate possible alterations in emotional brain regions. Thus, the aim of this review is to summarize current findings on the alterations corresponding to LBP in the brain. It will not only further our understanding of etiology of LBP and understanding of negative emotions accompanying with back pain but also provide ideas and basis for new accesses to the diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation afterward based on integral medicine.

Revealing the Subzero-Temperature Electrochemical Kinetics Behaviors in Ni-Rich Cathode.

The sluggish kinetics in Ni-rich cathodes at subzero temperatures causes decreased specific capacity and poor rate capability, resulting in slow and unstable charge storage. So far, the driving force of this phenomenon remains a mystery. Herein, with the help of in-situ X-ray diffraction and time of flight secondary ion mass spectrometry techniques, the continuous accumulation of both the cathode electrolyte interphase (CEI) film formation and the incomplete structure evolution during cycling under subzero temperature are proposed. It is presented that excessively uniform and thick CEI film generated at subzero temperatures would block the diffusion of Li+ -ions, resulting in incomplete phase evolution and clear charge potential delay. The incomplete phase evolution throughout the Li+ -ion intercalation/de-intercalation processes would further cause low depth of discharge and poor electrochemical reversibility with low initial Coulombic efficiency, as well. In addition, the formation of the thick and uniform CEI film would also consume Li+ -ions during the charging process. This discovery highlights the effects of the CEI film formation behavior and incomplete phase evolution in restricting electrochemical kinetics under subzero temperatures, which the authors believe would promote the further application of the Ni-rich cathodes.

MulCNN-HSP: A multi-scale convolutional neural networks-based deep learning method for classification of heat shock proteins.

Heat shock proteins (HSPs) are crucial cellular stress proteins that react to environmental cues, ensuring the preservation of cellular functions. They also play pivotal roles in orchestrating the immune response and participating in processes associated with cancer. Consequently, the classification of HSPs holds immense significance in enhancing our understanding of their biological functions and in various diseases. However, the use of computational methods for identifying and classifying HSPs still faces challenges related to accuracy and interpretability. In this study, we introduced MulCNN-HSP, a novel deep learning model based on multi-scale convolutional neural networks, for identifying and classifying of HSPs. Comparative results showed that MulCNN-HSP outperforms or matches existing models in the identification and classification of HSPs. Furthermore, MulCNN-HSP can extract and analyze essential features for the prediction task, enhancing its interpretability. To facilitate its accessibility, we have made MulCNN-HSP available at http://cbcb.cdutcm.edu.cn/HSP/. We hope that MulCNN-HSP will contribute to advancing the study of HSPs and their roles in various biological processes and diseases.

Genome assembly of Polygala tenuifolia provides insights into its karyotype evolution and triterpenoid saponin biosynthesis.

Polygala tenuifolia is a perennial medicinal plant that has been widely used in traditional Chinese medicine for treating mental diseases. However, the lack of genomic resources limits the insight into its evolutionary and biological characterization. In the present work, we reported the P. tenuifolia genome, the first genome assembly of the Polygalaceae family. We sequenced and assembled this genome by a combination of Illumnina, PacBio HiFi, and Hi-C mapping. The assembly includes 19 pseudochromosomes covering ~92.68% of the assembled genome (~769.62 Mb). There are 36 463 protein-coding genes annotated in this genome. Detailed comparative genome analysis revealed that P. tenuifolia experienced two rounds of whole genome duplication that occurred ~39-44 and ~18-20 million years ago, respectively. Accordingly, we systematically reconstructed ancestral chromosomes of P. tenuifolia and inferred its chromosome evolution trajectories from the common ancestor of core eudicots to the present species. Based on the transcriptomics data, enzyme genes and transcription factors involved in the synthesis of triterpenoid saponin in P. tenuifolia were identified. Further analysis demonstrated that whole-genome duplications and tandem duplications play critical roles in the expansion of P450 and UGT gene families, which contributed to the synthesis of triterpenoid saponins. The genome and transcriptome data will not only provide valuable resources for comparative and functional genomic researches on Polygalaceae, but also shed light on the synthesis of triterpenoid saponin.

Research on Robotic Compliance Control for Ultrasonic Strengthening of Aviation Blade Surface.

In order to satisfy the requirement of the automatic ultrasonic strengthening of an aviation blade surface, this paper puts forward a robotic compliance control strategy of contact force for ultrasonic surface strengthening. By building the force/position control method for robotic ultrasonic surface strengthening., the compliant output of the contact force is achieved by using the robot's end-effector (compliant force control device). Based on the control model of the end-effector obtained from experimental determination, a fuzzy neural network PID control is used to optimize the compliance control system, which improves the adjustment accuracy and tracking performance of the system. An experimental platform is built to verify the effectiveness and feasibility of the compliance control strategy for the robotic ultrasonic strengthening of an aviation blade surface. The results demonstrate that the proposed method maintains the compliant contact between the ultrasonic strengthening tool and the blade surface under multi-impact and vibration conditions.

Effects of source materials on desorption kinetics of carcinogenic PAHs from contaminated soils.

Research investigating the desorptive behaviour of PAHs from contaminated soils often overlooked the effects of source materials, especially coal tar and coal tar pitch and materials alike. In this study, a refined experimental approach was adopted to establish a simple-to-complex continuum of systems that allow the investigation of desorption kinetics of benzo(a)pyrene (BaP) and 3 other carcinogenic PAHs (cPAHs) over an incubation period of 48 d. By comparing the modelled desorption parameters, elucidation of the effects of PAH source materials on their desorptive behaviour was achieved. Desorption of cPAHs from coal tar and pitch was enhanced when they were added to soils, with rapidly desorbing fraction (Frap) of BaP increased from 0.68% for pitch to 1.10% and 2.66% for pitch treated soils, and from 2.57% for coal tar to 6.24% for coal tar treated soil G and 8.76% for coal tar treated sand (1 d). At 1 d, desorption of target cPAHs from solvent and source material spiked soils generally followed the order of solvent > coal tar > pitch. Increases in Frap of cPAHs were observed in coal tar-treated soils after 48 d soil incubation (0.33%-1.16% for soil M, p ≥ 0.05, 6.24%-9.21% for soil G, p < 0.05) and was attributed to the continuous migration of coal tar as a non-aqueous phase liquid (NAPL) into soil pore structures. Slow desorption was dominated by source materials, whereas the extents and rates of rapid desorption (Frap and krap) were more controlled by the quantity of soil organic matter (SOM), rather than quality of SOM (as in solvent-spiked soils). The results of this study challenged the role of PAH source materials as 'sinks' and led to the proposed roles of coal tar and pitch and source materials alike as 'reservoirs' with a risk-driven perspective.

Understanding the role of social media usage and health self-efficacy in the processing of COVID-19 rumors: A SOR perspective.

Apart from the direct health and behavioral influence of the COVID-19 pandemic itself, COVID-19 rumors as an infodemic enormously amplified public anxiety and cause serious outcomes. Although factors influencing such rumors propagation have been widely studied by previous studies, the role of spatial factors (e.g., proximity to the pandemic) on individuals' response regarding COVID-19 rumors remain largely unexplored. Accordingly, this study, drawing on the stimulus-organism-response (SOR) framework, examined how proximity to the pandemic (stimulus) influences anxiety (organism), which in turn determines rumor beliefs and rumor outcomes (response). Further, the contingent role of social media usage and health self-efficacy were tested. The research model was tested using 1246 samples via an online survey during the COVID-19 pandemic in China. The results indicate that: (1)The proximity closer the public is to the pandemic, the higher their perceived anxiety; (2) Anxiety increases rumor beliefs, which is further positively associated rumor outcomes; (3) When the level of social media usage is high, the relationship between proximity to the pandemic and anxiety is strengthened; (4) When the level of health self-efficacy is high, the effect of anxiety on rumor beliefs is strengthened and the effect of rumor beliefs on rumor outcomes is also strengthened. This study provides a better understanding of the underlying mechanism of the propagation of COVID-19 rumors from a SOR perspective. Additionally, this paper is one of the first that proposes and empirically verifies the contingent role of social media usage and health self-efficacy on the SOR framework. The findings of study can assist the pandemic prevention department in to efficiently manage rumors with the aim of alleviating public anxiety and avoiding negative outcomes cause by rumors.

Bezoar as a cause of portal vein pneumatosis: a case report.

Pneumatosis of the portal vein is considered a rare imaging sign rather than a disease. It usually occurs in patients with digestive tract diseases such as intestinal obstructive diseases, mesenteric vascular diseases, closed abdominal trauma, and liver transplantation. Because of its high mortality rate, it is also termed the "sign of death." Hawthorn contains tannic acid, and seafood is rich in calcium, iron, carbon, iodine, and other minerals and proteins. Thus, consuming both hawthorn and seafood together can result in the formation of an indigestible complex in the body, acting as the main pathogenic factor in patients with intestinal obstruction. We herein describe a patient with duodenal obstruction caused by hawthorn who developed the hepatic portal venous gas sign and was cured by nonsurgical treatment.

Understanding online health information seeking behavior of older adults: A social cognitive perspective.

Introduction: Online health information seeking has been verified to play a crucial role in improving public health and has received close scholarly attention. However, the seeking behavior of older adults, especially the underlying mechanism through which they are motivated to seek health information online, remains unclear. This study addresses the issue by proposing a theoretical model leveraging social cognitive theory. Methods: IT self-efficacy and IT innovativeness were identified as personal factors and professional support and social support were identified as environmental factors. We conducted a survey that included 347 older people in China and examined the research hypotheses with a structural equation model. Results: IT self-efficacy and IT innovativeness facilitate older adults to seek health information online by increasing their perceived benefit of using the internet. Additionally, professional support and social support enhanced older adults' online seeking behavior by promoting their health awareness. We also found that perceived benefit displayed a stronger impact than health awareness on older adults' behavior related to searching for health information online. Conclusion: This study reveals that IT self-efficacy, IT innovativeness, professional support, and social support will promote older adults to seek health information online by enhancing their health awareness and perceived benefit. The findings of this study provide significant theoretical and practical implications.

Transcription factors TP63 facilitates malignant progression of thyroid cancer by upregulating KRT17 expression and inducing epithelial-mesenchymal transition.

Thyroid cancer (TC) is a relatively prevalent endocrine tumor among women, the incidence of which is rapidly rising. In this present study, we aimed to provide new therapeutic targets from the aspect of transcription factor-target gene interaction. TP63 and KRT17 were both highly expressed in TC tissues and cells. The results of ChIP and dual-luciferase assays confirmed TP63 to bind the KRT17 promoter. Cell function assays revealed that knockdown of TP63 could repress TC cell progression. Furthermore, the rescue assay verified that TP63 could facilitate KRT17 expression to activate the AKT signaling pathway, which in turn stimulated TC cell invasion and migration, and induced EMT. All these results verified that TP63 facilitates TC malignant progression by promoting KRT17 expression and inducing EMT.

Antibacterial Pattern of Rosa roxburghii Tratt Pomace Crude Extract Against Staphylococcus aureus and Its Application in Preservation of Cooked Beef.

Staphylococcus aureus is a common foodborne pathogen and spoilage bacterium in meat products. To develop a natural preservative for meat products, this study revealed the antibacterial activity and mechanism of Rosa roxburghii Tratt pomace crude extract (RRPCE) against S. aureus, and applied RRPCE to the preservation of cooked beef. The diameter of inhibition zone, minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC), and minimum bactericide concentration of RRPCE against S. aureus were 15.85 ± 0.35 to 16.21 ± 0.29 mm, 1.5 mg/mL, and 3 mg/mL, respectively. The growth curve of S. aureus was completely stalled by treatment with RRPCE at 2 MIC. RRPCE results in the decrease of intracellular adenosine 5'-triphosphate (ATP) content, depolarization of cell membrane, leakage of cell fluid including nucleic acid and protein, and destruction of cell membrane integrity and cell morphology. During storage, RRPCE significantly reduced S. aureus viable counts, pH, and total volatile basic nitrogen of cooked beef compared with untreated samples (p < 0.05). In addition, RRPCE could significantly increase the redness (a*) value, decrease lightness (L*) and yellowness (b*) values, and slow down the color change of cooked beef (p < 0.05). These findings suggest that RRPCE can effectively inhibit S. aureus, and has the potential as a natural preservative for the preservation of cooked beef.

Exploring the Mechanism of Yi-Jing Decoction in Treating Polycystic Ovary Syndrome by Using Network Pharmacology.

BACKGROUND: Yi-Jing decoction (YJD), a traditional Chinese medicine prescription, has been reported to be effective in the treatment of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). However, the underlying mechanisms of YJD in treating PCOS are still unclear. OBJECTIVE: In the present work, the effective ingredients of YJD and their treatment mechanisms on PCOS were systematically analyzed. METHODS: The effective ingredients of YJD and targets of PCOS were selected from public databases. The network pharmacology method was used to analyze the ingredients, potential targets, and pathways of YJD for the treatment of PCOS. RESULTS: One hundred and three active ingredients were identified from YJD, of which 82 were hit by 65 targets associated with PCOS. By constructing the disease-common targetcompound network, five ingredients (quercetin, arachidonate, beta-sitosterol, betacarotene, and cholesterol) were selected out as the key ingredients of YJD, which can interact with the 10 hub genes (VEGFA, AKT1, TP53, ALB, TNF, PIK3CA, IGF1, INS, IL1B, PTEN) against PCOS. These genes are mainly involved in prostate cancer, steroid hormone biosynthesis, and EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitor resistance pathways. In addition, the results of molecular docking showed that the ingredients of YJD have a good binding affinity with the hub genes. CONCLUSION: These results demonstrate that the treatment of PCOS by YJD is through regulating the levels of androgen and insulin and improving the inflammatory microenvironment.

SREBPs as the potential target for solving the polypharmacy dilemma.

The phenomenon of polypharmacy is a common occurrence among older people with multiple health conditions due to the rapid increase in population aging and the popularization of clinical guidelines. The prevalence of metabolic syndrome is growing quickly, representing a serious threat to both the public and the worldwide healthcare systems. In addition, it enhances the risk of cardiovascular disease as well as mortality and morbidity. Sterol regulatory element binding proteins (SREBPs) are basic helix-loop-helix leucine zipper transcription factors that transcriptionally modulate genes that regulate lipid biosynthesis and uptake, thereby serving an essential role in biological systems regulation. In this article, we have described the structure of SREBPs and explored their activation and regulation of signals. We also reveal that SREBPs are intricately involved in the modulation of metabolic diseases and thus have tremendous potential as the novel target for single-drug therapy for multiple diseases.

Chromosome-length genome assemblies of six legume species provide insights into genome organization, evolution, and agronomic traits for crop improvement.

INTRODUCTION: Legume crops are an important source of protein and oil for human health and in fixing atmospheric N2 for soil enrichment. With an objective to accelerate much-needed genetic analyses and breeding applications, draft genome assemblies were generated in several legume crops; many of them are not high quality because they are mainly based on short reads. However, the superior quality of genome assembly is crucial for a detailed understanding of genomic architecture, genome evolution, and crop improvement. OBJECTIVES: Present study was undertaken with an objective of developing improved chromosome-length genome assemblies in six different legumes followed by their systematic investigation to unravel different aspects of genome organization and legume evolution. METHODS: We employed in situ Hi-C data to improve the existing draft genomes and performed different evolutionary and comparative analyses using improved genome assemblies. RESULTS: We have developed chromosome-length genome assemblies in chickpea, pigeonpea, soybean, subterranean clover, and two wild progenitor species of cultivated groundnut (A. duranensis and A. ipaensis). A comprehensive comparative analysis of these genome assemblies offered improved insights into various evolutionary events that shaped the present-day legume species. We highlighted the expansion of gene families contributing to unique traits such as nodulation in legumes, gravitropism in groundnut, and oil biosynthesis in oilseed legume crops such as groundnut and soybean. As examples, we have demonstrated the utility of improved genome assemblies for enhancing the resolution of "QTL-hotspot" identification for drought tolerance in chickpea and marker-trait associations for agronomic traits in pigeonpea through genome-wide association study. Genomic resources developed in this study are publicly available through an online repository, 'Legumepedia'. CONCLUSION: This study reports chromosome-length genome assemblies of six legume species and demonstrates the utility of these assemblies in crop improvement. The genomic resources developed here will have significant role in accelerating genetic improvement applications of legume crops.

How does physicians' educational knowledge-sharing influence patients' engagement? An empirical examination in online health communities.

Online health communities (OHCs) are popular channels increasingly used by patients for acquiring professional medical knowledge to manage their own health. In OHCs, physicians provide not only consultation services but also educational medical knowledge to improve patient education. So far, it remains unknown regarding how the educational medical knowledge sharing influence engagement of patients in OHCs. Drawing on the signaling theory, we examined the effects of paid vs. free knowledge-sharing of physicians on patients' engagement behaviors (i.e., patient visit and patient consultation). Data collected from one of the largest OHCs in China show that both paid and free knowledge-sharing are favorable for patients' engagement. Particularly, these two types of knowledge-sharing vary in their impacts. Moreover, physicians' registration duration in OHCs has a positive moderating effect on the relationship between physician's knowledge-sharing and patient engagement. Managers seeking to engage patients at OHCs are advised to share educational medical knowledge to entice them and the patient engagement is more salient for the knowledge shared by physicians active at the platforms for longer time history.

Encouraging physicians' continuous knowledge-sharing in online health communities: A motivational perspective.

Online health communities (OHCs) as an essential means of patient education can significantly improve patients' health literacy and treatment outcomes. However, sustaining these social benefits brought by OHCs establishes the prerequisite that physicians can continuously share their knowledge on OHCs. Although previous studies have explored physicians' knowledge-sharing in OHCs, scholarly knowledge related to the means of motivating physicians to continue sharing their knowledge remains limited. Therefore, this study developed a research model based on motivation theory to explore the influence of practical benefits, psychological rewards, and perceived connectedness with OHCs on physicians' continuous knowledge-sharing behaviors and the contingent role of physicians' online seniority status. The research model and relevant hypotheses were examined using objective data from one of the leading OHCs in China. The empirical results reveal that both practical benefits and psychological rewards positively affect physicians' continuous knowledge-sharing behaviors. However, an unexpected finding is that perceived connectedness is negatively associated with physicians' continuous knowledge-sharing behaviors. In addition, physicians' online seniority status strengthens the relationship between practical benefits and continuous knowledge-sharing behaviors but weaken the role of psychological rewards and perceived connectedness on continuous knowledge-sharing behaviors. This study contributes to the understanding of the motivational mechanisms underlying physicians' continuous knowledge-sharing behaviors in OHCs and provides significant practical implications for practitioners of OHCs.

Correlation Between Low THBS3 Expression in Peripheral Blood and Acute Myocardial Infarction.

BACKGROUND: Thrombospondin (THBS) 3 is an adhesive glycoprotein involved in cell-cell and cell-matrix interactions. The purpose of this study is to determine whether THBS3 expression in peripheral blood can be used as a biomarker to predict the risk of acute myocardial infarction (AMI). METHODS: The peripheral blood of 111 patients with stable coronary artery disease (SCAD) and 112 patients with AMI was obtained. The experimental and the control cohorts were the AMI and SCAD groups, respectively. The expression of THBS3 mRNA and protein in both groups was determined using reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. RESULTS: THBS3 expression (range) in the peripheral plasma of patients in the AMI group was lower than that of patients in the SCAD group (4.526 (3.748-5.521), 5.511 (4.726-6.334), respectively), which was 0.82 times lower than the control (p < 0.001). Furthermore, THBS3 mRNA level in the peripheral blood mononuclear cells of patients with AMI was 0.47 times lower than that in patients with SCAD (p < 0.05). AMI was associated with fasting blood glucose levels, platelet counts and low THBS3 expression. Logistic regression analysis revealed that decreased expression of THBS3 protein increased the probability of AMI by 4.076 times (p < 0.01). Additionally, high fasting blood glucose and high platelet counts increased the risk of AMI by 2.819 and 6.515 times, respectively (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: THBS3 mRNA and protein levels in the peripheral blood of patients in the AMI group were much lower compared with those of patients in the SCAD group. Low THBS3 expression in peripheral blood was related to AMI and was an independent risk factor for AMI. Thus, low THBS3 expression in peripheral blood may be a novel, suitable molecular marker for the early detection of AMI.

New Progress in Early Diagnosis of Atherosclerosis.

Coronary atherosclerosis is a potentially chronic circulatory condition that endangers human health. The biological cause underpinning cardiovascular disease is coronary atherosclerosis, and acute cardiovascular events can develop due to thrombosis, platelet aggregation, and unstable atherosclerotic plaque rupture. Coronary atherosclerosis is progressive, and three specific changes appear, with fat spots and stripes, atherosclerosis and thin-walled fiber atherosclerosis, and then complex changes in arteries. The progression and severity of cardiovascular disease are correlated with various levels of calcium accumulation in the coronary artery. The therapy and diagnosis of coronary atherosclerosis benefit from the initial assessment of the size and degree of calcification. This article will discuss the new progress in the early diagnosis of coronary atherosclerosis in terms of three aspects: imaging, gene and protein markers, and trace elements. This study intends to present the latest methods for diagnosing patients with early atherosclerosis through a literature review.