Atomic Manufacturing in Electrode Materials for High-Performance Batteries.

The advancement of electrode materials plays a pivotal role in enhancing the performance of energy storage devices, thereby meeting the escalating need for energy storage and aligning with the imperative of sustainable development. Atomic manufacturing enables the precise manipulation of the crystal structure at the atomic level, thereby facilitating the development of electrode materials with customized physicochemical properties and enhancing their performance. In this Perspective, we elaborate on how atomic manufacturing enhances the important properties of electrode materials. Finally, we anticipate the prospect of materials and fabrication methods for atomic manufacturing in the future. This Perspective provides a comprehensive understanding for atomic manufacturing in electrode materials.

Activation of the HNRNPA2B1/miR-93-5p/FRMD6 axis facilitates prostate cancer progression in an m6A-dependent manner.

It is becoming increasingly clear that N6-methyladenosine (m6A) plays a key role in post-transcriptional modification of eukaryotic RNAs in cancer. The regulatory mechanism of m6A modifications in prostate cancer is still not completely elucidated. Heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein A2/B1 (HNRNPA2B1), an m6A reader, has been revealed to function as an oncogenic RNA-binding protein. However, its contribution to prostate cancer progression remains poorly understood. Here, we found that HNRNPA2B1 was highly overexpressed and correlated with a poor prognosis in prostate cancer. In vitro and in vivo functional experiments demonstrated that HNRNPA2B1 knockout impaired proliferation and metastasis of prostate cancer. Mechanistic studies indicated that HNRNPA2B1 interacted with primary miRNA-93 and promoted its processing by recruiting DiGeorge syndrome critical region gene 8 (DGCR8), a key subunit of the Microprocessor complex, in an METTL3-dependent mechanism, while HNRNPA2B1 knockout significantly restored miR-93-5p levels. HNRNPA2B1/miR-93-5p downregulated FERM domain-containing protein 6 (FRMD6), a cancer suppressor, and enhanced proliferation and metastasis in prostate cancer. In conclusion, our findings identified a novel oncogenic axis, HNRNPA2B1/miR-93-5p/FRMD6, that stimulates prostate cancer progression via an m6A-dependent manner.

LncFALEC recruits ART5/PARP1 and promotes castration-resistant prostate cancer through enhancing PARP1-meditated self PARylation.

Accumulating evidence indicates that long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are abnormal expression in various malignant tumors. Our previous research demonstrated that focally amplified long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) on chromosome 1 (FALEC) is an oncogenic lncRNA in prostate cancer (PCa). However, the role of FALEC in castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) is poorly understood. In this study, we showed FALEC was upregulated in post-castration tissues and CRPC cells, and increased FALEC expression was associated with poor survival in post-castration PCa patients. RNA FISH demonstrated FALEC was translocated into nucleus in CRPC cells. RNA pulldown and followed Mass Spectrometry (MS) assay demonstrated FALEC directly interacted with PARP1 and loss of function assay showed FALEC depletion sensitized CRPC cells to castration treatment and restored NAD+. Specific PARP1 inhibitor AG14361 and NAD+ endogenous competitor NADP+ sensitized FALEC-deleted CRPC cells to castration treatment. FALEC increasing PARP1 meditated self PARylation through recruiting ART5 and down regulation of ART5 decreased CRPC cell viability and restored NAD+ through inhibiting PARP1meditated self PARylation in vitro. Furthermore, ART5 was indispensable for FALEC directly interaction and regulation of PARP1, loss of ART5 impaired FALEC and PARP1 associated self PARylation. In vivo, FALEC depleted combined with PARP1 inhibitor decreased CRPC cell derived tumor growth and metastasis in a model of castration treatment NOD/SCID mice. Together, these results established that FALEC may be a novel diagnostic marker for PCa progression and provides a potential new therapeutic strategy to target the FALEC/ART5/PARP1 complex in CRPC patients.

Construction of an endoplasmic reticulum stress-related gene model for predicting prognosis and immune features in kidney renal clear cell carcinoma.

Background: Kidney renal clear cell carcinoma (KIRC) is one of the most lethal malignant tumors with a propensity for poor prognosis and difficult treatment. Endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress served as a pivotal role in the progression of the tumor. However, the implications of ER stress on the clinical outcome and immune features of KIRC patients still need elucidation. Methods: We identified differentially expressed ER stress-related genes between KIRC specimens and normal specimens with TCGA dataset. Then, we explored the biological function and genetic mutation of ER stress-related differentially expressed genes (DEGs) by multiple bioinformatics analysis. Subsequently, LASSO analysis and univariate Cox regression analysis were applied to construct a novel prognostic model based on ER stress-related DEGs. Next, we confirmed the predictive performance of this model with the GEO dataset and explored the potential biological functions by functional enrichment analysis. Finally, KIRC patients stratified by the prognostic model were assessed for tumor microenvironment (TME), immune infiltration, and immune checkpoints through single-sample Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (ssGSEA) and ESTIMATE analysis. Results: We constructed a novel prognostic model, including eight ER stress-related DEGs, which could stratify two risk groups in KIRC. The prognostic model and a model-based nomogram could accurately predict the prognosis of KIRC patients. Functional enrichment analysis indicated several biological functions related to the progression of KIRC. The high-risk group showed higher levels of tumor infiltration by immune cells and higher immune scores. Conclusion: In this study, we constructed a novel prognostic model based on eight ER stress-related genes for KIRC patients, which would help predict the prognosis of KIRC and provide a new orientation to further research studies on personalized immunotherapy in KIRC.

Mo2 C Nanoparticles Embedded in Carbon Nanowires with Surface Pseudocapacitance Enables High-Energy and High-Power Sodium Ion Capacitors.

Electrochemical sodium-ion storage technologies have become an indispensable part in the field of large-scale energy storage systems owing to the widespread and low-cost sodium resources. Molybdenum carbides with high electron conductivity are regarded as potential sodium storage anode materials, but the comprehensive sodium storage mechanism has not been studied in depth. Herein, Mo2 C nanowires (MC-NWs) in which Mo2 C nanoparticles are embedded in carbon substrate are synthesized. The sodium-ion storage mechanism is further systematically studied by in/ex situ experimental characterizations and diffusion kinetics analysis. Briefly, it is discovered that a faradaic redox reaction occurs in the surface amorphous molybdenum oxides on Mo2 C nanoparticles, while the inner Mo2 C is unreactive. Thus, the as-synthesized MC-NWs with surface pseudocapacitance display excellent rate capability (a high specific capacity of 76.5 mAh g-1 at 20 A g-1 ) and long cycling stability (a high specific capacity of 331.2 mAh g-1 at 1 A g-1 over 1500 cycles). The assembled original sodium ion capacitor displays remarkable power density and energy density. This work provides a comprehensive understanding of the sodium storage mechanism of Mo2 C materials, and constructing pseudocapacitive materials is an effective way to achieve sodium-ion storage devices with high power and energy density.

New Insights into Phase-Mechanism Relationship of Mgx MnO2 Nanowires in Aqueous Zinc-Ion Batteries.

In response to the call for safer energy storage systems, rechargeable aqueous manganese-based zinc-ion (Zn-ion) batteries using mild electrolyte have attracted extensive attention. However, the charge-storage mechanism and structure change of manganese-based cathode remain controversial topics. Herein, a systematic study to understand the electrochemical behavior and charge storage mechanism based on a 3 × 3 tunnel-structured Mgx MnO2 as well as the correspondence between different tunnel structures and reaction mechanisms are reported. The energy storage mechanism of the different tunnel structure is surface faradaic dissolution/deposition coupled with an intercalation mechanism of cations in aqueous electrolyte, which is confirmed by in situ X-ray diffraction, in situ Raman and ex situ extended X-ray absorption fine structure. The deposition process at the cathode is partially reversible due to the accumulation of a birnessite layer on the surface. Compared to smaller tunnels, the 3 × 3 tunnel structure is more conducive to deposit new active materials from the electrolyte. Therefore, pristine Mgx MnO2 nanowires with large tunnels display an excellent cycling performance. This work sheds light on the relationship between the tunnel structure and Mn2+ deposition and provides a promising cathode material design for aqueous Zn-ion batteries.

Electronic Structure Modulation in MoO2 /MoP Heterostructure to Induce Fast Electronic/Ionic Diffusion Kinetics for Lithium Storage.

Transition metal oxides (TMOs) are considered as the prospective anode materials in lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). Nevertheless, the disadvantages, including large volume variation and poor electrical conductivity, obstruct these materials to meet the needs of practical application. Well-designed mesoporous nanostructures and electronic structure modulation can enhance the electron/Li-ions diffusion kinetics. Herein, a unique mesoporous molybdenum dioxide/molybdenum phosphide heterostructure nanobelts (meso-MoO2 /MoP-NBs) composed of uniform nanoparticles is obtained by one-step phosphorization process. The Mott-Schottky tests and density functional theory calculations demonstrated that meso-MoO2 /MoP-NBs possesses superior electronic conductivity. The detailed lithium storage mechanism (solid solution reaction for MoP and partial conversion for MoO2 ), small change ratio of crystal structure and fast electronic/ionic diffusion behavior of meso-MoO2 /MoP-NBs are systematically investigated by operando X-ray diffraction, ex situ transmission electron microscopy, and kinetic analysis. Benefiting from the synergistic effects, the meso-MoO2 /MoP-NBs displays a remarkable cycling performance (515 mAh g-1 after 1000 cycles at 1 A g-1 ) and excellent rate capability (291 mAh g-1 at 8 A g-1 ). These findings can shed light on the behavior of the electron/ion regulation in heterostructures and provide a potential route to develop high-performance lithium-ion storage materials.

Root Reason for the Failure of a Practical Zn-Ni Battery: Shape Changing Caused by Uneven Current Distribution and Zn Dissolution.

In recent years, with the increasing application of lithium-ion batteries in energy storage devices, fire accidents caused by lithium-ion batteries have become more frequent and have arisen wide concern. Due to the safety of aqueous electrolyte, aqueous Zn-based batteries have attracted vast attention, among which Zn-Ni batteries stand out by virtue of their excellent rate performance and environmental friendliness. However, poor cycling life limits the application of Zn-Ni batteries. To figure out the main cause, a failure analysis of a practical Zn-Ni battery has been carried out. During the cycling of the Zn-Ni battery, the evolution of gas, the shape changing, and the aggregation of additive and binder of Zn anode can be observed. Combined with the finite element analysis, we finally reveal that the key factor of battery failure is the shape changing of the Zn anode caused by uneven current distribution and the dissolution of Zn. The shape changing of the Zn anode reduces the effective surface area of anode and increases the possibility of dead Zn, which makes the battery unable to discharge even in the presence of a large amount of Zn. These findings are helpful to deepen the understanding of the working and failure mechanisms of the Zn anode and provide effective guidance for subsequent research.

Confronting the Challenges in Lithium Anodes for Lithium Metal Batteries.

With the low redox potential of -3.04 V (vs SHE) and ultrahigh theoretical capacity of 3862 mAh g-1 , lithium metal has been considered as promising anode material. However, lithium metal battery has ever suffered a trough in the past few decades due to its safety issues. Over the years, the limited energy density of the lithium-ion battery cannot meet the growing demands of the advanced energy storage devices. Therefore, lithium metal anodes receive renewed attention, which have the potential to achieve high-energy batteries. In this review, the history of the lithium anode is reviewed first. Then the failure mechanism of the lithium anode is analyzed, including dendrite, dead lithium, corrosion, and volume expansion of the lithium anode. Further, the strategies to alleviate the lithium anode issues in recent years are discussed emphatically. Eventually, remaining challenges of these strategies and possible research directions of lithium-anode modification are presented to inspire innovation of lithium anode.