Brain-Targeted Cas12a Ribonucleoprotein Nanocapsules Enable Synergetic Gene Co-Editing Leading to Potent Inhibition of Orthotopic Glioblastoma.

Gene-editing technology shows great potential in glioblastoma (GBM) therapy. Due to the complexity of GBM pathogenesis, a single gene-editing-based therapy is unlikely to be successful; therefore, a multi-gene knockout strategy is preferred for effective GBM inhibition. Here, a non-invasive, biodegradable brain-targeted CRISPR/Cas12a nanocapsule is used that simultaneously targeted dual oncogenes, EGFR and PLK1, for effective GBM therapy. This cargo nanoencapsulation technology enables the CRISPR/Cas12a system to achieve extended blood half-life, efficient blood-brain barrier (BBB) penetration, active tumor targeting, and selective release. In U87MG cells, the combinatorial gene editing system resulted in 61% and 33% knockout of EGFR and PLK1, respectively. Following systemic administration, the CRISPR/Cas12a system demonstrated promising brain tumor accumulation that led to extensive EGFR and PLK1 gene editing in both U87MG and patient-derived GSC xenograft mouse models with negligible off-target gene editing detected through NGS. Additionally, CRISPR/Cas12a nanocapsules that concurrently targeted the EGFR and PLK1 oncogenes showed superior tumor growth suppression and significantly improved the median survival time relative to nanocapsules containing single oncogene knockouts, signifying the potency of the multi-oncogene targeting strategy. The findings indicate that utilization of the CRISPR/Cas12a combinatorial gene editing technique presents a practical option for gene therapy in GBM.

Vitamin D add on the standard treatment for myasthenia gravis symptoms following total gastrectomy: a case report.

BACKGROUND: Myasthenia gravis (MG) is a long-term autoimmune disorder that affects the neuromuscular junction, causing muscle weakness and fatigue as its primary clinical features. Vitamin D is crucial for both the autoimmune response and skeletal muscle function. CASE PRESENTATION: Here, we presented a case report documenting the substantial improvement in symptoms experienced by a patient who underwent subtotal gastrectomy for gastric cancer following high-dose Vitamin D supplementation. The patient developed generalized MG two months after the surgery and did not respond adequately to pyridostigmine therapy, experiencing a progressive deterioration of the condition. A significant reduction in vitamin D concentration was observed following subtotal gastrectomy. In response, high-dose vitamin D supplementation was administered to the patient. Within one week of treatment, swallowing symptoms improved, enabling the consumption of a small amount of liquid food. By the second week, substantial swallowing and neck function improvements were evident. After one month, the patient regained the ability to straighten the neck while walking and consumed a regular diet despite persistent difficulties chewing hard food. CONCLUSIONS: This case underscores the therapeutic potential of vitamin D in alleviating MG symptoms, particularly in individuals with compromised vitamin D levels following gastrectomy. The observed improvements present a new perspective on the possible involvement of vitamin D supplementation in the management of postoperative MG cases.

Vertebral Artery Stenting for Acute Multiple Cerebral Infarctions Caused by Vertebral Artery Dissection After Massage: A Case Report.

Vertebral artery dissection is a rare pathology that causes ischemic stroke in young people. Cervical massage, especially improper pulling manipulation, is a cause of vertebral artery dissection. We present a case of 32-year-old woman who developed acute multiple posterior circulation ischemic cerebral infarctions as a result of left vertebral artery V4 segment dissection after receiving neck massage. She underwent emergency vertebral artery stent implantation at the site of the dissection. Symptoms were relieved the day after treatment. The patient recovered without adverse complications or endovascular restenosis in the following year.

Crystalline MnCO3@Amorphous MnOx Composite as Cathode Material for High-Performance Aqueous Zinc-Ion Batteries.

Rechargeable aqueous zinc-ion batteries (RAZIBs) have received extensive attention because of their advantages of low cost, high safety, and nontoxicity. However, problems such as dissolution of the active cathode material, dendrites/passivation of the zinc anode, and slow reaction kinetics hindered their further applications. In this work, a crystalline/amorphous composite-type material composed of crystalline MnCO3 and amorphous MnOx was prepared and used as the cathode material for RAZIBs. The MnCO3@amorphous MnOx (MnCO3@A-MnOx) composite possesses the merits of both the pure crystalline phase of MnCO3 and the amorphous phase of MnOx, which can deliver better electrochemical performance than the corresponding single component in repeated cycles. In addition, crystalline MnCO3 undergoes a complex phase transition to the active MnO2 during the first charge process, providing the composite with a stable structure and additional electrochemical capacity. The electrochemical measurement results indicate that the MnCO3@A-MnOx electrode can display high reversible discharge capacity at 0.1 A g-1, excellent rate performance at 5.0 A g-1, and long cycling stability over 2000 cycles, showing great potential as a cathode material for high-performance RAZIBs.

Biomimetic Adaptive Pure Pursuit Control for Robot Path Tracking Inspired by Natural Motion Constraints.

The essence of biomimetics in human-computer interaction (HCI) is the inspiration derived from natural systems to drive innovations in modern-day technologies. With this in mind, this paper introduces a biomimetic adaptive pure pursuit (A-PP) algorithm tailored for the four-wheel differential drive robot (FWDDR). Drawing inspiration from the intricate natural motions subjected to constraints, the FWDDR's kinematic model mirrors non-holonomic constraints found in biological entities. Recognizing the limitations of traditional pure pursuit (PP) algorithms, which often mimic a static behavioral approach, our proposed A-PP algorithm infuses adaptive techniques observed in nature. Integrated with a quadratic polynomial, this algorithm introduces adaptability in both lateral and longitudinal dimensions. Experimental validations demonstrate that our biomimetically inspired A-PP approach achieves superior path-following accuracy, mirroring the efficiency and fluidity seen in natural organisms.

FeNbO4 nanochains with a five-electron transfer reaction toward high capacity and fast Li storage.

High capacity and outstanding rate performance of the FeNbO4 nanochain anode with both intercalation and conversion reactions for lithium-ion batteries are demonstrated. The unique one-dimensional structure and intercalation pseudocapacitive behavior of FeNbO4 accelerate the reaction kinetics. In situ X-ray diffractometer measurement confirms a five-electron transfer mechanism for Li storage.

Assessment of urban blue-green space cooling effect linking maximum and accumulative perspectives in the Yangtze River Delta, China.

The development of urban blue-green spaces is highly recommended as a nature-based solution for mitigating the urban heat island phenomenon, improving urban sustainability, and enhancing resident well-being. However, limited attention has been given to the accumulative impact of the cooling effect and the comparison of different types of landscapes. Based on the maximum and accumulative perspectives, this study selected 375 green spaces, water bodies, and urban parks in 25 cities of the Yangtze River Delta (YRD) region in China to quantify their cooling effect. Correlation and regression analyses were employed to identify the dominant factors influencing the cooling performance. The results indicated that (1) compared to other landscape patches, water areas, and parks exhibited a reduction in daily average air temperature by 3.04 and 0.57 °C, respectively. Urban parks provided the largest cooling area (CA) of 56.44 ha in the YRD region, while water bodies demonstrated the highest cooling effect (CE) of 6.88, cooling intensity (CI) of 0.02, and cooling gradient (CG) of 0.99. (2) From the maximum perspective, the perimeter of the patches played a dominant role in CA and CE for all landscape patch types, contributing more than 40% in CA variation. (3) The dominant factors varied among different landscape types from accumulative perspectives. Green spaces were influenced by road density, shape index, and the proportion of water bodies within the CA, whereas water bodies were primarily affected by the coverage of blue spaces. Vegetation growth and densely populated surroundings contributed the most to the cooling of parks. These findings enhanced the comprehension of the cooling effect in comparable urban contexts and provided valuable insights for sustainable urban management.

Ion-catalyzed synthesis of N/O co-doped carbon nanorods with hierarchical pores for high-rate Na-ion storage.

Appropriate heteroatom doping and pore structure optimization are cost-effective technologies to improve the electronic conductivity and ion diffusion kinetics of hard carbons (HCs). Here, we report an ion-catalyzed synthesis of N/O co-doped carbon nanorods (NOCNRs) with abundant hierarchical pores, achieving high-capacity and high-rate Na-ion storage (336 mA h g-1 at 0.1 A g-1 and 196 mA h g-1 at 20.0 A g-1).

[Tiaoshen acupuncture for primary insomnia: a pilot randomized controlled trial].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the effects of Tiaoshen (regulating the spirit) acupuncture on cognitive function and sleep quality in patients with primary insomnia (PI). METHODS: Sixty patients with PI were randomly divided into an observation group (30 cases, 2 cases dropped off) and a control group (30 cases, 2 cases dropped off, 1 case was excluded). The patients in the observation group were treated with acupuncture at Baihui (GV 20), Shenting (GV 24), Sishencong (EX-HN 1), and bilateral Benshen (GB 13), Shenmen (HT 7), Neiguan (PC 6), Sanyinjiao (SP 6). The patients in the control group were treated with shallow needling at non-effective points. Each treatment was provided for 30 min, once every other day, 3 treatments per week for 4 weeks. The Montreal cognitive assessment (MoCA), digit span test (DST), trail making test (TMT)-A, Pittsburgh sleep quality index (PSQI), and fatigue scale-14 (FS-14) were used to assess cognitive function and sleep quality before and after treatment, as well as in follow-up of 4-week after treatment completion. Correlation analysis was conducted between the differences in PSQI scores and differences in MoCA scores before and after treatment in the observation group. RESULTS: Compared with before treatment, the total score, visuospatial and executive function score and delayed memory score of MoCA as well as DST backward score were increased (P<0.01), while TMT-A time, PSQI and FS-14 scores were significantly reduced (P<0.01) after treatment and in follow-up in the observation group. Compared with before treatment, the PSQI score in the control group was reduced (P<0.01, P<0.05). After treatment and in follow-up, the observation group had significantly higher total score, visuospatial and executive function score, delayed memory score of MoCA, and DST backward score compared to the control group (P<0.05, P<0.01). In the observation group, the TMT-A time was significantly shorter than that in the control group (P<0.05, P<0.01), and the PSQI and FS-14 scores were significantly lower than those in the control group (P<0.01). In the observation group, there was a negative correlation between the difference in PSQI scores (post-treatment minus pre-treatment) and the difference in MoCA scores (post-treatment minus pre-treatment) (r=-0.481, P<0.01). A similar negative correlation was found between the difference in PSQI scores (follow-up minus pre-treatment) and the difference in MoCA scores (follow-up minus pre-treatment) (r=-0.282, P<0.05). CONCLUSION: Tiaoshen acupuncture could improve cognitive function, enhance sleep quality, and alleviate daytime fatigue in patients with PI. The improvement in cognitive function in patients with PI is correlated with the improvement in sleep quality.

Synthesis of Si/C Composites by Silicon Waste Recycling and Carbon Coating for High-Capacity Lithium-Ion Storage.

It is of great significance to recycle the silicon (Si) kerf slurry waste from the photovoltaic (PV) industry. Si holds great promise as the anode material for Li-ion batteries (LIBs) due to its high theoretical capacity. However, the large volume expansion of Si during the electrochemical processes always leads to electrode collapse and a rapid decline in electrochemical performance. Herein, an effective carbon coating strategy is utilized to construct a precise Si@CPPy composite using cutting-waste silicon and polypyrrole (PPy). By optimizing the mass ratio of Si and carbon, the Si@CPPy composite can exhibit a high specific capacity and superior rate capability (1436 mAh g-1 at 0.1 A g-1 and 607 mAh g-1 at 1.0 A g-1). Moreover, the Si@CPPy composite also shows better cycling stability than the pristine prescreen silicon (PS-Si), as the carbon coating can effectively alleviate the volume expansion of Si during the lithiation/delithiation process. This work showcases a high-value utilization of PV silicon scraps, which helps to reduce resource waste and develop green energy storage.

Enhancing High-Capacity and High-Rate Sodium-Ion Storage through Synergistic N,S Dual Doping of Hard Carbon.

Hard carbon, as the most promising commercial anode materials of sodium-ion batteries (SIBs), has suffered from the coupling limitations on initial Coulombic efficiency (ICE), capacity, and rate capability. Herein, to break such coupling limitations, sulfur-rich nitrogen-doped carbon nanomaterials (S-NC) were synthesized by a synergistic modification strategy, including structure/morphology regulation and dual heteroatom doping. The small specific surface area of S-NC is beneficial for inhibiting excessive growth of solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) film and irreversible interfacial reaction. The covalent S can serve as active electrochemical sites by Faradaic reactions and provide extra capacity. Benefit by N, S co-doping, S-NC shows large interlayer spacing, high defects, good electronic conductivity, strong ion adsorption performance, and fast Na+ ion transport, which combined with a more significant pore volume result in speedier reaction kinetics. Hence, S-NC possesses a high reversible specific capacity of 464.7 mAh g-1 at 0.1 A g-1 with a high ICE of 50.7%, excellent rate capability (209.8 mAh g-1 at 10.0 A g-1 ), and superb long-cycle capability delivering a capacity of 229.0 mAh g-1 (85% retention) after 1800 cycles at 5.0 A g-1 .

Teleoperation control of a wheeled mobile robot based on Brain-machine Interface.

This paper presents a novel teleoperation system using Electroencephalogram (EEG) to control the motion of a wheeled mobile robot (WMR). Different from the other traditional motion controlling method, the WMR is braked with the EEG classification results. Furthermore, the EEG will be induced by using the online BMI (Brain Machine Interface) system, and adopting the non-intrusion induced mode SSVEP (steady state visually evoked potentials). Then, user's motion intention can be recognized by canonical correlation analysis (CCA) classifier, which will be converted into motion commands of the WMR. Finally, the teleoperation technique is utilized to manage the information of the movement scene and adjust the control instructions based on the real-time information. Bezier curve is used to parameterize the path planning of the robot, and the trajectory can be adjusted in real time by EEG recognition results. A motion controller based on error model is proposed to track the planned trajectory by using velocity feedback control, providing excellent track tracking performance. Finally, the feasibility and performance of the proposed teleoperation brain-controlled WMR system are verified using demonstration experiments.

Nb and Ni Nanoparticles Anchored on N-Doped Carbon Nanofiber Membrane as Self-Supporting Anode for High-Rate Lithium-Ion Batteries.

A flexible N-doped carbon nanofiber membrane loaded with Nb and Ni nanoparticles (Nb/Ni@NC) was prepared using electrospinning technology and a subsequent thermal annealing method and used as a self-supporting anode material for lithium-ion batteries. The Nb/Ni@NC nanofiber membrane had excellent flexibility and could be folded and bent at will without fragmentation and wrinkling; the nanofibers also had a uniform and controllable morphology with a diameter of 300-400 nm. The electrochemical results showed that the flexible Nb/Ni@NC electrode could deliver a high discharge capacity of 378.7 mAh g-1 after 200 cycles at 0.2 A g-1 and an initial coulombic efficiency of 67.7%, which was higher than that of the pure flexible NC anode in contrast. Moreover, a reversible discharge capacity of 203.6 mAh g-1 after 480 cycles at 1.0 A g-1 was achieved by the flexible Nb/Ni@NC electrode with a capacity decay for each cycle of only 0.075%, which showed an excellent rate capability and cycling stability.

Storage of Lithium-Ion by Phase Engineered MoO3 Homojunctions.

With high theoretical specific capacity, the low-cost MoO3 is known to be a promising anode for lithium-ion batteries. However, low electronic conductivity and sluggish reaction kinetics have limited its ability for lithium ion storage. To improve this, the phase engineering approach is used to fabricate orthorhombic/monoclinic MoO3 (α/h-MoO3) homojunctions. The α/h-MoO3 is found to have excessive hetero-phase interface. This not only creates more active sites in the MoO3 for Li+ storage, it regulates local coordination environment and electronic structure, thus inducing a built-in electric field for boosting electron/ion transport. In using α/h-MoO3, higher capacity (1094 mAh g-1 at 0.1 A g-1) and rate performance (406 mAh g-1 at 5.0 A g-1) are obtained than when using only the single phase h-MoO3 or α-MoO3. This work provides an option to use α/h-MoO3 hetero-phase homojunction in LIBs.

Regulating Oxygen Configuration in Hierarchically Porous Carbon Nanosheets for High-Rate and Durable Na+ Storage.

Surface oxygen functionalities (particularly C-O configuration) in carbon materials have negative influence on their electrical conductivity and Na+ storage performance. Herein, we propose a concept from surface chemistry to regulate the oxygen configuration in hierarchically porous carbon nanosheets (HPCNS). It is demonstrated that the C-O/C=O ratio in HPCNS reduces from 1.49 to 0.43 and its graphitization degree increases by increasing the carbonization temperature under a reduction atmosphere. Remarkably, such high graphitization degree and low C-O content of the HPCNS-800 are favorable for promoting its electron/ion transfer kinetics, thus endowing it with high-rate (323.6 mAh g-1 at 0.05 A g-1 and 138.5 mAh g-1 at 20.0 A g-1 ) and durable (96 % capacity retention over 5700 cycles at 10.0 A g-1 ) Na+ storage performance. This work permits the optimization of heteroatom configurations in carbon for superior Na+ storage.

High-Value Utilization of Silicon Cutting Waste and Excrementum Bombycis to Synthesize Silicon-Carbon Composites as Anode Materials for Li-Ion Batteries.

Silicon-based photovoltaic technology is helpful in reducing the cost of power generation; however, it suffers from economic losses and environmental pollution caused by silicon cutting waste. Herein, a hydrothermal method accompanied by heat treatment is proposed to take full advantage of the photovoltaic silicon cutting waste and biomass excrementum bombycis to fabricate flake-like porous Si@C (FP-Si@C) composite anodes for lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). The resulting FP-Si@C composite with a meso-macroporous structure can buffer the severe volume changes and facilitate electrolyte penetration. Meanwhile, the slightly graphitic carbon with high electrical conductivity and mechanical strength tightly surrounds the Si nanoflakes, which not only contributes to the ion/electron transport but also maintains the electrode structural integrity during the repeated lithiation/delithiation process. Accordingly, the synergistic effect of the unique structure of FP-Si@C composite contributes to a high discharge specific capacity of 1322 mAh g-1 at 0.1 A g-1, superior cycle stability with a capacity retention of 70.8% after 100 cycles, and excellent rate performance with a reversible capacity of 406 mAh g-1 at 1.0 A g-1. This work provides an easy and cost-effective approach to achieving the high-value application of photovoltaic silicon cutting waste, as well as obtaining high-performance Si-based anodes for LIBs.

Kinetic Analysis of Bio-oil Derived Hierarchically Porous Carbon for Superior Li+/Na+ Storage.

Herein, an efficient biomass utilization is proposed to prepare bio-oil-derived carbon (BODPC) with hierarchical pores and certain H/O/N functionalities for superior Li+/Na+ storage. Kinetic analyses reveal that BODPC has similar behavior in the electrochemical Li+ and Na+ storage processes, in terms of physical adsorption (Stage I), chemical redox reactions with surface functionalities (Stage II), and insertion into the graphitic interlayer (Stage III). Promisingly, BODPC exhibits a high reversible specific capacity (1881.7 mAh g-1 for Li+ and 461.0 mAh g-1 for Na+ at 0.1 A g-1), superior rate capability (674.1 mAh g-1 for Li+ and 125.7 mAh g-1 for Na+ at 5.0 A g-1), and long-term cyclability. More notably, the BODPC with highly capacitive-dominant behavior would hold great promise for the applications of high-power, durable, and safe rechargeable batteries/capacitors.

Linarin Protects against Cadmium-Induced Osteoporosis Via Reducing Oxidative Stress and Inflammation and Altering RANK/RANKL/OPG Pathway.

Cadmium (Cd) contamination in the environment is a major public health concern since it has been linked to osteoporosis and other bone deformities. Linarin is a flavonoid glycoside, and it can promote osteoblastogenesis. This research aimed to investigate the potential role of linarin against Cd-exposed bone deformations in mice model. In our research, male mice were randomly allocated into four groups: control, Cd-exposed, and Cd + linarin (20 and 40mg/kg/bw, respectively). Linarin prevented body weight loss, increased serum calcium (Ca) and phosphorus (P), and bone alkaline phosphatase (BAP) levels in Cd-exposed groups. Furthermore, linarin treatment at 20 and 40mg/kg/bw significantly decreased RANK and OPG, resulting in an increase in RANKL mRNA levels and protein distribution in the bone of Cd-exposed mice. In addition, the bone of Cd-exposed mice administered with linarin showed higher TRAP, NFATc1, MMP9, and RUNX2 mRNA levels and protein distribution. Linarin significantly decreased oxidative stress in Cd-exposed mice bone by decreasing MDA, a lipid peroxidation product. Moreover, linarin protects Cd-exposed mice antioxidant enzymes by increasing bone SOD, CAT, and GPx levels. Besides, linarin suppresses alterations in the inflammatory system, i.e., NF-κB p65/IKKß, by reducing NF-κB p65, IKKß, IL-6, and TNF-α in the bone of Cd-exposed animals. This study concluded that linarin has potential to cure osteoporosis in Cd-exposed mice by reducing oxidative stress and inflammation and modulating the RANK/RANKL/OPG pathway.

Operando mechanistic and dynamic studies of N/P co-doped hard carbon nanofibers for efficient sodium storage.

In situ Raman and electrochemical results reveal that Na+ adsorbs on the surface/defective sites of N/P-HCNF and inserts randomly into its turbostratic nanodomains in the dilute state without a staged formation, which can facilitate fast Na+ diffusion kinetics for efficient sodium storage.