Aflatoxin B1 as a complicit in intestinal damage caused by Eimeria ovinoidalis in lambs: Novel insights to reveal parasite-gut battle.

Mycotoxins, unavoidable contaminants in feed and feed ingredients, have the potential to influence the incidence and severity of various diseases upon ingestion. Sheep coccidiosis is an enteric disease caused by protozoa of Eimeria spp. However, the extent to which the presence of aflatoxin b1 (AFB1) synergistically exacerbates damage to intestinal health in lambs with Eimeria remains unclear. 50-day-old female lambs were randomly assigned to a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement of treatments for 15 days to assess the impact of AFB1 exposure on lambs with or without Eimeria (E.) ovinoidalis infection. Our findings reveal that AFB1 synergistically intensifies damage to intestinal health in lambs challenged by E. ovinoidalis. This is evidenced by disruptions to the intestinal microbiota and reductions in the production of short-chain fatty acids. AFB1 further aggravates damage to the cecal mechanical barrier. Additionally, AFB1 contributes to the entry of lipopolysaccharide into the bloodstream, activating the inflammatory response. Interestingly, AFB1 exposure history results in an early peak of oocyst excretion and a decreased number of oocyst excretion in E. ovinoidalis infected lambs. This may be closely linked to the destruction of the intestinal epithelial cell structure and its apoptosis, as indicated by a decreased ratio of Bcl-2 to Bax and increased caspase-3 levels. Mechanistically, proteomics analysis identified mitochondrial dysfunction (inhibition of the oxidative phosphorylation pathway) as the primary factor intensifying intestinal epithelial cell destruction caused by coccidia, exacerbated by AFB1 through the inhibiting the conversion of NADH to NAD+ in the cecum of lambs via down-regulation of the PGC-1α/NRF1/TFAM pathway. Overall, these results offer novel insights into the AFB1 complicity in accelerating intestinal damage caused by E. ovinoidalis in lambs. Targeting the mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation pathway of the intestine may represent a new therapeutic strategy against the detrimental effects of mycotoxin and coccidia.

Five-blade scratcher for treating severe rhinophyma: A retrospective study.

BACKGROUND: Rhinophyma, a late-stage subtype of rosacea, is characterized by excessive sebaceous glands and connective tissue proliferation. Patients may experience respiratory disturbances and psychological distress that significantly affect their quality of life when excessive nasal hyperplasia obstructs the external nasal valves. Surgery is the treatment of choice for rhinophyma. However, excessive bleeding, scarring, pigmentation, and high recurrence rates frequently characterize current surgical methods. AIM: To evaluate the clinical effectiveness and recurrence rates after treating severe rhinophyma with the five-blade scratcher. METHODS: This study retrospectively analyzed the clinical records of 28 patients with severe rhinophyma rosacea. The Global Flushing Severity Score (GFSS), Clinician Erythema Assessment (CEA), Rhinophyma Severity Index (RHISI), Glasgow Benefit Inventory (GBI), and satisfaction scores were used to assess the recovery of patients at 6 months and 5 years, with the recurrence rate calculated at 5 years postoperatively. In addition, the levels of pro-inflammatory factors (TNF-α, IL-1ß, and IL-6) in the serum of patients before and after surgery were detected by ELISA. RESULTS: The GFSS, CEA, and RHISI scores at 6 months and 5 years postoperatively were significantly lower than those preoperatively (P < 0.001 for both periods). Five-blade scratcher treatment greatly benefits patients as demonstrated by the GBI and patient satisfaction. A small number of patients (7/28, 25%) reported recurrence after surgical treatment for rhinophyma in our department that was not more serious than before treatment. The expression of pro-inflammatory factors (TNF-α, IL-1ß, and IL-6) in the patient's serum was significantly reduced after surgery of five-blade scratcher. CONCLUSION: The five-blade scratcher treatment demonstrates notable advantages, including simplicity, safety, efficacy, and cost-effectiveness, coupled with reduced bleeding, minimized scarring, lower recurrence rates, reduced the level of pro-inflammatory factors and improved patient satisfaction. Consequently, this therapeutic modality exhibits a viable option for individuals afflicted with severe rhinophyma.

Leaflet-heterostructures by MWCNT self-assembly following electrospinning.

Electrospinning of nanocarbons such as graphene and carbon nanotubes typically produces mats composed of one-dimensional fibers where the carrier polymer encapsulates the nanocarbons. Recently it was found that decreasing the amount of carrier polymer in approaching the electrospinning-electrospray boundary for graphene suspensions resulted in retention of the graphene two-dimensional anisotropy with one-dimensional carrier polymer fibers connecting flakes. We explored a similar decrease in carrier polymer in MWCNT suspensions to investigate the network topology that might ensue. Unexpectedly, two-dimensional leaflet meso-networks were obtained wherein the leaflets comprise laterally aligned MWCNTs one to several nanotubes thick. A mechanism based on capillary force-driven MWCNT self-assembly activated by menisci formed during drying of electrospun fibers is presented. Such materials offer new approaches to producing high surface-area coatings for catalytic and energy applications and suggest ways of formulating two-dimensional MWCNT assemblies in metal foams and other open-cell porous materials.

Ion release of the glass ionomer restoration with silver diamine fluoride dentin pretreatment.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the fluoride and silver ion release of glass ionomer cement (GIC) restorations, including conventional GIC (CGIC) and resin-modified GIC (RMGIC) restorations, with 38 % silver diamine fluoride (SDF) solution dentin pretreatment. METHODS: Eighty dentin blocks were allocated into 4 groups and restored with SDF+CGIC, CGIC, SDF+RMGIC and RMGIC, respectively. Each block was stored in deionized water at 37 °C for 2 years. Fluoride and silver ion concentration in storage solution was measured using ion-selective electrode and inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectrometry for up to 2 years. The cross-sectional surfaces of restored dentin blocks were assessed by X-Ray diffraction analysis (XRD), scanning electron microscope (SEM) with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) after 1 week and 2 years, respectively. RESULTS: The mean ± standard deviation (SD) of accumulative fluoride releasing in SDF+CGIC, CGIC, SDF+RMGIC and RMGIC for 2 years were 0.13±0.005 mg, 0.09±0.006 mg, 0.15±0.008 mg and 0.05±0.003 mg, respectively (Groups SDF+RMGIC > SDF+CGIC > CGIC >RMGIC, p < 0.05). The mean ± SD of accumulative silver releasing in SDF+CGIC, CGIC, SDF+RMGIC and RMGIC for 2 years were 0.03±0.009 mg, 0.00±0.00 mg, 0.01±0.003 mg, and 0.00±0.00 mg, respectively (Groups SDF+CGIC > SDF+RMGIC > CGIC&RMGIC, p < 0.05). Groups SDF+CGIC and SDF+RMGIC showed sustainably higher fluoride and silver releasing compared to Groups CGIC and RMGIC (p < 0.05). XRD analysis indicated the fluorapatite and silver chloride were observed only in Groups SDF+CGIC and SDF+RMGIC, but not in Groups CGIC and RMGIC. SEM images of the cross-sectional view of the dentin blocks showed silver crystals within dentinal tubules 1 week and 2-year in Groups with SDF pretreatment. CONCLUSION: The 38 % SDF dentin pretreatment sustainably increased the fluoride and silver release of GIC and RMGIC restorations for up to 2 years.

Preparation and Performance Evaluation of a New Type of Polyethylene-vinyl Acetate/Polystyrene Microsphere Composite Pour Point Depressant for Waxy Crude Oil.

Polymer/inorganic nanocomposite pour point depressant (PPD) is a research hotspot in the field of waxy crude oil pipelining. However, the inorganic nanoparticles need to be organically modified to improve their organic compatibility, and the inorganic nanoparticles are harmful to crude oil refining. In this work, organic PSMS with an average size of 1.4 µm was first synthesized by dispersion polymerization. Then, a new type of EVA/PSMS composite PPD was prepared by melt blending. The effects of the PSMS, EVA PPD, and composite PPD on the pour point, rheological properties, and wax precipitating properties of a specific waxy crude oil were investigated. It was found that adding 50-200 ppm of PSMS alone slightly improves the crude oil rheology through a spatial hindrance effect, while adding 20 ppm of EVA PPD greatly improves the crude oil rheology by modifying the wax crystal morphology. Compared with EVA PPD, adding 20 ppm composite PPD improves the crude oil rheology further, and the rheological improving ability first enhances and then weakens with increasing the PSMS content in the composite PPD (0-10 wt %). At the PSMS content in the composite PPD 5 wt %, the EVA/PSMS 5% composite PPD makes the wax crystal aggregates more compact, thus showing the strongest rheological improving ability. The EVA molecules could adsorb on the PSMS and form the composite particles, which further regulate the wax crystal morphology and then improve the crude oil rheology further.

The mediating effect of the amygdala-frontal circuit on the association between depressive symptoms and cognitive function in Alzheimer's disease.

Depressive symptoms occur commonly in Alzheimer's disease (AD). Although abnormalities in the amygdala-frontal circuit have been linked to emotional dysregulation and cognitive impairment, the neurological basis underlying these associations in AD patients with depressive symptoms (ADD) is unclear. We aimed to investigate the relationship between the amygdala-frontal circuit and depressive symptoms and cognitive function in ADD. We recruited 60 ADD, 60 AD patients without depressive symptoms (ADND), and 60 healthy controls (HC). Functional connectivity (FC) maps of the bilateral amygdala were compared. Fractional anisotropy (FA) of the amygdala-frontal circuit connected by the uncinate fasciculus (UF) was calculated using automated fiber quantification (AFQ). In addition, mediation analysis was performed to explore the effects of the amygdala-frontal circuit on the relationship between depressive symptoms and cognitive function. We found decreased bilateral amygdala FC with the inferior frontal gyrus (IFG) in the ADD group compared to the ADND and HC groups. Moreover, FA in the left frontal UF (nodes 64-97) was significantly lower in the ADD group than ADND group. Notably, amygdala-based FC with IFG and the left frontal UF FA mediated the relationship between depressive symptoms and cognitive function in ADD, with mediating effects ranging between 15 and 18%. Our study is the first to demonstrate the mediating effect of functional and microstructural abnormalities in the amygdala-frontal circuit in ADD. The findings suggest that the amygdala-frontal circuit may underlie emotional dysregulation in ADD, providing potential targets for treatment strategies.

A comparative study of acupuncture combined with rehabilitation gymnastics on postoperative anal function of lower rectal cancer.

BACKGROUND: From the anal function, inflammatory response and other indicators, acupuncture combined with rehabilitation gymnastics was applied to patients with cancer undergoing low resection, aiming to improve the prognosis of patients. AIM: To explore the effects of acupuncture combined with rehabilitation gymnastics on anal function after lower rectal cancer surgery. METHODS: From January 2020 to December 2022, 128 patients who underwent rectal cancer surgery in the Department of Oncology of Hebei Provincial Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital were selected and divided into two groups using the random number table method, with 64 patients in each group. Patients in the control group were not treated with acupuncture or rehabilitation gymnastics and served as blank controls. Patients in the study group were treated with acupuncture and rehabilitation gymnastics from the 7th postoperative day. The anal incontinence scores, changes in serum interleukin-4, interleukin-6, and interleukin-10 Levels, and serum motilin, 5-hydroxytryptamine, and vasoactive intestinal peptide levels were compared. RESULTS: There were no significant differences in serum interleukin-4, interleukin-6, and interleukin-10 Levels between the groups before treatment (P > 0.05). After treatment, these levels were better than those of the control group (P < 0.05). There was no significant difference in the anal incontinence scores between the groups before and 7 d after surgery (P > 0.05). Anal incontinence scores in the study group were lower than those in the control group at 14 d, 21 d, and 28 d postoperatively (P < 0.05). There were no significant differences in serum motilin, 5-hydroxytryptamine, or vasoactive intestinal peptide levels between the groups before treatment (P > 0.05). After treatment, these levels were higher in the study group than in the control group, and vasoactive intestinal peptide level was lower in the study group than in the control group (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Acupuncture combined with rehabilitation gymnastics can promote the recovery of anal function and reduce the inflammatory response in patients with lower rectal cancer after surgery.

Evaluating the clinical application and effect of acupuncture therapy in anal function rehabilitation after low-tension rectal cancer surgery.

BACKGROUND: According to the indexes of serum and anal function, acupuncture therapy was applied to patients with low rectal cancer in order to avoid the occurrence of anal incontinence and reduce complications. AIM: To explore the clinical application and evaluate the effect of acupuncture therapy for anal function rehabilitation after low-tension rectal cancer surgery. METHODS: From the anorectal surgery cases, we selected 120 patients who underwent colorectal cancer surgery between January 2020 and December 2022 and randomly divided them into a control group (n = 60), observation group (n = 60), and control group after surgery for lifestyle intervention (including smoking cessation and exercise), dietary factor adjustment, anal movement, and oral loperamide treatment. The serum levels of motilin, 5-hydroxytryptamine, and vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP), Wexner score for anal incontinence, and incidence of complications were compared between groups. RESULTS: After treatment, the VIP and 5-hydroxytryptamine levels in the observation group were lower than those in the control group (P < 0.05). The motilin level was higher than that in the control group (P < 0.05). Postoperative anal incontinence was better in the observation group than in the control group (P < 0.05). The incidence of complications in the observation group was 6.67%, which was significantly lower than that in the control group (21.67%; P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Acupuncture therapy has a positive effect on the rehabilitation of anal function after low-tension rectal cancer surgery; it can effectively help to improve the serum indices of patients, avoid the occurrence of anal incontinence, and reduce the incidence of complications. Popularizing and applying it will be valuable.

Multifunctional Film Assembled from N-Doped Carbon Nanofiber with Co-N4-O Single Atoms for Highly Efficient Electromagnetic Energy Attenuation.

Single-atom materials have demonstrated attractive physicochemical characteristics. However, understanding the relationships between the coordination environment of single atoms and their properties at the atomic level remains a considerable challenge. Herein, a facile water-assisted carbonization approach is developed to fabricate well-defined asymmetrically coordinated Co-N4-O sites on biomass-derived carbon nanofiber (Co-N4-O/NCF) for electromagnetic wave (EMW) absorption. In such nanofiber, one atomically dispersed Co site is coordinated with four N atoms in the graphene basal plane and one oxygen atom in the axial direction. In-depth experimental and theoretical studies reveal that the axial Co-O coordination breaks the charge distribution symmetry in the planar porphyrin-like Co-N4 structure, leading to significantly enhanced dielectric polarization loss relevant to the planar Co-N4 sites. Importantly, the film based on Co-N4-O/NCF exhibits light weight, flexibility, excellent mechanical properties, great thermal insulating feature, and excellent EMW absorption with a reflection loss of - 45.82 dB along with an effective absorption bandwidth of 4.8 GHz. The findings of this work offer insight into the relationships between the single-atom coordination environment and the dielectric performance, and the proposed strategy can be extended toward the engineering of asymmetrically coordinated single atoms for various applications.

Ultrahigh Responsivity and Robust Semiconducting Fiber Enabled by Molecular Soldering-Governed Defect Engineering for Smart Textile Optoelectronics.

Semiconducting fibers (SCFs) are of significant interest to design next-generation wearable and comfortable optoelectronics that seamlessly integrate with textiles. However, the practical applications of current SCFs are always limited by poor optoelectronic performance and low mechanical robustness caused by uncontrollable multiscale structural defects. Herein, a versatile in situ molecular soldering-governed defect engineering strategy is proposed to construct ultrahigh responsivity and robust wet-spun MoS2 SCFs, by using a π-conjugated dithiolated molecule to simultaneously patch microscale sulfur vacancies within MoS2 nanosheets, diminish mesoscale interlayer voids/wrinkles, promote macroscale orientation, build long-range photoelectron percolation bridges, and provide n-doping effect. The derived MoS2 SCFs exhibit over two orders of magnitude higher responsivity (144.3 A W-1) than previously reported fiber photodetectors, 37.3-fold faster photoresponse speed (52 ms) than pristine counterpart, and remarkable bending robustness (retain 94.2% of the initial photocurrent after 50 000 bending-flattening cycles). Such superior robustness and photodetection capacity of MoS2 SCFs further enable large-scale weaving of reliable smart textile optoelectronic systems, such as direction-identifiable wireless light alarming system, modularized mechano-optical communication system, and indoor light-controlled IoT system. This work offers a universal strategy for the scalable production of mechanically robust and high-performance SCFs, opening up exciting possibilities for large-scale integration of wearable optoelectronics.

Analysis of the multiple drivers of vegetation cover evolution in the Taihangshan-Yanshan region.

The Taihangshan-Yanshan region (TYR) is an important ecological barrier area for Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei, and the effectiveness of its ecological restoration and protection is of great significance to the ecological security pattern of North China. Based on the FVC data from 2000 to 2021, residual analysis, parametric optimal geodetector technique (OPGD) and multi-scale geographically weighted regression analysis (MGWR) were used to clarify the the multivariate driving mechanism of the evolution of FVC in the TYR. Results show that: (1) FVC changes in the TYR show a slowly fluctuating upward trend, with an average growth rate of 0.02/10a, and a spatial pattern of "high in the northwest and low in the southeast"; more than half of the FVC increased during the 22-year period. (2) The results of residual analysis showed that the effects of temperature and precipitation on FVC were very limited, and a considerable proportion (80.80% and 76.78%) of the improved and degraded areas were influenced by other factors. (3) The results of OPGD showed that the main influencing factors of the spatial differentiation of FVC included evapotranspiration, surface temperature, land use type, nighttime light intensity, soil type, and vegetation type (q > 0.2); The explanatory rates of the two-factor interactions were greater than those of the single factor, which showed either nonlinear enhancement or bifactorial enhancement, among which, the interaction of evapotranspiration with mean air and surface temperature has the strongest effect on the spatial and temporal evolution of FVC (q = 0.75). Surface temperature between 4.98 and 10.4 °C, evapotranspiration between 638 and 762 mm/a, and nighttime light between 1.96 and 7.78 lm/m2 favoured an increase in vegetation cover, and vegetation developed on lysimetric soils was more inclined to be of high cover. (4) The correlation between each variable and FVC showed different performance, GDP, elevation, slope and FVC showed significant positive correlation in most regions, while population size, urban population proportion, GDP proportion of primary and secondary industries, and nighttime light intensity all showed negative correlation with FVC to different degrees. The results can provide data for formulating regional environmental protection and restoration policies.

[Determination of the derivatization reactivity between α/ß-dicarbonyl compounds and standard citrullinated peptides based on matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time-of-flight mass spectrometry].

Protein citrullination is an irreversible post-translational modification process regulated by peptidylarginine deiminases (PADs) in the presence of Ca2+. This process is closely related to the occurrence and development of autoimmune diseases, cancers, neurological disorders, cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, and other major diseases. The analysis of protein citrullination by biomass spectrometry confronts great challenges owing to its low abundance, lack of affinity tags, small mass-to-charge ratio change, and susceptibility to isotopic and deamidation interferences. The methods commonly used to study the protein citrullination mainly involve the chemical derivatization of the urea group of the guanine side chain of the peptide to increase the mass-to-charge ratio difference of the citrullinated peptide. Affinity-enriched labels are then introduced to effectively improve the sensitivity and accuracy of protein citrullination by mass spectrometry. 2,3-Butanedione or phenylglyoxal compounds are often used as derivatization reagents to increase the mass-to-charge ratio difference of the citrullinated peptide, and the resulting derivatives have been observed to contain α-dicarbonyl structures. To date, however, no relevant studies on the reactivity of dicarbonyl compounds with citrullinated peptides have been reported. In this study, we determined whether six α-dicarbonyl and two ß-dicarbonyl compounds undergo derivatization reactions with standard citrullinated peptides using matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS). Among the α-dicarbonyl compounds, 2,3-butanedione and glyoxal reacted efficiently with several standard citrullinated peptides, but yielded a series of by-products. Phenylglyoxal, methylglyoxal, 1,2-cyclohexanedione, and 1,10-phenanthroline-5,6-dione also derivated efficiently with standard citrullinated peptides, generating a single derivative. Thus, a new derivatization method that could yield a single derivative was identified. Among the ß-dicarbonyl compounds, 1,3-cyclohexanedione and 2,4-pentanedione successfully reacted with the standard citrullinated peptides, and generated a single derivative. However, their reaction efficiency was very low, indicating that the ß-dicarbonyl compounds are unsuitable for the chemical derivatization of citrullinated peptides. The above results indicate that the α-dicarbonyl structure is necessary for realizing the efficient and specific chemical derivatization of citrullinated peptides. Moreover, the side chains of the α-dicarbonyl structure determine the structure of the derivatives, derivatization efficiency, and generation (or otherwise) of by-products. Therefore, the specific enrichment and precise identification of citrullinated peptides can be achieved by synthesizing α-dicarbonyl structured compounds containing affinity tags. The proposed method enables the identification of citrullinated proteins and their modified sites by MS, thereby providing a better understanding of the distribution of citrullinated proteins in different tissues. The findings will be beneficial for studies on the mechanism of action of citrullinated proteins in a variety of diseases.

Low-dose atorvastatin calcium combined with evolocumab: effect on regulatory proteins, lipid profiles, and cardiac function in coronary heart disease patients.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the effects of combining low-dose atorvastatin calcium with evolocumab on complement regulatory protein levels, lipid profiles, and cardiac function in patients with coronary heart disease (CHD). METHODS: A prospective randomized controlled study was conducted, with 180 CHD patients enrolled from Guang'anmen Hospital, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, and the Second Hospital of Shanxi Medical University between February 2022 and April 2023. These patients were randomly assigned to either the control group (n = 90), receiving low-dose atorvastatin calcium, or the research group (n = 90), receiving a combination of low-dose atorvastatin calcium and evolocumab. The changes in cardiac function indices, levels of blood lipids and complement proteins, incidence of side effects, and cardiovascular events were compared between the two groups. RESULTS: After treatment, both groups exhibited reductions in blood lipid levels. However, the research group demonstrated significantly lower levels of total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG), and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) compared to the control group (all P < 0.001). Additionally, improvements in cardiac function indices were observed in both groups, with the research group displaying greater enhancements in cardiac output (CO), stroke volume (SV), and left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF). Furthermore, the levels of complement regulatory proteins, including CD45, CD46, CD55, and CD59, increased in both groups after treatment, with the research group exhibiting significantly higher levels (all P < 0.001). Notably, the research group also exhibited a lower incidence of cardiovascular events. CONCLUSION: The combined use of low-dose atorvastatin calcium and evolocumab effectively modulates complement regulatory protein levels, optimizes blood lipid profiles, and enhances cardiac function in patients with CHD. This combination therapy represents a promising approach for management of CHD.

Sub-chronic toxicity of the active fraction of a modified Huang-Lian-Jie-Du Decoction.

A traditional Chinese herbal medicine formula named Huang-Lian-Jie-Du Decoction (HLJDD) has been used to cure various inflammatory diseases with a long history. However, one component of HLJDD Gardeniae fructus has remarkable liver and kidney toxicities. Therefore, it was altered with Dictamni cortex to form a modified HLJDD (MHLJDD). In this study, we aimed to evaluate the sub-chronic toxicity of the active fraction of MHLJDD (MHLJDD-F) in rats. Adult rats of both sexes were intragastrically administered with vehicle or MHLJDD-F (at the dose of 170, 340, and 680 mg/kg/day) once daily for 90 days. Half of the rats from each group were kept for an additional 30-day period to observe the drug withdrawal effect. The signs of toxicity and mortality of the rats were observed, and the body weight and food consumption were recorded. Blood was collected for hematological and biochemical analyses and major organs were weighed and harvested for histopathological examinations. The results revealed that no systemic toxicity of MHLJDD-F was found during the experiments. Organ coefficients and pathological alterations of major organs were comparable to the control rats. The no-observed adverse effect level (NOAEL) of MHLJDD-F was found up to 680 mg/kg/day. All these results demonstrated that long-term oral administration of MHLJDD-F did not cause significant toxicity, which is worthy to be widely applied as a new herbal medicine in pre-clinical and clinical studies.

Synergistic restriction of polysulfides enabled by cobalt@carbon spheres embedded CNTs: A facile approach for constructing sulfur cathodes with high sulfur content.

Despite the bright fortune of lithium-sulfur (Li-S) batteries as one of the next-generation energy storage systems owing to the ultrahigh theoretical energy density and earth-abundance of sulfur, crucial challenges including polysulfide shuttling and low sulfur content of sulfur cathodes need to be overcome before the commercial survival of sulfur cathodes. Herein, cobalt/carbon spheres embedded CNTs (Co-C-CNTs) are rationally designed as multifunctional hosts to synergistically address the drawbacks of sulfur cathodes. The host is synthesized by a facile pyrolysis using Co(OH)2 template and followed with the controllable etching process. The hierarchical porous structure owning high pore volume and surface area can buffer the volume change, physically confine polysulfides, and provide conductive networks. Besides, partially remained metallic cobalt nanoparticles are favorable for chemical adsorption and conversion of polysulfides, as validated by density functional theory simulations. With the combination of above merits, the S@Co-C-CNTs cathodes with a high sulfur content of 80 wt% present a superior initial capacity (1568 mAh g-1 at 0.1C) with ultrahigh 93.6% active material utilization, and excellent rate performance (649 mAh g-1 at 2C), providing feasible strategies for the optimization of cathodes in metal-sulfur batteries.

Neutrophil migration participates in the side effect of recombinant human tissue plasminogen activator.

AIMS: Ischemic stroke remains a challenge in medical research because of the limited treatment options. Recombinant human tissue plasminogen activator (rtPA) is the primary treatment for recanalization. However, nearly 50% of the patients experience complications that result in ineffective reperfusion. The precise factors contributing to ineffective reperfusion remain unclear; however, recent studies have suggested that immune cells, notably neutrophils, may influence the outcome of rtPA thrombolysis via mechanisms such as the formation of neutrophil extracellular traps. This study aimed to explore the nonthrombolytic effects of rtPA on neutrophils and highlight their contribution to ineffective reperfusion. METHODS: We evaluated the effects of rtPA treatment on middle cerebral artery occlusion in rats. We also assessed neutrophil infiltration and activation after rtPA treatment in vitro and in vivo in a small cohort of patients with massive cerebral ischemia (MCI). RESULTS: rtPA increased neutrophil infiltration into the brain microvessels and worsened blood-brain barrier damage during ischemia. It also increased the neutrophil counts of the patients with MCI. CONCLUSION: Neutrophils play a crucial role in promoting ischemic injury and blood-brain barrier disruption, making them potential therapeutic targets.

[Source Apportionment and Health Risk Assessment of Heavy Metals in Dust Around Bus Stops in Kaifeng City Based on APCS-MLR Model].

In order to reveal the influence of urban transportation systems on the quality of urban ecological environment, this study selected surface dust from bus stops, which is strongly disturbed by transportation, as the research object. The contents of eight heavy metals (V, Cr, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Cd, and Pb) in the dust were determined through inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) and inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy (ICP-ASE). The spatial distribution characteristics and pollution levels of the eight heavy metals in the dust were analyzed using the geo-accumulation index method. A combined qualitative (correlation analysis and principal component analysis) and quantitative (absolute principal component scores-multiple linear regression model (APCS-MLR)) method was used to explore the sources of heavy metals in surface dust near bus stops. The spatial distribution characteristics of heavy metals from different sources were elucidated using the Kriging interpolation method. The health risk assessment model proposed by the United States Environmental Protection Agency was used to evaluate the human health risks. The results showed that the average values of ω(V), ω(Cr), ω(Co), ω(Ni), ω(Cu), ω(Zn), ω(Cd), ω(Pb), and ω(As) in the bus stop surface dust were 68.36, 59.73, 5.81, 19.34, 40.10, 208.32, 1.01, and 49.46 mg·kg-1, respectively. The concentrations of heavy metals (Cd, Zn, Pb, Cu, and Cr) in the dust were all higher than the background values in the surrounding dust, exceeding them by 3.37, 2.70, 2.01, 1.95, and 1.28 times, respectively. The order of the geo-accumulation index for the eight heavy metals was Cd > Zn > Pb > Cu > Cr > V > Ni > Co, with Cd, Zn, Cu, and Pb in the dust indicating mild pollution levels and the others showing no pollution. The source analysis results showed that Cr, Co, and Ni were natural sources, whereas Cu, Zn, Pb, and Cd were traffic sources, and V was derived from a combination of industrial and natural sources. The APCS-MLR results indicated that the average contribution rates of the four sources were as follows:natural source (34.17 %), traffic source (29.84 %), industrial-natural mixed source (14.64 %), and unknown source (21.35 %). The spatial distribution map of the contribution rate of the traffic source was consistent with the trends of traffic volume and bus route density distribution. According to the health risk assessment, the cancer risk and non-cancer risk for children were both higher than those for adults. Cr was the main non-cancer factor, and Cd was the main cancer-causing factor. Natural and traffic sources contributed the most to non-cancer risk and cancer risk, respectively.

In Situ Electrochemical Polymerization of Cathode Electrolyte Interphase Enabling High-Performance Lithium Metal Batteries.

Lithium metal batteries (LMBs) with high-voltage nickel-rich cathodes show great potential as energy storage devices due to their exceptional capacity and power density. However, the detrimental parasitic side reactions at the cathode electrolyte interface result in rapid capacity decay. Herein, a polymerizable electrolyte additive, pyrrole-1-propionic acid (PA), which can be in situ electrochemically polymerized on the cathode surface and involved in forming cathode electrolyte interphase (CEI) film during cycling is proposed. The formed CEI film prevents the formation of microcracks in LiNi0.8Co0.1Mn0.1O2 (NCM811) secondary particles and mitigates parasitic reactions. Additionally, the COO- anions of PA promote the acceleration of Li+ transport from cathode particles and increase charging rates. The Li||NCM811 batteries with PA in the electrolyte exhibit a high capacity retention of 83.83% after 200 cycles at 4.3 V, and maintain 80.88% capacity after 150 cycles at 4.6 V. This work provides an effective strategy for enhancing interface stability of high-voltage nickel-rich cathodes by forming stable CEI film.

A Survey of Data-Driven Soft Sensing in Ironmaking System: Research Status and Opportunities.

Data-driven soft sensing modeling is becoming a powerful tool in the ironmaking process due to the rapid development of machine learning and data mining. Although various soft sensing techniques have been successfully used in both the sintering process and blast furnace, they have not been comprehensively reviewed. In this work, we provide an overview of recent advances on soft sensing in the ironmaking process, with a special focus on data-driven techniques. First, we present a general soft sensing development framework of the ironmaking process based on the mechanism analysis and process characteristics. Second, we provide a detailed taxonomy of current soft sensing methods categorized by their predictive tasks (i.e., quality indicators prediction, state parameters prediction, etc.). Finally, we outline several insightful and promising directions, such as self-supervised learning and digital twins in the ironmaking process, for future research.