Profiling of Volatile Compounds in 'Muscat Hamburg' Contaminated with Aspergillus carbonarius before OTA Biosynthesis Based on HS-SPME-GC-MS and DLLME-GC-MS.

Aspergillus carbonarius is known to produce the carcinogenic ochratoxin A (OTA) in grapes. The metabolism process before OTA biosynthesis influences the content and composition of the volatile compounds in grapes. In this study, a self-established method based on QuEChERS coupled with high-performance liquid chromatography-fluorescence detection (HPLC-FLD) was used to determine the OTA levels during a seven-day contamination period. The results showed that OTA was detected on the second day after contamination with A. carbonarius. Thus, the first day was considered as the critical sampling timepoint for analyzing the volatiles in grapes before OTA biosynthesis. Additionally, the volatile compounds in grapes were analyzed using headspace solid-phase microextraction gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (HS-SPME-GC-MS) and dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (DLLME-GC-MS). The corresponding data were evaluated via multivariate data analysis using projection methods, including PCA and OPLS-DA. The results indicated significant differences in the nine volatile compounds in grapes contaminated with A. carbonarius before OTA biosynthesis. The results of the Pearson correlation analysis showed positive correlations between ethyl acetate, styrene, 1-hexanol and OTA; (E)-2-hexenal and nerolic acid were negatively correlated with OTA. Overall, these findings provide a theoretical basis for the early prediction of OTA formation in grape and grape products using GC-MS technology.

Building Hierarchical Microcubes Composed of One-Dimensional CoSe2 @Nitrogen-Doped Carbon for Superior Sodium Ion Batteries.

Designing and synthesizing highly stable anode materials with high capacity is critical for the practical application of sodium ion batteries (SIBs), however, to date, this remains an insurmountable barrier. The introduction of hierarchical architectures and carbon supports is proving an effective strategy for addressing these challenges. Thus, we have fabricated a hierarchical CoSe2 @nitrogen-doped carbon (CoSe2 @NC) microcube composite using the Prussian blue analogue Co3 [Co(CN)6 ]2 as template. The rational combination of the unique hierarchical construction from one to three dimensions and a nitrogen-doped carbon skeleton facilitates sodium ion and electron transport as well as stabilizing the host structure during repeated discharge/charge processes, which contributes to its excellent sodium storage capability. As expected, the as-prepared CoSe2 @NC composite delivered remarkable reversible capacity and ultralong cycling lifespan even at a high rate of 2.0 A g-1 (384.3 mA h g-1 after1800 loops) when serving as the anode material for SIBs. This work shows the great potential of the CoSe2 -based anode for practical application in SIBs, and the original strategy may be extended to other anode materials.

Application of quantitative analysis of contrast-enhanced ultrasonography in the evaluation of acute radiation-induced liver damage.

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the microcirculation perfusion in patients with acute radiation-induced liver damage (RILD) and explore the feasibility of non-invasive evaluation of RILD using quantitative analysis of contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS). Patients who successfully underwent three-dimensional conformal intensity-modulated radiotherapy for abdominal tumors were selected. CEUS was performed on the liver prior to and 2, 3 and 4 weeks after exposure, and the time-intensity curve (TIC) was obtained by quantitative analysis of CEUS. The time to peak (TTP), gradient (Grad) and area under the curve (AUC) were analyzed offline. The Grad of the CEUS TIC was decreased and TTP increased with the prolongation of the irradiation duration, with statistically significant differences between the values in the 2-, 3- and 4-week groups vs. those prior to exposure (P<0.05), as well as among the values of the 2-, 3- and 4-week groups (P<0.05). Following irradiation, the AUC decreased gradually in the 2- and 3-week groups and increased in the 4-week group, with statistically significant differences compared with the AUC prior to irradiation (P<0.05). The quantitative analysis parameters of CEUS may be important reference parameters for the early diagnosis of acute RILD.

Hierarchical Hollow-Nanocube Ni-Co Skeleton@MoO3 /MoS2 Hybrids for Improved-Performance Lithium-Ion Batteries.

Improving the performance of anode materials for lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) is a hotly debated topic. Herein, hollow Ni-Co skeleton@MoS2 /MoO3 nanocubes (NCM-NCs), with an average size of about 193 nm, have been synthesized through a facile hydrothermal reaction. Specifically, MoO3 /MoS2 composites are grown on Ni-Co skeletons derived from nickel-cobalt Prussian blue analogue nanocubes (Ni-Co PBAs). The Ni-Co PBAs were synthesized through a precipitation method and utilized as self-templates that provided a larger specific surface area for the adhesion of MoO3 /MoS2 composites. According to Raman spectroscopy results, as-obtained defect-rich MoS2 is confirmed to be a metallic 1T-phase MoS2 . Furthermore, the average particle size of Ni-Co PBAs (≈43 nm) is only about one-tenth of the previously reported particle size (≈400 nm). If assessed as anodes of LIBs, the hollow NCM-NC hybrids deliver an excellent rate performance and superior cycling performance (with an initial discharge capacity of 1526.3 mAh g-1 and up to 1720.6 mAh g-1 after 317 cycles under a current density of 0.2 A g-1 ). Meanwhile, ultralong cycling life is retained, even at high current densities (776.6 mAh g-1 at 2 A g-1 after 700 cycles and 584.8 mAh g-1 at 5 A g-1 after 800 cycles). Moreover, at a rate of 1 A g-1 , the average specific capacity is maintained at 661 mAh g-1 . Thus, the hierarchical hollow NCM-NC hybrids with excellent electrochemical performance are a promising anode material for LIBs.

In Situ Fabrication of Carbon-Encapsulated Fe7X8 (X = S, Se) for Enhanced Sodium Storage.

Sodium-ion batteries (SIBs) have been regarded as a promising alternative to lithium-ion batteries due to the natural abundance of sodium in the earth's crust. In our work, fusiform Fe7X8@C (X = S, Se) composites were obtained via a one-step pyrolysis strategy applied to SIB anode materials. The formed carbon skeleton could prevent the Fe7X8 nanoparticles from agglomeration and stabilize the interface of Fe/Na2X generated in the redox reactions. Fe7X8@C (X = S, Se) exhibits excellent reversible specific capacity (1005.3 mAh g-1 under 0.2 A g-1 for Fe7S8@C and 458.5 mAh g-1 under 0.5 A g-1 for Fe7Se8@C), outstanding rate performance (654.7 mAh g-1 for Fe7S8@C and 392.9 mAh g-1 for Fe7Se8@C going through 300 loops even under 2 A g-1), and excellent cycling properties (795.8 mAh g-1 after 50 loops under 0.2 A g-1 for Fe7S8@C and 399.9 mAh g-1 going through 150 loops under 0.5 A g-1 for Fe7Se8@C). The excellent electrochemical performance of Fe7X8@C composites makes them promising anode materials for SIBs.

Biomimetic Straw-Like Bundle Cobalt-Doped Fe2 O3 Electrodes towards Superior Lithium-Ion Storage.

Biomimetic straw-like bundles of Co-doped Fe2 O3 (SCF), with Co2+ incorporated into the lattice of α-Fe2 O3 , was fabricated through a cost-effective hydrothermal process and used as the anode material for lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). The SCF exhibited ultrahigh initial discharge specific capacity (1760.7 mA h-1 g-1 at 200 mA g-1 ) and cycling stability (with the capacity retention of 1268.3 mA h-1 g-1 after 350 cycles at 200 mA g-1 ). In addition, a superior rate capacity of 376.1 mA h-1 g-1 was obtained at a high current density of 4000 mA g-1 . The remarkable electrochemical lithium storage of SCF is attributed to the Co-doping, which increases the unit cell volume and affects the whole structure. It makes the Li+ insertion-extraction process more flexible. Meanwhile, the distinctive straw-like bundle structure can accelerate Li ion diffusion and alleviate the huge volume expansion upon cycling.