Achieving high-capacity aqueous supercapacitors via anion-doped construction of dual redox centers in NixCo1-xSeO3.

In asymmetric supercapacitors, transition metal selenates are promising electrodes, but their capacity are limited by a single redox center. To further enhance the performance of transition metal selenates, NixCo1-xSeO3 (NCSeO) doped with N and Cl was prepared on nickel-plated carbon cloth (NCSeO-NCl-NiCC). During electrochemical reactions, NCSeO can be converted to M(OH)2 (M = Ni/Co) and OH- is replaced by N and Cl. Two redox centers, M(OH)2/MOOH and M(OH)xN2-x/NO3-, are formed during charging and discharging, which is attributed to the increased capacity of the NCSeO-NCl-NiCC electrode. On NCSeO, the substitution of Cl facilitates the regulation of the electronic structure and enhances the stability of N-doping. The optimised electrode exhibits a high capacity of 417 mA h g-1 at 1 A g-1 and an impressive rate capability of 235 mA h g-1 at 50 A g-1. Asymmetric supercapacitors with this design have an ultra-high energy density of 73.6 W h kg-1, as well as an excellent rate and cycling performance with a capacitance retention of 97.8% after 20 000 cycles at a current density of 20 A g-1.

An oriented tube array porous carbon anode prepared using a self-blowing mold of salt templates for high-rate potassium storage.

Porous carbon materials with oriented porosity are very useful in ion batteries, but their high cost and complex fabrication hinder their wide application. In this paper, we used cheap and water-soluble NaHCO3 grains to prepare unique porous carbon with an orderly arranged tube array via one-step carbonization. During the preparation process, a novel self-blowing mold of salt templates was discovered for the first time, and the resulting numerous high-speed gas jets can act as gas state templates to induce the formation of the oriented porous carbon into a mesoscale tube array with rich micropores. Besides, the amount of CO functional groups has been enhanced greatly by the chemical activation of H2O and CO2 derived from the decomposition of NaHCO3, which can improve the reversible specific capacity of the electrode by forming a C-O-K compound with potassium. Thanks to the coupling effect of the hierarchical porous structure with an orderly tube array and rich CO functional groups, the obtained porous carbon materials exhibited excellent kinetics and impressive rate capability as the anode of potassium-ion batteries (PIBs) with high capacities of 209 mA h g-1 at 10 A g-1 and 156 mA h g-1 at 30 A g-1. This work not only provides a facile, green, sustainable approach to fabricating novel carbon materials, but also demonstrates the promising prospect of oriented porous carbon in exploring advanced electrode materials for PIBs.

Multifunctional Iron Selenate Sheath of Fe-Based Anode Achieving High-Rate Capacity-Durability Combination of Aqueous Hybrid Energy Storage Devices.

The introduction of battery-type cathode has been commonly considered a preferred approach to boost the energy density of aqueous hybrid energy storage devices (AHESDs) in alkalic systems, but AHESDs with both high energy density and power density are rare due to the great challenge in designing battery-type anode materials with high rate and durability comparable to capacitive-type carbon anodes. In this paper, a well-hydrated iron selenate (FeSeO) sheath is constructed around FeOOH nanorods by a facile electrochemical activation, demonstrating the unique multifunction in fasting charge diffusion, promoting the dissociation of H2O, and inhibiting the irreversible phase transition of FeOOH to inert γ-Fe2O3, which endow the hydrated sheath coated Fe-based anodes with an impressive rate capability and superior durability. Thanks to the comprehensive performance of this Fe-based anode, the assembled AHESD delivered a high energy density of 117 Wh kg-1 with the extraordinary durability of almost 100% capacity retention after 40 000 cycles. Even at an ultrahigh power density of 27 000 W kg-1, an impressive energy density of 65 Wh kg-1 can be achieved, which rivals previously reported energy-storage devices.

Inhabiting Inactive Transition by Coupling Function of Oxygen Vacancies and Fe─C Bonds achieving Long Cycle Life of an Iron-Based Anode.

Fe-based battery-type anode materials with many faradaic reaction sites have higher capacities than carbon-based double-layer-type materials and can be used to develop aqueous supercapacitors with high energy density. However, as an insurmountable bottleneck, the severe capacity fading and poor cyclability derived from the inactive transition hinder their commercial application in asymmetric supercapacitors (ASCs). In this work, driven by the "oxygen pumping" mechanism, oxygen-vacancy-rich Fe@Fe3 O4 (v) @Fe3 C@C nanoparticles that consist of a unique "fruit with stone"-like structure are developed, and they exhibit enhanced specific capacity and fast charge/discharge capability. Experimental and theoretical results demonstrate that the capacity attenuation in conventional iron-based anodes is greatly alleviated in the the Fe@Fe3 O4 (v) @Fe3 C@C anode because the irreversible phase transition to the inactive γ-Fe2 O3 phase can be inhibited by a robust barrier formed by the coupling of oxygen vacancies and Fe─C bonds, which promotes cycle stability (93.5% capacity retention after 24 000 cycles). An ASC fabricated using this Fe-based anode is also observed to have extraordinary durability, achieving capacity retention of 96.4% after 38 000 cycles, and a high energy density of 127.6 W h kg-1 at a power density of 981 W kg-1 .

Efficacy and Safety of Bushen Huoxue Formula in Patients with Discogenic Low-Back Pain: A Double-Blind, Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Trial.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the efficacy and safety of Bushen Huoxue Formula (BSHXF) for the treatment of discogenic low-back pain (DLBP). METHODS: This was a parallel, double-blind, randomized, clinical trial performed between May 2019 and June 2020. Seventy patients were assigned by computerized random number table to the treatment group (lumbar traction and BSHXF, 35 cases) or the control group (lumbar traction and placebo, 35 cases). The patients received intervention for 3 weeks. Assessment was conducted before treatment and at week 1, 2, 3 during treatment. Primary outcome was the self-reported score of Oswestry Disability Index (ODI). Secondary outcomes included Visual Analog Scale (VAS), clinical efficacy rate by minimal clinically important difference (MCID) as well as lumbar tenderness, muscle tone and lumbar spine mobility. Adverse reactions were recorded. Follow-up was performed at 1 and 3 months after the end of treatment. RESULTS: In the treatment group, ODI score was significantly decreased compared with baseline (P<0.05) and the control group at 2- and 3- week treatment. Similarly, VAS score decreased compared with the baseline (P<0.05) and was lower than that in the control group at 2- and 3- week treatment (P<0.05). The clinical efficacy rate of the treatment group was higher than that of the control group after treatment [32.35% (11/34) vs. 3.13% (1/32), P<0.05). Moreover, the tenderness, and muscle tone, as well as the back extension and left flexion in lumbar spine mobility in the treatment group at 3-week treatment were significantly improved compared with the control group (P<0.05). Follow-up showed that at 1-month after treatment, the treatment group had better outcomes than the control group with regard to a total score of ODI and VAS scores, as well as clinical efficacy rate (all P<0.05). Moreover, VAS score was still significantly lower than the control group at 3-month follow-up (P<0.05). No adverse reactions were reported during the study. CONCLUSION: BSXHF combined with lumbar traction can significantly improve the clinical symptoms including pain intensity, functionality, muscle tone, and lumbar spine mobility in DLBP patients. (Registration No. ChiCTR1900027777).

[Preparation and application of monoclonal antibody against human myoglobin].

OBJECTIVE: To prepare the monoclonal antibody (mAb) against human myoglobin (MYO) of high titer and specificity and develop double-antibody sandwich ELISA for detecting MYO in human serum samples. METHODS: The BALB/c mice were immunized with natural human MYO, and the hybridoma cell lines secreting anti-MYO mAb were established using cell fusion and hybridoma screening techniques. The characteristics of the mAb were identified after affinity purification from ascites. Then the best antibody pair was selected from mAb to establish a one-step sandwich ELISA method. Sixty human serum samples were detected by the homemade ELISA kit and the imported one, respectively. RESULTS: Nine strains of hybridoma cell lines stably secreted anti-MYO mAb. Four strains named 2M1, 3M4, 5M7 and 10M4 could secrete high-quality mAb and the titers of them were in the range of 1.0×10(6) to 2.6×10(6) (A450 value was about 1.0). Three antibody pairs (2M1/HRP-3M4, 5M7/HRP-3M4, 10M4/HRP-5M7) were selected by double-antibody sandwich ELISA. Among them, the 5M7/HRP-3M4 had higher sensitivity and larger linear range. The homemade ELISA kit had a larger linear range (25-1000 ng/mL) than the imported one (25-500 ng/mL) and showed high accuracies in detecting human serum samples, being 95% (19/20) in positive samples and 100% (40/40) in negative samples. CONCLUSION: With the anti-human MYO mAbs of high specificity and affinity, a one-step sandwich ELISA for detecting human MYO has been established successfully, which provides a basis for the development of domestic ELISA kit.

The GSTP1 gene is a susceptibility gene for childhood asthma and the GSTM1 gene is a modifier of the GSTP1 gene.

BACKGROUND: Bronchial asthma is a chronic airway disorder characterized by bronchial inflammation. Oxidative stress is a key component of inflammation. Glutathione S-transferase P1 (GSTP1), the abundant isoform of glutathione S-transferases (GSTs) in lung epithelium, plays a key role in cellular protection against oxidative stress. Several studies have shown that the GSTP1 geneis involved in the pathogenesis of asthma and a gene-gene interaction may occur within the GST gene superfamily. METHODS: We screened single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) at the GSTP1 locus and performed an association study in the Japanese population using two independent case-control groups (group 1: 391 pediatric patients with asthma, 462 adult patients with asthma, and 639 controls, and group 2: 115 pediatric patients with asthma and 184 controls). The effect of GSTM1 null/present genotype on the association between GSTP1 Ile105Val and asthma was also investigated. RESULTS: We identified 20 SNPs at this locus and found this region consisted of one linkage disequilibrium block represented by four SNPs (tag SNPs). The association between the Ile105Val polymorphism in the GSTP1 gene and childhood asthma was significant in both groups (p = 0.047 in group 1, and p = 0.021 in group 2). This association was only significant in patients with GSTM1-positive genotype in both groups (group 1: GSTM1 present p = 0.013 and GSTM1 null p = 0.925, and group 2: GSTM1 present p = 0.015 and GSTM1 null p = 0.362). CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that the GSTP1 gene is a childhood asthma susceptible gene, and the GSTM1 gene is a modifier gene of GSTP1 for the risk of childhood asthma in the Japanese population.

Variations in the C3, C3a receptor, and C5 genes affect susceptibility to bronchial asthma.

Bronchial asthma (BA) is a common chronic inflammatory disease characterized by hyperresponsive airways, excess mucus production, eosinophil activation, and the production of IgE. The complement system plays an immunoregulatory role at the interface of innate and acquired immunities. Recent studies have provided evidence that C3, C3a receptor, and C5 are linked to airway hyperresponsiveness. To determine whether genetic variations in the genes of the complement system affect susceptibility to BA, we screened single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in C3, C5, the C3a receptor gene (C3AR1), and the C5a receptor gene (C5R1) and performed association studies in the Japanese population. The results of this SNP case-control study suggested an association between 4896C/T in the C3 gene and atopic childhood BA (P = 0.0078) as well as adult BA (P = 0.010). When patient data were stratified according to elevated total IgE levels, 4896C/T was more closely associated with adult BA (P = 0.0016). A patient-only association study suggested that severity of childhood BA was associated with 1526G/A of the C3AR1 gene (P = 0.0057). We identified a high-risk haplotype of the C3 gene for childhood (P = 0.0021) and adult BA (P = 0.0058) and a low-risk haplotype for adult BA (P = 0.00011). We also identified a haplotype of the C5 gene that was protective against childhood BA (P = 1.4 x 10(-6)) and adult BA (P = 0.00063). These results suggest that the C3 and C5 pathways of the complement system play important roles in the pathogenesis of BA and that polymorphisms of these genes affect susceptibility to BA.

Linkage and association of childhood asthma with the chromosome 12 genes.

Several studies have shown linkage of chromosome region 12q13-24 to bronchial asthma and related phenotypes in ethnically diverse populations. In the Japanese population, a genome-wide study failed to show strong evidence of linkage of this region. Chromosome 12 genes that showed association with the disease in at least one report include: the signal transducer and activator of transcription 6 gene ( STAT6), the nitrogen oxide synthetase 1 gene ( NOS1), the interferon gamma gene ( IFNG), and the activation-induced cytidine deaminase gene ( AICDA). To evaluate the linkage between chromosome 12 and childhood asthma in the Japanese population, we performed sib-pair linkage analysis on childhood asthma families using 18 microsatellite markers on chromosome 12. To investigate association between chromosome 12 candidate genes and asthma, distributions of alleles and genotypes of repeat polymorphisms of STAT6, NOS1, and IFNG were compared between controls and patients. Single nucleotide polymorphism of AICDA was also investigated. Chromosome region 12q24.23-q24.33 showed suggestive linkage to asthma. The NOS1 intron 2 GT repeat and STAT6 exon 1 GT repeat were associated with asthma. Neither the IFNG intron 1 CA repeat nor 465C/T of AICDA showed any association with asthma. Our results suggest that NOS1 and STAT6 are asthma-susceptibility genes and that chromosome region 12q24.23-q24.33 contains other susceptibility gene(s).