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The diversity of endophytic yeast in different varieties and organs of waxy sorghum was analyzed using Illumina MiSeq high-throughput sequencing technology at flowering period, and the differential and functional flora were also analyzed using linear discriminant analysis effect size (LEfSe) and FUNGuild, respectively. The results showed that a total of 182 genera in 8 phyla were annotated. The community diversity and richness of endophytic yeast in Qingkeyang were higher than that of Jinnuoliang 1, and the richness of leaf was the highest. Ascomycota was the dominant phylum in different varieties and the stems and leaves. Basidiomycota was the dominant phylum in flowers, and the dominant phylum in roots was unclassified fungi. At the genus level, the dominant genera in Jinnuoliang 1 and Qingkeyang were unclassified Chaetothyriales and unclassified fungi, respectively. The dominant genera of the roots, stems, leaves and flowers were unclassified fungi, Ramichloridium, unclassified Chaetothyriales and Didymium, respectively. LEfSe analysis showed that the most important difference indicator genus was Papiliotrema. The most important differential indicator genera for roots, stems, leaves and flowers were Fusarium, Ramichloridium, Alatosessilispora and Pseudozyma, respectively. FUNGuild functional prediction showed that waxy sorghum flora has rich functions and was divided into 7 nutritional models and 24 ecological functional groups. Qingkeyang and the leaves had the greatest numbers of unique functional fungus.

Zinc metal is a promising anode material for zinc-ion batteries (ZIBs), but severe side reactions and dendrite formation hinder its commercialization. In this study, starch is introduced into the ZnSO4 electrolyte for stabilizing the Zn anode. With abundant hydroxyl groups, starch can reconstruct the H-bond system in the electrolyte, suppressing side reactions. Moreover, the unique ring and double-helix structures of starch show strong interactions with Zn2+ ions. The large molecule structure also exhibits a steric hindrance effect, regulating the diffusion and reduction of Zn2+. Additionally, starch molecules can adsorb onto the Zn anode, promoting the formation of a solid–electrolyte interphase (SEI) and resulting in uniform Zn deposition along the (002) plane. Consequently, this approach enhances the stability and reversibility of the Zn anode. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aqueous ammonium ion batteries (AAIBs) have attracted considerable attention due to their high safety and rapid diffusion kinetics. Unlike spherical metal ions, NH4+ forms hydrogen bonds with host materials, leading to a unique storage mechanism. A variety of electrode materials have been proposed for AAIBs, but their performance often falls short in terms of future energy storage needs. Hence, there is a critical need to design and develop advanced electrode materials for AAIBs. 2D materials, with their tunable interlayer spacing, remarkable interfacial chemistry and abundant surface functional groups, are an ideal choice for electrode materials for NH4+ storage. This review highlights the latest research on 2D electrode materials for AAIBs, providing insights into their working principles, NH4+ storage mechanisms and control strategies for designing high-performance AAIBs. Furthermore, a summary and future perspectives on 2D electrode materials in the development of AAIBs are provided, aiming to promote the advancement of high-performance AAIBs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aqueous zinc‐ion batteries (ZIBs), lauded for their low cost, eco‐friendliness, and high safety, have garnered significant attention. However, their commercial viability is hindered by the challenges of dendrite growth and side reactions during the Zn2+ reduction reaction process. Electrolyte as the indispensable component of batteries has a close relationship with the issues mentioned above. With the feature of simplicity, effectiveness, and scalability, regulating electrolytes is a particularly promising, feasible, and straightforward approach to stabilizing the Zn anode. The solvation design with less solvated water, interface optimization with water‐poor and pH‐stable interface, and kinetics regulation with fast Zn2+ transport, uniform Zn2+ flux, and orientational Zn growth can contribute to uniform Zn deposition with restrained corrosion. This review encapsulates the cutting‐edge advancements in electrolytes to stabilize the Zn anode. The mechanisms underlying these advancements, encompassing solvation structure design, Zn‐electrolyte interface optimization, and kinetics regulation are elucidated. Finally, this paper outlines current challenges and prospects in electrolyte development for ZIBs, providing valuable insights for future endeavors in this field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The virtues of electrolytic MnO2 aqueous batteries are high theoretical energy density, affordability and safety. However, the continuous dead MnO2 and unstable Mn2+/MnO2 electrolysis pose challenges to the practical output energy and lifespan. Herein, we demonstrate bifunctional cationic redox mediation and catalysis kinetics metrics to rescue dead MnO2 and construct a stable and fast electrolytic Zn–Mn redox-flow battery (eZMRFB). Spectroscopic characterizations and electrochemical evaluation reveal the superior mediation kinetics of a cationic Fe2+ redox mediator compared with the anionic ones (e.g. I– and Br–), thus eliminating dead MnO2 effectively. With intensified oxygen vacancies, density functional theory simulations of the reaction pathways further verify the concomitant Fe-catalysed Mn2+/MnO2 electrolysis kinetics via charge delocalization and activated O 2p electron states, boosting its rate capability. As a result, the elaborated eZMRFB achieves a coulombic efficiency of nearly 100%, ultra-high areal capacity of 80 mAh cm–2, rate capability of 20 C and a long lifespan of 2500 cycles. This work may advance high-energy aqueous batteries to next-generation scalable energy storage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rechargeable Zn‐air batteries (ZAB) represent a promising avenue for sustainable energy storage, boasting high energy density, cost‐effectiveness, scalability, and environmental friendliness. However, the sluggish redox kinetics and limited cycle life of bifunctional oxygen evolution/reduction (OER/ORR) electrocatalysts impede the further practical development of ZABs. In this study, homogenic boundary effect within α/β‐NiMoO4 is introduced as a superior electrocatalyst for ZAB. Through in situ poikilothermic X‐ray diffraction, X‐ray absorption spectroscopy, and theoretical investigations, the active Ni atoms exhibit more effective electron transfer at α/β‐NiMoO4 due to the homogenic boundary effect is unveiled. Furthermore, the presence of oxygen vacancies and lattice distortions at these boundaries significantly reduces the thermodynamic barrier of OER to a mere 0.46 V. Consequently, α/β‐NiMoO4 demonstrates a remarkably low overpotential of 270 mV at 10 mA cm−2 for the bottlenecked OER, along with prolonged durability (150 h) and a high specific capacity (745 mAh g−1 at 5 mA cm−2) for ZAB. This study underscores the efficacy of homogenic boundary effects in enhancing electrocatalytic activities, offering great promise for the advancement of sustainable energy systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Zinc‐based aqueous batteries (ZABs) are attracting extensive attention due to the low cost, high capacity, and environmental benignity of the zinc anode. However, their application is still hindered by the undesired zinc dendrites. Despite Zn‐surface modification being promising in relieving dendrites, a thick separator (i.e. glass fiber, 250–700 μm) is still required to resist the dendrite puncture, which limits volumetric energy density of battery. Here, we pivot from the traditional interphase plus extra separator categories, proposing an all‐in‐one ligand buffer layer (ca. 20 μm) to effectively modulate the Zn2+ transfer and deposition behaviors proved by in situ electrochemical digital holography. Experimental characterizations and density functional theory simulations further reveal that the catechol groups in the buffer layer can accelerate the Zn2+ reduction reaction (ZRR) through the electron‐donating p‐π conjugation effect, decreasing the negative charge in the coordination environment. Without extra separators, the elaborated system endows low polarization below 28.2 mV, long lifespan of 4950 h at 5 mA cm−2 in symmetric batteries, and an unprecedented volumetric energy density of 99.2 Wh L−1 based on the whole pouch cells. The concomitantly "separator‐free" and "dendrite‐free" conjugation effect with an accelerated ZRR process could foster the progression of metallic anodes and benefit energetic aqueous batteries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Brasenia schreberi is a widely consumed aquatic plant, yet the knowledge regarding its bioactive components, particularly polysaccharides, remains limited. Therefore, this study aimed to optimize the extraction process of polysaccharides from B. schreberi using the response surface method (RSM). Additionally, we characterized the polysaccharides using various methods and assessed their antioxidant capabilities both in vitro and in vivo, employing cell cultures and Caenorhabditis elegans. Furthermore, these polysaccharides were incorporated into a unique yogurt formulation. Our findings demonstrated that hot water extraction was the most suitable method for extracting polysaccharides from B. schreberi, yielding samples with high sugar content, significant antioxidant capacity, and a well-defined spatial structure. Moreover, pectinase was employed for polysaccharide digestion, achieving an enzymolysis rate of 10.02% under optimized conditions using RSM. Notably, the results indicated that these polysaccharides could protect cells from oxidative stress by reducing apoptosis. Surprisingly, at a concentration of 250 μg/mL, the polysaccharides significantly increased the survival rate of C. elegans from 31.05% to 82.3%. Further qPCR results revealed that the polysaccharides protected C. elegans by up-regulating the daf-16 gene and down-regulating mTOR and insulin pathways, demonstrating remarkable antioxidant abilities. Upon addition to the yogurt, the polysaccharides significantly enhanced the water retention, viscosity, and viability of lactic acid bacteria. These outcomes underscore the potential of polysaccharides from B. schreberi as a valuable addition to novel yogurt formulations, thereby providing additional theoretical support for the utilization of B. schreberi. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Puerarin (Pue) is a kind of isoflavone compound extracted from Pueraria lobata, which has significant antioxidant activity. Excessive use of acetaminophen (APAP) can cause oxidative stress in the liver and eventually lead to acute liver injury. The purpose of this study was to investigate the protective effect and the mechanism of puerarin on APAP‐induced liver oxidative damage. In in vitro experiments, puerarin significantly increased the cell activity of HepG2 cells, reduced the ROS accumulation, alleviated the oxidative damage and mitochondrial dysfunction. In in vivo studies, our results showed that puerarin enhanced antioxidant activity and alleviated histopathological damage. Further studies showed that puerarin decreased the expression of Keap1, promoted the nuclear migration of Nrf2, and up‐regulated the expression of GCLC, GCLM, HO‐1 and NQO1. This study demonstrated that puerarin can protect APAP‐induced liver injury via alleviating oxidative stress and mitochondrial dysfunction by affecting the nuclear migration of Nrf2 via inhibiting Keap1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Zn-Mn aqueous batteries (ZMABs) have the potential for grid-scale energy storage due to their low cost, high safety, and eco-friendliness. Recent advancements in high-capacity cathodes, dendrite-free anodes, and functionalized electrolytes have brought rechargeable ZMABs closer to practical applications. However, challenges remain in stabilizing the interface, particularly in electrolyte regulation. A recent study published in the National Science Review reports on the development of a lean-water quasi-eutectic electrolyte that improves the reversible interfacial deposition and reaction kinetics of Mn-based cathodes in a long cycle process. The study highlights the importance of electrolyte optimization in addressing the energy density and lifespan limitations of ZMABs. pH balance, solvation regulation, and redox mediation are identified as effective strategies for durable ZMABs. The authors propose future research directions, including the design of novel pH buffer electrolytes, regulation of Mn2+ solvation structure, development of stable redox mediators, and the creation of wide-temperature electrolytes for improved performance. [Extracted from the article]

It remains challenging to achieve further breakthroughs in the development of durable bifunctional air cathode electrocatalysts for increasing the cycling life of rechargeable Zn‐air battery (RZAB). Herein, d‐band gap narrowing strategy is proposed to significantly boost the electrocatalytic activity and stability of spinel Co3O4 for both oxygen reduction and evolution reactions. In situ Raman spectroscopy finds that the Ce atom substitution can significantly improve the durability and corrosion resistance of electrocatalysts in harsh alkaline electrolytes. Synchrotron X‐ray absorption fine structure reveals that the Co3+/Co2+ ratio of Co3O4 can be tuned with Ce introduction, which is beneficial to optimize the adsorption/desorption of the intermediates over Cooh3+ active sites. Density functional theory calculations further confirm the reduced gap between Co d‐band and O p‐band centers, increased electrical conductivity, together with the deepened valence band maximum of Co sites in Ce‐doped Co3O4. Thereby, the optimized RZAB with Ce‐Co3O4 delivers excellent long‐term durability (290 h) and large specific capacity (876.3 Wh kgZn−1$Wh\;kg_{Zn}^{{\bm{ - }}1}$), which possesses great prospects in all‐solid‐state flexible RZAB devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Short-chain esters derived from fatty acid contribute to the characteristic flavor of apricot fruit, and the biosynthesis of these compounds in fruit is catalyzed by alcohol acyltransferase (AAT). In this work, we investigated the AAT gene family via genome-wide scanning, and three AAT loci were identified in different linkage groups (LGs), with PaAAT1 (PARG22907m01) in LG7, PaAAT2 (PARG15279m01) in LG4, and PaAAT3 (PARG22697m01) in LG6. Phylogenetic analysis showed that PaAAT1 belongs to clade 3, while PaAAT2 and PaAAT3 belong to clade 1 and clade 2, respectively. In contrast, the three AAT genes present different expression patterns. Only PaAAT1 exhibited distinct patterns of fruit-specific expression, and the expression of PaAAT1 sharply increased during fruit ripening, which is consistent with the abundance of C4–C6 esters such as (E)-2-hexenyl acetate and (Z)-3-hexenyl acetate. The transient overexpression of PaAAT1 in Katy (KT) apricot fruit resulted in a remarkable decrease in hexenol, (E)-2-hexenol, and (Z)-3-hexenol levels while significantly increasing the corresponding acetate production (p < 0.01). A substrate assay revealed that the PaAAT1 protein enzyme can produce hexenyl acetate, (E)-2-hexenyl acetate, and (Z)-3-hexenyl acetate when C6 alcohols are used as substrates for the reaction. Taken together, these results indicate that PaAAT1 plays a crucial role in the production of C6 esters in apricot fruit during ripening. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The C2H2-zinc finger proteins (ZFP) comprise a large family of transcription factors with various functions in biological processes. In maize, the function regulation of C2H2- zine finger (ZF) genes are poorly understood. We conducted an evolution analysis and functional prediction of the maize C2H2-ZF gene family. Furthermore, the ZmZFP126 gene has been cloned and sequenced for further favorable allelic variation discovery. The phylogenetic analysis of the C2H2-ZF domain indicated that the position and sequence of the C2H2-ZF domain of the poly-zinc finger gene are relatively conserved during evolution, and the C2H2-ZF domain with the same position is highly conserved. The expression analysis of the C2H2-ZF gene family in 11 tissues at different growth stages of B73 inbred lines showed that genes with multiple transcripts were endowed with more functions. The expression analysis of the C2H2-ZF gene in P1 and P2 inbred lines under drought conditions showed that the C2H2-ZF genes were mainly subjected to negative regulation under drought stress. Functional prediction indicated that the maize C2H2-ZF gene is mainly involved in reproduction and development, especially concerning the formation of important agronomic traits in maize yield. Furthermore, sequencing and correlation analysis of the ZmZFP126 gene indicated that this gene was significantly associated with the SDW-NAP and TDW-NAP. The analysis of the relationship between maize C2H2-ZF genes and C2H2-ZF genes with known functions indicated that the functions of some C2H2-ZF genes are relatively conservative, and the functions of homologous genes in different species are similar. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dendrite growth and by‐products in Zn metal aqueous batteries have impeded their development as promising energy storage devices. We utilize a low‐cost additive, glucose, to modulate the typical ZnSO4 electrolyte system for improving reversible plating/stripping on Zn anode for high‐performance Zn ion batteries (ZIBs). Combing experimental characterizations and theoretical calculations, we show that the glucose in ZnSO4 aqueous environment can simultaneously modulate solvation structure of Zn2+ and Zn anode‐electrolyte interface. The electrolyte engineering can alternate one H2O molecule from the primary Zn2+‐6H2O solvation shell and restraining side reactions due to the decomposition of active water. Concomitantly, glucose molecules are inclined to absorb on the surface of Zn anode, suppressing the random growth of Zn dendrite. As a proof of concept, a symmetric cell and Zn‐MnO2 full cell with glucose electrolyte achieve boosted stability than that with pure ZnSO4 electrolyte. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Zinc‐based electrochemistry is attracting significant attention for practical energy storage owing to its uniqueness in terms of low cost and high safety. However, the grid‐scale application is plagued by limited output voltage and inadequate energy density when compared with more conventional Li‐ion batteries. Herein, we propose a latent high‐voltage MnO2 electrolysis process in a conventional Zn‐ion battery, and report a new electrolytic Zn–MnO2 system, via enabled proton and electron dynamics, that maximizes the electrolysis process. Compared with other Zn‐based electrochemical devices, this new electrolytic Zn–MnO2 battery has a record‐high output voltage of 1.95 V and an imposing gravimetric capacity of about 570 mAh g−1, together with a record energy density of approximately 409 Wh kg−1 when both anode and cathode active materials are taken into consideration. The cost was conservatively estimated at

Abstract Although a low-Al or an Al-free design is an efficient way to develop low-temperature and high-rate metal hydride alloys, the cycling life of these alloys is poor. Our strategy is to employ B-side anti-corrosion elements (e.g., Fe, Si, Sn, Cu) to coordinate the low-temperature and high-power delivery with cycling life. We confirmed that excellent electrochemical kinetics (i.e., surface catalytic and bulk H-diffusion ability) is the primary condition for low-temperature and high-rate delivery, while it reverses with anti-corrosion ability. As a result, the low-temperature dischargeability (LTD), high-rate dischargeability (HRD) and peak power (P peak) progressively decrease with Ni, Si, Cu, Fe, Sn and Al substitution, but the cycling stability successively increases with Ni, Si, Fe, Sn, Cu and Al substitution. Based on the thermodynamics and the coordination of the LTD, the HRD and P peak with the cycling life, the (LaCe) 1.0 (NiCoMn) 4.85 Al 0.05 Cu 0.1 alloy presents the best overall electrochemical properties. Notably, when using an as-designed Cu-doped anode, the assembled commercial 100 Ah prismatic Ni-MH batteries present excellent power delivery at −40 °C. Graphical abstract Image 1 Highlights • Low-Al design is an efficient way for developing low-temperature and high-rate MH. • Various B-side elements coordinate the electrode kinetics and anti-corrosion property. • Anti-corrosion property presents a contradictory rule with electrode kinetics. • Electrode kinetics progressively drops via Ni, Si, Cu, Fe, Sn and Al substituting. • The designed Cu/Si-doped low-Al alloy offers a promising solution for low-temperature and high-power applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]