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Aqueous zinc-ion batteries (AZIBs) with Zn metal as the anode have great potential for large-scale energy storage due to their unique advantages. However, Zn anodes face unfavorable conditions such as the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) and dendrite growth, which limit the practical application of AZIBs. We constructed a calcium alginate (CA) hydrogel protective layer on the Zn foil surface. The carboxyl and hydroxyl groups in the CA hydrogel can form hydrogen bonds with H2O and inhibit the HER. Meanwhile, the CA coating also promotes the desolvation process of Zn(H2O)62+, which results in uniform dispersion of Zn2+flux. The CA coating can homogenize the electric field distribution on the anode surface and inhibit the growth of dendrites. Therefore, the CA-Zn symmetric batteries can be stably cycled for 2200 h at 0.5 mA cm–2, showing excellent cycling performance. Overall, the introduction of a CA hydrogel protective layer effectively optimized the unfavorable conditions faced by the Zn anode.

Transforming the Pt–M alloy into an ordered intermetallic is an effective strategy to improve the electrocatalytic activity and stability toward the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR). However, the synthesis of nanosized intermetallics remains challenging. Herein, we report an efficient ORR electrocatalyst, consisting of a monodisperse nanosized PtCu intermetallic on hollow mesoporous carbon spheres (HMCS). As predicted by theoretical calculations, PtCu intermetallics exhibit beneficial electronic structure, with a low theoretical overpotential of 0.33 V and enhanced Cu stability. Resulting from the multiscale modulation of catalyst structure, the O-PtCu/HMCS catalyst delivers a high mass activity of 2.73 A cm–2Ptat 0.9 V and remarkable stability. Identical location transmission electron microscopy (IL-TEM) investigations demonstrate that the rate of carbon corrosion is alleviated on HMCS, which contributes to the long-term durability. This work provides a promising design strategy for an ORR electrocatalyst, and the IL-TEM investigations offer new perspectives for the performance enhancement mechanism.

Background Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC), predominant in Southern China and Southeast Asia, is a malignant tumor that arises from the epithelial lining of the nasopharynx. Current NPC treatments result in unfavorable side effects. Natural compounds with anti-proliferative capabilities are gaining popularity as a way to mitigate the toxicity of radiation and synthetic antitumor drugs. Ponicidin, an ent-kaurane diterpenoid, has been demonstrated to possess several pharmacological activities, including antitumor, antibacterial, immunoregulatory, antiviral, and anti-inflammatory properties.Materials and Methods In the current investigation, the anti-carcinogenic activity of Ponicidin against nasopharyngeal cell line C666-1, has been investigated. The influence of Ponicidin on cell viability, apoptotic induction, mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP), reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation, and apoptotic markers has been examined. Doxorubicin was selected as the positive control for the experiments.Results The effect of Ponicidin on the viability of C666-1 cells revealed that its cytotoxic potential increased in a dose-dependent pattern and the optimum concentration chosen for further experiments was 7.5 µM. The Ponicidin-treated cells demonstrated a significant increase in the amount of TBARS, whereas it reduced the activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione (GSH) levels, indicating augmented oxidative stress and lower antioxidant activity in the C666-1 cells. The acridine orange/ethidium bromide (AO/EtBr) staining technique was used to assess morphological changes with respect to apoptosis, which confirmed its apoptotic nature. Furthermore, Ponicidin elevated the ROS generation, modified the mitochondrial membrane permeability, elevated the apoptotic marker levels (caspase-3, caspase-9, and Bax) and reduced the Bcl-2 expression in C666-1 cell lines.Conclusion The findings suggest that Ponicidin successfully inhibited cancer cell proliferation by following the mitochondrial apoptotic pathway and thus could be effectively utilized as a potent anti-cancer agent for the treatment of nasopharyngeal cancer.

To study the intention behind pedestrian crossing behavior, this study extracts the trajectory data of vehicles and pedestrians from intersection videos. Based on the classic traffic conflict theory, TAdv is selected as the primary indicator to describe the pedestrian-vehicle conflict, and pedestrian crossing events are defined to represent the interaction state of pedestrians and conflicting objects at a certain time in the crossing conflict. This paper proposes a Kalman filter-based crossing event recognition method, and then uses the topic model in natural language processing technology to mine pedestrian behavior “topics” behind different crossing events, and obtains an LDA-based pedestrian crossing description model. The results show that: on the whole, pedestrians have high requirements for the right of way and will not easily change their behavior. Pedestrians have higher speeds in conflicts with non-motorized vehicles than motorized vehicles and have greater expectations of victory in conflict games. Pedestrians often adopt conservative behaviors at low risk and choose other strategies after the conflict has evolved to a certain degree (high risk). There are two types of pedestrians with the highest demand for the right of way. One is the aggressive pedestrians, who will adopt aggressive rushing strategies when facing non-motor vehicles while adopting the most conservative avoidance strategies when facing motor vehicles. The other is the pedestrians with small impacts from the outside world, whose crossing state will not easily be affected by vehicles and changes in traffic.

State-of-power (SOP) and state-of-charge (SOC) estimation inaccuracy manifests throughout the electric vehicle (EV) battery lifetime due to the nonlinear degradation trajectory that is unique to each use-case. The inaccuracy leads to premature termination of charge and discharge operations, which results in the virtual loss of battery performance. In-situ electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) has been proposed to provide real-time battery impedance measurements, which can theoretically improve the SOP/SOC estimation accuracy. In this work, an EV-scale in-situ EIS system is demonstrated experimentally, from impedance measurement to equivalent circuit model (ECM) extraction. The pack-level discharge energy versus SOP/SOC estimation errors is also simulated, which quantifies the virtual loss of battery performance. The measured-impedance error tolerance of three common ECM extraction techniques is then examined through a randomized set of simulated EIS tests with injected measurement noise. Finally, in-situ impedance measurement is performed on 20 battery submodules using an electric pickup truck EIS system. The ECM-predicted voltage output is compared against measured driving data. Experimental results indicate approximately 8%–9% improvement in SOP estimation accuracy at 3 $^{\circ }$ C and 10 $^{\circ }$ C between the in-situ extracted models and a representative baseline.

As China’s economy and society continue to expand, urbanization in China has reached a new stage. In this context, China’s characteristic town development plans, from the national to the local level, provide a new impetus for the expansion of towns and cities, and contribute to rural revitalization. When assessing the universality of regional dynamics, China exhibits high diversity for regional development. This highlights a complex scientific problem associated with describing the underlying linkages and influencing variables between distinct regional characteristic towns. It also complicates the application of tools that support spatial orientation and spatial decision-making. To address this problem, this study proposes a cross-platform analytical framework that unifies data, geography information systems (GIS), unsupervised analysis, visualization, and Geodetector, with Orange as the core. Based on a review of distribution patterns and multi-hierarchical spatial clustering features, this paper focuses on the rise of characteristic towns in China and investigates the primary environmental and human factors influencing spatial heterogeneity in small towns. The findings show that the development level of characteristic towns under the “city-town” system varies across China. Multi-hierarchical cluster analysis effectively reveals the intrinsic features of characteristic towns and facilitates precise spatially-oriented decision-making under different scenarios. In the framework of the “natural-humanistic” and “city-town” systems, the Geodetector effectively measures the spatial stratified heterogeneity of each indicator in the characteristic towns. This reveals an inner logic among the diverse non-linear spatial correlations. Ultimately, the study deeply investigates the individual development of characteristic towns, and the synergistic construction of “city-town” systems, arguing that characteristic towns have the potential to create “city-town” interactive spaces, and the ability to realize “Orange+GIS” cross-platform synergies.

A critical-sized bone defect, which cannot be repaired through self-healing, is a major challenge in clinical therapeutics. The combination of biomimetic hydrogels and nano-hydroxyapatite (nano-HAP) is a promising way to solve this problem by constructing an osteogenic microenvironment. However, it is challenging to generate nano-HAP with a similar morphology and structure to that of natural bone, which limits the improvement of bone regeneration hydrogels. Inspired by our previous works on organic–inorganic cocross-linking, here, we built a strong organic–inorganic interaction by cross-linking periosteum-decellularized extracellular matrix and calcium phosphate oligomers, which ensured the in situmineralization of bone-like nano-HAP in hydrogels. The resulting biomimetic osteogenic hydrogel (BOH) promotes bone mineralization, construction of immune microenvironment, and angiogenesis improvement in vitro. The BOH exhibited acceleration of osteogenesis in vivo, achieving large-sized bone defect regeneration and remodeling within 8 weeks, which is superior to many previously reported hydrogels. This study demonstrates the important role of bone-like nano-HAP in osteogenesis, which deepens the understanding of the design of biomaterials for hard tissue repair. The in situmineralization of bone-like nano-HAP emphasizes the advantages of inorganic ionic oligomers in the construction of organic–inorganic interaction, which provides an alternative method for the preparation of advanced biomimetic materials.

Multiport battery-assisted dc fast charger (BA-DCFC) stations enable high charge rates of electric vehicles (EVs) at sites that have insufficient grid capacity. However, BA-DCFCs are expensive and inefficient due to the battery energy storage system (BESS) and high-power isolated dc–dc converters that interface the BESS and EV charging ports. This article presents a modular multiport dc linear fast charger (LFC) for EVs, which uses a stationary, reconfigurable battery energy storage system (rBESS), a current-mode, digitally controlled bidirectional linear regulator (LR), and a contactor matrix. The LFC LR increases the overall station efficiency and eliminates the volume and cooling complexity associated with the high-power magnetics, high-voltage capacitors, and high-frequency switches of state-of-the-art (SotA) isolated dc–dc converters. Compared to a SotA isolated dc–dc converter, the LR experiences 83.6% less loss for the same rated EV charge power. Over a day of typical operation, a three-port LFC station is shown to have 28% less loss than a state-of-the-art BA-DCFC, with an average efficiency of 93.4%. The LFC achieves redundancy at the station, BESS, and LR levels while also integrating active balancing of state-of-charge/health without auxiliary switched-mode converters. The proposed system is verified using full-scale transient simulations and experimental results from a scaled, hardware-in-loop implementation with a custom LR and series-connected battery modules.

Solving the irreversible loss of Zn metal anodes caused by side reactions such as hydrogen evolution is very important for the application of aqueous zinc-ion batteries (AZIBs). Researchers pay more attention to the construction of interface layer and the adjustment of electrolyte to suppress the side reaction between zinc anode and electrolyte, while ignoring the influence of electrolyte dosage in battery system, which leads to the difficulty in comparing data. Herein, the method of adjusting the dosage of electrolyte in the cell was put forward to obtain the most suitable volume of electrolyte. The results showed that the comprehensive performance of the cell was the best when the volume of electrolyte was 50 μL (E-50) on zinc electrode of 1.13 cm−2. Linear sweep voltammetry and thickness variation during cell cycle showed that E-50 relieved hydrogen evolution. Conclusively, Zn|E-50|Zn exhibited cycling steadily for more than 2000 h at a current density of 5 mA cm−2and an area capacity of 1 mAh cm−2, showing low voltage hysteresis. Moreover, Zn|E-50|AC capacitors provide a capacity of 70.2 mAh g−1at a current density of 5 A g−1and a capacity retention of 94.28 % after 6000 cycles. This work possesses important reference value for scientific research and engineering application of AZIBs.

Aqueous zinc energy storage devices, holding various merits such as high specific capacity and low costs, have attracted extensive attention in recent years. Nevertheless, Zn metal anodes still suffer from a short lifespan and low Coulombic efficiency due to corrosion and side reactions in aqueous electrolytes. In this paper, we construct an artificial Sn inorganic layer on Zn metal anode through a facile strategy of atom exchange. The Sn layer suppresses Zn dendrite growth by facilitating homogeneous Zn plating and stripping during charge and discharge processes. Meanwhile, the Sn protective layer also serves as a physical barrier to decrease Zn corrosion and hydrogen generation. As a result, The Sn-coated anode (Sn|Zn) exhibits a low polarization voltage (∼34 mV at 0.5 mAh/cm2) after 800 testing hours and displays a smooth and an even surface without corrosion. Moreover, the zinc ion capacitor (Sn|Zn||activated carbon) is assembled with an enhanced capacity of 42 mAh/g and a capacity retention of 95% after 10,000 cycles at 5 A/g. This work demonstrates a feasible approach for the commercialization of aqueous Zn-based energy storage devices.

Quantum many-body systems away from equilibrium host a rich variety of exotic phenomena that are forbidden by equilibrium thermodynamics. A prominent example is that of discrete time crystals1–8, in which time-translational symmetry is spontaneously broken in periodically driven systems. Pioneering experiments have observed signatures of time crystalline phases with trapped ions9,10, solid-state spin systems11–15, ultracold atoms16,17and superconducting qubits18–20. Here we report the observation of a distinct type of non-equilibrium state of matter, Floquet symmetry-protected topological phases, which are implemented through digital quantum simulation with an array of programmable superconducting qubits. We observe robust long-lived temporal correlations and subharmonic temporal response for the edge spins over up to 40 driving cycles using a circuit of depth exceeding 240 and acting on 26 qubits. We demonstrate that the subharmonic response is independent of the initial state, and experimentally map out a phase boundary between the Floquet symmetry-protected topological and thermal phases. Our results establish a versatile digital simulation approach to exploring exotic non-equilibrium phases of matter with current noisy intermediate-scale quantum processors21.

As a transition metal phosphide, CoP is considered as an alternative anode material for lithium-ion batteries because of its high theoretical specific capacity and good thermal stability. However, the problems of strong agglomeration, low conductivity and large volume change during charging and discharging hinder its practical application. Compounding with highly conductive materials to prepare CoP with special structure is an effective method to improve its electrochemical performance. In this work, the negative charge at the end of the branched chain of MXene was used to attract positively charged cobalt ions, and sea urchin-like cobalt phosphate loaded with MXene (CoP@Ti3C2) was prepared by hydrothermal method and calcination. The pore structure formed by MXene reduced the accumulation in the material preparation process, improved the conductivity, and provided enough free space to adapt to the volume expansion in the lithiation/delithiation process. Finally, the CoP@Ti3C2electrode showed satisfactory cycling and rate performance, and exhibited a specific capacity of 420 mAh g−1after 1000 cycles at 1 A g−1. The CoP@Ti3C2has a wide application prospect as an anode material for lithium-ion batteries, and this work provides an effective way for designing other transition metal phosphide composites.

Aqueous zinc ion battery is a promising next-generation energy storage device with high safety, low cost and environmental friendliness. However, the dendrite growth caused by uneven deposition of zinc ions and the corrosion of electrolyte on the electrode seriously shorten the cycle life of Zn anode. In this work, a three-dimensional zincophilic layer modified Zn anode (PZ-8@Zn) was prepared by electrospinning method to compound the zeolitic imidazolate framework-8 (ZIF-8) in polyacrylonitrile fiber. The coating of three-dimensional fiber layer enhances the corrosion resistance of the electrode and reduces the local current density, thus inhibiting the generation of Zn dendrites. The zincophilic ZIF-8 is beneficial to accelerate the zinc ion deposition kinetics on the electrode surface and reduce the nucleation barrier of Zn. Therefore, the PZ-8@Zn||PZ-8@Zn symmetric cells exhibits satisfactory rate performance and cycle stability, with a low overpotential of 69 mV after cycling at 3 mA cm−2for 800 h. The PZ-8@Zn||AC capacitor has a large specific capacity of 86.1 mAh g−1after 1000 cycles at 1 A g−1. This work provides a method to construct zinc ion deposition channels to obtain dendrite-free zinc anodes.

Transmembrane integrin receptors represent a major component of cell-extracellular matrix (ECM) communications that mediate cellular biological activities, including proliferation and differentiation. Stem cells, especially mesenchymal stem cells (MSC), have rapidly emerged as promising therapies for various diseases. Dynamic links exist between extracellular and intracellular environments that profoundly influence the cellular activities via integrin receptors, such as cell morphology transformation and differentiation. Interpreting the roles of integrin receptors in the regulation of MSC differentiation may potentially lead to an amplified therapeutic effect. In this review, we summarize, for the first time, the potential mechanisms by which integrins promote MSC multilineage differentiation, including integrin downstream signaling cascades and the interactions between integrin and ion channels, the cytoskeleton, and nuclear mechanoresponses. Furthermore, we focus on the current state and future prospects of the application of integrins to promote cell differentiation.

A distributed feedback (DFB) fiber laser and fiber Bragg gratings (FBGs) are configured to demodulate the wavelength shifts of FBG dynamic strain sensors. The FBG sensors act as sensing units to detect the dynamic strain and the demodulators while the DFB fiber laser only acts as a narrow-linewidth light source. As the reflective spectrum of the FBG sensor changes due to dynamic strains, the output is subsequently converted into a corresponding intensity change and detected directly by a photodetector. The 0.2 nm linewidth FBG sensor can detect the impact signal with a frequency of up to 300 kHz with a maximum of 29.17 µ?, which is comparable with the detecting result of the piezoelectric transducer sensor. Moreover, the directional response of the FBG sensor is maximized when the direction of acoustic wave propagation is parallel to the optical fiber. The relation between the sensitivity and the FBG spectrum linewidth is presented, and the detectable strain range versus different FBG linewidths is also discussed.

Aqueous zinc ion batteries (AZIBs) are an important research direction in the current energy storage field. However, dendrites and hydrogen evolution limit their wide application. Here, we performed heat treatment modification of glass fiber (GF) using l-alanine and sodium hydroxide solution. The −NH2and −COOH functional groups contained in l-alanine introduced into LA@GF synergistically promoted the uniform deposition of zinc ions. The −NH2effectively acts as an ion pump for zinc ion transport and improves the transport kinetics of zinc ions. After the modification, the mobility number of zinc ions and the exchange current density are significantly increased. Meanwhile, the −COOH functional group can form a hydrogen bond with water molecules, thus facilitating the desolvation process of zinc hexahydrate ions. The symmetric batteries using the LA@GF separator have a cycle life of more than 600 h at 0.5 mAh cm–2.

In recent years, the demand for energy storage equipment has been increasing, and aqueous zinc ion batteries with high safety and environmental protection have attracted widespread attention. However, their lifespan remains limited due to severe side reactions and the growth of zinc dendrites. Up to now, a lot of work has been done on electrolyte additives, but the comprehensive influence of the electrolyte concentration and volume on aqueous zinc ion batteries has received less attention. In the process of battery assembly, too much electrolyte will lead to low energy density of the whole battery, so it is necessary to explore trace electrolytes. In this study, the corrosion of the zinc anode and the growth of zinc dendrites were effectively inhibited by using 30 μL of trace high-concentration electrolyte. The results showed that the symmetric cell with 3 M ZnSO4electrolyte exhibited a stable cycle for 3000 h at 1 mA cm–2. The activation energy of the zinc deposition process was reduced. The reversibility of zinc electroplating/stripping was improved, and the average Coulombic efficiency of Zn|3 M ZnSO4|Cu half cell was ∼99.9% after 800 cycles at 5 mA cm–2. Additionally, the specific capacity of the Zn || activated carbon capacitor was 93.2 mAh g–1after 6000 cycles at 5 A g–1. This indicates that trace high-concentration electrolytes can effectively improve the performance of aqueous zinc ion energy storage devices. At present, the evaluation of electrochemical performance comparison of zinc metal anode is inconsistent. The investigation of trace electrolyte concentration in this study is instrumental in establishing a robust anode assessment criterion for zinc ion batteries and facilitating the rapid advancement of zinc ion battery technology.

The notorious zinc dendrite is a severe constraint to the practical application of zinc-based batteries, as the metal tips growing vertically in two dimensions on the surface of the electrodes during cycling and loosely packed sharp edges may pierce through the diaphragm, posing a safety hazard. In this study, physical stress extrusion was used to generate micron- or submicron-sized cracks on zinc metal anodes, which significantly increased the specific surface area of the electrodes and mitigated the local current density of the electrodes. Zinc ion fluxes were significantly dispersed, producing a dense Zn2SO4(OH)6-xH2O (ZHS) layer, which differed distinctly from the by-products of the loose upright growth on the surface of Raw Zn (RZn). Additionally, three-dimensional structure of cracked zinc composition allows it to adjust the zinc volume variations during electroplating/stripping, and the abundance of nucleation sites significantly reduces the Zn polarization voltage, resulting in uniform Zn deposition. The average cycle life of the symmetric cell was >400 h at 1 mA cm−2current density, and nearly 500 cycles at 5 mA cm−2current density for the asymmetric cell, with an average Coulombic efficiency of 99.3 %. The activation energy substantially declined with the increase in Zn ion flux per unit time (29.615 KJ mol−1vs. 44.041 KJ mol−1), demonstrating efficient desolvation kinetics. Furthermore, the Crack Zn || V2O5full cell also exhibits outstanding self-discharge performance, with 85 % capacity retention in a 48 h resting charge/discharge testing, superior to the raw zinc foil anode (78.3 %). Herein, a method of creating microcrack configurations on the surface of zinc anodes using stress extrusion was presented, sparing the current density while optimizing the undesirable growth patterns of ZHS by-products.

The application of aqueous zinc-ion batteries (AZIBs) is impeded by interface side reactions and dendrite formation. The hard problems were addressed by selecting a safe and cost-effective high concentration of citric acid for the treatment of Zn foil, leading to formation of zinc citrate (ZC) on the Zn surface. For one thing, the ZC layer avoids direct contact between the metal anode and electrolyte, and inhibits the side reaction at the interface. And the presence of a lower proportion of active (002) crystal face on the c-Zn surface also serves to mitigate side reactions induced by water. The c-Zn anode has low corrosion current density (4.5 mA cm−2). For another, the ZC layer regulate the electric field on the surface of c-Zn, thereby promote the uniform plating/stripping of zinc. Conclusively, the cyclic life of c-Zn//c-Zn battery is 650 h at 0.8 mA cm−2. The c-Zn//Na-doped V2O5full battery has a specific capacity of 235.5 mAh g−1after 200 cycles at 1 A g−1, and a capacity retention rate of 90.2 %. The present work introduces a novel and efficient approach for the surface optimization of zinc metal anodes.

Peripheral nerve injury is a debilitating condition that have a profound impact on the overall quality of an individual’s life. The repair of peripheral nerve defects continues to present significant challenges in the field. Iron oxide magnetic nanoparticles (IONPs) have been recognized as potent nanotools for promoting the regeneration of peripheral nerves due to their capability as biological carriers and their ability to template the hydrogel structure under an external magnetic field. This research used a fibrin nanofiber hydrogel loaded with IONPs (IONPs/fibrin) to promote the regeneration of peripheral nerves in rats. In vitroexamination of PC12 cells on various concentrations of IONPs/fibrin hydrogels revealed a remarkable increase in NGF and VEGF expression at 2% IONPs concentration. The biocompatibility and degradation of 2% IONPs/fibrin hydrogel were assessed using the in vivoimaging system, demonstrating subcutaneous degradation within a week without immediate inflammation. Bridging a 10-mm sciatic nerve gap in Sprague Dawley rats with 2% IONPs/fibrin hydrogel led to satisfactory morphological recovery of myelinated nerve fibers. And motor functional recovery in the 2% IONPs/fibrin group was comparable to autografts at 6, 9 and 12 weeks postoperatively. Hence, the composite fibrin hydrogel incorporating 2% IONPs exhibits potential for peripheral nerve regeneration.

Data visualisation plays an integral role in the communication of complex data between expert and non-expert audiences. However, heretofore, large uncertainties remain concerning how people understand and interact with massive amounts of data. In this paper, we describe the design and evaluation of a series of interactive data physicalising installations, aim to evaluate the potential influence of technology upon traditional comprehension of material items, its connection to meaning and value, and how technology that allows for an extension of this thinking builds an emotional connection between audiences and the intangible object, ‘data’. The design of prototypes was driven by data of the three least appearing species in Scotland. Analysis of 60 audience members’ responses reveals the positive design potential of further exploring innovative design methods to engage people with data. Likewise, the results provide empirical evidence regarding hands-on experience with integrative data visualisation in a realistic scenario and suggest that inventive forms of visualisation could potentially trigger people’s emotional and memorial reactions, which may affect their decision making at an unconscious level

Despite decades of research, spinal cord injury (SCI) still causes irreparable damage to the human body. Key challenges that hinder the regeneration and extension of neurons following SCI must be overcome, including the overexpressed glial scar formation and strong inflammatory responses in lesion tissue. Transplantation of neural stem cells (NSCs) represents a promising therapeutic method due to its beneficial roles like growth factor secretion and anti-inflammation. However, NSCs usually differentiate into astrocytes, which is considered as one potential limitation of current NSC therapy. Herein, we fabricate an elastic poly(sebacoyl diglyceride) (PSeD) scaffold to mimic the mechanical properties of the natural spinal cord. The PSeD scaffold is coated with poly(sebacoyl diglyceride)-isoleucine-lysine-valine-alanine-valine-serine (PSeD-IKVAVS) to create a bioactive interface. The core point of this topic is divided into two parts. First, PSeD is a bioelastomer and its mechanical properties are similar to those of the natural spinal cord. This feature reduces the direct stimulation to the spinal cord tissue by the elastomer and then reduces the immune response or resistance caused by the host spinal cord tissue. Second, the IKVAVS peptide modifies PSeD to create a bioactive interface to support NSC growth and differentiation. In the in vivostudy, the number of CD68-positive macrophages decreased in the PSeD-IKVAVS/NSC group compared to that in the SCI group (20% vs 60%). The low inflammation induced by the scaffold was beneficial to NSCs, resulting in increased locomotor recovery, as indicated by the increased Basso–Beattie–Bresnahan score (5, the average score in the PSeD-IKVAVS/NSC group, vs 2, the average score in the SCI group). Based on the above two characteristics, a PSeD-IKVAVS bioelastomer is fabricated, which provides a beneficial and bioactive microenvironment for NSCs after transplantation.

Self-assembling colloidal particles in the cubic diamond crystal structure could potentially be used to make materials with a photonic bandgap1–3. Such materials are beneficial because they suppress spontaneous emission of light1and are valued for their applications as optical waveguides, filters and laser resonators4, for improving light-harvesting technologies5–7and for other applications4,8. Cubic diamond is preferred for these applications over more easily self-assembled structures, such as face-centred-cubic structures9,10, because diamond has a much wider bandgap and is less sensitive to imperfections11,12. In addition, the bandgap in diamond crystals appears at a refractive index contrast of about 2, which means that a photonic bandgap could be achieved using known materials at optical frequencies; this does not seem to be possible for face-centred-cubic crystals3,13. However, self-assembly of colloidal diamond is challenging. Because particles in a diamond lattice are tetrahedrally coordinated, one approach has been to self-assemble spherical particles with tetrahedral sticky patches14–16. But this approach lacks a mechanism to ensure that the patchy spheres select the staggered orientation of tetrahedral bonds on nearest-neighbour particles, which is required for cubic diamond15,17. Here we show that by using partially compressed tetrahedral clusters with retracted sticky patches, colloidal cubic diamond can be self-assembled using patch–patch adhesion in combination with a steric interlock mechanism that selects the required staggered bond orientation. Photonic bandstructure calculations reveal that the resulting lattices (direct and inverse) have promising optical properties, including a wide and complete photonic bandgap. The colloidal particles in the self-assembled cubic diamond structure are highly constrained and mechanically stable, which makes it possible to dry the suspension and retain the diamond structure. This makes these structures suitable templates for forming high-dielectric-contrast photonic crystals with cubic diamond symmetry.

Spinal cord injury (SCI) is different from peripheral nerve injury; it results in devastating and permanent damage to the spine, leading to severe motor, sensory and autonomic dysfunction. SCI produces a complex microenvironment that can result in hemorrhage, inflammation and scar formation. Not only does it significantly limit regeneration, but it also challenges a multitude of transplantation strategies. In order to promote regeneration, researchers have recently begun to focus their attention on strategies that manipulate the complicated microenvironment produced by SCI. And some have achieved great therapeutic effects. Hence, reconstructing an appropriate microenvironment after transplantation could be a potential therapeutic solution for SCI. In this review, first, we aim to summarize the influential compositions of the microenvironment and their different effects on regeneration. Second, we highlight recent research that used various transplantation strategies to modulate different microenvironments produced by SCI in order to improve regeneration. Finally, we discuss future transplantation strategies regarding SCI.

Sodium (Na) metal batteries have attracted increasing attention and gained rapid development. However, the processing, storing, and application of Na metal anodes are restricted by its inherent stickiness and poor mechanical properties. Herein, an MXene (Ti3C2Tx)-coated carbon cloth (Ti3C2Tx-CC) host is designed and synthesized, which shows a highly metallic conductive and sodiophilic surface. After a thermal infusion treatment, a Na-Ti3C2Tx-CC composite with rigidity and bendability is obtained and employed as a metal anode for Na ion batteries. The Na-Ti3C2Tx-CC electrodes present stable cycling performance and high stripping/plating capacity in both an ether-based (up to 5 mA·h·cm–2) and a carbonate-based (up to 8 mA·h·cm–2) electrolyte. The fundamental protection mechanism of MXene Ti3C2Txis investigated. Ti3C2Txefficiently induces Na’s initial nucleation and laterally oriented deposition, which effectively avoids the generation of mossy/dendritic Na. The arrangement of Na atoms deposited on the MXene surface inherits the MXene atomic architecture, leading to a smooth “sheet-like” Na surface. Meanwhile, a flexible Na-based Na-Ti3C2Tx-CC∥Na3V2(PO4)3device is assembled and exhibits capable electrochemical performance.

Spinal Cord Injury (SCI) causes irreversible functional loss of the affected population. The incidence of SCI keeps increasing, resulting in huge burden on the society. The pathogenesis of SCI involves neuron death and exotic reaction, which could impede neuron regeneration. In clinic, the limited regenerative capacity of endogenous cells after SCI is a major problem. Recent studies have demonstrated that a variety of stem cells such as induced Pluripotent Stem Cells (iPSCs), Embryonic Stem Cells (ESCs), Mesenchymal Stem Cells (MSCs) and Neural Progenitor Cells (NPCs) /Neural Stem Cells (NSCs) have therapeutic potential for SCI. However, the efficacy and safety of these stem cellbased therapy for SCI remain controversial. In this review, we introduce the pathogenesis of SCI, summarize the current status of the application of these stem cells in SCI repair, and discuss possible mechanisms responsible for functional recovery of SCI after stem cell transplantation. Finally, we highlight several areas for further exploitation of stem cells as a promising regenerative therapy of SCI.

Spinal cord injury (SCI) is a devastating event, and there are still no effective therapies currently available. Neural stem cells (NSCs) have gained increasing attention as promising regenerative therapy of SCI. NSCs based therapies of various neural diseases in animal models and clinical trials have been widely investigated. In this review we aim to summarize the development and recent progress in the application of NSCs in cell transplantation therapy for SCI. After brief introduction on sequential genetic steps regulating spinal cord development in vivo, we describe current experimental approaches for neural induction of NSCs in vitro. In particular, we focus on NSCs induced from pluripotent stem cells (PSCs). Finally, we highlight recent progress on the NSCs, which show great promise in the application to regeneration therapy for SCI.

Spinal cord injury (SCI), which is much in the public eye, is still a refractory disease compromising the well-being of both patients and society. In spite of there being many methods dealing with the lesion, there is still a deficiency in comprehensive strategies covering all facets of this damage. Further, we should also mention the structure called the corticospinal tract (CST) which plays a crucial role in the motor responses of organisms, and it will be the focal point of our attention. In this review, we discuss a variety of strategies targeting different dimensions following SCI and some treatments that are especially efficacious to the CST are emphasized. Over recent decades, researchers have developed many effective tactics involving five approaches: (1) tackle more extensive regions; (2) provide a regenerative microenvironment; (3) provide a glial microenvironment; (4) transplantation; and (5) other auxiliary methods, for instance, rehabilitation training and electrical stimulation. We review the basic knowledge on this disease and correlative treatments. In addition, some well-formulated perspectives and hypotheses have been delineated. We emphasize that such a multifaceted problem needs combinatorial approaches, and we analyze some discrepancies in past studies. Finally, for the future, we present numerous brand-new latent tactics which have great promise for curbing SCI. 本文根据脊髓不同传导束之间存在竞争以及其再 生需要的条件存在异质性, 得出优先关注皮质脊 髓束的结论。 同时, 旨在通过归纳目前治疗脊髓 损伤(特别是对皮质脊髓束)有效的各种策略, 寻找治疗脊髓损伤的最佳策略组合。 脊髓损伤的 恢复涉及众多方面的问题, 单一策略的失效(如 本文提及的SOX11的过度表达反而对功能有害) 往往提示治疗方案需要综合其它方面的问题。 因 此, 有必要总结一下脊髓损伤治疗的几个关键方 面, 并梳理一套可能的治疗路线规划。 本文另一 目的在于对过去一些关键理论、假说、矛盾进行 总结, 并在此基础上进行新的综合和思考。

Patches on the surfaces of colloidal particles provide directional information that enables the self-assembly of the particles into higher-order structures. Although computational tools can make quantitative predictions and can generate design rules that link the patch motif of a particle to its internal microstructure and to the emergent properties of the self-assembled materials, the experimental realization of model systems of particles with surface patches (or ‘patchy’ particles) remains a challenge. Synthetic patchy colloidal particles are often poor geometric approximations of the digital building blocks used in simulations and can only rarely be manufactured in sufficiently high yields to be routinely used as experimental model systems. Here we introduce a method, which we refer to as colloidal fusion, for fabricating functional patchy particles in a tunable and scalable manner. Using coordination dynamics and wetting forces, we engineer hybrid liquid–solid clusters that evolve into particles with a range of patchy surface morphologies on addition of a plasticizer. We are able to predict and control the evolutionary pathway by considering surface-energy minimization, leading to two main branches of product: first, spherical particles with liquid surface patches, capable of forming curable bonds with neighbouring particles to assemble robust supracolloidal structures; and second, particles with a faceted liquid compartment, which can be cured and purified to yield colloidal polyhedra. These findings outline a scalable strategy for the synthesis of patchy particles, first by designing their surface patterns by computer simulation, and then by recreating them in the laboratory with high fidelity.

The thermoelectric effect is one of the most promising techniques to generate electricity from waste heat energy. The commonly adopted approaches to enhance the thermoelectric performance limit the power factor because of the contradictory behavior between the Seebeck coefficient and electrical conductivity. This hurdle can be overcome via piezo-gating effect, which can modify the electronic band structure of active materials through strain. In this study, we developed piezo-gated flexible transistor (PGFT) comprised of ZnO thin-film (TFPGFT) and ZnO nanowires (NWPGFT) on polyethylene terephthalate (PET) as a flexible substrate and demonstrate the simultaneous enhancement of the Seebeck coefficient and conductivity by incorporating piezo-gating effect. The TFPGFT shows a gauge factor of ∼115, much higher than NWPGFTs. Further, the TFPGFT shows a higher Seebeck coefficient enhancement ∼12 times (∼0.13 to ∼1.76 µV/K) under strain resulting from the dominating piezo-gating effect. Therefore, the synergistic piezo-gating and thermoelectric effect dramatically boosts the power factor of TFPGFT by approximately 400 times (from ∼0.36 mW/K2to ∼140.3 mW/K2), which can improve the performance of thermoelectric devices to a new dimension. Finally, we propose a self-powered single-dimension strain sensor based on thermoelectric power, reaching a gauge factor of ∼16.

Polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) bone cement extensively utilized for the treatment of osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures due to its exceptional handleability and mechanical properties. Nevertheless, the clinical application of PMMA bone cement is restricted by its poor bioactivity and excessively high modulus of elasticity. Herein, mineralized small intestinal submucosa (mSIS) was incorporated into PMMA to prepare a partially degradable bone cement (mSIS–PMMA) that provided suitable compressive strength and reduced elastic modulus compared to pure PMMA. The ability of mSIS–PMMA bone cement to promote the attachment, proliferation and osteogenic differentiation of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells was shown through cellular experiments carried out in vitro, and an animal osteoporosis model validated its potential to improve osseointegration. Considering these benefits, mSIS–PMMA bone cement shows promising potential as an injectable biomaterial for orthopedic procedures that require bone augmentation.

Herein, a battery health diagnosis approach that combines electrochemical performance aging and lumped thermal models with electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and voltage monitoring is proposed, allowing the segregation and quantification of ohmic, chemical, and diffusion‐mechanical related losses. This approach accurately identifies battery lifetime thresholds such as first‐life, second‐life, and turnaround points, by combining the use of a capacity indicator and overpotentials as battery health indicators. This approach, which is demonstrated at the cell level, is scalable to module and pack levels and applicable to different cell chemistries and battery configurations. This battery health diagnosis approach is validated with performance and degradation data from lithium iron phosphate and nickel–manganese–cobalt cells, showing good agreement when comparing the predicted capacity fade against measured values. Herein, a battery health diagnosis approach that combines electrochemical performance aging and lumped thermal models with electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and voltage monitoring is proposed, allowing the segregation and quantification of ohmic, chemical, and diffusion‐mechanical‐related losses. This approach accurately identifies battery lifetime thresholds combining the use of a capacity indicator and overpotentials as battery health indicators.

We studied moisture and volatile determination in bituminous coal samples using near-infrared (NIR) spectra. This research was developted by applying partial least squares regression (PLS) and discrete wavelet transform (DWT). Firstly, NIR spectra were pre-processed by DWT for fitting and compression. Then, DWT coefficients were used to build regression model with PLS. We used NIR spectra to determination moisture and volatile determination in coal samples seperately and simultaneously. Through parameters optimization, the results show that DWT-PLS can obtain satisfactory performance for separate and simultanous determination.

•The water-in-salt LiTFSI electrolyte enlarges the voltage window of the device.•LiTFSI electrolyte promises the device working in the temperature range of 0–70 ℃.•15 mol kg−1LiTFSI electrolyte enhance the electrochemical performance of Mg-OMS-1.•AC|LiTFSI|Mg-OMS-1 capacitor-battery shows a capacity of 108 mAh g−1at 1C and 70 ℃.

Two-electron oxygen reduction toward hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) offers a promising alternative for H2O2production, but its commercial utilization is still hindered by the difficulty of transferring lab-observed catalyst performance to the practical reactor. Here we report the investigation of the porosity engineering effect on catalytic performance inconsistency through a material platform consisting of a series of hollow mesoporous carbon sphere (HMCS) samples. The performance comparison of HMCS samples in rotating ring-disk electrode and Zn-air battery together with the simulation of diffusion behavior reveals that, in low current density conditions, large surface area is preferred, but the mass transport governs the performance in high current density regions. On account of the favorable porous structure, HMCS-8 nm delivers the most excellent practical performance (166 mW cm–2) and performs well in the bifunctional Zn-air battery for the wastewater purification (70% RhB degraded after 2 min and 99% after 32 min).

This paper introduced common special effects of nano-CaCO3 with nanometer materials and prepared nano-CaCO3 using the raw material, CaCl2 and (NH4)2CO3 and surfactant, appropriate organic matter. The intermiscibility of Phenolic resin and CaCO3 was preliminarily researched and the distribution, morphology and size and of nano-CaCO3 were characterized and analysed by sample characterization methods.