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Prime editor (PE), a new genome editing tool, can generate all 12 possible base-to-base conversions, insertion, and deletion of short fragment DNA. PE has the potential to correct the majority of known human genetic disease-related mutations. Adeno-associated viruses (AAVs), the safe vector widely used in clinics, are not capable of delivering PE (∼6.3 kb) in a single vector because of the limited loading capacity (∼4.8 kb). To accommodate the loading capacity of AAVs, we constructed four split-PE (split-PE994, split-PE1005, split-PE1024, and split-PE1032) using Rma intein (Rhodothermus marinus). With the use of a GFP-mutated reporter system, PE reconstituting activities were screened, and two efficient split-PEs (split-PE1005 and split-PE1024) were identified. We then demonstrated that split-PEs delivered by dual-AAV1, especially split-PE1024, could mediate base transversion and insertion at four endogenous sites in human cells. To test the performance of split-PE in vivo, split-PE1024 was then delivered into the adult mouse retina by dual-AAV8. We demonstrated successful editing of Dnmt1 in adult mouse retina. Our study provides a new method to deliver PE to adult tissue, paving the way for in vivo gene-editing therapy using PE.

Herpes simplex keratitis (HSK) is the most common cause of corneal blindness in developed nations, caused by primary or recurrent herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1) infection of the cornea. Latent infection of HSV-1, especially in the trigeminal ganglion (TG), causes recurrence of HSV-1 infection. As antiviral treatment is not effective on latent HSV-1, to test the possibility of inhibiting HSV-1 by SpCas9 (Streptococcus pyogenes Cas9) or SaCas9 (Staphylococcus aureus Cas9), ICP0 and ICP4, two important genes required for HSV-1 replication and reactivation, were chosen as targets. In Vero cells, SpCas9 and SaCas9 targeting ICP0 or ICP4 can effectively inhibit the proliferation of HSV-1 without affecting cell viability. No significant guide RNA (gRNA)-dependent off-targets were observed in the human genome by digenome sequencing and deep sequencing verification. Adeno-associated virus 1 (AAV1)-mediated delivery of SaCas9 inhibits HSV-1 replication by targeting ICP4 in mouse primary TG neuronal cells. SpCas9 and SaCas9 are able to inhibit HSV-1 infection in Vero cells and mouse TG neuronal cultures with high efficiency and good biosafety. AAV1-mediated delivery of SaCas9 shows great potential in treating HSK and inhibiting HSV-1 in TG neurons. Further investigations may be needed to test the inhibition of latent infections, which may result in the development of novel methods for treating viral diseases., Graphical Abstract, There is no effective treatment that can eliminate persistent HSV-1 within trigeminal ganglion (TG) neurons. Even though the meganucleases and CRISPR-SpCas9 system can interrupt the HSV-1 genome, they could not be packaged in an AAV system for in vivo therapy. In this study, the authors show the potential use of a single AAV1-mediated delivery system of ICP4-targeting SaCas9 to inhibit HSV-1 in TG neurons.

The iron species in the lower valence state in steel slag are capable of thermochemical H2O splitting and producing hydrogen energy. The defining of the slag reactivity with varying particle size distributions was put forward. The results showed the hydrogen generation rate was primarily dependent on temperature and particle size. The kinetics analysis revealed a typical self-retardation reaction behavior for the fine slag, due to the clogging of macropores upon oxidation. In comparison, the reaction kinetics of the coarser slag were described well by three-dimension diffusion model and exhibited better resistance against the rate decline. The coarser slag had much more grain junctions and fewer fraction of RO phases distributed at the particle surface. Due to the lack of free surfaces, the volume expansion derived from the oxidation of RO phase would cause larger mismatch stresses at grain boundaries, and further trigger the cracks formation.

Purpose The aim of this study was to explore the effects of an enteral nutrition (EN) feeding protocol in critically ill patients. Methods This was a prospective multi-center before-after study. We compared energy related and prognostic indicators between the control group (pre-implementation stage) and intervention group (post-implementation stage). The primary endpoint was the percentage of patients receiving EN within 7 days after ICU admission. Results 209 patients in the control group and 230 patients in the intervention group were enrolled. The implementation of the EN protocol increased the percentage of target energy reached from day 3 to day 7, and the difference between two groups reached statistical significance in day 6 (P = .01) and day 7 (P = .002). But it had no effects on proportion of patient receiving EN (P = .65) and start time of EN (P = .90). The protocol application might be associated with better hospital survival (89.1% vs 82.8%, P = .055) and reduce the incidence of EN related adverse (P = .004). There was no difference in ICU length of stay, duration of mechanical ventilation and ICU cost. Conclusion The implementation of the enteral feeding protocol is associated with improved energy intake and a decreased incidence of enteral nutrition related adverse events for critically ill patients, but it had no statistically beneficial effects on reducing the hospital mortality rate. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov , NCT02976155 . Registered November 29, 2016- Retrospectively registered, https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02976155 .

Image processing based fall detection has been widely studied. However, due to the different customers and rooms, the system may not work well with the prepared training data. Therefore, a fall detection system which can automatically adapt the environment is important. It is a good solution that system selects the most suitable model to detect the fall and uses the daily life images of the users to re-train the model while mis-detection occurs. This work studies how to select the most suitable model to detect the fall. Moreover, if a mis-detection occurs, the mis-detected frames are uploaded to cloud server and the model is retrained and sent to the edge node to detect the fall. Deep learning methods are employed to test the training data, and GoogLeNet gives the best performance.

Our previous studies showed that Candida tropicalis promoted colorectal cancer (CRC) by activating the function of MDSCs. However, underlying molecular mechanisms remains to be further investigated. In the present study, we indicated that C. tropicalis induced NLRP3 inflammasome activation through Dectin-3 in myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs). Mechanistically, we identified that C. tropicalis significantly enhanced the levels of glycolysis dependent on glycogen metabolism in MDSCs, which was required for NLRP3 inflammasome activation. C. tropicalis-induced NLRP3 inflammasome activation of MDSCs required the first priming signal and the second activation signal. For one thing, C. tropicalis promoted transcription of Nlrp3, Pro-caspase-1 and IL-1β genes through activation of JAK-STAT1 signaling pathway. For another, mtROS as the second activation signal mediated C. tropicalis-induced activation of NLRP3 inflammasome. Pharmacological inhibition of NLRP3 inflammasome activation abolished the pro-tumorigenic effect of C. tropicalis in an AOM/DSS-induced CAC mice model and significantly reduced C. tropicalis-promoted infiltration of MDSCs in colon tumors. Finally, in human CRC samples, the expression of STAT1, p-STAT1 and NLRP3 was elevated in MDSCs infiltrated by CRC. Collectively, these findings shed light on a previously unidentified mechanism by which C. tropicalis induces NLRP3 inflammasome activation in MDSCs to contribute to the progression of CRC. And STAT1-NLRP3 axis might represent a prospective therapeutic target for the treatment of CRC.

Core-shell structural Ni(OH)2@MnO2 electrodes with widened potential window and great stability are prepared through a two-step strategy, in which freestanding Ni(OH)2 discs grow on nickel-foam as core and wrinkled MnO2 coatings are electrodeposited as shell. The MnO2 shell successfully inhibits the O2 evolution process at the high oxidation potential so that the potential window of Ni(OH)2@MnO2 electrode is up to 1 V. Besides, the Ni(OH)2@MnO2 electrode presents a high specific capacity of 642.3 C g−1 at 1 mV s−1 and a long cyclic life without capacity fading, which is a breakthrough against the poor stability of reported Ni(OH)2/MnO2 electrodes Remarkably, an asymmetric supercapacitor (ASC) constructed by Ni(OH)2@MnO2 electrode and activated carbon electrode delivers a high energy density of 66.7 Wh kg−1 at a power density of 485.7 W kg−1 under potential window of 1.7 V. Furthermore, the ASC exhibits an energy density of 17.8 Wh kg−1 at a high power density of 14571.4 W kg−1 and a capacitance retention of 101.4% after 15,000 cycles, showing great rate capability and stable cyclic performance.

Olivine-type LiFexMn1-xPO4/C cathode materials are of great interest for lithium-ion batteries because of their higher lithium ion intercalation potential compared with that of LiFePO4. Two types of LiFe0.5Mn0.5PO4/C nanorods with different sizes and crystal structures were synthesized through a facile glycol-based solvothermal process with different precursor feeding sequences. The microstructural investigation revealed that the size and structure of the LiFe0.5Mn0.5PO4 nanorods can be tuned by nucleation and crystal growth rates of the intermediate precipitates, which can be controlled by precursor feeding sequence. The LiFe0.5Mn0.5PO4 nanorods obtained through the first feeding sequence (a solution of transition metal salts was added dropwise into the solution mixture of LiOH and H3PO4) exhibited less exposure of the (010) crystal faces and had bigger sizes compared with those of the LiFe0.5Mn0.5PO4 nanorods obtained through the second feeding sequence (a LiOH solution was added dropwise into the solution mixture of H3PO4 and transition metal salts). Electrochemical investigations indicated that the LiFe0.5Mn0.5PO4 nanorods obtained through the second feeding sequence showed substantially improved electrochemical performance, in which the discharge capacities reached 157 and 119 mAh g−1 at 0.2 and 5 C, respectively. Furthermore, a capacity retention of 89% was obtained after 500 cycles at 1 C, demonstrating excellent cyclic stability.

Mammalian spermatogenesis is maintained by a rare population of spermatogonial stem cells (SSCs), which are important for male fertility. SSCs remain a subset of undifferentiated spermatogonia, which can be isolated by a combination of surface markers. Specific markers to identify and isolate undifferentiated spermatogonia are lacking. Ussp1, a transcript previously annotated as long noncoding RNA (RIKEN cDNA 4933427D06, Gene ID: 232217), virtually encodes a membrane protein, USSP1, in a highly testis-specific manner in mouse. We demonstrate its expression on the membrane of undifferentiated spermatogonia by a homemade polyclonal rabbit antibody against the protein. In vivo, USSP1+ clusters consist mainly of As, Apr (GFRα1+) and Aal (PLZF+) cells. USSP1+ cells exhibit enrichment of undifferentiated spermatogonia, as shown by increased expression of SSC self-renewal molecular markers and the potential to form SSC clones in vitro and in vivo. However, Ussp1 knockout did not affect the number of SSCs or spermatogenesis in mice. Thy1+ cells from Ussp1 null mice did not show any defect in the SSC colony formation capacity, indicating that USSP1 is not essential for SSC self-renewal. Our data demonstrate that Ussp1 is specifically expressed in undifferentiated murine spermatogonia, indicating the potential to sort undifferentiated spermatogonia with USSP1 antibodies. Ussp1 might be a good maker for SSC enrichment in neonatal mice.

A unique double core-shell structure of Si@PANI@TiO2 nanocomposite is synthesized by a simple in-situ growth method. The two shells of polyaniline (PANI) and TiO2, hand in hand, play a key role to improve the electrochemical performance: First, the flexible properties of polyaniline (PANI) effectively accommodate the volume change of Si during the cycling. Second, the good mechanical feature of TiO2 can maintain the structural integrity and attenuate the volume expansion of Si cores. Finally, both of polyaniline and the lithiated TiO2 enhance the conductivity of Si, which promotes the electrons transport. Resulting in the Si@PANI@TiO2 double core-shell nanocomposite exhibits remarkable synergy in large, reversible lithium storage, delivering a reversible capacity as high as 1027 mAh g−1 after 500 cycles and a superior rate capacity of 640 mAh g−1, at a current of 500 and 4000 mA g−1, respectively. This excellent cycling and high-rate capability can be ascribed to the unique and well-designed double core-shell structure with the synergistic effect between polyaniline (PANI) and TiO2.

Soluble polysulfide (PS) shuttle severely degrading cyclic performances of high energy–density FeS2-based Li/Na-ion batteries remain unsolved problems. It is established that an ideal solid-electrolyte interphase (SEI) layer generated on the graphite anode of commercial lithium-ion batteries allows fast Li ion transport but completely isolates graphite from electrolyte. Herein, we propose an in situ solid-electrolyte interphase (SEI) engineering strategy from a new viewpoint of isolating the FeS2 cathode from the electrolyte rather than inhibiting the dissolved PS shuttle as suggested by other strategies. A stable SEI layer is designed to be in situ self-generated on hollow-structured FeS2/nitrogen-doped carbon (FeS2/CN) cathode by a few discharge/charge cycles in a low voltage window. The granular SEI layer derived from decompositions of the LiTFSI-based electrolyte consists of LiF, Li2CO3 and organic components, which almost inhibits the LiPS shuttle and endows the Li-FeS2/CN battery with stable 2000 discharge/charge cycles and coulombic efficiencies within (100 ± 0.5)% except a few cycles. Moreover, the SEI layer demonstrates its generality in drastically improving cyclic performance of Na-FeS2/CN battery. This efficient strategy is of convenience and low cost, possessing a great potential to be scaled to industrial level.

To suppress shuttling effect and improve electrochemical performance of the sulfur cathode for lithium-sulfur batteries, core-shell structured MoS2@S spherical cathode has been synthesized through a chemical route using MnCO3 as template. The MoS2 shells consist of MoS2 nanosheets. For comparison, MoS2/S cathode has also been synthesized through melting and diffusion of sulfur to commercial MoS2 powders. The electrochemical performance of the MoS2@S and MoS2/S cathodes have been evaluated using cyclic voltammetry, discharge/charge cycling, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy coupled with impedance fitting. The electrochemical performance of the MoS2@S spherical cathode has been much improved compared with that of MoS2/S. The capacity of the MoS2@S spheres can reach 1185.7 mA h g−1 at 0.2 C and 955.1 mA h g−1 at 1 C with initial-cycle coulombic efficiency of 90%. The capacity fading of each cycle is 0.1% during 200 lithiation/delithiation cycles. The MoS2@S spherical cathode with high cyclic capacity and stability is promising cathode candidate for lithium-sulfur batteries.

A yolk structure of C/SiO2/C and a hollow structure of C/SiO2 composites with porous feature are synthesized by one-step method and two steps method, respectively. When evaluate as an anode material for lithium-ion batteries (LIBs), the C/SiO2/C and C/SiO2 deliver an impressive cycle performance and exhibit an excellent rate capacity. More importantly, attributing to the one-step synthesis method of C/SiO2/C, it possesses interconnected micropore and higher special surface area, which provide a more efficient ionic transportation path and facilitate the diffusion of Li+ between the electrolyte and C/SiO2/C, thus the activation time of SiO2 can be effectively shorten. The capacity achieves the steady value of 1135 mAh g−1 (based on the weight of SiO2 in the electrode material) only by 60 cycles at 50 mA g−1 which is much faster than that of C/SiO2 and delivers a high-rate capacity of 390 mAh g−1 at 1000 mA g−1. Considering the good lithium storage abilities and fast-activated features, the C/SiO2/C composites hold promise in applications in practical LIBs.

Spinel-type Li4Ti5O12 has peculiar advantages in ultralong cyclic lifespan and high safety. However, its intrinsic low electrical conductivity strongly restricts its applications. Self-assembled mesoporous Li4Ti5O12/C hollow spheres have been obtained through an aerosol pathway, in which the mesoporous shells consist of Li4Ti5O12 nanoparticles embedded in amorphous carbon. Electrochemical performance of the mesoporous Li4Ti5O12/C hollow spheres has been evaluated, which demonstrate their excellent cyclic capacity, stability and rate capability for high power-density and long lifespan lithium-ion batteries. The initial reversible capacity reaches 164.3 mAh g−1 at 0.5 C, which is 93.9% or 98.3% of the theoretical capacity with or without carbon content. The capacity fading rate of each cycle is as low as 0.012%. A self-assembly mechanism of the mesoporous Li4Ti5O12/C hollow spheres has been proposed, which is expected to be beneficial for self-assembling hollow spherical structures with applications in batteries.

LiFePO4/graphene composites have been synthesized by a facile surfactant-assisted self-assembly way. In the LiFePO4/graphene composites, graphene could form an effective conductive network for electric transport. The effects of graphene content on structure and electrochemical performance have been investigated. The results show that all LiFePO4/graphene composites have higher rate capability and longer cycling stability than those of primitive LiFePO4. LiFePO4/graphene (with weight ratio of 94:6) displays the lowest charge transfer resistance among all samples and delivers discharge capacity of 132.6 mAh g−1 at 5 C rate, which is much more improved than that of primitive LiFePO4, i.e., 87.5 mAh g−1. Moreover, the capacity retention of all four LiFePO4/graphene composites are about 80% after 1000 cycles, which is much better than that of primitive LiFePO4, i.e., 49%.

Due to the potential health risks and hazards associated with the intake of metronidazole, several governments and consumers have become increasingly concerned about the quality and safety of food in the recent years. Since it is not possible to avoid the side effects of metronidazole, immense efforts are being taken to appraise and monitor its concentration in feed in order to ensure the safe consumption of food. However, simple certified reference materials (CRMs) for the quality control and quality assurance of metronidazole are still lacking. Thus, the first matrix CRM for metronidazole was developed from egg powder. This paper presents the complete process of the development of a CRM for metronidazole in egg powder, including sample preparation, homogeneity and stability studies, and the uncertainty assessment. The egg samples were taken from hens that took metronidazole orally. The matrix CRM developed was quantified using isotope dilution high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry. Concurrently, in order to support the certification study, an interlaboratory contrast study involving eight expert laboratories was implemented. The bulk material was bottled in 4 g portions. While the stability of the CRM was monitored at −20 °C for 13 months, at −4°C, 20 °C, and 40 °C for 9 days. During the monitoring period, the matrix CRM candidate was found to be stable at all temperatures.

Corneal lymphangiogenesis induced by macrophages played a critical role in corneal allograft rejection (CGR). However, there are few Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved drugs that target lymphangiogenesis. The aim of our study is to evaluate the effects of dimethyl fumarate (DMF) on corneal allograft survival in rats. Penetrating corneal transplantation was performed in rats. Subconjunctival injections of dimethyl fumarate (20 µg) were administered at the end of the operation and postoperative day 3 to day 11. The clinical signs of corneal allografts were evaluated. Immunohistochemistry, quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR), flow cytometry and western blot were performed respectively. The effects and mechanism of DMF on RAW264.7 cells were determined by qPCR, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and western blot in vitro. The results showed that subconjunctival injections of DMF could significantly inhibit corneal lymphangiogenesis and CGR with decreased corneal macrophage infiltration compared with the vehicle group. Moreover, DMF could reduce the mRNA expression of monocyte chemoattractant protein 1 (MCP-1), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-6 (IL-6), interleukin-1β (IL-1β), and vascular endothelial growth factor-C (VEGF-C) in the corneal grafts and RAW264.7 macrophages by inhibiting NF-κB activation. Furthermore, compared with the vehicle group, the number of dendritic cells in the ipsilateral cervical lymph nodes of the DMF-treated group was decreased significantly. Collectively, our findings showed that DMF could suppress CGR by inhibiting the macrophage-induced corneal lymphoangiogenesis.

Carbonaceous material is considered as the most promising anode material for potassium ion batteries (KIBs) in the advantages of low price, stable physical/chemical properties, and renewable resources. However, the moderate capacity and sluggish kinetics cast a shadow over its application. Here, we synthesize multiple active sites decorated porous hollow carbon nanospheres (S/N-PHCs) by a one-step large scalable carbonization method with polypyrrole coated polystyrene and low-cost sulfur as precursors. The obtained S/N-PHCs exhibits an amorphous nanocarbon structure with high specific surface area (502.2 m2 g−1) and S, N content of 9.12 and 3.14 at.%, respectively. The porous hollow nanospheres structure promotes the fully utilization of multiple active sites and a capacitive-dominated K+ storage. Consequently, the S/N-PHCs electrode delivers an ultrahigh specific capacity of 460.6 mAh g−1 at a current density of 100 mA g−1 with an initial Coulombic efficiency of 67.7% and excellent rate capability of 228.1 mAh g−1 at 5000 mA g−1. Moreover, a high reversible capacity of 249.7 mAh g−1 can be retained over 1000 cycles at 1000 mA g−1 (83.4% of the initial specific capacity), demonstrating a remarkable cycle stability. This work provides a scalable and environmentally friendly strategy to achieve hierarchical amorphous carbon as superior anode for KIBs.

IL-23/IL-23R and PGE2/EP2+EP4 have been recognized as crucial signals that promote Th17 differentiation in many autoimmune diseases, including thyroid-associated ophthalmopathy (TAO). However, the interactive role of IL-23R in IL-23/Th17 signaling and PGE2/Th17 signaling has not been clarified in TAO. Furthermore, the role of IL-38, a novel anti-inflammatory cytokine, has not been explored in TAO. Thus, we aimed to investigate the roles of IL-23R and IL-38 in the pathogenesis of TAO. Activated peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were cultured with or without IL-23 and PGE2. The results showed that IL-23R and IL-17A were upregulated to different degrees and reached the highest levels with both stimuli, indicating that IL-23 induced PBMCs to secrete PGE2, which further boosted the proportion of IL-23R+CD4+T cells to promote IL-17A secretion. Pretreatment with antagonists aimed at EP2/EP4 receptors diminished PGE2-induced upregulation of IL-23R and IL-17A. IL-38 in TAO patients was increased. Activated orbital fibroblasts (OFs) and PBMCs were pretreated with different concentrations of IL-38. IL-23R and IL-17A expression in circulating PBMCs and IL-6 and IL-8 in resident OFs were suppressed by IL-38 at relatively low concentrations. Our findings suggest that the feedback loop of IL-23/IL-23R/PGE2/EP2+EP4/IL-23R/IL-17A plays a significant role in the pathogenesis of TAO and that IL-23R is one of the key targets. Increased IL-38 in TAO could not only inhibit the expression of IL-23R and IL-17A in PBMCs but also suppress inflammation in OFs. Therapies targeting IL-23R may be effective, and IL-38 could be a potential therapeutic approach for TAO.

Investigating the internal factors that affect the initial coulombic efficiency (ICE) of silicon/graphite (Si/G) composites and improving ICE are critical to promote applications of Si/G composites in lithium-ion batteries. Here, four types of Si/G composites are prepared with different specific surface area, Si–G phase interface and charge transfer impedance (Rct) to study the internal factors affecting the ICE of Si/G composites. The experimental results show that the influencing factors on ICE of Si/G composites are not only specific surface area, but also the Si–G phase interface and Rct. During the first lithiation process of Si/G composites, there are some reversible phase (LixSi, LixC) and irreversible phase (Li2O, Li2SiO4 and organolithium) formed, the ICE of Si/G composites is mainly determined by the irreversible phase. The specific surface area, Rct and Si–G phase interface can affect the reaction kinetics of the materials and the ratio of reversible/irreversible phase content, which ultimately affect the ICE of Si/G composites. A smaller specific surface area and well Si–G phase interface with a low Rct will bring a higher ICE of Si/G composites. This report may provide a new idea for the research of ICE of Si/G composites and promote their practical application.

To compete with commercial lithium-ion batteries, light-weight, conductive and polar hosts with high sulfur loading content are required for lithium-sulfur batteries. Herein, light-weight g-C3N4/carbon hybrid cages as sulfur host have been designed and fabricated using NaCl and nanosized manganese compounds (MnO and MnCN2) as templates via a facile and controllable aerosol-pyrolysis route. The porous g-C3N4/carbon shell is designed to facilitate fast electron/Li ion transports and impede lithium polysulfide shuttle simultaneously. The cage cavity created by the NaCl template is designed to enhance sulfur loading content. Electrochemical evaluations demonstrate excellent cyclic capacity and stability of core-shell structured S@g-C3N4/carbon cathode endowed by the versatile structural and chemical advantages of the g-C3N4/carbon host cages. The first-cycle discharge capacities reach 1517 and 1240 mAh g−1 at 0.2 C and 1 C, respectively, demonstrating efficient utilization of the loaded sulfur. The capacity fading rate of each cycle is 0.09% during 400 discharge/charge cycles (from the second cycle) at 1 C. These light-weight, conductive and polar g-C3N4/carbon cages have been demonstrated to be suitable hosts to load sulfur as high-performance cathode for lithium-sulfur batteries.

Si is of great interest as anode candidate for high energy-density lithium ion batteries. However, the rapid capacity fading and low first-cycle coulombic efficiency strongly hinder its applications. Ultrafine Si/C nanoparticles mixed graphite powders as composite anode materials have been synthesized through magnesiothermic reduction of ultrafine SiO2/C, and then mixed with graphite. Electron microscopy investigation indicates that the ultrafine Si/C particles with size ca. 10 nm are attached on the graphite surface. Electrochemical evaluation demonstrates that the cyclic performance of the ultrafine Si/C-graphite composite materials has been improved compared with Si and Si/C, in which the reversible capacity can reach 662.4 mAh g−1 with the first-cycle coulombic efficiency as high as 90.9%. Meanwhile, the capacity retention can reach 90.8% over 100 cycles. These ultrafine Si/C-graphite composite materials are promising anode candidate with combined electrochemical properties to meet multiple requirements of high energy-density lithium ion batteries.

Automatic multi-pass route planning is one of key technologies for thick plate in robotic metal active gas (MAG) arc welding. In this research, a scheme for the extracting feature points of the weld seam profile to implement automatic multi-pass route planning, and guidance of the initial welding position in each layer during MAG arc welding, is presented. It consists of two steps: first a vision sensor based on structured light is employed to capture laser stripes and molten pools simultaneously within the same frame, and the laser stripe, forming the weld seam profile is detected by a visual attention model based on saliency. Then a methodology of polynomial fitting plus derivatives for feature point extraction of the weld seam profile is suggested. With respect to the effectiveness of highlighting the laser stripe, the proposed model is much better than the classic ones in this field, whereas the feature point extraction methodology in this paper outperforms typical template matching. Finally, the performance of the proposed scheme is demonstrated on different weld seam images captured in different layers and different welding experiments. New vision sensor captures laser stripes and molten pools simultaneously.A visual attention model for detecting weld seam profiles is proposed.Three kinds of feature points of weld seam profiles can be extracted.Different images captured in different layers validate the proposed methods.The extracted feature points can be used for multi-pass route planning.

We present a new fifth-order accurate finite difference method for hyperbolic equations on block-adaptive curvilinear grids. The scheme employs the 5th order accurate monotonicity preserving limiter MP5 to construct high order accurate face fluxes. The fifth-order accuracy of the spatial derivatives is ensured by a flux correction step. The method is generalized to curvilinear grids with a free-stream preserving discretization. It is also extended to block-adaptive grids using carefully designed ghost cell interpolation algorithms. Only three layers of ghost cells are required, and the grid blocks can be as small as 6 × 6 × 6 cells. Dynamic grid refinement and coarsening are also fifth-order accurate. All interpolation algorithms employ a general limiter based on the principles of the MP5 limiter. The finite difference scheme is fully conservative on static uniform grids. Conservation is only maintained at the truncation error level at grid resolution changes and during grid adaptation, but our numerical tests indicate that the results are still very accurate. We demonstrate the capabilities of the new method on a number of numerical tests, including smooth but non-linear problems as well as simulations involving discontinuities.

Carbon-coated Li4Ti5O12 and lithiated Li4+xTi5O12 anode materials have been synthesized using nanosized anatase TiO2 and commercial TiO2 with mixed structure as Ti sources, respectively. Microstructural investigation indicates that Li4Ti5O12 and Li4+xTi5O12 are covered by amorphous carbon layers with thickness of 2–3 nm. Their electrochemical performance has been evaluated, which indicates that an amount of active Li ions have been pre-stored in the Li4+xTi5O12 lattice during solid-state synthesis, resulting in its first-cycle coulombic efficiency over 100%. Further, Li4+xTi5O12/C exhibits higher cyclic capacities than Li4Ti5O12/C at different current density. The reversible charge capacity retention of Li4+xTi5O12/C reaches 98.5% after 100 cycles, which indicates that Li4+xTi5O12/C is promising candidate anode material for long lifetime lithium-ion batteries. The formation mechanism of Li4+xTi5O12/C has been discussed, in which the nanosized anatase TiO2 with high chemical activity and the carbon coating play key roles for the formation of Li4+xTi5O12/C.

Here, we report a nano-sized red phosphorous/biomass-derived porous carbon (P@BDPC) which is employed as anode materials for lithium ion batteries (LIBs) via a facile vaporization−condensation−conversion strategy (VCC) with tobacco stem as the carbon precursor. The biomass-derived porous carbon not only acts as the host of red phosphorus to enhance the electrical conductivity, but also minimizes the volume expansion (≈400%) during cycling. The obtained P@BDPC composite with a high red phosphorus content (62.1 wt%) delivers a high specific capacity of 1689 mA h g−1 at 500 mA g−1 with an initial Coulombic efficiency (ICE) of 91.7% and superior rate capability of 599 mA h g−1 at 30 A g−1. Furthermore, a high reversible capacity of 918 mA h g−1 can be retained over 600 cycles at 5 A g−1, indicating a remarkable cycle stability. More importantly, the introduction of agriculture waste-tobacco stem contributes to building low-cost, high-performance anode materials.

Background Allergic conjunctivitis (AC), a common eye inflammation that affects patients’ health and quality of life, is still a therapeutic challenge for ophthalmologists. Tofacitinib, a new Janus kinase (JAK) inhibitor, has been successfully used in the treatment of several disorders. Nonetheless, its effect in AC and the potential anti-allergic mechanisms are still unclear. The objective of the current study was to explore the roles of tofacitinib in preventing AC and elucidate the potential underlying mechanisms. Methods Tofacitinib was used topically in BALB/c mice with experimental allergic conjunctivitis (EAC). Ocular allergic symptoms and biological modifications were examined. To assess the anti-allergic mechanisms of tofacitinib, RBL-2H3 cells and HUVECs were cultured in vitro. The inhibitory effects and mechanisms of tofacitinib were studied and measured by real-time quantitative PCR, ELISA, western blot analysis, and flow cytometry. Results Topical administration of tofacitinib reduced the clinical symptoms of OVA-induced EAC, with a substantial mitigation in inflammatory cell infiltration, histamine release, and TNF-α mRNA as well as IL-4 mRNA expression. In vitro, tofacitinib repressed the degranulation and cytokine production in RBL-2H3 cells and reduced histamine-induced vascular hyperpermeability. The underlying mechanism might involve the downregulation of phosphorylation of JAK3/STATs signaling molecules in RBL-2H3 cells and HUVECs. Conclusions Our findings provide evidence that tofacitinib prevented EAC by targeting the JAK3/STATs pathway. We recommend the use of tofacitinib as an innovative approach for the treatment of AC.

The improper disposal of oily sludge and converter steel slag can be of great environmental concerns, herein, we proposed an innovative methodology by coupling the catalytic thermochemical conversion of oily sludge with the high-temperature reduction of steel slag, where the gas energy and iron resources can be recovered simultaneously. It was found out that the gas yield, iron reduction efficiency, as well as the carbon conversion, were positively correlated with the temperature, the amount of steel slag added and slag particle fineness. With the addition of steel slag, the carbon conversion increased from 76.6 % to 90.1 %, and the iron reduction efficiency increased from 38.5 % to 70.6 %. The phase and microstructure characterizations revealed that the iron-bearing phases (RO phase, Ca2Fe2O5) in steel slag were reduced into metallic iron by pyrolytic gaseous intermediate products (600−800 °C) and solid char (800−1000 °C). The in-situ reduced iron particles in turn acted as an efficient catalyst for cracking/reforming reactions, resulting in remarkable fuel gases, i.e. H2, CO evolution. Hence, the reduction of steel slag and the catalytic cracking/reforming of oily sludge were both enhanced. Furthermore, the technical-economic analysis in terms of material and energy balances was performed. It revealed that the proposed process was favorable for energy recovery and high added material production.

To obtain high-performance sulfur cathode for lithium-sulfur (Li-S) battery, porous graphitized carbon spheres with N doping have been fabricated via an in situ Fe catalysis as sulfur host. The in situ generated Fe nanoparticles play double roles as graphitization catalyst and pore template. The electrical conductivity of the graphitized sample (5.6 S cm−1) is about one order of magnitude higher than that of the amorphous carbon sample (0.63 S cm−1). Correspondingly, the pomegranate-like S@N-doped graphitized carbon cathode displays very good electrochemical performance. A capacity of 600 mAh g−1 is obtained after 150 charge/discharge cycles at a current density of 1 C with a sulfur content of 73 wt%. The pomegranate-like S@N-doped graphitized carbon is promising cathode candidate for high-performance Li-S battery.

We proposed a polyaniline-camphorsulfonic acid/titanium dioxide (PANI-CSA/TiO2) coated glass capillary tube sensor structure in this work. The PANI-CSA/TiO2 sensitive material was grown on the inner wall of silica glass capillary tube. A dynamic liquid phase deposition (DLPD) process was developed to fabricate the tube sensor samples. The optimum processing parameters, microstructures, morphology and gas detective performances of the PANI-CSA/TiO2 tube sensors were investigated. PANI-CSA/TiO2 capillary tube sensor samples (core size 1 mm, length 7 cm) with better properties were obtained at an optimum liquid flow rate of 0.62 mL min−1. The tube sensor shows response time of 84 s, response of 877 % and recovery time of 55 s for detecting 3 ppm NH3 gas while the plane sensor sample has response time of 152 s, response of 17.8 % and recovery time of 367 s. The capillary tube sensor exhibits convenience for detecting a small volume of gas sample. For a 1 mL, 0.1 ppm NH3 gas sample, the PANI-CSA/TiO2 capillary tube sensor exhibits 54 s response time, 454 % response while the plane-shaped sensor fails to detect.

Autoimmune uveitis (AU), a sight-threatening intraocular disorder, is still a challenge for ophthalmologists in clinic. Teriflunomide has been approved for multiple sclerosis (MS) in 2012 for its immunoregulatory function. However, the effect and mechanisms of teriflunomide in uveitis are still unknown. In this investigation, we used a murine model of non-infectious uveitis, experimental autoimmune uveitis (EAU), to explore the anti-inflammatory features of teriflunomide. Treatment with teriflunomide resulted in reduced clinical and pathological scores of retinal inflammations, accompanied by decreased intraocular infiltration of Th17 and Th1 cells in EAU mice. Meanwhile, teriflunomide treatment inhibited the proliferation and polarization of CD4+ T cells to Th17 and Th1 cells. Moreover, adoptive transfer of teriflunomide primed IRBP1-20-T cells failed to induce EAU. Interestingly, we found that teriflunomide suppressed the maturation and function of dendritic cells (DCs) both in vivo and in vitro. In conclusion, our findings suggest that teriflunomide alleviates inflammation in EAU mice by down-regulating Th17 and Th1 cells and suppresses the maturation and function of DCs for the first time.

Flowerlike graphene-based particles had been successfully synthesized from the suspension of graphene oxide (GO) in the aqueous solution of sucrose by one-pot hydrothermal carbonization approach. Porous carbon from sucrose prompted the evolution of graphene from flat-shaped to flowerlike curved morphology, which was confirmed by the observation of scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy. The graphene-based particles possess large pore volume (0.69 cm 3 g −1 ) and surface area (470.5 m 2 g −1 ), which is about 6 times greater than that of carbonized graphene sheets (79.2 m 2 g −1 ). Electrochemical investigation indicated that the specific capacitance of the particles reached 162 F g −1 at current density of 0.1 A g −1 in 30 wt% KOH aqueous electrolytes and the capacitance maintenance achieved 90% as the current density enlarged 50 times. The keys to the ideal capacitive performance are the abilities to make full utilization of specific surface area of graphene and ensure a quick kinetic process for the diffusion of ions within curved graphene particles with considerable open edges.

Two low-cost synthesis routes have been developed to fabricate carbon-coated Li4Ti5O12 by using H2TiO3 instead of anatase TiO2 as Ti source through solid-state reaction process. One route is a direct solid mixture of H2TiO3, Li2CO3 and pitch followed by high-temperature solid-state reaction. The other includes mixture of H2TiO3 and Li2CO3 with pitch dissolved in furanidine under vacuum and the same solid-state reaction procedure is followed after the mixture is totally dried. Microstructural investigations indicate that H2TiO3 exhibits secondary aggregates morphology with primary particle sizes of 10–20 nm. Carbon-coating layers with thickness of 2–3 nm have been observed on Li4Ti5O12 synthesized by the two routes. Cyclic performance, rate capability and electrochemical impedance spectrum of the two Li4Ti5O12/C composites have been performed, which indicate that Li4Ti5O12/C obtained by furanidine-assisted mixture exhibits better electrochemical performance than Li4Ti5O12/C synthesized by direct solid mixture. The possible reasons have been discussed. The low-cost synthesis routes of Li4Ti5O12/C using H2TiO3 as Ti source are expected to be more competitive than the traditional one for practical applications.

A first-principles investigation of the interplay of S and P and their role on the cleavage rupture of γ-Ni/γ′-Ni 3 Al interface is conducted. Trace elements S and P can coexist in the γ-Ni/γ′-Ni 3 Al interfacial region and their site preferences are scarcely changed by another heterogeneous element. S and P in duplex doping systems tend to simultaneously replace for a Ni and occupy an octahedral interstice adjacent to substituted sub-lattice site to form a doping atom pair, but the interaction between S-doping and P-doping varies with their distributions along or across the interfacial layer. The cleavage fracture of duplex doping interfaces generally occurs in the region between S-doped and P-doped atomic layers, and an extra heterogeneous dopant will further aggravate S- or P-induced embrittlement. It is revealed a strong repulsive interaction between P-doping and S-doping is responsible for the descent of cleavage fracture strengths caused by extra heterogeneous dopants.

α-Fe2O3 has been regarded as a promising candidate as anode materials for high energy-density lithium-ion batteries, because of its high capacity, low cost and environmental affinity. A facile hydrothermal route has been developed to synthesize monocrystalline microporous and mesoporous α-Fe2O3 particles by using anions Cl− and F− as pore-formation additives in precursor solution, respectively. Electrochemical investigation indicates that the mesoporous α-Fe2O3 particles display higher cyclic stabilities and capacity retentions than the microporous α-Fe2O3 particles at different current densities, although their sizes are in micrometer range, which indicate that the mesoporous α-Fe2O3 particles are promising anode candidate for high energy-density lithium-ion batteries. Furthermore, this facile hydrothermal route using anion Cl− or F− as pore-formation additives may be extended to synthesis of other porous metal oxides.

FeCl3–CuCl2–graphite intercalation compounds (GICs) were applied to synthesize graphite/carbon spiral nanoribbons (G/CSNRs) by chemical vapor deposition (CVD) of acetylene and hydrogen. The G/CSNRs were characterized by XRD, SEM and Raman spectra. The XRD patterns confirmed the G/CSNRs did contain graphite. The as-grown CSNRs were thin and twisted, owning a width of ~92 nm, a thread pitch of ~56 nm and a length in micrometer scale. The Raman spectra showed the imperfect crystallinity of CSNRs. During this CVD process, FeCl3–CuCl2–GICs acted as providers of graphite substrates as well as catalyst carriers. The CVD method mediated by GICs also provided possibilities to design and prepare a variety of hybrid carbon structures.

Dimethylsilyl (DMS) modified mesoporous silicas were successfully prepared via co-condensation and post-grafting modification methods. The post-grafting modification was carried out by the reaction of the as-synthesized MCM-41 material (before CTAB removal) with diethoxydimethylsinale (DEDMS). N{sub 2} adsorption-desorption and {sup 29}Si MAS NMR characterization demonstrated that different amount of DMS groups were successfully incorporated into the co-condensation modified samples, and the functional DMS groups were placed selectively on the pore openings and external pore surfaces in the post-grafting modified samples. Subsequently, the controlled drug delivery properties from the resulting DMS-modified mesoporous silicas were investigated in detail. The drug adsorption experiments showed that the adsorption capacities were mainly depended on the content of silanol group (CSG) in the corresponding carriers. The in vitro tests exhibited that the incorporation of DMS groups greatly retarded the ibuprofen release rate. Moreover, the ibuprofen release profiles could be well modulated by varying DMS modification levels and site-selective distribution of functional groups in mesoporous carriers. - The distribution of DMS groups on the pore surfaces of the mesostructures strongly affects the drug release rate. The P-M41-1 and the P-M41-2 possess the close DMS modification levels as the C-M41-10, but the ibuprofen release rates from the P-M41-1 andmore » P-M41-2 are much slower than that from the C-M41-10.« less

Carbon-coated copper–tin alloy powders were prepared by heating of mixtures of thermoplastic poly(vinyl alcohol) and nano-sized copper–tin alloy particles in argon atmosphere. The products were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The electrochemical properties of the carbon-coated copper–tin alloy powders as anode materials for lithium batteries were studied by cyclic voltammetry (CV) and galvanostatic method. The anode showed high charge capacity up to 460 mAh g−1 and stable cyclic performance even after 40 cycles. This could be ascribed to the existence of inactive matrix Cu which buffered the large volume change in the course of Li–Sn alloying–dealloying process, and the presence of carbon layer of alloy particles which enhanced dimensional stability during Li–Sn alloying–dealloying electrochemical process.

The composite particles of nano calcium carbonate/polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) were prepared by soapless emulsion polymerization technique in the aqueous suspension of nano calcium carbonate. The effects of synthesis parameters on monomer conversion were studied, and the formation mechanism of composite particles was proposed. The results indicated that nano calcium carbonate that existed in the suspension can boost the monomer conversion. Appropriate stirring rate can enhance the probabilities for polymer to coat on the surface of nano calcium carbonate. PMMA is chemically grafted and physically wrapped on the surface of nano calcium carbonate to form nano calcium carbonate/PMMA composite particles.

Monocrystalline porous iron oxide particles with tunable size have been synthesized by adjusting pH of the FeCl3 aqueous solution through a hydrothermal process. The size of the porous iron oxide alpha-Fe2O3 particles could be tuned from 925 nm to 43 nm when pH of the FeCl3 aqueous solutions increased from 1.8 to 93. N-2 absorption investigation indicated that the alpha-Fe2O3 particles with size of 925 nm are mesopore/macropore-dominated, while the alpha-Fe2O3 particles with size of 43 nm are microporous. The mesopore/macropore-dominated alpha-Fe2O3 particles exhibit better rate capability than the microporous alpha-Fe2O3 particles, indicating promising candidate as anode materials for high energy-density lithium-ion batteries. (C) 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Quasi-one-dimensional and two-dimensional ZnO nanostructures have been fabricated through thermal evaporation approach. The microstructures of the ZnO nanostructures have been studied using scanning electron microscopy and high-resolution electron microscopy. Quasi-one-dimensional ZnO nanostructures are formed by dendritic growths of ZnO nanoparticles from the stem nanorods surfaces, forming particle–rod nanostructures. While epitaxial growths of branch nanorods from the stem nanorods configure two-dimensional ZnO nanostructures. The epitaxial growth orientation relationship can be described as [2 110] R1 || [2 110] R2 and (0001) R1 || (0110) R2 . The growth mechanism of the quasi-one-dimensional and two-dimensional ZnO nanostructures has been discussed.

Thin ZnO nanobelts with an average width of 7.5 nm have been synthesized using vapor-phase transport method. It was found that stacking faults directed the growth of the thin nanobelts along the direction with {2¯ 1¯10} top/bottom surfaces and {0001} side surfaces. The {0002} stacking fault with translation of 1/3 extends throughout the entire length of the ZnO nanobelts. The growth steps at the {01 1¯0} growth fronts resulted from the {0002} stacking fault are believed to direct fast axial growth of the thin ZnO nanobelts. The thin ZnO nanobelts are expected to be promising candidates for highly sensitive chemical and biological sensor applications.

N-Phthaloyl 3-amino-3-arylpropionic acid analogs of thalidomide that are potent inhibitors of tumor necrosis factor-alpha are reported. These compounds were found to be potent inhibitors of phosphodiesterase 4.