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Carbon dots can be efficiently degraded in UV, O3, and chlorine-based disinfection processes.

In this study, homology- and cross-resistance of Lactobacillus plantarum L1 and Lactobacillus plantarum L2 to acid and osmotic stress were investigated. Meanwhile, its proliferation mechanism was demonstrated by transcriptomic analysis using RNA sequencing. We found that the homologous-resistance and cross-resistance of L. plantarum L1 and L. plantarum L2 increased after acid and osmotic induction treatment by lactic acid and sodium lactate solution in advance, and the survival rate of live bacteria was improved. In addition, the count of viable bacteria of L. plantarum L2 significantly increased cultivated at a pH 5.0 with a 15% sodium lactate sublethal treatment, compared with the control group. Further study revealed that genes related to membrane transport, amino acid metabolism, nucleotide metabolism, and cell growth were significantly upregulated. These findings will contribute to promote high-density cell culture of starter cultures production in the fermented food industry.

Lithium-sulfur (Li−S) batteries are regarded as one of the most promising next-generation energy storage systems due to their high theoretical energy density and low material cost. However, the conventional ether-based electrolytes of Li−S batteries are extremely flammable and have high solubility of lithium polysulfides (LiPS), resulting in a high safety risk and a poor life cycle. Herein, we report an ether/carbonate co-solvent fluorinated electrolyte with a special solvation sheath of Li+, which can prevent the formation of dissoluble long-chain LiPS of the sulfur cathode, restrict Li dendrite growth at the anode side, and show fire resistance in combustion experiments. As a result, the proposed Li−S batteries with 70 wt% sulfur content in its cathode deliver stable life cycle, low self-discharge ratio, and intrinsic safety. Therefore, the unique passivation characteristics of the designed fluorinated electrolyte break several critical limitations of the traditional “liquid phase”-based Li−S batteries, offering a facile and promising way to develop long-life and high-safety Li−S batteries.

Rechargeable batteries with lithium metal anodes exhibit higher energy densities than conventional lithium-ion batteries. Solid-state electrolytes (SSEs) provide the opportunity to unlock the full potential of lithium metal anodes and fundamentally eliminate safety concerns caused by flammable liquid electrolytes. Up to now, most studies on SSEs have been focused on enhancing the ionic conductivity and improving the interfacial stability. However, the electrolyte thickness, which has received less attention, also plays an important role in determining the energy density and electrochemical performance of all-solid-state lithium batteries (ASSLBs). Recognizing this, our review evaluates SSE studies beyond traditional factors and focuses on a thickness perspective. We systematically analyze the influence of the electrolyte thickness on the energy densities of ASSLB pouch cells, and highlight the strategies that dramatically reduce the thickness of SSE membranes without sacrificing their mechanical properties. Then, we discuss recent advances and challenges of ASSLBs based on high-voltage and high-capacity cathodes, as well as novel configurations such as bipolar and flexible ASSLBs. Finally, we provide perspectives and suggestions towards high energy-density ASSLBs for future commercialization.

The effect of changes in surface charge on the biological properties of implants is not clear. The objective of this study was to evaluate the biological properties of the surface of titanium sheets with different charges due to different treatment methods. Titanium sheets were sandblasted with large grit and underwent acid etching before being subsequently divided into the following groups: SLA, no further treatment; SLA-Ca2+, immersed in 1% CaCl2 solution; SLA-NaCl, immersed in saline; and SLA-Ca2+-NaCl, immersed in 1% CaCl2 solution followed by saline. Surface characteristics were evaluated using field-emission scanning electron microscopy with energy-dispersive spectrometry, surface profilometry, and contact angle assays. Additionally, we used a ζ-potential analyzer to directly measure the electrostatic charge on the different group surfaces. The effect of changes in the Ti surface on biological processes after different treatments was determined by analyzing fibronectin adsorption, osteoblast-like MG63 cell adhesion and proliferation, and the expression of osteogenesis-related genes. Compared to the SLA surface, the other three groups contained corresponding trace elements because they were soaked in different liquids; the contact angles of the three groups were not significantly different, but they were significantly smaller than that of the SLA group; and there was no change in the surface topography or roughness. Furthermore, the SLA-Ca2+ group had a significantly reduced negative charge compared to that of the other three groups. There were no differences between the SLA-NaCl and SLA-Ca2+-NaCl groups in terms of negative charge, and the SLA group surface carried the most negative charge. Fibronectin adsorption capacity and cytological performance testing further showed that the SLA-Ca2+ group had the most significant change, followed by the SLA-NaCl and SLA-Ca2+-NaCl groups; the SLA group had significantly lower capacity and performance than the other three groups. These results suggest that the surface charge of the titanium sheet changed when immersed in different liquids and that this treatment enhanced biocompatibility by reducing the electrostatic repulsion between biomaterials and biomolecules.

Lithium (Li) metal has been considered as the ultimate anode choice for the next-generation high energy density rechargeable batteries. However, besides the critical issues in electrochemistry such as interfacial stability and dendrite growth, stringent operation conditions and safety concerns induced by the poor air/moisture stability of Li metal largely hinder its transformation from laboratory to industry. Because of the high reactivity, Li metal suffers from severe corrosion or even potential safety hazards when exposed to humid air. Therefore, recent progress in enhancing the stability of Li metal in ambient air is of great significance for real-world mass production and practical application of lithium metal batteries (LMBs). This review focuses on the development of air-stable and high-performance Li metals to facilitate cost-effective fabrication of safety-enhanced LMBs. Surface modification and architecture design of Li anodes are identified as two most important directions to achieve the goal. The strategies that simultaneously enhance air/water-resistance and electrochemical properties are summarized, and the perspectives and future directions targeting the commercialization of air-stable LMBs are discussed.

Herein, we have reported a new one-step potentiometric immunoassay for the sensitive and specific detection of human plasma cardiac troponin I (cTnI), a biomarker of cardio-cerebrovascular diseases. Initially, the cTnI biomolecules were immobilized on the surface of a gold nanoparticle-functionalized screen-printed graphite electrode (SPGE). Thereafter, rabbit polyclonal antibodies to cTnI were covalently conjugated to the bis-MPA-COOH dendrimers through typical carbodiimide coupling. The introduction of the target analyte caused a competitive immunoreaction between the immobilized cTnI on the electrode and the conjugated antibody on the dendrimers. The potentiometric measurement was mainly derived from the change in the surface charge on the surface of the modified electrode due to the negatively charged bis-MPA-COOH dendrimers after the immunoreaction. On increasing target cTcI, the number of charged dendrimers on the immunosensor decreased, resulting in a change in the electric potential. Under optimum conditions, the potentiometric immunosensor exhibited good potentiometric responses for the detection of cTcI and allowed the determination of the target analyte at a concentration as low as 7.3 pg mL-1. An intermediate precision of ≤8.7% was accomplished with batch-to-batch identification. Meanwhile, the potentiometric immunosensor showed good anti-interfering capacity and selectivity against other proteins and biomarkers. Importantly, our system displayed high accuracy for the analysis of human plasma serum samples containing target cTcI relative to commercial human cTcI enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kits.

Gut microbiota dysbiosis is closely involved in intestinal carcinogenesis. A marked reduction in butyrate-producing bacteria has been observed in patients with colorectal cancer (CRC); nevertheless, the potential benefit of butyrate-producing bacteria against intestinal tumor development has not been fully investigated. We found that Clostridium butyricum (C. butyricum, one of the commonly used butyrate-producing bacteria in clinical settings) significantly inhibited high-fat diet (HFD)-induced intestinal tumor development in Apcmin/+ mice. Moreover, intestinal tumor cells treated with C. butyricum exhibited decreased proliferation and increased apoptosis. Additionally, C. butyricum suppressed the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway and modulated the gut microbiota composition, as demonstrated by decreases in some pathogenic bacteria and bile acid (BA)-biotransforming bacteria and increases in some beneficial bacteria, including short-chain fatty acid (SCFA)-producing bacteria. Accordingly, C. butyricum decreased the fecal secondary BA contents, increased the cecal SCFA quantities, and activated G-protein coupled receptors (GPRs), such as GPR43 and GPR109A. The anti-proliferative effect of C. butyricum was blunted by GPR43 gene silencing using small interfering RNA (siRNA). The analysis of clinical specimens revealed that the expression of GPR43 and GPR109A gradually decreased from human normal colonic tissue to adenoma to carcinoma. Together, our results show that C. butyricum can inhibit intestinal tumor development by modulating Wnt signaling and gut microbiota and thus suggest the potential efficacy of butyrate-producing bacteria against CRC.

This paper demonstrates a new fabrication process for gallium nitride high-electron mobility transistors (HEMTs) free of plasma damages in the sub-100 nm T-shape gate area. The common peeling-off problems of electron beam resists during gate metal deposition process were solved by introducing a fluorine plasma treatment process before gate metal deposition. By combining dry and wet etching processes appropriately, an on/off ratio of 107 at a drain-to-source voltage of 1 V was achieved. This work also investigated the short channel effect in devices with gate lengths from 70 to 440 nm. Reducing gate length results in decrease of threshold voltage due to the drain-induced barrier-lowering effect. Current gain cut-off frequency fT and maximum oscillation frequency fmax increase while gate length reduces till 250 nm. However, below 250 nm, fT and fmax no longer increase while gate length reduces till sub-100 nm, which reflect the short channel effect.

Stem cells maintain a subtle balance between self-renewal and differentiation under the regulatory network supported by both intracellular and extracellular components. Proteoglycans are large glycoproteins present abundantly on the cell surface and in the extracellular matrix where they play pivotal roles in facilitating signaling transduction and maintaining stem cell homeostasis. In this review, we outline distinct proteoglycans profiles and their functions in the regulation of stem cell homeostasis, as well as recent progress and prospects of utilizing proteoglycans/glycosaminoglycans as a novel glycomics carrier or bio-active molecules in bone regeneration.

Lithium loss during the initial charge process inevitably reduces the capacity and energy density of lithium-ion batteries. Cathode additives are favored with respect to their controllable prelithiation degree and scalable application; however, the insulating nature of their delithiation products retards electrode reaction kinetics in subsequent cycles. Herein, we propose a prelithiation separator by modifying a commercial separator with a Li2S/Co nanocomposite to compensate for the initial capacity loss. The Li2S/Co coating layer extracts active lithium ion during the charge process and shows a delithiation capacity of 993 mA h g-1. When paired with a LiFePO4|graphite full cell, the reversible capacity is increased from 112.6 to 150.3 mA h g-1, leading to a 29.5% boost in the energy density. The as-prepared pouch cell also demonstrates a stable cycling performance. The excellent electrochemical performance and the scalable production of the prelithiation separator reveal its great potential in lithium-ion battery industry application.

Double helical conformation of polymer chains is widely observed in biomacromolecules and plays an essential role in exerting their biological functions, such as molecular recognition and information storage. It has remained challenging, however, to prepare synthetic helical polymers, and those that exist have mainly been limited to single-stranded polymers or short oligomeric double helices. Here, we report the synthesis of covalent helical polymers, with a high molecular weight, from the achiral monomer hexahydroxytriphenylene through to spiroborate formation. Polymerization and crystallization occurred simultaneously under solvothermal conditions to form single crystals of the resulting helical covalent polymers. Characterization by single-crystal X-ray diffraction showed that each crystal consisted of pairs of mechanically entwined polymers. No strong non-covalent interactions were observed between the two helical polymers that formed a pair; instead, each strand interacted with neighbouring pairs through hydrogen bonding. Each individual crystal was made up of helical polymers of the same handedness, but the crystallization process produced a racemic conglomerate, with equal amounts of right-handed and left-handed crystals.

Calcium carbonate (CaCO3) precipitation is an important geochemical process. In the estuary zone and some arid shallow lakes, DOM (dissolved organic matter) and salinity are two frequent changing factors that may affect CaCO3 precipitation. The joint effect of DOM and salinity on CaCO3 precipitation kinetics and thermodynamics are still unclear. In this study, effects of DOM on CaCO3 precipitation process at 0.5‰ and 70‰ salinity were investigated by QCM (Quartz Crystal Microbalance) technique, real-time pH measurement and single-injection nanoliter ITC (isothermal titration calorimetry). The mineral crystallography was analyzed by SEM-EDS. Both DOM and salinity had inhibitory effect on CaCO3 precipitation. DOM had more pronounced inhibitory effect on CaCO3 precipitation at lower salinity. Regardless of DOM, 70‰ salinity inhibited CaCO3 precipitation >0.5‰ salinity. The CaCO3 precipitation kinetics followed the first-order kinetic model and the adhesion kinetics of the instantaneous nucleation and crystal growth stage could be well described by the exponential function. CaCO3 precipitation was an endothermic process and high salinity strongly hindered CaCO3 precipitation. The effect of DOM on the absorbed heat was significant at 0.5‰ salinity. At 70‰ salinity, regardless of the effect of DOM, CaCO3 precipitation rate was greatly slowed down because it needed much more heat. CaCO3 minerals were dominated by rhombohedral calcite while CaCO3 minerals were mainly shaped as spherical vaterite at 0.5‰ salinity and rhombohedral calcite at 70‰ salinity. The crystal phase changed during CaCO3 precipitation at 0.5‰ salinity. In conclusion, the presence of DOM had substantial impact on the micrograph of the CaCO3 minerals. The percentage of flawed crystals with rough surface increased significantly with increased DOM concentration.

This study evaluated the effect of ultraviolet functionalization (UV) on bone integration ability in rabbit model, using epifluorescence microscopy. Each of 12 rabbits (n = 6) received randomly four titanium domes prepared with or without ultraviolet for 48 hours (UVC, λ = 250 ± 20 nm; Philips, Tokyo, Japan): (1) turned surface (T), (2) turned surface with UV (T-UV), (3) sandblasted (120 μm aluminum oxide) and etched by 18% hydrochloric acid and 49% sulphuric acid at 60°C for 30 min (SLA) and (4) SLA surface with UV (SLA-UV). Fluorochrome bone labels were marked by oxytetracycline at 25 mg/kg on 13th days and 14th days and calcein at 5 mg/kg on 3th days and 4th days before euthanization. The study samples were sacrified at 2 weeks and 4 weeks. The undecalcified specimens were prepared. The newly formed total bone of cross-sectional area (TB, %), the mineralized trabecular bone of cross-sectional area (MB, %), and the new bone and dome contact (BDC, %) were measured and analyzed by fluorescence microscope and Image Pro Express 6.0. The data of MB and TB showed new bone regeneration was increased in all groups, but no signs of difference were found. However, the means BDC of UV treatment on turned surface at 4 weeks, the UV treated on SLA surface at 2 weeks and 4 weeks were statistically significantly higher than the control group (P < .05). Within the limitations of the study, it can be concluded that ultraviolet functionalization on the titanium surface could enhance the new bone tissues and titanium surface integration.

Crosslinked polymer electrolyte (CPE) and composite polymer electrolyte are two of the most promising polymer electrolyte (PE) systems for improving the resistance to Li dendrite growth, but the trade-off and agglomerated effects of these PEs hinder the development of safe Li metal battery (LMB). Herein, a new class of crosslinked composite polymer electrolyte (CCPE) with the combination of confined ionic liquid (IL) polymer network and homogeneously dispersed boron nitride nanosheet (BNNS) for LMB is reported. This UV-curable CCPE is formed on electrode via in-situ crosslinking of a precursor solution in a rapid and solvent-free step, and the assembly process of LMBs and interfacial contact/adhesion are maximum optimized. The critical point of this CCPE is that a facile channel for Li+ transfer and a robust skeleton for confining IL and strengthening interface are simultaneously achieved via the introduction of network structure and 2D BNNS in PE. Consequently, the LiFePO4ǀLi batteries involving CCPE show a great improvement in the charge-discharge cycling stability and rate performance compared with those of the cells with pure CPE. This study offers an effective and facile strategy for fabricating dendrite-resistant CCPE with potential applicability in next-generation energy storage systems.

The polysulfide shuttle is a major challenge for practical application of lithium–sulfur (Li–S) batteries. To solve this issue, a thin layer (3 μm) of radially oriented 3D MoS2 nanospheres (3D MoS2) constructed by 2D MoS2 nanosheets is developed as an interlayer coating overlaid on the sulfur cathode, which can simultaneously prevent polysulfide migration and facilitate Li+ diffusion. The trapping and catalytic conversion of polysulfides would benefit from the abundant active edge sites and the large contact surface in the well-preserved MoS2 nanosheets. Meanwhile, fast Li+ diffusion can be realized by the expanded (002) interlayer of the MoS2 nanosheets along with the sufficient electrolyte wettability due to the open 3D structure. Thus, the Li–S batteries with a 3D MoS2 interlayer and the pure sulfur cathode exhibit high specific capacity, excellent cycling stability (62.5% capacity retention with a 0.06% capacity decay per cycle and >99% Coulombic efficiency over 600 cycles), and satisfactory areal cap...

This study introduces an improved design of interlayers to achieve a balance between high Li+ diffusion and polysulfide inhibition in lithium–sulfur batteries. The design involves encapsulating mesoporous SiO2 nanospheres in few-layer MoS2 nanosheets via a facile one-step self-assembly to form a core–shell nanocomposite (SiO2@MoS2). The SiO2@MoS2 layer overlaid on a sulfur cathode simultaneously intercepts polysulfides and ensures rapid Li+ diffusion. Few-layer MoS2 as the shell is capable of breaking up polysulfides by a catalytic reaction, while mesoporous SiO2 as the core allows for physiochemical adsorption of such species; moreover, the densely packed hermetic SiO2@MoS2 nanocomposite layer provides an additional physical shield against polysulfide diffusion, realizing the full protection of the whole cathode. At the same time, the high Li+ density in the nanolayered MoS2 shell and the additional Li+ pathways created by the mesoporous SiO2 core allow for fast Li+ diffusion. Thus, a pristine sulfur cathode battery with a SiO2@MoS2 interlayer exhibits an outstanding electrochemical performance with a negligible capacity decay of 0.028% per cycle over 2500 cycles. The core–shell design suggested in this study could be extended to other nanomaterials for the optimization of Li–S battery interlayers.

The polysulfide shuttle effect and sluggish reaction kinetics can severely reduce the sulfur utilization and cycle stability of Li–S batteries, undermining their use in practical applications. Herein, we design a core–shell nanocomposite by encapsulating radially oriented MoS2 nanosheets by porous nitrogen-doped carbon (MoS2@NC) via an eco-friendly method. The highly oriented MoS2 nanosheets in MoS2@NC avoid aggregation of the active sites for polysulfide adsorption, and the desirable integration of the catalytic MoS2 nanosheet core and a highly conductive carbon shell provides a constant flow of electrons to the captured polysulfides for improved polysulfide conversion kinetics. The combined benefits of high polysulfide inhibition and smooth electron and Li+ transfer by a thin layer of MoS2@NC (3.3 μm thick) enable a simple sulfur–carbon black cathode with high reversible capacities, good rate performances (876 mA h g−1 at 3C), an excellent cycle stability over 1500 cycles with a negligible 0.034% decay per cycle, and satisfactory areal capacities with increased sulfur loading (2.0–3.7 mA h cm−2 at various rates). This work provides a proof-of-concept study on the rational design of interlayer materials in energy storage systems.

Nanostructured functional interlayers and separators have potential applications in high-performance lithium–sulfur (Li–S) batteries, due to their ability to suppress polysulfide (PS) shuttling. However, effective PS-trapping designs are usually accompanied by limited Li-ion diffusion, which becomes a key issue hindering practical application. Here, a nitrogen-functionalized 2D mesoporous silica nanoplate (FMSiNP) was used to construct a dense, lightweight (

Few-layer black phosphorus (BP) has recently emerged as a promising two-dimensional (2D) material for electronic and optoelectronic devices because of its high mobility and tunable band gap. However, BP is known to quickly degrade and oxidize in ambient conditions by breaking of the P-P bonds. As a result, there is a growing need to encapsulate BP that avoids oxygen and water while retaining the high electric performance of the devices. Here, we demonstrate a hydrophobic polymer encapsulation technique with improved thermal conductivity for high current density, which preserves the electrical properties of BP back-gate transistors compared to the commonly used Al2O3 encapsulation with improved mobility and minimal traps. The on-off ratio increases by more than an order of magnitude at room temperature and more than 4 orders of magnitude at cryogenic temperatures. High field transport shows the first systematic study on unprecedented breakdown characteristics up to -5.5 V for the 0.16 μm transistors with a high current of 1.2 mA/μm at 20 K. These discoveries open up a new way to achieve high-performance 2D semiconductors with significantly improved breakdown voltage, on-off ratios, and stability under ambient conditions for practical applications in electronic and optoelectronic devices.

To investigate the distribution, partitioning, and inhalation exposure risks of perfluoroalkyl acids (PFAAs), gaseous and particulate samples were collected monthly between September 2013 and September 2015 in urban and rural areas near Lake Chaohu. Twelve PFAAs were determined by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. The mean concentrations of PFAAs in the gaseous phase and the particulate phase were 40.31 ± 31.47 pg/m3 and 63.26 ± 41.87 pg/m3, respectively. Perfluorobutanoic acid (PFBA) was the predominant contaminant in the gaseous phase (32.56% ± 9.28%), while perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) was the main contaminant in the particulate phase (33.21% ± 18.69%). The ratios of gaseous to particulate distribution ranged from 0.01 to 16.75. The gaseous-particulate partitioning coefficients, ranging from 0.01 to 23.41 ± 10−2 m3/μg, were significantly correlated with PM10 concentrations and meteorological conditions, such as temperature and air pressure. The inhalation exposures of PFOA and PFOS were 1.94–60.2 pg/(kg·d) and 0.30–4.22 pg/(kg·d), respectively. The carcinogenic risk of PFOA for urban males was the highest and that for rural females was the lowest; the risks were lower than the acceptable level (10−6) defined by the US Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA). The non-carcinogenic risks of PFOA and PFOS were far below one.

Although inflammation plays an important role in myocardial ischemia/reperfusion injury (MI/RI), an anti-inflammatory treatment with a single target has little clinical efficacy because of the multifactorial disorders involved in MI/RI. MicroRNAs (miR-24) can achieve multitarget regulation in several diseases, suggesting that this factor may have ideal effects on alleviation of MI/RI. In the present study, bioinformatics method was used to screen potential therapeutic targets of miR-24 associated with MI/RI. Three days before ischemia/reperfusion surgery, rats in the ischemia/reperfusion, miR-24, and adenovirus-negative control groups were injected with saline, miR-24, and adenovirus-negative control (0.1 mL of 5 × 109 PFU/mL), respectively. Myocardial enzymes, myocardial infarct size, cardiac function, and the possible molecular mechanism were subsequently analyzed. In contrast to the level of S100A8, the level of miR-24 in myocardial tissue was significantly reduced after 30 minutes of ischemia followed by reperfusion for 2 hours. Overexpression of miR-24 reduced the myocardial infarction area and improved the heart function of rats 3 days after MI/RI. Moreover, miR-24 inhibited infiltration of inflammatory cells in the peri-infarction area and decreased creatine kinase myocardial band and lactate dehydrogenase release. Interestingly, miR-24 upregulation reduced S100A8 expression, followed by inhibition of toll-like receptor 4/MyD-88/nuclear factor-k-gene binding signaling activation. In conclusion, miR-24 can alleviate MI/RI via inactivation of the S100A8/toll-like receptor 4/MyD-88/nuclear factor-k-gene binding signaling pathway.

Fungal keratitis is a major threat to ocular morbidity and blindness. The therapeutic efficacy of eye drops against fungal keratitis is limited by their poor bioavailability, especially in patients with corneal stromal ulcers that lead to tissue defects. Therefore, intervention measures that can control fungal infection while promoting tissue regeneration are desirable. Herein, we designed and fabricated natural antifungal hydrogels that comprise a decellularized porcine cornea (DPC), gelatin and microspheres (MCs) containing voriconazole (Vor) for the management of fungal keratitis with focal corneal stromal defects. The size and structure of the Vor-loaded MCs were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The antifungal drug Vor showed that continuous release from the hybrid hydrogel system for up to 7 days and that MCs loading did not affect the mechanical properties, in vitro release profile or cytocompatibility of the hybrid hydrogel. Moreover, the Vor-loaded hydrogels exhibited excellent antifungal properties against F. solani and A. fumigatus. The efficiency of the natural antifungal hydrogel was evaluated by an ex vivo infectious rabbit corneal defect model. After 24 h, the number of fungal colony-forming units (CFU) significantly decreased in antifungal hydrogel-treated corneal tissue compared with that in non-treated corneas and corneas treated with hydrogels without Vor. The above results demonstrated that this natural hydrogel-based drug delivery system holds great promise for preventing fungal keratitis infection while promoting focal corneal stromal regeneration. Additionally, natural hybrid hydrogels might be a candidate material for use with various drugs in the effective treatment of many other ocular diseases.

This protocol was used for the dissociation of human neuroblastoma resections to a single-cell suspension compatible with droplet-based single-cell RNA-Seq technology for the Human Tumor Atlas Pilot Project. For processing human neuroblastoma tumors, however, we now recommend using the papain-based protocol established by Patel et al.

This protocol is used for the dissociation of human metastatic breast cancer core needle biopsies to a single-cell suspension compatible with droplet-based single-cell RNA-Seq technology (Slyper et al). For the Human Tumor Atlas Pilot Project (HTAPP) it has been successfully applied to biopsies collected from breast, liver and lymph node. Description of this protocol and guidance for testing and selecting methods for processing other tumor and sample types can be found in Slyper et al.

Many ovarian cancer ascites samples have a high proportion of CD45-expressing cells (>90%) (CD45+) and a low proportion (

This protocol is used for the dissociation of human ovarian cancer specimens resected from the ovary and omentum to a single-cell suspension compatible with droplet-based single-cell RNA-Seq technology. It is based on the Miltenyi Human Tumor Dissociation Kit, which was previously reported to successfully dissociate ovarian tumors for multiparametric mass cytometry (CyTOF) (Gonzalez et al, 2018). For the Human Tumor Atlas Pilot Project (HTAPP) it has been successfully applied to ovarian cancer resections from the ovary and omentum and captured a diversity of cells including malignant and non-malignant cells. Description of this protocol and guidance for testing and selecting methods for processing other tumor and sample types can be found in Slyper et al.

This protocol is used to process human ovarian cancer ascites to a single-cell suspension compatible with droplet-based single-cell RNA-Seq technology. A majority of ascites samples have a high proportion (>90%) of CD45-expressing (CD45+) cells, thus greatly reducing the ability to capture non-immune and malignant cells. To address this issue, we have included a CD45+ cell depletion step to reduce the number of CD45+ cells.In such samples, where the proportion of immune cells is very high, a large proportion of both CD45+ and CD45- cells can be recovered post-depletion, allowingsimultaneous assessment of the immune and non-immune microenvironment. In cases with a lower initial proportion of CD45+ cells, however, non-immune cells tend to be dominant following CD45+ cell depletion. Of note, many ascites samples contain multicellular aggregates, or spheroids, which pose challenges during sample processing and dissociation. Larger aggregates are removed through an initial 70 μm straining (Step 14) whereas smaller residual aggregates, when present, can be removed through a final 30 μm straining (optional Step 20). Yet, we have encountered instances where small aggregates cannot be efficiently removed through straining. This protocol is not optimized for those cases. In addition, we would like to note that ascites can be quite variable and further optimization of this protocol may be needed to handle cases with atypical characteristics. For the Human Tumor Atlas Pilot Project (HTAPP), this protocol was successfully applied to 4 ovarian cancer ascitessamples. Description of this protocol and guidance for testing and selecting methods for processing other tumor and sample types can be found inSlyper et al.

Uranium (U) is a highly toxic radioactive element and limited to < 30 μg/L in drinking water by the World Health Organization. In this study, the concentration, distribution, possible source, and correlation with other elements of U were investigated in river sediments of the Ili River Basin. Metal contamination factors (CFs) and geoaccumulation index (Igeo) were calculated, and both of them indicated that U in the survey region was unpolluted, slightly polluted, or moderately polluted (its concentration was ranged from 1.37 to 5.99 mg/kg). Notably, U pollution in the tributaries near the Wusun Mountain was evidently higher than those in the main streams of the Ili River and the Tekes River. Principal component analysis (PCA), cluster analysis (CA), and correlation analysis revealed that U was significantly positively correlated with Pb, and both of them might have originated from the dense coal mines in the areas of the Wusun Mountain. Sediment U in the main streams of the rivers was unpolluted or slightly polluted, which might be strongly influenced by the U contamination in their upstream tributaries. The results from this work showed that the source control of the coal-derived U pollution near the Wusun Mountain was critical to protect the aquatic environment in the Ili River Basin.

Uncontrollable lithium (Li) dendrite growth has hampered the application of lithium metal batteries (LMBs). Herein, a novel plastic crystal composite polymer electrolyte (nh-CPE) consisting of multifunctional two-dimensional (2D) molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) and ion-conducting one-dimensional (1D) surfactant oxidized cellulose nanocrystal (OCNC) is developed to overcome this challenge. The nh-CPE possesses good Li-dendrite-suppressing ability, which is attributed to the well-designed three-dimensional (3D) ion conducting network constructed by homogeneously dispersed MoS2 and OCNC. This structure facilitates Li-ion conductivity and enables uniform Li deposition on the anode. Moreover, the impermeable MoS2 nano-flakes with excellent mechanical strength serve as physical barriers to hold the electrolyte-electrode interface stability and consequently block Li dendrite growth and enhance fire retardancy. When applied in LMB, the nh-CPE exhibits excellent cycle performance and rate capability, with 90% capacity retention after 200 cycles at 0.5 C and 60 °C, and a discharge capacity of 128 mAh g−1 at 1 C. Notably, owing to high room-temperature ionic conductivity (0.8 mS cm−1), the cell with nh-CPE cycled at room temperature delivers an initial discharge capacity of 144 mAh g−1. The outstanding performance and simple process offer great opportunity to promote Li-dendrite-suppressing LMBs for practical application.

In this paper, we found a bacteria (Bacillus wiedmannii MSM) that could not only culture quickly under aerobic condition, but also can biological reduction of Pd (II) under both aerobic and anaerobic conditions. For reducing Pd (II) by Bacillus wiedmannii MSM, the best electron donor was sodium formate and the best growth time was 24 h (mid-log growth phase cells). TEM indicated that a lot of palladium nanoparticles (Pd-NPs) were mainly located in the periplasmic space of the live cells. However, the autoclaved cells could not synthesize Pd-NPs, which proved the role of enzyme in the reduction of Pd (II). A few of Pd-NPs were only formed on the surface of Cu2+-treated cells, which proved the main but not the only role of periplasmic hydrogenase in the reduction of Pd (II). XRD and XPS also proved that Pd-NPs could be synthesized by live cells over broad ranges of temperature (20–40 °C) and pH (pH 3.0–7.0). This may be especially useful for in situ reduction and remediation of Pd (II) for both anaerobic and aerobic wastewater.

Maintaining endoplasmic reticulum (ER) homeostasis is essential for the production of biomolecules. ER retrieval, i.e., the retrograde transport of compounds from the Golgi to the ER, is one of the pathways that ensures ER homeostasis. However, the mechanisms underlying the regulation of ER retrieval in plants remain largely unknown. Plant ERD2-like proteins (ERD2s) were recently suggested to function as ER luminal protein receptors that mediate ER retrieval. Here, we demonstrate that heterotrimeric G protein signaling is involved in ERD2-mediated ER retrieval. We show that ERD2s interact with the heterotrimeric G protein Gα and Gγ subunits at the Golgi. Silencing of Gα, Gβ, or Gγ increased the retention of ER luminal proteins. Furthermore, overexpression of Gα, Gβ, or Gγ caused ER luminal proteins to escape from the ER, as did the co-silencing of ERD2a and ERD2b. These results suggest that G proteins interact with ER luminal protein receptors to regulate ER retrieval.

A convenient, inexpensive and effective approach to the synthesis of 2-o-cyanoaryl oxazole derivatives has been developed. Generally, the copper-mediated cyclization/coupling reactions afforded corresponding 2-cyanoaryl oxazoles and oxazolines in moderate to excellent yields. The functionalized oxazole derivatives may be useful in biological chemistry and medicinal science. Our investigation indicates that the formation of the oxazole ring might favor the C C bond forming process on the ortho-position of the aryl ring. And CuCN plays dual roles as a Lewis acid catalyst and a C-nucleophile in this transformation.

Previous studies reported a novel danshensu derivative (R)-(3,5,6-Trimethylpyrazinyl) methyl-2-acetoxy-3-(3,4-diacetoxyphenyl) propanoate (ADTM), which conferred cardioprotective, neuroprotective and anti-thrombotic effects. Here we aim to investigate the hepatoprotective effect of ADTM on acute liver injury caused by carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) and the underlying molecular mechanisms. ADTM (30 and 60 mg/kg) was given to mice by gavage for two weeks. At the last day mice were injected with 0.3% CCl4, 10 mL/kg, ip for 24 h. Clinical and histological chemistry assays were performed to assess liver injury. Moreover, hepatic oxidative stress and apoptosis related markers were determined by western blotting. As a result, ADTM significantly protected against CCl4-induced liver injury by the decrease of elevated serum transaminases and liver index, and the attenuation of histopathological changes in mice. In addition, ADTM remarkably alleviated hepatic oxidative stress (MDA contents and SOD activity) and apoptosis. Further studies revealed that ADTM significantly inhibited the CCl4-induced upregulation of Bax/Bcl-2, increased the CCl4-induced decrease of AKT phosphorylation and inhibited the expression level of NF-κB p65 in CCl4-intoxicated mice. These findings suggest that ADTM possesses the potential protective effects against CCl4-induced liver injury in mice by exerting antioxidative stress and antiapoptosis.

The computational fluid dynamics method is used to study the transient nitrogen displacement process of acquiring ultra-low dew point temperature during thermal environment simulation. A three-dime...

The huge market in electric road vehicles and portable electronic devices is boosting the development of high-energy-density solid-state alkali-metal batteries with high safety, including lithium-metal batteries and sodium-metal batteries. However, solid-state electrolytes (SSEs) are still the main barrier that hinders the development of solid-state alkali-metal batteries, because there is no such a single SSE that is compatible with both the highly reductive and chemically active alkali-metal anodes and oxidative high-voltage cathodes. Asymmetric solid-state electrolytes (denoted as ASEs) with more than one layer of SSE are reported to be able to effectively tackle such issues by constructing a multiple layered-like structure. In ASEs, each layer of SSE contains a different composition or morphology. SSEs with such an asymmetric structure exhibit Janus property, which not only satisfies the different stability requirements from the cathode and the anode respectively, but also compensates the disadvantages of the individual SSEs ingenuously. In this way, the advantages of each individual SSE are fully utilized and superior electrochemical performances of solid-state full cells are realized. This review focuses on discussing various original ASEs that have been developed recently, including design principles, synthetic methods of bilayer/tri-layer structured polymer/ceramic ASEs and asymmetric gel electrolytes, and the exhibited electrochemical properties of solid-state lithium/sodium-metal batteries. Finally, we provide perspectives and suggestions towards ASEs for future applications in solid-state batteries.

The effect of changes in surface charge on the biological properties of implants is not clear. The objective of this study was to evaluate the biological properties of the surface of titanium sheets with different charges due to different treatment methods. Titanium sheets were sandblasted with large grit and underwent acid etching before being subsequently divided into the following groups: SLA, no further treatment; SLA-Ca2+, immersed in 1% CaCl2 solution; SLA-NaCl, immersed in saline; and SLA-Ca2+-NaCl, immersed in 1% CaCl2 solution followed by saline. Surface characteristics were evaluated using field-emission scanning electron microscopy with energy-dispersive spectrometry, surface profilometry, and contact angle assays. Additionally, we used a ζ-potential analyzer to directly measure the electrostatic charge on the different group surfaces. The effect of changes in the Ti surface on biological processes after different treatments was determined by analyzing fibronectin adsorption, osteoblast-like MG63 cell adhesion and proliferation, and the expression of osteogenesis-related genes. Compared to the SLA surface, the other three groups contained corresponding trace elements because they were soaked in different liquids; the contact angles of the three groups were not significantly different, but they were significantly smaller than that of the SLA group; and there was no change in the surface topography or roughness. Furthermore, the SLA-Ca2+ group had a significantly reduced negative charge compared to that of the other three groups. There were no differences between the SLA-NaCl and SLA-Ca2+-NaCl groups in terms of negative charge, and the SLA group surface carried the most negative charge. Fibronectin adsorption capacity and cytological performance testing further showed that the SLA-Ca2+ group had the most significant change, followed by the SLA-NaCl and SLA-Ca2+-NaCl groups; the SLA group had significantly lower capacity and performance than the other three groups. These results suggest that the surface charge of the titanium sheet changed when immersed in different liquids and that this treatment enhanced biocompatibility by reducing the electrostatic repulsion between biomaterials and biomolecules.

A combination of polyurethane foam and multilayer insulation is adaptive and qualified for cryogenic propellant storage application, both on orbit for long-duration mission and on earth before and during launching. A generalized layer by layer model has been proposed to predict the thermal performance of the “Foam - Variable Density Multilayer Insulation combination” (FMLI) at different vacuum levels. A cryogen boil-off calorimeter system was designed and fabricated to measure the temperature profile and the apparent thermal conductivity of FMLI samples over a wide range of vacuum level (10 −3 - 10 5 Pa). The experimental data verified the validity of the model and indicated that the heat fluxes through the FMLI and the single VDMLI almost made no difference in vacuum of 10 −3 Pa, which were both equal to 0.23 W·m −2 with the boundary temperatures of 77 and 293 K, respectively. However, at the atmosphere level of 10 5 Pa, the heat fluxes through the FMLI and the single VDMLI significantly differed from each other and exacerbated to 45.2 and 147.8 W·m −2 , respectively. In addition, a comparison between FMLI and Aerogel-MLI was also conducted for the same thickness and weight of VDMLI and at the same boundary temperatures and vacuum levels.

Zygotic genome activation (ZGA) is the first transcription event in life1. However, it is unclear how RNA polymerase is engaged in initiating ZGA in mammals. Here, by developing small-scale Tn5-assisted chromatin cleavage with sequencing (Stacc–seq), we investigated the landscapes of RNA polymerase II (Pol II) binding in mouse embryos. We found that Pol II undergoes ‘loading’, ‘pre-configuration’, and ‘production’ during the transition from minor ZGA to major ZGA. After fertilization, Pol II is preferentially loaded to CG-rich promoters and accessible distal regions in one-cell embryos (loading), in part shaped by the inherited parental epigenome. Pol II then initiates relocation to future gene targets before genome activation (pre-configuration), where it later engages in full transcription elongation upon major ZGA (production). Pol II also maintains low poising at inactive promoters after major ZGA until the blastocyst stage, coinciding with the loss of promoter epigenetic silencing factors. Notably, inhibition of minor ZGA impairs the Pol II pre-configuration and embryonic development, accompanied by aberrant retention of Pol II and ectopic expression of one-cell targets upon major ZGA. Hence, stepwise transition of Pol II occurs when mammalian life begins, and minor ZGA has a key role in the pre-configuration of transcription machinery and chromatin for genome activation. Binding of RNA polymerase II during zygotic genome activation in mouse embryos is determined using the newly developed method Stacc–seq.

The oxidation state, also called oxidation number, of atoms in molecules is a fundamental chemical concept. It is defined as the charge of an atom in a molecule after the ionic approximation of its heteronuclear bonds is applied. Even though for simple molecules the assignment of oxidation states is straightforward, redundancy and ambiguity do exist for others. In this work, we present a density-based framework to determine the oxidation state using the quantities from the information-theoretic approach. As a proof of concept, we examined six elements for a total of 49 molecules. Strong linear correlations were obtained with Shannon entropy, Ghosh-Berkowitz-Parr entropy, information gain, relative Renyi entropy of orders 2 and 3, and Hirshfeld charge. We also discovered that the crystal radius of elements plays the key role in rationalizing the system dependent nature of these strong linear correlations. The validity and effectiveness of our results were demonstrated by the examples of molecules containing elements with two or more oxidation states. Our results should be applicable to more complicated systems in assigning different oxidation states.

Bisphenol-A (BPA) is a ubiquitous precursor of polycarbonate plastics that is found in the blood and serum of >92% of Americans. While BPA has been well documented to act as a weak estrogen receptor (ER) agonist, its effects on cellular stress are unclear. Here, we demonstrate that high-dose BPA causes stress granules (SGs) in human cells. A common estrogen derivative, β-estradiol, does not trigger SGs, indicating the mechanism of SG induction is not via the ER pathway. We also tested other structurally related environmental contaminants including the common BPA substitutes BPS and BPF, the industrial chemical 4-nonylphenol (4-NP) and structurally related compounds 4-EP and 4-VP, as well as the pesticide 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D). The variable results from these related compounds suggest that structural homology is not a reliable predictor of the capacity of a compound to cause SGs. Also, we demonstrate that BPA acts primarily through the PERK pathway to generate canonical SGs. Finally, we show that chronic exposure to a low physiologically relevant dose of BPA suppresses SG assembly upon subsequent acute stress. Interestingly, this SG inhibition does not affect phosphorylation of eIF2α or translation inhibition, thus uncoupling the physical assembly of SGs from translational control. Our work identifies additional effects of BPA beyond endocrine disruption that may have consequences for human health., Summary: Physiologically-relevant doses of the plasticizing agent BPA inhibit stress granule formation in response to a secondary acute stress, indicating BPA may affect the way human cells cope with cellular stress.

Perfluoroalkyl acids (PFAAs) are a type of persistent organic pollutants that are widely distributed in multiple environmental media and organisms and have a teratogenic effect on and toxicity to animals and humans. The residual levels of seventeen PFAAs in the tissues of two regular consumption fish species, Culter erythropterus and Aristichthys nobilis in Lake Chaohu were measured by a high-performance liquid chromatograph – mass spectrometer (HPLC-MS). The distributions of PFAAs and the effect of the lipid contents were analyzed, and the health risks of typical PFAAs were evaluated. The results showed that perfluorohexanoic acid (PFHxA) was the predominant contaminant (80.50 ± 58.31 ng/g and 19.17 ± 12.57 ng/g wet weight, ww), followed by perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS) (55.02 ± 34.82 and 14.79 ± 6.24 ng/g, ww) in both fish. The level of total PFAAs was the highest in the liver tissues of Culter erythropterus (359.87 ng/g, ww) and the lowest in the kidney tissues in A. nobilis (10.06 ng/g, ww). Due to the higher trophic level of C. erythropteru, the total PFAA concentrations were significantly higher in all tissues than those in A. nobilis. Liver muscle ratio of C. erythropteru was the highest, indicating the most accumulation in the liver. The concentrations of PFAAs in fish tissues were influenced by the lipid content, resulting in a difference between the lipid-normalized concentrations and the wet weight concentrations of the PFAAs. The non-carcinogenic risks of PFOS were higher than those of PFOA through the ingestion of C. erythropterus and A. nobilis. Both the carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic risks of C. erythropterus were greater than those of A. nobilis, and fish tissue intake could cause an increasing of risks up to 60%, indicating that long-term and large amount ingestion of carnivorous fish and related tissues with higher trophic level, such as C. erythropterus should be avoided.

In situ hybridization is a commonly used technique using an antisense RNA probe to localize a specific RNA sequence on histological sections. This approach can visualize the expression pattern of a gene of interest in a portion of tissues. Here, we detail an optimized method for performing in situ hybridization on mouse paraffin sections using digoxigenin (DIG)-labeled RNA probes.