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The presence of free gossypol (FG) in cottonseed meal (CSM) greatly limits the use of CSM as a high-quality protein feed. Microbial fermentation is an effective method to simultaneously reduce FG and improve the nutritional value of CSM. In this study, using potato dextrose agar containing acetic gossypol as a selective medium and humus soil from cotton fields as the source, we isolated six strains of fungi capable of tolerating FG. With an inoculation ratio of 8% (8 mL × 106 CFU/mL cells or spores in 100 g fermented CSM), 50% moisture content, and a temperature of 30 °C, CSM was fermented for 5 days. The results showed that strain F had the highest FG removal rate at 56.43%, which was identified as Rhodotorula mucilaginosa (R. mucilaginosa) and named R. mucilaginosa TG529. Further optimization revealed that when the fermentation time was extended to 11 days, TG529 achieved a maximum FG removal rate of 73.29%. Compared to the original sample, treatment with TG529 significantly increased the contents of crude protein, acid-soluble protein, and 18 amino acids, while significantly reducing the contents of crude fiber, neutral detergent fiber (NDF), and acid detergent fiber in fermented cottonseed meal (FCSM). Using atmospheric and room temperature plasma for mutagenesis of TG529, it was found that the mutated TG529 significantly increased the contents of acid-soluble protein and phenylalanine in FCSM, significantly reduced the NDF content, and enhanced the FG removal rate to 76.50%. In summary, this study screened and mutagenized a strain of FG detoxifying fungus, R. mucilagnosa TG529, which can effectively reduce the FG content and improve the nutritional value of CSM by solid-state fermentation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aqueous Zn metal batteries (ZMBs) are largely hampered by the poor stability of zinc (Zn) anode in aqueous electrolyte due to uncontrollable deposition behavior and parasitic reactions. Hence, a stable Glu@Zn anode via acid etching is developed that simultaneously exposes (002) plane and modifies exposed grain boundaries. The surface‐preferred (002) plane is achieved by minimizing its surface energy. And the exposed grain boundaries are also modified by decomposition products of acid etching, which can greatly reduce the adverse effects caused by highly active grain boundaries. These features favor Glu@Zn anode by accrediting a long‐term cycle lifespan exceeding 4400 h with a high average coulombic efficiency (CE) of 98.9%. Surprisingly, Glu@Zn anode can run for more than 250 h with 50% Zn utilization. The assembled Glu@Zn//NH4V4O10 full batteries deliver a specific capacity of 291.6 mAh g−1 after 400 cycles even at a low current density of 0.5 A g−1. It can also obtain a stable cycling performance up to 2000 cycles. To further verify its stability, a pouch cell is constructed that can preserve stable 400 cycles with 5 mAh. This study sheds light on surface energy regulation exposing preferred crystal plane to develop highly stable and reversible cycling aqueous ZMBs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article discusses the dysbiosis of the oral-gut microbiome in patients with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and its implications for noninvasive diagnosis. PCOS is a common reproductive endocrine disorder that affects women of reproductive age. The study analyzed the oral and gut microbiome of PCOS patients and healthy controls and identified differences in microbial composition and functionality between the two groups. The findings suggest that the oral and gut microbiota may serve as potential predictive markers for PCOS diagnosis, and combining microbial indicators with clinical indices can optimize the accuracy of PCOS discrimination. [Extracted from the article]