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Summary: Porcine deltacoronavirus (PDCoV) is a recently identified coronavirus in the genus Deltacoronavirus that can cause enteric disease with clinical signs including diarrhoea, vomiting, dehydration and mortality in neonatal piglets. Although evidence of the prevalence of PDCoV in China is accumulating, little published information about Chinese PDCoV isolates is available. In this study, we investigated the presence of PDCoV in 49 faecal/intestinal samples from piglets with diarrhoea on different farms in Hebei province. Five samples (10.2%) were positive for PDCoV, but no coinfection of PDCoV with other enteropathogens was observed. A PDCoV strain named HB‐BD was successfully isolated from the intestinal contents of a diarrhoeic piglet and serially propagated in swine testicular (ST) cells for >40 passages. The complete genome of the HB‐BD strain was sequenced and analysed. Genomic analysis showed that the HB‐BD strain had a closer relationship with Chinese strains than those from other countries and was grouped within the Chinese PDCoV cluster. The results of this study will be valuable for further research of PDCoV genetic evolution and development of effective diagnostic reagents, assays and potential vaccines against newly emerged PDCoV strains. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Tianjin Medical Journal is the property of Tianjin Medical Journal and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Journal of Liaoning Technical University (Natural Science Edition) / Liaoning Gongcheng Jishu Daxue Xuebao (Ziran Kexue Ban) is the property of Journal of Liaoning Technical University (Natural Science) Editorial Department and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

As an endemic species,Wolfiporia cocos (F.A. Wolf) Ryvarden & Gilb. is widely distributed, such as in China, Korea, Japan, and North America, which have had a dual-purpose resource for medicines and food for over 2000 years. The applications of W. cocos were used to treat diseases including edema, insomnia, spleen deficiency, and vomiting. What's more, there have been wide uses of such edible fungi as a function food or dietary supplement recently. Up until now, 166 kinds of chemical components have been isolated and identified from W. cocos including triterpenes, polysaccharides, sterols, diterpenes, and others. Modern pharmacological studies showed that the components hold a wide range of pharmacological activities both in vitro and in vivo, such as antitumor, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, anti-oxidant, and antidepressant activities. In addition, present results showed that the mechanisms of pharmacological activities were closely related to chemical structures, molecular signaling paths and the expression of relate proteins for polysaccharides and triterpenes. For further in-depth studies on this fungus based on the recent research status, this review provided some perspectives and systematic summaries of W. cocos in traditional uses, chemical components, pharmacological activities, separation and analysis technologies, and structure–activity relationships. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new nitronyl nitroxide radical-Dy chain having the formula [Dy(hfac)3(NITPh2OEt)]n (1) has been obtained by the reaction of nitronyl nitroxide radical NITPh2OEt (NITPh2OEt stands for 2-(2′-ethoxyphenyl)-4,4,5,5-tetramethylimidazoline-1-oxyl-3-oxide) with Dy(hfac)3·2H2O (hfac represents hexafluoroacetylacetonate). This Dy-rad chain crystallizes in a polar point group of C2 and has a one-dimensional structure in which the Dy atoms are linked by the NIT-Ph2OEt radical via its two NO groups. The observed P–E hysteresis loops demonstrate its ferroelectric behavior. Magnetic investigations further confirm that in this magnetic system ordering occurs at ca. 3.9 K. Moreover, when the interchain interactions of complex 1 are counteracted by applying a dc field, the frequency-dependent ac signals are observed for 1, implying slow magnetic relaxation. Remarkably, this radical–metal chain represents an unprecedented example of the coexistence of magnetic ordering and ferroelectricity for Ln–nitronyl nitroxide radical compounds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Chinese Journal of Ophthalmology & Otorhinolaryngology is the property of Eye & ENT Hospital of Fudan University and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Intracellular delivery of nano‐drug‐carriers (NDC) to specific cells, diseased regions, or solid tumors has entered the era of precision medicine that requires systematic knowledge of nano‐biological interactions from multidisciplinary perspectives. To this end, this review first provides an overview of membrane‐disruption methods such as electroporation, sonoporation, photoporation, microfluidic delivery, and microinjection with the merits of high‐throughput and enhanced efficiency for in vitro NDC delivery. The impact of NDC characteristics including particle size, shape, charge, hydrophobicity, and elasticity on cellular uptake are elaborated and several types of NDC systems aiming for hierarchical targeting and delivery in vivo are reviewed. Emerging in vitro or ex vivo human/animal‐derived pathophysiological models are further explored and highly recommended for use in NDC studies since they might mimic in vivo delivery features and fill the translational gaps from animals to humans. The exploration of modern microscopy techniques for precise nanoparticle (NP) tracking at the cellular, organ, and organismal levels informs the tailored development of NDCs for in vivo application and clinical translation. Overall, the review integrates the latest insights into smart nanosystem engineering, physiological models, imaging‐based validation tools, all directed towards enhancing the precise and efficient intracellular delivery of NDCs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Medicinal Polygonatum species is a widely used traditional Chinese medicine with high nutritional value, known for its anti-fatigue properties, enhancement of immunity, delays aging, improves sleep, and other health benefits. However, the efficacy of different species varies, making the quality control of medicinal Polygonatum species increasingly important. Polysaccharides are important in medicinal Polygonatum species because of their potential functional properties, such as antioxidation, hypoglycemia, protection of intestinal health, and minimal toxicological effects on human health, as well as high polysaccharide levels., Objective: This study developed a qualitative medicinal Polygonatum species model and a polysaccharides predictive model based on attenuated total reflection Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR) combined with a multivariate analysis approach., Materials and Methods: ATR-FTIR spectral information of 334 medicinal Polygonatum species samples was collected and the spectral information of different modes was analyzed. The ATR-FTIR spectral differences of three medicinal Polygonatum species were studied by multivariate analysis combined with four spectral preprocessing and three variable selection methods. For the prediction of polysaccharides in Polygonatum kingianum Collett & Hemsl. (PK), we initially determined the actual content of 110 PK polysaccharide samples using the anthrone-sulfuric acid method, then established partial least squares regression (PLSR) and kernel PLSR models in conjunction with attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy., Results: In the visualization analysis, the orthogonal partial least squares-discriminant analysis (OPLS-DA) model based on second-order derivative (SD) preprocessing was most suitable for medicinal Polygonatum species species binary classification, spectral differences between Polygonatum cyrtonema Hua (PC) and other species are evident; in the hard modeling, SD preprocessing improves the accuracy of non-deep learning models for the classification of three medicinal Polygonatum species. In contrast, residual neural network (ResNet) models were the best choice for species identification without preprocessing and variable selection. In addition, the partial least squares regression (PLSR) model and Kernel-PLSR model can quickly predict PK polysaccharides content, among them, the Kernel-PLSR model with SD pretreatment has the best prediction performance, residual prediction deviation (RPD) = 7.2870, Rp = 0.9905., Conclusion: In this study, we employed ATR-FTIR spectroscopy and various treatments to discern different medicinal Polygonatum species. We also evaluated the effects of preprocessing methods and variable selection on the prediction of PK polysaccharides by PLSR and Kernel-PLSR models. Among them, the ResNet model can achieve 100% correct classification of medicinal Polygonatum species without complex spectral preprocessing. Furthermore, the Kernel-PLSR model based on SD-ATR-FTIR spectra had the best performance in polysaccharides prediction. In summary, by integrating ATR-FTIR spectroscopy with multivariate analysis, this research accomplished the classification of medicinal Polygonatum species and the prediction of polysaccharides. The methodology offers the benefits of speed, environmental sustainability, and precision, highlighting its significant potential for practical applications. In future research, on the one hand, it can be further investigated using a portable infrared spectrometer, and on the other hand, infrared spectroscopy can also be applied to the prediction of other chemical components of medicinal Polygonatum species., (© 2024 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Copyright of Journal of Agro-Environment Science is the property of Journal of Agro-Environment Science Editorial Board and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Silicon-based anodes heavily depend on the binder to preserve the unbroken electrode structure. In the present work, natural flaxseed gum (FG) is used as a binder of silicon nanoparticles (SiNPs) anode for the first time. Owing to a large number of polar groups and a rich branched structure, this material not only anchors tightly to the surface of SiNPs through bonding interactions but also formed a hydrogen bonding network structure among molecules. As a result, the FG binder can endow the silicon electrode with stable interfacial adhesion and outstanding mechanical properties. In addition, FG with a high viscosity facilitates the homogeneous dispersion of the electrode components. When FG is used as a binder, the cycling performance of the Si anode is greatly improved. After one hundred cycles at an applied current density of 1 A g -1 , the electrode continues to display remarkable electrochemical properties with a significant cyclic capacity (2213 mA h g -1 ) and initial Coulombic efficiency (ICE) of 89.7%., (© 2024 Wiley‐VCH GmbH.)

The detection of antibody against goose plague virus (GPV) infection has never had a commercialized test kit, which has posed challenges to the prevention and control of this disease. In this study, bioinformatics software was used to analyze and predict the dominant antigenic regions of the main protective antigen VP3 of GPV. Three segments of bovine serum albumin (BSA) vector-coupled peptides were synthesized as ELISA coating antigens. Experimental results showed that the VP3-1 (358-392aa) peptide had the best reactivity and specificity. By using the BSA-VP3-1 peptide, a detection method for antibody against GPV infection was established, demonstrating excellent specificity with no cross-reactivity with common infectious goose pathogen antibodies. The intra-batch coefficient of variation and inter-batch coefficient of variation were both less than 7%, indicating good stability and repeatability. The dynamic antibody detection results of gosling vaccines and the testing of 120 clinical immune goose serum samples collectively demonstrate that BSA-VP3-1 peptide ELISA can be used to detect antibody against GPV in the immunized goose population and has higher sensitivity than traditional agar gel precipitation methods. Taken together, the developed peptide-ELISA based on VP3 358-392aa could be useful in laboratory viral diagnosis, routine surveillance in goose farms. The main application of the peptide-ELISA is to monitor the antibody level and vaccine efficacy for GPV, which will help the prevention and control of gosling plague. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Shanxi Agricultural Sciences is the property of Shanxi Academy of Agricultural Sciences and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Current commercial lithium ion battery (LIB) anodes comprising graphite and Li4Ti5O12 inevitably suffer from safety risk and low energy density. Hence, a novel anode material of Ti0.95Nb0.95O4/C hybrid nanotubes was developed via a modified sol-gel method combined with subsequent calcination. The hybrids consist of Ti0.95Nb0.95O4 quantum dots that are homogeneously embedded in the walls of porous bamboo-like CNTs. The high capacity feature of multiple redox couples of Ti-Nb-O based anodes is demonstrated by ex situ XPS in the hybrids. With the advantages of stimulative lithium storage, increased conductivity and robust mechanical properties due to the unique hybrid structure, the hybrids exhibit a high capacity (516.8 mA h g-1 at 0.2 A g-1), superior long-term cycling stability (142.7 mA h g-1 at 5 A g-1 after 3000 cycles) and an ultra-high rate capability (234.6 mA h g-1 at 1 A g-1 and 125 mA h g-1 at 8 A g-1). Meanwhile, the hybrids showed superior electrochemical performance compared with the reported Li4Ti5O12 and Ti-Nb-O based anodes. Furthermore, the GITT measurements revealed the fast Li+ transport for the charge-discharge processes of the hybrids. Such prominent merits of the Ti0.95Nb0.95O4/C hybrid nanotubes make them more likely candidates that can replace graphite and Li4Ti5O12 anodes in LIBs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Niobium tungsten oxide is a potential replacement for graphite in fast‐charge lithium‐ion batteries due to its high rate performance and high stability. Herein, Nb14W3O44 anode was synthesized by hydrothermal reaction of niobium oxalate and ammonium tungstate and sequent calcination of niobium tungsten oxide precursors. Compared with the traditional solid‐state method, the particle size and calcination time of Nb14W3O44 obtained by the modified method are greatly reduced. Through orthogonal experiments, the optimal synthesis conditions were determined, and it was found that hydrothermal conditions have an important influence on the particle size of the final product, while the calcination temperature and time greatly affect the purity of the product and thus influence its specific capacity during cycles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Porcine deltacoronavirus (PDCoV) is an emerging virus that poses a significant threat to the global swine industry. Its membrane (M) protein is crucial for virion assembly and virus–host interactions. We selected the hydrophilic region of M protein for prokaryotic expression, purification, and recombinant protein production. Utilizing hybridoma technology, we prepared the monoclonal antibody (mAb) 24-A6 against M protein. The mAb 24-A6 was shown to be suitable for use in immunofluorescence assays, western blotting, and immunoprecipitation, with specificity for PDCoV and no cross-reactivity with other five porcine viruses. The M protein was observed to be expressed as early as 3 h after PDCoV infection, increasing its expression over the duration of infection. Notably, the antigenic epitope of the M protein identified as 103SPESRL108 recognized by mAb 24-A6 was found within a conserved structural domain (SWWSFNPETNNL) of the coronavirus M protein, indicating a crucial overlap between a functionally important viral assembly region and a region recognized by the immune system. Our findings provide valuable insights into mAb 24-A6 targeting the antigenic epitope of M protein and may contribute to the development of diagnostic tools for PDCoV infection and fundamental research into the function of PDCoV M protein. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a compact dual-band open-loop monopole MIMO antenna to serve 4G/5G applications. This antenna consists of two printed monopole antennas with very high isolation. Two enhancement techniques are utilized to improve the isolation between ports. Since each technique can provide high isolation of a single band, a combination of λ/4 slot and T-shape techniques are used to achieve high isolation of −19 dB and −35 dB at 2.4 GHz and 3.5 GHz, respectively. The proposed design has high efficiency, a low envelope correlation coefficient, and an acceptable level of realized gain (2.7 dBi and 2.2 dBi) at low and high bands. This design has been fabricated using low-profile printed circuit technology with a compact patch size of 50 × 25 mm2 based on an FR-4 substrate. Moreover, the simulation and measurement results are in good agreement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To investigate the mechanism of the effect of acupuncture and moxibustion on improving liver injury in cisplatin (DDP) induced liver injury model mice by observing the changes of inositol-requiring enzyme (IRE) -1 signaling pathway., Methods: Forty KM mice were randomly divided into control, model, acupuncture and moxibustion groups, with 10 mice in each group. The liver injury model was replicated by intraperitoneal injection of DDP (10 mg/kg). In the acupuncture group and the moxibustion group, acupuncture and moxibustion were performed at "Dazhui"(GV14), and bilateral "Ganshu"(BL18), "Shenshu" (BL23), and "Zusanli"(ST36), respectively for 6 min, once per day for 7 d. The apoptosis of hepatocytes was detected by TUNEL staining. The expression of phosphorylation(p)-IRE-1α, glucose-regulated protein (Grp) 78 and cysteine aspartic protease (Caspase) -12 in liver tissue were detected by immunohistochemistry and Western blot, respectively. The expression levels of Grp78 and Caspase-12 mRNA in liver tissue were detected by quantitative real-time PCR., Results: Compared with the control group, the apoptosis rate of hepatocytes was increased ( P <0.05), the positive expression and protein expression of p-IRE-1α, Grp78, and Caspase-12 were increased ( P <0.05), the expression levels of Grp78 and Caspase-12 mRNA were increased ( P <0.05) in the model group. Compared with the model group, all these indicators showed opposite trends ( P <0.05) in the acupuncture and moxibustion groups., Conclusions: Acupuncture and moxibustion can reduce liver injury due to DDP chemotherapy by modulating IRE-1 signaling pathway, inhibiting the excessive activation of endoplasmic reticulum stress, and reducing liver cell apoptosis.

Primary liver cancer, specifically hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), is a major global health concern. GCNT3 has been identified as an oncogene in various human malignancies. This investigation aimed to discover the GCNT3 function in HCC. The present study employed integrated bioinformatics analyses to assess the expression pattern, prognostic implications, and putative function of GCNT3 in HCC. Transwell flow cytometry, CCK-8, and wound healing assays were performed to examine HCC cell growth, cell cycle, apoptosis, invasion, and migration. In addition, the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) markers and PI3K/AKT mechanism markers were examined via western blot analysis to elucidate the underlying mechanisms. In HCC, GCNT3 was significantly overexpressed, which was connected with enhanced tumor aggressiveness and an unfavorable prognosis of individuals. In vitro experiments demonstrated that elevated levels of GCNT3 promoted cell growth, migration, cell cycle development, and invasion, in addition to EMT, while suppressing apoptosis. Conversely, knockdown of GCNT3 exerted the opposite effects. GCNT3 overexpression increased PI3K/AKT phosphorylation in HCC cells, and LY294002 counteracted the impacts of upregulated GCNT3 on cell cycle, migration, invasion, proliferation, and EMT in HCC. The investigation showed that GCNT3 may enhance HCC progression and EMT by stimulating PI3K/AKT mechanism., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

Copper is the third most abundant essential transition metal ion in the human body. It's responsible for important activities in many living things, but excessive intake of Cu2+ can lead to a range of diseases. A colorimetric and turn‐off fluorescent probe (E)‐2‐(5‐(benzothiazol‐2‐yl)‐2‐(diethylamino)‐4‐hydroxybenzylidene)‐N‐phenylhydrazine‐1‐carbothioamide (ZTR) was designed and synthesized by thiosemicarbazone Schiff base as a specific complexes site strategy to achieve highly specific Cu2+ detection. The fluorescence of the probe ZTR solution fell dramatically when Cu2+ was added, and its appearance changed from dazzling blue to nearly colorless. The simple structure and readily available fluorescent probe provide a novel approach for the quantitative detection of Cu2+ in the linear range from 0 to 0.12 μM, with a detection limit down to 16 nM, and with high selectivity for Cu2+ over 15 other metal ions. Job's plot analysis showed that probe ZTR and Cu2+ formed a 1:1 coordination complex. In addition, because of its low detection limits and fast response time, the created fluorescent molecule was effectively used to study the target ions on test paper strips and in water samples.)) [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although promising strategies have been developed to resolve the critical drawbacks of lithium-sulfur (Li-S) batteries, the intractable issues including undesirable shuttling of polysulfides and sluggish redox reaction kinetics have still been unresolved thoroughly. Herein, a cobalt single-atom (CoSA) catalyst comprising of atomic Co distributed homogeneously within nitrogen (N)-doped porous carbon (Co-NPC) nanosphere is constructed and utilized as a separator coating in Li-S batteries. The Co-NPC exposes abundant active sites participating in sulfur redox reactions, and remarkable catalytic activity boosting the rapid polysulfide conversions. As a result, Li-S batteries with Co-NPC coating layer realize significantly enhanced specific capacity (1295 mAh·g−1 at 0.2 C), rate capability (753 mAh·g−1 at 3.0 C), and long-life cyclic stability (601 mAh·g−1 after 500 cycles at 1.0 C). Increasing the areal sulfur loading to 6.2 mg·cm−2, an extremely high areal capacity of 7.92 mAh·cm−2 is achieved. Further in situ X-ray diffraction, density functional theory calculations, and secondary ion mass spectrometry confirm the high catalytic capability of CoSA towards reversible polysulfide conversion. This study supplies new insights for adopting single-atom catalyst to upgrade the electrochemical performance of Li-S batteries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Searching for new promising electrocatalysts with favorable architectures allowing abundant active sites and remarkable structure stability is an urgent task for the practical application of lithium-sulfur (Li−S) batteries. Herein, inspired by the structure of natural cactus, a new efficient and robust electrocatalyst with three-dimensional (3D) hierarchical cactus-like architecture constructed by functional zero-dimensional (0D), one-dimensional (1D), and two-dimensional (2D) components is developed. The cactus-inspired catalyst (denoted as Co@NCNT/NCNS) consists of N-doped carbon nanosheets (NCNS) and standing N-doped carbon nanotubes (NCNT) forest with embedded Co nanoparticles on the top of NCNT, which was achieved by an in situ catalytic growth technique. The unique structure design integrates the advantages of 0D Co accelerating catalytic redox reactions, 1D NCNT providing a fast electron pathway, and 2D NCNS assuring strong structure stability. Especially, the rich Mott-Schottky heterointerfaces between metallic Co and semiconductive NCNT can further facilitate the electron transfer, thus improving the electrocatalyst activity. Consequently, a Li−S battery with the Co@NCNT/NCNS modified separator achieves ultralong cycle life over 4000 cycles at 2 C with ultralow capacity decay of 0.016% per cycle, much superior over that of recently reported batteries. This work provides a new strategy for developing ultra-stable catalysts towards long-life Li−S batteries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High energy density and low cost make lithium-sulfur (Li-S) batteries as one of the next generation's promising energy storage systems. However, the following problems need to be solved before commercialization: (i) the shuttling effect and sluggish redox kinetics of lithium polysulfides in sulfur cathode; (ii) the formation of lithium dendrites and the crack of solid electrolyte interphase; (iii) the large volume changes during charge and discharge processes. MXenes, as newly emerging two-dimensional transition metal carbides/nitrides/carbonitrides, have attracted widespread attention due to their abundant active surface terminals, adjustable vacancies, and high electrical conductivity. Designing MXene-based heterogeneous structures is expected to solve the stacking problem induced by hydrogen bonds or Van der Waals force and to provide other charming physiochemical properties. Herein, we generalize the design principles of MXene-based heterostructures and their functions, i.e., adsorption and catalysis in advanced conversion-based Li-S batteries. Firstly, the physiochemical properties of MXene and MXene-based heterostructures are briefly introduced. Secondly, the catalytic functions of MXene-based heterostructures with the compositional constituents including carbon materials, metal compounds, organic frameworks, polymers, single atoms and special high-entropy MXenes are comprehensively summarized in sulfur cathodes and lithium anodes. Finally, the challenges of MXene-based heterostructure in current Li-S batteries are pointed out and we also provide some enlightenments for future developments in high-energy-density Li-S batteries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Separators with low‐cost, superior mechanical properties, such as nanofiber materials, are considered a viable option for solving the dendritic problem in alkali metal batteries. Consuming the dendrites rather than blocking them underpins the long‐life stable cycle performance of the cell. Herein, a five‐layer structural separator (LiNO3@PVDF@mask) is presented, in which a mask is used as a framework and the polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) layer loaded with LiNO3 can generate a passivation layer by reacting with K dendrites. In the case of potassium metal batteries, for example, the LiNO3@PVDF@mask separator has excellent mechanical properties that can effectively cope with the hazards caused by the K dendrite. In addition, sustained‐release LiNO3 can react with penetrated K dendrites to form inactive substances like KNO3 and K2O, blocking further dendrite growth. Importantly, the LiNO3@PVDF@mask separator uses a low‐cost abundant mask and possesses excellent wettability of electrolyte with a reduced amount of liquid electrolyte, enabling one to further iron out cost problems. This study opens up a new direction for research and contributes to practical applications of flexible devices for rechargeable alkaline metal batteries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A record duration of a 310 s H-mode plasma (H98y2 ∼ 1.3, ne/nGW ∼ 0.7, fBS > 50%) has been recently achieved on experimental advanced superconducting tokamak (EAST) with metal walls, exploiting the device's improved long-pulse capabilities. The experiment demonstrates good control of tungsten concentration, core/edge MHD stability, and particle and heat exhaust with an ITER-like tungsten divertor and zero injected torque, establishing a milestone on the path to steady-state long-pulse high-performance scenarios in support of ITER and CFETR. Important synergistic effects are leveraged toward this result, which relies purely on radio frequency (RF) powers for heating and current drive (H&CD). On-axis electron cyclotron heating enhances the H&CD efficiency from lower hybrid wave injection, increasing confinement quality and enabling fully non-inductive operation at high density (ne/nGW ∼ 70%) and high poloidal beta (βP ∼ 2.5). A small-amplitude grassy edge localized mode regime facilitates the RF power coupling to the H-mode edge and reduces divertor sputtering/erosion. The high energy confinement quality (H98y2 ∼ 1.3) is achieved with the experimental and simulated results pointing to the strong effect of Shafranov shift on turbulence. Transport analysis suggests that trapped electron modes dominate in the core region during the record discharge. The detailed physics processes (RF synergy, core-edge integration, confinement properties, etc.) of the steady-state operation will be illustrated in the content. In the future, EAST will aim at accessing more relevant dimensionless parameters to develop long-pulse high-performance plasma toward ITER and CFETR steady-state advanced operation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) is a widely detected plasticizer and a priority pollutant of utmost concern for its adverse impact on humans, wildlife and the environment. To eliminate such toxic burden, biological processes are the most promising ways to combat rampant environmental insults under eco-friendly conditions. The present study investigated the biochemical and molecular assessment of the catabolic potential of Mycolicibacterium sp. strain MBM in the assimilation of estrogenic DEHP. Results: A detailed biochemical study revealed an initial hydrolytic pathway of degradation for DEHP followed by the assimilation of hydrolyzed phthalic acid and 2-ethylhexanol to TCA cycle intermediates. Besides the inducible nature of DEHP-catabolic enzymes, strain MBM can efficiently utilize various low- and high-molecular-weight phthalate diesters and can grow under moderately halotolerant conditions. Whole genome sequence analysis exhibited a genome size of 6.2 Mb with a GC content of 66.51% containing 6,878 coding sequences, including multiple genes, annotated as relevant to the catabolism of phthalic acid esters (PAEs). Substantiating the annotated genes through transcriptome assessment followed by RT-qPCR analysis, the possible roles of upregulated genes/gene clusters in the metabolism of DEHP were revealed, reinforcing the biochemical pathway of degradation at the molecular level. Conclusions: A detailed co-relation of biochemical, genomic, transcriptomic and RT-qPCR analyses highlights the PAE-degrading catabolic machineries in strain MBM. Further, due to functional attributes in the salinity range of both freshwater and seawater, strain MBM may find use as a suitable candidate in the bioremediation of PAEs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The dilatancy deformation and particle breakage effects of coarse-grained soil have a significant influence on the safety and stability of high earth and rock-fill dams. To study the shear deformation and particle breakage characteristics of coarse-grained soil, four groups of soil sample with different coarse grain contents were to conduct consolidated drained triaxial compression tests by DJSZ-150 large-scale triaxial compression test machine. The results showed that the volume of coarse-grained soil changes significantly under deviation stress. The soil samples underwent positive dilatancy under the confining pressures of 200 kPa and 400 kPa but negative dilatancy under the confining pressures of 600 kPa and 800 kPa. When increasing the coarse grain contents in the soil sample under the same confining pressure, the positive dilatancy was more significant. A three-parameter dilatancy equation of coarse-grained soil considering confining pressure was established, in which the parameter L = 4 could serve as a criterion for whether the coarse-grained soil underwent positive dilatancy. Under the load, the coarse-grained soil showed three particle breakage modes: abrasion, attrition, and fracture. The coarse-grained soil particle size distribution before and after breakage conformed to the fractal characteristics, and the particle breakage rate increased significantly with larger soil particle size fractal dimension differences before and after the test. The coarse grain content and the confining pressure are two important factors affecting the mechanical properties of coarse-grained soil, and they control the shear deformation of soil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

2D/3D perovskite heterojunctions exhibit promising prospects in the improvement of efficiency and stability of perovskite solar cells (PSCs). However, many challenges remain in the development of high-quality 2D/3D heterojunctions, such as a reliable pathway to control the perovskite phase and generally poor performance in inverted (p–i–n) devices, which limit their commercialization. Fortunately, many excellent works have proposed lots of strategies to solve these challenges, which have triggered a new wave of research on 2D/3D perovskite heterojunctions in recent years. In this paper, the latest research progress and the critical factors involved in the modulating mechanisms of PSCs with 2D/3D heterojunctions have been summarized and laid out systematically. The advantages of constructing 2D/3D perovskite heterojunctions in PSCs are highlighted, and the problems and related solutions of low-dimensional perovskites as passivation layers towards high-performance PSCs are also discussed in depth. Finally, the prospects of 2D/3D perovskite heterojunctions utilized in the passivation strategies to further improve the photovoltaic performance of PSCs in the future have been presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Porcine epidemic diarrhea (PED) is a severe contagious intestinal disease caused by the porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV), which leads to high mortality in piglets. In this study, by analyzing a total of 53 full-length spike genes and COE domain regions of PEDVs, the conserved COE fragment of the spike protein from the dominant strain SC1402 was chosen as the target protein and expressed successfully in Pichia pastoris (P. pastoris). Furthermore, an indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (iELISA) based on the recombinant COE protein was developed for the detection of anti-PEDV antibodies in pig sera. The results showed that under the optimized conditions, the cut-off value of COE-based indirect ELISA (COE-iELISA) was determined to be 0.12. Taking the serum neutralization test as standard, the relative sensitivity of the COE-iELISA was 94.4% and specificity 92.6%. Meanwhile, no cross-reactivity to other porcine pathogens was noted with this assay. The intra-assay and inter-assay coefficients of variation were less than 7%. Moreover, 164 vaccinated serum samples test showed that overall agreement between COE-iELISA and the actual diagnosis result was up to 99.4%. More importantly, the developed iELISA exhibited a 95.08% agreement rate with the commercial ELISA kit (Kappa value = 0.88), which suggested that the expressed COE protein was an effective antigen in serologic tests and the established COE-iELISA is reliable for monitoring PEDV infection in pigs or vaccine effectiveness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, the catalysts of copper and zinc components supported on Al2O3–ZrO2 composite carriers were prepared by co-precipitation method. The catalytic performance of the catalysts in the dehydrogenation reaction of 2-butanol was tested. The effects of Al/Zr ratio on the catalytic performance were investigated. The catalysts were characterized by EDS-mapping, XRD, and H2-TPR. The results showed that the addition of an appropriate amount of zirconium component to CuO–ZnO–Al2O3 catalyst helped to disperse CuO species, lower its reduction temperature and improve its reduction characteristics. At 260°C and H2 : N2 = 8 : 95 (v/v), the conversion of 2-butanol could reach 95% and the selectivity of methyl ethyl ketone was 78% when CuO : ZnO : Al2O3 : ZrO2 in the catalyst was 1 : 1 : 0.06 : 0.5 (apparent molar ratio). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV) is a porcine enteric coronavirus globally, causing serious economic losses to the global pig industry since 2010. Here, a PEDV CH/Yinchuan/2021 strain was isolated in a CV777-vaccinated sow farm which experienced a large-scale PEDV invasion in Yinchuan, China, in 2021. Our results demonstrated that the CH/Yinchuan/2021 isolate could efficiently propagate in Vero cells, and its proliferation ability was weaker than that of CV777 at 10 passages (P10). Phylogenetic analysis of the S gene revealed that CH/Yinchuan/2021 was clustered into subgroup GIIa, forming an independent branch with 2020-2021 isolates in China. Moreover, GII was obviously allocated into four clades, showing regional and temporal differences in PEDV global isolates. Notably, CH/Yinchuan/2021 was analyzed as a recombinant originated from an American isolate and a Chinese isolate, with a big recombinant region spanning ORF1a and S1. Importantly, we found that CH/Yinchuan/2021 harbored multiple mutations relative to CV777 in neutralizing epitopes (S10, S1A, COE, and SS6). Homology modelling showed that these amino acid differences in S protein occur on the surface of its structure, especially the insertion and deletion of multiple consecutive residues at the S10 epitope. In addition, cross-neutralization analysis confirmed that the differences in the S protein of CH/Yinchuan/2021 changed its antigenicity compared with the CV777 strain, resulting in a different neutralization profile. Animal pathogenicity test showed that CH/Yinchuan/2021 caused PEDV-typified symptoms and 100% mortality in 3-day-old piglets. These data will provide valuable information to understand the epidemiology, molecular characteristics, evolution, and antigenicity of PEDV circulating in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Developing robust, wearable, and biocompatible energy harvesting devices with bulk oxides (ceramics and perovskites) is extremely hard to achieve due to their zero mechanical flexibility, heavy metal toxicity, and tunability of properties. Alternatively, discrete inorganic complexes can be an excellent choice to overcome the above‐stated issues, thanks to appropriate molecular engineering. Herein, we report an above‐room‐temperature ferroelectric discrete molecular complex [Cu(L‐phe)(bpy)(H2O)]PF6⋅H2O (1) which is suitable for piezoelectric energy harvesting due to its large values of piezoelectric co‐efficient (d33=10 pm V−1) and spontaneous polarization (Ps=1.3 μC cm−2). Among the devices prepared with the composite films of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) and various weight % composition of 1, the 10 Wt % composite shows the highest output voltage of 8 V, a power density of 0.85 μW cm−2, and output current of 5 μA, which is highest for any discrete inorganic complex reported to date. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Road transport is one of the most energy-consuming and greenhouse gas (GHG) emitting sectors. Progressive decarbonisation of electricity generation could support the ambitious target of road vehicle climate neutrality in two different ways: direct electrification with onboard electrochemical storage or a change of energy vector with e-fuels. The most promising, state-of-the-art electrochemical storages for road transport have been analysed considering current and future technologies (the most promising ones) whose use is assumed to occur within the next 10–15 years. Different e-fuels (e-hydrogen, e-methanol, e-diesel, e-ammonia, E-DME, and e-methane) and their production pathways have been reviewed and compared in terms of energy density, synthesis efficiency, and technology readiness level. A final energetic comparison between electrochemical storages and e-fuels has been carried out considering different powertrain architectures, highlighting the huge difference in efficiency for these competing solutions. E-fuels require 3–5 times more input energy and cause 3–5 times higher equivalent vehicle CO2 emissions if the electricity is not entirely decarbonised. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is of great value to synchronously resolve the critical issues of the polysulfide shuttle and dendrite growth in lithium-sulfur (Li-S) batteries. Herein, a bifunctional Al-based Material of Institute Lavoisier-53 (MIL-53(Al))/carbon nanotube (MIL-53/CNT) composite is reported for this matter, which was constructed by growing an ordered MIL-53(Al) nanorods array on the CNT film. For the sulfur cathode, the proposed structure serves as a multifunctional interlayer to block polysulfides and accelerate their catalytic conversion, thus efficaciously inhibiting the shuttle effect. Meanwhile, when applied as the anode host material (Li@MIL-53/CNT), the flexible CNT film serves as a self-standing framework to accommodate Li metal and alleviate the volume expansion, while the uniform ion channels built by the MIL-53(Al) nanorods array along with the abundant oxygen groups can homogenize Li ion diffusion, enabling a steady Li plating/stripping behavior and limiting the dendrite growth. Not surprisingly, Li-S full battery with MIL-53/CNT interlayer and Li@MIL-53/CNT anode delivers an appreciable specific capacity of 735 mAh·g−1 and excellent cycle durability at 5 C, presenting a limited capacity decay of 0.03% per cycle in 500 cycles. Besides, an impressive cycle stability and rate capability are also achieved at high-sulfur loading and lean electrolyte conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The CK bond plays a significant role in stabilizing the Na‐K (NaK) alloy electrodes due to the enhancive interfacial affinity. In this study, a method for constructing semi‐solid K metal electrodes with rich CK bonds by in situ replacement of N‐doped carbon nanotubes (CNT) and liquid NaK alloy is proposed. Based on the in situ infrared thermal imaging technique combined with heat calculation, X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy elemental analysis, and reaction thermodynamic calculation, graphite‐N, which is widely distributed on the wall of CNT, offers plenty of replacement sites for forming CK bonds. Due to the rich bonds, the amount of CNT sharply reduces in dendrite‐free semi‐solid CNT@NaK electrodes and the activity of NaK alloy raises to ≈90%. This discovery provides a new idea for establishing dendrite‐free anodes for K metal batteries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Once fundamental difficulties such as active sites and selectivity are fully resolved, metal-free catalysts such as 3D graphene or carbon nanotubes (CNT) are very cost-effective substitutes for the expensive noble metals used for catalyzing CO2. A viable method for converting environmental wastes into useful energy storage or industrial wealth, and one which also addresses the environmental and energy problems brought on by emissions of CO2, is CO2 hydrogenation into hydrocarbon compounds. The creation of catalytic compounds and knowledge about the reaction mechanisms have received considerable attention. Numerous variables affect the catalytic process, including metal–support interaction, metal particle sizes, and promoters. CO2 hydrogenation into different hydrocarbon compounds like lower olefins, alcoholic composites, long-chain hydrocarbon composites, and fuels, in addition to other categories, have been explained in previous studies. With respect to catalyst design, photocatalytic activity, and the reaction mechanism, recent advances in obtaining oxygenated hydrocarbons from CO2 processing have been made both through experiments and through density functional theory (DFT) simulations. This review highlights the progress made in the use of three-dimensional (3D) nanomaterials and their compounds and methods for their synthesis in the process of hydrogenation of CO2. Recent advances in catalytic performance and the conversion mechanism for CO2 hydrogenation into hydrocarbons that have been made using both experiments and DFT simulations are also discussed. The development of 3D nanomaterials and metal catalysts supported on 3D nanomaterials is important for CO2 conversion because of their stability and the ability to continuously support the catalytic processes, in addition to the ability to reduce CO2 directly and hydrogenate it into oxygenated hydrocarbons. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

All‐inorganic CsPbI2Br perovskite has attracted great attention due to the stable crystal structure and moisture resistance, and its 1.91 eV bandgap is close to the optimal bandgap of indoor artificial light sources, making it be the best candidate for the indoor photovoltaics (IPVs) to power a wide range of internet of things related electronic devices. Herein, we report on the preparation of CsPbI2Br with α‐phase and the improvement of its phase stability by adding lead acetate in the CsPbI2Br precursor. A series of dopant‐free conjugated polymers (P3HT, PBDB‐T, and PM6) with different highest occupied molecular orbital energy levels are introduced as hole transport layers for building IPV devices. The PM6 based devices having better energy alignment with perovskite demonstrate best indoor photovoltaic performance, giving a remarkable open‐circuit voltage of 1.15 V and high fill factor of 81.86% under 1000 lux (330 µW cm−2) light‐emitting diode illumination, and finally realizing a decent power conversion efficiency of 33.68%. Our findings suggest that collaboratively optimize the CsPbI2Br layer and hole transport layer is an effective approach to realize high performance IPVs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Gastric adenocarcinoma (GAC) is a common clinical malignancy with a poor prognosis. Endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress plays important roles in the progression, immune filtration, and chemoresistance of cancers. However, whether ER stress-related gene signatures can predict the prognosis of GAC patients remains unknown. Methods: GAC patient RNA-seq data downloaded from The Cancer Genome Atlas and gastric cancer patient microarray data from Gene Expression Omnibus datasets were analyzed using LASSO regression to construct an ER stressrelated signature. Survival analysis, time-dependent receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves, and Cox regression analysis were used to verify the efficacy of the signature. Immune infiltration, somatic mutation, immune checkpoint, and copy number variation analyses were utilized to explore the potential biological significance of the signature. Results: In the present study, eight ER stress-related gene signatures were constructed. Survival analysis showed that patients in the high-risk group had a significantly worse prognosis. The area under the time-dependent ROC curves was 0.65, 0.70, and 0.63 at 1, 3, and 5 years, respectively, in the training cohort. Cox regression analysis showed that the signature is an independent prognostic factor. To predict GAC patients' prognosis meeting individual needs, a nomogram was constructed with good accuracy. In addition, gene set enrichment and immune infiltration analyses showed that the ER stressrelated signature is associated with cancer-related pathway activation and an immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment in GAC. Conclusion: In the current study, we established an ER stress-related signature. This prognostic signature has good predictive power and could facilitate the development of novel strategies for the clinical treatment of GAC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]