B-doped and La_(4)NiLiO_(8)-coated Ni-rich cathode with enhanced structural and interfacial stability for lithium-ion batteries

Ni-rich layered oxides are considered promising cathodes for advanced lithium-ion batteries(LIBs)in the future,owing to their high capacity and low cost.However,the issues on structural and interfacial stability of Ni-rich cathodes still pose substantial obstacles in the practical application of advanced LIBs.Here,we employ a one-step method to synthesize a B-doped and La_(4)NiLiO_(8)-coated LiNi_(0.82)5Co_(0.115)Mn_(0.06)O_(2)(BL-1)cathode with reliable structure and interface,for the first time.The La_(4)NiLiO_(8)coating layer can prevent cathodes from electrolyte assault and facilitate Li+diffusion kinetics.Moreover,B-doping can effectively restrain the pernicious H_(2)-H_(3) phase transition and adjust the orientation of primary particles to a radial alignment,which is obstructive to the arise of microcracks induced by the change of anisotropic volume.Specifically,when tested in pouch cells,the BL-1 cathode exhibits outstanding capacity retention of 93.49%after 500 cycles at 1 C.This dual-modification strategy dramatically enhances the stability of the structure and interface for Ni-rich cathode materials,consequently accelerating the commercialization process of high-energy–density LIBs.

Human β-defensin 3 gene modification promotes the osteogenic differentiation of human periodontal ligament cells and bone repair in periodontitis

Efforts to control inflammation and achieve better tissue repair in the treatment of periodontitis have been ongoing for years.Humanβ-defensin 3,a broad-spectrum antimicrobial peptide has been proven to have a variety of biological functions in periodontitis;however,relatively few reports have addressed the effects of human periodontal ligament cells(h PDLCs)on osteogenic differentiation.In this study,we evaluated the osteogenic effects of h PDLCs with an adenoviral vector encoding humanβ-defensin 3 in an inflammatory microenvironment.Then humanβ-defensin 3 gene-modified rat periodontal ligament cells were transplanted into rats with experimental periodontitis to observe their effects on periodontal bone repair.We found that the humanβ-defensin 3 gene-modified h PDLCs presented with high levels of osteogenesis-related gene expression and calcium deposition.Furthermore,the p38 MAPK pathway was activated in this process.In vivo,humanβ-defensin 3 gene-transfected rat PDLCs promoted bone repair in SD rats with periodontitis,and the p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase(MAPK)pathway might also have been involved.These findings demonstrate that humanβ-defensin 3 accelerates osteogenesis and that humanβ-defensin 3 gene modification may offer a potential approach to promote bone repair in patients with periodontitis.

Erythrocyte sphingolipid species as biomarkers of Alzheimer's disease

Diagnosing Alzheimer’s disease(AD)in the early stage is challenging.Informative biomarkers can be of great value for population-based screening.Metabolomics studies have been used to find potential biomarkers,but commonly used tissue sources can be difficult to obtain.The objective of this study was to determine the potential utility of erythrocyte metabolite profiles in screening for AD.Unlike some commonly-used sources such as cerebrospinal fluid and brain tissue,erythrocytes are plentiful and easily accessed.Moreover,erythrocytes are metabolically active,a feature that distinguishes this sample source from other bodily fluids like plasma and urine.In this preliminary pilot study,the erythrocyte metabolomes of 10 histopathologically confirmed AD patients and 10 patients without AD(control(CTRL))were compared.Whole blood was collected post-mortem and erythrocytes were analyzed using ultraperformance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry.Over 750 metabolites were identified in AD and CTRL erythrocytes.Seven were increased in AD while 24 were decreased(P<0.05).The majority of the metabolites increased in AD were associated with amino acid metabolism and all of the decreased metabolites were associated with lipid metabolism.Prominent among the potential biomarkers were 10 sphingolipid or sphingolipid-related species that were consistently decreased in AD patients.Sphingolipids have been previously implicated in AD and other neurological conditions.Furthermore,previous studies have shown that erythrocyte sphingolipid concentrations vary widely in normal,healthy adults.Together,these observations suggest that certain erythrocyte lipid phenotypes could be markers of risk for development of AD.

Effects of Methionine on the Immune Function in Animals

Nutrition and immunity are the hot topics in animal’s production, and the effects of methionine on the immunity are already confirmed as the deep research on the nutrition of amino acid and immune function. However, the relationship of the methionine and immunity has not been elucidated clearly, this review aims to clarify the effects of methionine on immune function in the aspects of growth and development immune organs, the histological structure of the immune organs, non-specific immunity, humoral immunity, cellular immunity and cytokines, and to provide foundations for further studies on the relationship between methionine and immune function.

Advances in Effect of Germanium or Germanium Compounds on Animals—A Review

An increasing number of researches have been focused on the relationship between trace elements and animal health. Germanium, as a widely used trace element, exists ubiquitously as germanium or germanium compounds in the living environment of human and animals, and plays important roles in animal production or health. With the intensive study of the physiological function of germanium and its compounds, the effects of germanium on animal physiological functions and health have been gradually confirmed. In this review, we discuss the metabolic distribution, physiological characteristics, biological functions, germanium deficiency and germanium toxicity. Furthermore, we focus on the effects of germanium or germanium compounds on the immunity of animals. It is concluded that germanium or germanium compounds not only has positive effect but also has negative effect on animals. This review aims to provide a reference for the future research or application of the germanium or germanium compounds on animals or human beings.

Unveiling the impact of residual Li conversion and cation ordering on electrochemical performance of Co-free Ni-rich cathodes

The residual Li and Li^(+)/Ni_(2)+cation mixing play essential roles in the electrochemical properties of Ni-rich cathodes.However,a general relationship between the residual Li conversion,cation mixing,and their effects on the Li^(+)kinetics and structural stability has yet to be established,due to the presence of cobalt in the cathode.Here,we explore the synergistic impact of the residual Li conversion and cation ordering on a Co-free Ni-rich cathode(i.e.,LiNi0.95Mn0.05O_(2)).It discloses that the rate capability is mainly affected by residual Li contents and operating voltage.Specifically,residual Li can be electrochemically converted to cathode electrolyte interphase(CEI)below 4.3 V,thus inducing high interphase resistance,and decomposes to produce CO_(2)-dominated gas at 4.5 V,causing temporary enhancement of Li^(+)diffusivity but severe surface degradation during cycling.Moreover,the cycling performance of Co-free Ni-rich cathode is not only determined by Li^(+)/Ni_(2)+cation-ordered superlattice,which enhances the structural stability as it functions as the pillar to impede lattice collapse at a highly charged state,but also by the robust CEI layers which protect the bulk from electrolyte attack under 4.3 V.These findings promote an in-depth understanding of residual Li conversion and Li^(+)/Ni_(2)+cation ordering on Co-free Ni-rich cathode.

Difluorocarbene-derived rapid late-stage trifluoromethylation of 5-iodotriazoles for the synthesis of^(18)F-labeled radiotracers

Difluorocarbene has emerged as a valuable intermediate to synthesize fluorides.However,difluorocarbene-derived synthesis of^(19)F/^(18)F-trifluoromethyl triazoles has not been explored.Herein,we reported the Cu(I)-promoted difluorocarbene-derived^(19)F/^(18)F-trifluoromethylation of iodotriazoles using KF/K^(18)F as the fluorine source.This approach rapidly generated a wide range of 5-trifluoromethyl-1,2,3-triazoles in good yields showing high functional group compatibility.The reaction was effective for late-stage functionalization of bioactive molecules and^(18)F-trifluoromethylation of iodotriazoles.This work provides a practical synthetic methodology for the development of triazole drugs and^(18)F-radiotracers for positron emission tomography.

Mass spectrometry-based proteomics and peptidomics for systems biology and biomarker discovery

The scientific community has shown great interest in the field of mass spectrometry-based proteomics and peptidomics for its applications in biology. Proteomics technologies have evolved to produce large data sets of proteins or peptides involved in various biologic and disease progression processes generating testable hypothesis for complex biologic questions. This review provides an introduction to relevant topics in proteomics and peptidomics including biologic material selection, sample preparation, separation techniques, peptide fragmentation, post-translational modifications, quantification, bioinformatics, and biomarker discovery and validation. In addition, current literature, remaining challenges, and emerging technologies for proteomics and peptidomics are presented.

Recent Advances in Understanding of Alzheimer’s Disease Progression Through Mass Spectrometry-Based Metabolomics

Alzheimer’s disease(AD)is the leading cause of dementia in the aging population,but despite extensive research,there is no consensus on the biological cause of AD.While AD research is dominated by protein/peptide-centric research based on the amyloid hypothesis,a theory that designates dysfunction in beta-amyloid production,accumulation,or disposal as the primary cause of AD,many studies focus on metabolomics as a means of understanding the biological processes behind AD progression.In this review,we discuss mass spectrometry(MS)-based AD metabolomics studies,including sample type and preparation,mass spectrometry data acquisition strategies,and data analysis,as well as biological insights gleaned from these studies,with the hope of informing future AD metabolomic studies.