Advanced preparation and application of bimetallic materials in lithium-sulfur batteries:A review

Lithium-sulfur(Li-S)batteries are considered highly promising as next-generation energy storage systems due to high theoretical capacity(2600 Wh kg^(-1))and energy density(1675 mA h g^(-1))as well as the abundant natural reserves,low cost of elemental sulfur,and environmentally friendly properties.However,several challenges impede its commercialization including low conductivity of sulfur itself,the severe“shuttle effect”caused by lithium polysulfides(LiPSs)during charge–discharge processes,volume expansion effects and sluggish reaction kinetics.As a solution,polar metal particles and their compounds have been introduced as the main hosts for sulfur cathode due to their robust catalytic activity and adsorption capability,effectively suppressing the“shuttle effect”of Li PSs.Bimetallic alloys and their compounds with multi-functional properties exhibit remarkable electrochemical performance more readily when compared to single-metal materials.Well-designed bimetallic materials demonstrate larger specific surface areas and richer active sites,enabling simultaneous high adsorption capability and strong catalytic properties.The synergistic effect of the“adsorption-catalysis”sites accelerates the adsorptiondiffusion-conversion process of Li PSs,ultimately achieving a long-lasting Li-S battery.Herein,the latest progress and performance of bimetallic materials in cathodes,separators,and interlayers of Li-S batteries are systematically reviewed.Firstly,the principles and challenges of Li-S batteries are briefly analyzed.Then,various mechanisms for suppressing“shuttle effects”of Li PSs are emphasized at the microscale.Subsequently,the performance parameters of various bimetallic materials are comprehensively summarized,and some improvement strategies are proposed based on these findings.Finally,the future prospects of bimetallic materials are discussed,with the hope of providing profound insights for the rational design and manufacturing of high-performance bimetallic materials for LSBs.

Probiotic Pediococcus pentosaceus restored gossypol-induced intestinal barrier injury by increasing propionate content in Nile tilapia

Background Intestinal barrier is a dynamic interface between the body and the ingested food components, however, dietary components or xenobiotics could compromise intestinal integrity, causing health risks to the host. Gossypol, a toxic component in cottonseed meal(CSM), caused intestinal injury in fish or other monogastric animals. It has been demonstrated that probiotics administration benefits the intestinal barrier integrity, but the efficacy of probiotics in maintaining intestinal health when the host is exposed to gossypol remains unclear. Here, a strain(YC) affiliated to Pediococcus pentosaceus was isolated from the gut of Nile tilapia(Oreochromis niloticus) and its potential to repair gossypol-induced intestinal damage was evaluated.Results A total of 270 Nile tilapia(2.20 ± 0.02 g) were allotted in 3 groups with 3 tanks each and fed with 3 diets including CON(control diet), GOS(control diet containing 300 mg/kg gossypol) and GP(control diet containing 300 mg/kg gossypol and 10^(8) colony-forming unit(CFU)/g P. pentosaceus YC), respectively. After 10 weeks, addition of P. pentosaceus YC restored growth retardation and intestinal injury induced by gossypol in Nile tilapia. Transcriptome analysis and si RNA interference experiments demonstrated that NOD-like receptors(NLR) family caspase recruitment domain(CARD) domain containing 3(Nlrc3) inhibition might promote intestinal stem cell(ISC) proliferation, as well as maintaining gut barrier integrity. 16S r RNA sequencing and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry(GC-MS) revealed that addition of P. pentosaceus YC altered the composition of gut microbiota and increased the content of propionate in fish gut. In vitro studies on propionate's function demonstrated that it suppressed nlrc3 expression and promoted wound healing in Caco-2 cell model.Conclusions The present study reveals that P. pentosaceus YC has the capacity to ameliorate intestinal barrier injury by modulating gut microbiota composition and elevating propionate level. This finding offers a promising strategy for the feed industry to incorporate cottonseed meal into fish feed formulations.

Paeoniflorin ameliorates chronic colitis via the DR3 signaling pathway in group 3 innate lymphoid cells

Inhibiting the death receptor 3(DR3)signaling pathway in group 3 innate lymphoid cells(ILC3s)presents a promising approach for promoting mucosal repair in individuals with ulcerative colitis(UC).Paeoniflorin,a prominent component of Paeonia lactiflora Pall.,has demonstrated the ability to restore barrier function in UC mice,but the precise mechanism remains unclear.In this study,we aimed to delve into whether paeoniflorin may promote intestinal mucosal repair in chronic colitis by inhibiting DR3 signaling in ILC3s.C57BL/6 mice were subjected to random allocation into 7 distinct groups,namely the control group,the 2%dextran sodium sulfate(DSS)group,the paeoniflorin groups(25,50,and 100 mg/kg),the anti-tumor necrosis factor-like ligand 1A(anti-TL1A)antibody group,and the IgG group.We detected the expression of DR3 signaling pathway proteins and the proportion of ILC3s in the mouse colon using Western blot and flow cytometry,respectively.Meanwhile,DR3-overexpressing MNK-3 cells and 2%DSS-induced Rag1^(-/-)mice were used for verification.The results showed that paeoniflorin alleviated DSS-induced chronic colitis and repaired the intestinal mucosal barrier.Simultaneously,paeoniflorin inhibited the DR3 signaling pathway in ILC3s and regulated the content of cytokines(interleukin-17A,granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor,and interleukin-22).Alternatively,paeoniflorin directly inhibited the DR3 signaling pathway in ILC3s to repair mucosal damage independently of the adaptive immune system.We additionally confirmed that paeoniflorin-conditioned medium(CM)restored the expression of tight junctions in Caco-2 cells via coculture.In conclusion,paeoniflorin ameliorates chronic colitis by enhancing the intestinal barrier in an ILC3-dependent manner,and its mechanism is associated with the inhibition of the DR3 signaling pathway.

Evaluating short-term and long-term liver fibrosis improvement in hepatitis C patients after DAA treatment

Despite achieving a high cure rate with the direct-acting antivirals(DAAs)in hepatitis C treatment,further research is needed to identify additional benefits of the DAA therapy.The current study evaluated liver fibrosis improvement in 848 hepatitis C patients treated with DAAs,who also achieved sustained virologic response.By the fibrosis-4(FIB-4)index,patients were categorized based on their baseline fibrosis levels,and the improvement in fibrosis was analyzed in both short-term(9-26 weeks)and long-term(≥36 weeks)follow-up.The results showed a significant decrease in the FIB-4 index,indicating an improvement in liver fibrosis,in 63.0%and 67.6%of the patients during the short-term and long-term follow-up,respectively.Short-term improvement was associated with factors including ribavirin usage,blood cholinesterase levels,alanine transaminase levels,albumin levels,and the baseline FIB-4 index,while long-term improvement was associated with factors such as aspartate transaminase levels,total protein level,and the baseline FIB-4 index.The current study emphasizes the importance of continuous assessment and post-treatment monitoring of liver fibrosis,which will provide crucial insights for enhancing patient care in hepatitis C management.

Optimizing Two-Phase Flow Heat Transfer:DCS Hybrid Modeling and Automation in Coal-Fired Power Plant Boilers

In response to escalating challenges in energy conservation and emission reduction,this study delves into the complexities of heat transfer in two-phase flows and adjustments to combustion processes within coal-fired boilers.Utilizing a fusion of hybrid modeling and automation technologies,we develop soft measurement models for key combustion parameters,such as the net calorific value of coal,flue gas oxygen content,and fly ash carbon content,within theDistributedControl System(DCS).Validated with performance test data,thesemodels exhibit controlled root mean square error(RMSE)and maximum absolute error(MAXE)values,both within the range of 0.203.Integrated into their respective automatic control systems,thesemodels optimize two-phase flow heat transfer,finetune combustion conditions,and mitigate incomplete combustion.Furthermore,this paper conducts an in-depth exploration of the generationmechanismof nitrogen oxides(NOx)and low oxygen emission reduction technology in coal-fired boilers,demonstrating a substantial reduction in furnace exit NOx generation by 30%to 40%and the power supply coal consumption decreased by 1.62 g/(kW h).The research outcomes highlight the model’s rapid responsiveness,enabling prompt reflection of transient variations in various economic indicator parameters.This provides a more effective means for real-time monitoring of crucial variables in coal-fired boilers and facilitates timely combustion adjustments,underscoring notable achievements in boiler combustion.The research not only provides valuable and practical insights into the intricacies of two-phase flow heat transfer and heat exchange but also establishes a pioneering methodology for tackling industry challenges.

Establishment of the Effectiveness of Follow-Up Protocols for Patients under COVID-19 Epidemic

Objectives: To control the Corona Virus Disease (COVID-19) epidemic, it is meaningful to improve the home quarantine ability and home-quarantine compliancy of patients released from medical isolation, and to prevent cross-contamination. This study aimed to up protocols for COVID-19 patients released from medical isolation. Methods: A total of 35 patients discharged from the isolation ward of the Third Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Sun Yat-sen University from January 22, 2020 to February 18, 2020 were included. The patients received health education through discharge preparation, education leaflets and videos. The patients were followed up on the 2nd, 7th and 14th day after discharge through WeChat and phone call. On the 2nd and 14th day after discharge, the patients completed the knowledge assessment, self-perceived burden survey and satisfaction survey using a self-made home quarantine knowledge paper. Results: There were statistical differences in the knowledge and understanding of home quarantine and self-perceived burden between the 2nd day and 14th day after home quarantine (P < 0.05). The completion rate of home quarantine was 94.3%, and the satisfaction rate was 96.7%. Conclusion: By improving the discharge preparation, conducting in-time follow-up after discharge via WeChat and phone call, and performing multi-channel health education, the follow-up researchers could help the patients perform a more effective home quarantine, which could effectively prevent the spread of COVID-19 epidemic.

Nursing Experience of an Elderly Patient with Systemic Disseminated <i>Penicillium marneffei</i>

Elderly patients with systemic disseminated Penicillium marneffei are generally more seriously ill with high mortality. In addition to clear diagnosis and timely treatment, careful nursing throughout the hospitalization is particularly important for the patient’s recovery. Psychological nursing and family emotional support, the treatment of adverse drug reactions, systemic infection wound care, the prevention of pressure sores in long-term bedridden patients, antithrombotic nursing, disinfection isolation and the standard prevention of nosocomial cross infection all play decisive roles in the patient’s prognosis. After one month treatment and medical care, the patient was cured and was discharged from hospital. After discharge, the patient follow-up was carried out up to one year. This patient had completely recovered. In this paper, we report a successful nursing experience of an elderly patient with systemic disseminated Penicillium marneffei. With the summary of nursing key points, it could play a reference in the treatment and rehabilitation of similar patients.

The apricot(Prunus armeniaca L.)genome elucidates Rosaceae evolution and beta-carotenoid synthesis

Apricots,scientifically known as Prunus armeniaca L,are drupes that resemble and are closely related to peaches or plums.As one of the top consumed fruits,apricots are widely grown worldwide except in Antarctica.A high-quality reference genome for apricot is still unavailable,which has become a handicap that has dramatically limited the elucidation of the associations of phenotypes with the genetic background,evolutionary diversity,and population diversity in apricot.DNA from P.armeniaca was used to generate a standard,size-selected library with an average DNA fragment size of~20 kb.The library was run on Sequel SMRT Cells,generating a total of 16.54 Gb of PacBio subreads(N50=13.55 kb).The high-quality P.armeniaca reference genome presented here was assembled using long-read single-molecule sequencing at approximately 70×coverage and 171×Illumina reads(40.46 Gb),combined with a genetic map for chromosome scaffolding.The assembled genome size was 221.9 Mb,with a contig NG50 size of 1.02 Mb.Scaffolds covering 92.88%of the assembled genome were anchored on eight chromosomes.Benchmarking Universal Single-Copy Orthologs analysis showed 98.0%complete genes.We predicted 30,436 protein-coding genes,and 38.28%of the genome was predicted to be repetitive.We found 981 contracted gene families,1324 expanded gene families and 2300 apricot-specific genes.The differentially expressed gene(DEG)analysis indicated that a change in the expression of the 9-cis-epoxycarotenoid dioxygenase(NCED)gene but not lycopene beta-cyclase(LcyB)gene results in a lowβ-carotenoid content in the white cultivar“Dabaixing”.This complete and highly contiguous P.armeniaca reference genome will be of help for future studies of resistance to plum pox virus(PPV)and the identification and characterization of important agronomic genes and breeding strategies in apricot.

Potassium nutrition of maize:Uptake,transport,utilization,and role in stress tolerance

Potassium(K) is an essential macronutrient for plant growth and development and influences yield and quality of agricultural crops.Maize(Zea mays) is one of the most widely distributed crops worldwide.In China,although maize consumes a large amount of K fertilizer,the K uptake/utilization efficiency(KUE)of maize cultivars is relatively low.Elucidation of KUE mechanisms and development of maize cultivars with higher KUE are needed.Maize KUE is determined by K+uptake,transport,and remobilization,which depend on a variety of K+channels and transporters.We review basic information about K+channels and transporters in maize,their functions and regulation,and the roles of K+in nitrogen transport,sugar transport,and salt tolerance.We discuss challenges and prospects for maize KUE improvement.

梯度折射率透镜的研究

梯度折射率(GRIN)透镜是非均匀折射率透镜,具有体积小、易加工、耦合效率高等特点。为了更好的了解和应用GRIN透镜,本文对GRIN透镜做了详细的调研和分析研究,研究了不同类型的GRIN透镜及其原理,介绍了GRIN透镜四种常用的制备方法,并总结了GRIN透镜在医学、通信、工业领域及LAMOST (大天区面积多目标光纤光谱仪天文望远镜)中的应用,通过比较各方面的特性和应用,可知不同类型、不同特性的GRIN透镜在不同领域有着广泛的应用。

Fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy and its applications in skin cancer diagnosis

Fluorescence lifetime(FLT)of fluorophores is sensitive to the changes in their surrounding microenvironment,and hence it can quantitatively reveal the physiological characterization of the tissue under investigation.Fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy(FLIM)provides not only morphological but also functional information of the tisse by producing spatially resolved image of fuorophore lifetime,which can be used as a signature of disorder and/or malignancy in diseased tissues.In this paper,we begin by introducing the basic principle and common detection methods of FLIM.Then the recent advances in the FLIM-based diagnosis of three different skin cancers,including basal cell carcinoma(BCC),squamous cell carcinoma(SCC)and malignant melanoma(MM)are reviewed.Furthermore,the potential advantages of FLIM in skin cancer diagnosis and the challenges that may be faced in the future are prospected.

小学全科教师培养的研究综述

小学全科教师培养作为我国师资补给机制的一种新探索,近几年来小学全科教师研究成为了教育领域的一个热点话题。通过小学全科教师培养研究的发菜阶段划分以及各阶段的研究特点分析,梳理已有相关文献的主要研究内容,反思现有研究中存在的不足,并展望未来研究发展趋势,对促进小学全科教师培养模式的完善与发展具有重要启示。

Xylanase improves the intestinal barrier function of Nile tilapia(Oreochromis niloticus)fed with soybean(Glycine max)meal

Background Soybean(Glycine max)meal is one of the important protein sources for fish,but the non-starch polysaccharides(NSP)in soybean meal impair the intestinal barrier function.Here we aimed to investigate whether xylanase can alleviate the adverse effects on the gut barrier induced by soybean meal in Nile tilapia and to explore the possible mechanism.Results Nile tilapia(Oreochromis niloticus)(4.09±0.02 g)were fed with two diets including SM(soybean meal)and SMC(soybean meal+3,000 U/kg xylanase)for 8 weeks.We characterized the effects of xylanase on the gut barrier,and the transcriptome analysis was performed to investigate the underlying mechanism.Dietary xylanase improved intestinal morphology and decreased the concentration of lipopolysaccharide(LPS)in serum.The results of transcriptome and Western blotting showed that dietary xylanase up-regulated the expression level of mucin2(MUC2)which may be related to the inhibition of protein kinase RNA-like endoplasmic reticulum kinase(perk)/activating transcription factor 4(atf4)signaling pathways.Microbiome analysis showed that addition of xylanase in soybean meal altered the intestinal microbiota composition and increased the concentration of butyric acid in the gut.Notably,dietary sodium butyrate was supplemented into the soybean meal diet to feed Nile tilapia,and the data verified that sodium butyrate mirrored the beneficial effects of xylanase.Conclusions Collectively,supplementation of xylanase in soybean meal altered the intestinal microbiota composition and increased the content of butyric acid which can repress the perk/atf4 signaling pathway and increase the expression of muc2 to enhance the gut barrier function of Nile tilapia.The present study reveals the mechanism by which xylanase improves the intestinal barrier,and it also provides a theoretical basis for the application of xylanase in aquaculture.

Review of Action Mechanisms of Acupuncture on Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

Post-traumatic stress disorder(PTSD)is a kind of mental disorder caused by severe traumatic events.It has a high incidence,a serious of impacts on the physical and mental health of patients.Especially in the current situation of COVID-19,the researches on PTSD are particularly important,but the choice of drugs available for PTSD is limited and it is often accompanied by adverse reactions.In the field of acupuncture,there are many clinical research evidences suggested that PTSD is a predominant disease of acupuncture.However,its action mechanisms have not been fully elucidated,so the possible mechanisms of acupuncture in treating PTSD were discussed.

High-Level Multi-difference Cues for Image Saliency Detection

Salient detection approaches mainly use single local cues or global cues as its inputs features to detect salient objects,which are sensitive to complex background,so the effect of detection were not satisfactory.In this paper,we investigate the traits of saliency detection and observed the two following facts:Firstly,high-level saliency cues achieve better saliency detection results than low-level saliency cues.Secondly,multi-difference cues achieve better saliency detection results than single difference cues.Based on deeply analysis,we proposed an image saliency detection algorithm through high level multi-difference cues(HMDS).By using multi-difference,not only HMDS could remove the non-salient region effectively,but also it could enhance the pixel value of salient region at the same time.In order to evaluate the performance of HMDS,the proposed method is compared with seven state-of-the-art algorithms on five popular datasets.The final experimental results show that the proposed method performs effectiveness,and will have a perfect application prospect.

Synthetic biology approaches for improving the specificity and efficacy of cancer immunotherapy

Immunotherapy has shown robust efficacy in treating a broad spectrum of hematological and solid cancers.Despite the transformative impact of immunotherapy on cancer treatment,several outstanding challenges remain.These challenges include on-target off-tumor toxicity,systemic toxicity,and the complexity of achieving potent and sustainable therapeutic efficacy.Synthetic biology has emerged as a promising approach to overcome these obstacles,offering innovative tools for engineering living cells with customized functions.This review provides an overview of the current landscape and future prospects of cancer immunotherapy,particularly emphasizing the role of synthetic biology in augmenting its specificity,controllability,and efficacy.We delineate and discuss two principal synthetic biology strategies:those targeting tumor surface antigens with engineered immune cells and those detecting intratumoral disease signatures with engineered gene circuits.This review concludes with a forwardlooking perspective on the enduring challenges in cancer immunotherapy and the potential breakthroughs that synthetic biology may contribute to the field.

MEOX2 promotes glioma growth and temozolomide chemoresistance

Glioblastoma(GBM)is a primary and fatal subtype of adult brain tumors.Despite standard treatments,including surgical resection and temozolomide(TMZ)chemotherapy,overall survival is only 16 months[1].Profound genomic heterogeneity and altered transcriptional profiles drive chemoresistance,leading to tumor recurrence and a poor prognosis.Gain of chromosome 7 is a pivotal event in initiation and recurrence[2].

Optimization of microstructures and magnetic properties of Sm(Co_(bal)Fe_(0.227)Cu_(0.07)Zr_(0.023))_(7.6) magnets by sintering treatment

Magnetic properties and microstructures of Sm(Co_(bal)Fe_(0.227)Cu_(0.07)Zr_(0.023_)_(7.6) sintered magnets were optimized by sintering treatment. Results show that the knee-point magnetic field, Hknee, is twofold up and the intrinsic coercivity Hcjincreases by 40%, ranging from 21.64 to 30.39 kOe at the cost of a little decrease of Brfrom 10.84 to 10.31 kGs with sintering temperature decreasing from 1488 to 1473 K. And the average domain width is narrower and more uniform for the specimen sintered at 1473 K than that of the specimen sintered at 1488 K. It is impressive that the density of lamellar phase increases from ~0.050 to ~0.058 nm^(-1) with the sintering temperature decreasing from 1488 to 1473 K. Moreover, the average cellular size is about ~84 nm for the magnets sintered at 1473 K, which is 80% of that of the magnets sintered at 1488 K(~97 nm). And the cell boundary width of the magnets sintered at 1473 K(~7 nm) is only half average width of the magnets sintered at 1488 K(~14 nm). It is found that the Cu content in the cell boundaries is much higher(~17 at%) in the magnets sintered at 1473 K compared to that of the magnets sintered at 1488 K(~10 at%). It can be concluded that smaller cells and narrower cell boundaries together with higher gradient of Cu content are key points for obtaining the optimum Hkneeand Hcj.

Coercivity enhancement of nanocrystalline hot-deformed Nd-Fe-B magnets by low-melting eutectic MM-Cu(MM=La,Ce,Pr,Nd) alloys addition

MM85Cu15(MM = La,Ce,Pr,Nd) eutectic alloys were added into the hot-deformed Nd-Fe-B magnets to enhance the coercivity.It is found that three endothermic peaks occur on the differential scanning calorimetry curve of the MM-Cu melt-spun ribbons at 432.2,451.1 and 516.5℃.The peaks substantially correspond to three types of MM-Cu low-melting eutectic phase.The coercivity of magnets increases when the MM-Cu content is lower than 4 wt%,and then keeps almost no change with the content further increasing to 5 wt%.The coercivity of the hot-deformed magnets with 4 wt% and without MM-Cu addition is 948 and 683 kA/m,respectively.Nearly all the platelet-shaped grains are isolated by the thickened intergranular phase after MM-Cu addition.Moreover,the average grain size of the magnets with MM-Cu addition decreases compared with that of the magnet without MM-Cu addition.Scanning electron microscopy images show that the areal fraction of the RE-rich grain boundary phase increases from 8.6% to 15.1% after MM-Cu addition.The La,Ce together with Cu and Ga aggregate at the grain boundary regions separating neighboring grains and smoothing the grain boundaries.Therefore,both the thickened grain boundary and decreased mean grain size result in the enhancement of coercivity after MM-Cu eutectic alloy addition.

Effects of grain boundary ternary alloy doping on corrosion resistance of(Ce,Pr,Nd)-Fe-B permanent magnets

To satisfy the application of different environments,grain boundary doping is commonly used in the preparation of sintered magnets to improve the coercivity and the corrosion resistance.In this paper,the alloys were prepared by mixing different ratios of the master alloy(Ce,Pr,Nd)-Fe-B and the sintering aid(Pr,Nd)-Al.The coercivity of sintered(Ce,Pr,Nd)-Fe-B magnet is substantially enhanced by doping 2 wt%of(Pr,Nd)-Al,while the maximum energy product decreases slightly.We systematically investigated the corrosion behavior and micro structure of the sintered magnets in order to determine the mechanism of the degradation.The sintered(Ce,Pr,Nd)-Fe-B magnets with 2 wt% of(Pr,Nd)-Al addition exhibit the decreasing corrosion rate compared with others,due to the distribution of intergranular phases.The electrode potential difference between the main phase and the RE-rich phase is reduced by the addition of Al,improving the potential and stability of RE-rich phase due to the higher electrode potential of Al than that of Nd,Pr or Ce.In addition,the element distribution of the magnets doped by(Pr,Nd)-Al indicates that the Al-rich shell formed at the marginal area of the Ce-rich phase improves its stability.Therefo re,intergranular adding te rnary(Pr,Nd)-Al alloy powders results in both high coe rcivity and good corrosion resistance synchronously.