Recent advances and future prospects on Ni_(3)S_(2)-Based electrocatalysts for efficient alkaline water electrolysis

Green hydrogen(H_(2))produced by renewable energy powered alkaline water electrolysis is a promising alternative to fossil fuels due to its high energy density with zero-carbon emissions.However,efficient and economic H_(2) production by alkaline water electrolysis is hindered by the sluggish hydrogen evolution reaction(HER)and oxygen evolution reaction(OER).Therefore,it is imperative to design and fabricate high-active and low-cost non-precious metal catalysts to improve the HER and OER performance,which affects the energy efficiency of alkaline water electrolysis.Ni_(3)S_(2) with the heazlewoodite structure is a potential electrocatalyst with near-metal conductivity due to the Ni–Ni metal network.Here,the review comprehensively presents the recent progress of Ni_(3)S_(2)-based electrocatalysts for alkaline water electrocatalysis.Herein,the HER and OER mechanisms,performance evaluation criteria,preparation methods,and strategies for performance improvement of Ni_(3)S_(2)-based electrocatalysts are discussed.The challenges and perspectives are also analyzed.

Designing interstitial boron-doped tunnel-type vanadium dioxide cathode for enhancing zinc ion storage capability

Chemical doping is a powerful method to intrinsically tailor the electrochemical properties of electrode materials.Here,an interstitial boron-doped tunnel-type VO_(2)(B)is constructed via a facile hydrothermal method.Various analysis techniques demonstrate that boron resides in the interstitial site of VO_(2)(B)and such interstitial doping can boost the zinc storage kinetics and structural stability of VO_(2)(B)cathode during cycling.Interestingly,we found that the boron doping level has a saturation limit peculiarity as proved by the quantitative analysis.Notably,the 2 at.%boron-doped VO_(2)(B)shows enhanced zinc ion storage performance with a high storage capacity of 281.7 mAh g^(-1) at 0.1 A g^(-1),excellent rate performance of 142.2 mAh g^(-1) at 20 A g^(-1),and long cycle stability up to 1000 cycles with the capacity retention of 133.3 mAh g^(-1) at 5 A g^(-1).Additionally,the successful preparation of the boron-doped tunneltype α-MnO_(2) further indicates that the interstitial boron doping approach is a general strategy,which supplies a new chance to design other types of functional electrode materials for multivalence batteries.

Investigation of anaplasmosis in Yiyuan County,Shandong Province,China

Objective:To investigate the situation of anaplasmosis in Yiyuan county.Shandong Province. Methods:A total of 26 blood samples from febrile patients suspected of anaplasmosis,48 blood samples from healthy farmers,8 from dogs,and 10 from goats and 170 ticks were collected in the same area during 2005-2007,and detected by serological and molecular methods.Results: Eight confirmed cases and 6 probable cases were determined using serologic and molecular methods.The seroprevalence of Anaplasma phagocytophilum(A.phagocytophilum) was 26.7% in healthy cases.Nine out of 10 sheep samples and 7 out of 8 dog samples reacted positively to the A.phagocytophilum antigen.PCR amplification and sequencing of the 16SrRNA of,4. phagocytophilum gene showed that some samples from patients,goats and ticks were 100% identical.The seroprevalence of Rickettsia typhi was 22.9%,Orientia tsutsugamushi 6.3%, Rickettsia sibirica 27.1%,Coxiella burnetii 18.8%,Bartonella henselae 31.3%,and Borrelia burgdorferi 41.6%.Conclusions:It is important to make differential diagnosis of febrile patients and to apply treatment with specific antibiotics.It is needed to enforce essential prevention and control measures including tick control and to improve sanitation conditions.

Serological investigation of vector-borne disease in dogs from rural areas of China

Objective:To evaluate the Anaplasma phagocytophilum(A.phagocytophilum),Ehrlichia canis(E.canis,Dirofilaria immitis(D.immitis)(canine heartworm),Borrelia burgdorferi(B.burgdorferi)infections in countryside dogs from Yunnan,Hainan and Anhui provinces.Methods:Serum samples were collected from 26 dogs in Yunnan.Hainan and Anhui provinces.The samples were tested using a commercial ELISA rapid diagnostic assay kit(SNAP^(?)4Dx^(?);IDEXX Laboratories,Inc.U.S.A.).Meaiiwliile,indirect immunofluorescence assay(IFA)recommended by WHO was conducted to delect IgG to A.phagocytophilum.Two methods were analyzed and compared.Results:The number of serologically positive dogs for IgG to A.phagocytophilum was only 2which was from Hainan province and none of the 26 dogs responded positive for E.canu.D.immitis(canine heartworm,and B.burgdorferi by ELISA rapid diagnostic method.The number of serologically positive dogs for IgG to A.phagocytophilum was 13(50%)by IFA method.Data of the two methods were analyzed by statistical software and the difference was statistically significant(P=0.002).Conclusions:It can be concluded that IFA method was more sensitive than ELISA rapid diagnostic method.However,we need conduct further and intensive epidemiology survey on tick-born diseases pathogens including.4.phagocytophilum,E.canis,D.immitis(canine heartworm),and B.burgdorferi which have public health significance.

Increasing rainfed wheat yield by optimizing agronomic practices to consume more subsoil water in the Loess Plateau

Erratic rainfall and misalignment between the rainy season and the growing season of winter wheat greatly limit rainfed winter wheat yield in the Loess Plateau of China. To increase the grain yield of winter wheat in this region, the effects of different agronomic practices, including adjusting planting pattern(NR, narrow row spacing), increasing seeding rate(high seeding rate, HS), decreasing basal nitrogen rate and increasing top-dressed nitrogen rate(DBN), and replacing an old cultivar with a new cultivar(NC) on wheat yield were investigated for two consecutive years. The results showed that the current grain yield of rainfed winter wheat in the Loess Plateau could be increased to 5879–7093 kg ha^(-1) by HS, DBN and NC practices relative to the practice of high-yielding farmers(PF). The increased yield due to HS, DBN and NC was attributed to the higher number of spikes ha^(-1), 1000-grain weight, and kernels spike^(-1). Before the flowering stage, HS increased soil water consumption(SWC) in 1–3 m subsoil due to the higher plant population compared with that of PF, whereas DBN decreased SWC in the 0–2 m soil layer compared with that of PF. After the flowering stage, HS, DBN, and NC increased SWC by 8–16 mm in 2–3 m subsoil compared to PF. The water use efficiency(WUE) was increased under DBN and NC in comparison with PF.However, the WUE did not increase under HS as it had the highest evapotranspiration among the five treatments. Increasing the use of subsoil water during the late growth stage by optimizing agronomic practices or applying new cultivars with expansive roots should be the primary approach to increase rainfed winter wheat yield in this region.

Comparison of a rapid diagnostic test and microimmunofluorescence assay for detecting antibody to Orientia tsutsugamushi in scrub typhus patients in China

Objective:To evaluate the detection of IgM and IgG antibodies to Orientia tsutsugamushi(O. tsutsugamushi) by rapid diagnostic test(RDT) and microimmunofluorescence assay(ml FA). Methods:RDT using a mixture of recombinant 56-kDa proteins of O.tsutsugamushi and mIFA assay were performed on 20 patients from Fujian and 13 patients from Yunnan Province,and 82 sera samples from healthy farmers in Anhui Province and Beijing City in 2009.Comparison of the RDT and mIFA assay was performed by using X test and the P level of 【0.05 was considered to be significance.Results:Among these 82 normal sera samples,the specificity of RDT was 100%for both IgM and IgG tests.In 33 samples from patients with scrub typhus,5 cases were positively detected earlier by RDT than by mIFA in IgM test,and 2 cases were positive in IgG test.Sensitivities of RDT were 93.9%and 90.9%for IgM and IgG,respectively.The sensitivity of combination lest of IgM and IgG was 100%.Geometric mean titer diluted sera from confirmed cases by IFA and RDT assay were 1:37 vs.1:113(P【0.001) in IgM test and 1:99 vs.1:279 (P【0.05) in IgG test.Conclusions:RDT is more sensitivite than mIFA in the early diagnosis of scrub typhus and it is particularly applicable in rural areas.

Introduction to a new clinical entity:the multiple organ dysfunction syndrome in the elderly

Multiple organ dysfunction syndrome in the elderly (MODSE) is an important syndrome in the critical care of elderly patients. MODSE is defined as simultaneous or sequential dysfunction or failure of two or more organs on the top of advanced age and chronic multiple organ dysfunction. MODSE is triggered by precipitating factors such as infection (usually pulmonary infection) trauma,surgery, etc. It occurs in two phases. In the early phase, dysfunction of multiple organs (MODE) occurs,and in the later or severe phase, multiple organ failure (MOFE) occurs. MODSE is the most common cause of mortality in the critically iii elderly patient. It is important to understand its clinical characteristics and elucidate its pathogenesis in order to reduce mortality and improve quality of life for these patients.

Overexpressed NEDD8 as a potential therapeutic target in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma

Objective:The hyperactivated neddylation pathway plays an important role in tumorigenesis and is emerging as a promising anticancer target.We aimed to study whether NEDD8(neural precursor cell expressed,developmentally down-regulated 8)might serve as a therapeutic target in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma(ESCC).Methods:The clinical relevance of NEDD8 expression was evaluated by using The Cancer Genome Atlas(TCGA)database and tissue arrays.NEDD8-knockdown ESCC cells generated with the CRISPR/Cas9 system were used to explore the anticancer effects and mechanisms.Quantitative proteomic analysis was used to examine the variations in NEDD8 knockdown-induced biological pathways.The cell cycle and apoptosis were assessed with fluorescence activated cell sorting.A subcutaneous-transplantation mouse tumor model was established to investigate the anticancer potential of NEDD8 silencing in vivo.Results:NEDD8 was upregulated at both the mRNA and protein expression levels in ESCC,and NEDD8 overexpression was associated with poorer overall patient survival(mRNA level:P=0.028,protein level:P=0.026,log-rank test).Downregulation of NEDD8 significantly suppressed tumor growth both in vitro and in vivo.Quantitative proteomic analysis revealed that downregulation of NEDD8 induced cell cycle arrest,DNA damage,and apoptosis in ESCC cells.Mechanistic studies demonstrated that NEDD8 knockdown led to the accumulation of cullin-RING E3 ubiquitin ligases(CRLs)substrates through inactivation of CRLs,thus suppressing the malignant phenotype by inducing cell cycle arrest and apoptosis in ESCC.Rescue experiments demonstrated that the induction of apoptosis after NEDD8 silencing was attenuated by DR5 knockdown.Conclusions:Our study elucidated the anti-ESCC effects and underlying mechanisms of NEDD8 knockdown,and validated NEDD8 as a potential target for ESCC therapy.

Multifactor heart failure in the elderly:a proposal for cooperative research

Chronic heart failure (CHF) is a clinical syndrome as a common pathway at the end stage of cardiac diseases of different etiologies, and it is currently the only cardiovascular disease with an increasing prevalence in the developed countries. In the United States, the prevalence of CHF at age 50 years is 1.0%, whereas it reaches 7.5% at age 80years. In the United Kingdom, the prevalence of CHF is5.0% at age 60-70 years, and 10-20% at age 80 years. The situation is similar in Italy and Portugal. Despite being a developing country in Asia, China has experienced rapid progress in acquiring medical knowledge and advancing techniques in recent years. Due to the markedly declined mortality of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) as well as the aging of Chinese population, about four million Chinese have CHF with a prevalence of 0.9%, most of whom are 60 years of age and older.……

Opening Speech at the 5th Great Wall International Forum on Geriatric Cardiology

Good morning, ladies and gentlemen, In the golden autumn of Beijing, on behalf of the Organizing Committee of the Great Wall International Congress of Cardiology, and the Institute of Geriatric Cardiology at Chinese PLA General Hospital, I am very delighted to extend my warmest welcome to the representatives, colleagues and distinguished guests, both domestic and abroad, to the 5th International Forum on Geriatric Cardiology.……

Editorial

The advent of the Journal of Geriatric Cardiology set up jointly by Chinese and American scholars is an important event in geriatric cardiology with historical significance in China.

Genomic Surveillance for SARS-CoV-2—China,September 26,2022 to January 29,2023

Introduction:The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2(SARS-CoV-2)has generated 2,431 variants over the course of its global transmission over the past 3 years.To better evaluate the genomic variation of SARS-CoV-2 before and after the optimization of coronavirus disease 2019(COVID-19)prevention and control strategies,we analyzed the genetic evolution branch composition and genomic variation of SARS-CoV-2 in both domestic and imported cases in China(the data from Hong Kong and Macao Special Administrative Regions and Taiwan,China were not included)from September 26,2022 to January 29,2023.Methods:Analysis of the number of genome sequences,sampling time,dynamic changes of evolutionary branches,origin,and clinical typing of SARS-CoV-2 variants submitted by 31 provincial-level administrative divisions(PLADs)and Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps(XPCC)was conducted to assess the accuracy and timeliness of SARS-CoV-2 variant surveillance.Results:From September 26,2022 to January 29,2023,20,013 valid genome sequences of domestic cases were reported in China,with 72 evolutionary branches.Additionally,1,978 valid genome sequences of imported cases were reported,with 169 evolutionary branches.The prevalence of the Omicron variants of SARS-CoV-2 in both domestic and imported cases was consistent with that of international epidemic variants.Conclusions:This study provides an overview of the prevalence of Omicron variants of SARS-CoV-2 in China.After optimizing COVID-19 prevention and control strategies,no novel Omicron variants of SARSCoV-2 with altered biological characteristics or public health significance have been identified since December 1,2022.

Advances in nanomaterials for the diagnosis and treatment of head and neck cancers:A review

Nanomaterials(NMs)have increasingly been used for the diagnosis and treatment of head and neck cancers(HNCs)over the past decade.HNCs can easily infiltrate surrounding tissues and form distant metastases,meaning that most patients with HNC are diagnosed at an advanced stage and often have a poor prognosis.Since NMs can be used to deliver various agents,including imaging agents,drugs,genes,vaccines,radiosensitisers,and photosensitisers,they play a crucial role in the development of novel technologies for the diagnosis and treatment of HNCs.Indeed,NMs have been reported to enhance delivery efficiency and improve the prognosis of patients with HNC by allowing targeted delivery,controlled release,responses to stimuli,and the delivery of multiple agents.In this review,we consider recent advances in NMs that could be used to improve the diagnosis,treatment,and prognosis of patients with HNC and the potential for future research.

Nasal delivery of broadly neutralizing antibodies protects mice from lethal challenge with SARS-CoV-2 delta and omicron variants

Multiple new variants of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2(SARS-Co V-2)have constantly emerged,as the delta and omicron variants,which have developed resistance to currently gained neutralizing antibodies.This highlights a critical need to discover new therapeutic agents to overcome the variants mutations.Despite the availability of vaccines against coronavirus disease 2019(COVID-19),the use of broadly neutralizing antibodies has been considered as an alternative way for the prevention or treatment of SARS-Co V-2 variants infection.Here,we show that the nasal delivery of two previously characterized broadly neutralizing antibodies(F61 and H121)protected K18-h ACE2 mice against lethal challenge with SARS-Co V-2 variants.The broadly protective efficacy of the F61 or F61/F121 cocktail antibodies was evaluated by lethal challenge with the wild strain(WIV04)and multiple variants,including beta(B.1.351),delta(B.1.617.2),and omicron(B.1.1.529)at 200or 1000 TCID_(50),and the minimum antibody administration doses(5-1.25 mg/kg body weight)were also evaluated with delta and omicron challenge.Fully prophylactic protections were found in all challenged groups with both F61 and F61/H121 combination at the administration dose of 20 mg/kg body weight,and corresponding mice lung viral RNA showed negative,with almost all alveolar septa and cavities remaining normal.Furthermore,low-dose antibody treatment induced significant prophylactic protection against lethal challenge with delta and omicron variants,whereas the F61/H121 combination showed excellent results against omicron infection.Our findings indicated the potential use of broadly neutralizing monoclonal antibodies as prophylactic and therapeutic agent for protection of current emerged SARS-Co V-2 variants infection.

Antibody Cocktail Exhibits Broad Neutralization Activity Against SARS-CoV-2 and SARS-CoV-2 Variants

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2(SARS-Co V-2)has precipitated multiple variants resistant to therapeutic antibodies.In this study,12 high-affinity antibodies were generated from convalescent donors in early outbreaks using immune antibody phage display libraries.Of them,two RBD-binding antibodies(F61 and H121)showed high-affinity neutralization against SARS-Co V-2,whereas three S2-target antibodies failed to neutralize SARS-Co V-2.Following structure analysis,F61 identified a linear epitope located in residues G446–S494,which overlapped with angiotensinconverting enzyme 2(ACE2)binding sites,while H121 recognized a conformational epitope located on the side face of RBD,outside from ACE2 binding domain.Hence the cocktail of the two antibodies achieved better performance of neutralization to SARS-Co V-2.Importantly,these two antibodies also showed efficient neutralizing activities to the variants including B.1.1.7 and B.1.351,and reacted with mutations of N501 Y,E484 K,and L452 R,indicated that it may also neutralize the recent India endemic strain B.1.617.The unchanged binding activity of F61 and H121 to RBD with multiple mutations revealed a broad neutralizing activity against variants,which mitigated the risk of viral escape.Our findings revealed the therapeutic basis of cocktail antibodies against constantly emerging SARS-Co V-2 variants and provided promising candidate antibodies to clinical treatment of COVID-19 patients infected with broad SARS-Co V-2 variants.

Molecular evolution and genetic diversity analysis of SFTS virus based on next-generation sequencing

SFTS virus(SFTSV)is a novel bunyavirus,which was discovered as the etiological agent of severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome(SFTS)in China in 2009,and was now prevalent in at least 25 provinces in China.SFTS was subsequently identified in South Korea and Japan in 2012.To explore themolecular evolution and genetic characteristics of this newly identified pathogen,we reported 72 whole genome sequences of SFTSV,and built a dataset of SFTSV genome sequences containing 292 L-segment,302 M-segment and 502 S-segment.We clearly divided SFTSV into six genotypes,Genotype A-F.It was found that genotype F was the dominant epidemic genotype of Japan,South Korea,and Zhejiang province of China.The coalescent analysis supported that SFTSV originated in the early 18th century from Zhejiang province,and Genotype F was the most primitive one.Henan,Hubei,and Anhui provinces which are located in Dabie Mountain area weremainly epidemic of Genotype A,which emerged relatively late but distributed widely.A total of 37 recombination events were identified,making SFTSV with a high recombination frequency(L segment 5.1%,Msegment 3.6%,S segment 0.8%)among negative-strand segmented RNA viruses.It was identified that 19 reassortant strains belonged to 12 reassortment forms of SFTSV genome containing 6 newly identified forms.The reassortment virus and recombination in tick were both found for the first time.We also found many of genotype-specific mutation sites,7 of which could be considered as potential molecular marker for genotype classification.This study promoted a more comprehensive understanding of the phylogeny and origin,and the genetic diversity of SFTSV,and it could help the studies of other newly discovered tick-borne bunyavirus as reference data and research ideas.

SNX11 Identified as an Essential Host Factor for SFTS Virus Infection by CRISPR Knockout Screening

Severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome virus(SFTSV)is a highly pathogenic tick-borne bunyavirus that causes lethal infectious disease and severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome(SFTS)in humans.The molecular mechanisms and host cellular factors required for SFTSV infection remain uncharacterized.Using a genome-wide CRISPR-based screening strategy,we identified a host cellular protein,sorting nexin 11(SNX11)which is involved in the intracellular endosomal trafficking pathway,as an essential cell factor for SFTSV infection.An SNX11-KO HeLa cell line was established,and SFTSV replication was significantly reduced.The glycoproteins of SFTSV were detected and remained in later endosomal compartments but were not detectable in the endoplasmic reticulum(ER)or Golgi apparatus.pH values in the endosomal compartments of the SNX11-KO cells increased compared with the pH of normal HeLa cells,and lysosomal-associated membrane protein 1(LAMP1)expression was significantly elevated in the SNX11-KO cells.Overall,these results indicated that penetration of SFTSV from the endolysosomes into the cytoplasm of host cells was blocked in the cells lacking SNX11.Our study for the first time provides insight into the important role of the SNX11 as an essential host factor in the intracellular trafficking and penetrating process of SFTSV infection via potential regulation of viral protein sorting,membrane fusion,and other endocytic machinery.

Serological Investigation of Laboratory-Confirmed and Suspected Ebola Virus Disease Patients During the Late Phase of the Ebola Outbreak in Sierra Leone

This study aimed to investigate the serological characteristics of Ebola virus(EBOV) infection during the late phase of the Ebola outbreak in Sierra Leone. In total, 877 blood samples from 694 suspected Ebola virus disease(EVD) cases assessed from March to December 2015, were analyzed via real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction(RT-PCR) for viral RNA and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA) and Luminex to detect antibodies against EBOV. Viral load and EBOV-specific IgM/IgG titers displayed a declining trend during March to December 2015. Viral RNA load decreased rapidly at earlier stages after disease onset, while EBOV-specific IgM and IgG still persisted in 58.1%(18/31) and 93.5%(29/31) of the confirmed EVD patients and in 3.8%(25/663) and 17.8%(118/663) of the RNA-negative suspected patients in the later phase, respectively. Dynamic analysis of longitudinally collected samples from eight EVD patients revealed typically reversed trends of declining viral load and increasing IgM and/or IgG titers in response to the EBOV infection.The present results indicate that certain populations of Sierra Leone developed immunity to an EBOV infection in the late phase of the outbreak, providing novel insights into the risk assessment of EBOV infections among human populations.

Hemorrhagic Fever with Renal Syndrome — Liaoning Province, China, 1999−2018

Summary What is already known on this topic?Hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome(HFRS)is endemic in Liaoning Province.Both Seoul and Hantaan virus are circulating in rodents,and epidemic outbreaks and sporadic cases have been recorded every year since the disease was recognized.