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The rate performance, power density, and energy efficiency of electrochemical devices are often limited by ionic conductivities in electrolyte and electrode materials. Framework Prussian blue analogs and dense niobium oxides have been identified as high‐rate electrodes for sodium‐ and lithium‐ion batteries, respectively, yet the origin of the extremely high solid‐state Na+/Li+ transport is not fully understood. Of critical importance is the fact that their ultra‐low activation energy and anomalous pre‐exponent factor cannot be satisfactorily rationalized from conventional theory of solid‐state diffusion in the crystal lattice. Here, assisted by density‐functional‐theory calculations, we argued that the true origin is a unique surface‐like diffusion mechanism of the intercalation ions. In a surface‐like migration event, a mobile ion moves along the channel wall via a low coordination number and low migration barrier experiencing minimal steric hindrance. It is similar to surface diffusion in the conventional picture and contrasts with lattice diffusion from one interstitial/vacancy site to another one with high coordination number, crowded saddle‐point geometry and high migration barrier. We found that the shifting from solid‐state lattice diffusion to surface‐like diffusion is determined by the size difference between the mobile ion and the diffusion channel, and a lowest migration energy barrier can be reached by mediating the channel size. The analogy to gas diffusion in molecular sieves shall be discussed. Additionally, the effects of defects and crystal water in Prussian blue analogs were also discussed for better understanding their rate performances in experimental scenarios. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rate performance, power density, and energy efficiency of electrochemical devices are often limited by ionic conductivities in electrolyte and electrode materials. Framework Prussian blue analogs and dense niobium oxides have been identified as high‐rate electrodes for sodium‐ and lithium‐ion batteries, respectively, yet the origin of the extremely high solid‐state Na+/Li+ transport is not fully understood. Of critical importance is the fact that their ultra‐low activation energy and anomalous pre‐exponent factor cannot be satisfactorily rationalized from conventional theory of solid‐state diffusion in the crystal lattice. Here, assisted by density‐functional‐theory calculations, we argued that the true origin is a unique surface‐like diffusion mechanism of the intercalation ions. In a surface‐like migration event, a mobile ion moves along the channel wall via a low coordination number and low migration barrier experiencing minimal steric hindrance. It is similar to surface diffusion in the conventional picture and contrasts with lattice diffusion from one interstitial/vacancy site to another one with high coordination number, crowded saddle‐point geometry and high migration barrier. We found that the shifting from solid‐state lattice diffusion to surface‐like diffusion is determined by the size difference between the mobile ion and the diffusion channel, and a lowest migration energy barrier can be reached by mediating the channel size. The analogy to gas diffusion in molecular sieves shall be discussed. Additionally, the effects of defects and crystal water in Prussian blue analogs were also discussed for better understanding their rate performances in experimental scenarios. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

TiFe alloy is considered an excellent candidate for stationary hydrogen storage owing to its superior hydrogen storage properties. However, the requisite for activation at high temperatures has hindered the practical application of TiFe alloy for hydrogen storage. This work investigates the activation of TiFe alloys with different Ti/Fe ratios. Results show that the TiFe 0.90 alloy can be activated at room temperature and moderate hydrogen pressure (80 bar) compared to the poor activation kinetics of equimolar TiFe alloy. Microstructural characterization and surface analysis indicate that a higher content of Ti 4 Fe 2 O 1- x phase formed in the TiFe 0.9 alloy than in the TiFe 0.95 and TiFe alloys. The embedded Ti 4 Fe 2 O 1- x phase in the TiFe matrix plays a critical role in the overall activation processes, which serves as a conduit for hydrogen to interact with TiFe when it cracks during the initial stage of hydrogenation. The activation behavior is described in the following steps: (1) hydrogen absorption by the Ti 4 Fe 2 O 1- x oxide on the surfaces of the TiFe matrix; (2) the Ti 4 Fe 2 O 1- x cracks; (3) cracks extend into the TiFe matrix; (4) TiFe absorbs hydrogen. Understanding the activation behavior is critical to designing TiFe-based alloys with improved hydrogen storage properties. • The activation of TiFe x alloys can be adjusted by controlling the Ti/Fe ratios. • The activation at room temperature is attributed to the presence of Ti 4 Fe 2 O 1-x. • Ti 4 Fe 2 O 1-x will absorb hydrogen, crack, and create a path for the hydrogenation of TiFe. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

TiFe is one of the most promising hydrogen storage materials owing to its high volumetric hydrogen capacity, moderate operating temperature, and low cost. Oxygen is an inevitable impurity that affects the hydrogen storage properties of TiFe alloys. In this paper, the effect of oxygen addition on the phase composition and hydrogen storage properties of TiFe alloys is systematically investigated. We found that a high oxygen addition improves the initial hydrogen sorption of TiFe. The TiFe-O 3.78 alloy achieves full activation after two ab/desorption cycles at room temperature. The high oxygen content facilitates the formation of Ti 4 Fe 2 O oxide in TiFe alloy, leading to improved activation kinetics. Moreover, due to the oxygen addition, the amount of TiFe primary phase reduces, and the corresponding hydrogen capacity degrades. Increasing oxygen content also leads to a slight increase in the hydrogenation equilibrium pressure, but almost no impact on the thermodynamics of TiFe alloy. • Oxygen addition decreased the TiFe phase fraction and reduced hydrogen storage capacity. • High oxygen content addition facilitates room temperature activation of TiFe alloy. • The TiFe-O 3.78 alloy can be easily fully activated within 2 hydrogen cycles at room temperature. • Oxygen addition resulted in a slight increase in equilibrium pressures of TiFe-alloys. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Deformations or remodeling of the lamina cribrosa (LC) induced by elevated intraocular pressure (IOP) are associated with optic nerve injury. The quantitative analysis of the morphology changes of the LC will provide the basis for the study of the pathogenesis of glaucoma. After the chronic high-IOP rat model was induced by cauterizing episcleral veins with 5-Fluorouracil subconjunctival injection, the optic nerve head (ONH) cross sections were immunohistochemically stained at 2 w, 4 w, 8 w, and 12 w. Then the sections were imaged by a confocal microscope, and six morphological parameters of the ONH were calculated after the images were processed using Matlab. The results showed that the morphology of the ONH changed with the duration of chronic high IOP. The glial LC pore area fraction, the ratio of glial LC pore area to the glial LC tissue area, first decreased at 2 w and 4 w and then increased to the same level as the control group at 8 w and continued to increase until 12 w. The number and density of nuclei increased significantly at 8 w in the glial LC region. The results might mean the fraction of glial LC beam increased and astrocytes proliferated at the early stage of high IOP. Combined with the images of the ONH, the results showed the glial LC was damaged with the duration of chronic elevated IOP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Asthma is one of the most common noninfectious chronic diseases characterized by type II inflammation. This study aimed to investigate the effects of molecular hydrogen on the pathogenesis of asthma. Methods: OVA sensitized asthma mouse model and house dust mite treated 16HBE cellular model were established and hydrogen/oxygen mixture was used to treat asthmatic mice and 16HBE cells. Serum and BALF cytokines were measured with specific ELISA assays. E-cadherin and ZO-1 were detected by immunohistochemical staining and expression of caspase 3 and 9, NF-κB, IL-33 and ST2 was assessed by quantitative real-time PCR, western blot and/or immunofluorescence. IL-33 promoter activity was analyzed by dual-luciferase assay. ILC2 population was assayed by flow cytometry and differentially expressed miRNAs were detected using miRNA array. Results: Serum and BALF levels of IL-33 and other alarmin and type II cytokines were greatly increased by OVA and inhibited by H2 in asthmatic mice. The expression of NF-κB (p65) and ST2 was upregulated by OVA and suppressed by H2. ILC2 population was markedly increased in OVA-induced asthmatic mice, and such increase was inhibited by H2. E-cadherin and ZO-1 levels in airway tissues of asthmatic mice were significantly lower than that of control mice, and the reduction was recovered by H2 treatment. H2 alleviated HDM induced apoptosis of 16HBE cells, upregulation of IL-33 and ST2, and elevation of IL-33 promoter activity. A group of miRNAs differentially expressed in HDM and HDM + H2 treated 16HBE cells were identified. Conclusions: These data demonstrated that H2 is efficient in suppressing allergen-induced asthma and could be developed as a therapeutics for asthma and other conditions of type II inflammation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Communication delays are crucial in ship formation control. This paper proposed a cooperative control scheme for ship formation tracking with communication delays based on Model Predictive Control. An MPC controller is designed for trajectory tracking for each ship. Secondly, a predictive observer is designed using the predictive state of the leader ship in each decision horizon. With the predictive observer, the followers can online estimate the current motion states of the leader depending on the received delayed motion information of the leader. The reference trajectories of the followers are determined based on the estimated states, and the control strategies are decided consequently. In the end, comparative simulations are carried out to demonstrate the effectiveness and robustness of the proposed controller. • A cooperative MPC is designed to achieve leader-follower formation based on communication among ships. • A predictive observer is designed to estimate the state of the leader ship with communication delays. • The proposed method can achieve better formation tracking performance with less computational time than MPC and other observer-based MPC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: Design principle of a reliable electrolyte based on chelation strength is proposed for high-performance aqueous batteries. The addition of penta-sodium diethylene-triaminepentaacetic acid salt is effective in dynamically modulating anode/electrolyte interface, inhibiting water-related side reactions, and mitigating dendrite generation on zinc anodes. Symmetrical, Zn||Cu half and Zn||NH4V4O10 full cells using the new electrolyte exhibit improved electrochemical performance. Aqueous zinc-ion batteries are promising due to inherent safety, low cost, low toxicity, and high volumetric capacity. However, issues of dendrites and side reactions between zinc metal anode and the electrolyte need to be solved for extended storage and cycle life. Here, we proposed that an electrolyte additive with an intermediate chelation strength of zinc ion—strong enough to exclude water molecules from the zinc metal-electrolyte interface and not too strong to cause a significant energy barrier for zinc ion dissociation—can benefit the electrochemical stability by suppressing hydrogen evolution reaction, overpotential growth, and dendrite formation. Penta-sodium diethylene-triaminepentaacetic acid salt was selected for such a purpose. It has a suitable chelating ability in aqueous solutions to adjust solvation sheath and can be readily polarized under electrical loading conditions to further improve the passivation. Zn||Zn symmetric cells can be stably operated over 3500 h at 1 mA cm−2. Zn||NH4V4O10 full cells with the additive show great cycling stability with 84.6% capacity retention after 500 cycles at 1 A g−1. Since the additive not only reduces H2 evolution and corrosion but also modifies Zn2+ diffusion and deposition, highlyreversible Zn electrodes can be achieved as verified by the experimental results. Our work offers a practical approach to the logical design of reliable electrolytes for high-performance aqueous batteries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A simple method for successfully preparing GT-PAC-nZVI/S was developed. • The removal rate of nitrate by GT-PAC-nZVI/S at optimal conditions can reach 93%. • GT-PAC-nZVI/S has good anti-oxidation and anti-agglomeration properties. • The nitrate removal mechanism was complexation, redox, adsorption coprecipitation. In this study, A green reducing agent green tea extract is used instead of traditional sodium borohydride and porous activated carbon was supported to prepare nano-zero valent iron (nZVI) combined with sulfate (GT-PAC-nZVI/S) to remove Nitrate Nitrogen (NO 3 –-N) in wastewater. SEM-EDS, BET, XRD and FTIR characterization results confirmed that effective preparation of porous and high specific surface area and successful loading of sulfide nZVI on PAC. Batch experiments were conducted to measure the effects on the removal of nitrate nitrogen of different parameters including pH, temperature, dosage, interfering agents, carbon-iron ratio and iron-sulfur ratio. The experimental results demonstrate that GT-PAC-nZVI/S has a high nitrate nitrogen removal rate and reduction product gaseous nitrogen can reach 93.00% and 22.10%, respectively, at pH = 7, the dosage of GT-PAC-nZVI/S = 4 g/L, temperature of 60 ℃, iron-sulfur ratio = 1:0.3 and time of 95 min. And interfering ion HPO 4 2- have the strong inhibition for NO 3 –-N degradation. The adsorption isotherm and kinetic data for GT-PAC-nZVI/S was fitted well with the Langmuir and pseudo-second order model, respectively, indicating that the adsorption process for nitrate was chemisorption. Furthermore, GT-PAC-nZVI/S enhanced the removal of nitrate nitrogen through complexation, redox, and adsorption co-precipitation. This work highlights the efficient remediation of nitrate-nitrogen water pollution by porous activated carbon loaded with sulfide nZVI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

TiFe alloy is one of the prime candidates for stationary hydrogen storage applications. However, the practical applications of TiFe alloy are limited by harsh requirements of activation. Alloying is an effective approach for improving the hydrogen storage properties of TiFe alloys. In this paper, we investigate the effect of Nb alloying on the microstructure and hydrogen storage properties of Ti-Fe-Zr-Mn-Nb x (x = 0, 2, 4, 8 at%) alloys. In particular, we found that 2 at% of Nb addition to the alloy enables a good combination of the hydrogen capacity and the activation property, and the Zr-rich phases play a critical role in the activation behavior of Ti-Fe-Zr-Mn-Nb x alloy by absorbing hydrogen before the hydrogenation of the TiFe matrix. However, high Nb addition (>4 at%) leads to the reduction of the Zr-rich phases and thus deteriorates the activation kinetics. Moreover, the Nb addition also favors the formation of the TiFe main phase and promotes higher capacities at ambient temperature. It is also demonstrated that the Nb addition lowers the first plateau pressure and decreases the hysteresis of the isotherms. These correlations between the microstructure and hydrogen storage performance provide insights into tailoring hydrogen storage properties by alloying TiFe with multi-elements. [Display omitted] • 2 at% of Nb addition of alloys combines good capacity and activation properties. • Zr-rich phase promotes activation by absorbing hydrogen prior to the TiFe matrix. • High content of Nb deteriorates activation kinetics of TiFe alloys. • TiFe phase is favored by Nb addition and improves hydrogen storage capacity. • Nb addition lowers plateau pressures and decreases hydrogen sorption hysteresis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

MgH 2 -based hydrides have a very high affinity to oxygen, leading to the degradation of their hydrogen storage properties. Herein, we use MgO doping and air exposure methods to add oxygen to the MgH 2 -TiH 2 materials, and the hydrogen storage properties of these materials are systematically investigated. The results show that MgO doping accelerates the ambient temperature absorption kinetics, impedes the Mg crystalline growth, and reduces the desorption temperature. In contrast, the air exposure significantly deteriorated the kinetics of MgH 2 -TiH 2 under both ambient and high temperature. The hydrogenation kinetics of the air-exposed sample can be recovered under cycling. Our results indicate that the effect of MgO is highly dependent of the means to introduce MgO and the location of MgO in the matrix structure. Air-exposure is the main factor for the degradation of hydrogen storage properties, but the MgO doping positively affects the performance of the Mg-based hydride. [Display omitted] • The location and the way to introduce MgO highly impact the performance of MgH 2. • The MgO addition by ball-milling helps to improve the kinetics of MgH 2. • The MgO introduced by air exposure degrade the performance of MgH 2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The high operation temperature has limited the practical applications of magnesium hydride. Although several techniques can significantly improve Mg hydride's high-temperature de/hydrogenation properties, the hydrogenation performance at relatively low temperatures degrades rapidly during cycling. Herein, we study the hydrogenation kinetics under ambient temperature after specific cycle numbers, and the microstructural evolution of the catalyzed Mg hydride during hydrogen sorption cycling. The results show that the average crystallite size increases with the increase of cycle numbers, and the dislocation density and microstrain decrease. However, the hydrogenation kinetic rate can be restored by subjecting the performance-degraded sample to an ultra-high-energy high-pressure planetary ball mill again. This suggests that the nanocrystalline structure with a high concentration of defects in the ball-milled Mg-based material is critical for achieving a good kinetic rate of hydrogen adsorption at room temperature. Furthermore, defect concentration effects on hydrogen absorption are more significant than crystallite size. This result provides a direction for improving Mg-based hydrogen storage materials for practical application. [Display omitted] • The hydrogen absorption kinetics of MgH 2 in ambient conditions degrades rapidly. • The decrease of the defect concentration is the primary cause for the degradation. • Hydrogen storage properties may be improved by creating more defects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • A successful preparation of green nano-zero-valent iron-copper bimetals by a simple method. • The removal rate of nitrate by GT-nZVI/Cu under optimal conditions can reach 99.00%. • The prepared GT-nZVI/Cu has good anti-oxidation and anti-agglomeration properties. • Most of the reaction products for the removal of nitrate by GT-nZVI/Cu are N 2. • The mechanism of GT-nZVI/Cu denitrification is complexation, redox and adsorption co-precipitation. In this study, green tea was used as a reducing agent to prepare GT-nZVI/Cu nano-zero-valent iron-copper bimetallic materials for nitrate degradation. Through single factor experiments, the process conditions for nitrate removal by GT-nZVI/Cu were optimized. By measuring the contents of nitrate, nitrite, and ammonia nitrogen in the reaction products, the reduction pathway of nitrate-nitrogen in GT-nZVI/Cu was studied. In addition, the removal mechanism of nitrate by GT-nZVI/Cu was also analyzed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and kinetic experiments. The results showed that the size of GT-nZVI/Cu particles is between 50 and 70 nm, and they are irregular spherical shapes. The polyphenol antioxidants in green tea make GT-nZVI/Cu have stronger antioxidant properties, and the denitration products are mostly nitrogen. The addition of copper ions accelerates the reaction time and reaction rate. The maximum removal rate of nitrate by GT-nZVI/Cu within 75 min can be up to 99 %. After three repeated experiments, the removal rate of GT-nZVI/Cu can still reach 70 %. The removal mechanism of GT-nZVI/Cu has enhanced nitrate removal through complexation, redox, and adsorption co-precipitation. This study provides a new route for the green preparation and efficient application of nZVI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Garnet oxides such as Li6.4La3Zr1.4Ta0.6O12 (LLZTO) are promising solid electrolyte materials for all‐solid‐state lithium‐metal batteries because of high ionic conductivity, low electronic leakage, and wide electrochemical stability window. While LLZTO has been frequently discussed to be stable against lithium metal anode, it is challenging to achieve and maintain good solid‐on‐solid wetting at the metal/ceramic interface in both processing and extended electrochemical cycling. Here we address the challenge by a powder‐form magnesium nitride additive, which reacts with the lithium metal anode to produce well‐dispersed lithium nitride. The in situ formed lithium nitride promotes reactive wetting at the Li/LLZTO interface, which lowers interfacial resistance, increases critical current density (CCD), and improves cycling stability of the electrochemical cells. The additive recipe has been diversified to titanium nitride, zirconium nitride, tantalum nitride, and niobium nitride, thus supporting the general concept of reactive dispersion‐plus‐wetting. Such a design can be extended to other solid‐state devices for better functioning and extended cycle life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Garnet oxides such as Li6.4La3Zr1.4Ta0.6O12 (LLZTO) are promising solid electrolyte materials for all‐solid‐state lithium‐metal batteries because of high ionic conductivity, low electronic leakage, and wide electrochemical stability window. While LLZTO has been frequently discussed to be stable against lithium metal anode, it is challenging to achieve and maintain good solid‐on‐solid wetting at the metal/ceramic interface in both processing and extended electrochemical cycling. Here we address the challenge by a powder‐form magnesium nitride additive, which reacts with the lithium metal anode to produce well‐dispersed lithium nitride. The in situ formed lithium nitride promotes reactive wetting at the Li/LLZTO interface, which lowers interfacial resistance, increases critical current density (CCD), and improves cycling stability of the electrochemical cells. The additive recipe has been diversified to titanium nitride, zirconium nitride, tantalum nitride, and niobium nitride, thus supporting the general concept of reactive dispersion‐plus‐wetting. Such a design can be extended to other solid‐state devices for better functioning and extended cycle life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To facilitate investigation of diverse rodent behaviours in rodents' home cages, we have developed an integrated modular platform, the Smart Cage™ system ( Afa Sci, Inc. Burlingame, CA, USA), which enables automated neurobehavioural phenotypic analysis and in vivo drug screening in a relatively higher-throughput and more objective manner., The individual platform consists of an infrared array, a vibration floor sensor and a variety of modular devices. One computer can simultaneously operate up to 16 platforms via USB cables., The Smart Cage™ detects drug-induced increases and decreases in activity levels, as well as changes in movement patterns. Wake and sleep states of mice can be detected using the vibration floor sensor. The arousal state classification achieved up to 98% accuracy compared with results obtained by electroencephalography and electromyography. More complex behaviours, including motor coordination, anxiety-related behaviours and social approach behaviour, can be assessed using appropriate modular devices and the results obtained are comparable with results obtained using conventional methods., In conclusion, the Smart Cage™ system provides an automated and accurate tool to quantify various rodent behaviours in a 'stress-free' environment. This system, combined with the validated testing protocols, offers powerful a tool kit for transgenic phenotyping and in vivo drug screening. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Psychiatric disorders have great health hazards and the exact pathogeny remains elusive now. We aim to explore the potential interaction effects of mitochondrial function and human behavior on the risks of anxiety and depression.Methods: The genome-wide association study (GWAS) data of mitochondrial function (N = 383,476-982,072) were obtained from published studies. Individual level genotype and phenotype data of anxiety, depression and behavioral factors (including drinking, smoking and physical activity) were all from the UK Biobank (N = 84,805-85,164). We first calculated the polygenic risk scores (PRS) of mitochondrial function as the instrumental variables, and then constructed linear regression analyses to systematically explore the potential interaction effects of mitochondrial function and human behavior on anxiety and depression.Results: In total samples, we observed mitochondrial heteroplasmy (MtHz) vs. Drinking (PGAD-7 = 6.49 × 10-3; PPHQ-9 = 1.89 × 10-3) was positively associated with both anxiety and depression. In males, MtHz vs. Drinking (PMale = 3.46 × 10-5) was positively correlated with depression. In females, blood mitochondrial DNA copy number (mtDNA-CN) vs. Drinking (PFemale = 8.63 × 10-3) was negatively related to anxiety. Furthermore, we identified additional 6 suggestive interaction effects (P < 0.05) for anxiety and depression.Limitations: Considering all subjects were from UK Biobank, it should be careful to extrapolate our findings to other populations with different genetic background.Conclusions: Our results suggest the significant impacts of mitochondrial function and human behavior interactions on the development of anxiety and depression, providing new clues for clarifying the pathogenesis of anxiety and depression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Submergence and buoyancy may cause fatigue damage to cone-cylinder pressure structures (CCPSs). High-strength steel structures are prone to generating larger welding residual stress, which affects their fatigue strength and safety assessment. Therefore, it is necessary to investigate the effects of residual stress and its release on the fatigue strength of typical CCPS welded joints. In this study, typical CCPS welded joints were taken as the research object. First, the welding residual stress was investigated via non-destructive testing and numerical simulations. Then, a tensile test device was designed to investigate the release of welding residual stress and numerical simulations were carried out. The numerically obtained residual stresses coincide with those obtained by the tensile test. On this basis, the effects of residual stress on the fatigue life of typical CCPS welded joints was investigated with the tensile device and fatigue testing machine. The results show that the residual stress near the welding seam would be greatly released under an external load. The fatigue life of the structures is clearly decreased considering the welding residual stress. Therefore, it is determined that welding residual stress plays an important role in the analysis of the fatigue life of typical ship welded joints. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Magnesium-based hydrides are considered as promising candidates for solid-state hydrogen storage and thermal energy storage, due to their high hydrogen capacity, reversibility, and elemental abundance of Mg. To improve the sluggish kinetics of MgH2, catalytic doping using Ti-based catalysts is regarded as an effective approach to enhance Mg-based materials. In the past decades, Ti-based additives, as one of the important groups of catalysts, have received intensive endeavors towards the understanding of the fundamental principle of catalysis for the Mg-H2 reaction. In this review, we start with the introduction of fundamental features of magnesium hydride and then summarize the recent advances of Ti-based additive doped MgH2 materials. The roles of Ti-based catalysts in various categories of elemental metals, hydrides, oxides, halides, and intermetallic compounds were overviewed. Particularly, the kinetic mechanisms are discussed in detail. Moreover, the remaining challenges and future perspectives of Mg-based hydrides are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lithium is considered to be a strategic metal in the world. It's meaningful to evaluate the stocks of recyclable lithium resources and give an estimation on the recycling impact on lithium supply chain. This study establishes a dynamic substance flow model of recyclable lithium resources in China from 2000 to 2030. The model provides sales, stock amount and secondary utilization amount of recyclable lithium resources from mobile phone, laptop computer, desktop computer, camera, EV and E-bike in China, based on the historical data. The results indicate that the accumulatively amount of obsolete LIBs will reach 121 billion until 2030, which contain over 522 kilotons recyclable lithium resources. Among six kinds of products as-investigated, the EV takes the greatest sector and owns the highest growth speed. Considering the current situation that lithium resources are highly-dependent on imports, the domestically yield should be emphasized as a compensation. Technology and equipment of lithium recycling and salt lake exploitation should be further developed. Specific laws and regulations focusing on the allocation and recycle of lithium resources should to be strictly compliance with, while the alternatives of lithium are supposed to apply to non-battery products. • A dynamic substance flow model of recyclable lithium resources is established. • The generation amount of six obsolete lithium-containing products are predicted. • The lithium content in obsolete products in China from 2000 to 2030 is analyzed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A novel CFs/PPS separator is prepared through a facile papermaking process. • The employment of CFs can benefit to the improvement of electrochemical performance. • Interlaced fibrous structures and abundant hydrogen bonds ensure mechanical behavior of CFs/PPS separator. • CFs/PPS separator gives broader electrochemical window and stable cycle performance. As an indispensable component, separator is close related to electrochemical performance and safety of lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). However, the current widely applied polyolefin microporous separator impedes the development of high power LIBs due to poorer electrolyte wettability and inferior thermal stability. Herein, heat-resistant polyphenylene sulfide (PPS) fibers and cellulose fibers (CFs) are adopted to fabricate a novel composite separator (CFs/PPS) via a facile papermaking process. The as-prepared CFs/PPS separator exhibits higher porosity, improved electrolyte uptake and superior wettability. These boost its ionic conductivity and decrease interfacial resistance between CFs/PPS separator and electrode, which further endow battery with good rate capability. Moreover, in comparison to commercial polypropylene separator, CFs/PPS separator gives superior thermal stability, satisfactory mechanical strength, broader electrochemical window and more stable cycle performance. Accordingly, CFs/PPS composite separator is very promising for application in high power LIBs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, a new composite separator was fabricated by constructing crosslinked polymer electrolyte networks on polyphenylene sulfide (PPS) nonwoven substrate to enhance mechanical behavior and cell performance. According to chemical reactions of C–F bonds with amine groups, crosslinked polymer electrolyte networks were firstly formed between polymer poly(vinylidene fluoride-hexafluoropropylene) (PVDF-HFP) and hyperbranched polyethylenimine (PEI). The composite separator was given systematic investigations ranging from basic physical properties, electrochemical behavior and cell performance. It was found that the designed membrane exhibited higher electrolyte uptake, superior wetting behavior, improved ionic conductivity and interfacial compatibility, which finally weakened ohmic polarization phenomenon in device, and gave rise to the enhancement of discharge capacities at various C-rates as well as the strengthen of cyclic stability. Moreover, the incorporation of crosslinked networks in this system was confirmed to boost mechanical property prominently by tensile test. At the same time, this composite separator was observed to display remarkable heat resistance even after treated at 200 °C and broaden the electrochemical window considerably. Accordingly, this designed separator can meet the safety and performance requirements in the development of high power lithium ion battery. Image 1 • A composite separator was fabricated by constructing crosslinked polymer electrolyte on polyphenylene sulfide nonwoven. • The composite separator shows excellent thermal stability and no shrinkage at 200 °C. • The composite separator displays enhanced mechanical behavior and electrochemical performance. • The composite separator endows battery with outstanding C-rate capability and cycling performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Separator is a vital component in lithium ion battery (LIB) and its property is directly related to cell performance and safety. However, the current widely used polyolefin separator suffers from lower heat resistant and inferior electrolyte wettability. Therefore, more attention has been attracted in the development of high performance separator. In this study, aramid nanofibers (ANFs), poly(p -phenylene terephthalamide), and heat-resistant polyphenylene sulfide (PPS) nonwoven were used to fabricate LIB composite separator by a facile papermaking process, which was abbreviated as ANFs/PPS. It was found that the introduced polar aramid nanofibers in this composite separator significantly regulated the porosity and improved electrolyte wettability, thus being helpful for lithium ion transfer between electrodes, increasing the ionic conductivity and exhibiting better interfacial compatible. These behaviors finally endowed battery with superior rate capability and excellent cycling performance. Moreover, the incorporation of aramid nanofibers in PPS membrane was confirmed to own higher Young's modulus to supply enough anti-deformation ability. In addition, we found the composite separator displayed outstanding thermal stability, flame retardant ability and broader electrochemical window, which would guarantee higher safety during battery operation. Accordingly, ANFs/PPS composite separator will provide a promising potential for application in high power LIB. • A novel ANFs/PPS composite separator is firstly prepared through a facile papermaking method. • The composite separator displays excellent thermal stability and flame retardant ability. • The composite membrane exhibits superior electrolyte wettability, ionic conductivity and interfacial compatibility. • The composite separator endows battery with outstanding C-rate capability and cycling performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Classical Hodgkin Lymphoma (cHL) is primarily a B cell lymphoid neoplasm and a member of the CD30-positive lymphomas. cHL and the other CD30-positive lymphomas are characterized by the elevated expression and/or constitutive activation of the activator protein-1 (AP-1) family transcription factors, c-Jun and JunB; however, the specific roles they play in the pathobiology of cHL are unclear. In this report we show that reducing either c-Jun or JunB expression with short-hairpin RNAs (shRNAs) reduced the growth of cHL cell lines in vitro and in vivo, primarily through impairing cell cycle transition through G1. We further investigated the effect of c-Jun and JunB knock-down on proliferation in another CD30-positive lymphoma, anaplastic lymphoma kinase-positive, anaplastic large cell lymphoma (ALK+ ALCL). We found that JunB knock-down in most ALK+ ALCL cell lines examined also resulted in reduced proliferation that was associated with a G0/G1 cell cycle defect. In contrast, c-Jun knock-down in multiple ALK+ ALCL cell lines had no effect on proliferation. In summary, this study directly establishes that both c-Jun and JunB play roles in promoting HRS cell proliferation. Furthermore, we demonstrate there are similarities and differences in c-Jun and JunB function between cHL and ALK+ ALCL. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Solid-state electrolyte as a crucial component in all-solid-state batteries should have high Li-ion conductivity and good stability in air. Recently, a new solid Li-ion conductor LiTa2PO8 (LTPO) with theoretical and experimental Li-ion conductivities of 35.3 and 0.25 mS/cm has been reported. Herein, we systematically investigate the ionic conductivity and chemical stability of the LTPO electrolytes sintered by conventional sintering (CS) and hot-pressing sintering (HP) methods. The effects of Li sources, sintering temperature, and the dwelling time are concerned. LTPO pellets using CH3COOLi·2H2O as the Li source sintered by CS method have a room-temperature Li-ion conductivity of 1.86 × 10–4 S/cm with an activation energy of 0.36 eV. A conductivity of 3.12 × 10–4 S/cm with an activation energy of 0.32 eV is achieved by further HP sintering. Moreover, LTPO shows excellent chemical stabilities in air, aqueous solution, and organic solvent and shows a stable cycling performance in the symmetric Li/Li cells and the all-solid-state Li/LiFePO4 batteries with the separation of a thin PEO membrane. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• IAId induces the production of IDO and IL-10 in LCs through the activation of AhR. • IAId-conditioned LCs inhibit CD4+ T cell proliferation and induce IL-10 production. • IAId promotes RANK-RANKL interaction between LCs and keratinocytes. Skin commensal bacteria play important roles in skin homeostasis. Langerhans cells (LCs) are epidermis-resident dendritic cells that sense environmental stimuli and are critical in the induction of immune tolerance to allergen and bacterial skin flora. However, response of LCs to the metabolites of the skin microbiota is not clear. To explore the effects of the skin microbial metabolites on LCs activation. LCs derived from CD34+ hematopoietic stem cells in the cord blood were treated with a microbial metabolite of tryptophan, indole-3-aldehyde (IAId). Activation aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) signaling, production of IL-10, and expression of receptor activator of NF-κB (RANK) / receptor activator of NF-κB ligand (RANKL) in LCs or keratinocytes were analyzed using quantitative PCR, western blotting and flow cytometry. LCs maturation induced by IAId and CD4+ T cell response induced by IAId-conditioned LCs were also investigated. IAId induced the production of indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase (IDO) and IL-10 in LCs through the activation of AhR. IAId promoted the expression of RANK and RANKL on LCs and keratinocytes in an AhR-dependent manner respectively, which might result in activation of NF-κB signaling and production of IL-10. Moreover, a mature phenotype of LCs was induced by IAId, and IAId-activated LCs inhibited CD4+ T cell proliferation and induced IL-10 secretion. Our study revealed a negatively regulatory function of a tryptophan metabolite on LCs through the activation of AhR, and the microbial metabolites could be utilized in future treatment for inflammatory skin diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Smoking has caused great public health burdens in the global. Although socioeconomic factors have been confirmed to substantially influence smoking behaviors, the impact of comprehensive social deprivations on smoking behavior and related biological mechanisms are still unclear. Supported by UK Biobank cohort, we randomly divided 369,915 participants into discovery cohort (60%) and replication cohort (40%). We first tested the associations for index of multiple deprivation (IMD) and 7 IMD subdomains with ever-smoking and daily smoking frequency using regression models in both cohorts. Genome-wide by environment interaction study (GWEIS) was further conducted by using PLINK2.0 to detect the effects of the interactions between SNPs and IMD subdomains on two smoking behaviors. In discovery and replication cohorts, we observed the more deprivation status the individuals were in, the higher daily smoking frequency or risk to be ever smokers. And among the subdomains of IMD, income, education, health, living environment, and crime deprivation were positively associated with the risk of smoking behaviors, while employment deprivation was negatively correlated with smoking behaviors (all P < 0.0125). Totally, GWEIS analysis detected 23 shared significant socioeconomic-deprivation interacted loci for daily smoking frequency in two cohorts, such as rs116680599 at 2p16.3 (NRXN1, Pdiscovery = 7.68 × 10−14, Preplication = 1.96 × 10−2) and rs150451424 at 16p13.3 (RBFOX1, Pdiscovery = 1.89 × 10−10, Preplication = 1.96 × 10−2) interacting with employment deprivation. We illustrated the diverse effects of IMD on smoking behaviors and provided insights for the biological mechanisms of the interaction effects between socioeconomic deprivation with genetic factors on smoking behaviors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to explore the predictive value of procalcitonin (PCT) in Gram-negative bloodstream infections (BSIs) in hematological patients with febrile neutropenia. A total of 1466 samples (396 blood culture (BC)-positive, 1052 BC-negative, and 18 contaminated specimens) were included, comprising 268 Gram-negative, 88 Gram-positive, 19 fungal, and 21 polymicrobial BSIs. Median PCT value (0.72 ng/mL; IQR: 0.23–3.87) was significantly higher in Gram-negative than Gram-positive (0.34 ng/mL; IQR: 0.14–2.23; p <.01), or fungal (0.27 ng/mL; IQR: 0.13–0.40; p <.01) BSIs. In mono-microbial BSIs, the best PCT cutoff distinguishing Gram-negative BSIs from all other fever causes was 0.56 ng/ml, with a specificity of 76.8%. PCT levels were significantly higher in BSIs from multidrug-resistant (MDR) Gram-negative strains than from non-MDR (p <.01). This study confirms that elevated PCT may predict Gram-negative BSIs in hematological patients with febrile neutropenia, and demonstrates higher PCT levels in MDR Gram-negative BSIs in these patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Smoking and alcohol consumption were associated with the development of depression and anxiety. 3′UTR APA quantitative trait loci (3'aQTLs) have been associated with multiple health states and conditions. Our aim is to evaluate the interactive effects of 3'aQTLs-alcohol consumption/tobacco smoking on the risk of anxiety and depression. The 3'aQTL data of 13 brain regions were extracted from the large-scale 3'aQTL atlas. The phenotype data (frequency of cigarette smoking and alcohol drinking, anxiety score, self-reported anxiety, depression score and self-reported depression) of 90,399–103,011 adults aged 40–69 years living in the UK and contributing to the UK Biobank during 2006–2010, were obtained from the UK Biobank cohort. The frequency of cigarette smoking and alcohol drinking of each subject were defined by the amount of smoking and alcohol drinking of self-reported, respectively. The continuous alcohol consumption/smoking terms were further categorized in tertiles. 3'aQTL-by-environmental interaction analysis was then performed to evaluate the associations of gene-smoking/alcohol consumption interactions with anxiety and depression using generalized linear model (GLM) of PLINK 2.0 with an additive mode of inheritance. Furthermore, GLM was also used to explore the relationship between alcohol consumption/smoking with hazard of anxiety/depression stratified by allele for the significant genotyped SNPs that modified the alcohol consumption/smoking-anxiety/depression association. The interaction analysis identified several candidate 3'aQTLs-alcohol consumption interactions, such as rs7602638 located in PPP3R1 (β = 0.08, P = 6.50 × 10−6) for anxiety score; rs10925518 located in RYR2 (OR = 0.95, P = 3.06 × 10−5) for self-reported depression. Interestingly, we also observed that the interactions between TMOD1 (β = 0.18, P = 3.30 × 10−8 for anxiety score; β = 0.17, P = 1.42 × 10−6 for depression score), ZNF407 (β = 0.17, P = 2.11 × 10−6 for anxiety score; β = 0.15, P = 4.26 × 10−5 for depression score) and alcohol consumption was not only associated with anxiety, but related to depression. Besides, we found that relationship between alcohol consumption and hazard of anxiety/depression was significantly different for different SNPs genotypes, such as rs34505550 in TMOD1 (AA: OR = 1.03, P = 1.79 × 10−6; AG: OR = 1.00, P = 0.94; GG: OR = 1.00, P = 0.21) for self-reported anxiety. The identified 3'aQTLs-alcohol consumption/smoking interactions were associated with depression and anxiety, and its potential biological mechanisms need to be further revealed. Our study identified important interactions between candidate 3'aQTL and alcohol consumption/smoking on depression and anxiety, and found that the 3'aQTL may modify the associations between consumption/smoking with depression and anxiety. These findings may help to further explore the pathogenesis of depression and anxiety. • Interaction between rs7602638 located in PPP3R1 and alcohol consumption was positively associated with anxiety score. • Interaction between rs10925518 in RYR2 and alcohol consumption was negatively correlated with self-reported depression. • Interactions between TMOD1, NLRP1, ZNF407 and alcohol consumption were positively associated with anxiety and depression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Herein, micron-sized silver particles were prepared using the chemical reduction method by employing a Y-type microjet reactor, silver nitrate as the precursor, ascorbic acid as the reducing agent, and gelatin as the dispersion at room temperature (23 °C ± 2°C). Using a microjet reactor, the two reaction solutions collide and combine outside the reactor, thereby avoiding microchannel obstruction issues and facilitating a quicker and more convenient synthesis process. This study examined the effect of the jet flow rate and dispersion addition on the morphology and size of silver powder particles. Based on the results of this study, spherical and dendritic silver particles with a rough surface can be prepared by adjusting the flow rate of the reaction solution and gelatin concentration. The microjet flow rate of 75 mL/min and the injected gelatin amount of 1% of the silver nitrate mass produced spherical ultrafine silver particles with a size of 4.84 μm and a tap density of 5.22 g/cm3. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We aim to explore the combined effects of the smoking and breastfeeding on offspring mental health outcomes. We used data from UK biobank (N = 342,846) to evaluate joint effect of breastfeeding and maternal smoke during pregnancy (MSDP) on seven adult offspring mental health outcomes (self-reported depression, depression score, self-reported anxiety, anxiety score, neuroticism score, self-harm, suicide). We stratified individuals to MSDP group and non-MSDP group as well as breastfeeding group and non-breastfeeding group. Multiple linear regression and logistic regressions analysis were performed between independent variables (MSDP or breastfeeding) and dependent variables separately (seven mental health outcomes) in each stratum. Effect estimates were expressed as β values and OR values. Sex, age, 10 principle components of population structure, smoking, alcohol use, and Townsend deprivation index were examined as covariates. At MSDP grouping level, coefficients (odds ratio [OR]) for association of breastfed as a baby with self-reported anxiety (category variable) were 0.87 (95%CI, (0.82–0.93), P = 1.74 × 10–5) in the MSDP group and 0.83 (95%CI, (0.79–0.87), P = 2.76 × 10–17) in the non-MSDP group. At breastfeeding grouping level, OR for association of MSDP and self-reported anxiety were 1.15 (95%CI, (1.10–1.20), P = 5.36 × 10–11) in breastfeeding group and 1.12(95%CI, (1.06–1.20), P = 2.02 × 10–4) in non-breastfeeding group. At MSDP grouping level, negatively associations were found for breastfeeding and anxiety score (continuable variable) in MSDP group (-0.04 SD change per SD change in MSDP, 95% CI, (− 0.06, − 0.02), P = 2.42 × 10–3) and non-MSDP group (-0.06 SD change per SD change in MSDP, 95%CI, (− 0.07, − 0.04), P = 1.70 × 10–11). At breastfeeding grouping level, positive association was found for MSDP and anxiety score in the breastfeeding group (0.07 SD change per SD change in MSDP, 95%CI, (0.06–0.09), P = 1.49 × 10–20) and non-breastfeeding group (0.07 SD change per SD change in MSDP, 95%CI, (0.05–0.09), P = 7.19 × 10–8). Compared with non-MSDP group, the protective effect (reflected by coefficients) of breastfeeding on anxiety in the MSDP decreased. Our preliminary study found MSDP may lower the protective effect of breastfeeding on the adult offspring anxiety, depression and neuroticism, providing useful recommendations for health care service via quitting smoking during pregnancy and encouraging prolonged breastfeeding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Freak waves can cause serious damage to offshore structures because of their characteristics of high peak energy, short duration, and great contingency. In this study, the slamming pressure characteristics of a typical floating wind turbine under freak waves are studied by numerical simulation and experiment. The computational fluid dynamics (CFD) method is used to establish the numerical tank. The experimental test of a typical float wind turbine is implemented at Jiangsu University of Science and Technology. The numerical model of a floating wind turbine system is modified based on an experimental test. The slamming characteristics of a floating wind turbine under the freak wave are studied using the modified numerical model. The combined wave focusing model and the push pedal wave-making theory are adopted to simulate the freak wave. Results show that the slamming pressure of a floating wind turbine under a freak wave is much larger than that under a conventional random wave with the same significant wave height. Meanwhile, the evident phenomenon of double-peak slamming is observed in the wave slamming of the floating wind turbine. The impact period at different locations varies although the floating wind turbine is a monolithic structure. • The slamming characteristics of a floating wind turbine under the freak wave are studied by using CFD tools. • The wave focusing model and the push pedal wave-making theory are combined to simulate the freak waves. • The high-order responses are observed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Disrupted brain structures and several life environmental factors have been shown to influence depression and anxiety, but their interactions with anxiety and depression remain elusive. Genome‐wide association study datasets of 15 brain structure longitudinal changes (N = 15,640) were obtained from the published study. Genotype and phenotype‐related data of depression, anxiety, and life environmental factors (including smoking, alcohol drinking, coffee intake, maternal smoking, physical activity, vitamin D, insomnia, sleep duration, and family satisfaction) were collected from UK Biobank. We calculated the polygenic risk scores (PRS) of 15 brain structure changes and then conducted linear regression analyses to explore the interactions of brain structure changes and life environmental factors on depression and anxiety using 15 brain structure change‐related PRS, life environmental factors and interactions of them as instrumental variables, and depression score or anxiety score as outcomes. Sex stratification in all analyses was performed to reveal sex‐specific differences in the interactions. We found 14 shared interactions related to both depression and anxiety in total sample, such as alcohol drinking × cerebellum white matter 3 (WM; beta = −.003, p =.018 for depression; beta = −003, p =.008 for anxiety) and maternal smoking × nucleus accumbens 2 (beta =.088, p =.002 for depression; beta =.070, p =.008 for anxiety). We also observed sex‐specific differences in the interactions, for instance, alcohol drinking × cerebellum WM 3 was negatively associated with depression and anxiety in males (beta = −.004, p =.020 for depression; beta = −.005, p =.002 for anxiety). Our study results reveal the important interactions between brain structure changes and several life environmental factors on depression and anxiety, which may help to explore the pathogenesis of depression and anxiety. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Comparing with the general population, the pain in depression patients has more complex biological mechanism. We aim to explore the etiological mechanism of pain in depression patients from the perspective of genetics. Utilizing the UK Biobank samples with self-reported depression status or PHQ score ≥10, we conducted genome-wide association studies (GWAS) of seven pain traits (N = 1,133–58,349). Additionally, we used FUSION pipeline to perform proteome-wide association study (PWAS) and transcriptome-wide association study (TWAS) by integrating GWAS summary data with two different proteome reference weights (ROS/MAP and Banner) and Rnaseq gene expression reference weights, respectively. GWAS identified 3 significant genes associated with different pain traits in depression patients, including TRIOBP (P GWAS = 4.48 × 10−8) for stomach or abdominal pain, SLC9A9(P GWAS = 2.77 × 10−8) for multisite chronic pain (MCP) and ADGRF1 (P GWAS = 1.51 × 10−8) for neck or shoulder pain. In addition, PWAS and TWAS analysis also identified multiple candidate genes associated with different pain traits in depression patients, such as TPRG1L (P PWAS-Banner = 3.38 × 10−2) and SIRPA (P PWAS-Banner = 3.65 × 10−2) for MCP, etc. Notably, when comparing the results of PWAS and TWAS analysis, we found overlapping candidate genes in these pain traits, such as GSTM3 (P PWAS - Banner = 3.38 × 10−2, P TWAS = 6.92 × 10−3) in the stomach or abdominal pain phenotype, ATG7 (P PWAS - Rosmap = 3.15 × 10−2, P TWAS = 2.98 × 10−2) in the MCP, etc. We identified multiple novel candidate genes for pain traits in depression patients from different perspectives of genetics, which provided novel clues for understanding the genetic mechanisms underlying the pain in depression patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: The role of neurological proteins in the development of bipolar disorder (BD) and schizophrenia (SCZ) remains elusive now. The current study aims to explore the potential genetic correlations of plasma neurological proteins with BD and SCZ. Methods: By using the latest genome-wide association study (GWAS) summary data of BD and SCZ (including 41,917 BD cases, 11,260 SCZ cases, and 396,091 controls) derived from the Psychiatric GWAS Consortium website (PGC) and a recently released GWAS of neurological proteins (including 750 individuals), we performed a linkage disequilibrium score regression (LDSC) analysis to detect the potential genetic correlations between the two common psychiatric disorders and each of the 92 neurological proteins. Two-sample Mendelian randomisation (MR) analysis was then applied to assess the bidirectional causal relationship between the neurological proteins identified by LDSC, BD and SCZ. Results: LDSC analysis identified one neurological protein, NEP , which shows suggestive genetic correlation signals for both BD (coefficient = −0.165, p value = 0.035) and SCZ (coefficient = −0.235, p value = 0.020). However, those association did not remain significant after strict Bonferroni correction. Two sample MR analysis found that there was an association between genetically predicted level of NEP protein, BD (odd ratio [OR] = 0.87, p value = 1.61 × 10−6) and SCZ (OR = 0.90, p value = 4.04 × 10−6). However, in the opposite direction, there is no genetically predicted association between BD, SCZ, and NEP protein level. Conclusion: This study provided novel clues for understanding the genetic effects of neurological proteins on BD and SCZ. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Previous studies have suggested a potential association between sleep and telomere length (TL), but its genetic basis remains unclear. In this study, we aimed to explore the genetic correlation and potential causal association between TL and insomnia.Methods: The genome-wide association study (GWAS) datasets of TL and insomnia-related traits were used, including insomnia, snoring, daytime dozing and napping. Based on the polygenic risk scores (PRS) of TL, linear regression and linkage disequilibrium score (LDSC) regression were used to preliminarily explore the association between TL and insomnia parameters in the UK Biobank cohort. Then, we investigated the causal association between TL and insomnia by mendelian randomization (MR) analysis and colocalization analysis.Results: In the UK Biobank cohort, the association between TL and insomnia was observed in the female samples (t = 2.968, P = 3.00 × 10-3). LDSC detected a genetic correlation between short TL and insomnia (Rg = -9.27 × 10-2, P = 8.00 × 10-4). We found no evidence supporting significant causal association between insomnia and TL in IVW method (b = -5.95 × 10-3, P = 0.57), with horizontal pleiotropy and heterogeneity tests indicating the validity of our MR study. Finally, rs12638862 was classified as colocalized by COLOC (PP4 = 0.99), and TERC may be involved in regulating the association between insomnia and TL.Conclusions: Our study found no evidence for causal association between insomnia and TL in individuals of European ancestry. We detected a candidate gene associated with both insomnia and TL, providing novel clues for understanding the roles of this association. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although previous genome-wide association studies (GWASs) on post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) have identified multiple risk loci, how these loci confer risk of PTSD remains unclear. Through the FUSION pipeline, we integrated two human brain proteome reference datasets (ROS/MAP and Banner) with the PTSD GWAS dataset, respectively, to conduct a proteome-wide association study (PWAS) analysis. Then two transcriptome reference weights (Rnaseq and Splicing) were applied to a transcriptome-wide association study (TWAS) analysis. Finally, the PWAS and TWAS results were investigated through brain imaging analysis. In the PWAS analysis, 8 and 13 candidate genes were identified in the ROS/MAP and Banner reference weight groups, respectively. Examples included ADK (pPWAS-ROS/MAP = 3.00 × 10−5) and C3orf18 (pPWAS-Banner = 7.07 × 10−31). Moreover, the TWAS also detected multiple candidate genes associated with PTSD in two different reference weight groups, including RIMS2 (pTWAS-Splicing = 3.84 × 10−2), CHMP1A (pTWAS-Rnaseq = 5.09 × 10−4), and SIRT5 (pTWAS-Splicing = 4.81 × 10−3). Further comparison of the PWAS and TWAS results in different populations detected the overlapping genes: MADD (pPWAS-Banner = 4.90 × 10−2, pTWAS-Splicing = 1.23 × 10−2) in the total population and GLO1(pPWAS-Banner = 4.89 × 10−3, pTWAS-Rnaseq = 1.41 × 10−3) in females. Brain imaging analysis revealed several different brain imaging phenotypes associated with MADD and GLO1 genes. Our study identified multiple candidate genes associated with PTSD in the proteome and transcriptome levels, which may provide new clues to the pathogenesis of PTSD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effects of gene-by-environment (G×E) interactions on complex diseases are significant, especially the superimposed effects of multiple environmental factors. However, research on the multi-environments-gene interactions of anxiety, depression, and self-harm is still limited. This study included white individuals (N = 66,041–74,482) from the UK Biobank. We fitted all environmental factors to a single environmental score (ES), and the estimated ES was used to calculate the multiplicative interaction effects between ES and genome-wide SNPs. Heritability was stratified by minor allele frequency (MAF) and linkage disequilibrium (LD). Our research found 10 loci with significant interaction effects, such as rs114830993 (PRICKLE2, P = 2.30 × 10−8), rs151323364 (ASTN2, P = 2.71 × 10−10) and rs536631793 (SYN3, P = 4.09 × 10−8). In addition, we found that G×E heritability has a significant contribution to the depression of Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) scores (h2 G×E (female) = 6.1%, h2 G×E (male) = 8.7%). Our research supported the important influence of multi-environments-gene interactions on anxiety, depression, and self-harm and provided clues for the prevention and etiological research of them. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Gut microbiota is closely associated with host health and disease occurrence. Host genetic factor plays an important role in shaping gut microbial communities. The specific mechanism of host-regulated gene expression affecting gut microbiota has not been elucidated yet. Here we conducted a transcriptome-wide association study (TWAS) for gut microbiota by leveraging expression imputation from large-scale GWAS data sets. Results: TWAS detected multiple tissue-specific candidate genes for gut microbiota, such as FUT2 for genus Bifidobacterium in transverse colon (PPERM.ANL = 1.68 × 10–3) and SFTPD for an unclassified genus of Proteobacteria in transverse colon (PPERM.ANL = 5.69 × 10–3). Fine mapping replicated 3 candidate genes in TWAS, such as HELLS for Streptococcus (PIP = 0.685) in sigmoid colon, ANO7 for Erysipelotrichaceae (PIP = 0.449) in sigmoid colon. Functional analyses detected 94 significant GO terms and 11 pathways for various taxa in total, such as GO_NUCLEOSIDE_DIPHOSPHATASE_ACTIVITY for Butyrivibrio (FDR P = 1.30 × 10–4), KEGG_RENIN_ANGIOTENSIN_SYSTEM for Anaerostipes (FDR P = 3.16 × 10–2). Literature search results showed 12 genes prioritized by TWAS were associated with 12 diseases. For instance, SFTPD for an unclassified genus of Proteobacteria was related to atherosclerosis, and FUT2 for Bifidobacterium was associated with Crohn's disease. Conclusions: Our study results provided novel insights for understanding the genetic mechanism of gut microbiota, and attempted to provide clues for revealing the influence of genetic factors on gut microbiota for the occurrence and development of diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cumulative evidence shows that gut microbiome can influence brain function and behavior via the inflammatory processes. However, the role of interaction between gut dysbiosis and C-reactive protein (CRP) in the development of anxiety and depression remains to be elucidated. In this study, a total of 3321 independent single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) loci associated with gut microbiome were driven from genome-wide association study (GWAS). Using individual level genotype data from UK Biobank, we then calculated the polygenetic risk scoring (PRS) of 114 gut microbiome related traits. Moreover, regression analysis was conducted to evaluate the possible effect of interaction between gut microbiome and CRP on the risks of Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) (N = 113,693) and Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7) (N = 114,219). At last, 11 candidate CRP × gut microbiome interaction with suggestive significance was detected for PHQ-9 score, such as F_Ruminococcaceae (β = − 0.009, P = 2.2 × 10–3), G_Akkermansia (β = − 0.008, P = 7.60 × 10–3), F_Acidaminococcaceae (β = 0.008, P = 1.22 × 10–2), G_Holdemanella (β = − 0.007, P = 1.39 × 10–2) and O_Lactobacillales (β = 0.006, P = 1.79× 10–2). 16 candidate CRP × gut microbiome interaction with suggestive significance was detected for GAD-7 score, such as O_Bacteroidales (β = 0.010, P = 4.00× 10–4), O_Selenomonadales (β = − 0.010, P = 1.20 × 10–3), O_Clostridiales (β = 0.009, P = 2.70 × 10–3) and G_Holdemanella (β = − 0.008, P = 4.20 × 10–3). Our results support the significant effect of interaction between CRP and gut microbiome on the risks of anxiety and depression, and identified several candidate gut microbiomes for them. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rare variants are believed to play a substantial role in the genetic architecture of mental disorders, particularly in coding regions. However, limited evidence supports the impact of rare variants on anxiety. Using whole-exome sequencing data from 200,643 participants in the UK Biobank, we investigated the contribution of rare variants to anxiety. Firstly, we computed genetic risk score (GRS) of anxiety utilizing genotype data and summary data from a genome-wide association study (GWAS) on anxiety disorder. Subsequently, we identified individuals within the lowest 50% GRS, a subgroup more likely to carry pathogenic rare variants. Within this subgroup, we classified individuals with the highest 10% 7-item Generalized Anxiety Disorder scale (GAD-7) score as cases (N = 1869), and those with the lowest 10% GAD-7 score were designated as controls (N = 1869). Finally, we conducted gene-based burden tests and single-variant association analyses to assess the relationship between rare variants and anxiety. Totally, 47,800 variants with MAF ≤0.01 were annotated as non-benign coding variants, consisting of 42,698 nonsynonymous SNVs, 489 nonframeshift substitution, 236 frameshift substitution, 617 stop-gain and 40 stop-loss variants. After variation aggregation, 5066 genes were included in gene-based association analysis. Totally, 11 candidate genes were detected in burden test, such as RNF123 (P Bonferroni adjusted = 3.40 × 10−6), MOAP1 (P Bonferroni adjusted = 4.35 × 10−4), CCDC110 (P Bonferroni adjusted = 5.83 × 10−4). Single-variant test detected 9 rare variants, such as rs35726701(RNF123)(P Bonferroni adjusted = 3.16 × 10−10) and rs16942615(CAMTA2) (P Bonferroni adjusted = 4.04 × 10−4). Notably, RNF123 , CCDC110 , DNAH2 , and CSKMT gene were identified in both tests. Our study identified novel candidate genes for anxiety in protein-coding regions, revealing the contribution of rare variants to anxiety. • We investigated the rare variants for anxiety among 3738 European individuals with lower anxiety GWAS-derived polygenic risk. • Gene-based burden test revealed 11 candidate genes for anxiety, such as RNF123 , DNAH2 and CCDC110. • Single variant association analysis detected 9 rare variants for anxiety, such as rs35726701(RNF123) and rs16942615(CAMTA2). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Anti-PLA2R antibody is only expressed in podocytes from patients with idiopathic membranous nephropathy (IMN). The detection of anti-PLA2R antibody in serum is therefore able to obtain essential information for rapid diagnosis and evaluation of the disease activity of IMN. In the present study, a polydopamine nanosphere-based fluorescent sensor was constructed for direct detection of anti-PLA2R antibodies in human serum. In this sensing system, the double-stranded DNA was phosphorylated under the action of anti-PLA2R antibody and the single-stranded DNA was cut by exonuclease. The single-stranded DNA was then adsorbed on polydopamine microspheres. The fluorescent groups labeled on the DNA were quenched, and the concentration of anti-PLA2R antibody was detected quantitatively by measuring the fluorescence signal changes before and after the reaction. The experimental results show that the method has a good linear detection range between 0.05 and 10 μg/mL for anti-PLA2R antibody and the detection limit is 0.02 μg/mL. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A multifunctional tumor-targeting nano-prodrug based on PAMAM dendritic polymers with the conjugation of RGDyC-PEG-PAMAM-PBA and resveratrol via pH-responsive boronate ester bonds was developed, which can improve drug utilization and supply efficient treatment of tumor both in vitro and in vivo. [Display omitted] • A PAMAM dendrimer-based nano-prodrug based on the bonding of Resveratrol and phenylboronic acid through the pH-responsive boronate ester was constructed. • Through the modification of PAMAM with peptides containing the RGDyC sequence and PEGylation, the targeted delivery of nano-prodrug to tumor could be realized to improve drug utilization and efficient treatment. • This method is expected to construct a more general strategy for the PAMAM dendrimer-based nanosystem in the field of tumor therapy. Nanomaterial-based drug delivery systems have demonstrated powerful applications in tumor therapy. PAMAM dendrimers by virtue of multivalent modification and biocompatible components were widely used to construction multifunctional targeted chemotherapeutics. In this report, we present a PAMAM dendrimer-based nano-prodrug delivery system for targeted tumor therapy. The RGDyC-PEG-PAMAM-PBA-Res (RPPPR) nano-prodrug was characterized by 1H NMR, zetasizer, and TEM, the drug loading and pH-sensitive drug release behaviors were investigated. In vitro cell viability assay revealed that the group treated with the nano-prodrug exhibited lower cell viability compared to the control group as concentration increased, confirming the nano-prodrug's effectiveness in treating tumors. In vitro studies on cellular uptake of the nano-prodrug demonstrated that RPPPR had a high targeting ability, primarily attributed to the RGD-mediated target effect. Relevant data from our hemolysis assay indicated that the nano-prodrug maintained good blood compatibility within the concentration range of 0.1 to 0.3 mg/mL. In vivo experiments focusing on tumor therapy showed that RPPPR suppressed tumor growth and promoted tumor apoptosis. H&E staining, TUNEL assay, and immunohistochemistry results further validated the enhanced therapeutic effect. Importantly, no toxicity was observed in the vital organs such as the heart, liver, lung, kidneys, or spleen. These results suggest the superior antitumor efficacy of RPPPR compared to Resveratrol alone, and thus may be useful for tumor therapy. It is expected to explore new directions to establish a general strategy with dendritic prodrugs for synergistic tumor targeting therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The BiOCl photoanode with fast charge separation is designed by introducing Sb and CTAC for achieving the boosted photocatalytic electricity generation. [Display omitted] • Ultrathin Sb-BiOCl nanosheets (∼1.6 nm) were prepared successfully. • Doped Sb boosted the internal electric field (IEF) of BiOCl. • Enhanced IEF and reduced diffusion distance endowed fast charge separation. • Sb-BiOCl(10%) showed the highest photocatalytic electricity generation. Solar-light driven electricity generation from organic molecule oxidation emerges as a green technology for energy conversion and sewage recycling. However, low charge separation efficiency severely restricts the photocatalytic electricity generation and photooxidation. Herein, we introduce a novel monolayered Sb-BiOCl nanosheets fabricated via injecting Sb ions and hydrophobic chains of cetyltrimethylammonium (CTA+) for photocatalytic electricity generation. By visible light irradiation and addition of organic molecule fuel to artificially construct the photo fuel cell system, the BiOCl with 10% Sb dopant converts electricity with 3.9-fold increase compared to the bulk BiOCl. The enhanced electrical output is primarily attributed to their efficient charge separation facilitated by the boosted internal electric field (IEF) and reduced diffusion distance. DFT calculation and electrochemical test demonstrate that the nonuniform charge distribution between [Bi 2 O 2 ] and [Cl] slices resulting from the electron donor Sb doping contributes to 92-fold increase of IEF parallel to [0 1 0] zone. Significantly, the shortened transport channel of charge carriers further promotes the photogenerated charge anisotropic separation. This work proves that the cooperative effect of IEF and diffusion distance tuning can boost the charge separation of photocatalysts, which offers a useful strategy for constructing effective solar-light driven electricity generation system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Moderate hypothermia (MH) used as treatment for neurological diseases has a protective effect; however, its mechanism remains unclear. Neuronal autophagy is a fundamental pathological process of early brain injury in subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH). We found that moderate activation of autophagy can reduce nerve cells damage. In this study, We found that MH can moderately increase the level of autophagy in nerve cells and improve the neurological function in rats. This type of autophagy activation is dependent on extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) signaling pathways. The level of neuronal autophagy was down-regulated significantly by using U0126, an ERK signaling pathway inhibitor. In summary, these results suggest that MH can moderately activate neuronal autophagy through ERK signaling pathway, reduce nerve cell death, and produce neuroprotective effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous genetic studies of anxiety and depression were mostly based on independent phenotypes. This study aims to investigate the shared and specific genetic structure between anxiety and depression. To identify the underlying factors of Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7), Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), and their combined scale (joint scale), we employed exploratory factor analysis (EFA) using the eigenvalue of parallel analysis. Subsequently, we conducted a genome-wide association study (GWAS) for these factors. In addition, we utilized LD Score Regression (LDSC) to determine the genetic correlations between the identified factors and four common mental disorders, three sleep phenotypes, and other traits that have been previously linked to anxiety and depression. The EFA uncovered two factors for the GAD-7 scale, namely nervousness and disturbance, two factors for the PHQ-9 scale, namely negative affect and sleep/appetite disturbance, and four factors for the joint scale, specifically nervousness, anhedonia, sleep/appetite disturbance, and fidget. We identified two genome-wide significant genomic loci, with overlap across GAD-7 factor 1 and joint scale factor 1: rs148579586 (P GAD-7 = 1.365 × 10−09, P Joint scale = 1.434 × 10–09) and rs201074060 (P GAD-7 = 3.672 × 10−09, P Joint scale = 3.824 × 10−09). Genetic correlations in factors ranged from 0.722 to 1.000 (all p < 1.786 × 10−03) with 27 of 28 correlations being significantly smaller than one. The genetic correlations with external phenotypes showed small variation across the eight factors. Unidimensional structures can provide more precise scores, which can aid in identifying the shared and specific genetic associations between anxiety and depression. This is a crucial step in characterizing the genetic structure of these conditions and their co-occurrence. • We used EFA to identify potential factors for GAD-7, PHQ-9 and the joint scale. • we found common and specific genetic structures between anxiety and depression. • Single-dimensional structures can build more precise fractions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The abnormal timing of pubertal development is a risk factor for addictive disorders among adolescents. However, whether the precocious or late puberty has influence on addiction in adults remains unclear. Based on the data of 336,398 European participants in the UK Biobank, we explored the associations between secondary sexual characteristics (SSCs) outset time abnormality and addiction with observational analyses. Linkage disequilibrium score regression (LDSC) was conducted to test for the genetic correlation between them. For significant genetic associations, two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) analyses were further performed for causal inferences. The genetic instruments were derived from genome-wide association studies of early menarche (N = 165,862), late first facial hair grows (N = 141,210) and late voice broke (N = 138,461). Observational analyses detected several significant associations between SSCs outset time abnormality and addiction, such as early menarche vs addiction to any substance or behavior (OR = 1.37, PFDR = 3.31 × 10−4) and late first facial hair grows vs alcohol addiction (OR = 1.24, PFDR = 2.40 × 10−15). MR analyses found genetically predicted early menarche was causally associated with higher risk of tobacco addiction (OR = 1.35, 95% CI: 1.15–1.58, PIVW = 0.0002) and addiction to any substance or behavior (OR = 1.39, 95% CI: 1.12–1.73, PIVW = 0.003). Our findings suggest the prevention and treatment for precocious puberty might be protective factors for addiction in female adults. Early preventive interventions for addictive behaviors are needed for females at high risk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Single nucleotide mutations are highly related to the occurrence and development of cancer. The development of simple single nucleotide mutation detection methods with high sensitivity and specificity has great clinical significance for the prevention, diagnosis, treatment and prognosis evaluation of cancer. In recent years, CRISPR/Cas12a has been developed as a highly sensitive, simple and fast tool for nucleic acid detection. However, the specificity and universality of current detection methods based on it are still insufficient, so their clinical applications are limited. Herein, we developed a simple and rapid single nucleotide mutation detection method based on CRISPR/Cas12a system. This method not only solves the problem of PAM sequence restriction of CRISPR/Cas12a, but also significantly improves the specificity of CRISPR/Cas12a for single nucleotide mutation and greatly improves the sensitivity. We detected three clinically significant mutations, PTEN R130Q, BRAF V600E, and TP53 R248W, with a detection limit of 0.1%. Finally, we further verified the clinical practicability of this method. We selected TP53 R248W mutation site for testing. The accuracy of testing results for 10 clinical samples was as high as 100%. In conclusion, the detection method of specific PCR combined with CRISPR/Cas12a is simple, rapid, universal and highly sensitive. We believe that this method has promising application prospects in clinical diagnosis of cancer. We developed a highly specific and sensitive single nucleotide mutation detection method based on CRISPR/Cas12a system. It not only solves the problem of PAM sequence restriction of CRISPR/Cas12a, but also significantly improves the specificity of CRISPR/Cas12a for single nucleotide mutation and greatly improves the sensitivity. [Display omitted] • We developed a highly specific and sensitive single nucleotide mutation detection method based on CRISPR/Cas12a system. • Our method discriminated mutant DNA with 0.1% specificity regardless of whether the mutation was in the seed region. • We detected three clinically significant mutations, PTEN R130Q, BRAF V600E, and TP53 R248W, with a detection limit of 0.1%. • We detected TP53 R248W mutation in 10 clinical samples and achieved an accuracy of 100%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The novel internal lithium polymeric salt interfacial phase is well constructed • The in-situ polymerization and solvent-free methods are designed and investigated. • The interfacial phase construction process is suitable for various ceramic fillers. • Enhanced ionic conductivity properties and electrochemical stability of electrolytes. • The improved long-cycle performance of Li symmetric cells and full metal batteries. The solid-state lithium metal batteries are considered a promising direction for developing lithium-based energy storage devices because of their superiority over lithium-ion batteries containing liquid electrolytes in energy density and safety performance. However, the design, preparation, and optimization of solid-state electrolytes (SSEs), especially composite solid-state electrolytes (CSEs), still face critical construction design and composite process challenges. This work proposes and designs a method to construct a highly compatible and lithium-ion conductive interfacial phase by coating the inorganic phase with polymeric lithium salt in the composite solid electrolytes. The introduction of the lithium salt interfacial phase efficiently improves the cycle performance and stability of CSEs in lithium metal batteries by synergistic optimization of the composite interfacial phase. We investigate two different modification methods (solvent-free and in-situ methods) in two different inorganic systems (Li 6.4 La 3 Zr 1.4 Ta 0.6 O 12 (LLZTO) and LiTa 2 PO 8 (LTPO)) to demonstrate the practical value of this design. The highest ionic conductivity of the modified PEO/LTPO CSEs (50 wt%) can be improved to 9.3 × 10-4 S·cm−1 at 80℃ and 4.0 × 10-5 at RT (∼25℃, hereinafter inclusive), while those of the modified PEO/LLZTO CSEs can reach 1.4 × 10-3 S·cm−1 at 80℃ and 5.5 × 10-5 at RT. The results demonstrate that the interfacial phase also enhances the electrochemical and cycle stability of CSEs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Over-production of mucus is an important pathophysiological feature in chronic airway disease such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and asthma. Cigarette smoking (CS) is the leading cause of COPD. Oxidative stress plays a key role in CS-induced airway abnormal mucus production. Hydrogen protected cells and tissues against oxidative damage by scavenging hydroxyl radicals. In the present study we investigated the effect of hydrogen on CS-induced mucus production in rats. Methods: Male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into four groups: sham control, CS group, hydrogen-rich saline pretreatment group and hydrogen-rich saline control group. Lung morphology and tissue biochemical changes were determined by immunohistochemistry, Alcian Blue/periodic acid-Schiff staining, TUNEL, western blot and realtime RT-PCR. Results: Hydrogen-rich saline pretreatment attenuated CS-induced mucus accumulation in the bronchiolar lumen, goblet cell hyperplasia, muc5ac over-expression and abnormal cell apoptosis in the airway epithelium as well as malondialdehyde increase in the BALF. The phosphorylation of EGFR at Tyr1068 and Nrf2 up-regulation expression in the rat lungs challenged by CS exposure were also abrogated by hydrogen-rich saline. Conclusion: Hydrogen-rich saline pretreatment ameliorated CS-induced airway mucus production and airway epithelium damage in rats. The protective role of hydrogen on CS-exposed rat lungs was achieved at least partly by its free radical scavenging ability. This is the first report to demonstrate that intraperitoneal administration of hydrogen-rich saline protected rat airways against CS damage and it could be promising in treating abnormal airway mucus production in COPD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]