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Abstract: A common surgical disease, intervertebral disc degeneration (IVDD), is increasing at an alarming rate in younger individuals. Repairing damaged intervertebral discs (IVDs) and promoting IVD tissue regeneration at the molecular level are important research goals. Exosomes are extracellular vesicles (EVs) secreted by cells and can be derived from most body fluids. Mesenchymal stem cell-derived exosomes (MSC-exos) have characteristics similar to those of the parental MSCs. These EVs can shuttle various macromolecular substances, such as proteins, messenger RNAs (mRNAs), and microRNAs (miRNAs) and regulate the activity of recipient cells through intercellular communication. Reducing inflammation and apoptosis can significantly promote IVD regeneration to facilitate the repair of the IVD. Compared with MSCs, exosomes are more convenient to store and transport, and the use of exosomes can prevent the risk of rejection with cell transplantation. Furthermore, MSC-exo-mediated treatment may be safer and more effective than MSC transplantation. In this review, we summarize the use of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs), adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells (AMSCs), nucleus pulposus mesenchymal stem cells (NPMSCs), and stem cells from other sources for tissue engineering and use in IVDD. Here, we aim to describe the role of exosomes in inhibiting IVDD, their potential therapeutic effects, the results of the most recent research, and their clinical application prospects to provide an overview for researchers seeking to explore new treatment strategies and improve the efficacy of IVDD treatment.

Exosomes are considered as promising biomarkers for early cancer diagnosis and prognosis.

Vascular dementia (VaD) is associated with cerebral hypoperfusion, which results in long-term cognitive impairment and memory loss. Cornel iridoid glycoside (CIG) is the major active constituent isolated from the ripe fruit of

Bone Marrow Mesenchymal Stem Cells (BMSCs), multidirectional cells with self-renewal capacity, can differentiate into many cell types and play essential roles in tissue healing and regenerative medicine. Cell experiments and in vivo research in animal models have shown that BMSCs can repair degenerative discs by promoting cell proliferation and expressing Extracellular Matrix (ECM) components, such as type II collagen and protein-polysaccharides. Delaying or reversing the Intervertebral Disc Degeneration (IDD) process at an etiological level may be an effective strategy. However, despite increasingly in-depth research, some deficiencies in cell transplantation timing and strategy remain, preventing the clinical application of cell transplantation. Exosomes exhibit the characteristics of the mother cells from which they are secreted and can inhibit Nucleus Pulposus Cell (NPC) apoptosis and delay IDD through intercellular communication. Furthermore, the use of exosomes effectively avoids problems associated with cell transplantation, such as immune rejection. This manuscript introduces almost all of the BMSCs and exosomes derived from BMSCs (BMSCs-Exos) described in the IDD literature. Many challenges regarding the use of cell transplantation and therapeutic exosome intervention for IDD remain to be overcome.

To explore the effects of occupational aluminum exposure on workers' cognitive function and blood glucose concentration, and to analyze whether blood glucose concentration can mediate the cognitive changes caused by aluminum.Our study recruited 375 workers from an aluminum factory in northern China. We collected the fasting elbow venous blood of the workers, measured their fasting blood glucose concentration (FBG), and used ICP-MS to determine plasma aluminum concentration (P-Al) as an indicator of internal exposure. The Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA), was used to assess the cognitive function of workers. Generalized linear model was used to analyze the association of P-Al with cognitive function and blood glucose concentration, and the restricted cubic spline model was used to fit the dose-response relationship. We also conducted a mediation effect analysis.We observed the dose-response relationship, that is, as the P-Al increased, sum of MoCA, visuospatial/executive, naming, language, and abstraction scores decreased, and the blood glucose concentration increased. For every e-fold increase in P-Al, sum of MoCA, visuospatial/executive, naming, language, and abstraction scores decreased by 0.328 points, 0.120 points, 0.059 points, 0.060 points, and 0.083 points, respectively, and FBG rose by 0.109 mmol/L. FBG has a significant mediating effect between P-Al and sum of MoCA (P for mediator=0.042), and it could explain 10.7% of the effect of cognitive level related to P-Al.Occupational aluminum exposure negatively affected the cognitive function of workers and positively affected FBG. FBG may partially explain the impact of occupational aluminum exposure on workers' cognitive function.

Present indoor cultivation of saffron (Crocus sativus L.) only depends on artificial planting experience, so that flower number and stigma yield are seriously affected in case of cloudy or rainy days and temperature changes. In this study, a luminaire was used at 10-h photoperiod combined 450 nm blue LEDs with 660 nm broad-band red LEDs, which respectively had full width at half maximum (FWHM) of 15 nm and 85 nm, in a ratio of blue: red: far-red light = 20%: 62%: 18%. The influence of total daily light integral (TDLI) was evaluated on flowering characteristics, stigma quality, as well as leaf morphological characteristics. The results showed that flower number, daily flowering proportion, stigma dry weight and crocetin esters content were significantly correlated with TDLI (P −2 TDLI treatment, up to 3.63 and 24.19 mg respectively. The former was 0.7 more than that under original natural light treatment, while the later was 50% higher. Totaling, combining blue LEDs with a broad-band red LEDs of the 150 mol m−2 TDLI was the most favorable condition for flower number and stigma quality of saffron in this study.

Macrophage infiltration into adipose tissue is a key pathological factor inducing adipose tissue dysfunction and contributing to obesity-induced inflammation and metabolic disorders. In this review, we aim to present the most recent research on macrophage heterogeneity in adipose tissue, with a focus on the molecular targets applied to macrophages as potential therapeutics for metabolic diseases. We begin by discussing the recruitment of macrophages and their roles in adipose tissue. While resident adipose tissue macrophages display an anti-inflammatory phenotype and promote the development of metabolically favorable beige adipose tissue, an increase in pro-inflammatory macrophages in adipose tissue has negative effects on adipose tissue function, including inhibition of adipogenesis, promotion of inflammation, insulin resistance, and fibrosis. Then, we presented the identities of the newly discovered adipose tissue macrophage subtypes (e.g. metabolically activated macrophages, CD9+ macrophages, lipid-associated macrophages, DARC+ macrophages, and MFehi macrophages), the majority of which are located in crown-like structures within adipose tissue during obesity. Finally, we discussed macrophage-targeting strategies to ameliorate obesity-related inflammation and metabolic abnormalities, with a focus on transcriptional factors such as PPARγ, KLF4, NFATc3, and HoxA5, which promote macrophage anti-inflammatory M2 polarization, as well as TLR4/NF-κB-mediated inflammatory pathways that activate pro-inflammatory M1 macrophages. In addition, a number of intracellular metabolic pathways closely associated with glucose metabolism, oxidative stress, nutrient sensing, and circadian clock regulation were examined. Understanding the complexities of macrophage plasticity and functionality may open up new avenues for the development of macrophage-based treatments for obesity and other metabolic diseases.

Rose is an important aromatic plant and produces flowers that are used in medicine and food. We herein present a haplotype-resolved genome for Rosa rugosacultivar Hanxiang. Analyses of allele-specific expression identified a potential mechanism underlying floral scent biosynthesis. Population genomic analyses involving 133 Rosa accessions elucidated evolutionary histories and a single R. rugosa domestication event. Pathways mediating the synthesis of scent-related metabolites were enriched according to the analyses of the transcriptomes, haplotype variations, and allelic imbalances during the flower development stages of Hanxiang and Guomeigui (R. rugosa accessions with diverse fragrances). The enzyme-encoding ASE genes RrHX1G119800 and RrHX1G204700 (primary amine oxidases) and RrHX2G284700 (L-tryptophan decarboxylase) in the phenylethylamine pathway were tentatively designated as core genes useful for improving 2-phenylethanol production in rose flowers. Our results provide molecular insights into the formation of R. rugosa floral fragrances and genome-level data that are useful for enhancing rose traits via genetic engineering.

Purpose. The aim of this study was to develop and assess a nomogram to predict noninflammatory skin involvement of invasive breast cancer. Methods. We developed a prediction model based on SEER database, a training dataset of 89202 patients from January 2010 to December 2016. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was applied to build a predicting model incorporating the feature selected in the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator regression model. Discrimination, calibration, and clinical usefulness of the predicting model were assessed using the C-index, calibration plot, and decision curve analysis. Internal validation was assessed using the bootstrapping validation. Results. Predictors contained in the prediction nomogram included use of age, race, grade, tumor size, stage-N, ER status, PR status, and Her-2 status. The model shows good discrimination with a C-index of 0.857 (95% confidence interval: 0.807–0.907) and good calibration. High C-index value of 0.847 could still be reached in the internal validation. Conclusion. This study constructed a novel nomogram with accuracy to help clinicians access the risk of noninflammatory skin involvement by tumor. The assessment of clinicopathologic factors can predict the individual probability of skin involvement and provide assistance to the clinical decision-making.

To evalvate efficacy of Qizi Yusi Pills (QYP), a Chinese medicine compound preparation, on in vitro fertilization-embryo transfer (IVF-ET) in women of advanced reproductive age.This multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial was conducted from June 2018 to October 2019. A total of 124 patients were randomly allocated to either the QYP group or the placebo group using a stratified block randomization design, with 62 patients in each group. All patients completed controlled ovarian stimulation using a standard gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist (GnRH-a) long protocol. As the QYP group, QYP was administered while the control group received placebo. QYP and placebo were administered for a total of 24 to 30 days from the day of GnRH-a pituitary downregulation to transvaginal oocyte retrieval. Both medications were taken orally at doses of 10 g three times each day. The primary outcome was cumulative pregnancy rate, and the secondary outcomes were periodic medication, follicular status, serum hormone and endometrial receptivity. Follow-up continued until 4 weeks after delivery. Maternal and neonatal complications, such as gestational diabetes, were also observed.Overall, 119 patients completed the study, 60 in the QYP group and 59 in the placebo group. Per protocol (PP) analysis revealed that 6-month cumulative pregnancy rate in the QYP group was significantly higher than that in the placebo group [43.33% (26/60) vs. 25.42% (15/59), P=0.040). Additionally, more oocytes were retrieved from the QYP group than those from the placebo group (8.95 ± 3.12 vs. 7.85 ± 1.91, P=0.022). Moreover, the endometrial thickness of HCG day in the QYP group was significantly higher than that in the placebo group (11.78 ± 2.27 mm vs. 10.68 ± 2.07 mm, P=0.012). Maternal and neonatal complications between the two groups were not significantly different (P0.05). Intention-to-treat analysis was in line with PP results.QYP can enhance ovarian reserve capacity and ovarian response, and possibly promote endometrial receptivity. QYP effectively improves cumulative pregnancy rates in older patients (⩾35 years) undergoing IVF-ET. (Registration No. ChiCTR1800014427).

The development of nanotechnology is becoming a major trend nowadays. Nanoparticles (NPs) have been widely used in fields including food, biomedicine, and cosmetics, endowing NPs more opportunities to enter the human body. It is well-known that the gut microbiome plays a key role in human health, and the exposure of intestines to NPs is unavoidable. Accordingly, the toxicity of NPs has attracted more attention than before. This review mainly highlights recent advances in the evaluation of NPs' toxicity in the gastrointestinal system from the existing cell-based experimental models, such as the original mono-culture models, co-culture models, three-dimensional (3D) culture models, and the models established on microfluidic chips, to those in vivo experiments, such as mice models, Caenorhabditis elegans models, zebrafish models, human volunteers, as well as computer-simulated toxicity models. Owing to these models, especially those more biomimetic models, the outcome of the toxicity of NPs acting in the gastrointestinal tract can get results closer to what happened inside the real human microenvironment.

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is still the leading cause of cancer death worldwide, but the clinical effect of drug therapy such as irinotecan is not an ideal way at present. In recent years, probiotics have attracted much attention, and the combination of probiotics may play an important role in the prevention and treatment of CRC. This work proposed a cellular chip-MS system, to study the synergistic effects of probiotic Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG (L.GG) and irinotecan on HCT116 cells by cell viability and on-line mass spectrometry (MS) analysis. The double-layer chip sandwiched with a polycarbonate membrane can co-culture HCT116 cells and L.GG. And the solid phase microextraction chip can be used for desalination and concentration. Finally, the extracted chemicals were entered the electrospray ionization quadrupole time-of-flight MS to detect irinotecan metabolites. The results showed that with the increasing concentration of co-cultured L.GG, the percentage of living HCT116 cells decreased, but the relative amount of metabolized SN-38 by HCT116 cells increased. Therefore, the microfluidic system can be used to detect and monitor the synergistic effect of irinotecan-L.GG combination on HCT116 cells. In summary, our study provided experimental evidence for the first time with potential applications of irinotecan-L.GG combination in CRC treatment, and the cellular chip-MS system as a powerful tool can be used in the experiments of probiotics as new drugs.

Hypocalcemia after parathyroidectomy (PTX) results in tetany, diarrhea, cardiac arrhythmia, and even sudden death. However, a meta-analysis or systematic evaluation of risk factors with the occurrence and development of hypocalcemia in patients with secondary hyperparathyroidism (SHPT) after PTX has never been performed.A thorough search of electronic databases, including PubMed, Web of Science, the Cochrane Library, and EMBASE, was performed to retrieve relevant studies from database inception to June 2021. Quality of the included studies was assessed by two independent reviewers using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale. Review Manager 5.3 and Stata 16.0 were used for meta-analysis. The random-effects model was adopted to calculate the 95% CIs (Thirteen studies including 2990 participants who met the inclusion criteria were enrolled in the present meta-analysis. The overall quality of the enrolled studies had a score of7 points. Risk factors significantly related to hypocalcemia in patients with SHPT after PTX were preoperative serum calcium (OR 0.19, 95%CI 0.11-0.31), preoperative alkaline phosphatase (ALP) (OR 1.01, 95% CI 1.01-1.02), and preoperative intact parathyroid hormone (iPTH) (OR 1.38, 95%CI 1.20-1.58). Meanwhile, age (OR 0.97, 95%CI 0.87-1.10) was not significantly correlated with hypocalcemia after PTX.Based on the current evidence, preoperative serum calcium, preoperative ALP, and preoperative iPTH were significant predictors of hypocalcemia in patients with SHPT after PTX. More attention should be given to patients with these risk factors for the prevention of postoperative hypocalcemia.

Although osteosarcoma (OS) is the most common malignant bone tumor, the biological mechanism underlying its incidence and improvement remains unclear. This study investigated early diagnosis and treatment objectives using bioinformatics strategies and performed experimental verification.The top 10 OS hub genes-CCNA2, CCNB1, AURKA, TRIP13, RFC4, DLGAP5, NDC80, CDC20, CDK1, and KIF20A-were screened using bioinformatics methods. TRIP13 was chosen for validation after reviewing literature. TRIP13 was shown to be substantially expressed in OS tissues and cells, according to Western blotting (WB) and quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction data. Subsequently, TRIP13 knockdown enhanced apoptosis and decreased proliferation, migration, and invasion in U2OS cells, as validated by the cell counting kit-8 test, Hoechst 33,258 staining, wound healing assay, and WB. In addition, the levels of p-PI3K/PI3K and p-AKT/AKT in U2OS cells markedly decreased after TRIP13 knockdown. Culturing U2OS cells, in which TRIP13 expression was downregulated, in a medium supplemented with a PI3K/AKT inhibitor further reduced their proliferation, migration, and invasion and increased their apoptosis.TRIP13 knockdown reduced U2OS cell proliferation, migration, and invasion via a possible mechanism involving the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway.

Against the background that the top-level semantic framework of Chinese traditional culture is not comprehensive and unified, this study aims to preserve and disseminate cultural heritage information about Chinese traditional culture through the development of a domain ontology which is constructed from ancient books. A combination of top-down and bottom-up approaches was used to construct the ontology for Chinese traditional culture (CTCO). An investigation of historians’ needs, and LDA topic clustering model were conducted, understanding the specific needs of historians, collecting the topic, concepts and relationships. CIDOC CRM was reused to construct the basic framework of CTCO. Ontology structure and function were adopted to evaluate the effectiveness of CTCO. Evaluation results show that the ontology meets all the quality criteria of OntoMetrics, and the experts agreed on content representation (average score = 4.30). CTCO contributes to the organization of traditional Chinese culture and the construction of related databases. The study also forms a common path and puts forward proposals for the construction of domain ontology, which has great social relevance.

Improving autophagy-lysosome fusion has been considered a key method in the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Cornel iridoid glycoside (CIG) is extracted from Cornus officinalis and has been shown to promote the clearance of tau oligomers via the autophagy pathway. However, the mechanisms of CIG on autophagy deficits are not understood. Here, we found autophagy deficit and tau aggregation in the brains of P301S tau transgenic mice and MAPT cells edited using CRISPR-Cas9 technology. CIG decreased tau aggregation and alleviated autophagic markers involving the JNK/Beclin-1 signaling pathway which demonstrated CIG that might enhance lysosome formation by upregulating ATPase Vps4A expression. Knocking down VPS4A increased autophagosome accumulation and attenuated the effect of CIG on p62. In addition, CIG had no effect on tau oligomers but still inhibited the level of tau monomer in VPS4A knockout cells. The effective component (Sweroside, SWE) of CIG attenuated tau oligomers accumulation and increased Vps4A level but not CHMP2B. SWE could not change the level of tau oligomers in VPS4A knockout cells. In conclusion, CIG suppressed autophagosome accumulation by regulating the ATPase Vps4A/JNK. SWE is a core of active factors of CIG in Vps4A regulation. These findings suggest CIG may be a potential drug in AD treatment.

The invention of printing technologies has revolutionized the manner in which information is transmitted and reproduced. In the modern era, printing technologies , which are equipped with computerized control and design methods, have become considerably efficient and effective, facilitating A significant breakthrough in the manufacture of high-performance electrochemical energy storage systems. Through careful design and execution, the components of energy storage devices, particularly electrodes, can be formulated into functional inks, enabling the use of divers materials and devices in high-performance energy storage applications. This reviewfocuses on three major printing technologies: inkjet printing, screen printing, and 3D printing, introducing the principles of each printing technology, the design and preparation of various electrode inks, and their applications in supercapacitors. Finally, the challenges and scope for the future development of printing technologies forhigh-performance supercapacitors are presented.

As our research on the physiopathology of intervertebral disc degeneration (IVD degeneration, IVDD) has advanced and tissue engineering has rapidly evolved, cell-, biomolecule- and nucleic acid-based hydrogel grafting strategies have been widely investigated for their ability to overcome the harsh microenvironment of IVDD. However, such single delivery systems suffer from excessive external dimensions, difficult performance control, the need for surgical implantation, and difficulty in eliminating degradation products. Stimulus-responsive composite hydrogels have good biocompatibility and controllable mechanical properties and can undergo solution-gel phase transition under certain conditions. Their combination with ready-to-use particles to form a multiscale delivery system may be a breakthrough for regenerative IVD strategies. In this paper, we focus on summarizing the progress of research on the stimulus response mechanisms of regenerative IVD-related biomaterials and their design as macro-, micro- and nanoparticles. Finally, we discuss multi-scale delivery systems as bioinks for bio-3D printing technology for customizing personalized artificial IVDs, which promises to take IVD regenerative strategies to new heights.

Diabetic nephropathy (DN) is the most common complication of diabetic patients, and has become a global healthcare problem. In this study, we used diabetic mice to evaluate the effect of Losartan on DN, in which the experimental animals were divided into three groups: non-diabetic mice (db/m group), untreated-diabetic mice (db/db group), and Losartan-treated diabetic mice (db/db-losartan). Next, immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence were used to detect Wilms tumor protein 1 (WT-1) and synaptopodin expression, respectively. Protein levels of WT-1, synaptopodin, claudin1, and Pax-2 were assessed by Western blotting and real-time PCR. The miR-193a mRNA levels were quantitated by real-time PCR. The results showed that albuminuria was increased in diabetic mice compared with control animals and was significantly ameliorated by treatment with Losartan. In addition, Losartan significantly upregulated the immunopositive cell numbers of WT-1, the expression of WT-1 and synaptopodin in renal tissue. By contrast, expression of claudin1 and Pax-2 in renal tissue were decreased in db/db-losartan group. Besides, expression of miR-193a was decreased significantly in db/db-losartan group compared with the untreated diabetic group. Thus, Losartan has renoprotective effects on the control of tissue damage possibly by inhibiting the expression of miR-193a, thereby promoting the repair of podocyte injury in mice with DN.

Two Co(ii)-based metal–organic frameworks have been successfully constructed from a polycarboxyl group ligand. Both MOFs have non-penetrating network structures, and show moderately high selective separation of C2H2, C2H4 and CO2 from CH4.

Background Membranous nephropathy is an autoimmune nephropathy that is one of the most common pathological types of nephrotic syndrome. It is important to find and apply specific biomarkers for the noninvasive diagnosis of idiopathic membranous nephropathy (IMN). However, there are limited data about their diagnostic value. Therefore, an overall meta-analysis helps to identify effective biomarkers for the clinical diagnosis of IMN. Methods A systematic literature search was carried out in PubMed, Embase, Cochrane and Web of Science from inception until December 31, 2020. Two researchers searched for studies that met the inclusion criteria. The results of the joint study were expressed in terms of sensitivity and specificity. Results The meta-analysis included 24 studies with biomarkers for the clinical diagnosis of IMN, including phospholipase A2 receptor (PLA2R), thrombospondin type I domain-containing 7A (THSD7A), lysosome membrane protein-2 (LIMP-2) and circular RNAs. The diagnostic efficiency of PLA2R for IMN had a combined sensitivity of 60% and a combined specificity of 100%. The diagnostic efficiency of THSD7A for IMN had a combined sensitivity of 3% and a combined specificity of 99%. The diagnostic efficiency of urinary LIMP-2 for IMN was 100%, and the specificity was 100%. The diagnostic efficiency of exosomal circRNAs for IMN was 100%, and the specificity was 100%. Conclusions This meta-analysis shows that PLA2R and THSD7A are of important diagnostic value for IMN. More studies are needed in the future to reveal the diagnostic value of LIMP-2 and circRNAs for IMN. At the same time, other new diagnostic biomarkers in IMN need to be found in the future.

In recent years, the consumption of red beetroots has increased significantly due to its good taste, high nutritional value and abundant active compounds. Red beetroot is prone to spoilage due to its high moisture content, making it perishable. Vacuum microwave drying is a gentle drying method by inducing fast water evaporation from food products at low temperature, which can improves the product quality. The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of vacuum microwave drying parameters, including microwave power (500, 1000, and 1500 W) and vacuum degree (50, 70, and 90 KPa), on the physicochemical properties (drying time, rehydration ratio, color change, and contents of betalain and total phenolic) of red beetroots. The results showed that microwave power and vacuum degree had significant effects on the physicochemical properties of red beetroots. All the red beetroots after vacuum microwave drying had higher lightness (L*), lower redness (a*) and yellowness (b*) than that of fresh red beetroots. The drying time, rehydration ratio, betacyanin content and betaxanthin content of red beetroots decreased significantly with the increase of microwave power (P < 0.05), while the rehydration ratio, color parameters (a*, b*, and chroma values), betacyanin content and betaxanthin content of red beetroots significantly increased with the increase of vacuum degree (P < 0.05). Compared with other microwave powers, the red beetroots dried at 500 W showed longer drying time, higher rehydration ratio, more yellowish hue, and higher contents of betacyanin and betaxanthin. The lowest values of total color difference (∆E) and hue angle (H°) of dried red beetroots were obtained at microwave power of 1500 W. The dried red beetroots obtained at 90 KPa had the shortest drying time, the highest rehydration ratio, the best color, and the highest contents of betacyanin and betaxanthin. Meanwhile, the red beetroots dried at 50 KPa had the highest total phenolic content (12.47 ± 0.09 mg GAE/g). Based on the physicochemical properties of red beetroots, vacuum microwave drying at low microwave powers and high vacuum degree appears to be a suitable method for drying red beetroots.

Diabetic nephropathy is one of the main complications of diabetes, and is also one of the important causes of end-stage renal disease. It is characterized by pathological changes such as thickening of the glomerular basement membrane, expansion of the mesangial matrix, glomerular sclerosis, and hyalinosis of small arteries. However, diabetic nephropathy is rarely accompanied by the formation of a large number of crescents. At this time, renal puncture is required to search for the cause in diabetic nephropathy with worsening renal function. We report a case of diabetic nephropathy with the formation of a large number of crescents.

The development of two-dimensional (2D) high-performance electrode materials is the key to new advances in the fields of energy storage and conversion. As a novel family of 2D layered materials, MXenes possess distinct structural, electronic and chemical properties that enable vast application potential in many fields, including batteries, supercapacitor and catalysis. However, MXene layers are easily formed by stacking together, which significantly reduces the specific surface area, hinders the transmission of ions, and restricts other functional materials on the surface, thereby reducing performance. In addition, due to the inherent defects of a single electrode material, electrodes or catalysts made of single-phase MXene may not meet specific practical application requirements. MXenes nanocomposites materials based on enhanced electrochemical performance through nano-engineering technology and surface modification for morphological control are highly sought after to solve these challenges. This review aims to present recent advances in these emerging MXene nanocomposites for energy storage and conversion applications such as batteries, supercapacitors and catalytic reactions. We also introduced some of the challenges and opportunities in this rapidly developing field.

Pumpkin seed protein is a high-quality plant protein, which has all essential amino acids for the human body and can also supply essential amino acid histidine for children. When it is introduced to food products, it needs to meet some functional properties, such as solubility, emulsifying ability, foaming ability, and so on. Among them, solubility is very important because it has a great influence on other functional properties of protein. In this study, pH-shifting treatment, which is a novel method to modify protein, is applied to improve the solubility of pumpkin seed protein isolate (PSPI). PSPI treated by pH-shifting treatment was investigated at different pH values (pH 2, pH 4, pH 6, pH 8, pH 10, and pH 12), which were labeled as PSPI 2, PSPI 4, PSPI 6, PSPI 8, PSPI 10, and PSPI 12, respectively. Compared to that of control PSPI (45.6%), only the solubility of PSPI 8 (55.5%) showed increased (p