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While studies have elucidated many pathophysiological elements of COVID-19, little is known about immunological changes during COVID-19 resolution. We analyzed immune cells and phosphorylated signaling states at single-cell resolution from longitudinal blood samples of patients hospitalized with COVID-19, pneumonia and/or sepsis, and healthy individuals by mass cytometry. COVID-19 patients showed distinct immune compositions and an early, coordinated, and elevated immune cell signaling profile associated with early hospital discharge. Intra-patient longitudinal analysis revealed changes in myeloid and T cell frequencies and a reduction in immune cell signaling across cell types that accompanied disease resolution and discharge. These changes, together with increases in regulatory T cells and reduced signaling in basophils, also accompanied recovery from respiratory failure and were associated with better outcomes at time of admission. Therefore, although patients have heterogeneous immunological baselines and highly variable disease courses, a core immunological trajectory exists that defines recovery from severe SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Neutralizing autoantibodies against type I interferons (IFNs) have been found in some patients with critical coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), the disease caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). However, the prevalence of these antibodies, their longitudinal dynamics across the disease severity scale, and their functional effects on circulating leukocytes remain unknown. Here, in 284 patients with COVID-19, we found type I IFN–specific autoantibodies in peripheral blood samples from 19% of patients with critical disease and 6% of patients with severe disease. We found no type I IFN autoantibodies in individuals with moderate disease. Longitudinal profiling of over 600,000 peripheral blood mononuclear cells using multiplexed single-cell epitope and transcriptome sequencing from 54 patients with COVID-19 and 26 non–COVID-19 controls revealed a lack of type I IFN–stimulated gene (ISG-I) responses in myeloid cells from patients with critical disease. This was especially evident in dendritic cell populations isolated from patients with critical disease producing type I IFN–specific autoantibodies. Moreover, we found elevated expression of the inhibitory receptor leukocyte-associated immunoglobulin-like receptor 1 (LAIR1) on the surface of monocytes isolated from patients with critical disease early in the disease course. LAIR1 expression is inversely correlated with ISG-I expression response in patients with COVID-19 but is not expressed in healthy controls. The deficient ISG-I response observed in patients with critical COVID-19 with and without type I IFN–specific autoantibodies supports a unifying model for disease pathogenesis involving ISG-I suppression through convergent mechanisms.

The development of commercially friendly and stable catalysts for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) is critical for many energy conversion systems such as fuel cells and metal-air batteries. Many Co-based perovskite oxides such as LaCoO3 have been discovered as the stable and active ORR catalysts, which can be good candidates to replace platinum (Pt). Although researchers have tried substituting various transition metals into the Co-based perovskite catalysts to improve the ORR performance, the influence of substitution on the ORR mechanism is rarely studied. In this paper, we explore the evolution of ORR mechanism after substituting Fe into LaCoO3, using the combination of X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, high-resolution X-ray microscopy, X-ray diffraction, surface-sensitive soft X-ray absorption spectroscopy characterization, and electrochemical tests. We observed enhanced catalytic activities and increased electron transfer numbers during the ORR in Co-rich perovskite, which are attributed to the optimized eg filling numbers and the stronger hybridization of transition metal 3d and oxygen 2p bands. The discoveries in this paper provide deep insights into the ORR catalysis mechanism on metal oxides and new guidelines for the design of Pt-free ORR catalysts.

The aim of the study was to investigate whether the biomarkers for bone turnover could rapidly recover during the period of diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA). Bone turnover biomarkers, including 25-hydroxyvitamin D3, N-terminal middle molecular fragment of osteocalcin (NMID), and β-C terminal cross-linking telopeptide of type 1 collagen were evaluated using in-patient data (n=627) from Shanghai Pudong Hospital from 2018–2022. The comparison was performed between type 2 diabetes (T2D only) (n=602) and DKA (n=25), in which we checked the bone turnover markers at pre-treatment and recovery. After matching by body mass index (BMI), we found that except for 25-OH-VitD3, the age difference, indices of glucose metabolism, and bone turnover were significant between the 2 groups (p<0.05). We found only a significant restoration of NMID (p<0.001). NMID and β-CTX, when compared with T2D, showed overt distinction between recovery and T2D (p<0.05). In addition, the investigations demonstrated a substantial difference between 25-OH-VitD3 in males and NMID in females, regardless of age (p<0.05). Multilinear regression analysis revealed that 2 hours postprandial plasma C-peptide was an independent predictor of the NMID in both pre-treatment (β=0.58, p=0.003) and recovery (β=0.447, p=0.025), although sex was significant in pre-treatment (β=–0.444, p=0.020). Finally, we found that only age variation affected DKA's fasting plasma glucose level (p<0.05). The study revealed that the bone turnover of DKA is significantly different in pre-treatment and recovery; however, NMID might recover quickly if the patients received appropriate treatment. Importantly, pancreatic function plays a critical role in changing bone turnover biomarkers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nickel‐rich cathode materials have gained popularity in the development of lithium‐ion batteries (LIBs) due to their high energy density, which exceeds 250 Wh kg−1. However, the instability of bulk and surface structures has significantly limited their industrial application. In this study, a three‐in‐one approach to synergistically modulate the structure of LiNi0.83Co0.06Mn0.11O2 (NCM83) from surface to bulk by a phytic acid (PA) coating is proposed. This surface treatment leads to the spontaneous formation of an amorphous lithium phosphates coating layer on the outermost surface, a reconstructed NiO layer at the subsurface, and a gradient P doping in the NCM83 bulk. The resulting hierarchical and multifunctional structure provides a facilitated surface Li‐ion conduction, a NiO‐stabilized subsurface with strong resistance toward side reactions between the electrode and electrolyte, a fast Li ion bulk diffusion endowed by the enlarged LiO6 slab due to the P doping, and an enhanced H2−H3 phase transition reversibility. As a result, the PA‐NCM83 sample exhibits excellent capacity retention with 72.4% after 300 cycles at 1 C within 2.8–4.45 V, and 69.8% after 200 cycles at an elevated temperature of 45 °C. This approach provides a facile and efficient method to stabilize Ni‐rich cathode materials for next‐generation high‐energy LIBs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The application of carbonate electrolytes in lithium-metal batteries (LMBs) has been impeded by low Coulombic efficiency, Li dendrite growth, and an unstable solid electrolyte interphase (SEI). Herein, a facile method is proposed to tailor solvation chemistry in carbonate electrolytes via hydrogen bonds for highly stable LMBs. The inexpensive and eco-friendly urea is used as an additive to promote LiNO3 dissolution and inhibit HF generation in LiPF6-based carbonate electrolytes. LiNO3 facilitates the formation of an N-enriched stable SEI and suppresses the Li dendrite growth, hence improving the compatibility of carbonate electrolytes with Li-metal anodes. The suppression effect on HF generation significantly improves the stability of Ni-rich LiNi0.8Co0.1Mn0.1O2 at both room and elevated temperatures. Benefiting from urea and LiNO3, the designed electrolyte enables a 4.25 V Li‖NCM811 (50 μm thin Li-metal anode and 1.7 mA h cm−2) cell to exhibit excellent cycling stability over 480 cycles with a capacity retention of 70.8% at 0.5C. This work introduces an efficient approach to simultaneously improve the stability of Li-metal anodes, NCM811 cathodes, and LiPF6-based carbonate electrolytes, opening a new avenue for advanced electrolyte design. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To investigate the implications of elevated myoglobin (MYO) in acute diabetic conditions of diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) and hyperosmolar hyperglycemic state (HHS). Materials and methods: This study integrates in-patient data from Shanghai Pudong Hospital from 2019 to 2023. Laboratory data were compared between stable T2D patients (without acute diabetic complications), DKA, and HHS patients. The multilinear regression explored variables relevant to the elevated MYO in DKA and HHS. The dynamics of MYO, the survival rate, and associated risk factors in HHS were determined. Results: Except for triglyceride, procalcitonin, low-density lipoprotein, islet cell autoimmune antibodies, N-terminal Pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-ProBNP), and brain natriuretic peptide (BNP), there were significant differences in age, gender distribution, duration of diabetes, type of diabetes, and other referred laboratory data (p< 0.05). The age, gender, creatine kinase (CK), estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), and free triiodothyronine (FT3) in DKA, whereas osmolar, uric acid (UA), and cardiac troponin I (cTNI) in the HHS, were significant determinants of elevated MYO, respectively (p< 0.05). The dynamic of MYO in HHS was in line with the survival trend, where the percentage of death was 29.73%, and aging with higher procalcitonin levels was a key risk factor. Besides, the cumulative survival rates between patients with or without bone fracture or muscle injury were substantially different. Conclusion: This real-world study demonstrated DKA and HHS potentially have unique causes for increased MYO. By utilizing the appropriate regression parameters, we could forecast the progression of increased MYO in groups of DKA and HHS, while based on risk factors of aging, severity of infection, and different MYO sources, we could predict the prognosis of HHS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We studied Rubus wahlbergii and related species in R. sect. Corylifolii, primarily in Sweden, using DNA microsatellites. The results show that the material can be divided into three species: R. wahlbergii s.s. which occurs along the Swedish coast from Bohuslän to Uppland, R. nordicus which occurs on the western coast all the way south to north‐western Skåne, and a previously unrecognized taxon which we here describe as R. wahlbergioides. The latter has scattered localities in Halland, Skåne, Blekinge, Öland and Småland, but is common around Kivik in Skåne and Kalmar in Småland. It is characterised by leaves that are without felt underneath, terminal leaflets with a somewhat more triangular shape and coarser serration than those of R. wahlbergii and also has more glands on the stem and the inflorescence. In the northern part of the distribution, R. nordicus is easily distinguished morphologically from R. wahlbergii, e.g. by a strong tendency to form 7‐foliolate leaves, but in Skåne and Halland, the two species are harder to distinguish. Still, genetically R. nordicus is more similar to R. sordirosanthus than to R. wahlbergii s.s. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In response to the demand for new energy applications and wide‐range DC/DC converters, this study focuses on the LLC resonant converter. The traditional LLC working range is not wide enough, so this paper investigates variable mode control to increase the LLC working range without changing the topology. Different control strategies are selected for different modes, and simulation studies are conducted on variable mode control strategies such as full‐bridge frequency conversion, full‐bridge phase shifting, and half‐bridge frequency conversion. The LLC operates in full‐bridge frequency conversion mode at low input voltage, half‐bridge frequency conversion mode at high input voltage, and full‐bridge phase shifting mode at intermediate voltage. The transient process of mode switching is optimized to greatly improve the stability of the converter and reduce voltage fluctuations. Based on the simulation and analysis, the system design of software and hardware is completed, an LLC resonant converter prototype is made, and experimental verification is carried out, confirming the effectiveness of the variable mode strategy. © 2023 Institute of Electrical Engineer of Japan and Wiley Periodicals LLC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]