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Advanced Science (Weinheim,... Jun 2024The development of the electric vehicle industry has spurred demand for secondary batteries capable of rapid-charging and slow-discharging. Among them, sodium-ion...
The development of the electric vehicle industry has spurred demand for secondary batteries capable of rapid-charging and slow-discharging. Among them, sodium-ion batteries (SIBs) with layered oxide as the cathode exhibit competitive advantages due to their comprehensive electrochemical performance. However, to meet the requirements of rapid-charging and slow-discharging scenarios, it is necessary to further enhance the rate performance of the cathode material to achieve symmetrical capacity at different rates. Simultaneously, minimizing lattice strain during asymmetric electrochemical processes is also significant in alleviating strain accumulation. In this study, the ordered distribution of transition metal layers and the diffusion pathway of sodium ions are optimized through targeted K-doping of sodium layers, leading to a reduction of the diffusion barrier and endowment of prominent rate performance. At a 20C rate, the capacity of the cathode can reach 94% of that at a 0.1C rate. Additionally, the rivet effect of the sodium layers resulted in a global volume strain of only 0.03% for the modified cathode during charging at a 10C rate and discharging at a 1C rate. In summary, high-performance SIBs, with promising prospects for rapid-charging and slow-discharging capability, are obtained through the regulation of sodium layers, opening up new avenues for commercial applications.
PubMed: 38940403
DOI: 10.1002/advs.202404701 -
Medeniyet Medical Journal Jun 2024While the coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has generally resulted in milder illness among children than adults, persistent respiratory symptoms have been...
OBJECTIVE
While the coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has generally resulted in milder illness among children than adults, persistent respiratory symptoms have been increasingly reported in this population.
METHODS
We conducted a prospective, single-center cohort study focusing on children experiencing prolonged respiratory symptoms after contracting COVID-19. Spirometry, 6- minute walk tests (6MWTs), and tests of lung volume, the diffusing capacity of the lungs for carbon monoxide (DLCO), and fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO) were performed on COVID-19 survivors at least 4 weeks after infection and a group of healthy control subjects.
RESULTS
Fifty-five children with long-term COVID and 55 healthy control subjects were recruited. The weight, height, and body mass index Z-scores were similar in the groups. Within a median duration of 85 days (minimummaximum: 35-194) following COVID-19 infection, a restrictive pattern was observed to be more common in the study group (p=0.021). In children with long COVID, 6MWT distances, DLCO Z-scores, and the predicted values of spirometry and lung volume tests were found to be significantly lower but in the normal range. The average predicted values for DLCO, FeNO, and 6MWT were similar in the two groups.
CONCLUSIONS
Prolonged respiratory symptoms often persist long after COVID-19 infection, necessitating comprehensive evaluation of affected children. Close monitoring, including spirometry and lung volume assessments, is crucial for children with abnormalities in lung imaging. However, FeNO measurements were found to be ineffective in monitoring long COVID.
PubMed: 38940402
DOI: 10.4274/MMJ.galenos.2024.15853 -
Langmuir : the ACS Journal of Surfaces... Jun 2024Surfactants are widely used as foaming agents to remove liquid accumulation in gas wells, enhancing natural gas production. The surfactant used in traditional foam...
Surfactants are widely used as foaming agents to remove liquid accumulation in gas wells, enhancing natural gas production. The surfactant used in traditional foam sticks was dissolved and released as foam in a short period, especially at elevated downhole temperatures. This often requires the addition of foam sticks to maintain foam. To solve this problem, this study studies the utilization of nano silica to incorporate the amphoteric surfactant, cocamidopropyl betaine (CAB), into the mesoporous structure of silica nanocomposite as foam sticks for controlled release of CAB. Mesoporous nano silica was prepared by a sol-gel acid-catalyzed process with a silica precursor. The formation of nanocomposite solid sticks containing the amphoteric surfactant was achieved by aging and drying. The composite was characterized by various techniques: infrared spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, energy-dispersive spectrometry, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and small-angle X-ray diffraction. Results showed that 49.3% of CAB was encapsulated within the mesoporous structure of 30-50 nm nano silica. CAB release over time in aqueous solution at 130 °C exhibited 10.1% surfactant left in the nanocomposite after 72 h, as determined by thermal analysis. Surfactant release was systematically evaluated through foam performance tests. The study revealed that CAB could be control-released over 168 h via CAB diffusion from mesoporous silica. This study provides a longer-lasting foam method to enhance gas production by utilizing mesoporous silica as a control release medium for gas well deliquification.
PubMed: 38940399
DOI: 10.1021/acs.langmuir.4c01813 -
Journal of the American Chemical Society Jun 2024The rapidly evolving field of inorganic solid-state electrolytes (ISSEs) has been driven in recent years by advances in data-mining techniques, which facilitates the...
The rapidly evolving field of inorganic solid-state electrolytes (ISSEs) has been driven in recent years by advances in data-mining techniques, which facilitates the high-throughput computational screening for candidate materials in the databases. The key to the mining process is the selection of critical features that underline the similarity of a material to an existing ISSE. Unfortunately, this selection is generally subjective and frequently under debate. Here we propose a subgraph isomorphism matching method that allows an objective evaluation of the similarity between two compounds according to the topology of the local atomic environment. The matching algorithm has been applied to discover four structure types that are highly analogous to the LiTi(PO) NASICON prototype. We demonstrate that the local atomic environments similar to LiTi(PO) endow these four structures with favorable Li diffusion tunnels and ionic conductivity on par with those of the prototype. By further taking into account the electronic structure and electrochemical stability window, 13 compounds are identified to be potential ISSEs. Our findings not only offer a promising approach toward rapid mining of fast ion conductors without limitation in the compositional range but also reveal insights into the design of ISSEs according to the topology of their framework structures.
PubMed: 38940387
DOI: 10.1021/jacs.4c04202 -
Small (Weinheim An Der Bergstrasse,... Jun 2024Lithium-carbon dioxide (Li-CO) battery represents a high-energy density energy storage with excellent real-time CO enrichment and conversion, but its practical...
Lithium-carbon dioxide (Li-CO) battery represents a high-energy density energy storage with excellent real-time CO enrichment and conversion, but its practical utilization is hampered by the development of an excellent catalytic cathode. Here, the synergistic catalytic strategy of designing CoRu bimetallic active sites achieves the electrocatalytic conversion of CO and the efficient decomposition of the discharge products, which in turn realizes the smooth operation of the Li-CO battery. Moreover, obtained support based on metal-organic frameworks precursors facilitates the convenient diffusion and adsorption of CO, resulting in higher reaction concentration and lower mass transfer resistance. Meanwhile, the optimization of the interfacial electronic structure and the effective transfer of electrons are achieved by virtue of the strong interaction of CoRu at the support interface. As a result, the Li-CO cell assembled based on bimetallic CoRu active sites achieved a discharge capacity of 19,111 mA h g and a steady-state discharge voltage of 2.58 V as well as a cycle life of >175 cycles at a rate of 100 mA g. Further experiments combined with density-functional theory calculations achieve a deeply view of the connection between cathode and electrochemical performance and pave a way for the subsequent development of advanced Li-CO catalytic cathodes.
PubMed: 38940363
DOI: 10.1002/smll.202402447 -
Journal of Pediatric Ophthalmology and... Jun 2024To observe postoperative histological changes in the anterior part of the posterior fixation suture after a Faden operation in an animal model.
PURPOSE
To observe postoperative histological changes in the anterior part of the posterior fixation suture after a Faden operation in an animal model.
METHODS
A posterior fixation suture was placed at two points 6 mm posterior to the insertion of the extraocular muscle on the superior rectus muscle of the right eye in eight rabbits. The superior rectus muscle of the left eye was used as a control. The eyes were enucleated and the anterior portion of the posterior fixation suture, including the myoscleral junction, was extracted 4 weeks after surgery. Postoperative adhesion was graded from 0 to 4 based on histologic findings (hematoxylin-eosin and Masson's trichrome staining).
RESULTS
Histological evaluation revealed diffuse fibrosis at the myoscleral junction and the anterior part of the posterior fixation suture after the Faden operation. The graded scores for fibrosis, acute inflammation, chronic inflammation, and foreign body reactions in the Faden operation group were significantly higher than those in the control group ( < .05). Postoperative diffuse fibrosis of the myoscleral junction and anterior-to-posterior fixation sutures were observed in an animal model.
CONCLUSIONS
Histologic changes may affect ocular alignment and motility, making reoperation unpredictable after the Faden procedure. .
PubMed: 38940304
DOI: 10.3928/01913913-20240521-04 -
Small (Weinheim An Der Bergstrasse,... Jun 2024Aqueous Zn-ion batteries (ZIBs) are considered to be one of the most promising energy storage devices in the post-lithium-ion era with fast ionic conductivity, safety,...
Aqueous Zn-ion batteries (ZIBs) are considered to be one of the most promising energy storage devices in the post-lithium-ion era with fast ionic conductivity, safety, and low cost. However, excessive accumulation of zinc dendrites will fracture and produce dead zinc, resulting in the unsatisfied utilization rate of Zn anodes, which greatly restricts the lifespan of the battery and reduces the reversibility. In this paper, by constructing a protective layer of ZnSnO hollow nanospheres in situ growth on the surface of the Zn anode, more zincophilic sites are established on the electrode surface. It demonstrates that uniform deposition of Zn ions by deepening the binding energy with Zn ion and its unique hollow structure shortens the diffusion distance of Zn ions and enhances the reaction kinetics. The assembled Zn-ion hybrid supercapacitor (ZHSC) of ZnSnO@Zn//AC achieved a long-term lifespan with 4000 cycles at a current density of 10 mA cm with a Coulombic efficiency of 99.31% and capacity retention of 79.6%. This work offers a new path for advanced Zn anodes interphase supporting the long cycle life with large capacities and improving electrochemical reversibility.
PubMed: 38940238
DOI: 10.1002/smll.202403062 -
Biomeditsinskaia Khimiia Jun 2024A novel series of 5'-benzylidene-3'-phenylspiro[indoline-3,2'-thiazolidine]-2,4'(1H)-diones 6a-d and...
A novel series of 5'-benzylidene-3'-phenylspiro[indoline-3,2'-thiazolidine]-2,4'(1H)-diones 6a-d and spiro[indoline-3,2'-thiazolo[5,4-e]pyrimido[1,2-a]pyrimidin]-2(1H)-one 9a-d derivatives have been synthesized. All the newly synthesized compounds were evaluated for antifungal and anti-candidiasis activity by using Disc Diffusion and Modified Microdilution methods. The antimicrobial experiments have shown that the synthesized compounds demonstrated broad-spectrum antifungal activity in vitro. Among them, compounds 9a-9d had stronger antifungal activity against Trichophyton rubrum, Trichophyton mentagrophytes, and Candida albicans; compounds 6a-d also showed significant antifungal activity against selected fungal strains as compared to ketoconazole, the reference antifungal drug. The evaluation of antifungal activity against drug-resistant fungal variants showed that the designed compounds had significant antifungal activity against the tested variants. The combination of compounds (6a-d) and (9a-d) exhibited that the synthesized compounds had synergistic effects or additive effects. These results demonstrated that the synthesized compounds were putative chitin synthase inhibitors exhibiting broad spectrum antifungal activities. The present results indicate that novel spiro pyrimidine derivatives can be used as an active pharmaceutical ingredient for novel drug candidate for treatment of dermatophytosis and other fungal agents.
Topics: Antifungal Agents; Candida albicans; Pyrimidines; Arthrodermataceae; Microbial Sensitivity Tests; Spiro Compounds; Trichophyton; Humans
PubMed: 38940208
DOI: 10.18097/PBMC20247003180 -
Bioinformatics (Oxford, England) Jun 2024RNA design shows growing applications in synthetic biology and therapeutics, driven by the crucial role of RNA in various biological processes. A fundamental challenge...
MOTIVATION
RNA design shows growing applications in synthetic biology and therapeutics, driven by the crucial role of RNA in various biological processes. A fundamental challenge is to find functional RNA sequences that satisfy given structural constraints, known as the inverse folding problem. Computational approaches have emerged to address this problem based on secondary structures. However, designing RNA sequences directly from 3D structures is still challenging, due to the scarcity of data, the nonunique structure-sequence mapping, and the flexibility of RNA conformation.
RESULTS
In this study, we propose RiboDiffusion, a generative diffusion model for RNA inverse folding that can learn the conditional distribution of RNA sequences given 3D backbone structures. Our model consists of a graph neural network-based structure module and a Transformer-based sequence module, which iteratively transforms random sequences into desired sequences. By tuning the sampling weight, our model allows for a trade-off between sequence recovery and diversity to explore more candidates. We split test sets based on RNA clustering with different cut-offs for sequence or structure similarity. Our model outperforms baselines in sequence recovery, with an average relative improvement of 11% for sequence similarity splits and 16% for structure similarity splits. Moreover, RiboDiffusion performs consistently well across various RNA length categories and RNA types. We also apply in silico folding to validate whether the generated sequences can fold into the given 3D RNA backbones. Our method could be a powerful tool for RNA design that explores the vast sequence space and finds novel solutions to 3D structural constraints.
AVAILABILITY AND IMPLEMENTATION
The source code is available at https://github.com/ml4bio/RiboDiffusion.
Topics: RNA; Nucleic Acid Conformation; RNA Folding; Computational Biology; Algorithms; Software; Neural Networks, Computer; Sequence Analysis, RNA
PubMed: 38940178
DOI: 10.1093/bioinformatics/btae259 -
Bioinformatics (Oxford, England) Jun 2024Recently developed spatial lineage tracing technologies induce somatic mutations at specific genomic loci in a population of growing cells and then measure these...
MOTIVATION
Recently developed spatial lineage tracing technologies induce somatic mutations at specific genomic loci in a population of growing cells and then measure these mutations in the sampled cells along with the physical locations of the cells. These technologies enable high-throughput studies of developmental processes over space and time. However, these applications rely on accurate reconstruction of a spatial cell lineage tree describing both past cell divisions and cell locations. Spatial lineage trees are related to phylogeographic models that have been well-studied in the phylogenetics literature. We demonstrate that standard phylogeographic models based on Brownian motion are inadequate to describe the spatial symmetric displacement (SD) of cells during cell division.
RESULTS
We introduce a new model-the SD model for cell motility that includes symmetric displacements of daughter cells from the parental cell followed by independent diffusion of daughter cells. We show that this model more accurately describes the locations of cells in a real spatial lineage tracing of mouse embryonic stem cells. Combining the spatial SD model with an evolutionary model of DNA mutations, we obtain a phylogeographic model for spatial lineage tracing. Using this model, we devise a maximum likelihood framework-MOLLUSC (Maximum Likelihood Estimation Of Lineage and Location Using Single-Cell Spatial Lineage tracing Data)-to co-estimate time-resolved branch lengths, spatial diffusion rate, and mutation rate. On both simulated and real data, we show that MOLLUSC accurately estimates all parameters. In contrast, the Brownian motion model overestimates spatial diffusion rate in all test cases. In addition, the inclusion of spatial information improves accuracy of branch length estimation compared to sequence data alone. On real data, we show that spatial information has more signal than sequence data for branch length estimation, suggesting augmenting lineage tracing technologies with spatial information is useful to overcome the limitations of genome-editing in developmental systems.
AVAILABILITY AND IMPLEMENTATION
The python implementation of MOLLUSC is available at https://github.com/raphael-group/MOLLUSC.
Topics: Animals; Mice; Cell Movement; Cell Division; Cell Lineage; Likelihood Functions; Phylogeography; Mutation; Phylogeny
PubMed: 38940146
DOI: 10.1093/bioinformatics/btae221