Revealing of the Activation Pathway and Cathode Electrolyte Interphase Evolution of Li-Rich 0.5Li2MnO3·0.5LiNi0.3Co0.3Mn0.4O2 Cathode by in Situ Electrochemical Quartz Crystal Microbalance.

The first-cycle behavior of layered Li-rich oxides, including Li2MnO3 activation and cathode electrolyte interphase (CEI) formation, significantly influences their electrochemical performance. However, the Li2MnO3 activation pathway and the CEI formation process are still controversial. Here, the first-cycle properties of xLi2MnO3·(1- x) LiNi0.3Co0.3Mn0.4O2 ( x = 0, 0.5, 1) cathode materials were studied with an in situ electrochemical quartz crystal microbalance (EQCM). The results demonstrate that a synergistic effect between the layered Li2MnO3 and LiNi0.3Co0.3Mn0.4O2 structures can significantly affect the activation pathway of Li1.2Ni0.12Co0.12Mn0.56O2, leading to an extra-high capacity. It is demonstrated that Li2MnO3 activation in Li-rich materials is dominated by electrochemical decomposition (oxygen redox), which is different from the activation process of pure Li2MnO3 governed by chemical decomposition (Li2O evolution). CEI evolution is closely related to Li+ extraction/insertion. The valence state variation of the metal ions (Ni, Co, Mn) in Li-rich materials can promote CEI formation. This study is of significance for understanding and designing Li-rich cathode-based batteries

Existence of positive solutions for singular p-Laplacian Hadamard fractional differential equations with the derivative term contained in the nonlinear term

In this paper, based on the properties of Green function and the eigenvalue of a corresponding linear operator, the existence of positive solutions is investigated by spectral analysis for a infinite-points singular p-Laplacian Hadamard fractional differential equation boundary value problem, and an example is given to demonstrate the validity of our main results

Carbon nanocages with nanographene shell for high-rate lithium ion batteries

Carbon nanocages with a nanographene shell have been prepared by catalytic decomposition of p-xylene on a MgO supported Co and Mo catalyst in supercritical CO2 at a pressure of 10.34 MPa and temperatures ranging from 650 to 750 °C. The electrochemical performance of these carbon nanocages as anodes for lithium ion batteries has been evaluated by galvanostatic cycling. The carbon nanocages prepared at a temperature of 750 °C exhibited relatively high reversible capacities, superior rate performance and excellent cycling life. The advanced performance of the carbon nanocages prepared at 750 °C is ascribed to their unique structural features: (1) nanographene shells and the good inter-cage contact ensuring fast electron transportation, (2) a porous network formed by fine pores in the carbon shell and the void space among the cages facilitating the penetration of the electrolyte and ions within the electrode, (3) thin carbon shells shortening the diffusion distance of Li ions, and (4) the high specific surface area providing a large number of active sites for charge-transfer reactions. These carbon nanocages are promising candidates for application in lithium ion batteries

Exploring non-linear effects of walking accessibility on well-being in rural older adults of Jintang County: a random forest analysis

ObjectiveThe global concern surrounding the aging population has brought the well-being of older individuals to the forefront of societal attention. Unfortunately, studies focusing on the well-being of older people residing in rural areas are frequently overshadowed by the developmental disparities between rural and urban regions. Thus, this study aims to delve into the non-linear impact of walking accessibility on the subjective well-being of rural older adults. The goal is to gain a comprehensive understanding of this relationship, ultimately contributing to an improved quality of life and health for older adults in rural areas.MethodsIn this study, the Random Forest algorithm was employed to explore the non-linear effects of demographic variables, perceived safety, subjective built environment (including perceptions and preferences of the built environment), and walking accessibility on the subjective well-being of older adults.ResultsThe findings of this study underscore the pivotal role of walking accessibility in influencing the well-being of older adults, particularly in terms of access to bazaars and health centers, where non-linear and threshold effects are evident. Furthermore, community safety, road conditions, and walking preferences were identified as positive influencers on the well-being of older adults. Well-being trends varied with age, revealing noteworthy non-linear relationships for certain variables.ConclusionThe insights gained from this study provide crucial theoretical guidance for the development of policies tailored to the unique context of rural aging. By taking into account factors such as walking accessibility, community safety, health support, and social interaction, we can create an improved living environment for rural older adults, ultimately enhancing their happiness and overall quality of life

Investigation of the chemical residuals on the fused silica during chemical mechanical polishing

Chemical residuals on fused silica after chemical mechanical polishing with silica and ceria have been analyzed. The surface of fused silica terminates with silanol after being polished with silica abrasives but ends up with Ce‐O−Si in a ceria‐based slurry under the CMP environment. The silanol firstly synthesizes on a fused silica surface polished with ceria, but then further reacts with hydroxyl cerium groups scattering in the slurry forming Ce‐O−Si. It also reveals that polishing fused silica with silica abrasives is an alternative way giving an ultra smooth surface

A new acid isolated from V. negundo L. inhibits NLRP3 inflammasome activation and protects against inflammatory diseases

The NLRP3 inflammasome plays a critical role in the innate immune response, and its excessive activation will cause pyroptotic cell death and be associated with the onset of inflammatory diseases. However, NLRP3 inflammasome targeting therapies are still to be implemented in the clinic setting. Here, we first isolated, purified and characterized a novel Vitenegu acid from V. negundo L. herb that specifically inhibits NLRP3 inflammasome activation, without affecting NLRC4 or AIM2 inflammasomes. Vitenegu acid blocks the oligomerization of NLRP3, thus inhibiting NLRP3 inflammasome assembly and activation. In vivo data show that Vitenegu acid exerts therapeutic effects on NLRP3 inflammasome-dependent inflammation. Taken together, our results suggest that Vitenegu acid is a candidate therapeutic agent for treating NLRP3 inflammasome related diseases

Astragaloside IV enhances the sensitivity of breast cancer stem cells to paclitaxel by inhibiting stemness

Background: Chemotherapy is one of the common treatments for breast cancer. The induction of cancer stem cells (CSCs) is an important reason for chemotherapy failure and breast cancer recurrence. Astragaloside IV (ASIV) is one of the effective components of the traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) Astragalus membranaceus, which can improve the sensitivity of various tumors to chemotherapy drugs. Here, we explored the sensitization effect of ASIV to chemotherapy drug paclitaxel (PTX) in breast cancer from the perspective of CSCs. Methods: The study included both in vitro and in vivo experiments. CSCs from the breast cancer cell line MCF7 with stem cell characteristics were successfully induced in vitro. Cell viability and proliferation were detected using the Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8) and colony formation assays, and flow cytometry and terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) methods were performed to detect cell apoptosis. Stemness-related protein expression was determined by western blotting (WB) and immunohistochemistry (IHC). Body weight, histopathology, and visceral organ damage of mice were used to monitor drug toxicity. Results: The expression of stemness markers including Sox2, Nanog, and ALDHA1 was stronger in MCF7-CSCs than in MCF7. PTX treatment inhibited the proliferation of tumor cells by promoting cell apoptosis, whereas the stemness of breast cancer stem cells (BCSCs) resisted the effects of PTX. ASIV decreased the stemness of BCSCs, increased the sensitivity of BCSCs to PTX, and synergistically promoted PTX-induced apoptosis of breast cancer cells. Our results showed that the total cell apoptosis rate increased by about 25% after adding ASIV compared with BCSCs treated with PTX alone. The in vivo experiments demonstrated that ASIV enhanced the ability of PTX to inhibit the growth of breast cancer. WB and IHC showed that ASIV reduced the stemness of CSCs. Conclusions: In this study, the resistance of breast cancer to PTX was attributed to the existence of CSCs; ASIV weakened the resistance of MCF7-CSCs to PTX by significantly attenuating the hallmarks of breast cancer stemness and improved the efficacy of PTX. Keywords: Breast cancer; cancer stem cells (CSCs); astragaloside IV (ASIV); paclitaxel (PTX); chemotherap

Printability and Applicability of 3D Printing System Loaded with Chlorogenic Acid Hydrogel

Three-dimensional food printing (3DFP) is an efficient way of food processing in line with the future lifestyle. As a delivery system, hydrogel has become a research hotspot because of its remarkable characteristics such as directed delivery. The purpose of this study was to explore the effects of 3DFP on the structure, physical properties and functions of hydrogels containing methylcellulose (MC), chlorogenic acid (CA) and hyaluronic acid (HA) for the purpose of revealing the printability and applicability of hydrogels in 3DFP processing. Texture properties, rheological properties, microstructure, embedding rate and digestive properties of the 3D printed products were measured. The results showed that the best CA-loaded hydrogel system for 3DFP processing consisted of MC, HA and CA at a mass ratio of 8:0.5:0.5. Its printed product showed the smallest width deviation (13.40%), the highest hardness, the maximum elasticity, and the minimum adhesiveness, had compact structure and uniform porosity, was not easy to collapse, and had good supportability and the best printing moldability. 3DFP well optimized the physical structure of hydrogel without changing its chemical properties. The embedding rate of CA was 22.09 percentage points higher than that before 3D printing. In simulated gastrointestinal digestion test, the release rate of CA from the printed product was significantly higher than that of the unprinted samples, showing a good sustained release effect, and the in vitro release of CA was fitted to the Ritger-Peppas model. These results showed that the hydrogel system had good printability and applicability, and 3DFP could significantly improve the targeted release of CA loaded in hydrogel