Conversion of Phosphogypsum into Porous Calcium Silicate Hydrate for the Removal and Recycling of Pb(II) and Cd(II) from Wastewater.

The discharge of lead and cadmium wastewater, along with the pollution caused by phosphogypsum, represents a particularly urgent environmental issue. This study employed a straightforward hydrothermal method to convert phosphogypsum into porous calcium silicate hydrate (P-CSH), which was then used to remove and recover Pb(II) and Cd(II) from wastewater. The adsorption capacities of P-CSH for Pb(II) and Cd(II) were notably high at 989.

Interphase Engineering via Solvent Molecule Chemistry for Stable Lithium Metal Batteries.

Lithium metal battery has been regarded as promising next-generation battery system aiming for higher energy density. However, the lithium metal anode suffers severe side-reaction and dendrite issues. Its electrochemical performance is significantly dependant on the electrolyte components and solvation structure.

Deep learning-based polygenic risk analysis for Alzheimer's disease prediction.

Background: The polygenic nature of Alzheimer's disease (AD) suggests that multiple variants jointly contribute to disease susceptibility. As an individual's genetic variants are constant throughout life, evaluating the combined effects of multiple disease-associated genetic risks enables reliable AD risk prediction. Because of the complexity of genomic data, current statistical analyses cannot comprehensively capture the polygenic risk of AD, resulting in unsatisfactory disease risk prediction.

High-Current Capable and Non-Flammable Protic Organic Electrolyte for Rechargeable Zn Batteries.

Rechargeable Zinc batteries (RZBs) are considered a potent competitor for next-generation electrochemical devices, due to their multiple advantages. Nevertheless, traditional aqueous electrolytes may cause serious hazards to long-term battery cycling through fast capacity fading and poor Coulombic efficiency (CE), which happens due to complex reaction kinetics in aqueous systems. Herein, we proposed the novel adoption of the protic amide solvent, N-methyl formamide (NMF) as a Zinc battery electrolyte, which possesses a high dielectric constant and high flash point to promote fast kinetics and battery safety simultaneously.

Empowering Zn Electrode Current Capability Along Interfacial Stability by Optimizing Intrinsic Safe Organic Electrolytes.

Metallic Zn is one of the most promising anodes, but its practical application has been hindered by dendritic growth and serious interfacial reactions in conventional electrolytes. Herein, ionic liquids are adopted to prepare intrinsically safe electrolytes via combining with TEP or TMP solvents. With this synergy effect, the blends of TEP/TMP with an IL fraction of ≈25 wt% are found to be promising electrolytes, with ionic conductivities comparable to those of standard phosphate-based electrolytes while electrochemical stabilities are considerably improved; over 1000 h at 2.

A Novel Filler for Gel Polymer Electrolyte with a High Lithium-Ion Transference Number toward Stable Cycling for Lithium-Metal Anodes in Lithium-Sulfur Batteries.

Although the lithium metal is considered as the most promising anode for high energy density batteries, uncontrolled lithium dendrite growth and continuous side reactions with electrolyte hinder its practical applications for rechargeable batteries. Herein, we prepared a gel polymer electrolyte by synthesizing a novel 250 nm filler (KMgF), which is greatly beneficial to the formation of a uniformly deposited lithium-metal anode. This is due to the regulation effect of KMgF that double the lithium-ion transference number up to 0.

A Computationally Efficient Approach to Segmentation of the Aorta and Coronary Arteries Using Deep Learning.

Early detection and diagnosis of coronary artery disease could reduce the risk of developing a heart attack. The coronary arteries are optimally visualised using computed tomography coronary angiography (CTCA) imaging. These images are reviewed by specialist radiologists who evaluate the coronary arteries for potential narrowing.

High Molecular Weight Polyacrylonitrile Precursor for S@pPAN Composite Cathode Materials with High Specific Capacity for Rechargeable Lithium Batteries.

Sulfurized pyrolyzed poly(acrylonitrile) (S@pPAN) demonstrates high sulfur utilization, no polysulfide dissolution, no self-discharge, and extremely stable cycling. Its precursor, PAN, directly determines the performances of cathode materials, including the sulfur content and its utilization for S@pPAN composite materials. Adopting PAN with the molecular weight approaching 550,000 as the precursor, the sulfur content in S@pPAN approaches 55 wt %, and its reversible specific capacity was 901 mAh g at 50 °C with sulfur utilization over 98%.

Prospect of Sulfurized Pyrolyzed Poly(acrylonitrile) (S@pPAN) Cathode Materials for Rechargeable Lithium Batteries.

Lithium-sulfur (Li-S) batteries are one of the most promising next-generation batteries owing to their ultra-high theoretical energy density and that sulfur is an abundant resource. During the past 20 years, various sulfur materials have been reported. As a molecular-scale sulfur-composite cathode, sulfurized pyrolyzed poly(acrylonitrile) (S@pPAN) exhibits several competitive advantages in terms of its electrochemical behavior.

Highly Reversible Lithium-Metal Anode and Lithium-Sulfur Batteries Enabled by an Intrinsic Safe Electrolyte.

Rechargeable lithium-metal batteries have gained significant attention as potential candidates of energy storage systems; however, severe safety issues including flammable electrolyte and dendritic lithium formation hinder their further practical application. In this work, we develop a novel intrinsic flame-retardant electrolyte, which enables a stable and dendrite-free cycling with lithium plating/stripping Coulombic efficiency of up to 99.1% over 500 cycles.

An Intrinsic Flame-Retardant Organic Electrolyte for Safe Lithium-Sulfur Batteries.

Safety concerns pose a significant challenge for the large-scale employment of lithium-sulfur batteries. Extremely flammable conventional electrolytes and dendritic lithium deposition cause severe safety issues. Now, an intrinsic flame-retardant (IFR) electrolyte is presented consisting of 1.

Metastatic cancer cells compensate for low energy supplies in hostile microenvironments with bioenergetic adaptation and metabolic reprogramming.

Metastasis accounts for the majority of cancer-related mortalities, and the complex processes of metastasis remain the least understood aspect of cancer biology. Metabolic reprogramming is associated with cancer cell survival and metastasis in a hostile envi-ronment with a limited nutrient supply, such as solid tumors. Little is known regarding the differences of bioenergetic adaptation between primary tumor cells and metastatic tumor cells in unfavorable microenvironments; to clarify these differences, the present study aimed to compare metabolic reprogramming of primary tumor cells and metastatic tumor cells.

CXCR7 is not obligatory for CXCL12-CXCR4-induced epithelial-mesenchymal transition in human ovarian cancer.

Although the CXCL12-CXCR4/CXCR7 chemokine axis is demonstrated to play an integral role in tumor progression, the controversy exists and the role of CXCL12-CXCR4/CXCR7 signaling axis in epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) of human ovarian cancer has not been explored. Here, we showed that in ovarian cancer CXCL12 induced EMT phenotypes including the spindle-like cell morphology, podia and stress fiber formation, a decrease in E-cadherin expression, and increases in mesenchymal N-cadherin and vimentin expressions. These effects of CXCL12 could be antagonized by the CXCR4 antagonist AMD3100, but not by the anti-CXCR7 antibody.

Pharmacokinetic differences of mifepristone between sexes in animals.

Mifepristone (RU486) is developed originally as a contraceptive used by hundreds of millions of women world-wide, and also reported as a safe and long-term psychotic depressant, or as a cancer chemotherapeutic agent used by both sexes. In our preliminary study aimed at developing mifepristone as a cancer metastatic chemopreventive, we coincidentally observed that blood mifepristone concentrations in female rats seem to be higher than those in male ones post administration. To substantiate if the pharmacokinetic differences between sexes exist, we established a fast UPLC-MS/MS method to determine mifepristone concentrations in plasma, and analyzed blood concentrations of mifepristone over time in rats and dogs of both sexes.

Mifepristone inhibits ovarian cancer metastasis by intervening in SDF-1/CXCR4 chemokine axis.

SDF-1/CXCR4 signaling axis determines the proliferative potential and site-specific cancer metastasis. Recent studies suggest involvement of the axis and steroidal hormone in ovarian cancer metastasis. Here we hypothesize that mifepristone (RU486), a well-known progesterone-based abortifacient, might interfere this axis and inhibit ovarian cancer metastasis.

A Flavonoid Glycoside Compound from Murraya paniculata (L.) Interrupts Metastatic Characteristics of A549 Cells by Regulating STAT3/NF-κB/COX-2 and EGFR Signaling Pathways.

Metastasis remains the leading cause of death from lung carcinoma. It is urgent to find safe and efficient pre-metastasis preventive agents for cancer survivors. We isolated a flavonoid glycoside, hexamethoxy flavanone-o-[rhamnopyranosyl-(1 → 4)-rhamnopyranoside (HMFRR), from the traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) Murraya paniculata (L.

Metapristone (RU486 derivative) inhibits cell proliferation and migration as melanoma metastatic chemopreventive agent.

Uncontrolled cell proliferation and metastasis are the two well-known manifestations of melanoma. We hypothesized that metapristone, a potential cancer metastatic chemopreventive agent derived from mifepristone (RU486), had a dual function to fight cancer. In the present study, our findings clearly demonstrated that metapristone had modest cytostatic effect in melanoma cells.

Abortifacient metapristone (RU486 derivative) interrupts CXCL12/CXCR4 axis for ovarian metastatic chemoprevention.

Recent global epidemiological studies revealed the lower ovarian cancer death from long-term use of oral contraceptives. However, the underlying mechanism of action is not clear. Here, we use the abortifacient metapristone (RU486 derivative) to test the hypothesis that the contraceptives might interrupt CXCL12/CXCR4 chemokine axis to inhibit ovarian cancer metastasis.