Porous CoVO Nanodisk as a High-Energy and Fast-Charging Anode for Lithium-Ion Batteries.

High-energy-density lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) that can be safely fast-charged are desirable for electric vehicles. However, sub-optimal lithiation potential and low capacity of commonly used LIBs anode cause safety issues and low energy density. Here we hypothesize that a cobalt vanadate oxide, CoVO, can be attractive anode material for fast-charging LIBs due to its high capacity (~ 1000 mAh g) and safe lithiation potential (~ 0.

Core-Shell CoVO/Carbon Composite Anode for Highly Stable and Fast-Charging Sodium-Ion Batteries.

Sodium-ion batteries (SIBs) are promising candidates for large-scale energy storage systems due to the abundance and wide distribution of sodium resources. Various solutions have been successfully applied to revolve the large-ion-size-induced battery issues at the mid-to-low current density range. However, the fast-charging properties of SIBs are still in high demand to accommodate the increasing energy needs at large to grid scales.

Design, Synthesis and Activity Evaluation of New Phthalazinone PARP Inhibitors.

Poly(ADP-ribose)polymerase (PARP) is a significant therapeutic target for the treatment of numerous human diseases. Olaparib has been approved as a PARP inhibitor. In this paper, a series of new compounds were designed and synthesized with Olaparib as the lead compound.

Covalent Bonding of Si Nanoparticles on Graphite Nanosheets as Anodes for Lithium-Ion Batteries Using Diazonium Chemistry.

Silicon/carbon (Si/C) composite has been proven to be an effective method of enhancing the electrochemical performance of Si-based anodes for lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). However, the practical application of Si/C materials in LIBs is difficult because of the weak interaction between Si and C. In this study, we applied two-step diazotization reactions to modify graphite nanosheets (GNs) and Si nanoparticles (Si NPs), yielding a stable Si-Ar-GNs composite.

A sandwich-like Si/SiC/nanographite sheet as a high performance anode for lithium-ion batteries.

Silicon/carbon (Si/C) nanocomposite anodes have attracted great interest for their use in lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). However, Si nanoparticles are difficult to stabilize on a carbon surface. Herein, we solve this stabilization problem by designing a Si/silicon carbide/nanographite sheet (Si/SiC/NanoG) nanocomposite.

Design, synthesis and biological evaluation of hypolipidemic compounds based on BRD4 inhibitor RVX-208.

Bromodomain-containing protein 4 (BRD4) is a new therapeutic target for the treatment of diseases including cardiovascular diseases, cancer, inflammation and central nervous system (CNS) disorders. In this study, we introduced the pharmacophore of fibrates to a BRD4 inhibitor, RVX-208, to design dual-active hypolipidemic compounds, and found that some of new analogues showed favorable hypolipidemic activities. Synthetic accessibility towards this class of compounds optimized RVX-208 as well as would supply more thoughts on hypolipidemic drugs.

Design, synthesis and evaluation of a novel metal chelator as multifunctional agents for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease.

A series of compounds following the lead compounds including deferasirox and tacrine were designed, synthesized and evaluated as multifunctional agents against Alzheimer's disease (AD). In vitro studies showed that most synthesized compounds exhibited good multifunctional activities in inhibiting acetylcholinesterase (bAChE), and chelating metal ions. Especially, compound TD demonstrated significant metal chelating property, a moderate acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibitory activity and an antioxidant activity.

Performance Evaluation of NIPT in Detection of Chromosomal Copy Number Variants Using Low-Coverage Whole-Genome Sequencing of Plasma DNA.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to assess the performance of noninvasively prenatal testing (NIPT) for fetal copy number variants (CNVs) in clinical samples, using a whole-genome sequencing method.

Method: A total of 919 archived maternal plasma samples with karyotyping/microarray results, including 33 CNVs samples and 886 normal samples from September 1, 2011 to May 31, 2013, were enrolled in this study. The samples were randomly rearranged and blindly sequenced by low-coverage (about 7M reads) whole-genome sequencing of plasma DNA.

Hypermethylated ERG as a cell-free fetal DNA biomarker for non-invasive prenatal testing of Down syndrome.

Background: Previous reports have shown that the ERG gene is hypermethylated in the placenta and hypomethylated in maternal blood cells. In this study, we explore the feasibility of hypermethylated ERG as a cell-free fetal (cff) DNA biomarker for non-invasive prenatal testing (NIPT) of Down syndrome.

Methods: We randomly selected 90 healthy pregnant women, including 30 cases at each trimester of pregnancy.

Noninvasive Fetal Trisomy (NIFTY) test: an advanced noninvasive prenatal diagnosis methodology for fetal autosomal and sex chromosomal aneuploidies.

Background: Conventional prenatal screening tests, such as maternal serum tests and ultrasound scan, have limited resolution and accuracy.

Methods: We developed an advanced noninvasive prenatal diagnosis method based on massively parallel sequencing. The Noninvasive Fetal Trisomy (NIFTY) test, combines an optimized Student's t-test with a locally weighted polynomial regression and binary hypotheses.

Clinical application of massively parallel sequencing-based prenatal noninvasive fetal trisomy test for trisomies 21 and 18 in 11,105 pregnancies with mixed risk factors.

Objective: To report the performance of massively parallel sequencing (MPS) based prenatal noninvasive fetal trisomy test based on cell-free DNA sequencing from maternal plasma in a routine clinical setting in China.

Method: The MPS-based test was offered as a prenatal screening test for trisomies 21 and 18 to pregnant women in 49 medical centers over 2 years. A total of 11,263 participants were recruited and the MPS-based test was performed in 11,105 pregnancies.

Prenatal diagnosis and molecular cytogenetic analysis of a de novo isodicentric chromosome 18.

Isodicentric chromosome 18 [idic(18)] is rare structural aberration. We report on a prenatal case described by conventional and molecular cytogenetic analyses. The sonography at 24 weeks of gestation revealed multiple fetal anomalies; radial aplasia and ventricular septal defect were significant features.

[Cell-free fetal DNA detection in maternal plasma using real-time PCR and cycling probe technology for prenatal screening beta-thalassaemia major].

Objective: To analyze cell-free fetal DNA in maternal plasma for prenatal screening of beta-thalassaemia major.

Methods: Six couples undergoing prenatal diagnosis of beta-thalassaemia (gestational age range 23-26 weeks) were enrolled in this study. The husbands were all carriers of the CD17 (A-->T) mutation, and the wives carried another beta-thalassaemia mutation.

[A recurrent rhodopsin gene missense mutation in a Chinese family with autosomal dominant retinitis pigmentosa].

Objective: To detect mutation in the rhodopsin gene (RHO) in a Chinese family with autosomal dominant retinitis pigmentosa (ADRP).

Methods: A total of 25 family members from a Chinese family were investigated. All the subjects were examined clinically by direct funduscopy, perimetry and vision test.