Highly Efficient Recovery of Cobalt-Ion Containing Waste Deep Eutectic Electrolytes: A Sustainable Solvent Extraction Approach.

Efficient recovery of metals from secondary resources is essential to address resource shortages and environmental crises. The development of a cheap, environmentally friendly, and highly efficient recovery pathway is essential for resource retrieval. In this study, we propose a high-efficiency extraction approach utilizing bis(2,4,4-trimethylpentyl) phosphonic acid (Cyanex272) to recover cobalt from waste choline chloride/ethylene glycol (Ethaline) electrolyte containing Co(II) ions.

Proposal and confirmation of N-(2-carboxyethyl)proline as a human endogenous metabolite.

Rationale: Malondialdehyde, one of the peroxidation products of polyunsaturated fatty acids, has been widely reported as an oxidative stress biomarker in many diseases. However, malondialdehyde is inherently unstable in biological matrices, which renders its measurement unreliable with all the reported analytical methods. To find an alternative oxidative stress biomarker, we envisioned that N-(2-carboxyethyl)proline, a modified conjugate of malondialdehyde and proline, could be a stable candidate for this purpose.

A review on spent Mn-containing Li-ion batteries: Recovery technologies, challenges, and future perspectives.

Mn-containing Li-ion batteries have become primary power sources for electronic devices and electric vehicles because of their high-energy density, extended cycle life, low cost, and heightened safety. In recent years, Li-ion batteries (LIBs) have undergone rapid updates, paralleling the swift advancement of the lithium battery industry, resulting in a growing accumulation of LIB scraps annually, necessitating comprehensive recovery strategies. This article reviews the recent progress in recovering spent Mn-containing LIBs (SM-LIBs), specifically focusing on LiMnO and ternary LiCoMnNiO (NCM).

Robust memory humoral immune response to SARS-CoV-2 in the tonsils of adults and children.

Background: Adaptive humoral immunity against SARS-CoV-2 has mainly been evaluated in peripheral blood. Human secondary lymphoid tissues (such as tonsils) contain large numbers of plasma cells that secrete immunoglobulins at mucosal sites. Yet, the role of mucosal memory immunity induced by vaccines or natural infection against SARS-CoV-2 and its variants is not fully understood.

Enhanced curcumin transportation across epithelial barrier by mucus-permeable soy protein nanoparticles-mediated dual transcytosis pathways.

Nanocarrier-delivered bioactive compounds are highly desirable for their improved stability and applicability, but their bioavailability is still limited due to the strong mucus and epithelial cell barriers. Herein, a series of self-assembled soy protein nanoparticles (SPNPs) with different mucus permeabilities were prepared and their delivery efficiency upon Curcumin (Cur) encapsulation was evaluated. Results demonstrated that the formed SPNPs-Cur exhibited high compatibility and cellular antioxidant accessibility.

Live attenuated influenza vaccine induces broadly cross-reactive mucosal antibody responses to different influenza strains in tonsils.

Intranasal live attenuated influenza vaccine (LAIV) was used to stimulate tonsillar monocular cells (MNCs) following isolation. Haemagglutinin (HA) proteins of several influenza strains were used for the detection of HA-specific IgG, IgM and IgA antibodies using ELISA. Significant anti-sH1N1 HA IgG IgA and IgM antibody titres were detected in cell culture supernatants after stimulation (mean ± SE: 0.

An integrated process for co-producing fermentable sugars and xylonate from sugarcane bagasse based on xylonic acid assisted pretreatment.

In this study, a renewable organic acid (xylonic acid), which can be prepared by the biooxidation of xylose, is used for pretreating sugarcane bagasse. The effects of reaction temperature and time on the release of fermentable xylose and glucose were investigated. On the basis of guaranteeing the good enzymatic hydrolysis efficiency and minimizing the effects of inhibitors, the pretreatment with 1 % xylnoic acid at 190 °C for 30 min was selected after optimization.

Ionic Liquid-Based Polymer Nanocomposites for Sensors, Energy, Biomedicine, and Environmental Applications: Roadmap to the Future.

Current interest toward ionic liquids (ILs) stems from some of their novel characteristics, like low vapor pressure, thermal stability, and nonflammability, integrated through high ionic conductivity and broad range of electrochemical strength. Nowadays, ionic liquids represent a new category of chemical-based compounds for developing superior and multifunctional substances with potential in several fields. ILs can be used in solvents such as salt electrolyte and additional materials.

Biorefinery Cascade Processing for Converting Corncob to Xylooligosaccharides and Glucose by Maleic Acid Pretreatment.

Corncob as an abundant and low-cost waste resource has received increasing attention to produce value-added chemicals, it is rich in xylan and regarded as the most preferable feedstock for preparing high value added xylooligosaccharides. The use of xylooligosaccharides as core products can cut costs and improve the economic efficiency in biorefinery. In this study, maleic acid, as a non-toxic and edible acidic catalyst, was employed to pretreat corncob and produce xylooligosaccharides.

Enhancing the yield of seasonal influenza viruses through manipulation of microRNAs in Madin-Darby canine kidney cells.

Annual influenza vaccine is recommended to reduce the occurrence of seasonal influenza and its complications. Thus far, Madin-Darby canine kidney (MDCK) cell line has been used to manufacture cell-based influenza vaccines. Even though host microRNAs may facilitate viral replication, the interaction between MDCK cells-derived microRNAs and seasonal influenza viruses has been less frequently investigated.

Mimic Pork Rinds from Plant-Based Gel: The Influence of Sweet Potato Starch and Konjac Glucomannan.

This study investigated the effect of sweet potato starch (SPS) and konjac glucomannan (KGM) on the textural, color, sensory, rheological properties, and microstructures of plant-based pork rinds. Plant-based gels were prepared using mixtures of soy protein isolate (SPI), soy oil, and NaHCO supplemented with different SPS and KGM concentrations. The texture profile analysis (TPA) results indicated that the hardness, cohesiveness, and chewiness of the samples improved significantly after appropriate SPS and KGM addition.

Xylooligosaccharides Production from Xylan Hydrolysis Using Recyclable Strong Acidic Cationic Exchange Resin as Solid Acid Catalyst.

As the emerging functional food additives, xylooligosaccharides are receiving high commercial interest due to their excellent gut microbiota modulation capacity, and accumulating studies have suggested that acidic hydrolysis for xylooligosaccharides preparation is the most convenient and cost-effective approach, whereas liquid acids are still limited due to the challenges in acid catalysts separation and products recovery. In the present study, a strong acidic cationic resin (NKC-9), as a recyclable solid acid catalyst, was successfully applied to xylooligosaccharides production by acidic hydrolysis of xylan. Additionally, a central composite design with response surface methodology was employed to optimize the conditions for maximizing xylooligosaccharides yields.

Myosin Light Chain Kinase Modulates to Improve Myocardial Hypoxia/Reoxygenation Injury.

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate whether myosin light chain kinase (MLCK) knockdown attenuated H9C2 cell hypoxia/reoxygenation (H/R) injury and downstream signaling pathway.

Methods: The MLCK expression in H/R injury model H9C2 cell was determined by western blot and qRT-PCR. H/R cells were transfected with si-MLCK in the presence of P38 inhibitor (SB203580) or ERK inhibitor (U0126).

Create Fat Substitute From Soybean Protein Isolate/Konjac Glucomannan: The Impact of the Protein and Polysaccharide Concentrations Formulations.

In this study, soybean protein isolate (SPI) and coconut oil were emulsified and konjac flour was added to prepare the protein/polysaccharide composite emulsion gel. The SPI/polysaccharide compound fat substitute was obtained by vacuuming. The effects of protein and konjac flour addition on the gel system of the mixed emulsion were explored.

Long noncoding RNA KCNQ1 opposite strand/antisense transcript 1 promotes osteosarcoma progression through miR-154-3p/KLF12.

Objective: Osteosarcoma (OS) is a common bone cancer that usually influences children. Metastasis and recurrence are the main reasons for the poor prognosis. In this study, we investigated the functions and mechanisms of KCNQ1 opposite strand/antisense transcript 1 (KCNQ1OT1) in OS.

Revalorization of sunflower stalk pith as feedstock for the coproduction of pectin and glucose using a two-step dilute acid pretreatment process.

Background: Sunflower stalk pith, residue from the processing of sunflower, is rich in pectin and cellulose, thereby acting as an economic raw material for the acquisition of these compounds. In order to increase the commercial value of sunflower processing industry, a two-step dilute sulfuric acid treatment process was conducted on spent sunflower stalk pith to obtain the value-added products, pectin and glucose.

Results: In this study, pectin was firstly extracted under mild acid condition to avoid pectin degradation, which was conducted at 90 °C with a pH of 2.

Clinical Effect of Radiotherapy Combined with Capecitabine after Neoadjuvant Therapy for Rectal Cancer.

Objective: The purpose of the study was to investigate the clinical effect of radiotherapy combined with capecitabine in rectal cancer patients after neoadjuvant therapy.

Methods: 80 rectal cancer patients who underwent neoadjuvant therapy in our hospital from February 2016 to February 2018 were selected as the study subjects and divided into the control group ( = 40) and experimental group ( = 40) according to the order of admission. Among them, the control group was treated with radiotherapy, while the experimental group was treated with radiotherapy combined with capecitabine.

Detection of Serum Cross-Reactive Antibodies and Memory Response to SARS-CoV-2 in Prepandemic and Post-COVID-19 Convalescent Samples.

Background: A notable feature of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is that children are less susceptible to severe disease. Children are known to experience more infections with endemic human coronaviruses (HCoVs) compared to adults. Little is known whether HCoV infections lead to cross-reactive anti-severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) antibodies.

In situ electrochemical redox tuning of Pd-Co hybrid electrocatalysts for high-performance methanol oxidation: Strong metal-support interaction.

Construction of strong metal-support interaction (SMSI) is of fundamental interest in the preparation of supported metal nanoparticle catalysts with enhanced catalytic activity. Herein, we report a facile in situ electrochemical redox tuning approach to build strong interactions between metals and supports. As for a typical example, a composite electrocatalyst of Pd-Co hybrid nanoparticles directly developed on Ni substrate is found to follow a distinct surface self-reconstruction process in alkaline media via an in situ electrochemical redox procedure, which results in structural transition from the original nanoparticles (NPs) to nanosheets (NSs) coupled with a phase transformation of the Co component, Co → CoO/Co(OH).

Deep eutectic solvent-assisted in-situ synthesis of nanosheet-packed NiS porous spheres on Ni foam for high-performance supercapacitors.

Herein, self-supported NiS spherical clusters packed with well-defined nanosheets developed on Ni foam (NF) were rationally fabricated via a novel low-temperature solvothermal sulfurization approach in a choline chloride/ethylene glycol (Ethaline)-based deep eutectic solvent (DES). The DES-based sulfurization process drove an interesting time-dependent surface restructuring and phase transformation that occurred on the Ni substrate, leading to the in-situ formation of a NiS layer with controllable architecture. Pre-deposition of a Ni interlayer on the NF substrate provides more assessable electrochemical surface area and reaction sites, which favored fast crystal nucleation/growth and structural reconstruction.

Autophagy Induced by Simian Retrovirus Infection Controls Viral Replication and Apoptosis of Jurkat T Lymphocytes.

Autophagy and apoptosis are two important evolutionarily conserved host defense mechanisms against viral invasion and pathogenesis. However, the association between the two pathways during the viral infection of T lymphocytes remains to be elucidated. Simian type D retrovirus (SRV) is an etiological agent of fatal simian acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (SAIDS), which can display disease features that are similar to acquired immunodeficiency syndrome in humans.

Compositional and morphological engineering of in-situ-grown Ag nanoparticles on Cu substrate for enhancing oxygen reduction reaction activity: A novel electrochemical redox tuning approach.

Silver nanoparticles (NPs) developed on a copper substrate, Ag NPs/Cu, are synthesized by a novel and facile galvanic replacement method performed in Ethaline deep eutectic solvent (DES). It reveals that the Ag NPs could be well dispersed on the Cu support via an in-situ electrochemical oxidation-reduction (ECO-ECR) activation process, which deliver significantly enhanced activity and stability for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) in alkaline media. The in-situ redox tuning triggers a reversible phase transformation of the formed initially Ag NPs, Ag ↔ AgO, with surface reconstruction and gives rise to a strong metal-support interaction with tailored atomic/electronic structures, resulting in enhanced ORR activity.

Carbon-Based Polymer Nanocomposite for High-Performance Energy Storage Applications.

In recent years, numerous discoveries and investigations have been remarked for the development of carbon-based polymer nanocomposites. Carbon-based materials and their composites hold encouraging employment in a broad array of fields, for example, energy storage devices, fuel cells, membranes sensors, actuators, and electromagnetic shielding. Carbon and its derivatives exhibit some remarkable features such as high conductivity, high surface area, excellent chemical endurance, and good mechanical durability.