Prilling and Coating Strategy to Synthesize High-Performance Spherical NaNiFeMnO Cathode Materials for Sodium Ion Batteries.

Low-cost sodium ion batteries are of great significance in large-scale energy storage applications. With its high energy density and simple synthesis process, layered transition-metal oxides have become one of the most likely sodium ion battery cathode materials to replace lithium ion batteries in the energy storage market. Here, we report a prilling and MoS coating strategy to prepare the spherical cathode material.

Combatting cyanobacteria: unraveling the potency of 316L-Cu stainless steel in inhibiting Microcystis aeruginosa growth.

Harmful algal blooms, particularly those of Microcystis aeruginosa, present significant ecological and health risks. To address this issue, this study utilized a custom static algal growth assessment apparatus to investigate the anti-algal performance of a copper-alloyed 316L stainless steel (SS), named 316L-Cu SS. This material was compared with traditional 316L SS, which is widely utilized in freshwater systems for its corrosion resistance.

Effect of environmental factors on expression of staphylococcal enterotoxin genes.

Staphylococcal enterotoxins (SEs) secreted by Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) can cause foodborne disease, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea, and even death. Regulation of SE expression is related to accessory gene regulators (Agr).

A Super Uniform Hydrophobic Gas Diffusion Layer for a Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell.

The design and optimization of the gas diffusion layer (GDL) play a crucial role in the improvement of proton exchange membrane fuel cell performance. Hydrophobic treatment of a GDL is an important method for facilitating mass transfer, while conventional Teflon treatment is not uniform and leads to an increase in ohmic and heat resistance. Herein, a homogeneous molecular hydrophobic GDL was prepared by liquid phase synthesis, and a two-dimensional non-isothermal model was developed to investigate the transfer mechanism.

Structure and Wear Performance of a Titanium Alloy by Using Low-Temperature Plasma Oxy-Nitriding.

To solve the problems of high nitriding temperature and long nitriding time with conventional plasma nitriding technologies, a kind of low-temperature plasma oxy-nitriding technology containing two-stage processes with different ratios of N to O was developed on a TC4 alloy in this paper. A thicker permeation coating can be obtained with this new technology compared to conventional plasma nitriding technology. The reason for this is that the oxygen introduction in the first two-hour oxy-nitriding step can break the continuous TiN layer, which facilitates the quick and deep diffusion of the solution-strengthening elements of O and N into the titanium alloy.

Investigation on Potential Biomarkers and Immune-Related Mechanisms of Ischemic Stroke.

Background: This study aimed to reveal the detailed immune-related mechanisms underlying ischemic stroke (IS) and identify new immune-associated biomarkers for clinical management.

Methods: Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between IS samples and normal controls were identified using the GSE16561 dataset. The feature genes of the immune cells were investigated using the GSE72642 dataset.

Novel Fe-Based Amorphous Composite Coating with a Unique Interfacial Layer Improving Thermal Barrier Application.

To improve thermal barrier applications in advanced vehicle engines, a novel Fe-based amorphous composite coating was designed by introducing ceramic oxides and was prepared by atmospheric plasma spraying (APS). The microstructure and related properties of the as-deposited coating were investigated in detail. The composite coating comprises a well-formed FeCrNbBSi amorphous metallic matrix and dispersed yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) splats.

Advanced Reversal Tolerant Anode in Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells: Study on the Attenuation Mechanism during Fuel Starvation.

Fuel starvation at the anode of a proton exchange membrane fuel cell can lead to the increase of anode potential and the reversal of cell voltage followed by water electrolysis and carbon corrosion. A material-based approach (with high active water electrolysis catalysts) does not have much influence on the electrochemical performance, and carbon corrosion can be effectively avoided compared with the complex active control system. However, the membrane electrode assembly shows poor reversal tolerant performance during the hydrogen starvation test in previous studies, and the degradation mechanism is unclear.

Development and verification of a quantitative real-time PCR method to identify and quantify gelatin derived from animal hide.

The species origin of hide gelatin is a crucial issue with respect to health concerns and religious restrictions. Analysis of the animal-derived ingredients of gelatin by reliable methods is necessary to ensure its authenticity. However, due to the highly processed nature of gelatin, it remains a challenge to identify gelatin end products accurately and robustly.

Chemical and cytological evaluation of honeybee pollen antioxidant ability.

The crude flavonoid extract of pollen (CFP) of four species of honeybee pollens were extracted with ethanol, and the total flavonoid contents ranged from 3.4 to 14.5 mg rutin/g dry weight.

Three-Dimensional Superlithiophilic Interphase for Dendrite-Free Lithium Metal Anodes.

Lithium metal is among the most promising anode candidates of high-energy-density batteries. However, the formed dendrites result in low Coulombic efficiency and serious security issues. Designing lithiophilic sites is one of the effective strategies to control Li deposition.

Fluorophosphorus derivative forms a beneficial film on both electrodes of high voltage lithium-ion batteries.

Layered lithium-rich oxides, as a series of highly promising cathode material for lithium-ion batteries, attract extensive attention due to their high specific capacity and high working potential (4.6 V vs Li/Li). However, the poor interface stability of the cathode and electrolyte seriously restricts their practical application.

Applying COI Barcode to Identify Animal Origin of Food.

DNA barcoding possesses advantages of high resolution, high sensitivity, and capability in capturing as much identity information as possible. However, highly varying sources of food materials and a complicated supply chain bring about challenge to the application of barcoding methods. In this study, different barcode systems were compared to establish a robust method for tracing animal species in food.

Identification of Small Berry Species in Food and Juice Using TaqMan-Based Real-Time PCR.

Public interest is growing for small berries in recent years because they are very delicious, low in energy, and full of bioactive compounds with potential health benefits. Similar to other food products, adulteration of small berry fruit products poses economic and safety problems to consumers. To protect consumers and regulate the small berry fruit products market, it is necessary to establish a robust method for detecting the authenticity.

Authentication of Small Berry Fruit in Fruit Products by DNA Barcoding Method.

Small berry fruit products are gaining an expanded market due to their high nutrition value. However, the authenticity of products is challenged by adulteration and mislabeling. To establish an accurate and robust method for identifying both known and unknown fruit species in small berry fruit products, DNA barcoding technology based on Sanger sequencing was adopted.

A subchronic feeding safety evaluation of transgenic milk containing human β-defensin 3 on reproductive system of C57BL/6J mouse.

Bovine mastitis is an infectious disease of the mammary gland which has been generally treated by antibiotic delivery. While the increasing drug-resistant bacteria and the high consumption of the antibiotic had become a noticeable concern. In a previous study, a mammary special vector expressing human β-defensin 3 (hBD3) was transfected into bovine fetal fibroblasts to produce mastitis-resistant bovine.

Toward a Slow-Release Borate Inhibitor To Control Mild Steel Corrosion in Simulated Recirculating Water.

On the basis of their potential passivating characteristics, in this study, borates have been used to synthesize a novel slow-release inhibitor to suppress long-term mild steel corrosion in simulated recirculating water. The passivating performance was characterized by various electrochemical measurements and the passivating mechanism was interpreted by the point defect model. The experimental results indicated that the slow-release inhibitor exhibited a passivating efficiency of over 98% after 30 days of immersion, due to the formation of a passive film that was predominant by a Fe-O-B structure on the mild steel surface.

Molecular Tracing of the Origin of Six Different Plant Species in Bee Honey Using Real-Time PCR.

The quality of honey is significantly influenced by floral origin. Mislabeling floral species occurs frequently in bee honey products. To protect consumers from economic fraud and maintain a fair market environment, methods to identify floral species in honey are necessary.

Effects of Genetically Modified Milk Containing Human Beta-Defensin-3 on Gastrointestinal Health of Mice.

This study was performed to investigate the effects of genetically modified (GM) milk containing human beta-defensin-3 (HBD3) on mice by a 90-day feeding study. The examined parameters included the digestibility of GM milk, general physical examination, gastric emptying function, intestinal permeability, intestinal microflora composition of mice, and the possibility of horizontal gene transfer (HGT). The emphasis was placed on the effects on gastrointestinal (GI) tract due to the fact that GI tract was the first site contacting with food and played crucial roles in metabolic reactions, nutrition absorption and immunity regulation in the host.

A Real-Time PCR Method Targeting Camel Ingredient for Food Authentication.

The special nutritious value of camel showed high potential for market exploitation. In this paper, a real-time PCR method targeting camel ingredient in camel meat and milk is reported as an approach to fight against adulteration. To understand the impact of processing procedures on the amplifiability of cytb gene, four kinds of processed camel meat were investigated, and the rate of DNA breakage was explored.

Location of oocyte-specific linker histone in pig ovaries at different developmental stages postpartum.

This study was conducted to determine the location of oocyte-specific linker histone (H1foo) in pig ovaries at different developmental stages postpartum using histologic, immunohistochemical, and immunofluorescent protocols. The pig ovaries were divided into three periods: proliferation of oogonia (P1, 3 days postpartum), slow growth of follicles (P2, from 40 days to 60 days postpartum), and rapid growth of follicles (P3, from 72 days to 165 days postpartum). With the development of the pig ovary, the boundary between the cortex and medulla gradually became obvious, and the cortex became thinner while the medulla thickened.

Identifying node role in social network based on multiple indicators.

It is a classic topic of social network analysis to evaluate the importance of nodes and identify the node that takes on the role of core or bridge in a network. Because a single indicator is not sufficient to analyze multiple characteristics of a node, it is a natural solution to apply multiple indicators that should be selected carefully. An intuitive idea is to select some indicators with weak correlations to efficiently assess different characteristics of a node.

Maize membrane-bound transcription factor Zmbzip17 is a key regulator in the cross-talk of ER quality control and ABA signaling.

Abiotic stresses disrupt protein folding and induce endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress, which in turn activates the unfolded protein response (UPR) to aid in the refolding or degradation of misfolded proteins. The phytohormone ABA regulates many aspects of plant development and plays a central role in the stress response; however, the role of ABA in transducing stress signals to activate the UPR has not been recognized. In this study, a gene encoding the maize ortholog of AtbZIP17, a transmembrane transcription factor functioning as an ER stress transducer, was identified from the MaizeGDB database, and designated ZmbZIP17.