Developing bio-carbon matrices for the encapsulation of silicon nanoparticles for high-performance lithium-ion battery anode materials.

Silicon (Si) is considered to be one of the most promising anode materials for next-generation lithium-ion batteries because of its abundant reserves, low discharge potential, and most importantly, its high theoretical specific capacity. However, the practical application of Si-based anodes is mainly hindered by the low intrinsic conductivity of Si and the large volume change upon lithiation/de-lithiation. In order to improve the electrochemical performance of Si-based anodes, we prepared a composite material consisting of Si nanoparticles (NPs) and coconut silk bio-carbon (CSC) skeleton.

Determination of hexachlorophene residue in fruits and vegetables by ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry.

A modified QuEChERS (Quick, Easy, Cheap, Effective, Rugged and Safe) -LC-MS/MS method was developed for the determination of hexachlorophene in fruits and vegetables. Samples were extracted by acetonitrile and then salted with an acetate buffer system. Extractants neutral alumina (Al-N), strong cation exchange silica gel bonded adsorbent (SCX) and graphitized carbon black (GCB) were used for sample purification.

Surface Reaction for the Preparation of High-Performance Li-Rich Mn-Based Cathode Materials with Integrated Surface Functionalization.

Li-rich Mn-based cathode materials (LLOs) are often faced with problems such as low initial Coulombic efficiency (ICE), limited rate performance, voltage decay, and structural instability. Addressing these problems with a single approach is challenging. To overcome these limitations, we developed an LLO with surface functionalization using a simple fabrication method.

Establishing superfine nanofibrils for robust polyelectrolyte artificial spider silk and powerful artificial muscles.

Spider silk exhibits an excellent combination of high strength and toughness, which originates from the hierarchical self-assembled structure of spidroin during fiber spinning. In this work, superfine nanofibrils are established in polyelectrolyte artificial spider silk by optimizing the flexibility of polymer chains, which exhibits combination of breaking strength and toughness ranging from 1.83 GPa and 238 MJ m to 0.

A Freestanding 3D Skeleton with Gradationally Distributed Lithiophilic Sites for Realizing Stable Lithium Anodes.

Lithium (Li) metal anodes are drawing considerable attention owing to their ultrahigh theoretical capacities and low electrochemical reduction potentials. However, their commercialization has been hampered by safety hazards induced by continuous dendrite growth. These issues can be alleviated using the ZnO-modified 3D carbon-based host containing carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and carbon felt (CF) fabricated by electroplating in the present study (denoted as ZnO/CNT@CF).

Neuron-Inspired Sticky Artificial Spider Silk for Signal Transmission.

Neurons exhibit excellent signal transmission capacity, which inspire artificial neuron materials for applications in the field of wearable electronics and soft robotics. In addition, the neuron fibers exhibit good mechanical robustness by sticking to the organs, which currently has rarely been studied. Here, a sticky artificial spider silk is developed by employing a proton donor-acceptor (PrDA) hydrogel fiber for application as artificial neuron fibers.

BMP7 expression in mammalian cortical radial glial cells increases the length of the neurogenic period.

The seat of human intelligence is the human cerebral cortex, which is responsible for our exceptional cognitive abilities. Identifying principles that lead to the development of the large-sized human cerebral cortex will shed light on what makes the human brain and species so special. The remarkable increase in the number of human cortical pyramidal neurons and the size of the human cerebral cortex is mainly because human cortical radial glial cells, primary neural stem cells in the cortex, generate cortical pyramidal neurons for more than 130 days, whereas the same process takes only about 7 days in mice.

A Bifunctional Fluorine-Free Electrolyte Additive for Realizing Dendrite-Free Lithium Anodes.

Owing to the strong energy advantage of lithium anodes, the development of lithium-metal batteries has become an inevitable trend. However, plagued by the instability of solid-electrolyte interphase (SEI) films, lithium metal anodes face challenges such as lithium dendrite formation and volume expansion. Studies have proven that modulating the composition and structure of SEI films by using electrolyte additives is a convenient and valid method.

Liquid-liquid equilibrium experiment and mechanism analysis of menthol-based deep eutectic solvents extraction for separation of fuel additive tert-butanol.

Deep eutectic solvents (DESs) were synthesized using menthol as hydrogen bond acceptor (HBA) and different carbon chain carboxylic acids as hydrogen bond donors (HBD). The liquid equilibrium (LLE) experiment was used to determine the distribution coefficient (β) and slectivity (S) at standard atmospheric pressure and temperature. The effect of DESs on the separation efficiency was discussed by changing the proportion.

The transcription factor promotes the D1 MSN identity and represses the D2 MSN identity.

The striatum is primarily composed of two types of medium spiny neurons (MSNs) expressing either D1- or D2-type dopamine receptors. However, the fate determination of these two types of neurons is not fully understood. Here, we found that D1 MSNs undergo fate switching to D2 MSNs in the absence of .

Transcription factor Sp9 is a negative regulator of D1-type MSN development.

The striatum is the main input structure of the basal ganglia, receiving information from the cortex and the thalamus and consisting of D1- and D2- medium spiny neurons (MSNs). D1-MSNs and D2-MSNs are essential for motor control and cognitive behaviors and have implications in Parkinson's Disease. In the present study, we demonstrated that Sp9-positive progenitors produced both D1-MSNs and D2-MSNs and that Sp9 expression was rapidly downregulated in postmitotic D1-MSNs.

A Circuit Model for Working Memory Based on Hybrid Positive and Negative-Derivative Feedback Mechanism.

Working memory (WM) plays an important role in cognitive activity. The WM system is used to temporarily store information in learning and decision-making. WM always functions in many aspects of daily life, such as the short-term memory of words, cell phone verification codes, and cell phone numbers.

Dlx1/2-dependent expression of Meis2 promotes neuronal fate determination in the mammalian striatum.

The striatum is a central regulator of behavior and motor function through the actions of D1 and D2 medium-sized spiny neurons (MSNs), which arise from a common lateral ganglionic eminence (LGE) progenitor. The molecular mechanisms of cell fate specification of these two neuronal subtypes are incompletely understood. Here, we found that deletion of murine Meis2, which is highly expressed in the LGE and derivatives, led to a large reduction in striatal MSNs due to a block in their differentiation.

Transcription Factor VAX1 Regulates the Regional Specification of the Subpallium Through Repressing Gsx2.

Specification of the progenitors' regional identity is a pivotal step during development of the cerebral cortex and basal ganglia. The molecular mechanisms underlying progenitor regionalization, however, are poorly understood. Here we showed that the transcription factor Vax1 was highly expressed in the developing subpallium.

Transcriptional profiling reveals the transcription factor networks regulating the survival of striatal neurons.

The striatum is structurally highly diverse, and its organ functionality critically depends on normal embryonic development. Although several studies have been conducted on the gene functional changes that occur during striatal development, a system-wide analysis of the underlying molecular changes is lacking. Here, we present a comprehensive transcriptome profile that allows us to explore the trajectory of striatal development and identify the correlation between the striatal development and Huntington's disease (HD).

Decoding Cortical Glial Cell Development.

Mouse cortical radial glial cells (RGCs) are primary neural stem cells that give rise to cortical oligodendrocytes, astrocytes, and olfactory bulb (OB) GABAergic interneurons in late embryogenesis. There are fundamental gaps in understanding how these diverse cell subtypes are generated. Here, by combining single-cell RNA-Seq with intersectional lineage analyses, we show that beginning at around E16.

[HPLC using capillary monolithic column molecularly imprinted with composite metal organic frame for enrichment and detection of Ponceau 4R in ].

Objective: To assess the performance of high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) combined with capillary monolithic column molecularly imprinted with metal organic frame (UiO-66-NH@MIPs capillary monolithic column) for enrichment, purification and detection of Ponceau 4R in .

Methods: UiO-66-NH@MIPs monolithic columns were prepared via polymerization, and the adsorption properties and morphology of the columns were characterized by HPLC, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and infrared (IR) spectral analysis. HPLC with the prepared columns was performed for detecting the content of Ponceau 4R in samples.

Proteomic profiling of yellow catfish (Pelteobagrus fulvidraco) skin mucus identifies differentially-expressed proteins in response to Edwardsiella ictaluri infection.

Fish mucus acts as a physiological and immunological barrier for maintaining normal fish physiology and conferring defense against pathogens infection. Here we report proteomic profiling of skin mucus of yellow catfish before and after E. ictaluri infection by Label-free LC-MS/MS approach.

Zfhx3 is required for the differentiation of late born D1-type medium spiny neurons.

The striatum, the major component of the basal ganglia, consists of the caudate-putamen, nucleus accumbens and olfactory tubercle. The striatal principal projection neurons are comprised of medium spiny neurons (MSNs) with two dopamine receptors: DRD1 (D1 MSNs) and DRD2 (D2 MSNs). In the present study, we demonstrate that Zfhx3 is strongly expressed in the boundary of the subventricular zone (SVZ)/mantle zone (MZ) of the lateral ganglionic eminence (LGE), and its expression in the striatum is downregulated during the first postnatal week.

The PROK2/PROKR2 signaling pathway is required for the migration of most olfactory bulb interneurons.

Neural stem cells in the subventricular zone (SVZ) of the lateral ventricle generate new interneurons, which migrate tangentially through the rostral migratory stream (RMS) to the olfactory bulb (OB). The PROK2 (prokineticin 2) and PROKR2 (prokineticin receptor 2) signaling pathway has been identified to cause human Kallmann syndrome, a developmental disease that associates hypogonadism with anosmia (OB developmental defects). However, the identities and properties of PROK2 and PROKR2 cells in the SVZ-RMS-OB remain largely unknown.

Transcription factors Sp8 and Sp9 regulate the development of caudal ganglionic eminence-derived cortical interneurons.

Cortical interneurons are derived from the subcortical medial ganglionic eminence (MGE), caudal ganglionic eminence (CGE) and preoptic area (POA). CGE-derived cortical interneurons, which comprise around 30% of all cortical interneurons, mainly express Htr3a, calretinin (CR), Reelin (RELN) and vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP). In the present study, we show that transcription factors Sp8 and Sp9 are co-expressed in the subventricular zone (SVZ) of the dorsal CGE.

Leucine mediates autophagosome-lysosome fusion and improves sperm motility by activating the PI3K/Akt pathway.

Amino acid supplementation is an efficient and effective strategy to increase sperm quality. In our research, a comparative study was conducted to screen free amino acids to improve sperm motility, and we found that leucine was the most efficient one. Leucine treatment increases sperm motility depending on the activation of PI3K/Akt signaling pathway, while the chemical inhibitor of PI3K/Akt signal could reduce the amount of pAkt activated by leucine treatment.

Chip-based dual-molecularly imprinted monolithic capillary array columns coated Ag/GO for selective extraction and simultaneous determination of bisphenol A and nonyl phenol in fish samples.

An analytical technique for selective, simultaneous determination of bisphenol A (BPA) and nonyl phenol (NP) in fish samples was established by a solid-phase extraction chip integrated with array columns of dual-molecularly imprinted polymer-coated silver-modified graphene oxide (Ag/GO-dual-MISPE-chip). Ag/GO dual-molecularly imprinted polymers (Ag/GO-dual-MIPs) were synthesized by in situ polymerization using Ag/GO as the supporting matrix which extracted templates easily. The affinity and specificity on the Ag/GO-dual-MISPE monolithic column were also investigated.

Chip-based molecularly imprinted monolithic capillary array columns coated GO/SiO2 for selective extraction and sensitive determination of rhodamine B in chili powder.

A novel solid-phase extraction chip embedded with array columns of molecularly imprinted polymer-coated silanized graphene oxide (GO/SiO2-MISPE) was established to detect trace rhodamine B (RB) in chili powder. GO/SiO2-MISPE monolithic columns for RB detection were prepared by optimizing the supporting substrate, template, and polymerizing monomer under mild water bath conditions. Adsorption capacity and specificity, which are critical properties for the application of the GO/SiO2-MISPE monolithic column, were investigated.

A simple and compact fluorescence detection system for capillary electrophoresis and its application to food analysis.

A novel fluorescence detection system for CE was described and evaluated. Two miniature laser pointers were used as the excitation source. A Y-style optical fiber was used to transmit the excitation light and a four-branch optical fiber was used to collect the fluorescence.