Life cycle comparison of industrial-scale lithium-ion battery recycling and mining supply chains.

Recycling lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) can supplement critical materials and improve the environmental sustainability of LIB supply chains. In this work, environmental impacts (greenhouse gas emissions, water consumption, energy consumption) of industrial-scale production of battery-grade cathode materials from end-of-life LIBs are compared to those of conventional mining supply chains. Converting mixed-stream LIBs into battery-grade materials reduces environmental impacts by at least 58%.

Triplet-ground-state nonalternant nanographene with high stability and long spin lifetimes.

High-spin carbon-based polyradicals exhibit significant potential for applications in quantum information storage and sensing; however, their practical application is hampered by limited structural diversity and chemical instability. Here, we report a straightforward synthetic and isolation method for synthesizing a nonalternant nanographene (1) with a triplet ground state. Moving beyond the classic m-xylylene scaffold for high-spin organic molecules, seven-five-seven (7-5-7)-membered rings are introduced to create stable high-spin diradicals with half-lives (t) as long as 101 days.

Microenvironment engineering by targeted delivery of Ag nanoparticles for boosting electrocatalytic CO reduction reaction.

Creating and maintaining a favorable microenvironment for electrocatalytic CO reduction reaction (eCORR) is challenging due to the vigorous interactions with both gas and electrolyte solution during the electrocatalysis. Herein, to boost the performance of eCORR, a unique synthetic method that deploys the in situ reduction of precoated precursors is developed to produce activated Ag nanoparticles (NPs) within the gas diffusion layer (GDL), where the thus-obtained Ag NPs-Skeleton can block direct contact between the active Ag sites and electrolyte. Specifically, compared to the conventional surface loading mode in the acidic media, our freestanding and binder free electrode can achieve obvious higher CO selectivity of 94%, CO production rate of 23.

Functional analysis and modification of anti-lipopolysaccharide factor (ALF) from the freshwater crab Sinopotamon henanense and preparation of a novel ShALF6-2 K-AgNPs complex.

Overuse of antibiotics has led to the emergence of drug-resistant bacteria and environmental problems. Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) and silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) can potentially replace antibiotics. Therefore, it is possible to create composite nanostructures with synergistic bactericidal properties by combining AgNPs and AMPs.

Chondroitin sulfate-based dissolvable microneedles loaded with NIR-II photothermal and natural anticancer agents for synergistic melanoma therapy.

Melanoma is characterized by its aggressiveness, high metastatic potential, and numerous mutations, which limit the effectiveness of current treatments. To address this issue, we developed a dissolvable microneedle (MN) system composed of poly(2-ethyl-2-oxazoline) (PEtOz) and chondroitin sulfate (CS). This MN system was loaded with liposomes containing both a NIR-II photothermal small molecule (IRLy) and the natural anticancer agent Gambogic acid (GA), forming Lip(IRLy + GA) MNs.

Colloidal ionogels: Controlled assembly and self-propulsion upon tunable swelling.

Active colloids driven out of thermal equilibrium serve as building blocks for smart materials with tunable structures and functions. Using chemical energy to drive colloids is advantageous but requires precise control over chemical release. To address this, we developed colloidal ionogels-polymer microspheres infused with ionic liquids-that show controlled assembly and self-propulsion upon tunable swelling.

When low-light meets flares: Towards Synchronous Flare Removal and Brightness Enhancement.

Low-light image enhancement (LLIE) aims to improve the visibility and illumination of low-light images. However, real-world low-light images are usually accompanied with flares caused by light sources, which make it difficult to discern the content of dark images. In this case, current LLIE and nighttime flare removal methods face challenges in handling these flared low-light images effectively: (1) Flares in dark images will disturb the content of images and cause uneven lighting, potentially resulting in overexposure or chromatic aberration; (2) the slight noise in low-light images may be amplified during the process of enhancement, leading to speckle noise and blur in the enhanced images; (3) the nighttime flare removal methods usually ignore the detailed information in dark regions, which may cause inaccurate representation.

Nanosheet-shaped WS/ICG nanocomposite for photodynamic/photothermal synergistic bacterial clearance and cutaneous regeneration on infectious wounds.

Bacterial infections present a significant threat to human health, a challenge that is intensified by the slow pace of novel antibiotic development and the swift emergence of bacterial resistance. The development of novel antibacterial agents is crucial. Indocyanine green (ICG), a widely used imaging dye, efficiently generates reactive oxygen species (ROS) and heat for treating bacterial infections but suffers from aggregation and instability, limiting its efficacy.

Comparative analysis of certified emission reduction methodologies for methane emission reduction in China.

As one of the top emitters of methane (CH), China must take action to achieve its carbon neutrality goal. Programs to reduce CH emissions would benefit from the establishment of the China Certified Emission Reduction (CCER) trading market. However, studies investigating the impact of the CCER trading market on CH reduction remain limited.

Pulchinenoside B4 alleviates DSS-induced colitis by inhibiting CD1d-dependent NLRP3 inflammasome activation in macrophages.

Ulcerative colitis (UC) represents a significant challenge to global health, underscoring the importance of developing novel alternative anti-colitis agents. Inhibition of the NLRP3 inflammasome in macrophages has emerged as a potential therapeutic strategy for UC. Pulchinenoside B4 (PB4) is a major component of traditional medicinal plants that demonstrated to possess promising anti-inflammatory properties.

Significant Impact of a Daytime Halogen Oxidant on Coastal Air Quality.

Chlorine radicals (Cl) are highly reactive and affect the fate of air pollutants. Several field studies in China have revealed elevated levels of daytime molecular chlorine (Cl), which, upon photolysis, release substantial amounts of Cl but are poorly represented in current chemical transport models. Here, we implemented a parametrization for the formation of daytime Cl through the photodissociation of particulate nitrate in acidic environments into a regional model and assessed its impact on coastal air quality during autumn in South China.

Steering the Absorption Configuration of Intermediates over Pd-Based Electrocatalysts toward Efficient and Stable CO Reduction.

Palladium (Pd) catalysts are promising for electrochemical reduction of CO to CO but often can be deactivated by poisoning owing to the strong affinity of *CO on Pd sites. Theoretical investigations reveal that different configurations of *CO endow specific adsorption energies, thereby dictating the final performances. Here, a regulatory strategy toward *CO absorption configurations is proposed to alleviate CO poisoning by simultaneously incorporating Cu and Zn atoms into ultrathin Pd nanosheets (NSs).

Physiological growth of ocular axial length among Chinese children and teenagers: A 6-year cohort study.

To investigate the pattern and threshold of physiological growth, defining as axial length (AL) elongation that results in little refraction progression, among Chinese children and teenagers, a total of 916 children aged between 7 and 18 years from a 6-year longitudinal cohort study were included for analysis. Ocular biometry, cycloplegic refraction and demographic data were obtained annually. Physiological growth was calculated based on myopic progression and Gullstrand eye model, respectively.

Needs Assessment to Guide the Development of a Pediatric Survivorship Program to Promote the Physical and Psychological Well-being of Children After Cancer Treatment.

Background: Studies have provided insights into the major challenges and needs of young children who survive cancer. Many such challenges are related to a lack of support during the patient's transition back to normal life. Survivorship programs are designed to help survivors cope with potential late effects of treatment and to provide psychosocial support.

Peaceful dying among Canada's elderly: An analysis of the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging.

Introduction: Death is universal, yet relatively little is known about how Canadians experience their death. Using novel decedent interview data from the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging we describe the prevalence and characteristics of peace with dying among older Canadians.

Methods: We conducted a secondary analysis of decedent interview data from the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging.

Extracellular vesicle-associated miR-ERIA exerts the anti-angiogenic effect of macrophages in diabetic wound healing.

Many cell types are involved in the regulation of cutaneous wound healing in diabetes. Clarifying the mechanism of cell-cell interactions is important for identifying therapeutic targets for diabetic cutaneous ulcers. The function of vascular endothelial cells in the cutaneous microenvironment is critical, and a decrease in their biological function leads directly to refractory wound healing.

Unraveling Mechanisms of Genetic Risks in Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Steatotic Liver Diseases: A Pathway to Precision Medicine.

Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) is a growing global health problem, affecting ∼1 billion people. This condition is well established to have a heritable component with strong familial clustering. With the extraordinary breakthroughs in genetic research techniques coupled with their application to large-scale biobanks, the field of genetics in MASLD has expanded rapidly.

Long COVID and gut microbiome: insights into pathogenesis and therapeutics.

Post-acute coronavirus disease 2019 syndrome (PACS), following severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection or coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), is typically characterized by long-term debilitating symptoms affecting multiple organs and systems. Unfortunately, there is currently a lack of effective treatment strategies. Altered gut microbiome has been proposed as one of the plausible mechanisms involved in the pathogenesis of PACS; extensive studies have emerged to bridge the gap between the persistent symptoms and the dysbiosis of gut microbiome.

A novel model of central precocious puberty disease: Paternal MKRN3 gene-modified rabbit.

Background: Makorin ring finger protein 3 gene (MKRN3) gene mutation is the most common genetic cause of central precocious puberty (CPP) in children. Due to the lack of ideal MKRN3-modified animal model (MKRN3-modified mice enter puberty only 4-5 days earlier than normal mice), the related research is limited.

Methods: Therefore, the MKRN3-modified rabbit was developed using CRISPR (clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats) gene editing technology.

Educational attainment, Aβ, tau, and structural brain reserve in Alzheimer's disease.

Introduction: Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients with higher educational attainment (EA) often exhibit better cognitive function. However, the relationship among EA status, AD pathology, structural brain reserve, and cognitive decline requires further investigation.

Methods: We compared cognitive performance across different amyloid beta (Aβ) positron emission tomography (A ±) statuses and EA levels (High EA/Low EA).