Nanosheets‐Assembled CuSe Crystal Pillar as a Stable and High‐Power Anode for Sodium‐Ion and Potassium‐Ion Batteries

Thanks to low costs and the abundance of the resources, sodium‐ion (SIBs) and potassium‐ion batteries (PIBs) have emerged as leading candidates for next‐generation energy storage devices. So far, only few materials can serve as the host for both Na⁺ and K⁺ ions. Herein, a cubic phase CuSe with crystal‐pillar‐like morphology (CPL‐CuSe) assembled by the nanosheets are synthesized and its dual functionality in SIBs and PIBs is comprehensively studied. The electrochemical measurements demonstrate that CPL‐CuSe enables fast Na⁺ and K⁺ storage as well as the sufficiently long duration. Specifically, the anode delivers a specific capacity of 295 mA h g^?1 at current density of 10 A g^?1 in SIBs, while 280 mA h g^?1 at 5 A g^?1 in PIBs, as well as the high capacity retention of nearly 100% over 1200 cycles and 340 cycles, respectively. Remarkably, CPL‐CuSe exhibits a high initial coulombic efficiency of 91.0% (SIBs) and 92.4% (PIBs), superior to most existing selenide anodes. A combination of in situ X‐ray diffraction and ex situ transmission electron microscopy tests fundamentally reveal the structural transition and phase evolution of CuSe, which shows a reversible conversion reaction for both cells, while the intermediate products are different due to the sluggish K⁺ insertion reaction.     

Glutamine Synthetase (GS): A Key Enzyme for Nitrogen Assimilation in The Macroalga Gracilariopsis lemaneiformis (Rhodophyta)

This study aimed to address the importance of glutamine synthetase II (GSII) during nitrogen assimilation in macroalga Gracilariopsis lemaneiformis. The cDNA full‐length sequence of the three glGSII genes was revealed to have the 5′ m⁷G cap, 5′‐untranslated region, open reading frame (ORF), 3′‐untranslated region, and a 3′ poly (A) tail. The three glGSIIs were classified into plastid glGS2 and cytosolic glGS1‐1 and glGS1‐2, having conserved GSII domains but different cDNA sequences. The complicated 5′ end flanking region indicates complex function of glGS genes. glGS1 genes were significantly up‐regulated under the different NH₄⁺: NO₃^? ratio (i.e., 40:10, 25:25, 10:40, and 0:50) except glGS2 which dramatically up‐regulated under the low NH₄⁺: NO₃^? ratio (i.e., 10:40 and 0:50) during different cultivation times. These different expression patterns perhaps are due to the different biological roles of GS1 and GS2 in the gene family. Furthermore, hypothetical working model of nitrogen assimilation pathway exhibiting the role of glGS1 and glGS2 is proposed. Finally, glGS2 was expressed in Escherichia coli BL21 (DE3), and the optimal conditions for culture (15°C, overnight), purification (500 mM imidazole washing), and activity (pH 7.4, 37°C) were established. This study lays a very important foundation for exploring the role of GS in nitrogen assimilation in algae and plants.     

Enhancement of hippocampal neurogenesis by lithium

Increasing evidence suggests that mood disorders are associated with a reduction in regional CNS volume and neuronal and glial cell atrophy or loss. Lithium, a mainstay in the treatment of mood disorders, has recently been demonstrated to robustly increase the levels of the cytoprotective B-cell lymphoma protein-2 (bcl-2) in areas of rodent brain and in cultured cells. In view of bcl-2's antiapoptotic and neurotrophic effects, the present study was undertaken to determine if lithium affects neurogenesis in the adult rodent hippocampus. Mice were chronically treated with lithium, and 5-bromo-2-deoxyuridine (BrdU) labeling of dividing cells was conducted over 12 days. Immunohistochemical analysis was undertaken 1 day after the last injection, and three-dimensional stereological cell counting revealed that lithium produced a significant 25% increase in the BrdU-labeled cells in the dentate gyrus. Double-labeling immunofluorescence studies were undertaken to co-localize BrdU-positive cells with neuron-specific nuclear protein and showed that approximately 65% of the cells were double-labeled. These results add to the growing body of evidence suggesting that mood stabilizers and antidepressants exert neurotrophic effects and may therefore be of use in the long-term treatment of other neuropsychiatric disorders.     

Validation of a Consensus Method for Identifying Delirium from Hospital Records

Background

Delirium is increasingly considered to be an important determinant of trajectories of cognitive decline. Therefore, analyses of existing cohort studies measuring cognitive outcomes could benefit from methods to ascertain a retrospective delirium diagnosis. This study aimed to develop and validate such a method for delirium detection using routine medical records in UK and Ireland.

Methods

A point prevalence study of delirium provided the reference-standard ratings for delirium diagnosis. Blinded to study results, clinical vignettes were compiled from participants'' medical records in a standardised manner, describing any relevant delirium symptoms recorded in the whole case record for the period leading up to case-ascertainment. An expert panel rated each vignette as unlikely, possible, or probable delirium and disagreements were resolved by consensus.

Results

From 95 case records, 424 vignettes were abstracted by 5 trained clinicians. There were 29 delirium cases according to the reference standard. Median age of subjects was 76.6 years (interquartile range 54.6 to 82.5). Against the original study DSM-IV diagnosis, the chart abstraction method gave a positive likelihood ratio (LR) of 7.8 (95% CI 5.7–12.0) and the negative LR of 0.45 (95% CI 0.40–0.47) for probable delirium (sensitivity 0.58 (95% CI 0.53–0.62); specificity 0.93 (95% CI 0.90–0.95); AUC 0.86 (95% CI 0.82–0.89)). The method diagnosed possible delirium with positive LR 3.5 (95% CI 2.9–4.3) and negative LR 0.15 (95% CI 0.11–0.21) (sensitivity 0.89 (95% CI 0.85–0.91); specificity 0.75 (95% CI 0.71–0.79); AUC 0.86 (95% CI 0.80–0.89)).

Conclusions

This chart abstraction method can retrospectively diagnose delirium in hospitalised patients with good accuracy. This has potential for retrospectively identifying delirium in cohort studies where routine medical records are available. This example of record linkage between hospitalisations and epidemiological data may lead to further insights into the inter-relationship between acute illness, as an exposure, for a range of chronic health outcomes.     

Coordinative versatility of 2,3-bis(2-pyridyl)-5,8-dimethoxyquinoxaline (L) to different metal ions: syntheses, crystal structures and properties of [Cu(I)L]2 and [ML] (M=Cu(II), Ni(II), Zn(II) and Co(II))

The complexes of Cu(I), Cu(II), Ni(II), Zn(II) and Co(II) with a new polypyridyl ligand, 2,3-bis(2-pyridyl)-5,8-dimethoxyquinoxaline (L), have been synthesized and characterized. The crystal structures of these complexes have been elucidated by X-ray diffraction analyses and three types of coordination modes for L were found to exist in them. In the dinuclear complex [Cu(I)L(CH₃CN)]₂·(ClO₄)₂ (1), L acts as a tridentate ligand with two Cu(I) centers bridged by two L ligands to form a box-like dimeric structure, in which each Cu(I) ion is penta-coordinated with three nitrogen atoms and a methoxyl oxygen atom of two L ligands, and an acetonitrile. In [Cu(II)L(NO₃)₂]·CH₃CN 2, the Cu(II) center is coordinated to the two nitrogen atoms of the two pyridine rings of L which acts as a bidentate ligand. The structures of [Ni(II)L(NO₃)(H₂O)₂]·2CH₃CN·NO₃ (3), [Zn(II)L(NO₃)₂ (H₂O)]·2CH₃CN (4) and [Co(II)LCl₂(H₂O)] (5) are similar to each other in which L acts as a tridentate ligand by using its half side, and the metal centers are coordinated to a methoxyl oxygen atom and two bipyridine nitrogen atoms of L in the same side. The formation of infinite quasi-one-dimensional chains (1, 4 and 5) or a quasi-two-dimensional sheet (2) assisted by the intra- or intermolecular face-to-face aryl stacking interactions and hydrogen bonds may have stabilized the crystals of these complexes. Luminescence studies showed that 1 exhibits broad, structureless emissions at 420 nm in the solid state and at 450 nm in frozen alcohol frozen glasses at 77 K. Cyclic voltammetric studies of 1 show the presence of an irreversible metal-centered reduction wave at approximately −0.973 V versus Fc^+/0 and a quasi-reversible ligand-centered reduction couple at approximately −1.996 V versus Fc^+/0. The solution behaviors of these complexes have been further studied by UV-Vis and ESR techniques.     

Cladiella Octocorals: Enormous Sources of Secondary Metabolites with Diverse Structural and Biological Properties

Marine octocorals belonging to the genus Cladiella, usually encountered on reefs in the Indo-Pacific region, have been proven to be rich sources of diverse secondary metabolites with intriguing structural features and promising bioactivities. In this review, 155 compounds from six unambiguously identified C. krempfi, C. australis, C. pachyclados, C. hirsuta, C. tuberculosa, C. conifera, together with several unidentified Cladiella spp. are summarized covering the literatures from 2006 to August 2022. It is noteworthy that diterpenoids dominated the secondary metabolite profile of this genus counting for 78 %. Structurally, the majority of these diterpenes belonged to eunicellan family characterized by different patterns of ether linkage. The impacts of these chemical compositions on an array of potential pharmacological activities were also reviewed, giving an overview of the potential application of Cladiella secondary metabolites.     

Effects of plant trichomes on herbivores and predators on soybeans

Abstract Tritrophic interaction in soybean system has received increasing attention recently. However, few studies have investigated the influence of plant trichomes on the population dynamics of soybean herbivores and their natural enemies. We conducted a field survey to investigate whether soybean trichomes affected the abundance of herbivores and their predators. The results of this study show that moderately or densely pubescent trichomes have positive influences on the abundance of some herbivores (e.g., Stollia guttiger) and predators (e.g., Propylaea japonica and Orius similes) although the influence may change over time, while trichome types do not affect the density of soybean aphid, Aphis glycines.     

Kinetic difference of berberine between hippocampus and plasma in rat after intravenous administration of Coptidis rhizoma extract

In order to investigate the pharmacokinetics of berberine in Coptidis rhizoma extract in rat hippocampus and plasma, a simple and accurate high-performance liquid chromatography method was employed in this study. Berberine was determined using a Hypersil C(18) column with an isocratic mobile phase of acetonitrile-0.05 M potassium dihydrogen phosphate (containing 0.5% triethylamine, pH 3.0) and with UV detection at 236 nm. The lower limit of quantification for berberine in both hippocampus and plasma was 24 ng/ml, and the lowest concentrations of berberine determined in rat hippocampus and plasma samples were 30.7 ng/ml at 48 h and 38.5 ng/ml at 4 h, respectively. The calibration curve for berberine was linear over the concentration range 24--6000 ng/ml. At this concentration range, the overall recoveries (90.6--94.2%) for berberine were determined and the accuracy of intra- and inter-day assays from rat samples were less than 7% RSD. Following intravenous administration of C. rhizoma extract at a dose of 10.2 mg/kg containing 3 mg/kg berberine, berberine in the plasma eliminated rapidly (t(1/2 beta)=1.13 h). However, berberine in the hippocampus increased rapidly (t(1/2 alpha)=0.215 h), peaked at 3.67 h with a concentration of 272 ng/g, and had a slow elimination rate (t(1/2 beta)=12.0 h), which suggests that berberine could have a direct action on neuron and accumulate in the hippocampus. This study first showed the pharmacokinetic characteristics of berberine in rat hippocampus and the kinetic characteristics of berberine are dissimilar in the hippocampus and plasma.     

红松越冬针叶的电子自旋共振（ESR）波谱

用ESR波谱仪在越冬红松针叶及叶绿体冻干粉中检出了g值分别为2.0044和2.0037的明确的单峰信号。针叶伤害愈重,信号愈强。此信号可被Vc或富含SOD等多种自由基清除剂的沙棘果汁所抑制。针叶受害愈重,沙棘果汁对信号的抑制作用愈强,Vc的抑制作用愈弱。据此认为红松苗越冬伤害和有机自由基的形成有关。在伤害发展的不同阶段,有机自由基的种类组成也不同。