Formic acid (HCOOH) is one of the most promising chemical fuels that can be produced through CO2 electroreduction. However, most of the catalysts for CO2 electroreduction to HCOOH in aqueous solution ...often suffer from low current density and limited production rate. Herein, we provide a bismuth/cerium oxide (Bi/CeOx) catalyst, which exhibits not only high current density (149 mA cm−2), but also unprecedented production rate (2600 μmol h−1 cm−2) with high Faradaic efficiency (FE, 92 %) for HCOOH generation in aqueous media. Furthermore, Bi/CeOx also shows favorable stability over 34 h. We hope this work could offer an attractive and promising strategy to develop efficient catalysts for CO2 electroreduction with superior activity and desirable stability.
The limited current density, production rate as well as selectivity hinder the improvement of HCOOH production from CO2 electroreduction. Here, bismuth/cerium oxide (Bi/CeOx) displays outstanding performances for CO2 electroreduction to HCOOH, which not only shows excellent selectivity, but also achieves a high current density (149 mA cm−2) and especially the maximum HCOOH production rate (2600 μmol h−1 cm−2) ever reported.
Conversion of carbon dioxide (CO2) into valuable chemicals, especially liquid fuels, through electrochemical reduction driven by sustainable energy sources, is a promising way to get rid of ...dependence on fossil fuels, wherein developing of highly efficient catalyst is still of paramount importance. In this study, as a proof‐of‐concept experiment, first a facile while very effective protocol is proposed to synthesize amorphous Cu NPs. Unexpectedly, superior electrochemical performances, including high catalytic activity and selectivity of CO2 reduction to liquid fuels are achieved, that is, a total Faradaic efficiency of liquid fuels can sum up to the maximum value of 59% at −1.4 V, with formic acid (HCOOH) and ethanol (C2H6O) account for 37% and 22%, respectively, as well as a desirable long‐term stability even up to 12 h. More importantly, this work opens a new avenue for improved electroreduction of CO2 based on amorphous metal catalysts.
An amorphous Cu catalyst displays superior catalytic activity toward electroreduction of CO2 with a remarkable selectivity for the reduction to liquid fuels (HCOOH andC2H6O) relative to a crystalline Cu catalyst.
Metabolite lactic acid has always been regarded as a metabolic by-product rather than a bioactive molecule. Recently, this view has changed since it was discovered that lactic acid can be used as a ...signal molecule and has novel signal transduction functions both intracellular and extracellular, which can regulate key functions in the immune system. In recent years, more and more evidence has shown that lactic acid is closely related to the metabolism and polarization of macrophages. During inflammation, lactic acid is a regulator of macrophage metabolism, and it can prevent excessive inflammatory responses; In malignant tumors, lactic acid produced by tumor tissues promotes the polarization of tumor-associated macrophages, which in turn promotes tumor progression. In this review, we examined the relationship between lactic acid and macrophage metabolism. We further discussed how lactic acid plays a role in maintaining the homeostasis of macrophages, as well as the biology of macrophage polarization and the M1/M2 imbalance in human diseases. Potential methods to target lactic acid in the treatment of inflammation and cancer will also be discussed so as to provide new strategies for the treatment of diseases.
The rational combination of conductive nanocarbon with sulfur leads to the formation of composite cathodes that can take full advantage of each building block; this is an effective way to construct ...cathode materials for lithium–sulfur (Li–S) batteries with high energy density. Generally, the areal sulfur‐loading amount is less than 2.0 mg cm−2, resulting in a low areal capacity far below the acceptable value for practical applications. In this contribution, a hierarchical free‐standing carbon nanotube (CNT)‐S paper electrode with an ultrahigh sulfur‐loading of 6.3 mg cm−2 is fabricated using a facile bottom–up strategy. In the CNT–S paper electrode, short multi‐walled CNTs are employed as the short‐range electrical conductive framework for sulfur accommodation, while the super‐long CNTs serve as both the long‐range conductive network and the intercrossed mechanical scaffold. An initial discharge capacity of 6.2 mA·h cm−2 (995 mA·h g−1), a 60% utilization of sulfur, and a slow cyclic fading rate of 0.20%/cycle within the initial 150 cycles at a low current density of 0.05 C are achieved. The areal capacity can be further increased to 15.1 mA·h cm−2 by stacking three CNT–S paper electrodes—resulting in an areal sulfur‐loading of 17.3 mg cm−2—for the cathode of a Li–S cell. The as‐obtained free‐standing paper electrode are of low cost and provide high energy density, making them promising for flexible electronic devices based on Li–S batteries.
A hierarchical free‐standing paper electrode is fabricated using short multi‐walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) and super‐long CNTs. The MWCNTs function as a short‐range electrical conductive framework for sulfur accommodation, while super‐long CNTs act as both a long‐range conductive network and mechanical scaffold.
The sp2‐hybridized nanocarbon (e.g., carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and graphene) exhibits extraordinary mechanical strength and electrical conductivity but limited external accessible surface area and a ...small amount of pores, while nanostructured porous carbon affords a huge surface area and abundant pore structures but very poor electrical conductance. Herein the rational hybridization of the sp2 nanocarbon and nanostructured porous carbon into hierarchical all‐carbon nanoarchitectures is demonstrated, with full inherited advantages of the component materials. The sp2 graphene/CNT interlinked networks give the composites good electrical conductivity and a robust framework, while the meso‐/microporous carbon and the interlamellar compartment between the opposite graphene accommodate sulfur and polysulfides. The strong confinement induced by micro‐/mesopores of all‐carbon nanoarchitectures renders the transformation of S8 crystal into amorphous cyclo‐S8 molecular clusters, restraining the shuttle phenomenon for high capacity retention of a lithium‐sulfur cell. Therefore, the composite cathode with an ultrahigh specific capacity of 1121 mAh g−1 at 0.5 C, a favorable high‐rate capability of 809 mAh g−1 at 10 C, a very low capacity decay of 0.12% per cycle, and an impressive cycling stability of 877 mAh g−1 after 150 cycles at 1 C. As sulfur loading increases from 50 wt% to 77 wt%, high capacities of 970, 914, and 613 mAh g−1 are still available at current densities of 0.5, 1, and 5 C, respectively. Based on the total mass of packaged devices, gravimetric energy density of GSH@APC‐S//Li cell is expected to be 400 Wh kg−1 at a power density of 10 000 W kg−1, matching the level of engine driven systems.
3D interconnected graphene/CNT networks are coated with porous carbon. The sp2 graphene/CNT interlinked network gives the composites good electrical conductivity and a robust framework, while the meso‐/microporous carbon and the interlamellar compartment between the opposite graphene accommodate sulfur and polysulfides, provide accessibility for liquid electrolyte to active materials, and restrain the shuttle phenomenon.
All‐solid‐state (ASS) lithium metal batteries (LMBs) are considered the most promising next‐generation batteries due to their superior safety and high projected energy density. To access the ...practically desired high energy density of ASS LMBs, an ultrathin solid‐state electrolyte (SSE) film with fast ion‐transport capability presents as an irreplaceable component to reduce the proportion of inactive materials in ASS batteries. In this contribution, an ultrathin (60 µm), flexible, and free‐standing argyrodite (Li6PS5Cl) SSE film is designed through a self‐limited strategy. A chemically compatible cellulose membrane is employed as the self‐limiting skeleton that not only defined the thinness of the sulfide SSE film but also strengthened its mechanical properties. The ionic conductivity of the SSE film reaches up to 6.3 × 10−3 S cm−1 at room temperature, enabling rapid lithium‐ion transportation. The self‐limited SSE thin films are evaluated in various ASS LMBs with different types of cathode (sulfur and lithium titanate) and anode materials (lithium and lithium‐indium alloy) at both mold‐cell and pouch‐cell levels, demonstrating a stable performance and high‐rate capability. This study provides a general strategy for the rational design of an SSE thin film towards high‐energy‐density ASS batteries.
An ultrathin, flexible, and free‐standing argyrodite solid‐state electrolyte film is designed through a self‐limited strategy. The ionic conductivity of the SSE film reaches up to 6.3 × 10−3 S cm−1 at room temperature, enabling rapid lithium‐ion transportation in all‐solid‐state batteries.
Uncontrollable itch-scratching cycles lead to serious skin damage in patients with chronic itch. However, the neural mechanism promoting the itch-scratching cycle remains elusive. Here, we report ...that tachykinin 1 (Tac1)-expressing glutamatergic neurons in the lateral and ventrolateral periaqueductal gray (l/vlPAG) facilitate the itch-scratching cycle. We found that l/vlPAG neurons exhibited scratching-behavior-related neural activity and that itch-evoked scratching behavior was impaired after suppressing the activity of l/vlPAG neurons. Furthermore, we showed that the activity of Tac1-expressing glutamatergic neurons in the l/vlPAG was elevated during itch-induced scratching behavior and that ablating or suppressing the activity of these neurons decreased itch-induced scratching behavior. Importantly, activation of Tac1-expressing neurons induced robust spontaneous scratching and grooming behaviors. The scratching behavior evoked by Tac1-expressing neuron activation was suppressed by ablation of spinal neurons expressing gastrin-releasing peptide receptor (GRPR), the key relay neurons for itch. These results suggest that Tac1-expressing neurons in the l/vlPAG promote itch-scratching cycles.
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•Neurons in l/vlPAG exhibit scratching behavior related to neural activities•Ablation of Tac1+ but not SST+ neurons decreases itch-induced scratching behavior•Activation of Tac1+ neurons induces spontaneous scratching and grooming behaviors•l/vlPAG Tac1+ neurons modulate spinal itch processing via a RVM-dependent pathway
Gao et al. demonstrate that Tac1-expressing neurons in the l/vlPAG modulate spinal itch processing via a descending pathway. These neurons represent a critical component in the neural circuit that drives the itch-scratching cycle.
•Sleep loss and irregular sleep patterns in adolescents are a major public health concern.•Both short and long sleep duration on weekdays and weekends are related to depressive ...symptoms.•Weekday-weekend sleep imbalance is related to depressive symptoms.
Sleep loss and irregular sleep patterns in adolescents are major public health concerns in the modern society. This study aimed to explore the associations between short and long sleep duration and depressive symptoms among Chinese adolescents.
A total of 7311 adolescents who participated in the baseline survey and were followed up 1 year or 2 years later were included in the analyses. Participants completed a self-administered questionnaire at baseline and follow-up surveys. The Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression (CES-D) scale was used to assess depressive symptoms. Generalized estimating equation (GEE) and restrictive cubic spline models were used to estimate the association between sleep duration and depressive symptoms.
After adjusting for adolescent and family covariates, sleep duration <8 h and >=9 h on weekdays and sleep duration <8 h and >=12 h on weekends were significantly associated with depressive symptoms compared with sleep 8 h. Weekend-weekday sleep difference >=3 h or <-1 h (ie. sleeping >1 h on weekdays than weekends) was also associated with depressive symptoms. There were U-shaped relationships between sleep duration on weekdays, weekends, or weekday-weekend sleep difference and depressive symptoms.
Sleep duration and depression were measured by self-report.
Our findings highlight the risk of short and long sleep duration, and weekday-weekend sleep imbalance for depression in adolescents.
China is one of the countries with the highest incidence of gastric cancer. There are differences in epidemiological characteristics, clinicopathological features, tumor biological characteristics, ...treatment patterns, and drug selection between gastric cancer patients from the Eastern and Western countries. Non‐Chinese guidelines cannot specifically reflect the diagnosis and treatment characteristics for the Chinese gastric cancer patients. The Chinese Society of Clinical Oncology (CSCO) arranged for a panel of senior experts specializing in all sub‐specialties of gastric cancer to compile, discuss, and revise the guidelines on the diagnosis and treatment of gastric cancer based on the findings of evidence‐based medicine in China and abroad. By referring to the opinions of industry experts, taking into account of regional differences, giving full consideration to the accessibility of diagnosis and treatment resources, these experts have conducted experts’ consensus judgement on relevant evidence and made various grades of recommendations for the clinical diagnosis and treatment of gastric cancer to reflect the value of cancer treatment and meeting health economic indexes. This guideline uses tables and is complemented by explanatory and descriptive notes covering the diagnosis, comprehensive treatment, and follow‐up visits for gastric cancer.
Purpose
To compare the performance of three-level EuroQol five-dimensions (EQ-5D-3L) and five-level EuroQol five-dimensions (EQ-5D-5L) among common cancer patients in urban China.
Methods
A ...hospital-based cross-sectional survey was conducted in three provinces from 2016 to 2018 in urban China. Patients with breast cancer, colorectal cancer, or lung cancer were recruited to complete the EQ-5D-3L and EQ-5D-5L questionnaires. Response distribution, discriminatory power (indicator: Shannon index
H
′ and Shannon evenness index
J
′), ceiling effect (the proportion of full health state), convergent validity, and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) were compared between the two instruments.
Results
A total of 1802 cancer patients (breast cancer: 601, colorectal cancer: 601, lung cancer: 600) were included, with the mean age of 55.6 years. The average inconsistency rate was 4.4%. Compared with EQ-5D-3L (average:
H
′ = 1.100,
J
′ = 0.696), an improved discriminatory power was observed in EQ-5D-5L (
H
′ = 1.473,
J
′ = 0.932), especially contributing to anxiety/depression dimensions. The ceiling effect was diminished in EQ-5D-5L (26.5%) in comparison with EQ-5D-3L (34.5%) (
p
< 0.001), mainly reflected in the pain/discomfort and anxiety/depression dimensions. The overall utility score was 0.790 (95% CI 0.778–0.801) for EQ-5D-3L and 0.803 (0.790–0.816) for EQ-5D-5L (
p
< 0.001). A similar pattern was also observed in the detailed cancer-specific analysis.
Conclusions
With greater discriminatory power, convergent validity and lower ceiling, EQ-5D-5L may be preferable to EQ-5D-3L for the assessment of HRQoL among cancer patients. However, higher utility scores derived form EQ-5D-5L may also lead to lower QALY gains than those of 3L potentially in cost-utility studies and underestimation in the burden of disease.
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