► IL-based, Li/LiFePO
4 and Li
4Ti
5O
12/LiFePO
4 stacked prototypes were fabricated. ► Above 80% of the initial capacity is delivered after 800 cycles with an efficiency of 100%. ► The ...reproducibility of the manufacturing process was validated.
The lab-scale manufacturing of Li/LiFePO
4 and Li
4Ti
5O
12/LiFePO
4 stacked battery prototypes and their performance characterization are described here. The prototypes were realized in the frame of an European Project devoted to the development of greener and safer lithium batteries, based on ionic liquid electrolytes, for integration with photovoltaic panels.
N-Butyl-
N-methylpyrrolidinium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide (PYR
14TFSI) and
N-butyl-
N-methylpyrrolidinium bis(fluoro-methanesulfonyl)imide (PYR
14FSI), selected as the ionic liquids (ILs), were used to formulate the poly(ethylene oxide)-LiN(SO
2CF
3)
2-PYR
14TFSI (PEO-LiTFSI-PYR
14TFSI) polymer electrolyte and the LiTFSI-PYR
14FSI liquid electrolyte, which were employed to produce lithium metal and lithium-ion prototypes, respectively. The composite electrodes for the lithium metal and lithium-ion prototypes were prepared through, respectively, a solvent-free and a water-based procedure route. The performance of the lithium battery prototypes was evaluated in terms of specific capacity, energy, cycle life and coulombic efficiency at different current densities. The results have indicated high reproducibility and the feasibility of scaling-up solvent-free, lithium batteries based on ionic liquids for low and mid rate applications such as renewable energy storage.
The present study was conducted to assess rumen bacteria in lactating cows with different milk protein yield, aiming to understand the role of rumen bacteria in this trait. Cows with high milk ...protein yield (high milk yield and high milk protein content, HH; n = 20) and low milk protein yield (low milk yield and low milk protein content, LL; n = 20) were selected from 374 mid-lactation Holstein dairy cows fed a high-grain diet. Measurement of the rumen fermentation products showed that the concentrations of ruminal total volatile fatty acids, propionate, butyrate, and valerate and the proportion of isobutyrate were higher in the HH cows than in the LL cows. Amplicon sequencing analysis of the rumen bacterial community revealed that the richness (Chao 1 index) of rumen microbiota was higher in the LL cows than in the HH cows. Among the 10 predominant bacterial phyla (relative abundance being >0.10%, present in >60% of animals within each group), the relative abundance of Proteobacteria was 1.36-fold higher in the HH cows than in the LL cows. At the genus level, the relative abundance of Succinivibrio was significantly higher and that of Clostridium tended to be higher in the LL cows than in the HH cows. Sharpea was 2.28-fold enriched in the HH cows compared with the LL cows. Different relationships between the relative abundances of rumen microbial taxa and volatile fatty acid concentrations were observed in the HH and the LL animals, respectively. Succinivibrio and Prevotella were positively correlated with acetate, propionate, and valerate in the LL cows, whereas Sharpea was positively correlated with propionate and valerate concentrations in the HH cows. Collectively, our results revealed that rumen bacterial richness and the relative abundances of several bacterial taxa significantly differed between dairy cows with high and low milk protein yields, suggesting the potential roles of rumen microbiota contributing to milk protein yield in dairy cows.
Abstract
In order to avoid interference in NC milling process, a milling simulation design method of NC system based on 3D modeling technology is proposed. We use OpenGL technology and advanced ...object-oriented programming technology to perform a comprehensive object-oriented design of the NC milling simulation software system. On this basis, the tool motion parameters in the NC code are extracted and stored, the STL model is introduced as the data model of the machining object, and the interface mechanism between OpenGL and VC is provided. Finally, through the main interface of Visual C++ application program, the development of database and application system oriented to 3D end mill model is realized. The simulation results show that the method presented in this paper is more realistic for the establishment of the whole virtual milling machine profile, and it is suitable for general or more complex parts NC machining programming and simulation.
Aim
To evaluate the effects of exosomes derived from stem cells from the apical papilla (SCAP‐Exos) in rats with experimentally induced pulpitis and the effects of SCAP‐Exos on the conversion of ...regulatory T cells (Tregs) and methylation status of the Foxp3 locus in Tregs in vitro.
Methodology
SCAP‐Exos were isolated and identified using transmission electron microscopy, western blotting, and nanoparticle tracking analysis. Lipopolysaccharide was used to experimentally induced pulpitis in rats, and the effects of SCAP‐Exos on the rats with pulpitis were detected using haematoxylin‐eosin staining and immunofluorescence staining. CD4+CD25‐ T cells were treated with different doses of SCAP‐Exos, and flow cytometric analysis was used to assess the effects of SCAP‐Exos on Treg proliferation and conversion. An enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used to evaluate the expression of interleukin 10 (IL‐10). MethylTarget® technology was used to measure the methylation level of the Foxp3 locus in T cells. The expression levels of ten‐eleven‐translocation (Tet) 1, Tet2, and Tet3 in T cells were detected by real‐time PCR and western blotting.
Results
SCAP‐Exos had an elliptical vesicle‐like structure with a diameter of approximately 143.7 nm and expressed the exosomal markers Alix and CD9. SCAP‐Exo administration increased Treg accumulation in the inflamed dental pulp and alleviated inflammation in the dental pulp in vivo. SCAP‐Exos promoted Treg conversion in vitro. Mechanistically, SCAP‐Exos promoted Tet2‐mediated Foxp3 demethylation to maintain the stable expression of Foxp3.
Conclusions
SCAP‐Exos promoted Treg conversion and effectively alleviated inflammation in the dental pulp of rats. This study shows that SCAP‐Exos can regulate the local immune microenvironment to favour tissue regeneration, thus providing a potential novel strategy utilising SCAP‐Exos as a cell‐free approach to treat early inflammation of dental pulp in immature permanent teeth in the clinic.
SCAP‐Exos promoted Treg conversion to alleviate inflammation in the dental pulp of rats. Mechanistically, SCAP‐Exos improved the positive expression of Foxp3, further stabilized the expression of Foxp3 through Tet2‐mediated Foxp3 demethylation for Treg conversion.
Abstract
Bladder cancer (BLCA) is one of the most frequent genitourinary cancers, with a high rate of morbidity and mortality. The connection of m6A-related lncRNAs with PD-L1 and tumor immune ...microenvironment (TIME) in BLCA prognosis was extensively investigated in this study, which could suggest novel therapeutic targets for further investigation. 30 m6A-associated lncRNAs with predictive values from the TCGA data set were identified with co-expression analysis. Cluster2 was correlated with a poor prognosis, upregulated PD-L1 expression, and higher immune ratings. Cluster2 had larger amounts of resting CD4 memory-activated T cells, M2 macrophages, neutrophils, and NK cells infiltration. “CHEMOKINE SIGNALING PATHWAY” was the most significantly enriched signaling pathway according to GSEA, which may play an important role in the different immune cell infiltrates between cluster1/2. The risk model for m6A-related lncRNAs could be employed in a prognostic model to predict BLCA prognosis, regardless of other clinical features. Collectively, m6A-related lncRNAs were linked to PD-L1 and TIME, which would dynamically affect the number of tumor-infiltrating immune cells. m6A-related lncRNAs may be key mediators of PD-L1 expression and immune cells infiltration and may strongly affect the TIME of BLCA.
The knowledge on the distribution of hydrophobic organic contaminants in soils can provide better understanding for their fate in the environment. In the present study, the
n-butanol extraction and ...humic fractionation were applied to investigate the impact of SOM on the distribution of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). The results indicated that 80.5%–94.8% of the target PAHs could be extracted by
n-butanol and 63.1%–94.6% of PAHs were associated with fulvic acid (FA). Concentrations of un-extracted PAHs increased significantly with the increasing soil organic matter (SOM), however, such an association was absent for the extractable fractions. The results suggested that the sequestration played a critical role in the accumulation of PAHs in soils. SOM also retarded the diffusion of PAHs into the humin fractions. It implied that sequestration in SOM was critical for PAH distribution in soils, while the properties of PAH compounds also had great influences.
Soil organic matter played an important role in the distribution of PAHs in soils through sequestration.