Progress and Prospect of Bimetallic Oxides for Sodium-Ion Batteries: Synthesis, Mechanism, and Optimization Strategy

Sodium-ion batteries (SIBs) are considered as an alternative to and even replacement of lithium-ion batteries in the near future in order to address the energy crisis and scarcity of lithium resources due to the wide distribution and abundance of sodium resources on the earth. The exploration and development of high-performance anode materials are critical to the practical applications of advanced SIBs. Among various anode materials, bimetallic oxides (BMOs) have attracted special research attention because of their abundance, easy access, rich redox reactions, enhanced capacity and satisfactory cycling stability. Although many BMO anode materials have been reported as anode materials in SIBs, very limited studies summarized the progress and prospect of BMOs in practical applications of SIBs. In this review, recent progress and challenges of BMO anode materials for SIBs have been comprehensively summarized and discussed. First, the preparation methods and sodium storage mechanisms of BMOs are discussed. Then, the challenges, optimization strategies, and sodium storage performance of BMO anode materials have been reviewed and summarized. Finally, the prospects and future research directions of BMOs in SIBs have been proposed. This review aims to provide insight into the efficient design and optimization of BMO anode materials for high-performance SIBs.

An optimization strategy for charged aerosol detection to linearize the detector response in the multicomponent quantitative analysis of Qishen Yiqi dripping pills

Charged aerosol detection, increasingly recognized for quantifying pharmaceutical compounds with weak ultraviolet absorption, is a universal detection technique for high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Charged aerosol detection shows a non-linear response with increasing analyte concentration over a wide range, limiting its versatility in various analytical applications. In this work, a co-optimization strategy for power function value (PFV) and power laws was proposed and applied to broaden the linear range of the standard curve of saccharides in Qishen Yiqi dripping pills using the HPLC-charged aerosol detection (HPLC-CAD) method. Power function values for all analytes were optimized based on empirical models. Subsequently, the optimum power laws were investigated based on a preferred PFV. Additionally, various regression equations were evaluated to ensure the accuracy and precision of the results. With the optimized PFV and power law, the ordinary least squares model demonstrated a satisfactory fit. The optimal PFVs and power laws expanded the standard curve's linear range by 2.7 times compared to default settings, reducing model uncertainty. This paper presents a vital method for developing a multi-component quantitative HPLC-CAD approach without external data transformation outside the provided software, especially suitable for analytical applications of traditional Chinese medicine with significant quality differences.

Inhibition of Ion Migration for Highly Efficient and Stable Perovskite Solar Cells

In recent years, organic-inorganic halide perovskites are now emerging as the most attractive alternatives for next-generation photovoltaic devices, due to their excellent optoelectronic characteristics and low manufacturing cost. However, the resultant perovskite solar cells (PVSCs) are intrinsically unstable owing to ion migration, which severely impedes performance enhancement, even with device encapsulation. There is no doubt that the investigation of ion migration and the summarization of recent advances in inhibition strategies are necessary to develop "state-of-the-art" PVSCs with high intrinsic stability for accelerated commercialization. This review systematically elaborates on the generation and fundamental mechanisms of ion migration in PVSCs, the impact of ion migration on hysteresis, phase segregation, and operational stability, and the characterizations for ion migration in PVSCs. Then, many related works on the strategies for inhibiting ion migration toward highly efficient and stable PVSCs are summarized. Finally, the perspectives on the current obstacles and prospective strategies for inhibition of ion migration in PVSCs to boost operational stability and meet all of the requirements for commercialization success are summarized.

Cell metabolism-based optimization strategy of CAR-T cell function in cancer therapy

Adoptive cell therapy (ACT) using chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-modified T cells has revolutionized the field of immune-oncology, showing remarkable efficacy against hematological malignancies. However, its success in solid tumors is limited by factors such as easy recurrence and poor efficacy. The effector function and persistence of CAR-T cells are critical to the success of therapy and are modulated by metabolic and nutrient-sensing mechanisms. Moreover, the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment (TME), characterized by acidity, hypoxia, nutrient depletion, and metabolite accumulation caused by the high metabolic demands of tumor cells, can lead to T cell "exhaustion" and compromise the efficacy of CAR-T cells. In this review, we outline the metabolic characteristics of T cells at different stages of differentiation and summarize how these metabolic programs may be disrupted in the TME. We also discuss potential metabolic approaches to improve the efficacy and persistence of CAR-T cells, providing a new strategy for the clinical application of CAR-T cell therapy.

Recent Advances in Manganese-Based Materials for Electrolytic Water Splitting

Developing earth-abundant and highly effective electrocatalysts for electrocatalytic water splitting is a prerequisite for the upcoming hydrogen energy society. Recently, manganese-based materials have been one of the most promising candidates to replace noble metal catalysts due to their natural abundance, low cost, adjustable electronic properties, and excellent chemical stability. Although some achievements have been made in the past decades, their performance is still far lower than that of Pt. Therefore, further research is needed to improve the performance of manganese-based catalytic materials. In this review, we summarize the research progress on the application of manganese-based materials as catalysts for electrolytic water splitting. We first introduce the mechanism of electrocatalytic water decomposition using a manganese-based electrocatalyst. We then thoroughly discuss the optimization strategy used to enhance the catalytic activity of manganese-based electrocatalysts, including doping and defect engineering, interface engineering, and phase engineering. Finally, we present several future design opportunities for highly efficient manganese-based electrocatalysts.

Metal-Based Nanozymes with Multienzyme-Like Activities as Therapeutic Candidates: Applications, Mechanisms, and Optimization Strategy

Most nanozymes in development for medical applications only exhibit single-enzyme-like activity, and are thus limited by insufficient catalytic activity and dysfunctionality in complex pathological microenvironments. To overcome the impediments of limited substrate availabilities and concentrations, some metal-based nanozymes may mimic two or more activities of natural enzymes to catalyze cascade reactions or to catalyze multiple substrates simultaneously, thereby amplifying catalysis. Metal-based nanozymes with multienzyme-like activities (MNMs) may adapt to dissimilar catalytic conditions to exert different enzyme-like effects. These multienzyme-like activities can synergize to realize "self-provision of the substrate," in which upstream catalysts produce substrates for downstream catalytic reactions to overcome the limitation of insufficient substrates in the microenvironment. Consequently, MNMs exert more potent antitumor, antibacterial, and anti-inflammatory effects in preclinical models. This review summarizes the cellular effects and underlying mechanisms of MNMs. Their potential medical utility and optimization strategy from the perspective of clinical requirements are also discussed, with the aim to provide a theoretical reference for the design, development, and therapeutic application of their catalytic effects.

Research on the spatial layout optimization strategy of Huaihe Road Commercial Block in Hefei city based on space syntax theory

Commercial block not only serves as a public space for the consumption, entertainment, and recreation of residents but also witnesses the history of urban commercial development. With the urban development and the improvement of people's living standards, most commercial blocks are faced with such problems as traffic congestion, simple commercial form, and unreasonable spatial layout. By taking the commercial block of Huaihe Commercial Pedestrian Street as an example and combining the axis and viewshed analysis method of space syntax theory, this article has analyzed the space and quantified the relevant data to analyze the spatial layout relationships of commercial blocks. As the outcomes, this article summarizes the strategies for optimizing the traffic space, scenic space, and commercial space of commercial blocks, hoping to facilitate the commercial block space layout optimization in the era of stock.

Clinical Progress and Optimization of Information Processing in Artificial Visual Prostheses

Visual prostheses, used to assist in restoring functional vision to the visually impaired, convert captured external images into corresponding electrical stimulation patterns that are stimulated by implanted microelectrodes to induce phosphenes and eventually visual perception. Detecting and providing useful visual information to the prosthesis wearer under limited artificial vision has been an important concern in the field of visual prosthesis. Along with the development of prosthetic device design and stimulus encoding methods, researchers have explored the possibility of the application of computer vision by simulating visual perception under prosthetic vision. Effective image processing in computer vision is performed to optimize artificial visual information and improve the ability to restore various important visual functions in implant recipients, allowing them to better achieve their daily demands. This paper first reviews the recent clinical implantation of different types of visual prostheses, summarizes the artificial visual perception of implant recipients, and especially focuses on its irregularities, such as dropout and distorted phosphenes. Then, the important aspects of computer vision in the optimization of visual information processing are reviewed, and the possibilities and shortcomings of these solutions are discussed. Ultimately, the development direction and emphasis issues for improving the performance of visual prosthesis devices are summarized.

[Improving the production of plant-based recombinant protein: a review]

Recombinant proteins provide new means for disease treatment, while creating considerable economic benefits. Using commercial crops (mainly tobacco), cereal crops, legumes, and vegetable crops to produce recombinant proteins with medicinal value is a hot-spot for research in "molecular farming". Although many recombinant proteins have been expressed in plants, only a small number have been successfully put into use. To overcome the problems that greatly hamper the development of recombinant protein production in plants, researchers have improved expression systems to increase the yield of recombinant proteins. Starting from analyzing the problems of low yield and/or low biological activity of recombinant proteins produced by plants, the optimization strategies to solve these problems were reviewed, and future research directions for improving the yield of recombinant proteins produced by plants were proposed.

Evacuation Optimization Strategy for Large-Scale Public Building Considering Plane Partition and Multi-Floor Layout

Large-scale public buildings (e.g., stadiums and comprehensive hospitals) in modern cities provide places for various social activities. However, all of these public places encounter the scenario of large passenger flow and crowd gathering, which is highly likely to induce serious safety problems, such as stampedes. Previous studies have shown that efficient evacuation is an important way to ensure the safety of dense crowds in public places. This study aims to explore the optimization methods to improve the evacuation efficiency of public buildings. Two strategies considering plane partition and multi-floor layout are proposed for plane evacuation and vertical evacuation, respectively. Simulation scenarios and models of large stadiums and high-rise hospitals are established to verify the strategies. The results show that plane partition could effectively shorten the total evacuation time, which is due to the optimization of the initial exit choice of individuals and the avoidance of regional congestion in some evacuation channels or exits. Multi-floor layout optimization is an effective management method to arrange the different features of different floors, which could improve the evacuation efficiency for the whole multi-floor building. This study is helpful for building designers and managers to improve the building space layout design and the daily safety management mode.

[Territorially ecological restoration zoning and optimization strategy in Guyuan City of Ningxia, China: Based on the balance of ecosystem service supply and demand]

Scientifically identifying the territorially ecological restoration zoning is a vital prerequisite for implementing ecological restoration projects and enhancing environmental quality. Based on remote sensing data, we syste-matically assessed supply and demand for ecosystem service and their relationship in Guyuan City, China by using the InVEST model, coordination degree model, and spatial autocorrelation analysis. We carried out territorially ecological restoration zoning by coupling the ecosystem service supply and demand. Furthermore, the corresponding optimization strategies were put forward according to the regional characteristics of natural resources and socio-economic development. The results showed that the areas with high water yield, carbon storage, soil conservation and habitat quality were mainly located in the southern part of Guyuan City. The areas with high population density, economic development level and high ecological demand were mainly located in the central urban area and the location towns of the county government. The spatial mismatch of supply and demand for ecosystem services in Guyuan City was dominant, as indicated by the fact that the areas with high ecological supply having low ecological demand and low ecological supply having high ecological demand. The average coordination index was 0.5, indicating that the relationship between ecological supply and ecological demand was basically coordinated. Based on the diffe-rences between supply and demand of ecosystem services and regional natural geographical pattern, the administrative township units in Guyuan could be classified into six ecological restoration zonings: key ecological restoration area, potential ecological restoration area, ecological economic reconstruction area, characteristic agricultural development area, ecological core protection area, and ecological industry construction area. Different management strategies were proposed to provide scientific support for ecological restoration.

Fishes regulate tail-beat kinematics to minimize speed-specific cost of transport

Energetic expenditure is an important factor in animal locomotion. Here we test the hypothesis that fishes control tail-beat kinematics to optimize energetic expenditure during undulatory swimming. We focus on two energetic indices used in swimming hydrodynamics, cost of transport and Froude efficiency. To rule out one index in favour of another, we use computational-fluid dynamics models to compare experimentally observed fish kinematics with predicted performance landscapes and identify energy-optimized kinematics for a carangiform swimmer, an anguilliform swimmer and larval fishes. By locating the areas in the predicted performance landscapes that are occupied by actual fishes, we found that fishes use combinations of tail-beat frequency and amplitude that minimize cost of transport. This energy-optimizing strategy also explains why fishes increase frequency rather than amplitude to swim faster, and why fishes swim within a narrow range of Strouhal numbers. By quantifying how undulatory-wave kinematics affect thrust, drag, and power, we explain why amplitude and frequency are not equivalent in speed control, and why Froude efficiency is not a reliable energetic indicator. These insights may inspire future research in aquatic organisms and bioinspired robotics using undulatory propulsion.

Cross-Correlation Algorithm-Based Optimization of Aliasing Signals for Inductive Debris Sensors

An inductive debris sensor can monitor a mechanical system's debris in real time. The measuring accuracy is significantly affected by the signal aliasing issue happening in the monitoring process. In this study, a mathematical model was built to explain two debris particles' aliasing behavior. Then, a cross-correlation-based method was proposed to deal with this aliasing. Afterwards, taking advantage of the processed signal along with the original signal, an optimization strategy was proposed to make the evaluation of the aliasing debris more accurate than that merely using initial signals. Compared to other methods, the proposed method has fewer limitations in practical applications. The simulation and experimental results also verified the advantage of the proposed method.

High-Performance Multilayer Radiative Cooling Films Designed with Flexible Hybrid Optimization Strategy

Despite their great potential for energy-saving applications, it is still challenging to design passive radiative cooling (RC) materials with simultaneous high performance and simple structures based on traditional design philosophy. To solve the contradiction between optimization speed and corresponding performance, we present a flexible hybrid optimization strategy based on a genetic algorithm (GA) in conjunction with the transfer matrix method and introducing the calculation of radiative cooling power density in the evaluation function of the GA. As a demonstration, an optimized coating with 1.5-μm-overlapping MgF₂ and Si₃N₄ layers on top of a silver film was numerically designed. Based on a detailed analysis of the material's electromagnetic properties and cooling performance, this coating achieved a radiative cooling power density of 62 W/m² and a temperature reduction of 6.8 °C at an ambient temperature of 300 K. Our optimization strategy may have special significance in the design of high-performance RC materials or other multi-spectral engineering materials with simple structures.

Graphene-Based Thermoacoustic Sound Source

Thermoacoustic (TA) effect has been discovered for more than 130 years. However, limited by the material characteristics, the performance of a TA sound source could not be compared with magnetoelectric and piezoelectric loudspeakers. Recently, graphene, a two-dimensional material with the lowest heat capacity per unit area, was discovered to have a good TA performance. Compared with a traditional sound source, graphene TA sound sources (GTASSs) have many advantages, such as small volume, no diaphragm vibration, wide frequency range, high transparency, good flexibility, and high sound pressure level (SPL). Therefore, graphene has a great potential as a next-generation sound source. Photoacoustic (PA) imaging can also be applied to the diagnosis and treatment of diseases using the photothermo-acoustic (PTA) effect. Therefore, in this review, we will introduce the history of TA devices. Then, the theory and simulation model of TA will be analyzed in detail. After that, we will talk about the graphene synthesis method. To improve the performance of GTASSs, many strategies such as lowering the thickness and using porous or suspended structures will be introduced. With a good PTA effect and large specific area, graphene PA imaging and drug delivery is a promising prospect in cancer treatment. Finally, the challenges and prospects of GTASSs will be discussed.

[Ecological pattern of urban forest landscape of Ji'nan City, China]

The ecological pattern research on urban forest landscape is the foundation and premise of urban forest system planning and urban ecological construction, as well as an important way of optimizing urban spatial structure, giving full play to urban forest ecological function and creating ecological and livable environment. Ecological pattern of urban forest landscape in built-up area of Ji'nan city was quantitatively analyzed and the corresponding optimization countermeasures were put forward through quantitative analysis and gradient analysis of the overall landscape ecological pattern by RS and GIS technology with 10 landscape indices at patch level and landscape level. The results showed that urban forest coverage rate in built-up areas was 15.8%. At the landscape level, the overall landscape ecological pattern of urban forest showed following patterns: relatively complete types of urban forest landscape patches, greater degree of landscape fragmentation, different area of various types of urban forest, large major patches, and highly connected same patch types. At the level of patch type, the ecological public welfare forest was dominated by large patches. The shape of scenic recreational forest was regular and dominated by large and medium patches. The shape of road forest and subsidiary forest was complex and dominated by small patches. The production and management forest was lacking. At the level of patch type, landscape recreational forest was the dominant type, ecological public welfare forest patch area was the largest, road forest and ancillary forest fragmentation was large. At the level of landscape, urban central forest landscape fragmentation was large, human interference was serious, and landscape shape was complex. Based on the analysis of the ecological pattern of urban forest landscape, we proposed the construction scheme of Ji'nan urban forest ecological network, which was "one ring, two networks, three four axes, and multi-point chessboard". Such scheme would help strengthen the connectivity of various types of urban forests and exert overall ecological benefits of large-scale ecosystems.

Optimization of Culturomics Strategy in Human Fecal Samples

Most bacteria in the human gut are difficult to culture, and culturomics has been designed to overcome this issue. Culturomics makes it possible to obtain living bacteria for further experiments, unlike metagenomics. However, culturomics is work-intensive, which prevents its wide application. In this study, we performed a 30-day continuous enrichment in blood culture bottles and cultured bacterial isolates from pre-cultures removed at different time points. We compared the bacteria isolated from the enriched culture with or without adding fresh medium after each pre-culture was removed. We also compared “experienced” colony picking (i.e., picking two to three colonies for each recognized colony type) and picking all the colonies from each plate. In total, from five fecal samples, 106 species were isolated, including three novel species and six that have not previously been isolated from the human body. Adding fresh medium to the culture increased the rate of bacterial species isolation by 22% compared with the non-supplemented culture. Picking all colonies increased the rate of bacterial isolation by only 8.5% compared with experienced colony picking. After optimization through statistical analysis and simulation, sampling aerobic and anaerobic enrichment cultures at six and seven time-points, respectively, is likely to isolate >90% of bacterial species, reducing the workload by 40%. In conclusion, an extended enrichment step ensures isolation of different bacterial species at different time-points, while adding the same quantity of fresh medium after sampling, the experienced picking and the optimized time-points favor the chance of isolating more bacterial species with less work.

Assessment of Ecosystem Service Quality and Its Correlation with Landscape Patterns in Haidian District, Beijing

Landscape architecture with urban green space as the main research object is an evidence-based science. It is an important issue to optimize green space systems from the point of view of ecosystem services. In this paper, high-resolution (1.5 m resolution) remote sensing images are combined with data-processing software, such as ENVI, ArcGIS, and Fragstats, to evaluate ecosystem service quality and compute the landscape pattern in the Haidian District (Beijing, China), so that the relationship between the ecosystem service quality and landscape pattern can be quantitatively studied and a strategy can be provided for green space optimization in cities. The following conclusions are drawn: (1) for the evaluated quality of 14 ecosystem services in Haidian District (refer to Section Analysis of the Association of the Percentage of Patches (PLAND) Index of Forest Land and Quality of Ecosystem Service in Haidian District). Forest land is the main provider of the ecosystem service in Haidian District, while construction land only provides cultural services; (2) on the whole, the spatial distribution of the ecosystem services in Haidian District gradually decreases from the west to the east, which basically matches with the spatial distribution of the forest land. The regulating service and supporting service are matched with the distribution of the urban green space. The cultural service is closely associated with history resource points; and (3) the analysis results of the association between landscape pattern and ecosystem service quality show that the percentage of patches (PLAND) index for forest land has a significant logarithmic relationship with the regulating service and supporting service. The critical value of the PLAND index is 30. Besides the Xishan area with the most coverage of forest land, the landscape shape index (LSI) of the brushwood has a logarithmic relationship with the ecosystem service quality. The critical value of the LSI value is 50. Finally, this paper proposes an area optimization strategy of green space in Haidian District from the view of the ecosystem system service. The Xishan area is classified into the ecosystem red line to control city expansion. The regulating and supporting services can be enhanced in the north flat area by improving the patch shape index. The ecosystem service capabilities can be improved by adding the forest land in the existing green space for the southeast urban areas.

The estimation method of friction in unconfined compression tests of liver tissue

In traditional unconfined compression tests, the friction between platform and specimen is often considered negligible or minimized by lubrication or other means. However, friction can affect the estimation of material parameters. The percentage difference in radial deformation was investigated in this study. A novel friction estimation method was established and verified using a finite element method. The proposed method was based on the radial deformation during the compression process. Three different hyperelastic material parameters of liver tissue were applied in the simulations. The hyperelastic parameters H1 were obtained by no-slip compression tests, while the others were extracted from the literature. The results showed that the percentage difference in radial deformation was mainly influenced by the friction coefficient and diameter-to-height ( d/ h) ratio of the specimen in unconfined compression tests. The percentage difference increased as the friction coefficient and d/ h increased. Different d/ h and friction coefficient values were tested to validate the proposed method, and the accuracy was estimated to exceed 86%. An optimization strategy for material parameters in unconfined compression tests was proposed accordingly.

Design, Optimization and Application of Small Molecule Biosensor in Metabolic Engineering

The development of synthetic biology and metabolic engineering has painted a great future for the bio-based economy, including fuels, chemicals, and drugs produced from renewable feedstocks. With the rapid advance of genome-scale modeling, pathway assembling and genome engineering/editing, our ability to design and generate microbial cell factories with various phenotype becomes almost limitless. However, our lack of ability to measure and exert precise control over metabolite concentration related phenotypes becomes a bottleneck in metabolic engineering. Genetically encoded small molecule biosensors, which provide the means to couple metabolite concentration to measurable or actionable outputs, are highly promising solutions to the bottleneck. Here we review recent advances in the design, optimization and application of small molecule biosensor in metabolic engineering, with particular focus on optimization strategies for transcription factor (TF) based biosensors.

Randomized, three-arm study to optimize lamivudine efficacy in hepatitis B e antigen-positive chronic hepatitis B patients

BACKGROUND AND AIM

Data about the efficacy of de novo combination therapies, or optimization strategy by adding the other drug based on the virological response at week 24 of low genetic barrier antiviral agents is still limited. This study aimed to compare the efficacy at week 104 of lamivudine monotherapy (MONO), lamivudine plus adefovir dipivoxil (ADV) combination therapy (COMBO), and lamivudine optimization strategy (OPTIMIZE).

METHODS

Adult patients without antiviral therapy within 6 months before screening with hepatitis B virus (HBV)-DNA ≥ 10(5) copies/mL, alanine aminotransferase 1.3-10 times upper limit of normal and compensated hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg)-positive chronic hepatitis B (CHB) were randomized into three groups with 1:1:1 ratio. Patients in OPTIMIZE group started with lamivudine 100 mg q.d., and ADV 10 mg q.d. was added to suboptimal responders (HBV-DNA > 1000 copies/mL at week 24) from week 30 to week 104, whereas patients with early virological response (HBV-DNA ≤ 1000 copies/mL at week 24) continued MONO until week 104. For all the patients receiving MONO, ADV would be added if virological breakthrough was confirmed.

RESULTS

At week 104, more patients in COMBO and OPTIMIZE groups achieved HBV-DNA < 300 copies/mL (53.3% [64/120] and 48.3% [58/120]), with less lamivudine resistance (0.8% and 6.7%) compared with MONO group (HBV-DNA < 300 copies/mL 34.8% [41/118], lamivudine resistance 58.5%). Patients under MONO with early virological response showed superior efficacy at week 104 (HBV-DNA < 300 copies/mL 73.1% [38/52], HBeAg seroconversion 40.4% [21/52]). All regimens were well tolerated.

CONCLUSION

Combination therapy of lamivudine plus ADV exhibited effective viral suppression and relatively low resistance in HBeAg-positive CHB patients. In lamivudine-treated patients with suboptimal virological response at week 24, promptly adding on ADV is necessary to prevent resistance development.