The safety and tolerability of a one strength dose-escalation scheme for subcutaneous immunotherapy with a native house dust mite extract in Chinese children: A multicenter, randomized, open label clinical trial.

Background: Allergen immunotherapy (AIT) is still the only treatment that may affect the natural cause of allergic disease. This study is to investigate whether an accelerated up-dosing scheme for subcutaneous allergen immunotherapy (SCIT) using a native house dust mite (HDM) allergen extract is as safe as the standard 3-strengths dose-escalation scheme in children with moderate to severe allergic rhinitis or rhinoconjunctivitis with or without asthma in China. Methods: In this multicenter, open label, randomized controlled trial, the children aged 5-14 years were randomized 1:1 either to One Strength group or the Standard group. The dose escalation scheme for patients in the One Strength group included 6 injections of strength 3, whereas the Standard group comprised 14 injections using strength 1, 2, and 3. All treatment-emergent adverse events (TEAEs) were recorded and analyzed. The 5-point Likert scale was used to assess tolerability (ChiCTR2100050311). Results: Overall, 101 children were included in the Safety Set (One Strength group: 50 vs. Standard group: 51). A total of 26 TEAEs were reported for 15 children. TEAEs related to AIT occurred in 10 % of the children in the One Strength group and 11.8 % of the Standard group. The number of systemic adverse reactions was comparable in both groups (One Strength: 5 vs. Standard: 4). No serious TEAEs was recorded for either group. 90.0 % of patients in the One Strength group reached the maintenance dose without an interventional dose adjustment due to adverse events, compared to 78.4 % in the Standard group. All patients who completed the dose-escalation phase reached the recommended maintenance dose of 1.0 ml of strength 3.Investigators and patients rated the tolerability of the One Strength regimen slightly better than the Standard scheme. Conclusions: This exploratory study suggests that the accelerated One Strength dose-escalation scheme is comparable in safety and tolerability to the Standard regimen. However, due to the preliminary nature and small sample size, further research with larger sample sizes and robust study designs is necessary for confirmation.

Polysomnography and Neuropsychological Analysis of Patients With Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Two Years After the COVID-19 Pandemic in Wuhan.

OBJECTIVE: We used polysomnography (PSG) monitoring and neuropsychological scales to explore the characteristics of coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) patients diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in Wuhan, two years after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: A total of 42 patients in the Sleep Medicine Center were diagnosed with insomnia between December 2021 and May 2022; they were divided into the PTSD group (patients with PTSD diagnosed with insomnia after COVID-19 infection) and the non-PTSD group (patients with insomnia without PTSD). A healthy control group was simultaneously included. RESULTS: The PTSD group was more significant than the non-PTSD group in partial manifestations of sleep disorders, neuropsychological clinical symptoms, and partial PSG data. Patients with different COVID-19 subtypes showed significant differences in the course of disease, sleep disorders, neuropsychological clinical symptoms, relevant scale scores, and PSG data analysis. CONCLUSION: The emotional anxiety and depression of COVID-19 patients diagnosed with PTSD two years after the COVID-19 pandemic in Wuhan are more significant, and will not be self-alleviated with the passage of time. It is necessary to continue to pay attention to the PTSD symptoms and sleep psychology of COVID-19 infected patients, and take appropriate measures. Patients with severe and critical COVID-19 have more severe sleep and mental disorders, and there is a significant correlation between the duration of the disease and the severity of mental and mental disorders and sleep disorders after recovery.

Reduced Graphene Oxide Modified Nitrogen-Doped Chitosan Carbon Fiber with Excellent Electromagnetic Wave Absorbing Performance.

Lightweight and low-cost one-dimensional carbon materials, especially biomass carbon fibers with multiple porous structures, have received wide attention in the field of electromagnetic wave absorption. In this paper, graphene-coated N-doped porous carbon nanofibers (PCNF) with excellent wave absorption properties were successfully synthesized via electrostatic spinning, electrostatic self-assembly, and high-temperature carbonization. The obtained results showed that the minimum reflection loss of the absorbing carbon fiber obtained under the carbonization condition of 800 °C is -51.047 dB, and the absorption bandwidth of reflection loss below -20 dB is 10.16 GHz. This work shows that carbonization temperature and filler content have a certain effect on the wave-absorbing properties of fiber, graphene with nanofiber, and the design and preparation of high-performance absorbing materials by combining the characteristics of graphene and nanofibers and multi-component coupling to provide new ideas for the research of absorbing materials.

The Protective Effects of Ecdysterone on Cognitive Impairment through Regulating Akt/GSK-3ß/Nrf2 Signaling Pathway and Oxidative Stress in Cognitive Mice Model and Aß-Induced Cell Neurotoxicity.

BACKGROUND: Severe neurological condition like Alzheimer's disease (AD) has a significantly negative impact on families and society, wherein there is no proven cure. As one of the principal active constituents of Achyranthes bidentata Blume, ecdysterone (ECR) has demonstrated antioxidant and cognitive dysfunction improvement effects. Nonetheless, the mechanism underlying the improvement of cognitive dysfunction by ECR remains unclear. This study sought to ascertain whether ECR may allebviate cognitive impairment by reducing oxidative stress via activation of the nuclear factor erythroid-2-related factor-2 (Nrf2) antioxidant system through Akt/GSK3ß pathway. METHODS: In terms of the experimental procedure, we determined the neuroprotective benefits of ECR in vivo via a cognitive impairment model of senescence-accelerated mouse prone 8 (SAMP8), we performed procedures such as behavioral testing, biochemical assaying, Nissl and TUNEL stainings, as well as flow cytometry, immunohistochemistry and western blotting. Furthermore, we investigated the underlying mechanistic action of ECR by activating PC12 cells with ß-amyloid peptide fragment 25-35 (Aß25-35). RESULTS: In vivo studies showed that ECR effectively improved cognitive impairment in SAMP8 via enhancement of learning and memory capabilities, but decreased oxidative stress, apoptosis and neuronal damage in the hippocampus. During the in vitro study, we observed that ECR dose-dependently reduced the oxidative stress and apoptosis that were induced in PC12 cells by Aß25-35. Additionally, the use of Akt inhibitors further established the potential of ECR to control Nrf2 through activation of the Akt/GSK3ß pathway and protect the PC12 cells from Aß25-35 induced damage. CONCLUSIONS: These findings offer proof that ECR reduces cognitive impairment by triggering the Nrf2 antioxidant system via the Akt/GSK3ß pathway and offer fresh information on ECR's potential as a promising therapeutic development candidate for AD.

Effects of chronotype on sleep, mood and cardiovascular circadian rhythms in rotating night shift medical workers.

PURPOSE: Whether chronotype affects the health outcomes of night shift work populations is unknown. This study aimed to assess the influence of different chronotypes in the rotating night shift population on sleep status, mood, blood pressure (BP), and heart rate variability (HRV), as well as the circadian rhythm of BP and HRV. METHODS: A total of 208 rotating night shift workers were included. All participants completed structured questionnaires to assess chronotype, mood and sleep status. During their daily lives outside of the night shift, they underwent 24-hour Holter electrocardiogram monitoring and 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure monitoring. Day-time and night-time BP and BP dipping were obtained. Day-time and night-time HRV values (SDNN, RMSSD, LF, HF, LF nu, SD1, SD2 and SD2/SD1) were calculated and fitted to the cosine period curve. Three circandian parameters (mesor, amplitude and acrophase) were extracted to quantify the circadian rhythm of the HRV indices. RESULTS: Among all three groups, E-type showed more fatigue and sleepiness. In addition, E-type showed blunted diastolic BP dipping. Notably, E-type showed association with higher RMSSD, LF, HF and SD1 in the night time, and higher mesors of RMSSD and LF and amplitude of SD2/SD1 in circadian analysis. CONCLUSION: Chronotype is a factor affecting fatigue, sleepiness and cardiovascular circadian rhythms of rotating night shift workers. Chronotype should be taken into consideration for managing night-shift rotation to promote occupational health.

The inappropriate application of imidacloprid destroys the ability of predatory natural enemies to control pests in the food chain: A case study of the feeding behavior of Orius similis on Frankliniella occidentalis.

Insecticides are an indispensable and important tool for agricultural production. However, the inappropriate application of insecticides can cause damage to the food chain and ecosystem. Orius similis is an important predatory and natural enemy of Frankliniella occidentalis. Imidacloprid is widely used to control pests, but will inevitably exert adverse effects on O. similis. In order to determine the effect of different imidacloprid treatments on the ability of O. similis to prey on the 2nd-instar nymphs of F. occidentalis, we determined the toxicity and predation of imidacloprid on different stages of O. similis under contact and ingestion treatments. In addition, we used the Holling disc equation to evaluate the ability of O. similis to search and exhibit predatory activity following contact and ingestion treatments. Analysis showed that the highest LC10 and LC20 values for imidacloprid contact and ingestion toxicity treatment were 17.06 mg/L and 23.74 mg/L, respectively. Both imidacloprid treatments led toa reduction in the predatory of O. similis on prey. The functional responses of the 3rd to 5th instar nymphs, along with female and male O. similis adults to the 2nd-instar nymphs of F. occidentalis were consistent with the Holling type II response following contact and ingestion with imidacloprid. However, following imidacloprid treatment, the handing time (Th) of O. similis with single F. occidentalis was prolonged and the instantaneous attack rate (a) was reduced after imidacloprid treatment. The predatory capacity (a/Th) of female O. similis adults when treated with the LC10 concentration of imidacloprid by ingestion was 52.85; this was lower than that of the LC10 concentration of imidacloprid in the contact treatment (57.67). The extent of predation of O. similis on the 2nd-instar nymphs of F. occidentalis was positively correlated with prey density, although the search effect was negatively correlated with prey density. The most extensive search effect was exhibited by adult O. similis females. Simulations with the Hessell-Varley interference model showed that an increase in the number of O. similis would reduce search efficiency regardless of whether they were treated with imidacloprid or not. Thus, O. similis, especially female adults, exhibited strong potential for controlling the 2nd-instar nymphs of F. occidentalis. The toxicity of ingestion following treatment with the same concentration of imidacloprid in O. similis was greater than that of contact treatment. When using O. similis to control F. occidentalis in the field, we should increase the number of female adults released, and prolong the interval between imidacloprid treatment and O. similis exposure. This strategy will improve the control ability of O. similis, coordinate both chemical and biological control, reduce the impact of pesticides on the environment, and improve the efficiency of agricultural production.

How is helping behavior regulated in the brain?

In humans and other animals, individuals can actively respond to the specific needs of others. However, the neural circuits supporting helping behaviors are underspecified. In recent work, Zhang, Wu, and colleagues identified a new role for the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) in the encoding and regulation of targeted helping behavior (allolicking) in mice.

SHMT2 reduces fatty liver but is necessary for liver inflammation and fibrosis in mice.

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease is associated with an irregular serine metabolism. Serine hydroxymethyltransferase 2 (SHMT2) is a liver enzyme that breaks down serine into glycine and one-carbon (1C) units critical for liver methylation reactions and overall health. However, the contribution of SHMT2 to hepatic 1C homeostasis and biological functions has yet to be defined in genetically modified animal models. We created a mouse strain with targeted SHMT2 knockout in hepatocytes to investigate this. The absence of SHMT2 increased serine and glycine levels in circulation, decreased liver methylation potential, and increased susceptibility to fatty liver disease. Interestingly, SHMT2-deficient mice developed simultaneous fatty liver, but when fed a diet high in fat, fructose, and cholesterol, they had significantly less inflammation and fibrosis. This study highlights the critical role of SHMT2 in maintaining hepatic 1C homeostasis and its stage-specific functions in the pathogenesis of NAFLD.

Sleep-phasic heart rate variability predicts stress severity: Building a machine learning-based stress prediction model.

We propose a novel approach for predicting stress severity by measuring sleep phasic heart rate variability (HRV) using a smart device. This device can potentially be applied for stress self-screening in large populations. Using a Holter electrocardiogram (ECG) and a Huawei smart device, we conducted 24-h dual recordings of 159 medical workers working regular shifts. Based on photoplethysmography (PPG) and accelerometer signals acquired by the Huawei smart device, we sorted episodes of cyclic alternating pattern (CAP; unstable sleep), non-cyclic alternating pattern (NCAP; stable sleep), wakefulness, and rapid eye movement (REM) sleep based on cardiopulmonary coupling (CPC) algorithms. We further calculated the HRV indices during NCAP, CAP and REM sleep episodes using both the Holter ECG and smart-device PPG signals. We later developed a machine learning model to predict stress severity based only on the smart device data obtained from the participants along with a clinical evaluation of emotion and stress conditions. Sleep phasic HRV indices predict individual stress severity with better performance in CAP or REM sleep than in NCAP. Using the smart device data only, the optimal machine learning-based stress prediction model exhibited accuracy of 80.3 %, sensitivity 87.2 %, and 63.9 % for specificity. Sleep phasic heart rate variability can be accurately evaluated using a smart device and subsequently can be used for stress predication.

Identification of immunogenic cell death-related genes involved in Alzheimer's disease.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the leading cause of dementia worldwide, with recent studies highlighting the potential role of immunogenic cell death (ICD) in the pathogenesis of this neurodegenerative disorder. A total of 52 healthy controls and 64 patients with AD were included. Compared to the controls, the patients with AD exhibited 2392 differentially expressed genes (DEGs), of which 1015 and 1377 were upregulated and downregulated genes, respectively. Among them, nine common genes were identified by intersecting the AD-related module genes with the DEGs and ICD-associated genes. Gene ontology (GO)analysis further revealed "positive regulation of cytokine production" as the most significant term. Moreover, the enriched molecular functions were primarily related to the inflammatory body complex, while the overlapping genes were significantly enriched in lipopolysaccharide binding. Kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes (KEGG) analysis also indicated that these overlapping genes were mainly enriched in immunity, inflammation, and lipid metabolism pathways. Furthermore, the following four hub genes were detected using machine learning algorithms: P2RX7, HSP90AA1, NT5E, and NLRP3. These genes demonstrated significant differences in expression between the AD and healthy control groups (P < 0.05). Additionally, the area under the curve values of these four genes were all > 0.7, indicating their potential diagnostic value for AD. We further validated the protein levels of these four genes in the hippocampus of 3xTg-AD and C57BL/6J mice, showing P2RX7 and HSP90AA1 expression levels consistent with the previously analyzed trends. Finally, the single-sample gene set enrichment analysis (ssGSEA) algorithm provided additional evidence by demonstrating the crucial role of immune cell infiltration and its link with the hub genes in AD progression. Our study results suggest that ICD-mediated elevation of HSP90AA1 and P2RX7 levels and the resulting induction of tau hyperphosphorylation and neuroinflammation are vital in the AD pathogenic mechanism.

Neuronatin Promotes the Progression of Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer by Activating the NF-κB Signaling.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Understanding the regulatory mechanisms involving neuronatin (NNAT) in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is an ongoing challenge. This study aimed to elucidate the impact of NNAT knockdown on NSCLC by employing both in vitro and in vivo approaches. METHODS: To investigate the role of NNAT, its expression was silenced in NSCLC cell lines A549 and H226. Subsequently, various parameters, including cell proliferation, invasion, migration, and apoptosis, were assessed. Additionally, cell-derived xenograft models were established to evaluate the effect of NNAT knockdown on tumor growth. The expression of key molecules, including cyclin D1, B-cell leukemia/lymphoma 2 (Bcl-2), p65, matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) 2, and nerve growth factor (NGF) were examined both in vitro and in vivo. Nerve fiber density within tumor tissues was analyzed using silver staining. RESULTS: Upon NNAT knockdown, a remarkable reduction in NSCLC cell proliferation, invasion, and migration was observed, accompanied by elevated levels of apoptosis. Furthermore, the expression of cyclin D1, Bcl-2, MMP2, and phosphorylated p65 (p-p65) showed significant downregulation. In vivo, NNAT knockdown led to substantial inhibition of tumor growth and a concurrent decrease in cyclinD1, Bcl-2, MMP2, and p-p65 expression within tumor tissues. Importantly, NNAT knockdown also led to a decrease in nerve fiber density and downregulation of NGF expression within the xenograft tumor tissues. CONCLUSION: Collectively, these findings suggest that neuronatin plays a pivotal role in driving NSCLC progression, potentially through the activation of the nuclear factor-kappa B signaling cascade. Additionally, neuronatin may contribute to the modulation of tumor microenvironment innervation in NSCLC. Targeting neuronatin inhibition emerges as a promising strategy for potential anti-NSCLC therapeutic intervention.

Electrocatalytic reduction of furfural to furfuryl alcohol using carbon nanofibers supported zinc cobalt bimetallic oxide with surface-derived zinc vacancies in alkaline medium.

Electrocatalytic hydrogenation (ECH) reduction provides an environment-friendly alternative to conventional method for the upgrade of furfural to furfuryl alcohol. At present, exploring superior catalysts with high activity and selectivity, figuring out the reduction mechanism in aqueous alkaline environment are urgent. In this work, zinc cobalt bimetallic oxide (ZnMn2O4) with surface-derived Zn2+ vacancies supported by carbon nanofibers (d-ZnMn2O4-C) was fabricated. The d-ZnMn2O4-C exhibited excellent performance in electrocatalytic reduction of furfural, high furfuryl alcohol yield (49461.1 ± 228 µmol g-1) and Faradaic efficiency (95.5 ± 0.5 %) was obtained. In-depth research suggested that carbon nanofiber may strongly promoted the production of adsorbed hydrogen (Hads), and Zn2+ vacancies may significantly lowered the energy barrier of furfural reduction to furfuryl alcohol, the synergistic effect between carbon nanofiber and d-ZnMn2O4 probably facilitated the reaction between Hads and furfuryl alcohol radical, thereby promoting the formation of furfuryl alcohol. Furthermore, the reaction mechanism was clarified by inhibitor coating and isotope experiments, the results of which revealed that the conversion of furfural to furfuryl alcohol on d-ZnMn2O4-C followed both ECH and direct electroreduction mechanism.

Restructuring Electrolyte Solvation by a Versatile Diluent Toward Beyond 99.9% Coulombic Efficiency of Sodium Plating/Stripping at Ultralow Temperatures.

The reversible and durable operation of sodium metal batteries at low temperatures (LT) is essential for cold-climate applications but is plagued by dendritic Na plating and unstable solid-electrolyte interphase (SEI). Current Coulombic efficiencies of sodium plating/stripping at LT fall far below 99.9%, representing a significant performance gap yet to be filled. Here, the solvation structure of the conventional 1 m NaPF6 in diglyme electrolyte by facile cyclic ether (1,3-dioxolane, DOL) dilution is efficiently reconfigured. DOL diluents help shield the Na+-PF6 - Coulombic interaction and intermolecular forces of diglyme, leading to anomalously high Na+-ion conductivity. Besides, DOL participates in the solvation sheath and weakens the chelation of Na+ by diglyme for facilitated desolvation. More importantly, it promotes concentrated electron cloud distribution around PF6 - in the solvates and promotes their preferential decomposition. A desired inorganic-rich SEI is generated with compositional uniformity, high ionic conductivity, and high Young's modulus. Consequently, a record-high Coulombic efficiency over 99.9% is achieved at an ultralow temperature of -55 °C, and a 1 Ah capacity pouch cell of initial anode-free sodium metal battery retains 95% of the first discharge capacity over 100 cycles at -25 °C. This study thus provides new insights for formulating electrolytes toward increased Na reversibility at LT.

Transcriptome analysis of long non-coding RNA and mRNA Profiles in VSV-infected BHK-21 Cells.

BACKGROUND: Vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) is a typical non-segmented negative-sense RNA virus of the genus Vesiculovirus in the family Rhabdoviridae. VSV can infect a wide range of animals, including humans, with oral blister epithelial lesions. VSV is an excellent model virus with a wide range of applications as a molecular tool, a vaccine vector, and an oncolytic vector. To further understand the interaction between VSV and host cells and to provide a theoretical basis for the application prospects of VSV, we analyzed the expression of host differentially expressed genes (DEGs) during VSV infection using RNA-Seq. RESULTS: Our analyses found a total of 1015 differentially expressed mRNAs and 161 differentially expressed LncRNAs in BHK-21 cells infected with VSV for 24 h compared with controls. Gene Ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes enrichment showed that the differentially expressed lncRNAs and their target genes were mainly concentrated in pathways related to apoptosis, cancer, disease, and immune system activation, including the TNF, P53, MAPK, and NF-kappaB signaling pathways. The differentially expressed lncRNA can modulate immune processes by regulating genes involved in these signaling transmissions. Ten randomly selected DEGs, namely, Il12rb2, F2, Masp2, Mcl1, FGF18, Ripk1, Fas, BMF, POLK, and JAG1, were validated using RT-qPCR. As predicted through RNA-Seq analysis, these DEGs underwent either up- or downregulation, suggesting that they may play key regulatory roles in the pathways mentioned previously. CONCLUSIONS: Our study showed that VSV infection alters the host metabolic network and activates immune-related pathways, such as MAPK and TNF. The above findings provide unique insights for further study of the mechanism of VSV-host interactions and, more importantly, provide a theoretical basis for VSV as an excellent vaccine carrier.

Sac1 links phosphoinositide turnover to cryptococcal virulence.

Cryptococcus neoformans is an environmentally-acquired fungal pathogen that causes over 140,000 deaths per year. Cryptococcal infection occurs when infectious particles are deposited into the lung, where they encounter host phagocytic cells. C. neoformans may be engulfed by these phagocytes, an important step of infection that leads to out-comes ranging from termination of infection to cryptococcal dissemination. To study this critical process, we screened approximately 4,700 cryptococcal gene deletion mutants for altered uptake, using primary mouse and human phagocytic cells. Among the hits of this screen, we identified 93 mutants with perturbed uptake in both systems, as well as others with differences in uptake by only one cell type. We further screened the hits for changes in thickness of the capsule, a protective polysaccharide layer around the cell which is an important cryptococcal virulence factor. This second screen yielded 131 mutants, including one lacking the phosphatidylinositol-4-phosphate phosphatase Sac1. In this work, we implicate Sac1 in both host cell uptake and capsule production. We found that sac1 mutants exhibit lipid trafficking defects, reductions in secretory system function, and changes in capsule size and composition. Many of these changes occur specifically in tissue culture media, highlighting the role of Sac1 phosphatase activity in responding to the stress of host-like conditions. Overall, these findings show how genome-scale screening can identify cellular factors that contribute to our understanding of cryptococcal biology and demonstrate the role of Sac1 in determining fungal virulence.

Boosting Energy Storage Performance of Glass Ceramics via Modulating Defect Formation During Crystallization.

Along with the demand for further miniaturization of high and pulsed power devices, it becomes more and more important to realize ultrahigh recoverable energy storage density (Wrec ) with high energy storage efficiency (η) and ultrahigh discharge energy storage density (Wd ) accompanied by high power density (Pd ) in dielectrics. To date, it remains, however, a big challenge to achieve high Wrec or Wd in glass ceramics compared to other dielectric energy storage materials. Herein, a strategy of defect formation modulation is applied to form "amorphous-disordered-ordered" microstructure in BaTiO3 -based glass ceramics so as to achieve a high Wrec of 12.04 J cm-3 with a high η of 81.1% and an ultrahigh Wd of 11.98 J cm-3 with a superb Pd of 973 MW cm-3 . This work demonstrates a feasible route to obtain glass ceramics with an outstanding energy storage performance and proves the enormous potential of glass ceramics in high and pulsed power applications.

Regulating Li Nucleation and Growth Heterogeneities via Near-Surface Lithium-Ion Irrigation for Stable Anode-Less Lithium Metal Batteries.

The inhomogeneous nucleation and growth of Li dendrite combined with the spontaneous side reactions with the electrolytes dramatically challenge the stability and safety of Li metal anode (LMA). Despite tremendous endeavors, current success relies on the use of significant excess of Li to compensate the loss of active Li during cycling. Herein, a near-surface Li+ irrigation strategy is developed to regulate the inhomogeneous Li deposition behavior and suppress the consequent side reactions under limited Li excess condition. The conformal polypyrrole (PPy) coating layer on Cu surface via oxidative chemical vapor deposition technique can induce the migration of Li+ to the interregional space between PPy and Cu, creating a near-surface Li+-rich region to smooth diffusion of ion flux and uniform the deposition. Moreover, as evidenced by multiscale characterizations including synchrotron high-energy X-ray diffraction scanning, a robust N-rich solid-electrolyte interface (SEI) is formed on the PPy skeleton to effectively suppress the undesired SEI formation/dissolution process. Strikingly, stable Li metal cycling performance under a high areal capacity of 10 mAh cm-2 at 2.0 mA cm-2 with merely 0.5 × Li excess is achieved. The findings not only resolve the long-standing poor LMA stability/safety issues, but also deepen the mechanism understanding of Li deposition process.

Structural Understanding for High-Voltage Stabilization of Lithium Cobalt Oxide.

The rapid development of modern consumer electronics is placing higher demands on the lithium cobalt oxide (LiCoO2 ; LCO) cathode that powers them. Increasing operating voltage is exclusively effective in boosting LCO capacity and energy density but is inhibited by the innate high-voltage instability of the LCO structure that serves as the foundation and determinant of its electrochemical behavior in lithium-ion batteries. This has stimulated extensive research on LCO structural stabilization. Here, it is focused on the fundamental structural understanding of LCO cathode from long-term studies. Multi-scale structures concerning LCO bulk and surface and various structural issues along with their origins and corresponding stabilization strategies with specific mechanisms are uncovered and elucidated at length, which will certainly deepen and advance the knowledge of LCO structure and further its inherent relationship with electrochemical performance. Based on these understandings, remaining questions and opportunities for future stabilization of the LCO structure are also emphasized.