Guidelines on the treatment with integrated traditional Chinese medicine and western medicine for severe coronavirus disease 2019.

Severe Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) is characterized by numerous complications, complex disease, and high mortality, making its treatment a top priority in the treatment of COVID-19. Integrated traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and western medicine played an important role in the prevention, treatment, and rehabilitation of COVID-19 during the epidemic. However, currently there are no evidence-based guidelines for the integrated treatment of severe COVID-19 with TCM and western medicine. Therefore, it is important to develop an evidence-based guideline on the treatment of severe COVID-19 with integrated TCM and western medicine, in order to provide clinical guidance and decision basis for healthcare professionals, public health personnel, and scientific researchers involved in the diagnosis, treatment, and care of COVID-19 patients. We developed and completed the guideline by referring to the standardization process of the "WHO handbook for guideline development", the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) system, and the Reporting Items for Practice Guidelines in Healthcare (RIGHT).

Azacitidine regulates DNA methylation of GADD45γ in myelodysplastic syndromes.

BACKGROUND: Myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) is a heterogeneous clonal disease originated from hematopoietic stem cells. Epigenetic studies had demonstrated that DNA methylation and histone acetylation were abnormal in MDS. Azacitidine is an effective drug in the treatment of demethylation. METHODS: RT-PCR was performed to determine GADD45γ in 15 MDS clinical samples. Myelodysplastic syndrome cell lines SKM-1 and HS-5 were transfected with GADD45γ eukaryotic expression vector and/or GADD45γ shRNA interference plasmid, and treated with azacitidine. Proliferation and apoptosis were examined by CCK-8 and Western blot analysis to confirm the function role of GADD45γ and azacitidine. The methylation level of GADD45γ gene was detected by bisulfite conversion and PCR. RESULTS: This study found that GADD45γ gene was down-expressed in MDS patients' bone marrow and MDS cell lines, and the down-regulation of GADD45γ in MDS could inhibit MDS cell apoptosis and promote proliferation. Azacitidine, a demethylation drug, could restore the expression of GADD45γ in MDS cells and inhibit the proliferation of MDS cells by inducing apoptosis, which was related to prognosis and transformation. CONCLUSION: This study indicated that GADD45γ was expected to become a new target of MDS-targeted therapy. The findings of this study provided a new direction for the research and development of new MDS clinical drugs, and gave a new idea for the development of MDS demethylation drug to realize precise treatment.

A Robust Carbon Nanotube and PVDF-HFP Nanofiber Composite Superwettability Membrane for High-Efficiency Emulsion Separation.

Oil or chemical purification is significant not only for industrial safety production but also because it conforms to the principle of sustainable development. In this paper, based on the synergistic concept of superwettability and nanopores sieve effect, a superoleophilic and under-oil superhydrophobic carbon nanotube/poly(vinylidene fluoride-co-hexafluoropropylene) nanofiber composite membrane is prepared via electrospinning, pressure-driven filtration, and chemical vapor modification. The as-prepared membrane with durable mechanical and chemical stabilities achieves separation efficiency higher than 99.9% and high flux up to 632.5 L m-2 h-1 bar-1 for different water-in-oil emulsions. This membrane is highly promising for the petroleum and chemical industries for both product quality improvement and green recycling manufacturing processes.

[Clinical observation of 6 severe COVID-19 patients treated with plasma exchange or tocilizumab].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the clinical effect of plasma exchange and tocilizumab in treatment of patients with severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). METHODS: Six patients with severe COVID-19 admitted in First Affiliated Hospital of Bengbu Medical College from January 25 to February 25, 2020. Three patients were treated with plasma exchange and three patients were treated with tocilizumab. The effect on excessive inflammatory reaction of plasma exchange and tocilizumab was observed. RESULTS: The C-reactive protein (CRP) and IL-6 levels were significantly decreased and the lymphocyte and prothrombin time were improved in 3 patients after treatment with plasma exchange; while inflammation level was not significantly decreased, and lymphocyte and prothrombin time did not improve in 3 patients treated with tocilizumab. CONCLUSIONS: For severe COVID-19 patients with strong inflammatory reaction, plasma exchange may be preferred.

A Multi-Wall Sn/SnO2 @Carbon Hollow Nanofiber Anode Material for High-Rate and Long-Life Lithium-Ion Batteries.

Multi-wall Sn/SnO2 @carbon hollow nanofibers evolved from SnO2 nanofibers are designed and programable synthesized by electrospinning, polypyrrole coating, and annealing reduction. The synthesized hollow nanofibers have a special wire-in-double-wall-tube structure with larger specific surface area and abundant inner spaces, which can provide effective contacting area of electrolyte with electrode materials and more active sites for redox reaction. It shows excellent cycling stability by virtue of effectively alleviating pulverization of tin-based electrode materials caused by volume expansion. Even after 2000 cycles, the wire-in-double-wall-tube Sn/SnO2 @carbon nanofibers exhibit a high specific capacity of 986.3 mAh g-1 (1 A g-1 ) and still maintains 508.2 mAh g-1 at high current density of 5 A g-1 . This outstanding electrochemical performance suggests the multi-wall Sn/SnO2 @ carbon hollow nanofibers are great promising for high performance energy storage systems.

Coral-like Au/TiO2 Hollow Nanofibers with Through-Holes as a High-Efficient Catalyst through Mass Transfer Enhancement.

One-dimensional (1D) hollow nanomaterials were widely used in the catalysis field. However, the inner surfaces of 1D hollow nanostructures could not be effectively utilized in liquid reaction because of diffusional limitation caused by the large ratio of length to diameter. In this work, a template-assisted coaxial electrospinning method was developed to prepare TiO2 hollow nanofibers with through-holes which were further employed as a carrier for Au nanoparticles. The Au/TiO2 hollow nanofibers with through-holes showed significant catalytic activity enhancement to the reduction of 4-nitrophenol in aqueous solution compared with solid and hollow nanofiber counterparts. The through-holes which provided unrestricted macropores for mass transfer in liquid solution were studied to be accounted for the catalytic activity enhancement. The through-hole structures can widen the application ranges and increase the efficiencies of zero-dimensional or 1D hollow nanomaterials.

Two new compounds from Crataegus pinnatifida and their antithrombotic activities.

One new sesquiterpene, (1α,4aß,8aα)-1-isopropanol-4a-methyl-8-methylenedecahydronaphthalene (1), with one new phenylpropanoid, threo-2-(4-hydroxy-3,5-dimethoxyphenyl)-3-(4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)-3-ethoxypropan-1-ol (2), along with four known phenylpropanoids were isolated from Crataegus pinnatifida. The structures of compounds 1 and 2 were elucidated on the basis of 1D, 2D NMR analyses, and HR-ESI-MS. The antithrombotic activity in vitro of all isolates was assayed, and only compound 1 exhibited potent antithrombotic activity by inhibiting platelet aggregation in rat plasma by 81.4% at 1 mg/ml.

Lipidomics Analysis Deepen Understanding the Molecular Mechanisms in a Gouty Model Induced by Combination of MSU Crystals Injection and High-Fat Diet Feeding and the Intervention Mechanisms of Allopurinol.

Background: Gouty arthritis (GA) is a common inflammatory disease caused by deposition of monosodium urate (MSU) crystals in diarthrodial joints. GA attacks commonly involved in joint with red, swollen, heat and pain, and often happened in unilateral foot-first metatarsophalangeal. Accumulated studies have proved that lipids play critical roles in biological processes and lipids biomarkers can substitute for the diagnosis of various diseases. Methods: Herein, shotgun lipidomics was used to quantitatively analyze serum lipidomes of a gouty model which was induced by injecting MSU crystals and feeding high-fat diet with/without treatment with allopurinol. Meanwhile, ELISA kit was used to detect mouse serum levels of inflammatory cytokines (eg, tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin 1 beta) and HE staining was used to observe the infiltration of inflammatory cells in the foot pad. Results: A total of 9 types of serum lipids were detected in lipidomics by shotguns, and the result of NMDS' analysis demonstrated significant differences in lipids profiles between the control and model group. It is worth noting that lipid abnormality in GA (such as Ceramide (Cer), sphingomyelin (SM), 4-hydroxyalkenals (HNE), phosphatidylinositol (PI), ethanolamine glycerophospholipid (PE), etc.) is related with phospholipid and energy metabolism, and allopurinol treatment could correct the aberrant metabolism of lipid to some extent. Conclusion: Our results indicated that various aberrant lipid metabolisms were present in the established gouty model, and allopurinol treatment could relief this aberrant metabolism of lipids to some degree.

TCMSSD: A comprehensive database focused on syndrome standardization.

BACKGROUD: Quantitative and standardized research on syndrome differentiation has always been at the forefront of modernizing Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) theory. However, the majority of existing databases primarily concentrate on the network pharmacology of herbal prescriptions, and there are limited databases specifically dedicated to TCM syndrome differentiation. PURPOSE: In response to this gap, we have developed the Traditional Chinese Medical Syndrome Standardization Database (TCMSSD, http://tcmssd.ratcm.cn). METHODS: TCMSSD is a comprehensive database that gathers data from various sources, including TCM literature such as TCM Syndrome Studies (Zhong Yi Zheng Hou Xue) and TCM Internal Medicine (Zhong Yi Nei Ke Xue) and various public databases such as TCMID and ETCM. In our study, we employ a deep learning approach to construct the knowledge graph and utilize the BM25 algorithm for syndrome prediction. RESULTS: The TCMSSD integrates the essence of TCM with the modern medical system, providing a comprehensive collection of information related to TCM. It includes 624 syndromes, 133,518 prescriptions, 8,073 diseases (including 1,843 TCM-specific diseases), 8,259 Chinese herbal medicines, 43,413 ingredients, 17,602 targets, and 8,182 drugs. By analyzing input data and comparing it with the patterns and characteristics recorded in the database, the syndrome prediction tool generates predictions based on established correlations and patterns. CONCLUSION: The TCMSSD fills the gap in existing databases by providing a comprehensive resource for quantitative and standardized research on TCM syndrome differentiation and laid the foundation for research on the biological basis of syndromes.

The cytotoxicity of 8-O-4' neolignans from the seeds of Crataegus pinnatifida.

Nine new 8-O-4' neolignans, named pinnatifidanin B I-IX (1-9), together with 9 known analogs (10-18) were isolated from the seeds of Crataegus pinnatifida. The structures of 1-18 were determined by spectroscopic methods, including 1D, 2D NMR, CD and HRESIMS analysis. Compounds 8-11, 17 and 18 displayed potent cytotoxic activities against human cancer cell lines, and most interestingly, none of the 6 compounds displayed inhibitory activity against human lung cell line (Mrc5). The 6 cytotoxic compounds are considered to be potential as antitumor agents, which could significantly inhibit the cancer cell growth in a dose-dependent manner and are probably safer than positive control drug.

Electrospun Nanofiber Materials for Photothermal Interfacial Evaporation.

Photothermal interfacial evaporation with low cost and environmental friendliness has attracted much attention. However, there are still many problems with this technology, such as heat loss and salt accumulation. Due to their different structures and adjustable chemical composition, electrospun nanofiber materials generally exhibit some unique properties that provide new approaches to address the aforementioned issues. In this review, the rational design principles for improving the total efficiency of solar evaporation are described for thermal/water management systems and salt-resistance strategies. And we review the state-of-the-art advancements in photothermal evaporation based on nanofiber materials and discuss their derivative applications in desalination, water purification, and power generation. Finally, we highlight key challenges and opportunities in both fundamental research and practical applications to inform further developments in the field of interfacial evaporation.

CoS2-TiO2@C Core-Shell fibers as cathode host material for High-Performance Lithium-Sulfur batteries.

Owing to the low cost, high energy density, and high theoretical specific capacity, lithium-sulfur batteries have been deemed as a potential choice for future energy storage devices. However, they also have suffered from several scientific and technical issues including low conductivity, polysulfides migration, and volume changes. In this study, CoS2-TiO2@carbon core-shell fibers were fabricated through combination of coaxial electrospinning and selective vulcanization method. The core-shell fibers are able to efficiently host sulfur, confine polysulfides, and accelerate intermediates conversion. This electrode delivers an initial specific capacity of 1181.1 mAh g-1 and a high capacity of 736.5 mAh g-1 after 300 cycles with high coulombic efficiency over 99.5% (capacity decay of 0.06% per cycle). This strategy of isolating interactant and selective vulcanization provides new ideas for effectively constructing heterostructure materials for lithium-sulfur batteries.

An Apriori Algorithm-Based Association Analysis of Analgesic Drugs in Chinese Medicine Prescriptions Recorded From Patients With Rheumatoid Arthritis Pain.

Chronic pain, a common symptom of people with rheumatoid arthritis, usually behaves as persistent polyarthralgia pain and causes serious damage to patients' physical and mental health. Opioid analgesics can lead to a series of side effects like drug tolerance and addiction. Thus, seeking an alternative therapy and screening out the corresponding analgesic drugs is the key to solving the current dilemma. Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) therapy has been recognized internationally for its unique guiding theory and definite curative effect. In this study, we used the Apriori Algorithm to screen out potential analgesics from 311 cases that were treated with compounded medication prescription and collected from "Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang Chinese Medical University" in Hangzhou, China. Data on 18 kinds of clinical symptoms and 16 kinds of Chinese herbs were extracted based on this data mining. We also found 17 association rules and screened out four potential analgesic drugs-"Jinyinhua," "Wugong," "Yiyiren," and "Qingfengteng," which were promised to help in the clinical treatment. Besides, combined with System Cluster Analysis, we provided several different herbal combinations for clinical references.

Efficacy and Safety of Befotertinib (D-0316) in Patients With EGFR T790M-Mutated NSCLC That Had Progressed After Prior EGFR Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitor Therapy: A Phase 2, Multicenter, Single-Arm, Open-Label Study.

INTRODUCTION: Befotertinib (D-0316) is a novel, third-generation EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI). This study evaluated befotertinib in patients with locally advanced or metastatic NSCLC who developed an EGFR T790M mutation after progression on first- or second-generation EGFR TKI therapy. METHODS: This was a single-arm, open-label, phase 2 study at 49 hospitals across mainland China. Patients with locally advanced or metastatic NSCLC harboring EGFR T790M mutations with disease progression after prior first- or second-generation EGFR TKI therapy received oral befotertinib of 50 mg (cohort A) or 75 to 100 mg (cohort B) once daily. The primary end point was objective response rate (ORR) assessed by an independent review committee in intention-to-treat population. This trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT03861156. RESULTS: A total of 176 patients and 290 patients were included in cohorts A (50 mg) and B (75-100 mg), respectively. At data cutoff (August 15, 2021), independent review committee-assessed ORR was 67.6% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 61.9%-72.9%) in cohort B. The investigator-assessed ORR was 54.0% (95% CI: 46.3%-61.5%) in cohort A and 65.9% (95% CI: 60.1%-71.3%) in cohort B. The median investigator-assessed progression-free survival was 11.0 (95% CI: 9.6-12.5) months in cohort A and 12.5 (95% CI: 11.1-13.8) months in cohort B. The median independent review committee-assessed progression-free survival in cohort B was 16.6 (95% CI: 15.0-not evaluable [NE]) months. The intracranial ORR was 26.7% (95% CI: 7.8%-55.1%) in cohort A by investigator assessment, while 57.1% (95% CI: 34.0%-78.2%) and 55.9% (95% CI: 37.9%-72.8%) in cohort B by investigator and independent review committee assessment, respectively. The median investigator-assessed intracranial progression-free survival was 16.5 (95% CI: 8.6-NE) months in cohort A, while the median intracranial progression-free survival was not evaluable in cohort B due to immature data regardless of investigator or independent review committee assessment. and NE (95% CI: 13.8-NE) in cohort B. The overall survival was immature. Grade 3 or higher treatment-related adverse events and treatment-related serious adverse events occurred in 20.5% and 11.4% of patients in cohort A and in 29.3% and 10.0% of patients in cohort B, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Befotertinib of 75 to 100 mg has satisfying efficacy and manageable toxicity in patients with locally advanced or metastatic NSCLC harboring T790M mutation with resistance to first- or second-generation EGFR TKIs. A phase 3 randomized trial is underway (NCT04206072).

Network analysis indicating the pharmacological mechanism of Yunpi-Qufeng-Chushi-prescription in prophylactic treatment of rheumatoid arthritis.

BACKGROUND: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA), is an autoimmune inflammatory disease with increasing global morbidity and high disability. Early treatment is an effective intervention to slow down joint deformation. However, as for early RA and pre-RA patients, it sometimes takes a long time to make a definite diagnosis and few guidelines have made suggestion for these suspected or early phrase individuals. Yunpi-Qufeng-Chushi-Prescription (YQCP) is an optimization of the traditional formula, Cangzhu Fangfeng Tang which is effective for arthromyodynia management. METHODS: In this study, LC-MS identify the main component of YQCP. Ingredients of the 11 herbs were collected from Traditional Chinese Medicine Integrated Database (TCMID). Targets of these ingredients were collected from two source, TCMID and PharmMapper. Microarray of 20 early untreated RA patients and corresponding health control were download from NCBI Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database to defined the differential expressed genes. Gene ontology analysis and KEGG enrichment analysis were carried out for the YQCP. Protein-protein interactions (PPIs) networks were constructed to identify the hub targets. At last, molecular docking (MD) were conducted to further verified the the possibility of YQCP for RA therapy. RESULT: The study indicated that by acting on hub targets such as C3, EGFR, SRC and MMP9, YQCP may influence the mature of B cells and inhibit B cell-related IgG production, regulate oxidative stress and modulate activity of several enzymes including peroxidase and metallopeptidase to delay the occurrence and progress of RA and benefit the pre-RA or early RA patients. CONCLUSION: YQCP is a potential effective therapy for prophylactic treatment of RA.

[Expression of CDC25A in non-small cell lung cancer and its relationship with let-7 gene].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the expression of CDC25A in non- small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) tissues and explore its correlation with the clinicpathological features of the patients and the expressions of let-7a1 and let-7c. METHODS: We collected surgical specimens of pathologically confirmed NSCLC tissues and paired adjacent lung tissues from 44 patients and tissues of benign lung lesions from 9 patients. The expressions of CDC25A protein and mRNA in the tissues were detected by immunohistochemistry and fluorescence quantitative RT-PCR, respectively; the expressions of let-7a1 and let-7c mRNA were detected using tail-adding fluorescence quantitative RT-PCR. RESULTS: The positivity rate of CDC25A protein expression was significantly higher in NSCLC tissues than in the adjacent tissues and benign pulmonary lesions (P < 0.05). CDC25A protein expression in NSCLC was not correlated with the patients' age, gender, pathological type, degree of tumor differentiation, or clinical stages (P > 0.05), and was significantly correlated with smoking and lymph node metastasis (P < 0.05). CDC25A mRNA expression was also significantly higher in NSCLC tissues than in the adjacent tissues and benign pulmonary lesions (F=6.33, P < 0.05), and was similar between the latter two tissues (P > 0.05). Pearson correlation analysis showed that CDC25A expression had a significant negative correlation with let-7c expression in both NSCLC tissues (r=-0.42) and adjacent lung tissues (r=-0.40) but was not correlated with let-7a1 expression. CONCLUSIONS: The expression level of CDC25A is significantly increased in NSCLC with a negative correlation with Let-7c expression, which identifies CDC25A as a possible downstream target gene of Let-7c.

Analysis of Risk Factors for 24 Patients With COVID-19 Developing From Moderate to Severe Condition.

Objective: The present study aimed at investigating the clinical risk factors for COVID-19 patients developing from moderate condition to severe condition, and providing reference for early intervention and prognosis. Methods: We collected the clinical data of 24 patients with moderate-to-severe COVID-19 who were admitted to the isolation ward of the First Affiliated Hospital of Bengbu Medical College from January, 2020 to February 20, 2020, and evaluated the data of clinical characteristics, blood test results, inflammatory index, chest CT imaging characteristics, and antiviral treatment, comparing this with the clinical data of 41 patients with moderate condition in the same period. From this comparison we thus summarized the current knowledge of potential risk factors for COVID-19 patients developing from moderate to severe condition. Results: (1) Clinical characteristics: The moderate-to-severe group and the moderate group in terms of combined common underlying diseases and respiratory frequency showed significant difference statistically (t-value were 13.32, 6.17, respectively, P < 0.05), while no significant difference between the two groups in gender, age, or clinical symptoms was statistically observed(P > 0.05). (2) Analysis of blood test results: The lymphocyte count and plasma albumin of the moderate-to-severe group were significantly lower than those of the moderate group (t-values were 4.16, 4.11, respectively, P < 0.05), and the blood glucose and urea of the moderate-to-severe group were significantly higher than those of the moderate group (t-value were 3.27, 4.19, respectively, P < 0.05). However, there was no significant difference in terms of white blood cell count (WBC), platelet count (PLT), and glutamic-pyruvic transaminase (GPT) (P > 0.05). (3) Comparison of inflammatory indicators: The level of IL-6 and CRP of the moderate-to-severe group were significantly higher than those of the moderate group (t-values were 2.84, 4.88, respectively, P < 0.05). (4) Imaging comparison: As for patients with moderate COVID-19, the imaging manifestations were the concurrence of ground-glass opacity, patchy shadow, and consolidation shadow in both lungs, diffuse ground-glass opacity in both lungs accompanied by air bronchogram, and large area consolidation of both lungs with pulmonary interstitial changes. The possibility for these patients to develop into severe condition increased, and the differences were statistically significant (t = 10.92, P < 0.05). (5) Clinical antiviral treatment: There was no statistically significant difference in the combination of two or three antiviral drugs between the two groups (χ2 = 0.05, P > 0.05). Conclusion: Current evidence suggested that the combination of common underlying diseases, respiratory frequency, lymphocyte count, blood glucose, albumin, urea level, inflammatory factors (CRP, IL-6), and imaging manifestations collectively contributed to the potential risk factors for the development of COVID-19 from moderate condition to severe condition. Particular attention should be paid to early detection and intervention during clinical work, which will be of vital significance to the ascent of the recovery rate as well as the reduction of mortality.

Controllable and Continuous Hollow Fiber Swimmers Based on the Marangoni Effect.

The rapid response movement caused by the Marangoni effect, a surface tension gradient-induced mass transfer behavior, has spurred considerable promise for diverse applications from microrobots and microreactors to smart drug delivery. Herein, we fabricated an aligned hollow fiber swimmer that showed self-propel movement on a water surface based on the Marangoni effect. By rational designing of an aligned hollow microstructure and an optimized geometrical shape, this swimmer can move continuously for more than 600 s and the maximum angular velocity can reach 22 rad·s-1. The movement process of the swimmer is clearly monitored by infrared imaging and the process fluid migration. Moreover, this swimmer exhibited a highly controllable motion mode induced by a magnetic field and a concentration gradient. We designed a novel continuous motion system under the heat conversion from solar energy illumination into mechanical energy. This swimmer shows potential application prospects in controlled cargo transportation and convenient energy conversion systems.

Winding-Locked Carbon Nanotubes/Polymer Nanofibers Helical Yarn for Ultrastretchable Conductor and Strain Sensor.

Wearable and stretchable electronics including various conductors and sensors are featured with their lightweight, high flexibility, and easy integration into functional devices or textiles. However, most flexible electronic materials are still unsatisfactory due to their poor recoverability under large strain. Herein, we fabricated a carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and polyurethane (PU) nanofibers composite helical yarn with electrical conductivity, ultrastretchability, and high stretch sensitivity. The synergy of elastic PU molecules and spring-like microgeometry enable the helical yarn excellent stretchability, while CNTs are stably winding-locked into the yarn through a simple twisting strategy, making good conductivity. By virtue of the interlaced conductive network of CNTs in microlevel and the helical structure in macrolevel, the CNTs/PU helical yarn achieves good recoverability within 900% and maximum tensile elongation up to 1700%. With these features, it can be used as a superelastic and highly stable conductive wire. Moreover, it also can monitor the human motion as a rapid-response strain sensor by adjusting the content of the CNTs simply. This general and low-cost strategy is of great promise for ultrastretchable wearable electronics and multifunctional devices.

Mo2C-Embedded Carambola-like N,S-Rich Carbon Framework as the Interlayer Material for High-Rate Lithium-Sulfur Batteries in a Wide Temperature Range.

The insulating nature of sulfur/Li2S and heavy shuttle effect of lithium polysulfides (LiPSs) hinder the commercialization of lithium-sulfur (Li-S) batteries. To address such issues, we designed and synthesized a porous carambola-like N,S-doped carbon framework embedded with Mo2C particles (designed as N,S-Mo2C/C-ACF) as the interlayer material to block the polysulfide shuttle and it behaves as a catalytic mediator for LiPS conversion. The modified separator of polypropylene functionalized by N,S-Mo2C/C-ACF, showing ultrafast wetting ability to the electrolyte and high lithium ion (Li+) conductivity, proves to be highly effective for inhibiting the polysulfide shuttle and simultaneously promoting the reutilization of adsorbed LiPSs. When used in Li-S batteries by coupling with a Super P/sulfur cathode, over a wide temperature range of 5-55 °C, the as-fabricated batteries delivered excellent rate capability and long cycle stability. Especially, at a high rate of 5 C, the discharge capacities of 405, 630, and 670 mA h gs-1 were achieved when tested at 5, 30, and 55 °C, respectively. The remarkable wide temperature performance is appealing for extended practical application of Li-S batteries.