The electrochemistry of stable sulfur isotopes versus lithium.

Sulfur in nature consists of two abundant stable isotopes, with two more neutrons in the heavy one (34S) than in the light one (32S). The two isotopes show similar physicochemical properties and are usually considered an integral system for chemical research in various fields. In this work, a model study based on a Li-S battery was performed to reveal the variation between the electrochemical properties of the two S isotopes. Provided with the same octatomic ring structure, the cyclo-34S8 molecules form stronger S-S bonds than cyclo-32S8 and are more prone to react with Li. The soluble Li polysulfides generated by the Li-34S conversion reaction show a stronger cation-solvent interaction yet a weaker cation-anion interaction than the 32S-based counterparts, which facilitates quick solvation of polysulfides yet hinders their migration from the cathode to the anode. Consequently, the Li-34S cell shows improved cathode reaction kinetics at the solid-liquid interface and inhibited shuttle of polysulfides through the electrolyte so that it demonstrates better cycling performance than the Li-32S cell. Based on the varied shuttle kinetics of the isotopic-S-based polysulfides, an electrochemical separation method for 34S/32S isotope is proposed, which enables a notably higher separation factor than the conventional separation methods via chemical exchange or distillation and brings opportunities to low-cost manufacture, utilization, and research of heavy chalcogen isotopes.

Sodium layered oxide cathodes: properties, practicality and prospects.

Rechargeable sodium-ion batteries (SIBs) have emerged as an advanced electrochemical energy storage technology with potential to alleviate the dependence on lithium resources. Similar to Li-ion batteries, the cathode materials play a decisive role in the cost and energy output of SIBs. Among various cathode materials, Na layered transition-metal (TM) oxides have become an appealing choice owing to their facile synthesis, high Na storage capacity/voltage that are suitable for use in high-energy SIBs, and high adaptivity to the large-scale manufacture of Li layered oxide analogues. However, going from the lab to the market, the practical use of Na layered oxide cathodes is limited by the ambiguous understanding of the fundamental structure-performance correlation of cathode materials and lack of customized material design strategies to meet the diverse demands in practical storage applications. In this review, we attempt to clarify the fundamental misunderstandings by elaborating the correlations between the electron configuration of the critical capacity-contributing elements (e.g., TM cations and oxygen anion) in oxides and their influence on the Na (de)intercalation (electro)chemistry and storage properties of the cathode. Subsequently, we discuss the issues that hinder the practical use of layered oxide cathodes, their origins and the corresponding strategies to address their issues and accelerate the target-oriented research and development of cathode materials. Finally, we discuss several new Na layered cathode materials that show prospects for next-generation SIBs, including layered oxides with anion redox and high entropy and highlight the use of layered oxides as cathodes for solid-state SIBs with higher energy and safety. In summary, we aim to offer insights into the rational design of high-performance Na layered oxide cathode materials towards the practical realization of sustainable electrochemical energy storage at a low cost.

Fluoride-Mediated Aryne 1,2-Difunctionalization Involving C═S Bond Heterolysis.

We have successfully synthesized a series of bidentate ligands by utilizing 2-(trimethylsilyl)phenyl trifluorosulfonate as a precursor for the benzyl group. This method proceeded by inserting a polythiourea into the C═S π-bond, intramolecular ring proton migration, and ring opening. Salient features of this strategy are mild reaction conditions, a novel product structure, excellent stereochemistry, and a good functional group tolerance. Furthermore, a series of density functional theory calculations were performed to gain insights into the transfer mechanism.

Synthesis of Sulfur Vacancy-Bearing In2S3/CuInS2 Microflower Heterojunctions via a Template-Assisted Strategy and Cation-Exchange Reaction for Photocatalytic CO2 Reduction.

The synthesis of the accurate composition and morphological/structural design of multielement semiconductor materials is considered an effective strategy for obtaining high-performance hybrid photocatalysts. Herein, sulfur vacancy (Vs)-bearing In2S3/CuInS2 microflower heterojunctions (denoted Vs-In2S3/CuInS2) were formed in situ using In2S3 microsphere template-directed synthesis and a metal ion exchange-mediated growth strategy. Photocatalysts with flower-like microspheres can be obtained using hydrothermally synthesized In2S3 microspheres as a template, followed by Ostwald ripening growth during the metal cation exchange of Cu+ and In3+. The optimal heterostructured Vs-In2S3/CuInS2 microflowers exhibited CO and CH4 evolution rates of 80.3 and 11.8 µmol g-1 h-1, respectively, under visible-light irradiation; these values are approximately 4 and 6.8 times higher than those reported for pristine In2S3, respectively. The enhanced photocatalytic performance of the Vs-In2S3/CuInS2 catalysts could be attributed to the synergistic effects of the following factors: (i) the constructed heterojunctions accelerate charge-carrier separation; (ii) the flower-like microspheres exhibit highly uniform morphologies and compositions, which enhance electron transport and light harvesting; and (iii) the vs. may trap excited electrons and, thus, inhibit charge-carrier recombination. This study not only confirms the feasibility of the design of heterostructures on demand, but also presents a simple and efficient strategy to engineer metal sulfide photocatalysts with enhanced photocatalytic performance.

A Fully Amorphous, Dynamic Cross-Linked Polymer Electrolyte for Lithium-Sulfur Batteries Operating at Subzero-Temperatures.

Solid-state lithium-sulfur batteries have shown prospects as safe, high-energy electrochemical storage technology for powering regional electrified transportation. Owing to limited ion mobility in crystalline polymer electrolytes, the battery is incapable of operating at subzero temperature. Addition of liquid plasticizer into the polymer electrolyte improves the Li-ion conductivity yet sacrifices the mechanical strength and interfacial stability with both electrodes. In this work, we showed that by introducing a spherical hyperbranched solid polymer plasticizer into a Li+ -conductive linear polymer matrix, an integrated dynamic cross-linked polymer network was built to maintain fully amorphous in a wide temperature range down to subzero. A quasi-solid polymer electrolyte with a solid mass content >90 % was prepared from the cross-linked polymer network, and demonstrated fast Li+ conduction at a low temperature, high mechanical strength, and stable interfacial chemistry. As a result, solid-state lithium-sulfur batteries employing the new electrolyte delivered high reversible capacity and long cycle life at 25 °C, 0 °C and -10 °C to serve energy storage at complex environmental conditions.

Refined Electrolyte and Interfacial Chemistry toward Realization of High-Energy Anode-Free Rechargeable Sodium Batteries.

Anode-free rechargeable sodium batteries represent one of the ultimate choices for the 'beyond-lithium' electrochemical storage technology with high energy. Operated based on the sole use of active Na ions from the cathode, the anode-free battery is usually reported with quite a limited cycle life due to unstable electrolyte chemistry that hinders efficient Na plating/stripping at the anode and high-voltage operation of the layered oxide cathode. A rational design of the electrolyte toward improving its compatibility with the electrodes is key to realize the battery. Here, we show that by refining the volume ratio of two conventional linear ether solvents, a binary electrolyte forms a cation solvation structure that facilitates flat, dendrite-free, planar growth of Na metal on the anode current collector and that is adaptive to high-voltage Na (de)intercalation of P2-/O3-type layered oxide cathodes and oxidative decomposition of the Na2C2O4 supplement. Inorganic fluorides, such as NaF, show a major influence on the electroplating pattern of Na metal and effective passivation of plated metal at the anode-electrolyte interface. Anode-free batteries based on the refined electrolyte have demonstrated high coulombic efficiency, long cycle life, and the ability to claim a cell-level specific energy of >300 Wh/kg.

Mitigating Swelling of the Solid Electrolyte Interphase using an Inorganic Anion Switch for Low-temperature Lithium-ion Batteries.

In overcoming the Li+ desolvation barrier for low-temperature battery operation, a weakly-solvated electrolyte based on carboxylate solvent has shown promises. In case of an organic-anion-enriched primary solvation sheath (PSS), we found that the electrolyte tends to form a highly swollen, unstable solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) that shows a high permeability to the electrolyte components, accounting for quickly declined electrochemical performance of graphite-based anode. Here we proposed a facile strategy to tune the swelling property of SEI by introducing an inorganic anion switch into the PSS, via LiDFP co-solute method. By forming a low-swelling, Li3 PO4 -rich SEI, the electrolyte-consuming parasitic reactions and solvent co-intercalation at graphite-electrolyte interface are suppressed, which contributes to efficient Li+ transport, reversible Li+ (de)intercalation and stable structural evolution of graphite anode in high-energy Li-ion batteries at a low temperature of -20 °C.

[Influence of E-cadherin methylation on prognosis in children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia]. / å„¿ç«¥æ€¥æ€§æ·‹å·´ç»†èƒžç™½è¡€ç— ä¸­E-钙黏蛋白甲基化对预后的影响.

OBJECTIVES: To study the significance of E-cadherin and the association between E-cadherin methylation status and prognosis in children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) by examining the mRNA and protein expression of E-cadherin and its gene methylation status in bone marrow mononuclear cells of children with ALL. METHODS: The samples of 5 mL bone marrow blood were collected from 42 children with ALL who were diagnosed for the first time at diagnosis (pre-treatment group) and on day 33 of induction chemotherapy (post-treatment group). RT-qPCR, Western blot, and methylation-specific PCR were used to measure the mRNA and protein expression of E-cadherin and the methylation level of the E-cadherin gene. The changes in each index after induction chemotherapy were compared. RESULTS: The mRNA and protein expression levels of E-cadherin in the post-treatment group were significantly higher than those in the pre-treatment group (P<0.05), while the positive rate of E-cadherin gene methylation in the post-treatment group was significantly lower than that in the pre-treatment group (P<0.05). At the end of the test, the children with negative methylation had significantly higher overall survival rate and event-free survival rate than those with positive methylation (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: E-cadherin expression is associated with the development of ALL in children, and its decreased expression and increased methylation level may indicate a poor prognosis.

Upregulation of NOD1 and NOD2 contribute to cancer progression through the positive regulation of tumorigenicity and metastasis in human squamous cervical cancer.

BACKGROUND: Metastatic cervical squamous cell carcinoma (CSCC) has poor prognosis and is recalcitrant to the current treatment strategies, which warrants the necessity to identify novel prognostic markers and therapeutic targets. Given that CSCC is a virus-induced malignancy, we hypothesized that the pattern recognition receptors (PRRs) involved in the innate immune response likely play a critical role in tumor development. METHODS: A bioinformatics analysis, qPCR, IHC, immunofluorescence, and WB were performed to determine the expression of NOD1/NOD2. The biological characteristics of overexpression NOD1 or NOD2 CSCC cells were compared to parental cells: proliferation, migration/invasion and cytokines secretion were examined in vitro through CCK8/colony formation/cell cycle profiling/cell counting, wound healing/transwell, and ELISA assays, respectively. The proliferative and metastatic capacity of overexpression NOD1 or NOD2 CSCC cells were also evaluated in vivo. FCM, mRNA and protein arrays, ELISA, and WB were used to identify the mechanisms involved, while novel pharmacological treatment were evaluated in vitro and in vivo. Quantitative variables between two groups were compared by Student's t test (normal distribution) or Mann-Whitney U test (non-normal distribution), and one-way or two-way ANOVA was used for comparing multiple groups. Pearson χ2 test or Fisher's exact test was used to compare qualitative variables. Survival curves were plotted by the Kaplan-Meier method and compared by the log-rank test. P values of < 0.05 were considered statistically significant. RESULTS: NOD1 was highly expressed in CSCC with lymph-vascular space invasion (LVSI, P < 0.01) and lymph node metastasis (LM, P < 0.01) and related to worse overall survival (OS, P = 0.016). In vitro and in vivo functional assays revealed that the upregulation of NOD1 or NOD2 in CSCC cells promoted proliferation, invasion, and migration. Mechanistically, NOD1 and NOD2 exerted their oncogenic effects by activating NF-κb and ERK signaling pathways and enhancing IL-8 secretion. Inhibition of the IL-8 receptor partially abrogated the effects of NOD1/2 on CSCC cells. CONCLUSIONS: NOD1/2-NF-κb/ERK and IL-8 axis may be involved in the progression of CSCC; the NOD1 significantly enhanced the progression of proliferation and metastasis, which leads to a poor prognosis. Anti-IL-8 was identified as a potential therapeutic target for patients with NOD1high tumor.

Clinical characteristics of 967 children with pertussis: a single-center analysis over an 8-year period in Beijing, China.

The purpose of this study is to understand children's clinical characteristics with pertussis and analyze risk factors on critical pertussis patients. Demographic data from patients with pertussis at Children's Hospital affiliated to the Capital Institute of Pediatrics between March 2011 and December 2018 were collected. We retrospectively gathered more information with the positive exposure, vaccination, antibiotic usage before diagnosis, clinical manifestation, laboratory tests, therapy, and complications for hospitalized children. We divided the patients into severe and non-severe groups, comparing related factors and clinical characteristics among each group. In particular, we summarize the clinical features of the severe patients before aggravation. A total of 967 pertussis cases were diagnosed, of which 227 were hospitalized. The onset age younger than 3 months old accounted for the highest proportion, and 126 patients received hospitalization. For those patients, the incidence of post-tussive vomiting, paroxysmal cyanosis, post-tussive heart rate decrease, hypoxemia, severe pneumonia, and mechanical ventilation was significantly higher than that in the ≥ 3-month-old group (p < 0.05). Among 227 hospitalized patients, 54 suffered from severe pertussis. Risk factors for severe patients included early age of onset, pathogen exposure, and unvaccinated status. Cough paroxysms, post-tussive vomiting, paroxysmal cyanosis, facial flushing/cyanosis/fever during cough, increased WBC, and chest X-ray revealing pneumonia/consolidation/atelectasis were important indications of severe pertussis. Unvaccinated status was an independent risk factor for severe pertussis. The most vulnerable population was infants < 3 months old to pertussis, and may be on the severe end of the disease. Pediatricians must detect and treat severe cases promptly and recommend timely vaccination for all eligible children.

Visible light-promoted intermolecular cyclization/aromatization of chalcones and 2-mercaptobenzimidazoles via an EDA complex and a mechanism study.

Visible-light-promoted cyclization and aromatization of chalcones with 2-mercaptobenzimidazoles have been successfully developed to obtain diverse imidazo[2,1-b]thiazoles, and C-S and C-N bonds were constructed in one step. The reaction uses oxygen in the air as an oxidant, and the method does not need an external photocatalyst or a transition metal catalyst. The strategy features mild conditions, a simple system, readily accessible feedstocks, and a friendly environment. UV absorption spectroscopy and control experiments have shown that the reaction mechanism involves the formation of an electron-donor-acceptor (EDA) complex from thiolate anions and chalcones. In order to verify the mechanism, we studied the structure and HOMO/LUMO of the EDA complex by density functional theory (DFT) calculations. The results show that the π-π stacking between chalcones and 2-mercaptobenzimidazoles will cause a red shift of the UV absorption wavelength in the presence of Cs2CO3, and also provide a theoretical basis for the electron transfer of EDA complexes.

Poorer Survival in Patients with Cecum Cancer Compared with Sigmoid Colon Cancer.

Background and Objectives: An increasing number of studies have shown the influence of primary tumor location of colon cancer on prognosis, but the prognostic difference between colon cancers at different locations remains controversial. After comparing the prognostic differences between left-sided and right-sided colon cancer, the study subdivided left-sided and right-sided colon cancer into three parts, respectively, and explored which parts had the most significant prognostic differences, with the aim to further analyze the prognostic significance of primary locations of colon cancer. Materials and Methods: Clinicopathological data of patients with colon cancer who underwent radical surgery from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Program database were analyzed. The data was divided into two groups (2004−2009 and 2010−2015) based on time intervals. Two tumor locations with the most significant survival difference were explored by using Cox regression analyses. The prognostic difference of the two locations was further verified in survival analyses after propensity score matching. Results: Patients with right-sided colon cancer had worse cancer-specific and overall survival compared to left-sided colon cancer. Survival difference between cecum cancer and sigmoid colon cancer was found to be the most significant among six tumor locations in both 2004−2009 and 2010−2015 time periods. After propensity score matching, multivariate analyses showed that cecum cancer was an independent unfavorable factor for cancer specific survival (HR [95% CI]: 1.11 [1.04−1.17], p = 0.001 for 2004−2009; HR [95% CI]: 1.23 [1.13−1.33], p < 0.001 for 2010−2015) and overall survival (HR [95% CI]: 1.09 [1.04−1.14], p < 0.001 for 2004−2009; HR [95% CI]: 1.09 [1.04−1.14], p < 0.001 for 2010−2015) compared to sigmoid colon cancer. Conclusions: The study indicates the prognosis of cecum cancer is worse than that of sigmoid colon. The current dichotomy model (right-sided vs. left-sided colon) may be inappropriate for the study of colon cancer.

Hydrogen Isotope Effects on Aqueous Electrolyte for Electrochemical Lithium-Ion Storage.

As two stable hydrogen isotopes, protium and deuterium show magnified isotope effects in physicochemical properties due to the significantly varied atomic masses. In this work, aqueous electrolytes based on heavy water (D2 O) and light water (H2 O) were prepared to reveal the electrochemical isotope effects between the hydrogen isotopes. The covalent hydrogen-oxygen bond and intermolecular hydrogen bond in D2 O are much stronger than those in H2 O, making them thermodynamically more stable. Compared with the H2 O-based electrolyte, the D2 O-based electrolyte shows a broader electrochemical window, a higher percentage of coordinated water and a longer lifetime of hydrogen bond. Because of the above electrochemical isotope effects, the D2 O-based electrolyte shows high anodic stability against operation of high-voltage layered oxide cathode materials including LiCoO2 and LiNi0.8 Co0.1 Mn0.1 O2 , which enables long cycle life and favorable rate performance of aqueous Li-ion batteries.

Competitive Doping Chemistry for Nickel-Rich Layered Oxide Cathode Materials.

Chemical modification of electrode materials by heteroatom dopants is crucial for improving storage performance in rechargeable batteries. Electron configurations of different dopants significantly influence the chemical interactions inbetween and the chemical bonding with the host material, yet the underlying mechanism remains unclear. We revealed competitive doping chemistry of Group IIIA elements (boron and aluminum) taking nickel-rich cathode materials as a model. A notable difference between the atomic radii of B and Al accounts for different spatial configurations of the hybridized orbital in bonding with lattice oxygen. Density functional theory calculations reveal, Al is preferentially bonded to oxygen and vice versa, and shows a much lower diffusion barrier than BIII . In the case of Al-preoccupation, the bulk diffusion of BIII is hindered. In this way, a B-rich surface and Al-rich bulk is formed, which helps to synergistically stabilize the structural evolution and surface chemistry of the cathode.

Exosome-delivered miR-221/222 exacerbates tumor liver metastasis by targeting SPINT1 in colorectal cancer.

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are involved in the progression of many cancers through largely unelucidated mechanisms. The results of our present study identified a gene cluster, miR-221/222, that is constitutively upregulated in serum exosome samples of patients with colorectal carcinoma (CRC) with liver metastasis (LM); this upregulation predicts a poor overall survival rate. Using an in vitro cell coculture model, we demonstrated that CRC exosomes harboring miR-221/222 activate liver hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) by suppressing SPINT1 expression. Importantly, miR-221/222 plays a key role in forming a favorable premetastatic niche (PMN) that leads to the aggressive nature of CRC, which was further shown through in vivo studies. Overall, our results show that exosomal miR-221/222 promotes CRC progression and may serve as a novel prognostic marker and therapeutic target for CRC with LM.

[Expression and Significance of Leucine-rich Repeat-containing G-protein Coupled Receptor 5/6 in Wnt Pathway in Children with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia].

Objective To study the expression and significance of leucine-rich repeat-containing G-protein coupled receptor(LGR)5/6 in childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia(ALL). Methods A total of 39 children who had ALL and achieved complete remission on day 33 after induction therapy were enrolled.The children before induction therapy were considered as the incipient group,and those who achieved complete remission on day 33 by induction therapy were considered as the remission group.According to the degree of risk,they were assigned into 3 groups:low-risk(n=16),intermediate-risk(n=9),and high-risk(n=14)groups.A total of 30 children with immune thrombocytopenia were taken as the control group.From each child in the incipient group,remission group,and control group,3 ml bone marrow sample was collected.Real-time fluorescent quantitative polymerase chain reaction was conducted to measure the mRNA expression of LGR5 and LGR6 in the blood cells of bone marrow.Western blot was employed to measure the protein expression of LGR5 and LGR6 in blood cells of bone marrow. Results Compared with the control(mRNA:1.541±0.409,protein:0.138±0.041)and remission(mRNA:1.418±0.324,protein:0.130±0.033)groups,the incipient group had significantly lower mRNA(0.850±0.279)and protein(0.083±0.027)expression of LGR5(PmRNA=0.000,Pprotein=0.000).Compared with the control(mRNA:0.928±0.373,protein:0.094±0.037)and remission(mRNA:0.886±0.390,protein:0.111±0.039)groups,the incipient group had significantly higher mRNA(2.444±1.160)and protein(0.298±0.088)expression of LGR6(PmRNA=0.000,Pprotein=0.000).In the incipient groups,low-risk children showed significantly higher mRNA(1.004±0.284)and protein(0.097±0.030)expression of LGR5 than the intermediate-risk children(mRNA:0.728±0.239,protein:0.071±0.022)and high-risk children(mRNA:0.752±0.222,protein:0.074±0.020)(PmRNA=0.012,Pprotein=0.016);low-risk children showed significantly lower mRNA(1.822±0.979)and protein(0.245±0.077)expression of LGR6 than the intermediate-risk children(mRNA:2.954±1.039,protein:0.338±0.081)and high-risk children(mRNA:2.827±1.165,protein:0.333±0.075)(PmRNA=0.016,Pprotein=0.004).In the remission groups,low-risk children showed significantly higher mRNA(1.597±0.329)and protein(0.150±0.035)expression of LGR5 than the intermediate-risk children(mRNA:1.277±0.288,protein:0.117±0.029)and high-risk children(mRNA:1.305±0.253,protein:0.116±0.023)(PmRNA=0.012,Pprotein=0.006);low-risk children showed significantly lower mRNA(0.662±0.334)and protein(0.089±0.034)expression of LGR6 than the intermediate-risk children(mRNA:1.066±0.273,protein:0.130±0.033)and high-risk children(mRNA:1.027±0.405,protein:0.126±0.038)(PmRNA=0.007,Pprotein=0.007). Conclusion The expression of LGR5 and LGR6 are closely related to the occurrence and risk of childhood ALL,but its mechanism needs further study.

Formulating the Electrolyte Towards High-Energy and Safe Rechargeable Lithium-Metal Batteries.

Rechargeable lithium-metal batteries with a cell-level specific energy of >400 Wh kg-1 are highly desired for next-generation storage applications, yet the research has been retarded by poor electrolyte-electrode compatibility and rigorous safety concerns. We demonstrate that by simply formulating the composition of conventional electrolytes, a hybrid electrolyte was constructed to ensure high (electro)chemical and thermal stability with both the Li-metal anode and the nickel-rich layered oxide cathodes. By employing the new electrolyte, Li∥LiNi0.6 Co0.2 Mn0.2 O2 cells show favorable cycling and rate performance, and a 10 Ah Li∥LiNi0.8 Co0.1 Mn0.1 O2 pouch cell demonstrates a practical specific energy of >450 Wh kg-1 . Our findings shed light on reasonable design principles for electrolyte and electrode/electrolyte interfaces toward practical realization of high-energy rechargeable batteries.

Long-term impact of lymphadenectomies in patients with low-grade, early-stage uterine endometrial stroma sarcoma.

AIM: The aim of our study was to investigate the lymph node metastasis (LNM) rate and effect of lymph node dissection (LND) in patients with stage I, low-grade endometrial stromal sarcoma (LGESS). METHODS: Patients with stage I LGESS (n = 119) that underwent surgery from July 1969 to July 2017, following up over 48 years at the China National Cancer Center were retrospectively analyzed in this study. RESULTS: Surgical records and consulting data for patients with LGESS were analyzed to find that 47 patients received systematic pelvic LND. The number of patients with menopause in the LND(+) group were significantly lower than those in LND(-) group (2.1% vs 22.2%, P = 0.005), meanwhile, patients received bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy procedure in LND(+) group were significantly higher than LND(-) (97.9% vs 58.3%, P < 0.001). Neither progression-free survival nor overall survival was significantly improved in the LND(+) group even after propensity score matching although the progression-free survival has a stronger trend in LND(+) population. CONCLUSION: A systematic LND was not significantly associated with prognosis for patients with early-stage LGESS. There is no sufficient indication for a systematic LND for patients with early-stage LGESS. A systematic LND might be necessary if enlarged lymph nodes were detected by image graphology or observation during surgery.

Building an Air Stable and Lithium Deposition Regulable Garnet Interface from Moderate-Temperature Conversion Chemistry.

Garnet-type electrolytes suffer from unstable chemistry against air exposure, which generates contaminants on electrolyte surface and accounts for poor interfacial contact with the Li metal. Thermal treatment of the garnet at >700 °C could remove the surface contaminants, yet it regenerates the contaminants in the air, and aggravates the Li dendrite issue as more electron-conducting defective sites are exposed. In a departure from the removal approach, here we report a new surface chemistry that converts the contaminants into a fluorinated interface at moderate temperature <180 °C. The modified interface shows a high electron tunneling barrier and a low energy barrier for Li+ surface diffusion, so that it enables dendrite-proof Li plating/stripping at a high critical current density of 1.4 mA cm-2 . Moreover, the modified interface exhibits high chemical and electrochemical stability against air exposure, which prevents regeneration of contaminants and keeps high critical current density of 1.1 mA cm-2 . The new chemistry presents a practical solution for realization of high-energy solid-state Li metal batteries.

Enabling a Durable Electrochemical Interface via an Artificial Amorphous Cathode Electrolyte Interphase for Hybrid Solid/Liquid Lithium-Metal Batteries.

A hybrid solid/liquid electrolyte with superior security facilitates the implementation of high-energy-density storage devices, but it suffers from inferior chemical compatibility with cathodes. Herein, an optimal lithium difluoro(oxalato)borate salt was introduced to build in situ an amorphous cathode electrolyte interphase (CEI) between Ni-rich cathodes and hybrid electrolyte. The CEI preserves the surface structure with high compatibility, leading to enhanced interfacial stability. Meanwhile, the space-charge layer can be prominently mitigated at the solid/solid interface via harmonized chemical potentials, acquiring promoted interfacial dynamics as revealed by COMSOL simulation. Consequently, the amorphous CEI integrates the bifunctionality to provide an excellent cycling stability, high Coulombic efficiency, and favorable rate capability in high-voltage Li-metal batteries, innovating the design philosophy of functional CEI strategy for future high-energy-density batteries.