Heparan sulfate-dependent phase separation of CCL5 and its chemotactic activity.

Secreted chemokines form concentration gradients in target tissues to control migratory directions and patterns of immune cells in response to inflammatory stimulation; however, how the gradients are formed is much debated. Heparan sulfate (HS) binds to chemokines and modulates their activities. In this study, we investigated the roles of HS in the gradient formation and chemoattractant activity of CCL5 that is known to bind to HS. CCL5 and heparin underwent liquid-liquid phase separation and formed gradient, which was confirmed using CCL5 immobilized on heparin-beads. The biological implication of HS in CCL5 gradient formation was established in CHO-K1 (wild-type) and CHO-677 (lacking HS) cells by Transwell assay. The effect of HS on CCL5 chemoattractant activity was further proved by Transwell assay of human peripheral blood cells. Finally, peritoneal injection of the chemokines into mice showed reduced recruitment of inflammatory cells either by mutant CCL5 (lacking heparin-binding sequence) or by addition of heparin to wild-type CCL5. Our experimental data propose that co-phase separation of CCL5 with HS establishes a specific chemokine concentration gradient to trigger directional cell migration. The results warrant further investigation on other heparin-binding chemokines and allows for a more elaborate insight into disease process and new treatment strategies.

Reconstructing Helmholtz Plane Enables Robust F-Rich Interface for Long-Life and High-Safe Sodium-Ion Batteries.

Hard carbon (HC) is the most commonly used anode material in sodium-ion batteries. However, the solid-electrolyte-interface (SEI) layer formed in carbonate ester-based electrolytes has an imperceptible dissolution tendency and a sluggish Na+ diffusion kinetics, resulting in unsatisfactory performance of the HC anode. Given that electrode/electrolyte interface property is highly dependent on the configuration of Helmholtz plane, we filtrate proper solvents by PFBE (PF6- anion binding energy) and CAE (carbon absorption energy) and disclose the function of chosen TFEP to reconstruct the Helmholtz plane and regulate the SEI film on HC anode. Benefiting from the preferential adsorption tendency on HC surface and strong anion-dragging interaction of TFEP, a robust and thin anion-derived F-rich SEI film is established, which greatly enhances the mechanical stability and the Na+ ion diffusion kinetics of the electrode/electrolyte interface. The rationally designed TFEP-based electrolyte endows Na||HC half-cell and 2.8 Ah HC||Na4Fe3(PO4)2P2O7 pouch cell with excellent rate capability, long cycle life, high safety and low-temperature adaptability. It is believed that this insightful recognition of tuning interface properties will pave a new avenue on the design of compatible electrolyte for low-cost, long-life, and high-safe sodium-ion batteries.

Mapping the distribution of Nipah virus infections: a geospatial modelling analysis.

BACKGROUND: Nipah virus is a zoonotic paramyxovirus responsible for disease outbreaks with high fatality rates in south and southeast Asia. However, knowledge of the potential geographical extent and risk patterns of the virus is poor. We aimed to establish an integrated spatiotemporal and phylogenetic database of Nipah virus infections in humans and animals across south and southeast Asia. METHODS: In this geospatial modelling analysis, we developed an integrated database containing information on the distribution of Nipah virus infections in humans and animals from 1998 to 2021. We conducted phylodynamic analysis to examine the evolution and migration pathways of the virus and meta-analyses to estimate the adjusted case-fatality rate. We used two boosted regression tree models to identify the potential ecological drivers of Nipah virus occurrences in spillover events and endemic areas, and mapped potential risk areas for Nipah virus endemicity. FINDINGS: 749 people and eight bat species across nine countries were documented as being infected with Nipah virus. On the basis of 66 complete genomes of the virus, we identified two clades-the Bangladesh clade and the Malaysia clade-with the time of the most recent common ancestor estimated to be 1863. Adjusted case-fatality rates varied widely between countries and were higher for the Bangladesh clade than for the Malaysia clade. Multivariable meta-regression analysis revealed significant relationships between case-fatality rate estimates and viral clade (p=0·0021), source country (p=0·016), proportion of male patients (p=0·036), and travel time to health-care facilities (p=0·036). Temperature-related bioclimate variables and the probability of occurrence of Pteropus medius were important contributors to both the spillover and the endemic infection models. INTERPRETATION: The suitable niches for Nipah virus are more extensive than previously reported. Future surveillance efforts should focus on high-risk areas informed by updated projections. Specifically, intensifying zoonotic surveillance efforts, enhancing laboratory testing capacity, and implementing public health education in projected high-risk areas where no human cases have been reported to date will be crucial. Additionally, strengthening wildlife surveillance and investigating potential modes of transmission in regions with documented human cases is needed. FUNDING: The Key Research and Development Program of China.

Utilization of diverse probiotics to create human health promoting fatty acids: A review.

Many probiotics produce functional lipids with health-promoting properties, such as short-chain fatty acids, linoleic acid and omega-3 fatty acids. They have been shown to maintain gut health, strengthen the intestinal barrier, and have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects. In this article, we provide an up-to-date review of the various functional lipids produced by probiotics. These probiotics can be incorporated into foods, supplements, or pharmaceuticals to produce these functional lipids in the human colon, or they can be used in industrial biotechnology processes to generate functional lipids, which are then isolated and used as ingredients. We then highlight the different physiological functions for which they may be beneficial to human health, in addition to discussing some of the challenges of incorporating probiotics into commercial products and some potential solutions to address these challenges. Finally, we highlight the importance of testing the efficacy and safety of the new generation of probiotic-enhanced products, as well as the great potential for the marketization of related products.

Integrating machine learning and genome editing for crop improvement.

Genome editing is a promising technique that has been broadly utilized for basic gene function studies and trait improvements. Simultaneously, the exponential growth of computational power and big data now promote the application of machine learning for biological research. In this regard, machine learning shows great potential in the refinement of genome editing systems and crop improvement. Here, we review the advances of machine learning to genome editing optimization, with emphasis placed on editing efficiency and specificity enhancement. Additionally, we demonstrate how machine learning bridges genome editing and crop breeding, by accurate key site detection and guide RNA design. Finally, we discuss the current challenges and prospects of these two techniques in crop improvement. By integrating advanced genome editing techniques with machine learning, progress in crop breeding will be further accelerated in the future.

Comparison of remimazolam tosilate and propofol during induction and maintenance of general anesthesia in patients undergoing laparoscopic cholecystectomy: a prospective, single center, randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Remimazolam tosilate (RT) is a new, ultrashort-acting benzodiazepine. Here, we investigated the efficacy and safety of RT for general anesthesia in patients undergoing Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy (LC). METHODS: In this study, 122 patients undergoing laparoscopic cholecystectomy were randomly allocated to receive either remimazolam tosilate (Group RT) or propofol group (Group P). RT was administered as a slow bolus of 0.3 mg kg- 1 for induction, followed by 1.0-2.0 mg kg- 1 h- 1 for maintenance of general anesthesia. Propofol was started at 2 mg kg- 1 and followed by 4-10 mg kg- 1 h- 1 until the end of surgery. The primary outcome was the time to bispectral index (BIS) ≤ 60. The secondary outcome included the time to loss of consciousness (LoC), and the time to extubation. Adverse events were also assessed. RESULTS: A total of 112 patients were recruited for study participation. Among them, the time to BIS ≤ 60 in Group RT was longer than that in Group P (Group RT: 89.3 ± 10.7 s; Group P: 85.9 ± 9.7 s, P > 0.05). While the time to LoC comparing remimazolam and propofol showed no statistical significance (Group RT: 74.4 ± 10.3 s; Group P: 74.7 ± 9.3 s, P > 0.05). The time to extubation in Group RT was significantly longer than that in Group P (Group RT: 16.0 ± 2.6 min; Group P: 8.8 ± 4.3 min, P < 0.001). Remimazolam tosilate had more stable hemodynamics and a lower incidence of hypotension during general anesthesia. CONCLUSIONS: Remimazolam tosilate can be safely and effectively used for general anesthesia in patients undergoing Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy. It maintains stable hemodynamics during induction and maintenance of general anesthesia compared with propofol. Further studies are needed to validate the findings. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Chictr.org.cn ChiCTR2300071256 (date of registration: 09/05/2023).

A Survey on Open-Vocabulary Detection and Segmentation: Past, Present, and Future.

As the most fundamental scene understanding tasks, object detection and segmentation have made tremendous progress in deep learning era. Due to the expensive manual labeling cost, the annotated categories in existing datasets are often small-scale and pre-defined, i.e., state-of-the-art fully-supervised detectors and segmentors fail to generalize beyond the closed vocabulary. To resolve this limitation, in the last few years, the community has witnessed an increasing attention toward Open-Vocabulary Detection (OVD) and Segmentation (OVS). By "open-vocabulary", we mean that the models can classify objects beyond pre-defined categories. In this survey, we provide a comprehensive review on recent developments of OVD and OVS. A taxonomy is first developed to organize different tasks and methodologies. We find that the permission and usage of weak supervision signals can well discriminate different methodologies, including: visual-semantic space mapping, novel visual feature synthesis, region-aware training, pseudo-labeling, knowledge distillation, and transfer learning. The proposed taxonomy is universal across different tasks, covering object detection, semantic/instance/panoptic segmentation, 3D and video understanding. The main design principles, key challenges, development routes, methodology strengths, and weaknesses are thoroughly analyzed. In addition, we benchmark each task along with the vital components of each method in appendix and updated online at awesome-ovd-ovs. Finally, several promising directions are provided and discussed to stimulate future research.

The PDZ Domain of the E Protein in SARS-CoV Induces Carcinogenesis and Poor Prognosis in LUAD.

BACKGROUND: In both lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) and severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), uncontrolled inflammation can be detected in lung tissue. The PDZ-binding motif (PBM) in the SARS-CoV-1 E protein has been demonstrated to be a virulence factor that induces a cytokine storm. METHODS: To identify gene expression fluctuations induced by PBM, microarray sequencing data of lung tissue infected with wild-type (SARS-CoV-1-E-wt) or recombinant virus (SARS-CoV-1-E-mutPBM) were analyzed, followed by functional enrichment analysis. To understand the role of the screened genes in LUAD, overall survival and immune correlation were calculated. RESULTS: A total of 12 genes might participate in the initial and developmental stages of LUAD through expression variation and mutation. Moreover, dysregulation of a total of 12 genes could lead to a poorer prognosis. In addition, the downregulation of MAMDC2 and ITGA8 by PBM could also affect patient prognosis. Although the conserved PBM (-D-L-L-V-) can be found at the end of the carboxyl terminus in multiple E proteins of coronaviruses, the specific function of each protein depends on the entire amino acid sequence. CONCLUSIONS: In summary, PBM containing the SARS-CoV-1 E protein promoted the carcinogenesis of LUAD by dysregulating important gene expression profiles and subsequently influencing the immune response and overall prognosis.

Copper-catalyzed syn-hydroformylation of alkynes with silanes and N,N-dimethylformamide dimethylacetal.

A copper-catalyzed syn-hydrocarbonization of internal alkynes with N,N-dimethylformamide dimethylacetal and silanes has been disclosed that offers an efficient and expedient access to (E)-α,ß-unsaturated aldehydes. This highly selective process, which can be performed at gram-scale, enjoys operational simplicity, as well as syngas-free conditions.

Enhancing ammonium-ion storage in Mo-doped VO2 (B) nanobelt-bundles anode for aqueous ammonium-ion batteries.

The recent surge in interest in aqueous ammonium ion rechargeable batteries (AAIBs) has been fueled by their eco-friendliness, efficiency, safety, and sustainability. However, finding the optimal anode material for effective ammonium ion (NH4+) storage remains a nascent and significant challenge. The research presented here focuses on the enhancement of aqueous ammonium rechargeable batteries by incorporating Mo atoms into VO2 (B) (denote as MVO), a material that has shown promise as an anode for NH4+ storage. The introduction of Mo ions was found to optimize the electronic structure and morphology of pristine VO2 (B) (label as PVO), resulting in the transformation of its nanobelts into thin nanobelt-bundles. This alteration exposes more active sites and increases oxygen vacancies, which in turn improve the conductivity and diffusion rate of NH4+ ions, thereby enhancing the overall electrochemical performance of the material. The MVO material demonstrates a high initial capacity of 283.5 mA h g-1 at 0.3 A g-1, and maintained 86.7% of its capacity after 4500 cycles, indicating excellent long-term stability. To further validate the practical application, a full cell was garnered utilizing MVO as the anode and Cu3[Fe(CN)6]2 (CuHCF) as the cathode. The resulting AAIB displays remarkable cycling stability, with 81.5% capacity preservation after 1000 cycles and large energy density of 57.9 W h kg-1. The study reveals that the doping of Mo ions can significantly improve both the stability and NH4+ storage capacity of PVO, offering a promising new direction for the exploitation of efficacious and sustainable NH4+ host materials for rechargeable batteries.

Pd(II)/N,N'-Disulfonyl Bisimidazoline-Catalyzed Enantioselective Synthesis of Cyclic Quaternary Centers and Mechanistic Investigations.

A Pd(II)/N,N'-disulfonyl bisimidazoline-catalyzed asymmetric 1,4-conjugate addition reaction of low-cost arylboronic acids with readily available ß-substituted cyclic enones is described, providing a straightforward way of constructing cyclic all-carbon quaternary stereocenters with high enantioselectivity, in which ≥96% ee was obtained in most cases. The reaction proceeded without the protection of inert gas, making the operation process simple. Theoretical calculations have been applied to understand the origins of enantioselectivity.

Phase Separation Enhanced PROTAC for Highly Efficient Protein Degradation.

Biomacromolecular condensates formed via phase separation establish compartments for the enrichment of specific compositions, which is also used as a biological tool to enhance molecule condensation, thereby increasing the efficiency of biological processes. Proteolysis-targeting chimeras (PROTACs) have been developed as powerful tools for targeted protein degradation in cells, offering a promising approach for therapies for different diseases. Herein, we introduce an intrinsically disordered region in the PROTAC (denoted PSETAC), which led to the formation of droplets of target proteins in the cells and increased degradation efficiency compared with PROTAC without phase separation. Further, using a nucleus targeting intrinsically disordered domain, the PSETAC was able to target and degrade nuclear-located proteins. Finally, we demonstrated intracellular delivery of PSETAC using lipid nanoparticle-encapsulated mRNA (mRNA-LNP) for the degradation of the endogenous target protein. This study established the PSETAC mRNA-LNP method as a potentially translatable, safe therapeutic strategy for the development of clinical applications based on PROTAC.

8-oxoguanine DNA glycosylase-1 may serve as biomarker of mechanical asphyxia.

AIM: To identify mtDNA and OGG1 as potential biomarker candidates for mechanical asphyxia. METHOD: The human tissues are divided into experimental group (hanging and strangulation) and control groups (hemorrhagic shock, brain injury group, and poisoning group). Detected the expression of OGG1 and integrity of mtDNA in cardiac tissue of each group. We used over-OGG1 vector and siRNA-OGG1 transfecting H9C2 cell line to observe the function of OGG1 in hypoxic cells. RESULTS: 1. mtDNA integrity decreased in the mechanical asphyxia group, OGG1 expression increased in mechanical asphyxia groups. They can be biomarkers for mechanical asphyxia. 2. OGG1 increased first and decreased in hypoxia-induced H9C2 cells. OGG1 upregulated the TFAM, NRF1, and Bcl2 in hypoxia-induced H9C2. OGG1 downregulated cleaved-Caspase3 in hypoxia-induced H9C2 cells. 3. In the normoxia condition, NAC maintained mtDNA integrity and decreased the mitochondrial membrane potential and amount of ATP. CONCLUSION: mtDNA integrity and OGG1 expression can be biomarkers for mechanical asphyxia. OGG1 can maintain mtDNA integrity and maintain the stability of the mitochondrial membrane.

Generative learning facilitated discovery of high-entropy ceramic dielectrics for capacitive energy storage.

Dielectric capacitors offer great potential for advanced electronics due to their high power densities, but their energy density still needs to be further improved. High-entropy strategy has emerged as an effective method for improving energy storage performance, however, discovering new high-entropy systems within a high-dimensional composition space is a daunting challenge for traditional trial-and-error experiments. Here, based on phase-field simulations and limited experimental data, we propose a generative learning approach to accelerate the discovery of high-entropy dielectrics in a practically infinite exploration space of over 1011 combinations. By encoding-decoding latent space regularities to facilitate data sampling and forward inference, we employ inverse design to screen out the most promising combinations via a ranking strategy. Through only 5 sets of targeted experiments, we successfully obtain a Bi(Mg0.5Ti0.5)O3-based high-entropy dielectric film with a significantly improved energy density of 156 J cm-3 at an electric field of 5104 kV cm-1, surpassing the pristine film by more than eight-fold. This work introduces an effective and innovative avenue for designing high-entropy dielectrics with drastically reduced experimental cycles, which could be also extended to expedite the design of other multicomponent material systems with desired properties.

Factors associated with smoking cessation in Chinese psychiatric professionals: A cross-sectional survey.

INTRODUCTION: Healthcare workers are integral to public smoking cessation; however, their own smoking behavior can create a significant obstacle to intervening in patients' cessation efforts. Conversely, their success in quitting can enhance their ability to support patients. Research on smoking behavior, particularly smoking cessation among Chinese psychiatric professionals is limited. This study addresses this gap by examining the factors associated with smoking cessation in this population, providing insights for targeted tobacco control policies. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey was conducted, targeting psychiatric professionals including psychiatrists and psychiatric nurses, in 41 tertiary psychiatric hospitals in China. From January to March 2021, a WeChat-based questionnaire was distributed to collect demographic, occupational, and health-behaviors (including smoking) data. Statistical analyses, including the chi-squared test and adjusted binary logistic regression analysis, were conducted to identify the factors associated with smoking cessation. RESULTS: Among the 12762 psychiatric professionals who participated in the survey, 11104 (87.0%) were non-smokers, 1196 (9.4%) were current smokers, and 462 (3.6%) were ex-smokers. Several factors were found to be associated with smoking cessation. Women had a higher prevalence of ex-smokers than men (AOR=1.88; 95% CI: 1.332-2.666, p<0.001). Compared to East China, the prevalence of ex-smokers among participants in Central and Northeast China was lower. Older age (≥50 years), higher level of education (Master's degree or higher), and non-drinkers, showed a higher likelihood of being ex-smokers. Notably, compared to current smokers, ex-smokers reported a lower prevalence of burnout (AOR=0.70; 95% CI: 0.552-0.892, p=0.004). CONCLUSIONS: Smoking cessation interventions or health promotion programs should also focus on gender, age, education level, region, alcohol use, and burnout to effectively address smoking cessation within this specific professional group.

Mapping of lymph node metastasis from esophageal squamous cell carcinoma after neoadjuvant treatment: a prospective analysis from a high-volume institution in China.

The study aimed to describe the prevalence of lymph node metastases per lymph node station for esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) after neoadjuvant treatment. Clinicopathological variables of ESCC patients were retrieved from the prospective database of the Surgical Esophageal Cancer Patient Registry in West China Hospital, Sichuan University. A two-field lymphadenectomy was routinely performed, and an extensive three-field lymphadenectomy was performed if cervical lymph node metastasis was suspected. According to AJCC/UICC 8, lymph node stations were investigated separately. The number of patients with metastatic lymph nodes divided by those who underwent lymph node dissection at that station was used to define the percentage of patients with lymph node metastases. Data are also separately analyzed according to the pathological response of the primary tumor, neoadjuvant treatment regimens, pretreatment tumor length, and tumor location. Between January 2019 and March 2023, 623 patients who underwent neoadjuvant therapy followed by transthoracic esophagectomy were enrolled. Lymph node metastases were found in 212 patients (34.0%) and most frequently seen in lymph nodes along the right recurrent nerve (10.1%, 58/575), paracardial station (11.4%, 67/587), and lymph nodes along the left gastric artery (10.9%, 65/597). For patients with pretreatment tumor length of >4 cm and non-pathological complete response of the primary tumor, the metastatic rate of the right lower cervical paratracheal lymph nodes is 10.9% (10/92) and 10.6% (11/104), respectively. For patients with an upper thoracic tumor, metastatic lymph nodes were most frequently seen along the right recurrent nerve (14.2%, 8/56). For patients with a middle thoracic tumor, metastatic lymph nodes were most commonly seen in the right lower cervical paratracheal lymph nodes (10.3%, 8/78), paracardial lymph nodes (10.2%, 29/285), and lymph nodes along the left gastric artery (10.4%, 30/289). For patients with a lower thoracic tumor, metastatic lymph nodes were most frequently seen in the paracardial station (14.2%, 35/247) and lymph nodes along the left gastric artery (13.1%, 33/252). The study precisely determined the distribution of lymph node metastases in ESCC after neoadjuvant treatment, which may help to optimize the extent of lymphadenectomy in the surgical management of ESCC patients after neoadjuvant therapy.

The impact of music on anxiety, pain, and blood pressure in ophthalmic surgery: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the effectiveness of music therapy in reducing anxiety, pain, and vital sign changes in ophthalmic surgery patients. METHODS: An extensive search of databases, including PubMed, Embase, Cochrane, Web of Science, and Google Scholar, identified relevant studies up to Jan 2024. Selection of studies was conducted based on the PICOS criteria. The quality of methodology was assessed using the Cochrane risk-of-bias assessment tool and Review Manager 5.4. Meta-analysis comparing the control group and the music therapy group was performed using R and Stata/SE 15.1 random or fixed effects model. RESULTS: This meta-analysis included fifteen studies comprising 2098 participants. The analysis revealed that music therapy significantly reduced the risk of high anxiety levels as measured by Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) (I2 = 0 %, RR(95 %CI): 0.75(0.63, 0.88), p = 0.0006), indicating a substantial effect without heterogeneity. The Anxiety scores determined by State-Trait Anxiety Inventory-State (STAI-S) also showed a significant decrease (SMD(95 %CI): -0.75(-0.88, -0.61), p < 0.0001), albeit with moderate heterogeneity (I² = 36 %). Additionally, music therapy was associated with a reduction in intraoperative pain levels, with no observed heterogeneity (I2 = 0 %, SMD(95 %CI): -0.74(-0.93, -0.56), p < 0.0001). In contrast, music intervention did not significantly influence self-reported nervousness, relaxation, or satisfaction levels as determined by VAS. Regarding to physiological parameters, a marginal decrease in systolic blood pressure (SBP) was observed (SMD(95 %CI): -0.42(-0.79, -0.04), p = 0.0286), with considerable heterogeneity (I² = 92 %). Diastolic blood pressure (DBP) experienced a slight reduction (I² = 90 %, SMD(95 %CI): -0.45(-0.79, -0.11), p = 0.0088). However, no significant effect was observed on patients' heart rate (p = 0.0864). CONCLUSION: Music therapy effectively reduced anxiety and pain, and moderately improved vital signs in patients undergoing ophthalmic surgery, highlighting its role in enhancing patient well-being. Further in-depth RCTs are needed to confirm its efficacy.

Prevalence and Molecular Characterization of Cryptosporidium spp., Giardia duodenalis, and Enterocytozoon bieneusi in Cattle in Heilongjiang Province, Northeast China.

Crytosporidium spp., Giardia duodenalis, and Enterocytozoon bieneusi are important diarrheal pathogens with a global distribution that threatens the health of humans and animals. Despite cattle being potential transmission hosts of these protozoans, the associated risks to public health have been neglected. In the present study, a total of 1155 cattle fecal samples were collected from 13 administrative regions of Heilongjiang Province. The prevalence of Cryptosporidium spp., G. duodenalis, and E. bieneusi were 5.5% (64/1155; 95% CI: 4.2-6.9), 3.8% (44/1155; 95% CI: 2.7-4.9), and 6.5% (75/1155; 95% CI: 5.1-7.9), respectively. Among these positive fecal samples, five Cryptosporidium species (C. andersoni, C. bovis, C. ryanae, C. parvum, and C. occultus), two G. duodenalis assemblages (E and A), and eight E. bieneusi genotypes (BEB4, BEB6, BEB8, J, I, CHS7, CHS8, and COS-I) were identified. Phylogenetic analysis showed that all eight genotypes of E. bieneusi identified in the present study belonged to group 2. It is worth noting that some species/genotypes of these intestinal protozoans are zoonotic, suggesting a risk of zoonotic disease transmission in endemic areas. The findings expanded our understanding of the genetic composition and zoonotic potential of Cryptosporidium spp., G. duodenalis, and E. bieneusi in cattle in Heilongjiang Province.

Designing Advanced Electrolytes for High-Safety and Long-Lifetime Sodium-Ion Batteries via Anion-Cation Interaction Modulation.

Safety hazards caused by flammable electrolytes have been major obstacles to the practical application of sodium-ion batteries (SIBs). The adoption of nonflammable all-phosphate electrolytes can effectively improve the safety of SIBs; however, traditional low-concentration phosphate electrolytes are not compatible with carbon-based anodes. Herein, we report an anion-cation interaction modulation strategy to design low-concentration phosphate electrolytes with superior physicochemical properties. Tris(2,2,2-trifluoroethyl) phosphate (TFEP) is introduced as a cosolvent to regulate the ion-solvent-coordinated (ISC) structure through enhancing the anion-cation interactions, forming the stable anion-induced ISC (AI-ISC) structure, even at a low salt concentration (1.22 M). Through spectroscopy analyses and theoretical calculations, we reveal the underlying mechanism responsible for the stabilization of these electrolytes. Impressively, both the hard carbon (HC) anode and Na4Fe2.91(PO4)2(P2O7) (NFPP) cathode work well with the developed electrolytes. The designed phosphate electrolyte enables Ah-level HC//NFPP pouch cells with an average Coulombic efficiency (CE) of over 99.9% and a capacity retention of 84.5% after 2000 cycles. In addition, the pouch cells can operate in a wide temperature range (-20 to 60 °C) and successfully pass rigorous safety testing. This work provides new insight into the design of the electrochemically compatibility electrolyte for high-safety and long-lifetime SIBs.