Study of the Corrosion Behavior of Cathode Current Collector in LiFSI Electrolyte.

Cycling aging is the one of the main reasons affecting the lifetime of lithium-ion batteries and the contribution of aluminum current collector corrosion to the ageing is not fully recognized. In general, aluminum is corrosion resistant to electrolyte since a non-permeable surface film of alumina is naturally formed. However, corrosion of aluminum current collector can still occur under certain conditions such as lithium bis(fluorosulfonyl)imide (LiFSI)-based electrolyte or high voltage. Herein, we investigates the corrosion of aluminum current collector in the electrolyte of 1.2 M LiFSI in ethylene carbonate (EC) and ethyl methyl carbonate (EMC) mixed solvents. The electrochemical results shows that the corrosion current of aluminum is enhanced by cycling time and potential, which is correlated with the surface species and morphology. The formation of AlF3, which is induced by deep penetration of F- anions through surface passivation film, leads to internal volume change and the surface crack in the end. Our work will be inspiring for future development of high-energy-density and high-power-density lithium-ion batteries in which the LiFSI salt will be intensively used.

A Comprehensive Evaluation of Battery Technologies for High-Energy Aqueous Batteries.

Aqueous batteries have garnered significant attention in recent years as a viable alternative to lithium-ion batteries for energy storage, owing to their inherent safety, cost-effectiveness, and environmental sustainability. This study offers a comprehensive review of recent advancements, persistent challenges, and the prospects of aqueous batteries, with a primary focus on energy density compensation of various battery engineering technologies. Additionally, cutting-edge high-energy aqueous battery designs are emphasized as a reference for future endeavors in the pursuit of high-energy storage solutions. Finally, a dual-compatibility battery configuration perspective aimed at concurrently optimizing cycle stability, redox potential, capacity utilization for both anode and cathode materials, as well as the selection of potential electrode candidates, is proposed with the ultimate goal of achieving cell-level energy densities exceeding 400 Wh kg-1.

Contrasting ecosystem responses to climatic events and human activity revealed by a sedimentary record from Lake Yilong, southwestern China.

Global climate change and human activities have significantly impacted lake ecosystems at an accelerating rate in recent decades, but the differences between the responses of lake ecosystems to these two stressors remain unclear. Thus an improved understanding of the long-term influences of climatic and anthropogenic disturbances is necessary for the management of lake ecosystems. In order to address these issues, a sedimentary record was obtained from Lake Yilong in Yunnan Province in southwestern China, where the climate and natural environment are dominated by the Indian Summer Monsoon and there is a long history of human occupation and intensive human activity. The chronology is based on AMS 14C dates from 13 samples of plant macrofossils and charcoal, which show that the record spans the last ~12,000 yr. Geochemical indices were used to reconstruct hydro-climatic variations and lake ecosystem responses. The results indicate that a cold and humid climate prevailed from the late Pleistocene to the beginning of the Holocene, which was interrupted by an abrupt decrease in precipitation during 9.7-8.7 ka (1 ka = 1000 cal yr BP, corresponding to the 9.3 ka event). A persistent drying trend occurred during the middle and late Holocene, and there was an increase in the intensity of human activity during the past 1500 years. A comparison of the effects of a natural climatic event and human disturbance reveals contrasting lake ecosystem responses. The lake ecosystem was resilient to the 9.3 ka event and subsequently recovered; however, long-term human activity in the watershed, including deforestation and cultivation, reduced the stability of the lake ecosystem and positive feedback effects were strengthened, leading to the deviation of the system far from its previous stable state. It is concluded that, compared to climate change, human activities have had a much more serious impact on lake ecosystem.

Altered gut microbiota correlated with systemic inflammation in children with Kawasaki disease.

Kawasaki disease (KD) is a multi-systemic vasculitis of unknown etiology that occurs mainly in children, and the disturbance of gut microbiota is generally believed to cause a hyperimmune reaction triggering KD. The aim of the study was to investigate the alterations in the fecal microbiota and assess its relationship with systemic inflammation. Totally 30 KD children were enrolled and followed up for 6 months, with another group of 30 age- and sex-matched healthy children as controls. Phylotype profiles of fecal microbial communities were analyzed using 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Serum inflammatory markers were detected by flow cytometer. We showed that KD children exhibited a significant reduction in fecal microbial diversity in the acute phase compared with the healthy controls. Enterococcus, Acinetobacter, Helicobacter, Lactococcus, Staphylococcus and Butyricimonas in acute KD children were significantly higher than the healthy children. Levels of systemic inflammation biomarkers, including IL-2, IL-4, IL-6, IL-10, TNF-α, and INF-γ, were significantly elevated in the acute KD children. Altered microbiota genera Enterococcus and Helicobacter abundances were shown to be correlated positively with IL-6, which were never previously reported in KD. This study suggested that gut microbiota alteration is closely associated with systemic inflammation, which provides a new perspective on the etiology and pathogenesis of KD.

Rituximab treatment for lupus nephritis: A systematic review.

PURPOSE: We used the Cochrane systematic review to analyze the effectiveness and safety of rituximab for lupus nephritis. METHODS: Systematic search was performed among Cochrane clinical controlled trials database, MEDLINE, MEDLINE-IN-Process and Other Non-Indexed Citations, EMBASE, EBSCO CINAHL, CNKI, VIP and Wanfang database from the establishment of the database to February 2016. The effectiveness and safety were evaluated in terms of the complete remission rate, total remission rate, urinary protein, Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Disease Activity Index changes and adverse events rate. Data were analyzed by the Review Manager Software version 5.3. RESULTS: Five RCTs that met the inclusion criteria, including a total of 238 patients, were enrolled in our study. The results showed that the complete remission rate in rituximab group was a significantly higher than that of cyclophosphamide group. The difference between the two groups was statistically significant (OR=2.80, 95%CI(1.08,7.26), P=0.03). But there was no significant difference between the two groups in partial and total remission rate. The complete remission rate, partial remission rate and total remission rate in rituximab treatment group was similar compared with mycophenolate mofetil group and rituximab combined with cyclophosphamide group. The adverse reaction rate was also similar among the groups. CONCLUSION: The study systematically analyzed the effectiveness and safety of rituximab for lupus nephritis, which suggested that the complete remission rate of rituximab in the treatment of lupus nephritis was a significantly higher than that of cyclophosphamide group, while the effectiveness and safety was of no difference compared with cyclophosphamide and mycophenolate mofetil.