An active core-shell nanoscale design for high voltage cathode of lithium storage devices

Spinel LiNi0.5Mn1.5O4 (LNM) is a potential high-voltage cathode for commercial lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). Maintaining an appropriate amount of Mn3+ in LNM is necessary to improve the rate performance. However, Mn3+ dissolution in the interface of LNM and electrolyte leads to the fast capacity degradation. Therefore, designing a cathode to prevent Mn3+ loss during charge/discharge is important for high performance LIBs. Here we present an active core-shell design with coating another high-voltage cathode material LiCoPO4 (LCP) on the surface of LNM nanoparticles. The LCP layer can simultaneously induce Mn3+ ions at the interface between LCP and LNM, and act as a stable shell to prevent the loss of Mn3+. The optimized sample LNM@5%LCP possesses 128 mAh g−1 at 0.5 C and 115 mAh g−1 at 20 C rate, and maintains 96% of the initial capacity operated at 55 °C over 100 cycles

Low-temperature synthesis of two-dimensional nanostructured Co3O4 and improved electrochemical properties for lithium-ion batteries

Urea as a cheap reagent is very useful in preparation two-dimensional metal oxides with tunable crystal morphologies, while refluxing method is a simple route to control the decomposition of urea. Here, a low temperature refluxing in the presence of urea is developed to prepare porous Co3O4 as anode material for lithium-ion batteries. The self-assembly cobalt hydrotalcite-like compounds (Co-HLC) is firstly synthesized through refluxing the mixture of cobaltous nitrate and urea. After pyrolysis, the flower-like morphology of Co-HLC is successfully maintained in the final product of Co3O4. The ordered two-dimensional Co3O4 nanosheets provide good contact with electrolyte and stable porous structure during lithiation/delithiation. Co3O4-120 synthesized under refluxing temperature of 120 °C shows the initial charge capacities of 722 and 741 mAh g−1 at the 2nd and 100th cycle under 100 mA g−1. Moreover, Co3O4-120 as electrode for a supercapacitor presents excellent capacitance, 167 F g−1 after 3000 cycles at 1 A g−1. Under 5, 10 and 20 A g−1, Co3O4-120 electrode delivers 128, 104 and 90 F g−1, respectively. The porous structure in Co3O4 with enhanced electrochemical performance indicates low temperature refluxing preparation is an applicable and energy-saved method to synthesize transitional metal oxide with tunable crystal morphologies

Global diversity and biogeography of potential phytopathogenic fungi in a changing world

Phytopathogenic fungi threaten global food security but the ecological drivers of their global diversity and biogeography remain unknown. Here, we construct and analyse a global atlas of potential phytopathogenic fungi from 20,312 samples across all continents and major oceanic island regions, eleven land cover types, and twelve habitat types. We show a peak in the diversity of phytopathogenic fungi in mid-latitude regions, in contrast to the latitudinal diversity gradients observed in aboveground organisms. Our study identifies climate as an important driver of the global distribution of phytopathogenic fungi, and our models suggest that their diversity and invasion potential will increase globally by 2100. Importantly, phytopathogen diversity will increase largely in forest (37.27-79.12%) and cropland (34.93-82.51%) ecosystems, and this becomes more pronounced under fossil-fuelled industry dependent future scenarios. Thus, we recommend improved biomonitoring in forests and croplands, and optimised sustainable development approaches to reduce potential threats from phytopathogenic fungi

Immunotherapy in hematologic malignancies: achievements, challenges and future prospects

Abstract The immune-cell origin of hematologic malignancies provides a unique avenue for the understanding of both the mechanisms of immune responsiveness and immune escape, which has accelerated the progress of immunotherapy. Several categories of immunotherapies have been developed and are being further evaluated in clinical trials for the treatment of blood cancers, including stem cell transplantation, immune checkpoint inhibitors, antigen-targeted antibodies, antibody-drug conjugates, tumor vaccines, and adoptive cell therapies. These immunotherapies have shown the potential to induce long-term remission in refractory or relapsed patients and have led to a paradigm shift in cancer treatment with great clinical success. Different immunotherapeutic approaches have their advantages but also shortcomings that need to be addressed. To provide clinicians with timely information on these revolutionary therapeutic approaches, the comprehensive review provides historical perspectives on the applications and clinical considerations of the immunotherapy. Here, we first outline the recent advances that have been made in the understanding of the various categories of immunotherapies in the treatment of hematologic malignancies. We further discuss the specific mechanisms of action, summarize the clinical trials and outcomes of immunotherapies in hematologic malignancies, as well as the adverse effects and toxicity management and then provide novel insights into challenges and future directions

Effect of Groundwater Depression Cone on the Hydrochemical Evolution Process in the People’s Victory Canal Irrigation Area, China

The over-exploitation of shallow groundwater in the People’s Victory Canal irrigation area has led to the continuous decline in the groundwater level. The formation of a groundwater drawdown cone has changed the original runoff conditions and hydrochemical environment. Based on the groundwater data in the irrigated area from 1996 to 2022, multivariate statistical analysis, traditional hydrochemical methods, and inverse geochemical modeling were used to reveal the impact of the formation of the groundwater depression cone on hydrochemical evolution. The results show that the formation of the groundwater depression cone near the central area in 2003 changed the direction of the canal head flowing to the northwest area, making the groundwater flow from the canal head and the northwest area to the central area. The change in the hydrodynamic fields also caused the groundwater with high salinity in the northwest region to flow to the funnel area, and the ion concentration of groundwater along the pathway area to increase. The groundwater type in the runoff area changes, gradually evolving from Group 1 to Group 2 groundwater. Analysis of the hydrochemical characteristics of groundwater in the runoff area for many years shows that after the formation of the central funnel area in 2003, the groundwater with high SO42− ion in the northwest area flows to the funnel area, and the correlation between total dissolved solids and SO42− ions in the groundwater along the way is significantly enhanced. The inverse geochemical modeling shows that the main water–rock action along the runoff direction is the dissolution of halite and gypsum. In addition, the study area has a strong cation exchange reaction

Reduced chemodiversity suppresses rhizosphere microbiome functioning in the mono-cropped agroecosystems

Abstract Background Rhizodeposits regulate rhizosphere interactions, processes, nutrient and energy flow, and plant-microbe communication and thus play a vital role in maintaining soil and plant health. However, it remains unclear whether and how alteration in belowground carbon allocation and chemodiversity of rhizodeposits influences microbiome functioning in the rhizosphere ecosystems. To address this research gap, we investigated the relationship of rhizosphere carbon allocation and chemodiversity with microbiome biodiversity and functioning during peanut (Arachis hypogaea) continuous mono-cropping. After continuously labeling plants with 13CO2, we studied the chemodiversity and composition of rhizodeposits, along with the composition and diversity of active rhizosphere microbiome using metabolomic, amplicon, and shotgun metagenomic sequencing approaches based on DNA stable-isotope probing (DNA-SIP). Results Our results indicated that enrichment and depletion of rhizodeposits and active microbial taxa varied across plant growth stages and cropping durations. Specifically, a gradual decrease in the rhizosphere carbon allocation, chemodiversity, biodiversity and abundance of plant-beneficial taxa (such as Gemmatimonas, Streptomyces, Ramlibacter, and Lysobacter), and functional gene pathways (such as quorum sensing and biosynthesis of antibiotics) was observed with years of mono-cropping. We detected significant and strong correlations between rhizodeposits and rhizosphere microbiome biodiversity and functioning, though these were regulated by different ecological processes. For instance, rhizodeposits and active bacterial communities were mainly governed by deterministic and stochastic processes, respectively. Overall, the reduction in carbon deposition and chemodiversity during peanut continuous mono-cropping tended to suppress microbial biodiversity and its functions in the rhizosphere ecosystem. Conclusions Our results, for the first time, provide the evidence underlying the mechanism of rhizosphere microbiome malfunctioning in mono-cropped systems. Our study opens new avenues to deeply disentangle the complex plant-microbe interactions from the perspective of rhizodeposits chemodiversity and composition and will serve to guide future microbiome research for improving the functioning and services of soil ecosystems. Video abstrac

Characteristics of NE strike-slip fault system in the eastern section of Bachu-Maigaiti area, Tarim Basin and its oil-gas geological significance

Many Ordovician reservoirs discovered in the eastern section of Bachu-Maigaiti area ("Bamai area" for short) in the Tarim Basin are closely related to multi-stage active faults, making it the key to find oil and gas reservoirs in this area by identifying the source faults that cut through Cambrian gypsum-salt layers. Combined with the analysis of fault structure based on a large number of new seismic data and previous studies, the fault system in the eastern section of the Bamai area, especially the distribution and activity characteristics of strike slip faults are reunderstood. The results show that along with the migration and evolution of palaeo-uplift and the activities of large thrust fault zones in Bamai area, a series of high-angle and small-distance NE strike-slip faults that play a role of deformation and regulation are also developed, which together constitute the deformation tectonic system in the area. Two types of strike slip faults are developed in this area. One is superimposed and developed simultaneously or later with the NE and nearly EW Cambrian post-salt decollement zone of bruchfalten, with its strike consistent with that of the thrust fault belt, which is mainly distributed in the boundary and interior of the Hetian paleo-uplift. The other is developed in the compression-shortening zone confined by the large thrust fault belt, intersected with the nearly EW thrust fault belt at a large angle, and mainly distributed in the Hetian palaeo-uplift and Bachu faulted uplift. The former mainly formed in the late Hercynian period with weak local activities in the late Himalayan period, and the latter mainly formed in the late Himalayan period. The strike-slip faults superimposed with the Ordovician carbonate rocks that has experienced karst transformation in the middle and late Caledonian and early Hercynian are more conducive to the formation of effective fracture-karst vug reservoirs. They connect the upper and lower strata of the gypsum-salt layers, and their active period is consistent with the main hydrocarbon generation period of the deep subsalt source rocks, which is more conducive to transporting hydrocarbon source upward to the Ordovician system for accumulation. The large-scale reservoir located above the source and connected with two types of high-angle strike-slip faults is the favorable exploration direction of Ordovician

Molecular weight of dissolved organic matter determines its interactions with microbes and its assembly processes in soils

Dissolved organic matter (DOM) is involved in numerous biogeochemical processes, and its molecular weight affects many of these processes through its bioavailability and sorptive capacity. However, it remains unknown to what extent the molecular weight of DOM mediates its dynamics, for example, influencing its role in DOM-microbe interactions and the processes determining the compositional assembly of DOM. To address this issue, ultrahigh-resolution Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry (FT-ICR-MS) and high-throughput sequencing were applied to investigate how the molecular weight of DOM was associated with its dynamics in two typical agricultural soils with different fertility. Our results showed that low-molecular-weight DOM had lower biological stability and a higher transformation potential. Analysis of the DOM-microbe co-occurrence network showed that low-molecular-weight DOM displayed tighter interactions with a diversity of microbes, while high-molecular-weight DOM interacted with only a few microbes. Ecological null models revealed that the compositional assembly of low-molecular-weight DOM, but not high-molecular-weight DOM, was more controlled by deterministic processes. Taken together, our results demonstrate the fundamental role the molecular weight of DOM plays in determining biological stability, transformation potential, interactions with microbes, and assembly mechanisms of DOM in agricultural soils. This work provides the foundation for general principles explaining complex dynamics of DOM in natural ecosystems, highlighting that using theories and concepts in metacommunity ecology, such as community diversity and assembly mechanisms, may open a new avenue to understand DOM dynamics from a macro perspective

Fossil-fuel-dependent scenarios could lead to a significant decline of global plant-beneficial bacteria abundance in soils by 2100

Exploiting the potential benefits of plant-associated microbes represents a sustainable approach to enhancing crop productivity. Plant-beneficial bacteria (PBB) provide multiple benefits to plants. However, the biogeography and community structure remain largely unknown. Here we constructed a PBB database to couple microbial taxonomy with their plant-beneficial traits and analysed the global atlas of potential PBB from 4,245 soil samples. We show that the diversity of PBB peaks in low-latitude regions, following a strong latitudinal diversity gradient. The distribution of potential PBB was primarily governed by environmental filtering, which was mainly determined by local climate. Our projections showed that fossil-fuel-dependent future scenarios would lead to a significant decline of potential PBB by 2100, especially biocontrol agents (−1.03%) and stress resistance bacteria (−0.61%), which may potentially threaten global food production and (agro)ecosystem services