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IMPACT STATEMENT This research demonstrates the potential application of silicon oxide as an anode material for lithium metal batteries, while also providing guidelines for the design of porous structures at the particle level.

To obtain soft electronics, it is essential to develop high-performance and mechanically flexible energy storage at the industry level. Herein, we report flexible high-energy-density lithium-sulfur (Li–S) batteries based on all-fibrous sulfur cathodes and separators. To implement free-standing and flexible sulfur cathodes, electrically conductive single-walled carbon nanotubes (CNTs) are impregnated with cellulose nanofibers. This fibrous structure forms a 3D porous electrode with a large surface area to improve redox kinetics and achieve a high sulfur loading content without the use of a metal collector, which can then be applied in high-energy-density batteries. These flexible sulfur cathodes are combined with a commercial glass fiber separator coated with a CNT layer through a cost-effective solution process to suppress the shuttle effects of lithium–polysulfide, thereby exhibiting robust cycling stability. The prepared Li–S batteries exhibit high capacities of 940 mAh g−1 at a charge current density of 1.57 mA cm−2 and at 25 °C, and the Coulombic efficiency exceeds 90% even after 50 charge/discharge cycles. Moreover, Li-S batteries with a high gravimetric energy density of 443 Wh kg−1 per cell is achieved, and these batteries demonstrate excellent reliability in regard to electrochemical performance even under severe mechanical stress conditions for over 100 cycles.Flexible and high-energy-density lithium-sulfur (Li-S) batteries based on all-fibrous sulfur cathodes and separators have structural uniqueness and chemical functionality, exhibit a high gravimetric energy density of 435 Wh kg−1 per cell and excellent reliability in terms of electrochemical performance with a slow decay rate of < 1% per cycle, even under severe mechanical stress/deformation conditions.

We report the first genetic identification of eggs of four species of Anguilliformes caught in the northern East China Sea during August 2016, where leptocephali and adults have been collected. The species were Ophisurus macrorhynchos and Echelus uropterus belonging to the Ophichthidae, and Ariosoma majus and Gnathophis heterognathos belonging to the Congridae. The eggs were identified using three molecular genetic markers (mitochondrial 12S rRNA, 16S rRNA, and cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1), sequences obtained from local adult specimens, and geographical distribution data. All eggs were in the early or middle developmental stages. For all species except A. majus, the eggs were found near the range of small leptocephali in the East China Sea and the southern Korean Peninsula, which indicates these species had spawned along the continental near these areas during the summer.

Fish eggs have a wide range of predators. However, observing these predators is challenging, as is identifying fish eggs based on morphological traits. In this study, we observed hydroids, which are sessile organisms, consuming pelagic fish eggs. We conducted cytochrome c oxidase I (COI) metabarcoding to identify both the predator and the prey species. Massive COI reads were de novo assembled and nine representative sequences were constructed. The predator, identified from the representative sequences and its morphological features, was determined as Ectopleura crocea. The fish eggs that had been preyed upon belonged to two species: Sillago japonica and Parajulis poecilepterus. Additionally, four arthropod species (Labidocera rotunda, Oithona similis, Paracalanus parvus, and Pseudevadne tergestina) were consumed, and their morphological traits could not be observed, due to digestion. COI metabarcoding was an effective tool for studying the feeding activity of these small predators.

Antimony selenide and its carbon composite were synthesized through a mechanochemical process and investigated as anode materials for sodium-ion secondary batteries. X-ray diffraction (XRD) with rietveld refinement and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) analyses confirm that Sb2Se3 were composed of agglomerated highly crystalline nanocrystallites and the Sb2Se3/C composite consisted of nanocrystalline Sb2Se3 dispersed homogeneously throughout an amorphized carbon matrix. The initial Coulombic efficiency, rate capability, and cycle performance of the Sb2Se3/C composite were superior to those of Sb, or Sb2Se3. The Sb2Se3/C composite, in particular, showed excellent cycle stability, with 98.2% of initial capacity at 200 mA g−1 after 200 cycles. Based on the reaction potentials, ex situ XRD patterns and ex situ HR-TEM analysis of the Sb2Se3/C composite electrode revealed the structural changes which occurred reversibly within the Sb2Se3/C composite by conversion and recombination reaction during sodiation and desodiation process. Furthermore, XPS analysis study was carried out for identifying the surface films formed on both the electrodes and their effects on the performances.Graphical abstract

Western flower thrips (Frankliniella occidentalis) has become a key insect pest of agricultural and horticultural crops worldwide. Little is known about host plant resistance to thrips. In this study, we investigated thrips resistance in chrysanthemum (Dendranthema grandiflora). We identified thrips-resistant chrysanthemums applying bioassays. Subsequently, nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR)-based metabolomics was applied to compare the metabolome of thrips-resistant and -susceptible chrysanthemums. NMR facilitates wide-range coverage of the metabolome. We show that thrips-resistant and -susceptible chrysanthemums can be discriminated on basis of their metabolomic profiles. Thrips-resistant chrysanthemums contained higher amounts of the phenylpropanoids chlorogenic acid and feruloyl quinic acid. Both phenylpropanoids are known for their inhibitory effect on herbivores as well as pathogens. Thus, chlorogenic and feruloyl quinic acid are the compounds of choice to improve host plants resistance to thrips in ornamentals and crops. The effect of chlorogenic acid on thrips was further studied in bioassays with artificial diets. These experiments confirmed the negative effects on thrips. Our results prove NMR to be an important tool to identify different metabolites involved in herbivore resistance. It constitutes a significant advance in the study of plant-insect relationships, providing key information on the implementation of herbivore resistance breeding strategies in plants.

Actinomycetes and filamentous fungi produce a wide range of bioactive compounds, with applications as antimicrobials, anticancer agents or agrochemicals. Their genomes contain a far larger number of gene clusters for natural products than originally anticipated and novel approaches are required to exploit this potential reservoir of new drugs. Here, we show that co-cultivation of the filamentous model microbes Streptomyces coelicolor and Aspergillus niger has a major impact on their secondary metabolism. NMR-based metabolomics combined with multivariate data analysis revealed several compounds that correlated specifically to co-cultures, including the cyclic dipeptide cyclo(Phe-Phe) and 2-hydroxyphenylacetic acid, both of which were produced by A. niger in response to S. coelicolor . Furthermore, biotransformation studies with o -coumaric acid and caffeic acid resulted in the production of the novel compounds ( E )-2-(3-hydroxyprop-1-en-1-yl)-phenol and (2 E ,4 E )-3-(2-carboxy-1-hydroxyethyl)-2,4-hexadienedioxic acid, respectively. This highlights the utility of microbial co-cultivation combined with NMR-based metabolomics as an efficient pipeline for the discovery of novel natural products.

Actinomycetes are a major source of bioactive secondary metabolites and are a focal point in the search for novel antimicrobial compounds that are needed to combat multidrug-resistant pathogens. Here, we report the discovery of several novel phenazine-type antibiotics produced by Kitasatospora sp. MBT66. These include the novel glycosylated endophenazines A–E ( 1 – 5 ), together with N -prenylated endophenazine F1 ( 6 ). Compounds 1 and 3 contain a 2′- O -methylation of the sugar moiety, which is rare in nature and reported for the first time in connection with phenazines. The structures of the new compounds were determined on the basis of their spectral data, including 1D and 2D NMR, HR-MS and the gene cluster responsible for the biosynthesis of phenazines was identified. All phenazine derivatives showed antimicrobial activity against the Gram-positive Bacillus subtilis , while compounds 1–3 and 5 also inhibited growth of the Gram-negative Escherichia coli .

Numerous aquatic invertebrates survive harsh environments by displaying dormancy as encysted embryos. This study aimed at determining whether metabolomics could provide molecular insight to explain the “dormancy syndrome” by highlighting functional pathways and metabolites, hence offering a novel comprehensive molecular view of dormancy. We compared the metabolome of morphologically distinct dormant encysted embryos (resting eggs) and non-dormant embryos (amictic eggs) of a rotifer ( Brachionus plicatilis ). Metabolome profiling revealed ~5,000 features, 1,079 of which were annotated. Most of the features were represented at significantly higher levels in non-dormant than dormant embryos. A large number of features was assigned to putative functional pathways indicating novel differences between dormant and non-dormant states. These include features associated with glycolysis, the TCA and urea cycles, amino acid, purine and pyrimidine metabolism. Interestingly, ATP, nucleobases, cyclic nucleotides, thymidine and uracil, were not detected in dormant resting eggs, suggesting an impairment of response to environmental and internal cues, cessation of DNA synthesis, transcription and plausibly translation in the dormant embryos. The levels of trehalose or its analogues, with a role in survival under desiccation conditions, were higher in resting eggs. In conclusion, the current study highlights metabolomics as a major analytical tool to functionally compare dormancy across species.

The complete mitochondrial DNA sequence of sleek unicornfish, Naso hexacanthus was first determined in this study. The complete mitogenome is 16,611 bp in length composed of 13 protein-coding genes, 2 ribosomal RNAs, 22 transfer RNAs, and a control region. The nucleotides consist of 33.8% A, 20.6% C, 25.0% G, 20.6% T. The gene order and direction are identical to those of N. lopezi and the species of Acanthuridae. The result would be useful to investigate genetic relationships among the species of Naso.