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Lithium–sulfur (Li–S) batteries are regarded as the most promising next‐generation energy storage systems due to their high energy density and cost‐effectiveness. However, their practical applications are seriously hindered by several inevitable drawbacks, especially the shuttle effects of soluble lithium polysulfides (LiPSs) which lead to rapid capacity decay and short cycling lifespan. This review specifically concentrates on the shuttle path of LiPSs and their interaction with the corresponding cell components along the moving way, systematically retrospect the recent advances and strategies toward polysulfides diffusion suppression. Overall, the strategies for the shuttle effect inhibition can be classified into four parts, including capturing the LiPSs in the sulfur cathode, reducing the dissolution in electrolytes, blocking the shuttle channels by functional separators, and preventing the chemical reaction between LiPSs and Li metal anode. Herein, the fundamental aspect of Li–S batteries is introduced first to give an in‐deep understanding of the generation and shuttle effect of LiPSs. Then, the corresponding strategies toward LiPSs shuttle inhibition along the diffusion path are discussed step by step. Finally, general conclusions and perspectives for future research on shuttle issues and practical application of Li–S batteries are proposed. This review summarizes the recent advances and strategies to suppress the shuttle effect of lithium polysulfides (LiPSs) in lithium–sulfur batteries. These strategies are composed of using the modified sulfur hosts to immobilize LiPSs, electrolyte systems to alleviate shuttle behavior, functional separator to intercept LiPSs, and anode surface engineering to avoid the chemical reaction between LiPSs and Li.

Sodium-ion storage technologies are promising candidates for large-scale grid systems due to the abundance and low cost of sodium. However, compared to well-understood lithium-ion storage mechanisms, sodium-ion storage remains relatively unexplored. Herein, we systematically determine the sodium-ion storage properties of anatase titanium dioxide (TiO 2 (A)). During the initial sodiation process, a thin surface layer (~3 to 5 nm) of crystalline TiO 2 (A) becomes amorphous but still undergoes Ti 4+ /Ti 3+ redox reactions. A model explaining the role of the amorphous layer and the dependence of the specific capacity on the size of TiO 2 (A) nanoparticles is proposed. Amorphous nanoparticles of ~10 nm seem to be optimum in terms of achieving high specific capacity, on the order of 200 mAh g −1 , at high charge/discharge rates. Kinetic studies of TiO 2 (A) nanoparticles indicate that sodium-ion storage is due to a surface-redox mechanism that is not dependent on nanoparticle size in contrast to the lithiation of TiO 2 (A) which is a diffusion-limited intercalation process. The surface-redox properties of TiO 2 (A) result in excellent rate capability, cycling stability and low overpotentials. Moreover, tailoring the surface-redox mechanism enables thick electrodes of TiO 2 (A) to retain high rate properties, and represents a promising direction for high-power sodium-ion storage. Sodium ion storage remains relatively unexplored in comparison with well-understood lithium ion storage mechanisms. Here, the authors systematically investigate the surface-redox sodium ion storage properties of anatase titanium dioxide, which delivers excellent rate capability, cycling stability and low overpotentials.

A growing body of research suggests that short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), metabolites produced by intestinal symbiotic bacteria that ferment dietary fibers (DFs), play a crucial role in the health status of symbiotes. SCFAs act on a variety of cell types to regulate important biological processes, including host metabolism, intestinal function, and immune function. SCFAs also affect the function and fate of immune cells. This finding provides a new concept in immune metabolism and a better understanding of the regulatory role of SCFAs in the immune system, which impacts the prevention and treatment of disease. The mechanism by which SCFAs induce or regulate the immune response is becoming increasingly clear. This review summarizes the different mechanisms through which SCFAs act in cells. According to the latest research, the regulatory role of SCFAs in the innate immune system, including in NLRP3 inflammasomes, receptors of TLR family members, neutrophils, macrophages, natural killer cells, eosinophils, basophils and innate lymphocyte subsets, is emphasized. The regulatory role of SCFAs in the adaptive immune system, including in T-cell subsets, B cells, and plasma cells, is also highlighted. In addition, we discuss the role that SCFAs play in regulating allergic airway inflammation, colitis, and osteoporosis by influencing the immune system. These findings provide evidence for determining treatment options based on metabolic regulation.

Yes-associated protein (YAP) is a transcriptional co-activator that regulates cell proliferation and survival by binding to a select set of enhancers for target gene activation. How YAP coordinates these transcriptional responses is unknown. Here, we demonstrate that YAP forms liquid-like condensates in the nucleus. Formed within seconds of hyperosmotic stress, YAP condensates compartmentalized the YAP transcription factor TEAD1 and other YAP-related co-activators, including TAZ, and subsequently induced the transcription of YAP-specific proliferation genes. Super-resolution imaging using assay for transposase-accessible chromatin with photoactivated localization microscopy revealed that the YAP nuclear condensates were areas enriched in accessible chromatin domains organized as super-enhancers. Initially devoid of RNA polymerase II, the accessible chromatin domains later acquired RNA polymerase II, transcribing RNA. The removal of the intrinsically-disordered YAP transcription activation domain prevented the formation of YAP condensates and diminished downstream YAP signalling. Thus, dynamic changes in genome organization and gene activation during YAP reprogramming is mediated by liquid–liquid phase separation. Cai et al. show that YAP forms liquid-like condensates in the nucleus that compartmentalize YAP’s DNA binding cofactors and transcription co-activators to induce transcription of YAP-specific proliferation genes.

The Graphical Evaluation and Review Technique (GERT) and complex networks are used to simulate and analyse complex product supply chain networks based on the characteristics of complex product supply chain networks. And the traditional GERT is improved by constructing a grey parametric GERT network with restricted output results, taking into account the fact that the duration, product quality and product cost of each supplier in a complex product supply chain are interval values rather than definite values, and that customers have restrictions on the duration, product quality and product cost of the final product. The functional relationship between product quality, product cost and duration is analysed, and two satisfaction functions for duration and cost are constructed in order to quantify the multi-objective requirements of shortening duration, saving product cost and guaranteeing product quality for complex products under emergency situations. Then, a duration-cost-quality model for complex product supply chains in contingency situations is constructed to obtain the better duration, product cost and product quality of each supplier by optimising the indicator parameters in the network. Finally, the scientific validity and effectiveness of the model and method are verified by means of arithmetic example. The results show that the method is able to analyse the optimal duration, product quality and product cost of each supplier, and the main manufacturer can obtain an optimised combination of duration, cost and quality for a complex product supply chain in different contingency situation. To further promote the sustainable and secure development of complex product supply chains, this paper also suggests the integration of data sharing and blockchain technology with complex product supply chains to develop dynamic supply chain feedback management systems.

With its high theoretical capacity, lithium (Li) metal is recognized as the most potential anode for realizing a high‐performance energy storage system. A series of questions (severe safety hazard, low Coulombic efficiency, short lifetime, etc.) induced by uncontrollable dendrites growth, unstable solid electrolyte interface layer, and large volume change, make practical application of Li‐metal anodes still a threshold. Due to their highly appealing properties, carbon‐based materials as hosts to composite with Li metal have been passionately investigated for improving the performance of Li‐metal batteries. This review displays an overview of the critical role of carbon‐based hosts for improving the comprehensive performance of Li‐metal anodes. Based on correlated mainstream models, the main failure mechanism of Li‐metal anodes is introduced. The advantages and strategies of carbon‐based hosts to address the corresponding challenges are generalized. The unique function, existing limitation, and recent research progress of key carbon‐based host materials for Li‐metal anodes are reviewed. Finally, a conclusion and an outlook for future research of carbon‐based hosts are presented. This review is dedicated to summarizing the advances of carbon‐based materials hosts in recent years and providing a reference for the further development of carbon‐based hosts for advanced Li‐metal anodes. Graphical Carbon‐based hosts are of great significance for the future development of high‐performance Li‐metal anodes. This review summarizes the recent developments of carbon‐based hosts for Li‐metal accommodation. The carbon‐based hosts with high surface area and conductivity can suppress dendrites growth, relieve volume expansion, and stabilize interface, and further doping and compositing to the hosts can effectively regulate Li plating/stripping behaviors.

The photonic spin Hall effect (SHE) provides an effective way to manipulate the spin-polarized photons. However, the spin-dependent splitting is very tiny due to the weak spin-orbit coupling, and previous investigations for enhancing this phenomenon have some serious limitations (e.g. inconvenient to tune, inadequate attention in terahertz region). Therefore, controlling and enhancing the photonic SHE in a flexible way is highly desirable, especially for terahertz region. In this contribution, we propose a method to manipulate the photonic SHE by taking advantage of tunable optical properties of graphene via weak optical pumping. We find that photonic SHE of graphene-dielectric structure in terahertz region is quite sensitive to the pumping power. The spin shift for H polarized incident beam can reach its upper limitation under the optimal pumping power, which is related to the zero value of the real part of graphene conductivity. These findings may provide a new degree of freedom for the design of tunable spin-based photonic devices in the future.

HighlightsLayered iron vanadate ultrathin nanosheets (FeVO UNSs) with a thickness of ~ 2.2 nm were synthesized by a sonicate-assisted method.Pseudocapacitive Na+ intercalation of FeVO UNSs anode delivers high initial coulombic efficiency (93.86%), high reversible capacity (292 mAh g−1), excellent rate capability, and remarkable cycling stability.A pseudocapacitor–battery hybrid SIC is assembled with the elimination of presodiation and delivers high energy and power densities.High-performance and low-cost sodium-ion capacitors (SICs) show tremendous potential applications in public transport and grid energy storage. However, conventional SICs are limited by the low specific capacity, poor rate capability, and low initial coulombic efficiency (ICE) of anode materials. Herein, we report layered iron vanadate (Fe5V15O39 (OH)9·9H2O) ultrathin nanosheets with a thickness of ~ 2.2 nm (FeVO UNSs) as a novel anode for rapid and reversible sodium-ion storage. According to in situ synchrotron X-ray diffractions and electrochemical analysis, the storage mechanism of FeVO UNSs anode is Na+ intercalation pseudocapacitance under a safe potential window. The FeVO UNSs anode delivers high ICE (93.86%), high reversible capacity (292 mAh g−1), excellent cycling stability, and remarkable rate capability. Furthermore, a pseudocapacitor–battery hybrid SIC (PBH-SIC) consisting of pseudocapacitor-type FeVO UNSs anode and battery-type Na3(VO)2(PO4)2F cathode is assembled with the elimination of presodiation treatments. The PBH-SIC involves faradaic reaction on both cathode and anode materials, delivering a high energy density of 126 Wh kg−1 at 91 W kg−1, a high power density of 7.6 kW kg−1 with an energy density of 43 Wh kg−1, and 9000 stable cycles. The tunable vanadate materials with high-performance Na+ intercalation pseudocapacitance provide a direction for developing next-generation high-energy capacitors.

HighlightsA bi-service host with lithiophilic/sulfiphilic Fe2CoSe4 quantum dots embedded in three-dimensional ordered nitrogen-doped carbon skeleton is elaborately developed for both the sulfur cathode and Li anode synchronously.The highly dispersed Fe2CoSe4 quantum dots can not only act as a redox accelerator to promote the bidirectional conversion of LiPSs but also regulate the uniform Li plating/stripping to mitigate the growth of Li dendrite.The assembled Li-S full batteries achieve excellent long-term cyclability and a remarkable areal capacity of 8.41 mAh cm2 at high sulfur loading of 8.50 mg cm2, and the pouch full battery also displays high capacity and cycling-stability at lean electrolyte condition.The commercial viability of lithium–sulfur batteries is still challenged by the notorious lithium polysulfides (LiPSs) shuttle effect on the sulfur cathode and uncontrollable Li dendrites growth on the Li anode. Herein, a bi-service host with Co-Fe binary-metal selenide quantum dots embedded in three-dimensional inverse opal structured nitrogen-doped carbon skeleton (3DIO FCSe-QDs@NC) is elaborately designed for both sulfur cathode and Li metal anode. The highly dispersed FCSe-QDs with superb adsorptive-catalytic properties can effectively immobilize the soluble LiPSs and improve diffusion-conversion kinetics to mitigate the polysulfide-shutting behaviors. Simultaneously, the 3D-ordered porous networks integrated with abundant lithophilic sites can accomplish uniform Li deposition and homogeneous Li-ion flux for suppressing the growth of dendrites. Taking advantage of these merits, the assembled Li–S full batteries with 3DIO FCSe-QDs@NC host exhibit excellent rate performance and stable cycling ability (a low decay rate of 0.014% over 2,000 cycles at 2C). Remarkably, a promising areal capacity of 8.41 mAh cm−2 can be achieved at the sulfur loading up to 8.50 mg cm−2 with an ultra-low electrolyte/sulfur ratio of 4.1 μL mg−1. This work paves the bi-serve host design from systematic experimental and theoretical analysis, which provides a viable avenue to solve the challenges of both sulfur and Li electrodes for practical Li–S full batteries.

Microglia mediate multiple facets of neuroinflammation. They can be phenotypically divided into a classical phenotype (pro-inflammatory, M1) or an alternative phenotype (anti-inflammatory, M2) with different physiological characteristics and biological functions in the inflammatory process. Betaine has been shown to exert anti-inflammatory effects. In this study, we aimed to verify the anti-inflammatory effects of betaine and elucidate its possible molecular mechanisms of action in vitro. Lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-activated microglial cells were used as an inflammatory model to study the anti-inflammatory efficacy of betaine and explore its mechanism of regulating microglial polarisation by investigating the morphological changes and associated inflammatory changes. Cytokine and inflammatory mediator expression was also measured by ELISA, flow cytometry, immunofluorescence, and western blot analysis. Toll-like receptor (TLR)-myeloid differentiation factor 88 (Myd88)-nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) p65, p-NF-κB p65, IκB, p-IκB, IκB kinase (IKK), and p-IKK expression was determined by western blot analysis. Betaine significantly mitigated the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines and increased the release of anti-inflammatory cytokines. It promoted the conversion of the microglia from M1 to M2 phenotype by decreasing the expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase and CD16/32 and by increasing that of CD206 and arginase-1. Betaine treatment inhibited the TLR4/NF-κB pathways by attenuating the expression of TLR4-Myd88 and blocking the phosphorylation of IκB and IKK. In conclusion, betaine could significantly alleviate LPS-induced inflammation by regulating the polarisation of microglial phenotype; thus, it might be an effective therapeutic agent for neurological disorders.