Li‐rich Mn‐based cathode materials (LRMs) are potential cathode materials for high energy density lithium‐ion batteries. However, low initial Coulombic efficiency (ICE) severely hinders the ...commercialization of LRM. Herein, a facile oleic acid‐assisted interface engineering is put forward to precisely control the ICE, enhance reversible capacity and rate performance of LRM effectively. As a result, the ICE of LRM can be precisely adjusted from 84.1% to 100.7%, and a very high specific capacity of 330 mAh g−1 at 0.1 C, as well as outstanding rate capability with a fascinating specific capacity of 250 mAh g−1 at 5 C, are harvested. Theoretical calculations reveal that the introduced cation/anion double defects can reduce the diffusion barrier of Li+ ions, and in situ surface reconstruction layer can induce a self‐built‐in electric field to stabilize the surface lattice oxygen. Moreover, this facile interface engineering is universal and can enhance the ICEs of other kinds of LRM effectively. This work provides a valuable new idea for improving the comprehensive electrochemical performance of LRM through multistrategy collaborative interface engineering technology.
Introduced cation/anion double defects can reduce the interface charge transfer resistance and enhance the Li+ ion diffusion coefficient. The induced in situ surface reconstruction layer can increase the electronic conductivity and stabilize the surface lattice oxygen. As a result, the initial Coulombic efficiency of Li‐rich Mn‐based cathode material is controlled precisely.
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BFBNIB, FZAB, GIS, IJS, KILJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, SAZU, SBCE, SBMB, UL, UM, UPUK
The problem of dissipativity analysis is discussed for Lur'e systems with two additive time‐varying delays (ATDs) in this paper. Based on the dynamic delay interval (DDI) method, some novel ...Lyapunov‐Krasovskii functionals (LKFs) are constructed, in which part of Lyapunov matrices are requested to be positive definite. Then strictly dissipativity criteria of Lur'e systems with ATDs are presented in terms of linear matrix inequalities (LMIs). As by‐products, the stability criteria of Lur'e systems with ATDs and the systems with ATDs are derived. Finally, several numerical examples are used to illustrate the effectiveness and superiority of these criteria.
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FZAB, GIS, IJS, KILJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, SAZU, SBCE, SBMB, UL, UM, UPUK
Revealing the relationship between plants and fungi is very important in understanding biodiversity maintenance, community stability, and ecosystem functioning. However, differences in the community ...and network structures of phyllosphere epiphytic and endophytic fungi are currently poorly documented. In this study, we examined epiphytic and endophytic fungal communities associated with the leaves of six mangrove species using Illumina MiSeq sequencing of internal transcribed spacer 2 (ITS2) sequences.
A total of 635 operational taxonomic units (OTUs) of endophytic and epiphytic fungi were obtained at a 97% sequence similarity level; they were dominated by Dothideomycetes and Tremellomycetes. Plant identity had a significant effect on the OTU richness of endophytic fungi, but not on epiphytic fungi. The community composition of epiphytic and endophytic fungi was significantly different, and plant identity had a greater effect on endophytic fungi than on epiphytic fungi. Network analysis showed that both epiphytic and endophytic network structures were characterized by significantly highly specialized and modular but lowly connected and anti-nested properties. Furthermore, the endophytic network had higher levels of specialization and modularity but lower connectance and stronger anti-nestedness than the epiphytic network.
This study reveals that the phyllosphere epiphytic and endophytic fungal communities differ, and plant identity has a greater effect on the endophytic fungi than on epiphytic fungi. These findings demonstrate the role of host plant identity in driving phyllosphere epiphytic and endophytic community structure.
Summary
There is limited knowledge on how the association of trees with different mycorrhizal types shapes soil microbial communities in the context of changing tree diversity levels. We used ...arbuscular (AM) and ectomycorrhizal (EcM) tree species as con‐ and heterospecific tree species pairs (TSPs), which were established in plots of three tree diversity levels including monocultures, two‐species mixtures and multi‐tree species mixtures in a tree diversity experiment in subtropical China. We found that the tree mycorrhizal type had a significant effect on fungal but not bacterial alpha diversity. Furthermore, only EcM but not AM TSPs fungal alpha diversity increased with tree diversity, and the differences between AM and EcM TSPs disappeared in multi‐species mixtures. Tree mycorrhizal type, tree diversity and their interaction had significant effects on fungal community composition. Neither fungi nor bacteria showed any significant compositional variation in TSPs located in multi‐species mixtures. Accordingly, the most influential taxa driving the tree mycorrhizal differences at low tree diversity were not significant in multi‐tree species mixtures. Collectively, our results indicate that tree mycorrhizal type is an important factor determining the diversity and community composition of soil microbes, and higher tree diversity levels promote convergence of the soil microbial communities.
Significance statement
More than 90% of terrestrial plants have symbiotic associations with mycorrhizal fungi which could influence the coexisting microbiota. Systematic understanding of the individual and interactive effects of tree mycorrhizal type and tree species diversity on the soil microbiota is crucial for the mechanistic comprehension of the role of microbes in forest soil ecological processes. Our tree species pair (TSP) concept coupled with random sampling within and across the plots, allowed us the unbiased assessment of tree mycorrhizal type and tree diversity effects on the tree‐tree interaction zone soil microbiota. Unlike in monocultures and two‐species mixtures, we identified species‐rich and converging fungal and bacterial communities in multi‐tree species mixtures. Consequently, we recommend planting species‐rich mixtures of EcM and AM trees, for afforestation and reforestation regimes. Specifically, our findings highlight the significance of tree mycorrhizal type in studying ‘tree diversity – microbial diversity – ecosystem function’ relationships.
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BFBNIB, FZAB, GIS, IJS, KILJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, SAZU, SBCE, SBMB, UL, UM, UPUK
Environmental selection and dispersal limitation are two of the primary processes structuring biotic communities in ecosystems, but little is known about these processes in shaping soil microbial ...communities during secondary forest succession. We examined the communities of ectomycorrhizal (EM) fungi in young, intermediate and old forests in a Chinese subtropical ecosystem, using 454 pyrosequencing. The EM fungal community consisted of 393 operational taxonomic units (OTUs), belonging to 21 EM fungal lineages, in which three EM fungal lineages and 11 EM fungal OTUs showed significantly biased occurrence among the young, intermediate and old forests. The EM fungal community was structured by environmental selection and dispersal limitation in old forest, but only by environmental selection in young, intermediate, and whole forests. Furthermore, the EM fungal community was affected by different factors in the different forest successional stages, and the importance of these factors in structuring EM fungal community dramatically decreased along the secondary forest succession series. This study suggests that different assembly mechanisms operate on the EM fungal community at different stages in secondary subtropical forest succession.
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BFBNIB, FZAB, GIS, IJS, KILJ, NLZOH, NMLJ, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBMB, UL, UM, UPUK
Core-shell nanoparticles (CSNs) are a class of nanostructured materials that have recently received increased attention owing to their interesting properties and broad range of applications in ...catalysis, biology, materials chemistry and sensors. By rationally tuning the cores as well as the shells of such materials, a range of core-shell nanoparticles can be produced with tailorable properties that can play important roles in various catalytic processes and offer sustainable solutions to current energy problems. Various synthetic methods for preparing different classes of CSNs, including the Stöber method, solvothermal method, one-pot synthetic method involving surfactants,
etc.
, are briefly mentioned here. The roles of various classes of CSNs are exemplified for both catalytic and electrocatalytic applications, including oxidation, reduction, coupling reactions,
etc.
Core-shell nanomaterials with a broad range of catalytic and electrocatalytic applications are summarized for an array of organic transformations namely oxidation, reduction, oxygen storage, and coupling reactions.
Summary
Elucidating the temporal dynamics of arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi is critical for understanding their functions. Furthermore, research investigating the temporal dynamics of AM fungi in ...response to agricultural practices remains in its infancy.
We investigated the effect of nitrogen fertilisation and watering reduction on the temporal dynamics of AM fungi, across the lifespan of wheat.
Nitrogen fertilisation decreased AM fungal spore density (SD), extraradical hyphal density (ERHD), and intraradical colonisation rate (IRCR) in both watering conditions. Nitrogen fertilisation affected AM fungal community composition in soil but not in roots, regardless of watering conditions. The temporal analysis revealed that AM fungal ERHD and IRCR were higher under conventional watering and lower under reduced watering in March than in other growth stages at low (≤ 70 kg N ha−1 yr−1) but not at high (≥ 140) nitrogen fertilisation levels. AM fungal SD was lower in June than in other growth stages and community composition varied with plant development at all nitrogen fertilisation levels, regardless of watering conditions.
This study demonstrates that high nitrogen fertilisation levels disrupt the temporal dynamics of AM fungal hyphal growth but not sporulation and community composition.
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BFBNIB, FZAB, GIS, IJS, KILJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, SAZU, SBCE, SBMB, UL, UM, UPUK
Insufficient eradication capacity and dysfunction are common occurrences in T cells that characterize cancer immunotherapy failure. De novo DNA methylation promotes T cell exhaustion, whereas ...methylation inhibition enhances T cell rejuvenation in vivo. Decitabine, a DNA methyltransferase inhibitor approved for clinical use, may provide a means of modifying exhaustion-associated DNA methylation programmes. Herein, anti-tumour activities, cytokine production, and proliferation are enhanced in decitabine-treated chimeric antigen receptor T (dCAR T) cells both in vitro and in vivo. Additionally, dCAR T cells can eradicate bulky tumours at a low-dose and establish effective recall responses upon tumour rechallenge. Antigen-expressing tumour cells trigger higher expression levels of memory-, proliferation- and cytokine production-associated genes in dCAR T cells. Tumour-infiltrating dCAR T cells retain a relatively high expression of memory-related genes and low expression of exhaustion-related genes in vivo. In vitro administration of decitabine may represent an option for the generation of CAR T cells with improved anti-tumour properties.
Silicon/carbon (Si/C) composites have rightfully earned the attention as anode candidates for high-energy-density lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) owing to their advantageous capacity and superior ...cycling stability, yet their practical application remains a significant challenge. In this study, we report the large-scale synthesis of an intriguing micro/nanostructured pore-rich Si/C microsphere consisting of Si nanoparticles tightly immobilized onto a micron-sized cross-linked C matrix that is coated by a thin C layer (denoted P-Si/C@C) using a low-cost spray-drying approach and a chemical vapor deposition process with inorganic salts as pore-forming agents. The as-obtained P-Si/C@C composite has high porosity that provides sufficient inner voids to alleviate the huge volume expansion of Si. The outer smooth and robust C shells strengthen the stability of the entire structure and the solid–electrolyte interphase. Si nanoparticles embedded in a microsized cross-linked C matrix show excellent electrical conductivity and superior structural stability. By virtue of structural advantages, the as-fabricated P-Si/C@C anode displays a high initial Coulombic efficiency of 89.8%, a high reversible capacity of 1269.6 mAh g–1 at 100 mA g–1, and excellent cycle performance with a capacity of 708.6 mAh g–1 and 87.1% capacity retention after 820 cycles at 1000 mA g–1, outperforming the reported results of Si/C composite anodes. Furthermore, a low electrode swelling of 18.1% at a high areal capacity of 3.8 mAh cm–2 can be obtained. When assembled into a practical 3.2 Ah cylindrical cell, extraordinary long cycling life with a capacity retention of 81.4% even after 1200 cycles at 1C (3.2 A) and excellent rate performance are achieved, indicating significant advantages for long-life power batteries in electric vehicles.
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IJS, KILJ, NUK, PNG, UL, UM
In this brief, the coordinated path-following control for multiple nonlinear autonomous vehicles connected by digital networks is studied. To compensate for the time delays of the network actively, a ...novel networked predictive control strategy is proposed. Compared with existing networked control strategies, the control strategy proposed in this brief admits advantages such as high computational efficiency, robustness to disturbances, and relaxed restriction on the communication topology. The theoretical analysis of the proposed method is given and the conditions to achieve the control objectives are derived. Finally, the experiments are implemented to validate the effectiveness of the proposed method.
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