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Alkali metal batteries (AMBs) are promising next‐generation high‐density electrochemical energy storage systems. In addition, current collectors play important roles in enhancing their electrochemical performances. Thus, it is essential to have a critical review of the most recent advances in engineering the current collectors for high‐performance AMBs. In this review paper, the fundamentals of alkali metal deposition on current collectors will be introduced first. Then recent advances in the development of advanced metal and carbon‐based current collectors are examined for boosting the stability and cycle life of lithium metal batteries (LMBs) in terms of various strategies including 3D architectural design and functional modifications. Thereafter, the research progress in design of advanced current collectors will be analyzed for sodium/potassium metal batteries, especially the counterparts that do not follow the paradigms established in LMBs. Finally, the major challenges and key perspectives will be discussed for the future development of current collectors in AMBs. image

The ever‐growing pursuit of high energy density batteries has triggered extensive efforts toward developing alkali metal (Li, Na, and K) battery (AMB) technologies owing to high theoretical capacities and low redox potentials of metallic anodes. Typically, for new battery systems, the electrolyte design is critical for realizing the battery electrochemistry of AMBs. Conventional electrolytes in alkali ion batteries are generally unsuitable for sustaining the stability owing to the hyper‐reactivity and dendritic growth of alkali metals. In this review, we begin with the fundamentals of AMB electrolytes. Recent advancements in concentrated and fluorinated electrolytes, as well as functional electrolyte additives for boosting the stability of Li metal batteries, are summarized and discussed with a special focus on structure–composition–performance relationships. We then delve into the electrolyte formulations for Na‐ and K metal batteries, including those in which Na/K do not adhere to the Li‐inherited paradigms. Finally, the challenges and the future research needs in advanced electrolytes for AMB are highlighted. This comprehensive review sheds light on the principles for the rational design of promising electrolytes and offers new inspirations for developing stable AMBs with high performance.

A multitude of actions to protect, sustainably manage and restore natural and modified ecosystems can have co-benefits for both climate mitigation and biodiversity conservation. Reducing greenhouse emissions to limit warming to less than 1.5 or 2°C above preindustrial levels, as outlined in the Paris Agreement, can yield strong co-benefits for land, freshwater and marine biodiversity and reduce amplifying climate feedbacks from ecosystem changes. Not all climate mitigation strategies are equally effective at producing biodiversity co-benefits, some in fact are counterproductive. Moreover, social implications are often overlooked within the climate-biodiversity nexus. Protecting biodiverse and carbon-rich natural environments, ecological restoration of potentially biodiverse and carbon-rich habitats, the deliberate creation of novel habitats, taking into consideration a locally adapted and meaningful (i.e., full consequences considered) mix of these measures, can result in the most robust win-win solutions. These can be further enhanced by avoidance of narrow goals, taking long term views and minimising further losses of intact ecosystems. In this review paper, we first discuss various climate mitigation actions that evidence demonstrates can negatively impact biodiversity, resulting in unseen and unintended negative consequences. We then examine climate mitigation actions that co-deliver biodiversity and societal benefits. We give examples of these win-win solutions, categorised as ‘protect, restore, manage and create’, in different regions of the world that could be expanded, upscaled and used for further innovation.

Microplastics are an emergent yet critical issue for the environment because of high degradation resistance and bioaccumulation. Unfortunately, the current technologies to remove, recycle, or degrade microplastics are insufficient for complete elimination. In addition, the fragmentation and degradation of mismanaged plastic wastes in environment have recently been identified as a significant source of microplastics. Thus, the developments of effective microplastics removal methods, as well as, plastics recycling strategies are crucial to build a microplastics-free environment. Herein, this review comprehensively summarizes the current technologies for eliminating microplastics from the environment and highlights two key aspects to achieve this goal: 1) Catalytic degradation of microplastics into environmentally friendly organics (carbon dioxide and water); 2) catalytic recycling and upcycling plastic wastes into monomers, fuels, and valorized chemicals. The mechanisms, catalysts, feasibility, and challenges of these methods are also discussed. Novel catalytic methods such as, photocatalysis, advanced oxidation process, and biotechnology are promising and eco-friendly candidates to transform microplastics and plastic wastes into environmentally benign and valuable products. In the future, more effort is encouraged to develop eco-friendly methods for the catalytic conversion of plastics into valuable products with high efficiency, high product selectivity, and low cost under mild conditions.

Rechargeable sodium metal batteries (SMBs) have emerged as promising alternatives to commercial Li‐ion batteries because of the natural abundance and low cost of sodium resources. However, the overuse of metallic sodium in conventional SMBs limits their energy densities and leads to severe safety concerns. Herein, we propose a sodium‐free‐anode SMB (SFA‐SMB) configuration consisting of a sodium‐rich Na superionic conductor‐structured cathode and a bare Al/C current collector to address the above challenges. Sodiated Na3V2(PO4)3 in the form of Na5V2(PO4)3 was investigated as a cathode to provide a stable and controllable sodium source in the SFA‐SMB. It provides not only remarkable Coulombic efficiencies of Na plating/stripping cycles but also a highly reversible three‐electron redox reaction within 1.0–3.8 V versus Na/Na+ confirmed by structural/electrochemical measurements. Consequently, an ultrahigh energy density of 400 Wh kg−1 was achieved for the SFA‐SMB with fast Na storage kinetics and impressive capacity retention of 93% after 130 cycles. A narrowed voltage window (3.0–3.8 V vs. Na/Na+) further increased the lifespan to over 300 cycles with a high retained specific energy of 320 Wh kg−1. Therefore, the proposed SFA‐SMB configuration opens a new avenue for fabricating next‐generation batteries with high energy densities and long lifetimes. image

Rice is known for its superior adaptation to ammonium (NH4+ ) as a nitrogen source. Compared to many other cereals, it displays lower NH4+ efflux in roots and higher nitrogen-use efficiency on NH4+ . A critical role for GDP-mannose pyrophosphorylase (VTC1) in controlling root NH4+ fluxes was previously documented in Arabidopsis, but the molecular pathways involved in regulating VTC1-dependent NH4+ efflux remain unclear. Here, we report that ETHYLENE-INSENSITIVE3-LIKE1 (OsEIL1) acts as a key transcription factor regulating OsVTC1-3-dependent NH4+ efflux and protein N-glycosylation in rice grown under NH4+ nutrition. We show that OsEIL1 in rice plays a contrasting role to Arabidopsis-homologous ETHYLENE-INSENSITIVE3 (AtEIN3) and maintains rice growth under NH4+ by stabilizing protein N-glycosylation and reducing root NH4+ efflux. OsEIL1 constrains NH4+ efflux by activation of OsVTC1-3, but not OsVTC1-1 or OsVTC1-8. OsEIL1 binds directly to the promoter EIN3-binding site (EBS) of OsVTC1-3 in vitro and in vivo and acts to increase the transcription of OsVTC1-3. Our work demonstrates an important link between excessive root NH4+ efflux and OsVTC1-3-mediated protein N-glycosylation in rice grown under NH4+ nutrition and identifies OsEIL1 as a direct genetic regulator of OsVTC1-3 expression.

Ammonium (NH4+ ) is toxic to root growth in most plants, even at moderate concentrations. Transcriptional regulation is one of the most important mechanisms in the response of plants to NH4+ toxicity, but the nature of the involvement of transcription factors (TFs) in this regulation remains unclear. Here, RNA-seq analysis was performed on Arabidopsis roots to screen for ammonium-responsive TFs. WRKY46, the member of the WRKY transcription factor family most responsive to NH4+ , was selected. We defined the role of WRKY46 using mutation and overexpression assays, and characterized the regulation of NUDX9 and indole-3-acetic acid (IAA)-conjugating genes by WRKY46 via yeast one-hybrid and electrophoretic mobility shift assays and chromatin immunoprecipitation-quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (ChIP-qPCR). Knockout of WRKY46 increased, while overexpression of WRKY46 decreased, NH4+ -suppression of the primary root. WRKY46 is shown to directly bind to the promoters of the NUDX9 and IAA-conjugating genes (GH3.1, GH3.6, UGT75D1, UGT84B2) and to inhibit their transcription, thus positively regulating free IAA content and stabilizing protein N-glycosylation, leading to an inhibition of NH4+ efflux in the root elongation zone (EZ). We identify TF involvement in the regulation of NH4+ efflux in the EZ, and show that WRKY46 inhibits NH4+ efflux by negative regulation of NUDX9 and IAA-conjugating genes.

INTRODUCTION: The global demand for endovascular clot retrieval (ECR) has grown rapidly in recent years creating challenges to healthcare system planning and resource allocation. This study aims to apply our established computational model to predict and optimise the performance and resource allocation of ECR services within regional Australia, and applying data from the state of South Australia as a modelling exercise. METHOD: Local geographic information obtained using the Google Maps application program interface and real-world data was input into the discrete event simulation model we previously developed. The results were obtained after the simulation was run over 5 years. We modelled and compared a single-centre and two-centre ECR service delivery system. RESULTS: Based on the input data, this model was able to simulate the ECR delivery system in the state of South Australia from the moment when emergency services were notified of a potential stroke patient to potential delivery of ECR treatment. In the model, ECR delivery improved using a two-centre system compared to a one-centre system, as the percentage of stroke patients requiring ECR was increased. When 15% of patients required ECR, the proportion of 'failure to receive ECR' cases for a single-centre system was 17.35%, compared to 3.71% for a two-centre system. CONCLUSIONS: Geolocation and resource utilisation within the ECR delivery system are crucial in optimising service delivery and patient outcome. Under the model assumptions, as the number of stroke cases requiring ECR increased, a two-centre ECR system resulted in increased timely ECR delivery, compared to a single-centre system. This study demonstrated the flexibility and the potential application of our DES model in simulating the stroke service within any location worldwide.

This study investigates second language (L2) interactional competence in Mandarin Chinese, with a specific focus on dispreference organization in refusals. Twenty‐eight L2 Chinese learners at 3 proficiency levels (A2, B1, and B2) and 10 native speakers each participated in 3 role plays. We found that learners at different levels clearly differed in their ability to organize refusals as dispreferred and to fine tune their refusal to the initiating action. Lower intermediate (A2) learners either fronted negative responses or adopted a single dispreference marker (e.g., apologies, pauses, prefatory particles, etc.), whereas upper intermediate (B1) learners overwhelming delayed their refusals and never produced straightforward negations, also showing different organizations of refusals depending on the initiating action. Advanced learners combined sequential tools and linguistic devices to demonstrate a strong orientation toward affiliation, and clearly oriented to scenarios differentially. However, they lagged behind native speakers, who had more diversified interactional tools and systematically oriented to features of the initiating actions. We attribute the differences partially to L2 proficiency, though proficiency‐independent increase in contextual sensitivity can be observed.

Freshwater capture fisheries are globally essential for food security and aquatic biodiversity conservation. The Yangtze River Basin is the third longest and one of the most human‐influenced drainage basins worldwide. Since the founding of P. R. China in 1949, this large river system has suffered increasing human perturbation and its sustainable development is now severely challenged. Meta‐analysis showed that Yangtze River fisheries have experienced an extraordinary process of utilization–over‐exploitation–protection during the past 70 years, to an extent that other globally important rivers may never have encountered. Its fisheries appear to have collapsed over the past four decades, with yield decreasing to only 25% of an historical peak of 400,000 metric tonnes in the late 1950s. Endemic, migratory and rare fishes have been highly threatened with obvious changes in fish community structure and aquatic biodiversity. Anthropogenic activities, including impoundment of water in dams, discharge of pollutants and riverine modification for vessel navigation, have caused large decreases in fisheries yields. Projections from surplus production modelling showed potential for improvement under fishing ban scenarios, but without any prospect for full recovery to historical stock status. This study revealed that the change in fisheries resources was dominated by the social–ecological watershed system, and an integrated approach to river basin management is warranted. Better management of freshwater ecosystems to integrate food security with biodiversity conservation is urgently needed throughout the world, and the changes evident in the Yangtze River fish populations can serve as an informative global reference.

Cell-mediated immune suppression may play an important role in lung carcinogenesis. We investigated the associations for circulating levels of tryptophan, kynurenine, kynurenine:tryptophan ratio (KTR), quinolinic acid (QA) and neopterin as markers of immune regulation and inflammation with lung cancer risk in 5,364 smoking-matched case-control pairs from 20 prospective cohorts included in the international Lung Cancer Cohort Consortium. All biomarkers were quantified by mass spectrometry-based methods in serum/plasma samples collected on average 6 years before lung cancer diagnosis. Odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for lung cancer associated with individual biomarkers were calculated using conditional logistic regression with adjustment for circulating cotinine. Compared to the lowest quintile, the highest quintiles of kynurenine, KTR, QA and neopterin were associated with a 20-30% higher risk, and tryptophan with a 15% lower risk of lung cancer (all ptrend < 0.05). The strongest associations were seen for current smokers, where the adjusted ORs (95% CIs) of lung cancer for the highest quintile of KTR, QA and neopterin were 1.42 (1.15-1.75), 1.42 (1.14-1.76) and 1.45 (1.13-1.86), respectively. A stronger association was also seen for KTR and QA with risk of lung squamous cell carcinoma followed by adenocarcinoma, and for lung cancer diagnosed within the first 2 years after blood draw. This study demonstrated that components of the tryptophan-kynurenine pathway with immunomodulatory effects are associated with risk of lung cancer overall, especially for current smokers. Further research is needed to evaluate the role of these biomarkers in lung carcinogenesis and progression.