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The iconic saurichthyid fishes ('lizard fish') are specialised predators in the aquatic realm of Early Mesozoic era. After a rapid diversification in the Middle Triassic, they seemingly shrank their geographical distribution from a global pattern to that mainly confined to Euramerican region and exhibited increasing rarity in the freshwater environment since the Late Triassic. Here, we report a new species of Saurichthys from the Late Triassic freshwater deposits of the Junggar Basin, northwestern China. This new species Saurichthys sui sp. nov. is characterised by a mosaic of primitive and derived features in Saurichthys: large circumorbital bones and spiracular plate, a vestigial opercle and pectoral fins devoid of fringing fulcra. This feature combination supports the hypothesis that the freshwater system might have served as the refugium of some basal saurichthyid species. Saurichthys sui represents the first record of large predatory fishes in the Triassic Junggar Basin and indicates the establishment of a trophically complex lacustrine ecosystem there. Together with the co-occurring fossil insects and plants, Saurichthys sui, showing some affinities to its congeners from central Asia and North China, implies some biogeographical links of the fossil localities of non-marine Saurichthys on the continents north to PalaeoTethys during the Middle-Late Triassic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Depression and urinary incontinence (UI) are both troubling symptoms that severely impact quality of life. The aim of this study is to evaluate the association between UI (including UI types and severity) and depression among men. Population and methods: The analyzed data was collected from the 2005–2018 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) data. A total of 16,694 male participants aged ≥ 20 years with complete information about depression and UI were included in this study. Logistic regression was performed to calculate the odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) to determine the association between depression and UI by adjusting for relevant covariables. Results: The prevalence of depression was 10.91% among participants with UI. Urge UI was the main type of UI and accounts for 50.53% of all UI types. The adjusted ORs for the association between depression and UI were 2.69 (95%CI, 2.20–3.28). Compared with slight UI, the adjusted ORs were 2.28 (95% CI, 1.61–3.23) for moderate UI, 2.98 (95% CI, 1.54–5.74) for severe UI, and 3.85 (95% CI, 1.83–8.12) for very severe UI. Compared with no UI, the adjusted ORs were 4.46 (95% CI, 3.16–6.29) for mixed UI, 3.15 (95% CI, 2.06–4.82) for stress UI, and 2.43 (95% CI, 1.89–3.12) for urge UI. The subgroup analyses also showed similar correlation about depression and UI. Conclusion: Among men, depression was positively associated with UI status, severity and types. For clinicians, it's necessary to screen depression in patients with UI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] Lithium-sulfur (Li-S) batteries based on elemental sulfur cathodes require the use of highly reactive metallic Li or Li alloy anodes in cell constructions. In order to match with safer Li-free anodes, lithium sulfide (Li 2 S) has been studied as a promising alternative cathode material for lightweight Li and Li-ion batteries. However, intrinsically high electrical resistance, large first charge barrier, dissolution during cycling and polysulfide shuttle limit the electrochemical performance of Li 2 S. In this review, we discuss various approaches for producing Li 2 S-based nano- and micron-scale composite particles and standalone electrodes aiming to overcoming such challenges. In addition, we discuss strategies for electrolyte optimizations. Finally, we share our perspective on the gaps between the state-of-the art research demonstrations and the requirements for successful mass-market commercialization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Commercial lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries suffer from low energy density and do not meet the growing demands of the energy storage market. Therefore, building next-generation rechargeable Li and Li-ion batteries with higher energy densities, better safety characteristics, lower cost and longer cycle life is of outmost importance. To achieve smaller and lighter next-generation rechargeable Li and Li-ion batteries that can outperform commercial Li-ion batteries, several new energy storage chemistries are being extensively studied. In this review, we summarize the current trends and provide guidelines towards achieving this goal, by addressing batteries using high-voltage cathodes, metal fluoride electrodes, chalcogen electrodes, Li metal anodes, high-capacity anodes as well as useful electrolyte solutions. We discuss the choice of active materials, practically achievable energy densities and challenges faced by the respective battery systems. Furthermore, strategies to overcome remaining challenges for achieving energy characteristics are addressed in the hope of providing a useful and balanced assessment of current status and perspectives of rechargeable Li and Li-ion batteries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Holding particular biological resources, the Tibetan Plateau is a unique geologic-geographic-biotic interactively unite and hence play an important role in the global biodiversity domain. The Tibetan Plateau has undergone vigorous environmental changes since the Cenozoic, and played roles switching from "a paradise of tropical animals and plants" to "the cradle of Ice Age mammalian fauna". Recent significant paleontological discoveries have refined a big picture of the evolutionary history of biodiversity on that plateau against the backdrop of major environmental changes, and paved the way for the assessment of its far-reaching impact upon the biota around the plateau and even in more remote regions. Here, based on the newly reported fossils from the Tibetan Plateau which include diverse animals and plants, we present a general review of the changing biodiversity on the Tibetan Plateau and its influence in a global scale. We define the Tibetan Plateau as a junction station of the history of modern biodiversity, whose performance can be categorized in the following three patterns: (1) Local origination of endemism; (2) Local origination and "Out of Tibet"; (3) Intercontinental dispersal via Tibet. The first pattern is exemplified by the snow carps, the major component of the freshwater fish fauna on the plateau, whose temporal distribution pattern of the fossil schizothoracines approximately mirrors the spatial distribution pattern of their living counterparts. Through ascent with modification, their history reflects the biological responses to the stepwise uplift of the Tibetan Plateau. The second pattern is represented by the dispersal history of some mammals since the Pliocene and some plants. The ancestors of some Ice Age mammals, e.g., the wholly rhino, Arctic fox, and argali sheep first originated and evolved in the uplifted and frozen Tibet during the Pliocene, and then migrated toward the Arctic regions or even the North American continent at beginning of the Ice Age; the ancestor of pantherines (big cats) first rose in Tibetan Plateau during the Pliocene, followed by the disperse of its descendants to other parts of Asia, Africa, North and South America to play as top predators of the local ecosystems. The early members of some plants, e.g., Elaeagnaceae appeared in Tibet during the Late Eocene and then dispersed and were widely distributed to other regions. The last pattern is typified by the history of the tree of heaven (Ailanthus) and climbing perch. Ailanthus originated in the Indian subcontinent, then colonized into Tibet after the Indian-Asian plate collision, and dispersed therefrom to East Asia, Europe and even North America. The climbing perches among freshwater fishes probably rose in Southeast Asia during the Middle Eocene, dispersed to Tibet and then migrated into Africa via the docked India. These cases highlight the role of Tibet, which was involved in the continental collision, in the intercontinental biotic interchanges. The three evolutionary patterns above reflect both the history of biodiversity on the plateau and the biological and environmental effects of tectonic uplift. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract The northward drift of the Indian Plate and its collision with Eurasia have profoundly impacted the evolutionary history of the terrestrial organisms, especially the ones along the Indian Ocean rim. Climbing perches (Anabantidae) are primary freshwater fishes showing a disjunct south Asian-African distribution, but with an elusive paleobiogeographic history due to the lack of fossil evidence. Here, based on an updated time-calibrated anabantiform phylogeny integrating a number of relevant fossils, the divergence between Asian and African climbing perches is estimated to have occurred in the middle Eocene (ca. 40 Ma, Ma: million years ago), a time when India had already joined with Eurasia. The key fossil lineage is † Eoanabas , the oldest anabantid known so far, from the upper Oligocene of the Tibetan Plateau. Ancestral range reconstructions suggest a Southeast Asian origin in the early Eocene (ca. 48 Ma) and subsequent dispersals to Tibet and then India for this group. Thereby we propose their westbound dispersal to Africa via the biotic bridge between India and Africa. If so, climbing perch precursors had probably followed the paleobiogeographical route of snakehead fishes, which have a slightly older divergence between African and Asian taxa. As such, our study echoes some recent molecular analyses in rejecting the previously held "Gondwana continental drift vicariance" or late Mesozoic dispersal scenarios for the climbing perches, but provides a unique biogeographical model to highlight the role of the pre-uplift Tibet and the docked India in shaping the disjunct distribution of some air-breathing freshwater fishes around the Indian Ocean. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Graphical abstract Abstract Sodium-based rechargeable batteries are very promising energy storage and conversion systems owing to their wide availability and the low cost of Na resources, which is beneficial to large-scale electric energy storage applications in future. In the context of attempting to achieve high-energy densities and low cost, multi-electron reaction materials for both cathodes and anodes are attracting significant attention due to high specific capacities involved. Here, we present a brief review on recently reported multi-electron reaction materials for sodium-based batteries. We mostly concentrate on true multi-electron reactions that involve individually valence changes greater than one per redox center, but in addition include materials in the discussion, which undergo multi-electron processes per formula unit. The theoretical gravimetric and volumetric (expanded state) capacities are studied for a broad range of examples. Then, the practically achievable volumetric energy density and specific energy of Na cells with hard carbon, sodium (Na), and phosphorus (P) anodes are compared. For this purpose, various data are recalculated and referred to the same basis cell. The results show the potential superiority of the cells using multi-electron reaction materials and provide an intuitive understanding of the practically achievable energy densities in future Na-based rechargeable batteries. However, these multi-electron reaction materials are facing several key challenges, which are preventing their high-performance in current cells. In order to overcome them, general strategies from particle design to electrolyte modification are reviewed and several examples in both cathode and anode materials using such strategies are studied. Finally, future trends and perspectives for achieving promising Na-based batteries with better performance are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This review covers key technological developments and scientific challenges for a broad range of Li-ion battery electrodes. Periodic table and potential/capacity plots are used to compare many families of suitable materials. Performance characteristics, current limitations, and recent breakthroughs in the development of commercial intercalation materials such as lithium cobalt oxide (LCO), lithium nickel cobalt manganese oxide (NCM), lithium nickel cobalt aluminum oxide (NCA), lithium iron phosphate (LFP), lithium titanium oxide (LTO) and others are contrasted with that of conversion materials, such as alloying anodes (Si, Ge, Sn, etc.), chalcogenides (S, Se, Te), and metal halides (F, Cl, Br, I). New polyanion cathode materials are also discussed. The cost, abundance, safety, Li and electron transport, volumetric expansion, material dissolution, and surface reactions for each type of electrode materials are described. Both general and specific strategies to overcome the current challenges are covered and categorized. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new Oligocene-aged genus and species of cyprinid fish, Tchunglinius tchangii, from the Nima Basin in the center of the Tibetan Plateau is described. The new genus is assigned to the subfamily Cyprininae because of its protractile mouth, spoon-shaped pharyngeal teeth, dorsal fin originating anterior to the insertion of the pelvic fin, dorsal fin with four unbranched rays and anal fin with three unbranched rays. This genus differs from other cyprinine genera on the characteristic combination of large head and low body; also, the head length is larger than the body depth. Other differences include the following: the last unbranched ray of both dorsal and anal fin is smooth and articulated; it has an eight-branched ray in the dorsal fin and a five-branched ray in the anal fin; and it has five supraneurals, five hypurals and 33 vertebrae. Tchunglinius tchangii is closely related to recent small-bodied South-Asian cyprinine genera such as Puntius in small body size; therefore, the fossil reflects the Paleogene tropical-subtropical lowland fish fauna present there before the uplift of the Tibetan Plateau. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Development of sulfur cathodes with 100% coulombic efficiency (CE) and good cycle stability remains challenging due to the polysulfide dissolution in electrolytes. Here, it is demonstrated that electrochemical reduction of lithium bis(fluorosulfonyl)imide (LiFSI) based electrolytes at a potential close to the sulfur cathode operation forms in situ protective coating on both cathode and anode surfaces. Quantum chemistry studies suggest the coating formation is initiated by the FSI(-F) anion radicals generated during electrolyte reduction. Such a reduction additionally results in the formation of LiF. Accelerated cycle stability tests at 60 °C in a very simple electrolyte (LiFSI in dimethoxyethane with no additives) show an average CE approaching 100.0% over 1000 cycles with a capacity decay less than 0.013% per cycle after stabilization. Such a remarkable performance suggests a great promise of both an in situ formation of protective solid electrolyte coatings to avoid unwanted side reactions and the use of a LiFSI salt for this purpose. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We demonstrate a simple and green approach for the synthesis of one kind of anatase TiO 2 nanosheets. The method is based on a hydrothermal method under normal atmosphere without using the complex Teflon-lined autoclave, high concentrations NaOH solution and long reaction time. The as-prepared materials are characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) and electrochemical measurements. The obtained anatase TiO 2 nanosheets show excellent performance. There is one pair of potential plateaus at 1.7 and 1.9 V in the process of Li insertion and extraction, and the initial Li insertion/extraction capacities are 382 and 326 mA h g −1 at the current density of 20 mA g −1 , respectively. After 50 cycles, the TiO 2 retains 93% of the initial charge capacity at the current density of 400 mA g −1 . [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A nanostructured C‐Li2S composite nanopowder is prepared via a scalable, high‐throughput solution‐processing method based on the steric separation of freshly nucleated Li2S nanoparticles and their self‐assembling. Each 100–200 nm particle is composed of smaller 5–20 nm Li2S nanoparticles uniformly distributed within a rigid carbon matrix. When used as a cathode material for Li cells, this composite demonstrates high rate performance, near‐theoretical capacity utilization, and excellent cycle stability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nanostructured Li2S and graphene–Li2S composite cathodes are prepared via a versatile solution‐based method. Graphene improves the cathode conductivity, rate, and cycling performance of Li2S. Higher electrolyte molarity enhances cycle stability of the cathodes owing to reduced polysulfide dissolution and maintaining better mechanical properties of a PVDF binder. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Reactive oxygen and nitrogen species are key molecules that mediate neuropathic pain. Although hydrogen is an established antioxidant, its effect on chronic pain has not been characterized. This study was to investigate the efficacy and mechanisms of hydrogen-rich normal saline induced analgesia. Methodology/Principal findings: In a rat model of neuropathic pain induced by L5 spinal nerve ligation (L5 SNL), intrathecal injection of hydrogen-rich normal saline relieved L5 SNL-induced mechanical allodynia and thermal hyperalgesia. Importantly, repeated administration of hydrogen-rich normal saline did not lead to tolerance. Preemptive treatment with hydrogen-rich normal saline prevented development of neuropathic pain behavior. Immunofluorochrome analysis revealed that hydrogen-rich normal saline treatment significantly attenuated L5 SNL-induced increase of 8-hydroxyguanosine immunoreactive cells in the ipsilateral spinal dorsal horn. Western blot analysis of SDS/PAGE-fractionated tyrosine-nitrated proteins showed that L5 SNL led to increased expression of tyrosine-nitrated Mn-containing superoxide dismutase (MnSOD) in the spinal cord, and hydrogen-rich normal saline administration reversed the tyrosine-nitrated MnSOD overexpression. We also showed that the analgesic effect of hydrogen-rich normal saline was associated with decreased activation of astrocytes and microglia, attenuated expression of interleukin-1β (IL-1β) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) in the spinal cord. Conclusion/Significance: Intrathecal injection of hydrogen-rich normal saline produced analgesic effect in neuropathic rat. Hydrogen-rich normal saline-induced analgesia in neuropathic rats is mediated by reducing the activation of spinal astrocytes and microglia, which is induced by overproduction of hydroxyl and peroxynitrite. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Equipped with an effective predatory feeding mechanism enhanced by large and sharp teeth, pointed snout and elongate body, saurichthyiform fishes are considered common fish-eaters in the early Mesozoic aquatic ecosystems. Additionally, because of the similar body plan across species, saurichthyiforms are also regarded evolutionally conservative, with few morphological and ecological changes during their long history. However, their phylogenetic affinity remains unclear as to whether they are chondrostean, neopterygian or stem-actinopteran, and likewise the intrarelationships of the group have rarely been explored. Methodology/Principal Findings: Here we report a new saurichthyiform from the Middle Triassic of Guizhou, China, based on the well-preserved specimens including a 3-D braincase. The new taxon, Yelangichthys macrocephalus gen. et sp. nov., is unique among saurichthyiforms in having a peculiar neurocranium with a broad orbital tectum, paired posterior myodomes, a deep, transverse fossa in the posterodorsal part of the orbit, and a feeding mechanism structured for durophagy. Phylogenetic analysis places Yelangichthys gen. nov. at the most basal position in the Saurichthyiformes as the sister to Saurichthyidae, and a new family Yelangichthyidae is erected to include only Y. macrocephalus gen. et sp. nov. The monophyly of the Chondrostei comprising [Saurichthyiformes + Acipenseriformes] Birgeriiformes is supported, but not the monophyly of Saurichthys, the type genus of Saurichthyidae. With its outstanding osteological details, Yelangichthys gen. nov. greatly increases the neurocranial variations in saurichthyiforms, and its novel feeding structure suggests the consumption of hard-preys instead of fishes. Conclusions/Significance: Our findings highlight the detailed osteology of a saurichthyiform braincase and its feeding design. We suggest that saurichthyiforms are closely allied to the Acipenseriformes. Saurichthyiforms were very diverse in the cranial osteology and they might have undergone a rapid evolutionary radiation via, for the new material here, transforming the feeding mechanism and thus exploiting the food resources unsuitable for other saurichthyiforms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: In this work, a simple and efficient process is developed to synthesize high-value TiO2 nanowires from natural ilmenite, combining acid and alkali leaching together. Valuable Fe and Ti were selectively divided from ilmenite by hydrochloric acid leaching, and then the obtained hydrolyzed titania residue with mainly precipitated hydrated TiO2 was leached by sodium hydroxide and hydrogen peroxide. Ti and Si were monitored by ICP and EDS during the process. The effects of NaOH to-hydrolyzed titania residue (Na+/Ti4+) molar ratio, H2O2 to-hydrolyzed titania residue (O2 2−/Ti4+) molar ratio, leaching temperature and leaching time on leaching of hydrolyzed titania residue were investigated. Results indicated that the recovery of Ti was 96.39% and dissolution of Si was 67.9% under the optimal conditions: Na+/Ti4+ molar ratio of 8/1, O2 2−/Ti4+ molar ratio of 6/1, leaching temperature of 30°C and leaching time of 30min. And then simple boiling divided the Ti and Si very efficiently resulting in high-purity of synthetic TiO2 within 0.47% of SiO2. Meanwhile, the high-value TiO2 exhibited echinus-like structure with aggregations of nanowires and well-crystallized anatase phase at 400°C. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: This work introduces a novel solution system not slurry to synthesize nano-micron sized Li4Ti5O12 by spray drying followed by solid-state calcination at several temperatures between 650 and 800°C. Well-crystallized Li4Ti5O12 with no impurity can be obtained at temperatures of 650, 700, 750 and 800 °C owing to the effect of nanoscale and uniform precursor powders. However, the spherical shape of the precursor powders is maintained after post-treatment at temperatures of 650 and 700°C. Because of the rough and porous nano-micron sized spherical particles, the Li4Ti5O12 obtained at relatively low calcined temperatures of 650 and 700°C show better rate capabilities than them of the Li4Ti5O12 obtained at higher temperatures of 750 and 800°C. At the relatively low calcined temperature of 650°C, the Li4Ti5O12 shows the best electrochemical performance. The initial discharge capacities are 174.8, 170.5, 167.5, 165.3, 158.2, 152.1, 130.9 and 111.9mAhg−1 at the 0.1C, 0.5C, 1C, 2C, 5C, 10C, 15C and 20C rates, respectively. After 100 cycles, the as-prepared Li4Ti5O12 retains 99.6%, 96.9%, 98.8%, 89.3%, 90.4% and 89.0% of its initial discharge capacities at the 1C, 2C, 5C, 10C, 15C and 20C rates, respectively. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Commercial polypropylene (PP) and polyethylene (PE) films are widely used as separators for lithium‐ion batteries (LIBs). However, owing to the poor thermal stability of PP and PE films, current LIBs suffer from serious safety risks in their practical applications. As an effective path, the design of novel high‐safety composite separators can significantly overcome the safety issues of LIBs. Herein, a universal and cost‐effective strategy is developed to fabricate highly‐thermal‐stable separators via coating natural halloysite nanotubes (HNTs) on both sides of commercial papers or waste newspaper. The resulted separators show superior properties, including thermal stability, heat conduction, wettability, and electrolyte uptake. Compared with commercial PP separators, both HNTs coated A4 paper and waste newspaper composite separators enable better cycling and rate performance for Li/LiFePO4 cells. Even after burning in fire or treating under 180 °C, the composite separators still present a normal structure, and the assembled cell can perform as regular. Furthermore, the nail penetration test of pouch cells illustrates that such separator significantly prevents thermal runaway of LIBs. The inexpensive and environmentally friendly materials with a facile coating process provide a highly‐thermal‐stable separator for commercial LIBs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: We demonstrate an aqueous mixing technique to synthesize nano-micron Li4Ti5O12 by spray drying followed by solid-state calcination. The as-prepared materials are characterized by XRD, TG–DTA, SEM, TEM and electrochemical measurements. Well-crystallized Li4Ti5O12 with no impurity can be obtained at a relatively low calcined temperature (650°C) owing to the effect of nanoscale and uniform particles. Because of the rough and porous nano-micron spherical particles, the obtained Li4Ti5O12 shows excellent rate capability and cycle ability. The initial discharge capacities are 174.8, 170.5, 167.5, 165.3, 158.2, 152.1, 130.9 and 111.9mAhg−1 at the 0.1, 0.5, 1, 2, 5, 10, 15 and 20 C rates, respectively. After 100 cycles, the as-prepared Li4Ti5O12 retains 99.6%, 96.9%, 98.8%, 89.3%, 90.4% and 89.0% of its initial discharge capacities at the 1, 2, 5, 10, 15 and 20 C rates, respectively. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The Ginglymodi are a group of ray-finned fishes that make up one of three major subdivisions of the infraclass Neopterygii. Extant ginglymodians are represented by gars, which inhabit freshwater environments of North and Central America and Cuba. Here, we report the discovery of well-preserved fossils of a new ginglymodian, Kyphosichthys grandei gen. et sp. nov., from the Middle Triassic (Anisian) marine deposits (Guanling Formation) in Luoping, eastern Yunnan Province, China. The discovery documents the first known fossil record of highly deep-bodied ginglymodians, adding new information on the early morphological diversity of this group. The studies of functional morphology of extant deep-bodied fishes indicate that Kyphosichthys is not a fast swimmer but has a good performance in precise maneuvering, representing a morphological adaptation to structurally complex habitats (e.g. thick macrophyte beds, rocky areas, or coral reefs), which differs from the other members of this group. A cladistic analysis with the new fish taxon included supports the hypothesis that the Ginglymodi are more closely related to the Halecomorphi than to the Teleostei. Represented by Felberia, Kyphosichthys, and Dapedium, a highly deep and short fish body type has independently evolved at least three times in the stem-group neopterygians, ginglymodians, and basal teleosts within the lower neopterygians of the Triassic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: We demonstrate a simple, improved and novel approach for the synthesis of a kind of anatase TiO2 nanosheets and Li4Ti5O12 anode material with excellent electrochemical performance from the natural ilmenite. We use the H2O2 to leach the Ti from the hydrolyzed titania residue under alkaline condition of leaching. Before boiling, the LiOH was added into the leach solution. The obtained precipitation of titanium dioxide hydrate can be purified and refined into special nanostructure by the addition of LiOH. SEM and XRD show that the as-prepared TiO2 are special nanostructure and well-crystallized anatase phase. The analysis of elemental contents reveals that the content percent of TiO2 in as-prepared TiO2 nanosheets is more than 99%. Moreover, the titanium dioxide hydrate can be used to prepare Li4Ti5O12 anode material directly. The obtained Li4Ti5O12 shows charge specific capacities of 161,138 and 113mAhg−1 at 0.1C, 0.5C and 1C rates, respectively, and excellent cycling stability. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: We demonstrate a simple, rapid, inexpensive and novel approach for the synthesis of a kind of anatase TiO2 nanowires. The method is based on a hydrothermal method under normal atmosphere without using the complex Teflon-lined autoclave, high concentrations NaOH solution and long reaction time. The as-prepared materials are characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and electrochemical measurements. The obtained anatase TiO2 nanowires show excellent performance. The initial Li insertion/extraction capacity is 260 and 224mAhg−1 at 20mAg−1, respectively. In the 20th cycle, the reversible capacity still remains about 216mAhg−1, exhibiting excellent cycling stability. The discharging capacity is about 159mAhg−1 in the 20th cycle at 200mAg−1, demonstrating a good high-rate performance. Anatase TiO2 nanowires might be a promising anode material for lithium-ion batteries. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: We demonstrate a simple and novel approach for the synthesis of a kind of anatase TiO2 nanowires. The method is based on a hydrothermal method under normal atmosphere without using the complex Teflon-lined autoclave, high concentrations NaOH solution and long react time. The as-prepared materials are characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and electrochemical measurements. The obtained anatase TiO2 nanowires show excellent performance. There is a potential plateau at 1.77 and 1.88V in the process of Li insertion and extraction, and the initial Li insertion/extraction capacities are 283 and 236mAhg−1 at the density of 20mAg−1, respectively. In the 20th cycle, the reversible capacities still remain about 216 and 159mAhg−1 at the current densities of 20 and 200mAg−1, respectively, and the coulombic efficiency is more than 98%, exhibiting excellent electrochemical performance. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Spinel Li4Ti5O12 anode material is successfully synthesized by a solid-state method using lithium carbonate and titanium precursors which are prepared by the low cost industrial titanyl sulfate solution. The characters of H2TiO3 and TiO2 precursors are determined by TG/DTA and SEM methods. TG-DAT and EDS methods show that H2TiO3 can absorb sulphate ions which can be present as impurities. XRD method shows that the impure phases of Li2SO4 and rutile TiO2 appear in Li4Ti5O12 synthesized by H2TiO3. The formation of Li2SO4 is identified in thermodynamics during the process of calcination. Owing to the formation of Li2SO4 impurity, the capacity of the Li4Ti5O12 synthesized by H2TiO3 is low. One effective way that can tackle this problem is to remove the sulphur by calcining H2TiO3, after calcinations, the production will have a thermal treatment with Li2CO3. The obtained Li4Ti5O12 shows better electrochemical performance. The specific capacities can be increased by 20mAhg−1 at 0.1, 0.5 and 1C rates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The hydrolyzed titania residue with mainly precipitated hydrated TiO2 is prepared from mechanically activated Panzhihua ilmenite leached by hydrochloric acid. We use H2O2 as a coordination agent to leach Ti from the hydrolyzed titania residue. The effects of H2O2 to-hydrolyzed titania residue mass ratio, leaching pH value, leaching temperature, leaching time, and H2O2 concentration on leaching of hydrolyzed titania residue by H2O2 are investigated. The recovery of Ti is above 98% under the optimal conditions. XRD shows that the peroxo-titania powder prepared by boiling the aqueous titanium peroxide solution is crystalline anatase phase. A well-crystallized anatase TiO2 and rutile TiO2 can be obtained through calcining at the temperature of 800 and 1000°C, respectively. EDS shows that the impurities including silicon are enriched in the leaching slag. Little Si is detected as the only impurity in the synthetic TiO2 due to the weak alkaline condition of leaching. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

In this paper, we review evidence for a major biotic turnover across the Oligocene/Miocene in the Tibetan Plateau region. Based on the recent study of six well-preserved fossil sites from the Cenozoic Lunpola and Nima basins in the central Tibetan Plateau, we report a regional changeover from tropical/subtropical ecosystems in the Late Oligocene ecosystem (26–24 Ma) to a cooler, alpine biota of the Early Miocene (23–18 Ma). The Late Oligocene fossil biota, comprising of fish (climbing perch), insects and plants (palms), shows that the hinterland of the Tibetan Plateau was a warm lowland influenced by tropical humidity from the Indian Ocean. In the Early Miocene, the regional biota became transformed, with the evolution and diversification of the endemic primitive snow carp. Early Miocene vegetation was dominated by temperate broad-leaved forest with abundant conifers and herbs under a cool climate, and mammals included the hornless rhinoceros, Plesiaceratherium , a warm temperate taxon. This dramatic ecosystem change is due to a cooling linked to the uplift of Tibetan region, from a Late Oligocene paleo-elevation of no greater than 2300 m a.s.l. in the sedimentary basin to a paleo-elevation of about 3000 m a.s.l. Another factor was the Cenozoic global climatic deterioration toward to an ice-house world. • The Tibetan uplift had a profound impact on the evolution of terrestrial ecosystems. • The Oligocene subtropical ecosystem was replaced by a Miocene cooler biota in Tibet. • The Late Oligocene biota showed that the Tibetan hinterland was a warm lowland. • The Early Miocene biota eventually culminated in the present ecosystem of Tibet. • This dramatic ecosystem change is due to the cooling effect of the Tibetan Plateau. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The remarkable uplift of the Tibetan Plateau in the Neogene had great impacts on the climate and environment of East Asia and even the world. Therefore, establishment of the Neogene stratigraphic framework of the Tibetan Plateau is of great significance to research in various fields of geosciences. Based on marine sediments, the international chronostratigraphic system of the Neogene is divided into six stages in the Miocene and two stages in the Pliocene. Since the beginning of the Cenozoic, the share of terrestrial strata on continents has increased rapidly. By the Neogene, it had far exceeded that of marine strata, and almost all deposits on the Tibetan Plateau and its surrounding areas were terrestrial strata. In China, the Miocene includes five stages and the Pliocene includes two stages. Except for the Tunggurian of the Miocene, which has a lower boundary at 15 Ma, the other stages have the same paleomagnetic definitions and time intervals as the corresponding international marine stages. Mammalian fossils play a very important role in the division and correlation of Cenozoic terrestrial strata, and rodent, carnivore, proboscidean, perissodactyl and artiodactyl fossils are especially important in Neogene terrestrial biostratigraphy. There are many basins with well-exposed strata and abundant mammalian fossils in the Tibetan Plateau. The lower boundary stratotype sections of the Neogene Xiejian and Bahean stages are located respectively in the Xining and Linxia basins, and there are precise paleomagnetic dates in coordination with mammalian fossils. The lower boundary stratotypes of other stages can also be effectively determined in the Tibetan Plateau. Many first appearing mammalian genera in East Asia also appeared in the Tibetan Plateau and its surrounding areas, especially in the Linxia Basin on the northeast margin and in the Siwaliks on the southwest margin. Among them, Prodeinotherium first appeared at the bottom of the Miocene in the Siwaliks, and the earliest Hipparion of the Old World first appeared at the bottom of the Bahean Stage in the Linxia Basin. Carbon and oxygen isotope analysis of enamel and paleosols of Cenozoic sediments and mammal fossils in the Tibetan Plateau and its surrounding areas have been used to reconstruct the climate, environment and vegetation development characteristics, and revealed that these changes were not only related to global change, but also had regional features. Evidence of the Late Miocene C4 plant expansion event based on carbon isotope changes comes from the southern margin of the Tibetan Plateau, but in sharp contrast, δ13C indicates that there was still no clear or significant C4 plant signal on the northern margin of the Tibetan Plateau until the end of the Neogene. The δ18O analysis shows that there were several major climate change events in the Cenozoic, especially in the Late Miocene at about 7 Ma, when positive drift of δ18O indicates that the northern and southern sides of the Tibetan Plateau were changing to drier environments. The strong uplift of the Tibetan Plateau in the Late Miocene strengthened the thermal contrast between sea and land, which strengthened monsoon circulation and led to the expansion of C4 vegetation in South Asia. However, the East Asian summer monsoon, which can bring atmospheric precipitation and a climate suitable for C4 plants to northern China, was not enough to affect the northern Tibetan Plateau. The Tibetan Plateau on the whole rose to an altitude of about 3000 m in the Miocene, becoming a barrier to mammalian migration; it reached its modern altitude of more than 4000 m in the Pliocene, thus forming a cryosphere environment, which led to the emergence of ancestral types of the Ice Age fauna. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lithium–sulfur batteries with potentially high specific energy are viewed as very promising candidates for next‐generation lightweight and low‐cost rechargeable batteries. However, sulfur‐based cathodes suffer from dissolution of polysulfides causing shuttle effects. Here, in order to confine elemental sulfur and anchor the polysulfides, a novel host that is an inexpensive natural clay mineral, viz., vermiculite is proposed. When compared to regular carbon–sulfur composites, vermiculite–sulfur composites offer promising rate capability and much better cycling stabilities, displaying capacity retentions of ≈89 and ≈93% within 200 cycles at C/2 and 1 C, respectively, and ≈60 % at C/5 within 1000 cycles. Postmortem studies, advanced adsorption tests, density functional theory calculations, and zeta potential measurements in combination with intrinsic characteristics of the natural vermiculite provide insights into the new mechanism. The vermiculite contains naturally present surface cations which show a strong tendency to adsorb Sn2− anions, hence protecting them from dissolution. The excess surface charge is most probably compensated by excess Li+ in the space charge zones which is beneficial for charge transfer and local conductivity. The reported results show that natural clay‐minerals are promising sulfur hosts being able to fixate sulfides via electrical double layer effects, thus enabling high‐performance in lithium–chalcogen batteries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • A low-cost, green, selective electrolysis process for Li recovery from spent LiFePO 4. • High performance LiFePO 4 was synthesised by impurity removal regeneration process. • The electrolysis and regeneration process makes full use of spent LiFePO 4. In this paper, a green, efficient and low-cost process for the selective recovery of lithium from spent LiFePO 4 by anodic electrolysis is proposed. The leaching rates of Li, Fe and P under different conditions were explored and the optimal conditions are obtained. In the optimal conditions, Li, Fe and P leaching rates were 96.31%, 0.06% and 0.62% respectively. The Li/Fe selectivity was over 99.9%. The product obtained is isostructural FePO 4 and retains the original particle morphology. The FePO 4 obtained can be synthesised into LiFePO 4 /C by direct regeneration process or impurity removal regeneration process. The material synthesized by the latter process has a better electrochemical performance, with a discharge specific capacity of 144.5 mAh/g at 1.0C and a capacity retention of 92.0% over 500cycles. The superior performance can be attributed to an impurity removal process that reduced agglomeration and improved particle morphology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Metal fluorides (MFs) are regarded as high‐capacity conversion cathode materials for next‐generation lithium‐ion batteries with high energy density. However, these cathodes suffer from poor electronic conductivity, sluggish reaction kinetics, and deleterious cathode solid electrolyte interface (CEI) formation, which may cause rapid cell degradation upon cycling. Herein, a low temperature chemical vapor deposition (CVD) carbon coating technology is successfully achieved to coat MFs‐FeF2 with a thin amorphous carbon layer, which promotes the formation of a stable CEI with improved electronic and ionic transport property. Consequently, a discharge capacity higher than 450 mAh g−1 of the CVD coated FeF2 is achieved with a capacity retention at about 75% after 2500 cycles in a saturated electrolyte. Moreover, an unprecedented cycling performance with the discharge capacity of 350 mAh g−1 after 500 cycles in a super diluted electrolyte is also achieved. Advanced cryo‐electron microscopy reveals that the carbon coating significantly suppresses the undesirable CEI formation and promotes the formation of a thin CEI with excellent chemo‐mechanical property. This work provides a feasible technology to stabilize the important interface on MFs and offers a new strategy to accelerate the commercial adoption of such cathodes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The saurichthyiform fishes are a kind of ray-finned fishes which lived from the Upper Permian to the Middle Jurassic. Featured with a pointed rostrum and a streamlined long and slender body plan, they are considered among the top predators of the Mesozoic oceanic ecosystem. They were greatly diversified during the Middle Triassic, both in eastern and western Tethys, but appeared to vanish thereafter on both sides, with no undoubted record in the eastern Tethys for a long time. Recently, a new material of saurichthys was found from the Carnian (Upper Triassic) of Yunnan province, southwestern China. The material includes a nearly complete skull preserved together with some ammonites and bivalves. Based on the fairly long rostrum and some distinguishing features of the opercular bones, it is assigned as a new species of Saurichthys. The ammonites suggest a Carnian (Upper Triassic) age for the fish. The saurichthyiform fishes survived the end-Permian mass extinction and evolved rapidly shortly after that crisis to accomplish a world-wide distribution in the Early Triassic. They reached the diversity peak in the Middle Triassic, exemplified by nearly ten distinct taxa from the Anisian and Ladinian of Yunnan and Guizhou provinces, South China. However, they seemly 'disappeared' in this area during the Late Triassic, even in the fauna with diverse marine vertebrates. Given their contemporaneous existence in Europe, they were supposed to display a trend to shrink their marine distribution to the north-western Tethyan realm since the Middle Triassic. Our newly discovered Saurichthys material confirms their occurrence in the Late Triassic eastern Tethys and suggests that the saurichthyiform fishes might have a wider distribution than previously thought during that geological stage. This discovery promotes an updated understanding of the palaeogeographical distribution and the evolutionary history of the saurichthyiform fishes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The northward drift of the Indian Plate and its collision with Eurasia have triggered the rising of the Tibetan Plateau and thereby profoundly impacted the evolutionary history of the terrestrial organisms, especially the ones distributed in the Indian Ocean rim. Climbing perches (Anabantidae) are primary freshwater fishes showing a disjunctive south Asian-African distribution, but with an elusive paleobiogeographic history due to the scarcity of fossil records. Based on an updated time-calibrated molecular-based labyrinth fish phylogeny using a number of relevant fossils, especially †Eoanabas, the oldest and most primitive anabantid so far, from the Upper Oligocene of the Tibetan Plateau, we reconstructed for these fishes a series of paleobiogeographical scenarios of much higher resolution than previous studies. We estimated the divergence between the Asian and African climbing perches to have occurred in the Middle Eocene (ca. 40 Ma), a time when the India had already collided with Eurasia. The ancestral range reconstructions suggest a Southeast Asian origin in the Early Eocene (ca. 48 Ma) and subsequent dispersals to Tibet and then India for this group. Thereby we propose an "Into Africa via the Docked India" hypothesis, the ancestral climbing perch might have dispersed in a westbound route to immigrate in Africa via some biotic filter bridge between India and Africa. Such that, the climbing perch precursors had probably followed the paleobiogeographical route of the snakehead fishes, which have an approximate age of the Asian-African lineage split. As a case study, our results reject the classic "Gondwana continental drift vicariance" for the climbing perches' history, but provides a unique biogeographical model to highlight the role of the un-uplift Tibet and the 'anchored' India in shaping the disjunct Asian-African distribution of the freshwater fishes around the Indian Ocean. The utility of the fossil climbing perch †Eoanabas in the analyses is vital and the relevance of the pre-uplift Tibet to the past distribution of some tropical fishes promises more discoveries of unexpected fossils ahead on that underexplored plateau. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new paraclupeid fish, Tunisiaclupea speratus, gen. et sp. nov., is described from the Upper Barremian (Early Cretaceous) of the Chotts Basin, southern Tunisia. With a series of predorsal scutes of different size and shape, it is distinguished from other paraclupeids by the following combination of characters: anterior neural spines unfused; first uroneural bearing a dorsal laminar expansion and extending anteriorly nearly to third preural centrum; and hypural diastema present. The results of a phylogenetic analysis reconfirmed the monophyly of Ellimmichthyiformes and resolved Sorbinichthyoidei (Gasteroclupeidae + Sorbinichthyidae) as the most basal clade, with the Diplomystus clade the next, Armigatidae more derived than Diplomystus clade but with few diagnostic features, and Paraclupeidae with well-supported monophyly. Tunisiaclupea was resolved as a basal paraclupeid and an intermediate lineage between Ellimma branneri from the Lower Cretaceous of Brazil and Tycheroichthys dunveganensis from the Upper Cretaceous of North America. Tunisiaclupea is among the oldest ellimmichthyiforms known so far and extends the distribution of Paraclupeidae to the southern Mediterranean Tethys in the Early Cretaceous. Ellimmichthyiform diversity reached its peak in the Mediterranean region during the early Late Cretaceous, which might have resulted from allopatric speciation promoted by the sea-level highstand and the consequential land-sea distribution with increased food input, dispersal routes, and habitat fragmentation for these fishes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of low‐temperature lithium–sulfur batteries (LSB) has been suppressed by rather poor sulfur utilization and cycle performance, caused by planar Li2S growth, hindered lithium polysulfides (LiPSs) transformation, and poor stability of the anode. Recently, low‐concentration electrolytes (LCE) have been employed as promising solutions to solve the above issues. However, aggregation and deposition behavior of polysulfides have been rarely studied. In this work, by comparing the performance of 0.1 and 1 m LiFSI electrolytes, LCEs are proven beneficial for low‐temperature LSBs via new fundamental insights. According to growth pattern analyses by both morphology observation and theoretical models, Li2S nucleation in LCEs switch into progressive mode with less initial nuclei, which favors the vertical growth of Li2S, resulting in a more complete lithium–sulfur conversion reaction under cold conditions. Through visual experiments, computational simulation, and progressive electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, the ability of LCEs to suppress LiPSs clustering is supported and this anti‐clustering ability effectively enhances the Li–S conversion reaction kinetics. Moreover, in LCEs a protective SEI with LiF and Li2S/Li2S2 is likely to form on and stabilize the anode. As a whole, the boosting effect and the mechanism of LCEs enlighten future designs on low‐temperature electrolytes for high‐performance cryogenic LSBs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite intensive research on porous carbon materials as hosts for sulfur in lithium-sulfur battery cathodes, it remains a problem to restrain the soluble lithium polysulfide intermediates for a long-term cycling stability without the use of metallic or metal-containing species. Here, we report the synthesis of nitrogen-doped carbon materials with hierarchical pore architecture and a core-shell-type particle design including an ordered mesoporous carbon core and a polar microporous carbon shell. The initial discharge capacity with a sulfur loading up to 72 wt% reaches over 900 mA h g sulfur −1 at a rate of C/2. Cycling performance measured at C/2 indicates ∼90% capacity retention over 250 cycles. In comparison to other carbon hosts, this architecture not only provides sufficient space for a high sulfur loading induced by the high-pore-volume particle core, but also enables a dual effect of physical and chemical confinement of the polysulfides to stabilize the cycle life by adsorbing the soluble intermediates in the polar microporous shell. This work elucidates a design principle for carbonaceous hosts that is capable to provide simultaneous physical-chemical confinement. This is necessary to overcome the shuttle effect towards stable lithium-sulfur battery cathodes, in the absence of additional membranes or inactive metal-based anchoring materials. Image 1 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The mechanical properties of de-lithiated single-crystal Ni-rich cathodes are causing extensive concern. Here, we first show that the compression hardness of single crystal Ni-rich cathode particles decreases significantly at highly de-lithiated states by micro-compression testing. Thus, phase-boundary hardening was introduced to inhibit the planar gliding, resulting in excellent electrochemical performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Considering the high cost of cobalt, cobalt‐free lithium nickel oxide (LiNiO2), which has an extremely high theoretical specific capacity, has become attractive. However, its application is hampered by continuous irreversible phase changes, unstable interfaces, and particle pulverization. Herein, an ≈35 nm‐thick selenium (Se) coating is applied to modify LiNiO2 using a combination of solid‐phase mixing and low‐temperature sintering. After 300 cycles, the selenium‐coated LiNiO2 (Se–LNO) cathode exhibits unusually high capacity retention of 82.09% at a charge cutoff voltage of 4.3 V. Furthermore, the coating modification improves the rate performance of the cathode materials, which exhibit considerable specific capacities of 168.7 and 149.6 mAh g−1 at current densities of 2 and 5 C, respectively. The significantly enhanced electrochemical performance can be attributed to the ability of the Se coating to enhance the structural stability of the cathode materials by suppressing phase transitions, stabilizing the interface, enhancing the kinetic behavior of the electrode, and reducing particle pulverization. According to the findings of this study, manipulating the Se coating in cathodes may provide a viable path for lower‐cost and higher‐energy‐density Co‐free lithium‐ion batteries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of suitable anode materials is far from satisfactory and is a major scientific challenge for a competitive sodium‐ion battery technology. Metal sulfides have demonstrated encouraging results, but still suffer from sluggish kinetics and severe capacity decay associated with the phase change. Herein we show that rational electrode design, that is, building efficient electron/ion mixed‐conducting networks, can overcome the problems resulting from conversion reactions. A general strategy for the preparation of hierarchical carbon‐coated metal sulfide (MS⊂C) spheres through thermal sulfurization of metal glycerate has been developed. We demonstrate the concept by synthesizing highly uniform hierarchical carbon coated vanadium sulfide (V2S3⊂C) spheres, which exhibit a highly reversibly sodium storage capacity of 777 mAh g−1 at 100 mA g−1, excellent rate capability (410 mAh g−1 at 4000 mA g−1), and impressive cycling ability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of suitable anode materials is far from satisfactory and is a major scientific challenge for a competitive sodium‐ion battery technology. Metal sulfides have demonstrated encouraging results, but still suffer from sluggish kinetics and severe capacity decay associated with the phase change. Herein we show that rational electrode design, that is, building efficient electron/ion mixed‐conducting networks, can overcome the problems resulting from conversion reactions. A general strategy for the preparation of hierarchical carbon‐coated metal sulfide (MS⊂C) spheres through thermal sulfurization of metal glycerate has been developed. We demonstrate the concept by synthesizing highly uniform hierarchical carbon coated vanadium sulfide (V2S3⊂C) spheres, which exhibit a highly reversibly sodium storage capacity of 777 mAh g−1 at 100 mA g−1, excellent rate capability (410 mAh g−1 at 4000 mA g−1), and impressive cycling ability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Graphical abstract Highlights • Aquarius lunpolaensis (Lin) from the late Oligocene of central Tibet is redescribed. • " Halobates bagonensis " should be interpreted as an exuvium of Aquarius lunpolaensis. • The extant Aquarius najas -group was much wider distributed in the late Oligocene. • The findings support the hypothesis that the elevation of central Tibet was low, some 25 million years ago. Abstract The semi-aquatic hemipteran family Gerridae (water striders), similar to other gerromorphan bugs, is a distinct group noted for their ability to walk on the surface of water, especially with respect to their locomotion, feeding, and behaviour. The three principal Holarctic gerrine genera, Aquarius Schellenberg, Gerris Fabricius and Limnoporus Stål, are important organisms for studies of biogeography, evolutionary trends and ecological adaptations of the Gerridae. Fossil gerrids are comparatively sparse, and direct fossil evidence elucidating the early diversification and biogeography of the extant widespread genus Aquarius remains elusive. Here we redescribe and reinterpret the extinct species Aquarius lunpolaensis (Lin, 1981) based on new well-preserved conspecific specimens from contemporaneous localities in the Lunpola and Nima basins of central Tibet, China. The new fossils confirm the placement of these fossils in Aquarius as evidenced by their large body size, first antennal segment longer than the following two segments combined, and well-developed abdominal connexival spines. The new discovery of a series of larval instars at different developmental stages confirms that " Halobates bagonensis " should be interpreted as an exuvium of the dominant species Aquarius lunpolaensis and demonstrates that the extant western Palaearctic najas -group had a much wider distribution in the late Oligocene (Chattian). The occurrence of an Aquarius water skater supports the hypothesis that the elevation of central Tibet was comparatively low, some 25 million years ago. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract The uplift of the Tibetan Plateau is an important geological event, but there is considerable controversy about its growth history. Different geological observations contribute to this controversial issue, while data from geochemistry, tectonics, and paleontology further fuel the debate. Vertebrate fossils have provided significant evidence for documenting the uplift of the Tibetan Plateau in the geologic past. The earliest fossil evidence recently collected from the Oligocene Dingqing Formation in central Tibet includes the climbing perch and cyprinine fish fossils whose modern close relatives are distributed in the tropical zone of Asia and Africa. These discoveries not only are significant for the phylogeny and zoogeography of fishes, but also imply that the hinterland of the Tibetan Plateau was a warm and humid lowland at ~26 Ma. The co-existing plant assemblage, which includes palms and golden rain trees among others, indicates that the warm and humid airs from the Indian Ocean could flow deeply into central Tibet, consistent with the inference from the fish fossils. Since that time, the geographical features and natural environments within the Tibetan Plateau have greatly changed. The Tibetan Plateau was consistently uplifted in the Early Miocene and reached an elevation of ~3000 m, which was demonstrated by fish, mammal, and plant fossils. The endemic schizothoracines (snow carps) originated from the Miocene when the Tibetan Plateau turned into a barrier for mammalian migrations between north and south sides. A series of fish and mammal fossils provided unequivocal evidence that the Tibetan Plateau uplifted close to its modern elevation in the Pliocene and developed a cryospheric environment. As a result, the plateau region became the origination center for the cold-adapted Quaternary Ice Age fauna. Highlights • There have been heated debates about the history and process, especially paleo-elevations of Tibetan Plateau uplift. • Paleo-elevations of northern Tibet were lower than 2000 m during the Oligocene, too low to hinder the migration of mammals. • Until the Miocene, the plateau's elevation reached about 3000 m, which became an obstacle for the exchange of large mammals. • In the Pliocene, the plateau reached its modern elevations of >4000 m, causing a cryospheric environment of the Ice Age fauna. • Paleontologists failed to search ancestors of the Ice Age fauna in the Pliocene and Quaternary Arctic tundra and steppe. • Cold environments forced the ancestors of the Ice Age fauna to spend their early evolutionary time in the Tibetan Plateau. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sulfur cathode materials in lithium–sulfur chemistry suffer from poor electronic conductivity and shuttle of lithium polysulfides during charging and discharging. Serious shuttle effects and the sluggish redox reaction kinetics of polysulfides severely limit the development of lithium–sulfur batteries with high sulfur loading, impeding the practical process of lithium–sulfur batteries. Herein, a honeycomb73x02010;structured CoF2@C is introduced as a functional layer adhered to the separator, achieving rapid lithium‐ion transport, high catalytic activity, and suppressed shuttle effect simultaneously. As a result, the cell with CoF2‐modified separator presents satisfactory cycle stability with a capacity decay of 0.076% per cycle within 300 cycles at 1 C rate with the sulfur loading of 2.0 mg cm−2. A low‐capacity decay of 0.088% per cycle for 200 cycles at 0.2 C is also achieved with sulfur loading of 3.0 mg cm−2. In addition, a high‐capacity retention of 697.5 mA g−1 is achieved with sulfur loading of 4.0 mg cm−2 and the electrolyte volume/sulfur mass (E/S) ratio of 8 μL mg−1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Layered manganese oxide represents one most potential cathode for sodium-ion batteries thanks to high theoretical specific capacity, low cost and environmental friendliness. Nevertheless, its surface structure degrades owing to the hydration reaction when being stored in the humid air. Herein, Na 0.67 Mn 0.92 Cu 0.04 Fe 0.04 O 2 (NMCFO) cathode material is functionalized by tetradecylphosphonic acid (TPA) on the surface to enhance the air stability. It is demonstrated that the TPA protection layer could improve the surface hydrophobicity, and further inhibit the hydration reaction to produce residual alkali, effectively maintaining modified material's crystal structure and electrochemical performance. After 28 days of placement in the humid air, the modified material delivers a specific capacity of 94.0 mAh g−1 at 5C, and exhibits a capacity retention of 92.22% after 100 cycles at 1C. In summary, we provide an effective pathway to protect layered manganese oxide and other moisture-sensitive materials without sacrificing cell performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Cupric oxide (CuO) represents an attractive anode material for sodium‐ion batteries owing to its large capacity (674 mAh g−1) associated with multiple electron transfer. However, the substantial volume swelling and shrinking (≈170%) upon Na uptake and release, which mimics an electrode breathing process, disturbs the structural integrity, leading to poor electrochemical durability and low Coulombic efficiency. Here, a structural strategy to regulate the breathing of CuO nanoarray electrodes during Na cycling using an atomic layer deposition of cohesive TiO2 thin films is presented. CuO nanoarrays are electrochemically grown on 3D Cu foam and directly used as anodes for sodium storage. The regulated CuO electrode arrays enable a large reversible capacity (592 mAh g−1), a high cycle efficiency (≈100%), and an excellent cycling stability (82% over 1000 cycles), which are some of the best sodium storage performance values reported for CuO systems. Electrochemical impedance and microscopic examination reveal that the enhanced performance is a direct outcome of the efficient regulation of the breathing of CuO nanowires by TiO2 layer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Concentration of electrolyte has significant effects on performances of rechargeable batteries. Previous studies mainly focused on concentrated electrolytes. So far, only several recipes on low‐concentration electrolytes were studied, performing enhanced performance in advanced rechargeable batteries. Here, based on common electrolyte components, a low‐concentration electrolyte composed of 0.2 M lithium hexafluorophosphate (LiPF6) solvated in fluoroethylene carbonate (FEC) and ethyl methyl carbonate (EMC) is employed for high‐voltage Li metal battery. The synergistic working mechanisms of introducing fluorine‐containing solvent in the solvated structure and low salt concentration effect are revealed, resulting in LiF‐rich, uniform, and robust solid electrolyte interphase layer and fewer unfavorable decomposition products. As a result, this low‐concentration electrolyte significantly enhances electrochemical performances of Li||Li symmetric cells and high‐voltage LiCoO2||Li batteries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Concentration of electrolyte has significant effects on performances of rechargeable batteries. Previous studies mainly focused on concentrated electrolytes. So far, only several recipes on low‐concentration electrolytes were studied, performing enhanced performance in advanced rechargeable batteries. Here, based on common electrolyte components, a low‐concentration electrolyte composed of 0.2 M lithium hexafluorophosphate (LiPF6) solvated in fluoroethylene carbonate (FEC) and ethyl methyl carbonate (EMC) is employed for high‐voltage Li metal battery. The synergistic working mechanisms of introducing fluorine‐containing solvent in the solvated structure and low salt concentration effect are revealed, resulting in LiF‐rich, uniform, and robust solid electrolyte interphase layer and fewer unfavorable decomposition products. As a result, this low‐concentration electrolyte significantly enhances electrochemical performances of Li||Li symmetric cells and high‐voltage LiCoO2||Li batteries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sodium‐metal batteries, with high energy density and low cost, are emerging stars in the field of large‐scale energy storage and power batteries. The application of sodium metal is hindered by side reactions between the active sodium metal anode and the electrolyte, unstable solid electrolyte interphase, and dendrite growth caused by the uneven distribution of sodium ions. Here, heterogeneous interface layer composed of the sodium fluoride and metallic cobalt (NaF/Co) is constructed in situ and spontaneously by introducing the CoF2 nanoparticles confined in carbon to the Na metal surface. The NaF/Co artificial interface layer with high Young's modulus, high Na+ conductivity, high surface energy, and strong sodiophilicity renders the Na+ evenly distributed, suppresses Na‐dendrite growth, and reduces side reaction with electrolyte. Due to these virtues, the Na||Na symmetric cells with NaF/Co interface layers demonstrate long cycle life (1000 h at 1.0 mA cm−2, 1.0 mAh cm−2). Moreover, when the NaF/Co/Na anode is matched with Na3V2(PO4)3 cathode, the produced full battery (Na3V2(PO4)3||NaF/Co/Na) exhibits a long lifespan of 1000 cycles at 15 C and a high‐rate capacity of ≈52 mAh g−1 at 60 C. This work provides a new strategy to solve the dendrite growth of Na metal anodes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lithium–sulfur chemistry suffers from poor conversion reaction kinetics, causing low‐capacity utilization of sulfur cathodes, particularly at cryogenic temperatures. Herein, based on low‐cost and abundant commercial sulfur particles directly, a low concentration electrolyte (LCE, 0.1 m) is employed to accelerate lithium–sulfur conversion reaction at low temperatures, demonstrating a broad applicability of this approach. Compared to conventional concentration (1.0 m) electrolytes, the proposed LCE successfully enhances conversion kinetics from Li2S4 to Li2S and restrains shuttle effects of polysulfides, resulting in higher capacity utilizations and more stable cycle performance at 0 and −20 °C. Further interfacial chemistry analyses on cycled electrodes reveal that a hybrid surface layer dominated by organic species as well as some favorable inorganics is constructed in the LCE, demonstrating smaller surface layer resistance. In situ EIS measurements at 0 °C and CV tests reveal main differences of electrode kinetics in 0.1 and 1 m electrolytes, further explaining the differences in working mechanism of two electrolytes. These findings elucidate the roles of LCEs on realizing faster kinetics for cryogenic lithium–sulfur batteries and provide a simple, low‐cost, and widely applicable pathway for achieving high‐performance lithium–sulfur batteries under extreme conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] As alloying-type anode materials, metallic aluminum owns an ultra-high specific capacity (993 mAh g A l - 1 to LiAl) for Li storage, which is low-cost and a promising candidate for next-generation rechargeable batteries with high energy densities. However, metallic Al anodes suffer from irreversible lithiation of naturally occurring alumina layer during cycles, resulting in rapid capacity decay of Al anode-based batteries. Herein, Li supplement nucleated on Al foil via a controllably electrochemical pre-lithiation technology is employed for achieving high-performance elemental foil anodes. In full batteries, the pre-lithiated areas continuously supply Li outward during dealloying process to compensate for irreversible lithium loss during alloying process that preferentially alloys the unreacted Al 2 O 3 surface layer along the rolling direction of Al foil until the entire surface is covered by Li x AlO y. This lithiation behavior can avoid the severe stress concentration during alloying to prevent the perforation and pulverization of foil, making commercial Al foil succeed as single-material anodes. The produced commercial Al foil anode-based Li-ion batteries employing various commercial cathodes demonstrate promising electrochemical performances. For example, the Al||LiNi 0.8 Co 0.1 Mn 0.1 O 2 battery offers a high specific capacity of 180 mAh g−1, an excellent capacity retention of ∼90% after 400 cycles, and relatively stable solid electrolyte interface without any dendrite. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. To investigate the mechanisms underlying the development of right heart-associated PE. Background. Right heart-related pulmonary edema (PE) refers to PE resulting from impaired right heart function caused by primary or secondary factors, which is common in critically ill patients. Although the clinical manifestations of different types of right heart-related PE are similar, the pathophysiological changes and treatment methods are significantly different. According to the hemodynamic mechanism, right heart-related PE is primarily classified into two types. One is the increase of right heart flow, including extravascular compression, intravascular compression, cardiac compression, and cardiac decompression. The other type is the abnormal distribution of pulmonary circulation, including obstruction, resistance, pleural decompression, or negative pressure. With the development of hemodynamic monitoring, hemodynamic data not only help us understand the specific pathogenesis of right heart-related PE but also assist us in determining the direction of therapy and enabling individualized treatment. Summary. This article presents a review on right heart-associated PE, with a perspective of hemodynamic analysis, and emphasizes the importance of right heart function in the management of circulation. Understanding the mechanism of right heart-associated PE will not only aid in better monitoring right heart function but also help intensivists make a more accurate identification of various types of PE in the clinic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]