A New Electrolyte Formulation for Securing High Temperature Cycling and Storage Performances of Na‐Ion Batteries

The Na‐ion battery is recognized as a possible alternative to the Li‐ion battery for applications where power and cost override energy density performance. However, the increasing instability of their electrolyte with temperature is still problematic. Thus, a central question remains how to design Na‐based electrolytes. Here, the discovery of a Na‐based electrolyte formulation is reported which enlists four additives (vinylene carbonate, succinonitrile, 1,3‐propane sultone, and sodium difluoro(oxalate)borate) in proper quantities that synergistically combine their positive attributes to enable a stable solid electrolyte interphase at both negative and positive electrodes surface at 55 °C. Moreover, the role of each additive that consists in producing specific NaF coatings, thin elastomers, sulfate‐based deposits, and so on via combined impedance and X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy is rationalized. It is demonstrated that empirical electrolyte design rules previously established for Li‐ion technology together with theoretical guidance is vital in the quest for better Na‐based electrolytes that can be extended to other chemistries. Overall, this finding, which is implemented to 18 650 cells, widens the route to the rapid development of the Na‐ion technology based on Na₃V₂(PO₄)₂F₃/C chemistry.     

Popliteal-based filleted lower leg musculocutaneous free-flap coverage of a hemipelvectomy defect.

A 33-year-old man suffered from locally recurrent malignant fibrous histiocytoma of his left thigh unresponsive to previous excision, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, and hyperthermic treatment. He underwent radical hemipelvectomy for cure. Because of extensive tumor involvement, a free flap consisting of his distal left leg based on the popliteal artery was utilized to close the defect. Both the tibia and fibula were removed from their periosteal sheaths, and the foot was excised from the flap. The popliteal artery and vein were anastomosed to the iliac vessels. The flap survived, and the patient was discharged home after physical rehabilitation. We suggest that uninvolved portions of the distal leg may be utilized as a free flap to successfully close hemipelvectomy defects in selected patients when conventional pedicle flaps are unavailable.     

Morphological changes of an inflammatory myopathy in rhesus monkeys with simian acquired immunodeficiency syndrome

Eleven of 25 rhesus monkeys which died of simian acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (SAIDS) caused by infection with a type D retrovirus related to Mason-Pfizer monkey virus showed evidence of muscle weakness and atrophy and had elevated levels of muscle enzymes. Biopsies of affected muscle studied with enzyme histochemistry showed the characteristic features of polymyositis. Inflammatory cells consisting of lymphocytes, macrophages, and large vacuolated bizarre-shaped cells of undetermined type were surrounding or invading muscle fibers and were present in the perivascular spaces and endomysia septa. Within the perivascular infiltrates, lymphocytes were abundant but very few macrophages were present. Other myopathic features including profound proliferation of fibrous tissue, necrosis, and phagocytosis of muscle fibers were noted to a variable degree. The retrovirus was isolated from affected muscles. The clinical and historical features of polymyositis in rhesus monkeys with SAIDS are very similar to those of human polymyositis. The polymyositis in SAIDS induced by a type D retrovirus related to Mason-Pfizer monkey virus is an excellent primate model to study the mechanism and morphological changes of viral-induced muscle damage.     

Inheritance of resistance to potato y viruses in Phaseolus vulgaris L

Summary Resistance to watermelon mosaic virus-2 in Phaseolus vulgaris L. is conferred by two distinct dominant alleles at independent loci. Based on segregation data one locus is designated Wmv, the other, Hsw. The dominant allele Wmv from cv. Great Northern 1140 prevents systemic spread of the virus but viral replication occurs in inoculated tissue. In contrast, Hsw confers both local and systemic resistance to WMV-2 below 30C. At higher temperatures, plants that carry this allele in the absence of modifying or epistatic factors develop systemic veinal necrosis upon inoculation with the virus that results in rapid death. Patho-type specificity has not been demonstrated for either allele; both factors confer resistance to every isolate tested. A temperature-sensitive shift in epistasis is apparent between dominant alleles at these loci. Because Hsw is very tightly linked if not identical to the following genes for hypersensitivity to potyviruses I, (bean common mosaic virus), Bcm, (blackeye cowpea mosaic virus), Cam, (cowpea aphid-borne mosaic virus) and Hss (soybean mosaic virus), parental, reciprocal dihybrid F₁ populations, and selected F₃ families were inoculated with each of these viruses and held at 35 C. F₁ populations developed vascular necrosis completely or primarily limited to inoculated tissue, while F₃ families from WMV-2-susceptible segregates were uniformly susceptible to these viruses. The relationship between Hsw, Wmv and other genes for potyvirus resistance suggest patterns in the evolution of resistance and viral pathogenicity. Characterization of the resistance spectrum associated with each factor provides an additional criterion to distinguish genes for plant virus resistance.     

Ethanol-elicited alterations in the oligomycin sensitivity and structural stability of the mitochondrial F0 . F1 ATPase

Liver mitochondria from rats fed ethanol chronically demonstrated a 35% decrease in mitochondrial ATPase activity. Moreover, the ATPase activity was inhibited only 61% by addition of oligomycin. Treatment of mitochondria from ethanol-fed rats with the detergent, Lubrol-WX, caused the release of 36% of the F1 from the resulting inner membrane particles. In comparison, only 5% of the F1 was dissociated when control mitochondria were subjected to the Lubrol treatment. However, when the units of ATPase activity from the supernatant and particles obtained after Lubrol treatment were added together, their sums were equivalent in preparations from control and ethanol-fed animals. Moreover, polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis analyses indicated equal amounts of the alpha + beta subunits of F1 in mitochondria from control and ethanol-fed rats. Reconstitution experiments with urea particles and F1 prepared from both control and ethanol mitochondria revealed a decrease in oligomycin sensitivity which could be attributed to an alteration in the functioning of either the oligomycin sensitivity conferring protein or a membrane sector subunit that interacts with oligomycin. Analysis by reconstitution also demonstrated that there were no ethanol-elicited alterations in the properties of the F1 portion of the ATP synthase complex. These observations indicate that the activity of the ATP synthase complex is altered significantly by ethanol-elicited changes in the functioning of those polypeptides involved in modulating both oligomycin sensitivity and the association of F1 with membrane sector subunits.     

Modulation of thrombin-stimulated lipid responses in cultured fibroblasts. Evidence for two coupling mechanisms

Treatment of cultured fibroblasts with thrombin results in the stimulation of cell division and lipid metabolism. Proteolytically active alpha-thrombin rapidly stimulates (a) release of arachidonic acid, (b) generation of inositol phosphates, and (c) increase in cellular diacylglycerol levels. Pretreatment of the fibroblasts with chymotrypsin before alpha-thrombin prevented the first two responses, (a) and (b), and reduced response c. Treatment of fibroblasts with gamma-thrombin, a proteolytic derivative of alpha-thrombin, produced a response indistinguishable from the alpha-thrombin treatment when preceded by chymotrypsin. These data support a model, similar to one for platelets [McGowan, E. B., & Detwiler, T. C. (1986) J. Biol. Chem. 261, 739-746], that fibroblasts possess two coupling mechanisms for the stimulation of lipid metabolism by thrombin. Similar to platelets, one mechanism, R1, mediates the stimulated release of arachidonic acid and is capable of activating Ni, a GTP-binding protein. R1 is inactivated by chymotrypsin and does not respond to gamma-thrombin. The other mechanism, R2, responds to gamma-thrombin and is not activated by chymotrypsin. In contrast to the mechanisms proposed for platelets, we demonstrate that the phospholipase C responsible for the hydrolysis of phosphoinositides is not activated by R2 but is activated via R1. Importantly, stimulation of either mechanism results in the elevation of cellular diacylglycerol. This indicates that the stimulated elevation of diacylglycerol, or those events dependent upon the elevation of diacylglycerol, is not a reliable indicator for establishing the hydrolysis of phosphoinositides.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)