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Wearable electronics offer the combined advantages of both electronics and fabrics. Being an indispensable part of these electronics, lightweight, stretchable and wearable power sources are strongly demanded. Here we describe a daily-used cotton fabric coated with polypyrrole as electrode for stretchable supercapacitors. Polypyrrole was synthesized on the Au coated fabric via an electrochemical polymerization process with p-toluenesulfonic acid (p-TS) as dopant from acetonitrile solution. This material was characterized with FESEM, tensile stress, and studied as a supercapacitor electrode in 1.0M NaCl. This conductive textile electrode can sustain up to 140% strain without electric failure. It delivers a high specific capacitance of 254.9Fg−1 at a scan rate of 10mVs−1, and keeps almost unchanged at an applied strain (i.e. 30% and 50%) but with an improved cycling stability. | battery |
The emergence of companies collecting cigarette butts (CB) leads to a new waste stream, exclusively made of butts, whereas they were previously mixed with household and municipal waste. In order to conclude on the classification of this new stream, according to the Waste Framework Directive, three cigarette butts samples were analyzed and submitted to ecotoxicological tests. Hazard properties HP 4 (irritant – skin irritation and eye damage), HP 5 (specific target organ toxicity/aspiration toxicity), HP 6 (acute toxicity), HP 7 (carcinogenic), HP 8 (corrosive), HP 10 (toxic for reproduction), HP 11 (mutagenic) and HP 13 (sensitising) have been assessed by calculation, thanks to the analytical results. HP 14 (ecotoxic) has been evaluated both through calculation method and ecotoxicity tests. Even if the obtained mass balance was not complete, it was still sufficient to classify by calculation CB as hazardous waste, by HP 6 (toxicity), mainly due to their nicotine content. A classification by HP 14 (ecotoxicity) was also determined but only by ecotoxicological tests results, whatever the applied framework (French or “harmonized” test battery). These results highlight the limitation of the classification methodology adopted by European Council which necessitates to identify all compounds to perform a full detailed assessment. | non-battery |
An aluminium-doped lithium lanthanum titanate (A-LLTO) solid electrolyte was prepared using a simple citrate-gel method, and this was followed by a pelletization and the conventional sintering process. When the sintering time was varied at 1350°C for the synthesis of the A-LLTO, the A-LLTO ceramic that was sintered at 1350°C for 6h exhibited the highest ionic conductivity of 3.17×10−4 Scm−1 at 25°C. In addition, the stability and durability of the synthesized A-LLTO ceramic was tested through a one-month aqueous-solution immersion for which the pH values were varied between 0 and 14. The stability of the A-LLTO is the highest in the alkaline environment; furthermore, for its use in the aqueous-electrolyte environment, a protected lithium electrode (PLE) structure was made by combining the lithium (Li) metal, a lithium phosphorous oxynitride (LiPON) interlayer, and the A-LLTO, whereby the LiPON interlayer prevented a direct reaction between the Li metal and the A-LLTO. The Li-LiCoO2 and Li-O2 cells comprising the PLE exhibited a superior electrochemical performance when they were used in the alkaline 1M LiNO3-electrolyte environment. After 100 cycles of the charge-discharge at the 1C rate, the aqueous Li-LiCoO2 cells maintained 59.3% of the initial capacity with a coulombic efficiency of 98.3%. In addition, the aqueous Li-O2 cell operated stably for 40 cycles under the limited capacity mode of 0.5mAhcm−2. The outstanding performance of the Li-metal-based cells originates from the A-LLTO solid electrolyte, due to the latter’s high stability, ionic conductivity, and an effective suppression effect regarding the dendritic growth of the Li. | battery |
The recent introduction of hybrid-electric powertrain technology has disrupted the automotive industry, causing significant powertrain design divergence. As this radical powertrain innovation matures, will hybrid vehicles dominate the future automotive market and does this represent a positive shift in the environmental impact of the industry? The answer to this question is sought within this paper. It seeks to take advantage of the position that the industry has reached, replacing previous theoretical studies with the first extensive empirical models of life cycle emissions and whole-life costing. A comprehensive snapshot of today’s hybrid market is presented, with detailed descriptions of the various hybrid powertrain architectures. Design data has been gathered for 44 hybrid passenger cars currently available in the US. The empirical data is used to explore the relative life cycle greenhouse gas emissions and whole-life costing of different hybrid powertrain architectures. Potential dominant designs are identified and their emissions are shown to be reduced. However, both the emissions and economic competitiveness of different hybrid powertrains are shown to vary significantly depending on how the vehicle is used. | battery |
In order to obtain high power density, energy density and safe energy storage lithium ion batteries (LIB) to meet growing demand for electronic products, oxide cathodes have been widely explored in all-solid-state lithium batteries (ASSLB) using sulfide solid electrolyte. However, the electrochemical performances are still not satisfactory, due to the high interfacial resistance caused by severe interfacial instability between sulfide solid electrolyte and oxide cathode, especially Ni-rich oxide cathodes, in charge-discharge process. Ni-rich LiNi0.8Co0.1Mn0.1O2 (NCM811) material at present is one of the most key cathode candidates to achieve the high energy density up to 300 Wh kg−1 in liquid LIB, but rarely investigated in ASSLB using sulfide electrolyte. To design the stable interface between NCM811 and sulfide electrolyte should be extremely necessary. In this work, in view of our previous work, LiNbO3 coating with about 1 wt% content is adopted to improve the interfacial stability and the electrochemical performances of NCM811 cathode in ASSLB using Li10GeP2S12 solid electrolyte. Consequently, LiNbO3-coated NCM811 cathode displays the higher discharge capacity and rate performance than the reported oxide electrodes in ASSLB using sulfide solid electrolyte to our knowledge. | battery |
Parkinson’s disease dementia (PDD) and dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) are clinically and neuropathologically highly related α-synucleinopathies that collectively constitute the second leading cause of neurodegenerative dementias. Genetic and neuropathological studies directly implicate α-synuclein (αS) abnormalities in PDD and DLB pathogenesis. However, it is currently unknown how αS abnormalities contribute to memory loss, particularly since forebrain neuronal loss in PDD and DLB is less severe than in Alzheimer’s disease. Previously, we found that familial Parkinson’s disease-linked human mutant A53T αS causes aberrant localization of the microtubule-associated protein tau to postsynaptic spines in neurons, leading to postsynaptic deficits. Thus, we directly tested if the synaptic and memory deficits in a mouse model of α-synucleinopathy (TgA53T) are mediated by tau. TgA53T mice exhibit progressive memory deficits associated with postsynaptic deficits in the absence of obvious neuropathological and neurodegenerative changes in the hippocampus. Significantly, removal of endogenous mouse tau expression in TgA53T mice (TgA53T/mTau−/−), achieved by mating TgA53T mice to mouse tau-knockout mice, completely ameliorates cognitive dysfunction and concurrent synaptic deficits without affecting αS expression or accumulation of selected toxic αS oligomers. Among the known tau-dependent effects, memory deficits in TgA53T mice were associated with hippocampal circuit remodeling linked to chronic network hyperexcitability. This remodeling was absent in TgA53T/mTau−/− mice, indicating that postsynaptic deficits, aberrant network hyperactivity, and memory deficits are mechanistically linked. Our results directly implicate tau as a mediator of specific human mutant A53T αS-mediated abnormalities related to deficits in hippocampal neurotransmission and suggest a mechanism for memory impairment that occurs as a consequence of synaptic dysfunction rather than synaptic or neuronal loss. We hypothesize that these initial synaptic deficits contribute to network hyperexcitability which, in turn, exacerbate cognitive dysfunction. Our results indicate that these synaptic changes present potential therapeutic targets for amelioration of memory deficits in α-synucleinopathies.
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Several modifications of manganese dioxide (MnO2) were investigated for use in composite electrode materials for oxygen evolution, the target application being anodes for the industrial electrowinning of metals. It is demonstrated that the performance of this material depends strongly on the modifications of MnO2. All modifications investigated were found to be more active than the usual anode of lead alloyed with silver (PbAg) used in zinc electrowinning. A composite sample containing chemical manganese dioxide (CMD) was found to give an oxygen evolution overpotential 0.25 V lower than the standard PbAg anode material. In the second part of the article, we investigate the effect of varying several parameters of the composite electrode assembly, including the size of the catalyst particles and percentage of the catalyst material used. A model is proposed where the performance of the material is proportional to the total length of the boundaries between the lead matrix material and the MnO2 catalyst particles. Physicochemical processes contributing to the observed data are discussed. | battery |
We describe a patient (CD), with a right fronto-temporal degeneration, who showed massive defects in the recognition of familiar people and severe behavioural disorders. CD scored in the normal range on tests of episodic memory, attention and visual–spatial abilities, and obtained mildly abnormal scores on naming and executive functions tests. CD was then studied and matched with a left brain-damaged patient (IG), comparable to her as for education, naming score and general cognitive impairment, on several tasks, exploring recognition of familiar people and of other instances of ‘unique entities’. On specific tasks of face recognition, she obtained normal results on perceptual tests, but highly pathological scores on mnesic-associative tasks. A similar defect was found when identification was based on the person's voice or on a verbal definition. The cross-modal nature of CD's disorder was confirmed by results of a test, in which person-specific information available from photographs and from names was directly compared. In order to evaluate if CD's recognition disorder: (a) was the consequence of a general semantic defect, (b) was specific for people, or (c) also concerned other instances of ‘unique entities’, we matched her capacity to name and recognize the pictures of items belonging to various categories of knowledge with those concerning famous monuments and famous people. CD identified items belonging to semantic categories much better than those considered as ‘unique entities’ and, within the latter, obtained slightly better results with famous monuments than with famous persons. MRI showed a bilateral atrophy of the antero-inferior parts of the temporal lobes, more pronounced in the right side. About 2 years after the onset of the symptomatology, CD became untestable, due to the development of a severe motor neuron disease. | non-battery |
In this paper, the preparation and characteristics of all-solid-state thin film batteries (TFB) are described. In contrast to the state-of-the-art TFB preparation processes, only room temperature processes are used. The cathode is based on amorphous molybdenum(VI) oxide (MoO3), for the electrolyte lithium phosphorus oxynitride (LiPON) is employed and lithium metal acts as anode active material. The cycling stability and rate performance were examined and are discussed. The material set shows a very high cycling stability and excellent rate capability. Performing 550 full cycles at a current density of 202.5 μA cm−2 (10C) a discharge capacity fade of around 15% could be observed. Furthermore, at higher current densities of 2 μA cm−2 (145C) about one third of the initial discharge capacity remained. Using the proposed technology a shift from inorganic rigid substrates, such as glass to flexible polymer substrates is enabled. The performance of the MoO3/LiPON/Li TFBs on glass and flexible polyimide substrates were tested and are discussed within this paper. | battery |
This study periodically rests Li-O2 batteries (for 5–10 min) between each 2–10 min discharge to improve the oxygen transfer within the porous electrode. Periodically resting the battery increases the specific discharge capacity by at least 50% at various current densities (0.1–1.5 mA/cm2). Multistep discharge at decreasing current rates (2.0, 1.5, and 1.0 mA/cm2) is also proposed to increase the overall discharge capacity with a given cutoff voltage. The performance improvement is mainly due to the enhanced O2 diffusion during rest between intermittent discharge. The lyophilic electrode has the highest increase rate of discharge capacity after applying intermittent current while the electrode with mixed wettability achieves the highest specific discharge capacity. The resting and discharging time of electrodes with mixed wettability are then optimized at 1.0 mA/cm2. Cycling tests with 1000 mA h/g and 1500 mAh/g cut-off capacities at 1.0 mA/cm2 are also performed. The batteries completed similar numbers of cycles with a higher cut-off capacity (1500 mAh/g) applying intermittent discharge, compared with applying continuous current (1000 mAh/g cut-off capacity). This study emphasizes the importance of O2 diffusion and provides practical strategies to improve the deep discharge capacity of Li-O2 batteries, especially at high current rates (>1.0 mA/cm2). | battery |
The cell-impedance-controlled concept to explain the chronoamperometric curves obtained from intercalation compounds is revisited and inspired by the recent publication entitled “Discussion of three models used for the investigation of insertion/extraction processes by the potential step chronoamperometry technique” [C. Montella, Electrochim. Acta 50 (2005) 3746–3763]. The main issues the author pointed out have been critically discussed and then, the validity of the cell-impedance-controlled model has been verified from the combination of experimental and theoretical approaches. | battery |
The article describes AE, a Hebrew-speaking individual with acquired dysgraphia, who makes mainly letter position errors in writing. His dysgraphia resulted from impairment in the graphemic buffer, but unlike previously studied patients, most of his errors related to the position of letters rather than to letter identity: 80% of his errors were letter position errors in writing, and only 7% of his errors were letter omissions, substitutions, and additions. Letter position errors were the main error type across tasks (writing to dictation and written naming), across output modalities (writing and typing), and across stimuli, e.g., migratable words (words in which letter migration forms another word), irregular words, and nonwords. Letter position errors occurred mainly in the middle letters of a word. AE's writing showed a significant length effect, and no lexicality, migratability, or frequency effects. His letter position deficit was manifested selectively in writing; he made no letter position errors in reading, demonstrating the dissociability of letter position encoding in reading and writing. These data support the existence of a letter order function in the graphemic buffer that is separate from the function responsible for activating letter identities. | non-battery |
The AE51 micro-Aethalometer (microAeth) is a popular and useful tool for assessing personal exposure to particulate black carbon (BC). However, few users of the AE51 are aware that its measurements are biased low (by up to 70%) due to the accumulation of BC on the filter substrate over time; previous studies of personal black carbon exposure are likely to have suffered from this bias. Although methods to correct for bias in micro-Aethalometer measurements of particulate black carbon have been proposed, these methods have not been verified in the context of personal exposure assessment. Here, five Aethalometer loading correction equations based on published methods were evaluated. Laboratory-generated aerosols of varying black carbon content (ammonium sulfate, Aquadag and NIST diesel particulate matter) were used to assess the performance of these methods. Filters from a personal exposure assessment study were also analyzed to determine how the correction methods performed for real-world samples. Standard correction equations produced correction factors with root mean square errors of 0.10 to 0.13 and mean bias within ±0.10. An optimized correction equation is also presented, along with sampling recommendations for minimizing bias when assessing personal exposure to BC using the AE51 micro-Aethalometer. | non-battery |
The contribution deals with the significance of size effects for lithium-based batteries. The relevant size effects range from purely geometrical effects to effects in which the local thermodynamics is varied. In this context, several recent findings towards improved electrolytes and electrodes are discussed. | battery |
The fuel cell transmogrified from a single cell that was the research object to stack is used in various fields such as cars, portable power sources, and fuel–cell cogeneration systems. It is preferable in the stack for the flow rate distribution between cells to be uniform because of the performance gain in power generation efficiency and longevity. As for the flow rate distribution between cells, the method for measuring using smoke in the measuring method and making visible the heat distribution in the stack is reported. However, a research stack was used with these measures, not a stack for practical use. In this report, a method for measuring the flow rate distribution between cells which can also be used for a cell that uses hydrogen limiting current in practical use was examined. | battery |
This work presents the results of simulation of battery and hydrogen technologies for renewable energy management, load-leveling and peak-shaving in a single grid-connected house in Nottingham United Kingdom where three people live. The house has a PV installation of 4.5kWp. A stochastic model which takes active occupancy into account is used for simulating the electricity demand. A 10-kWh lead-acid battery and a 1-kW fuel cell together, with a 600-l hydrogen (gas) storage tank at 15bar (31.3kWh) are used for these simulations for short (daily cycles) and mid-term (3-day cycles) storage, respectively. Energy balances on a representative summer and winter day for both storage technologies are presented, along with annual balances. The battery increases the local use of PV energy generated on-site by 171%, while the hydrogen increases it by 159%. According to the current feed-in tariff legislation in the UK, the increase of the local use of PV energy means an additional annual income of at least £112 and £102 for the battery and hydrogen storage, respectively. | non-battery |
Continuous surface wave and transient impact excitation tests were performed on strips of ballast to monitor their compaction. The ballast's shear wave velocity, hence the ratio of its shear modulus and density, increased with depth. Two types of transient excitation tests were carried out: firstly an impact load was applied to the ballast and the resulting transient acceleration measured at various positions. Secondly, two accelerometers at different distances from the impact excitation were used to study the effects of compaction on the transient output signal amplitude and its attenuation. Measured shear wave velocities showed good correlation between amount of compactive effort and ballast stiffness. | non-battery |
The lifespan and stability of power supply are the most critical issues for implantable biomedical devices (IMDs). Extracting energy from the ambient sources or human body therefore attracts a lot of attentions for in vivo therapies. Micro-electromechanical systems (MEMSs) based energy harvesters are expected to be one of the potential solutions to supply electrical power to IMDs owing to its tiny size, light weight and recharge-free attributes. However, the performance of the micro-energy harvester for implantable biomedical applications is limited by many inherent congenital factors. In this paper, three main topics are comprehensively studied and discussed. At first, the energy sources to be scavenged from human body are particularly investigated and characterized. Secondly, the operation principle and key bottlenecks of the currently available MEMS-based energy harvesters are reviewed and presented. Finally, the performance, frequency tuning methods and biocompatibility of micro-energy harvester are evaluated and summarized. | battery |
Lyons’s (Philosophy of Science 70 (5): 891–901 2003, Spontaneous Generations: A Journal for the History and Philosophy of Science 9 (1): 146–150 2018) axiological realism holds that science pursues true theories. I object that despite its name, it is a variant of scientific antirealism, and is susceptible to all the problems with scientific antirealism. Lyons (Philosophy of Science 70 (5): 891–901 2003, Spontaneous Generations: A Journal for the History and Philosophy of Science 9 (1): 146–150 2018) also advances a variant of surrealism as an alternative to the realist explanation for success. I object that it does not give rise to understanding because it is an ad hoc explanans and because it gives a conditional explanation. Lyons might use axiological realism to account for the success of a theory. I object that some alternative axiological explanations are better than the axiological realist explanation, and that the axiological realist explanation is teleological. Finally, I argue that Putnam’s realist position is more elegant than Lyons’s. | non-battery |
A review of recent media publications and journals containing articles about evolution and paleontology.
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Nowadays, utility has started to consider the green power technology for having a healthier environment. The green power technologies reduce combustion of fossil fuels and the consequent CO2 emission which is the principle cause of global warming. By maximising the use of the renewable energy, the usage of diesel generator for powering the base transceiver stations could be reduced or removed. This paper aims to investigate the economic, technical and environmental performance of various hybrid power systems for powering remote telecom. Simulations using Hybrid Optimisation Model for Electric Renewable (HOMER) software are performed to determine the Initial Capital, the Total Net Present Cost (TNPC), the Cost of Energy (COE) as well as the system Capacity Shortage of the different supply options. The simulation results suggest a suitable hybrid system which would be the feasible solution for generation of electric power for remote telecom. A detailed analysis, description and modelling of the system are also presented in this paper. | battery |
The thermal management of traction battery systems for electrical-drive vehicles directly affects vehicle dynamic performance, long-term durability and cost of the battery systems. In this paper, a new battery thermal management method using a reciprocating air flow for cylindrical Li-ion (LiMn2O4/C) cells was numerically analyzed using (i) a two-dimensional computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model and (ii) a lumped-capacitance thermal model for battery cells and a flow network model. The battery heat generation was approximated by uniform volumetric joule and reversible (entropic) losses. The results of the CFD model were validated with the experimental results of in-line tube-bank systems which approximates the battery cell arrangement considered for this study. The numerical results showed that the reciprocating flow can reduce the cell temperature difference of the battery system by about 4°C (72% reduction) and the maximum cell temperature by 1.5°C for a reciprocation period of τ =120s as compared with the uni-directional flow case (τ =∞). Such temperature improvement attributes to the heat redistribution and disturbance of the boundary layers on the formed on the cells due to the periodic flow reversal. | battery |
Spinel LiNi0.5Mn1.5O4 is rapidly synthesized by using microwave heating at 700°C for 7min (MW700C7m). The crystal structure, morphology and elemental deficiency of MW700C7m are carefully studied by Rietveld refinement of XRD patterns, scanning and transmission electron microcopy, and redox titration, in comparison with the sample synthesized by conventional heating at 700°C for 48h (CP700C48h). Both MW700C7m and CP700C48h are well refined using the Fd-3m space group. Microwave irradiation not only accelerates the crystal growth of spinel LiNi0.5Mn1.5O4, but also results in preferential growth behavior. Cyclic voltammetry (CV) of MW700C7m presents low polarization and better structural stability. Galvanostatic charge–discharge cycling of MW700C7m and CP700C48h have minor Mn3+/4+ redox peaks beside Ni2+/4+ redox peaks. At normal current rate, both MW700C7m and CP700C48h present good capacities, close to the theoretical value. At high current rate, MW700C7m delivers much better capacity than CP700C48h. MW700C7m delivers capacity of 108.7mAhg−1 at 10C-rates and fades less than 1% after 150 cycles. The severe capacity loss of LiNi0.5Mn1.5O4 cathodes is still a problem when cycling is carried out at high and low temperatures. Under various temperatures, the contribution and effect of Mn3+/4+ and Ni2+/4+ redox for the capacity are studied in detail. | battery |
A novel graphene-nanosheet-wrapped LiV3O8 nanoflakes (GNS/LiV3O8) nanocomposite has been generated by sheet-to-sheet self-assembly of ultrathin LiV3O8 nanoflakes and graphene nanosheets. When used as a cathode material for lithium-ion batteries, the GNS/LiV3O8 nanocomposites show superior rate capability and excellent cycling stability. Discharge capacities of approximately 328.7, 305.3, 276.9, 251.4, and 209.3 mAh g−1 are achieved at current densities of 2, 5, 10, 20, and 50C, respectively. A reversible capacity of approximately 287.2 mAh g−1 is retained even after 100 cycles at 1.0 A g−1 (about 3C), approximately 88.3% of the initial discharge capacity. It is believed that the unique nanoflake morphology of LiV3O8 and the surface modification by graphene nanosheets contribute to the improved kinetics of lithium-ion diffusion, excellent structural stability and superior electrochemical performance. The structural evolution of LiV3O8 species upon charging and discharging is investigated by in situ X-ray diffraction technique. Anisotropic lattice expansion is found occurring along a, b and c axes upon the insertion of lithium ions into the crystal structure of LiV3O8. | battery |
Flexible asymmetric fibered-supercapacitors (AFS) have been considered to be excellent energy storage devices for wearable electronics, however, a major challenge as promising flexible devices lies in their relatively poor flexibility and low energy density. In this work, a kind of unique NiCo2O4@MnO2 core-shell nanobrush arrays are grown on carbon fiber (NiCo2O4@MnO2-CF) is designed and synthesized, and the electrode exhibits a remarkable areal capacitance of 8.13 F cm−2 at 50 mA cm−2 and exceptional capacitance retention of 93.6% after 3000 cycles. An AFS assembled with NiCo2O4@MnO2-CF and ACF (active carbon is grown on carbon fiber) as the positive and negative electrodes, respectively, delivers a wide potential window of 1.6 V and a high areal capacitance of 1.55 F cm−2 at 2.0 mA cm−2. Especially, the AFS exhibits excellent supercapacitive performances with a high energy density of 1.983 mW h cm−2 (20.54 mW h cm−3) at a power density of 1.72 mW cm−2 (135.1 mW cm−3) and a perfect stability after 8000 cycles at a current density of 50 mA cm−2. Interestingly, the AFS shows good flexibility and could withstand the bending, folding and twisting test, and long term stability for 5000 cycles. Such an impressive AFS based on unique-structure fibrous electrodes which would be a promising candidate for using in flexible wearable micro energy storage devices. | battery |
This work presents an efficient surface coating layer, a polyacrylic acid (PAA) layer doped with silica nanoparticles, providing highly enhanced cyclic stability of silicon anodes, without any loss in rate capability. Electrochemical characterizations show that the modified electrode retains 81% of the original capacity after 100 cycles, compared with 47% for the pristine electrode. The improved cyclic stability is ascribed to the porous and robust surface coating layer that makes the active material in intimate contact with both current collector and conductive additive while inhibits continuous parasitic reaction between silicon and electrolyte. In addition, the porosity of this coating layer provides the diffusion pathway for Li+ and thus ensures good rate capability. | battery |
After being heated with iodine at certain temperatures in nitrogen, natural graphite shows superior electrochemical performance compared to the original one as the anode material in lithium-ion batteries. The electrochemical behavior of iodine-treated natural graphite was studied and the improvement for the electrochemical performance of natural graphite after iodine treatment was mainly ascribed to the chemically bonded iodine on the surface of natural graphite. | battery |
Coaxial carbon nanotube-nickel hydroxide (CNT/Ni(OH)2) composites are prepared by a simple, one step and inexpensive chemical coprecipitation method. The coaxial coating of nickel hydroxide provides a three dimensional (3D) structure for easy access of electrolyte. Asymmetric supercapacitors (ASCs) are fabricated using coaxial CNT/Ni(OH)2 composites as positive electrode and reduced graphene oxide (rGO) as negative electrode. The operation voltage is expanded to 1.8V in spite of the use of aqueous electrolyte, revealing a high energy density of 35W·h·kg−1 at a power density of 1.8kW·kg−1. This strategy for choice of coaxial metal hydroxide CNT composites provides a promising route for next generation supercapacitors with high energy as well as power densities. | battery |
Individuals with high levels of psychopathic traits do not typically form enduring bonds with others. However, few studies have documented the associations between psychopathic traits and social functioning. This study systematically explored associations between psychopathic traits and a number of measures characterising social/material goals, social beliefs and the need for belonging, providing a comprehensive assessment of aspects of social functioning associated with psychopathic personality traits. Additionally, a novel experimental vignettes task assessed the extent to which participants identified dominance in themselves and admired this trait in others. Community males with high levels of psychopathic traits appeared not to be motivated by meaningful, long-term relationships. Instead, they seemed to be motivated by goals relating to their own image and financial success. Additionally, these individuals admired dominance in others, but did not clearly identify this trait in themselves. Thus, this study is one of the first to empirically explore multiple areas of social functioning in relation to psychopathic traits, with a view to understanding the social motivations of individuals with high levels of these traits. The findings provide empirical evidence that individuals with high levels of psychopathic traits seem motivated to look after themselves, but not others. | non-battery |
Heavy metals accumulation by Tillandsia capillaris was measured to identify their main emission sources in the province of Córdoba, Argentina. Samples of T. capillaris collected over three years at different sites were analysed by flame atomic absorption spectrometry to determine the amounts of Cu, Fe, Ni, Mn, Pb and Zn. The sampling sites were categorized according to land use, anthropic activities and/or distance from the potential heavy metal emission sources. We found that the concentration of heavy metals in the study area is mainly driven by industrial activity while traffic contributed only to the levels of Zn. In addition, we observed a strong relationship between a diffuse emission source and the content of Pb accumulated on the biomonitors which could be attributed to dove hunting activities. Future studies are needed to confirm this hypothesis. | non-battery |
An electrochemical cell comprising molten sodium and molten sulphur as the anode and cathode, respectively, with beta alumina electrolyte has never found extensive use. An approach to develop large energy storage device based on aqueous sodium electrolyte at low temperature is described. An electrochemical cell with low cost, safe and utilizing sustainable manganese dioxide (MnO2) cathode coupled with zinc (Zn) anode in aqueous sodium hydroxide (NaOH) electrolyte is reported. The cyclic voltammetric (CV) profiles are found to be quite different in terms of peak position and current response depending on concentration of NaOH electrolyte. Among the concentrations of NaOH studied (2, 5, 7 and 10M) the best performance was found to be between 5 and 7M. The CV curves exhibits a pair of reversible redox peaks (within 1e− region) corresponding to sodium ion insertion and extraction but while extending the potential window to second electron reduction resulted in irreversible nature. This is explained to the formation of inhomogeneous reduction reaction due to slow electron diffusion. CV experiments at various scan rates revealed that the MnO2 material may not be suitable enough for higher scan rates indicating a sluggish kinetics occurring in the bulk material. Our study highlights the MnO2 cathode in NaOH electrolyte features a flat discharge voltage of 1.3V vs. Zn with discharge capacity of 220mAh/g. | battery |
This study characterized cerebellar connectivity with executive intrinsic functional connectivity networks. Using seed regions at the right and left dorsolateral prefrontal cortices (dlPFC) and right orbital frontoinsula, we measured resting-state brain connectivity in healthy college-aged participants. Based on the previous research demonstrating a relationship between the cerebellum and self-report measures of behavioral inhibition, we assessed individual differences in connectivity between groups. Overall, intrinsic activity in cerebellar lobule VIII was significantly correlated with the executive network and cerebellar Crus I with the salience network. Between-group comparisons indicated stronger cerebellar connectivity with the executive network in behaviorally inhibited individuals. Intrinsic activity in Crus I, a region previously implicated in non-motor cerebellar functions, significantly correlated with intrinsic activity in the right dlPFC seed region. These findings support a growing number of studies demonstrating cerebellar influence on higher cognitive processes, extending this relationship to individual differences in anxiety vulnerability.
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Cutaneous Melanoma (CM) is a malignant tumour, and is one of the most rapidly growing cancers. Discovering a melanoma in the early stages of the disease is extremely difficult and, as such, only an invasive disease stage can be identified easily with the naked eye. Dermatoscopy is a diagnostic method intended to maximise early detection of CM performed by the dermatoscopy system. To address the limitations of existing systems a novel, wireless digital dermatoscopy system is presented for providing high-resolution images. It integrates a wire-free camera operation and offers a safe transfer of captured images to the computer. The working process of available dermatoscopy systems was studied, which are the most commonly used in everyday dermatology practice. Some findings, like operability, image quality, scalability, user-friendliness, and safeness, were used for the development of an e-Derma dermatoscopy system. An assessment method was performed by a group of dermatoscopy trained dermatologists to evaluate the quality of the testing images. Finally, a laboratory evaluation of images in regard to different parameters like sharpness, colour representation and illumination was performed with the side-by-side comparison of images of available dermatoscopy systems. e-Derma is a novel dermatoscopy system, which eliminates some limitations of existing systems and provides high-quality images. A novel low-budget highly capable dermatoscopy system is presented. The integrated wireless image transfer technology eliminates the movement limitations of a therapist. The image resolution is not limited by the integrated camera; it is easily upgradable with a wide range of on market alternative or improved camera models.
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The phosphides InP and GaP with a zinc blende structure are examined as anode materials for lithium-ion batteries. During discharge, X-ray diffraction phase analysis reveals the formation of Li–In/Li–Ga alloy and amorphous Li3P. On charge, lithium is extracted from both Li x M (M=In, Ga) alloy and Li3P. InP shows a reversible capacity of ∼475mAhg−1 in the voltage range between 0.2 and 1.5V, whereas GaP exhibits poor capacity retention compared with that of InP. | battery |
Here we analyze gray matter indices before and after completing a challenging adaptive cognitive training program based on the n-back task. The considered gray matter indices were cortical thickness (CT) and cortical surface area (CSA). Twenty-eight young women (age range 17–22 years) completed 24 training sessions over the course of 3 months (12 weeks, 24 sessions), showing expected performance improvements. CT and CSA values for the training group were compared with those of a matched control group. Statistical analyses were computed using a ROI framework defined by brain areas distinguished by their genetic underpinning. The interaction between group and time was analyzed. Middle temporal, ventral frontal, inferior parietal cortices, and pars opercularis were the regions where the training group showed conservation of gray matter with respect to the control group. These regions support working memory, resistance to interference, and inhibition. Furthermore, an interaction with baseline intelligence differences showed that the expected decreasing trend at the biological level for individuals showing relatively low intelligence levels at baseline was attenuated by the completed training. | non-battery |
Spink MJ, Fotoohabadi MR, Wee E, Hill KD, Lord SR, Menz HB. Foot and ankle strength, range of motion, posture, and deformity are associated with balance and functional ability in older adults. Objective To determine the extent to which measures of foot and ankle strength, range of motion, posture, and deformity are associated with performance in a battery of balance and functional ability tests in older adults. Design Cross-sectional study of people over 65 years. Setting Community. Participants Participants (N=305; age range, 65–93y) recruited for a randomized trial investigating the efficacy of a podiatry intervention to prevent falls. Interventions Not applicable. Main Outcome Measures Clinical measures of foot and ankle strength (using hand-held dynamometry), range of motion, posture, and deformity, and a battery of balance tests (postural sway, maximum balance range, lateral stability, coordinated stability) and functional ability tests (alternate step test, sit-to-stand, timed 6-m walk). Results Most (67/88) of the correlations between the foot and ankle tests and performance on the balance and functional tests were statistically significant. Hierarchic linear regression analysis identified hallux plantar flexion strength and ankle inversion-eversion range of motion to be the most consistent significant and independent predictors of balance and functional test performance, explaining up to 25% of the variance in the test scores. Conclusions Foot and ankle characteristics, particularly plantar flexor strength of the hallux and ankle inversion-eversion range of motion, are important determinants of balance and functional ability in older people. Further research is required to establish whether intervention programs that include strengthening and stretching exercises for the foot and ankle may achieve improvements in balance and functional ability and reduce the risk of falls in older people. | non-battery |
The widespread use of tiny electrical devices, from microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) to portable personal electronics, provides a new challenge in the miniaturization and integration of power supply systems. Towards this goal, we have recently demonstrated a bio-inspired nanofluidic energy harvesting system that converts salinity gradient energy from the ambient environment into sustainable electricity with single ion-selective nanopores (Adv. Funct. Mater. 2010, 20, 1339). The nanofluidic reverse electrodialysis system (NREDS) significantly improves the performance of conventional membrane-based reverse electrodialysis systems due to a higher ionic flux and a lower fluidic resistance. However, the fundamental working mechanism of the NREDS has been largely unexplored in the literature. In this work we have systematically investigated the performance of the NREDS in relation to the electrolyte type and the charge selectivity of the nanofluidic channel using both experimental and theoretical approaches. Experimental results show that the short-circuit current, the open-circuit voltage, and the resulting electric power of the NREDS are very sensitive to the ionic composition of the electrolyte solution. Through an in-depth theoretical analysis, two dominant factors that govern the charge separation and ion selectivity of the nanochannels were identified. The results prove that, with well-matched electrolyte types and nanopore charge selectivity, the harvested electric power and energy conversion efficiency can be improved by nearly two orders of magnitude.
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Hepatic and gastrointestinal disorders can produce a wide spectrum of neurologic complications both affecting the central nervous system (CNS) and the peripheral nervous system. These manifestations range in severity from coma in acute liver failure and acute pancreatitis, to minor cognitive changes in chronic portosystemic encephalopathy and hepatitis C. Cerebrovascular diseases can complicate hepatitis C infection and inflammatory bowel disease. Demyelinating disorders may co-exist with inflammatory bowel disease. Anti-tumor necrosis factor alpha drugs may induce demyelination. Ataxia may occur in malabsorption syndromes and in gluten related disorders. Characteristic movement disorders are key features of acquired hepatocerebral degeneration and of Whipple disease. Multiple types of neuropathy can be found in association with hepatitis, inflammatory bowel disease and gluten related disorders. | non-battery |
Estimates of atmospheric emissions of mercury from anthropogenic sources in Europe in 1995 are presented with the information on emissions of both total mercury and its major chemical and physical forms. The 1995 anthropogenic emissions of total emissions were estimated to be about 342 tonnes , a decrease of 45% compared to these emissions in 1990. Combustion of fuels, particularly coal has been the major source of anthropogenic emissions contributing to more than half to the total emissions. The emissions from coal combustion have not changed significantly over the past decade. Major decrease has been estimated for emissions from industrial processes, particularly the chlor-alkali production using the Hg cell process. In 1995 the European emissions of anthropogenic mercury contributed about 13% to the global emissions of this element from anthropogenic sources. The anthropogenic Hg emissions in Europe were still higher than the natural emissions in the region, estimated to be about 250–300 tonnes per year. The accuracy of estimates of anthropogenic emissions of Hg in Europe in 1995 is considered to be between 25 and 50%. The most accurate seem to be the estimates for combustion sources, while the most incomplete data were collected and/or estimated for waste disposal. The emissions of gaseous elemental mercury contributed about 61% to the emissions of the total mercury, while the contribution of gaseous bivalent mercury and particulate mercury was 32 and 7%, respectively. | non-battery |
The Predominantly Inattentive (PI) and Combined (CB) subtypes of AD/HD differ in cognitive tempo, age of onset, gender ratio, and comorbidity, yet a differentiating endophenotype has not been identified. The aim of this study was to test rigorously diagnosed PI, CB, and typical children on measures selected for their potential to reveal hypothesized differences between the subtypes in specific neurocognitive systems (anterior vs. posterior attentional systems) and processes (arousal vs. activation). Thirty-four CB and 26 PI children meeting full DSM-IV criteria for subtype both in school and at home, without confounding reading disability or emotional disorder, were enrolled along with 20 typically developing children. Neurocognitive functions measured included attention, inhibitory control, working memory, learning, and executive functions. Tasks included the Stroop, Wisconsin Card Sorting Test, Continuous Performance Test (CPT). Buschke Selective Reminding Test, ad the Tower of London (TOL), as well as instruments developed by Posner and Sternberg, and tasks assessing the impact on reaction time varying preparatory intervals and stimulus/response complexity. After co-varying for IQ, subtypes differed primarily on measures of impulsivity during tests of vigilance (CPT) and executive function (TOL), with the CB group showing greater impulsivity than both other groups. In addition, the PI group showed worse performance than CB and control groups on the WISC-III Processing Speed Index. Whether analyzed with or without an IQ co-variate, there was no support in the data for hypothesized differences between subtypes in functioning of the anterior vs. posterior attentional systems, nor in involvement of arousal vs. activation processes. The results indicate that the PI and CB subtypes are best differentiated by ratings, observations and tests of cognitive tempo and behavioral impulsivity. Neuropsychological methods have yet to identify critical neurological substrates of these differences.
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Polymers are increasingly being used in implantable biomedical applications owing to their flexibility and compatibility with micro-fabrication processes. A liquid crystal polymer (LCP) is an inert, highly water-resistant polymer that is suitable for the encapsulation of electronic components and as a substrate material for fabricating neural interfaces. Therefore, the monolithic integration of a neural interface and electronics packaging is enabled by the use of an LCP, which has salient benefits in terms of performance and reliability. For these reasons, LCPs have been studied extensively as a base material for neural prosthetic devices. In this paper, we review recently developed enabling technologies, and demonstrate prototype devices and their performance capabilities. Lifetime estimations and technical challenges of LCP-based neural prosthetic devices are also described. | non-battery |
To overcome the dendrite formation of metallic lithium anodes, polycrystalline Li3N films are coated on Li foil by an ex-situ nitridation method. The electrochemical performances of the Li3N-modified Li electrodes are investigated by galvanostatic charge/discharge tests, cyclic voltammetry (CV) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) to determine the optimized nitridation condition. The morphologies and structures for the pure Li and the Li3N-modified Li electrodes, both before and after cycling, are characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The Li3N films on Li surface can efficiently prevent the contact between Li and the electrolyte, and reduce the side reaction, thus suppressing the formation of dendritic lithium effectively. | battery |
Carbothermal reduction using sucrose was applied to Fe- and/or Ti-substituted Li2MnO3 positive electrode materials to improve their poor initial cycle efficiency (<60%) of 2.0–4.8 V. The initial cycle efficiency was improved from 53% to 68% for Li1+x (Ti0.5Mn0.5)1−x O2, 63%–72% for Li1+x (Fe0.3Mn0.7)1−x O2, or 62%–78% for Li1+x (Fe0.2Ti0.2Mn0.6)1−x O2 by application of the carbothermal reduction process. All samples belong to 3.2 V class positive electrode material with high initial discharge capacity higher than 220 mAh g−1. The shape change of discharge curve with cycle progression was suppressed for all reduced samples. The compositional, transition metal valence state, and structural and powder property changes occurring before and after carbothermal reduction processing were examined to construct the material design concept of attractive Li2MnO3-based positive electrode candidates using only naturally abundant and cheap elements (Ti and Fe) as constituent metals. | battery |
LiAl0.1Mn1.9O4 is synthesized using three different Mn-precursors through solid-state sintering. Although the powder structures of LiAl0.1Mn1.9O4 appear to be identical when examined by powder X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis, the reversible capacity ranges from 50 to 120mAhg−1, depending on the Mn-precursor, when cycled from 2.2 to 3.6V. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) structural analysis shows that there are subtle differences among the microstructures of the as-prepared powders. Although all three powders exhibit capacity fade, typical of the spinel material at 3V, it is found that the particle size and morphology, as well as the structural difference, play an important role in improving or further degrading the cycling behavior of the spinel material. | battery |
Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations of ternary polymer electrolyte – ionic liquid mixtures are conducted using an all-atom model. N-alkyl-N-methylpyrrolidinium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide ([CnMPy][TFSI], n = 1, 3, 6, 9) and polyethylene oxide (PEO) are used. Microscopic structure, energetics and dynamics of ionic liquid (IL) in these ternary mixtures are studied. Properties of these four pure IL are also calculated and compared to that in ternary mixtures. Interaction between pyrrolidinium cation and TFSI is stronger and there is larger propensity of ion-pair formation in ternary mixtures. Unlike the case in imidazolium IL, near neighbor structural correlation between TFSI reduces with increase in chain length on cation in both pure IL and ternary mixtures. Using spatial density maps, regions where PEO and TFSI interact with pyrrolidinium cation are identified. Oxygens of PEO are above and below the pyrrolidinium ring and away from the bulky alkyl groups whereas TFSI is present close to nitrogen atom of CnMPy. In pure IL, diffusion coefficient (D) of C3MPy is larger than of TFSI but D of C9MPy and C6MPy are larger than that of TFSI. The reasons for alkyl chain dependent phenomena are explored. | battery |
Anodic oxidation of cerous ions and cathodic reduction of ceric ions, in aqueous acidic solutions, play an important role in electrochemical processes at laboratory and industrial scale. Ceric ions, which have been used for oxidation of organic wastes and off-gases in environmental treatment, are a well-established oxidant for indirect organic synthesis and specialised cleaning processes, including oxide film removal from tanks and process pipework in nuclear decontamination. They also provide a classical reagent for chemical analysis in the laboratory. The reversible oxidation of cerous ions is an important reaction in the positive compartment of various redox flow batteries during charge and discharge cycling. A knowledge of the thermodynamics and kinetics of the redox reaction is critical to an understanding of the role of cerium redox species in these applications. Suitable choices of electrode material (metal or ceramic; coated or uncoated), geometry/structure (2-or 3-dimensional) and electrolyte flow conditions (hence an acceptable mass transport rate) are critical to achieving effective electrocatalysis, a high performance and a long lifetime. This review considers the electrochemistry of soluble cerium species and their diverse uses in electrochemical technology, especially for redox flow batteries and mediated electrochemical oxidation. | battery |
Australian company Intec Copper Pty Ltd has developed a unique process that yields high purity dendritic copper by the chloride leaching of copper sulphide concentrates. The process offers environmental and economic benefits compared with smelting and other competing processes. Productiion at the 1 t/day level has been successfully shown at Intec's demonstration plant in southern Sydney, and the process now awaits commercialization. | non-battery |
A novel branched side-chain-type sulfonated polyimide (6F-s-bSPI) membrane with accessible branching agents of melamine, hydrophobic trifluoromethyl groups (CF3), and flexible sulfoalkyl pendants is prepared by a high-temperature polycondensation and post-sulfonation method for use in vanadium redox flow batteries (VRFBs). The chemical structure of the 6F-s-bSPI membrane is confirmed by ATR-FTIR and 1H NMR spectra. The physico-chemical properties of the as-prepared 6F-s-bSPI membrane are systematically investigated and found to be strongly related to the specially designed structure. The 6F-s-bSPI membrane offers a reduced cost and possesses a significantly lowered vanadium ion permeability (1.18 × 10−7 cm2 min−1) compared to the linear SPI (2.25 × 10−7 cm2 min−1) and commercial Nafion 115 (1.36 × 10−6 cm2 min−1) membranes, prolonging the self-discharge duration of the VRFBs. In addition, the VRFB assembled with a 6F-s-bSPI membrane shows higher coulombic (98.3%–99.7%) and energy efficiencies (88.4%–66.12%) than that with a SPI or Nafion 115 membrane under current densities ranging from 20 to 100 mA cm−2. Moreover, the VRFB with a 6F-s-bSPI membrane delivers a stable cycling performance over 100 cycles with no decline in coulombic and energy efficiencies. These results show that the branched side-chain-type structure is a promising design to prepare excellent proton conductive membranes. | battery |
We have recently demonstrated that rodents treated intranasally with 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP) suffered impairments in olfactory, cognitive and motor functions associated with time-dependent disruption of dopaminergic neurotransmission in different brain structures conceivably analogous to those observed during different stages of Parkinson’s disease (PD). On the other hand, the proanthocyanidin-rich fraction (PRF) obtained from the bark of Croton celtidifolius Baill (Euphorbiaceae), a tree frequently found in the Atlantic forest in south Brazil, has been described to have several neurobiological activities including antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, which may be of interest in the treatment of PD. The present data indicated that the pretreatment with PRF (10 mg/kg, i.p.) during five consecutive days was able to prevent mitochondrial complex-I inhibition in the striatum and olfactory bulb, as well as a decrease of the enzyme tyrosine hydroxylase expression in the olfactory bulb and substantia nigra of rats infused with a single intranasal administration of MPTP (1 mg/nostril). Moreover, pretreatment with PRF was found to attenuate the short-term social memory deficits, depressive-like behavior and reduction of locomotor activity observed at different periods after intranasal MPTP administration in rats. Altogether, the present findings provide strong evidence that PRF from C. celtidifolius may represent a promising therapeutic tool in PD, thus being able to prevent both motor and non-motor early symptoms of PD, together with its neuroprotective potential.
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Limited attention has been paid to adolescents and young adults’ (AYA's) experiences in the aftermath of a cancer diagnosis, despite this being a time when potentially life-changing decisions are made. We explored AYA’s and caregivers’ experiences of, and views about, making treatment and trial participation decisions following a cancer diagnosis, in order to understand, and help facilitate, informed treatment decision-making in this age group. | non-battery |
The present study used a radiotelemetric method to compare the muscle relaxant, hypothermic and locomotor depressant actions of the imidazopyridine zolpidem, with those of the benzodiazepines lorazepam and diazepam. Rats, n=7 per group, were divided into 3 dose-dependent treatment groups (highest, middle, and lowest). Each rat within a treatment group received a single dose of diazepam, lorazepam, zolpidem and vehicle. All three drugs induced dose-dependent decreases in body temperature, locomotor activity and electromyographic (EMG) activity. Administration of zolpidem (5 and 10 mg/kg) resulted in maximal decrements in locomotor activity that were comparable to those elicited by both diazepam (10 and 20 mg/kg) and lorazepam (12.5 and 25 mg/kg). Zolpidem (10 mg/kg) decreased EMG activity levels to approximately 45% of vehicle treated controls; a value similar to that induced by diazepam (2.5 mg/kg). These data suggest that the imidazopyridine zolpidem has a similar profile of acute effects in comparison to the benzodiazepines diazepam and lorazepam. However, the relative magnitude of the effects differed, with zolpidem producing less hypothermia and muscle relaxation than the two benzodiazepines. | non-battery |
Self-reported studies have demonstrated efficacy of hyaluronic acid (HA) therapy. Gait analysis may objectively demonstrate changes associated with HA therapy. Fifty-three consecutive patients with unilateral osteoarthritis (OA) of the knee were evaluated with a validated and sensitive gait laboratory previously used for gonarthrosis. Two 100-meter walks were performed before and after HA therapy. Nineteen parameters were measured. In addition, the subjective response to treatment was correlated with changes in gait parameters. Single-limb support time, velocity, fatigability, and swing phase were not improved. Only double-limb support time was found to be significantly different (P = .04). The remaining gait variables were not changed. Separately, the subset of patients that achieved greater than 70% subjective pain relief had no objective improvements in gait parameters. Hyaluronic acid therapy may result in a placebo effect for the treatment of gonarthrosis. | non-battery |
High sugar consumption is a risk factor for metabolic disturbances leading to memory impairment. Thus, rats subject to high sucrose intake (HSu) develop a metabolic syndrome and display memory deficits. We now investigated if these HSu-induced memory deficits were associated with metabolic and electrophysiological alterations in the hippocampus. Male Wistar rats were submitted for 9weeks to a sucrose-rich diet (35% sucrose solution) and subsequently to a battery of behavioral tests; after sacrifice, their hippocampi were collected for ex vivo high-resolution magic angle spinning (HRMAS) metabolic characterization and electrophysiological extracellular recordings in slices. HSu rats displayed a decreased memory performance (object displacement and novel object recognition tasks) and helpless behavior (forced swimming test), without altered locomotion (open field). HRMAS analysis indicated a similar hippocampal metabolic profile of HSu and control rats. HSu rats also displayed no change of synaptic transmission and plasticity (long-term potentiation) in hippocampal Schaffer fibers-CA1 pyramid synapses, but had decreased amplitude of long-term depression in the temporoammonic (TA) pathway. Furthermore, HSu rats had an increased density of inhibitory adenosine A1 receptors (A1R), that translated into a greater potency of A1R in Schaffer fiber synapses, but not in the TA pathway, whereas the endogenous activation of A1R in HSu rats was preserved in the TA pathway but abolished in Schaffer fiber synapses. These results suggest that HSu triggers a hippocampal-dependent memory impairment that is not associated with altered hippocampal metabolism but is probably related to modified synaptic plasticity in hippocampal TA synapses | non-battery |
The gravimetric and barodynamic methods were used to investigate the effect of ratio of active masses (RAM) on efficiency of internal oxygen cycle (IOC). | battery |
A high-performance Si oxide-coated graphite flake (SGF) composite anode for Li-ion batteries (LIBs) is synthesized using a microwave-assisted coating method. In this synthesis, a solution comprising liquid polysiloxanes is used as the Si-containing precursor. Heating the graphite flakes (GFs) with microwave induces the deposition of a Si-containing conformal layer on the GF surfaces, which is subsequently calcined to produce SGFs. When tested as a LIB anode, the resulting SGF exhibits a reversible specific capacity of nearly 480 mAh g−1, 97% capacity retention at a current density of 2.5 A g−1 (approximately 5 C-rate), and 94% capacity retention after 500 cycles with an average Coulombic efficiency > 99.9%. The results suggest new strategies for both designing and synthesizing high-performance anode materials for LIB applications. | battery |
Purpose ‘Affective prosody’ defines the supra-segmental features of speech that, when manipulated, can change the type and intensity of emotion conveyed by the speaker. Although the right hemisphere is predominantly linked to the processing of affective prosodic cues, existing literature also suggests that damage to the left hemisphere can result in similar deficits. This study aims to demonstrate, and add to the evidence, that patients with left-hemisphere injury experience difficulties with affective prosodic perception and production, measured via a new combination of assessments and analyses. It is also hypothesised that aphasia severity will be correlated with impaired processing of affective prosody. Results Stroke and control participants differed significantly on prosody perception tests of matching auditory affective cues to visual images. Prosodic production was measured by participants vocalising different affective expressions of words and monosyllables – from which significant differences were found in perceptual judgements of emotion accuracy and intensity, and acoustic analyses of pitch range and variance. There were significant correlations between participants’ Western Aphasia Battery (WAB) scores, quality of life, and prosody production. Conclusion Individuals with left-hemisphere damage after stroke have impaired affective prosodic perception and production that may be associated with reduced quality of life. | non-battery |
The state of charge (SOC) is important for the safety and reliability of battery operation since it indicates the remaining capacity of a battery. However, as the internal state of each cell cannot be directly measured, the value of the SOC has to be estimated. In this paper, a novel method for SOC estimation in electric vehicles (EVs) using a nonlinear observer (NLO) is presented. One advantage of this method is that it does not need complicated matrix operations, so the computation cost can be reduced. As a key step in design of the nonlinear observer, the state–space equations based on the equivalent circuit model are derived. The Lyapunov stability theory is employed to prove the convergence of the nonlinear observer. Four experiments are carried out to evaluate the performance of the presented method. The results show that the SOC estimation error converges to 3% within 130 s while the initial SOC error reaches 20%, and does not exceed 4.5% while the measurement suffers both 2.5% voltage noise and 5% current noise. Besides, the presented method has advantages over the extended Kalman filter (EKF) and sliding mode observer (SMO) algorithms in terms of computation cost, estimation accuracy and convergence rate. | battery |
Alternatives to animal testing have been developed mainly in the fields of toxicology and vaccine testing. Typical examples are the evaluation of phototoxicity, eye irritation or skin corrosion/irritation of cosmetics and industrial chemicals. However, examples can also be found in other biomedical areas, such the control of the quality of drug preparations for pyrogens or for the control of the production process of biologics, such as botulinum neurotoxin. For regulatory purposes, the quality, transferability and predictivity of an alternative method needs to be evaluated. This procedure is called the “validation process” of a new method. It follows defined rules, and several governmental institutions have been established to perform, supervise or advise on this process. As this often results in a delay of method implementation, different alternatives for the evaluation of a method's suitability and quality are under discussion. We describe here the principles of model development and quality control. We also give an overview on methods that have undergone validation. Strengths and shortcomings of traditional approaches are discussed, and new developments and challenges are outlined.
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It is a promising development strategy to use LiFePO4/Graphene (LFP/G) hybrid cathode lithium-ion batteries for electric vehicles (EVs), which can simultaneously solve issues of the lengthy charging time and the battery pack heat. To capture the characteristic regulation of the temperature distribution, the working voltage, the current density, and the total heat generation of the LFP/G battery, an electrochemical-thermal coupled model for the LFP/G battery was developed through a new modeling method in ANSYS FLUENT. The experimental results showed that tendencies of the temperature distribution and the working voltage were not only agreed well with simulations, but also accurately verified the hottest area of the LFP/G battery. Further studies used the comparative analyses of the maximal temperature between the LFP/G battery and the conventional LFP battery at different discharged C-rates, the results indicated that the LFP/G battery could restrain the increase of temperature through reduced contact resistances. Our results suggested that the electrochemical-thermal coupled model could be used for electric vehicles battery management system applications. | non-battery |
The capacitive characteristics of activated carbon fabrics (ACFs) coated on the graphite substrates were systematically investigated by means of cyclic voltammetry and the galvanostatic charge–discharge technique. Effects of the PVDF contents in the electronically conductive binder, electrochemical pretreatments, and the electrolytes on the capacitive performance of ACFs were compared in aqueous media. These ACF-pasted electrodes showed the more ideally capacitive responses in 1M NaNO3 with a specific capacitance of 76Fg−1 when the electronically conductive binder contained 40wt.% PVDF. The specific capacitance of ACF-pasted electrodes reached a maximum in 0.5M H2SO4 (about 153Fg−1 measured at 25mVs−1), due to the presence of a suitable density of oxygen-containing functional groups, when they were subjected to the potentiostatic polarization at 1.8V (versus reversible hydrogen electrode (RHE)) or potentio-dynamic polarization between 1.3 and 1.8V in NaNO3 for 20min. The oxygen-containing functional groups within the electrochemically pretreated ACFs were identified by means of X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). | battery |
Tin-based composites using expanded mesocarbon microbeads (EMCMB) as matrix were prepared by impregnating tin chloride and the following reduction under hydrogen atmosphere at different temperatures. The morphologies and structural characteristics of the composites were investigated by FE-SEM, EDS and XRD measurements. It was found that tin exists inside EMCMB in the form of oxidation states (Sn(II) and Sn(IV)) after reduction at lower temperature (below 350°C), and metallic tin exists both outside EMCMB and between carbon layers after reduction at higher temperature (450°C). The electrochemical properties of the composites as negative electrode material for lithium-ion batteries were systematically investigated by cyclic voltammetry, galvanostatic cycling and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy tests. The results showed that loading amount of tin or tin oxides and reduction temperature had large influences on the reversible capacity and cycle performance of these composites. Among them, the composite reduced at 230°C with appropriate loading amount of tin oxides not only exhibited the high first reversible gravimetric capacity of 401mAhg−1 and an excellent cyclability with only 0.2% capacity loss/cycle at lower current density, but also showed a stable cycle performance at higher current density due to its lower resistance. | battery |
Contemporary theories of wellbeing have offered an alternative to traditional psychology by emphasizing strengths rather than weaknesses as a means of leveraging growth and improvement. The present study examined whether cost-effective strengths interventions through self-reflection on strengths versus weaknesses, without teaching or feedback, can bring positive outcomes and limit the negative effects that the first university examination period has on first-year students. One hundred and three students were randomly assigned to three conditions: focus on strengths, focus on weaknesses, or focus on neutral experiences. The students kept a weekly written record of their experiences. Participants completed self-report questionnaires examining psychological wellbeing, psychological distress, positive and negative affect, self-esteem, and optimistic and pessimistic views of the future at the beginning and at the end of the intervention. Results indicate that reflecting on strengths for a 5-week period prior to exams prevented the surfacing of negative emotions and distress, as well as a decline in wellbeing due to the impending examination period. The intervention also enhanced feelings of optimism about the future. Baseline levels of self-esteem and positive affect determined who would achieve the greatest improvement in mood by reflecting on strengths. In conclusion, the study findings suggest that awareness-of-strengths interventions elicit more desirable psychological outcomes than do interventions focused on weaknesses or on neutral events. The study also shows that cost-effective, easy-to-administer strengths interventions can produce positive outcomes. Implications for consulting are discussed.
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Rechargeable iodine conversion batteries possess promising prospects for portable energy storage with complete electron transfer and rich valence supply. However, the reaction is limited to the single I−/I0 redox at a potential of only 0.54 V vs. the standard hydrogen electrode (SHE), leading to a low voltage plateau at 1.30 V when Zn is employed as the anode. Herein, we show how to activate the desired reversible I0/I+ redox behavior at a potential of 0.99 V vs. SHE by electrolyte tailoring via F− and Cl− ion-containing salts. The electronegative F− and Cl− ions can stabilize the I+ during charging. In an aqueous Zn ion battery based on an optimized ZnCl2 + KCl electrolyte with abundant Cl−, the I-terminated halogenated Ti3C2I2 MXene cathode delivered two well-defined discharge plateaus at 1.65 V and 1.30 V, superior to all reported aqueous I2–metal (Zn, Fe, Cu) counterparts. Together with the 108% capacity enhancement, the high voltage output resulted in a significant 231% energy density enhancement. Metallic Ti3C2I2 benefits the redox kinetics and confines the interior I species, leading to exceptional cyclic durability and rate capability. In situ Raman and ex situ multiple spectral characterizations clarify the efficient activation and stabilization effects of Cl− (F−) ions on reversible I0/I+ redox. Our work is believed to provide new insight into designing advanced I2–metal batteries based on the newly discovered I−/I0/I+ chemistry to achieve both high voltage and enhanced capacity.
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