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Aqueous zinc‐based batteries are a promising alternative to lithium batteries. These batteries, however, persistently suffer from uncontrollable dendrite growth and sustained water consumption at the Zn anodes, along with low and often fading capacity at the cathodes. Herein, Zn metal is simply encapsulated into a chitosan‐containing polymer gel that not only suppresses hydrogen evolution but also enables dendrite‐free Zn plating/stripping. A binder‐free cathode based on the electrochemically exfoliated and partially sulfidated Ni–Co–Fe layered double hydroxide‐reduced graphene oxide (SNS‐rGO) nanocomposite is also reported. The fabricated devices (based on either Zn or chitosan‐coated Zn) deliver near record‐high values of specific capacity (756 mA h g−1cathode at 1 A g−1) and specific energy (1284 W h kg−1cathode), along with an outstanding specific power (108 kW kg−1cathode), an excellent output voltage (up to 1.9 V), and prolonged cycling stability at 100% depth‐of‐discharge. This interface engineering strategy, supported by the density functional theory calculations, provides a solid basis for further practical applications of aqueous Zn batteries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biosynthesis methods are considered to be a promising technology for engineering new carbon‐based materials or redesigning the existing ones for specific purposes with the aid of synthetic biology. Lots of biosynthetic processes including metabolism, fermentation, biological mineralization, and gene editing have been adopted to prepare novel carbon‐based materials with exceptional properties that cannot be realized by traditional chemical methods, because microbes evolved to possess special abilities to modulate components/structure of materials. In this review, the recent development on carbon‐based materials prepared via different biosynthesis methods and various microbe factories (such as bacteria, yeasts, fungus, viruses, proteins) are systematically reviewed. The types of biotechniques and the corresponding mechanisms for the synthesis of carbon‐based materials are outlined. This review also focuses on the structural design and compositional engineering of carbon‐based nanostructures (e.g., metals, semiconductors, metal oxides, metal sulfides, phosphates, Mxenes) derived from biotechnology and their applications in electrochemical energy storage devices. Moreover, the relationship of the architecture–composition–electrochemical behavior and performance enhancement mechanism is also deeply discussed and analyzed. Finally, the development perspectives and challenges on the biosynthetic carbons are proposed and may pave a new avenue for rational design of advanced materials for the low‐carbon economy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Construction of high efficiency and stable Li metal anodes is extremely vital to the breakthrough of Li metal batteries. In this study, for the first time, groundbreaking in situ plasma interphase engineering is reported to construct high‐quality lithium halides‐dominated solid electrolyte interphase layer on Li metal to stabilize & protect the anode. Typically, SF6 plasma‐induced sulfured and fluorinated interphase (SFI) is composed of LiF and Li2S, interwoven with each other to form a consecutive solid electrolyte interphase. Simultaneously, brand‐new vertical Co fibers (diameter: ≈5 µm) scaffold is designed via a facile magnetic‐field‐assisted hydrothermal method to collaborate with plasma‐enhanced Li metal anodes (SFI@Li/Co). The Co fibers scaffold accommodates active Li with mechanical integrity and decreases local current density with good lithiophilicity and low geometric tortuosity, supported by DFT calculations and COMSOL Multiphysics simulation. Consequently, the assembled symmetric cells with SFI@Li/Co anodes exhibit superior stability over 525 h with a small voltage hysteresis (125 mV at 5 mA cm−2) and improved Coulombic efficiency (99.7%), much better than the counterparts. Enhanced electrochemical performance is also demonstrated in full cells with commercial cathodes and SFI@Li/Co anode. The research offers a new route to develop advanced alkali metal anodes for energy storage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Layered double hydroxides (LDHs) stand out as versatile structural platforms for modulating the electronic structure of highly reactive earth‐abundant transition metal‐based electrocatalysts for the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER), the oxygen evolution reaction (OER), and the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR). Herein, a Ni‐Co‐Fe LDH, electrodeposited on a Ni nanocones (NiNCs)‐decorated Ni foam, acts as a morphology driving template to direct the facile constant potential electrosynthesis of NiCoFeB from a K2B4O7 solution. The amorphous tri‐metal borate (TMB) displays excellent trifunctional electrocatalytic activities toward the HER (overpotential at 10 mA cm−2, η10 = 174 mV vs RHE), OER (η10 = 208 mV), as well as ORR (half‐wave potential = 0.723 V) with a low ΔEOER−ORR of 770 mV, and excellent durability of over 110 h in alkaline solutions. A zinc–air battery based on the TMB@NiNC dual oxygen catalyst cathode exhibits a high open‐circuit voltage of 1.477 V, a power density of 107 mW cm−2, a specific energy of 918 W h kgZn−1 and an outstanding cycling stability of over 1330 cycles at 10 mA cm−2, which outperforms the commercial noble metal benchmarks. These results demonstrate that LDHs are efficient sacrificial templates for the preparation of high‐performance multifunctional multi‐metal borate electrocatalysts for energy‐related applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite their low cost, safety, environmentally friendliness, and intrinsic non‐flammable nature, the widespread application of aqueous rechargeable zinc‐based batteries has been held back by their low coulombic efficiency and the notorious dendritic growth at the zinc‐based anodes, along with the fast capacity fading of the cathodes. Herein, an aqueous Zn superbattery that consists of a mixed ZnCO3 MnCO3 grafted onto a graphene aerogel (ZMG) negative electrode and a nanotubular sulfidated NiCoFe layered double hydroxide (LDHS) positive electrode is reported. The alkaline ZMG││LDHS superbattery delivers an excellent capacity and a superb rate capability (356 mA h g−1cathode (89 mA h g−1total mass) at 12 A g−1; 108 mA h g−1cathode at 300 A g−1), extremely high specific energy and power (568 W h kg−1cathode or 15.8 mW h cm−3, 429 kW kg−1cathode or 11.9 W cm−3), along with a high output voltage (1.8 V). The device also exhibits unprecedented cycling stability (99.2% capacity retention after 17,000 cycles at 100% depth of discharge) thanks to an electrochemical pulse‐driven regenerative mechanism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sodium‐ion batteries (SIBs) have gained tremendous attention for large‐scale energy storage applications due to the natural abundance, low cost, and even geographic distribution of sodium resources as well as a similar working mechanism to lithium‐ion batteries (LIBs). One of the critical bottlenecks, however, is the design of high‐performance and low‐cost anode materials. Graphite anode that has dominated the market share of LIBs does not properly intercalate sodium ions. However, other carbonaceous materials are still considered as one of the most promising anode materials for SIBs in virtue of their high electronic conductivity, abundant active sites, hierarchical porosity, and excellent mechanical stability. In this review, we have tried to summarize the latest progresses made on the development of carbon‐based negative electrodes (including hard carbons, soft carbons, and synthetic carbon allotropes) for SIBs. We also have provided a comprehensive understanding of their physical properties, the sodium ions storage mechanisms, and the improvement measures to cope with the current challenges. In addition, we have proposed future research directions for SIBs that will provide important insights into further development of carbon‐based materials for SIBs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Difficult airway management continues to adversely affect patient care and clinical outcomes and is poorly predicted. Previous difficult airway management is the most accurate predictor of future difficulty. The Difficult Airway Society initiated a national airway database to allow clinicians to access details of previous difficult airway episodes in patients issued with a difficult airway alert card. We aimed to analyse this database, reporting patient characteristics, airway management and patient outcomes. We included all living adult patients reported in the first 5 years of the database (n = 675). Clinical airway assessment was reported in 634 (94%) patients, with three or more parameters assessed in 488 (72%). A history of difficult airway was known in 136 (20%) patients and difficult airway management was anticipated in 391 (58%). In all, 75 (11%) patients had an airway-related critical incident, with 1 in 29 being awoken from anaesthesia, 1 in 34 requiring unplanned or prolonged stay in the intensive care unit and 1 in 225 needing an emergency front-of-neck airway or had a cardiac arrest/peri-arrest episode. Airway-related critical incidents were associated with out-of-hours airway management, but no other associations were apparent. Our data report the first analysis of a national difficult airway database, finding that unanticipated difficult airway management continues to occur despite airway assessment, and the rate of critical incidents in this cohort of patients is high. This database has the potential to improve airway management for patients in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The push toward smart technologies and the Internet‐of‐Things (IoT) demands the development of miniaturized energy storage devices. Herein, a facile and scalable strategy is presented, based on laser reduction of graphene oxide into graphene followed by electrodeposition of polyaniline (PANi), to fabricate a substrate‐free supercapacitor. The fabricated supercapacitor is part of a flexible multifunctional integrated system comprising a thin‐film humidity sensor, a resistor, and a near field communication (NFC) antenna for IoT‐linked wireless communication with a smartphone. The integrated sensory system shares laser‐scribed graphene (LSG) as the same electrode material for all the components (supercapacitor, sensor, resistor, and NFC antenna). The symmetric LSG‐PANi||LSG‐PANi supercapacitor with wireless charging capability exhibits a near record‐high energy density of 0.407 mW h cm−3, and excellent power density of 196 mW cm−3, along with an outstanding rate capability (enduring high rates of over 1 V s−1). As a humidity sensor, the device demonstrates high resistance changes from 2000 kΩ at 0% relative humidity (RH) to 497 kΩ at 100% RH (15 kΩ per RH%) with a sub‐second scale (0.87 s) response time. This research paves the way for limitless applications of IoT across a wide spectrum of fields from healthcare to chip‐based electronics to environmental monitoring. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Hungarian Journal of Anesthesiolog & Intensive Therapy / Aneszteziológia és Intenzív Terápia is the property of Hungarian Society of Anaesthesiology & Intensive Therapy and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The Electronic Supplementary Material available online erroneously only contains the first six pages of the entire supplementary material file. You will find the entire supplementary material file online linked to this publisher's erratum. The publisher apologizes to the authors and readers for this mistake. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The push toward high‐performance supercapacitors calls for the development of efficient pseudocapacitive negative electrode materials that can better match the high capacitance of the typical positive electrodes. Herein, a facile and one‐pot hydrothermal approach for the in situ growth of the nickel–zinc–iron layered double hydroxide (LDH) onto the graphene aerogel (GA) substrate is introduced. Proper selection of the metal precursors with prominent pseudocapacitive behavior over a wide potential range coupled with the excellent double‐layer capacitive and charge transport properties of the GA network results in an LDH–GA nanocomposite that displays outstanding supercapacitive performances as both negative (387 F g−1, 101 mA h g−1, at 1.0 A g−1) and positive (1235 F g−1, 103 mA h g−1) electrodes. An aqueous LDH–GA//LDH–GA device with a wide voltage window (1.55 V) that demonstrates a significantly enhanced specific capacitance (304 F g−1 at 1.0 A g−1), outstanding specific energy (95 W h kg−1), appreciable specific power (81 kW kg−1), along with 88% retention of the initial capacitance after 10 000 cycles, is also fabricated. The superior supercapacitive performance of the Ni–Zn–Fe LDH–GA nanocomposite over both negative and positive voltage ranges opens a promising pathway toward manufacturing high‐energy supercapacitors for state‐of‐the‐art applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ongoing surge in demand for sustainable energy technologies with little to no environmental impacts calls for the exploration of advanced energy storage materials. Inspiration from nature is undoubtedly a promising approach to comply with environmental legislations. Herein, we describe a facile and green electrosynthesis approach to fabricate a polydopamine (PDA) nanofilm supported on oxygen-functionalized carbon cloth (FCC). The surface functionalization of carbon cloth facilitates the PDA nanofilm adhesion and endows the as-prepared PDA-FCC electrode with excellent flexibility, good electrical conductance (22.6 mS), and outstanding wettability to the aqueous electrolyte. Owing to these merits, the PDA-FCC electrode delivers a favorable capacitance of 626 F g−1 at 1.0 A g−1 (617 mF cm−2 at 2.2 mA cm−2, and 1296 mF cm−3 at 5.3 mA cm−3), in which the catechol, amine, and imine moieties of PDA are responsible for its excellent pseudocapacitive behavior. The symmetric all-solid-state flexible PDA-FCC‖‖PDA-FCC device covers almost the entire thermodynamic stability window of aqueous electrolytes (1.2 V), delivers a high specific energy of 11.7 W h kg−1, superb specific power of up to 6.4 kW kg−1, and excellent flexibility along with outstanding cycling stability (81% retention of the initial capacitance after 10 000 cycles). These performance characteristics are in part due to the binder-free PDA biopolymer film that adopts the inherent texture of the carbon cloth, enabling the pores to play the role of temporary ion-buffering reservoirs that facilitate effective mass transport. This new approach to fabricate electrodes from green sources is considered an important step toward environmentally-benign energy storage technologies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the field of organic photovoltaic cells (OPVs), ternary planar heterojunction allows widening absorption range. Optimization of the energy levels at the organic interfaces is the first task to achieve in order to obtain OPVs with high efficiency. In ternary OPVs, carrier mobility, charge transfer and presence of energy transfer are determinant. Here, we compare the performances of different, binary (electron donor/fullerene) and ternary (electron donor/ambipolar material/fullerene) combinations of small organic molecules in planar heterojunction (PHJ) cells. We chose the different ED molecules in order to investigate the different possible band scheme alignments. The study shows that if the open circuit voltage (Voc) is limited by the energy levels of the outer layers, i.e. the difference between the lowest unoccupied molecular orbital (LUMO) of the electron acceptor and the highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO) of the outer electron donor layer, the energy loss can be smaller than 0.2 eV. If efficient ternary OPVs need global energy offset higher than the exciton energy to separate the charges of the exciton, the distribution of this offset between ΔLUMO and ΔHOMO is not critical. The mobility value of the carriers in the intercalated layer is determinant in obtaining performance of OPVs. Overlap between the photoluminescence of ED and the optical absorption of EDA is primordial for good energy transfer. The highest OPV efficiency improvement is obtained with organic materials such as ED and EDA that have the same HOMO and similar hole mobility which give homogeneous thin layers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Awake tracheal intubation has a high success rate and a favourable safety profile but is underused in cases of anticipated difficult airway management. These guidelines are a comprehensive document to support decision making, preparation and practical performance of awake tracheal intubation. We performed a systematic review of the literature seeking all of the available evidence for each element of awake tracheal intubation in order to make recommendations. In the absence of high-quality evidence, expert consensus and a Delphi study were used to formulate recommendations. We highlight key areas of awake tracheal intubation in which specific recommendations were made, which included: indications; procedural setup; checklists; oxygenation; airway topicalisation; sedation; verification of tracheal tube position; complications; management of unsuccessful awake tracheal intubation; post-tracheal intubation management; consent; and training. We recognise that there are a range of techniques and regimens that may be effective and one such example technique is included. Breaking down the key practical elements of awake tracheal intubation into sedation, topicalisation, oxygenation and performance might help practitioners to plan, perform and address complications. These guidelines aim to support clinical practice and help lower the threshold for performing awake tracheal intubation when indicated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In response to prevailing classification inconsistency between land cover maps, developed by different organizations in different times at different scales, an object-based National Land Representation System (NLRS) for Bangladesh has been developed. The process, which began in 2013 and was completed in 2016, brought together several national organizations and involved an extensive process of consultation, data collection, translation, and analysis of existing land cover/use classification systems. The process focused on the interpretation of three legends from historic national land cover/use maps. Field inventory data were collected from over 1000 sites across the country to assist the process of land characterization and the development of a dynamic and representative overview of land cover and land use in Bangladesh. The system has been applied to the development of a wall-to-wall national land cover map for the year 2015. In this article, the methodological process and results of NLRS formulation and land cover map 2015 are presented. We also provide examples of how this interoperable system and the land cover dataset are being used for variety of applications including national forest resources assessment, estimation of REDD+ activity data, integration of biophysical and socioeconomic information, and semantic similarity assessment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The oxidation states of polymers and their stabilities are of great importance for their application in energy storage systems. In this paper, we report an air-stable triphenylamine–triazine-based conjugated microporous polymer (pTTPATA) with the smart function of changing color by simply changing the applied voltage. Uniquely, the yellow colored neutral polymer switches to a red color upon oxidation (p-doping) and the red color remains stable even for ten hours after removal of the applied potential, which allows an in-depth analysis of the pTTPATA in the oxidized state. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) confirms that large amounts of radical cations from the triazine groups as well as a small proportion of those from oxidized triphenylamine are present in the stable red-colored oxidized state of the pTTPATA film. Electrochemistry and density functional theory (DFT) calculations demonstrate that only the triphenylamine group is oxidized in the pTTPATA polymer under the applied voltages. Thus, we conclude that most of the oxidation of the pTTPATA polymer occurs from the structural resonance from the oxidation of the triphenylamine group to the relatively more stable radical cation of the triazine group, which results in a stable red colored oxidation state. More importantly, the structural resonance in the special oxidation state induces the charge storage of triazine except the charge storage of triphenylamine, which results in a high specific capacity of ∼81 mA h g−1, among the best reported values for conducting polymers-based energy storage systems. The combination of these fascinating properties results in an intelligent energy storage device that changes its color based on its charged state so that the state of charge can be monitored by simple visual inspection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over the past decade, electrochemical energy storage (EES) devices have greatly improved, as a wide variety of advanced electrode active materials and new device architectures have been developed. These new materials and devices should be evaluated against clear and rigorous metrics, primarily based on the evidence of real performances. A series of criteria are commonly used to characterize and report performance of EES systems in the literature. However, as advanced EES systems are becoming more and more sophisticated, the methodologies to reliably evaluate the performance of the electrode active materials and EES devices need to be refined to realize the true promise as well as the limitations of these fast-moving technologies, and target areas for further development. In the absence of a commonly accepted core group of metrics, inconsistencies may arise between the values attributed to the materials or devices and their real performances. Herein, we provide an overview of the energy storage devices from conventional capacitors to supercapacitors to hybrid systems and ultimately to batteries. The metrics for evaluation of energy storage systems are described, although the focus is kept on capacitive and hybrid energy storage systems. In addition, we discuss the challenges that still need to be addressed for establishing more sophisticated criteria for evaluating EES systems. We hope this effort will foster ongoing dialog and promote greater understanding of these metrics to develop an international protocol for accurate assessment of EES systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Archivos de Zootecnia is the property of Archivos de Zootecnia and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Immobilization of biomolecules with a proper orientation is considered as a basis for diverse biotechnological applications. Herein, we report a host-guest inclusion complexation between β-cyclodextrin (β-CD) and biotin as a versatile approach for the immobilization of biomolecules. As a practical application, a sandwich-type electrochemical immunosensor was designed for the determination of prostate specific antigen (PSA). The immunosensor was fabricated by in situ electropolymerization of poly(N-acetylaniline) onto a rGO-modified Pt electrode. Then, β-CD was covalently grafted onto the over-oxidized polymer backbone. For improving the efficiency of the assay, AuNPs were casted on the polymeric film, on the surface of which thionine (TH) as an electron mediator was covalently immobilized. Using a host-guest inclusion complexation between β-CD and biotin, a β-CD/biotin-Ab1/PSA/Ab2-horseradish peroxidase (HRP) sandwich was formed on the electrode surface. The analytical signal was produced via electrochemical reduction of THox, generated by biocatalytic oxidation of the THred in the presence of HRP/H2O2. Under optimal conditions, the proposed sensor responded linearly to PSA in the range from 10.0 pg mL−1 to 25.0 ng mL−1, with a low detection limit of 6.7 pg mL−1 (S/N=3). Kinetic parameters of the interaction of β-CD with Ab1 were also investigated. Finally, the applicability of the immunosensor was successfully investigated for the detection of PSA in human serum samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While predicting the impact force histories from the Zener impact model with different material properties of impactors, several discrepancies were observed and reported in this article. To overcome these discrepancies, a modified Zener model is proposed to accurately calculate impact force histories. In the original Zener theory, nonlinear Hertzian contact law was used, and it was assumed that impact forces are transmitted through natural intensity factors depending on coupled physical properties of the plate and the impactor. However, when the force histories were predicted, a diverging trend appeared for softer materials with elastic moduli below 20 GPa. It is hypothesized that the primary reasons for this divergence are due to the contact time delay and the viscoelastic dissipation of energy, which are not considered in current Zener models. Several modifications of the model have been proposed since its inception, but it has been found that they are not independently sufficient to accurately predict impact force histories. In this article, a modified Zener theory is proposed introducing two new parameters in the governing differential equation derived from the sensor phase lag index and the dominant frequency band through a set of experiments employing a spiral sensing mechanism followed by an optimization process. The spiral lag index shows an unexpected peculiar trend with soft impactors (< 20 GPa), which are distinctly different from hard impactors and are judicially incorporated in the model. Furthermore, the force histories are accurately reconstructed with the proposed modifications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sjögren's syndrome is the second most common rheumatic disease in which autoimmune response targets exocrine glands (salivary and lacrimal glands) result in clinical symptoms of dry mouth and dry eye. Inflammation of the lacrimal gland induces tear abnormalities that contribute to the inflammation of the ocular surface, which includes ocular mucosa. Thrombospondin-1 (TSP-1) plays a critical regulatory role in the ocular mucosa and as such TSP-1-/- mice develop spontaneously chronic ocular surface inflammation associated with Sjögren's syndrome. The autoimmune pathology is also accompanied by a peripheral imbalance in regulatory (Treg) and inflammatory Th17 effectors. In this study, we demonstrate an in-vitro effect of a CD47-binding TSP-derived peptide in the induction of transforming growth factor (TGF)-β1-secreting forkhead box protein 2 (Foxp3+) Tregs from activated CD4+CD25- T cells and the inhibition of pathogenic T helper type 17 (Th17)-promoting interleukin (IL)-23 derived from antigen-presenting cells. The in-vivo administration of this peptide promotes Foxp3+ Treg induction and inhibition of Th17 development. Consistent with these results, topical administration of CD47-binding TSP peptide, both before and after the onset of the disease, attenuates clinical symptoms of SS-associated dry eye in TSP-1-/- mice. Augmented expression of Foxp3 detected in the draining lymph nodes of TSP peptide -treated mice compared to those treated with control peptide suggests the ability of TSP peptide to restore peripheral immune imbalance. Thus, our results suggest that TSP-derived peptide attenuates Sjögren's syndrome-associated dry eye and autoimmune inflammation by preventing Th17 development while promoting the induction of Tregs. Collectively, our data identify TSP-derived peptide as a novel therapeutic option to treat autoimmune diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pre-oxygenation is an essential part of rapid sequence induction of general anaesthesia for emergency surgery, in order to increase the oxygen reservoir in the lungs. We performed a randomised controlled trial of transnasal humidified rapid insufflation ventilatory exchange (THRIVE) pre-oxygenation or facemask pre-oxygenation in patients undergoing emergency surgery. Twenty patients were allocated to each group. No patient developed arterial oxygen saturation < 90% during attempted tracheal intubation. Arterial blood gases were sampled from an arterial catheter immediately after intubation. The mean (SD) PaO2 was 43.7 (15.2) kPa in the THRIVE group vs. 41.9 (16.2) kPa in the facemask group (p = 0.722); PaCO2 was 5.8 (1.1) kPa in the THRIVE group vs. 5.6 (1.0) kPa in the facemask group (p = 0.631); arterial pH was 7.36 (0.05) in the THRIVE group vs. 7.34 (0.06) in the facemask group (p = 0.447). No airway rescue manoeuvres were needed, and there were no differences in the number of laryngoscopy attempts between the groups. In spite of this, patients in the THRIVE group had a significantly longer apnoea time of 248 (71) s compared with 123 (55) s in the facemask group (p < 0.001). Transnasal humidified rapid insufflation ventilatory exchange is a practicable method for pre-oxygenating patients during rapid sequence induction of general anaesthesia for emergency surgery; we found that it maintained an equivalent blood gas profile to facemask pre-oxygenation, in spite of a significantly longer apnoea time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report here a new electrochemical probe for the development of a sensitive, and selective sandwich-type electrochemical immunosensor for the detection of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR). The probe is a newly synthesized bovine serum albumin (BSA)-templated Pb nanocluster (PbNC@BSA). For fabrication of the immunosensor, we employed streptavidin-coated magnetic beads (MB) as a platform for immobilization of the biotinylated primary antibody (Ab1), and utilized the PbNC@BSA conjugated to secondary antibody (Ab2) as a signaling probe. After sandwiching the target protein between Ab1 and Ab2, we dissolved PbNC@BSA into an acid, and recorded square wave anodic stripping voltammetric (SWASV) signal of the Pb ions as an analytical signal for quantification of the EGFR. The immunosensor responded linearly towards EGFR within the range of 0.4 ng/mL to 35 ng/mL, with a detection limit of 8 pg/mL. The immunosensor displayed good sensitivity, selectivity, stability, and reproducibility, and proved suitable for direct measurement of EGFR in human serum samples. Moreover, we used the as-synthesized PbNC@BSA as a fluorescence label for i n vitro cell viability analysis as well as bioimaging of cancerous HeLa and non-cancerous HUVEC cells. PbNC@BSA exhibited low cytotoxicity and high biocompatibility in living cells, and was a suitable fluorescent probe for live cell imaging, with potential therapeutic applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wide band gap semiconductors have appeared as promising materials suitable for high temperature high frequency high power operations in electronics as well as optoelectronic devices because of their exceptional material characteristics. More specially CdO and ZnO films possess an outstanding ability to materialize short wavelength light emitting devices due to their large band gap energy. CdO and ZnO films are widely used for optoelectronic applications in the short wave length visible-light region especially for laser diodes (LDs) and light emitting diodes (LEDs). In this paper we report structural, optical and electrical properties of wide band gap CdZnO thin film prepared by spray-pyrolysis on glass substrate. Characterization of the samples was carried out with UV-spectroscopy, Х-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscope (SEM), Raman spectroscopy and four-probe measurements. The XRD pattern exhibited a mixture of cadmium oxide cubic and hexagonal ZnO phases. Surface morphology of sample was identified from SEM micrograph as porous surface. Raman spectra exhibit the strong E2 (High) phonon peak in addition to other multiphonon peaks. Optical absorption spectroscopy and DC conductivity measurements give the optical band gap of 2.87 eV and semiconductor nature with activation energy of 0.33 eV. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Keywords: electrocatalysis; electrosynthesis; layered double hydroxides; metal borates; metal-air batteries; water splitting EN electrocatalysis electrosynthesis layered double hydroxides metal borates metal-air batteries water splitting 1 1 1 01/31/23 20230127 NES 230127 B Zn-Air Batteries b In article number 2203002, Richard B. Kaner, Mir F. Mousavi, and co-workers synthesize amorphous tri-metal borate in situ, from a Ni-Co-Fe layered double hydroxide as a sacrificial template, which shows impressive hydrogen evolution, oxygen evolution, and oxygen reduction activities. The electrosynthesized catalyst also displays excellent activity and outstanding durability as the cathode in rechargeable Zn-air batteries. Electrocatalysis, electrosynthesis, layered double hydroxides, metal borates, metal-air batteries, water splitting. [Extracted from the article]

Scanning electrochemical microscopy (SECM) was employed for sensitive detection of single base mismatches (SBMs) in a sandwiched dsDNA. Ferrocenecarboxylic acid (Fc), covalently conjugated to the dsDNA, was oxidized to Fc+ via the DNA-mediated charge transfer from the underlying gold substrate, and reduced back to Fc by SECM tip generated ferrocyanide. The electrocatalytic oxidation of SECM tip-generated ferrocyanide was sensitive to presence, as well as the type of SBMs. Apparent standard rate constants (k0app) values for different SBMs, both near the electrode surface and far from it, were evaluated by SECM. The method can detect SBMs independent of their position in dsDNA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Supercapacitors are known for their rapid energy charge-discharge properties, often ten to a hundred times faster than batteries. However, there is still a demand for supercapacitors with even faster charge-discharge characteristics to fulfill the requirements of emerging technologies. The power and rate capabilities of supercapacitors are highly dependent on the morphology of their electrode materials. An electrically conductive 3D porous structure possessing a high surface area for ions to access is ideal. Using a flash of light, a method to produce highly interconnected 3D graphene architectures with high surface area and good conductivity is developed. The flash converted graphene is synthesized by reducing freeze-dried graphene oxide using an ordinary camera flash as a photothermal source. The flash converted graphene is used in coin cell supercapacitors to investigate its electrode materials properties. The electrodes are fabricated using either a precoating flash conversion or a postcoating flash conversion of graphene oxide. Both techniques produce supercapacitors possessing ultra-high power (5-7 × 105 W kg−1). Furthermore, optimized supercapacitors retain >50% of their capacitance when operated at an ultrahigh current density up to 220 A g−1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In general, the aerodynamic stability of long span bridges is evaluated based on the results of wind tunnel tests in the low Reynolds number region, because in almost all wind tunnel tests, it is impracticable to satisfy Reynolds number similitude. Therefore, in order to correctly evaluate conventional wind tunnel test results, Reynolds number effects on the aerodynamic force coefficients acting on bridge decks must be carefully investigated. This paper investigate the Reynolds number effect on the aerodynamics of bridge deck section measured in the wide Reynolds number region from 7 10³ 6.1 104 to based on the dimension of deck height in smooth flow. For the simulation of fluid flow, opencircuit and blowing wind tunnel was used for which the maximum nominal turbulence was 0.1%. The results show that increasing Reynolds number has less effect on the drag coefficient and Strouhal number and parameters in downstream of the model. In other words, variation of drag coefficient and Strouhal number is very small in Reynolds numbers over 20000. Increasing Reynolds number would not be followed with an outstanding change of the velocity defect while it results in reduction of half width with no effect on its growth rate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The demand for flexible/wearable electronic devices that have aesthetic appeal and multi-functionality has stimulated the rapid development of flexible supercapacitors with enhanced electrochemical performance and mechanical flexibility. After a brief introduction to flexible supercapacitors, we summarize current progress made with graphene-based electrodes. Two recently proposed prototypes for flexible supercapacitors, known as micro-supercapacitors and fiber-type supercapacitors, are then discussed. We also present our perspective on the development of graphene-based electrodes for flexible supercapacitors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Supercapacitors now play an important role in the progress of hybrid and electric vehicles, consumer electronics, and military and space applications. There is a growing demand in developing hybrid supercapacitor systems to overcome the energy density limitations of the current generation of carbon-based supercapacitors. Here, we demonstrate 3D high-performance hybrid supercapacitors and microsupercapacitors based on graphene and MnO2 by rationally designing the electrode microstructure and combining active materials with electrolytes that operate at high voltages. This results in hybrid electrodes with ultrahigh volumetric capacitance of over 1,100 F/cm3. This corresponds to a specific capacitance of the constituent MnO2 of 1,145 F/g, which is close to the theoretical value of 1,380 F/g. The energy density of the full device varies between 22 and 42 Wh/l depending on the device configuration, which is superior to those of commercially available double-layer supercapacitors, pseudocapacitors, lithium-ion capacitors, and hybrid supercapacitors tested under the same conditions and is comparable to that of lead acid batteries. These hybrid supercapacitors use aqueous electrolytes and are assembled in air without the need for expensive "dry rooms" required for building today's supercapacitors. Furthermore, we demonstrate a simple technique for the fabrication of supercapacitor arrays for high-voltage applications. These arrays can be integrated with solar cells for efficient energy harvesting and storage systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

CuCo2O4 nanostructures were synthesized through a facile solution combustion method. Electrochemical investigations demonstrate a novel electrode material for supercapacitors with remarkable performance including high-rate capability, high-power density (22.11 kW kg-1) and desirable cycling stability at different current densities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose. This work presents the protocol carried out in the development and validation of an augmented reality system which was installed in an operating theatre to help surgeons with trocar placement during laparoscopic surgery. The purpose of this validation is to demonstrate the improvements that this system can provide to the field of medicine, particularly surgery. Method. Two experiments that were noninvasive for both the patient and the surgeon were designed. In one of these experiments the augmented reality system was used, the other one was the control experiment, and the system was not used. The type of operation selected for all cases was a cholecystectomy due to the low degree of complexity and complications before, during, and after the surgery. The technique used in the placement of trocars was the French technique, but the results can be extrapolated to any other technique and operation. Results and Conclusion. Four clinicians and ninety-six measurements obtained of twenty-four patients (randomly assigned in each experiment) were involved in these experiments. The final results show an improvement in accuracy and variability of 33% and 63%, respectively, in comparison to traditional methods, demonstrating that the use of an augmented reality system offers advantages for trocar placement in laparoscopic surgery [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Contents Over the last 10-15 years, long-acting Gn RH agonists have become widely available. In the field of small animal reproduction, most recent studies have focused on the use of two compounds developed under the form of subcutaneous implants: azagly-nafarelin and deslorelin. Only the latter has been commercially available for use in male dogs, first in Australia and New Zealand, then in several countries of the European Union since 2008. Although officially marketed for male dogs, this compound has also been studied in bitches and more recently in queens. Some published papers or recent presentations at congresses - still unpublished - have focused on the use of Gn RH agonists implants in females. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Contents An accurate timing of parturition is very useful for managing canine parturition. It is generally accepted that parturition in bitches occurs between 64 and 66 days after the luteinizing hormone peak. In this retrospective study, we determined pregnancy length in different breeds and its influencing factors dating it from the estimated day of ovulation (EDO), defined as the day when peripheral plasma level of progesterone (P4) reaches 6 ng/ml. From January 2001 to December 2006, 162 pregnancies in 151 bitches of 53 different breeds were followed. Different parameters concerning the bitch, the litter, the type of semen and the type of reproduction were studied. The mean estimated pregnancy length in the bitch from EDO to parturition was 63.1 ± 2.1 days. The main influencing factors for the pregnancies studied were the breed, the size of the bitch and the number of puppies within the litter. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]