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Coupling Ni-rich layered oxide cathodes with Si-based anodes is one of the most promising strategies to realize high-energy-density Li-ion batteries. However, unstable interfaces on both cathode and anode sides cause continuous parasitic reactions, resulting in structural degradation and capacity fading of full cells. Herein, lithium tetrafluoro(oxalato) phosphate is synthesized and applied as a multifunctional electrolyte additive to mitigate irreversible volume swing of the SiOxanode and suppress undesirable interfacial evolution of the LiNi0.83Co0.12Mn0.05O2(NCM) cathode simultaneously, resulting in improved cycle life. Benefiting from its desirable redox thermodynamics and kinetics, the molecularly tailored additive facilitates matching interphases consisting of LiF, Li3PO4, and P-containing macromolecular polymer on both the NCM cathode and SiOxanode, respectively, modulating interfacial chemo-mechanical stability as well as charge transfer kinetics. More encouragingly, the proposed strategy enables 4.4 V 21700 cylindrical batteries (5 Ah) with excellent cycling stability (92.9% capacity retention after 300 cycles) under practical conditions. The key finding points out a fresh perspective on interfacial optimization for high-energy-density battery systems.

Effective harvest of electrochemical energy from insulating compounds serves as the key to unlocking the potential capacity from many materials that otherwise could not be exploited for energy storage. Herein, an effective strategy is proposed by employing LiCoO2, a widely commercialized positive electrode material in Li-ion batteries, as an efficient redox mediator to catalyze the decomposition of Na2CO3viaan intercalating mechanism. Differing from traditional redox mediation processes where reactions occur on the limited surface sites of catalysts, the electrochemically delithiated Li1–xCoO2forms NayLi1–xCoO2crystals, which act as a cation intercalating catalyzer that directs Na+insertion–extraction and activates the reaction of Na2CO3with carbon. Through altering the route of the mass transport process, such redox centers are delocalized throughout the bulk of LiCoO2, which ensures maximum active reaction sites. The decomposition of Na2CO3thus accelerated significantly reduces the charging overpotential in Na-CO2batteries; meanwhile, Na compensation can also be achieved for various Na-deficient cathode materials. Such a surface-induced catalyzing mechanism for conversion-type reactions, realized viacation intercalation chemistry, expands the boundary for material discovery and makes those conventionally unfeasible a rich source to explore for efficient utilization of chemical energy.

Background: Studies have demonstrated that the learning curve plays an important role in robotic pancreatoduodenectomy (RPD). Although improved short-term outcomes of RPD after the learning curve have been reported compared to open pancreatoduodenectomy (OPD), there is a lack of long-term survival analyses. Methods: Patients who underwent curative intended RPD and OPD for pancreatic duct adenocarcinoma (PDAC) between January 2017 and June 2020 were retrospectively reviewed. A 1:2 propensity score matching (PSM) analysis was performed to balance the baseline characteristics between the RPD and OPD groups. Results: Of the 548 patients (108 RPD and 440 OPD), 103 RPD patients were matched with 206 OPD patients after PSM. There were 194 (62.8%) men and 115 (37.2%) women, with a median age of 64 (58–69) years. The median overall survival (OS) in the RPD group was 33.2 months compared with 25.7 months in the OPD group (p= 0.058, log-rank). The median disease-free survival (DFS) following RPD was longer than the OPD (18.5 vs. 14.0 months, p= 0.011, log-rank). The RPD group has a lower incidence of local recurrence compared the OPD group (36.9% vs. 51.2%, p= 0.071). Multivariate Cox analysis demonstrated that RPD was independently associated with improved OS (HR 0.70, 95% CI 0.52–0.94, p= 0.019) and DFS (HR 0.66, 95% CI 0.50–0.88, p= 0.005). Conclusion: After the learning curve, RPD had improved oncologic outcomes in PDAC patients compared to OPD. Future prospective randomized clinical trials will be required to validate these findings.

This paper aims to analyze the distribution efficiency of DC power distribution power system in commercial building based on measured data from a typical office building in Hong Kong. In this research, a real-scene comparative testbed was built in a Hong Kong office to compare the energy efficiencies of AC and DC power distribution system. Similar load characteristics and use schedules are set and used in the experiment. The distribution efficiency has been found to be affected by load type, voltage level and the loading conditions. The efficiency of this DC power system is derived, considering the PFC model was working in a good condition. For LED loads, the average distribution efficiencies after converter are 77.7% and 51.8 % under the condition of full lightning and normal lightning mode. The main loss in this system is transmission loss and switching loss. The average AC/DC converter efficiencies of LEDs are 92.21% and 88.85% respectively with the load working under full power and normal power, while the average AC power factors of LEDs are 85.31% and 56.22% respectively with the load working under the same as above. The average AC/DC converter efficiencies of the fan coil are 97.41%, 96.03%, 92.74%, 89.10%, 85.71%, 78.72%, 67.61%, 63.57% respectively with the load working under level 8 to level 1 while the average AC power factors of the fan coil are 98.0%, 99.0% and 99.4% respectively with the load working under low middle and high condition. As the PFC circuit does not have ideal power factor correction when the load is small, it is not recommended to add PFC circuit when the load power is low. Using uncontrollable rectifier circuit is going to lead to a better performance.

The quantized version of the anomalous Hall effect realized in magnetic topological insulators (MTIs) has great potential for the development of topological quantum physics and low-power electronic/spintronic applications. Here we report the thickness-tailored quantum anomalous Hall (QAH) effect in Cr-doped (Bi,Sb)2Te3thin films by tuning the system across the two-dimensional (2D) limit. In addition to the Chern number-related QAH phase transition, we also demonstrate that the induced hybridization gap plays an indispensable role in determining the ground magnetic state of the MTIs; namely, the spontaneous magnetization owing to considerable Van Vleck spin susceptibility guarantees the zero-field QAH state with unitary scaling law in thick samples, while the quantization of the Hall conductance can only be achieved with the assistance of external magnetic fields in ultrathin films. The modulation of topology and magnetism through structural engineering may provide useful guidance for the pursuit of other QAH-based phase diagrams and functionalities.

Real-time observations from multi-scales reveal the shuttling effect of the redox mediator on the performances of Na-O2batteries.

Enhancing the interphase stability of polymer electrolytes with high-voltage cathodes is crucial for the development of high-energy-density lithium metal batteries (LMBs), especially in wearable devices area. Herein, lithium difluorophosphate (LiDFP) is incorporated into the solid polymer electrolyte of poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) to enhance the formation of a robust cathode-electrolyte interphase (CEI) in high-voltage LiCoO2LMBs. Through combining electrochemical measurements, spectroscopic techniques and theoretical calculations, the underlying modification mechanism is revealed. Due to its stronger anionic coordination with both polymer electrolyte chain and proton, and more oxidation-active resultant anion-coordinated polymer compared with lithium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide (LiTFSI), LiDFP suppresses the formation of the strong acid HTFSI deriving from the deprotonated process of the terminal O-H group thus avoiding the further oxidative attack to the polymeric framework. Furthermore, under the synergetic decomposition of HDFP intermediate, the polymer-derived radical helps to reconstruct a chemo-mechanically stable and Li-conductive CEI layer, which consists of abundant LiF/Li3PO4/LixPOyFzinorganic species distributed in lithiated organic macromolecules. The in-situconstructed CEI effectively passivates catalytic sites on LiCoO2directly against PEO, resulting in well-maintained layered structure during high-voltage cycling. The proposed interphasial chemistry that regulates CEI formation provides directive knowledge of electrolyte optimization for high-voltage solid-state batteries.

Isocitrate dehydrogenase gene (IDH) mutation is one of the most important molecular markers of glioma. Accurate detection of IDHstatus is a crucial step for integrated diagnosis of adult-type diffuse gliomas. A clustering-based hybrid of a convolutional neural network and a vision transformer deep learning model was developed to detect IDHmutation status from annotation-free hematoxylin and eosin–stained whole slide pathologic images of 2275 adult patients with diffuse gliomas. For comparison, we also assessed a pure convolutional neural network, a pure vision transformer, and a classic multiple-instance learning model. The hybrid model achieved an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.973 in the validation set and 0.953 in the external test set, outperforming the other models. We further assessed the hybrid model's ability in IDHdetection between difficult subgroups with different IDHstatus but shared histologic features, achieving areas under the receiver operating characteristic curve ranging from 0.850 to 0.985 in validation and test sets. Our data suggest that the proposed hybrid model has a potential to be used as a computational pathology tool for preliminary rapid detection of IDHmutation from whole slide images in adult patients with diffuse gliomas.

Lithium-CO2batteries (LCBs) are regarded as a promising energy system for CO2drawdown and energy storage capability which has attracted widespread interest in carbon neutrality and sustainable societal development. However, their practical application has been limited by slow kinetics in catalytic reactions and poor reversibility of Li2CO3products which leads to the issue of a large overpotential, low energy efficiency and poor reversibility. Herein, an efficient catalyst design and synthesis strategy is proposed to overcome the abovementioned bottleneck. Through an electrical joule heating procedure, Pt with random crystal orientations is converted into a 3D porous Pt catalyst with preferred (111) crystal orientation within seconds, exhibiting enhanced CO2conversion kinetics with superior electrochemical performance. This includes ultralow overpotential (0.45 V), fast rate charging (up to 160 µA cm−2) and high stability (over 200 cycles under 40 µA cm−2). A proof-of-concept stacked Li-CO2pouch cell, with stable operation under practical current density is demonstrated, indicating significant potential for large-scale operations. This bottom-up design of efficient catalysts and synthesis strategy offers a rapid and cost-effective approach to maximizing catalytic sites for CO2conversion under restricted catalyst loading, showcasing its versatility across a broad spectrum of catalyst-based energy conversion and storage systems.

In an effort to incorporate a novel bioremediation technology into minkery wastewater treatment systems, this study aimed to investigate the effect of light cycles on the simultaneous production of Chlorella vulgarisbiomass, lipid, carbohydrate, and protein in controlled environment minkery wastewater. Diluted minkery cage-washing wastewater used in the experiments, which were designed as a completely randomised design with a single factor (light cycle) experiment. The single factor had four levels: six-day continuous light (photoautotrophic), 48-h light/24-h dark (mixotrophic), 24-h light/48-h dark (mixotrophic), and six-day continuous dark (heterotrophic) cycle, which were randomly assigned to the 2.25-litre vertical column controlled environment photobioreactors (PBR), each equipped with an independent cool-white fluorescent light (8 W, 6,700 K) operated at room temperature. The pH in each PBR was monitored and controlled using independent pH meters and air pumps. During six-day cultivations, continuous light and 48-h light/24-h dark cycles achieved the largest biomass (82.50 mg L−1day−1and 79.50 mg L−1day−1, respectively) and protein productivities (42.62 mg L−1day−1and 38.79 mg L−1day−1, respectively) out of Chlorella vulgarisin minkery wastewater; however, using 48-h light/24-h dark cycle instead of continuous light cycle would reduce the energy cost of cultivation. The light cycles of continuous light, 48-h light/24-h dark, and 24-h light/48-h dark achieved the highest lipid (15.06 mg L−1day−1, 16.03 mg L−1day−1, 12.82 mg L−1day−1, respectively) and carbohydrate (11.15 mg L−1day−1, 11.89 mg L−1day−1, 8.08 mg L−1day−1, respectively) productivities, and there was no statistically significant difference in between; however, using 24-h light/48-h light cycle would again reduce the energy cost of cultivation compared to the other two cycles. Overall, for the cultivation of Chlorella vulgarisin minkery wastewater, the most appropriate light cycle for the production of microalgae biomass and crude protein seems to be the mixotrophic growth under 48-h light/24-h dark cycle, while the mixotrophic growth of 24-h light/48-h dark cycle was the most appropriate system for the production of lipid and carbohydrate. Providing a supplemental organic carbon source, preferably from another waste stream, has a potential to change the story with respect to the competitiveness of continuous dark (heterotrophic) cycle, and studying other microalgae strains may make minkery wastewater even more competitive compared to traditional culture mediums.

Aqueous Zn batteries (AZBs) are a promising energy storage technology, due to their high theoretical capacity, low redox potential, and safety. However, dendrite growth and parasitic reactions occurring at the surface of metallic Zn result in severe instability. Here we report a new method to achieve ultrafine Zn nanograin anodes by using ethylene glycol monomethyl ether (EGME) molecules to manipulate zinc nucleation and growth processes. It is demonstrated that EGME complexes with Zn2+to moderately increase the driving force for nucleation, as well as adsorbs on the Zn surface to prevent H-corrosion and dendritic protuberances by refining the grains. As a result, the nanoscale anode delivers high Coulombic efficiency (ca. 99.5%), long-term cycle life (over 366 days and 8800 cycles), and outstanding compatibility with state-of-the-art cathodes (ZnVO and AC) in full cells. This work offers a new route for interfacial engineering in aqueous metal-ion batteries, with significant implications for the commercial future of AZBs.

The cycle performance of poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO)-based all-solid-state lithium batteries with LiCoO2cathode was greatly improved via coating LiCoO2with high-voltage stable Li3AlF6.At the upper cutoff voltage of 4.2 V, the poor electrochemical performance is mainly originated from the structure collapse of LiCoO2at the surface instead of the decomposition of PEO.When the voltage reaches 4.5 V or even higher potentials, the intensive electrochemical decomposition of PEO-based solid polymer electrolyte accelerated interfacial degradation.

Glioma is the most common malignant brain tumors with poor prognosis. The molecular events involved in the development and progression of glioma remain unclear. In this study, the expression levels of miR-302c-3p were examined in glioma tissues by qRT-PCR. The in vitroand in vivofunctional effects of miR-302c-3p were examined further. Luciferase reporter assays were conducted to confirm the targeting associations. Results showed that the expression level of miR-302c-3p in glioma tissues was significantly lower than those in normal brain tissues (P< 0.001). The decreased expression of mi-302c-3p in glioma was positively associated with WHO grade (P< 0.001). Up-regulation of MTDH was also detected in glioma tumors compared with normal brain tissues (P= 0.0027) and is inversely correlated with miR-302c-3p expression (P= 0.003, R2= 0.4065). MTDH mRNA is a direct target of miR-302c-3p, whose ectopic expression decreases MTDH expression through binding to its 3′-untranslated region. Overexpression of miR-302c-3p results in a dramatic inhibition of glioma cells proliferation and invasion in vitroand in vivo. These data suggest that miR-302c-3p play a pivotal role in the progression of glioma by targeting MTDH and is a potential inhibitor in glioma treatment.