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Multiseptate Gallbladder (MSG) is a congenital problem with varing clinical presentation. Its prevelance in peadriatic age group is much less as compared to adults, especially in females, making it a rare condition. Symptoms may be mild or severe, or patient may be completely asymptomatic, with incidental sonographic diagnosis. Exclusion of other associated conditions is also required. Its correct diagnosis is important, so that the patient can be observed for complications including possibility of carcinoma in rare instances. We report here a case of a female child, diagnosed as having Multiseptate gallbladder, at Hearts International Hospital, Rawalpindi, Pakistan . She is being regularly followed in opd.

Development of lithium-ion batteries with composite solid polymer electrolytes (CPSEs) has attracted attention due to their higher energy density and improved safety compared to systems utilizing liquid electrolytes. While it is well known that the microstructure of CPSEs affects the ionic conductivity, thermal stability, and mechanical integrity/long-term stability, the bridge between the microscopic and macroscopic scales is still unclear. Herein, we present a systematic investigation of the distribution of TEMPO-oxidized cellulose nanofibrils (t-CNFs) in two different molecular weights of poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) and its effect on Li + ion mobility, bulk conductivity, and long-term stability. For the first time, we link local Li-ion mobility at the nanoscale level to the morphology of CPSEs defined by PEO spherulitic growth in the presence of t-CNF. In a low-MW PEO system, spherulites occupy a whole volume of the derived CPSE with t-CNF being incorporated in between lamellas, while their nuclei remain particle-free. In a high-MW PEO system, spherulites are scarce and their growth is arrested in a non-equilibrium cubic shape due to the strong t-CNF network surrounding them. Electrochemical strain microscopy and solid-state 7 Li nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy confirm that t-CNF does not partake in Li + ion transport regardless of its distribution within the polymer matrix. Free-standing CSPE films with low-MW PEO have higher conductivity but lack long-term stability due to the existence of uniformly distributed, particle-free, spherulite nuclei, which have very little resistance to Li dendrite growth. On the other hand, high-MW PEO has lower conductivity but demonstrates a highly stable Li cycling response for more than 1000 h at 0.2 mA/cm 2 and 65 °C and more than 100 h at 85 °C. The study provides a direct link between the microscopic dynamic, Li-ion transport, bulk mechanical properties and long-term stability of the derived CPSE and, and as such, offers a pathway towards design of robust all-solid-state Li-metal batteries.

Solid-state batteries (SSBs) have emerged as a potential alternative to conventional Li-ion batteries (LIBs) since they are safer and offer higher energy density. Despite the hype, SSBs are yet to surpass their liquid counterparts in terms of electrochemical performance. This is mainly due to challenges at both the materials and cell integration levels. Various strategies have been devised to address the issue of SSBs. In this review, we have explored the role of graphene-based materials (GBM) in enhancing the electrochemical performance of SSBs. We have covered each individual component of an SSB (electrolyte, cathode, anode, and interface) and highlighted the approaches using GBMs to achieve stable and better performance. The recent literature shows that GBMs impart stability to SSBs by improving Li + ion kinetics in the electrodes, electrolyte and at the interfaces. Furthermore, they improve the mechanical and thermal properties of the polymer and ceramic solid-state electrolytes (SSEs). Overall, the enhancements endowed by GBMs will address the challenges that are stunting the proliferation of SSBs.

Introduction Sepsis and septic shock (sepsis-induced hypotension not improved by adequate fluid resuscitation) are among the most common reasons for admission to an intensive care unit (ICU) and display high mortality rates. Different scoring systems are used to diagnose and predict the mortality of patients having sepsis. This study aims to validate the prognostic accuracy of Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) and Quick Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (qSOFA) in determining the mortality of both septic and non-septic patients. Materials and methods This retrospective cohort study was conducted in May 2018 in the Surgical Intensive Care Unit (SICU) of a tertiary care hospital in Karachi, Pakistan. Past 200 patient records, from January 2018 to April 2018, were examined, and 20 records were discarded due to insufficient data. Sufficient observational data were collected, which was used to assess the validity of the SOFA and qSOFA in determining the mortality rate of sepsis. A comparison of the two modalities was made. Results Out of the 200 patients, 180 were enrolled. Data from their entire ICU stay were used to calculate their initial, highest, and mean SOFA and qSOFA. Mean SOFA score up to nine correlated with a mortality rate of up to <79%, while scores 10 and above predicted a 100% mortality rate. A mean qSOFA score of three predicted a 67% mortality rate. Univariate logistic analysis performed with odds ratio showed that the mean qSOFA score was in comparison more closely able to predict mortality, followed by mean SOFA score (p values < 0.01). Conclusions This study concluded that both SOFA and qSOFA scores are good predictors of mortality. However, qSOFA is more closely accurate in predicting mortality than SOFA. But further analysis with larger sample size for a longer duration as well as the application of these scores in the emergency departments and general wards can prove the precision of this study., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright © 2020, Basham et al.)

A rapid microwave hydrothermal process is adopted for the synthesis of titanium dioxide and reduced graphene oxide nanocomposites as high-performance anode materials for Li-ion batteries. With the assistance of hydrazine hydrate as a reducing agent, graphene oxide was reduced while TiO 2 nanoparticles were grown in situ on the nanosheets to obtain the nanocomposite material. The morphology of the nanocomposite obtained consisted of TiO 2 particles with a size of ∼100 nm, uniformly distributed on the reduced graphene oxide nanosheets. The as-prepared TiO 2 -graphene nanocomposite was able to deliver a capacity of 250 mA h g -1 ± 5% at 0.2C for more than 200 cycles with remarkably stable cycle life during the Li + insertion/extraction process. In terms of high rate capability performance, the nanocomposite delivered discharge capacity of ca. 100 mA h g -1 with >99% coulombic efficiency at C-rates of up to 20C. The enhanced electrochemical performance of the material in terms of high rate capability and cycling stability indicates that the as-developed TiO 2 -rGO nanocomposites are promising electrode materials for future Li-ion batteries., Competing Interests: There are no conflicts to declare., (This journal is © The Royal Society of Chemistry.)

Li-garnets are promising inorganic ceramic solid electrolytes for lithium metal batteries, showing good electrochemical stability with Li anode. However, their brittle and stiff nature restricts their intimate contact with both the electrodes, hence presenting high interfacial resistance to the ionic mobility. To address this issue, a strategy employing ionic liquid electrolyte (ILE) thin interlayers at the electrodes/electrolyte interfaces is adopted, which helps overcome the barrier for ion transport. The chemically stable ILE improves the electrodes-solid electrolyte contact, significantly reducing the interfacial resistance at both the positive and negative electrodes interfaces. This results in the more homogeneous deposition of metallic lithium at the negative electrode, suppressing the dendrite growth across the solid electrolyte even at high current densities of 0.3 mA cm -2 . Further, the improved interface Li/electrolyte interface results in decreasing the overpotential of symmetric Li/Li cells from 1.35 to 0.35 V. The ILE modified Li/LLZO/LFP cells stacked either in monopolar or bipolar configurations show excellent electrochemical performance. In particular, the bipolar cell operates at a high voltage (≈8 V) and delivers specific capacity as high as 145 mAh g -1 with a coulombic efficiency greater than 99%., (© 2020 The Authors. Published by WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.)

In this work, a simple and cost-effective electrochemical anodization technique was adopted to rapidly grow TiO 2 nanotube arrays on a Ti current collector and to utilize the synthesized materials as potential electrodes for supercapacitors. To accelerate the growth of the TiO 2 nanotube arrays, lactic acid was used as an electrolyte additive. The as-prepared TiO 2 nanotube arrays with a high aspect ratio were strongly adhered to the Ti substrate. X-ray diffraction (XRD) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) results confirmed that the TiO 2 nanotube arrays were crystallized in the anatase phase. TEM images confirmed the nanotublar-like morphology of the TiO 2 nanotubes, which had a tube length and a diameter of ~16 and ~80 nm, respectively. The electrochemical performance of the TiO 2 nanotube array electrodes was evaluated using the cyclic voltammetry (CV), electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), and galvanostatic charge/discharge (GCD) measurements. Excellent electrochemical response was observed for the electrodes based on the TiO 2 nanotube arrays, as the cells delivered a high specific capacitance of 5.12 mF/cm 2 at a scan rate of 100 mV/s and a current density of 100 µA/cm 2 . The initial capacity was maintained for more than 250 cycles. Further, a remarkable rate capability response was observed, as the cell retained 88% of the initial areal capacitance when the scan rate was increased from 10 to 500 mV/s. The results suggest the suitability of TiO 2 nanotube arrays as electrode materials for commercial supercapacitor applications.

Disordered rock-salt compounds are becoming increasingly important due to their potential as high-capacity positive electrode materials for lithium-ion batteries. Thereby, a significant number of studies have focused on increasing the accessible Li capacity, but studies to manipulate the electrochemical potential are limited. This work explores the effect of transition-metal substitution on the electrochemistry of ternary disordered rock-salt-type compounds with LiM 2+ 0.5 V 0.5 4+ O 2 stoichiometry (M = Mn, Fe, Co) directly synthesized through mechanochemistry. Rietveld refinements of synchrotron X-ray diffraction patterns confirm the disordered rock-salt structures. First-principles density functional theory study is used to predict the impact of the cation substitution on the expected average voltage and the electronic structures of these materials are used to analyze the underlying redox processes. For LiM 2+ 0.5 V 4+ 0.5 O 2 (M = Mn, Fe, Co), discharge voltages increase in the order of Mn < Fe < Co with 2.28, 2.41, and 2.51 V, exhibiting discharge capacities of 219, 207, and 234 mAh g -1 , respectively. In comparison, for the disordered rock-salt Li 2 VO 3, an average discharge voltage of ∼2.2 V with V 5+/4+ redox couple has been reported. However, detrimental electrode-electrolyte interactions manifested as transition-metal dissolution has been found to result in severe capacity fading. Thereto, the use of a concentrated 5.5 M LiFSI increased the cycling stability significantly, effectively reducing transition-metal dissolution. The underlying reasons for the capacity fading of disordered rock salts are yet unclear. We stress the importance of cathode-electrolyte interactions, thus opening new directions for the improvement of cation-disordered materials.

All-solid-state batteries (ASSBs) based on inorganic solid electrolytes promise improved safety, higher energy density, longer cycle life, and lower cost than conventional Li-ion batteries. However, their practical application is hampered by the high resistance arising at the solid-solid electrode-electrolyte interface. Although the exact mechanism of this interface resistance has not been fully understood, various chemical, electrochemical, and chemo-mechanical processes govern the charge transfer phenomenon at the interface. This paper reports the interfacial behavior of the lithium and the cathode in oxide and sulfide inorganic solid-electrolytes and how that affects the overall battery performance. An overview of the recent reports dealing with high resistance at the anodic and cathodic interfaces is presented and the scientific and engineering aspects of the approaches adopted to solve the issue are summarized.

Cancer and the associated secondary bacterial infections are leading cause of mortality, due to the paucity of effective drugs. Here, we have synthesized silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) from organic resource and confirmed their anti-cancer and anti-microbial potentials. Microwave irradiation method was employed to synthesize AgNPs using Pandanus odorifer leaf extract. Anti-cancer potential of AgNPs was evaluated by scratch assay on the monolayer of rat basophilic leukemia (RBL) cells, indicating that the synthesized AgNPs inhibit the migration of RBL cells. The synthesized AgNPs showed MIC value of 4-16 μg/mL against both Gram +ve and Gram -ve bacterial strains, exhibiting the anti-microbial potential. Biofilm inhibition was recorded at sub-MIC values against Gram +ve and Gram -ve bacterial strains. Violacein and alginate productions were reduced by 89.6 and 75.6%, respectively at 4 and 8 μg/mL of AgNPs, suggesting anti-quorum sensing activity. Exopolysaccharide production was decreased by 61-79 and 84% for Gram -ve and Gram +ve pathogens respectively. Flagellar driven swarming mobility was also reduced significantly. Furthermore, In vivo study confirmed their tolerability in mice, indicating their clinical perspective. Collective, we claim that the synthesized AgNPs have anti-metastasis as well as anti-microbial activities. Hence, this can be further tested for therapeutic options to treat cancer and secondary bacterial infections.

In this study, electromechanical characteristics of (1-x) Bi 0.5 Na 0.5 TiO 3 -xSrTiO 3 (ST26, x = 0.26)/(1-y) Bi 0.5 Na 0.5 TiO 3 -ySrTiO 3 (ST10, y = 0.1) (matrix/seed) composites were studied. The ST26 (high relaxor phase) and ST10 (a relaxor ferroelectric (RF), high ferroelectric phase) composite with large (r-ST26-ST10) and small (t-ST26-ST10) grains exhibited frequency-related dielectric properties and large strain response at a low triggering electric field (an incipient piezoelectricity). It is ascribed to a matrix-seed effect originating from the inhomogeneous composition due to the presence of two phases. The r-ST26-ST10 composite sintered at 4 h, prominent material, showed a high normalized dynamic strain (d 33 *) of ~700 pm/V (large grains) with stable frequency dependence properties at a low field of 40 kV/cm. The properties of the r-ST26-ST10 composite exhibit less decay with frequency-related polarization and strain compared to those of t-ST26-ST10 composite. The increase in soaking time promotes the diffusion and homogenization of the microstructure in composites, leading to changes in the core-shell structure in the solid solution. The polarization and strain of the ST26-ST10 composites with the frequency are linked to the stability of the internal random fields created by non-ergodic relaxor phase of seed and the amount of phase change in the ergodic relaxor matrix.

A novel design for an anodic WO3 mesosponge @ carbon has been introduced as a highly stable and long cyclic life Li-ion battery electrode. The nanocomposite was successfully synthesized via single-step electrochemical anodization and subsequent heat treatment in an acetylene and argon gas environment. Morphological and compositional characterization of the resultant materials revealed that the composite consisted of a three-dimensional interconnected network of WO3 mesosponge layers conformally coated with a 5 nm thick carbon layer and grown directly on top of tungsten metal. The results demonstrated that the carbon-coated mesosponge WO3 layers exhibit a capacity retention of 87% after completion of 100 charge/discharge cycles, which is significantly higher than the values of 25% for the crystalline (without carbon coating) or 40% for the as-prepared mesosponge WO3 layers. The improved electrochemical response was attributed to the higher stability and enhanced electrical conductivity offered by the carbon coating layer.

In this work, silicon (Si) containing carbon coated core-shell nanostructures were synthesized by electrical explosion of Si wires in ethanol solution followed by high energy mechanical milling (HEMM) process. Material characterization was carried-out using transmission electron microscopy (TEM), field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), and X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis. HEMM led to very fine and amorphous Si particles in the presence of carbon and inactive Silicon-Carbide (SiC) matrix. These Si based nanocomposites, obtained through electrical explosion followed by HEMM (milled sample), exhibited enhanced electrochemical performance than unmilled nanocomposites, when evaluated as anode material for lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). On completion of (the) 1st cycle, milled and unmilled sample(s) showed specific discharge capacities around 825 mAh/g and 717 mAh/g, respectively. Interestingly, the coulombic efficiencies of milled and unmilled samples were 98.5% and 97% after 60th cycle respectively. The enhanced electrochemical performance is attributed to fine and amorphous Si based nanocomposite obtained through HEMM process.

This work is a comparative study of the electrochemical performance of crystalline and amorphous anodic iron oxide nanotube layers. These nanotube layers were grown directly on top of an iron current collector with a vertical orientation via a simple one-step synthesis. The crystalline structures were obtained by heat treating the as-prepared (amorphous) iron oxide nanotube layers in ambient air environment. A detailed morphological and compositional characterization of the resultant materials was performed via transmission electron microscopy (TEM), field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and Raman spectroscopy. The XRD patterns were further analyzed using Rietveld refinements to gain in-depth information on their quantitative phase and crystal structures after heat treatment. The results demonstrated that the crystalline iron oxide nanotube layers exhibit better electrochemical properties than the amorphous iron oxide nanotube layers when evaluated in terms of the areal capacity, rate capability, and cycling performance. Such an improved electrochemical response was attributed to the morphology and three-dimensional framework of the crystalline nanotube layers offering short, multidirectional transport lengths, which favor rapid Li(+) ions diffusivity and electron transport.