Cirrhosis is the common end stage of a number of chronic liver conditions and a significant cause of morbidity and mortality. With the growing epidemic of obesity and metabolic syndrome, nonalcoholic ...fatty liver disease (NAFLD) has become the most common cause of chronic liver disease worldwide and will become one of the leading causes of cirrhosis. Increased awareness and understanding of NAFLD cirrhosis are essential. To date, there has been no published systematic review on NAFLD cirrhosis. Thus, this article reviews recent studies on the epidemiology, risk factors, clinical presentation, diagnosis, management, and prognosis of NAFLD cirrhosis.
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FZAB, GIS, IJS, KILJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, SBCE, SBMB, UL, UM, UPUK
To gain a deeper understanding of the current application status of carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS) technology in modern coal chemical projects aimed at reducing emissions in the ...chemical industry, a study on the application of CCUS technology in emission reduction in the chemical industry was proposed. This article provides a detailed summary of the application status of CCUS technology in the global chemical industry, comprehensively sorts out its technical classification and characteristics, and deeply analyzes the carbon emission characteristics of modern coal chemical industry. On this basis, a comprehensive analysis was conducted on the main technical, economic, and policy issues faced by the modern coal chemical industry in promoting the application of CCUS technology. Through the analysis and research of these issues, some suggestions have been made, including strengthening top-level planning, focusing on solving CCUS technology challenges, enhancing policy support, etc., to promote better progress in the modern coal chemical industry in carbon capture technology engineering demonstration and low-carbon development.
Charged defects at the surface of the organic-inorganic perovskite active layer are detrimental to solar cells due to exacerbated charge carrier recombination. Here we show that charged surface ...defects can be benign after passivation and further exploited for reconfiguration of interfacial energy band structure. Based on the electrostatic interaction between oppositely charged ions, Lewis-acid-featured fullerene skeleton after iodide ionization (PCBB-3N-3I) not only efficiently passivates positively charged surface defects but also assembles on top of the perovskite active layer with preferred orientation. Consequently, PCBB-3N-3I with a strong molecular electric dipole forms a dipole interlayer to reconfigure interfacial energy band structure, leading to enhanced built-in potential and charge collection. As a result, inverted structure planar heterojunction perovskite solar cells exhibit the promising power conversion efficiency of 21.1% and robust ambient stability. This work opens up a new window to boost perovskite solar cells via rational exploitation of charged defects beyond passivation.
Ionic liquids (ILs)‐incorporated solid‐state polymer electrolytes (iono‐SPEs) have high ionic conductivities but show non‐uniform Li+ transport in different phases. This work greatly promotes Li+ ...transport in polymer phases by employing a poly (vinylidene fluoride‐trifluoroethylene‐chlorotrifluoroethylene) P(VDF‐TrFE‐CTFE), PTC as the framework of ILs to prepare iono‐SPEs. Unlike PVDF, PTC with suitable polarity shows weaker adsorption energy on IL cations, reducing their possibility of occupying Li+‐hopping sites. The significantly higher dielectric constant of PTC than PVDF facilitates the dissociation of Li‐anions clusters. These two factors motivate Li+ transport along PTC chains, narrowing the difference in Li+ transport among varied phases. The LiFePO4/PTC iono‐SPE/Li cells cycle steadily with capacity retention of 91.5 % after 1000 cycles at 1 C and 25 °C. This work paves a new way to induce uniform Li+ flux in iono‐SPEs through polarity and dielectric design of polymer matrix.
The P(VDF‐TrFE‐CTFE) shows lower adsorption energy on Pyr13+ from ionic liquids (ILs) than PVDF, which reduces the chance for Pyr13+ to occupy transport sites of Li+ and lower the Li+ migration barrier. In consequence, the Li+ transport in polymer phases is promoted, which narrows the gap of Li+ mobility between polymer phases with ILs and polymer‐ILs interfaces, contributing to uniform Li+ flux to inhibit the lithium dendrites’ growth.
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3D organic–inorganic hybrid halide perovskite solar cells (pero‐SCs) inherently face severe instability issue due to ion migration under operational conditions. This ion migration inevitably results ...from the decomposition of ionic bonds under lattice strain and is accelerated by the existence of excess charge carriers. In this study, a 1D–3D mixed‐dimensional perovskite material is explored by adding an organic salt with a bulk benzimidazole cation (Bn+). The Bn+ can induce 3D perovskite crystalline growth with the preferred orientation and form a 1D BnPbI3 perovskite spatially distributed in the 3D perovskite film. For the first time, the electro‐strictive response, which has a significant influence on the lattice strain under an electric field, is observed in polycrystalline perovskite. The 1D–3D perovskite can effectively suppress electro‐strictive responses and unbalanced charge carrier extraction, providing an intrinsically stable lattice with enhanced ionic bonds and fewer excess charge carriers. As a result, the ion migration behavior of the p‐i‐n 1D–3D based pero‐SC is dramatically suppressed under operational conditions, showing ultra‐long‐term stability that retains 95.3% of its initial power conversion efficiency (PCE) under operation for 3072 h, and simultaneously achieving an excellent PCE with a hysteresis‐free photovoltaic behavior.
Electro‐strictive strain in 3D polycrystalline perovskite is observed, which can lead to an accelerated ion migration under operational conditions. The 1D–3D perovskite, that is, 1D BnPbI3 perovskite, spatially distributed in the 3D perovskite film and compensating the dangling bonds in the grain boundaries, can effectively inhibit electro‐strictive responses and unbalanced charge carrier extraction, realizing ultralong operational stability.
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Binders, though often used in small doses, play a crucial role in determining the electrochemical performance of lithium ion batteries with high energy density. The traditional PVDF binder, which ...interacts with electrode materials via weak Van der Waals forces and consequently lacks the necessary capabilities (e.g., the suppression of significant volume variations, the interface maintenance etc.), could not fulfill the high demands of batteries with high energy density. Besides, extensive usage of the PVDF binder in the lithium ion battery is cost‐ineffective and may raise environmental concerns as its handling often needs the assistance of organic solvents. Herein, recent progresses on the development of novel eco‐friendly, low‐cost and water‐soluble binders which recently have gained increasing attention as a promising performance booster for lithium ion batteries with high energy density are reviewed. Such water soluble polymer binders are either natural, or modified, or synthesized, and they were observed with profoundly enhanced chemical/physical interactions with the electrode materials, stronger mechanical adhesion and evidently improved volume variation durability, leading to dramatic improvements in the electrochemical performances of Si‐based anodes, spinel/layered oxide cathodes and S cathodes. Perspectives for future research directions on water soluble binders are also discussed.
Water soluble polymer binders with profoundly enhanced chemical/physical interactions with the electrode materials, stronger mechanical adhesion and evidently improved volume variation durability, leading to dramatic improvements in the electrochemical performances of Si‐based anodes, spinel/layered oxide cathodes and S cathodes.
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Recently, the community has seen a rise in interest and development regarding holographic antennas. The planar hologram is made of subwavelength metal patches printed on a grounded dielectric board, ...constituting flat metasurfaces. When a known reference wave is launched, the hologram produces a pencil beam towards a prescribed direction. Most earlier works on such antennas have considered only a single beam. For the few later ones that studied multiple beams, they were achieved either by having each beam taken care of by a distinct frequency or by partitioning the hologram, thereby depriving each beam of the directivity it could have had it not shared the holographic aperture with other beams. There have been recent studies related to the use of tensor surface impedance concepts for the synthesis of holograms which have attained control over the polarizations and intensities of the beams. However, this approach is complicated, tedious, and time-consuming. In this paper, we present a method for designing a planar holographic leaky-wave multi-beam metasurface antenna, of which each simultaneous beam radiating at the same frequency towards any designated direction has a tailorable amplitude, phase, and polarization, all without hologram partitioning. Most importantly, this antenna is exempted from the need for the cumbersome technique of tensor impedance. Such features of beam configurability are useful in selective multiple-target applications that require differential gain and polarization control among the various beams. Only a single source is needed, which is another benefit. In addition, effective methods to mitigate sidelobes are also proposed here. Designs by simulations according to the method are herein validated with measurements performed on fabricated prototypes.
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Desiccation cracking is a common phenomenon of soil, which potentially affects irrigation and crop growth in farmland. Understanding cracking behaviour aids in developing an effective means of crack ...prevention or utilization. In the present paper, we report on a phenomenological investigation aimed at exploring the effects of irrigation methods on the cracking behaviour of soil during wetting–drying cycles. Nine identical specimens were prepared and subjected to three irrigation methods (surface irrigation, sprinkling irrigation and drip irrigation) and three wetting–drying cycles. Specimen cracking was monitored by a digital camera and crack patterns were delineated by geometric parameters calculated using image processing techniques. The results showed that the evaporation process of specimens could be roughly divided into three stages according to the variation of evaporation rate. Most cracks were generated during the constant rate stage, although the soil matrix zone was nearly saturated. Surface irrigation increased the cracking water content and cracking degree, in contrast to sprinkling irrigation and drip irrigation. The contribution of crack length propagation and crack width broadening to crack area growth was nearly the same when the soil water content decreased to low values. Stabilized crack networks varied from fractal regimes to uniform distribution regimes with the increasing‐length scale, and the crossover length was independent of irrigation methods and wetting–drying cycles. Under sprinkling irrigation and drip irrigation, cracks formed in the first drying remained as failure zones and most of them reappeared during subsequent drying. However, after surface irrigation most cracks did not propagate in previously cracked zones during subsequent drying, giving rise to shifting crack networks between wetting–drying cycles. Our results provide new insights regarding crack development and evolution in agricultural soil, which will be useful in crack management and irrigation arrangement during crop production.
Highlights
Effects of irrigation methods and wetting–drying cycles on cracking were investigated.
Most cracks initiate and propagate when the soil matrix zone is nearly saturated.
Different irrigation methods result in reappearing or shifting crack networks between cycles.
This study provides new insights regarding crack development and evolution in agricultural soil.
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The power conversion efficiency (PCE) of planar p–i–n perovskite solar cells (pero‐SCs) is commonly lower than that of the n–i–p pero‐SCs, due to the severe nonradiative recombination stemming from ...the more p‐type perovskite with prevailing electron traps. Here, two n‐type organic molecules, DMBI‐2‐Th and DMBI‐2‐Th‐I, with hydrogen‐transfer properties for the doping of bulk perovskite aimed at regulating its electronic states are synthesized. The generated radicals in these n‐type dopants with high‐lying singly occupied molecular orbitals enable easy transfer of the thermally activated electrons to the MAPbI3 perovskite for the realization of n‐doped perovskites. The n‐doping degree could be further enhanced by using the iodine ionized dopant DMBI‐2‐Th‐I. The doping effect could reduce the electron trap density, increase the electron concentration of the bulk perovskite, and simultaneously improve the surface electronic contact. When the DMBI‐2‐Th‐I‐doped perovskite is used in planar p–i–n pero‐SCs, the nonradiative recombination is significantly suppressed. As a result, the photovoltaic performance improved significantly, as evidenced by an excellent PCE of 20.90% and a robust ambient stability even under high relative humidity. To the best of the knowledge, this work represents the first example where organic n‐type dopants are used to tune the electronic states of a bulk perovskite film for efficient planar p–i–n pero‐SCs.
1,3‐dimethyl‐2‐(thiophen‐2‐yl)‐2,3‐dihydro‐1H‐benzodimidazole (DMBI‐2‐Th) and its iodine ionized molecule DMBI‐2‐Th‐I are developed to regulate the electronic states of bulk perovskite for efficient p–i–n pero‐SCs, leading to a significant improvement in electron trap density, electron concentration, ambipolar charge transporting property, and electronic extraction efficiency. Finally, a promising power conversion efficiency of 20.90% with excellent moisture stability is obtained.
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Psoriasis is a chronic skin disease that affects millions of people worldwide. In 2014, psoriasis was recognized by the World Health Organization (WHO) as a serious non-communicable disease. In this ...study, a systems biology approach was used to investigate the underlying pathogenic mechanism of psoriasis and identify the potential drug targets for therapeutic treatment. The study involved the construction of a candidate genome-wide genetic and epigenetic network (GWGEN) through big data mining, followed by the identification of real GWGENs of psoriatic and non-psoriatic using system identification and system order detection methods. Core GWGENs were extracted from real GWGENs using the Principal Network Projection (PNP) method, and the corresponding core signaling pathways were annotated using the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathways. Comparing core signaling pathways of psoriasis and non-psoriasis and their downstream cellular dysfunctions, STAT3, CEBPB, NF-κB, and FOXO1 are identified as significant biomarkers of pathogenic mechanism and considered as drug targets for the therapeutic treatment of psoriasis. Then, a deep neural network (DNN)-based drug-target interaction (DTI) model was trained by the DTI dataset to predict candidate molecular drugs. By considering adequate regulatory ability, toxicity, and sensitivity as drug design specifications, Naringin, Butein, and Betulinic acid were selected from the candidate molecular drugs and combined into potential multi-molecule drugs for the treatment of psoriasis.
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