All-solid-state lithium-ion batteries (ASLBs) employing sulfide solid electrolytes are considered a promising alternative to conventional lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) from the perspectives of safety ...and high energy density. From a practical point of view, the development of sheet-type electrodes employing alternative electrode materials by scalable fabrication is of prime importance. While Si has been extensively studied for next-generation LIBs, reports on ASLBs are scarce. Herein, we fabricate sheet-type Si composite electrodes by infiltrating conventional LIB electrodes with solid electrolytes using a homogeneous Li6PS5Cl-ethanol solution. Further, we systematically investigate effects of the particle size (micro- vs. nano-Si) and polymeric binders (polyvinylidene fluoride vs. polyacrylic acid/carboxymethyl cellulose) on the electrochemical performance of ASLBs under varying external pressures (140, 20, and 5 MPa) upon cycling. Owing to intimate ionic contacts enabled by liquefied solid electrolytes, the Li6PS5Cl-infiltrated Si electrodes show higher capacities of over 3000 mA h g−1 at 0.25 mA cm−2 and 30 °C as compared with conventional dry-mixed electrodes. At 20 MPa, the Si electrodes using micro-Si and polyvinylidene fluoride show marginal degradation of performance. The high energy density of 338 W h kg−1 of LiCoO2/Si ASLBs fabricated using the Li6PS5Cl-infiltrated electrodes is demonstrated, highlighting the prospect of high-energy practical ASLBs.
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•Sheet-type Si electrodes are fabricated by infiltrating solution-processable SEs.•Li6PS5Cl-infiltrated Si electrodes show high capacities of more than 3000 mA h g−1.•Effects of the Si size, binders, and pressure on the performances are investigated.•LiCoO2/Si full-cells showing high energy density (338 Wh kg−1) are demonstrated.
Peripheral nerve injuries represent a significant problem in public health, constituting 2-5% of all trauma cases
. For severe nerve injuries, even advanced forms of clinical intervention often lead ...to incomplete and unsatisfactory motor and/or sensory function
. Numerous studies report the potential of pharmacological approaches (for example, growth factors, immunosuppressants) to accelerate and enhance nerve regeneration in rodent models
. Unfortunately, few have had a positive impact in clinical practice. Direct intraoperative electrical stimulation of injured nerve tissue proximal to the site of repair has been demonstrated to enhance and accelerate functional recovery
, suggesting a novel nonpharmacological, bioelectric form of therapy that could complement existing surgical approaches. A significant limitation of this technique is that existing protocols are constrained to intraoperative use and limited therapeutic benefits
. Herein we introduce (i) a platform for wireless, programmable electrical peripheral nerve stimulation, built with a collection of circuit elements and substrates that are entirely bioresorbable and biocompatible, and (ii) the first reported demonstration of enhanced neuroregeneration and functional recovery in rodent models as a result of multiple episodes of electrical stimulation of injured nervous tissue.
5'-adenosine monophosphate (AMP)-activated protein kinase (AMPK) is an evolutionarily conserved serine/threonine kinase that was originally identified as the key player in maintaining cellular energy ...homeostasis. Intensive research over the last decade has identified diverse molecular mechanisms and physiological conditions that regulate the AMPK activity. AMPK regulates diverse metabolic and physiological processes and is dysregulated in major chronic diseases, such as obesity, inflammation, diabetes and cancer. On the basis of its critical roles in physiology and pathology, AMPK is emerging as one of the most promising targets for both the prevention and treatment of these diseases. In this review, we discuss the current understanding of the molecular and physiological regulation of AMPK and its metabolic and physiological functions. In addition, we discuss the mechanisms underlying the versatile roles of AMPK in diabetes and cancer.
Energy‐storage technologies such as lithium‐ion batteries and supercapacitors have become fundamental building blocks in modern society. Recently, the emerging direction toward the ever‐growing ...market of flexible and wearable electronics has nourished progress in building multifunctional energy‐storage systems that can be bent, folded, crumpled, and stretched while maintaining their electrochemical functions under deformation. Here, recent progress and well‐developed strategies in research designed to accomplish flexible and stretchable lithium‐ion batteries and supercapacitors are reviewed. The challenges of developing novel materials and configurations with tailored features, and in designing simple and large‐scaled manufacturing methods that can be widely utilized are considered. Furthermore, the perspectives and opportunities for this emerging field of materials science and engineering are also discussed.
Recent innovative strategies in flexible and stretchable energy storage are highlighted, with a focus on lithium‐ion batteries and supercapacitors. A range of diverse approaches and configurations for flexible and stretchable electrodes, electrolytes, and integrated systems is discussed. The perspectives and opportunities for this emerging field of materials science and engineering are also concluded.
Multicomponent chemotherapy has increasingly become a strategy of great importance in clinical cancer treatments. However, this type of chemotherapy has not been demonstrated in nanoscale delivery ...vehicles where two cytotoxic agents can be packaged together, potentially leading to synergistic drug activities. Herein, we present the codelivery of doxorubicin and cisplatin via a single polymer-caged nanobin (PCN) and show that copackaging can yield strong synergy in the efficacy of these agents. Such a PCN comprises a doxorubicin-encapsulated liposomal core protected by a pH-responsive cisplatin prodrug-loaded polymer shell with tunable drug ratios and surface charge potentials. This dual-agent Pt-PCNDXR formulation dramatically enhances the overall cytotoxicity of each drug against cancer cells at reduced doses and exhibits higher synergy than combinations of either the free drugs or separately nano-packaged drugs. These results clearly indicate that the polymer-caged nanobin platform can offer new means for building synergy into combination chemotherapy regimens.
Unlike previous studies on the Metaverse based on Second Life, the current Metaverse is based on the social value of Generation Z that online and offline selves are not different. With the ...technological development of deep learning-based high-precision recognition models and natural generation models, Metaverse is being strengthened with various factors, from mobile-based always-on access to connectivity with reality using virtual currency. The integration of enhanced social activities and neural-net methods requires a new definition of Metaverse suitable for the present, different from the previous Metaverse. This paper divides the concepts and essential techniques necessary for realizing the Metaverse into three components (i.e., hardware, software, and contents) and three approaches (i.e., user interaction, implementation, and application) rather than marketing or hardware approach to conduct a comprehensive analysis. Furthermore, we describe essential methods based on three components and techniques to Metaverse's representative Ready Player One, Roblox, and Facebook research in the domain of films, games, and studies. Finally, we summarize the limitations and directions for implementing the immersive Metaverse as social influences, constraints, and open challenges.
Abstract Background Epidemiologic studies have demonstrated inconsistent associations between diabetes mellitus and the risk of lung cancer. To determine whether diabetes mellitus is associated with ...an increased risk of lung cancer, we performed a meta-analysis of observational studies. Methods PubMed, EMBASE and the Cochrane Library were searched for observational studies conducted prior to September 2012. We included prospective cohort studies that reported relative risks and case–control studies that showed odds ratios in the analysis. The pooled relative risk (RR) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) was calculated with a random effects model. Sensitivity analysis was performed with studies which controlled for smoking status. Associations were assessed in several subgroups representing different participant and study characteristics. Results A total of 34 studies from 24 manuscripts (10 case–control studies and 24 cohort studies) were included in the analyses. Diabetes was significantly associated with the increased risk of lung cancer compared with non-diabetic controls when limiting the analysis to studies adjusting for smoking status (RR, 1.11; 95% CI, 1.02–1.20; I2 = 46.1%). By contrast, this association disappeared when the analysis was restricted to studies not adjusting for smoking status (RR, 0.99; 95% CI, 0.88–1.11; I2 = 96.7%). When stratifying by sex, an increased risk of lung cancer was prominent in diabetic women (RR, 1.14; 95% CI, 1.09–1.20; I2 = 0%), while there was no association in diabetic men (RR, 1.07; 95% CI, 0.89–1.28; I2 = 96.6%). Among diabetic women, significantly increased risks of lung cancer were found in the following subgroups: cohort studies (RR, 1.14; 95% CI, 1.08–1.20; I2 = 0%), studies controlling for major confounding variables such as age, smoking and alcohol (RR, 1.19; 95% CI, 1.00–1.43; I2 = 23.1%), studies with long-term follow-up (RR, 1.14; 95% CI, 1.08–1.20; I2 = 0%), and high-quality studies assessed by the Newcastle–Ottawa Scale (RR, 1.14; 95% CI, 1.08–1.20; I2 = 0%). Interpretation Preexisting diabetes mellitus may increase the risk of lung cancer, especially among female diabetic patients. Further large-scale prospective studies are needed to test specifically the effect of diabetes mellitus on lung cancer risk.
Vitamin D, traditionally known as an essential nutrient, is a precursor of a potent steroid hormone that regulates a broad spectrum of physiological processes. In addition to its classical roles in ...bone metabolism, epidemiological, preclinical, and cellular research during the last decades, it revealed that vitamin D may play a key role in the prevention and treatment of many extra-skeletal diseases such as cancer. Vitamin D, as a prohormone, undergoes two-step metabolism in liver and kidney to produce a biologically active metabolite, calcitriol, which binds to the vitamin D receptor (VDR) for the regulation of expression of diverse genes. In addition, recent studies have revealed that vitamin D can also be metabolized and activated through a CYP11A1-driven non-canonical metabolic pathway. Numerous anticancer properties of vitamin D have been proposed, with diverse effects on cancer development and progression. However, accumulating data suggest that the metabolism and functions of vitamin D are dysregulated in many types of cancer, conferring resistance to the antitumorigenic effects of vitamin D and thereby contributing to the development and progression of cancer. Thus, understanding dysregulated vitamin D metabolism and function in cancer will be critical for the development of promising new strategies for successful vitamin D-based cancer therapy.
A lot of efforts have been made for the development of novel organic photoredox catalysts (PCs) due to their gratifying replacement for conventional transition metal‐based PCs in photoredox ...catalysis. In this minireview, we summarized and classified the recently reported organic PCs into several categories based on functional groups (e.g. cyanoarene, phenazine, xanthene, and others) with their applications to various organic transformations including polymerization reactions. The strategies used to design organic PCs then also introduced. The emerging trends for the discovery of organic PCs are systematic approaches which include computer‐aided and mechanism‐based design. We anticipate that this minireview will provide not only the characteristics of the recently reported organic PCs, but also an insight into the design and discovery of organic PCs for desired applications.
The recent emergence of organic photoredox catalysts has been aided by the establishment of design strategies (e.g. structure–property/performance relationship, strongly twisted donor–acceptor scaffolds or computer‐guided approaches). In this minireview, we summarize organic photoredox catalysts that have been reported since 2016, with their design, properties, and applications in organic syntheses.
Solid‐state electrolyte materials are attractive options for meeting the safety and performance needs of advanced lithium‐based rechargeable battery technologies because of their improved mechanical ...and thermal stability compared to liquid electrolytes. However, there is typically a tradeoff between mechanical and electrochemical performance. Here an elastic Li‐ion conductor with dual covalent and dynamic hydrogen bonding crosslinks is described to provide high mechanical resilience without sacrificing the room‐temperature ionic conductivity. A solid‐state lithium‐metal/LiFePO4 cell with this resilient electrolyte can operate at room temperature with a high cathode capacity of 152 mAh g−1 for 300 cycles and can maintain operation even after being subjected to intense mechanical impact testing. This new dual crosslinking design provides robust mechanical properties while maintaining ionic conductivity similar to state‐of‐the‐art polymer‐based electrolytes. This approach opens a route toward stable, high‐performance operation of solid‐state batteries even under extreme abuse.
For solid polymer electrolytes there is typically a tradeoff between mechanical and electrochemical performance. An elastic Li‐ion conductor with dual covalent and dynamic hydrogen bonding crosslinks is synthesized to provide high mechanical resilience without sacrificing the ionic conductivity. A solid‐state full cell with this resilient electrolyte can maintain operation even after being subjected to intense mechanical impact testing.
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