The interfacial origin of performance improvement and fade of high-voltage cathodes of LiNi0.5Co0.2Mn0.3O2 for high-energy lithium-ion batteries has been investigated. Performance improvement was ...achieved through interfacial stabilization using 5 wt % methyl (2,2,2-trifluoroethyl) carbonate (FEMC) of fluorinated linear carbonate as a new electrolyte additive. Cycling with the FEMC additive at 3.0–4.6 V versus Li/Li+ results in the formation of a stable solid electrolyte interface (SEI) layer and effective passivation of cathode surface, leading to improved cycling performance delivering enhanced discharge capacities to 205–182 mAhg–1 and capacity retention of 84% over 50 cycles. The SEI layer notably includes plenty of metal fluorides and −CF-containing species formed by additive decomposition. On the contrary, the origin of performance fade in electrolyte only was ineffective surface passivation and dissolution of metal elements, which leads to oxygen loss, surface structural degradation and crack formation at the LiNi0.5Co0.2Mn0.3O2 particles. The data provide a basic understanding of the interfacial stabilization mechanism on high-voltage layered oxide cathodes.
In this study, the effects of Ca addition on the microstructure, thermal properties, and mechanical properties of a Mg-6.0Zn-1.2Y-0.7Zr (ZWK611) alloy at room temperature and 150 °C were ...investigated. With an increase in the Ca content, the ignition resistance of the ZWK611 alloy improved and the grains became finer. The as-cast ZWK611 alloy consisted mainly of the dendritic α-Mg matrix and I-phase (Mg3Zn6Y) at the grain boundaries. On the other hand, the τ- (Ca2Mg6Zn3) and I-phases were formed in the Ca-added ZWK611 alloy. The fraction of the τ-phase increased with an increase in the Ca content. After the solid-solution treatment, these phases remained partially at the grain boundaries of the Ca-added ZWK611 alloys and an additional W-phase (Mg3Zn3Y) was observed. The phases remaining at the grain boundaries restricted the grain growth through the grain boundary pinning effect. The aging treatment resulted in the formation of MgZn' precipitates in the α-Mg matrix of the alloys. These precipitates were more uniformly distributed in the Ca-added alloys than in the alloys without Ca. Thus, the heat treatment-induced precipitation improved the tensile and creep properties of the T6-treated alloys. The T6-treated ZWK611+0.7Ca alloy exhibited the best mechanical properties at room temperature and 150 °C among all the tested alloys.
Pectoralis Minor Syndrome (PMS) causes significant discomfort due to the compression of the neurovascular bundle within the retropectoralis minor space. Botulinum neurotoxin (BoNT) injections have ...emerged as a potential treatment method; however, their effectiveness depends on accurately locating the injection site. In this study, we aimed to identify optimal BoNT injection sites for PMS treatment. We used twenty-nine embalmed and eight non-embalmed human cadavers to determine the origin and intramuscular arborization of the pectoralis minor muscle (Pm) via manual dissection and Sihler’s nerve staining techniques. Our findings showed the Pm’s origin near an oblique line through the suprasternal notch, with most neural arborization within the proximal three-fourths of the Pm. Blind dye injections validated these results, effectively targeting the primary neural arborized area of the Pm at the oblique line’s intersection with the second and third ribs. We propose BoNT injections at the arborized region within the Pm’s proximal three-fourths, or the C region, for PMS treatment. These findings guide clinicians towards safer, more effective BoNT injections.
We report a microlens array camera with variable apertures (MACVA) for high dynamic range (HDR) imaging by using microlens arrays with various sizes of apertures. The MACVA comprises variable ...apertures, microlens arrays, gap spacers, and a CMOS image sensor. The microlenses with variable apertures capture low dynamic range (LDR) images with different f-stops under single-shot exposure. The reconstructed HDR images clearly exhibit expanded dynamic ranges surpassing LDR images as well as high resolution without motion artifacts, comparable to the maximum MTF50 value observed among the LDR images. This compact camera provides, what we believe to be, a new perspective for various machine vision or mobile devices applications.
The genus
, with over 900 species, is one of the largest monocotyledonous genera and is widely accepted with 15 recognized subgenera and 72 sections. The robust subgeneric and sectional relationships ...within
have long been not resolved. Based on 76 species of
(a total of 84 accessions), we developed a highly resolved plastome phylogenetic framework by integrating 18 newly sequenced species (20 accessions) in this study and assessed their subgeneric and sectional relationships, with special emphasis on the two subgenera
and
. We retrieved the three major evolutionary lines within
and found that the two subgenera
and
are monophyletic whereas others are highly polyphyletic (e.g.,
,
,
, and
). Within the subgenus
, two strongly supported sublineages in East Asian and Eurasian-American were found.
in North America belonged to the Eurasian clade. The distinct taxonomic status of
and its sister taxon were further determined. In subg.
, the Ulleung Island endemic
shared its most recent common ancestor with the species from Mongolia and the narrow Korean endemic
. Two Ulleung Island endemics were estimated to originate independently during the Pleistocene. In addition, a separate monotypic sectional treatment of the east Asian
(subg.
) and sister relationship between
and
was suggested.
Obesity, a serious threat to public health, is linked to chronic metabolic complications including insulin resistance, type-2 diabetes, and metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease ...(MAFLD). Current obesity medications are challenged by poor effectiveness, poor patient compliance, and potential side effects. Verapamil is an inhibitor of L-type calcium channels, FDA-approved for the treatment of hypertension. We previously investigated the effect of verapamil on modulating autophagy to treat obesity-associated lipotoxicity. This study aims to develop a verapamil transdermal patch and to evaluate its anti-obesity effects.
Verapamil is loaded in biomimetic vascular bundle-like carboxymethyl pullulan-based supramolecular hydrogel patches cross-linked with citric acid and glycerol linkages (CLCMP). The investigation was then carried out to determine the therapeutic effect of verapamil-loaded CLCMP (Vera@CLCMP) on diet-induced obese mice.
Vera@CLCMP hydrogel patches with hierarchically organized and anisotropic pore structures not only improved verapamil bioavailability without modifying its chemical structure but also enhanced verapamil release through the stratum corneum barrier. Vera@CLCMP patches exhibit low toxicity and high effectiveness at delivering verapamil into the systemic circulation through the dermis in a sustained manner. Specifically, transdermal administration of this patch into diet-induced obese mice drastically improved glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity and alleviated metabolic derangements associated with MAFLD. Furthermore, we uncovered a distinct molecular mechanism underlying the anti-obesity effects associated with the hepatic NLR family pyrin domain-containing 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome and autophagic clearance by the vera@CLCMP hydrogel patches.
The current study provides promising drug delivery platforms for long-term family treatment of chronic diseases, including obesity and metabolic dysfunctions.
To improve the dispersion of carbonyl iron (CI) particles in a rubbery medium, CI particles were pretreated with (3-aminopropyl) triethoxy silane (APTES), and processed with natural rubber for the ...fabrication of magnetorheological (MR) elastomers. In particular, for its anisotropic state, the MR elastomer sample was cured under a specific magnetic field to align the magnetic particles in the direction of the magnetic field. Scanning electron microscopy and mapping analysis were carried out to observe not only the coating of the CI particles with APTES but also the anisotropic state and the dispersion of CI particles in the MR elastomers. Viscoelastic experiments, such as strain amplitude and frequency sweep tests, were measured using a rotational rheometer under a range of applied magnetic fields. The CI/APTES-based MR elastomers demonstrated superior MR properties to the CI-based MR elastomer according to the rheological tests.
Vascular dementia (VaD) is characterized by a time-dependent memory deficit and essentially combined with evidence of neuroinflammation. Thus, polyphenol-rich natural plants, which possess ...anti-inflammatory properties, have received much scientific attention. This study investigated whether Perilla frutescens leaf extract (PFL) exerts therapeutic efficacy against VaD. Sprague Dawley rats were divided into five groups: SO, sham-operated and vehicle treatment; OP, operated and vehicle treatment; PFL-L, operated and low-dose (30 mg/kg) PFL treatment; PFL-M, operated and medium-dose (60 mg/kg) PFL treatment; and PFL-H, operated and high-dose (90 mg/kg) PFL treatment. Two-vessel occlusion and hypovolemia (2VO/H) were employed as a surgical model of VaD, and PFL was given orally perioperatively for 23 days. The rats underwent the Y-maze, Barnes maze, and passive avoidance tests and their brains were subjected to histologic studies. The OP group showed VaD-associated memory deficits, hippocampal neuronal death, and microglial activation; however, the PFL-treated groups showed significant attenuations in all of the above parameters. Using lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated BV-2 cells, a murine microglial cell line, we measured PFL-mediated changes on the production of nitric oxide (NO), TNF-α, and IL-6, and the activities of their upstream MAP kinases (MAPKs)/NFκB/inducible NO synthase (iNOS). The LPS-induced upregulations of NO, TNF-α, and IL-6 production and MAPKs/NFκB/iNOS activities were globally and significantly reversed by 12-h pretreatment of PFL. This suggests that PFL can counteract VaD-associated structural and functional deterioration through the attenuation of neuroinflammation.
Background
The number of elderly patients undergoing gastric cancer surgery has recently increased. We therefore evaluated the short- and long-term outcomes of elderly patients after curative ...gastrectomy.
Methods
Overall, 824 patients were included in this retrospective study, which comprised of a non-elderly group (60–64 years;
n
= 558), an early-elderly group (75–79 years;
n
= 198), and a late-elderly group (≥80 years;
n
= 68) who underwent curative gastrectomy for gastric cancer between 2005 and 2009. Postoperative complications, according to the Clavien–Dindo classification, and survival of both elderly groups were compared with the non-elderly group. Postoperative life expectancy of the late-elderly group was compared with the corresponding aged general population.
Results
Overall and severe (grade III or higher) complications in the early-elderly group were comparable with the non-elderly group; however, those in the late-elderly group were significantly more common than in the non-elderly group (
p
= 0.013 and
p
= 0.043, respectively). Multivariable analysis revealed that age ≥80 years was an independent risk factor for severe complications (hazard ratio 3.02, 95 % confidence interval 1.12–8.17;
p
= 0.029), and the disease-specific survivals of both elderly groups were comparable with the non-elderly group in all TNM stages. Postoperative life expectancy of late-elderly patients eliminating death from recurrence was comparable with the corresponding aged general population eliminating death from gastric cancer.
Conclusions
Gastric cancer surgery in elderly patients aged ≥80 years achieves reasonable long-term survival despite the increased risk of severe complications.
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