batterydata/paper-abstracts huggingface dataset:
Benzodiazepines (BZDs; including the related Z-drugs) are frequently targets for deprescribing; long-term use in older people is harmful and often not beneficial. BZDs can result in significant harms, including falls, fractures, cognitive impairment, car crashes and a significant financial and legal burden to society. Deprescribing BZDs is problematic due to a complex interaction of drug, patient, physician and systematic barriers, including concern about a potentially distressing but rarely fatal withdrawal syndrome. Multiple studies have trialled interventions to deprescribe BZDs in older people and are discussed in this narrative review. Reported success rates of deprescribing BZD interventions range between 27 and 80%, and this variability can be attributed to heterogeneity of methodological approaches and limited generalisability to cognitively impaired patients. Interventions targeting the patient and/or carer include raising awareness (direct-to-consumer education, minimal interventions, and ‘one-off’ geriatrician counselling) and resourcing the patient (gradual dose reduction [GDR] with or without cognitive behavioural therapy, teaching relaxation techniques, and sleep hygiene). These are effective if the patient is motivated to cease and is not significantly cognitively impaired. Interventions targeted to physicians include prescribing interventions by audit, algorithm or medication review, and providing supervised GDR in combination with medication substitution. Pharmacists have less frequently been the targets for studies, but have key roles in several multifaceted interventions. Interventions are evaluated according to the Behaviour Change Wheel. Research supports trialling a stepwise approach in the cognitively intact older person, but having a low threshold to use less-consultative methods in patients with dementia. Several resources are available to support deprescribing of BZDs in clinical practice, including online protocols.
At the heart of this article is a structural approach to narrative, based on the work of Propp, Labov, van Dijk, Halliday, and others. The article highlights the structural features of narrative—basically, the organization of the genre around the semantic template actor-action-actor (syntactically rendered as subject-verb-object but where, in narrative, the subject is typically a social actor and the verb a social action) and the modifiers of each element of this triplet, such as time and space of action—and shows how to implement this structure in a computer environment and how to use this methodological tool in socio-historical research (namely, the rise of Italian fascism, 1919–22). But, taking a cue from Halliday’s cover jacket of his An Introduction to Functional Grammar, with its representation of a color circle, the paper takes the reader on an intellectual journey from Newton to Goethe—and the quality versus quantity debate—to Goethe and Propp, to end, back home, with Simmel and Weber.
Copper oxide nanoparticles were synthesized using an eco-friendly, simple and cost effective green synthesis method mediated by maize (Zea mays L.) fresh husk extract. Pure reddish cubic Cu2O nanoparticles were obtained for the first time via this green synthesis route. The Cu2O nanoparticles were thermally oxidized to pure monoclinic CuO nanoparticles at 600 °C. The phases of the copper oxides were confirmed from the X-ray diffraction (XRD) studies. The calculated crystal sizes are 39.2, 20.0 and 22.5 nm for the un-annealed, 300 °C and 600 °C annealed copper oxide nanoparticles, respectively. The values of the bandgap energies obtained from diffuse reflectance of the nanoparticles are 1.95, 1.30 and 1.40 eV, respectively, for the unannealed, 300 °C, and 600 °C annealed copper oxide nanoparticles. The electrochemical properties were studied using cyclic voltammetry (CV), galvanostatic charge discharge (GCD) cycles and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). The unannealed reddish Cu2O nanoparticles are very stable after 2500 GCD cycles and gave the highest specific capacitance of 252 F g−1 at a scan rate of 5 mV s−1. This shows that the reddish Cu2O nanoparticle is a promising material for electrochemical energy storage applications. An asymmetric device made using activated carbon anode and unannealed copper oxide as cathode gave a specific capacitance of 87 F g−1 at a current density of 0.125 A g−1 and high energy density of 39.3 Wh kg−1 at a power density of 737.0 W kg−1.
Sintering processes yield a mutual diffusion region at the electrode/solid electrolyte interface, which is considered as a crucial problem for developing large-sized all-solid-state rechargeable lithium batteries with high power density. This work focuses on the interface between LiNi1/3Co1/3Mn1/3O2 (NMC) and NASICON-structured Li+ conductive glass ceramics solid electrolyte (Li2OAl2O3 SiO2 P2O5 TiO2 GeO2: LATP sheet (AG-01)), and investigates the effects of sintering temperature on interfacial structure and interfacial resistance at the NMC/LATP sheet. Thin films of NMC were fabricated on the LATP sheets at 700 °C or 900 °C as a model system. We found that the thickness of the mutual diffusion region was almost the same, ca. 30 nm, in these two samples, but the NMC film prepared at 900 °C had three orders of magnitude larger interfacial resistance than the NMC film prepared at 700 °C. Around the interface between the NMC film prepared at 900 °C and the LATP sheet, Co in the NMC accumulates as a reduced valence and lithium-free impurity crystalline phase will be also formed. These two problems must contribute to drastic increasing of interfacial resistance. Formation of de-lithiated NMC around the interface and its thermal instability at higher temperature may be considerable reason to induce these problems.
This study designed an efficient, easily implementable online optimal control strategy for three-power-source hybrid electric powertrains. The energy improvement of optimal energy management and integrated optimal energy management/mode switch timing relative to the energy consumption in rule-based control was evaluated. First, a control-oriented vehicle model with seven subsystems was developed. For achieving rule-based control, the torque distribution among the engine, motor, and generator was designed according to performance maps of power sources. To conduct power allocation of three sources, two power-split ratios were obtained. Furthermore, for switching between three operation modes (hybrid, electric vehicle, and range extension modes), two hysteresis zones based on the required power and battery state-of-charge were used with four designed variables (boundaries). A global search method was used for the optimization. A cost function with a physical-constraint penalty was used to maximize the travel distance. A simulation performed using nested-structure for-loop programs showed that the mileage extension (energy improvement) for the optimal energy management and integrated optimal energy management/mode switch timing relative to the mileage in rule-based control for two driving cycles, NEDC and FTP-75, were [26.32%, 30.52%] and [17.22%, 20.68%], respectively. The improvements of CO2 reduction were [26.34%, 27.10%] and [23.47%, 24.12%], respectively, thus proving that this study significantly reduced energy consumption and pollutant emission by employing an easily designed control strategy. Online parameter tuning and implementation of optimal energy management in a real vehicle will be conducted in the future.
Cognitive deficits and psychological impairments are often associated with seizures. In order to describe the neuropsychological profiles of adult patients with epilepsy (PWEs) in Hong Kong China, a total of 186 PWEs were recruited with 102 being drug-responsive and 84 being drug-resistant. Symptoms of depression, anxiety, and epilepsy-specific quality of life (QOL) were measured. Cognitive assessments consisted of intelligence, memory, verbal and visual abilities, and executive function. Neurocognitive impairments were prevalent among PWEs, and patients with drug-resistant epilepsy had significantly more impaired psychological and cognitive profiles. Thirty-nine percent and 30% of patients with drug-resistant epilepsy reported moderate to severe levels of anxiety and depression, respectively, versus 16% and 7% of patients with drug-responsive epilepsy. The most commonly occurring cognitive deficit was memory. Thirty-five percent to 47% of patients with drug-resistant epilepsy and 26% to 35% of patients with drug-responsive epilepsy were compromised in verbal recall memory. Our findings also suggested significant correlations between psychological well-being and cognitive performance. Patients who reported more psychological symptoms tended to perform worse in neurocognitive tests. Identification and management of neuropsychological difficulties in PWEs are important and should be included in primary epilepsy care.
Nanostructured electrode materials represent a promising path forward to dramatically improving the performance of both Li-ion and beyond Li-ion battery systems; however, difficulties in characterizing the structural and electrochemical changes that take place in nanoscale systems, which are often poorly crystalline or amorphous, make it difficult to develop design rules for synthesizing new materials with optimal performance. Bilayered vanadium oxide-based materials (BL-V2O5) are an ideal platform for understanding the underlying physicochemical properties that determine capacity in nanomaterials, with electrochemically-synthesized V2O5 (EC-V2O5) exhibiting particularly high capacities. In this work we provide evidence that the source of high practical capacity in EC-V2O5 is the presence of “structural hydroxyl groups” that are an intrinsic feature of the electrochemical synthesis method. Using both in situ and ex situ characterization methods, we demonstrate that structural OH species are highly stable and persist in the structure during reversible cycling. We hypothesize three important roles for structural OH groups: they maintain a sufficient interlayer spacing to allow the physical diffusion of cations over multiple cycles; they maintain a consistent solvating environment in the bilayer regardless of structural H2O content; and they reduce the symmetry of vanadium polyhedra to favor electron transfer over pseudocapacitive adsorption, making it possible to access close to theoretical capacity. These insights have broad implications for understanding the performance of a variety of hydrated oxide systems, and indicate that the formation of covalently-bound hydroxyoxide species can lead to further improvements in the performance of nanoscale materials.
A meteorological data-acquisition system is implemented based on an 80C32 microcontroller, which scans 10 sensors together at intervals programmable from one minute to one hour. The data are stored in a removable, non-volatile random access memory (NOVRAM) cartridge each day for one month and then transferred into a more powerful computer. This system is versatile and easily transportable. It has been used to supervise the growth of bananas in a greenhouse situated in a remote site near Tizi Ouzou. The production of bananas is found to be optimum for high values of relative humidity and temperature varying around 25°C within the greenhouse.
Efficient and cost-effective membranes to increase sustainability of electrochemical energy conversion systems consisting of vanadium redox flow batteries (VRFBs) have received wide-range of attention. In this research, to investigate the feasibility of an anion exchange membrane for VRFBs, we fabricated a cost-effective poly(phenylene oxide)-based Im-bPPO membrane through facile preparation techniques. Physico-chemical and electrochemical measurements proved that the Im-bPPO membrane could be considered as a membrane candidate for VRFB applications. The Im-bPPO membrane exhibited good water uptake behavior and an ion exchange capacity of 0.71 meq/g. The anion exchange properties of the Im-bPPO membrane showed a reasonable proton conductivity of 12 mS/cm, which can facilitate proton transportation during unit cell operation. The presence of –OH functional group and water molecules in the membrane can induce proton transportation. Moreover, vanadium (V4+) ion crossover was significantly prohibited by the Im-bPPO membrane, which was considerably lower than the Nafion membrane. Vanadium permeability of the Im-bPPO membrane is 0.0678 × 10−7 cm2 min−1. A unique advantage of the Im-bPPO membrane is raising the Donnan exclusion effect during the unit cell operation, where the same charge of vanadium ion is repulsed by the Im-bPPO membrane. Furthermore, a reasonable VRFB unit cell performance was obtained by the Im-bPPO membrane. The coulombic efficiency of the Im-bPPO membrane (99.5%) is higher than that of the Nafion membrane (93%) under identical conditions during the 5th cycle, which can enhance the overall VRFB performance. This research work provides an insight into Im-bPPO-based anion exchange membranes for VRFB systems.
LiCoO2 powders synthesized by a sol/gel process followed by an annealing heat treatment in the range 400–900°C are systematically characterized using SEM, X-ray diffraction, FTIR and Raman spectroscopy. The composition of the final powder is found to be controlled by the heat treatment temperature. A thorough multipeak fitting analysis of Raman spectra gives access for the first time to the quantitative estimation of the R-3m and Fd3m relative amounts in the LiCoO2 powders as a function of the post-annealing temperature. The gradual LT–HT phase transformation can therefore be observed: a pure Fd3m phase is obtained at 400°C, and then the two LiCoO2 forms coexist from 500°C to below 700°C, the R-3m relative amount increasing from 20% at 500°C to 90% at 600°C, to be 100% at 700°C. Cyclic voltammetric measurements confirmed this evolution, showing the typical behaviour of the high performance R-3m layered phase from 600°C. These results put forward an original and appropriate use of Raman spectroscopy in the field of electrode materials for lithium batteries.
The graphene–manganese oxide hybrid material has been prepared by solution-phase assembly of aqueous dispersions of graphene nanosheets and manganese oxide nanosheets at room temperature. The morphology and structure of the obtained material are examined by scanning electron microscopy, transition electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction and N2 adsorption–desorption. Electrochemical properties are characterized by cyclic voltammetry, galvanostatic charge–discharge and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. An asymmetric electrochemical capacitor with high energy and power densities based on the graphene–manganese oxide hybrid material as positive electrode and graphene as negative electrode in a neutral aqueous Na2SO4 solution as electrolyte is assembled. The asymmetrical electrochemical capacitor could cycle reversibly in a voltage of 0–1.7V and give an energy density of 10.03Whkg−1 even at an average power density of 2.53kWkg−1. Moreover, the asymmetrical electrochemical capacitor exhibit excellent cycle stability, and the capacitance retention of the asymmetrical electrochemical capacitor is 69% after repeating the galvanostatic charge–discharge test at the constant current density of 2230mAg−1 for 10,000 cycles.
As an adjunct to physical examination, ultrasound is a potentially attractive option for diagnosing pneumothoraces in the pre-hospital and retrieval environment – and could confer a benefit to patient safety. However, the published evidence supporting non-physicians use of ultrasound in this setting is limited.
A simple approach has been reported to prepare Sn nanoparticle/graphene nanosheets (G/Sn) as an anode material for lithium ion batteries. Sn nanoparticles with size of ∼5 nm are directly grown and uniformly distributed between graphene interlayers. Graphene nanosheets act as the reducing agent and supporting matrix. Optimized G/Sn electrode with appropriate Sn content exhibits improved capacity (838.4 mAh g−1 at 0.1 A g−1 after 100 cycles) and cycling stability (684.5, 639.7, 552.3 and 359.7 mAh g−1 at 0.5, 1, 2 and 5 A g−1 respectively after 100 cycles). The enhanced electrochemical performance should be related to the designed layer-by-layer (G/Sn/G) structure, the synergism between the elastomeric space and large area of graphene, and the excellent conductivity of the Sn nanoparticles.
This study reports of a multi-scale hierarchical lithium-ion battery (LIB) anode that shows a surprising increase in storage capacity at higher current rates from ∼3C to ∼8C. The anode, composed of forest-like vertically aligned carbon nanofibers coaxially coated with Si shells, is shown to obtain a storage capacity of 3000–3500 mAh (gSi)−1 and greater than 99% coulombic efficiency at a 1C (or C/1) rate, leading to remarkable stability over 500 charge–discharge cycles. In contrast to other studies, this hierarchical LIB anode shows superior high-rate capability where the capacity decreased by less than 7% from ∼C/8 to ∼3C rates and, more importantly, increased by a few percent from ∼3C to ∼8C rates, displaying a new phenomenon that becomes more evident after going through long cycles. Electron microscopy, Raman, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy reveal that the electrode structure remains stable during long cycling and that this enhanced property is likely associated with the combination of the unique nanocolumnar microstructure of the Si coating and the vertical core–shell architecture. It reveals an exciting potential to develop high-performance lithium-ion batteries.
Nowadays, as set by the EU 20-20-20 targets, the reduction of primary energy use and greenhouse gas emissions in the energy sector can be attained by increasing the use of renewable sources and improving energy efficiency. Many national and international research programs are aiming at developing innovative technologies and new energy management strategies in order to reach the targets set out in the 20-20-20 directive. In this context, a primary role is played by the Distributed Generation (DG), which refers to the electrical and thermal generation located near to the place of use, exploiting available renewable sources. One of the best way to exploit the emerging potential of DG is to take a system approach which views generation and associated loads as a whole concept called “microgrid.” The sources can operate in parallel to the grid or can operate in island, providing utility power station services. Utilization of waste heat from the sources will increase total efficiency, making the polygeneration microgrid more financially attractive and “smart” from the energy consumption standpoint. The “smartness” is also in the management system, where control strategies aiming at the optimization of technical, economical and environmental issues are typically implemented. This paper deals with smart microgrids, addressing basically the following topics: (1) to review methods, models, tools, technologies and research challenges in the specific field; (2) to present the University of Genoa Smart Polygeneration Microgrid (SPM), built with the financial contribution of the Italian Ministry of Education, University and Research at the decentralized Savona Campus facilities. The SPM produces energy at low emissions for the University and operates as a test-bed facility for research, testing and development of smart grid components.
Lead–antimony alloys with a wide range of Sb contents, pure Pb and pure Sb were subjected to sulfuric acid solutions to elucidate their electrochemical characteristics by cyclic voltammetry and corrosion potential measurements. A corrosion test with a Pb/Sb galvanic couple was also done. For Pb-rich α-phase alloys (<0.3 wt.% Sb), their electrochemical behavior was similar to that of pure Pb. On the other hand, for α+β phase alloys (>0.3 wt.% Sb) their behavior was quite different from those of α-phase alloys; (i) dissolution current of Sb was proportional to Sb contents; (ii) hydrogen overvoltage was decreased remarkably with increasing the Sb contents; (iii) the corrosion potential shifted and approached that of pure Sb with time. It is confirmed that the electrochemical behavior of Pb–Sb alloys is related to the electrochemical property of the individual phase involved in the internal galvanic couples formed.
Two room temperature ionic liquids (RTILs) without acidic protons, based on different cationic species (1-n-butyl-2,3-dimethylimidazolium) (BMMI) and N-n-butyl-N-methylpiperidinium (BMP) using (CF3SO2)2N− (TFSI) as anion, were prepared by quaternization of their respective amines with an appropriate alkyl halide, followed by ion exchange reaction. All relevant properties of these ionic liquids, such as, thermal stability, density, viscosity, electrochemical behavior, ionic conductivity and self-diffusion coefficients for both ionic species, were determined at different temperatures. In spite of their ionic conductivity being lower than 1-n-butyl-3-methylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonylimide) (BMITFSI), the absence of an acidic proton in both compounds is crucial to maintain their chemical stability towards metallic lithium and, thereby, to make possible the safe assembly of lithium ion batteries. Both ionic liquids without acidic protons do not react with metallic lithium; on the other hand, the formation of carbene species when BMITFSI was exposed to Li was confirmed by 1H and 13C nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS).
Clinical results as well as cognitive performances after extracranial to intracranial (EC-IC) bypass in conjunction with contralateral carotid endarterectomy (CEA) are poorly understood. Data from 14 patients who underwent unilateral EC-IC bypass for atherosclerotic internal carotid artery (ICA)/middle cerebral artery (MCA) steno-occlusive disease in conjunction with CEA for contralateral cervical carotid stenosis were retrospectively reviewed. Postoperative results were evaluated by MRI imagings. Nine patients also underwent neuropsychological examinations (NPEs), including assessment by the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-Third Edition and the Wechsler Memory Scale-Revised (WMS-R) before and about 6 months after bilateral surgeries. Postoperative MRI follow-up (median, 8 months; interquartile range, 7–8 months) confirmed successful bypass in all patients, with no additional ischemic lesions on T2WI when compared with preoperative imaging. Further, MRA showed patent bypass and contralateral smooth patency at CEA portion in all patients. In the group rate analysis, all five postoperative NPE scores (Verbal IQ, Performance IQ, WMS-memory, WMS-attention, and Average scores of all those four scores) were improved relative to preoperative NPE scores. Performance IQ and Average score improvements were statistically significant. Clinical results after EC-IC bypass in conjunction with contralateral CEA were feasible. Based on the group rate analysis, we conclude that successful unilateral EC-IC bypass and contralateral carotid endarterectomy does not adversely affect postoperative cognitive function.