batterydata/paper-abstracts huggingface dataset:
The heat generated by a proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) is generally removed from the cell by a cooling system. Combining heat energy and electricity in a PEMFC is highly desirable to achieve higher fuel efficiency. This paper describes the design of a new power system that combines the heat energy and electricity in a miniature PEMFC to improve the overall power efficiency in an underwater glider. The system makes use of the available heat energy for navigational power of the underwater glider while the electricity generated by the miniature PEMFC is used for the glider's sensors and control system. Experimental results show that the performance of the thermal engine can be obviously improved due to the high quality heat from the PEMFC compared with the ocean environmental thermal energy. Moreover, the overall fuel efficiency can be increased from 17 to 25% at different electric power levels by harvesting the PEMFC heat energy for an integrated fuel cell and thermal engine system in the underwater glider.
In order for Li–Si alloys to be used in Li-ion batteries as anodes, knowledge of their mechanical properties, such as Young's moduli, is crucial. Young's modulus of polycrystalline Li22Si5 was determined from nanoindentation testing. The value of Young's modulus was 35.4±4.3GPa. This value is approximately one-half of the predicted value based on density functional theory calculations. This difference was not a result of the testing procedure or microstructural variables.
Additives can be added to lead acid battery electrodes to increase porosity and improve battery power and energy performance. This paper investigates the influence on electrode performance of different sizes and volume percentages of nonconductive additives to provide a clearer understanding of how they affect battery performance. The nonconductive additives used in the electrodes were hollow glass microspheres (HGMs). The solid volume percentages of various sizes of HGMs were varied from 5 to 60%. The discharge capacity for different volume percentages of the HGMs was measured in plates that were hand pasted to similar thicknesses. The utilization of active materials, which is defined as the ratio of the practical discharge ampere-hours over the stoichiometric capacity of the active materials, was plotted with respect to different solid volume percentages of additives. Experimental results were compared with the theoretical values of conductivity models. The change of utilizations with different solid volume percentages of additives compared favorably with the model predictions.
Parkinson’s disease (PD) is well documented to be associated with elevated systemic oxidative stress and perceptual impairments. Furthermore, the striatum and extrastriatal cortical areas, which are involved in the coordination of perceptual functions, are impaired at an early stage of the disease. However, the possible pathophysiology involved in perceptual impairments remains unclear. This raises the possibility that structural abnormalities might mediate the relationship between oxidative stress and perceptual impairments.
Previous research suggests that solution-focused (SF) questions may be superior to problem-focused (PF) alternatives for a range of practical and psychological outcomes. However, a great deal remains unknown regarding the effects of specific SF (or PF) approaches and the mechanisms through which they occur. The aim of this pre-registered study was to investigate the extent to which SF questions targeting resources have a more positive effect on perceived goal attainability (PGA) and goal commitment than PF questions targeting obstacles or a combination of PF & SF questions targeting both resources and obstacles. 115 students aged 15–16 were randomly assigned to either (i) a SF condition targeting resources, (ii) a PF condition targeting obstacles or (iii) a combined-approach condition targeting both. All participants were asked to identify a challenging area of study before answering condition-specific questions. Although not all statistically significant, results indicated that the SF group had higher mean PGA and goal commitment than both the PF and combined PF & SF group. Effect size estimates were small-to-medium for PGA and small for goal commitment. Results of a mediation analysis suggested that condition had an indirect effect on goal commitment through enhanced PGA. Qualitative data analysis suggested that the PF question was more likely than the SF question to elicit thoughts of self-regulation, whereas the SF question was more likely to elicit thoughts of tools and resources. These findings are consistent with those from previous research and broaden our understanding of SF (vs PF) questions.
Based on a systematic review, psychometric characteristics of currently available instruments on motor abilities of children with disabilities were evaluated, with the aim to identify candidates for use in children with severe multiple (intellectual and motor) disabilities. In addition, motor abilities are essential for independent functioning, but are severely compromised in these children. The methodological quality of all studies was evaluated with the Consensus Based Standards for the Selection of Health Status Measurement Instruments (COSMIN) Checklist; overall levels of evidence per instrument were based on the Cochrane Back Review Group strategy. As a result, 18 studies with a total of eight instruments, developed for children with cerebral palsy (CLA, GMFM-88 and LE85), spinal muscular atrophy (MHFMS), neuromuscular diseases (MFM), disabilities 0–6 years (VAB, WeeFIM), and one developed specifically for children with severe multiple disabilities (TDMMT) were found. Strong levels of evidence were found for construct validity of LE85 and MFM and for responsiveness of WeeFIM, but reliability studies of these instruments had a limited methodological quality. Up to now studies of the TDMMT resulted in limited and unknown evidence for structural validity due to the poor methodological quality of reliability studies. In a next step, the clinical suitability of the instruments for children with severe multiple disabilities will be evaluate.
Metal halide perovskites have revolutionized the field of solution-processable photovoltaics. Within just a few years, the power conversion efficiencies of perovskite-based solar cells have been improved significantly to over 20%, which makes them now already comparably efficient to silicon-based photovoltaics. This breakthrough in solution-based photovoltaics, however, has the drawback that these high efficiencies can only be obtained with lead-based perovskites and this will arguably be a substantial hurdle for various applications of perovskite-based photovoltaics and their acceptance in society, even though the amounts of lead in the solar cells are low. This fact opened up a new research field on lead-free metal halide perovskites, which is currently remarkably vivid. We took this as incentive to review this emerging research field and discuss possible alternative elements to replace lead in metal halide perovskites and the properties of the corresponding perovskite materials based on recent theoretical and experimental studies. Up to now, tin-based perovskites turned out to be most promising in terms of power conversion efficiency; however, also the toxicity of these tin-based perovskites is argued. In the focus of the research community are other elements as well including germanium, copper, antimony, or bismuth, and the corresponding perovskite compounds are already showing promising properties.
Neurodegenerative diseases like Parkinson’s disease (PD) and Alzheimer’s disease (AD) are considered disorders of multifactorial origin, inevitably progressive and having a long preclinical period. Therefore, the availability of biological markers or biomarkers (BMs) for early disease diagnosis will impact the management of AD and PD in several dimensions; it will 1) help to capture high-risk individuals before symptoms develop, a stage where prevention efforts might be expected to have their greatest impact; 2) provide a measure of disease progression that can be evaluated objectively, while clinical measures are much less accurate; 3) help to discriminate between true AD or PD and other causes of a similar clinical syndrome; 4) delineate pathophysiological processes responsible for the disease; 5) determine the clinical efficacy of novel, disease-modifying (neuroprotective) strategies. In the long run the availability of reliable BMs will significantly advance the research and therapeutics of AD and PD.
Using data from the US General Social Survey 1972–2004, we study the role of perceptions and status in self-reported happiness. Reference group income negatively relates to own happiness and high perceptions about own relative income, quality of dwelling, and social class relate positively and very significantly to happiness. Perceptions about income and status matter more for females, and for low income, conservative, more social, and less trusting individuals. Dwelling perceptions matter more for males, and for middle income, married, conservative, more social, and less trusting individuals.
This study reports the preparation of a composite polymer electrolyte for application in LiNi0.5Co0.2Mn0.3O2 lithium-polymer batteries. Poly(vinylidiene fluoride-hexafluoropropylene) (denoted as PVDF-HFP) was used as the polymer host and mesoporous modified-silica fillers (denoted as m-SBA15) used as the solid plasticizer were added into the polymer matrix. The characteristic properties of the composite polymer membranes were examined using Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and an AC impedance method. The discharge capacities of LiNi0.5Co0.2Mn0.3O2 polymer batteries with a PE separator, pure PVDF-HFP polymer membrane, or a PVDF-HFP/10wt.%m-SBA15 composite at 0.1C were determined to be 155.5, 159.5, and 198.6mAh g−1, respectively. The LiNi0.5Co0.2Mn0.3O2 polymer battery containing the PVDF-HFP/10wt.%m-SBA15 composite achieved discharge capacities of 194, 170, 161, 150, 129, 115, and 87mAh g−1 at 0.1, 0.2, 0.5, 1, 3, 5, and 10C, respectively. The lithium-polymer battery demonstrated a high coulomb efficiency of ca. 99%. The PVDF-HFP/m-SBA15 composite membrane is a strong candidate for application in LiNi0.5Co0.2Mn0.3O2 lithium-polymer batteries.
Objective To examine the efficacy and safety of modafinil on parkinsonism and excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS), as well as on negative symptoms and cognitive abilities in patients with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder (DSM-IV criteria) in a randomized double-blind placebo-controlled 8-week study. Methods Twenty-four male patients, who were aged 20–63years and on stable dose of second generation antipsychotic medications and with a negative symptom score of ≥20 on the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS), were randomized into either the modafinil (n=12) or placebo (n=12) group. The modafinil group received flexible does of modafinil 50–200mg/day. Primary measurements were the Simpson-Angus Scale (SAS) for extrapyramidal side effects (EPS), the Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS), the PANSS and a neuropsychological (NP) test battery. Data were collected on Days 0, 14, 28, 42 and 56 for rating scales, and on Days 0, 28 and 56 for NP tests. Results Mixed model analyses showed a significant group-x-time interaction for total SAS scores (P<0.006), with scores decreasing in the modafinil group but remaining the same in the placebo group. There were no significant group-x-time interactions for scores of ESS (total), PANSS (total, positive and negative), and NP tests (composite and domains) (all P's>0.5). No significant adverse events were observed. Conclusion The data suggest that modafinil was a safe adjunctive treatment which improved parkinsonian symptoms and signs in patients with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder. Further studies in larger samples and with longer study time are needed to test/confirm the beneficial effects of modafinil on motor function.
In this work, we present a comparison among three glassy carbon electrodes modified by Co-porphyrin, ortho-phenylenediamine, or both simultaneously. This comparison shows the differences among the electrochemical behavior, morphological characteristics and electrocatalytic behavior toward the sulfite oxidation of these electrodes. The electrode modified by Co-porphyrin, ortho-phenylenediamine and copolymer has been investigated in detail for the comparision of electrocatalytic activity towards the sulfite oxidation. In the case of the glassy carbon-modified electrodes, the presence of the copolymer enhances the electrocatalytic performance of the modified electrodes in spite of the non-catalytic response (compared to the bare glassy carbon) of both homopolymer-modified electrodes toward the oxidation of sulfite. Additionally, the oxidation of sulfite extracted from red wine is shown. The copolymer-modified electrode is capable of oxidizing the extracted free sulfite in a 0.02 M NaOH solution. Through the addition of standards method, a concentration of free sulfite in a Chilean red wine sample was determined to be 44 ppm.
Researchers investigated the impact that a first-year college experience course had on students’ first-year grade point averages (GPAs) and retention rates. A sample of 109 first-year students enrolled in the course was compared to a sample of 326 students from the same university who had not taken the course. The goals of the experience course were to reduce attrition, increase grade point averages, and enhance academic skills. Without accounting for selection bias, those who took the course had similar retention rates and lower GPAs than those who did not take the course. After matching on propensity scores, the negative effects of the program on GPA were nullified and those in the program were more likely to enroll for a second year. Although the benefits from the course were weak, the positive impact of the program was more apparent after accounting for individual differences.
A Li4Ti5O12–Li0.29La0.57TiO3–Ag electrode composite was fabricated via sintering the corresponding powder mixture. The process achieved a final relative density of 97% the theoretical. Relatively thick, ∼100μm, electrodes were fabricated to enhance the energy density relatively to the traditional solid-state thin film battery electrodes. The sintered electrode composite delivered full capacity in the first discharge at C/40 discharge rate. Full capacity utilization resulted from the 3D percolated network of both solid electrolyte and metal, which provide paths for ionic and electronic transport, respectively. The electrodes retained 85% of the theoretical capacity after 10 cycles at C/40 discharge rate. The tensile strength and the Young's modulus of the sintered electrode composite are the highest reported values to date, and are at least an order of magnitude higher than the corresponding value of traditional tapecast “composite electrodes”. The results demonstrate the concept of utilizing thick all-solid electrodes for high-strength batteries, which might be used as multifunctional structural and energy storage materials.
Cells with and without a LiC2O4BF2 electrolyte additive and that contained Li1.05(Mn1/3Co1/3Ni1/3)0.95O2 (NMC) positive electrodes were tested for calendar and cycle life at 60% state of charge. The temperatures used in these tests were 25 and 45°C (cycle life) and 45 and 55°C (calendar life). An analysis of the C/25 capacity data shows that the C/25 capacity decreases with the square root of time. The additive slowed down the rate of capacity decline. The C/25 data were subjected to differential voltage analysis to determine the possible cause of the capacity decrease and at which electrode the capacity decrease was occurring. Data from full cells and half-cells were compared to elucidate individual electrode contributions. This analysis indicated that lithium-capacity-consuming side reactions were occurring primarily at the negative electrode.
C-LiFePO4 nanoparticles were used as surface coating for the LiMn1.5Ni0.5O4 spinel. However, it is impossible to prepare LiFePO4-coated LiMn1.5Ni0.5O4 by traditional sol–gel methods in Ar. Therefore, we used a new mechano-fusion dry process that provides a simple way to obtain surface coating for battery materials. Surface elemental analyses indicate that LiFePO4 nanoparticles were not simply mixed with the LiMn1.5Ni0.5O4, but successfully coated on its surface. This new composite was tested as a cathode for Li-ion batteries. LiMn1.5Ni0.5O4 showed better capacity retention after LiFePO4 coating, especially at high rate (>10C). After 100 cycles at 1C, the capacity declined from 105 to 65mAhg−1 for the bare LiMn1.5Ni0.5O4. In contrast, 82mAhg−1 of capacity was still obtained for the LiFePO4-coated LiMn1.5Ni0.5O4 with 75% of capacity retention after 140 cycles under 1C. The results suggest that the improved performance is due to the improvement of the surface conductivity due to the carbon coated LiFePO4 covering, end the protection against reactions of LiMn1.5Ni0.5O4 with the electrolyte.
Objectively assessed physical performance is a strong predictor for morbidity and premature death and there is an increasing interest in the role of sarcopenia in many chronic diseases. There is a need for robust and valid functional tests in clinical practice. Therefore, the repeatability and validity of a newly developed maximal step up test (MST) was assessed.
In this work, we studied the possibility of using the Fe6+-“super iron”-type compound, K2FeO4, as a potential cathode material for rechargeable Li batteries and its behavior in several types of non-aqueous solutions was investigated. Classical electrochemical techniques such as cyclic voltammetry and chronopotentiometry combined with photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Mössbauer spectroscopy, atomic adsorption (AA) and atomic emission (AE) have all been used in order to obtain a full picture of the electrochemical behavior for this compound.
In contrast to numerous published lithium-ion cell ageing investigations, reports regarding the ageing behaviour of entire modules are scarce. This study compares the ageing behaviour of lithium-ion battery modules with the one of single cells. A capacity-based cell matching procedure is performed to minimise the capacity spread among the blocks of constructed modules. So, the newly introduced state of inhomogeneity (regarding capacity and resistance) is reduced up to 10%, but, however, also observed to increase rather linearly over the modules’ lifetime. The balancing behaviour of the battery management system stays unaffected of this increased inhomogeneity. To gain a deeper insight into the ageing behaviour of multi-cell batteries, the modules are disassembled and analysed in terms of local temperature distribution and cell-to-cell variation. After 1200 equivalent full cycles, the modules show an overall module capacity loss which is about 12%. Thereby, the module ageing study reveals a capacity fade which is even approximately 2% lower compared with the one of single cells. The state of inhomogeneity for capacity of high quality lithium-ion cells after 1200 equivalent full cycles is still smaller than 1%.
Abstract Environmental health problems associated with metals in developing countries are complex and frequently severe. They relate to the mining of mineral deposits in these countries, the smelting of metal-containing ores, and the secondary smelting of batteries and electronic waste products transported into these countries for recycling. Despite efforts in the international community to promote sustainable development, these activities are frequently conducted in developing countries under conditions of limited health and safety regulation due to the limited resources available to implement environmental and occupational health standards in many developing countries. Poor nutrition and a general lack of food are also contributory factors that exacerbate susceptibility to metal toxicity. These issues are further compounded by metal contamination of food crops through the utilization of cadmium-containing phosphate fertilizers, arsenic in irrigation water from contaminated groundwater, and other metals or chemicals from industrial or municipal wastewater sources. The economies of developing countries are often highly dependent on the mining, smelting, and recycling of metals, as well as on agricultural products, so tighter regulation of ongoing practices is frequently a secondary concern. This multiplicity of factors combines to create an overall situation that frequently places populations in developing countries at an elevated risk of adverse public health outcomes from metal exposures. However, it also should be noted that, given the increased globalization of industries and the food supply, metal contamination of the environment in developing countries with aeolian transport of metals in the atmosphere, ocean currents, and food may also present potential public health problems to populations in developed countries. For these reasons, the issues discussed in this chapter are generic and global in nature.
One of the central elements of John Rawls’ argument in support of his two principles of justice is the intuitive normative ideal of citizens as free and equal. But taken in isolation, the claim that citizens are to be treated as free and equal is extremely indeterminate, and has virtually no clear implications for policy. In order to remedy this, the two principles of justice, together with the stipulation that citizens have basic interests in developing their moral capacities and pursuing their conceptions of the good life, are meant to provide a more precise interpretation of what is involved in treating citizens as free and equal. Rawls’ critics, however, have argued that satisfying the two principles of justice is not the most appropriate or plausible way to respect the status of citizens as free and equal. In relation to this debate, the present paper has two aims. The first is to examine Rawls’ account of the type of freedom that a just society must guarantee equally to its citizens. I will argue that those who think of Rawls as a theorist of freedom as non-interference are mistaken, because his notion of liberty resembles in important respects the republican notion of freedom as non-domination. Second, I will consider the extent to which Rawls’ principles of justice successfully protect the freedom as non-domination of all citizens so as to effectively treat them as free and equal.
A depth electrode–brain interface (EBI) is formed once electrodes are implanted into the human brain. We investigated the impact of the EBI on the crossing electric currents during both deep brain recording (DBR) and deep brain stimulation (DBS) over the acute, chronic and transitional stages post-implantation, in order to investigate and quantify the effect which changes at the EBI have on both DBR and DBS. We combined two complementary methods: (1) physiological recording of local field potentials via the implanted electrode in patients; and (2) computational simulations of an EBI model. Our depth recordings revealed that the physiological modulation of the EBI in the acute stage via brain pulsation selectively affected the crossing neural signals in a frequency-dependent manner, as the amplitude of the electrode potential was inversely correlated with that of the tremor-related oscillation, but not the beta oscillation. Computational simulations of DBS during the transitional period showed that the shielding effect of partial giant cell growth on the injected current could shape the field in an unpredictable manner. These results quantitatively demonstrated that physiological modulation of the EBI significantly affected the crossing currents in both DBR and DBS. Studying the microenvironment of the EBI may be a key step in investigating the mechanisms of DBR and DBS, as well as brain–computer interactions in general.