batterydata/paper-abstracts huggingface dataset:
The shape change and redistribution of zinc anode material over the electrode during repeated cycling have been identified as the main factors that can limit the life of alkaline zinc-air batteries. Li2O–2B2O3 (lithium boron oxide, LBO) glass with high Li+ conductivity and stability can be coated on the surface of zinc powders. The structures of the surface-treated and pristine zinc powders were characterized by XRD, SEM, TEM, ESCA and BET analyses. XRD patterns of LBO-coated zinc powders revealed that the coating did not affect the crystal structure. TEM images of LBO-coated on the zinc particles were compact with an average passivation layer of about 250nm. The LBO layer can prevent zinc from coming into direct contact with the KOH electrolyte and minimize the side reactions within the batteries. The 0.1wt.% LBO-coated zinc anode material provided an initial discharge capacity of 1.70Ah at 0.5V, while the pristine zinc electrode delivered only 1.57Ah. A surface-treated zinc electrode can increase discharge capacity, decrease hydrogen evolution reaction, and reduce self-discharge. The results indicated that surface treatment should be effective for improving the comprehensive properties of anode materials for zinc-air batteries.
It is argued that robotic platforms are the way forward towards building intelligent systems, where multiple sensors and manipulation are used for cognitive processes. It is also argued that the cue for developing the right architecture for such a system is human language.
We present a patient, who, following a right posterior ischemia, showed a selective deficit in visually recognising pictures, objects and faces. She was able to read and comprehend any kind of written material and could recognise letters and numbers. Her inability to recognise pictures did not arise from a deficit at the structural description level and/or from a poor semantic knowledge of the stimuli. We argue that her recognition deficit arose from an inability in combining the different elements of the visual stimuli in an unitary percept. Results are discussed in terms of dissociations between local versus global processing, as well as bottom-up versus top-down mechanisms.
For the first time Cu2O particles with different morphologies are synthesized by adopting a polyol process performed at different temperatures. SEM and TEM show that the samples obtained at 140 and 160°C present a core-shell structure. XRD measurements indicate that both samples exhibit better crystallinity compared with the samples obtained at 120°C. Results from charge–discharge experiments and cyclic voltammograms (CV) reveal that morphology and crystallinity play important roles in determining the electrochemical performance of Cu2O samples.
Taiwan generally has large-scale landslides and torrential rainfall during the typhoon season. As Wireless Sensor Networks (WSN) and mobile communication technologies advance rapidly, state-of-the-art technologies are adopted to build a model to reliably predict and monitor disasters, as well as accumulate environmental variation-related information. By integrating WSN and Analytic Network Process (ANP), this study evaluates the weight of disaster factors that adopt the consistency index of pair comparisons on hillslopes. The weight estimation and classification of disaster factors are based on the K-means model to build the hillslope prediction model. The Portrait-based Disaster Alerting System (PDAS) is designed and implemented using the proposed disaster prediction model. The PDAS adopts Web-GIS to visualize the environmental information. Evaluation results of the system indicate that the proposed prediction model achieves more accurate disaster determination than the conventional method.
A thermal management system is necessary to control the operating temperature of the lithium ion batteries in battery packs for electrical and hybrid electrical vehicles. This paper proposes a new battery thermal management system based on one type of phase change material for the battery packs in hybrid electrical vehicles and develops a three dimensional electrochemical thermal model. The temperature distributions of the batteries are investigated under various operating conditions for comparative evaluations. The proposed system boils liquid propane to remove the heat generated by the batteries, and the propane vapor is used to cool the part of the battery that is not covered with liquid propane. The effect on the thermal behavior of the battery pack of the height of the liquid propane inside the battery pack, relative to the height of the battery, is analyzed. The results show that the propane based thermal management system provides good cooling control of the temperature of the batteries under high and continuous charge and discharge cycles at 7.5C.
Layer-structured Li-Ni-based oxide has been studied extensively as the promising cathode material for lithium ion battery because of its lower cost and higher practice capacity compared with the currently used LiCoO2. In this study, the wide solid solutions of Mg-doped LiNi0.6−y Mg y Co0.25Mn0.15O2 (0≦ y ≦0.08) with the layered α-NaFeO2 structure were synthesized by the mixing hydroxide method. The capacity retention of LiNi0.57Mg0.03Co0.25Mn0.15O2 in both room temperature and 55°C was increased to 93%. The oxidation state and local environment of transition metals (Ni, Co and Mn) were studied by the high energy synchrotron X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS). The X-ray absorption near edge structure (XANES) indicated that the initial valences were 2+/3+, 3+ and 4+ for Ni, Co, and Mn, respectively, in the pristine LiNi0.57Mg0.03Co0.25Mn0.15O2. The in situ XAS study with the cell charge to 5.2V showed that the main redox reaction during delithiation was achieved by Ni (i.e. Ni2+/Ni3+ →Ni4+). The EXAFS data also exhibited that the bond length of NiO decreased drastically, while the CoO and MnO distances exhibited a slight change with the decrease of Li content in the electrode. It was further revealed that all the second shell metal–metal (NiM, CoM, and MnO) distances decreased due to the oxidation of metal ions and the contraction in a-axes of this structure.
Cupric oxide (CuO) nanoparticles (NPs) with three-dimensional (3D) sponge structure are obtained through the sintering of Cu NPs at 360°C. Their morphology is analyzed by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and their crystal structure is checked by X-ray diffraction. CuO NPs have a 3D porous structure. The NPs are assembled to form larger secondary particles with many empty spaces among them, and they have a CuO phase after the heat treatment. CuO NPs with this novel architecture exhibit good electrochemical performance as anode material. The anode material with a sponge-like structure is prepared at 360°C, as the Li-ion battery exhibits a high electrochemical capacity of 674mAhg−1. When the sample is sintered at 360°C, the charge/discharge capacities increase gradually and cycle up to 50 cycles at a C/10 rate, exhibiting excellent rate capability compared with earlier reported CuO/CuO-composite anodes. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) measurements suggest that the superior electrical conductivity of the sample sintered at 360°C is the main factor responsible for the improved power capability.
For graphites as anode materials in lithium ion batteries, the chemistry and morphology of the prismatic surfaces of graphite play a major role in chemical and electrochemical reactivity, interaction with the solid electrolyte interphase (SEI), kinetics for lithium intercalation and de-intercalation, etc. whereas the basal plane surfaces have only minor or no influence on these reactions. We show how gas adsorption data, such as those, which is used for determination of the Brunett–Emmet–Teller (BET) surface area of solids, can be used to estimate the absolute and relative extents of basal plane surface area and “non-basal plane surface” area of graphites used as anode materials in lithium ion batteries. The “non-basal plane surfaces” can be further sub-divided into prismatic surfaces and “defect surfaces” (the latter contain surface groups and other surface defects). In particular, the relation of the first cycle irreversible capacity to the different types of surfaces will be highlighted.
Two naphthalene-based polyimide derivatives are fabricated through a facile condensation polymerization by 1,4,5,8-naphthalenetetracarboxylic dianhydride (NT) with different two diamines, e.g., urea and ethylenediamine, respectively. Their structures with morphologies are studied and the electrochemical properties are investigated as cathode materials for rechargeable lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). By comparison to NT, the polymers with carbonyl functionalities as electroactive groups show improved stability in electrolyte. The obtained derivative (NOP) from NT and urea with more redox active sites exhibits a higher discharge capacity and better rate performance, which might be attributed to its relatively lower molecule weight of the framework and the introduction of additional carbonyl group inherited from urea unit. It displays an average reversible capacity of 174.5mAhg−1 at 20mAg−1 and a good rate performance with a high value of 133.5mAhg−1 at 500mAg−1. With an optimized polymerization conditions, its capacity could remain 153mAhg−1 after 60 cycles of charge-discharge processes at 50mAg−1, making it a potential material for greener and sustainable electrode for electrochemical storage devices.
Conventional laboratory studies of deep-sea fish metabolism are not possible as these fish are typically killed during recovery to the surface. As these species are important members of deep-sea communities, the lack of these data represents a significant limitation to our understanding of the functioning of this ecosystem. An autonomous fish respirometer vehicle was developed in order to measure the oxygen consumption of deep-sea fish in situ. This new lander allows measurements to be made without handling or stressing the animals and without the logistical problems and great cost of submersible operations. The design, operation, and measurement methodology are described and preliminary data for Coryphaenoides armatus at 4000m are presented. These Atlantic data appear to confirm the low metabolic rate measured in this species when compared to other gadid species.
A Sn thin film composed of numerous continuous Sn particles (ranging from 25 to 200nm) was prepared on a copper foil via magnetron sputtering. Electrochemical properties of the Sn thin film, as anode electrode in lithium ion batteries, were studied by conventional charge/discharge tests and cyclic voltammograms. The as-prepared Sn electrode showed high initial discharge capacity of 908 mAh g−1 at a current density of 100mAg−1. After the gradual capacity decay (in the first 15 cycles), the capacity of this electrode recovered with sustained stability during the subsequent charge/discharge processes. Such a gradual capacity decay is ascribed to the decrease of the conductivity and active materials of the surface of the anode, due to agglomeration, pulverization, and cracking of the particles and the formation of the SEI film. Considering this phenomenon, a layer of conductor (copper or carbon) was sputtered on the surface of the Sn electrode after 30 cycles in order to counteract capacity decay. The as-prepared Cu/C-modified Sn electrode exhibited an improved capacity due to enhanced conductivity. The strategy provides a better understanding of anode materials with inevitable volume change which is useful for efficient lithium-ion battery application.
In Mali and Senegal, over 1% of women die giving birth in hospital. At some hospitals, over a third of infants are stillborn. Many deaths are due to substandard medical practices. Criterion-based clinical audits (CBCA) are increasingly used to measure and improve obstetrical care in resource-limited settings, but their measurement properties have not been formally evaluated. In 2011, we published a systematic review of obstetrical CBCA highlighting insufficient considerations of validity and reliability. The objective of this study is to develop an obstetrical CBCA adapted to the West African context and assess its reliability and validity. This work was conducted as a sub-study within a cluster randomized trial known as QUARITE.
A battery pack is produced by connecting the cells in series and/or in parallel to provide the necessary power for electric vehicles (EVs). Those parameters affecting cost and reliability of the EVs, including cycle life, capacity, durability and warranty are highly dependent on the thermal management system. In this work, computational fluid dynamic analysis is performed to investigate the air cooling system for a 38,120 cell battery pack. The battery pack contained 24 pieces of 38,120 cells, copper bus bars, intake and exhaust plenum and holding plates with venting holes. Heat generated by the cell during charging is measured using an accelerating rate calorimeter. Thermal performances of the battery pack were analyzed with various mass flow rates of cooling air using steady state simulation. The correlation between Nu number and Re number were deduced from the numerical modeling results and compared with literature. Additionally, an experimental testing of the battery pack at different charging rates is conducted to validate the correlation. This method provides a simple way to estimate thermal performance of the battery pack when the battery pack is large and full transient simulation is not viable.
Electrochemical properties of LiFePO4 were investigated by incorporating conductive carbon from three different carbon sources (graphite, carbon black, acetylene black). SEM observations revealed that the carbon-coated LiFePO4 were smaller than the bare LiFePO4 particles. The carbon-coated LiFePO4 showed much better performance in terms of the discharge capacity and cycling stability than the bare LiFePO4. Among carbon-coated LiFePO4, the particles coated with graphite exhibited better electrochemical properties than others coated with carbon black or acetylene black.
Temporal discounting, the tendency to select a smaller reward offered sooner over a larger reward offered at a later time, has been associated with a number of real-world decision-making outcomes important for health and wellbeing. Neurobiological mechanisms supporting temporal discounting have been explored among younger participants, and these have considered white matter integrity. However, the white matter correlates of temporal discounting in older adults are unclear. We hypothesized that greater temporal discounting would be associated with poorer white matter integrity measures, more specifically lower fractional anisotropy and higher trace, in older adults. Participants were 302 older persons without dementia (mean age = 81.38, mean years of education = 15.75, 75.5% female, mean MMSE = 28.29) from the Rush Memory and Aging Project, a community-based longitudinal study of aging. Temporal discounting was assessed using standard elicitation questions. White matter integrity was assessed with diffusion tensor imaging (DTI). Regression models were adjusted for the effects of age, sex, education, and white matter lesions. Secondary models further adjusted for global cognition. Results revealed significant associations between temporal discounting and white matter integrity measures (FA and trace) in bilateral frontal, frontostriatal, and temporal–parietal lobe white matter tracts, and results remained significant after further accounting for global cognition. These results suggest that temporal discounting is inversely associated with white matter integrity in old age and that this association is independent of global cognition.
This paper provides a missing integrated guide to budding middle class rural sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) homesteads trying to photo-electrify. It first estimates bare minimum requirements for these homes to start emerging from energy poverty. Guidance is given on optimal selection of the most important device for such homes: the light bulb. Along with other essential devices, this gives a daily electrical load of 500Wh, 42Ah at 12V DC. Building on earlier experimental work on validating TRNSYS in Cape Town, it extends usage of the software to the rest of SSA, aiming to recommend panel and balance of system component sizes to meet the above load all year round. Use is made of panel slopes derived in a related piece of work to formulate an optimisation model for selecting panel–battery–charge controller combinations. A survey of South Africa-made panels and components is done. Then, a method of solving the model is demonstrated by an example in Uganda which selects from the surveyed components to satisfy two alternative technical objectives of ‘least battery storage’ and ‘smallest panel size’. At each of the other 151 stations in SSA, the model is solved only for the first objective. The overall results are then mapped using MATLAB®. It is concluded that from a ‘smallest battery storage’ perspective, usable battery storage capacities in the region range between 70 and 360Ah, with the biggest being in equatorial/tropical rain forest areas of Congo basin and along the mid-western coastal areas. Panel sizes range between 160 and 275Wp. The dominant recommendation on charge controllers is 15A.
In vitro tests are now widely employed in ethnopharmacological research because of ethical reasons and their usefulness in bioactive-guided fractionation and determination of active compounds. For many disease conditions, a variety of in vitro tests can now be employed as the biochemical mechanisms underlying disease and healing processes are understood. Approaches to the in vitro investigations of wound healing processes are exemplified by studies on extracts of Buddleja species and three Ghanaian species Spathodea campanulata, Commelina diffusa and Secamone afzelii. Most studies have been carried out on Buddleja officinalis or Buddleja globosa. The extracts have been shown to have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties due to flavonoids, triterpenoids, diterpenoids and caffeic acid derivatives. There appears to a slight effect on proliferation of fibroblasts at lower concentrations, but this was not significant, and higher concentrations appeared to be cytotoxic. Novel findings are the ability of Buddleja globosa leaf extracts to induce differentiation in keratinocytes and to alter the profile of proteins produced by cultured fibroblasts. Extracts also had some effect on lattice contraction. The three Ghanaian species examined show a mixture of antimicrobial and antioxidant activities. The evolution over recent years of tests for wound healing, from in vivo tests to cell-based systems and chemical reactions and on to investigations into effects on secondary messengers and protein expression, is described.
Cathodes have been one of the major challenges of flexible batteries. The traditional slurry-based technologies lead to loose interparticle connection, which is vulnerable upon bending. The direct fabrication of cathode materials requires high temperatures, which may destroy flexible substrates. Here we developed an electrodepostion and solvothermal route to conformally coat cathode material on a flexible scaffold. The monolithic electrode enables an ultra-flexible lithium ion battery because of the close attachment of active materials to flexible scaffolds and the interlock effect between the hard shell and soft core. This ultra-flexible battery retains 58.8% of initial capacity even after bending 4000 cycles.
Introduction: The negative and cognitive symptoms of schizophrenia are poorly responsive to neuroleptic treatment. Glutamatergic dysfunction may mediate some of these symptoms. Low dose d-cycloserine (DCS) is a partial agonist at the glycine site of the NMDA-associated receptor complex, noncompetitively enhancing NMDA neurotransmission. Prior studies suggest a beneficial effect of DCS on negative symptoms and cognition. This treatment trial was initiated to confirm and extend these findings. Methods: Twenty-two male schizophrenic subjects displaying prominent negative symptoms who were stabilized on typical neuroleptics completed the study. A randomized double-blind parallel group design was used to compare the effects of 50 mg p.o. QD of DCS to placebo over 4 weeks. The two subject groups did not differ significantly in age, age of onset of illness or time on current neuroleptic treatment. Symptoms were rated by means of the SANS, BPRS and Abrams and Taylor rating scale. Cognition was assessed with the Sternberg Memory Test and the Continuous Performance Test. Results: Both medication groups improved over the 4 weeks of treatment. However, there were no significant differences between the DCS and placebo group on any symptom rating. DCS effects on cognition did not differ from placebo. Discussion: This study did not detect improvement in negative symptoms or cognitive performance with DCS treatment that has been found in some prior studies. This negative finding may be attributed to small sample size, relatively short duration of treatment and the overall modest effect of DCS. Future studies of DCS should be adequately powered to detect a small to medium effect size and should provide for a longer treatment phase than was used in this study in order to avoid a type II error.
Using a vertical-axis attritor, samples of (Sn x Co1−x )60C40 for 0≤ x ≤0.7 have been prepared in increments of Δx =0.1. The effect of Sn content on the structure and performance of the Sn–Co–C nanocomposites was examined by X-ray diffraction (XRD), 119Sn Mössbauer effect spectroscopy and electrochemical methods. XRD shows a diffraction pattern characteristic of a nanostructured material having amorphous CoSn grains in a carbon matrix for x =0.5. Broad Bragg peaks of Co3C, SnCo3C0.7 and CoSn2 were observed for samples with 0≤ x ≤0.1, 0.1≤ x ≤0.4 and 0.5< x ≤0.7, respectively. 119Sn Mössbauer effect spectroscopy shows the presence of an amorphous CoSn component in samples with 0.3≤ x ≤0.6. Samples with a large amount of the SnCo3C0.7 phase showed small capacity for lithium. Therefore, SnCo3C0.7 is best described as an inactive phase. The sample with x =0.7 shows the highest specific capacity (about 600mAh/g) of all samples prepared but exhibited poor capacity retention after cycle 45. Excellent charge–discharge capacity retention, reasonable specific capacity (>450mAh/g) along with stable differential capacities were observed for samples near x =0.5.
The brain develops in concert and in coordination with the developing facial tissues, with each influencing the development of the other and sharing genetic signaling pathways. Autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) result from alterations in the embryological brain, suggesting that the development of the faces of children with ASD may result in subtle facial differences compared to typically developing children. In this study, we tested two hypotheses. First, we asked whether children with ASD display a subtle but distinct facial phenotype compared to typically developing children. Second, we sought to determine whether there are subgroups of facial phenotypes within the population of children with ASD that denote biologically discrete subgroups.