batterydata/paper-abstracts huggingface dataset:
A new class of inorganic–organic protonic polymer electrolyte was developed recently by grafting sulfonic and sulfonamide groups to the inorganic network by the sol–gel route. It associates the mechanical and thermal resistance of the silica backbone to the chemical reactivity induced by the organic chains grafted to the silica network. The organic chains are slightly acidic proton conductors bearing sulfonic and sulfonamide groups. The polycondensation of alkoxysilanes provides the inorganic silica backbone whereas the organic network is formed from reactive functional groups R′ of alkoxysilanes of the type R′Si(OR)3, or by copolymerization of reactive organic monomers with functionalized alkoxysilanes. The synthesis of the resins is completed by organic crosslinking reactions (thermal or UV-curing). The transport of the protons through the solid could be described as a mechanism in which the proton was transferred from a donor (sulfonic group) to a suitable placed acceptor (e.g. sulfonamide group) in the case of a dry material. The conductivity was also studied as a function of relative humidity (r.h.) (wet proton conductors). Here, the proton transport could be described as a vehicular mechanism where the proton rides on a carrier molecule (H3O+). Furthermore the conductivity dependence on temperature follows a VTF behavior. By increasing the water content of the membranes up to 16 mass%, the conductivity increases from 10−4 to 6×10−2 S cm−1 at 70°C. These materials will be developed for thin film batteries. Their mechanical properties, thermal stability and glass transition temperature are discussed in connection with the conductivity results.
Résumé L’ingestion d’un corps étranger (CE) est un accident fréquent chez l’enfant. La majorité des CE ingérés sont éliminés spontanément sans complication. La prise en charge des CE digestifs dépend du type et de la nature de l’objet ingéré, de sa localisation, de l’âge de l’enfant et de ses antécédents médicaux. Les CE incarcérés dans l’œsophage doivent être retirés en raison du risque de complications secondaires. Les piles localisées dans l’œsophage, les objets traumatisants œsophagiens ou gastriques, les aimants quand ils sont multiples, doivent être extraits en urgence. L’extraction endoscopique reste la technique de référence pour l’ablation des CE digestifs. L’utilisation d’accessoires (cape de protection, overtube) peut faciliter l’extraction des CE coupants ou pointus sans léser l’œsophage.
The electrochemical behavior of an LiMn2O4 electrode in organic electrolytes, consisting of mixed carbonate solvents with lithium (Li) salts, has been studied by constant current polarization and electrochemical impedance spectrometry. The discharge capacity and the impedance response of the electrode depended on the electrolyte composition. The state of charge, namely the Li content in the metal oxide, varied the impedance response. The interfacial resistance was more influenced by the electrolytic salt than the solvent. The apparent diffusion coefficient of Li in the oxide was evaluated from the impedance response. The relationship between the impedance response and the electrolyte composition is discussed.
Objective To determine if permanent pacemaker implants (PPM) interventions and change of generator are more efficient in small hospitals. Design A cost-effective analysis and retrospective, cross-sectional and observational study of diagnostic related groups (DRG). Setting The data was obtained from the national Minimum Basic Data Set (MBDS) for the year 2007 provided by the Health Ministry. Patients This includes the total number of patients who required treatment in all national hospitals for 5 DRG: 115 - bradyarrhythmic complication during the acute coronary syndrome, heart failure or shock; 116 - symptomatic isolated conduction defects; 117 - revisions, but without changing the battery, 118 - application of a new one, 549 - implementation or revision but with serious complications. Principal variables of interest Demographic, clinical (number of secondary diagnoses (NSD) and procedures (NP), mortality) and management (total and preoperative length of stay (LOS), access, discharge, hospital size), defining inefficient stays as those exceeding 2 days on the average. Results 23,154 episodes, 5.3% small hospitals. The comparative bivariate study between small hospitals and the rest, not discriminated by DRG, showed a mean LOS of 7.87±8.78 days vs 11.01±12.95 (p=0.005, 95% CI for mean difference [0.17, 1.65]) and also lower than preoperatively (3.62±6.14 vs. 4.22±6.68 days [p=0.015]) without greater comorbidity, as measured by proxy through the NSD (5.23±2.88 vs 5.42±3.28 [p=0.055]) and NP as proxy of diagnostic and therapeutic effort (3.79±2.50 vs 3.55±2.69 [p=0.002]). A total of 24.1% were inefficient, there being an association with preoperative stay, NDS, NP and emergency access. Conclusion Pacemaker implantation and generator change in small hospitals is more efficient, with internal consistency by subgroups.
The cyclability and the charge storage capacity of polymer electrodes prepared using potentiodynamic and potentiostatic electropolymerization techniques were studied. It was shown that potentiodynamically prepared films featured a much higher stability and reversibility of the doping–undoping processes approaching 100% over multiple cycles in comparison to potentiostatically prepared films. This was related to the difference in the nanoscale morphology, crystallinity and degree of disorder of polymer films, as evidenced by atomic force microscopy (AFM) and AFM phase imaging. Specifically, it was shown that potentiodynamically deposited films were more amorphous, which enabled the films to better withstand the mechanical stresses built up in the polymer phase due to repeated swelling–deswelling. The difference in the degree of disorder and crystallinity in polymer films prepared using potentiodynamic and potentiostatic methods were related to different concentrations and reactivities of oligomers generated in the electrode vicinity. Our results suggest that for charge storage applications, as opposed to solar cells and organic electronics, it is desirable to use the materials with an increased amorphous content.
Although the first abiotically catalyzed glucose fuel cells have already been developed as sustainable power supply for medical implants in the 1970s, no detailed information concerning the fabrication of these devices has been published so far. Here we present a comprehensive manufacturing protocol for such a fuel cell, together with a detailed analysis of long-term performance in neutral buffer containing physiological amounts of glucose and oxygen. In air saturated solution a power density of (3.3±0.2)μWcm−2 is displayed after 10 days of operation that gradually decreases to a value of (1.0±0.05)μWcm−2 in the course of 224 days. A novelty of this work is the characterization of fuel cell performance with individually resolved electrode potentials. Using this technique, we can show that the major part of performance degradation originates from a positive shift of the anode potential, indicating that a more poisoning-resistant glucose oxidation catalyst would improve the degradation behavior of the fuel cell. As further factors influencing performance an incomplete reactant separation and a mass transfer governed cathode reaction under the relatively low oxygen partial pressures of body tissue have been identified. Consequently we propose an oxygen depleting electrode interlayer and the application of more effective oxygen reduction catalysts as promising strategies to further improve the fuel cell performance under physiological concentrations of glucose and oxygen.
Lateral flow test strips have dominated the rapid diagnostics landscape for decades. Recently, the emergence of paper microfluidics has brought new functionalities to these porous materials, and the search for instrument-free point-of-care devices has driven the development of different types of energy sources to fulfill their power needs. This work presents the development of microfluidic fuel cells as paper-based power sources in a standard lateral flow test format. These fuel cells benefit from the laminar flow occurring in a porous material by capillarity to separately react with two parallel streams, anolyte and catholyte, without an ionic exchange membrane or external pumps. It has been shown that the devices are capable of delivering power densities in the range of 1–5 mW cm−2 using solutions of methanol and KOH. The incorporation of a conjugate pad to store the KOH electrolyte in a solid form and a methanol-rich agar gel on top of the reaction membrane allows the fuel cell to function soaking a single sample pad with just water. The presented microfluidic fuel cell approach would enable a more straightforward integration with typical lateral flow test strips and a cost-effective manufacturing. This work represents the starting point in the development of a power source for capillary-based autonomous sensing systems capable of harvesting the energy needed for the measurement from the biological sample to be analyzed.
Radiocarbon isotopes are increasingly being used to investigate the age and source of carbon released from peatlands. Here we use combined 14C and δ13C measurements to determine the isotopic composition of soil and soil decomposition products [dissolved organic carbon (DOC), CO2 and CH4] in a peatland–riparian–stream transect, to establish the isotopic signature and potential connectivity between carbon pools. Sampling was conducted during two time periods in 2012 to investigate processes under different temperature, hydrological and flux conditions. Isotopic differences existed in the peatland and riparian zone soil organic matter as a result of the riparian depositional formation. The peatland had a mean radiocarbon age of 551 ± 133 years BP, with age increasing with depth, and δ13C values consistent with C3 plant material as the primary source. In contrast the riparian zone had a much older radiocarbon age of 1,055 ± 107 years BP and showed no age/depth relationship; δ13C in the riparian zone was also consistent with C3 plant material. With the exception of DOC in September, soil decomposition products were predominately >100 %modern with 14C values consistent with derivation from organic matter fixed in the previous 5 years. Emissions of CO2 and CH4 from the soil surface were also modern. In contrast, CO2 and CH4 evaded from the stream surface was older (CH4: 310–537 years BP, CO2: 36 years BP to modern) and contained a more complex mix of sources combining soil organic matter and geogenic carbon. The results suggest considerable vertical transport of modern carbon to depth within the soil profile. The importance of modern recently fixed carbon and the differences between riparian and stream isotopic signatures suggests that the peatland (not the riparian zone) is the most important source of carbon to stream water.
We report a new Li-superionic chloride, Li2Sc2/3Cl4, that crystallizes in a disordered spinel structure, and exhibits an ionic conductivity of 1.5 mS cm−1 with a low activation energy barrier for Li+ ion diffusion of 0.34 eV. This material is the first spinel-type superionic halide. Structural elucidation via powder neutron diffraction reveals a significantly disordered Li+-ion distribution over available tetrahedral and octahedral sites within the lattice, forming an infinitely 3D connected Li+ ion diffusion pathway comprised of face-sharing octahedra and tetrahedra. Due to the high oxidative stability of Li2Sc2/3Cl4, all solid state lithium batteries employing Li2Sc2/3Cl4 and high voltage cathodes (LiCoO2, LiNi0.6Mn0.2Co0.2O2 or high-Ni LiNi0.85Mn0.1Co0.05O2) – without any coating – exhibit excellent electrochemical performance up to 4.6 V in terms of capacity retention and cycle life.
Some compounds can fail in the latter stages of drug development because of lack of efficacy and toxicity. To improve drug safety in the development process, new biomarkers are needed which can reduce the time-consuming process and cost of drug development. Traditional indicators of target organ toxicity used in preclinical drug safety studies consist of a battery of clinical pathology parameters in blood and urine coupled with histopathologic examination of altered tissues. Researching the translational safety biomarker is a process that investigates one characteristic of the biomarker, i.e. noninvasive, and translates between species. The safety biomarker should be validated and preclinically and clinically qualified. Several urinary/kidney biomarkers in the context of preclinical development and clinical trials are presented in this chapter. Application of safety biomarkers in different phases of drug development, in particular for kidney, liver, heart, vascular vessels, lung, central nervous system, and lipid/carbohydrate metabolism, are described.
We compared the effects of three treatment approaches on preschool-age children with autism spectrum disorders. Twenty-nine children received intensive behavior analytic intervention (IBT; 1:1 adult:child ratio, 25–40h per week). A comparison group (n =16) received intensive “eclectic” intervention (a combination of methods, 1:1 or 1:2 ratio, 30h per week) in public special education classrooms (designated the AP group). A second comparison group (GP) comprised 16 children in non-intensive public early intervention programs (a combination of methods, small groups, 15h per week). Independent examiners administered standardized tests of cognitive, language, and adaptive skills to children in all three groups at intake and about 14 months after treatment began. The groups were similar on key variables at intake. At follow-up, the IBT group had higher mean standard scores in all skill domains than the AP and GP groups. The differences were statistically significant for all domains except motor skills. There were no statistically significant differences between the mean scores of the AP and GP groups. Learning rates at follow-up were also substantially higher for children in the IBT group than for either of the other two groups. These findings are consistent with other research showing that IBT is considerably more efficacious than “eclectic” intervention.
Metallic lithium (Li°) is an attractive anode material for high-energy lithium batteries. However, its commercial applications in secondary batteries, such as the lithium-sulfur and lithium-oxygen batteries, are hindered with the uncontrolled growth of detrimental Li dendrites during Li plating and the random fracture of the dendrites during Li stripping. Herein, we show that the deposited Li prefers to stay in the pits on a micro-patterned titanium (Ti) foil. In light of this, micro-/nano-architectured porous silicon (Si) and zinc oxide (ZnO) electrodes were employed and proved equally effective in guiding the deposition of Li metal. These findings demonstrate that the electrochemical activity of the porous electrode becomes less important than the specially designed porous structure of the electrode in the position of lithium deposition. Therefore, designing electrodes with appropriate micro-/nano-architecture can be a promising strategy for controlling the deposition of the Li metal and strictly confining the Li dendrites (if there are) within the pits by constructing anodes with properly designed architectures.
The paper presents a literature review on smart grid concepts, considering generation, transmission and distribution of electricity besides smart consumption, including smart home, Demand-Side Response Programs, and Active Demand-Side Management. An analysis of the smart grid development in Brazil is performed, presenting the policy and regulation efforts beyond investments. This analysis takes account a pattern for smart grid development, and one may observe that Brazil is going towards a smart grid full implementation; however it could take decades and requires adjusts from govern, regulatory agency, utilities and consumers, and more investments. Moreover, some of the major smart grid projects in Brazil are presented, and their characteristics are compared considering the technologies used, location and electric utility goals. Depending on the electric utilities objectives, one may observe similarities and differences between concepts adopted and location of the Brazilian smart grid pilot projects. The first objective is the validation and replicability of the pilot project implemented; once, the project location is a sample of the utility׳s energy market or it is a particular area of interest, like an off-grid powered island with high environmental restrictions, for instance. The second objective is creating a model of sustainable smart grid with national visibility, once the project location is a touristic place. The conception of smart grid is aligned with sustainability, and it is a tendency in Brazil a massive entry of smart grid technologies in the next years.
Hearing aids (HA) is the primary medical intervention aimed to reduce hearing handicap. This study assessed the cost-effectiveness of HA for older adults who were volunteered to be screened for hearing loss in a community-based mobile hearing clinic (MHC).
This randomized phase II study was conducted to compare the efficacy and safety of paclitaxel with S-1 (PS) vs. S-1 in patients with advanced gastric cancer (AGC).
In recent years, lithium secondary batteries have been widely utilized as a power source for mobile electronics, but modifications are required to apply this type of battery to motor vehicles or energy storage purposes. Although the excellent cycle characteristics of lithium titanate have been verified for small cells, the high rate characteristics of this material should be improved if it is used as an active material in large batteries. The authors prepared very fine particulates of lithium titanate having an average size of 0.7μm. The prepared lithium titanate shows superior high rate characteristics, as well as excellent cycle characteristics. A high capacity maintenance ratio of 99% was achieved at 1C and 25°C after the 100th cycle. Taking the discharge capacity at 0.15C, that at 10C was 86% at 25°C, while that at 50°C was 96%.
The electric vehicle (EV) technology is one of the most promising pathways to a future of green transportation. One of the keys to EV development is the electric battery. At the moment, Li-ion battery has been the most popular choice in the automotive industry for a variety of advantages. However, battery performance is strongly related to its working temperature, and the health of battery pack in the long-term is greatly affected by temperature uniformity. A novel hybrid cooling concept for battery applications is proposed and experimentally studied in this paper. The concept can utilize any combination of conductive, convective, and evaporative phase change cooling effects. This can be achieved with no extra power from a normal air cooling method using capillary effect as the driving force of the water coolant. But it can attain a higher cooling efficiency and better temperature uniformity. Furthermore, the A/C condensate can be recycled for use as the water coolant, which also adds no extra weight to the vehicle. The air and water coolants can be released to the ambient after usage without harming the environment. The results show that the proposed concept can improve both the cooling efficiency and temperature uniformity by more than 70% compared to the no-cooling baseline. Additionally, it has a 20% improvement in cooling efficiency and a 56% improvement in the uniformity compared to air cooling.
Thin, lightweight, and flexible gas-diffusion electrodes (GDEs) based on freestanding entangled networks of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) decorated with Ag nanoparticles (AgNPs) are tested as the air-breathing cathode in a zinc–air battery. The SWNT networks provide a highly porous surface for active oxygen absorption and diffusion. The high conductivity of SWNTs coupled with the catalytic activity of AgNPs for oxygen reduction leads to an improvement in the performance of the zinc–air cell. By modulating the pH value and the reaction time, different sizes of AgNPs are decorated uniformly on the SWNTs, as revealed by transmission electron microscopy and powder X-ray diffraction. AgNPs with sizes of 3–5nm double the capacity and specific energy of a zinc–air battery as compared with bare SWNTs. The simplified, lightweight architecture shows significant advantages over conventional carbon-based GDEs in terms of weight, thickness and conductivity, and hence may be useful for mobile and portable applications.
The structure and electrochemical properties of LiAl y Co1−y O2 cathodes for Li rechargeable batteries have been closely examined by neutron diffraction, X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and electrochemical methods. Neutron diffraction patterns and Co K-edge X-ray absorption near-edge structure (XANES) spectra of LiAl0.25Co0.75O2 revealed that aluminum and cobalt ions were statistically distributed in octahedral 3b sites of the ordered α-NaFeO2 structure. The DSC scan of Li0.5Al0.25Co0.75O2 showed an increase in the peak temperature and reduction in the exothermic peak compared to those of Li0.5CoO2, and it indicates that Al-doped LiCoO2 shows the good thermal stability of the cathode and reduction of the heat of reaction.
Small-scale brackish water reverse osmosis (BWRO) desalination units are not a major commercial success compared to its large-scale counterpart. Integrating renewable power systems with small-scale units would theoretically aid in their deployment and subsequent commercial success. In fact, RO units are constructed using a modular approach; this would allow them to adapt to a renewable power supply. Small-scale PV-RO would be a promising form of desalination system in remote areas, where BW is more common. The aim of this study is to quantify the effect of climatic-design-operation conditions on the performance and durability of a PV-BWRO desalination system. A small-scale unit is designed, constructed, and tested for 6 months. The design was limited to a 2 kWp PV power system, five different membranes, a feed TDS of 2000 mg/l, and a permeate TDS of less than 50 mg/l. Data pertaining to solar radiation and temperature were subsequently analyzed to determine their respective influences on current and future operations of the unit. The results showed that the optimum RO load, membrane type, and design configuration were 600 W, (4″x40″ TW30-4040), and a two-stage configuration, respectively. The PV system was able to supply the load without any significant disturbances; while the RO unit showed stable levels of permeate flow and salinity. Operating the PV-BWRO system for 10 h during the day would produce 5.1 m3 of fresh water at a specific energy of 1.1 kWh/m3. It was confirmed that there are many hours of high temperatures during the operation of the PV module (exceeding 45 °C) and battery room conditions (exceeding 35 °C), both of which could negatively affect the power output and battery autonomy. This negative effect is compounded annually; therefore, optimizing thermal regulation of PV modules and battery bank room conditions is essential in maintaining excellent operating temperatures.