bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Investigation of Anionic and Cationic Redox Chemistry in P3-Type Na0.67[Zn0.3Mn0.7]O2 Layered Sodium Cathode with Zn Displacement
Authors: Voronina Natalia , Myung Seung-Taek
Published: December 2024

Oxygen redox-based layered cathode materials, such as P2/P3-types Nax[AyMn1-y]O2 (A=Li, Mg, Zn, vacancy), are of great importance to realize high-energy-density sodium-ion batteries (SIBs). In this work, we introduce a novel oxygen redox-based layered cathode material, P3-type Na0.67[Zn0.3Mn0.7]O2 with Na-O-Zn local configuration (Figure a,b). We investigate the effect of Zn doping on the electrochemical performance using a variety of methods such as galvanostatic potential cycling (Figure b), operando-X-ray diffraction (o-XDR) (Figure c), X-ray absorption near-edge structure (XANES), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), nuclear magnetic resonance (23Na NMR), atomic-resolution scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) and differential electrochemical mass spectroscopy (DEMS). O-XRD analysis reveals that P3 - Na0.67[Zn0.3Mn0.7]O2 material undergoes a phase transformation from P3 to O/P during charging and from O/P to P3 and finally to O3 during discharging (Figure d), which is also proved with the local structure transformations obtained by 23Na NMR. Moreover, STEM and XANES reveal the displacement of Zn from the transition metal (TM) layer to the Na layer. Therefore, the Na-O-Zn configuration and the possibility of Zn migration in the Mn4+ - based layered material are expected to play an important role in activating oxygen redox. As a result, our findings provide new insights into the reaction mechanism of P3-type oxygen redox-based cathode materials and a new design strategy for optimizing the bulk properties of SIB cathode materials.

Figure. (a) Rietveld refinement of XRD pattern for P3-Na0.67[Zn0.3Mn0.7]O2 (NZMO) (inset: crystal structure of NZMO) (b) STEM-HAADF images of NZMO at fresh state (c) The 1st and 2nd charge-discharge cycles of NZMO tested at 13 mA g−1 (0.05C) (d) Operando-XRD pattern of NZMO electrode during the first charge-discharge cycle (e) Schematic image of structural evolution of NZMO during de/sodiation.

Figure 1
Controlled Phase Transformation Toward Stable Cycling of Layered Oxides for Sodium Ion Batteries
Authors: Hou Dewen , Lee Gi-Hyeok , Hu Jiacheng , Gabriel Eric , Graff Kincaid , Li Jiantao , Li Tianyi , Ren Yang , Xu Wenqian , Sun Chengjun , Wang Chongmin , Lu Wenquan , Qin Yan , Zhou Xinwei , Chen Zonghai , Wu Feng , Yang Wanli , Liu Yuzi , Xiong Claire
Published: December 2024

The demands for sustainable energy systems underscores the importance in developing sodium-ion batteries (NIBs) with earth abundant raw materials, enhanced energy density, prolonged lifespan, and reduced cost. Among potential candidates for such advancements, intercalation-type layered transition metal oxide (LTMO) positive electrode materials are attractive due to their notable high theoretical specific capacity and tunable chemistry. However, LTMO electrodes are often subjected to anisotropic changes during cycling. Repeated anisotropic changes cause host structure strain, eventually leading to material degradation. Regulating the electrostatic interactions is generally perceived to be a viable approach for structure stabilization in layered oxides during cycling, but conventional synthesis approaches have been unable to tame the effect. Here, we demonstrate negligible anisotropic changes in layered P2-type Na0.67Ni0.33Mn0.67O2 through regulation of electrostatic repulsion realized by modulation of transition metal ions occupancy. The electrode exhibits a capacity retention of 83.3% in 100 cycles between 2 - 4.3 V, which is significantly better than the 36.9% retention of the pristine sample. Our study emphasizes the highly correlated nature of the redox mechanism that deserves the attention and is critical for high-energy batteries.
Impact of Cationic Sizes on the Capacitance and Interfacial Structure of ‘Water-in-Salt’ Electrolytes on Graphene
Authors: Khan Md Sharif , Andreussi Oliviero
Published: December 2024

Electrochemical double-layer capacitors (EDLCs), which store charge by electrostatic adsorption of the ions at the vicinity of the electrode/electrolyte interface, have become promising energy storage devices due to their high charge / discharge rates, power density, substantial energy density, and long cycling performance. However, the overall performance of an EDLC is significantly influenced by the nature of the electrolytes employed. Among the various liquid electrolytes, organic solvents and ionic liquids have complicated manufacturing processes and high safety concerns, despite their large working potential window. On the opposite, conventional aqueous electrolytes possess high ionic conductivity, higher safety, while allowing a simpler preparation process. However, the performance of the aqueous electrolytes is significantly hampered due to their low redox potential (1.23 V) for electrochemical H2O splitting. A compromise between these alternatives may be represented by water-in-salt electrolytes (WISEs), a class of superconcentrated aqueous electrolytes with water/salt mass and volume ratios greater than 1. By minimizing the presence of free water at the electrode interface, WISEs can substantially elevate the redox potential of aqueous electrolytes to as high as 4.0 V, thereby overcoming the limitations posed by traditional aqueous electrolytes and enabling enhanced performance in EDLCs.

In this study, molecular dynamics simulations in the presence of a constant applied potential were used to investigate an electrochemical cell comprising WISEs at a concentration of 20 mol/kg, situated between two single-layer graphene electrodes. Various cations, including Li+, Na+, and K+, were examined to evaluate the influence of cationic size in conjunction with the common TFSI anion. Our detailed analysis revealed that K+ exhibited a greater tendency for adsorption onto the electrodes than Li+ and Na+, resulting in the highest integral capacitance. The bigger size and lower charge density in the periphery of K+ facilitate its ability to overcome the strong ion pair interaction and accumulate more closely to the electrode surface. The atomistic level changes at the interface and the electrochemical potential window stability were also investigated using first-principles simulations and a continuum model for the electrochemical environment. Overall, our molecular dynamics and continuum model simulations provide a detailed picture of the capacitive behavior, interfacial structure, and electrochemical potential window stability of water-in-salt electrolytes of varying cationic sizes on single layer graphene electrodes. This understanding will significantly advance the future development of this type of electrolytes.
Evaluating Redox Flow Battery Field Designs with the Vanadium Acetylacetonate Chemistry
Authors: Rungta Rohit , Monroe Charles W.
Published: December 2024

Among various battery systems, redox flow batteries (RFBs) have been shown to be a particularly promising technology for large-scale stationary energy storage applications due to their unique advantages in terms of their long cycle life and modular design. RFBs, however, are significantly different from conventional batteries in operating principle, while many engineering aspects have been carried over from similar systems such as fuel cells. This study explores flow field design, a commonly overlooked practical aspect of flow batteries, from first principles.

Countercurrent flow is commonly used for many engineering applications where large concentration or temperature gradients are to be minimized. In flow batteries, the opposite is desired. The nonaqueous flow-battery chemistry based on V(acac)3 (vanadium acetylacetonate) disproportionation [1,2] is used in a flow reactor as a test bed for assessing countercurrent vs co-current flow. Figure 1 demonstrates two flow fields that are tested to understand the impacts of high per-pass conversion and low per-pass conversion on overall cell performance and their tolerable current densities. Insights from these experiments are then used to create novel, 3D-printed flow field designs. Cell performance of the 3D-printed flow fields is assessed against the traditional serpentine and interdigitated flow fields that are ubiquitously used throughout RFB and fuel-cell applications.

References

[1] Q. Liu, A. E. S. Sleightholme, A. A. Shinkle, Y. Li, and L. T. Thompson, "Non-aqueous vanadium acetylacetonate electrolyte for redox flow batteries", Electrochem. Commun., 11 (12), Dec. 2009.

[2] J. D. Saraidaridis and C.W. Monroe, “Nonaqueous vanadium disproportionation flow batteries with porous separators cycle stably and tolerate high current density,” Journal of Power Sources
412 (2019) 384–390.

Figure 1
Preparation, Crystal Structure and Electrochemical Properties of Mg1-X
Cu2+X
O3
Authors: Uehara Kazuma , Zihan Zhou , Huang Zhicheng , Hayashi Kei , Miyazaki Yuzuru
Published: December 2024

Magnesium copper oxide MgCu2O3 belongs to the space group Pmmn (setting 2) and has a crystal structure (GA phase) consisting of zigzag edge-sharing CuO4 planes arranged in 2D Cu2O3 layers and MgO6 octahedra. The Mg2+ between the Cu2O3 layers can be inserted and removed in the crystallographic c-axis direction as shown in Fig. 1. Hence, MgCu2O3 can be a potential cathode material for magnesium ion batteries. According to M. Paranthaman et al., the crystal structure changes depending on sintering temperature; apart from the GA phase, there are phases called GB and GX whose detailed crystal structures have not been elucidated [1]. MgCu2O3 can also be synthesized as a single-phase by partially substituting Cu for the Mg(2a) site. The detailed chemical formula is then expressed as Mg1-x
Cu2+x
O3. Such a partial substitution of Cu inhibits Mg conduction and would reduce electrical capacity, samples with higher Mg occupancy are needed. Kobayashi first investigated the electrochemical characteristics of the GA phase, and reported that the electrical capacity of 31 mAh/g and the potential of 0.7 V vs. Mg/Mg2+ [2]. Since different results for the single-phase composition of the GA phase have been reported [3], we determined the single-phase compositional range of the GA phase by varying the sintering temperature in oxygen stream. We also analyzed the crystal structure of the GA phase, in particular the Mg occupancy at the 2a site. The samples were prepared using MgO and CuO reagents, weighed in the desired ratio. Sintering was performed at 1000, 1030, and 1050℃. Powder X-ray diffraction and Rietveld analysis were used for crystal structure analysis. Battery performance was evaluated using three electrode cells by means of cyclic voltammetry (CV). When annealed at 1000℃, the lower limit value x of the single-phase region of the GA phase was 0.13. For the x=0.13 sample, the occupancy of Mg at the Mg site was 84.2%, and the occupancy of Mg decreased as x increased. The electrical capacity was 72 mAh/g and the potential was 2.0 V vs. Mg/Mg2+ for this sample. By increasing the sintering temperature, the single-phase composition range widened and the Mg occupancy at the Mg site increased. At the conference, we will also report the results of single-phase region and crystal structure analysis of samples sintered at 1030℃ and 1050℃, as well as the results of CV measurements.

Reference

[1] M. Paranthaman, K. A. David and T. B. Lindemer, Materials Research Bulletin, 32, 165 (1997).

[2] F. Kobayashi, Graduation Theses, School of Engineering, Tohoku University, (2010).

[3] K. Oh-ishi, Y. Tsuchiya, Y. Iizuka and H. Yamane, J. Solid State Chem., 160, 251 (2001).

Caption

Figure 1. Crystal structure and Mg conduction pathway (yellow-curved surface) in MgCu2O3. (blue and red circles represent Cu and O atoms, respectively)

Figure 1
Ionic Liquid As an Electrolyte Solvent for Proton Rechargeable Batteries
Authors: Shimizu Masahiro , Ichikawa Tomonori , Tsuchikane Koki
Published: December 2024

The diversity of carrier ions in electrochemical devices has attracted much attention to the use of protons.1−3 However, the narrow potential window of acid-based aqueous solutions typically used as proton conductors limits the operation of active materials.4 In this work, we examined the applicability of ionic liquids consisting of bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)amide (TFSA−) combined with N-propyl-N-methylpyrrolidinium (Pyr1,3
+) or 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium (EMI+), as the electrolytes. Raman spectroscopic measurements revealed that protons undergo coordination by TFSA− to form anionic complex of [H(TFSA)
x
]1–x
(Figure 1a). The addition of HTFSA narrowed the electrochemical windows compared with those of neat ionic liquids. However, the electrolytes allowed electrochemical H-adsorption/desorption on Pt (working electrode) within the electrochemical windows, which was investigated using quartz crystal microbalance technique. The ionic liquid electrolytes of [HTFSA]0.1[Cation-TFSA]0.9 were applied to rutile TiO2 composite electrodes. Comparing the charge/discharge property in an aqueous electrolyte, ionic liquid decreased the irreversible H2 evolution and the resulting non-electrochemical H+-extraction to show a reversible capacity of ca. 190 mA h g–1 at the first cycle (Figure 1b).

Acknowledgement

This work was supported by a Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B) (24K01601) from the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS).

References

Wang, Y. Xie, K. Tang, C. Wang, C. Yan, Angew. Chem. Int. Ed., 57 (2018) 11569.

B. Mitchell, W. C. Lo, A. Genc, J. LeBeau, V. Augustyn, Chem. Mater., 29 (2017) 3928.

Makivić, J.-Y. Cho, K. D. Harris, J.-M. Tarascon, B. Limoges, V. Balland, Chem. Mater., 33 (2021) 3436.

Shimizu, D. Nishida, A. Kikuchi, S. Arai, J. Phys. Chem. C, 127 (2023) 17677.

Figure 1
Stable Iodine Redox Flow Batteries Using (2-Hydroxypropyl)-β-Cyclodextrin Additive
Authors: Shin Mingyu , Kwon Yongchai
Published: December 2024

Solutions to enhance performance of aqueous redox flow batteries (ARFBs) using iodine active material for catholyte are explored. When iodine is considered, main issue is the production of I2 film as byproduct. To restrict the production of undesirable I2 film, (2-Hydroxypropyl)-β-cyclodextrin (HP-β-CD) additive is introduced. With typical chemical structure of HP-β-CD, solubility of I2 is improved, while desirable two reactions of iodine forming I3- ion from complex consisting of I2 and HP-β-CD occur properly, facilitating proper operation of ARFBs using iodine and HP-β-CD included electrolyte for a long time period in high iodine concentration ranges. Conclusively, these ARFBs solve the production problem of undesirable I2 film and improve its aqueous solubility and electrochemical reactivity of desirable iodine reactions, promoting viability for progress of ARFBs using them.
Design and Performance of a Sodium-Potassium and Mercury Room Temperature Liquid Metal Battery with an Organic Electrolyte for Large Scale Energy Storage
Authors: Kattelman Jake , Moon Jeremy , Chidambaram Dev
Published: December 2024

Liquid metal batteries (LMB) have the potential to be ideal grid-scale storage batteries, though many designs require a high operating temperature which may decrease economic viability and increase corrosion of structural components. To circumvent these issues, development of room temperature LMBs can offer a more affordable and long-term energy storage solution. In this work, we will detail a Na-K || Hg battery with a 1M NaClO4 in DME:FEC organic electrolyte that operates at room temperature. Described will be the manufacturing of the Na-K electrode, assembly of the full cell, and performance.
Colossal Capacity Loss during Calendar Aging of Zn Battery Chemistries
Authors: Liu Bo , Yuan Xintong , Li Yuzhang
Published: December 2024

Whereas previous research efforts in Zn battery chemistries have primarily focused on extending their cycle life, calendar aging has largely been neglected and is poorly understood. Here, we discover that Zn metal anodes lose 12-37% of their capacity after only 24 hours of calendar aging, which is more than an order of magnitude greater than any other battery chemistry previously studied. We find that this large capacity loss occurs regardless of electrolyte chemistry, substrate composition, and calendar aging time, suggesting that the losses cannot be accounted for by corrosion alone. By leveraging titration gas chromatography, we distinguish corrosion losses from losses due to electrically disconnected Zn ("dead" Zn) and quantify dead Zn as the main contributor to capacity loss during Zn battery aging. More broadly, this study shows that large instabilities in seemingly non-reactive metals (e.g., Zn) can occur, highlighting the importance of understanding their underlying degradation mechanisms.

Figure 1
Non-Aqueous Calcium-Based Dual-Ion Batteries with an Organic Electrode of High-Rate Performance
Authors: Jao Wen-Yang , Tai Chen-Wei , Hu Chi-Chang
Published: December 2024

Energy issues have become one of the most critical topics in human society to maintain sustainable development. More specifically, the increasing demand for energy speeds up the evolution of energy storage devices, such as batteries and supercapacitors. Accordingly, lithium-ion batteries became the mainstream energy storage device because of the high demands of electric vehicles and diverse electronic devices. However, the subsequent concerns regarding the abundance, safety, cost, efficiency, and sustainability issues behind the vast daily energy demands initiate the research on the post-lithium-ion batteries in the recent decade. Among them, multivalent batteries based on calcium ions draws lots of attention as a promising energy storage system due to its high earth abundance and improved ionic mobility compared to magnesium ions. Nevertheless, the critical challenge is to solve the incompatibility between the metallic calcium electrode and conventional electrolytes as well as the scarcity of high-rate performance electrode materials for hosting calcium ions simultaneously to construct a practical energy storage device.

Herein, we firstly investigate a small molecular organic material, 3,4,9,10-perylenetetracarboxylic diimide (PTCDI), as the calcium-ion host for calcium-ion batteries (CIBs) in the non-aqueous electrolyte. Spectroscopic, structural, and computational studies reveal that PTCDI with an enhanced Ca2+-storage degree can increase the solubility of reduced PTCDI due to the reduced π-π interaction, suppressed by the saturated electrolyte owing to the high redeposition rate to form a PTCDI film with strengthened hydrogen bonds, which facilitates a fast enolization reaction for Ca2+ storage. Furthermore, the compatibility issue among the metallic Ca, conventional calcium-based electrolyte, and PTCDI was unraveled by employing graphite type material, namely mesocarbon microbead (MCMB), as the positive electrodes for facilitating anion intercalation, as opposed to the utilization of calcium metal negative electrode for Ca2+ plating/stripping. Consequently, a cell assembled with the PTCDI negative electrode and carbon-based positive electrode, as illustrated in Figure 1, exhibits a high-power density >3000 W kg-1, a high energy density of ~150 Wh kg-1, and superior reversible capacity of 80 mAh g-1 at 5 A g-1. The assembled CIB even demonstrates the high-rate performance (90 mAh g-1 at 1 A g-1) and ultra-stable cyclability over 4000 cycles with negligible decay at -10 °C, suggesting the promising future as low-temperature batteries.

Figure 1
Positive Electrode Behavior of Manganese Dioxide in Alkaline Aqueous Electrolyte Solution
Authors: Okada Masaki , Morita Masayuki , Ogumi Zempachi , Abe Takeshi
Published: December 2024

Aqueous secondary batteries that use zinc as the negative electrode are considered suitable for automotive batteries, which require high safety, high energy density, and low cost. An aqueous battery using zinc for the negative electrode has long been put into practical use as a manganese primary battery using manganese dioxide (MnO2) for the positive electrode. Since MnO2 can reduce Mn4+ to Mn2+ in an aqueous electrolyte, if this reaction can be reversibly used, it may be a promising candidate material for the high-energy-density positive electrode of aqueous zinc secondary batteries. In this presentation, we report the results of a study of charge-discharge behavior of MnO2 positive electrode in alkaline aqueous electrolyte solutions used in primary manganese batteries. In this research, positive electrode performance was measured using a three-electrode method. A mixture of commercially available electrolytic manganese dioxide (EMD), acetylene black (AB) and Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) was used as the working electrode. Zinc or Platinum plate was used as counter electrode, and Hg | HgO electrode was used as the reference electrode. The structural changes of the EMD and the identification of the reaction products were investigated by ex-situ XRD measurements. From the evaluation results of several samples, it was found that the EMD with a larger amount of structural water shows a higher electrochemical capacity. Furthermore, among the EMDs evaluated, it was found that the two-electron redox reaction of Mn proceeds reversibly in EMDs with a large amount of structural water. In the presentation, we will report on changes in the crystal structure of MnO2 due to Mn redox, changes in electrolyte composition, and the effects of electrolyte composition on performance.

Acknowledgments： This research was conducted under the project "Development of Innovative Storage Batteries for Electric Vehicles (RISING3)" (JPNP21006) commissioned by the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO). We would like to express our gratitude to all parties involved.
Crafting a Reversible Zinc Metal Anode: The Impact of Organic Electrolyte Additives in Solid Electrolyte Interface Formation
Authors: Kakoty Bhaskar , V Rishikesh , Ahuja Vinita , Mukherji Srimayee , Balasubramanian Sundaram , Joseph Anjana , Narayana Chandrahas , Senguttuvan Premkumar
Published: December 2024

Li ion batteries are appealing for their high energy density and high working potential, however, concerns regarding their expense, access to raw materials and safety have steered researchers towards exploring new sustainable, clean, cost effective and efficient energy storage system.1 Within this domain, aqueous zinc metal battery has emerged as potential candidate due to its impressive specific capacity, low redox potential, environmental sustainability, and cost-effectiveness. Nevertheless, impediments such as corrosion of Zn anode, excessive dendrite formation, hydrogen evolution and dissolution of cathodes impose constraints on their applicability.2 To tackle these challenges, numerous investigations show utilization of organic molecules (Triethyl Phosphate3, Pyridine4) as additives or cosolvents. However, the use of high concentration salt and various organic additives reduces the ionic conductivity of the electrolytes and negatively impacts the cost and energy density of the battery.

Along this line, we have delved into electrochemical properties of hybrid electrolyte composed of water and propylene carbonate, and their ability to form solid electrolyte interphase (SEI). Through this exploration, we've noted a remarkable improvement in battery characteristics such as high coulombic efficiency and stable capacity. By introducing a small amount of propylene carbonate, we have observed substitution of water molecules solvating Zn2+ ions with additives and triflate anions. This led to electrochemical reduction of solvated Zn ion species, forming a solid electrolyte interphase rich in ZnF2 as confirmed by XPS. Moreover, spectroscopic investigations indicate a significant interaction between the highly basic carbonyl oxygen moiety of propylene carbonate (PC) and water molecules, thereby mitigating the dissolution of the cathode.5 This phenomenon facilitates the attainment of remarkable specific capacity of approximately 300 mAh g-1 over the course of 900 cycles at a current density of 1 A g-1. Furthermore, we emphasize the significance of considering the dielectric constant and polarity of an additive or cosolvent in evaluating the performance of the electrolyte for aqueous zinc ion batteries.

Reference:

O. Schmidt, A. Hawkes, A. Gambhir, and I. Staffell, Nature Energy, 2, 1–8 (2017)

V. Verma, S. Kumar, W. Manalastas, Jr., and M. Srinivasan, ACS Energy Lett., 6, 1773−1785 (2021).

S. Liu, J. Mao, W. K. Pang, J. Vongsvivut, X. Zeng, L. Thomsen, Y. Wang, J. Liu, D. Li, and Z. Guo, Adv. Func. Mater., 31, 2104281 (2021).

J. Luo, L. Xu, Y. Zhou, T. Yan, Y. Shao, D. Yang, L. Zhang, Z. Xia, T. Wang, L. Zhang, T Cheng, and Y. Shao, Angew. Chem. Int. Ed., 62, e202302302, (2023).

B. Kakoty, R. Vengarathody, S. Mukherji, V. Ahuja, A. Joseph, C. Narayana, S. Balasubramanian, and P. Senguttuvan, J. Mater. Chem. A, 10, 12597–12607 (2022)
Optimizing Pectin Yield From Burmese Grape (Baccaurea ramiflora) Peels Using Box–Behnken Design and Quality Evaluation
Authors: Hossain Md Akram , Rana Md. Masud , Billah Mir Tuhin , Oliver Md Moinul Hosain , Haque M. Amdadul
Published: December 2024

Pectin, a polysaccharide, is widely used as a gelling and thickening agent in the food industry. This study undertook optimization of pectin extraction from the peels of Baccaurea ramiflora Lour. (Burmese grape or lotkon), an abundantly grown wild fruit in Bangladesh. We applied the Box–Behnken Design of Response Surface Methodology with varied processing parameters including pH, time, and temperature. The Response Surface Methodology, employing a second‐order polynomial model, successfully optimized the extraction conditions for the maximum pectin yield. The model predicted a pectin yield of 10.73%, which closely matched the experimental yield of 10.56%. The optimal conditions for pectin extraction were determined as pH (2.4), extraction time (56 min), and temperature (76°C). Further analyses of the extracted pectin under optimized conditions confirmed its excellent potential for food applications. The pectin was characterized by its moisture content (10.42%), water activity (0.51), ash content (3.41%), equivalent weight (769.23 mg/mole), methoxyl content (7.75%), anhydrouronic acid content (66.88%), degree of esterification (65.79%), and acetyl value (0.39%). These determined parameters strongly support that the pectin extracted from the peels of Burmese grapes is of good quality.
Multiple Fibrolipomas of the Tongue: A Rare Case Report of a Pediatric Patient With Whole Exome Sequencing of the C2CD3 Gene
Authors: Alomari Fouad , Al Zayer Zahra H. , Alferdous Hanaa Mohammad
Published: December 2024

Multiple fibrolipomas of the tongue are rare benign tumors with a prevalence of 0.2% among both adults and children. Moreover, this lesion affecting an infant has not been reported in the literature. This is the first reported case of multiple fibrolipomas of the tongue in an infant. This case report describes the genetic sequencing and treatment of a 1‐year‐old child suffering from multiple fibrolipomas. Irregular growths on the anterior and lateral border of the tongue were reported by the mother of the child at the time of birth. The patient was presented to the hospital at the age of 1, and surgical excision of the lesions was performed under general anesthesia. The surgery was uneventful. Genetic sequencing was performed via whole exome sequencing, and two variants of the C2CD3 gene have been identified that may be associated with this condition, although causation has not yet been confirmed. Although this is a rare entity of the oral cavity, there are various differential diagnoses. Therefore, maxillofacial surgeons should perform histological diagnosis to confirm the findings. This is the first study in literature to understand the genetic sequencing of multiple fibrolipomas in an infant. Hence, the finding of this report can be utilized in further studies registering such cases.
Intellectual Property Rights Protection, Intermediate Product Import, and Export Product Quality
Authors: Cai Tiantian , Hao Jia
Published: December 2024

Based on Chinese industrial enterprises data and Chinese customs data from 2000 to 2013, the paper examines the micromechanism of intellectual property rights protection affecting the quality upgrade of firms’ export products. The empirical results show that strengthening intellectual property right (IPR) protection has a specific and significant role in promoting the quality upgrade of firms’ export products; the estimation results are still robust after using instrumental variables to overcome endogenous biases. Heterogeneity analyze results show that IPR protection has a relatively more significant effect on the quality improvement of export products for foreign‐funded firms, high‐tech industry firms, firms that import intermediate goods from OECD countries, and firms that import high‐tech intermediate goods. Further analysis finds that IPR protection promotes quality upgrade of firms’ export products through the intermediate goods quality effect, product category effect, and technology spillover effect; the expansion of the scale of imported intermediate products brought about by the strengthening of IPR protection has produced a “substitution effect” on the production capacity and R&D capabilities of Chinese upstream industries, and when expanding production capacity, it is necessary to strengthen technology research and development capabilities of the upstream intermediate product industry and improve the quality and technology of intermediate products so as to alleviate the negative impact of the expansion of foreign intermediate product imports and supply. Strengthening IPR protection will further enhance the “Washington apple effect” of the import of intermediate goods, and special attention should be paid to import partners with the long‐distance and high‐quality intermediates in the formulation and implementation of trade policies. The study is helpful for policymakers to formulate correct and effective IPR protection policies and foreign trade policies and also provides empirical evidence and useful inspiration for improving Chinese enterprises’ innovation level and promoting the upgrading of intermediate products production under the current IPR protection strategy.
A Preliminary Study on Transcriptional Regulation of SNP Site C‐1888T in the Promoter Region of Human PLUNC Gene and Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma Susceptibility
Authors: Liu Beina , Wang Rong , He Ying
Published: December 2024

Purpose: The transcriptional regulatory factors binding to the polymorphic site C‐1888T in the promoter region of the palate, lung, and nasal epithelium clone (PLUNC) gene were identified to investigate whether the C‐1888T polymorphic site affects the transcriptional regulation and function of PLUNC gene.

Materials and Methods: Three genotypes of C‐1888T polymorphic locus were screened from established nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) cells, and the mRNA expression levels of PLUNC gene in different genotypes were detected. The respective transcription factors that were more likely to bind with A or G in SNP were predicted by biological information and preliminarily verified in vitro by gel electrophoresis migration rate analysis. Ulteriorly, the NPC cell lines were analyzed through chromatin immunoprecipitation combined with PCR amplification to confirm that the transcription factors could bind to the PLUNC gene promoter.

Results: The cell lines 5–8F, 6–10B, CNE1, and CNE2 were heterozygous CT type, SUNE1 was homozygous CC type, and C666‐1 was homozygous TT type. The expression of PLUNC gene was significantly different among all cell lines (F = 33.844, p < 0.001), and the gene expression level of CC type was significantly lower than TT type (p < 0.001). Gel electrophoresis mobility analysis confirmed that the transcription factors XFD3 and EVI1 could bind to the PLUNC gene promoter when the SNP was A and G, respectively. PCR amplification combined with chromatin immunoprecipitation showed that EVI1 could bind to the DNA fragment of the promoter region of PLUNC gene in SUNE1 NPC cells.

Conclusion: The transcription factors XFD3 and EVI1 may be involved in the transcriptional regulation of PLUNC gene, and EVI1 can bind to the promoter region of PLUNC gene in SUNE1 NPC cells, thus associated with the susceptibility/risk of NPC.
Measurements of Objective Cyclotorsion in a Population of Healthy Children
Authors: Lin Hsu-Ying , Wu Wei-Chi , Sun Ming-Hui , Lin Jui-Yen , Huang Ping-Hsuan , Liu Chun-Hsiu
Published: December 2024

Introduction: This study aimed to compare ocular torsion measurements to investigate normative objective cyclotorsion values in a population of healthy, full‐term and preterm children.

Materials and Methods: The participants enrolled in this study had an age range of 3–12 years and were divided into two groups, full‐term (gestational age (GA) > 37 weeks) and preterm without retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) (GA ≤ 37 weeks). The disc‐center‐fovea angle (DFA) was used to evaluate ocular torsion using two different imaging modalities: optical coherence tomography (OCT) with a 55‐degree field of view (FV) and conventional fundus photography (CFP) with a 45‐degree FV. The values measured from both right and left eyes were combined to obtain a single value to compensate for the effect of head tilt during measurement.

Results: A total of 86 full‐term and 145 preterm children were enrolled in this study. The DFAs measured using OCT and CFP were −11.57° ± 5.27° and −12.07° ± 5.66° in the full‐term group and −10.64° ± 5.40° and −11.25° ± 4.80° in the preterm group, respectively. There were no significant differences between the results obtained from OCT and CFP in the two groups (p = 0.109 and p = 0.512, respectively). There was a strong correlation between OCT and CFP in all patients, with a Pearson’s correlation coefficient of 0.74 and an intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) of 0.74 (both p < 0.001). Multivariate regression analysis showed that the average axial length (AXL) was associated with DFA.

Conclusions: This study found a significant correlation between DFA measured using OCT and CFP, making either measurement modality feasible in pediatric populations. There was no significant difference in the DFA between full‐term and preterm children. AXL demonstrated an association with the DFA.
A Mobile Robot Path Planning Method Based on Dynamic Multipopulation Particle Swarm Optimization
Authors: Zhang Yunjie , Li Ning , Chen Yadong , Yang Zhenjian , Liu Yue
Published: December 2024

To overcome the limitations of particle swarm optimization (PSO) in mobile robot path planning, including issues such as premature convergence and sensitivity to local optima, this study proposes a novel approach, dynamic multipopulation particle swarm optimization (DMPSO). First, the multipopulation particle swarm optimization (MPSO) framework is extended by introducing a dynamic multipopulation strategy that adjusts the number of subpopulations in real‐time. This strategy is designed to enhance the algorithm’s local search capabilities and accelerate its convergence. Second, the inertia weights and learning factors within the algorithm are refined to achieve a balance between global exploration and local exploitation. Furthermore, an initialization strategy based on fitness variance is developed to improve population diversity, mitigate premature convergence, and enhance the algorithm’s ability to locate global optima. Lastly, a positive feedback acceleration factor is introduced to optimize particle positions, thereby improving local search capabilities and accelerating convergence. Simulation experiments have validated that DMPSO offers improved exploration capabilities, enhanced search precision, and a more rapid convergence rate. In comparison to PSO, DMPSO reduces the path length by 3% and decreases the number of convergence iterations by 17%.
Histologic and Immunologic Factors Associated with Response to Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors in Advanced Sarcoma
Authors: Lee Alex Q. , Hao Clara , Pan Minggui , Ganjoo Kristen N. , Bui Nam Q.
Published: December 2024

Purpose:

To characterize factors associated with response to immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) in advanced sarcoma.

Experimental Design:

This is a retrospective study with a cohort of 216 patients with advanced sarcoma treated with ICI between 2016 and 2023 at Stanford Health Care. Overall survival, progression-free survival (PFS), objective response rates (ORR) per RECIST criteria, and reason for ICI discontinuation were analyzed across histologic subtypes, ICI regimens, tumor mutational burden, and PD-L1 expression.

Results:

The overall ORR in the cohort was 16.7%. The histologic subtypes with the highest ORR were Kaposi sarcoma (KS, 66.7%), alveolar soft part sarcoma (ASPS, 50%), angiosarcoma (33.3%), myxofibrosarcoma (MFS, 28.6%), and undifferentiated pleomorphic sarcoma (UPS, 27.8%). The subtypes with the lowest ORR were osteosarcoma (0%), synovial sarcoma (0%), and liposarcoma (3.7%). The subtypes with the highest median PFS were KS (median not reached), ASPS (median not reached), MFS (27.4 months), and UPS (11.3 months). The ORR for sarcomas with PD-L1 ≥ 1% was 27.8% (P = 0.02), whereas the ORR for sarcomas with tumor mutational burden ≥10 mutations per megabase of DNA was 28.6% (P = 0.20).

Conclusions:

ORR and PFS were highly variable across sarcoma histologic subtypes. In this large analysis, KS, ASPS, angiosarcoma, MFS, and UPS demonstrated the highest ORR and longest PFS while osteosarcoma, synovial sarcoma, and liposarcoma had the lowest ORR and shortest PFS. PD-L1 expression was also associated with increased ORR. Our findings provide further insight into understanding the sarcoma histologic and immunologic factors that correspond with response to ICI.
How Do Governance Conditions Influence Knowledge Diaspora Engagement in the Development Agenda of Ethiopia?
Authors: Bogale Mekonnen , Yesigat Abate , Jibat Nega , Hadis Sebsib , Tafese Tibebu
Published: December 2024

Generating evidence of knowledge diaspora engagement governance conditions is crucial for informed decision-making, yet there is a lack of research of this topic in the Ethiopian context. This study aimed to investigate how governance conditions influence knowledge diaspora engagement in Ethiopia’s development agenda. Qualitative methods, including key informant interviews and focus group discussions with purposely selected stakeholders (such as ministries, diaspora coordinating offices, universities, teaching and referral hospitals and diaspora associations), were employed to generate and analyse the evidence. The study found that, despite the political will, a formal diaspora policy, diaspora coordinating offices and the diaspora’s cultural attachment to their country of origin, actual engagement remains limited. The reasons for this include political instability, incoherent policies, weak collaboration among agencies, lack of engagement strategies, corruption, unnecessarily restrictive bureaucratic service delivery and inadequate monitoring mechanisms. Addressing gaps in the governance conditions would improve the diaspora engagement, thereby enabling Ethiopia to harness the full potential of its knowledge diaspora for national development.
1. Wrens’ Calling
Authors: Smith Justin
Published: December 2024

Women from a wide spectrum of social backgrounds volunteered to join the Women’s Royal Naval Service (WRNS) during the Second World War. Induction at the new central training depot at Mill Hill in London tested the metal of many and introduced them to the rigours and idiosyncrasies of life in the ‘Senior Service’, its nautical rules and terminology. By 1942, the quest to relieve as many men as possible from shore-based roles to serve at sea, led Wrens to be trained in a range of highly-skilled tasks, some of which, such as Anti-Aircraft Target Operators were semi-combatant. However, those novice Wrens with relevant civilian work experience were drafted into communications roles, as Coders, Telegraphists, Cyphers, Signallers, Plotters and Writers. Joan Prior, a qualified shorthand-typist from Barking in Essex, joined a handful of new recruits selected to work at Norfolk House for the Allied Naval Commander Expeditionary Force (ANCXF), Admiral Sir Bertram Ramsay. It soon became clear that their top-secret work was engaged in preparations for the largest amphibious operation in the history of warfare, Operation Overlord.
An Intersectional Examination of College and Career Readiness for Youth With and Without Disabilities
Authors: Lombardi Allison R. , Rifenbark Graham G. , Esposito Christopher , Taconet Ashley , Mazzotti Valerie L. , Morningstar Mary E.
Published: December 2024

Youth with disabilities continue to experience poor post-school outcomes as compared to their peers without disabilities. In this multilevel study, we used an intersectional lens to examine college and career readiness (CCR) among youth with and without disabilities ( N = 3523). A CCR assessment yielded four domain scores: Academic Engagement and Processes, Ownership of Learning, Interpersonal Engagement, and Career Development; which were modeled as outcomes of the student- and school-level predictors: race/ethnicity, grade level, and disability status, percentage of White students at school, percentage of students experiencing economic disadvantage, and adverse childhood experiences. Findings show significant student- and school-level variance is explained across the domains. Youth with disabilities scored lower on all domain scores. Results demonstrate the importance of modeling intersecting characteristics to understand the combination of individual and contextual risk factors that may affect CCR for youth and inform collaborative efforts among school staff.
Examining the relationship between acceptance of diversity and school safety: The roles of peers and teachers in a Canadian context
Authors: Tesolin Julia , Lyu Hongye , Konishi Chiaki , MacLeod Brooke , Marshall Sara
Published: December 2024

Attention to diversity in classrooms has become more prominent in recent years. Unfortunately, research shows that diverse students feel relatively unsafe and unprotected in schools compared to their peers. Perceptions of peer and adult acceptance of diversity have been shown to separately associate with school safety. The current study extends existing research by exploring how mediating role of peer acceptance of diversity between adult acceptance of diversity and a sense of school safety among Canadian high-school students. Participants included 233 high-school students in Canada (mean age = 14.76, 34.5% girls) who completed a self-report survey about their perceptions of peer and adult acceptance of diversity and school safety. A just-identified path analysis revealed a significant positive association between adult acceptance of diversity and peer acceptance of diversity (β = .679, p < .001). Perceived school safety was directly and positively associated with both adult acceptance of diversity (β = .338, p < .001) and peer acceptance of diversity (β = .303, p < .001). There was also a significant indirect association between adult acceptance of diversity and a sense of school safety via peer acceptance of diversity, 95% CI [.111, .310]. These findings emphasize the critical role that adults have on students’ perceptions of diversity and safety in the school context.
External exposure of the public to radionuclides deposited in the terrestrial environments after the accident at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station: the UNSCEAR Model 2020
Authors: Ulanowski A. , Balonov M. , Chipiga L. , Kinase S.
Published: December 2024

Assessments and forecasts of doses of external exposure to radionuclides deposited in the terrestrial natural and anthropogenic environments are often challenged by diverse environmental and social factors, which are unknown at the time of a nuclear emergency or shortly after but may substantially increase uncertainty of dosimetric estimates. The decade passed since the accident at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station (FDNPS) in 2011 demonstrated that the observed dynamics of ambient dose rates and the long-term forecasts of external exposures in Japan vary from those earlier observed after nuclear weapon tests, radiation accidents and other events of radiological emergency. Those earlier events provided the foundation for the model of external exposure in the UNSCEAR 2013 Report ‘Levels and effects of radiation exposure due to the nuclear accident after the 2011 great east-Japan earthquake and tsunami’. For the new UNSCEAR 2020/2021 Report vol. II ‘Levels and effects of radiation exposure due to the accident at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station: implications of information published since the UNSCEAR 2013 Report’, this model has been critically reviewed and further developed, using results of extensive systematic radiation monitoring in various environments and population-based studies with personal dosimeters conducted by experts in Japan. The new monitoring data created a supporting framework for validation of the improved models for estimation of population external doses from radionuclides deposited on the ground. The revised model follows the generic framework compatible to existing approaches, while considering country-specific features important for the public dose assessment. The model has been applied for forecasting external doses and their uncertainties due to unknown future trends of dose rate dynamics or population behaviour. The new model can be effectively applied for assessment of cumulative external doses and related uncertainties for various exposure scenarios, e.g. for evacuated members of the public returning to their homes, members of population born after the accident, environmental changes occurring as a result of countermeasures or remedial actions.
Spine X-ray image segmentation based on deep learning and marker controlled watershed
Authors: Xiao Yating , Chen Yan , Zhang Yong , Zhang Runjie , Cui Guangyu , Song Yufeng , Zhang Quan
Published: December 2024

Background

The development of automatic methods for vertebral segmentation provides the objective analysis of each vertebra in the spine image, which is important for the diagnosis of various spinal diseases. However, vertebrae have inter-class similarity and intra-class variability, and some adjacent vertebrae exhibit adhesion.

Objective

To solve the adhesion problem of adjacent vertebrae and ensure that the boundary between adjacent vertebrae can be accurately demarcated, we propose an image segmentation method based on deep learning and marker controlled watershed.

Methods

This method consists of a dual-path model of localization path and segmentation path to achieve automatic vertebral segmentation. For the vertebral localization path, a high-resolution network (HRNet) is used to locate vertebral center. Moreover, based on spine posture, a new bone direction loss (BD-Loss) is designed to constrain HRNet. For the vertebral segmentation path, we proposed a VU-Net network to achieve vertebral preliminary segmentation. Additionally, a position information perception module (PIPM) is introduced to realize the guidance of HRNet to VU-Net. Finally, we novelly use the outputs of HR-Net and VU-Net deep learning networks to initialize the marker controlled watershed algorithm to suppress the adhesion of adjacent vertebrae and achieve vertebral fine segmentation.

Results

The proposed method was evaluated on two spine X-ray datasets using four metrics. The first dataset contains sagittal images of the cervical spine, while the second dataset contains coronal images of the whole spine, both with different health conditions. Our method achieved Recall of 96.82% and 94.38%, Precision of 97.24% and 98.14%, Dice coefficient of 97.03% and 96.22%, Intersection over Union of 94.24% and 92.72% on the cervical spine and whole spine datasets respectively, outperforming current state-of-the-art techniques.