Factors influencing the development of nursing professionalism: a descriptive qualitative study.

BACKGROUND: The shortage of nurses threatens the entire healthcare system, and nursing professionalism can improve nurse retention and enhance the quality of care. However, nursing professionalism is dynamic, and the factors influencing its development are not fully understood. METHODS: A qualitative descriptive study was conducted. Using maximum variation and purposive sampling, 14 southern and northern China participants were recruited. Semi-structured interviews were conducted from May 2022 to August 2023 in face-to-face conversations in offices in the workplace or via voice calls. The interviews were transcribed verbatim and analyzed via thematic analysis. RESULTS: Three main themes emerged: (1) nourishment factors: promoting early sprouting; (2) growth factors: the power of self-activation and overcoming challenges; and (3) rootedness factors: stability and upward momentum. Participants described the early acquisition of nursing professionalism as derived from personality traits, family upbringing, and school professional education, promoting the growth of nursing professionalism through self-activation and overcoming challenges, and maintaining the stable and upward development of nursing professionalism through an upward atmosphere and external motivation. CONCLUSION: We revealed the dynamic factors that influence the development of nursing professionalism, including "nourishment factors", "growth factors", and "rootedness factors". Our findings provide a foundation for future development of nursing professionalism cultivation strategies. Nursing administrators can guide the development of nurses' professionalism from many angles according to the stage they are in, and the development of professionalism deserves more attention. In the future, we can no longer consider the development of nursing professionalism solely as the responsibility of individual nurses; the power of families, organizations, and society is indispensable to jointly promoting nursing professionalism among nurses.

RGCC balances self-renewal and neuronal differentiation of neural stem cells in the developing mammalian neocortex.

During neocortical development, neural stem cells (NSCs) divide symmetrically to self-renew at the early stage and then divide asymmetrically to generate post-mitotic neurons. The molecular mechanisms regulating the balance between NSC self-renewal and neurogenesis are not fully understood. Using mouse in utero electroporation (IUE) technique and in vitro human NSC differentiation models including cerebral organoids (hCOs), we show here that regulator of cell cycle (RGCC) modulates NSC self-renewal and neuronal differentiation by affecting cell cycle regulation and spindle orientation. RGCC deficiency hampers normal cell cycle process and dysregulates the mitotic spindle, thus driving more cells to divide asymmetrically. These modulations diminish the NSC population and cause NSC pre-differentiation that eventually leads to brain developmental malformation in hCOs. We further show that RGCC might regulate NSC spindle orientation by affecting the organization of centrosome and microtubules. Our results demonstrate that RGCC is essential to maintain the NSC pool during cortical development and suggest that RGCC defects could have etiological roles in human brain malformations.

Optimization design of the sound absorbing structure of double-layer porous metal material with air layer based on genetic algorithm.

An acoustic absorption structure of a double-layer porous metal material with air layers is proposed. The Johnson-Champoux-Allard (JCA) model combined with the transfer matrix method (TMM) was used to establish the theoretical calculation model of the sound absorption coefficient (SAC). Meanwhile, the SAC between 500 and 6300 Hz were measured with an impedance tube. The errors between the theoretical and experimental values were compared to illustrate the good predictability of the theoretical model within the inverse estimations of the transport properties. The effects of the material placement order, material thickness, and cavity depth on the sound absorption performance from 200 to 5000 Hz were analyzed using the theoretical model. Further, a multi-objective function genetic algorithm was used to optimize the porous material's thickness and SAC to obtain an acoustic structure with a smaller thickness and higher sound absorption. A series of optimal solutions were obtained for acoustic structures with a total thickness of less than 70 mm. When the total thickness of the foam metal was 33.57 mm, the average SAC reached 0.853, which was significantly lower than the total thickness of the previous experiments. The multi-objective function genetic algorithm can provide a reliable solution for the optimal design of most sound-absorbing structures.

Selective Electrochemical Hydrogenation of Phenol with Earth-abundant Ni-MoO2 Heterostructured Catalysts: Effect of Oxygen Vacancy on Product Selectivity.

Herein, we report highly efficient carbon supported Ni-MoO2 heterostructured catalysts for the electrochemical hydrogenation (ECH) of phenol in 0.10 M aqueous sulfuric acid (pH 0.7) at 60 °C. Highest yields for cyclohexanol and cyclohexanone of 95 % and 86 % with faradaic efficiencies of ∼50 % are obtained with catalysts bearing high and low densities of oxygen vacancy (Ov ) sites, respectively. In situ diffuse reflectance infrared spectroscopy and density functional theory calculations reveal that the enhanced phenol adsorption strength is responsible for the superior catalytic efficiency. Furthermore, 1-cyclohexene-1-ol is an important intermediate. Its hydrogenation route and hence the final product are affected by the Ov density. This work opens a promising avenue to the rational design of advanced electrocatalysts for the upgrading of phenolic compounds.

Novel processing strategies to enhance the bioaccessibility and bioavailability of functional components in wheat bran.

Dietary fiber, polysaccharides and phenols are the representative functional components in wheat bran, which have important nutritional properties and pharmacological effects. However, the most functional components in wheat bran exist in bound form with low bioaccessibility. This paper reviews these functional components, analyzes modification methods, and focuses on novel solid-state fermentation (SSF) strategies in the release of functional components. Mining efficient microbial resources from traditional fermented foods, exploring the law of material exchange between cell populations, and building a stable self-regulation co-culture system are expected to strengthen the SSF process. In addition, emerging biotechnology such as synthetic biology and genome editing are used to transform the mixed fermentation system. Furthermore, combined with the emerging physical-field pretreatment coupled with SSF strategies applied to the modification of wheat bran, which provides a theoretical basis for the high-value utilization of wheat bran and the development of related functional foods and drugs.

Novel melatonin-trientine conjugate as potential therapeutic agents for Alzheimer's disease.

Researchers continue to explore drug targets to treat the characteristic pathologies of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Some drugs relieve the pathological processes of AD to some extent, but the failed clinical trials indicate that multifunctional agents seem more likely to achieve the therapy goals for this neurodegenerative disease. Herein, a novel compound named melatonin-trientine (TM) has been covalently synthesized with the natural antioxidant compounds melatonin and the metal ion chelator trientine. After toxicological and pharmacokinetic verification, we elucidated the effects of intraperitoneal administration of TM on AD-like pathology in 6-month-old mice that express both the ß-amyloid (Aß) precursor protein and presenilin-1 (APP/PS1). We found that TM significantly decreased Aß deposition and neuronal degeneration in the brains of the APP/PS1 double transgenic mice. This result may be due to the upregulation of iron regulatory protein-2 (IRP2), insulin degrading enzyme (IDE), and low density lipoprotein receptor related protein 1 (LRP1), which leads to decreases in APP and Aß levels. Additionally, TM may promote APP non-amyloidogenic processing by activating the melatonin receptor-2 (MT2)-dependent signaling pathways, but not MT1. In addition, TM plays an important role in blocking γ-secretase, tau hyperphosphorylation, neuroinflammation, oxidative stress, and metal ion dyshomeostasis. Our results suggest that TM may effectively maximize the therapeutic efficacy of targeting multiple mechanisms associated with AD pathology.

Incidence and related influencing factors of workplace violence among psychiatric nurses in China: A systematic review and Meta-analysis.

AIM: To analyze and integrate the incidence and its influencing factors on workplace violence among psychiatric nurses in China. BACKGROUND: Despite the fact that an increasing number of studies in China and elsewhere have focused on workplace violence among psychiatric nurses, there is presently no research to thoroughly explain the determining variables of violence faced by psychiatric nurses. DESIGN: A systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted. METHOD: PubMed, Embase, Cohrane Library, CNKI database, Wanfang database, and VIP database were used to search for English-language literature. The search deadline is June 15, 2021. The quality of the included literature was assessed, data was retrieved, and the meta-analysis was performed using Stata 16.0 software. RESULTS: A total of 19 works of literature, including 5926 patients, were included. Meta-analysis results showed that the incidence of workplace violence was about 78%[ES = 0.78, 95%CI(0.65,0.88)]. The possible factors for Chinese psychiatric nurses suffering from violence include gender, education, working years, whether they are an only child, age, height, working hours, and the form of employment. CONCLUSIONS: The incidence of workplace violence incidence among psychiatric nurses in China is high, and managers should employ individualized intervention methods based on the variables that influence it. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING MANAGEMENT: Managers should attach great importance to the occurrence of workplace violence. In training to prevent workplace violence, we should pay attention to the disparities in age and working abilities of nurses. Nurses should be trained in recognizing violent conduct, early warning indications, communication skills, and emergency response tactics. Managers should be able to schedule shifts in a flexible manner. Various techniques to enhance the nurse's working environment.

Hydrophobicity Graded Gas Diffusion Layer for Stable Electrochemical Reduction of CO2.

To mitigate flooding associated with the gas diffusion layer (GDL) during electroreduction of CO2 , we report a hydrophobicity-graded hydrophobic GDL (HGGDL). Coating uniformly dispersed polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) binders on the carbon fiber skeleton of a hydrophilic GDL uniformizes the hydrophobicity of the GDL and also alleviates the gas blockage of pore channels. Further adherence of the PTFE macroporous layer (PMPL) to one side of the hydrophobic carbon fiber skeleton was aided by sintering. The introduced PMPL shows an appropriate pore size and enhanced hydrophobicity. As a result, the HGGDL offers spatial control of the hydrophobicity and hence water and gas transport over the GDL. Using a nickel-single-atom catalyst, the resulting HGGDL electrode provided a CO faradaic efficiency of over 83 % at a constant current density of 75 mA cm-2 for 103 h operation in a membrane electrode assembly, which is more than 16 times that achieved with a commercial GDL.

Electrochemical Hydrogenation of Furfural in Aqueous Acetic Acid Media with Enhanced 2-Methylfuran Selectivity Using CuPd Bimetallic Catalysts.

Herein, we report a series of CuPd catalysts for electrochemical hydrogenation (ECH) of furfural to 2-methylfuran (MF or FurCH3 where Fur=furyl) in aqueous 0.1 M acetic acid (pH 2.9). The highest faradaic efficiency (FE) for MF reached 75 % at -0.58 V vs. reversible hydrogen electrode with an average partial current density of 4.5 mA cm-2 . In situ surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopic and kinetic isotopic experiments suggested that electrogenerated adsorbed hydrogen (Hads ) was involved in the reaction and incorporation of Pd enhanced the surface coverage of Hads and optimized the adsorption pattern of furfural, leading to a higher FE for MF. Density functional theory calculations revealed that Pd incorporation reduced the energy barrier for the hydrogenation of FurCH2 * to FurCH3 *. Our study demonstrates that catalyst surface structure/composition plays a crucial role in determining the selectivity in ECH and provides a new strategy for designing advanced catalysts for ECH of bio-derived oxygenates.

General phenomenon and communication experience of physician and nurse in night shift communication: A qualitative study.

AIM: This paper explored the general phenomenon and psychological experience of the special background communication in night shift medical staff and provides better reference for night shift communication between doctors and nurses. BACKGROUND: Physician-nurse communication has always been an important agenda for health care work and an important concept in nursing theory. During night shifts, effective doctor and nurse communication can enhance mutual trust, provide timely and appropriate medical services to patients, reduce adverse events and enhance patient safety. DESIGN: A qualitative study was conducted. METHODS: Husserl's descriptive phenomenology method and semi-structured in-depth interviews were used to collect data from 8 nurses and 5 doctors. Colaizzi's method was used to analyse data using MAXQDA 12. The Consolidated Criteria for Reporting Qualitative Research (COREQ) checklist was followed (see Appendix S1). RESULTS: Three themes were extracted after sorting out and refining: the need to achieve goals in night-time physician-nurse communication; obstacles in night-time physician-nurse communication; and relationship culture in night-time physician-nurse communication. CONCLUSION: Attention should be paid to the particularity of night shift and efficiency of achieving the goal of communication between doctors and nurses on night shift, and the hidden obstacles behind communication between doctors and nurses. Managers should pay attention to the cultural construction of night shift communication in the system, form a good night shift communication process and regularly train doctors' and nurses' related communication skills. And they should also study relationship culture rationally to improve the communication efficiency of night shift. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING MANAGEMENT: The experiences described in this study contribute to a better understanding of obstacles hidden behind night shift physician-nurse communication. This also provides valuable information to professional managers who develop good doctor-nurse relationship culture.

Iron Pathophysiology in Alzheimer's Diseases.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a multifactorial neurodegenerative condition associated with pathological accumulation of amyloid plaques and with the appearance of deposit of neurofibrillary tangles. Increasing evidence suggests that disorders of metal ion metabolism in the brain are one of the risk factors for the pathogenesis of AD. Iron, one of the endogenous metal ions, involves in many important physiological activities in the brain. Iron metabolism mainly depends on iron regulatory proteins including ferritin, transferrin and transferrin receptor, hepcidin, ferroportin, lactoferrin. Abnormal iron metabolism generates hydroxyl radicals through the Fenton reaction, triggers oxidative stress reactions, damages cell lipids, protein and DNA structure and function, leads to cell death, and ultimately influences the process of ß-amyloid (Aß) misfolding and plaque aggregation. Although the results are different, in general, iron has deposition in different brain regions of AD patients, which may impair normal cognitive function and behavior. Therefore, neuroimaging changes have so far been largely attributed to focal iron deposition accompanying the plaques at preclinical stages of AD, and iron-targeted therapeutic strategies have become a new direction. Iron chelators have received a great deal of attention and have obtained good results in scientific experiments and some clinical trials. Future research will also focus on iron as an opportunity to study the mechanism of the occurrence and development of AD from the iron steady state to more fully clarify the etiology and prevention strategies.

Preparation and Optimization of New High-Power Nanoscale Li4Ti5O12 Full-Cell System.

Lithium ion batteries with graphite negative electrodes have been developed to date due to their low power density, which limits their application in many cases, however. Nanoscale Li4Ti5O12 has higher power density than conventional graphite anode materials. In order to ensure that the full-cell system has high power and high energy, cathode materials are very important. In this paper, three different cathode materials, LiNi0.8Co0.15Al0.05O2 (NCA), LiNi0.6Co0.2Mn0.2O2 (NCM622), and LiCoO2 (LCO), were used to conduct a comprehensive study, and optimal NCA-Li4Ti5O12(LTO) full battery system was selected under high power conditions. On the basis, in order to further increase battery power density, and in combination with the mechanism of the supercapacitor non-Faradic energy storage, polyaniline activated carbon material (PANI-AC) with excellent capacitance characteristics was prepared. In the end, we proposed a new type of hybrid battery capacitor system with high power and high energy.

Volatile Composition in Two Pummelo Cultivars (Citrus grandis L. Osbeck) from Different Cultivation Regions in China.

This study investigated the composition of volatile compounds in two pummelo cultivars, including 'Shatian' and 'Guanxi', cultivated in different regions of China with the aim of studying the effect of cultivar and cultivation condition on biosynthesis of volatile compounds in pummelo. Volatile compounds were extracted from pummelo juice using head-space microextraction and then analyzed using gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry. Results showed that a total of 49 volatile compounds was detected in the study, including 11 aldehydes, 7 alcohols, 3 ketones, 7 esters, 19 terpenes and 2 other volatiles. The 'Guanxi' pummelo cultivar possessed a more complex composition of volatile compounds compared with the 'Shatian' cultivar. Meanwhile, the volatile compounds appeared to exhibit a higher concentration in the 'Guanxi' cultivar samples than the 'Shatian' cultivar. Cluster analysis revealed that the 'Guanxi' cultivar samples from the different regions were grouped together, whereas the 'Shatian' cultivar samples were assembled. Principal component analysis showed that an obvious separation was observed between the 'Guanxi' and 'Shatian' cultivar. However, the 'Shatian-SC15' was significantly separated from the other 'Shatian' cultivar samples. These indicated that cultivar genotype was the primary factor that determined the volatile profile of the pummelo cultivar. Cultivation region might affect the biosynthesis of volatile compounds, resulting in the differentiation of the volatile composition in each pummelo cultivar.

Electrochemical immunosensor for detection of epidermal growth factor reaching lower detection limit: toward oxidized glutathione as a more efficient blocking reagent for the antibody functionalized silver nanoparticles and antigen interaction.

Blocking reagent is of vital importance for an immunosensor because it ensures the antifouling of the sensing interface and thus selective determination of the target. This Letter investigates a small inactive peptide, oxidized glutathione (GSSG), to replace the commonly used bovine serum albumin (BSA) as blocking reagent for immunosensor fabrication to lower the detection limit of electrochemical immunosensors. The EGF (epidermal growth factor) detection as an example is used here to compare the blocking effects from GSSG and BSA, respectively. The relatively big size of BSA sterically hinders EGF and antibody functionalized silver nanoparticles (Ab-AgNPs) binding. By comparison, GSSG cannot hinder EGF and Ab-AgNPs binding since it is much smaller than EGF, verified by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) results. The established GSSG blocking-based immunosensor for EGF reaches a very low detection limit of 0.01 pM, exhibits wide linearity range between 0.1 pM and 0.1 µM and is more sensitive than the BSA blocking strategy. The proposed GSSG-blocking strategy in the immunoassay paves an attractive platform for other biomolecules to reach a lower detection limit.

Hexagonal cobalt oxyhydroxide-carbon dots hybridized surface: high sensitive fluorescence turn-on probe for monitoring of ascorbic acid in rat brain following brain ischemia.

In this study, we report a novel and efficient fluorescence probe synthesized by Tris(hydroxymethyl)aminomethane-derived carbon dots (CDs)-modified hexagonal cobalt oxyhydroxide(CoOOH) nanoflakes (Tris-derived CDs-CoOOH) for monitoring of cerebral ascorbic acid (AA) in brain microdialysate. The as-prepared Tris-derived CDs with the fluorescence quantum yield of 7.3% are prepared by a one-step pyrolysis strategy of the sole precursor and used as the signal output. After being hybridized with CoOOH nanoflakes to form Tris-derived CDs-CoOOH, the luminescence of the Tris-derived CDs can be efficiently quenched by CoOOH via fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET). Due to the specific redox reaction between the enediol group of AA and hexagonal CoOOH nanoflakes, AA can reduce the hexagonal CoOOH nanoflakes in the Tris-derived CDs-CoOOH and lead to collapse of the hybrized structure, then the release of Tris-derived CDs, and thus finally the fluorescence recovery. Moreover, cobalt ions (II), generated by CoOOH nanoflakes oxidizing AA, almost have no obvious interference on the fluorescence probe, i.e., Tris-derived CDs, which could be ascribed to the surface of Tris-derived CDs containing a few strong chelation groups such as amino/carboxyl/thiol groups, instead of plenty of -OH groups with weak chelation with Co(2+). On the basis of this feature, the Tris-derived CDs-CoOOH fluorescent probe demonstrates a linear range from 100 nM to 20 µM with the detection limit of ∼50 nM, i.e., with an improved sensitivity toward AA detection. Compared with other turn-on fluorescent methods using convenient fluorophore-nitroxide fluorescent probes for detection of AA, the method demonstrated here possesses a facial synthesis route, lower limit of detection, and wider linear range, which validates sensing of AA in the cerebral systems during the calm/ischemia process. This study provides a fluorescence assay for the simple yet facial detection of AA in the cerebral systems and assists in the understanding of the biological processes in the physiological and pathological study.

High-level secretory expression and purification of unhydroxylated human collagen α1(III) chain in Pichia pastoris GS115.

Recombinant collagen and gelatin have been applied in biomedical materials field because of products from genetically engineered microorganisms with improved safety, traceability, reproducibility, and homogeneous quality. To obtain high-level secretory expression of single-chain full-length human collagen α1(III) chain (COL3A1) without the N and C telopeptides, the cDNA coding for the human COL3A1 gene was cloned into the secretory expression vector pPIC9K and integrated into Pichia pastoris GS115. Sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and Western blotting analysis of culture supernatant from the recombinant methylotrophic yeast suggested that the unhydroxylated recombinant human COL3A1 (rhCOL3A1) was secreted into the culture medium, and exhibited an apparent molecular mass of approximately 130 kDa, which is 1.4 times higher than the theoretical one. Finally, the unhydroxylated rhCOL3A1 was purified to greater than 90% purity using a four-step approach. In addition, methylthiazolydiphenyl-tetrazolium bromide experiments indicated that low concentration of rhCOL3A1 could promote Baby hamster kidney cell (BHK21) proliferation effectively. The production and purification of rhCOL3A1 described in this study offer a new method for obtaining high level of rhCOL3A1 in relatively pure form, which is suitable for biomedical materials application.

New strategy for expression of recombinant hydroxylated human collagen α1(III) chains in Pichia pastoris GS115.

Type III collagen is one of the most abundant proteins in the human body, which forms collagen fibrils and provides the stiff, resilient characteristics of many tissues. In this paper, a new method for secretory expression of recombinant hydroxylated human collagen α1(III) chain in Pichia pastoris GS115 was applied. The gene encoding for full-length human collagen α1(III) chain (COL3A1) without N-terminal propeptide and C-terminal propeptide was cloned in the pPIC9K expression vector. The prolyl 4-hydroxylase (P4H, EC 1.14.11.2) α-subunit (P4Hα) and ß-subunit (P4Hß) genes were cloned in the same expression vector, pPICZB. Fluorogenic quantitative PCR indicates that COL3A1 and P4H genes have been expressed in mRNA level. SDS-PAGE shows that secretory expression of recombinant human collagen α1(III) chain was successfully achieved in P. pastoris GS115. In addition, the result of amino acids composition analysis shows that the recombinant human collagen α1(III) chain contains hydroxyproline by coexpression with the P4H. Furthermore, liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry analysis demonstrates that proline residues of the recombinant human collagen α1(III) chain were hydroxylated in the X or Y positions of Gly-X-Y triplets.

Heterogeneity in Adolescents' Non-Suicidal Self-Injury Behaviour Trajectories Based on the Group-Based Trajectory Model and a Decision Tree Analysis of Family-Related Determinants.

Background: Non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) is a global public health problem. While some studies have noted the importance of behavioural development patterns in NSSI, most NSSI research is based on cross-sectional survey data. Few studies explore the time-series heterogeneity of trajectories of NSSI symptoms and family-related influencing factors of NSSI. Aim: The purpose of the study was to identify the heterogeneity in trajectories of adolescents' NSSI behaviour and their family-related influencing factors. Methods: The group-based trajectory model (GBTM) was used to identify the heterogeneity in the NSSI behaviour trajectories of 208 adolescents in China. Next, the decision tree model (DTM) was used to analyse which family related factors influence the trajectory type. Results: The GBTM revealed two heterogeneous trajectories of NSSI behaviour: the high-risk and low-risk NSSI behaviour groups. Next, DTM's average accuracy was 83.2%. A total of seven independent variables were used for the DTM: gender, number of NSSIs in the past month, and family economic, family structure, family conflict, parental psychological control, parental behavior control and family intimacy risks. Family conflict risk was located at the root node and was the most important factor. Conclusion: Heterogeneity within the population should be considered in the management of adolescents' NSSI behaviours. Further, from the perspective of family system theory and cumulative risk, focusing on the adverse effect of multiple risk factors on adolescents' NSSI addiction is more meaningful rather than the impact of single risk factors. Studies that use time series data should focus on the trend of dynamic changes in NSSI addiction characteristics over time.

Leaching NCM cathode materials of spent lithium-ion batteries with phosphate acid-based deep eutectic solvent.

Deep eutectic solvents (DESs) play an important role in efficient recovery of spent lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). In this study, we proposed an efficient and safe method by using a choline chloride-phenylphosphinic acid DES as a lixiviant for the leaching of LiNixCoyMnzO2 (NCM) cathode active materials of spent LIBs. The leaching conditions were optimized based on the leaching time, liquid-solid ratio, and leaching temperature. Under optimal experimental conditions, the leaching efficiencies of Li, Co, Ni, and Mn reached 97.7 %, 97.0 %, 96.4 %, and 93.0 %, respectively. The kinetics of the leaching process were well-fitted using the logarithmic law equation. The apparent activation energies for Li, Co, Ni, and Mn have been reported to be 60.3 kJ/mol, 78.9 kJ/mol, 99.3 kJ/mol, and 82.1 kJ/mol, respectively. UV-visible spectroscopy and Fourier transform infrared analysis revealed that the coordination configurations of Ni and Co in the leaching solution were octahedral and tetrahedral, respectively. In addition, the PO bond in phenylphosphinic acid was involved in coordination during leaching. This finding may provide an effective and safe approach for leaching valuable metals from spent LIBs.