Practical Application of Li-Rich Materials in Halide All-Solid-State Batteries and Interfacial Reactions between Cathodes and Electrolytes.

Benefiting from the advanced solid-state electrolytes (SSEs), conventional cathodes have been widely applied in all-solid-state lithium batteries (ASSLBs). However, Li-rich Mn-based (LRM) cathodes, which possess enhanced discharge capacities beyond 250 mA h g-1, have not yet been studied in ASSLBs. In this work, the practical application of LRM cathodes in ASSLBs using a high-voltage-stability halide SSE (Li3InCl6, LIC) is reported for the first time. Furthermore, we decipher that the active oxygen released from LRM cathodes at a high operation voltage seriously oxidizes the LIC electrolytes, thus resulting in the large interfacial resistance between cathodes and electrolytes and hindering their industrialized application in ASSLBs. Therefore, surface chemistry engineering of LRM cathodes with an ionic conductive coating material of LiNbO3 (LNO) is employed to stabilize the LRM/LIC interface. Consequently, the LRM-based ASSLBs deliver a high specific capacity of 221 mA h g-1 at 0.1 C and a decent cycle life of 100 cycles. This contribution gives insights into studying the interfacial issues between LRM cathodes and halide electrolytes and sheds light on the application of LRM cathode materials in ASSLBs.

Manipulating Charge-Transfer Kinetics of Lithium-Rich Layered Oxide Cathodes in Halide All-Solid-State Batteries.

Employing lithium-rich layered oxide (LLO) as the cathode of all-solid-state batteries (ASSBs) is highly desired for realizing high energy density. However, the poor kinetics of LLO, caused by its low electronic conductivity and significant oxygen-redox-induced structural degradation, has impeded its application in ASSBs. Here, the charge transfer kinetics of LLO is enhanced by constructing high-efficiency electron transport networks within solid-state electrodes, which considerably minimizes electron transfer resistance. In addition, an infusion-plus-coating strategy is introduced to stabilize the lattice oxygen of LLO, successfully suppressing the interfacial oxidation of solid electrolyte (Li3 InCl6 ) and structural degradation of LLO. As a result, LLO-based ASSBs exhibit a high discharge capacity of 230.7 mAh g-1 at 0.1 C and ultra-long cycle stability over 400 cycles. This work provides an in-depth understanding of the kinetics of LLO in solid-state electrodes, and affords a practically feasible strategy to obtain high-energy-density ASSBs.

Research on the evolution of the Chinese urban biomedicine innovation network pattern: An analysis using multispatial scales.

This paper addresses the spatial pattern of urban biomedicine innovation networks by separately using four scales, i.e., the national scale, interregional scale, urban agglomeration scale, and provincial scale, on the basis of Chinese biomedicine patent data from the incoPat global patent database (GPD) (2001-2020) and using the method of social network analysis (SNA). Through the research, it is found that (1) on the national scale, the Chinese biomedicine innovation network becomes denser from west to the east as its complexity continuously increases. Its spatial structure takes the form of a radial network pattern with Beijing and Shanghai as its centers. The COVID-19 pandemic has not had an obvious negative impact on this network at present. (2) On the interregional scale, the strength of interregional network ties is greater than that of intraregional network ties. The eastern, central and western biomedicine innovation networks appear to be heterogeneous networks with regional central cities as the cores. (3) At the urban agglomeration scale, the strength of intraurban-agglomeration network ties is greater than that of interurban-agglomeration network ties. The three major urban agglomerations have formed radial spatial patterns with central cities as the hubs. (4) At the provincial scale, the intraprovincial networks have poor connectivity and low internal ties strength, which manifest as core-periphery structures with the provincial capitals as centers. Our research conclusion helps to clarify the current accumulation of technology and offer guidance for the development of China's biomedicine industry.

Does the Price Support Policy Drive a Balanced Distribution of Profits in the Chinese Dairy Supply Chain? Implications for Supplier and Consumer Psychology.

Evaluating the price policy of raw milk is of great significance to the sustainable development of an industry supply chain. In this context, our study used the multi-period difference-in-difference method to systematically examine the impact of the policy implementation on product price and profit distribution in the supply chain. The results showed the following: (1) the price of raw milk in the implementation area of the price support policy is 13.54% higher than that of the unimplemented area; (2) the effect of price increase in the western region (15.5%) is higher than that in the eastern region (13%), and the central region (10.73%); (3) furthermore, the purchase price guidance policy of raw milk drives price increase or price suppression in the links of the supply chain to promote a balanced distribution of profits among the participants in the chain. These conclusions all have good stability and have reference significance for further improving and adjusting the price support policy of raw milk to realize the sustainable development of the Chinese dairy industry. This will enhance the production confidence of Chinese raw milk producers and improve Chinese consumers' expectations and consumer psychology regarding domestic dairy products.

Comparison of the molecular characteristics of Mycoplasma pneumoniae from children across different regions of China.

Previous molecular characterization of Mycoplasma pneumoniae in China focused only on one or two cities. In this study, we characterized 835 samples from patients suspected to be infected with M. pneumoniae; these samples were collected in 2016 from pediatric patients from different regions of China. Multiple locus variable number tandem repeat analysis (MLVA), P1-restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) analysis, and sequencing of the domain V of 23S rRNA were performed to compare genotype distribution across different locations. Two-hundred-and-thirteen samples tested positive for M. pneumoniae by PCR. P1 types were identified in 154 samples: 78.6% were type I and 21.4% were type II. Type I was the most prevalent genotype in five locations, except Nanjing where type II was the most common type (p < 0.01). Five distinct MLVA types were identified in the 172 samples. Genotype M4-5-7-2 was predominant at all locations, except Nanjing where type 3-5-6-2 was the most common (p < 0.01). Macrolide resistance-associated mutations were identified in 186 (76.3%) samples. The resistance rate differed with the location. This study showed that genotypes and macrolide resistance rate differed across China. The most prevalent genotype in China remains M4-5-7-2/P1-1. The resistance rate decreased, along with changes to the M4-5-7-2 genotype.

A cis-eQTL in AHI1 confers risk to schizophrenia in European populations.

Schizophrenia is a devastating mental disorder, with heritability as high as 80%. Although genome-wide association studies have identified multiple promising risk variants of schizophrenia, they could only explain a small portion of the disease heritability, and other variants with low to moderate effect remain to be identified. Abelson helper integration site 1 (AHI1) is highly expressed in mammals throughout the developing brain, with lower expression continuing into adulthood. Besides, previous evidence suggested that AHI1 expression was changed in schizophrenia patients. Furthermore, association signal between AHI1 variants and schizophrenia has been reported in several European samples. In the present study, we first analyzed two expression quantitative trait loci (eQTL) datasets in healthy individuals and investigated the associations of eQTL of AHI1 with schizophrenia in independent European samples. We observed that a cis-eQTL of AHI1, rs11154801, showed significant association with AHI1 expression in both datasets (P<5E-05). Genetic evidence exhibited that rs11154801 was significantly associated with schizophrenia risk in both the discovery sample (9394 cases and 12462 controls, P=0.046, OR=0.958, 95% CI=0.918-0.999) and the replication sample (3240 cases and 14786 controls, P=0.024, OR=0.949, 95% CI=0.870-0.990). When the discovery and replication samples were pooled together, this association was further strengthened (P=0.004, OR=0.949, 95% CI=0.916-0.983). These results suggested that AHI1 is likely a risk gene for schizophrenia, at least in European populations.

Lack of association between RAD50-IL13 polymorphisms and pediatric asthma susceptibility in Northeastern Han Chinese.

OBJECTIVE: RAD50-IL13 region has been recently identified as one of critical asthma susceptibility loci in genome-wide association studies, yet the role of these genetic variants or single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the risk of developing asthma in Northeastern Han Chinese remains largely unknown. METHODS: We conducted an association study by genotyping four SNPs (rs2244012 and rs6871536 in RAD50 as well as rs1295686 and rs1800925 in IL13) in 652 asthmatic children and age-matched 752 healthy controls from Northeastern Han Chinese to evaluate the asthma susceptibility with each individual SNP using SNaPshot genotyping method. RESULTS: We did not find the allele or genotype frequency distribution of four SNPs in RAD50-IL13 region which was significantly different between asthmatic children and controls (p > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Our findings first suggested that the variants in RAD50-IL13 region were not associated with asthma risk in Northeastern Han Chinese children.

Black Hydroxylated Titanium Dioxide Prepared via Ultrasonication with Enhanced Photocatalytic Activity.

The amorphous TiO2 derived from hydroxylation has become an effective approach for the enhancement of photocatalytic activity of TiO2 since a kind of special black TiO2 was prepared by engineering disordered layers on TiO2 nanocrystals via hydrogenation. In this contribution, we prepared totally amorphous TiO2 with various degrees of blackness by introducing hydroxyls via ultrasonic irradiation, through which can we remarkably enhance the photocatalytic activity of TiO2 with improved light harvesting and narrowed band gap.

N-doped TiO2/C nanocomposites and N-doped TiO2 synthesised at different thermal treatment temperatures with the same hydrothermal precursor.

A hydrothermal precursor was first obtained by isopropyl titanate reacting with tetramethylammonium hydroxide (TMAOH), which acts as a source of nitrogen and carbon. A facile post-thermal treatment was employed to enhance the crystallinity and visible light photocatalytic activity of the as-prepared precursor. The resulting products of post-thermal treatment between 200 °C and 700 °C display different colours from brown to white. Black N-doped TiO2 nanoparticles modified with carbon (denoted as N-TiO2/C) were obtained at 300 °C, while yellow N-doped TiO2 nanoparticles (denoted as N-TiO2) were obtained at 500 °C. X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) were applied to characterize N-TiO2/C, N-TiO2 and the evolution process during thermal treatment. The results show that for both N-TiO2/C and N-TiO2, nitrogen was doped into the lattice, thus narrowing the band gap and increasing the absorption in the visible light region. Moreover, for N-TiO2/C, the carbon species modified on the surface and between the nanocrystals enhanced the visible light harvesting and increased the adsorption of the dye in the photodegradation measurement. The photocatalytic performance under visible light irradiation is N-TiO2/C > N-TiO2 > undoped TiO2.

Sleep-related breathing disorder is associated with hyperactivity in preschoolers.

INTRODUCTION: Sleep problems are a prominent feature in children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Unlike existing studies that focused on extreme samples (i.e. normal vs. ADHD), our study investigated the associations of sleep-related behaviours and ADHD features in nonclinical Chinese preschoolers. METHODS: All participants were recruited via advertisements and screened for eligibility through a telephone interview prior to an onsite visit. The maternal reports of the Conners' Parent Rating Scale (CPRS) and Pediatric Sleep Questionnaire (PSQ) were acquired from 110 Chinese preschoolers aged six years. Regression models were used to examine the association between CPRS and PSQ scores. RESULTS: The results obtained from regression models on the CPRS and PSQ scores of the 110 participants showed that none of the sleep-related behavioural measures (i.e. sleep-related breathing disorder [SRBD], snoring, daytime sleepiness, restless legs syndrome) was associated with inattention in our sample. However, worse SRBD was associated with higher hyperactivity. CONCLUSION: Our study underpins the importance of understanding the relationship between sleep-related behaviours and ADHD characteristics before the usual age of clinical diagnosis in children with ADHD.

Auditory perception of geometry-invariant material properties.

Accurately modeling the intrinsic material-dependent damping property for interactive sound rendering is a challenging problem. The Rayleigh damping model is commonly regarded as an adequate engineering model for interactive sound synthesis in virtual environment applications, but this assumption has never been rigorously analyzed. In this paper, we conduct a formal evaluation of this model. Our goal is to determine if auditory perception of material under Rayleigh damping assumption is 'geometry-invariant', i.e. if this approximation model is transferable across different shapes and sizes. First, audio recordings of same-material objects in various shapes and sizes are analyzed to determine if they can be approximated by the Rayleigh damping model with a single set of parameters. Next, we design and conduct a series of psychoacoustic experiments, in subjects evaluate if audio clips synthesized using the Rayleigh damping model are from the same material, when we alter the material, shape, and size parameters. Through both quantitative and qualitative evaluation, we show that the acoustic properties of the Rayleigh damping model for a single material is generally preserved across different geometries of objects consisting of homogeneous materials and is therefore a suitable, geometry-invariant sound model. Our study results also show that consistent with prior crossmodal expectations, visual perception of geometry can affect the auditory perception of materials. These findings facilitate the wide adoption of Rayleigh damping for interactive auditory systems and enable reuse of material parameters under this approximation model across different shapes and sizes, without laborious per-object parameter tuning.

AD-Frustum: adaptive frustum tracing for interactive sound propagation.

We present an interactive algorithm to compute sound propagation paths for transmission, specular reflection and edge diffraction in complex scenes. Our formulation uses an adaptive frustum representation that is automatically sub-divided to accurately compute intersections with the scene primitives. We describe a simple and fast algorithm to approximate the visible surface for each frustum and generate new frusta based on specular reflection and edge diffraction. Our approach is applicable to all triangulated models and we demonstrate its performance on architectural and outdoor models with tens or hundreds of thousands of triangles and moving objects. In practice, our algorithm can perform geometric sound propagation in complex scenes at 4-20 frames per second on a multi-core PC.