Direct regeneration of spent LiFePO4 materials via a green and economical one-step hydrothermal process.

The rapid development of electronic devices, electric vehicles and mobile energy storage devices, has increasingly emphasized the shortage of lithium resources for us in lithium-ion batteries are developing rapidly. The key to the disposal of spent lithium-ion batteries is to carry out green and efficient regeneration. Herein, we propose a one-step hydrothermal process for the direct regeneration of spent LiFePO4. To reduce the Fe3+ in the spent LiFePO4, the hydroxyl group was oxidized to an aldehyde group via a decarburization reaction, with DL-malic acid utilized as a low-cost and environmentally friendly reducing agent. The effects of various different Li concentrations, hydrothermal times and hydrothermal temperatures on the performance of regenerated LiFePO4 were investigated. The results revealed optimal electrochemical performance under a Li concentration of 1.2 mol L-1, a hydrothermal time of 6 h, and a hydrothermal temperature of 100 °C. The cycling stability of LiFePO4 regenerated under these conditions considerably improved. The initial discharge specific capacity and the discharge specific capacity of the regenerated LFP after 200 cycles were 138.4 mAh g-1 and 136.6 mAh g-1. All coulomb efficiencies of the regenerated LFP were above 97.2 %, and the capacity retention rate was 98.7%. This developed method can therefore be considered a green and feasible means for regeneration of LiFePO4.

Association of Residential Racial and Economic Segregation With Cancer Mortality in the US.

Importance: Residential segregation is a structural risk factor for poor cancer outcomes. Previous research examining the association of residential segregation with cancer outcomes was limited by older data, restricted geographic areas, and few cancer sites. To guide targeted interventions, a comprehensive evaluation of the association between segregation and cancer outcomes is needed. Objective: To examine the association of residential racial and economic segregation with cancer mortality at the US county level for all cancers combined and for the 13 cancer types that represent the top 10 causes of cancer deaths in males or females. Design, Setting, and Participants: This ecological study used county-level sociodemographic data from the 2015-2019 American Community Survey linked with 2015-2019 county-level mortality data. Data analysis was performed from September 2021 to April 2022. Exposures: Residential racial and economic segregation measured by the Index of Concentration at the Extremes (ICE) and categorized into quintiles 1 (most deprived) through 5 (most privileged). Main Outcomes and Measures: Age-adjusted cancer mortality was the outcome. Multilevel linear mixed modeling was used to calculate the adjusted mortality rate ratio (aRR). Results: A total of 3110 counties were included. The age-adjusted mortality rates of all cancers combined were 179.8, 177.3, 167.6, 159.6, and 146.1 per 100 000 population (P < .001 for trend) for the 5 ICE categories (most deprived to least deprived), respectively. Compared with the least deprived counties, aRRs for all cancers combined were 1.22 (95% CI, 1.20-1.24) for the most deprived counties, followed by 1.17 (95% CI, 1.15-1.19), 1.10 (95% CI, 1.09-1.12), and 1.06 (95% CI, 1.04-1.08) for the other 3 quintiles, respectively (P < .001 for trend). Segregation was associated with increased mortality from 12 of 13 selected cancer sites, in which aRRs ranged from 1.06 (95% CI, 1.02-1.09) for brain and other nervous system cancer to 1.49 (95% CI, 1.43-1.54) for lung and bronchus cancer. Conclusions and Relevance: The findings of this ecological study suggest that residential racial and economic segregation is associated with higher cancer mortality at the county level, highlighting opportunities for geographically targeted cancer prevention and control efforts.

Impact and cost-effectiveness evaluation of a community-based rehabilitation intervention on quality of life among Chinese adults with hearing loss: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Hearing loss is quite prevalent and can be related to people's quality of life. To our knowledge, there are limited studies assessing the efficacy of hearing interventions on quality of life in adults. Therefore, we aim to conduct a randomized controlled trial (RCT) to determine the impact and cost-effectiveness of community-based hearing rehabilitation on quality of life among Chinese adults with hearing loss. METHODS/DESIGN: In this two-arm feasibility study, participants aged 16 and above with some degree of hearing loss (n = 464) will be recruited from Linyi City, Shandong Province. They are randomly assigned to the treatment group or the control group. Those in the treatment group are prescribed with hearing aids, while those in the control group receive no intervention. Reinstruction in use of devices is provided for the treatment group during booster visits held 12 months post-randomization or unscheduled interim visits when necessary. Data are collected at baseline and the follow-up 20 months later. The primary outcome is changes in quality of life over a 20-month study period. Secondary outcomes include sub-dimensions in quality of life, physical functioning, chronic diseases, cognitive function, depression, social support, hospitalizations, falls, and healthcare costs. Finally, we will evaluate whether hearing aids intervention is cost-effective to apply in a large scale. DISCUSSION: The trial is designed to evaluate the impact and cost-effectiveness of a community-based rehabilitation intervention on quality of life among Chinese adults with hearing loss. We hope that it would help improve the well-being for Chinese adults and provide references in policy and practice for China and other countries. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Chinese Clinical Trial Registry ChiCTR1900024739 . Registered on 26 July 2019.

Labor Costs, Market Environment and Green Technological Innovation: Evidence from High-Pollution Firms.

Emerging economies face the challenge of increasing labor costs but also provide an opportunity to promote environmental governance and green development. Based on the perspectives of impetus and capability, the effects of rising labor costs and market environment on green technological innovation are investigated in this study. The empirical studies used the data of high-pollution firms in China from 2009 to 2018. Results demonstrate that rising labor costs deteriorates high-pollution firm performance, while highly competitive industries are affected more than other industries. Meanwhile, the influence of rising labor costs on green technological innovation has a threshold effect which illustrates an "inversely U-shaped" variation trend with the increase of degree of market monopoly. The labor costs will make biggest impact on the green technological innovation in the moderately concentrated market environment. Basing from these results, this study provides the following suggestions for emerging economies' green development: Take rising labor cost as an opportunity to advance technological progress to the green direction, establish a sound market competition environment, and develop green finance to reduce the financing constraints of green technological innovation.

Association of socioeconomic status with hearing loss in Chinese working-aged adults: A population-based study.

Hearing loss is the most common sensory impairment, but limited studies focused on the association of socioeconomic status (SES) with hearing loss among adults of working age. This paper aimed to fill this gap among Chinese adults. We obtained data from Ear and Hearing Disorder Survey conducted in four provinces of China in 2014-2015. The survey was based on WHO Ear and Hearing Disorders Survey Protocol and 25,860 adults aged 25 to 59 years were selected in this study. Trained local examiners performed pure tone audiometry to screen people with hearing loss, and those who were screened positively for hearing loss were referred to audiologists to make final diagnosis. SES was measured by occupation, education and income. Results show after adjusting for SES measures and covariates, in urban areas, compared with white-collar workers, blue-collar workers and the unemployed were more likely to have hearing loss, with an odds ratio of 1.2 (95%CI: 1.0, 1.3) and 1.2 (95%CI: 1.0, 1.4), respectively. Compared with people with education of senior high school or above, those with junior high school, primary school and illiteracy had 1.6 (95%CI: 1.4, 1.8), 2.1(95%CI: 1.7, 2.5) and 2.6 (95%CI: 1.9, 3.7) times as likely to have hearing loss, respectively. In rural areas, the unemployed had 1.5 (95%CI: 1.0, 2.3) times the risk of hearing loss compared with white-collar workers, and illiterates had 1.6 (95%CI: 1.6, 2.1) times the risk of hearing loss compared with people with education of senior high school or above, after SES variables and covariates were taken into considerations. Income was not significantly associated with hearing loss in urban and rural areas. In conclusion, SES, in the form of occupation and education, was associated with hearing loss among working-aged population, and further studies are needed to explore the mechanism of such association.