Li-Ion Conductivity of Single-Step Synthesized Glassy-Ceramic Li10GeP2S12 and Post-heated Highly Crystalline Li10GeP2S12.

Li10GeP2S12 is a phosphosulfide solid electrolyte that exhibits exceptionally high Li-ion conductivity, reaching a conductivity above 10-3 S cm-1 at room temperature, rivaling that of liquid electrolytes. Herein, a method to produce glassy-ceramic Li10GeP2S12 via a single-step utilizing high-energy ball milling was developed and systematically studied. During the high energy milling process, the precursors experience three different stages, namely, the 'Vitrification zone' where the precursors undergo homogenization and amorphization, 'Intermediary zone' where Li3PS4 and Li4GeS4 are formed, and the 'Product stage' where the desired glassy-ceramic Li10GeP2S12 is formed after 520 min of milling. At room temperature, the as-milled sample achieved a high ionic conductivity of 1.07 × 10-3 S cm-1. It was determined via quantitative phase analyses (QPA) of transmission X-ray diffraction results that the as-milled Li10GeP2S12 possessed a high degree of amorphization (44.4 wt %). To further improve the crystallinity and ionic conductivity of the Li10GeP2S12, heat treatment of the as-milled sample was carried out. The optimal heat-treated Li10GeP2S12 is almost fully crystalline and possesses a room temperature ionic conductivity of 3.27 × 10-3 S cm-1, an over 200% increase compared to the glassy-ceramic Li10GeP2S12. These findings help provide previously lacking insights into the controllable preparation of Li10GeP2S12 material.

Disentangling Phase and Morphological Evolution During the Formation of the Lithium Superionic Conductor Li10 GeP2 S12.

The structural and morphological changes of the Lithium superionic conductor Li10 GeP2 S12 , prepared via a widely used ball milling-heating method over a comprehensive heat treatment range (50 - 700 °C), are investigated. Based on the phase composition, the formation process can be distinctly separated into four zones: Educt, Intermediary, Formation, and Decomposition zone. It is found that instead of Li4 GeS4 -Li3 PS4 binary crystallization process, diversified intermediate phases, including GeS2 in different space groups, multiphasic lithium phosphosulfides (Lix Py Sz ), and cubic Li7 Ge3 PS12 phase, are involved additionally during the formation and decomposition of Li10 GeP2 S12 . Furthermore, the phase composition at temperatures around the transition temperatures of different formation zones shows a significant deviation. At 600 °C, Li10 GeP2 S12 is fully crystalline, while the sample decomposed to complex phases at 650 °C with 30 wt.% impurities, including 20 wt.% amorphous phases. These findings over such a wide temperature range are first reported and may help provide previously lacking insights into the formation and crystallinity control of Li10 GeP2 S12 .

Tetrahydrothiophene-Based Ionic Liquids: Synthesis and Thermodynamic Characterizations.

S-alkyltetrahydrothiophenium, [Cn THT]+ bis(trifluorosulfonyl)imide, [NTf2 ]- room temperature ionic liquids (ILs) and tetraphenylborate, [BPh4 ]- salts with alkyl chain lengths from C4 to C10 have been prepared. The ILs and salts were characterized and their purity verified by 1 H- and 13 C-nuclear magnetic resonance, elemental analysis, ion chromatography, Karl-Fischer titration, single crystal X-ray diffraction as well as thermogravimetric analysis. The experimentally determined density and viscosity decrease with increasing temperature. The experimental solubility of the [Cn THT][NTf2 ]-ILs in water (75 to 2.2 mg/L for C4 to C10 ) was modelled with very good agreement by Perturbed Chain Statistical Associating Fluid Theory (PC-SAFT), based on the extremely low vapor pressures for the [Cn THT][NTf2 ]-ILs measured in this work (4.15 to 0.037 ⋅ 10-7 ×psat for C4 to C10 ). PC-SAFT is able to predict and correlate different thermodynamic properties by estimating the Helmholtz residual energy.

Odd-even effect for efficient bioreactions of chiral alcohols and boosted stability of the enzyme.

We describe a holistic approach for achieving a nearly quantitative conversion for an enzymatic reaction while simultaneously increasing the long-term stability of the enzyme. The approach provided chemical control of bioreactions by utilizing newly synthesized tetrahydrothiophene-based ionic liquids (THT ILs). We showcased its power by using THT-ILs as additives at a low concentration (only 10 mmol L-1) in the alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH)-catalyzed synthesis of methylated 1-phenylethanol (Me-PE). We discovered an "odd-even" effect of the IL-cation chain length: Me-PE displayed beneficial interactions with THT ILs having odd-numbered chain lengths and deleterious interactions with those having even-numbered chain lengths. An intermolecular thermodynamic simulation of the bulk phase and critical micelle concentration investigations of the local surroundings of the THT-ILs proved the occurrence of these interactions, and these two methods confirmed the odd-even effect from different perspectives. Additionally, storing the ADH enzyme in pure THT IL at room temperature allowed for a boosted long-term stability of the enzyme (500 times greater than that in aqueous buffer) without the need for freezing.

Performance of a DNA methylation marker panel using liquid-based cervical scrapes to detect cervical cancer and its precancerous stages.

BACKGROUND: A change of cervical cancer screening algorithms to an HPV-based screening setting is discussed in many countries, due to higher sensitivity of HPV testing compared to cytology. Reliable triage methods are, however, an essential prerequisite in such a setting to avoid overtreatment and higher screening costs. RESULTS: In this study, a series of cervical scrapes collected in PreservCyt liquid-based cytology (LBC) medium from women with cervical cancer (n = 5), cervical intraepithelial neoplasia grade 1-3 (n = 74), and normal cytology (n = 201; further n = 352 collected in SureThin®) were assessed for methylation of the marker regions ASTN1, DLX1, ITGA4, RXFP3, SOX17, and ZNF671 using the GynTect assay and compared to cobas® HPV and CINtec Plus® biomarker results. All samples from women with cervical cancer, 61.2% of CIN3, 44.4% of CIN2 and 20.0% of CIN1 cases were scored positive for the GynTect methylation assay. In contrast, all CIN, irrespective of severity grade, and carcinomas were positive by both, CINtec Plus and cobas HPV. The specificity of GynTect for CIN3+ was 94.6% compared to 69.9% for CINtec Plus and 82.6% for cobas HPV (all HPV types) and 90.6% for cobas HPV 16/18. DNA methylation analysis of this methylation marker panel (GynTect assay) in cervical scrapes consistently detects cervical cancer and the majority of CIN3 as well as a subset of CIN1/2 lesions. The detection rate among cytologically normal samples is extraordinarily low (1.5%). CONCLUSION: GynTect shows excellent performance when using cervical scrape material collected in liquid-based cytology media, a prerequisite for employing such a test as a triage in screening programs. Compared to the other test systems used in this work, GynTect showed higher specificity while still detecting all cancer cases.

The second epidemiologic transition on the brink: What we can learn from the island of Newfoundland during the early 20th century.

OBJECTIVES: We aim to understand how the second epidemiologic transition unfolded on the island of Newfoundland during the early 20th century. The focus is on changes in predominant causes of mortality throughout this period, urban and rural differences, and comparisons with other Western nations. We explore factors driving these patterns including the economy, nutrition, sanitation, and access to healthcare and discuss their relevance to understanding epidemiologic transitions in other developing regions. METHODS: We examined official provincial death records (n = 65,394) and census materials from 1900 to 1939 for three rural districts (Burgeo-La Poile, Bonavista, and Twillingate) and the large city of St. John's. Life expectancies, infant mortality rates, survival curves, and proportionate mortality from communicable and non-communicable diseases (NCDs) were calculated. RESULTS: In all districts, old age mortality increased while infant and childhood mortality decreased, with corresponding increases in life expectancy. Proportionate mortality from communicable causes decreased while deaths from NCDs increased. These changes occurred earlier in urban St. John's than in outlying districts, suggesting rural-urban differences played a significant role in Newfoundland's second epidemiologic transition. However, the transition was significantly delayed relative to other Western nations. CONCLUSIONS: We suggest that observed mortality patterns were the result of complex interactions between the poor economy, malnutrition, high prevalence of tuberculosis, and limited health and social services. These factors contribute to the delayed onset of the second epidemiologic transition in Newfoundland relative to other Western nations and the earlier onset in St. John's than in rural areas.