Highly capacitive MXene film by incorporating poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) hollow spheres prepared through an interfacial oxidation polymerization.

Sheets stacking of Ti3C2Tx MXene dramatically reduces the ion-accessible sites and brings a sluggish reaction kinetics. While introducing transitional metal oxides or polymers in the MXene films could partially alleviate such issue, their enhanced performances are realized at the expense of electrode conductivity or cycling stability. Herein, we report an alternative spacer of conductive poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT) hollow spheres (HSs) which are fabricated by a facile template-assisted interfacial polymerization. The Fe3+ ions electrostatically adsorbed on the -SO3H groups of the sulfonated polystyrene spheres (S-PS) initiate the polymerization of uniform PEDOT shell, yielding uniform PEDOT HSs after dissolving the S-PS core. Introducing these PEDOT HSs in the MXene film generates the highly flexible MXene-PEDOT (MP) films featuring hierarchically porous network and high conductivity (283 S cm-1). Consequently, specific capacitance of 218 F g-1 at 3  mV s-1, along with a forty-folds decrease in relaxation time constant (1.0 vs 39.8 s) has been achieved. Moreover, the MP film also exhibits nearly thickness-independent capacitive performances with film thickness in the range of 10-46 µm. A maximal energy density of 21.2 µWh cm-2 at 1015 µW cm-2 together with 92 % capacitance retention over 5000 cycles are achieved for the MP-based solid-state supercapacitor. The intrinsic high conductivity, excellent mechanical flexibility and good structure integrity are responsible for such outstanding electrochemical behaviors.

Self-hybridization structures of BiOBr0.5Cl0.5: An ultra-high capacity anode material for half/full potassium-ion batteries.

Potassium-ion batteries (PIBs) are gaining attention among emerging technologies for their cost-effectiveness and the abundance of resources they utilize. Within this context, bismuth oxyhalides (BiOX) have emerged as exceptional candidates for anode materials in PIBs due to their unique structural and superior electrochemical properties. However, challenges such as structural instability and low electronic conductivity remain to be addressed. In this study, a flower-like BiOBr0.5Cl0.5/rGO composite anode material was synthesized, demonstrating outstanding K+ storage performance. The self-hybridized structure enhances ion adsorption and diffusion, which in turn improves charge and discharge efficiency as well as long-term stability. In situ X-ray diffraction (XRD) tests confirmed the gradual release and alloying potassium storage mechanism of Bi metal, which occurs through the intermediate KxBiOBr0.5Cl0.5 phase within the BiOBr0.5Cl0.5 anode. This composite exhibited a high specific capacity of 246.4 mAh/g at 50 A/g and maintained excellent capacity retention after 2400 cycles at 5 A/g. Additionally, in full battery tests, it showed good rate performance and long cycle life, maintaining a discharge specific capacity of 119.6 mAh/g at a high current density of 10 A/g. Comprehensive characterizations revealed insights into the structural, electrochemical, and kinetic properties, advancing high-performance PIBs.

An environmentally sustainable ultrasonic-assisted exfoliation approach to graphene and its nanocompositing with polyaniline for supercapacitor applications.

In the present work, a green high-yielding method for the preparation of graphene is introduced via ultrasonic-assisted liquid phase exfoliation (LPE) of graphite in a green solvent medium, since the common preparation method of graphene via graphite oxide is hazardous. A high concentration of 3.2 mg/ml graphene is achieved here in a comparatively short duration of 3 h ultrasonication. By using a mixed solvents strategy (acetophenone and isopropyl alcohol, 1:19 V/V), surface energy requirements needed for the exfoliation of graphite are satisfied here with acetophenone, where isopropyl alcohol further facilitated the exfoliation via non-conventional CH-π and OH-π interactions. Turbostratic graphene in high-yield (16 %) in a simple means of ultrasonic assisted LPE is the added attraction of the present procedure. The less-defective structure of graphene, its few-layered turbostratic nature, and edge functionalization of the sheets are evident from the material characterization via Raman spectroscopy, XRD, TEM-SAED, and XPS analyses. Here, we report a combination of the attractive conducting polymer polyaniline (PANI) with the as-prepared graphene for supercapacitor applications, where the PANI/graphene nanocomposites with different aniline concentrations (PANI1.125/G, PANI4.5/G, and PANI9/G) have been prepared via in-situ polymerization of aniline in the graphene dispersion. The structure and morphology of the nanocomposites are investigated using different characterization techniques which revealed that the molecular structure of the PANI is retained in the nanocomposites even with a strong interaction with graphene. FESEM and TEM images revealed the good coverage of graphene sheets with PANI that limit the volume change of PANI during the repeated charge-discharge processes. Electrochemical studies showed that PANI4.5/G has the highest specific capacitance of 126.16 mF/cm2 at a current density of 1 mA/cm2, resulting from the perfect combination of the pseudocapacitance behavior of the PANI along with the electrical double layer capacitance of graphene. A symmetric supercapacitor device is also fabricated with PANI4.5/G, which showed the highest areal capacitance of 116.38 mF/cm2 similar to that with three-electrode studies and also good cycling stability with 87 % capacitance retention in the specific capacitance after 6000 cycles. It also exhibited an energy density of 16 µWh/cm2 (0.29 Wh/kg) and a power density of 3.99 mW/cm2 (72.72 W/kg).

Towards a high-rate operation of contact stabilization process: A microscopic view of carbon capture properties.

Carbon capture performance is a key factor determining the chemical energy recovery potential of the high-rate contact stabilization (HiCS) process. However, the mechanisms of organic carbon capture are complex, involving surface adsorption, extracellular adsorption, and intracellular storage. A unique characteristic of the HiCS process is its low sludge residence time (SRT). Unfortunately, the influence of SRT on carbon capture has not been thoroughly studied, especially in terms of the underlying mechanisms. In this study, the microscopic changes in carbon capture performance during the transition from a conventional contact stabilized (CS) system to a high-rate mode of operation were demonstrated using intracellular carbon sources, extracellular polymeric substances (EPS), signaling molecules, and microbial community assays. The results showed that the extracellular carbon adsorption and intracellular carbon storage performance increased, and the microbial community structure changed significantly with converting the CS system to the high-rate operation mode. The enhancement of extracellular carbon adsorption performance mainly relied on the growth of EPS, which was accomplished by the strong growth of the relative abundance of the dominant bacterial group Cloacibacterium within the HiCS system, offsetting the negative effect produced by the decline of acyl-homoserine lactones. 98 mgCOD/gSS, 343 mgCOD/gSS, and 500 mgCOD/gSS of polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) per sludge unit were obtained at SRT-24d, 8d, and 2d, respectively, suggesting that the HiCS system is more advantageous for rapid PHAs production.

Towards a high-rate operation of contact stabilization process: Challenges of flocculation and floc stability.

The high-rate contact stabilization (HiCS) process, a variant of high-rate activated sludge, has gained attention for its superior energy recovery and enhanced biosorption capabilities. The need for efficient energy recovery in HiCS necessitates a high settling efficiency to minimize resource loss due to endogenous sludge consumption. However, the low sludge retention time (SRT) required for HiCS can significantly affect sludge floc stability and flocculation performance, warranting a deeper analysis of the factors influencing these characteristics. This study investigates the impact of SRT reduction on sludge performance, focusing on energy potential, viscoelasticity, and critical pressure. The analysis was conducted using rheological tests, contact angle measurements, zeta potential analysis, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, XDLVO theory, and the PARAFAC model. Results indicate that due to the contribution of hydrophobicity, the HiCS system maintained the large flocs morphology of the sludge even when the SRT was maintained for 2d. However, a combination of aerobic microbial activity, high concentrations of loosely bound extracellular polymeric substances, and the presence of the filamentous bacterium Thiothrix contributed to reduced flocculation performance.

Trace Amounts of Multifunctional Electrolyte Additives Enhance Cyclic Stability of High-Rate Aqueous Zinc-Ion Batteries.

Aqueous zinc ion batteries (AZIBs) are renowned for their exceptional safety and eco-friendliness. However, they face cycling stability and reversibility challenges, particularly under high-rate conditions due to corrosion and harmful side reactions. This work introduces fumaric acid (FA) as a trace amount, suitable high-rate, multifunctional, low-cost, and environmentally friendly electrolyte additive to address these issues. FA additives serve as prioritized anchors to form water-poor Inner Helmholtz Plane on Zn anodes and adsorb chemically on Zn anode surfaces to establish a unique in situ solid-electrolyte interface. The combined mechanisms effectively inhibit dendrite growth and suppress interfacial side reactions, resulting in excellent stability of Zn anodes. Consequently, with just tiny quantities of FA, Zn anodes achieve a high Coulombic efficiency (CE) of 99.55 % and exhibit a remarkable lifespan over 2580 hours at 5 mA cm-2, 1 mAh cm-2 in Zn//Zn cells. Even under high-rate conditions (10 mA cm-2, 1 mAh cm-2), it can still run almost for 2020 hours. Additionally, the Zn//V2O5 full cell with FA retains a high specific capacity of 106.95 mAh g-1 after 2000 cycles at 5 A g-1. This work provides a novel additive for the design of electrolytes for high-rate AZIBs.

Enable Rechargeable Carbon Fluoride Batteries with Unprecedented High Rate and Long Life by Oxygen Doping and Electrolyte Formulation.

Here, a rechargeable carbon fluoride battery is demonstrated with unprecedented high rate and long life by oxygen doping and electrolyte formulation. The introductions of Mn2+-O catalyst and porous structure during the oxidation process of CFx cathode can promote the splitting of Li-F during charging. By further modulating the electrolyte with triphenylantimony chloride (TSbCl) as anion acceptor and CsF as product modulator, the more readily dissociable CsLiF2 product instead of LiF is preferentially formed, and the TSbCl-salt protection interface is constructed to confine Li-F based products and reduce fluoride loss at cathode side. These effects endow Li-CFx batteries with durable reversible conversion reaction (for at least 600 cycles), ultrahigh rate performance (e.g., 364 mAh g-1 at 20 A g-1) and low charging plateau voltage down to 3.2 V. The cathode exhibits the maximum power density of 38342 W kg-1 and energy density of 1012 Wh kg-1. Furthermore, this Li-CFx system demonstrates the promising prospects for applications in view of its low temperature operation (e.g., 280 mAh g-1 at -20 °C), low self-discharge ability, large-scale pouch cell fabrication and high cathode loading (5-6 mg cm-2), enabling it to move beyond previous role as primary battery and into new role as fast-charging rechargeable battery with high energy density.

Detection of atrial fibrillation after stroke due to large or small vessel disease: systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Emerging evidence indicates a frequent occurrence of atrial fibrillation (AF) detection among patients with established causes of ischemic stroke unrelated to AF. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to evaluate AF detection rates in stroke patients with large or small vessel disease, considering the AF detection modality and duration of cardiac rhythm monitoring. AIMS: We conducted a comprehensive search of PubMed and Scopus databases up to March 2, 2024, to identify randomized controlled trials, non-randomized prospective studies, and retrospective studies assessing the frequency of AF detection in stroke patients with large or small vessel disease. The primary outcome of interest was the rate of AF detection. We utilized inverse-variance weights to produce the pooled prevalence (effect size-ES) and 95% confidence interval (CI) of patients diagnosed with post-stroke AF. SUMMARY OF REVIEW: In the analysis of 14 eligible studies encompassing 4,334 patients, AF was identified in 154 out of 2,082 patients with strokes attributed to small or large-vessel disease, yielding a pooled prevalence of 6.27% (ES; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 3.18-10.17, I2=87.83%). Among patients with large-vessel disease strokes, AF was diagnosed in 79 out of 1,042 patients, accounting for a pooled prevalence of 5.07% (ES;95% CI: 1.30-10.33, I2=77.05%). Similarly, among those with small-vessel disease strokes, AF was detected in 75 out of 1,040 patients, with a pooled prevalence of 5.03% (ES; 95% CI: 1.96-9.06, I2=78.05%). CONCLUSIONS: AF is often found in ischemic stroke patients with large or small-vessel disease. Detection rates increase with longer cardiac rhythm monitoring. The safety and benefits of oral anticoagulation for these AF episodes are uncertain.

Association Between P-Wave Duration, Dispersion, and Interatrial Block and Atrial High-Rate Episodes in CIED Patients.

INTRODUCTION: Atrial high-rate episodes (AHRE) have been linked to increased thromboembolic risk and all-cause mortality in patients with cardiac implantable electronic devices (CIEDs). Various predictors of AHRE development have been identified, emphasizing the need for close monitoring and the potential transition to clinical atrial fibrillation (AF). However, the predictive value of P wave characteristics on AHRE development remains conflicting. This meta-analysis aims to summarize existing data to investigate this association. METHOD: We examined studies from MEDLINE and EMBASE databases up to May 2024 to investigate the association of baseline P-wave duration (PWD), P-wave dispersion (PWDIS), and interatrial block (IAB) with the risk of developing AHRE. We extracted the mean and standard deviations of PWD and PWDIS to calculate the pooled mean difference (MD). Risk ratios (RR) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were used to assess the association between IAB and AHRE risk, using the generic inverse variance method for combination. RESULTS: The meta-analysis included nine studies. Patients with AHRE had longer PWD and PWDIS compared to those without AHRE, with a pooled MD for PWD of 9.17 ms (95% CI: 4.74-13.60; I2 = 47%, p < 0.001) and a pooled MD for PWDIS of 20.56 ms (95% CI: 11.57-29.56; I2 = 57%, p < 0.001). Additionally, patients with IAB had a higher risk of developing AHRE, with a pooled RR of 3.33 (95% CI: 2.53-4.38; I2 = 0%, p < 0.001), compared to those without IAB. CONCLUSIONS: Our meta-analysis found that patients with AHRE had higher PWD and PWDIS than those without AHRE. Additionally, IAB was associated with a higher risk of developing AHRE. These findings emphasize the importance of close monitoring and risk stratification, particularly for patients with P wave abnormalities.

The incidence and risk factors of atrial high-rate episodes in patients with a dual-chamber pacemaker.

Background and Objectives: Cardiovascular implantable electronic devices can detect atrial high-rate episodes (AHREs). However, the predictors of clinically relevant AHREs have not been well identified. Methods: This prospective study included 145 patients (median age 64.5 ± 16.4 years, 53.1% females) without atrial fibrillation (AF) from December 2020 to January 2022. AHREs were defined as a programmed atrial detection rate >190 beats per minute. Cox regression analysis was used to identify the risk factors of AHREs. Results: During 6 months of follow-up, AHREs occurred in 30.3% of patients. Multivariable Cox regression analysis showed factors related to development of AHREs including using anti-arrhythmic drugs (AAD) before implantation (Hazard ratio (HR) 7.71; 95% confidence interval [95% CI], 2.58-23.02, p < .001), history of paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia (PSVT; HR 2.45; [95% CI], 1.18-5.09, p = .016), the percentage of premature atrial contraction (PAC) on 24-h Holter electrocardiogram (ECG) monitoring (HR 1.008; [95% CI], 1.003-1.014, p = .003), and left ventricular global longitudinal strain (GLS-LV; HR 0.92;[95% CI], 0.84-0.99, p = .049). Conclusions: This study showed that a history of PSVT and using AAD, the percentage of PAC on 24-h Holter ECG monitoring, and GLS-LV were the independent predictors of new-onset AHREs.

Combined high-rate contact stabilization and chemically enhanced primary treatment for enhanced recovery of organic matter and biogas from sewage.

This study examined integrating high-rate contact stabilization (HRCS) and chemically enhanced primary treatment (CEPT) for wastewater to improve the carbon recovery rate (CRR). Enhancing chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal efficiency was hypothesized to improve the CRR. The evaluation covered serial HRCS-CEPT, serial CEPT-HRCS, and single-stage carbon recovery (Single-CR). The COD removal efficiencies for individual HRCS and CEPT were 50.3 % and 56.2 %, respectively. The serial CEPT-HRCS system failed in the HRCS process due to poor settling, resulting in microbial washout. However, the serial HRCS-CEPT system achieved the highest COD removal efficiency (84.5 %). The Single-CR system exhibited the highest CRR of 0.780 ± 0.083 g-CODCH4/g-CODinf, identifying it as the most promising process for energy-positive wastewater treatment. The selective pressure in the high-rate system resulted in a simplified and specialized bacterial community, mainly comprising microorganisms with high polyhydroxyalkanoate storage capacity, such as Lactococcus sp., Enterobacter sp., and Acinetobacter sp.

Enhanced Cycling Performance of Spinel LiNi0.5Mn1.5O4 Cathodes through Mg-Mn Hetero-Valent Doping via Microwave Sol-Gel Method.

As a high energy density cathode material, further development of high working voltage spinel LiNi0.5Mn1.5O4 has hindered by its rapid capacity degradation. To address this, a hetero-valent substitution of magnesium for manganese was used to synthesize spinel LiNi0.5MgxMn1.5-xO4 (x = 0, 0.03, 0.05) via a microwave sol-gel method. XRD and refined results indicate that such strategy leads to the modification of the 16c interstitial sites. The electrical performance demonstrates that a modest substitution (x = 0.03) significantly improves both rate performance (113.1 mAh/g, charge and discharge at 5 C) and cycling stability (85% capacity retention after 500 cycles at 1 C). A higher substitution level (x = 0.05) markedly improves high-rate cycling performance, achieving 96% capacity retention after 500 cycles at 5 C. It offers tailored solutions for various application needs, including capacity-focused and high-current-rate applications. Furthermore, the stable LiNi0.5Mg0.05Mn1.45O4 sample could also serve as an effective coating layer for other electrode materials to enhance their cycling stability.

Challenging anticoagulation decisions in atrial fibrillation: a narrative review.

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is common and warrants consideration of oral anticoagulant (OAC) medication. Usually, the decision is straightforward, following the pathway outlined in the European Society of Cardiology's guideline; however, certain situations fall outside of this evidence base - such as a diagnosis of subclinical AF made via implanted devices or wearable electrocardiogram monitors, or alternatively diagnosis of 'secondary AF' following a major stressor. Subclinical AF is associated with stroke, though not to the extent of clinical AF, and the benefits of anticoagulation appear to be lower. Longer episodes are more clinically meaningful, and recent randomised controlled trials have demonstrated that some patients derive benefit from OAC. Similarly, when AF is triggered by sepsis or non-cardiac surgery, specific evidence supporting OAC initiation is lacking and clinician behaviour is variable. Observational data demonstrate poorer outcomes in these patients, implying that the perception of a transient, reversible phenomenon may not be correct. Contrastingly, cardiac surgery very frequently induces AF, and the benefits of anticoagulation rarely outweigh the risks of bleeding. Following ischaemic stroke, recent evidence suggests that early (re-)initiation of OAC should be considered as this does not increase the risk of haemorrhagic transformation as previously hypothesised. This narrative review summarises the available literature and outlines, where possible, practical advice for clinicians facing these common clinical dilemmas.

Atrial High-Rate Episodes and Subclinical Atrial Fibrillation: State of the Art and Clinical Questions with Complex Solutions.

Atrial high-rate episodes (AHREs) and subclinical atrial fibrillation (AF) are frequently registered in asymptomatic patients with cardiac implantable electronic devices (CIEDs) and insertable cardiac monitors (ICMs). While an increased risk of thromboembolic events (e.g., stroke) and benefits from anticoagulation have been widely assessed in the setting of clinical AF, concerns persist about optimal clinical management of subclinical AF/AHREs. As a matter of fact, an optimal threshold of subclinical episodes' duration to predict stroke risk is still lacking and recently published randomized clinical trials assessing the impact of anticoagulation on thromboembolic events in this specific setting have shown contrasting results. The aim of this review is to summarize current evidence regarding classification and clinical impact of subclinical AF/AHREs and to discuss the latest evidence regarding the potential benefit of anticoagulation in this setting, highlighting which clinical questions are still unanswered.

Weakening the Space Charge Layer Effect Through Tethered Anion Electrolyte and Piezoelectric Effect Toward Ultra-Stable Zinc Anode.

The space charge layer (SCL) dilemma, caused by mobile anion concentration gradient and the rapid consumption of cations, is the fundamental reason for the generation of zinc dendrites, especially under high-rate discharge conditions. To address the issue, a physical (PbTiO3)/chemical (AMPS-Zn) barrier is designed to construct stable zinc ion flow and disrupt the gradient of anion concentration by coupling the ferroelectric effect with tethered anion electrolyte. The ferroelectric materials PbTiO3 with extreme-high piezoelectric constant can spontaneously generate an internal electric field to accelerate the movement of zinc ions, and the polyanionic polymer AMPS-Zn can repel mobile anions and disrupt the anions concentration gradient by tethering anions. Through numerical simulations and analyses, it is discovered that a high Zn2+ transference number can effectively weaken the SCL, thus suppressing the occurrence of zinc dendrites and parasitic side reactions. Consequently, an asymmetric cell using the PbTiO3@Zn demonstrates a reversible plating/stripping performance for 2900 h, and an asymmetric cell reaches a state-of-the-art runtime of 3450 h with a high average Coulombic efficiency of 99.98%. Furthermore, the PbTiO3@Zn/I2 battery demonstrated an impressive capacity retention rate of 84.0% over 65000 cycles by employing a slender Zn anode.

Indicative impacts of sludge properties and biological metabolic characteristics on high-rate contact stabilization process performance.

Regarding curtailing carbon emissions in wastewater treatment, the high-rate contact stabilization (HiCS) process outperforms others in removing dissolved organic matter (DOM) but struggles with poor settling performance. To boost operation performance and clarify the correlation between process parameters, DOM variations, effluent quality, and microbial metabolism within the HiCS system, the impacts of sludge properties on sludge settlement and organic matter (OM) capture efficiency were explored, and soluble fluorescent components in the DOM and extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) were identified and scrutinized. Results unveil that the feast/famine (F/F) regime in the HiCS process predominantly governs sludge activation in the stabilization phase, influencing sludge properties such as morphology characteristics, biological activity, and EPS secretion. At the same hydraulic retention time, reducing the sludge retention time (SRT) led to looser and smaller activated sludge flocs, increased microbial activity, and higher EPS production, particularly protein content in loosely bound EPS (LB-PN), which adversely impacted settling performance. High-throughput sequencing revealed that richness and diversity of the microbial community decreased with SRT. Acidobacteriota and Patescibacteria, associated with nitrifying and denitrifying bacteria, significantly decreased. EPS-producing Firmicutes increased, enhancing EPS secretion, while filamentous Chloroflexi decreased, aligning with a reduced organic mineralization rate. Settlement and biological activity emerged as key factors affecting OM recovery, peaking at 43.97% with a 4-day SRT. The ratio of the sum of tryptophan-like and tyrosine-like components to fulvic-like components ((C1+C2)/C3) was proposed as a fluorescence indicator, serving as a hub to connect operational parameters, F/F regime, sludge status and process performance. When this ratio falls within the range of 1.04-1.36 during the stabilization phase, HiCS sludge achieves optimal status for OM capture with low aeration energy consumption.

Salt-Assisted Recovery of Sodium Metal Anodes for High-Rate Capability Sodium Batteries.

Rechargeable sodium metal batteries are considered to be one of the most promising high energy density and cost-effective electrochemical energy storage systems. However, their practicality is constrained by the high reactivity of sodium metal anodes that readily brings about excessive accumulation of inactive Na species on the surface, either by chemical reactions with oxygen and moisture during electrode handling or through electrochemical processes with electrolytes during battery operation. Herein, this paper reports on an alkali, salt-assisted, assembly-polymerization strategy to recover Na activity and to reinforce the solid-electrolyte interphase (SEI) of sodium metal anodes. To achieve this, an alkali-reactive coupling agent 3-glycidoxypropyltrimethoxysilane (GPTMS) is applied to convert inactive Na species into Si-O-Na coordination with a self-assembly GPTMS layer that consists of inner O-Si-O networks and outer hydrophobic epoxides. As a result, the electrochemical activity of Na metal anodes can be fully recovered and the robust GPTMS-derived SEI layer ensures high capacity and long-term cycling under an ultrahigh rate of 30 C (93.1 mAh g-1, 94.8% after 3000 cycles). This novel process provides surface engineering clues on designing high power density and cost-effective alkaline metal batteries.

Extending the π-Conjugation of A Donor-Acceptor Covalent Organic Framework for High-Rate and High-Capacity Lithium-Ion Batteries.

Realizing high-rate and high-capacity features of Lihium-organic batteries is essential for their practical use but remains a big challenge, which is due to the instrinsic poor conductivity, limited redox kinetics and low utility of organic electrode mateials. This work presents a well-designed donor-acceptor Covalent Organic Framework (COFs) with extended conjugation, mesoscale porosity, and dual redox-active centers to promote fast charge transfer and multi-electron processes. As anticipated, the prepared cathode with benzo [1,2-b:3,4-b':5,6-b''] trithiophene (BTT) as p-type and pyrene-4,5,9,10-tetraone (PTO) as n-type material (BTT-PTO-COF) delivers impressive specific capacity (218 mAh g-1 and 275 mAh g-1 at 0.2 A g-1 in ether-based and carbonate-based electrolyte respectively) and outstanding rate capability (79 mAh g-1 at 50 A g-1 in ether-based electrolyte and 124 mAh g-1 at 10 A g-1 in carbonate-based electrolyte). Moreover, the potential of BTT-PTO-COF electrode for prototype batteries has been demonstrated by full cells of dual-ion batteries, which attain comparable electrochemical performances to the half cells. Moreover, mechanism studies combining ex-situ characterization and theoratical calculations reveal the efficient dual-ion storage process and facile charge transfer of BTT-PTO-COF. This work not only expands the diversity of redox-active COFs but also provide concept of structure design for high-rate and high-capacity organic electrodes.

Direct oral anticoagulants for stroke prevention in patients with device-detected atrial fibrillation: assessing net clinical benefit.

Subclinical, device-detected atrial fibrillation (AF) is frequently recorded by pacemakers and other implanted cardiac rhythm devices. Patients with device-detected AF have an elevated risk of stroke, but a lower risk of stroke than similar patients with clinical AF captured with surface electrocardiogram. Two randomized clinical trials (NOAH-AFNET 6 and ARTESiA) have tested a direct oral anticoagulant (DOAC) against aspirin or placebo. A study-level meta-analysis of the two trials found that treatment with a DOAC resulted in a 32% reduction in ischaemic stroke and a 62% increase in major bleeding; the results of the two trials were consistent. The annualized rate of stroke in the control arms was ∼1%. Several factors point towards overall net benefit from DOAC treatment for patients with device-detected AF. Strokes in ARTESiA were frequently fatal or disabling and bleeds were rarely lethal. The higher absolute rates of major bleeding compared with ischaemic stroke while on treatment with a DOAC in the two trials are consistent with the ratio of bleeds to strokes seen in the pivotal DOAC vs. warfarin trials in patients with clinical AF. Prior research has concluded that patients place a higher emphasis on stroke prevention than on bleeding. Further research is needed to identify the characteristics that will help identify patients with device-detected AF who will receive the greatest benefit from DOAC treatment.

Deciphering the potential of potassium-ion batteries beyond room temperature.

Alloying-type anode materials are considered promising candidates for next-generation alkali-ion batteries. However, they face significant challenges owing to severe volume variations and sluggish kinetics, which hinder their practical applications. To address these issues, we propose a universal synthetic strategy, which can realize the facile synthesis of various alloying-type anode materials composed of a porous carbon matrix with uniformly embedded nanoparticles (Sb, Bi, or Sn). Besides, we construct the interactions among active materials, electrolyte compositions, and the resulting interface chemistries. This understanding assists in establishing balanced kinetics and stability. As a result, the fabricated battery cells based on the above strategy demonstrate high reversible capacity (515.6 mAh g-1), long cycle life (200 cycles), and excellent high-rate capability (at 5.0 C). Additionally, it shows improved thermal stability at 45 and 60 °C. Moreover, our alloying-type anodes exhibit significant potential for constructing a 450 Wh kg-1 battery system. This proposed strategy could boost the development of alloying-type anode materials, aligning with the future demands for low-cost, high stability, high safety, wide-temperature, and fast-charging battery systems.