Anemia From Inflammation After Intracerebral Hemorrhage and Relationships With Outcome.

BACKGROUND: Baseline anemia is associated with poor intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) outcomes. However, underlying drivers for anemia and whether anemia development after ICH impacts clinical outcomes are unknown. We hypothesized that inflammation drives anemia development after ICH and assessed their relationship to outcomes. METHODS AND RESULTS: Patients with serial hemoglobin and iron biomarker concentrations from the HIDEF (High-Dose Deferoxamine in Intracerebral Hemorrhage) trial were analyzed. Adjusted linear mixed models assessed laboratory changes over time. Of 42 patients, significant decrements in hemoglobin occurred with anemia increasing from 19% to 45% by day 5. Anemia of inflammation iron biomarker criteria was met in 88%. A separate cohort of 521 patients with ICH with more granular serial hemoglobin and long-term neurological outcome data was also investigated. Separate regression models assessed whether (1) systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) scores related to hemoglobin changes over time and (2) hemoglobin changes related to poor 90-day outcome. In this cohort, anemia prevalence increased from 30% to 71% within 2 days of admission yet persisted beyond this time. Elevated systemic inflammatory response syndrome was associated with greater hemoglobin decrements over time (adjusted parameter estimate: -0.27 [95% CI, -0.37 to -0.17]) and greater hemoglobin decrements were associated with poor outcomes (adjusted odds ratio per 1 g/dL increase, 0.76 [95% CI, 0.62-0.93]) independent to inflammation and ICH severity. CONCLUSIONS: We identified novel findings that acute anemia development after ICH is common, rapid, and related to inflammation. Because anemia development is associated with poor outcomes, further work is required to clarify if anemia, or its underlying drivers, are modifiable treatment targets that can improve ICH outcomes. REGISTRATION: https://www.clinicaltrials.gov Unique identifier: NCT01662895.

A scene with an invisible wall - navigational experience shapes visual scene representation.

Human navigation heavily relies on visual information. Although many previous studies have investigated how navigational information is inferred from visual features of scenes, little is understood about the impact of navigational experience on visual scene representation. In this study, we examined how navigational experience influences both the behavioral and neural responses to a visual scene. During training, participants navigated in the virtual reality (VR) environments which we manipulated navigational experience while holding the visual properties of scenes constant. Half of the environments allowed free navigation (navigable), while the other half featured an 'invisible wall' preventing the participants to continue forward even though the scene was visually navigable (non-navigable). During testing, participants viewed scene images from the VR environment while completing either a behavioral perceptual identification task (Experiment1) or an fMRI scan (Experiment2). Behaviorally, we found that participants judged a scene pair to be significantly more visually different if their prior navigational experience varied, even after accounting for visual similarities between the scene pairs. Neurally, multi-voxel pattern of the parahippocampal place area (PPA) distinguished visual scenes based on prior navigational experience alone. These results suggest that the human visual scene cortex represents information about navigability obtained through prior experience, beyond those computable from the visual properties of the scene. Taken together, these results suggest that scene representation is modulated by prior navigational experience to help us construct a functionally meaningful visual environment.

Admission Viscoelastic Hemostatic Assay Parameters Predict Poor Long-Term Intracerebral Hemorrhage Outcomes.

BACKGROUND: Viscoelastic hemostatic assays (VHAs) provide more comprehensive assessments of coagulation compared with conventional coagulation assays. Although VHAs have enabled guided hemorrhage control therapies, improving clinical outcomes in life-threatening hemorrhage, the role of VHAs in intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) is unclear. If VHAs can identify coagulation abnormalities relevant for ICH outcomes, this would support the need to investigate the role of VHAs in ICH treatment paradigms. Thus, we investigated whether VHA assessments of coagulation relate to long-term ICH outcomes. METHODS: Patients with spontaneous ICH enrolled into a single-center cohort study receiving admission Rotational Thromboelastometry (ROTEM) VHA testing between 2013 and 2020 were assessed. Patients with previous anticoagulant use or coagulopathy on conventional coagulation assays were excluded. Primary ROTEM exposure variables were coagulation kinetics and clot strength assessments. Poor long-term outcome was defined as modified Rankin Scale ≥ 4 at 6 months. Logistic regression analyses assessed associations of ROTEM parameters with clinical outcomes after adjusting for ICH severity and hemoglobin concentration. RESULTS: Of 44 patients analyzed, the mean age was 64 years, 57% were female, and the median ICH volume was 23 mL. Poor 6-month outcome was seen in 64% of patients. In our multivariable regression models, slower, prolonged coagulation kinetics (adjusted odds ratio for every second increase in clot formation time 1.04, 95% confidence interval 1.00-1.09, p = 0.04) and weaker clot strength (adjusted odds ratio for every millimeter increase of maximum clot firmness 0.84, 95% confidence interval 0.71-0.99, p = 0.03) were separately associated with poor long-term outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: Slower, prolonged coagulation kinetics and weaker clot strength on admission VHA ROTEM testing, not attributable to anticoagulant use, were associated with poor long-term outcomes after ICH. Further work is needed to clarify the generalizability and the underlying mechanisms of these VHA findings to assess whether VHA-guided treatments should be incorporated into ICH care.

An Effective Catholyte for Sulfide-Based All-Solid-State Batteries Utilizing Gas Absorbents.

All-solid-state batteries (ASSBs) possess the advantage of ensuring safety while simultaneously maximizing energy density, making them suitable for next-generation battery models. In particular, sulfide solid electrolytes (SSEs) are viewed as promising candidates for ASSB electrolytes due to their excellent ionic conductivity. However, a limitation exists in the form of interfacial side reactions occurring between the SSEs and cathode active materials (CAMs), as well as the generation of sulfide-based gases within the SSE. These issues lead to a reduction in the capacity of CAMs and an increase in internal resistance within the cell. To address these challenges, cathode composite materials incorporating zinc oxide (ZnO) are fabricated, effectively reducing various side reactions occurring in CAMs. Acting as a semiconductor, ZnO helps mitigate the rapid oxidation of the solid electrolyte facilitated by an electronic pathway, thereby minimizing side reactions, while maintaining electron pathways to the active material. Additionally, it absorbs sulfide-based gases, thus protecting the lithium ions within CAMs. In this study, the mass spectrometer is employed to observe gas generation phenomena within the ASSB cell. Furthermore, a clear elucidation of the side reactions occurring at the cathode and the causes of capacity reduction in ASSB are provided through density functional theory calculations.

Non-invasive pulse arrival time is associated with cardiac index in pediatric heart transplant patients with normal ejection fraction.

OBJECTIVE: Cardiac Index (CI) is a key physiologic parameter to ensure end organ perfusion in the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU). Determination of CI requires invasive cardiac measurements and is not routinely done at the PICU bedside. To date, there is no gold standard non-invasive means to determine CI. This study aims to use a novel non-invasive methodology, based on routine continuous physiologic data, called Pulse Arrival Time (PAT) as a surrogate for CI in patients with normal Ejection Fraction. Approach: Electrocardiogram (ECG) and photoplethysmogram (PPG) signals were collected from beside monitors at a sampling frequency of 250 samples per second. Continuous PAT, derived from the ECG and PPG waveforms was averaged per patient. Pearson's correlation coefficient was calculated between PAT and CI, PAT and heart rate (HR), and PAT and ejection fraction (EF). Main Results: Twenty patients underwent right heart cardiac catheterization. The mean age of patients was 11.7±5.4 years old, ranging from 11 months old to 19 years old, the median age was 13.4 years old. HR in this cohort was 93.8±17.0 beats per minute. The average EF was 54.4±9.6%. The average CI was 3.51±0.72 L/min/m2, with ranging from 2.6 to 4.77 L/min/m2. The average PAT was 0.31±0.12 seconds. Pearson correlation analysis showed a positive correlation between PAT and CI (0.57, p < 0.01). Pearson correlation between HR and CI, and correlation between EF and CI was 0.22 (p = 0.35) and 0.03 (p = 0.23) respectively. The correlation between PAT, when indexed by HR (i.e. PAT × HR), and CI minimally improved to 0.58 (p < 0.01). Significance: This pilot study demonstrates that PAT may serve as a valuable surrogate marker for CI at the bedside, as a non-invasive and continuous modality in the PICU. The use of PAT in clinical practice remains to be thoroughly investigated. .

Advancements in Asymmetric Supercapacitors: From Historical Milestones to Challenges and Future Directions.

Numerous challenges, like the uninterrupted supply of electricity, stable and reliable power, and energy storage during non-operational hours, arise across various industries due to the absence of advanced energy storage technologies. With the continual technological advancements in portable electronics, green energy, and transportation, there are inherent limitations in their innovative production. Thus, ongoing research is focused on pursuing sustainable energy storage technologies. An emerging solution lies in the development of asymmetric supercapacitors (ASCs), which offer the potential to extend their operational voltage limit beyond the thermodynamic breakdown voltage range of electrolytes. This is achieved by employing two distinct electrode materials, presenting an effective solution to the energy storage limitations faced by ASCs. The current review concentrates on the progression of working materials to develop authentic pseudocapacitive energy storage systems (ESS). Also, evaluates their ability to exceed energy storage constraints. It provides insights into fundamental energy storage mechanisms, performance evaluation methodologies, and recent advancements in electrode material strategies. The review approaches developing high-performance electrode materials and achieving efficient ASC types. It delves into critical aspects for enhancing the energy density of ASCs, presenting debates and prospects, thereby offering a comprehensive understanding and design principles for next-generation ASCs in diverse applications.

Contrasting effects of urban trees on air quality: From the aerodynamic effects in streets to impacts of biogenic emissions in cities.

Urban trees are often not considered in air-quality models although they can significantly impact the concentrations of pollutants. Gas and particles can deposit on leaf surfaces, lowering their concentrations, but the tree crown aerodynamic effect is antagonist, limiting the dispersion of pollutants in streets. Furthermore, trees emit Biogenic Volatile Organic Compounds (BVOCs) that react with other compounds to form ozone and secondary organic aerosols. This study aims to quantify the impacts of these three tree effects (dry deposition, aerodynamic effect and BVOC emissions) on air quality from the regional to the street scale over Paris city. Each tree effect is added in the model chain CHIMERE/MUNICH/SSH-aerosol. The tree location and characteristics are determined using the Paris tree inventory, combined with allometric equations. The air-quality simulations are performed over June and July 2022. The results show that the aerodynamic tree effect increases the concentrations of gas and particles emitted in streets, such as NOx (+4.6 % on average in streets with trees and up to +37 % for NO2). This effect increases with the tree Leaf Area Index and it is more important in streets with high traffic, suggesting to limit the planting of trees with large crowns on high-traffic streets. The effect of dry deposition of gas and particles on leaves is very limited, reducing the concentrations of O3 concentrations by -0.6 % on average and at most -2.5 %. Tree biogenic emissions largely increase the isoprene and monoterpene concentrations, bringing the simulated concentrations closer to observations. Over the two-week sensitivity analysis, biogenic emissions induce an increase of O3, organic particles and PM2.5 street concentrations by respectively +1.1, +2.4 and + 0.5 % on average over all streets. This concentration increase may reach locally +3.5, +12.3 and + 2.9 % respectively for O3, organic particles and PM2.5, suggesting to prefer the plantation of low-emitting VOC species in cities.

Combined representation of visual features in the scene-selective cortex.

Visual features of separable dimensions conjoin to represent an integrated entity. We investigated how visual features bind to form a complex visual scene. Specifically, we focused on features important for visually guided navigation: direction and distance. Previously, separate works have shown that directions and distances of navigable paths are coded in the occipital place area (OPA). Using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), we tested how separate features are concurrently represented in the OPA. Participants saw eight types of scenes, in which four of them had one path and the other four had two paths. In single-path scenes, path direction was either to the left or to the right. In double-path scenes, both directions were present. A glass wall was placed in some paths to restrict navigational distance. To test how the OPA represents path directions and distances, we took three approaches. First, the independent-features approach examined whether the OPA codes each direction and distance. Second, the integrated-features approach explored how directions and distances are integrated into path units, as compared to pooled features, using double-path scenes. Finally, the integrated-paths approach asked how separate paths are combined into a scene. Using multi-voxel pattern similarity analysis, we found that the OPA's representations of single-path scenes were similar to other single-path scenes of either the same direction or the same distance. Representations of double-path scenes were similar to the combination of two constituent single-paths, as a combined unit of direction and distance rather than as a pooled representation of all features. These results show that the OPA combines the two features to form path units, which are then used to build multiple-path scenes. Altogether, these results suggest that visually guided navigation may be supported by the OPA that automatically and efficiently combines multiple features relevant for navigation and represent a navigation file.

Emergent Management of Spontaneous Subarachnoid Hemorrhage.

OBJECTIVE: Spontaneous subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) carries high morbidity and mortality rates, and the emergent management of this disease can make a large impact on patient outcome. The purpose of this article is to provide a pragmatic overview of the emergent management of SAH. LATEST DEVELOPMENTS: Recent trials have influenced practice around the use of antifibrinolytics, the timing of aneurysm securement, the recognition of cerebral edema and focus on avoiding a lower limit of perfusion, and the detection and prevention of delayed cerebral ischemia. Much of the acute management of SAH can be protocolized, as demonstrated by two updated guidelines published by the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association and the Neurocritical Care Society in 2023. However, the gaps in evidence lead to clinical equipoise in some aspects of critical care management. ESSENTIAL POINTS: In acute management, there is an urgency to differentiate the etiology of SAH and take key emergent actions including blood pressure management and coagulopathy reversal. The critical care management of SAH is similar to that of other acute brain injuries, with the addition of detecting and treating delayed cerebral ischemia. Strategies for the detection and treatment of delayed cerebral ischemia are limited by disordered consciousness and may be augmented by monitoring and imaging technology.

Korea Nurses' Health Study and the health of reproductive-aged women: a cohort profile.

The Korea Nurses' Health Study (KNHS) is an ongoing, large-scale, prospective cohort study of female nurses, focusing on the effects of occupational, environmental, and lifestyle factors on the health of women. The first KNHS survey was performed in 2013-2014 (n=20,613). As of December 2023, 11 follow-up surveys have been conducted. Participants who were pregnant were asked to participate in the early pregnancy survey (n=2,179) and postpartum survey after giving birth (n=2,790). The main variables included sociodemographic, work-related, lifestyle, physical, mental, and women's health factors. Blood, urine, and toenail samples were collected from a participant subgroup of the first survey (n=1,983). The subgroups of the second survey completed a food frequency questionnaire in 2019 (n=300) and 2021 (n=871). In 2020, a subgroup of the first survey answered a coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)-related survey (n=975). To examine various health-related factors in young adults, new participants were added to the KNHS cohort in the 11th (n=1,000) and 12th (n=1,002) surveys. The KNHS cohort will help identify health and illness determinants in Korean women. Data can be accessed at https://coda.nih.go.kr/frt/index.do.

A Comprehensive Perspective on Intracranial Pressure Monitoring and Individualized Management in Neurocritical Care: Results of a Survey with Global Experts.

BACKGROUND: Numerous trials have addressed intracranial pressure (ICP) management in neurocritical care. However, identifying its harmful thresholds and controlling ICP remain challenging in terms of improving outcomes. Evidence suggests that an individualized approach is necessary for establishing tolerance limits for ICP, incorporating factors such as ICP waveform (ICPW) or pulse morphology along with additional data provided by other invasive (e.g., brain oximetry) and noninvasive monitoring (NIM) methods (e.g., transcranial Doppler, optic nerve sheath diameter ultrasound, and pupillometry). This study aims to assess current ICP monitoring practices among experienced clinicians and explore whether guidelines should incorporate ancillary parameters from NIM and ICPW in future updates. METHODS: We conducted a survey among experienced professionals involved in researching and managing patients with severe injury across low-middle-income countries (LMICs) and high-income countries (HICs). We sought their insights on ICP monitoring, particularly focusing on the impact of NIM and ICPW in various clinical scenarios. RESULTS: From October to December 2023, 109 professionals from the Americas and Europe participated in the survey, evenly distributed between LMIC and HIC. When ICP ranged from 22 to 25 mm Hg, 62.3% of respondents were open to considering additional information, such as ICPW and other monitoring techniques, before adjusting therapy intensity levels. Moreover, 77% of respondents were inclined to reassess patients with ICP in the 18-22 mm Hg range, potentially escalating therapy intensity levels with the support of ICPW and NIM. Differences emerged between LMIC and HIC participants, with more LMIC respondents preferring arterial blood pressure transducer leveling at the heart and endorsing the use of NIM techniques and ICPW as ancillary information. CONCLUSIONS: Experienced clinicians tend to personalize ICP management, emphasizing the importance of considering various monitoring techniques. ICPW and noninvasive techniques, particularly in LMIC settings, warrant further exploration and could potentially enhance individualized patient care. The study suggests updating guidelines to include these additional components for a more personalized approach to ICP management.

Facile Lithium Densification Kinetics by Hyperporous/Hybrid Conductor for High-Energy-Density Lithium Metal Batteries.

Lithium metal anode (LMA) emerges as a promising candidate for lithium (Li)-based battery chemistries with high-energy-density. However, inhomogeneous charge distribution from the unbalanced ion/electron transport causes dendritic Li deposition, leading to "dead Li" and parasitic reactions, particularly at high Li utilization ratios (low negative/positive ratios in full cells). Herein, an innovative LMA structural model deploying a hyperporous/hybrid conductive architecture is proposed on single-walled carbon nanotube film (HCA/C), fabricated through a nonsolvent induced phase separation process. This design integrates ionic polymers with conductive carbon, offering a substantial improvement over traditional metal current collectors by reducing the weight of LMA and enabling high-energy-density batteries. The HCA/C promotes uniform lithium deposition even under rapid charging (up to 5 mA cm-2) owing to its efficient mixed ion/electron conduction pathways. Thus, the HCA/C demonstrates stable cycling for 200 cycles with a low negative/positive ratio of 1.0 when paired with a LiNi0.8Co0.1Mn0.1O2 cathode (areal capacity of 5.0 mAh cm-2). Furthermore, a stacked pouch-type full cell using HCA/C realizes a high energy density of 344 Wh kg-1 cell/951 Wh L-1 cell based on the total mass of the cell, exceeding previously reported pouch-type full cells. This work paves the way for LMA development in high-energy-density Li metal batteries.

Contemporary management of aneurysmal subarachnoid haemorrhage. An update for the intensivist.

Aneurysmal subarachnoid haemorrhage (aSAH) is a rare yet profoundly debilitating condition associated with high global case fatality and morbidity rates. The key determinants of functional outcome include early brain injury, rebleeding of the ruptured aneurysm and delayed cerebral ischaemia. The only effective way to reduce the risk of rebleeding is to secure the ruptured aneurysm quickly. Prompt diagnosis, transfer to specialized centers, and meticulous management in the intensive care unit (ICU) significantly improved the prognosis of aSAH. Recently, multimodality monitoring with specific interventions to correct pathophysiological imbalances has been proposed. Vigilance extends beyond intracranial concerns to encompass systemic respiratory and haemodynamic monitoring, as derangements in these systems can precipitate secondary brain damage. Challenges persist in treating aSAH patients, exacerbated by a paucity of robust clinical evidence, with many interventions showing no benefit when tested in rigorous clinical trials. Given the growing body of literature in this field and the issuance of contemporary guidelines, our objective is to furnish an updated review of essential principles of ICU management for this patient population. Our review will discuss the epidemiology, initial stabilization, treatment strategies, long-term prognostic factors, the identification and management of post-aSAH complications. We aim to offer practical clinical guidance to intensivists, grounded in current evidence and expert clinical experience, while adhering to a concise format.

Admission viscoelastic hemostatic assay parameters predict poor long-term intracerebral hemorrhage outcomes.

Background: Viscoelastic hemostatic assays (VHA) provide more comprehensive assessments of coagulation compared to conventional coagulation assays. While VHAs have enabled guided hemorrhage control therapies, improving clinical outcomes in life-threatening hemorrhage, the role of VHAs in intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) is unclear. If VHAs can identify coagulation abnormalities relevant for ICH outcomes, this would support the need to investigate the role of VHAs in ICH treatment paradigms. Thus, we investigated whether VHA assessments of coagulation relate to long-term ICH outcomes. Methods: Spontaneous ICH patients enrolled into a single-center cohort study receiving admission Rotational Thromboelastometry (ROTEM) VHA testing between 2013 and 2020 were assessed. Patients with prior anticoagulant use or coagulopathy on conventional coagulation assays were excluded. Primary ROTEM exposure variables were coagulation kinetics and clot strength assessments. Poor long-term outcome was defined as modified Rankin Scale ≥ 4 at 6 months. Logistic regression analyses assessed associations of ROTEM parameters with clinical outcomes after adjusting for ICH severity and hemoglobin concentration. Results: Of 44 patients analyzed, mean age was 64, 57% were female, and the median ICH volume was 23 mL. Poor 6-month outcome was seen in 64%. In our multivariable regression models, slower, prolonged coagulation kinetics (adjusted OR for every second increase in clot formation time: 1.04, 95% CI: 1.00-1.09, p = 0.04) and weaker clot strength (adjusted OR for every millimeter increase of maximum clot firmness: 0.84, 95% CI: 0.71-0.99, p = 0.03) were separately associated with poor long-term outcomes. Conclusions: Slower, prolonged coagulation kinetics and weaker clot strength on admission VHA ROTEM testing, not attributable to anticoagulant use, were associated with poor long-term outcomes after ICH. Further work is needed to clarify the generalizability and the underlying mechanisms of these VHA findings to assess whether VHA guided treatments should be incorporated into ICH care.

Familial Abuse During Childhood and Later-Life Health: Exploring the Role of Victim-Perpetrator Relationships.

OBJECTIVES: Childhood abuse has been extensively studied in relation to later-life health, yet relatively little attention has been given to understanding the nuanced dynamics across victim-perpetrator relationships. This study addresses this gap by identifying typologies of familial perpetrators of childhood abuse in a national sample and examining their associations with various health outcomes, including physical and mental health as well as substance abuse. METHODS: We used 2 waves of data from the Midlife in the US Study (n = 6,295, mean age = 46.9 at baseline). The analysis was completed in 3 stages. Using Latent Class Analysis (LCA), we identified subpopulations of victims with distinct familial perpetrator histories. With assigned LCA memberships and propensity score weighting, we investigated the extent to which specific victim-perpetrator relationships are associated with health outcomes measured at baseline and a 10-year follow-up adjusting for other early-life risks. We evaluated whether the observed associations differ across the waves. RESULTS: Parental and sibling abuse commonly co-occur, surpassing the occurrence of single perpetrators. Although minimal health disparities are evident between sibling-only abuse and no/little abuse groups at baseline, parent-only abuse is associated with compromised health outcomes. Severe abuse from both siblings and parents is linked to the most adverse health outcomes. At the follow-up survey, the associations between familiar abuse and health outcomes weakened, particularly for substance abuse. DISCUSSION: This study, delving into family relationships, family violence, and health disparities, provides new evidence to augment our comprehension of the enduring link between childhood abuse and health within the family context.

Role of Copper Nanoparticles in the Thermal and Mechanical Properties of Expanded Graphite-Reinforced Epoxy Hybrids.

Epoxy resin is extensively applied in the electronics and electrical fields because of its outstanding comprehensive performance. However, the low thermal conductivity (TC) limits its application in thermal interface materials. In the present work, epoxy-based hybrid composites with high TC were prepared by using expanded graphite (EG) and copper (Cu) nanoparticles as thermally conductive hybrid fillers via hot blending and compression-curing processes. Additionally, the influence of the Cu content on the thermal properties, mechanical properties, and morphology of each epoxy/EG/Cu composite was investigated. According to the results, the epoxy/EG/Cu composite showed a maximum TC of 9.74 W/(m·K) at a fixed EG content of 60 wt % owing to the addition of 10 wt % Cu. After the addition of 10 wt % Cu, the flexural strength, flexural modulus, and impact strengths of epoxy/EG/Cu composites were improved from 27.9 MPa, 9.72 GPa, and 0.81 kJ/m2 to 37.5 MPa, 10.88 GPa, and 0.91 kJ/m2, respectively. Hence, this study offers a feasible strategy for the design of epoxy hybrid composites with excellent TC that can be applied to thermal interface materials.

Functionalized MXene ink enables environmentally stable printed electronics.

Establishing dependable, cost-effective electrical connections is vital for enhancing device performance and shrinking electronic circuits. MXenes, combining excellent electrical conductivity, high breakdown voltage, solution processability, and two-dimensional morphology, are promising candidates for contacts in microelectronics. However, their hydrophilic surfaces, which enable spontaneous environmental degradation and poor dispersion stability in organic solvents, have restricted certain electronic applications. Herein, electrohydrodynamic printing technique is used to fabricate fully solution-processed thin-film transistors with alkylated 3,4-dihydroxy-L-phenylalanine functionalized Ti3C2Tx (AD-MXene) as source, drain, and gate electrodes. The AD-MXene has excellent dispersion stability in ethanol, which is required for electrohydrodynamic printing, and maintains high electrical conductivity. It outperformed conventional vacuum-deposited Au and Al electrodes, providing thin-film transistors with good environmental stability due to its hydrophobicity. Further, thin-film transistors are integrated into logic gates and one-transistor-one-memory cells. This work, unveiling the ligand-functionalized MXenes' potential in printed electrical contacts, promotes environmentally robust MXene-based electronics (MXetronics).

Mitigating Gas Evolution in Electron Beam-Induced Gel Polymer Electrolytes Through Bi-Functional Cross-Linkable Additives.

The current high-capacity lithium-ion batteries (LIBs), reliant on flammable liquid electrolytes (LEs) and nickel-rich cathodes, are plagued by safety hazards, especially the risk of hazardous gas release stemming from internal side reactions. To address these safety concerns, an electron beam (E-beam)-induced gel polymer electrolyte (E-Gel) is introduced, employing dipentaerythritol hexaacrylate (DPH) as a bi-functional cross-linkable additive (CIA). The dual roles of DPH are exploited through a strategically designed E-beam irradiation process. Applying E-beam irradiation on the pre-cycled cells allows DPH to function as an additive during the initial cycle, establishing a protective layer on the surface of the anode and cathode and as a cross-linker during the E-beam irradiation step, forming a polymer framework. The prepared E-Gel with CIA has superior interfacial compatibility, facilitating lithium-ion diffusion at the electrode/E-Gel interface. The electrochemical assessment of 1.2 Ah pouch cells demonstrates that E-Gel substantially reduces gas release by 2.5 times compared to commercial LEs during the initial formation stage and ensures superior reversible capacity retention even after prolonged cycling at 55 °C. The research underscores the synergy of bifunctional CIA with E-beam technology, paving the way for large-scale production of safe, high-capacity, and commercially viable LIBs.

Recent Progress and Challenges in Paper-Based Microsupercapacitors for Flexible Electronics: A Comprehensive Review.

Recent advances in paper-based microsupercapacitors (p-MSCs) have attracted significant attention due to their potential as substrates for flexible electronics. This review summarizes progress in the field of p-MSCs, discussing their challenges and prospects. It covers various aspects, including the fundamental characteristics of paper, the modification of paper with functional materials, and different methods for device fabrication. The review critically analyzes recent advancements, materials, and fabrication techniques for p-MSCs, exploring their potential applications and benefits, such as flexibility, cost-effectiveness, and sustainability. Additionally, this review highlights gaps in current research, guiding future investigations and innovations in the field. It provides an overview of the current state of p-MSCs and offers valuable insights for researchers and professionals in the field. The critical analysis and discussion presented herein offer a roadmap for the future development of p-MSCs and their potential impact on the domain of flexible electronics.