Synergistic Performance Boosts of Dopamine-Derived Carbon Shell Over Bi-metallic Sulfide: A Promising Advancement for High-Performance Lithium-Ion Battery Anodes.

A CoMoS composite is synthesized to combine the benefits of cobalt and molybdenum sulfides as an anodic material for advanced lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). The synthesis is accomplished using a simple two-step hydrothermal method and the resulting CoMoS nanocomposites are subsequently encapsulated in a carbonized polydopamine shell. The synthesis procedure exploited the self-polymerization ability of dopamine to create nitrogen-doped carbon-coated cobalt molybdenum sulfide, denoted as CoMoS@NC. Notably, the de-lithiation capacity of CoMoS and CoMoS@NC is 420 and 709 mAh g⁻1, respectively, even after 100 lithiation/de-lithiation cycles at a current density of 200 mA g⁻1. Furthermore, excellent capacity retention ability is observed for CoMoS@NC as it withstood 600 consecutive lithiation/de-lithiation cycles with 94% capacity retention. Moreover, a LIB full-cell assembly incorporating the CoMoS@NC anode and an NMC-532 cathode is subjected to comprehensive electrochemical and practical tests to evaluate the performance of the anode. In addition, the density functional theory showcases the increased lithium adsorption for CoMoS@NC, supporting the experimental findings. Hence, the use of dopamine as a nitrogen-doped carbon shell enhanced the performance of the CoMoS nanocomposites in experimental and theoretical tests, positioning the material as a strong candidate for LIB anode.

(Fe-Co-Ni-Zn)-Based Metal-Organic Framework-Derived Electrocatalyst for Zinc-Air Batteries.

Zinc-air batteries (ZABs) have garnered significant interest as a viable substitute for lithium-ion batteries (LIBs), primarily due to their impressive energy density and low cost. However, the efficacy of zinc-air batteries is heavily dependent on electrocatalysts, which play a vital role in enhancing reaction efficiency and stability. This scholarly review article highlights the crucial significance of electrocatalysts in zinc-air batteries and explores the rationale behind employing Fe-Co-Ni-Zn-based metal-organic framework (MOF)-derived hybrid materials as potential electrocatalysts. These MOF-derived electrocatalysts offer advantages such as abundancy, high catalytic activity, tunability, and structural stability. Various synthesis methods and characterization techniques are employed to optimize the properties of MOF-derived electrocatalysts. Such electrocatalysts exhibit excellent catalytic activity, stability, and selectivity, making them suitable for applications in ZABs. Furthermore, they demonstrate notable capabilities in the realm of ZABs, encompassing elevated energy density, efficacy, and prolonged longevity. It is imperative to continue extensively researching and developing this area to propel the advancement of ZAB technology forward and pave the way for its practical implementation across diverse fields.

A simple microplasma reactor paired with indirect ultrasonication for aqueous phase synthesis of cobalt oxide nanoparticles.

Cobalt oxide nanoparticles are widely used owing to their distinct properties such as their larger surface area, enhanced reactivity, and their superior optical, electronic, and magnetic properties when compared to their bulk counterpart. The nanoparticles are preferably synthesized using a bottom-up approach in liquid as it allows the particle size to be more precisely controlled. In this study, we employed microplasma to synthesize Co3O4 nanoparticles because it eliminates harmful reducing agents and is efficient and cost-effective. Microplasma reactors are equipped with copper wire electrodes to generate plasma and are simple to configure. The product was characterized using UV-Vis spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The experimental parameters that were varied for the synthesis were: with or without stirring, with or without indirect ultrasonication, and with or without capping agents (urea and sucrose). The results showed that the microplasma enabled Co3O4 nanoparticles to be successfully synthesized, with particle sizes of 10.9-17.7 nm, depending on the synthesis conditions.

Activated carbon derived from cherry flower biowaste with a self-doped heteroatom and large specific surface area for supercapacitor and sodium-ion battery applications.

Herein, cherry flower waste-derived activated carbon (CFAC) with self-doped nitrogen is synthesized as a viable energy storage material for green and sustainable energy solutions. The activated carbon derived in this way is examined as an electric double-layer capacitance (EDLC)-type electrode material and sodium-ion battery (NIB) electrode material, and commendable performance is demonstrated for both of these energy storage applications. The specific surface area (SSA) and nitrogen content are observed to play a very delicate role in determining the charge storage ability of the CFAC, and the performance is optimized only by carefully balancing both of these properties. The optimized CFAC electrode supplied an excellent performance with a specific capacitance of 333.8 F g-1 and capacity is maintained to more than 96% even after 38,000 charge-discharge cycles as an EDLC-type supercapacitor electrode material. Likewise, the CFAC/NIB also yielded remarkable performance with an average specific capacity of 150 mAh g-1 and capacity retention of more than 84% after 200 charge-discharge cycles. Furthermore, an electrokinetic study was performed for both supercapacitor and NIB applications to identify the contribution from surface and diffusion type charge storage phenomena, consequently highlighting the role of the SSA and nitrogen content in the CFAC matrix.

Plasma-catalytic ethylene removal by a ZSM-5 washcoat honeycomb monolith impregnated with palladium.

The effective removal of dilute ethylene in a novel honeycomb plasma reactor was investigated using a honeycomb catalyst (Pd/ZSM-5/monolith) sandwiched between two-perforated electrodes operating at ambient temperature. Herein, the dependence of catalyst performance on the binder fraction, catalyst preparation method, and catalyst loading was examined. Ethylene removal was carried out by a process comprising cycles of 30-min adsorption conjugated with 15-min plasma-catalytic oxidation. Interestingly, the performance of the cyclic process was superior to continuous plasma-catalytic oxidation and thermally activated catalyst in terms of energy conservation, i.e., ~36 compared to ~105 and ~300 J/L, respectively. Hence, the novel cyclic process can be considered advanced-oxidation technology that features room-temperature oxidation, offers low energy consumption, negligible hazardous by-products emissions such as NOx and O3. Moreover, the process operated under described conditions: low-pressure drop, ambient atmosphere, a mechanically stable system, and a simple reactor configuration, suggesting the practical applicability of this plasma process.

Dependence of humidified air plasma discharge performance in commercial honeycomb monoliths on the configuration and key parameters of the reactor.

The effect of the reactor configuration and several key parameters such as the gas temperature, humidity, and flow rate on the corona discharge plasma in honeycomb monoliths was investigated. The AC corona discharge-based plasma reactor consisted of two parallel electrodes (perforated disk/wire-mesh) placed at both ends of the honeycomb monolith. Although the wire-mesh electrode offers increased sharpness, the perforated disk electrode, where the corona discharge started at the sharp edges of the holes, produced more discharge power because of the larger effective electrode area. Loading a small amount of metal onto the monolith was found to increase the discharge power significantly. Coating the monolith with a zeolite such as ZSM-5 (Si/Al: 23.9) led to a decrease in the discharge power because of its hydrophobic nature and large surface area. The result also revealed that the operating temperature, the humidity of the feed gas, and the gas velocity were key factors affecting the discharge performance. The discharge power was inversely proportional to the temperature. On the other hand, the use of a high-velocity feed gas with high water vapor content was found to be particularly advantageous for obtaining high discharge power.

Synergistic effects of nanocarbon spheres sheathed on a binderless CoMoO4 electrode for high-performance asymmetric supercapacitor.

An essential key to enhancing the specific capacity and cyclic stability of transition metal oxide materials is the hybridization of carbon compounds by binder-free methods for supercapacitors. Carbonaceous compounds shorten the electron-ion diffusion pathways due to their high active surface area and conductivity. Herein, we focus on improving the specific energy, stability, and conductivity of the electrode by the incorporation of nanosized carbon material. The integration of nano carbons from viable eco-friendly glucose with CoMoO4 enhanced the experimental specific capacity of the electrode. The self-grown CoMoO4 on a nickel foam (CMO-NF) was confirmed as the best approach after extensive optimization process by the feasible hydrothermal (HT) method. The amount of carbon deposited and the structural morphology on the fabricated CoMoO4-glucose-derived carbon (CMO-GC) electrode was varied by adjusting the concentration of glucose by the viable HT technique. Notably, the hybrid CMO-GC-2 achieved a maximum specific capacity of 851.85 C g-1 at 1 A g-1, and it is relatively higher than that of CMO-NF (301.4 C g-1). The asymmetric supercapacitor device (CMO-GC-2//AC) demonstrated excellent energy density (36.86 W h kg-1 for 152.84 W kg-1), power density (3209.35 W kg-1 for 11.19 W h kg-1), and extensive capacity retention of 87% for up to 5000 cycles. The high performance is related to the synergetic effect of EDLC and the redox reaction, with nano-architecture and well-defined morphology of the electrode material.

Functional Outcome Estimation of Bimalleolar Ankle Fractures Treated by Open Reduction and Internal Fixation at a Tertiary Care Center: A Descriptive Cross-sectional Study.

INTRODUCTION: Ankle fractures account for about 9% of all fractures in adults. Open reduction and internal fixation is the preferred treatment for such injuries. However, surgery is not free of complications, and outcomes following surgery are not always satisfactory. Therefore, this study aimed to estimate the functional outcomes of bimalleolar ankle fractures treated by open reduction and internal fixation. METHODS: This descriptive, cross-sectional study was carried out at a tertiary care center in the western region of Nepal among the patients with bimalleolar ankle fractures from March 2017 to August 2020 after approval from the Institutional review committee. Convenience sampling was done to reach the sample size. Twenty-nine cases were included in the study. Data were recorded in proforma and data analysis was done in the statistical package for social sciences (SPSS 16.0). The American Orthopedic Foot and Ankle Society (AOFAS) ankle-handfoot score was used to assess the final outcome. RESULTS: At the final evaluation mean AOFAS ankle-handfoot score score was 89.86 (±7.95). According to the AOFAS ankle-hindfoot score, there were 19 excellent (65.51%), six good (20.68%), and four fair (13.79%) results. Complications in the form of superficial infection were seen in four (13.79%) cases. CONCLUSIONS: Functional outcomes following surgical treatment of bimalleolar ankle fractures are mostly excellent to good and complications following surgery are few, therefore, surgery is a better option of treatment in bimalleolar ankle fractures.

Computational identification of mutually homologous Zika virus miRNAs that target microcephaly genes.

Background Zika virus (ZIKV) has been associated with a variety of neuropathologies, including microcephaly. We hypothesize that ZIKV genes activate host microRNAs (miRNAs) causing dysfunctional development of human fetal brains. Objectives/methods A bioinformatics search for miRNA genome-wide binding sites in the prototypic ZIKV (strain MR766) was undertaken to hunt for miRNAs with significant similarities with MCPH genetic sequences responsible for inducing MCHP in human fetal brains. Results Six ZIKV miRNAs were found to share mutual homology with 12 MCPH genetic sequences responsible for inducing MCPH. Noteworthy was miR-1304, which expressed 100% identity to six different MCPH genes. Conclusions We suggest that following infection of fetal neurons ZIKV may modulate the action of various miRNAs, and miR-1304 in particular, resulting in microcephaly.

Detection of Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus aureus and Determination of Minimum Inhibitory Concentration of Vancomycin for Staphylococcus aureus Isolated from Pus/Wound Swab Samples of the Patients Attending a Tertiary Care Hospital in Kathmandu, Nepal.

The present study was conducted to evaluate the performance of cefoxitin disc diffusion method and oxacillin broth microdilution method for detection of methicillin resistant S. aureus (MRSA), taking presence of mecA gene as reference. In addition, inducible clindamycin resistance and beta-lactamase production were studied and minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of vancomycin for S. aureus isolates was determined. A total of 711 nonrepeated pus/wound swab samples from different anatomic locations were included in the study. The Staphylococcus aureus was identified on the basis of colony morphology, Gram's stain, and biochemical tests. A total of 110 (15.47%) S. aureus isolates were recovered, of which 39 (35.50%) isolates were identified as MRSA by cefoxitin disc diffusion method. By oxacillin broth microdilution method, 31.82% of the Staphylococcus aureus isolates were found to be MRSA. However, mecA gene was present in only 29.1% of the isolates. Further, beta-lactamase production was observed in 71.82% of the isolates, while inducible clindamycin resistance was found in 10% of S. aureus isolates. The MIC value of vancomycin for S. aureus ranged from 0.016 µg/mL to 1 µg/mL. On the basis of the absolute sensitivity (100%), both phenotypic methods could be employed for routine diagnosis of MRSA in clinical microbiology laboratory; however cefoxitin disc diffusion could be preferred over MIC method considering time and labour factor.

Use of Flaviviral genetic fragments as a potential prevention strategy for HIV-1 Silencing.

INTRODUCTION: Coinfection with certain members of the Flaviviridae, such as Dengue Virus (DV), West Nile Virus (WNV) Yellow Fever Virus (YFV) and most importantly, GBV-C have been documented to reduce HIV-1 viral load in vivo. Numerous studies strongly support the notion that persistent coinfection with non-pathogenic virus prolongs survival in HIV-1 infected individuals. Coinfected individuals show higher CD4+ cell counts, lower HIV-1 RNA viral loads and live three times longer than clinically matched HIV-1 monoinfected patients. We have previously shown that one of the major anti-HIV defenses conferred by GBV-C coinfection is the upregulation of intracellular miRNAs in CD4+ cells that share significant mutual homologies with GBV-C and HIV-1 (>80%) genomes. METHODOLOGY: Genome-wide bioinformatics analyses were carried out to search for miRNA binding sites in mutual homologies between HIV and several members of the Flaviviridae. RESULTS: Several miRNAs shared significant mutual homology with HIV-1 genetic sequences and GBV-A, B, C, DV, WNV and YFV. These may be responsible for beneficial effects in HIV-1 infected individuals. Three highly mutual homologous miRNAs (i.e. miR-627-5, miR-369-5 and miR-548f), expressed in CD4+ cell lines, reduce HIV-1 replication by up to 90% whereas miRNAs with low mutual homologies (i.e. miR-34-1 and miR-508) impart only slight inhibition of HIV-1. CONCLUSION: We hypothesize that a recombinant GBV-C-based vector can be constructed which expresses several beneficial genetic motifs of the Flaviviridae without causing any side effects while stimulating a wide array of beneficial miRNAs that can more efficiently prevent HIV-1 infection.