Reviving Cost-Effective Organic Cathodes in Halide-Based All-Solid-State Lithium Batteries.

The evolution of inorganic solid electrolytes has revolutionized the field of sustainable organic cathode materials, particularly addressing the dissolution problems in traditional liquid electrolytes. However, current sulfide-based all-solid-state lithium-organic batteries still face challenges such as high working temperatures, high costs, and low voltage. Here, we design an all-solid-state lithium battery based on a cost-effective organic cathode material phenanthrenequinone (PQ) and a halide solid electrolyte Li2ZrCl6. Thanks to the good compatibility between PQ and Li2ZrCl6, the PQ cathode achieved a high specific capacity of 248 mAh g-1 (96% of the theoretical capacity), a high average discharge voltage of 2.74 V (vs. Li+/Li), and a good capacity retention of 95% after 100 cycles at room temperature (25 °C). Furthermore, the interaction between the high-voltage carbonyl PQ cathode and both sulfide and halide solid electrolytes, as well as the redox mechanism of PQ cathode in all-solid-state batteries,  were carefully studied by a variety of advanced characterizations. We believe such a design and the corresponding investigations for the underlying chemistry give insights into the further development of practical all-solid-state lithium-organic batteries.

Significance of saline nasalirrigation for COVID-19 infection: observations and reflections from nursing care of nasopharyngeal carcinoma.

Background: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has placed a tremendous burden on the world's healthcare systems, prompting medical professionals worldwide to diligently research and experiment with treatment methods to prevent infection and alleviate symptoms. Previous studies have shown the potential of nasal irrigation in reducing viral clearance time and alleviating local symptoms of COVID-19. However, views differ regarding its efficacy in improving systemic symptoms. Thus, we sought to examine whether saline nasal irrigation might play a role in treatment and self-care after COVID-19 infection, but further validation is still necessary. Methods: We conducted a retrospective analysis of 468 patients and 51 healthcare personnel concurrently. The participants were grouped based on whether they received saline nasal irrigation. We used χ2 tests and Fisher's exact tests to assess the differences in the rates of COVID-19 infection and the rates of developing a fever after COVID-19 infection among different groups. Additionally, we used independent samples t-tests and Mann-Whitney U tests to evaluate differences in the maximum fever temperature and fever duration among participants with fever in different groups. Results: The rate of developing a fever after COVID-19 infection was lower (37.7%) in the patients who underwent saline nasal irrigation. Among all febrile patients, there was no difference in the highest fever temperature, but patients who underwent saline nasal irrigation had a shorter fever duration (1.72±1.05 days). Additionally, the rate of COVID-19 infection and the rate of developing a fever were higher, and fever symptoms were more severe in the healthcare worker group than in the patient group. Conclusions: Saline nasal irrigation can alleviate symptoms caused by COVID-19 infection.

Comparison of embryo quality and pregnancy outcomes for patients with low ovarian reserve in natural cycles and mildly stimulated cycles: a cohort study.

BACKGROUND: As women with low ovarian reserve embark on the challenging journey of in-vitro fertilisation (IVF) treatment, the choice between natural and mildly stimulated cycles becomes a pivotal consideration. It is unclear which of these two regimens is superior for women with low ovarian reserve. Our study aims to assess the impact of natural cycles on embryo quality and pregnancy outcomes in women with low ovarian reserve undergoing IVF treatment compared to mildly stimulated cycles. METHODS: This retrospective study enrolled consecutive patients with low ovarian reserve who underwent IVF/intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) at Guangdong Second Provincial General Hospital between January 2017 and April 2021. The primary outcome for pregnancy rate of 478 natural cycles and 448 mild stimulated cycles was compared. Secondary outcomes included embryo quality and oocyte retrieval time of natural cycles. RESULTS: The pregnancy rate in the natural cycle group was significantly higher than that in the mildly stimulated cycle group (51.8% vs. 40.1%, p = 0.046). Moreover, natural cycles exhibited higher rates of available embryos (84.1% vs. 78.6%, p = 0.040), high-quality embryos (61.8% vs. 53.2%, p = 0.008), and utilisation of oocytes (73% vs. 65%, p = 0.001) compared to mildly stimulated cycles. Oocyte retrievals in natural cycles were predominantly performed between 7:00 and 19:00, with 94.9% occurring during this time frame. In natural cycles with high-quality embryos, 96.4% of oocyte retrievals were also conducted between 7:00 and 19:00. CONCLUSION: Natural cycles with appropriately timed oocyte retrieval may present a valuable option for patients with low ovarian reserve.

In the realm of in-vitro fertilisation (IVF) treatment, women with low ovarian reserve often face the crucial decision of opting for natural or mildly stimulated cycles. This retrospective study, conducted between January 2017 and April 2021 at Guangdong Second Provincial General Hospital, delves into the impact of these cycles on pregnancy outcomes. Examining 478 natural cycles and 448 mildly stimulated cycles, the study reveals a notably higher pregnancy rate in the natural cycle group (51.8% vs. 40.1%). Additionally, natural cycles demonstrated higher rates of available embryos, high-quality embryos, and oocyte utilisation compared to their mildly stimulated counterparts. The findings suggest that natural cycles, with proper oocyte retrieval timing, could be a favourable choice for those with low ovarian reserve seeking IVF treatment.

Halide Heterogeneous Structure Boosting Ionic Diffusion and High-Voltage Stability of Sodium Superionic Conductors.

The development of solid-state sodium-ion batteries (SSSBs) heavily hinges on the development of an superionic Na+ conductor (SSC) that features high conductivity, (electro)chemical stability, and deformability. The construction of heterogeneous structures offers a promising approach to comprehensively enhancing these properties in a way that differs from traditional structural optimization. Here, this work exploits the structural variance between high- and low-coordination halide frameworks to develop a new class of halide heterogeneous structure electrolytes (HSEs). The halide HSEs incorporating a UCl3 -type high-coordination framework and amorphous low-coordination phase achieves the highest Na+ conductivity (2.7 mS cm-1 at room temperature, RT) among halide SSCs so far. By discerning the individual contribution of the crystalline bulk, amorphous region, and interface, this work unravels the synergistic ion conduction within halide HSEs and provides a comprehensive explanation of the amorphization effect. More importantly, the excellent deformability, high-voltage stability, and expandability of HSEs enable effective SSSB integration. Using a cold-pressed cathode electrode composite of uncoated Na0.85 Mn0.5 Ni0.4 Fe0.1 O2 and HSEs, the SSSBs present stable cycle performance with a capacity retention of 91.0% after 100 cycles at 0.2 C.

The relationship between plasma prolactin levels and clinical manifestations with neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorders.

INTRODUCTION: Systemic prolactin levels have been found to increase in 19 patients diagnosed with neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorders (NMOSD). However, the relationship between plasma prolactin levels and clinical manifestations in NMOSD patients remains unclear. METHODS: This cross-sectional study was conducted as part of a Registered Cohort Study of Inflammatory Demyelination Disease (NCT04386018). A total of 95 patients diagnosed with central nervous system demyelinating diseases and 43 healthy controls were recruited between May 2020 and February 2022 at the First Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University. Plasma samples were collected from all participants and analyzed for prolactin levels using electrochemiluminescence immunoassay. The study aimed to investigate the correlation between plasma prolactin levels and clinical features in patients with central nervous system demyelinating diseases. RESULTS: Plasma prolactin levels in NMOSD patients were significantly higher than those in multiple sclerosis/myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein antibody-associated diseases patients and controls (p<0.05, respectively), and were found to be correlated with disease activity, sensory abnormalities, thoracic spinal cord lesions, and MR lesion enhancement (p<0.05). A total of 16.28% of NMOSD patients exhibited macroprolactinemia. However, there was no correlation found between macroprolactin levels and disease activity (p>0.05). CONCLUSION: Prolactin may play a role in the pro-inflammatory regulation mechanism of NMOSD.

A Dual Anion Chemistry-Based Superionic Glass Enabling Long-Cycling All-Solid-State Sodium-Ion Batteries.

Glassy Na-ion solid-state electrolytes (GNSSEs) are an important group of amorphous SSEs. However, the insufficient ionic conductivity of state-of-the-art GNSSEs at room temperature lessens their promise in the development of all-solid-state Na-ion batteries (ASSNIBs) with high energy density and improved safety. Here we report the discovery of a new sodium superionic glass, 0.5Na2 O2 -TaCl5 (NTOC), based on dual-anion sublattice of oxychlorides. The unique local structures with abundant bridging and non-bridging oxygen atoms contributes to a highly disordered Na-ion distribution as well as low Na+ migration barrier within NTOC, enabling an ultrahigh ionic conductivity of 4.62 mS cm-1 at 25 °C (more than 20 times higher than those of previously reported GNSSEs). Moreover, the excellent formability of glassy NTOC electrolyte and its high electrochemical oxidative stability ensure a favourable electrolyte-electrode interface, contributing to superior cycling stability of ASSNIBs for over 500 cycles at room temperature. The discovery of glassy NTOC electrolyte would reignite research enthusiasm in superionic glassy SSEs based on multi-anion chemistry.

Significance of chemotherapy for older patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma in the intensity-modulated radiotherapy era: A propensity score matching analysis.

INTRODUCTION: This study aimed to evaluate the survival and prognosis of older patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) who received intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) alone versus IMRT plus chemotherapy using propensity score matching (PSM). MATERIALS AND METHODS: We enrolled 841 older patients with NPC aged 60 years and above without metastasis receiving IMRT alone or chemoradiotherapy from 2012 to 2019. The comorbidity was assessed by adult comorbidity evaluation (ACE-27). PSM (1:3 ratio) was conducted between the two treatment groups based on four clinical factors including age, T-stage, N-stage, and ACE-27. Differences in overall survival (OS) and cancer-specific survival (CSS) were analyzed by the Kaplan-Meier method and Cox proportional hazard model. RESULTS: A total of 841 patients with NPC were included in the study, there were 94 patients in the IMRT alone group and 747 patients in the chemoradiotherapy (CRT) group. After a 1:3 ratio PSM, 89 patients underwent IMRT alone and 223 patients underwent CRT. The baseline analysis showed an insignificant difference after PSM (P > 0.05). In multivariate analysis, we found that ACE-27 (≥2) was associated with worse five-year OS and CSS (HR = 1.994, 95%CI: 1.276-3.116, P = 0.002; HR = 1.849, 95%CI: 1164-2.935, P = 0.009, respectively). Chemotherapy was an independent prognosticator of better five-year OS and CSS (HR = 0.333, 95%CI: 0.213-0.552, P < 0.001; HR = 0.327, 95%CI: 0.204-0.524, P < 0.001, respectively). In terms of subgroup analysis, chemotherapy was a statistically beneficial predictor for stage III-IV patients (P < 0.05), but no significant difference in stage II patients (P > 0.05). About the adverse events, the incidence of hepatotoxicity (P = 0.002), neutropenia (P < 0.001), anemia (P < 0.001), and thrombocytopenia (P < 0.001) were significantly higher in the CRT group. DISCUSSION: Combined modality therapy was associated with improved five-year OS and CSS in older adults with stage III-IV NPC, but was not associated with improved survival over IMRT alone in patients with stage II disease. Risk factors including T3-4 disease, positive lymph nodes, ACE-27 score ≥ 2, and IMRT alone were were associated with worse OS and CSS. There was a significantly higher incidence of hepatotoxicity and blood toxicity in the CRT group.

Engineered short forms of perlecan enhance angiogenesis by potentiating growth factor signalling.

Growth factors are key molecules involved in angiogenesis, a process critical for tissue repair and regeneration. Despite the potential of growth factor delivery to stimulate angiogenesis, limited clinical success has been achieved with this approach. Growth factors interact with the extracellular matrix (ECM), and particularly heparan sulphate (HS), to bind and potentiate their signalling. Here we show that engineered short forms of perlecan, the major HS proteoglycan of the vascular ECM, bind and signal angiogenic growth factors, including fibroblast growth factor 2 and vascular endothelial growth factor-A. We also show that engineered short forms of perlecan delivered in porous chitosan biomaterial scaffolds promote angiogenesis in a rat full thickness dermal wound model, with the fusion of perlecan domains I and V leading to superior vascularisation compared to native endothelial perlecan or chitosan scaffolds alone. Together, this study demonstrates the potential of engineered short forms of perlecan delivered in chitosan scaffolds as next generation angiogenic therapies which exert biological activity via the potentiation of growth factors.

Observation on the efficacy of different methylprednisolone regimens in the treatment of myasthenia gravis.

Objective: To investigate the efficacy of different methylprednisolone regimens in the treatment of myasthenia gravis (MG). Methods: A total of 98 patients with MG admitted to Shijiazhuang People's Hospital from December 2018 to November 2019 were randomly divided into two groups, with 49 cases in each group. Patients in the control group received high-dose methylprednisolone pulse therapy, while those in the experimental group received medium-dose periodic therapy of methylprednisolone. Anti-acetylcholine receptor antibodies (AChRab), clinical absolute scores, complement levels (C3, C4), T lymphocyte subsets (CD3+, CD4+, CD4+CD25+), cytokines [interferon-γ (INF-γ), transforming growth factor-ß1 (TGF-ß1), interleukin-6 (IL- 6), interleukin-18 (IL-18)], and changes in quality of life [15-item Myasthenia Gravis Quality of Life Scale (MGQOL-15) score] were compared between the two groups before treatment and one and three months after treatment. Moreover, the incidence of adverse drug reactions in the two groups during 3 months of treatment was compared. Results: After three months of treatment, ACHRAB, clinical absolute score, CD3+, CD4+, INF-γ, IL-6, IL-18 and MGQOL-15 scores in both groups were significantly decreased compared with those before treatment (p<0.05), and the scores of C3, C4, CD4+CD25+ and TGF-ß1 in both groups were significantly higher than those before treatment (p<0.05), and the experimental group had more significant changes than the control group (p<0.05). During three months of treatment, the total incidence of adverse drug reactions in the experimental group was significantly lower than that in the control group (p<0.05). Conclusions: The medium-dose periodic therapy of methylprednisolone is more prominent in the long-term efficacy performance. It can improve the immunity and quality of life of patients, and it is safer and has high clinical application value.

The identification of pregnant women with renal colic who may need surgical intervention.

BACKGROUND: Renal colic is a surgical emergency in pregnancy that is caused by a range of non-obstetric factors and known to occur more frequently during the second and third trimesters. Several studies have reported that up to 70-80% of stones pass spontaneously during pregnancy. There are some patients will not pass their stones and will ultimately require surgical intervention. Through retrospective analysis of the clinical data of 212 pregnant women with renal colic, the predictive factors of pregnant women with renal colic in need of surgical intervention were determined. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective review of 212 pregnant women presenting with renal colic between 1st January 2009 and 31st December 2020. Univariate and multivariate analyses identified a range of predictive variables for surgical intervention. In addition, we used receiver operating characteristic curve analysis to evaluate the predictive power of our model and created a nomogram for clinical application. RESULTS: Of the 212 patients presenting with acute renal colic in pregnancy, 100 patients (47.2%) underwent surgical intervention and 112 patients (52.8%) were treated conservatively. Univariate analysis identified significant differences between the two groups with regards to fever, the duration of pain, white blood cells, C-reactive protein, ureteral stone size, hydronephrosis, and stone location. Multivariate analysis further identified a number of independent predictors for surgical intervention, including fever, a duration of pain ≥ 4 days, a ureteral stone size ≥ 8 mm, and moderate or severe hydronephrosis. CONCLUSIONS: We identified several independent predictors for surgical intervention for renal colic in pregnancy. Fever, a duration of pain ≥ 4 days, a ureteral stone size ≥ 8 mm, and moderate/severe hydronephrosis, play significant roles in predicting surgical intervention. Our nomogram can help to calculate the probability of surgical intervention in a simple and efficient manner. Prospective studies are now required to validate our model.

Does delaying ureteral stent placement lead to higher rates of preoperative acute pyelonephritis during pregnancy?

BACKGROUND: Pregnancy with renal colic may cause pyelonephritis, decreased renal function, systemic infection and even shock in pregnant women, and cause premature birth and other adverse pregnancy outcomes. When surgery is necessary, the relationship between timing of the operation and the outcome of the mother and child are not known. AIM: To investigate the association between time to ureteral stent placement and clinical outcomes of patients with renal colic during pregnancy. METHODS: In this retrospective study, pregnant women with renal colic who underwent surgery were studied. Maternal preoperative acute pyelonephritis (PANP), pregnancy outcome, and length of hospital stay (LOS) were compared between the two groups. RESULTS: 100 patients were included in the analysis, median age was 30 years. Median time to ureteral stent placement was 48 h (interquartile range, 25-96 h), and 32 patients (32%) were diagnosed with PANP. PANP was closely related to hospitalization costs, re-admission to the hospital due to urinary tract infection after surgery and premature delivery. Multivariate analysis found that stone location and time from pain to admission were related to PANP. CONCLUSION: Both early and delayed surgery are safe and effective for the treatment of renal colic during pregnancy. Early surgery may be superior to a delayed procedure due to shorter LOS. For pregnant patients with renal colic, delayed surgery within 48 h is not related to the clinical outcome of the mother and child. However, the time from pain to hospital admission was related to PANP.

lncRNA ITGB8-AS1 functions as a ceRNA to promote colorectal cancer growth and migration through integrin-mediated focal adhesion signaling.

Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) play critical roles in tumorigenesis and progression of colorectal cancer (CRC). However, functions of most lncRNAs in CRC and their molecular mechanisms remain uncharacterized. Here we found that lncRNA ITGB8-AS1 was highly expressed in CRC. Knockdown of ITGB8-AS1 suppressed cell proliferation, colony formation, and tumor growth in CRC, suggesting oncogenic roles of ITGB8-AS1. Transcriptomic analysis followed by KEGG analysis revealed that focal adhesion signaling was the most significantly enriched pathway for genes positively regulated by ITGB8-AS1. Consistently, knockdown of ITGB8-AS1 attenuated the phosphorylation of SRC, ERK, and p38 MAPK. Mechanistically, ITGB8-AS1 could sponge miR-33b-5p and let-7c-5p/let-7d-5p to regulate the expression of integrin family genes ITGA3 and ITGB3, respectively, in the cytosol of cells. Targeting ITGB8-AS1 using antisense oligonucleotide (ASO) markedly reduced cell proliferation and tumor growth in CRC, indicating the therapeutic potential of ITGB8-AS1 in CRC. Furthermore, ITGB8-AS1 was easily detected in plasma of CRC patients, which was positively correlated with differentiation and TNM stage, as well as plasma levels of ITGA3 and ITGB3. In conclusion, ITGB8-AS1 functions as a competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) to regulate cell proliferation and tumor growth of CRC via regulating focal adhesion signaling. Targeting ITGB8-AS1 is effective in suppressing CRC cell growth and tumor growth. Elevated plasma levels of ITGB8-AS1 were detected in advanced-stage CRC. Thus, ITGB8-AS1 could serve as a potential therapeutic target and circulating biomarker in CRC.

Study on Factors Affecting the Performance of a CRISPR/Cas-Assisted New Immunoassay: Detection of Salivary Insulin as an Example.

The clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeat (CRISPR)/Cas is now playing a significant role in biosensing applications, especially when the trans-cleavage activity of several Cas effectors is discovered. Taking advantages of both CRISPR/Cas and the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) in analytical and clinical investigations, CRISPR/Cas-powered ELISA has been successfully designed to detect a spectrum of analytes beyond nucleic acid. Herein, we developed a CRISPR/Cas12a-assisted new immunoassay (CANi) for detection of salivary insulin as an example. Specifically, factors (antibody selection, temperature, and assay time) affecting the CRISPR/Cas-based ELISA system's performance were investigated. It was observed that the concentration of blocking solution, selection of the capture antibody pairs, and the sequences of triggering ssDNA and guiding RNA affected this immunoassay sensitivity. In contrast, the preincubation of CRISPR/Cas12a working solution and pre-mixture of detection antibody with anti-IgG-ssDNA did not show influence on the performance of CANi for the detection of insulin. Under optimized conditions, the sensitivity for detection of salivary insulin was 10 fg/ml with a linear range from 10 fg/ml to 1 ng/ml.

Point-of-care detection of cytokines in cytokine storm management and beyond: Significance and challenges.

Cytokines are signaling molecules between cells in immune system. Cytokine storm, due to the sudden acute increase in levels of pro-inflammatory circulating cytokines, can result in disease severity and major-organ damage. Thus, there is urgent need to develop rapid, sensitive, and specific methods for monitoring of cytokines in biology and medicine. Undoubtedly, point-of-care testing (POCT) will provide clinical significance in disease early diagnosis, management, and prevention. This review aims to summarize and discuss the latest technologies for detection of cytokines with a focus on POCT. The overview of diseases resulting from imbalanced cytokine levels, such as COVID-19, sepsis and other cytokine release syndromes are presented. The clinical cut-off levels of cytokine as biomarkers for different diseases are summarized. The challenges and perspectives on the development of cytokine POCT devices are also proposed and discussed. Cytokine POCT devices are expected to be the ongoing spotlight of disease management and prevention during COVID-19 pandemic and also the post COVID-19 pandemic era.

Metagenome-wide association study of gut microbiome revealed potential microbial marker set for diagnosis of pediatric myasthenia gravis.

BACKGROUND: Myasthenia gravis (MG) is an acquired immune-mediated disorder of the neuromuscular junction that causes fluctuating skeletal muscle weakness and fatigue. Pediatric MG and adult MG have many different characteristics, and current MG diagnostic methods for children are not quite fit. Previous studies indicate that alterations in the gut microbiota may be associated with adult MG. However, it has not been determined whether the gut microbiota are altered in pediatric MG patients. METHODS: Our study recruited 53 pediatric MG patients and 46 age- and gender-matched healthy controls (HC). We sequenced the fecal samples of recruited individuals using whole-genome shotgun sequencing and analyzed the data with in-house bioinformatics pipeline. RESULTS: We built an MG disease classifier based on the abundance of five species, Fusobacterium mortiferum, Prevotella stercorea, Prevotella copri, Megamonas funiformis, and Megamonas hypermegale. The classifier obtained 94% area under the curve (AUC) in cross-validation and 84% AUC in the independent validation cohort. Gut microbiome analysis revealed the presence of human adenovirus F/D in 10 MG patients. Significantly different pathways and gene families between MG patients and HC belonged to P. copri, Clostridium bartlettii, and Bacteroides massiliensis. Based on functional annotation, we found that the gut microbiome affects the production of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), and we confirmed the decrease in SCFA levels in pediatric MG patients via serum tests. CONCLUSIONS: The study indicated that altered fecal microbiota might play vital roles in pediatric MG's pathogenesis by reducing SCFAs. The microbial markers might serve as novel diagnostic methods for pediatric MG.

New Insight of Pyrrole-Like Nitrogen for Boosting Hydrogen Evolution Activity and Stability of Pt Single Atoms.

Single atomic Pt catalysts exhibit particularly high hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) activity compared to conventional nanomaterial-based catalysts. However, the enhanced mechanisms between Pt and their coordination environment are not understood in detail. Hence, a systematic study examining the different types of N in the support is essential to clearly demonstrate the relationship between Pt single atoms and N-doped support. Herein, three types of carbon nanotubes with varying types of N (pyridine-like N, pyrrole-like N, and quaternary N) are used as carbon support for Pt single atom atomic layer deposition. The detailed coordination environment of the Pt single atom catalyst is carefully studied by electron microscope and X-ray absorption spectra (XAS). Interestingly, with the increase of pyrrole-like N in the CNT support, the HER activity of the Pt catalyst also improves. First principle calculations results indicate that the interaction between the dyz and s orbitals of H and sp3 hybrid orbital of N should be the origin of the superior HER performance of these Pt single atom catalysts (SACs).

Reversible Silicon Anodes with Long Cycles by Multifunctional Volumetric Buffer Layers.

Establishing a stable, stress-relieving configuration is imperative to achieve a reversible silicon anode for high energy density lithium-ion batteries. Herein, we propose a silicon composite anode (denoted as T-Si@C), which integrates free space and mixed carbon shells doped with rigid TiO2/Ti5Si3 nanoparticles. In this configuration, the free space accommodates the silicon volume fluctuation during battery operation. The carbon shells with embedded TiO2/Ti5Si3 nanoparticles maintain the structural stability of the anode while accelerating the lithium-ion diffusion kinetics and mitigating interfacial side reactions. Based on these advantages, T-Si@C anodes demonstrate an outstanding lithium storage performance with impressive long-term cycling reversibility and good rate capability. Additionally, T-Si@C//LiFePO4 full cells show superior electrochemical reversibility. This work highlights the importance of rational structural manipulation of silicon anodes and affords fresh insights into achieving advanced silicon anodes with long life.

An Air-Stable and Li-Metal-Compatible Glass-Ceramic Electrolyte enabling High-Performance All-Solid-State Li Metal Batteries.

The development of all-solid-state Li metal batteries (ASSLMBs) has attracted significant attention due to their potential to maximize energy density and improved safety compared to the conventional liquid-electrolyte-based Li-ion batteries. However, it is very challenging to fabricate an ideal solid-state electrolyte (SSE) that simultaneously possesses high ionic conductivity, excellent air-stability, and good Li metal compatibility. Herein, a new glass-ceramic Li3.2 P0.8 Sn0.2 S4 (gc-Li3.2 P0.8 Sn0.2 S4 ) SSE is synthesized to satisfy the aforementioned requirements, enabling high-performance ASSLMBs at room temperature (RT). Compared with the conventional Li3 PS4 glass-ceramics, the present gc-Li3.2 P0.8 Sn0.2 S4 SSE with 12% amorphous content has an enlarged unit cell and a high Li+ ion concentration, which leads to 6.2-times higher ionic conductivity (1.21 × 10-3 S cm-1 at RT) after a simple cold sintering process. The (P/Sn)S4 tetrahedron inside the gc-Li3.2 P0.8 Sn0.2 S4 SSE is verified to show a strong resistance toward reaction with H2 O in 5%-humidity air, demonstrating excellent air-stability. Moreover, the gc-Li3.2 P0.8 Sn0.2 S4 SSE triggers the formation of Li-Sn alloys at the Li/SSE interface, serving as an essential component to stabilize the interface and deliver good electrochemical performance in both symmetric and full cells. The discovery of this gc-Li3.2 P0.8 Sn0.2 S4 superionic conductor enriches the choice of advanced SSEs and accelerates the commercialization of ASSLMBs.

Risk Factors of Urinary Tract Infection After Ureteral Stenting in Patients with Renal Colic During Pregnancy.

Introduction: To investigate risk factors associated with urinary tract infection (UTI), following ureteral stenting, for patients with renal colic during pregnancy. Patients and Methods: Patients with renal colic during pregnancy who underwent ureteral stenting in The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University between 2009 and 2019 were examined retrospectively. Ureteral stenting patients who had UTIs after hospital discharge and before delivery were classified as the infected group. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to assess the risk factors associated with UTI after ureteral stenting. Results: A total of 102 patients were enrolled into the study. Mean age was 30 years (interquartile range [IQR]: 26-33 years) and mean gestation age was 22 weeks (IQR: 18-28 weeks). UTI occurred in 21 patients (20.6%). Compared with noninfected patients, infected patients had a higher rate of positive urine culture (52.4% vs 13.6%, p = 0.000), kidney stones ≥10 mm (81% vs 35.8%, p = 0.000), residual stones after ureteral stenting (71.4% vs 43.2%, p = 0.021), and different surgical indications and gestational ages (18 vs 23 weeks, p = 0.00). Multifactor analysis showed that gestational age, positive urine culture (odds ratio [OR] = 6.233, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.830-21.227), and stones ≥10 mm (OR = 0.124, 95% CI: 0.031-0.495) were independent risk factors for UTI after ureteral stenting in patients with renal colic. In the infection group, Escherichia coli was the most commonly found organism (47.4%). Conclusions: Gestational age, positive urine culture before surgery, and stone ≥10 mm were risk factors for UTI after ureteral stenting in pregnant patients with renal colic. E. coli was the main pathogen of UTI after this procedure. Preoperative anti-infection treatment needs to be based on drugs that are sensitive to E. coli.

Transition of the Reaction from Three-Phase to Two-Phase by Using a Hybrid Conductor for High-Energy-Density High-Rate Solid-State Li-O2 Batteries.

Solid-state Li-O2 batteries possess the ability to deliver high energy density with enhanced safety. However, designing a highly functional solid-state air electrode is the main bottleneck for its further development. Herein, we adopt a hybrid electronic and ionic conductor to build solid-state air electrode that makes the transition of Li-O2 battery electrochemical mechanism from a three-phase process to a two-phase process. The solid-state Li-O2 battery with this hybrid conductor solid-state air electrode shows decreased interfacial resistance and enhanced reaction kinetics. The Coulombic efficiency of Li-O2 battery is also significantly improved, benefiting from the good contact between discharge products and electrode materials. In situ environmental transmission electron microscopy under oxygen was used to illustrate the reversible deposition and decomposition of discharge products on the surface of this hybrid conductor, visually verifying the two-phase reaction.