Enhanced Capacity Retention of Li3V2(PO4)3-Cathode-Based Lithium Metal Battery Using SiO2-Scaffold-Confined Ionic Liquid as Hybrid Solid-State Electrolyte.

Li3V2(PO4)3 (LVP) is one of the candidates for high-energy-density cathode materials matching lithium metal batteries due to its high operating voltage and theoretical capacity. However, the inevitable side reactions of LVP with a traditional liquid-state electrolyte under high voltage, as well as the uncontrollable growth of lithium dendrites, worsen the cycling performance. Herein, a hybrid solid-state electrolyte is prepared by the confinement of a lithium-containing ionic liquid with a mesoporous SiO2 scaffold, and used for a LVP-cathode-based lithium metal battery. The solid-state electrolyte not only exhibits a high ionic conductivity of 3.14 × 10-4 S cm-1 at 30 °C and a wide electrochemical window of about 5 V, but also has good compatibility with the LVP cathode material. Moreover, the cell paired with a solid-state electrolyte exhibits good reversibility and can realize a stable operation at a voltage of up to 4.8 V, and the discharge capacity is well-maintained after 100 cycles, which demonstrates excellent capacity retention. As a contrast, the cell paired with a conventional liquid-state electrolyte shows only an 87.6% discharge capacity retention after 100 cycles. In addition, the effectiveness of a hybrid solid-state electrolyte in suppressing dendritic lithium is demonstrated. The work presents a possible choice for the use of a hybrid solid-state electrolyte compatible with high-performance cathode materials in lithium metal batteries.

Association between thyroid hormone levels and frailty in the community-dwelling oldest-old: a cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Changes in thyroid hormone levels are commonly recognized characters among the elderly, which were reported to potentially influence incident frailty. Therefore, we examined the cross-sectional associations of thyroid hormones (THs) with frailty as well as the five components characterizing frailty (fatigue, resistance, ambulation, number of illnesses, and loss of weight) among the oldest-old. METHODS: Four hundred and eighty-seven community-dwelling oldest-old from a local community in Haidian District, Beijing, participated in our recruitment campaign between April 2019 and May 2020. The primary outcomes were a definitive diagnosis of frailty according to the FRAIL scale (Fatigue, Resistance, Ambulation, Illnesses, Loss of weight) and a positive score for each frailty subdomain. Demographic information (age, sex, marital status, and educational status), comorbidities, and details on the participants' lifestyles were recorded. Serum THs including free triiodothyronin (fT3), triiodothyronine (T3), free thyroxine (fT4), and thyroxine (T4) and thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) levels were also measured at the beginning of our study. Logistic regressions were conducted to screen for potential risk factors for frailty and its subdomains. RESULTS: Among the total 487 subjects at enrollment, 60 (12.23%) of them were diagnosed with subclinical hypothyroidism and 110 (22.59%) of the total population scored positive for frailty. Logistic regression analyses adjusted for all potential confounders, showed that frailty was significantly associated with the serum TSH concentration (odds ratio [OR]: 1.06), fT3 concentration (OR: 0.54), and subclinical hypothyroidism score (OR: 2.18). The association between fT4 and frailty was absent in our observational study. The fT3/fT4 ratio characterizing peripheral hormone conversion was also tested to be correlated with frailty. CONCLUSION: Subclinical hypothyroidism, higher TSH level, lower fT3 level, and decreased fT3/fT4 ratio were all associated with frailty assessed by the FRAIL scale among the community-dwelling oldest-old, suggesting a relevant role of thyroid function in aging. Future longitudinal studies are warranted to determine the casual relationship between thyroid dysfunction and frailty in the oldest-old.

Comprehensive Assessment of the Left Ventricular Systolic Function in the Elderly with Acute Myocardial Infarction Using Echocardiography.

AIM: To evaluate the left ventricular (LV) systolic function in elderly with non-ST elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI) and ST elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) using real-time three-dimensional echocardiography (RT-3DE) and two-dimensional speckle tracking imaging (STI). METHODS: Forty NSTEMI and forty STEMI patients after undergoing percutaneous coronary artery intervention (PCI) were enrolled. The myocardial segments were supplied by the infarct-related artery (Myo-IRA) which were indicated by the selective coronary arteriography (SCA). The LV end-diastolic volume (LVEDV), end-systolic volume (LVESV), stroke volume (LVSV) and ejection fraction (LVEF) were acquired by 4D LV Volume Tom Tec. LV longitudinal peak systolic strain (LPSS), radial peak systolic strain (RPSS), circumferential peak systolic strain (CPSS) of Myo-IRA segments, LV rotational peak degree in the base (rot-base) and in the apex (rot-apex), and twist were acquired by strain analysis software. Forty older healthy individuals were included as normal controls. RESULTS: The LVEF of the NSTEMI and STEMI patients at 1 week after PCI were significantly lower (P<0.05), then, this parameter was improved in both groups after 3 months, but was still significantly lower than that of the controls (P<0.05). The LPSS, RPSS, CPSS of the Myo-IRA segments, rot-Base, rot-Apex and twist in both groups were significantly lower than those in the controls. The LPSS and CPSS of the Myo-IRA segments, rot-Base, rot-Apex and twist in NSTEMI patients were obviously higher than those in STEMI patients in 1 week and 3 months after PCI (P<0.05). After 3 months, the RPSS of NSTEMI patients was improved notably and was obviously higher than that of STEMI patients (P<0.05). All these values in STEMI and NSTEMI patients were improved after 3 months, apart from LPSS in STEMI patients (P>0.05), but were still significantly lower than those in the controls (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: RT-3DE and STI can sensitively assess LV systolic function with different extents of transmural damage.

Ideal cardiovascular health metrics and epicardial adipose tissue volume in a Northern Chinese population: a cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Coronary artery disease, fatty liver disease, cardiac abnormalities, the metabolic syndrome, and insulin resistance may all occur in association with an increase of epicardial adipose tissue volume (EATV). Previous studies have shown that some cardiovascular-risk factors and healthy behaviors were related to a lower risk of EATV increase. The main purpose of this study was to determine whether ideal cardiovascular health (CVH) metrics were correlated with the prevalence of high EATV. METHODS: The study commenced across 2013 and 2014 and involved volunteers from the Jidong (East Hebei) district. A cohort of 2,482 participants aged 45 years or older were randomly selected, of which 49.9% were women and none were diagnosed as having cancer, stroke, or heart diseases such as atrial fibrillation, heart failure, or myocardial infarction. The study collected information concerning seven CVH metrics; namely body mass index, dietary intake, smoking, blood pressure, physical activity, total cholesterol, and fasting blood glucose, and evaluated EATV based on computed tomography. Finally, an analysis of the relationship between ideal CVH metrics and the prevalence of high EATV was made applying multiple logistic regression. RESULTS: On the basis that age, gender, and other potential confounding factors are adjusted, comparing the participants having an ideal CVH index of 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6-7 with those having a 0-1 metric, the adjusted odds ratios (95% confidence interval) of high EATV were as follows: 0.893 (0.468-1.705), 0.581 (0.316-1.069), 0.368 (0.202-0.670), 0.218 (0.119-0.400), and 0.161 (0.085-0.306) (P trend less than 0.0001). Similar negative correlations were also seen in other cases of different age groups and gender groups, where all P trends were less than 0.0001. CONCLUSIONS: The number of ideal CVH metrics in the northern Chinese population is negatively correlated with the prevalence of high EATV, supporting the greater use of EATV as a useful parameter in clinical practice.

Association between epicardial adipose tissue and blood pressure: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

AIMS: Epicardial adipose tissue has been reported to be associated with the development of cardiometabolic disease. Whether this is true for hypertension and non-dipper blood pressure remains controversial. Here, we conducted a systemic review and meta-analysis to evaluate the association between EAT and blood pressure. DATA SYNTHESIS: Pubmed, Embase, and Web of Science were searched for relevant papers. Studies reported on the difference of EAT thickness between hypertensive and normotensive patients, or those recorded odds ratio (OR) between EAT and hypertension were included. The standard mean difference (SMD) and ORs were extracted and pooled using a random-effects model respectively. We further assessed the effect of EAT on circadian rhythm of blood pressure by combining multiple-adjusted ORs for non-dipper blood pressure. Seven studies with an overall sample of 1089 patients reported the mean difference of EAT thickness between hypertensive and normotensive patients, and the hypertensive patients had higher EAT (SMD = 1.07; 95% CI: 0.66-1.48; I2 = 89.2%) compared with controls. However, the pooled association between EAT and hypertension from two studies was not significant (OR = 1.65, 95%CI 0.62-4.68; I2 = 87.5%). The summary risk effect of EAT on non-dipper blood pressure from six studies comprising1208 patients showed that each 1 mm increment of EAT was associated with a 2.55-fold risk of non-dipper blood pressure. CONCLUSION: Hypertensive patients tend to present higher EAT thickness near the right ventricular wall and increased EAT thickness might be associated with high risk of non-dipper blood pressure. Future researches are warranted to determine the causal link between EAT and hypertension and the underlying mechanism.

[Effects of Na2WO4 on 15N absorption and utilization,13C accumulation of apple seedling, and fruit quality]. / é’¨é ¸é’ å¯¹è‹¹æžœå¹¼è‹—15N吸收利用、13C积累及果实品质的影响.

Pot culture and field experiments were carried out with one-year-old apple rootstock M9T337 seedlings and five-year-old 'Yanfu3'/SH6/M. hupehensis Rehd. as test materials respectively. Combined with 15N and 13C isotope tracer technology, we examined the effects of different concentrations of NR inhibitor Na2WO4(0, 0.5, 1, 1.5 mmol·L-1, expressed by CK, T1, T2 and T3 respectively) on 15N absorption and 13C accumulation of seedling and apple quality. The results showed that 0.5-1.0 mmol·L-1 Na2WO4 significantly inhibited shoot growth but not root growth of seedling in the pot experiment. Root growth was significantly inhibited when the concentration of Na2WO4 reached 1.5 mmol·L-1. The NR activity of each treatment was negatively correlated with the concentrations of Na2WO4 in the same period, with an order of CK>T1>T2>T3. The content of nitrate in leaves showed the trend of first rising and then decreasing with the extension of processing time. Nitrate content was positively correlated with Na2WO4 concentration in the same period, with an order of T3>T2>T1>CK. Spraying Na2WO4 reduced the 15N absorption of each organ and 15N utilization rate, with such effects increasing with the amount of spraying. With the increases of Na2WO4 concentration, 13C accumulation on the ground increased first and then decreased, with highest value in T2 treatment. The 13C accumulation of whole plant showed a similar pattern. The results of field experiment showed that Na2WO4 application reduced nitrogen contents of leaves and fruits at maturity stage, and increased the anthocyanin content in peel, soluble solids, soluble sugar content and sugar acid ratio in fruits. The T2 treatment showed the best effect. In summary, T2 treatment (1.0 mmol·L-1 Na2WO4) could inhibit shoot growth of seedlings, reduce 15N absorption and utilization, improve 13C accumulation, which would improve apple quality.

[Evaluation of a heart-type fatty acid-binding protein detection kit for diagnosis of acute coronary syndrome].

OBJECTIVE: To evaluation the performance of a heart-type fatty acid-binding protein (H-FABP) ELISA detection kit in the clinical diagnosis of acute coronary syndrome (ACS). METHODS: Plasma or serum samples from 160 suspected ACS patients hospitalized in General Hospital of PLA were examined using Lanzhou H-FABP reagent kit and Holland H-FABP kit. Correlation of the two kits was evaluated and Kappa test was used to examine the consistency of the results of the two products. RESULTS: The sensitivity of H-FABP diagnosis of ACS detection Lanzhou kit was 91.8%, the specificity was 88.7%, and the total diagnostic rate was 90.42%. The sensitivity of H-FABP diagnosis of ACS detection Holland kit was 90.3%, the specificity was 86.8%, and the total diagnostic rate was 88.75%. The test results showed that two products yielded comparable results (P=0.668, >0.05) with a good consistency (Kappa=0.726, P<0.01). CONCLUSIONS: H-FABP ELISA detection kit produccted by LanZhou biological research institute has a good correlation with H-FABP detection kit produced by HBT company of Holland and has the potential for clinical application.