Electrolyte-Induced Morphology Evolution to Boost Potassium Storage Performance of Perylene-3,4,9,10-tetracarboxylic Dianhydride.

Organic materials have attracted extensive attention for potassium-ion batteries due to their flexible structure designability and environmental friendliness. However, organic materials generally suffer from unavoidable dissolution in aprotic electrolytes, causing an unsatisfactory electrochemical performance. Herein, we designed a weakly solvating electrolyte to boost the potassium storage performance of perylene-3,4,9,10-tetracarboxylic dianhydride (PTCDA). The electrolyte induces an in situ morphology evolution and achieves a nanowire structure. The weakly dissolving capability of ethylene glycol diethyl ether-based electrolyte and unique nanowire structure effectively avoid the dissolution of PTCDA. As a result, PTCDA shows excellent cycling stability (a capacity retention of 89.1% after 2000 cycles) and good rate performance (70.3 mAh g-1 at 50C). In addition, experimental detail discloses that the sulfonyl group plays a key role in inducing morphology evolution during the charge/discharge process. This work opens up new opportunities in electrolyte design for organic electrodes and illuminates further developments of potassium-ion batteries.

Weakly Coordinating Diluent Modulated Solvation Chemistry for High-Performance Sodium Metal Batteries.

Diluents have been extensively employed to overcome the disadvantages of high viscosity and sluggish kinetics of high-concentration electrolytes, but generally do not change the pristine solvation structure. Herein, a weakly coordinating diluent, hexafluoroisopropyl methyl ether (HFME), is applied to regulate the coordination of Na+ with diglyme and anion and form a diluent-participated solvate. This unique solvation structure promotes the accelerated decomposition of anions and diluents, with the construction of robust inorganic-rich electrode-electrolyte interphases. In addition, the introduction of HFME reduces the desolvation energy of Na+, improves ionic conductivity, strengthens the antioxidant, and enhances the safety of the electrolyte. As a result, the assembled Na||Na symmetric cell achieves a stable cycle of over 1800 h. The cell of Na||P'2-Na0.67MnO2 delivers a high capacity retention of 87.3 % with a high average Coulombic efficiency of 99.7 % after 350 cycles. This work provides valuable insights into solvation chemistry for advanced electrolyte engineering.

Anion-Reinforced Solvation Structure Enables Stable Operation of Ether-Based Electrolyte in High-Voltage Potassium Metal Batteries.

Electrolytes with anion-dominated solvation are promising candidates to achieve dendrite-free and high-voltage potassium metal batteries. However, it's challenging to form anion-reinforced solvates at low salt concentrations. Herein, we construct an anion-reinforced solvation structure at a moderate concentration of 1.5 M with weakly coordinated cosolvent ethylene glycol dibutyl ether. The unique solvation structure accelerates the desolvation of K+, strengthens the oxidative stability to 4.94 V and facilitates the formation of inorganic-rich and stable electrode-electrolyte interface. These enable stable plating/stripping of K metal anode over 2200 h, high capacity retention of 83.0 % after 150 cycles with a high cut-off voltage of 4.5 V in K0.67MnO2//K cells, and even 91.5 % after 30 cycles under 4.7 V. This work provides insight into weakly coordinated cosolvent and opens new avenues for designing ether-based high-voltage electrolytes.

Attributable causes of colorectal cancer in China.

BACKGROUND: Colorectal cancer is the 4th common cancer in China. Most colorectal cancers are due to modifiable lifestyle factors, but few studies have provided a systematic evidence-based assessment of the burden of colorectal cancer incidence and mortality attributable to the known risk factors in China. METHODS: We estimated the population attributable faction (PAF) for each selected risk factor in China, based on the prevalence of exposure around 2000 and relative risks from cohort studies and meta-analyses. RESULTS: Among 245,000 new cases and 139,000 deaths of colorectal cancer in China in 2012, we found that 115,578 incident cases and 63,102 deaths of colorectal cancer were attributable to smoking, alcohol drinking, overweight and obesity, physical inactivity and dietary factors. Low vegetable intake was the main risk factor for colorectal cancer with a PAF of 17.9%. Physical inactivity was responsible for 8.9% of colorectal cancer incidence and mortality. The remaining factors, including high red and processed meat intake, low fruit intake, alcohol drinking, overweight/obesity and smoking, accounted for 8.6%, 6.4%, 5.4%, 5.3% and 4.9% of colorectal cancer, respectively. Overall, 45.5% of colorectal cancer incidence and mortality were attributable to the joint effects of these seven risk factors. CONCLUSIONS: Tobacco smoking, alcohol drinking, overweight or obesity, physical inactivity, low vegetable intake, low fruit intake, and high red and processed meat intake were responsible for nearly 46% of colorectal cancer incidence and mortality in China in 2012. Our findings could provide a basis for developing guidelines of colorectal cancer prevention and control in China.

Association between physical activity and all cancer mortality: Dose-response meta-analysis of cohort studies.

The relationship between physical activity (PA) before cancer diagnosis and all cancer mortality among the general population is not well defined because of inconsistent results from published studies. Thus, the lack of a meta-analysis that addresses that issue prompted the current report. We conducted a literature search of PubMed and Web of Science to identify all relevant epidemiological studies published before February 28, 2015. We performed categorical and dose-response meta-analyses to evaluate and quantify the association between pre-diagnosis PA and all cancer mortality. A total of 32 prospective cohort studies involving 59,362 cancer deaths were included in this meta-analysis. The pooled relative risks (RRs) of all cancer mortality were 0.80 [95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.76-0.85)] for highest versus lowest PA group and 0.85 (95% CI = 0.82-0.88) for PA versus non/occasional PA group. Dose-response analysis showed that the increment in pre-diagnosis PA level was associated with a decreased risk of cancer death continuously. Moreover, an increment of 10 MET-h/week was related to a 7% lower risk for all cancer mortality (RR = 0.93, 95% CI = 0.91-0.95). In conclusion, the present meta-analysis provides evidence of an inverse association between pre-diagnosis PA and all cancer mortality among the general population. High-quality epidemiological studies that employ standardized PA assessments and unified definitions of PA levels should be developed in future.

Association of particulate matter air pollution and hospital visits for respiratory diseases: a time-series study from China.

Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) is a mixture of multiple components, which is associated with several chronic diseases, including respiratory and cardiovascular diseases. We evaluated the association between daily PM2.5 and PM2.5-10 exposure and hospital visits for respiratory diseases. Hospital visits for respiratory diseases were collected from Yinzhou Health Information System database. We used generalized additive models to examine the excess relative risk (ERR) and 95% confidence interval for hospital visits for respiratory diseases associated with each 10-µg/m3 increase in PM2.5 and PM2.5-10 concentration. Non-linear exposure-response relationship between PM exposure and hospital visits for respiratory diseases was evaluated by a smooth spline. The ERRs for hospital visits for respiratory diseases associated with a 10-µg/m3 increase in the 6-day cumulative average concentration of PM2.5 and PM2.5-10 were 5.40 (95% CI 2.32, 8.57) and 6.37% (95% CI 1.84, 11.10), respectively. The findings remained stable when we adjusted other gaseous air pollution. PM2.5 and PM2.5-10 were associated with the increased visits for the acute upper respiratory infection, pneumonia, asthma, and COPD. In this time-series study, we found a positive association between daily particulate matter exposure and hospital visits for respiratory diseases.

Association of PM2.5 pollution with the pattern of human activity: A case study of a developed city in eastern China.

Recently, air pollution has attracted a substantial amount of attention in China, which can be influenced by a variety of factors, but the association between air pollution and human activity is not quite clear. Based on real-time online data (January 1, 2014, to December 31, 2014) of air pollution and meteorology reported by official sites, and demographic, economic, and environmental reform data in a statistical yearbook, the influences of meteorological factors (temperature, relative humidity, precipitation intensity, and wind force) and human activities on PM2.5 pollution were explored. After correlation analysis, logistic regression analysis, and a nonparametric test, weak negative correlations between temperature and PM2.5 pollution were found. In most cases, festival and morning peak hours were protection and risk factors of PM2.5 pollution, respectively. In addition, government actions, such as an afforestation project and increasing financial expenditure for energy saving and environmental protection, could greatly contribute to alleviating pollution of PM2.5. The findings could help officials formulate effective laws and regulations, and then PM2.5 pollution related to the pattern of human activity would be ameliorated. IMPLICATIONS: Most of the time, festival and morning peak hours are protection and risk factors for PM2.5 pollution, respectively. Increasing the percentage of afforestation area and financial expenditure for energy saving and environmental protection could significantly reduce PM2.5 pollution. The findings can help officials formulate effective laws and regulations, and then PM2.5 pollution related to the pattern of human activity, especially government action, will be ameliorated.

Body Mass Index and Mortality: A 10-Year Prospective Study in China.

Although several studies have evaluated the role of body weight as a risk factor for mortality, most studies have been conducted in Western populations and the findings remain controversial. We performed a prospective study to examine the association between body mass index (BMI) and all-cause mortality in Yinzhou District, Ningbo, China. At baseline, 384,533 subjects were recruited through the Yinzhou Health Information System between 2004 and 2009. The final analysis was restricted to 372,793 participants (178,333 men and 194,460 women) aged 18 years and older. Cox proportional hazards models were used to estimate hazard ratios(HRs) and 95% confidence intervals(CIs). We found an increased risk of all-cause mortality among individuals with BMI levels <22.5-24.9, although several groups were not statistically significant-adjusted HRs for persons with BMIs of <15.0, 15.0-17.4, 17.5-19.9, and 20.0-22.4 were 1.61(95% CI: 1.17-2.23), 1.07(0.94-1.20), 1.04(0.98-1.10), 1.06(1.02-1.11), respectively. In the upper BMI range, subjects with BMIs of 25.0-34.9 had a reduced risk of all-cause mortality. Sensitivity analyses excluding smokers, those with prevalent chronic disease or those with less than four years of follow-up did not materially alter these results. Our findings provide evidence for an inverse association of BMI and mortality in this population.