Enabling conditions for an equitable and sustainable blue economy.

The future of the global ocean economy is currently envisioned as advancing towards a 'blue economy'-socially equitable, environmentally sustainable and economically viable ocean industries1,2. However, tensions exist within sustainable development approaches, arising from differing perspectives framed around natural capital or social equity. Here we show that there are stark differences in outlook on the capacity for establishing a blue economy, and on its potential outcomes, when social conditions and governance capacity-not just resource availability-are considered, and we highlight limits to establishing multiple overlapping industries. This is reflected by an analysis using a fuzzy logic model to integrate indicators from multiple disciplines and to evaluate their current capacity to contribute to establishing equitable, sustainable and viable ocean sectors consistent with a blue economy approach. We find that the key differences in the capacity of regions to achieve a blue economy are not due to available natural resources, but include factors such as national stability, corruption and infrastructure, which can be improved through targeted investments and cross-scale cooperation. Knowledge gaps can be addressed by integrating historical natural and social science information on the drivers and outcomes of resource use and management, thus identifying equitable pathways to establishing or transforming ocean sectors1,3,4. Our results suggest that policymakers must engage researchers and stakeholders to promote evidence-based, collaborative planning that ensures that sectors are chosen carefully, that local benefits are prioritized, and that the blue economy delivers on its social, environmental and economic goals.

Ultralow Thermal Conductivity of a Chalcogenide System Pt3Bi4Q9 (Q = S, Se) Driven by the Hierarchy of Rigid [Pt6Q12]12- Clusters Embedded in Soft Bi-Q Sublattice.

Knowledge of structure-property relationships in solids with intrinsic low thermal conductivity is crucial for fields such as thermoelectrics, thermal barrier coatings, and refractories. Herein, we propose a new "rigidness in softness" structural scheme for intrinsic low lattice thermal conductivity (κL), which embeds rigid clusters into the soft matrix to induce large lattice anharmonicity, and accordingly discover a new series of chalcogenides Pt3Bi4Q9 (Q = S, Se). Pt3Bi4S9-xSex (x = 3, 6) achieved an intrinsic ultralow κL down to 0.39 W/(m K) at 773 K, which is considerably low among the Bi chalcogenide thermoelectric materials. Pt3Bi4Q9 contains the rigid cubic [Pt6Q12]12- clusters embedded in the soft Bi-Q sublattice, involving multiple bonding interactions and vibration hierarchy. The hierarchical structure yields a large lattice anharmonicity with high Grüneisen parameters (γ) 1.97 of Pt3Bi4Q9, as verified by the effective scatter of low-lying optical phonons toward heat-carrying acoustic phonons. Consequently, the rigid-soft coupling significantly inhibits heat propagation, exhibiting low acoustic phonon frequencies (∼25 cm-1) and Debye temperatures (ΘD = 170.4 K) in Pt3Bi4Se9. Owing to the suppressed κL and considerable power factor (PF), the ZT value of Pt3Bi4S6Se3 can reach 0.56 at 773 K without heavy carrier doping, which is competitive among the pristine Bi chalcogenides. Theoretical calculations predicted a large potential for performance improvement via proper doping, indicating the great potential of this structure type for promising thermoelectric materials.

"Lasagna"-Structured SnS-TaS2 Misfit Layered Sulfide for Capacitive and Robust Sodium-Ion Storage.

Stannous sulfide (SnS), a conversion-alloying type anode for sodium-ion batteries, is strong Na+ storage activity, a low voltage platform, and high theoretical capacity. However, grain pulverization induced by intolerable volume change and phase aggregation causes quick capacity degradation and unsatisfactory rate capability. Herein, a novel "lasagna" strategy is developed by embedding a SnS layer into the interlayer of an electrochemically robust and electron-active TaS2 to form a misfit layered (SnS)1.15TaS2 superlattice. For Na+ storage, the rationally designed (SnS)1.15TaS2 anode exhibits high specific capacity, excellent rate capability, and robust cycling stability (729 mAh cm-3 at 15 C after 2000 cycles). Moreover, the as-assembled (SnS)1.15TaS2 || Na3V2(PO4)3 full cells achieve robust and fast Na+ storage performance with ≈100% capacity retention after 650 cycles at 15 C, which also demonstrates good low-temperature performance at -20 °C with a capacity retention of 75% and 2 C high-rate charge/discharge ability.

GeV4S8: a Novel Bimetallic Sulfide for Robust and Fast Potassium Storage.

Potassium-ion batteries (PIBs) have attracted much attention due to their low production cost and abundant resources. Germanium is a promising alloying-type anode with a high theoretical capacity for PIBs, yet suffering significant volume expansion and sluggish potassium-ion transport kinetics. Herein, a rational strategy is formulated to disperse Ge atoms into transition metal V-S sulfide frameworks to form a loosely packed and metallic GeV4S8 medium. The theoretical prediction shows that GeV4S8 is conducive to the adsorption and diffusion of K+. The V-S frameworks provide fast ion/electron diffusion channels and also help to buffer the volume expansion during K+ insertion. In situ and ex situ characterizations manifest that KGe alloy clusters are constrained and dispersed by potassiated VS2 topological structure during discharging, and revert to the original GeV4S8 after charging. Consequently, as a novel anode for PIBs, GeV4S8 provides a high specific capacity of ≈400 mAh g-1 at 0.5 C, maintaining 160 mAh g-1 even at 12.5 C and ≈80% capacity after 1000 cycles at 5 C, superior to most of the state-of-the-art anode materials. The proposed strategy of combining alloy and intercalation dual-functional units is expected to open up a new way for high-capacity and high-rate anode for PIBs.

Soft-in-Rigid Strategy Promoting Rapid and High-Capacity Lithium Storage by Chemical Scissoring.

Large and rapid lithium storage is hugely demanded for high-energy/power lithium-ion batteries; however, it is difficult to achieve these two indicators simultaneously. Sn-based materials with a (de)alloying mechanism show low working potential and high theoretical capacity, but the huge volume expansion and particle agglomeration of Sn restrict cyclic stability and rate capability. Herein, a soft-in-rigid concept was proposed and achieved by chemical scissoring where a soft Sn-S bond was chosen as chemical tailor to break the Ti-S bond to obtain a loose stacking structure of 1D chain-like Sn1.2Ti0.8S3. The in situ and ex situ (micro)structural characterizations demonstrate that the Sn-S bonds are reduced into Sn domains and such Sn disperses in the rigid Ti-S framework, thus relieving the volume expansion and particle agglomeration by chemical and physical shielding. Benefiting from the merits of large-capacity Sn with an alloying mechanism and high-rate TiS2 with an intercalation mechanism, the Sn1.2Ti0.8S3 anode offers a high specific capacity of 963.2 mA h g-1 at 0.1 A g-1 after 100 cycles and a reversible capacity of 250 mA h g-1 at 10 A g-1 after 3900 cycles. Such a strategy realized by chemical tailoring at the structural unit level would broaden the prospects for constructing joint high-capacity and high-rate LIB anodes.

Optical properties of particle dispersed coatings with gradient distribution.

Particle dispersed coatings with gradient distributions, resulting from either gravity or artificial control, are frequently encountered in practical applications. However, most current studies investigating the optical properties of coatings use the uniform model (uniform single layer assumption), overlooking the gradient distribution effects. Given the pervasiveness of gradient distributions and the widespread use of the uniform model, it is imperative to evaluate applicability conditions of the uniform model in practical applications. In this work, we comprehensively investigate the quantitative performance of the uniform model in predicting the infrared optical properties of coatings with gradient distributions of particle volume fraction using the superposition T-matrix method. The results show that the gradient distribution of particle volume fraction has a limited impact on the emissivity properties of T i O 2-PDMS coatings in the midwavelength-infrared (MWIR) and long-wavelength-infrared (LWIR) bands, which validates the uniform model for the gradient coatings with weakly scattering dielectric particles. However, the uniform model can yield significant inaccuracies in estimating the emissivity properties of Al-PDMS coatings with gradient distributions in the MWIR and LWIR bands. To accurately estimate the emissivity of such gradient coatings with the scattering metallic particles, meticulous modeling of the particle volume fraction distribution is essential.

Leukoaraiosis in patients with tirofiban before endovascular thrombectomy: A post hoc analysis of a multicentre randomized clinical trial.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: To evaluate the effectiveness and safety of intravenous tirofiban before endovascular thrombectomy in subgroups of acute ischemic stroke patients with different degrees of leukoaraiosis (LA). METHODS: Patients of the RESCUE BT trial whose LA grade could be assessed were included. Eligible patients were dichotomized into two strata according to the van Swieten scale (VSS) score, absent-to-moderate LA (VSS score <3) and severe LA (VSS score ≥3). Furthermore, patients were divided into tirofiban and placebo groups in each stratum. The primary outcome was the 90-day modified Rankin Scale (mRS) score. Safety outcome was radiological intracranial hemorrhage within 48 h. RESULTS: 861 patients were included, 439 patients with absent-to-moderate LA and 422 patients with severe LA. There were no significant differences in 90-day mRS score between the tirofiban and placebo groups in either stratum (absent-to-moderate LA: adjusted OR 0.92 (95%CI, 0.66-1.28), P = 0.62; severe LA: adjusted OR 0.99 (95% CI, 0.69-1.42), P = 0.96). In the severe LA stratum, the occurrence of radiologic intracranial hemorrhage was greater in the tirofiban group compared to the placebo group. (35.7% vs 26.4%; adjusted OR, 1.72 (95% CI, 1.12-2.66); P = 0.014). However, no difference was observed in the absent-to-moderate LA stratum (33.2% vs 29.3%; adjusted OR, 1.15 (95% CI, 0.76-1.75); P = 0.51). CONCLUSION: There was no significant difference in disability severity at 90 days when treating AIS patients using intravenous tirofiban before endovascular therapy, in either absent-to-moderate or severe LA strata. It should be noted that intravenous tirofiban before endovascular therapy increases the incidence of radiologic intracranial hemorrhage in patients with severe LA.

Methylprednisolone as Adjunct to Endovascular Thrombectomy for Large-Vessel Occlusion Stroke: The MARVEL Randomized Clinical Trial.

Importance: It is uncertain whether intravenous methylprednisolone improves outcomes for patients with acute ischemic stroke due to large-vessel occlusion (LVO) undergoing endovascular thrombectomy. Objective: To assess the efficacy and adverse events of adjunctive intravenous low-dose methylprednisolone to endovascular thrombectomy for acute ischemic stroke secondary to LVO. Design, Setting, and Participants: This investigator-initiated, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial was implemented at 82 hospitals in China, enrolling 1680 patients with stroke and proximal intracranial LVO presenting within 24 hours of time last known to be well. Recruitment took place between February 9, 2022, and June 30, 2023, with a final follow-up on September 30, 2023. Interventions: Eligible patients were randomly assigned to intravenous methylprednisolone (n = 839) at 2 mg/kg/d or placebo (n = 841) for 3 days adjunctive to endovascular thrombectomy. Main Outcomes and Measures: The primary efficacy outcome was disability level at 90 days as measured by the overall distribution of the modified Rankin Scale scores (range, 0 [no symptoms] to 6 [death]). The primary safety outcomes included mortality at 90 days and the incidence of symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage within 48 hours. Results: Among 1680 patients randomized (median age, 69 years; 727 female [43.3%]), 1673 (99.6%) completed the trial. The median 90-day modified Rankin Scale score was 3 (IQR, 1-5) in the methylprednisolone group vs 3 (IQR, 1-6) in the placebo group (adjusted generalized odds ratio for a lower level of disability, 1.10 [95% CI, 0.96-1.25]; P = .17). In the methylprednisolone group, there was a lower mortality rate (23.2% vs 28.5%; adjusted risk ratio, 0.84 [95% CI, 0.71-0.98]; P = .03) and a lower rate of symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage (8.6% vs 11.7%; adjusted risk ratio, 0.74 [95% CI, 0.55-0.99]; P = .04) compared with placebo. Conclusions and Relevance: Among patients with acute ischemic stroke due to LVO undergoing endovascular thrombectomy, adjunctive methylprednisolone added to endovascular thrombectomy did not significantly improve the degree of overall disability. Trial Registration: ChiCTR.org.cn Identifier: ChiCTR2100051729.

Inducing unstable walking conditions through visual and auditory stimuli.

[Purpose] Falls can significantly affect elderly individuals. However, most current methods used to detect and analyze high-risk conditions make use of simulated falling movements for data collection, which may not accurately represent actual falls. The present study aimed to induce natural falls using visual and auditory stimuli to create unstable walking conditions. [Participants and Methods] Two experiments were performed. The first experiment focused on inducing unstable walking using visual stimuli; whereas, the second experiment combined visual and auditory stimuli. To investigate the effects of stimuli on the induction of unstable walking, our results were compared with those of normal walking conditions. In addition, the two experimental conditions were compared to identify the most effective stimuli. [Results] Both experiments revealed a decrease in step length, an increase in step time and width, and an increase in the coefficient of variation of measurements, indicating an induced walking pattern with a higher risk of falls. Furthermore, combining visual and auditory stimuli caused deterioration of inter-limb coordination, as observed through an increased phase coordination index, thus resulting in further instability during walking. [Conclusion] Visual and auditory stimuli induced unstable walking. In particular, the combination of visual and auditory stimuli with a 0.8-s rhythm increased instability.

Advances in the Understanding of the Complex Role of Venous Sinus Stenosis in Idiopathic Intracranial Hypertension.

Idiopathic intracranial hypertension (IIH) is a disorder characterized by elevated intracranial pressure (ICP) that predominantly affects young obese women. IIH is a diagnosis of exclusion. That is, if increased ICP is suspected, magnetic resonance imaging and magnetic resonance venography of the brain are recommended to exclude secondary causes. Imaging findings, such as empty sella, orbital findings, meningocele, and encephalocele, are not diagnostic of ICP, nor does their absence exclude ICP either. Therefore, venous manometry is recommended as the gold standard for evaluation, regardless of previous anatomic imaging results. Venous manometry is an invasive examination that is frequently applied to derive physiologic information concerning the nature of the pressure gradient. However, the pathogenesis of IIH has not been fully elucidated. The presence of venous sinus stenosis in a subset of patients has provided some support for the potential mechanisms underlying this condition. Hence, this review provides an up-to-date discussion on the potential pathogenic mechanisms of IIH with a special focus on venous sinus stenosis. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 1 TECHNICAL EFFICACY STAGE: 2.