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During the charging process of electric vehicles (EVs), the temperature of the power battery plays a critical role in ensuring safety. Excessive heat can accelerate battery aging, leading to potential safety hazards. Therefore, accurate prediction of the temperature of the power battery is essential to effectively prevent overheating. However, due to the charging strategies of different types of vehicles, accurately modeling and simulating temperature prediction for automotive battery packs has been challenging, resulting in limited prediction accuracy. To address this issue, this article proposes a power battery temperature prediction method based on charging strategy classification and BP neural network by leveraging existing charging data from EVs. First, the k-nearest neighbor classification algorithm, utilizing a Gaussian kernel function, is employed to classify the charging strategies. Subsequently, the scaling factor, chaotic mechanism, adversarial learning strategy, and adaptive maximum mixed correntropy Kalman filter are combined with adaptive genetic algorithm (GA), is applied to optimize the BP neural network for temperature prediction. The proposed method is validated using actual charging data, the results demonstrate its ability to enhance the prediction accuracy of power battery temperature. This research provides a promising solution for accurately predicting battery temperature by considering charging strategies, contributing to the improved safety of EVs.

Sodium-ion batteries (SIBs) are becoming an alternative option for large-scale energy storage systems owing to their low cost and abundance. The lattice oxygen redox (LOR), which has the potential to increase the reversible capacity of materials, has promoted the development of high-energy cathode materials in SIBs. However, the utilization of oxygen anion redox reactions usually results in harmful lattice oxygen release, which hastens structural deformation and declines electrochemical performance, severely hindering their practical application. Herein, a ribbon-ordered superstructured P3-type Na0.6Li0.2Mn0.8O2(NLMO) cathode with a uniform Al2O3coating through atomic layer deposition (ALD) was synthesized. The cycling stability and rate capability of the materials were improved by a proper thickness of the Al2O3layer. Differential electrochemical mass spectrometry (DEMS) results clearly suggest that the Al2O3coating can inhibit the CO2release caused by the highly active surface of the NLMO material. Moreover, the results of transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and etching X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) show that the Al2O3coating can effectively prevent electrolyte and electrode side reactions and the dissolution of Mn. This surface engineering strategy sheds light on the way to prolong the cycling stability of anionic redox cathode materials.

The elastic loading behaviour of rough surfaces is derived based on the physical understanding of the contact phenomena, where the pressure distribution is analytically obtained without any negative values or convergence problems, thus the evolution of the contact behaviour is obtained in a semi-analytical manner. Numerical results obtained by the proposed approach facilitate the understanding of the contact behaviour in the following aspects: 1) the ratio of contact area to load decreases with an increase in real contact area; 2) normal approach-load relationship is approximated by an exponential decay under relatively small loads and a linear decay under relatively large loads; and 3) average gap shows an exponential relationship with load only in moderate load range.

The estimation of depth from 4D light field images is a fundamental problem for perceiving and reconstructing environmental scenes. While learning-based methods have achieved remarkable results in this field, most of them rely on supervised learning, which faces significant challenges in real-world applications due to the lack of sufficient available ground truth depth maps. In this paper, we propose an unsupervised learning architecture based on a generative adversarial learning model for light field image depth estimation (OALFGAN). Specifically, our approach involves a multi-scale deep convolutional generative adversarial network learning system that includes a sparse-to-dense cascaded multi-scale generator and a discriminator, which decomposes the problem of generating high-quality images into more manageable sub-problems. To address the issue of violations of photometric consistency that may be caused by occlusion, we introduce a spatial-angular attention module that adaptively extracts view features with fewer occlusions and richer textures to generate more accurate disparity maps. Furthermore, we design a loss function that incorporates adaptive angular entropy consistency, symmetry loss, and edge-aware loss based on the distribution regularity and self-constraint of light field images to further optimize occlusion and disparity discontinuity issues and improve the reliability of the final depth prediction. Our proposed method demonstrates superior performance over existing methods on synthetic datasets, both quantitatively and qualitatively. Moreover, our proposed method exhibits excellent generalization performance on real-world datasets, demonstrating the effectiveness of our approach.

Ti6Al4V alloy–CoCrMo alloy pair is commonly applied for modular head–neck interfaces for artificial hip joint. Unfortunately, the fretting corrosion damage at this interface seriously restricts its lifespan. This work studied the fretting corrosion of Ti6Al4V–CoCrMo pair in calf serum solution. We established this material pair’s running condition fretting map (RCFM) regarding load and displacement, and revealed the damage mechanism of this material pair in various fretting regimes, namely partial slip regime (PSR), mixed fretting regime (MFR), and gross slip regime (GSR). The damage mechanism of Ti6Al4V alloy was mainly abrasive wear induced by CoCrMo alloy and tribocorrosion. Adhesive wear (material transfer) also existed in MFR. The damage mechanism of CoCrMo alloy was mainly abrasive wear induced by metal oxides and tribocorrosion in GSR and MFR, while no apparent damage in PSR. Furthermore, a dense composite material layer with high hardness was formed in the middle contacting area in GSR, which reduced the corrosion and wear of Ti alloys and exacerbated damage to Co alloys. Finally, the ion concentration maps for Ti and Co ions were constructed, which displayed the transition in the amount of released Ti and Co ions under different displacements and loads.

ABSTRACT In this research, the particle size distribution (PSD) of different components in inter-ground Portland limestone cement (PLC) and limestone-slag cement (PLC-S) was characterization by using an electron microscopy approach. [...]

ABSTRACT In this research, a micro X-ray computed tomography ([micro]CT) technique was used to investigate the distribution of steel corrosion embedded in cement paste non-destructively. An electrochemical method was used [...]

ABSTRACT In this research, electrochemical impedance measurements were taken on cement mortar with different levels of drying. The impedance spectrum was analyzed with equivalent circuit model, through which the drying [...]

Corrosion at the taper/trunnion interface of total hip replacement (THR) often results in severe complications. However, the underlying mechanisms of biotribocorrosion at the taper/trunnion interface during the long-term walking gait cycles remain to be fully understood. In this study, a hip joint simulator was therefore instrumented with an electrochemical cell for in-situmonitoring of the tribocorrosion evolution in a metal-on-polyethylene (MoP) THR during a typical long-term walking gait. In addition, the biotribocorrosion mechanism was investigated via surface and chemical characterizations. The experimental results confirmed that the taper/trunnion interface dominated the contemporary MoP hip joint corrosion. Three cyclic variations in the open circuit potential (OCP) were observed throughout the long-term electrochemical measurements, attributed to the formation and disruption of the adsorbed protein layer. The corrosion exhibited an initial increase at each period, peaking at approximately 0.125 million cycles, followed by a subsequent gradual reduction. Surface and chemical analyses revealed the formation of a tribochemical reaction layer (tribolayer) on the worn surface of the taper/trunnion interface. The surface/chemical characterizations and the electrochemical measurements indicated that the adhesion force of the adsorbed protein layer was weaker than that of the tribolayer. In contrast, the opposite was true for the corrosion resistance. Based on the observations from this study, the tribocorrosion mechanism of the taper/trunnion interface under the long-term walking gait cycles is deduced.

ABSTRACT This paper presents the time-dependent probability of chloride-induced corrosion of reinforced concrete (RC) structures in marine environments. By using the third-moment (TM) method with improved analytical solutions, the stochastic [...]

Polymer binders play an important role in enhancing the electrochemical performance of silicon-based anodes to alleviate the volume expansion for lithium-ion batteries. It is difficult for common one-dimensional (1D) linear binders to limit the volume expansion of a silicon-based electrode when combined with silicon-based particles with scant binding points. Therefore, it is necessary to design a three-dimensional (3D) network structure, which has multiple binding points with the silicon particles to dissipate the mechanical stress in the continuous charge and discharge circulation. Here, a covalent and hydrogen bond synergist 3D network green binder (poly(acrylic acid) (PAA)–dextrin 9 (Dex9)) was prepared by the simple in situthermal condensation of a one-dimensional liner binder PAA and Dex in the electrode fabrication process. The optimized SiOx@PAA-Dex9electrode exhibits an initial Coulombic efficiency (ICE) of 82.4% at a current density of 0.2 A g–1. At a high current density of 1 A g–1, it retains a capacity of 607 mAh g–1after 300 cycles, which is approximately twice as high as that of the SiOx@PAA electrode. Furthermore, the results of in situelectrochemical dilatometry (ECD) and characterization of electrode structures demonstrate that the PAA-Dex9binder can effectively buffer the huge volume change and maintain the integrity of the SiOxelectrodes. The research overcomes the low electrochemical stability difficulty of the 3D binder and sheds light on developing the simple fabrication procedure of an electrode.

Monitoring and forecasting of sintering temperature (ST) is vital for safe, stable, and efficient operation of rotary kiln production process. Due to the complex coupling and time-varying characteristics of process data collected by the distributed control system, its long-range prediction remains a challenge. In this article, we propose a multivariate time series forecasting model based on dynamic spatio-temporal graph attention network (GAT) to model time-varying spatio-temporal correlation between the process data and perform long-range forecasting of ST. Aiming at the problem that there is no preset graph structure for multivariate data, we first propose an adaptive adjacency matrix generation algorithm to construct an elementary graph structure for the process data. Then, we design a spatio-temporal graph attention module, which consists of a multihead GAT for extracting time-varying spatial features and a gated dilated convolutional network for temporal features. Finally, considering the different time delay and rhythm of each process variable, we use dynamic system analysis to estimate the delay time and rhythm of each variable to guide the selection of dilation rates in dilated convolutional layers. The application results based on actual data show that the method has high prediction accuracy, and has broad application prospects in industrial processes.

By generating a complementary effect of each weld in the welding process, a hybrid welding can improve the welding efficiency while ensuring the welding quality. The combination of plasma arc welding (PAW) with high current density and metal inert gas (MIG) welding utilizing consumable electrodes is available to perform one-pass welding for the thick plate. The plasma torch works for keyhole welding with deep penetration, and the MIG torch works for a build-up welding to form a surface bead. However, due to the complexity and particularity of the two-electrode system, it is still difficult to achieve a high-quality automatic welding. In this study, the authors have observed the weld zone with a complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) camera, and analyzed the regulation of image features changing with the torch position. Control strategy of the welding torch and image processing to realize the seam tracking and standoff have been proposed. Utilizing a high-speed video camera, system configuration and welding conditions have been determined with the welding images of the arc behavior and droplet transfer. The authors have investigated the corresponding welding conditions when the welding defects occurred. In addition, we have modified the power source with an invertor control and designed a characteristic curve for the power source to stabilize welding conditions and enhance the MIG arc length self-regulation. The performance of welding system for the seam tracking and standoff control is effective in the real-time welding experiment. The power source with an invertor control and the designed characteristic curve can optimize the welding conditions and acquire good welding results. The study has achieved a high-quality welding under the condition of automatic plasma MIG welding.

Comparisons of high-accuracy optical atomic clocks1are essential for precision tests of fundamental physics2, relativistic geodesy3–5and the anticipated redefinition of the second by the International System of Units6. The scientific reach of these applications is restricted by the statistical precision of comparison measurements between clocks realized with different atomic species. The instability of individual clocks is limited by the finite coherence time of the optical local oscillator, which bounds the maximum atomic interrogation time. Here we experimentally demonstrate differential spectroscopy7, a comparison protocol that enables interrogating times beyond the optical local oscillator coherence time. By phase coherently linking a zero-dead-time8Yb optical lattice clock with an Al+single-ion clock via an optical frequency comb and performing synchronized Ramsey spectroscopy, we show an improvement in comparison instability relative to previous results9of nearly an order of magnitude. This result represents one of the most stable interspecies clock comparisons to date.

Aqueous Zn (zinc) metal batteries have gotten a lot of interest and research because of their great volumetric capacity, low production cost, and high use safety. However, the coulombic efficiency of the Zn metal anode is low due to Zn dendrites formed during the charging and discharging processes of the battery, and the corrosion problem of the Zn anode in the electrolyte also reduces the battery’s cycling stability and hinders its practical application. In this paper, InF3has been used to decorate the surface of Zn foil, and In (indium) and ZnF2coatings have been introduced to the surface of metal Zn simultaneously. After 1400 h of plating and stripping cycles, a symmetrical battery assembled from the modified Zn foil can still maintain a low voltage hysteresis of 30 mV. The Zn-ion capacitor assembled by the InF3-modified Zn foil (Zn@In&ZnF2) and activated carbon delivers an energy density of 33.5 Wh kg–1and a power density of 1608 W kg–1at a current density of 2 A g–1and can still maintain almost 100% capacity after 10,000 cycles. This work is helpful to improve the cycling stability and the corrosion problem of aqueous Zn-based batteries.

•A method of integrating sewage source heat pump and heat storage device is presented.•A numerical model considering dynamic time load and meteorological conditions is established.•The thermal property and economy of the accumulator are discussed.•When the filling rate of MF is 95 %, the melting time is reduced by 87.11 %.

Nonmetallic ammonium ions that feature high safety, low molar mass, and small hydrated radius properties have shown great advantages in wearable aqueous supercapacitors. The construction of high-energy-density flexible ammonium-ion asymmetric supercapacitors (AASCs) is promising but still challenging due to the lack of high-capacitance pseudocapacitive anodes. Herein, freestanding core–shell heterostructures supported on carbon nanotube fibers were designed by anchoring MoS2nanosheets on nanowires (MoS2@TiN/CNTF) as anodes for AASCs. With contributions of abundant active sites and conspicuous synergistic effects of multiple components for arrayed heterostructure engineering, the developed MoS2@TiN/CNTF anodes exhibit a specific capacitance of 1102.5 mF cm–2at 2 mA cm–2. Theoretical calculations confirm the dramatic enhancement of the binding strength of ammonium ions on the MoS2shell layer at the heterostructure, where a built-in electric field exists to accelerate the charge transfer. By utilizing a MnO2/CNTF cathode and NH4Cl/poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) as a gel electrolyte, quasi-solid-state fiber-shaped AASCs were successfully constructed, achieving a specific capacitance of 351.2 mF cm–2and an energy density of 195.1 μWh cm–2, outperforming most recently reported fiber-shaped supercapacitors. This work provides a promising strategy to rationally design heterostructure engineering of MoS2@TiN nanoarrays toward advanced anodes for application in next-generation AASCs.

Metal single-atom materials have attracted tremendous attention in the research field of lithium–sulfur (Li–S) batteries because they can effectively improve the reaction kinetics of sulfur cathodes. However, it is still difficult to determine the best metal single-atom catalyst for Li–S batteries, due to the lack of a unified measurement and evaluation method. Herein, a series of metal single-atom- and nitrogen-doped graphene materials (M-NG, M = Fe, Co, Ni, Ir, Ru) have been prepared as the catalysts for promoting the reaction kinetics of the sulfur reduction reaction process. Using rotating disk electrode measurements and density functional theory-based theoretical calculations, Ni-NG was screened out to be the best catalyst. It is found that Ni-NG materials can provide a kinetically favorable pathway for the reversible conversion of polysulfide conversion, thus increasing the utilization of sulfur. By coating the Ni-NG materials on the separator as a multifunctional interlayer, a commercially available sulfur cathode presents a stable specific capacity of 701.8 mAh g–1at a current rate of 0.5C over 400 cycles. Even with a high sulfur loading of 3.8 mg cm–2, a high areal capacity of 4.58 mAh cm–2can be achieved. This work will provide a fundamental understanding of efficient single-atom catalyst materials for Li–S batteries.

Professor Duncan Dowson is one of the most famous scientists in the field of tribology. His pioneering research established a systematic methodology in the study of the biotribology of artificial joints. In particular, elastohydrodynamic lubrication theory was introduced and further developed to simulate and understand the lubrication behaviors and mechanisms of artificial joints. Novel apparatuses were built and extensively used to conduct numerical guided experiments, among which the joint simulator is the most important one and still widely used today for pre-clinical evaluations. In this fashion, the tribological behavior of artificial joints is understood by the “well-balanced” and “mutually supportive” theoretical and experimental researches. His scientific contribution is an important reflection of the development history of artificial joint biotribology. In addition, he had also greatly promoted the development of multidisciplinary engineering and medical science, as well as the education in medical engineering. The current article reviews Professor Dowson's scientific contributions in the field of artificial joint biotribology. It presents an in-depth understanding and provides an important reference for future research and development of the biotribology of artificial joints.

AimsPeriprosthetic joint infections (PJIs) with prior multiple failed surgery for reinfection represent a huge challenge for surgeons because of poor vascular supply and biofilm formation. This study aims to determine the results of single-stage revision using intra-articular antibiotic infusion in treating this condition.MethodsA retrospective analysis included 78 PJI patients (29 hips; 49 knees) who had undergone multiple prior surgical interventions. Our cohort was treated with single-stage revision using a supplementary intra-articular antibiotic infusion. Of these 78 patients, 59 had undergone more than two prior failed debridement and implant retentions, 12 patients had a failed arthroplasty resection, three hips had previously undergone failed two-stage revision, and four had a failed one-stage revision before their single-stage revision. Previous failure was defined as infection recurrence requiring surgical intervention. Besides intravenous pathogen-sensitive agents, an intra-articular infusion of vancomycin, imipenem, or voriconazole was performed postoperatively. The antibiotic solution was soaked into the joint for 24 hours for a mean of 16 days (12 to 21), then extracted before next injection. Recurrence of infection and clinical outcomes were evaluated.ResultsA total of 68 patients (87.1%) were free of infection at a mean follow-up time of 85 months (24 to 133). The seven-year infection-free survival was 87.6% (95% confidence interval (CI) 79.4 to 95.8). No significant difference in infection-free survival was observed between hip and knee PJIs (91.5% (95% CI 79.9 to 100) vs 84.7% (95% CI 73.1 to 96.3); p = 0.648). The mean postoperative Harris Hip Score was 76.1 points (63.2 to 92.4) and Hospital for Special Surgery score was 78. 2 (63.2 to 92.4) at the most recent assessment. Polymicrobial and fungal infections accounted for 14.1% (11/78) and 9.0% (7/78) of all cases, respectively.ConclusionSingle-stage revision with intra-articular antibiotic infusion can provide high antibiotic concentration in synovial fluid, thereby overcoming reduced vascular supply and biofilm formation. This supplementary route of administration may be a viable option in treating PJI after multiple failed prior surgeries for reinfection.Cite this article: Bone Joint J2022;104-B(7):867–874.

Polymer-based materials with the incorporation of redox-active dopants serve as promising electrodes for Li-ion batteries but their use is restricted by the limited doping level and inevitable dissolution behavior of the dopants. Here, we proposed a conjugated polymer-based electrode with an assistant dopant to realize the reversible capacity contribution of a redox-active dopant. By employing phosphate anion (PO) as the assistant dopant to stable the polymer matrix, the reversible capacity was improved by introducing indigo carmine (IC) into the polymer electrode. Based on the real-time monitoring of the electrochemical quartz crystal microbalance toward the mass change, the charge storage behavior of the redox-active dopant IC was observed and the stabilizing effect of the assistant dopant PO was revealed. The modified electrode delivered an increased capacity of 191 mA h g–1, and the reversible capacity remained 56% higher than that of the PO-undoped electrode after 200 cycles. The dual-doping strategy with the assistant dopant and the redox-active dopant is used to develop advanced polymer-based electrodes for high-capacity and long-cycling batteries.

Chronic inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is strongly associated with the development of colitis-associated tumorigenesis (CAT). Despite recent advances in the understanding of polymorphonuclear myeloid-derived suppressor cell (PMN-MDSC) responses in cancer, the mechanisms of these cells during this process remain largely uncharacterized. Here, we discovered a glycoprotein, olfactomedin-4 (OLFM4), was highly expressed in PMN-MDSCs from colitis to colorectal cancer (CRC), and its expression level and PMN-MDSC population positively correlated with the progression of IBD to CRC. Moreover, mice lacking OLFM4 in myeloid cells showed poor recruitment of PMN-MDSCs, impaired intestinal homeostasis, and delayed development from IBD to CRC, and increased response to anti-PD1 therapy. The main mechanism of OLFM4-mediated PMN-MDSC activity involved the NF-κB/PTGS2 pathway, through the binding of LGALS3, a galactoside-binding protein expressed on PMN-MDSCs. Our results showed that the OLFM4/NF-κB/PTGS2 pathway promoted PMN-MDSC recruitment, which played an essential role in the maintenance of intestinal homeostasis, but showed resistance to anti-PD1 therapy in CRC.

In this study, we carry out molecular simulations on carbon pores of different diameters in an aqueous potassium chloride solution. We investigate the delicate correlation of the capacitance as a function of pore size and electrode potential, the in-pore ion and water distributions, as well as the charging dynamics of these systems. Our results see the capacitance enhancement of the subnanometer pores; however, the capacitance tends to become stable and pore-size independent when the pore gets larger. In addition, the charging mechanisms of pores with different sizes are found to shift from the ion-exchange mode to the permselective counterion adsorption as the size of the pore shrinks. The latter can be attributed to the desolvation of ions in the subnanometer pores, which limits the ion adsorption kinetics and causes low in-pore ionic conductivity, thus exacerbating the rate performance. These conclusions are supported by our electrochemical measurements on the assembled cells composed of four distinct activated carbon samples with different average pore sizes. This work gives molecular insights into the nanoporous carbons in aqueous electrolytes, shedding light on the future design of the aqueous-based electrical double-layer capacitors with balanced rate performance and energy density.

Solvation engineering toward dual-salt electrolyte by fluorosurfactant additive is proposed, which implements the stable interface of electrode/electrolyte coupled with fast ion thermodiffusion, improving the durability and capability of lithium-ion thermoelectrochemical cell.By combining the optimized electrolyte with functional electrodes, as-constructed device exhibits high Seebeck coefficient and energy density based on hybrid mechanisms, which can be extended as self-power supply for smart electronics.

The formidable challenge of supercapacitors (SCs) is to achieve both high energy density and high power density simultaneously. Although the utilization of porous carbon materials for physical adsorption in electrochemical double-layer capacitors (EDLCs) applications exhibits promising prospects, attaining exceptional performance necessitates additional methodologies. Here, we propose an effective strategy for formulating redox electrolytes through the incorporation of organic solvents and LiBr into 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazole tetrafluoroborate (EMIMBF4) electrolytes. Within this formulation, LiBr serves as a redox mediator, contributing Br−/Br3−redox pairs to the system. The incorporation of EMIMBF4-LiBr-DMSO in brominated redox EDLCs led to a significant enhancement in specific capacitance, reaching up to 39.72 F g−1, representing a remarkable increase of 159 % compared to EDLCs without any redox media. This configuration achieved a high power density of 496.6 W kg−1while maintaining an energy density of 34.48 Wh kg−1.

This study aims to evaluate the reconstructive stability for Paprosky III acetabular defects after total hip arthroplasty using three different reconstruction strategies with trabecular metal (TM) augments. The acetabular bone defects examined were located in the ilium, the sciatic ramus and the pubic ramus. Different scenarios of acetabular reconstructions were simulated, including the non-reconstruction model (NRM), the complete reconstruction model (CRM), the two-point reconstruction model (TRM) and the superior edge reconstruction model (SRM). A primary hip replacement model (HRM) was also investigated to compare the initial stability with different reconstruction models. The gait cycle was incorporated in the model to investigate the dynamic variation within the contact mechanics parameters. By comparing the SRM and the TRM, the acetabular cup translation was more pronounced when the superior defect on the acetabulum remained unfixed. Comparison of the acetabular cup displacement and the interface micromotion of both HRM and CRM demonstrated that the prosthetic implant provided good support for the reconstructed acetabulum. With the use of a press-fit cup, the cup displacement was reduced remarkably, while its Von-Mises stress increased significantly. The results show that the CRM was the best reconstruction option. In terms of acetabular defects, future improvements should focus on the reconstructive stability in stress concentration areas, to ensure no significant stress-shielding or other factors contributing to loosening of the prosthesis.

Numerous medical devices have been applied for the treatment or alleviation of various diseases. Tribological issues widely exist in those medical devices and play vital roles in determining their performance and service life. In this review, the bio-tribological issues involved in commonly used medical devices are identified, including artificial joints, fracture fixation devices, skin-related devices, dental restoration devices, cardiovascular devices, and surgical instruments. The current understanding of the bio-tribological behavior and mechanism involved in those devices is summarized. Recent advances in the improvement of tribological properties are examined. Challenges and future developments for the prospective of bio-tribological performance are highlighted.

Elimination of the posttraumatic inflammatory response and recovery of homeostasis are crucial for the positive prognosis of trauma patients. Myeloid‐derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) are known to play a regulatory role in the posttraumatic immune response in mice, but their induction source and involved potential mechanism are poorly understood. Here, we report that polymorphonuclear MDSCs (PMN‐MDSCs) are activated after trauma and are closely associated with the progression of the posttraumatic inflammatory response. In humans, lectin‐type oxidized LDL receptor 1 (LOX1) was used to specifically characterize LOX1+PMN‐MDSCs. Trauma patients showed high intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, as well as activation of LOX1+PMN‐MDSCs. These MDSCs contribute to the anti‐inflammatory immune response by regulating the Treg/Th17 and Th2/Th1 balances after trauma, increasing the levels of anti‐inflammatory factors, and decreasing the levels of proinflammatory factors. The number of LOX1+PMN‐MDSCs was positively correlated with the positive clinical prognosis of trauma patients with infection. Activation of LOX1+PMN‐MDSCs is mediated by NF‐κB signal, and TGF‐β1 may be as an important inducer for LOX1+PMN‐MDSCs in the posttraumatic cytokine environment. In a pseudofracture trauma mouse model, we also observed the activation of PMN‐MDSCs, accompanying high levels of intracellular ROS production, NF‐κB phosphorylation, and changes in the inflammatory environment, in particularly by regulating the Treg/Th17 and Th2/Th1 balance. And more significantly, posttraumatic inflammation was alleviated in mice after transferring trauma‐derived PMN‐MDSCs, but aggravated after injecting with Gr1 agonistic antibody. These findings provide evidence for the specific role of PMN‐MDSCs in the regulation of posttraumatic inflammation. Role of PMN‐MDSCs in the anti‐inflammatory immune response by regulation of the Treg/Th17 and Th2/Th1 balances after trauma.

Formic acid (HCOOH) is an important intermediate in chemical synthesis, pharmaceuticals, the food industry, and leather tanning and is considered to be an effective hydrogen storage molecule. Direct contact with its vapor and its inhalation lead to burns, nerve injury, and dermatosis. Thus, it is critical to establish efficient sensing materials and devices for the rapid detection of HCOOH. In the present study, we introduce a chemical sensor based on a quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) sensor capable of detecting trace amounts of HCOOH. This sensor is composed of colloidal phenyl-terminated carbon nitride (Ph-g-C3N4) quantum nanoflakes prepared using a facile solid-state method involving the supramolecular preorganization technology. In contrast to other synthetic methods of modified carbon nitride materials, this approach requires no hard templates, hazardous chemicals, or hydrothermal treatments. Comprehensive characterization and density functional theory (DFT) calculations revealed that the QCM sensor designed and prepared here exhibits enhanced detection sensitivity and selectivity for volatile HCOOH, which originates from chemical and hydrogen-bonding interactions between HCOOH and the surface of Ph-g-C3N4. According to DFT results, HCOOH is located close to the cavity of the Ph-g-C3N4unit, with bonding to graphitic carbon and pyridinic nitrogen atoms of the nanoflake. The sensitivity of the Ph-g-C3N4-nanoflake-based QCM sensor was found to be the highest (128.99 Hz ppm–1) of the substances studied, with a limit of detection (LOD) of HCOOH down to a sub-ppm level of 80 ppb. This sensing technology based on phenyl-terminated attached-g-C3N4nanoflakes establishes a simple, low-cost solution to improve the performance of QCM sensors for the effective discrimination of HCOOH, HCHO, and CH3COOH vapors using smart electronic noses.

Silicon oxide (SiOx, 0 < x< 2) is considered one of the most promising anode materials for next-generation lithium-ion batteries due to its high theoretical capacity. However, its commercial application is limited by the non-negligible volume change during cycling. Herein, a three-dimensional (3D) structure of carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) cross-linked with iminodiacetic (c-CMC-IDA150) was facilely formed through in situthermal cross-linking of CMC and iminodiacetic acid (IDA) in the fabrication process of the electrode, which could construct a robust network to restrain the volume change of the SiOxanode and maintain the integrity of the electrode. In addition, the 3D cross-linked c-CMC-IDA150provides sufficient contact sites to improve the adhesive strength. Thus, SiOx@c-CMC-IDA150shows a prolonged cycle life, achieving a capacity of 1020 mAh g–1after 100 cycles at a current density of 0.2 A g–1. With the increase in the current density to 1.0 A g–1, SiOx@c-CMC-IDA150exhibits a reversible capacity of 899 mAh g–1after 200 cycles with a capacity retention of 70.2%. This work provides a potential perspective to fabricate high-performance SiOxanodes and promote the stability of high-capacity Si-based anodes.

Cleaning is a foundational and essential operation of protection and restoration of cultural relics, which is also the key step of follow-up works. To overcome the problems of uncontrollable diffusion of cleaning solvents and poor coverage of the cleaning solvent carriers on rough surfaces, here, we propose a strategy of using a self-shaping microemulsion gel that is prepared via emulsifying oleophilic solvents into the specific shear-thinning hydrogel structures. The gel can adaptively cover rough surfaces during the cleaning process coupled with avoidance of unnecessary diffusion of the cleaning solvents, and the mechanical reinforcement of in situ polymerized double-network gels enables its easy peeling off from the surfaces without leaving determinable residues. As a representative demonstration, Paraloid B72, a widely used material for the repair and reinforcement of cultural relics, is employed as a model discolored coating, which can be effectively removed from the rough surface of simulated cultural relics after treatment with the resulting gels. Convincingly, the strategy of constructing agarose/polyacrylamide hybrid double-network gels with shear-thinning and self-shaping performances for the cleaning of cultural relics not only improves the convenience and accuracy of operation but also exhibits an efficient cleaning effect, which will greatly expand the application of microemulsion gels in the cleaning of rough surfaces of cultural relics.

As the most frequently used archival materials for painting and recording, paper lays the groundwork for the development of prosperous human civilization. However, its susceptibility to three primary factors including external ultraviolet light, increased acidity, and biological pathogens in long-term storage shortens the longevity of paper. Therefore, the protection of paper-based cultural relics is extremely urgent. Inspired by the three adverse factors affecting the protection of cultural relics, we herein propose to combine the ultraviolet absorber 2-hydroxy-4-(octyloxy)benzophenone (UV-531) and alkaline zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles innovatively into the antibacterial agent polyhexamethylene biguanidine hydrochloride (PHMB) to realize the strategy of three birds with one stone for relics protection. This study illustrates that the tensile strength and the folding endurance of different test papers are guaranteed by coating them with the composite reagents, and molds including Mucor, Trichoderma, and Aspergillus nigerare effectually sterilized. In addition, a hand-painted Chinese ink-wash painting with beautiful flowers is chosen as the object for simulating cultural relics protection, and negligible color fading is observed in aging experiments. From the perspective of effectiveness, simplicity, and economy, this strategy sheds light on preservative protection of paper-based relics in long-term storage.

A three-dimensional (3D) printing method has been developed for preparing a lithium anode base on 3D-structured copper mesh current collectors. Through in situ observations and computer simulations, the deposition behavior and mechanism of lithium ions in the 3D copper mesh current collector are clarified. Benefiting from the characteristics that the large pores can transport electrolyte and provide space for dendrite growth, and the small holes guide the deposition of dendrites, the 3D Cu mesh anode exhibits excellent deposition and stripping capability (50 mAh cm–2), high-rate capability (50 mA cm–2), and a long-term stable cycle (1000 h). A full lithium battery with a LiFePO4cathode based on this anode exhibits a good cycle life. Moreover, a 3D fully printed lithium–sulfur battery with a 3D printed high-load sulfur cathode can easily charge mobile phones and light up 51 LED indicators, which indicates the great potential for the practicability of lithium-metal batteries with the characteristic of high energy densities. Most importantly, this unique and simple strategy is also able to solve the dendrite problem of other secondary metal batteries. Furthermore, this method has great potential in the continuous mass production of electrodes.

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Prussian blue analogues (PBAs) have the advantages of dependable electrochemical performance and long service life when used as energy storage materials because of their face-centered cubic structure. In this case, the appropriate metal sulfide derivatives were created using NiCo prussian blue analogue nano units as a precursor, which took on the precursor's structural traits. More reaction sites are exposed by this distinctive structural design, and a little quantity of nitrogen-doped carbon is produced, which improves charge transfer The box-like structure has a buffer effect on the stress of the active material during charging and discharging, and the heterostructure of mixed metal sulfides and nitrogen-doped carbon composite cubic can both significantly increase the electrode's electrochemical capacitance and cycling stability. The CoS2/Ni3S4–N–C offers a capacitance of 817C g−1at 3 A g−1and 556C g−1at 20 A g−1. The CoS2/Ni3S4–N–C electrode also has outstanding cycle stability (98.2 % capacitance retention after 10,000 cycles). An asymmetric supercapacitor (ASC) device made of CoS2/Ni3S4–N–C with activated carbon electrodes exhibits exceptional cycle stability. With a retention rate of 103.7 % after 10,000 cycles at 10 A g−1and an energy density of 40 Wh kg−1. Using density functional theory (DFT), the electron characteristics of Co2NiO4and CoS2/Ni3S4–N–C are compared. CoS2/Ni3S4–N–C detected more state densities at the Fermi level, which causes more charge to accumulate. This shows that the heterojunction's electron conductivity is significantly greater than the oxide's, and ultimately leads to quicker reaction kinetics.

IgLON5 autoimmunity is a novel antibody-mediated disorder characterized by serum and/or cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) positivity for IgLON5 antibody. Anti-IgLON5 disease mainly manifests as sleep disturbances, movement disorders and brainstem syndromes. In this study, we report the case of a patient with anti-IgLON5 disease who presented with abdominal distension, abdominal pain, intermittent dysuria and constipation, and intermittent lightning pain in the extremities, which are atypical of anti-IgLON5 disease and could easily lead to misdiagnosis. After performing autoantibody screening, we considered anti-IgLON5 disease. The patient was started on a course of immunotherapy with intravenous dexamethasone, intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) and oral azathioprine (Imuran). Following treatment, the manifestations nearly resolved. The clinical manifestations of anti-IgLON5 disease are diverse and may present in different combinations, which can easily lead to misdiagnosis. Early recognition and treatment of this autoimmune disease with immunosuppressive agents may lead to better outcomes.

Thick electrodes with high mass loading and increased content of active materials are critical for achieving higher energy density in contemporary lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). Nonetheless, producing thick electrodes through the commonly used slurry coating technology remains a formidable challenge. In this study, we have addressed this challenge by developing a dry electrode technology by using ultralong multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT) as a conductive additive and secondary binder. The mixing process of electrode compositions and the fibrillation process of the polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) binder were optimized. The resulting LiCoO2(LCO) electrode exhibited a remarkable mass loading of 48 mg cm–2and an active material content of 95 wt %. Notably, the thick LCO electrode demonstrated a superior mechanical strength and electrochemical performance. After 100 cycles at a current density of 1/3 C, the electrode still exhibited a capacity retention of 91% of its initial capacity. This dry electrode technology provides a practicable and scalable approach to the powder-to-film LIB electrode manufacturing process.

The low ionic conductivity of LiCoO2limits the rate performance of the overall electrode. Here, a polymeric composite binder composed of poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) and poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) is reported to efficiently improve the ion transport in the LiCoO2electrode. This is where the lithium-ion transport channel constructed by oxygen atoms of PEO can afford the electrode a lithium-ion transport number (tLi+) as high as 0.70 with the optimized composite binder in a mass ratio of 1:1 (O5F5), significantly higher than that of traditional PVDF (0.44). As a result, the O5F5 binder endows the LiCoO2electrode with an impressive capacity of 90 mAh g–1even at 15 C, which is twice as high as the PVDF electrode. In addition, the initial Coulombic efficiency of the LiCoO2electrode with the O5F5 binder is close to 100% and the capacity retention is 91% after 100 cycles at 1 C. This study overcomes the problem of slow ion conductivity of the LiCoO2electrode, providing an easy method for developing high-rate cathode binders.

Humic acid, a kind of widespread organic macromolecule on earth, is naturally formed through the microbial biodegradation of plant, animal, and microorganism residues. Because of the large number of active functional groups (phenolic hydroxyl and carboxyl), humic acid has been considered as a biocompatible, green, and low-cost biosurfactant recently. In this work, based on the sensitivity of humic acid to the external chemical environment, the oil/water interfacial behavior of sodium humate at different pH or in the presence of metal ions is closely investigated. Sodium humate is significantly enriched toward the oil/water interface at either low pH or high metal-ion concentration to adjust the properties of the prepared emulsion, but the mechanisms are proved to be different when considering the influence of pH and metal ions. Besides, to the best of our knowledge, humic acid based surfactant is proposed as a Pickering emulsifier for the first time, known as solid surfactant. This work promises the great potential of humic acid as a natural environment-responsive surfactant and has important implications for the application of humic acid based surfactant in industry and understanding of the role of humic acid in the natural environment.

AimsIn the absence of an identified organism, single-stage revision is contraindicated in prosthetic joint infection (PJI). However, no studies have examined the use of intra-articular antibiotics in combination with single-stage revision in these cases. In this study, we present the results of single-stage revision using intra-articular antibiotic infusion for treating culture-negative (CN) PJI.MethodsA retrospective analysis between 2009 and 2016 included 51 patients with CN PJI who underwent single-stage revision using intra-articular antibiotic infusion; these were compared with 192 culture-positive (CP) patients. CN patients were treated according to a protocol including intravenous vancomycin and a direct intra-articular infusion of imipenem and vancomycin alternately used in the morning and afternoon. In the CP patients, pathogen-sensitive intravenous (IV) antibiotics were administered for a mean of 16 days (12 to 21), and for resistant cases, additional intra-articular antibiotics were used. The infection healing rate, Harris Hip Score (HHS), and Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS) knee score were compared between CN and CP groups.ResultsOf 51 CN patients, 46 (90.2%) required no additional medical treatment for recurrent infection at a mean of 53.2 months (24 to 72) of follow-up. Impaired kidney function occurred in two patients, and one patient had a local skin rash. No significant difference in the infection control rate was observed between CN and CP PJIs (90.2% (46/51) versus 94.3% (181/192); p = 0.297). The HHS of the CN group showed no substantial difference from that of CP cases (79 versus 81; p = 0.359). However, the CN group showed a mean HSS inferior to that of the CP group (76 versus 80; p = 0.027).ConclusionSingle-stage revision with direct intra-articular antibiotic infusion can be effective in treating CN PJI, and can achieve an infection control rate similar to that in CP patients. However, in view of systemic toxicity, local adverse reactions, and higher costs, additional strong evidence is needed to verify these treatment regimens.Cite this article: Bone Joint J2020;102-B(3):336–344

ABSTRACTRecently, the role of microRNAs (miRs) in human diseases has been verified. This study was determined to explore the protective effects of microRNA-26a (miR-26a) in steroid-induced osteonecrosis of the femoral head (SONFH) with the involvement of enhancer of zeste homologue 2 (EZH2).Femoral head (FH) samples from SONFH patients and patients with femoral neck fracture were collected, and rat SONFH models were established by Escherichia coli endotoxin combining with large dose steroid pulse assay. The hemorheology, blood lipid, inflammatory factors, and pathologic changes were measured by a series of experiments. Moreover, the detection of osteoblasts, osteoclasts, miR-26a expression, EZH2 expression, osteoprotegerin (OPG) and osteoprotegerin ligand (OPGL), and the apoptosis of osteocytes were conducted. The target relation between miR-26a and EZH2 was clarified by bioinformatics and dual-luciferase reporter gene assay.MiR-26a was poorly expressed, while EZH2 was highly expressed in SONFH, and the elevation of miR-26a could repress EZH2 expression. Elevated miR-26a and reduced EZH2 were able to decelerate the apoptosis of osteocytes, increase osteoblasts, and decrease osteoclasts, resulting in a repression of SONFH progression. Additionally, EZH2 was a target gene of miR-26a. Furthermore, the elevation of EZH2 could reverse the repression of SONFH progression that is induced by elevated miR-26a.We found that up-regulation of miR-26a and knockdown of EZH2 could suppress the development of SONFH, which would contribute to the therapy of SONFH.

In this article, the influence of three acceleration approaches (electrochemical corrosion method, alternate wetting and drying method, and salt spray method) on the corrosion behavior of a steel bar embedded in mortar cover was investigated. The steel corrosion and the mortar cracking were characterized by using an X-ray microcomputed tomography (μCT) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive X-ray spectrometry (EDS) techniques. The results showed that the cracking time of mortar was the longest in the salt spray method (approximately 384 days), followed by the alternate wetting and drying method (approximately 269 days), and the electrochemical corrosion method (approximately 66 days). For similar maximum width of cracks on the surface of concrete cover, the electrochemical method generally resulted in a higher level of corrosion in reinforcement than the other two methods. The corrosion products of steel and the distribution of crack patterns obtained from the salt spray method were more nonuniformly distributed than the ones obtained from alternate wetting and drying method whereas those formed via the electrochemical method had a uniform distribution. The aforementioned findings are also valid for the distribution of crack patterns. In terms of the composition of corrosion products, the value of the atomic ratio of iron to oxygen (Fe/O) in the wetting and drying and salt spray methods was smaller than that obtained in the electrochemical method because the specimens under the former two methods were exposed to air for a much longer period of time than in the electrochemical method.

•High CO2injection pressure can displace methane completely from coal sample.•Stable methane production duration decreases with CO2injection pressure.•CO2breakthrough volume increased significantly when methane production became stable.•Higher CO2injection pressure produces greater CO2storage in coal.

The author discusses his working style, and techniques of creating paintings. Topics discussed include that he depicts his relationship with the world through his watercolor paintings of the lotus; his views that watercolor is a medium for him to learn about world and establish a relationship with it; and mentions that lotus is regarded as a symbol of elegance and innocence.

By selecting 4-methylbiphenyl as an anion ligand and 2-methyltetrahydrofuran as a solvent, the as-prepared micro-sized SiO/C anode can achieve an initial Coulombic efficiency of ~100%.Molecular dynamics simulations demonstrate that the ideal prelithiation efficiency can be achieved by choosing appropriate anion ligand and solvent to regulate the solvation structure of Li+.The positive effect of pre-lithiation on cycle performance has been verified by using an in-situ electrochemical dilatometry and solid electrolyte interphase film.

The current insertion anode chemistries are approaching their capacity limits; thus, alloying reaction anode materials with high theoretical specific capacity are investigated as potential alternatives for lithium-ion batteries. However, their performance is far from being satisfactory because of the large volume change and severe capacity decay that occurs upon lithium alloying and dealloying processes. To address these problems, we propose and demonstrate a versatile strategy that makes use of the electronic reaction confinement viathe synthesis of ultrasmall Ge nanoparticles (10 nm) uniformly confined in a matrix of larger spherical carbon particles (Ge⊂C spheres). This architecture provides free pathways for electron transport and Li+diffusion, allowing for the alloying reaction of the Ge nanoparticles. The thickness change of electrodes containing such a material, monitored byan in situelectrochemical dilatometer, is rather limited and reversible, confirming the excellent mechanical integrity of the confined electrode. As a result, these electrodes exhibit high reversible capacity (1310 mAh g–1, 0.1C) and very impressive cycling ability (92% after 1000 cycles at 2C). A prototype device employing such an alloying electrode material in combination with LiNi0.8Mn0.1Co0.1O2offers a high energy density of 250 Wh kg–1.

Lithium metal is considered to be one of the most potential anode materials on account of its high theoretical specific capacity and lowermost electrochemical potential. Nevertheless, the critical challenges of dendrite growth and low Coulombic efficiency (CE) of the lithium metal anode during cycling prevent the commercial application of the lithium metal battery. Herein, rubidium fluoride (RbF) as additives is utilized to inhibit the lithium dendrite growth. Benefiting from the stronger electropositive property of Rb+, it can adsorb on the surface of protuberances during the lithium deposition process, form an electrostatic shielding field of the surface, and guide the uniform deposition of Li+. The CE can maintain above 90% with the additives of RbF in the carbonate electrolyte. Besides that, RbF improves the cycle life and decreases the polarization, a stable cycling performance of more than 1000 h is obtained, and the overvoltage is controlled below 100 mV in the cycling test of Li∥Li symmetrical cells at 0.5 mA cm–2. The addition of RbF offers a feasible way for the development of lithium metal batteries (LMBs) in the future.

We prepared a material composed of high-density holey graphite nanosheets (HGNs) that supports a high gravimetric capacitance of 295 F g−1and a volumetric capacitance of 384 F cm−3for use as electrodes in supercapacitor devices. This method is a simple and scalable route to obtain large amounts of holey two-dimensional materials with high electrochemical performances.

To introduce a novel laparoscopic training system with a continuously perfused ex-vivo porcine liver for hepatobiliary surgery. Existing models for laparoscopic training, such as box trainers and virtual reality simulators, often fail to provide holistic training and real haptic feedback. We have formulated a new training system that addresses these problems. Real-Liver Laptrainer consists of a porcine liver, customized mannequin, ex-vivo machine perfusion system, and monitoring software. We made a detailed comparison of Real-Liver Laptrainer with the LapSim virtual reality simulator and the FLS Trainer Box systems. Five laparoscopic surgeons assessed the new system on multiple features. We assessed the performances of 43 trainees who used the new system to perform laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) three times. Real-Liver Laptrainer offered more functions and better tactile feedback than the FLS or LapSim system. All five surgeons graded the quality of the new system as realistic. The utility of the system for training was scored as 3.6 ± 1.1 on a scale of 1–5. Between the first and third attempts, the number of successfully performed LCs increased (9 vs 14 vs 23; P= .011), while the numbers of liver damage incidents (25 vs. 21 vs. 18, P= .303) and gallbladder perforations decreased (17 vs. 12 vs. 9, P= .163). The mean LC operation time significantly decreased (63 vs. 50 vs. 44, P< .0001). Real-Liver Laptrainer is a feasible, stable, and practical training model that has potential for improving the laparoscopic skills of surgeons.