Volume Expansion Research Articles

Ga-polymer dual interfacial layer modified Li metal for high-energy Li metal batteries

Lithium metal is regarded as the ultimate anode material for its extremely exceptional theoretical capacity and low reduction potential. Unfortunately, its practical utility has been constrained by changings such as the formation of lithium dendrites, volume expansion resulting from host-free structure, and uncontrollable side reactions with electrolyte. To achieve long cycle life, conventional single artificial layer strategy fails to solve due to ununiform lithium deposition problem. Consequently, the adoption of dual interfacial layer on lithium metal has emerged as prevailing strategy. In this study, we present a design of dual interface protective layer that combines a Ga-based liquid metal with the organic polymer Poly (ethylene glycol) diacrylate (PEGDA). This innovative combination offers synergistic benefits, including alleviate the volume effect and suppressing undesired interface side reactions. In practical test, the Li || Li symmetrical cell assembled from PEGDA LiGa dual interfacial layer maintains a low overpotential of 36.8 mV after 1400 h (2 mA cm−2, 2mAh cm−2). Moreover, even at a high rate of 5C, Li || LiNi0.8Co0.1Mn0.1O2 (NCM811, 1.0 mAh cm−2) cell still delivers a discharge capacity of 120 mAh g−1, 1.4 times higher than bare Li. Notably, when integrated into a pouch cell with a LiNi0.6Co0.2Mn0.2O2 (NCM622) cathode (1.52 mAh cm−2), this dual interface layers ensures stable performance over 60 cycles, with a capacity retention of 82 %. In summary, this innovative dual interface layer design offers a promising approach to address the intricate challenges associated with lithium metal protection and interface modification.

Investigatory study on the qualities of locally grown Rice brands sold in main markets of Abeokuta, South-Western Nigeria

Qualities of some selected rice varieties sold in the main markets of Abeokuta, the capital of Ogun State where rice is mostly grown and consumed in the south-western part of Nigeria was investigated. Rice (Aroso, Mokwa, Royal niger, Orlam and Ofada rice) were evaluated for their physical, chemical properties and sensory qualities using established laboratory procedures. The average width of the rice ranged from “0.261 to 0.268 mm”, “0.260 to 0.265 mm, “0.260 to 0.262 mm”, “0.269 to 0.270 mm”, and 0.271 to 0.275 mm” respectively. The rice average lengths ranged between “0.346 to 0.350 mm”, “0.365 to 0.368 mm”, “0.356 to 0.359 mm”, “0.357 to 0.357 mm” and “0.365 to 0.379 mm” respectively. The physical appearance of the rice investigated ranged from good to very good except for mokwa and orlam rice which shows fair colours. Chemical properties of the rice samples ranged from 10.21 to 11.97%, 0.83 to 2.62, 1.89 to 2.16%, 0.24 to 0.37%, 5.50 to 7.56%, 77.89 to 79.60%, 59.90 to 65.17%, 12.15 to 14.61% and 85.39 to 87.85% for moisture, total ash, fat, crude fibre, crude protein, carbohydrate, starch, amylose and amylopectin contents respectively. The cooking properties ranged from 2 to 7.5, 230 to 250% and 5.49 to 5.64 in length and 0.689 to 1.337mm for volume expansion ratio, water uptake and elongation ratio respectively. This study revealed that Aroso and Orlam rice were of excellent in physical, chemical, sensory qualities and are both recommended for consumption. This research finding serves as a basis of choice for consumers and it also reveals the areas for improvement in terms of qualities of the local rice investigated.

Recent progress in heterostructured materials for room‐temperature sodium‐sulfur batteries

AbstractRoom‐temperature sodium‐sulfur (RT Na‐S) batteries are a promising next‐generation energy storage device due to their low cost, high energy density (1274 Wh kg−1), and environmental friendliness. However, RT Na‐S batteries face a series of vital challenges from sulfur cathode and sodium anode: (i) sluggish reaction kinetics of S and Na2S/Na2S2; (ii) severe shuttle effect from the dissolved intermediate sodium polysulfides (NaPSs); (iii) huge volume expansion induced by the change from S to Na2S; (iv) continuous growth of sodium metal dendrites, leading to short‐circuiting of the battery; (v) huge volume expansion/contraction of sodium anode upon sodium plating/stripping, causing uncontrollable solid‐state electrolyte interphase growth and “dead sodium” formation. Various strategies have been proposed to address these issues, including physical/chemical adsorption of NaPSs, catalysts to facilitate the rapid conversion of NaPSs, high‐conductive materials to promote ion/electron transfer, good sodiophilic Na anode hetero‐interface homogenized Na ions flux and three‐dimensional porous anode host to buffer the volume expansion of sodium. Heterostructure materials can combine these merits into one material to realize multifunctionality. Herein, the recent development of heterostructure as the host for sulfur cathode and Na anode has been reviewed. First of all, the electrochemical mechanisms of sulfur cathode/sodium anode and principles of heterostructures reinforced Na‐S batteries are described. Then, the application of heterostructures in Na‐S batteries is comprehensively examined. Finally, the current primary avenues of employing heterostructures in Na‐S batteries are summarized. Opinions and prospects are put forward regarding the existing problems in current research, aiming to inspire the design of advanced and improved next‐generation Na‐S batteries.

A New Approach in Management of Orbital Adherence Syndrome.

Orbital walls are one of the most common sites of midface fractures and account for ~40% of traumatic injuries in this region. These fractures are often associated with changes in the anatomy of the orbital cavity and frequently affect the orbital inferior wall, infraorbital groove and canal, and medial orbital wall, which leads to changes in its pattern and volume as well. Generally, the forces required for brake superior and lateral walls are greater than those required for thin medial and inferior walls. Disruption of any of these structures leads to the expansion of orbital volume that brings to the appearance of enophthalmos, diplopia, and impaired ocular mobility. The gold standard in the treatment of orbital wall fractures is surgical reconstruction, that includes fracture site exposure, freeing tissue prolapsed into the fracture site, and re-approximating the orbital wall support, usually with an orbital implant. It usually could be achieved by the usage of such as transconjunctival, subciliary, and coronal approaches and implementation of graft and reconstructive materials, including bones, cartilage, titanium, and resorbable mesh. Today, the gold standard in orbital floor reconstruction is the application of titanium mesh orbital plates. However, their implementation could be associated with a number of postoperative complications, such as mispositioning and orbital adherence syndrome. Orbital adherence syndrome is a poorly described and understood phenomenon and appears to occur after the use of large-pored titanium mesh for orbital reconstruction. It usually appears as limited eye movement that appears 1 to 2 weeks after reconstructive procedure. Prevention is possible through careful patient selection and the placement of a smooth interface medium in the initial surgery. The aim of the current study is to present the outcomes of orbital reconstruction done by both orbital mesh and customized ​​smooth-surfaced titanium orbital implants.

Existence of density inhomogeneity of liquid Te associated with liquid–liquid phase transition

We performed small-angle x-ray scattering measurements of liquid Te using a synchrotron radiation facility and observed maximum scattering intensity near 620 K in the supercooled region (melting temperature 723 K). This indicates that density inhomogeneity exists in liquid Te, and the fact that this temperature coincides with the temperature at which the specific heat, sound velocity, and thermal expansion coefficient reach their maxima means that this density inhomogeneity is the cause of these thermodynamic anomalies. The thermodynamic anomalies in liquid Te had already been shown in the 1980s to be comprehensively explained by the inhomogeneity associated with the continuous liquid–liquid phase transition (LLT), but direct experimental evidence for the existence of the inhomogeneity had not been obtained. The present results, together with those already obtained for mixture systems (Te–Se, Te–Ge), indicate the existence of inhomogeneity associated with LLT in liquid Te systems, and strongly support the model. Recently, similar maximum scattering intensity has also been observed in supercooled liquid water, which exhibits thermodynamic anomalies similar to those of Te, indicating the universality of the inhomogeneous model or LLT scenario to explain the thermodynamics of such ‘anomalous liquids’. Further development of the LLT scenario is expected in near future.

Bark‐Inspired Functional‐Carbon/Potassium Composite Electrode with Fast Ion Transport Channels for Dendrite‐Free Potassium Metal Batteries

AbstractPotassium metal batteries (PMBs) are regarded as viable candidates for future electrochemical energy storage devices with potential high energy density and low cost. However, uncontrollable potassium dendrite growth and huge volume expansion severely inhibit the practical application of PMBs. Herein, inspired by the structure and functionalities of tree bark, an antimony (Sb) nano‐clusters decorated N‐doped interconnected carbon nanospheres/potassium composite electrode with biomimetic fast ionic channels is developed to realize the dendrite‐free potassium metal batteries. The composite electrode provides abundant nucleation sites and interconnected ion transport channels, facilitating rapid ion transport kinetics and highly reversible potassium plating/stripping behaviors. Consequently, the assembled symmetric cell exhibits an ultra‐long cycle life (1100 h at 1.0 mA cm−2/1.0 mAh cm−2) in carbonate electrolyte. Moreover, the K full cells demonstrate enhanced cycling stability (1500 cycles at 8 C) and rate capacity (117.27 mAh g−1 at 20 C). This novel biomimetic design of composite anode presents an effective and rational approach for achieving stable PMBs.

Recent advances in carbon-based sulfur host materials for lithium-sulfur batteries

Lithium-sulfur batteries (LSBs) have been brought into focus as the development direction of the next-generation power battery system due to their high energy density, eco-friendliness, and low cost, which has a broad application prospect in the field of energy storage. However, some problems are still unresolved in the sulfur cathode, e.g., poor electric conductivity, serious volume expansion of sulfur, shuttle effect caused by easy dissolution of lithium polysulfides in the electrolyte, and slow redox reaction kinetics of sulfur species. These issues lead to poor cycle stability and rate performance, making it hard to meet the requirement for LSBs in practical applications. Since the inherent nature of sulfur is the root cause of the above problems, reasonable design of functional sulfur hosts will be an effective way to break through the current bottlenecks of LSBs. The review covers the latest research progress on carbon-based sulfur host materials of LSBs, including structural design and functional optimization strategies, aiming to prepare multifunctional sulfur host materials by integrating physical confinement, chemical adsorption, and catalytic effect towards lithium polysulfides. The obstacles and future prospects of carbon-based sulfur hosts have also been brought forward, which provides in-depth guidance for practical application of LSBs.

Novel design of Sn4P3@NxC electrodes and their electrochemical properties

Tin phosphide (SnxPy) is recognized as one of the most promising anode materials for lithium-ion batteries due to its exceptionally high theoretical capacity. However, its application is hampered by significant volume expansion during charge-discharge cycles and inferior electrical conductivity. Proper structural design placs a pivotal role in addressing these challenges, paving the way for high-performance anode materials. This study introduces a nitrogen-doped carbon-coated Sn4P3 nanosphere with a core-shell structure, employing dopamine as the nitrogen source. This innovative approach, utilizing template removal and solid-phase phosphorization, results in both the core and shell acting as active materials, thereby enhancing the volumetric energy density of the electrode. The internal voids within the shell layer mitigate volume expansion during charge-discharge cycles, while the presence of the nitrogen-doped carbon layer maintains the material's stability throughout cycling and improves its electrical conductivity. Electrochemical performance tests confirm the outstanding energy storage capability of this material, with an initial Coulombic efficiency reaching up to 73.6 %. Furthermore, it maintains a stable capacity of 585 mAh g^-1 after 1200 cycles at a current density of 2 A g^-1. This research offers a design paradigm for the development of novel energy storage materials.

High Safety Electrolyte Design for Enabling High Energy-Density System of LiNi0.8Co0.1Mn0.1O2//Phosphorus by Simultaneously Adjusting Dual Electrode/Electrolyte Interfaces.

The demand for state-of-the-art high-energy-density lithium-ion batteries is increasing. However, the low specific capacity of electrode materials in conventional full-cell systems cannot meet the requirements. Ni-rich layered oxide cathodes such as Li(Ni0.8Co0.1Mn0.1)O2 (NCM811) have a high theoretical specific capacity of 200 mAh g-1, but it is always accompanied by side reactions on the electrode/electrolyte interface. Phosphorus anode possesses a high theoretical specific capacity of 2596 mAh g-1, but it has a huge volume expansion (≈300%). Herein, a highly compatible and secure electrolyte is reported via introducing an additive with a narrow electrochemical window, Lithium difluoro(oxalato)borate (LiDFOB), into 1m LiPF6 EC/DMC with tris (2,2,2-trifluoroethyl) phosphate (TFEP) as a cosolvent. LiDFOB participates in the formation of organic/inorganic hybrid electrode/electrolyte interface layers at both the cathode and anode sides. The side reactions on the surface of the NCM811 cathode and the volume expansion of the phosphorus anode are effectively alleviated. The NCM811//RP full cell in this electrolyte shows high capacity retention of 82% after 150 cycles at a 0.5C rate. Meanwhile, the electrolyte shows non-flammability. This work highlights the importance of manipulating the electrode/electrolyte interface layers for the design of lithium-ion batteries with high energy density.

Macro‐meso damage cracking and energy dissipation of rock‐backfill composites: Effect of cyclic disturbance frequency

AbstractThis work aims to reveal the effect of cyclic disturbance frequency, i.e., 0.01, 0.1, 0.5, and 1.0 Hz, on damage cracking and energy dissipation characteristics of rock‐backfill composite structure specimens. Testing results show that fatigue volumetric strain and secant modulus increase with increasing disturbance frequency; low‐frequency disturbance leads to an earlier volume expansion. In addition, the strain energy density increases with increasing disturbance frequency. Most of the energy are dissipated for the specimen under high‐frequency disturbance. Finally, computed tomography scanning reveals the influence of disturbance frequency on failure modes; tensile‐splitting failure and shear failure are likely to occur at the surrounding rock subjected to high‐ and low‐ frequency disturbances. Low‐frequency‐disturbed stress seems easily to stimulate cracks at the rock‐backfill interfaces and the backfill; the backfill can absorb much more energy than high‐frequency circumstances. It is suggested that the role of backfill in energy absorption, contact support, and stress isolation is disturbance frequency dependent.

Radiomics of Intrahepatic Cholangiocarcinoma and Peritumoral Tissue Predicts Postoperative Survival: Development of a CT-Based Clinical-Radiomic Model.

For many tumors, radiomics provided a relevant prognostic contribution. This study tested whether the computed tomography (CT)-based textural features of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) and peritumoral tissue improve the prediction of survival after resection compared with the standard clinical indices. All consecutive patients affected by ICC who underwent hepatectomy at six high-volume centers (2009-2019) were considered for the study. The arterial and portal phases of CT performed fewer than 60days before surgery were analyzed. A manual segmentation of the tumor was performed (Tumor-VOI). A 5-mm volume expansion then was applied to identify the peritumoral tissue (Margin-VOI). The study enrolled 215 patients. After a median follow-up period of 28months, the overall survival (OS) rate was 57.0%, and the progression-free survival (PFS) rate was 34.9% at 3years. The clinical predictive model of OS had a C-index of 0.681. The addition of radiomic features led to a progressive improvement of performances (C-index of 0.71, including the portal Tumor-VOI, C-index of 0.752 including the portal Tumor- and Margin-VOI, C-index of 0.764, including all VOIs of the portal and arterial phases). The latter model combined clinical variables (CA19-9 and tumor pattern), tumor indices (density, homogeneity), margin data (kurtosis, compacity, shape), and GLRLM indices. The model had performance equivalent to that of the postoperative clinical model including the pathology data (C-index of 0.765). The same results were observed for PFS. The radiomics of ICC and peritumoral tissue extracted from preoperative CT improves the prediction of survival. Both the portal and arterial phases should be considered. Radiomic and clinical data are complementary and achieve a preoperative estimation of prognosis equivalent to that achieved in the postoperative setting.

Electrochemically Dealloying Engineering toward Integrated Monolithic Electrodes with Superior Electrochemical Li-Storage Properties.

Integrated monolithic electrodes (IMEs) free of inactive components demonstrate great potential in boosting energy-power densities and cycling life of lithium-ion batteries. However, their practical applications are significantly limited by low active substance loading (< 4.0mgcm-2 and 1.0gcm-3), complicated manufacturing process, and high fabrication cost. Herein, employing industrial Cu-Mn alloy foil as a precursor, a simple neutral salt solution-mediated electrochemical dealloying strategy is proposed to address such problems. The resultant Cu-Mn IMEs achieve not only a significantly larger active material loading due to the in situ generated Cu2O and MnOx (ca. 16.0mgcm-2 and 1.78gcm-3), simultaneously fast transport of ions and electrons due to the well-formed nanoporous structure and built-in Cu current collector, but also high structural stability due to the interconnected ligaments and suitable free space to relieve the volume expansion upon lithiation. As a result, they demonstrate remarkable performances including large specific capacities (> 5.7mAhcm-2), remarkable pseudocapacitive effect despite the battery-type constitutes, long cycling life, and good working condition in a lithium-ion full cell. This study sheds new light on the further development of IMEs, enriches the existing dealloying techniques, and builds a bridge between the two.

Investigating the expansion behavior of silicon nanoparticles and the effects of electrolyte composition using a graphene liquid cell

Understanding the volume expansion behavior of Si anodes and their interaction with electrolyte environments is crucial for developing high-performance lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). This study utilizes a graphene liquid cell for in situ imaging to systematically investigate the volume expansion and etching behavior of Si anode nanoparticles in different electrolyte environments. Comparative experiments on Si@C core-shell nanoparticles assess their volume expansion dynamics. The findings reveal significant variation in the expansion rate of nano Si depending on the electrolyte environment, with chemical etching observed under specific conditions. Conversely, Si@C core-shell structures show mitigated expansion due to the confinement effect of the carbon matrix. Battery performance experiments validate these results, demonstrating the excellent cycling stability of Si@C anodes. Various coating agents are explored to optimize Si@C structures, with dopamine thin layer coating exhibiting the best cycling stability. This study offers fundamental insights into Si anode expansion, electrolyte effects, and carbon coating impacts, advancing LIB technology.

Experimental and theoretical studies on cobalt ruthenium phosphate structure optimization towards supercapacitor application

Recent studies have given indications that nanoarchitectured binary transition metal phosphates can act as potential supercapacitor (SC) electrode materials due to their exceptional energy storage capacity and remarkable electrochemical stability. However, the highly amorphous nature or broad X-ray diffraction peaks of metal phosphates put a limit on the structural optimization of these materials. We demonstrate a combined experimental and theoretical study leading to an optimized cobalt-ruthenium phosphate (CRP) structure for high-performance SC application. The material structure was optimized by detailed density functional theory (DFT) calculations, including the Bader charge analysis, DOS, and PDOS, revealed the lattice and volume expansion, reduced band gap, and improved conductivity of the cobalt phosphate lattice by including ruthenium in the cobalt phosphate. These predictions are verified with experimental band gap and high-resolution transmission electron microscope plane image indexing. Further, the CRP was developed by potentiostatic deposition onto the carbon cloth substrate. The flexible CRP electrode exhibited a high specific capacitance of 1258 F g−1 (943.5C g−1) in the aqueous 2 M KOH electrolyte. The asymmetric SC device (CRP//activated carbon) has exhibited an excellent specific energy of ∼59 Wh kg−1 at a specific power of ∼751 W kg−1.

Core–Double-Shell TiO2@Fe3O4@C Microspheres with Enhanced Cycling Performance as Anode Materials for Lithium-Ion Batteries

Due to the volume expansion effect during charge and discharge processes, the application of transition metal oxide anode materials in lithium-ion batteries is limited. Composite materials and carbon coating are often considered feasible improvement methods. In this study, three types of TiO2@Fe3O4@C microspheres with a core–double-shell structure, namely TFCS (TiO2@Fe3O4@C with 0.0119 g PVP), TFCM (TiO2@Fe3O4@C with 0.0238 g PVP), and TFCL (TiO2@Fe3O4@C with 0.0476 g PVP), were prepared using PVP (polyvinylpyrrolidone) as the carbon source through homogeneous precipitation and high-temperature carbonization methods. After 500 cycles at a current density of 2 C, the specific capacities of these three microspheres are all higher than that of TiO2@Fe2O3 with significantly improved cycling stability. Among them, TFCM exhibits the highest specific capacity of 328.3 mAh·g−1, which was attributed to the amorphous carbon layer effectively mitigating the capacity decay caused by the volume expansion of iron oxide during charge and discharge processes. Additionally, the carbon coating layer enhances the electrical conductivity of the TiO2@Fe3O4@C materials, thereby improving their rate performance. Within the range of 100 to 1600 mA·g−1, the capacity retention rates for TiO2@Fe2O3, TFCS, TFCM, and TFCL are 27.2%, 35.2%, 35.9%, and 36.9%, respectively. This study provides insights into the development of new lithium-ion battery anode materials based on Ti and Fe oxides with the abundance and environmental friendliness of iron, titanium, and carbon resources in TiO2@Fe3O4@C microsphere anode materials, making this strategy potentially applicable.

Pressure‐Induced Dense and Robust Ge Architecture for Superior Volumetric Lithium Storage

AbstractThe germanium (Ge) anode attains wide attention in lithium‐ion batteries because of its high theoretical volumetric capacity (8646 mAh cm−3). However, the huge volume expansion (≈230%) results in its poor electrochemical performances. The strategies reported in the literature to solve the issue often cause a low packing density, lowering the volumetric capacity. Here, a pressure‐induced route is proposed to fabricate a Ge architecture, in which nano‐sized Ge (≈15 nm) is encapsulated by robust TiO2 and highly conductive carbon, which offer the advantages of a low stress–strain characteristic, low volume expansion in thickness change, high electrical conductivity (463.2 S m−1), high Li‐ion diffusion coefficient (9.55 × 10−9–8.51 × 10−12 cm2 s−1), and high tapping density (1.79 g cm−3). As a result, the dense architecture obtains outstanding volumetric capacities of 3559.8 mAh cm−3 at 0.1 A g−1 and 2628.2 mAh cm−3 at 20 A g−1, along with excellent cycling life over 5000 cycles at 10 A g−1. Remarkably, the full cell achieves a high volumetric energy density of 1760.1 Wh L−1, along with impressive fast‐charging performances and long cycling life. This work provides a new synthesis strategy and deep insight into the design of high‐volumetric capacity alloy‐based lithium‐ion‐battery anodes.

Heat expansion and zeta

Heat expansion and zeta

#2662 Octreotide-LAR in ADPKD patients with very low kidney function: a monocentric real-life experience

Abstract Background and Aims Autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) is the most common hereditary kidney disease, characterized by development of fluid-filled renal cysts leading to progressive expansion of kidney volume, with decline in kidney function up to end-stage renal disease (ESRD). Octreotide long-acting release (OCT-LAR) is a synthetic somatostatin analogue, which has been shown to reduce kidney and cysts growth and to slow the progression of kidney function decline in ADPKD patients. Although the evidence of the literature supporting the protective effect of the OCT-LAR against progression of the disease in ADPKD patients with both early and later-stages, to date no data are available in ADPKD patients treated with this somatostatin analogue in a real-world clinical setting. In August 2018 OCT-LAR was approved only in Italy for the treatment of ADPKD adult patients with eGFR ranging from 30 to 15 mL/min/1.73 m2 at elevated risk of progression towards ESRD. The present study is aimed to report for the first time the effects on renal function of OCT-LAR in ADPKD patients with severe renal insufficiency (stage 4 CKD) receiving this somatostatin analogue for therapeutic indication in a real-world clinical setting. Method We conducted a retrospective, ADPKD-population-based cohort study using healthcare data from the medical records of patients with ADPKD referred to the Department of Nephrology of University “Federico II” of Naples from November 2018 to April 2023 aimed to analyse within-patient clinical outcomes, including eGFR decline, before and after treatment with OCT-LAR. We include adult ADPKD patients (≥18 years) with GFR (eGFR) between 30 and 15 mL/min/1.73 m2, stably treated from at least 1 years with the regular dose of OCTR-LAR. The primary endpoint was the assessment of eGFR decline from 1 year before the start of the treatment (T-1) to baseline (T0), and after 1 year of therapy with OCT-LAR (T1) in the overall population and in two subgroups of patients with eGFR ≥ or &amp;lt; 25 ml/min/1.73 m2. Results 31 ADPKD patients were analysed (18 with eGFR ≥ 25 and 13 with eGFR &amp;lt; 25). Compared to pre-treatment period, eGFR decline significantly slowed during therapy with OCT-LAR in both eGFR groups (Table 1), while no difference was found between eGFR groups. After the first year of observation, 7 patients required dialysis (all with eGFR &amp;lt;25). Conclusion This is the first study reporting the effects of OCT-LAR on eGFR of ADPKD patients with advanced chronic kidney disease (CKD) in a real-world clinical setting. Our results suggest that, compared the last year of follow-up pre-treatment, OCT-LAR slows eGFR decline after 1 year.

#1816 CA 125 as a surrogate marker for plasma volume in patients with cardiorenal syndrome

Abstract Background and Aims Assessing volume status in heart failure (HF) and end-stage chronic kidney disease (CKD) is challenging. Plasma volume expansion is an early step in the pathophysiology of decompensated HF and an independent risk factor for death and HF hospitalization, and should be addressed early. Evaluating plasma volume, especially its variation with diuretic therapy, can be a useful clinical tool for guiding decongestive therapy. There's a growing need for accurate and simple tools to guide clinician decisions on patient volume management. Cancer antigen 125 (CA125), a glycoprotein produced in mesothelial cells in the pericardium, pleura, or peritoneum, is primarily associated with ovarian and gynecological malignancies. Recent studies link CA125 to inflammation and congestion. In acute HF, elevated CA125 is associated with fluid overload indicators like increased central venous and pulmonary wedge pressure. Elevated CA125 in acute HF patients is linked to worse outcomes in death and hospital stay length. Evidence supports CA125-guided therapy in acute HF, but its role in managing chronic volume overload is still uncertain. We aim to assess the relationship between CA125 levels and estimated plasma volume (ePV). Method A retrospective unicentric observational study was conducted between June 2022, and April 17, 2023, at the Renocardiac clinic of a tertiary hospital. Clinical data were extracted from electronic patient records. CKD staging was determined following the Kidney Disease Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO) classification. ePV was calculated using the Kaplan-Hakim formula. CA125 and ePV were assessed for the same patient in 2 different visits and their variation was calculated. The correlation between CA125 and ePV, as well as CA125 and ePV variation, was evaluated using Spearman's rank correlation coefficient for bivariate analysis, conducted with IBM SPSS®. Results This study comprised 65 patients, totaling 124 hospital visits. The patient demographic was 67.7% male, with a mean age of 76.4 (±12.47) years. In terms of CKD staging, 48.5% were classified as KDIGO 5, 40.6% as KDIGO 4, 9.4% as KDIGO 3, and 1.5% as KDIGO 2. HF etiology distribution included 59% ischemic, 9.8% hypertensive, 6.5% valvular, and 24.5% other causes. The mean ejection fraction was 37.35 (±12.36)% and 19% had preserved ejection fraction; 75% of them were treated with prognostic-modifying medication, including SGLT2 inhibitors. This proportion was lower (19%) in patients with reduced ejection fraction, receiving ACE/angiotensin ± neprilysin inhibitor + mineralocorticoid receptor inhibitor + beta-blocker + SGLT2 inhibitor. During the follow-up period, 13 hospitalizations, 1 major adverse cardiovascular event (MACE), and 5 deaths were recorded. The mean CA125 level was 193.98 (±154.55) U/mL, and patients had a mean ePV of 2.41 (±1.19) L. A significant positive correlation was found between CA125 levels and ePV (r = 0.355, p = 0.000). However, there was no significant correlation between the variation of CA125 and ePV levels between visits (p = 0.535). Conclusion This study focuses on a population with limited implementation of disease-modifying therapy due to advanced CKD, complicating the clinical management of volume status, kidney function, potassium levels, and long-term prognosis in both CKD and HF. CA125 shows potential clinical utility as a marker of congestion, aiding clinicians in assessing volume status by correlating with plasma volume. However, this study found no correlation between CA125 variation and changes in plasma volume. The outpatient nature of the studied population, typically euvolemic, may hinder assessing the relationship between CA125 and ePV changes. Future studies with larger sample sizes are essential to clarify this relationship and potentially identify volume-expanded patients early.

Rational design of nitrogen-doping Ti3C2Tx microspheres with enhanced polysulfide catalytic activity for lithium-sulfur batteries

The primary challenges that impede the practical applications of lithium-sulfur batteries are the significant shuttle effect of polysulfides, huge volume expansion, and slow redox kinetics. In this work, three-dimensional nitrogen doping Ti3C2Tx MXenes (3D N-Ti3C2Tx ) were successfully synthesized by spray drying and subsequent annealing, and hydrochloric acid-treated melamine effectively reduces the oxidation of MXenes in these processes. The formation of a unique nanoflower-shaped microsphere endows 3D N-Ti3C2Tx with a significant specific surface area and pore volume. The combination of nitrogen doping and the large specific surface area increased adsorption capacity and catalytic conversion ability for polysulfide intermediates. Consequently, the obtained 3D N-Ti3C2Tx /S cathode exhibited high-capacity retention (578.5 mAh g-1 after 500 cycles at 0.5 C and 462.5 mAh g-1 after 1,000 cycles at 1 C), superior rate performance (651.2 mAh g-1 at 3 C), and excellent long-term cycling performance (capacity fading rate of 0.076% per cycle at 0.5 C and 0.046% per cycle at 1 C). This work expands the potential applications of MXenes for lithium-sulfur batteries.