Low Tolerance Research Articles

Travel mode choice tolerance (TMC tolerance): Exploring elementary school students' perceived ability to switch commuting modes

BackgroundAs an essential outdoor activity for children, the school commute has received repeated attention in the existing literature. Nevertheless, prior studies on the travel mode choice for school commutes have predominantly focused on the preferred commuting mode, overlooking the exploration of students' travel mode alternative behaviors. In this context, research is crucial to capture students' propensity and perceived ability to shift their travel mode from car to public and active transport. MethodsTo address this gap, our study introduces a definition of ‘Travel Mode Choice tolerance’ (TMC tolerance) to explore alternative mode behaviors during school commutes for elementary school students. The latest data from the Beijing Student Commuting Survey are adopted to analyze student populations with varying TMC tolerance levels. The chi-squared test is also employed to examine the impact of different influencing factors on TMC tolerance. ResultsBased on the empirical results derived from this definition, it is observed that students with a strong tolerance for modal shifts constitute more than half of the student population. Factors such as grade level, mode of escort, and distance were identified as significant influencers on children's TMC tolerances. Particularly noteworthy is that the percentage of students with a strong TMC tolerance significantly increases when the travel distance exceeds 2.25 km. Among students traveling alone, a higher proportion exhibits low tolerance than those with high tolerance. Additionally, the proportion of students with strong TMC tolerance increases with grade level (age). ConclusionsOperationalizing TMC tolerance as preference and ability variation can capture the collective impact of complex factors shaping commuting decisions, both observed and unobserved. According to the findings, four policy suggestions are proposed, including optimizing school site selection, establishing school buses or children-concerned transit systems, enhancing healthy travel education, and planning active travel routes.

Fast audio signal denoising with low-rank approximation using windowed singular value decomposition of frequency division

The method of constructing Hankel matrices and using low-rank approximation has been demonstrated to be an effective approach to audio denoising. However, the significant computational complexity and the trade-off between the denoising quality and the loss of effective signal remain open issues. This paper proposes a denoising method based on frequency-divided Windowed Singular Value Decomposition (WSVD) and exploits the low-rank characteristics and frequency features commonly found in audio signals including speech and music recordings. The method incorporates an improved Lanczos Bidiagonalization algorithm to accelerate the singular value decomposition with low error and high tolerance. Furthermore, techniques are added at the window junctions to maintain the continuity and smoothness of the final audio, thus achieving denoising efficiently and effectively. This paper also assesses the influence of window segmentation length, main frequency domain characteristics, rank selection of Hankel matrix and characteristics of different noises on the final denoising effect. Finally, the denoising algorithm's robustness and effectiveness are validated through simulations and experiments.

Hyperalgesia in Patients With a History of Opioid Use Disorder

Short-term and long-term opioid treatment have been associated with increased pain sensitivity (ie, opioid-induced hyperalgesia). Treatment of opioid use disorder (OUD) mainly involves maintenance with methadone and buprenorphine, and observations of heightened cold pain sensitivity among patients are often considered evidence of opioid-induced hyperalgesia. To critically examine the evidence that hyperalgesia in patients with OUD is related to opioid use. Web of Science, PubMed, and Embase between March 1, 2023, and April 12, 2024, were searched. Studies assessing cold pressor test (CPT) pain responses during treatment seeking, pharmacological treatment, or abstinence in patients with OUD history were included. Multilevel random-effects models with robust variance estimation were used for all analyses. Study quality was rated with the JBI checklist. Funnel plots and Egger regression tests were used to assess reporting bias. Main outcomes were pain threshold, tolerance, and intensity in patients and healthy controls, and unstandardized, standardized (Hedges g), and percentage differences (%Δ) in these measures between patients and controls. The association between pain sensitivity and opioid tolerance, withdrawal, and abstinence indices was tested with meta-regression. Thirty-nine studies (1385 patients, 741 controls) met the inclusion criteria. Most studies reported CPT data on patients undergoing opioid agonist treatment. These patients had a mean 2- to 3-seconds lower pain threshold (95% CI, -4 to -1; t test P = .01; %Δ, -22%; g = -0.5) and 29-seconds lower pain tolerance (95% CI, -39 to -18; t test P < .001; %Δ, -52%; g = -0.9) than controls. Egger tests suggested that these differences may be overestimated. There were some concerns of bias due to inadequate sample matching and participant dropout. Meta-regressions yielded no clear support for hyperalgesia being opioid related. Patients receiving opioid agonist treatment for OUD are hypersensitive to cold pain. It remains unclear whether hyperalgesia develops prior to, independent of, or as a result of long-term opioid treatment. Regardless, future studies should investigate the impact of hyperalgesia on patients' well-being and treatment outcomes.

Rapid and inexpensive synthesis of liter-scale SiC aerogels

Ceramic aerogels are promising materials for thermal insulation and protection under harsh environments. Yet current synthesis methods fail to provide an energy-, time-, and cost-effective route for high-throughput production and large-scale applications, especially for non-oxide ceramic aerogels. Here we reported a way to synthesize SiC aerogels within seconds and over liter scale, with a demonstrated throughput of ~16 L min−1 in a typical lab experiment. The key lies in renovated combustion synthesis and a fast expansion from powder reactants to aerogel products over 1000% in volume. The synthesis process is self-sustainable and requires minimal energy input. The product is very cheap, with an estimated price of ~$0.7 L−1 (~$7 kg−1). The obtained SiC aerogels have excellent thermo-mechanical properties, including low thermal conductivity, high elasticity, and damage tolerance. Our invention not only offers a practical pathway for large-scale applications of ceramic aerogels, but also calls for rethinking of combustion synthesis in one-step conversion from raw chemicals to bulk products ready for practical applications.

Blood flow restriction training (BFRT) in patients before and after total knee arthroplasty

In healthy individuals, blood flow restriction training (BFRT) has shown positive effects on muscle mass, strength, fatigue resistance, as well as tendon and bone metabolism. BFRT reduces blood flow in the extremities using inflatable cuffs, creating local muscular hypoxia, which produces an anabolic metabolic environment. This promotes significant muscular and cardiovascular adaptations even at low mechanical training loads. BFRT also shows promising initial results in pre- and postoperative applications for knee endoprostheses (KTEP). Both preoperative and postoperative BFRT can improve muscle strength and joint function, accelerate recovery, and alleviate pain. Although the method is generally safe, potential risks such as discomfort and rare side effects must be considered. Clear application protocols are still lacking, necessitating further research and individualized programs to achieve optimal training effects. BFRT thus offers an innovative way to effectively rehabilitate patients despite their low load tolerance.

A Mixed-Methods study of the impact of sex and situational pain catastrophizing on pain sensitivity.

It is well established that catastrophic thinking about pain modulates clinical pain severity, but it may also relate to interindividual differences in the pain experience during procedures. This mixed-methods study investigated the relationship between ratings of situational pain catastrophizing and reported pain sensitivity in the context of receiving a nerve block without sedation, and explored participants' experiences. Healthy volunteers (n = 42) completed baseline psychosocial questionnaires, underwent quantitative sensory testing, and received a lower extremity nerve block, followed by further psychosocial assessment and interviews. Associations of catastrophizing scores with pain sensitivity and procedural site pain were assessed using Spearman's correlations. Interviews were reviewed using an immersion/crystallization approach to identify emergent themes. Greater situational catastrophizing scores were associated with higher pain sensitivity, measured as lower pain threshold and tolerance. Although females exhibited greater pain sensitivity generally, moderation analysis revealed a significant association between situational catastrophizing scores and pain sensitivity only among male participants. Qualitative interviews revealed the importance of participants' emotional responses to pain, and a mismatch of expectation and experience with procedural pain. Males also reported more negative comments about procedural pain. Examination of the variable subjective experience while receiving a nerve block in this experimental lab-based study revealed an important relationship between situational pain catastrophizing scores and pain sensitivity, which was more prominent among male participants. These findings reinforce how insight into individual expectations, emotions, and thought processes may impact pain sensitivity during procedures, and may inform strategies to personalize care, improving patient satisfaction and procedural acceptance.

Melatonin promotes nodule development enhancing soybean nitrogen metabolism under low nitrogen levels

Nitrogen availability profoundly impacts crop productivity, especially for soybeans, which exhibit a substantial demand for nitrogen. In response to the over-reliance on nitrogen fertilizers, which poses both inefficiencies and environmental concerns, the potential of melatonin in enhancing nitrogen uptake and utilization in soybeans through root irrigation was investigated. Melatonin significantly increased the activity of ammonium assimilating enzymes, thereby enhancing plant tolerance to low nitrogen levels, particularly at a concentration of 10 μM. This phenomenon has been conclusively linked to the augmented nitrogen fixation and utilization capacity, attributed to the facilitating rhizobial infection. Notably, melatonin influenced flavonoid content, specifically inducing genistein levels, essential for rhizobial infection. The malonyltransferase-encoding gene GmMaT2, which modifies isoflavones, was found to be crucial for the effects of melatonin on nodulation and nitrogen metabolism. The silence of GmMaT2 hindered the beneficial effects of melatonin on nodule development and attenuated its ability to enhance aspects of low nitrogen tolerance in soybean. It was elucidated that the potential of melatonin as a sustainable strategy for enhancing nitrogen utilization efficiency in soybeans. It provided insights into the underlying mechanisms and underscored the significance of GmMaT2 in mediating the beneficial effects induced by melatonin under low nitrogen conditions. The findings present a promising solution for mitigating agricultural costs and environmental impacts.

The relationship between distress tolerance and behavioral activation on anxiety and depression symptomatology in autistic youth: Leveraging self and caregiver perspectives.

Anxiety and depression are prevalent among autistic adolescents and may be difficult to accurately diagnose and treat given various factors (e.g., diagnostic overshadowing, heterogeneity). Therefore, efforts to examine transdiagnostic factors (i.e., distress tolerance, behavioral activation) may afford more parsimonious means for assessment and treatment. To our knowledge, there has been little research on distress tolerance, behavioral activation, and depressive and anxiety symptoms in autistic adolescents to guide diagnostic practices and treatment planning. In the current study, we examined the interrelationships between these transdiagnostic factors and depressive and anxiety symptoms using ratings from 100 verbally fluent autistic adolescents without intellectual disability (Mage = 13.70, SDage = 2.23, Range: 11:00-17:11 years) and 100 of their caregivers. Many adolescents reported male sex assigned at birth (61%), cisgender (87%), not Hispanic/Latinx (90%), and White (80%) identities. A series of correlational analyses were employed to examine associations between these constructs from youth and caregiver perspectives, and multiple linear regression analyses were conducted to explore the mediating roles of distress tolerance and behavioral activation. Preliminary results show that low distress tolerance and behavioral activation were associated with more severe internalizing symptoms per self- and caregiver-report. Some differences by rater emerged, which highlight the importance of multi-informant ratings in autism. Results from mediation analyses may show that behavioral activation may be more salient to assessments and treatment planning for depression than distress tolerance, while distress tolerance may be important for both anxiety and depression; however, findings are preliminary given the cross-sectional nature of the data. Findings suggest that these transdiagnostic concepts may be important to individualizing treatment approaches, including the timing of certain approaches, for anxiety and/or depression in autistic adolescents.

Hybrid Training System Consisting of Synchronized Neuromuscular Electrical Stimulation for Voluntary Exercise Using an Articular Motion Sensor.

Neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) is widely used for improving muscle strength, preventing muscle atrophy, and decreasing pain. Recently, NMES has become a substitute for exercise therapy for metabolism improvement and functional capacity improvement. However, NMES has several disadvantages. First, slow-twitch muscle contractions are insufficient because the recruitment pattern of NMES does not obey Henneman's size principle. Second, when using surface electrodes, it is difficult to contract deep skeletal muscles at the application site. Third, electrical stimulation causes discomfort. Therefore, we devised a simultaneous combination of NMES and voluntary muscle contractions to overcome the weak points of NMES. A hybrid training system (HTS) that resists the motion of a volitionally contracting agonist muscle with force generated by its electrically stimulated antagonist was developed as a technique to combine the application of NMES and volitional contractions. This motion sensor makes it possible to simultaneously combine voluntary movements with NMES. Our HTS synchronizes with voluntary movements, enhancing safety and reducing discomfort. This HTS enhances the exercise effect of even simple exercise. So far, our HTS has been reported to be effective for muscle strength enhancement, prevention of muscle atrophy, improvement of physical function, pain relief, enhancement of physical fitness, and improvement of metabolic function. HTS are expected to be useful methods in environments where sufficient exercise load is not available or for individuals with low exercise tolerance.

3D-printing inherently MRI-visible accessories in aiding MRI-guided biopsies

Background3D printers have gained prominence in rapid prototyping and viable in creating dimensionally accurate objects that are both safe within a Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) environment and visible in MRI scans. A challenge when making MRI-visible objects using 3D printing is that hard plastics are invisible in standard MRI scans, while fluids are not. So typically, a hollow object will be printed and filled with a liquid that will be visible in MRI scans. This poses an engineering challenge however since objects created using traditional Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) 3D-printing techniques are prone to leakage. Digital Light Processing (DLP) is a relatively modern and affordable 3D-printing technique using UV-hardened resin, capable of creating objects that are inherently liquid-tight. When printing hollow parts using DLP printers, one typically requires adding drainage holes for uncured liquid resin to escape during the printing process. If this is not done liquid resin will remain inside the object, which in our application is the desired outcome.PurposeWe devised a method to produce an inherently MRI-visible accessory using DLP technology with low dimensional tolerance to facilitate MRI-guided breast biopsies.MethodsBy hollowing out the object without adding drainage holes and tuning printing parameters such as z-lift distance to retain as much uncured liquid resin inside as possible through surface tension, objects that are inherently visible in MRI scans can be created without further post-processing treatment.ResultsObjects created through our method are simple and inexpensive to recreate, have minimal manufacturing steps, and are shown to be dimensionally exact and inherently MRI visible to be directly used in various applications without further treatment.ConclusionOur proposed method of manufacturing objects that are inherently both MRI safe, and MRI visible. The proposed process is simple and does not require additional materials and tools beyond a DLP 3D-printer. With only an inexpensive DLP 3D-printer kit and basic cleaning and sanitation materials found in the hospital, we have demonstrated the viability of our process by successfully creating an object containing fine structures with low spatial tolerances used for MRI-guided breast biopsies.

Ozone Priming Enhanced Low Temperature Tolerance of Wheat (Triticum Aestivum L.) based on Physiological, Biochemical and Transcriptional Analyses.

Low temperature significantly inhibits plant growth in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), prompting the exploration of effective strategies to mitigate low temperature stress. Several priming methods enhance low temperature stress tolerance; however, the role of ozone priming remains unclear in wheat. Here we found ozone priming alleviated low temperature stress in wheat. Transcriptome analysis showed that ozone priming positively modulated the 'photosynthesis-antenna proteins' pathway in wheat under low temperature. This was confirmed by the results of ozone-primed plants, which had higher trapped energy flux and electron transport flux per reaction, and less damage to chloroplasts than non-primed plants under low temperature. Ozone priming also mitigated the overstimulation of glutathione metabolism and induced the accumulation of total ascorbic acid and glutathione, as well as maintaining redox homeostasis in wheat under low temperature. Moreover, gene expressions and enzyme activities in glycolysis pathways were upregulated in ozone priming compared with non-priming after the low temperature stress. Furthermore, exogenous antibiotics significantly increased low temperature tolerance, which further proved that the inhibition of ribosome biogenesis by ozone priming was involved in low temperature tolerance in wheat. In conclusion, ozone priming enhanced wheat's low temperature tolerance through promoting light-harvesting capacity, redox homeostasis and carbohydrate metabolism, as well as inhibiting ribosome biogenesis.

Conjugated Nitroxide Radical Polymer with Low Temperature Tolerance Potential for High-Performance Organic Polymer Cathode.

Low-temperature operation poses a significant challenge for current commercial rechargeable lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). Organic polymer electrode materials, exhibiting a nonintercalation redox mechanism, offer a viable solution to mitigate the decline in electrochemical performance at low temperatures in LIBs. Herein, a radical polymer P(DATPAPO-TPA) with a conjugated nitrogen-rich triphenylamine derivative as the backbone and high-density nitroxide pendants has been synthesized. Due to the large interstitial spaces between adjacent structural units and polymer chains, resulting from the significant torsion angle between the benzene rings in the P(DATPAPO-TPA) skeleton, ions could effectively transport. This structural feature demonstrated a notable discharge capacity of 143.3 mA h·g-1 and a high charge-discharge plateau at ∼3.75 V vs Li+/Li, outperforming most reported radical polymer cathode materials. In addition, its capacity retention could reach 83.1% after 2000 cycles at an ultrahigh current density of 50 C, showing excellent rate capability and promising cyclability. Also notable was P(DATPAPO-TPA)'s favorable low-temperature performance that maintains a high discharge capacity of 139.2 mA h·g-1 at 0 °C. The synthesized P(DATPAPO-TPA) is a tangible illustration of a viable design strategy for low-temperature electrode materials, thereby contributing to broadening applications for radical polymer electrode materials.

Compressive Failure Characteristics of 3D Four-Directional Braided Composites with Prefabricated Holes.

The low delamination tendency and high damage tolerance of three-dimensional (3D) braided composites highlight their significant potential in handling defects. To enhance the engineering potential of three-dimensional four-directional (3D4d) braided composites and assess the failure mode of hole defects, this study introduces a series of 3D4d braided composites with prefabricated holes, studying their compressive properties and failure mechanisms through experimental and finite element methods. Digital image correlation (DIC) was used to monitor the compressive strain on the surface of materials. Scanning acoustic microscope (SAM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) were used to characterize the longitudinal compression failure mode inside the material. A macroscopic model is established, and the porous materials are predicted by using the general braided composite material prediction theory. While reducing the forecast cost, the error is also controlled within 21%. The analysis of failure mechanisms elucidates the damage extension mode, and the porous damage tolerance ability aligns closely with the bearing mode of braided material structure. Different braiding angles will lead to different bearing modes of materials. Under longitudinal compression, the average strength loss of 15° specimens is 38.21%, and that of 30° specimens is 8.1%. The larger the braided angle, the stronger the porous damage tolerance. Different types of prefabricated holes will also affect their mechanical properties and damage tolerance.

Photocatalytic Three-Component Acylcarboxylation of Alkenes with CO2.

γ-Keto acid is a valuable chemical motif in a wide range of fields including organic, biological, and medicinal chemistry. However, its single-step synthesis is challenging because of the mismatch of the carbonyl polarity and low tolerance of carboxylic acids. Herein, we report the single-step syntheses of γ-keto acids using alkenes and CO2. Our photocatalytic system enabled the transformation of alkenes under mild conditions in high yields (up to 95%) with broad substrate generality (35 examples).

Rates and psychological stress predictors of problematic internet use (PIU) during the COVID-19 pandemic in a racially diverse sample of young adults

ABSTRACT Background Problematic internet use (PIU), which includes social media misuse (SMM) and gaming misuse (GM), is uncontrollable and associated with significant psychological impairment. PIU is a coping behavior for COVID-19-related stress. We explored distress-related predictors of PIU in a young adult racially diverse sample during the pandemic. Methods Analyses used cross-sectional survey data (N = 1956). Psychological diagnoses, financial distress, COVID-19-related emotions, psychological distress, distress tolerance, social support, loneliness, SMM and GM were measured. Hierarchical multiple regressions identified predictors of PIU. Race-stratified exploratory analyses sought to understand if predictors held true across racial groups. Results Low distress tolerance was associated with SMM and GM, as were depression symptoms, with racial differences observed. SMM was associated with younger age, and GM was associated with male gender. PTSD symptoms predicted more GM. SMM and GM rates varied between racial groups. COVID-19-related adjustment challenges and stress predicted SMM and GM respectively, with racial differences observed. Conclusion Individual psychological distress and low distress tolerance markedly increased PIU risk. Clinicians should screen for stress-related PIU risk factors and bolster distress tolerance in vulnerable patients. Comparing PIU to different forms of coping in a larger sample would further clarify groups differences in stress coping behaviors.

Utilizing Local Anesthesia Only for Penile and Scrotal Urologic Surgery: A Prospective Study on Patient Tolerability and Surgical Outcomes for a Sedation-free Option

ObjectiveTo prospectively assess surgical outcomes, complications, and patient-reported tolerability of invasive scrotal surgeries under local anesthesia (LA) alone, without sedation, compared to tolerability of penile procedures commonly performed in this manner. MethodsAdult patients undergoing penile and scrotal surgeries under LA only were enrolled from August 2022 to June 2023 (NCT05617261). Demographics, surgeon-perceived and patient-reported pain, and surgical variables were collected. Tolerability to the procedures and future anesthetic choice for a repeat procedure was assessed on follow-up. Complication data was collected, including recurrence, infection, excessive pain, and emergency room and family physician visits. Results107 patients were enrolled with a mean age ± SD of 42.2 ± 16.4 years. There was a 100% procedural success rate and no cases of perioperative complications or escalation of anesthetic. 92.4% (n=97) of patients indicated they would opt for LA only for a hypothetical repeat procedure. Of the minority opting for general anesthetic, most indicated discomfort or preferring an element of amnesia. No differences between intraoperative pain or tolerability scores of invasive scrotal procedures compared to penile procedures were observed. On univariate analysis, longer procedure duration (p=0.003), cannabis use (p=0.01), and higher intra-operative pain (p=0.005) was associated with lower tolerability. ConclusionLA alone in an office-based setting is promising for scrotal surgeries. It offers similarly high patient tolerability compared to procedures that are routinely performed under LA, with the preservation of outcomes. Adopting this method has the potential for substantial cost savings, reduced wait times, enhanced accessibility, and improved surgical efficiency.

Usefulness of exercise stress echocardiography for predicting cardiovascular events and atrial fibrillation in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy

BackgroundIn hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM), the determinants of exercise tolerance and the usefulness of exercise stress echocardiography (ESE) for predicting hard endpoints have not been fully investigated. We aimed to assess the key parameters of ESE for exercise tolerance and the factors predictive of cardiovascular events and new-onset atrial fibrillation (AF) in patients with HCM. MethodsSeventy-four consecutive patients with HCM who underwent ESE and with an ejection fraction ≥50 % were enrolled. The primary endpoint was a composite of cardiovascular death, heart failure hospitalization, ventricular fibrillation or tachycardia, and ventricular assist device implantation. The secondary endpoint was new-onset AF. ResultsThe primary endpoint occurred in 13 patients. The left and right ventricular functions during exercise were responsible for decreased exercise tolerance. Peak exercise e′ and tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion (TAPSE) significantly predicted increased primary outcome risk (hazard ratio 1.35, 95 % confidence interval 1.10–1.76, p = 0.003; hazard ratio 1.19, 95 % confidence interval 1.07–1.32, p = 0.002, respectively), and the results were consistent even after adjustment by maximum workload. These ESE parameters improved the prognostic model containing estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) and left atrial (LA) volume index. In AF-naive patients (n = 58), LA volume, peak exercise LA reservoir strain, and left ventricular outflow tract (LVOT) pressure gradient predicted new-onset AF. ConclusionsIn patients with HCM, ESE parameters related to left and right ventricular function were responsible for low exercise tolerance. Furthermore, e′ and TAPSE at peak workload could be useful for predicting cardiovascular events in addition to eGFR and LA volume index. LVOT pressure gradient and LA function during exercise predicted new-onset AF.

Proportions of Hypertension in Stable COPD Patients at the National Respiratory Center Persahabatan Hospital

Background: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is the third leading cause of death worldwide. Most of these deaths are related to cardiovascular disease. This is due to systemic inflammation that causes increased vascular stiffness and hypertension. These comorbidities lead to poor quality of life, low exercise tolerance, and an increased risk of hospitalization. This study aims to report the proportion of hypertension among stable COPD patients in the Indonesian population.Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted at the National Respiratory Center Persahabatan Hospital between February and March 2023. Stable COPD patients admitted to the Asthma and COPD Polyclinic who met the criteria were enrolled. Clinical information, vital signs, spirometry results, and DLCO measurements were collected.Results: There were 84 subjects participating in this study. The result of this study shows a 60.7% proportion of hypertension in stable COPD patients. Hypertension has a significant correlation with pulmonary functional values (P=0.021), severity degree of clinical COPD (P=0.004), Brinkman index (P=0.008), and age (P=0.0001). However, hypertension association with COPD duration (P=0.505) and DLCO (P=0.122) were not significant.Conclusion: The hypertension proportion in stable COPD Indonesian patients is 60.7%. Hypertension shows a significant association with pulmonary function values, severity degree of clinical COPD, Brinkman index, and age.

One-step synthesis of g-C3N4/TiVCTx MXene electrodes for lithium-ion batteries and supercapacitors

The wide-ranging application of lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) is currently restricted by their slow ion dynamics and low capacity, which hinders the development of innovative electrode materials. Herein, the graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4)/TiVCTx composite was fabricated through in situ pyrolysis of urea to generate g-C3N4 nanosheets on the surface of TiVCTx nanosheets. The as-prepared g-C3N4 protective layer can reduce the degree of oxidation of TiVCTx MXene, restrain the re-stacking of TiVCTx nanosheets and minimize the risk of undesirable side reactions. As expected, the g-C3N4/TiVCTx electrode exhibits remarkable specific capacity of 1025.3 mAh/g after 150 cycles at 0.1 A/g and 558.3 mAh/g after 1000 cycles at 1.0 A/g for LIBs and a high specific capacitance of 508.9F g−1 in 0.5 M Na2SO4 electrolyte at 1.0 A/g after 7000 cycles for supercapacitors (SCs). Furthermore, the assembled g-C3N4/TiVCTx-30//LiFePO4 full cell presents stable specific capacity of 505.5 mAh/g at 0.1 A/g after 100 cycles and 255.2 mAh/g at 0.1 A/g along with a Coulombic efficiency of 97.9 % after 50 cycles at − 20 °C, demonstrating excellent low temperature tolerance. Density functional theory (DFT) calculation results indicated that the g-C3N4/TiVCTx-30 exhibits strongest adsorption capacity for Li+ with an adsorption energy of −3.85 eV. The introduction of g-C3N4 improves the insertion and extraction kinetics of Li+, effectively reducing the diffusion barrier. Consequently, the g-C3N4/TiVCTx-30 electrode exhibits potential application prospects in high-performance electrochemical energy storage devices. Our work provides valuable insights and significant research implications for improving the specific capacity and stability of TiVCTx MXene in the field of energy storage.

Hypoactivation of the central auditory system in listeners who are hypertolerant of background noise.

Listeners exhibit varying levels of tolerance for background noise during speech communication. It has been proposed that low tolerance of background noise may be the consequence of abnormally amplified gain in the central auditory system (CAS). Here, using a dataset of young adults with normal hearing thresholds, we asked whether central gain mechanisms might also explain cases of hypertolerance of background noise, as well as cases of reduced, but not abnormal, tolerance. We used the auditory brainstem response to derive a measure of CAS gain (wave V/wave I ratio) to compare listeners' background noise tolerance while listening to speech, grouping them into three categories: hyper, high, and medium tolerance. We found that hypertolerant listeners had reduced CAS gain compared to those with high tolerance. This effect was driven by wave V not wave I. In addition, the medium tolerant listeners trended toward having reduced wave I and reduced wave V amplitudes and generally higher levels of exposure to loud sound, suggestive of the early stages of noise-compromised peripheral function without an apparent compensatory increase in central gain. Our results provide physiological evidence that 1) reduced CAS gain may account for hypertolerance of background noise but that 2) increased CAS gain is not a prerequisite for medium tolerance of background noise.NEW & NOTEWORTHY Our findings strengthen the proposed mechanistic connection between background noise tolerance and auditory physiology by suggesting a link between hypertolerance and reduced central auditory gain, measured by the auditory brainstem response.