Oxygen Groups Research Articles

High performance NH3 sensor based on CeO2/In2O3 heterostructure for mutton preservation detection

In this work, a high performance NH3 sensor based on CeO2/In2O3 (CeIn) was synthesized by hydrothermal method. Experiment results depict that heterogeneous structure can efficiently enhance the performance of NH3 sensor based on In2O3 or CeO2 at room temperature (RT), which is due to more oxygen vacancies, free oxygen and hydroxy (-OH) groups on the surface of CeIn. In gas detection, the average response towards 1000 ppm NH3 is about 8628.89, three orders of magnitude higher than that of In2O3 or CeO2 sensor. Moreover, CeIn sensor has a fast response/recovery time of 1.8 s/1.5 s for 15 ppm NH3 and a minimum detection limit of 0.155 ppm, which can be used to monitor the freshness of mutton in different storage environments by detecting different concentrations of NH3 released during mutton deterioration. This work indicates the NH3 sensor based on CeIn has a potential application in meat freshness monitoring.

Comparative evaluation of high flow oxygen therapy versus low flow oxygen therapy in the management of acute moderate bronchiolitis

Background: Acute bronchiolitis is the most common respiratory tract infection in young children. Despite the high prevalence, no consensus exists on management. Hence the present study was conducted to find out the efficacy of high flow oxygen therapy (HFNC) versus low flow oxygen therapy in the management of acute moderate bronchiolitis. Methods: Prospective randomized controlled study of 100 children aged between 2 months to 24 months with signs and symptoms of acute moderate bronchiolitis were admitted to Indira Gandhi Institute of Child Health, Bangalore from January 2018 to June 2019 formed the study group, they were randomised into 2 groups, group A received high flow oxygen therapy and group B received low flow oxygen therapy. Results: Out of 100 children enrolled in the study, 50 children (group A) received high flow oxygen therapy and 50 children (group B) received low flow oxygen therapy. At 24 hours the mean severity score for group A was 0.46±077 and group B was 1.86±0.86 (p<0.001). Maximum improvement in O2 saturation was observed in group A compared to group B. The duration of hospital stay was shorter (2-3 days) in group A with a mean of 2.20 days and was longer (4-5 days) in group B with a mean value of 3.84 days which was statistically significant (p<0.001). Conclusions: Children with acute bronchiolitis treated with heated humidified high flow oxygen (HFNC) had early improvement in the clinical severity score, reduced duration of oxygen requirement and decrease in the length of hospital stay. Hence heated humidified high flow oxygen (HFNC) is an effective and safe modality of treatment for children with acute moderate bronchiolitis compared to low flow oxygen therapy (p<0.0001).

Impacts of controlled microwave field irradiation on o-cresol and p-cresol adsorption capability of activated carbon

ABSTRACT To access the feasibility of microwave in promoting adsorbability of carbonaceous adsorbents, microwave irradiation on activated carbon (AC) was conducted at powers of 400–800 W and duration of 10 min. Accordingly, the temperature rising of AC under microwave field were studied. Moreover, the alterations in physicochemical properties of AC and impacts on cresol isomer adsorption were investigated. Results indicated that the heating curve of AC displays the initial fast temperature rising stage and the final slow stage. Additionally, the bulk temperature at irradiation terminal increases with microwave power. The temperature rising further increases the pores with a diameter range of 1.00–6.00 nm of AC; it also increases the oxygenic functional groups of AC after irradiation at 400 W and 800 W, but decreases that of AC after irradiation at 640 W. The saturation adsorption capacity of o-cresol and p-cresol on the irradiated AC rises with elevated temperature. Additionally, the cresol isomer adsorption kinetics on the irradiated AC follows the Elovich model. The above-mentioned equilibrium and kinetics suggest that the cresol isomer adsorption on the irradiated AC is dominant by chemisorption. Finally, the optimum irradiation power for o-cresol and p-cresol adsorption is 800 W and 400 W, respectively, thereby fabricating AC with developed pores and abundant oxygenic functional groups. Accordingly, the saturation adsorption capacity of o-cresol and p-cresol reaches up to 111.11 mg·g−1 and 95.97 mg·g−1, respectively. Overall, microwave irradiation is a viable option to promote cresol isomer adsorption on AC.

Nanoporous multilayer graphene oxide membrane for forward osmosis metal ion recovery from spent Li-ion batteries

The recovery of Li and rare metals from the spent electrodes of Li-ion batteries (LIBs) is becoming increasingly important. Herein, nanoporous multilayer graphene oxide (NMG) membranes were fabricated via the confined thermal annealing method to achieve Li-ion selectivity. A graphene oxide (GO) membrane was prepared by coating the membrane with an aqueous layer of GO liquid crystal via the scalable bar coating method, followed by hot-pressing. The influence of the GO interlayer spacing and nanopore presence on the ion separation performance was investigated. The NMG membrane shows different ion permeance phenomena depending on ion concentration. The permeation rate of divalent ions (Co, Ni, Mn) through the NMG membrane was faster than that of Li ions in solution with low ionic strength, whereas the membrane was Li-ion selective in mixed ionic solutions or at high ionic strength. This result indicates that electrostatic interaction by oxygen groups is important at low ionic strength, but size exclusion by interlayer spacing and adsorption by nanopore is critical at high ionic strength. The ion permeation mechanisms were further examined based on molecular calculations, which revealed that the binding energies between the divalent ions and nanopores or basal plane of graphene were high, resulting in slow ion permeation. When the NMG membrane was combined in a forward osmosis system, Li-ion can be separated continuously from the mixture solution simulated from the spent Li-battery electrode. This approach shows the high potential of nanoporous multilayer graphene membrane for Li extraction in particular with dense pore structure and around 7 Å of d-spacing.

Unexpectedly spontaneous water dissociation on graphene oxide supported by copper substrate

Water dissociation is of fundamental importance in scientific fields and has drawn considerable interest in diverse technological applications. However, the high activation barrier of breaking the OH bond within the water molecule has been identified as the bottleneck, even for the water adsorbed on the graphene oxide (GO). Herein, using the density functional theory calculations, we demonstrate that the water molecule can be spontaneously dissociated on GO supported by the (111) surface of the copper substrate (Copper-GO). This process involves a proton transferring from water to the interfacial oxygen group, and a hydroxide covalently bonding to GO. Compared to that on GO, the water dissociation barrier on Copper-GO is significantly decreased to be less than or comparable to thermal fluctuations. This is ascribed to the orbital-hybridizing interaction between copper substrate and GO, which enhances the reaction activity of interfacial oxygen groups along the basal plane of GO for water dissociation. Our work provides a novel strategy to access water dissociation via the substrate-enhanced reaction activity of interfacial oxygen groups on GO and indicates that the substrate can serve as an essential key to tuning the catalytic performance of various two-dimensional material devices.

International Interlaboratory Comparison of Thermogravimetric Analysis of Graphene-Related Two-Dimensional Materials

Research on graphene-related two-dimensional (2D) materials (GR2Ms) in recent years is strongly moving from academia to industrial sectors with many new developed products and devices on the market. Characterization and quality control of the GR2Ms and their properties are critical for growing industrial translation, which requires the development of appropriate and reliable analytical methods. These challenges are recognized by International Organization for Standardization (ISO 229) and International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC 113) committees to facilitate the development of these methods and standards which are currently in progress. Toward these efforts, the aim of this study was to perform an international interlaboratory comparison (ILC), conducted under Versailles Project on Advanced Materials and Standards (VAMAS) Technical Working Area (TWA) 41 "Graphene and Related 2D Materials" to evaluate the performance (reproducibility and confidence) of the thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) method as a potential new method for chemical characterization of GR2Ms. Three different types of representative and industrially manufactured GR2Ms samples, namely, pristine few-layer graphene (FLG), graphene oxide (GO), and reduced graphene oxide (rGO), were used and supplied to ILC participants to complete the study. The TGA method performance was evaluated by a series of measurements of selected parameters of the chemical and physical properties of these GR2Ms including the number of mass loss steps, thermal stability, temperature of maximum mass change rate (Tp) for each decomposition step, and the mass contents (%) of moisture, oxygen groups, carbon, and impurities (organic and non-combustible residue). TGA measurements determining these parameters were performed using the provided optimized TGA protocol on the same GR2Ms by 12 participants across academia, industry stakeholders, and national metrology institutes. This paper presents these results with corresponding statistical analysis showing low standard deviation and statistical conformity across all participants that confirm that the TGA method can be satisfactorily used for characterization of these parameters and the chemical characterization and quality control of GR2Ms. The common measurement uncertainty for each parameter, key contribution factors were identified with explanations and recommendations for their elimination and improvements toward their implementation for the development of the ISO/IEC standard for chemical characterization of GR2Ms.

Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of Magnesium Matrix Composites Reinforced by In Situ Reduced Graphene Oxide.

Due to their excellent mechanical properties and large specific surface area, graphene and its derivatives are widely used in metal matrix composites as reinforcements. In this study, the thermal reduction behavior of large-size graphene oxide are investigated systematically, and reduced graphene oxide (RGO) with few residual oxygen groups and good structural integrity is obtained. ZK61 matrix composites with varying content of in situ RGO are fabricated using the semi-powder metallurgy method. The results reveal that the addition of RGO can cause the refinement of the grains and the second phase, which is attributed to the uniform distribution of the RGO throughout the matrix. The formation of nano-MgO particles is beneficial in increasing the interfacial bonding strength between the RGO and the matrix, resulting in simultaneous increments in yield strength and elongation in the RGO/ZK61 composites. The composite containing 0.6 wt.% RGO shows a superior mechanical property, including microhardness of 79.9 HV, yield strength of 203 MPa and excellent elongation of 17.5%, with increases of 20.9%, 8.6% and 7.4%, respectively, when compared with the ZK61 alloy. Quantitative analysis indicates that the main strengthening mechanisms of RGO-reinforced magnesium matrix composites are load transfer strengthening and grain refinement strengthening.

Stabilization of lysozyme in aqueous dispersion of graphene oxide sheets

This study examines the effect of surface oxygen groups upon ability of graphene oxide (GO) sheets in suppressing the fibrillation of lysozyme (LYZ). Graphite was oxidized using 6 and 8 wt equivalents of KMnO4, and as produced sheets were abbreviated as GO-06 and GO-08, respectively. Particulate characteristics of sheets were characterized by light scattering and electron microscopic techniques, and their interaction with LYZ was analysed by circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopy. After ascertaining acid-driven conversion of LYZ to fibrillary form, we have shown that the fibrillation of dispersed protein can be prevented by adding GO sheets. Inhibitory effect could be attributed to binding of LYZ over the sheets via noncovalent forces. A comparison between GO-06 and GO-08 samples showed superior binding affinity of the latter. Higher aqueous dispersibility and density of oxygenated groups in GO-08 sheets would have facilitated the adsorption of protein molecules, thus making them unavailable for aggregation. Pre-treatment of GO sheets with Pluronic 103 (P103, a nonionic triblock copolymer), caused reduction in the adsorption of LYZ. P103 aggregates would have rendered the sheet surface unavailable for the adsorption of LYZ. Based on these observations, we conclude that fibrillation of LYZ can be prevented in association with graphene oxide sheets.

Oxygen functional groups modified amorphous hollow carbon bowls for pseudocapacitive Zn-ion storage

Carbon is a promising capacitive electrode material for Zn-ion hybrid supercapacitors (ZHSCs), as it is low-cost, environmentally friendly, controllable and adjustable. By now, achieving both high energy and high power with carbon electrodes is still challenging, limited by their intrinsic properties. In this work, we have designed and presented an amorphous hollow carbon bowl material with surface chemical modifications of oxygen groups to figure out these concerns. The preparation of bowl-like structures and the storage behavior between Zn2+ and oxygen functional groups have also been discussed. With the contributions from its unique hollow structure and surface functional groups, it can significantly enhance the electrode pseudocapacitance and the entire electrochemical performance.

Tetrel bond involving -CH3 group in HnXCH3 (X = F, Cl, and Br, n = 0; X = O, S, and Se, n = 1; X = N, P, and As, n = 2). Cooperativity with triel bond and beryllium bond

The tetrel bond formed between the σ-hole on the C atom of HnXCH3 (X = F, Cl, and Br, n = 0; X = O, S, and Se, n = 1; X = N, P, and As, n = 2) and the N atom of NCM (M = Li and Na) was studied by ab initio calculations at the MP2/aug-cc-pVTZ level. The molecules involving nitrogen or oxygen group substituents engage in a weaker tetrel bond with interaction energies in the range of 5–12 kJ/mol. In contrast, a stronger tetrel bond is formed when the X atom of HnXCH3 is a halogen, with interaction energies in the range of 16–18 kJ/mol. The tetrel bond is further enhanced by the addition of the electron-deficient molecule BeH2 or BH3 to the X atom of HnXCH3 and the interaction energy can be increased to 38 kJ/mol. Moreover, the enhancing effect of beryllium bond on the tetrel bond is greater than that from the triel bond.

The Role of Fucoxanthin as a Potent Nrf2 Activator via Akt/GSK-3β/Fyn Axis against Amyloid-β Peptide-Induced Oxidative Damage

Increasing evidence is suggesting that amyloid-β peptide (Aβ), a characteristic of Alzheimer's disease (AD), induces oxidative stress and mitochondrial dysfunction, leading to neuronal death. This study aimed to demonstrate the antioxidant and anti-apoptotic effects of fucoxanthin, a major marine carotenoid found in brown algae, against neuronal injury caused by Aβ. Non-toxic dose range of fucoxanthin (0.1-5 µM) were selected for the neuroprotective study against Aβ25-35. The PC12 cells were pretreated with different concentrations of fucoxanthin for 1 h before being exposed to 10 µM Aβ25-35 for another 24 h. The present results showed that fucoxanthin inhibited Aβ25-35-induced cell death by recovering cell cycle arrest and decreasing intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) level. The compound enhanced mitochondrial recovery and regulated apoptosis related proteins including B-cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl-2) and Bcl-2-associated X protein (Bax) from Aβ25-35-induced oxidative stress. Concomitantly, fucoxanthin increased the expression of nuclear factor E2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) and its downstream phase II detoxifying enzymes including NADPH: quinone oxidoreductase-1 (NQO-1), glutamate cysteine ligase modifier subunit (GCLm), and thioredoxin reductase 1 (TrxR1), whereas it decreased the expression of cytoplasmic Kelch-like ECH-associated protein 1 (Keap1). Moreover, pretreatment of fucoxanthin reduced Fyn phosphorylation via protein kinase B (Akt)-mediated inhibition of glycogen synthase kinase-3β (GSK-3β), which increased the nuclear localization of Nrf2, suggesting that the compound enhanced Nrf2 expression by the activation of upstream kinase as well as the dissociation of the Nrf2-Keap1 complex. Further validation with a specific phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) inhibitor LY294002 demonstrated that the fucoxanthin-mediated Nrf2 antioxidant defense system was directly associated with the Akt/GSK-3β/Fyn signaling pathway. In silico simulation revealed that the oxygen groups of fucoxanthin participated in potent interactions with target markers in the Nrf2 signaling pathway, which may affect the biological activity of target markers. Taken together, the present results demonstrated that the preventive role of fucoxanthin on Aβ-stimulated oxidative injury and apoptosis via Akt/GSK-3β/Fyn signaling pathway. This study would provide a useful approach for potential intervention for AD prevention.

Editor's Choice Articles for March.

Welcome to March 2023 at Pediatric Critical Care Medicine (PCCM). There are three Editor’s Choices articles that each question established opinions and make us delve deeper into the relevant issues and potential implications for practice. The PCCM Connections for Readers focuses on biological mechanism–as a plea to our investigators and research authors, we do need to see more of this type of work at PCCM. WHAT ABOUT CORTICOSTEROIDS IN SEPSIS AND SEPTIC SHOCK? Klowak JA, Bijelic V, Barrowman N, et al; Genomics of Pediatric Septic Shock Investigators: The Association of Corticosteroids and Pediatric Sepsis Biomarker Risk Model (PERSEVERE)-II Biomarker Risk (1). Are we any closer to solving the question of using corticosteroid therapy in children presenting with septic shock? In this retrospective study of almost 500 children separated into two categories using the PERSEVERE-II biomarker score, the authors tested whether there was an interaction between grouping, corticosteroid use, and outcome. Our editorial sets this information in a historical context, from 2009 to 2021 (2), and makes us think about precision medicine, endotypes, and the contemporary randomized controlled trial (RCT). This new article and editorial follow a theme in PCCM discussed in the September 2022 issue (3), and readers should review the authors’ other relevant work about the difficulty of RCTs in the septic shock population (4,5). WHAT ABOUT THE COMPLEXITY OF FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO OUTCOMES AFTER CARDIAC SURGERY? Brown KL, Moinuddin M, Jones A, et al: The Relationship Between Postoperative Complications and Children’s Quality of Life: A Mediation Analysis to Explore the Role of Family Factors (6). In this multicenter research from the United Kingdom, the authors identified a cardiac postoperative group with multiple morbidities and sought to identify a causal mediation analysis of parental health-related quality of life at 6 weeks after cardiac surgery, and their child’s quality of life at 6 months. Over 400 children contributed to the primary outcome and these new data add insight into the complexity of outcomes and the potential scope of psychological interventions to support parents of children who experience perioperative morbidities. Add this reading to the authors’ recent report on postoperative morbidities and neurodevelopment (7), and we are now building a more complete picture of how best to study late outcomes after critical illness (8,9). WHAT ABOUT THE MEASUREMENT OF CEREBRAL NEAR-INFRARED SPECTROSCOPY IN PEDIATRIC CARDIAC PATIENTS? Iliopoulis I, Cooper DS, Reagor JA, et al: Absolute Versus Relative Near-Infrared Spectroscopy in Pediatric Cardiac Patients (10). My third highlighted article is an analysis of near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) data: the devices and the validity of the measurements that we use during clinical care (10). Please read the report and even though it’s not what we thought or taught, our editorial writers argue that NIRS monitoring in patients with complex congenital heart disease is here to stay (11). Also, go back to a little-known Letter to the Editor in the January 2006 issue of PCCM with its powerful insights. In the letter, Britton Chance (1913–2010), the American founder of biomedical photonics and National Medal of Science winner in 1974, wrote to PCCM on the topic of quantification of brain oxygenation in humans in vivo (12). “PCCM CONNECTIONS” FOR READERS This month there are two other areas of research that pick up on our previous themes. They are of particular interest because they address mechanism, and we need to understand clinical biology if we are to make progress in our field. The first topic is the endothelial glycocalyx. We have previously published a definitive review about the endothelial glycocalyx as a fundamental determinant of vascular permeability in sepsis (13), and a clinical research observation of glycocalyx degradation products contributing to metabolic acidosis following cardiopulmonary bypass (14). In a single-center research study from Colombia, the authors (same ones that wrote the previous PCCM definitive review) look at the time course of glycocalyx degradation in children with sepsis following a bolus of intravenous fluids (15). The article comes with an editorial (16). The second topic is the morbidity of hyperoxia. In early 2022 we learned that there are 16 pediatric critical care studies with over 27 thousand patients that, collectively, suggests an association between hyperoxia and greater odds of mortality (17). We now have a mechanistic substudy nested within the pilot feasibility RCT of liberal versus conservative oxygenation targeting (i.e., pulse oximetry > 94% versus 88%−92%, respectively) (18). The authors report redox responses and gene expression of hypoxia-inducible factor 1a in the two oxygenation groups. Hopefully, their hypothesis will be tested in the now completed RCT of oxygen targeting and outcome in pediatrics (19). Finally, another highlight for me is a narrative essay entitled “The Trip of a Lifetime” (20).

Does maternal oxygen administration during non-reassuring fetal status affect the umbilical artery gas measures and neonatal outcomes?

To clarify whether maternal oxygen administration during vaginal delivery improves umbilical artery (UA) gas measurements and neonatal outcomes. Singleton pregnancies requiring operative vaginal delivery or emergency cesarean section (CS) due to non-reassuring fetal status (NRFS) during vaginal delivery at our hospital from 2018 to 2021 were retrospectively investigated. Intrapartum fetal wellbeing was evaluated based on the 5-tier fetal heart rate (FHR) pattern which is a delivery management method widely used in Japan. Operative vaginal deliveries or emergency CS was performed under integrated judgment in NRFS. Patients were divided into the oxygen group to whom oxygen (10 L/min) was supplied by a facemask and the room air group. The UAgas measurements and neonatal outcomes were compared. The oxygen administration was classified by conditions before and after the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic. As a secondary evaluation, stratification of FHR pattern levels and factors associated with UA pH < 7.15 were examined. A total of 250 patients required obstetric surgical delivery due to NRFS, including 140 (56%) and 110 (44%) in the oxygen and room air groups, respectively. No differences in maternal background factors were found between both groups, except for maternal age. UA gas measurements and neonatal outcomes also showed no significant differences. No significant factors were extracted in the multivariate analysis for UA pH < 7.15. Trans-maternal oxygen administration for intrapartum NRFS did not affect neonatal cord blood gasses or neonatal outcomes. Thus, routine oxygen administration for intrapartum NRFS may not always be necessary.

Environmental-friendly and effectively regenerate anode material of spent lithium-ion batteries into high-performance P-doped graphite

Recycling graphitefrom spentlithium-ionbatteries has been largely ignored.In the present work, we propose a novel purification process, which modifies the structure of graphite through phosphoric acid leaching-calcination to obtain high-performance phosphorus (P)-doped graphite (LG-temperature) and lithium phosphate products. The content analysis of X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), X-ray fluorescence (XRF) and scanning electron microscope focused ion beam (SEM-FIB) indicates that the LG structure is deformed by the doped P atom. The results of In-situ fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (In-situ-FTIR), density functional theory (DFT) calculation and XPS analysis show that the surface of the leached spent graphite contains rich oxygen groups, which react with phosphoric acid at high temperatures and form stable C-O-P and C-P bonds, making it easier to form stable solid electrolyte interface (SEI) layer. The increase of layer spacing is confirmed by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Raman and transmission electron microscope (TEM), which is conducive to the formation of efficient Li+ transport channels. What is more, Li/LG-800 cells possess high reversible specific capacities of 359, 345, 330 and 289 mA h g−1 at 0.2C, 0.5C, 1C and 2C, respectively. After100cyclesat0.5C, the specific capacityis as high as 366 mAh g−1, demonstrating the outstanding reversibility and cycle performance. This study proves and highlights a promising recovery route for exhausted lithium-ion batteries anodes, making complete recycling possible.

A high-tortuosity holey graphene in-situ derived from cytomembrane/cytoderm boosts ultrastable potassium storage

• A high-tortuosity holey graphene was successfully prepared based on the unique flake structure and chemical composition of cytomembrane and cytoderm. • Benefiting from the unique nanoholes shortening the ion-diffusion length, the synergy of wrinkled and holey structure stabilizing volume fluctuation, the enhanced electronic conductivity and specific surface area. • The anode achieves excellent reversible capacity, and exceptional rate capability with an ultra-long cycle lifespan in PIBs. • The anode exhibits a high energy density as well as considerable cycling stability for potassium-ion full cells. The sluggish K + kinetics and structural instability of the generally-used graphite and other carbon-based materials hinder the development of potassium-ion batteries (PIBs) for high-rate capability and long-term cycling. Herein, inspired by the unique flake structure and chemical composition of cytomembrane and cytoderm, we design high-tortuosity holey graphene as a highly efficient anode for PIBs. The flake cytomembrane and cytoderm shrink into wrinkled morphology during drying and sintering and then convert into high-tortuosity graphene after oxidative exfoliating and thermal reducing process. Meanwhile, the proteins, sugars, and glycolipids embedded in cytomembrane and cytoderm can in-situ form nanoholes with highly abundant oxygenic groups and heteroatoms around, which can be easily removed and finally the high-tortuosity holey graphene is obtained after a thermal reducing process. The stress distribution after K + intercalation confirms the optimized release of strain caused by the volume change through the finite element method. Benefiting from the unique nanoholes shortening the ion-diffusion length, the synergy of wrinkled and holey structure stabilizing volume fluctuation, and the enhanced electronic conductivity and specific surface area, the high-tortuosity holey graphene demonstrates high reversible capacities of 410 mAh g –1 at 25 mA g –1 after 150 cycles and retains 91.5% at 2 A g –1 after 2500 cycles.

Effect of venoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation initiation timing on tricuspid valve surgery outcomes

ObjectivesTricuspid valve surgery is associated with high rates of shock and in-hospital mortality. Early initiation of venoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation after surgery may provide right ventricular support and improve survival. We evaluated mortality in patients undergoing tricuspid valve surgery based on the timing of venoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation. MethodsAll consecutive adult patients undergoing isolated or combined surgical tricuspid valve repair or replacement from 2010 to 2022 requiring venoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation use were stratified by initiation in the operating room (Early) versus outside of the operating room (Late). Variables associated with in-hospital mortality were explored using logistic regression. ResultsThere were 47 patients who required venoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation: 31 Early and 16 Late. Mean age was 55.6 years (standard deviation, 16.8), 25 (54.3%) were in New York Heart Association class III/IV, 30 (60.8%) had left-sided valve disease, and 11 (23.4%) had undergone prior cardiac surgery. Median left ventricular ejection fraction was 60.0% (interquartile range, 45-65), right ventricular size was moderately to severely increased in 26 patients (60.5%), and right ventricular function was moderately to severely reduced in 24 patients (51.1%). Concomitant left-sided valve surgery was performed in 25 patients (53.2%). There were no differences in baseline characteristics or invasive measurements immediately before surgery between the Early and Late groups. Venoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation was initiated 194 (23.0-840.0) minutes after cardiopulmonary bypass in the Late venoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation group. In-hospital mortality was 35.5% (n = 11) in the Early group versus 68.8% (n = 11) in the Late group (P = .037). Late venoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation was associated with in-hospital mortality (odds ratio, 4.00; 1.10-14.50; P = .035). ConclusionsEarly postoperative initiation of venoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation after tricuspid valve surgery in high-risk patients may be associated with improvement in postoperative hemodynamics and in-hospital mortality.

Oxidation of hydrochar produced from byproducts of the sugarcane industry for the production of humic-like substances: Characterization and interaction study with Cu(II)

Humic-like substances (HLS) are molecules extracted in an alkaline medium from different materials that have not been subjected to the natural process of humification that occurs in the soil. HLS have the potential to be used as organic fertilizers due to their ability to incorporate micronutrients such as Cu(II) and Co(II); in addition, they represent an alternative for the remediation of contaminated areas due to their high affinity for metals. HLS can be extracted from hydrochar (HC) but only with low yields of approximately 5%. Therefore, the present study aimed to increase the amount of HLS extracted from the HC produced from byproducts of the sugarcane industry through the oxidation of HC with HNO3. HLS extracted from oxidized and unoxidized HC were characterized by CHNS analysis and 13C CPMAS NMR. The interaction between HLS and Cu(II) was studied by molecular fluorescence quenching (EEM-PARAFAC) and applying the Ryan and Weber complexation model. The oxidation of HC with HNO3 allowed high yields of extracted HLS of above 80%. The oxidation carried out with 30% HNO3 for 2 h showed the best result, since the HLS30%(2h) were extracted with a very high yield (88.3%) in a short period of time. Oxidation promoted a decrease in HLS aromaticity and an increase in oxygen and nitrogen groups. HLS showed high affinity for Cu(II), as evidenced by the high logK values (between 5.5 and 5.9). HLS extracted from oxidized HCs showed higher complexation capacity due to the greater incorporation of the oxygenated groups promoted by oxidation, which are fundamental during the interaction with metallic cations. Therefore, the oxidation of HC substantially increased the production of HLS, representing a big advance for the production of carbonaceous materials with higher added value from byproducts of the sugarcane industry produced on a large scale in Brazil.

Conductive Additives for Improving the Rate Capability of Cathode Materials in Secondary Lithium Batteries

Conductive additive, one of the most important components of a battery, is an indispensable key material in the high-current charging and discharging processes of lithium-ion batteries. The most fundamental reason for adding appropriate conductive additives in the electrode is to improve the poor conductive performance of the electrode-active material, reduce the internal resistance and polarization of the electrode, and improve the comprehensive performance of the battery. Herein, a graphene-like material with a unique two-dimensional morphology was proposed, as obtained by an efficient one-step electrochemical synthesis, which can provide a flexible plane-to-point conducting network to improve the electronic conductivity of cathode materials. Compared with the commercial conductive additive Super P, the NCM811 cathode material with ECGO can deliver a capacity of 147.3 mAh g–1 at a high rate of 2 C, and sulfur cathode retains 620 mAh g–1 after 200 cycles, corresponding to the capacity retention of 74%. Also, due to the presence of oxygen groups, ECGO is proposed as an effective conductive additive in Li-ion cathodes prepared by water-based processing. Therefore, the cathode materials with the ECGO conductive additive can contribute to reduce the interfacial resistance and increase the capability, showing great advantages compared to the commercial conductive additives.

Tailoring Vertically Aligned Inorganic‐Polymer Nanocomposites with Abundant Lewis Acid Sites for Ultra‐Stable Solid‐State Lithium Metal Batteries

AbstractNanocomposite solid polymer electrolytes are considered as a promising strategy for solid‐state lithium metal batteries (SSLMBs). However, the randomly dispersed fillers in the polymer matrix with limited Li+transference number and insufficient ionic conductivity severely sacrifice the ion transport capacity, thus restricting their practical application. To tackle these issues, a magnetic field‐assisted alignment strategy is proposed to disperse the vertically aligned akaganéite nanotube in the polymer matrix as an inorganic‐polymer nanocomposite solid‐state electrolyte for ultra‐stable SSLMBs. The metal cations as Lewis acid sites can grab anions to promote the dissociation of Li salts while the sufficient oxygen and hydroxyl functional group offer abundant Li‐ion migration sites for favored ion transportation. At the same time, the vertically aligned akaganéite/polymer interface combined with the above synergistic effects can establish oriented channels inside solid‐state electrolyte, which significantly elevates its ionic conductivity. Specially, an organic‐inorganic dual‐layer solid‐electrolyte interface is formed to uniform Li deposition and suppress the dendrite growth. The beneficial effect of the vertically aligned network is also demonstrated in full cell and pouch cell where remarkable 2000 cycles with a capacity decay of 0.012% per cycle can be achieved.

Effects of tumor necrosis factor-alpha/extracellular signal-regulated kinase pathway on migration ability of HaCaT cells and full-thickness skin defects in mice

Effects of tumor necrosis factor-alpha/extracellular signal-regulated kinase pathway on migration ability of HaCaT cells and full-thickness skin defects in mice