Insights into the LiMnO Cathode Stability in Aqueous Electrolytes.

LiMnO (LMO) cathodes present large stability when cycled in aqueous electrolytes, contrasting with their behavior in conventional organic electrolytes in lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). To elucidate the mechanisms underlying this distinctive behavior, we employ unconventional characterization techniques, including variable energy positron annihilation lifetime spectroscopy (VEPALS), tip-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (TERS), and macro-Raman spectroscopy (with tens of μm-size laser spot). These still rather unexplored techniques in the battery field provide complementary information across different length scales, revealing previously hidden features.

Structural and vibrational properties of SbS: Practical methodologies for accelerated research and application of this low dimensional material.

Recently, the interest for the family of low dimensional materials has increased significantly due to the anisotropic nature of their fundamental properties. Among them, antimony sulfide (SbS) is considered a suitable material for various solid-state devices. Although the main advantages and physicochemical properties of SbS are known, some doubtful information remains in literature and methodologies to easily assess its critical properties are missing.

Raman scattering and spectroscopic ellipsometry studies of SbS and SbSe bulk polycrystals.

Antimony sulfide (SbS) and antimony selenide (SbSe) compounds have attracted considerable attention for applications in different optoelectronic devices due to their notable optical and electrical properties, and due to the strong anisotropy of these properties along different crystallographic directions. However, the efficient use of these promising compounds still requires significant efforts in characterization of their fundamental properties. In the present study, Raman scattering and spectroscopic ellipsometry were used to investigate the vibrational and optical properties of SbSe and SbS bulk polycrystals grown by the modified Bridgman method.

Development of mobile compatible software for cognitive-communication disorder in individuals with Alzheimer's disease.

Background: Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease. Cognitive functions and communication skills worsen as the disease progresses, thereby reducing patients' independence levels. Therefore, recommending software that can be used at home may be a useful means of slowing down the cognitive and communicative decline in AD.

Overcoming Limitations in Water-Ethanol Sprayed Superstrate Solar Cells by Compositional Engineering of CuCdSn(S,Se).

The increasing demand for solar energy requires materials from earth-abundant elements to ensure cost-effective production. One such light harvester CuCdSn(S,Se) fulfills this property. We report the development of functional solar cells based on CuCdSn(S,Se), which has been previously unreported.

Comparison of general pediatric ward admissions between the COVID-19 pandemic and pre-pandemic period.

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has affected many aspects of life as well as hospital admissions. We hypothesized that many infectious diseases and hospitalizations in the pediatric age group might have decreased during the pandemic period.

Objective: Evaluate patients admitted to the general pediatric wards during the pandemic in comparison with the pre-pandemic period.

Adsorption and selectivity studies of direct and magnetite-cored molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs and magMIPs) towards chosen chalcones investigated with various analytical methods.

The following article presents a method for obtaining molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) dedicated to -chalcone (TC) and 2',4'-dihydroxy-3-methoxychalcone (DHMC). The synthetic protocol optimized with a choice of the most suitable functional monomer led to the synthesis of MIPs and their non-imprinted equivalents (NIP) performed direct polymerization or on the surface of magnetite nanoparticles. The characterized materials were investigated for adsorption isotherms of TC and DHMC, which led to satisfactory values of maximal adsorption capacity, reaching 131.

Controlling the Anionic Ratio and Gradient in Kesterite Technology.

Accurate anionic control during the formation of chalcogenide solid solutions is fundamental for tuning the physicochemical properties of this class of materials. Compositional grading is the key aspect of band gap engineering and is especially valuable at the device interfaces for an optimum band alignment, for controlling interface defects and recombination and for optimizing the formation of carrier-selective contacts. However, a simple and reliable technique that allows standardizing anionic compositional profiles is currently missing for kesterites and the feasibility of achieving a compositional gradient remains a challenging task.

Environmental impact of molecularly imprinted polymers used as analyte sorbents in mass spectrometry.

The molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) with the following herbicides used as templates 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) or 4-chloro-2-methylphenoxy- acetic acid (MCPA) were synthesized by precipitation polymerization technique using 4-vinylpyridine (4-VP) as a functional monomer, ethylene glycol dimethacrylate (EGDMA) as a cross-linking agent, and 2,2'-azobisisobutyronitrile (AIBN) as an initiator in methanol solvent. For the flavonoid MIPs, rutin (Ru) and quercetin (Q) were used as templates and synthesized via a similar technique, utilizing acrylamide (AA) as a functional monomer. Analysis of binding in the molecularly imprinted and non-imprinted polymer (NIP) has proved that MIP shows a higher affinity towards the analytes, compared to NIP.

Analysis of Amygdalin in Various Matrices Using Electrospray Ionization and Flowing Atmospheric-Pressure Afterglow Mass Spectrometry.

Amygdalin is a natural cyanogenic compound that plants produce in the fight against insects and herbivores. Excessive amounts of amygdalin by animals and humans can potentially lead to fatal intoxication. However, studies confirm that amygdalin has antitumor properties, including the ability to inhibit the proliferation of cancer cells and to induce their apoptosis.

Transition-Metal Oxides for Kesterite Solar Cells Developed on Transparent Substrates.

Fabrication on transparent soda-lime glass/fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO) substrates opens the way to advanced applications for kesterite solar cells such as semitransparent, bifacial, and tandem devices, which are key to the future of the PV market. However, the complex behavior of the p-kesterite/n-FTO back-interface potentially limits the power conversion efficiency of such devices. Overcoming this issue requires careful interface engineering.

Molecularly Imprinted Polymers and Magnetic Molecularly Imprinted Polymers for Selective Determination of Estrogens in Water by ESI-MS/FAPA-MS.

Qualitative and quantitative analysis of estrogens content in natural water is a difficult task. An important problem in the analysis of hormones in water is the quantitative determination of their individual species. Low detection limits and instability of estrogen derivatives are the main challenges.

Improving Carrier-Transport Properties of CZTS by Mg Incorporation with Spray Pyrolysis.

High nonradiative recombination, low diffusion length and band tailing are often associated with a large open circuit voltage deficit, which results in low efficiency of CuZnSnS (CZTS) solar cells. Recently, cation substitution in CZTS has gained interest as a plausible solution to suppress these issues. However, the common substitutes, Ag and Cd, are not ideal due to their scarcity and toxicity.

Application of Molecularly Imprinted Polymers (MIP) and Magnetic Molecularly Imprinted Polymers (mag-MIP) to Selective Analysis of Quercetin in Flowing Atmospheric-Pressure Afterglow Mass Spectrometry (FAPA-MS) and in Electrospray Ionization Mass Spectrometry (ESI-MS).

Molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) and magnetic molecularly imprinted polymer (mag-MIP) for solid extraction and pre-concentration of quercetin have been successfully prepared by thermal polymerization method using quercetin (Q) as a template, acrylamide (AA) as a functional monomer, and ethylene glycol dimethacrylate (EGDMA) as a cross-linking agent. The MIP and mag-MIP were successfully applied in analysis of quercetin by mass spectrometry (MS) methods. To perform ambient plasma ionization experiments, a setup consisting of the heated crucible, a flowing atmospheric-pressure afterglow (FAPA) plasma ion source, and amaZon SL ion trap (Bruker, Bremen, Germany) was used.

Evaluation of AA-CVD deposited phase pure polymorphs of SnS for thin films solar cells.

Six different thin film solar cells consisting of either orthorhombic (α-SnS) or cubic (π-SnS) tin(ii) sulfide absorber layers have been fabricated, characterized and evaluated. Absorber layers of either π-SnS or α-SnS were selectively deposited by temperature controlled Aerosol Assisted Chemical Vapor Deposition (AA-CVD) from a single source precursor. α-SnS and π-SnS layers were grown on molybdenum (Mo), Fluorine-doped Tin Oxide (FTO), and FTO coated with a thin amorphous-TiO layer (am-TiO -FTO), which were shown to have significant impact on the growth rate and morphology of the as deposited thin films.

Magnetotransport and conductivity mechanisms in CuZnSnGeS single crystals.

Resistivity, ρ(T), and magnetoresistance (MR) are investigated in the CuZnSnGeS single crystals, obtained by the chemical vapor transport method, between x = 0-0.70, in the temperature range of T ~ 50-300 K in pulsed magnetic field of B up to 20 T. The Mott variable-range hopping (VRH) conductivity is observed within broad temperature intervals, lying inside that of T ~ 80-180 K for different x.

Mechanisms of charge transfer and electronic properties of CuZnGeS from investigations of the high-field magnetotransport.

Recent development of the thin film solar cells, based on quaternary compounds, has been focused on the Ge contain compounds and their solid solutions. However, for effective utilization of CuZnGeS, deeper investigations of its transport properties are required. In the present manuscript, we investigate resistivity, ρ (T), magnetoresistance and Hall effect in p-type CuZnGeS single crystals in pulsed magnetic fields up to 20 T.

Resonant Raman scattering based approaches for the quantitative assessment of nanometric ZnMgO layers in high efficiency chalcogenide solar cells.

This work reports a detailed resonant Raman scattering analysis of ZnMgO solid solution nanometric layers that are being developed for high efficiency chalcogenide solar cells. This includes layers with thicknesses below 100 nm and compositions corresponding to Zn/(Zn + Mg) content rations in the range between 0% and 30%. The vibrational characterization of the layers grown with different compositions and thicknesses has allowed deepening in the knowledge of the sensitivity of the different Raman spectral features on the characteristics of the layers, corroborating the viability of resonant Raman scattering based techniques for their non-destructive quantitative assessment.

Hopping magnetotransport of the band-gap tuning Cu2Zn(Sn x Ge1-x )Se4 crystals.

Resistivity, ρ(T, x), of Cu2Zn(Sn x Ge1-x )Se4 (CZTGeSe) single crystals with x  =  0-1, investigated at temperatures between T ~ 10-320 K, exhibits an activated character within the whole temperature range, attaining a minimum at x  =  0.47. Magnetoresistance (MR) of CZTGeSe with x  =  0.

Fermi resonance in the phonon spectra of quaternary chalcogenides of the type Cu2ZnGeS4.

The experimental resonant and non-resonant Raman scattering spectra of the kesterite structural modification of Cu2ZnGeS4 single crystals are reported. The results are compared with those calculated theoretically within the density functional perturbation theory. For the majority of lines a good agreement (within 2-5 cm(-1)) is established between experimental and calculated mode frequencies.

Polarized Raman scattering study of kesterite type Cu2ZnSnS4 single crystals.

A non-destructive Raman spectroscopy has been widely used as a complimentary method to X-ray diffraction characterization of Cu2ZnSnS4 (CZTS) thin films, yet our knowledge of the Raman active fundamental modes in this material is far from complete. Focusing on polarized Raman spectroscopy provides important information about the relationship between Raman modes and CZTS crystal structure. In this framework the zone-center optical phonons of CZTS, which is most usually examined in active layers of the CZTS based solar cells, are studied by polarized resonant and non-resonant Raman spectroscopy in the range from 60 to 500 cm(-1) on an oriented single crystal.

The effects of aspirin, flurbiprofen, and NO-donating acetylsalicylic acid (NCX 4016) on mice models of endotoxic and septic shock.

Background/aim: Nitric oxide-donating nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs (NO-NSAIDs) are a promising new class of antiinflammatory agents, which are obtained by adding NO-donating moieties to the existing conventional NSAID molecules. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of aspirin, flurbiprofen, and NO-donating acetylsalicylic acid (NCX 4016) on cecal ligation and puncture (CLP) and endotoxin-induced septic shock (LPS) models in mice.

Materials And Methods: Overall survival and spleen and liver weights were monitored in LPS and CLP models.

A novel peritoneum derived vascular prosthesis formed on a latex catheter in an SDF-1 chemokine enriched environment: a pilot study.

Introduction: Although saphenous vein grafts are widely used conduits for coronary artery bypass graft surgery, their clinical value remains limited due to high failure rates. The aim of the study was to evaluate feasibility, safety, and biocompatibility of peritoneal derived vascular grafts (PDVG) formed on a silicone-coated, latex, Foley catheter in a stromal cell-derived factor (SDF-1)- enriched environment.

Methods: Foley catheters were implanted into the parietal wall of 8 sheep.

Structural study and Raman scattering analysis of Cu2ZnSiTe4 bulk crystals.

Bulk crystals of Cu(2)ZnSiTe(4) (CZSiTe) have been prepared by modified Bridgman method and have been investigated by single crystal X-ray method, Energy Dispersive X-Ray analysis and Raman scattering techniques. The structural studies revealed that the CZSiTe compounds crystallizes in the tetragonal space group I4¯2m, with a = b = 5.9612(1) Å and c = 11.