Superionic conducting vacancy-rich β-LiN electrolyte for stable cycling of all-solid-state lithium metal batteries.

The advancement of all-solid-state lithium metal batteries requires breakthroughs in solid-state electrolytes (SSEs) for the suppression of lithium dendrite growth at high current densities and high capacities (>3 mAh cm) and innovation of SSEs in terms of crystal structure, ionic conductivity and rigidness. Here we report a superionic conducting, highly lithium-compatible and air-stable vacancy-rich β-LiN SSE. This vacancy-rich β-LiN SSE shows a high ionic conductivity of 2.

Resistance of Boron Nitride Nanotubes to Radiation-Induced Oxidation.

We present unprecedented results on the damage thresholds and pathways for boron nitride nanotubes (BNNT) under the influence of energetic electrons in an oxidative gas environment, using an environmental aberration-corrected electron microscope over a range of oxygen pressures. We observe a damage cascade process that resists damage until a higher electron dose, compared with carbon nanotubes, initiating at defect-free BNNT sidewalls and proceeding through the conversion from crystalline nanotubes to amorphous boron nitride (BN), resisting oxidation throughout. We compare with prior results on the oxidation of carbon nanotubes and present a model that attributes the onset of damage in both cases to a physisorbed oxygen layer that reduces the threshold for damage onset.

Association between gestational hypnotic benzodiazepine receptor agonists exposure and adverse pregnancy outcomes: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Objective: Hypnotic benzodiazepine receptor agonists (HBRA) are frequently prescribed in pregnancy but little is known about their effects on pregnancy outcomes. Herein, we systematically reviewed the evidence on the effects of HBRA exposure during pregnancy and risk of preterm birth (PTB), small for gestational age (SGA), birth defects, and low birth weight (LBW).

Methods: We reviewed the databases of PubMed, CENTRAL, Embase, Scopus, and Web of Science from the earliest possible date to 17th May 2024 and included all studies examining adverse pregnancy outcomes with gestational exposure to HBRA.

Tuning collective anion motion enables superionic conductivity in solid-state halide electrolytes.

Halides of the family LiMX (M = Y, In, Sc and so on, X = halogen) are emerging solid electrolyte materials for all-solid-state Li-ion batteries. They show greater chemical stability and wider electrochemical stability windows than existing sulfide solid electrolytes, but have lower room-temperature ionic conductivities. Here we report the discovery that the superionic transition in LiYCl is triggered by the collective motion of anions, as evidenced by synchrotron X-ray and neutron scattering characterizations and ab initio molecular dynamics simulations.

Assessment of the Safety and Exopolysaccharide Synthesis Capabilities of Bacillus amyloliquefaciens D189 Based on Complete Genome and Phenotype Analysis.

Exopolysaccharides (EPS) are natural macromolecular carbohydrates with good functional activity and physiological activities, which can be utilized as an emulsifier, viscosity enhancer, stabilizer, gelling agent, and water retention agent in a wide range of food products. In this study, the whole genome of Bacillus amyloliquefaciens D189, an EPS-producing bacteria, was sequenced. The result showed that D189 contains a single, circular chromosome of 3,963,356 bp with an average GC content of 45.

Habitual use of glucosamine and adverse liver outcomes among patients with type 2 diabetes and MASLD.

Background: Glucosamine is a dietary supplement commonly used to support joint health. However, there has been interest in exploring other effects of glucosamine on health outcomes due to its ant-inflammation effect.

Objective: This study compared the risks of major adverse liver outcomes (MALOs) between regular users and non-users of glucosamine among patients with type 2 diabetes and metabolic dysfunction associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) using the data from a large prospective cohort study.

Design principles for sodium superionic conductors.

Motivated by the high-performance solid-state lithium batteries enabled by lithium superionic conductors, sodium superionic conductor materials have great potential to empower sodium batteries with high energy, low cost, and sustainability. A critical challenge lies in designing and discovering sodium superionic conductors with high ionic conductivities to enable the development of solid-state sodium batteries. Here, by studying the structures and diffusion mechanisms of Li-ion versus Na-ion conducting solids, we reveal the structural feature of face-sharing high-coordination sites for fast sodium-ion conductors.

Glycemic variability: Measurement, target, impact on complications of diabetes and does it really matter?

Over the past two decades, there has been continuous advancement in the accuracy and complexity of continuous glucose monitoring devices. Continuous glucose monitoring provides valuable insights into blood glucose dynamics, and can record glucose fluctuations accurately and completely. Glycemic variability (GV) is a straightforward measure of the extent to which a patient's blood glucose levels fluctuate between high peaks and low nadirs.

Lithium-compatible and air-stable vacancy-rich LiNCl for high-areal capacity, long-cycling all-solid-state lithium metal batteries.

Attaining substantial areal capacity (>3 mAh/cm) and extended cycle longevity in all-solid-state lithium metal batteries necessitates the implementation of solid-state electrolytes (SSEs) capable of withstanding elevated critical current densities and capacities. In this study, we report a high-performing vacancy-rich LiNCl SSE demonstrating excellent lithium compatibility and atmospheric stability and enabling high-areal capacity, long-lasting all-solid-state lithium metal batteries. The LiNCl facilitates efficient lithium-ion transport due to its disordered lattice structure and presence of vacancies.

Halide Heterogeneous Structure Boosting Ionic Diffusion and High-Voltage Stability of Sodium Superionic Conductors.

The development of solid-state sodium-ion batteries (SSSBs) heavily hinges on the development of an superionic Na conductor (SSC) that features high conductivity, (electro)chemical stability, and deformability. The construction of heterogeneous structures offers a promising approach to comprehensively enhancing these properties in a way that differs from traditional structural optimization. Here, this work exploits the structural variance between high- and low-coordination halide frameworks to develop a new class of halide heterogeneous structure electrolytes (HSEs).

Lithium crystallization at solid interfaces.

Understanding the electrochemical deposition of metal anodes is critical for high-energy rechargeable batteries, among which solid-state lithium metal batteries have attracted extensive interest. A long-standing open question is how electrochemically deposited lithium-ions at the interfaces with the solid-electrolytes crystalize into lithium metal. Here, using large-scale molecular dynamics simulations, we study and reveal the atomistic pathways and energy barriers of lithium crystallization at the solid interfaces.

Understanding the Polymorphism of Cobalt Nanoparticles Formed in Electrodeposition-An In Situ XRD Study.

An advanced synchrotron-based X-ray diffraction (XRD) technique is successfully developed and employed to track and monitor the formation and phase selection of cobalt (Co) in electrodeposition in real time and verify DFT computational results. The impacts of a number of controlling factors including the pH of the electrolyte and deposition overpotential are systematically studied. The results show that the yielded phase of the electrodeposited Co is controlled by both thermodynamics and kinetics.

Frustration in Super-Ionic Conductors Unraveled by the Density of Atomistic States.

The frustration in super-ionic conductors enables their exceptionally high ionic conductivities, which are desired for many technological applications including batteries and fuel cells. A key challenge in the study of frustration is the difficulties in analyzing a large number of disordered atomistic configurations. Using lithium super-ionic conductors as model systems, we propose and demonstrate the density of atomistic states (DOAS) analytics to quantitatively characterize the onset and degree of disordering, reveal the energetics of local disorder, and elucidate how the frustration enhances diffusion through the broadening and overlapping of the energy levels of atomistic states.

Superionic Conducting Halide Frameworks Enabled by Interface-Bonded Halides.

The revival of ternary halides Li-M-X (M = Y, In, Zr, etc.; X = F, Cl, Br) as solid-state electrolytes (SSEs) shows promise in realizing practical solid-state batteries due to their direct compatibility toward high-voltage cathodes and favorable room-temperature ionic conductivities. Most of the reported superionic halide SSEs have a structural pattern of [MCl] octahedra and generate a tetrahedron-assisted Li ion diffusion pathway.

Decreasing complexity of glucose time series derived from continuous glucose monitoring is correlated with deteriorating glucose regulation.

Most information used to evaluate diabetic statuses is collected at a special time-point, such as taking fasting plasma glucose test and providing a limited view of individual's health and disease risk. As a new parameter for continuously evaluating personal clinical statuses, the newly developed technique "continuous glucose monitoring" (CGM) can characterize glucose dynamics. By calculating the complexity of glucose time series index (CGI) with refined composite multi-scale entropy analysis of the CGM data, the study showed for the first time that the complexity of glucose time series in subjects decreased gradually from normal glucose tolerance to impaired glucose regulation and then to type 2 diabetes (P for trend < 0.

Impact of short-term glycemic variability on risk of all-cause mortality in type 2 diabetes patients with well-controlled glucose profile by continuous glucose monitoring: A prospective cohort study.

Aims: To investigate the association between short-term glycemic variability (GV) and all-cause mortality in type 2 diabetes with well-controlled glucose profile by continuous glucose monitoring (CGM).

Methods: In this prospective study, 1839 diabetes patients who reached percentage of time in the target glucose range of 3.9-10 mmol/L > 70%, percentage of time above range of 10 mmol/L < 25% and percentage of time below range of 3.

Multi-principal elemental intermetallic nanoparticles synthesized via a disorder-to-order transition.

Nanoscale multi-principal element intermetallics (MPEIs) may provide a broad and tunable compositional space of active, high-surface area materials with potential applications such as catalysis and magnetics. However, MPEI nanoparticles are challenging to fabricate because of the tendency of the particles to grow/agglomerate or phase-separated during annealing. Here, we demonstrate a disorder-to-order phase transition approach that enables the synthesis of ultrasmall (4 to 5 nm) and stable MPEI nanoparticles (up to eight elements).

The Effectiveness of Traditional Chinese Medicine Jinlida Granules on Glycemic Variability in Newly Diagnosed Type 2 Diabetes: A Double-Blinded, Randomized Trial.

This study aimed to evaluate the influence of Jinlida granules on glycemic variability with or without metformin treatment in patients with newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes. This study was a 16-week, double-blinded, randomized, controlled clinical trial. The enrolled patients with newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes were randomly divided into four groups: control, Jinlida, metformin, and combination treatment groups.

Interfacial Defect of Lithium Metal in Solid-State Batteries.

All-solid-state battery with Li metal anode is a promising rechargeable battery technology with high energy density and improved safety. Currently, the application of Li metal anode is plagued by the failure at the interfaces between lithium metal and solid electrolyte (SE). However, little is known about the defects at Li-SE interfaces and their effects on Li cycling, impeding further improvement of Li metal anodes.

Low-carbohydrate diets lead to greater weight loss and better glucose homeostasis than exercise: a randomized clinical trial.

Lifestyle interventions, including dietary adjustments and exercise, are important for obesity management. This study enrolled adults with overweight or obesity to explore whether either low-carbohydrate diet (LCD) or exercise is more effective in metabolism improvement. Forty-five eligible subjects were randomly divided into an LCD group (n = 22) and an exercise group (EX, n = 23).

Increased Serum GDF15 Related to Improvement in Metabolism by Lifestyle Intervention Among Young Overweight and Obese Adults.

Aim: Growth differentiation factor 15 (GDF15) is closely related to obesity. This study aimed to explore the influence of weight loss intervention on serum GDF15 levels and the relationship between GDF15 and metabolism.

Materials And Methods: Forty-four overweight and obese adults either adopted a low-carbohydrate diet or performed moderate-to-vigorous exercise for 3 weeks.

Interfacial Atomistic Mechanisms of Lithium Metal Stripping and Plating in Solid-State Batteries.

All-solid-state batteries based on a Li metal anode represent a promising next-generation energy storage system, but are currently limited by low current density and short cycle life. Further research to improve the Li metal anode is impeded by the lack of understanding in its failure mechanisms at lithium-solid interfaces, in particular, the fundamental atomistic processes responsible for interface failure. Here, using large-scale molecular dynamics simulations, the first atomistic modeling study of lithium stripping and plating on a solid electrolyte is performed by explicitly considering key fundamental atomistic processes and interface atomistic structures.

Elucidating Interfacial Stability between Lithium Metal Anode and Li Phosphorus Oxynitride via Electron Microscopy.

Li phosphorus oxynitride (LiPON) is one of a very few solid electrolytes that have demonstrated high stability against Li metal and extended cyclability with high Coulombic efficiency for all solid-state batteries (ASSBs). However, theoretical calculations show that LiPON reacts with Li metal. Here, we utilize electron microscopy to observe the dynamic evolutions at the LiPON-Li interface upon contacting and under biasing.