Interfacial architecture for extra Li+ storage in all-solid-state lithium batteries

The performance of nanocomposite electrodes prepared by controlled ball-milling of TiS2 and a Li2S-P2S5 solid electrolyte (SE) for all-solid-state lithium batteries is investigated, focusing on the evolution of the microstructure. Compared to the manually mixed electrodes, the ball-milled electrodes exhibit abnormally increased first-charge capacities of 416 mA h g-1and 837 mA h g-1 in the voltage ranges 1.5-3.0 V and 1.0-3.0 V, respectively, at 50 mA g-1 and 30??C. The ball-milled electrodes also show excellent capacity retention of 95% in the 1.5-3.0 V range after 60 cycles as compared to the manually mixed electrodes. More importantly, a variety of characterization techniques show that the origin of the extra Li+ storage is associated with an amorphous Li-Ti-P-S phase formed during the controlled ball-milling process.open1

Performances Monitoring and Analysis for KASS

The Korea Augmentation Satellite System (KASS) is the future SBAS of the Republic of Korea. It is developed by the Korea Aerospace research Institute (KARI) for the government of the Republic of Korea, and Thales Alenia Space is the industry prime contractor of this development. The function of the KASS is to decompose all possible range error sources and to distribute corrections and/or alerts to its users by means of geostationary satellites. The KASS Processing Station (KPS) is the component of KASS in charge of computing the orbit, clock and ionosphere correction and alert information (below ‘Navigation Overlay Frame’, NOF) using data from a set of reference stations. The KPS is composed of two independent elements: the Processing Set (PS) and the Check Set (CS). The first element is responsible of computing the complete navigation context for the GNSS constellation (orbits and clock) and the ionosphere model, then to prepare and send the NOF to be broadcast to the users. The second element acts as a super user by applying the NOF to the GPS messages checking that this is consistent with an independent set of measurement to control and insure the integrity. The KPS-PS component plays a key role in the KASS performance achievement where the APV-1 service level is required. To feed the KPS, the KASS has specific KASS Reference Station (KRS) located on the Rep. of Korea land masses. Compared to other SBAS, this leads to a very concentrated station network. This particularity makes a specific algorithm adaptation of the KPS-PS necessary, as compared to the EGNOS solution, to provide the desired APV-1 performance. These adaptations regard both orbit determination and all the more ionosphere corrections due to the very low number of Ionosphere Grid Points (IPG) that need be modeled and monitored. To cope with these KASS specificities, Thales Alenia Space has designed, developed and qualified a new complete real time navigation algorithm chain that provides MOPS-compliant NOF messages. The ionosphere model is different from the EGNOS one that favors a local analysis counter to a global approach as the TRIN model [2] used in EGNOS. This new algorithm chain provides the specified APV-1 performance, particularly in the case of strong ionosphere activity, with a very good level of integrity margin. This paper presents the overall KASS system architecture as well as the results obtained using this new algorithm chain under different ionosphere contexts. The APV-1 service availability level is presented and the maximum of safety index on each monitored IGP and satellite is discussed

Expression of the RERG Gene is Gender-Dependent in Hepatocellular Carcinoma and Regulated by Histone Deacetyltransferases

Ras-related, estrogen-regulated, and growth-inhibitory gene (RERG) is a novel gene that was first reported in breast cancer. However, the functions of RERG are largely unknown in other tumor types. In this study, RERG expression was analyzed in hepatocellular carcinomas of human patients using reverse transcriptase PCR analysis. In addition, the possible regulation of RERG expression by histone deacetyltransferases (HDACs) was studied in several cell lines. Interestingly, the expression of RERG gene was increased in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) of male patients (57.9%) but decreased in HCC of females (87.5%) comparison with paired peri-tumoral tissues. Moreover, RERG gene expression was increased in murine hepatoma Hepa1-6 cells, human breast tumor MDA-MB-231 cells, and mouse normal fibroblast NIH3T3 cells after treated by HDAC inhibitor, trichostatin A. Our results suggest that RERG may function in a gender-dependent manner in hepatic tumorigenesis and that the expression of this gene may be regulated by an HDAC-related signaling pathway

The Expression of Estrogen Receptors in Hepatocellular Carcinoma in Korean Patients

Expression of estrogen receptors (ER)-α and -β, as well as androgen receptor (AR), in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is thought to be correlated with prognosis, survival, and male prevalence of HCC. These hypotheses are based on investigations of European patients; however the expression patterns of these receptors in Asian patients are largely unknown. In this study, we collected liver carcinoma and peritumor tissues from 32 patients (9 females and 23 males) in South Korea. The expression of ERs and ARs was studied using RT-PCR. Wild-type ER-α and AR were expressed in all of the samples investigated, and their expression was independent of the causal virus or patient sex. Expression of the ER-α variant was independent of sex (100% female vs. 91.3% male) and HCV and HBV status (91.3% vs. 100%). Wild-type ER-β was expressed more often in HCV patients than in HBV patients (95.7% vs. 44.4%; p < 0.05). In conclusion, the stronger ER-α variant expression in HCC tissues implies that this variant has an important role in HCC development. However, at least in Korean patients, expression of the ER-α variant (vER-α) is not related to male HCC prevalence. In addition, the predominant expression of ER-β in HCV patients suggests that it plays an important role in HCV-induced liver disease

SpiroESTdb: a transcriptome database and online tool for sparganum expressed sequences tags

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Sparganum (plerocercoid of <it>Spirometra erinacei</it>) is a parasite that possesses the remarkable ability to survive by successfully modifying its physiology and morphology to suit various hosts and can be found in various tissues, even the nervous system. However, surprisingly little is known about the molecular function of genes that are expressed during the course of the parasite life cycle. To begin to decipher the molecular processes underlying gene function, we constructed a database of expressed sequence tags (ESTs) generated from sparganum.</p> <p>Findings</p> <p>SpiroESTdb is a web-based information resource that is built upon the annotation and curation of 5,655 ESTs data. SpiroESTdb provides an integrated platform for expressed sequence data, expression dynamics, functional genes, genetic markers including single nucleotide polymorphisms and tandem repeats, gene ontology and KEGG pathway information. Moreover, SpiroESTdb supports easy access to gene pages, such as (i) curation and query forms, (ii) <it>in </it><it>silico </it>expression profiling and (iii) BLAST search tools. Comprehensive descriptions of the sparganum content of all sequenced data are available, including summary reports. The contents of SpiroESTdb can be viewed and downloaded from the web (<url>http://pathod.cdc.go.kr/spiroestdb</url>).</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>This integrative web-based database of sequence data, functional annotations and expression profiling data will serve as a useful tool to help understand and expand the characterization of parasitic infections. It can also be used to identify potential industrial drug targets and vaccine candidate genes.</p

Atrasentan and renal events in patients with type 2 diabetes and chronic kidney disease (SONAR): a double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled trial

Background: Short-term treatment for people with type 2 diabetes using a low dose of the selective endothelin A receptor antagonist atrasentan reduces albuminuria without causing significant sodium retention. We report the long-term effects of treatment with atrasentan on major renal outcomes. Methods: We did this double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled trial at 689 sites in 41 countries. We enrolled adults aged 18–85 years with type 2 diabetes, estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR)25–75 mL/min per 1·73 m 2 of body surface area, and a urine albumin-to-creatinine ratio (UACR)of 300–5000 mg/g who had received maximum labelled or tolerated renin–angiotensin system inhibition for at least 4 weeks. Participants were given atrasentan 0·75 mg orally daily during an enrichment period before random group assignment. Those with a UACR decrease of at least 30% with no substantial fluid retention during the enrichment period (responders)were included in the double-blind treatment period. Responders were randomly assigned to receive either atrasentan 0·75 mg orally daily or placebo. All patients and investigators were masked to treatment assignment. The primary endpoint was a composite of doubling of serum creatinine (sustained for ≥30 days)or end-stage kidney disease (eGFR <15 mL/min per 1·73 m 2 sustained for ≥90 days, chronic dialysis for ≥90 days, kidney transplantation, or death from kidney failure)in the intention-to-treat population of all responders. Safety was assessed in all patients who received at least one dose of their assigned study treatment. The study is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT01858532. Findings: Between May 17, 2013, and July 13, 2017, 11 087 patients were screened; 5117 entered the enrichment period, and 4711 completed the enrichment period. Of these, 2648 patients were responders and were randomly assigned to the atrasentan group (n=1325)or placebo group (n=1323). Median follow-up was 2·2 years (IQR 1·4–2·9). 79 (6·0%)of 1325 patients in the atrasentan group and 105 (7·9%)of 1323 in the placebo group had a primary composite renal endpoint event (hazard ratio [HR]0·65 [95% CI 0·49–0·88]; p=0·0047). Fluid retention and anaemia adverse events, which have been previously attributed to endothelin receptor antagonists, were more frequent in the atrasentan group than in the placebo group. Hospital admission for heart failure occurred in 47 (3·5%)of 1325 patients in the atrasentan group and 34 (2·6%)of 1323 patients in the placebo group (HR 1·33 [95% CI 0·85–2·07]; p=0·208). 58 (4·4%)patients in the atrasentan group and 52 (3·9%)in the placebo group died (HR 1·09 [95% CI 0·75–1·59]; p=0·65). Interpretation: Atrasentan reduced the risk of renal events in patients with diabetes and chronic kidney disease who were selected to optimise efficacy and safety. These data support a potential role for selective endothelin receptor antagonists in protecting renal function in patients with type 2 diabetes at high risk of developing end-stage kidney disease. Funding: AbbVie

Tris(pentafluorophenyl) borane as an electrolyte additive for high performance silicon thin film electrodes in lithium ion batteries

We report tris(pentafluorophenyl) borane (TPFPB) as a novel electrolyte additive for silicon (Si) thin film anodes in lithium ion batteries. The introduction of TPFPB into the electrolyte consisting of 1 M lithium perchlorate (LiClO(4)) in ethylene carbonate (EC)/diethyl carbonate (DEC) (1/1 volume) significantly enhances the capacity retention and coulombic efficiency. Specifically, TPFPB enables the improved properties by forming stable solid-electrolyte interphase (SEI) layers and suppressing surface pulverization. The SEI layers are thoroughly characterized by a variety of analytical tools including scanning electron microscopy (SEM), electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (X PS). (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Verification and mitigation of ion migration in perovskite solar cells

Metal halide perovskite materials have shown versatile functionality for a variety of optoelectronic devices. Remarkable progress in device performance has been achieved for last few years. Their high performance in combination with low production cost puts the perovskite optoelectronics under serious consideration for possible commercialization. A fundamental question that remains unanswered is whether these materials can sustain their optoelectronic properties during harsh and prolonged operational conditions of the devices. A major concern stems from an unprecedented and unique feature of perovskite materials, which is migration of ionic species (or charged defects). Recent studies have indicated that the ion migration might be a limit factor for long-term operational stability of the devices. In this regard, herein we have reviewed important studies on discovery, quantification, and mitigation of the ion migration process in metal halide perovskite materials. A possible emerging application using the ion migration is also briefly introduced