Determining realistic electrochemical stability windows of electrolytes for electrical double layer capacitors

Electrical double-layer capacitors are a key building block for energy storage applications, including renewable energies, wherever high power is needed. Most research on electrolytes in this field focuses on improving their electrochemical stability. This improves the energy density as it scales with the square of the maximum operative voltage. However, the decisive criteria to assess the electrochemical stability window of electrolytes are unclear. Consequently, new electrolyte candidates are often presented with unrealistic high stability windows and their performance is difficult to compare. In this Minireview, an overview of electrochemical stability window determination methods is presented. It is argued that constant voltage lifetime tests are needed to confirm the electrochemical stability window determined by any other method. Also, the importance of using realistic working electrodes, reference electrodes, and cycling protocols are highlighted. Finally, an industrial perspective on what is necessary to yield results relevant to applications is given

Thrombosis in vasculitis: from pathogenesis to treatment

In recent years, the relationship between inflammation and thrombosis has been deeply investigated and it is now clear that immune and coagulation systems are functionally interconnected. Inflammation-induced thrombosis is by now considered a feature not only of autoimmune rheumatic diseases, but also of systemic vasculitides such as Behçet’s syndrome, ANCA-associated vasculitis or giant cells arteritis, especially during active disease. These findings have important consequences in terms of management and treatment. Indeed, Behçet’syndrome requires immunosuppressive agents for vascular involvement rather than anticoagulation or antiplatelet therapy, and it is conceivable that also in ANCA-associated vasculitis or large vessel-vasculitis an aggressive anti-inflammatory treatment during active disease could reduce the risk of thrombotic events in early stages. In this review we discuss thrombosis in vasculitides, especially in Behçet’s syndrome, ANCA-associated vasculitis and large-vessel vasculitis, and provide pathogenetic and clinical clues for the different specialists involved in the care of these patients

Eosinophils in glioblastoma biology

Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is the most common primary brain tumor in adults. The development of this malignant glial lesion involves a multi-faceted process that results in a loss of genetic or epigenetic gene control, un-regulated cell growth, and immune tolerance. Of interest, atopic diseases are characterized by a lack of immune tolerance and are inversely associated with glioma risk. One cell type that is an established effector cell in the pathobiology of atopic disease is the eosinophil. In response to various stimuli, the eosinophil is able to produce cytotoxic granules, neuromediators, and pro-inflammatory cytokines as well as pro-fibrotic and angiogenic factors involved in pathogen clearance and tissue remodeling and repair. These various biological properties reveal that the eosinophil is a key immunoregulatory cell capable of influencing the activity of both innate and adaptive immune responses. Of central importance to this report is the observation that eosinophil migration to the brain occurs in response to traumatic brain injury and following certain immunotherapeutic treatments for GBM. Although eosinophils have been identified in various central nervous system pathologies, and are known to operate in wound/repair and tumorstatic models, the potential roles of eosinophils in GBM development and the tumor immunological response are only beginning to be recognized and are therefore the subject of the present review

Solvate Structures and Computational/Spectroscopic Characterization of Lithium Difluoro(oxalato)borate (LiDFOB) Electrolytes

Lithium difluoro(oxalato)borate (LiDFOB) is a relatively new salt designed for battery electrolyte usage. Limited information is currently available, however, regarding the ionic interactions of this salt (i.e., solvate formation) when it is dissolved in aprotic solvents. Vibrational spectroscopy is a particularly useful tool for identifying these interactions, but only if the vibrational bands can be correctly linked to specific forms of anion coordination. Single crystal structures of LiDFOB solvates have therefore been used to both explore the DFOB-center dot center dot center dot Li+ cation coordination interactions and serve as unambiguous models for the assignment of the Raman vibrational bands. The solvate crystal structures determined indude (monoglyme)(2):LiDFOB, (1,2-diethoxyethane)(3/2):LiDFOB, (acetonitrile)(3):LiDFOB, (acetonitrile)(1):LiDFOB, (dimethyl carbonate)(3/2):LiDFOB, (succinonitrile)(1):LiDFOB, (adiponitrile)(1):LiDFOB, (PMDETA)(1):LiDFOB, (CRYPT-222)(2/3):LiDFOB, and (propylene carbonate)(1):LiDFOB. DFT calculations have been incorporated to provide additional insight into the origin (i.e., vibrational modes) of the Raman vibrational bands to aid in the interpretation of the experimental analysis

Hematopoietic and nonhematopoietic cell tissue factor activates the coagulation cascade in endotoxemic mice

Tissue factor (TF) is the primary activator of the coagulation cascade. During endotoxemia, TF expression leads to disseminated intravascular coagulation. However, the relative contribution of TF expression by different cell types to the activation of coagulation has not been defined. In this study, we investigated the effect of either a selective inhibition of TF expression or cell type-specific deletion of the TF gene (F3) on activation of coagulation in a mouse model of endotoxemia. We found that inhibition of TF on either hematopoietic or nonhematopoietic cells reduced plasma thrombin-antithrombin (TAT) levels 8 hours after administration of bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS). In addition, plasma TAT levels were significantly reduced in endotoxemic mice lacking the TF gene in either myeloid cells (TFflox/flox,LysMCre mice) or in both endothelial cells (ECs) and hematopoietic cells (TFflox/flox,Tie-2Cre mice). However, deletion of the TF gene in ECs alone had no effect on LPS-induced plasma TAT levels. Similar results were observed in mice lacking TF in vascular smooth muscle cells. Finally, we found that mouse platelets do not express TF pre-mRNA or mRNA. Our data demonstrate that in a mouse model of endotoxemia activation of the coagulation cascade is initiated by TF expressed by myeloid cells and an unidentified nonhematopoietic cell type(s)