4 research outputs found
Synthesis and Characterization of MgCr<sub>2</sub>S<sub>4</sub> Thiospinel as a Potential Magnesium Cathode
Magnesium-ion batteries
are a promising energy storage technology because of their higher
theoretical energy density and lower cost of raw materials. Among
the major challenges has been the identification of cathode materials
that demonstrate capacities and voltages similar to lithium-ion systems.
Thiospinels represent an attractive choice for new Mg-ion cathode
materials owing to their interconnected diffusion pathways and demonstrated
high cation mobility in numerous systems. Reported magnesium thiospinels,
however, contain redox inactive metals such as scandium or indium,
or have low voltages, such as MgTi<sub>2</sub>S<sub>4</sub>. This
article describes the direct synthesis and structural and electrochemical
characterization of MgCr<sub>2</sub>S<sub>4</sub>, a new thiospinel
containing the redox active metal chromium and discusses its physical
properties and potential as a magnesium battery cathode. However,
as chromium(III) is quite stable against oxidation in sulfides, removing
magnesium from the material remains a significant challenge. Early
attempts at both chemical and electrochemical demagnesiation are discussed
The representative COVID-19 cohort Munich (KoCo19): from the beginning of the pandemic to the Delta virus variant
Le Gleut R, Plank M, Pütz P, et al. The representative COVID-19 cohort Munich (KoCo19): from the beginning of the pandemic to the Delta virus variant. BMC Infectious Diseases. 2023;23(1): 466.**Background**
Population-based serological studies allow to estimate prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 infections despite a substantial number of mild or asymptomatic disease courses. This became even more relevant for decision making after vaccination started. The KoCo19 cohort tracks the pandemic progress in the Munich general population for over two years, setting it apart in Europe.
**Methods**
Recruitment occurred during the initial pandemic wave, including 5313 participants above 13 years from private households in Munich. Four follow-ups were held at crucial times of the pandemic, with response rates of at least 70%. Participants filled questionnaires on socio-demographics and potential risk factors of infection. From Follow-up 2, information on SARS-CoV-2 vaccination was added. SARS-CoV-2 antibody status was measured using the Roche Elecsys® Anti-SARS-CoV-2 anti-N assay (indicating previous infection) and the Roche Elecsys® Anti-SARS-CoV-2 anti-S assay (indicating previous infection and/or vaccination). This allowed us to distinguish between sources of acquired antibodies.
**Results**
The SARS-CoV-2 estimated cumulative sero-prevalence increased from 1.6% (1.1-2.1%) in May 2020 to 14.5% (12.7-16.2%) in November 2021. Underreporting with respect to official numbers fluctuated with testing policies and capacities, becoming a factor of more than two during the second half of 2021. Simultaneously, the vaccination campaign against the SARS-CoV-2 virus increased the percentage of the Munich population having antibodies, with 86.8% (85.5-87.9%) having developed anti-S and/or anti-N in November 2021. Incidence rates for infections after (BTI) and without previous vaccination (INS) differed (ratio INS/BTI of 2.1, 0.7-3.6). However, the prevalence of infections was higher in the non-vaccinated population than in the vaccinated one. Considering the whole follow-up time, being born outside Germany, working in a high-risk job and living area per inhabitant were identified as risk factors for infection, while other socio-demographic and health-related variables were not. Although we obtained significant within-household clustering of SARS-CoV-2 cases, no further geospatial clustering was found.
**Conclusions**
Vaccination increased the coverage of the Munich population presenting SARS-CoV-2 antibodies, but breakthrough infections contribute to community spread. As underreporting stays relevant over time, infections can go undetected, so non-pharmaceutical measures are crucial, particularly for highly contagious strains like Omicron