Tungsten Bronze WNbO Nanorod: The Low-Strain and Preferred Orientation Enables Long-Life for High-Rate Lithium-Ion Storage.

Tungsten bronze oxides have emerged as attractive materials for energy storage owing to their fast charge-discharge property. However, the internal weakness of low capacity and short cycling performance impedes their development in wide application. In this work, the tungsten bronze WNbO nanorods with preferred orientation (001) were prepared by hydrothermal method for the first time.

Dynamic Li Capture through Ligand-Chain Interaction for the Regeneration of Depleted LiFePO Cathode.

After application in electric vehicles, spent LiFePO (LFP) batteries are typically decommissioned. Traditional recycling methods face economic and environmental constraints. Therefore, direct regeneration has emerged as a promising alternative.

Evaluation of three-dimensional dual-energy CT cholangiopancreatography image quality in patients with pancreatobiliary dilatation: Comparison with conventional single-energy CT.

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate three-dimensional (3D) negative-contrast CT cholangiopancreatography (nCTCP) image quality using dual-energy CT (DECT) with iterative reconstruction (IR) technique in patients with pancreatobiliary dilatation compared with single-energy CT (SECT).

Methods: Of the patients, 67 and 56 underwent conventional SECT (SECT set) and DECT with IR technique (DECT set), respectively. All patients were retrospectively analyzed during the portal phase to compare objective image quality and other data including patient demographics, hepatic and pancreatic parenchymal enhancement, noise, and attenuation difference (AD) between dilated ducts and enhanced hepatic parenchyma, signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR), and CT volume dose index (CTDI).

Preoperative evaluation of malignant pancreatobiliary obstruction: A novel technique for multiphase fusion 3D CT images.

The purpose of this article is to describe a novel technique of multiphase fusion three-dimensional (3D) images in patients with malignant pancreatobiliary obstruction. Multiphase fusion 3D images of CT arteriography, portovenography and hepatic venography combined with negative-contrast CT cholangiopancreatography can be done with enhanced multiphase CT scan using intravenous contrast agent at once. This technique may be feasible for one-stop evaluation of malignant pancreatobiliary obstruction.

Correction to Boosting the Oxygen Evolution Reaction Activity of NiFeO Nanosheets by Phosphate Ion Functionalization.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.8b03081.

Structural Distortion and Dielectric Permittivities of KCoO-Type Layered Nitrides CaSrTiN.

Among the KCoO-type phases, the orthorhombic layered nitride CaTiN is a newly reported high dielectric permittivity material (ε ∼ 1300-2500 within 10-10 Hz from 80 to 450 K) while the tetragonal SrTiN is reported to display an unintentional metallic conduction property. In this work, a CaSrTiN solid solution was synthesized, in which the insulating SrTiN end member and some Sr-doped CaTiN samples were successfully obtained, and therefore, the dielectric properties of the CaSrTiN solid solution were investigated. The Sr substitution for Ca drove an orthorhombic-to-tetragonal phase transformation in CaSrTiN, which reduced the dielectric permittivity significantly.

Enhanced sodium ion conductivity in NaVS by P-doping.

All-solid-state sodium-ion batteries are promising candidates for renewable energy storage applications, owing to their high safety, high energy density, and the abundant resources of sodium. The critical factor for an all-solid-state battery is having a sodium solid electrolyte that has high Na ion conductivity at room temperature and outstanding thermal stability, low flammability, and long battery lifespan. Herein, a new Na ion solid-state electrolyte, NaVS, is prepared by a solid state reaction.

Boosting the Oxygen Evolution Reaction Activity of NiFeO Nanosheets by Phosphate Ion Functionalization.

Here, we demonstrate an effective strategy to constitutionally increase the conductivity and electrocatalytic property of NiFeO by phosphate ion functionalization. The phosphate-ion-modified NiFeO (P-NiFeO) nanosheets are readily grown on a carbon cloth by a simple hydrothermal method and followed by a phosphating process. The introduction of phosphate ions on the NiFeO surface is highly beneficial for increasing the charge transport rate and electrocatalytic active sites.

Wide-detector CT combined iterative reconstruction in pediatric low-dose scan of the paranasal sinus.

Background: Computed tomography (CT) is considered a standard modality for imaging the paranasal sinus (PS), but increasingly radiation dose is of concern, especially in children.

Objective: This study aims to investigate the feasibility of using a 320-detector CT scanner with a 16 cm wide-detector combined with iterative reconstruction (IR) algorithm to further reduce radiation dose when scanning the PS.

Methods: A total of 90 children who underwent CT of the PS were randomly allocated into three groups namely, (1) the experimental group using low-dose wide-detector scan (n = 30, 9±4 years); (2) low-dose helical group (n = 30, 9±4 years); and (3) pediatric conventional group (n = 30, 8±4 years).

Application of 640-slice CT wide-detector volume scan in low-dose CT pulmonary angiography.

Background: Computed tomography (CT) pulmonary angiography (CTPA) examination has been frequently applied in detecting suspected pulmonary embolism (PE). How to reduce radiation dose to patients is also of concern.

Objective: To assess the value of using 640-slice CT wide-detector volume scan with adaptive statistical iterative reconstruction (ASIR) algorithm in low-dose CTPA.

8-Layer Shifted Hexagonal Perovskite BaMnNbO: Long-Range Ordering of High-Spin d Mn Layers and Electronic Structure.

A new 8-layer shifted hexagonal perovskite BaMnNbO has been synthesized in air, featuring unusual long-range B-cation ordering with single octahedral high-spin d Mn layers separated by ∼1.9 nm within the corner-sharing octahedral d Nb host, analogous to Ba(Zn/Co)NbO. The large size and charge differences between high-spin Mn and Nb, as well as the out-of-center distortion of NbO octahedra associated with the bonding covalence and second-order Jahn-Teller effect of Nb, drive long-range cationic ordering, thus stabilizing BaMnNbO.

8H-10H Stacking Periodicity Control in Twinned Hexagonal Perovskite Dielectrics.

Isovalent substitution of Zr for smaller Ti was performed in the 8-layer twinned hexagonal perovskite (referred to as 8H) tantalate BaTiTaO, which stabilizes a 10-layer twinned hexagonal perovskite (referred to as 10H). The formation of the 10H phase occurs at low substitution concentration ( x = 0.1) in BaZr TiTaO at 1300 °C and reverts back to the 8H phase upon heating at elevated temperatures.

Non-Centrosymmetric RbNaMgPO with Unprecedented Thermo-Induced Enhancement of Second Harmonic Generation.

It is of great difficulty to obtain deep-UV transparent materials with enhanced second harmonic generation (SHG), mainly limited by the theoretically poor transparency of these materials in the deep-UV spectral region. Here we report a new noncentrosymmetric, deep-UV transparent phosphate RbNaMgPO, which undergoes a thermo-induced reversible phase transition (at a high temperature of 723 K) and correspondingly an evident SHG enhancement up to ∼1.5 times.

[Comparative study of CT versus gross pathology in rabbit VX2 colorectal cancer model].

Objective: To establish rabbit VX2 colorectal cancer(CRC) model and to compare CT images with gross pathology in order to offer help for TNM staging in patients with CRC.

Methods: VX2 tumor pieces were implanted into colonic wall in 9 New Zealand white rabbits and rectal wall in 2 New Zealand white rabbits. Four weeks after inoculation, Ultravist(370 mg/ml) was injected through ear marginal vein with high pressure injector for stage 3 scanning of chest, abdomen and pelvis, and enhanced CT (collimation 0.

Preoperative Evaluation of Malignant Perihilar Biliary Obstruction: Negative-Contrast CT Cholangiopancreatography and CT Angiography Versus MRCP and MR Angiography.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to compare negative-contrast CT cholangiopancreatography (CTCP) and CT angiography (CTA) with MRCP and MR angiography (MRA) for the preoperative evaluation of malignant perihilar biliary obstruction.

Materials And Methods: Twenty-one patients with pathologically proven malignant perihilar biliary obstructions who had undergone both CT and MRI examinations were reviewed retrospectively. Two reviewers independently analyzed the two image sets-the negative-contrast CTCP and CTA images (i.

Nonstoichiometric control of tunnel-filling order, thermal expansion, and dielectric relaxation in tetragonal tungsten Bronzes Ba0.5-xTaO3-x.

Ordering of interpolated Ba(2+) chains and alternate Ta-O rows (TaO)(3+) in the pentagonal tunnels of tetragonal tungsten bronzes (TTB) is controlled by the nonstoichiometry in the highly nonstoichiometric Ba0.5-xTaO3-x system. In Ba0.

Nanometer-scale separation of d(10) Zn(2+)-layers and twin-shift competition in Ba8ZnNb6O24-based 8-layered hexagonal perovskites.

The 8-layered shifted hexagonal perovskite compound Ba8ZnNb6O24 was isolated via controlling the ZnO volatilization, which features long-range B-cation ordering with nanometer-scale separation by ∼1.9 nm of octahedral d(10) cationic (Zn(2+)) layers within the purely corner-sharing octahedral d(0) cationic (Nb(5+)) host. The long-range ordering of the B-site vacancy and out-of-center distortion of the highly-charged d(0) Nb(5+) that is assisted by the second-order Jahn-Teller effect contribute to this unusual B-cation ordering in Ba8ZnNb6O24.

Differentiation of noncalculous periampullary obstruction: comparison of CT with negative-contrast CT cholangiopancreatography versus MRI with MR cholangiopancreatography.

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to compare CT with negative-contrast CT cholangiopancreatography (nCTCP) using subvolume minimum intensity projection (MinIP) versus MRI with MRCP in differentiating noncalculous periampullary obstruction.

Methods: Sixty-four patients with clinically proven noncalculous periampullary obstructions who had undergone both MDCT and MR examinations before operation were reviewed retrospectively. Two reviewers independently interpreted the two image sets (the CT with nCTCP set [CT set] vs.

Solid-State (29)Si NMR and neutron-diffraction studies of Sr(0.7)K(0.3)SiO(2.85) oxide ion conductors.

K/Na-doped SrSiO3-based oxide ion conductors were recently reported as promising candidates for low-temperature solid-oxide fuel cells. Sr0.7K0.

Comparative investigation of the performances of hematite nanoplates and nanograins in lithium-ion batteries.

In this work, we selectively prepared two samples with quite different nanocrystal shapes, i.e. nanoplates and nanograins but with almost identical surface areas to make a clear comparison of nanocrystal shapes on electrochemical performance.

[Preparation and biological evaluation of degradable chitosan-carboxymethyl-chitosan complex film].

Chitosan-carboxymethyl-chitosan complex film was prepared by freeze drying. Some tests in vivo and in animal were employed, in order to evaluate it on biology. All results indicated that the film has not only good surface compatibility but also good structural compatibility.