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Oxygen vacancy engineering for high-performance Li-rich manganese cathodes: Advances and prospects
No full textLithium-rich manganese-based cathodes (LRMOs) are the key materials for promoting the commercialization of secondary batteries due to their high specific capacity and energy density. Oxygen vacancies (OVs) in LRMOs, as inherent structural defects in both the surface and bulk phases, provide additional pathways for efficient ion diffusion, significantly enhancing ion conduction efficiency. OVs also provide abundant reactive sites, thereby actively promoting cycle stability and rate performance. Although some adverse effects, such as lattice distortion, structural degradation, and performance degradation, are induced by OVs, these effects can be effectively alleviated or overcome through well-designed strategies. This review discusses the dynamic evolution mechanism and introduction methods of OVs in LRMOs, emphatically analyzing the complex coupling relationship between OVs and other defects in the materials. It is worth mentioning that this paper also systematically introduces the influence of OVs on the properties of the materials and the means of characterizing OVs. These findings not only lay a solid foundation for exploring the internal relationship between their microstructure and macroscopic properties but also provide a valuable theoretical basis for fully exploiting the high specific capacity potential of LRMOs
External Validation of a Bayesian Network for Sepsis Mortality Prediction
No full textThe primary objective of this study is to assess whether a Bayesian network model can retain its predictive power when applied to a different dataset. We implemented a published Bayesian network for predicting sepsis-related mortality and tested it on a dataset distinct from that used to develop the network. In predicting 5-day mortality, our observed performance metrics were slightly lower (AUC = 0.80) than the published values (AUC = 0.85). The model handled missing data effectively, achieving a sensitivity of 0.71 and a ROC AUC of 0.74. The study high-lights the potential in using Bayesian networks for sepsis prediction, especially in settings with limited resources and missing data. Although dataset shift restricts models from seamless adaptation to different datasets, better reporting may allow for more reliable implementation
Oncogenic small extracellular vesicles enriched in sphingosine-1-phosphate play a crucial role in pancreatic cancer progression
No full textSmall extracellular vesicles (sEVs) from tumour cells mediate intercellular communication and signalling to regulate the progression of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). While we and others have shown that PDAC-derived sEVs comprise oncogenic protein and nucleic acid cargo, understanding the lipid landscape of these sEVs remains unknown. Lipids influence both the composition of sEVs and their roles in lipid metabolism and signalling pathways within the tumour microenvironment and tumorigenesis. We hypothesised that specific lipids in oncogenic sEVs might provide insights into PDAC. Comprehensive mass spectrometry-based lipidomic analysis was performed using liquid chromatography-electrospray ionisation-tandem mass spectrometry on sEVs isolated from PDAC and non-malignant pancreatic cell lines, patient-derived xenograft cell lines and plasma from the PDAC transgenic mouse model KPC (KRASWT/G12D/ TP53WT/R172H/Pdx1-Cre+/+). The sEV lipidomic analyses identified over 700 lipid species from 25 lipid classes and subclasses. Our results showed that, compared to non-malignant cells, PDAC-derived sEVs were enriched in specific lysophospholipids, particularly sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P), a lipid known for its pivotal role in cancer pathogenesis. S1P enrichment was validated in plasma-derived sEVs from KPC mice compared to WT. To explore the functional implications of S1P enrichment, we conducted assays demonstrating that S1P in sEVs facilitated tubule formation in human microvascular endothelial cells and promoted cancer-associated fibroblast cell migration. We show that PDAC-derived sEVs are differentially enriched in specific lipids associated with cancer phenotype. Our findings highlight that PDAC-derived sEVs are enriched in specific lipids, particularly S1P, which plays a crucial role in promoting cancer progression
“I’m not feeling alone in my experiences”: How newly diagnosed autistic adults engage with a neurodiversity-affirming “Welcome Pack”
No full textReceiving an autism diagnosis in adulthood can be profoundly transformative, yet many newly diagnosed autistic adults experience a lack of accessible, affirming post-diagnostic support. This study explores how a self-guided, neurodiversity-affirming resource-the "Welcome Pack"-supports newly diagnosed autistic adults in navigating their evolving identity. Using a qualitative approach, we recruited 11 autistic adults without intellectual disability in Australia who had received a diagnosis within the past 6 months. Participants engaged with the "Welcome Pack" over a 2-month period before taking part in semi-structured interviews. Reflexive thematic analysis generated four key themes: (1) a sense of belonging through community and representation, as participants found validation in shared narratives; (2) the "Welcome Pack" as one of many tools supporting their self-understanding; (3) emotional reflections, including both relief and grief over years of masking; and (4) challenges in self-advocacy and educating others. While participants described the "Welcome Pack" as an important and validating resource, they also highlighted the need for additional structured peer support and practical guidance. These findings underscore the value of integrating self-guided resources within broader post-diagnostic ecosystems, ensuring that newly diagnosed autistic adults receive timely, accessible, and neurodiversity-affirming support as they navigate their identity.Lay Abstract
Selection by Noncontrast Computed Tomography With or Without Computed Tomography Angiography Versus Computed Tomography Perfusion for Endovascular Therapy in Patients With Acute Ischemic Stroke: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
No full textBACKGROUND: The effect of imaging selection on endovascular therapy for acute ischemic stroke remains debated. We compared the efficacy and safety of imaging modalities using computed tomography perfusion with using noncontrast computed tomography (NCCT)±computed tomography angiography. METHODS: Studies from PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Library up to March 1, 2024, were analyzed. Sixteen studies (12 199 patients) assessed functional independence (modified Rankin Scale score of 0-2 at 90 days) using odds ratios (ORs). This study was registered with the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (CRD42024519554). RESULTS: No significant differences were observed in functional independence (OR, 1.09 [95% CI, 0.98-1.21]), modified Rankin Scale score of 0 to 1 (OR, 1.07 [95% CI, 0.88-1.29]), 0 to 3 (OR, 1.04 [95% CI, 0.92-1.18]), thrombolysis in cerebral infarction 2b to 3 (OR, 1.08 [95% CI, 0.95-1.22]), symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage (OR, 0.87 [95% CI, 0.74-1.04]), and any intracranial hemorrhage (OR, 0.95 [95% CI, 0.80-1.12]) between the computed tomography perfusion and NCCT group. There was a significantly lower odds of death during follow-up in the computed tomography perfusion group compared with the NCCT group (OR, 0.78 [95% CI, 0.70-0.88]). Comparison of modified Rankin Scale score of 0 to 2 significantly favored NCCT selection for patients with large cores (Pinteraction=0.05). Risk of bias assessment using the Cochrane risk assessment tool revealed concerns in 1 randomized control trial, while observational and post hoc studies assessed with Risk of Bias in Nonrandomized Studies of Interventions I showed moderate (2 studies), serious (11 studies), and critical (2 studies) risk of bias. CONCLUSIONS: These findings indicate that patients undergoing endovascular therapy selected with computed tomography perfusion had a similar functional prognosis compared with those selected with NCCT but had lower odds of death during follow-up. NCCT-defined large-core patients had better functional outcomes
Total-Body PET/CT: Pros and Cons
No full textPET/CT devices with an axial field-of-view (FOV) of 1 m allow simultaneous imaging from the head to the upper thighs, the typical axial extent of many "whole-body" oncological studies acquired by moving a patient sequentially through a conventional FOV device, or rapid total-body imaging using the same approach. Increasing the FOV to around 2 m provides true simultaneous total-body imaging. Either approach dramatically increases the sensitivity for detection of annihilation events arising within the body. For the purposes of this review, both configurations are considered to represent "total-body" PET/CT devices because they share both advantages and disadvantages. These pros and cons are discussed in the context of both clinical and research applications from a patient and institutional perspective
Sport: Antiquity and Its Legacy (P.J.) Miller Pp. x + 223, ills. London: Bloomsbury Academic, 2023. Paper, £19.99 (Cased, £65). ISBN: 978-1-350-14021-9
No full textNo success no queer: Burnout queerness for queer female entrepreneurs in post-socialist urban China
No full textBased on 3 years of ethnographic research with urban elite businesswomen in China, this paper introduces the concept of “burnout queerness” to deepen the understanding of homonormativity under post-socialism. Burnout queerness highlights how homonormativity is highly contingent, shaped by an imagined standard of neoliberal success and monogamy. This framework positions certain T (masculine-presenting women) as preferable intimate partners over their male counterparts, who are often associated with infidelity due to the pressures of “entrepreneur masculinity”. Examining a form of fluid desire among individuals who move away from the politics of coming out, this homonormativity is both precarious and pragmatic. When neoliberal conditions are no longer met, or pragmatism breaks down, same-sex intimacy becomes unstable, with both partners potentially reverting to different-sex relationships
Feeding for the future: Examining prefigurative practices by organisers of student food relief initiatives in Melbourne, Australia
No full text© 2025 Margot WilsonThe prevalence and utilisation of student food relief initiatives, such as soup kitchens and food pantries, is increasing in many high-income countries including Australia. Scholars have debated the role of food relief initiatives in contemporary society, discussing in particular whether they reinforce structural inequalities and how they shape students’ everyday realities (De Geest et al., 2025; Denning, 2021). In the Australian context, few studies have explored student food relief initiatives from the perspectives of the people who organise them. Therefore, little is known about the motivations, strategies and challenges that shape student food relief initiatives in Australia.
In this thesis, I engage with the concept of prefigurative politics to explore the ways in which committee members of the Melbourne-based non-profit Just Food Collective seek to prefigure an alternative food system through the design and delivery of their student food relief initiatives. I interviewed all 10 Just Food committee members and volunteered at several Just Food events as a participant-observer. I demonstrate that members envision an alternative food system which ensures the right to food, food sovereignty and gastronomic justice. Additionally, members employ prefigurative strategies within their student food initiatives to experimentally enact physical, social and sensory elements of this alternative food system in the present.
These findings contribute new understandings to prefigurative politics literature by demonstrating how sensory aspects of taste, sound and sight can be used to prefigure alternative realities of free food provisioning for students. These findings also contribute to existing debates about the role of student food relief in society by showing how free food initiatives might be reimagined as sites of prefigurative political action