Browse Articles

Direct optical observation of solid electrolyte interphase formation dynamics in lithium-ion batteries

Lithium-ion battery formation is a pivotal step that dictates performance, longevity, and manufacturing safety. At the core of this process is the formation and evolution of the solid electrolyte interphase (SEI), whose nanoscale thickness, high environmental sensitivity, and dynamic behavior have long hindered direct characterization. Here, we exploit the SEI-induced refractive index matching effect and utilize operando optical microscopy to directly visualize SEI growth in real time. Our observations reveal pronounced lateral heterogeneity and asynchronicity during the first lithiation of graphite anodes. Surprisingly, high formation current promotes synchronized SEI growth, leading to a more uniform SEI coverage. Building on this mechanistic insight, we designed a pulsed high-current formation protocol for 2 Ah LiFePO 4 (LFP)/graphite pouch cells, achieving nearly an order-of-magnitude reduction in formation time while simultaneously enhancing the cycling performance. These findings challenge the prevailing belief that low currents are essential for developing a uniform SEI and pave a path toward safer and more efficient large-scale battery production.

Covariation between air chiller and chicken product microbiota in a poultry processing facility

Chicken products are prone to microbial spoilage, and early detection of deviations in contaminating microbiota can improve quality while reducing waste and customer complaints. In industrial poultry processing, the chiller is a key post-slaughter step but may serve as a source of microbial contamination. In this study the variation in microbial status of the air chiller surface was profiled together with freshly produced and end-of-shelf-life chicken legs and skinless breast fillets across 18 production batches over eleven weeks. Samples were taken early and late shifts on Mondays and Thursdays. The air chiller was cleaned weekly on Fridays. Products were stored under modified atmosphere (60% CO 2 /40% N 2 ) for 21 days at 4˚C, and a subset underwent temperature abuse (8˚C) during the last four days of storage. Microbial community composition was determined using partial 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing. Higher bacterial loads were found on air chiller swabs and fresh products collected at late shift on Thursdays than Mondays (p adj  < 0.05). A similar trend was observed for products at the end of shelf-life. At the end of shelf-life, the microbiota in chicken legs was dominated by Carnobacterium , Yersiniaceae and Lactobacillales , whereas breast fillets were dominated by Lactobacillus , Lactobacillales and Carnobacterium . The air chiller microbiota was dominated by Acinetobacter , Psychrobacter and Pseudomonas . Across weeks and sampling times, microbial load and community composition covaried between the air chiller and products, indicating that temporal shifts in the air chiller environment influenced or reflected the product microbiota. These findings identify the air chiller as a critical control point for targeted monitoring and intervention to mitigate spoilage risk. Recommended measures include mid-week cleaning, condensation and aerosol management, and MAP-matched incubation of environmental swabs to reveal CO 2 -tolerant spoilage bacteria.

Interpretation drift in explainable AI under label noise

Topography influences megadune distribution and morphology

Dunes are widely distributed on Earth and other extraterrestrial bodies, yet relatively little is known about what controls their maximum size. Earth’s megadunes (>100 m tall) have traditionally been attributed to constraints including atmospheric boundary layer depth, substrate bedrock type, and sediment supply. However, global mapping results presented here reveal that megadunes preferentially occur near mountains and within dunefield depressions. Megadune height-spacing transition from a power-law relationship to a near-normal distribution, and their aspect ratio (R a ) with height shifts from inverse to direct proportionality. To investigate their underlying formation mechanisms, we focus on how topography influences megadune development under conditions of sufficient sand supply and constant wind regime, using a dune simulation model. Simulation results indicate that both positive (mountain-like) and negative (basin-shaped) topographies generate abrupt shear stress gradients, triggering rapid localized sand accumulation. Compared to gradual evolution on flat terrains, mountain-depression settings accelerate the dune coarsening process and megadune growth through enhanced sand flux convergence and increased collision rates between migrating dunes. Critically, surrounding topography modifies wind regimes, elevating dune aspect ratios (R a ) as shear stress intensifies. Our proposed topography–aerodynamics–sediment redistribution mechanism for megadune formation on Earth and other extraterrestrial bodies demonstrates that terrain-induced wind regime heterogeneity is the fundamental control governing the formation and evolution of massive aeolian landforms.

Measuring representation in clinical trials: Simulations demonstrating how current methods fail in the context of precision medicine

Clinical trial representativeness is vital for the evaluation of intervention performance and study generalizability. Current methods for evaluating representativeness are limited by the quality of the disease registry data used and may not appropriately evaluate studies aimed at precision cohorts. This study evaluates the sensitivity of existing methods for measuring study representation to differences between the population targeted by the clinical intervention and the closest available population in a patient registry. Using records for U.S.-based cancer clinical trials registered to ClinicalTrials.gov from 2017–2023 and the U.S. Cancer Statistics Public Use Database we calculated representativeness measures by comparing the demographic mix (based on sex, race, and ethnicity) in each clinical trial to the demographic mix for the same form of cancer in the U.S. Cancer Statistics database via exact Binomial tests. Then, the same tests were conducted comparing trial populations to simulated populations that were demographically different from the U.S. Cancer Statistics data by fixed percentages. The outcome of interest was whether the result of the test changed when the comparator population was different. For clinical trials reporting the sex, race, and ethnicity of participants, 24, 40, and 32 percent of studies (respectively) give different results when the difference between the registry population and simulated population is 5 percentage points. For all demographics, larger differences between the registry and the simulated populations were associated with worse metric performance. Analyses of clinical trial representativeness suffer from a large loss of accuracy in settings where treatments are targeted to demographically different subgroups. Studies of representation in the context of precision medicine should be interpreted with caution.

Burnout among Polish midwives: mediating role of satisfaction and dispositional optimism

The finite-difference parquet method: Enhanced electron–paramagnon scattering opens a pseudogap

We present the finite-difference parquet method that greatly improves the applicability and accuracy of two-particle correlation approaches to interacting electron systems. This method incorporates the nonperturbative local physics from a reference solution and builds all parquet diagrams while circumventing potentially divergent irreducible vertices. Its unbiased treatment of different fluctuations is crucial for reproducing the strong-coupling pseudogap in the underdoped Hubbard model, consistent with diagrammatic Monte Carlo calculations. We reveal a strong-coupling spin-fluctuation mechanism of the pseudogap with decisive vertex corrections that encode the enhanced, energy-dependent scattering amplitude between electrons and antiferromagnetic spin fluctuations.

Glucocorticoids suppress early lung inflammation and impair control of SARS-CoV-2 in non-human primates

In severe cases of COVID-19, glucocorticoid treatment improves clinical outcomes. However, in non-hospitalized patients, glucocorticoids have limited benefit and may impair viral clearance. Here, we used the rhesus macaque model of acute SARS-CoV-2 infection to investigate the impact of glucocorticoids on host responses and viral control in a setting of mild disease. Rhesus macaques were pre-treated with intravenous methylprednisolone for 5 days prior to SARS-CoV-2 (Delta) infection and maintained on a daily oral prednisolone until necropsy at day 13 post infection. Glucocorticoid (GC) treatment decreased local lung inflammation measured with 18 FDG-PET/CT imaging. GC treated animals also had evidence of elevated SARS-CoV-2 viral titers in the lower airways and pulmonary draining lymph nodes. Glucocorticoid treatment blunted plasmacytoid dendritic cell (pDC), eosinophil, gamma delta T cell and early SARS-CoV-2 specific CD8 T cell responses in the airways. These data reveal the cell types that are directly impacted by immunosuppression with glucocorticoids and provide insights into the mechanism of delayed viral clearance observed with glucocorticoid administration during SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Study on plastic flow of conditioned soil within pressure chamber of deeply buried EPB shields tunneling through sandy stratum

Abstract For earth pressure balance (EPB) shield tunneling, the stability of tunnel face is controlled by the excavation and discharge rates of soil within tunnel pressure chamber. To ensure continuous discharge of soil from pressure chamber, the soil is required to have favorable plastic flow. However, the plastic flow of conditioned soil primarily relies on experience that lacks relevant theoretical guidance. Additionally, when EPB shields are used for tunneling in deeply buried sandy strata, common soil conditioners may struggle to make the conditioned soil have ideal plastic flow. By assuming the conditioned soil as an ideal Bingham fluid, a simplified soil slump model and a calculated model for passive soil discharge are developed in this study to assess the plastic flow of conditioned soil using yield stress and dynamic viscosity coefficient. By incorporating macromolecular polyacrylamide (PAM) along with fine particles, the conditioned soil could have favorable plastic flow at any slump. Based on the measured soil discharge rate from Hengli - Panyu Square Station of Guangzhou Metro Line 18, the ideal plastic flow and slump of conditioned soil under various tunnel burial depths are derived. The results indicate that as the tunnel burial depth increases, the yield stress of the conditioned soil must be systematically increased, and consequently, the slump must be reduced to ensure the integrity of the earth plug and anti-spewing safety. This study provides a systematic inversion methodology for determining optimal soil conditioning parameters based on burial depth, offering a theoretical framework and safety thresholds for the adaptive management of soil conditioning in deep-buried EPB shield tunneling.

Timing Is of the Essence: Sequencing Immune Checkpoint Blockade and Radiotherapy for Success in Lung Cancer

Stochasticity in mammalian cell growth rates drives cell-to-cell variability independently of cell size and divisions

Cell growth rates exhibit cell-intrinsic cell-to-cell variability, which influences cell fitness and size homeostasis from bacteria to cancer. It remains unclear whether this variability arises from stochasticity in cell growth or division processes, or from cell-size-dependent growth regulation. To separate these potential sources of growth variability, single-cell growth rates need to be examined across different timescales. Here, we study cell size and growth regulation by tracking lymphocytic leukemia cell mass accumulation with high precision and minute-scale temporal resolution along long ancestral lineages. We first show that correlations between growth rates and cell-size nor asymmetric divisions explain cell-to-cell growth variability. We then isolate growth fluctuations by smoothing and detrending the growth rate dynamics using a Gaussian process regression. We find that these growth fluctuations drive cell-to-cell growth variability within ancestral lineages despite being independent of cell divisions, cell cycle, and cell size. Overall, our results provide a quantitative framework for understanding single-cell growth rates, and indicate that cell-intrinsic long-term patterns in growth are a byproduct of short-term growth fluctuations.

Research on electromagnetic compatibility analysis of automation equipment based on generative adversarial networks and pulse sparse convolution

Electromagnetic interference (EMI) analysis in high-speed industrial systems is increasingly challenged by multi-gigahertz sampling rates, complex transient behaviors, and stringent real-time constraints. To address these challenges, this paper proposes a pulse-aware generative and analysis framework based on a generative adversarial network (GAN) combined with pulse sparse convolution using leaky integrate-and-fire (LIF) spiking neurons. A multi-scale discriminator and gradient penalty stabilization are employed to improve waveform generation fidelity, achieving a Fréchet distance (FID) of 0.72 and a global difference metric (GDM) of 0.18 ± 0.03 on an industrial-grade Electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) dataset. The proposed framework is further applied to crosstalk prediction, where it reduces pulse-width and phase prediction errors by more than 40% compared with classical numerical solvers such as finite-difference time-domain (FDTD), finite element method (FEM), and method of moments (MoM), and consistently outperforms representative learning-based EMC models. To enable real-time deployment, the pulse sparse convolution architecture is implemented on an field-programmable gate array (FPGA) platform using fixed-point arithmetic, achieving deterministic inference at 5 GS/s with a measured power consumption of 0.71 W. Extensive experiments on traction systems, industrial robots, CNC drives, photovoltaic inverters, and UAV (Unmanned Aerial Vehicle) electronics demonstrate that the proposed approach provides accurate, stable, and energy-efficient EMI analysis suitable for practical industrial EMC applications.

Micro/meso scale investigations on F-slag sand developed with synergistic use of fly ash and slag

Abstract The present study propounds development of an artificial sand, with a prime aim of exploring a potential substitute for natural river sand. The artificial sand, named F-Slag sand, within the particle size range of 4.75 − 0.075 mm, is developed with the combined use of fly ash (FA) and ground granulated blast furnace slag (GGBS) as binder solids (BS) blended in proportions of 90:10, 80:20, 70:30, 60:40, and 50:50. Pelletization, by employing a custom designed disc pelletizer equipment, and geopolymerization, a process of binding and bonding of FA and GGBS particles to form sand size fractions, techniques are adopted to synthesize F-slag sand. Pelletizer speed of 15 rpm, pelletization duration of 10 min, and alkali activator solution to BS ratio of 0.06 are found optimal to produce the sand. A comprehensive micro/meso-analysis, including 3D computed tomography scan, scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, Brunauer-Emmett-Teller analysis, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy are performed on F-slag sand and attempts are made to interpret macro-applications of it. Demonstrably, the synergistic use of GGBS and FA has completely alleviated the need for elevated curing of sand. The gradational analysis revealed that more than 90% of BS are converted into sand size fractions (4.75 − 0.075 mm). F-slag sand exhibited specific gravity of 2.1, water absorption of 17%, permeability 4.2 × 10 − 3 cm/sec, angle of internal friction of 38°, and crushing value of 14.8%. In comparison, river sand showed 2.6, 4%, 3.6 × 10 − 3 cm/sec, 39° and 6.3% respectively. The loose and compacted bulk densities of F-slag sand are measured at 698 and 991 kg/m 3 , which are significantly lower vis-à-vis of river sand (1546 and 1728 kg/m 3 ). Micro-analysis confirms dense, well-bonded particles with meso–macroporous connectivity, indicating enhanced mechanical stability and durability. Moreover, leaching and environmental risk analysis affirms that F-Slag sand poses no ecological threat. The outcome of the study, proposition of a novel construction material, elucidates that F-slag sand could be a potential substitute for river sand in building (concrete, mortar, plastering, lightweight structures), mining (mine backfilling) and environmental (drainage & filter) applications.

Erdafitinib or Erdafitinib Plus Cetrelimab for Patients With Metastatic Urothelial Carcinoma and <i>FGFR</i> Alterations: Final Results From the Phase II NORSE Study

PURPOSE First-line treatment options for cisplatin-ineligible patients with metastatic urothelial cancer (mUC) are limited. We conducted a phase II study of erdafitinib, alone or with cetrelimab, in FGFR -altered mUC. METHODS Adults with mUC and select FGFR alterations who are ineligible for cisplatin were randomly assigned 1:1 in a noncomparative design to once-daily erdafitinib 8 mg (with pharmacodynamically guided uptitration to 9 mg) or erdafitinib 8 mg plus intravenous cetrelimab 240 mg once every 2 weeks at cycles 1-4 and 480 mg once every 4 weeks thereafter. Primary end points were investigator-assessed confirmed overall response rate (ORR) and safety; secondary end points included duration of response (DOR), progression-free survival, and overall survival (OS). No statistical hypotheses were tested. RESULTS At data cutoff, 87 patients were randomly assigned and treated (erdafitinib, n = 43; erdafitinib plus cetrelimab, n = 44). Of 64 patients with PD-L1 expression data, 56 (87.5%) had low levels of PD-L1 expression (combined positive score &lt;10). Median survival follow-up was 14.2 months. Investigator-assessed confirmed ORR for erdafitinib was 44.2% (95% CI, 29.1 to 60.1) with one complete response (CR); median DOR and median OS were 9.7 months (95% CI, 4.6 to not estimable [NE]) and 16.2 months (95% CI, 8.3 to NE), respectively. Investigator-assessed confirmed ORR for erdafitinib plus cetrelimab was 54.5% (95% CI, 38.8 to 69.6), with six (13.6%) CRs; median DOR and median OS were 11.1 months (95% CI, 8.8 to NE) and 20.8 months (95% CI, 12.0 to NE), respectively. The most frequent treatment-related adverse events (TRAEs) were hyperphosphatemia (83.7% and 68.2% in erdafitinib and erdafitinib plus cetrelimab groups, respectively), stomatitis (69.8% and 56.8%), and dry mouth (37.2% and 56.8%). Grade ≥3 TRAEs occurred in 46.5% and 45.5% of patients receiving erdafitinib and erdafitinib plus cetrelimab, respectively. CONCLUSION First-line erdafitinib monotherapy and erdafitinib plus cetrelimab demonstrated antitumor activity and a manageable safety profile in cisplatin-ineligible patients with mUC.

Adsorption and reaction of SO ₂ , H ₂ S, and N ₂ O on graphene/silicon(111): Successful quest for a metal-free catalyst—Theory and experiment

Graphene supported on Si(111) (short Gr/Si) is one of the very few examples of a metal-free carbon catalyst that catalyzes gas–surface reactions. Kinetics measurements indicate dissociation of SO 2 and H 2 S but molecular adsorption of N 2 O. In addition, spectroscopy revealed adsorbed sulfur after SO 2 and H 2 S adsorption. Experiments were conducted at ultrahigh vacuum conditions, using kinetics techniques [i.e., thermal desorption spectroscopy (TDS)], spectroscopy [Auger electron spectroscopy (AES), Raman, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS)], and imaging techniques [scanning tunneling microscopy (STM), low-energy electron diffraction]. Deviations of the gas-phase fragmentation pattern and multimass TDS pattern were observed. AES revealed adsorbed sulfur after SO 2 and H 2 S adsorption. Thus, SO 2 and H 2 S decompose, which contrasts with N 2 O, where only the molecular pathway was present. Density functional theory (DFT) confirms experimental observations. Whereas pristine Gr/Si is nonreactive, DFT modeled grain boundary defects (GBD) (as seen by STM) are the active sites for the decomposition. GBD consist of interfacial defects and surface defects (as seen by XPS). Because carbon and silicon are inexhaustible, Gr-based metal-free catalysts would be a paradigm change. Moreover, breaking H 2 S down into H 2 would allow for recycling that waste gas and synthesizing green hydrogen.

“They don’t feel what I feel”: lived experiences of women accessing comprehensive abortion care in pastoralist communities of Oromia region, Ethiopia: A Phenomenological study

Background Unsafe abortion is a significant global health concern, contributing to high rates of maternal mortality, particularly in developing countries. Women in pastoralist communities face unique challenges to access comprehensive abortion care (CAC) due to sociocultural, economic, and geographical barriers. This study explores the lived experiences of women in their journey to utilize CAC services in pastoralist communities of the Oromia region, Ethiopia. Methods A phenomenological study was conducted in pastoralist communities of the Oromia region, including the Borana and Guji zones. A total of nine women were interviewed in-depth for their lived experiences in their journey to access the CAC service. All interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim, translated to English, and coded using Open Code version 4.03 software. Both inductive and deductive thematic analysis were employed to analyze the data. The lived experiences of women in their journey to access CAC services were analyzed under three categories: ‘before’, ‘during’, and ‘after’ utilizing the CAC service. Results Before receiving CAC service, women faced emotional instability, fear, decision-making difficulties, and barriers such as transportation challenges, stigma, and lack of family support. During the service, women reported mixed experiences with healthcare providers, with some receiving supportive care while others reported disrespect and a lack of privacy. Following receiving CAC service, experiences included both relief and satisfaction for some, while others expressed regret and guilt due to cultural and religious beliefs surrounding abortion. Conclusion The study reveals the complex experiences of women in their journey of accessing CAC services in pastoralist communities, worsened by socio-cultural norms, economic hardship, and limited healthcare infrastructure. Addressing the barriers identified, particularly those related to stigma, provider attitudes, and healthcare accessibility, is essential for improving CAC service delivery in these underserved regions.

Dynamic wavelet transform normalized multi scale dense attention UNet with Binary Horse Herd Optimization for osteosarcoma diagnosis

Thromboembolic Events During Perioperative Therapy for Resectable and Borderline Resectable Pancreatic Cancer in the PREOPANC-2 Trial

PURPOSE Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is associated with a high risk of venous thromboembolism (VTE), which is burdensome and associated with decreased survival. Although neoadjuvant treatment is increasingly used in patients with PDAC, data on VTE in this setting remain scarce. This study evaluated VTE incidence during (neo)adjuvant therapy for resectable and borderline resectable PDAC and its relation to survival. METHODS This study included patients from the investigator-initiated, multicenter, randomized controlled phase III PREOPANC-2 trial. Patients were randomly assigned to neoadjuvant 5-fluorouracil, leucovorin, irinotecan, and oxaliplatin followed by surgery (FFX arm) or neoadjuvant gemcitabine-based chemoradiotherapy (CRT), followed by surgery and adjuvant gemcitabine (CRT arm). VTE was defined as both incidental and symptomatic lower- or upper-extremity deep vein thrombosis, pulmonary embolism (PE), splanchnic vein thrombosis, and catheter-related thrombosis. VTE occurrence was retrospectively evaluated from random assignment to 12 months after random assignment. The association with overall survival (OS) was analyzed using Cox regression analysis. RESULTS VTE was diagnosed in 28 of 325 patients (9%): nine (3%) preoperatively and 19 (8%) postoperatively. Most VTEs were symptomatic (54%). Although a higher proportion of patients developed postoperative VTE in the CRT arm (FFX 3% v CRT 12%, P = .02), the 12-month cumulative incidence did not differ between arms (6% v 11%, P = .06). Two patients died from PE-related causes in the CRT arm. VTE was independently associated with reduced OS (adjusted time-varying hazard ratio, 2.13, P = .002). CONCLUSION VTE occurred in 9% of patients with (borderline) resectable PDAC undergoing (neo)adjuvant treatment in the year after random assignment and was associated with decreased OS. These results underscore the need for standardized reporting of thromboembolic events in clinical trials and future studies assessing the potential benefits of thromboprophylaxis during neoadjuvant therapy.

Chirality amplification and chiral segregation in liquid crystals

Liquid crystal mesophases of achiral molecules are normally achiral, yet in a few materials they spontaneously segregate and form right- and left-handed chiral domains. One mechanism that drives chiral segregation is molecular shape fluctuations between axial chiral conformations, where molecular interactions favor matching chirality and promote helical twist. Cooperative chiral ordering may also play a role in chirality amplification, as when a tiny fraction of chiral dopant drives a nematic phase to become cholesteric. We present a model of cooperative chiral ordering in liquid crystals using Maier-Saupe theory, and predict a phase diagram with a segregated cholesteric phase with alternating domains of left- and right-handed chiral twist, with opposite enantiomeric excess, in addition to racemic nematic and isotropic phases. Our model also demonstrates how chiral molecular fluctuations influence the helical twisting power of dopants in the nematic phase, which may be observed even in materials where the segregated cholesteric phase is preempted by a transition to another phase. We compare these results with Monte Carlo simulation studies of the switchable chiral Lebwohl-Lasher model, where each spin switches between right- and left-handed chiral states. Simulation results validate the predicted phase diagram, demonstrate chiral amplification in the racemic nematic phase, and reveal complex coarsening dynamics in the segregated cholesteric phase. These results suggest that molecular fluctuations between degenerate chiral configurations may be a common mechanism to produce cooperative chiral order in achiral liquid crystals.

Physiological responses of sea urchin, Arbacia punctulata, exposed to temperature and lipopolysaccharides (LPS)

Sea urchins are interesting creatures that play important ecological roles in the sea and are popular for their culinary and medicinal uses, which belong to phylum of Echinodermata. However, rapid environmental changes create a significant impact on marine species, including sea urchins, causing them severe stress. To address this issue, scientists are attempting to cultivate sea urchins in aquaculture to aid both conservation and commercial efforts. In this study, we aimed to investigate the physiological effects of stressors on sea urchin Arbacia punctulata , using three different stress conditions: increased temperature as a physical stressor, inoculation of lipopolysaccharides (LPS) as a chemical stressor, and a combination of both (increased temperature and LPS). We collected coelomic fluid (CF) from all the experimental groups at day 1, day 3, day 7, and day 10 and observed significant variations in the numbers of total and differential coelomocytes, namely, phagocytic cells, vibratile cells, red spherule cells, and colorless spherule cells in different stress conditions compared to controlled conditions (p &lt; 0.05). The immune cells of sea urchins, especially phagocytic cells and red spherule cells, actively responded with LPS (4 µg/ml of CF/day). Our study also found a significant amount of protein in sea urchin’s cell free coelomic fluid exposed to increased temperature stress (p &lt; 0.05) compared to that of control group. Both physical and chemical stressors impacted the growth and reproduction of sea urchins for long time exposure to stressors. We also observed lower gonadosomatic index (GSI) in the group exposed combined stressors: LPS inoculation (4 µg/ml of CF/day) and increased temperature (1˚C/day) in comparison with the control group (p &lt; 0.05) at day 10.