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The performances of rechargeable batteries are strongly affected by the operating environmental temperature. In particular, low temperatures (e.g., ≤0 °C) are detrimental to efficient cell cycling. To circumvent this issue, we propose a few-layer Bi 2 Se 3 (a topological insulator) as cathode material for Zn metal batteries. When the few-layer Bi 2 Se 3 is used in combination with an anti-freeze hydrogel electrolyte, the capacity delivered by the cell at −20 °C and 1 A g −1 is 1.3 larger than the capacity at 25 °C for the same specific current. Also, at 0 °C the Zn | |few-layer Bi 2 Se 3 cell shows capacity retention of 94.6% after 2000 cycles at 1 A g −1 . This behaviour is related to the fact that the Zn-ion uptake in the few-layer Bi 2 Se 3 is higher at low temperatures, e.g., almost four Zn 2+ at 25 °C and six Zn 2+ at −20 °C. We demonstrate that the unusual performance improvements at low temperatures are only achievable with the few-layer Bi 2 Se 3 rather than bulk Bi 2 Se 3 . We also show that the favourable low-temperature conductivity and ion diffusion capability of few-layer Bi 2 Se 3 are linked with the presence of topological surface states and weaker lattice vibrations, respectively. The performances of rechargeable batteries are detrimentally affected by low temperatures (e.g., < 0 °C). Here, the authors report a few-layer Bi2Se3 material capable of improving battery cycling performances when operational temperatures are shifted from +25 °C to −20 °C.

Harvesting heat from the environment into electricity has the potential to power Internet-of-things (IoT) sensors, freeing them from cables or batteries and thus making them especially useful for wearable devices. We demonstrate a giant positive thermopower of 17.0 millivolts per degree Kelvin in a flexible, quasi-solid-state, ionic thermoelectric material using synergistic thermodiffusion and thermogalvanic effects. The ionic thermoelectric material is a gelatin matrix modulated with ion providers (KCl, NaCl, and KNO₃) for thermodiffusion effect and a redox couple [Fe(CN)₆4−/Fe(CN)₆3−] for thermogalvanic effect. A proof-of-concept wearable device consisting of 25 unipolar elements generated more than 2 volts and a peak power of 5 microwatts using body heat. This ionic gelatin shows promise for environmental heat-to-electric energy conversion using ions as energy carriers.

Nanocomposite engineering decouples the transport of phonons and electrons. This usually involves the in-situ formation or ex-situ addition of nanoparticles to a material matrix with hetero-composition and hetero-structure ( he C- he S) interfaces or hetero-composition and homo-structure ( he C- ho S) interfaces. Herein, a quasi homo-composition and hetero-structure ( ho C- he S) nanocomposite consisting of Pnma Bi 2 SeS 2 - Pnnm Bi 2 SeS 2 is obtained through a Br dopant-induced phase transition, providing a coherent interface between the Pnma matrix and Pnnm second phase due to the slight structural difference between the two phases. This ho C- he S nanocomposite demonstrates a significant reduction in lattice thermal conductivity (~0.40 W m −1 K −1 ) and an enhanced power factor (7.39 μW cm −1 K −2 ). Consequently, a record high figure-of-merit ZT max  = 1.12 (at 773 K) and a high average figure-of-merit ZT ave  = 0.72 (in the range of 323–773 K) are achieved. This work provides a general strategy for synergistically tuning electrical and thermal transport properties by designing ho C- he S nanocomposites through a dopant-induced phase transition. Most of the thermoelectric nanocomposites have structure character of a hetero-composition and hetero-structure, or hetero-composition and homo-structure between matrix phase and dispersion phase. This work shows a quasi homo-composition and hetero-structure ( ho C- he S) nanocomposite consisting of Pnma  Bi 2 SeS 2  -  Pnnm  Bi 2 SeS 2 with high ZT.

Microplastics (MPs) can enter the body via plastic products. Given modern plastic exposure, we seek to assess MP exposure in large populations through epidemiological tools. In this quasi-experimental study, every participant filled out a questionnaire, and those who satisfied any of the following requirements were not allowed to continue in the study: Diabetes, ulcerative colitis, Crohn’s disease, infectious diseases. Participants in the exposure and control groups were provided three hot meals in disposable plastic tableware (DPT) (n = 30) or non-DPT (n = 30), respectively. After a month of observation, individuals in the exposure group discontinued the three meals provided in DPT (n = 27) for 1 month as the post-exposure group. Each Participant in the three groups received a questionnaire survey and fecal sample collection. We compared the differences in MP levels between different groups and used the Bland–Altman analysis method to evaluate the consistency of the results obtained by different measurement methods. Statistically significant differences in the total quantity ( P (0.80 matching degree) = 0.020; P (0.65 matching degree) < 0.001) and types (Polyethylene Terephthalate (EVA) ( P  = 0.039), Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) ( P  = 0.022), Polyvinyl Butyral (PVB) ( P  = 0.013), Chlorinated Polyethylene (CPE) ( P  = 0.039), phenolic epoxy resin ( P  = 0.012)) of MPs were observed between the exposure and post-exposure groups. The Bland–Altman analysis results indicate that the two methods exhibit good consistency in the three groups (control group: mean difference = 0.54, agreement limits (95% CI) = − 0.44 ~ 1.54; exposure group: mean difference = 0.41, agreement limits (95% CI) =  − 0.19 ~ 1.01; post-exposure group: mean difference = 0.19, agreement limits (95% CI) =  − 0.63 ~ 1.02). The method based on questionnaire surveys can substitute the method of fecal sample detection to evaluate the exposure of MP particles.

Background Extensive evidence indicates that both lifestyle factors and air pollution are strongly associated with all-cause mortality. However, little studies in this field have integrated these two factors in order to examine their relationship with mortality and explore potential interactions. Methods A cohort of 271,075 participants from the UK Biobank underwent analysis. Lifestyles in terms of five modifiable factors, namely smoking, alcohol consumption, physical activity, diet, and sleep quality, were classified as unhealthy (0–1 score), general (2–3 score), and healthy (4–5 score). Air pollution, including particle matter with a diameter ≤ 2.5 μm (PM 2.5 ), particulate matter with a diameter ≤ 10 μm (PM 10 ), particulate matter with a diameter 2.5–10 μm (PM 2.5−10 ), nitrogen dioxide (NO 2 ), and nitrogen oxides (NO x ), was divided into three levels (high, moderate, and low) using Latent Profile Analysis (LPA). Cox proportional hazard regression analysis was performed to examine the links between lifestyle, air pollution, and all-cause mortality before and after adjustment for potential confounders. Restricted cubic spline curves featuring three knots were incorporated to determine nonlinear relationships. The robustness of the findings was assessed via subgroup and sensitivity analyses. Results With unhealthy lifestyles have a significantly enhanced risk of death compared to people with general lifestyles (HR = 1.315, 95% CI, 1.277–1.355), while people with healthy lifestyles have a significantly lower risk of death (HR = 0.821, 95% CI, 0.785–0.858). Notably, the difference in risk between moderate air pollution and mortality risk remained insignificant (HR = 0.993, 95% CI, 0.945–1.044). High air pollution, on the other hand, was independently linked to increased mortality risk as compared to low air pollution (HR = 1.162, 95% CI, 1.124–1.201). The relationship between NO x , PM 10 , and PM 2.5−10 and all-cause mortality was found to be nonlinear ( p for nonlinearity < 0.05). Furthermore, no significant interaction was identified between lifestyle and air pollution with respect to all-cause mortality. Conclusions Exposure to ambient air pollution elevated the likelihood of mortality from any cause, which was impacted by individual lifestyles. To alleviate this hazard, it is crucial for authorities to escalate environmental interventions, while individuals should proactively embrace and sustain healthy lifestyles.

Background Social isolation and loneliness pose significant public health challenges globally. This study aims to examine the association of social isolation, loneliness and their combined effects with incident cancer. Methods This study utilized data from the UK Biobank (UKB), which is a population-based prospective cohort. Social isolation and loneliness were assessed through self-reported questionnaires. Cancer cases were identified by linking to cancer registries. Results A total of 430,376 participants were included, during a mean follow-up of 14.32 years, 45,131 participants were diagnosed with cancer. Compared to participants in least isolated group, those in most isolated group had significantly higher risks of cancer of lip, oral cavity and pharynx (HR 1.32, 95% CI 1.11–1.58), cancer of digestive organs (HR 1.10, 95% CI 1.03–1.16), cancer of respiratory and intrathoracic organs (HR 1.17, 95% CI 1.07–1.28), breast cancer (HR 1.11, 95% CI 1.04–1.18), cancer of female genital organs (HR 1.23, 95% CI 1.09–1.38), and cancer of urinary tract (HR 1.31, 95% CI 1.17–1.46). However, the most isolated group had lower risks of cancer of mesothelial and soft tissue (HR 0.80, 95% CI 0.64–0.99), prostate cancer (HR 0.88, 95% CI 0.83–0.94). Individuals with loneliness had a significantly increased risk of cancer of urinary tract (HR 1.19, 95% CI 1.01–1.40), but a reduced risk of cancer of skin (HR 0.76, 95% CI 0.61–0.93). Conclusions Social isolation and loneliness were independently associated with incident cancer, with implications for early effective cancer prevention.

Solid‐state precipitation can be used to tailor material properties, ranging from ferromagnets and catalysts to mechanical strengthening and energy storage. Thermoelectric properties can be modified by precipitation to enhance phonon scattering while retaining charge‐carrier transmission. Here, unconventional Janus‐type nanoprecipitates are uncovered in Mg3Sb1.5Bi0.5 formed by side‐by‐side Bi‐ and Ge‐rich appendages, in contrast to separate nanoprecipitate formation. These Janus nanoprecipitates result from local comelting of Bi and Ge during sintering, enabling an amorphous‐like lattice thermal conductivity. A precipitate size effect on phonon scattering is observed due to the balance between alloy‐disorder and nanoprecipitate scattering. The thermoelectric figure‐of‐merit ZT reaches 0.6 near room temperature and 1.6 at 773 K. The Janus nanoprecipitation can be introduced into other materials and may act as a general property‐tailoring mechanism. Bi‐/Ge‐rich Janus nanoprecipitates in Mg3Sb1.5Bi0.5 compounds are uncovered by electron microscopy and atom probe tomography. This complex Janus nanoprecipitate results from local comelting of Bi and Ge during sintering and enables an amorphous‐like lattice thermal conductivity near room temperature. The mechanistic understanding of thermal‐conductivity reduction is supported by modelling the material systems with and without precipitates.

Background This study aimed to compare the clinical efficacy of digital subtraction angiography (DSA) combined arterial thrombectomy versus simple arterial thrombectomy in the treatment of acute lower limb ischemia (ALI). Methods This retrospective cohort study collected the clinical data from 124 patients (128 affected lower limbs) with ALI who underwent emergency surgery from March 2010 to November 2019. Patients were consecutively divided into Group A and Group B. Patients in Group A underwent simple arterial thrombectomy via the Fogarty catheterization. Patients in Group B underwent arterial thrombectomy, and the DSA was performed during the surgery. The differences in the success rate of primary surgery, the second intervention rate, and the amputation/mortality rate within 30-days after surgery were compared. Results In Group A, 4 of 70 limbs (5.7%) were amputated, 54 of 70 limbs (77.1%) had improved blood flow, 14 of 70 limbs (20.0%) received a second intervention, and 3 of 68 patients (4.4%) died within 30 days. In Group B, 1 of 58 limbs (1.7%) was amputated, 56 of 58 limbs (96.6%) had improved blood flow, 3 of 58 limbs (5.2%) received a second intervention, and 2 of 56 patients (3.5%) died within 30-days. The success rate of primary surgery, the second intervention rate, and the amputation rate of Group B were significantly lower than Group A ( P  < 0.05). Conclusion Arterial thrombectomy combined with DSA may effectively improve the clinical efficacy of patients with ALI.

This paper reinvestigated the climate-crop yield relationship with the statistical model at crops’ growing stage scale. Compared to previous studies, our model introduced monthly climate variables in the production function of crops, which enables separating the yield changes induced by climate change and those caused by inputs variation and technique progress, as well as examining different climate effects during each growing stage of crops. By applying the fixed effect regression model with province-level panel data of crop yields, agricultural inputs, and the monthly climate variables of temperature and precipitation from 1985 to 2015, we found that the effects of temperature generally are negative and those of precipitation generally are positive, but they vary among different growth stages for each crop. Specifically, GDDs (i.e., growing degree days) have negative effects on spring maize’s yield except for the sowing and ripening stages; the effects of precipitation are negative in September for summer maize. Precipitation in December and the next April is significantly harmful to the yield of winter wheat; while, for the spring wheat, GDDs have positive effects during April and May, and precipitation has negative effects during the ripening period. In addition, we computed climate-induced losses based on the climate-crop yield relationship, which demonstrated a strong tendency for increasing yield losses for all crops, with large interannual fluctuations. Comparatively, the long-term climate effects on yields of spring maize, summer maize, and spring wheat are more noticeable than those of winter wheat.

Nanoplastics (NPs) cause serious contamination of drinking water and potential damage to human health. This study aimed to investigate the effects of NPs with different particle sizes and concentrations on the reproductive function of male mice. In this study, free drinking water exposure was used to expose male BALB/C mice to PS-NPs (20 nm, 200 nm, and 1000 nm) at 0.1 mg/L, 1 mg/L, and 5 mg/L for 4 months. The male reproductive function of the mice was assessed after NPs exposure, and fecal and blood samples were collected for macrogenomics and metabolomics. The results showed that PS-NPs resulted in mice with reduced testicular organ coefficients, decreased sperm quality, altered testicular tissue structure, disturbed sex hormone levels, and abnormal levels of inflammatory factors and oxidative stress. Furthermore, this study found that NP exposure affected the alteration of gut communities and metabolic pathways related to male reproduction, such as Clostridium and glutathione metabolism. Importantly, we found an effect of NP particle size on reproductive function. In the future, more attention should be paid to the smaller particle sizes of NPs.