Challenges and Suggestions of Ethical Review on Clinical Research Involving Brain-Computer Interfaces

Brain-computer interface(BCI)technology is rapidly advancing in medical research and application.As an emerging biomedical engineering technology,it has garnered significant attention in the clinical research of brain disease diagnosis and treatment,neurological rehabilitation,and mental health.However,BCI also raises several challenges and ethical concerns in clinical research.In this article,the authors investigate and discuss three aspects of BCI in medicine and healthcare:the state of international ethical governance,multidimensional ethical challenges pertaining to BCI in clinical research,and suggestive concerns for ethical review.Despite the great potential of frontier BCI research and development in the field of medical care,the ethical challenges induced by itself and the complexities of clinical research and brain function have put forward new special fields for ethics in BCI.To ensure"responsible innovation"in BCI research in healthcare and medicine,the creation of an ethical global governance framework and system,along with special guidelines for cutting-edge BCI research in medicine,is suggested.

Interface Engineering of Titanium Nitride Nanotube Composites for Excellent Microwave Absorption at Elevated Temperature

Currently,the microwave absorbers usually suffer dreadful electromagnetic wave absorption(EMWA)performance damping at elevated temperature due to impedance mismatching induced by increased conduction loss.Consequently,the development of high-performance EMWA materials with good impedance matching and strong loss ability in wide temperature spectrum has emerged as a top priority.Herein,due to the high melting point,good electrical conductivity,excellent environmental stability,EM coupling effect,and abundant interfaces of titanium nitride(TiN)nanotubes,they were designed based on the controlling kinetic diffusion procedure and Ostwald ripening process.Benefiting from boosted heterogeneous interfaces between TiN nanotubes and polydimethylsiloxane(PDMS),enhanced polarization loss relaxations were created,which could not only improve the depletion efficiency of EMWA,but also contribute to the optimized impedance matching at elevated temperature.Therefore,the TiN nanotubes/PDMS composite showed excellent EMWA performances at varied temperature(298-573 K),while achieved an effective absorption bandwidth(EAB)value of 3.23 GHz and a minimum reflection loss(RLmin)value of−44.15 dB at 423 K.This study not only clarifies the relationship between dielectric loss capacity(conduction loss and polarization loss)and temperature,but also breaks new ground for EM absorbers in wide temperature spectrum based on interface engineering.

Mg/MgO interfaces as efficient hydrogen evolution cathodes causing accelerated corrosion of additive manufactured Mg alloys:A DFT analysis

The corrosion rates of additive-manufactured Mg alloys are higher than their as-cast counterparts,possibly due to increased kinetics for the hydrogen evolution reaction on secondary phases,which may include oxide inclusions.Scanning Kelvin Probe Force Microscopy demonstrated that MgO inclusions could act as cathodes for Mg corrosion,but their low conductivity likely precludes this.However,the density of state calculations through density functional theory using hybrid HSE06 functional revealed overlapping electronic states at the Mg/MgO interface,which facilitates electron transfers and participates in redox reactions.Subsequent determination of the hydrogen absorption energy at the Mg/MgO interface reveals it to be an excellent catalytic site,with HER being found to be a factor of 23x more efficient at the interface than on metallic Mg.The results not only support the plausibility of the Mg/MgO interface being an effective cathode to the adjacent anodic Mg matrix during corrosion but also contribute to the understanding of the enhanced cathodic activities observed during the anodic dissolution of magnesium.

Numerical parametric study on the influence of location and inclination of large-scale asperities on the shear strength of concreterock interfaces of small buttress dams

When assessing the sliding stability of a concrete dam,the influence of large-scale asperities in the sliding plane is often ignored due to limitations of the analytical rigid body assessment methods provided by current dam assessment guidelines.However,these asperities can potentially improve the load capacity of a concrete dam in terms of sliding stability.Although their influence in a sliding plane has been thoroughly studied for direct shear,their influence under eccentric loading,as in the case of dams,is unknown.This paper presents the results of a parametric study that used finite element analysis(FEA)to investigate the influence of large-scale asperities on the load capacity of small buttress dams.By varying the inclination and location of an asperity located in the concrete-rock interface along with the strength of the rock foundation material,transitions between different failure modes and correlations between the load capacity and the varied parameters were observed.The results indicated that the inclination of the asperity had a significant impact on the failure mode.When the inclinationwas 30and greater,interlocking occurred between the dam and foundation and the governing failure modes were either rupture of the dam body or asperity.When the asperity inclination was significant enough to provide interlocking,the load capacity of the dam was impacted by the strength of the rock in the foundation through influencing the load capacity of the asperity.The location of the asperity along the concrete-rock interface did not affect the failure mode,except for when the asperity was located at the toe of the dam,but had an influence on the load capacity when the failure occurred by rupture of the buttress or by sliding.By accounting for a single large-scale asperity in the concrete-rock interface of the analysed dam,a horizontal load capacity increase of 30%e160%was obtained,depending on the inclination and location of the asperity and the strength of the foundation material.

Effect of Interface Form on Creep Failure and Life of Dissimilar Metal Welds Involving Nickel-Based Weld Metal and Ferritic Base Metal

For dissimilar metal welds(DMWs)involving nickel-based weld metal(WM)and ferritic heat resistant steel base metal(BM)in power plants,there must be an interface between WM and BM,and this interface suffers mechanical and microstructure mismatches and is often the rupture location of premature failure.In this study,a new form of WM/BM interface form,namely double Y-type interface was designed for the DMWs.Creep behaviors and life of DMWs containing double Y-type interface and conventional I-type interface were compared by finite element analysis and creep tests,and creep failure mechanisms were investigated by stress-strain analysis and microstructure characterization.By applying double Y-type interface instead of conventional I-type interface,failure location of DMW could be shifted from the WM/ferritic heat-affected zone(HAZ)interface into the ferritic HAZ or even the ferritic BM,and the failure mode change improved the creep life of DMW.The interface premature failure of I-type interface DMW was related to the coupling effect of microstructure degradation,stress and strain concentrations,and oxide notch on the WM/HAZ interface.The creep failure of double Y-type interface DMW was the result of Type IV fracture due to the creep voids and micro-cracks on fine-grain boundaries in HAZ,which was a result of the matrix softening of HAZ and lack of precipitate pinning at fine-grain boundaries.The double Y-type interface form separated the stress and strain concentrations in DMW from the WM/HAZ interface,preventing the trigger effect of oxide notch on interface failure and inhibiting the interfacial microstructure cracking.It is a novel scheme to prolong creep life and enhance reliability of DMW,by means of optimizing the interface form,decoupling the damage factors from WM/HAZ interface,and then changing the failure mechanism and shifting the failure location.

Unraveling the Fundamental Mechanism of Interface Conductive Network Influence on the Fast‑Charging Performance of SiO‑Based Anode for Lithium‑Ion Batteries

Progress in the fast charging of high-capacity silicon monoxide(SiO)-based anode is currently hindered by insufficient conductivity and notable volume expansion.The construction of an interface conductive network effectively addresses the aforementioned problems;however,the impact of its quality on lithium-ion transfer and structure durability is yet to be explored.Herein,the influence of an interface conductive network on ionic transport and mechanical stability under fast charging is explored for the first time.2D modeling simulation and Cryo-transmission electron microscopy precisely reveal the mitigation of interface polarization owing to a higher fraction of conductive inorganic species formation in bilayer solid electrolyte interphase is mainly responsible for a linear decrease in ionic diffusion energy barrier.Furthermore,atomic force microscopy and Raman shift exhibit substantial stress dissipation generated by a complete conductive network,which is critical to the linear reduction of electrode residual stress.This study provides insights into the rational design of optimized interface SiO-based anodes with reinforced fast-charging performance.

Construction of Dynamic Alloy Interfaces for Uniform Li Deposition in Li-Metal Batteries

It is well accepted that a lithiophilic interface can effectively regulate Li deposition behaviors,but the influence of the lithiophilic interface is gradually diminished upon continuous Li deposition that completely isolates Li from the lithiophilic metals.Herein,we perform in-depth studies on the creation of dynamic alloy interfaces upon Li deposition,arising from the exceptionally high diffusion coefficient of Hg in the amalgam solid solution.As a comparison,other metals such as Au,Ag,and Zn have typical diffusion coefficients of 10-20 orders of magnitude lower than that of Hg in the similar solid solution phases.This difference induces compact Li deposition pattern with an amalgam substrate even with a high areal capacity of 55 mAh cm^(-2).This finding provides new insight into the rational design of Li anode substrate for the stable cycling of Li metal batteries.

Recent Advances in Nanoengineering of Electrode-Electrolyte Interfaces to Realize High-Performance Li-Ion Batteries

A suitable interface between the electrode and electrolyte is crucial in achieving highly stable electrochemical performance for Li-ion batteries,as facile ionic transport is required.Intriguing research and development have recently been conducted to form a stable interface between the electrode and electrolyte.Therefore,it is essential to investigate emerging knowledge and contextualize it.The nanoengineering of the electrode-electrolyte interface has been actively researched at the electrode/electrolyte and interphase levels.This review presents and summarizes some recent advances aimed at nanoengineering approaches to build a more stable electrode-electrolyte interface and assess the impact of each approach adopted.Furthermore,future perspectives on the feasibility and practicality of each approach will also be reviewed in detail.Finally,this review aids in projecting a more sustainable research pathway for a nanoengineered interphase design between electrode and electrolyte,which is pivotal for high-performance,thermally stable Li-ion batteries.

Interface and mechanical degradation mechanisms of the silicon anode in sulfide-based solid-state batteries at high temperatures

Silicon(Si)is a competitive anode material owing to its high theoretical capacity and low electrochemical potential.Recently,the prospect of Si anodes in solid-state batteries(SSBs)has been proposed due to less solid electrolyte interphase(SEI)formation and particle pulverization.However,major challenges arise for Si anodes in SSBs at elevated temperatures.In this work,the failure mechanisms of Si-Li_(6)PS_(5)Cl(LPSC)composite anodes above 80℃are thoroughly investigated from the perspectives of interface stability and(electro)chemo-mechanical effect.The chemistry and growth kinetics of Lix Si|LPSC interphase are demonstrated by combining electrochemical,chemical and computational characterizations.Si and/or Si–P compound formed at Lix Si|LPSC interface prove to be detrimental to interface stability at high temperatures.On the other hand,excessive volume expansion and local stress caused by Si lithiation at high temperatures damage the mechanical structure of Si-LPSC composite anodes.This work elucidates the behavior and failure mechanisms of Si-based anodes in SSBs at high temperatures and provides insights into upgrading Si-based anodes for application in SSBs.

Shear resistance of assembled bentonite interface after confined water saturation and interfacial self-healing capacity

The requisite functions of a bentonite buffer in a deep geological repository depend on the sealing/healing of bentonite interfaces,with particular emphasis on the self-healing(automatic healing upon wetting)of assembled bentonite-bentonite interfaces.This study determined the shear resistance(including the peak shear strength and secant modulus)of densely compacted Gaomiaozi(GMZ)bentonite and its assembled interface after confined water saturation.The effect of bentonite dry density and saturation time on the shear resistance of saturated healed interfaces was elucidated,and the interfacial self-healing capacity was assessed.The results indicate that the shear resistance of the saturated healed interfaces increased with the bentonite dry density but had a non-monotonic correlation with the saturation time.For a given dry density of the bentonite,the saturated healed interface exhibits a lower peak shear strength than the saturated intact bentonite but a higher peak shear strength than the saturated separated interface.The saturated healed and separated interfaces have comparable shear moduli(secant moduli),which are lower than that of the saturated intact bentonite.The saturated healed interfaces display smooth shear failure planes,while the saturated assembled interfaces and intact bentonite exhibit comparable frictional angles.This indicates that interfacial self-healing plays a pivotal role in enhancing interfacial peak shear strength by facilitating microstructural bonding at the assembled interface.Finally,it can be stated that densely compacted GMZ bentonite has a robust interfacial self-healing capacity in terms of shear resistance.These findings contribute to the design of the bentonite buffer and facilitate the evaluation of its safe operation at specified disposal ages.

Theoretical investigation on axial cyclic performance of monopile in sands using interface constitutive models

Cyclic loads generated by environmental factors,such as winds,waves,and trains,will likely lead to performance degradation in pile foundations,resulting in issues like permanent displacement accumulation and bearing capacity attenuation.This paper presents a semi-analytical solution for predicting the axial cyclic behavior of piles in sands.The solution relies on two enhanced nonlinear load-transfer models considering stress-strain hysteresis and cyclic degradation in the pile-soil interaction.Model parameters are calibrated through cyclic shear tests of the sand-steel interface and laboratory geotechnical testing of sands.A novel aspect involves the meticulous formulation of the shaft loadtransfer function using an interface constitutive model,which inherently inherits the interface model’s advantages,such as capturing hysteresis,hardening,degradation,and particle breakage.The semi-analytical solution is computed numerically using the matrix displacement method,and the calculated values are validated through model tests performed on non-displacement and displacement piles in sands.The results demonstrate that the predicted values show excellent agreement with the measured values for both the static and cyclic responses of piles in sands.The displacement pile response,including factors such as bearing capacity,mobilized shaft resistance,and convergence rate of permanent settlement,exhibit improvements compared to non-displacement piles attributed to the soil squeezing effect.This methodology presents an innovative analytical framework,allowing for integrating cyclic interface models into the theoretical investigation of pile responses.

STABILITY OF THE RAREFACTION WAVE IN THE SINGULAR LIMIT OF A SHARP INTERFACE PROBLEM FOR THE COMPRESSIBLE NAVIER-STOKES/ALLEN-CAHN SYSTEM

This paper is concerned with the global well-posedness of the solution to the compressible Navier-Stokes/Allen-Cahn system and its sharp interface limit in one-dimensional space.For the perturbations with small energy but possibly large oscillations of rarefaction wave solutions near phase separation,and where the strength of the initial phase field could be arbitrarily large,we prove that the solution of the Cauchy problem exists for all time,and converges to the centered rarefaction wave solution of the corresponding standard two-phase Euler equation as the viscosity and the thickness of the interface tend to zero.The proof is mainly based on a scaling argument and a basic energy method.

INTERFACE BEHAVIOR AND DECAY RATES OF COMPRESSIBLE NAVIER-STOKES SYSTEM WITH DENSITY-DEPENDENT VISCOSITY AND A VACUUM

In this paper,we study the one-dimensional motion of viscous gas near a vacuum,with the gas connecting to a vacuum state with a jump in density.The interface behavior,the pointwise decay rates of the density function and the expanding rates of the interface are obtained with the viscosity coefficientμ(ρ)=ρ^(α)for any 0<α<1;this includes the timeweighted boundedness from below and above.The smoothness of the solution is discussed.Moreover,we construct a class of self-similar classical solutions which exhibit some interesting properties,such as optimal estimates.The present paper extends the results in[Luo T,Xin Z P,Yang T.SIAM J Math Anal,2000,31(6):1175-1191]to the jump boundary conditions case with density-dependent viscosity.

Alleviating the sluggish kinetics of all-solid-state batteries via cathode single-crystallization and multi-functional interface modification

The application of Li-rich Mn-based cathodes, the most promising candidates for high-energy-density Liion batteries, in all-solid-state batteries can further enhance the safety and stability of battery systems.However, the utilization of high-capacity Li-rich cathodes has been limited by sluggish kinetics and severe interfacial issues in all-solid-state batteries. Here, a multi-functional interface modification strategy involving dispersed submicron single-crystal structure and multi-functional surface modification layer obtained through in-situ interfacial chemical reactions was designed to improve the electrochemical performance of Li-rich Mn-based cathodes in all-solid-state batteries. The design of submicron single-crystal structure promotes the interface contact between the cathode particles and the solid-state electrolyte,and thus constructs a more complete ion and electron conductive network in the composite cathode.Furthermore, the Li-gradient layer and the lithium molybdate coating layer constructed on the surface of single-crystal Li-rich particles accelerate the transport of Li ions at the interface, suppress the side reactions between cathodes and electrolyte, and inhibit the oxygen release on the cathode surface. The optimized Li-rich cathode materials exhibit excellent electrochemical performance in halide all-solid-state batteries. This study emphasizes the vital importance of reaction kinetics and interfacial stability of Lirich cathodes in all-solid-state batteries and provides a facile modification strategy to enhance the electrochemical performance of all-solid-state batteries based on Li-rich cathodes.

In-situ thermal Raman mapping and stress analysis of CNT/CF/epoxy interfaces

A study of the interfacial behavior and internal thermal stress distribution in fiber-reinforced composites is essential to assess their performance and reliability.CNT/carbon fiber(CF)hybrid fibers were constructed using electrophoretic deposition.The interfacial properties of CF/epoxy and CNT/CF/epoxy composites were statistically investigated and compared using in-situ thermal Raman mapping by dispersing CNTs as a Raman sensing medium(CNT_(R))in a resin.The associated local thermal stress changes can be simulated by capturing the G'band position distribution of CNT_(R) in the epoxy at different temperatures.It was found that the G'band shifted to lower positions with increasing temperature,reaching a maximum difference of 2.43 cm^(−1) at 100℃.The interfacial bonding between CNT/CF and the matrix and the stress distribution and changes during heat treatment(20-100℃)were investig-ated in detail.This work is important for studying thermal stress in fiber-reinforced composites by in-situ thermal Raman mapping technology.

Preparation and interface state of phosphate tailing-based geopolymers

The long-term storage of phosphate tailings will occupy a large amount of land,pollute soil and groundwater,thus,it is crucial to achieve the harmless disposal of phosphate tailings.In this study,high-performance geopolymers with compressive strength of 38.8 MPa were prepared by using phosphate tailings as the main raw material,fly ash as the active silicon-aluminum material,and water glass as the alkaline activator.The solid content of phosphate tailings and fly ash was 60% and 40%,respectively,and the water-cement ratio was 0.22.The results of XRD,FTIR,SEM-EDS and XPS show that the reactivity of phosphate tailings with alkaline activator is weak,and the silicon-aluminum material can react with alkaline activator to form zeolite and gel,and encapsulate/cover the phosphate tailings to form a dense phosphate tailings-based geopolymer.During the formation of geopolymers,part of the aluminum-oxygen tetrahedron replaced the silicon-oxygen tetrahedron,causing the polycondensation reaction between geopolymers and increasing the strength of geopolymers.The leaching toxicity test results show that the geopolymer has a good solid sealing effect on heavy metal ions.The preparation of geopolymer from phosphate tailings is an important way to alleviate the storage pressure and realize the resource utilization of phosphate tailings.

Impact of oxygen incorporation on interface optimization and defect suppression for efficiency enhancement in Cu_(2)ZnSn(S,Se)_(4)solar cells

Kesterite Cu_(2)ZnSn(S,Se)_(4)(CZTSSe)solar cells suffer from severe carrier recombination,limiting the photovoltaic performance.Unfavorable energy band alignment at the p-n junction and defective front interface are two main causes.Herein,oxygen incorporation in CZTSSe via absorber air-annealing was developed as a strategy to optimize its surface photoelectric property and reduce the defects.With optimized oxygen incorporation conditions,the carrier separation and collection behavior at the front interface of the device is improved.In particular,it is found that oxygen incorporated absorber exhibits increased band bending,larger depletion region width,and suppressed absorber defects.These indicate the dynamic factors for carrier separation become stronger.Meanwhile,the increased potential difference between grain boundaries and intra grains combined with the decreased concentration of interface deep level defect in the absorber provide a better path for carrier transport.As a consequence,the champion efficiency of CZTSSe solar cells has been improved from 9.74%to 12.04%with significantly improved open-circuit voltage after optimized air-annealing condition.This work provides a new insight for interface engineering to improve the photoelectric conversion efficiency of CZTSSe devices.

Seasonal response of nitrogen exchange fluxes to crab disturbance at sediment-water interface in coastal tidal wetlands

Coastal wetlands are hotspots for nitrogen(N)cycling,and crab burrowing is known to transform N in intertidal marsh soils.However,the underlying mechanisms remain unclear.This study conducted field experiments and used indoor control test devices to investigate the seasonal response of nitrogen to crab disturbance at the sediment-water interface in coastal tidal flat wetlands.The results showed that crab disturbance exhibited significant seasonality with large seasonal differences in cave density and depth.Due to crab disturbance,nitrogen fuxes at the sediment-water interface were much greater in the box with crabs than in the box without crabs.In summer,NH-N showed a positive flux from the sediment to the overlying water,but NO2-N and NOg-N showed positive fluxes from the sediment to the overlying water only in early stages.In winter,NH-N showed a positive flux from the sediment to the overlying water,but NO-N and NO,-N both exhibited positive and negative fluxes.These results indicated that the presence of crab burrows can cause the aerobic layer to move downward by approximately 8-15 cm in summer and directly promote nitrification at the sediment surface.

Sulfur vacancies and heterogeneous interfaces promote high performance sodium storage of bimetallic chalcogenide hollow nanospheres

Transition metal sulfides have high theoretical capacities and are considered as potential anode materials for sodium-ion batteries.However,due to low inherent conductivity and significant volume expansion,the electrochemical performance is greatly limited.In this study,a nickel/manganese sulfide material(Ni_(0.96)S_(x)/MnS_(y)-NC)with adjustable sulfur vacancies and heterogeneous hollow spheres was prepared using a simple method.The introduction of a concentration-adjustable sulfur vacancy enables the generation of a heterogeneous interface between bimetallic sulfide and sulfur vacancies.This interface collectively creates an internal electric field,improving the mobility of electrons and ions,increasing the number of electrochemically active sites,and further optimizing the performance of Na~+storage.The direction of electron flow is confirmed by Density functional theory(DFT)calculations.The hollow nano-spherical material provides a buffer for expansion,facilitating rapid transfer kinetics.Our innovative discovery involves the interaction between the ether-based electrolyte and copper foil,leading to the formation of Cu_9S_5,which grafts the active material and copper current collector,reinforcing mechanical supporting.This results in a new heterostructure of Cu_9S_5 with Ni_(0.96)S_(x)/MnS_(y),contributing to the stabilization of structural integrity for long-cycle performance.Therefore,Ni_(0.96)S_(x)/MnS_(y)-NC exhibits excellent electrochemical properties following our modification route.Regarding stability performance,Ni0_(.96)S_(x)/MnS_(y)-NC demonstrates an average decay rate of 0.00944%after 10,000 cycles at an extremely high current density of 10000 mA g^(-1),A full cell with a high capacity of 304.2 mA h g^(-1)was also successfully assembled by using Na_(3)V_(2)(PO_(4))_(3)/C as the cathode.This study explores a novel strategy for interface/vacancy co-modification in the fabrication of high-performance sodium-ion batteries electrode.

Data Quality Control Method of a New Drifting Observation Technology Named Drifting Air-Sea Interface Buoy

An integral quality control(QC)procedure that integrates various QC methods and considers the design indexes and operational status of the instruments for the observations of drifting air-sea interface buoy was developed in the order of basic in-spection followed by targeted QC.The innovative method of combining a moving Hampel filter and local anomaly detection com-plies with statistical laws and physical processes,which guarantees the QC performance of meteorological variables.Two sets of observation data were used to verify the applicability and effectiveness of the QC procedure,and the effect was evaluated using the observations of the Kuroshio Extension Observatory buoy as the reference.The results showed that the outliers in the time series can be correctly identified and processed,and the quality of data improved significantly.The linear correlation between the quality-controlled observations and the reference increased,and the difference decreased.The correlation coefficient of wind speed before and after QC increased from 0.77 to 0.82,and the maximum absolute error decreased by approximately 2.8ms^(-1).In addition,air pressure and relative humidity were optimized by 10^(-3)–10^(-2) orders of magnitude.For the sea surface temperature,the weight of coefficients of the continuity test algorithm was optimized based on the sea area of data acquisition,which effectively expanded the applicability of the algorithm.