Long Cycle-Life Ca Batteries with Poly(anthraquinonylsulfide) Cathodes and Ca-Sn Alloy Anodes.

Calcium (Ca) batteries are attractive post-lithium battery technologies, due to their potential to provide high-voltage and high-energy systems in a sustainable manner. We investigated herein 1,5-poly(anthraquinonylsulfide) (PAQS) for Ca-ion storage with calcium tetrakis(hexafluoroisopropyloxy)borate Ca[B(hfip)4 ]2 [hfip=OCH(CF3 )2 ] electrolytes. It is demonstrated that PAQS could be synthesized in a cost-effective approach and be processed environmentally friendly into the electrodes. The PAQS cathodes could provide 94 mAh g-1 capacity at 2.2 V vs. Ca at 0.5C (1C=225 mAh g-1 ). However, cycling of the cells was severely hindered due to the fast degradation of the metal anode. Replacing the Ca metal anode with a calcium-tin (Ca-Sn) alloy anode, the PAQS cathodes exhibited long cycling performance (45 mAh g-1 at 0.5C after 1000 cycles) and superior rate capability (52 mAh g-1 at 5C). This is mainly ascribed to the flexible structure of PAQS and good compatibility of the alloy anodes with the electrolyte solutions, which allow reversible quinone carbonyl redox chemistry in the Ca battery systems. The promising properties of PAQS indicate that further exploration of the organic cathode materials could be a feasible direction towards green Ca batteries.

Utilization of a Medicaid-funded intervention for children with autism.

OBJECTIVE: The study examined utilization of Wisconsin's Medicaid funding for autism intervention before and after a major shift in program administration. METHODS: Medicaid enrollment data were analyzed for 1,822 children with autism from 2000 through 2006, as were geocoded demographic data and decennial census data. Enrollees' data were compared with demographic data for Wisconsin's general population. RESULTS: Compared with averages for all Wisconsin families, new Medicaid enrollees in 2000 were more likely to be from census tracts with a high proportion of white families with high socioeconomic status. These disparities decreased by 2006, two years after a change from a Medicaid fee-for-service structure to a Medicaid home- and community-based services waiver. CONCLUSIONS: As more states consider carve-out benefits for children with autism, close attention needs to be paid to the potential for disparities and the influence of mode of administration on utilization.