Search

In this article, we proposed a novel but simple multilayer resin film infusion-compressive molding (MLRFI-CM) manufacturing process that can harness the resin shear flow to architect hierarchical carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) composites with tunable 1D nanocarbons orientation. Via this novel process, we demonstrated that the orientation of two typical 1D nanocarbons, namely, the carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and carbon nanofibers (CNFs), can be successfully tuned via altering the infusion time and that the tuning strategy is especially effective toward CNTs. Further, the structure-performance relationships between the electrical conductivity/interlaminar shear strength (ILSS) and filler through-thickness orientation of the hierarchical CFRP composites is explored and compared. In the best case, with only 0.3 wt% of CNTs, the ILSS of CFRP composites revealed an increase of 19.7%, and the through-thickness conductivity demonstrated an increase of 38%.

In this paper, high-throughput sequencing technology was adopted to visualize the microbial communities on the surfaces of two types of carbon steel immersed in Sea Area Ⅰ. The results showed that different microbial communities were formed on different carbon steel surfaces, in which the genus with the highest abundance on the surface of Q235 was Escherichia–Shigella, while anaerobic Desulfovibrio on the surface of 921a was the most abundant, and the dominant genus varied with the depth of the rust layer. In addition, the distribution of sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB) on the surface of Q235 submerged in Sea Area Ⅱ was compared with the sulfate-reducing bacteria's distribution in Sea Area Ⅰ, using the environmental factors correlation analysis. The results showed that the concentrations of Ca2+, Na+, K+, Mg2+, and Al3+ were positively correlated with the distribution of SRB, while the concentrations of Cu2+, Zn2+, SO42−, Cl−, NO3−, and organic carbon were negatively correlated with it. Furthermore, there was a highly significant correlation between each geochemical factor and Desulfotomaculum (p < 0.01). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Freeway crash prediction models are the basic of traffic safety research, yet crash occurrence and the influencing factors change over time. In order to make sure the implemented safety models fit the current traffic environment, this study conducts a comparative analysis of 2017 and 2020 datasets collected from freeways in Suzhou, China. Considering the spatial correlation among analysis units and the hierarchical data structure, a Bayesian conditional autoregressive negative binomial (CAR-NB) model and a Bayesian hierarchical CAR-NB (HCAR-NB) model were used to explore the safety influencing factors, and a traditional NB model was developed for further comparison. To update the HCAR-NB model from 2017 to 2020, Bayesian inference with informative priors was used to improve its goodness of fit and efficiency. Preliminary results showed that 1) the HCAR-NB model outperformed the NB model and CAR-NB model in prediction accuracy, and 2) the number of crashes was significantly correlated with average speed, speed variance, road segment length, number of lanes, and presence of ramps. The potential for safety improvement (PSI) method was applied to the modeling results to identify hotspots for the two years. The results confirmed that the hotspots spatiotemporally shifted among the freeways. The proposed crash prediction model and updating method are expected to assist implementation of informed countermeasures for freeway safety improvement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Mycoplasma pneumoniae (M. pneumoniae) is an important pathogen of community acquired pneumonia. With the outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), the prevalence of some infectious respiratory diseases has varied. Epidemiological features of M. pneumoniae in children from Beijing (China) before and during the COVID-19 pandemic were investigated. Methods: Between June 2016 and May 2021, a total of 569,887 children with respiratory infections from Children's Hospital Affiliated to Capital Institute of Pediatrics (Beijing, China) were included in this study. M. pneumoniae specific-IgM antibody in serum specimens of these patients was tested by a rapid immunochromatographic assay kit. The relevant clinical data of M. pneumoniae -positive cases were also collected, and analyzed by RStudio software. Results: The results showed that 13.08% of collected samples were positive for M. pneumoniae specific-IgM antibody. The highest annual positive rate was 17.59% in 2019, followed by 12.48% in 2018, 12.31% in 2017, and 11.73% in 2016, while the rate dropped to 8.9% in 2020 and 4.95% in 2021, with significant difference. Among the six years, the positive rates in summer and winter seasons were significantly higher than those in spring and autumn seasons (p < 0.001). The positive rate was the highest in school-age children (22.20%), and lowest in the infant group (8.76%, p < 0.001). The positive rate in boys (11.69%) was lower than that in girls (14.80%, p < 0.001). There were no significant differences in different seasons, age groups, or genders before and during the COVID-19 pandemic (p > 0.05). Conclusions: Our study demonstrated that an M. pneumoniae outbreak started from the summer of 2019 in Beijing. After the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak in the end of 2019, the M. pneumoniae positive rates dropped dramatically. This may be due to the restrictive measures of the COVID-19 pandemic, which effectively controlled the transmission of M. pneumoniae. The relationships between M. pneumoniae positive rates and season, age, and gender were not statistically significant before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Identifying the aggregation characteristics of the geospatial network is an important aspect of analyzing highway traffic networks. Based on the complex network theory, this paper studies the block aggregation characteristics of the highway traffic network and proposes an Improved PageRank Spectral Clustering (IPSC) Algorithm to divide the functional blocks of highway traffic networks. Firstly, the theoretical model of a highway traffic network is constructed by adding location attribute weight, geographical distance weight, road grade weight, and dynamic traffic congestion weight. Secondly, the improved PageRank algorithm is used to get the ranking of key nodes of the highway traffic network. The clustering center and the number of clusters are determined by the ranking of key nodes and the shortest path distance. Then the improved spectral clustering algorithm is used to divide the functional blocks of the highway transportation network and identify the special common blocks of the highway transportation network. Finally, the IPSC Algorithm is used to analyze the aggregation mode of complex traffic networks at city and district scales. Crossing the limit of administrative division, the division results of special common blocks of highway transportation networks are obtained. Maintaining the connectivity between blocks can improve the overall efficiency of highway transportation networks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel aldehyde-substituted acceptor-DTE-acceptor-type dithienylethene derivative, in which the difluoroboron β-diketonate and aldehyde groups at the termini of the dithienylethene function as electron acceptors, has been developed. The structure was confirmed by 1H NMR, 13C NMR, 19F NMR, high-resolution mass spectrometry (electrospray ionization) and infrared. The derivative displays solvent-dependent photophysical properties, visible light–triggered near-infrared photochromism, and fluorescent switching behavior in solvents of different polarity. Moreover, it can be utilized as a versatile building block to construct novel near-infrared photochromic materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A series of dithienylethenes 1a–1d with BF2-doped π-conjugation have been successfully developed. Upon alternating irradiation with green light and red/NIR light, they show efficient photochromism and fluorescence switching behaviors in toluene and PMMA film. Moreover, the fluorescence of 1a can be switched effectively in living cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of new sensors for the accurate detection of cyanide anion has attracted more and more attention due to their potential applications in environmental and biological systems. Here, two novel near‐infrared (NIR) photochromic compounds 1a and 1b, which were modified by the dicyanovinyl fragment with cyanide recognition function, have been developed. Surprisingly, 1a presented an unprecedented triple sensing performance for cyanide anion (colorimetric‐fluorescent‐colorimetric), which can be utilized as a potential precision sensor for CN– in environmental and biological systems. Although 1b did not show triple detection behavior for CN–, it could recognize CN– and F– synchronously and selectively by naked eyes. Moreover, their NIR photochromic behaviors could be modulated by the cyanide anion. Their sensing mechanism for CN– or F– was confirmed by absorption spectral studies, NMR titration, and DFT calculations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Kleinman pioneered the use of intensive case studies in China and elsewhere. Drawing on this approach, this paper shows how two rural Chinese converts to Christianity recovered from prolonged mental sickness incurred during the Cultural Revolution many years earlier. The apparent ‘cure’ is part of local narrative in which rural Chinese Christians' first contact with Christianity has the pragmatic aim of seeking treatment to relieve physical pain, but leads to conversion and believed divine deliverance from psychological as well as physical suffering. In acquiring what they regard as new moral life and becoming dignified ‘divine selves’, they adopt new language and behavior and subtly change their relationships with family and the local power structure, thereby establishing a ‘holy local system’ that is regarded as able to withstand external crises and temporary setbacks. Setting up the holy local system highlights the inadequacy of rural bio-medical assistance, provides treatment for sickness and pain often blamed on Chinese society's relentless pursuit of economic development, and so introduces some compensatory if illusory rural stability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Our preliminary sequencing analysis revealed increased expression levels of circNUP98 in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). This study was therefore carried out to explore the role of circNUP98 in NPC., Methods: The present study enrolled 56 patients with NPC, 44 patients with cervical lymphadenitis (CL), 50 patients with nose bleeding (NB), 50 patients with chronic sinusitis (CS), 50 patients with lymph node tuberculosis (LNT), and 50 healthy controls (Control). Plasma samples were obtained from all patients and the controls. In addition, NPC and paired non-tumor tissue samples were collected from the 56 NPC patients. The expression of circNUP98 in both tissue and plasma samples was determined by RT-qPCR. The 56 NPC patients were followed up for 5 years to analyze the associations between plasma expression of circNUP98 and the survival of patients. The diagnostic value of circNUP98 for NPC was analyzed through ROC curve analysis., Results: The plasma expression levels of circNUP98 were only increased in NPC, but not in CL, NB, CS and LNT groups compared to that in the Control group. In addition, increased expression levels of circNUP98 were observed in NPC tissues compared to that in non-tumor tissues. Plasma circNUP98 was closely correlated with circNUP98 in NPC tissues, but not circNUP98 in non-tumor tissues. With plasma circNUP98 as a biomarker, NPC patients were separated from CL, NB, CS, LNT, and the Control groups. The Plasma expression of circNUP98 was found to be positively correlated with the poor survival of patients. Moreover, plasma circNUP98 was only closely associated with tumor metastasis, but not tumor size., Conclusion: The expression of circNUP98 in plasma may be used to diagnose NPC and predict patients' survival., (Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.net.)

Objective: The study aims to promote human beings to make scientific and reasonable decisions for the long-term and beautiful future., Methods: We designed two experiments to explore the influence of materialism and ego depletion from the perspective of behavioral decision-making and neural mechanism., Results: In Experiment 1, there was asymmetry in intertemporal choice between gain and loss situations. In the gain situation, high materialism were more likely to choose the later and larger option (LL). However, in a loss situation, we found a reverse sign effect, and the proportion of subjects choosing sooner and smaller options (SS) increased. In Experiment 2, in the gain situation, after adding the low ego depletion task, there was a marginal significant difference between high and low materialism in the percentage of choosing LL options, F (1, 40) = 3.37, P = 0.07, η 2 = 0.08; After adding the high ego depletion task, the percentage of choosing LL options was no difference, F (1, 40) = 1.42, P > 0.05. In the loss situation, whether in the high ego depletion task [ F (1, 40) = 2.25, P > 0.05) or in the low ego depletion task [ F (1, 40) = 1.44, P > 0.05), there was no difference between high and low materialism in the percentage of choosing LL options, and they both tended to choose SS options. The EEG study showed that in high materialism, there was a significant difference between the high and low ego depletion conditions, and the N1 amplitude induced under the low ego depletion condition was larger than that under the high ego depletion condition. However, there was no significant difference in N1 amplitude between the high and low ego depletion conditions in the low materialism. The amplitude of P2 evoked in the loss situation was larger than that in the gain situation., Conclusion: In conclusion, Materialism dominated people's intertemporal choices, and ego depletion affected the intertemporal choice to a certain extent by influencing the subjects' thinking activities. The COVID-19 epidemic maybe affected intertemporal choice indirectly by acting on materialistic values and subjects' emotions., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2022 Pei, Yu and Zhao.)

A series of dithienylethenes 1a-1d with BF 2 -doped π-conjugation have been successfully developed. Upon alternating irradiation with green light and red/NIR light, they show efficient photochromism and fluorescence switching behaviors in toluene and PMMA film. Moreover, the fluorescence of 1a can be switched effectively in living cells.

The development of novel solid-state fluorescence switches, particularly triggered by visible light, is of increasing interest for the potential application in optical data storage and super-resolution fluorescence microscopies. In this study, two carbazole-dithienylethene-BF 2 bdk triads CDB1 and CDB2 , suspending carbazole and BF 2 bdk moieties on both sides of dithienylethene unit, have been developed. They exhibit blue-/NIR light-controlled photochromism with solvent-dependent characteristics. Moreover, CDB1 (o) reveals blue-/NIR light-induced reversible fluorescent switching behaviors in toluene, chloroform, poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) film, and powder state, while its analogue CDB2 (o) in the powder state exhibits no fluorescence due to a strong intermolecular π-π stacking interaction, and the fluorescent switching performance is observed only in toluene and PMMA film. The density functional theory calculations further validate the differences in their optical properties in the solution and powder states.

In artificial liver support systems, the open-loop albumin dialysis mode (OLM) is usually used to remove protein-bound toxins from the blood of patients with liver failure. However, there is still interest in the closed-loop albumin dialysis mode (CLM) because this mode may enable not only the regeneration and reuse of albumin but also the miniaturization of artificial liver systems. In this article, we compared the two modes under a fixed amount of albumin in dialysate experimentally and theoretically. The results show that according to the detoxification efficiency in the 3 hour dialysis for removing albumin-bound bilirubin, CLM is better than OLM. The usage efficiency of albumin in CLM is also higher. Moreover, the advantage of CLM is more significant when the concentration of bilirubin in blood is lower. Under a given amount of albumin in dialysate, if the concentration of bilirubin in blood is high, one may further increase the performance of CLM by means of increasing the flow rate of the albumin dialysate or using the highly concentrated albumin dialysate.