Preparation and characterization of a novel high barrier mulching film with tunicate cellulose nanocrystals/sodium alginate/alkali lignin

In this study, the base film (CSL) was prepared by blending tunicate cellulose nanocrystals (TCNCs) extracted from tunicate shells, with sodium alginate (SA) and alkali lignin (AL). Then, the mulching film (CSL-WK) was prepared using water-borne polyurethane (WPU) as binder to install low-energy Kaolin on the surface of CSL film. The influences of composition with different concentrations on mechanical properties were studied. The tensile strength and elongation at break of CSL-WK film could reach 86.58 MPa and 50.49 %, respectively. The mulching films were characterized by degradability test, SEM, FTIR, and TGA. TCNCs had good compatibility with SA and AL, and a rough structure was formed on the surface of the film to improve the hydrophobicity. The barrier properties, including ultraviolet resistance, water contact angle, water vapor permeability, water retention, and flame retardancy, were tested. The results showed that CSL-WK films could block 97 % of ultraviolet light, reduce about 25 % of soil water loss, and self-extinguish within 7 s of open flame ignition. Note that the secondary spraying method significantly improved the barrier property of films. This study lays a foundation for the preparation of ecologically friendly, biodegradable, and high barrier mulching film, and expands the application of marine resources.

Preparation of light-colored bio-based particles by isocyanate-modified lignins and its application for tetracycline adsorption

A practical method for the preparation of lignin derivatives-light-colored bio-based particles (LC-BP) via the modification of hexamethylene diisocyanate (HDI) is presented in this work. In the mixed EtOH/H2O system, the change of solvent polarity induced the self-assembly of the lignosulfonate (LS) with the hydrophobic chromophores encapsulated inside the particles. The color of LS was reduced by the polymerization between the isocyanate groups (-N=C=O) of HDI and hydroxy groups of LS. Compared with the typical lignin-based adsorbent preparation process in the past, this is a simple, direct, and efficient preparation method and the synthetic LC-BP has good chemical stability and resistance to heat, acid and alkali. This effectively solves the problem that LS has high water solubility and is difficult to use directly for wastewater treatment. To investigate the properties, the synthetic LC-BP was characterized by SEM, specific surface area, L*a*b* (CIELAB) color space, FT-IR, XPS, and TGA. The results showed that the LC-BP exhibited obvious advantages in color reduction with a low CIE-L* value. The LC-BP exhibits a scale-like intercalation structure, which makes it a promising candidate for adsorbing tetracycline (TC) from wastewater. The conditions of pH, adsorbent dosages, adsorption time, and initial TC concentration were investigated, and the adsorption performance of LC-BP for TC was significantly better than that of conventional polyurethane particles (PP). The adsorption fitted the Langmuir model and there were hydrogen bonding, π-π conjugated binding, and electrostatic attraction during the absorption process. The adsorption capacity was up to 53.1 mg/g, and the removal rate was 67 %. The utilization of LC-BP, a low-cost, effective, and renewable resource derived from natural biomass, holds immense practical and economic potential in wastewater treatment.

Energetic Electron Precipitation Driven by Electromagnetic Ion Cyclotron Waves from ELFIN's Low Altitude Perspective

We review comprehensive observations of electromagnetic ion cyclotron (EMIC) wave-driven energetic electron precipitation using data collected by the energetic electron detector on the Electron Losses and Fields InvestigatioN (ELFIN) mission, two polar-orbiting low-altitude spinning CubeSats, measuring 50-5000 keV electrons with good pitch-angle and energy resolution. EMIC wave-driven precipitation exhibits a distinct signature in energy-spectrograms of the precipitating-to-trapped flux ratio: peaks at >0.5 MeV which are abrupt (bursty) (lasting ∼17 s, or Δ L ∼ 0.56 ) with significant substructure (occasionally down to sub-second timescale). We attribute the bursty nature of the precipitation to the spatial extent and structuredness of the wave field at the equator. Multiple ELFIN passes over the same MLT sector allow us to study the spatial and temporal evolution of the EMIC wave - electron interaction region. Case studies employing conjugate ground-based or equatorial observations of the EMIC waves reveal that the energy of moderate and strong precipitation at ELFIN approximately agrees with theoretical expectations for cyclotron resonant interactions in a cold plasma. Using multiple years of ELFIN data uniformly distributed in local time, we assemble a statistical database of ∼50 events of strong EMIC wave-driven precipitation. Most reside at L ∼ 5 - 7 at dusk, while a smaller subset exists at L ∼ 8 - 12 at post-midnight. The energies of the peak-precipitation ratio and of the half-peak precipitation ratio (our proxy for the minimum resonance energy) exhibit an L -shell dependence in good agreement with theoretical estimates based on prior statistical observations of EMIC wave power spectra. The precipitation ratio's spectral shape for the most intense events has an exponential falloff away from the peak (i.e., on either side of ∼ 1.45 MeV). It too agrees well with quasi-linear diffusion theory based on prior statistics of wave spectra. It should be noted though that this diffusive treatment likely includes effects from nonlinear resonant interactions (especially at high energies) and nonresonant effects from sharp wave packet edges (at low energies). Sub-MeV electron precipitation observed concurrently with strong EMIC wave-driven >1 MeV precipitation has a spectral shape that is consistent with efficient pitch-angle scattering down to ∼ 200-300 keV by much less intense higher frequency EMIC waves at dusk (where such waves are most frequent). At ∼100 keV, whistler-mode chorus may be implicated in concurrent precipitation. These results confirm the critical role of EMIC waves in driving relativistic electron losses. Nonlinear effects may abound and require further investigation.

Dual-emitting cellulose nanocrystal hybrid materials with circularly polarized luminescence for anti-counterfeiting labels

Cellulose nanocrystal (CNC) hybrid materials with numerous optical states have great potential as anti-counterfeiting labels and information encryption materials. However, it is challenging to construct multicolor emitting materials with tunable behaviors, which can dramatically enhance anti-counterfeiting abilities. Here, free-standing composite films with vivid multi-structural colors and dual-emitting fluorescence are successfully fabricated through a host-guest coassembly strategy. The lanthanide complex and an aggregation-induced emission molecule (tetraphenylethylene derivative, TPEC) are selected as luminescent guests, which are integrated into the chiral nematic structure of CNCs. The obtained photonic films display broadband reflection across the visible spectrum, which may be attributed to the chiral nematic domains with variations in the helical pitches and helical axis orientations. Under 254 nm excitation, the film exhibits bright red emission, while blue-green emission switching occurs under 365 nm excitation. The broad reflection band of the film covers both the green and red fluorescent emission centers, and right circularly polarized luminescence emission with different dissymmetry factors is produced due to the selective reflection of the left chiral nematic structure. A large glum value up to -0.21 at 600 nm was realized. Additionally, CNC-based materials with tailored shapes are further used in anti-counterfeit tags and decorative applications.

In-situ lignin sulfonation for enhancing enzymatic hydrolysis of poplar using mild organic solvent pretreatment

Biomass pretreatment is an essential strategy to overcome biomass recalcitrance and promote lignocellulosic bioconversion. Here, a reusable organic solvent system (formic acid-methanesulfonic acid) was explored to pretreat poplar under a mild temperature (below 100 °C). The results showed that the co-solvent system could extract basically complete hemicelluloses and part of lignin with original cellulose retained in the pretreated substrates. Meanwhile, sulfonic acid groups were introduced into lignin structure remained in the substrates. The glucose conversion yield of the substrates with a higher concentration of sulfonic acid groups (13.2 mmol/kg) reached 45.9 % by reducing the hydrophobic interaction between lignin and cellulase, showing 89.3 % improvement compared with that of the substrates treated with single formic acid. This progressive study aimed to develop a new strategy to realize sulfonation and promote enzymatic hydrolysis of substrates by using mild organic solvent pretreatment.

Study on cellulose nanofibers/aramid fibers lithium-ion battery separators by the heterogeneous preparation method

In this study, a heat-resistant and high-wettability lithium-ion batteries separator (PI-CPM-PI) composed of cellulose nanofibers (CNF) and aramid fibers (PMIA chopped fiber/PPTA pulp) with the reinforced concrete structure was fabricated via a traditional heterogeneous paper-making process. CNF played crucial roles in optimizing the pore structure and improving the wettability of PI-CPM-PI separator. The effects of composition on separator properties were investigated and the results indicated that the optimal compositions were 0.5 wt% CNF, 0.5 wt% PMIA chopped fiber/PPTA pulp (ratio of 5:5), 0.05 wt% diatomite and 1.5 wt% polyimide. Relevant tests demonstrated that the performance advantages of PI-CPM-PI separators were exhibited at the wettability and thermal stability compared to the commercial separator (PP). Additionally, batteries assembled with PI-CPM-PI separators showed excellent electrochemical and cycling performance (ionic conductivity of 1.041 mS.cm^-1, the first discharge capacity of 158.2 mAh.g^-1 at 0.2C and capacity retention ratio of 99.76 % after 100 cycles).

[Association study between the KCNE family gene polymorphisms of potassium channel gene and the susceptibility of atrial fibrillation]

Objective: To investigate the relationship between KCNE family gene polymorphisms of potassium channel gene and the susceptibility of atrial fibrillation (AF). Methods: In the case-control study, a total of 648 subjects were studied, of which 338 patients with atrial fibrillation were selected from the Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Putuo Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine from January 2019 to December 2019, and 310 healthy people were selected from the physical examination population during the same period. DNA sequencing technology and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) were used to detect the genotype and allele frequency of rs1805127 of KCNE1, rs9984281 of KCNE2, rs9516, rs626930 of KCNE3 and rs12621643 of KCNE4. Results: The ages of subjects in atrial fibrillation group and control group were (69±13) and (73±8) years, respectively (P=0.077). Men subjects accounted for 57.70% (195 men) and 40.00% (124 men) in the two groups, respectively (P=0.092). The distribution frequencies of the allele C at rs1805127 of gene KCNE1, the allele A at rs9984281 of gene KCNE2 and the allele G at rs12621643 of gene KCNE4 were significantly different between groups (P<0.05). After adjustment for sex, smoking, hypertension, cardiac insufficiency and other factors, it was found that the increase in the frequency of the above three loci would increase the risk of atrial fibrillation (rs1805127 OR=7.064, 95%CI:1.559-31.997; rs9984281 OR=4.210, 95%CI:1.118-15.850; rs12621643 OR=2.679, 95%CI:1.025-6.998). Conclusion: The rs1805127 of KCNE1, the rs9984281 of KCNE2,the rs12621643 of KCNE4 were significantly associated with the susceptibility to atrial fibrillation.

Bilayer Designed Paper-Based Solar Evaporator for Efficient Seawater Desalination

Solar desalination devices utilizing sustainable solar energy and the abundant resource of seawater has great potential as a response to global freshwater scarcity. Herein, a bilayered solar evaporator was designed and fabricated utilizing a facile paper sheet forming technology, which was composed of cellulose fibers decorated with Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles as the top absorbent layer and the original cellulose fibers as the bottom supporting substrate. The characterization of the cellulose fibers decorated with Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles revealed that the in situ formed Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles were successfully loaded on the fiber surface and presented a unique rough surface, endowing the absorber layer with highly efficient light absorption and photothermal conversion. Moreover, due to its superhydrophilic property, the cellulose fiber-based bottom substrate conferred ultra-speed water transport capability, which could enable an adequate water supply to combat the water loss caused by continuous evaporation on the top layer. With the advantages mentioned above, our designed bilayered paper-based evaporator achieved an evaporation rate ~1.22 kg m^-2 h^-1 within 10 min under 1 sun irradiation, which was much higher than that of original cellulose cardboard. Based on the simple and scalable manufacture process, the bilayered paper-based evaporator may have great potential as a highly efficient photothermal conversion material for real-world desalination applications.

Iridescent chiral nematic papers based on cellulose nanocrystals with multiple optical responses for patterned coatings

Chiral nematic papers (CNPs) with mesopores structure based on cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) were fabricated successfully via a swelling and freeze-drying method. The order of the original chiral nematic cellulose nanocrystals film was preserved in CNPs, which was proved by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), polarized optical microscopy (POM) measurements and circular dichroism (CD) spectra. The CNPs exhibited excellent optical responsive properties to different solvents. Inspired by this feature, a colorable ink containing amounts of gel particles was prepared by pulverizing CNPs/water mixture into a suspension. Patterns written in suspension ink with various colors can be formed when soaked with different solvents. Moreover, CNPs displayed an irreversible color response to compression. Additionally, the hydrophilicity of CNPs was tuned by polyethyleneimine. Modified CNPs exhibited different colors under the identical solvent environment when compared to the original one. Aqueous PEI can be used as an ink to depict responsive photonic patterns on CNPs.

A facile approach to cellulose/multi-walled carbon nanotube gels-Structure, formation process and adsorption to methylene blue

In view of the deficiencies in the preparation of cellulose gels, such as, cumbersome process, harsh conditions, high consumption of chemicals, secondary pollution caused by side reactions, this work reports a facile approach to make cellulose/multi-walled carbon nanotube (MWCNTs) hydrogels and aerogels via mixing cellulose with N,N'-methylene bisacrylamide (MBA) and MWCNTs in NaOH/urea/H₂O aqueous solution. The gels were revealed to be formed by an addition reaction between the double bonds of MBA and the hydroxyl groups of cellulose and the intermolecular interactions between cellulose and MWCNTs. The preparation process can be realized at room temperature and atmospheric pressure without the intervention of ultrasonic dispersion, catalyst and initiator. The gelation time, puncture strength and water retention ability of the hydrogels were investigated. Results showed that, compared with pure cellulose hydrogel, cellulose/MWNCTs hydrogels have obviously shorter sol-gel transition time (124-129.2 min), higher puncture strength (29.6022-34.2854 KPa) and water retention ability (274.2619-301.7291 g/g). Cellulose/MWCNTs aerogels possessed three dimensional network with macroporous structure (about 500 μm), low density (0.00546-0.00557 g/cm³), high porosity (99.6360-99.6426 %), good thermal stability (242 °C) and certain absorbency to methylene blue (233.2901-242.1122 mg/g).

Starch-Based Composite Films with Enhanced Hydrophobicity, Thermal Stability, and UV-Shielding Efficacy Induced by Lignin Nanoparticles

Thehighly efficient utilization of lignin is of great importance for the development of the biorefinery industry. Herein, a novel "core-shell" lignin nanoparticle (LNP) with a diameter of around 135 nm was prepared, after the lignin was isolated from the effluent of formic acid fractionation via dialysis. In an attempt to endow composite materials with vital functionalities, the LNP was added to the starch film and the starch/polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) or starch/polyethylene oxide (PEO) composite film. The results showed that the hydrophobicity performance of the synthesized films was enhanced significantly. Specifically, the dynamic water contact angle value of the starch/PVA composite film with 1% (wt) addition of LNPs could be maintained as high as 122° for 180 s; the starch/PEO composite film also achieved an excellent water contact angle above 120°. The addition of LNPs promoted the formation of some rough structures on the film surface, as shown by the scanning electron microscopy images, which could repel the water molecules efficiently and are closely related to the enhanced hydrophobicity of the starch film. What is more, the as-prepared LNP conferred strengthened thermal stability and ultraviolet blocking properties on the starch composite film. The structural combination of the polymer film with LNPs holds the promise for providing advanced functionalities to the composite material with wide applications.

Efficient removal of surface-deposited pseudo-lignin and lignin droplets by isothermal phase separation during hydrolysis

During the traditional autohydrolysis, formation and deposition of "pseudo-lignin" and lignin droplets on the surface of biomass had a detrimental effect on the subsequent biomass conversion. In this study, isothermal phase separation was introduced into autohydrolysis, and the effects of isothermal phase separation on the dissolution of components and enzymatic hydrolysis of bamboo were studied. The research showed that isothermal phase separation after autohydrolysis without cooling had an effective reduction in the deposition of "pseudo-lignin" and lignin droplets on the residues surface. After isothermal phase separation, the contents of sugar (14.05 g/L) and lignin (6.16 g/L) in pre-hydrolysates increased by 20% and 19% compared with control, respectively. Moreover, the efficient removal of "pseudo-lignin" and lignin droplets from cell wall surface could further promote the biological conversion of pretreated biomass (22% higher than that of control) during the subsequent enzymatic hydrolysis.

Laccase-Catalyzed Grafting of Lauryl Gallate on Chitosan To Improve Its Antioxidant and Hydrophobic Properties

Biografting is a promising and ecofriendly approach to meet various application requirements of products. Herein, a popular green enzyme, laccase, was adopted to graft a hydrophobic phenolic compound (lauryl gallate, LG) onto chitosan (CTS). The resultant chitosan derivate (Lac/LG-CTS) was systematically analyzed by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), grafting efficiency, scanning probe microscopy (SPM), and X-ray diffraction (XRD). This grafting technique produced a multifunctional chitosan copolymer with remarkably enhanced antioxidant property, hydrophobicity, and moisture barrier property. Furthermore, the swelling capacity and acid solubility of the copolymer film decreased significantly, although the tensile strength and elongation were slightly weakened as compared to those of native chitosan. These results suggest that the Lac/LG-CTS holds great potential as a food-packaging material, preservative agent, or edible coating material.

[Interpretation of the International Association of Dental Traumatology guidelines for the management of traumatic dental injuries (2020)]

An update version of the International Association of Dental Traumatology (IADT) guidelines for the management of traumatic dental injuries has been released in June 2020 (http://www.dentaltraumaguide.org). In this current revision, IADT has put forward a "core outcome set" (COS) for the diagnosis and treatment of dental trauma both in children and adults. The COS was developed and underpinned by a systematic review of the outcomes in the literature of dental trauma treatment. An outcome that was relevant to all traumatic dental injuries (TDI) was identified as "generic outcome" and those related only to one or more particular TDI were then included as "injury-specific outcomes". The aims of the present article are to help the dental clinicians in learning the latest version of the guideline so that they may quickly and accurately grasp the essence of the updated content and to assist them to choose the optimized treatment plan after judging and evaluating the specific clinical circumstances so as to maximize the chance of a favorable outcome.

[Occlusal contact of primary dentition at intercuspal position in children with individual normal occlusion]

Objective: To record occlusal contact of primary dentition at maximal intercuspal position in children with individual normal occlusion. Methods: A total of 57 children were recruited from patients of the Department of Pediatric Dentistry, Peking University School and Hospital of Stomatology. Inclusion criteria were that the subjects were 3-5 years old with no visually detectable caries or pupal and periapical diseases, had complete primary dentition, had individual normal occlusion, had normal function of craniofacial system, were medically healthy, could cooperate with sampling and had obtained written informed consent from the parents or guardians. Finally, forty-seven children aged 3 to 5 years old were enrolled, including 24 males and 23 females. The age, height and weight of all subjects were (4.1±0.7) years old (ranging 3.0-5.8 years old), (103.7±7.2) cm (ranging 90-120 cm) and (17.1±2.5) kg (ranging 12.5-22.5 kg), respectively. Occlusal abilities such as occlusal contact area, average bite pressure, maximum bite pressure, maximum bite force and occlusal balance were measured with Dental Prescale Ⅱ system. Results: Maximum bite force and occlusal contact area at intercuspal position in children with primary dentition were (567.40±223.84) N (ranging 226.7-1 154.6 N) and (18.56±6.54) mm² (ranging 8.4-41.2 mm²), respectively. There was a significantly strong correlation between maximum bite force and occlusal contact area (r=0.954, P<0.01). Height and weight of children were also positively correlated with their maximum bite force (r=0.397, P=0.022 and r=0.453, P=0.008, respectively). Maximum occlusal bite force and contact occlusal area of boys [(651.80±224.34) N and (20.77±6.97) mm²] were significantly higher and larger than those of girls [(479.34±190.45) N and (16.25±5.27) mm²] (P<0.05). Thirty-two of all 47 children had one occlusal contact point with maximum bite pressure, mostly locating within the primary molar region. Bite forces of anterior and posterior teeth of primary dentition were (124.12±56.99) N and (450.11±205.09) N, respectively, about (21.82±11.40)% and (71.80±21.35)% of maximum bite force of the whole primary dentition. All of the occlusal balance points located in posterior teeth regions. Occlusal contacts were observed at both anterior and posterior teeth of primary dentition with individual normal occlusion. Conclusions: There was a great variation of maximum bite forces of primary dentitions at intercuspal position of children with individual normal occlusion. Maximum bite force of primary dentition was significantly correlated with occlusal contact area, height and weight of children. Occlusal contact points with maximum bite pressure and occlusal bite balance points of primary dentitions mostly located in primary molar regions.

[Relationship between insulin resistance, serum VCAM-1, FGF19, IGF-1 and colorectal polyps]

Objective: To explore the relationship between insulin resistance, glucose and lipid metabolism related molecules and colorectal polyps. Methods: A total of 262 healthy people who underwent colonoscopy in Shandong cancer hospital from June 2019 to September 2020 were selected. The levels of serum vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1), fibroblast growth factor 19 (FGF19), insulin like growth factor (IGF-1), fasting blood glucose and fasting blood insulin were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Insulin resistance index (HOMA-IR) was calculated, and the influencing factors of occurrence, pathological type, size and number of polyps were analyzed. Results: Among 262 cases, 116 cases were polyp free, 113 cases were adenomatous polyp and 33 cases were inflammatory polyp. HOMA-IR, VCAM-1 and FGF19 in polyp group were 2.904±1.754, (334.415±139.573) ng/ml and (135.865±98.470) pg/ml, respectively, which were higher than 2.369±1.306, (302.480±99.946) ng/ml and(110.694±76.044) ng/ml in non-polyp group, respectively (P<0.05). Multivariate Logistic regression analysis showed that the gender (OR=4.269, 95%CI: 1.963-9.405) and FGF19 (77.0-131.4 pg/ml: OR=2.385, 95%CI: 1.155-4.926) were independent factors of colorectal polyps. The gender (OR=3.799, 95%CI: 1.650-8.748) and FGF19 (77.0-131.4 pg/ml: OR=2.290, 95%CI: 1.072-4.891) were independent factors of colorectal adenomatous polyps. The gender(OR=6.725, 95%CI: 1.853-24.410) and fasting plasma glucose (≥6.5 mmol/L: OR=0.047, 95%CI: 0.009-0.245) were independent factors of colorectal inflammatory polyps. The gender (OR=3.539, 95% CI: 1.293-9.689) was an independent factor for the occurrence of single polyp. The gender (OR=5.063, 95% CI: 2.048-12.515), FGF19 (77.0-131.4 pg/ml: OR=2.502, 95%CI: 1.102-5.681), fasting plasma glucose (≥6.5 mmol/L: OR=0.282, 95%CI: 0.095-0.839) were independent factors of multiple polyps. The gender (OR=3.416, 95% CI: 1.134-10.289) and fasting insulin (≥9.4 μU/ml: OR=9.480, 95% CI: 1.485-60.521) were independent risk factors for colorectal polyps<0.5 cm. The gender (OR=3.151, 95%CI: 1.244-7.984) and fasting plasma glucose (≥6.5 mmol/L: OR=0.310, 95%CI: 0.102-0.941) were independent risk factors for colorectal polyps with the size of 0.5-0.9 cm. The gender (OR=22.649, 95%CI: 4.154-123.485), age (55 to 64 years old: OR=4.473, 95%CI: 1.070-18.704; ≥65 years old: OR=5.815, 95%CI: 1.300-26.009), BMI (≥28 kg/m(2): OR=5.310, 95%CI: 1.224-23.032) and FGF19 (77.0-131.4 pg/ml: OR=7.474, 95%CI: 1.903-29.351) were independent factors for colorectal polyps with size ≥ 1.0 cm. Gender stratification analysis showed that FGF19 was an independent factor for the occurrence of male polyps (77.0-131.4 pg/ml: OR=6.109, 95%CI: 1.688-22.104) and adenomas (77.0-131.4 pg/ml: OR=6.401, 95%CI: 1.717-23.864). The age (55 to 64 years old: OR=3.783, 95%CI: 1.052-13.611) and VCAM-1 (≥352.8 ng/ml: OR=4.341, 95%CI: 1.142-16.493) were independent risk factors of female polyps. The age (55 to 64 years old: OR=5.743, 95%CI: 1.205-27.362, ≥65 years old: OR=6.885, 95%CI: 1.143-41.467), VCAM-1 (≥352.8 ng/ml: OR=6.313, 95%CI: 1.415-28.159) and IGF-1 (≥7.6 ng/ml: OR=5.621, 95%CI: 1.069-29.543) were independent factors of female adenoma. Conclusions: The occurrences of colorectal polyps and adenomatous polyps are related to insulin resistance and glucose and lipid metabolism. Serum FGF19 is an independent influencing factor for the occurrence of colorectal polyps and adenomatous polyps, and is a potential serological diagnostic marker and therapeutic target for colorectal polyps and adenomatous polyps.

A systematic review of olfactory related questionnaires and scales

PURPOSE

Although neglected by science for a long time, the sense of olfaction has received increasing attention from research areas including psychology, neuroscience, clinical medicine and nutrition. With the rise of psychophysical and neuroimaging re- search into olfaction, psychometric tools (e.g. questionnaires and scales) are the basis for the quantitative exploration of inter-in- dividual variability regarding olfactory related responses. The current systematic review is to summarize existing olfaction related questionnaires and/or scales.

METHODS

Peer-reviewed literature on scales and questionnaires related to perception of odors were searched from online databa- ses (PubMed, Web of Science and PsycINFO). Twenty-one articles that meet the following criteria were included in the review: "human species", "physical odor stimuli" and "describing the original development of the tool" and "specific focus on olfaction or odor related responses or behaviors". The psychometric properties, advantages and possible disadvantages were discussed.

RESULTS

Existing psychometric measures focus on various aspects of olfactory related responses and behaviors, including af- fective experiences of odor perception, awareness and attitude towards olfaction, olfactory function and the quality of life change due to olfactory dysfunction, and the ability to create vivid mental odor images. While most of them have been tested to have good reliability and validity, some were relatively time-consuming due to the number of questionnaire items. Besides, although many measures have been used in clinical populations, few have provided information on the predictive validity regarding effecti- veness of clinical intervention on changes of certain responses or behaviors.

SUMMARY

The current review provides an overview of olfactory related questionnaires and scales, highlighting the emotional and affective impact of olfaction and the impact on quality of life due to olfactory dysfunction. With growing interest in olfaction as an important sense, the development and use of psychometrically sound measurements in conjunction with objective assess- ments will advance our understanding of human olfaction and olfactory dysfunction. The review provides a guide for researchers and clinicians alike to select olfactory scales suitable for olfactory research with different experimental purposes and specific samples.

Modification of the aspen lignin structure during integrated fractionation process of autohydrolysis and formic acid delignification

Integrated fractionation process based on autohydrolysis (H) and subsequent formic acid delignification (FAD) has been considered as an effective strategy to separate the main lignocellulosic components in view of the biorefinery. For the better understanding of the structural changes of the lignin during the integrated process, the fractionated aspen lignins were thoroughly characterized by Fourier transform infrared (FT IR), ¹³C, two-dimensional heteronuclear single quantum coherence (2D-HSQC) and ³¹P nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, gel permeation chromatography (GPC), and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). Compared to the milled wood lignin (MWL), the fractionated lignins had higher amounts of phenolic OH groups as due to the cleavage of β-O-4 linkages and less alcoholic OH groups mainly due to the esterification of the aliphatic OH groups by formic acid. Demethylation action of the lignin was not significant during the FAD process. More syringyl-propane (S) units were extracted during the H-FAD process than guaiacyl-propane (G) units resulting in a higher S/G ratio and more OCH₃ in the fractionated lignins. Furthermore, autohydrolysis of aspen at higher temperature led to more condensation of the fractionated lignins which exhibited higher molecular weight and more β-5 and β-β linkages. The fractionated lignins exhibited high purities due to the breakage of the lignin-carbohydrate bonds.

Enhancement of lignin removal from pre-hydrolysis liquor for saccharide recovery via horseradish peroxidase treatment in the presence of Ca2

The removal of lignin is important to the recovery of saccharides from the pre-hydrolysis liquor (PHL) in kraft-based dissolved pulp production. A one-step process for lignin removal from PHL via treatment with horseradish peroxidase (HRP) in the presence of Ca²⁺ was proposed, and its principle was studied. The results demonstrated synergy between HRP and Ca²⁺ in lignin removal from PHL, whereas NH₄⁺ had little effect on lignin removal. HRP treatment in the presence of 60 mmol/L of Ca²⁺ resulted in a lignin removal of 64.8% accompanied by a saccharide loss of 14.2%. HRP catalyzed both the polymerization and depolymerization of the lignin in the PHL. The HRP-catalyzed lignin polymerization rendered some lignin insoluble enabling it to be directly removed. The HRP-catalyzed depolymerization of lignin decreased its molecular weight with an evident increase in its carboxyl content. The insoluble complexes formed between the lignin with carboxyl and the Ca²⁺ facilitated the removal of the depolymerized lignin.

Short-Time Hydrothermal Treatment of Poplar Wood for the Production of a Lignin-Derived Polyphenol Antioxidant

Artificial antioxidants are synthesized from fossil sources and are now widely used in the polymer, food, and cosmetics industries. The gradual depletion of fossil resources makes it practically significant and necessary to produce green antioxidants from renewable lignocellulosic resources. Herein, short-time hydrothermal (STH) treatment was developed for production of lignin-derived polyphenol antioxidants (LPAs) from poplar wood under conditions of high temperature and high pressure. LPA yields from 21.5 to 37.6 % on the basis of lignin in untreated wood were obtained by STH treatments as result of lignin depolymerization at 190-200 °C and 10 MPa in 5-8 min. Depolymerization reactions were confirmed by the much lower molecular weight of LPA (1076 g mol^-1 ) than that of native lignin (4094 g mol^-1 ). NMR spectroscopy revealed the structural features of lignin in the isolated LPA, namely syringyl and guaiacyl units with well-preserved interunit linkages. A Folin-Ciocalteu assay indicated that each LPA molecule contained 5.4 phenolic hydroxyl groups on average, much more than other technical lignins. The remarkable antioxidant ability of LPA was verified by the radical-scavenging index of 53.5-67.3, much higher than 0.2-11.1 of the commercial antioxidants butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) and butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA). STH treatment only requires water and heat for production of high-value antioxidant, which provides a green and sustainable method for the utilization of lignocelluloses.

Photonic actuators with predefined shapes

Developing actuators with multi-responsibility, large deformation, and predefined shapes is critical for the application of actuators in the field of artificial intelligence. Herein, we report the preparation of a new type of unimorph actuators containing phenol-formaldelyde resin (PFR) and graphene oxide (GO) using the chiral nematic structure of cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) as the template. The so-obtained PFR/GO films have a unimorph structure with an asymmetric distribution of GO across the film. They exhibit synchronous responses of both photonic properties and actuation to humidifying/dehumidifying. Moreover, PFR/GO films can be forged into desired shapes by aldehyde treatment, and thereby are able to produce complex movements. In addition, the objects with predetermined shapes show good shape recovery capability upon many wetting-drying cycles, especially through the treatment with formaldehyde. A mechanism model for shape predetermination by aldehyde treatment is suggested based on experimental details. By further designing the predetermined shapes and patterns, such PFR/GO actuators may hold great promise for smart actuation devices of highly complex movements.

Rapid Nondestructive Fractionation of Biomass (≤15 min) by using Flow-Through Recyclable Formic Acid toward Whole Valorization of Carbohydrate and Lignin

Whole valorization of carbohydrate and lignin from biomass was achieved by rapid flow-through fractionation (RFF) within 15 min. Wheat straw was effectively deconstructed into its principle components without degradation by using easily recyclable aqueous formic acid (72 wt %) at 130 °C. The obtained cellulose-rich solid showed a nearly complete glucan recovery and 73.8 % glucose conversion after enzymatic hydrolysis. Xylan also reached full recovery with negligible furfural formation with a sum of 80 % of oligo/mono xylose in spent liquor and 20 % of xylan remaining in the solid. Up to 75.4 % lignin was dissolved in the spent liquor and further fractionated into water-insoluble (WIL) and water-soluble lignin (WSL) by dilution with water. WIL showed a non-condensed and well-preserved structure with 84.5 % β-O-4 remaining, which is believed to be beneficial for catalytic conversion into low-molecular-weight chemicals and fuels. The concentration of employed formic acid was below the formic acid/water azeotrope, and therefore the reaction medium could be restored through simple distillation. Together with the joint valorization of lignin and carbohydrates, the presented RFF is a promising process for sustainable biorefinery.

Improving social skills in children with ASD using a long-term, in-home social robot

Social robots can offer tremendous possibilities for autism spectrum disorder (ASD) interventions. To date, most studies with this population have used short, isolated encounters in controlled laboratory settings. Our study focused on a 1-month, home-based intervention for increasing social communication skills of 12 children with ASD between 6 and 12 years old using an autonomous social robot. The children engaged in a triadic interaction with a caregiver and the robot for 30 min every day to complete activities on emotional storytelling, perspective-taking, and sequencing. The robot encouraged engagement, adapted the difficulty of the activities to the child's past performance, and modeled positive social skills. The system maintained engagement over the 1-month deployment, and children showed improvement on joint attention skills with adults when not in the presence of the robot. These results were also consistent with caregiver questionnaires. Caregivers reported less prompting over time and overall increased communication.

[Correlation between Movement Distance of Small Intestinal Contents and Survival Time in Female Rats after Feeding]

OBJECTIVES

To study the correlation between the movement distance of small intestinal contents and survival time in female SD rat models after one-time satiation, and to evaluate its application value for postmortem interval estimation.

METHODS

Adult female SD rats were randomly divided into postprandial groups （1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 h after feeding） and control group. The postprandial groups were fed for 1 h, meanwhile control group was kept fasting. All rats were sacrificed at the given time. The contents in stomach and small intestine were observed, described, compared and photographed, and the movement distance of small intestinal contents was measured. The data of postprandial groups were analysed by one-way analysis of variance.

RESULTS

The stomach and duodenum of control group were empty with a little thin and yellow small intestinal liquid. The gastral cavities of 1 h postprandial group were full of undigested food. The evolutionary changes of character, colour and content were observed in the gastric and small intestinal contents of other postprandial groups. The movement distance of intestinal contents increased while the empty part decreased gradually. The differences among the postprandial groups were statistically significant （P<0.05）.

CONCLUSIONS

After a 24 h fasting with free drinking and the following 1 h feeding, an ideal animal model can be established successfully on female SD rats, which can provide an experimental basis for postmortem interval estimation based on the changes of small intestinal contents in forensic practice.

[A preliminary study of saliva matrix metalloproteinases (MMP-2 and MMP-9) in children with caries]

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the correlation between matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-2/MMP-9 levels and childhood caries, and the saliva levels of MMP-2/MMP-9 among healthy children and those with different degrees of dental caries, both before and after treatment.

METHODS

In the study, 368 children aged 3 to 5 years were separated into three groups: severe caries group (112 children), mild caries group (98 children) and caries free group (158 children). The children with severe caries were included in treatment group (83 children) after accepting a comprehensive treatment of caries. MMP-2 and MMP-9 levels were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and the data were analyzed by the Statistics Package for Social Science (SPSS 13.0). The differences among severe caries group, mild caries group and caries free group were analyzed by SNK-q (Student Newman Keuls). The severe caries group and treatment group were compared by paired t test. The differences between each group were statistically analyzed.

RESULTS

There was no significant difference of the age and gender composition among severe caries group, mild caries group, caries free group and treatment group. The MMP-2 level of severe caries group [(141.3±32.5) μg/L] was higher than those of mild caries group [(107.5±21.3) μg/L] and caries free group [(102.8±18.5) μg/L] (P<0.05). There was no significant difference between mild caries and caries free group (P>0.05). After analysis of 83 children in the treatment group, the level of MMP-2 [(120.1±24.8) μg/L] was lower than before [(144.6±30.3) μg/L] (P<0.05), but was higher than that of caries free group (P<0.05). The MMP-9 levels of severe caries group [(445.8±68.1) μg/L] and mild caries group [(428.6±59.2) μg/L] were higher than that of caries free group [(385.4±60.6) μg/L] (P<0.05), but the difference between severe caries group and mild caries group was not significant (P>0.05). After analysis of 83 children in the treatment group, the alteration of MMP-9 [(432.2±64.7) μg/L] was not significant either (P>0.05).

CONCLUSION

The saliva levels of MMP-2 and MMP-9 in children with severe caries were higher than those in caries free children, even if the treatment was implemented, which suggests that the MMP-2 and MMP-9 in saliva might be related to the caries in children.

[Interleukin-1β and C-reactive protein level in plasma and gingival crevicular fluid in adolescents with diabetes mellitus]

OBJECTIVE

Cytokines produced by various cells are strong local mediators of inflammation. Interleukin-1beta (IL-1β) and C-reactive protein (CRP) play essential roles in the development and progression of diabetes mellitus (DM). Thus periodontal diseases could be related to DM via the same mediators of inflammation. To evaluate plasma and gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) levels of IL-1β and CRP in adolescents with DM to further investigate whether DM has an impact on the levels of inflammation factors at an early stage, and to analyze the risk of developing periodontal diseases in adolescents with DM.

METHODS

A total of 121 adolescents aged from ten to sixteen years were enrolled, 41 adolescents diagnosed with diabetes mellitus were collected in the DM group, and 80 nondiabetic adolescents as the control group. The periodontal indices of each individual were recorded, including plaque index (PLI), modified bleeding index (mBI), probing depth (PD) and attachment loss (AL). GCF and intravenous blood samples were collected, and CRP and IL-1β levels were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).

RESULTS

(1) PLI of DM group and control group were 1.23±0.05 and 0.95±0.04 separately, with significant difference (P=0.001). DM group and control group had mBI of 0.80±0.08 and 0.51±0.06 separately, with significant difference (P=0.003). Attachment loss was found in none of the subjects. PDs of DM group and control group were (2.37±0.51) mm and (2.31±0.05) mm separately, and there was no significant difference. (2) CRP in GCF was only detectable in partial of the individuals, with a detectable rate of 22.9% (11/48) in total. The detectable rate of CRP in GCF was significantly higher in DM group (38.5%) than that in control group (4.5%, P=0.006). The plasma level of CRP in DM group [0.23 (0.15, 1.89) mg/L] was higher than that in control group [0.19 (0.12, 4.18) mg/L], but without significance (P=0.776). (3) The plasma levels of IL-1β in DM group and control group were (14.11±0.57) ng/L and (14.71±0.50) ng/L separately, but there was no significance (P=0.456). GCF levels of IL-1β in DM group and control group were (12.91±1.95) μg/L and (17.68±3.07) μg/L, without significant difference (P=0.185).

CONCLUSION

Periodontitis was not observed in adolescents with DM at an early stage. However, the rising levels of periodontal indices and CRP in GCF, might indicate that adolescents with DM have a higher risk of developing periodontal diseases in the future.

A novel splicing mutation of ectodysplasin A gene responsible for hypohidrotic ectodermal dysplasia

Hypohidrotic ectodermal dysplasia (HED) is characterized by hypohidrosis, hypodontia, sparse hair, and characteristic facial features. This condition is caused by an ectodysplasin A (EDA) gene mutation. In this study, we examined two HED pedigrees and investigated the molecular genetics of the defect. Direct sequencing analysis revealed a previously unidentified mutation in the EDA splice donor site (c.526 + 1G>A). The function of the mutant EDA gene was predicted through online investigations and subsequently confirmed by splicing analysis in vitro. The mutation resulted in the production of a truncated EDA-A1 protein caused by complete omission of exon 3. This novel functional skipping-splicing EDA mutation was considered to be the cause of HED in the two pedigrees reported here. Our findings, combined with those reported elsewhere, provide an improved understanding of the pathogenic mechanism of HED as well as important information for a genetic diagnosis.

Mild and efficient extraction of hardwood hemicellulose using recyclable formic acid/water binary solvent

Formic acid/water binary solvent extraction with formic acid fraction lower than 77.5% (w/w) of azeotrope was used to extract hemicellulose-derived saccharides from poplar wood at various levels of severity. The highest xylose yield of 77.8% and arabinose yield of 93.5% were obtained at 120 °C and 1 h. To reduce cellulose hydrolysis and facilitate downstream xylose crystallization, mild conditions at 90 °C and 4 h was chosen as optimum severity, which led to the highest xylose fraction of 81.7% in all saccharides extracted, with a remarkable xylose yield of 73.1%. Mass balance analysis showed that 5.84% of xylan was degraded, but only 0.25% of xylan ended up as furfural at optimum severity. The proposed extraction process has high feasibility for industrial application since the low formic acid fraction in solvent allows simple recovery and concentration of used solvent.

[Age Estimation of Adult Living Donor by Pubic MSCT Three-dimensional Reconstruction]

OBJECTIVES

To establish a method for the age estimation of adult living donor based on pubic MSCT three-dimensional reconstruction and verify its accuracy and reliability.

METHODS

The volume rendering （VR） image data of pubic symphysis surface were collected from 300 volunteers aged over 17 years old. According to different age groups, the age estimation of these volunteers was performed by the method and formula of pubic symphysis surface.

RESULTS

In the 300 volunteers, the difference between biological age and actual age was <1 year in 117 cases, >1-2 years in 178 cases, >2 years in 5 cases.

CONCLUSIONS

MSCT three-dimensional reconstruction technology of pubic symphysis surface can be used to estimate the age of adult living donor, which can provide a high accurate and reliable result.

Adsorption of Cu (II), Pb (II) and Cr (VI) from aqueous solutions using black wattle tannin-immobilized nanocellulose

A novel nanocomposite based on black wattle (BW) tannin and nanocellulose was prepared and applied in heavy metal ions adsorptive removal from aqueous solutions. Firstly, nanocrystalline cellulose was oxidized by sodium periodate to get dialdehyde nanocellulose (DANC). BW tannin was then covalently immobilized onto DANC, which was used as both the matrix and crosslinker, to obtain tannin-nanocellulose (TNCC) composite. The resulting nanocomposite was characterized using FTIR, AFM, and TG. The successful immobilization was confirmed by the chromogenic reaction between FeCl₃ and TNCC and FT-IR analysis. AFM images revealed that TNCC was ellipsoidal particles with lengths ranging from 100-400nm. Zeta potential measurement showed that TNCC was negative charged at a pH range from 1-12. Compared to the original tannin, the thermal stability of TNCC was slightly increased by the addition of nanocellulose. TNCC demonstrated the maximum adsorption efficiency at pH2 for Cr(VI) and pH 6 for Cu(II) and Pb(II), respectively. The adsorption for these three metal ions followed pseudo second-order kinetics, indicating the chemisorption nature. The adsorption isotherms all fitted well with the Sips model, and the calculated maximum adsorption capacities were 51.846mgg^-1, 53.371mgg^-1 and 104.592mgg^-1 for Cu(II), Pb(II) and Cr (VI), respectively.

[Analysis of maternal deaths in Shanghai from 1996 to 2015]

Objective: To analyze the trend of maternal mortality ratio (MMR) and cause of death in Shanghai from 1996 to 2015. Methods: To collect the material about the maternal death and the maternal death audit from 1996 to 2015, and to analyze the MMR, the cause of death and the result of the maternal death audit of Shanghai from 1996 to 2015 retrospectively. Results: (1) The change of MMR: the MMR in Shanghai decreased from 28.84 per 100 000 live births in 1996 to 6.66 per 100 000 live births in 2015. (2) The characteristic of maternal death: the proportion of Shanghai citizens was 27.4%(121/441) and the proportion of migrant women was 72.6%(320/441). The women with advanced maternal age was 8.2% (20/243) since 1996 to 2005, and increased to 16.7% (33/198) since 2006 to 2015. Maternal deaths during pregnancy increased from 27.6%(67/243) in the first 10 years (1996-2005) to 35.4%(70/198) in the recent 10 years (2006-2015) . The intrapartum maternal deaths was 6.2%(15/243) in the first 10 years and in the recent 10 years it was zero. The proportion of postpartum deaths in the first 10 years and in the recent 10 years were 66.3% (161/243) and 64.6%(128/198) respectively. (3) The cause of maternal death: During the recent 10 years, indirect obstetric causes [63.1%(125/198)] was more than direct obstetric causes [36.9% (73/198) ] for the first time. The death causes changed significantly. Postpartum hemorrhage remained the leading cause of maternal deaths, but the specific mortality rate (SMR) of postpartum hemorrhage decreased significantly from 7.42 per 100 000 live births in the first 10 years to 1.51 per 100 000 live births in the recent 10 years. The maternal deaths because of heart disease and cerebrovascular disease rose to the second and the forth reasons. (4) Maternal death audit: the avoidable maternal death ratio decreased from 3.66 per 100 000 live births in the first 10 years to 1.86 per 100 000 live births in the recent 10 years. Conclusions: During the past 20 years, the MMR of Shanghai decreased significantly and was close to the level of developed countries. In recent years, the causes of maternal death become more complicated. With the implementation of the second child policy, women with high risk factors increase, so government investment, policy support should be strengthened to optimize the management.

Recycling of pre-hydrolysis liquor to improve the concentrations of hemicellulosic saccharides during water pre-hydrolysis of aspen woodchips

In this study, the pre-hydrolysis liquor (PHL) was recycled during aspen chip water pre-hydrolysis, and the effects of PHL recycling on the extraction and accumulation of the hemicellulosic saccharides especially that with high molecular weight in the PHL were studied. The results showed that the concentration of hemicellulose saccharides in PHL depended on the pre-hydrolysis temperature and PHL recycling times. Compared to the unrecycled PHL, the concentration of hemicellulosic saccharides in PHL increased significantly when recycling PHL once or twice at 170°C. Furthermore, the amount of high-molecular-weight hemicelluloses (HMHs) in PHL recycled once at 170°C increased from 2.58g/L (unrecycled) to 6.18g/L, but the corresponding average molecular weight of HMHs decreased from 9.2kDa to 7.6kDa. The concentration of hemicellulosic saccharides in PHL decreased with PHL recycling time at 180°C, accompanied by the formation of a significant amount of furfural.

[Retrospective analysis of pulp revascularization in immature permanent teeth with diffuse pulpitis]

Objective: To evaluate the treatment effectiveness of revascularization in immature permanent teeth with diffuse pulpitis and to provide an alternative approach for the treatment of these teeth. Methods: Clinical and radiographic data were collected from 17 immature permanent teeth which were diagnosed as diffuse pulpitis and with their pulp extirpated at Emergency Department of Peking University School and Hospital of Stomatology. All these teeth were treated using pulp revascularization at Department of Pediatric Dentistry. Clinical success rate was then evaluated based on the clinical and radiographic findings. The increase of root length and dentin wall thickness of the revascularized teeth and the contralateral control teeth were measured and compared according to the preoperative and recall periapical radiographs. Results: The average follow-uptime is (25.8±9.9) months (12-46 months). Totally 13 out of the 17 teeth showed normal clinical and radiographic manifestation and achieved the increasein root length and dentin wall thickness. They met criteria for success treatment. The rest 4 out of the 17 teeth also showed root length and dentin wall thickness increaseand apical foramen closure. However, periapical inflammations were observed during 12 to 36 monthfollow-ups. These cases were recognized as failed. In all the17 teeth, the increase of root length and dentin wall thickness was not significantly different between the revascularized teeth and the contralateral control teeth (P>0.05). Conclusions: Pulp revascularization in young permanent teeth with diffuse pulpitis resulted in similar clinical outcomes in root development and root canal wall formation compared with the contralateral control teeth. However, reinfection might occur during long-term follow-up.

Limited adsorption selectivity of active carbon toward non-saccharide compounds in lignocellulose hydrolysate

Prehydrolysis of lignocellulose produces abundant hemicellulose-derived saccharides (HDS). To obtain pure HDS for application in food or pharmaceutical industries, the prehydrolysis liquor (PHL) must be refined to remove non-saccharide compounds (NSC) derived from lignin depolymerization and carbohydrate degradation. In this work, activated carbon (AC) adsorption was employed to purify HDS from NSC with emphasis on adsorption selectivity. The adsorption isotherms showed the priority of NSC to be absorbed over HDS at low AC level. However, increase of AC over 90% of NSC removal made adsorption non-selective due to competitive adsorption between NSC and HDS. Size exclusion chromatography showed that the adsorption of oligomeric HDS was dominant while monomeric HDS was inappreciable. The limited selectivity suggested that AC adsorption is infeasibility for HDS purification, but applicable as a pretreatment method.

Separation of hemicellulose-derived saccharides from wood hydrolysate by lime and ion exchange resin

A combined process of lime treatment and mixed bed ion exchange was proposed to separate hemicellulose-derived saccharides (HDS) from prehydrolysis liquor (PHL) of lignocellulose as value added products. The optimization of lime treatment achieved up to 44.2% removal of non-saccharide organic compounds (NSOC), mainly colloidal substances, with negligible HDS degradation at 0.5% lime level and subsequent neutralization by phosphoric acid. The residual NSOC and calcium ions in lime-treated PHL were eliminated by mixed bed ion exchange. The breakthrough curves of HDS and NSOC showed selective retention toward NSOC, leading to 75% HDS recovery with 95% purity at 17 bed volumes of exchange capacity. In addition, macroporous resin showed higher exchange capacity than gel resin as indicated by the triple processing volume. The remarkable selectivity of the combined process suggested the feasibility for HDS separation from PHL.

A multi-pathway model for photosynthetic reaction center

Charge separation occurs in a pair of tightly coupled chlorophylls at the heart of photosynthetic reaction centers of both plants and bacteria. Recently it has been shown that quantum coherence can, in principle, enhance the efficiency of a solar cell, working like a quantum heat engine. Here, we propose a biological quantum heat engine (BQHE) motivated by Photosystem II reaction center (PSII RC) to describe the charge separation. Our model mainly considers two charge-separation pathways which is more than that typically considered in the published literature. We explore how these cross-couplings increase the current and power of the charge separation and discuss the effects of multiple pathways in terms of current and power. The robustness of the BQHE against the charge recombination in natural PSII RC and dephasing induced by environments is also explored, and extension from two pathways to multiple pathways is made. These results suggest that noise-induced quantum coherence helps to suppress the influence of acceptor-to-donor charge recombination, and besides, nature-mimicking architectures with engineered multiple pathways for charge separations might be better for artificial solar energy devices considering the influence of environments.

[Radiographic and masticatory physiologic evaluation after conservative treatment of condylar fractures in children and adolescents]

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the developmental and functional outcome of condylar fractures in children and adolescents after conservative treatment.

METHODS

Eight children and adolescents with unilateral condylar fracture, aged 5-13 were included. A removable occlusal splint, the thickness of which was determined according to the age, the developmental stage of the dentition, the level of the fracture and the degree of dislocation, worn for 1-3 months, and the patients were asked to perform functional exercises. The patients were followed up by clinical observation, panoramic radiograph, temporomandibular joint(TMJ ) cone beam computed tomography(CBCT), and surface electromyography(sEMG) of masticatory muscles (superficial masseter, anterior temporalis, and anterior digastric muscles). Ramus height and body length of mandible were measured on panoramic radiograph. The patients were asked to return for follow-up visits at 1, 3, and 6 months after treatment, and then once a year. The patients underwent clinical examination at each follow-up visit, and radiological examinations at 6 months and then annually.

RESULTS

All the patients showed clinically satisfactory results. CBCT showed smooth and continuous cortex. Panoramic X-ray revealed that the ramus height was shorter in the fractured side than in the contralateral side, while body length was longer. The mean asymmetry index(AI,x±s) for ramus height and body length were (3.29±2.68)% and (4.01 ± 2.54)%. sEMG showed either hypertension or hypotension in the masticatory muscles of the fractured side and asymmetries were obvious. The mean AI for sEMG activity of the anterior temporalis, masseter, and anterior digastric muscle were masseter: (15.0 ± 16.9)%; anterior temporalis: (21.5 ± 15.9)%; anterior digastric muscles: (11.9 ± 10.7)%.

CONCLUSIONS

Conservative treatment of condylar fracture in children and adolescents had clinically satisfactory results, while mandibular development was slightly interrupted. Asymmetries of EMG activities of masticatory muscles were obvious. EMG could objectively reveal the functional recovery of condylar fracture in children.