Impact of magnetic and electric fields on the free energy to form a calcium carbonate ion-pair.

Electromagnetic fields are used in water treatment and desalination to regulate scale formation and extend the lifetime of membranes. External electric and magnetic fields can promote or suppress mineral nucleation and growth. However, the molecular-scale mechanisms of such processes remain unknown. Computing the free energies needed to form ion pairs under external fields provides important insights into understanding the elemental steps during the initial formation of mineral scales. In this paper, we used molecular dynamics combined with metadynamics simulations to investigate the free energies of forming the [Ca-CO3]0 ion pair, a fundamental building block of carbonate scales, under a range of magnetic (up to 10 T) and electric (up to 10 V m-1) fields in water. The presence of constant magnetic or electric fields favored the ion pairing reaction and lowered the free energies by up to 3% to 6%. The internal energy and entropic components of the free energy showed significant changes and exhibited non-linear behavior with increasing field strength. The [Ca-CO3]0 ion pairing is an entropy-driven process in the absence of an external field, but the mechanism shifts to an internal energy-driven process under selected external fields, suggesting possible changes in the nucleation pathways.

Data-driven study on resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging during early abstinence of alcohol dependence in male patients and its predictive value for relapse.

BACKGROUND: Alcohol dependence is a mental disorder with a high relapse rate. However, specific neuroimaging biomarkers have not been determined for alcohol dependence and its relapse. We conducted data-driven research to investigate resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) during early abstinence from alcohol dependence and its potential ability to predict relapse. METHODS: Participants included 68 alcohol-dependent patients and 68 healthy controls (HCs). The regional homogeneity (ReHo) and fractional amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations (fALFF) were compared between the alcohol dependence group and the HCs and between the relapse group and the nonrelapse group. The brain regions that presented significantly different ReHo and/or fALFF between the alcohol-dependent patients and HCs and/or between the relapsed and nonrelapsed patients were selected as the seeds to calculate the functional connectivities (FCs). RESULTS: During a 6-month follow-up period, 52.24% of alcohol-dependent patients relapsed. A regression model for differentiating alcohol-dependent patients and HCs showed that reductions in ReHo in the left postcentral region, fALFF in the right fusiform region, and FC in the right fusiform region to the right middle cingulum were independently associated with alcohol dependence, with an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) of 0.841. The baseline FC of the left precentral to the left cerebellum of the relapse group was significantly lower than that of the nonrelapse group. The AUC of this FC to predict relapse was 0.774. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings contribute to advancing research on the neurobiological etiology and predictive biomarkers for relapse associated with alcohol dependence.

Automated Digital Interventions and Smoking Cessation: Systematic Review and Meta-analysis Relating Efficiency to a Psychological Theory of Intervention Perspective.

BACKGROUND: Smoking remains a highly significant preventable global public health problem. In this context, digital interventions offer great advantages in terms of a lack of biological side effects, possibility of automatic delivery, and consequent human resource savings relative to traditional interventions. Such interventions have been studied in randomized controlled trials (RCTs) but have not been systematically reviewed with the inclusion of text-based and multiplatform-based interventions. In addition, this area has not been evaluated from the perspective of the psychological theoretical basis of intervention. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this paper is to assess the efficiency of digital interventions in RCT studies of smoking cessation and to evaluate the effectiveness of the strategies used for digital interventions. METHODS: An electronic search of RCTs was conducted using PubMed, Embase, and the Cochrane Library by June 30, 2021. Eligible studies had to compare automated digital intervention (ADI) to the use of a self-help guideline or no intervention. Participants were current smokers (aged 16 years or older). As the main outcome, abstinence after endpoint was extracted from the studies. Systematic review and meta-analysis were conducted to assess the efficiency of ADIs. Metaregressions were conducted to assess the relationship between intervention theory and effectiveness. RESULTS: A total of 19 trials (15,472 participants) were included in the analysis. The overall abstinence rate (95% CI) at the endpoint was 17.8% (17.0-18.7). The overall risk ratio of the intervention group compared to the controls at the endpoint was 17.8% (17.0-18.7). Cochrane risk-of-bias tool for randomized trials (ROB 2) suggested that most of the studies had a low risk of bias (56.3%). Psychological theory-related constructs or predictors, which refer to other theory-based concepts (rather than only behavioral theory) such as craving or anxiety, are associated with effectiveness. CONCLUSIONS: This study found that ADI had a clear positive effect compared to self-help guidelines or to no intervention, and effectiveness was associated with theory-related constructs or predictors. ADIs should be promoted by policy makers and clinical practitioners to address the huge gap between the need for smoking cessation and availability of traditional treatment resources. Possible increases in ADI efficiency may be achieved by optimally integrating psychotherapeutic theories and techniques. TRIAL REGISTRATION: PROSPERO CRD42021256593; https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?RecordID=256593.

A brief web-based screening plus emotional-disorder health education was associated with improvement of mental health awareness and service-seeking attitudes among patients seeking nonpsychiatric clinical services in China.

OBJECTIVES: Low recognition and intervention rates of emotional disorders among nonpsychiatric clinical patients are primarily attributable to poor mental health awareness of patients and a paucity of mental health care resources. This study aims to investigate the association of a resource-saving brief web-based emotional-disorder self-screening plus a health self-education program (BWBED-SS + HSE) with improved mental health awareness and service-seeking attitudes among nonpsychiatric clinical patients. METHOD: A sample of 2065 patients seeking health services in nonpsychiatric clinical settings underwent BWBED-SS + HSE using mobile terminals. Participants were defined as being at high risk of anxiety and/or depression according to the optimal cut-off point of ≥11 on the Huaxi emotional-distress index (HEI). RESULTS: The rate of participants at high risk of anxiety and/or depression was 6.63%. Following participation in the BWBED-SS + HSE, after controlling for demographics, type of hospital, and test time, the rates of participants considering themselves as having an emotional disorder and willing to seek mental health services among those at high risk of anxiety and/or depression increased from 29.93% to 47.45% (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 2.28, p = .002) and from 11.68% to 29.93% (aOR = 3.65, p < .001), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The BWBED-SS + HSE were associated with improved mental health awareness and service-seeking attitudes among patients seeking nonpsychiatric clinical services in China.

The interactions between childhood adversities and recent stress were associated with early-adulthood depression among Chinese undergraduate students.

BACKGROUND: It is widely acknowledged that childhood adversities (CAs) and recent stress are potential risk factors for adult depression. However, the mechanism(s) by which interactions of CAs with recent stress affect adult depression remain unclear. AIMS: To investigate the predictive association of the interaction among CAs and recent stress with early-adult depression. METHOD: We conducted an annual survey of all freshmen for the period of 2016-2018 in a Chinese comprehensive university, with a sample size of 23,206. An online questionnaire including standardized self-report instruments was used to assess sociodemographic factors, childhood experiences of left-behind (CELB), and maltreatments (CEMTs) including beating (CEB), neglect (CEN), sexual abuse (CESA), recent stress, and current depression (measured by the 9-item Patient Health Questionnaire). RESULTS: The correlation of Individual CAs and recent stress was significant. In addition to their significant independent/direct incremental effects, all surveyed CAs were associated with increased severity of early-adult depression, and increased frequency of clinically significant depression (CSD), through significant associations with recent stress (mediation effect). History of CEMTs including CEB, CEN, and CESA significantly increased the effects of recent stress on depression (moderation effect). CONCLUSIONS: Chinese undergraduate students reported frequent history of exposure to CAs, which increased the likelihood of depression in early adulthood, not only directly but also through the increasing the likelihood (mediation effect) and impact (moderation effect) of recent stress on depression. These novel findings may help to extend our understanding of environmental determinants of depression, and to guide further research, clinical practice, and policy in this context.

Testing extra-linearity across a psychosis continuum.

BACKGROUND: It is unclear whether psychotic experiences (PEs) gradually merge into states of clinical psychosis along a continuum which correspond to a dimensional classification or whether latent classes appear above a certain severity threshold which correspond better to diagnostic categories of psychosis. METHODS: Annual cross-sectional surveys, 2014-19, among Chinese undergraduates (N = 47,004) measured PEs, depression and etiological risk factors using standardized self-report instruments. We created a psychosis continuum with five levels and tested linear and extra-linear contrasts in associated etiological risk factors, before and after adjustment for depression. We carried out latent class analysis. RESULTS: Categorical expression of psychosis, including hallucinations and delusions, nuclear symptoms, and nuclear symptoms and depression were found at severe level 5. Etiological risk factors which impacted linearly across the continuum were more common for depression. Child maltreatment impacted extra-linearly on both psychosis and depression. Family history of psychosis impacted linearly on psychosis; male sex and urban birth impacted extra-linearly and were specific for psychosis. Four latent classes were found, but only at level 5. These corresponded to nuclear schizophrenia symptoms, nuclear schizophrenia and depressive symptoms, severe depression, and an unclassified category with moderate prevalence of PEs. CONCLUSION: Quantitative and qualitative changes in the underlying structure of psychosis were observed at the most severe level along a psychosis continuum, where four latent classes emerged. These corresponded to existing categorical classifications but require confirmation with clinical interview. PEs are non-specific and our findings suggest some are on a continuum with depression, whilst others are on a continuum with non-affective psychosis. Differing patterns of impact from etiological risk factors across the spectrum of psychopathology determine outcome at the most severe level of these continua.

Impact of urban birth and upbringing on expression of psychosis in a Chinese undergraduate population.

BACKGROUND: Urban birth and upbringing show consistent associations with psychotic illness but the key urban exposures remain unknown. Associations with psychotic-like experiences (PEs) are inconsistent. These could be confounded by common mental disorders associated with PEs. Furthermore, associations between PEs and urban exposures may not extrapolate to psychotic disorders such as schizophrenia. METHODS: Annual cross-sectional surveys among first year Chinese undergraduates 2014-2019 (n = 47,004). Self-reported, hierarchical categorisation of psychosis: from psychoticism, paranoid ideation, schizotypal symptoms, nuclear syndrome using SCL-90-R, to clinical diagnosis of schizophrenia. Depressive symptoms using PHQ 9. Dissociative symptoms and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) measured using PCL-C. Etiological factors of family history and childhood disadvantage. We studied effects of urban birth, urban living and critical times of exposure in childhood on psychosis phenotypes. RESULTS: Associations with urbanicity were found only after adjustments for depression. Urban birth was associated with paranoia (AOR 1.34, 1.18-1.53), schizotypal symptoms (AOR 1.59, 1.29-1.96), and schizophrenia (AOR 2.07, 1.10-3.87). The same phenotypes showed associations with urban residence > 10 years. Only schizophrenia showed an association with urban exposure birth-3 years (AOR 7.01, 1.90-25.86). Child maltreatment was associated with both psychosis and depression. Urbanicity measured across the total sample did not show any associations with demography, family history of psychosis, or child maltreatment. Sensitivity analysis additionally adjusting for dissociative symptoms and PTSD showed the same pattern of findings. CONCLUSIONS: Urban birth and urban living showed a hierarchical pattern of increasing associations from paranoid ideation to schizotypal disorder to schizophrenia, confirming that associations for psychotic experiences could be extrapolated to schizophrenia, but only after adjusting for confounding from depression, dissociative symptoms and PTSD. Several etiological factors were the same for psychosis and depression. Future studies of PEs should adjust for confounding from common mental disorders and dissociative symptoms. Effects of urbanicity on psychosis were not explained by demography, family history of mental disorder, or child maltreatment.

Lasting effects of residential mobility during childhood on psychopathology among Chinese University students.

BACKGROUND: Residential mobility during childhood increases risk of psychopathology in adulthood and is a common experience among Chinese children. This study investigated associations between number and age of first move, etiological risk factors for psychopathology, and common mental disorders in adolescence and early adulthood. METHODS: The sample included 39,531 undergraduates (84.5% completion rate) age 15-34 years in their first year at a Chinese comprehensive university in annual cross-sectional surveys during 2014-2018. Common mental disorders measured using standardised self-report instruments. Data analysed using logistic regression models and interaction analysis. RESULTS: Half of all students experienced one or more moves of residence before age 15 years. Outcomes of Depression, Somatisation, Obsessive-compulsive disorder, Hallucinations and Delusions, and Suicide attempts showed dose-response relationships with increasing number of moves. Other etiological risk factors, including childhood disadvantage and maltreatment, showed similar dose response relationships but did not confound associations with mobility. We found interactions between reporting any move and being a left-behind child on depression and somatisation; number of moves and younger age at first move on depression, somatisation, suicide attempts and hallucinations and delusions. CONCLUSIONS: Residential mobility in childhood is associated with psychopathology in adulthood and this association increases with increasing number of moves. Mobility is also associated with childhood disadvantage and maltreatment but associations with psychopathology are independent of these factors. Multiplicative effects were shown for multiple moves starting at a younger age and if the participant had been a left-behind child.

Sustained effects of left-behind experience during childhood on mental health in Chinese university undergraduates.

Rapid industrialization and urbanization in China have resulted in labor migrants leaving children behind. For left-behind children (LBC), disrupted parental attachment may increase the risk of psychiatric morbidity in adulthood. To investigate psychopathological consequences for university students who were LBC and to estimate the effects of one or both parents being migrants, the duration of left-behind experience, and parental absence during critical periods of growth on psychiatric morbidity. We conducted an annual survey of all freshmen at a Chinese university from 2014 to 2018. The questionnaire collected information on left-behind experiences and psychiatric morbidity using standardized self-report instruments. Regression coefficients derived from logistic regression were used to measure the associations among total time left behind, absence of one parent or both parents, age when left behind and psychopathological consequences. A total of 42,505 students were included. Students who were LBC had more psychopathology, including depression, anxiety, somatoform disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, self-reported suicide attempts and deliberate self-harm, than those who were not. Students for whom one or both parents were migrants showed a greater risk of psychiatric morbidity. The risk of psychiatric morbidity increased with the length of parental absence. Left-behind experience during childhood represents sustained impacts for university students into early adulthood. The higher prevalence of psychiatric morbidity in young adults who experienced the absence of one or both of their parents, especially in their early childhood, suggests that other factors besides attachment, such as protection from other risks, are important and that further research is necessary.

Associations of Internet Addiction Severity With Psychopathology, Serious Mental Illness, and Suicidality: Large-Sample Cross-Sectional Study.

BACKGROUND: Internet addiction has become a major global concern and a burden on mental health. However, there is a lack of consensus on its link to mental health outcomes. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to investigate the associations between internet addiction severity and adverse mental health outcomes. METHODS: First-year undergraduates enrolled at Sichuan University during September 2015, 2016, 2017, and 2018 were invited to participate in the current study survey, 85.13% (31,659/37,187) of whom fully responded. Young's 20-item Internet Addiction Test, Patient Health Questionnaire-15, Patient Health Questionnaire-9, Symptom Checklist 90, Six-Item Kessler Psychological Distress Scale, and Suicidal Behaviors Questionnaire-Revised were used to evaluate internet addiction, four psychopathologies (high somatic symptom severity, clinically significant depression, psychoticism, and paranoia), serious mental illness, and lifetime suicidality. RESULTS: The prevalence of students with mild, moderate, and severe internet addiction was 37.93% (12,009/31,659), 6.33% (2003/31,659), and 0.20% (63/31,659), respectively. The prevalence rates of high somatic symptom severity, clinically significant depression, psychoticism, paranoid ideation, and serious mental illness were 6.54% (2072/31,659), 4.09% (1294/31,659), 0.51% (160/31,659), 0.52% (165/31,659), and 1.88% (594/31,659), respectively, and the lifetime prevalence rates of suicidal ideation, suicidal plan, and suicidal attempt were 36.31% (11,495/31,659), 5.13% (1624/31,659), and 1.00% (315/31,659), respectively. The prevalence rates and odds ratios (ORs) of the four psychopathologies and their comorbidities, screened serious mental illness, and suicidalities in the group without internet addiction were much lower than the average levels of the surveyed population. Most of these metrics in the group with mild internet addiction were similar to or slightly higher than the average rates; however, these rates sharply increased in the moderate and severe internet addiction groups. Among the four psychopathologies, clinically significant depression was most strongly associated with internet addiction after adjusting for the confounding effects of demographics and other psychopathologies, and its prevalence increased from 1.01% (178/17,584) in the students with no addiction to 4.85% (582/12,009), 24.81% (497/2,003), and 58.73% (37/63) in the students with mild, moderate, and severe internet addiction, respectively. The proportions of those with any of the four psychopathologies increased from 4.05% (713/17,584) to 11.72% (1408/12,009), 36.89% (739/2003), and 68.25% (43/63); those with lifetime suicidal ideation increased from 24.92% (4382/17,584) to 47.56% (5711/12,009), 67.70% (1356/2003), and 73.02% (46/63); those with a suicidal plan increased from 2.59% (456/17,584) to 6.77% (813/12,009), 16.72% (335/2003), and 31.75% (20/63); and those with a suicidal attempt increased from 0.50% (88/17,584) to 1.23% (148/12,009), 3.54% (71/2003), and 12.70% (8/63), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Moderate and severe internet addiction were strongly associated with a broad group of adverse mental health outcomes, including somatic symptoms that are the core features of many medical illnesses, although clinically significant depression showed the strongest association. This finding supports the illness validity of moderate and severe internet addiction in contrast to mild internet addiction. These results are important for informing health policymakers and service suppliers from the perspective of resolving the overall human health burden in the current era of "Internet Plus" and artificial intelligence.

Enhanced visible light photocatalysis by TiO2-BN enabled electrospinning of nanofibers for pharmaceutical degradation and wastewater treatment.

Boron nitride (BN) nanosheets are promising support materials for catalysts. A series of TiO2-BN enabled electrospun nanofibers were synthesized for the photocatalytic treatment of ibuprofen and secondary wastewater effluent under visible light. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy confirmed the existence of B-O-Ti bonds between the BN nanosheets and TiO2 nanofibers, resulting in energy rearrangement, narrowed band gaps, and enhanced light utilization efficiency of the TiO2-BN nanocomposites in the visible light spectrum. Transient photocurrent measurements revealed that the BN enhanced the transport of photogenerated holes from the bulk TiO2 nanofibers to its surface, resulting in more efficient separation and less recombination of the charge carriers. A kinetic study of ibuprofen degradation indicated the enhanced photocatalytic performance of TiO2-BN catalysts with a higher BN content in the nanocomposites. The kinetic rate constant of the TiO2-10% BN catalysts was 10 times higher than that of the pure TiO2 nanofibers. The degradation of organic contaminants in wastewater followed the same trend as ibuprofen and improved with increasing BN content. The stability of the TiO2-BN nanocomposites as an effective solar photocatalyst was demonstrated by multiple cycles of wastewater treatment. The results proved that TiO2-BN is an appealing photocatalyst under visible light.

The development and validation of Huaxi emotional-distress index (HEI): A Chinese questionnaire for screening depression and anxiety in non-psychiatric clinical settings.

BACKGROUND: Depression and anxiety among general hospital patients are common and under-recognized in China. This study aimed toward developing a short questionnaire for screening depression and anxiety in non-psychiatric clinical settings, and to test its reliability and validity. METHODS: The item pool which included 35 questions about emotional distress was drafted through a comprehensive literature review. An expert panel review and the first clinical test with 288 general hospital patients were conducted for the primary item selection. The second clinical test was performed to select the final item in 637 non-psychiatric patients. The reliability and validity of the final questionnaire were tested in 763 non-psychiatric patients, in which 211 subjects were interviewed by psychiatrists using Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI). Multiple data analysis methods including principal components analysis (PCA), item response theory (IRT), and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve were used to select items and validate the final questionnaire. RESULTS: The series selection of items resulted in a 9-item questionnaire, namely Huaxi Emotional-distress Index (HEI). The Cronbach's α coefficient of HEI was 0.90. The PCA results showed a unidimensional construct. The area under the ROC curve (AUC) was 0.88 when compared with MINI interview. Using the optimal cut-off score of HEI (≥11), the sensitivity and specificity were 0.880 and 0.766, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The HEI is considered as a reliable and valid instrument for screening depression and anxiety, which may have substantial clinical value to detect patients' emotional disturbances especially in the busy non-psychiatric clinical settings in China.

[Mental Disorders in Psychiatric Emergency Services of a General Hospital].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the distribution, diagnosis and treatment of patients with mental disorders in emergency department of a large general hospital. METHODS: Records of patients with mental disorders, who came for psychiatric diagnosis in the emergency department of West China Hospital of Sichuan University, during 1 July 2014 to 30 June 2015 were reviewed. Data about demographic characteristics, diagnosis and treatment of those patients were extracted and analyzed. RESULTS: A total of 520 patients were included in the analysis: 212 male (40.8%) and 308 female (59.2%). Three most common disorders were "Schizophrenia, Schizotypal disorder and Delusional disorder" (175 cases, 33.7%), "Mood disorder" (106 cases, 20.4%) and "Neurosis, Stress related and Somatoform disorder" (113, 21.7%). 50 (9.6%) patients were not confirmed with a diagnosis. CONCLUSION: Common mental disorders in the emergency service of this hospital include "Schizophrenia, Schizotypal disorder and Delusional disorder", "Mood disorder", and "Neurosis, Stress related and Somatoform disorder". Diagnosis of some patients is unclear. A wide range of treatment regimen should be made available.

The prefrontal dysfunction in individuals with Internet gaming disorder: a meta-analysis of functional magnetic resonance imaging studies.

With the advancement in high-resolution magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) technology and automated analysis, studies on functional MRI (fMRI) made it possible to identify the functional activity of brain in vivo in individuals with Internet gaming disorder (IGD), and to explore the underpinning neuroscience basis of IGD. Yet, no available literature has systemically reviewed the fMRI studies of IGD using meta-analyses. This study reviewed 61 candidate articles and finally selected 10 qualified voxel-wise whole-brain analysis studies for performing a comprehensive series of meta-analyses employing effect size signed differential mapping approach. Compared with healthy controls, subjects with IGD showed a significant activation in the bilateral medial frontal gyrus (MFG) and the left cingulate gyrus, as well as the left medial temporal gyrus and fusiform gyrus. Furthermore, the on-line time of IGD subjects was positively correlated with activations in the left MFG and the right cingulated gyrus. These findings implicate the important role of dysfunctional prefrontal lobe in the neuropathological mechanism of IGD. Considering the overlapped role of prefrontal lobe in the reward and self-regulatory system, our results provided supportive evidence for the reclassification of IGD as a behavioural addiction.

Efficient and Selective Removal of Heavy Metals and Dyes from Aqueous Solutions Using Guipi Residue-Based Hydrogel.

The presence of organic dyes and heavy metal ions in water sources poses a significant threat to human health and the ecosystem. In this study, hydrogel adsorbents for water pollution remediation were synthesized using Guipi residue (GP), a cellulose material from Chinese herbal medicine, and chitosan (CTS) through radical polymerization with acrylamide (AM) and acrylic acid (AA). The characteristics of the hydrogels were analyzed from a physicochemical perspective, and their ability to adsorb was tested using model pollutants such as Pb2+, Cd2+, Rhodamine B (RhB), and methyl orange (MO). The outcomes revealed that GP/CTS/AA-co-AM, which has improved mechanical attributes, effectively eliminated these pollutants. At a pH of 4.0, a contact duration of 120 min, and an initial concentration of 600 mg/L for Pb2+ and 500 mg/L for Cd2+, the highest adsorption capabilities were 314.6 mg/g for Pb2+ and 289.1 mg/g for Cd2+. Regarding the dyes, the GP/CTS/AA-co-AM hydrogel displayed adsorption capacities of 106.4 mg/g for RhB and 94.8 mg/g for MO, maintaining a stable adsorption capacity at different pHs. Compared with other competitive pollutants, GP/CTS/AA-co-AM demonstrated a higher absorption capability, mainly targeted toward Pb2+. The adsorption processes for the pollutants conformed to pseudo-second-order kinetics models and adhered to the Langmuir models. Even after undergoing five consecutive adsorption and desorption cycles, the adsorption capacities for heavy metals and dyes remained above 70% and 80%. In summary, this study effectively suggested the potential of the innovative GP/CTS/AA-co-AM hydrogel as a practical and feasible approach for eliminating heavy metals and dyes from water solutions.

Experimental Study on the Dielectric Properties of Coal In Situ with Variable Temperatures.

The aim of this study was to explore the mapping relationship between the temperature and the dielectric parameters of coal and rock under variable temperatures as well as to determine the characteristics of a dielectric anomaly response. Experiments were performed using lignite, nonstick coal, gas coal, coking coal, and anthracite. The evolution of pyrolysis characteristics, microcrystal structure, and dielectric properties with changing temperature was investigated, and the changes in the dielectric parameters of coal and rock were comprehensively analyzed. As such, the cause of the dielectric anomaly with changing temperatures of coal and rock was revealed. The results show that the dielectric properties of coal at different pyrolysis temperatures are closely related to the degree of intermolecular thermal motion, the evolution of microcrystal structure, and the mechanism of polarization response. In the low-temperature stage, the thermal motion of coal molecules is weak and exhibits electronic polarization, and the dielectric parameters change slightly with temperature while being dependent on the moisture content. In the high-temperature pyrolysis stage, the intense molecular thermal motion leads to the breaking of chemical bonds and the release of volatiles; moreover, the distance between aromatic layers of coal decreases, the order of aromatic structure increases, the dipole turning polarization is the main polarization type, and the dielectric response is obvious. When the pyrolysis reaction is basically complete, the dielectric constants of the five coal samples reach the maximum. As the temperature increases continuously, the coal structure is destroyed by the weakening of the thermal motion of the coal molecules and the accumulation of thermal stress; meanwhile, the dielectric constant decreases gradually, while the dielectric loss and tangent of dielectric loss increase rapidly. At the same temperature, the dielectric constant decreases with an increase in test frequency. These results lay a foundation for the inversion of dielectric data in fire areas of coal mines.

Non-targeted analysis and toxicity prediction for evaluation of photocatalytic membrane distillation removing organic contaminants from hypersaline oil and gas field-produced water.

Membrane distillation (MD) has received ample recognition for treating complex wastewater, including hypersaline oil and gas (O&G) produced water (PW). Rigorous water quality assessment is critical in evaluating PW treatment because PW consists of numerous contaminants beyond the targets listed in general discharge and reuse standards. This study evaluated a novel photocatalytic membrane distillation (PMD) process, with and without a UV light source, against a standard vacuum membrane distillation (VMD) process for treating PW, utilizing targeted analyses and a non-targeted chemical identification workflow coupled with toxicity predictions. PMD with UV light resulted in better removals of dissolved organic carbon, ammoniacal nitrogen, and conductivity. Targeted organic analyses identified only trace amounts of acetone and 2-butanone in distillates. According to non-targeted analysis, the number of suspects reduced from 65 in feed to 25-30 across all distillate samples. Certain physicochemical properties of compounds influenced contaminant rejection in different MD configurations. According to preliminary toxicity predictions, VMD, PMD with and without UV distillate samples, respectively contained 21, 22, and 23 suspects associated with critical toxicity concerns. Overall, non-targeted analysis together with toxicity prediction provides a competent supportive tool to assess treatment efficiency and potential impacts on public health and the environment during PW reuse.

Efficient Removal of Heavy Metals from Aqueous Solution Using Licorice Residue-Based Hydrogel Adsorbent.

The removal of heavy metals through adsorption represents a highly promising method. This study focuses on the utilization of an abundant cellulose-rich solid waste, licorice residue (LR), as a natural material for hydrogel synthesis. To this end, LR-EPI hydrogels, namely, LR-EPI-5, LR-EPI-6 and LR-EPI-8, were developed by crosslinking LR with epichlorohydrin (EPI), specifically targeting the removal of Pb, Cu, and Cr from aqueous solutions. Thorough characterizations employing Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and scanning electron microscopy confirmed the successful crosslinking of LR-EPIs by EPI, resulting in the formation of porous and loosely structured hydrogels. Batch studies demonstrated the high efficacy of LR-EPI hydrogels in removing the three heavy metal ions from aqueous solutions. Notably, LR-EPI-8 exhibited the highest adsorption capacity, with maximum capacities of 591.8 mg/g, 458.3 mg/g, and 121.4 mg/g for Pb2+, Cr3+, and Cu2+, respectively. The adsorption processes for Pb2+ and Cu2+ were well described by pseudo-second-order kinetics and the Langmuir model. The adsorption mechanism of LR-EPI-8 onto heavy metal ions was found to involve a combination of ion-exchange and electrostatic interactions, as inferred from the results obtained through X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and FTIR. This research establishes LR-EPI-8 as a promising adsorbent for the effective removal of heavy metal ions from aqueous solutions, offering an eco-friendly approach for heavy metal removal and providing an environmentally sustainable method for the reutilization of Chinese herb residues. It contributes to the goal of "from waste, treats waste" while also addressing the broader need for heavy metal remediation.

High-Performance Hot-Exciton OLEDs via Fully Harvesting Triplet Excited States from Both the Exciplex Co-Host and the TBRb Emitter.

The high-level reverse intersystem crossing (HL-RISC, T2 → S1 ) process from triplet to singlet exciton, namely the "hot exciton" channel, has recently been demonstrated in the traditional fluorescent emitter of TBRb. Although it is a potential pathway to improve the utilization of non-radiative triplet exciton energy, highly efficient fluorescent organic light emitting diodes (FOLEDs) based on this "hot exciton" channel have not been developed. Herein, high-efficiency and low-efficiency roll-off FOLEDs are achieved through doping TBRb molecules into an energy-level matched exciplex co-host. Combining the low-level RISC (LL-RISC, EX3 → EX1 ) process in the exciplex co-host with the HL-RISC process of hot excitons in TBRb to fully harvest the triplet energy, a record-high external quantum efficiency (EQE) of 20.4% is obtained via a proper Dexter energy transfer of triplet excitons, realizing the efficiency breakthrough from fully fluorescent material-based OLEDs with TBRb as an end emitter. Furthermore, the fingerprint Magneto-electroluminescence (MEL) as a sensitive measuring tool is employed to visualize the "hot exciton" channel in TBRb, which also directly verifies the effective energy confinement and the full utilization of hot excitons. Obviously, this work paves a promising way for further fabricating high-efficiency TBRb-based FOLEDs for lighting and flat-panel display applications.