In this paper, two types of polymer-stabilized blue-phase liquid crystals (PS-BPLCs) with different monomers were designed and prepared. The morphology, temperature range and electro-optical properties of the blue phases were studied and discussed. The temperature range of both types of PS-BPLC is greater than 110 °C, and both samples can be stabilized well at room temperature. The organosilicone monomer 3-methacryloxypropyltrimethoxysilane (KH570), which contains double bonds, was introduced to a blue-phase system for the first time. Regarding the electro-optical performance, the on-state voltage of the PS-BPLCs with the KH570 monomer is reduced to 30 V compared with traditional C12A monomer systems in which the on-state voltage is 75 V at 458 nm. Meanwhile, a fast response and suppressed hysteresis are obtained. These results are helpful to the application of displays and photonic devices.
Ion accumulation in perovskite solar cells can be highly suppressed by a mesoporous TiO2 layer. This is evidenced by the decrease of the ion-related electrostatic potential with increasing the thickness of the mesoporous layer, accounted for by the electron population in the shallow trap states of the TiO2 nanocrystals.
SnO2 is a promising electron transport layer (ETL) material with important applications in planar perovskite solar cells (PSCs). However, electron-hole recombination and charge extraction between SnO2 and the perovskite layer necessitates further exploration. Nickel chloride hexahydrate (NiCl2·6H2O) was introduced into the SnO2 ETL, which significantly increased the power conversion efficiency (PCE) from 15.49 to 17.36% and the open-circuit voltage (V OC) from 1.078 to 1.104 V. The improved PCE and V OC were attributed to the reduced defect states and increased energy level of the conduction band minimum. This work provides new insights into optimizing the V OC and PCE of PSCs.
Basalt fiber reinforced polymers (BFRPs) have been widely used in structures because of their high strength and light weight advantages. The previous research neglected the effect of the bonded anchor which led to overestimated performances of the BFRP tendons. In this study, experiments on the monotonic and hysteretic behaviors were conducted to analyze the mechanics of the BFRP tendons with bonded anchors. After considering the influences of the loading rates and initial prestressed displacements, the anchor colloidal deformations of the BFRP systems were measured and regressed. The results showed that the bearing and elongation capacities of the BFRP tendons, which exceed 3.3% and 140 kN, respectively, were independent of the loading rate and initial prestressed displacement under the monotonic and hysteretic loadings. The colloidal deformations, which accounted for about 20% of the whole deformation of the BFRP tendons, cannot be neglected in the predicted responses of the BFRP tendons. The regressed formulas of the anchor colloidal deformation could effectively anticipate the monotonic and hysteretic responses of the BFRP tendons. Therefore, the BFRP tendons with relatively stable mechanical properties are suitable for further practical application.
BACKGROUND: Suicide rates among hospital inpatients increase with age. Choosing a simple and appropriate suicide risk assessment tool can assist medical staff to identify high-risk individuals in time, and reduce the inpatient suicide rates. METHODS: A total of 1,841 elderly inpatients in the Renji Hospital South Campus, Shanghai Jiaotong University of Medicine from April to August 2020 were randomly selected as the participants for a cross-sectional study. Their conditions were assessed by BSRS-5, Barthel index (BI), and numeric rating scale (NRS). Then, the software SPSS 23.0 (IBM Corp., Armonk, NY, USA) was applied to create a database and statistically analyze the results. RESULTS: According to the BSRS-5 score, 1,825 participants (99.1%) had no suicide risk (0-3 points) and 16 participants (0.9%) had suicide risk (4-24 points). Subsequently, univariate analysis was performed with the BSRS-5 score as the dependent variable and participant gender, age, self-care ability, and pain intensity as independent variables. The results showed that self-care ability (F=3.195, P=0.000) and pain intensity (F=3.247, P=0.001) were the main risk factors for suicide. Finally, to investigate the relationship of suicide risk with self-care ability and pain intensity, the scores of the 3 scales (BSRS-5, BI, NRS) were assigned, and then the data were analyzed by logistic regression. The results showed that self-care ability assignment was statistically significant (P=0.009<0.05, B=-0.657), suggesting that self-care ability score affected the suicide risk in elderly inpatients. Specifically, the weaker their self-care ability, the higher the suicide risk. CONCLUSIONS: Suicide prevention strategies should take self-care ability into account, which is a crucial influencing factor of suicide risk in elderly inpatients. The BSRS-5 assessment tool is recommended to assess suicide risk in elderly inpatients, which can then contribute to the establishment of a 3-level safety system for suicide prevention in elderly inpatients.
Inpatients , Suicide Prevention , Aged , China , Cross-Sectional Studies , Humans , Risk Factors
Grain boundary trap passivation in perovskite films has become one of the most effective strategies for suppressing the charge recombination and enhancing the photovoltaic performance of perovskite solar cells, whereas the relevant trap-state properties and the charge carrier dynamics need to be further clarified. In this work, the CH3NH3Cl (MACl) additive is introduced into the MAI:PbI2 precursor solution to obtain perovskite films comprising various grain sizes with distinct grain boundaries and trap-state properties. The influence of grain boundary traps passivated with the MACl additive on trap-state properties and charge carrier transport/recombination dynamics is systematically studied with time-resolved spectroscopic and transient photoelectric characterization. Specifically, the MACl amount determines the content of the PbI2 residual in the final perovskite, leading to photoluminescence quenching induced by charge transfer. The trap-state distribution result reveals that the deep-level traps at the grain boundaries as the main sources of charge recombination centers are dramatically passivated. Low-temperature photoluminescence spectroscopy distinguishes and compares the trap-state emission related to different perovskite phases. Transient photoelectric measurements including photovoltage decay and charge extraction further demonstrate that the boundary trap passivation can effectively promote charge transport and inhibit charge recombination in devices treated with the optimized MACl amount. As a result, the corresponding device possesses superior photovoltaic parameters to the control device. This work proposes a systematic understanding of the grain boundary trap passivation strategy and provides a new insight into the development of high-performance perovskite solar cells.
BACKGROUND: The health levels of young elderly individuals are generally low due to multiple factors. This study sought to analyze factors that affect the health of the young elderly to provide a reference for improving their level of health. METHODS: We used cluster sampling to survey 1,000 young elderly residents aged between 60 and 69 and living in Town P, District M, Shanghai. Health levels were assessed using the Medical Outcomes Study 36-Item Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36), Social Support Rate Score (SSRS), General Self-Efficacy Scale (GSES), and Health Promoting Lifestyle Profile II (HPLP II) instruments. Demographic characteristics were compared based on the SF-36 score and coupled with one-way analysis and stepwise regression analysis, to determine factors affecting health. RESULTS: The young elderly in this community have a high morbidity of chronic disease and score low in the SF-36, SSRS, GSES, and HPLP II. One-way analysis reveals that gender, education, marriage, current work, total social support score, total general self-efficacy score, and total health promoting score are factors affecting the scoring of the SF-36 and the results of stepwise regression analysis. Marriage, current working condition, age, total score of social support, total score of health promotion behavior, type of work, presence of chronic disease, and the number of children are positively correlated with the SF-36 score and can predict it. CONCLUSIONS: To improve the health of community living elderly young it is necessary to adopt appropriate health promotion measures which motivate their self-efficacy and health responsibility. Such measures include increasing interactions between the young elderly and medical resources and offering them public participation opportunities to ensure that they receive adequate social support.
Healthy Lifestyle , Self Efficacy , Adult , Aged , Child , China , Cross-Sectional Studies , Humans , Middle Aged , Social Support , Surveys and Questionnaires
BACKGROUND: Hypoplasia of bilateral cruciate ligaments is a rare congenital malformation. The diagnosis of such diseases and indications for the various treatment options require further analysis and discussion. CASE SUMMARY: The patient is a 26-year-old Chinese woman who has been suffering from knee pain since the age of 8 years, 2-3 episodes a year. Three years ago, due to the practice of advanced yoga poses, the frequency of left knee pain increased, requiring prompt medical treatment. Magnetic resonance imaging demonstrated an absence of both anterior and posterior cruciate ligaments of both knees with abnormal posterior tilting of the tibial plateau. Bilateral subluxation of the knee joint was also found, therefore tibial osteotomy was performed. The patient reported at the 24 mo follow-up that the frequency of pain and instability had been reduced and function restored. CONCLUSION: Osteotomy may be an effective method to treat patients with congenital cruciate ligament deficiency with posterior tibial plateau tilting. The diagnosis of congenital cruciate ligament deficiency shall be based on the combination of patient's medical history, clinical manifestations, and findings from imaging to avoid possible misdiagnosis. Based on the symptoms, frequency of attacks, and intent of the individual, appropriate treatment options shall be identified.
