Showing papers by "Ocean University of China published in 2016"

Persistent sulfate formation from London Fog to Chinese haze

Abstract: Sulfate aerosols exert profound impacts on human and ecosystem health, weather, and climate, but their formation mechanism remains uncertain. Atmospheric models consistently underpredict sulfate levels under diverse environmental conditions. From atmospheric measurements in two Chinese megacities and complementary laboratory experiments, we show that the aqueous oxidation of SO2 by NO2 is key to efficient sulfate formation but is only feasible under two atmospheric conditions: on fine aerosols with high relative humidity and NH3 neutralization or under cloud conditions. Under polluted environments, this SO2 oxidation process leads to large sulfate production rates and promotes formation of nitrate and organic matter on aqueous particles, exacerbating severe haze development. Effective haze mitigation is achievable by intervening in the sulfate formation process with enforced NH3 and NO2 control measures. In addition to explaining the polluted episodes currently occurring in China and during the 1952 London Fog, this sulfate production mechanism is widespread, and our results suggest a way to tackle this growing problem in China and much of the developing world.

Indo-Western Pacific Ocean Capacitor and Coherent Climate Anomalies in Post-ENSO Summer: A Review

Abstract: ENSO induces coherent climate anomalies over the Indo-western Pacific, but these anomalies outlast SST anomalies of the equatorial Pacific by a season, with major effects on the Asian summer monsoon. This review provides historical accounts of major milestones and synthesizes recent advances in the endeavor to understand summer variability over the Indo-Northwest Pacific region. Specifically, a large-scale anomalous anticyclone (AAC) is a recurrent pattern in post-El Nino summers, spanning the tropical Northwest Pacific and North Indian oceans. Regarding the ocean memory that anchors the summer AAC, competing hypotheses emphasize either SST cooling in the easterly trade wind regime of the Northwest Pacific or SST warming in the westerly monsoon regime of the North Indian Ocean. Our synthesis reveals a coupled ocean-atmosphere mode that builds on both mechanisms in a two-stage evolution. In spring, when the northeast trades prevail, the AAC and Northwest Pacific cooling are coupled via wind-evaporation-SST feedback. The Northwest Pacific cooling persists to trigger a summer feedback that arises from the interaction of the AAC and North Indian Ocean warming, enabled by the westerly monsoon wind regime. This Indo-western Pacific ocean capacitor (IPOC) effect explains why El Nino stages its last act over the monsoonal Indo-Northwest Pacific and casts the Indian Ocean warming and AAC in leading roles. The IPOC displays interdecadal modulations by the ENSO variance cycle, significantly correlated with ENSO at the turn of the 20th century and after the 1970s, but not in between. Outstanding issues, including future climate projections, are also discussed.

Facile fabrication of acidified g-C3N4/g-C3N4 hybrids with enhanced photocatalysis performance under visible light irradiation

Abstract: A highly efficient visible-light-driven acidified g-C3N4 (ACNS)/g-C3N4 isotype heterojunction photocatalysts were synthesized by ultrasonic dispersion assisted electrostatic self-assembly strategy for the first time. The photocatalytic oxidation ability of the novel photocatalysts were evaluated using methyl orange (MO) as a target pollutant. The obtained ACNS/g-C3N4 photocatalysts were characterized by X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectrometry (FTIR), UV–vis diffuse reflection spectroscopy (DRS), Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) methods. The photocatalysts exhibited a significantly enhanced photocatalytic performance in degrading MO under visible light illumination (λ > 420 nm) compared with the pristine ACNS and g-C3N4 solely. The optimal ACNS content for the photocatalytic activity of the heterostructured composites was determined. The 30 wt.% ACNS/g-C3N4 exhibited the highest photocatalytic activity, which showed a reaction rate constant as high as 0.0216 min−1, 4.3 times higher than that of bare g-C3N4. The mechanism of the photocatalysts was investigated by determination of reactive species in the photocatalytic reactions and photoluminescence technique. The quenching effects of different scavengers displayed that the reactive h+ and O2− played major role in the reaction systems. The synergic effect between the ACNS and g-C3N4 was found to lead to an improved photo-generated carrier separation and hence the photocatalytic activities of the composite photocatalysts were increased significantly.

Impact of Ural Blocking on Winter Warm Arctic–Cold Eurasian Anomalies. Part I: Blocking-Induced Amplification

Abstract: In Part I of this study, the impact of Ural blocking (UB) on the warm Arctic–cold Eurasian (WACE) pattern associated with the winter (DJF) arctic sea ice loss during 1979–2013 is examined by dividing the arctic sea ice reduction region into two dominant subregions: the Barents and Kara Seas (BKS) and the North American high-latitude (NAH) region (Baffin and Hudson Bay, Davis Strait, and Labrador Sea). It is found that atmospheric response to arctic sea ice loss resembles a negative Arctic response oscillation with a dominant positive height anomaly over the Eurasian subarctic region. Regression analyses of the two subregions further show that the sea ice loss over the BKS corresponds to the UB pattern together with a positive North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO+) and is followed by a WACE anomaly, while the sea ice reduction in the NAH region corresponds to a negative NAO (NAO−) pattern with a cold anomaly over northern Eurasia.Further analyses reveal that the UB pattern is more persistent during the ...

The All-Data-Based Evolutionary Hypothesis of Ciliated Protists with a Revised Classification of the Phylum Ciliophora (Eukaryota, Alveolata).

Abstract: The phylum Ciliophora plays important roles in a wide range of biological studies. However, the evolutionary relationships of many groups remain unclear due to a lack of sufficient molecular data. In this study, molecular dataset was expanded with representatives from 55 orders and all major lineages. The main findings are: (1) 14 classes were recovered including one new class, Protocruziea n. cl.; (2) in addition to the two main branches, Postciliodesmatophora and Intramacronucleata, a third branch, the Mesodiniea, is identified as being basal to the other two subphyla; (3) the newly defined order Discocephalida is revealed to be a sister clade to the euplotids, strongly suggesting the separation of discocephalids from the hypotrichs; (4) the separation of mobilids from the peritrichs is not supported; (5) Loxocephalida is basal to the main scuticociliate assemblage, whereas the thigmotrichs are placed within the order Pleuronematida; (6) the monophyly of classes Phyllopharyngea, Karyorelictea, Armophorea, Prostomatea, Plagiopylea, Colpodea and Heterotrichea are confirmed; (7) ambiguous genera Askenasia, CyclotrichiumParaspathidium and Plagiocampa show close affiliation to the well known plagiopyleans; (8) validity of the subclass Rhynchostomatia is supported, and (9) the systematic positions of Halteriida and Linconophoria remain unresolved and are thus regarded as incertae sedis within Spirotrichea.

Dietary fucoidan modulates the gut microbiota in mice by increasing the abundance of Lactobacillus and Ruminococcaceae

Abstract: Recently, fucoidan has been proposed as a potential prebiotic agent for functional food and pharmaceutical development. However, while previous studies illustrated favorable modulations of gut microbiota by fucoidan, changes in the overall microbial structure remain elusive. In the present study, modulations of gut microbiota by different fucoidans were studied using high throughput sequencing and bioinformatics analysis. We found that at the expense of opportunistic pathogenic bacteria such as Peptococcus, the abundance of beneficial bacteria including Lactobacillus and Ruminococcaceae was significantly increased in response to fucoidan treatment. Besides, by maintaining a more balanced composition of gut microbiota, dietary fucoidan also significantly reduced the antigen load and the inflammatory response in the host as evidenced by the decreased serum lipopolysaccharide-binding protein levels. Collectively, our results indicate that fucoidan can be used as a gut microbiota modulator for health promotion and treatment of intestinal dysbiosis.

Global impacts of the 1980s regime shift

Abstract: Despite evidence from a number of Earth systems that abrupt temporal changes known as regime shifts are important, their nature, scale and mechanisms remain poorly documented and understood. Applying principal component analysis, change-point analysis and a sequential t-test analysis of regime shifts to 72 time series, we confirm that the 1980s regime shift represented a major change in the Earth's biophysical systems from the upper atmosphere to the depths of the ocean and from the Arctic to the Antarctic, and occurred at slightly different times around the world. Using historical climate model simulations from the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 5 (CMIP5) and statistical modelling of historical temperatures, we then demonstrate that this event was triggered by rapid global warming from anthropogenic plus natural forcing, the latter associated with the recovery from the El Chichon volcanic eruption. The shift in temperature that occurred at this time is hypothesized as the main forcing for a cascade of abrupt environmental changes. Within the context of the last century or more, the 1980s event was unique in terms of its global scope and scale; our observed consequences imply that if unavoidable natural events such as major volcanic eruptions interact with anthropogenic warming unforeseen multiplier effects may occur.

N, O-codoped hierarchical porous carbons derived from algae for high-capacity supercapacitors and battery anodes

Abstract: Nitrogen and oxygen codoped hierarchical porous carbons have been synthesized by using a direct carbonization/activation procedure of biomass algae – Enteromorpha. The proposed procedure allowed us to produce carbons with high surface area (up to 2073 m2 g−1), sponge-like 3D interconnected structure, combined macro/meso/micropores, and rich N (0.64–0.85 at%) and O (11.36–12.24 at%) doping. The application of the produced carbons in supercapacitors based on an ionic liquid electrolyte showed a high specific capacitance of 201 F g−1 (10.7 μF cm−2) at 1 A g−1 and 20 °C, a capacitance retention ratio of 61% at 100 A g−1 and a capacitance loss of 9% after 10 000 cycles. The devices were able to deliver an energy density of 24 or 35 W h kg−1 (on an active mass normalized basis) at an extremely high power density of 60 kW kg−1 at 20 or 60 °C. The application of the produced carbons in a lithium-ion battery anode based on the LiPF6 electrolyte exhibited a high specific capacity of 1347–1709 mA h g−1, a good initial coulombic efficiency of 61–64%, and a good cyclability up to 500 cycles. We believe that this simple precursor-synthesis route offers excellent potential for facile large-scale material production for supercapacitors and lithium ion batteries.

Western boundary currents regulated by interaction between ocean eddies and the atmosphere

Abstract: Current climate models systematically underestimate the strength of oceanic fronts associated with strong western boundary currents, such as the Kuroshio and Gulf Stream Extensions, and have difficulty simulating their positions at the mid-latitude ocean’s western boundaries1. Even with an enhanced grid resolution to resolve ocean mesoscale eddies—energetic circulations with horizontal scales of about a hundred kilometres that strongly interact with the fronts and currents—the bias problem can still persist2; to improve climate models we need a better understanding of the dynamics governing these oceanic frontal regimes. Yet prevailing theories about the western boundary fronts are based on ocean internal dynamics without taking into consideration the intense air–sea feedbacks in these oceanic frontal regions. Here, by focusing on the Kuroshio Extension Jet east of Japan as the direct continuation of the Kuroshio, we show that feedback between ocean mesoscale eddies and the atmosphere (OME-A) is fundamental to the dynamics and control of these energetic currents. Suppressing OME-A feedback in eddy-resolving coupled climate model simulations results in a 20–40 per cent weakening in the Kuroshio Extension Jet. This is because OME-A feedback dominates eddy potential energy destruction, which dissipates more than 70 per cent of the eddy potential energy extracted from the Kuroshio Extension Jet. The absence of OME-A feedback inevitably leads to a reduction in eddy potential energy production in order to balance the energy budget, which results in a weakened mean current. The finding has important implications for improving climate models’ representation of major oceanic fronts, which are essential components in the simulation and prediction of extratropical storms and other extreme events3, 4, 5, 6, as well as in the projection of the effect on these events of climate change.

Risk factors for predicting progression from mild cognitive impairment to Alzheimer’s disease: a systematic review and meta-analysis of cohort studies

Abstract: Objective We sought to identify the risk factors for predicting the progression from mild cognitive impairment (MCI) to Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Methods We searched 6 electronic databases for cohort studies published from January 1966 to March 2015. Eligible studies were required to be relevant to the subject and provide sufficient data for our needs. Results 60 cohort studies with 14 821 participants from 16 countries were included in the meta-analysis. The strongest positive associations between risk factors and the progression from MCI to AD were found for abnormal cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), phosphorylated τ (p-τ) (relative risk (RR)=2.43, 95% CI=1.70 to 3.48), abnormal CSF τ/Aβ 1–42 (RR=3.77, 95% CI=2.34 to 6.09), hippocampal atrophy (RR=2.59, 95% CI=1.95 to 3.44), medial temporal lobe atrophy (RR=2.11, 95% CI=1.70 to 2.63) and entorhinal atrophy (RR=2.03, 95% CI=1.57 to 2.62). Further positive associations were found for the presence of apolipoprotein E (APOE)e4e4 and at least 1 APOEe4 allele, CSF total-τ (t-τ), white matter hyperintensity volume, depression, diabetes, hypertension, older age, female gender, lower mini-mental state examination (MMSE) score and higher AD assessment scale cognitive subscale (ADAS-cog) score. Negative associations were found for high body mass index (RR=0.85, 95% CI=0.76 to 0.96) and higher auditory verbal learning test delay score (RR=0.86, 95% CI=0.77 to 0.96). Conclusions Patients with MCI with APOEe4, abnormal CSF τ level, hippocampal and medial temporal lobe atrophy, entorhinal atrophy, depression, diabetes, hypertension, older age, female gender, lower MMSE score and higher ADAS-cog score, had a high risk for the progression to AD.

Automatic Change Detection in Synthetic Aperture Radar Images Based on PCANet

Abstract: This letter presents a novel change detection method for multitemporal synthetic aperture radar images based on PCANet. This method exploits representative neighborhood features from each pixel using PCA filters as convolutional filters. Thus, the proposed method is more robust to the speckle noise and can generate change maps with less noise spots. Given two multitemporal images, Gabor wavelets and fuzzy $c$ -means are utilized to select interested pixels that have high probability of being changed or unchanged. Then, new image patches centered at interested pixels are generated and a PCANet model is trained using these patches. Finally, pixels in the multitemporal images are classified by the trained PCANet model. The PCANet classification result and the preclassification result are combined to form the final change map. The experimental results obtained on three real SAR image data sets confirm the effectiveness of the proposed method.

Environmental processes and toxicity of metallic nanoparticles in aquatic systems as affected by natural organic matter

Abstract: The environmental processes of metallic nanoparticles (MNPs) have been widely investigated in the literature where the importance of natural organic matter (NOM) was often highlighted. This review thoroughly summarized the emerging efforts in understanding interactions between MNPs and NOM. The main environmental processes influenced by NOM are adsorption, stabilization/aggregation, dissolution and surface transformation. Adsorption, competition and desorption irreversibility of NOM on the MNP surface were discussed with regard to NOM properties. For soluble MNPs, their dissolution was generally promoted after interacting with NOM although dissolution suppression was also reported. Besides dissolution, two main surface transformation processes including oxidation and sulfidation can occur on the MNP surface in the presence of NOM. The relationship between NOM-induced dispersion and other processes such as adsorption, dissolution and surface transformation was discussed. Due to the alteration of the above environmental processes, NOM can have an impact on the toxicity of MNPs on aquatic organisms. Therefore, the toxicity of MNPs in the presence of different types of NOM was addressed. It is concluded that NOM can alter MNP toxicity through changing suspension stabilization of MNPs, bioavailability of metal ions dissolved from MNPs, electrostatic interactions and steric repulsion between MNPs and organisms, and MNP-induced reactive oxygen species generation. However, the impact of MNP transformation induced by NOM on toxicity needs further investigations. Moreover, mesocosm studies and mathematical models are suggested to examine the environmental processes of MNPs in the presence of NOM in large-scale aquatic systems. Several key research challenges are provided at the end of this review.

Observed 3D Structure, Generation, and Dissipation of Oceanic Mesoscale Eddies in the South China Sea.

Abstract: Oceanic mesoscale eddies with horizontal scales of 50–300 km are the most energetic form of flows in the ocean. They are the oceanic analogues of atmospheric storms and are effective transporters of heat, nutrients, dissolved carbon, and other biochemical materials in the ocean. Although oceanic eddies have been ubiquitously observed in the world oceans since 1960s, our understanding of their three-dimensional (3D) structure, generation, and dissipation remains fragmentary due to lack of systematic full water-depth measurements. To bridge this knowledge gap, we designed and conducted a multi-months field campaign, called the South China Sea Mesoscale Eddy Experiment (S-MEE), in the northern South China Sea in 2013/2014. The S-MEE for the first time captured full-depth 3D structures of an anticyclonic and cyclonic eddy pair, which are characterized by a distinct vertical tilt of their axes. By observing the eddy evolution at an upstream versus downstream location and conducting an eddy energy budget analysis, the authors further proposed that generation of submesoscale motions most likely constitutes the dominant dissipation mechanism for the observed eddies.

Powerful and Tunable THz Emitters Based on the Fe/Pt Magnetic Heterostructure

Abstract: In this work, we report our study on the THz emission in Fe/Pt magnetic heterostructures. We have carried out a comprehensive investigation of THz emission from Fe/Pt magnetic heterostructures, employing time-domain THz spectroscopy. We reveal that by properly tuning the thickness of Fe or Pt layer, THz emission can be greatly improved in this type of heterostructure. We further demonstrate that the THz field strength emitted from a newly designed multilayer (Pt/Fe/MgO)$_n$ with n=3 can reach a value of ~1.6 kV/cm, which is comparable to the values from the conventional GaAs antenna with a bias of 4 kV/cm, and the nonlinear crystals, e.g., 100 micrometer GaP and 2 mm ZnTe. For the first time, the intensity and spectrum of THz wave is demonstrated to be tunable by the magnetic field applied on the patterned magnetic Fe/Pt heterostructures. These findings thus promise novel approaches to fabricate powerful and tunable THz emitters based on magnetic heterostructure.

The Causal Relationship Between Economic Policy Uncertainty and Stock Returns in China and India: Evidence from a Bootstrap Rolling Window Approach

Abstract: This article applies a bootstrap rolling-window causality test to assess the causal relationship between economic policy uncertainty (EPU) and stock returns in China and India. Empirical literature examining causality between two time series may suffer from inaccurate results when the underlying full-sample time series have structural changes. However, the bootstrap rolling-window approach enables us to identify possible time-varying causalities between time series based on sub-sample data. Using a twenty-four-months rolling window over the period 1995:02 to 2013:02 in China and 2003:02–2013:02 in India, we do find that there are bidirectional causal relationships between EPU and stock returns in several sub-periods rather than in the whole sample period. However, the association between EPU and stock returns is, in general, weak for these two emerging countries. Our findings have important implications for policy makers and investors.

Eutrophication-Driven Hypoxia in the East China Sea off the Changjiang Estuary

Abstract: Coastal hypoxia is an increasingly recognized environmental issue of global concern to both the scientific community and the general public. We assessed the relative contributions from marine and terrestrially sourced organic matter that were responsible for oxygen consumption in a well-studied seasonal coastal hypoxic zone, the East China Sea off the Changjiang Estuary. Our fieldwork was conducted in August 2011 during reinstatement of a subsurface hypoxia, when we observed a continuous decline of dissolved oxygen along with production of dissolved inorganic carbon resulting from organic carbon remineralization. On the basis of a three end-member mixing model and determinations of the stable isotopic compositions of dissolved inorganic carbon (δ13CDIC), the end product of particulate organic carbon (POC) degradation, we quantified the δ13C value of the remineralized organic carbon (δ13COCx), which was −18.5 ± 1.0‰. This isotopic composition was very similar to the δ13C of marine sourced POC produced in s...

Nickel Disulfide-Graphene Nanosheets Composites with Improved Electrochemical Performance for Sodium Ion Battery.

Abstract: Nickel disulfide–graphene nanosheets (NiS2-GNS) composites were successfully synthesized via a simple and mild hydrothermal method. It was revealed by scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy images that the spherical NiS2 nanoparticles with a diameter of 200–300 nm were uniformly dispersed on graphene nanosheets. Na+ electrochemical storage properties including cycling performance and high-rate capability of NiS2-GNS composites were investigated, demonstrating a superior reversible capacity of 407 mAh g–1 with the capacity retention of 77% over 200 cycles at a current density of 0.1 C. Furthermore, even at a large current density of 2 C, a high capacity of 168 mAh g–1 can still remain, which is much higher than that of pristine NiS2 materials. The enhancement in electrochemical properties might be attributed to the synergetic effect endowed by high conductivity of graphene and novel structure of the electrode material. Combined with the advantages of low cost and environmental be...

Excellent energy–power characteristics from a hybrid sodium ion capacitor based on identical carbon nanosheets in both electrodes

Abstract: We created a hybrid Na ion capacitor (NIC) with a unique architecture and exceptional energy–power characteristics. Both the anode and the cathode are based on peanut skin derived carbon nanosheets fabricated by simultaneous carbonization and activation or by carbonization alone. The tens of nanometer thick (down to 20 nm) – high surface area (up to 2070 m2 g−1) nanosheets possesses a disordered structure for copious reversible binding of Na at the carbon defects. They are also hierarchically micro–meso–macro porous, allowing facile ion transport at high rates both through the pore-filling electrolyte and in the solid-state. When employed as sodium ion battery anode, the carbon shows a tremendous reversible (desodiation) capacity of 461 mA h g−1 at 100 mA g−1 and excellent rate capability, e.g. 107 mA h g−1 at 5 A g−1. The optimized NIC device displays highly favorable Ragone chart placement, e.g. 112 and 45 W h kg−1 at 67 and 12 000 W kg−1, retaining 85% of its capacity after 3000 cycles.

CuO Nanoparticle Interaction with Arabidopsis thaliana: Toxicity, Parent-Progeny Transfer, and Gene Expression

Abstract: CuO nanoparticles (NPs) (20, 50 mg L–1) inhibited seedling growth of different Arabidopsis thaliana ecotypes (Col-0, Bay-0, and Ws-2), as well as the germination of their pollens and harvested seeds. For most of growth parameters (e.g., biomass, relative growth rate, root morphology change), Col-0 was the more sensitive ecotype to CuO NPs compared to Bay-0 and Ws-2. Equivalent Cu2+ ions and CuO bulk particles had no effect on Arabidopsis growth. After CuO NPs (50 mg L–1) exposure, Cu was detected in the roots, leaves, flowers and harvested seeds of Arabidopsis, and its contents were significantly higher than that in CuO bulk particles (50 mg L–1) and Cu2+ ions (0.15 mg L–1) treatments. Based on X-ray absorption near-edge spectroscopy analysis (XANES), Cu in the harvested seeds was confirmed as being mainly in the form of CuO (88.8%), which is the first observation on the presence of CuO NPs in the plant progeny. Moreover, after CuO NPs exposure, two differentially expressed genes (C-1 and C-3) that regula...

Impact of Ural Blocking on Winter Warm Arctic–Cold Eurasian Anomalies. Part II: The Link to the North Atlantic Oscillation

Abstract: In Part I of this study, the Ural blocking (UB)-induced amplification role of winter warm Arctic–cold Eurasian (WACE) anomalies has been examined. It was found that the long-lived UB together with the positive North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO+) significantly contributes to the amplification of the WACE pattern. The present study examines how the UB variability affects quasi-biweekly WACE (QB-WACE) anomalies and depends on the NAO+ and North Atlantic conditions by classifying the UB based on a case study of a cold event that occurred over southern China in January 2008. A composite analysis during 1979–2013 shows that the QB-WACE anomalies associated with the UB that often occur with the NAO+ are strong and influenced by the North Atlantic jet (NAJ) and zonal wind strengths over Eurasia. For NAO+-related UB, the QB-WACE anomaly depends strongly on the location of UB, and the UB anomalies lag the NAO+ by approximately 4–7 days.The strength of the NAJ determines whether the combined NAO+ and UB anomal...

Pressure-assisted preparation of graphene oxide quantum dot-incorporated reverse osmosis membranes: antifouling and chlorine resistance potentials

Abstract: Graphene-based nanomaterials have opened a new era in the fabrication of novel membranes with outstanding performance. In this study, we propose a new method of fabricating a graphene oxide quantum dot (GOQD)-incorporated thin-film nanocomposite (TFN) membrane for reverse osmosis (RO) applications. Inspired by free-standing graphene membranes prepared by vacuum filtration, an aqueous suspension of GOQD/m-phenylenediamine (MPD) was first filtered onto a polysulfone (PSf) substrate to obtain a cushion layer. A GOQD-incorporated polyamide (PA) selective layer was then constructed by interfacial polymerization between MPD and trimesoyl chloride (TMC). This method can easily be scaled up owing to its simple preparation procedures. The newly developed TFN membrane exhibited stable high performance with a flux of 37.5 L m−2 h−1 and a NaCl rejection of 98.8% at 16 bar. Remarkably, this represents a 51.8% increase in permeate flux relative to a GOQD-free TFC membrane without compromising the solute rejection. In addition, the GOQD-incorporated TFN membrane displayed long-term durability over 120 h of RO testing. More importantly, the introduction of GOQD into the TFN membrane resulted in improved antifouling and chlorine resistance properties, which are greatly desired in the membrane desalination and water reclamation processes.

Education and Risk of Dementia: Dose-Response Meta-Analysis of Prospective Cohort Studies.

Abstract: Educational level has been regarded as one of the most widely accepted risk factors in the epidemiological studies for dementia, despite with discordant qualitative results. However, the dose-response relation between education and incident dementia was still unknown. To quantitatively evaluate the association between exposure level to high and low education and risk of dementia, we searched PubMed, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Library up to November 2014 and references of retrieved literatures. Specific prospective cohort studies, in which educational attainment was categorized into at least three levels, were included. Newcastle-Ottawa scale was used to assess the quality of included studies. Fifteen prospective cohort studies with 55655 for low education and eight prospective cohort studies with 20172 for high education were included. In the qualitative analysis, both low and high education showed a dose-response trend with risk of dementia and Alzheimer's disease (AD). In the quantitative analysis, the dementia risk was reduced by 7 % for per year increase in education (RR, 0.93; 95 % CI, 0.92-0.94; p for overall trend = 0.000; p for nonlinearity = 0.0643). Nonetheless, we did not find statistically significant association between per year decrease in education and dementia (RR, 1.03; 95 % CI, 0.96-1.10; p for overall trend = 0.283; p for nonlinearity = 0.0041) or AD (RR, 1.03; 95 % CI, 0.97-1.10; p for overall trend = 0.357; p for nonlinearity = 0.0022). Both low and high education showed a trend of dose-response relation with risk of dementia and AD. The dementia risk was reduced by 7 % for per year increase in education.

Chitosan-Coated Diatom Silica as Hemostatic Agent for Hemorrhage Control

Abstract: Uncontrolled hemorrhage leads to high death risk both in military and civilian trauma. Current hemostatic agents still have various limitations and side effects. In this study, natural diatom silica obtained from diatomite and diatom culture was purified and developed for hemorrhage control. To improve the biocompatibility and hemostatic performance of diatom silica, a series of chitosan-coated diatom (CS-diatom) was developed. The composition of CS-diatom prepared was optimized by in vitro hemocompatibility and blood coagulation evaluation for that prepared with 0.5%, 1%, 3%, and 5% chitosan. The results demonstrated that the CS-diatom prepared with 1% chitosan exhibited favorable biocompatibility (hemolysis ratio < 5%, no cytotoxicity to MEFs), great fluid absorbility (24.39 ± 1.53 times the weight of liquid), and desirable hemostasis effect (351 ± 14.73 s at 5 mg/mL, 248 ± 32.42s at 10 mg/mL). Further blood coagulation mechanism study indicated that CS-diatom could provide an ideal interface to induce ...